Traffic is blurred in a timed exposure on the Gardiner Expressway during the evening rush hour in Toronto, Ont. on Wednesday April 30, 2014.Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/QMI Agency Ontario drivers can now carry electronic proof of their auto insurance on their smartphones or other devices.Finance Minister Rod Phillips says the pink paper insurance slip isnt being eliminated yet, but being able to display the information on a phone can save drivers from rummaging through their glove compartments.He says there will be a one-year phase-in period, when insurers will have to issue a paper card in addition to the electronic option if it is requested.Phillips says the electronic cards will feature safeguards that wont allow them to be altered or edited, and privacy concerns are top of mind.Drivers will be responsible for making sure their phone can display the proof of insurance, even with a poor signal, drained battery or damaged screen.The Insurance Bureau of Canada says consumers have digital options in other sectors such as banking and retail, so auto insurers are pleased their customers will have the same
Origin: Pink auto insurance card goes digital for Ontario drivers
Trump to meet with GM’s Mary Barra after criticizing company
President Donald Trump tours the American Center of Mobility with GM CEO Mary Barra. U.S. President Donald Trump will meet on Thursday with Mary Barra, the chief executive officer of General Motors days after he castigated the company for shrinking its U.S. workforce.The White House meeting, scheduled for the afternoon, will take place as four other auto industry giants have defied his administration by reaching a compromise with California to bolster fuel efficiency.A person familiar with the matter said Barra hoped to use the get-together, which was reported earlier by Reuters, to talk about jobs, trade and fuel economy rules. The person requested anonymity to discuss the meeting, which was announced by the White House on Wednesday night.General Motors, which was once the Giant of Detroit, is now one of the smallest auto manufacturers there, Trump tweeted on August 30, a day after Bloomberg reported GM employed fewer United Auto Workers-represented employees than Ford or Fiat Chrysler. The president called for GM to start moving back to America again.GM has about 46,000 UAW workers, about 2,000 fewer than it had in 2009, when the company emerged from a bankruptcy reorganization backed by the U.S. government.Trump has criticized GM’s plans to close plants in Michigan and Ohio, states that are crucial to his re-election bid. That has put him at odds with Barra, who has said the closings were necessary for the business to thrive. GM is also embroiled in contract talks with the UAW. The joint agreement involving California with Honda, Ford, Volkswagen and BMW had already been rejected by Trumps Environmental Protection Agency. The deal announced on July 25 alongside the California Air Resources Board eases the pace of annual efficiency improvements required under current Obama administration rules but is tougher than the Trump administrations proposal to cap mileage requirements at 2020 levels.GM was not part of that accord, and is seeking what it calls a 50-state solution.In California, they have a standard where the cars are going to have to be much more expensive and wont be as good, Trump said earlier Wednesday. If we can build a less expensive car thats better, we like
Origin: Trump to meet with GM’s Mary Barra after criticizing company
Crescent Beach Concours a stunning end of summer treat
Ben Bekers beautiful 1954 Lincoln Cosmopolitan Sport Coupe on the Crescent Beach Concours lawn last Saturday.Cam Hutchins Last weekend was the perfect way to end the summer season thanks to lots of great showsAs always, Saturdays Crescent Beach Concours was outstanding. I was there for morning roll-in and the selection of cars was absolutely stellar. Too many great cars to pick my favourite, so Im lucky not to be a judge. John Carlson taught me most of what I know about working on engines and it was great to see him there as chief judge. I spent lots of time talking to many owners and one cool story concerned three generations of carnuts presenting a 1968 Fiat 500 bought new by Grandma (or Nonna) in Italy and the a SILA Bimboracer owned by grandson Massimo Calandra. This was an electric childrens car built by S.I.L.A. in Turin, designed by Giovanni Michelotti, and based on the open Ferrari Spider of its time and has Connolly Ferrari leather interior. Young Massimo was a hit with the judges.Another Italian supercar of its day was the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C2300 Touring owned by noted car collector and vintage racer Jon Shirley of the Seattle area. This car has a supercharged straight eight-cylinder engine and its snarling exhaust note rivals any of the muscle eras V8s. It rolled in to a prime spot in the centre of the field and won best of show. But choosing best of show must have been tough because there were so many cool cars. There was a 1909 Pierce Arrow 24 Runabout that came in with protective bags over the brass to protect it, along with a 1910 Russell Knight 22 owned by Peter Findlay. The 1929 Franklin Speedster at the show has an aluminum body and a similar vehicle