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Porsche North American Sales Fall 4.6% in April on 911
2008-05-05 10:47:00
Porsche SE, the maker of the Cayenne sport-utility vehicle, said North American sales declined 4.6 percent in April as demand for the 911 and Boxster sports-car models dropped. Deliveries fell to 3,099 cars and SUVs last month from 3,248 a year earlier, Stuttgart, Germany-based Porsche said today in a statement. Sales of the 911 dropped 26 percent to 970 cars, while the Boxster lost 6 percent to 819 vehicles. Porsche Chief Executive Officer Wendelin Wiedeking has said he’s reducing North American inventories in anticipation of declines.
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Auto Mobil International 2008: Mercedes-Benz
2008-05-04 20:00:00
Leipzig – The focus of attention at “Auto Mobil International ” (AMI) in Leipzig will be on the new generations of the A and B-Class. Both models are now more youthful, attractive and environmentally compatible than ever before. This is ensured by an all-round design makeover, an even more attractive equipment package and new technical developments which further improve safety, comfort and economy. A comfortable ECO start/stop function is now available for the high-volume models A 150/170 and B 150/170 which reduces petrol consumption in city traffic by up to nine percent. For the three-door A 160 CDI, Mercedes -Benz has developed a BlueEFFICIENCY package to lower the fuel consumption of the coupé to just 4.5 litres per 100 kilometres. Other new development include the bivalent petrol/natural gas drive of the B 170 NGT BlueEFFICIENCY and active parking assist, which helps the driver of the A and B-Class when finding and reversing into a parking space. Since its world pr...
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Nissan Tiida Test Drive
2008-05-04 07:30:00
The test drive clip of the Nissan Tiida, just funny commercials, enjoy yourself.
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2008 Beijing Auto Show See World Cars Trend
2008-05-03 18:27:00
“Automakers wage war for market share,” reads the headline over at China Daily. The current battlefront of that war can be viewed at the 2008 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, which runs through April 28th. With 890 vehicles on display in the 1.9m square foot arena, the nine-day event is expected to attract more than 600k visitors. The spoils of war can be lucrative, too, with Chinese vehicle sales up 21.4 percent year-over-year, which translates to 2.58m cars sold in the first quarter. Total sales are predicted to surpass the 8.79m units sold in ‘07 and reach 10m vehicles in 2008. While the suspected recession in the U.S. has tempered car sales here, the prospects in China offer a respite: Ford’s Chinese sales have “rocketed” by 47 percent in the first quarter. GM’s Rick Wagoner figures China will account for more than 40 percent of global auto sales growth in the coming decade. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz launched its C-Class sedans in China last month and Ul...
More About: Cars , World , Auto Show , Show

2008 Beijing Auto Show: Spirra S Supercar of Oullim Motors
2008-05-03 17:14:00
2008 Beijing Auto show:  Another World Premiere on the Beijing Autoshow 2008 was this Spirra S Supercar, it is from South Korea and a company called Oullim Motors is the owner of the brand. The Spirra S will roll of the line in Korea next month and production for this year will number 100 cars for Korea only. No word on production for the rest of the world but I don’t think Oullim would have bothered to bring the Spirra to Beijing if they didn’t have any export plans. Engine is a 2.7 6 cilinder from Hyundai, supercharged by Spirra to 400hp and 355nm, 0-100 takes 4.8 and topspeed is 305 km/h. From the Beijing Autoshow 2008, here she is, the Spirra S:
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2008 AJC Internation Auto Show Live Shots
2008-05-03 17:08:00
Just got back from Atlanta of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution International Auto Show at Georgia World Congress Center for its 26th anniversary on April 19-27, 2008 .  It was real cool! Here are some pics. Sorry if some of the pics are blurry, I took them with my phone…
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2008 BIMOS: Volkswagen Korea ‘Touareg R-Line’
2008-05-03 16:53:00
BUSAN, Korea of 2008 BIMOS ( Busan International Motor Show 2008 ): Volkswagen Korea presented its ‘Touareg R-Line ’ during BIMOS 2008, which can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 8.3 seconds and reach a top speed of 204km/h.

