The Les Trois Vallées region in Savoie in the French Alps describes itself as the largest interconnected ski area in the world. Above Albertville, eight areas in three valleys have been opened up, ending in the towns of Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens and offering a total of around 600 kilometers of slopes for skiing and snowboarding fans. The entire region spans altitudes from 1300 to 3200 meters above sea level. One of the most important ski resorts is the metropolis of Val Thorens at an altitude of 2300 meters, the highest winter sports community in Europe.

Highest race track in Europe
Below this village - at an altitude of 2,200 meters - a completely different kind of winter sport is celebrated: sporty driving on ice. The Val Thorens Ice Track is the highest race track in Europe. It is sometimes used for racing, but mostly the organizers welcome car fans who want to experience driving on surfaces with extremely little grip up close and safely. AutoSprintCH had the opportunity to take part in one of these track days behind the wheel of an Alpine A110 S with a lively 300 hp. With an instructor in the passenger seat, a new world of sporty driving can be explored.

Driving characteristics of the mid-engine car
Even those who already have some experience with track days on dry and wet roads will experience something new on the ice track in Val Thorens, which was watered the evening before and froze hard overnight. It is particularly important to feel the delicate handling characteristics of the mid-engined car from Dieppe and to achieve optimum performance with the steering wheel and accelerator pedal. Take your foot off the accelerator quickly before the bend, use the forward weight shift to turn in and provoke the rear end to swing out at the right moment with a spirited push of the accelerator.

Inexperienced ice drivers still have to learn what to do next: no counter-steering, as this quickly drives the car, which is equipped with studded tires, into the outer snow wall on the bend. With subtle steering wheel movements and a sensitive throttle foot, the Alpine must first be brought back onto a straight course. Counter-steering is only necessary if the rear swing is a little too generous and the vehicle comes too close to the inside wall of the bend.

No high cornering speeds
Although high cornering speeds are not possible on ice, reining in the Alpine A110 S's lively handling is great fun. Mastering the bends gets better from lap to lap - first in track mode, then with the driving dynamics control switched off completely.

Two types of driving experiences are offered on the Val Thorens course. Until the end of March 2024, there are courses for individual skiing accompanied by an instructor. During the course, you ride for an hour in several stints on the 760-metre-long and between ten and twelve-metre-wide ice track and receive around half an hour of theory lessons. The course for professional ice skating lasts three days and is offered between January 8 and February 9, 2024. Registrations can be made via alinecars@icedrivingvalthorens.com possible.

en.alpinecars.ch

After four years of use, owners of electric vehicles can expect almost the same sales proceeds as those with a comparable vehicle with a combustion engine. The study results are based on a comprehensive analysis by AutoScout24 and Auto-i-Dat. Models from the brands Fiat, Hyundai, Nissan, Renault, Skoda, Smart, Tesla and VW were used as a basis. While Tesla models are the clear residual value champions, there are significant differences between the other e-models.

Alberto Sanz de Lama, Managing Director at AutoScout24: "This not only shows an improved acceptance on the used car market, but also underlines the increasing value retention of electric cars."

Residual value an important argument
The so-called residual value is an important argument for many car buyers and provides information on how much value a vehicle retains over time. After three to four years, the residual values of all the electric cars examined approached those of comparable combustion vehicles. Sellers can therefore expect solid prices for their used electric vehicles over the years. A comparison of the residual values of different electric models reveals some major differences. After four years of use, Tesla ends up with 47 percent of the value of a new car. The other models in the comparison have residual values of between 32 and 43 percent.

Positive signals for the new year
A positive trend can also be seen in the supply policy of car sellers. The price trend shows that used e-cars in Switzerland are better equipped than average and can be compared with higher-quality models. Alberto Sanz de Lama: "This also means that such cars remain attractively priced for resale. The price we advertise as a basis for negotiation for a four-year-old e-car can still be well over 70 percent of the price of a new car."

autoscout24.ch

The Ford F-150 has been one of the best-selling models on various markets worldwide for years. People were hesitant to believe that the all-purpose pick-up could also cope with electric drive instead of the large-volume petrol engines. Now it is available at dealerships: 6.29 meters long, 2.06 meters wide and weighing 2900 kilograms with driver. 675 kilograms of this is accounted for by the battery pack, which has a net capacity of 91 kWh and enables the electric motor to deliver 337 kW (458 hp) of power and a maximum torque of 1050 Nm.

