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CHAIRMANSheikh Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani

EDITOR-IN-CHIEFDr. Khalid Mubarak Al-Shafi

ACTING MANAGING EDITORMohammed Salim Mohamed

ADVERTISING MANAGERALI WAHBA

SUPPLEMENT EDITORPramod Prabhakaran

Advertising Coordinator Muhammad Shammas

DESIGNAbraham Augusthy

PRODUCTIONViswanath Sarma

IMAGE PROCESSINGMohd Sajad Sahir

The all-new 2017 Acadia – a reimag-ined crossover aimed at the heart of the midsize segment pioneers a much needed safety feature in the Middle East. The Rear Seat

Reminder is an innovation that aims to reduce incidents of forgotten items left in the rear seat, and is standard on every MY17 Acadia

The technology acts as a reminder to look in the rear seat once the Acadia is switched off.

“Rear Seat Reminder speaks volumes of the intention of GMC to provide innovations that are useful to our core customers. The

2017 Acadia is an all-new design that mainly caters to families and active individuals. This unique feature helps protect any precious cargo the driver might have left in the back seat. And in our region, , it could prove crit-ical if anything is forgotten in the back seat, especially in the summer heat, where cabin temperatures can quickly rise to over 70 degrees centigrade in a matter of minutes.” Said Mohsen Kassem, Regional Marketing and Sales Manager, GMC Middle East.

He added: “Over the past few years, we have witnessed local authorities in the region, as well as child protection groups, with the support of the media, take this issue to heart and raise awareness. Therefore, we sincerely hope that this feature could help minimize the occurrence and avoid unnecessary trage-dies in the new Acadia, and all our cars once this technology proliferates.”

The Rear Seat Reminder works by moni-toring the Acadia’s rear doors. The feature is intended to activate when either rear door is opened and closed within 10 minutes before the vehicle is started, or if they are opened and closed while the vehicle is running. Under these circumstances, the next time the vehicle is turned off after a door acti-vation, the Acadia is designed to sound five audible chimes and display a message in the driver information center that reads, “Rear Seat Reminder / Look in Rear Seat.”

The feature cannot detect items in the

backseat, so it is always important to check the rear seat prior to exiting the vehicle.

The 2017 GMC Acadia also includes a number of active safety features designed to help make drivers more aware of their sur-roundings avoid potential crash situations even in base trim. They are available depend-ing on the model and include:

• New Front Pedestrian Braking• New Low Speed Forward Automatic

Braking (standard on SLT-2 and Denali)• New Forward Automatic Braking (avail-

able on Denali)• New Following Distance Indicator • New IntelliBeam automatic headlamp

high-beam control• New Surround Vision camera system • New Safety Alert Seat• Forward Collision Alert• Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure

Warning• Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone

Alert• Front and Rear Parking Assist.The new Acadia offers a more-efficient

powertrain, while continuing to offer three rows of seating on most models. The pre-mium Acadia Denali returns, along with a new All Terrain model offering enhanced off-road capability.

The new 2017 Acadia goes on sale in the Middle East in the fall, almost a decade after its original introduction.

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All-new 2017 GMC Acadia introduces industry-first feature to help busy drivers. Contains an expanded range of available active safety features, including Front Pedestrian Braking and Surround Vision Camera.

WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 20162

Seemingly out of nowhere, Mazda has emerged to become one of the most exciting automakers in the world. While Honda is trying to keep pace, Nissan focuses on building volume-sellers, and Toy-

ota battles with Volkswagen AG and General Motors to remain the world’s largest auto-maker, Mazda has developed one of the most competitive and well-rounded lineups in the world, bringing some long-overdue atten-tion to the small brand. The 2014 and 2015 have been the most profitable in the com-pany’s 94 year history, with growth in all global markets, and the company is already on track to have an even better 2016.

Mazda has always been an outsider com-pared to the other major automakers, and its longtime niche status has given the com-pany freedom to develop a unique design language all its own. After maintaining a cult following for decades, its impressive new lineup is bringing a growing number of buyers into showrooms, proving that its years as one of the most unique automak-ers in the world is finally starting to pay off.

Few automakers have a history as unique and tumultuous as Mazda’s. The company was founded in 1920 as a machine shop in Hiroshima, a city not known for heavy indus-try. In 1931, the company introduced its first vehicle, a three-wheeled motorcycle called the Mazda Go, and during World War II, the company built rifles for the Japanese Army. After the nuclear disaster and enduring the spirit of challenge, Mazda resumed building its three-wheelers, eventually graduating to building light trucks.

In 1960, it released its first car, the R360 (beating Honda’s first car to market by three years), which became an instant success in Japan’s burgeoning “kei car” segment. Within a few years, Mazda’s engineers began to look to the future, and invested in an avant-garde new engine that had the potential to revolu-tionize the automotive industry, and would come to define the company: the Wankel rotary engine.

