On October 5 this year, the first edition of GIMS Qatar will open in Doha, showcasing luxury and sports cars, as well as classic cars. The new auto show is intended to be more than just an exhibition in a world-class setting - it is meant to be the ultimate festival of automotive excellence. Until October 14, it will offer car lovers unforgettable experiences around a wide variety of vehicles.

Combination with run of Formula 1

Visitors will also have the opportunity to drive or be driven to special locations in extraordinary cars - on the road, on the race track or even in the desert dunes.

The trade show experience will be enhanced by the simultaneous staging of the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix 2023. From October 6 to 8, this will bring together renowned players from the automotive industry in a highly dynamic environment.

Joint commitment of the partners

GIMS Qatar is also the result of the joint commitment of the political authorities, car importers and the Qatari automotive industry. Together, they have agreed on a clear roadmap to support the show in Qatar and position it as a major automotive exhibition. The Motor Show will digitally connect audiences with exhibitors, the vehicles on display and other highlights of the event.

GIMS TV and other content created around the major event in the desert state on the Persian Gulf are to be made available to the media and the public. online be made available.

gims.swiss

In the case of plug-in hybrids, the VDA expects sales to fall significantly to around 255,000 units due to the discontinuation of subsidies at the end of 2022. That would be around 30 percent fewer than last year.

Overall, the VDA expects sales of around 765,000 BEVs and PHEVs. This corresponds to a decline of around eight percent compared with the previous year. The share of e-models in total registrations is likely to fall slightly by three percentage points to 28 percent compared with 2022, the industry association reckons.

Confidence in electromobility

VDA President Hildegard Müller: "January's new registration figures already showed a significant decline in e-registrations. And we expect the reduction in subsidies for purely battery-electric passenger cars and the removal of subsidies for plug-in hybrids to continue to have a negative impact on the ramp-up of electromobility."

This makes it all the more important to boost people's confidence in electromobility in other ways. Above all, it's about being able to charge at any time and anywhere without complications.

Hildegard Müller: "But that is not the case everywhere at the moment. More speed is needed in expanding the charging infrastructure, because there is still a large gap between e-cars and charging points."

One million charging points by 2030

Statistically, there are currently 23 electric cars per charging point in Germany. To achieve the German government's target of one million charging points by 2030, the average rate of expansion would have to increase fivefold. In addition, consumers are currently unsettled by the high electricity prices. They need to be reduced permanently. In addition, taxes, charges and levies in the energy sector should generally be put to the test.

vda.com

For the inhabitants of southern France, the mistral is present all year round, but when it increases in strength towards the end of winter, it heralds the arrival of spring. In the foothills of the Côte d'Azur, where it often blows, the Bugatti W16 Mistral feels right at home. The roadster's power comes from Bugatti's W16 engine, which in this variant produces 1600 hp. The W16 Mistral delivers performance like no roadster before it has ever done. Its top speed is only reached at 420 km/h.

Engine performance and aerodynamics

Two air intakes mounted behind the driver and front passenger allow air to flow permanently into the 8-liter W16, while a wider and deeper version of the horseshoe-shaped radiator grille allows the engine radiator to be fed entirely by just one intake.

All the air flowing in at the side intakes is diverted through the two radiators over the rear wheels and through the X-shaped taillights of the W16 Mistral. All 99 examples of the W16 Mistral were sold immediately.

bugatti.com

Klassikwelt Bodensee celebrates many special shows this year, for example 100 years of BMW motorcycles, the most beautiful convertibles and coupes, 75 years of Porsche and Airshow on the Messerundkurs. In addition to the popular Vintage Racing on the Messerundkurs, luxurious Riva boats can be admired on the grounds.

Mercedes, BMW and Porsche jubilate

Those who prefer solid ground under their feet should take a look at the special show 75 Years of Porsche. At the same time, the legendary 911 went into series production 60 years ago. The Graf Zeppelin racing club in the ADAC is honoring the two anniversaries of the sports car brand by presenting the most important models.

The Baby Benz is also celebrating a milestone birthday. Exactly 30 years ago, one of the most important Mercedes-Benz models, the W201, rolled off the production line for the last time. A milestone in motorcycle history is also being celebrated. 100 years ago, a boxer engine was fitted in the frame of a BMW motorcycle for the first time. It was the start of a unique success story. Exclusive motorcycles by the world-famous Swiss motorcycle tuner Fritz Egli will be presented by the Pit Stop Museum in Tübingen.

