(L-R)- Rafael Treguer, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Renault India and Sumit Sawhney, Country CEO and Managing Director, Renault India Operations at the launch of the Renault Captur

Renault launched its globally successful premium SUV with crossover DNA – Renault Captur in India. Built on the B0 platform, Renault Captur has been designed and developed leveraging the prowess of Renault India and global teams.

Renault Captur has a crossover French design clearly reflecting Renault’s new design DNA. With a design language that is agile and expressive. Together with its global styling cues, the designing of Renault Captur also accounts for Indian conditions and consumers’ preferences, offering the widest and longest in its category, with best-in-class ground clearance of 210 mm (unladen). This is well matched by an elevated driving position that offers wraparound panoramic visibility.

Renault Captur also features an Innovative Lighting Systems (ILS). Renault Captur’s lights provide high impact illumination while being highly energy efficient. The Sparkle full LED headlamps with unique floating side indicators, C-shaped Sapphire LED DRLs and Ripple Tail Lamps add a distinct, instantly recognisable lighting signature to the car, which perfectly complements the LED ambient lighting inside the car. While the Innovative Lighting System give it a truly unique lighting signature, the R17 Crystal Cut alloys enhance its agile stance.

Renault Captur’s powerful bonnet creases and the front bumper, with Satin Finish Front and Rear Skid Plates, together with the thick fenders, lend a strong character to the car. The dash of chrome on its front and sides are both tasteful and stylish.

Renault Captur Platine makes its debut in India. ‘Platine’ is the most premium version across Renault cars, used discerningly for very exclusive offerings. The global-first, exclusive Captur Platine features ultra-premium white and gold interiors and takes the feel of sophistication a notch higher with AC vents engulfed in chrome, along with the stylish bezel with golden finish.

Its Ergo Design leather seats are engineered for comfort, developed post years of global experience and research. These state-of-the-art seats are 6-way adjustable and feature enhanced lumbar support, along with pronounced lateral support. High on style, these custom white leather seats with golden accents create the effect of a sculpted seat, proving superior comfort.

Renault Captur delivers the next level of drive experience enabled by the OneIntegration concept, Renault’s design approach that seamlessly connects car and driver. Through the use of high-end smart cabin design technologies, the car feels at one with the driver in an intuitive, intelligent way.

Renault Captur is equipped with modern hi-tech solutions which makes driving comfortable and pleasant. Together with a smart access card and engine start button, Captur’s connected interior includes technologies that not only meet drivers’ needs, but also makes driving simpler.

On the inside, the Infinity Instrument Cluster enables a complete cockpit experience, blending Renault Captur’s stunning design with intuitive information. The user-friendly new generation Integrated Intelligent ULC 3.0 multimedia navigation system comes with a seven-inch display featuring radio and Bluetooth technology, voice recognition (for iOS), maps along with temperature and time display.

Additionally, to ensure enhanced comfort and convenience for the customers, Renault Captur is equipped with an automatic AC with surround illumination and rear cooling vents which enable better cooling comfort for passengers seated in the rear.

Safety is of paramount importance for Renault Captur and the car is certified to exceed frontal and lateral crash test parameters. With a reinforced body for optimum safety, Renault Captur is equipped with a host of active and passive safety features including dual airbags, side airbags, Antilock-Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Hill Start Assist.

In addition, it will also come with a Cruise Control feature that helps maintain a pre-selected speed without acceleration and a Speed Limiter, which restricts speed within limits selected by the driver. It will also have 2 lateral ISOFIX fixtures with top-tether in the rear seat for enhanced child safety.

Renault Captur will come with both petrol and diesel powertrains. For the petrol option, it will be powered by the 16 valves 4 cylinder 1.5L H4K petrol engine mated to a 5 speed manual gear box, producing 106 PS at 5,600 rpm and 142 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.

The diesel version will be powered by the 1.5L K9K diesel engine (common rail injection), mated to 6 speed manual gear box, delivering a maximum power of 110 PS at 4,000 rpm and peak torque of 240 Nm at 1,750 rpm.

