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F1/Round 8: Highlights & Provisional Results For 2021 Styrian Grand Prix

After the drama-free starting laps in France, this round started off with a chaotic series of events at the first turn as Alfa Romeo ORLEN’s Antonio Giovinazzi spun after coming in contact with Pierre Gasly of Scuderia AlphaTauri. The latter had rear end damage, forcing him to go into the pits and not come back out again.

On lap 7, Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo was having power loss with his car which lost him a hard-earned position moving up from 13th to 11th and then losing it to Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel.

Debris from the collision between Giovinazzi and Gasly had some of the drivers concerned and asking their engineers to keep watch on the tyre pressures. The nasty experiences in Baku which Pirelli attributed to incorrect pressures was still strong in their minds.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had managed to get a clean start and very quickly opened up the gap with Lewis Hamilton. By the 20th lap, the two drivers were way head of Segrio Perez, Verstappen’s team mate, less than 5 seconds separating them. Valtteri Bottas with 3 seconds behind Perez and biding his time until Verstappen came in for tyres and he would try to move up and stay up.

At the other end of the field, the Haas drivers were jockeying for positions with each other and Williams’ Nicholas Latifi was looking for a way past them.

Verstappen came in on lap 30, spent 2 seconds immobile and then shot off to rejoin still ahead of Hamilton and still having that same gap. His team mate’s pit stop was slightly slower due to some difficulty with a rear wheel. The delay allowed Bottas to claim third and move to retain it.

On lap 33, Verstappen was heard asking his team if there was a brake issue, which his engineer said will be looked into. Meanwhile, George Russell was having power unit problems and was stuck in 18th. 6 laps later, he would be forced to end his race in the pits.

As the second half of the race was underway, Daniel Ricciardo and Carlos Sainz were the only drivers left who had not changed their tyres. Both could collect points today as they were within the Top 10, and neither wanted to lose that.

Lap 43 saw the last two drivers finally coming in for fresh tyres, both taking on hard compounds. Sainz was able to slot back into seventh but Ricciardo slipped to 15th.

On lap 44, Leclerc pushed past Alfa Romeo ORLEN’s Kimi Raikkonen at the apex of Turn 3 to slot into 12th but while doing so, his car hit the front wing of Raikkonen’s car, though not damaging it excessively.

By lap 49, Perez finally caught up to Bottas and was ready to reclaim his place, The Finn was uncomfortable at the prospect of the duel, having pushed hard which had affected tyre management.

Leclerc was powering up the field and into the points position by lap 51 as he got past his former team mate at Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel. He then powered past Scuderia Alphatauri’s Yuki Tsunoda and then Alpine’s Fernando Alonso.

Hamilton was unable to close the 14-second gap as 10 laps remained and the rain he was hoping for just would not come down even though there was a dark cloud or two in the sky.

Determined to get onto the podium, Perez came in again, this time to change to mediums, and then when off in pursuit of Bottas, setting the fastest lap in the process. It wasn’t good news for Bottas who had been pushing hard and was getting concerned whether he could make it to the end.

Verstappen had such a strong lead that he could cruise to the finish but for Hamilton, it was an unpleasant ending since he had won this race the year before. The battle between Perez and Bottas was tighter as only less than 2 seconds separated them in the closing lap but in the end, the Mercedes-AMG just managed to stay in third long enough, denying Perez of the podium finish.

Hennessey produces World’s Fastest and Most Powerful Pick-up Truck – the MAMMOTH 1000 TRX

In spite of powerful electrically-powered vehicles appearing with greater frequency now, some companies are still developing more powerful vehicles with good old fashioned internal combustion engines.

One of them is Hennessey Performance Engineering (HPE), the well known Texas-based hypercar manufacturer and high-performance vehicle builder, which has started production of the world’s most powerful pick-up truck, the MAMMOTH 1000 TRX.

6.2-litre engine boosted to 1,012 bhp/1,313 Nm
Based on the Dodge Ram 1500 TRX pick-up truck, the MAMMOTH 1000 TRX will have a 0 – 60 mph (0 – 96 km/h) time claimed to be just 3.2 seconds – making it the quickest truck in the world. The lightning-quick time is achieved by boosting output from the supercharged 6.2-litre V8 engine.

Modifications include a high-flow 2.65-litre supercharger, fuel injectors and high-flow induction system alongside performance-boosting calibration raise output to 1012 bhp and torque to 1,313 Nm.

Measuring 5.81 metres long, 2.09 metres wide and 1.97 metres high, the imposing hypertruck makes an enormous statement on the road. Besides carrying 6 adults, it can carry a payload exceeding 1,045 kgs and towing more than 3,500 kgs.

“Because we can!”
“The new MAMMOTH 1000 TRX is the most powerful pick-up truck that Hennessey Performance has ever offered. The Ram TRX already boasts the highest horsepower of any vehicle manufacturer’s pick-up, so our performance, styling and off-road enhancements make this the most formidable new truck you can buy. We’ve already sold more than 100 trucks, with each answering one big question – why have a 1,000-horsepower pick-up truck? Because we can!” said John Hennessey, Company Founder and CEO.

