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F1/Round 9: Preview & Starting Grid For 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

Race starts at 3 pm in Austria/9 pm in Malaysia

As in 2020, when the Formula 1 World Championship calendar had to be revised and compressed into a 6-month period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Red Bull Ring in Austria is holding two rounds back to back. However, this year, the Styrian Grand Prix last Sunday was the first round and this weekend will see the Austrian Grand Prix as the second round.

Last week’s Styrian Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen beating Lewis Hamilton again, extending his lead in the Drivers Championship as well as his Red Bull Racing Team’s against the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Team. The Dutchman now has 156 points, 18 points ahead of the reigning World Champion. Red Bull Racing, with 252 points, has a 40-point lead.

*Max Verstappen winning at the Styrian Grand Prix at the same track last Sunday.*

A second race at the hillside circuit should see the small margins between rivals becoming even tighter. The teams have lots of data from last week and the weather conditions look likely to be similar, so strategies will be refined for the 71-lap race.

Made up of just 10 corners, the 4.318-km Red Bull Ring’s compact configuration and sequence of high-speed straights accents power delivery and traction ouf of the low-speed corners that link the three straights.

Different tyre offerings from Pirelli
A factor in the quest for that traction is Pirelli’s switch from the C2-C4 compounds used last Sunday, to a C3-C5 hard to soft spread for this weekend. Track temperatures though will certainly influence the tyre life – especially on the softs – and therefore the strategy.

“As expected with the softer compounds, we had some graining on the soft tyre in particular, which suggests that we might see some quite different strategies compared to last weekend: the whole idea behind changing the nomination for the second race weekend here,” said Mario Isola, Pirelli’s Head of F1 and Car Racing.

History of Austrian Grand Prix
Unlike the Styrian Grand Prix, which is only in its second year in 2021, the Austrian Grand Prix has been run 34 times as a F1 event, having started in 1964. In its first year, it was run at a disused airfield, and the moved to Osterreichring in 1970. Between 1997 and 2003, it was run at the A1-Ring and then moved to the Red Bull Ring in 2014.

Alain Prost has been the most successful driver in the event, having won 3 times – one with Renault and two with McLaren. Past winners who will be on the starting grid this Sunday will be Max Verstappen (2018 and 2019), Valtteri Bottas (2017) and Lewis Hamilton (2016).

The National Vaccination Program in Malaysia is free of charge.

Fully electric Skoda RE-X1 Kreisel rallycar homologated for Austrian Rally Championship

Complementing its electrification plans, Skoda is also starting development of a fully electric rallycar which will be used in FIA-sanctioned events. Based on a Fabia Rally2 evo bodyshell, the rallycar has been homologated by the Austrian Motorsport Federation which allows it to enter the Austrian Rally Championship from this month.

In partnership with Kreisel Electric
The project was initiated when Kreisel Electric, supplier of the mandatory hybrid technology of the generation 2022 World Rally Cars for the World Rally Championship (WRC), looked for partners to develop a fully electric rallycar. Skoda Motorsport saw this as an interesting opportunity, especially as it has the most successful car of the Rally2 category with more than 400 units sold.

*Skoda Fabia Rally 2 evo rallycar in action at the Monte Carlo Rally earlier this year.*

Mechanical elements similar to the Faboa Rally2 evo
The electric rallycar known as the RE-X1 Kreisel sits on an updated a FABIA Rally2 evo chassis fitted with Kreisel’s electric powertrain and innovative battery technology. The Kreisel Electric engineered e-motor delivers peak power of 260 kW (191 ps) and 600 Nm, compared to 157 ps/425 Nm of the current Fabia Rally2 evo with a standard 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine. The other mechanical elements are largely similar to the Fabia Rally2 evo rallycar with some modifications.

Some of the modifications include alterations to the suspension and to engineer the bodyshell floor to install the battery pack. The Kreisel high-performance lithium-ion 860V battery pack has a capacity of 52.5 kWh. For optimum performance, the battery block is mounted as low as possible in the chassis and liquid-cooled by Shell E-Fluids.

