Saturday, 25 February 2017
The Best Driving Road In The World? Lykan Hypersport, Ferrari 488 Spider, McLaren 650S.
Together with a Lykan Hypersport, Ferrari 488 spider, McLaren 650S and with the assistance of the Ras Al Khaimah police, a 32km road that snakes through a stunning mountain range in Ras Al Khaimah. Could this be the best driving road in the world?
Friday, 24 February 2017
Dubai’s Road and Transportation Agency to introduce self-driving taxis by July.
The Chinese-made Ehang 184 is an egg-shaped eight-propeller drone that can ferry passengers across the sky and high above congestion. Designed for short haul trips, the drone can carry one passenger with a maximum weight of 100kg and has a top speed of 160km/h. Similar to the Uber platform, calling for an Ehang taxi will be relatively easy and users just need to enter their destination into an app. The drone will then map the route and transport the passenger to their destination.
Although pilot-less, the drones will still be monitored from a centralized command centre. And according to the company, the drone has a “fail safe” system and if there’s a malfunction of any kind, it will automatically land at the nearest safe destination. Could these self-driving taxis really ease ground traffic congestion and be a viable mode of transport?
The idea of flying taxis all seems a bit surreal. The line “Newspaper taxis appear on the shore, waiting to take you away. Climb in the back with your head in the clouds…” in the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is our current thought soundtrack.
The sky really does appear limitless and the future is exciting. But we remain skeptical that this venture will take off.
Source: http://www.motoring.com.au
The Grand Tour: Navigating to a City.
Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are traveling throughout central Europe on The Grand Tour. In this clip, the guys attempt to program their sat navs to a specific location.
Is this the answer to city parking?
Parking app Divvy aims to disrupt Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane CBD car parking industry.
According to Nick Austin, founder of a new parking app called Divvy, approximately 30 per cent of congestion is caused by people driving around looking for a car space. And major Australian cities have some of the most expensive parking in the world — yet there are thousands of vacant car spaces in office buildings and hotels that we don’t know about!
We’re all familiar with the dilemma of fighting for spots in the street. We become aggressive and incredibly selfish when it comes to finding a car space and we don’t want to share. Yet, the concept of the ‘sharing economy’ is still on the rise with thousands of tech start-ups emerging and embracing the idea of collaborative consumption.
Austin says the name of his app derives from the idea of ‘divvying up’ or ‘sharing assets’. The app is modeled on the Airbnb platform and frees up unused parking spots in central areas of cities by connecting users with the vacant car spaces. The user’s licence plate is stored in the app and on approach to a car-park entrance the system will recognise the number plate and open the door. Giving access to under-utilized car spaces and connecting existing buildings into one network, will help remove vehicles from city streets, improve traffic flow and public transport,” Austin said.
Key to Divvy’s growth has been its successful deals with 25 property groups and investment funds including Knight Frank and Dexus. And recently Australia’s National Road and Motorist Association bought a significant stake of the company. Divvy will likely expand into Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. The app is available to download on both Android and iPhone.
Article by Natasha Laging
Source: http://www.motoring.com.au
According to Nick Austin, founder of a new parking app called Divvy, approximately 30 per cent of congestion is caused by people driving around looking for a car space. And major Australian cities have some of the most expensive parking in the world — yet there are thousands of vacant car spaces in office buildings and hotels that we don’t know about!
We’re all familiar with the dilemma of fighting for spots in the street. We become aggressive and incredibly selfish when it comes to finding a car space and we don’t want to share. Yet, the concept of the ‘sharing economy’ is still on the rise with thousands of tech start-ups emerging and embracing the idea of collaborative consumption.
