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ORGANISERS of the Geneva Motor

Show announced recently that they were scrapping next year’s event as the global shortage of semiconductors has put a severe dent on the industry. The show, which was not held last year or in 2021 due to the pandemic, has been rescheduled to 2023.

“Many exhibitors have indicated that the uncertainties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic make it impossible for them to make a firm commitment for GIMS 2022,” said Sandro Mesquita, the event’s chief executive. “On top of this … is the shortage of semiconductors.”

THE big grilles on BMW models such as the 4 Series have proven controversial, but they’re not going away any time soon. In an interview with BMW Blog, design boss Adrian van Hooydonk hinted that the oversized kidney grilles would only become more prolific in future.

“We want to spread it out a little bit more: vertical kidneys on some cars, horizontal on others,” Van Hooydonk told the publication. “We want our customers to be able to recognise the BMW in the rearview mirror, not just as a BMW but also, after a while, they know what BMW that is.” | IOL Motoring

MAX Verstappen played down his Formula One championship advantage on Sunday and said his Red Bull team needed to find more pace to fend off Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes in the last six races of the season. The championship lead has swung between Verstappen and Hamilton all season, with the title battle looking like it could go all the way to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December.

Verstappen returned to the top with second place in the Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday and the Dutch 24-year-old is now six points clear of seven-time world champion Hamilton, who started the day in Istanbul two ahead. | Reuters

Sounds good

INDIA’S transport minister, Nitin Gadkari is pushing for a law that will see car hooters replaced by the sweet sound of the sitar, flute, tabla and violin. “I am studying this and soon planning to make a law that the horns of all vehicles should be in Indian musical instruments so that it is pleasant to hear,” he told local media recently.

Gadkari also wants to replace the “irritating” ambulance and police sirens with soothing tones. India is home to some of the noisiest cities in the world, as rickshaws, buses, taxis, weaving motorbikes and private cars fight for space on the traffic-clogged roads.

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