HEP expects the majority of customers will take a highly specified standard model and add the MAMMOTH 1000 package and the Stage 2 off-road enhancements. The popular Stage 2 package adds custom bumpers, LED lights, a front levelling kit, 37-inch off road tyres and upgraded electronic fold-out steps.

Heavily modified but still comes with warranty
Including buying a standard TRX truck, customers will typically pay in the region of US$150,000 (about RM623,400) for the modification, with a 2-year/24,000-mile (38,650 kms) warranty. HEP will ensure exclusivity for its customers by limiting production volumes to 200 units produced during 2021.

F1/Round 8: Preview & Starting Grid For 2021 Styrian Grand Prix

Race starts at 3 pm in Austria/9 pm in Malaysia

Last year, as the COVID-19 pandemic swept across Europe, virtually all public activities had to be stopped. This included motorsports and the 2020 Formula 1 World Championship never even got a chance to start as the season-opener in Australia had to be cancelled at the last moment as the government decided that the crowds would be a health risk.

The cancellation of the first round led to the rest of the calendar having to be revised, but only after the situation was clearer in the second half of the year. Finally, when the organizers could get venues that would permit racing, the calendar had to be compressed into 6 months which was quite a strain on the teams. After a delay of almost 16 weeks, the 2020 championship finally started on July 5 with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, followed by the Styrian Grand Prix at the same circuit the following weekend.

Strict procedures were established and enforced, with a limited number of participants allowed into the circuit – and no spectators. ‘Bubbles’ were created for each team, and interaction was kept to a minimum and of course, measures like wearing face masks and social distancing were adopted. These measures continue to be enforced this year although some circuits have allowed a limited number of spectators to attend.

Second running of Styrian Grand Prix
This weekend sees the Red Bull Ring being used for the eighth round of the championship and like last year, it will again be used the following weekend for the ninth round. The difference is that this round is known as the Styrian Grand Prix (named after the region the circuit is located in) and the following one will be the Austrian Grand Prix. This is only the second time that there has been a Styrian GP.

The Red Bull Ring was originally known as the Osterreichring and hosted the Austrian Grand Prix continuously from 1970 to 1987, as well as from 1997 to 2003. It was later bought over by Red Bull’s co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz and, after being renovated, renamed as the Red Bull Ring in 2013. From 2014, F1 rounds were held at the track as the Austrian GP.

The teams are therefore familiar with the circuit which has the shortest lap (less than 64 seconds) in the regular F1 calendar. However, while the Red Bull Ring has the quickest lap time, the track length of 4.318 kms is only fifth shortest, behind Brazil, Mexico, the Netherlands and Monaco.

While many F1 tracks are cut into hillsides, few can compare to the Red Bull Ring for elevation change. From the lowest point to the highest point around the circuit, the change in elevation is 63.5 metres.

High risk of bodywork damage
Mercedes-AMG’s Toto Wolff describes the track as ‘one of the most aggressive’ when it comes to the shape, depth and spacing of the kerbs. The high ‘sausage kerbs’ on the corner exits are also aggressive, so therefore it’s one of the harshest on the car’s suspension. “Because of the aggressive nature of the kerbs at the Red Bull Ring, the risk of bodywork damage is high, and we often see drivers picking up damage in practice as they push the limits of the track,” he said.

The track has a high amount of track warp, where the banking of the track changes from one side to the other, with Turn 3 being one example. Here, the track drops towards the apex, with the racing car passing over the crest of the hill, whilst picking up power on exit. This causes the car to lift a wheel, which can lead to struggles with braking, stability and traction.

Medium level of difficulty for brakes
According to Brembo engineers, the Red Bull Ring has a medium level of difficulty for brakes. On a scale of one to five, it earned a three on the difficulty index, matching the score of other tracks such as Budapest and Zandvoort.

At turns 2, 5 and 8, the drivers do not need to use the brakes. On average, over an entire lap, the braking system is active for 10+ seconds. Only Imola has recorded a lower value, despite having 8 braking sections compared to 7 at the Red Bull Ring. From the start to the finish of the race, the drivers will use the brakes for no more than 12 minutes, or 16% of the race and the load on the pedal will be more than 100 kgs their weight.

Pirelli doesn’t consider this track especially demanding on tyres, which makes it possible for the softest tyres in the range to be used. “Once again after last year Austria hosts a back-to-back race, which means that the teams have plenty of data on this track and recent experience of how to deal with its particular challenges and tactics,” said Mario Isola – Head of F1 and Car Racing at Pirelli. “However, having two different tyre nominations is a first for the Red Bull Ring, so it’s going to be interesting to see how the teams get to grips with the softest C5 tyres for the second race weekend – and how the new selection influences strategy.”

