1000 Miglia 2024, no one like Vesco and Salvinelli ever before

Industry News

Saturday 15 June – The 2200-kilometre tour de force of the 1000 Miglia 2024 has ended. The 421 competing crews, with their vintage jewels built between 1927 and 1957, travelled the classic route from Brescia to Rome and back in an anti-clockwise direction, just as the heroes of the first editions of the 1000 Miglia did. The leg finishes were Turin (for the first time in its history), Viareggio, Rome and San Lazzaro di Savena, before returning to Brescia with the final parade from the Viale Venezia platform. Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli have accomplished a feat that has never been achieved before in the history of the Most Beautiful Race In The World, becoming champions for the fourth consecutive time in their 1929 Alfa Romeo 6c 1750 Ss Spider Zagato: a record that will be difficult to equal in the future. For Vesco, it is actually his fifth victory in a row (out of seven in total), having also triumphed in 2020 in tandem with his father. “We are happy, how could we not be! – the immediate comment of Andrea Vesco – we prepare to do great things and we are happy because this year we were in front from the first trial and we always kept the lead. We did very well and now we will enjoy this victory”. If the reigning champions were cannibals right from the first block of trials at the Brescia Castle, there was a battle behind them: in the end Gianmario Fontanella and Anna Maria Covelli took a well-deserved second place with their 1927 Lancia Lambda Casaro VII Serie, followed by Alberto Aliverti and Stefano Valente, also competing with a 1929 6C. Winning the Ferrari Tribute were Frank Binder and Giordano Mozzi in a 296 GTS, second were Celestino and Antonio Sangiovanni in an 812 GTS. Completing the podium were Gianluigi and Federico Smussi in a 1996 F355 GTS. Mirco Magni and Alessandro Ferruta took first place in the 1000 Miglia Green with a Polestar 2, while the 1000 Miglia Experience went to Ismaele and Marco Luigi Ghilardelli in a Mercedes Amg Gt C. Press Office press@1000miglia.it +39 331 6133162

Concours de l’Ordinaire selection announced for 2024 Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional

