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Lotus launches new driving academy in Hethel, UK

Lotus is beefing up its customer experience programmes with the introduction of the new Lotus Driving Academy, which is slated for launch in August 2017. It is aimed at drivers looking to experience the latest of the manufacturer’s sports cars as well as hone their driving skills on track.

There are various tiers of the programme ranging from the entry level experience through to the intensive ‘Gold’ course. Prices of each vary depending of the depth of involvement, and as a whole, this driving academy is catered to suit those looking to have a fun filled day on track to those eager for a more involving experience and informative track sessions. This will then help enable them to become better drivers/racers.

These ‘experience’ levels are classified into license categories that include ‘Scare Yourself Sensible’, Bronze, Silver, Gold and the top of the range Lotus License. During the course of the training, drivers are taught skills as such power oversteer, heel and toe, a personal evaluation and are given exclusive merchandise to remind themselves of their day.

Speaking of the new school, Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer of Group Lotus plc, said, “Lotus Driving Academies around the world are hugely popular, giving hundreds of people the opportunity to enjoy the pure driving experience of a Lotus sports car in a high octane environment.”

He went on to say, “This popularity has meant that we already have official Lotus Driving Academies in Malaysia, the USA and France and now a new one at Hethel, the home of Lotus. Only with the Lotus Driving Academy will you get an unbeatable experience on a challenging track in some of the best giant slaying sports cars you can drive.”

Lotus offers a fleet of Exige Sport 350 and Elise Sport 220 sports cars for participants of this new programme. There are even left-hand-drive versions for those who prefer to drive from the wrong side of the car.

All license participants get to to see the Lotus factory, tour the classic Team Lotus facility that houses some of the most memorable vehicles in the company’s history as well as experience a high-speed, on-the-limit ‘demonstration lap’ with one of the instructors.

All driving instructors of the programme have a fair bit of racing experience with a number of them having participated in GT and BTCC racing divisions as well as one from Formula One, which is Martin Donnelly.

Lotus hopes that with this new driving academy, participants get to sharpen their car control skills as well as experience the best that the Hethel based manufacturer has to offer them both on and off track.

Subaru breaks record at Nurburgring Nordschleife race track

The Subaru WRX STI RA NBR Special has broken the lap record at the Nurburgring Nordschleife for a four door sedan, but for this particular occasion, the time was recorded using Nurburgring timing equipment and was officially verified by track officials.

At the finish line, it clocked a time of 6 minutes and 57.5 seconds, which is quite impressive to say the least. The Prodrive prepared rally-spec car has been breaking lap records in several places prior to this achievement. But this latest feat, cements the idea that Subaru all-wheel-drive cars are capable of going toe to toe with much more powerful sports cars.

Subaru built this car to showcase its AWD WRX STI’s capabilities when it comes to acceleration and meandering past really tight corners. It’s basically a modified version of the standard car built by Prodrive and features a full roll cage welded in place to add strength and stiffness to the entire body.

It has got a redesigned aero-package, which is different from that fitted to the car that blitzed the Isle of Man TT record. And part of this package is a drag reduction system for the rear wing similar to what is used with Formula One cars.

This combination of electric and hydraulic actuation, allow this rear wing to move to suit various aero requirements under braking, cornering and straight line acceleration. As whole, the entire package provides the car with a 295kg worth of downforce.

Its angle can be altered within 20 milliseconds via a switch on the steering wheel. This combined with wide sticky tyres, make sure that the vehicle stays planted to the road at high speeds and under heavy braking.

Under the hood is a modified 2.0-litre Subaru WRC-spec boxer engine with a 75mm intake and a turbo that runs at 250 psi of boost. The result, is a powerplant that can produce 600bhp at 8,500rpm and a theoretical top speed of 288km/h. It is mated to a WRC gearbox with an automatic clutch, modified with hydraulics for paddle-shift operation. Shift times are rated at 20 to 25 milliseconds.

This won’t be the last time that we hear of the WRX STI RA NBR Special because the automaker tends to keep updating it to ensure that the car continually breaks lap records around the world.

