THE ELECTRIC EDITION by overtake.mag

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#004

automobile magazine

>> THE ELECTRIC EDITION >> Truck world GMC Hummer EV

>> supercars

SLS AMG Electric Drive

>> Hatchbacks Mini Coupper SE

+much more

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>> Truck world

Pg. 15: GMC Hummer ev

>> Industry Knowledge

Pg. 19: Lamboghini

>> PG.3

COVER STORY 2021 TESLA MODEL S

>> Personality Feature

Pg. 23: Carroll Shelby

>> supercars

Pg. 31: Mercede Benz SLSAMG Electic Drive

>> SUV’s

Pg. 41: Volkswagen ID.4

>> Hatchbacks

Pg. 49: Mini Cooper Electric

>> Poster Feature Pg. 53: Ferrari 250 GTO

>> Vs Mode

Pg. 57: Electric cars vs Gas cars

+much more

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HIGHS

2021 TESLA

Excellent driving range, gut-punch acceleration, eco-friendly image.

LOWS Interior isn’t as luxurious service locations in some estimates are difficult to a

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A MODEL S

as it should be, limited e regions, range achieve in real life.

VERDICT Once the jewel of the Tesla lineup, the Model S is finally being challenged by more luxurious rivals, but it’s still a formidable luxe-class EV.

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overview Tesla’s Model S sedan was the first mass-market car to prove that electric vehicles could be fun to drive, eco-friendly, viable as everyday transportation, and even useable for long trips. The Model S does all that even better for 2021. Depending on which trim you choose, the Model S can travel between 390 and 520 miles on just one charge and deliver blistering acceleration performance that rivals some of the world’s best supercars.

Tesla now sells more practical and more affordable models such as the Model Y SUV and the Model 3 sedan, but the Model S remains the flagship of the brand. Its interior is spacious for four adults but doesn’t live up to the luxury price tag. With increased pressure from rivals such as the Porsche Taycan and the upcoming Lucid Air, the Model S is no longer in a class of one, but for some buyers the car’s athletic chassis, Ludicrous driving mode, and exceptional range are enough to sell them on the Tesla EV lifestyle.

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MODEL S CAN TRAVEL BETWEEN 390 AND 520 MILES ON JUST ONE CHARGE AND DELIVER BLISTERING ACCELERATION PERFORMANCE

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COVER STORY

>>What’s new for 2021? For 2021, Tesla is adding even more performance to the Model S. The two top-spec models will be called Plaid and Plaid+, will boast 1020 horsepower from three onboard electric motors, and are said to be capable of a zero to 60 mph time of less than 2 seconds. In addition to its impressive power and speed credentials, Tesla also says the Plaid+ is capable of providing up to 520 miles of driving range. The rest of the lineup benefits from an exterior styling refresh and an upgraded interior, complete with a yoke type steering wheel that looks inspired by F1 racing cars.

>>Engine, transmission, and performance With an electric motor dedicated to each of the front and rear axles, the Model S offers full time all wheel drive no matter which version you choose. Acceleration of the various models ranges from outstanding to ferocious. The Plaid and Plaid+ models boast a third electric motor, which boosts combined output to 1020 horsepower. Tesla claims these beasts are capable of a zero-to-60-mph time of less than two seconds.

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The standard Model S has proven itself an agile sports sedan with well-controlled body motions and direct steering. Two different settings allow drivers to choose heavy or light steering effort, but neither of them enable more feedback from the road. Ride comfort is good, the handling is crisp, and it’s confident and almost tranquil on the highway.

>>Range, charging, and battery life Under the Tesla’s floor lies a battery pack that yields a low center of gravity and evenly distributed weight from front to rear. Driving range and acceleration performance varies from model to model, with the Long Range version’s battery providing up to a 412-mile range while the Plaid model offers up to 390. The new Plaid+ model may be interesting to those hoping to extend the range even further, as Tesla claims it is capable of up to 520 miles of driving between charges. That number narrowly beats u pstart Lucid Motors and its Air luxury sedan which is rated for up to 517 miles per charge.

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>>Fuel economy and real world mpg While EVs such as the Chevy Bolt and Polestar 2 deliver serviceable driving range the Model S remains an impressive alternative to gasoline powered vehicles when it comes to long distance usability. The base Long Range model receives the highest MPGe ratings at 121 city and 112 highway. In our real world, 75-mph highway fuel economy test,

>>Interior, comfort, and cargo With Model S prices starting at close to $80,000, buyers would be reasonable to expect a certain amount of luxury inside the car. The cabin’s atmosphere is nice enough, but it’s not nearly as plush as those of our favorites such as the Mercedes Benz E-class and the Volvo S90. The Model S’s sloped roofline cleverly hides a rear liftgate that opens up to reveal a huge 26-cubic-foot trunk. Paltry small item cubby stowage throughout the interior especially in the back seat is off set by a large underfloor bin in the rear cargo area.

>>Infotainment and connectivity Fans of modern minimalism will adore the Model S’s cabin, which comes standard with a giant infotainment screen that controls almost all of the vehicle’s functions. Technophiles will be in heaven, but we’re not completely sold. The screen’s positioning on the dashboard will require some drivers to lean forward in their seat to reach certain icons, especially those near the top right of the display. Unlike the cheaper Model 3, the Model S provides a secondary display for the gauge cluster and a small touchpad in the rear seat as well.

>>Safety and driver assistance features Although the Model S has sparked a nationwide conversation about the safety of partially autonomous vehicles and has been reported to catch fire after certain types of high-speed impacts, its safety credibility is buoyed by decent crash-test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the knowledge that car fires aren’t uncommon, either in electric- or gasoline-powered vehicles. Key safety features include: • • •

Standard automated emergency braking Standard lane-departure warning Available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode

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IN ADDITION TO ITS IMPRESSIVE

POWER AND SPEED CREDENTIALS, TESLA ALSO SAYS THE PLAID+ IS CAPABLE OF PROVIDING UP TO 520 MILES OF DRIVING RANGE.

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specifications

VEHICLE TYPE

front- and mid-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door hatchback

MOTORS front: permanent-magnet synchronous AC, 275 hp, 310 lb-ft; rear: induction AC, 503 hp, 531 lb-ft; 98.0-kWh lithium-ion battery pack

TRANSMISSION single-speed direct drive

CHASSIS Suspension (F/R): multilink/multilink Brakes (F/R): 14.0-in vented disc/14.4-in vented disc Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, F: 245/35R-21 96Y TO R: 265/35R-21 101Y TO

DIMENSIONS Wheelbase: 116.5 in Length: 195.7 in Width: 77.3 in Height: 56.9 in Passenger volume: 95 ft3 Cargo volume: 26 ft3 Curb weight: 4998 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS 60 mph: 2.4 sec 100 mph: 6.1 sec 130 mph: 11.4 sec 150 mph: 19.3 sec 1/4 mile: 10.6 sec @ 126 mph Top speed (mfr’s claim): 163 mph Standing-start accel times omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.

EPA FUEL ECONOMY Combined/city/highway: 97/98/96 MPGe Range: 326 miles

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is getting a second hand car better than purchasing a brand new one?

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Some people take one look at shiny new cars and immediately make up their mind to buy without haggling. And some people come into car dealerships intent on bringing home the best for their needs without unnecessarily scrapping their bank accounts and yet too worried about purchasing a lemon car. However, not many people can afford a brand new car, and there are plenty of cases where secondhand necessarily doesn’t mean bad. Whichever category you fall in, buying a used car isn’t a piece of cake. You’ll have to put in a reasonable amount of effort to do research and negotiation. Getting a car is a huge commitment as it can be one of the most expensive things you will spend money on.

Plus, you get separate bills for the insurance, gas, repairs, and maintenance.

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YOU GET SEPARATE BILLS FOR THE INSURANCE, GAS, REPAIRS, AND MAINTENANCE.

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3. Secondhand cars are much cheaper.

HERE IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT CAN HELP YOU AVOID MISTAKES WHEN BUYING A USED CAR

The moment you’ve purchased the new car and driven out of the dealership is when it instantly becomes a secondhand car, and it starts depreciating its value. That’s why some demo cars are much cheaper than a brand new car. We all know that a new car could lose from 30% to 40% of its value in merely three years.

4. Research used car models If you have decided on a used vehicle, you have to spend more time to research. You have to look up the condition of the car you have your eyes on. If you buy from a car dealer, check out certified pre-owned ones to get the best price. And it’s also reassuring to know that the car has been checked and has a warranty. Of course, there are also other places such as car auctions you can go to, car yards, eBay, Facebook, newspaper or even within your own community. You might see 1 or 2 car around your neighbourhood that has a “for sale” sign on it!

5. Negotiate to get your price.

1. Go for the type of used car you actually need. A big family would need plenty of space, making an SUV with a third row or a minivan is an excellent choice. A boat owner needs a towing capacity enough to safely and conveniently transport the boat. The price of the used car isn’t the only thing you’ll be spending on. You have to pay for maintenance, insurance, and gas, too.

2. What’s in your budget? This helps narrow down you’re your choices. You have to know how much you have in the bank and check what type of down payment you can go with and calculate the monthly payment if you’re buying from a used car dealership. And don’t go forgetting about sales taxes

It’s doesn’t matter if you buy a secondhand car at the used car dealership or at private, but always negotiate to get the best price. With buying a new car, right timing is essential. Shopping around December can get you huge discounts because dealers are set to monetize old stocks to make space for the new models coming. If you are buying a pre-owned one, check a reputable source for the estimated price. In Australia, they have a Red book, and in Canada, they have the Canadian Black Book. Having read the history in combination with your judgment of the interior and exterior can help a lot when it’s time to haggle. A scratch or a ding can bring down the price significantly if you’re not afraid to ask. If you’re only willing to spend a few thousand dollars, it’s better to limit your search on cars sold by private owners.

