Most concept cars—and all of the bizarre and purposely “futuristic” looking ones—never seem to become production models. Which is why we feel confident predicting that the Honda FC Sport, unveiled in concept form at the 2008 Los Angles Auto Show, will never be sold in any showroom. Headlines touting this as “The Car Of The Future” strikes us enormous exaggerations.

But what’s noteworthy about the hydrogen-powered FC Sport concept car is that, while the car design is a concept, the “hydrogen-powered” part is real. The FC Sport’s hydrogen technology is being used today in a car that is available in a showroom: The Honda FCX Clarity sedan (see photo, below).

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The futuristic looking 1-Liter Volkswagen already has quite a bit of history: The car was completed as a concept model in 2002 then shelved as a production vehicle in 2005. And then revived when fuel prices soared in 2008. Because the 1-Liter gets a remarkable 235 mpg (which translates to 0.83 liters of fuel used for every 100km)!

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The Derringer motorized bicycles have a sort of back-to-the-future thing happening. The look is 1920s retro, complete with a brown leather seat and tall white tires. But the engine at the frame’s center is pure modern technology. It’s a 4-stroke, 49cc motor capable of switching instantly between the three modes of operation: full power, engine assisted pedaling, and full manual pedaling. In full power mode the Derringer is works like a motorcycle and is capable of traveling as fast as 40 mph (65 kph) while getting up to 150 mpg. In pedal assisted mode the gas mileage can be as high as 180 mph. That makes the Derringer a way to get around that’s as fuel efficient as it is cool. $3,500

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The lowly skateboard was in dire need for a technological upgrade. And it got it in the form of The Magic Wheel. This is not a sort of skateboard you’d want to jump off ramps or slide down banisters with. The Magic Wheel is more utilitarian than that, an excellent vehicle for making your way around urban areas (once you get the hang of how to use one). The Magic Wheel has the maneuverability of a skateboard. Like a skateboard, it is also near-instantaneous to get on and off. It also has some properties of a bicycle, allowing riders to move rather fast — up to 13 mph (20 kph). Check out the video, below.

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Confession: We’ve never liked GPS road navigation devices. The in-dash variety built into many cars these days are fantastic. But the add-on GPS units are clunky, with difficult-to-see screens and annoying user interface. (With apologies to Garmin, the usability of their products is especially sub-optimal to us). So it is with great delight that there’s finally a road navigation system we can recommend: the Navigon 2100 Max. Its best feature, easily, is the clear 4.3 inch touchscreen. The text-to-speech driving directions also work remarkably well. And the sleek profile (.7 inches, 1.8cm) means this unit is anything but clunky. $299 list, but click here to check for a discounted price.

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The canopy top cockpit allows the C-Quester driver to look all around the submersible except for straight down.

How much to we want one of these! Our inner Jacques Cousteau gawks at the C-Quester, the only (relatively) affordable submersible boat designed for recreational, as well as commercial, use.

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