Pirelli, in agreement with the FIA, Formula 1 and the teams, has also tested a new rear construction of tyre in free practice yesterday to evaluate its effectiveness to further improve robustness of the tyres. Each car was given two sets of the new tyres during the free practice sessions. If the test results are successful, the new rear specification will be introduced from the British Grand Prix onwards, replacing the current specification. With this new structure, Pirelli says it can provide a tyre that can guarantee even greater levels of integrity under the extreme conditions that can be generated by the current cars.

Next Volvo XC90 to have LiDAR technology and AI-driven supercomputer as standard

In order for autonomous vehicles to function safely, especially when the need for driver intervention is not required, sensor technology must be extremely precise and detailed. While the computer can make intelligent decisions to control the movements of the car, the sensors are its eyes and must collect data of the surroundings and the potential hazards.

At present, many cars already have radar and camera sensors to scan the road ahead, enabling identification of pedestrians and other vehicles. Even earlier, there were already sensors to detect vehicles in the blind spot and this has advanced to include vehicles that approach from the left or right as a vehicle is reversing out of a parking bay.

With the next generation of the Volvo XC90, to be revealed in 2022, state-of-the-art sensors will be used which will include LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) technology developed by Luminar and an autonomous driving computer-powered by the NVIDIA DRIVE Orin system-on-a-chip, as standard. This will be industry-leading safety technology that can help to save even more lives as the company sets a new benchmark for automotive safety.

By combining this state-of-the-art hardware with Volvo, Zenseact and Luminar software for the next generation of its well-established collision-avoidance technology, Volvo Cars aims to reduce fatalities and accidents as a whole with this new safety package.

“Volvo Cars is, and always has been, a leader in safety. It will now define the next level of car safety,” said Hakan Samuelsson, Chief Executive of Volvo Cars. “By having this hardware as standard, we can continuously improve safety features over the air and introduce advanced autonomous drive systems, reinforcing our leadership in safety.”

With the new safety package, Volvo Cars aims to reduce collisions, and the reduction rate is anticipated to accelerate over time via over-the-air software updates. The new technologies are also designed to specifically address those traffic situations which result in a large portion of the remaining severe injuries and fatalities found today.

“In our ambition to deliver ever safer cars, our long-term aim is to achieve zero collisions and avoid crashes altogether,” said Henrik Green, Chief Technology Officer at Volvo Cars. “As we improve our safety technology continuously through updates over the air, we expect collisions to become increasingly rare and hope to save more lives.”

Once introduced, the technology is expected to mature over time, becoming more capable and allowing the car to assist and improve the capabilities of a human driver in safety-critical situations. Whereas previous generations of technology largely relied on warning the driver for potential immediate threats, this new safety technology will, over time, increasingly intervene as needed to prevent collisions.

While saving lives and preventing injury remains the company’s first priority, Volvo Cars also sees a potential added benefit of lower insurance costs as car crashes involving Volvo cars become increasingly rare.

Beyond the sensor suite and Artificial Intelligence computing performance, Volvo’s forthcoming flagship model will also come with back-up systems for key functions such as steering and braking that make it hardware ready for safe, unsupervised autonomous driving once available.

These back-up systems, alongside LiDAR and the computer software, will enable the Highway Pilot functionality, developed in-house together with Volvo Cars’ autonomous driving software development company, Zenseact. An autonomous driving feature for use on motorways, the optional Highway Pilot will be activated for customers when verified safe and legally allowed for individual geographic locations and conditions.

Earlier this year, Volvo Cars announced it will use NVIDIA technology to centralise computing. The core computer and autonomous drive computer, both powered by NVIDIA technology, allow its cars to become safer, more personal and more sustainable over time through over-the-air updates, while also providing it with the computing power required for vision and LiDAR processing. The company has already been using the high-performance, energy-efficient NVIDIA DRIVE since 2016.

*NVIDIA Orin system-on-a-chip maintains safety architecture.*

In 2019, the Volvo Group (which produces commercial vehicle models) also signed an agreement with NVIDIA to jointly develop the decision-making system of autonomous commercial vehicles and machines. Utilizing NVIDIA’s end-to-end artificial intelligence platform for training, simulation and in-vehicle computing, the resulting system is designed to safely handle fully autonomous driving on public roads and highways.

Rolls-Royce Landspeed Collection honours man who set 3 world land-speed records

Rolls-Royce has been associated with world speed records on both land and water for more than a century. But while the exploits of people like Sir Malcolm Campbell are well documented and widely known, there is one British hero who set records using Rolls-Royce engines who has been largely overlooked by history. Captain George Eyston was his name and his extraordinary car, called Thunderbolt, set 3 world land-speed records at the Bonnevile Salt Flats in the American state of Utah.

Eyston was among the first British racers to travel to the Bonneville Salt Flats when he first went there in 1935. He set new 24-hour and 48-hour endurance speed records, and subsequently received the Segrave Trophy, awarded to ‘the British national who demonstrates Outstanding Skill, Courage and Initiative on Land, Water and in the Air’.

