Bentley Motors has taken the next step on its journey to become fully electric and the world’s most sustainable luxury automotive manufacturer with a ground-breaking ceremony for a new Paint Shop in Crewe. This investment transforms an 85 year old site for a new age of electrification and confirms Bentley’s commitment to Crewe, England.
The new facility at Bentley’s carbon neutral headquarters will be integral to the brand’s preparations for future Battery-Powered Electric Vehicle production and to set a new benchmark in next generation, digital, flexible and high-value manufacturing operations.
To mark the occasion, Andreas Lehe, Bentley’s Board Member for Manufacturing, and Jan-Henrik Lafrentz, Bentley’s Board Member for Finance and IT, officially started construction by breaking ground.
The new 12,460 sqm. Paint Shop will be completed in 2025 and will offer an expanded paint colour choice of near 100 individual colours to customers, uniquely celebrated as part of the exterior building design. Additionally, there will be a four storey office building which in total will be home to more than 370 Bentley colleagues.
The new building forms part of a £2.5 billion investment programme in future products and at the Pyms Lane factory in Crewe, where all Bentley models are handcrafted.
Commenting on the developments, Andreas Lehe, said: “Breaking ground on this new state-of-the-art building is a milestone moment and supports our aim for a benchmark position in new innovative technologies, skills and facilities to enable a truly digital, highly-flexible benchmark for luxury car manufacturing.
“While also modernising our site, it is a clear demonstration of our ambition and long-term commitment to Crewe as we transform Bentley into the leader of sustainable luxury mobility.”
Bentley’s industry-leading Beyond100 strategy will see the company reinvent its entire product range to support an electrified future, while achieving end-to-end carbon neutral status by 2030. The company’s digital, zero environmental impact, manufacturing facility will introduce a go-to-zero approach on the environmental impacts of manufacturing and lead the luxury car industry in next generation digital applications.
On 4 May 2024, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars marks the 120th anniversary of the first meeting between Henry Royce and The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls. The founders’ personal stories, the history of the company they founded and its motor cars are well known and available to view elsewhere on the Rolls-Royce Press Club.
To celebrate this auspicious anniversary, Rolls-Royce considers the historical, technological and social context in which the marque came into being and the impact and influence of the Rolls-Royce name over its 120 years. But to fully understand the marque’s origins and legacy, one must first reach a little further back in time and examine the founders’ activities in the years immediately prior to that first, world-changing encounter in 1904.
HENRY ROYCE: THE ENGINEER For Henry Royce, the story really begins in late 1884, when he founded his first engineering company, F. H. Royce & Co. (he was christened Frederick Henry) in Manchester. Initially producing small items such as battery-powered doorbells, the company progressed to making heavy equipment including overhead cranes and railway shunting capstans.
But after almost two decades of expansion and success, in 1902 the company was heading for financial trouble, owing to competition from an influx of cheaper products from Germany and the USA. Royce’s perfectionism and obsession with improvement meant he was not prepared to enter a race to the bottom, or compromise the quality of his products. Habitual overwork and constant strain seriously affected his already weakened constitution, and finally his health collapsed entirely.
His doctors ordered him to take an extended break, so Royce embarked on a 10-week visit to his wife’s family in South Africa. Yet even on a medically imposed rest cure, his engineer’s mind was as active and inquisitive as ever. His choice of reading material on the long voyage was The Automobile: Its Construction and Management, originally written in French by Gérard Lavergne and translated into English that year. This was literally ‘the book’ on how to build a motor car, and Royce was clearly both enlightened and inspired by it.
On his return to England, Royce — now physically and mentally recovered — immediately acquired his first motor car, a French 10 H.P. Decauville. It’s often been assumed that this car was so poorly made and unreliable that Royce, out of sheer frustration, set about addressing its numerous defects.
In fact, almost the opposite is true. He chose the Decauville precisely because it was an excellent, state-of-the-art machine with the express intention of dismantling it, analysing every component, then producing his own car from scratch. Any reasonably competent engineer could have upgraded a badly built, substandard product: it took a genius of Royce’s stature to, in his own words, “take the best that exists and make it better”.
THE VITAL ROLE OF ‘LITTLE ERNIE’ One of the lesser known – but nonetheless vital – contributors to the first Royce cars’ development was Ernest Wooler. Born in Manchester in 1888, 15-year-old Ernest stood five feet four inches (1.62m) tall and was nicknamed ‘Little Ernie’ when he joined Royce Limited in 1903 as an indentured premium apprentice — a position for which his father paid the very considerable sum of £100 (over £15,000 at today’s values). He worked a 56-hour week for a shilling a day (about £7.60 now) in the drawing office, learning to make blueprints — and, strictly against the rules, producing his own drawings on the draughtsmen’s boards.
One morning, he received an ominous summons: Mr Royce himself wished to see him. After severely reprimanding the unfortunate youngster for his unauthorised handiwork, Royce ordered him to go and fetch a typist’s notepad. Mystified, Ernie did as he was instructed and gave the pad to his employer. Royce waved it away. “You hold onto that and follow me,” he said and led the way to the workshops, where he climbed onto the Decauville, took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves. Then, assisted by a fitter, he began methodically taking the car apart. Nearby, Ernie sat on a box with his notepad. “Each piece was handed to me, and I made a sketch of it and added the dimensions they quoted,” he later recalled.
As Royce correctly judged, Ernie was the ideal person to capture the basic data that would inform the design of the motor cars that followed. It’s also tempting to wonder if Royce recognised a kindred spirit; a young man starting at the bottom, but eager to better himself. If so, he was right. In 1913, Ernie emigrated to America and enjoyed a successful career as a design engineer, becoming an expert in bearings and filing a number of patents. In 1947, he retired to Hillsboro Beach, Florida, where he was elected as the town’s first mayor.
