Concrete barrier will keep M20 motorway traffic moving

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February 19, 2020

Highways England will use a moveable concrete barrier to manage the flow of traffic in Kent. It will be deployed on the M20 motorway at times of cross-channel disruption.

It’s claimed the new system can be in place ‘within hours’, rather than the month of overnight closures required for Operation Brock. During normal traffic conditions, the new scheme allows the motorway to retain three lanes, a hard shoulder and 70mph speed limits in both directions.

The now redundant Operation Brock was designed to keep the M20 open in the event of no-deal Brexit disruption, but it’s no longer active after the government’s decision to stand down contingency planning for this scenario.

Work on the moveable concrete barrier between junctions 8 and 9 of the M20 will commence in the summer and is expected to cost £60 million. A temporary solution will be complete in December 2020, with a permanent system finished in 2022.

Moveable barriers are already in use in cities such as Auckland, Sydney, San Francisco and Vancouver.

The new solution means work on an ‘off road’ replacement for Operation Stack has been replaced, as have plans for a lorry holding area in Kent.

‘Boost Kent’s resilience’

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “After listening to frustrated residents and businesses affected by Operations Brock and Stack, we’ve invested in a new solution to boost Kent’s resilience and keep its vital road network moving, even at times of disruption.

“This state-of-the-art technology can be deployed quickly, simply and safely, ensuring motorists across the county can get to where they need to be with minimum fuss, whatever the circumstances.”

The Freight Transport Association’s policy manger for the south east, Heidi Skinner, added: “No operator wants to be stuck in slow moving or stationary traffic, and today’s announcement will come as a welcome respite for those concerned about the impact of potential delays on the UK’s supply chain from the continent, as well as on businesses and residents in Kent.

“However, there is more to be done to ensure that the new system will work in the best way possible and manage the congestion any form of cross-channel disruption can cause, and we look forward to working with Highways England and Department for Transport on this.”

Get beach ready with this 1963 Porsche 356 B Cabriolet up for sale

By

John Redfern

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February 18, 2020

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With the Northern Hemisphere still gripped by winter, cruising along the beachfront in a classic convertible might seem like a distant dream.

But, if you like to be prepared for summer fun, you could start planning ahead by adding a new sports car to your garage.

Currently listed for sale by Mohr Imports on ClassicCars.com at $149,500, this 1963 Porsche 356 B Cabriolet could certainly help achieve those summertime goals.

From Stuttgart with love

Porsche 356 models have established themselves as a dependable option for those investing in classic cars. Values have remained constant in recent years, avoiding the decline seen by other collector models.

It means that whilst some may baulk at the idea of paying more than double the price of a new 2020 Porsche Boxster, this 356 B is at least on par with expected prices.

Helping justify the price tag is the ground-up restoration work that the car was subject to. This work was commissioned by a previous owner, with documents recording this included.

Being a 356 B makes the one of the later examples in a Porsche family that spanned two decades. Introduced for 1960, the rear-engined 356 B gained numerous styling tweaks to distinguish it from previous versions.

A fuel-filler cap mounted in the front fender, and an engine cover with twin grilles, were some of the alterations. Porsche also added raised headlights for the 356 B, along with details such as a bigger handle to open the front trunk.

Cabriolet versions of the rear-engined 356 B were relatively rare and expensive. The folding soft top roof and wind-up side windows pushed the starting price to more than that of a Chevrolet Corvette.

Grey body, red heart

This particular car has retained its original ‘Normal’ 1.6-liter flat-four engine, as confirmed by the Porsche Certificate of Authenticity. The four-speed transmission has been replaced by a unit from an earlier car.

A disc brake conversion has been undertaken on the front axle, replacing the standard drums. The seller notes that this helps the car perform better in modern traffic, and that 356 B feels planted on the road.

Continental tires have been fitted, with the spare wheel in the front trunk also present.

