The first-generation Ford Focus debuted on the 1998 Geneva Motor Show and shortly turned one of many firm’s most essential fashions. While the way forward for the nameplate seems very uncertain, towards the tail finish of the Nineteen Nineties, it set the stage for a brand new period in compact automotive manufacturing with its distinctive design and superior options. Ford’s UK and German groups labored collectively to create a automotive that was the envy of the world.
Welcome to Timeless European Treasures, our weekly look again at automobiles from the European market that outlined a motoring era.
Why Do We Love It?
Good query. The Ford Focus has earned a particular place within the hearts of automotive lovers and on a regular basis drivers for a lot of causes. Its attraction is multifaceted, beginning with its groundbreaking design. The unique Focus departed from conventional compact automotive aesthetics, embracing the New Edge styling philosophy launched within the late Nineteen Nineties. The outcome was a polarizing but fascinating exterior that caught the attention and set the mannequin aside from its opponents.
One of the important thing causes for the Focus’s widespread admiration is its engineering prowess. The introduction of the Control Blade rear suspension system, for instance, marked a leap ahead in dealing with and journey consolation for a compact automotive. The engineers, led by Richard Parry-Jones, crafted a class-leading, space-saving unbiased multi-link rear suspension that delivered distinctive elasto-kinematic efficiency. This innovation contributed to the Focus’s sharp steering, superior physique management, and clean journey over numerous terrains.
Of course, Ford lovers will at all times bear in mind the first-gen Focus for its efficiency variations. From the extra delicate US-market SVT fashions to the Focus RS with a 2.0-liter turbo engine, the compact automotive delivered an honest efficiency for rookie and semi-pro drivers. And after all, the Focus RS WRC was a profitable rally automotive with plenty of prestigious triumphs within the World Rally Championship.
Remember the snazzy Lamborghini Huracán Sterrato that debuted in August? It was known as Opera Unica, and it took 370 hours to finish its extraordinarily detailed paint job. That’s the equal of working 15 days straight. It took a bit longer to decorate up the Huracán’s huge brother in an analogous go well with. Say whats up to the Lamborghini Revuelto Opera Unica.
Presented on Wednesday at Art Basel Miami Beach 2023, Lamborghini says the intricate exterior required 435 hours to complete. That’s 18 days on the dot. The customized inside added one other 220 hours to the mission. It’s not a carbon copy of the Huracán Sterrato Opera Unica, both. This one incorporates purple and black – particularly, Viola Pasifae and Nero Helene – amid streaks of crimson, blue, and different shades.
Moving inside, you may discover a two-tone leather-based inside with extra purple and black – this time Viola Acutus and Nero Ade – incorporating an analogous theme with streaks of heat and funky colours scattered about. There are sixtieth anniversary logos stitched into the headliner, door inserts, and headrests. To be sure you comprehend the extent of element executed for this mission, Lamborghini particularly mentions the colourful brushstrokes on the beginning/cease cowl.
“We wanted to create something purely artistic using brushes and a combination of colors, as if the Revuelto was a canvas,” mentioned Lamborghini Design Director Mitja Borkert. “That is what fueled our inspiration for this special livery. With the dynamic hand-painted exterior we really emphasize the aerodynamics and speed of the car.”
One would possibly argue that the Revuelto wants no such emphasis. Its edgy physique has extra scoops than a sketchy tabloid, and the design seems imported straight from the thirty first century. If the visuals aren’t sufficient, there is a screaming 6.5-liter V12 tucked behind the motive force for good measure. Fused with three electrical motors, the Revuelto creates a mixed 1,001 horsepower. Lamborghini says it is sufficient for the hypercar to achieve 60 mph in an estimated 2.6 seconds, en path to a 217-mph high pace.
We suspect this explicit instance won’t ever see such velocities. It will likely be seen, nonetheless, because it’s on show for Art Basel to assist Lamborghini rejoice its sixtieth anniversary earlier than it heads to its new proprietor. Yes, Lamborghini offered this one-off to 1 very rich collector for over than $1 million.
In 2015, Rolls-Royce introduced its first SUV, the Cullinan. Over the years, it has become the company’s top-selling nameplate. Now, this significant model is undergoing a mid-cycle refresh, and the first spy photos of the lightly camouflaged prototype have been released.
