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Jaguar Land Rover team up with Gorillaz to recruit new talent

Jaguar Land Rover has teamed up with Gorillaz to recruit the next generation of electronics and software engineering talent through the introduction of a code-breaking challenge found in the Gorillaz app.

The best performers within the app will be fast-tracked through the recruitment process, allowing Jaguar Land Rover’s fill the vacant positions by employing deserving bright new talents over the course of next year.

This is a major departure from conventional way that automakers use to discover and hire talent that they require. This path will allow the company to tackle the engineering skills gap, and inspire and attract a diverse range of talent and new thinking.

Once launched, the App displays a 360-degree environment of the band’s home garage, where a several iconic vehicles from Gorillaz’s past can be seen. Applicants can interact with the app in two stages. The first, is meant to educate them on the benefits of electric vehicles, how to assemble the Jaguar I-PACE Concept 1 and have an in depth look at the first all-electric Jaguar five-seater sports car. It will even be able to inform these applicants about these vehicles’ performance, battery technology, space, charging and range.

The second part is considered more demanding of the stages. It focuses on code cracking in the Alternate Reality Game format (ARG). The challenge here is for applicants to go through a series of code breaking puzzles that will test their curiosity, persistence, lateral thinking and problem solving skills. These are the very same attributes that Jaguar Land Rover feel is essential for all new generation of software and engineering talent to possess in order to be worthy for a place at the company.

“As the automotive industry transforms over the next decade, fuelled by software innovation, we have to attract the best talent and that requires a radical rethink of how we recruit,” said Alex Heslop, Head of Electrical Engineering at Jaguar Land Rover. “Here, we’ve found an engaging way to recruit a diverse talent pool in software systems, cyber systems, app development and graphics performance. It will be the first of its kind.”

This project is said to follow the Jaguar Land Rover STEM initiative with Gorillaz in 2016 where the founding members and female guitarist, Noodle, became the Jaguar Formula E Racing Ambassador. And as such, Jaguar Land Rover hopes that this might aid the change in the perception many young minds have toward the IT profession and help close the skills gap in the field.

The Jaguar I-TYPE, which is the Panasonic Jaguar Racing’s all-electric Formula E racecar, also makes appearance in the Gorillaz app. It will be located in the garage with a poster of Noodle with the car. Users can click on this poster and it will allow them to vote for the @JaguarRacing team drivers to gain a power boost during their next race or to follow the @JaguarRacing Twitter channel.

Despite this new revolutionary method of recruiting new talent, Jaguar Land Rover is still accepting traditional application methods but it hopes that more will choose to use the app instead, break codes and solve problems. This in turn, will help them fast-track their way into a position at the company.

Mercedes-Benz picks up two awards

Mercedes-Benz has won two awards at the inaugural Auto Trader New Car Awards. The first award was for the “Best car for Long Distances”, which was picked up by the C-Class and the second, was for the E-Class by winning the ‘Best Car for Families’ award.

Unlike most motoring related awards, the Auto Trader one is a bit different. Winners aren’t chosen by a panel of judges, instead, decisions are based on the opinion of 10,000 consumers who have bought, driven and lived with these vehicles – they provide unbiased and valued insight of the ownership experience.

Krishan Bodhani, Head of smart and Product Management, Mercedes-Benz Cars UK, said: “It’s a huge honour for us to win two awards at the first ever Auto Trader awards, especially as the votes are cast by customers.”

Currently, the E-Class line-up is as diverse as it has ever been thanks to the recent addition of the E-Class Cabriolet and E-Class All-Terrain as well as several petrol and diesel engines to the line up. How well Mercedes-Benz does this year remains to be seen. But if they keep churning out cars like the current E-Class, 2017 should be a good year for them.

Ford’s Expedition FX4 is the most off-road capable one yet

Ford’s venerable Expedition now comes in a new trim level called the FX4, and its purpose is to be the most off-road capable Expedition ever. The reason for its inception is that the Blue Oval determined that 20 percent of Expedition owners use their vehicles for off-road adventures and as such, their Expedition should be able to keep up with them.

“The FX4 Off-Road package delivers off-road driving confidence,” said Mike Kipley, Expedition vehicle engineering manager. “The technology we’re using works to adapt to different driving conditions so customers can enjoy the adventure without worry.”

