The market today offers a wide range of very different car tires. Finding the right tires for your car and your own needs is becoming increasingly difficult. The expansion of the free online portal to mark the 50th anniversary of the TCS tire tests comes at just the right time.

To ensure greater transparency and expanded comparison options when choosing tires, the mobility club is launching an expanded search tool that includes around 17,000 tires for all needs and in various designs and sizes. This new comparison tool is available immediately on the TCS website.

Important help when buying the tires

In just a few steps, you can directly compare summer, winter or all-season tires with regard to their properties in terms of driving safety, fuel consumption, comfort and noise behavior, as well as sustainability and wear. Those who want to know even more precisely can refine the search and also enter parameters such as tire dimension, load and speed index or tire manufacturer.

Experts have been testing tires for 50 years

This year, TCS celebrates the 50th anniversary of its tire tests (center gallery). The demands placed on tires have evolved enormously over these five decades. Not only the cars, but also the environment and the roads have changed. A tire must be safe to drive on any road surface, it must be optimized for rolling resistance and wear as well as low noise, and it must withstand the continuously increasing speeds and weights of cars.

Continuous product development has, for example, reduced the braking distance on wet roads from 80 to 55 meters compared with 1973, which significantly improves road safety.

tires.tcs.ch

The Mobility cooperative increased sales to 83.9 million Swiss francs in 2022, presenting an annual profit of 1.4 million Swiss francs. Although this result is significantly worse than in the previous year (2.8 million), it is better than expected.

Mobility CEO Roland Lötscher: "I consider the result a nice success. Especially when we consider the difficult market situation in which we are operating as an SME."

Zero-emission fleet by 2030

In 2022, Mobility was confronted with sharply increased prices for fuel, energy and vehicle procurement. In addition, an increase in the volume of damage caused additional expenses for vehicle maintenance.

However, delivery delays for electric cars and charging stations also caused problems. These trends are likely to continue or even intensify in the current year in view of the various crises in the world. Nevertheless, Mobility intends to push ahead with the conversion of its vehicle fleet to electric drives so that it can be driven without emissions by 2030.

Companies rely on car sharing

Last year, Mobility celebrated its 25th birthday and counted more than a quarter of a million customers for the first time. People are again making greater use of car-sharing services since the abolition of the home-office obligation in February 2022. Mobility's business customer segment in particular developed positively, attracting 150 new companies.

But the cooperative also recorded greater growth among private customers. In order to increasingly appeal to younger customers, Mobility launched a new product in November 2022. People under the age of 28 can use this product at particularly favorable conditions.

mobility.ch

To date, around 165,000 VW Transporters California have been sold around the world. Production of the legendary California 6.1 model will now cease at the end of 2023. VW Commercial Vehicles Switzerland is therefore launching a special edition. Two versions are on offer: the California 6.1 Beach Last Edition and the California 6.1 Ocean Last Edition.

The Bulli is a multi-talent

The Bulli is the favorite camper van of globetrotters... Features such as the bed integrated in the pop-up roof, the camping chairs stowed in the tailgate or the table clipped into the sliding door make the California an all-rounder among motorhomes. Since 2003, the car has been built in the California production plant by a team of around 470 employees in Hanover on the basis of the Transporter. Production will now cease at the end of 2023.

Advanced Standard equipment

Based on the popular equipment lines Edition, the special models shine with additionally extended standard equipment such as Digital Cockpit, infotainment Discover Pro and aluminum rims Springfield black 18 J x 18. Customers of the most popular camper in Switzerland can thus benefit once again from attractive offers with the Last Edition models towards the end of production. The special models can be ordered immediately from dealers in Switzerland.

volkswagen-nutzfahrzeuge.ch

The new model with up to seven seats combines a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors, resulting in a system output of 141 hp. The energy for the electric drive is supplied by a 1.2 kWh battery housed under the rear seats. The seats are comfortable, provide good lateral support, and the chassis absorbs bumps.

Clear instrumentation

The interior has a pleasant atmosphere. The driver behind the steering wheel looks at a clearly arranged instrumentation. Conventional buttons in the steering wheel and controls under the touch-sensitive screen control the cruise control and air conditioning or the on-board computer and other settings.

After the start, the 4.54-meter-long jogger initially rolls along the asphalt electrically; the combustion engine soon switches on, but always falls silent when the battery is sufficient for electric operation. The Dacia is basically electric, especially in the city. Consumption there is then 4.9 liters. A case for calculators. Fits perfectly into the time.

dacia.ch

A visit to the Mercedes-Benz Museum over the Easter holidays is an experience for all generations. The gates are open from Good Friday, April 7, to Easter Monday, April 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The permanent exhibition with 160 vehicles and a total of 1500 exhibits tells the story of the automobile from its invention by Carl Benz and Gottlieb Daimler in 1886 to the future.