According to Mohr Imports, the Slate Grey paintwork matches the original color code, and has been recently resprayed. Chrome brightwork is said to be generally good, with only minor evidence of wear. New wing mirrors have been added, too.

One of the notable features of this 356 B is that it comes with a rare matching factory hardtop. Other fitted options include a Blaupunkt radio with two speakers.

The red leather upholstery appears to have been dyed previously, looking a deeper color than Porsche’s usual hue. Some minor wear can be found inside, but no parts are cracked or broken.

California dreamin’ on such a winter’s day

Mohr Imports are based in Monterey, California. It means the 356 B could be a perfect option for Monterey Car Week action later this year.

Being a desirable Cabriolet will undoubtedly help attract interest in this classic Porsche. The inclusion of a hardtop roof also means it could be used for more than just the summer.

Given the investment status of Porsche 356 B models, a new owner may just want to keep it tucked away in a garage. However, that would be a waste of an attractive open-top cruiser.

This Porsche collector has a penchant for bright colours

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 18, 2020

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When life leads your passion for speed away from racehorses, where do you go? Super sports cars aren’t a bad place to start. One might look to Modena to keep the equestrian link alive, less obvious is Stuttgart, translated literally as ‘Stud Garden’. There you’ll find Porsche, with a bucking stud on its crest not unlike that of its Italian rivals.

Lisa Taylor had to give up her equine vocation following a riding accident. By day, she’s vice president of the aerospace company her car-mad father started in 1970, working with her two siblings. Wild speculation is not required regarding where she got her love of cars from. Racing is still in the blood, so she partakes in autocross racing and has a side gig as a Porsche driving instructor.

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She used to run her very own ‘stud garden’, but has since swapped out the fast four-legged creatures for those of a wheeled (and often bewinged) variety, and they aren’t subtle.

“The paint has to match the character of the model,” she says. And match her paint choices do. Open the doors to the repurposed stable she calls her ’barnage’, and the arresting Star Ruby, Maritime Blue and Racing Yellow hews of a slice of her Porsche collection will greet you. The vibrant Star Ruby pink is worn by a 2016 991 GT3 RS. If you wince, either at the sight or the potential depreciation, believe it or not you’re behind the curve. A friend of Lisa’s offered her $100,000 over the sticker price when she took delivery, purely for the colour.

Joining ‘Rubi’ are ‘Vudi’, the Voodoo Blue 991 GT2 RS, ‘Mari’, the Maritime Blue GT3, ‘Bumble Bee’, the Racing Yellow 2019 991 RS, and ‘Ame’, the Amethyst Metallic 911 Turbo S.

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That Turbo S is the subject of some very fond memories for Lisa. Having picked it up from the factory at Leipzig, she headed straight for some laps at the Nurburgring. Because running-in periods are best spent on the ’Green Hell’…

She’s been very persistent as a Porsche customer, robbing one Will Smith of a very specific production number for his 911 GT2 RS. Yes, that Will Smith. Fortunately, the ‘Bad Boys’ and ‘Fresh Prince’ actor wasn’t as insistent on having 107 as Lisa was. Similarly, she pestered comedian and prominent Porsche collector Jerry Seinfeld until he sold her his 2004 Cayenne Turbo. Not a collector’s Porsche by any stretch of the imagination, but for some reason, she had to have that one.

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She has a love for older Porsche’s too. The car to turn her into a ‘Porsche girl’ in 1981 was a 911 Carrera Targa. One drive in that sealed the deal. “I was so impressed by the handling and the power that I sold my Mazda RX-7 the very next day and bought a 911 Targa in Guards Red”. A prominent classic in her collection today is a 1973 911 Carrera RS 2.7, which she used in the Steve McQueen Rally.

How many Porsches does she have, exactly? “Not even my parents know the exact number,” she says. As for what’s coming next, there’s a new Speedster and a Taycan Turbo S with her name on it.

A pink Porsche GT3 RS with California license plate "RUBI RS" is parked in a garage, visible through a window.

