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Ariel to launch new electrified car by 2020

Ariel, the boutique sports car maker that was responsible for the lightweight supercar killer known as the Atom, is currently developing a new vehicle called the P40. Unlike the outrageously fast Atom, the new vehicle isn’t primarily aimed at track day enthusiasts.

Rather, its for those who want a performance car that can be hooned about on a circuit for a brief period of time. After about 15 minutes of on track action, the P40 will require about 30 minutes for it to recharge its battery pack, which hampers the hopes of practicality, somewhat.

According to a report by Autocar UK, Ariel’s newest superstar will have a very different propulsion system compared to its current crop of vehicles. Touted as an electrified vehicle, it will feature electric motors and a turbine range extender that will help supply electricity when it’s battery pack is depleted of charge.

Built on an aluminum chassis, the car will be offered as either a rear-wheel-drive or 4×4 model with the former being the less powerful of the two. The latter is said to have nearly 1200bhp and 1800Nm of torque. This is ludicrous for a vehicle that weighs a relatively light – 1600kg.

Thanks to torque vectoring and traction control, the power that is sent to the wheel should be manageable. But that is still a colossal amount of power that Ariel expects to reach the road via four narrow strips of rubber that it calls – tyres.

The rear-wheel-drive P40 will be powered by two electric motors and a 56kWh battery. Oddly enough, the more powerful 4×4 model will have four electric motors with juice being supplied by a smaller centrally mounted 42kWh liquid-cooled battery pack.

The logic behind this is still unclear but we suspect that it may have to do with weight distribution and making the car as light as possible. Like Lotus, Ariel resort to extreme methods when it comes to saving relatively small amounts of excess wight.

Their vehicles are built with the concept that, less is more. This is extacly why the Atom has a chassis that closely resembles that of crudely put together bits of scaffolding. Though functional, one can’t help but wonder whether the lack of bodywork on the sides were really necessary.

Slated for release in 2020, the P40 should be a highly anticipated vehicle when launched but we would like to reserve judgement till we witness the turbine range extender function under real world conditions.

Source: Autocar UK

New Honda CR-V wins Best New Car for Teens award

Honda has picked up another accolade in the US and this time, its for winning U.S. News & World Report’s 2017 Best New Car for Teens award in the SUV and Crossover category. The all new CR-V is a marked improvement over its predecessor sporting rugged good looks an better offroading abilities.

The vehicle comes with some of the latest suite of safety tech known as Honda Sensing, which is leaps and bounds better than what was used in previous generation vehicles that bore the nameplate.

The list of aids include Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) with Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Lane Keeping Assist System (LKAS) and Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) with Lane Departure Warning (LDW), and Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low Speed Follow.

These features used to be reserved for high-end German luxury cars, but now are available with a plethora of more affordable models. And they are a Godsend because when activated, a vehicle that is equipped with this, could save you from embarrassing and costly fender benders throughout your ownership experience.

No stranger to snapping up awards, Honda has been on a bit of winning streak as of late, winning several awards from various different competitions. And in case you were wondering, this new CR-V has already been made available here in Malaysia. Click here to learn more.

Great Wall interested in purchasing Jeep

Based on a recent report by Automotive News, Great Wall, a Chinese automaker has expressed interest in buying the American SUV maker, Jeep. Parent company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), has so far denied the claims stating that it has not been contacted by said party.

Great Wall plans on becoming a global player in the SUV market and by snapping up Jeep, an establishment of 4×4 vehicles, will be able to realize that goal a lot sooner than expected. The Jeep has a wealth of knowledge and technology that have kept the company competitive in major markets in the US and abroad.

Reports say that Jeep is worth more on its own than FCA as a company who’s portfolio includes Fiat, Dodge, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo and Maserati. This is understandable considering the brand’s value and heritage that traces back to World War II.

Great Wall has already set up R&D centres in Detroit and Los Angeles to study trends in the US to help it plan its strategy on penetrating that market. Unlike most other countries, the demand for SUVs and pick-trucks in the US are significantly higher than that for regular econoboxes. This then is a prime area for the Chinese automaker to secure a beachhead.

This is purely speculative, but, if FCA chooses to sell Jeep to Great Wall, that would cause serious consequences for the brand as a whole. Granted, FCA has mulled over the idea of spinning Jeep off as a separate entity before, but that was to allow for better stability.

Whatever the case maybe, if FCA does cave and hands over the keys to its kingdom to Great Wall, that would weaken the American company further. And this will put homegrown automakers like Ford and General Motors on notice that the days of complacency are over.

