Month: January 2023

Honda has launched a new package of semi-autonomous motorist help functions, which it says is the first ‘level 3’ autonomous driving system to be given the legal go-ahead by Japanese authorities. 
Called Sensing Elite, the motorist help technology takes a step beyond the level two systems widely on sale today by supporting hands-off autonomous driving under certain conditions, such as heavy traffic or when travelling on the motorway – other systems require hands on the steering wheel. 

Honda to work with Yamaha, KTM and Piaggio on swappable EV batteries

As such, the brand has beaten Tesla to the punch by getting a government-sanctioned level 3 system on sale first.
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Honda’s Sensing Elite system builds on the brand’s existing Sensing safety technology, but uses a a lot more accurate global positioning system, a lot more in-depth three-dimensional maps and several sensors which give the ECU a 360-degree view of the car’s surroundings.
The cabin also gets specially configured 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a motorist facing camera, which monitors whether the motorist is still paying attention to the road. The steering wheel and dashboard also get new LED lights, which illuminate when the autonomous driving mode is activated.
The a lot of excellent part of the new Sensing Elite system is the hand-off driving mode, which uses Honda’s existing adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist systems to assume total control over the automobile when driving on the motorway.

The Aston Martin Valkyrie has went into full production with the completion of the very first client cars and truck announced. The groundbreaking hypercar was very first teased in idea type five years ago, as well as early clients can now expect shipment of their completed versions in the coming weeks.
150 units of the Valkyrie coupe are being hand-built at Aston Martin’s UK headquarters in Gaydon, taking more than 2,000 man-hours each to create. All are already sold. A further 85 Valkyrie Spiders as well as 40 track-only Valkyrie AMR Pros will follow, commanding a premium over the £2-3 million cost tag of the common coupe.

Best hypercars 2022

Each Valkyrie will be shaken down at the Silverstone circuit – the advancement ground for the job – before delivery, ensuring that each example is customer-ready as well as track-fit.
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Speaking on the announcement, Aston Martin CEO Tobias Moers said: “It is an immensely proud moment for us to total our very first ever hypercar. The Aston Martin Valkyrie programme has tested everybody who has worked on it to the limit however the commitment to the dream has created a truly incredible car, an F1 cars and truck for the road. The Valkyrie is born out of the steadfast commitment of a big group of extremely skilled engineers as well as technicians who have worked tirelessly to get Valkyrie to the production stage. I’m sure our clients will be delighted with what they have achieved.”

Bentley has added a new model to the Bentayga SUV line-up called Bentayga S. It’s a sportier alternative to the existing V8 version of the brand’s luxury off-roader.
Priced from £179,900, S specification builds on the regular V8 Bentayga with a raft of new styling features, but also changes under the metal intended to make the big Bentley sportier to drive.

190mph Bentley Bentayga speed SUV updated for 2020

On the outside, the new Bentayga S is marked out by its new, racier appearance. Black detailing is used extensively, covering the exterior brightwork. The new black tint is applied to the lower door and bumper cladding, the window linings, the headlight and taillight housings, the side vents and the new lower front grilles. You’ll also find it applied to the housing of a new, larger rear wing. 
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Joining the list of new details is a set of 22-inch five-spoke wheels distinct to the S specification. There’s also a much more imposing looking rear exhaust setup. The new sports exhaust is another S-model particular alteration, which Bentley claims is freer flowing and introduces much more volume as well as a sportier tone. The new design is available in three finishes. It comes silver painted as standard, but can be purchased in full gloss black or a two-tone finish for an extra fee. 
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In the cabin, the Bentayga S gets new split-tone Alcantara upholstery, while two sports seats now make up the front row. It’s still available in four, five or seven-seat configurations, while elsewhere new touches include embossed S logos on the seats and new treadplates. 
Power is offered by an unchanged turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 producing 542bhp and 770Nm of torque, enabling 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 180mph. but while there’s no extra power, the Bentayga S gets a revised chassis with distinct settings for the Bentayga’s sport drive mode. 
The car is still fitted as standard with three-chamber air suspension but the air setup is now up to 15 per cent stiffer than on the regular Bentayga, when the sport drive mode is selected. sport mode also introduces a new traction control setting and a new tune for the dynamic ride control anti-roll technology.

