The Peugeot Inception Concept vehicle represents the optimistic vision of the lion brand and is designed to successfully meet the challenges of the future. With the brand-typical i-Cockpit and a Hypersquare operating system, the study aims to increase driving pleasure through new, intuitive vehicle operation.

The new concept of the Skyspace panoramic glass roof provides new impressions. The new design line will inspire the future products of the brand up to the compact models.

Dimension between dream and reality

The name Inception comes from Latin and means beginning. The concept car is designed to transport drivers and passengers into a new dimension between dream and reality. It was developed on one of the four future BEV-by-design platforms of the Stellantis Group. This new platform series will be introduced as early as this year. With the platform version Large, on which the Inception Concept is based, the study reaches a length of five meters with a height of only 1.34 meters.

Charging in the future conveniently without a cable

The all-electric concept vehicle is equipped with 800-volt technology. It is said to be able to cover 800 kilometers on a full charge of the 100-kWh battery. 30 kilometers of additional range can be tapped in just one minute, and electricity for 150 kilometers can be recharged in five minutes. Since the car can be charged inductively, no cable is needed. Two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear, together deliver 500 kW (680 hp) to all four wheels. This enables acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in less than three seconds.

The steering wheel of the steer-by-wire steering system is replaced by a Hypersquare control system in which digital controls take the place of mechanical connecting elements. The passengers are the focus of 7.25 square meters of glass surface, which contributes significantly to the typical design of this concept car.

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Runners-up are teammates Hank Lategan and Brett Cummings. The best Audi team is Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist in 5th place. The motorcycle classification is led by Skyler Howes on Husqvarna (left gallery), who finished second. Current leader in the Trucks is Martin Vandenbrink in the Iveco Powerstar (center gallery).

Yamaha leads in quad class

Alexandre Giroud on Yamaha Raptor (gallery on the right) remained leader in Quad class after the sixth stage, while in Side-by-Side-Vehicles Rodrigo Luppi de Oliveira and Mikel Justu in Can-Am Maverick XRS Turbo are in front.

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The all-electric vehicle is part of Ram's contribution to Stellantis' Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan. It is said to be groundbreaking .in the areas of range, towing capacity, payload and charging time. Detailed technical information on the production version will be delivered in the coming months.

For the first time, there is a third row of seats

The manufacturer describes the body design of the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept car as "brutiful" - brutal yet beautiful. A modernized brand emblem adorns the new front end. Access to the passenger compartment is in the style of a large sedan through counter-opening doors without a B-pillar. New features also include a front trunk that opens and closes electrically, and digital cameras are installed instead of exterior mirrors.

Riding on 24-inch wheels, the pickup is equipped with automatic level control. Its interior allows great flexibility for different seating configurations thanks to a longer cab and the Ram Track rail mounting system. For the first time, there is a third row of seats with folding seats.

The steering wheel can be folded

In the cockpit, the touchscreen display stands out with two screens and a combined display diagonal of up to 71 centimeters. The steering wheel is flattened and foldable at the top and bottom, and the glass roof with electrochromic panels and integrated roof rails has ambient lighting controlled from the roof console. The two electric drives placed on the front and rear axles supply all four wheels with sufficient torque. With up to 350 kW charging power, the battery pack can be recharged in around ten minutes for an additional range of up to 160 kilometers.

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The ID Aero 3 study, first shown in China, already gave a preview of the new VW model, which features an aerodynamic design language and ranges of up to 700 kilometers. Now, at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, Volkswagen Group of America is presenting the new ID.7. This model is one of ten new e-vehicles that VW plans to launch by 2026.

Hello Volkswagen, my hands are cold

Numerous innovations are fitted as standard in the new model based on the MEB, such as the display concept, the augmented reality head-up display, the 15-inch screen, and the air conditioning controls and illuminated touch sliders integrated into the first level of the infotainment system.

The ID.7 recognizes the approaching driver by means of the key and starts cooling the interior on hot days and warming it on cold days before the driver gets in. Special requests can be activated by voice input. The car responds to "Hello Volkswagen, my hands are cold" by starting the steering wheel heating, and warm air also flows to the hands.

Camouflage concept with a new type of paint

The ID.7 features a digital camouflage design with a new type of paint that makes the vehicle glow interactively. 40 layers of paint have been applied, and 22 separately controllable areas of the vehicle can be electrified underneath the top layer of paint to make them glow. If this function is coupled to a sound system, the rhythm becomes visible via the lighting up of individual areas.

