There will “always be demand” for combustion-engined vehicles, based on Aston Martin government chairman Lawrence Stroll, who has pledged to maintain promoting them for so long as he’s legally allowed to.
Aston Martin just lately pushed again its plans to launch its first electric car in 2025 to 2027 and has elevated investments in plug-in hybrid know-how accordingly.
Stroll expects plug-in hybrids to be excess of a ‘bridging’ know-how and that they are going to stay on sale nicely into the center of the 2030s and past. Aston prospects have instructed sellers that they mentioned they need “sounds and smells” and favour ICE know-how for his or her vehicles, based on Stroll.
Aston’s first EV
Aston Martin has developed a bespoke EV structure and plans to launch 4 electrical vehicles on it, together with a GT, SUV, crossover and ‘mid-engined’ supercar, however they will not hit the market earlier than 2027 after a reveal of the primary mannequin in late 2026.
“We have designed and ready one platform to take four different vehicles,” Stroll instructed Autocar. “We have all of the merchandise technically engineered and bodily designed.
“We deliberate to launch on the finish of 2025 and had been prepared to take action, nevertheless it appears there’s much more hype in EVs, politically pushed or no matter, than client demand, significantly at an Aston Martin worth level.”
He added that demand for electrical vehicles is especially weak within the luxurious segments, as Aston Martins had been usually not ‘first’ vehicles for his or her prospects and used extra for leisure.
Stroll mentioned Aston “will get there” with electrical vehicles, “but at the previously date, definitely not”.
PHEV funding
In delaying the EVs, Stroll mentioned that Aston had “decided to invest very heavily in PHEVs”, know-how he mentioned would “play out for a long while and we will have an extensive offering”.
The firm’s PHEV know-how shall be primarily based round V8s, as prospects aren’t eager on V6s, mentioned Stroll. The V8 engines will nonetheless be sourced from Mercedes-AMG all through the PHEV period. Stroll mentioned Aston would add hybrid know-how to its V12, too.
The PHEVs shall be primarily based on Aston Martin’s current architectures and can possible be launched into current mannequin traces. Stroll would not verify which Aston could be the primary to get plug-in hybrid know-how, but the Aston Martin DBX could be an apparent contender given its place as Aston’s best-selling automotive.
Indeed, with regards to EVs, Stroll expects SUVs to turn out to be absolutely electrical within the luxurious segments earlier than sports activities vehicles.
Volkswagen is ready to log off the ultimate design of the Volkswagen ID 1 imminently, model chairman Thomas Schäfer has stated, with 4 proposals being debated for the £17,000 entry-level electric car.
Conceived as a substitute for the 11-year-old e-Up, the brand new mannequin is deliberate to go on sale throughout Europe by the tip of 2027 at a worth equal to round £17,000.
Speaking on the firm’s annual accounts press convention, Schäfer confirmed Volkswagen will resolve throughout the subsequent few weeks what course the ID 1 will finally take.
“The working title is ID 1 and the vehicle is planned for 2027. We’re in the middle of it all. We know what the car should look like,” he stated.
The ID 1 will immediately rival the fourth-generation Renault Twingo, which is deliberate to be launched in 2026 as an electrical hatchback with styling extremely harking back to the unique and with a projected worth just like the upcoming Volkswagen’s.
As properly as deciding what type the automobile will take, Volkswagen has but to lock within the industrial plan for its new entry-level electrical mannequin. “This is extremely challenging,” stated Schäfer.
Given excessive battery and manufacturing prices in Europe, a worth of £17,000 is prone to be achieved solely with giant volumes and excessive economies of scale.
Development and manufacturing prices could be amortised throughout different Volkswagen Group manufacturers, together with Skoda and Seat/Cupra, Schäfer stated, including: “We will make the decision in the short term.”
At an earlier press convention this week, Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume stated a choice on an entry-level mannequin can be made in 2024, referencing the opportunity of a tie-up with Renault.
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda believes that electrical autos will solely make up 30% of the worldwide market share, with the remaining 70% consisting of hybrids, gasoline cell autos (FCEVs), and hydrogen engines.
