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BMW

This city is electric: A trip through London in the MINI Cooper SE Convertible.

London. Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace, Piccadilly Circus – what’s the best way to start a tour in the MINI Cooper SE Convertible through a major city with nine million inhabitants and such a wealth of history? With “Courage”. This important quality for real change has been commemorated since 2018 by one of the newest statues in historic London in honour of women’s rights activist Dame Millicent Garrett Fawcett. She was one of the driving forces for women’s suffrage. “Courage calls for courage everywhere” it says on the banner the figure of the first monument to a woman in Parliament Square in London is holding. It stands for social participation and equality.

Vibrant city brimming with diversity.
The centrally located, spacious square right next to the seat of the British Parliament in the Palace of Westminster gives us another brief opportunity for recharging. From here, we head east across the legendary 252-metre long Westminster Bridge in the MINI Cooper SE Convertible (power consumption combined: 17.2 kWh/100 km according to WLTP; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km) right into the breathtaking atmosphere of London’s South Bank on the other side of the Thames.

At the centre of the 1.7-kilometre stretch of waterfront there is the Queen Elizabeth Hall, alongside the Royal Festival Hall and the Royal National Theatre. While a daily programme of classical, jazz and avant-garde concerts delights audiences in the upper part of the foyer building, the vibrant heart of London’s subculture pulsates in the basement. After all, the city’s best-known skateboarding area has been located here since the 1970s. Next door, London’s creative scene celebrates the city’s urban art made famous by Banksy with the colourful graffiti tunnel on Leake Street.

Historical and contemporary structures in exciting contrast
Passing the reconstruction of Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre, the route leads across London Bridge to the other side of the river again. On the bridge, the textile soft top of the MINI Cooper SE Convertible with its typical Union Jack design silently lowers to reveal an ever brightening English sky. Here in the east of the city, the enchanted church ruins of St Dunstan-in-the-East create an exciting contrast between history and modernity. The park is considered to be an insider’s tip and is located in and around the nave and offers a special place for the MINI passengers to rest and fill up their spent energy.

The MINI Cooper SE Convertible no longer has to do this in the classic sense we know from combustion engines. Instead, the 135 kW/184 hp electric motor favours agile and easily controllable handling and allows for 201 kilometres of locally emission-free open-air driving pleasure according to the WLTP test cycle.

A stop at the London Sky Garden is a good idea to enjoy a view over the city on the Thames that is as goods from a convertible. London’s highest garden is located on the 35th floor of a skyscraper called “Walkie-Talkie” because of its distinctive shape. Admission is free and guarantees a fantastic view of the city, where you can already spot the next sightseeing attractions.

Looking west, St Paul’s Cathedral, in the middle of Europe’s largest financial centre – the borough of City of London – is easily recognisable as one of the largest churches in the world. In the centre of the 158-metre-long cathedral there is the 750 ton roof lantern suspended at a height of 111 metres. 111 metres correspond to exactly 365 feet, i.e. one foot for each day of the year.

Before this eventful day draws to a close, a spot in front of the magnificently lit Somerset House guarantees a spectacular view of the sea of lights at night along the Thames. Home to cultural pioneers, Somerset House links up creativity and art with society. Part of the neoclassical building belongs to King’s College, one of the most prestigious higher education institutions in the world.

London doesn’t sleep, it shines.
On the opposite side of the river, the buildings lit up in bright colours and the iconic London Eye are already reflected in the water of the Thames. At 135 metres high and with its 32 floor-to-ceiling glass gondolas, on a clear day you can see 40 kilometres away to the royals’ Windsor Castle outside London.

For today, however, a glance from the sports seats of the open MINI Cooper SE Convertible into the clear night sky over London is enough to let all the great impressions pass in review. And already dream of the next day full of open-air go-kart feeling in this electrifying metropolis.