*Kreisel lithium-ion battery pack architecture.*

“The Skoda RE-X1 Kreisel is an exciting combination of traditional and future-orientated technology. We provided our best experience, based on developing already three generations of the rally-going Skoda Fabia,” said Michal Hrabanek, Head of Skoda Motorsport. “The rallycar offers all the set-up possibilities of the latest generation Skoda FABIA Rally2 evo, but with a fully electric powertrain and I really believe rally fans will find such a combination truly interesting.”

Development with FIA-sanctioned events in mind
The first chassis built by Skoda Motorsport is in asphalt spec. But Baumschlager Rallye & Racing, the project’s partner for the testing program and future competition activities, has already started to put the RE-X1 Kreisel through its paces on gravel as well.

Skoda Motorsport intends to develop the rallycar to be ready for future entries into FIA-sanctioned rallies. It is closely involved with Kreisel Electric, providing further know-how and technical consultation during the ongoing development process.

Classic Skoda models reimagined for the 21st century

Concept Recharge – a manifesto for the next generation of all-electric Volvos

Since the 1970s, Volvo Cars has displayed many concept cars and design studies. Many have been just studies while a handful, like the ECC of 1992 and the XC60 Concept of 2007, have been previews of near-term production models. In many cases, if you look at the new models that come out, there will be elements of concept cars in their design even if the concept car’s looks do not become a reality.

New paradigm in car design
With the Volvo Concept Recharge, the Swedish carmaker is giving a preview of its new paradigm in car design, a manifesto for the next generation of all-electric Volvos to be led by the next XC90 SUV to be launched next year.

True to the heritage of Scandinavian design, the Concept Recharge has the mantra of ‘less but better’ at its core. For example, with an electric powertrain removing the complexity of the internal combustion engine, the designers have been able to evolve the car’s proportions to increase interior space while also improving aerodynamic efficiency.

Architecture purely for electric powertrains
This isn’t Volvo’s first range of electric cars but before this, the designers have had to utilise architecture developed with combustion engine-powered cars in mind. That meant that the full benefits of an electric powertrain were not exploited as there was a need for a balance in proportions and space to be able to accommodate both a battery pack and an internal combustion engine.

The Concept Recharge breaks free of this association, using a completely new electric-only technology base. By removing the engine and replacing it with a full battery pack under the flat floor, the designers have extended the wheelbase and the wheel size of the car. The result is shorter overhangs, as well as a lot more interior space including a large storage area between the front seats.

In the Concept Recharge, these advancements have led designers to reposition the seats, optimise the roof profile and lower the bonnet of the car, while retaining the high eye point beloved by drivers of SUVs. This approach creates efficiency gains in aerodynamics compared to a typical SUV, which improves range.

New Volvo design language
This concept car also introduces a new Volvo design language. Continuing the theme of ‘less but better’, all unnecessary elements have been removed and what remains is treated with a high-precision, flush execution.

The traditional grille has been replaced with a shield-like structure; there is no longer the need for openings in the nose to let air in to help in cooling the radiator and engine. At either corner is a new interpretation of Volvo Cars’ Thor’s Hammer headlight design. These lighting units include the latest HD technology-enabled pure graphic which open at night to reveal the main lamp units.

The rear view also shows signature slim vertical rear lamps which first appeared on the 850 Wagon in the late 1990s. A visual connection to the brand’s strong design heritage, they have been reimagined with a set of wings that extend at higher cruising speeds to further improve overall aerodynamics.

“Our Concept Recharge represents a manifesto for the all-electric future of Volvo Cars, as well as a new type of vehicle,” said Robin Page, head of design. “It displays new and modern proportions that go hand-in-hand with increased versatility and shows what technology can enable in terms of design.”

New user experience inside
The Volvo design language also takes a new form inside. The flat floor provides more space and a better seating position for all those inside the car. A large, 15-inch standing touchscreen is the centre of the user experience for the company’s next-generation connected infotainment system.

