Fast Lane: VW Type 2, Audi Q6 offroad, Hot Wheels F1, Mitsubishi

Calling VW Campers

The Goodwood Revival is looking for owners of the iconic Volkswagen Type 2 Split Screen to join the opening parade for the 2025 edition of the motoring event. It will be held at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, located around 100km from London, from Sept 12 to 14.

The organiser wants to bring together the most varied collection of the Type 2 Split Screen for this year’s event.

The parade of Split Screens will open each morning of the event, which will include races for various categories of vehicles, including sports cars from 1955 to 1960 and prototype racers that competed between 1960 and 1966.

“Split Screen” refers to the vehicle’s unusual front windscreen, which is separated into two parts and not fashioned as a single piece.

The Type 2 Split Screen was launched in 1950 and remained in production until 1967 at Volkswagen’s factory in Wolfsburg, Germany.

In the 1960s, the Type 2 morphed from its commercial van image, with variants such as the Kombi, Microbus, Samba and Camper associating the vehicle with holiday-making.

Since the inaugural edition in 1998, the Goodwood Revival has celebrated significant vehicles in motoring history, such as the Mini, Fiat 500, Ferrari 250 GTO and Jaguar D-Type.

Those who want to have their Split Screens considered for the parade can reach the organiser at str.sg/foxK

Extreme quattro concept

Audi is showing the potential of its Q6 e-tron electric sport utility vehicle with the Q6 e-tron offroad concept.

Compared with the standard production version of the Q6 e-tron, the concept stands at 160mm taller and the wheel tracks are wider by 250mm.

Hardcore portal axles take the place of the standard drive hubs and axles, increasing the torque at the wheel by 50 per cent, supercharging the Q6’s ability to tackle challenging terrain.

The concept will be making its debut at an ice racing event in Austria on Feb 1, ahead of the official opening of Audi’s new showroom in Singapore in mid-February.

Hot Wheels primes for F1

Race cars from eight Formula One teams will be progressively launched in 2025 as Hot Wheels die-cast cars. These will be sold as individual cars, five-car assortment packs and premium cars. There will also be two specially designed Formula One Sprint Circuit and Formula One Sprint Race sets for the cars to race on.

The teams featured include Oracle Red Bull Racing, McLaren Formula One, Mercedes-AMG Petronas and Williams Racing.

The Sprint Circuit track set allows players to race and overtake, while the Sprint Race has a booster feature inspired by the Drag Reduction System used in the actual race cars.

Hot Wheels products are sold at major toy stores and online marketplaces in Singapore.

In its announcement on Jan 24, the commercial rights holder to the FIA Formula One World Championship said Mattel, which owns the Hot Wheels brand, will be at selected Grand Prix race events.

The 2025 race calendar kicks off in Melbourne, Australia, on March 14.

Mitsubishi on Honda-Nissan merger

Mitsubishi Motors is considering not joining a planned merger between Honda and Nissan, according to a Reuters report on Jan 24.

Citing three unnamed sources who were not authorised to speak publicly on the matter, the report said Mitsubishi plans to remain listed while continuing its cooperating relationship with the other two carmakers.

Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun had reported that Mitsubishi, as the smallest of the three carmakers, had concerns that joining the potential Honda-Nissan tie-up will make it difficult for it to affect management decisions in the joint holding company.

The report also said Mitsubishi will maintain its current structure and expand its share in South-east Asia.

Nissan owns 24 per cent of Mitsubishi. In December, Honda and Nissan said they were in talks to merge by August 2026.