NEWS
28 AUGUST 2019 AUTOCAR.CO.UK 17
New Taycan passes screen test
PORSCHE HAS REVEALED
the interior of its first electric
production car, the Taycan,
ahead of its public debut at the
Frankfurt show nex t month.
The Tesla Model S rival’s
cabin takes the brand’s design
and technology to a new level.
It’s based around up to four
digital displays, including a
curved, free-standing 16.8in
configurable driver’s display- Porsche’s first fully digital
instrument binnacle.
To the right of that,
the Taycan has a 10.9in
infotainment screen, where
navigation, music and
connectivity functions are
handled. To the right of that
- uniquely for Porsche – is an
optional screen of the same
size for the passenger. It can’t
control driving functions
but allows the passenger to
programme the sat-nav and
media features independently.
Finally, there’s an 8.4inportrait-format screen on
the centre console, set at an
angle with a touchpad below
to help control the upper
screen. Unlike the upper two
touchscreens, it offers haptic
feedback to improve usability
on the move.
Over-the-air updates are
possible in the Taycan. Buyers
will receive a free six-month
subscription to Apple Music,
with Apple CarPlay integration
also included. However,
Android Auto functionality isnot available.
The Taycan will be unveiled
on 10 September in Frankfurt
before orders start towards the
end of the year.
Porsche’s new
electric car has as
m a ny a s fo u r scr e e n s
FORMULA 1 RETURNS
this weekend after its
summer break as the
Belgian Grand Prix at Spa
kicks off an autumn run of
nine races. Sure, we already
know who will be champion
- barring the unimaginable
- but there’s still much to
play for in what is turning
into a pretty good season.
Lewis Hamilton’s eight
wins out of 12 races leaves
him with one hand on the
trophy, but Mercedes-AMG’s
continuing dominance of
this hybrid era hasn’t been
quite complete. That’sthanks largely to Red Bull
and the brilliance of Max
Verstappen, who this term
has shown he is maturing
- at the age of just 21 – into
t he F 1 m a s t e r he ’s a l w ay s
promised to become. His
bat t le w it h Ha m i lt on i n
Hungary was a hopeful
portent for a rivalry that
should be a central narrative
thread in the years ahead.
Such is Verstappen’s
speed and new-found
consistency that his team-
mate, the ordinary Pierre
Gasly, has lost his drive
during the break. Red Bull
is only 44 points down on
Ferrari and needs regular
scores to clinch second in
the teams’ rankings. Is
newly promoted British-
born Thai Alex Albon up
to the task? The rookie has
started well for the siblingToro Rosso team, but going
`
Verstappen is maturing, at just 21
years old, into an F1 master
a
RACING LINES
GET IN TOUCH
Damien Smith
up against Verstappen can
ruin a career, as Gasly found.
At Ferrari, Sebastian
Vettel must toil to stop his
career unravelling further,
while young team-mate
Charles Leclerc will focus
on ironing out the mistakes
that have pock-marked his
promising fi rst season in
red. Like Verstappen, the
signs are he’ll get there.
In the tight midfi eld,
McLaren’s rejuvenation to
be the best of F1’s unoffi cial
‘Class B’ has been welcome.
Classy Carlos Sainz Jr has
scored well and LandoNorris has hinted at future
stardom, for a team that has
clearly won back its mojo.
But can it ever rise to take on
Mercedes, Ferrari and Red
Bu l l a s it u s e d t o b y de f au lt?
That depends largely on
the future shape of F1, with
news of swingeing tech
changes for 2021 due soon.
For those in the F1 bubble,
it’s as crucial as Brexit.
Beyond McLaren, just
17 points separate Toro
Rosso, Renault, Alfa
Romeo, Racing Point and
Haas, with drivers such as
Nico Hülkenberg, Romain
Grosjean and Kevin
Magnussen fi ghting for
their F1 futures. Knocking
F1 can be all too easy, and
the sport doesn’t always help
itself, but it’s hard to avert
your eyes for long. Beyond
majestic Hamilton, there’splenty still to shake out.
MOT
ORSPORT
I
MAGE
SVerstappen is taking
the fight to Mercedes
as Formula 1 resumes»WE DRIVE PORSCHE TAYCAN
IN PRE-PRODUCTION SPEC P 22Post-Dieselgate VW to rebrand
VOLKSWAGEN WILL UNVEIL
a revamped logo as part of
a major rebranding at this
year’s Frankfurt motor show.
The fresh look, called
‘New Volkswagen’, has been
in development for more
than three years and has
its roots in changes the
firm has made following the
Dieselgate scandal.
The reveal is timed to
match the launch of the ID 3,
the firm’s first vehicle built
on the MEB electric platform.
But the first car to go on sale
featuring the new logo will bethe Mk8 Golf in early 2020.
VW’s current logo has
been in use since 2012. The
revamped version retains the
VW letters in a circle but uses
a simpler, two-dimensional
design, with the letters no
longer touching. It will appear
i n w h i te o n I D e l e c tr i c c a r s
and metal on combustion-
engined machines, with
future GTI models getting a
metallic red version.
The major rebranding
will include a new font, new
corporate colours and theadoption of a new official
voice, provided by the actress
who dubs Scarlett Johansson
in German. Her voice will
be used across the firm’s
advertising and as the voice
of the in-car assistant that
will be rolled out in the ID 3.
VW’s chief operating
officer, Ralf Brandstätter,
said the new image
represents changes the firm
has undergone following
Dieselgate, including a heavy
focus on electrification and
reducing CO 2 emissions.
“What began as a
fundamental crisis turned
out to be a catalyst for
the transformation of
Volkswagen,” he said.
ID 3 will be unveiled
next month along with
VW’s new rebranding