“Inside the Concept Recharge, we create a truly Scandinavian living room feeling,” said Page. “The interior integrates our latest user experience technology with beautiful, sustainable and natural materials. Each part of the interior is like a piece of art and could stand alone as individual furniture in a room. We use the latest technologies but not for their own sake. We always focus on the benefits that technologies can bring.”

It doesn’t need to be said that the Concept Recharge also reflects Volvo Cars’ safety ambitions in coming years. A LiDAR sensor, built by technology company Luminar and a critical part of Volvo Cars’ plan for forthcoming safe autonomous drive technology, is placed in an optimal position on the roof to collect data on the environment around the car.

Next Volvo XC90 to have LiDAR technology and AI-driven supercomputer as standard

2021 BMW 320i Sport with new BMW Live Cockpit Professional

The locally-assembled BMW 320i Sport has received an upgrade to advance digitisation in the car. This upgrade relates to the latest infotainment system – the new BMW Live Cockpit Professional. Priced from RM243,883.65 without insurance and with exemption of 100% of sales tax applicable (until the end of the year), the latest model is about RM4,000 more than before.

Larger displays and higher resolution
The BMW Live Cockpit Professional, designed with a drive-focused orientation, provides a larger 10.25-inch full colour display with 1920×720 resolution. This is not only larger than the 8.8-inch display used before but also has higher resolution. The instrument display cluster is also enlarged, now using a 12.3-inch display in place of the previous 5.1-inch screen. The infotainment has BMW’s iDrive Operating System 7.0 with smartphone connectivity by Apple CarPlay.

The focused and fully-configurable display also features a minimalistic, uniform appearance that offers more space in the centre for navigation and other important information prioritised by the driver. The selected Driver Experience modes in Sport, Comfort and Eco Pro are also displayed with a consistent colour and visual treatment across the instrument cluster and centre display.

Counter-clockwise sweep for tachometer
As with some other models, the new instrument display’s tachometer (situated on the right side) has a counter-clockwise sweep for the pointer, starting from the bottom. This may take some getting used to as most drivers have long been used to both speedometer and tachometer having clockwise sweeps. Incidentally, the Peugeot i-Cockpit also has a similar display concept.

The fuel level, speed and engine temperature are presented in tube rings. Configurable functions and widgets include the sports scoreboards, driving data, fuel consumption and efficiency, as well as the g-force meter and radio or media playback.

For some, the new digi-graphic displays may not appeal as much as the traditional circular meters. There are pros and cons and there will also be a segment of drivers who have grown up with digital displays as part of their lives (from computer games) and will be fine with this change. One advance of digital displays is that they can be changed to suit personal preference, showing information which the driver considers more important.

Also included is the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant that with voice-recognition and voice-activation. The latter can be used to manage vehicle settings, navigation, and entertainment systems, starting with a simple ‘Hey BMW’ expression or an individual personal activation word that the driver can set. Additionally, BMW ConnectedDrive offers Intelligent Emergency Call and Teleservices that will activate automatically if a serious accident occurs.

Engine specs unchanged
The technical specifications for the 320i Sport remain unchanged with the 2-litre TwinPower Turbo petrol engine paired with an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission. With 184 bhp/300 Nm, the 320i Sport has a claimed 0 to 100 km/h time of 7.1 seconds and top speed of 235 km/h. Various fuel-saving measures and technologies help to keep fuel consumption to almost 16 kms/litre, it is claimed.

“The hallmark of Sheer Driving Pleasure for the BMW brand, the BMW 3-Series is a remarkable sports sedan that we are proud to locally assemble here with all-new technological updates for our customers in Malaysia. Close to 2,000 units of the BMW 320i Sport have been delivered since its January 2020 release, and this success comes as no surprise for the best-selling premium sports sedan in Malaysia. This new addition serves to prove our consistent investments in the local automotive industry, in hopes to continue driving its recovery in the year ahead,” said Hans de Visser, MD of BMW Group Malaysia.