was given to Charles Lindberg in hopes of promoting the benefits of the Franklins air-cooled engine.Another cool engine was the six-cylinder in the 1936 MGNB. After the Thirties most MG were stuck with all sorts of four-cylinders so this was a pretty unique car to see. The flip side to small engines was the big bad Shelby GT 500KR of Postmedia columnist Alyn Edwards with the 428 Cobrajet. Alyn took a day off of reporting and judging to just come to the show as an entrant. Beside the Shelby was the biggest baddest of the 50s wild decade, the audacious 1959 Cadillac Series 62. The rear of these cars are probably the most photographed tails of all time.Other of the crazy 50s tails included: the 1958 Imperial 4 door Southampton, owned by Ernie and Colleen Stepney; Doug Taylors 1957 Mercury Turnpike; and the 1957 Dodge Custom Royal D-500 of Bob and Josie Cunningham. Similar to the Dodge Custom was the Orange Creamsicle-coloured 1958 DeSoto two-door hardtop Firedome Sportsman owned by LDonna Lynds. This weekend I am going to take a cue from Alyn and enter my old Chevy truck in the Langley Good Times Cruise-In, and look forward to meeting up with all my B.C. Hot Rod Association buddies at 6:45 a.m.at the Starlight Drive-In and all drive in together to park as a group. I have not been able to make it for the last few years but am really looking forward to being an entrant this year. I am going to start the weekend off with a visit to 192th Street in Surrey for the classic Cruise-In held every Friday evening and also to the Currus Metalworks open house. Sunday will probably include a trip down to Cloverdale for the Bill Larson Memorial Pub Run Newton Boys Hot Rod Run Show Shine. For decades the McLander brothers put on this awesome show, and although they are sort of retired it is still a super cool show and there is a great food at the pub. Another good place to eat that has a car show on Sunday is the Cat Fiddle Pub in Port Coquitlam.So the suggestion for this weekend is bring a kid and an appetite!SHOWSSEPT. 6What: Currus Metalworks Open House and Car ShowWhere: 208-19138 26 Ave., SurreyWhen: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.Admission: FreeInfo: 778-545-8422 or george@currusmetalworks.comSEPT. 6-7What: Queen City CruiseWhere: Downtown NelsonWhen: Friday Cruise 2 p.m to 6 p.m. Parade from the Railtown district of downtown Nelson.Saturday show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: Saturday 9 a.m. $25 and open to all vehiclesInfo: 250-551-5848 or info@nelsonroadkings.comWebsite: nelsonroadkings.comSEPT. 7What: Langley Good Times Cruise-InWhere: Downtown AldergroveWhen: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.Admission: FreeRegistration: $30Info: 604-371-3770 or registerforlangleycruisein@gmail.comWebsite: langleycruise-in.comWhat: Cars Rods RidesWhere: Archie Browning Curling Rink, 1151 Esquimalt Rd., VictoriaWhen: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.Admission: Donations acceptedRegistration: 8 a.m. $5 to support children in the region over the holidays. A cash donation or a new unwrapped toy is appreciated.Info: 250-920-0946 orlorneargyle@gmail.comWebsite: esquimaltlights.ca/car-showWhat: English Car Affair in the ParkWhere: Government House, VictoriaWhen: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Admission: FreeInfo: 250-477-9832, info@oecc.ca or susanchapp@shaw.caWebsite: oecc.caWhat: Endless
Origin: Crescent Beach Concours a stunning end of summer treat
First Drive: 2020 BMW 330e plug-in hybrid
2020 BMW 330e plug-in hybrid MUNICH, Germany Theres no doubt today that the future of personal transportation is all about sustainability, reducing your carbon footprint, finding cleaner sources of fuel, and basically being friendlier to the environment while driving. But that doesnt mean you have to make serious compromises in terms of driving pleasure if you want to do your part to ease the burden on Mother Nature at least not yet. The 2020 BMW 330e is the firms latest iteration of the 3 Series plug-in hybrid, and it is greener than before, while also becoming more powerful and more engaging to drive.The big deal with the new 330e is a much improved and more efficient hybrid powertrain that boasts 50 per cent more electric range than the previous 330e, or up to 66 km according to European testing. The 330es 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four develops 184 horsepower, and an electric motor adds up to another 113 hp. Combined output is 252 hp and torque is 310 lb.-ft., though Sport mode activates what BMW calls XtraBoost, which provides maximum electric power at full throttle, or 292 hp combined, for up to 10 seconds. The previous 330e made 248 horsepower, and had no added electric boost.The gasoline engine is mated to a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic. The 330e tested in Germany is a rear driver, and although were told it can be built with an all-wheel-drive power train, the folks at BMW would not confirm if the 330e would arrive in Canada with AWD; the outgoing model is a rear driver. Note that the latest 5 and 7 Series plug-in hybrids are built on xDrive power trains, so its possible this will be announced closer to market launch. The electric motor is mounted between the engine and transmission, replacing what would normally