Austin says the name of his app derives from the idea of ‘divvying up’ or ‘sharing assets’. The app is modeled on the Airbnb platform and frees up unused parking spots in central areas of cities by connecting users with the vacant car spaces. The user’s licence plate is stored in the app and on approach to a car-park entrance the system will recognise the number plate and open the door. Giving access to under-utilized car spaces and connecting existing buildings into one network, will help remove vehicles from city streets, improve traffic flow and public transport,” Austin said.Key to Divvy’s growth has been its successful deals with 25 property groups and investment funds including Knight Frank and Dexus. And recently Australia’s National Road and Motorist Association bought a significant stake of the company. Divvy will likely expand into Southeast Asia, Europe and the US. The app is available to download on both Android and iPhone.
Article by Natasha Laging
Source: http://www.motoring.com.au
Nissan GTR Vs a Woman - Top Gear Festival Sydney.
Which is faster - a Nissan GTR or a woman? Jeremy attempts to find the answer.
Top Gear YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/topgear
TopGear.com website: http://www.topgear.com
Top Gear YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/topgear
TopGear.com website: http://www.topgear.com
Top-secret LaFerrari replacement leaked.
Hypercar patented in Europe could be replacement for current hypercar, one-off commission or long-awaited Maserati MC12 replacement.
Ferrari has applied for a patent at the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) for what appears to be a new hypercar that looks to be based on its current LaFerrari.
Published on EUIPO’s website late last night, the new images have provoked huge speculation on whether the vehicle is a direct replacement for the LaFerrari or a one-off LaFerrari-based hypercar commissioned by a wealthy collector. Some are even suggesting the design patented might not be a Ferrari at all and could be the long-awaited replacement for the Maserati MC12. Whatever it is, the new hypercar shares proportions with the current LaFerrari and, it’s thought, its carbon-fibre monocoque.
Under its new skin that means the mystery McLaren P1 rival will come with a development of the same 6.3-litre naturally-aspirated V12 engine that incorporates a 120kW electric motor in a Formula 1-style HY-KERS configuration. Combined, in the LaFerrari the petrol-electric system produces 708kW and 700Nm, which allows the hypercar to reach 100km/h in less than three seconds and 200km/h in a fraction under 7.0sec.
Featuring slimline front LED headlights and a re-skinned body that includes Ferrari 599 GTB-style flying buttresses, the design screams a completely rethought aero package that’s almost certain to incorporate new active spoilers. At the rear of the car, again, there’s an LED light bar that stretches across the car and triangular exhaust tips — hinting there’s no chance this is a planet-saving pure-electric supercar.
This year Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary and a new hypercar could be its birthday present to itself. If so, some are predicting it will follow in the tyre tracks of Ferrari’s 40th anniversary gift to the world and be called the F70.
Thursday, 23 February 2017
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport are Live in 360 unveiling their new car for 2017.
Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport is live now.
Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Ariel Nomad vs Welsh Mud - Rory Reid's Road Trips. (Top Gear)
In the second of an online-only series Rory Reid takes the Ariel Nomad for a spin around the muddy roads of Wales. What better surroundings for the Nomad than miles of prime Welsh B-roads draped across mountains, valleys and dams.
Drive a Tesla? There's an app for that.
Some Tesla owners already think of their EVs as mobile devices with apps, and to reinforce that worldview, there's a new app that wants to crank up the efficiency of those mobile devices to "eleven," a number that might or might not be trademarked at the present time.
The Tesla app connects to a Tesla-produced four-wheel mobility solution and then goes to town on the data collected by the EV. The app distills that information to a range of different efficiency metrics, displaying efficiency graphs over a map to show the driver where he or she were using the electric juice well, and where they were wasting power.
"You install the app and drive your car like you normally would," Teslab says. "The app keeps track of many parameters your car shares, and takes that info and breaks it down into interesting metrics that you can use to satisfy your driving needs."
The variety of metrics Teslab can display also tackles range anxiety, showing a comparison between the battery miles and actual miles traveled. There is a community feature as well, which can let drivers compare how efficiently they are using their four-wheeled mobile devices compared with other users of mobile devices. So there can an element of efficiency competition if you're into that sort of thing.