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fun fact

Electric cars aren’t a thing of the future, they’re a thing of the past. They were the most manufactured cars in the world from 1905 to 1920, Until combustion engines became cheaper to run.

Dormans espresso 13

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fun 4 car facts

>> POWERED BY DORMANS COFFEE

SMELLY TRANSPORT when cars were first invented they were seen as the greenest means of transport. This was because horses caused so much pollution via their poop.

SPOT OF LUNCH The original Honda CR-V came with a picnic table. Forget heated seats, I want that add on!

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$1,000,000 SPEEDING TICKET In Sweden a man driving at 180mph was issued a $1,000,000 fine; in Sweden speeding tickets are based on income. Whoops!

CARPOCALYPSE Cars are officially taking over the world; Los Angeles there are more cars than people.

There is currently about 1.42 billion operational cars worldwide, including 1.06 billion passenger cars and 363 million commercial vehicles.

WHITE’S THE WINNER The most popular car colour in the world is white and has been for 8 consecutive years; although in India silver is still going strong.

BEAR SIZED KINDNESS In Churchill, Canada, residents have each other’s backs. They leave their cars unlocked in case a pedestrian is under attack from a polar bear and needs to hide!

INSULTS MAKE SPORTS CARS Enzo Ferrari once came under scrutiny from farmer Feruccio Lamborghini, who said Ferraris were too noisy for the road. So the furious Ferrari told Lamborghini he “didn’t appreciate such comments from a middle aged tractor farmer”, the insulted farmer decided to make a sports car of his own and one of the coolest car brands in history was born.

THE MOON IN A MONTH You could travel to the moon by car in less than a month; if you travelled directly there, at an average, 60mph, you’d actually make it rather swiftly. Plus there’s no traffic in space!

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TRUCK WORLD

2022 GMC

HUMMER EV

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>>What’s New for 2022?

overview

In an amazing twist of fate, General Motors’ gas-guzzling Hummer brand, discontinued in 2010, is poised to make a comeback for 2022 as an all electric sub-brand of GMC. The resurrected Hummer will appear first as a pickup truck and later as an SUV. The new pickup is shaping up to be quite the beast, with up to 1000 horsepower from its top powertrain option, which uses three electric motors, offers an estimated range of 350 miles per charge, and a leaps to 60 mph in a claimed 3.0 seconds. The Hummer EV also features removable roof panels, an optional adjustable air suspension, and a cool four-wheel steering feature that allows it to “crab” sideways—drive diagonally all of which should make it fun to take off-road. Pickup trucks are the next frontier for electric vehicles, as potential rivals from upstarts Rivian, Bollinger, and Tesla as well as established automakers such as Ford—are preparing their own entries in this emerging segment.

While Hummer is an old name, the Hummer EV will be an all new model within the GMC lineup. The Hummer EV will go on sale in fall, 2021, and at first only the most expensive Edition 1 model will be available; less expensive trims will come into the picture starting in 2022. It’s loaded with all of the best items offered on the Hummer EV, including an adjustable air suspension, Super Cruise semi autonomous driving mode, a power-operated tonneau cover, and a giant 13.4-inch infotainment display. The Hummer EV3X will be the next one to launch and is scheduled for fall 2022; the Hummer EV2X and Hummer EV2 have a less powerful two motor drivetrain and will go on sale in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

>>What’s New for 2022? For now, the only powertrain available in the Hummer EV is a setup with three electric motors that makes 1000 horsepower. All-wheel drive is standard and GMC estimates a zero to 60mph time of 3.0 seconds which the company says is

achievable thanks to the truck’s Watts to Freedom launch control driving mode. GMC is also quoting a dubious 11,500 lb-ft torque figure from this powertrain, but that estimated number is almost certainly calculated through the torque multiplying effect of the truck’s gear ratios. The real torque number will be between 1000 and 1100 lb-ft, GMC insiders say.

>>Towing and Payload Capacity GMC has not yet released that information. In order to be competitive with the Tesla Cybertruck and Rivian’s R1T and R1S models, the Hummer EV would need to boast towing capacity between 7500 and 11,000 pounds as well as a payload capacity between 1500 and 3500 pounds.

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>>Range, Charging, and Battery Life The Hummer EV uses GM’s new Ultium battery-pack technology and boasts an estimated 350 miles of driving range per charge. The company also said that the Hummer will have an 800-volt electrical architecture with 350-kilowatt fast-charging capability which allows it to add 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes. For buyers who don’t have any DC fast charging stations nearby, the Hummer EV will also be able to charge on regular public charging terminals or at home via a provided adapter, but charging times are significantly slower.

>>Fuel Economy and Real World MPG EPA fuel economy estimates for the Hummer EV haven’t been released yet so it’s unknown what kind of efficiency this big electric vehicle will offer.

>>Interior, Comfort, and Cargo Even though Hummers of yesteryear were mainly SUVs, the Hummer EV takes the form of a crew cab pickup truck with a five-foot-long bed; an SUV model will follow the truck into production and should be revealed sometime in 2021. The Hummer EV’s cabin is similarly spacious to GMC’s Sierra crew cab pickup truck, and the interior can be opened to the elements via a novel removable roof that reintroduces a T-top– esque design popular in GM sports and muscle cars in the 1970s and 1980s. When in place, the transparent panels are akin to a normal panoramic glass sunroof but lifting them off and stowing them in the Hummer EV’s front trunk gives the truck a convertible vibe similar to that of the Jeep Gladiator.

Inside, several moon inspired touches such as a moon boot footprint on the dead pedal and speaker grilles that show the Sea of Tranquility serve as not so subtle reminders of GM’s connection to NASA astronauts and the electrically powered Apollo 15 lunar rover that the company helped engineer.

>>Infotainment and connectivity A large 13.4 inch display serves as the infotainment screen, and there’s a 12.3 inch digital instrument panel as well. GMC has contracted Epic Games maker of the wildly popular Fortnite video game to create the graphics for the Hummer EV’s infotainment interface. A host of connectivity features will be standard, including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto capability, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and GM’s OnStar telematics system.

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the origins

The history of ‘Lamborghini Automobili’ officially starts in 1963. Nevertheless, we must consider the distant roots of this event, and they are the roots of Ferruccio Lamborghini. Born in 1916, this capable, impetuous, strong-willed Taurus was the leading character in the foundation of the company and the early phases of its extraordinary history. By the time he decided to build a factory of luxury sports cars, Ferruccio was already a very wealthy man. In the period following World War II, he founded his tractor factory, which he launched with energy and determination, creating a major point of reference in this industry. By the early Sixties, Lamborghini was a powerful and successful man who knew exactly what he wanted, but when he said he would build the best super sports car ever, many people thought he was mad. Constructing that kind of car was viewed as an unexplainable extravagance, a hazardous leap in the dark, and something that would squander his fortune without ever turning a profit.

>>AUTOMOBILI FERRUCCIO LAMBORGHINI He started working on this project in late 1962, and by May 1963 he had already founded ‘Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini’, buying a large plot of land in Sant’Agata Bolognese, about 25 kilometres from Bologna, to build a new large and ultramodern factory. Because of the experience he had gained with his other companies, he was in a position to set up the best facilities for his purpose: a very functional structure that, at the time, was unrivalled in its field The enormous and well-lit central building was adjacent to the office building, so that the management could constantly monitor the production situation. This was ideal for Lamborghini, who would often roll up his shirt sleeves and go to work on the cars personally when he saw something that wasn’t done just the way he wanted. >> A MAN A DREAM Ferruccio officially debuted his enterprise “Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini” at the Turin Motor Show, unveiling a mind blowing vehicle: the 350 GTV, soon to be acknowledged as a true 12-cylinder masterpiece. In the following year, 1964, the prototype spawned a production vehicle, the 350 GT, soon thereafter followed by the 400 GT, produced in 120 specimens. Lamborghini’s enthralling enthusiasm led his mechanics and engineers to conceive increasingly cutting-edge sports cars such as the Miura, the Islero, the Espada, and the Jarama, always able to stun the world at each release. Although the production and the employees constantly grew in numbers, Ferruccio Lamborghini always played a crucial and strategic role within the company. He actually started the now famous tradition of naming the cars after breeds of fighting bulls gallant, strong and intimidating, just like his cars. Ferruccio Lamborghini died in his estate in 1993, at the age of 76. On the one hundredth anniversary of his birth, the Lamborghini Centenario debuted, paying tribute to the vision, bravery and unique personality of the company’s founder. 20

INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE LAMBORGHINI

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CAR PARTS EXPLAINED

Is your MOT due and worried about the confusing language the garage uses when explaining work that needs to be done? Take a look at the below infographic which helps explain some of the key parts to your vehicle. Having a basic understanding of these parts may mean you can spot problems with your car before they get critical and save you money on expensive repairs.The car diagram is of a generic car so the same parts in your car may be positioned in a different area depending on the make and model.

>>SPARK PLUG A spark plug ignites the (petrol) vehicles fuel and fits into the engine’s cylinder head. The plug is connected to the ignition coil which generates the high voltage needed to spark the fuel and create combustion in the engine. Diesel cars use glow plugs instead of spark plugs. >>ALTERNATOR The alternator is an electrical generator that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy, it works by charging up the battery to power the starter motor, ignition and all other electrical components. >>BATTERY The battery is rechargeable and supplies energy to the vehicles electrical system to start the engine, ignite the fuel, operate the lights, windshield wipers, heater, air conditioner and radio.

