Tag Archives: vehicles

News

Tesla will reveal the Cybercab on October 10

At the beginning of July, it was announced that Tesla would not meet the deadline for the presentation of its Robotaxi, which was supposed to happen on August 8, and now we have a new date. The Tesla Cybercab is coming on October 10, 2024.

According to Elon Musk’s statement, Tesla changed the date of presentation of self-driving taxis because the company wanted to improve the vehicle with some new technological solutions. What exactly it is about has not been announced.

Musk also said that self-driving cars, including taxis, are key to Tesla’s future as an extremely valuable AI company. However, it is still unclear whether Tesla can actually perfect the technology for autonomous driving. The company already has a Full Self-Driving function, which still requires human supervision and often makes mistakes.

The CEO of Tesla Motors believes that the company cannot offer rides to customers until the Full Self-Driving technology can be used without supervision. The arrival time of the robotaxi on the market depends on technological progress and approvals.

Recently, we could see the unsuccessful presentation of the Robotaxi Verne, by Rimac Automobili. After several attempts to call a vehicle via the app, Verne did not come on stage. “Today we presented Verne, the car, the infrastructure. The car is one of the elements of the ecosystem. We make the car ourselves and are building a factory near the campus. We will produce cars for the whole world. We are now two years away from the next phase, when driving around Zagreb. We had a problem with the brake, the car wouldn’t start. It’s a completely different car, the dimensions are like a Golf, but the interior is made to be more comfortable and spacious,” said Rimac. Although the company claimed that the car was supposed to go on stage by itself, leaked information says that the car was supposed to be driven by a person with a joystick.

We should not forget that these companies take large amounts of money (hundreds of millions) from investors and even taxpayers, in order to make a show, set a new date and take more money. Are they so skilled at deception, or are we so stupid that we believe everything they say?!

Source: Bloomberg

News

VW and XPeng are developing a new E&E platform

In 2023, VW invested 700 million dollars in the Chinese car manufacturer XPENG, becoming the owner of 4.99% of the company, with which it agreed a partnership on the production of two models of this German brand. Now it has been announced that these companies are developing a special E&E (electrical and electronic) platform that will be in use from 2026.

A few months ago, the companies announced that the new platform will reduce costs and implement advanced automated driving features faster, with support provided through over-the-air upgrades. The first cars that will receive new electrical systems will arrive in 2 years, and one of them will be an SUV.

“We will be launching a new, very powerful electronic vehicle system on the market from 2026,” said Ralf Brandstatter, a member of the board of management for VW in China.

The contract has already been signed and two project headquarters have been established in the cities of Guangzhou and Hefei. This will allow Volkswagen and Xpeng engineers to work together on new systems.

Source: Reuters

Auctions

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sb Coupe is for sale

At the 1951 Paris Salon, Mercedes-Benz revealed a hand-built two-door car, the Mercedes-Benz 300 which was produced until 1954 as the 300 S when it was replaced by the 300 Sc version. However, between 1954 and 1955, Mercedes-Benz launched an updated version of the 300 S, the 300 Sb. Only 216 cars were produced and one of them, the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sb Coupe, will be offered at auction.

Mercedes-Benz 300 represented a strong return of the German manufacturer to the market after the Second World War. It was an elegant luxury car designed to give reliable service under prolonged hard use. However, Mercedes decided to update this model by installing upgraded brakes, a redesigned dashboard, and pivoting vent windows. Ultimately, this also resulted in a 50% price increase over the 300 S ($12,300).

This car is finished in Dark Gray over Light Gray leather, and is in excellent condition. It is equipped with Becker Le Mans radio, whitewall tires, Hirschmann automatic antenna and sealed-beam headlights. What makes this 300 Sb rare is the ultra-desirable and rarely seen floor-shift option, as opposed to the typical column-mounted transmission selector.

Under the bonnet is a 3.0-L inline-6 ​​engine with 150 hp (110 kW).
and 162 lb-ft (220 Nm) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a 4-speed manual transmission.

The auction will be held in Monterey from August 15 – 17, 2024, and the estimated value of the car is between $375,000 – $425,000 USD.

Source: RM Sotheby’s

Gallery:

1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 Sb Coupe is for sale