SMALL THINGS MAKE PERFECTION Royce had left school aged just 10 and his formal education consisted of evening classes in English and Mathematics that he attended in his late teens; later, as the world-renowned Sir Henry, he still self-deprecatingly described himself as being able to do no more than simple arithmetic. But he had an instinctive, intuitive talent that more than made up for his lack of academic credentials.
As noted, the Decauville was a highly evolved motor car in its own right and Royce sensibly retained some of its key features — a two-cylinder engine, live propshaft and differential rather than chain drive — in his own designs. He also introduced numerous detailed alterations and innovations: mechanically rather than atmospherically operated inlet valves; a more effective radiator; replacement main, big end and gearbox bearings; and a single gear lever replacing the Decauville’s notoriously tricky twin-lever arrangement. From the outset, he was obsessed with reducing the car’s overall weight, beginning with the simple and obvious expedient of discarding the Decauville’s bronze warning bell, which reputedly weighed around 20kg (over 40lb).
It was not only the Decauville that Royce subjected to his intricate and exacting scrutiny. Between 1902 and 1905 he repaired, investigated and test-drove various makes of cars belonging to (presumably willing) friends and acquaintances to gain additional first-hand insights. According to his own records, he covered some 11,000 miles in the course of this research; many of them undoubtedly in the Decauville, which he kept until at least 1906.
Royce the engineer was aiming to build the best car in the world. It was no vanity project or proof-of-concept exercise: he wanted his technical innovation to be commercially viable. Unfortunately, easy charm, a wide social network and a way with words were not among his many gifts. But in London, there was a young man who had these qualities in abundance.
THE HON. CHARLES STEWART ROLLS: THE SALESMAN In many respects, The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls was Royce’s antithesis: wealthy, aristocratic, urbane, well-connected and highly (and expensively) educated. What they shared was a passion for engineering and machinery — in Rolls’s case, racing cars, hot air balloons and aeroplanes.
After graduating from Cambridge in 1898, Rolls had been briefly employed as Third Engineer on his family’s steam yacht, the Santa Maria, following a spell at the London & North-Western Railway in Crewe. But after just a few years, he realised that his considerable talents required a different outlet.
In January 1902, Rolls opened one of Britain’s first car dealerships, C. S. Rolls & Co., in Fulham, west London, partnering with the formidable Claude Johnson at the end of 1903. The enterprise, initially underwritten by Rolls’s father, Lord Llangattock, imported and sold French Panhard and Mors cars, as well as Minerva vehicles built in Belgium. The business seemingly flourished, but Rolls was frustrated that all his stock was designed and manufactured overseas. He could find no car produced domestically that met his clients’ needs, or his own standards as both a trained engineer and a lifelong enthusiast.
As 1904 dawned, the elements of a potentially transformative partnership were in place: Royce the gifted engineer in search of a market; Rolls the consummate salesman seeking a game-changing product. All that was needed was something — or someone — to bring them together.
HENRY EDMUNDS: THE CRUCIAL CONNECTION Rolls had befriended Henry Edmunds through the Automobile Club of Great Britain & Ireland (later the Royal Automobile Club). Edmunds was a director of Royce Limited and had driven one of the company’s early 10 H.P. cars. His enthusiasm for the car was such that Rolls requested a meeting with its creator, which Edmunds duly arranged. On returning to London from Manchester, Rolls told Claude Johnson that he had found “the greatest motor engineer in the world”. Rolls agreed to sell all the cars Royce could make and the rest is, literally, history.
THE WORLD IN 1904 So much for the personalities. What of the world and context in which Rolls-Royce was formed?
Much of what is taken for granted today was still decades in the future — indeed, many things now considered essential would not arrive until the following century. From the vantage point at the time of writing in 2024, 1904 feels like ancient history: a grainy, distant, black-and-white world detached from our own times and experiences.
Rolls and Royce met in a world without television, penicillin or FM radio. Construction work had just begun on the Panama Canal; The RMS Titanic wouldn’t set sail on her fateful maiden voyage for another eight years. King Edward VII was two years into his reign, having succeeded his mother, Queen Victoria, in 1902 — the year that also saw the end of the Boer War, one year prior to Wilbur and Orville Wright making the world’s first flight in a powered aircraft. Arthur Balfour was British Prime Minister, Theodore ‘Teddy’ Roosevelt was President of the United States and Franz Joseph I was Emperor of Austria-Hungary.
The motor car, too, was still in its infancy; Karl Benz had produced the first ‘true’ petrol-powered automobile — albeit with just three wheels — in 1886, and motoring remained largely a hobby for daring, well-heeled enthusiasts like Charles Rolls. The world would have to wait until 1913, when Henry Ford displayed the world’s first moving assembly line, for cars to become accessible and affordable to the majority of the population.
But the seeds of our modern life were there. This was the belle époque, an unusually protracted period of peace and political stability in Europe that gave rise to economic confidence and prosperity, which in turn encouraged a surge in innovation. The preceding 20 years alone had seen the invention of the vacuum cleaner, electric oven, dry-cell battery, ballpoint pen, cinema, pneumatic tyre, x-rays and radio. The great technical marvel of 1904 was City of Truro, the first steam locomotive in the world to exceed 100mph — a record that stood for 30 years.
There were significant social and cultural advances, too, with the appointments of Britain’s first black mayor, and first female university professor. The London Symphony Orchestra gave its inaugural concert and the Coliseum Theatre opened in the West End. Literary circles were graced by titans including Mark Twain, H. G. Wells, Jules Verne, James Joyce, Leo Tolstoy and P. G. Wodehouse; concert halls and opera houses premiered works by Debussy, Sibelius, Ravel, Elgar, Puccini, and Mahler. New types of music also bloomed, as the syncopated rhythms that would inform Jazz proliferated through Ragtime.
It was into this extraordinarily fertile, dynamic and optimistic age that Rolls-Royce was born. A time in which visionaries and pioneers would shape how the world thought, functioned and behaved for years or decades to come; exactly what Rolls and Royce did with their new motor car.
