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Car review

Used Renault Twizy 2012-2021 evaluate

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A reasonably typical seatbelt, two pedals, two indicator stalks and a wholly regular steering wheel characterise a driving setting that may make the Renault Twizy really feel fairly acquainted.

This can be true have been it not for the central driving place and for the truth that – even with the non-obligatory scissor doorways of our check automobile lowered – the cockpit by no means feels remotely enclosed.

A excessive driving place makes for good all-round visibility. But most testers agreed that they felt as in the event that they have been driving on the Twizy moderately than driving in it. It’s an impression underlined by the air speeding into the cabin the place typical home windows would possibly in any other case be, and on a cold day at cruising speeds it makes you conscious about the shortage of any cabin heating.

The Twizy gives its driver as a lot room as any supermini. Its controls are simple to make use of and the digital speedometer, journey pc and battery meter are clear. 

The inside plastics are hardy sufficient and simple to wipe clear – necessary provided that there’s no solution to shield them from rain and street grime – however they do really feel low cost, reminding you extra of the cubbies and fittings on a mass-market bike than these of a up to date automobile. 

Ironically, a giant bike would possibly provide extra storage than the Twizy. The principal cubby – a 31-litre field behind the rear seat – is fiddly to open and difficult to entry and would barely accommodate a small purchasing bag.

Although it might be a a lot safer and extra energy-efficient technique of getting across the metropolis, the Twizy barely appears to supply any extra practicality than a giant scooter. 

On the gear entrance, the usual Twizy acquired disc brakes, an digital engine immobiliser, regenerative braking, day-time-running lights, and a driver’s airbag included, whereas Expression trim added a digital drive and speedo show, a lockable rear cupboard space and heated windscreen.

The range-topping Dynamique mannequin gained flooring mats, alloy wheels and a selection of 14 color collections, whereas these wanting to make use of their Twizy as a industrial automobile can achieve this with the Cargo mannequin, which eliminated the rear seat and changed it with further cupboard space.

Cars, News

These 4 New Jeep Safari 2024 Concepts Run From Retro To Outright Rude

Next is the Vacationeer. It’s based mostly on the Grand Wagoneer, solely with a reasonably substantial carry and the compulsory 35-inch tires. It sports activities various skid plates beneath for overlanding aptitude. But the centerpiece is the massive rooftop tent provided by RedTail Overland, known as the Skyloft. The inside temperature is adjustable (as a result of, after all, it’s), and may match as much as two individuals. It’s powered by the twin-turbo Hurricane inline-six engine that makes 510 horsepower (the identical engine that can characteristic within the upcoming new Dodge Charger), and it is completed in a colour known as “Spearminted.” A rooftop tent on a luxurious SUV is not that uncommon, however on this case, the manufacturing unit roof of the Grand Wagoneer has been eliminated, making Vacationeer primarily a two-story tenting spot.

Jeep

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon High Top idea is fitted with 40-inch tires and an adjustable air suspension system. According to a Jeep press launch, it was made to point out the Gladiator’s off-road credibility. It sports activities a “Ginger Snap” paint scheme and the tried and true Pentastar 3.6-liter V6.

NewsNew

10 LEGENDARY DUAL-SPORT BIKES: THE WRAP

The complete concept of the dual-sport bike is a reasonably latest invention. Back within the dimly lit previous, all bikes needed to cope with avenue and grime. Most of America wasn’t even paved. Eventually, bikes acquired extra specialised, making the idea of a motorbike that wasn’t specialised pretty novel. We received’t attempt to monitor down the inventor of the dual-sport bike as we all know it at the moment, however there are some related highlights on the street to the place we at the moment are.

1964 Honda Trail 90

1964: The Honda Trail 50 and Trail 90 arrived within the early ‘60s due, in part, to the efforts of a Boise, Idaho Honda dealership owned by Herb Uhl. Uhl had been modifying a step-through 50 for off-road use. Honda first offered the Trail 50 to his specifications, then it grew into the wildly popular Trail 90. It was one of the key models leading to Honda’s phenomenal development within the ‘60s

1968 Yamaha DT-1

1968: In the late ‘60s, Yamaha supplied the DT-1 250 as a path bike. It was street-legal as a result of there have been only a few bureaucratic obstacles to forestall that. Yamaha began utilizing the time period “Enduro” to determine the thought of a street-legal off-road bike. The DT-1 spawned a complete class of opponents from Suzuki, Kawasaki and, ultimately, Honda.