The ID.7 is to be launched in the three main markets of China, Europe and North America. For the European market, the ID.7 will be produced at the Emden plant.

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The Bugatti Bolide from Lego Technic is eight centimeters high, 31 centimeters long and 13 centimeters wide. Details of the true-to-scale replica made of 905 building blocks include scissor doors, aerodynamic rims with low-profile tires, a cockpit with rotating steering wheel and a W16 engine with movable pistons.

Ettore Bugatti favorite colors

With its black and yellow color scheme, the Bugatti Bolide from Lego also pays homage to the favorite colors of the company's founder, Ettore Bugatti. The model features authentic decals to reflect the evolution of the design philosophy Form follows Performance in the Bolide.

The numerous air ducts and the delicate front design with the horseshoe-shaped radiator grille are brought to life in Lego form. The air outlets on the wheel arches and the X motifs are applied as stickers.

Production limited to 40 copies

After the surprise appearance of the 2021 Bolide at The Quail in Monterey, California, where production of a limited small series was announced, unprecedented demand developed. By the end of Monterey Car Week, all 40 examples of the racetrack-oriented model with a unit price of four million euros had been sold.

The legendary W16 engine with four turbochargers has always served as the pulsating heart of the car. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2024. The Lego Technics bolide will be available for purchase in all international markets.

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The Swiss car market closed 2022, a year characterized by severe supply constraints, with 225,934 new passenger cars, well below the usual pre-crisis mark of around 300,000 new registrations.

By contrast, a new record was set for the market share of alternative drive systems at 50.8 percent. This means that every second new car in 2022 was electrified - either as a full, mild or plug-in hybrid or as a 100 percent electric car.

The reason is the lack of components

Auto-Schweiz media spokesman Christoph Wolnik: "The further decline is mainly due to the shortage of components, which massively affected the production and delivery of new vehicles throughout the year. The situation had improved somewhat in the second half of the year, but normality is still a long way off."

The market data for December fit into this picture, with 24,737 new registrations, slightly up on the prior-year figure of 24,523. However, based on the fourth consecutive monthly increase, the outlook for 2023 is positive.

Share of plug-in vehicles on the rise

2022 was another record year for the number and market share of battery-electric passenger cars. 40,173 new electric cars represent a year-on-year increase of 26.2 percent and a market share of 17.8 percent. In the case of plug-in hybrids, both new registrations and market share declined slightly, mainly due to the focus of many manufacturers on purely electric models.

Together, the 58,528 plug-in vehicles account for more than a quarter of new registrations for the first time in a full year, at 25.9 percent. Hybrids without an external charging option account for a further quarter, or just under 24.8 percent. Gasoline-powered vehicles continue to account for the largest single market share with 84,815 new registrations, while new diesel cars still account for 11.6 percent.

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For the twelfth time in a row, Volkswagen honored the best partner companies in Switzerland. Auto Inderbitzin AG in Oberarth wins the title of Dealer of the Year and with it a check for an employee event worth 10,000 Swiss francs. The garage P-A. Keller Sàrl in Romanel-sur-Morges receives the title Customer First Dealer of the Year 2023 and a check for 7,000 Swiss francs (picture below).

Despite major challenges last year, the VW brand's partner network, with its high level of service and good customer satisfaction scores, will defend its first place in the Swiss new car sales statistics again this year - for the 23rd time in a row.

In the anniversary year, position 1 is the goal

Mikael Norlindh, Head of Sales: "Steadfastness and staying power are also required in the new year. 2023 is a very special year for the Volkswagen brand. April 29 will be the 75th anniversary of the start of imports into Switzerland. Our goal is to maintain the number one position in Swiss sales statistics in the anniversary year as well."

Reto Zehnder, Head of Aftersales: "Volkswagen attaches great importance to high customer satisfaction. Especially in these challenging times, it shows how strong and professional the VW partner network is. Congratulations to the two winners Auto Inderbitzin AG and Garage P-A Keller Sàrl."

The evaluation of the operations was based on qualitative and quantitative criteria. The best VW dealership was determined from the sum of various evaluation points in the areas of sales and service.

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This was almost to be expected: Volkswagen Group CEO Oliver Blume is committed to an open-technology approach - which means that, depending on the segment and customer demand, not only electric drives but also other concepts may be considered.

