+++ ASTON MARTIN will jump into the luxury SUV game when the DBX enters production in 2019. Until then, the British brand will continue to work hard on the SUV, including developing a new platform. Aston Martin chief engineer Matt Becker told in an interview that the SUV’s new platform takes learnings from the company’s other cars, “but there’s a lot more suspension technology going to go into the DBX”. Becker wouldn’t go into detail about the suspension technology, though he shared the DBX will feature an active anti-roll system and triple-volume air springs. Becker added the suspension technology is necessary when dealing with a large vehicle like the DBX. “It’s physics at the end of the day, and you need additional help to overcome those physics”, he said. The brand teased the forthcoming SUV in April 2017 showing a vague outline of the vehicle’s shape. I also learned the car will stick to extruded and bonded aluminum for the construction; the same process used for Aston Martin’s sports cars. However, while 2015’s DBX concept featured an electric powertrain, the production SUV will not. CEO Andy Palmer confirmed the electric option had been axed in April, as Aston Martin’s revived ultra-luxury brand Lagonda will be for electric vehicles. Instead, the DBX will arrive with a conventional engine and likely a hybrid option. The CEO also ruled out a plug-in hybrid and called a diesel variant “dead”. When the SUV does debut, it could wear the Varekai name. In March, a trademark filing for the name surfaced, which translates to “wherever” in a Romani language or “talented” in Quebec slang. Production will take place at the St. Athan, Wales, production facility, while Aston Martin will keep sports car production at its current plant in Gaydon, England. +++
+++ Next year, AUDI will launch the RS Q8. Audi Sport’s future Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S rival, which is clearly influenced in design by the concept of 2017, will inherit the twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine and accompanying electric motor of the Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid from Volkswagen Group stablemate Porsche. In this supersaloon, the V8, which is force-fed air by a pair of twin scroll blowers, produces 550 hp and 750 Nm, while the electric motor injects a further 140 hp and 400 Nm through an 8-speed twin-clutch automatic gearbox. In full operation, the combined system output peaks at 680 hp and 850 Nm. With the same level of potency, this would make the RS Q8 Audi’s most powerful model, eclipsing the output of the R8 V10 Plus by 70 hp and 290 Nm. While the RS Q8’s inevitably heftier kerb weight will ensure it’ll be no match for the supercar and its more athletic performance on the road, the electrified SUV will at least offer a wider range of driving characteristics, bookended by its pure electric and Sport modes. In pure electric mode, the electric half of the car’s powertrain, which will make use of lithium ion battery cells located under the car’s boot floor (and therefore impacting on luggage space), is likely to offer around 45 kilometres of range. But switch to the energy-intense Sport mode and the RS Q8 should dispatch the 0-100 km/h sprint in around 4 seconds. By comparison, the 585 hp GLE 63 and rivalling 575 hp BMW X6 M both take 4.2 seconds to hit the mark, while the Range Rover Sport SVR takes 4.3 seconds. All of these cars use pure-combustion, turbocharged V8 powertrains. As Audi’s largest model, all versions of the Q8 get height-adjustable, sports-tuned adaptive air suspension and proper centre diff-based, torque-vectoring quattro four-wheel drive. However, standard versions don’t get 48V active anti-roll bars because, according to Audi’s product managers, such body lean-fighting technology is not needed on a car with a relatively low roofline (for its class) and wide tracks. The much faster RS Q8 will have to contend with far higher lateral G-forces than its less focused siblings, so it’s highly likely that Audi Sport’s engineers will employ the 48V system to enhance the car’s stability during quick cornering. The technology is used across the VW Group on several premium models, including the Bentley Bentayga. Four-wheel steering is an option on the standard car, suggesting this might come as standard on the RS Q8 to boost agility while also enhancing high-speed stability; a welcome trait on a car that’s likely to be used on cross-continental transits that include jaunts on the autobahn. The RS Q8’s reign as the most potent Audi will also, temporarily, be accompanied by the title of most potent SUV within the VW Group. When it launches, the electrified super SUV will outpunch the 650 hp Lamborghini Urus and 550 hp Porsche Cayenne Turbo, although hybrid versions of those cars are due and will almost certainly overtake the RS Q8. Former Audi Sport boss Stephan Winkelmann, who now heads up Bugatti, told last year: “Today we have a product line-up which we are working on which will be expanded in more prestige segments and bodystyles which are sellable around the world, SUVs”. He wouldn’t confirm which models are on the way, but suggested that a version of the new Q8 range-topper, is the first model we’ll see. “The Q7 is now in a phase of its lifecycle which, in my opinion, to be profitable is too late to step in”, said Winkelmann. “But a lot of markets are demanding bigger cars”. +++