By building a machine whose engineering, performance, reliability and durability surpassed everything that had gone before, Royce and Rolls set the standard not only for all the Rolls‑Royce models that would follow, but for the motor car itself. In so doing, they shaped a technology that would transform work, travel, communications, communities, infrastructure, design, technology, materials society, politics, economics and culture in ways they could never have predicted.
A PERMANENT LEGACY Rolls and Royce fulfilled their mission to create ‘the best car in the world’. They gave their names to a dynasty of motor cars that defined, and continues to define, superluxury motoring across the world.
But perhaps their crowning achievement is to have made Rolls-Royce the global exemplar of excellence. Practically every product, service, device and technology that has been invented since 1904 has aspired to be ‘the Rolls-Royce of…’ its industry or sector. The standard they set 120 years ago is still driving innovation and improvement everywhere — including within the company they created.
AndrewBall, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars: “From a modern perspective, 1904 can feel impossibly distant from our own times. But it was an age of unprecedented invention, innovation and technological progress, in which many of the things we now take for granted first appeared. Rolls-Royce was born into this extraordinarily dynamic, creative world and would go on to shape it profoundly and irrevocably. Looking back, the meeting of Rolls and Royce seems somehow predestined, the arcs of their respective careers up to that point making it appear almost inevitable. In fact, it came about through a web of chance connections and overlapping relationships; without these, given their vastly different backgrounds and social circles, it might never have happened at all. We are proud to continue their remarkable story, to celebrate and build upon their unique legacy 120 years later.”
Donington Park roars into life on 4 and 5 May when hundreds of superb historic racing cars descend for the Donington Historic Festival, one of the highlights of the classic motorsport calendar.
This family-friendly event showcases everything from Touring Cars from the 1960s, 70s and 80s and stunning 1950s and 60s sportscars, GT cars and sports-racers to venerable pre-War sportscars – some more than 100 years old in a jam packed timetable. There are even three races dedicated to Ferraris. And, despite the age and rarity of the cars, the highly competitive drivers don’t hold back, the resulting high-octane track battles delighting the crowds of spectators. Each day of DHF 2024 offers its own unique blend of world-class classic motor racing, and many of the races are two-driver, so require pit stops and driver changes, which only adds to the excitement!
The track action isn’t confined to the racing. This year the Festival celebrates the 100th anniversary of Bentley’s first win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with lunchtime track displays of significant historic racing machines from the iconic marque – including 2003 Speed 8 chassis 004/1 and 2000 EXP Speed 8 Le Mans GT prototype chassis 002/1. Also at lunchtime, 100 classic and collectors’ cars from the nearly 60 car clubs displaying at the event will parade round the Donington Park circuit. On the Saturday these will be led by a group of Ferraris, followed by a contingent of Honda NSXs which are paying tribute to Formula One legend Ayrton Senna and, on the Sunday, a group of classic Ford Mustangs will proudly lead the club parade, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the world’s first ‘pony car’. There’s even action in the sky, with flypasts from a Spitfire and Hurricane from the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight each afternoon.
Off-track there’s plenty to do and see at the 2024 Donington Historic Festival. 2003 Le Mans-winning Bentley driver Guy Smith – who is also racing at the event – will take part in a Q&A session alongside Howden Haynes, Data Engineer for Team Bentley during their 2001-2003 Le Mans campaign, giving the audience the lowdown on Bentley’s return to the epic endurance race after a gap of 70 years. And Touring Car fans can find out more about the world of Touring Cars, with Q&A sessions with 2012 World Touring Car Champion and 2020 Scandinavian Touring Car Champion Rob Huff and Colin Turkington, BMW’s most successful racing car driver of all time and four-times British Touring Car Champion. Both Colin and Rob will also be racing at the weekend – the calibre of drivers at the Donington Historic Festival matches that of the priceless racing cars!
Festival-goers can also explore the open-access race Paddock and get up close to all the racing cars and the historic Bentley competition car display, grab some video of amazing engine noises and bag a selfie with their favourite machine. While there, they can also check out the Mustang 60th anniversary display, shop at the trade stands, visit the British Historic Kart Club’s display and raise money for charity by taking a Dream Ride on local roads in one of the classic and supercars that the Sporting Bears Motor Club is bringing along. Visitors can also take a pitlane walk and visit the car club displays in the Infield and on the Melbourne Hairpin and chat to the owners about their much-loved vehicles.
The Festival is also hosting an art exhibition, featuring the work of some of Britain’s leading motoring and motorsport artists. And there’s a display of memorabilia from the Donington Park archive – plus visitors can meet ‘Old Tom’, a 92-year-old steam oller which worked on the construction of the original Donington Park track!
The latest addition to the new MINI family, the MINI Aceman is the brand’s mid-size all-electric crossover, which combines compact exterior dimensions with a creative use of interior space. In a candid conversation with Oliver Heilmer, Head of Design, MINI, he talks about his vision, challenges and joy in designing the MINI Aceman. Read on to find out more.
Mr. Heilmer, when you joined MINI in 2017, how did you set about developing a vision to lead the models into the future? Given that MINI is a very traditional brand, the question was: how do you evolve a brand like this into the future? To answer that, we went right back to the birth of the classic Mini to understand the spirit of Sir Alec Issigonis and derive from this where the MINI brand is heading in today’s context. The next step was to explore the essence of the original Mini together with our very diverse team and derive our own creative mindset. This was our foundation to develop an overall brand design vision to serve as a guiding principle in designing the new products.
What was your biggest challenge in developing a completely new design language? The biggest challenge was and still is the profound engagement with the brand’s strong history. The first MINI was an absolute disruption – but that is also part of the story. We could just say that MINI is disruption and let everything that happened before stay in the history books. But that would be to discard the heart of the brand. Instead, we now talk about independent characters – and the MINI Cooper immediately shone as the icon in our eyes. You get closer to the quintessential ethos of the original model: a powerful character, but with as few fancy frills as possible – “Charismatic Simplicity” expresses this.
