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Mercedes-Benz S-Class tames King of the Jungle

The Mercedes-Benz S-Class has for decades, been regarded as the most technologically advanced production vehicle on the planet. Features and systems that are common place in regular econoboxes today, were first introduced on the S-Class years earlier. The car represents Merc’s never-ending pursuit of automotive perfection.

This notion can be proven by looking at the spec sheet of the latest car. Not only does it come with the a slew of advanced active and passive safety systems, but can also alter interior lighting, ambiance and fragrance, depending on one’s mood. This allows for an even more relaxing driving experience then that offered by its predecessors.

In a promotional video advert released by the company recently, these very features have been highlighted. It depicts the day in the life of a top level exec, as he goes through the motions of running a company. The lighthearted nature of the video portrays the stresses that ‘alpha male’ top level management execs are put under on a day-to-day basis.

The video reaches its climax toward the end of the clip where the boss, heading out in his S-Class, gets stuck in a traffic jam. As he is about to implode into manic rage of biblical proportions, the car’s interior system activates its various ‘mood changer’ features that help him calm down, and enjoy the moment.

This amusing yet relatable video is one of many that have been published by the automaker on its official Youtube channel. Check it out and let us know what you think of the car and its advanced tech features.

Renault introduce new efficient engine

Renault has annoounced a new efficient engine that was co-developed by the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Daimler. This new engine will power the Scénic and Grand Scénic line-up but will eventually make its way into other models in the Renault range from 2018.

According to the automaker, what sets this new powerplant apart from the rest is that it offers a significant improvement in terms of driving pleasure and availability of torque throughout the rev band. It is able to accomplish this without detriment to fuel consumption or CO2 emissions.

The engine will be made available with three different power outputs, which are the Energy TCe 115, TCe 140 and TCe 150. The numbers of their nomenclature denote engine horsepower. The TCe 140 replaces the older TCe 130 and offers 35Nm more torque that is available across a broader range of the rev band.

Philippe Brunet, Alliance Global VP – Powertrain & Electric Vehicles, said, “Our new petrol engine embodies all the expertise of Groupe Renault’s engineers, the Alliance and our partner Daimler. It meets the quality standards of both the Alliance and Daimler, with more than 40,000 hours of testing.”

The engine block, coupled with manual and EDC dual-clutch automatic transmissions, is available in a variety of power ratings from 115hp to 160hp. It utilizes a number of different technologies including Bore Spray Coating, a cylinder coating technology from the Nissan GT-R engine, which reduces friction and optimises heat transfer.

Other features of the engine are higher pressure of the direct fuel injection, which is 250 bar and a unique combustion chamber design that optimizes the fuel/air mix. Adding to that, Dual Variable Timing Camshaft technology manipulates the intake and exhaust valves depending on engine load at any given time. The is what allows for better torque levels across the rev range.

Bugatti Chiron recalled due to faulty welds

No car, no matter how special, is free of imperfections. Case in point is the Bugatti Chiron. Regarded as one of the most expensive and powerful cars on earth, the Chiron is considered the epitome of automotive greatness. Today however, that image has been tainted in the form of a recall.

According to an article by Bloomberg, Bugatti Automobiles SAS has informed U.S. auto regulators that it is recalling models of the car due to faulty welds on the front seat recliner bracket. And unlike regular manufacturers, the French automaker isn’t content with notifying customers of the problem via email or calls, instead, they have taken it one step further.

A team of Bugatti personnel will travel to each Chiron owner’s location to pick it up personally. The team will then haul the vehicle in an enclosed truck to one of 12 Bugatti dealers in the U.S. for inspections. There are about 12 of such vehicles in the US, but 47 in total, globally, are affected by this issue.

There’s no word yet on how Bugatti aims to deal with customers outside the US, but we assume that its method, will probably be similar in nature to that executed in the US. At $2.99 million (RM12.20 Million) a pop, owners of the Chiron shouldn’t have to expect anything other than 6 Star level of treatment.

The Chiron is the follow-up model to the mind-bending Veyron, which claimed and held the record for the fastest production car in the world for several years. It is powered by an 8.0-litre W16 quad-turbo engine that produces 1,479bhp and 1,600Nm of torque. The car was the talk of the town until it was recently upstaged by Koniegsegg’s Agera RS with its 0-400-0 km/h feat.

Source: Bloomberg

Mazda introduce limited edition MX-5

Mazda has introduced a limited edition variant of its sports coupe that it calls, MX-5 Z-Sport. This nomenclature was last used with the 3rd generation MX-5 back in 2007. The car gets a deep cherry red fabric hood, 17-inch black BBS wheels, and Machine Grey Metallic paintwork.

As for the interior, it gets Sand Leather seats, Z-Sport floor mats and scuff plates. On top of that, each car comes with an individually numbered Z-Sport plaque on the dash. Made exclusively for the UK market, Mazda has limited production of the Z-Sport to just 300 cars.

Like the base car, it is powered by a 2.0-litre 160bhp engine, has a limited slip differential, Bilstein dampers and a strut brace. Its predecessor, was graced with similar specs. It had the same capacity engine, 17-inch BBS wheels, Radiant Ebony Mica paint, brushed aluminium dash inserts, alloy pedals and stitching on the steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake.