be a torque converter. Instead of a torque converter, a multi-plate clutch is used to launch the car when the engine is running. The 330e now rides on the latest 3 Series chassis, which was introduced to market earlier this year. It boasts 25 per cent more overall rigidity; the wheelbase is 41 mm longer and the wheels have been set wider apart. This really improves handling compared to the previous generation 3 Series, and this is no less true for the heavier 330e.At 1,815 kg it is 46 kg heavier than the previous 330e, and 270 kg heavier than the 330i. That added weight is due to the larger 12 kWh lithium ion battery that replaces the previous 330es 7.6 kWh battery. The new modular battery now extends below the rear seat, whereas the previous unit extended no further than the trunk. Trunk space is reduced compared to the 330i, down to 375 litres from 480.Although it is carrying added heft, the 330e is remarkably strong off the line, its maximum combined torque propelling it from a stop to 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds; thats just one tenth of a second slower than the 330i. Steering is light, yet sharp and precise, and body roll is well managed when cornering at speed it feels as taut as a 3 Series should feel. What is notable about the 330e is its energy management system. Hybrid mode is the default drive mode when pushing the start button, so the engine does not fire, and the car can be driven silently and emissions-free up to 110 km/h before the cylinders fire up, which is a 30 km/h increase over the previous 330e. When the gasoline engine is called into duty, it is done so seamlessly only a change in the background colour of the instrument display giving away the use of gasoline.Unless Sport mode is selected, the energy management system is programmed to use mostly battery power, but without draining the battery if you have a destination set in the navigation system. Its designed this way so that there will be a reserve of electric power when you reach your destination especially important in Europe, where many city centres have bans on gasoline-powered vehicles. It will also use GPS and mapping information to optimize battery replenishment while driving, automatically favouring engine power on the highway, and electric power in urban areas.When Electric mode is selected, prioritizing the electric motor, the car can reach a top speed of 140 km/h, which is a 20 km/h increase over the current 330e. Claimed charging time from an empty battery to an 80 per cent charge is 2.4 hours when using a level 2 charger. My 330e test car is equipped with BMWs optional Live Cockpit, which includes a 12.3-inch high-resolution instrument screen, and 10.5-inch central touchscreen with Apple CarPlay. It also includes the optional BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant voice-recognition system that responds to Hey BMW, followed by a command. As long as you have a good cellular connection, the system works well using regular speech.A number of driver assists are available, either as standard or part of separate packages, including the unique Back-Up Assistant. This feature continuously records the last 50 metres of forward travel at speeds below 35 km/h, and retains the
Origin: First Drive: 2020 BMW 330e plug-in hybrid
Ian Callum’s Vanquish 25 project makes UK public debut
The Vanquish 25, debut project of former Jaguar design boss Ian Callum and his new Callum design group, has made its first public appearance at the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance. Callum is planning to build a batch of comprehensively rethought and re-engineered Aston Martin Vanquish V12s as the new business’s first bespoke car project. The Vanquish 25 project forms part of a series of R-Reforged edition cars fully endorsed by Aston Martin, with customers able to upgrade their existing car, or have R-Reforged source one for them. UK-based R-Reforged has previously worked with Aston Martin on other projects, and will play a key role in the Callum project’s customer experience. Each finished car is expected to cost £550,000 including a sourced V12 Vanquish. Delivery of finished cars is due to start late this year and the full batch of 25 should be completed and delivered at the end of 2020. The Astons will be returned to bare metal and rebuilt from scratch in Callum’s new Warwick-based workshops. They will incorporate dozens of subtle and not so subtle changes, some of which Ian Callum has wanted to make since his original Vanquish design hit production in 2001. “There are things on the car I’ve always wanted to fix,” he said. “Now I have the chance.” One strong theme running through the whole car is a unique fabric and trim pattern that Ian Callum, a loyal Scot, calls his “abstract tartan”. It appears in the Vanquish in surprising places, such as air outlets and speaker grilles, as well as seating and trim panels and will be used on Callum cars in future. The partners at Callum have already built two Vanquish prototypes, one to show off their body and cabin developments and another to perfect a new suspension set-up that runs to bigger wheels and tyres, stiffer springs and dampers plus changes to anti-roll bars and suspension bushes. All cars also get larger-diameter carbon-ceramic brakes plus new 20in wheels that use