The prototype was spotted near BMW’s research and development center in Munich. It features camouflaged portions on the front fascia, suggesting revisions to the front bumper. The lower section of the panel is not camouflaged, offering a clear view of the new shape and size of the air intakes at the sides. The center section with the large radar in the middle remains mostly unchanged, though there appears to be a different pattern for the grille.
First of Two Heartwarming Holiday Ads Debuted During NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center”
PLANO, Texas (Nov. 30, 2023) – Toyota has kicked off the holiday season with a heartwarming message emphasizing the importance of spreading love and making memories with family. The first of two Toyota holiday ads, “Present from the Past,” made its debut during NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center,” delivering a tailored throw from a show host.
“Present from the Past” shares the story of a young woman who receives a Christmas gift from her grandmother. Inside the package is a vintage camera and a collection of her grandmother’s photos from her own youth. Inspired by the camera and with the help of her all-new 2024 Tacoma, the granddaughter decides to recreate the old photos of her grandmother by visiting the same locations. Over the following year, she travels across the country, visiting bustling cities, desert canyons, heartland pastures, tranquil forests, secluded coastlines, small-town attractions, and beyond. In the final scene, she arrives at her grandmother’s home just in time for Christmas, surprising her with a photo album she’s created from her travels, alongside her grandmother’s photos from the past. Her thoughtful gift overwhelms her grandmother with emotion. “Present from the Past” was created by Saatchi & Saatchi and directed by Lisa Gunning.
Toyota’s Hispanic campaign highlights the sentiment that nothing expresses love like picking someone up from the airport, especially during the holidays.Latinos won’t hesitate to pick up their loved ones, even if it means enduring endless traffic, because the holidaysaren’tcomplete untilthey’retogether.The Hispanic spot titled, “Arrivals,”shows relatable moments of families and friendstryingto locate their loved ones among rows of cars, defyingweatherand traffic. Ultimately, reuniting with their family fills theirhearts with joy and comfort, knowing they are finally home for the holidays.The bilingual spot was created byConillAdvertising and directed by Max Malkin.
Toyota’s holiday message this year focuses on spreading joy and reuniting loved ones during the festive season,” said Mike Tripp, group vice president, Toyota Marketing, Toyota Motor North America. “We hope that families and friends will embrace this message as they come together to enjoy what this season is truly about.”
This holiday season, Toyota has partnered with 100cameras to make a difference in the lives of youth across the nation. 100cameras is a nonprofit organization that empowers young people by collaborating with local schools and organizations to offer programs focused on photography and storytelling to nurture self-expression, connection, and leadership.
With Toyota’s donation, the company joins the 100cameras Impact Circle, which will fund programming for 10,000 students within the next year. The Impact Circle serves as a collective support system, fueling 100cameras’ comprehensive programming platform, which includes virtual learning and hands-on classroom experiences across the United States and worldwide.
Viewers are encouraged to support the 100cameras partnership this season by sharing their own recreations of family photos on social media using the hashtag #ToyotaFlashback.
Where to Watch
Following the premiere of the spot on NBC’s “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special, the :60 version of “Present from the Past” will also be shown during high-profile airings on NBC’s “TODAY” on Thursday, November 30, and “Sunday Night Football” on NBC on Sunday, December 10 and December 23.
After the premiere week, “Present from the Past” will begin airing the :30 spot across broadcast and cable networks on December 10. The integrated campaign will appear nationally on broadcast, cinema, digital video, and paid social. The spot will air during prime time, sports programming, and on cable networks such as Comedy Central and Weather Channel, NBA games on ESPN, NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” halftimes throughout December, as well as holiday programming on Freeform.
The Hispanic linear TV coverage of “Arrivals” includes a mix of broadcast networks and targeted cable, including Univision, Telemundo, Estrella, UNIVERSO, and Discovery en Español. High profile Hispanic media programming will amplify “Arrivals,” including Univision’s annual broadcast of their charity event TeletonUSA, UEFA Champions League Soccer, Telemundo’s “Hoy Día,” and UNIVERSO’s “Sunday Night Football” halftime sponsorship. A strategic branded integration on Telemundo’s “Hoy Dia” will further extend the message by showing families coming together for the holidays through viewer-generated content and real-time content captured at airports, during the week of 12/18. Additionally, content will be shared on Telemundo and Toyota Latino social channels. The campaign will also appear in cinema, include a partnership with Pandora and social featuring Mariela on Meta and Pinterest.
