The Monaco is reminiscent of old formula cars.
Vietnamese workshop Bandit9 has unveiled the Monaco single-seater electric sports car. It is powered by a Tesla Model S powertrain (536 horsepower traction motor, 603 lb-ft of torque and a lithium iron phosphate battery) and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. The range of the Monaco will be about 400 kilometers, and the price will be 150 thousand dollars.

Previously, the Vietnamese workshop Bandit9 did not deal with cars. Its lot was custom bikes with biomorphic design, drawing inspiration from coral reefs and mobuls, stingrays that look very similar to manta rays. Single Monaco - the debut project of the company in a new field. In terms of the degree of emotions, it is close to the BAC Mono and Honda Project 2 & 4, although it is equipped not with an internal combustion engine, but with an electric installation.

According to the original idea, Monaco was supposed to be something like a four-wheeled motorcycle. But over time, an element of religion appeared in the concept - the “religion of racing”. In its current form, the electric car is no coincidence similar to the Formula 1 race cars of the middle of the 20th century. In this way, Bandit9 pays homage to the past and hints that Monaco has a special driving character.

The basis of the car is a monocoque. In the initial version, it is aluminum, in the more expensive one it is made of carbon fiber. Suspensions - with pushing and pulling rods. All this is covered by an external "shell" made of ABS plastic and steel or carbon fiber. In addition, Monaco will have carbon-ceramic brakes and magnesium wheels (25% lighter than aluminum), as well as full LED front and rear optics.

The power plant of the electric car is assembled on Tesla Model S components. This is a traction electric motor with a capacity of 536 horsepower and 603 Nm of torque and a lithium-iron-phosphate battery. Acceleration to 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) from Monaco should take 2.7 seconds, the cruising range on a single charge is about 400 kilometers. The declared "maximum speed" is more than 260 kilometers per hour.

Behind the wheel of Monaco it will be possible to test real "formula" overloads. On acceleration, they will be 2 g, in corners and during braking - 4 g. This is really a lot, because during the record run of the Volkswagen ID.R at the Nürburgring, a lateral g-force of 3.49 g was recorded in the turn, and 2.7 g during deceleration.

In addition, the electric car is promised a steering wheel with programmable buttons, a digital speedometer, an ultra-wide rear view camera and side mirrors. Also, every Monaco customer will receive a Forcite MK1S smart helmet equipped with Harman Kardon speakers, a camera and an LED display system.

Applications for the car are already being accepted. The starting price is 150 thousand dollars. Interestingly, next year Bandit9 is going to bring a modified version of the Monaco to the salt lakes and set a speed record there.

Audi showed the second version of the racing prototype RS Q e-tron. He will compete in the Morocco Rally and the next Dakar. The hybrid SUV received a new body, improved aerodynamics and revised electrical systems. The power plant is the same - with three electric motors from a Formula E car and a gasoline engine borrowed from the RS5 coupe for the German DTM touring car championship.

Audi unveiled the RS Q e-tron prototype last year. In the spring of 2022 in Abu Dhabi, he won his first desert race, and now his improved version, the RS Q e-tron E2 (an unambiguous reference to the Group B Audi Sport quattro E2), is ready to start the Rally Morocco and the next Dakar. In truth, there are no major technical changes here. But on the other hand, the car has become lighter and additionally optimized in terms of aerodynamics.

The “second” RS Q e-tron has no external parts common with its predecessor. The shape of the hood, fenders (especially the rear ones, which no longer go into the doors) and the “canopy” of the cab have been changed. At the same time, the structure of the woven layers of the composite from which the body is made has been optimized. All together allowed to reduce the weight of the SUV by several tens of kilograms and reduce air resistance by 15 percent.

Further refinement of the prototype included fine-tuning of the power controllers and a revision of the auxiliary consumer control strategy. On the “first” RS Q e-tron, the refrigerant in the air conditioning system froze, so now it does not work constantly, but turns on at regular intervals. The power of the servo pump and fans varies depending on whether the machine is driving on the "liaison" (road section) or the high-speed section.

Inside the RS Q e-tron E2, the layout of buttons and screens has changed. Plus, it became possible to use the rotary switch to select grouped sets of functions and indicators. For example, during the race, the driver sees the speed allowed on the special stage and can activate pneumatic jacks, and the mechanics at the bivouac have access to the temperature readings of all on-board systems.

The powerplant of the RS Q e-tron still consists of two MGU motor generators from the Audi e-tron FE07 Formula E car and an "energy converter". The latter includes another MGU and a modified 2.0 TFSI four from a racing RS5 Turbo DTM with 272 horsepower. The internal combustion engine operates in the range of 4500-6000 rpm, consuming less than 200 grams of gasoline per kilowatt-hour, and feeds a 52-kilowatt battery.

Each traction MGU drives the wheels through a single stage racing gearbox and limited slip differential. The virtual center differential is implemented using the control software of the electric motors. On gravel, the RS Q e-tron E2 hits 0-60 in 4.5 seconds. The maximum speed of the T1U category prototype is strictly regulated - 170 kilometers per hour.

Nissan Motor Company announced on September 1 that it will temporarily suspend taking new orders for the Leaf electric car from the 22nd.

The reason is explained at length: it is necessary to revise the prices for Leaf due to the increase in the cost of raw materials and the violation of logistics for the supply of components.

How long the pause will last is not specified.

Growth in auto components, erratic supplies, and upwardly changing prices remain the main reasons for other manufacturers as well.
It seems that it is more profitable for the company to stop selling cars, since it takes a long time from the conclusion of the sale deal to the actual sale, during which time the increase in the prices of components makes the sale unprofitable for the company.