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MOTORING NEWS
LONDON MOTOR SHOW SET TO RETURN IN 2021 The London Motor Show has announced its return in 2021 with a three-day event in Battersea Park. Following a run of annual shows between 2016 and 2019, the show has taken a year off in 2020, but will return next year between July 16-18. The show will focus on technology, electric and hybrid vehicles and luxury brands, with classic cars and more affordable city cars also represented. For the first time, there will also be motorsport and motorcycle areas for the first time. Organisers say visitors will be able to get up close to the vehicles on display, as well as interact with companies showcasing new technology, such as those related to safety, electric powertrains or driverless cars. Displays will also include virtual reality racing and the chance to meet motoring legends and influencers. Alec Mumford, chairman of The London Motor Show, said: “The last four years of shows exceeded all our expectations. The event has been a continuing success for both us as organisers and our exhibitors. “We are very much looking forward to
welcoming new and returning visitors and exhibitors alike to Battersea Park in 2021 where we already have some very special exhibits lined up. “The current global situation has shown us what we need to do to prepare for any
eventuality and we have factored scalable measures into our plans that enable us to incorporate any necessary guidelines into the show. We have the benefit of a big space in a greenfield site with plenty of room and designed the show so that everyone can get the best experience out of their visit”.
TDF-1 LAUNCHES AS A FORMULA ONE CAR YOU CAN BUY YOURSELF Ever fancied owning your own F1 car? Thanks to engineering firm TDF, that’s now a possibility. The UK-based firm has launched the TDF1, taking a 2011 Marussia or 2012 Sauber F1 chassis and associated mechanicals and slotting its own 1.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine in the back. That does replace the 2.4-litre V8s that were once found under the skin of these race-proven chassis, but TDF-1 says the new powerplant is aimed at making the package easy to run independently rather than with a team of mechanics. Better still, it develops 600bhp - so this is no slouch.
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Each TDF-1 weighs just 600 kilograms too, resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of 1,000bhp-per-tonne - more than 250bhp-per-tonne than that of a Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. One thing carried over from the race-spec cars is the Drag Reduction System (DRS). This could be used in a Formula One race at the time on-demand for improved lap times by opening a flap in the rear wing to reduce drag. TDF has reengineered the system slightly, still allowing the driver to use it command though the system will automatically close if it senses a sudden steering input, throttle lift or application of the brakes to ensure the car is not unsettled.
Its tyres are provided by official Formula One supplier Pirelli too, giving a more Grand Prix-ready feel to the package. Buyers of a TDF-1 will also be offered a comprehensive driver training course to allow them to learn the insides and out of the car before heading out on track. Coaching will be provided by Jessica Hawkins, who currently competes in the W Series. No pricing has been confirmed, though expect the TDF-1 to cost many, many pounds.
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