2008 BIMOS: Porsche “Boxster S”
2008-05-03 16:46:00
BUSAN, Korea of 2008 BIMOS ( Busan International Motor Show 2008 ): Porsche unveiled its ‘Boxster S’ during BIMOS 2008, which can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 272km/h. Displaying a total of 12 Asia Premieres, 10 Korea Premieres, 11 concept cars and 13 eco-friendly cars, the Busan International Motor Show 2008 is held at BEXCO for 11 days from May 2 2008 to May 12, 2008.

Hyundai TSIII Limited-Edition Coupe In Britain
2008-05-03 16:39:00
A limited-edition TSIII model has just joined the Hyundai Coupe range, and only a few will be made available in Britain . With enhanced sporty looks, plus Eibach springs that combine to give the TSIII Coupe a lower, more aggressive stance, the special one-off will cost around £19,500. That’s £1,575 more than the SIII version, whose 2.0-litre, 141bhp petrol engine it shares, with the TSIII adding quilted leather sports seats and matching quilted door trims, chrome sill guards with a TSIII logo, and metal trimmed pedals and footrest. Standard kit includes climate-control air con, heated front seats, cruise control, and an iPod-compatible stereo.
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2008 BIMOS: GM Daewoo “Beat” MINI Concept Car
2008-05-03 16:36:00
BUSAN, Korea of 2008 BIMOS ( Busan International Motor Show 2008 ), GM Daewoo presented its mini concept car ‘Beat ’ during BIMOS 2008. Displaying a total of 12 Asia Premieres, 10 Korea Premieres, 11 concept cars and 13 eco-friendly cars, the Busan International Motor Show 2008 is held at BEXCO for 11 days from May 2 2008 to May 12, 2008.
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2008 BIMOS: Hyundai 2+2 “i-Blue” Crossover
2008-05-03 16:30:00
BUSAN, Korea (AVING Special Report on ‘2008 BIMOS’) — <Visual News> Hyundai showcased its 2+2 crossover concept car ‘i-Blue ’ during BIMOS 2008, which adopts their latest fuel cell technology. The lamps follow the current trend of being pulled back over the top edge of the fenders. The vehicle was developed in Japan at Hyundai’s Chiba Design and Technical Center while the fuel cell stack was developed in Korea. This will be Hyundai’s first ground-up fuel cell vehicle rather than a modified production vehicle.
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Hyundai Sales Growth in April
2008-05-03 16:26:00
The glum markets and rising interest rates have been looming since past few months. Car makers had been anxious about rising prices of their car to keep up the manufacturing costs. However, Hyundai has already posted its growth records even in such market conditions. It posted an increase of 36.71 percent in domestic sales in the past month. It reported a jump of selling 21,501 units in April 2008 against 15,728 units in the same month last year. The cumulative sales were up by 47.77% which included exports as well. It sold 40,001 units this year as compared to 27,069 units in the April 2007. In the current year, exports constituted 18,500 units against the 11,341 units during the same period in the previous year. Senior vice President of Hyundai Motors India, Arvind Saxena, said that the company has recorded robust growth in the past month and the significant contributions to the growth attributed to the budget this year. Hyundai currently marks a strong presence in India in the sm...
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Nissan GT-R Supercar 7:29/Lap at Nurburgring
2008-05-02 19:26:00
Nissan today announced that its GT-R supercar achieved a lap time at the infamous Nurburgring in Germany of seven minutes and 29 seconds. Recorded on April 16 and 17, the GT-R used was a base specification car and fitted with the standard Japanese market tires. Driven by GT-R chief test driver Tochio Suzuki, this latest lap time beats the previous fastest time for the GT-R by nine seconds. The previous best lap time for GT-R of 7:38, also driven by Suzuki, was one of the fastest laps achieved by a production car despite conditions being slightly damp on two corners. “At last year’s testing, we were frustrated by the conditions at the Nurburgring, always believing that the GT-R could go under seven minutes 30 seconds.” said Kazutoshi Mizuno, Chief Vehicle Engineer for GT-R. “Below seven minutes 30 seconds, the GT-R proves it is among the fastest mass-production cars in the world. We set out to build a multi-performance supercar accessible to anyone, anytime and anywhere - I...
