English Archives

Lamborghini launches Urus SUV

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEAT building fully automated warehouse

SEAT is hard at work constructing a 43.7 metre tall building that will be able to process 119,000 boxes of parts and components. This new project is part of the automaker’s commitment to making the Martorell factory a benchmark of Industry. It will function as an automated logistics centre and equipped with smart technology.

Once completed in the final quarter of 2018, the facility will be the tallest logistics warehouse in Spain. And it will play a major role in SEAT’s logistics strategy and supply chain. Once construction is complete, SEAT’s new warehouse will have a total surface area of 5,700 square metres. It will be divided into two facilities, the first will be 43.7m high and the second one will be 21m high.

The first facility will have a capacity for 24,000 containers stored in seven aisles. The second one, will feature five aisles for storing more than 95,000 boxes. The entire project is said to be a breakthrough in terms of logistics processes for the Martorell factory. Martorell has also helped SEAT bag a number of accolades including the Manufacturing Excellence 2017 award.

Speaking of the place, SEAT Vice-President for Production Dr. Andreas Tostmann, “The creation of this wholly automated logistics centre once again demonstrates that SEAT is a benchmark company in every area of Industry 4.0,”

“With this project we are taking a qualitative leap forward in our service capacity and our vision of achieving logistics management excellence by increasing efficiency in the manufacturing process of our vehicles,” he added.

The current move should help the Spanish automaker secure its position and market share in Europe amidst increasing competition from Korean and Chinese automakers. SEAT is owned by the Volkswagen group and as such enjoys a number of benefits that include technology and platform sharing, which helps reduce R&D costs.

New Mercedes-Benz CLS is marked improvement over old one

The new Mercedes-Benz CLS, is the follow up model to the original that broke convention. Merc’s CLS combines the silhouette of a sleek coupe with the practicality of a four door sedan. This new car retains the original’s recipe but forgoes the older sloped-style front end for a contemporary one with elongated teardrop shaped headlights and a large gaping front grille.

At the back, it’s design is similar to that seen on several of the automaker’s sports series models, which is fitting, considering who the car is aimed at enticing. Underpinning the aggressive body, are four-link front suspension and a five-link rear one. Buyers can also opt for the Air Body Control air suspension that offers improved, adjustable and adaptive damping.

For now, the new CLS will only offered with a choice of petrol and diesel V6 engines. Output of the diesel engine ranges from 286bhp and 600Nm of torque to 340bhp and 700Nm of torque. It benefits from CAMTRONIC variable valve-lift control and two-stage turbocharging. The petrol one, coupled with the electric motor develops 367bhp and 500Nm of torque.

Merc has taken the best tech of the S-Class and crammed it into the interior of this CLS. It has a fully digital display system that can be configured to suit different needs, a 64-colour ambient lighting system that changes colour when the climate control system is adjusted. Adding to that, the car is able to alter interior fragrance, lighting and temperature to suit different moods.

Available as standard are the usual range of driving assistance and safety systems that include the Active Brake Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, ATTENTION ASSIST, Speed Limit Assist and the occupant protection system PRE-SAFE®. Strangely enough, Pre-SAFE sound builds upon the others, by preparing ones’ hearing when it senses an impending collision.

If that isn’t enough, you can opt for the optional Driving Assistance Plus Package. It consists of Active Distance Control DISTRONIC, Active Steering Assist, Active Speed Limit Assist, Active Brake Assist with cross-traffic function, Evasive Steering Assist, Active Blind Spot Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist and PRE‑SAFE® PLUS. Active Distance Control DISTRONIC and Active Steering Assist.

Apart from this, the regular bells and whistles that include headlight beam adjustment and fuel efficient systems come as standard with the car. As of now, there only three variants that are available, which are the CLS 350d 4MATIC, CLS 400 4MATIC and CLS 450 4MATIC. We expect to see a number of other variants being added to the range in the near future.

Many are flocking to Ferrari museums in 2017

Ferrari’s museums worldwide are recording a surge in the number of visitors this year. The automaker has reported that the popularity has grown significantly. More than 500,000 people have visited one of the museums in 2017. The previous record of 478,000, which was set last year has been broken in November.

The new Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena garnered the most interest from fans and tourists alike, reporting an annual growth of 19% in November or 150,000 visitors. The company has attributed the rise in ticketed sales here to the “Driving with the Stars” exhibition. Visitors get to view the Ferrari cars driven by stars from the sporting, cultural,and entertainments worlds.

Adding to this, the museum in Maranello recorded a rise in its ticket sales by about 8%, which equates to a total of 350,000. Over the course of the year, this museum has hosted a number of exhibits that have enthralled visitors from every corner of the globe.

Ferrari’s brand image worldwide has grown significantly over the years, thanks to the introduction of facilities such as this as well as the mega theme park in Dubai. All these, coupled with the fact that Ferrari is doing quite well in several Motorsport categories, have contributed to it’s increased brand awareness.