The tour is currently supplemented by the large special exhibition Moving in Stereo. On display are more than 150 works of art from 1910 to the present day from the Mercedes-Benz Art Collection.

Actions for children in the campus

New additions to the Mythos 7 room are the two streamlined racing cars Benz Spezial-Tourenwagen Prinz Heinrich from 1910 and Mercedes-Benz SSKL Avus from 1932. Because the original no longer exists, Mercedes-Benz has reconstructed the vehicle true to the original with the help of archive documents in 2019.

During the Easter holiday period from April 6 to 15, the Campus children's area will be open on weekdays in addition to weekends. Always from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., children accompanied by adults can participate in Easter craft activities. Registration is not required.

mercedes-benz.com

Škoda Switzerland has been the mobility partner of the Theodora Foundation for 20 years and supports its activities. Now, the new vehicle fleet consisting of six Enyaq iVs has been handed over at Amag Schinznach-Bad. With this, Škoda is now also electrifying the Theodora Foundation, which will be on the road with fully electric vehicles for the first time.

Partnership for 30 years

Markus Kohler, Brand Director Škoda Switzerland: "The Theodora Foundation has been doing great things for 30 years. For us, this partnership is much more than just providing vehicles. It is a matter of the heart for us."

In the future, the foundation will be on the road with four all-electric Enyaq iV 80s with rear-wheel drive and two Enyaq iV 80xs with all-wheel drive.

72 dream doctors in action

Since 1993, the Theodora Foundation has pursued the goal of brightening the everyday lives of children in hospitals and specialized institutions with joy and laughter. Every year, the professionally trained Dream Doctors of the Theodora Foundation give laughter and moments of happiness to little patients throughout Switzerland on thousands of children's visits. Every week, the Foundation organizes the visit of 72 Dream Doctors to the little patients.

skoda.ch

Whether one can speak of an "unchanged DNA," as the manufacturer does, remains to be seen. The pioneer of the van segment in Europe will now become an ordinary SUV after the recent lounge-like touring sedan: Renault will soon open the order books for the new Espace. It will be offered as a five- and seven-seater with up to 32 assistance systems and optional all-wheel steering. The new generation is over 200 kilograms lighter.

Sufficient space for occupants and luggage

The 4.72-meter Espace has 18 centimeters of ground clearance and, with a shorter exterior, a longer interior. The trunk volume ranges between 159 liters and 1818 liters depending on the seating arrangement. The center bench seat can be moved by up to 22 centimeters.

Even the entry-level Techno version has a cockpit with two screens in the shape of a horizontal L. In addition to the horizontal 321-square-centimeter 12.3-inch TFT speedometer display, it includes the 453-square-centimeter vertical 12-inch touchscreen in the center console. A 9.3-inch head-up display is also available as an option.

Turbo gasoline engine and two electric units

The E-Tech Full-Hybrid 200 engine consists of a three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine and two electric units. The 1.2-liter combustion engine delivers 131 hp and 205 Nm of torque, the main E-engine 50 kW (68 hp) and also 205 Nm, and the secondary starter generator provides a further 18 kW (25 hp) and 50 Nm. It serves as a starter and for changing the total of 14 possible driving gears of the multi-mode transmission. Renault quotes a standard consumption of 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers in the lightest version.

Source: Car-Medienportal.net
renault.ch

The GLC Coupé, sporty sister model to the GLC SUV, completes Mercedes' popular SUV range. It will be available in the Western European markets from July. With striking proportions, the SUV Coupé combines sporty performance with electrified powertrains. Either as a plug-in hybrid or as a mild hybrid with 48-volt technology, the new model can cope with any terrain.

Off-road, the coupe scores with all-wheel drive and the purely electric off-road driving of the plug-in models. Thanks to the off-road screen and the "transparent hood" as part of the 360-degree camera, the driving experience is even more impressive. Rear-wheel steering and air suspension are also optional.

Much comfort in the interior

At 4.76 meters long and 1.89 meters wide, the car offers 390 to 1490 liters of storage space, depending on the model and seat configuration. The interior is equipped with the Avantgarde Line as standard. The free-standing 12.3-inch high-resolution screen in front of the driver appears to float, and the 11.9-inch central display protrudes from the center console. The intuitive Hey Mercedes voice control now responds even better to inputs of natural speech. Music streaming providers can be integrated into the MBUX system with personal settings.

Integrated starter generator

The mild hybrid units of the GLC 200, 300, 220d and 300d versions are equipped with an integrated second-generation starter generator and offer 204, 258, 197 and 269 hp as maximum outputs. In the three plug-in hybrid versions 300e, 400e and 300de, there is an all-electric drive mode and increased torque. System outputs offered are 204, 252 and 197 hp. Prices will be announced later.

mercedes-benz.ch

48 teams with modern vehicles have registered for the traditional rally in the Jura. That is 30 fewer than last year, when the rally finally took place again after a two-year break from Corona.

