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AIRSPEEDER: World’s first electric flying racing car is unveiled and ready to race

AIRSPEEDER: World’s first electric flying racing car is unveiled and ready to race

London, England  Thursday 4th February 2021, 09:00 GMT

  • Alauda unveils the world’s first flying electric racing car. It will race in remotely piloted Airspeeder competitions in 2021
  • Completion of Mk3 development engineering program concludes landmark year of progress
  • Remote pilots to fly electronically governed courses at speeds of up to 120 km/h in world’s first electric flying car racing series.
  • Airspeeder to establish high-tech engineering presence in UK

“The unveiling of the world’s first full-sized electric flying racing car is a landmark moment in the dawn of a new mobility revolution. It is competition that drives progress and our racing series is hastening the arrival of technology that will transform clean-air passenger transport, logistics and even advanced air mobility for medical applications. The world’s first electric flying car races will take place this year and will be the most exciting and progressive motorsport on the planet.” 

Matthew Pearson, Founder, Airspeeder and Alauda Aeronautics 

OVERVIEW: 

Airspeeder is delighted to reveal the world’s first fully functioning electric flying racing car. The Airspeeder Mk3, is a full-sized remotely-operated electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle (eVTOL). It will compete in an upcoming remotely-piloted Airspeeder racing series that will stand as a technical test-bed and feeder series to a manned racing series in 2022. The unveiling of the vehicle represents the realisation of more than three years development work to create a sport that will accelerate a new clean-air aerial mobility revolution.

A full grid of Mk3 electric flying race-craft is currently being manufactured at Airspeeder and Alauda’s technical HQ in Adelaide, South Australia. More than 10 identical racing vehicles will be produced and supplied to teams in 2021. The craft is being developed and manufactured by a team drawn from leading names in aerospace, automotive and motorsport technology including; Mclaren, Babcock Aviation, Boeing, Jaguar Land Rover, Rolls-Royce and Brabham.

The Airspeeder Mk3 racing series will be announced in the coming months. These remotely-piloted races will present to the world for the first time close-quarter flying circuit racing at speeds of more than 120km/h.

Airspeeder’s first races will take place in 2021. Final behind-closed-doors pre-season tests will happen in Australia before the start of an international racing calendar. These landmark moments will make history in showing for the first time a full-scale vision of electric flying car racing.

The initial Mk3 races will provide vital information on vehicle dynamics, performance, safety and powertrain technology that will inform the final development of the manned Mk4 Airspeeder vehicle. Racing will play a vital role in hastening the arrival of eVTOL technologies which promise to revolutionise urban passenger mobility, logistics and even remote medical transport. Both the remotely piloted Mk3 programme and manned Airspeeder Mk4 flying cars will provide a safe environment from where key innovations around safety, noise and batteries can be refined and fed into the wider development of an industry predicted by Morgan Stanley to be worth $1.5 trillion by 2050.

THE AIRSPEEDER MK3 | TECHNICAL DETAILS: 

The Airspeeder Mk3 represents a giant technical leap forward in the development of the world’s first racing series for electric flying cars.

This remotely-piloted vehicle is the final iteration of an electric flying racing car before the introduction of manned racing craft, the Airspeeder Mk4, due to debut in 2022.

SAFETY SYSTEMS: 

The craft, which will be operated by an expert remote operator from the ground, features a suite of technologies and engineering elements never before seen on an eVTOL craft. These innovations will be validated in this key unmanned proving phase and include LiDAR and Radar collision avoidance systems that create a ‘virtual forcefield’ around the craft to ensure close but ultimately safe racing. The Mk3 features a carbon fibre frame and fuselage chosen for its strength, stiffness and lightweight properties, which ensures maneuverability, performance and efficiency.  The carbon fibre frame and fuselage adds a vital mechanical layer of safety, which will be further enhanced by a full carbon fibre monocoque body to be introduced on the Mk4 vehicle.

POWERTRAIN: 

The MK3 powertrain represents a significant upgrade on the Mk2 proof of concept vehicle, with power increased by 95% with only a 50% increase in weight. A 96 kW electric powertrain already sees the Mk3 operating with a thrust to weight ratio above two, on a craft that weighs just 100KG unmanned. The Mk3 speeders will fly at speeds in excess of 120 km\h.

MANEUVERABILITY AND STABILITY: 

The Mk3 speeders are laid-out in an ‘octocopter X formation’. This provides significant advantages to pilots in terms of maneuverability and stability. When racing the pilot will be able to make the same sharp hairpin style turns as a Formula 1 car but with the added third dimension of being able to move vertically. The octocopter configuration also adds an important measure of vehicle redundancy and will ensure the craft can safely land and remain in control should a rotor or battery system fail.

RAPID PIT STOPS: 

Airspeeder GPs will include rapid pit stops. To facilitate this, Alauda’s engineers have developed an innovative ‘slide and lock’ system for the rapid removal and replacement of batteries when on the ground, this technology debuts on the Mk3. A strategic layer is added to the sport with this approach as teams will be able to adapt battery strategy depending on the dynamic requirements of that particular section of the race. For example, for courses requiring more maneuverability but less straight line speed, a lighter battery pack can be easily selected to deliver more maneuverability at the cost of raw power or endurance.

A YEAR OF PROGRESS: 

2020 was an extraordinary year of progress for Airpseeder and Alauda. The unveiling of the Mk3 craft represents a landmark moment in the development of both the racing series, Airspeeder, and Alauda, the manufacturer that will create the vehicles that race in it. In the Spring of 2020, the company received significant institutional backing from Saltwater Capital and Jelix Ventures.

This accelerated the growth at the firm’s first technical HQ in Adelaide, Australia with senior engineers joining the firm from leading names in performance automotive, aviation and motorsport.

A strategically important technical partnership was then forged with leading cyber-protection firm, Acronis, a significant backer of F1 and professional football. They join global logistics giant, DHL and leading money management firm, Equals, in backing a vision to hasten the dawn of a mobility revolution through sporting competition.

In London, the commercial home of the sport, the team has grown to facilitate the rapid growth of its global fan-base, setting the scene for the development of a permanent engineering base. Finally, presence has been established on a third continent with the recruitment of a Head of Partnerships in New York City.

2021 | GROWING UK PRESENCE:

Airspeeder is a truly global sport. It’s technical HQ is in Adelaide, Australia and commercial operations are run from London, England. 2021 will see growth in its existing presence in the UK through the creation of a full-time engineering base, a strategic decision made on the basis of Britain’s standing as a technical and engineering powerhouse in motor-racing and advanced aerospace development. As the sport progresses through its development phases the company will look to draw upon this talent and create technical and engineering jobs.

