The DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) is a touring car series sanctioned by the German motorsports federation. The series is mostly based in Germany but has rounds elsewhere including Belgium and the Netherlands, Manufacturers taking part in the series include Audi and BMW while the vehicles used are based on mass-produced road cars.

The first natural fibre parts using bcomp’s flax fibre technologies have already been validated by BMW Motorsport and Audi Sport during the last DTM tests in Jerez (SPA) and Vallelunga (IT). As a result, the technologies are being introduced into mandatory parts and the technical regulations to enable a direct material changeover from carbon fibre to natural fibres on further applications.

With high exposure to contact, the DTM shoebox is a typical motorsport bodywork wear part which needs to be replaced or repaired after almost every race. With Bcomp’s natural fibre technologies the part can achieve the same weight as with carbon fibre while additionally taking advantage of the anti-splintering and environmental benefits.

Bcomp’s patented powerRibs reinforcement grid, has the same weight as carbon fibre parts, but significantly lower the eco-footprint, improving cost-efficiency, and eliminating the risk of sharp carbon fibre debris.

Further parts to showcase the potential to transfer the sustainable lightweighting solutions from race to road are already in development and will be introduced by the DTM and Bcomp through-out the season.

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The breathing aid, known as Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), has been used extensively in hospitals in Italy and China to help Covid-19 patients with serious lung infections to breathe more easily when oxygen alone is insufficient.

Since Wednesday 18^th March, engineers at UCL and HPP and clinicians at UCLH have been working round the clock at UCL’s engineering hub MechSpace to reverse engineer a device that can be produced rapidly by the thousands. This has now been recommended for use by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

This breathing aid was produced within a rapid timeframe – it took fewer than 100 hours from the initial meeting to production of the first device. One hundred devices are to be delivered to UCLH for clinical trials, with rapid roll-out to hospitals around the country ahead of the predicted surge in Covid-19 hospital admissions.

The collaboration, supported by the National Institute for Health Research UCLH Biomedical Research Centre, demonstrates the way that universities, the NHS and industry are coming together to help the national response to the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak, by providing vital technologies to the NHS which can enable them to care for patients who require respiratory support.

Reports from Italy indicate that approximately 50% of patients given CPAP have avoided the need for invasive mechanical ventilation. However, such devices are in short supply in UK hospitals.

These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill

UCLH critical care consultant Professor Mervyn Singer (UCL Medicine)

CPAP machines are routinely used by the NHS to support patients in a hospital or at home with breathing difficulties. They work by pushing an air-oxygen mix into the mouth and nose at a continuous rate, keeping airways open and increasing the amount of oxygen entering the lungs. Invasive ventilators deliver breaths directly into the lungs but require heavy sedation and connection to a tube placed into the patient’s trachea (windpipe).

Project Pitlane is a collective of UK-based Formula 1 teams and their respective technology arms coordinating a response to the UK government’s call for assistance with the manufacture of medical devices. It will pool the resources and capabilities of its member teams, focusing on the core skills of the F1 industry: rapid design, prototype manufacture, test and skilled assembly. F1’s ability to respond rapidly to engineering and technological challenges allows the group to add value to the wider engineering industry’s response.

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The boat’s construction has been focused on using lightweight materials, Its raked hardtop is made completely of carbon fibre, reducing the vertical centre of gravity for better handling, while carbon fibre also features throughout its superstructure, with carbon-capped stringers and a carbon-fibre transom. The hull and deck are vacuum infused using a composite laminate schedule with PVC coring. The instrument panel is a nano-coated solid surface that is anti-reflective and heat-resistant, which also features titanium fasteners. 

Power comes from six 4.6-litre V8 Mercury Racing 450R engines, which combine to create 2,662bhp, resulting in a top speed of 80mph. It comes with a gyrostabiliser which decreases the boat’s roll by 80 per cent, which is particularly handy when stationary in choppy water. The boat also features both bow and stern thrusters, making docking very simple.

The gold AMG diamond pattern features prominently on the black metallic exterior of the boat while the cabin features handcrafted leather upholstery. Below deck, there’s a sofa with a cabinet concealing a fridge, extra storage and TV while a king-size bed with a large bathroom and shower is located further forward.

A matching Mercedes-AMG G 63 SUV was revealed alongside the boat, sporting the same black and gold livery and leather upholstery while the steering wheel is made from carbon fibre with dark Nappa leather to finish it off.

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The first thing that hits you with the car is the number of bits that light up. The car has a total of 940 individual LED’s floating in three-dimensional space to make up the front grille and 229 for the backlight system which is integrated into the bodywork. Mercedes believes digital light technology allows the car to interact with different environments adding both style and safety.

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With motors at both the front and back axles, the batteries will kick out around 469bhp getting you to 60 in just under 4.5 seconds and has a top speed of 124mph. The vehicle’s body is based on a mix of steel, aluminium and carbon fibre composites along with sustainable recycled products.

In terms of distance on a full charge, Mercedes say the EQS will go up to 430 miles without needing a charging station and if you do need to stop it would take less than 20 minutes to recharge up to 80% of the cars juice.

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Mercedes say that the interior of the car is based on the “world of luxury yachts” The occupants sit in Crystal-white DINAMICA microfibre seats while the floor area and door centre panels are in bright white. The central touch screen display allows you to control the vehicle’s functions and the screens displayed on the driver’s and front passenger seats allow customisation of the driving experience using Mercedes me ID. 