Renault Captur takes personalisation to a completely different level. Every aspect of the car has been designed keeping this in mind, led by a wide range of fashion-inspired dual tone body colours. Renault will also offer the option of further enhancing both the car’s interior and exterior with two innovative themed personalisation packs – Diamond Deck and Urban Connect, which are the result of a collaboration between Renault’s design studios in India and France. Also on offer are a choice of add-ons which further enhance the personalisation options.

RENAULT CAPTUR PRICE (EX-SHOWROOM DELHI)

* Dual tone versions available in RXT and Platine at an incremental price of only INR 17,000

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

2013. Ford India took the auto market by storm with the launch of the EcoSport which proved to be a game changer for the American car maker in India and went on to win several accolades across the globe making it one of the most awarded cars in the world.

2017. The iconic American auto maker is gearing up to launch the facelifted EcoSport in India which not only carries forward the legacy created but it predecessor but offers much more in terms of style and connectivity.

So What’s New In The 2017 Ford EcoSport? 

• An all-new petrol engine – Three-cylinder 1.5L TiVCT delivering 123 PS of power and 7 per cent fuel efficiency improvement compared to the previous petrol powertrain
• Over 1600 changes including refreshed exteriors featuring a bolder and distinct Ford signature grille; bigger, wider projector headlamps and fog lamp bezel
• Refined interiors including premium leather-stitched seats; bolder, ergonomic instrument panel and cluster; and 25 smart stowage spaces
• An all-new six-speed Automatic Transmission, segment-first paddle shifters, cruise control and hill launch assist
• Better technology including SYNC 3 with a high-resolution 8-inch floating touch screen compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

 
More Macho On The Outside

The new EcoSport builds on the dynamic exterior design of its predecessor, starting with a reshaped front, and a large upper trapezoidal grille and lower grille that make it unmistakably a member of the Ford family of SUVs.

The sculpted hood features a wider central dome for a more masculine appearance. At either side, uninterrupted lines flow smoothly from the hood into the A-pillar. Another continuous line running from the belt line along the edge of the hood accentuates sleek new headlamps with LED daytime running lights.

Bold fog lamps complete the face of the EcoSport and give it an edgier, more aggressive look. New Ford EcoSport will feature bigger 17-inch alloy wheels with top-of-the-line Titanium+ variant giving it an even more aggressive stance.

We have been told that Ford’s design and engineering team spent more than a million hours studying computer fluid dynamics, and more than 200 hours in a wind tunnel refining the aerodynamics of the new EcoSport.

More Premium On The Inside

Step inside and you will be welcomed by refreshed interiors with premium leather stitched seats that offer excellent lumber and thigh support. Ford claims that its designers and psychologists spent thousands of hours watching and evaluating how customers interact with their car on a daily basis, using eye-tracking software alongside traditional customer feedback such as identifying which buttons drivers interact with most.

The result: New Ford EcoSport now comes with a more practical and user-centric interior design, inspired by smart devices and tablets in keeping with today’s modern driver habits. The new EcoSport features large and conveniently placed knobs that for adjusting volume, temperature and fan speed making it easier to operate while on the go.

A broad range of other controls have been integrated into an eight-inch touchscreen, featured for the first time in EcoSport. With minimal buttons and controls, the screen has been placed closer to the driver’s line of sight, helping them keep their eyes on the road.

More Space To Carry Your World

Ergonomic design contributes to making the passenger cabin appear more spacious. A centrally located media bin makes it easy to stow a smartphone while charging. Designed to accommodate a phone as large as an iPhone 7 Plus, the bin comes with two illuminated USB ports.

The media bin is just one of 25 compartments throughout the EcoSport’s cabin, offering convenient places for coffee cups, bottled drinks, sunglasses and umbrellas. Fold-flat rear seats maximise rear cargo space.

The boot offers flexible cargo space with an adjustable floorboard which can be mounted on two designated slots to split the boot into different compartments, based on a driver’s need.

