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‘Born to race’ Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is America’s new supercar

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 was born in 1963 and was intended for racers as it was fitted with an optional Special Equipment Package intended for racers. Now, 58 years later, the next chapter in the Corvette journey begins with the introduction of the new Corvette Z06 which arrives 2 years after the first production mid-engine Corvette Stingray debuted.

While the Z06 was created to dominate on the track when it debuted in 1963, the Z06 nameplate has also come to symbolize the American supercar. The performance envelope of Z06 builds on the foundation laid by the Stingray, as does Z06’s design language. Expanded material offerings, new interior packages and features unique to Z06 enable owners to customise their car.

Raising the performance bar
“Corvette has always brought a discerning customer to the Chevy family,” said Steve Hill, Vice-President of Chevrolet. “This new Z06 is designed and engineered to set a higher bar with increased levels of craftsmanship, personalization and performance so customers can truly have their own bespoke performance car.”

The Z06 is set apart by its all-new LT6, with 670 bhp – the highest horsepower of any naturally-aspirated V8 in a production car today. An all-new flat-plane crankshaft design allows the driver to spin the engine to 8,600 rpm, accompanied all the way up by a distinctive, rich exhaust tone unlike anything ever heard from a Corvette.

Racing at its core
The sound and appearance of the Z06 take direction from Corvette Racing. The direct knowledge transfer from the track to the street comes from the Z06 chassis based on Corvette Racing’s C8.R since it began competing in 2020. Thanks to a shared chassis, similar engine architecture and exterior proportions, the C8.R has been referred to internally as the ‘Z06 hiding in plain sight’.

Apart from the more dramatic styling, the Z06 is 9.4 cm wider than the Stingray, accommodating massive 345-series rear tyres and allowing more airflow through side air vents. The standard 20-inch front and 21-inch rear forged aluminium ‘spider’ wheels are the largest ever fitted on a production Corvette. Carbonfibre wheels are also available and take away 18.6 kgs.

The all-new 5.5-litre DOHC V8 all-aluminium engine with 623 Nm marks a return to natural aspiration for the track-capable performance model. A version of the LT6 has powered the C8.R race cars since 2019, and the demands of endurance road racing helped engineers refine the engine’s performance and durability. An 8-speed dual-clutch transmission with a shorter 5.56 final drive ratio (compared to the Corvette Stingray) enhances acceleration.

Track-proven performance technologies
The new Z06 retains the SLA-type front and rear suspension design of the Corvette Stingray, but more specifically calibrated for its higher performance capabilities. Magnetic Selective Ride Control 4.0 is standard and can be adjusted for touring comfort or maximum track performance via the Driver Mode Selector. Like the Stingray, the selector tailors more than a dozen features of the Z06 to suit the driver’s preferences. These include Launch Control and adjusting the engagement rate of the electronic limited slip differential.

The Z06 is based on the same robust architecture as the Stingray so it can be offered in as a hardtop convertible. Inside, exclusive features include a carbonfibre-wrapped steering wheel, shift paddles and new carbonfibre interior trim.

“Racing was the reason the Z06 was developed in 1963, and it continues to support development of the road models that make them better on the street and the track,” said Tadge Juechter, Executive Chief Engineer, Corvette. “It also means we’ve tested the Z06 on the best tracks around the world, from Circuit of the Americas here in the USA, to the Nurburgring in Germany.”

Chevrolet Corvette Stingray is North American Car of the Year for the third time

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing wins first-ever hypercar championship of World Endurance Championship

The era of the Hypercar category of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) began in May this year with the Spa 6 Hours in Belgium. TOYOTA GAZOO Racing was the first team to enter a car – the GR010 HYBRID – built to the new rules that are aimed at lowering speeds and reduce costs (compared to the previous LMP1 regulations).

At the Bahrain International Circuit this weekend, the team finished 1-2 in very hot and challenging conditions to confirm TOYOTA GAZOO Racing’s fourth World Championship in WEC, and its third in succession. The victory also maintained the GR010 HYBRID Hypercar’s 100% winning record in 2021, with one race remaining.

Fighting for Drivers title
The focus will now switch to the Drivers’ title fight in next weekend’s sixth and final race, also at the same circuit. The Le Mans-winning #7 crew moved a significant step closer to retaining the World Championship they won in Bahrain 12 months ago. Their third win of the season extends their advantage over the #8 drivers to 15 points.