Like its founder Enzo Ferrari, the Italian automaker’s heart and soul is in Motorsport. It thrives on besting the competition by building the fasted and most advanced machines in the world. It’s road cars are culmination of that philosophy wrapped in silhouettes that are the epitome of automotive beauty.

New VW Golf GTI TCR ready for competition

There’s a new Volkswagen in town, but it isn’t street legal. Based on the 7th generation Golf GTI, the 2018 Golf GTI TCR, is the latest iteration VW racer for the TCR category. It retains the same overall look and shape of the road going version, but builds a upon it with a widebody kit, aggressive front and rear bumpers as well as a prominent hatch mounted rear spoiler.

“The new look for the Golf GTI TCR resulted from close cooperation with Volkswagen Design. This helps us to underline just what a close relationship exists between the production model and the racing version,” explained Volkswagen Motorsport Director, Sven Smeets.

He added, “For example, the engine comes directly from series production and only requires minimal adjustment for competitive racing. This is proof that the Golf GTI provides the perfect foundation for our customer racing cars.”

The VW Golf GTiI TCR is said to be one of the most successful racing touring cars of the year. In fact, in the TCR International Series, French driver Jean-Karl Vernay claimed the drivers’ title last month in Dubai. And the 350bhp 2.0-litre turbo engine Golf that VW provides race-ready for professional teams and drivers, was declared ‘Model of the Year’.

Other accolades include the TCR class in the VLN Endurance Championship on the Nürburgring Nordschleife. In the same gruelling 24-hour race, the Golf GTI TCR finished well ahead of more powerful cars from other categories. Apart from this, Kantadhee Kusiri and the Liqui Moly Team Engstler won the TCR Asia title and Francisco Abreu, the TCR Iberico.

https://youtu.be/or_wda2F0iQ

This new car will be ready for delivery to race teams from January onward. Before that, the car will make its public debut at the Essen Motor Show from 2 to 10 December. During the event, VW will be offering fans and clients to get up close and find out more about the car.

Polestar Cyan Racing wins 2017 WTCC

Polestar Cyan Racing has clinched both the drivers’ and constructors’ championship titles of the 2017 FIA World Touring Car Championship. The team finished the season finale in spectacular fashion, making a clean sweep this year.

“To become the first ever Swedish racing World Champion is something I have dreamt about since I started racing! I can’t put words to my feelings right now but this is by far the greatest moment of my racing career,” said Thed Björk.

He then added, “The season final went according to our plans and a massive thank you to everyone in the team, they are as much World Champions as I am!”

Race 1 of the Qatar event was won by Tom Chilton in his Citroen C-Elysee, followed by Medhi Bennani and Kevin Gleason. Race 2 on the other hand, was won by Esteban Guerrieri with Rob Huff finishing second and Nicky Catsburg in third.

Björk may not have managed a podium finished in either of the two races, but his 5th place finish in the first and 4th place finish in the second race, put him 28.5 points ahead of nearest rival Norbert Michelisz, and effectively the champion of 2017.

Polestar Cyan Racing managed to edge out Honda by the same margin to be awarded the Constructors’ crown for this year. The feat seems surreal for the team because a plan had been put in place to clinch said titles in 5 years, but it accomplished it in just two short years.

The team functions as Volvo’s official factory auto racing team, based in Gothenburg, Sweden. It operates as a separate entity and is lead by team principle, Christian Dahl. Volvo’s acquisition of the Polestar Performance and the Polestar brand in 2015, didn’t include the racing team.

Ford to sue John Cena over breach of contract

John Cena, a well-known World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler, is being sued by the Ford Motor Company for breach of contract, according to an article by wxyz.com. See, Cena recently took delivery of a Ford GT, a supercar that requires and invitation from Ford itself, to purchase.

Unlike regular vehicles, one can’t simply walk into a Ford dealership and buy a Ford GT. The automaker gets to decide who is ‘worthy’ ro a own the car after a lengthy vetting process. Those who have owned the previous version are more likely to be placed higher on the list than someone who hasn’t.

Each individual owner who takes delivery of the car, has to sign a contract that prevents them from selling off the Ford GT for at least for 24 months. This clause was put in place to prevent buyers from flipping this rare and rather special car for a substantial profit. In Cena’s case, he sold the car after a few weeks.

And its for this very reason, Ford is taking him to court. The automaker feels that he didn’t honour the agreement and instead, bought the car to profit from its resale value. Cars that require an invitation to own, are far more valuable than those that can be purchased from the showroom floor.

Cena admitted to the act but clarified that it was done to clear other outstanding debts. He also stated that he is willing to work with Ford to make this right. Nobody knows exactly how this will play out though, but the automaker should have an iron-clad case against the wrestler due to this contract that he willingly signed.