Across three adjustable positions, the boot space serves from being a load floor for maximum storage to a secure storage area beneath the floorboard to keep valuables, only to end up creating a cargo floor that lines up with the fold-flat second-row seats.

More Technology, More Connectivity

The new EcoSport features Ford’s in-car infotainment system, SYNC 3, which allows drivers to control their entertainment, climate settings, as well as their connected smartphone, all with conversational voice commands.

This latest edition of Ford’s globally renowned in-car connectivity system is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible. This allows drivers to make phone calls, access their music, send and receive messages, get directions and more, all while staying focused on the road.

SYNC 3 is Ford SYNC AppLink compatible, enabling new EcoSport owners to use simple voice commands for controlling a range of smartphone apps, including Hungama Drive, InShorts, Maps by MapMyIndia, AccuWeather and Pparke.

New Heart Under The Hood

Under the hood, customers can choose from one of two engines on offer: An all-new Ford 1.5-litre three-cylinder TiVCT petrol engine and the tried and tested 1.5-litre TDCi diesel motor.

The all-new 1.5-liter petrol Ti-VCT engine is smaller, lighter and more fuel efficient than the previous generation. The latest naturally aspirated engine is powered by 3-Cylinders for improved performance and efficiency while reducing size, weight and friction. The 1.5L TiVCT delivers 123 PS of power at 6500 rpm and 150 Nm of torque at 4500 rpm.

The all-new petrol engine will offer a 7 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and efficiency, through reductions in weight and size, as well as the application of innovative technologies.

1.5-litre Ti-VCT petrol engine

With the new petrol motor, Ford has achieved a 7 per cent improvement in fuel economy to 17 kmpl while efficiency figures for the diesel engine have also improved to 23 kmpl – both are ARAI-ratified figures and would differ in real life driving conditions. Both diesel and petrol engines will come mated with a five-speed manual transmission.

For even greater choice, Ford will offer the all-new petrol engine with an all-new six-speed automatic transmission that offers smooth shifts across rev range. A new, sportier steering wheel with paddle shifters enhances the new EcoSport’s fun-to-drive feeling.

1.5-litre TDCi diesel motor

The 1.5-litre TDCi diesel motor is the same engine that did duty in the outgoing EcoSport. It produces 100 PS of power at 3750 rpm and 205 Nm of peak torque between 1750-3250 rpm and is mated to a 5-speed manual transmission. The engine delivers linear torque across rev range and boasts of good driveability.

So, What Works For The New Ford EcoSport?

• Masculine and dynamic exterior design with refreshed grille, revised headlamps and fog lamps
• Premium leather stitched seats offering better lumber and thigh support
• New 8-inch floating touchscreen infotainment system
• Intelligent space management with 25 stowage spaces
• Good ride and handling with well tuned suspension set up to tackle Indian road conditions
• Low cost of ownership

What Still Has Room For Improvement? 

• The new 1.5-litre 3-cylinder petrol engine is fun to drive around in urban city conditions, especially in the sports mode, however, it runs out of breadth on the highway and needs to be pushed hard while overtaking on open stretches. Feels a tad bit under-powered
• In terms of display and visual appeal the instrument cluster could have been more contemporary and stylish in design

Prices of the 2017 Ford EcoSport is start at Rs 7.31 lakhs for the base petrol and Rs 8.01 lakhs for the base diesel trim. Interestingly, these are the exact prices of the outgoing EcoSport model.

Aston Martin Racing has claimed its 50th victory since its inception in 2004, after winning the eighth round of this year’s FIA World Endurance Championship; the 6 Hours of Shanghai.

After taking the GTE Am pole position on Saturday, the #98 V8 Vantage GTE of Paul Dalla Lana, Pedro Lamy and Mathias Lauda converted their advantage to victory, claiming a maximum 26-point haul from the weekend. In what was a trouble-free run throughout the entire six hours, the trio collectively amassed a gap of over one lap by the chequered flag.

