BMW

Donation sum of BMW for “Dunks for Tomorrow” rises to €122,000 forward of FC Bayern München Basketball’s play-off begin.

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Munich. At the conclusion of the Bundesliga common season, FC Bayern Munich Basketball celebrated a premiere final Sunday. For the primary time this season, the crew coached by Pablo Laso scored greater than 100 factors at BMW Park. With a 101:71 blowout victory over the Rostock Seawolves, the desk chief additionally made it thunder on the basket a number of occasions as FCBB achieved 5 dunks on the thirty fourth BBL matchday. Thus, the dunk depend for the “Dunks for Tomorrow” initiative elevated to a powerful 122 dunks by the top of the common season.

Since the season opener, the joint social dedication of BMW München and FC Bayern München Basketball has been underway. For each dunk that the Reds rating at a house recreation at BMW Park throughout all competitions, BMW will donate €1,000 to SOS-Kinderdorf e.V. after the play-offs. The donation sum helps kids and youth from deprived households in varied methods of their improvement.

With the 5 dunks towards Rostock, the crew led by centre Serge Ibaka elevated the BMW donation sum to €122,000 earlier than the beginning of the play-offs, a powerful interim outcome after 37 video games at BMW Park. But that is not all, as there are more likely to be a number of extra dunks. As winners of the common season, FC Bayern München Basketball not solely begins the play-off quarterfinals with two dwelling video games but in addition hosts the primary two encounters of a possible semi-final and remaining collection at BMW Park. Additionally, in every spherical, a decisive fifth match would happen in Munich if essential.

These are optimistic indicators for “Dunks for Tomorrow,” but in addition from a sporting perspective as BMW Park has turn out to be a fortress for Munich in its first season. FCBB celebrated 16 victories in 17 Bundesliga video games at its dwelling venue in Munich’s Westpark, which had already proved to be a superb court docket for the crew round world champions Andreas Obst, Isaac Bonga, and Niels Giffey throughout BBL-Pokal. At the Top Four in February, FC Bayern München Basketball gained the German Cup for the second time in a row, and it occurred proper at BMW Park.

On 18 May, FC Bayern München Basketball‘s hunt for the subsequent trophy – and for extra hits for a superb trigger – begins with the play-off begin at BMW Park.

RollsRoyce

ROLLS-ROYCE PREPARES TO CELEBRATE WORLD BEE DAY

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  • Rolls-Royce prepares to rejoice World Bee Day on Monday 20 May, with actions at residence and around the globe
  • Originally inaugurated in 2017, the Goodwood Apiary is residence to 6 beehives, housing over 250,000 honeybees
  • As a part of Rolls-Royce’s one hundred and twentieth anniversary celebrations this 12 months, the beehives have been renamed after six of the ‘Makers of the Marque’ – key figures from the founding story that started on 4 May 1904
  • Existing Rolls-Royce Apiaries within the UK, UAE and South Africa set to be joined by new colonies in Oman and Bahrain

“World Bee Day is always a big event in the Rolls-Royce calendar, and this year our participation takes on a truly international flavour, with activity in five countries. At the original Apiary at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, we were especially honoured to welcome our Junior Beekeeper, Poppy Liddle, for her first inspection visit this year. She was among the very first to see the six hives with their new historic names, bestowed upon them as part of our 120th anniversary commemorations. We’re delighted to recognise and celebrate the fundamental role of bees and other pollinators in company with beekeepers, conservationists and other caring people all around the world.”
 Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars

Every 12 months, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks World Bee Day on 20 May. This 12 months, the celebrations tackle a very worldwide dimension, with actions on the firm’s authentic Apiary on the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood, and the brand new beekeeping operations the marque has established elsewhere on the planet.

GOODWOOD
 The authentic Goodwood Apiary was established in 2017 in response to the drastic decline within the inhabitants of honeybees, that are essential pollinators for a bunch of meals crops, in addition to wild crops.  

The Apiary is residence to a colony of round 250,000 honeybees. Every 12 months, the honey produced is rigorously processed, jarred and labelled by a crew of devoted volunteer beekeepers. The honey is made out there solely to visiting shoppers and VIPs.