New Mustang offers better acceleration than Porsche 911

Ford has tweaked the Mustang for 2018 and added a 10-speed SelectShift transmission. The Blue Oval boasts that the car is now able to accelerate faster from 0-100km/h than a Porsche 911. The reason for this is, both the V8 and V6 engines have been redesigned or retuned to offer better performance characteristics.

The top of the range 5.0-litre Coyote V8 engine has been redesigned and as such power has increased to 460bhp and 569Nm of torque. And thanks in part to the quick and efficient shifting of the new 10-speed automatic gearbox, the 2018 Mustang is able to accelerate from 0-100km/h in under 4 seconds.

There are five driver modes to choose from that alter the vehicle’s power settings, but the most notable of the lot is Drag Strip mode. When enabled, it is designed to provide maximum acceleration and performance for straight-line acceleration.

It is primarily controlled by the transmission and delivers a significant acceleration boost, eliminating the lost time usually associated with automatic shifting. This should come in handy at the drag strip, where a tenth of a second can mean the difference between winning and loosing.

Mustangs equipped with the EcoBoost engine will see noticeable increase in power too, because the powerplant has been retuned to offer 310-bhp and 475Nm of torque, which is about 41Nm more than before.

This Mustang when configured with the Performance Package and a 10-speed automatic transmission, may not be as fast as the V8 one, but it’s still respectable. In Drag Strip mode, it can sprint from 0-100km/h in under five seconds, which is still a commendable achievement.

A 10-speed gearbox may seem like overkill, but the wide-ratio span and optimised gear spacing helps deliver higher average power for acceleration – resulting in improved responsiveness and performance.

The construction of this new transmission is based on the Ford-patented power-flow and Ford-patented direct-acting hydraulic controls. And as such, it is built to offer optimum ratio progression and efficiency and provides more accurate as well as quicker upshift and downshift capabilities.

Building upon that, it also features an all-new electronic control system that features real-time adaptive shift-scheduling algorithms. This means that the gearbox will ensure that it’s able to swap cogs efficiently and at the right time resulting in perfect shift times regardless of the environment.

Ford is also equipping the new Mustang with specially designed Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tyres as part of the Performance Package. This kind of rubber offers exceptional levels of grip especially when on a race track or in the Mustang’s case, the drag strip.

There’s no word yet on whether this new pony car will be offered here in Malaysia. But, since the current Mustang is already available in our market, there is a good possibility that the new car should make it to our shores soon.

New Suzuki Swift Sport to make world premiere at Frankfurt

Suzuki will be unveiling the all new Swift Sport at the 67th IAA Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Since the first generation car made it onto showroom floors back in 2005, the Swift Sport has embodied the spirit of a true super mini. The lightweight body and a peppy naturally aspirated engine made for an extremely agile vehicle that offered similar thrills to that of a sports car.

This new car, retains the same basic recipe of the original but forgoes the rather angular design for more softly contoured curves that result in a silhouette that has a more sports car feel to it.

The front end of the bonnet features a wedge shape design that integrates nicely with the similar styled bumper assembly. Then, there’s the noticeably larger honeycomb grille compared to the outgoing car, which is rather tastefully done and is reminiscent of the Nissan GT-R.

The side profile of the car is little more interesting because from this angle, it becomes evident that the roof features a raked design that tapers off towards the C-pillar. This does provide the car with a compact and sporty look, which should be to the liking of younger car buyers.

The blacked out hexagonal type rims may not be to everyone’s taste, however it does complement the sporty styling and provide the car with a more aggressive stance. And overall, the Swift Sport is a very good looking car that we hope that the Japanese automaker keeps the design as is for the production version.

For now, the automaker is keeping mum on the exact details of the car. But as the 12th September launch date gets closer, Suzuki should divulge more information to build the excitement for the world premier of its third-generation Swift Sport.

Ford F-150 to become pursuit-ready Police Interceptor

Ford’s venerable F-150 may be joining the elite line up of Police interceptors with this latest reveal. The legendary pick-up truck has been outfitted with the latest tech and protective features that will enable it to function as a pursuit vehicle for various police departments in the United States.

It will be the first pick-up that is pursuit-rated which giving law enforcement agencies a more versatile and capable petrol vehicle. Unlike the Raptor, it is equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine that delivers 375bhp and 637Nm of torque. It is said to have more power than any other pursuit rated police vehicle currently in service.