The result ensures that the #98 entry reclaims the lead in both the GT AM Drivers and Team championships with a lead of ten in both.

Lamy said following the race, “This win really means a lot. It puts us in a great place for Bahrain as before the championship was looking really close. Obviously, you can never relax but this obviously makes the job much easier. To claim Aston Martin Racing’s 50th victory since the team started in 2004 is a really great achievement and really shows the success of Aston Martin Racing over the years. I hope we can make this 51 next time out.”

In GTE Pro, the team’s #95 and #97 entries finished the race in fifth and seventh position.

Paul Howarth Aston Martin Racing Team Principal said, “Today’s result really demonstrates the quality of this team not only in recent years, but over its entire existence since 2004. To claim 50 victories is a fantastic achievement and comes at an exceptionally important time as we pursue the 2017 GTE AM championship. That was a fantastic performance from Pedro, Mat and Paul, who were both consistently quick and clean out on track. We now need to keep our heads down, provide a similar result in Bahrain and secure both GTE Am titles and make sure we provide the current V8 Vantage GTE with a final win in the GTE Pro class.”

Aston Martin Racing returns for the title decider in Bahrain on Saturday 18 November, for the current V8 Vantage GTEs final race in the FIA World Endurance Championship GTE Pro class.

Hyundai Motor India Ltd. (HMIL) announced the impressive performance continuing the strong momentum of its recently launched Next Gen Verna in India. The sedan has set new benchmark for the segment and received more than 20,000 bookings and more than 150,000 enquiries in a short span of two months of its launch in India.

Commenting on this achievement Y K Koo, MD & CEO- Hyundai Motor India Limited said: “The Next Gen VERNA has outperformed in India once again with more than 20,000 bookings and 150,000 enquiries in a short span of 2 months of its launch in India. We are extremely thankful to our Indian customers for their trust in brand Hyundai. The Next Gen VERNA is beyond the ordinary, a global product that personifies Hyundai’s Modern Premium Brand and a landmark in Hyundai growth story winning many prestigious accolades worldwide.”

Tata Motors is all set to strengthen its Hexa range of SUVs with the launch of Special Urban Edition – Hexa Downtown. The Hexa Downtown will be available in limited numbers from November 3 onwards in two packages- the Absolute Pack and the Indulge pack. The Downtown range starts from 12.18 lakhs (Ex-Showroom – Delhi) for the XE variant.

According to Mayank Pareek, President, Passenger Vehicle Business Unit, Tata Motors, “In order to offer our customers with an adrenaline pumped driving experience, we are happy to introduce the urban edition of the successful and versatile SUV, HEXA. The HEXA has caught the imagination of the country with its distinctive on-road and off-road capabilities. It has completely changed the face of Tata Motors and witnessed a strong traction in the market. The HEXA DOWNTOWN, as the name suggests is a vehicle inspired by the city life to match the customers’ charged urban lifestyle. With the new edition of the HEXA DOWNTOWN, we are sure to take forward our brand promise of offering customers aspirational products along with sheer value.”

The Tata Hexa Downtown stands out on the road in its unique ‘urban bronze’ colour. The bold chrome accessories across the body give the car a dynamic look. The Hexa Downtown comes equipped with features like wireless charger, premium tan seat covers, Blaupunkt rear seat entertainment player, heads-up display with tyre pressure monitoring system among other features. These have been carefully designed keeping in mind the city’s 24×7 living style, tech lifestyle and diverse terrains.

The world’s longest running motoring event delivers a slice of living history as pioneering automobiles tackle their annual outing when hundreds of veteran cars set off from London on their annual pilgrimage to Brighton on Sunday, November 5. A bumper entry of more than 450 horseless carriages will leave Hyde Park as dawn breaks, ready to tackle the epic 60-mile drive from capital to coast.

The London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, which dates back to 1927, was founded to commemorate the Emancipation Run of 1896, which celebrated the new-found freedom of motorists granted by the ‘repeal of the Red Flag Act.’ The Act raised the speed limit to 14mph and abolished the need for a man carrying a red flag to walk ahead of the cars whenever they were being driven.

