Mr. Bieber, how satisfied is Porsche Switzerland with the 2024 season?
Benjamin Bieber, Head of Marketing, Porsche Schweiz AG: Very satisfied. We had a total of around 540 vehicles on the grid during the six race weekends of the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse. We saw many exciting duels and thrilling motorsport. Felix Hirsiger from Team Fach Auto Tech dominated Class 1 with the 911 GT3 Cup. In addition to his career as a racing driver, he works as a sales consultant at the Porsche Center Zug and is therefore perfectly placed to convey the fascination of motorsport to our customers. And in Class 10 with the 718 Cayman GT4 RS Clubsport, Tomas Guedes and Remo Stebler fought a thrilling championship battle right to the end. It is precisely these emotions that our customer sport thrives on!

What changes are planned for the coming season?
We also want to see exciting races and fair motorsport in 2025 and ideally a large field of participants so that we can see the motorsport DNA of our brand in action as widely as possible. We are now starting in Portimão in April, which promises perfect weather conditions for the season opening. Instead, the Red Bull Ring is not on the program until the end of May. The new highlight in 2025 will certainly be Monza, which is returning to the racing calendar. The battle for hundredths will take place there in July. We are very confident that the Porsche Junior Program will once again have at least one Junior protégé in the top class with a 911 GT3 Cup without ABS.

For those who don't know it yet: What does it take to become a part of this customer sports series?
On the one hand, motivation and passion for racing, and on the other, a certain amount of racing experience, whether in karting or formula racing. In the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse, there is always a fair fight for every thousandth of a second, which is why a strong and professional motorsport team in the background is extremely important. And last but not least, support from the personal environment and, of course, from sponsors.

Everything about the last season of the Porsche Sports Cup Suisse can also be found at: Porsche Sports Cup Suisse 

It's annoying, takes time and your gut says "Tow away!". But we should still be careful not to call a towing company too quickly if we see someone parked on our own property: The risk of being stuck with the costs is quite high. In principle, the following applies: On public property, the police can have the vehicle towed away at their discretion and claim the costs from the owner through official channels. On private property, however, calling the police is useless: they are not responsible and cannot and must not do anything.

Private towing has its pitfalls. It is subject to strict conditions. Towing must be proportionate. Even a sign that threatens parking offenders with towing does not change this. In other words, it is the last resort and only permissible if it is really necessary. You should first check whether the parking offender has perhaps left a note with a cell phone number in the car. Then wait for a reasonable amount of time to see if the parking offender drives away after all. If he does not, you should try to notify him, for example by ringing a doorbell at a nearby house or checking the license plate number and calling. If none of this helps, towing is an option - but only if the incorrectly parked car really is in the way. Could you park next to it yourself? Then it's better to swallow your anger and not have it towed away. Otherwise, if it goes to court, it could be ruled: Towing was unnecessary.

This is particularly costly. It is true that you can claim the costs from the towed vehicle (or assign the claim to the towing company). However, if the offending driver does not pay voluntarily, the client must pay and then sue for the costs - which is time-consuming, costly and never guarantees that you will get your money back.

So penalize the parking offender differently, by blocking his car? Yes, don't! That can be really expensive as coercion. This is based on the fact that vigilante justice is prohibited and that mistakes made by others do not entitle us to break the law ourselves. It is possible to claim compensation from the parking offender, for example because you missed a business appointment as a result. But proving this damage is time-consuming. In other words, feeling right and then being objectively right are often two very different things.

Can you at least distribute a "private bus"? Compensation can only be demanded if there is a judicial ban and it is clearly signaled. The owner then has a choice: he can demand an appropriate amount of compensation (usually between CHF 20 and over CHF 50) or, in the event of non-payment, be fined (usually from CHF 200). The parking offender can hardly avoid paying. The downside: depending on the authority, such a court ban usually costs from at least 600 francs plus the plaque.

Somehow, Genesis is always good for a surprise. For example, how effortlessly the GV60 won the title of "Swiss Car of the Year 2023" in the year it went into series production against all established competitors. Or how the Genesis GV60 Magma Concept quickly - literally - took class victory and 16th place overall at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Or now that the American responsible for the brand's upcoming Magma models responds to our English greeting: "Feel free to speak German with me."

