As we come to the end of another week we look at some of the motoring news which you may have missed starting with the New Citroen ë-Berlingo Electric,
The 100%-electric version of the brand’s multi-award winning MPV is now available at Retailer showrooms across the country. This new Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) represents the latest step in Citroën’s strategy to offer an electrified version of every model in its range by 2025.
Priced from just £29,575 MRRP OTR (incl. Plug-in Car Grant), Citroën ë-Berlingo Electric features a 50kWh battery offering a range of up to 174 miles (WLTP), paired with a 100kW (136hp) electric motor. New ë-Berlingo Electric is fitted with a 7.4kW on-board charger as standard, with a full re-charge taking 7.5 hours. An optional 11kW on-board charger is also available, reducing the charging time to 4 hours 45 minutes with a compatible wallbox. Alternatively, the battery is capable of charging at speeds up to 100kW, with an 80% re-charge taking just 30 minutes.
To further enhance ease-of-use, ë-Berlingo Electric benefits from Citroën’s extensive range of ë-services, including ë-Remote Control, which allows the driver to remotely schedule charging or pre-condition of the car by setting the interior temperature in advance. While on the move, Citroën ë-Berlingo Electric’s 10-inch digital instrument cluster** and 8-inch touchscreen make it easy to view the vehicle’s state of charge, remaining range and energy flows.
With zero emissions, ë-Berlingo Electric keeps running costs low for fleet operators, drivers have the advantage of a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) tax rate of just 1%*** and all versions are exemption from London Congestion and Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) charges.
New Citroën ë-Berlingo Electric is available in two body lengths. ‘M’ (Medium) variants comfortably seat five, while ‘XL’ versions are capable of carrying up to seven people thanks to a third row featuring two folding seats. Regardless of length, ë-Berlingo Electric offers exceptional practicality, with boot space in ‘M’ versions ranging from 775-litres to 3,500-litres (with all passenger seats folded forward), while the ‘XL’ model increases available boot space to between 1,050 and 4,000-litres. To maximise storage capacity, there are 26 different compartments inside ë-Berlingo Electric, which combine to add an extra 167-litres of useable space in the cabin.
Customers can choose from two trim levels: ‘Feel’ (offered in ‘M‘ and ‘XL’ lengths) and ‘Flair XTR’ (offered exclusively in the ‘M’ length). Both models feature two sliding side doors and Airbump® exterior styling, an 8-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth®, DAB radio, plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay™. All models come with a range of safety and driver assistance systems as part of Citroën’s Safety Pack. This includes Active Lane Keeping Assist, Active Safety Brake, Cruise Control and Speed Limiter, Speed Limit Recognition and Recommendation, and Driver Attention Alert.
For greater convenience, the ‘Feel’ trim comes fitted with rear parking sensors, while ‘Flair XTR’ adds a 180° colour reversing camera. ‘Flair XTR’ models also gain 17-inch ‘Spin’ alloy wheels, ‘XTR’ badging, black roof bars and door mirrors, orange fog light surrounds and orange flourishes on the Airbump® panels. Additional features inside include a 10-inch fully digital driver’s instrument cluster and a head-up display, as well as Citroën Connect Nav with real time traffic updates and connected services.
British Racing Motors confirms order for ‘new’ V16 Formula 1 car from historic racing enthusiast, Richard Mille
British Racing Motors, the iconic British Formula 1 marque, has confirmed that it has reached an agreement to build the second of three all-new P15 V16 racing cars to be built in celebration of the brand’s 70th anniversary.
Historic racing fan, sponsor, and racing car collector, Richard Mille, has been confirmed as the customer for the second BRM V16. Richard Mille, more famous for the exclusive global luxury watch business that carries his name, has the world’s most extensive collection ofBRM racing cars including a recently restoredoriginal MK1 BRM V16 and a superb original P30 V16 MK2. The all-new P15 V16 will be added to his collection, when complete,
“I have been a huge BRM fan for many years,” said Richard Mille, “ever since I started collecting historic cars more than 15 years ago, in fact. I knew I was becoming serious about BRM when I invested in the wonderful P115 H16 – but there is something I find particularly fascinating about the V16. Not only is it, to my eye, the most beautiful Formula 1 car of its time, but it is also the most technically complex, particularly if you think about the technology of the day.