Toyoda emphasizes that full electrification isn’t possible in all places, as there are nonetheless one billion individuals world wide residing in areas with out electrical energy. He argues that hybrid autos are a invaluable asset to each Toyota and the setting.
Toyota continues to pursue gasoline cell know-how, as showcased by autos just like the Toyota Mirai and the hydrogen-powered Toyota Crown. Toyota can be partnering with Yamaha, BMW, and others to develop hydrogen-based engines and is a part of the Hydrogen Council, which has invested $5 billion in hydrogen options.
Akio Toyoda, present Toyota Chairman and grandson of Toyota’s founder, Kiichiro Toyoda, is well-reputed for his stout opposition to an all-electric future. As far as the previous CEO and part-time race automobile driver is anxious, attaining carbon neutrality isn’t a matter of merely changing inner combustion engines with electrical powertrains.
Although Toyota continues to be actively making an attempt to pioneer the e-segment with its 745-mile solid-state batteries, it hasn’t given up simply but on the opposite alternate options, particularly gasoline cells, and hybrids, which have change into some kind of household recipe at this level. The centenary automaker, recognized for producing the primary large-scale manufacturing hybrid car (the Toyota Prius), and launching one of many few FCEVs ever made (the Toyota Mirai), insists on sustaining a various fleet, comprising varied powertrains.
This outlook was as soon as once more confirmed during a recent lecture by Akio Toyoda, who believes that electrical autos will finally quantity to solely 30 % of the worldwide market share. “Then, the remaining 70-percent will be HEVs, FCEVs, and hydrogen engines. And, I think engine cars will definitely remain,” added Toyoda, who additional insisted on a multidimensional strategy to lowering emissions.
In order to provide the newest and correct data doable, the information used to compile this text was sourced from varied producer web sites and different authoritative sources, together with Toyota, Reuters and the International Energy Agency.
Toyota’s 2024 electrical lineup produces sufficient competitors within the EV transportation business with the hydrogen gasoline cell Mirai and the electrical bZ4X.
Toyota Does Not Believe In The EV Takeover
Toyota
You may need heard about well-known manufacturers, comparable to Mercedes-Benz, and General Motors, planning to go all-electric by the subsequent decade. What you may’ve missed, when studying such bulletins, is the little nuance “where market conditions apply.” This sentence, typically misplaced within the tremendous print, is a stark reminder that a big portion of the planet isn’t but able to embrace electrification.
Being the main carmaker when it comes to international market share, Toyota is conscious about that. Currently, only 16 countries, (together with Toyota’s residence nation Japan), have a coverage mandating 100% EV gross sales in 2035, or earlier. This point was not lost on Akio Toyoda, who emphasised that full electrification isn’t a viable possibility in all places.
“However, one billion individuals world wide stay in areas with out electrical energy. In the case of Toyota, we additionally provide autos to those areas, so a single BEV possibility can’t present transportation for everybody.”
Toyoda, recognized for being a stout partisan of hybrid know-how, additional solidified his stance on the problem, asserting that different powertrains, primarily hybrid vehicles, are a invaluable asset to each his firm and the setting as an entire.
Akio Toyoda: A Long-Time Advocate Of HEVs
Toyota
“What Toyota has that other companies don’t have is HEV (hybrid vehicles). Thanks to the introduction of HEVs in Japan 20 to 30 years ago, Japan is the only developed country to have reduced CO2 emissions by 23-percent .” To the veteran automaker, the thought of switching to all-electric EVs is much from being a one-size-fits-all resolution. “I think this is something that customers and the market will decide, not regulatory values or political power .”
Toyoda additional insisted that the principle objective is to scale back CO2, slightly than taking out gas-powered autos. In this regard, Toyoda has been fairly constant over the previous couple of years. The Chairman first began lobbying in opposition to EV hegemony when he initially took the reins of the corporate again in 2009.