According to the WLTP, up to 427 kilometers can be achieved with one battery charge, and thanks to the maximum charging capacity of 150 kW, the battery can be charged from 15 to 80 percent in 39 minutes. The so-called Pro Power connection in the rear delivers up to 2.3 kW to external consumers.

Car for everyday use
The huge F-150, which almost feels like two cars - a limousine for five people and a small truck - can carry a payload of 600 kilograms; with a full passenger compartment, a good 300 kilograms on the large loading bridge. Incidentally, this is easily accessible via the electrically lowerable rear flap and the extendable step with hand rest. There is another stowage option for cargo in the frunk. Up to 400 liters and up to 180 kilograms of luggage can now be stowed where a large combustion engine was installed in the predecessor. Also important for commercial or leisure operations: The F-150 can tow up to 3500 kilograms in the trailer.

In every situation agile
Despite its almost monstrous size, the Ford pick-up is surprisingly light on its feet. The drive power is sufficient for an acceleration time to 100 km/h of less than five seconds. The car earns its nickname Lightning not only because of its drive system, but also because of its driving performance. The set-up can be adjusted with the Normal, Sport, Off-road and Trailer driving modes. However, the width of the vehicle takes some getting used to, as 2.44 meters have to be kept under control with the exterior mirrors. In addition, the long wheelbase is probably equivalent to a driving ban in older parking garages.

Inside like in a car
The Ford Sync 4A communication and entertainment system can be conveniently operated via the portrait-format 15.5-inch touchscreen. It also includes Apple Carplay and Android Auto, voice control, the Co-Pilot360 personal driving assistant and a B&O sound system. For the market launch in Switzerland, Ford will offer the F-150 in the richly equipped Lariat variant with Super Crew Cab double cab, all-wheel drive, 20-inch wheels and Blue Metallic paintwork. The price is 127,000 Swiss francs.

ford.ch

The vehicle has now been sold at an auction by Koller Auktionen AG. Amag First AG is donating the entire CHF 65,000 increase in value realized in this project from classic car to art object to the Swiss Children's Cancer Aid. The check was presented by Amag CEO Helmut Ruhl and Sascha Leardi, Managing Director of the Porsche Center Zurich.

Poetry and precision
Born in Argentina and living in Switzerland, industrial designer and artist Alfredo Häberli combines poetry and precision. This collaboration has resulted in a combination of art, craftsmanship and sports car design.

With this project, Porsche Zurich is paying tribute to the historic art of coachbuilding. The 356 was officially unveiled at the Porsche Center in Schlieren on March 31 this year and subsequently presented at various events and exhibitions.

Exclusive design sketch
In addition to the sum of CHF 65,000 for Swiss Childhood Cancer Aid, a hand-painted design sketch by Häberli, including an invitation to dinner together, was also auctioned off for CHF 1,000. This amount will also go to the children's cancer charity.

amag.ch

The combination of additional power from the 4-liter V8 (+15 hp) and lower vehicle weight (now 1520 kilograms) compared to the GT ensures a further improvement in the power-to-weight ratio in the new GTS. The car accelerates to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and reaches 200 km/h in 8.9 seconds. The maximum engine output of 635 hp is available at 7500 rpm. "The new GTS offers an unrivaled blend of McLaren driving dynamics and performance with refinement and practicality. This is a car that stays true to the brand's racing DNA, but also boasts other capabilities," says Michael Leiters, CEO of McLaren Automotive.

Diffuser and twin exhaust system
The lightweight carbon monocoque chassis and elegant exterior of the GT continue to form the basis for the vehicle's aerodynamic package and profile. The front air intakes have been reshaped to channel more air into the car. The rear fenders feature new, higher air intakes at the shoulders of the vehicle. The muscular look of the GTS also includes a large rear diffuser and twin exhausts.

The 7-speed dual-clutch transmission enables smooth and fast gear changes right from the start in the standard Comfort mode. The two other driving modes, Sport and Track, are then selected for an even sportier driving style. Manual control of the gearshifts is possible in every driving mode via the shift paddles on the steering wheel. The electro-hydraulic steering, the suspension with proactive damper control and the carbon-ceramic brake system have also been retuned for the new edition.

Tailgate and glazed C-pillars
The GTS is also easy to drive in the city, as the view to the front is perfect, and the large glass tailgate and glazed C-pillars also allow a good view to the rear. The ground clearance of 110 millimetres can be increased to 130 millimetres with the lift function. The 10.25-inch instrument display offers a clear view of all important driver information. The GTS is also equipped with a central 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system in portrait format.

cars.mclaren.com

The works of art at Art Basel Miami Beach range from spray-painted canvases, individual sneaker pieces and a surfboard to steel and bronze sculptures and a digital slot machine.

Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann: "We set our dealers the challenge of commissioning artworks to mark our anniversary that pay tribute to Lamborghini's eventful history. At Art Basel Miami Beach, design is art. That's why we decided to unveil the Revuelto Opera Unica in this context."

Most powerful series vehicle
The one-off Opera Unica pays homage to the technology and design of the Revuelto and is a complete work of art through and through, emphasized the Lamborghini boss. The Revuelto is an epoch-making super sports car - as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, it is also the first of its kind - and also the most powerful production vehicle that Lamborghini has ever built. The Revuelto Opera Unica artwork, star of the exhibition, was designed by the Centro Stile and refined by the Lamborghini Ad Personam personalization team.

Asymmetrical design of the colors
The hand-painted body of the Opera Unica stands out with its color gradient from Viola Pasifae to Nero Helene with nuanced brushstroke details. This process took 76 hours to test and 435 hours to complete. The asymmetrical color design in the interior required a further 220 hours. Another part is the Revuelto Experience gallery. The showroom brings the spirit of the model to life with light and video installations and the sound of a V12 engine.

lamborghini.com

artbasel.com

The Renault Megane E-Tech 100% electric can cover up to 470 kilometers on a single charge. However, this distance depends on the driving style and outside temperatures. After all, energy is also required to heat the interior in winter. Perfect thermal management in the battery system is therefore a prerequisite for maximum range. For this purpose, the power storage unit must be heated at low outside temperatures using a water circuit fed by the waste heat from the electric motor. At hot ambient temperatures, on the other hand, the battery temperature is limited with water from the cooling circuit. A fundamental challenge is that, unlike an internal combustion engine, an electric motor does not generate enough waste heat to keep the interior at a comfortable temperature at all times.

More efficient heat pump

Jean-Marie L'Huillier, Renault expert for thermal management systems, explains that the temperature balance of the battery can be better controlled with a new generation of more efficient heat pumps in the Megane E-Tech 100% electric. During fast charging or prolonged operation with high power output, a lot of heat is generated in the battery, which then needs to be used to heat the interior. The improved heat management can also slow down the trend towards ever larger batteries to a certain extent.

Jean-Marie L'Huillier: "This innovation not only helps to cool the battery and the drive motor, but it also requires only half as much energy to heat the interior sufficiently compared to a conventional heat pump. At outside temperatures of less than ten degrees Celsius, the range can be increased by up to new percent compared to conventional systems - without lowering the temperatures inside."

renault.ch

Read on Friday, December 22, 2023: Updates for the Megane E-Tech 100% electric come automatically.

The decision has been made: Kilian Boss has won Auto Sport Switzerland's Young Drivers Project 2023. The 17-year-old from Amsoldingen in the canton of Bern was crowned the winner at the "Dîner des Champions" at the Hotel Bellevue in Bern. Kai Perner (16 from Vinelz in the canton of Bern) came second and Timéo Ruppen (15 from Fétigny in the canton of Fribourg) came third.

Training as an automation technician
This season, Boss took third place in the X30 Challenge Switzerland category of the autobau Swiss Kart Championship. At the same time, he secured the X30 title in the VEGA Trofeo. Boss, who is completing an apprenticeship as an automation technician, not only impressed the jury - consisting of Swiss racing drivers and the Jenzer Motorsport team - but also successfully asserted himself in the internal ranking of Auto Sport Switzerland.

First successes in the championship
Boss made his first attempts at driving in 2011 on the karting track in Muntelier. The following year, the Kimi Raikkonen fan took part in his first race. In 2017, he contested his first season in the Minis as part of the VEGA Trofeo and finished fifth. In 2018, he finished sixth in the Superminis, one category higher, and fourth the following year. In 2020, Kilu switched to the X30s. He then completed his first race there in 2021 as part of the autobau Swiss Kart Championship. Boss finished third on the podium in just the third race. In 2022, he improved again and finished the season in a respectable third place - ahead of that year's champion Alessio Strollo.

Boss finished third again this season. After two rather mixed races in Italy, Boss drove away from the competition in the two races in France and secured six race wins in a row. He even achieved a Grand Slam at the race in Mirecourt (pole position, fastest race lap and three race wins in one weekend).

