motoring news Bahrainthismonth.com August 2023 75 Mercedes-Benz is continuing its long tradition of sporty, elegant dream cars with a new, independent series. The new CLE Coupé uses the conceptual and technical innovations of the C-Class and E-Class. With its expressive design, exclusive comfort equipment for maximum individuality and confident, sporty driving performance, the new two-door car goes its own way. The progressively forward-leaning front section (“shark nose”) with a low-slung bonnet, flat LED headlights with a unique design and the newly designed, threedimensional radiator grille ensure an athletic yet extremely elegant appearance. The strongly contoured power domes on the long hood refer to the powerful engines with up to six cylinders. In the side view, a distinctive shaped edge structures the powerful volume. This character line runs from the headlight to the exterior mirror and from the rear light to the door handle. At 4,850 millimetres long, 1,860 millimetres wide and 1,428 millimetres high, the new two-door is the largest coupé in the mid-size segment. With its dimensional concept – in particular the 25-millimetre longer wheelbase – the CLE Coupé offers significantly more space than the C-Class Coupé. The rear passengers in particular benefit from 10 millimetres more headroom, 19 millimetres more shoulder and elbow room and 72 millimetres more knee room while the trunk volume offers 60 litres more volume. The market launch of the CLE Coupé will start in Europe in November. The CLE Cabriolet will follow next year for open-air connoisseurs. With the new dream car series, Mercedes-Benz is fulfilling the wishes of many customers in the C and E class segments. THE NEW SERIES OF MERCEDES-BENZ DREAM CARS THE FRAUSCHER X PORSCHE ELECTRIC SPORTS BOAT Audi is taking the next step in the development of the power unit for the Formula 1 project by signing a simulator driver. In 2026, the brand with the four rings is going to enter the top category of motorsport. Swiss racing pro Neel Jani is going to support the development of the Audi power unit with his versatile experience from various motorsport programmes. “I am delighted to accompany Audi on their way into Formula 1. It is both an honour and a great responsibility to be involved in a project of this magnitude at an early stage,” says Neel Jani. As a former test and reserve driver at Red Bull Racing, Jani spent many hours in a Formula 1 simulator. As a race driver in endurance racing, he gathered valuable experience in a hybrid race car. As a member of the Porsche factory team, he won the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in 2016 as well as the famous 24-hour race at Le Mans. AUDI SIGNS SIMULATOR DRIVER FOR FORMULA 1 POWER UNIT Renowned sports car manufacturer Porsche has collaborated with Austrian Frauscher Shipyard to develop an exclusive electric sports boat. Equipped with the drive technology of the future Porsche Macan electric, the 8.67-metre-long daycruiser based on the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air offers excellent driving characteristics. The Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom Air is based on the Frauscher 858 Fantom Air daycruiser, whose 8.67-metre long and 2.49-metre wide hull it is taking over practically unchanged. Porsche has optimised and further developed its drive technology designed for road vehicles for use on the water. This enables the use of the state-of-the-art automotive drive technology of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) on which the future all-electric Macan will be based as the first Porsche model. The technology includes the lithium-ion high voltage battery with a total capacity of around 100 kWh, a permanently excited synchronous electric motor (PSM) of the latest generation, and the related power electronics. Porsche aims to be a leader in sustainable mobility. And this ambition is not to be limited to racing and road cars alone in the future. The collaborative electric yacht intends to set standards on the water with its typical Porsche E-Performance. Delivery of a first edition of 25 units is set to begin in 2024.
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