Bentley claims this results in a sharper turn-in, less body roll and better steering feel. The brand has also recalibrated the torque vectoring system (which brakes the inside wheels slightly to aid turn in) to a much more aggressive setting.
While the Bentayga S fields a new sport mode, it keeps hold of the regular Bentayga’s optional All-Terrain package with its four off-road modes (Snow and wet Grass, Gravel and Dirt, Mud and Trail, and Sand).
Click here to find out what happened when we evaluated the updated Bentley Bentayga against the Aston Martin DBX…

flying cars and trucks might be on the way, with the UK government having awarded monetary support to a business that’s establishing aviation facilities for electric as well as autonomous air vehicles with vertical take-off as well as landing (VTOL) capability.
British firm metropolitan Air Port’s job ‘Air-One’ will see the world’s very first completely operational hub for electric VTOL aircraft – such as cargo drones as well as flying taxis – set up in Coventry later this year. The company’s wider aim is to provide zero-emission air traveler journeys as well as deliveries.

Future cars and truck technology: innovations coming to cars and trucks in the future

Urban Air Port has now been chosen as a champion of the Government’s Future flight Challenge, entitling it to a £1.2 million grant. The money comes from the £125 million industrial strategy difficulty Fund as well as is expected to be matched by as much as £175 million from personal industry.
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The firm is already a concern facilities partner of Hyundai motor Group’s metropolitan Air Mobility Division. The Korean brand is supporting Air-One as well as means to develop its own electric VTOL aircraft, which it wishes to commercialise by 2028.
Urban Air Port plans to establish more than 200 sites in the next five years. Each one will be 60 per cent smaller than a traditional heliport, emit net-zero carbon as well as be totally off-grid. The sites – which can be developed in “a matter of days” – will likewise be of utilize in emergency situations, with the capability to quickly deploy drones as well as flying vehicles to deliver supplies, devices or people.
Ricky Sandhu, creator as well as executive chairman of metropolitan Air Port, said: “Flying cars and trucks utilized to be a futuristic flight of fancy. Air-One will bring clean metropolitan air deliver to the masses as well as unleash a new airborne world of zero discharge mobility.”
Gary Cutts, UK research study as well as innovation Future flight difficulty director, stated Air-One would “help to setting the UK at the vanguard of electric metropolitan air mobility”.
Are you keen to get on board a flying car? let us understand in the comments…

Vauxhall has revealed its plans for a faster version of the Adam city car, with this new 148bhp turbocharged Vauxhall Adam S. The new range-topping model is at the Geneva motor show as a production preview concept that is essentially how the car will look when it arrives later this year.
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Under the bonnet is a turbo version of the current 1.4-litre engine, increasing power by 50bhp – putting it in the same kind of territory as the new small Cooper. With its new-found grunt Vauxhall says it’ll be able to hit 137mph, and while nothing is confirmed you can expect 0-62mph in just under eight seconds.
This isn’t quite a VXR version, but it does have what Vauxhall calls a VXR braking system with 16-inch discs up front and red-painted calipers. With the Adam based on the Corsa’s platform it could still theoretically use the Corsa VXR’s 189bhp turbocharged 1.6-litre engine for a future model.
The Adam S will be easy to spot despite the hundreds of personalisation combinations available with the standard car. The red body paint of the show car is topped by a black roofing system ending with a spoiler, sill extensions underneath and an unmissable exhaust pipe round the back. new alloy wheels complete the exterior look while inside Recaro sports seats and red and white flashes on the instrument and door panels mark the car out from the standard model.
It’s not the only new engine available for the Adam ­- also at the show is a production model with the new three-cylinder 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine that Vauxhall hopes will take some of the shine off Ford’s Ecoboost unit with similar specs.
That was shown in the Adam Rocks, a version of the car given a mild SUV makeover with body cladding and a canvas retractable sunroof, but it will be made available in the larger range soon to give a version of the car with CO2 emissions below 100g/km for the first time.