Unlike a conventional internal combus-tion engine, the rotary utilizes a lightweight, compact design that replaces pistons with a triangular rotor, making the rotary a simpler

engine with fewer moving parts, smoother performance, and higher revolutions per minute. Developed by German company NSU, Mazda licensed the technology and set about building a radical car that lived up to its new power plant. The Cosmo Sport was introduced in 1967, and gave Mazda nearly

instant credibility in the nascent Japanese performance car market. By the end of the decade, the company felt confident enough to begin selling cars in the US, entering a market where even the largest Japanese auto-makers were struggling to win over buyers.

Mazda sought to differentiate itself with its

rotary technology, which was so popular by the early 1970s. The company enjoyed early success in America with the small Mazda Rotary Pickup, designed exclusively for the American market, and its RX-2 and RX-3 sporty cars. Unfortunately, the success was short-lived as the company plunged into

turmoil during the fuel crisis of the mid-1970s. While the rotary engine had definite benefits over standard engines, they were less fuel efficient, produced higher emissions, and had shorter lifespans. By the mid-1970s, Mazda had largely shifted focus back to conven-tional engines, tuning the rotary for increased performance and making it exclusive to one model: the now-legendary RX-7.

In the US, the RX-7 brought much-needed attention to the company, beginning a long journey that made the company establish itself in US market and helped it survive another tumultuous 30 years.

In the 1980s, Mazda competed in a field flooded with Japanese imports. While Toyota, Honda, and Nissan were enjoying booming sales in the US market, the brand struggled to itself from second-tier competitors like Subaru, Isuzu, Daihatsu and Mitsubishi. A booming Japanese economy boosted Maz-da’s cash reserves and the company built a factory in Michigan. In 1989, the company unveiled the MX-5 Miata roadster, which single-handedly revived the small, afford-able sports car market, and gave Mazda the much-needed attention.

With a strong infrastructure in place, Mazda was able to focus on building a com-petitive lineup, piece by piece. In 2000, the company began its long-running “zoom-zoom” ad campaign, showing the emotional connections drivers develop with their Maz-da’s, and it soon had models that could live up to its claim. Mazda has defined its brand DNA as ‘Stylish, Insightful, Spirited,’ and have consistently applied this to all of their prod-uct development and marketing activities over the past 14 years.

Introduced in 2003, Mazda brought back a rotary-powered sports car in the RX-8. By the middle of the decade, the Mazda3 and Mazda6 were considered some of the strong-est cars in their classes, and the Mazda Speed performance versions proved that Mazda gen-uinely could bring fun-to-drive performance to nearly every model in its lineup.

Even in the midst of the global financial crisis, the company hit full stride in 2013 with lineup-wide reinvention and launching of the next-generation Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda6, and CX-5 Crossover. Seemingly overnight, the company had transformed itself from an often-forgotten builder of off-beat cars to a world-class automaker with a stronger full lineup than almost any other automaker in the world.

For the past several years, Mazda’s design team has been designing cars using “Kodo,” meaning “soul of motion,” and is meant to evoke an emotional response in the driver – a physical manifestation of “zoom zoom” and the oneness between the driver and the car, Jinba Ittai. So far, it’s been a runaway success.

These new Mazda’s are more stylish, better built, and better engineered than almost all of their competitors. Using advanced powertrain engineering that Mazda calls “Skyactiv Technologies,” the engine, transmission, and chassis is designed for maximum power, handling and fuel economy, delivering an exciting driving experience that extends across the entire model line.

Since their transformation, Mazda vehicles have evoked a response from the automotive press usually reserved for European cars, with journalists around the globe more eloquent on the unique design, well-appointed interiors, and excellent handling.

Mazda has already launched the all new CX9, the premium 3 row family SUV with the full suite of Skyactiv technology and an outstanding turbo engine. The Kodo design philosophy, the pro-active safety suite: i-Activsense and the MZD connect to keep the Mazda owner stay always connected to the world.

Much of the lineup is due for a refresh in 2017, along with the introduction of an all-new Miata and CX-3 small crossover. For 2018, the company plans on introducing several more next-generation models.

Mazda: Unique history, dynamic present, exciting future

National Car Company, the sole agent for Mazda vehicles in Qatar, offers the entire range of new generation Mazda sedans, SUVs and pick-ups displayed in a state of the art

showroom located in Fereej Al Nasr which is open 7 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm except on Fridays when the showroom is open during evening hours.

As an ancient Japanese tradition, horse mounted archers believed that the key to mastering their skill was to “achieve a oneness” between horse and rider. This is known as Jinba Ittai, or “horse and rider as one.” And it’s the engineering inspiration for the new generation Mazda vehicles.

National Car Company’s association with the Mazda brand began in 1971 and have over the years contributed significantly in establishing the strong Japanese brand through an efficient net-work of sales and aftersales facilities as well as a strong team of qualified and skilled personnel.

National Car Company has been instrumental in the signifi-cant growth of Mazda brand in Qatar through innovative sales and marketing efforts and dedicated customer care initiatives. National Car Company have been consistently winning best performance awards from Mazda Motor Corporation, Japan for outstanding sales performances and brand value management.

The elegant and spacious showroom offers a unique experi-ence for the customer through a well-designed & branded display of the new generation models along with the latest amenities and an expansive car parking area.