JeepUk

Jeep® Avenger named ‘Best Small Car’ at Autocar Awards 2023

  • All-new, fully-electric Jeep® Avenger is named ‘Best Small Car’ at the Autocar Awards 2023
  • Panel of expert judges praise the Avenger’s compact form and sophistication
  • Prestigious Autocar Awards recognises the best new cars on sale in the UK
  • Latest award from Autocar adds to the Avenger’s expanding collection of international accolades – including European Car of the Year
  • Available to order now; designed and built in Europe, the Jeep Avenger compact SUV is the brand’s first-ever battery-electric vehicle (BEV)

 

The all-new, fully-electric Jeep® Avenger has added to its collection of international accolades after being named ‘Best Small Car’ at the Autocar Awards 2023.

The Autocar Awards, which celebrates the finest new cars on sale in the UK today, are curated by some of the most informed and experienced automotive journalists in the industry, hand-picking the best of the best in highly competitive categories.

Commenting on the Avenger’s win, Mark Tisshaw, Editor, Autocar, said: “Spend time with the team that made the Avenger and you’ll be aware just how committed these passionate individuals have been and how they have worked hard to create a car that brings something truly different to the small SUV class.

“The Avenger’s design is every bit a true Jeep, and it has a real rugged character. The proportions are spot on, and, like the best small cars, it has real charm and character. Those qualities transfer to the way the Avenger drives. There’s a maturity to its ride, handling and steering, and the electric power is a boon around town. It feels far more sophisticated than a car this small has any right to. While the Avenger might be small on the outside, it never really feels it inside.”

Jules Tilstone, Managing Director, Jeep UK, commented: “We are delighted to see yet another highly respected automotive publication recognise the Avenger’s exceptional customer offering in the compact car sector. The Avenger is rich with Jeep DNA, now in compact form with no compromise on interior spaciousness. We are charging forward with the next generation of electrified Jeep vehicles, and the Avenger is at the forefront of this exciting new chapter.”

The new Avenger is an all-electric compact SUV that, at just four metres in length, is positioned in the rapidly growing B-SUV segment. Aimed at active people who are looking for an SUV with compact dimensions, the Avenger offers plenty of room and storage possibilities. Designed and built as a Jeep vehicle from day one, the Avenger packs the Jeep DNA into a compact SUV with a unique combination of capability, style, functionality and technology.

With a range of up to 250 miles* in the WLTP cycle, a new electric powertrain combines a unique 400-volt electric motor with 115 kilowatts, 260 Nm of maximum torque and a new 54 kWh battery.

The introduction of the Avenger in Europe marks the beginning of the next phase of the electrification of the Jeep brand – the BEV wave. By the end of 2030, the Jeep brand’s European sales will be 100% pure electric.

The all-new, fully-electric Jeep Avenger is available to order now from £34,800 OTR.

 

 

JeepUk

Jeep® Avenger named ‘Electric Car of the Year’ in TopGear.com Electric Awards 2023

 

  • All-new, fully-electric Jeep® Avenger claims overall ‘Electric Car of the Year’ as well as ‘Best Electric City Car’ in the TopGear.com Electric Awards 2023
  • Expert judging panel commended the Avenger’s design and accessibility
  • The TopGear.com Electric Awards celebrate the industry’s best electric cars
  • Latest awards add to Avenger’s growing tally of international accolades including European Car of the Year 2023
  • Available to order now; designed and built in Europe, the Jeep Avenger compact SUV is the brand’s first-ever battery-electric vehicle (BEV)

 

 

The all-new, fully-electric Jeep® Avenger has gained further international media acclaim after being named ‘Electric Car of the Year’ and ‘Best Electric City Car’ in the TopGear.com Electric Awards 2023, celebrating the industry’s finest electric vehicles across a wide-ranging field of hypercars to hatchbacks.

 

Speaking on the Avenger’s ‘Electric Car of the Year’ title, Jack Rix, Editor of Top Gear Magazine, commented: “The Avenger is one of those cars that seems to have been designed by people who enjoyed their job. It’s not tricksy or cute, and it’s not overwrought. It’s just that the shapes, textures, colours and graphics are modern and cohere really nicely. It is basically familiar technology, carefully improved and well wrapped, at a decent price. It’s accessible rather than exclusive. This is, for these times, a very good thing.”