7-tonne record-breaker
In 1937, he returned to the Flats and went on to set the 3 world land-speed records with the Thunderbolt. This extraordinary machine had 3 axles, 8 wheels and weighed 7 tonnes, earning it monikers such as ‘behemoth’ and ‘leviathan’ in contemporary reports. And that was even with the body being made from aluminium and, in its original form, had a blunt, heavyset profile topped with a large triangular tailfin.

The Thunderbolt was powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce R supercharged 37-litre, V-12 aero engines, each producing well over 2,000 horsepower. Less than 20 of these engines were ever made; so rare were they that the Thunderbolt’s engines had actually been used earlier in the Schneider Trophy-winning Supermarine S6.B seaplane that would lay the foundations for the legendary Spitfire fighter aircraft of World War II.

Celebrating the dauntless, fearless, pioneering spirit
In 2021, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has created The Landspeed Collection, consisting of both the Wraith and Dawn Black Badge, to celebrate that dauntless, fearless, pioneering spirit of Captain Eyston. It also has strong aesthetic links to the unique, otherworldly landscape of the Bonneville Salt Flats where the Thunderbolt made him, albeit briefly, the fastest man on Earth.

The Collection Car duo is presented in a specially created two-tone finish, which marries Black Diamond Metallic with a new Bespoke colour, Bonneville Blue. This specially developed hue bears particular significance to the Collection, with a colour that transitions under sunlight from light blue to silver, illustrating the reflections of both the vast sky over Bonneville and the crisp salt flats on the Thunderbolt’s aluminium body.

While rocketing over the Flats, Eyston had to hold the car on a very precise course – to deviate even slightly would be disastrous at the extreme speeds. To help him guide the car, his team painted darkened track lines on the salt surface for Eyston to follow – effectively his sole means of keeping the Thunderbolt straight at over 560 km/h.

This simple yet ingenious idea is recalled in the Landspeed Collection by a subtly perforated dark detail in the upper-centre of the steering wheel, which continues through the centre-line of the driver’s seat, accentuating the driver-focused appeal of the two cars.

The Bonneville Salt Flats may appear smooth but, in fact, they’re seamed with tiny fissures. This distinctive texture is perfectly reproduced, digitally retraced from the surface itself, in the wooden veneer of Landspeed Collection’s fascia and console lids.

Environmental references in the cabin
The interior references continue with the Thunderbolt’s unique silhouette, and the records it achieved, depicted on the polished, anodised aluminium surface of the Landspeed Collection’s front tunnel. The Dawn Landspeed additionally celebrates Eyston’s vision with the outline of the Silver Island mountains, which dominate the Bonneville horizon, engraved on the upper ‘waterfall’ between the rear seats.

According to the history books, Eyston’s third and final land-speed record of 357.497 mph (575.57 km/h) stood for 341 days. In the new Collection Cars, it is commemorated for all time, engraved into the housing of the dashboard clock alongside the name ‘Bonneville’, in homage to where the record was set.

Clock recalls a solution for visibility
The Thunderbolt was originally left unpainted, which caused an unexpected problem. During the first record attempts, the photo-electric timing equipment was unable to detect the polished aluminium body against the searing white of the Salt Flats’ surface, making accurate timing impossible. Eyston’s brilliantly simple solution was to paint a large black arrow with a yellow circle on the side, to heighten visibility when travelling at great speed.

Bright yellow accents throughout the Landspeed Collection, including two-tone yellow and black bumper inserts, pay tribute to this vision. The clock’s design recounts this theme. Based on the instrument dials from the Thunderbolt, with yellow and black details, black-tipped hands are inspired by the arrows painted on the original car’s exterior.

The night sky on on September 16, 1938
The allure of the Bonneville Salt Flats draws not only record-breakers, but astronomers, too. Stargazers prize this vast, unpopulated wilderness for its exceptionally dark night skies, which create perfect conditions unspoiled by artificial light.

In the Wraith Landspeed, the Starlight Headliner perfectly recreates the heavens as they appeared over the Flats on September 16, 1938, the date on which Eyston and his Thunderbolt set their third and final world land-speed record. The constellations are precisely marked using 2,117 individually placed fibreoptic ‘stars’, the largest number of stars in a Rolls-Royce Wraith Starlight Headliner ever featured.

Eyston’s military honours are marked in both the Wraith and Dawn Landspeed with a subtle detail in the driver’s door, made in the same Grosgrain weave silk and colours to match the original medal ribbons. The armrests on both the passenger side and below the ribbon detail are specially padded to give them the comfortable ‘club armchair’ quality that Eyston favoured in his driving seats, much to the amusement of his fellow racers.

Production of Landspeed Collection cars is strictly limited to just 25 units of the Dawn and 35 of the Wraith, all of which have already been reserved by customers.