the Vanquish’s original pattern but are now offset to improve stability and stance. Each V12 engine gets software, camshaft and exhaust changes to boost its power by around 60bhp to between 500bhp and 600bhp, depending on the model. A modern six-speed torque-converter automatic is offered, although many owners are expected to stick with the Vanquish’s original automated manual gearbox. Ian Callum’s “new old” Aston is still very recognisable as an original Vanquish but has many modern details. There’s a new-style front bumper and grille, the latter subtly framed with carbonfibre and its horizontal bars most prominent. The lights are new LED units and the old, round foglights (Callum calls them “frog eyes”) are dropped in favour of air scoops for the bigger front brakes. There are new-design exterior mirrors (“we’ve dropped the old boxing gloves”) plus handsome side skirts incorporating a four-notch design that will become a feature of future Callum cars. The exhaust’s back box has been reduced in size and incorporated into the rear bumper assembly to improve the efficiency of the rear diffuser and the car gets new LED tail-lights, an unusual and expensive feature (but necessary, Ian Callum insists). More subtle improvements abound. Special Michelin tyres carry the Callum tartan on their sidewalls. The side windows are framed with specially fabricated trim pieces (not the Jaguar cast-offs of the original). The interior is completely retrimmed over new architecture, with the emphasis on high-quality materials and execution. The new front seats adopt a more sporting profile and the tiny rear seats have been ditched in favour of better accommodation for those in the front. There’s a new screen-based HMI and a demountable Bremont watch is fitted into the centre of every fascia. Although Ian Callum left Jaguar only a couple of months ago, his design partners — David Fairbairn, Adam Donfrancesco and Tim Bird — have been working on the project for much longer. “We want to get back to making things,” said Ian Callum. “The idea is to do bespoke projects for customers as individuals.” “I like that the Callum team’s first project is based on the original V12 Vanquish designed by Ian,” Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman said. “Aston Martin Lagonda is very proud of the cars created during Ian’s time and they are an important part in both our heritage and evolution.” The original Vanquish, born from a 1998 concept designed by Ian Callum before he joined Jaguar, introduced a new era of Aston design and construction in 2001 that led directly to the successful years of the DB9 and smaller V8 Vantage. The car, although handsome, never found buyers as readily as others and was discontinued in favour of a new, DB9-based Vanquish in 2007. Donor Astons for the Callum treatment will come either from existing owners or the company will source suitable cars itself. A fairly restricted series of colours and interior treatments will be offered: Ian Callum
Origin: Ian Callum’s Vanquish 25 project makes UK public debut
2019 Luxury & Supercar Weekend takes flight
Beautiful cars and well-dress admirers are the order of the day at the 10th annual Luxury Supercar Weekend at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver.Postmedia VANCOUVER The kids are back to school, the white shoes are put away for another season and Canucks training camp is just around the corner.All of which means its time once again for VanDusen Botanical Gardens to be transformed into the greatest outdoor car lot imaginable.The 10th annual Luxury Supercar Weekend takes place tomorrow and Sunday and as usual is offering up a mouth-watering display of supercars, luxury cars and even a few classics for the discerningand typically well-dressedshowgoers. Theres also a live supercar auction operated by Adesa and great food and beverages available throughout the garden grounds.As has been the case since show founder/organizer Craig Stowe brought his dream of a highend car show to Vancouver a decade ago, this years event offers a new twist: an airplane.Here are four reasons to visit this years show (but trust me there are many more): The ICON 5 recreational airplane will share lawn space with the usual array of mouth-watering supercars and luxury cars. ICON ICON A5Recreational aviation has taken a great leap forward with this U.S.-built amphibious light-sport aircraft. A concept aircraft was first flown in 2008, and creation of the production tooling began in December 2012. Its designengine in back, low instrument panel and panoramic canopyprovides unique views for the pilot and passenger. It has folding wings, a spin-resistant airframe, an onboard parachute system, a range of 427 nautical miles and a maximum speed of 176 km/h. Price: US$389,000. Pininfarina Battista File photo PININFARINA BATTISTAThe Pininfarina Battista is an electric sports car manufactured by Munich-based Automobili Pininfarina with roots in the Italian car design firm and coachbuilder Pininfarina SpA. The name Battista is a tribute to Pininfarinas founder Battista Farina. Unveiled earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, the two-door coupe is powered by a 120 kWh battery pack that sends power to four motors at each wheel to produce a monstrous 1,877 horsepower and 1,696 lbs.