Industry News

Hagerty Festival of the Unexceptional takes place on Saturday 27th July at Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire 2024 event celebrates 10 years of the Festival of the Unexceptional Concours de l’Ordinaire selection now revealed, with rarities ranging from a Lada 2102 estate to a Lancia Zeta 2024 event to feature many special cars, fun activations and special guests Gates open 7am to 7pm to make the event a full day out Further show information can be found here Media Accreditation now open Bicester Heritage: 17th June 2024Hagerty’s world renowned Festival of the Unexceptional celebrates its 10-year anniversary at Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire on Saturday 27th July, with thousands of mundane motors on display, and a Concours de l’Ordinaire selection of the UK’s finest base-model cars. Launched in 2014, Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional is a show dedicated to great everyday classic cars that has earned its place as a must-attend event in the automotive calendar. Showcasing much maligned and long-forgotten ‘ordinary’ classic cars of the 70s, 80s and 90s, it remains the only event to celebrate the everyday cars we all know and love. The Concours de l’Ordinaire selection, celebrates the world of mundane motoring with a tongue-in-cheek take on the traditional concours format – think Fiesta over Ferrari and you’ll get the idea. And, as with any Concours event, the judges will be looking for originality, condition, rarity and great ownership stories before awarding the coveted trophies. As a preview to the 2024 event, the Hagerty FOTU selection committee has just announced the Concours de l’Ordinaire star cars, and their owners, both ready to be displayed on the Grimsthorpe Castle concours lawn in July. Leigh Davis – Alfa Romeo 145 1.6 Boxer Martin Lawson – Audi 80 Colin Corke – Austin Mini Metro Antony Buckley – BMW 316 E30 Lewis Dickson – Citroen Visa Champagne Christopher Lloyd – Daewoo Lanos Grant Kelso – Daihatsu Charade Leif Hansen – Datsun 280C Estate Callum Bailey – Fiat Brava Damien Brannigan – Fiat Panda James Gillard – Fiat Punto Jean-Luc Cartwright – Fiat Uno Stephen Ransome – Ford Cortina Andy Curtis – Ford Escort Steven Marshall – Ford Escort L Estate Warren Grove – Ford Fiesta Catharine Bird – Ford Fiesta Freestyle 1.4 Joel Willis – Ford Ka Kris Ray – Hyundai Lantra Pete Marshall – Lada 2102 Estate Michael Dickens -Lada Riva Andy Collins – Lancia Beta John Hart – Lancia Zeta Simon Monks – Mercedes-Benz 190E 1.8 James Green – Nissan Bluebird David Williams – Nissan Laurel Estate Luca Alpert – Nissan Primera Meru Richardson – Peugeot 106 Brent Markham – Peugeot 309 Carl Fravigar – Peugeot 309 Matthew Eade – Peugeot 505 SR Daniel Pacey – Reliant Robin Amy Jaine – Renault Clio Glynn Jones – Renault Clio Oasis Chris Williams – Renault Twingo David Poulter – Rover 418 Dane Smith – Rover 100 Peter Burrowes – Simca 1000 Special Julian Pearson – Simca 1100 Martin Whalley – Subaru Justy Andrew Sutton – Toyota Carina Mitch Lewis – Toyota Hilux Callum Parry – Triumph Acclaim Andrew Burford – Triumph Toledo John Corbett – Vauxhall Corsa Merit James Wilkinson – Vauxhall Corsa LS Jack Sydee – Vauxhall Nova Neville Wright – Vauxhall Nova Saloon Graham Silverton – Volvo 145 Allan Symes – Yugo 45 Judging of these special cars will take place from 10am, with a panel of renowned judges including Steve Cropley, Danny Hopkins and Richard Bremner. Prize giving takes place on the Festival Main Stage at 16.00. Jonny Smith and Richard Porter, hosts of popular automotive podcast Smith and Sniff, will also take to the stage at the 2024 Festival of the Unexceptional, bringing their unique brand of automotive entertainment to the amassed fans of mundane motoring with a trio of interactive stage shows, including: The Wheeltrim of Misfortune A quiz in which contestants spin a giant wheeltrim to decide what category of car expert question they have to answer. Chod Swap Shop A tribute to the ‘80s classic kids’ TV show Swap Shop where Smith and Sniff invite showgoers to bring along FOTU car-related items they would like to swap for something else. Live Smith and Sniff podcast recording An episode of the Smith and Sniff podcast will be recorded live on stage with an audience Q&A session forming a part of the show. Tickets for Smith and Sniff live podcast recordings always sell out fast, but now you have the unique opportunity to witness a live stage recoding of a podcast, and also enjoy a full day at the 10th Festival of the Unexceptional. Tickets are priced at just £35 per car, so make sure to bring friends and family in the same car for a great value day out and, with gates opening at 7am and closing at 7pm, it really is a full day out. For more information on the 2024 Festival of the Unexceptional click here Media accreditation can be requested here. Ends Editors Notes About Hagerty, Inc. (NYSE: HGTY)With a headquarters based in Traverse City, Michigan, Hagerty’s purpose is to save driving and car culture for future generations and its mission is to build a global business to fund that purpose. Hagerty is an automotive enthusiast brand offering integrated membership products and programs as well as a specialty insurance provider focused on the global automotive enthusiast market. Hagerty is home to Hagerty Marketplace, Hagerty Drivers Club®, Hagerty Drivers Club magazine, Hagerty Drivers Foundation, Hagerty DriveShare™, Hagerty Valuation Tools®, Hagerty Media, MotorsportReg, Hagerty Garage + Social®, The Amelia, the Detroit Concours d’Elegance, the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, the California Mille, Motorlux, RADwood, Broad Arrow Group and more. In the UK, Hagerty operates the renowned Festival of the Unexceptional event, in addition to RADwood UK and the Hagerty Hillclimb. For more information on Hagerty please visit www.hagerty.co.uk. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. For further information, call 0333 323 0989 or visit www.hagertyinsurance.co.uk Media enquiries: media@tonic-collective.com

