The Abarth 500e does not have to do without its legendary sound thanks to the sound generator function. This special feature makes it unique in its class. The brand with the scorpion amazes and awakens the emotions of fans around the world with the new Abarth 500e and the sound generator.

The sound system was developed by a dedicated sound design team. The development and integration of the sound design were carried out in the Italian NVH (Noise Vibration Harshness) department of Stellantis.

6000 hours of development work

The sound project took around two years. More than 6,000 hours of analysis were carried out to create the perfect sound backdrop for every driving experience. In addition, specialists continuously dealt with sound enhancement. In order to achieve perfect performance that is as faithful as possible to the original, the actual sound of the Abarth gasoline engine was recorded during all phases of the driving experience - acceleration, deceleration, braking, fast cornering and much more.

Legal regulations for noise

One important point was to carefully balance the sound generator to provide the driver with the most pleasant driving experience possible, even at high speeds. At the same time, the legal regulations for noise had to be complied with. In fact, the intensity of the sound generator is proportional to the speed at which the car is driven. In this case, the sound is processed through the external rear speaker. The Abarth roar of the sound generator can be switched on and off by the driver via the cluster settings when starting the car.

abarth.ch

The Lancia Pu+Ra HPE concept car evolved from the three-dimensional Lancia Pu+Ra Zero design study. It embodies the principles of the brand's new, radical design language. The body of the Pu+Ra HPE is painted in Progressive Green. The bluish-green paint features a warm gold hue produced in a special process using liquid metal pigments. The hue pays homage to the historic Azzurro Vincennes of the 1960s Lancia Flaminia. The streamlined design emphasizes the aerodynamics of the concept car.

Rear window reverence to Beta HPE

The epithet Pu+Ra stands for the pure and radical design, and HPE is the abbreviation for High Performance Electric and refers in the new edition to the powerful electric drive. HPE stood for the Beta model in the 1970s - at the time meaning High Performance Estate to designate a sporty station wagon. The rear window is also a nod to the Lancia Beta HPE.

Inside as comfortable as in the living room

Lancia developed the interior in collaboration with the luxury furniture brand Cassina. Simple shapes define the look. The interior is inspired by the elegant atmosphere of Italian homes and their harmonious architecture. Influences of Italian interior design can be seen, for example, in the round carpets and the front seats, whose shape, upholstery and color scheme are based on armchairs from the Cassina furniture brand.

Range up to 700 kilometers

The Lancia renaissance is in line with the Stellantis Group's electrification strategy. The new Lancia Ypsilon scheduled for 2024 will therefore only be launched with hybrid or fully electric drive, and from 2026 all new Lancias will be fully electric. The Pu+Ra HPE study is based on the chassis and powertrain of the future Ypsilon. The vision envisages an electric range of more than 700 kilometers.

lancia.com

During the special exhibitions on the theme of craftsmanship, the Mazda showrooms become a meeting place of art, craftsmanship and the automotive world. This demonstrates the importance of craftsmanship at Mazda, which is reflected in the events' motto "Japanese craftsmanship at its best," and the experience of its master craftsmen and their attention to detail in design.

Partnership with Onkai Heiwa

The automaker also demonstrates this in Switzerland, for example, through its partnership with Onkai Heiwa, a Zurich-based manufacturer of exclusive hats and leather goods that takes its cues from Japanese aesthetics. The founders and operators of Onkai Heiwa, Eric Blum (gallery center) and Luca Meyer, have been Takumi ambassadors for Mazda since this year - deserving masters of their art.

Auto Bettschen in Thun, for example, will be showing paintings by paper artist Marc Schweizer (gallery on the left). The artist will also offer a silhouette workshop or Get to know the world of jewelry and precious stones with Jérôme Bonneville in Lausanne (gallery right). An exceptional meeting that will allow you to take a look behind the scenes of this profession marked by passion, know-how and a touch of magic. The list of exhibitions can be found on the Internet.

Result of passion and expertise

Katarina Loksa, Marketing Director at Mazda Suisse and Head of Brand at Mazda Motor Europe: "With Crafted in Japan, Mazda emphasizes its special position as a manufacturer that places craftsmanship perfection in its vehicles above all else. Whereby perfection does not mean soulless, machine-made absence of defects, but the result of the passion and expertise of master craftsmen who create special values through their human touch."