As dealerships are closed during Phase 1 of the National Recovery Plan, it is not possible for customers to view or test-drive the new model at this time. However, they can make use of BMW Shop online for more information and also to make a booking. For those who have already decided to get one, there’s a financing plan from BMW Group Financial Services Malaysia with monthly instalments starting from RM2,708.00 (terms and conditions apply).

BMW Malaysia introduces new long wheelbase 3-Series & new X3 Variant

Toyota Mobility Foundation’s CATCH offers two solutions to address Kuala Lumpur’s mobility and city planning challenges

While Toyota Motor Corporation is best known for developing, manufacturing and selling motor vehicles, its scope of business has expanded widely over the decades. Many of the businesses and activities are directly or indirectly related to transportation and mobility, and among them is the Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF). Established in August 2014, it supports the development of a more mobile society utilizing Toyota’s expertise in technology, safety, and the environment.

Last year, TMF launched the City Architecture for Tomorrow Challenge (CATCH)with a global call for dynamic, intelligent and data-driven solutions to address mobility and city planning challenges, with Kuala Lumpur chosen as the city where the ideas would be tested.

Minimum Viable Products developed by 6 finalists
Through the journey of the CATCH program, 6 finalists developed and delivered Minimum Viable Products (MVP), despite the continuing impact of COVID-19. With support from strategic and data partners through the finalist stage, including mentorship from industry experts during the incubation workshop, the finalists obtained meaningful local insights and feedback for finalizing their solution development.

The finalists were also able to install physical devices in Kuala Lumpur, develop data analytics platforms and dashboards, and conduct feasibility testing to showcase the data utilization and leverage innovative technologies to improve the access to mobility in Kuala Lumpur. These MVPs were then presented at the final assessment to a panel of 8 judges from various fields of expertise.

After careful consideration and deliberations by the judging panel, two teams were identified as having presented the best suited solutions. These matched the 5 assessment criteria of creativity, desirability, feasibility, sustainability and technicality. The teams were Numina from the US and KERB from Australia.

The winning solutions
Numina’s solution (above) uses computer vision and Privacy by Design technology to measure how people and objects move in streets and public spaces, and delivers real-time insights from streets to make cities more responsive to human movement and needs. The data can be utilised by Kuala Lumpur stakeholders for making data-driven decisions in terms of city planning and infrastructure improvement.

KERB’s solution is a global parking application (shown below) which unlocks parking in the cities through their unique technology driven by their ‘KERB box’. It develops a platform that automates car parking, and enables renting public/private spaces to customers who need parking spaces. During the challenge, KERB deployed its technology to unlock parking spaces that are empty during office hours – thereby increasing the number of parking options available, with zero infrastructure by providing one-touch booking and payment, ‘hands-free’ carpark access, and real-time of parking behaviour data.

*An outdoor public carpark in Kuala Lumpur.*

US$250,000 each for trial and implementation
Numina and KERB will receive a grant of US$250,000 (RM1.041 million) each, as financial support for their solutions’ trial and implementation in Kuala Lumpur with the continuing collaboration from strategic and data partners. They will continuously work on implementation of the solutions in Kuala Lumpur.

“In line with Toyota Mobility Foundation’s Guiding Principles, the winners offer high tech practical solutions that can deliver immediate benefits to Kuala Lumpur citizens and city planners. Furthermore, they also exhibit potential for future-proofing mobility in any large city, and we are excited at the possibilities of our engagement going forward. Through CATCH, TMF hopes to utilize the insights gained through this challenge to solve mobility issues in other regions and countries in the future,” said Pras Ganesh, Director of Programs at TMF

MINI Vision Urbanaut concept becomes a real model

In November 2020, MINI revealed the Vision Urbanaut virtual concept vehicle, an interpretation of mobility through an innovative vision of space. Now, the BMW Group has made a physical model of the vehicle showcasing its space and sustainable materials.