Project Vector is JLR’s autonomous pod of the future

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 18, 2020

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Jaguar Land Rover has unveiled its Project Vector concept, a pod-like vehicle that envisions how it would address demand for autonomous vehicles in future urban infrastructure. You might see it testing in Coventry sooner rather than later.

JLR describes Project Vector as how it’s “developing tomorrow’s mobility, today”, and is a key next step in its Destination Zero plan. Indeed, this is not a future replacement for the upcoming all-electric XJ.

Rather, it’s a proposal for a mobility solution in parts of the world that are looking to evolve beyond the traditional driven car, as we know it today. It’s JLR’s vision of “an autonomous, electric, connected future for urban mobility”.

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“Future urban travel will be a composite of owned and shared vehicles, access to ride-hailing and on-demand services as well as public transport,” explained Dr. Tim Leverton, project director.

“Shared and private vehicles will share spaces with and be connected to public transit networks, so you can travel on demand and autonomously. That is a complex task, best achieved by working together with partners across the spectrum of vehicles, infrastructure and the digital world.

”Our vision shows the vehicle as a flexible part of the urban mobility network that can be adapted for different purposes.”

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Its battery down-low ‘skateboard’ design means that the platform can be very versatile. It measures just four metres in length, while the cabin allows for multiple configurations and uses.

These range from luxurious personal transit, to being a shared shuttle, and even a ‘last-mile’ delivery vehicle. Think of it as the next Addison Lee, Uber Luxe and DPD van, with a splash of urban tram, all rolled into one.

This experimental vehicle is also part of JLR’s study on how customers will connect with future mobility, and how the infrastructure will grow to meet it.

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“It’s a unique opportunity,” explained chief engineer Professor Dr Gero Kempf.

”A concept platform designed and engineered around urban-centric use cases by a major car maker as a blank canvas, for developing tailored services and apps in the ecosystem of a smart city.”

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The most interesting part is that JLR wants Vector to go beyond many ‘future mobility’ concepts we’ve seen, which are at best a drawing board vision made 3D. Project Vector might well be put into action, with a collaboration planned with Coventry City Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority.

The plan is for a mobility service from late 2021, as a “living laboratory for future mobility on the streets of Coventry”. Put simply, JLR might be deploying something like Project Vector in Coventry as some sort of futuristic tram for the road network. It’s how park and ride services across the UK could look ten years from now. Obviously, there is potential for more bespoke applications.

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‘The brightest minds in academia’

“Project Vector shows Jaguar Land Rover as a leader in innovation to make our societies safer and healthier, and the environment cleaner,” said JLR CEO, Sir Ralf Speth.

”Through this project, we are collaborating with the brightest minds in academia, supply chain and digital services, to create connected, integrated mobility systems – the fundamental building blocks for Destination Zero.

“Project Vector is precisely the brave and innovative leap forward needed to deliver on our mission.”

New Jaguar models to get integrated Spotify

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 18, 2020

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The latest update for software-over-the-air capable Jaguar models is an embedded Spotify app. Not sent via your phone or Bluetooth, but integrated into the car’s infotainment system.

It’ll debut on the new Jaguar F-Type, with the app integrated into its latest Touch Pro infotainment system. Jaguar worked with Spotify to develop the software specifically to work natively in Jaguar’s infotainment. That means no plugging in or pairing: your Spotify Premium library is ready and waiting, after a simple login process.

With Spotify Connect, drivers who had been listening on their mobile device should enjoy seamless continuation of playback in the car once they get in.

SEE ALSO: Cadillac Boogie: The Spotify app coming to your next car

Jaguar isn’t the only manufacturer to boast an integrated Spotify facility on its cars. It joins the likes of Cadillac, Tesla and Volvo with the integration of the music service. Volvo actually integrated Spotify back in 2016, and Tesla in 2015.

“Our customers expect the latest infotainment and connectivity technology, and the new F-Type’s embedded Spotify app has been developed to offer them exactly that,” said Alan Volkaerts, vehicle line director for the F-Type.