To deliver reliable and convenient after sales service for Mazda brand, National Car Company operates a Quick Service Centre which is conveniently located near the Ramada Intersection in C ring road. The main service and parts centre is located on Street No.16 at Senaya (Industrial area). The well-equipped facility with service and maintenance workshops besides the body shop, has the latest tools and electronic diagnostic systems along with well trained technicians and customer service staff. The staff are reg-ularly updated on the latest technologies in a modern training centre accredited by Mazda.

For more information, visit Mazda showroom at Fereej Al Nasr or call 44435965/44417859 or visit www.mazda-qatar.com

National Car Company: Delivering ‘Jinba Ittai’ experience in Qatar

3

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WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2016

By Nancy Dunham

Washing your own car doesn’t just make you feel great because your ride looks great. Keeping the exterior clean maintains the new-car fin-ish that could translate into a higher

resale value. That extra value can’t be realized if you only pull out the bucket and sponge when mud and grime accumulate.

Weekly car washes will remove the dust, dirt, pol-len, pollutants, bird droppings and other contaminants that chip away at your car’s finish.

Don’t wait until your car is visibly dirty.Bugs, bird droppings, acid rain and pollutants can

dull your car’s finish and, in extreme cases, strip the paint. Don’t think of the weekly car wash advice as all or nothing. Monthly washes are likely sufficient to maintain your car’s appearance. The exception is in areas where there is acid rain. Always rinse your car after acid rain or the paint could be permanently scarred.

Don’t wash a hot car.High temperatures can make cleaning more diffi-

cult and cause deposits that eventually damage paint. Park your car in the shade or wait until the heat of the day passes before getting started.

Do invest in the proper supplies.A cleaning product created specifically for cars, a

large sponge or wash mitt and a hose with running water are must-have items for car washing. Cleaners desig-nated for cars are essential. They are gentle enough for paint, though you may need a specialty product, such as tar remover, for trouble spots. And a clean sponge or wash mitt is important to help avoid scratches. But, most importantly, you need water. If you don’t have access to a hose with running water, Ed Kriston, a longtime

industry expert of Westminster, Maryland, recommends against washing the car yourself.

If you rely on water in a bucket for rinsing, you may work grit into the surface and scratch the paint. Work-ing with only a bucket of water also makes it impossible to properly rinse grit from the car.

Do wash the car in sections.Work on one area at a time: washing, rinsing and

drying. But don’t move the sponge or mitt in circles; cir-cular motions can create swirl marks. Instead, move the sponge in straight lines.

Do wax your car twice a year.Although some people believe waxing damages a

car’s finish, Kriston disagrees. He believes it preserves

the finish and proves to be a beneficial maintenance effort, particularly if you own your vehicle and want to sell it or trade it in someday. The best times to wax your car include: in the fall, before the first snow falls and in the spring before hot weather moves in.

Taking a closer look at your car’s finishProper car washing is important, and following a

car washing regimen could go a long way toward main-taining the value of your vehicle. But don’t stop there.

“You also need to make sure that you find any rock chips that go to the primer or below and spot fix them according to directions,” Kriston says. “If not, that is a rust spot looking to happen.”

By being proactive about car washing, you’ll have a vehicle you can be proud to drive for years to come.

(Source: Mobiloil)

Washing a car isn’t too complicated, but there are definitely a few best practices to take into consideration. Some traditional ways of cleaning cars – perhaps even what mom and dad taught you (No, it’s not ok to use dish soap! Ever!) – can actually damage your car’s exterior. Follow this list to clean your car and help boost its value:

Do’s and don’ts of proper car washing

WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 20164

Porsche Centre Doha has welcomed a trifecta of new models with the latest arrivals of the all-new 718 Cayman, Macan with a four-cylin-der engine and the Cayenne Platinum Edition. Representing the brand’s latest developments in performance, comfort and efficiency across

a range of segments, the new models are now available in Qatar. Their arrival concludes an important year for Porsche in the country with continuous additions to the model range.

As the latest mid-engine coupe from the Stuttgart-based manufacturer, the 718 Cayman is now stronger and sportier than ever before. The model range features newly turbocharged engines, reworked design and an improved chassis. Meanwhile, the newest addition to Porsche’s com-pact SUV range is the Macan with a four cylinder engine. As the entry-level model for Porsche in this segment, it boasts the brand’s typical sports car performance. The Cayenne Platinum Edition represents elegance and sophistication, featuring exclusive design elements and an enhanced sporty appearance.

Speaking of the new arrivals, Porsche Centre Doha Chairman and CEO, Salman Al Darwish, said: “Porsche is always at the cutting edge of technological advancement and this instance is no different. We are pleased to be offering our customers the latest models in the Porsche sports car lineage with the addition of the new 718 Cayman, Macan and Cayenne Platinum Edition models. Each model show-cases enhanced attributes embedded with the signature Porsche DNA to ensure the sportiest drive in its segment, whilst at the same time offering comfort and exclusivity.”