American-German dual national Tyrone Johnson is the man who has been pulling the strings of the future at the European Genesis Development Center since 2021 and has also been in charge of the European Technical Center of the parent company Hyundai since this year. Johnson's sporty, elegant style is as casually dynamic as "his" GV60 Magma Concept. And the engineer is someone from the automotive industry. He previously worked for Ford in Europe, the USA and China. His portfolio ranges from chief engineer for Europe's Ford racing department to cars for the then Ford subsidiary Volvo and head of development at Ford Performance. In other words: Fiesta ST or Focus RS are real Johnsons. The right man to drive evolution: The premium brand Genesis gets a high-performance range.

Its first model, the GV60 Magma, will be fully electric, but Johnson, who speaks German without an accent, emphasizes that Genesis remains open to new technologies. In the Magma program, from Genesis GV60 Magma Concept This man really gets Genesis going With the GV60 Magma Concept, Genesis is causing a stir - whether at the Goodwood Festival of Speed or at Auto Zürich. AutoSprintCH meets Tyrone Johnson. The chief developer at Genesis reveals when the electric dynamo GV60 Magma will go into series production and why Switzerland is so important for Genesis. The head of development and his coolest work: Tyrone Johnson from Genesis with the GV60 Magma Concept at Auto Zurich in November. The Magma will be launched at the end of 2025. Photos: Genesis/AutoSprintCH Genesis chief developer Tyrone Johnson in conversation with Timothy Pfannkuchen from AutoSprintCH. GENESIS SPECIAL www.autosprint.ch | December 28, 2024 / January 2025 With four concept cars already on the market (GV60 Magma Concept, G80 Magma Special, GV80 Coupé Concept and X Gran Berlinetta Concept), performance is the name of the game. Performance in the Genesis style, mind you. There are no performance figures yet. But the four-and-a-half meter long electric crossover GV60 already has up to 360 kW (490 hp). And the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N with 478 kW (650 hp) proves what the 800-volt drivetrain is good for. So does the GV60 Magma have 700 hp plus? "We at Genesis take a different approach," says Johnson. "Magma is not about a few more horsepower, nobody would have anything to gain from that. The GV60 Magma will offer more than adequate performance. But just more power or more top speed would be too trivial. It's about how it feels, about the emotional driving experience with luxurious aspirations." And what about the high weight of an EV? "EVs are heavier. But we have found a way to make the GV60 Magma feel light. I can't give anything away yet. But you'll like it - you'll be surprised."

The sound should also provide surprises. "We have developed a special sound for the Avas especially for use in Goodwood." Avas is the legally prescribed sound for electric cars at low speeds. "And we are developing this sound further. We believe that our approach solves a previously unresolved problem: the sound must provide acoustic input as to what is happening. At the steering wheel, you need to hear what your vehicle is doing, how it is moving. In Magma, you get this acoustic information."

We take another look at the GV60 Magma Concept with Johnson. Wider, lower, sporty in every detail - and almost outrageously good-looking. Why Magma, actually? "Magma is the energy from the core - the power that comes from within," explains Johnson. He points to details and tells us here and there "This will stay like this in series production" or sometimes "This will be dropped": The production vehicle should largely correspond visually to the concept, but of course there are details in studies that are not suitable for series production. Either way, there is no doubt that when the Genesis GV60 Magma goes into series production in the fourth quarter of 2025, it will be a dynamic eye-catcher.

Word on the street at Auto Zürich is that a number of countries were vying to present the concept car. Switzerland was awarded the contract. What makes Switzerland, once home to Europe's first Genesis studio (now also at home in Basel and Geneva as well as Zurich), so special? Switzerland is a test market for Europe in the premium segment, says Johnson. The industry knows: "If a vehicle is well received in Switzerland, it will be well received everywhere. And: Auto Zurich is the most important car show in the country."

By the way: If you missed the Genesis GV60 Magma, you can still take a look at it and be inspired: It will be on display at the Genesis Studio Zurich at Bahnhofstrasse 62 until January 31, 2025.

