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Jaguar Land Rover introduce Project Hero

JLR’s emergency response unit is set to take on the harshest conditions to save lives

Project Hero is essentially a bespoke version of the Land Rover Discovery built for use by the Austrian Red Cross. Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, it’s an advanced communication vehicle to support the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies(IFRC), which are the world’s largest humanitarian network.

This rather unique Discovery will be trialed by the Austrian Red Cross emergency response teams in the hopes of aiding the saving of lives by speeding up the response times to disasters.

Project Hero’s main party piece is the roof-mounted drone. There’s a fully integrated landing system with self-centering and magnetic retention technology that enables the drone to land on Project Hero’s roof even when the vehicle is moving.

https://youtu.be/hRdim3H98XQ

Through the use of the drone, the capacities of the emergency response unit is enhanced by allowing airborne, live footage to be transmitted to the Red Cross’s emergency response teams, helping them respond more quickly and effectively to landslides, earthquakes, floods and avalanches. Due to the changing terrain of unsettled landscapes, the aerial view provided by the drone will enable rescues to assess the situation from a safe distance and deduce an effective plan to rescue survivors.

Powered by the same 3.0-litre TD6 engine of the standard Discovery, Project Hero features a number of enhancements which include a heavy-duty sliding floor in the rear load space, segregation panel behind the rear seats providing additional equipment mounting points, LED lighting to aid night vision and innovative power supply points which accept multiple plug arrangements. It also features a multiple frequency radio equipment enabling contact to be made to other teams.

Project Hero will be stationed at the Austrian Red Cross training centre in Erzberg, in mountainous Eisenerz mining area, and in Vienna, for 12 months from June 2017. Its drone, will be used in simulations in order to develop new techniques of disaster relief. Project Hero will be dispatched when the Red Cross provides support at times of natural disasters, such as heavy snow or floods, or accidents.

Mercedes-Benz launch A-Class Urban Hunting Activity Edition

It’s an A-Class that looks and feels a little more special than its siblings

Not content with the diversity of the current A-Class line up, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has has introduced a variant that is aimed at those wanting an A-200 with added visual to complement their urban lifestyle.

Limited to just 30 units, the A-Class Urban Hunting Activity Edition is equipped with a number of extras which includes 18-inch 10-spoke lightweight alloy rims which are black in colour. Matt black decals adorn the vehicles sides and to ensure that you don’t mistake the car for its siblings, a wing badge with the words Activity Edition slapped on and another such badge on the centre console.

The Night Package offers a few more special bits such as selected black accents to the wheels, exterior mirrors and the belt line trim strip. On the inside, the dasboard, door centre panels and sports seats are covered with Artico man-made leather which add to the premium look and feel that’s synonymous with the brand.

Other features like the contrasting top stitching and chrome accents are a little more subtle than the others. The instrument cluster with its tubed-shaped round dials feature a checkered flag look contrasting with the red needles.

Available in five different colours which are Cirrus White, Jupiter Red, Polar Silver, Elbaite Green and Cavansite Blue, the A-200 Urban Hunting Activity Edition is priced at RM205,888 on the road without insurance.

Those who find the pricing a bit steep, can rest a little easy because Merc’s Financing plans help reduce the montly payments. Opting fot the 3-year Agility Financing agreement, buyers should only expect to pay RM3,441 per month. Not only that, with this agreement, owners have the option of either returing the car, paying off the residual value amount or refinacing the residual value amount.

If this intrigues you, head on over to your nearest Mercedes-Benz dealership to know more.