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Nissan UCI World Cup: XC2, Offenburg
2008-05-02 18:57:00
Two weeks in Europe and two World Cup rounds down for the best XC riders in the world. Offenburg, Germany was the host of the second round of the Nissan /UCI World Cup where high temperatures bought out the crowds. Organizers expected 25,000 spectators but we estimate there were a lot more, making for a superb atmosphere. The course really facilitated this with superb spectator access. Although at 5km it was short and tough to overtake for riders at the back, the payback came for anyone watching. Huge lines of riders formed on the first and second laps, keeping everyone guessing as to who was going to attack. For the most part it was a lot like the rhythm of a cyclocross race but played out on a longer course. Thankfully that’s where the ‘cross comparisons ended, with the course combining a real mixture of sections. After a wider grassy section it was all singletrack, starting with flat woodland, a little climb up to a series of open graded switchbacks, much like a UK tra...

2008 Beijing Auto Show: Geely GT & CE Hatchback
2008-04-02 12:49:00
The 2008 Beijing China Auto Show is scheduled to start on April 20 in Beijing, the Chinese carmaker Geely will present more than 20 models, of which the most interesting will be the Geely CE Hatchback and the Geely GT. The Geely GT, also known as the Geely Tiger marks Geely’s advance upmarket and the 4.9 meter concept is described by Li Shufu, Geely’s president as a ’small Rolls-Royce’ also comparable to the Lorus Elise. The other concept, the Geely CE Hatchback will be Geely’s attempt to a market dominated by the Mazda 2, Peugeot 206 and Honda Fit. Though no impressive innovations are present, Geely will try to be competitive through its low prices. More details on the Geely fleet will be available as the Auto China Show approaches.

2008 Denver Auto Show
2008-04-02 12:40:00
Being able to see, touch and sit in over 500 new cars is an opportunity that many dream of but it do not often experience. However, the Denver International Auto Show is the place where one such dream becomes a reality. The Colorado Convention Center was packed with cars from March 26 to March 30 for people to come and see up close. According to Pete Tynan, the president of the Metro Denver Auto Dealers Association, the 2008 Denver International Auto Show took up nine acres of space. The show attracted most car companies, ranging from Acura to Volvo. Each company had a unique display to attract not only a large crowd but also potential customers. Many people come to the car show to see what’s available for purchase. Annie Volk, who was looking at the BMW section of the show, is interested in the new 1 Series. “I need a new car,” Volk said. With the rising prices of the popular 3 Series, BMW created the 1 Series to attract younger buyers who do not have the money fo...

2008 Geneva Auto Show:Alfa Romeo’s 8C Spider
2008-03-13 13:30:00
First displayed as a concept at Pebble Beach in 2005, the two-seat Spider will feature a 450-horsepower 4.7-liter V8 and a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shifters. Brembo brakes and 20-inch wheels and tires also will be fitted.It’s the production version of the concept that took viewers’ breath away at Pebble Beach in 2005.  The anticipated price is somewhere north of $250,000 Images of the production-ready 8C Spider on the Web site Italiaspeed.com, which said the car will feature a carbon-fiber body and will be built in a limited run of 500 units.