Osprey Charging acquires land to establish its largest EV charging hub in Scotland, installing 16 ultra-rapid chargers in Paisley, Glasgow

Industry News

Osprey Charging has purchased its second freehold site – which will become Osprey’s largest charging location in Scotland. Planning approval to construct a 300kW ultra-rapid charging hub has already been obtained and construction work is expected to start in the summer with the site expected to open to the public at the start of 2025. The 16-charger hub will be located opposite the Phoenix Retail Park on the A737 and just minutes from the M8 and Glasgow Airport. This purchase marks another step in Osprey’s mission to deliver high-quality, reliable and easy-to-use public EV charging right across the UK, and will be followed by further acquisition announcements in the coming weeks. Osprey Charging has already installed over 200 rapid and ultra-rapid chargepoints in 2024, and are now one of the UK’s largest and fastest-growing networks High-res images: https://bit.ly/Osprey_Paisley London, Monday 17th June 2024: Osprey Charging, the UK’s leading and fastest-growing EV rapid charging network, has announced plans for a new ultra-fast 16-charger hub in Paisley – which when completed will be the largest public ultra-rapid charging hub in Scotland. The charge point operator has completed the purchase of a freehold site in Paisley, and planning permission has been granted to install 16 300kW public charge points. Located by the Phoenix Retail Park in Paisley, the 16-charger hub will be situated just off the A737, a short drive from the M8, Scotland’s busiest motorway. On a key route for Scotland’s drivers, the new Paisley super-hub will provide rapid, reliable and high-quality EV charging in a strategic location. The Paisley hub will mark the second occasion of Osprey Charging completing the purchase of a freehold site, following the award-winning Salmon’s Leap hub in Devon, which opened last year. Owning the land where the site will be constructed offers significantly enhanced flexibility for its design, ensuring it aligns seamlessly with Osprey’s long-held values of simple, convenient, safe, accessible for all charging. Osprey expects to announce further site acquisitions throughout the summer. The Paisley hub is ideally situated, with numerous amenities close by that drivers can make use of while recharging their EVs. Located adjacent to the Showcase Cinema and just north of the McDonald’s drive-thru, numerous on-site shops will provide plenty of on-site activity for drivers. Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey Charging, said:“We’re hugely excited to have completed the purchase of the land for our forthcoming 16-charger ultra-rapid hub in Paisley, which marks our second freehold site in the UK. The purchase of freehold sites is an important strategy for Osprey, as it enables us to build larger public charging locations with greater flexibility over their design. This hub will be crucial in supporting the uptake of EVs in Scotland as well as in meeting growing demand for reliable, accessible and high-quality EV charging across the UK. “In 2024, we have successfully delivered nine high-powered hubs across various UK locations, and the new Paisley hub opposite the Phoenix Retail Park will be another significant milestone in our rapidly expanding network. As the year progresses, our goal is to complete 30 hubs, which will be a monumental stride not only in the advancement of our network but also in fortifying the broader public EV charging infrastructure.” Osprey Charging’s network of public EV chargers continues to grow at a rapid rate, and now encompasses over 1,000 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers in key urban and rural locations across the UK. Osprey chargers have a reliability rate of 99%, while its straightforward charging experience has seen Osprey recognised as a ‘Driver Recommended Network’ by Zap Map for a fourth time.

New Volkswagen Passat named Britain’s best tow car by What Car?