1972 Honda XL250

1972: Soichiro Honda was a steadfast believer within the four-stroke engine design. He countered the Yamaha DT-1 with the four-stroke XL250 in 1972. At the time, there was even a prototype motocross four-stroke that Gary Jones examined. Honda made the MT250 dual-purpose two-stroke bike briefly, then returned to four-strokes.

1980 BMW R 80 G/S

1980: BMW dominated the early runnings of the Paris-Dakar Rally with huge two-cylinder works bikes. That impressed the R80GS manufacturing bike within the early ‘80s. This bike is broadly credited as being the primary journey bike, though that dialogue is much from being settled.

1991 Suzuki DR350ES

1991: Suzuki out of the blue awakened and realized that they had been lacking out on the entire dual-sport factor. In ‘91, the DR350 and DR250 had been launched as grime bikes. They had been accompanied by street-legal variations that, miracle of miracles, had electrical begin.. They remained in manufacturing till the DRZ400 arrived.

Honda XR250L

1991: Honda rediscovered the XL250R, up to date it and referred to as it the XR250L in 1991. Forgotten truth: For a few years previous to that, Honda believed that dual-sport bikes ought to have frame-mount fairings and avenue suspension. Those bikes had been referred to as the NX fashions.

Honda XR650L

1993: It was uncommon for an organization to take an present grime bike and attempt to make it avenue authorized–often the method was the opposite manner round. The 1993 XR650L was the exception. Honda took the XR600R grime bike and adjusted as little as attainable to make it right into a dual-sport. Along the way in which it gained 50cc and acquired electric-start.

Suzuki DR-Z400

2000: Suzuki got here out with separate dirt-only and dual-sport variations of the DRZ400 in 2000. Great bikes. The grime mannequin vanished within the four-stroke revolution that adopted, however the avenue model remains to be round at the moment, nearly unchanged.

2006 Husqvarna TE450

2006: Husqvarna took the idea of a street-legal grime bike to a complete new degree with the 2006 TE450. It was the corporate’s off-road 450 competitors bike with some emission gear, minimal lighting and a quiet exhaust. Very few had been truly imported to the U.S. that yr.

2007 KTM 525EXC

2007: KTM upped Husqvarna’s ante the next yr by giving the 525EXC grime bike a street-legal make-over. That’s nonetheless the format for hard-core dual-sport bikes that we get pleasure from at the moment.

MORE CLASSIC DUAL-SPORT

One of the most well-liked posts right here is the “10 Best Used Dual-Sport Bikes” from a couple of years again. The authentic submit is over 10 years previous, but it surely was up to date a number of occasions through the years. Today, the knowledge remains to be legitimate, though a few of the older bikes merely don’t exist on the used bike market anymore. Still, it’s a enjoyable learn for the sake of nostalgia.

DUAL-SPORT VIDEOS

See you subsequent week!

–Ron Lawson
Artificial Intelligence

Here Is The Reason Behind ChatGPT’s Lazy Responses

While I’m removed from a topic professional on LLMs, Lynch’s explanations sound pretty convincing — and not less than 2,300 who just like the submit in all probability agree. However, the winter break speculation has its personal critics, as one other researcher, Ian Arawjo, responded that they might not reproduce the identical outcomes, and the comparability between queries labeled for May and December was too small to be seen by customers.

Meanwhile, there was no replace from OpenAI or CEO Sam Altman on X in regards to the difficulty, although each accounts can in any other case be seen posting actively. Amid ChatGPT’s lazy-loading points, the corporate went through a brief upheaval, with Altman briefly being ousted from his position as the CEO, being hired by Microsoft, after which re-hired as OpenAI’s CEO – in lower than every week, whereas the vast majority of the OpenAI workforce threatened to mass-resign as a protest.

Perhaps, regardless of all of the facade, there may be nonetheless an influence tussle inside the corporate, stopping it from fixing the difficulty. Or maybe, the workforce is taking a well-deserved break after a yr filled with mentions of AI in virtually each advertising and marketing and gross sales deck, tech podcast, or YouTube video — even within the Cambridge Dictionary’s Word of the Year 2023.

