Did you know that Honda introduced a solution to traffic jams in the 80s?
This involved a foldable mini motorcycle that could be placed at the back of the Honda City Turbo.
It was Honda’s solution to urban mobility back when it was not even an issue. Talk about fore sight.
In this video we drive the Honda City Turbo 2 then we ride the Honda Motocompo and try folding and unfolding it to see what it was like.
Geely Holding (or more correctly, Zhejiang Geely Holding Group in full) has been building up its portfolio of brands over the past two decades. While allowing the brands – which include Lotus, Volvo, Polestar and Proton – to operate autonomously, there has also been a strong effort to fully utilise the available synergies that such a large group of companies enables. Sharing resources can give a competitive edge in the business and Geely Holding has therefore not just developed the car companies but also looked at how it can create its own ecosystem for other elements.
One important area is powertrains and while each of the companies has had its own R&D in this area, a ‘centralised’ powertrain company would be beneficial to the group. To establish this, Geely Holding has announced a joint-venture with Volvo Cars to create Aurobay, a new company that will be in the powertrain business. The new company will be a global supplier of complete powertrain solutions including next-generation combustion engines, transmissions and hybrid solutions.
Aurobray will get Volvo’s engine facilities
Aurobay will initially be jointly owned by Volvo Cars and Geely Holding and as part of the creation of Aurobay, Volvo Cars will transfer all assets in its wholly-owned subsidiary Powertrain Engineering Sweden, including its engine plant in Sweden as well as the related R&D team, along with its engine plant in China and other relevant assets to the joint-venture in coming months.
The creation of the stand-alone joint venture and the transfer of assets allows Volvo Cars to focus fully on the development of its new range of all-electric models in coming years. The company aims to have 50% of its global sales volume made up of fully electric vehicles by 2025, of which 50% will be hybrids using powertrains supplied by Aurobay. By 2030, it will no longer sell vehicles with combustion ends and offer only fully electric models.
For Geely Holding, the new entity will benefit from the addition of a strong R&D team and technologically advanced and efficient combustion engines and hybrid powertrains for its portfolio of brands, creating a strong base for substantial operational, industrial and financial synergies.
Supply to other companies outside Geely Group
The new business also has plans to supply customers outside of the Geely Holding Group, with the objective of becoming a leading player in the supply of high-quality, low emission, cost-efficient powertrains solutions. The supply of engines to other companies isn’t something unusual and larger carmakers have been doing so for a long time. For example, Proton used to source engines for the Waja and Savvy from Renault.
Besides the new powertrain business, Geely Holding and Volvo Cars have other plans for collaboration. These include sharing of electric vehicle architecture, joint procurement, autonomous drive technologies and aftersales.
“As shareholders and portfolio-managers of both wholly-owned and listed companies, Geely Holding sees significant benefits from deeper partnerships and alliances whilst maintaining independence,” said Li Shufu, Chairman of Geely Holding. “We are encouraged by the potential synergies and growth opportunities created by this collaboration, which will create two even stronger globally competitive companies in the rapidly changing world of automotive technology and new mobility services.”
Volvo Car Group aims to have assured battery supply with gigafactory joint venture
Continuing its journey towards electrification and carbon neutrality, Bentley Motors has introduced a hybrid powertrain for its third generation Flying Spur. Declaring the new variant as ‘the most environmentally friendly Bentley to date’, the introduction of the Flying Spur Hybrid establishes a family of Bentley hybrids for the first time.
In developing the hybrid powertrain, Bentley has made sure there are no compromises to luxury or performance. The new powertrain combines a 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine with an advanced electric motor (E-motor), delivering a total of 544 ps/750 Nm (21.5% more power than the Bentayga Hybrid). The E-motor is powered by a 14.1 kWh lithium-ion battery and can be charged to 100% in as little as two and a half hours (depending on the region and facilities used). The power electronics convert the energy stored from the high-voltage battery to supply the E-motor or supplement the existing 12V vehicle electrical infrastructure.
In the early years of hybrids 20 years ago, performance was not a strong point. However, with advancements in the technology, it is now possible to have high performance in hybrids. The Flying Spur Hybrid has virtually similar capabilities as the Flying Spur V8 in acceleration, going from 0 to 100 km/h within a claimed 4.3 secs.
The combination of a highly efficient engine and the advanced E-Motor delivers the same flexibility and practicality associated with the W12 and V8 powertrains, achieving a responsive, engaging and refined experience. Using a constantly varying combination of engine and electric motor output, the Flying Spur Hybrid is claimed to be the most efficient Bentley ever, with a capability to cover over 700 kms on a full tank.
The interior of the Flying Spur Hybrid has a striking combination of the very latest integrated technology, beautiful materials and design prowess, combined with the features required for a plug-in hybrid vehicle. The automatic Start/Stop switch has been replaced with a control for the three E Modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Mode and Hold Mode, enabling the driver to manage the battery usage during a journey. EV Drive mode is engaged as soon as the car is switched on, and maximises the electric driving experience. This is ideal for city driving and for shorter journeys.
