Swiss

Hybrid, Sports Car, News, Electric, Concept Car

Rinspeed reveals new driverless Etos concept car

Rinspeed has revealed plans to show a new driverless Etos concept car, at the CES Consumer Electronic Show 2016 in Las Vegas 2016.

The hybrid sports car features a personal autopilot and drone on board. Frank M. Rinderknecht, the boss of Rinspeed said: "The major and especially the disruptive innovations in future automotive engineering will come from the digital realm. That is why all major manufacturers and suppliers are now present at the CES Consumer Electronic Show."

The Swiss company's approached to the topic of 'driverless cars' is largely from the point of view of drivers and passengers, and has generated a number of ideas including an 'intuitive, adaptive autopilot capable of learning'.

The new concept's interior adapts to the particular driving situation 'as if by magic' according to Rinspeed: In autonomous mode, the steering wheel folds up and retracts completely into the dashboard. The two curved widescreens individually move closer to the occupants to provide a better view.

To provide the passengers with a unique infotainment experience, the Etos uses Harman Connected Car technologies. Like a personal assistant, the system operates in a thinking, courteous and anticipatory manner. In addition, it delivers entertainment, connectivity and maximum safety.

The sporty hybrid is also fitted with its own drone that has its a landing pad on the rear end. The Swiss firm says the drone 'could fetch a bouquet of flowers the driver ordered online and even deliver it directly to the lucky recipient. It could also take a video of the wild ride on your favourite road and stream it live to friends'.

The 22nd concept vehicle designed in-house at the brands "innovation lab" also includes innovative surface finishes that are still completely alien to car designers, asking CES visitors to 'touch it, feel it - it's magic!'.

The CES Consumer Electronic Show Las Vegas runs from 6-9 January 2016.

News, 4x4

Jeep Renegade showcars in Montreux

Jeep has unveiled two bespoke Renegades to mark its global partnership with the Montreux Jazz Festival.

From July 4 and for the duration of the festival, the Renegade-based showcars, created by Garage Italia Customs - the latest project of former Fiat Marketing Manager, Lapo Elkann - will be on display at the airports of Geneva and Zurich.

The Garage Italia Customs team is made up of automobile craftsmen who work entirely by hand. Their 'Montreux Jazz Festival' editions of the Jeep Renegade were inspired by the electro-acoustic guitar and in particular, by some of its details such as the paintwork, frets and output jacks. 

The colours chosen for the bodywork of the showcars recall the lacquer finish of the most famous electro-acoustic guitar bodies, Cherry Black Burst and Classic Black Burst, made more realistic by a wood effect airbrushed by hand with three-colour shading and nine coats of paint including topcoat. In addition, the strings of the electric guitar are drawn across the bonnet and boot.

The exclusive treatment continues on the inside with the roof lining, side bands of the seats and door panels trimmed in black denim, while the seat inserts, central tunnel, gearknob and armrest are made of 'Foglizzo' coloured leather. Finally, the inserts are painted white, the same colour as the decorations which embellish the seats, picking up the graphic elements of the exterior.

Highlighting the importance of the Swiss market, one of Jeep’s most profitable according to Steve Zanlunghi, Head of Jeep Brand EMEA, Jeep also unveiled a special Grand Cherokee Montreux Jazz Festival Limited Edition.

Limited to a run of 49 units, one for each year of the show, and marketed exclusively in Switzerland, the Limited Edition is finished in a Granite Crystal with Dark Brown natural leather upholstery. Sporting the logo of the event on the pillar, it features satin-finished elements on the grille, bump strips, side skirts, fog light frames and rear cargo panel, in addition to exclusive 20‚Äù alloy rims, also satin-finished, and a double glass panoramic sunroof. 

Hi-tech infotainment includes a ‚ÄôBlue-Ray DVD' multimedia system with two independent screens for the rear passengers, each with HDMI and AUX ports and wireless headsets as well as a Harman Kardon 825 watt sound system with D class amplifier, Logic 7 multi-channel surround technology and 19 GreenEdge high performance speakers. Active Noise Cancellation technology optimises on-board acoustic comfort using the Harman Kardon sound system and four additional microphones. 

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Montreux Jazz Festival Limited Edition includes a limited edition MJF Box containing the ‚ÄúMJF black card‚Äù offering exclusive access to the Chalet of Festival founder, the late Claude Nobs, where customers can access the vast audiovisual archive of the Festival protected by UNESCO's Memory of the World Register. 

Also inside the limited edition MJF Box is an exclusive DVD with 10 unreleased tracks and a pair of Soho Wireless headphones by Harman Kardon equipped with touch controls and Bluetooth connectivity.