Technology

Here’s How Amazon’s Denali 20V Cordless Drill Compares To Store Brands

The Amazon Basics 20V cordless drill seems to be like a reasonably normal drill, and, for probably the most half, it’s. For $59, you obtain the drill, a 2.0Ah Lithium battery, and a 2.4A charger to maintain issues operating.

The drill is a definite deep blue with turquoise accents, measures 26 inches by 18.1 inches by 18.1 inches, and sports activities a sloped deal with and rubber grip to maximise consumer consolation. There’s even a built-in LED gentle close to the battery to assist information in low-light settings.

Bits could be modified on the fly with the ½-inch keyless chuck. Simply rotate the drill’s head to tighten and loosen the chuck to safe Phillips or flat head drivers or a variety of drill bit sizes. Depending on the job, you possibly can manually alter the clutch to extend or lower torque (as much as 350 pound-inch) to stop over-tightening and maximize effectivity whereas drilling.

The Denali by Skil drill additionally incorporates a two-way toggle to simply change between 0 to 420 and 0 to 1,600 rpm.

Car review

Lexus LBX

The LBX is a premium-focused B-segment automobile, and for a brand new arrival in late 2023 it’s pretty novel: there’s no electrical model deliberate, and by increasing right into a smaller market, Lexus has bucked the continuing pattern of vehicles rising to the purpose that they barely match on British roads any extra. (We will conveniently overlook the brand new supersized LM MPV for now…)

That places the LBX into an intriguing spot out there: its nearest direct rivals are in all probability the Audi Q2, which will probably be retired subsequent 12 months, and the DS 3, which hardly sells. It’s greater than the Mini hatchback, smaller than the Mini Countryman. You might evaluate it to the brand new Volvo EX30, besides that’s battery-powered and the Lexus is completely a hybrid.

Less charitably, you might additionally take into account the LBX a blinged-up Toyota Yaris Cross. Underneath that trendy Lexus design and inside, each vehicles are based mostly on the TNGA-B platform and have the identical 1.5-litre three-cylinder hybrid powertrain. 

The large distinction is you can get a Yaris Cross for £24,855. The LBX vary begins at £29,995, with top-spec front-wheel-drive fashions reaching £39,545. Our Premium check automobile is priced at £32,495, or £435 if you happen to’re paying month-to-month.

LBX chief engineer Kunihiko Endo insists that, whereas utilizing the identical fundamental platform, the 2 vehicles have been developed completely individually, with intensive work performed to verify his machine was a ‘true’ Lexus. Compared with the Yaris Cross, the wheelbase has been stretched by 20mm to 2580mm, and the physique is 10mm longer, at 4190mm. The LBX can be barely decrease and 60mm wider, the latter permitting for a wider observe that Endo says was key to optimising the journey and dealing with.

Styling-wise, you would not mistake the LBX for the Yaris Cross: the Lexus design workforce has, to those eyes, performed an ideal job of fusing the agency’s conventional design notes right into a compact package deal. The entrance grille has gone frameless (much less formal, apparently) and the sleek, curved bodywork options quite a lot of attention-grabbing traces – and helps the airflow to enhance effectivity.

At the rear, the quantity plates is mounted low down on the automobile to present extra prominence to the Lexus lettering on the boot, and there is additionally a new-style rear mild bar. You’ll additionally spot a small spoiler mounted on the rear fringe of the roof.

News

Kove Hopes To Make Waves At Dakar With New 450 Rally EX

Kove recently entered the motorcycle industry and made its mark at EICMA 2022. The brand has gained attention for its model offerings and foray into racing. In the 2022 Dakar Rally, Kove showcased its 450 Rally model and all three bikes finished the challenging rally.

At EICMA 2023, Kove unveiled its new rally machine, the 450 Rally EX. Based on the 450 Rally Pro, this model boasts improved performance with more power, upgraded chassis, and a lighter build. The rally racer is powered by a compact single-cylinder engine with a displacement of 449.9cc, liquid-cooling, and electronic fuel injection, delivering 65 horsepower and 36.14 pound-feet of torque.

2024 Kove 450 Rally EX

The new Kove 450 Rally EX features an updated clutch design with a hydraulic master cylinder and a new quickshifter for seamless shifts. Additionally, it now makes use of three fuel tanks to enhance handling and high-speed stability on off-road terrain. The rider can select which fuel tank supplies gas to the engine via switches on the dash.