Source: Automotive News

Could the Pontiac Aztek be considered a future classic?

The late 1990s and early 2000s spawned some pretty unimaginative vehicles. They weren’t bad mind you, it’s just that many of them lacked attributes that would have made them memorable, years after their manufacturing were halted.

That was the case with the Pontiac Aztek. It was featured on famous Youtuber and automotive journalist, Doug Demuro’s channel where he dissects every intricate detail of the vehicle. Back when it was launched, the Aztek was considered the scourge of the automotive industry.

Its rather peculiar styling coupled with lackluster performance and handling characteristics made for a very underwhelming crossover SUV. Launched in 2001, the Aztek was shunned by car buyers right from the get-go. It failed to appeal to the masses despite major price reductions too.

That said, now looking back, we can agree that the Aztek was a pretty advanced vehicle for its time. Great thought and engineering where put into the design and construction aspects. This is evident from the cooler style storage compartment to the removal of the rear seats and inflatable bed.

It also came with a tent that could be fixed to the rear hatch, which turned the Aztek into an actual camping ‘tent’. The tailgate opens in two sections, there’s the hatch and a door section that doubles as an outdoor seat.

Production of the Aztek seized in 2005 after many failed attempts by Pontiac and its parent company GM, to make the vehicle more appealing to the US car buyer. Now however, it seems to be gaining respect thanks to an appearance on Netflix’s exclusive series Breaking Bad.

Take a look at Doug Demuro’s video and let us know what you think of the Pontiac Aztek and whether it deserves to be considered a future classic.

BMW to intoduce Z4 concept at Pebble Beach

BMW’s latest Z4 will be showcased in concept form at the upcoming Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach, which will take place soon. This is a sports car that is of significant importance to the brand. And compared to the previous Z4, this one is bound to turn heads.

It still has the same traits of its predecessor but this time, BMW has broken convention in terms of design. The new Z4 has an angular headlight design that stretches towards the car’s fenders. The twin kidney grilles are larger and are more pronounced than before as well as feature more complicated fin design.

This low-slung look give the front fascia more depth. As a result, the car’s silhouette seems to make an arc as it stretches towards the windscreen. The front splitter takes on a racing-like design with the centre carbon bit forming a v pattern that integrates with the front fascia’s side pods.

Based on the side profile, the Z4 has a simpler and more angular shape reminiscent of the Lexus LFA, which is a good thing. The creases at the top that stretch from the front fender and tapers towards the rear, they provide the illusion of a continuous single stroke design.

Then there’s the double bubble roll over guards that are both aesthetically pleasing and should offer a good amount of protection in the event of an accident. The colour complements that of the 20-inch alloy wheels which still retain BMW’s unique fork pattern.

As for the rear, it’s as minimalist as things can get. Long and narrow LED taillights flank both sides of the boot lid which also has an integrate boot spoiler. The rear bumper is quite large though and we doubt that this will actually be used for the production version.

As a whole, BMW says that it took various design elements from several of its more notable models including the Z8 and 328 Mille Miglia. And as such, the Z4’s design is a culmination of all the best lines and curves that have been penned by the automaker’s best designers.

On the inside, the cockpit incorporates the same basic design of current BMW sports cars but feature a more minimalist look thanks to an LCD meter panel and consolidated instrument panel that also houses the iDrive infotainment system.

No exact specifications have been revealed especially when it comes to the powertrain. But we won’t be surprised if BMW choose to include some form of electrification to help boost power yet retaining respectable fuel consumption figures.

VW to build direct descendant of the original Bus

Fans of the original VW Bus can rejoice because the automaker has decided to put the I.D. Buzz concept, a vehicle that’s loosely based on the ever popular people mover, into production. According to a recent article on Road and Track, The German automaker has seen it fit to give the project the green light.

The vehicle will utilise VW’s modular platform for electric cars or MEB and like Tesla, will have its battery pack stored underneath its floorpan. Interior space is said to be revolutionary with Volkswagen touting total volume to be similar to that of an SUV.

This was achieved through the clever use of space as well as the ability of the rear seats to be moved and adjusted to suit the occupants needs. Volkswagen will also be offering this people carrier as a cargo van too, which should make it a favourite among delivery companies.

As far as styling is concerned, the I.D. Buzz bears more than just a passing resemblance to the original Bus because the German automaker probably intends on the former being a reincarntion of the latter.

It sports the same tubular design with maximum emphasis placed on passenger and cargo space. Though the original had a rear mounted air cooled engine, the new one may have a central motor or individually mounted wheel motors.

