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Almost every day, there’s news about the electrification in the auto industry, if not the introduction of a new electric vehicle (EV). The industry, especially in Europe, has fast-tracked plans to move existing model fleets from using internal combustion engines to either hybrid or fully electric powertrains. Some companies even plan to stop selling vehicles with combustion engines before the end of this decade.

But there are also some companies that will look for a balance in the rush to electrification, focussing more on overall carbon neutrality (which can address climate change) for their entire operations, rather than just the products alone. Akio Toyoda, President of Toyota Motor Corporation, is one of those who feels that the rush to switch to zero emission vehicles is too excessive, demands massive investments and will damage the industry in some ways.

Whole world won’t ‘electrify’ at the same time
While governments are forcing the corporate hands of the carmakers to make the changes and cut emissions from vehicles, there will still be models with combustion engines on sale for a while. We don’t know yet how fast the infrastructure to support EVs can be developed and grow because, in some places, it doesn’t even exist yet. In Malaysia, for example, the number of recharging stations already set up is really just ‘a handful’ and an absence of a coherent policy to encourage sales and use of EVs has yet to be formulated.

While motorists in regions like Europe are steadily switching to electric vehicles, there are many millions elsewhere in the world who will continue to use vehicles running on fluid fuels for many more years.

So while some carmakers may feel that they can get by (in future) selling just EVs, there will be some who will still be developing models with combustion engines for the rest of this decade at least. Engineers can still push emissions down further to meet stricter regulations and a new generation of fuels will also help in this respect.

Renewable low-carbon fuels
These are renewable low-carbon fuels and following on from R33 Blue Diesel which has been around since 2018, Bosch, Shell, and Volkswagen have now come up with low-carbon petrol. Their new fuel, called Blue Gasoline, similarly contains up to 33% renewables, ensuring a well-to-wheel reduction in carbon emissions of at least 20% per kilometre driven. This means a fleet of 1,000 VW Golf Mk.8 1.5 TSIs alone could save more than 230 metric tons of CO₂ per year, assuming an annual mileage of 10,000 kms each.

Shell will offset the remaining carbon emissions from the use of Blue Gasoline through certified offset arrangements. The initial plan is to make the fuel available at regular filling stations over the course of the year, starting in Germany.

“On the road to climate-friendly mobility, we must ensure we don’t leave any technical opportunities untapped, starting with electromobility and ending with renewable fuels. Every bit of CO₂ we save can help us achieve our climate targets,” said Dr. Uwe Gackstatter, President of the Bosch Powertrain Solutions division.

“Blue Gasoline is another building block in the effective reduction of CO₂ emissions from the vehicle fleet. Blue Gasoline’s high storage stability makes the fuel particularly suitable for use in plug-in hybrid vehicles. In the future, the expansion of the charging infrastructure and larger batteries will mean that these vehicles predominantly run on electrical power, and thus that fuel may remain in the fuel tank for longer periods of time,” explained Sebastian Willmann, Head of Internal Combustion Engine Development at Volkswagen

Highest standards set for fuel quality and sustainability
Blue Gasoline fuel complies with the EN 228/E10 standard and even exceeds it in key parameters such as storage stability and boiling behaviour. High-quality additives also keep the engine extremely clean and protect it against corrosion. This means not only that the fuel can be distributed via the existing filling station network, but also that it can be used in all new and existing vehicles for which Super 95 E10 petrol has been approved.

The proportion of up to 33% renewables is made up of biomass-based naphtha or ethanol certified by the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) system. One source of such naphtha is what is known as tall oil, a by-product in the production of pulp for paper. But naphtha can also be obtained from other residual and waste materials.

Low-carbon fuels at Bosch company stations
In the Blue Gasoline project, the three partners jointly defined the fuel specification to be achieved, taking into account engine requirements and sustainability. They put the product they developed through intensive testing on engine test benches and in trial vehicles – with consistently positive results. Bosch has begun supplying Blue Gasoline at its company filling stations for the past month, with other stations scheduled during for rest of 2021.

The supply of conventional Super 95 E10 petrol will then be gradually phased out. Since the end of 2018, R33 Blue Diesel has been the only diesel fuel that Bosch company filling stations offer for company cars and internal delivery vehicles. R33 Blue Diesel is also becoming available at more and more regular filling stations in Germany. At present, it is offered at 8 filling stations belonging to different brands nationwide, with more set to follow.