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The Mercedes-Benz Style Edition Garia Golf Car has been built from carbon fibre composites and comes complete with leather seats, LED headlamps and a heated windscreen.

The car has also been equipped with a fridge to store those essential on green beverages and snacks and an integrated onboard 10.1-inch touchpad which controls many functions and can display the layout of the golf course and their current position, or if desired activate an electronic score card.

The cart is powered by a lithium-ion battery which will give it a 50-mile range with a top speed of 19mph, a full charge will take six hours. No information has yet been released on price, and you’ll have to wait if you want to get hold of one as Mercedes isn’t planning to release it for sale until next year.

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Performance wise, the 417 sports a six cylinder 455 bhp engine, combine that with the adaptive adjustable damping system which comes as standard along with the unique Active Body Control ABC and the car delivers sporty lateral dynamics with top sporting performance.

The special edition comes as standard with a magnetite black metallic paint finish, red colour ways are featured on the front and rear carbon fibre spoiler to contrast with the matt carbon finish. The same red is used on the brake callipers which glint through the spokes of the AMG performance wheels.

On the inside Mercedes has further upgraded the cockpit with high quality materials and german craftsmanship. The AMG lined seats and leather headrests sport an embossed carbon structure and an embroidered “SL Mille Miglia” label. Red edging also outlines the black door centre panels with red armrests. The easy-to-grip steering wheel is wrapped in red and black nappa leather with sporty embossed carbon structures.

The Mille Miglia 417 is available as an SL 400 and as an SL 500 model and can can be ordered from 7th April with prices still to be confirmed.

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Last year Mercedes released the AMG G63, a 6 wheeled off-road beast of a vehicle as tested by the Hamster on Top Gear last year (see video below). With a price of €379,000 it quickly became popular with rich oligarchs, oil sheiks and wealthy Chinese ordering the G special model, the elite clientele demanded extensive customisation, wanting their off-roaders to match their personal tastes.

This is where Mansory steps in, located in Bavaria, the company uses its own range of upgrade products for the G63/G65 and supplements this with exclusive new developments. In addition to the body parts made of visible carbon fibre and extensive interior modifications, Mansory also offers a generous increase in power output up to 840 PS. To this end, they had to completely rework the AMG 8 cylinder twin turbo and install racing components. The pistons, connecting rods, big end bearings, crankshaft, cylinder head and many other parts have been replaced. Together with the newly designed exhaust system, from the manifold to the stainless steel double end pipes, outstanding performance data is achieved. Instead of 544 PS (400 kW), the Mansory modified version achieves an impressive 840 PS (618 kW), while the maximum torque rises to an electronically limited 1,000 Newton metres.

The optics of the 6×6 also receive a distinctive new look: New main headlights are the centrepiece of the new light elements design. In combination with the new grille and bonnet, the front end is given a typical Mansory look. Only the finest visible carbon, baked in the in-house autoclaves, is used and supplements the series-produced components made of carbon fibre: The company also manufactures the mirror housings, the engine side ventilators, rear skirt as well as the air guide elements of the front skirt out of ultra light composite material.

Depending on how much carbon fibre you can take, the company can also upgrade the interior as well with carbon parts. In cooperation with the design department, the in house upholstery shop has implemented a carbon design with contrasting elements, which transfers the concept of the exterior to the interior of the vehicle.

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Numerous components from the SLS AMG Coupè Electric Drive have been integrated in the design of the Cigarette, the high-performance drive fitted in the electric super sports car makes the off-shore powerboat the world’s most powerful and fastest electrically driven motor boat. With an output of 1656 Kilowatts (2,220hp) and a maximum torque of 3000 Newton metres (2,213 ft-lb,)

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The 38 foot (11.6 metre) long powerboat is finished in AMG Electricbeam magno – the matt chrome paintwork exclusively reserved for the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive The design features also exemplify the transfer of technology from the gullwing to the powerboat. Mercedes-AMG uses two drive units, each featuring six independent electric motors. At the rear of the boat, each drive unit has its own transmission, the boat is fitted with the twelve compact, liquid-cooled permanent-magnet synchronous electric motors.

Each electric motor delivers 138 kW and 250 Newton metres. The maximum output of 1656 Kilowatts and maximum torque of 3000 Newton metres combine to reach a staggering top speed of over 160 km/h making this the world’s fastest electrically driven powerboat.

The liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery has a maximum voltage of 400 V. It consists of 12 modules each comprising 72 lithium-ion cells. Cigarette integrates four high-tech batteries with a total of 48 modules and 3456 cells which generate a total capacity of 240 Kilowatt hours and an electric output of 2400 Kilowatts.

The boat is fitted with two 22-Kilowatt on-board chargers from the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive as standard. Adapted to fit the infrastructure standard of many American marinas, the boat has a charging capacity of 44 Kilowatts. The battery is fully charged in approximately seven hours. To reduce the charging time to less than three hours, the powerboat can be fitted with four on-board chargers as an option.

Onboard the racing sports seats are matched with various carbon fibre composite elements in the cockpit. The display concept of the SLS AMG Coupe Electric Drive can also be found behind the steering wheel: fitted with dials in the exclusive “AMG Electricbeam magno” paint finish and sporting AMG logos, the displays provide information about the current motor output, the speed, battery voltage and of course the battery’s state of charge.

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