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Car insurers define what is an automated car

By
Richard Aucock
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Audi piloted drivingAlthough automated and driverless cars are coming, there’s worryingly little agreement on exactly what a car should be able to do in order to be called ‘automated’. The UK car insurance industry is to now help car manufacturers by outlining its own minimum criteria for automated systems.

Thatcham Research has drawn up a list of 10 key features any truly automated vehicle should possess – because its director of research Matthew Avery believes “it is crucial that there is a clear definition of what constitutes an automated vehicle”.

There is, believes Avery, currently a risk of a dangerous grey area around semi-automated vehicles. “There is the potential for confusion,” added Ben Howarth of the Association of British Insurers.

“People could wrongly think their vehicles can be left alone to manage a journey independently. Insurers want to see manufacturers being absolutely clear about how they describe what their vehicles can do.”

The new criteria, it is hoped, will be used by the car insurance industry, as well as car makers and government, to accurately define what is and isn’t safe use of an automated car.

Crucially, the criteria thus defines what is not an automated vehicle. “A system that needs the driver to control or monitor the vehicle in any way cannot be classified as automated.” By this measure, no system currently offered in the UK can be considered automated.

Hence the 10-point checklist of key features and performance criteria any truly automated vehicle should possess:

  1. Naming: clearly describes automated capability
  2. Law abiding: complies with UK traffic laws and the Highway Code
  3. Location specific: functionality is limited to specific types of roads via ‘geo-fencing’
  4. Clear handover: there’s an easy ‘offer and confirm’ process for transferring driving control
  5. Safe driving: vehicle can manage all reasonably expected situations by itself
  6. Unanticipated handover: sufficient notice must be given if the vehicle needs to unexpected hand back driving control
  7. Safe stop: vehicle should stop safely if unable to continue or the driver does not take back control
  8. Emergency intervention: vehicles can avoid an accident by responding to an emergency
  9. Back-up systems: there are safeguards if any systems fail
  10. Accident data: full recording and reporting of what systems were in use in case of an accident

Thatcham hopes the new criteria will be used as part of the government’s ongoing Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill, which is currently passing through Parliament. This is intended to enable consumers in the UK to be amongst the first in the world to reap the rewards that improved transport technology will bring.

“The Bill will set the regulatory framework to enable the next wave of transport technology to be invented, designed, made and used in the UK.”

Included, it is hoped, exactly what is a truly automated and driverless car.

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Ferrari on track to make a billion – but it’s not all good news

By
Andrew Brady
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Ferrari on track to make a billion – but it's not all good news

Ferrari is set to make a record €1 billion (£891 million) operating profit this year – two years ahead of the target set by Sergio Marchionne when he took over as chief executive in 2014.

But shares in the Italian supercar manufacturer have dropped, as analysts say the adjusted profits, which are frequently considered the best indication of true profitability, have only just hit estimates.

The quarterly adjusted profits, before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation, mark a 14 percent increase from the 2016 figure – less than the 24 percent rise reported for nine-month earnings.

These results have disappointed analysts and can partly be attributed to Ferrari’s failure to top the rankings in this season’s Formula One. In a conference call on Thursday, Marchionne said he is considering pulling out of F1 in 2021 – and doing so would be a good thing for shareholders.

“It would be totally beneficial to the P&L [profits and losses],” he said. “We would be celebrating here until the cows come home.”

It comes after new regulations proposed by the sport’s new owners, Liberty Media, were announced. The controversial reforms, including strict new engine rules, could be brought in from 2021.

Marchionne added that he would feel “like a million bucks” being the boss who took Ferrari out of F1.

Ferrari has sold 6,381 cars so far in 2017 – a five percent increase on the same period in 2016. The firm revealed its racetrack-only FXX K Evo hypercar this week, and speculation around new models, including a Ferrari SUV, continues. Marchionne said last month that the firm is “dead serious” about building an SUV, but it won’t arrive until 2020 at the earliest.

Describing the SUV as a “fun utility vehicle”, the Ferrari chief said it would be a proper Ferrari – and definitely not a rebadged or re-engineered vehicle from another brand.

Ferrari split from parent brand Fiat Chrysler in 2016, which led to FCA shares plummeting by a third.

>NEXT: Maserati Levante S: the ‘Ferrari SUV’ comes to the UK

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This is your last chance to buy a new Subaru WRX STi in the UK

By
Andrew Brady
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Subaru WRX STi Final Edition

Subaru has revealed a limited-run special edition WRX STi as it announces that the legendary super saloon will soon be no more in the UK.