Not a substitute for electromobility
For Bosch, renewable low-carbon and carbon-neutral fuels will not replace electromobility but complement it. In principle, the use of these fuels makes sense in all modes of transport, but especially in those for which there is as yet no clear and economical path to electrification. In addition to ships and aircraft, this applies primarily to heavy goods vehicles and existing vehicles, but also to the millions of vehicles with internal combustion engines or hybrid powertrains that are on the world’s roads today or will be built in the coming decades.

To promote rapid market uptake for these fuels, the focus is on renewable biomass and synthetic fuel components that can be blended into regular fuel in high proportions in line with existing fuel standards.

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All-wheel drive (AWD) is available in all types of vehicles today but until 50 years ago, they were not typically found in roadgoing passenger cars and only in off-road dual-purpose vehicles (which are today called SUVs or crossovers). While Audi could be said to have started the trend by coming out with AWD system for roadgoing models in the early 1980s, it was Subaru (then known as Fuji Heavy Industries) which can lay claim to offering the first 4-wheel drive car in 1972.

Although British carmaker Jensen did have a sportscar called the FF which had AWD, only 320 units were ever produced; Subaru made it available in a mass-produced model. The model was the Leone which had been introduced in 1971, and a 4-wheel drive system was incorporated in the stationwagon version that was launched in Japan in September 1972. The timing was just right as the Winter Olympics were held in Sapporo that year and having a car with all four wheels powered was advantageous in the snow and ice.

FF-1 was the first Subaru to have the 4WD system but only limited numbers were produced. It was the Leone Stationwagon (below) which began Subaru’s mass production of cars with 4WD.

4WD and AWD
Before going further, a bit of explanation about 4WD, which was installed in the early Subaru models, and AWD which is more commonly used today. 4WD (or 4×4) has power and torque going to all four wheels constantly which is useful in rough terrain and lower speeds, but not so good on roads. With AWD, all four wheels are also powered but there is ‘intelligent’ variation between the front and rear wheels according to grip conditions.

The first Subaru 4WD system was initially fitted to prototype vehicles as early in 1969 and by 1971, in a small number of FF-1 sedans. The engineers used feedback from those vehicles to improve and make the system more reliable and durable for wider application. The company was encouraged to finalise the 4WD project when the Tohoku Electric Supply Company, which supplied the mountainous and snowy Tohoku Prefecture in the north of the Japanese main island of Honshu with electricity, invited Subaru to tender for vehicle supply. The energy supplier was looking for a safe and reliable vehicle for its employees to use in all weather conditions and Subaru was ready with its 4WD Leone Stationwagon.

The 4WD SYSTEM was a simple one compared to today’s ‘intelligent’ systems like Subaru’s own Symmetrical AWD. It was mechanically activated via a dog clutch and power from the 1.4-litre boxer 4-cylinder engine was transmitted to all four wheels proportionately. The durability of the system was proven not just by owners who used the Leone in challenging conditions but also in 1977 at the marathon rally from London to Sydney. A Leone completed the 30,000-km drive, finishing fourth place in the AWD class.

Key selling feature
It would become a key selling feature of the Japanese brand and popularise its vehicles in markets, with more than 20 million AWD vehicles produced to date. In the USA, the Leone gained a sort of cult status and Subaru of America proposed the development of a compact lifestyle pick-up truck based on the Leone. The model the engineers in Japan came up with was described as a ‘Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter’ and the American marketing people immediately decided that it could be called ‘Brat’ when it was launched in 1978.

The Brat (also called Brumby in Australia) was a hit as well, especially with the beach communities on the West Coast. Even former President Ronald Reagan got one for himself, using it on his ranch. The Brat had the 4WD system, of course, and two engine choices were available – 1.6 litres and 1.8 litres.  Some variants had a transfer case with High and Low ranges as well and 4WD could be selected at the touch of a button.

Subaru Brat – the name actually stood for ‘Bi-drive Recreational All-terrain Transporter’.

From 4WD TO Symmetrical AWD
As a pioneer in putting 4WD in passenger cars, it was not surprising that Subaru continued to develop more advanced drivetrains as the years went by. With more electronic technology available, it was possible to precisely control the amount of power flowing to the wheels for better vehicle stability and control.

The led to the permanent symmetrical AWD system that is available in virtually all Subaru models, except the rear-wheel drive BRZ. With Symmetrical AWD, the entire drive system, from the longitudinally-mounted engine to the rear differential, is mounted in a straight, symmetrical line. This precise orientation means each side of the system weighs the same, offering superior balance which benefits driving dynamics.

Active torque-split in the system distributes torque 60:40 front and rear, based on information from sensors constantly monitoring tyre grip, vehicle speed, steering angle, etc. The electronically controlled Multi Plate Transfer adjusts torque distribution to the front and rear tyres in real-time to suit driving conditions, as well as the transmission and driver inputs. The system is so advanced it can detect a loss of traction, or slip, of a wheel in less than one revolution of the wheel.

