As we come to the end of another week we look at some of the Motoring news which you may have missed starting with Britain’s Fastest and most powerful SUV.
Lister Motor Company, Britain’s oldest racing car company, has taken the wraps off Britain’s fastest and most powerful SUV – the Lister Stealth. Based on the already dynamic Jaguar F-PACE SVR, the 666bhp Stealth is the latest in a long line of stunning, hand-crafted and bespoke products from the Cambridgeshire manufacturer – a lineage spanning nearly seven decades.
Lister’s renowned skill for creating exclusive and luxurious, high-performance cars is already evidenced with the introduction of the Jaguar F-TYPE SVR based LFT-666 coupe and LFT-C convertible. Now, Lister enhances that reputation further with the mind-blowing power and speed of the Stealth.
To claim the title of Britain’s fastest SUV, the Stealth required a thorough update to the 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine found in the factory F-PACE SVR. Lister’s core DNA of performance and driving enjoyment is abundant within the Stealth. The company’s team of highly experienced engineers set to work on the engine and cooling system to ensure it delivers an outstanding 666bhp and 881Nm of torque – a 22% increase over the standard car.
0-60mph takes a mere 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 195mph
Production is limited to just 100 units with prices starting from £109,950
Ford introduces long wheelbas transit custom nugget camper
The Ford Transit Custom Nugget is now available in a long wheelbase version, adding even greater flexibility for adventure-loving customers.
The extended wheelbase uses the extra length to provide a built-in toilet, wash basin and additional interior storage space.
Based on Ford’s market-leading Transit Custom van, the Transit Custom Nugget has been developed in partnership with camper specialists Westfalia and offers a fully-fitted camping interior with high-quality conversion work, advanced driver assistance and connectivity features, and a powerful, refined and fuel-efficient Ford 2.0-litre EcoBlue diesel engine.
In addition to sleeping quarters in the roof, the long wheelbase Nugget features a unique L-shaped interior layout. Facilities include a kitchenette and spacious living and dining area, which can convert to comfortable travel seats for three people when on the move. The seating area offers generous headroom even with the roof closed and is equipped with Isofix points to safely mount child seats.
The extra space provided by the longer wheelbase is used to provide an area at the rear housing a built-in toilet for greater convenience on longer trips and when travelling with young children. Shielded by a retractable privacy screen, the area also includes a foldaway wash basin, so customers do not need to use the kitchenette sink when washing hands or brushing teeth. Fresh and waste water is catered for by two on-board tanks each with a capacity of 42 litres.
Helping holiday-makers stay connected on the move, high-speed internet is provided as standard via the FordPass Connect modem,1 creating a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to 10 devices with connectivity available at up to 15 metres from the vehicle.
Available to order directly through Ford dealerships from November; delivery Q1 2021
Rolls-Royce bespoke collective reveal illuminated fascia
Developed over the course of two years and more than 10,000 collective hours, Illuminated Fascia brings an ethereal glowing Ghost nameplate surrounded by more than 850 stars into the interior suite of new Ghost. Located on the passenger side of the dashboard, the constellation and wordmark are completely invisible when the car is not in operation. This world-first Bespoke innovation subtly echoes Starlight Headliner, which has become as much a part of Rolls-Royce iconography as the Spirit of Ecstasy, Pantheon Grille and ‘Double R’ monogram.
Illuminated Fascia was formed following the marque’s decision to pursue a Post Opulent design direction with new Ghost: itself, a direct response to feedback provided by Ghost clients prior to the motor car’s development. Busy, superficial detailing was rejected in favour of more refined means for customers to realise their Bespoke visions. In this spirit, the Bespoke Collective chose not to use simple screen technology to achieve the effect they desired. Instead, they embarked on creating a highly complex and authentic true luxury innovation.
The illumination itself is achieved by way of 152 LEDs mounted above and beneath the fascia, which are meticulously colour matched to the cabin’s clock and instrument dial lighting. To ensure that the Ghost graphic is lit evenly, a 2 millimetre-thick light guide is used, featuring more than 90,000 laser-etched dots across the surface. This not only disperses the light evenly but creates a twinkling effect as the eyes moves across the fascia, echoing the subtle twinkle of Starlight Headliner.
Mclaren uneveils all-new innovative lightweight vechicle architecture
Mike Flewitt, CEO of luxury supercar maker McLaren Automotive, have confirmed the introduction of the brand’s all-new, flexible, lightweight vehicle architecture which will underpin its next generation of electrified supercars.
The new architecture, designed specifically to accommodate new hybrid powertrains, has been entirely engineered, developed and produced in-house in the UK at McLaren’s £50m state-of-the-art McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC) in the Sheffield region.
The new flexible vehicle architecture utilises innovative, world-first processes and techniques to strip out excess mass, reduce overall vehicle weight, while also further improving safety attributes.
It will underpin the next generation of McLaren hybrid models as the supercar company enters its second decade of series vehicle production.
The first new McLaren hybrid supercar to be based on the all-new architecture will launch in 2021.