Commenting on the launch of the new MX-5 Z-Sport, Jeremy Thomson, Managing Director Mazda Motors UK said, “The MX-5’s new cherry coloured roof was shown for the first time in public at the recent Tokyo Motor Show where it received a very positive reception.”

Though the Z-Sport isn’t that dissimilar from the MX-5 sold in Malaysia, we do hope that more variants of the car are offered to markets outside the UK and Japan. Fans of the brand and car outside these markets, would definitely be delighted to know that Mazda is looking out for them as well.

VW exec gets 7 years in prison for involvement in ‘dieselgate’

If you thought that the diesel-gate saga that has surrounded VW these past few years has finally been put to rest, then you are sadly mistaken. According to an article by The Guardian, Oliver Schmidt, a senior executive at Volkswagen, has been sentenced to 7 years in prison by a US Court.

The sentence given to Schmidt was proportional to his involvement in the scandal. His alleged involvement, allowed VW to evade pollution limits on several of its diesel models sold in the US. On top of his prison term, a $400,000 (RM1,635,200) fine has been levied on the VW exec as well. Both punishments are considered to be at top end of sentencing guidelines.

During his tenure at the company, Schmidt served the role of general manager in charge of VW’s environmental and engineering office in Michigan. The US government believes despite being in direct contact with regulatory bodies, he failed to disclose the method/software that was used by the automaker to circumvent US emissions regulations.

Schmidt is another casualty of the US government’s ongoing investigation into Volkswagen officials’ involvement in misleading regulatory authorities. In August, a VW engineer was sentenced to 40 months in prison for his part in the diesel-gate saga.

The article in The Guardian also states that it is highly unlikely that other high level execs will be brought to trial because they are already back in Germany. VW has openly admitted to its misdeeds and vowed to make things right through payment of fines to regulators as well as assisting customers who have been directly affected by the saga.

Source: The Guardian

Cadillac posts sales growth in 2017

According to GM’s latest sales report, demand for Cadillac vehicles is on the rise, which has been made evident by the automaker sales of 32,016 units this month alone. It’s part of an 18 consecutive month of growth for the brand. Adding to that, year-to-date sales are up by 18.5%, totaling 321,721 units.

“We have positioned ourselves to have a successful 2017 and are on track to have one of the best sales years in the history of Cadillac,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. “Our SUV sales remain strong and we are seeing growth in the sedan segment, with both the ATS and CT6 performing well globally.”

In its home market, the gradual decline in demand for luxury cars, has affected Cadillac somewhat. But it has managed to partially offset the deficit with stronger sales of the XT5 and the ever-popular Escalade. This has resulted in an 8.1% growth in SUV portfolio sales for the year.

Despite this, China continues to be a strong market for the brand. There has been an increase of 53.7% in Cadillac sales compared to the same period in 2016. Following suit are Canada, South Korea, the Middle East and Japan, all of which, recorded an increase in sales this month.

Cadillac’s XT5 luxury crossover is still the best selling vehicle in its product portfolio. It has recorded 129,971 units delivered worldwide this year, and the ATS did equally well too, achieving a 20.2% increase in demand.

Worldwide, the company has achieved a 3.7% growth in sales figures, which isn’t groundbreaking, but proves that Cadillac vehicles are still in demand. Though the luxury car market might be shrinking, the figures show that the American automaker is still going strong.

Tesla’s Gigafactory woes cause ripple effect

Tesla has caused a bit of a stir in the battery market. Many electronics companies that require supply of cylindrical batteries for their products, are facing a significant supply shortage. This is due in part to Tesla sweeping Panasonic’s entire inventory of such batteries to meet its own demand.

The company’s Gigafactory, which functions as its battery manufacturing facility, has run into production problems and other delays. And as such, it has looked to Panasonic to shore up demand. According to a news article by etnews, it says that it’s almost impossible to source these batteries from within Japan.

Companies all over the globe have rushed to alternative suppliers that include Samsung, SDI, LG Chemicals and Murata for the required material. Demand has been so high that, even these manufacturers aren’t able to cope. The problem may have some serious repercussions for the businesses of various smaller entities, if left unresolved.

This Gigafactory is Tesla’s crown jewel that plays a major role in its parts supply chain as well as having the ability to run on renewable energy. The EV maker is looking to this sate-of-the-art facility to play a pivotal role in the company’s operations.

Source: etnews

Nissan celebrate heritage at NISMO festival

Last week’s NISMO festival that was supported by Motul, played host to an interesting display of vehicles from Nissan’s memorable past. There were Group C cars, Super GT cars, Touring Cars and even an incredible display of rally cars. Thousands of fans either attended the event at Fuji International Speedway or tuned in to NISMO.tv to witness the spectacle.

All of those cars were part of Nissan’s heritage collection, which is housed in the Zama Heritage Center in Japan. Here, the automaker houses a plethora of vehicles from its Motorsport past as well as road cars that date back to the Datsun type 12 Phaeton from 1933.

