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26th Apr 2015

New Wheels on the Block: 5 cars you need to know about this week

Fancy a Fast & Furious motor with an incredible Hollywood background?

Oisin Collins

Do you like concept cars? Then you’ll love this…

This week’s New Wheels on the Block is a concept car lover’s paradise, as we take a look at two very interesting Peugeots, a former Fast & Furious bheast, VW’s latest tease and one mind-blowing, futuristic Chevy.

Chevrolet-FNR Autonomous EV Concept

Chevy recently unveiled their latest backroom project, the FNR Autonomous EV Concept, which gives us a glimpse at what motoring in the future might look like.

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The FNR driverless concept features dragonfly dual swing doors, magnetic hub-less wheel electric motors that can store excess energy and a wireless auto-charge system. Wowers…

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According to Chevy’s parent company, GM, the FNR features tech that is usually only seen in science fiction movies. Unfortunately, as cool as this machine looks, we’ll probably never actually see anything like it being built for general release.

Still, it’s pretty freaking sweet.

Peugeot 308 R Hybrid concept

The 308 R Hybrid concept is undoubtedly one of the sexiest creations we’ve seen in quite some time and if you think it looks good, just wait until you hear what it is hiding underneath the bonnet.

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Peugeot’s latest hot hatch features a 1.6-litre 270hp petrol engine and two 115hp electric motors, one front, one rear, making it whopping 500hp in all.

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According to the French manufacturer, the 308 R Hybrid concept can hit 100km/h in just 4.0 seconds and has a top speed of 250km/h. All the while it emits just 70g/km because it’s a hybrid. How cool is that?

Peugeot Food Truck

The Peugeot Design Lab, headed by Irishman Cathal Loughnane, premiered the Peugeot Food Truck, dubbed ‘Le Bistrot du Lion’, in Milan earlier this month.

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On board, chefs benefit from two grilling plates and four induction burners as well as a deep fryer. The ventilation system ensures optimum air quality and a 400-litre refrigerated under-foot compartment allows food to stay fresh.

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A 350-litre refrigerator keeps drinks cold, and a professional espresso machine, by Rocket Espresso, provides patrons with delicious coffee at the end of their meals. When the chefs are done, they simple pack up and drive off.

Toyota Supra

Now here’s a blast from the past that we couldn’t pass up. One of the orange 1993 Toyota Supras used in 2001’s Fast and Furious is going up for auction next month. Yep, that’s the same one that Paul Walker drove back in the day.

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According to the auction site: “Walker drives this Supra head to head against Diesel’s Dodge Charger in a race to a railroad crossing where both cars jump the tracks just in time to miss an oncoming train and just as the action appears to calm down, Vin Diesel’s character collides with a semi; flipping the Charger over the Supra as it cruises ahead.”

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So, the price? The estimate is set between $150,000-$200,000, but with the recent success of Fast and Furious 7 and the passing of Paul Walker, we’d wager that this particular Supra will sell for quite a bit more.

VW C Coupe GTE concept

The VW C Coupe GTE concept is a stunning, luxurious monster coming in at over five meters long meaning it’s up against the likes of the BMW 6-series.

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Unfortunately, like all concepts, the VW C Coupe GTE is merely a look at what a future luxurious car from the German automaker might look like; so don’t expect to see one on the roads anytime soon.

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Even if the VW C Coupe GTE concept was massed produced, rumours are that it could be destined for the likes of the Chinese and US markets exclusively, as it may be considered a bit too big for European tastes. ‘Feck that’, we say…

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