Like most of the current line-up, the I.D. Buzz should feature a whole host of safety tech from pedestrian warning to emergency city stop systems. In addition to these, is the ability to drive without human intervention. That’s right, VW will be outfitting the car with autonomous driving.

If all this has you excited and anxious for its impending release, we’ve got bad news for you. Reports say that VW will only begin building it as late as 2022, which is still quite a long way off. But that said, we are thrilled that VW will eventually get around to building this amazing vehicle.

Source: Road and Track

Acura pull covers of its latest prototype racer

Acura, Honda’s performance arm in the US, has taken the covers of its latest Daytona Prototype International (DPi) racer that will do battle in the 2018 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Named the Acura ARX-05 (Acura Racing eXperimental, generation 5), the car comes from a long line of prototype vehicles that the automaker has fielded since 1991.

Unlike Formula One, this racing series requires teams to use one of four approved prototype chassis, fitted with IMSA-homologated, manufacturer-designed and branded bodywork and engines. Acura uses the ORECA 07 chassis but with its own specifically designed bodywork and signature Jewel Eye headlights.

This particular Acura looks menacing and though much of the design is dictated by the formula governing the sport, The automaker has managed to make it unique thanks to design traits taken from its current production vehicles.

“We created a variety of initial sketches, then pared those down a handful of potential designs. Next came aero and wind tunnel model testing, and time for the engineers to have their say,” Marek recounted. “The design continued to be refined throughout the testing and evaluation process, until we came up with a final treatment that met our performance goals.”

The car is powered by a race-proven AR35TT twin-turbocharged engine, that is based on the production 3.5-liter V-6 that powers the Acura MDX, RDX, TLX and RLX models. This same powerplant has been instrumental in powering the automaker’s cars to victory at a number of championship series.

Examples of these include the 12 Hours of Sebring (2011-13), the 24 Hours of Le Mans and LMP2 World Endurance Championship (2012), American Le Mans Series LMP2 titles in 2012-13, overall winners at the Rolex 24, 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans in 2016.

“At Acura, Precision Crafted Performance is at the heart of everything we do.” said Jon Ikeda, Acura vice-president and general manager. “Whether it is our production cars or a prototype race car, if you want to be a performance brand you need to perform.”

For the upcoming season, Acura Motorsports will be partnering with Team Penske organization to field a pair of Acura ARX-05 prototype race cars. One of those cars will be driven by former F1 driver, Juan Pablo Montoya and teammate Dane Cameron.

The season opener will take place at the Rolex 24 in January of next year. Expect some high level action as the American series goes into full swing for the 2018 calendar year.

Honda’s new diesel engine should be to the liking of EU regulatory bodies

Amid the controversy surrounding the diesel engine, Honda has revised its 1.6-litre i-DTEC oil burner to produce a new one that will perform well within the regulatory specifications. This engine will join the Civic range in Europe beginning from March 2018.

It also happens to be one of the first engines to be tested under the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) fuel consumption and emissions cycle, which should replaced the NEDC cycle as the standard fuel consumption test platform.

Unlike the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) test, which uses a theoretical driving profile to determine a vehicle’s fuel consumption, the WLTP utilizes actual driving data. As such, it should be able to provide more realistic figures that are closer to that of real world driving conditions.

Besides this, it will also be one of the first inline to be tested with the Real Driving Emission (RDE) procedure, to validate NOx and particulate emission levels. There’s a new NOx Storage Converter (NSC) system with larger catalysts and a higher content of noble metals (silver, platinum and neodymium) that store nitrogen oxide gas until the regeneration cycle.

There’s also a soot sensor that is said to accurately detect when the regeneration cycle is required, which should help to extend exhaust components’ durability. Honda is hoping that with the new tech, it’s brand new powerplant will be as reliable and efficient as possible.

Despite inheriting quite a bit from its predecessor, Honda claims that the new engine is the product of heavy revision of the original powerplant. As such, it features a number of improvements that allow it to outperform the engine that it is based on.

They include reduction in cylinder friction, due to the fact that the pistons made from highly durable chromium-molybdebnum steel alloy, as well as ‘super plateau honing’ of the bores to enable smoother piston movement.

Honda has fitted additional cast ribs to the engine’s cylinder block to increase structural rigidity. This in turn will aid the improvement of the management of noise, vibration and harshness.

As it stands, the 1.6 i-DTEC engine produces close to 120bhp and 300Nm of torque, which allows the Civic to sprint from 0-100km/h in about 10.4 seconds. There will be an option to have this engine mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission, which should help strengthen the model’s appeal.