 

TopGear.com also awarded Jeep‘s first-ever battery-electric vehicle with ‘Best Electric City Car’, adding: “The Avenger is small – shorter than most little crossovers – its blocky outline makes it easy to thread down narrow streets, and all-round black plastic protection will save the day when you get it slightly wrong. Because it’s set up for mild off-roading, the short overhangs and long suspension travel make light work of speed bumps and potholes. Its height means it’ll carry adults in the back and there’s a proper boot. Add together the above and you get the best electric city car out there right now.”

Jules Tilstone, Managing Director, Jeep UK, commented: “I’d like to thank the Top Gear judging panel for commending the Avenger as the stand-out offering in the EV sector. It’s exciting to build upon the Avenger’s substantial media recognition already with this latest double award win in the 2023 Top Gear Electric Awards. The Avenger is leading our European market offering of right-sized vehicles and represents a significant forward step towards the next generation of electrified Jeep SUVs.”

 

The latest awards from TopGear.com add to the Jeep Avenger’s recent accolades including European Car of the Year 2023 – the first time the brand picked up the award in its history – and Best Family SUV in the 2023 Women’s World Car of the Year awards.

 

The new Avenger is a compact SUV that, at just four metres in length, is positioned in the rapidly growing B-SUV segment. Aimed at active people who are looking for an SUV with compact dimensions, the Jeep Avenger offers plenty of room and storage possibilities. Designed and built as a Jeep vehicle from day one, the Avenger packs the Jeep DNA into a compact SUV with a unique combination of capability, style, functionality and technology.

 

With a range of up to 250 miles* in the WLTP cycle, a new electric powertrain combines a unique 400-volt electric motor with 115 kilowatts and 260 Nm of maximum torque and a new 54 kWh battery.

 

The introduction of the Jeep Avenger in Europe marks the beginning of the next phase of the electrification of the Jeep brand – the BEV wave. By the end of 2030, the Jeep brand’s European sales will be 100% pure electric.

 

FiatUk

ALL-ELECTRIC 500 WINS DUO OF AWARDS AT THE 2023 WHAT CAR? AWARDS

  • All-electric Fiat 500 retains title as Best Small Electric Car for the City and Best Convertible for Value
  • Fiat’s first fully-electric car scoops duo of awards courtesy of it driving performance and stylish looks

The all-electric Fiat 500 has picked up from where it left off in 2022, gaining further recognition amongst industry experts. For a second year in a row, all-electric 500 has picked up Best Small Electric Car for the City and Best Convertible for Value at the 2023 What Car? Awards.

When awarding the all-electric 500 with Best Small Electric Car, judges praised its design and driving capabilities.

Steve Huntingford, Editor at What Car? said: “The instant response from the Fiat 500’s 117bhp motor helps you nip in and out of traffic with ease, while the car’s tiny dimensions and light steering make it great for urban manoeuvres and squeezing into tight spaces. We’re also big fans of the smart, modern interior and the relatively high driving position, with the latter boosting visibility.”

Damien Dally, Managing Director Fiat and Abarth, said: “2022 was an incredible year for all-electric 500, having achieved so many accolades from industry experts.

“It’s very promising to see our first fully-electric car kick off the year in style and equally rewarding that we have been able to retain the title of Best Small Electric Car for the City and best Convertible for Value at the prestigious What Car? Awards.”

The all-electric Fiat 500 is the first fully-electric Fiat designed from the ground up. The car provides a raft of best-in-class features such as Level 2 Autonomous Driving technologies, a variety of battery options and a substantial driving range of up to 199 miles (WLTP) – the longest range of any electric city car on the market today.

To put the all-electric 500 even further at the forefront of customers’ minds, the car boasts 85kW fast charging, enabling the battery to reach 80 per cent range in just 30 minutes and, more impressively, 30 miles in around five minutes.

Additionally, courtesy of the fully-electric nature of the car, all-electric 500 is congestion charge and ULEZ-exempt, making it the perfect vehicle for the city.

The all-electric 500 convertible is also the only 4-seater convertible in its segment.

To find out more, please visit www.fiat.co.uk or to locate the nearest Fiat retailer, visit www.fiat.co.uk/retailers.