Sister Saskia also races
Kilian inherited his racing genes from his father Beat Boss, who raced uphill himself and prepares Kilian's kart with the support of Spirit Racing. In addition to Kilian, his sister Saskia, who is three years older, also races karts in the Boss family. Like Kilian, she is also a fan of the X30 Challenge Switzerland.

Tests in various workshops
About the Young Drivers project: Auto Sport Switzerland's young driver development program was held three times between 2013 and 2015. The winners at the time were Alain Valente (2013), Lucas Mauron (2014) and Fabio Scherer (2015). The YDP was reactivated for this season. Kart drivers born between 2006 and 2008 were able to take part and were given physical, media and driving support in various workshops during the season. The winner, in this case Kilian Boss, receives prize money of 30,000 Swiss francs. This money is linked to a motor racing championship - ideally a Formula 4 championship with the Jenzer Motorsport team.

Program for the 2024 season is set
In order to guarantee sustainable promotion, the Swiss Auto Sport Association has set itself the goal of firmly establishing the YDP in the coming years. The program for the 2024 season has already been determined and will be published before Christmas. Registrations for the 2024 season (for drivers born between 2007 and 2009) will be accepted from January.

Photos: Eichenberger, Zaug

Source: Auto Sport Switzerland

motorsport.ch

Current applications and those that will be submitted by Sunday are still being processed, it is said. Originally, the bonus for the purchase of an e-car was to run until the end of next year. However, the maximum state subsidy was to fall from 4500 to 3000 euros in January. With the premature end of the subsidy, the federal government is reacting to the budget shortfall of around 17 billion euros.

Destruction of trust

With this surprising decision, the German government is damaging many thousands of customers and car dealers and at the same time destroying confidence in a comprehensible and rational policy to promote electromobility, complains the Zentralverband Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe.

ZDK President Arne Joswig: "The minimum would be to let the environmental bonus run until the end of the year and at the same time, in coordination with the federal states and local authorities, ensure that registration offices remain open until December 31, 2023 so that registrations can be made."

Sales slump noticeably

The ZDK also complains that vehicles that have recently been delivered to dealers but have not yet been registered and for which no application for the environmental bonus has been submitted by Sunday are no longer eligible. With the end of the bonus for plug-in hybrids, their sales have noticeably slumped by more than half this year.

Industry associations now fear that something similar will happen to battery-powered electric cars. The German government's goal of having 15 million electric cars on the roads in Germany by 2030 will no longer be achievable with the premature end of subsidies, says the industry.

Source: auto-medienportal.net
kfzgewerbe.de

Close-up is the name of the current series at the Mercedes-Benz Museum. Each episode reveals surprising and enigmatic facts. The focus is on important details of the respective vehicles. This time it's about the Blitzen-Benz in the Mythos 7 room.

Aerodynamic silver arrows

Almost 115 years ago, the designers designed the body to be as aerodynamic as possible without any help from a wind tunnel. The basic shape resembles a cigar, and the rounded radiator grille splits the airflow at the front, which flows out over the elongated rear. The driver crouches low in the cockpit. The seat for the accompanying mechanic is narrow, as are the tires on the clad wooden-spoke wheels.

Engine is started with crank handle

Four large-diameter exhaust pipes protrude from the hood. They suggest plenty of engine power. The Blitzen-Benz is extremely loud, as there are no silencers. Gears and chains transmit the power to the rear wheels and the engine is started by a crank.

The basis for the record-breaking vehicle was the engine of the Benz 150 hp Grand Prix racing car, but its power was not sufficient for the ambitious project. The displacement of the four-cylinder engine was therefore increased to 21.5 liters. This gave the racing car 200 hp at 1600 rpm and earned it the name Benz 200 hp. With a flying start, the car reached 205.666 km/h over half a mile and 202.648 km/h over one kilometer on November 8, 1909 with works driver Victor Hémery on the race track in Brooklands. The magic mark of 200 km/h was broken for the first time in Europe, and for the first time with an internal combustion engine.

211.97 km/h on a dead straight track

In 1910, the record-breaking car was shipped to America. Its owner Ernie Moross named it Lightning-Benz - which translates into German as Blitzen- Benz. On March 16, 1910, Barney Oldfield even achieved 211.97 km/h over the mile with a flying start on the dead straight Daytona beach runway. After that, Oldfield used the Blitzen-Benz at show events and demonstrated it to thousands of curious people in America.

mercedes-benz.ch