Kove claims that the 450 Rally EX weighs just 282 pounds dry, a significant reduction of 38 pounds compared to the previous model. This weight reduction was achieved through the use of lightweight materials such as magnesium alloy, titanium, carbon fiber, and advanced plastics. Suspension hardware has been enhanced, featuring a 49mm inverted fork up front and a progressive link monoshock at the rear, and the bike is equipped with Taisko brakes.

Kove plans to release a limited production run of 50 units of the 450 Rally EX to the enthusiast market, with a price tag of 19,999 Euros, or about $21,391 USD per unit.


2024 Kove 450 Rally EX

4 Photos

Car review

Ariel Atom 4

The Ariel Atom 4 test car has an adjustable Ohlins suspension that was initially set fairly permissively for compression and rebound damping. However, with some experimentation, it is evident that this car remains dynamic and characterful even when the dials are cranked up. It has a tendency to move around on its suspension springs, requiring the driver to manipulate its weight similar to a sports bike or an old Porsche 911.

This process of understanding the Atom’s rearward weight bias and its lively behavior over bumps can be developed on the road. However, the real thrill comes when driving it on the track, where it becomes incredibly absorbing and vivid.

The firmer and more focused the Atom is, the less noticeable this characteristic becomes. A 4R with a road/track spring setup or even the full track springs offers tight control with minimal roll. Although the steering still provides weight and feedback, the driver has less concern about body movements when sliding. Overall, it is a well-balanced track car.

COMFORT AND ISOLATION

Despite the Atom’s hardcore ethos, even with the Ohlins dampers set to a more track-biased configuration, it displays a surprising level of compliance in its primary ride. It handles undulating surfaces smoothly and effectively absorbs sharp compressions without compromising its excellent body control.

However, the Atom is not a relaxing car to drive, especially during touring. Due to its size and liveliness, the driver remains highly aware of imperfections in the road surface that can be felt through the open wheels. Fortunately, these issues are most noticeable at low speeds and over severe bumps. In general, the car tracks straight and does not feel overly sensitive compared to its peers.

The Atom’s open design leaves the driver quite exposed to the elements, making it physically demanding. There is no heater, so warmth depends solely on the weather and the driver’s clothing. At motorway speeds, effort is required to keep one’s head steady in the wind, contributing to fatigue.

Moreover, the noise inside the Atom is quite high. At idle, it measures at 74dB, which increases to 92dB at a 70mph cruise. This level of noise requires earplugs or a helmet for better refinement.

The seats are initially comfortable, although they can become unforgiving over long distances. Most testers agree that the seats do a good job of holding the driver in place, but some noted a lack of lower back support. Generally, spending more than an hour in an Atom without a break might not be ideal, but most owners do not plan for extended drives anyway. Treating it like a superbike would be a suitable approach.

Featured

Meet Skoda Roadiaq Concept: Enyaq Electric SUV Fitted With A Bed, A Work Desk And More

From being a fairly premium electric SUV to a liveable workplace, it is the latest creation from the Skoda Vocational School

Skoda Roadiaq

Working remotely has been both a challenge and an opportunity since the pandemic struck in 2020. What if one could live the adventure without having to go off-grid? That’s the solution that has been worked on by 29 students of the Skoda Vocational School in Mlada Boleslav. Meet the Skoda Roadiaq, the ninth student concept vehicle and the first to be based on the brand’s all-electric SUV, the Skoda Enyaq iV. It has been heavily modified to act as a mobile office to meet the needs of a modern-day employee. The project was started in August 2022 and represents a total of 2000 hours of work from the students with help from numerous Skoda departments and camping equipment experts.

Here are 5 special things that you should know about the Skoda Roadiaq.

Changes Made Outside

The Roadiaq’s usability varies from being a workplace on the go to a vehicle that can be used for camping too. It gets a new roof structure and a new tailgate that allows a tent to be attached to the vehicle. This has increased the wheelbase of the Roadiaq to 2,770 mm, and height to 2,050mm. It also features 21-inch Supernova alloy wheels, and has a ground clearance of 190mm. The front end has no distinct design changes but the concept sports a cool two-tone finish of Emerald Green and Moon White.

The tent not only provides shelter in bad weather conditions, but also adds to the convenience of using the kitchen installed in the rear of the vehicle. The rear left door has been reworked and the door handle has also been removed. The sunblinds also offer more privacy inside the camper. 