Local events will also feature Mazda's latest models on display, with a focus on electrified variants such as the CX-60, CX-5, CX-30 and Mazda 2 Hybrid.

 mazda.ch/craftsmanship

Until June 15, 2023, the suspension manufacturer KW Automotive will grant a rebate of 100 francs when purchasing an ap coilover suspension. This ap cashback applies to the entire KW coilover suspension delivery program of the ap Sportfahrwerke brand. Under cashback interested parties will find all the important information.

Offers for sporty middle class

The ap cashback applies to the entire ap delivery program for all vehicles and model series of various car manufacturers. For models such as Alfa Romeo 147 (937), Audi A4 Avant (B9), BMW M3 (E46), BMW 4 Series (F32), Citroen C1 (P), Chevrolet Cruze (KL1J), Fiat 500 (312), Ford Focus III (DYB), Honda Civic Type R (FN2), Hyundai i30 (PDE), KIA pro_cee'd (CD), Mazda 3 MPS (BL), Mercedes-Benz C-Class (W205), Mini Cooper S (R56), Nissan 370Z (Z34), Opel Astra J, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio III, Seat Leon (5F), Skoda Octavia RS (5E), Subaru Impreza (GC), Suzuki Swift (NZ), VW Golf GTI and others. It makes no difference whether the coilovers are ordered from KW dealers, specialist dealers or directly on the homepage.

Chassis for more than 450 models

ap coilovers are already available for more than 450 models, and since the takeover of the brand by KW Automotive, the range has been continuously expanded. Thanks to their suspension design with sporty spring rates and harmonious tuning with maximum lowering, the ap coilovers offer comparatively good ride comfort in their price class.

The suspensions are also manufactured directly by KW in Fichtenberg, Swabia (see gallery). KW grants a two-year warranty on the coilover suspensions from ap if they are professionally installed by a garage.

kwsuspensions.ch

Tesla CEO Elon Musk held out the prospect of cheaper electric cars a few weeks ago. The costs for future vehicle generations should drop by half. Now the US company is announcing lower prices for Swiss buyers. The price reductions are between 3000 and 10 000 francs, depending on the model. According to Tesla, the reason for the price reduction is improvements in the design and manufacturing processes.

According to the communiqué from the company's headquarters in Austin, Texas: "Our mission at Tesla is to accelerate the transition to sustainable energy. The transformation from high-cost, low-volume products to lower-cost, mass-produced vehicles is now complete."

Sales problems in China

At the beginning of the year, Tesla lowered its prices in the important Chinese market for the second time within a few months due to sales problems. In the country, the company is facing increasingly strong domestic competition from providers such as BYD, Xpeng and Nio. Nevertheless, Tesla is the only foreign manufacturer to make it into the ranking of the ten best-selling electric cars in China.

Source: Keystone-SDA
tesla.com

The 100-member jury, consisting of automotive journalists from 32 countries, selected the Kia EV6 GT as the World Performance Car 2023. The jury evaluated a wide range of new releases from around the world, including many vehicles from established manufacturers. The experts' positive assessment of the model confirms the brand's commitment to developing alternative and attractive mobility solutions under the motto "Movement that inspires.

Inventiveness, technology and design

Ho Sung Song, President and CEO of Kia Corporation: "Recognition by the judges of the World Car Awards is a great honor. As we strive to develop Kia into a global leader in sustainable mobility solutions, we are leaving no stone unturned to build vehicles that are practical while inspiring customers through ingenuity, engineering and design."

From 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds

The all-wheel-drive Kia EV6 GT is based on the EV6 electric crossover, which has already won several awards, including European Car of the Year 2022 and North American Utility Vehicle of the Year 2023. With its maximum output of 430 kW (585 hp) and torque of 740 Nm, the EV6 GT accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 260 km/h.

This performance, coupled with its long-distance qualities, comfortable interior and striking design, enabled the top-of-the-line Kia to prevail over stiff competition from traditional gasoline-powered sports cars.