The base model 718 Cayman is now driven by a newly developed, 2-litre, 300 hp engine with innovative turbo-charging, as well as a substantial torque increase of 35 per cent to 380 Newton metres. The 718 Cayman S boasts 2.5 litres of engine displacement and 350 hp, with a max-imum torque at 420 Newton metres, all resulting in more power right from the start and additional output for cor-nering fun, at engine speeds between 1,900 and 4,500 rpm.

With the new turbo engines, the coupés accelerate in record time and thanks to the new Dynamic Boost func-tion, react as spontaneously as naturally aspirated engines. When equipped with the optional, seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplungsgetriebe (PDK) and Sport Chrono Package, the 718 Cayman sprints from 0-100 km/h in 4.7 seconds, whilst the S version achieves the same in 4.2 seconds. The top speed for the base model is 275 km/h; its sibling tops out at 285 km/h.

The new model has undergone comprehensive design enhancements with only the luggage compartment lid, roof and windscreen left unchanged. Inside, a newly developed instrument panel redefines the cockpit. The latest genera-tion of Porsche Communication Management (PCM) with a state-of-the-art touchscreen is also included as standard.

Merging true sports car performance with everyday drive comfort, the new Macan now features a four-cylin-der turbo engine specifically tailored to the vehicle. The turbocharged two-litre engine delivers 252 hp and comes standard with a seven-speed PDK dual clutch transmis-sion. The base model is capable of reaching 100km/h in 6.7 seconds, reduced to 6.5 seconds with the optional Sport Chrono-Package. Its top speed is 229 km/h with a fuel con-sumption between 7.4/100 km and 7.2/100 km/h.

Designed to be particularly sporty and efficient, the Macan features a powerful 370 Newton metres of torque ranging between 1,600 rpm and 4,500 rpm, capable of converting engine power into exceptionally sporty con-ditions. Standard Porsche Traction Management, agile suspension and precise steering all add to the dynamic performance of the car.

Also making its debut at Porsche Centre Doha is the new Cayenne Platinum Edition model – a designation reserved for selected model series that are offered for only a lim-ited time. Easily recognisable at first glance by its more distinctive sporty appearance, the model features large 20-inch wheels in RS Spyder design, housed in wider wheel arches. The exclusive interiors, with stainless steel door sills showcasing “Platinum Edition” lettering, are comple-mented further by leather sport seats, Alcantara centre panels and the Porsche crest on all headrests.

The models’ expanded range of features improves comfort and safety. Standard equipment in the Cayenne Platinum Edition includes Bi-xenon headlights with the Porsche Dynamic Light System (PDLS), Power Steering Plus and ParkAssist in the front and rear. A non-metallic black or white finish is standard, with Deep Black, Purpur-ite, Mahogany, Carrara White and Rhodium Silver metallic paints available as an option. Additional high-end standard features include the latest generation Porsche Communi-cation Management (PCM) system and the Bose Surround Sound speakers.

Porsche Centre Doha debuts three new models

The new 718 Cayman, Macan and Cayenne Plat-inum Edition are now available at the Porsche Centre Doha with a basic retail price as follows:

718 Cayman: QR 208,000 718 Cayman S: QR 235,100 Macan: QR184,100 Cayenne Platinum Edition: QR286,700

718 Cayman, Macan and Cayenne Platinum Edition arrive in Qatar

718 Cayman

Macan

Cayenne Platinum Edition

WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2016 5

By Hannah Elliott

Bloomberg

Don’t mistake Keanu Reeves for some nice-guy motorcycle dilet-tante. He doesn’t care about your trendy Scrambler-riding blue jeans or your fashion-forward “motor-

cycle” jacket. And he definitely doesn’t want to ride your pretty little café racer.

He is, on the other hand, more than happy to talk with you about the Arch Motorcycles KRGT-1 superbikes he makes with his longtime friend, Gard Hollinger, a revered designer in the motorcycle world. The $78,000 motorcycles are based on a prototype Hollinger made for Reeves years ago; each of the 2,032cc, V-twin-engine beasts are made to order in Hawthorne, California, an hour south of Los Angeles.

“Building that [first] bike is where we got to know each other,” Reeves said in July dur-ing an interview at their shop. Unlike most experienced riders who started riding from a very young age on dirt bikes, scooters, and Groms, Keanu learned to ride as an adult. But he has already logged tens of thousands of miles on the backs of Nortons, Suzukis, a 1974 BMW 750, a Kawasaki KZ 900, a 1984 Har-ley Shovelhead, and a Moto Guzzi racer - all from his own personal collection.

Reeves first approached Hollinger in 2007 with the request to modify his Harley with a “sissy bar” - the backrest you can attach on the rear seat of a motorcycle so your passenger can lean back. Hollinger refused. “That wasn’t really my thing,” he told me with a wry grin. That’s when they started talking about building a completely new bike that would look beau-tiful and cruise, a gleaming silver prototype with thick tires and a gas tank curved like the fender of a Bugatti.

When Hollinger finished the bike, Reeves loved it so much he wanted more. A lot more - some for himself, and some to share with friends. He wanted to start a motorcycle company.

“It was really riding the prototype that was the proof of the business concept, even though we didn’t know it,” Reeves said.