Different offers in each segment

In an interview with the trade magazine "Auto, Motor und Sport", Blume, who also heads the Porsche brand, has now commented on drive strategies and synthetic fuels. In future, Porsche wants to "offer a combustion engine, a hybrid and an electric sports car in every segment", said the manager. Classically powered models continue to be "very popular in many regions of the world."

Neutral CO2 operation possible with e-fuels

This will not make them a climate problem: the VW Group CEO points out that petrol engines can be operated "almost CO2-neutrally" with e-fuels. According to Blume, this means that "all vehicles can play their part in reducing CO2 - regardless of the type of drive". He also advocates blending with fossil fuels, which is technically possible without any problems: "Every percentage of blending is a contribution to climate protection."

Electromobility no longer the panacea?

These are very different tones from Wolfsburg than before. At a press conference in March 2019, Blume's predecessor Herbert Diess praised electromobility as a panacea: Openness to technology was a "false slogan" and that "all forces would be directed towards one goal". And he had called on the assembled journalists: "Let's stop discussing and criticizing."

Under Blume, the competition for the technically best and most climate-friendly technologies is now likely to pick up speed again. This brings the VW Group closer to the position of companies such as BMW and Toyota, which also rely on various technical solutions.

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KW Automotive expands the delivery range for the Toyota GR86 with a triple performance-adjustable V4 Clubsport coilover suspension. Supplied with Unibal support bearings, the V4 Clubsport coilover suspension is made of stainless steel just like the other KW coilovers available for the GR 86. In times of downsizing, turbo engines and front-wheel drive cars, the rear-wheel drive Toyota GT86 has become an affordable sporty exotic in numerous markets. Toyota also relies on rear-wheel drive and high-revving naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine for the new GR86. From its displacement of 2.4 liters, the gasoline engine delivers an output of 235 hp.

Peter Banz, Managing Director of KW Automotive (Switzerland), says: "Although the Toyota GT86 was rather modest in terms of sales figures, it represents one of the most successful vehicle models for us with its model derivatives. For this reason, we also carry various KW coilovers with certificates for the GR86 in our product range."

The right chassis for every need

In addition to the V1 coilover suspension, KW also has the V3 suspension, which can be adjusted in compression and rebound, as well as the V3 and V4 Club Sport variants available immediately. The four suspensions, which are made of stainless steel, have a parts certificate that covers stepless lowering of 20 to 50 millimeters at the front axle and 25 to 55 millimeters at the rear axle.

Peter Banz: "Our coilovers differ in their design and damper construction. With the dual-tunable V3 Clubsport and the triple-adjustable V4 Clubsport, we use different spring rates and differently designed compression and rebound valves compared with pure road applications."

With the KW V4 Clubsport, the high-speed and low-speed ranges of the compression damping and the low-speed rebound damping are available for individual tuning. The V4 Clubsport coilover suspension, including parts certificate, is available for 5415 Swiss francs.

kwsuspensions.ch

The dream of a red Mustang Fastback with a humming V8 engine or the rapture of a baby-blue 1957 Chevy Bel Air. On bring-a-trailer.com or craigslist.com, for example, you can quickly click your way into a dream world of U.S. sleds and land on ads that look very promising. But the reality is often different.

Be sure to include a cost buffer

Let's assume the classic muscle car is parked under a palm tree in a California suburb, the price is within budget, and the paint is in pristine condition according to the ad.

Michael Neukom, owner and managing director at Customer Cars in Rafz: "You can't be emotionally seduced, even if everything looks great at first glance."

Neukom imports cars from Germany and the USA on behalf of customers. He recommends adding a cost buffer to the budget for the vehicle itself with every purchase. The import and any repairs that still have to be made in Switzerland before the vehicle can be put on the market will involve additional financial outlay.

First check carefully and then buy

In the case of advertisements from nearby Germany, the garage owner from Rafz sometimes goes on the road himself to inspect a vehicle first. But since a trip to the U.S. is too costly and time-consuming, Neukom has a contact overseas for U.S. imports.

As soon as all formalities have been clarified with the seller and a price has been agreed, Neukom makes its customers an offer. All the costs of the transfer, including all the administrative work, are included in the offer, depending on the customer's wishes. This is why you should choose the professional option, if only because of the paperwork.

In container transport across the sea

The most cost-efficient and safest option for the transfer from the USA is sea freight. Here, the car is transported across the sea protected in a container. If you want it even cheaper, you can choose an open transport.

However, Neukom advises against it: "In the case of open transport by sea, which usually lasts several days or even weeks, rust may spread on the car due to the salt water. There is also a risk that water can enter the vehicle."

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