The WRX STi, previously known as the Impreza WRX STi, can trace its roots back nearly 25 years. It’s the car that Colin McRae made famous, and one of the first affordable performance cars on the market.

But, as hot hatches such as the Volkswagen Golf R get ever more competent, versatile and affordable, the WRX STi has been living on borrowed time. It’s no surprise, then, that Subaru is wielding the axe on its legendary flagship model. Unfortunately.

If you want to get your hands on a brand new WRX STi while you still can, get your order in for Final Edition as soon as you can. Subaru’s taking orders now, with just 150 available and prices starting at £33,995.

This isn’t a half-hearted special edition. While the standard 300hp 2.5-litre turbocharged flat-four remains, the WRX STi now boasts 19-inch alloys. This isn’t just for aesthetics – they house bigger Brembo brakes with yellow calipers, offering better fade-resistance and performance when driving on the limit, says Subaru.

A multi-mode driver’s control centre differential, meanwhile, shuffles power around to provide maximum traction at all times.

The front bumper has been redesigned with a more aggressive look, while the grille has been enlarged to aid cooling.

Red stitching and seatbelts along with glossy black inserts brighten up the interior, while heated front seats add a touch of comfort. There’s also a larger 5.9-inch infotainment screen at the top of the dash, incorporating DAB radio and a reversing camera (just in case you can’t see over the large rear wing).

>NEXT: 2017 Tokyo Motor Show: the star cars

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Jeep has accidentally revealed its new 2018 Wrangler

By
Andrew Brady
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2018 Jeep Wrangler

The new Jeep Wrangler is set to make its debut at this month’s LA Auto Show – but official pictures of the 2018 model have appeared during a presentation at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

In a hastily released statement sent to US media, Jeep describes the new Wrangler as “the most capable SUV ever”. Sketchy about details, the statement promises “advanced fuel-efficient powertrains, more open-air options, and… more safety features and advanced technology than ever before.”

In truth, it doesn’t look a great deal different from the outgoing model. But when it’s a design that can be traced back to the Willys Jeep of the 1940s, that’s not a huge surprise. Jeep insists aerodynamics have been improved – a surprise considering its boxy shape – while the windscreen can be folded down for wind-in-your-face motoring.

The current 2.8-litre turbodiesel engine is believed to have been dropped in favour of a new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, along with a 3.6-litre V6. It’s not been confirmed which engines will make it to the UK – or if an electric powertrain could be offered.

We’ll find out more about the new Wrangler when its revealed on November 29th at the LA Auto Show. MR will be reporting live.

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Ford Focus RS ‘Drift Stick’ takes handbrake turns to a whole new level

By
Andrew Brady
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Ford Focus RS 'Drift Stick' takes handbrake turns to a whole new level

Think the electronic parking brake will mean the death of handbrake turns? Think again – as Ford has revealed an electronic handbrake designed to encourage its Focus RS to go sideways.

Developed by the same Ford Performance team behind the Focus RS’s controversial Drift Mode, the Drift Stick exploits the car’s all-wheel-drive and anti-lock brake systems to initiate drifts by using clutches to lock the rear wheels at the pull of a lever. Said lever is an aluminium device that sits between the driver’s seat and the manual gear stick – just where you’d find a ‘normal’ handbrake.

“The passionate engineers at Ford Performance are also enthusiasts,” said Ford Performance global director, Dave Pericak. “Everyone here is encouraged to think outside the box, so project ‘Wicked Stick’ was born. Our engineers will leverage the learnings from its development for many future products for Ford Performance and, ultimately, take back even more of an innovative spirit when they rejoin our mainstream engineering teams.”

Ford Focus RS 'Drift Stick' takes handbrake turns to a whole new level

Revealed at the SEMA modified car show in Las Vegas, Ford says its Drift Stick is available for Focus RS owners in the US and Canada to buy from December for $999. Installation is easy, says Ford, as there’s no welding or hole drilling required, making the modification fully reversible. And it won’t void your car’s warranty.

Unfortunately there’s no mention of whether the Drift Stick going on sale in the UK any time soon. We can but hope…

>NEXT: New Ford Focus RS Edition with LSD costs £35,795

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Peugeot advert BANNED because this in-car feature is dangerous

By
Andrew Brady
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Peugeot advert BANNED because this built-in feature is dangerous

An advert showing a Peugeot 208 driver glancing at a text message displayed on his car’s infotainment screen has been banned for encouraging irresponsible driving.