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>>STARTER MOTOR The starter motor is used to start the vehicles engine by drawing a heavy electrical current from the battery, it is turned on by using the ignition switch to energise it. >>BRAKES The disc brake is a shiny metal disc located behind the hub-cap of a car’s front wheels. When the brake pedal is pressed, a pad of hard-wearing material clamps onto the brake disc slowing it down by causing friction. >>DISTRIBUTOR The distributor is a device in the engine which passes a high voltage electrical current from the ignition coil to each spark plug in the correct order and for the right amount of time.

>>SHOCK ABSORBERS The shock absorbers are devices that help control the movement of suspension and springs while keeping your tyres in contact with the road at all times and provide a comfortable ride >>IGNITION The ignition switch is the mechanism for bringing about ignition in the vehicles engine usually by switch or key. The starter system is the ignition system, battery , starter switch, starter solenoid and electric starter motor. It activates the main electrical systems for the vehicle. >>RADIATOR The radiator is used for cooling the vehicles engine. It is part of the cooling system and works by passing hot coolant through metal fins to conduct heat away from the liquid and into the air. When the coolant is the correct temperature it pumps back into the engine. 21

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DRIVING ISN’T A RIGHT IT’S A PRIVILEGE.

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BECOMING A BETTER DRIVER

Driving isn’t a right, it’s a privilege. We don’t always treat it that way, though. All too often, we forget the basic courtesies, the finer points of driving. Don’t worry. It happens to all of us. Need some help? Then bone up on this list of some things you need to know to be a better driver.

GETTING SET UP >>Adjust your mirrors, seat, and controls before you put it in gear. Of course, this is where to start. The new angle? Set a memory position if you have one, as many cars now do. And spend some time getting the perfect angle for the rearview and sideview mirrors, because soon they’ll all be replaced by cameras, and you’ll miss them. >>Keep your license plate mounted and clear of debris. This is for the rest of us, so we can report you when we need to. But it also will keep you from getting pulled over by the cop who can’t see it, and therefore thinks you have something to hide. >>Keep your license plate mounted and clear of debris. This is for the rest of us, so we can report you when we need to. But it also will keep you from getting pulled over by the cop who can’t see it, and therefore thinks you have something to hide. >>Sit up straight and set the proper driving position. This isn’t your living room couch. Hands on the wheel, chest at least a foot away from the airbag module, with the gauges framed by the wheel and a clear line of sight to traffic lights from below the windshield frame. >>Prep your workstation. Plug in your phone, and put it and your wallet in a convenient storage bin. You might need them at a stop. 22

BASIC COURTESY AND SAFETY >>Use turn signals. You paid for them, use them so we know what’s going on, and can prepare for what’s about to happen. Side note: it also makes you think more deliberately about what you’re doing and what may be in the way. >>Pay attention to traffic lights and when they change. Quit with the radio fiddling and talking to your passengers and even dancing or reading. We’re all waiting to get through this light, and the chances we’ll have to gun through a yellow go up exponentially when you’re an engaged driver. >>Don’t get up in our grille just because you’re late getting home. Your problem becomes our problem when you turn into an aggressive driver with a time-management issue. So you’re late: the world will not stop rotating. If it’s a true emergency, call 911. >>Don’t use your SUV or truck to block the view of traffic for normal-size cars. Normal’s a tricky word with today’s fleet of trucky wagons, but remember, you may be sitting three feet over and ahead of a vehicle simply trying to make a legal turn. >>If you’re driving an SUV, a truck, or a tall van, pay even more attention. You’re responsible for a larger mass and a higher head count than other vehicles. Make sure that matters to you. >>Practice installing, and use, your child car or booster seat. Because those kids are your future chauffeurs. >>Be aware of elderly drivers that might need a little encouragement. It will be you one day. Be kind.

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PERSONALITY FEATURE

CARROLL SHELBY

The name Carroll Shelby may not be quite as familiar to new automotive enthusiasts as it is for older generations, but his creations are no stranger to anyone that follows and loves performance automobiles. Mr. Shelby was not only a genius when it came to building high-performance American muscle, but he was also an accomplished racecar driver. Carroll managed to parlay his racing roots into a partnership with Ford that spanned over 50 years. However, that partnership almost never happened, as his first choice in partners was Chevrolet. Imagine that, a “Shelby Camaro” or “Shelby Corvette,” it just doesn’t quite sound as good as “Shelby Mustang,” does it? Carroll Shelby lived a full life, as he graced this world with 89 years of his presence and nearly 60 of those years he was providing us gearheads with examples of his automotive skill, be it winning races or desig-ning hot rods.

Early Years: His Love Begins

Carroll Shelby was born on January 11, 1923 to Warren Shelby and Eloise Shelby. He was not born into a bloodline of racing, as his father was a hard working rural mail carrier and his mother was a homemaker. At 7 years old, Shelby developed a heart condition that resulted in much of his childhood being lived in a bed. After seven years of battling this leaking valve in his heart, Shelby began showing improvements and doctors eventually granted him a clean bill of health. Shelby’s adolescence was not void of all things automotive, as his father, was a gearnut at heart and frequently took Carroll and his friends to dirt bike races and car races. Once Carroll was old enough to drive, he began traveling outside of his local area to see more advanced racing, like the IMCA sprint car events in Iowa.

Shelby’s adolescence was not void of all things automotive, as his father, was a gearnut at heart and frequently took Carroll and his friends to dirt bike races and car races. Once Carroll was old enough to drive, he began traveling outside of his local area to see more advanced racing, like the IMCA sprint car events in Iowa. In high school, Shelby learned about how internal combustion engines operated by tearing apart and rebuilding small go-carts. His second love, aviation, became realized after his father bribed young Shelby to get on an airplane.

Army years: stealing planes and wooing women Shelby was just 16 years old when World War II broke out, but once he was eligible to enlist into the armed forces, he signed up for the Army Air Corps. At one point Carroll decided that a simple phone call to a girl he liked, Jeanne Fields, wasn’t enough, as he took an unguarded plane out for a spin over the young lady’s house and dropped a letter in her yard. Somehow he managed to get away with this shenanigan. Until 1945, Shelby remained in the Army Air Corps, never seeing any action in WWII. In the middle of his time with the army, Carroll found time to court Jeanne Fields, whom he then married in 1943, without having to fly a plane over her house ever again. Between 1941 and 1945, Mr. Shelby was a flight instructor at military bases in Texas and Colorado, teaching young men how to fly various bomber planes for the war. Carroll’s time in the military ended in 1945 and he returned to a normal civilian life.

Early adulthood: a dream fulfilled Immediately following his exit from the Army, Shelby jumped into a dump truck business that apparently did not work out too well. In 1949, he decided chicken was his way to make money. No, not the deadly head on game that teenage heartthrobs play in bad `50s movies, but literally raising chickens. This chicken farming business began as a relative success, as his 23

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first batch of chickens netted him $5,000 in profit, the equivalent of about $46,000 today.

His second group of chickens didn’t turn out nearly as well, as the entire flock died of limberneck disease and sent his chicken farming industry into bankruptcy. The bankruptcy, though tragic at the time, was truly a blessing in disguise. Had it not been for that, we may be eating Carroll Shelby chicken, as opposed to driving Shelby Mustangs. In 1952, Carroll Shelby finally realized his dream and drove in a racecar for the first time in his life. Unlike the road races that he became famous for, this initial race was at a quarter-mile drag meet. The initial racecar was a custom hot rod that was fitted with, ironically enough, a flat-head Ford V-8 engine.

Adulthood: the racing legend is born, striped coveralls and all Knowing that road racing was his calling and not oval or drag racing, Shelby’s friend, Ed Wilkins, entered Carroll into an MG race in Wilkins’ personal daily driver, an MG TC. Shelby took Wilkins’ street-ready daily driver and beat all of the other MGs with ease. On the same day, Shelby went on to beat a class of much faster Jaguar XK 120s. For those that do not understand the hilarity behind that, the MG TC punched out about 54 horsepower at its peak, in 1950, and the XK120 pushed out anywhere from 160 horsepower to 210 horsepower, depending on what engine it had. Now, the exact horsepower of Shelby’s MG TC is unknown, but it was auctioned in 2008 and the seller said that it had been recently tuned up to 100 horsepower. This means that even if it was modified, it still had less than 100 horsepower. The victory against other MGs was nice, but the win against cars more than doubling the factory power of Shelby’s MG TC was what really launched him into legend status. Just a few months after beating the Jags, Shelby then hopped in a Cad-Allard and took second place in an SCCA road racing event.

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In 1953, Carroll earned his signature racing garb of striped coveralls. He was late leaving his farm to get to a race, so he arrived at the track donning his striped coveralls. This gained him tons of attention and resulted in them becoming his signature racing attire. In an attempt to gain some American press, Aston Martin approached Shelby in 1954 with the offer of becoming a co-driver of their DB3 in the 1954 race in Sebring, FL. Shelby of course accepted this challenge and ended up driving the DB3 to a second place finish in Sebring, which resulted in him getting to co-drive for Aston Martin again, but this time at Le Mans later in the year. In 1955, Carroll Shelby was going through multiple surgeries to repair his arm that was hurt in a racing accident. That, however, couldn’t keep him from racing. He had his team tape his hand to the steering wheel of his Monza Ferrari and he went on to drive at Sebring with Phil Hill, where they originally thought they took home first prize. After some deliberation it was found that there was a scoring error and the team finished a respectable second place. After a victory at Torrey Pines in 1955, a L.A.-based building contractor, Tony Paravano, with a stable chock-full of Ferraris and Maseratis asked Carroll if he would be willing to drive his newest car, a 4.9-liter V-12 Ferrari racecar. After taking first place in his first run for Paravano, he was sent to Europe to compete with some of the top racers of the era on some of the most technical courses in the world.