The following is what separates the Expedition with the FX4 Off-Road Package compared with other variants of its namesake:

Patented electronic limited-slip rear differential to help improve off-road performance in low-traction situations. It automatically shifts power output to the rear tyre that has the most traction.on which wheels need extra traction. Overall, its gearing improves towing performance and capability
Off-road-tuned shock absorbers to keep wheels in contact with the road
All-terrain tires with thicker sidewalls
Seven different skid plates that serve as underbody armor and protect critical areas. These plates consist of a sand shield to protect the turbocharger intercoolers from getting clogged by dirt or mud, steel plates to protect steering gear, engine, transmission and transfer case as well as the fuel tank.
18-inch Magnetic Metallic-painted cast-aluminum wheels
Chrome running boards
FX4 badging on the liftgate and front fender
New rubber floor liners featuring deep side sills that can be removed and cleaned of any mud, sand or water

Like the rest of the variants, the FX4 benefits from Ford’s Terrain Management System that offers seven different drive modes (Normal, Sport, Tow/Haul, Eco, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Sand, Mud/Rut) that help the Expedition cope with different road conditions. Drivers also have the option of toggling between 2WD and 4WD mode depending on their preference/needs at any given time.

Under the hood of the FX4 is the 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine that produces 375bhp and 637Nm of torque. It is mated to an all-new 10-speed automatic transmission that will help fuel economy and provide the vehicle with the capability of towing a load of up to 4,218kg.

The Cabin is very spacious as expected and is able to offer seating for eight occupants and still provide a decent cargo space volume. And unlike the old days, Ford’s current Expedition comes with a whole slew of entertainment and safety tech that should win over city dwellers as well as adventure seekers.

The Ford Expedition FX4 will only be available in the US and will go on sale sometime in the second half of this year.

Family of E28 owners prove that older BMWs are still cool

There’s a saying in the car enthusiast fraternity, that a family that drives together, stays together. This is especially true in the case of the Caccavo family, where the dad, mum and son, each drive a well looked after E28 BMW 5-Series car.

It all started when the dad, Dean Caccavo decided to look for a clean E28 M5 that was relatively affordable, in good condition and was able to offer immense driving pleasure. After patiently waiting for prices of the M5 to dip to an acceptable level, Dean was able to pick one up that was in relatively good condition.

Seeing this, his wife wanted in on the action and so did his son, which lead to all three of them having very different yet similar E28 5-Series that they use as their daily drivers. It’s a touching story that should serve as a reminder to those who think that older cars don’t have the ability to cope with as much abuse as more modern ones. Check out this awesome video by Petrolicious video to for the full story about how the Caccavo family fell in love with the E28.

In general, the E28 was the second generation 5-Series that BMW made, it replaced the aging E12 and was produced from 1981 to 1988. The car was 4,620mm long, 1,700mm wide and 1,415mm high, which is considerably smaller than the current generation 5-Series. But back then, cars of that era were heavy and less powerful than the ones we have today.

There were a number of engine options to choose from, ranging from a 1.8-lire four cylinder to a 3.5-litre straight six that helped produce a sweet sounding exhaust note. Variants of the car included the 518, 518i, 520i, 525i, 525e/528e, 528i, 533i, 535i, M535i and the M5.

The E28 was eventually replaced with the more robust E34 that proved to be a hit among executive car buyers around the world. That said, the E28 is still respected among many and is still a decent classic by today’s standards.

Mercedes-Benz add All-Terrain and Cabriolet to E-Class line-up

Mercedes-Benz has expanded its E-Class portfolio with the addition of the All-Terrain Edition and Cabriolet variants. The former will be of interest to those who have a more active lifestyle and prefer something with more cargo space and better ground clearance than a traditional estate vehicle will allow. As such, it is 92mm taller than the E350d AMG Line Estate and when cranked up to the highest suspension setting, offers a maximum ground clearance of 156mm.

The car is similar in appearance to the standard Estate variant safe for the matte plastic panels that line the fenders and a number of other trim panel. It also comes with electrically folding tow bar with a 13-pin adapter and 4MATIC permanent four-wheel-drive, making it fit for mild off-road use.

Merc’s All-Terrain comes a 3.0-litre V6 turbocharged diesel engine that develops 258bhp and 620Nm of torque. As such, it can sprint from 0-100km/h in just 6.2 seconds, which is a respectable feat considering the vehicle’s size and weight.

The All-Terrain Edition comes equipped with a Burmester surround sound system, Air Body Control air suspension, panoramic electric sunroof, Comand Online with a 12.3-inch infotainment display and 12.3-inch cockpit display, electrically operated front seats, LED Intelligent Light System, Keyless-Go Comfort package, privacy glass, split folding rear seats, 20-inch twin-spoke alloy wheels and a towing capacity of up to 2,100 kg.