Another available feature is variable torque distribution which provides aggressive, sporty driving with increased turning abilities while retaining the fundamental driving stability offered by the Symmetrical AWD. An uneven 45:55 front and rear torque distribution is used for the front and rear ratio. Sending more torque to the rear wheels can reduce understeer, a trait that plagues 4WD vehicles. Torque distribution is controlled automatically up to an equal 50:50 front and rear.

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When there is mention of clocks in cars, one famous advertisement will often be remembered. It is the one where David Ogilvy (regarded as the ‘Father of Advertising’) used the comment of the Technical Editor from The Motor magazine to create a memorable headline. It said: “At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from its electric clock.”

In the years that followed 1958, the year that advertisement came out, the clocks in Rolls-Royce cars have remained one of the notable elegant features. And with Bespoke commissioning, many clocks have been uniquely designed to their owners’ specifications and with modern technology, they no longer click.

The famous Rolls-Royce adbvertisement.

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuilt BOVET 1822 clock

New technical and aesthetic heights
Epitomising this significant item of detail, precision, and beauty is the pair of timepieces for first Boat Tail coachbuilt commission done by Rolls-Royce. They have been created with BOVET 1822, a Swiss specialist in tourbillion timepieces, to be iconic centrepieces elevated to new technical and aesthetic heights.

The timepieces are unique to both the horological and automotive worlds. Made as a pair – in lady’s and gentleman’s versions – they are reversible, and housed in BOVET 1822’s patented Amadeo case, which allows them to be worn on the wrist, or used as a table clock, pendant or pocket-watch, as well as being placed front and centre in Boat Tail’s fascia as the car’s own timepiece. Both are fitted with tourbillon mechanisms to ensure perfect accuracy.

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuilt BOVET 1822 clock

His and hers, and the car’s
The timepieces have specially designed 18K white gold cases and feature matching front dials with the same Caleidolegno veneer found on the aft deck of Boat Tail itself, and are finished with the owner-couples’ names. The gentleman’s timepiece is highly polished; the lady’s is ornately engraved then filled with blue lacquer.

On the reverse side, the dials are more individual. The gentleman’s features an aventurine dial with the celestial arrangement of the night sky over the place of his birth on his birthdate; the lady’s is decorated with an ornate miniature painting of a flower bouquet on a mother-of-pearl dial. This design is a traditional BOVET 1822 motif, chosen by and personalised for the owner.

Both reverse dials have hand-engraved Bespoke sculptures of Boat Tail, complete with wheels, door handle, mirrors and other fine details. By working closely together, the teams at Rolls-Royce and BOVET 1822 were able to achieve a precise colour match between the lacquer on this tiny work of art and the very exclusive car.

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuilt BOVET 1822 clock

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuilt BOVET 1822 clock

Tested to auto industry standards
Further close cooperation was required to ensure the timepieces conformed to the demands of their unique role as clocks for use in a car. In watchmaking, weight is rarely an issue for a complex timepiece but in this instance, there was a limit on the combined permissible weight of the timepieces and their holders.

BOVET 1822 met this requirement by creating an entirely new 44 mm white gold case. In addition, the timepieces and holders also had to be tested to automotive industry standards for vibration and crash safety – something never previously undertaken on mechanisms of this kind.

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuilt BOVET 1822 clock

At a conservative estimate, the timepieces’ design, engineering, sculptures, miniature painting, marquetry, bespoke movements and cases took a total of 3,000 hours to complete.

BOVET 1822 holds a number of patents and has received many industry awards, and is also one of the only companies in the watch industry to manufacture its own spirals and regulating organs. To reduce potential impact from the vibration from the car, the tourbillon has pivots rather than the traditional ball bearings; a heavier balance wheel and an increased oscillation rate to aid precision. Finally, the tourbillon bridge is finished with a miniaturised Spirit of Ecstasy handcrafted in gold. The timepieces have an astonishing 5-day power reserve, rather than the 42 – 48 hours of a ‘standard’ watch, to allow for their role as car clocks.

Rolls-Royce Boat Tail Coachbuilt BOVET 1822 clock

The holder mechanism is unique to Rolls-Royce Boat Tail and was designed by BOVET 1822 engineers and the Rolls-Royce Coachbuild design team from a blank sheet of paper. Although in a Rolls-Royce, vibration is naturally reduced to an absolute minimum, undetectable vibrations are inevitably still present. This highly complex mounting assembly serves to isolate the timepieces from these micro-vibrations. It also ensures they operate silently, are easy to mount and remove from the dashboard and, above all, remain safe and secure.

