Monthly Archives: February 2021

Front passenger's side view of the Karma GS-6

KARMA AUTOMOTIVE LAUNCHES GS-6 SERIES, DRIVING CONSUMER PASSION FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN “NEW LUXURY” SEGMENT

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Posted in Uncategorized

The next evolution of sophisticated luxury is here with the introduction of the GS-6 Series from Karma Automotive, a southern California-based producer of luxury electric vehicles. The first model to be produced in the new series is called the GS-6, and while it will retain the same exotic design of the award-winning Revero GT®, it will be offered at a more attainable price point for drivers who want the environmental benefits of an electric vehicle, without sacrificing design or performance.

“Our brand promise at Karma has always been to provide high-end luxury vehicles and technologies that are driven by innovation and inspire our drivers’ ambitions with new and unique offerings,” said Dr. Lance Zhou, PhD, Karma’s CEO. “As we look to the future, we believe we will change the world of mobility by making luxury electric vehicles more accessible.”

The combination of stimulating design, confidence-inspiring driving and technology, and an aggressively-priced manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) starting at $83,900*, the GS-6 extended range electric vehicle (EREV) is a formidable competitor in the “new luxury” sedan segment. Available now, the GS-6 is offered in three variants: Standard, Luxury, and Sport, with the anticipated all-electric GSe-6, the brand’s first-ever pure battery electric vehicle (BEV), available later in the year starting at $79,900*.

All GS-6 models benefit from the exclusive design and craftsmanship that Karma Automotive is known for, while offering high-tech customization that allows every Karma to be personal and special to its owner. The GS-6 family is available with convenience and safety features including an Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) which features Adaptive Cruise Control (with “Stop & Go” feature), Lane Keep Support (LKS, with hands-off detection/warning and haptic steering wheel response for unintended lane departure), Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA), 360-degree Surround View Cameras System (SVCS), and Parking Distance Monitoring (PDM). The haptic steering wheel can also control audio and phone functions, cameras, driving modes, the adaptive cruise control and the 3-mode regenerative braking system. The GS-6 also has heated power side view mirrors, eight airbags, an anti-theft alarm, Over-the-Air (OTA) remote diagnostics and software update functionality, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto™, and integrates Karma mobile app support.

The GS-6 Series has Karma’s class-leading powertrain and new vehicle warranty: 8-year/80,000-mile powertrain limited warranty; 4-year/50,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty; 6-year unlimited anti-corrosion/perforation limited warranty; and 4-year/50,000 mileage roadside assistance program.

Confidence-Inspiring Performance

Assembled at Karma’s Innovation and Customization Center (KICC) in Moreno Valley, California, which has offered world-class engineering, design, customization and manufacturing services along with electrification platforms since it opened in 2017. The 28 kW HV battery pack together with a 1.5-liter turbocharged powerplant mated to an onboard generator provides electricity to the 400 kW 2-motor propulsion system that offers a compelling combination of drivability, performance and efficiency. This setup provides 536 horsepower and 550 lb-ft torque. All options incorporate Karma’s advanced regenerative braking system.

Beautiful, Functional Design

Karma vehicles have a long and well-established reputation for excellent design and the GS-6 is no exception with focused customization options, including elements like reclaimed wood salvaged from California wildfires, carbon fiber and a range of five interior leather color combinations. New for 2021, Karma has introduced two new exterior colors – Saguaro Green and Imperial Copper – that will join a diverse palette comprised of 10 other California-themed hues. The GS-6 will also offer a black-out option and various exterior carbon fiber elements.

The GS-6 and GS-6L will come standard with 21-inch Cascade Silver wheels and slate-colored Brembo disc brake calipers, while the top-of-the line GS-6S will come standard with 22-inch Dune Twist Midnight Chrome wheels with red Brembo calipers mated to vented discs. Optional caliper colors also include silver, blue, yellow and two shades of orange and certain trim levels include options for either 21- or 22-inch wheels and surface finishes.

Human Machine Interface (HMI)

The high-resolution connected displays in the GS-6 serve as the information hubs for tech-forward drivers, controlling the vehicle systems such as steering feel, accelerator pedal aggressiveness, ADAS behavior, HVAC, audio functions, camera displays, and other vehicle systems. Using Bluetooth connectivity, a driver’s phone can used to activate Apple CarPlay™, Android Auto™ and their in-car ecosystems. In addition, the center display on the GS-6 features personalized comfort zones for heated and vented seats, mirrors, temperature, audio and lighting.