A new design line-up has been revealed for the Polestar 2. The Tesla design 3 rival is now offered with three battery as well as motor combinations, with the variety starting from £39,900.
Polestar’s new common variety single motor variant features a 64kWh battery pack as well as a single electric motor mounted on the front axle. The system has an output of 221bhp as well as 330Nm of torque, as well as Polestar states it’ll cover up to 274 miles between trips to the plug.

Best electric cars and trucks to buy 2022

Standard devices for the entry-level design includes 19-inch alloy wheels, LED front as well as rear lamps, all-round auto parking sensors as well as a rear-view camera. Inside, purchasers likewise get an 11-inch infotainment screen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster as well as an eight-speaker stereo system.
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Polestar’s new mid-range option, called the long variety single Motor, is priced from £42,900. It features a somewhat more powerful, 228bhp version of the exact same front-mounted electric motor as well as a larger 78kWh battery pack. The brand states the powertrain offers a maximum variety of as much as 335 miles.
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Above that sits the Polestar 2 long variety double Motor, which is priced from £45,900 as well as replaces the introduce edition specification as the EV’s flagship model. It’s powered by the exact same 78kWh battery pack as well as twin electric motors, which have a integrated output of 402bhp as well as 660Nm of torque.
It likewise costs £4,000 less than the introduce specification, as that car’s plus as well as Pilot packs are now optional extras. The former costs £4,000 on its own as well as adds a full-length panoramic sunroof, a 13-speaker Harman Karmon stereo system as well as black ash dashboard trim.
Buyers likewise get electrically adjustable as well as heated front seats, together with heating functions for the rear bench, steering wheel as well as wiper blades. Polestar even offers an improved warm pump, which captures excess warm from the drivetrain as well as utilizes it to warm the cabin, cutting the energy demand from heating by 50 percent.
The Pilot pack adds £3,000 to the Polestar 2’s starting cost as well as adds a hold of additional driver assistance technology, including the company’s improved Pixel LED headlights, LED fog lamps, adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping help as well as cross web traffic alert.

Polestar likewise continues to offer its optional performance Pack, for an additional £5,000. The upgrade is only offered on the two most costly variations as well as adds forged 20-inch alloy wheels, adjustable Öhlins dampers, Brembo brakes as well as some gold trim inside as well as out.
Now checked out our evaluation of the Polestar 2 here…

1. GM axes Chevrolet in Europe
The most significant new this week came from GM after it announced Chevrolet would be dropped from European markets by the end of 2015. focus will now be placed on Vauxhall and Opel who have both struggled to compete in the increasingly competitive European market. GM also revealed it would be expanding the Cadillac brand across Europe too.
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Read more: GM axes Chevrolet Europe
2. Ford Mustang revealed
The all-new sixth-generation Mustang has been unveiled and for the first time in its 50 years of production, it will be making its way to UK shores in right-hand drive. There’s still no official word on pricing but a figure around £30,000 is expected, with the high-performance V8 model asking around a even more £5,000 when sales start early 2015.
Read more: Ford Mustang 2015 UK revealed
3. Audi Q1 confirmed
Audi confirmed the Q1 would be joining the lineup in 2016 as the new entry-level Q model. It’s initially aimed at Nissan Juke buyers who want something a little much more upmarket but BMW and Mercedes both have entry-level SUVs in the pipeline, which will rival the Q1. technical details are still limited but it’s likely the engines from the A1 supermini will be adopted.
Read more: Audi Q1 confirmed
4. Saab 9-3 back in production
Production of the Saab 9-3 has restarted under the new ownership of national electric cars Sweden. The restart in production also sees a slightly revised model roll off the production line, which will be initially sold in the Chinese market. The manufacture also announced plans to develop an electric version in 2014.
Read more: new Saab 9-3 unveiled
5. Audi crossover concept official sketches
Audi’s second major announcement this week came in the shape of some official crossover sketches, which appear to preview the new style direction for models such as the A4 and A5. The three-door concept will debut at the Detroit motor show in January next year, where we will find out its name and what’s fitted under the bonnet.
Read more:  Audi crossover concept official sketches