Industry News

Volkswagen Passat declared Tow Car Awards champion by expert judges from What Car? and the Camping and Caravanning Club The best tow cars in four weight categories also named, along with the best electric car for towing and the best used tow car Kia and Volkswagen win two awards each, with BMW, Ford and Nissan also earning category victories The What Car? Tow Car Awards 2024 is the latest event in a 18-year collaboration between What Car? and the Camping and Caravanning Club Find out more about the winners at: www.whatcar.com/awards/tow-car-awards The Volkswagen Passat has been named the best car for towing for a record fourth time at the annual What Car? Tow Car Awards, held in partnership with the Camping and Caravanning Club and supported by Adria Caravans. Britain’s leading consumer champion and new car deals platform, What Car?, and the towing experts at the Camping and Caravanning Club gave the Passat the overall win due to its huge breadth of abilities. What Car? editor Steve Huntingford explained: “The new Passat shows that you don’t need a CEO’s salary to buy a brilliant, modern tow car. Despite being relatively light, it pulls with the assurance and stability of a heavyweight. What’s more, it has powerful brakes, remains unflappable during a sudden lane change, and is as comfortable as it is practical.” The Camping and Caravanning Club’s Huw Hopkins, a tester judge on the programme, added: “Whenever the Passat has won the overall title in the past, we’ve always recommended a diesel. But while the new car isn’t available with diesel power, the abilities of the 1.5-litre mild-hybrid petrol meant we didn’t miss it. This engine is both smooth and quiet, it copes easily with a sensibly matched caravan, and fuel economy is distinctly diesel-like.” What Car? and the Camping and Caravanning Club have been collaborating on the Tow Car Awards since 2007, with the Passat previously taking the top prize in 2007, 2011 and 2015. Before deciding on the overall winner in 2024, the judges handed out awards to cars in four different towing weight classes, ranging from up to 1549kg, to 2000kg+. In addition, the Kia EV9 was named best electric car for towing and the Kia Sorento best used tow car. To decide the winners, testing was undertaken by matching eligible cars to caravans weighted to 85% of the car’s kerb weight (the maximum the Camping and Caravanning Club recommends) or its legal towing limit, depending on which was lower. They were then ballasted to simulate driving with passengers and luggage. One of What Car?’s expert road testers was responsible for the most highly-skilled manoeuvres, designed to show which cars will stay under control in an emergency. Meanwhile, drivers from the Camping and Caravanning Club assessed high-speed stability, carried out a hill start on a 1-in-6 slope, looked for towing-friendly features – such as a trailer stability system – and confirmed whether the puncture repair provision was suitable for use while towing. What Car?’s road test ratings were then used to assess how the cars perform when not towing. And the latest What Car? depreciation data and Reliability Survey information was also factored into the decisions. Key brands that supported the testing in 2024 include caravan manufacturer Adria, plus Al-Ko, Milenco and Witter. TOW CAR AWARDS 2024 WINNERSOverall winnerVolkswagen Passat 1.5 eTSI 150 R-Line Up to 1549kgFord Focus Estate 1.0 mHEV 155 Active X 1550-1699kgVolkswagen Passat 1.5 eTSI 150 R-Line 1700-1999kgNissan X-Trail e-Power 213 e-4orce Tekna 2000kg+BMW X5 xDrive50e M Sport Electric tow carKia EV9 AWD GT-Line Used tow carKia Sorento 2.2 CRDi 3

