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Ford makes drifting a Focus RS easier with electronic kit

Ford has developed a new technology that will enable Focus RS owners to have more fun with their hot hatches in a way that wasn’t possible before. It’s called the Drift Stick and is basically a rally-inspired electronic handbrake, developed and designed specifically for this car and was approved by rally and stunt driver Ken Bock.

The car already had a feature called Drift Mode, where the electronics would allow the Focus RS’ rear wheels to break traction to perform a controlled slide around a turn. Now, Drift Stick will make this maneuver far easier, which was the point of its inception.

Referred internally as Project Wicked Stick, its development was led by Ford Performance program manager John Wicks. This kit is basically an aluminium lever between the driver’s seat and manual transmission.

Tugging on it, opens up the rear-drive unit’s clutches of the AWD system, and then hydraulic pressure is applied to lock the rear wheels to induce a drift. This results in clutch-free tails-sliding action, which is similar to maneuvers executed by rally drivers around sharp turns.

https://youtu.be/z-SHQw8G5SE

“The passionate engineers at Ford Performance are also enthusiasts,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “Everyone here is encouraged to think outside the box, so project ‘Wicked Stick’ was born.”

“Our engineers will leverage the learnings from its development for many future products for Ford Performance and, ultimately, take back even more of an innovative spirit when they rejoin our mainstream engineering teams,” he added.

Ken Block, who is known for his eccentric and creative stunts performed in his viral Gymkhana videos, contributed to the project and was responsible for the final sign-off. He is a seasoned veteran of using the hydraulic handbrake in rally cars, to execute the same maneuvers.

Incorporating the hydraulic handbrake into the current Focus RS wasn’t considered because substantial modifications would need to be done to the car. These changes couldn’t be easily reversed should an owner want the car returned to its original configuration.

Using electronic technology to accomplish the same goal, was considered a more sensible choice. The following are the benefits that this system offers:

Instantaneous engagement and release – just five to six pounds of pressure is required to operate the Ford Performance Drift Stick – significantly less than a hydraulic handbrake – for easy, precise use
Installation and removal is easy, as there is no welding, hole drilling or calipers as necessary in a hydraulic kit
It also connects to the onboard diagnostics port on the car, allowing it to function as a professional calibration tool

The Drift Stick is available as a kit for Focus RS owners in the US and Canada, which includes the Drift Stick lever, mounts and circuit board with professional calibration functionality. Owners won’t void the factory warranty by choosing to get this installed in their vehicles.

McLaren 720S wins 2018 Performance Car of the Year title

McLaren’s 720S has managed to nudge out nine other competitors to win the 2018 Performance Car of the Year title by Road & Track. According to the title, the car is the friendliest, least intimidating supercar thye have ever driven.

The 720S is the first model in the second-generation Super Series range. It has received praises by many due to its ability to blend performance with added luxury and exceptional driving enjoyment.

Commenting on the award, Tony Joseph, President, McLaren Automotive North America said: “We believe that the McLaren 720S is a revolutionary step forward, not only for our brand, but for the supercar segment.”

“To be named Performance Car of the Year by Road & Track is a great validation of the car and its capabilities,” he added.

Introduced this year, McLaren’s 720S features a 4.0-litre V8 engine that produces 710bhp and 770Nm of torque. It can accomplish the 0-100km/h sprint in just 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 341km/h. It also features McLaren’s active chassis system called Proactive Chassis Control II.

Unlike most other supercars, the 720S features a decent amount of creature comforts and wide variety of cutting edge technologies at the driver’s fingertips. And as such, this probably won’t be the only award that this McLaren will bag in its lifetime.

Subaru launch WRX STI Final Edition

Subaru has introduced the WRX STI Final Edition as an official send-off for the current generation to make way for more efficient platforms that may involve electrification. The Japanese automaker will only be making 150 cars for the UK market, and it comes with the latest bells and whistles.

First of the lot is driving performance, which has been improved by changing from mechanical and electronic to fully electronic control of the Multi-Mode Driver’s Control Centre Differential (DCCD). This provides the vehicle with optimum cornering ability, by shifting power to the wheel that needs it most.

Wheel size has been increased to 19-inches to accommodate the larger Brembo brakes with yellow painted calipers. This new setup improve fade-resistance and brake performance as well as offer a consistent pedal feel. Subaru says that the improvement will prove exceptionally useful when driving at the car’s limit.

Visual disparities between the Final Edition and the regular WRX STI are subtle at best. It gets Final Edition badges and a redesigned front bumper that houses the lower grille blacked out with a geometric textured panel. The signature hexagonal grille has been sharpened with a black surround outline.

Inside, Subaru has given the car high gloss black inserts for the instrument panel, gear stick surround, door panels that complement the steering wheel with red stitching and red seat belts. The front seats are now heated, and a larger 5.9” multi-function display has been added to the top of the dash.