These challenges were unlike any normally encountered in watchmaking and car manufacture. From the start, BOVET 1822 was determined to follow a purely mechanical approach in keeping with its tradition of Swiss handcrafted production. The engineers’ innovative solution was to keep all the system’s moving parts external, with the dashboard providing a solid setting for the aluminium and titanium holder.

2021 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail
The Coachbuilt 2021 Rolls-Royce Boat Tail

Finally, Rolls-Royce ensured that when the holder is not housing one of the timepieces, it can be covered with a beautiful engraved and lacquered display plaque.  Below the clock, the dashboard is fitted with a special drawer, lined with the same leather as Boat Tail’s seats, which serves as a safekeeping receptacle to house the timepieces, straps, chain and pendant when not in use.

There’s something truly romantic about driving classic Italians.

Get behind the wheel and almost immediately it feels like there’s an orchestra playing in your head.

Something along the likes of Luciano Pavarotti enthralling you his best operatic performance.

Or Nino Rota serenading you with the theme to ‘The Godfather’.

There’s just something other wordly about the Alfa Romeo that I drove that night:

A beautifully restored 1750 GTV from the year 1969.

I was far from a twinkle in the eyes of my parents that year, but it was a fantastic year in the history of mankind.

1969 marks the year humanity walked on the moon.

And it also marked the year the Italians gave us one of their many masterpieces – this time in the form of the car you see here.

The 1750 GTV (short for GT Veloce) is not a ultra limited-edition model.

In fact, some sources say that Alfa Romeo built between 32,000 to 44,000 of the car before production ended.

That figure is far from making this car a rare classic, in fact take a drive around some old neighbourhoods and you might just come across one.

Or it’s brother – the 2000 GTV.

Well, the 1750 GTV is rather unique because it harks back to cars of old with its slim pillars, its sprightly though not very powerful engine.

But more importantly, it has a design that wrings nostalgia, it shows us how beautiful cars once were.

The owner, a friend by the name of Terence Moses, was gracious enough to let me drive it one night.

It was an occasion like no other – that thin leather padded steering wheel was of just the right size.

Any larger and it would brush up against my thighs.

The twin-dial meter panel doesn’t bother telling you anything other than the speed, engine rpm and engine temperature.

No fussing over other details here.

But in case you are wondering, the fuel gauge and the water temperature gauge is located right under the cassette player.

Of course there’s a bluetooth player in its place now, but the car started life with a cassette player.

Let’s just appreciate that for a second.

I particularly love how the head rests of the seats merge with the rest of the seat when fully down.

That kind of attention to detail is such an Italian feature.

Driving the car had me cooing with joy and made me nervous at the same time.

Nervous because Terence had just told me about some of the issues he faces with the car, and a snappy rear end was one of them.

I wasn’t about to oversteer his car into a bush in the middle of nowhere that night.

But the way the car came together was amazing.

The 1.8-litre engine and that slick shifting gearbox had me wringing up the rev’s every chance I got.

And you just have to love how closely placed classic car pedals are.

And that floor mounted accelerator.

Such simple joys just don’t exist anymore.

And that is why I appreciate classic cars – they are moving history books that remind us about how life once was.

I loved driving this car, I love the passion Terence has for his cars, and I truly hope you love this video as much as we loved putting it all together.

Just as fuel, whether petrol or diesel, is a necessary component for a car with an internal combustion engine to run, electricity is necessary for a full-electric or hybrid electric vehicle to run. Like the liquid fuels which are stored in containers on board the car, electricity is also stored in a battery pack which can be ‘refuelled’ by recharging the pack.

Since demand for batteries will keep growing – even accelerating as electrification progresses – the bigger carmakers that have the financial resources are finding ways to assure supply in future. Some, like BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai have set up factories around the world while others are establishing joint ventures for such production facilities.

Lithium-ion battery pack from a current Volvo PHEV model.

Develop sustainable battery production
The Volvo Car Group has announced plans to establish a joint-venture with Swedish battery company Northvolt to develop and produce more sustainable batteries, tailored to power the next generation of fully electric Volvo and Polestar vehicles.

As a first step for the 50:50 joint-venture, the two companies intend to set up a R&D centre in Sweden that will begin operations in 2022. The centre will draw on the battery expertise within both companies and develop next-generation, state-of-the-art battery cells and vehicle integration technologies, specifically developed for Volvo and Polestar models.

