Home Blog Page 5

Kia Futron Concept Electric SUV Coupe

By
George Achorn
-
0
Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe
  • Sleek, streamlined shape wrapped with ‘360-degree’ theme bodywork
  • New ‘tiger-face’ incorporates innovative Star Cloud light signature
  • Spacious cabin with flexible seating and Level 4 autonomy
  • Concept makes international debut at CIIE 2019

(SEOUL) November 5, 2019 – Kia Motors has revealed its new Futuron Concept, an illuminating all-wheel drive SUV coupe which proposes new designs for future electric vehicles.

  • Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe
  • Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe
  • Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe
  • Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe
  • Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe

The Futuron Concept represents the modern and confident image of a progressive electric SUV coupe envisioned by Kia. The Futuron name itself is a portmanteau of ‘future’ and ‘on’, hinting at the switched-on, electric nature of future SUV designs from the brand.

With a design based around the notion of dynamic purity, the Futuron Concept merges elegant proportions with pure shapes and surfaces. Its lightweight SUV coupe body incorporates a fully-electric all-wheel drive powertrain, wrapped in bold yet modern exterior surfaces, and with a flexible, high-tech interior.

The Futuron makes its public debut today at the 2019 China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai, where it will be on display to the public until 10 November.

Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe

An electric SUV coupe with a ‘360-degree core’
The Kia Futuron Concept is built around a single, strong ‘360-degree’ design notable for its pure, smooth form devoid of ornament. The delicate diffusion of the body’s surfaces creates a series of taut, flowing shapes which twist, expand and contract around the body. The result is a sleek and streamlined shape, creating an aero-efficient profile.

The novel proportions of the car are immediately striking. Its low-profile SUV coupe body makes a strong statement of intent for Kia’s future cars, which will be confident, sporty and modern, yet also elegant. At 4,850 mm in length, 1,550 mm tall and with a 3,000 mm-long wheelbase, the Futuron’s elevated ground clearance is matched with a low, lean body to create a dynamic, confident posture.

The Futuron’s fully-electric powertrain makes this shape possible. A high-capacity battery is mounted low in the vehicle’s body, beneath the cabin floor, providing electrical energy to four powerful in-wheel electric motors. The elevated stance of the car is therefore matched with a low center of gravity and a cutting-edge e-AWD system which delivers lightning-fast responses to driver inputs.

A sports car on an SUV platform, combined with comfortable, lean-back seats, Futuron offers users a new type of interactive driving experience suitable for urban city environments. Various elements of the vehicle’s structure and design foster the important connection and interaction between car and driver.

The front fender flows backwards from the front of the hood before plunging into the cabin itself, establishing a connection between the driving seat and the road ahead. The concept’s roof is a diamond-shaped panoramic glasshouse which sits atop the 360-degree core, in the best traditions of UFO and flying saucer design. While flooding the cabin with natural light, it also extends down the bonnet to give drivers an unparalleled view ahead. The glasshouse also incorporates a network of LiDAR (light detection and ranging) sensors capable of providing Level 4 autonomous driving features, enabling hands-off and eyes-off driving in most conditions.

Furthermore, the 360-degree theme is evident in the lighting that illuminates a sharp character line encircling the Futuron’s body. A playful and interactive new feature, this lighting responds to physical gestures and movements made outside the car, eliciting a close connection between vehicle and driver before they even set foot in the cabin.

Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe

The new ‘tiger face’ of Kia
The front of the Futuron features a new reinterpretation of Kia’s ‘tiger nose’ grille, a signature for Kia design now for over a decade. While maintaining the basic principle of the design – a clear outline with tabs in the middle – Kia’s designers have expanded the boundaries, widening the shape across the front of the car to create a restrained, yet elegant ‘tiger face’.

The newly-designed front of the car, like that of the Imagine by Kia Concept first revealed earlier in 2019, expresses a new design interpretation for Kia’s future electric vehicles.

With a wider ‘tiger face’ shape, the grille incorporates the Futuron’s headlamps, an innovative ‘Star Cloud’ design which gives the car a dazzling new night-time identity. The concept’s Star Cloud lighting not only highlights a new design form for the front of the car, but also embodies a new lighting concept for Kia, taking inspiration from nebulae in the night sky to create a geometric patchwork of matrix LED lighting. The Star Cloud is also incorporated into the rear of the car, displaying a distinct light signature to anyone following the Futuron.

Revealed for the first time in Shanghai, the Futuron also incorporates Chinese legend in the design and form of its new Star Cloud lighting. The Dragon Skin surface which covers the lighting area emulates the scaled armor that adorns Chinese dragons, both in mythology and modern-day cultural celebrations. The Star Cloud lighting incorporates a kinetic surface, enabling the car to alternate between daytime running lights and full-beam headlamps as the scales open and close.