The full-sized model was designed from the inside out. The designers created the spacious interior experience before developing the exterior, using floor plans, pieces of furniture plus wooden scale models to provide an indication of size. Over the course of the project, augmented reality was employed to create a digital model, which was then systematically optimised.

The MINI Vision Urbanaut shows how the MINI attributes can be exploited in the future of mobility – in a typically MINI way. It brings the user’s personal space into the car and opens up various possibilities for them.

Three MINI Moments
The exterior and interior of the vehicle change to reflect the MINI moment at hand – ‘Chill’, ‘Wanderlust’ and ‘Vibe’ – and so give the on-board experience the best possible stage and environment. Fragrance, sound and ambient lighting continue to enrich the baseline mood initiated by the chosen MINI moment. A fourth option is the customisable ‘my moment’ which provides users with further scope for tailoring the design of the vehicle to their needs and desires.

The Chill moment relates to being in a kind of haven where you can relax or work with full concentration. While the rear seat bench (a.k.a. Cosy Corner) offers various seating and lying positions, the backlit Loop above it takes on an appearance inspired by a green forest canopy and can also be dimmed. In the central area, the circular instrument folds down to become a table lamp, eliminating displays or switches that might remind the customer of their automotive surroundings.

Wanderlust is the only MINI moment where the Vision Urbanaut is being driven or driving with automated driving functions. In this moment, the interior becomes the ideal place for driving the car, or being its passenger, and enables those on board to rediscover the romance of travel. A tap of a finger on the MINI logo brings out the steering wheel and pedals when driving is desired. The user interface on the central circular instrument also adapts its visuals; alongside an animation of the route, additional journey information – such as visitor attractions and arrival time – is displayed here for those on board.

The Vibe moment puts time with other people at centre stage – in every way. Opening the side door and folding up the windscreen creates a welcoming scene that blurs the boundaries between the outside and inside. The central circular instrument becomes a media control centre, creating a club atmosphere.

Renewable or recyclable materials
The interior of the Vision Urbanaut has a high proportion of recycled materials, and they are almost exclusively renewable and recyclable. Dominant are textiles made from recycled materials (including wool, polyester and Tencel) which blend cosiness and quality with softness and comfort.

The designers also paid extra attention to solutions composed of a single type of material – known as ‘mono-materials’. These are easy to recycle further down the line and can be turned into new products. The use of renewable and recyclable cork on the steering wheel and sections of the floor adds a special touch, thanks to its natural feel.

Focus on sustainability
The Vision Urbanaut also focuses on sustainability, demonstrated in various aspects of the vehicle. The ‘Clever Use of Space’, for which MINI is renowned, offers maximum space on the smallest possible footprint. Although measuring only 4.46 metres in length, the height provides an interior space that can be used in many different ways and offers a whole new ease of movement inside the car. . The vehicle can also be an urban space for people when it’s parked, significantly increasing the amount of time they will want to use the vehicle or just hang out in it.

The electric drive system ensures emission-free mobility, yet another aspect is the scope for using the vehicle for purposes beyond mobility.

Driveable electric vehicles
The MINI Vision Urbanaut is not only a static model, it’s driveable too, with an electric drive system. Every part has been specially designed, precision-manufactured using cutting-edge tools and crafted by hand. The high degree of artistry inside is highlighted by an interior design that is reminiscent of a modern living space. The construction of the model therefore extended from a classical vehicle build via furniture-making all the way to programming and smart high-tech integration.

“At MINI, we see it as our responsibility to preserve and develop the unique characteristics of our brand over the upcoming years and those further ahead,” explained Bernd Korber, Head of MINI. “With our eyes fixed on the future, we have developed an idea, with the MINI Vision Urbanaut, of how we can take the MINI attributes – as here, with the focus on the ‘Clever Use of Space’ – into the future of mobility and interpret them in a typically MINI way.”

MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW is the new Formula E Safety Car

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