The truck is based on the F-150 FX4 off-road model and features Ford’s high-strength, military-grade, aluminium-alloy SuperCrew body. It sits on a a high-strength steel frame, which together offer up the largest passenger volume, payload and towing capacity of any pursuit-rated police vehicle. The Ford also provides best-in-class front, rear shoulder, hip room and rear legroom.

“Ford’s 2018 F-150 Police Responder is the perfect all-terrain law enforcement vehicle,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford’s police brand marketing manager. “Aside from its industry-first on-road pursuit capability, this purpose-built pickup can comfortably seat five, while providing capability in off-road patrol situations for officers in rural environments patrolled by sheriff’s departments, border patrol operations and the Department of Natural Resources.”

Unlike the road-going civilian version, this Police interceptor features a whole slew of upgrades that include police-calibrated brake system with upgraded calipers and pad friction material, upgraded front-stabilizer bar for improved braking and handling and 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires.

Inside the cabin, there’s a column shifter, heavy-duty cloth front seats with slim bolsters and anti-stab plates as well as vinyl rear seating and heavy-duty vinyl flooring for easy cleanup. There’s also a 240-amp alternator that helps generate enough electricity to support on-board electrical devices used by various police departments including laptops and radios.

Under body skit plates and front bull-bars are installed to ensure maximum protection of the truck when going through rough terrain. Ford has also fitted a class IV hitch, giving the truck towing capabilities, which is said to be best in class with a maximum payload of 3175kg.

The F-150 Interceptor is an amazing truck but we shall have to wait and see if Police departments around the US welcome it as a useful addition to their current fleet of interceptors vehicles.

Apple to prevent iPhone use while driving for iOS11

According to a recent Financial Times article, which was picked up by automotive website Car Throttle, the introduction of iOS11 later this year for iPhone could bring with it an interesting and controversial feature.

Apparently, Apple is reading software that might prevent or limit you from using your iPhone while driving. Users can turn on the ‘do not disturb while driving’ mode which will prevent any notifications appearing until the feature is disabled.

Alternatively, if the user forgets to turn on the feature, their iPhone can do so automatically if it detects that the vehicle is in motion. This can be identified through the use of GPS and WiFi systems. If users try to circumvent the feature by unlocking the phone, it will be considerably harder to achieve the desired action unless said person is truly a passenger.

This software can also to reply calls and messages to inform callers/sender that the driver is unable to respond because he/she is behind the wheel of a vehicle. This then, could potentially be a major life saver for those who have the incessant need to glance at their phones after every audible tone that emanates from it.

Now, having said that, drivers are free to interact with their iPhones through their infotainment system should it already be paired through Bluetooth. Its completely legal to use these features while driving, due to the many control options that are available at your finger tips.

The official iOS11 release should take place concurrently with the launch of the new iPhone, which is said to offer revolutionary new features and design elements that underlined the success of the original.

Source: Financial Times, Car Throttle

Toyota USA initiates recall for miss assembled drive shafts

Toyota North America has announced that it is conducting a safety recall of the 2016 model year Avalon Hybrid and Camry Hybrid vehicles due to a miss assembled front drive shaft issue. Apparently 671 vehicles are affected by this recall but only up to 42 of them are potential equipped with these shoddily built drive shafts.

These front drive shafts may have been miss assembled at the manufacturing plant. And when installed in the aforementioned vehicles, could cause vibration and components in the drive shaft assembly to come apart. This could then cause a loss in propulsion and the inability of the transmission to hold the vehicle stationary when the gear is left in the Park position.

Also, the lose of propulsion at higher speeds could result in an increased risk of a crash. If the parking brake isn’t applied in the affected vehicles, they could roll away, which is also increases the risk of ithem crashing into pedestrians or other cars.

The automaker has said that its dealers will check customer vehicles based on the serial numbers of the drive shafts and replace them at no cost to the customers should they be deemed to be part of the recall. All known owners of the involved vehicles will receive a notification by first class mail starting in early August.

This incident seems to be isolated only to North America and has no bearing to Toyota vehicles sold in other markets. Despite this recall, its good to know that established automakers like Toyota, are putting the safety of their customers before the importance of their quarterly sales figures.