They never planned to start a company - he had commissioned the prototype just for laughs and long rides. But the bike was so fun, Reeves’ said, that he couldn’t get it out of his mind. That’s when he started bugging Hollinger to make more.

“It was this idea of a big V-twin, a long wheel base with modern grade suspension and the telemetry that Gard had designed and the ergonomics,” he said. “It was this package that I wanted from the first time riding that bike. I’d never ridden anything like that.”

Hollinger wasn’t convinced. His company, LA County Chop Rods already generated plenty of business; the former motocross racer had developed a cult following of riders who loved his ability to coax beauty and power out of raw metals.

But Reeves the A-list actor wasn’t used to

hearing “no.” He asked Hollinger three more times - after long dinners and booze-filled nights brainstorming how good it could be - before winning him over.

“I told him, ‘OK, the reason that we should do this is because the machine is amazing, and we’re going to die’ [anyway],” Reeves said, laughing. “Let’s make something.”

Hollinger finally agreed. He would design the bikes himself based on Reeves’ vision, and the actor would road test them. It took them three years between finishing the prototype and getting the final result to production. They called the company Arch because it “sounded good in the mouth,” Reeves said: “Arches, door-ways, bridges, beautiful, functional - it made me think of tunnels and bridges and connec-tions and journey. It was the rider to the bike, the experience of riding a motorcycle, our rela-tionship, the idea with connecting with the company and our client.”

“The original bike was the result of Keanu expressing what he was hoping for in a motor-cycle,” Hollinger said.

Practicality and extreme design are often mutually exclusive when it comes to expen-sive bikes (just look at the awkward angles of the extreme choppers that cruise up and down the 405 every weekend). But that is what Reeves wanted.

At least, that’s the official story for why two 40-somethings continue to spend countless hours and their own money building a brand. (Reeves declined to say how much, other than noting they have no outside investors.) But there’s a much simpler explanation: They’re search-ing for a feeling.

“It has to make you giggle when you ride it,” Hollinger says.

Arch has sold a handful of KRGT-1s since 2014 (the guys won’t specify how many). Hollinger says he expects to make roughly

30 or just slightly more a year-exclusivity is important.

The bikes are made of more than 200 indi-vidual parts, most of which he fabricates with a small team of workers in the Hawthorne shop. (Arch is possibly the first motorcycle brand to be completely assembled in L.A. since a com-pany called Crocker made V-twins there in the 1930s.)

Each is bespoke to its owner, so speed and power specs are subject to change, but in gen-eral they weigh around 538 pounds and, at 121 hp, can cruise easily at 100 mph. With their six gears, scooped-out insides, ultralight carbon fiber wheels, and aluminum bodies, they’re heavier than, say, a 485-pound Ducati xDi-avel S but much lighter than something like a 640-pound Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Their five-gallon gas tanks will take you 200 miles before a fill-up. Each requires a $15,000 deposit even before that $78,000 price tag.

Similar to buying a custom suit, buying your own KRGT-1 requires multiple sessions of measurements

“It’s a bike that’s really confident feeling going straight,” Reeves told me, rattling off engine specs and power calibrations like a true gear head. “Our bike has a lot of torque - 115 pounds - so whenever you get on the throttle, you really feel the pull and push of the motor-cycle. It can turn and handle.”

If you see an Arch motorcycle on the road, you’ll know it in a second. They’re rounded at the front, with a dip in the middle for the single seat before curving up again at the rear. (This is a lone-wolf bike, no passengers allowed.) They have a single LED headlight and low, short handlebars. The rear Michelin tire is fatter than the front, but not so wide as to distract; their reflective aluminum rear cowling makes them unmistakable at night.

Similar to buying a custom suit, buying your own KRGT-1 requires multiple sessions of measurements - Hollinger fits the pedals, the handlebars, the seat angle to your exact size. The proprietary Arch suspension is also adjustable according to riding style and prefer-ence. Once you settle on your model, delivery time takes 90 days or so - the Arch billet alu-minum swing arm requires more than 17 hours of machining alone - though most of that time is spent working with outside vendors for fin-ishes such as custom paint, engraving, and metal finishes to personalize the bike for the customer. In actual work time it takes only a couple weeks to build the bike. Then Reeves takes it out for a test drive.

“It has to work,” he said, laughing. “After that it’s aesthetics and feel and taste. The bike started off as a classic American big V-twin, but because of the way that it handles and the ergonomics and the telemetry that Gard has designed, I feel like it’s in a new class of motor-cycle which might be called a ‘performance cruiser.’” Whatever you call them - that term is a new one - they’ll keep even the most expe-rienced rider occupied. The bikes are not fat and low like a hog, nor are they flat-seated for extra passengers like a café racer. For urban riding and highway cruising they hit the Gold-ilocks sweet spot: just right.

Better yet, they will hit 60 mph in the time it takes to read this sentence.

“We went for a ride yesterday for 400 miles,” Reeves said. “I’m still thinking, ‘Let’s go ride, let’s do that again.’”

