Tag Archives: happy

News

From kidney to kink: How to design a BMW

April 21, 2024 David Leave a comment

“As Adrian van Hooydonk, BMW’s design chief, once said to me: ‘BMW is happy to rekindle the past but does not worship the flames.’”

BMW roundel

“For BMW folks, the badge and its deployment could be a dialog that lasts for hours.

“It’s all the time utilized to the centre of the bonnet however, on three fashions – the unique CSL, final 12 months’s limited-run 3.0 CSL and the X2, simply out of manufacturing – to the rear pillar as effectively.

“Designers are all the time attempting to place the roundels on and so they’re all the time being advised to take them off, the argument being that one ought to have the ability to recognise a BMW with out badges.

“One designer got very close to putting one on his concept car last year but, very late in the day, was told: ‘No!’”

L-shaped back lights

“This basic machine emerged within the mid-Eighties when Wolfgang Reitzle, then an upcoming engineer, noticed the ‘E32’ 7 Series in growth and, horrified by its slender physique, insisted it have to be widened.

“Rather than simply add a bit within the center, the designers emphasised the elevated width with no fewer than six quad headlights (they have been modified to 4 spherical ones for manufacturing) whereas, on the rear, they added an built-in boot spoiler and L-shaped lights that turned up on the ends to emphasize it.

“The style of BMW rear lights continues to evolve. On last year’s Vision Neue Klasse saloon, they form the rear spoiler as a different way of acknowledging the E32 7 Series’ then novel integrated boot spoiler.”

Legacy color

“The vibrant orange that BMW sometimes makes use of first appeared on the E25 Turbo gullwing present automotive of 1972. It was the concept of Paul Bracq, BMW’s chief designer within the Seventies.

“Bob Lutz, then BMW’s govt vice-president of gross sales, needed a present automotive that will put the corporate on the map for type. He steered it’s styled as a security automotive, in brilliant security colors.

Motorsport

The First Volkswagen Golf Was Built 50 Years Ago Today

March 30, 2024 Prafful Singh

Happy birthday to an absolute legend! Volkswagen’s best-selling automotive of all time and Europe’s hottest automotive ever turns 50 in the present day. On March 29, 1974, sequence manufacturing of the Golf Mk1 began on the Wolfsburg plant in Germany. Since then, greater than 37 million models have been offered. Doing the maths, over 2,000 folks have purchased one each single day during the last half a century.

The Beetle’s alternative initially emerged on the finish of the Sixties when Porsche developed the EA 266 prototype. Over 50 automobiles had been constructed however the undertaking was in the end cancelled in October 1971. Those automobiles had a water-cooled inline engine tucked away beneath the rear bench seat, which technically made the automotive mid-engined. The location of the fuel engine made issues troublesome concerning restore and upkeep work.

Volkswagen EA 266

It did allow a prime velocity of 116 mph, which wasn’t too shabby for an econobox. Although a mid-engined hatchback appears like a whole lot of enjoyable, the truth was utterly totally different. Rumor has it the engine ran too sizzling and fumes would enter the cabin. Not solely that however the automobile was claimed to be fairly loud in addition to unstable on a moist street.

Chances are it will’ve been too costly to construct anyway, so the automotive was scrapped. It additionally seemed awkward and would’ve been a ache to restore given the engine’s hard-to-access location. VW says that of the 50+ automobiles produced by Porsche within the late Sixties and early Seventies, solely a handful have survived.

<p>Volkswagen EA 276</p>
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Around the identical time, the EA 276 was being engineered at house in Wolfsburg with a front-wheel-drive, front-engined structure. Only one was ever made, however even that prototype wasn’t totally purposeful. It had the Beetle’s air-cooled boxer engine below the hood, whereas the gasoline tank was situated beneath the rear seats. The small hatchback—which seemed higher however nonetheless a bit uncanny—had a torsion beam axle and a spacious cargo space.

The EA 276 undertaking was deserted as properly as a result of the engine know-how it used was already outdated for what was supposed to be a world product. However, the one-off automotive did affect the first-generation VW Gol launched in Brazil in 1980 with the 1.3-liter air-cooled engine from the Beetle however mounted on the entrance. The Gol hatchback spawned a Voyage sedan a couple of yr later.

The true Golf earlier than the Golf was the EA 337, penned by none apart from Italdesign’s Giorgetto Giugiaro. The manufacturing mannequin transitioned from sq. to spherical headlights whereas the flip alerts had been moved from the fenders to the entrance bumper. In addition, the door handles of the Golf Mk1 stand out from the physique whereas on the EA 337, the handles sit flush with the physique. The Golf’s windscreen shouldn’t be as flat as on the prototype.