Acknowledged as the longest running motoring event in the world, this year has a French theme in honour of the country’s contribution to motoring’s early days – in 1903, for example, France built 30,000 cars – more than half of the world’s total production in that year.

Fittingly, almost half of this year’s entry are of French-built cars, and include an 1893 Peugeot Type 14 – the oldest vehicle on the Run and the first car to have been driven on Italian roads.

Renault, like Peugeot, a name familiar to today’s motorists, was another of motoring’s pioneers. The company, a long-time supporter of the Run, has entered a recently restored Type C from 1900, while other French marques represented include De Dion Bouton, Mors, Bolide and even a patriotically-named Napoleon.

Even though few of the cars have any form of protection against the elements, the Run will take place come rain or shine… and there’ll even be a few stars on view, too.

Among the celebrities taking part this year are adventurer Charley Boorman, who will be driving a 1904 Rover 8hp from the British Motor Museum to promote men’s health during the month of November.

As in previous years, BBC presenters Chris Evans and Alex Jones will be following the Run in a fleet of classic buses all carrying successful bidders who raised money for the BBC Children in Need charity.

Due to on-going road works in Brixton, this year’s Run will take a slightly different route out of London. After leaving Hyde Park, the veterans will drive down the Mall past Buckingham Palace, before heading down Horse Guards Parade on the way to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. It will then cross the Thames at Westminster Bridge before heading towards Stockwell, Clapham Common, Balham and Morden rather than Brixton and Croydon.

Upon leaving London, the Run will take in Banstead, Tolworth and Reigate before re-joining the traditional route at Redhill. From here it heads to a spectator-friendly halfway halt at Crawley High Street.

Crawley High Street also marks an important stage on the Run as it’s the start of the Chopard Regularity Time Trial, the only competitive element of the event. Finishing 13 miles away in Burgess Hill, the Regularity Time Trail requires drivers to get as close to a chosen average speed as possible with a Chopard Mille Miglia Chronograph, worth £4,950, awaiting the Trial winner.

After Burgess Hill, the Run tackles yet more scenic but demanding Sussex roads, passing through Hassocks and Clayton where it joins the A23 for the run into Brighton and the finish at Madeira Drive.

Aside from the start – the first car will be flagged away from Hyde Park at 7.03am precisely – timings are approximate, but the first cars are expected at the Crawley halt from 8.15am with the last leaving by 2.00pm. The first car is due at the Madeira Drive finish at shortly after 10 am while to be sure of a finishers’ medal, participants need to make it to the finish before 4.30pm.

“Seeing these lovingly maintained cars is more than a spectacle. It’s a piece of living history, a reminder of the fearless motoring pioneers who, literally, paved the way for all of us,” said Peter Read, Chairman of the Royal Automobile Club’s Motoring Committee.

The Veteran Car Run is organised by the Royal Automobile Club and is the final act in the Club’s annual London Motor Week – seven days filled with an array of functions and events to suit all motoring tastes.

The launch of the MG ZS marks an exciting new era of design for the iconic English brand, representing a major step-change and commitment to a new global MG design philosophy. Based on ‘Emotional Dynamism’, the MG ZS embodies a more expressive design language that emphasises the premium experience and commitment to quality of the brand. With a look that brings together the three key elements of ‘Emotional’, ‘Humanised’ and ‘Agility’, the MG ZS represents a desirable, accessible and dynamic approach to affordable motoring.

One of the key design features of the MG ZS is the compelling new face of MG, which features an enlarged, full frame grille, inspired by the brand’s heritage, but executed in a contemporary way. It allows for a much bigger MG badge to take centre stage and showcase pride in the brand. This confident front to the MG ZS is continued through a design flow that is never static, with the lack of flat surfaces indicative of a vehicle that is always poised to spring into action. Additional design features include machined alloy wheels, atypical of this type of vehicle, which provide a depth of movement and streamlined approach.