Upon accessing the “Energy” page via the center-mounted touch-screen, the driver can enter “Track Mode” which provides several statistics including energy flow, tire pressure and temperature, speed, torque, lap times, g-forces, energy usage, battery function, engine temperature, fuel usage and driving history. The “Driver Stats” page holds the vehicle’s achievement records and can encourage them to “beat” their previous records for racetrack environments or driving efficiency.

The “Energy History” page provides current and historical energy usage, where energy-conscious drivers can monitor the vehicles efficiency over various trips and receive an energy efficiency score, as well as displaying a multitude of other dials and data points.

Karma App

The Karma app functions as a controller offering drivers access to the vehicle’s location, remote preconditioning, door lock-unlock, charge scheduling, vehicle health reporting and an Augmented Reality (AR) user manual.

Firmware Over the Air (FOTA)

Cellular connectivity provides bidirectional software connectivity for remote diagnostics and continuous updates and upgrades helping the vehicle systems remain current and even improve over time.

Karma Extended Range EV Technology

The GS-6 is designed as an “extended-range electric vehicle” or “EREV” to help mitigate consumer range anxiety fears. This range extender setup uses an on-board generator to create electricity which powers the motors propelling the wheels. The vehicle utilizes a transversely mounted, twin-motor, Rear Drive Module (RDM) that includes torque vectoring in the GS-6S variant. The 28-kWh battery pack is good for up to 80 miles of pure electric range and 360 miles of total range[1].

The GS-6 uses inverters developed in-house by Karma’s powertrain team that converts DC current from the battery pack and/or generator to power the AC drive motors, and to capture AC power from the regenerative braking system to recharge the battery pack. A single-speed gearbox sits between the twin motors. Because the inverters are integrated with the drive motors, the RDM is an extremely compact and lightweight package.

Three Driving Modes

An efficient, three-cylinder, 1.5-liter, turbocharged powerplant acts as the GS-6’s range-extender. In “Stealth” driving mode, the vehicle is powered by the battery only. In “Sustain” mode, the generator creates electricity to power the vehicle. In “Sport” mode, power is provided to the traction motors from both the battery and the generator. To enhance the driving experience, Karma also implemented an active exhaust system specifically programmed to provide a throaty, sporty note when driving in Sport mode.

Safety is a Priority

To further enhance driver confidence and with vehicle safety at the top of customers’ purchase considerations, Karma has developed and integrated several Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) safety features in the GS-6, including the following technologies:

  • Lane Keeping Assist (LKA) – Combine a forward-facing camera to detect lane markings with an electric steering system, alerting drivers through haptic feedback when they are about to cross lines.
  • Lane Keeping Support (LKS) – Combine a forward-facing camera to detect lane markings with an electric steering system, actively keeping the vehicle in the center of the lane.
  • Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) – Automatically steps in to prevent a collision and is a vital piece of safety technology in all new Karma products.
  • Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with “Stop & Go” feature – Accelerates or brakes to maintain a set distance from the car ahead to relieve the stress of operating the accelerator pedal in many cruising conditions. The ACC system can bring the vehicle to a complete stop in normal traffic situations with ‘Resume’ available for extended stops.
  • Blind Spot Monitor – Vehicle-based sensors that detect other vehicles located to the driver’s side and rear and provides user-selectable visual, audible, and haptic steering wheel warnings.
  • Curve Adaptive Headlights – As the driver turns the steering wheel left or right the headlights pivot in that direction to better illuminate what’s in the vehicle’s path and a side camera view can be shown on the center display.
  • Surround View Camera System – Front and rear cameras, side view curb cameras, and a 360-degree overhead vehicle view combine to provide a birds-eye view of your car on the center display. The visual information is reinforced with audible warnings if the vehicle is too close to an obstruction.

More Attainable Pricing

As previously announced, the Revero GT nameplate will be moving up-market in future variants, while the GS-6 will now occupy a slot in the Karma lineup at a much more attainable price-point for entry luxury buyers.

“We’re proud that we have been designing, engineering, producing, selling and servicing luxury EV vehicles for years now, which is something other EV startups can’t say,” said Joost de Vries, Karma’s VP of Global Sales and Customer Experience. “The GS-6 with its more attainable price point, combined with a long list of standard and available convenience features and luxurious design, will appeal to a much larger audience.”