"Efficiency is our measure of how your car is performing against how the car is rated to perform," Teslab says. "For example, if the car claims you can drive 200 miles, you drive 10 miles, and the car claims you can now drive 190 miles, your efficiency would be under 100 percent. Conversely, if you drive 10 miles and the car claims you can drive 195 miles, the efficiency would be above 100 percent. Things that can affect efficiency include acceleration, average speed, braking and weather."
The app is still in beta stage, but the developers claim that a lot of owners have signed up. Perhaps the biggest surprise of the app is that Tesla itself has not created a largely similar app to judge your efficiency.
Source: http://autoweek.com
Aston Martin unveils the Vantage S Red Bull Racing Edition
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The partnership between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing has already given us the AM-RB 001, a hypercar with a 6.5-liter V12 engine and a price tag of $3 million. Now, Aston Martin is rolling out V8 and V12 Vantage S Red Bull Racing Editions. These new editions might not be as wild as the hypercar, but they certainly do stand out.
Q by Aston Martin, the automaker’s personalization division, created the special-edition Vantages. The Red Bull Racing Edition comes finished in either a satin Mariana blue or a gloss tungsten silver. Red trim on the fender vents and grille is standard along with yellow calipers. However, Q can flip this color scheme. A carbon-fiber grille, front splitter, diffuser and fender vents complete the racing-inspired appearance.
Inside, there is Red Bull Racing headrest embroidery, a color-coded steering wheel and carbon-fiber trim inlays. Making the F1 inspiration more obvious, Red Bull Racing drivers Daniel Ricciardo or Max Verstappen can sign the doorsill and final inspection plaques for a bit more exclusivity.
We expect pricing information to drop closer to the car’s on-sale date, set for the second quarter of this year. Interested parties should contact their local dealers directly.
Source: http://autoweek.com
Monday, 20 February 2017
Geely to bid for Malaysian car maker Proton and Lotus.
Chinese automaker Geely is expected to bid as early as this week for a strategic partnership with struggling Malaysian car maker Proton, two people familiar with the bidding process told Reuters. As part of its pitch following discussions with Proton's owner, Malaysian conglomerate DRB-Hicom, Hangzhou-based Geely, which owns Sweden's Volvo, is expected to offer Proton some of the latest vehicle technologies it has developed with Volvo's input.
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DRB-Hicom said earlier this month it was waiting for prospective foreign car makers to submit bids for a strategic partnership. Proton, founded in 1983 by former Malaysian premier Mahathir Mohamad, received 1.5 billion ringgit ($451m) in government aid a year ago on the condition that it implement a turnaround plan and seek a foreign partner to help its research and development. Other potential bidders have included Peugeot maker PSA, Japan's Suzuki and French car maker Renault. In response to Reuters requests for comment, Mahmood Razak, DRB-Hicom's head of strategic communications, said: "We have nothing new to say," noting a previous statement about it being a complex process. It has said it expects to announce a decision in the first half of this year.
"We are evaluating the bids received. No disclosures until we have selected a FSP (foreign strategic partner)," he added.
A Geely spokesman declined to comment.
It was not clear whether Geely's pitch - part of what the sources said was the final bidding round - includes a cash offer for a stake in Proton. The people with knowledge of the bidding said Geely is looking for at least a 51 per cent stake.
Source: http://www.drive.com.au
"We are evaluating the bids received. No disclosures until we have selected a FSP (foreign strategic partner)," he added.
A Geely spokesman declined to comment.
It was not clear whether Geely's pitch - part of what the sources said was the final bidding round - includes a cash offer for a stake in Proton. The people with knowledge of the bidding said Geely is looking for at least a 51 per cent stake.
Source: http://www.drive.com.au
Sunday, 19 February 2017
Tuesday, 14 February 2017
Top Gear new series release date.
An official return date has been announced for motor series Top Gear with he BBC releasing the first promo shot following the departure of Chris Evans.
