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Mercedes launches Attention Assist

By Ben Whitworth Motor Industry 13 August 2008 13:28 Mercedes-Benz researchers call it the ‘one-second nap’ – that instant when fatigue overcomes you at the wheel on a long trip and you wake up in hospital. To counter dozing off while driving, which Mercedes claims accounts for a quarter of all major motorway accidents, its engineers have developed an innovative driver support system called Attention Assist. As well as registering linear and lateral acceleration, indicator and pedal operation and vehicle speed, the system also monitors steering response - the most important indicator of fatigue according to Mercedes, is tired drivers have difficulty in keeping their vehicle precisely on track.

First Sight: Holden Torana concept

Holden has stolen the limelight at the opening of the Australian International Motor Show in Sydney, unveiling a ground-up concept car dubbed the Torana TT36. The concept revives a famous Australian nameplate from the 1970s - appropriate since, like the original Torana, it features rear wheel drive and a six cylinder engine. That's where the similarities end, however, as the new Torana's engine is an experimental 280kW/490Nm twin turbocharged version of the new global V6 Holden has begun manufacturing for various parts of the GM world and which will eventually be used by Alfa Romeo.

Koenigsegg Agera at Goodwood: Up close and personal

Koenigsegg Agera on the Goodwood hillclimb We have to confess that we have a huge soft spot for the creations of Christian von Koenigsegg. So when we knew that friend of Cars UK Tommy Wareham, purveyor of all things stunning on four wheels at SuperVettura, was taking the only Koenigsegg Agera in the UK to Goodwood we thought Claire’s Goodwood Odyssey should continue with a good poke round the Agera. Understandably, Tommy wasn’t going to let Claire – or anyone else – loose on the Agera up the hillclimb as it’s a customer’s car, but he did chuck Claire the keys for a good look round, the opportunity to grab a set of Agera photos (below), and the chance to dream… Beautifully finished and oozing carbon fibre from every pore, the Koenigsegg Agera is perhaps the ultimate bonkers supercar, at an equally bonkers price – just think of it as a million pound supercar; it’s close enough.