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Aston Martin’s Project Neptune is a Bond-like submersible

Aston Martin has ventured out of its comfort zone by collaborating with Triton Submarines LLC to build its own version of a submersible vehicle. Code named Project Neptune, the vehicle is said to marry Triton’s diving and operational expertise with Aston Martin’s design, materials, and craftsmanship.

Resembling an ironing box, the sleek boat-like submersible that features dual pontoons and a bubble shaped cockpit, looks something that 007 would use for an underwater mission. Based on Triton’s Low Profile (LP) three-person platform, the vehicle has been built to comply with Aston Martin’s design language and specifications.

The entire project was overseen by Aston Martin Consulting, and should bring to fruition a submersible that is unique, exclusive and built in strictly limited numbers. This division of company offers core business services include providing design, engineering and manufacturing services to select industries, distilling the brand’s essence into new projects.

Speaking of the collaboration on Project Neptune, Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman, said, “Project Neptune is defined by its sleek, elegant exterior. We have used forms and proportions that express the same devotion to design, engineering and beauty that shape our cars, such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie hypercar project.”

Triton has in-depth knowledge and experience when it comes to designing, manufacturing and operating submersibles for researchers, explorers and super yacht owners.Founded in Florida by L. Bruce Jones and Patrick Lahey, the team at Triton are committed to producing the safest and best performing, deep-diving submersibles in the world.

Speaking of the newly commission project, Patrick Lahey, President of Triton Submarines LLC said, “We have always admired Aston Martin. The marque represents a deeply held passion for technology, engineering and timeless, elegant design.”

“From our first interaction, it was apparent that Triton and Aston Martin were natural partners and our complimentary values will be realized in this truly exciting project,” he later added.

There seems to a major shift in focus at the company these past couple of years with the automaker choosing to use AMG engines for its upcoming road-going vehicles, entering Formula 1 as a title sponsor for Red Bull Racing and now, kick-starting Project Neptune – its most ambitious project to date.

If proven successful, James Bond will have a whole host of vehicles to show off in his next film, which for the first time will include an actual Aston Martin submarine.

ClearPlex offers your windshield the protection it deserves

A vehicle’s windshield is an extremely valuable components of any vehicle. It’s quality and strength offers 20% of a vehicle’s structural rigidity and determines the level of protection it gives to occupants during thunderstorms or head-on collisions.

And back in the old days, prior to the introduction of modern electronic sensors, windshields attached to most vehicles were simple sheets of glass that weren’t very expensive manufacture. Fitting them in place on a vehicle required minimal effort and the use of a strong bonding adhesive.

The advent of modern surface mounted electronics have made windshields far more sophisticated than they have ever been. On more advanced vehicles, their windshields are fitted with heating elements, rain sensors, electo-film tinting, 360 degree cameras, ambient lighting sensors and a number of others.

Should you have the misfortune of damaging such a windshield, the cost of replacement could hover over the RM4,000 mark. Costs of replacing one from a luxury car can be anywhere between RM3000 to RM7,000 depending on model and workshop labour charges.

Well, this type of repair bill maybe a thing of the past thanks to a new protection film called ClearPlex. It is provided by Reep Group, one of the UK’s leading care care and detailing specialists. Once installed, it will be able to protect windshields from damage that include weather effects, impact from stones and debris thrown up from road surfaces.

ClearPlex, a partner company with The Reep Group, offer a technologically advanced, optically clear, windscreen protection film developed in America in association with NASA. It features UV stabilisers that help reduce heat within a vehicle as well asprotect against 99.9% of UVA and UVB harmful rays.

This means that ClearPlex is the all-round solution for those wanting something that offers them full protection from heat and damage to their windshield. No word yet on when it will be made available over here, but one it does, we will be standing in line to purchase a few.

Audi unveils new electric racer that will compete in the 2017/18 Formula E championship

Audi will be fielding its first ever factory-backed Formula E racer this coming season. The car adorns a livery that has a white, metallic green and black paint scheme. Due to the restrictive nature of the sport, there’s very little that teams can do with regards to the design.

Teams and manufacturers are only allowed to develop the motor, transmission, parts of the suspension and their respective software. Audi claims its motor-generator unit, that is the heart of its e-tron FE04 racer, has been engineered to deliver greater efficiency. Transmitting power to the wheels is a high-efficiency transmission with only one gear that should lower power loses.