In 2022, Toyoda leveraged the affect of his business group JAMA to steer the Japanese authorities to place hybrid vehicles on equal footing with EVs. The business mogul argued that hybrids are additionally eco-friendly alternate options, especially with the use of synthetic fuels. Known for leaving no stone unturned, Toyota has notably teamed up with ExxonMobil to check a brand new gasoline mix that might probably cut back greenhouse fuel emissions by 75 %.
Koji Sato: New CEO, Similar Modus Operandi
Akio Toyoda’s stance on mass electrification has been strongly mirrored by his firm’s market technique. While the yr 2022 marked a big growth within the e-segment, Toyota solely offered 20,000 electrical autos that yr, which only accounted for 0.2 percent of its total production. This ultimately triggered discontent amongst buyers, who feared that the Japanese automaker was forfeiting income, whereas others had been benefiting from the rising EV market.
On April 1, 2023, Akio Toyoda ultimately stepped down as CEO, in favor of Koji Sato, former chief of the Lexus and Gazoo Racing sub-brands. Sato was fast in advocating for an aggressive swap in direction of electrical autos, whereas additionally defending his firm’s monitor file of lowering carbon emissions.
For a few years now, Toyota has been one of many high automakers in relation to hybrids, and here is what its hybrid and electrical journey has been like.
Fuel-Cells: Toyota’s Way Of Keeping The ICE Alive
Toyota has used totally different platforms to showcase the potential of its gasoline cell know-how. The most outstanding instance is probably the Toyota Mirai, a mid-size sedan with 402 miles of vary, and a $49,500 MSRP. While the Mirai has failed to realize any kind of business success, Toyota has not shied away from pursuing its hydrogen ambitions.
Last year, we saw the Corolla Cross H2 Concept,a hydrogen-powered SUV that depends on a brand new hydrogen ICE, powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, transformed to utilizing hydrogen as gasoline. Later on, the automaker additionally revealed a hydrogen gasoline cell electrical Hilux prototype, with a projected vary of 600 km (372 miles). This time round, the corporate was making an attempt to exhibit how hydrogen may enable for larger payload and towing capability for a light-duty car, in comparison with different alternate options (particularly electrical powertrains)
Toyota Mirai Performance Specs
Engine
Fuel Cell
Horsepower
186 horses
Torque
300 pound-feet
Range
402 miles (XLE) 357 (Limited)
0-60mph
9.2 seconds
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive
(Specs sourced from Toyota)
In November 2023, Toyota also launched a hydrogen-powered Toyota Crown that provides 820 kilometers (509 miles) of vary per three-minute hydrogen refill. More than a easy rehash, the Crown FCEV is the primary Toyota car to incorporate a newly developed 2.5-liter multi-stage hybrid system.
The firm’s resolution to incorporate a hydrogen powertrain in a profitable product, reputed for its high-end enchantment is a strategic approach that could very well pay dividends. It stays to be seen if the corporate can ultimately attain its gross sales objective of 600 copies a month.
Toyota Is Partnering With Yamaha, BMW, And Others To Push FCEVs
Toyota
Toyota isn’t alone in its quest to hold inner combustion engines right into a carbon-neutral future. The firm has notably partnered up with Yamaha to build a hydrogen-fueled V-8 engine, primarily based on the one powering the Lexus RC Coupe. The focused specs are 455 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 398 pound-feet of torque at 3,600 rpm.
“Hydrogen engines house the potential to be carbon-neutral while keeping our passion for the internal combustion engine alive at the same time,” explains Yamaha Motor president Yoshihiro Hidaka. Toyota can be a part of the Hydrogen Council, a global consortium that regroups outstanding entities comparable to Alstom, Daimler, BMW, Toyota, and Air Liquide. The affiliation has already invested $5 billion aimed on the implementation of hydrogen options in varied sectors, together with the automotive business, over the subsequent 5 years.
In Europe, Toyota is planning to establish the Hydrogen Factory Europe, an area enterprise operation that goals to provide “an increasing number of fuel cell systems and supporting a widening group of commercial partnerships.” The firm is at the moment growing a next-generation fuel-cell know-how that’s scheduled on the market in 2026.