The flow of energy can be viewed via the infotainment screen where statistics can be seen and the timers for charging of the vehicle can be set. Additional e-motion information is available to the driver via the instrument panel, heads up display and centre screen, including range, battery level and charging information.
To provide further feedback to the driver, the instruments include additional information showing when the car is operating solely in EV drive, regenerating whilst decelerating or using the combustion engine.
The Flying Spur Hybrid comes with a portfolio of intelligent and intuitive equipment tailored to the driver and passengers. An embedded SIM is provided, meaning My Bentley connected car features no longer require customers to provide their own data connection. My Bentley in-car and remote services is a continually-developing range of services available to customers through a dedicated app, available both on Apple iOS and Android mobile platforms.
As with every Bentley model, the Flying Spur Hybrid can be ordered from a range of over 67 exterior colours. The Blackline Specification offers a contemporary alternative to exterior brightware including a black version of the optional illuminated electrically deployed Flying B radiator mascot, and for a more contemporary exterior aesthetic.
Pricing starts from £160,000 in England (about RM921,000) and Bentley dealers are now accepting orders. The first customers can expect to receive their cars before the end of the year.
Lamborghini has unveiled the Aventador LP 780-4 Ultimae as the final production model of the V12 supercar. 600 cars will be available – 350 in coupe form and 250 roadsters. Pricing will start from around 422,735 euros (about RM2.08 million), with production to start before the end of this year.
“The Aventador LP 780-4 denotes the final, purest, timeless naturally-aspirated production V12 Lamborghini,” said Stephan Winkelmann, President & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “It delivers the essential 12-cylinder experience in terms of inimitable design, engineering solutions and the most emotive driving experience, and is the definitive Aventador concluding an extraordinary era. It is the last of its kind, delivering the maximum power and conclusive performance expected from Lamborghini’s current V12 engine.”
Besides the purity of the original Aventador concept, the LP 780-4 Ultimae captures all the power and performance of the Aventador’s 10-year evolution, including the know-how of the Nurburgring-Nordschleife record SVJ powertrain set in July 2018.
Essentially a SVJ under the skin, it incorporates the purest features of all Aventador editions since it first appeared in 2011. The 12-cylinder 6.5-litre ‘Longitudinale Posteriore’ (LP) engine delivers 780 ps – 40 ps more than the Aventador S and 10 ps over the SVJ – to its permanent 4-wheel drive. Transmission is via Lamborghini’s lightweight Independent Shifting Rod 7-speed shifting system, providing robotized gearshifts in up to 50 milliseconds.
The Aventador LP 780-4’s unique, extremely rigid and lightweight carbonfibre monocoque, and extensive use of carbonfibre throughout the body, contributes to its dry weight of just 1,550 kgs. The coupe version, weighing 25 kgs less than the Aventador S, delivers the same weight-to-power ratio as the SVJ at 1.98 kg/ps, accelerating from 0 – 100 km/h in a claimed 2.8 seconds and hitting a top speed of 355 km/h. From 100 km/h to standstill is said to be done in 30 metres.
Lateral control is optimized through 4-wheel steering, introduced on the Aventador S, to give agility at low and medium speeds and enhanced stability at high speed. Lamborghini Dynamic Steering (LDS) on the front axle is calibrated for responsive feedback with sharp turn-in while adapted to integrate with the active rear-wheel steering on the rear axle. Separate actuators respond in five milliseconds to drivers’ steering movements, allowing a real-time adjustment to steering angles enhancing cornering properties.
The permanent 4-wheel drive, due to the rear-wheel steering, is calibrated to allow more torque to the rear axle so that when powering off, less torque is shifted to the front axle to allow sporty but safe oversteer behaviour.
The LP 780-4 Ultimae’s design adopts a specific front bumper concept for increased aero load on the front, with longitudinal performance similar to the SVJ. Delivering the state of the art aerodynamic performance, the front splitter and open ‘mouth’ directs additional airflow to optimize aerodynamic efficiency, engine and radiator cooling.
The active aero system’s rear wing moves into 3 positions, dependent on speed and the drive mode selected, optimizing the car’s overall balance. Vortex generators created in the front and rear of the underside maximize air flow and assist with brake cooling.
The driver and passenger environment is refined, with a new collection of tone-on-tone colours that are elegant while recalling the Aventador’s powerful original design cues taken from the world of aeronautics. The LP 780-4’s comfort seat is taken from the Aventador S, with the ‘Ultimae’ name embroidered into the seat bolster, while the A-pillar driver dashboard area carries the 001 of 350/250 reference to the limited editions.
The customizable TFT digital dashboard displays driver modes as well as controlling in-car connectivity. Apple CarPlay manages voice activated communications and entertainment, with the Lamborghini telemetry system available as an option for those wanting to celebrate the last Aventador on track.
