NEW G-CLASS WITH MORE OFF-ROAD GEE
Merc’s newest model carrying the immortal ‘G’ badge and an arsenal of new tech is set to be even more impressive than the last.
While it wears a new outfit, and AMG models get the performance-mainstay 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo powerplant, there is more reason than ever for ‘hold my brewsky and watch this’ moments.
See, the current Geländewagen is widely considered to be one of the best standard off-roaders that money can buy, partly attributed to three locking-differentials and an overall can-do attitude.
Now though, it is even better. Thanks to Merc addressing some nitty-gritty mechanical components, it’s able to wade through water that’s 10 centimetres deeper and stand on embankments that’s seven degrees steeper than the former 28-degree tilt-over-angle.
While not many of these G-Wagons will likely explore the business end of a donga, it sure is good to know that it can handle itself when the occasion arises.
Image © DAIMLER AG
EAGLE EYE
In motorsport, the difference between success and failure can be measured in milliseconds. In musical theory also, the right sequence of keys at precisely the right time can define audible excellence. However, when it comes to crafting its cars, a fraction of a millimetre margin for error is a fraction too many for the German automaker, Porsche.
That’s why it employed the services of what it calls “Eagle Eye,” a state-of-the-art coordinate measurement machine that’s capable of detecting irregularities in the manufacturing process as seemingly trivial as micro-metres.
Manufacturing nearly 250 vehicles daily, the Zuffenhausen plant will use Eagle Eye to measure every aspect of the 1,000 measurement points that can be found on a Porsche, ensuring only the highest quality vehicles eventually make it to dealership floors.
Image © PORSCHE AG
STRONGER. LIGHTER
American automotive giant, General Motors is looking to dip its toes into the future of car manufacturing workflow processes by utilising next-gen ‘generative design’ software from Autodesk.
The software allows a user to set specific design parameters like material, strength and weight after which it can be paired with 3D component printing.
It is also not just some manufacturing pipe dream. GM and Autodesk engineers have already combined their resources to manufacture a proof-of-concept seat bracket that is both 40% lighter and 20% stronger than its original counterpart.
“Generative design is the future of manufacturing and GM is a pioneer in using it to lighten their vehicles,” says Scott Reese, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Manufacturing and Construction.
Image © GENERAL MOTORS
NEED A LIFT
Civilian airspace seems to be the only untapped resource in the race for ride-hailing companies looking to take commuters out of cars and into its flying taxis.
Uber is the latest to reveal its plans for sky-based taxi services which, it hopes, will take flight by 2023.
It plans to utilise battery-electric powered VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft that will be propelled by four rotors providing lift, while only a single rear-mounted rotor will provide forward thrust.
According to Uber, its passenger drones will only operate at an altitude of between one and two thousand feet above the ground, while speed won’t exceed 463 km/h — as regulated by the FAA at altitudes under 10,000 feet, or around 3,000 metres.
Uber also added that a significant challenge in the project is the relative shortage of commercially qualified pilots versus the possible demand for the commuting service.
Image © UNLOCKAR.COM
TRACK ASSASSIN
Racing moniker, Brabham knows something about racing. In fact, it has been involved in the art of going around circles at breakneck speeds for the better part of seven decades.
So, when Brabham Automotive unveils its first car, performance enthusiasts everywhere are likely to sit up and take notice.
The BT62 — so named for the initials of founders Jack Brabham and Ron Tauranac — honours the ‘legacy of the brand’s most memorable cars’. And it does so in spectacular fashion.
Crafted as a dedicated track attacker, the BT62 tips the scales at just 972 kg and boasts a power-to-weight ratio of nearly 540 kW per tonne.
To put that into perspective, the mighty Bugatti Chiron produces only about 20 kilowatts per tonne more than the BT62, which is powered by a brawny 5.4-litre V8.
In our books, that is mighty impressive.
Image © NETCARSHOW.COM