Ahead of this 12 months’s World Bee Day, Rolls-Royce welcomed 11-year-old Poppy Liddle, honorary Junior Beekeeper, again to the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood. Poppy, who lives in close by Selsey, West Sussex, first got here to the marque’s consideration in 2021 when a narrative appeared within the pages of the native newspaper regarding the theft of her personal beloved beehive. Moved by her plight, Rolls-Royce organized for Poppy, then aged eight, to go to the Goodwood bees; the event culminated in her appointment to the distinctive and prestigious workplace of Junior Beekeeper.

Making her first inspection go to this 12 months, Poppy was confronted by her expenses swarming in a close-by tree. Working with beekeeper Jay Hampton, she helped return them to the Apiary, the place one other essential responsibility awaited her: inaugurating the newly renamed beehives.

When the six beehives had been first put in in 2017, they had been named after Phantom, Ghost, Dawn, Wraith, and Cullinan, the Rolls-Royce motor vehicles meticulously crafted at Goodwood at the moment, with the sixth one named Spirit of Ecstasy. Today Dawn and Wraith, have ceased manufacturing; while the marque has added Spectre to its product portfolio.

Rolls-Royce has due to this fact used the event of the marque’s one hundred and twentieth anniversary this 12 months to rename the hives after six principal characters from its founding story, as featured in its year-long retrospective collection, Rolls-Royce ‘Makers of the Marque’. The hives will henceforth bear illustrious names together with Charles Rolls, Henry Royce and Eleanor Thornton, engraved on the identical stainless-steel treadplates that are fitted to the marque’s pinnacle product, Phantom.

After the inauguration, Poppy loved a personal tour of the Home of Rolls-Royce, carried out by a few of the expert Apprentices presently coaching with the marque.

To rejoice World Bee Day, and as a part of its wider group outreach, Rolls-Royce employees and members of the Chichester Beekeeping Association additionally visited the close by March CE Primary School. Children from Years 1 and a pair of examined an empty beehive and beekeeping tools, studying about bees’ important position as pollinators in sustaining biodiversity.

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY: ROLLS-ROYCE APIARIES AROUND THE WORLD
Following the success of the Goodwood Apiary, the marque has prolonged its beekeeping actions to different areas around the globe.

UAE
The Dubai Apiary was established on World Bee Day in 2021 by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Middle East & Africa and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai (AGMC). Like the unique at Goodwood, the Dubai Apiary contains six hives. However, these hives have been specifically designed and constructed to resist the Emirates’ excessive temperatures. The bees are additionally particular to the area, bred from the indigenous Apis mellifera jemenitica bee and completely tailored to the native surroundings.

As properly as being residence to 60,000 Emirati honeybees, the Apiary is each a refuge for different pollinator species and an essential training hub. Since 2023, it has hosted numerous workshops exploring the significance of pollinators in sustaining biodiversity, wholesome ecosystems and meals safety, inspiring college students from colleges and universities throughout the nation.

SOUTH AFRICA
Launched in 2023 in partnership with Grootbos Foundation, the Rolls-Royce Apiary in Johannesburg was the second initiative of its type within the Middle East & Africa area. The six beehives are located in an award-winning 3,500-hectare personal nature reserve, which boasts over 900 plant species, 118 chicken species, 29 mammals and 21 amphibians. The Apiary is a part of the Grootbos Foundation’s tireless work sustaining the purity of the reserve and the native bee inhabitants.

Ahead of World Bee Day, Rolls-Royce can be delighted to announce that two new Apiaries are to be added to its rising worldwide portfolio.

SAUDI ARABIA
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Riyadh has established 5 beehives in Baljurashi, within the south-west of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The metropolis lies throughout the Al Baha area, which has a powerful apicultural business and hosts an annual International Honey Festival, attended by specialists from over 30 nations.

OMAN
As a part of persevering with pollinator preservation efforts throughout the area, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Muscat have put in 4 new beehives on the Alila Jabal Akhdar resort –2,000 metres above sea stage.