Carl Gotham, Design Director for MG Motor UK, said: “It’s a really exciting time for MG, as it starts to roll out its new brand identity. ‘Emotional Dynamism’ brings a premium feel to the new Compact-SUV with exceptional attention to detail throughout, such as the distinctive detailing on the ‘eye’ headlights and signature tail lights. It has a level of detailing and range of impressive features you would not expect to find on a car of this size or price.”

Inside the MG ZS, this commitment to design excellence is continued with touches that nod to a dynamic and exclusive space for the driver, while being accessible and family-friendly for any passengers. A consistent interior language features soft materials and colour contrast from a dark grey base to create a layered effect which carefully balances the driver experience with the need to create a social space with character. Driver comfort is key, with six-way adjustable seating in the Excite and Exclusive models. The use of 3D shapes, metallic and chrome finishes, carbon-esque textures and the avoidance of flat design all adds to a vehicle that has real appeal.

With a new corporate MG steering wheel based on significant ergonomic research to ensure its architectural usability and interface with the rest of the car – leather effect in the top spec Exclusive model – drivers will feel in complete control of the space. High level detailing on the air vents and contrasting materials on the dashboard enhance the quality feel, while a trend for ‘bigger’ connectivity means 8” infotainment screens will become a signature of MG going forward. Designers haven’t forgotten the practical elements either, with storage and stowage a key feature of the MG ZS – including a double cup holder, 1.5 litre bottle capacity in the doors and a split-level boot.

Especially for the launch of the MG ZS, the brand has invested in significant research and development of a richer and deeper tri coat red paint option, Dynamic Red, which will be available as an option across the range. Development of an intensely rich but robust red paint has been a long-standing challenge among car manufacturers, making the exhilarating new red of the MG ZS a triumph for the iconic British brand.

The Dynamic Red colour has been developed using advanced coating technology that allows MG to achieve a deep and translucent finish with just three layers of paint, a big step forward from original production techniques that relied on up to 10 applications. The colour is hard-wearing – but also achieves enhanced brilliance and beautiful depth. This creates further drama to the exterior.

When speaking about the development of the colour, Gotham said: “The MG ZS Dynamic Red creates a much greater sense of depth and compliments the surfaces by enhancing the vivid highlights and contrasting darker shadows. With colour playing an important role in the purchasing decision, we wanted to create something special, unique and original that reflects the passion, creativity and flair that has gone into designing the car.”

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor UK, added: “With the MG ZS, we have put design front and centre to create a car that looks as good as – if not better than – the premium brand equivalent. The colours that accompany the car were an important part of creating a bold statement, and the red tinted tri coat paint embodies the ‘Emotional Dynamism’ that is at the core of this Compact-SUV.”

The MG ZS will be available as standard in Arctic White, with additional metallic colour options in Black Pearl, Cosmic Silver, Spiced Orange, Laser Blue and Dynamic Red.

Concluding his comments on design, Gotham said: “When designing the MG ZS, we had in mind the need to create a new language and direction for the brand. The MG vision is about manifesting ‘Emotional Dynamism’ by bringing together personality, practicality and technology in one compelling expression of future mobility based on established brand heritage. A statement of MG’s intent, the MG ZS marks the first in a new generation of models embodying the brand’s desire to deliver innovative design, state-of-the-art technology and value-for-money as standard.”

Vanquish. One of the world’s great Super GTs and the quintessential Aston Martin. To celebrate this much-loved and highly-acclaimed flagship as it enters the final phase of its production life, Aston Martin has created a very special model to bid a farewell: The Vanquish S Ultimate.

Like the regular Vanquish S, the Ultimate edition is powered by Aston Martin’s legendary naturally-aspirated 6.0-litre V12. With 595bhp and a spectacular soundtrack, scintillating performance is guaranteed. An 8-speed Touchtronic III automatic transmission gives an impressive combination of response and refinement, while 3-stage adaptive damping and carbon ceramic brakes complete a package born to deliver one of the great modern driving experiences.