What does the new MINI “Charismatic Simplicity” design language represent and how is this reflected in the new MINI Aceman? It’s about strong characters and about each family member having their own individual place within the MINI family. For example, the MINI Aceman has a unique design language when viewed from the side, and a unique graphic for the wheel arch trims. It is compact, agile and exudes a determination to forge ahead. That is what highlights this charismatic aspect. At the same time, we have consciously kept away from superfluous stylistic elements. Our challenge was to define a distinctive character with as few design elements as possible.
How would you describe the MINI Aceman character? The MINI Aceman is both a practical and expressive, unique companion in everyday life. It steps out into the world fresh and carefree and takes up its place at the centre of the MINI family. It is an independent character that can be quite ‘edgy’ and appeals to customers who – irrespective of their age – value individuality and distinctiveness in urban spaces.
The MINI Aceman is the first of its kind. What makes the MINI Aceman the signature vehicle for the urban environment? The MINI Aceman fits perfectly into the urban environment as it reinterprets the classic MINI values in a modern, all-electric crossover format. It offers an elevated seating position that conveys a feeling of safety and a generous amount of space without losing the compactness and manoeuvrability that are the MINI hallmarks.
Where do you draw fresh inspiration to develop new MINI models? Inspiration never happens by chance but comes from a regular and targeted exchange of views within our team, in which each member contributes their inspiring and fascinating experiences. One team member builds skateboards, for example, while another lived on a sailing boat for two years. I would say it is roughly split between direct and indirect inspiration. Indirect inspiration involves everything that fuels a spirit, which comes across in the materials we use as well as in the surfaces and the digital aspects. Direct inspiration is in the architecture or fashion, for example. However, creative debate within the team throughout is crucial.
How do new, sustainably produced materials influence the design process at MINI? Our brand design vision is based on our “creative mindset”, which consists of four guiding values: heartbeat, curiosity, responsibility and daredevil. These values stand for our basic principles such as heritage, curiosity for the new, sustainability and the courage to stand out from the crowd. For us, sustainability and the responsible use of resources have nothing to do with compromise, but rather exploring new possibilities in our creative process. Instead of materials such as leather, we use alternative technologies that allow more design freedom and individualisation, for example through using patterns or two-tone colours. The 3D knit is an example of one of the central design elements inspired by the sneaker industry. We are also replacing elements: for example, chrome with our new Vibrant Silver colour for aesthetic reasons.
Which of the MINI Aceman design innovations are you particularly proud of? Two things in particular, and they are both about size. The MINI Aceman is very compact because of its very short overhangs at the front and rear. Even so, the vehicle is extremely safe. This is the result of truly outstanding engineering work. But it’s not just the things you can see that make it special. I would also make particular mention of how the sense of space is brought throughout the interior to achieve maximum lightness.
Are there any hidden design element that you would only see on closer inspection? The idea behind us hiding little Easter eggs was knowing that people love discovering surprises. Not always in plain sight, but a little further down the line. Digital innovation allows for this sort of playfulness: for example, the navigation arrow can be depicted as a small MINI, or a large spinning record can be displayed on the central interface. And that’s how Spike was born, an animal friend who has always been a loyal companion to the brand. This gave rise to the idea of offering a kind of digital companion. That’s how Spike got on board the MINI and now lives in the display, so to speak.
What direction do you want the MINI design to take in the future? As a team, we believe that our “creative mindset” will remain just as relevant to us as a guiding principle for future products. At the same time, we will focus even more strongly on the value of responsibility. Curiosity and responsibility – these are the values that we are introducing into the minds of the next generation.
If there was a product outside the car segment that you could design – what would it be? Many things come to mind, but if I had to choose one, I would say: a sailing boat. I’ve only been sailing maybe five times in my life, but I still have a fascination for open water and dealing with the natural forces that prevail there. I designed a trimaran together with a fellow student for my degree dissertation, with the question of whether it is possible to design “automotive” in an area of mobility that is not necessarily confined to the road – I believe that there is still enormous potential there.
The first-ever BMW i5 was launched in India and will be available as an exclusive BMW M Performance model, BMW i5 M60 xDrive.
This all-electric sporty executive sedan leads with elegant presence, innovative technology, and dynamic performance. As a performance model from BMW M GmbH, the all-electric BMW i5 M60 xDrive comes as standard with specific exterior features that also visually underline its outstanding sport potential.
The first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive is available at all BMW dealerships across India as a Completely Built-Up Unit (CBU) model from today onwards.
Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India said, “With the first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive, you can expect nothing short of a completely electrifying experience. It brings together the legacy of eight generations of the sportiest executive sedan – the ‘5’, adrenaline laden performance of ‘M’ and the sustainability of ‘i’. As the sixth electric offering from BMW Group India, the BMW i5 M60 xDrive will further reinforce our leadership in the Indian luxury electric mobility segment. With uncompromised performance that defines exhilaration for the modern era, it is an experience engineered for unbridled excitement and unparalleled thrills.”
The first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive is available at an ex-showroom price of INR 1,19,50,000.
The exterior of the first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive is designed to be as innovative as you. The Illuminated BMW kidney grille sets the scene with its unique radiance. Stylistically inspired by the so-called “Sharknose” and projecting far forward, the BMW kidney grille functions as the visual centre of the vehicle front. The range of functions of the standard Adaptive LED Headlights includes the cornering light and the Matrix High Beam including the glare-free High Beam Assist BMW Selective Beam. In addition, blue design elements below the LED units stage the light sources impressively. The LED headlights show the hallmark four-eye face in a modern and reduced form. Daytime driving lights and turn indicators are each generated by two nearly vertical LED elements arranged on the outside. Just like the headlights and the BMW kidney grille, the other areas of the front apron also feature precisely defined contours and tightly designed surfaces. The clear and reduced design language is also expressed in the side view of the BMW i5. Its dynamically elongated proportions, long bonnet and almost upright BMW kidney grille are clearly visible from this perspective. At the transition to the rear, the shoulder and roof lines flow harmoniously into the contours of the lights. The flat rear lights interpret the brand’s hallmark L-shaped lights with modern appeal.