The Toyotathon December Sales Event offers incentives through January 2, 2024. View the commercials here. Images and credits are available here.
Last week, Pagani debuted the roadster version of the Imola hypercar while simultaneously holding a major business event: the Asia-Pacific launch of the Utopia. Founder Horacio Pagani attended the premiere with his son Christopher and the pair answered questions from media representatives, telling Bloomberg that an electric hypercar from Pagani isn’t coming anytime soon. Why? We think you all know the answer.
Thanks mostly to the generous use of carbon fiber, the new Imola Roadster tips the scales at 2,776 pounds before adding all necessary fluids. In terms of weight, these figures put it in the supermini league but obviously, this is a mighty capable hypercar with a V12 engine under the bonnet.
In fact, low weight has always been among the most important advantages of Pagani’s vehicles, and switching to a battery electric powertrain, Horacio said, will have a negative impact on the car’s weight and overall performance. “It’s so different that you are losing a little bit of fun,” Horacio told the publication.
Last summer, a report from Autocar claimed Pagani had abandoned its EV research efforts, which it started in 2018. However, Horacio contacted us and told us the automaker would continue to invest in electrical technologies and develop batteries and electric motors for use in the future. But it seems that it will still be a while until the company releases a zero-emissions hypercar.
During the Utopia’s Asia-Pacific debut in Hong Kong, Horacio also discussed the automotive industry from a more global perspective. He was asked about the Chinese EV industry and said that “car prices are cheaper than European brands, and therefore the producers of European cars need to pay a lot of attention and put a lot of effort in to try to remain in this specific market and stay competitive.”
The country currently has the largest EV market on the planet and Horacio believes “there are a lot of opportunities for the Chinese brands in the EV segment and actually they are doing it very well when it comes to product and pricing.”
The Ford Mustang GT3 made its debut back in June. Despite numerous photos of the winged pony car, a new video from Italiansupercarvideo on YouTube provides the first real look at the Mustang’s capabilities. And it doesn’t disappoint.
This specific GT3 model will be raced by the Italian Dinamic GT team in the 2024 GT World Challenge Europe series, as stated in the video’s description. The footage was captured during a testing session at Misano, a 2.5-mile track in northern Italy. While other cars are also on the track, the video primarily highlights the V8 power of the Mustang. Even crew members from other race teams are seen turning their heads as the Mustang leaves the pits, clearly capturing attention at the beginning of the video. This car truly demands to be noticed.
Hyundai has recently revealed an updated version of the Elantra N with a redesigned grille, new bumpers, and a weight reduction of 33 pounds with the new wheels. However, there are already plans for the next generation of the high-performance sedan. A new gasoline-powered N version was announced almost a year ago, and in a recent interview with the Australian magazine CarExpert, Executive Technical Advisor Albert Biermann practically confirmed that the next car will feature a larger engine.
“Before I left Namyang, I made sure the Elantra can go on with the 2.5 turbo. It fits in there and everything. Australia is safe, the U.S. is safe, but someone needs to make a decision, right? And markets other than Australia, forget them. They’re all dreaming of the EV cloud, EV heaven, they don’t care for combustion cars.”
The mention of leaving Namyang refers to Biermann’s previous role as Executive Vice President and Head of Vehicle Testing & High-Performance Development. After 31 years at BMW, Albert Biermann joined Hyundai in April 2015, and three years later, he was appointed President and Head of R&D division at the Hyundai Motor Group.
Biermann played a pivotal role in the establishment of the N division before retiring as head of R&D in late 2021. Since then, he has served as Executive Technical Advisor, based in Europe.
The current Elantra N is equipped with a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine generating 276 horsepower and 289 pound-feet of torque. The larger 2.5-liter unit produces 290 horsepower and 311 lb-ft in the Sonata N Line, while the 2024 Genesis G70 offers 300 hp.
Additional updates to the 2024 Elantra N include revised software for the power steering and a rear-suspension insulator that uses urethane instead of rubber to improve damping. Hyundai also modified the tire pressure, installed a new, low-friction universal joint, and adjusted the gearbox for a more direct feeling. The Elantra N continues to be offered with a six-speed manual or an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic.