Kia’s Futuron Concept proposes an illuminating new design for an electric SUV coupe

Flexible and autonomous cabin space
The layout of the electric powertrain and incorporation of Level 4 autonomous driving systems has enabled the creation of a spacious and flexible cabin unlike any other vehicle on roads. The two front seats are created out of flexible materials and can offer an upright ‘driving’ position, or a reclined ‘rest’ position, similar to the flexibility afforded to first-class airline passengers. With the activation of the Futuron’s autonomous driving features, the two front seats recline as the steering wheel retracts. The ‘zero-gravity’ seating position this creates helps to reduce fatigue on long journeys.

The Futuron’s seamless interior also reflects its autonomous driving nature, with surfaces flowing uninterrupted from the dashboard and through the door panels. The doors feature the same Star Cloud lighting and scaled Dragon Skin motif found on the outside of the car, creating a glittering interactive ambient lighting system. The ventilation system is also housed behind Dragon Skin scales, which open and close to allow fresh air to circulate throughout the cabin.

One of the most prominent features of the cabin is the ‘cockpit’ area surrounding the driver. The graphical user interface (GUI) of the cockpit flows out of the driver-side door and wraps around the steering wheel in a seamless arc. This merges the instrument cluster directly with the audio-visual display at the center of the dashboard and is linked to the display integrated within the surface of the steering wheel itself. The GUI is operated by artificial intelligence technologies, displaying useful information about the car various autonomous driving, powertrain and navigation features to create a unique user experience. The apex of the cockpit arc sees the GUI lunge forward towards the road, creating an interactive Star Cloud light display at the very front of the cabin.

About Kia Motors Corporation

Kia Motors (www.kia.com) is a maker of world-class quality vehicles for the young-at-heart. Founded in 1944, Kia today sells around 3 million vehicles a year in 190 countries, with more than 52,000 employees worldwide, annual revenues of over US$49 billion and manufacturing facilities in five countries. Kia is the major sponsor of the Australian Open, official automotive partner of FIFA, official partner of the UEFA Europa League, and main partner of League of Legends European Championship 2019. The company’s brand slogan – “The Power to Surprise” – represents Kia’s global commitment to surprise the world with exciting, inspiring experiences that go beyond expectations. Press Release Information NoticeKia makes reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained in its press releases is accurate at the time of posting. However, Kia makes no guarantees or warranties, either expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy of the content presented. Kia may, from time to time, update its press releases, issue new releases, or publish other information to reflect new information.

Webasto and Ford Team up for Mustang ‘Lithium’

By
ford
-
0
Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Built in collaboration between Ford and Webasto, Mustang Lithium project vehicle generates more than 1000 ft.-lbs. of instant torque and more than 900 horsepower for new levels of performance and technology with its 800-volt Webasto battery system with EVDrive technology
  • Best of both worlds, Mustang Lithium accelerates the next generation of performance: unique 6-speed manual shifting, track handling and stunning quarter-mile acceleration with instant electric torque, and zero emissions
  • Ford is investing more than $11.5 billion in electrified vehicles by 2022, including an all-new Mustang-inspired fully electric SUV in 2020 with targeted range of 300 miles and an all-electric F-150 in a few years, a hybrid version of the best-selling F-150 pickup available in 2020 will join all-new Ford Escape and Explorer hybrids launched this year

LAS VEGAS, Nev., Nov. 05, 2019 – Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.

  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.
  • Ford and Webasto today reveal Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery-electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque and more than 900 horsepower instantaneously available, this Mustang amps muscle car performance to a new level and helps gauge the level of interest the next wave of performance customers have in lightning-quick performance that only fully electric powertrains can deliver.

The Mustang Lithium build is not only a one-off prototype to showcase electrification on the world’s best-selling sports car but also a testbed for battery and thermal management technologies Webasto and Ford are creating for the growing e-mobility automotive segment.

“Ford has made no secret of the fact that we are electrifying our most popular nameplates,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s Chief Product Development and Purchasing Officer. “This one-off Mustang prototype is a great opportunity for us, together with Webasto, to showcase to our customers what a new electrified powertrains can do for performance in a car they already know and love.”

An electrified street-ready beast, Mustang Lithium is low and sleek, with custom carbon fiber body components, a 1.0-inch lowered stance and 20-inch staggered fitting forged wheels. Under the hood, the differences are electrifying: a Phi-Power dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters – all powered by an 800-volt Webasto battery system with EVDrive Technology that can discharge a mega-watt of electrical energy.