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2008 Chicago Motor Show: 2009 Hyundai Sonata
2008-02-13 12:55:00
Given more powerful engines, suspension upgrades and a redesigned interior mark, the 2009 Hyundai Sonata unveiled at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show . The 2009 Hyundai Sonata features a new version of the DOHC 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, with output boosted to 175 horsepower and torque to 168 pound-feet. Fuel economy improves by one to two miles per gallon, depending on transmission choice. Hyundai also has enhanced the 3.3-liter V6 engine, with output rising to 249 hp and torque to 229 lb-ft. Again, fuel economy is better by one mile per gallon. A five-speed Shiftronic automatic transmission with manual shift capability is available on both engines. The design team added a more refined touch to the Sonata’s exterior design. The exterior freshening is modest, with new bumpers, lamps, wheels and grille. Under the skin, Hyundai has stiffened the Sonata’s standard suspension. The Sonata SE has an improved sport-tuned suspension with higher spring rates, unique strut valving, ...
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Ford Crossover Pick-up Hot in Jan
2008-02-03 04:59:00
Ford crossovers pick up where they left off in 2007; Ford Edge sales climbed 95 percent and Lincoln MKX rose 78 percent. -New Focus bolsters Ford’s share of small car market with 44 percent increase.- Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sales totaled 148,355, down 4 percent. - Total Ford Motor Company sales (including Jaguar, Land Rover, and Volvo) totaled 159,914, down 4 percent. Demand for Ford’s crossovers remained strong in January. Sales for the Ford Edge were 95 percent higher than a year ago and the Lincoln MKX was up 78 percent. Retail demand for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars also was strong in January, especially for the new Focus. Sales for the Focus were up 44 percent compared with a year ago, with retail sales up 33 percent. Combined retail sales for the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ also were higher than a year ago. “We’re very pleased with this result,” said Jim Farley, Ford’s group vice president, Marketing and Communications. ...
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Hyundai New Plant in India for 600,000 Units per Year
2008-02-03 04:51:00
South Korean car giant Hyundai Motor Co opened a second plant in India on Saturday, making the country its biggest foreign manufacturing site. The new plant in this town, 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the southern city of Chennai, will double Hyundai’s manufacturing capacity in the South Asian nation to 600,000 units a year, company officials said. Hyundai expects to produce 530,000 cars this year, up from 300,000 last year, about half of which will be exported. “Our new plant will be the platform of future growth,” Hyundai Motor chairman and chief executive Mong-Koo Chung said at the opening of the plant. India overtook the United States as Hyundai’s biggest production base outside South Korea with the second plant, company officials said. “Hyundai Motor India will be our global manufacturing hub for all of our small car models,” the Hyundai chief executive said. Chung said the company also plans to open a research and development facility in the...
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2008 Hybrid Cars Sales Expects Big Boost
2008-01-16 16:57:00
News from Berlin of Germany, sales of hybrid-powered cars are expected to surge this year, according to a survey among top automotive industry managers. One in four of the leading 100 car managers canvassed by the corporate consultants KPMG (Klynveld, Peat, Marwick, Goerdeler) anticipated sales growth of 25 per cent in 2008 for the hybrids which typically combine petrol and electric power. A total of 81 per cent of respondents in the KPMG survey said they were convinced that sales of hybrid cars would increase over the next five years. “Manufacturers who want to keep ahead of the competition will have no option but to invest in developing more economical vehicles with low-emission drivetrains,” said Dieter Becker, head of KPMG’s automotive segment. Potential consumers these days find the fuel consumption of a new car just as interesting as its build-quality, he said. “This represents a real challenge to German manufacturers who currently have no fully-develop...
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2008 Nissan Frontier Pick-up
2008-01-16 16:53:00
(2008 Nissan Frontier Pick -up review by autochannel) Timing is everything. My week with a 2008 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab LE pickup in 4×4 trim coincided with the first serious storms of the season. Heavy rain, strong winds, deep standing water, and streams crossing the road were the order of the day. The Frontier was the perfect vehicle for those less than lovely conditions. It has been a while, like seven years, since I last drove a Frontier. Nissan had the first compact pickup in the country back in 1959. It was just a little ahead of the curve in the days of tailfinned Detroit behemoths, and its Japanese domestic market-spec 500-pound payload and 37 horsepower didn’t exactly make a dent in the American market. But when compact pickups gained popularity after the fuel crises of the 1970s, Nissan was well-placed. It had the first long-bed compact truck in 1975, and the first extended cab - called “King Cab” by Nissan - in the small truck field in 1977. In 199...