Individual design features give the BMW i5 M60 xDrive a striking look, which emphasise its dynamic performance. A front apron with black surfaces in its centre and large air intakes, a BMW kidney grille with contour line lighting, horizontal slats and M logo, side skirts and exterior mirror caps finished in high-gloss black, 20-inch M light alloy wheels and a rear apron with a pronounced diffuser insert signal the sporty character of the performance sedan.
Thanks to the standard M Sport Pro Package, the first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive features host of M specific design features, most notably the large air intakes at the front, strikingly flared side skirts in high-gloss black and a rear apron with diffuser insert and the M high-gloss Shadow Line. Further, the illuminated BMW kidney grille with black surround, the dynamic light carpet, high-gloss black exterior mirror caps and a black-painted M rear spoiler is also available. In addition, there are also the M Shadow Line lights for the front and rear and red-painted brake calipers.
BMW M Performance Accessories offer customers the ability to bring their personality to the vehicles. To enhance the sporty appearance and character of the car, customers have the option to choose from a wide range of individual accessories including wheel size upgrades or curated accessory packages.
Generous space, modern functionality, a high level of acoustic comfort as well as high-quality, precisely processed materials, fine workmanship and advanced digital services characterise the ambience in its interior. In the first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive, the emotional performance experience is supported by M specific displays on the BMW Curved Display. The bands of the main displays and associated design elements in the instrument cluster appear in a platinum silver finish. The typography and graphics are based on the display in the cockpit of high performance cars from BMW M GmbH.
The BMW Interaction Bar combines modern functionality and fascinating design. The strikingly backlit functional unit with crystalline surface structure extends below the trim strip across the entire width of the instrument panel far into the door panels and includes touch-sensitive control panels for controlling ventilation and air conditioning and for activating the hazard warning lights. My Modes provides for a customizable driving and interior experience. A large-surface Carbon Fibre interior trim strip for the instrument panel highlights the BMW Curved Display and the optional BMW Interaction Bar. As an alternative to the standard Carbon Fibre trim, Dark Silver Accent combined with fine-wood trim is also optionally available in dark oak high gloss or open pored. The new gear selector switch on the centre console control panel, also features a particularly modern and high-quality design.
The Panorama Skyroof connects almost the entire roof surface, extends without interruption from just behind the windscreen to almost the rear window and, with its dark glass surface, gives the vehicle a particularly elegant appearance. Sport seats, whose height and inclination can be adjusted electrically, are standard equipment. Comfort Seats can be made available optionally. Active Seat Ventilation is also available as standard. With 18 speakers and an amplifier output boosted to 655 watts, the Bowers & Wilkins Surround Sound System guarantees an outstanding acoustic experience. Further, the optimized functionality of the M leather steering wheel is combined with a classic three-spoke design. Contrast stitching in BMW M GmbH colours and a red centre marker for the steering wheel of the Performance model emphasise the sporty character of this model. Exclusive seat surfaces in Veganza/Alcantara finish with unique perforation in the shoulder area and translucent accents in red and blue is also available. In addition, an anthracite-coloured roof lining adds to the sporty flair.
The first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive combines a particularly powerful electric drive with hallmark M performance characteristics. Two highly integrated drive units on the front and rear axles, in which the electric motor, power electronics and transmission are very compactly combined in a common housing, form an electric all-wheel drive system that enables the BMW i5 M60 xDrive to deliver fascinating dynamic performance. The car instantly accelerates from 0 to 100 km/hr in 3.8 seconds with a top speed of 230 km/hr. It produces an output of 601 hp and a maximum torque of 795 Nm. The high-voltage battery combines compact dimensions with high energy density and it provides a usable energy content of 81.2 kWh. The BMW i5 M60 xDrive has a range of up to 516 kilometres determined in the WLTP test cycle. The BMW i5 M60 xDrive comes with a complimentary BMW Wallbox charger with installation. It can be integrated at home to enable safe and convenient charging up to 11 kW. The 22 kW AC Charging Professional is also available as an option.
BMW Operating System 8.5 in the first-ever BMW i5 M60 xDrive offers a wider range of digital content for information and entertainment, faster update cycles for functions, improved information on charging points for electric vehicles and optimised access to many specific online services. The display and control system expanded to include the BMW Head-Up Display in conjunction with the BMW Live Cockpit Professional. The advanced display and operating system offers a redesigned entry screen and “QuickSelect” access with an improved menu structure oriented towards consumer electronics devices. The new entry screen permanently shows the map view of the navigation system or other displays that can be individually configured. The cloud-based navigation system BMW Maps now not only offers an Augmented View display on the Information Display behind the steering wheel, but also improved functions for even more precise and charging station optimised navigation.
The spread of Driver Assistance Systems is more extensive. They support the driver and also increase comfort and safety. Standard equipment includes functions like Cruise Control, Attentiveness Assistant, Parking Assistant Professional with remote parking via smartphone and Reversing Assistant. The optional Driving Assistant Professional, including Distance Control with Stop & Go function and Steering and Lane Control Assistant, provides the driver with maximum support on long journeys and in city traffic.
The Adaptive Suspension Professional with electronically controlled shock absorbers is offered as standard. Infinitely adjustable valves enable wheel-specific regulation of the damper forces, which is adaptive to the driving style, the road conditions and also the load condition. The advanced Integral Active Steering makes manoeuvring more comfortable, enhances agility at medium speeds and conveys confidence when changing lanes and cornering at higher speeds. Optionally, customers can choose the Adaptive M Suspension Professional with additional Active Roll Stabilisation that uses the new control logic to optimise sportiness and comfort. The damper forces are controlled using an M specific characteristic.
