Electric Vehicles

Roland Gumpert introduces Nathalie, a road-legal, methane-powered electric super sports car

Photo courtesy of Roland Gumpert

Famed race car driver Roland Gumpert is back in the sports car space. This time, it's with his own company (they share a name) and a unique creation - something that's hard to find in the auto space these days. Meet Nathalie, a road-legal electric super sports car with performance handling that runs on methane. Yes, methane.

The car, which is named after one of Gumpert's daughters, was first shown as a prototype in 2018, but is now ready for production, as a 2021 model.

2021 Roland Gumpert Nathalie

Photo courtesy of Roland Gumpert

Messaging from the company says that the model is, "an uncompromising electric super sports car. It is one of the fastest and most dynamic sports cars you can drive with a license plate on a normal road."

The car is slated to achieve 536 horsepower and get from zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds. It has a top speed of 190 mph and a claimed range of over 300 miles in spirited driving situations. It is said to have nearly double the range when drivers choose to drive more conservatively using Eco mode.

Where does that power come from? It comes from methane.

In the Toyota Mirai, a fuel cell-electric powertrain uses hydrogen to move the car along the road. The concept with the Nathalie is similar, only instead of hydrogen, the car uses methane. It has a 17.1-gallon methanol tank.

Methane is an abundant resource on Earth, most noted recently because of its existence as a byproduct of the digestion process of cows. BMW is also exploring the possibilities of methane, utilizing the manure from a farm in California.

How does a methanol fuel cell work? | Gumpert Nathalie | Roland Gumpertwww.youtube.com

Roland Gumpert will begin producing the model in early 2021, producing just 500 of them at first and they will be labeled First Edition models. The price tag sits at approximately $460,000.

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The IIHS may increase the speeds it uses to test advanced driver aids.

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently announced that it is considering changing the speeds it uses to test vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention systems. The agency currently tests the systems at 12 and 25 mph, but says that the speeds don't accurately represent the types of crashes the safety tech is meant to prevent.

Front crash preventionwww.youtube.com

Automatic emergency braking (AEB) is designed to notify of a possible collision and help respond with automatic application of braking. Just like a human using the brake pedal, it can stop the car, but higher speeds make it difficult to stop in time. The new tests would be conducted at 35 to 45 mph, which is the range where a large number of rear-end crashes occur. As Automotive News noted, an IIHS study showed 43 percent of rear-end crashes occur at speeds of 45 mph or less, so it's important to have a test that shows how well the tech performs at those levels.

A whopping 85 percent of 2022 vehicles earned a "Superior" rating in the current testing regime, so the IIHS will remove it from 2023 testing and Top Safety Pick award evaluations. Their view is that, since the majority of vehicles meet the criteria, it's no longer an accurate way of evaluating performance. In its place, the agency introduced a night test for automatic emergency braking systems that will begin next year.

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The new Type R set a Suzuka Circuit lap record.

Honda

The new Honda Civic somehow improves on the formula laid out by its numerous predecessors and does so with style, refinement, and value. The Civic Si built on that foundation with a potent turbocharged engine and solid handling, but Honda's not done with the Civic. The automaker just teased the new Civic Type R, and it set records at Japan's Suzuka Circuit during a recent testing session.

The All-New 2023 Type R Achieves Track Record at Suzukawww.youtube.com

The Type R lapped Suzuka Circuit in 2 minutes, 23.120 seconds, a record-breaking lap for a front-wheel drive car. The video features neat telemetry information on-screen during the lap as well, but the real excitement comes later when full specs are revealed.

Honda's been understandably mum on details on the new Type R's powertrain and performance numbers, but the car is expected to carry the same powertrain with its predecessor. The 300-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine made that car a force to be reckoned with, so the 2023 Civic Type R will likely continue carrying that torch.

Honda Civic Type RHonda will fully reveal the car this summer. Honda

Honda will reveal the car in all its glory this summer. As for pricing, the previous car started around $38,000, so the new model should be around there to start. That, of course, is before dealers mark it up and other lucky buyers snap them up for insane resale on an auction site.

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