Category: Cars

The world’s most expensive car sold: Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date June 19, 2022

Mercedes-Benz Rennsportprototyp 300 SLR "Uhlenhaut-Coupé" (W 196 S), 1955

When you hear the sentence, ‘the world’s most expensive car’, you might be thinking about Bugatti Chiron’s special edition. They cost more than €3 million, and that’s very expensive.

However, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300SLR broke that record: €135 million by Sotheby’s on the 19th of May, 2022! I know classic cars are always more expensive than modern cars. But €135 million was not something commonly seen! So how can a car cost this much?

There were only two Mercedes-Benz 300SLR cars ever produced. They are both owned by Mercedes-Benz (MB) AG Germany. MB was never willing to sell the 300SLRs. The uniqueness of the 300SLR is not in the design: it is in the technology.

It was one of the first direct petrol injection engine cars, developing 310 PS from an 8-cylinder 3-lt engine with a top speed of 283 kph (176 mph) and only 7.4 seconds to reach 100 kph (62 mph). I know these numbers are not so exciting for 2022, but for 1955 it was groundbreaking. Also, the 300SLR was based on space frame chassis and only weighed 1.1-tonnes! Another interesting fact: the front brakes were on axles, unlike inside the wheels on a regular car, so, they can save weight with the wheels, and the car’s centre of gravity is improved. Additionally, brakes on axles will not lock the wheel easily (ancient ABS).

So, who was driving this car?
It was Rudolf Uhlenhaut. The designer of the car. 300SLR was his company car, and he drove it every day. However, the 300SLR runs very loud and it caused Rudolf Uhlenhaut to have permanent hearing loss. It is good to note too that despite having the 300SLR as the company car, it only had 6045 km.

So, who bought the 300SLR?
Someone wealthy and well connected. I don’t think the owner of the 300SLR is a lottery winner because Mercedes-Benz didn’t wish to sell this car for decades. Simon Kidston urged the Mercedes-Benz board to sell for 18 months…it was one of the toughest sales! I have no idea on the insurance premium for this car.

What happened to the €135 million?
Mercedes-Benz donated it to a foundation.

Is this car worth the money?
Yes! It was before its time and designed with the highest levels of engineering. Their performance figures can still challenge today’s sports cars!

Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR — Rudolf Uhlenhaut

Photos // Mercedes-Benz

Tags 300 SLR, Mercedes, SLR

Cars

Salon Privé Chelsea, London 2022

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date May 5, 2022

Ferrari Daytona SP3 Salon Prive 2022 London

I have tried to attend Salon Privé for a long time, but I’ve never managed it! I always thought Salon Privé was a small car show, and that’s all. However, I was wrong.

I realized this when I attended the event at Royal Chelsea Hospital in London this year. Since I started blogging, I think this is the first car show where I didn’t ask for a press pass.

Salon Privé London has something unique to offer! It is small, but it has everything! From Prodrive’s Paris Dacar off-roader BRX Hunter to Bugatti Chirons (multiple Chirons were present). I’m not even taking into account the number of Lamborghinis that were present.

Another great part of Salon Privé was Anna-Louise Felstead (Instagram @alfelstead). She is a fantastic artist whose paintings I love. This is especially true for the ones that convey the reality of luxury cars. They are amazing!

Also, there were two helicopters at Salon Privé. I can’t ignore them in this write-up. From this year, I will be attending a future Salone Privé event, and I highly recommend it!

Clive Sutton Mustang CS850 Salon Prive 2022 London

Tags Aston Martin, Bugatti, Clive Sutton, Ferrari, Fiat 500, Mercedes, Morgan, Pininfarina, Porsche, Prodrive, Salon Prive 2022

Cars

The Best Car for London: Honda e

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date April 4, 2022

London is well known for its congestion, narrow streets, and extensive underground network, known as the tube. However, despite the ease of getting around on the London Underground, if you still wish to drive in the City, this article is for you.

A good starting point is the streets of London, which are very narrow. After the Great Fire of London of 1666, everything was consumed. That was the moment to extend the existing road width; the timing was perfect, the city would be built from scratch, and there was no better time to extend the street widths. However, things didn’t go as planned. Land owners were reluctant to sacrifice their lands for wider streets, and they wanted to keep the existing London road network. And the story ends here.

If you’ve ever been to London, you’ll have noticed that the city is like an open-air museum. Everything is old and preserved. Therefore, at this point, there is no opportunity to extend the street widths any further.

Why am I talking about street widths in relation to London? The main reason is that they are narrow. As a matter of fact, they are exceedingly narrow, and I don’t know how people drive Range Rovers or American SUVs on these streets. Nothing fits into the lanes apart from small cars, such as the Honda e!