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Late racing career: shelby starts talks with gm and wins back-to-back awards In Europe, Shelby had just as much success as he did in the states. The Europeans took such a liking to this American driver that Porsche invited him to race for their factory team at the Tourist Trophy World Championship. This was a true road course as it was strewn throughout a small city with residential houses on either side of the track and extremely tight curves. Shelby partnered up with fellow American, Masten Gregory, to beat all of the other factory team Porsches and all of the other cars in their class. Even in victory, Shelby showed extreme class, saying that the victory was a true triumph, but he also felt extreme sadness, as three drivers died during that race. Shelby went on to win the final race ever run at Del Monte Forest, Pebble Beach, in 1956. This made him just one of only four drivers to ever win this races, as it was closed after the race, due to Ernie McAfee striking a tree and dying during the race. This ultimately led to the construction of the now famous Laguna Seca Raceway. Shelby then joined forces with car owner John Edgar, though never signing a driving deal with him, and went on to lead Edgar’s team to dominate the western racing scene through the 1957 racing season. Carroll Shelby wasn’t a driver that took everything all too seriously, as he knew how to let his hair down at times. One example was a race in Mansfield, Louisiana in 1957 when he entered a race under the pseudonym of “John Shelby Smith.” Topping off his disguise, Shelby lost the famed striped bibs and borrowed someone else’s helmet for the race. He drove A.D. Logan’s Ferrari and led the entire race, but on the last lap he pulled into the pits, quitting the race and letting Logan win.

In both 1956 and 1957, Shelby took home the honor of Sports Illustrated “Driver of the Year.” Also in 1957, he opened up his first custom sports car shop in Dallas, named Carroll Shelby Sport Cars. Through 1958 and 1959, Shelby hung out in Europe to race. His biggest victory came in June of 1959 when he and Roy Salvadori won the 24 Hours of Lemans driving an Aston Martin DBR1/300. This victory pressed Aston Martin into winning the Sports Car World Championship for 1959. Also in 1959, Five years before the AC Cobra slithered its way into our hearts, was when the automotive entrepreneur side of Carroll Shelby really came out. Shelby joined forces with two Corvette Dealership owners, Jim Hall and Gary Laughlin, and purchased three Corvette chassis without bodies. The three chassis were sent off to Carrozzeria Scaglietti, and Italian coachbuilder, who fitted the most beautiful alloy bodies ever to grace a Corvette chassis. Using his connections to GM, Carroll Shelby presented these three Corvette prototypes to GM Vice president Harley Earl and GM’s chief Engineer Ed Cole. These two GM executives fell in love with the idea of sponsoring this model for racing, but GM’s top executive had already passed a new rule eliminating all race sponsorship during the Corvette’s production, thereby killing this beautiful car. Fortunately, these three Corvettes still prow the roadways or sit in museums today. >>Retirement: chest pains and one last championship In 1960, Shelby’s old nemesis outside of racing, his heart, began causing him discomfort in his chest. Doctors initially said it had nothing to do with his heart, but later that year they found out that he had angina pectoralis, a disease that starves coronary arteries of blood. Shelby didn’t retire immediately though, as he decided to hang around in the U.S. 25

and win some races. He even remained in his typical feisty Carroll Shelby form throughout. A great example was after winning Riverside in a Maserati, there was a dispute about prize money distribution between the car’s owner and Shelby. Shelby chose to steal the car and hold it ransom until the car’s owner gave in to Shelby’s demands. Shelby knew he was so close to winning the USAC driving championship in 1960 and was not about to let some little old chest pains get in his way. On June 26, 1960, Carroll Shelby slipped a few nitroglycerine tablets under his tongue to help rid himself of the chest pains and proceeded to drive at the Continental Divide in Scarab. Not only did he drive in it, but he won, giving him the points he needed to retire on top of the USAC points board. >>Post-racing endeavors: from driving school to the famed ac cobra In 1961, Shelby decided that since he couldn’t race any more, he should be teaching people how to race. This brought about the debut of the Shelby School of High Performance Driving at Riverside Raceway. After taking some time to settle down, Shelby got in touch with his old friend and Aston Martin racing manager, about building a racing prototype. Aston Martin was struggling to even produce enough DB4s to meet demand, so they were too busy to accept such a proposition. Shelby was persistent in his dream to build a racecar that would dominate for many years, so he continued on. Later in 1961, Shelby heard that Bristol Aircraft Company was ceasing production of its four-cylinder engine that powered the AC Ace and got a brilliant idea. He contacted the folks at AC and asked them if they would be interested in throwing some American V-8 power into their class-winning race car chassis. The brass at AC loved the idea of a V-8, so Shelby just needed to find an engine. Only a few days later Shelby found out that Ford was developing a lightweight V-8

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engine, so he pulled a few strings and got a few examples of this engine to tinker around with. This businessman turned racecar driver turned businessman somehow managed to ink production deals with both AC and Ford, using the body from the former and the 260 cubic-inch V-8 engine from the latter. In 1962, a blank AC Ace body landed in L.A., and Carroll and Mel Chastain went to work installing the engine and polishing the AC’s aluminum body to a shine, bringing about the birth of the AC Cobra. In March of 1962, Shelby American officially opened up its doors for business in Venice, California and in April of 1962, the first Cobra, donning pearlescent yellow paint, headed to the New York Auto Show. Almost immediately, orders for this new Cobra start coming in and Shelby-American commits to manufacture the Cobra. In a fit of genius, Carroll Shelby marketed the car to various magazines, but changed its body color each time, so they could all have a unique-looking car on the cover of their magazines. In August of the same year, Shelby achieves yet another goal, as the FIA homologated the Cobra into the FIA Manufacturer’s Championship. Unfortunately, the Cobra didn’t start off too well, as its first race ended with a snapped rear hub and a big fat “DNF.” The Cobra came back in 1963 to beat the Corvette and take home a 1-2 victory at Riverside, which was a particularly sweet victory for Shelby, given GM’s rejection of his idea. Also in 1963, Shelby began developing a new roadster, dubbed the Daytona. The ultimate goal of this new machine was to achieve 200 mpg down the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. In the mean time, the Cobra went on to take home the SCCA A-Production national championship and the United States Road Racing Championship for 1963. 1964 brought about the completion of the first Daytona Coupe in February and the entrance of a 427-powered Cobra in the Prototype-class at Sebring, which results in the Cobra beating the Ferrari GTO for the first time.

This spawns talks between Shelby, Ford and AC about manufacturing a big block-powered Cobra. In 1964, Shelby learned that some manufacturers will do about anything to win. The 1964 International GT was a close one between the Cobra and team Ferrari. The Ferrari team had taken home four victories out of the first five races and Cobra had taken four of the five after that. Upcoming was a race at the super-fast Monza circuit, which the Cobra was all but a certainty to win, as long as it finished, and Ferrari used political leverage to get the Italian Automobile Club to cancel that race. Ferrari later took the Tour de France victory, keeping hold of the championship, but Cobra took home the GT Championship. >>The late cobra years: the cobra big block debuts and ford asks for shelby’s help The Mustang came out about midway through the 1964 model year and was an immediate success. At the same time, however, the muscle car era was really at full throttle in more ways than one. Ford needed a little something to help spice up the Mustang, so it turned to Shelby for assistance. Shelby took 100 of the “K” VIN-code 1965 Mustangs, which carried with them a 289 cubic-inch V-8 with the Holley 715 carb that pumped out 306 horsepower. Shelby had rather tight constraints to work within, as it had to comply with SCCA regulations of modifying the suspension or the engine, not both. Shelby opted to modify the suspension, as modifying the engine might result in excessive warranty claims. He began by eliminating the rear seats, installing larger disc brakes on the front, added a fiberglass hood, lower suspension, added Koni adjustable shocks, larger front and rear sway bars, slapped on 15-inch silver wheels, and lastly added in a Detroit Locking rear end with traction bar brackets. As for looks, Shelby added in a set of side-exit exhaust pipes that included a set of Glasspack mufflers to give it some nice sound. He then added in a graphics package and the Mustang Shelby GT350 was born. 26

The Following month after completing the GT350 project, the 427 Cobra prototype is ready for testing. And by November the prototypes is complete. As he was hard at work on the 427 prototype, the aging 289 Cobra takes home another SCCA A-production national championship. In January of 1965, Shelby’s newest creations, the GT350 Mustang and 427 Cobra are debuted at Riverside Raceway. >>The gt-40 project: shelby saves ford’s ass The GT40 project was really a failure from the green flag. It all started with Ferrari cutting off talks after Ford sunk a substantial amount of money into the project. The holdup was the fact that Ford didn’t want Ferrari to compete in Indy if the deal was to be done, and Enzo Ferrari basically told Henry Ford II to stick it where a sun rarely hits. Ford then brought in Lola to handle this project, but the GT-40 had to retire, as its high-revving engine and low gear ration could not hold a decent top speed on the Le Mans’s Mulsanne Straight. After that debacle, Eric Broadler, Lola Cars; owner, stepped in to fund a new wave of modifications to the GT-40 that did not include Lola Cars at all. Its debut race was a DNF, due to suspension failure, and in its second race at 24 Hours of Le Mans, all three GT-40 entries retired before finishing for undisclosed reasons. After completing the Nassau Race and ending a dreadful season, Ford contacted Shelby to please help them straighten out the GT-40. Shelby, of course, takes on the project and quickly cuts through all of Ford’s corporate mumbo jumbo to figure out what they need to do to fix the problem. On the new and-improved GT-40’s maiden voyage around a racetrack, the 1995 Daytona 2,000, the GT-40 took home the victory. The 1965 Le Mans was not a victory for the GT-40, but it did win in 1966 and 1967 under the guidance of Shelby-American. The Shelby effect continued even after J.W. Automotive Engineering took over, as the GT-40 won the 1968 and 1969 Le Mans, as well.