“Our engineers have worked closely with Spotify to integrate this app into the Touch Pro infotainment system, and as a result our customers can have access to a huge library of music without needing to connect their phones. And the seamless playback between devices in the home to the car – and back again – makes the new F-Type even more enjoyable to drive.”

SEE ALSO: Kaiser Chiefs star Ricky Wilson and Example test new in-car Spotify app

F-Type buyers can enhance the connectivity of their new sports car with the optional Smartphone Pack. This includes Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Audiophiles should take a shine to the Meridian Audio system, too.

The latest Jaguar F-Type launched with a new face, and lost some of its engine options. Slender lights and a stretched-out snout are welcome, but the loss of the supercharged V6 is a shame. The supercharged V8 remains, though, both in 450hp convertible form, and 575hp R coupe form. So should the new Spotify update have any teething problems, you’ll still have something nice to listen to.

New Aston Martin Valkyrie prototypes get F1 drivers’ stamp of approval

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 18, 2020

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If those who doubted Aston Martin would go through with the Valkyrie project hadn’t already eaten their words, they will now. Two new verification prototypes, VP2 and VP3, have joined VP1 in the physical testing program for the new hypercar.

And to get a second opinion on how the cars are coming along, Aston enlisted the help of Red Bull Racing’s finest F1 helmsmen, Max Verstappen and Alex Albon.

The three prototypes took to Silverstone, with Verstappen and Albon getting their first taste of the hypercar. Chief test driver Chris Goodwin was also on hand to shake down the new prototypes, as were Aston Martin WEC drivers Darren Turner and Alex Lynn.

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Verstappen spoke of his initial experience with the Valkyrie, saying “to be one of the first guys to drive an insane car like this was really exciting. It was amazing to get a first taste of it”.

“Of course it’s still in the development phase but you can already feel the pace, which compared to a normal car is… pretty different!”

Aston Martin plans on completing testing with eight verification prototypes to assess different facets of the program for the car.

Sadly, we expect one or more of the prototypes to be used in crash safety testing.

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“This event has been an incredibly important step in Aston Martin Valkyrie’s story,” said Aston Martin high-performance development driver, Chris Goodwin.

“To have three cars now running will see the rate of physical development for this exceptional hypercar increase exponentially.

“Both Max and Alex were both really positive of the direction that we’re currently taking and could see that the ingredients for an exceptionally high-performing car are already there ready to be untapped.

“To have that second opinion and validation doesn’t mean the hard work is done already, but this is a great step on our journey”.

Deliveries are targetted to begin in the second half of this year. That’ll make for just under a four-year turnaround, from the reveal of the initial design buck, to keys in customers hands. Not bad given the ambitiousness of the project.

You could sum up that ambitiousness with a passing reference to the Valkyrie’s Cosworth V12 and its five-figure rev limit. You can hear that being put to the test in the embedded raw Instagram video below, shared by Aston’s Director of Design, Miles Nurnberger, or Red Bull’s video above, of the F1 drivers having a go.

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View this post on Instagram

Some more video of the one and only Aston Martin Valkyrie testing at our Silverstone facility. Just listen Video courtesy of @d_king_17 #astonmartin #astonmartinvalkyrie #v12 #redbullracing #design #cardesign #adriannewey #instacars #carsofinstagram #silverstone #hypercar #astonmartinvalhalla

A post shared by Miles (@milesnurnberger) on Nov 24, 2019 at 11:52am PST

The goal for the Adrian Newey-designed hypercar was for it to be, literally, generations ahead of anything else in terms of performance. Initial claims were of lap times comparable to Formula 1, and downforce comparable to LMP1 Le Mans prototypes.

In performance terms, Vertappen’s assessment that it’s “pretty different” could be something of an understatement. Alex Albon’s claim that “it definitely reacts closer to an F1 car than a normal road car,” is probably more like it.