Honda e is a tiny, rear-wheel drive, and amazingly good looking vehicle. It offers a luxurious interior within a high-tech car. It is not based on an existing petrol car; rather, the Honda E is designed from scratch to be an electric car. The Honda E’s design looks more expensive than its price tag! I saw it in Mayfair in front of luxurious residences next to Bentleys. Probably no one realised the car was a Honda.

Honda e is one of the cutest and most beautiful electric cars on the market. Even legendary car designer Frank Stephenson has supported this statement (or, in reality, I’ve supported his!). Frank gave the Honda e 10/10 in terms of design, and he made the right call. After all, Honda e is like an Apple device turned into a car.

Regarding the Honda e’s technical specifications, it has level-two semi-autonomous driving, blind spot assist, cross traffic monitor, heated steering wheel, and 360-camera. Honda E has two engine outputs, 136PS and 154PS (315 nm of torque). My advice is to ignore the 136PS and go for the powerful one. 154PS means you will choose the Honda e Advance version. Top speed? 145 km/h (90 mph). 0 to 100 km/h? 8.3-sec!

The battery capacity of the Honda e is 35.5 kWh. Battery capacity determines how much energy the vehicle’s battery can hold. EV operation efficiency, which is similar to fuel consumption, is 17.2 kWh per 100 km. Also, the maximum range of the vehicle is 218 km (136 miles).

Honda e may be a challenging car for longer journeys, but for London, it is the best car available right now. The luxury and technology you will find in the Honda e will surprise you.

So, the perfect London car – for me – is the Honda e.

Photo Credits // Honda

Tags Electric Cars, Honda, Honda e

Cars

New Range Rover vs. Old Range Rover

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date March 12, 2022

After a long break, Land Rover recently revealed its new-generation Range Rover. I previously covered the new Range Rover on my blog. The new model is better than the earlier generation, in terms of technologies, engines, and drive trains.

In terms of design, however, things are more complicated. You might already have spotted similarities between the new and old versions, especially at the front-end. As for me, I’ve been trying to notice any design differences between the two, and it’s challenging.

Both generations look exactly the same. Nevertheless, there are minor differences in the latest generation compared to the previous one.

From the side view, the new generation is not too different from its predecessor. The main difference is the door handles. The new generation has useless pop-out door handles, which tend to break down in harsh or cold weather conditions. However, it also has cleaner lines. This is an important reason why I prefer the new generation.

In terms of the rear-end, the two vehicles are entirely different. I’m still trying to get used to the look of the new generation’s rear-end, but it’s growing on me. Ultimately, it’s unique and creates an impression of a sculptured look.

I’m not an industrial designer or a car designer, and my views are just those of an enthusiastic car blogger. I hope Frank Stephenson will soon provide his review of the new Range Rover’s design.

Photos // Land Rover

Tags Land Rover, Range Rover

Cars

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ Grand Finale for The Internal Combustion Engine

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date January 27, 2022

The world’s fastest mass-production car, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, and Bugatti’s London dealer, HR Owen, has delivered three of them! Sadly, I can’t share my photos as the HR Owen Bugatti dealer is not open to the public. You can’t go into the dealer and take pictures. Once I had the chance, I guess that was all.

The Bugatti Chiron is the predecessor of the Veyron, and they share many features. Such as the engine! The W16 Bugatti engine is an engineering masterpiece from a different perspective. When the Bugatti’s W16 engine was announced at the beginning of the 2000s, the world was a different place. Massive engine displacement was somewhat part of Bugatti’s success and reaching 1001-HP was a fantastic benchmark. During those times, there was some rumour, that the W16 engine was based on two Audi V8 engines stuck together. This has never been confirmed or rejected. I guess that’s one of the automotive secrets.

Chiron Super Sport 300+ promises one thing, reaching 309 miles per hour or 498 km per hour. That is 500 km/h! This is thanks to aerodynamic revisions, an extra 100-HP and many other upgrades. Every single piece of the SuperSport 300+ is revised or redesigned to withstand this speed. The engine produces 1600-HP and 1600nm of torque. The fuel consumption is insane. I am not talking about servicing this Chiron.

For me, Chiron Super Sport 300+ is a great car and show how much we can push the limits of physics. Is it a logical car? Of course not. Does it make sense? Absolutely not. But it is an excellent piece of engineering to see how far we can push the limits of an internal combustion engine. This is probably the last fastest Bugatti with an internal combustion engine.

There are, or there were, only 30 cars available, and they are gone. Will this car pollute the world? Yes, but most of the owners will not drive it that much. You also can’t reach the top speed that easily. This is a piece of engineering; that’s how I see it, and that’s why I wish I had one. Honestly, this is the only Bugatti I wish to own. Because we won’t be able to see these figures again. I guess Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ is the grand finale for the internal combustion engine.