Eatron Technologies and Syntiant to introduce AI-powered BMS-on-chip solution

Industry News

New chip integrates Eatron’s Intelligent Software Layer into Syntiant’s low-power NDP120 Neural Decision Processor Low-power solution unlocks latent battery capacity, extends longevity, and enhances safety Optimised and cost-effective design offers ease-of-integration and reduced time-to-market 14th June 2024 – A new system-on-chip, the result of an ongoing collaboration between battery management experts Eatron Technologies and edge AI leader Syntiant, offers an unprecedented turnkey solution to the challenges of battery performance and safety for light mobility, industrial and consumer electronics applications. The integration-friendly AI-BMS-on-chip can unlock 10% additional capacity and enhance battery lifespan by up to 25%, while substantially reducing time-to-market. The optimised solution delivers exceptional performance and efficiency in a remarkably cost-effective package, combining Eatron’s Intelligent Software Layer with Syntiant’s ultra-low power Neural Decision Processor. Eatron’s pre-trained models deliver state-of-health, state-of-charge, and remaining useful life assessments with exceptional accuracy out of the box, thereby maximising available power. Predictive diagnostics, meanwhile, can detect potential battery issues long before they occur, enhancing safety. By capitalising on the efficient processing power of Syntiant’s NDP120, the AI-BMS-on-chip can operate on the edge, where it can deliver real-time analysis and decision-making directly on the device without needing to rely on complex cloud infrastructure that would otherwise introduce cost, latency and power consumption issues. The jointly-developed plug-and-play solution will bring performance, safety and longevity enhancements to a wide range of battery-powered applications, from consumer electronics and e-bikes to micro LCVs and forklifts. The AI-BMS-on-chip can be customised through a user-friendly toolchain that allows it to be optimised to each individual application, while existing BMS hardware can be easily upgraded to take advantage of its best-in-class performance. “We are now running our latest AI models completely integrated on the edge in the Syntiant chip,” said Amedeo Bianchimano, Chief Product Delivery Officer at Eatron Technologies. “With AI-BMS-on-chip, we can ensure any battery-powered application can be deployed in the millions in complete safety while getting the most out of the battery.” “Our NDP120 allows Eatron’s software to process all the data on the edge for batteries,” said Mallik P. Moturi, Chief Business Officer at Syntiant Corp. “It enhances battery life, safety and performance. This makes it perfect for everything from consumer electronics all the way to commercial vehicles.” Eatron and Syntiant will demonstrate the AI-BMS-on-chip at The Battery Show Europe 2024 from 18th-20th June at Messe Stuttgart, Germany. For more product details and a short video on the benefits of the AI-BMS-on-chip, please visit: The Future of Battery Management: AI-Power on the Edge (eatron.com) For further press information or to arrange an interview, please use the media contacts below.

Volvo XC90 honoured as the UK’s best seven-seater in the Auto Trader New Car Awards 2024

Industry News

Volvo’s large SUV combines contemporary style with supreme practicality Seven seats as standard on all XC90 versions The Volvo XC90 has triumphed in the Auto Trader New Car Awards 2024, winning the title of the UK’s best seven-seater. Its success was secured thanks to the positive opinions and experiences of owners who were among more than 200,000 UK motorists who took part in Auto Trader’s latest annual survey, rating their cars across different criteria, from reliability and performance to appearance and running costs. Announced at an awards ceremony in London yesterday, the honour commends the XC90 for its impressive balance of style and practicality. While it displays the cool, contemporary design cues that distinguish today’s Volvo models, it offers a generous combination of passenger and load space. The load compartment in the petrol version offers up to 356 litres of space when all seven seats are being used, or a maximum of 1,856 litres with all the seats folded down. For families on the move, the XC90 provides many useful features for making journeys easier and more comfortable. Standard equipment across the range includes individual folding second- and third-row seats, four-zone climate control with an advanced air-quality system, air-conditioning for the third-row seats, hands-free tailgate operation, a rear parking camera, front and rear parking sensors, and a comprehensive suite of safety and driver-assistance systems. Erin Baker, Auto Trader Editorial Director, said: “Volvo’s stylish, beautifully built XC90 offers everything you could ever need from a seven-seat car.” She highlighted the positive opinions expressed by owners and their appreciation of the XC90’s family-friendly features, interior space, ability to take long journeys in its stride and generous equipment levels. Nicole Melillo Shaw, Volvo Car UK Managing Director, said: “It is fantastic to win this Auto Trader award, not least because it is voted for by owners who live with the car day in, day out. “In all the advances we have made in design, engineering, safety and new technologies, we have never forgotten the importance of day-to-day practicality – a hallmark of our brand over many years. Customers clearly value the fact that the XC90 is an authentic, premium-quality seven-seater without compromise.” The XC90’s success comes just a week after the first of Volvo’s fully electric EX90 seven-seaters came off the assembly line in the USA. For more information on the Volvo XC90 and to use the online configurator, go to www.volvocars.co.uk.

