by gaukcars.com | Oct 2, 2024 | Blog
The fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge has earned a TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS (TSP+) from the American Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The addition of this vehicle means Volvo Cars is the only brand to achieve TSP+ across its entire product range.
The Volvo XC40 Recharge is the first fully electric small SUV to earn the award, and adds to the record set last month for the most single-year TSP+ awards earned by any car maker since TSP+ honours began in 2013.
IIHS awards TSP+ status to vehicles that provide the highest level of safety. Volvo Cars received nine TSP+ awards in February, five in March and now one in April, totalling 15 awards for 2021.
The focus that Volvo Cars puts on safety systems as standard – including forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking, combined with advanced pedestrian- and cyclist-collision prevention – sets the company apart.
“Regardless of bodystyle, engine or trim, every Volvo offers innovative protection in a crash,” said Anders Gustafsson, President and CEO of Volvo Car USA. “We are proud that IIHS has recognised this by awarding a Top Safety Pick Plus to every vehicle we produce today. No other company has been awarded this honour across all car lines.”
The fully electric Volvo XC40 Recharge joins the following vehicles earning a TSP+ award:
The following vehicles produced after September 2020 have been awarded the TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS award from IIHS as of 31 March 2021:
- Volvo S90
- Volvo S90 Recharge
- Volvo V90
- Volvo V90 Cross Country
The following vehicles have been awarded the TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS award from IIHS as of 31 March 2021:
They join the following vehicles awarded the TOP SAFETY PICK PLUS in February:
- Volvo S60
- Volvo S60 Recharge
- Volvo V60
- Volvo V60 Recharge
- Volvo XC40
- Volvo XC60
- Volvo XC60 Recharge
- Volvo XC90
- Volvo XC90 Recharge
The company’s vision is that no one should be killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car. Volvo has consistently innovated new safety features, including the introduction of a speed cap in new cars, run-off road protection, and a new suite of safety sensors debuting in the Volvo XC40 Recharge.
by gaukcars.com | Oct 2, 2024 | Blog
- Rolls-Royce Motor Cars creates magnificent Bespoke Phantom Oribe
- Exterior and interior designed and handcrafted hand-in-hand by bespoke specialists from Rolls-Royce and Hermès, using materials, techniques and know-how from both houses
- Commissioned by Japanese entrepreneur, art collector and supercar enthusiast Yusaku Maezawa
- Fully Bespoke two-tone MZ Oribe Green and cream exterior finish inspired by colours in the client’s world-class collection of ancient Japanese ceramics
- Envisioned by the client as a ‘land jet’ to complement a recently commissioned private aircraft
“This magnificent expression of our pinnacle product represents a landmark for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, bringing together two houses with more than three centuries’ combined experience and heritage. It is the result of a deep, genuine collaboration between the Houses of Rolls-Royce and Hermès, in which designers, materials specialists and skilled craftspeople worked side by side to create a truly one-of-a-kind Phantom. It has been an extraordinary privilege to unite on such a creatively challenging, technically demanding commission and bring our client’s remarkable vision so beautifully to life.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
“This unique Phantom is a fusion of East and West, ancient and modern, serenity and exhilaration. It was a great creative and cultural exchange working with Hermès; we learned a great deal from each other. It is always a pleasure when a client brings us a bold, clear and imaginative vision, and a great thrill to see it realised so perfectly.”
Michael Bryden, Lead Designer, Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective
“We are really delighted to see this bespoke car come to life after a remarkable journey of creation and craftsmanship conducted hand in hand with both of our houses. We are proud to have contributed to creating a unique and contemporary expression of our client’s vision, thanks to our spirit of innovation, the quality of our materials and the know-how of our craftsmen, who have developed, amongst other things, unique stitching and upholstery techniques for the interior of the car and a hand painting technique for a bespoke gallery. It has been a real pleasure to work alongside the Rolls-Royce experts and to see how this car expresses all the values that Hermès cherishes every day.”
Axel de Beaufort, Design and Engineering Director, Hermès Bespoke Division
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has co-created a magnificent Bespoke Phantom in a unique collaboration with Hermès.
Designed and handcrafted by a combined team of Bespoke specialists at the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, West Sussex, and Hermès in Paris, Phantom Oribe reflects the personality and passions of its owner, Japanese entrepreneur Yusaku Maezawa. The client envisioned the car as a ‘land jet’, bringing the serene exclusivity of private air travel to the road.