The contest between the two GR010 HYBRID crews was intense throughout the event and, when the race got under way, Sebastien Buemi in the #8 held the advantage from pole position. But Mike Conway pursued him throughout the first stint and the pair were separated by less than a second for the opening 45 minutes.

*The Alpine Elf Matmut Endurance Team is one of the three teams to compete in the hypercar category which was introduced this year.*

Pushing tyres to the limit
The cars were closely matched and the lead changed hands several times in the early stages as the momentum swung. Eventually the #7 established itself at the front, suffering slightly less from tyre degradation on a day when all hypercars faced the same issue. “In my stint, it was a case of managing the tyres from the start. There were a lot of unknowns because we have never taken tyres so far into a race before, but it all worked out well,” said Conway.

At half distance, Jose Maria Lopez led by just 10 seconds from Buemi but the battle took a decisive turn after 4 hours when the #8 was delayed during a tyre change and dropped to third. Although Brendon Hartley swiftly overtook an Alpine (also in the hypercar category) to reclaim second, he trailed Kamui Kobayashi by around 40 seconds.

The GR010 HYBRIDs maintained their pace at the front and Kobayashi was at the wheel of the victorious #7 car when it crossed the line after 185 laps. Kazuki Nakajima followed 51.401secs later to complete the one-two. “It was tough race with the heat, but the temperature was a bit better for me at the end of the race. We ran an aggressive set-up to try to maybe get an edge, but it didn’t work out that way,” said Nakajima of this second placing.

Porsche 911 RSR, GR Racing #86, Michael Wainwright (GB), Tom Gamble (GB), Benjamin Barker (GB)

Porsche just 1 point ahead of Ferrari
In the WEC GT Manufacturers’ Championship, Porsche’s grid-to-finish line win by Kevin Estre and Neel Jani puts the German carmaker just 1 point ahead of Ferrari, so the final race is sure to be very tightly contested.

The end of the 6-hour race marks the halfway point in the two rounds to be held in Bahrain. The teams are now beginning preparations for an 8-hour race on Saturday November 6 which ends the 2021 season and will decide the outcome of the Drivers’ World Championship.

Peugeot 9X8 hybrid hypercar to join 2022 World Endurance Championship

Prizes worth up to up to RM20,000 in Petron campaign

As border crossings between states are now permitted, many Malaysians are travelling more out of their towns and cities. They may be going to visit loved ones in another state whom they could not see for a long time, or they may want to have a change of scenery after months of being restricted to their own state or district.

The tourism industry, which was severely impacted by loss of business, is ready to welcome all these travellers and support from Tourism Malaysia is helping to promote domestic tourism. Other companies related to travel are also providing incentives to travel and Petron Malaysia is one of them.

The petroleum company has a 5-month long campaign which offers prizes to those who purchase its fuel (they must be registered with the company’s loyalty program). Each purchase will earn the motorist an entry for lucky draws and if the cumulative purchase amount is RM250 in one month, they will also qualify for the Grand Prize lucky draw.

Grand prize, monthly and weekly winners

Prizes for the promotion, known as ‘Jom Jalan Jalan with Petron’, include holiday packages and cash. Six winners will win the Grand Prize of up to RM20,000 worth of travel packages, cash rewards and fuel. Besides the Grand Prize, there are also RM5,000 worth of prizes for another 10 customers. There are also 100 consolation prizes which will be given out every month, while 1,000 weekly winners will receive RM200 worth of PMiles points each.

The winners will be selected by region – North, East Coast, Central, South, Sabah and Sarawak – to ensure every region has their own winners. The promotion runs from this month until the end of March 2022.

Driving long distances soon? Be sure to check your vehicle first to avoid unnecessary problems

Complete coverage around the vehicle with Honda SENSING 360

Where active safety systems like ABS, traction control and vehicle stability control used to work independently, the new approach over the past 10 years has been to integrate many of the systems, which also share sensors, to increase proactive performance. Many manufacturers have such integrated systems now and they have various names, with Honda calling its system Honda SENSING.

Honda SENSING was developed as part of the company’s long-standing R&D program to realise the global concept of ‘Safety for Everyone’. This aims to have a collision-free society encompassing all the different road-users. While the driver’s responses are still major factors in preventing an accident, Honda SENSING can also take independent action if the driver fails to do so.