Rolls-Royce announces new brand identity
In recent years, Rolls-Royce has experienced change at a quicker rate than ever before in its storied past. The Rolls-Royce portfolio has expanded to five models, each with their own distinct character, and almost every motor car created at the marque’s Global Centre of Luxury Manufacturing Excellence in Goodwood, West Sussex, is Bespoke – tailored to the lifestyle requirements of diverse and discerning patrons. The introduction of Black Badge, the marque’s alter-ego, has met the needs of a subset of these clients, answering their call for an edgier, alternative Rolls-Royce, one that carries an assertive and dominant persona. With such choice, it is no surprise, therefore, that the age and demographic of the marque’s clients have decreased significantly to an average of just 43.
The Spirit of Ecstasy is an instantly recognisable, modern icon of British luxury. Having graced the prow of Rolls-Royce motor cars since 1911, today, she remains one of the world’s most famous symbols, embodying beauty, luxury, style and perfection.
The Spirit of Ecstasy will now gain increased prominence in the marque’s brand identity. While the sculpture that leads each motor car in silent grace remains unchanged, an iteration of the enigmatic figurine has evolved into the form of an illustration – one that reads clearly in today’s virtual world.
The original figurine was drawn and sculpted by British artist Charles Sykes. In homage to this historical commission, Chris Mitchell, a leading illustrator of brand and identity icons, was called upon by Pentagram to envisage the distilled form of the iconic statuette. Working closely with Pentagram’s direction, Chris, drawing on her quiet power and authoritative nature, paid close attention to her proportions which embrace strength and power that cannot be deemed fragile or meek. When depicted in two-dimensional form, her direction has changed from left to right, boldly facing the future, reflective of the marque itself.
Marina Willer, commented, “The use of the Spirit of Ecstasy marks a shift in the resonance of the brand – from an automotive to a lifestyle context. She commands an aspirational quality in the luxury sphere and by placing her at the centre of the visual language. The Spirit of Ecstasy can now be interpreted as the muse for the marque, in addition to the motor cars themselves.”
When choosing a colour palette for the new identity, Pentagram’s design team initially turned its attention to the company’s products. Rich in textural materiality, wooden brown hues and graphite coloured technical fibres complemented a colourful array of Rolls-Royce leathers. Although true to their artisanal origins, brown and slate palettes confined the identity to the past. The desire was to seek a more expressive, luxurious colour palette, one appealing to both male and female clients, one with a future vision.
Pentagram was drawn to purple hues, specifically those with a deep and majestic tone. Historically rare in nature and with roots in mythology, art, piety and royalty, purple has always signified wealth and power. In a nod to the Spirit of Ecstasy, a colour named Purple Spirit will pave the way for the future of luxury by becoming Rolls-Royce’s signature colour.
A metallic Rose Gold is chosen to complement this colour. This elegant and modern hue will be reserved for items of longevity and used only in printed form. A wider palette of expressive colours has been determined to be used alongside these primary tones.
Sami Coultas, Bespoke Colour and Trim designer, Rolls-Royce, commented, “Purple Spirit has a deep and powerful tone. It is a colour of modernity that evokes connotations of the dark and majestic night. It has an energy that conjures emotion with thoughts of strength and ambition – a tone well suited to inspiring greatness. This will be complemented by a foiled Rose Gold which will add elegance and grace to the marque’s printed materials.”
The Noir imagery which surrounds Rolls-Royce’s Black Badge range is now punctuated by bursts of colour, reflecting each model’s launch specification, illustrating the bold nature of its signature alter ego.
DS automobiles opens its largest UK store
DS Automobiles and Robins & Day continue their DS UK expansion by opening the doors to the largest British showroom to date.
The new DS STORE LEICESTER will hold 17 workshop bays, with the possibility of adding a further six bays during peak times, and a used cars site which will eventually house more than 150 models across Groupe PSA brands, with customers able to access thousands of vehicles through Robins & Day’s own stock system.
To mark the launch of the new dealership, DS STORE LEICESTER will host an exclusive fashion show in the Spring of 2021. The show highlights the close relationship between DS Automobiles and Haute Couture – the ultimate embodiment of French luxury, where every fabric, metal or material entering the DS workshops meets the most exacting quality standards. As the official partner to Paris Fashion Week®, DS Automobiles recently unveiled an exclusive editorial fashion shoot showcasing the work of the emerging designers that the Federation of Haute Couture and Fashion promotes through their Sphere showroom.
New Volkswagen ID.31 has set its first range record
The new Volkswagen ID.31 has set its first range record: The electric car covered the 531 kilometers from Zwickau to Schaffhausen (Switzerland) on a single charge. Officially, the model has a 
range of up to 420 kilometers (WLTP). This mark was topped by more than 100 kilometers – an increase of 26 percent. The vehicle was a series production ID.3 1st Pro Performance with a 58 kWh battery built at the Zwickau electric car factory. The route to Switzerland consisted entirely of public roads and highways, passing cities such as Bayreuth and Ulm. The record-breaking vehicle was driven by “hypermiler” Felix Egolf, a native of Switzerland. The term “hypermiling” originated in the USA and refers to driving a series production vehicle with techniques that maximise efficiency and minimise consumption.