It’s driving behaviour can be altered through the use of the Dynamic Select system, which allows the driver to tailor steering, suspension and accelerator settings. And when the All-Terrain mode is chosen, the car’s ride height is raised by 20 mm.

The Cabriolet version however is based on the E-Class Coupe and features an electronically controlled fabric roof than can go up or down in just 20 seconds at speeds of up to 50km/h. And the roof can be selected in three different colours as a no-cost option, which are black, dark blue and dark brown.

As for engine options, there are four, which are a 2.0-litre diesel (194bhp) in the E220 d, 2.0-litre petrol (245bhp) in the E300, a 3.0-litre V6 (258bhp) in the E350 d 4Matic and a 2.0-litre biturbo V6 (333bhp) in the range topping E400 4MATIC.

Additional features include the Airscarf neck-level heating system and Aircap (redirects the air flow over the cabin), Agility Control suspension, Magic Vision Control wiper system, LED high performance headlights, reverse camera, heated front seats, and ambient lighting with a choice of 64 colours. Available as optional extras are the Air Body Control air suspension, Command Online and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen.

There’s no word yet whether the All-Terrain will ever make it to our shores but if the demand is high enough to warrant such a move, Mercedes-Benz will probably do so.

New VW Polo is bigger and more grown-up than before

The sixth generation Polo has finally been revealed and its the largest ever made in the nameplate’s history. Measuring 4,053mm long, 1,751mm wide and 1,446mm high, its slightly longer and wider than the Mk5 car, which gives rise to a wheelbase that is 92mm wider. This means that cabin space has increased as well and the boot space is 25 per cent more at 351 litres.

Built on the MQB platform, the reason for the increase in size was to achieve a more grown up look, something that previous generation cars lacked. It’s design borrows heavily from that of the Golf. The headlights, front grille and the curvature of the front bonnet seem very much like that of the Mk7 Golf, which isn’t bad thing. From the rear however, not much has changed with the exception of the rear LED taillights being a bit larger and blends better with the curvature of the bodywork.

Speaking of this, Klaus Bischoff, Head of Design for the Volkswagen Brand, said, “The much better proportions create the framework for a grown-up, confident appearance of the sixth generation Polo – charismatic, progressive, contemporary and friendly. We have systematically capitalized on this realignment of dimensions to build a compelling compact car. A Polo with an expressive design which makes the compact – now as a four-door only – sportier, cleaner and unique within the brand range. This is a car that fits in perfectly with our times.”

The new Polo comes with a range of engines which include a two turbocharged and two non-turbocharged 1.0-litre engines, a turbocharged 1.5-litre and the range topping 2.0-litre TSI that will power the new Polo GTI. Some of them are able to run on natural gas, which is a first for the Polo. Transmission options range from a 5-speed gearbox to a 7-speed DSG one. There are also two turbo diesel engines that will be made available for the Polo, however, since it isn’t relevant for our market, we will leave it out.

Inside, the Polo features an all new interior including a new dashboard layout that feature modernized digital displays and controls as well as a whole host of connectivity options. The infotainment display comes with a 6.5-inch screen as standard, which should improve use. There’s also an Active Info Display feature that provides drivers with the relevant information as and when needed.

The car will be launched in a number of versions including Trendline, Comfortline, Highline, Beats special edition (featuring Beats sound system) and another that comes with the new Polo GTI. There are also a couple of Lifestyle packages available for the car. Most, depending on variant, will be feature packed with the latest safety tech that include Front Assist, Blind Spot Detection and Park Assist, apart from the usual ABS, EBD and the like.

Front Assist helps with emergency braking to avoid frontal collisions on highways, secondary roads and city streets. Coupled with the pedestrian monitoring system, the car is able to monitor the road ahead for obstacles and warn the driver and intervene brake assisting functions when it deems it necessary.

The blind spot detection system works in tandem with the Adaptive Cruise Control (radar guided) one to monitor the road ahead, keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, assist with rear traffic alert when reversing out of parking spaces (applies brakes when senses impending collision) and warns drivers of vehicles in their blind spot while changing lanes.

VW has made the Polo available worldwide with 14 different body colours and 13 dashpad colours to offer an array colour matching combinations. No word yet on when it will be made available in Malaysia, but it shouldn’t take very long.