GM believes its Lunar Rover helped pave the way for its modern advanced EV vehicles

Many don’t realise this, but General Motors had a hand in developing the 1971 Lunar Rover that made history by servicing as the primary mode of transportation of the Apollo 15 astronauts on the moon. It was a fully electric vehicle, which at the time was relatively new technology and used in an environment that was relatively unknown.

At the time, the vehicle was a testament of the the willingness of that generation of engineers to push the boundaries of what was possible. Working with its partners, GM developed, designed and tested the Lunar Rover. It also helped create a revolutionary electric motor drive system, suspension, mesh wire wheels and a unique drive controller adapted for lunar gloves.

Project Chief Engineer of the Lunar Rover, Ferenc Pavlics as well as his team had spent extensive time time overcoming challenges of building an EV for astronauts and technology that would inevitably be filtered down into future electric vehicles. Till this day, Pavlics remembers the hard work, innovations and dedication that was required to build the vehicle that would eventually become the Lunar Rover.

“When our team began engineering for the Lunar Rover, there were so many unknowns, including varied terrain, extreme temperatures and the effect of reduced gravity,” said Pavlics, now retired. “We pushed the boundaries of automotive technology and worked hand in hand with the astronauts on the vehicle’s design.”

Now, some 46 years later, GM believes that with its 2017 Chevy Bolt electric vehicle, that it is once again at the forefront of EV technology. Costing a fraction of the budget used to develop the Lunar Rover, the Bolt EV’s 383km range makes it a practical mode of transportation for most city dwellers.

The car is equipped with electronic precision shift, one-pedal driving thanks to regenerative braking, steering wheel paddle, 10.2-inch-diagonal color screen, the top-trim model adds leather-appointed seats, front and rear heated seats, Surround Vision Camera system, Reverse camera system as well as others.

Chevrolet, GM’s subsidiary, has not seen it fit to offer the Bolt here in our market. Only Nissan, Mitsubishi and a handful of others have brought in fully electric vehicles for Malaysian car buyers.

Hopefully that eventually changes once our country’s infrastructure is upgraded to support the EV platform.

Kia Cerato earns top marks in safety for US market

In the US, the Kia Cerato, which is still known as the Forte, has been awarded the Top Safety Pick Plus (TSP+) by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)(USA), which is the best possible rating. The award pertains to the car built after March 2017 that is equipped with the optional front crash prevention and high intensity discharge (HID) headlights with Dynamic Bending Light tech.

The latest accolade complements the one recently received by the car for being named highest-rated compact car in the 2017 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). The results were tabulated based on data from customer satisfaction survey and issues reported in the first 90 days of ownership.

“Kia Forte is one of our most popular and best-selling vehicles,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, Product Planning KMA. “The new distinction of TSP+ rating from the highly-respected IIHS reconfirms the high priority we place on safety for our customers and why Forte remains a favorite in the compact sedan class.”

For a vehicle to qualify for the TSP, the IIHS states that these vehicles have to earn “good” ratings in five crash worthiness tests – small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side impact, roof strength and head restraints – as well as an “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash prevention and an “acceptable” or “goo” rating in headlight testing.

Over in the US, the Cerato is offered in three different trim levels, namely the LX, S and EX. All come with a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder engine that produces either 147bhp or 164bhp and mated to a 6-speed manual or 6-speed automatic transmission.

There’s also a whole host of sophisticated tech that comes with the car, which include autonomous emergency braking, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Warning, and Dynamic Bending Light system mentioned earlier.

Based on recent news, it looks like Kia is constantly improving by producing safe and technologically advanced models that are able to offer kit of more expensive European cars but at a much cheaper price.

Lotus Evora GTE430 is lightest and most track focused in the family

Lotus has released a new variant of its Evora sports car called the GT430 and boasting that its the most powerful road going car that it has ever produced. Sporting lightweight carbon-fibre panels and better performance, the car is pipped to be the most exhilarating Lotus on the road right now. In fact, it has even managed to beat the lap time of the super lightweight Lotus 3-Eleven on the manufacturer’s Hethel test track.

