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Ten things we learned this week: 23 September 2016 edition
Formula E in NYC, sea lions in the street, plus more mayhem from the car world
Ford GT prototypes have been caught speeding
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As shown in the video above, Ford has been testing the new GT in the hills of Colorado ahead of the supercar’s expected delivery at the end of 2016. However, it sounds as though the run wasn’t all plain sailing.
Allegedly the group was caught speeding at over 100mph by local officers, more than twice the signed limit of 50mph on the road in Glenwood Canyon.
The cars were packed with data-collecting kit, and had been in the area to test the GTs performance at altitude according to reports.
Each car received a ticket from the officers who performed the stop, although it’s not known how much the fine was. Given that the GT is set to cost in the region of £400,000, we suspect Ford can afford it.
Advertisement - Page continues belowA sea lion took a wrong turn in Germany
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Why did the sea lion cross the road? Because it escaped from a circus.
No, this isn’t a bad take on chicken-based humour, it's genuinely something that happened in Germany earlier this week.
A sea lion called Charly surprised motorists in Coburg on Tuesday, when he (or she, we're not sure) escaped from a nearby circus or zoo, reports were conflicting, before somehow finding his (or her) way onto a busy road during rush hour.
Police had to be called to intercept the fleeing mammal, eventually returning it to its enclosure.
Clearly the animals’ plot to overthrow the human race is gathering pace.
The NYPD now have 100 Smart ForTwos
Car chases are such a spectacle in America, they’re often broadcast live on TV. Never mind that the suspects, innocent bystanders or chasing police officers could be seriously injured or worse, the sight of rule-breaking fugitives evading the law is a gripping phenomenon on the other side of the pond.
However, New York’s residents might have to get used to their local hot pursuits not lasting as long as they normally do in the future. Why? Because the NYPD has just added 100 Smart ForTwos to its fleet, with another 150 on the way.
Needing 14.4 seconds to do 0-62mph, the ForTwo isn’t exactly known for its ability to hunt down crims, nor is here really any space to transport arrestees into custody.
Apparently they’ve bought because they’re easy to manoeuvre in busy cities, and the air conditioning is a crucial feature for working in hot conditions, an area where motorcycles fall short.
Smart thinking.
Advertisement - Page continues belowFormula E is going to the Big Apple
Considerably faster cars heading for NYC now. While the finale to the upcoming Formula E season won’t take place in Manhattan, the famous skyscraper city will form the horizon backdrop when the electric series visits Brooklyn in 2017.
A 13-corner, 1.21-mile track layout based on the shores of New York Harbour is awaiting approval, but when it’s confirmed it will be the first “FIA-sanctioned open-wheel race to take place within the five boroughs of New York City in modern history.”
According to the series’ CEO Alejandro Agag: “To race in New York City is a historic moment - not only for Formula E, but for motorsport in general - and again highlights the philosophy of Formula E to bring fully-electric racing to the world’s greatest cities.”
ABT Schaeffler Audi Sport driver Lucas di Grassi was similarly enthused, saying: “Just imagine seeing the Statue of Liberty and the Manhattan skyline from the pitlane! It will also be a sporting highlight as the track has a mix of fast sections, hairpin bends and a narrow infield directly on the waterfront.”
Motorsport fans: are you psyched for this?
Supercars will probably explode in Michael Bay’s next film
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This is the only logical conclusion that can be reached from the footage above, which shows a number of expensive cars tootling about on the set of the next Transformers film.
Among the vehicles spotted in London are a Lamborghini Centenario, an Aston Martin DB11 and a Ford Mustang dressed in a police-style livery.
Given Mr Bay’s reputation for making things go on fire, we can only assume that Transformers: The Last Knight will make Mad Max: Fury Road look like a period drama. Here’s hoping.
Hyundai's hot hatch is a step closer
Somewhere, buried deep under big fenders, a spoiler and wheels that magically spin without altering the direction of the car, is a Hyundai i30. And doesn’t it look angry?
There aren’t any details on power or acceleration, but Hyundai assure us that the hot hatch concept will “deliver passion and pleasure on the track for everybody.”
Whether or not that’s true, we don’t yet know, but we'll have a better idea when the RN30 concept appears at the Paris motor show next week. Watch out Golf GTI...
Cosmo has helped Seat build a Mii, and patronise all women
It’s no secret that the motoring industry is heavily occupied by men, so no doubt many people were intrigued to hear that women’s fashion magazine Cosmopolitan was teaming up with Seat to create a car designed with women in mind.
Has the project been a success? Well, judge for yourself. According to Cosmo, a woman’s car must be “a place for impromptu karaoke performances, last-minute wardrobe changes, dramatic gossip sessions and emergency lunch-hour kips”, while Seat has listed “’eyeliner’ shape” headlights among the specs.
Buyers will have a choice of Candy White and Violetto paint for the exterior, while key features include driving aids like parking sensors and hill-start assist.
Irate people of the internet, feel free to counter this apparent misogyny below...
Advertisement - Page continues belowScania made the largest clock in the world using 14 trucks
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Swedish truck-maker Scania recently introduced the 493bhp S-Series to its range, and to demonstrate the new model’s capabilities, decided to create the biggest working clock face the world has ever known.
“Trucks are huge, powerful machines, but they’re also intricately designed, refined instruments. Just like watches,” said marketing head Staffan Arvas. “Each truck had to be optimised for its specific task in the clock, and real-time monitoring and analysis through our connected services made the whole operation possible.”
The trucks representing the hour and minute hands had to move around in a carefully choreographed series of stops and starts, while the vehicles representing the second hand had to drive continuously at set speeds. In total, 90 drivers were involved over the stunt’s 24-hour duration.
“The most demanding challenge in long haulage is precision and punctuality,” said Elin Engstrom, who was one of the drivers. “The clock was the ultimate test of staying in your line, maintaining your speed and keeping track of every second for 24 hours straight. All the drivers had to be in perfect sync and precision was the key to achieving this.”
This is the beginning of the end for Le Mans...
The Caterham Seven Sprint sold out in a week
Remember the Caterham Seven Sprint throwback that we told you about a fortnight ago? It has sold out already.
At Goodwood Revival earlier this month Caterham revealed that 60 units of the £27,995 special edition would be made, and every single one of them was snapped up within a week of its unveiling.
The lucky buyers can look forward to the 79bhp Suzuki engine that features in the entry level Seven 160, as well as “bespoke styling” which takes inspiration from the company’s motors in the middle of the 1960s.
“In a typical year, we’ll sell around 500 cars meaning that, with the Sprint, we’ve sold more than 10% of our annual sales figure in a week,” said Chief Commercial Officer David Ridley. “It’s been the perfect scene-setter to our 60 Years of Seven celebrations.”
Advertisement - Page continues belowYvan Muller has announced his retirement from motorsport
Four-time WTCC winner Yvan Muller has declared that this season will be his last. The Frenchman is currently in second place in this year’s WTCC rankings, but over a career spanning more than 30 years, he has raced in almost every discipline on tarmac, winning the British Touring Car Championship in 2003. He’s also competed in a few WRC rounds, and even held ice-driving championship wins.
“I am at a time in my life where I want to do something else and I am happy to be able to make that decision,” Muller said. “I can’t see myself stopping racing entirely, but I am going to spend more time with my family and developing Yvan Muller Racing.”
All the best, Mr Muller.
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