At 800 volts, that’s twice the voltage of most electric cars on the road today. This allows the system to be lighter, more powerful and generate less heat, and more electric force than most battery-electric systems on the road today.

In a unique twist, Mustang Lithium features a manual transmission and uses a drag-strip proven Calimer-version of the Getrag MT82 6-speed transmission with billet internals to handle the 1,000 ft.-lbs. of torque. Ford Performance half shafts and Super 8.8 Torsen® differential help supply power to the road via lightweight Forgeline wheels wearing Michelin® Pilot®Sport 4S tires.

Additional features include Ford Performance’s Track Handling Pack and strut tower brace, Brembo six-piston front brakes from the Shelby GT350R, Sankuer Composite Technologies side splitters and rear diffuser, plus Webasto hood with see-through polycarbonate windows, TurboDX charging solution and TurboCord portable charger.

Mustang Lithium features a unique set of drive modes that apply a controlled amount of torque for different driving scenarios including: Valet, Sport, Track and Beast, and are instantly available on demand via a custom in-dash 10.4-inch touchscreen display.

“Very similar to Ford’s push for vehicle electrification, this is an innovative way to further the technologies we’re developing to enable vehicle electrification while creating a vision of how cool the future of electric performance will be,” said Mark Denny, Webasto Customized Solutions North America President and CEO.

Electric drive is essential to the future of Ford

For more than 20 years, Ford has brought electric and hybrid-electric vehicles to the masses and has produced more than 800,000 around the globe.

Ford is investing more than $11.5 billion in electrified vehicles by 2022, including an all-new Mustang-inspired fully electric SUV in 2020 with range of 300 miles and an all-electric F-150 in a few years.

As Ford actively refreshes its lineup, the all-new 2020 Ford Explorer and Escape hybrid SUVs feature the company’s fourth-generation lithium-ion battery technology, similar to the energy storage system used on the Mustang Lithium. An F-150 Hybrid also arrives next year. More than the instantaneous torque of these electric drive powertrains provide, greater levels of torque management and driver control can be enabled, plus zero emissions.About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 191,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit corporate.ford.com.

Ford Partners with Idris Elba to Reveal All-Electric, Mustang-Inspired SUV

By
ford
-
0

BRENTWOOD, Essex, Nov.4, 2019 – Ford today announced a creative partnership with Idris Elba for the launch of the upcoming all-new, all-electric Mustang-inspired SUV.

The British star said, “Most people don’t know this, but I worked at Ford as a young guy. My dad also worked at Ford. It’s practically in my blood. So working on this project and getting behind the wheel of a car that takes us all towards the future feels like things are coming full circle, but with more exhilaration and tech.”

The reveal of the all-new vehicle, which will have a targeted pure-electric driving range of up to 600 km (more than 370 miles under WLTP regulations), will be livestreamed from a location in Los Angeles at 02:00 GMT on November 18th.

Ford’s new all-electric vehicle will be on public display for the first time at the Los Angeles Auto Show 2019.

For more information on Ford’s range of all-electric, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid vehicles visit  https://www.ford.co.uk/shop/research/hybrid-electric/all-electric.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 194,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Ford of Europe is responsible for producing, selling and servicing Ford brand vehicles in 50 individual markets and employs approximately 50,000 employees at its wholly owned facilities and consolidated joint ventures and approximately 64,000 people when unconsolidated businesses are included. In addition to Ford Motor Credit Company, Ford Europe operations include Ford Customer Service Division and 20 manufacturing facilities (13 wholly owned facilities and seven unconsolidated joint venture facilities). The first Ford cars were shipped to Europe in 1903 – the same year Ford Motor Company was founded. European production started in 1911.

Infiniti in the Era of Electrification

By
infiniti
-
0
The Q Inspiration and Qs Inspiration concepts call on forward-looking technology and daring design to reflect the brand’s ethos.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – INFINITI’s future models will offer drivers a choice of electrified powertrains as the brand embraces new technology to propel its vehicles. These include fully-electric systems, as well as a gas-generated EV system (known as e-POWER at Nissan) in which a gasoline engine generates electrical power stored in a battery, which can then be delivered to all four wheels through a pair of high-output electric motors. These powertrains will be matched with dedicated platforms and vehicle architectures, delivering the high performance, range confidence and reduce environmental impact that buyers are coming to expect from premium car manufacturers.