Pictures // Krishan Parmer

Tags Bugatti, Bugatti Chiron, Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+, HR Owen

Cars

12th Year

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date December 18, 2021

Today marks the 12th anniversary of my blog. I still can’t believe how all those years have passed. Blogging changed a lot twelve years, but I kept writing, and I will be writing.

Cars

Hyundai IONIC 5 Worth It?

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date December 14, 2021

I’ve never thought to cover the Hyundai brand on my blog before. However, many things have changed at Hyundai, especially its transition from an inferior car company to a competitive EV brand.

To be fair, though, Hyundai doesn’t create dream cars that many people want to own or drive. Their products have been excellent and logical for a long time, but they’ve never been ground-breaking until now.

The Ioniq 5 is a ground-breaking, premium electric car. And interestingly, it offers better features than the VW ID family.

Hyundai’s latest EV entry is available in either a rear-wheel drive setup or all-wheel drive (AWD). I would highly recommend the AWD setup because electric motors deliver their maximum torque at any RPM. So, it’s better to get an AWD setup to benefit from the power. In addition, interior build quality and features are substantially better than the VW ID.

Suppose you’re going to order a top-spec Ioniq 5, ticking all the boxes: eco pack, tech pack, and V2L pack. Maybe even a solid colour pack? But a solid colour pack isn’t a necessity like the other packs.

Long story short, Hyundai Ioniq 5 is a premium electric car. Unlike its competitors, including VW, Audi, and even Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai didn’t cut corners with the luxury aspect in this segment.

Regarding the electric range, this is perhaps the most crucial and annoying thing! It ranges from 383 km (238 miles) to 478 km (298 miles). Two electric motors are placed on both the front and rear axles (AWD version), delivering 305 HP of power.

Also, keep in mind that compared to traditional cars, EVs offer a larger interior space and lower centre of gravity (good for handling). Ioniq 5 not only paves the way for level 5 autonomous driving but also shows how cars will become living spaces in the future. We can see a preview of this movement with the Ioniq 5.

Would I buy the Ioniq 5? Yes. I know it’s still a Hyundai, but it’s not like the other Hyundais.

Photos // Hyundai

Tags Electric Cars, Hyundai, Hyundai IONIC 5

Cars

Is the New Range Rover Good?

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date November 5, 2021

Land Rover recently revealed its fifth-generation Range Rover. One of the most iconic SUVs in the market! We can’t ignore the fact that Range Rover created the luxury SUV segment, and other brands benefited.

Unlike the last Range Rover reveal, a picture of the new vehicle was leaked on Instagram days before the show. When even Apple can’t keep its upcoming devices secret, good luck, Land Rover!

The new Range Rover outperforms the previous generation. Land Rover’s engineers have fixed many of the old version’s problems and its lack of features. Now, the vehicle has a better infotainment system, improved interior design, and new driving assistance systems.

Despite all these efforts, the new Range Rover still lags behind the Mercedes GLE or BMW X7. Sadly, Land Rover can’t spend R&D cash like these German brands, which would otherwise allow it to top up the latest Range Rover with the latest gadgets.

For instance, the new Range Rover can’t scan the road surface and adjust the suspension firmness to eliminate the bumps. This feature is already offered by Mercedes-Benz GLE, GLS and Rolls-Royce Cullinan.

Despite the limited features, the new Range Rover didn’t remove the low range gearbox and the rear-differential lock! However, this time they are mated with 23-inch wheels. Good luck with your off-road experiences.

The most shocking part about the new Range Rover is its exterior design. It resembles the previous generation too much. And I’m not surprised by this!

The last generation’s Range Rover was a cash cow, and Land Rover clearly didn’t want to do something too different and freak out its customers. With competitors like the Bentley Bentayga and Rolls Royce Cullinan competing for ugliest SUV, Range Rover needed to play it safe, and they did it well.

A similar strategy was used in the iconic design approach of the Porsche 911. Every Porsche 911 has looked exactly the same since the first one. Land Rover could be planning to implement this design strategy for future Range Rovers. So, do you expect the upcoming Range Rover to look the same? Maybe?

I’m not a designer. However, I still want to see meaningful design improvements with every new Range Rover. Despite my negative feelings towards the Range Rover due to its lack of technology, I still love the way its off-road abilities are wrapped up in luxury.

Would I buy one? Yes – and I’ll moan about it whenever I’m not off-roading.

Photos // Land Rover

Tags Land Rover, Range Rover

Cars

What is That Truck/Lorry in Clean Bandit feat Wes Nelson Drive Song?