Turkish Grand Prix to replace cancelled Singapore Grand Prix

With the cancellation of the Singapore Grand Prix again as the government is uncomfortable having too many foreigners entering the country during this pandemic period, Turkey has again been added to the 2021 Formula 1 calendar. The date of the Turkish Grand Prix will be on October 3, the same weekend originally scheduled for the Singapore Grand Prix.

This will be the second year in a row that the Turkish Grand Prix is being run, last year having been the first time since 2011. The 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, which was to replace the cancelled Canadian GP, was removed in May when strict travel restrictions (imposed by the UK) were expected to make it difficult for teams to travel there from their base in the UK.

Most of F1 community vaccinated
However, things have changed and it is now possible to travel to Turkey and the Formula 1 organisation has decided to use the venue. The organisers have taken many measures to protect the health of those involved and say a significant proportion of the F1 community has been vaccinated already.

The circuit for the Turkish Grand Prix will be the same Intercity Istanbul Park or Istanbul Racing Circuit (or initially, Istanbul Otodrom) in the country’s capital city. The track was opened in 2005 and was another project of Hermann Tilke, who has designed many of the modern F1 circuits around the world.

One of the most challenging circuits
Istanbul Park has often been regarded as one of the most challenging modern circuits in F1. Of the 14 turns, Turn 8 is ‘legendary’ – a fast, high-g 640-metre left-hander with multiple apexes. Though today’s racing cars are better designed to handle the turn compared to 10 years ago, the speed (around 270 km/h) and duration in the turn will still place a lot of loads on the tyres.

“Due to the increased downforce levels, the iconic Turn 8 will be less of a focus than before. It was pretty much flat-out in the 2011 cars, but it will become even less of a challenge in these 2020 machines. So, teams don’t need to compromise the setup so much for it,” said Mercedes-AMG’s Toto Wolff.

Besides Turn 8, there are also other challenges around the 5.338-km long circuit that the drivers will do 58 laps on. It will be tough and technically demanding, with the long back straight that allow DRS to enable overtaking heading into Turn 12. The end of the lap consists of a combination of three low-speed corners where braking stability on entry and traction on exit are important.

*Lewis Hamilton passes his team members after taking the chequered flag at the 2020 Turkish Grand Prix where his seventh world title was confirmed.*

Lewis Hamilton confirmed his 7th title in Istanbul
Last year, when the teams returned to the Istanbul Park circuit, they were familiar with the layout but much of the data from earlier races was somewhat outdated. This year, things will be better with the experience of having run a race last year, which was won by Lewis Hamilton. It was in Istanbul that Hamilton confirmed his 2020 title to make a total of 7 in all.

This weekend sees the first of two rounds at the Red Bull Ring in Austria. The first is the Styrian Grand Prix, and the second round to be held one week later will be the Austrian Grand Prix.

After a thrilling French Grand Prix, Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing top the championship charts. The Dutch driver is 12 points ahead of Hamilton, whom he beat to the chequered flag at Paul Ricard, while his team is 37 points ahead of the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS team.

2021 Ferrari 296 GTB with V6 plug-in hybrid powertrain

With the pace of electrification accelerating, especially in Europe, it’s time for Ferrari to get more serious. Thus far, the company has already put a few hybrid models into the market – like the LaFerrari and SF90 Stradale – and with the new 296 GTB, the latest evolution of their mid-rear-engined two-seater Berlinetta gets a new hybrid engine as well.

All-new hybrid V6 engine
The engine is new – neither 8-cylinder nor 12-cylinder – but a 663 cv (553 ps) 120° V6 coupled with an electric motor that adds 122 kW (166 ps), giving a total system output of 830 ps. This is the first 6-cylinder engine installed on a Ferrari road car although the brand has had V6 engines going as far back as 1957 but only for its racing cars. The very first Ferrari V6 has 65° architecture and debuted on the 1500 cc Dino 156 F2 single-seater. V6 hybrid architecture has been used on all Formula 1 single-seaters since 2014.

In the case of the 296 GTB (the badge number is composed of its total displacement and the engine cylinders), the hybrid system is a plug-in (PHEV) type which can provide up to 25 kms of running on just electric power, it is claimed.

This new V6 has been designed and engineered from a clean sheet by Ferrari’s engineers specifically for this car and is the first Ferrari to feature the IHI turbos installed inside the vee. Aside from bringing significant advantages in terms of packaging, lowering the centre of gravity and reducing engine mass, this particular architecture is said to help deliver extremely high levels of power.

The result is that the new Ferrari V6, which has an 8-speed DCT, has set a new specific power output record for a production car and the maximum power output puts it at the top of the rear-wheel drive sportscar segment.

Sound-wise, the 296 GTB rewrites the rulebook by harmoniously combining two characteristics that are normally diametrically opposed: the force of the turbos and the harmony of the high-frequency notes of a naturally-aspirated V12. Even at low revs, inside the cabin, the soundtrack features the pure V12 orders of harmonics which then, at higher revs, guarantee that typical high-frequency treble.