To illustrate the brand’s powertrain development direction, INFINITI has revealed a trio of concept cars in recent years: the Q Inspiration, Qs Inspiration and QX Inspiration. Emblematic of INFINITI’s plans, these three concepts call on forward-looking technology and daring design to reflect the brand’s ethos. Electrification is a natural next step for the company and presents an opportunity for INFINITI to redefine its brand through high-performance, low-emissions models that offer a thrilling yet serene driving experience, and total range confidence.

The Q Inspiration and Qs Inspiration concepts call on forward-looking technology and daring design to reflect the brand’s ethos.

Two powertrains, one platform
The fully-electric and gas-generated EV powertrain options will be matched with dedicated platforms and vehicle architectures under INFINITI’s new ‘two powertrains, one platform’ approach to model development. This will see the creation of platforms which can accommodate both types of powertrain, with a high level of commonality between each.

Delivering battery power to a high-performance e-AWD (electric all-wheel drive) system, the platforms of all INFINITI’s future electrified cars will be engineered to accommodate a pair of high-output electric motors – one on the front axle, one on the rear. For electric vehicles, the space between the two axles will house a high-capacity battery pack, while gas-generated EV models will feature a significantly smaller battery pack, accompanied by a fuel tank and exhaust system connected to a front-mounted VC-Turbo gasoline generator that powers the battery pack. For all models, drive will be provided solely by electric motors.

Powerful and serene design
Electrification doesn’t just represent a powertrain revolution for INFINITI, but an evolution in design too. INFINITI design will adopt a new form language for the era of electrification. Dubbed ‘powerful serenity’, this will manifest itself in cars that look progressive, serene and powerful, embodying electrified performance. The result is an incredibly expressive design, with expansive, muscular surfaces and clear, concise lines inspired by origami, the Japanese art of paper folding.

Unshackled from the need to accommodate an internal combustion engine as the principal means of propulsion, the physical proportions of future INFINITI vehicles can be transformed. Engineers have more freedom configuring the mechanical layout of the car, with motor-driven wheels eliminating the need for drive shafts that intrude on cabin space in a conventional car.

The era of electrification will therefore enable INFINITI designers to adapt the proportions of future vehicles and create more spacious, lounge-like cabins. The brand’s new ‘powerful serenity’ form language will give these cars a memorable visual identity – inside and out.

For 30 years INFINITI has built a reputation for adopting new technologies that give confidence to drivers, with designs that harness and give aesthetic expression to these innovations. As INFINITI looks to the future, the age of electrification presents an opportunity for the brand to lead car design into a new, eye-catching era.

About INFINITI:
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd., with representation in markets around the world, will electrify its portfolio in the next three years. The INFINITI brand, launched in 1989, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan, North America and China. INFINITI design studios are located in Atsugi-Shi near Yokohama, London, San Diego and Shanghai. The brand has been widely acclaimed for its daring design and innovative driver-assistance technologies. From the 2016 season, INFINITI is a technical partner of the Renault F1 Team, contributing its expertise in hybrid performance.

Find more information about INFINITI, its industry leading technologies and the all-new 2019 QX50 midsize luxury crossover at www.infinitiusa.com. You can also follow INFINITI USA on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

Lister Fine Tunes Jaguar I-Pace with SUV-E

By
lister
-
0

Based on the already excellent, Jaguar I-Pace the Lister SUV-E concept is a pre-production collaboration between Lister and our chief designer Toby Tinsley. Changes to the original I-Pace consist of:

• Full Carbon Fibre Front Bumper. 
• Full Carbon Fibre Front Splitter.
• Full Carbon Fibre Bonnet.
• Full Carbon Fibre Rear Bumper.
• Full Carbon Fibre Rear Splitter. 
• Full Carbon Fibre Roof Spoiler.
• GRP Wheel Arch Extensions.
• New GRP Front Grille Surround. 
• Carbon Ceramic Brakes
• Exclusive Lister Designed Titanium Wheel design. 
• Custom Nappa Leather Interior in a choice of 60 leather colours and 200 stitching colours. 
• Custom exterior colours in any colour of your choice.
• Fully Adjustable Lowered Suspension. 
• More Aggressive Exhaust Sound (to comply with new electric vehicle regulations). 
• Weight saving on the original car of 100kg bringing the weight down to 2033kg. 
• Software Update resulting in improved BHP and Torque over standard car. 
• 0-60 estimated at 4 seconds. 

Whilst petrol runs through their veins instead of blood, Lister cannot ignore the interest in electric vehicles, especially as a low-tax company car offering. Lister is therefore introducing the SUV-E concept based on the Jaguar I-Pace as an opportunity for those interested in electric power to own a truly unique and bespoke electric vehicle. All Lister SUV-E will be built to customers individual specifications, which include paintwork in any colour the customer likes, a choice of over 60 leather colours and a can-do attitude where basically anything is possible. The on-the-road price will be around the £125,000 mark and only a limited number will be produced pending interest and pre-orders.

