As we come to the end of another week we look at some of the motoring news which you may have missed starting with Czinger groundbreaking 21C Production Specification Vehicle
Czinger, the trailblazing company that uses an in-house invented Human-AI production system to build state-of-the-art high-performance vehicles, unveiled today its final production spec 21C hypercar. The 21C expresses the apex of Human-AI creativity.
The Czinger 21C, the first model in a series of exclusive performance vehicles – production will be limited to 80 cars – was created in part using additive manufacturing technologies. Each component manufactured using this technology is computationally engineered using AI, optimized for weight and performance, and is beautifully finished by hand. Czinger’s proprietary manufacturing technologies, in-house developed powertrain, and iconic design will guide its future family of vehicles.
This new hypercar showcases significant updates since its first public introduction in March 2020 ahead of the cancelled Geneva International Motor Show, including an updated width of 2050 mm. With 1250 hp and a dry weight under 1240 kg, the 21C achieves a true 1:1 power-to-weight ratio. It also features all-wheel drive with a strong hybrid powertrain.
The hypercar is designed, built, and manufactured in Los Angeles using cutting-edge technology tools that are integrated into a patented production system. This system includes automated AI based design and optimization software, patented additive manufacturing driven processes, high accuracy automated assembly and novel performance materials. This revolutionary technology enables Czinger’s design and engineering team to unlock performance and styling not before seen in the automotive industry.
New Citroën C3 Saint James: the perfect expression of French casual chic
In 2019, an encounter took place in Japan between two well-known French companies, which subsequently – due to common values – became a commercial collaboration. Driven by their shared taste for discovery and a desire to promote their French colours in Japan, Citroën and Saint James decided to collaborate on an exclusive 350 unit limited edition named C3 Saint James. It proved such a success that it has inspired the introduction of this latest addition to the New C3 range in the UK, and in selected other countries.
With New C3 Saint James, Citroën and Saint James have reaffirmed their union as two brands with significant heritage, both guided by a common vision of French know-how and expertise that is ‘accessible to all’.
The Saint James brand was ‘born from the sea’ in 1889 in the town of Saint James in the French region of Normandy. The epitome of French style, the Saint James brand offers marine-inspired ‘casual-chic’ items of clothing, extending from its traditional ‘marinière’ sailor’s jacket to reefer jackets, trousers and shirts. The brand promotes quality in its contemporary and technical clothing, which provides maximum comfort to its wearers.
These same values have been shared by Citroën for over 100 years, with a focus on creativity, comfort and innovation.
Following the success of their first project in Japan, the two brands have collaborated again to create New C3 Saint James, this time extending its scope to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan.
Based on the already well-appointed New C3 ‘Shine’ trim level, ‘Saint James’ specification is offered with a bi-tone roof (black or white), combined with a White Colour Pack. To ensure the model suits everyone’s taste, New C3 Saint James is available with a variety of body colours: Soft Sand (standard colour), Elixir Red, Perla Nera Black, Cumulus Grey, Platinum Grey and Polar White. It is also equipped with 16-inch ‘Hellix’ diamond-cut, bi-tone alloy wheels to enhance its character.
New C3 Saint James is immediately recognisable with its Saint James roof graphic in the brand’s trademark blue, white and red colours. The Saint James signature can also be found on both front doors and at the rear of the vehicle – the exclusive metal plate badges on the front doors with the blue-white-red pattern are particularly striking.
Inside New C3 Saint James, there is a distinctive Saint James ambience featuring Advanced Comfort seats, offering an unequalled feeling of support and tranquillity. The seats are upholstered in grey material, with a decorative chevron band labelled Saint James on the upper parts of the seat backs, and red stitching above the band. This design emulates the signature stripe of the famous Saint James marinière sailor’s jacket.
White stitching is used on the lower parts of the seats as well as on the dashboard, which – along with the chrome contours of the gear lever – adds an extra touch of refinement. The interior also features a decorative blue and red door strap embellishment with a Saint James ‘button’ on the driver’s side, as well as a badge below the gear lever featuring the Saint James logo.
Rimac Nevera takes the hypercar market by storm
Hypercar manufacturer and electric technology specialist, Rimac Automobili, unveiled the production version of the C_Two, now becoming the Nevera, an all-electric, 1914hp, 258mph, €2m hypercar designed and engineered to unleash an unprecedented level of performance.
The Nevera is the production-ready iteration of the Rimac C_Two concept car, which was revealed at the International Geneva Motor Show in 2018. Since then, Rimac’s engineers have refined their new flagship on every level during an extensive development program, in the pursuit of the ultimate electric hypercar driving experience. With the majority of key components of the Nevera developed in-house at Rimac’s HQ in Croatia, all systems have been improved and enhanced since the initial prototypes to deliver on the ambitious performance targets set for at the beginning of the project in 2018.