The newly designed Travel & Comfort System is also available to provide customised entertainment in the rear. BMW Safety technologies include six airbags, Attentiveness Assistance, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobilizer and crash sensor, ISOFIX child seat mounting and integrated emergency spare wheel under the load floor.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor) and Kia Corporation (Kia) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for strategic cooperation with Exide Energy Solutions Ltd. (Exide Energy), as part of their electric vehicle (EV) expansion plans.
The signing ceremony took place at Hyundai Motor Group’s Namyang Research and Development Center in South Korea, attended by Heui Won Yang, President and Head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s R&D Division, Chang Hwan Kim, Head of Electrification Energy Solutions Tech Unit, Duk Gyo Jeong, Head of Electric Vehicle Parts Purchasing Sub-Division and Dr. Mandar V Deo, Managing Director, and CEO of Exide Energy.
With the expansion of their EV plans for the Indian market, Hyundai Motor and Kia aim to localize their EV battery production, specifically focusing on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells. This strategic move will position them as the pioneers in applying domestically produced batteries in their upcoming EV models in the Indian market.
“India is a key market for vehicle electrification due in part to the government’s carbon neutrality goals, which makes securing cost competitiveness through localized battery production crucial,” said Heui Won Yang, President and Head of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s R&D Division. “Through this global partnership with Exide Energy Solutions Ltd., we will gain a competitive advantage by equipping Hyundai Motor and Kia’s future EV models in the Indian market with locally produced batteries.”
Kolkata-based Exide Industries Ltd., a leading lead-acid battery supplier in India has over 75 years of experience and market leadership in lead-acid batteries. Exide Energy Solutions Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary company of Exide Industries Ltd., which was established in 2022 to foray into the business of manufacturing of Lithium-Ion cells, modules and packs incorporating a portfolio of multiple chemistries and form factors.
This strategic cooperation with Exide Energy marks the beginning of Hyundai Motor and Kia’s efforts to expand its exclusive battery development, production, supply and partnerships in the Indian market.
India is recognized as a highly promising automotive market worldwide and the country is rapidly emerging as a critical player in the production and sales of EVs. Realizing the strategic importance of the Indian market, Hyundai Motor and Kia are taking the lead in the Indian market by introducing its EV models to establish itself as the front runner in the Indian automotive industry.
Photo by ANL/Shutterstock (1475290a) Lord Hives Managing Director Of Rolls Royce Ltd.
Ernest Walter Hives was born on 21 April 1886 in Reading, Berkshire. In 1898, aged just 12, he began a three-year apprenticeship with a local engineering company that had a sideline dealing in motor cars.
From the outset, the young Hives was captivated by these fascinating new machines. He saw his future in them and, like Henry Royce a generation earlier, he did not allow his humble background and limited formal education to impede his ambitions. He shared Royce’s unending capacity for hard work, putting in long hours and applying what was evidently a similarly lively and enquiring mind. In particular, he would watch and listen to those on the night shift, steadily building his knowledge of the motor cars’ inner workings and operation.
But his was not merely a theoretical interest, and he soon taught himself to drive by moving cars around the garage. We can assume this was with his employers’ blessing since, though still only 14, he quickly graduated to the road, where he taught clients to drive. His combination of technical understanding, an intuitive ‘feel’ for the motor car and outstanding practical skills would shape his career in the years that followed.
That nascent career took a defining turn sometime around 1903 (the precise date is not known) when Hives rendered assistance to a motorist who was having trouble with one of his motor cars (likewise, history does not record whether this was at the Reading garage or out on the open road). What is certain is the motorist’s identity: The Hon. Charles Stewart Rolls.
Whenever and wherever this encounter occurred, Rolls was so impressed that he promptly took Hives on as his personal chauffeur. The young man’s star continued to rise with a swift promotion to the position of mechanic at C S Rolls & Co, the prestigious London motor car dealership established by his new employer at the start of 1903.
But driving remained Hives’ true calling. He left C S Rolls & Co to work first at Owens and then Napier, for whom he drove in the gruelling Scottish Reliability Trials of 1907 and 1908, and also at the 1908 Brooklands meeting, where he sported jockey’s racing colours of yellow and white (which he described as looking like ‘a poached egg’).
In 1908, he made what would be the most pivotal move of his career; taking a job at Rolls-Royce, by now in its fourth year, as an experimental tester. His own account suggests he was less than overjoyed at the prospect, at least initially. “When I got to Derby in 1908 and walked out of the station it was raining hard,” he wrote later. “Looking up Midland Road, it was so drab that I spun a coin to decide whether to go on to Rolls-Royce or catch the next train home.” By such small chances, momentary decisions and tiny margins for error are careers, lives and history itself so often determined.
Rolls-Royce had created the new role of experimental tester following its showing at the 1907 Scottish Reliability Trial. Not that the event had gone badly for the fledgling marque, on the contrary: the 40/50 H.P. – better known as the Silver Ghost – had comprehensively beaten the opposition, including the Napier driven by Hives; even more impressively, the punishing 15,000-mile test had been the motor car’s first competitive endurance run. Never one to rest on his laurels, however, Henry Royce saw this overwhelming success as conclusive proof of the need for continued testing to, in his own words, ‘take the best that exists and make it better’.
Hives joined the company’s newly formed experimental department, and immediately proved a natural at this highly structured, technically exacting work. His insights into the subtleties of a motor car’s performance and responses – that it developed a resonance noise at a certain speed, that the chassis felt either too stiff or not stiff enough under cornering, or that the engine seemed to have a ‘flat spot’ at a particular rpm (revolutions per minute) – would have been invaluable to Royce and his design team. Indeed, such were his gifts that when the Royal Automobile Club (RAC) announced its headline 1911 endurance trial from London to Edinburgh and back, Hives was automatically chosen to drive Rolls-Royce’s entry: Silver Ghost 1701.
Designed as an ‘Experimental Speed Car’, 1701 easily won the event, in which entrants completed the entire 794-mile trip between the two capitals locked in top gear. Under Hives’ expert handling, the vehicle averaged almost 20mph and returned a then unheard‑of fuel efficiency of over 24mpg – genuinely astonishing figures given the parlous state of Edwardian Britain’s roads, and a testament to Hives’ skills, courage and powers of concentration behind the wheel, as well as Royce’s engineering.