“Britain is a globally recognised centre of excellence in motorsports and aerospace. In creating a racing series that will accelerate a mobility revolution we will need to draw upon these skills. We are building an engineering base in Britain, the existing home of our Commercial HQ. This will lead to the creation of highly skilled jobs and strategically important proximity to the rapidly growing eVTOL industry, a market predicted to be worth $1.5trillion by 2050.” 

Matt Pearson, Founder, Airspeeder

ACCELERATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MOBILITY REVOLUTION: 

Airspeeder is built on the philosophy that nothing accelerates technical progress like sporting competition. The next generation sport plays the same role the pioneers of Formula One did nearly a century ago in driving technical development and building public acceptance for a new mobility revolution. The eVTOL sector is primed to transform urban aerial transport, global logistics and even remote medical transport  with a clean-air, zero emissions aerial transport solution.

AIRSPEEDER & ALAUDA: 

Airspeeder is the most exciting sporting entity on the planet. Founded on the belief that technical development is accelerated in the white heat of competition, Airspeeder is defining the future of mobility by hastening the arrival of the technologies that will drive the flying car mobility revolution. This bold vision is realised by elite technical minds from the cutting-edge of the aviation and motorsport worlds.

AIRSPEEDER | ABOUT THE FOUNDER: MATTHEW PEARSON 

Matt Pearson is the founder and visionary behind Alauda and Airspeeder. Together with a team of engineers, designers and commercial minds spanning Australia, New York and London, he is accelerating the development of electric flying vehicles through the white heat of sporting competition.

Beyond his role as a defining voice in the future of mobility, Matt is driving the rapidly expanding Industrial Internet of Things space through his work at Fleet. From their base in South Australia millions of devices are powered via Low Earth Orbit through a growing network of nano satellites.

MORE INFORMATION:

  •     www.airpseeder.com
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The first Japanese full-electric hypercar
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Aspark Company | The first Japanese full-electric hypercar

Car manufacturing and engineering – Aspark Company

The first Japanese full-electric hypercar

Body, chassis and much of the components entirely made by top-level carbon fiber materials, extremely powerful four electric motors, a unique torque vectoring system, an exclusive battery system, and handmade premium interior. The full-electric hypercar Owl is a compendium of state-of-the-art technology, design and functionality, mixed with a genuine passion for beauty.

The production version of the Owl, after its world premiere in Dubai last November, was scheduled to be exhibited at the Geneva International Motor Show.

“After unveiling the Owl at Dubai International Motor Show the company has achieved many progresses on development and production, as well on future strategy as a car manufacturer”, Head Of Sales and Communication Agshin Badalbayli points out.

All major tests related to performance, safety and durability were completed successfully and now the Owl can be seen running on the road.

Meanwhile, the production has been accelerated to deliver the orders on time and the sales and after-sales networks around the world are growing fast.

A second project is coming up

Aspark kicked off a new era in full-electric hypercars with the Owl: but the first project of the Japanese car manufacturer won’t remain alone, as a the development of a second project has already started. Details will be given in the next weeks.

The Power is in our Nature

“The Power is in our Nature” – the official claim of the Owl – perfectly catches the essence of this incredible full-electric hypercar.

Body, chassis and much of the components entirely made by top-level carbon fiber materials, extremely powerful four electric motors, a unique torque vectoring system, an exclusive battery system, and handmade premium interior: the Owl is a compendium of state-of-the-art technology, design and functionality, mixed with a genuine passion for beauty.

The fastest accelerating car in the world: 0-60 mph in 1.69 seconds

The most astonishing performance of the Owl is the acceleration: from 0 to 60 mph in 1.69 seconds*.

The Owl has a unique battery pack for a range of up to 450 km. Top speed is 400 km/h. Furthermore, the Owl has a height of 99 cm: it is probably the lowest road legal electric hypercar in the world.

The world most powerful electric hypercar

The Owl has the most powerful 4 electric motors ever made. They produce a total power of 1480 kW with 2012 horsepower. Overall torque is around 2000 Newton meters.

The Owl has almost three times more power than Formula-E cars and two times more than Formula 1 cars.

The rotation of the motor should be the fastest in the world with 15000 rpm.

Delivered in the second quarter of the year

The production version of the Owl is limited to only 50 cars worldwide. Each one will be fully customizable, each one will be different from the other: exclusivity now has a real meaning.

Production is taking place in Turin, Italy in collaboration with Manifattura Automobili Torino, with the full support of Aspark engineering centres in the world. The first set of the Owl will be delivered by the second quarter of 2020.

Price of the base version is Euro 2,900,000. The Owl can be reserved with a reduced deposit of Euro 50,000.

*One Foot Roll-Out

Running on the road.

All major tests related to performance, safety and durability were completed successfully and now the Owl can be seen running on the road.
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LEXUS NX WINS AWARD FOR BEST HYBRID CAR IN THE UK

Auto Trader, one of the largest online sales websites for used and new cars in the UK, recently announced that the Lexus NX 300h has been named Britain’s best hybrid car in their 2020 New Car Awards.

LEXUS NX WINS AWARD FOR BEST HYBRID CAR IN THE UK

The honour for the mid-size SUV was determined by more than 181,000 motorists who voted for their favourites in this year’s awards.

Erin Baker, Editorial Director of Auto Trader, said: “It’s no surprise to see the Lexus NX 300h win Auto Trader’s Best Hybrid Car award. Lexus remains a byword for quality engineering, clever powertrains and luxury interiors. One owner commented: “It’s the highest-quality car I have ever owned. Not a stitch out of place. No squeaks or rattles and beautifully finished everywhere.”

First introduced in Europe, in 2014, the NX is a core model in Lexus’s range of self-charging full hybrid SUVs. Its highly efficient powertrain is quiet, refined and returns strong fuel economy and low emissions. WLTP test cycle data shows 7,0 l/100km for the front-wheel drive versions, while the all-wheel drive models, featuring Lexus’s lightweight and compact E-Four system, achieve 7,2 l/100km. Respective CO2 emissions are from 159 and 162g .

With various options grades available, the NX can be specified to meet customers’ preferences for hand-crafted quality, advanced technology and sporty performance. All versions feature the Lexus Safety System+ portfolio of active safety and driver assistance systems as standard. Full details of the NX range are available on https://www.lexus.eu/car-models/nx/.