Aerodynamic innovations
Apart from the powertrain innovation, the 296 GTB also has aerodynamic innovations that include, for the first time, an active device is being used not to manage drag but to generate extra downforce. The LaFerrari-inspired active spoiler integrated into the rear bumper allows the 296 GTB to generate a high level of rear downforce when required – up to 360 kgs at 250 km/h in high- downforce configuration with the Assetto Fiorano package.

The brake cooling system was developed around the Aero calipers introduced on the SF90 Stradale with ventilation ducts integrated into their castings. This brake cooling concept requires a dedicated duct to correctly channel cool air coming in through the air intakes on the front bumper through the the wheelarches. In the case of the 296 GTB, the intake has been integrated into the headlight design.

The styling of the tail shows a break from traditional Ferrari coupe design by adopting an architecture that creates a spider-like discontinuity between roof and rear engine cover. This choice makes the 296 GTB both unique and instantly recognisable and, from an aerodynamic perspective, led to the addition of a new wing profile on the roof which extends into two side fins that hug the edges of the rear engine cover.

Cabin evolved from SF90 Stradale
The 296 GTB’s cabin area was developed around the new concept of an entirely digital interface which was first adopted by the SF90 Stradale. With the SF90 Stradale, the interior designers wanted to highlight the presence of the advanced technology and underscore a clear break with the past; in the case of the 296 GTB, the idea was to clothe that technology in a sophisticated way. The result is a pure, minimalistic connotation characterised by a powerful elegance that, on an aesthetic level, perfectly mirrors the design of the exterior.

The 296 GTB’s cabin raises the concept of the formal purity of the functional elements to new heights. From a formal perspective, when the engine is off, the onboard instruments go black, enhancing the minimalist look of the cabin. Exclusive Italian leather trim to the seats and trim is further enhanced by the noble technical materials used on the functional components. The sculptural door panels are seamless continuations of the dashboard in terms of both materials and colour.

Assetto Fiorano package
For customers who want to experience the full performance of the car, the Assetto Fiorano package is available and provides significant weight reduction and aero content. It includes special GT racing-derived adjustable Multimatic shock absorbers, high downforce carbonfibre appendages on the front bumper, a Lexan rear screen, and more extensive use of lightweight materials such as carbonfibre for both cabin and exterior.

The Assetto Fiorano package involves much more than simply replacing elements. Some components require the standard basic structure to be redesigned, including the door panel, resulting in an overall weight-saving of 12+ kgs.

Nissan Juke Rally Tribute Concept pays homage to 1971 Safari Rally-winning Datsun 240Z

During the 1970s, Japanese cars began to enter international motorsports events and their presence became increasingly noted as they won major events. One such event was the legendary East African Safari Rally, a tough dusty event that went around the Kenya countryside. As it was part of the World Rally Championship, major manufacturers took part and among them was Nissan, which used different models.

It was the iconic Datsun 240Z sportscar which won the 1971 event, driven by Edgar Herrmann with navigator Hans Schuller. To underline the superiority of the 240Z, two other cars finished in second and seventh positions. Furthermore, the victory represented the brand’s second consecutive victory in the rally. The sleek and low-slung 240Z was powered by a 2.4-litre straight-six engine, producing 210 ps.

The victorious car is on display today, having been fully restored in 2013. It is part of Nissan’s Heritage Collection which is housed in Zama, close to Nissan global headquarters in Japan.

Revealed on the first day of 2021 event
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Nissan’s victory in the Safari Rally, the carmaker is preparing a Juke Rally Tribute Concept. These images are being released to coincide with the first day of the Safari Rally Kenya which sees the event once again being on the WRC calendar after an absence of 19 years.

The JUKE Rally Tribute Concept, as you can guess, is developed from a production Juke. It’s a very appropriate car to use with a raised stance, short front and rear overhangs strong potential off-road performance.

With enlarged wheels arches to accommodate the tailor-made off-road tyres, the vehicle’s stance is made more imposing, while the additional lights mounted on the bonnet and roof are reminiscent of the old rallycars. Back then, rallies were also run through the night so extra and powerful lighting was important. Two spare wheels are also visible at the back.

Colour themes reminiscent of 240Z rallycar
The JUKE Rally Tribute Concept’s black bonnet and black wheels are especially related to the 1971 240Z that competed in the RALLY. Those same cues also served as inspiration for the Gripz concept car which Nissan presented at Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015 which, in turn, influenced the design of the production Juke that was introduced in 2019.

A major difference under the bonnet is the type of powertrain used. While the rallycars of the 1970s had petrol engines, the Juke Rally Tribute Concept will have an electric hybrid powertrain. This is in support of Nissan’s commitment to the electrification of its range, especially in Europe.

“The Juke Rally Tribute Concept celebrates an iconic moment in Nissan’s heritage, with the participation and victory of the legendary 240Z in the East African Rally in 1971. As well as celebrating that victory, it reflects Nissan’s pioneering history in crossovers, striking design and electrified powertrains. We’re delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the victory of that remarkable achievement with these striking images,” said Coralie Musy, Vice-President, Brand and Customer Experience, Nissan Automotive Europe.