Its looks aren’t that dissimilar from other variants that bear the nameplate, however the devil is in the details. It has specially designed body panels that feature exposed carbon weave sections at the front and rear. The front and rear bumper, front splitter, front access panel, roof panel rear wing and tailgate are all made from carbon-fibre.

When placed side by side with the regular version, it becomes apparent that the GTE430 has larger front apertures, a new carbon fibre splitter, air blades and louvers positioned on top of each front wheel arch.

At the rear, aero ducts behind each wheel reduce pressure in the wheel arch, there’s wider Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, and a large rear diffuser. Both are crowned by the large, profiled carbon wing. As a whole, the car generates up to 250kg of downforce through its thoroughly tweaked aerodynamics.

And the extensive use of these lightweight materials has resulted in the car shedding 26kg at 1,258kg making it the lightest Evora produced, lighter still than the anorexic Evora Sport 410. This feat was accomplished despite the addition of 9kg worth of aero kit including the carbon-fibre rear wing as well as larger wheels and tyres.

The car is still powered by the same 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine that produces 430bhp and 440Nm of torque. The increase in torque is a direct result of a new air-to-liquid gearbox cooler which first debuted on the Evora 400.

The engine is mated to 6-speed manual gearbox that features a low inertia, single-mass flywheel. Lotus has also fitted the car with a Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) to give it better traction and faster exit speeds during cornering.

Thanks to the performance increase, the car is able to sprint from 0-100km/h in just 3.8 seconds and reach a top sped of 305km/h. And the edition of a titanium exhaust system that is 10kg lighter than the standed one, the car seems to hit all the right notes.

As for suspension, the car gets Öhlins TTX two-way adjustable shocks and Eibach Springs which not only offer a 10kg weight saving but provide drivers with better options to fine tune the setup to suit their needs.

Just like the exterior, the cabin incorporates the same carbon theme with the carbon trim panels, carbon race seats and carbon instrument binnacle cover that complement the graphics design on the instrument panel.

There’s the same dynamic stability modes (Drive, Race and Off) that alter the electronic safety systems based on how much control the driver prefers to have over the car.

Despite the extreme weight saving measures that were taken, Lotus still managed to give it a touchscreen infotainment system that offers iPod and bluetooth connectivity functions as well as satellite navigation and reverse camera integration.

The steering wheel, dashboard, door panels, transmission tunnel and centre console are all trimmed in a combination of black Alcantara and perforated leather, with a full leather or full Alcantara trim option available at no additional cost. All trim choices are complemented by contrasting twin colour stitching, in red and white, and matte black interior panels.

Speaking of the car, Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc said, “The Evora GT430 is a landmark car for Lotus. It’s a truly beautiful car, meticulously finished in hand-crafted carbon, and employing the latest aerodynamics and lightweight materials. This highly developed vehicle perfectly reflects Lotus’ attention to engineering and design.”

According to Lotus, only 60 of these cars will ever be produced making it one of the rarest Evora cars in the history of the company. We shall have to wait and see if one or two manages to make its way to our shores.

Piston.my

English

Lotus launches new driving academy in Hethel, UK

Subaru breaks record at Nurburgring Nordschleife race track

New Mustang offers better acceleration than Porsche 911

New Suzuki Swift Sport to make world premiere at Frankfurt

Ford F-150 to become pursuit-ready Police Interceptor

Apple to prevent iPhone use while driving for iOS11

Toyota USA initiates recall for miss assembled drive shafts

GM believes its Lunar Rover helped pave the way for its modern advanced EV vehicles

Kia Cerato earns top marks in safety for US market

Lotus Evora GTE430 is lightest and most track focused in the family

Global debut of the new Mercedes-Benz S-Class W223

Honda Insurance Plus plan upgraded with more benefits

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost makes its world debut

Updated Peugeot 3008 for 2021 revealed

LOOKING BACK: The Volvo P1800 aka ‘The Saint’s Car’

BRABUS shows that its upgrading expertise also extends to EVs

Osamu Masuko, former Chairman of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, passed away at 71

Production of limited edition Pikes Peak Bentley Continental GT underway

F1 (Round 7): Results And Highlights Of 2020 Belgium Grand Prix

Aston Martin DB5 Junior for the little ones

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