“This is it. This is the car I had in mind when I embarked on the ‘impossible’ journey ten years ago. All our hard work has resulted in the Nevera – our record-breaking hypercar. This car was born to outperform, and to raise the bar, redefining the norm for performance cars. And not only in performance – but as an all-around package.
When we first revealed the C_Two, we set our targets extremely high. There was nothing else that could even come close to matching the car’s cutting-edge electric powertrain and extreme performance. But for us, that was only the starting point,” explains Mate Rimac, Founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili.
“Everyone at Rimac is driven by curiosity and a desire to push things to the absolute limit. With its combination of everyday use and 1914hp performance, the Nevera proves what is possible when there are no restraints placed on technology, development, or ambition. We have now unveiled a car that pushes the hypercar market to a higher level, we have utilized the full potential of the electric powertrain today, proving what we’ve always been saying – that electric hypercar, in the form of the Nevera, is beyond exciting, and that is as thrilling on the track, as it is crossing continents.”
“We will be makingjust 150 examples of the Nevera, every single unit crafted in Croatia from passion and admiration for cars.”
Underlining his own commitment to the project, Mate Rimac will personally test and sign off each of the Neveras, before they are delivered to customers from the company’s current production site on the outskirts of Zagreb, Croatia.
Essex residents leave their cars at home and opt for e-scooter rides for short journeys, making Essex greener, healthier
Travel behaviour survey data* released today by Spin, the micromobility unit of Ford Motor Company, shows that riders across Essex have shifted their travel behaviour since the introduction of the shared hire scheme. E-scooters are part of Essex County Council’s (ECC) Safer Greener Healthier campaign and the UK wide Department for Transport trials and they are an alternative mode of transport for many in Essex already.
This “mode shift” is expected to reduce the number of cars on the road and deliver a significant environmental impact across the region. More than three-quarters (82%) of Spin users have opted for a ride with an e-scooter instead of driving alone at least once since the scheme has launched. Furthermore, had the hire scheme not been available in Essex, one-third (31%) of the respondents would have used a car for their most recent journey instead of a scooter.
Survey data shows that e-scooters form an essential part of multimodal journeys where people reach their destinations by using more than one means of transport. During a typical week, half of the riders take two to ten e-scooter journeys in Spin’s service areas. With nearly half of the riders (44%) using an e-scooter to connect with public transport at least once – the findings underscore the scheme’s importance in the towns’ broader transportation eco-systems.
Riders see the e-scooter scheme as a good alternative to public transport, especially during the pandemic. Nine out of ten riders (86%) consider the e-scooter hire scheme as a safer option than public transport in terms of COVID-19 health concerns.
The scheme provides residents an environmentally friendly choice when walking isn’t a viable option often due to distance and people pressed for time. About 38% of the users would have walked in absence of the e-scooter hire scheme. By substantially cutting down journey time in certain circumstances, e-scooter riders can spend their saved time on things that matter more, be it additional time with family, hitting the shops at the high streets or simply to pause, reflect and enjoy a cup of tea.
Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition
The first timepiece borne of the recently announced partnership between Girard-Perregaux and Aston Martin has been revealed today. The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition unites the watchmaking expertise of Girard-Perregaux with Aston Martin’s unique knowledge of luxury and performance.
Both brands demonstrate a passion for refined craftsmanship and have been working together, sharing their understanding of design, materials and technology. This latest model celebrates the iconic Three Bridges pocket watch from the 19th century in a decidedly contemporary way, down to the smallest details, including the strap. The latter is a world premiere, presented in black calf leather and featuring Rubber Alloy, an innovative rubber insert injected with white gold. The design of the strap is intended to evoke thoughts of Aston Martin racing cars of the past.
Upholding Girard-Perregaux tradition, this model skilfully plays with proportions and shapes much to the delight of aesthetes.
The 44 millimetre case of the Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition is formed of Grade 5 titanium, a strong, hypoallergenic alloy selected by Aston Martin for its lightweight properties. It is suffused with black DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon), bestowing the watch with a stealthy appearance. Interestingly, titanium ore was discovered in Great Britain, the home of Aston Martin, back in 1791 by an English clergyman, William Gregor, in the same year Girard-Perregaux was founded.
A sapphire crystal ‘box’ is positioned front of house, as well as to the rear, coaxing light to illuminate the case interior, thereby augmenting readability. The movement eschews a mainplate, sitting between both panes of sapphire crystal and seemingly floating in mid-air. Three bridges, an iconic signature of Girard-Perregaux, span the dial and are formed of titanium with black PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) treatment and polished angles. The design endows the timepiece with an airy appearance, affording breathtaking views of movement components ordinarily hidden from view. While Girard-Perregaux has a long history of making the invisible visible, in this instance it has ventured off-piste, creating a watch whose movement appears to levitate within the case. This is achieved by paring back the movement, causing the mainplate to seemingly disappear, thereby creating the illusion of the movement flying within the case. It was this particular characteristic that led to the term ‘Flying Bridges’.