Giugiaro needed the oblong headlights to enter the manufacturing mannequin and echo the taillights when it comes to measurement and structure. However, VW determined to go together with spherical lights as a result of these had been cheaper to provide. He recollects being requested to attract a “mass-produced car that should be a modern compact car with a boot lid.” He remembers VW asking him to “design a successor to the Beetle for us. And will be satisfied if the space in the interior is about the same as that of the Beetle.”

Although Giugiaro has designed every little thing from the BMW M1 to the Lotus Esprit, he as soon as stated the Golf was “the most important car of my career.” Back in 2008 when he celebrated his 70^th birthday, the iconic automotive designer said the success of the original VW Golf “opened many doorways for me.”

As far because the automotive’s identify is anxious, “Golf” comes from the German phrase for the “Gulf Stream” (“Golfstrom”) ocean present. Fast ahead 50 years later, VW nonetheless makes use of the long-lasting moniker for the eighth technology of its compact automotive. The hatchback/wagon duo lately went by means of a mid-cycle facelift and can stay on sale for a number of years till an all-electric Golf Mk9 takes its place within the lineup.

VolvoCars

Media advisory – not for publication: adjustments to the Volvo Car UK PR and Communications group

March 23, 2024 David

I’m comfortable to announce that there’s a brand new member of the PR and Communications group, with Maya Perzanowska just lately becoming a member of us as PR and Communications Support Executive.

Maya joined us final month on a six-month secondment from our Customer Care group, the place she has spent the previous 4 years working – most just lately as a Social Media Specialist.

During her time with us, she will probably be serving to ship our upcoming media actions, so will little question be in contact with a few of you quickly.

Many of you’ll be conscious that Rachel Granger left us in the direction of the tip of final 12 months to pursue an thrilling new profession at a advertising company. A everlasting alternative will probably be sought within the coming months.

Please be a part of me in giving Maya a heat welcome to the group.

The remainder of the group stays the identical, with all our particulars beneath:

Tom Lynch
Head of PR and Communications
tom.lynch@volvocars.com
+44 (0)7392 196855

Barnaby Jones
Product Communications Manager
barnaby.jones@volvocars.com
+44 (0)7802 840351

Joe Watters
Press Fleet Controller
volvocarspress@xpauto.co.uk
+44 (0)7399 296379
+44 (0)1494 561007

Maya Perzanowska
PR and Communications Support Executive
maya.perzanowska@volvocars.com
+44 (0)7831 990736

Warm regards,

Tom and the Volvo Car UK PR and Communications group

News

Key Takeaways From Garmin’s First Annual inReach SOS Report

March 1, 2024 David

We at RideApart are a bunch of canyon carving, path driving, journey seekers who’re as comfortable discovering highs mountain climbing on the aspect of a mountain as we’re throwing a leg over considered one of Ski-Doo’s latest and greatest machines. And when you’re studying this, you in all probability fall beneath that umbrella too. But none of us are silly or unaware of the risks that include this life-style, and that is why now we have nice curiosity in Garmin’s inReach SOS data from the 2023 calendar year.

RideApart’s Executive Editor, Jonathon Klein, has had an inReach Mini 2 by his side for the past three years. Thankfully, he is by no means needed to hit the SOS button and contribute to this knowledge set. But based mostly on the stats you are about to see, you will perceive why he retains his little lifesaver someplace on him nearly on a regular basis.

What Were People Doing?

According to the info, the most typical exercise that inReach customers had been doing after they activated the SOS function was mountain climbing. This is hardly stunning when you think about the vastly other ways you may get into minor or main hassle on a hike. But what was stunning was the exercise that took the second spot.

Driving was the second commonest exercise folks did when utilizing the inReach’s SOS function in 2023. In reality, driving-related incidents rose greater than another kind in 2023. And taking the third spot are motorcycle-related incidents.

What we will take from that is that you do not essentially have to be on a grand journey to search out your self in a spot of trouble and out of cell vary. All it takes is a breakdown in a rural space.

It’s price mentioning that among the driving-related SOS incidents had been as a result of inReach customers had witnessed different motorcar accidents or automobiles that had damaged down.

Top Reasons To Use The SOS Feature

The prime cause that inReach customers hit the SOS button in 2023 was for accidents, which might embrace something from damaged bones, lacerations, or blunt power trauma from a fall. The second commonest cause was medical points, which might seek advice from issues like altitude illness, coronary heart issues, or gastrointestinal points.

Again, the most important enhance was in automobile accidents/points, which falls in keeping with the info highlighted earlier, displaying what folks had been doing.

Who Were People Triggering SOS For?