For $78,000 Keanu Reeves will build a motorcycle just for you

Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger with Arch Motorcycles’ KRGT-1

WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 20166

By Jan Harvey

Reuters

Electric cars such as the Nissan Leaf may look no different from the standard fam-ily runaround. But the new materials that go into them could revolutionize the mar-ket for metals used in the industry, opening up a new field for commodities investors.

“We identified electric vehicles as an area where we are at an inflection point for demand,” said Duncan Goodwin, portfolio manager of the Baring Glo-bal Resources Fund.

Around 12 percent of the fund’s $378.2 million in assets is exposed to materials that are used in electric vehicles. It has investments in New York-listed Albemarle and Aus-tralia’s Orocobre, two companies producing lithium, a key element in electric car batteries. Shares in both compa-nies have risen sharply this year.

Governments, keen to push growth in electric cars in a bid to meet their carbon emissions targets, are tempt-ing consumers with perks like subsidies, free parking and tax breaks. Growth in the market is in turn creating an opportunity for commodities investments currently esti-mated at $235 billion.

But it is not a simple one-way bet.Predicting how much of any metal will be needed to

meet demand for electric vehicles in the longer term is tough and advances in battery technology could alter the mixture.

Getting drivers to adopt electric cars remains a chal-lenge - the need to charge them up frequently and time taken to do so have put off many potential buyers.

Still, concerns over the pollution created by die-sel-powered vehicles mean that electric car prototypes dominated the Paris car show.

The number of electric and hybrid vehicles on the road worldwide surpassed 1 million last year, according to the International Energy Agency.

While estimates vary, IHS Automotive expects electric vehicles to represent nearly 4 percent of all light vehi-cles worldwide by 2020, equivalent to 3.9 million cars, up from just over 14,000 in 2010.

So what sits below the bonnet in these vehicles?

Most electric car batteries use lithium nickel manga-nese cobalt oxide (NMC) cathodes and graphite anodes. “Rare earth” metals dysprosium, neodymium and terbium, chiefly mined in China by companies including Xiamen Tungsten and China Minmetals Rare Earth Co, are used in some electronic components of the motor.

“It’s clear that electric cars from today’s point of view will have lithium ion-based batteries,” said Horst Frie-drich, director of Germany’s Institute of Vehicle Concepts.

“We’re talking about lithium, and... metals like cobalt, iron phosphate, rare earth elements.”

LITHIUM TRIANGLEMuch of the world’s lithium comes from an area called

the “Lithium triangle” in Chile, Argentina and Bolivia. Min-ing it is an increasingly lucrative business.

Prices of battery grade lithium in China, the biggest lithium ion battery producer, surged to above $20,000 a tonne this summer, nearly three times higher than a year earlier, as demand grew.

“The lithium industry is going from 160,000 tonnes of LCE (lithium carbonate equivalent) today to at least 260,000 tonnes by 2020,” said Simon Moores, managing director of Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Albemarle is investing an undisclosed sum to boost its production of battery-grade lithium salts to try to supply half of that projected demand growth, said John Mitchell, the president of Albemarle’s lithium unit.

Australia’s Lithium Power International is preparing its Maricunga Salar project in northern Chile to be able to ship lithium directly to China for use in electric vehicles, and aims to be in production by 2019-2020.

Australian rival Orocobre, whose share price has risen by more than 50 percent this year, has nearly completed a scoping study with the aim of at least doubling production capacity over the next two years at a facility in Argentina.

Among South American companies, Chile’s SQM announced this month that it was investing $30 million to boost its lithium hydroxide capacity by 7,500 tonnes.

“The market penetration of electric vehicles in the auto-motive market will have a significant impact on lithium demand,” it said.

“BUYER BEWARE”Critics caution against expecting shortages of lithium

as there is an abundance of it in the earth’s crust. Others warn against jumping too quickly into smaller compa-nies that may not produce the high grade lithium needed for the batteries.

“It’s very much buyer beware, it’s a fast-moving market, and there is a large degree of ignorance about it,” Finntech analyst Martin Potts said, adding that graphite could be more interesting for investors.

China dominates the sector for graphite, used in anodes. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence expects 150,000-170,000 tonnes of extra anode grade graphite will be needed by 2020, worth an extra $1.125-1.275 billion.

Canada’s Eagle Graphite said while the impact of elec-tric vehicles on its business is still to be felt, when global production hits around 1 million cars per year, the draw on graphite supplies will become significant.

“The more forward-looking manufacturers are rightly becoming concerned about long term supply,” its CEO Jamie Deith said.

“Not only is there the question of producing enough graphite, but the fact that China accounts for 100 percent of natural graphite anodes today is an additional concern.”

“The battery industry has to diversify sources.”Meanwhile cobalt prices, up 16 percent this year, are

expected to rise another 45 percent by 2020. The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency starting to stockpile cobalt com-pounds highlights their importance.

Sherritt International (S.TO), one of the largest cobalt producers, said it is set to increase cobalt production at its Ambatovy mine in Madagascar in line with nickel output.

As cobalt is mined largely as a by-product of other metals such as nickel and copper, it is hard for producers

to crank up output in response to higher demand, it said. That lack of supply elasticity could push prices higher.

