Tag Archives: vehicles

News

Lotus SUV

The Chinese company Geely wants Lotus to be the leading brand of luxury cars, and an electric SUV currently codenamed Lambda should help. This SUV will appear in 2022 and will have a fully electric drivetrain instead of the hybrid one mentioned earlier. Production will take place in China where there is still a high demand for premium electric vehicles.

The project was started by former Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales, and the SUV was first talked about in 2016. At the time, high-performance hybrid drive, such as that used by Geely’s Polestar and Volvo brands, was being considered.

However, the electric car market was much less mature at the time than it is today, especially in China where more than 1.2 million electric cars were sold last year. Also, incentives encourage people to buy electric cars, so Geely’s move is understandable and for Lotus SUVs, instead of a hybrid, they choose a fully electric drive.

The goal is to triple sales in the next few years, from 1,500 to 5,000 cars a year. The first big step in sales growth is the new Esprit. A new hybrid sports car with a V6 engine coming in next year.

Due to the fact that the Lotus base in Hethel, Norfolk, is being renovated, the SUV could be produced there because the annual production capacity is 10,000 cars, but the base will still be reserved for the sports car.

Geely will produce the SUV at a recently built plant in Wuhan, China, which cost a billion pounds. This plant can produce 150,000 cars a year. Most of this will be Geely’s products for the domestic market. Also, part of the factory will produce a Lotus SUV. Experts from Hethel are in charge of the development of the chassis and drive, with the experience gained during the development of the Evia electric hypercar.

The base model will develop 600 hp thanks to two electric motors. The most powerful version will deliver 750 hp. That should be enough to make the Lotus SUV a competitor to the Model X. And other future high-performance electric SUVs as well. The range should be about 580 km.

News

McLaren 720S

McLaren 720S is a car that pushes the limits of possibilities. To sit behind the wheel of a McLaren 720S is to rediscover the true meaning of engagement between driver and car.

The architecture, the all-round visibility and the complex shape just wouldn’t be possible with aluminium or any other metal. Carbon fibre delivers this with all the advantages of strength and weight in a structure that nobody else offers. Which is precisely why a carbon fibre monocoque has been at the heart of every McLaren. In the 720S, the traditional metal superstructure of the car with carbon fiber makes one shell… Monocage II. Exceptional structural rigidity helps to keep driver and passenger safe. And allows for slimmer pillars – enhancing cockpit space and visibility. While the lowered centre of gravity breathes new life into every element of driving dynamics.

Its powerful simplicity has resulted in truly iconic car designs. A legacy into which the 720S Coupe now takes its place. As soon as air hits the car, every curve and channel is designed to use it to enhance performance. As efficiently as possible. Hidden ducts within the headlights guide air to cool the engine. Fast flowing air is directed around the windscreen and into channels concealed within the doors.

Sit behind the wheel of the 720S Coupe and it feels as if the car was built with you already in place. That’s because everything about this stunning interior is focused on the driver. From the touch of the materials. To the ergonomic design of the driver interfaces. There’s supreme quality and comfort in every detail. Controls are carefully angled and positioned for easy reach with minimum distraction. It’s an interior crafted around you. Allowing full commitment to an exhilarating drive. You can also choose finishing options to suit your personal tastes.

The 720S specification features two-tone colour combinations in Alcantara® or Nappa leather, plus machined and anodised aluminium switches. 720S Luxury envelops the cabin in highest-quality leather – with iridium brightwork and electricallyoperated and heated seats as standard. Then there’s the 720S Performance specification, which evokes the high energy and power of the track. Alcantara® features throughout, with carbon and dark technical finishes creating a moody interior.

The new M840T McLaren engine is a 4.0-litre V8 unit with twin scroll turbochargers for enhanced response. It’s always ready to give more – devouring road and track with ravenous appetite. Once you’re behind the wheel, all those inspired improvements – like a new intake manifold and stiffer, lighter crankshaft – mesh into a brilliant beating heart. There’s 720PS and 770Nm of torque behind you. Touch the pedal and you’ll feel the instant response from the engine at work. The new engine is also positioned as low as possible between the front and rear axles – increasing the car’s handling prowess, and its luggage capacity. The McLaren 720S accelerates from 0-62 mph in 2.9 seconds with a top speed of 212 mph.

News

Mercedes-Benz CLS

The four-door coupe silhouette of the first CLS ushered in a new era of car design. And while it drove sleeker, more rakish shapes into the norm, the CLS remains out of the ordinary. Its design and engineering collaborate to offer a range of delights to its driver and four passengers —all while it draws admiring eyes wherever it goes. To be a Mercedes-Benz, the CLS must be more than a work of art.

The way its sharknose grille, twin-power-dome hood, and tense arch of a roofline come together, it’s understandable if you’re won over purely by the design of the third-generation CLS. The four-door coupe profile it pioneered has inspired an entire industry. But just as compelling are the innovations that await you beneath its alluring sheet metal: Advanced luxuries.

The original CLS opened a new era in the rich tradition of Mercedes-Benz coupes. For the first time, the seductively sleek styling and richly refined cabin were united with the convenience of four doors. It turned the tide of car design, as countless sedans emulated its sweeping shape.

The CLS cabin is an experience that’s at once singular and shared. The flowing sculpture of its dash, doors and console envelops you in visible artfulness and tangible craftsmanship.

Concealed amid the fine woods and supple leather are technologies to help you feel both relaxed and refreshed. LED ambient lighting offers 64 selectable colors. Options include front-seat “hot stone” massage and ENERGIZING Comfort, which creates multisensory environments with lighting, seat comfort, climate, subtle aroma and music.

CLS models:

CLS450 Coupe 3.0L inline-6 turbo engine with Direct Injection and EQ Boost Integrated Starter-Generator (ISG), rear-wheel drive. It produces 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.1 sec (RWD) / 4.8 sec (4matic).

CLS450 4matic Coupe 3.0L inline-6 turbo engine with Direct Injection and EQ Boost Integrated Starter-Generator (ISG), 4matic® all-wheel drive. It produces 362 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Accelerates from 0-60 mph in 5.1 sec (RWD) / 4.8 sec (4matic).

AMG CLS53 Coupe 3.0L inline-6 turbo engine with Direct Injection, EQ Boost Integrated Starter-Generator (ISG), and electric auxiliary compressor, AMG Performance 4matic+. It produces 429 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque. Accelerates from 0-60 mph in 4.4 seconds.