Rolls-Royce followed up this performance by contesting the even more daunting Alpine Trials, held over eight days and 2,600km on some of the highest roads in Europe. After an embarrassing underperformance by a ‘privateer’ car in 1912, Managing Director Claude Johnson was eager to set the record straight and approached the 1913 event in typically energetic and uncompromising fashion. He assembled an official ‘works’ team of three specially prepared Silver Ghosts, each with a hand-picked driver and mechanic, plus a fourth car built to the same specification driven by private owner James Radley. Hives was one of the company’s top drivers – as proven by his being the first to exceed 100mph in a Silver Ghost – and therefore an obvious selection for Johnson’s new crack team. Piloting the Number Two car, accompanied by mechanic George Hancock, he completed a near-faultless run (he was docked a single point for stalling on leaving the parking area in Salzburg) that earned him one of the team’s three silver medals, in an overall performance that saw the Silver Ghosts generally accepted as ‘the fastest, quietest and strongest cars in the event’.
Alongside his racing exploits, Hives continued to make a vital contribution to Rolls-Royce’s research and development efforts as an experimental tester, introducing the first ‘chassis bump rig’, that could test chassis’ components to destruction. He also undertook the still potentially hazardous work of testing Royce’s latest designs on the open road. Having settled on France as the ideal place to carry out high-speed road testing, he made regular sorties along a route he devised between Paris and Royce’s winter home at Le Canadel, near Nice. For someone who had adored motor cars since childhood, this must have been as close to the perfect job as it is possible to get.
The natural-born talent and sheer love of driving that Hives first demonstrated as a teenager never left him. Many who knew him spoke of a ‘sixth sense’ he had when driving, seeming to know instinctively if the road ahead was clear and when he could take the fastest line through a corner or needed to ease off.
As his career progressed, Hives became increasingly involved with developing Rolls-Royce’s aero engines as well as its automotive products. In 1937, he became a Board Director and General Works Manager; his most significant act was to split the company’s motor car (chassis) and aero engine operations into two independent entities, which remains the case to this day.
In 1946, he became Managing Director, and in 1950, Chairman of the Board: that same year, he received a peerage and, as 1st Baron Hives, completed an extraordinary journey from working as Charles Rolls’s chauffeur to leading the great company his late employer had co-founded almost 50 years earlier. Yet the man who had doggedly worked his way up from a Reading garage to the House of Lords always remained modest, describing himself with an understatement worthy of Royce’s equally understated self-characterisation as ‘just a mechanic’. Respectfully, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars begs to differ.
Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said:“Even for so gifted an engineer as Henry Royce, there’s a limit to how far theory can take you: there comes a point where someone has to determine whether your design actually works in practice. In the early days of Rolls-Royce, that was Ernest Hives. From humble origins, Hives turned his fascination for motor cars and outstanding self-taught driving skills into a glittering career with Rolls-Royce, first as an experimental test driver, then as one of the ‘works’ team contesting the great motor trials of the day. His observations and hands-on experiences from the road would have been crucial to Royce’s continuous improvement process, making him a key figure in the technical development of the ‘best car in the world’.
Bridgestone India has launched its new generation tyre Bridgestone Turanza 6i for the passenger vehicle segment. Turanza 6i is the result of previously announced expansion in the passenger radial business. The tyre, specifically developed for Indian roads, provides premium comfort ride experience, with superior fuel efficiency and wear life, making it a well-rounded premium offering from Bridgestone.
Bridgestone Turanza 6i is available in 36 SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) ranging from 14 inches to 20 inches. It is targeted for premium vehicles covering SUVs, sedans, hatchbacks and CUVs. The launch of this new premium tyre for premium vehicles illustrates Bridgestone’s commitment to the “Make in India” initiative of the Government.
With this launch, Bridgestone brings to India its global proprietary Enliten technology enabling ultimate customisation by providing a unique value proposition as per the growing new needs of the market, while also enhancing the base performance parameters required by Indian consumers. Turanza 6i, with Enliten technology provides premium comfort ride experience, through a smooth and quite ride, while enhancing fuel efficiency and wear life.
Turanza 6i meeting both general performance demands and the specific requirements of electric vehicles by way of low noise, better fuel efficiency and superior wear life, is also EV Ready.
“TURANZA 6i shows our commitment to offer the best technology for the fast-growing Indian market. This is a success of our planned investment strategy to bring global leading tyre technologies to the Indian mobility sector,” said Mr. Hiroshi Yoshizane Managing Director, Bridgestone India. He further said, “Bridgestone’s proprietary ENLITEN technology incorporated in product design, enables us to provide a unique value proposition of ‘Premium Riding Comfort’ as per the growing new needs of the market, while also further enhancing the basic performance desired by Indian consumers including long lasting tyre life and better fuel efficiency. We are very much delighted to introduce the new TURANZA 6i for our consumers.”
“Bridgestone has globally been on the forefront of tyre technology, and this is now showcased in India through our new offering in the passenger car segment”, said Rajarshi Moitra, Chief Commercial Officer of Bridgestone India, “TURANZA 6i is a result of our commitment to customers towards providing premium comfort through superior quality. Catering to Premium Vehicles segment, TURANZA 6i will be available in our premium outlets across India.”
Bridgestone continuously works on improving its product range to serve the evolving needs of consumers. Bridgestone has been inspired to introduce new tyre models into the Indian market by the changing vehicle landscape in India. This strategic move also allows Bridgestone to cater to the growing demand for premium range offerings, positioning the brand as a leader in the market.
The dramatic new MG Cyberster electric sports car will lead celebrations for 100 years of the famous MG brand at this week’s Salon Privé London Royal Hospital Chelsea spectacular, which runs from 18-20 April. It will be one of the first public opportunities to officially see the new car up close, ahead of its official market launch this summer.