News in brief – latest technology upgrades for Swace

Industry News

Following on from its powertrain and equipment upgrades last year, the Swace Full Hybrid model has recently received some upgrades for mid-2024 offering an even higher level of technology as standard. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) is now included for both Motion and Ultra grades. Combined with Adaptive Cruise Control, ISA is designed to help drivers keep to legal speed limits. ISA will audibly inform the driver to change the vehicle speed when the road speed limit changes as recognised by the Traffic Sign Recognition (TSR) system. Moving up to Ultra now adds navigation as standard and even easier to read information from a new colour LCD meter display that has increased in diameter from seven to 12.3-inches. The central touchscreen display audio unit is also of new design and has increased in size from eight to 10.5-inches in diameter. With it’s full hybrid drivetrain, Swace complements the rest of the Suzuki passenger car line-up which offers hybrid as standard. It means Suzuki customers never pay extra for the fuel saving and low CO2 emissions benefits of hybrid. With Swace, the benefit is fuel economy of up to 62.7mpg and CO2 emissions of just 102g/km. Up to Seven Years Warranty.Low cost of ownership is also bolstered for all Suzuki customers with the inclusion of up to seven years warranty. This is offered free of charge once the car reaches the end of its standard manufacturer warranty period and is then booked in for its next scheduled service within the Suzuki Dealer network. Since launch last year, over 26,000 customers have registered their cars to enjoy this benefit. This warranty stays in place until the next qualifying service and is then simply renewed again up to a maximum vehicle age of 7 years / 100,000 miles – whichever comes first. Major components are covered, and should a customer decide to sell their car between services and within the seven-year qualifying period, the warranty can simply be transferred to the next owner – again free of charge.

Times are changing – preservation beats restoration at world-class concours

Industry News

For the very first time, a ‘preserved’ car has won Best of Show at a world-class concours event – a moment of huge significance for the historic vehicle movement. At last month’s Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este 2024, the coveted Trofeo BMW Group – overall award for Best of Show – went to the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 by Figoni, owned by 27-year-old Belgian collector Thibault De Meester. “The huge significance of this moment is that a car which has been largely preserved, rather than restored, took the highest accolade,” says Tiddo Bresters, President of FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens or international federation of historic vehicles). “It clearly highlights the trend towards preservation over restoration, a shift that FIVA has long championed. We are proud to say that FIVA has been a frontrunner in the battle for preservation and authenticity, having launched our FIVA ‘Best Preserved Vehicle’ award at Pebble Beach in 1999. Nor is the Villa d’Este result a one-off. In 2023, a Duesenberg SJ that was last restored more than 20 years ago won Best of Show at Villa d’Este, and now this perfectly preserved 1932 Alfa Romeo has confirmed that attitudes have changed.” Bresters concludes: “Looking ‘brand new’ isn’t the point – the importance of a car is in its history; its authenticity; its place in our automotive heritage. It’s extremely encouraging to see this appreciation of a well-preserved car spreading through the highest echelons of the historic vehicle world, as well as through the bedrock of the classics owned, maintained and enjoyed by the millions of enthusiasts we represent around the globe.” FIVA now looks forward with great interest to Pebble Beach 2024. Whether or not a ‘preserved’ vehicle takes the top prize there in August, FIVA – in partnership with the Hagerty Drivers Foundation – will again be presenting trophies during Monterey Week, at both The Quail Motorsports Gathering and Pebble Beach, awards that have been renamed ‘in honour of Dr Frederick Simeone’, the preservation award judge and automotive historian who passed away in 2022. Notes to Editors: FIVA (the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens) is the worldwide organisation dedicated to the protection, preservation and promotion of historic vehicles and related culture, as well as their safe use. Since 2017, FIVA has been a non-governmental partner of UNESCO. For more press information, or to speak to a FIVA representative for a specific country, please contact Gautam Sen, FIVA’s Vice President Communications on communications@fiva.org, +33(0) 6 87 16 43 39 (mobile), or +33 9 66 12 44 64 (landline)

