Car news
BMW 3 Series refreshes style, technology and equipment THE LATEST ITERATION OF THE BMW 3 SERIES WILL LAUNCH IN NEW ZEALAND LATER THIS YEAR,WITH A REFRESHED STYLING PACKAGE, CURVED MONITORS AND ENHANCED LEVELS OF EQUIPMENT Since its launch in 1975, 16 million 3-series cars have been sold across the generations. It accounts for 14 per cent of BMW’s vehicle sales worldwide and 11.5 per cent of BMW New Zealand’s total registrations, and 509 examples of the current generation 3 Series have sold since launch in 2019. The new cars feature redesigned headlights and kidney grille. Blue light effects below the headlight units also distinguish the front end in low light conditions. The Adaptive LED headlights’ range of functions includes the cornering light and nondazzling matrix high beam. The interior of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan and Touring has had a comprehensive update, embodied by the BMW Curved Display, wherein a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display with a screen diagonal of 14.9 inches merge together into a single, fully digital and highresolution unit. BMW New Zealand will offer the new 3 Series Sedan in 320i, 330e plug-in hybrid and M340i xDrive variants, while the 3 Series Touring will be available solely in the 320d xDrive variant. Secondary raw materials account for around 50 per cent of the material used in the aluminium castings for the BMW 3 Series. Approximately 16 per cent of all thermoplastics are recycled.
The latest version of BMW iDrive, BMW Operating System 8 featured in the new BMW 3 Series has extended the capabilities of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant. The My BMW App acts as a universal digital interface between the driver and vehicle and for controlling the charging process for the high-voltage battery of the 330e plug-in hybrid model. The new BMW 3 Series Sedan and Touring lineups will arrive in New Zealand in Q4 with pricing and specification detail to be announced closer to the launch date.
New Fiat 500 electric voted best small car The New 500 Fiat has scooped the Small Electric Vehicle of the Year by Company Car Today and City Car of the Year Award by GQ magazine, and Best Small Car at the annual Autocar Awards. Greg Taylor, UK managing director for Fiat and Abarth, said: “At the end of February, New 500 scooped its 25th award. Less than three months later, this award from Autocar marks the 30th accolade that our first, fully-electric car has picked up.” The New 500 is the third generation of this iconic car, winning fans for its cute and distinctive design, manoeuvrability, and a driving range of up to 320km (WLTP) — the longest range of any electric city car on the market. The car also earned Klaus Busse, Fiat’s vicepresident of design at the time, the Design Hero prize in last year’s Autocar Awards. Autocar editor Mark Tisshaw said: “The 500 shows the direction for all small electric cars. Our roads aren’t getting any wider, and the 500’s dimensions are as useful on Turin’s streets as they are down an English country lane. The battery in the floor has banished any top-heaviness, and the stiff suspension, pointy steering, and impressive lateral grip give the responses a keen driver wants. “It is genuinely joyful to look at and to drive. It is recognisable, it’s retro yet modern, it’s cute and it’s distinctive.”
Renault Trucks goes multi-modal RENAULT TRUCKS E-TECH MASTER OPTIMODALE COMBINES THREE TYPES OF ELECTRIC TRANSPORTATION IN ONE VEHICLE: A 3.5 TONNE LWB L3H1 E-TECH MASTER VAN WITH LOW LOADER LUTON BODY BY HORTON COMMERCIALS; AN EBULLITT ELECTRIC CARGO BIKE; AND PARCEL-CARRYING DRONE FROM UVATEK Perhaps keen to have something to grab a bit of attention from the slew of electric vans and trucks currently being launched, Renault is touting this as an answer for logistics operations in crowded cities. The E-Tech OptiModale’s specially commissioned Low Loader Luton body holds the parcels and acts as the mothership for the eCargo bike and drone helipad system. Grahame Neagus, head of LCV at Renault Trucks in the UK, says it will help address air quality and pollution in our cities, while improving productivity for operators. “By harnessing multiple modes of electric transport, this is an all-in-one sustainable solution that is set to transform the rapidly growing parcel market, and can be replicated anywhere in the world.” It is a two-person operation, offering the flexibility of delivering larger parcels by van, while
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Auto Channel Issue #47 June 2022
the second team member takes the eBullitt cargo bike for last mile deliveries where congestion is at its worst. The drone provides rapid deployment for urgent situations, such as delivering vital drugs or supplies to challenging or inaccessible locations. OptiModale delivers an innovative ‘last mile’ solution providing Renault Trucks logistics customers with a sustainable solution from 2kg all the way up to 44 tonne. The Renault Trucks E-Tech Master Platform Cab chassis has the R75 electric motor and a 33kWh, or 52kWh battery, offering a typical range of around 130km before requiring charge. The 4100mm Low Loader Luton body by Horton Commercials is fully equipped for parcel delivery, with folding shelving, and electric cargo bike store to the nearside, complete with bike lift, and helidrone pad system.