Honda will be manufacturing the engine in its Swindon, UK plant and will make it available with the four-door and five-door versions of the 10th generation Civic.

You can now control a Genesis through the Google Assistant

Genesis has teamed up with Google to provide better flexibility to its customers. Through the Genesis Connected services that have now been integrated with the voice automated Google Assistant, owners can now access vehicle functions through their smartphone.

The functions include Remote Start with Climate Control, Destination Search powered by Google, Remote Door Lock/Unlock and Stolen Vehicle Recovery, send a destination to the car’s navigation system and remotely activate the horn and lights.

Through the use of the Genesis app, the system works with the Google Assistant to allow control of various functions with simple voice commands or smartphone keyboard inputs. This would make it a lot more convenient for those who are always in a hurry.

Owners are able to send commands to their Genesis vehicles with the following methods:

Voice commands via the Assistant on Google Home
Voice commands via the Google Assistant on eligible Android phones or iPhones
Text commands via the Google Assistant on a smartphone

There’s nothing revolutionary about this tech, because the Genesis connected services has been around for a while. It’s only recently that the system has been integrated with Google’s ever useful voice assistant. And its method of operation is rather simple.

A link was developed by Genesis engineers to allow for the cross communication between its services and that belonging to Google. Once a customer has successfully linked his or her account, Remote Service commands can be sent to Genesis vehicles after the Google Assistant prompts owners for their Personal Identification Number (PIN).

Once connected, interaction is as simple as saying, “Ok, Google” via your smartphone or Google Home, and asking the assistant to start your car, as depicted in the following image:

The image below demonstrates using the Assistant on phones by locating and sending destinations directly to the Genesis navigation system:

If you are unable to use voice commands, especially in crowded places, the Genesis app allows you to type the commands via the Google Assistant interface on your smartphone. The following image shows how easy it is for to lock your vehicle:

Genesis is showcasing these new features along with the recently launched Genesis Virtual Guide during a demo at the second annual WIRED Store in Santa Monica from August 23 through September 4, 2017.

Beach party in Europe organised to celebrate the Beetle

The Beetle, the most iconic and longest surviving nameplate in automotive history, will be celebrated by its fan base on the beach of Travemünde (German Baltic Sea). This year, marks the the 13th time that the Beetle Sunshine Tour has been held to date. And according to the organizers, the number of participants keeps growing each year.

Now, there are about 721 Beetles and original Beetles that are currently registered to take part, which the organizer and creator of the tour, Gabriele Kraft touts as being a new record. This year’s event is themed “Welcome to America” in celebration of how well received the various iteration of the nameplate were, including the original Beetle in the USA.

One of the highlights of this year’s celebrations, include a ‘converging rally’ where participants will drive their cars from different points to the meeting point at the Brügmanngarten festival meadow in Travemünde. A 560 PS Beetle GRC from the American GRC Rallycross series is also taking part in the rally.

Like many car events, the Beetle Sunshine Tour will be a fun-packed activity for the whole family with food, drinks and music on hand for added entertainment. Tourists, locals and fans alike are welcome to participate in the festivities and mingle with various celebrities including Karoline Schuch, Devid Striesow, Luna Schweiger and Sidney Hoffmann.

The original Beetle is beloved by many because it was a car for the people. Invisioned by Adolf Hitler as a cheap mode of transportation for the German masses, Ferdinand Porsche was tasked with building the iconic car. Several iterations and prototypes later, and the original Volkswagen was born.

Mind you, back then, the Beetle name was non-existent and the cars were referred to as the Volkswagen Type 1. In its home country of Germany, it was known as the Käfer, which is the German word for Beetle. Eventually VW, adopted this name for the car’s future marketing strategies.

However, in other parts of the world, it was known only as the Volkswagen with the exception of France, where it was referred to as the Coccinelle, which is French for ladybug. Marketing aside, the Beetle came from humble beginnings and a rather minuscule 25bhp engine.

Sporting gender neutral looks and the practicality to seat four full-sized adults, the Beetle was a hit around the world. That coupled with the fact that the air-cooled flat four engine was simple, easy to work on and quite reliable, made it the of choice for many.

In later years, the car developed a cult following and came to symbolize the care-free attitude of the 1960s. It was eventually phased out around the world due to the introduction of more stringent safety and emissions requirements as well as evolving trends. However, in countries like Mexico and Brazil, the car continued to roll off the production lines till the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Its descendants, the New Beetle and Beetle cars had very little in common with the original car apart from the design. Unlike its ancestor, the new cars are built on the Golf platform with the engine mounted in front. Despite that, many still consider them homages to the original.