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Added on the 14/03/2019 23:33:36 - Copyright : France 24 EN
Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, revealed the new Cross Country version of its V60 mid-size estate. The rugged Volvo V60 Cross Country is the latest addition to the company's line-up of brand new Volvos that underpins the company's transformation in recent years.Like its V60 sibling that was launched earlier this year on the driveway of a Stockholm villa, the Volvo V60 Cross Country personifies the versatile Swedish family estate. To that profile, it adds the capability on and off the beaten track that has defined Volvo's Cross Country range since its introduction in 1997, taking the V60 from the suburb to the skogen (Swedish for forest).Ground clearance for the Volvo V60 Cross Country is up to 75mm higher than the regular V60, thanks to the specially developed Cross Country chassis and suspension that enhance the car's off-road capability. All-wheel-drive is standard on the new V60 Cross Country, as are Hill Descent Control, Electronic Stability Control, Corner Traction Control and a special Off-Road driving mode.Like its 60 Series and 90 Series stablemates, the new V60 Cross Country benefits from Volvo Cars' award-winning Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform, safety technology and infotainment system.The new Volvo V60 Cross Country is also available through Volvo Cars' premium subscription service Care by Volvo, which offers car access via a monthly flat-fee subscription rather than ownership.
Formula 1 arrives in Australia for what will be the first race this year to be held as usual on a Sunday, after the first two rounds of the season were run on Saturday in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Australians love their motorsport and Ferrari is particularly popular here, making for a very special atmosphere. The Albert Park circuit is spectacular and everything points to it being an interesting weekend. Carlos Sainz is expected to be back in the car, having had to miss Jeddah with appendicitis and he and team-mate Charles Leclerc will most likely be fighting at the front of the field, as they have done in the first two rounds.The circuit. The Albert Park track made its first appearance on the Formula 1 calendar in 1996. It features plenty of medium to high speed corners, with four DRS zones to provide plenty of excitement. Turn 1 is a quick chicane with walls on one side and a gravel run-off on the other, making it one of the trickiest sections, especially as it is followed by a long straight, before drivers brake heavily for turn 3, a favourite overtaking spot, as it comes at the end of a DRS zone, but mind out, here too there’s a gravel run-off area lying in wait. Turns 9 and 10 are definitely among the quickest corners on the track and overtaking is possible here, although drivers can also opt to stay in the slipstream and then give it their all to pass into turn 11, where overtaking carries a bit less risk.
Maserati MCXtrema, the Trident's uncompromising 730-hp ‘beast’ has returned to be unleashed into its natural environment: the track. It will be undergoing a series of tests until late April, aiming at the delivery of the first model, planned for late summer 2024.MCXtrema, a non-road-homologated race car produced in 62 units, was created to break the mould and invent new paradigms. The epitome of Maserati DNA and of the extraordinary performance characteristic of everything the 100% Italian brand produces, MCXtrema offers up evidence of its disruptive attitude to racing between the curbs of the circuit where it could be seen in action in a series of fundamental tests to gather the data needed for the final tune-ups. The Trident’s exclusive creation is one of the brand’s boldest cars in terms of development and is an evolution of the Maserati MC20 super sports car, its inspiration and basis.In February, it had its first official outing at the Autodromo Varano de' Melegari (Parma), where MCXtrema was taken to the track by Maserati chief test driver Andrea Bertolini, one of the most successful drivers in the GT class with four world titles aboard the glorious MC12, who has been working on its development in the dynamic simulator since the early stages.The February shakedown and subsequent milestones to refine its performance have been the ideal setting to unleash the full power of the 730-hp (540-kW) 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, based on the Maserati Nettuno and taken to the next level.MCXtrema has benefited from the latest and most advanced equipment in the world that Maserati has access to. Fundamental contributions have been made by the Virtual Analysis team, using the cutting-edge technology in the Maserati dynamic simulator, and by the Powertrain Calibration team, in charge of managing the enormous power delivered by the Nettuno engine. The experience gained during the development of the Maserati MC20, the in-depth characterisation of each component and the stringent bench tests on the engine have guaranteed the greatest accuracy in the simulation, ensuring that an extremely meaningful car would reach the track testing stages with figures similar to the validations in the simulator, required purely for real-world fine tuning.
A significant contribution to the increased attractiveness of the Yaris is made by the further developed full hybrid drive, which contributes to a more active and exciting driving experience. In addition to the proven drive with 116 hp, Toyota also offers the 1.5-liter hybrid in a second performance variant with 130 hp.This is due to the use of the new transaxle transmission, which comes from Toyota's current fifth hybrid generation. In addition, a larger and more powerful electric motor generator is used. Together with the revised software of the control unit (PCU), the total output of the 1.5-liter system increases by twelve percent from 85 kW/116 hp to 96 kW/130 hp. The torque also increases significantly across the entire speed range: by 30 percent from 141 Nm to 185 Nm.This leads to noticeably faster acceleration. Not only was the time for the sprint from zero to 100 km/h reduced by half a second to 9.2 seconds, the acceleration from 80 to 120 km/h also improved by almost half a second to 7.5 seconds This particularly pays off when overtaking. At the same time, CO2 emissions have only increased slightly; The Yaris remains best in class as a 130 hp hybrid with 95 to 96 g/km. The 116 hp version boasts even lower CO2 emissions of 87 to 91 g/km.
Mazda’s iconic “World Car Design of the Year”-winning roadster has evolved over the years, yet always remained true to the Jinba Ittai philosophy of creating perfect harmony between driver and car. The MX-5, a timeless masterpiece – refined by Mazda’s craftsmen over four generations of customer feedback – celebrates its 35th birthday in 2024. With over 1.1 million units sold, the community of MX-5 enthusiasts continues to grow.With the 2024 MX-51 Mazda further reinforces the Jinba Ittai ethos by introducing DSC-Track, a new Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) mode optimised for circuit driving, and a newly developed Asymmetric Limited Slip Differential (Asymmetric LSD).DSC-Track prioritises driver safety by implementing over-steer control in hazardous spins that the driver is unable to correct. DSC-Track allows the driver to remain in control until the very last second, only then it will intervene. The Asymmetric Limited Slip Differential (Asymmetric LSD) stabilises vehicle turn-in behaviour. In particular, bolstering the slip-limiting force during deceleration improves stability when braking into a turn, where reduced rear wheel ground load leads to vehicle instability. Optimizing slip limiting force and preload specifically for the MX-5's engine, suspension, and tyre characteristics results in smoother and more linear turning performance. Turning stability has thus been enhanced to make manoeuvring easier in urban areas, as well as on winding roads.The 2024 Mazda MX-5 features advanced LED headlights that now seamlessly combine with the daytime running lights. Furthermore, the rear lights have undergone subtle revisions, and LEDs are now used also on the turn signals. The exterior changes are complete with a new paint option, """"""""""""""""Aero Grey Metallic"""""""""""""""", which replaces “Platinum Quartz”, and 16- and 17-inch wheel designs.Enhancements for 2024 also extend to the interior, which gains a redesigned 8.8-inch centre display with Android Auto and Apple Car Play running wirelessly, a frameless rear-mirror and a suede-like seatmaterial called Leganu.
Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, says she fears disruption and arrests at her husband's funeral, planned for Friday 1st March in Moscow. Navalny's burial is set to take place at the nearby Borisov cemetery, a short walk from the banks of the river Moskva. SOUNDBITE
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