New gigafactory to be built
More significantly, the joint-venture will also establish a new gigafactory in Europe with a potential capacity of up to 50 gigawatt hours (GWh) per year, with production scheduled to start in 2026. As part of the plans, Volvo Car Group also looks to source 15 GWh of battery cells per year from the Northvolt Ett battery plant in Skelleftea, Sweden, starting in 2024.

Rendering of the Northvolt Ett battery plant in Sweden when it is completed.

The new gigafactory, planned to be powered by 100% clean energy, is expected to employ around 3,000 people. The location of the new plant is yet to be decided. The first model to use battery cells developed through the joint-venture will be the electric successor to current XC60 SUV.

This development is a vital one for Volvo Cars’ ambitious electrification plans that will see 50% pure electric vehicles by the middle of this decade and, by 2030, only fully electric cars will be sold. Assured supply is therefore crucial to long-term plans and while planners in some countries imagine that policies affecting the auto industry can be introduced within a short period, the industry requires many years to prepare for changes and execute them.

Future Polestar models will also use batteries from the joint-venture factory.

For Polestar, it gives a further boost to its European growth ambitions and underlines its commitment to the ‘Polestar 0’ project, which aims to create a truly climate-neutral vehicle by 2030.

Reduce environmental footprint 
Today, the production of batteries for Volvo Car Group’s fully electric cars represents a large part of the car’s total lifecycle carbon emissions. By working with Northvolt and producing batteries near its manufacturing facilities in Europe, Volvo Car Group can reduce the environmental footprint attributable to battery sourcing and production for its future cars.

Although demand for SUVs has surged over the past decade, European motorists have still had a love for the stationwagon. In fact, the C-segment stationwagon segment has remained constant since 2010. To Europeans, the stationwagon is considered a more ‘environment-friendly’ dual-use vehicle than a heavy and bulky SUV (though that argument no longer applies).

Joining the stationwagon offerings from the beginning of 2022 will be the new Peugeot 308 SW, a variant of the new 308 hatchback that was revealed in March this year. The 308 SW has the same new design language elements of the hatchback but isn’t just a 308 with more length. From the rear door line, everything is different with the rear lights deeper in the body. Like most stationwagons, the longer body helps in aerodynamic efficiency which, in the case of the 308 SW, is 0.277 Cd.

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

LED lighting across the range
Peugeot draws attention to the lighting units which, at the front, use LED technology across the range. They are supplemented by daytime running lights (DRLs) in the shape of fangs on the front bumper. On the GT/GT Pack levels, the Full LED headlights are even slimmer and have PEUGEOT Matrix LED Technology for greater efficiency and safety. At the rear, the lights have full LED technology displaying the 3 claws that identify the brand.

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

The EMP2 platform has been adapted for the longer 308 SW with an extra 55 mm of wheelbase. Apart from increasing legroom for the rear passengers, the boot capacity is also more generous, as would be expected. However, the maximum volume (with rear seats in use) of 608 litres is available only in models with combustion engines as the battery pack for the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) variant takes away 60 litres. Of course, the rear backrests can be folded down as well, allowing items of up to 1.85 mm to be loaded and extending maximum volume to 1,534 litres (1,574 litres for PHEV).

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

Peugeot Enhanced Modular Platform (EMP2).

Combustion engines and manual gearboxes still available
While it is steadily electrifying its range, Peugeot is not leaving out combustion engines yet – at least not for this generation. There are petrol and turbodiesel engines available, the former a BlueTech 1.2-litre 3-cylinder unit with 110 or 130 bhp and the latter a BlueHDi 4-cylinder with 1.5 litre displacement and 130 bhp output. 6-speed manual transmissions will still be available, along with automatic transmissions with up to 8 speeds.

One of the two PHEV powertrains for the new 308 SW. Both use PureTech petrol engines and e-EAT8 transmissions.

The most powerful engine in the new 308 SW range is the PHEV powertrain with an e-EAT8 transmission. This is offered in two versions – 180 and 225 bhp. The claimed range on a fully-charged 12.4 kWh battery pack is around 60 kms. Peugeot says that the battery pack can be fully recharged in just under 2 hours on a 32A wallbox but just a bit more than 7 hours with an 8A outlet.

Evolved Peugeot i-Cockpit
Like the new 308, the 308 SW also introduces an updated Peugeot i-Cockpit, with a new multifunction double-flattened steering wheel. The i-Cockpit is a centrepiece of the new Peugeots and has extensive levels of digitisation. With each generation, it has become more refined in terms of ergonomics, quality, design and technology and includes the PEUGEOT i-Connect infotainment system. The i-Connect Advanced option has an ‘OK PEUGEOT’ command system using natural language voice recognition to provide access to all requests related to the infotainment functions.