Because theory is good, but in practice many things look different, innovations in the field of mobility require not only dialog, but also concrete implementation and testing. Because not everything can be implemented economically. Philipp Wetzel, Managing Director of the Amag Innovation & Venture Lab, admitted this at the start of the Future Mobility Forum 2024: "We try out a lot of things and always have to discard projects because we don't see a business case." The automotive industry is challenged on all fronts in the mobility transition, whether due to population growth, the enormous number of traffic jams or the currently faltering sales of e-vehicles.

Bringing the mobility of the future to life

Professor Andreas Herrmann from the Institute for Mobility at the University of St. Gallen (HSG) then explained: "We have to make people realize that mobility is not a bad thing." In Switzerland, mobility is an important factor for economic growth, which is why it is crucial for the mobility turnaround to better link the mobility and energy sectors. "We need to have a city, really big, where the excavators drive up and rebuild it for the mobility of the future." This is the only way to create a model region in which people can experience and gain access to new forms of mobility. HSG doctoral student Tamara Wisser then pointed out that we are already investing a lot in Switzerland.

"The federal government spends CHF 60 million every year on sustainable mobility - a patchwork of extremely expensive but short-term mobility experiments," she concludes critically. What is needed are not projects limited to three or four years, but entire model regions. This is exactly where the Zug Alliance comes in. Driven by business, supported by science and in close cooperation with the canton, it was founded. The aim of the new association is to promote cross-sector collaboration in order to decarbonize energy and mobility more quickly. Mobility used to be just an energy consumer, but today it can also be used as mobile storage, creating a new playing field with many opportunities.

Wallbox for bidirectional charging

Three specific ideas are being launched. The first is automated ridepooling, for which a feasibility study was carried out with a view to implementing it in two to three years. A virtual power plant will then be created. "Thirdly, we are tackling the bidirectional, grid-friendly charging of electric cars. At the Papieri site in Cham, we can implement everything in concrete terms and also test the various usage and innovative energy concepts," says Amag CEO Helmut Ruhl. "The whole thing should also be scalable." To this end, VW and Siemens are currently developing a wallbox that allows bidirectional charging.

For the 14th time, Ringier Media Switzerland, together with its partner carmarket.ch, Blick, SonntagsBlick, Schweizer Illustrierte, L'illustré and La Domenica, was looking for the "Swiss Car of the Year". There were two categories - jury and public vote - in which first, second and third place were awarded respectively.

In addition to the jury president, former Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn, the 15-member expert jury included specialist journalists, environmental experts and technology specialists. They chose the small electric Renault R5 E-Tech as their "Swiss Car of the Year 2025". In the public vote under the auspices of the online trading platform carmarket.ch, over 10,000 participants chose the Skoda Elroq electric SUV as their favorite.

The winning models were duly celebrated at "The Car Show" event. As in previous years, the traditional awards ceremony in the presence of the Swiss car industry was held as a dynamic show at the Classic Center Safenwil AG. The 180 guests were welcomed by the CEO of Ringier Media Switzerland, Ladina Heimgartner, and the event was hosted by Jann Billeter. Swiss R&B singer Naomi Lareine provided the musical backdrop with a brilliant performance. And Bernhard Russi, Olympic and world champion skier, shared some memories from his decades-long association with Walter Frey and the Subaru brand imported by Emil Frey AG. The winning models of the "Swiss Car of the Year 2025" then made their grand entrance on an oversized catwalk complete with revolving stage.

"Swiss Car of the Year 2025" in the specialist poll: Renault R5 E-Tech

The jury had made an initial selection from 36 new models in advance. This year, ten models made it to the final round of the big test day at the TCS Training & Freizeit Betzholz center in Hinwil ZH. While in recent years it has always been mainly large electric models that have reached the final round, this year small electric models dominated the field - finally, because they are the ones that are currently still lacking on the market to give electric mobility a further boost.

From the perspective of jury president Monisha Kaltenborn, new aspects are currently coming to the fore when deciding on a new car: "Technical data is almost becoming a minor matter. Sustainability now seems much more important, both in terms of the materials used and vehicle production. And of course the price." This year's winner is a brand new electric car with a long history: with the R5 E-Tech, French car manufacturer Renault is launching a modern small electric car, but in the classic design of the legendary first R5 from 1972. The jury was impressed by the overall package of compact dimensions, clever details à la française and three engine versions between 95 and 150 hp. Full connectivity and emission-free drives, but a nostalgic feel - this is how e-mobility becomes emotional. The Renault R5 E-Tech crossed the finishing line with 18.9 percent of the jury votes.