The current CR-V was the first model in Malaysia to have Honda SENSING when it was introduced in 2017, Since then, Honda Malaysia has included the system with other models in its range, including the latest City (below).

For example, if sensors detect a vehicle ahead and a collision is likely to occur if the car does not decelerate or the driver does not brake, then the system will activate the brakes to bring the car to a stop before it hits the other car. During cruising at set speeds, the system can also ensure that a safe gap is maintained between vehicles by varying the speed.

With Honda SENSING, first introduced in 2014, motorists have gained an intelligent ‘co-driver’ to help with some of the driving work, making motoring safer and also reducing stress and fatigue. Now Honda has upgraded the system to Honda SENSING 360. This is an omnidirectional safety and driver-assistive system which removes blind spots around the vehicle and contributes to collision avoidance and the reduction of driver burden while driving. Further evolved from the previous system, Honda SENSING 360 features an expanded sensing range not only in the front and rear, but omnidirectionally around the vehicle.

Honda SENSING 360 will be introduced next year in models sold in China, and then offered in other markets in following years. No doubt it will also be available in models in Malaysia in due course, upgrading the Honda SENSING system that was first introduced with the CR-V in 2017.

Honda SENSING 360 2022 — *The upgraded Honda SENSING 360 system has more sensors for greater situation awareness around the vehicle body.*

Honda SENSING 360, as the name indicates, provides 360-degree sensing which means complete coverage all around the vehicles. This is achieved by adding a total of 5 millimetre-wave radar sensors in front and at each corner of the vehicle, in addition to the monocular camera mounted at the top of the windscreen (already used in the present system). With the additional sensors, there is expanded sensing range which covers blind spots around the vehicle.

Advancement of Collision Mitigation Braking System
More advanced than the Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) of the current Honda SENSING, the new CMBS has a broader range of detection that is expanded from in front of the vehicle to include all directions around the vehicle. When making a right or left turn at an intersection, if the system detects other vehicles or pedestrians and recognizes the risk of a collision, the CMBS will activate assist the driver in the avoidance and mitigation of a collision with the other vehicle or pedestrian.

Front Cross Traffic Warning
When the vehicle is driving at a low speed or starting from a stop at an, the system notifies the driver of information about vehicles approaching to cross the intersection from the sides and front. Should there be a risk of a collision with the crossing vehicle, the system provides audio warnings and visual warnings on the meter to alert the driver and prompt collision avoidance actions.

Lane Change Collision Mitigation
With multi-lane highways, vehicles move at varying speeds in each lane and there are also occasions when a driver may wish to overtake a slower vehicle. This requires changing lanes to get past and when executing such a manoeuvre, the system can help avoid a collision with a vehicle in the adjacent lane approaching from behind. When the system detects a vehicle approaching from the blind spot behind the vehicle, it provides audio warnings and visual warnings on the meter to alert the driver and also assist steering for collision avoidance.

Active Lane Change Assist
While driving with Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Low-Speed Follow and the Lane Keeping Assist System activated and when certain conditions are satisfied on a highway, if the driver activates the turn signal, the system will assist with steering for the lane change.

Cornering Speed Assist
Although ACC is a more intelligent form of cruise control, it was only applicable for straight roads. When a tight corner was encountered, the driver would have to take control and reduce speed to drive around the corner safely. With Honda SENSING 360, the system will adjust vehicle speed accordingly (if ACC is on). Using a front camera, it detects the curvature of the lane before reaching the curve and assists the driver to drive around it smoothly.

Just as systems like ABS and Vehicle Stability Assist have limitations, Honda SENSING 360 also has a limit to the capabilities (eg recognition capability and control capability). Honda reminds drivers of this and that they still need to pay attention and be ready to act accordingly. The day when the driver can be totally uninvolved in the operation of the vehicle is not here yet, but such systems are taking motorists towards it.

Honda SENSING Elite adds more advanced autonomous capabilities to Legend flagship

One woman, one Porsche and a mission across the Antarctic for a humanitarian effort

Renee Brinkerhoff has taken part in rallies on 6 continents, driving her faithful 1956 Porsche 356 A on every type of terrain. It’s gruelling for anyone but even more so when driving a classic 65-year old sportscar. And soon, for an important cause, she will be driving her car through the harsh icy conditions of Antarctica.

After a delay of nearly 2 years, Brinkerhoff, who comes from the USA, is preparing for the final stage of her Project 356 World Rally Tour. This project is both an expedition and a humanitarian effort, and the challenge this December completes the ultimate endeavour by one woman, one car and one global mission to help end child trafficking.

