Tag Archives: called

News

New Chinese Manufacturer PFMoto Debuts The Starship 6 Tourer

In 2022, a new motorcycle manufacturer from China called Paifang Moto, or PFMoto, unveiled some renderings of a futuristic touring machine. At the time, it had affiliations with Lifan and the Geely Group, which owns Qianjiang, Benelli, and Keeway.

Since then, there hasn’t been much news about PFMoto. Many dismissed it as just another Chinese brand with a concept motorcycle that wouldn’t come to fruition. However, it seems that PFMoto has proven them wrong because the company has now revealed the Starship 6, a modern touring motorcycle that appears to have borrowed some styling elements from the popular Honda Gold Wing.

New Chinese Manufacturer PFMoto Debuts The Starship 6 Tourer

The PFMoto Starship 6 resembles a smaller version of the Honda Gold Wing, complete with similar side panniers and a large top case. It also features a spacious windscreen for wind protection and an ergonomic design with a low saddle, upright handlebars, and forward controls, providing a relaxed and comfortable riding position for long journeys.

Surprisingly, the Starship 6 is equipped with a rather underwhelming 573cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected V-Twin engine. With only 60 horsepower, it produces less than half the power of the Honda Gold Wing and is considerably smaller in size. Weighing 280 kilograms, the Starship 6 is lighter than the Gold Wing but still hefty for its engine size, which may result in sluggish performance.

Honda Gold Wing
New Chinese Manufacturer PFMoto Debuts The Starship 6 Tourer

Despite its underpowered engine, the Starship 6 boasts several impressive features. It comes with an electronically adjustable windscreen, a full-color TFT instrument cluster, Bluetooth connectivity, and loudspeakers for playing music during rides.

However, it’s unlikely that the Starship 6 will be available outside of China. Its weight and performance may not be competitive in the U.S. and European markets. In China, it is priced at approximately $4,000 USD.

VauxhallUk

VAUXHALL ANNOUNCES NEW CONCEPT CAR: VAUXHALL EXPERIMENTAL

  • Vauxhall’s latest concept car will be called the Vauxhall Experimental
  • Concept will make its global debut at IAA Mobility in Munich from 5-10 September 2023
  • Vauxhall Experimental will influence future production vehicles and showcase the next stage in Vauxhall’s Bold & Pure design philosophy

Vauxhall has announced that its new concept car will be named the Vauxhall Experimental. The car will be introduced to a worldwide audience at IAA Mobility in Munich from 5-10 September 2023. More details about the concept will be revealed in the coming weeks.

According to James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, the Vauxhall Experimental will provide a clear vision of the brand’s future design direction and will have an impact on the design of their future production vehicles.

The Vauxhall Experimental represents the next step in the development of Vauxhall’s Bold & Pure design philosophy, which was first showcased with the GT Xperimental in 2018. This design philosophy aims to reflect Vauxhall’s core values of being British, Ingenious, Progressive, and Approachable.

The new concept car further strengthens the brand within Stellantis by emphasizing Vauxhall’s brand pillars, which include a simplified and refined experience, accessible technology, and sustainable innovation (Greenovation).

The name “Experimental” has a history dating back to 1966 with the XVR concept (Xperimental Vauxhall Research) showcased at the Geneva Motor Show. This concept featured innovative design elements such as gull-wing doors, a split windscreen, and unique rear lights that later influenced Vauxhall’s production models.

In 2018, the GT Xperimental concept demonstrated Vauxhall’s design vision and introduced the Vauxhall Vizor and Compass design principles, which have since become iconic features of Vauxhall’s passenger cars.

Motorsport

Mercedes-AMG G63 Grand Edition Limited To 1,000 Units, Gets Gold Accents

Mercedes has released a new version of the AMG G63 called the Grand Edition. The company will only produce 1,000 units of this high-performance SUV, which features various visual enhancements both inside and out, with gold accents adding a touch of luxury.

The special Grand Edition of the AMG G63 stands out with its unique Manufaktur night black mango paint, which contrasts beautifully with the gold elements. The front and rear bumper inlays, front underbody protection plate, spare wheel ring, and spare wheel star emblem are all adorned with gold accents.


Motorsport

See Hammond And May Destroy Clarkson’s Bizarre Car in Grand Tour: Eurocrash

The newest release from The Grand Tour team has arrived, titled Eurocrash. This episode features the iconic trio of James May, Jeremy Clarkson, and Richard Hammond embarking on a 1,400-mile road trip through Eastern Europe. However, knowing Clarkson, Hammond, and May, you can expect there to be much more to the story.

If you haven’t watched Eurocrash yet and want to avoid spoilers, you can check out this 20-minute clip on The Grand Tour’s YouTube channel. It serves as both a prologue and epilogue to the adventure, offering limited spoilers. On the other hand, if you’ve already seen the nearly two-hour special, this clip provides a satisfying wrap-up.

As expected, Clarkson’s car survives the trip. For those unfamiliar with this peculiar vehicle, let me introduce you to the Mitsuoka Le-Seyde. It is based on the Nissan Silvia S13, featuring a naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine at the front. The Le-Seyde boasts an extended wheelbase, with the front wheels residing in a different country than the rear. This arrangement allows for a spacious engine compartment but leaves room for just two passengers in the cabin.

The video offers more insights into the car, including the comical discovery that Clarkson replaced the Le-Seyde’s original seats with permanent Recaro seats. Unfortunately, this modification makes it difficult for Hammond to see over the steering wheel, let alone drive the car around the Eboladrome. After completing a lackluster lap, May takes the wheel to assess the vehicle, with candelabras clattering in the wind. To no one’s surprise, neither May nor Hammond is impressed.

Interestingly, Clarkson, who doesn’t appear in the video, is actually impressed with the Le-Seyde. Hammond mentions that the car will be returning to Clarkson’s house, where he plans to keep it. For the record, Hammond has also decided to keep the Chevrolet SSR he drove in Eurocrash. As for May, he declined to keep the tiny Crosley he drove, as he had grown tired of being blown off the highway by passing semi-trucks.

The Grand Tour: Eurocrash is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime. The future of the trio’s motoring specials is uncertain at this time. You can learn more about it here.

Motorsport

BMW Introduces Electric AI Exhibition Featuring the i5 at Art Basel 2023

BMW has unveiled a new exhibition called “The Electric AI Canvas” at the Art Basel event. This exhibition is an extension of “The Ultimate AI Masterpiece” and is notable for being the first time a virtual artwork has been transformed into a physical art experience. The main feature of the exhibition is the BMW i5, which serves as a dynamic canvas for generative art. It showcases works by contemporary artists and will run until June 18, 2023.

BMW collaborated with Nathan Shipley from Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, and Gary Yeh from ArtDrunk to develop custom AI-generated animations for this project. These animations were created using AI models trained on a curated dataset of works by contemporary artists. The models were initially trained using over 50,000 images spanning 900 years of art history. The AI then generates new abstract animations influenced by classical and contemporary art styles, which are projected onto the BMW i5.