BAHRAIN
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Bahrain is establishing 5 new beehives on the very coronary heart of the Kingdom within the lush grounds of the Royal Golf Club simply 20 minutes from the capital, Manama. 

VauxhallUk

NEW VAUXHALL FRONTERA: ALL-ELECTRIC SUV MAKES ITS GLOBAL DEBUT

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  • New Vauxhall Frontera celebrates its international premiere
  • Frontera Electric accessible with as much as 186 or 248 miles of vary (WLTP provisional)
  • Frontera Hybrid options 100hp or 136hp 1.2 turbo engine and 48V hybrid know-how
  • New Frontera will likely be accessible as seven-seater sooner or later
  • Simple selection of three trim ranges – Design, GS and Ultimate – at an reasonably priced worth
  • Frontera sits between Mokka and All-New Grandland in Vauxhall’s refreshed SUV line-up
  • Vauxhall is dedicated to electrifying Britain and can provide a completely electrical model of each automotive and van in its line-up by the tip of this 12 months

A couple of weeks in the past, Vauxhall launched the primary photos of the brand new Frontera; right this moment the spacious, comfy, new compact SUV for outside followers and households is celebrating its world premiere.

The model has additionally revealed that the all-new SUV won’t solely have room for 5 individuals; however is spacious sufficient to be accessible as a seven-seater within the close to future. With quite a few sensible options on board, will probably be accessible because the totally electrical, domestically emissions-free Frontera Electric or with 48V know-how within the Frontera Hybrid.

James Taylor, Managing Director, Vauxhall, stated: “The New Frontera is our new family-size SUV, offering customers innovative and practical electric mobility at an affordable price. Highly flexible with up to seven seats, spacious, and with a choice of hybrid and electric powertrains, we’re confident that Frontera will appeal to new and existing audiences as well as sit very well in our revised SUV line-up in between Mokka and the forthcoming All-New Grandland.”

Robust look and plenty of sensible options as customary

The putting design of the brand new Vauxhall Frontera makes it stand out instantly, because of a rugged interpretation of Vauxhall’s daring and pure design philosophy. Every variant of the Frontera proudly bears the Griffin emblem within the centre of the Vauxhall Vizor, which seamlessly integrates with the LED headlamps. Prominent wheel arches and sills in addition to the eye-catching C-pillar underline the strong character. Measuring 4,380mm in size, the Frontera sits between the Mokka (4,151mm) and All-New Grandland (4,650mm) in Vauxhall’s refreshed SUV line-up.

The fashionable seems to be with a give attention to the necessities proceed seamlessly within the inside. The Pure Panel cockpit contains a newly designed steering wheel and two 10-inch widescreens, in addition to bodily buttons for key features, providing a clear, detoxed person expertise.

The Frontera additionally affords many sensible options as customary, together with wi-fi smartphone connectivity. There are two USB ports accessible within the entrance and an additional two USB ports accessible within the second row; a wi-fi charger will even be supplied. Rear passengers could make use of sensible smartphone pockets within the entrance seat backrests, whereas bigger gadgets that may usually not match into the cabin correctly, akin to tablets, will be safely saved within the centre console because of a versatile strap that holds them in place.

Suitability for lengthy journeys is a high precedence for the brand new Frontera.  At the entrance, the driving force and entrance passenger can sit on the brand new patented Intelli-Seats with a slot within the center that relieves stress on the tailbone. The seat materials are additionally accessible in a completely sustainable recycled materials. More than 450 litres of bags will be saved within the boot; with the seats folded down this extends to 1,600 litres. Additional versatility is supplied by the 60:40 break up rear seats and break up boot flooring.

For those that need to spend the evening outdoor, the brand new Frontera will be ordered with non-compulsory roof rails and a roof tent with ladder specifically designed for the SUV. After arriving at its vacation spot, the Frontera can shoulder as much as 240 kilogrammes on its roof.

Focus on the necessities: Two powertrain ideas, three trims, simple to order

Intuitive, attainable and centered on the necessities: Vauxhall meets these necessities in each respect with the brand new Frontera, with a easy selection of powertrains and trim ranges.