“Anybody who knows my watches, will know that I admire technical complexity, attention to detail and quality,” he added. “And for me, the V16 represents all of these elements in one beautiful package. I believe it’s our duty to preserve these incredible pieces of automotive art, and this is a unique opportunity to do just that.”
The new BRM P15 V16 commissioned by Richard Mille, is already in production and will follow the same build process as the first, which was completed in early September, and made its dynamic debut at the world-famous Goodwood Revival event, in front of packed grandstands at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, near Chichester, West Sussex.
The car will be manufactured by BRM specialists, Hall and Hall, using original post-war drawings and blueprints from the BRM archive. As each new P15 comprises more than 36,000 individually engineered parts, the build will take around 24 months to complete. But the final product is a ‘new’ BRM V16 with a degree of authenticity and excellence rarely, if ever, seen in the world of historic motor racing.
Jaguar Racing unveil new title partner, livery and organisation updates ahead of 2021/22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship
Tata Consultancy Services join iconic British racing team Jaguar Racing as title partner ahead of the 2021/22 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. The team will be known as Jaguar TCS Racing.
The leading global IT services, consulting and business solutions organisation, Tata Consultancy Services expand on their global sponsorship portfolio in endurance running events which includes the TCS New York City Marathon, TCS London Marathon, TCS Amsterdam Marathon and more – will become the title partner of Jaguar TCS Racing from season 8 with a new long-term multi-year partnership.
Jaguar Land Rover and TCS will build on an existing business relationship with the new Jaguar TCS Racing partnership. Translating its leadership in technology transformation and experience working with premier players in the automotive value chain, TCS has the ambition and belief to support Jaguar TCS Racing to become a global showcase for electrification.
The rebranding of the team includes a revised livery of the successful Jaguar I-TYPE 5 race car for the upcoming Formula E season. Additionally, Jaguar TCS Racing have been given additional prominence within Jaguar Land Rover’s recently launched motorsport division as part of the company’s Reimagine strategy. Jaguar TCS Racing’s goal is to ‘Reimagine Racing’ and use this highly relevant motorsport activity to test, learn, develop, collaborate, and share innovations including cutting-edge electric vehicle technologies across Jaguar Land Rover to benefit future road car development. Specifically, learnings and technology transfer from Formula E will help ‘Reimagine’ the Jaguar brand as an all-electric luxury brand from 2025, coinciding with the company’s commitment to the Gen3 era of Formula E.
The New 2022 Range Rover to Receive an Enhanced Taillight from Glohh
Glohh teases potential OLED taillight solution GF-1 following last week’s worldwide premiere of the new 2022 Range Rover model.
Reception of the 2022 Range Rover identified potential to create a lighting system befitting the expectations associated with a modern luxury vehicle. The concept light signature is designed to deliver a symmetrical impression of light by implementing a horizontal light strip across the entire length of the tailgate, creating a clear design structure and an unmistakable road presence. This vision is born from enhancing Range Rover’s personalised experience with the Glohh design philosophy of uniqueness and safety, appealing to the truly luxurious individual.
Expanding on the “hidden until lit” design philosophy presented by Range Rover, Glohh is implementing new OLED technology to create a blank canvas, allowing them not only to offer the classic signal functions, but create a personalised experience that resonates with the senses. With the introduction of a Mood Matrix System (MMS), a user-defined display that allows you to change the identity of the GF-1 rear light at will, customer’s will be given the choice of three light signatures, each revitalising the rear view of the Range Rover with a unique design depth reflecting the contemporary impression exhibited by the vehicle’s front.
Technology used to shape the striking visual appearance of the concept light signature shines new light on opportunities for enhanced safety, a core value of automotive lighting. Considering the importance of being seen and understood on the road, Glohh aims to improve safety through adjustable OLED segments individually controlled to develop diverse levels of brightness. These segments reduce back glare by automatically adjusting the brightness to provide the most optically satisfying contrast dependent on the distance of the following vehicle.