According to Toyota, this new system is anticipated to extend vary by 20-percent, whereas additionally lowering prices by over a 3rd. In the meantime, the Japanese automaker has additionally been integrating its fuel-cell know-how into heavy-duty vehicles, via its partnerships with different corporations comparable to French automaker Hyliko and Netherlands-based VDL Groep.
Toyota has been engaged on hydrogen know-how for a very long time now, and here is every thing you have to find out about its hydrogen combustion engine.
Electric Vehicles Have Been Losing Steam Lately
Toyota
Now, is Akio Toyoda proper about his estimate? It’s unclear. Ultimately, solely time will inform. However, the present market situations do little or no to contradict his claims. Currently, EVsales are beginning to dwindle and are piling up on the dealerships as a substitute of roaming the streets. While these circumstances could be non permanent, they continue to be nonetheless difficult to a rising business that has but to claim itself.
The Worst Has Yet To Come For EVs
In 2023, Cox Automotivesurveyed a total of 1,024 consumers and 152 dealers. The examine reported that 51 % of customers had been concerned about shopping for a brand new or used EV (a noticeable spike from 38-percent in 2021). Furthermore, a complete of 53 % of customers additionally felt that electrical autos would change gas-powered autos sooner or later.
On the opposite hand, sellers, who’ve EV stock pile up, had a much less optimistic take. Only 31 % of sellers surveyed agreed that EVs will ultimately change standard autos, and practically half of them (45 %) suppose that EVs haven’t but confirmed themselves to be an appropriate various.
Toyota
While Cox Automotiveforecasts more growth in the EV sector for the years to come, it nonetheless expects EV gross sales to additional dwindle as time passes. The outlet even means that we would witness the primary quarter-over-quarter decline in gross sales figures in additional than three years.
Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda lately expressed his perception that battery electrical automobiles will attain a most market share of 30 %, whereas the rest will probably be divided amongst hybrids, hydrogen gas cell vehicles, and conventional fuel-burning automobiles. Toyoda, the grandson of the corporate’s founder, emphasised the significance of buyer alternative and autonomy in deciding the way forward for the automotive business.
During the occasion, remarks printed on Toyota’s personal media platform quoted Toyoda as saying, “With a billion people in the world living without electricity, limiting their choices and ability to travel by making expensive cars isn’t the answer.” He went on to emphasize that the choice on car varieties ought to be pushed by prospects slightly than regulatory or political issues.
“Engines will surely remain,” Toyoda acknowledged within the firm publication, although it stays unclear whether or not he was referring to new automotive gross sales or automobiles already on the street. The chairman’s remarks additionally didn’t present readability on his predictions for the US market, the place the expansion of EV market share has been slower than anticipated.
Toyota’s method to EVs has been notably conservative in comparison with a few of its business counterparts. The firm’s steadfast dedication to its pioneering hybrid know-how has set the tone for its extra measured transition to battery-powered mobility, with a perception {that a} one-size-fits-all method will not be appropriate for all markets and shopper preferences. This conservative stance displays the corporate’s pragmatic consideration of world vitality infrastructure, buyer wants, and the longevity of current car fleets, difficult the prevailing pattern towards a fast and unique shift to electrical propulsion.
About a yr in the past, Toyoda, then Toyota’s CEO, declared that going inexperienced additionally includes converting existing combustion-powered cars into electrical automobiles or hydrogen machines. Just a few weeks earlier than that interview, the Japanese agency displayed two AE86 Concepts on the Tokyo Auto Salon, previewing greener conversations of older automobiles. The first used a Mirai-sourced hydrogen powertrain, whereas the opposite used an electrical motor sourced from a Tundra hybrid and a battery pack from a Prius plug-in hybrid.
The Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Oliver Zipse, and the Head of BMW Motorrad, Dr. Markus Schramm, opened BMW Motorrad Welt in Berlin yesterday, 28 September 2023, as the highlight of the brand’s anniversary celebrations. This took place exactly 100 years to the day after the first BMW motorcycle, the R 32, was presented at the Berlin Motor Show on 28 September 1923.