Ewan Shepherd, Director of Lexus in the UK said: “We’re grateful to Auto Trader and its readers for this honour. It is of special significance, not just because it’s determined by the opinions of motorists themselves, but because it judges the NX to be the best hybrid car overall, not just within the premium market. It shows that the quality we build into every aspect of the NX – and indeed all our models – is a determining factor in its continued success.”

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Beta Technologies revealed its new eVTOL prototype on Friday during a 30-mile 

Beta Technologies revealed its new eVTOL prototype on Friday during a 30-mile (50-kilometer) airlift from its headquarters in Burlington, Vermont, to the flight test facility in Plattsburgh, New York. There, the new aircraft will continue the ground testing already begun in Vermont, with on-the-wing and hover tests and finally transitions between the two — all expected within the next few months.

Beta’s much-anticipated Alia eVTOL made its public debut on June 12 during its move to a flight test facility in New York. Eric Adams Photo

The fixed-rotor Alia, as the aircraft is presently code-named, succeeds the tilt-rotor Ava prototype, which was revealed in January 2019 and which the company used to validate propulsion and flight-control systems as well as better understand the aerodynamics of eVTOL in small aircraft. (Though Alia is relatively large compared to its eVTOL competitors.) The new 6,000-pound (2,720-kilogram) airplane is completely fly-by-wire and uses a 50-foot (15-meter) arched wing for lift in horizontal flight; four fixed rotors, mounted high at wing-level, for vertical flight; and a rear pusher prop to speed it along more efficiently in while moving forward. In that phase, the four rotors would be locked in their lowest drag position.

According to founder Kyle Clark, Alia already has months of tethered hover tests under its belt, along with a few high-speed taxi tests using a wheeled landing gear assembly — affectionately known as “the shopping cart” — in place of the airplane’s normal skids. “We completed high-speed taxi tests the other day, and that was a huge boost,” Clark said. “We were able to ensure that we have pitch stability in the airplane and can lift the nose wheels off the ground and put them back down. We’re penetrating the aerodynamics just in time for the move to Plattsburgh, where we can continue in earnest.”

The airplane was built at Beta’s hangar on the grounds of Burlington International Airport, but the steady cadence of commercial flights there, as well as Vermont’s Air National Guard unit flying Lockheed Martin F-35s twice a day, means that conducting a proper flight test program with several flights each day would be virtually impossible amid the ever-present risk of a new aircraft type needing occasional tows to and from the runway. Beta’s plan has all along been to transfer Alia to Plattsburgh, just as it did with Ava. That airport, a former U.S. Air Force base, has ramps and runways built to accommodate Boeing B-52 bombers, and thus plenty of room. It only has limited daily service and no control tower.

Throughout the flight test program, Beta will effectively serve as a private air taxi service, with company pilots shuttling personnel back and forth across the lake several times each day. Its 15-aircraft flight department includes five pilots total — most ex-military — with several additional team members in training. Clark and Nick Warren, a former U.S. Marine Corps pilot who flew Marine One for President Barack Obama, will be the initial test pilots for Alia.

Following Friday’s airlift (via a Sikorsky S-61 helicopter operated by Helicarrier), the flight test program will continue at Plattsburgh with more tethered hover test and high-speed taxi tests, then progress to horizontal flight while still on the wheeled landing gear, to fully understand the aircraft’s behavior as a conventional airplane, Clark said. Only then will it proceed to vertical flight, via untethered hovers initially then controlled ascents and descents, before folding in the transition from horizontal to vertical and back.

Alia being flown across Lake Champlain to its flight test facility in Plattsburgh, New York. Eric Adams Photo

The team hopes it will validate the work to make a clean, simple design. This was initially inspired by the Arctic tern, a bird with the longest migration on earth, with annual distances averaging around 45,000 miles (72,000 km). Its hyper-efficient aerodynamics are reflected in Alia’s arcing wings and tapering surfaces. Aerodynamicist Mark Page, of DZYNE Technologies, then helped hone Alia’s configuration and overall aerodynamics to meet the efficiency challenges of combined vertical and horizontal flight capability — absent the furious wing-flapping a tern can use to spring into flight.

“We selected a wing that would allow us to go slow enough to enable a compromise design between dedicated hover props and dedicated cruise props,” Page said. “If you want an airplane to both pick itself up in the air and push itself forward, you need to either change the pitch of the prop drastically, or it has to have that compromise between the two.”

Using variable-pitch propellers felt as off-limits as tilting props, as both required significant, heavy hardware, especially if there were eight, 10, or more propellers on the aircraft. Tilting wing systems proved even more problematic, introducing unappealing, asymmetrical stall characteristics as well awkward transitions to backward flight in hovers. The final product had to answer to all these challenges. “Because it’s VTOL, it’s no-joke loads — not just some secondary aerodynamic load,” Page said. “You’re picking up the whole damn airplane and contorting it around in gusty winds.”

To zero in on a viable design, Page focused on mitigating drag, increasing the tail size, and using a bigger wing, all of which improved stability and efficiency at low speeds. The engineers also created more robust propeller designs and torquier motors to enable immediate, precision control of the aircraft as it progressed through multiple phases of flight, as well as the ability to hover on low power, reducing the draw on the battery. The final design is extremely “economic,” Page said, with the least amount of moving parts while still enabling the transition, and the computer-controlled quad-rotor configuration allows for easy movement in all directions while in the hover mode.

Making Alia efficient in forward flight meant counteracting as much as possible all the tactics they deployed to optimize vertical flight, including the two outriggers on which the four rotors are mounted. They are aerodynamic in both directions, in that they don’t introduce their own turbulence or vortices, and they’re also designed to not amplify the acoustics, which protrusions that large that tend to do.

Another key challenge has been developing a control system that feels balanced, natural, and predictable for pilots in all modes of flight, with none feeling unstable and the controls never mushy or uncertain. Persistent control authority is key, as is harmony between all the control surfaces activated in each mode and during the transition. “The goal is a wide transition envelope, so that it transitions smoothly at a variety of speeds, altitudes, air densities, wind gusts, and controller forces,” Page said. “It has to accommodate imperfect conditions and imperfect piloting. Control harmony allows you to have that without becoming unstable. It makes it much more enjoyable for the pilot to fly, and much safer.”

Further tuning of the airflow helped achieve what Page thinks will prove to be a smooth, laminar aircraft with low drag and minimal aerodynamic interference from various interfaces on the airplane — such as landing gear, the tail assembly, and the intersection of the wing and the fuselage. The latter is a particularly problematic area, as it tends to cancel out efficiencies achieved elsewhere. To manage it, Page made the wing and body connection extremely blended. Not so much that it could be called a blended-wing-body airplane, but enough to diminish the losses.