Not all metals used in car batteries have a rosy future. Demand for manganese, a common component in steel, is expected to remain weak in the near term as the steel sector suffers.

“NICE DRIVE”Predicting how much of any given metal would be

needed to meet demand for electric vehicles in the longer term is tough and advances in battery technology could alter the amounts.

Metals such as nickel, cobalt and manganese may not be needed in batteries such as the lithium sulfur battery being developed by Oxis Energy, based in the English city of Oxford.

Also in the background are green vehicle technologies, most notably hydrogen fuel cells, being mooted as pos-sible rivals to batteries. But developing new technology to the point where it can be commercialized takes time.

“We consider the risk of substitution of lithium to be very low,” said CRU Group’s Julia Ralph.

Guiding the silent, top-of-the-range Leaf around a showroom complex at Nissan London West, salesman Keith Almansury says education is the key to driving growth in the segment.

“If people don’t love electric cars, it’s because they don’t know about electric cars,” he said, flagging up ben-efits including environmental friendliness, savings on fuel and servicing, and free parking. “But above all, it’s just a really nice drive.”

Electric car revolution brightens outlook for a medley of metals

“If people don’t love electric cars, it’s because they don’t know about electric cars”

WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 2016 7

From Ferraris to SUVs: 5 cars that shone at Paris show

LaFerrari Aperta

This limited edition of the Ferrari’s LaFerrari supercar offers the pleasures of open-top driving in a car that per-

forms pretty much like a Formula One racer. It’s a hybrid, meaning its electric motor assists the monster 12-cylinder internal combustion engine to add even more powerful acceler-ation. The car does 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) in less than three seconds, and offers a top speed of 350 kph (217 mph). With the top off, aerodynamic design channels away the air-flow so that the two occupants can conduct a conversation even at high speeds. That’s if they’re not relishing the finely tuned roar of the engine, or its “soundtrack,” as the com-pany puts it, promising “full, harmonious sound that’s more intoxicating than ever.” All 200 are already sold at prices of 1.8-2.0 million euros ($2.0-$2.2 million).

Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid

It’s a comfortable four-door sedan. No, it’s a high-performance sports car. If it’s the Panamera, it’s a little bit of both. The all-wheel drive car draws on the technology used in the company’s 918 Spyder supercar so that the electric motor continually adds power; the car accelerates to 100 kph (62 kph) in just 4.6 seconds and

reaches a top speed of 270 kph (168 mph). It can go up to 50 kilometers (31 miles) on just the battery — making the vehicle a little quieter than, say, the company’s 911 sports car — and emits a relatively low 56 grams per kil-ometer of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas blamed by scientists for global warming. The vehicle goes on sale in November. The price in France is 110,222 euros ($123,680), including value-added tax.

Jaguar Land Rover Discovery

The first complete redesign of the Discovery in 12 years, this family oriented large SUV has room for seven adults in three rows. The seats can be rearranged remotely through a smartphone app even when the operator is outside the vehicle, and the second and third rows can fold flat in 14 seconds. The suspension

automatically lowers the car 4 centimeters (1.5 inches) to make it easier to get in and out. There are six charging points, places to store iPads, 9 USB ports, and a 4G WiFi hotspot that can handle up to eight devices. There’s no shortage of power for towing, with three diesel variants of 180, 240 and 258 horsepower and a 340 horsepower gasoline engine. Prices start at 50,900 euros and head north to 74,300 euros.

Opel Ampera -E

This is the European version of the Chevrolet Bolt five-door hatchback going on sale this year in the United States and early next year in Europe. It has attracted attention by getting a range rating of 238 miles (383 kilometers) under the U.S. standard on a full charge; the company promises a 310-mile (500 kilometer)

range as measured by the European standard. It claims drivers can add 150 kilometers (93 miles) in 30 minutes of charging. Those distances may not be equaled in everyday driving, with the European test standard, for example assumptions relatively gentle acceleration. Many obstacles remain before all-electric vehicles reach widespread acceptance. Will this car be a significant jump toward making electrics seem more practical to price-conscious regular car buyers? As always, the market will provide the answer. The U.S. manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $37,495, which doesn’t count the tax break of up to $7,500.

BMW X2

BMW showed off a potential new addition to its X-series of SUVs and crossovers, this one offering a sportier take with a flat roofline and big air intakes giving the grill a wider, more aggressive look. The company calls it a “sport-activity coupe,” referring to its lower roofline — more like the slop-

ing shape of a coupe than a boxier SUV. BMW tweaked the trademark kidney shaped twin grilles, flipping them upside down so that they narrow from bottom up. The look is enhanced with a different slant to the windshield and lower stance. “The BMW X2 is really tapping into a new market, the sort-of coupe style SUV. It is showing that SUVs are not just about being practical, they can be fun and they can be sporty as well,” says Jim Holder, editorial director of Autocar, automotive magazine. It’s still a concept car, mean-ing no date for it to go on sale or price information.

By David McHugh / AP

An obscenely powerful hybrid sports car, a family-friendly SUV with enough space for seven adults, and an electric vehicle that promises to keep going for over 300 miles (500 kilometers) on a single charge —

these are some of the notable vehicles shining on the display stands under bright overhead lights at the Paris auto show.