Prices for the EV6 GT start at 81,900 Swiss francs in Switzerland.

kia.ch

Since the launch of the Urus S earlier this year, this was the first driving event off paved roads. Guided by Lamborghini's instructors, guests experienced the character of the Urus S, but also got to know the area around Mount Etna. The landscape offered unparalleled driving opportunities on the road as well as drifts in a private quarry.

Lamborghini's Esperienza Terra Taormina enters its third edition, it is one of many Esperienza offerings that allow participants to experience lasting memories in the style of the Lamborghini brand.

Top speed 305 km/h

The Urus S is the successor to the Urus Super SUV with 650 hp. The output of the biturbo V8 has been increased to 666 hp and is now on a par with the Urus S Performante. Thanks to this increase, it achieves the impressive power-to-weight ratio of 3.3 kg/hp. Acceleration figures also benefit from the extra power, with the Urus S accelerating from 0 to 100 in 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h in 12.5 seconds. The top speed is 305 km/h.

Seven driving programs to choose from

Thanks to adaptive air suspension and the Strada, Sport, Corsa and Ego driving modes, the Urus' chassis offers both the direct driving feel of a super sports car and supple handling. The Terra, Neve and Sabbia off-road programs optimally adapt the torque response and vehicle balance to the surface. The versatility of the different characters on any road and in all conditions make the Urus S the ultimate lifestyle super SUV.

lamborghini.com

Anyone who wants to know more about the tube, which is important for traffic, can inspect it on Saturday, April 15, 2023. The short time between the end of construction and the start of operation offers the opportunity to experience the widest Swiss road tunnel with an excavation diameter of 16 meters. At both tunnel entrances in Weiningen and Regensdorf, food trucks will be providing culinary delights.

End of traffic jams not yet in sight

Due to outstanding drainage, surfacing and foundation work in Weiningen, the tunnel will initially have two lanes. At the beginning of July 2023, the new tunnel will finally be available in three lanes in the direction of Bern.

But: At the same time as the opening of the new tube, the renovation of the two existing two-lane tunnels, through which traffic has been rolling since 1985, will begin. First, the middle tube, which is currently used in the direction of Bern, will be renewed and closed for this purpose. This means that there will be traffic jams again.

Traffic in all tubes from 2027

After about two years, the tunnel in the direction of St. Gallen will then be repaired. According to Astra, this work should be completed by the end of 2027. Only then will all three Gubrist tubes be open at the same time and more lanes than today will be available on the Zurich northern bypass.

Source: AUTO & Economy

north bypass.ch

One of the first manufacturers from the Middle Kingdom to try its luck in Europe and also on the Swiss market is Aiways. The Shanghai brand, which was only founded in 2017, is now bringing the U6 to dealers after the U5: a 4.8-meter SUV coupe with a futuristic design, electric drive and full equipment at a good price.

The design looks fresh and new

The word Aiways is a word construction: Ai stands for love in Chinese, ways stands for driving, which coincides with the brand slogan Love the Drive. In the U6, this already starts with the exterior design: The SUV coupe turned the heads of passersby at the presentation: many stopped, turned around, and pointed their fingers at a car from a brand they had never seen before. The angular design looks fresh, stands for something new. That goes very well with the electric drive.

Top speed is from 160 km/h 

The electric motor with 160 kW (218 hp) drives the SUV coupe via the front wheels and accelerates it to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds as well as to a top speed of 160 km/h. The U6 thus pulls away quickly from a standstill and has sufficient power reserves at all times. The U6 thus pulls away briskly from a standstill and has sufficient power reserves at all times. The battery capacity of 63 kWh is sufficient for a standard range of 405 kilometers, charged with a maximum of 90 kW.

Keys for important functions

The interior is also worth seeing: The cockpit is inviting and modern, with a large, free-standing touchscreen in landscape format, on which just about everything is set, just like in Tesla. Nevertheless, there are still buttons for many important functions in the Aiways, such as for adjusting the exterior mirrors - that makes sense. The workmanship in the interior seems absolutely solid.

A lot of comfort for 48,990 francs

A huge panoramic glass roof, leather seats in a three-color interior, and a whole range of comfort features and digital gadgets, as well as all the usual assistance systems including semi-autonomous driving, are also on board - and all this is included in the price of 48,990 Swiss francs. The customer can only choose between four colors, which also cost no extra.

aiways-switzerland.ch

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