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

The 10-inch 3D display is positioned for comfortable viewing and can be fully customised with several display modes. The central infotainment HD display is a colour touchscreem, also 10 inches, with i-toggles. These are fully configurable to provide one-click access to the main functions of the infotainment system. Comprehensive connectivity options include 4 USB Type-C sockets, screen mirroring for smartphones and Bluetooth, with the possibility of connecting two devices at the same time.

The construction of the dashboard is based on a ‘high wind’ architecture which places the air vents directly in front of the occupants’ heads and provide optimal comfort. Other interior design highlights show a diversity and richness of the materials used. The LED mood lighting is hidden behind the central screen and glows over the main décor right up to the door panels which can be foamed, in fabric, in Alcantara, or made of real pressed aluminium parts.

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

The technology will also include the Drive Assist 2.0 pack, with driver assistance  systems that are capable of semi-autonomous motoring. In addition to adaptive cruise control with Stop and Go and lane-keeping assistance, there is semi-automatic lane change (between 70 and 180 km/h), advance speed recommendation and automatic speed adjustment in curves.

2022 PEUGEOT 308 SW

Another one for BAASB?
Although the stationwagon market in Malaysia is small and most brands don’t bother with it, it has not discouraged Bermaz Auto (BAuto) from selling the attractive Mazda6 stationwagon. As BAuto now also handles Peugeot – via Berjaya Auto Alliance Sdn Bhd (BAASB) – it might well offer the 308 SW as well. And if the government can get together a coherent EV policy which gives incentives to hybrids to bring their prices down, we might see the PHEV too. Incidentally, BAuto has acquired an additional 35% stake in BAASB from Berjaya Corporation which its total stake is 55% and BAASB thus becomes a BAuto subsidiary.

Having music while motoring began with radio broadcasts and over the decades, new technologies enabled the selection of music to become more varied and then more personalised. Connectivity today gives you access to the enormous music libraries on the internet as well as bring along your own favourites.

In future, when you tire of listening to all the familiar tunes, your car could compose music for you. Science fiction today but it could well be a reality some day and it may be Porsche that is the first. In fact, the sportscar carmaker is already exploring this idea with a prototype system in a Macan. The ‘music’ is created by the SUV’s movements, changing according to the different actions. Welcome to ‘Soundtrack My Life’

“This new technology isn’t about playing personalised playlists or simply adjusting the tempo and pitch of existing music to match the car’s speed,” explained Norman Friedenberger, Product Owner at Porsche Digital and the person responsible for ‘Soundtrack My Life’. “It’s about creating an individual sound experience from a construction kit with a variety of sounds and musical structures during a drive. This is created by the driver and their journey in real time. This will then sound different for everyone – as unique as the journey itself.”

Connecting movement and music
Adaptive sound is the technical term, and it gives users of this technology an alternative: a complement to radio and streaming music. “The connection between the movement of the vehicle and the generation of music in the context of driving offers a completely new listening experience,” said Friedenberger. “It’s about becoming one with the driving situation.”

To do this, the driver first selects a basic musical mood, a soundtrack composed specifically for a particular driving situation. The software accesses pre-composed musical elements and, depending on the acceleration, speed and centrifugal forces in the car, changes the complexity of the mix of these individual elements, adding or removing tracks and sounds to rearrange everything again and again.

The technology partner for ‘Soundtrack My Life’ is Boris Salchow, a German film composer based in Los Angeles. He composes the many set pieces from which the car generates the music and he would have liked to have had the technology behind it much earlier.  “When I moved to Los Angeles 16 years ago, I almost got out of the habit of listening to music in the car,” he said.

The eternal stop-and-go conditions on the streets of the Californian megacity were to blame. “The music I was listening to in the car just didn’t match what I was actually experiencing. And even back then I thought someone should develop something to compensate for this,” he recalled.

Development of non-linear music
Today, Salchow is one of those responsible for the more difficult part of the development. “Composing the material is sometimes more complex than tuning the algorithms,” said  Friedenberger, who is a musician himself and has worked for, among others, the legendary electropop band Kraftwerk. “We’re talking about non-linear music, like in computer games. The temporal sequence of events is never predictable, but the music has to be able to take that into account. With classical linear tracks that have a beginning and an end, that doesn’t work.”

Friedenberger has spent about two years working on ‘Soundtrack My Life’ and it is important to him that the car does not combine the same sounds at every location but instead varies what comes out of the speakers each time – just as the daily drive to the office is never exactly the same.

“That’s what’s so exciting for the driver. They experience a new soundtrack every time. The format promises a long-lasting listening experience, at least three to five times longer than with linear music,” he said.