Like models that preceded it, the Final Edition gets bi-functional projector LED lights, with a single bulb enabling High Beam Assist to switch between high and low beam automatically. There’s a single-lens camera embedded in the font windscreen that detects on-coming traffic and this allows the headlights to switch to a different light intensities.

The Subaru WRX STI Final Edition has already gone on sale in the UK and it won’t be long before all 150 vehicles are snatched up.

Used Bugatti Chiron to fetch profit for owner

The general consensus when it comes to purchasing a car is – all of them suffer some form of depreciation. As soon as they are driven off the showroom floor – their values drop. While cars like a Toyota Camry may hold its value for several years, other cars from lesser known marques may loose a whole lot more, rendering them almost unsaleable.

It seems as though a Bugatti Chiron has bucked the trend, with its owner expecting to make a cool £1.1 million (RM6.1 million) over the initial purchase price of £2.5 million (RM13.8 million). The UK based owner has put his car up for sale at specialist supercar dealer Romans International in Surrey for £3.6 million (RM19.9 million).

If this news has you scratching your head, its understandable considering that the car is considered ‘pre-owned’. But this isn’t the main criteria that makes the Chiron extremely valuable. The reason for the price tag – its the most powerful, fastest, most luxurious and the most exclusive production super sports car in the world.

Bugatti will only be making 500 of these cars over the course of the next 10 years, which makes it extremely desirable and valuable to many collectors and billionaires. But this one is extra special due to the options that come with it.

The black Chiron has been fitted with a leather and carbon interior at a cost of £53,000 (RM292,923) and carbon fibre seats for nearly £16,000 (RM88,429). It’s an insane amount of money to spend on a car that has covered only 1,609km since new, just to list it for sale shortly after taking ownership of it.

Speaking of the car’s listing, Tom Jaconelli, Director of Romans International, said, “Although the Chiron is not yet sold out, if you place an order today you will be waiting at least three or four years before the car could be built and delivered, so we are offering the chance to ‘jump the queue’ but of course there is a hefty premium to pay for this privilege.”

The supercar dealership has been in the business of selling exotic vehicles for nearly 20 years and has already sold a Maserati MC12 and a pair of Ferrari LaFerraris. Like the Chiron, these hypercars were also built in extremely low numbers and have commanded hefty asking prices.

The Grand Tour Season 2 to air on 8th December 2017

The second season of the ever popular entertainment show involving cars, the Grand Tour will premier on December 8th 2017. This puts to rest rumors that suggested that due to several health related setbacks involving two of the show’s presenters, the show would have to be postponed.

According to an announcement on the Grand Tour’s Youtube page, the premiere date has been set in stone. And we can expect to see Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May take centre stage in their make-shift tent to provide us with all the foolhardy automotive related adventures before Christmas.

This is welcoming news considering that not too long ago, Jeremy Clarkson had to battle a severe bout of pneumonia, one that his doctor said almost killed him. He was admitted at a hospital in Spain where he was supposedly enjoying his vacation.

When this news broke, it cast further doubt on the 2017 release date of the second season, which already seemed shaky after Richard Hammond’s shunt. Clarkson’s co-host, lost control of a Rimac Concept car while filming, causing it to slide off the elevated track and barrel roll further down hill where it eventually caught on fire.

Hammond was immediately taken to hospital where he has had extensive surgery done correct the injury to his left leg. his recovery took awhile, but the youngest member of the trio managed to bounce back from his injury but thankfully, it occurred sooner rather than later.

We hope that the second season is just as enjoyable as the first. But judging from the trailer video however, it could be more action packed and enjoyable compared to the first. That said, we won’t know for sure until the 8th of December, so stay tuned.

Largest Aston Martin centre opens for business in Japan

A new Aston Martin dealership has opened for business in Tokyo, Japan. The 1,000 square meter facility is said to be the largest Aston Martin dealership in the world and is part of the British luxury marque’s £500m (RM 2.8 billion) trade and investment programme in Japan.

Referred to as ‘The House of Aston Martin Aoyama’, this new dealership also serves as the company’s first global brand centre and a place to bring together the art and entertainment of Aston Martin. Located on the Aoyama Dori, this centre covers three floors and includes vehicle displays, a shop and space for relaxing and entertaining visitors.

Regarding the launch of the new facility, Dr. Andy Palmer, President & CEO Aston Martin said, “As the second largest luxury car market worldwide, Japan is key to Aston Martin’s future success. As we map out our global retail presence, we are confident that Aston Martin Tokyo will quickly become our largest dealer by volume in the world.”

Aston Martin hopes that this place not only functions as a place where customers can purchase cars, rather a hub for art, culture, shopping, luxury and ‘elegance’. It will be the go-to place for inspiration and to learn about Aston Martin’s design philosophies.

Sky Group, which already manages 26 other dealer facilities in Japan, is in-charge of operating Aston Martin’s dealership as well. This state-of-the-art facility will serve as the main source of attraction for those who appreciate fine art, cars and incredibly well designed architecture.