The car’s striking two-tone exterior matches the characteristic green and cream glazes of antique Japanese Oribe ware, of which Maezawa-san is a prominent collector. The upper part is finished in Oribe Green, a fully Bespoke colour created exclusively for the client; in an unusual move, Rolls-Royce has made the paint available for use on the client’s private jet the Phantom will be paired with. Developed over many months by specialists in the Surface Finish Centre at Goodwood, it perfectly captures the lustrous, deep-green glaze that characterises these 16th century ceramics. The effect is beautifully completed by the cream-white lower section.
The Oribe ware-inspired colourway harmoniously continues through the interior, created and realised through a true meeting of minds between Hermès designers and craftspeople in Paris, and the Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective of designers, engineers and craftspeople at Goodwood in West Sussex. Together, they applied their shared expertise and ingenuity to ensure every individual component embodies the finest traditions of both houses.
The interior is finished predominantly in Hermès Enea Green leather, extending to details that include the immediate touch-points of the client; for example, the steering wheel, duchess handles, gear selector and the rotary controls for the motor car’s climate settings.
The Hermès leather flows around the upper instrument panel, interior pillars and parcel shelf. It also enrobes less visible surfaces including the glove compartment and luggage compartment lining, centre console, decanter stowage compartment and Champagne cooler. In a sign of the project’s truly collaborative nature, and the two makers’ mutual esteem, the glove compartment lid is embossed with the signature Habillé par Hermès Paris.
Delicate Hermès piping adorns the headrest cushions and calf supports of the rear seats, while soft Seashell White accents and matching lambswool floor mats create a sense of light and space throughout.
The interior is also replete with examples of Rolls-Royce Bespoke design and handcraftsmanship. Wooden speaker frets, for example, are formed by meticulously perforating the Open Pore Royal Walnut veneer applied to the doors, creating a seamless, textured aesthetic and delicate haptics. Open Pore Royal Walnut is additionally applied to the centre and rear consoles and picnic table backs; in another first for Rolls-Royce, the interior features Hermès ‘Toile H’ canvas on the door armrests, centre and rear consoles and, most notably, the signature headliner.
Hermès brings its distinctive equestrian heritage and innovative craftsmanship know-how to the car, with the leather upholstery created using stitching and edge-painting techniques originally employed by master saddlers. For Phantom’s Gallery, a feature unique to Rolls-Royce, that runs the length of the motor car’s fascia, Hermès commissioned an artwork based on a design by the celebrated French artist and illustrator Pierre Péron (1905–1988) who created many of the House’s iconic scarves. The work, inspired by the famous Hermès horse motif, is hand-painted on Open Pore Royal Walnut and is presented as though staged in an art gallery, behind glass.
Torsten Müller-Ötvös added, “This majestic and tasteful Rolls-Royce Phantom demonstrates what is possible when talented people from two of the world’s great houses work closely together alongside a far-sighted, inspirational client like Maezawa-san. It is a meeting of minds, expertise, visions and skill that represents the very best of our respective craftspeople and capabilities.”
CO2 EMISSIONS & CONSUMPTION.
NEDCcorr (combined) CO2 emission: 329-328 g/km; Fuel consumption: 19.5-19.6 mpg / 14.5-14.4 l/100km; WLTP (combined) CO2 emission: 356-341 g/km; Fuel consumption: 18.0-18.8 mpg / 15.7-15.0 l/100km
by gaukcars.com | Oct 2, 2024 | Blog
- Test drive a new electric MG and get £750 off
- 10-day test drive event allows no-obligation road tests for potential EV converts
- Simply book a test drive and download the voucher
- Almost a third of new MGs sold so far in 2021 are pure electric
- All new MGs come with 7-Year Warranty
The UK’s affordable EV pioneer, MG Motor, is offering an incredible £750 discount across its entire EV portfolio as part of a special 10-day event to celebrate the reopening of its dealerships.
The offer is in addition to any existing private retail offers.
Between now and April 26, 2021 anyone booking a test drive in the company’s MG ZS EV, MG5 EV or MG HS Plug-In Hybrid can download a £750 discount voucher, which can be used as money off the already outstanding value range of EVs if they place an order before the closing date.