All of this was validated through computer simulation, in particular via the X-Plane software developed by Laminar Research — a program that’s renowned for its highly accurate physics simulations. Creator Austin Meyer serves as an advisor to Beta, and contributed to its control system designs. Test pilot Camron “Arlo” Guthrie, who flew General Dynamics F-16s for the Air National Guard, has been leading the integration of this simulation technology to ensure it’s smoothly deployed for training as well as aerodynamic modeling and flight-control development.

“We have a totally new propulsion system and aircraft configuration, and these need unique avionics, displays, control interfaces, and more,” Guthrie said while demonstrating Alia’s flight simulator. “We’re now in our 10th iteration of our flight controls, and we’re constantly testing it all out here to see how it works. It’s a truly immersive, visual environment to work in.”

Guthrie said the advance to aggressive flight test will allow them to hone the algorithms and aircraft responses to pilot inputs — as well as help them make sure pilots can intuitively grasp what the airplane is doing. So far, flying the simulator has suggested that Alia should be an easy bird to fly. “It’s a light touch, just as you’d expect in a very high-performance airplane,” Guthrie said. “But it’s also a very low-workload airplane and has excellent handling qualities. To land you just get down to the stall speed of conventional airplanes, and then lean into it and you’re in horizontal flight.”

Alia’s flight test program will continue with more more tethered hovers and high-speed taxi tests before progressing to horizontal and then vertical flight. Eric Adams Photo

Beta’s first application for Alia will be to accommodate the mission of United Therapeutics, the pharmaceutical company that provided initial funding for Beta. United Therapeutics is developing manmade organs for human transplant, and founder Martine Rothblatt — herself an accomplished aviator who also sponsored the development of an electric version of the Robinson R44 helicopter by Tier One Engineering — wanted a reliable, green system for distributing those organs on-demand. Clark said the urgency of that mission compelled the Beta team to select a configuration that would generate the greatest range and be the most safe and reliable feasible system — that is, with the fewest amount of breakable moving parts, and also the most redundancy.

The motors Beta developed are essentially two motors in one for each rotor, so the likelihood of failure is dramatically reduced, and the minimization of moving parts will help speed certification — a challenge faced by all eVTOL manufacturers. It has also made the development process filled with far fewer unknowns. “We’re not trying to break the laws of physics,” said mechanical engineer Manon Belzile. “You might not be able to find the most lightweight solution right away, but we can certainly find solutions that will make this aircraft fly. Then the more we fly, the more we’ll be able to optimize everything. It’s an engineering challenge, but we know we’re going to get there.”

Fast on the heels of the United Therapeutics adoption, Alia will be adapted for commercial and industrial use, a role as an air taxi, and military applications. Beta is already proving integral to the U.S. Air Force’s Agility Prime effort to spur the development of electric aircraft. Along with Joby Aviation, it’s one of just two companies to recently advance to the next stage of development support from the Air Force in that effort.

Beta hasn’t estimated Alia’s range and other specifications formally yet, though it will say it’s targeting 250 miles (400 kilometers) and charge times under one hour. Its battery technology is still not fully disclosed, though its packs are designed and manufactured in-house from commercially available lithium-ion cells. Propulsion engineer Herman Wiegman, a former energy storage specialist for GE Global Research, said the program is viable with existing battery technology, albeit with careful integration.

“The battery pack is fundamental, and very integral to the success of the aircraft,” he noted. “But you have to be careful about the presence of the mass in the aircraft, how much frontal area is dedicated to the battery packs, how much drag will be induced because of their presence. One doesn’t simply purchase a battery pack off the common market and integrate it into an aircraft.” He added, however, that their mass can be advantageous, helping stabilize the aircraft against wind gusts while in a hover, for instance.

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New Ghibli Hybrid: the first electrified vehicle in Maserati’s history

  • The first hybrid vehicle in Maserati’s history
  • Developed by the Maserati Innovation Lab of Modena
  • The vehicle will be produced at the Avvocato Giovanni Agnelli Plant (AGAP) at Grugliasco (Turin)

New Ghibli Hybrid: the first electrified vehicle in Maserati’s history

Modena, 16 July 2020 – The spark of electrification ignites Maserati’s future: with the new Ghibli Hybrid, the Trident Brand enters the world of electrification.

The new Ghibli Hybrid represents one of the most ambitious projects for Maserati, which after the announcement of the new engine for the MC20 super sports car now sets the seal on another step forward towards the brand’s new Era.

The choice to introduce the hybrid technology on the Ghibli sedan is no coincidence: this model, with over 100,000 units produced since its launch in 2013, perfectly embodies the Modena-based manufacturer’s DNA.

In fact, the challenge facing Maserati was to enter the world of electrification without altering the brand’s core philosophy and values. The result? The creation of the best possible hybrid. What’s more, Ghibli Hybrid will retain the unmistakable sound that has always distinguished every Maserati.

The arrival of the new Ghibli Hybrid thus expands the Maserati range, which is now even more competitive and responsive to the demands of the market.

Design
Ghibli Hybrid is immediately recognisable, thanks in part to the new design of both exterior and interior. The common denominator of the restyling, developed by the Centro Stile Maserati, is the blue colour, chosen to identify all cars with hybrid technology and the new world they represent.

On the exterior, the blue colour characterises the three iconic side air ducts, the brake calipers and the thunderbolt in the oval that encloses the Trident on the rear pillar. The same blue colour reappears inside the car, in particular on the embroidered seams of the seats. The new Ghibli Hybrid also introduces new stylistic contents, starting from the new front grille, with bars redesigned to represent a tuning fork, a musical device that emits a sound of extreme purity, and which also evokes the Trident symbol itself. There are significant changes at the rear of the car, where the light clusters have been completely restyled, with a boomerang-like profile inspired by the 3200 GT and the Alfieri concept car.

Mild Hybrid
In perfect harmony with its DNA, Maserati has chosen a hybrid solution focused primarily on improving performance, while also reducing fuel consumption and cutting emissions.

The hybrid technology exploits kinetic energy the car accumulates when in motion, recovering it and transforming it into electricity during deceleration and braking, and storing it in a battery.

The innovative powertrain, the outcome of in-depth engineering development work by the technicians and engineers of the Maserati Innovation Lab in Modena, combines an internal combustion engine (4 cylinders, turbo, displacement of 2.0 l) with a 48 volt alternator and an additional electric supercharger (e-Booster), supported by a battery. This solution is unique in its segment, and is the first in a new generation of powertrains, with the perfect trade-off between performance, efficiency and driving pleasure.