Patrick Spart, one of the two vice-presidents of the Critérium Jurassien, along with Julien Grosjean: ""I called 100 rally drivers, but I couldn't gather more than 48 teams with modern vehicles. This makes us very worried not only for this edition, but also for the future. We would need at least 60 teams to be in the black."

Mike Coppen's contender for victory

From a sporting point of view, there are no absences to report at the top. Last year's winner Michaël Burri is missing. But the local hero has been driving with a French license for some time and is therefore not eligible for points in the Swiss championship. Last year's SM winner Mike Coppens would like to repeat his triumph of 2022.

The 43-year-old from the Valais with co-driver Christophe Roux is not only one of the contenders for victory in the Jura, he is also a hot title contender. Jonathan Michellod and co-driver Stéphane Fellay are also pursuing this goal. Like Coppens, last year's overall runner-up relies on a Skoda Fabia Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo. Unlike Coppens, Michellod has already completed a rally in Italy this year.

Jonathan Hirschi is top favorite

In addition to the two fast Wallisians, reigning champion Jonathan Hirschi is one of the top favorites in the Jura. If one of the top three fails, one of the local heroes Sacha Althaus (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo), David Erard (Skoda Fabia R5), Steeves Schneeberger (Ford Fiesta R5) and Jean-Marc Salomon (VW Polo GTI R5) could step into the breach.

Last year's overall fourth-place finisher Sergio Pinto in his Alpine A110 Rally RGT should not be forgotten. The man from the Valais, usually the sole entertainer in the Michelin Trophy Alps Open in 2022, will face three opponents from France in his class in the Jura, two of them in an identical Alpine, one on a Porsche 997 GT3 Cup.

The first tests on Friday

13 drivers are entered in the Swiss Rally Cup. Among them are the top 3 of 2022: Philippe Broussoux, Claude Aebi (both Renault Clio) and Laurent Rossi (Peugeot 206 XS). Among the historic cars, 17 cars are on the grid in the VHC, which like the moderns race for time, and 12 in the VHRS, which tackle the 121.39 scoring kilometers in the Jura as a regularity competition.

The rally starts on Friday evening with the first stage from Courtemautruy to Les Enfers. The remaining ten special stages will take place on Saturday from 8 am. Further information is available on the Internet.

Swiss Rally Championship 2023

• March 31 - April 1, Critérium Jurassien
• June 1 to 3, Rally du Chablais
• July 8 and 9, Rallye de Bourgogne - Côte Chalonnaise (F)
• August 31 - September 2, Rally Mont-Blanc Morzine (F)
• September 29 and 30, Rally del Ticino
• October 26-28, Rally International du Valais

Sources: motorsport.ch, Video TeamMaxicorde
criterium-jurassien.ch

An agreement has been reached in the dispute between Germany and the EU over the use of synthetic fuels in new cars after 2035. This means that the so-called ban on internal combustion engines is off the table. Federal Transport Minister Dr. Volker Wissing announced that it had now been possible to ensure technological neutrality within the framework of fleet regulation. This clears the way for vehicles with internal combustion engines to be newly registered after 2035. The prerequisite is that they only use CO2-neutral fuels.

Necessary steps and schedule

According to the Ministry of Transport, necessary steps and a concrete timetable have also already been set. First, there will be the creation of the new "e-fuels only" vehicle category. It will then be included in the fleet limit regulation. The EU and the German government want to have completed the process by fall of next year.

Prevention by Germany

In October, the European Parliament and EU member states agreed that only zero-emission new cars would be allowed to be registered in the EU from 2035. Confirmation of the agreement by the EU member states, scheduled for the beginning of March, was initially prevented by Germany. Since then, the German Federal Ministry of Transport and the EU Commission had been negotiating a compromise.

E-fuels exemption for all vehicles

During the agreement in principle in the fall, Germany had negotiated an addendum to the agreement according to which the EU Commission is to submit a proposal on how vehicles powered exclusively by e-fuels can be registered after 2035. According to the business magazine Handelsblatt, the EU Commission read the corresponding paragraph as meaning that only special vehicles such as ambulances or fire trucks would be affected. According to Berlin's reading, however, the e-fuels exemption should apply to all vehicles.

Ambitious climate targets in transport

Hildegard Müller, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry: "The ambitious climate targets for transport can only be achieved with renewable fuels. The coalition's political decision to allow vehicles to be refueled with largely climate-neutral fuels such as e-fuels and HVO fuels (fuels made from vegetable oils and organic residues. The ed.) in pure form in the future is therefore good news for climate protection."

auto-medienportal.net