Electric vehicle manufacturer Nio unveiled two new models, the ET5 Touring and EL6, as part of the Inspired by Life event.

Ralph Kranz, General Manager Nio Germany: "The Nio ET5 Touring was developed in Europe specifically for local needs. It is not only the first station wagon in the Nio product family, but also the first all-electric station wagon in the premium segment. The EL6 is a pioneer among all-around electric SUVs. It is ideal for family-oriented needs and high comfort."

Drive and ranges

The ET5 Touring is 4.79 meters long and weighs 2190 kilograms with the 75-kWh battery and 2210 kilograms with the 100-kWh battery. Nio gives the range as 560 kilometers, and the acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h as 4.0 seconds. The dual motorization delivers a maximum of 360 kW to all four wheels.

The EL6 (center gallery) is 4.85 meters long, weighs a good 2,300 kilograms and, with the same powertrain, accelerates from the start to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. Its range is up to 529 kilometers, and trunk capacity ranges from 580 to 1,430 liters. Both models will be delivered in the fourth quarter of the current year.

Showroom for external events

From now on, test drives, sales meetings and vehicle deliveries will take place at the Nio Hub in Munich. The new center will also serve as an expanded showroom in the future. In addition, Nio makes the showroom available free of charge for external events, thus offering an ideal event space. Opening hours at Zamdorfer Strasse 86 are Monday to Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m.

nio.com

The new electric version of the Abarth 500e also features unmistakable sporty design elements - with Abarth lettering in titanium gray on the engine and trunk hood, 17- or 18-inch alloy wheels, striking side sills, matte gray exterior mirror caps, diffuser and brand logos on the rear fenders. The interior is of course no less dynamic.

Dark trim on the pillars and headliner, sports seats with embossed trim stripes and double stitching, and the sports steering wheel create an Abarth ambience. The central instrument is formed by two large displays, and a 10.25-inch touchscreen controls the Uconnect Radio with Navi infotainment system.

Full power from the first meter

Thanks to the powerful 235 Nm of torque from the 113 kW electric motor (155 hp) and the good weight distribution, the electric Abarth is extremely agile, as it impressively demonstrated during test drives on the small circuit at Lignières. It can be pushed precisely and remarkably quickly through tight and wide curves. Depending on the driver's preference, it does this in Scorpion Street or Scorpion Track mode - in the first case with strong recuperation, i.e. practically in 1-pedal operation. It takes just 7.0 seconds to sprint from a standstill to 100 km/h. The Scorpion-Street mode is also available in the Scorpion-Track mode. In the normal Turismo mode, slightly less maximum power is available, but this is hardly noticeable in everyday traffic. And then ranges of up to 265 kilometers are possible with the 42-kWh battery.

Sound like a gasoline engine

Thanks to the sound generator, the E-Abarth also performs with the notorious sport sound. The sound system, which was elaborately developed by a special sound design team, does indeed have a very real acoustic effect, as the running noises of the gasoline engine were recorded and synthetically reproduced in all phases and driving conditions. Nevertheless, whether an electric car really has to come along with combustion engine noises remains a question of taste.

Of course, the legal regulations for noise are complied with and, of course, the sound coming from the external rear speaker can be switched on and off by the driver. Prices start at 37,990 francs, and 40,990 francs in the case of the convertible. The electric Abarth is available in the special colors Poison Blue and Acid Green, as well as in white, black and red.

abarth.ch

With Service @ Home the customer books his desired service appointment online from the comfort of his own home within a radius of ten kilometers from his local Lexus partner. A service specialist picks up the vehicle and returns it after the service. The desired appointment is confirmed online by his garage owner - with the option of making an alternative appointment.

The service at the customer's site is carried out with a lead time of one week. In addition, the customer can integrate other service offerings into his appointment, such as a tire change or replacement of the wiper blades.

Book test drives from home

The customer can work with Test @ Home book a test drive from the comfort of his home at any time of day - at any location within a radius of ten kilometers from his responsible dealer. The car is delivered to the desired location by a customer advisor. If desired, the customer is then offered a quote for purchase or leasing.

For these two new services, a separate landing page was created for customers. This contains all the information and components of the offer.

As of June 1, 2023, this service offering will be provided via the Lexus website be available at:

Service @ Home
Test @ Home
lexus.ch

It's time again for the drive-in movie summer - and for Indiana Jones, Ladies Night with Magic Mike or Blues Brothers. Three driver training centers of the Touring Club Switzerland are converted into drive-in cinemas. Where otherwise driving training courses for drivers of buses, trucks, vehicles of blue-light organizations, cars or motorcycles take place, cinema fans meet.

