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January 07 News |
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Babybach
Germany's ultra-prestige brand may diversify its line-up in a bid to
boost profitability No doubt envious at the success Bentley has had
with its Continental GT and Flying Spur, German uber-brand Maybach
is now pondering the possibility of introducing a cheaper model to
bridge the gap between the Mercedes S-Class and its 'entry-level' 57.
There appears to be room for an additional model (or two) to boost the
Maybach brand's profile and, more importantly, sales volumes. The
challenge of boosting volumes without losing a sense of exclusivity
poses an interesting conundrum for ultra-prestige brands.
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Rally of the Tests
Last year’s Rally of the Tests winners, Frank Fennell and Kevin Savage, are
pictured both at a standstill and powering out of a corner on the first test.
Unfortunately they tumbled down the order later on the first day due to
reported mechanical problems and retired at the first night stop at Telford.
Meanwhile, Philip Armstrong and navigator Frank Hussey in their 1963
Mercedes 220SEb did well on the first day to finish 6th overall. The second
day brought problems and they struggled on only to retire. The night shot
was taken on the Welsh Borders late on the first day, whilst the water splash
was on the second morning in the Midlands on a regularity section.
Photos by Tony Large.
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Wake up
Microsleep is defined as a spontaneous reaction of the human organism to
over-fatigue. At the onset, the body sends signals designed to tell a person
that it is time to stop and get some rest. Although most of us simply ignore
them and continue on, the signals are pretty clear. Symptoms include
burning eyes, eyes that blink frequently but more slowly, pupils becoming
smaller, yawning and shivering. Adding just one second to the time an eye
stays closed while blinking in a vehicle travelling 60 mph renders the vehicle
driverless for 88 feet. Safety experts at Mercedes are turning their attentions
to this major cause of serious accidents. The objective is to develop a
system that is capable of recognising fatigue in time to warn the driver.
Tests have been conducted with motorists, both in a driving simulator and
on motorways. Two thirds of fatigue-induced accidents occur at nighttime,
with one in two taking place in light traffic. The majority of incidents of this
type happen in the early hours of the morning between 2 and 6am, but they
can also occur in the middle of the afternoon. The revolutionary new system
should be ready for series production in just a few years' time.
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