Prototype exists as smartphone app
A prototype of ‘Soundtrack My Life’ currently exists as a smartphone app. It has not yet been decided whether this will remain the case or whether a version of the app will also function as an integral part of Porsche Communication Management. Both solutions are feasible; both open up attractive possibilities.

Soundtrack My Life’ can already be used outside the car. “You can use it anywhere there is movement. It reacts to mobile data,” said Friedenberger. “In the future, the app could also be combined with geofencing – locking or unlocking certain locations, for example. In such cases, special soundtracks would only then be available in Los Angeles or on Alpine passes.”

Porsche is still considering ‘Soundtrack My Life’ and there are no plans to offer it yet. The core algorithm is basically ready. The focus now would be specifically on working with artists. The plan is to further individualise the music, to develop special editions with well-known composers in order to offer them as digital collectors’ items.

“The vision is clearly to produce exclusive material. We would work with artists specifically according to scenic specifications to create soundtracks for situations, scenery or moments: for example, for driving on country roads, at night, in city traffic or in particular regions of the world,” Friedenberger said.

The use of artificial intelligence is deliberately avoided, because the focus should be on people and their creativity. “People love music because it is made by people. The artist tells a story that the audience wants to hear. We give the artist a new format to express themselves and that is an extremely exciting process for both sides,” he added.

Music tuned to the mood
But the story doesn’t end there. As the technology evolves, ‘Soundtrack My Life’ could one day also detect the driver’s mood and tailor the music to it. Friedenberger also dreams of real-time sound development in the cloud and sharing music online. “You could listen to someone who’s on the road in New York or Tokyo right now. The catalogue of ideas and visions of where the journey might go are endless,” he imagines.

From today’s perspective, these ideas are still a long way off from becoming reality. And perhaps there is so much of the human factor in music after all that artificial compositions might never really catch on. But if they do, the car is the ‘predestined place’ for it, according to Salchow, especially with adaptive music. “It really is only when you’re sitting on the sofa,” he said, “that you don’t need adaptive music.”

Racing simulators are very realistic today, certainly a very, very big difference from the cartoon-like VGA displays of the early programs. And not only is the imagery photorealistic but even the hardware is sophisticated to replicate driving sensations as closely as possible.

Now, for even greater realism, Bentley and Fanatec have co-developed a unique steering wheel that can be used for both real and virtual motor racing. The wheel was designed specifically for the Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak challenge car, crafted from lightweight carbonfibre and magnesium alloy. The quick release system meets FIA standards, allowing it to connect to a real car and compatible FANATEC wheel bases.

For racing as well as display
It’s the first steering wheel of its kind to be actually used in a racing car, making it a highly desirable accessory for gamers. When not being used for driving a real Bentley or one in the virtual world, the steering wheel can be detached and displayed on a wall or desk, proudly posed on a special mount. If you need to take it around, a robust hard travelling case is also provided.

Powered by a USB connection, the wheel can be displayed as a clock inspired by the traditional timepiece found in the Continental GT. It can also replay preloaded race telemetry from famous laps, showing pedal and steering inputs, gear changes, G-meter, and a track map. The centre of the GT3 steering wheel houses a circular digital display that offers the driver vital telemetry and information about their performance. Exclusive Bentley design details include signature knurling on the rotary encoders.

Fanatec Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak steering wheel

Full functionality for racing car
Other key features include a forged carbonfibre display bezel, two 7-way FunkySwitch directional sticks with encoder functionality, a pair of aluminium thumbwheels with optical encoders, and four magnetic paddles – two for gearshifting and two auxiliaries, based on the design of the Continental GT road car.

Fanatec Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak steering wheel

More realism for gaming enthusiasts
“Our detailed collaboration with Fanatec, the world leader in gaming hardware, has repurposed the steering wheel from the Bentley Continental GT3 Pikes Peak car for virtual use. There cannot be a more realistic way for gaming enthusiasts to experience the thrill of driving one of our fastest ever vehicles, from home,” said Paul Williams, Director of Motorsport at Bentley Motors, and a keen sim racer himself.

Fanatec has not mentioned the price for this steering wheel although it may be among the more expensive ones available. Prices in its wide range start from 100 euros and go up to 1,800 euros (about RM500 to RM8,900).

Aiming for a new record at Pikes Peak
Bentley will be entering the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb again this week. It already holds the course record for the fastest production SUV, set by a Bentayga in 2018, and the production car class, set the following year in a Continental GT.