Bentley EXP 100 GT – Working in Partnership for a Future of Sustainable Luxury Mobility

By
bentley
-
0
  • Bentley’s vision of the future sets the benchmark for sustainability
  • Luxurious cabin includes finest intelligently curated materials
  • All-electric concept car an environmental showcase
  • Bentley partners with world’s leading experts in sustainable materials
  • Sustainable future includes 5,000-year-old Copper Infused Riverwood
  • 100% organic leather-like textile a bi-product of wine-making
  • British Farmed Wool carpets and embroidered cotton interior surfaces
  • Even Compass exterior paint made from recycled rice husks
  • Fully-autonomous EXP 100 GT a celebration of Bentley’s centenary

(Crewe, 30 October, 2019) Bentley has become a world leader in the push towards a future of sustainable luxury mobility with the new EXP 100 GT – its all-electric concept car created to celebrate the company’s centenary year. In pursuing this vision, Bentley has brought together intelligently curated materials from some of the world’s leading experts in sustainable production.

The fully autonomous Grand Tourer with zero emissions and Artificial Intelligence sets a new benchmark for sustainable travel. Designed to enhance the occupants’ luxury Grand Touring experience, it is borne from pure Bentley DNA. Beautifully styled, it reasserts the car as a place for creating, experiencing and capturing extraordinary human experiences and emotions.

Bentley has entered into some unique collaborations to bring the EXP 100 GT to reality. The future of sustainable luxury includes 5,000-year-old Copper Infused Riverwood, a 100% organic leather-like textile which is a bi-product from wine-making, as well as British Farmed Wool carpets. Even the Compass exterior paint is made from recycled rice husks.

The Bentley EXP 100 GT – Partnerships for a sustainable future

Bentley has created a carefully curated selection of exquisite materials for the EXP 100 GT concept car. The collaborations, many of which also help protect the tradition of British craftsmanship, put sustainable innovation to the forefront.

Among them is a unique partnership with Gainsborough, a company that has been producing some of the world’s finest interior furnishing fabrics since 1903, designed, dyed, warped and woven with care and integrity. Based in Sudbury, Suffolk – a centre of silk weaving since the 19th century – the company has a royal warrant of appointment to Her Majesty The Queen.

Gainsborough cotton damask textile is sustainable, renewable and biodegradable, making it an excellent choice as an environmentally friendly fibre in the EXP 100 GT. This unique and beautiful damask has been jointly created by Bentley and Gainsborough, using a sustainable dying process that strives to achieve zero discharge of chemicals into the environment.

Bentley teamed up with London’s premier embroidery house to create a crafted art installation on the textile. Hand & Lock has more than 250 years of experience, providing their services to the Royal Family, top European design houses, the Royal Armed Forces and Savile Row tailors. The company is committed to sharing embroidery know how and inspiring the next generation of embroiderers.

Vegea is the future of luxury eco-materials and uses a bi-product of the wine-making process to create a fully vegetal raw material consisting of grape skins, seeds and stalks that remain after crushing grapes. An exclusive collaboration with Vegea Company of Italy sees Bentley making a clear and bold statement about its commitment to delivering beautiful materials that are sustainable and environmentally friendly too.

Using a traditional Wilton loom, Grosvenor Wilton’s luxury floorcoverings in the EXP 100 GT are woven with precision and skill in the finest sustainable wool from rare breed sheep. Grosvenor Wilton is one of England’s oldest carpet manufacturers, founded in Kidderminster in 1790, it has a legacy of quality and innovation. The yarn selected for Bentley is all-British Farmed Wool, spun in Britain, dyed in Yorkshire and woven in Worcestershire.

Cumbria Crystal is the last producer of completely hand-blown and hand-cut, lead, luxury English crystal. Using only traditional methods, a team of just 22 highly skilled artisans use techniques that have barely changed since Roman times. The company is committed to operating as sustainably and ethically as possible, working only with British and European partners for all supplies and packaging. It is the crystal of choice for British Embassies, many royal families and now the Bentley EXP 100 GT.

Even the exterior paint of the EXP 100 GT is produced from a process that uses rice hush ask – a bi-product from the rice industry. The Coldstream pigment featured on the Grand Tourer is synthetically manufactured and reduces rice husk landfill waste, due to the bi-product’s lack of biodegradability. The resulting paintwork shows a beautiful spectrum of autumn colours.