2009 Nissan Murano Prices Drop
2008-01-16 16:50:00
The new released 2009 Nissan Murano is entering a market that has become overstuffed with crossover since the first-generation model debuted in 2003. To reply the competition, Nissan has smartly dropped the base price on all carryover trim levels by$1,500 — an amount equaled by the current incentive offered on the 2007 model. A 2009 Murano S FWD will start at $26,330 and an SL FWD at $27,880 compared to the 2007 model’s $27,830 and $29,380, respectively. All prices, including the $35,910 for the new top-of-the-line LE AWD model, do not include the $745 destination and handling charge. Pushing a “mobile suite” theme for its interior, Nissan is offering a dual panel moonroof, 11-speaker Bose audio system, and the 9.3 GB Music Box hard drive/touch screen navigation system combination finding its way onto an increasing number of Nissan and Infiniti models. Curiously, iPod connectivity is standard only on the LE model. Will a lower price, gently evolved styling, a...
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NAIAS 2008: Chrysler Russia Plant Planning
2008-01-15 14:58:00
“We’re looking at a plant in Russia ,” says international sals boss Michael Manley of Newly-independent Chrysler Group at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. “But it will only service the fast-growing Russian market”. So, Chrysler Group still has no plans for serve the major markets in Europe, despite vowing to double sales outside its hearland of North America. Chrysler’s proportion of international sales is the smallest of the Big Three and although it rose last year by 15% to 238,000, the number is still relatively small. And it still lags the 250,000 figure set as a strategic target after the Daimler-Chrysler merger. Manley says there may be limited exports to countries close to Russia, but the choice of models built at the factory is likely to limit export appeal further west. Manley expects the Chrysler board to choose between two potential partners in Russia during the “first half of the year” with new production lin...
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2008 Detroit Motor Show: Hummer HX Concept
2008-01-11 14:20:00
General Motor s Corp. will unveil a Hummer off-road concept at the North American International Auto Show on Sunday that features removable roof panels, fender flares and doors, and a 3.6-liter, V-6 engine that can run on ethanol. The HX concept is also the smallest Hummer yet. It would rival the Jeep Wrangler in offering a lower-priced but still rugged, off-road vehicle to younger buyers. In the future, Hummer is banking on broadening its appeal worldwide by marketing smaller, more fuel efficient off-road vehicles. In the United States, Hummer demand fell 22 percent last year. The HX was engineered with permanent four-wheel drive to traverse trail conditions and provide for a variety of cargo needs. GM tapped three new, young designers to create the HX with the specific goal of drawing younger buyers. With a 103-inch wheelbase, it is longer than the 2-door Wrangler but shorter than the four-door Wrangler Unlimited. When roof panels and roof assembly are removed, the HX can be trans...
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Nissan Small Car Closer to Chrysler For North America
2008-01-11 14:15:00
Chrysler LLC and Nissan Motor Co. are close to finalizing a deal for Nissan to supply Chrysler with a small car to be built in North America , sources familiar with the negotiations said late Thursday. The deal could be announced as early as today, the sources said. The agreement would call for Nissan to build a version of its Versa compact car in Mexico that Chrysler would sell under its own brand in South American countries, according to the Wall Street Journal. Nissan and Chrysler began talks on possible ways to help each other develop new vehicles last summer after Daimler AG agreed to sell Chrysler to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP. The talks initially focused on technical cooperation: Nissan was interested in Chrysler’s expertise in full-size truck manufacturing, while the newly private Auburn Hills automaker wanted to tap Nissan’s strength in developing appealing small cars. Nissan Chief Executive Officer Carlos Ghosn confirmed in December that ...