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In March of 1967, the manufacture of the 427 Cobra is halted and in August of `68 the last 427 Cobra is sold.

four-cylinder pumping out 146 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. It downfall was that it was God-awful ugly.

Shelby also had success with the Mustang Shelby GT350 in the SCCA Trans Am series, as it took home that championship in 1967 and continued in that series for another two seasons. After the 1969 Riverside Trans Am, Shelby had enough with racing and Shelby American, as he announced that his company would no longer participate in the sport and disbanded Shelby-American altogether in December of 1967. This also ended the Shelby Mustang era, as the leftover 1969 Shelby Mustangs are updated to the specifications of the 1970 `Stangs.

1984 brought about another Chrysler-Shelby creation which was the Dodge Omni GLH, “GLH” actually has a meaning and it is “Goes Like Hell.” This featured the same engine as the Shelby Charger, but was significantly quicker, thanks to its lower weight. You also got slightly wider rims and a nice body kit to polish up the Omni a little more. In 1986 there were 500 GLHs remaining after production was stopped. Shelby snatched those up and created the Omni GLHS (Goes Like Hell S’more). Shelby modded the engine and pumped the turbocharger from 7.2 psi to an impressive 12 psi, bumping its output to 175 horsepower. If you have ever had the privilege to drive one of these 500 GLHSs, you would not be disappointed, case this ain’t your grandma’s Omni.

>>End of an era: shelby’s racing ends, but new companies develop In 1973, Shelby teamed up with Al Dowd to create the Shelby-Dowd Wheel Company. This was a short-lived, as he took a leave of absence from this company and headed to South Africa in 1974. Just before closing up Shelby-American, Carroll Shelby developed a new love, and that was chili making. Yup, two years after his leave of absence, Shelby made his own chili recipe that he marketed all over the world. In 1985, Kraft Foods caught onto this and bought the recipe from Shelby. >>The chrysler years: sigh… shelby goes four-banger, but spawns a new snake Despite his obsession with American V-8s, Carroll Shelby was approached by Chrysler to help them fix their steadily declining popularity. With cars like the Omni, Charger and Shadow, it’s hard to imagine anyone actually buying them. In 1982, Chrysler and Shelby struck an agreement to put some muscle into Chrysler’s unpopular lineup and the development of the Chrysler-Shelby Performance Center in Santa Fe Springs. In 1982 the Dodge Shelby Charger prototype, which eventually hit production in 1983. It had relatively impressive numbers for the day, with its 2.2-liter urbocharged

Finally, after all of these years of tinkering around with fourcylinders, Shelby starts on a prototype sports car that was not named at the time. Well, this prototype eventually became what we now know as the Viper, which he completed and was shown off at the 1989 Detroit Automobile show. In the same year, Shelby launches the Cobra 427 S/C, which was a continuation of the old AC Cobra cars. >>The late years: shelby’s heart strikes again and hof induction In June of 1990, Carroll’s heart had about enough, so it was now time for a long overdue transplant. After a successful transplant, Shelby went on to start the Carroll Shelby Heart Fund to help families pay for a child’s heart transplant. On October 1, 1992 after a successful career in just about everything that had to deal with automobiles, Mr. Shelby was inducted into the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame.

>>modern era shelby cars: cobra csx4000 and series 1 debut In 1995, Shelby kept his Cobra continuation alive by releasing the CSX4000 series 427 Cobra S/C Roadster. Two years later, Shelby manufactured the Series 1 sports car, which was an awesome looking roadster boasting the Aurora 4.0-liter V-8 from Oldsmobile that pumped out 320 horsepower and 290 pound-feet of torque. Not only was this car extremely fast, with its 4.4second 0-to-60 time and 170 mph top speed, but it was the only car that Carroll Shelby designed and built from the ground up. >>Shelby returns to ford: brief courting period leads to a second marriage In 2001, Carroll Shelby oddly enough participated in Ford’s 100 Years of Racing Festival. Many people would have thought that after their divorce that neither Carroll nor Ford would want to see each other again. Apparently that wasn’t the case. In 2003, the courting became even more serious, as a new Ford Shelby Cobra Concept appeared at the North American Auto Show, though it never became a production car. This at least showed that Ford and Shelby were in the process of working out a mutual agreement, once again. Ford also involved Shelby on their newest GT project, in hopes he can inject the same power and performance he did last time. In 2004, the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept hits the auto shows. We all know exactly what the GR-1 concept resulted in. If not, we’ll let you know, it eventually became the new Ford GT. It’s really funny how things in the auto industry come full circle. In the following year at the N.Y. International Auto Show the new Shelby GT500 Mustang debuted and the Ford-Shelby marriage was officially back on. Throughout this new marriage we saw the Shelby GT, the Mustang Shelby GT500, GT500KR and the Ford Shelby GT-H all roll out and perform the way Shelby intended.

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>>Full circle return for shelby: parts company and racing team arrive In 2007, Carroll Shelby decided it was time for his own parts department. With that came the opening of the Shelby Performance Parts Company, which allows buyers to snag up Shelby performance parts for various mustangs, even lowly V-6s. In the same year, just a month later the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team debuted running a 375-horsepower V-6 Mustang. In 2009, Shelby receives great honors again. This time he was awarded the lifetime achievement award as the Automotive Executive of the Year. Also in 2009 Carroll Shelby broadens his fund and begins offering funding of automotive technical schools. The following year Ford and Shelby release to 45th anniversary GT350 and Shelby opens Shelby Signature Foods Company, whose profits partially go to the Carroll Shelby Foundation. In 2011, Shelby American releases a special CSX 8000 Cobra as a celebration of the 50 years of the 289 Cobra. >>Late life and death: a legend leaves us In February of 2011, Shelby receives yet another lifetime achievement award, this time from Automotive News. Just three months later Shelby finally receives the recognition he deserves for all of his work outside of the automotive field, as the World Children’s Transplant Fund honors him the his donations to organ transplantation over his life.

but we all speculate that it was due to his bout with pneumonia, which is extremely dangerous in elderly people. One silver lining we can all take from this is that this man was not taken too soon, he lived a long life and he did what he loved until the day he died. From here on out, Mr. Shelby’s cars will keep his legacy alive and well. With this we say farewell to a legend in the industry we love.

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I’m not going to take this defeatist attitude and listen to all this crap any more from all these people who have nothing except doomsday to predict. Carroll Shelby

Just a few weeks back Mr. Shelby was admitted to the hospital with a bout of pneumonia, and the automotive world held its breath. He released a statement on April 25th, via a third party, that said he was resting comfortably and working on getting better. On May 10th, just over two weeks after letting us all know that he was working toward recovery, Mr. Shelby tragically passed away. There are no details on his cause of death, 28

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SUPER CARS MECEDES-BENZ SLS AMG ELECTRIC DRIVE

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overview

The Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG electric drive boasts a 120-mile range and 738 horsepower, but don’t believe for a minute that you can enjoy both at the same time. When pushed to its full potential, the electric SLS won’t make it two laps around the 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife. This conundrum manage the battery range or exercise the car’s muscle makes the great power of the SLS ED sort of, well, a limp proposition. But who are we kidding? Customers who can afford the $500,000-plus electric SLS will have people to worry about range anxiety for them. For Mercedes-Benz and AMG, the electric gullwing is a research test bed exploring the future of electric propulsion and high-performance vehicles.

>>Quick to Discharge, Slow to Charge The 60-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and the software that manages it were developed by the Formula 1 experts at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains. The 1208-pound pack contains 864 South Korean battery cells encased in a carbon-fiber box that acts as a structural element when bolted to the SLS’s aluminum space frame. HPP’s experience with F1’s Kinetic Energy Recovery System was key to extracting big power from the battery, but the engineers didn’t make any strides when it comes to recharging the puck. Unless your garage is wired up like a public charging space, a full charge takes 20 hours—and that’s with 220 volts. With four electric motors making 185 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque each, the total output of the electrified gullwing tops even that of the SLS AMG Black Series. Yet asking for all 738 lb-ft lacks the expected drama. The electric-drive model is undeniably quick off the line—we estimate 60 mph arrives in 3.7 seconds—but you won’t hear a chirp from the tires. That’s because torque is routed through fixed 33

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-ratio gearboxes that cover the entire speed spread, from creeping up to a stoplight to hitting the governor at 155 mph. To add some theater to the otherwise silent electric-car experience, AMG pipes a sci-fi soundtrack through the SLS’s 11 stereo speakers. “Idling” creates a whirring warble, like the sound of a UFO landing in a Warner Brothers cartoon, and there are similarly fantastical noises for startup, acceleration, cruising, and braking.

we’ve ever experienced. Turn-in is defined by Lotus-like immediacy. The body moves perfectly in sync with the wheels and the driver’s intentions. The steering is prescient, and yet the four-corner torque control means you also influence your heading with the right pedal. If you underestimate a corner, simply squeeze on the throttle to tighten your line—not to induce oversteer but to increase the yaw moment. The outside wheels accelerate, the inside wheels slow, and the gullwing tucks in, darting for the inside. This four-wheel torque vectoring redefines the expression “steering with the throttle.” And although it’s unlike any car we’ve ever driven, this is the kind of electric car we can easily get behind.