The GS-6 Series

In addition to the GS-6 EREV, 2021 will see Karma Automotive offer it’s first-ever all-electric vehicle, the GSe-6. With a starting manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $79,900*, the U.S.-built vehicle will include a new all-battery powertrain configuration expanding the automaker’s reach in the competitive pure EV market.

Drivers who are interested in securing their GSe-6 please contact one of our Karma specialist.

Side view of the Rolls-Royce Phantom Tempus with front and back doors open

Introducing Phantom Tempus

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Posted in Rolls-Royce

Rolls-Royce Phantom, the marque’s pinnacle product, which resides at the apex of the luxury world, has today become the subject of an exclusive and rare collection, the Phantom Tempus Collection. This arresting new iteration of Phantom is inspired by Time – how it passes, and how it can be made seemingly to stand still.  The Collection is strictly limited to just 20 examples, all of which have already been allocated to clients.

The design of the Phantom Tempus Collection encompasses various aesthetic and intellectual themes relating to time and the cosmos. A key component is a rare astronomical phenomenon, the pulsar, unknown until 1967 and found only in the deepest reaches of space (the nearest yet discovered is 280 light years, or 1,680 trillion miles, from Earth). These very dense, white-hot stars emit electromagnetic radiation in extremely regular pulses, making them some of the most accurate clocks in the universe.

In Phantom Tempus, this remarkable force of nature is rendered as a centrepiece in a Bespoke Starlight Headliner consisting of fibre-optic lighting and intricate Bespoke embroidery, creating the unique and beautiful Pulsar Headliner.

Another aspect of time – the illusion of its standing still – is captured in the ‘Frozen Flow of Time’ Gallery. This unique artwork is housed in the fascia from which the clock is deliberately omitted to signify patrons’ freedom from time and its limitations. A single billet of aluminium is milled to form 100 individually contoured columns, representing the 100-million-year period of a rotational spin of a pulsar star. Each column is black-anodised and hand-polished to reflect the light. As the eye travels along it, the whole structure, though entirely solid, appears to ripple and flex.

A description of the Gallery can be found on an engraved plaque in the glove compartment, together with a quotation from Albert Einstein, “The distinction between past, present, and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion“.

A swirling, twisting pattern of stars is presented on the interior of the doors. Created by hundreds of illuminated perforations, additional perforations in contrasting leather add a greater depth and detail to the effect, providing an atmospheric aura even when not illuminated.

The exterior of the Phantom Tempus Collection is presented in a new Bespoke paint finish, Kairos Blue, created to embody the darkness and mystery of space. The paint incorporates jewel-like blue mica flakes, which glitter and glint as they catch the light, representing the stars. This effect is highlighted by black exterior detailing.

Gracing the bonnet of Phantom Tempus is the Spirit of Ecstasy, now in her 110th year, personalised with a unique date and location of particular significance to the client. A marriage, the birth of a child or even a major business success, can be engraved as a timeless reminder on the base of the iconic figurine.

As a finishing flourish, a unique accessory has been developed to accompany the Collection. Based on the widely acclaimed Rolls-Royce Champagne Chest, the Tempus Champagne Chest incorporates a distinctive element of the Collection. A pulsar artwork is hand-painted onto the table, below which, the perfectly appointed chest houses thermal flasks for chilling both champagne and caviar, four hand-blown crystal champagne flutes arranged to evoke the cylinders of a V12 engine and a fine mother-of-pearl caviar spoon.

For inquiries, please contact us for further details.