The ceremony was attended by 150 guests from politics, business and the press. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of BMW Motorrad and the opening of the BMW Motorrad Welt, the company makes a donation of 100,000 euros. As an international brand with a production site in Berlin, this amount benefits both an international institution such as UNICEF and local and regional charities in Berlin and Brandenburg.
The highlight of the opening ceremony was not only the presentation of the best custom bikes based on the BMW R 18 model family as part of the BMW Motorrad Customizing Championship, but also the world premiere of the new BMW R 1300 GS, which continues the success story of the GS series.
“Today, BMW Motorrad is more innovative and diverse than ever. BMW Motorrad Welt perfectly embodies and presents our claim: Technological innovations that inspire people. Over the past eight years, we have invested more than half a billion euros in training and further education as well as state-of-the-art production technologies at the BMW Group Plant in Berlin. This is not only an endorsement of Berlin as a traditional location, but even more a clear commitment by BMW to Germany as an industrial location,” says Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG.
“When we celebrate 100 years of BMW Motorrad today, we are of course celebrating 100 years of German industrial history, 100 years of development and innovation, 100 years of global competition,” said Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany at the anniversary celebration. “The industrial country of Germany thrives on women and men who choose a career in industry. I was able to get an idea of how they work here last December. Craftsmanship meets high-tech, digitalization in education and training, employees with a wide variety of backgrounds, all of whom are passionate about 100-year traditional crafts, that impressed me. I am happy that with today’s opening of the Motorrad Welt, BMW is also enabling many curious people to discover what is being created here in Berlin thanks to your work.”
BMW Motorrad and the BMW Group Plant Berlin: a long-standing joint success story. BMW Motorrad Welt is located adjacent to the BMW motorcycle plant in Berlin-Spandau and thus exactly where the heart of the BMW Motorrad brand beats. BMW motorcycles have been manufactured in Berlin since 1969. Every day, 900 motorcycles and premium e-scooters roll off the assembly line on almost 230,000 square metres and in partly listed buildings. BMW Motorrad Welt now moves into its new home in one of the historic brick buildings.
“The BMW Group Plant in Berlin is one of the most steeped-in-tradition and at the same time most innovative industrial locations in Berlin and the region. It is an essential part of the BMW Motorrad success story. Almost the entire BMW Motorrad model range is manufactured in Berlin. From here we control the manufacturing in our international production network. It fills us with pride that we are reaffirming our commitment to Berlin with the opening of BMW Motorrad Welt at the production site,” emphasises Helmut Schramm, Head of BMW Group Plant Berlin.
“BMW Motorrad and the innovation capital Berlin — that’s a perfect match, and we’re proud that Berlin is part of the company’s 100-year success story. The plant at Am Juliusturm is a poster child for Berlin as a location; the employees at the BMW Motorradwerk provide proof every day that the answers to the mobility issues of our time come not only from China or Silicon Valley, but in fact from Berlin-Spandau as well. With the newly opened Motorrad Welt, Berlin will have one more attraction in the future — a real gift for the 100th anniversary of the major brand ‘Made in Berlin'”, explains Kai Wegner, Governing Mayor of Berlin.
“With BMW Motorrad Welt, our brand finds a home directly where our motorcycles are manufactured in Berlin. The term home is associated with strong emotions – just like BMW Motorrad Welt Berlin. It is our Home of the Brand. On an area of around 1,000 square metres, it offers a holistic brand experience that connects BMW Motorrad with its community in a lively and highly emotional way,” says Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad, describing the cornerstones of BMW Motorrad Welt Berlin.
Interactive presentations and glimpses behind the scenes. The interactive presentation of current BMW Motorrad vehicles is one of the central components of BMW Motorrad Welt Berlin. Special exhibitions – on the subject of customizing, for example – as well as selected highlights from the BMW Motorrad Gear & Garment Collection and Original BMW Motorrad Accessories round off the experience at BMW Motorrad Welt Berlin.