Aston Martin returns to Le Mans with two Valkyrie LMH hypercars in 2025

Industry News

Aston Martin with Heart of Racing will enter two Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars in the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship and 24 Hours of Le Mans Aston Martin supports FIA/Automobile Club de l’Ouest regulations ratifying two-car minimum works entries in the top WEC class from 2025 Valkyrie AMR-LMH testing continues as track test debut approaches Aston Martin and Heart of Racing remain committed to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship for Valkyrie AMR-LMH debut in 2025 Friday, 14 June, 2024, Le Mans, France: Aston Martin and works team Heart of Racing will return to the top class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans with two Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars in 2025, as the ultra-luxury British sportscar brand bids to win the famous race outright for the first time since 1959. Aston Martin intends to enter two of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars in all rounds of the 2025 FIA World Endurance Championship [WEC], subject to its entry being accepted. This follows a regulation change by Le Mans event organiser the Automobile Club de l’Ouest [ACO] and the sport’s governing body the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile [FIA], stating that each participating manufacturer must enter at least two cars in the Hypercar class from 2025 onwards. The new rule was announced earlier this morning during the official press conference ahead of this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Aston Martin and its works partner Heart of Racing are delighted to support this change in the regulations, in the interests of working together to improve the sporting environment for the benefit of all. Aston Martin will continue to work closely with both organisations moving forward and through the duration of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH programme. Adam Carter, Aston Martin Head of Endurance Motorsport, said: “You can trace the roots of Aston Martin’s endurance racing back to the earliest days of the brand. Indeed we first raced at Le Mans more than 95 years ago – something no other road-going hypercar manufacturer can say. We are very proud of our association with this wonderful event, and with that in mind, it’s very clear that we are committed to WEC’s hypercar concept and bringing our famous Wings back to the very forefront of international sportscar racing, including at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In 2025, with our works team the Heart of Racing, we intend to put two Aston Martin Valkyrie AMR-LMH hypercars on the grid, to compete alongside a fantastic array of the world’s best sportscar manufacturers, and we are doing all we can to ensure that we can fight at the front of that space. The Valkyrie AMR-LMH programme is on schedule with a significant amount of development taking place behind the scenes and ahead of the car’s track debut later this summer. We then anticipate an intensive period of testing to put miles on the car and learn all we can ahead of its planned homologation in the autumn.” The race-optimised carbon-fibre chassis Valkyrie AMR-LMH will use a modified version of the sensational Cosworth-built 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine originally produced for the Valkyrie road car, which in standard form revs to 11,000rpm and develops over 1000bhp. The power unit is being enhanced further to incorporate the critical Balance of Performance requirements of the Hypercar class and developed to withstand the rigours of top level long-distance competition. As with the Valkyrie AMR Pro track-car, the battery-electric hybrid system that features on the road-specification Valkyrie is absent from the race car. Development of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH is already well advanced, with recent on-track evaluation of integral systems having taken place at Aston Martin’s Silverstone testing facility and the Portimao circuit in Portugal. Heart of Racing also recently established a UK team headquarters for its WEC programme, near where the racing cars are being constructed in co-operation with Aston Martin Performance Technologies, based at Silverstone, which is overseeing the design and development of the Valkyrie AMR-LMH. Aston Martin with Heart of Racing also plans an IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Programme for the Valkyrie AMR-LMH, to run the US-based endurance series’ GTP class. This will be run out of Heart of Racing’s Phoenix HQ in North America. “With this new direction of the WEC ruleset we have had to bring forward our plans to run multiple cars in the WEC Hypercar class. This has obviously condensed our build-up process, but we are very excited about the prospect of having two cars in the field. We will be proud to be a part of this class, which has seen a meteoric rise in the past couple of years, and offers amazing racing and fan interaction. The challenge ahead is immense, and we are looking forward to the journey.” said Heart of Racing Team Principal Ian James. Aston Martin’s entry into the Hypercar class ensures that the British ultra-luxury sportscar manufacturer will have a presence in all aspects of endurance racing from the gentleman racer through to the very pinnacle of the sport. Indeed, from 2025, Aston Martin will be the only manufacturer competing at all levels of sportscar and GT racing (from Hypercar to GT4) and the FIA Formula 1® World Championship. In total, more than 240 drivers have raced Aston Martins at Le Mans over the past 95 years in 27 different chassis and engine combinations, through virtually every era. No other venue has given Aston Martin so much success, or more steadfastly proven that our DNA is forged out of the very essence of competition.