The latest Ford GT builds on the success of its predecessors by offering cutting edge tech, efficient aerodynamics and bucket loads of power. Under the hood is an Ecoboost V6 engine that provides similar power figures to a V8 but weighing significantly less.

Source: wxyz.com

Telltale signs of odometer tampering

Tempering with a vehicle’s odometers is common practice among unscrupulous second hand car dealers. This is done to fool unwitting buyers into thinking that certain vehicles’ mileages are lower than expected. hpi, UK’s leading authority on vehicle checking services has come up with a few tips to help motorists spot signs of vehicle ‘clocking’.

In the UK, clocking is a term used to describe the act of tampering with a vehicle’s odometer for whatever reason. And lately, there has been an increase in such cases as scammers exploit loopholes in the law to fool buyers into coughing up more dough for a car that ‘hasn’t been driven much’.

Fortunately, there are telltale signs with vehicle clocking. And hpi has shared several of them to ensure that would-be buyers are better informed when looking for a new vehicle. Bear in mind, some of said advice may not be applicable to cars with digital odometers, which are just as easy to alter.

hpi has compiled the following hints and tips to help spot evidence of mileage falsification:

Check the service history – look at the mileage recorded at the time of the service
Contact the previous keeper – confirm what the vehicle’s mileage was at the time it was sold
Double check the odometer – scammers could wind back the mileage for a viewing then alter it again before collection
Trust your own judgement – is it 15 years old with only 32,000 km on the clock? Registered as a company car and done 20,000 km a year? Does anything about the vehicle history make you suspicious? Does everything add up?

Watch for signs of tampering and you could save yourself from a lot of trouble. Take whatever the dealer says with a pinch of salt. Finding one who is 100% honest isn’t easy these days. When in doubt, take your trusted mechanic with you for a thorough inspection of the car.

Honda’s original NSX is a cult icon

Honda’s original NSX was an amazing amalgamation of the automaker’s F1 technical know-how and experience in producing well-built machines. It was an evolution of the HP-X Concept car that was designed in collaboration with Pininfarina. It featured cutting-edge tech and styling inspired by the F-16 fighter jet.

The intention of building the car, was to show that the company was well able to challenge status quo, and prove that a supercar can offer mounds of driving enjoyment yet be reliable for everyday use. Conceived in the 1980s, Honda’s plan of building a sports car came to fruition in the early 1990s.

Built from an all-aluminum body, the NSX, which was an acronym for New Sportscar eXperimental, was powered by a naturally aspirated 3.0-litre V6 engine. Later iterations featured a slightly larger 3.2-litre variant. It was either mated to a 5-speed manual or 4-speed automatic transmission.

Granted, it didn’t offer the same visceral feel as a V8 powered Ferrari, but the car more than made up for that with nimble handling characteristics, reliable mechanicals and decent power delivery. That, packaged into a slender and lightweight 1990s body, caused a bit of a stir during its debut.

What helped the car gain its cult status was that F1 legend Aryton Senna, was involved in its development. His input helped shape the NSX’s driving characteristics, which is especially evident when the car is taken to its limits.

A video published by Petrolicious on its Youtube channel, depicts the love affair between Sean Lee and his NSX. Lee was smitten with the car from an early age. At a later stage in his life, he managed to acquire the car and enjoy it to its fullest. Check out the video and let us know what you think of it and whether it deserves to be revered.

Volvo wins Car Technology Brand of the Year award

Volvo’s latest technology innovations have not gone unnoticed. Through them, the automaker was named Car Technology Brand of the Year for the second year running. The Volvo XC60 was awarded Best Safety Technology for its Steering Support system, Best Navigation, and Best Safest Car due to its exceptional Euro NCAP safety rating.

The Car Tech Awards honours manufactures with the best in-car technology launched over the year. The Winner of each category is chosen by a jury of experts from buyer’s guide Carbuyer and technology website Alphr. It should come as no surprise that cars like the XC60 are lavished with such praise when safety is the criteria.

It is fitted with Volvo’s Steering Support technology that automatically provides steering assistance to drivers during an emergency to help avoid a potential collision. Working in tandem with its city stop function, the car will be able to decrease the risk of avoidable collisions or accidents significantly.

Speaking of the award, Stuart Milne, Editor of Carbuyer, said, “Volvo’s success in the Car Tech Awards is remarkable. The company scooped Car Technology Brand of the Year for the second year in succession.”

“Our judges were impressed by the way Volvo refuses to rest on its laurels, developing a series of products and philosophies that build on its Vision 2020, that no one will be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo by 2020,” he added.

Volvo’s XC60 almost scored full marks in its Euro NCAP crash test results. It received a 98% rating adult occupant protection and 95% for its safety assistance features. Adding to that, its intuitive and easy to use navigation system as well as a number of other features have made it the complete package.