All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Stolen Ferrari F512M found after 29 years

Gerhard Berger is one of the most experienced Formula One drivers of all time with 210 starts. In his 14-year-long career, he achieved 48 podiums, 12 poles and 21 fastest laps, but never becoming the Formula 1 World Champion. Car enthusiast and owner of some of the rare Ferrari models, such as the Ferrari F512M, which was produced in 501 copies. 29 years ago this car was stolen, and recently it was found in London.

In 1995, a car was stolen in front of a hotel near the track in Imola. After Berger reported the car missing, police investigators from the Organized Crime Unit launched an extensive investigation. The car was sent to Japan shortly after it was stolen, until it was brought to the UK in late 2023. The vehicle was then impounded to prevent export.

In 2023, Ferrari inspected a vehicle purchased by an American buyer through a British broker. After checking the data, they informed the London Metropolitan Police, which launched an investigation in January of this year. So far, no one has been arrested, and the investigation is ongoing.

The Ferrari F512M is the last version of the Testarossa. It is powered by a 4.9-liter Tipo F113 G flat-12 engine with 434 hp (324 kW) and 370 lb-ft (500 Nm) of torque. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.7 seconds with a top speed of 315 km/h (196 mph).

Source: dpa German Press Agency, RMC Sport via X

Hybrid

2024 Changan Hunter

Chinese state-owned automobile manufacturer Changan has revealed its new vehicle, the Changan Hunter. It is the first ever car with extended range technology (EREV).

Hunter is 5,380 mm long and has a wheelbase of 3,180 millimeters, and customers can choose an extended version with a double cab, which also brings a longer cargo space. This means a longer overall vehicle length (5,630 mm) and a longer wheelbase of 3,430 mm. On the other hand, Changan Hunter still has a small payload for this type of car, only 495 kilograms.

The vehicle will be powered by a 2.0L turbo gasoline engine combined with an electric motor with a total power of 177 hp (132 kW), with rear-wheel drive. The version with AWD will be powered by a 2.0L turbo petrol in combination with two electric motors with a total power of 190 hp (142 kW).

Both versions are equipped with a 31.18 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery that enables a range of 180 kilometers, CLTC. Thanks to extended-range technology, the gasoline engine produces electricity for the electric motors, which is stored in the battery via a generator, providing a range of 1,031 kilometers. The company claims that regardless of the AWD or RWD version, the range is the same.

When it comes to price, the single-engine Hunter Warrior Edition Deluxe starts at 139,900 yuan ($19,700), while the AWD version costs 149,900 yuan ($21,090).

Source: Changan

Gallery:

2024 Changan Hunter
News

Hyundai stops producing manual gearbox in Czech Republic

With the development of electromobility, manual transmissions are slowly becoming a thing of the past, and only a few manufacturers offer them as an option. After recently announcing that it was discontinuing the N line (models with internal combustion engines) in favor of electric versions, Hyundai has announced that it will stop producing the manual gearbox at its factory in Nošovice, Czech Republic.

Reduced demand for Hyundai models with manual transmission was the reason for the Korean manufacturer to make this decision. As a reminder, in 2008, the share of cars with manual transmission in production reached 90 percent, while in 2023 it dropped to 24 percent. Hyundai produced more than 186,000 manual transmissions in Nošovice last year (15 percent less than in 2022). This does not mean that their use will stop completely, because Hyundai will deliver them to Europe from Asia. On the other hand, there is a growing interest in models without CO2 emissions, and this is another factor that makes the automatic transmission indispensable in sales.

The factory in Nošovice is one of the most successful foreign investments in Czech industry. In this plant, Hyundai produces the Hyundai i30, Tucson and Kona Electric models. Last year, 340,500 new cars left this factory, showing how important it is to Hyundai. About 72 percent of that figure was the Tucson model, while the i30 and Kona Electric made up 13 percent of production each, and the i30 N hot-hatch made up the remaining two percent.

Source: Hyundai