Vintage Racing with 120 bolides and bikes

The Vintage Racing continues at a rapid pace. What began at the start of Klassikwelt Bodensee with a parade through downtown Friedrichshafen has developed over the years into a unique highlight. More than 120 racing cars and racing motorcycles drive their laps on a 1.6-kilometer-long exhibition circuit between the exhibition grounds and the airport, exuding the zeitgeist of historic racing history. At the same time, the paddock offers direct insights into what goes on behind the scenes of a pit stop.

Owners of classic convertibles and coupes are invited to exhibit their gems at the show. Applications can be sent to juergen.acker@messe-fn.de with immediate effect. At the Airshow, some of Germany's best pilots will launch their aircraft at Lake Constance Airport every day at 2 p.m. for an air show. In addition, more than a dozen aviation classics will be on display in the hangar of exhibition hall A3.

klassikwelt-bodensee.de

Thanks to the increased battery capacity of 19.2 kWh, the plug-in hybrid Range Rover Velar P400e can now cover up to 64 kilometers in pure electric mode. The drive system combines a 2-liter gasoline engine with 300 hp and a 105 kW electric motor into a complete package with 297 kW (404 hp) of system output and 640 Nm of maximum torque. As a result, the Velar P400e sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and reaches a top speed of 209 km/h, and 140 km/h in pure electric mode.

Plug-in hybrids, diesel and gasoline engines

In addition to the Velar P400e, other diesels and gasoline engines from the Ingenium engine family with 48-volt mild hybrid technology are available. The gasoline engines P250 and P40 produce 250 and 400 hp and are combined with a revised 8-speed automatic transmission.

The D300 inline six-cylinder diesel develops 300 hp and delivers up to 650 Nm of torque to the four wheels. In the D200, the four-cylinder offers 204 hp and 430 Nm.

With adaptive damping as standard

All versions with six-cylinder and PHEV drive and all Dynamic HSE variants feature Adaptive Dynamics as standard. The intelligent active chassis control system continuously monitors wheel and body movements and adjusts the degree of damping at all four wheels. Adaptive Dynamics also has appropriate tuning for off-road use.

Quietest interior in its class

The new generation Velar debuts the further development of the Pivi Pro infotainment system with a curved 11.4-inch touchscreen. This fits perfectly into the center console and opens up access to the digital control units for climate control, volume and seat actuation. The Range Rover also boasts one of the quietest interiors in its class, thanks to the Meridian Sound System's active noise cancellation.

jaguarlandrover.com

After three years of testing, the Berlin-based company has now been able to successfully drive the first car controlled only by so-called teledrivers on a public road with an exemption permit in place since December 2022. The route comprises a predefined area on which tele-driven journeys will be tested from now on.

Vays CEO and co-founder Thomas von der Ohe: "This is a huge success for our entire team, but also for Hamburg and Europe. Germany can take the global lead in teledriving technology."

Teledriver brings car to the customer

Vay is working on a door-to-door service in which customers order an electric vehicle via app. What makes it special is that a teledriver brings the car directly to the customer - remotely controlled from the teledriving center. There, drivers sit at a station steering wheel and pedals and all controls.

They have an overview of the traffic situation via several screens as well as headphones. Once the customers have arrived at their destination, a teledriver takes over the vehicle again. This eliminates the time-consuming search for a parking space.

Service like car-sharing offers

The issuer of the exemptions is the Authority for Transport and Mobility Change of the City of Hamburg (BVM). A positive expert opinion from TÜV Süd has confirmed in particular the "functional safety" and "cyber security" of the Vay Telefahr system. In terms of cost, the service is expected to be similar to car-sharing offers and, in the long term, to provide a convenient alternative to private cars. With Vay's service, fewer electric vehicles should be able to transport more people in inner-city areas than with conventional private transport.

Source: Car Media Portal
vay.io

The all-electric Rolls-Royce Spectre supercoupé has already covered almost two million kilometers. It is the most elaborate test program in the brand's 118-year history. The Spectre is currently undergoing extreme heat tests at two locations in South Africa. There, temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius in the north, while the south hosts a variety of terrains - including winding country roads full of gravel and dust. During this phase, engineers refine every system, every hardware element and every software protocol.

Recuperation is optimized

The refinements now made follow the principles of marginal gains, where individual, very small adjustments cumulatively produce a significant overall improvement. Although this theory is widely used in elite sports and high-level business, Spectre testing uses it to an unprecedented extent as part of the long validation process.

Already more than 1500 hours have been spent refining the vehicle's recuperation to ensure the process feels effortless. Special sensing devices process sensor data of the braking force to ensure that the adjustments do not affect Spectre's composure under any circumstances. However, it is only the experience of long-serving Rolls-Royce engineers that truly ensures that the car meets all of the brand's standards once testing is complete.