This year’s Formula E championship winner, Lucas di Grassi, will be piloting the new Audi e-tron FE04 and his teammate for the upcoming season will be a youngster named Daniel Abt. Lucas di Grassi will be driving the car with a number ‘1’ badge while his teammate gets ’66’ on his with additional red colored markings to enable spectators to differentiate between both cars.

“After nearly 40 years of being successfully active in Motorsport on the highest level, Audi now becomes the first German automobile manufacturer to compete in Formula E in order to test and advance the development of new technologies for production,” says Peter Mertens, Member of the Board of Management, Technical Development, AUDI AG.

“Following quattro, TFSI, TDI, hybrid drive and many other innovations, our first single-seater race car is a portent of our product offensive in the field of electric mobility that we are ringing in with the Audi e-tron in 2018,” he later added.

Called Team Audi Sport ABT Schaeffle, the factory-backed Formula E team will be lead by team principle, Allan McNish. It’s a name that needs no introduction, McNish is veteran when it comes to Motorsports and was involved in number of racing disciplines that included Formula 1.

He has been an Audi factory driver for many years and is a celebrated three-time Le Mans winner. McNish, brings a significant amount of knowledge of racing to the team, which should give it a considerable advantage during the new season.

The Audi e-tron FE04 will make its racing debut at the Formula E season opener in Hong Kong on December 2, 2017. That said, Audi will be readying the car for test sessions within the coming days. First, the car’s abilities will be put on display by Daniel Abt during the E-Mobility Play Days at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Then, the team heads to Valencia, Spain, which is the official venue of the Formula E pre-season tests. Audi will be putting both cars and drivers through their paces as they gear up for the upcoming 2017/2018 Formula E season.

Honda ranked 20th most valuable brand in the world

Honda is said to be one of the most valuable brands in the world according to market research done by Interband in its latest ‘Best Global Brands’ study. The Japanese automaker was able to move up the ranking and is now considered the 20th most valuable brand globally.

Interbrand estimates Honda’s financial value to be at $22.696 billion. This includes its entire business divisions including the aviation sector, which is starting to witness a great deal of interest pertaining to its newly launched aircraft.

“The power of the Honda brand highlights our influential position in the market,” said Philip Ross, Senior Vice President of Honda Motor Europe. “There’s diverse range of new products, from the zero-emissions Clarity Fuel Cell to the award-winning Honda Civic Type R.”

“These vehicles showcase the significance of advanced technology to the Honda brand. The recently-announced ‘Electric Vision’ will fast-track a major brand advancement, bringing to market a host of new electrified vehicles from 2018,” he later added.

The recognition that the automaker received from Interbrand is a correlation with several landmark achievements for the company in 2016 as well as recent company announcements. Honda has revealed its business plans for the near future, which is considered a drastic shift from what we are used to expecting from the brand.

At the recent Frankfurt Motorshow, Honda revealed that electrified technology will be at the core of every new car model launched in Europe. The announcement was made by Honda Motor Company CEO, Takahiro Hachigo after the unveiling of the Urban EV Concept vehicle.

This proves that Honda is convinced that electric mobility is the future and are readying plans to offer more electrified vehicles to customers in the coming years. The Urban EV Concept will eventually pave the way for the launch of a new Honda electric car, which is slated for production in 2019.

At a global level, Honda plans on having electrified technology powering at least two thirds of its cars by 2030. Though these plans aren’t as drastic as those put forth by Volvo, but they too, spell the end of the automaker’s dependence on fossil fuel powered cars in the not so distant future.

Besides its automotive sector, the newly launched HondaJet light aircraft set a new Miami-Panama speed record that was recognized by the National Aeronautical Association. It also celebrated global deliveries that surpassed that of other jets in its class.

Honda’s expertise in robotics that include its spectacular creation, Asimo, the automaker has come up with an ingenious Miimo lawnmower. It is capable of recharging itself at an electric docking station when its running low on power and can intelligently follow the layout of any garden, quietly while cutting the grass.

All this combined, is the reason why Honda has been ranked this high on the list and should it may be able to move even closer to the top once it realizes the true potential of EV power.

MG gears up for launch of new compact SUV that sports ‘Emotional Dynamism’

MG, will be launching its new compact SUV soon, which the automaker says will mark an exciting new era of design for the company. The Chinese owned British automaker is looking to dip its toes into the hotly contested waters of the compact SUV segment with the MG XS.

The new vehicle will join the automaker’s MG3 and MG GS to offer UK customers a home grown alternative to the Japanese and Korean offerings. Sporting an angular look, the new design philosophy is based on what the automaker calls, ‘Emotional Dynamism’.