With 12.6 percent of the jury votes, the Volvo EX30, the smallest electric model from the traditional Swedish brand with a Chinese parent company, secured second place. The Citroën ë-C3, one of the most affordable electric crossovers on the Swiss market, followed in third place with 10.9 percent.

"Swiss Car of the Year 2025" in the public vote: Skoda Elroq

The users of Ringier Media Switzerland's media brands (including Blick, SonntagsBlick, Schweizer Illustrierte and L'illustré), carmarket.ch and La Domenica also chose their favorites. A total of 44 new models were nominated this year. With a new voting mode and the possibility of distributing several votes among three models each, over 10,000 Swiss people took part, making for an exciting and close election right to the end.

With 8.1 percent of the votes cast, the Skoda Elroq takes pole position. The title went to a compact SUV with an electric drive that was unveiled just before the start of the election. This second electric vehicle in the Czech VW subsidiary's range is not only a trendsetter thanks to its drive system. It is priced at the same level as comparable combustion-powered SUVs. The equalization of prices between combustion and electric versions is seen as a key to the spread of electromobility. Surprise second place went to the jury's choice winner, the Renault R5 E-Tech, with 6.3 percent of the votes. Third place went to the small crossover Opel Frontera with 5.8 percent of the votes.

One lucky car winner

Attractive prizes could also be won in the large public vote, which was held in all parts of the country. Anna Amstutz from Ennetbaden AG will be behind the wheel of the main prize, a new Opel Frontera with a 113 hp e-drive and a value of CHF 32,990.

Good things come to those who wait: Audi unveiled the A6 e-tron as a near-production study at the trade fair in Shanghai in spring 2021. The production version usually follows within a year. However, the new 800-volt platform developed together with Porsche and the associated software architecture caused problems and significantly delayed the market launch of the Q6 e-tron as the first model based on this platform. And thus also the subsequent model series, such as the A6 e-tron.

But now it is here, Audi's first electric saloon, which is available with a hatchback (Sportback) and as an estate (Avant). "The A6 e-tron will get people excited about electric mobility," says Audi boss Gernot Döllner confidently. And there's no doubt about it: with standard ranges of over 750 kilometers, ultra-fast charging with up to 270 kW and all kinds of luxurious features, the new electric car has some weighty arguments to put on the scales.

Slippery and fast as an arrow

Added to this is its beguiling design, which not only looks very harmonious and timelessly elegant, but is also very streamlined: together with sophisticated aerodynamic measures, the engineers achieved an outstanding drag coefficient of 0.21 (Sportback) or 0.24. This enables low consumption from 13.6 kWh/100 km and therefore long ranges.

Last but not least, the 4.93-metre-long A6 e-tron boasts thrilling performance: even as a basic model with rear-wheel drive and 210 kW/286 hp, the saloon sprints to 100 km/h in 6 seconds, while the top-of-the-range S6 model with 370 kW/503 hp and all-wheel drive does it in 3.9 seconds - that was still hyper-car territory a few years ago. In between, there is the A6 Performance with rear-wheel drive (270 kW/367 hp) or all-wheel drive (315 kW/428 hp). The entry-level model has an 83 kWh battery, all others are equipped with a 100 kWh battery. Prices start at 72,400 Swiss francs, with the S6 available from 105,000 Swiss francs.

In recent weeks, readers of the Ringier media in Switzerland (including "Blick", "SonntagsBlick", "Schweizer Illustrierte", "L'illustré" and "La Domenica") and users of Carmarket.ch had the opportunity to vote for their "Favorite Swiss Car of the Year" 2025 as part of the "Swiss Car of the Year" 2025 poll. They were allowed to give their points to three models from a selection of 44 new products of the year. In the last four years, Skoda - pictured here is the winning Kodiaq, the public's favorite in 2024 - has always come out on top in this public vote. It remains to be seen who Switzerland's largest car jury will choose as the successor: There was plenty to choose from.

