All posts by Francis Mitterrand

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The Nissan GT-R R35 has come to an end

In 2007, Nissan introduced the GT-R R35 sports car, and two decades later it came to an end. It will be remembered as one of the best super sports cars of all time.

The last day of February was the last chance for anyone interested in Japan to order their car, as Nissan announced that the order book was closed. “We have received numerous orders for the Nissan GT-R and have now stopped accepting them. We would like to express our sincere thanks to all our customers for their support since the model was introduced in 2007.”

The Nissan GT-R R35 is powered by a 3.8 L twin-turbocharged V6 engine whose power has, over time, grown from the original 487 hp (358 kW) in the 2009 model to 608 hp (447 kW) in the current 2023 model. Power is transmitted to all wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with manual shifting mode. It reaches 62 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 196 mph (315 km / h).

Nissan withdrew this model from the European and UK markets in 2022, while earlier it did the same in the markets of Australia and New Zealand.

In 2023, Nissan unveiled the Hyper Force Concept, which pays tribute to the GT-R R35 by design. It is a high-performance electric supercar with active aerodynamic components, which provide better air flow, providing better stability and handling. It is equipped with a 1,000 kWh battery that enables a power of 1,341 hp which, thanks to e-4ORCE technology, is sent to all wheels.

Source: Nissan

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Tesla is testing a Cybercab with a steering wheel

In October 2024, Tesla officially unveiled its self-driving taxi, Cybercab, whose Autopilot and fully autonomous driving programs are currently not compliant and require additional upgrades. That’s why the company decided to launch the service, but with a driver behind the wheel.

Musk wants to put Cybercab into service as soon as possible and try to catch up with competitors like Waymo, the current leader in this field. At the beginning, they also had drivers in their vehicles until they reached the level of fully autonomous driving. The plan is to start operations in Texas in the next few months, but Tesla currently needs a license for autonomous vehicles in addition to a passenger transport license in order to use this type of vehicle.

In December, Tesla demonstrated driving a Cybercab via a controller. According to AutoEvolution, the Tesla Cybercab comes with a small Xbox-like controller that plugs into the car and is used for steering and pedals. They are still looking for an operator to use their Cybercab cars, but many believe that this will not happen in the next three years.

Unlike other self-driving cars that use LiDAR, Tesla relies on cameras and neural networks. This unique approach is not considered by many to be the best solution, believing that it cannot safely achieve full autonomy.

While Tesla struggles to find a solution for Cybercab, competitors are increasing their operations. For example, Waymo makes more than 200,000 rides a week in San Francisco, Phoenix and Los Angeles.

Source: Bloomberg

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AC Cobra will be manufactured in Sweden

AC Cars and the Swedish company T-Engineering have reached an agreement on the production of one of the most revered sports cars of all time, the AC Cobra. The cars will be hand-built in Trollhättan, the factory where the Saab 92 and 900 Turbo models were once built.

The new AC Cobra GT Roadster will be launched in 2025. It is a lightweight carbon-fiber sports car powered by Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 engine producing 654 hp and 575 lb-ft (with turbochargers) or 454 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque. Customers can also choose a version with a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, which delivers 390 hp.

Why Trollhättan? The city, located in southwest Sweden, has a rich history of automotive innovation, engineering excellence and a skilled workforce. After Saab shut down its production in 2023, marking the end of an era in Swedish automotive manufacturing, Joachim Ågren, Country Manager for Sweden at Surplex said: “It’s difficult not to get nostalgic and shed a tear. These presses have shaped Saabs that millions of Swedes have grown up with.”

Also, some engineers and technicians, who used to work for Saab, moved to T-Engineering, and in the immediate vicinity there is also the Saab Legacy test track, which was once used for perfecting new Saab models. Now AC Cobra wants to take advantage of that and start its new chapter.

Source: T-Engineering

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AC Cobra will be manufactured in Sweden