MG’s Commercial Director, Guy Pigounakis, said: “We know there are a lot of people who have been waiting for dealerships to reopen so they can take a proper test drive before ordering a new car, especially those who are considering an EV but want to make sure it’s right for them before committing.
“At MG we want to make EVs as affordable as possible for everyone, so for anyone who takes a test drive in one of our electric or plug-in models between now and April 26 we’re giving them a further incentive in the form of a £750 thank you.”
The money off voucher is a further plus for anyone considering a plug-in MG, especially as the MG ZS EV and MG5 EV are both still eligible for the government’s £2,500 zero emissions car grant, which was modified last month so more expensive EVs no longer qualified.
MG has seen over 30% of its sales so far in 2021 through battery electric vehicles (BEVs), taking a 5.5% share of the entire BEV market in the UK. The brand also achieved its best ever sales month in March 2021, with 3,956 registrations and a record overall market share of 1.45%, a 28.1% growth over March 2020.
Overall, sales were up 44.6% compared with March 2020, against a whole of market sales increase of 11.5%.
MG currently offers three plug-in models in the UK – the established MG ZS EV, the game-changing All New MG5 EV and MG HS Plug-in Hybrid, all backed up by MG’s incredible 7 year warranty and fast-developing dealer network.
To find your local dealer, or to discover the high-tech, value-for-money range of cars on offer, please visit MG.CO.UK, or to download the voucher go to https://mg.co.uk/voucher/
by gaukcars.com | Oct 2, 2024 | Blog
- Feature the Alpine F1 Team livery
- Alpine F1 Team drivers’ cars on European Grand Prix
The Alpine A110 trackside cars make their debut during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola this weekend.
The Alpine A110 trackside cars will be used by Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon as their daily commuters on European Grand Prix.
From the bonnet, through the roof to the rear of the car, and like the A521, the Alpine A110 trackside cars feature Alpine’s historic racing colours: blue, white and red, synonymous with Alpine’s racing heritage and the colours of the French and British flags.
The A110 trackside cars are based on the A110S, the most potent version of the A110. With a power output of 292PS and a weight of 1114kgs, it features an impressive power to weight ratio of 262PS/Tonne (3,8kg/PS).
“When the A521 was presented, it was true joy to see the Alpine name on a Formula One car and it is just the same feeling today to see the Alpine F1 Team name on an A110”, said Laurent Rossi, Alpine CEO.
[1] Cars dedicated to the daily commuters on European Grand Prix.
by gaukcars.com | Oct 2, 2024 | Blog
- XCEED is a new blockchain solution for the European automotive industry to certify the compliance of vehicle’s components from design to production
- Developed by Groupe Renault, Faurecia, Knauf Industries, Simoldes, and Coşkunöz, in association with IBM
- The solution is now available to OEMs and automotive suppliers worldwide following a successful test at Renault’s Douai facility
- It will be first implemented at partner plants around Bursa in Turkey, Douai in France and Palencia in Spain
Groupe Renault, Faurecia, Knauf Industries, Simoldes, and Coşkunöz, in association with IBM, have signed a partnership contract for the deployment of XCEED (eXtended Compliance End-to-End Distributed), a blockchain based shared solution to trace the compliance of thousands of parts assembled in a vehicle in almost real time.
Today’s announcement follows the successful testing of the XCEED solution at Renault’s Douai plant, and will be deployed to partner plants around Bursa in Turkey, Douai in France, and Palencia in Spain. XCEED is now open to global OEMs and suppliers, regardless of size, throughout the supply chain.
A tool to meet the growing demand for transparency
XCEED improves responsiveness and efficiency during a time when regulations are becoming increasingly stringent. New market surveillance regulations came into force in September 2020, introducing enhanced regulatory controls for vehicles already on the market. Therefore, the entire production chain must adjust its structure to respond to the regulatory authorities within shorter timeframes.
An inclusive platform for the benefit of the European automotive industry
The ambition with XCEED is to provide a compliance and conformity traceability platform for the entire ecosystem of the European automotive industry. The platform is able to answer regulation and customer demand whilst bolstering European industrial competitivity and technological sovereignty. XCEED is designed to be inclusive for all the automotive industry players worldwide, from multinational companies to SMEs, offering access to a powerful, shared digital tool.