It has been said the new vehicle has been designed in a way that best expresses the company’s new design language that emphasizes the premium nature of the XS. Though not groundbreaking, the the curved lines and creases of the frontend do give the vehicle an interesting look.

The new face features an enlarged grill design that was inspired by the automaker’s older vehicles but modernized to have a more contemporary look. MG says that the larger grille is able to accommodate a bigger badge, which, for vanity purposes, helps show off the brand’s heritage that can be traced to the early days of the automobile.

Carl Gotham, Design Director of SAIC European Design Centre, said, “It’s a really exciting time for MG as it starts to roll out its new brand identity. Emotional Dynamism brings to the fore a premium feel to the new Compact-SUV with exceptional attention to detail throughout, such as the distinctive detailing on the ‘eye’ headlights and signature tail lights.”

“It has a level of detailing and range of impressive features you would not expect to find on a car of this size or price,” he later added.

MG is expected to divulge more details regarding the brand’s new design direction closer to the launch date of the new vehicle. The automaker has stated that it is confident that latest addition will be able to bolster its sales figures that are already up by nearly 83% year-on-year.

The British automaker can trace its roots back to 1924 and has produced some of the most stunning vehicles from the golden area of the automobile. Stay tuned and we will let you know more when further details are released regarding the MG’s design direction.

Women are now allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia

This is a great time for women in Saudi Arabia, because due to a reform in the country’s regulations, as of June 2018, women will be allowed to drive on their own. King Salman, ruler of the kingdom, has decreed that it is now lawful for women in that country to drive on its roads.

Prior to the announcement, women who were caught driving on public roads would have faced harsh legal punishment which included being arrested and fined. For many years, activist groups have rallied to have the government alter the legislation.

Regardless of how educated or capable a woman was, it was still considered unlawful for her to drive. The Kingdom’s rather conservative policies forbid women from getting behind the wheel, until now. According to an article by the BBC, there is an estimated 800,000 chauffeurs who currently ferry Saudi women to their destinations.

Now however, the new ruling will enable Saudi women to experience the thrill of driving, legally, which may negate their need for someone to chauffeur them around. That said, the news was well received all over, especially to activist groups.

Heads of state around the world, including the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, were delighted with the news. This reform could pave the way for other ones, which could lead the Saudi government into accepting a more liberal stance on other issues involving women.

Politics aside, this should be a good time to be a car dealer in Saudi Arabia. This is because, as of today, a big chunk of the population in Saudi Arabia are now allowed to own a driver’s license and a vehicle. This surge in demand for vehicles might result in car dealerships springing up all over the kingdom.

Source: BBC

Ford does its bit to help with disaster relief in Mexico and Caribbean Islands

Ford is doing its part to help with disaster relief in regions that were hardest hit by the recent wave of natural disasters. One of the most recent of the lot, was a powerful earthquake that struck Mexico on 7th September and then another, just 12 days later.

Apart from this, the after effects of Hurricane Maria that struck the Caribbean on September 20th, knocked out power and severely damaged much of Puerto Rico when it came ashore with category 4 winds. It also laid waste to property in the Virgin Islands, which was still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and Irma.

Ford has managed to contribute $200,000 USD (RM 841,300) to the United Way in Mexico (Fondo Unido Mexico) and will match employee donations to the Mexico Earthquake Relief Fund, up $50,000 USD (RM 210,325). Ford Mexico & Dealers Civic Committee is also providing $200,000 ((RM 841,300) in support to United Way Mexico and toward rebuilding schools.

In total, Ford will probably raise close to half a million US dollars (RM 2,103,250) to help with disaster relief efforts in Mexico, which will take the country a considerable mount of time to recover from. As for the hurricane relief efforts, Ford will be donating $100,000 USD (RM 420,650) and the Ford region is contributing an additional $100,000 USD (RM 420,650).

Besides this, the Blue Oval will continue to match contributions to the American Red Cross, up to $300,000 (RM 1,261,950). This, as well as other efforts by its employees have ensured that a substantial amount of money has been raised for a good cause.

Experts say that the recent hurricanes occurrences can be considered as a side effect of global warming. In recent years, our planet has been heating up, as a result, the air has been retaining far more moisture than before. This in turn, could eventually cause significant climate change in the coming years.