The W12 Engine

FIRST CUSTOMER BACALAR W12 ENGINE COMPLETES TESTING

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Posted in Bentley

Producing 659 PS (650 bhp) and 900 Nm (667 lb.ft) of torque, the engine for the first customer Bentley Mulliner Bacalar has now completed assembly and production testing at Bentley’s center of excellence for W12 engines.  The Bacalar spearheads a return to coachbuilding by Bentley Mulliner and features an enhanced version of Bentley’s peerless 6.0-liter, W12 TSI engine, the most advanced 12-cylinder engine in the world.  Since the first introduction of the twin-turbocharger W12 in 2003, the refinement of the engine has seen an increase of up to 27 percent in power, 38 percent in torque and a reduction of 28 percent in emissions. This has been realized through evolution and optimization of the crankcase, improvements in the oil and cooling systems, twin-scroll turbocharging technology and more effective injection and combustion processes. Each W12 engine is hand-built over 6.5 hours by a team of 45 craftspeople before undertaking a highly sophisticated test regime of over an hour via three specialist diagnostic machines during the engines assemble. The testing not only provides feedback on the quality of each engine but also provides multiple checkpoints to catalog the exact behavior of each engine from the moment of manufacture. Quality Guaranteed Through Testing The three tests that the Bacalar engine has already been put through are part of Bentley’s exceptional quality control processes. The first test is for leakage and can be undertaken after the engine has been assembled to the point that fuel, water and oil systems can be closed – a production stage known as a “short engine”. The leakage test is conducted by pressurizing each of the systems, for fuel, oil and water individually. The different cavities are pressurized to values between 0.2 – 5.0 bar respectively and then measured whilst the pressure decays over time. The reduction in pressure versus time represents the quality of the sealing of the engine assembly. If the pressure drops faster than expected, a leak is indicated. A fluid is sprayed on to the exterior of the engine to pin-point any leakage paths. The second and most advanced test is Cold Test. The engine is loaded on to a testbed plate and connections are made to the engine loom and all engine systems, whilst a large electric motor couples to the engine via the crankshaft.  “Motoring” the engine via the crankshaft allows the testbed to collect data from a suite of sensors. The facility measures 600 individual properties and characteristics of the engine during a 15-minute cycle. Due to the low running speed of 120 RPM for the test, finer details and any inconsistencies can be identified thanks to a sample rate that highlights even the briefest of anomalies that would be invisible if the engine was firing or running at speed. This fine detail analysis is also valuable for confirming the precise timing of the engine. Using positioning information from sensors on the crankshaft, crankcase and camshafts along with cylinder compression values, the Cold Test can confirm the engine timing is accurate and therefore achieving the best possible combustion cycle.  In order to gather cylinder-specific data, Cold Test is carried out before the exhaust manifolds, turbochargers and other ancillaries are fitted. The third and final test – Hot Test – checks the complete engine assembly once these parts are installed, and simulates real world usage in the vehicle.  When the engine arrives for hot testing, a UV dye is added to the engine to help identify any leaks. The coolant and fuel system are pressurized with air and nitrogen respectively for a final check before introducing the necessary fluids ready for testing. The engine is cranked to build oil pressure before the ignition system is energized and then left to idle whilst the engine test technician listens for any refinement issues and checks for leaks with a UV lamp. Each W12 is then tested for a minimum of 21.5 minutes and runs up to 3,800 rpm with a maximum load of 300 Nm. One in every one hundred engines receives a full eight-hour power test, achieving 6,000 RPM, and must achieve 900Nm. Since the installation of the three testbeds in 2002, over 100,000 W12 engines have been handcrafted in Crewe and passed through the test facility. Engine Technology Advancements Bentley’s legendary 6.0-litre twin-turbocharged W12, created in 2002, has evolved into the latest iteration of W12 engine used across today’s current model range. The unique W-configuration means that the engine is 24 per cent shorter than an equivalent V12, benefitting packaging and maximizing usable cabin space. The latest generation of W12 was launched in the Bentayga in 2016. A thoroughly reworked engine included a crankcase 30 percent stronger than its predecessor, while the cylinder surfaces were coated to reduce friction and improve corrosion resistance. A low-alloy steel coating is applied to the bores using an Atmospheric Plasma Spray (APS) process. Improvements were also made to the cooling system, with the engine featuring three separate coolant circuits. The first is designed to bring the cylinder heads up to optimum operating temperature as quickly as possible for best engine performance and low emissions. The second cools the engine block and oil system, while the third handles the thermal load of the turbochargers. Each system has a dedicated water pump, allowing optimized individual control. The W12 combines high-pressure direct fuel injection (200 bar injection pressure) with low-pressure port injection (six bar). The combination of these two systems maximizes refinement, lowers particulate emissions and optimizes power and torque delivery.  Twin-scroll turbochargers minimize turbo response time and provide a more efficient exhaust package. The exhaust assemblies for the three front and three rear cylinders are separate from one another which then feed the twin-scroll impellers. The turbocharger housing is welded directly to the exhaust manifolds and feature integrated speed sensors, allowing the engine to monitor turbo performance for maximum efficiency. Bentley’s Variable Displacement system shuts down half of the engine under defined conditions. Intake and exhaust valves, fuel injection and ignition are all shut down on defined cylinders, with the engine running as a six-cylinder for improved efficiency. The system will run in this mode in gears three to eight, below 3,000 rpm and up to 300 Nm torque output.