Also Read: 2024 Skoda Kodiaq Engine And Gearbox Details Revealed

A Mobile Living Room

Skoda Roadiaq’s interior has been designed in such a way that it can easily be transformed into an office, and then a living space. Only the cockpit still resembles the original car this concept is based on, while the rest features numerous custom-built fittings.

Inside the rear section of the Rodiaq, a disk has been fitted to the right side complete with a 27-inch monitor and peripherals like a mouse and keyboard. It also has cabinets and power outlets for all devices. The car itself is wired up for a permanent high-speed internet connection.

On the left, there is a single bed extending till the central console, leaving a gap to the driver’s seat. Thanks to the modified roof, there is now room for storage along three sides and the usual sunroof is replaced by a smaller aperture that will also help ventilate the cabin. The bed also incorporates multiple power outlets. It also gets an espresso coffee machine which can be operated via a 12V socket. There’s even a shower attachment! 

Also Check Out: New-Gen Skoda Superb & Kodiaq Teased Along With 4 All-New EVs

Use Of Sustainable Materials

Inside, the materials used for seat fabrics, door trims and instrument panel are fully recycled. All these are mono materials, which means only one material or fibre has been used, which makes the recycling process much easier. The cushion covers and blanket provided in the Roadiaq is made using a 3D knit technology, which is a waste-free process of weaving a product directly into a single material. 

Solar Power Assistance

The Roadiaq is loaded with lots of amenities which make your life easier, but they also require enough electricity to power your needs. The vehicle also gets solar cells that help supplement the charge available for the living compartment of the vehicle, so that its driving range is not affected.

Also, an external power supply can also be used to power all the equipment inside the vehicle, which also eliminates the need to depend completely on one power source.

Battery And Range

The Skoda Roadiaq is based on the Enyaq 80x Sportline variant. It offers a WLTP claimed range of up to 495km from its 82kWh battery pack, driving the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. The front axle uses an asynchronous electric motor which has an output of 108PS and 162Nm, while there is a synchronous electric motor which churns out 203PS and 310Nm driving the rear wheels. It has a combined peak output of 265PS and 425Nm.

The Skoda Roadiaq is an interesting concept that may not result in a new version of the Enyaq itself, but shows the potential of the various custom-built elements used for future all-electric campers. What do you think about the Skoda Roadiaq concept? Let us know in the comments.

Featured

Volvo C40 Recharge: A Stylish Electric Vehicle with a 530 Kilometer Range


The Volvo C40 Recharge is an upcoming electric vehicle from Volvo that will launch in August. It’s the sleeker version of the popular XC40 Recharge, offering the same features but with a higher driving range.

Volvo C40 Recharge

The Volvo C40 Recharge is the newest addition to Volvo’s lineup in India. It has been recently unveiled and will be available for sale in August. Bookings will start once the prices are announced, and deliveries are expected to begin in September.

Positioned as the coupe-styled version of the XC40, the C40 caters to the growing demand for sleek SUV designs.

Powertrain Details

The C40 Recharge comes equipped with a 78kWh battery pack, which is the same capacity as the XC40 Recharge. However, due to its slightly more aerodynamic design, the C40 boasts a higher WLTP-claimed range of 530km. It features a sporty dual-motor AWD setup that produces 408PS and 660Nm of torque. The C40 Recharge can accelerate from 0-100kmph in just 4.7 seconds.

Furthermore, it supports 150kW fast charging, allowing the battery to be charged from 10 to 80 percent in just 27 minutes.

Familiar Interior

The C40 Recharge shares the same interior as its counterparts. It features a 9-inch vertically-oriented infotainment touchscreen at the center of the dashboard, along with a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display. The fully-loaded trim includes electrically adjustable front seats with heating and cooling functions, dual-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, and a premium Harman Kardon sound system.

As one of the first brands to introduce Advanced Driver Assist Systems (ADAS) in India, the C40 Recharge offers features such as collision avoidance and mitigation, lane-keeping aid, post-impact braking, driver alertness monitoring, and run-off mitigation. Safety-wise, it also includes seven airbags and a 360-degree camera.

Rivals

The Volvo C40 Recharge is expected to have a starting price of around Rs 60 lakh (ex-showroom). While it doesn’t have any direct rivals at the moment, it will compete with other electric vehicles like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Kia EV6, BMW i4, and its own sibling, the XC40 Recharge.