Bentley’s love of authentic materials – a long-established tradition in the company’s luxurious cars – continues via a unique partnership with the charity, the Fenland Black Oak Project.

Around 5,000 years ago, an ancient high forest once stood inside the Fenland Basin in England’s East Anglia region. Over time and due to a rise in sea level, these spectacular oak trees fell into the silt of the flooded forest where they have been preserved ever since in the peat.

This black ‘treasure’ lay undiscovered until 2012 when experts found a 13-metre long giant log from that forest. Milled and dried, the wood has an aesthetic naturally occurring open grain, knots and cracks that make it perfect material to infuse with metals such as recycled copper – adding stability to an otherwise ‘flawed’ piece of wood.

Inspired by the Japanese art of Kintsugi, metal infused bog oak embraces and celebrates the beauty of the natural features and imperfections, repurposing an otherwise discarded material for use in the Bentley EXP 100 GT interior.

About Bentley Motors

Bentley Motors is the most sought after luxury car brand in the world. The company’s headquarters in Crewe is home to all of its operations including design, R&D, engineering and production of the company’s four model lines, Continental, Flying Spur, Bentayga and Mulsanne. The combination of fine craftsmanship, using skills that have been handed down through generations, alongside engineering expertise and cutting-edge technology is unique to UK luxury car brands such as Bentley. It is also an example of high-value British manufacturing at its best. Bentley employs around 4,000 people at Crewe.

Upcoming Mercedes EQS Spied

By
George Achorn
-
0

Though Mercedes’ EQC crossover isn’t quite on the market yet, that doesn’t mean Stuttgart isn’t wholly serious about jumping into the electric car game in a major way. Shortly after the EQC is expected the EQS, a sport sedan expected to rival the likes of the Tesla Model S, the Porsche Taycan and the upcoming Audi e-tron GT.

Our spy photographer sources recently snapped shots of an EQS test mule spied just outside Mercedes-Benz factory grounds, but still with plenty of camouflage so as not to give away too much of the final design. It’s clear though that this is an aggressively low and long 4-door shape, not surprising given the intended competitive set.

The EQS will be based on Mercedes-Benz’ MEA platform set (Modular Electric Architecture). Power is expected to be delivered via a pair of electric motors, one at the front axle and another at the rear axle for an all-wheel drive configuration.

Audi electrifies Munich: new, free charging, parking and shuttle service at airport

By
audi
-
0
Audi is launching a free initiative for all electric and plug-in hybrid car owners at Munich Airport, under the name of “Charge & Fly”.
  • Recharge and park for free at Munich Airport until end of 2019
  • Also option of test-driving the Audi e-tron* 
  • Green power from Audi’s own photovoltaic system 

Audi is launching a free initiative for all electric and plug-in hybrid car owners at Munich Airport, under the name of “Charge & Fly”: Until the end of the year, interested drivers can recharge their electric car or plug-in hybrid vehicle with green power while they are away, and park for free.

Trouble-free parking, free charging and off to your plane – precisely that is the concept behind Audi’s new initiative to unleash the beauty of sustainable mobility at Munich Airport. Until December 20, owners of any make of electric car or plug-in hybrid vehicle will have the option of parking their car for free at the airport and recharging it with green power. Users book the required dates at www.charge-fly.audi. The drop-off point is the e-tron meteorite (address: in der Wartungsallee 4, 85356 Munich Airport), which previously electrified the Airport Piazza this spring to mark the introduction of the four rings’ first fully electric model and that is now re-used sustainably as an electric charging station.

An Audi e-tron shuttle then transfers passengers to their required terminal. Upon their return, customers can take up the offer of an exclusive test drive accompanied by an Audi expert. Or they can visit a dealer at a later point in time to test-drive the model at their own convenience. 

These arrangements make sustainable use of the existing infrastructure:
The facade of the new Audi Brand Experience Center at the airport incorporates a photovoltaic system that generates power for the meteorite building. Two second-life batteries, sponsored by the AUDI AG Technical Development division, store surplus power from the photovoltaic facade making them ideally suited to charging the batteries of electric vehicles in the meteorite.

The Charge & Fly campaign and the e-tron meteorite, designed as a public e-charging station, represent a further building block in the holistic ecosystem that Audi operates at Munich Airport. This year, one of the world’s largest charging parks with 70 AC charging points (22 kW) and six DC charging points (150 kW) was put into operation.

*Fuel consumption Audi e-tron
Combined electric power consumption in kWh/100 km*: 26.4 – 22.9 (WLTP); 24.6 – 23.7 (NEDC), Combined CO2emissions in g/km: 0
(Information on fuel/electric power consumption and CO₂ emissions depend on the equipment selected for the vehicle.)