-ft of torque. It has a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, boasts 21-inch wheels, and a reported full-charge range of 451 kilometres. Pagani Huayra BC Pagani 2020 PAGANI HUAYRA BC ROADSTERWith a sticker price of US$3.4 million, this street-legal hypercar isnt for the light of wallet or shy of attention. Its twin-turbo 6.0-litre V12 engine produces 745 horsepower and ultralight bodymade of a new material called carbon triax that Pagani claims is 50 per cent lighter and 20 per cent stronger than your garden-variety carbon fibreunderscore its track focused design. Theres even a bit of sentimentality in this wicked whip, as the BC refers to Benny Caiola, the first-ever Pagani customer. 2019 BMW M5 Competition Derek McNaughton BMWThe German automaker has brought special vehicles to the show in the past and for this years event hosts the national premiere of a unique-to-Canada BMW M vehicle (so secret that we wont know what it is until the eve of the show itself). What we do know is the exclusive, limited-edition model pays homage to a rarely shown concept car from the 1990s. Other vehicles in the BMW paddock will include the first-ever BMW X7, the BMW M850 Gran Coupe and the BMW M5 Competition.IF YOU GOWhat: 2019 Luxury Supercar WeekendWhere: VanDusen Botanical Garden, 5251 Oak St., VancouverWhen: Saturday, Sept. 7 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday Supercar Auction at 1:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 8 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.Tickets: Online at luxurysupercar.com and on site on days of show.Website:
Origin: 2019 Luxury & Supercar Weekend takes flight
Porsche increases stake in hypercar EV maker Rimac
Porsche has increased its stake in Croatian electric vehicle firm Rimac, as part of an increased co-operation in battery technology and other areas. The German car maker bought a 10% stake in Rimac in June 2018 and has now increased its holding to 15.5%. The move comes shortly after Porsche launched the Taycan, its first series-production electric car. According to the two companies, the increased partnership will allow Porsche to “call on Rimac’s expertise in vehicle electrification, including powertrains, batteries and other components related to electrification and autonomous driving”. Lutz Meschke, Porsche’s finance chief, said: “It quickly became clear to us that Porsche and Rimac could learn a lot from each other. We are convinced of (founder) Mate Rimac and his company, so now we have increased our stake and are expanding our cooperation in battery technology.” Meschke told Autocar: “Rimac is very strong in battery technologies, e-motors and UX (user experience), and we can benefit. It’s a win-win situation on both sides.” The firms have not disclosed how much Porsche paid for the stake. Porsche isn’t the only major car firm to have invested in Rimac. Earlier this year, the Hyundai Motor Group invested £60 million in a deal that includes the development of two high-performance EVs by next year. Meschke said: “Rimac has a very good chance to have a broad range of customers in both sports cars and the volume segment with Hyundai. We have a very close co-operation with Rimac and we will see the results of that in the upcoming electric Macan and future
Origin: Porsche increases stake in hypercar EV maker Rimac
TomTom maps out revamp with bet on self-driving cars
A picture taken on October 13, 2017 in Toulouse shows TomTom mapping and camera car charting the streets.Pascal Pavani / AFP via Getty Once a household name for its satellite navigation for cars, TomTom has taken a back seat in recent years as smartphones, loaded with apps like Google Maps, surged in popularity.Now the Dutch digital mapping company is betting that your car needs directions more than you do. Over the past few years, TomTom has been building high-definition or dynamic maps for self-driving cars.Its a decision that could help it challenge tech platforms, like Alphabet Inc.s Google, as cars are increasingly sold with more autonomous capabilities.We used to make maps for humans, but now we make maps for robots, Alain De Taeye, member of TomToms management board, said at a journalist briefing in Amsterdam.In 2008, TomTom reported sales of more than 12 million personal navigation devices, its record high. By 2011, it announced a restructuring program that included forced lay-offs to counter lower sales. TomTom now finds itself with several deep-pocketed rivals battling for the future of car navigation, including Apple, Google and HERE Technologies, the digital mapping company controlled by BMW and other German car makers.In a blow for TomTom, longtime partner Renault and associates Nissan and Mitsubishi last year signed on with Googles Android operating system to supply standard-definition maps.On a quest to claw its way back, TomTom is ditching unwanted business lines, like the Telematics fleet-management business, and doubling down on HD maps. TomTom says its been able to differentiate itself from competitors on HD maps by being independent and not having an advertising-based business model like Googles.In addition to sensors and other features, HD maps are an important part of autonomous driving, which can incorporate different levels of human assistance from very little to none whatsoever in