The 2021 Safari Rally Kenya
The Safari Rally Kenya starts today as the sixth round of the 2021 World Rally Championship. It was to have been run last year but the pandemic forced its cancellation. Instead of the route of 6000 kms of open-road of yesteryear, the event will have 18 stages and a total of 320.19 competitive kilometres. But what remains unchanged is the dusty conditions (which could also be wet and muddy), rough terrain and high temperatures – and they will also see wildlife like the drivers in the 1970s. None of the WRC’s frontline drivers have experienced the Safari, which means ‘adventure’ in the Swahili language.

All-new Infiniti QX60 unveiled via short, branded-film

Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, presented its all-new QX60 crossover SUV via a short, branded-film entitled “INFINITI Presents: Conquer Life in Style with All-New QX60“, starring Kate Hudson, Golden Globe-winner and Academy Award-nominated actress, producer, entrepreneur, and mother. The association with the filmstar was said to be a ‘natural fit to bring to life the qualities of the target customer for QX60’, according to Infiniti.

The QX60, originally badged as ‘JX’, has been around for 9 years and has been made in the USA, available only in LHD form. However, the new generation will also be produced in China, only for that market.

Previewed by Monograph concept last year
The revised styling follows that seen in the Monograph concept shown last year with a more muscular appearance than before. Fine details have embedded and unique, yet subtle, Japanese essence: kimono folds in the headlamps, with the intricate folds of traditional Japanese origami. Chrome frames the signature grille and reaches up toward the corners into the signature piano key LED headlights.

An understated character line runs the length of the QX60, bisecting its two-tone roof from its lower body. The black roof — a first for the brand — visually reaches toward the rear wheels and is emphasized with chrome accents that frame the expansive greenhouse.

At the rear, digital piano key lighting — also previewed on the Monograph design study — creates an unmistakable look at night to identify the QX60. The rear taillight signature echoes the distinctive front LED headlamp display, combining powerful athleticism with harmony and simplicity, a new hallmark in Infiniti’s design language.

One engine choice only
The powertrain has a 3.5-litre V6 engine with new 9-speed automatic transmission. The Intelligent All-Wheel Drive system is significantly enhanced with an all-new direct coupling which almost instantly engages when it detects wheelslip. In some cases, it can proactively engage for better grip in slippery conditions and up to 50% of the available power can be sent to the rear wheels for increased grip. Active Brake Limited Slip functionality can brake individual wheels to redirect torque to the wheels with grip almost instantly.

Active safety features include Rear Automatic Braking, Predictive Forward Collision Warning, and Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection as well as Adaptive Front Lighting and Auto-Levelling Headlights.

An enhanced ProPILOT Assist system also debuts in the QX60 and draws information from the onboard navigation system to assist the driver. The ProPILOT Assist with Navi Link system can proactively slow the car for sharp bends or off-ramps and can automatically adjust the vehicle’s speed when engaged. In stop-and-go traffic, the system can slow the QX60 to a stop and restart travel after up to 30 seconds stationary.

The new QX60 shares the same platform as the latest Nissan Pathfinder with no change in wheelbase and a slightly shorter body. Its 3-row cabin has helped make it a popular choice in markets like North America, where it has one of the brand’s bestsellers.

Cabin with theatre-style seating
The spacious cabin has premium soft-touch materials throughout with ambient interior lighting bathes the cabin with soft but expressive illumination on entry and exit. The standard panoramic moonroof opens up the airy cabin further to let in natural light.

The front seats are Nissan’s well known, ergonomically designed ‘Zero Gravity’ seats with a structure that attempts to replicate the experience felt by astronauts in zero-gravity conditions. Developed in a joint study with Yamazaki Laboratory at Keio University, the seats more closely follow the natural curvatures of the human spine and reduce pressure on the hips, so driver and passengers arrive at their destinations feeling refreshed.

For additional comfort, seat massagers are available along with the front seats having their own climate control. Customers can choose Captain’s Chairs for the second row with theatre-style seating from front to rear. In such a seating layout, each row behind the driver and front passenger rises in without significantly impacting headroom.

Latest Infiniti InTouch system
A new Infiniti InTouch 12.3-inch Interactive Display touchscreen for infotainment is standard and comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and USB-based Android Auto compatibility software. A 12.3-inch Dynamic Meter Display in front of the driver presents information such as speed, navigation information and more, and can be paired with a sharp 10.8-inch Head-Up Display (HUD). The sharp HUD is significantly enhanced from earlier displays with a dual free-form mirror that provides a crisp readout from more viewing angles than before.

New Honda Civic Hatchback has global debut in America

Almost 50 years ago, when the Honda Civic was born, it was only a hatchback, the sedan coming from the beginning of the 1980s. In Asian markets, the hatchback had a subordinate position to the more popular sedan and due to limited numbers being sold, it disappeared from Malaysia (officially) after a few generations.