Incidentally, this was also the case for the 15-member expert jury, consisting of automotive journalists, environmental experts and racing professionals, who at the same time selected the "Swiss Car of the Year" for the 14th time, this time for 2025 from a shortlist of 36 car models. In a first selection step, the expert jury reduced the field of 36 to ten contenders for victory and put them through their paces again at the beginning of October on a specially organized test day at the TCS Training & Freizeit AG site, Zentrum Betzholz in Hinwil ZH.

The ten candidates for the title of "Swiss Car of the Year" 2025

Take a look at which of the ten finalists you would have voted for. This week on AutoSprintCH we will reveal who won the race, and then you can see whether you would have voted for the same car model:

Alfa Romeo Junior (HEV, BEV*)
The car was first unveiled under the name Milano, but a few days later the Italians had to rename it Junior.

https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/alfa-romeo-start-in-eine-neue-aera/

BMW X3 (HEV, PHEV*)
While the competition is launching almost exclusively electric models, BMW is continuing to launch the new X3 with conventional and familiar diesel and petrol engines, as well as mild and plug-in hybrid variants.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/bmw-x3-und-bmw-1er-zwei-topseller-in-neuem-gewand/

Citroën ë-C3 (BEV*)
With 113 hp (83 kW), a range of 326 kilometers and a top speed of 135 km/h, the 4.02-meter-long ë-C3 may not set any speed records, but the electric dwarf starts at just 24,990 francs.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/citroen-der-e-c3-zeigt-was-moeglich-ist/

Dacia Duster (HEV*)
The Duster is the Romanian Renault subsidiary's flagship model and has long been the most affordable all-wheel-drive vehicle on the market. However, more technology and equipment in what is now the third generation are driving prices up.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/dacia-bewaehrtes-wird-aktualisiert/

Kia EV3 (BEV*)
The South Koreans are shrinking their EV9 and EV6 supercars into the EV3. The new compact crossover replaces the Kia Soul, has an angular design like its bigger brothers and surprises with ranges of up to 600 kilometers.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/kia-extravaganz-fuer-die-durchschnittsfamilie/

MG 4 XPower (BEV*)
MG has also been available in Switzerland since the summer. The models from the British-Chinese brand impress with their excellent price-performance ratio. This includes the brand's currently most powerful electric vehicle, the MG 4 XPower. Two electric motors not only provide 435 hp (320 kW) and a range of 385 kilometers, but also 4×4, starting at 39,490 Swiss francs.

Polestar 4 (BEV*)
The most striking visual feature of the Polestar 4 SUV coupé, which is available from 62,900 Swiss francs, is its lack of a rear window. Cool for the design, but takes some getting used to in everyday life - despite the live image on the digital interior mirror.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/polestar-4-schwedische-raumkapsel/

Porsche Macan (BEV*)
Since its market launch ten years ago, the Macan has been the best-selling Porsche in Switzerland. Now it is only available in all-electric mode.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/porsche-ein-meisterwerk-der-elektromobilitaet/

Renault 5 E-Tech Electric (BEV*)
This is how Renault sees the future: electric and modern, with references to design tradition. The top-of-the-range R5 model is available with a 52-kWh battery, 150 hp (110 kW) and a range of 410 kilometers from 32,500 francs. The base model will follow in spring from 24,990 francs.
https://www.autosprint.ch/neue-modelle/renault-5-e-tech-electric-der-kleine-freund-ist-jetzt-cooler-denn-je/

Volvo EX30 (BEV*)
Volvo packs its smallest model, the electric EX30, in typical Scandinavian design. Despite being only 4.23 meters long, it offers an astonishing amount of power.
https://www.autosprint.ch/aktuell/volvo-der-ex30-ist-bestes-stadtauto-2024/

* HEV = hybrid vehicle, PHEV = plug-in hybrid vehicle, BEV = electric vehicle

By switching from a hatchback to a crossover body shape, the European Toyota designers have given the Aygo X a special emotional touch. In keeping with this, the sound system from the renowned audio brand JBL was specified during the development of the Aygo X and perfectly matched to the interior of the compact city crossover. Thanks to Toyota Smart Connect, you can now easily select and control your favorite music via the wired or wireless smartphone connection. The special edition also includes the innovative playlist "The Sound of Noise", which is packed with stimulating, relaxing and informative elements.