END

NissanUs

Nissan Formula E Team takes double top-five finish in Jakarta

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Nissan Formula E Team took their best result of the season in Jakarta, with Sacha Fenestraz and Norman Nato both putting in excellent performances to take fourth and fifth respectively in Round 11 of the 2022/23 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

After a tough first race of the weekend for the squad, Fenestraz claimed second in his qualifying group on Sunday, progressing to the Duels. The Franco-Argentine driver started seventh, and got an excellent launch off the line, moving up to fourth by the end of Lap 1.

Meanwhile, Frenchman Nato was making solid progress through the field, keeping cool in the Jakarta heat to make places during the Attack Mode phase. Having started 12th, Nato avoided incidents ahead of him and used his speed and overtaking ability to move further into the top-10.

Helped by the team’s strong strategy, both drivers continued to push into the higher points-paying positions, challenging for a podium spot until the final corner. The pair combined for 22 points, the squad’s best result of the season so far.

Formula E returns on 24 June for the final single-header of the season, as the series makes it first visit to Portland, USA.

Tommaso Volpe, managing director and team principal, Nissan Formula E Team: “A rollercoaster of a weekend, with a tough race yesterday and a really good one today. We were stronger in qualifying and had a much better strategy during the race. Both drivers did a great job, with some impressive overtakes. Sacha even battled for the podium until the final corner, while Norman’s defense was very solid at the end of the race. We can be very happy with our performance and proud of the team and drivers. Our focus now is to take this positive showing into the next round in Portland to pick up even more points there.”

Sacha Fenestraz: “This weekend was a good way to see our strengths and weaknesses as a team. Today was a very positive race, it was great for the crew to reward their hard work over the last few months. Yesterday was quite frustrating, but we came back strongly and both cars had very good pace. Norman did a superb job to come from P12 on the grid to P5 at the finish and I’m really happy that we both took a strong result. The heat was definitely a challenge, but the humidity was the most difficult. However, we pushed through as a team to score some really good points. I’m now looking forward to Portland, it’s a brand-new track for all of us so it should be an interesting one!”

Norman Nato: “Today was really positive. We changed the setup, because yesterday we weren’t so competitive and it worked for us. We managed to put it all together in the race and react from the frustration of Saturday to get a great result for both cars. We’ll now look to analyze this one to see what we can do to continue improving for Portland. We had strong pace throughout today’s event, so we have to aim to score big points for the rest of the season. We’re not far off the leading teams based on this performance, and we have five races left to prove what we can do this year.”

About Nissan in Formula E
Nissan made its all-electric racing debut in Season 5 (2018/19) of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, becoming the first and only Japanese manufacturer to enter the series.

In Season 7 (2020/21), Nissan announced its long-term involvement in Formula E and its commitment to the Gen3 era, which will run from Season 9 (2022/23) through to the end of Season 12 (2025/26) of the all-electric racing series.

In April 2022, Nissan acquired the e.dams race team, with the Japanese automaker taking full ownership of its involvement in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship.

In June 2022, Nissan announced it would supply its Nissan EV powertrain technology to McLaren Racing for the entirety of the Formula E Gen3 era.

For Season 9 of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, the Nissan Formula E drivers will be Norman Nato and Sacha Fenestraz.

Nissan races in Formula E to bring the excitement and fun of zero-emission electric vehicles to a global audience. As part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality across its operations and the life cycle of its products by 2050, Nissan intends to electrify every all-new vehicle offering by the early 2030s in key markets. The Japanese automaker aims to bring its expertise in transferring knowledge and technology between the racetrack and road for better electric vehicles for customers.

About Formula E
The ABB FIA Formula E World Championship became the first global sport to be certified with a net zero carbon footprint from inception back in 2020, having invested in certified climate-protecting projects in all race markets to offset emissions from every season of electric racing.

All cars in the championship are powered by electricity, with the series acting as a competitive platform to test and develop the latest in electric technology.

The World’s greatest manufacturers race against each other on street circuits and Formula E promotes the adoption of sustainable mobility in city centres in a bid to combat air pollution and lessen the effects of climate change.

Contact
Maria De Juana
Head of Communications, Formula E, Nissan Motor Co.
Phone: +33-6 17 36 37 61
mdejuana@nissan-europe.com