The new Frontera is offered both as a hybrid with 48-volt know-how or totally electrical. The Frontera Hybrid has a 100hp 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine developed particularly for hybrid use. This operates together with a 21kW (28hp) electrical motor and an electrified six-speed twin clutch transmission, in order that gasoline consumption and CO2 emissions are considerably decrease in comparison with a conventionally powered mannequin. In addition, the Frontera Hybrid will even be accessible with a 136hp 1.2 turbo engine.

Customers who need to journey domestically emissions-free can order the totally electrical Frontera Electric, which relies on the brand new ‘Smart Car’ BEV-native platform – a improvement from the present e-CMP platform – and contains a 113hp electrical motor. It will provide a variety of greater than 186 miles (c.300km) (WLTP provisional) with 100kW charging functionality as customary, whereas the “long range” model will be capable to journey as much as round 248 miles (c.400km) (WLTP provisional) with out stopping to cost.

Set to be extensively geared up, even from entry stage, the trim line-up will mirror the present easy Vauxhall vary with Design, GS and Ultimate variations.  Full UK pricing and specification will likely be introduced at a later date.

With the arrival of Frontera Electric and the All-New Grandland Electric, Vauxhall will provide a completely electrical model of each automotive and van mannequin by the tip of this 12 months.

PeugeotUk

VIVATECH 2024: PEUGEOT DESIGNS THE FUTURE OF DRIVING PLEASURE WITH HYPERSQUARE

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PEUGEOT, a significant participant in technological innovation, electrifies VivaTech with its daring idea automobile INCEPTION, ushering in a brand new period of electrical mobility. On its stand, PEUGEOT presents its imaginative and prescient of the long run embodied by the revolutionary HYPERSQUARE steering management, the innovation that redefines the driving expertise of tomorrow.

 

Building on over 200 years of innovation, PEUGEOT goals to reinvent the sustainable mobility of tomorrow by inserting pleasure and emotion on the coronary heart of the client expertise.

VivaTech 2024 will see PEUGEOT current the model’s innovation technique. Sessions will happen 4 instances a day on the PEUGEOT stand, at 10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM, and 4:00 PM.

  • Wednesday 22 May: Phil York, Marketing and Communications Director.
  • Thursday 23 May: Jérôme Micheron, Product Director.
  • Friday 24 May: Matthias Hossann, Design Director.

Register for one of many classes right here: INTERVIEW PEUGEOT VIVATECH (office.com)

PEUGEOT innovation is about technological creativity linked to actuality, assembly the true wants of shoppers and enhancing the enjoyment of driving. At VivaTech 2024, PEUGEOT presents its imaginative and prescient of the long run with the INCEPTION idea and its revolutionary HYPERSQUARE steering management that goals to reinvent the driving expertise.

 

PEUGEOT INCEPTION idea: The electrical mobility of tomorrow

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION idea is the expression of PEUGEOT’s optimistic imaginative and prescient for sustainable future mobility. Unveiled at CES in Las Vegas, it is going to be introduced to the French public for the primary time at VivaTech 2024.

Featuring a brand new design language that exalts its feline and engaging perspective, its revolutionary inside design, and its promise of unprecedented driving sensations, the PEUGEOT INCEPTION idea opens a brand new period and heralds the long run electrical automobiles of the model.

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION idea reinterprets the model’s genes, getting into a brand new period of design. It is easier and purer, with finishes and textures worthy of the digital world. This new design oscillates between sensual strains and athletic curves, extra geometric and sharp.

The all-electric PEUGEOT INCEPTION idea is provided with 800V expertise. Its 100kWh battery permits it to journey 500 miles on a single cost.

The INCEPTION idea’s inside showcases an array of recent strategies that PEUGEOT will deploy to ship on the Stellantis dedication to scale back its carbon footprint by greater than 50% by 2030 in comparison with 2021, turning into totally Carbon Net Zero by 2038:

  • Forged textiles: 100% polyester material offcuts from the design centre’s prototyping workshops, or suppliers, are reused and thermo-compressed underneath vacuum, with the injection of a binder within the type of a resourced resin. This extraordinarily onerous and sturdy materials may be reworked into structural or trim items.
  • The fusion of velvet and 3D printing: The upholstery of the seats and ground is made with a really particular 100% recycled polyester velvet, which extends onto the ground, printed with 3D patterns to function a ground mat.
  • Air Quilting® padding: The consolation of the seats is enhanced by the presence of actual adjustable cushions on the shoulder stage. This electro-welded, single-material upholstery, which is simple to recycle, is produced from inflatable pockets recovered from standard seats.

