Ten things we learned this week: 12 February 2016 edition

Want a BAC Mono? Worried you won’t quite squeeze in? Cast your fears away! The Merseyside maker of track merriment has answered your woes with a new, wider chassis for its single-seater sports car.

“BAC’s close relationship and ongoing communication with its customers” has brought about the upgrade, according to the official bumf. An extra 56mm has been added to the width of its cockpit aperture, thanks to some new panels and fresh engineering for the chassis tub.

It all lies beneath, though, and the Mono’s exterior measurements don’t change, and neither do its 2.8sec 0-60mph time and 170mph top speed. Weight of driver notwithstanding, of course…

As heavy goods vehicle news has shown us this week, having a human behind the wheel is no guarantee of safety or precision.

No wonder, then, that with Amazon’s drone delivery system in development, Google also appears to be in the mix, having been granted the rights to a self-driving truck design.

Described as an “autonomous delivery platform”, the truck appears to contain lockers which customers can open with a PIN code upon the vehicle’s arrival.

After collection the truck could then continue its rounds or return to its local depot to restock with cargo. Although it isn’t clear how it will negotiate hostile dogs, missed delivery notices or the hullabaloo of Christmas deliveries...

‘If you can’t beat them, join them’. So the old saying goes. For black cab drivers in their dispute with Uber, though, it's a saying they'd probably rather ignore.

The taxi-hailing app’s latest attempt to thaw relations with black cab drivers has seen it invite its rivals to join the service, promising to waive its five per cent commission fee for twelve months as an incentive.

Was it taken seriously? Erm, not really. The Licensed Taxi Drivers Association said it would be “amazed” if any of its 15,000 drivers took up the offer, stating: “The response is 'Thanks, but no thanks'."

Taxi for Uber...

Because ‘Merica.

Eric Garcetti – the Mayor of Los Angeles – was tasked with informing the city that the freeway leading up to the 6^th Street Bridge would be closing to allow demolition work to begin, and traffic disruption may follow.

But rather than go through the usual channels, the Mayor instead delivered his message with the help of a local jazz band and a backing vocalist.

The, um, lyrics contained several bits of information, including the line: "So on Friday night, the 101 Freeway east of downtown will take a break for 40 hours of R&R ... and R&B." Hear the whole lot here.

A replacement bridge is due for completion in 2019. The opening ceremony has a lot to live up to.

Picture credit: Eric Garcetti

"Why’s that?" we hear you ask. Well – and brace yourself for this – scientists have discovered that ice has a tendency to stop being ice, and start being something else entirely in certain conditions. The baffling process has been referred to as ‘melting’ by those in the know.

Several visitors to Winterfest and the US National Snow Sculpting Competition discovered this to their cost earlier in the week, after the frozen lake they had parked on in Wisconsin suddenly became liquidy again without prior warning.

Reports suggest that as many as 15 vehicles were caught out in the incident, with two thirds of those write-offs according to local news sources.

TG offers the following quote – from a victim who lost her SUV – without comment: “I think it's stupid to park on ice now.”

Picture credit: CNN Newsource

Not one of those, one of these.

Bosch Mobility Solutions has developed a throttle pedal capable of delivering “haptic signals”, which help drivers in various situations on the road.

In other words, the pedal itself can vibrate and perform other subtle movements which could inform drivers when to change gear, or when traffic is building around blind corners.

Bosch claims that its vibrating hardware is intuitive, safer than standard pedals and capable of reducing fuel consumption by up to seven per cent.

Whatever the figures, it’s sure to make driving an even more pleasurable experience.

Lovers of BMW-powered 1960s pastiches that aren’t Morgans, step this way!

German company Wiesmann, which went into liquidation in 2014, has been bought by British investors, and we can apparently expect an all-new car by the end of the year.

Further details are scant, but the unofficial Wiesmann recipe booked never really deviated from shoehorning a boisterous BMW M Division powertrain beneath a retro, seemingly Jaguar XK120-inspired body.

We’re curious to know if that will change. And even more curious to know if its factory will remain the shape of a giant gecko. Really…

Elon Musk has this week confirmed the arrival of Tesla’s new, smaller saloon. Dubbed the Model 3 (we presume because it’s gunning for the 3-Series, because the Model S is sized like an S-Class…), it will first appear before our eyes on March 31.

It’s at this point the metaphorical order books will open - Tesla is far too high tech to have actual order books, surely - and Musk’s company will start accepting $1,000 deposits (about £700), with the car itself expected to cost around $35,000.

We know it will be electric, and we know it’s the fourth Tesla following the Roadster, Model S and Model X. But little else is known, and unlike traditional car companies, Tesla seems pretty good at keeping its cards close to its chest, and keeping them there until it says so.

Excited?

Car personalisation options increasingly know no bounds. You can take any item you like into showrooms and have your car’s paint matched to it, and, you can combine any set of colours your conscience will allow if your credit card is premium enough.

Porsche has been in the game longer than most, its Exclusive arm constantly throws up ducktail spoilers and flamboyant colours to titillate us. And now, it’s given us wood.

Yup. If you think Porsche’s latest, touchscreen, Carplay adorned interior is just too modern, then help is at hand in the shape of some wooden trim that only makes us think of old Rovers. Or this Land Cruiser.

Potential Porsche buyers: tempted?

This much we’ve suspected since the Crosslane concept, and known since Audi finally wrestled the Q2 nameplate from Fiat’s hands.

And now we’ve seen this teaser image, shown by Audi on its Facebook page, we’re almost certain. It could be a Q1, but it’s more likely to be a Q2. Either way, we’re getting a titchier Audi SUV.

It’ll likely be based on the MQB chassis, and it’ll likely major in small turbocharged petrol and diesel engines. It’ll equally likely sell in insanely large numbers and feel nigh on unavoidable in European cities in the years that follow…