We now know the Aston will be putting its fastest foot forward in the Le Mans Hypercar class in the WEC, the replacement for LMP1. It’s likely no coincidence, then, that the Valkyrie’s first outings onto a real-world race track happen to be the track where it will get its competitive debut.

It’s due to line up on the grid of the 2020 Silverstone Six Hours in September for its first taste of racing, and our first taste of the eagerly-awaited Le Mans Hypercar class.

Aston Martin Valkyrie prototypes tested by F1 drivers at Silverstone

Crash test highlights vehicle safety ‘double standard‘

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 18, 2020

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A new crash test has highlighted the ‘double standard’ in vehicle safety between models sold in Europe and Africa.

Global NCAP crashed a 2019 Nissan NP300 pickup from Africa into a 2015 European Navara NP300. The results are shocking, with the difference in safety labelled ‘a matter of life and death’.

Overall, the second-hand European Navara got four stars. In terms of occupant protection, the African car got zero stars, while infant protection earned it a lowly two stars.

The result isn’t surprising, given that the ‘new’ African market vehicle is the D22 generation of the Nissan truck, that’s been off sale in Europe for over ten years. It’s a design that first appeared in 1997. The European variant is the D23, two generations ahead, launched in 2014.

‘Would have likely died’

“This is a very dramatic car to car crash test which uniquely illustrates the double standard in vehicle safety performance between models sold in Europe and those sold in Africa,” said David Ward, CEO and president of Global NCAP.

“The difference in crashworthiness is extraordinary. The new Nissan Hardbody performs significantly worse than the second-hand Nissan Navara, to the extent that the driver in the new African Nissan would likely have died from their injuries but the driver from the second-hand European Nissan would have walked away.

“A new car in Africa is not necessarily a safer car. Second-hand imported cars from regions with tougher regulatory requirements for safety, and environmental performance, can offer consumers much greater protection.

“Our aim in publishing this crash test result to coincide with the Global Ministerial Conference in Sweden is very clear. As we approach the end of the first UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, and set an agenda for the next ten years, the double standard demonstrated by an auto manufacturer such as Nissan with the NP300 in Africa is utterly unacceptable.”

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Global NCAP’s Safer Cars For Africa campaign is being launched to coincide with the Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Sweden. Both crashed cars will be displayed to the public as part of the ‘People’s Exhibition’ in Stockhom Central Railway Station. Overall the goal is to halve road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.

“Does Nissan believe an African life is worth less than a European life?” asked Saul Billingsley, executive director of the FIA Foundation.

“If not, how does the company explain the shocking safety gap between these two vehicles demonstrated by Global NCAP. If we are to meet the 2030 target of halving road deaths we must stamp out this kind of unethical behaviour by some in the car industry.”

Parking prangs cost UK motorists £1.5 billion a year

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 17, 2020

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New research reveals how much parking bumps and crunches cost the UK motorist. Apparently, we’re shelling out £1.5 billion a year.

The study by Skoda questioned 2,000 UK drivers on their experiences. It revealed that around 11 percent had seriously damaged their car while parking over the course of the last year. That’s 3.74 million people out of the UK’s 34 million motorists.

Around 40 percent said they’d hit a lamp post, tree or space divider. And the average bill for this damage was £396.

As for other parking problems, four in 10 of the motorists polled admitted to whacking another car with their door when getting out. In a year, the average driver also kerbs his or her wheels twice.

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Despite all this, our confidence isn’t dented. An ambitious 73 percent of Brits reckon they are good at parking. But only 53 percent think they’re good enough to get themselves through another driving test.

Of course, new cars can come with an arsenal of new technology designed to help you park. Reversing cameras, position indicators and software that displays exactly where your car is can take the pain out of the process. There are also systems that will park the car for you, although we wonder how many actually trust them to do so.

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“While many people feel confident in their parking capabilities the numbers show motorists have forked out significant sums in the last 12 months repairing their cars from parking mishaps,” said a Skoda spokesperson.