 

The iconic PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® reinvented with HYPERSQUARE

With over 12 million fashions outfitted previously 12 years, the PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® is emblematic of the model’s innovation in customer support and driving pleasure, as evidenced by the newest era Panoramic i-Cockpit® launched on the brand new E-3008 and E-5008.

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION idea heralds the subsequent era of i-Cockpit®, with a very rethought structure that replaces the normal steering wheel and stalks with the HYPERSQUARE steering management, impressed by each digital and online game worlds.

The HYPERSQUARE creates a brand new pure gesture, less complicated and extra intuitive. With both a easy click on or contact of the fingertips, with out eradicating their arms from the steering management, the motive force can handle all of the automobile’s capabilities. The HYPERSQUARE is delivered to life because of ‘steer-by-wire’ expertise.

The HYPERSQUARE steering management is mixed with a versatile show that broadcasts driving or infotainment data round 360°. This HALO CLUSTER, with its round display screen, offers data to the motive force and passengers as they method the automobile.

The HYPERSQUARE with digital electrical controls consists of a display screen that includes round cells at every of its 4 corners, which have a number of capabilities, such because the totally pure and common grip of the steering management, the consolation of fingertip driving, and the activation of auto controls by easy thumb impulses.

The driver discovers a gesture much like that of day by day smartphone use. This intuitive side results in the next stage of security.

The centre of the HYPERSQUARE consists of a tablet-like display screen devoted to displaying important data. The numerous functionalities (air-con, radio quantity, driving aids, and many others.) are displayed within the two sections to facilitate entry to the chosen command. This command is positioned contained in the round cells and is accessible by shifting solely the thumb with out releasing the steering management. For even better driving consolation, the encompass of the HYPERSQUARE is made utilizing 3D printing, whereas on the centre, the digital glass display screen provides a high-tech and premium look.

The PEUGEOT HYPERSQUARE and the subsequent era of i-Cockpit®, set to revolutionise the emotion and pleasure of driving, are set to be featured on the model’s upcoming merchandise by 2026.

 

Data and linked providers with Mobilisights

At its stand at VivaTech 2024, PEUGEOT welcomes Mobilisights. The Stellantis Business Unit, specialising in Data as a Service (DaaS), offers entry to telemetry information from linked PEUGEOT automobiles and different sister manufacturers.

The information collected by Mobilisights permits the personalisation of the motive force’s expertise via revolutionary providers and functions from a third-party companion ecosystem, intending to enhance the day by day lifetime of drivers, all the time and solely with their consent.

For occasion, Mobilisights information can be utilized to develop intuitive functions for electrical automobile house owners that simplify charging, and permit exact monitoring of its price, whereas enhancing the person expertise.

 

‘Remote Driving’ with Vay

PEUGEOT additionally welcomes its companion, the start-up Vay, to its stand at VivaTech 2024, the place PEUGEOT is exploring the potential functions of “distant driving”.

‘Remote Driving’ refers back to the distant management and operation of a automobile. This expertise permits for the environment friendly administration of a number of automobiles with only one driver positioned remotely, utilizing mobile connectivity and sensors reminiscent of cameras built-in into the automobiles.

At VivaTech 2024, PEUGEOT presents a ‘TeleStation’ at its stand that permits Vay’s extremely certified and licensed ‘TeleDrivers’ to drive remotely by working the steering, braking, and acceleration of the automobile. The ‘TeleStation’ offers a real-time view of the automobile’s environment, guaranteeing a completely immersive and responsive management.

This expertise permits elevated effectivity of supply operations, ‘Click-a-Button, Get-a-Car’ providers for automobile sharing and automobile rental, and permits non-public automobile house owners to have their automobiles moved remotely when and the place wanted.

