All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Ferrari will protect the brand from crazy customizations

Ferrari wants to protect the brand from the crazy ideas of new owners by preventing customizations that are not in line with the brand’s vision. The decision comes after a large number of Ferraris appeared whose appearance is contrary to what the Italian brand has been building for years.

The first step that Ferrari will take is to limit the colors or schemes that can be used on its cars. “Internally, we thought about maybe defining color configurations in advance. We need to pay attention, because we have to defend the values ​​and identity of the brand. We are not going to make a strange car,” said Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vignola.

Ferrari wants to preserve its status and the right to say “no” to customers, and some believe that they could create a blacklist for customers who ignore the decision. However, it is more likely that Ferrari will limit some options on its cars. “There are combinations that another potential buyer will not like or simply does not like,” Vigna said.

The problem of strange customizations of Ferrari cars has been going on for a long time, and the company has solved previous cases without the public, privately with car owners. Now the question remains how they will react to buyers with deep pockets who are willing to pay big bucks to own a unique car.

Source: Telegraph

News

Opel Grandland Plug-in Hybrid GS covered 1,115 km with a single charge

The Grandland Plug-in Hybrid GS is a new crossover from the German brand Opel, which is currently in the final stages of testing. Although it has not yet been launched, it has already shown that it will be a serious competitor in the market. A few days ago, it covered 1,115 kilometers with one tank of fuel and one battery charge.

The Opel Grandland PHEV has 195 hp and 350 Nm of torque, and during the test it achieved an average output of 4.6 liters per 100 kilometers traveled at an average speed of 80 km/h. The test was carried out under stricter conditions than the WLTP, and included various roads, traffic jams and the urban cycle in one of the largest German cities (Frankfurt). The car was equipped with 19-inch winter tires instead of summer tires, and the air temperature ranged from 4 to 11 degrees.

On the 1,115-kilometer drive, the crossover covered about 380 kilometers in electric mode. The battery was charged during braking, and a total of four breaks were taken throughout the test to meet legal requirements.

Opel is very satisfied with the achieved result, and they believe that the plug-in hybrid crossover would achieve a longer range in optimal conditions at higher temperatures. This hints that we could soon see another test, at least in the summer.

Source: Opel

Sale

2002 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V·Spec II Nür costs $485,000

Between 1999 and 2002, Nissan produced the fifth generation of its legendary sports car model based on the Nissan Skyline range, the Skyline R34 GT-R. Over time, this car became highly sought after among car enthusiasts, especially the V·Spec II Nür series, which was launched in 2002. Only 718 units of this series were produced, and one of them is up for auction.

This car is an ideal opportunity for enthusiasts to own a preserved Skyline R34 GT-R with only 362 km (225 miles) on the odometer. It is finished in Millennium Jade color while the interior is in perfect and can be said to be in factory condition.

The Skyline R34 GT-R is equipped with a special RB26DETT six-cylinder engine prepared for racing and modified using parts from the N1 GT-R motorsport specification. Although the documents state that the engine develops 280 hp, in reality this power is actually much higher. Power is sent to all four wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission with an active limited-slip differential.

The car is priced at $485,000.

Source: JDM Expo

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2002 Nissan Skyline R34 GT-R V·Spec II Nür costs $485,000