Because the four-wheel-drive electric SLS has driveshafts where the gas-powered car’s front springs and dampers reside, AMG engineers redesigned the front suspension. The control arms have been replaced by a multilink setup, and the coil-overs are mounted horizontally and actuated by pushrods. Other chassis changes include an electrically driven hydraulic steering pump (rather than a belt-driven unit) and standard carbon-ceramic brakes. Shift paddles behind the steering wheel adjust how aggressively the regenerative braking cuts in when you lift off the accelerator.

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO The hyperexclusive, ultraexpensive SLS AMG electric drive is an anomaly in the world of battery-powered cars. It’s too radical to serve as basic transportation, and its range limited battery keeps it from being a real track toy. Instead, its purpose is to serve as a development bench and proving ground for using smaller multiple motors rather than a single large motor. If the idea of dedicating a motor to an individual wheel becomes common practice, we’re looking forward to a future of hybrids and electrics.

HEY, EVERYBODY, WATCH THIS! The electric SLS’s primary party trick is a function of the four electric motors that power it. With each motor dedicated to driving a single wheel, the ED’s computers have precise control over the forces that make a car change direction. Accelerating and braking each motor independently of the others turns this 4700-pound brute into a ballerina. The level of torque vectoring—what AMG calls “torque dynamics”—can be set to one of three modes. In Comfort, the SLS electric drive can’t hide its 900-pound surplus over the gas model. The electric car is reluctant to change direction, and the steering is sluggish. With the body always a step behind the wheels, the SLS feels more like an S-class than a half-million-dollar sports car. Switching to the most aggressive setting, Sport Plus, affects a transformation unlike that of any adaptive suspension or torque-vectoring differential

SPECIFICATIONS ESTIMATED BASE PRICE $550,000 ENGINE TYPE: 4 AC permanent synchronous electric motors, 185 hp, 185 lb-ft; combined power rating, 740 hp, 738 lb-ft; 60-kWh lithium-ion battery pack TRANSMISSION: 1-speed direct drive DIMENSIONS: Wheelbase: 105.5 in Length: 182.6 in Width: 76.3 in Height: 49.7 in Curb weight (C/D est): 4700 lb PERFORMANCE (C/D EST): Zero to 60 mph: 3.7 sec Standing ¼-mile: 12.5 sec Top speed: 155 mph FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST): EPA combined driving: 85 mpge 34

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becoming a better driver BASIC TECHNIQUE

>>Drive smoothly. This applies to all but emergency circumstances. You can accelerate smoothly without being slow. Steer with purpose, don’t just drift around. When you need to brake, do it assertively, not abruptly. Remember: You’re piloting a two-ton missile. >>Give bikes and motorcycles a wider berth than you would other vehicles. Even if they don’t abide by the law. Critical Mass and lanesplitters will piss you off, sure, but they’re missing out on the joys of things like air conditioning, satellite radio, ventilated seats, and most importantly, airbags. >>Stop for pedestrians in crosswalks, and pretty much everywhere else too. You don’t need a lawsuit from the jackass who decides he needs to toddle across five lanes of traffic, and you don’t want to be quoted in a newspaper or a police report. >>Don’t ask your tires to work too hard. Contact patches are only about a palm wide. Going 95 into a tight bend? Good luck with that, Mario. >>Don’t pump the brakes if your vehicle has anti-lock control. Or you’re missing the point.

>>Drive with both hands on the wheel, at 9 and 3 o’clock positions The proper driving position is not slouched over the wheel, or behind it, with one wandering hand at high noon. Don’t pretend you heard something else somewhere else, because you didn’t and they were wrong.

>>Don’t drop your clutch at a stoplight or use launch control at a stoplight or stop sign. Those things have a place and time, and that place and time is obviously at Cars & Coffee.

>>A quick flash of the lights or light horn beep are acceptable, nothing more. Do not treat them as you would an Aldis lamp or a wood instrument. You’re not trying to stun the driver into doing your will; you’re gently nudging them into participating.

>>Leave the stability control on. If you’re an expert and know when you need yaw and wheelspin, you should probably be on a closed circuit.

>>Drive predictably. When we can tell what you’re doing, we can do a better job of driving ourselves. Drive like you’re part of a system, not trying to evade one.

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ROLLS-ROYCE

boat tail

Welcome to the Rolls-Royce Boat Tail a near-six metre long grand tourer with a removable “canopy” roof and something called a “hosting suite” hidden beneath the rear deck. Based on the same basic platform as the Phantom, and likely fitted with its V12, Rolls has hand-built a grand total of three of these things for customers who “share a deep appreciation of contemporary nautical design”. The car’s aesthetic is inspired by J-Class yachts and ‘Boat Tail’ Rolls-Royces of yore, which were created when coachbuilders began grafting “the hull forms of sailing boats” onto rolling Rolls chassis in the Twenties and Thirties. 38

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SUV WORLD

HIGHS

2021 VOLKSW

Roomy cabin, smooth ride, decent driving range.

LOWS Lacks driving verve, fussy anonymous styling.

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WAGEN ID.4

y infotainment interface,

VERDICT The ID.4 is a practical electric alternative to gas-powered SUVs but lacks the excitement you might expect from an EV.

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overview

2021 VOLKSWAGEN ID.4

After years of teasing us with electric-powered concept cars, Volkswagen is finally delivering on its promises with the ID.4 electric SUV, which started life as the ID. Crozz concept vehicle. While it doesn’t look like the famed Microbus-inspired ID. Buzz, the ID.4 is no less important to VW’s goal of rolling out a robust lineup of electric vehicles. The company claims the ID.4 will be able to drive up to 250 miles between charges and its SUV shape and attractive styling should make it a desirable EV. At first, all ID.4 models will offer only rear-wheel drive but all-wheel drive models will join the lineup in 2021—as will a less-expensive base model.

>>What’s new? Not only is the ID.4 a brand new nameplate for the Volkswagen brand, it’s also the first in a series of all-electric models that will combine to create the ID sub-brand.

>>Engine, transmission, and performance While all-wheel drive models will eventually be a part of the ID.4 lineup, the single-motor rear-wheel drive models will be the first to launch. The rear-mounted motor makes 201 horsepower but the dual-motor all-wheel drive model will make a stout 302. Towing capacity is a stout 2700 pounds. Regenerative braking helps recapture energy when slowing the vehicle, but the familiar one-pedal driving that EV drivers have come to appreciate is largely missing here, even in the ID.4’s most aggressive regenerative mode. Also lacking is the traditional gut-punch acceleration that electric vehicles often provide. The ID.4 isn’t slow by traditional compact-crossover standards, The ID.4’s handles less sharply than some other EVs as well, but it has a smooth and refined ride quality and quiet cabin. 43

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>>Range, charging, and battery life Volkswagen says the ID.4’s 77 kWh battery pack holds enough juice to power the SUV up to 250 miles between charges, which puts it in the mix with other electric SUVs such as the Hyundai Kona Electric and the Kia Niro EV. Unfortunately for VW, that’s far less than the 316 miles of EPA estimated range for the Tesla Model Y. The battery can be charged at home on 110- or 240-volt connections, of course, but is also capable of DC fast charging.

>>Fuel economy and real world mpg The EPA rates the ID.4 First Edition and Pro S’s fuel economy at 104 MPGe city and 89 MPGe highway and a driving range estimate of 250 miles per charge; the base Pro model has not yet been rated.

>>Interior, comfort, and cargo While the ID.4’s interior looks less flashy than the ID. Crozz Concept’s cabin, which featured a retractable steering wheel and sliding rear doors, it still offers a contemporary design with high-tech features, ambient lighting, and generous cargo space. The interior design is uncluttered and playful, particularly the 1st Edition model, which comes with accelerator and brake pedals with cheeky play and pause symbols. Cloth seats are standard but adding the optional Statement package adds faux-leather upholstery along with 12-way power adjustable front seats with massage and memory functionality.

>>Infotainment and connectivity

The ID.4 comes standard with a 10.0-inch infotainment touchscreen that can be upgraded to a larger 12.0-inch display with the optional Statement package. The software is unique to the ID.4. Navigation is standard with both displays and so are the wireless versions of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. All ID.4 models also come with a 5.3-inch reconfigurable digital gauge display and voice recognition capability. 44

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>>Don’t cut across three lanes to get to that gas station/restroom. There’s another one at the next exit, we promise.

>>Don’t creep out too far in the intersection. Especially if you know you won’t make that light. You end up cutting down the time for the other turn lanes to get their fair chance at a light, and as you know from driving in (your town here), there’s always an intersection that falls prey to terrible light timing.

BECO A BET DRIV

TURNING, MERGIN

>>Don’t be the je right lane and cu mer There’s an argum that all drivers available lanes, e lanes merge. Fin an idiot and jump lanes just to get two ve

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>>Don’t be the jerk who rides the right lane and cuts in when lanes merge. There’s an argument to be made that all drivers should fill all available lanes, even when those lanes merge. Fine--just don’t be an idiot and jump in and out of the lanes just to get ahead of one or two vehicles.

OMING TTER VER

NG AND EXITING

>>When you are turning left, go into the left lane. When you are turning right, go into the right lane. Novel concept, low in intellectual rigor, high in real-world demand. two vehicles.

erk who rides the uts in when lanes rge. ment to be made s should fill all even when those ne--just don’t be p in and out of the t ahead of one or ehicles.

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HATCHBACK WORLD

2022 MINI COO

HIGHS One of the most affordable EVs, lots of standard features, lives up to Mini’s fun-to-drive ethos.

LOWS Impractically short drivin mini rear seat, adaptive c

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OPER ELECTRIC

ng range for most people, cruise control is absent.

VERDICT

The electrified Mini Cooper has limited range and some shortcomings, but its low price and sheer entertainment value are impressive.