Five separate complaints from viewers over the advert, which aired on TV in July, led to an investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

As part of the Peugeot 208’s Mirror Screen system, which mirrors the driver’s phone onto its infotainment screen, drivers can read incoming text messages and send pre-written templates. In the advert, a driver can be seen reading a message which says “I’m bored without you!”.

Responding on behalf of Peugeot, Clearcast, a firm which pre-approves adverts for television, said the Highway Code permitted a driver to adjust music or the radio. They believed the action of the driver looking momentarily at a message on a screen in the dashboard was no worse and less distracting than that.

The ASA disagreed, however, noting that the Highway Code advises drivers to avoid distractions, giving “starting or adjusting any music or radio” as an example of a distraction (rule 148); that using hands-free equipment was “likely to distract your attention from the road” (rule 149); that there was “danger of driver distraction being caused by in-vehicle systems such as satellite navigation systems, congestion warning systems, PCs, multi-media, etc” and that drivers “MUST exercise proper control of your vehicle at all times”.

It upheld the complaints, saying that reading the text message “amounted to a distraction that would have prevented him being aware of, and/or being in control of, other actions that were necessary for safe driving”.

Peugeot has been told it cannot display the advert again in its current form, and that its future ads should not condone or encourage dangerous or irresponsible driving.

>NEXT: Citroen’s ConnectedCam ISN’T distracting for drivers, rules ASA

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Aston Martin Vanquish S Ultimate is the ultimate send-off

By
Richard Aucock
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0

Aston Martin Vanquish S UltimateAston Martin’s range-topping model, the Vanquish, is nearing the end of the life. To give it the send-off it deserves, the firm has created a line of ‘Ultimate’ models, limited to just 175 cars in either Vanquish S Ultimate Coupe or Volante guise.

The Ultimate doesn’t get any more power than the 595bhp Vanquish S, now are the eight-speed automatic gearbox or carbon ceramic brakes any different to what you’d get on a series S.

No, the difference with the Vanquish S Ultimate is visual. Aston is offering it in a choice of three unique colourschemes, each enhanced with carbon fibre side strakes finished with a rose gold ‘Ultimate’ badge.

Aston Martin Vanquish S Ultimate

The first so-called Designer Theme is Ultimate black with Copper bronze graphics for the front air intake, side sills and rear diffuser. A black leather interior is highlighted with Chestnut tan and Aston says the overall colourscheme references the original Vanquish S Ultimate Edition from a few years back; it’s pictured here.

Too moody? Try Xenon grey paint with Cobalt blue graphics, which looks a bit like a piece of designer sportswear, reckons Aston. It has yellow brake calipers and, inside, Electron yellow and Spectral blue stitching for the Phantom grey leather.

Too much? How about White gold paint with bronze graphics, Chestnut tan leather with black accents and a gorgeous carbon fibre fascia? And if even that doesn’t tick the box, you can choose any other exterior and interior colourscheme for free, which sort of defeats the point of offering a range of limited edition Designer Themes, but there we go.

Aston Martin vice president and chief sales officer Christian Marti said: “As the much-loved and highly-acclaimed Vanquish S nears the end of production, we wanted to celebrate its success with a limited run of very special cars.

“The Ultimate edition perfectly captures the spirit of Vanquish and is sure to be sought after by collectors around the world.”

First deliveries of the runout Vanquish S Ultimate begin in Q1 2018, but ordering is open now: the Coupe costs from £211,995 and the Volante is priced from £223,995.

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BMW M3 30 Years American Edition revealed – but there’s a catch

By
Andrew Brady
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BMW M3 30 Years American Edition

Not everyone will like this BMW 30 Years American special edition. One MR staffer described it as ‘marmite’, and he really doesn’t like marmite. Some do, however, but that’s irrelevant – as it’s a one-off special edition model that will probably never ever make it across to the UK.

Revealed to celebrate 30 years of selling the BMW M3 stateside (a year after the 30 Jahre was launched (celebrating 30 years of M3 worldwide), the American Edition has been styled by BMW’s Designworks division and built by its Individual department.