No car, then there are deck chairs

In Emmen from June 21 to July 9 and in Hinwil from July 16 to September 3, there will be the special drive-in movies experience on a 100 square meter LED screen. But pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists can also make themselves comfortable in the deck chairs provided for the TCS drive-in movies. For them, the sound is transmitted directly via loudspeakers. The TCS Ciné Drive-In will take place in Cossonay, Vaud, from August 10 to 12.

Demonstrations in all weather conditions

Various film genres, from classics to current blockbusters, are in the program. The good thing about the drive-in is that the movie nights can take place in any weather. The experience is framed with food trucks all American style. All information and tickets are available at driveinmovies.ch and tcs-vd.ch.

tcs.ch

The goal was clear from the outset. The bolide was to be as light as possible, stripped down to the essentials, with an 8-liter W16 turbocharged engine. Two and a half years after the concept was unveiled and after many simulated laps, the car is now being refined on renowned race tracks through a rigorous testing program. The tests are relentless, as befits a car with an outstanding power-to-weight ratio of 1600 hp and a dry weight of just 1450 kilograms.

Correct contact pressure is important

Lap after lap, the bolide is pushed to the limit to achieve optimum handling. One of the keys to this is the right amount of downforce, and so this was one of the Bugatti engineering team's priorities. The effort has paid off. The demanding test program, which is still ongoing, shows the extreme cornering speeds the car is capable of. Depending on the speed, lateral forces of up to 2.5 g and almost three tons of downforce are generated - proof of the groundbreaking aerodynamics.

Cost price of four million euros

Specially designed air curtains in front of the front wheels ensure that the air flows perfectly around the car, reducing overall drag. Winglets on the outer edges of the front splitter create a spiral airflow that causes a vortex, which increases the airflow to the diffuser and thus improves downforce at the rear.

The first deliveries of the Bolide will take place in 2024. Production is limited to just 40 units, with a net unit price of four million euros.

bugatti.com

Maxus, a pioneer in electrically powered commercial vehicles, is expanding its model range and launching the T90 EV for Switzerland as the first fully electric pick-up. The transport vehicle with double cab for up to five passengers has a 1485-millimeter-long and 1510-millimeter-wide load floor. Thanks to a payload of 925 kilograms and an additional towing capacity of 1000 kilograms, the T90 is ideally suited for hobby, craft, gardening, industry and many other uses.

Charge to 80 percent in 45 minutes

The T90 EV is equipped with a 130-kW electric motor (177 hp) that delivers a maximum torque of 310 Nm to the rear wheels. The 89-kWh battery enables a WLTP range of 330 kilometers, which can be increased to 470 kilometers in urban traffic. Driving and responsiveness can be adjusted using Sport, Normal and Eco modes. The battery can be charged in around nine hours at a wallbox using the standard 11-kW onboard charger. If it needs to go faster, the 5.37-meter pickup can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in 45 minutes at the fast charging station with up to 90 kW.

Basic variant with a lot of equipment

The new pickup is already extensively equipped at launch in Switzerland. The Elite equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights and taillights, six airbags and an emergency brake assistant. Comfort is provided by leatherette-trimmed seats, air conditioning, power windows and power-adjustable front seats.

The T90 EV is available at a price starting at 55,500 Swiss francs (excl. VAT). Maxus, a light commercial vehicle manufacturer of the Chinese SAIC Motor Group, provides a warranty of five years or 100,000 kilometers, and for the high-voltage battery the quality promise is eight years or 160,000 kilometers.

maxusmotors.ch

With the Ami 6, Citroën put a small car with an original body design on the road back in the 1960s. The new interpretation of the Ami now appears even more striking: purely electrically driven, only 2.41 meters long and weighing 471 kilograms. The new Ami is available now at a price of 9090 Swiss francs.

Maximum speed of 45 km/h

With a turning circle diameter of just 7.20 meters, the small car is extremely easy to handle in the city, and with 6 kW of drive power and a maximum speed of 45 km/h as well as a range of up to 75 kilometers, it is also sufficiently powerful for urban regions. Its 5.5 kWh battery can be fully charged in around four hours at a household outlet.

Variants Ami, Pop, Tonic and Cargo

The four versions Ami, Pop, Tonic and Cargo open up possibilities for individualization. The Pop version, which is somewhat more colorful than the base model and equipped with a DAT box, costs 9990 Swiss francs, and the Ami Tonic is available for a further 400 francs surcharge, with additional design elements and roof rails. The "truck" of the model range is the Ami Cargo, which carries a 260-liter cargo box instead of a passenger seat. The horizontal shelf, which serves as a cover and can support a weight of 40 kilograms, has been cut out at the top to allow the Ami to be transformed into a mobile office. The Ami Cargo costs 9490 Swiss francs.

citroen.ch

AutoSprintCH is giving away 10×2 tickets for an exclusive visit to the special exhibition at the Swiss Museum of Transport, which runs until the end of the year. How can you experience everything for free? It's very simple: Please fill out and submit the form below - and with a bit of luck, you and your companion will be welcome. The closing date for entries is Tuesday, June 20, 2023, midnight. The legal process is excluded.