Thrilling live broadcasts or a meet & greet with prominent motorbike VIPs are just as much a permanent fixture at BMW Motorrad Welt as are art exhibitions, living room concerts, autograph sessions with well-known artists and the Motorcycle Cinema. BMW Motorrad Welt offers a variety of different activities for the general public, motorcycle fans and all BMW Group employees.
From Monday to Friday, visitors can also experience the fascination of state-of-the-art vehicle production at BMW Motorrad by going on tours of the plant. In addition, a guided tour of the plant grounds and through the production halls offers a rare opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of two-wheeler production and to experience the passion and team spirit of the Berlin plant at first hand.
BMW Motorrad Welt as an emotional platform for events, including rental options. With its spacious and emotional room concept, BMW Motorrad Welt in Berlin offers a wide range of possibilities for events of all kinds. Be it conferences, interactive workshops, meetings, closed room events or celebrations – BMW Motorrad Welt Berlin offers the right, extraordinary setting. In addition, the BMW Motorrad Welt facilities can be rented externally.
Next weekend, 30 September to 1 October, BMW Motorrad Welt will open its doors to the public. With a colourful entertainment programme, live music and gastronomic highlights, BMW Motorrad Welt invites everyone who is interested to be part of the grand opening weekend. Admission is free.
The regular BMW Motorrad Welt opening hours.
Mon – Sun: 10.00 am – 7.00 pm.
Public holidays: Closed.
You will find press material on BMW motorcycles and BMW Motorrad rider equipment in the BMW Group PressClub at www.press.bmwgroup.com.
Munich. The Supervisory Board of BMW AG has extended the contract of Oliver Zipse as Chairman of the Board of Management until 2026. Zipse has been a member of the Board since 2015 and became Chairman in August 2019. Under his leadership, the BMW Group has significantly expanded its range of electric vehicles, offering fully electric models in almost all core segments. The company has also started development on the Neue Klasse, the next model generation set to begin production in 2025.
Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of BMW AG, praised Zipse’s successful navigation of the company through volatile times, stating that the BMW Group has achieved robust results and strengthened its leading position in the global market under his leadership. Reithofer also expressed confidence in the future expansion of BMW’s position with the introduction of the Neue Klasse.
Martin Kimmich, Chairman of the General Works Council of BMW AG, expressed satisfaction with the reappointment of Zipse, highlighting the good cooperation between the Board of Management and the Works Council. He looks forward to continuing to make constructive decisions together.
During the meeting, the Supervisory Board also appointed Jochen Goller to the Board of Management. Goller will take over responsibility for the division Customer, Brands and Sales on November 1, 2023, succeeding Pieter Nota. Nota played a key role in accelerating sales of electric models and digitalizing the customer interface. With Goller’s appointment, the Supervisory Board recognizes his international sales experience and expertise in the Chinese market, the BMW Group’s largest market.
Goller has been with the BMW Group since 1999 and has held various cross-brand positions in the UK and China. He has successfully managed the company’s activities in the China region since 2018, overseeing the BMW Group’s majority stake acquisition in local joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive. Goller has also previously been responsible for the MINI brand.
Michele Colaninno has been appointed as the CEO of Piaggio after the death of his father, Roberto Colaninno, who held the position of chairman and CEO. Prior to his promotion, Michele served as the chief executive of global strategy, product, marketing, and innovation.
After the passing of Roberto Colaninno on August 19, 2023, Piaggio’s board of directors had to restructure the corporate governance. Following shareholder recommendations, Michele Colaninno assumed the role of CEO, with similar powers and responsibilities to his previous position. In addition, Carlo Zanetti has been appointed as a new non-executive director, maintaining the number of board members unchanged.
The board of directors of Piaggio & C. S.p.A now consists of Michele Colaninno as CEO and Matteo Colaninno as Executive Chair. Additionally, Graziano Gianmichele Visentin, Rita Ciccone, Patrizia Albano, Federica Savasi, Micaela Vescia, and Andrea Formica serve as independent directors. Carlo Zanetti has been appointed as a non-executive director.