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date October 5, 2021

British music group Clean Bandit recently released their latest song, Drive feat. Wes Nelson.

If you’ve watched the music video, you may have spotted a white lorry driving through space toward the Sun. Interestingly, in this scene, the driver isn’t wearing a seatbelt.

Rightly so, you might be asking, “What’s a truck doing in Clean Bandit’s Drive?”

Here’s my answer: the lorry in Clean Bandit’s latest music video is a MAN TGM 18.290. This is a commercial vehicle designed for short- and long-haul journeys. It is capable of carrying up to 18-tonne and powered by a 6.9-lt six-cylinder inline turbo diesel generates 290-hp (euro 6). Probably the tonnage and the euro 6 emission level will not make any sense in space!

More details https://www.man.eu/uk/en/trucks/all-models/the-man-tgm-and-man-tgl/overview/tgm_l-overview.html

Sadly, the MAN TGM isn’t designed to withstand the pressures of traveling to the Sun, and its engine won’t run in space. As we all know, there is no air in Space, and diesel engines need air to run.

MAN was founded in 1758 in Germany. Now, the company is called MAN Truck & Bus. It’s a subsidiary of VW Group. Notably, MAN invented the diesel engine along with Rudolf Diesel, but that’s another long story!

I’m not sure why Clean Bandit chose to feature a MAN TGM in their music video. Also, the journey to the Sun is likely to be a tough one. Most importantly, I would strongly recommend that the driver wear a seatbelt! As is common knowledge, there is no friction in space, and when you stop, you stop quickly.

Also, when the MAN TGM approaches the Sun too closely, the entire lorry will start to melt and spin around the orbit of the Sun. In all likelihood, it will be a scorching journey!

Anyway, Drive is another great song from Clean Bandit. I’m looking forward to seeing what vehicle they decide to use for their next music video.

By the way, if the MAN truck featured in the video isn’t a TGL, please let me know. Unfortunately, in the video, it’s hard to make out the model badge on the vehicle.

Watch Clean Bandit Drive feat. Wes Nelson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrB8wB49z7c

Tags Clean Bandit, Clean Bandit feat Wes Nelson Drive, MAN, MAN TGM

Cars

How will Car Companies Make Profit from Electric Cars?

Post author By Uygar Kilic
Post date September 21, 2021

Over the last three years, we have witnessed a considerable increase in the number of electric cars in the market. Starting with Tesla, many other manufacturers introduced electric vehicles in their range of models, including Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi.

This trend is not something new, and it was ignited by Tesla. Early in 2013, BMW introduced the i3 and i8 models. At this point, there were only a few electric cars. Now, Mercedes literally offers every ICE car in an electric version. BMW and Audi are going in that direction as well. I am sure VW Group will implement this strategy in the rest of their brands.

All of this is good news for the consumer, and it’s nice to see a shift from ICE to electric cars. The rise of electric vehicles in the market will increase competition, quality, and the range of choices.

There is one thing unique to electric cars, and many people haven’t realised it yet. They realised it as a benefit! Servicing! Electric vehicles have literally no moving parts. The Porsche Taycan is the only electric car with an automatic gearbox.

Electric motors don’t need servicing. This is because there is no engine oil, air filter, spark plugs, clutches, or catalysers. As a result, servicing your electric car will be cheap. Probably, brake pads and brake fluid will need to be replaced from time to time. You may also need to check the condition of the electric motor, and maybe few other bits.

This is good for consumers but bad for car companies. These companies make lots of profit from servicing. Manufacturing a car is an expensive process, but servicing it is really easy! So, the profit margin for servicing a vehicle is high.

Given the limited servicing frame for electric vehicles, then, how will car companies compensate for the lost profit? One option is to increase the price, but this may backfire.

Now let’s have a look at Apple’s business model. You buy an iPad and keep it for a long time; Apple can’t sell you an additional iPad that easily. So, how does Apple make a profit from you? The answer is, again, services! These include Apple Music, Apple TV+, and all the other apps you’ve subscribed to. Your iPad is nothing without those services.

I believe the car industry may go in a similar direction. That’s to say, after you buy your electric car, you may be required to pay a subscription fee if you wish to use services.

Mercedes-Benz is already doing something similar with its EQS. You have to pay for it if you want to have extended angle rear-wheel steering, and Mercedes-Benz will enable it over-the-air. This model is similar to how Apple’s AppStore used to work. If you pay once, the model doesn’t work; everything needs to be on subscription.

Over the next ten years, we will probably see car manufacturers rolling out many subscription services to compensate for the financial loss of vehicle servicing.

Photos Daimler

Tags Electric Cars, Mercedes, Mercedes EQS