It features distinctive Frozen Red II paint – a nod to the iconic Henna Red of the original M3 from the 1980s, says BMW – with black accents. One-off M Performance gold alloy wheels (19-inch front, 20-inch rear) are reminiscent of the M3 E30 DTM racing wheels, while a carbon fibre rear spoiler completes the ‘race car’ look.

Things are just as in-your-face inside, too. BMW says “the interior could not be less special,” and we’d find it hard to disagree with that. It screams “USA, USA, USA” with its red, white and blue leather seats. While the interior isn’t quite to our tastes, it’s good to see a manual gear stick in front of the Alcantara-covered cubby box.

Mechanically, it’s the same as any other BMW M3 with the Competition Package. That means its 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six produces 444hp, taking it to 62mph in 4.2 seconds and a limited top speed of 155mph. Not bad for a four-door saloon car.

If you want to buy the 30 Years American Edition – well, frankly, you’d be very lucky, as it’s a one-off. But BMW has said that, after its debut at the SEMA performance car show in Las Vegas, it will be up for sale. As for the price? No doubt significantly more than the £61,580 an M3 Competition Pack will set you back in the UK…

>NEXT: BMW reveals 2018 M5 MotoGP Safety Car

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MG ZS set to double firm’s UK sales

By
Andrew Brady
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0

MG ZS

MG’s new Juke-rivalling crossover, the MG ZS, will double the firm’s annual sales, says its sales and marketing chief Matthew Cheyne.

Speaking at the media launch for the new compact SUV, Cheyne explained that the new ZS would mark a ‘new era’ for the brand.

“ZS will, quite simply, double our sales, and push MG towards 10,000 sales in the UK next year,” said Cheyne.

According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), MG has registered 3,321 cars so far in 2017. Cheyne said the manufacturer is on track to hit a target of 4,500 cars this year – a record for the company since it was reborn under Chinese ownership in 2006.

MG Motor broke the 1,000 cars registration barrier for the first time in 2014, with 2,326 cars sold in the UK. In 2015, 3,152 new MGs were registered, rising to 4,192 in 2016.

Cheyne added: “We retail nearly every single one of our cars. We don’t have dealers with forecourts full of pre-registrations, which is really important for us. Our cars are bought by people’s own money.

“The ZS is definitely the best car, the greatest car we’ve launched. We’ve listened to all of our customer feedback from previous models.

“[It] builds on all the positives and improves on all our other models, to keep the MG brand growing and moving forward. Our early years were more about re-establishing the company rather than actual sales growth. But for the last four years, since 2014, we’ve been growing organically.”

By the end of 2017, MG will have 90 dealers across the UK, giving it more than 65 percent coverage of the UK.

The firm controversially announced in 2016 that it would stop assembling cars at the old MG Rover plant in Longbridge, Birmingham. Previously, it would manufacture cars in China before shipping them across to the UK for final assembly.

The MG ZS was originally supposed to be called the XS, until it emerged that Land Rover owned the ‘XS’ trademark. A last-minute change of plan led to it taking the name of a 90s Rover 45-based hot hatch.

>NEXT: 2017 MG ZS first drive review: cheap but not cheerful

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You can now buy a Honda Civic Type R engine in a crate

By
Richard Aucock
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0

Honda Civic Type R crate engineThe current-generation Honda Civic Type R’s mighty 2.0-litre i-VTEC Turbo engine is now available in a box, with the launch of a U.S. ‘crate engine’ programme at the 2017 SEMA performance car show in Las Vegas.

The Civic Type R Crate Motor is a North American-spec engine producing 306hp, and will be sold to professional racers competing in motorsport. It’s eligible to be run on verified closed-course racetracks and “builds upon Honda’s long-term commitment to the support of grassroots racing”.

The engine, codenamed K20C1 (the latest in the long-running Honda K series line first launched in 2001), is sold through the Honda Racing Line division, which sells a raft of motorsport parts to Honda racers.

The crate engine comes complete with everything a racing team needs to get it up and running; all they need to do is fork out for it to be shipped from the North American plant that builds the Type R engine.

Price? In the U.S, it’s $6,519. How much is that in pounds sterling? Around £4,600. Rather less than the £30,995 price of an entire Civic Type R, but also indicative of just how much a top-line engine costs.

Honda has in mind racers for the new crate engine, but specialist car firms may also be interested; UK performance car manufacturers Ariel has for some time used the non-turbo predecessor to this Civic Type R engine – just imagine how satisfying a version using the latest turbo engine could be…

NEXT> 2017 Honda Civic Type R review

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