Limited to just 175 cars worldwide, the Ultimate edition is available in Coupe or Volante form and is available in a choice of three exterior colour schemes which have been thoughtfully crafted by the Aston Martin design team. In addition to the specially created colour and trim packages there are a suite of details that are also unique to the Vanquish S Ultimate. These include carbon fibre side strakes featuring rose gold ‘Ultimate‘ decals, carbon fibre treadplates and an ‘Ultimate’ sill plaque, a special stitched quilting design on the seats, plus ‘Ultimate’ headrest embroidery.

The first of these Designer Themes is a monochrome design that mates Ultimate Black paintwork – a nod to the first generation Vanquish S Ultimate Edition, for which this colour was first created – with Copper Bronze graphics around the front air intake, along the side sills and on the rear diffuser. Detailing includes black exhaust tailpipes, brake calipers, window trims and 5-spoke wheels, plus extensive use of carbon fibre for the bonnet louvres, front grille and side strakes. The interior features Obsidian Black leather with Chestnut Tan accents and stitching and carbon fibre twill facia.

The second Designer Theme takes inspiration from the look and materials used in technical sportswear. The striking combination of Xenon Grey paint and contrasting Cobalt Blue graphics combine perfectly with the Ultimate’s carbon fibre and black trim. Yellow brake calipers provide further contrast behind gloss black 5-spoke alloys. The same family of exterior hues continue to the interior, where Electron Yellow accents and Spectral Blue stitching stand out against the Phantom Grey leather upholstery.

The third of the Designer Themes consists of cool White Gold paintwork and warm Bronze graphics working brilliantly with gloss black and carbon fibre exterior detailing. Chestnut Tan leather with Obsidian Black accents puts a contemporary twist on a traditional colour combination, while the spectacular cuprum carbon fibre facia is a visual delight.

In addition to the Designer Themes, customers can elect to combine any exterior scheme and interior package as a no-cost option.

Marek Reichman, Aston Martin Chief Creative Officer, said: “With the Ultimate Edition we have accentuated the Vanquish S’s unique blend of tradition, technology and craftsmanship with a selection of three bold exterior paint schemes and hugely appealing interior packages that make creative use of exciting materials. Our design team has created three unique themes which unite an exterior and interior package, but we have been careful to ensure each exterior colour and interior theme work well together to offer our customers maximum choice”.

Aston Martin VP & Chief Sales Officer, Christian Marti said of the Vanquish S Ultimate Edition: “Since the Vanquish was first introduced it immediately established itself as the pinnacle of our series production range. It has since evolved into a truly formidable machine. 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”.

The Finali Mondiali provided the backdrop to the world premiere of the new FXX-K Evo which will be available both as an extremely limited-run model and as an upgrade package for the existing XX cars.

This latest arrival marks a significant evolution of the XX programme launched in 2005 with cars developed specifically to play an active role in the eponymous research and development programme which itself has become a byword for innovation and uncompromising performance.

As was the case with the Evo versions of the FXX and the 599 XX, the Ferrari FXX-K Evo benefits from an extensive package that applies innovative concepts derived from all of the various track categories in which Ferrari competes with its cars: the Formula 1, GT3, GTE and Challenge, the latter being the single-make championship bearing its name.

Derived from the racing world and adopting track-specific content, the FXX-K Evo, like all the previous XX cars, is not homologated for road use and will not be used in competition outside its dedicated programme.

Mirroring the vocation of its predecessor, it, however, is aimed at a small, highly-select group of Ferrari Clients: supercar enthusiasts eager to share the development of technologically-innovative content with the Prancing Horse technicians, through driving a closed-wheel laboratory car.

At the development stage, the designers worked on a broad range of different aspects of the FXX-K Evo, starting with reducing its overall weight. By drawing on Ferrari’s Formula 1 experience and adopting innovative carbon-fibre component crafting processes, they succeeded in producing a lighter car than the previous FXX-K despite introducing new elements such as the fixed rear wing.