 

PeugeotUk

PEUGEOT EXTENDS ITS ALLURE CARE PROGRAMME TO ENTIRE ELECTRIC CAR RANGE

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PEUGEOT has prolonged its Allure Care programme to its whole electrical automotive vary, changing into the primary European producer to supply such in depth protection.

Introduced on the brand new E-3008, the PEUGEOT Allure Care programme can be out there on PEUGEOT’s wider electrical automotive line-up from 4 July, together with the brand new E-208, E-2008, E-308 and E-308 SW†.  The new E-5008 and E-408, set to reach later this 12 months, can even profit from the Allure Care programme.

Confident within the high quality, reliability and sturdiness of its merchandise, PEUGEOT is the primary European producer to supply such broad protection. The PEUGEOT Allure Care covers the electrical motor, charger, transmission and foremost electrical and mechanical parts for as much as 8 years or 100,000 miles. The PEUGEOT Allure Care enhances the particular PEUGEOT guarantee which already applies to the excessive voltage battery for 8 years or 100,000 miles to be able to supply full protection of the car.

PEUGEOT Allure Care is activated robotically and freed from cost for 2 years or 16,000 miles after every service is carried out within the PEUGEOT accepted aftersales community. PEUGEOT Allure Care can be supplied to all consumers of latest PEUGEOT electrical fashions from 4 July 2024.

Adam Wood, Managing Director, PEUGEOT UK, stated: “The PEUGEOT Allure Care aims to accelerate the adoption of electric cars, giving customers the confidence and peace of mind they need to make the switch. The extension of Allure Care to our entire electric range is proof that we put the customer at the heart of our transformation to become the leading brand in the European electric market by 2025.”

PEUGEOT already provides the widest electrical vary of any mainstream European producer and is dedicated to providing one of the best and most effective electrical driving vary available on the market. For instance, the brand new E-3008 units a brand new benchmark in its phase with a spread of as much as 422* miles. PEUGEOT’s second new entrant into the midsized SUV class, the brand new E-5008, is the one mannequin in its phase to supply all-electric mobility for seven passengers with a alternative of powertrains and is able to as much as 410* miles of vary.

 

Car review

Cupra Born VZ evaluate

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The dynamic adjustments to the Born VZ – VZ is shorthand for veloz, which interprets as quick – are intensive over the usual mannequin on which it’s primarily based.

On the powertrain aspect, the rear-mounted motor has had energy elevated from 228bhp to 322bhp whereas torque has elevated from 229lb ft to 402lb ft. 

This cuts the 0-62mph time by over a second to five.7sec whereas the highest pace can be given a giant enhance by 25mph to 124mph. 

The Born VZ can take its energy and torque hike effectively, and the additional acceleration is helpful and usable when attacking a sequence of corners. Very little unsettles the automobile and the tuning is commendable. 

Perhaps essentially the most focus of all was given to the brake pedal and its really feel, one thing that’s all the time been off in efficiency electrical vehicles because the tuning has to think about not solely the standard brakes however the regenerative braking from the motor, too, which is why so many EVs have a spongy pedal really feel.

The brakes take some getting used to they usually’re nonetheless as you’d count on from a petroleum scorching hatch; the primary a part of the journey is kind of useless earlier than they actually begin to chew. From there they’re progressive however the lack of preliminary stopping energy feels a bit unusual. You may also management the extent of regeneration utilizing paddles on the steering wheel. 

The brakes aren’t as unusual because the absence of noise. Having bemoaned a number of the synthetic racket coming from EVs, the sound of silence was equally disconcerting within the Born VZ. We await somebody to resolve this conundrum.

News

First have a look at new 771bhp Bentley Continental GT PHEV

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Bentley has launched the primary photos of the next-generation Continental GT, which is able to pack practically 800bhp from a brand new hybrid drivetrain, making it the agency’s strongest automobile but.

A heavy revision of right this moment’s third-generation automobile, it’s the first Bentley to make use of the brand new ‘ultra-performance hybrid’ set-up, which pairs an uprated 4.0-litre V8 with a single electrical motor that’s anticipated to be built-in into the gearbox. The two mix to ship as much as 771bhp and 738lb ft to all 4 wheels, making it stronger than the W12 fitted within the extremely unique Batur.