Peace and quiet like a concert hall

As the vehicle approaches the final stages of the test program, further adjustments are being made to the sealing materials to deliver Rolls-Royce's aeroacoustic performance. This process is important because these materials behave very differently across the temperature spectrum. In parallel, the audio system is also being refined to further enhance the sound quality delivered through the 17 speakers.

rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Following its market launch in 2017, Porsche has further developed the third generation of the Cayenne with far-reaching measures to the powertrain, chassis, design, equipment, and connectivity. In addition to realigning the drive range, the engineers at the Weissach Development Center dug deep into the Cayenne's chassis technology.

The aim was to achieve an even greater range between on-road performance, long-distance comfort and off-road capability. To this end, the Cayenne will feature, among other things, a new, semi-active chassis. In addition, a new, extensively digitized display and operating concept with enhanced Connect functions will be used.

Simulation and road tests

The extensively renewed technology required an elaborate testing process in order to perfectly match the many newly developed components.

Test manager Ralf Bosch: "We subject the Cayenne to a complete test program. This hardly differs from that of a completely new development. In addition to the increasingly precise virtual simulations, however, real testing continues to be of great importance to Porsche. It represents the maturity test for every new model."

Under everyday conditions, the vehicles complete more than 200,000 kilometers in city traffic, on country roads and on highways in shift operation within a few months.

The Cayenne is a multi-talent

With the aim of proving quality and durability in different climatic zones, the prototypes have been traveling around the world. In total, more than four million test kilometers have been covered.

Dirk Lersch, Team Leader Prototype Assembly and Testing for the Cayenne: "Anyone who buys a Porsche Cayenne should know that it can withstand exceptionally high loads-regardless of the surface being driven on."

The new Cayenne will soon be making its debut.

porsche.ch

The trial operation with the Loxo Alpha is intended to demonstrate how autonomous goods transport vehicles can add value in last-mile operations. A bold idea already took shape in 2018 when the city of Fribourg tested autonomous passenger shuttles.

The Loxo founders' team was involved in evaluating the safety of this new technology, which sparked a desire to create the most reliable autonomous vehicle for the

In use in Europe for the first time

Now the first vehicle has been built, the Loxo Alpha celebrated its world premiere in Bern in December 2022 (see video). As of now, the vehicle is now driving its first commercial application in Lucerne, where it delivers grocery orders on a daily basis. It is a European first for an autonomous vehicle to be allowed onto public roads fully autonomously without a safety driver.

Noviv Mobility AG will accompany the new delivery service as operator of the vehicle. It is the service and repair base, takes care of the charging processes and accompanies the trips with two teleoperators trained by Loxo, who can control the autonomously driving Alpha via remote access in case of emergency.

Start-up with experienced partner

Noviv Mobility AG has also entered into an exclusive sales and aftersales partnership with Loxo for Switzerland. This will enable it to support the young start-up later on when it enters the market in the near future.

Amin Amini, co-founder and CEO of Loxo: "With Noviv Mobility AG, we have a company as a partner that is also young and has the same desire to try out new things. But as part of the Amag Group, Noviv is also a partner with more than 77 years of experience in the field of individual mobility and vehicle maintenance."

loxo.ch

The newly opened Lancia flagship store in Milan symbolizes the brand's core values. The dark color of the exterior façade makes the large, bright windows and the new Lancia lettering stand out particularly well. The new brand logo, prominently placed on a pillar, is also a strong symbol of the brand's new era and its entry into electric mobility.

Four pillars of corporate identity

Luca Napolitano, CEO Lancia (center gallery): "From 2024, this will be followed by dealer networks in other European countries to complete this process in time for the launch of the new Lancia Ypsilon. The new corporate identity reflects the four pillars on which Lancia's 10-year strategy is based, namely quality, electrification, sustainability and a new distribution model. We are ready to welcome customers in the new showrooms, which are elegant from the outside and welcoming from the inside."

Efficiently established distribution network

Following the opening of the store in Milan, Lancia is continuing the renewal of its sales network in other Italian cities in the second quarter of the year. The aim is to convert at least half of the Italian dealer network to the new corporate identity by the end of 2023. When the new Lancia Ypsilon is launched in the second quarter of 2024, the adaptation of the Italian dealer network should be complete.

Lancia is implementing a combination of digital and real channels in its new sales system. Customers can start their buying experience in the comfort of their own home online and then continue it with the support of sales staff at local dealerships. Outside Italy, the focus will be on online sales.

lancia.com