The battery is mounted in the rear of the car, with benefits in terms of improved weight distribution.

This version weighs about 80 kg less than the Diesel.

Thanks to maximum power output of 330 hp and torque of 450 Nm delivered from just 1,500 rpm, the new Ghibli Hybrid’s performance data are very impressive: top speed of 255 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds.

Ghibli Hybrid occupants will still revel in the unmistakable sound that characterises all Maserati models, thanks to the optimised exhaust, which includes specially designed resonators.

Connectivity
Ghibli Hybrid also marks the debut of the new Maserati Connect program, which enables a constant connection with the car: the information exchange continues when on the move, to improve the services offered to the driver. As well as updating the software packages, the system performs checks on the car and monitors the Safety Security services in emergencies.

The Maserati Intelligent Assistant multimedia system is latest-generation, based on digital inputs from Android Automotive, software that delivers an innovative User Experience fully customisable to the driver’s personal preferences. The multimedia system’s HD screen, with new graphics, more user-friendly and without surrounds, is increased in size from 8”4 to 10”1. A new instrument panel with digital devices and new graphics is also introduced.

Electrification the Maserati way
The new Ghibli Hybrid represents the first step in a plan that will lead to the electrification of  all new Maserati models. The Brand’s first all-electric cars will be the new GranTurismo and GranCabrio, scheduled for 2021.

Maserati S.p.A.
Maserati produces a complete range of unique cars with an amazing personality, immediately recognisable anywhere. With their style, technology and innately exclusive character, they delight the most discerning, demanding tastes and have always been an automotive industry benchmark. Ambassadors of this heritage are the Quattroporte flagship, the Ghibli sports sedan, and the Levante, Maserati’s very first SUV. A complete range, with petrol and diesel engines, rear and all-wheel drive, the finest materials and outstanding engineering. A tradition of successful cars, each of them redefining what makes an Italian sports car in terms of design, performance, comfort, elegance and safety.

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custom motorcycle
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TARFORM LAUNCHES ITS RETRO-STYLED ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE

Brooklyn-based mobility brand  Tarform has launched its first street-legal electric motorcycle that embodies design, technology, and sustainability. The Tarform Luna is designed for modularity where the battery pack can be upgraded as technology improves. The bodywork can be changed for a new style and software can be updated for a smarter ride. 

Tarform designed a technological layer that enhances safety. A radar acts as blindspot detection. Vibration through the seat alerts you of any vehicles in your blindspot. A rear-facing camera enables you to see what is behind you. 

At the end of the ride, the rider can view their statistics on the Tarform mobile app and get insights that can help to become a better and safer rider. 

The Tarform motorcycle is inspired by nature’s own intelligence. The bodywork is made from a flax seed weave that acts as a reinforcing mechanism to the composite panel construction. Aluminum is used for most components as it is 100 percent recyclable. The seat upholstery is made out of biodegradable vegan leather. 

Tarform is developing a new way of eliminating the need of paints and primers with a mono-material infused with algae- and iron-based metallic pigments. 

A perfect blend between the tall stance of a scrambler, the acceleration of a sportbike, and the comfortable all-round balance of a British classic. Tarform Luna is a machine built to travel over cobble streets to canyons without leaving a trace. 

In 2021 Tarform will begin deliveries of the Tarform Luna. The production series will be positioned in the premium market at a starting price of $24,000. 

The Tarform Founder Edition is a custom motorcycle that is made to order. A limited-edition of 54 machines hand-made in Brooklyn. Tarform uses top of the line suspension from Ohlins and performance brake systems from ISR. Each frame is TIG welded by hand. The body is hand-shaped out of recycled aluminum. 

Tarform.com

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Audi e-tron Is World Market Leader in Its Segment

The Audi e-tron is the worldwide market leader in its segment. The first fully electric series production model from Audi is popular all over the world with customers and media alike. Numerous awards and comparative tests stand testament to this. With the e-tron GT, the Q4 e-tron, and the Q4 Sportback e-tron, Audi is looking toward an electric year 2021 in both senses of the word.

Audi e-tron 55 quattro: Endurance test

In the first half of 2020, Audi delivered 17,641 e-tron models to customers worldwide. This corresponds to an increase of 86.8 percent as compared to the previous year – despite the difficult market situation due to the coronavirus pandemic. The fully electric Audi model is therefore way ahead of its competitors in the full-size battery electric vehicle SUV segment worldwide. It is even the overall top-selling electric SUV in Europe.

The Audi e-tron is highly sought after in the Scandinavian market in particular. In Norway, which is the pioneering country when it comes to electric mobility, it was the top-selling passenger-car model in the first half of the year. The e-tronmakes up 92 percent of the volume of Audi models delivered in Norway. It also makes up a significant portion of deliveries in Iceland (93 percent), Sweden (12 percent), and Israel (14 percent). In the USA, the e-tron has recorded an increase in sales by more than 50 percent as compared to the previous year. Hildegard Wortmann, Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing: “The Audi e-tron is a real game changer for us and clearly illustrates our vision of sustainable and progressive premium mobility. Our first fully electric SUV combines design, dynamic handling, and interior quality with the latest technology – for emissions-free driving without having to make compromises. The e-tron is the beginning of a new era for Audi. We will continue this success story.”

Fast charging and long-distance qualities as a trump card

The success of the Audi e-tron arises mainly from its everyday usability. In addition to the large passenger-compartment space, its long-distance range plays a decisive role here. Longer distances can be managed easily with the e-tronSportback 552, which has a range of 446 kilometers (277.1 mi) (WLPT), and the e-tron 553, which has a range of 436 kilometers (270.9 mi) (WLTP). e-tron drivers also benefit from fast charging speeds. The charging capacity of up to 150 kW is available for a significant proportion of the charging process. For a range of about 110 kilometers (68.4 mi), the customer ideally spends just under 10 minutes at the charging terminal. The Audi e-tron 55** reaches the 80 percent mark after roughly 30 minutes.

The e-tron Charging Service provides a further great advantage when it comes to everyday usability. The premium charging service makes around 155,000 public charging points in 25 countries accessible with one charging card. When driving abroad, customers can charge their cars according to the local purchasing conditions without any extra costs. The myAudi app and the Audi navigation system make operation particularly easy. In addition to planning the route and activating charging points, the driver is also always informed as to whether or not the charging terminal is currently available for use.