Pass rates for driving tests are considerably higher for White people than for people from any type of other ethnic background, according to data acquired from the chauffeur as well as car requirements company (DVSA) by car Express.
The data shows the typical pass rate for White people taking the useful test between 2016 as well as 2020 was 52.24 per cent, compared with just 34.62 per cent for Black people. The typical pass rate across this period for all ethnicities was 46.7 per cent.

Driving test update to protect the handbook gearbox

The pass-rate disparity is at its many stark when comparing figures for Black people with those for White people, however the pattern continues across other ethnic minorities as well. The typical pass rate for Oriental people from 2016 to 2020 was 37.86 per cent; the typical pass rate for Chinese people was 39.08 per cent; as well as the typical pass rate for ‘Gypsy/Irish or Scottish traveller’ (as the DVSA records it) was 42.25 per cent – although data for some ethnic minorities was not recorded in all years.
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The DVSA advised caution over its figures, explaining: “Ethnicity info is voluntarily offered by test candidates, as well as over 70 per cent of candidates do not state any type of ethnicity at all. It is, therefore, extremely likely that the info is subject to self-selection as well as reporting biases, as well as neither DVSA nor DfT [Department for Transport] would suggest that individuals depend on this data being a true reflection of the ethnicity of all candidates.”

families facing Christmas Day present disappointment due to missing batteries could find an unlikely saviour in Renault, after the French firm announced it will deliver batteries for complimentary over the festive period.
Residents living within the M25 can tweet @RenaultUK using the hashtag #SOSBattery on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, whereupon a member of the Renault team will come to their home with “a package of batteries and goodies”.
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• top 20 best Christmas presents for automobile fans
Given the variety of different batteries used by the current toys and gadgets, Renault promises its delivery motorists will bring “a large range” to any home inside the M25.
Renault also says eco-conscious buyers can rest easy, as the batteries will be delivered by a member of staff driving an all-electric Renault Zoe.
The Zoe’s own batteries are substantially a lot more powerful than those likely to be missing on Christmas day: the Z.E. 40 Zoe can officially travel 250 miles on a single charge using NEDC assessments, which is equivalent to 186 real-world miles in summer and 124 miles in winter.
Will you be using Renault’s emergency battery service? let us know in the comments below…

The united states hasn’t had one this year. Neither has France, Germany, Spain, Japan, Korea or most other major car-producing nations of the world. however we in Britain are about to get a national motor show. depending upon your age, you’ll be able to go to in person for at finest a fiver, at worst £18.50. 
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That’s for a packed eight hours (10am-6pm) of motoring entertainment, education as well as career advice for all your petrol/diesel/electric-head needs. Your eyes will be treated to tens of millions of pounds’ worth of cars, new as well as old. as for your other senses, they’ll tingle to the unmistakable tune of performance, traditional as well as stunt cars, plus screeching tyres. What’s more, your selfie collection should grow if you get up close as well as personal(ish) with worldwide TV stars who’ll be on-site as well as will, if you’re patient as well as respectful, play ball. 

New vehicle awards 2021: the winners

So why all this anticipation as well as imminent action on the automotive agenda? exactly how come there’s so much pent-up excitement, expectation as well as activity? What’s with these sensibly priced tickets (plus free parking) for members of the public feeling disenfranchised by the frequently prohibitively costly costs of entering Wimbledon, Wembley, Goodwood, Silverstone, Twickenham as well as similar venues?
It’s simple: THE BRITISH motor show IS BACK. It’s the vehicle exhibition most countries want in 2021 but, for challenging reasons, can’t have. Although it’s still a month away, it’s looking attractive, accessible as well as affordable. Farnborough worldwide exhibition Centre in Hampshire is the venue, 19-22 August the dates, as well as thebritishmotorshow.live will tell you more.