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Salvage Hunters Range Rover heads to auction

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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February 17, 2020

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If, like us, you spent the weekend sheltering from Storm Dennis and binge-watching the latest series of Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars, you’ll recognise this Range Rover.

The 1982 two-door Range Rover was imported from Spain before being recommissioned by Twenty-Ten Engineering. Although the episode ended without the car finding a buyer, it could be yours, because the Range Rover is going under the hammer this weekend.

It’s one of the lots at the Coys at Olympia auction, which is part of The London Classic Car Show. The pre-auction estimate of £22,000 to £26,000 is unlikely to please co-presenter Drew Pritchard.

He was adamant that the car should fetch at least £30,000, describing it as potentially “the best left-hand-drive one out there”. Fellow presenter Paul Cowland hoped to achieve £30,000 on the nose.

‘This car owes us a lot of money’

“I’ve seen the invoices for this car and they’re just massive. This car owes us a lot of money,” said Cowland.

Pritchard travelled to Barcelona to buy the Range Rover and spent £13,500 on what he thought was a totally original example. Having entrusted Twenty-Ten with the job of recommissioning the car, he discovered that just the driver’s door was the original paint.

Undeterred, the team pressed on with a sympathetic restoration, maintaining some of the car’s originality, including the letters on the bonnet and tailgate. A pair of travel stickers were also retained, although the hosts failed to agree on whether or not this was a good thing.

Cowland described the Range Rover as a “£26,000 piece of stock”, so anything less than the higher estimate would be a disappointing result.

It’s a manual from Barcelona

Previously, it was for sale on the Car & Classic website for £29,995, with the description stating that the producers ‘would be keen for the new owner to potentially appear on camera purchasing the car from our presenters’.

You won’t get an opportunity to appear on TV if you buy this at auction, but you will own a Range Rover that has spent almost its entire life in the classic-friendly conditions of Spain.

If you haven’t caught up with the latest series of Salvage Hunters: Classic Cars, you’re missing a treat. The presenters are excellent, the cars are fantastic, and you get to see the wonderful array of engineers and specialists helping to keep our classic cars alive.

Here’s a link to the show. Enjoy the binge-watching.

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Why BMW has decided to save the i3

By

Ethan Jupp

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February 17, 2020

0

Last year BMW said that there was ‘no plan for a successor’ to its i3 electric car. Now that decision has been reversed.

Launched in 2013, the i3 seemed ahead of its time. However, that time may have come. BMW now says the car has been saved, by ‘continuing and growing demand’.

A total of 180 UK sales following its launch seven years ago must have been a sobering statistic. Last year, however, the i3 topped 4,348 sales.

Talking to The Times, early i3 adopter and Jazz FM radio host David Freeman said “Five years ago it was the only electric car in the car park. Now you get cheery waves and there’s camaraderie with other i3 owners”.

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That change in perception and public attitude seems to be translating into sales. ‘The car’s future is assured,’ said BMW in a statement, ‘far beyond the usual automotive industry model lifecycle of six or seven years’.

What does that mean? Well, we might not be getting an all-new i3 any time soon, but the current car will live on, getting ever-better range figures and updated technology. The i3 S recently brought increased range capability, jumping to 193 miles for the 120Ah model.

The i3’s eco credentials were buoyed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which rated it the greenest car in terms of ‘lifecycle emissions’. This is the effect the car has on the environment, from the creation of the materials used to construct it, to the moment it’s taken off the road and disposed of.

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The BMW i3 uses a selection of recycled and sustainable materials in its construction. The cabin uses recycled bottles for the seats, Deccan hemp eucalyptus wood for its dash and door panels, and castor beans for its key. The i3 factory is wind-powered, and the process to make the carbon fibre chassis is powered by hydroelectricity.

Rarely does a car arrive before its time, and live to see that time arrive. In this case, BMW has saved the i3 ready for it to see the market it helped jump-start really spring into life.