TWO WHEELS, GOOD
Can’t afford a Porsche? Well, now you can, sort of. Porsche is extending its e-Mobility portfolio with two new e-Bikes
adjusted to varying degrees for the perfect position.
The ergonomically designed handlebars also feature a Shimano colour display, showing speed and distance and range in real time. The clean design is rounded out by a full-suspension carbon frame, which perfectly combines the spirit of adventure with style.
Porsche Synergy
The relationship between the new eBikes as well as their fourwheeled cousins are ever-present. The models were inspired by the sporty character of the Taycan, states Porsche. The wheels draw inspiration from the naturally shaped carbon frame of the vehicle’s fly line. The elaborate design, developed by Studio F. A. Porsche, ensures optimum reflection of light.
To coincide with the launch of the new eBikes, the sportscar maker has developed a unique load-bearing rear carrier, exclusively for the new Taycan Cross Turismo. The innovative carrier can be easily in-stalled and is perfectly designed for transporting the eBikes.
Thanks to long wheel rails and a high payload of 50 kilograms, up to two eBikes can be mounted and the tailgate can still be opened while loaded. The Porsche eBike Sport weighs 21.2 kg with eBike Cross weighs 21.7 kg, so both will fit well. The carrier can also be used universally for different types of bikes and can be upgraded with an additional rail for a third if desired.
Check out the new Porsche eBikes at shop.porsche.com/ebike
CONVERTIBLES ARE SOMEWHAT of an acquired taste. Most may not appreciate the wind-in-your-face experience and open-air driveability of the vehicle, especially in a subtropical climate. Still, for those who have experienced owning or driving a convertible will happily admit there is nothing more exhilarating than driving with the top down.
For those in the market for a droptop, allow us to point you to the nearest BMW showroom to check out the new BMW 4 Series Convertible. The new model takes the open top concept to new heights with its stunning standalone design, advance chassis, and brand-new soft-top construction. The German marquee claims that the new model delivers BMW’s hallmark driving pleasure in a highly exclusive form. No doubt, it’s a bold claim, but one that is decisively true.
Sporty Prowess
Sharper than its predecessor and echoing the bold style of the BMW 4 Series Coupé, the new BMW 4 Series Convertible blends sporting driving pleasure and open-air thrills to continue the 35-year legacy in this model class that began with the first BMW 3 Series Convertible.
The open-top four-seater, rolls-out with striking proportions and a low-slung silhouette that befits its sporty yet elegant profile. The midsized BMW convertible boasts a definitive design, emphasised by a new revised kidney grille. The signature feature is not just for aesthetic purposes but to optimise cooling. Flanked by full-LED headlights, it gifts the BMW 4 Series Convertible with an expressive front end.
From the side, the model is dynamically striking, largely due to the precise lines and three-dimensionally sculpted surfaces of the rear wheel arches. This impression is further reinforced by the slim rear light units extending into its flanks. The beauty of the 4 Series Convertible though is that it features a two-in-one appearance.
With the top up, the roof flows into the car’s shape to reinforce its sporty appearance. When the new panel bow soft-top is placed down,
it further intensifies the car’s high-performance character. The new retractable roof, blends the strengths of a retractable hard-top and the traditional appeal of a fabric roof.
Acoustics and thermal comfort of the new panel bow soft top roof are also further improved. Powered by an electric motor, it goes from top up to top down in 18 seconds, including while on the move at up to 50kmh. Despite accommodating the motor and space for the roof, luggage capacity is still ample at 385 litres with the roof closed.
Driving Excitement
It says a lot when all models of the 4 Series Convertible come equipped with M sport specification as standard. For those requiring a bit more power there is also a performance-focused M Sport Pro Edition. However, the base 420i sDrive M Sport also suffices, with a four-cylinder petrol unit producing 184hp and 300Nm of torque.
Paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission, the model
Framework laptop
At first glance, it looks like everyone’s beautiful unibody laptop but once you flip it over, the modular nature of Framework’s Laptop presents itself. Designed as a thin yet modular, repairable 13-inch laptop, Framework rolls back some of the aesthetic refinement for an impressive raison d’être: doubling the life-span of your average consumer laptop.
It’s thumbing the noses at a long held tech tradition of “planned obsolescence”: a policy of designing a product with an artificially limited useful life, so that it becomes obsolete after a certain pre-determined period of time which supposedly leads to more sales. That said, founder Nirav Patel believes that the Framework laptop is more than a laptop but rather an ecosystem.
Crafted with a precision milled aluminium housing, the 1.3kg 15.85mm thin Framework respects users’ right to repair and relegates the need for special adapters to history with four Expansion Card bays that let consumers choose exactly the ports they need ̶ select from USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, MicroSD, ultra fast storage, a high-end headphone amp, and more ̶ in the position you want.
Socketed storage, WiFi, and memory can be swapped out, as can the entire mainboard. The battery, screen, and keyboard are also user-replaceable, with QR codes on each component leading to how-to replacement guides. In addition to releasing new upgrades regularly, the Framework ecosystem will enable the community to build and sell compatible modules through its Marketplace. Made of 50% post consumer recycled (PCR) aluminium and an average of 30% PCR plastic, the Framework laptop is a step in the right direction.
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