Two full-range loudspeakers are integrated into the front doors and 25 mm tweeters are mounted on the A-pillars. In the rear, a 200 mm subwoofer provides powerful bass and a dynamic sound image. The 300-watt amplifier under the front passenger seat has six channels and ensures ideal concert sound from rock to pop.

In addition to the sound quality, the lightness of the sound system also plays an important role in the Aygo X JBL special edition. Thanks to the weight reduction, the Toyota is lighter overall, which in turn is reflected in lower fuel consumption - the environment is happy and so is the music fan thanks to the cool sound! JBL is also visually represented in the Aygo X - the logo adorns the rear and rear window of the vehicle, while color-coordinated premium seat covers with the JBL logo ensure stylish comfort in the interior. In addition, the Aygo X JBL shines in the new Jasmine Silver color scheme and the black bi-tone paintwork of the new special edition with a unique look.

The urban boom box on wheels is powered by a 1.0-liter petrol engine with 72 hp and 93 Nm. The new Special Edition also comes with a new, free service-activated 10-year warranty including the additional Assistance 24/7 package - the offer applies not only to all new vehicles, but also to all currently used vehicles in the Toyota model range that are already on Swiss roads (max. 10 years or 185,000 km). Sales of the Aygo X JBL special edition will start in mid-December and the first city crossovers for music fans will then roll onto our roads in March 2025.

Whether you are traveling in an urban environment or even on off-road routes, the new Opel Combo Cargo 4×4 feels just as comfortable in the lowlands and on asphalt as it does on challenging or steep terrain. It has an intelligent all-wheel drive system from the French 4×4 specialist Dangel, which is automatically activated when required thanks to the electric rear axle. If a loss of grip is detected, the all-wheel drive engages. However, unlike conventional all-wheel drives, the power is not split between the front and rear axles, but the additional torque for propulsion is provided solely by the electric rear axle. In combination with more ground clearance, this promises maximum control and therefore safety, even when conditions are demanding.

Support from electrical system

Electric assistance is another plus point of the Combo Cargo 4×4. The vehicle has a 48 V battery pack with a capacity of 4.8 kWh, which is charged by an efficient DCDC converter from the 12 V alternator. You can choose between two modes with different torques for the electric rear axle. The system also recharges itself autonomously, which ensures the power supply for the all-wheel drive.

The new all-wheel drive Opel is all about versatility. Thanks to the engine and diesel tank mudguards, it is very robust and can therefore be used in a variety of scenarios and even on rough terrain. It can be ordered immediately as a Combo Cargo Diesel 1.5 with 8-speed automatic transmission in the 4.40 m length from CHF 35,990 (excl. VAT) or in the 4.75 m version with even more transport capacity from CHF 37,590 (excl. VAT).

SRG will switch off the broadcasting of its radio stations via FM by 2025. Private radio stations are also expected to cease broadcasting at the end of 2026. As urgent traffic and congestion information is crucial for road safety, it is essential that it is transmitted quickly and reliably to all road users - this currently happens 2,600 times a year. In future, however, the approximately 1.8 million vehicles without DAB+ reception will be excluded from this information, which will affect a good 38 % of all passenger cars in 2024. To put it bluntly: a switch from pure FM reception to DAB+ is therefore necessary, otherwise radio will remain dead.

TCS therefore recommends retrofitting via an adapter or full integration if you do not yet have DAB+ radio reception in your car. Four simple adapters and two FM transmitters were tested by TCS - DAB+ reception works well with all four adapters, but transmission into the existing car radio works particularly well if it has an Aux input. Priced between 50 and 70 francs, all adapters search for an alternative frequency when the signal weakens and recognize traffic reports. If you want to listen to the radio via the on-board loudspeakers using a smartphone app, you can fall back on FM transmitters. However, the aux connection of an FM transmitter only worked in one of two cars tested! And the device also transmitted an annoying noise via Aux into the car radio while the ventilation was running.

The positive aspect: Both devices only need a cigarette lighter for the power supply and an FM radio, so even very old vehicles can be easily upgraded and converted. However, it should be noted that the signal strength of an FM transmitter has a legal limit, which is why some FM radios (two out of four tested) switch to a different frequency, that of a regular radio station, after 1-2 minutes with these two devices.