Rinspeed BamBoo Concept

Rinspeed BamBoo Concept

Rinspeed BamBoo Concept

Rinspeed BamBoo Concept

Designers appear to have crafted the BamBoo primarily as a means to encourage long stays on the beach. The waterproof cloth top can double as a blanket, and the inflatable rear seats can be removed and used as beach chairs. The passenger's portion of the dashboard contains a tablet PC and docking station, allowing users stay connected on the go. Rinspeed also seems keen on catering to social media junkies -- not only does the company suggest crafting a social media site exclusive to BamBoo owners, but a color-changing bird atop the roll bar is designed to express the driver's mood.

Driving, it appears, is less important than comfortable beach living. Power is provided by a 54-kilowatt (72 horsepower) electric motor, ensuring the 2400-pound BamBoo will be only slightly quicker than the two-cylinder Mehari. Rinspeed shies from battery details, but notes the BamBoo can travel 60 miles on a single charge.

For now, the BamBoo is simply a trivial concept, but Rinspeed suggests it could manufacture a small batch if consumer reaction at the Geneva show is overwhelmingly positive. Only time will tell, but we think a sand-tuned beachcomber may receive a better response in the French Riviera than in Switzerland...