The consequence will virtually actually be a 0-62mph time faster than the three.6sec claimed by the previous 650bhp Continental GT Speed, though Bentley has but to publish any detailed efficiency figures.

As properly as mammoth energy, the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) set-up formally delivers 50 miles of electric-only driving between costs, contributing to a CO2 emissions determine of lower than 50g/km. This would place it within the 8% benefit-in-kind tax band for the 2024-25 monetary yr. 

Bentley has but to element the burden implications of the automobile’s new electrified innards, however the outgoing V8 GT Speed tipped Autocar’s scales at 2279kg. 

In a bid to protect its dynamic character, the incoming fourth-generation automobile receives new dual-valve dampers along with tweaked energetic anti-roll bars, plus revised torque vectoring and four-wheel steering programs.

The new PHEV replaces Bentley’s earlier V8 and W12 powertrains wholesale, with the Continental GTC cabriolet and Flying Spur saloon additionally set to be up to date later this yr.

The Bentley Bentayga will provide a pure-combustion engine till 2026, at which level it’ll go hybrid-only.

The V6-based PHEV within the Bentayga and Flying Spur stays on sale.

News

Morgan and Pininfarina reveal placing £200k barchetta

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In specific, they’re fuller behind the entrance wheels, which supplies a extra purposeful stance and improves aero. 

The rear wings even have a chamfer on their main floor for aero causes and there’s even a refined diffuser underneath the automotive’s rear to counter elevate at pace. Hand-formed chrome steel finishers alongside the sills add to the coachbuilt class. And the uniquely designed wheels are some of the efficient of a collection of weight-saving measures designed to maintain dry weight underneath 1000kg. 

For most individuals, the Midsummer’s crowning glory is its elegant barchetta tail, which elongates the automotive (once more to the advantage of aero) and completely blends Morgan’s unmistakable frontal options with a rear model paying homage to a few of Pininfarinas’s best vehicles. 

This harmonises completely with Morgan’s already acknowledged intention of ultimately transferring the look of some manufacturing fashions ahead a decade or two.

“I’m most pleased with the Midsummer’s rear three-quarter proportions and how the car sits, thanks to obsessive attention to detail to refine the wheel- to-body relationship,” mentioned Wells. “Midsummer establishes design foundations we are able to construct upon for future Morgan fashions.

How the Morgan Midsummer took place

Morgan Midsummer front

According to Pininfarina’s chief inventive officer, Felix Kilbertus, the Midsummer venture grew out of what he calls an “immersive” journey between the 2 manufacturers. It started with a ‘what if?’ session involving the 2 companies’ design groups in an English pub and progressed to extra particular discussions in Italy over excellent espresso – with plenty of collaboration classes in between.

Morgan design chief Jonathan Wells says the Italian agency’s younger designers, used to working with the newest digital instruments in a big neighborhood, “actually loved seeing how immediately we at Morgan can work together with the people who find themselves making the vehicles within the manufacturing unit close by. 

“It was fairly superior for us to see their digital stuff – their energy partitions and VR suites. We began discussing whether or not there was a venture we may do collectively. We have been on the lookout for one thing to offer a little bit of a bang, a good change of course. Midsummer is what got here up.

Car review

Smart #3

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Smart could now not make completely small automobiles however, based on its present designers, it does need to provide the best-packaged passenger automotive in each market area of interest through which it competes. The inside of the #1 definitely bore out that technique and the #3 does too, albeit to a predictably much less placing extent.

Bigger doesn’t essentially additionally imply higher packaged, in fact, however whereas the #3 does give away a bit little bit of head room in contrast with the taller #1, its cabin remains to be fairly spacious. There’s loads of room for taller, bigger adults within the entrance row, though the automotive’s sporty-looking entrance seats weren’t thought of ideally comfy by just a few of our testers. Their ‘integral’-style headrests are mounted, and tended to jut out and poke some drivers within the nape of the neck relatively than supporting the pinnacle itself, whereas their seat cushions lacked helpful inclination adjustment and thigh assist.