even the harshest weather conditions. HD maps, stored on a cars computer system, replicate every lane, guard-rail, road edge and pole that a vehicle sees, helping cars locate their positions within centimeters. Those features are critical to avoid crashing into nearby cars, but they also help the car discern which traffic light at a busy cross-section it should obey, or identify a speed sign hidden by a truck.So far, TomTom has publicly announced HD partnerships with Baidu Inc. on its Apollo driverless project, and with Renault on the carmakers SYMBIOZ autonomous driving program. It announced in March it had won multiple deals to provide HD maps to major carmakers, but declined to say which ones. Those contracts typically last more than 10 years because of ongoing service needs.TomTom collects traffic and road data on more than 67 million kilometers around the world using 600 million different devices including its mobile mapping cars, sat navs, and mobile phones. Of those roads, TomTom has so far covered only 400,000 kilometers in HD. Its HD maps are currently only available on highways in the U.S., Canada, Europe, South Korea and Japan but it is working to add more side roads as the technology
Origin: TomTom maps out revamp with bet on self-driving cars
Alpine readies rally-spec A110 for international competition
Alpine has launched a rally-spec version of its A110 sports car aimed at competing in events at an international level. Underpinned by the same lightweight aluminium chassis as the track-oriented GT4 and Cup variants, the A110 Rally has been developed with the help of Signatech, which also runs Alpine’s sports car programme. The machine packs produces more than 296bhp from an uprated version of the standard A110’s 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. Further performance modifications come in the form of three-way hydraulic suspension, Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential and a sequential six-speed gearbox. A new steering wheel, featuring an integrated telemetry display and paddle shifters, has been fitted. The A110 Rally also features safety equipment such as a six-point harness system, roll cage and FIA-approved competition fuel cell, and the firm is in the process of obtaining FIA R-GT homologation status, which would allow it to be used on international events. Alpine claims the car will be certified in the coming weeks, with customer deliveries beginning in early 2020 in time for its scheduled competition debut. The original Alpine A110 was a successful rally car, claiming the top six positions in the inaugural World Rally Championship in 1973, and taking victory in that year’s Monte Carlo Rally. Régis Fricotté, Alpine commercial and competition director, said: “This return to rallying is highly anticipated as Alpine made history when it won the first-ever World Rally Championship in 1973. “To ensure the success of this new adventure, we have entrusted the research and development, production and commercialisation of the Alpine A110 Rally to Signatech, our partner as well in the FIA World Endurance Championship and around the Cup and GT4 programmes. The Alpine A110 Rally looks set to be a very fine car to drive and amazingly efficient.” Prices for the competition model start from €150,000 (£134,518), in Europe, with no word yet on when a right-hand-drive variant can be expected. Options include an advanced data acquisition software package and Alpine’s trademark blue paint, as available on the road-going variant. The launch of the new model comes as Alpine welcomes Patrick Marinoff as the firm’s new managing director. A long-time Daimler employee, Marinoff has previously acted as global brand manager for Maybach, head of brand appearance for Mercedes-Benz, and, most recently, head of sales at
Origin: Alpine readies rally-spec A110 for international competition
Images of two new Ferrari drop-tops leak online
Ferrari looks set to unveil two important new convertible models according to images circulating on social media. One image, posted to Facebook by Ferrari fan page ‘Cavallino Rampante’ (Prancing Horse), shows what appears to be a drop-top version of the firm’s 812 Superfast at a corporate or private customer event. Bodywork changes over the existing hardtop variant appear to be limited to the addition of a pair of prominent rear buttresses, similar to those on the limited-run SP1 and SP2 Monza, which should enhance aerodynamic efficiency with the roof down. There’s no official word yet on the V12’s performance details, but if (as expected) the new model features the same 789bhp 6.5-litre unit as the coupé, it will be one of the most powerful production convertibles in the world. Also inbound, as shown in an image published by Instagram user trax_x, is a Spider variant of the new F8 Tributo. We’ve only seen it in silhouette form so far, but, as with the 812 Spider, it looks to bear a strong resemblance to its hardtop counterpart, with subtle styling changes at the rear to accommodate a folding roof. It is unclear how soon the models will make their official debut, but given they appear to have been revealed to customers already, we can expect to find out more in the coming
Origin: Images of two new Ferrari drop-tops leak online
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