The series will return to BBC2 on 5 March under the guide of Friends actor Matt LeBlanc who takes centre stage in the image with car experts Chris Harris and Rory Reid on either side.
Last year's revamped series saw Evans and LeBlanc take over lead presenting duties from original trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May who now spearhead Amazon series The Grand Tour. While the shakeup was more of an ensemble featuring the likes of Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan, it seems the BBC are hoping to establish LeBlanc, Harris and Reid as an official trio.
Under the watch of Evans, Top Gear's 2016 return saw ratings dip to an all-time low with just under two million tuning into the finale. Evans quit the series in July. A trailer for the 24th series was released just last week. Top Gear returns to BBC2 at 8pm on 5 March.
Last year's revamped series saw Evans and LeBlanc take over lead presenting duties from original trio Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May who now spearhead Amazon series The Grand Tour. While the shakeup was more of an ensemble featuring the likes of Sabine Schmitz and Eddie Jordan, it seems the BBC are hoping to establish LeBlanc, Harris and Reid as an official trio.
Under the watch of Evans, Top Gear's 2016 return saw ratings dip to an all-time low with just under two million tuning into the finale. Evans quit the series in July. A trailer for the 24th series was released just last week. Top Gear returns to BBC2 at 8pm on 5 March.
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk
The Grand Tour: Season 1.
Episode 2 - Operation Desert Stumble
Episode 3 - Opera, Arts, and Donuts aka The return home
Episode 4 - Enviro-mental
Episode 5 - Morroccan Roll
Episode 6 - Happy Finnish Christmas
Episode 7 - The Beach (Buggy) Boys - Part 1
Episode 8 - The Beach (Buggy) Boys - Part 2
Episode 9 - Berks to the Future
Episode 10 - Dumb Fight at the O.K. Coral
Episode 11 - Italian Lessons
Episode 12 - Past v Future
Episode 13 - [censored] to [censored]
India's iconic Ambassador car brand is sold to Peugeot.
One of India's most iconic car brands has been sold by Hindustan Motors to the French manufacturer Peugeot for a nominal $12m (£9.6m), officials say.
Based on the British Morris Oxford, the Ambassador was for three decades India's bestselling car. Peugeot has long been keen to get a foothold in India and was one of the first foreign car makers to enter the country in the mid-1990s when the economy first was liberalised. The Ambassador was from the 1960s to the mid-1980s a status symbol in India and was the only mass produced luxury car on the market. Although not renowned for its good looks, the car did win plaudits for its spacious interior and sound suspension, which was ideally suited to Indian roads. It was also one of the first diesel cars to appear in India and one of the first to have air conditioning. But its downfall was as spectacular as its rise - dropping from sales of more than 20,000 cars in the mid-1980s to about 2,000 in 2013-14 when production was suspended.
The Ambassador car used to be one of India's most prestigious vehicles beloved by government ministers. But it has been out of production since 2014. It is not clear whether Peugeot will revive the brand.
Based on the British Morris Oxford, the Ambassador was for three decades India's bestselling car. Peugeot has long been keen to get a foothold in India and was one of the first foreign car makers to enter the country in the mid-1990s when the economy first was liberalised. The Ambassador was from the 1960s to the mid-1980s a status symbol in India and was the only mass produced luxury car on the market. Although not renowned for its good looks, the car did win plaudits for its spacious interior and sound suspension, which was ideally suited to Indian roads. It was also one of the first diesel cars to appear in India and one of the first to have air conditioning. But its downfall was as spectacular as its rise - dropping from sales of more than 20,000 cars in the mid-1980s to about 2,000 in 2013-14 when production was suspended.
The car was also renowned for its idiosyncrasies. The handbrake rarely worked properly - instead spawning a generation of drivers that could easily do hill starts deftly balancing the accelerator and brake. The indicator controls were often mounted in unusual positions, its brakes were notoriously soft and its steering lock was virtually non-existent.
Source: http://www.bbc.com
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
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