HORSE and WEG sign memorandum of understanding for powertrain partnership

Industry News

R&D partnership between HORSE and WEG focuses on development of Range Extender technology for light commercial and heavy duty vehicles. As part of the agreement, WEG to supply electric generators, e-motors, electrical inverters and battery packs Range Extender powertrains also can use bioethanol and flex fuels, allowing the vehicle to achieve comparable emissions to fully electric vehicles HORSE, a global leader in innovative and low emissions powertrain systems, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with leading Brazilian electronics manufacturer, WEG for a Research & Development partnership on its new Range Extender powertrain. This commercial partnership is HORSE’s first as a division of HORSE Powertrain Ltd. As part of this agreement, HORSE and WEG will jointly-develop a market-leading Range Extender powertrain for light commercial and heavy duty vehicles, with WEG supplying the key components for the technology. Upon completion of the R&D study, HORSE will become the system owner and supplier to customers. HORSE will own the electronic architecture of the Range Extender, integrating components within existing requirements, as well as supplying the 1.0-litre ‘HR10’ engine and Control Module. WEG will supply the electric generators, e-motors, and electrical inverters. Julien Faure, Chief Technology Officer at HORSE, said: “HORSE is focused on delivering decarbonisation technologies around the world, and this partnership with WEG will help to democratise the Range Extender powertrain solution. Working with a world-class electrical technology provider like WEG demonstrates our ability to create world-class powertrain solutions for the world’s differing needs and technical requirements.” A Range Extender is made up of six key modules: The combustion engine, which generates mechanical energy that powers the electric generator. The electric generator, which converts mechanical energy from the engine into electric charge for the battery. The electric inverter, which converts direct current into alternating current, and enables communications between electronic components. The electronic control unit, which issues real-time instructions for vehicle components and electronics. The e-motor, which converts charge from the battery into mechanical traction for vehicle propulsion, as well as providing regenerative braking functionality. The battery, which stores the electrical energy originating from the electric generator and e-motor. This partnership with WEG will grant HORSE preferential access to these critical components for its fully integrated Range Extender units, allowing continuous supply for customers. Designed for both light commercial and heavy duty vehicles, the Range Extender features an optimised battery pack and HORSE’s 85kW 1.0-litre, three-cylinder ‘HR10’ engine. The HR10 can use flex fuels, allowing the Range Extender’s total emissions profile to be comparable to that of a fully electric vehicle. The benefit of a Range Extender is the engine constantly operates in its most efficient operating window, minimising fuel consumption and emissions. HORSE: a leader in automotive innovationHORSE was created to provide highly efficient, low-emission engines, transmissions, and technologies to meet the varying power generation needs around the world. HORSE operates eight production plants across seven countries, three R&D centres and a head office based in Madrid, Spain – the company produces 3.2 million units per year for its customers around the world.