The cage of the tourbillon, positioned in the lower portion of the dial, is ‘lyre-shaped’, a characteristic found on all the company’s tourbillons dating back to the 19th century. A blued hand affixed to the cage imparts the running seconds. The tourbillon cage, measuring a mere 10mm in diameter, is composed of 79 components which collectively weigh only 0.25 grams. This remarkably low figure helps mitigate energy consumption.
The barrel, positioned at 12 o’clock, is openworked, affording partial views of the mainspring. A white gold micro-rotor, positioned beneath the barrel, energises the mainspring and, unlike most automatic watches, it grants unobstructed views of the movement. The car company’s name is engraved on the vertical flank of the micro-rotor and is filled with white luminescent treatment which appears blue in restricted light. Likewise, the indexes and hands are also treated with white luminescent treatment and, once again, emit a blue glow in dim light.
The Tourbillon with Three Flying Bridges – Aston Martin Edition, a limited edition of 18 pieces, is immediately available worldwide in all authorised Girard-Perregaux retailers.
Celebrating speed and innovation: The new LEGO® Speed Champions McLaren Elva
Pulling into the LEGO® McLaren garage today is the newest collaboration between the luxury supercar maker and iconic play company: the LEGO Speed Champions McLaren Elva.
Inspired by the lightest and most innovative McLaren supercar yet, this thrilling new set gives children and car enthusiasts alike the chance to collect, build and explore one of the world’s most exclusive open top speedsters.
Designed for unparalleled driver engagement and ultimate driving enjoyment, the McLaren Elva has no roof, windscreen or windows, making for an unforgettable driving experience. The McLaren Elva’s Active Air Management System (AAMS), uses clever aerodynamics to control the air, creating a ‘bubble’ around the occupants and sheltering them from the oncoming wind.
Just like the real thing, the 263-piece LEGO set comes with a wide chassis, incorporating the two-seat open cockpit, and authentic detailing including the AAMS vents that make the Elva so innovative and unique.
The LEGO Speed Champions McLaren Elva measures over 1.5in. (4cm) high, 6in. (16cm) long and 3in. (7cm) wide. Stunning from every angle, the detailed replica delivers an exciting building experience, perfect for display or super-aerodynamic driving action.
The LEGO Speed Champions McLaren Elva also comes with a McLaren driver minifigure, complete with race suit, helmet and wrench, inspired by McLaren Automotive’s Principal Development Engineer for Ultimate Series, Rachel Brown.
Rachel has worked on incredible vehicle projects like the McLaren Senna GTR, and also supported the design and creation of the LEGO Technic™ McLaren Senna GTR released in January this year.
Her role follows McLaren Ultimate Series models, including the Elva, all the way from concept to production and managing elements such as track and aerodynamic wind tunnel testing.
The new LEGO® Speed Champions McLaren Elva will be available from June 2021 from LEGO.com, LEGO stores, other retailers globally with an RRP of £17.99.
Lightweight aluminium gives Qashqai a cutting edge
The all-new Qashqai will be Nissan’s first model built in Europe using a significant number of lightweight aluminium panels.
The bonnet, doors and front wings are stamped from aluminium alloy, which makes the Qashqai body 60kg lighter than the previous version. This improves efficiency on emissions and helps accommodate more technology, including Qashqai’s electrified powertrain.
A £52m investment in aluminium production at Nissan’s Sunderland plant includes the 2nd extra-large press line that was launched last year and the cyclone – a recycling facility that blasts scrap metal out at 150km an hour and can handle more than seven tons of metal an hour, ensuring less waste and a greener production process.
As bonnets and doors are stamped into shape, scrap material is shredded and extracted, keeping aluminium grades separate.
The separation ensures that Nissan can return high-quality scrap to suppliers. The suppliers turn the separated aluminium scrap into aluminium alloy sheets and redeliver them to Nissan for use in production.
This “closed-loop” recycling system reclaims scrap aluminium, reducing waste and CO2 emissions. This contributes to the goal Nissan has set itself of achieving carbon neutrality across the company’s operations and the life cycle of its products by 2050.
Alan Johnson, Vice President Manufacturing at Nissan Sunderland, said: “We continue to look for ways to make both our vehicles and our manufacturing process more sustainable and the use of lightweight aluminium in the new Qashqai is a great example.
“We continue to improve the efficiency and sustainability of our manufacturing operations and Sunderland will play a key role in meeting the company’s commitment to carbon neutrality.”
Recycling scrap aluminium saves more than 90% of the energy needed to create a comparable amount from raw materials.