The FXX-K Evo features an evolved aero package developed by Ferrari’s engineers in synergy with the Ferrari Style Centre’s designers, to push to the very limit the performance of a model that already represents the state-of-the-art in terms of Ferrari track-only supercars.

The product of over a year of CFD simulations and wind tunnel testing, the FXX-K Evo’s aerodynamics deliver downforce figures very close to those of the cars competing in the GT3 and GTE championships, all to the advantage of lateral acceleration in cornering, stability and, ultimately, exhilarating driving pleasure.

The FXX-K Evo’s downforce coefficient has been improved by 23 per cent on the previous version, which is the equivalent of a 75 per cent increase on the road car from which it is derived. Downforce of 640 kg is generated at 200 kmph, and exceeds 830 kg at the car’s red-line speed.

The FXX-K Evo’s downforce level is boosted by a twin-profile fixed wing on the tail. This new addition was developed to work in seamless synergy with the active rear spoiler. In fact, the pressure fields developed by the two downforce-generating systems support and amplify each other. To guarantee both excellent downforce and drag results, the mobile spoiler’s control logics and range of movement were also meticulously reviewed and reprogrammed.

The twin-profile rear wing is supported by two side fins as well as by a central fin. The latter plays a dual role: firstly it acts as a vertical fin, boosting stability at low yaw angles, and secondly, it supports the action of the three delta (triangular) vortex generators.

The vortex generators, on the one hand, clean the flow field striking the wing of the effects of the wake of the hot air flow from the radiators which vents onto the bonnet. On the other, they create a downwash component in the flow which boosts the twin-profile’s downforce capacity. The result is a 10 per cent increase in the downforce developed by the rear system.

The design of the rear bumpers was also modified in the light of the new flow structures. The by-pass vent from the rear wheel arch has been enlarged, hollowing out the volume behind the wheels to ensure the wake from the wheels is efficiently channelled. The result is that the flow to the rear diffuser is protected and losses are reduced so that downforce has been boosted by 5 per cent.

The significant increase in rear downforce demanded in-depth review of the design of the front bumpers and underbody to guarantee a balanced development of the downforce.

The geometry of the sides of the front bumper was altered by hollowing out the surfaces beneath the headlights. This made space for a couple of flicks divided by a vertical turning vane and an additional intake ahead of the front wheels. This system guarantees efficient downforce generation (10% of the increase in downforce gained on the FXX-K). It also makes good use of know-how acquired in the GT programmes in which rules introduced in 2016 permitted extensive study of the interaction between horizontal (flicks) and vertical (dive plane) flow management systems, optimising their efficiency.

Ground effect was also boosted by the introduction of vortex generators on the undertray. This capitalised on the accelerations created by the rear system and the front underbody, generating 30 per cent of the extra downforce the car delivers compared to the FXX-K.

The FXX-K Evo’s boosted performance also demanded new front brake air intakes which, although no wider to avoid increasing drag, are more efficient thanks to a complete redesign of the intake itself.

Furthermore, the suspension was specifically calibrated to adapt it to the car’s new aerodynamic efficiency figures.

The clearly racing-inspired cabin is characterised by a conceptually-different steering wheel brilliantly suited to hugely powerful performance levels achievable in the FXX-K Evo. Formula 1 derived with integrated gear-shifting paddles, the new steering wheel now also sports the KERS Manettino to improve both control of that system and overall ergonomics.

The rear video camera screen to the right of the driver has been replaced with a larger 6.5-inch version.

It also now displays data from a new telemetry system with clearer, more direct performance parameter and car status readouts. The driver can check the KERS status and the times being clocked by selecting from the various screen options available.

After undergoing around 5,000 km of development runs and 15,000 km of reliability test-drives, the FXX-K EVO will be a very active protagonist in the XX Programme in the 2018/2019 season which spans nine track outings in all between the start of March and the end of October. As is now traditional, the XX cars will also be taking part in the prestigious Finali Mondiali weekend which marks the end of each racing season.