Audi e-tron 55 quattro: Endurance test

Awards in many categories

The Audi e-tron is a winner, as demonstrated by the numerous comparative tests and awards it has won. In 2019, the e-tron won more than two thirds of all comparative tests. In addition, readers of “AUTO BILD Allrad” magazine voted the e-tron “all-wheel drive car of the year” in the “all-wheel drive hybrids and electric cars” category in Germany in 2019. The e-tron won the “Goldenes Lenkrad” (Golden Steering Wheel) in the “large SUVs” category, prevailing against competitors powered by a combustion engine. In the “company car of the year 2020” award, the e-tron won in the “electric cars full-size/luxury class” category.

The e-tron also receives awards in other countries regularly. In the USA, the model recently won the “Wards 10 Best Interiors” award for its futuristic interior. The US magazine “Green Car Reports” named the Audi e-tron the “Best Car To Buy 2020.” The e-tron also convinced the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in crash tests and was the first electric car in the world to receive the “Top Safety Pick+.”

The technical innovations of the Audi e-tron also convinced experts. For example, Audi won the “Display Industry Award 2020” of the “Society for Information Display” (SID) for the development of the virtual exterior mirror. This award is one of the highest distinctions in the industry. The technology is also well received by customers. One third of all buyers opted for the camera-based exterior mirrors.

Sportback and S models flank the success model

The Audi e-tron marks the start of an extensive electric offensive that will include around 20 fully electric models by 2025. The Audi e-tron Sportback was added to the e-tron family in April. The “S” versions of the e-tron and e-tronSportback, which were introduced just recently, form the sporty spearhead of the model series.

Electric: high-end GT and two Q models in the starting blocks

Today’s successes are an incentive for tomorrow’s goals. With the Audi Q4 e-tron concept, Audi gave visitors to the 2019 Geneva Motor Show a taste of the brand’s first compact electric SUV. With the Q4 Sportback e-tron, the brand has now presented the second model of the product line, which will go into production in 2021 as an SUV coupé. Both models will be important cornerstones of the electric strategy.

Customers can look forward to another major highlight coming next year. The four rings will be launching the Audi e-tronGT. Performance and an expressive design are the most important ingredients for the e-tron GT. It thereby emphasizes the sportiness of the brand and continues the success story of the Audi e-tron together with the electric Q models.

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Rolls-Royce Collection Cars – The Wraith Kryptos collection a labyrinth of complex ciphers

Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are poetic embodiments of artistry and skill, envisioned at the hands of the marque’s accomplished designers. They are illustrative of the Bespoke Collective’s mastery of their craft, and extremely limited in number. Incorporating only the finest materials and contemporary applications, Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are executed with creative passion and technical precision.

THE WRAITH KRYPTOS COLLECTION A LABYRINTH OF COMPLEX CIPHERS

Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are poetic embodiments of artistry and skill, envisioned at the hands of the marque’s accomplished designers. They are illustrative of the Bespoke Collective’s mastery of their craft, and extremely limited in number. Incorporating only the finest materials and contemporary applications, Rolls-Royce Collection Cars are executed with creative passion and technical precision. These cars capture clients’ imaginations around the world, joining the chronicles of some of the greatest and most storied Rolls-Royces ever to have been created.

Design is naturally the starting point for these endeavours. For the new Wraith Kryptos Collection, one designer’s passion for cryptography led to Wraith becoming a willing canvas for an intricate and clandestine design. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, which will consist of just 50 motor cars, incorporates a labyrinth of complex ciphers into its beguiling façade.

Rolls-Royce Bespoke Designer, Katrin Lehmann, commented, “The name Kryptos is derived from Ancient Greek, referring to something unseen, hidden and coded, mythical even. Ciphers can be traced through millennia, capturing the imagination of some of the world’s most brilliant minds.

As a designer, I’ve always been fascinated by the notion that you can communicate messages that are understood by only an elite few, using symbols, pictograms, and ciphers. Finding the key becomes integral to appreciating the full meaning of an item that can otherwise be viewed simply as a work of art.”


The Wraith Kryptos Collection carries within it an encrypted cipher that evolves throughout the car for the clients’ pleasure and amusement, leading them on a journey of discovery and intrigue. To the uninitiated, these ciphers appear, on the surface at least, to be an alluring design purely for aesthetic purposes and devoid of any discernible pattern. However, for those that look closer, those few who hold the key, they will embark on an experience that leads to an enlightening conclusion.


Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “The brilliant and creative minds of our Rolls-Royce Bespoke Collective have excelled once again, creating an extraordinarily contemporary and compelling iteration of Wraith. The Wraith Kryptos Collection, on first glance, is a statement of dynamism. On closer examination, a series of messages are hidden behind a unique Rolls-Royce cipher. I look forward to seeing whether any of our clients will crack the code!”


Indeed, the code is so secret that only two people at the Home of Rolls-Royce in Goodwood know the full resolution of the sequence – the designer and the Chief Executive. The answer has been placed in a sealed envelope, in the safe of the Chief Executive Officer, at the Home of Rolls-Royce, in Goodwood, West Sussex. Clients will be invited to submit their efforts at cracking the code via the members only Rolls-Royce Application, Whispers.

The cryptographic journey begins with the Spirit of Ecstasy, which has graced the bonnet of the marque’s motor cars for over a century. An engraving with green enamel detailing introduces the Rolls-Royce cipher on the base of the enigmatic figurine. Below, recrafted bumper inserts draw the eye lower, subtly modifying both the gesture and posture of Wraith, giving this Collection an identity of its own.


The alluring colourway of the Collection hints at the car’s inner-most secrets. Delphic Grey, a Bespoke exterior hue consisting of a solid Anthracite base colour has a hidden effect – only in sunlight do the blue and green mica flakes appear. This effect is accentuated by a hand-painted double coachline, the upper being painted in the newly developed Kryptos Green while the lower acts as a shadow in Dark Grey, both depicting clues relating to the interior code. Completing the exterior aesthetic are part polished wheels, with Orbit Grey coloured centres featuring a coloured pinstripe.

Inside, stepping over the illuminated treadplates, the cipher evolves deep into the fabric of the motor car. One is immediately greeted by the accented Bespoke Kryptos Green leather hue, which has been developed to incorporate a metallic effect, set against either Selby Grey or Anthracite. In perhaps the most apparent clue, elements of the cipher are embroidered into Wraith’s headrests, where the customary ‘double-R’ emblem can so often be found. For the driver’s enjoyment, an intriguing screen print flows across the metal fascia, spanning the width of the interior.