Porsche Taycan SportTurismo Spied

By
George Achorn
-
0

With the Taycan sedan now already released, and a cross-SportTurismo version already shown in concept car form, the idea of a SportTurismo version of the Zuffenhausen’s electric car was probably a foregone conclusion. Even still, seeing it out and about in test mule form doesn’t disappoint.

The idea is pretty simple here. It may be called “SportTurismo”, but that’s basically Porsche-speak for station wagon. And, while wood-panel station wagons of yore weren’t exactly the sexiest things ever offered, more modern additions to the car market like he Audi RS 6 Avant also help put the body style in perspective – a low center of gravity re-think to the uber popular SUV/crossover body style.

Taycan rolls on the Volkswagen Group’s Porsche-developed sport-luxury minded J1 architecture. That’ll also underpin the upcoming Audi e-tron GT when it comes out, and it’s rumored to also underpin the Bentley EXP 100 GT concept car… and likely forthcoming Bentley EV offering(s).

Expect likely exact same drivetrain / power / range offerings as the Taycan sedan. Thus far that means the questionably named Turbo S and the more aptly named 4S. Power and prices range accordingly.

Jaguar Designs All-Electric Vision Gran Turismo for Gran Turismo Sport

By
jaguarlandrover
-
0
  • Jaguar unveils its first virtual all-electric sports car
  • Futuristic Jaguar sports car debuts in Gran Turismo Sport during the Gran Turismo World Tour event in Tokyo
  • The Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupé has been designed and developed from the ground up as a pure, all-electric, all-wheel drive race car for the globally-renowned game
  • The car is the ultimate expression of Jaguar DNA combining the lineage of iconic C-type and D-type race cars with an exciting design vision for the future
  • Inspired by Jaguar’s I-TYPE 4 and eTROPHY race cars, the virtual EV boasts three powerful, compact motors producing 1,020PS (750 kW), propelling gamers from 0-100km/h in less than two seconds
  • The Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupé will be available for players to download in Gran Turismo Sport for Sony PlayStation 4 from the end of November

Friday 25 October 2019, Tokyo, Japan – Jaguar has today unveiled its first all-electric virtual sports car – the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo Coupé. The futuristic EV is set to join the grid as the latest addition to the Vision Gran Turismo line-up for the Gran Turismo series.

The all-electric Jaguar Vision GT Coupé has been designed and developed from the ground up taking inspiration from the brand’s incredible racing lineage. The iconic C-type and D-type influence its fearless futuristic design, while Jaguar’s I-TYPE 4 Formula E and I-PACE eTROPHY racing cars provide the technical foundations for its uncompromising racing performance.

Jaguar’s team of designers were given complete creative freedom to develop the perfect proportions and beautiful surfaces of this virtual Jaguar of the future.

Julian Thomson, Jaguar Design Director, said: “This project has been completely led by our young designers and represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for them to create a vehicle steeped in our incredible heritage but pushing the boundaries of future design. The team have done an incredible job in creating something which is clearly identifiable as a Jaguar, inspired – but not constrained – by our iconic past.”

Providing gamers with 1,020PS (750kW) of power, 1,200Nm of torque, a 0-100km/h time of less than two seconds and perfectly balanced handling, the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé will be on the starting grid for GT Sport fans from the end of November.

Kazunori Yamauchi, Gran Turismo creator, President of Polyphony Digital Inc., said: “We are delighted to today announce the Jaguar Vision Gran Turismo project. It was a great experience for us to work with Julian Thomson who is the new design director now at Jaguar. The design and performance of this car is a result of the team’s skill, craftmanship, and long years of collaborations together. We look forward to having drivers get behind the wheel next month.”

Exterior Design
The influence of Jaguar’s rich racing pedigree is clear to see in the Vision GT Coupé’s assertive exterior lines and powerful, sculpted fenders which reflect those of the iconic Le Mans-winning C-type and D-type racing cars.

Where these heritage Jaguars pushed the boundaries of aerodynamics and braking technology, the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé features a deployable, active aero wing to optimise energy efficiency while generating the perfect amount of downforce.

Oliver Cattell-Ford, Exterior Designer, Jaguar Advanced Design, said: “This was the dream project for a car designer, creating a futuristic sports car for Gran Turismo means our designs and ideas could be truly limitless. It has to excite future generations and most importantly, look and feel unmistakably Jaguar.”