XCEED uses the blockchain to create a trusted network for sharing compliance information between parts/systems manufacturers, throughout the supply chain to end vehicle manufacturers. The XCEED platform will help ensure better and more efficient compliance management, while respecting each company’s confidentiality, intellectual property, and data ownership. It offers a unique but distributed platform across the automotive ecosystem and is a effective way for the industry to answer the growing requirements of regulation without multiplying complex data reconciliations. It will thereby benefit the European automotive industry by improving information exchange and increasing trust within and outside the ecosystem through automatic sharing, checks and alerts of data in near real time. The solution is the result of the initial action led by its founding partners and based on an open governance approach that welcomes new participants. It was founded with the input from DG Connect in the European Commission.
Based on “Hyperledger Fabric”, an open source blockchain protocol, XCEED has been developed in partnership with IBM. It intends to be deployed in a Hybrid Cloud architecture with multiple Cloud providers, including IBM Cloud, to allow each member to run on the Cloud platform of their own choice.
Launched in 2019, XCEED is designed and implemented in collaboration with leading automotive industry players – Groupe Renault, Faurecia, Knauf Industries, Simoldes and Coşkunöz – it is the fruit of collective intelligence and an adaptive agile methodology that marked an unprecedented multi-company approach to data-sharing and project management.
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Quotes
Dirk Wollschläger, Industry General Manager, IBM
“Blockchain proved its value in providing a new way to manage traceability and compliance in the food industry, in supply chain and others. XCEED is our first initiative in the automotive industry that is targeting to tackle component compliance traceability at scale, leveraging the value and benefits of blockchain. At IBM, our goal is to provide this industry with appropriate business solutions, through our experience in building blockchain networks on hybrid multi-cloud solutions, to accelerate this journey and build trust for a global Industry-wide platform.”
Eric Jacquot, Group End to End Quality Director, Faurecia
“From the very beginning, Faurecia has played a key role within this innovative ecosystem and we are very pleased joining this initiative, a new way of working with our customer Groupe Renault which puts transparency, conformity and traceability at the heart of the supply chain. With this secure, transparent, and automated data sharing system we can trace and resolve issues rapidly, reinforcing compliance, conformity, and competitiveness. We are convinced that this cutting-edge project will change practices in our industry in the years to come.”
Odile Panciatici, Coordinator of the XCEED Project, Groupe Renault
“XCEED is a powerful tool for transforming the automotive industry by enabling operational excellence for the whole ecosystem, including smaller players that would not have been able to invest in such technology otherwise.”
Sylvie Janod, Automotive Market Director, Knauf Industries
“As a responsible automotive actor on the market, we decided to join XCEED project to increase our efficiency for ensuring our product traceability and conformity. XCEED is a unique opportunity to assess and adjust our systems and methods to improve our agility in a growing complex environment, and to improve hence our overall performance. XCEED is also fully aligned with Knauf Group’s digital strategy and Corporate Social Responsibility policy. With XCEED, we have a consistent approach between our shared expertise during a program concept phase until the end of vehicle’s life. We are glad to belong to an automotive community that will create value and contribute to increase transparency on the market.”
Jaime Sá, Board member, Simoldes
“When we understood the XCEED blockchain project would contribute to operational excellence by bringing simplicity, speed, transparency and compliance, involving all participants in the business supply chain we immediately decided to be part of this project as it fits with simoldes vision “juntos fazemos melhor” and our path to industry 4.0.”
Bariş Karaadak, General manager, Coşkunöz
“We are excited to be part of this pioneering digitalisation movement in the automotive sector,as aninitial partner company of the xceed project. With this global project, we believe that Coşkunöz will achieve a crucial step forward on its digitalisation vision journey.”
by gaukcars.com | Oct 2, 2024 | Blog
- Design prize: New Land Rover Defender named 2021 World Car Design of the Year as unstoppable all-terrain model beats shortlisted rivals to win coveted award
- Breadth of capability: Judges commend Defender’s distinctive design, all-conquering off-road capability, excellent on-road dynamics and 21st century practicality and connectivity
- Customer appeal: Line-up provides incredible choice, including 90 and 110 body designs, commercial Hard Top derivatives and powertrains ranging from a plug-in hybrid to a new V8
- Serial success: Latest prize means Defender has now won 53 international awards since launch, with Land Rover experiencing unprecedented demand for the 90 and 110
- Choose your model: 90 Hard Top priced from £35,360 OTR (ex. VAT), 90 from £44,825 and 110 starting at £46,215 in the UK. Configure yours at www.landrover.co.uk/Defender
The Land Rover Defender has been named 2021 World Car Design of the Year at the annual World Car Awards.
