All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

BMW Vision Driving Experience equipped with “Heart of Joy”

The BMW Vision Driving Experience is an electric car that will debut at the Shanghai Motor Show, and is equipped with the Heart of Joy computer that will be in all future Neue Klasse cars.

Heart of Joy is a system that is 10 times faster than the previous control unit, which increases the precision and stability of future BMW cars in cornering. This system combines control of the drive, brakes, regeneration, charging and steering, which also allows for more efficient use of energy.

BMW has announced that it will not produce this system but will use it as a test platform for new technologies, and a special focus will be on whether the electronics can withstand 18,000 Nm of torque.

The prototype demonstrates the operation of the Heart of Joy computer using colors on the rims, where acceleration is shown in green, energy recovery in blue, and braking with friction brakes in orange. It should also be noted that BMW claims that the advanced regenerative braking system improves efficiency by 25 percent, and in most situations mechanical brakes may not be needed at all.

Source: BMW

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Tuning

Dacia Duster RS ​​with aggressive body kit

The Dacia Duster has been the best-selling car in Europe for a long time, and now the German company Carpoint NRW has presented a tuned version of this model. It is the Dacia Duster RS ​​(Redust Sport) based on the Duster Extreme model, with more aggressive aerodynamics.

The Duster RS ​​is equipped with a body kit that includes sills, a spoiler, a central dual exhaust, wider wheel arches, and a hood with a central air intake, while the roof racks have been removed. There are also KW shock absorbers and 20-inch discs for better and safer braking and stopping.

The cabin is equipped with leather-covered seats with orange inserts and thread, and a lot of decorations on the dashboard, door panels and steering wheel. For a better driving experience, there is also RGB lighting.

When it comes to the powertrain, Carpoint NRW has not changed anything. The Duster RS ​​is powered by a TCe engine with 130 hp (97 kW) and a 48V mild hybrid system, paired with a 6-speed manual transmission, and a hybrid engine with 142 hp (104 kW) paired with an automatic transmission.

Speaking of price, the price of the standard Duster Extreme Hybrid is around 21,500 euros, while the tuned version costs almost twice as much. Buyers who opt for the mild hybrid version will pay 42,490 euros, while the hybrid version is slightly more expensive and costs 52,990 euros.

Source: Carpoint NRW

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Dacia Duster RS ​​with aggressive body kit
News

Mercedes-Benz Vans will offer vehicles with a combustion engine from 2026

The German automobile industry is trying to get out of a deep crisis, and the development of only electric vehicles does not offer great optimism at the moment. With cheap and far more advanced EVs from China, German manufacturers can hardly cope, so as a solution they continued to offer versions with combustion engines. Thus, Mercedes-Benz Vans announced that starting next year, it will also include light commercial vehicles with combustion engines in its offer.

Mercedes-Benz Vans was primarily focused on the production of all-electric vehicles, but reality forced the company to follow the wishes of customers who are increasingly choosing models with a combustion engine. Their previous vehicles were based on the VAN.EA platform (Van Electric Architecture) and now Mercedes says they will develop a new VAN.CA (Van Combustion Architecture) platform. Both platforms will share almost 70% of components, which enables the production of vehicles on the same line, but also reduces costs.

With this change in strategy, Mercedes-Benz Vans strives to secure a better position in the future on the European market as well as easier adaptability to customer wishes.

Source: Mercedes-Benz