All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Willowbank Raceway bans EVs on track

EVs are some of the fastest cars in the world that we often see on race tracks. However, Willowbank Raceway has banned the racing and testing of all road-registered electric cars at the track.

This is not the first time that a track has banned electric vehicles, as Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia did so last year and Anglesey in Wales in early 2024. The only difference is that the ban on these tracks also includes hybrid vehicles.

Willowbank Raceway is a track in Queensland (Australia) built in 1985, and bases its ban on Australian Motorsport Agency (NEDRA) regulations and emergency response protocols. Some of the reasons are that electric vehicles pose a risk because the batteries release toxic and flammable gas after a crash, the inability to confirm that the fire on the car is extinguished, the danger of not being able to unlock the door from the outside after a crash, the danger to rescuers when trying to extract an unconscious driver from the car after a crash , the risk of not being able to push or tow an extinguished vehicle with available equipment, as well as the fact that cars need specific fire extinguishing systems.

The stated reasons may be valid, but some believe that the same reasons can be applied to other vehicles that have e.g. electric locks. Statistics show that electric vehicles are less likely to catch fire than ICE or hybrid cars, but batteries still present a special challenge. They suspect that Willowbank Raceway is not being honest in its claims, as they have allowed supercars with electric modes like the Ferrari SF90 Stradale, McLaren Artura and Lamborghini Revuelto to use the track.

Whether this decision is valid and whether it will be changed in the future remains to be seen.

Source: Drive

News

The next Ferrari Icona Series could be the F40

The Ferrari F40 is a legendary car from the Maranello-based company that was produced between 1987 and 1992. This car marked the 40th anniversary of Ferrari and was the last Ferrari automobile personally approved by Enzo Ferrari. Now the Italian supercar manufacturer wants to bring this legendary car back to life through its Icona series, which started with the SP1, SP2, and SP3.

The Icona series started in 2018 with the Monza SP1 and Monza SP2 models. Both models are based on a car that was introduced a year earlier, the Ferrari 812. Three years later, Ferrari introduced the third car in this series, the Daytona SP3, based on the LaFerrari model. With a modern design, it is considered the most aerodynamically efficient model ever built.

All models from the Icona series are limited editions that cost several million euros, which is too much for the majority of the population. Therefore, we can say that in Ferrari they aimed at rich collectors.

For now, there is no information from Ferrari about the car that should revive the legendary F40. However, the company’s 80th birthday is approaching, and in October Ferrari revealed its new model, the Ferrari F80, which will be produced from the end of 2025 to 2027.

The Ferrari F80 is the manufacturer’s most powerful car ever. It was created at the Ferrari Styling Center in Maranello and features retro headlights inspired by the Daytona model, rear wheel arches reminiscent of the F40, an asymmetric monocoque chassis made of carbon fiber and composite materials, while the roof is completely carbon. It is slightly lower than the LaFerrari and has active aerodynamics that make its rear unique.

It is powered by a V6 twin-turbo engine paired with three electric motors with a total power of 1,200 hp (882 kW). It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.15 seconds with a top speed of more than 350 km/h (217 mph).

Ferrari will produce only 799 units of the F80 and each one will cost 3.6 million euros.

Source: Reuters

News

Hyundai drivers prefer physical buttons over touchscreen

Touch screens have become standard in most new cars, making car interiors look clean and stylish. They provide more options for controlling the car’s functions, and when the vehicle is not moving, they work perfectly well to use. However, Hyundai has done research that shows American drivers don’t really like touchscreens.

Hyundai conducted several tests on a certain group of users and found that people are stressed and annoyed when they want to adjust something quickly but fail to do so. It takes more time to find digital controls, which takes their attention away from the road creating uncertainty while driving, while they find physical buttons easier to use.

“When we introduced infotainment screens to our vehicles, we tried to integrate the controls as well, but people don’t prefer it,” Hyundai’s vice president of design in North America Ha Hak-soo told the Korea JoonAng Daily.

Hyundai has already started offering physical buttons alongside touchscreens, such as in the new Ioniq 5. Some believe that drivers could still accept only touchscreens if the driver assistance system were improved, which some automakers are trying to do.

Source: Hyundai