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Rolls-Royce To Blacklist Spectre Resellers

The Rolls-Royce Spectre is the British automaker’s first-ever electric vehicle to be produced in large numbers, and the Goodwood-based company has encountered longer-than-expected order backlogs.

The assumption is that after the car’s supply is depleted, the value of the used car market will soar. Goodwood, on the other hand, is supposedly not going to do any of that and will permanently blacklist anyone who sells their Rolls-Royce Spectre EV for profit.

“They’re going immediately on a blacklist and this is it—you will never ever have the chance to acquire again,” Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said.

Rolls is not the only company to voice its displeasure with resellers. Back in 2017, Porsche GT CEO Andreas Preuninger stated that Porsche was keeping track of which customers were reselling cars in order to restrict such customers from receiving special car allocations.

More recently, GM declared that if the Corvette Z06 is re-sold within a year, some warranties will be revoked, punishing any consumers who do so. Additionally, consumers who sell their Z06s will not be eligible for allocations on any future GM vehicles.

This is in fact not a new practise as Ferrari has been blacklisting re-sellers for years. Allocations for some of Ferrari’s rare hypercars such as the LaFerrari are only allocated for those who have been loyal to Ferrari and have been buying Ferraris for years. In fact, some Ferraris such as the LaFerrari are based on an invitation only purchase model.

The Spectre is expected to begin deliveries next year. According to reports, the electric coupe has received so many orders that the company’s CEO is already discussing raising production levels. The base model of the first-ever electric Rolls-Royce has a starting price of around $400,000 (RM1.8 million). However, analysts predict that few customers will choose the base model, therefore the majority of Spectres leaving the factory will likely cost more than $500,000 (RM2.3 million).

Thanks to a 700 kg high-voltage battery pack, the British luxury two-door boasts a WLTP driving range of 520km per charge. The 2857kg coupe is propelled by two independently stimulated synchronous motors that provide a combined 584hp and can accelerate the car from 0 to 100km/h in 4.4 seconds.

New Nissan Retail Concept Showroom Opens In Puchong

Edaran Tan Chong Motor (ETCM) has announced the opening of a newly upgraded Nissan showroom in Puchong, Selangor.

The new showroom is open to Nissan customers and would-be customers to experience a new level of luxury, comfort and convenience.

The showroom will feature the entire range of Nissan cars for viewing while a “Star Car” will be prominently displayed. The recently released New Serena Hybrid J-IMPUL is the star car currently.

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Hyundai Filled With 2,710 Packs Of Cigarettes Busted In Singapore

A Hyundai Accent was disassembled with brute force in a TikTok video uploaded by the Singaporean border control agency, ultimately revealing hundreds of illegal cigarette packs stashed throughout the vehicle.

When Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers assessed a Malaysian-registered car for additional checks on June 12, 2023, at Woodlands Checkpoint, they discovered cigarette packets concealed not just beneath the bonnet but also behind the front and rear bumpers, in the door panels, and underneath the seats. Ultimately, 222 cartons, 2,710 packets, and 35 sticks of duty-unpaid cigarettes were found, according to ICA, after their checks.

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2023 Mitsubishi Triton To Adopt Newly Developed Ladder Frame, Chassis And Engine

The sixth-generation Mitsubishi Triton will be unveiled on July 26 in Thailand, and the Japanese automaker has released more information about it.

The prototype truck’s camouflage, which conceals some design elements, was modelled after lava rocks that are “packed with condensed energy.” Its sides are embellished with a logo of the 10-parallel-line Ralliart company, which has a rich history in motorsport.

According to Mitsubishi, in order to achieve safe, secure, and comfortable driving for all weather or road conditions, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will use a newly developed ladder frame, chassis, and clean diesel engines in the all-new Triton one-ton pickup truck.

The newly developed ladder frame, double wishbone front and rear suspensions with leaf spring rear suspension are said to deliver the ideal driving performance and high levels of ride comfort. The newly created clean diesel turbo engine has significantly reduced friction loss while increasing output, which has improved environmental performance.

As part of the leader-follower structure of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, Mitsubishi is driving the development of the Triton, with the upcoming Nissan Navara planned to share platforms but feature different aesthetics.

The most recent Triton will be propelled by a freshly created clean turbo diesel engine, which is another powertrain-related detail that was made public. Executives have acknowledged that the technology is being studied for the Triton rather than being committed, despite the fact that plug-in hybrid power has been suggested for the new Mitsubishi pick-up. The manufacturer said it would follow the pure-electric pick-up it plans to debut after 2025 if it unveiled a Triton PHEV.

Hydrogen A Sustainable Choice For The Future, Says Yamaha CEO

Yoshihiro Hidaka, president and CEO of Yamaha Motor, has backed hydrogen as a practical and clean way to achieve carbon neutrality and said the company would develop it as a fuel source.

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McLaren Solus GT Hypercar To Debut At Goodwood Festival

McLaren’s track-only Solus GT will make its dynamic debut at the 2023 Goodwood Festival of Speed, turning a Gran Turismo idea into reality. This hypercar, known as the Solus GT, has a 5.2-liter V10 with bodywork that appears like it belongs in a futuristic video game.

The Solus GT first made its virtual premiere in Gran Turismo Sport back in 2017. The McLaren Ultimate Vision Gran Turismo was what it was called back then.

The Solus is astonishingly similar to an LMP (Le Mans Prototype) car in terms of specifications and technology as there are 264 3D printed parts utilised in the Solus GT.

Numerous characteristics strongly convey the feeling of dream becoming reality such as:

The sliding glass canopy, which curves forward to give access to the single seat in the middle
Aerodynamic pods that encase each wheel
The front splitter, which directs air through ground-effect tunnels and out the back diffuser
The motorsport-inspired intake above the cockpit that supplies the engine with cold air
A twin-element fixed rear wing

Additionally, the car features the recognisable McLaren “hammerhead” nose and teardrop cockpit with a wraparound canopy screen that offers a 180-degree perspective of the circuit.

The seat is firmly locked into place. However, the pedal box is completely adjustable, similar to the LaFerrari or a race-specific car. The Solus GT differs from a Formula 1 car in that the pedals are simple to alter while seated.

The majority of the main controls and a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) display are located on the carbon fibre steering wheel. Above the driver’s head are the ignition switches and a fire extinguisher that is connected to the cars plumbing, along with a complete heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system.

Mclaren’s racing heritage is embedded everywhere in the Solus GT’s specifications, McLaren’s racing heritage. Its carbon fibre monocoque tub blends the company’s expertise from the last 40 years of creating road and race cars with a technological layout that is strikingly similar to previous and current LMP endurance racers. The front and rear impact structures are built from carbon fibre rather than aluminium as they are on the company’s road cars.

The 5.2 litre V10 engine produces more than 840PS and can rev up to 10,000 rpm. All of this is contained into a compact shell that weighs less than 1,000 kg and produces 1,200 kg of downforce. It does 0-100km/h in 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of 322km/h and is controlled using a seven-speed sequential gearbox.

According to McLaren, the Solus GT is as near to the sensation and experience of driving a Formula 1 car as you can get. You can actually listen to what the screaming V10 sounds like at McLaren’s website. Just head on to the “Power” tab and let the sound of music play.

Its debut is a part of McLaren’s 60th anniversary celebration, which also includes a line up of other modern models alongside historic ones. The new 750S mid-engine supercar will make its debut and along for the high-speed fun will be McLaren’s latest hybrid supercar, the Artura. But neither of those cars will be able to match the raw power of the Solus GT.