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overview

2022 MINI COOPER E

Although the 2022 Mini Cooper Electric has shorter-than-average range, it addresses that demerit by being both more affordable and more entertaining to drive than many other small EVs. Based on the two-door Mini Cooper hardtop, the all-electric version combines zippy acceleration with go-kart-like handling. However, its battery pack is much smaller than most competitors’, which contributes to an estimated driving range of just 110 miles on a full charge. Even though it’s currently one of the least expensive EVs on the market, it still has a host of popular standard features. Of course, it wouldn’t be a Mini without quirky styling and myriad of customizable options. While it has a small back seat and limited cargo space, the 2022 Cooper Electric is perfect for urbanites who want a cool travel pod and rarely venture beyond the city limits.

>>What’s new for 2022? The electrified Cooper benefits from many of the same updates made to the gas-powered Mini hardtop and convertible. This includes revised front end styling, new personalization options, and fresh features. While the Cooper Electric doesn’t get a price increase versus the previous model year, it now comes standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen, a heated steering wheel, lane-departure warning, and more. It’s also available with new wheel designs in 16- and 17-inch diameters. Mini says there will also be a limited edition that has unique exterior and interior treatments.

>>Engine, transmission, and performance The front-wheel-drive Electric’s motor makes 181 horsepower and 199 pound-feet of torque, and it sources power from a 32.6-kWh battery pack (only 28.9 kWh is usable).

It can sprint to 60 mph in a tidy 6.1 seconds, which makes it quicker than other small EVs such as the Chevy Bolt EV (6.7 clicks). The model features two regenerative braking modes: one that allows the car to coast much like a non-EV car when you lift off the accelerator and another that’s more aggressive and almost eliminates the need to touch the brake pedal.

>>Range, charging, and battery life The Mini Electric has an estimated driving range of 110 miles on a full charge, which is significantly shorter than what alternatives such as the Bolt EV and Nissan Leaf can cover. Mini says the car’s battery can be fast charged to 80 percent in 35 minutes. If you’re using home AC charging at 7.4 kilowatts, you can completely restore the battery in four hours. The little hatchback’s two-mode regenerative braking system also helps to maximize battery charge.

>>Fuel economy and real-world mpg The Mini Electric is expected to have a combined MPGe rating of 108. For comparison, the Bolt EV is rated at 118 MPGe combined and the Leaf is rated up to 111 MPGe combined.

>>Interior, comfort, and cargo The Electric’s interior features a 5.5-inch digital gauge cluster that displays the battery’s charge level, driving range, nav info, and other infotainment functions. Every Mini Electric has dual-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, and a unique heat-pump design that uses 75 percent less energy than a traditional electric heater when warming the passenger cabin. The introduction of ambient interior lighting, complete with six different colors, adds another funky dimension to the cabin. As with the gas-powered Mini Cooper, the back seat doesn’t offer much space, and cargo room is similarly limited. 51

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It was also old. Neither of these things have stopped it from becoming the most desired Ferrari of them all. Giacchino Colombo’s legendary engine was now a veteran campaigner: a 60° V12, twin overhead camshaft, 2,953cc masterpiece, producing 300bhp. Six twin-choke Weber carburettors sat in the centre of the engine’s V, mounted on magnesium-alloy inlet manifolds; the cylinder block was cast in a brand of aluminium called Siluminum, with cast-iron wet cylinder liners, and there’s dry sump lubrication. The crank was machined from a single steel billet, as were the con rods. It did also gain a new five-speed, all synchromesh gearbox. The chassis, though, was similar to the long-serving 250 GT’s, and consisted of a tubular steel frame. Pick-up points were added to lower key components like the gearbox, radiator, and fuel and oil tanks in the chassis, improving the centre of gravity. Most GTOs had two cooling air intakes in the front wings; some had three. Various bracing bars helped stiffen

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POSTER FEATURE

THE FERRARI 250 GTO

The Ferrari 250 GTO celebrated its 55th anniversary in 2017, and Ferrari assembled 20 of 36 GTOs built for an Italian tour.

the chassis and sill members, and there was aroll hoop. Enzo Ferrari had finally and belatedly accepted that disc brakes were a good thing after all, and an aluminium shield protected its floor. Borrani wheels with alloy rims and steel spokes were wrapped in Dunlop rubber. The GTO also features recirculating ball steering, rather than rack and pinion. 53

But it was the body design that needed overhauling to keep pace with its more advanced rivals, including Jaguar’s magnificent new E-Type. Tentative aerodynamic experiments began, primarily to reduce lift at the front and improve downforce at the rear. The project was initially overseen by Giotto Bizzarrini, who would soon leave the factory during the notorious ‘palace revolution’ in late 1961 that saw Ferrari lose a host of key technical people (the story goes that his lieutenants had grown weary of his wife Laura’s increasing meddling). Enzo’s old friend Sergio Scaglietti was subsequently tasked by Enzo Ferrari to finish work on the car. There were several further winter tests, before the finished 250 GTO was shown to the media during Ferrari’s annual press day on 24th February 1962. Known internally as Comp.62, it was English journalists who first referred to the car as the GTO,

Indeed, as with many historic Ferrari models, you need to be a mix of Indiana Jones and Hercule Poirot to figure out what was really what. The first 18 cars were supplied with the rear spoiler as a separate item, which then had to be

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and though unofficial the name stuck. This very early car wore the livery of Count Volpi’s Scuderia Serenissima, and its distinctive proboscis saw the Italian media dubbed it ‘il formichiere’ – the ant-eater. The famous Kamm tail had yet to be introduced. With a new regime emerging, Mauro Forghieri was now in charge of development. Giancarlo Baghetti tested the GTO extensively at Monza, where it proved to be impressively fast.

(The provenance of this car is exceptional: it was raced by ‘wild’ Willy Mairesse, Masten Gregory, and Innes Ireland, amongst others.) The 250 GTO would go on to rack up more than 500 competitive appearances, cementing its status in the Ferrari annals. In 1963 and ’64, it won the Tour de France; it took class wins in the Targa Florio in 1962, ’63, and ’64; and there were class wins at Le Mans in 1962 (where GTOs finished second and third overall) and ’64.

Typically, none of the 36 GTOs made in the first 1962-’64 production run were identical. Although the bodies were all hand-beaten in aluminium over wooden bucks by Scaglietti’s artisans, there were many differences, some cosmetic, others more empirical and engineering-focused.

first run of 36 were subsequently re-bodied to include the updated body and mechanical improvements. Although rarely a works car, the GTO was still only made available to Enzo Ferrari’s favoured privateers and drivers. The Super America mulotipo, chassis no 2643, actually ran at Le Mans in 1961, and no less a figure than Stirling Moss raced it to a fourth place finish at Daytona in 1962. The car shown to the press in February that year made its race debut in the Bridgehampton Double 400 seven months later, with Ed Hugus and Charlie Hayes driving. The first full production car, chassis no 3413GT, was sold in April 1962 to Edoardo Lualdi, who was an accomplished hill-climber. (It was subsequently fitted with the Series 2 bodywork.) Olivier Gendebien and Phil Hill won

bolted to the body. One of the 36-strong production run had a completely different body design, mirroring the 330 LMB. Variations included the rear wing, the size of the radiators, the number of ducts, and various other amendments. There were three prototypes powered by a 4.0-litre V12; although there were only three Series 2 GTOs (built in 1964), with completely different bodywork, four of the

the GT class and finished second overall (behind a 250 Testa Rossa) in chassis 3387GT in the Sebring 12 Hours on March 24th 1962. There were also victories at Goodwood and Silverstone. One of the bestknown GTOs was a right-hand drive car, painted a distinctive pale green, and campaigned by the UDT-Laystall team, which was run by Stirling Moss’s father Alfred and his manager Ken Gregory.

the aesthetics, and for that you have to look at what was coming out of those panel shops in Italy. Something special happened, and it wasn’t scripted. In many ways, we hit a sweet spot in 1962 and ’63 [in terms of front-engined racing cars].”

“If you take the body off the 250 GTO,” London-based historic car broker and racing driver Gregor Fisken says, “you definitely have under the skin something that was as good as anyone else was producing in the world at the time. A lot of the timeless appeal lies in

And the Ferrari 250 GTO hit the sweetest spot of all.

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becoming a better driver GOING THE DISTANCE

>>Take breaks every 90 minutes on long trips. Trite advice, yes, but your bladder has a finite size, and so does your attention span. One day soon you’ll have to get used to it anyway, whenever your electric car needs to be topped off.

>>Make sure you keep pace with other drivers safely of course. There’s a speed limit, then there’s the speed we drive. Here’s where it pays to be above average, but not the lead rabbit.

>>Don’t use crui it’s raining, o anything but It’s a convenience

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>>Don’t ride the brakes, and don’t brake-check other drivers. The big pedal requires just as much nuance as the tall skinny one.

>>Watch several cars ahead. Accidents on interstates usually happen when you’re not paying attention.

ise control when or snowing, or t fair weather. e, not a technique.

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The most obvious difference between electric vehicles, or EVs, and standard internal combustion engine models, or ICEs, is that ICEs are powered by gasoline while EVs require electricity. In all kinds of vehicles, CO2 emissions rates per vehicle have declined as manufacturers make products that are both faster and cleaner.

Vs MODE

ELECTRIC CARS VS. GAS CARS

>>Everything you need to know If you are looking for a new vehicle that uses fuel in a cost-efficient way or want to reduce your CO2 emissions, you might be looking at an electric car for your next new car purchase.