It’s the third time Land Rover has claimed the coveted prize following previous wins for Range Rover Velar (2018) and Range Rover Evoque (2012) and is the latest in a number of global awards for the rugged 4×4.
New Defender remains true to the pioneering spirit that has been a Land Rover hallmark for more than 70 years and redefines adventure for the 21st century. Iconic in name, shape and capability, it is available in a choice of body designs and can be personalised with a choice of four Accessory Packs to help owners make more of their world.
The World Car Design of the Year prize recognises the most outstanding new car of the last 12 months and rewards vehicles demonstrating the highest standards of technical innovation and design and that push established boundaries.
Prof. Gerry McGovern OBE, Chief Creative Officer, Jaguar Land Rover, said: “New Defender is influenced by its past but is not constrained by it and we are delighted it has been honoured with this award. Our vision was to create a 21st century Defender by pushing the boundaries of engineering, technology and design while retaining its renowned DNA and off-road capability. The result is a compelling 4×4 that resonates with customers on an emotional level.”
This year, all the contenders competing in the other four award categories were eligible for the World Car Design of the Year prize. A panel of seven automotive design experts reviewed the contenders to establish a shortlist of recommendations for the jurors’ final vote, made by the 93 international journalists that comprise the jury panel.
The design experts included Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School), Ian Callum (United Kingdom – Director of Design, CALLUM), Gert Hildebrand (Germany – Owner Hildebrand-Design), Patrick le Quément (France – Designer and President of the Strategy Committee – The Sustainable Design School), Tom Matano (USA – Academy of Art University, Former Head of Design – Mazda), Victor Nacif (USA – Chief Creative Officer, Brojure.com and Design instructor, New School of Architecture and Design) and Shiro Nakamura (Japan – CEO, Shiro Nakamura Design Associates Inc.).
A distinctive silhouette makes the New Defender instantly recognisable, with minimal front and rear overhangs providing excellent approach and departure angles. Land Rover’s designers re-envisioned familiar Defender trademarks, giving the 4×4 a purposeful upright stance and Alpine light windows in the roof, while retaining the side-hinged rear tailgate and externally-mounted spare wheel that make the original so identifiable.
The stripped-back personality of the original Defender has been embraced inside, where structural elements and fixings usually hidden from view have been exposed, with the emphasis on simplicity and practicality. Defender 110 offers five, six or 5+2 seating configurations, while the 90 is capable of accommodating six occupants in a vehicle the length of a compact family hatchback.
Defender’s breadth of capability raises the threshold for off-road ruggedness and on-road comfort. Underpinned by Land Rover’s strong D7x aluminium platform – the brand’s stiffest ever body structure – advanced all-terrain technologies and state-of-the-art powertrains deliver unstoppable capability. Its carefully honed handling delivers a rewarding drive and first-class comfort across all terrains, and the experts at Euro NCAP awarded the Defender a maximum five-star safety rating.
A choice of advanced Ingenium petrol and cleaner diesel engines ensure Defender has the power, control and efficiency for any environment, while a Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) powertrain provides silent EV-only progress of up to 27 miles*. In addition, the new 525PS Defender V8 combines characteristic Land Rover capability with incredible performance and bespoke chassis settings for heightened driver engagement.
The Defender family now encompasses the Defender 90 and Defender 110, as well as the 90 and 110 Hard Top commercial variants. Since its launch, Defender has won more than 50 global accolades, including Top Gear’s 2020 Car of the Year, MotorTrend’s 2021 SUV of the Year and Autocar’s Best SUV 2020.
*All fuel consumption and CO2 data quoted above relates to Official EU-WLTP TEL Combined Test Figures for five-seat derivatives. The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s tests in accordance with EU legislation. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. CO2 and fuel economy figures may vary according to factors such as driving styles, environmental conditions, load and accessories.