According to the automaker, it has more than 400 vehicles stored in its Zama facility and if you would like to see more of them, CLICK HERE. As portrayed by the various pictures in the gallery, Nissan has had a colourful Motorsport history that has contributed somewhat in it becoming the automotive giant it is today.

Check out the pictures below and let us know what you think of its vintage and classic cars. And should you require further information on them, check out Nissan’s online heritage site. It houses a massive collection of pictures and specifications of each individual car. It’s in Japanese though, so use Google Chrome to get the translation done in a single click.

Strong demand for 1980s cars at CCA

This year’s Classic Car Auctions in the UK has recorded a very good turn out. About 80% of the vehicles that rolled onto the auction block were sold, which roughly equates to £6.1 million (RM3.4 million) worth of cars. This result is a testament to the demand for classic cars and evidently CCA’s best year yet.

Though demand across the board was quite strong, the ones that garnered the most interest were the 1980s Porches. The most expensive, a 1989 911 Carrera Supersport (SSE) sold for £71,500 (RM391,162), which was more than £11,000 (RM60,179) over the estimate.

“What a fantastic way to end the year!” said Gary Dunne, Classic Car Auctions’ sales manager. “Demand for ‘everyman’ classics remains incredibly strong and we’re delighted to have achieved some great prices for our vendors.”

He later added, We’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been involved in one of our sales in 2017 and we look forward to seeing you all again next year.”

Later on, a 1985 911 3.2 SSE Targa was sold for a similar figure at £68,750 (RM376,118). These were two of nine Porsches successfully sold during the auction. and besides Porsche, several Fast Fords caused some waves at the auction as well, with 10 of them successfully sold.

A concours condition 1987 Sierra RS Cosworth sold for £37,950 (RM207,617), a 1986 Escort RS Turbo Series I which fetched £10,120 (RM55,364) and a 1983 Escort RS1600i which sold for £9,900 (RM54,161). Then, a pristine 1987 Volkswagen Golf GTi convertible, formerly owned by Sir David Jason OBE, sold for £17,820 (RM97,490).

Considered rubbish during that era, 1980s cars are starting to gain popularity especially among those who were at the time, too young or broke, to afford such vehicles. Cars like the MkII Escort, MkII VW GTI and early generation Skylines are starting to go up in value. And it won’t be long until their prices begin to skyrocket as they become more rare and desirable than before.

Lamborghini launches Urus SUV

Lamborghini has finally introduced its highly-anticipated SUV to the masses. It’s called the Urus, after a famous Spanish fighting bull – the nomenclature of choice for many of the automaker’s models. The styling is inline with lamborghini’s current design language, featuring a swooping bonnet, angular headlights and massive front bumper.

The front fascia, especially the lower region, have been assembled with a series of fins and honeycomb styled inlets that offer sufficient cooling for the car’s engine and also aerodynamic efficiency. The raked roof line makes the Urus look more like a hatchback than a full-fledged SUV. A minimalist approach to the LED tail lights, diffuser and bumper assembly lend a cleaner look to the entire look of the rear.

On the subject of engines, the Urus features a twin turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 powerplant that produces 650bhp and 850Nm of torque. Mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission that sends power to the road via Lamborghini’s all-wheel-drive system. Torque is split 40/60 between the front and rear, which changes depending on the chosen mode (Off-road, Snow, Sand or tarmac) and driving behaviour.

As such, the Urus is able to sprint to 100km/h from a standstill in just 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 305km/h. It has an air suspension system, that enables ride height changes as well as rear wheel steering, which at low speeds, turns in the opposite direction to the front ones, for better cornering ability. Lamborghini’s various driving mode selection enables the muffling of the exhaust note when discretion is needed.

Despite its size, the Urus’ body has been kept fairly light through the use of aluminum and Steel. This blend offers a good level of rigidity and lightweight properties, and contributed to it weighing only 2,200kg. It features frameless doors, torsional beams replacing a C-pillar, and cross-members made of aluminium.

Stopping power has been made available through the use of carbon ceramic brakes measuring 440 x 40 mm at the front and 370 x 30 mm at the rear. They are said to offer virtually no brake fade and optimizes pedal feel regardless of driving conditions. Wheel options range from 21 to 23-inches that can be fitted to a variety of tyre types that have been especially developed by Pirelli for the automaker.

Like other Lamborghinis, the interior has been layed out with a decent blend of sportiness and luxury appeal. There’s a decent infotainment system and a slew of connectivity options to cover your entertainment needs. It is coupled with an 8-speaker setup that can be upgraded to a high-end Bang & Olufsen Sound System with 3D sound and 1,700 watt output and 21 fully active speakers.

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems are fitted as standard and offer a decent level of safety and security to driver and passengers. The High Beam Assistant automatically fades headlights in and out of high beam mode as required, front and rear parking sensors and cruise control are also included as standard, as is the PreCognition system preventing or mitigating collisions.

The Urus is one of the the most technologically advanced Lambos in the stable and features keyless start, electrically operated rear taligate as well as a whole slew of others. Unlike other models, the Urus is meant to offer a blend of luxury, comfort and sportiness that isn’t really offered by other vehicle manufacturers.