Are you good enough to be a Lamborghini Official Sim driver?
Peugeot, which won the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1992 and 1993 as well as in 2009, will return next year to the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with its new-generation hypercar, the 9X8. Now under development, the 9X8 showcases Peugeot’s Neo-Performance strategy which combines technology and sportiness in both the carmaker’s road and racing cars.
A project between Peugeot Sport and Peugeot Design, the 9X8 is a direct successor of the Peugeot 905. The designers worked closely with engineers to explore new aerodynamic solutions and styling ideas. Greater flexibility, allowed by the WEC’s new technical rules regarding aerodynamics, permits new thinking that favours the emergence of innovative cars, allowing for new creative processes and a break away from established procedures to produce a hypercar for a completely new era.
What ‘9X8’ means
‘9X8’, the designation, is derived from a combination of the brand’s motorsport heritage and vision for the future. The ‘9’ continues the series used by Peugeot on its previous endurance racing cars. The ‘X’ refers to the all-wheel drive technology and hybrid powertrain. The ‘8’ is common across all of Peugeot’s current models – from the 208 and 2008 to the 308, 3008, 508 and 5008.
The 9X8’s front and rear lighting signatures, which take the form of three claw-like strokes, are familiar Peugeot trademarks, while the brand’s new lion’s head logo features at the front and on the sides of the car. “Since the 9X8 is a Peugeot, the original sketch that steered our work portrayed a big cat ready to pounce, a stance which we have suggested by the slightly forward-tilting cockpit. The overall lines of the Peugeot 9X8 express the brand’s styling cues, while its sleek, racy, elegant forms inspire emotion and dynamism,” explained Peugeot’s Design Director, Matthias Hossann.
No rear wing necessary
The finely-chiselled details of the rear-end design includes the quip ‘We didn’t want a rear wing’ above a wide diffuser. Rear wings were first seen at the Le Mans 24 Hours on the Chaparral 2F which contested the race in 1967, meaning this is the first time their use has been questioned in more than half a century. The 9X8’s innovative rear stems from research carried out by Peugeot Sport’s engineering team as they worked to ensure the model was as aerodynamic as possible, whilst maintaining an eye-catching style.
“The absence of a rear wing on the Peugeot 9X8 is a major innovative step. We have achieved a degree of aerodynamic efficiency that allows us to do away with this feature. Don’t ask how, though! We have every intention of keeping that a secret as long as we possibly can!” said Jean-Marc Finot, Motorsport Director of Stellantis (Peugeot is part of the Stellantis Group).
Distinctive cockpit colour scheme
“Inside, we wanted to take a special approach to the cockpit which, until now, has tended to be a purely functional and indistinctive aspect of racing cars, with no brand identity whatsoever. The combination of our colour scheme and Peugeot’s i-Cockpit interior styling signature have provided the 9X8’s cockpit with a distinctive feel and make it immediately identifiable as a Peugeot.”
Peugeot HYBRID4 powertrain
The 5-metre long racing car has a rear-mounted, 2.6-litre, bi-turbo, 680-bhp 90-degree V6 as part of the Peugeot HYBRID4 powertrain. The system output gets another 200 kW from the front-mounted 200kW motor-generator unit powered by a high-voltage 900V high-density battery pack.
The battery pack is located in a carbonfibre casing inside the car’s monocoque structure, behind the driver and underneath the fuel tank. It has been designed to combine durability with consistent performance during races of durations of up to 24 hours, and even beyond.
Although the system output is over 500 kW, the regulations set a maximum power output of just 500 kW during races. The regulations also forbid the use of electrical energy below 120 km/h, so the motor generator unit only engages once this speed has been reached. The car must pull away from standstill under the power of its internal combustion engine alone.
At full power, the power output is limited to 300 kW and adjusted as a function of the power delivered by the motor generator unit at 200 kW which is directly dependent on the battery level. When the motor generator unit comes into use, the car automatically switches to 4-wheel drive, thereby modifying its drivability.
When the battery pack is empty, the engine reverts to 500 kW power output and the drivetrain reverts to rear-wheel drive. During races, the battery will be fully charged prior to the start by means of a mains-connected plug-in hybrid charger. Once on the track, the battery will function completely independently and be charged only by the kinetic braking energy recovery system.
‘An extreme laboratory’
Peugeot’s CEO, Linda Jackson, says there’s more to the company’s involvement in endurance racing than the sporting aspect. “Endurance racing is a form of motorsport that provides us with an extreme laboratory, which explains why our association with Le Mans is so strong. More significant perhaps than the results we obtain on the racetrack are the opportunities it provides to prove our technology and the fruit of our research work in a race that throws extreme conditions at you for 24 hours,” she said.
“Le Mans gives us a competitive environment to validate the hybrid systems and technologies we are currently developing to reduce the fuel consumption – and therefore CO2 emissions – of our road cars. The teams at Peugeot Sport are proud when they see their research carried over to our production models,” she added.
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