In the again row, there’s good area for adults (one thing you may’t say of loads of EVs at this worth level), and an lodging stage that feels much like that of a Tesla Model 3 – proper right down to the marginally unnerving nearness of the glass roof to your scalp.

In the boot, general carrying area is respectable, although no extra. A capability of 370 litres is sufficient to beat some opponents, but it surely comes by means of a barely shallow cargo bay that will solely admit cumbersome objects after the removing of the ‘fake floor’ (underneath which is the automotive’s solely actually helpful charging cable storage, as a result of the ‘frunk’ is sufficiently small to be virtually ineffective).

The cabin atmosphere has a selected type of glitzy, plasticky materials lustre to it that places you in thoughts of Mercedes – and doubtless not accidentally. Shiny gray plastic is used to cowl massive swathes of the fascia, centre console and doorways. It was textured within the case of our take a look at automotive, and strong and nice sufficient to the contact, however whether or not it will be thought of interesting is subjective. The automotive’s wider normal for materials high quality and match and end is sort of good, although.

A 12.8in infotainment touchscreen inevitably dominates the higher sprint (see ‘Multimedia system’, proper) however is partnered with a slim however helpful digital instrument show behind the steering wheel and (on Premium-grade automobiles, not less than) a big head-up show behind that, so driving instrumentation and navigation prompts are stored near your line of sight.

Multimedia system

Smart has not less than tried to make the 12.8in landscape-oriented touchscreen multimedia show within the #3 navigable. A line of shortcut keys alongside its base provides you entry to HVAC controls, driving modes and a choice of top-level car methods settings, and different menu shortcuts seem on the high edge, however there’s no bodily cursor controller for it.

You due to this fact end up, arm outstretched, diving two and three ranges deep into settings menus to deactivate help methods which can be reactivated each time the automotive begins, and appear to have to do numerous leaping between screens even to realize extra easy issues. A user-configurable tiled residence display screen with often accessed settings on it’s a conspicuous omission.

It is likewise irritating that the manufacturing facility navigation system omits a north-up mapping show mode. It’s simple sufficient to program and observe however doesn’t all the time recognise voice command locations. Mirroring for each Apple and Android smartphones is included and works properly.

Car review

Cupra Tavascan

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Two variations of the automotive are provided: a single-motor rear-wheel-drive automotive with 282bhp and a dual-motor all-wheel-drive mannequin with 335bhp. We’re testing the latter, badged VZ. 

Both vehicles use the identical 77kWh (usable) battery and the vary is as much as 353 miles within the single-motor model and 324 miles within the dual-motor. Charging speeds are as much as 135kW for each variations.

There’s promise within the range-topper, with its sturdy acceleration, but a bit like with the Polestar 2, you get the sense {that a} single-motor rear-wheel-drive model might be a sweeter automotive to drive, with virtually 100kg much less over the entrance axle and higher effectivity in addition.

Still, there’s a lot to admire within the VZ. Refinement is at all times spectacular and the Tavascan is a cheerful motorway cruiser, and a quiet companion with it.

There’s at all times a pleasant heft and resistance to the Tavascan’s controls at decrease speeds, together with to the preliminary step-off, which is way extra fascinating than being given all of the obtainable energy when exiting a parking bay and having to decelerate jerkily and simply as shortly. 

It’s uncommon for driving modes to make a lot of a welcome distinction in a automotive, apart from sapping all the facility in eco mode or changing into a little bit of a pastiche of a efficiency automotive within the sportiest mode. Yet the Tavascan’s most potent Cupra mode – which even will get its personal button on the steering wheel – does certainly present the automotive is at its finest. 

The chassis is stiffened – however not made too stiff – and the additional acceleration is welcome but not stomach-churning as in different electrical vehicles with related 0-62mph instances. We left it on this mode for essentially the most half as a result of it felt way more akin to a ‘Normal’ mode in demonstrating the Tavascan as its maker supposed. 

The wheels may also take a squirt of the accelerator out of the nook with out wanting to maintain going within the different course.

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