Piaggio has announced that its shareholders’ meeting will take place on December 31, 2023. During this meeting, shareholders will need to approve the company’s financial statements. It will also mark the end of the current board’s term.
Besides his role as the head of Piaggio, Michele Colaninno is the founder of Piaggio Fast Forward, a robotics company based in the United States. He is also the CEO and COO of the Immsi Group, a financial, real estate, and industrial holding company listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. Additionally, Michele Colaninno serves as the president of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).
Michele Colaninno joins KTM CEO Stefan Pierer, BMW Motorrad’s head Markus Schramm, and Yamaha Motor Europe President Eric de Seynes as one of ACEM’s three vice presidents.
The Type 091, also known as the Han class, was developed during China’s Chairman Mao’s rule in the late 1950s. However, it took over two decades for the first submarine to be launched. The goal was to create a nuclear attack submarine that could rival those of the Soviet Union and the West during the Cold War. However, at that time, there were doubts about its technological capabilities, particularly in terms of meeting thermal performance and sound reduction standards, which are crucial for a submarine’s security as sonar detection is a significant threat.
On paper, the Type 091 was impressive, measuring 98 meters in length, 10 meters in diameter, and capable of reaching a top speed of 25 knots. Its pressurized water reactor was a technological triumph for China during that era, and advanced sonar, reconnaissance, and sound detection equipment were developed without any assistance from the West. For Chairman Mao, it must have been a significant achievement and a demonstration of China’s emerging global power.
A total of five Type 091 submarines were built, with three still in active service. These submarines have the capability to launch various torpedoes, including NATO variants, as China adopted standard calibers. They are also equipped with surface-launched anti-ship cruise missiles, which have a range of 42 kilometers and can reach a top speed of Mach 0.9. Despite undergoing upgrades, these submarines have been reported to experience radiation leakage and continue to have significant noise levels, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence.
[Featured image via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | Public domain]
Aston Martin chairman Lawrence Stroll’s comment calling the DB11 “slow” seems to have been taken to heart by the engineers. The result is the DB12, a brutally fast car that leans more towards the DBS in terms of speed. The response is almost instantaneous at any speed, and the eight-speed automatic transmission matches the engine perfectly, giving it a super tourer positioning. The gearshifts are crisp and precise, although not as savage as a dual-clutch auto. The engine sounds epic, but not as deafening as Aston’s V12.
We got the chance to drive the DB12 on two fantastic roads in France: the Route Napoléon and the Col de Vence. The former is filled with hairpin turns and second-gear corners, while the latter has faster third-gear turns. The DB12 handles better on the Col de Vence, providing superb body control, stable handling, and plenty of grip. It feels stiffer than the 7% improvement figure suggests, making it an exhilarating sports car in higher-speed corners. You can’t help but crave the next corner as soon as you’ve finished one. However, the DB12 can feel a bit frustrated at lower speeds, with its size becoming apparent and the diff and transmission calibration not quite delivering the same thrills in slower-speed corners. There is definitely room for the more agile Vantage below the DB12, even considering its more sporting positioning.
One of the most transformative aspects of the DB12 is its ride comfort, particularly noticeable around town. Aston wasn’t exaggerating when they said the dampers’ ability had increased. Although you do need to be careful with how you position the car, the low-speed refinement and comfort make you forget you’re driving such a sporty and powerful vehicle. It’s not intimidating at all. While our test route didn’t include many motorway miles, the DB12 seemed impressively comfortable on longer journeys as well.
After a day of driving, however, there were still some control issues that could be improved. Credit to Aston for not relying solely on the touchscreen, but the mix of physical and digital controls gives it a first-generation layout feel. More refinements in usability are planned, with seven more front-engined sports cars, including derivatives, set to follow the DB12 in the next two years. Nevertheless, the perceived quality, technology, and comfort of the DB12 have seen significant improvements, successfully addressing the biggest shortcoming of the DB11.
Unlock Your Automotive Passion and Explore the Road Ahead