You can use the SOS function in your inReach to assist anybody that you simply discover in want. And whereas many customers used it to get themselves out of trouble, greater than half of the SOS triggers had been for a person’s social gathering member or third-party particular person. Bear in thoughts you could additionally use an SOS to report different emergencies, together with wildfires or automobile accidents.

The Most Common SOS Response Dispatches

Given that mountain climbing was what most individuals had been doing after they triggered the SOS function, it is hardly stunning that probably the most generally dispatched type of help in 2023 was helicopters, adopted by ambulances and search and rescue groups. But not everybody wanted dispatch help.

Almost 10% of the time that an SOS went out from an inReach, customers had been in a position to self-rescue with the assistance of the Garmin Response personnel. But the query stays: has this knowledge made you rethink whether or not you want an inReach in your life?

Motorsport

VW ID.7 Tourer Teased As Brand’s First All-Electric Wagon

October 31, 2023 Prafful Singh

Volkswagen is set to expand the electric wagon segment with the introduction of the all-new VW ID.7 Tourer. Unfortunately, it appears that this model will not be available in the United States. The teaser images provide a glimpse of the zero-emissions estate, with more details set to be revealed in the coming months regarding its availability in different markets.

After six decades of producing wagons, Volkswagen is finally ready to unveil its first all-electric station wagon. The ID.7 Tourer will be a more practical version of the ID.7 sedan, which is already arriving at European showrooms. With its sleek profile and aerodynamically optimized body, the ID.7 Tourer boasts a drag coefficient of 0.24, just slightly less streamlined than the electric sedan’s Cd of 0.23.

One of the main advantages of wagons is their cargo space. In the case of Volkswagen’s first CO-free estate, it can hold up to 19.24 cubic feet (545 liters) of cargo with five people on board. Folding down the rear seats provides a volume of up to 60.52 cu ft (1,714 l).

A comparison with the new Volkswagen Passat, another wagon not available in the US, reveals that the electric counterpart has a smaller boot capacity. The five-seat 2024 Passat wagon offers 24.3 cu ft (690 l) of cargo space, expanding to 67.8 cu ft (1,920 l) when the rear bench is folded down—a significant increase from the previous Passat Variant.

The powertrain options for the ID.7 Tourer have not been announced yet, but it will be based on Volkswagen’s MEB platform. It is likely to feature a rear-mounted electric motor, similar to the ID.7 sedan, which delivers 282 horsepower. The ID.7 sedan is currently available with 77- and 89-kilowatt-hour batteries, offering a range of up to 430 miles according to WLTP measurements.

Like the ID.7 sedan, the new wagon will be produced at Volkswagen’s Emden plant in Germany. More information and photos of the model will be released in the coming months. The ID.7 Tourer is scheduled to be available at VW showrooms across Europe next year.

Motorsport

1957 Jaguar XKSS Could Fetch $12 Million at Monterey Car Week Auction

July 19, 2023 Prafful Singh

The Jaguar XKSS was an unexpected creation resulting from the company’s decision to retire from racing in 1956. Sir William Lyons, the founder of Jaguar, chose to convert the remaining D-Type race cars into high-performance sports cars, giving birth to the XKSS. Sixteen examples of the XKSS were produced, and one of them, known as XKSS 707, will be up for auction by RM Sotheby’s at Monterey Car Week in August.

Originally painted cream with a red leather interior, XKSS 707 had been purchased by Lou Brero Sr., but unfortunately, he passed away in a racing accident before taking delivery. The car was subsequently sold to Sammy Weiss, the owner of Oxford Motors in Sacramento, California, who then sold it to Sidney Colberg. Colberg held onto the car until he sold it to Lord Anthony Bamford in 1975.

Lord Bamford, the chairman of JCB, a prominent British heavy equipment manufacturer, owned the car briefly and later passed it on to Geoffrey Marsh, who had it reconditioned. Marsh then sold it to I.G. Campbell McLaren. It was McLaren who had XKSS 707 refinished in a metallic blue color and registered it with the JAG 1 vanity plates it boasts today. The car remained in the McLaren stable for years, participating in historical events like the Le Mans Classic and gracing the pages of several British enthusiast magazines.

Automoto Hub

Tag Archives: happy

From kidney to kink: How to design a BMW

BMW roundel

L-shaped back lights

Legacy color

The First Volkswagen Golf Was Built 50 Years Ago Today

Media advisory – not for publication: adjustments to the Volvo Car UK PR and Communications group

Key Takeaways From Garmin’s First Annual inReach SOS Report

What Were People Doing?

Top Reasons To Use The SOS Feature

Who Were People Triggering SOS For?

The Most Common SOS Response Dispatches

VW ID.7 Tourer Teased As Brand’s First All-Electric Wagon

1957 Jaguar XKSS Could Fetch $12 Million at Monterey Car Week Auction

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