Raising money for a humanitarian cause
Through Valkyries Gives, the philanthropic arm of her racing team, Brinkerhoff has raised close to half a million US dollars, with 100% of the proceeds benefitting victims of trafficking around the world. By its conclusion, Brinkerhoff will have driven close to 32,000 kms over all 7 continents, partaking in endurance rallies such as Peking-to-Paris, the East African Safari Classic Rally and La Carrera Panamericana. For the crossing of the final land mass at the ‘bottom’ of the planet, she will be driving almost 600 kms.

*Renee Brinkerhoff and he daughter in the 2019 Historic East African Safari Rally with the Porsche 356.*

“While we are extremely proud of completing each endurance rally we’ve entered, our true mission has been for our racing efforts to become a worldwide visual that supports our vocal pursuit to end child trafficking,” said Brinkerhoff. “We’ve had a goal to break barriers and set new records and we’re hopeful our Antarctic expedition will do just that.”

Drive expected to start on December 5
The 356 is already on the way to Chile by ship from its workshop in the UK and, upon arrival, will be air-shipped to the Union Glacier in Antarctica. Brinkerhoff and her team will rendezvous in Chile at the end of November and if the weather cooperates, the driving will begin on December 5, with a target of completion before the end of the year.

The journey was pushed from late 2020, and the more than 18 months of planning has also allowed the naturally-aspirated flat six 356 to undergo a complete re-engineering for the treacherous terrain. While the addition of skis and tracks has increased the overall mass of the 356 – an issue because a low weight is key to driving over the ice rather than sinking in – the mass per square inch, or footprint, has been reduced to less than 4% of the standard wheel displacement.

“The ski we’ve created must do 40 – 50% of the work, by compacting and prepping the snow for the track unit to follow over, with the underside blade guiding the direction. This ensures the tracks will not submarine under the light snow,” explained Kieron Bradley, Senior Chassis Design Engineer for the project and a practiced extreme explorer in his own right.

“Success for Renee and her car will come from the thoughtful balance of appropriate technology we’ve added, and the mass reduction implemented,” he added. For stabilisation, the 356 will use a single-arm suspension with coil-over shocks for both the tracks in the rear.

An extra thought that Bradley had to consider was that the skis and tracks must be easily removable so that spiked ice tyres can be refitted with no wheel alignment changes necessary. A pneumatic inflatable jack will be used to make the change.

Accompanied by veteran adventurer
Joining Brinkerhoff for the polar drive will be British explorer Jason de Carteret, who will act as navigator. De Carteret has led more than 50 expeditions, including to both the North and South Pole. Together with Bradley, he has claimed 2 world records for the fastest overland journey to the South Pole travelling in the Thomson Reuters Polar Vehicle (which they designed).

“As often has been the case when taking on new terrain in my 356, I have had no opportunity to test the car,” said Brinkerhoff. “The test will come when we are at Union Glacier and we are very hopeful the new design will prove itself well. As I have been told by Jason and Kieron, there is no terrain on earth like Antarctica and therefore no place where a true test can be taken.”

Toyota reveals details of production bZ4X EV to be launched in mid-2022 (w/VIDEO)

After pioneering the mass production of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in the late 1990s, Toyota is starting its big push into full electrification with a more extensive line-up of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Until now, it has focussed on HEVs although it has had a small range of BEVs but now the carmaker is making the big leap towards larger models and aiming for higher numbers.

The first of the 7-model bZ range (by 2025) was previewed at Auto Shanghai in April this year in the form of the Toyota bZ4X concept. To be made in China and Japan, worldwide sales of the production version of the new BEV is expected to start by the middle of 2022.

Details of the new model, which will be a SUV, released today show that the production model is pretty much like the concept car. This is not surprising as Japanese carmakers have not wasted time and money on making too many fancy concepts to wow people but which never get built. They have instead previewed near-production concept cars as a final step to get last-minute feedback on designs and features.

e-TNGA architecture
The new model, to also be known as the bZ4X, sits on a BEV-dedicated platform (first for Toyota) based on e-TNGA philosophy. TNGA stands for Toyota New Generation Architecture, a flexible architecture used for all of the latest models. The one for the bZ4X has been jointly developed with Subaru Corporation which will also have its own BEV to be called the Solterra.