In markets like North America, the hatchback was more appreciated and has been accounting for about 20% of Civic sales in the USA. Like the sedan, it evolved through the generations, gaining in size and performance. The 11th generation hatchback variant has now been revealed, joining the new Civic Sedan which was launched some months back, also in the USA.

2021 Honda Civic Hatchback Gen 11 — *Comparison between rear ends of the new Civic Hatchback (above) and the Sedan (below).*

Same styling elements as latest Sedan
The overall styling follows that of the latest generation with a more dramatic roofline that gives a sleek coupe-like profile. While the front end has a similar form but a different grille (mesh with a slight concave shape) from the sedan, it is at the rear where the big differences are. There are larger side windows and a new small corner window in the C-pillar to enhance rearward visibility,

The roof line flows downwards to a lightweight composite hatch and the overall height of the car has been reduced by 50 mm by moving the hinge mechanism outwards. The design of the rear lights is different from the sedan’s and the third brake light lens spans nearly the entire width of its hatch, visually emphasizing the Hatchback’s wider rear track.

Longer wheelbase but shorter body
Compared to the 10th-generation Civic Hatchback, the windscreen pillars have been moved back by around 50 mm while the wheelbase is 35 mm longer and the rear track is 13 mm wider. However, the rear overhang is less which reduces the overall length by 124 mm but Honda says rear legroom is better in this new variant.

With the large opening at the back, additional attention was given to body rigidity. The Civic Hatchback’s structure has 19% better torsional rigidity versus the previous generation. The stiffer structure, with an aluminium front subframe, benefits ride, handling and refinement, with reductions in noise, vibration and harshness augmented with the extensive use of structural adhesives, spray-in foam in the pillars, and additional sound deadening in the firewall and under the floor.

The suspension is shared with the Sedan but Honda mentions chassis updates such as new low-drag front brake calipers, and low-friction front and rear wheel bearings to reduce rolling resistance.

Naturally-aspirated, turbo and hybrid powertrains
As with the current generation in many markets, there will be a choice of naturally aspirated and turbocharged engines, including the 1.5-litre turbo unit Malaysians are familiar with. A 6-speed manual transmission will be available and for the US market, the naturally aspirated engine has a 2-litre displacement. It’s coupled with a revised CVT that has a more robust electric hydraulic pump to reduce the load on the mechanical pump, and a ball-bearing secondary shaft to reduce friction.

*The European market will get the Civic Hatchback with an e:HEV hybrid powertrain.*

For the European and probably Japanese market, Honda will also put a e:HEV powertrain in the Civic Hatchback, the hybrid powertrain meeting the objective for all European mainstream models to have electrified powertrains by 2022.

Sedan functionality with hatchback versatility
Much of the interior is the same as the Sedan with the added layout versatility of a Hatchback adding 65% more cargo space. The standard 60:40 split backrests can be quickly folded for expanded capacity and the side-pull cargo cover provides concealment of items in the boot.

Up front, outward visibility is enhanced by the repositioned A-pillars, low bonnet, flat dashboard, low cowl and outside mirrors which are now mounted on the doors. The instrument panel is designed with a minimum of cutlines to reduce windscreen reflections and visual distractions, while the new metal honeycomb instrument panel accent hides the air vents.

Like all Hondas sold today, there is the Honda Sensing suite of active safety and driver-assistance technologies. The latest version installed in the Civic Hatchback uses a new single-camera system providing a longer, wider field of view than the previous radar-and-camera based system. Combined with software advances and a new, more powerful processor, the system is capable of more quickly and accurately identifying pedestrians, bicyclists and other vehicles, along with road lines and road signs.

Honda Sensing also includes Traffic Jam Assist, and the new camera-based system improves on existing functionality, such as more natural brake application and quicker reactions when using Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC). It also has more linear and natural steering action when using the Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS). Low-Speed Braking Control is supported by and front and rear false-start prevention with the addition of eight sonar sensors.

Unlikely for Malaysia
Malaysia has long been a sedan market and while there were hatchbacks too, most faded away after the 1980s. Today, the lines are blurred between sedans and hatchbacks, the latter once defined by having a blunt rear end. But while Malaysian buyers may appreciate the extra versatility a hatchback offers, many will probably get a SUV instead as it may be perceived to be more suitable in different roles.

*Early generations of the Civic Hatchback were sold in Malaysia but it was dropped from the locally-assembled range after the 1990s.*

But beyond that point, there is also the question of potential volume and as Honda Malaysia is committed to assembling products locally with high localization of parts as well, the Civic Hatchback may not have the sort of numbers for a business case. It’s not only that the Malaysian market is not as large as Thailand and Indonesia but also that a huge chunk of the market is occupied by just two brands with strong advantages. The remaining part of the market has to be shared by around 20 makes and the ‘slices of the pie’ for each is therefore small and a variant like the Civic Hatchback won’t generate enough volume.

Visit www.honda.com.my to know more about the models available in Malaysia.

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