Beautiful shapes and purposeful proportions from three key cars in Jaguar’s racing heritage, the C-type, D-type and E-type, have influenced the form and graphics of the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé. Radical front fenders are reminiscent of the C-type, the epic plan shape is inspired by the ‘Long Nose’ D-type, and the fast and elegant cabin hints at the Lightweight E-type.

The virtual sports EV is crafted from experimental lightweight materials, with the light and stiff monocoque made from carbon-fibre composites and advanced aluminium alloys. This focused lightweight construction ensures the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé weighs just 1,400kg and delivers near 50:50 weight distribution.

The Vision GT Coupé is the first Jaguar to feature the iconic Leaper on the front grille. Elsewhere the historic references continue with the twin-charging sockets flanking the rear haunches, inspired by Jaguar’s revolutionary 1968 XJ saloon.

Interior Design
The interior of the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé has been designed to fuse Jaguar’s heritage with its contemporary interior philosophy of progressive luxury, purity, driver focus, and stunningly intricate details, all of which are allowed to breathe through the simplicity of the car’s design.

Chris Shaw, Interior Designer, Jaguar Advanced Design, said: “We’ve really pushed the limit to imagine how a future Jaguar sports car interior could look. The architecture is visually lightweight, simple, and dramatic; featuring advanced and experimental materials and finishes. Sitting in the stunningly considered cockpit and looking out onto the gracefully long bonnet of the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé – a view that is unmistakably Jaguar – the player will be fully immersed in the action.”

This selection of inspired details and inventive, innovative flourishes include hologram technology. The car features an on-board artificial intelligence system affectionately named “KITT-E” – a companion that would operate systems, and interface between the driver and machine to enhance the emotional connection with the car*. This technology can also display other useful information to the driver in a variety of formats, including three dimensional maps, and essential vehicle data.

The cockpit has been crafted to envelope the driver, creating a racing experience reminiscent of Jaguar’s Le Mans-winning D-types. It also features augmented reality digital side glass for enhanced vision either side of the car; the glass being able to highlight danger and obstacles, therefore increasing driver perception. Complimenting this, ahead of the driver is a transparent information cluster, displaying three-dimensional information inspired by iconic Smiths gauges, with rearward vision integrated either side in the screen’s simple wrapped design – all in perfect eye-line of the road ahead.

A unique soundscape has also been created to immerse the driver in a pure Jaguar racing experience. Led by the team responsible for the Jaguar I-PACE’s soundtrack, the Vision GT Coupé’s distinctive sound was created using brand new recordings of the 1957 Le Mans podium-finishing ‘603’ Long Nose D-type. Its race-spec 3.8 litre XK engine provides a unique layer, manipulated and woven into a futuristic and distinctive electric soundtrack.

Performance
To create the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé’s uncompromising racing performance the design team called on the same Panasonic Jaguar Racing engineers who lead the design and development of the brand’s I-TYPE 4 Formula E and I-PACE eTROPHY race cars. The car is powered by three powerful, compact motors – one driving both front wheels, the other two driving a rear wheel each – which together produce a combined 1,020PS (750kW) and 1,200Nm. Players will be propelled from 0-100km/h in less than two seconds and on to a maximum speed of more than 200mph.

James Barclay, Team Director, Panasonic Jaguar Racing said: “The opportunity to take what we have learned on the track from our time in Formula E and apply it to a futuristic Jaguar race car has been a great challenge for the Jaguar Racing engineers. With its all-electric motor design drawing on the technology from both the Jaguar I-TYPE 4 and eTROPHY race cars, we have accurately modelled the performance of the Jaguar Vision GT Coupé in the virtual world, creating a car that will be exhilarating to drive and a real threat to the competition.”

The Jaguar Vision GT will be available for players to download in Gran Turismo Sport for the Sony PlayStation 4 from the end of November and will first be driven by competitors in the latest round of Sony’s Gran Turismo World Tour event at the Tokyo Motor Show, Japan, from 26-27 October.

About Jaguar
Jaguar’s heritage of elegant design and breathtaking performance has excited and delighted the world for over 80 years. Today’s world-class Jaguar family comprises the award-winning XE, XF and XJ saloons, the dramatic F-TYPE sports car, the F-PACE performance SUV – the fastest-selling Jaguar ever – the E-PACE compact performance SUV and I-PACE, the all-electric performance SUV and 2019 World Car of the Year that puts Jaguar at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution.

About Destination Zero
Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero mission is an ambition to make societies safer and healthier, and the environment cleaner. Delivered through relentless innovation, the company’s focus is on achieving a future of zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion – across its facilities, and through its products and services.

1...4567Page 5 of 7

EDITOR PICKS

POPULAR POSTS

POPULAR CATEGORY

©