All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Porsche’s CEO is the new head of VW

July 24, 2022 Francis Mitterrand

One of the largest car manufacturers in the world will soon have a new CEO. The current CEO of the VW Group, Herbert Diess, will resign at the end of next month, and from September, the former CEO of Porsche, Oliver Blume, will take over.

The German company did not say why Diess resigned. He came to Volkswagen from BMW in 2015, at a time when the company was rocked by the Dieselgate affair. Diess is credited with ushering the company into a new era, encouraging major investment in electric vehicle production, with the goal of selling one million electric cars a year by the middle of this decade.

With the new CEO, the VW group will certainly not lose, what so ever, they will get someone who knows the situation in the company very well. Blume will become CEO in early September, and should be a long-term solution for VW. One of the first big challenges for him will be to find a potential investor, given that VW has previously established the framework for a potential initial public offering.

After joining the VW Group in the mid-90s, this will be Blume’s biggest challenge yet. In a statement to the media, he did not hide his enthusiasm for the new position. He said his focus will be on customers and products.

Source: VW Group

News

Sebastian Vettel drove a 100-year-old Aston Martin TT1

July 23, 2022 Francis Mitterrand

In 1922, Aston Martin produced its first racing car, the Aston Martin TT1, which premiered at the 1922 French Grand Prix in Strasbourg. Now, 100 years later, four-time World Drivers’ Champion, Sebastian Vettel had the opportunity to drive this unique racing car.

Aston Martin organized an event celebrating 100 years of the TT1 model and Vettel was also present at the event as a member of the Aston Martin Formula 1 team. The car was built with two seats, driver + mechanic, which was standard at the time. The mechanic maintained pressure in the fuel system using a hand pump and fixed problems that might occur during the race. Back then there were no pit stops like we have now in Formula 1.

Aston Martin TT1 is powered by a 1.5-liter 4-cylinder 16v engine with 55 hp (40 kW), which is enough to push the car to a top speed of 85 mph (137 km/h). The TT1 model was not successful on its debut, because after 19 laps it had to leave the race due to an engine failure.

We’re sure Vettel enjoyed driving this unique car, but it was also a privilege.

Source: Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant via Facebook

EV, News

2022 Alpine A110 E-ternity

July 22, 2022 Francis Mitterrand

At the beginning of 2021, the French car manufacturer Alpine announced that it will stop producing cars with internal combustion engines by 2030. The first step towards that goal is the 2022 Alpine A110 E-ternity prototype, which will be unveiled at the upcoming French Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The A110 E-ternity is based on the A110 Coupé. It is powered by a modified electric motor with 240 hp (176 kW) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque. That’s enough power to propel it to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 99 mph (160 km/h), with a range of up to 260 miles (420 km). The same engine, but with 220 hp (160 kW), powers the recently launched Renault Mégana E-Tech.

The all-electric A110 is equipped with 12 battery modules, increasing the weight to 1,378 kg (3,037 lbs), 258 kg more than the conventional model. Also, compared to the A110, the EV differs by its removable roof made of recycled carbon, but also by its innovative infotainment screen located on the dashboard in front of the driver. The rest of the design is retained from the conventional model.