The 2024 Hyundai Elantra N will be available at dealerships in January, with pricing yet to be announced. The outgoing model was offered at a starting price of $32,900.
The Chrysler 300 is quite an old car. The current generation was introduced in 2011, but the core architecture of the car dates all the way back to the original model from the mid-2000s – a vehicle itself based on a decades-old Mercedes platform. Despite its age, Consumer Reports reports that people are paying more than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) for the Chrysler 300 on average, in comparison to any other vehicle on sale.
Consumer Reports analyzed data from TrueCar to identify which vehicles are currently selling for the most over their respective sticker prices. The analysis revealed that on average, each Chrysler 300 was selling for 12 percent over MSRP. This is a surprising statistic, especially considering that very little has changed about the car in the last decade.
The newest version of the 2025 Toyota Camry, the ninth generation, has been revealed with notable changes to its powertrain options. For the first time, the Camry will only be available with a four-cylinder hybrid engine. This means that the long-standing 3.5-liter V6 engine will no longer be offered. Additionally, the sporty TRD model is also absent from the lineup.
Toyota has included a V6 engine option in the Camry for many years. The six-cylinder engine was introduced to the US market with the third-generation model in 1988, producing around 153 hp, in contrast to the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine at the time, which had about 114 hp. The V6 engine has been a consistent feature in the Camry lineup since then.
During the launch of new bikes at EICMA 2023, Honda introduced their new technology: E-Clutch. The E-Clutch is paired with existing hardware and brings a totally new feature to two of Honda’s middleweight motorcycles for 2024.
The 2024 Honda CB650R and the CBR650R have both received updates and were unveiled during EICMA 2023. The CB650R now features a new look and a new five-inch TFT display, all built on the same platform. Similarly, the CBR650R has a new look, a new five-inch TFT display, and operates on the same platform.
While the fundamental elements of these bikes remain the same with Showa suspension, a steel frame, and the 94-horsepower four-cylinder engine, the standout feature of these bikes is the E-Clutch, a particularly ingenious technology.
To accommodate the new clutch system, Honda’s engineers have made some adjustments, including fitting a new ECU capable of handling the E-Clutch technology. Essentially, the E-Clutch comprises a pair of servo motors attached to an E-Clutch-specific engine cover. These motors aid the user and allow the bike to have more advanced up and downshifting capabilities and added convenience. The electronic motors also engage the clutch once the bike comes to a stop, preventing the engine from stalling. When it’s time to go, the rider simply needs to apply some throttle and continue on their way.
Other brands have incorporated impressive clutch technologies on their bikes, like MV Agusta with their Rekluse-based Smart Clutch System (SCS). However, Honda’s implementation works with the standard slipper system on the bikes since it operates independently of a traditional wet multi-plate unit.
The system is managed through an actuator unit that communicates with Honda’s ECU to determine whether the clutch needs to be engaged or disengaged based on the bike’s speed and engine speed.
Importantly, this system is still based on a traditional clutch lever with a cable. This means that if the system fails or the rider wants full manual control, the E-Clutch can be disabled by navigating through the menus in the five-inch TFT display. In the worst case scenario, if the system were to fail completely or malfunction, the clutch can still be operated normally using the lever.
It’s worth noting that the system prioritizes the manual operation of the clutch, with the system being there to pull the clutch for the rider and prevent the engine from stalling. When active, the system allows for smooth up and downshifts, which, according to Honda, are smoother than a standard up and down blipper.
Riders can adjust the system to suit their preferences, as Honda offers three levels of engagement: Soft, Medium, and Hard. Additionally, riders will be informed about the E-Clutch’s activity through a notification on the dashboard.
Junya Ono, the project leader for the Honda E-Clutch, provided some insight into the technology. He mentioned:
“Our new Honda E-Clutch is designed to give riders a new kind of experience that makes riding even more fun and exciting. Furthermore, it offers the peace of mind of error-proof operation and all the comfort necessary to move around the city without stress. We are convinced that many motorcyclists will want to try this new system to discover how sportiness and comfort can coexist while offering fun and flexibility of use at the same time.”
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