Fiat 500X Fulham FC Edition built to celebrate partnership and fans

Football fans might find this news quite interesting considering its nature. A special edition Fiat 500X has been launched in London to celebrate the partnership between Fiat Chrysler Motor Village UK and Fulham Football Club.

As the name suggests, this particular 500X been given a new colour scheme that pays tribute to that of the Fulham football team. The extended wheelbase 500 gets distinctive styling details, exclusive black, white and red paint finish and unique ‘FFC’ badging, as well as other standard equipment.

Apart from that, and like its base model sibling, the Fulham edition 500X also comes with alloy wheels, front fog lights with cornering function, rear parking sensors, climate control, six airbags, cruise control and 5-inch touchscreen with navigation, Bluetooth, USB and aux-in socket.

As of now, only 15 examples of this vehicle will ever be created, which is designed exclusively for Fulham FC season ticket holders. A prize draw will also be conducted where one lucky winner will get to drive a new Fiat 500X Fulham FC Special Edition for two weeks and have the keys handed to them by the team’s players.

“This is another excellent example of how we are teaming up with Fulham FC and its supporters,” says Fabio di Prima, managing director, Motor Village UK. “Of course, if a non-season ticket holder would like to buy the Fulham FC Special Edition – or any other of our large range of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles cars – we would be delighted to sign them up!”

Motor Village UK is the official car partner to Fulham FC and offer enticing deals to club season ticket holders on new Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Abarth cars. We shall have to wait and see if other automakers follow suit and team up with the leading clubs of the UK’s Premier League to introduce their own version of football team themed vehicles.

Aston Martin has become title sponsor of Red Bull Racing team

Aston Martin has announced that it is now the title sponsor for the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Next year, the team will compete in the 2018 championship as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing. The move will allow for better brand presence for Aston Martin, and entice the automaker to become more involved in the sport.

Both companies will have a closer working relationship pertaining to the development of F1 and road car technology. In fact, the ostentatious Aston Martin Valkyrie, which was unveiled in 2016, was a collaborative effort between both parties. Deliveries of the supercar to customers should take place sometime next year, but I digress.

This new F1 partnership will see the creation for 110 new jobs including employees who will be responsible for the future development of sports cars of these companies. Red Bull Racing has admitted that more than 100 of Aston Martin staff will service the new Advanced performance centre in Milton Keynes, the location of its HQ.

Despite Aston Martin admitting that the collaboration will offer the supercar maker better brand awareness and opportunities, that is only the tip of the iceberg. In fact, Aston’s CEO, Andy Palmer has said that, if conditions become favorable to the automaker, it could entertain the possibility of becoming an engine supplier.

Aston Martin will only be willing to consider the idea if the FIA make certain changes that allow for better regulations on the costs and dynamometer hours. It isn’t willing to jump in the game as did Honda, until it feels that it can be reasonably competitive in the sport.

This news comes after Porsche admitted that it is mulling over the idea of becoming an engine supplier for Formula One teams in 2021. Thanks to certain regulation changes in the sport, mainstream automakers are beginning to see the benefits of getting involved in Formula One.

Source: F1.com

Porsche North America issues recall for Cayenne vehicles built between 2003-2006

Porsche North America has issued a statement regarding the recall of Cayenne vehicles built between 2003-2006. The reason for the recall is due to an issue pertaining to the fuel pump filter. The automaker has found that, overtime and extended usage, hairline cracks could develop on the flange of the fuel pump filter of affected vehicles.

If this does happen, a ‘very small quantity’ of fuel could seep through these cracks, which can cause a noticeable fuel odour. Though the automaker is playing down the issue, when problems regarding fuel seepage arises, they shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Porsche’s remedy for the problem is to have an authorized dealer replace the fuel pump filter flange at no cost to owners. The procedure should take approximately one and a half hours to complete, which means that inconvenience to Cayenne customers should be kept at a minimum.

So far, the German automaker has identified that 50,145 Cayenne vehicles are affected by the recall in North America. It is treating the rectification process as a ‘voluntary recall’, meaning that the issue isn’t of immediate concern to Cayenne owners.

That said, this problem seems to be isolated to the North American market. As for now, vehicles sold in other parts of the world don’t seem to have inherited this defect. Vehicles built in that part of the world, rarely share similar parts or suppliers with identical models sold in other markets.

Though many consider it as a point against Porsche’s Quality Control procedures, this goes to show that customer satisfaction is a priority for Porsche. Unlike some automakers, the company isn’t fully focused on sales profit, instead, it is still concerned with the safety of customers who have older models and are content with keeping them.