Enrapturing Wraith’s occupants with light, Wraith Kryptos Collection features a beautifully elaborate, bi-coloured headliner depicting an in-motion data-stream inspired motif. Illuminated door pockets continue this theme with Rolls-Royce woven leather and Kryptos Green threads to reveal an unexpected and subtle illumination that fades towards the base of the pocket. The centre tunnel is exquisitely stitched, repeating the horizontal lines of the door pockets, also hinting towards the driver focused nature of this special motor car.

Rolls-Royce is delighted to unveil this new generation of Collection Car; one that brings with it an intriguing and entertaining challenge, that will be sure to delight. Who will crack the code? And what answers will the code bring? Only time will tell. Or will it?

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YuJet begins sales for 24 mph electric surfboard with jet propulsion

No need to hit the beach to surf, you can make your own waves with the YuJet Surfer electric jetboard

A design team comprising pro surfers and engineers has revealed its first product aimed at having eco-friendly fun on the water. The YuJet Surfer is an electric surfboard that’s said to bring “the power of a jetski to a surfboard.”

YuJet Surfer electric jetboard promises 40 minute ride at up to 24 mph

Surfboards able to propel themselves are nothing new, but they’re still not a particularly common sight at beaches, lakes or rivers. If you want to make your own waves without polluting the local environment with noise and fumes, you could opt for even more rare all-electric boards. But it’ll cost you a pretty penny – the recently announced Rävik S, for example, could set you back almost US$19,000. A new e-surfer from YuJet washes up at almost half that.

“We’ve worked for years to create a product that can propel powered water sports forward,” said YuJet’s co-founder, Jeremy Schneiderman. “Our first product to market, the YuJet Surfer, is the culmination of our passion, our experience, and our vision for the future. We wanted to make a product that was easy to ride for every skill level and could deliver the thrill of surfing in just minutes. We cannot wait for everyone to experience the excitement of the ride.”
The YuJet Surfer electric jetboard can get up to 24 mph
YuJet

The YuJet Surfer, like the Rävik S, rocks a carbon fiber hull with Eva grips and neoprene handles that helps it tip the scales at 20 lb (9 kg), with the battery removed. That lithium-ion battery is reported waterproof and could keep you on the water for up to 40 minutes per charge. An electric motor drives a jetski-like water jet for up to 24 mph (38.6 km/h) of relatively quiet, local emissions-free e-surfing.

The wireless controller with variable speed trigger offers beginner and rider performance modes, and YuJet reckons that learners can be up and riding on the water in as little as five minutes.

And when it’s time to head home, the fins and battery can be removed without needing tools. The company has aimed for minimal maintenance too, with a quick spray down with clean water all that’s needed to keep the e-surfboard looking sharp. Optional accessories include a replacement battery, battery charger and wheel set (to help roll the board to waiting transport on land).

The YuJet Surfer is available from today for US$9,999, which ain’t cheap. But if you have the cash to splash, it does look like fun – as you can see in the short video below.

Source: YuJet

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LAGONDA REVEALS THE FUTURE OF THE LUXURY SUV

  • Lagonda All-Terrain Concept previews a development of the Lagonda design language first seen in the ‘Vision Concept’ revealed at the 2018 Geneva motor show
  • Concept gives first glimpse of the first production model from the luxury brand exclusively driven by zero emission powertrain technologies
  • Production of Lagonda vehicles set to begin at new St Athan facility in Wales in 2022

LAGONDA REVEALS THE FUTURE OF THE LUXURY SUV


Geneva, Switzerland: Aston Martin Lagonda is proud to present the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept, continuing the journey towards a new range of state of the art, luxury vehicles driven by zero emission powertrain technologies. Lagonda production is planned to start in 2022 at a new state of the art facility in St Athan, Wales – Aston Martin Lagonda’s ‘Home of Electrification’.

Built around near-future technologies such as its advanced Battery Electric drivetrain, the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept is an ultra-stylish, supremely luxurious, fully electric emission-free vehicle that can transport its occupants to remote and spectacular locations. It develops the designs and materials seen in last year’s widely acclaimed Lagonda Vision Concept, tailoring them for the new and challenging environments that an all-terrain vehicle is capable of reaching.


Lagonda aims to be the world’s first zero emission luxury brand. It will confound traditional thinking and take full advantage of the latest advances in both electrification and autonomous driving technologies, which amount to the biggest revolution in land-bound transportation since the invention of the car. Lagonda will show how true luxury and modern design, far from being diametrically opposed interests, can exist in total harmony and enhance each other’s most desirable characteristics.

Andy Palmer, Aston Martin Lagonda President and Group Chief Executive Officer said: ‘The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept adds a hugely exciting sense of adventure to the unique brand of luxury, emission-free vehicles that Lagonda is planning to produce. This is a car that would be at home whisking someone straight from a glamorous red carpet event to a remote scientific research lab. It shows the bold possibilities for Lagonda and demonstrates how the company will push to expand horizons in every area, whether it be technology, design or scope of travel.’


Lagonda All-Terrain Concept

The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept is a near future study that continues the evolution of a design language that could be seen in production Lagonda models as soon as 2022. Where the Lagonda Vision Concept shown at last year’s Geneva motor show was purely focused on road travel, this new vehicle broadens Lagonda’s horizons. It appeals to a pioneering spirit of adventure and such is its futuristic design that you could just as easily imagine it roaming the surface of Mars as a mountain in Scotland.


In the same way that the exterior design of the Vision Concept took some of its inspiration from Concorde, so the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept has taken some of its initial design language from the world of the super yacht. There is a relaxed elegance to the rear-leaning gesture of the belt line, but there is also an inherent robustness that is in-keeping with the terrains that the vehicle is designed to tackle. The surfacing is incredibly futuristic, with forms and shapes that look like they have been created by the huge, planetary forces of gravity fields.

Thanks to a large proportion of the vehicle’s stiffness coming from the floor where the batteries are stored, the designers have once again been able to fit rear-hinged back doors. These not only allow for a spectacular ‘red carpet’ moment as the interior and its occupants are revealed but, when combined with the sections of roof that open upwards, also enable wonderfully easy ingress and egress.

The sense of wonder continues at the rear of the car. Set into the very wide clamshell rear hatch, is a thin and elegant light strip that cleverly hides the source of its illumination. Light is beamed downwards and then reflected out, so that the actual LEDs are hidden from the viewer. This not only gives a very clean look to the light, but also lends an air of magic to its operation, turning the functional into the fantastic.