The new MG Cyberster is the spiritual successor to the famous MGB Roadster of the 1960s. A two-door, two-seater convertible, its all-electric powertrain takes MG into its second century in head-turning style. The Chelsea showcase is particularly fitting as the MG Cyberster was designed just a few miles away, at the firm’s London design centre in Marylebone.
Overseen by chief designer Carl Gotham, the MG Cyberster draws from the company’s heritage with a flourish, with key features including a low nose and distinctive rear haunches, plus ultra-modern touches such as a Kammback tail and striking scissor doors.
The new MG Cyberster will be offered in two guises. Even the single motor version produces a fiery 340PS, for 0-62mph in just 5.2 seconds – performance the original MGB Roadster could only dream of. The range-topping dual motor all-wheel drive MG Cyberster will produce a ferocious 544PS, for 0-62mph in just 3.2 seconds.
The MG Cyberster in dual-motor all-wheel drive guise will easily become the fastest-accelerating, most powerful production car ever to have worn the iconic MG badge.
Even the choice of colours will be evocative. The vivid Dynamic Red launch colour will be joined by New English White – a contemporary interpretation of Old English White – plus Camden Grey and Cosmic Silver. There will also be a premium option, an intense Inca Yellow.
“Like the original MGB Roadster of the 60s, the MG Cyberster is a two-door, two-seater convertible with a design inspired by MG’s sporting history,” said Guy Pigounakis, MG Motor UK commercial director. “However, its fully electric drivetrain and high-tech interior marks a new era for the brand and is a figurehead for the next generation of electric motoring.
“Salon Privé is the perfect setting to introduce the MG Cyberster to a wider audience and allow guests to closer inspect our halo model. We’re looking forward to being part of this prestigious event and joining some of the world’s greatest marques on display.”
Other attractions at Salon Privé London include a tantalising selection of new cars from the world’s finest manufacturers, and a series of themed days that celebrate 50 years of the Porsche 911 Turbo, Magnificent McLarens, a world record parade of Aston Martin Valkyrie with AMV Owners Club and Supercar Saturday in partnership with SCC Private Members club.
The famous Salon Privé London Concours de Vente – where every classic car being judged is for sale – also returns for its third year, showcasing rare cars from some of the world’s finest dealers. This year’s celebrity judges include Yasmin Le Bon, Amanda Stretton, Edd China and James Elliott, who will decide the class winners and the Prix d’Honneur on Friday. On Saturday, the People’s Choice and Pensioner’s Choice will also be decided, and there will be a special public celebration for the Prix d’Honneur winner.
Naturally, the traditional Salon Privé lifestyle and luxury will be evident throughout the Royal Hospital Chelsea event, with the best in high-end jewellery, boats, helicopters, food and drink plus plenty more to fascinate its elite guests.
Kolkata based mobility company Motovolt has recently announced the launch of the Motovolt M7 with the introductory offer price starting at INR 1,22,000. This multi-utility e-scooter (MUSe) marks the company’s entry into the high-speed electric scooter segment. Infused with German technology, the M7 aims to set new standards for safety, quality, comfort, and sustainability.
Motovolt’s manufacturing unit in Taratala, Kolkata is a symbol of innovation and sustainability in the world of electric 2-wheelers. The state-of-the-art facility streamlines the manufacturing process to ensure the durability and reliability of each product. Through technological prowess and environmental stewardship, Motovolt aims to set new benchmarks in the electric mobility industry.
Recently, Power Drive was invited to their manufacturing facility to get a close view of the high testing and manufacturing standards maintained by Motovolt Mobility. We also got the opportunity to get up close and personal with the Motovolt M7. Read on to find out what we discovered.
Design and Engineering
Designed with sustainability at its core, the Motovolt M7 reduces the use of plastic, opting for a blend of efficient metals. Its modular design aims to enhance travel convenience, featuring an intelligently crafted rear section for carrying loads with ease.
The M7’s seating is ergonomically designed, supported by a double cradle heavy-duty mild steel frame that accommodates a payload of up to 180 kilograms ensuring stability and durability.
Personalisation is the key with Motovolt M7 which is offered in six striking colour options – Lightning Grey, Galaxy Red, Blue Jay, Dove White, Canary Yellow, and Puma Black.
Performance and Handling
The Motovolt M7 is powered by a robust 3kWh unit, which boasts of advanced LFP cell chemistry, making it durable and safe with over 1,000 charge cycles. It comes encased in aluminium, adhering to AIS 156 standards (IP67), ensuring it is both fire and waterproof. With the in-house design and packaging, the battery is portable and can be easily carried and charged anywhere, offering a range of 166 km in IDC mode (ARAI certified).
The M7L variant is available with a single battery with the option to upgrade to a dual system, managed by a sophisticated battery control system. It can churn out 2.5 kW of maximum power and 120 Nm of peak, and capable of reaching a top speed of 60 kmph.
The suspension of the Motovolt M7 has been set up keeping the Indian road conditions in mind. It features telescopic forks on the front and spring loaded dual adjustable shock absorbers in the rear ensuring that it delivers a comfortable ride quality.
Safety
The Motovolt M7 comes with the M7 app which has an anti-theft smart lock on the app that alerts you if anyone attempts to steal the M7. It also comes equipped with a key switch which also acts as a handle lock, to prevent your scooter from getting stolen. In addition to this, the Motovolt M7 also has a side stand sensor that has an indicator on the dashboard. If the side stand has been put down, the vehicle will not start.
Verdict
Motovolt Mobility aims to provide an efficient and sustainable commuting alternative. The M7, is Made in India and Made for India and seamlessly integrates advanced features, providing a personalized and connected experience to the riders. By addressing the unique challenges of urban mobility, the M7 aims to enhance the quality of commuting and contribute to a cleaner environment. This multi-utility e-scooter represents a strong value proposition and is all set to become a strong contender in the e-scooter segment.
Power Drive 