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Detroit Auto Show 2008: Kia Borrego SUV
2008-01-07 15:23:00
Kia Motors revealed the official pics of its new midsize SUV-2009 Kia Borrego- ahead of its world debut at 2008 Detroit Auto Show this month from Jan.19th. And the vehicle will go on sale in late spring or early summer as a 2009 model. From the official pics of the 2009 Kia Borrego, its styling is imposing with a bold chrome grille, big headlights and a chunky stance. Much larger than the firm’s current Sportage and Sorento SUVs, it has space for seven, thanks to three rows of seats. It looks as if this is Kia’s highest quality cabin yet, with a classy centre console along with a neat digital display, clean dials and wooden trim around the automatic gearstick. A choice of V6 or V8 petrol en­-gines will be offered, as Kia has yet to unveil a new large diesel. With a variable four-wheel-drive system and plenty of torque, the Borrego – named after a rare breed of mountain sheep – promises superb towing capacity and decent off-road ability.  2008 Detroit Auto Show: Toyota A-B...

2008 Detroit Auto Show: Mazda Furai Concept
2008-01-07 15:00:00
Mazda Motors will make its great exotic concept–Mazda Furair Concpet–world premiere at the just coming 2008 Detroit Auto Show two weeks later. The Mazda Furai concept vehicle utilises the Courage C65 chassis the company campaigned in the ALMS series only two seasons ago, and will be powered by a 450bhp, three-rotor rotary engine. words from Mazda North American Operation that: Mazda’s Furai is a runner, which is a rare trait among concept cars. The Furai is essentially a rebodied Courage racecar that’s been given a new closed-cockpit fiberglass body as per 2008 ALMS rules. Don’t expect to see it on the grid, though. Swift Engineering is credited with giving Mazda’s designers a reality check, analytically verifying that the Furai’s shape is sound. The protrusion from the roof is known as an “air fang,” and was originally dreamed up for Dan Gurney’s AAR-built Toyota GTP car for IMSA racing in the early 1990s. The Furai furth...
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2008 Detroit Auto Show: Toyota A-BAT Concept Truck
2008-01-07 14:30:00
Toyota Motors will returns to its compact pickup truck roots with its latest concept vehicle A-BAT at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show . The environmentally advanced A-BAT provides modern versatility, roominess and style in a compact pickup architecture. The A-BAT made its debut in Detroit at the 2008 North American International Auto Show . “Driving from beyond the suburbs to the city is a way of life for many people,” said Kevin Hunter, president, Calty Design Research, Inc. “We’ve taken Toyota’s truck heritage to a different level by envisioning a vehicle capable of maneuvering the suburbs as well as dirt roads. This compact truck is as comfortable for long commutes as it is for road trips. It can accommodate outdoor toys and home improvement supplies. Plus, customers benefit from the hybrid powertrain’s low emissions and fuel economy.” The A-BAT concept was developed by the TMS Advanced Product Strategy group and Calty, Toyota’s North American-based, research and desig...
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Formula One Car: Ferrari F2008 Unveiled
2008-01-07 13:36:00
Maranello, 6th January 2008 - The F2008 is the fifty fourth single-seater built by Ferrari specifically to take part in the Formula 1 World Championship. The design, codenamed internally as the 659, represents the Scuderia’s interpretation of the regulations in force in 2008. A major new element of these is the introduction of a new electronic system to be used by all teams, known as SECU (Standard Electronic Control Unit) and produced by MES (McLaren Electronic Systems.) It consists of a single control unit and a software system, the development of which ends as the season begins. Other areas affected by rule changes are: gearbox, which must be used for four consecutive events; safety, with the introduction of higher side protection around the driver’s helmet; materials, with a limit to the type of composites that can be used. As a result of these rules, there has been an increase in the weight of the car. All aerodynamic surfaces have been completely revised, however the curre...
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