The concept of MPG, or miles per gallon, measures the fuel efficiency of ICE vehicles. While a vehicle’s range can also vary, most need to be filled up every 250-300 miles traveled. Fuel efficient vehicles have higher MPGs, meaning they need to be filled up less often and cost you the least per mile. Thus, a car that is rated at 45 MPG, for example, will cost you less in terms of fuel than one with a rating of 25 MPG. The electricity that powers EVs can come from a variety of sources. Electricity is produced from burning gas or coal, or from renewable sources such as hydropower, wind, and solar. The price of electric power varies by utility company. Some utility companies will charge higher rates at peak hour usage, for example, according to Enel X.

There are pros and cons to electric cars vs. gas cars that you should know about before you take the plunge.

>>Shifting from conventional to electric Around the world, countries are increasingly moving towards car production and ownership that is entirely electric, according to Ever Charge. If you’re considering being part of the transition by picking up an electric vehicle, you should understand how the costs of an electric vehicle may be different and where you’ll be likely to save compared to conventional engines.

There are also more charging options in public spaces, especially in urban areas and at highway rest stops, as electric vehicles become more popular. Still, driving a long distance from home that requires one or more recharges may take some planning on your part.

>>Costs of conventional cars and electric cars The cost of owning and operating an electric car vs. gas car is one of the most important considerations when you’re looking to purchase, as Energy Sage points out. There are several factors you’ll need to consider here, including the cost of fuel and maintenance, as well as the overall purchase price of the vehicle itself.

Electric vehicles also tend to have lower maintenance costs, since changing the transmission fluid, coolant, and engine oil of an ICE vehicle can slowly add up. Of course, there are still day-to-day expenses such as auto insurance, structural repair, and brake and tire changes, that both ICEs and EVs will require. According to Auto Insurance Nerds,, repair costs on electric vehicles can be higher as well, which affects the price of maintenance and electric vehicle auto insurance.

Electric cars tend to be more expensive upfront. However, as this type of vehicle is becoming more common and there are more model options to choose from, the upfront cost difference is declining. Additionally, keep in mind that the cost of purchasing and operating your new vehicle will depend on your location, as well as the brand and type of vehicle you select.

Finally, an electric vehicle tax credit may also help you save on your purchase. 57

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THE WORLD OF VANS

2021 RENAULT ELECTR 59

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T KANGOO ZE RIC VAN 60

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OVERVIEW

2021 RENAULT KANGOO ZE ELECTRIC VAN

The Renault Kangoo ZE was the first full-production electric van, originally going on sale back in 2011. A major update in 2017 saw a big increase in the driving range, and it remains one of the most practical choices of plug-in van even now. It’s still so popular, in fact, that for 2020 Renault is added a new, higher-specification Kangoo ZE Business+ trim level and started selling the new version in 2021.

>>What’s the driving range of the Renault Kangoo ZE? This is always the big question about electric vans – how far can you go between charges? In the Kangoo ZE’s case, this varies with model year. The original version was claimed to go 106 miles per charge, while those built after the 2017 update get a bigger battery pack and new R60 electric motor, giving them a claimed range of up to 170 miles per charge. These newer models are known as the Kangoo ZE 33 – with the 33 referring to the bigger size of the 33kWh battery pack. The 60hp motor is no more powerful in these than the previous versions, but it is more efficient, helped by other tech advances including a ‘heat pump’ heating system.

>>Does it carry less than a diesel or petrol model? The cargo space is the same size on the Kangoo electric van as it is on the diesel or petrol version, as the batteries are fitted below the load floor. The ZE also comes in a choice of two body lengths – standard (labelled MWB or L2H1) and Maxi (labelled LWB or L3H1) – and as a Crew van as well as a panel van, just like the regular models. The Kangoo is only a small van, though, so load volume ranges from 3.0 to 4.6 cubic metres only.

The ZE’s 640kg maximum payload rating is lower than other Kangoo models because the batteries add a lot of weight to the basic van. This is the same for other electric vans, though rivals such as the Maxus eDeliver 3 and forthcoming Stellantis trio of Vauxhall Combo-e, Peugeot e-Partner and Citroen e-Berlingo certainly promise to carry higher payloads than the Renault can manage.

>>Why would anyone buy an electric van? The ZE model currently accounts for over 60% of all Kangoos sold, so this is no longer a small niche in the Renault Pro+ line-up. The real-world driving range is now enough to cover daily mileage requirements the way many businesses use small vans, with the UK government’s Plug-in Van Grant the pricing is attractive (especially on a monthly basis) and running costs are low.

>>Renault Kangoo ZE verdict Renault has been building electric vans longer than anyone else, and this experience makes the Kangoo ZE a proven, capable product. If you need a small electric van now, this is the best model to spend your money on. However, it is also a rather old product now. So although the 2017 refresh brought really welcome improvements - increasing the driving range by over 50%, in fact - the interior is a little drab and the latest competition makes this original Kangoo ZE look considerably out of date.

>>What’s the Kangoo ZE like to drive? As with all Renault vans, the suspension does a generally good job of balancing comfort and control; it rolls a bit in the corners and can sometimes feel harsh over sudden bumps, but the compromise should be acceptable for most users. And with no noisy diesel engine rattling away, refinement is high both inside and out – which should please your neighbours if you keep odd hours. While the electric motor’s 60hp rating sounds seriously low, it also produces an instant 225Nm 61

(oddly, 226Nm with the original motor) of torque. Enough pulling power to easily get a small van moving briskly, even with a hefty payload, and the Kangoo ZE will maintain 70mph on the motorway. You will occasionally catch it out on big hills, however, where acceleration can become sluggish. Similarly, performance does drop off if you engage the range enhancing Eco mode. Even so, flatten the accelerator right to the floor, and you get a decent kick, as if the automatic gearbox has selected a lower gear. In reality the electric motor uses a single-speed transmission. Still saves you nursing the clutch in traffic, making the Kangoo ZE very easy to live with in a city.

>>Is the Kangoo ZE 33 much different to the original version? The difference in the post-2017 models shines through in your new and improved relationship with the big battery level gauge to the left of the instrument cluster. No longer do you find yourself continuously staring at this as you might have done in the original, its rate of descent like a waking nightmare. Now it reduces so slowly you barely give it a second thought.

>>So what is the real-world driving range? Before the ZE 33 arrived with its 33kWh battery pack, the Kangoo ZE was fitted with a 22kWh battery pack – good for a claimed 106 miles per charge according to the old NEDC testing regime. In the real world this was capable of 53-78 miles, according to Renault, depending on the weather (electric van range falls in winter), driving style, traffic and payload. And this was when they were new; used examples with partly worn battery packs may not even quite manage that. Renault would originally only lease the battery packs for exactly this reason – as it meant owners wouldn’t have to face the cost of replacement should the battery pack’s capacity drop too far. In practice, the batteries have lasted very well.

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CONSEPT CARS

vision mercedes maybach 6

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The Vision Mercedes-Maybach is almost six metres long, an imperious looking, super-swoopy coupe that takes its cue from epic 1930s Mercedes models like the SSK and 540K. Mercedes insists the 6 is not retro, but latter-day Gatsbys – these days most likely located in Silicon Valley or Wall Street’s hedge funds definitely figure. Luxury, you see, is getting younger, and more discerning than ever. “Our sensational Coupé represents the ultimate in contemporary luxury. It is hot and cool,” Daimler AG’s design boss Professor Gorden Wagener says somewhat bafflingly. “With its intelligent appeal and reduced, technoid look, it perfectly embodies our design philosophy of sensual purity and our pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency.” Sensually technoid, then (blame Google Translate). It’s certainly hi-tech, if not quite as far out as the psychedelically imaginative Rolls-Royce Vision Next 100, which is chasing a similarly minted future demographic. Like the Roller, the Maybach 6 also junks dreary old internal combustion in favour of fully electric propulsion, a format signalled by the LED strips that run the length of the sills. There are synchronous electric motors on each wheel, with batteries stored under the floor. Mercedes (-Maybach) claims 550 kW or 750bhp overall, enough to power this flamboyantly tailored behemoth to 62mph in less than four seconds, although such unseemly behaviour would no doubt hobble its 200-mile range. The 6 can be replenished wirelessly or via an electromagnetic field, and quick-charging fires enough juice into the system in just five minutes to deliver 65 miles of range. Well, rich people don’t want to be faffing about with chunky cabling, do they? That elongated tear-drop shape is also said to be inherently aerodynamic, despite the huge grille – inspired, says M-M, by a pin-striped suit – and the dramatically protuberant feature lines which give it its basic form. 65

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The rear end tapers beautifully, deliberately echoing the shape of a super-yacht, and the split rear window and ultra-slim tail-lights pare everything down to a powerful essence. There are no spoilers or other ugly aero appendages, but there’s no talk of downforce, either. Rich people have better things to do than worry about excess lift on the autobahn. Unless it’s actually happening. The wheels are humungous 24-inchers, with transparent, body-coloured shields covering their spars. Luxury gets a modern makeover inside, too. Entry is via vast gullwing doors Mercedes has previous here, of course and the occupants are treated to a 360° lounge experience. The inner door trim effectively becomes the dashboard, and while the seats mimic a Chesterfield sofa in a stately home, the digital display flows across the windscreen and into the side of the car. The interior is also psychometric, ‘body sensor displays’ within the seat leather monitoring the occupants’ vital functions to automatically adjust the cabin temperature or begin massaging. Yes, the Maybach isn’t just a mobile chiropractor, it can tell when you’ve had a difficult day. If those inside can stir themselves long enough from their lavishly appointed torpor, they’ll notice elm wood and traditional cowled instruments and an old-fashioned steering wheel, which Mercedes describes as ‘hyperanalogue’. Well, rich people like something that’s a throwback to the old day… oh, you get the picture.

Be upstanding for the 750bhp, all-electric ‘Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6’

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