This concept is still in the early stages of design and may evolve based on the sales and performance of the 2022 Range Rover internationally and will be evaluated towards the final quarter of 2023. However, the Range Rover’s predecessor (2012 – 2021) will see a Glohh taillight in the form of the highly anticipated GL-6, set to release during 2022.
The Wait is Almost Over: Ford Announces Next-Gen Ranger Reveal Date
Ford Motor Company will reveal the much-anticipated next-generation Ford Ranger pick-up on November 24.
Ford has reimagined, redesigned and reengineered the Ranger to be the smartest, most versatile and most capable Ranger ever for customers in more than 180 markets around the world. Ford conducted more than 5,000 interviews and worked with hundreds of pick-up owners, in dozens of workshops across the globe to find out how owners used their trucks, what they liked, what they wished it had and what experiences mattered the most to them.
This customer-centric approach helped Ford design and engineer solutions with the next-generation Ranger that customers wanted and would appreciate.
“As designers, we engaged with customers much earlier in the process, spent more time with them and got more insights than ever before”, said Max Tran, Chief Designer, Ranger.
“Interestingly, we found that no matter what market, our customers are doers. They like solving their own problems, and they like to feel confident in their truck … not just the way the vehicle functions but the way they feel when they’re driving it.”
With a rugged new look, and a host of new features that boost productivity, capability and versatility, the next-generation Ranger is designed to go more places, work harder and offer more comfort and refinement than ever before.
Multimatic launches next-gen technologies on new Ford Bronco DR off-road racer
The new Ford Bronco DR, the ultimate production desert racing vehicle, relies on several of Multimatic’s innovative solutions to meet the harsh demands of off-road racing and performance driving enthusiasts.
As a long-term partner of Ford Performance, Multimatic is proud to have been tasked with the development, build, and distribution of the Ford Bronco DR that demands the utmost in performance, strength, and durability from all aspects of its construction.
“After working with Multimatic on such successful programs as the Ford GT road and race cars, the Ford GT Mk II track car and every iteration of competition Mustangs, they are the natural partner for our new entry into off-road motorsports that builds on our desert racing heritage with the Ford Bronco. Multimatic’s long-standing reputation for delivering winning results in some of the world toughest endurance races, and high build quality of performance vehicles ensure that competitors will find Bronco DR both thrilling to drive and competitive,” said, Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports global director.
The Ford Bronco DR’s long-travel suspension is designed around bespoke Multimatic Positional Selective DSSV™ Dampers, specifically engineered, calibrated, and scaled for the torturous impacts and loads of long-distance, high-speed desert racing. This largest and toughest evolution of Multimatic’s proprietary spool valve dampers to date brings together an 80mm diameter main-body tube, a pair of high capacity finned fluid returns located at the valve exits to maximize cooling, and five spool valves per damper selectively creating a range of positional damping control.
The rear dampers feature 22mm shafts and 70mm pistons in a package over 1,000mm in length with a stroke of 425mm. The front dampers include the same size shafts and pistons in a more compact 842mm package with a stroke of 260mm. Running in parallel, primary monotube DSSV™ dampers on the rear and coil-overs on the front operate through two spool valves each, for a total of seven per corner, controlling suspension motion.
Developed exclusively for the Bronco DR, the Multimatic spool-valve dampers provide three distinct damping levels, or zones, in bump and two in the rebound stroke. The boundaries between each zone are precisely defined and the stroke position at which the different damping forces engage is unrestricted and selectable, giving this DSSV damper the ability to handle the ever-changing off-road terrain conditions with precise control.
For ultimate rigidity, durability, and occupant protection, Multimatic performed extensive analytical simulations in the engineering and optimization of Bronco DR’s SCORE-compliant roll cage and highly modified chassis-frame structure. The final design retains the production Bronco’s Multimatic-manufactured, blow-form-hardened Boron Steel ACCRA® roof rails.