This year’s competition car is a specially developed Continental GT3 car with a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-litre V8 engine producing more than 750 bhp and 1000 Nm of torque. Designed to run on renewable synthetic fuel, it will attempt to set a new record for a production-based racing vehicle. To achieve this, the car will have to complete the climb of around 1,500 metres along a distance of almost 20 kms at an average speed of more than 125 km/h to cross the finish line in less than 9 minutes and 36 seconds.

Even after you recover from COVID-19 infection, your quality of life may be affected and you may suffer for a long period after that. So it’s best to avoid being infected by taking the necessary measures to protect yourself as well as others, and get vaccinated as well.

With a new circuit in Mexico for the eighth and ninth rounds of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the playing field was levelled a bit for all participants. Though it was the sixth time since the series’ inception that Mexico was a venue, the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in the capital city was not used. This time, the Autodromo Miguel E. Abed in Puebla, about 100 kms from Mexico City, was used instead. The reason for this change of circuit is because parts of the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez are still being used as a hospital for COVID-19 patients during the current pandemic.

Coming out of the weekend, the happiest driver was Edoardo Mortara of ROKiT Venturi Racing who collected a win for the second time in his Formula E career. Mortara’s victory came after mastering the strategy with the challenging ATTACK MODE activation zone to control the race from the lead.

Mortara moves into the lead
The victory sees Mortara jump to the top of the Drivers’ standings from eighth in the table, the Swiss-Italian now sitting 10 points clear of Robin Frijns (Envision Virgin Racing). Pascal Wehrlein, who  rebounded from the day before, took second position to boost TAG Heuer Porsche team’s standing in the championship.

The second round had started with Nissan’s Oliver Rowland making a strong start Nissan. While he sped ahead, Mortara out-braked Wehrlein around the outside, as Jake Dennis (BMW i Andretti Motorsport) duelled with Jean-Eric Vergne into the first bend.

Punching through the thin air (due to the high altitude of the location), Rowland gradually started to open up a gap, the Brit unfazed as he kicked up dirt after running slightly wide at the tricky Turn 7. Climbing up from 14th on the starting grid, Alexander Sims (Mahindra Racing) rounded out an action-packed second lap by running past both Sam Bird (Jaguar Racing) and Tom Blomqvist (NIO 333).

ATTACK MODE
As always, ATTACK MODE proved to play an important role in shaking up the lead group. Wehrlein dived to activate the first of his two power boosts and Rowland immediately followed the German. Tactically shadowing the Porsche driver’s moves to take his second and final ATTACK MODE in quick succession. With the ATTACK MODE zone open, Rowland took an early move to claim his extra 35kW of power on lap 4. The British driver immediately took advantage of the extra boost of speed to squeeze past Dennis into Turn 1.

Further down the field, there was drama on lap 8 as early season leader Nyck de Vries (Mercedes-EQ) had to crawl back to the pits with a tyre puncture following a collision with Lucas di Grassi. The Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler driver punting the rear left of the Dutchman’s Silver Arrow after immediately challenging on the exit of the ATTACK MODE activation zone.

Turn 7 saw a hard scrap between Sebastien Buemi and Bird running side-by-side into the right hander, with Di Grassi behind running out of room ploughing into the back of the Jaguar and forcing it into the side of Buemi’s Nissan.

Pascal Wehrlein’s missed chance
The battle for second started to get hot under the Mexican sun, with Wehrlein on a charge and right up to the rear diffuser of Rowland’s car. A mistake from the Nissan driver clipping the wall in the middle complex allowed Wehrlein to capitalise and move past Rowland. Clear of Rowland, Wehrlein set his sights on Mortara in the lead. The German driving with the bit between his teeth, lapping nearly a second quicker than the Swiss-Italian.

Rounding out a difficult weekend in Mexico after a DNF in Round 8, two-time champion and Rome race winner, Jean-Eric Vergne spun out of fifth position, losing two places in the process and then a few corners later Maximilian Guenther (BMW i Andretti Motorsport) picked off the Frenchman for seventh.

After a mistake running just slightly wide at Turn 7, Wehrlein handed a strong advantage to Mortara heading into the final laps with the Venturi driver making the most and picking up a gap on the German.

In a perfectly played 45 minutes plus one lap, Mortara crossed the line to take the second win of his Formula E career. After a strong drive Wehrlein rebounded from Round 8 to end second with rookie Cassidy rounding out the podium with a debut rostrum finish.

The result sees Mortara become the eighth different winner in 9 races and leave Mexico with a 10-point lead at the summit of the Drivers’ World Championship with Mercedes-EQ leading the Teams’ World Championship by 3 points. The next venue is in New York City and will also be a 2-round affair on July 10 and July 11.

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