Executives at this year’s show are talking about how the industry can adapt to — or, bet-ter yet, profit from — disruptive change such as electric engines, networked vehicles, car sharing, and autonomous driving. All that could start com-ing together between 2020 and 2025, some think.

Right now, however, they have some cars they want to sell.

Here are five of the vehicles that got the most attention at the Paris Mondial de L’Automobile, which was held earlier this month.

WEDNESDAY 26 OCTOBER 20168

By Christopher Martin and Joe Ryan

Bloomberg

Mass transit, the lifeblood of cities world-wide, is under threat from the biggest innovation in automotive technology since Henry Ford’s assembly line first flooded streets with cars.

The self-driving vehicles being pio-neered by Tesla Motors Inc, Alphabet Inc’s Google and others are poised to dramatically lower the cost of taxis, potentially making them cheaper than buses or subways, according to a joint report by Bloomberg New Energy Finance and McKinsey & Co. Having no driver to pay could reduce taxi prices to 67 cents a mile by 2025, less than a quarter of the cost in Manhattan today, the report found.

It’s a change with the potential to reshape commuting patterns, transforming urban life. As prices fall, the chal-lenge for cities is that the cars may become too popular.

Instead of complementing public transit, they may lure commuters away from buses and trains, inundating streets with drone cars.

“If we don’t manage this properly, the most dense cit-ies in the world will be pretty unpleasant places to live,” said Colin McKerracher, an analyst with Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

Automakers have significant hurdles to overcome before cars can effectively drive themselves; the technology now is more like an autopilot that must be constantly monitored. While driverless cars have already shown the ability to handle highways, companies are pushing to perfect them for city streets, using GPS to navigate and sophisticated sensors to detect vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and pets.

“It’s an astounding development in the transporta-tion world,” said Lucius Riccio, a professor at Columbia University and former New York City transportation com-missioner. “This is the first major change in 100 years.”

Taxi, No DriverThe arrival of driverless taxis comes as the industry is

upended by ride-sharing services offered by Uber Technol-ogies Inc., Lyft Inc. and others. The prospect of computers at the wheel will dwarf those controversies, imperiling an entire profession immortalized by Robert De Niro in the film Taxi Driver. More than 150,000 people earn their living driving taxis and limousines in New York City, accounting for 4 percent of employment.

“The possibility of self-driving cars in New York is not around the corner, but it is in the future,” said New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission Chairman Meera Joshi.

Uber is piloting autonomous vehicles in Pittsburgh. General Motors Co in March acquired Cruise Automation Inc, which is testing self-driving vehicles in San Francisco. And by 2021, Ford Motor Co. expects to offer a fully auton-omous car -- devoid of steering wheels and brake pedals -- for ride-hailing services.

Once companies work out the kinks, they say driverless technology may make traffic accidents nearly nonexistent.

Computers don’t fall asleep at the wheel, get drunk or text while driving. Electric automated vehicles could reduce smog and greenhouse gases. Lower-priced taxis, mean-while could make bus and train stations more accessible for suburban commuters, boosting mass transit ridership.

Cities are grappling with how to respond. Los Angeles is exploring how driverless vehicles might fill mass-tran-sit gaps. And Boston is working with the World Economic Forum to test whether driverless electric vehicles will reduce pollution and improve safety on the city’s twisting streets.

“We know that humans aren’t very good at driving vehicles, and this is maybe a way to start eliminating those roadway fatalities,” said Kris Carter, co-chair of Boston’s Office of New Urban Mechanics.

Not all cities are embracing the technology. On the same September day Uber began testing Ford Fusions in Pitts-burgh, two Chicago lawmakers introduced legislation to ban automated vehicles. “We do not want the streets of Chi-cago to be used as an experiment,’’ said Alderman Edward Burke, one of the sponsors of the bill that would impose $500 fines for deploying driverless cars on city streets.

Cabbies are unlikely to vanish all at once. The auto-mated taxis Uber is testing in Pittsburgh have drivers in the front seat, ready to grab the wheel if needed, and initially, they’ll stick to certain neighborhoods. As the technology advances, companies say the cars will start to roam through-out cities, just as mobile phone services gradually blanketed regions years ago.

“Urban driving is the most difficult piece of this,” said Carol Reiley, founder and president of Drive.ai, a Moun-tain View, California, company that develops software for self-driving vehicles. “But that is where we are heading.”

The shift could dramatically recreate streetscapes. Entire lanes may be dedicated to driverless cars. Traf-fic signals, highway signs and parking lots may become obsolete. Even curbs, designed in part prevent vehicles from careening onto sidewalks, may go the way of the horse-drawn buggy.

“At the same time, we need to remember that cities are for people,” said Seleta Reynolds, general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. “We can’t let the arrival of driverless cars change that.”

The shift could dramatically recreate streetscapes. Entire lanes may be dedicated to driverless cars. Traffic signals, highway signs and parking lots may become obsolete.

Super-cheap driverless taxis will reshape cities