The platform has the advantages that TNGA provides such as a low centre of gravity and high rigidity, all of which will contribute to better driving dynamics and even good off-road performance since this is to be a SUV.

FWD or AWD
The powertrain is straightforward with one or two motors, the latter for the all-wheel drive version. System output is 150 kW for the front-wheel drive version and 160 kW for the AWD version. The E-axle integrates the electric motor, transaxle and inverter while the Electricity Supply Unit consolidates charging and power distribution functions.

Battery performance and safety
As with all BEVs, the key points that motorists will want to know are the performance of the battery pack. The 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (made by an affiliated company) is expected to provide a cruising range of about 500 kms’, even in cold regions.

Compatible with high-output chargers worldwide, an 80% charge is said to be possible within 30 minutes. Besides the usual methods of recharging, there is an optional solar panel on the roof that can also convert sunshine to electricity for the battery pack.

It is also targeting a top-class battery capacity retention ratio (90% after 10 years of use or 240,000 kms). More attention has been given to preventing battery failure by strengthening measures to prevent and detect abnormal conditions (eg overheating). There are also new technologies with a multiple monitoring system that ensures safety and security in case of emergency.

Toyota’s subsidiaries have been developing and making batteries for many years and have gained a lot of knowledge. They have now developed a production process that eliminates contamination, which is a cause of abnormal heating. There is also a high-resistance coolant which prevents fire from short circuits even if there is leakage of the battery’s liquid coolant.

Safety is not forgotten and this is new territory for carmakers. While the basic structure has similarities to combustion vehicles, the high-voltage systems require specific protection. To ensure a high degree of battery pack safety, the Toyota Safety Sense active safety package is used and the body structure has been adapted to withstand collision from any direction. The battery pack itself is also designed in a way that contributes to ensuring protective performance in a collision.

Toyota has also developed more proactive initiatives with regard to the end-of-life scenario for battery packs. The company has a Battery 3R – Rebuild, Reuse, Recycle – approach which will ensure a worldwide top-class battery capacity retention ratio. It proactively undertakes battery rebuild (inspection and reassembly) and reuse and promotes initiatives for battery recycling.

RAV4 size but more spacious
The bZ4X has an overall length of 4690 mm and overall width of 1860 mm, which is about the same size as a RAV4 but it is around 100 kgs lighter. Due to the entirely different powertrain and layout of components, the wheelbase is significantly longer than the RAV4’s – 2850 mm versus 2690 mm. This naturally means a more spacious cabin which is also extra wide. Toyota says that the tandem distance is equivalent to that of a sedan like a Camry.

As the pictures show, the cockpit area is futuristic with the meters positioned to be visible through the upper part of the steering wheel. This is the first time a Toyota vehicle has such an arrangement and it is emphasizes ease of viewing by reducing eye movement and enabling a distance point of focus.

This is the second time that Toyota’s interior designers have given more thought to viewing the meters. When the first Prius hybrid was designed, the meter display was located at the centre of the dashboard instead of its traditional place ahead of the steering wheel. This was to improve eye focus (especially for older drivers) by not having a short viewing distance to the meter and a longer one to see the road ahead. Positioning the display further away meant that the driver’s focus would be further away most of the time, reducing changes and improving safety.

2022 Toyota bZ4X EV — *Unique steering wheel will be initially available only on cars sold in China. Other markets will have a conventional circular steering wheel (below) which will be changed progressively.*

The modularized driving controls including a steering column with a wing-shape. The one-motion grip combining steer-by-wire system and uniquely shaped steering wheel will be first offered in cars sold in China and progressively added to those in other markets. Before then, the other markets will have a conventional circular steering wheel.

Different regions, different approaches
Clearly, Toyota intends to quickly move to the forefront of the EV market as it did with hybrid electric vehicles. It has different strategies for different markets and regions, depending on the supply of electricity and the recharging network. For Malaysia, the decision has been made that the first phase of electrification will be to assemble hybrid electric vehicles locally.

While the latest news today of full tax exemption for EVs does make it possible for models like the bZ4X to be sold, it is likely that Toyota’s production and marketing plans for the next few years have already been set. The major markets will already have given big numbers that will probably take most of the output from plants in China and Japan, so a smaller market like Malaysia may have to wait till later. At best, we may a small number of units imported more to gauge market response while UMW Toyota Motor focusses on growing HEV sales for which a RM270 million investment has already been made.

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