Another practical yet sleekly pleasing element of the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept’s design is the rear shelf, which slides out from the floor. Hidden, flush with the body when stowed, the shelf extends when required in order to offer a platform for occupants to perch on. Given the extraordinary views that the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept can transport its occupants to, it seems only right that it should offer somewhere for them to sit and survey the landscape.

The interior of the vehicle develops many of the bold design elements first seen in the Vision Concept, but while that possessed a rear-seat-biased limousine atmosphere, the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept has a more even-handed ambiance spread between all four seats. So, while there is still the option of rotating the two front seats to face the rear two during autonomous operation, there is a greater expectation that the vehicle will be controlled by the driver during the journeys that it will undertake.

Overall there is a darker, more nocturnal treatment to the colour and trim choices. When considering the materials and mood of the cabin, the intention was that it should feel like a seamless transition between the vehicle and the owner’s home. ‘We imagined that the owner would be a sort of pioneering yet environmentally conscious person’ said Aston Martin EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman. ‘They may well have a luxury villa in a remote place that acts as their sanctuary. As such, the Lagonda brand is unconstrained by the traditional values of current luxury products, it is not about wood and leather, we tried to design the interior to feel very calm and quiet with soft, natural materials like Cashmere. Lagonda reflects a future that is full of unique materials that are not set in the past.’

Feelings of time and space are also attributes associated with luxury and as such the interior of the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept does its utmost to enhance those aspects. The lines and focal colours inside the car draw upon techniques known since the masters of the Renaissance in their ability to draw the eye and utilise perspective. Also, key is the view out, which is expansive in that it draws the eye not only to the front and sides but also upwards. This allows the occupants to look both along streets or valleys and up to the buildings or peaks surrounding them.

Technology is an important but subtle part of the interior. Thanks to clever and considered integration, there isn’t the usual punctuation of vents, grilles and speakers. However, that’s not to say that everything is hidden. While the technology exists in this day and age to allow the key to be removed altogether, Lagonda believes that it remains an important point of contact between the driver and the vehicle. As such, the key is celebrated and indeed elevated in the interior of the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept. Thanks to the wonder of electromagnets, the key floats when it is placed in position, levitating between the front seats.

‘We wanted the technology in the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept to bring a sense of personality to the vehicle’ commented Reichman. ‘Just as with the materials and the exterior design, the technology should be warm and involving rather than cold and impersonal. This is the future and it should be something that people are inspired and delighted by rather than perplexed and frightened by.’

Aston Martin St Athan: Home of Electrification

Although currently at the concept stage, it already has a home. When Lagonda’s first model reaches production, it will be produced at Aston Martin Lagonda’s brand new facility in Wales. The St Athan site, which started life as a series of Ministry of Defence ‘Super Hangars’, is currently being completely transformed into a state-of-the-art luxury manufacturing plant. This will be Aston Martin Lagonda’s second production facility and ultimately it will become the company’s ‘Home of Electrification’.

Over 70 Welsh employees have now joined the already 100-strong St Athan team, having spent the last two-and-a-half years at Aston Martin Lagonda’s Gaydon Headquarters. This core group of experts will train new employees at the St Athan plant. They’re sure to be busy with the workforce steadily increasing during the first half of 2019, then expanding rapidly to more than 700 by the first quarter of 2020.

Palmer commented: ‘As the St Athan facility nears completion, there is a very real sense this is the start of a bold new era for Aston Martin Lagonda. A second production facility is a critical step in delivering our Second Century Plan. The St Athan facility will initially commence with the production of the Aston Martin DBX but will ultimately be a global centre of excellence for the production of luxury high performance EVs, including Lagonda: the world’s first luxury electric automotive brand.’

Lagonda: The Future

The Lagonda All-Terrain Concept provides numerous clues to the exciting Lagonda models of the future. It embodies the vision for Lagonda to be a standalone marque that will break through long-standing boundaries and transform the way people perceive luxury transport. As demonstrated in the concept, this will be done through the use of cutting edge design, creating technologically radical, visually spectacular, thoroughly modern and ultra-luxurious vehicles that will overturn conventional thinking. Lagonda’s ambitions also go beyond automotive, it is a luxury brand which, although currently operating in the automotive sphere, can go anywhere and do anything that is consistent with the values of the brand.

Just like the Lagonda All-Terrain Concept, production Lagonda models will not only be supremely spacious, cosseting and exquisitely appointed, but also bold and forward thinking, bristling with creativity and innovation from the way they are designed to the engineering they contain. They will prove that the old conflicts – those between high performance and zero emissions, technological sophistication and the purest luxury – are conflicts no more. Lagonda believes the increase in new automotive technologies from efficient electrification to autonomous driving provides a unique opportunity for a new brand bearing one of the greatest names in motoring to rewrite a rulebook that has been allowed to stagnate for too long.

Above all, Lagonda will remain faithful to the forward thinking, ever adventurous spirit of Wilbur Gunn, the Anglo-American engineer and entrepreneur who founded Lagonda in a greenhouse at his home in Staines to the west of London in 1899. A man whose talents stretched from opera singing to riverboat building, he named his company after the Lagonda Creek river that ran through the town of Springfield in his native Ohio. His cars were always innovative: for example, the 16/18hp model that won the Moscow to St Petersburg trial in 1910 boasted not only trailing arm rear suspension but a form of monocoque construction, decades before its advantages were realised by the bulk of the world’s car manufacturers. He succeeded because he refused to accept that the current way was the only way. Lagonda went on to become not only one of the most coveted car brands in the world, but among the most versatile too. In its 1930s heyday Lagonda was capable of producing V12-powered limousines, and sports cars strong and quick enough to win Le Mans, which one duly did in 1935. Bought by Aston Martin in 1947, Lagonda continued to innovate, never more so than with the extraordinary Aston Martin Lagonda of the 1970s,1980s and 1990’s to this day one of the most audacious and strikingly styled cars ever designed.

Modern Lagonda products will be inspired by these pioneering designs and, like them, be steadfast in their focus on the future. ‘We see no limits for Lagonda,’ says Palmer, ‘it will be a brand for the restless, for those who are anything but happy with the status quo. It will produce cars that exploit technology, without being obsessed with it for its own sake. And It will enable Lagonda to redefine the concept of luxury within the automotive and other spheres.
 
‘The car has been the greatest liberating force humankind has invented, and at the time the journey was as important as the destination. All that has been lost over the last 100 years. Wherever you are in a Lagonda, whatever the journey and whichever seat you occupy, it will re-introduce you to the wonder of travel.’

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