First Porsche in Switzerland

The background to the campaign: Switzerland has been Porsche country since the very beginning. When Jolantha Maria Tschudi from Zurich purchased the first Porsche for sale in 1948, no one had any idea of the significance Porsche would have for Switzerland. To mark the anniversary of "75 Years of Porsche Sports Cars," the Swiss Museum of Transport will be showing the history of the brand from June 23.

Vehicles from the history

The country's most visited museum not only presents special vehicles from Porsche's history in its halls, the show also includes other objects that have shaped the company history of the sports car forge. Directly from the Porsche Festival Mollis on June 17 (see video), the Porsche Heritage Truck (see gallery) rolled into the courtyard of the Museum of Transport with other Porsche relics. It will remain there for about two weeks before moving on to the next stop.

Opportunity for up-and-coming artists

In addition, Porsche offers up-and-coming artists new ways to show their work to a wide audience. In the Heritage Truck, for example, creatives are able to portray their love of the brand in their own way. The art section is devoted to works on themes such as sportiness or speed, and visitors are also asked about their dreams.

Porsche CEO Oliver Blume: "Porsche stands for people who follow their dreams." One can be curious.

Participate and win

(registration is closed)

porsche-festival.ch
porsche.ch

The Mitsubishi Colt, which was launched in Europe in 1978, is based on the CMF-B platform of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance and will go on sale in its seventh generation in October this year. The small car features a dynamic design, a range of efficient powertrains and personalization options.

Four equipment variants

Mitsubishi offers the Colt in four trim levels: Inform, Invite, Intense and Instyle. In addition, the car is available with 15-inch steel or 16- and 17-inch alloy wheels. An extensive range of accessories is available for all versions, enabling customers to tailor the Colt even more closely to their needs.

Optional hybrid drive

In addition to the entry-level three-cylinder engine with 65 hp, powertrain options include a turbo variant with 90 hp and a full hybrid powertrain with 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and 36 kW electric motor, starter-generator unit and 1.2 kWh battery. This HEV model delivers a system output of 105 kW (145 hp) and maximum torque of 205 Nm. In city traffic, it can be driven purely electrically for up to 80 percent of the driving time.

Safety and comfort

The Colt is equipped with the latest passive and active safety systems. At the heart of this is the reinforced vehicle structure. Components such as the airbags, head restraints and seat belts with belt tensioners also help prevent injuries. These measures are complemented by a range of driver assistance systems.

Apple Carplay and Android Auto bring digital life to the interior. Access is via a 7- or a 9.3-inch multi-touch screen as well as via voice control.

The new Colt comes with a factory warranty of five years or 100,000 kilometers.

mitsubishi-motors.ch

Sébastien Buemi (left gallery) and Toyota started the race as favorites. But nothing came of the fifth victory for the man from Vaud. Buemi and his two teammates Brendon Hartley and Rio Hirakawa had to settle for second place after the Japanese driver spun 1:45 h before the chequered flag in pursuit of the #51 and had to pit again.

Victory went - 58 years after the last success and 50 years after the last start as a works team - back to Maranello to Ferrari. Respectively to the Italians Alessandro Pier Guidi and Antonio Giovinazzi and the Briton James Calado.

Nico Müller with problems

In addition to Buemi, Nico Müller (center gallery) was another Swiss driver in the hypercar class, the premier class of the World Endurance Championship. The driver from Bern was leading the race for several laps in his Peugeot 9X8 with start number 94. Mechanical problems eventually threw him back to 27th place, 30 laps behind the winner.

Nico Müller: "I think finishing the race with both cars is already a great thing. Especially the performance during the race, the team really worked extremely well, that was exceptional. We got everything we could out of the car, we were good in terms of strategy. I am very happy and congratulate the whole team, because it was a great pleasure!"

Strong performance by Fabio Scherer

Swiss drivers took all three podium places in LMP2, the second-highest prototype league. For Fabio Scherer, victory at Le Mans was his greatest triumph to date. The fact that he had achieved it under special circumstances makes it even sweeter. Scherer had been hit by a Corvette during a pit stop and finished the race with a badly damaged left foot and without a pit radio. Second place in LMP2 went to Louis Delétraz, who repeated his result from the previous year. Third place went to Neel Jani.

Rahel Frey in fourth place
There was almost a Swiss success story in GTE as well. Rahel Frey narrowly missed the podium in fourth place. The woman from Solothurn, who had taken the lead in this category five and a half hours before the end of the race, was narrowly beaten in the end together with Belgian Sarah Bovy and Dane Michele Gatting (Gallery right) in the Porsche 911 RSR of the all-female Iron Dames team.

Source: Auto Sport Switzerland
motorsport.ch
24h-lemans.com