+++ Sales growth of ELECTRIC and plug-in hybrid cars has dimmed across the European Union’s major markets during the first half because of limited driving ranges and a patchy charging network. Registrations of electric cars rose 33 % in the 6 months through June, compared to a 54 % surge a year earlier, consultancy EY said. Strong demand in Germany, the EU’s biggest auto market, wasn’t enough to offset meeker growth in the UK, the second largest. “Electric cars remain a niche product for now”, EY partner Peter Fuss said in a statement. “Charging infrastructure remains inadequate and the models currently available mostly don’t offer a good enough range”. Automakers in Europe are under pressure to meet tough new EU rules on lowering fleet carbon dioxide emissions that will be phased in during 2020. Consumers staying on the fence on electric cars, and favoring gasoline cars over diesel engines, raises the stakes for automakers such as Mercedes-Benz maker Daimler and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles who risk steep fines if they exceed the new ceiling. Diesel cars emit about 20 % less CO2 than equivalent gasoline vehicles. Demand for diesel has slumped in the EU’s biggest automotive markets during the first half of the year as buyers worry about driving bans in cities, three years on from Volkswagen’s emissions cheating. At the same time, sales of gasoline cars have jumped 16 %. Automakers including BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen will unveil a range of new electric products in the coming years, such as the BMW iX3 SUV and VW’s I.D. mass-market range, a standalone battery lineup. “The situation will only change in the medium-term”, said Fuss. “Starting in the luxury segment, electric powertrains will establish themselves as serious alternatives”. +++
+++ The European Union and JAPAN signed a trade pact that will remove EU tariffs of 10 % on Japanese cars. Japanese automakers could increase their sales to Europe, where they have lagged behind European rivals. The accord is expected to benefit Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Suzuki, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru. Toyota’s Group’s market share in the EU was 4.8 % in the first half, data from the European industry association ACEA shows. Nissan had a 3.3 % share while Honda had a 0.9 % share. The 3 automakers have factories in Europe. The trade pact creates the world’s largest open economic area. It comes amid fears that a trade war between the U.S. and China will diminish the role of free trade in the global economic order. “There are rising concerns about protectionism, but I want Japan and the EU to lead the world by bearing the flag of free trade”, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said. The U.S. this month imposed 25 % tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods to lower the U.S. trade deficit, and China quickly retaliated with an increase in tariffs on U.S. goods. The Japan-EU trade deal is also a sign of shifting global ties as Trump distances the U.S. from long-time allies like the EU, NATO and Canada. “We are sending a clear message that we stand against protectionism. The EU and Japan remain open for cooperation”, European Council President Donald Tusk, who speaks for the 28 EU national leaders, told reporters. Europe’s food sector is one of the biggest winners from the deal, which should allow it to capitalize on Japanese demand for high-quality cheese, chocolates, meats and pasta. +++
+++ The Hellcat-ization of Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s line-up isn’t over. Internal documents from ZF suggest JEEP will put the supercharged, 6.2-liter V8 engine under the hood of its upcoming Grand Wagoneer. The document suggests the Grand Wagoneer will receive the WS internal designation. It lists a version of the SUV named Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk equipped with a 718 hp 6.2-liter V8 engine, which is almost on par with the 2019 Challenger Hellcat’s output. The model referred to in the document uses an upgraded version of ZF’s 8-speed automatic transmission capable of handling large amounts of torque. This gearbox is already found in the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk and, surprisingly, the Rolls-Royce Cullinan. ZF’s mention of a Grand Wagoneer Trackhawk doesn’t guarantee we’ll ever see the model because the document might refer to a prototype, it might refer to an updated version of Grand Cherokee Trackhawk equipped with the 2019 Challenger Hellcat’s engine, or it might simply be a typo. FCA refused to comment on the report. We’ll need to wait until Jeep introduces the Wagoneer and the Grand Wagoneer to tell whether there’s a Hellcat in either model’s future. The latest reports point to a release date around 2020. +++
+++ The new NISSAN Leaf brings with it a new long-range version packing more powerful options throughout. Brian Maragano, Nissan’s head of EV marketing and sales strategy, told that the coming Leaf E-Plus model will get a larger battery. He didn’t cite the specific capacity, but a Nissan slip-up in 2016 and another slip-up by a Swiss charging station builder all but confirmed a 60 kWh pack, a big step up from the current 40 kWh pack. More juice enables a larger electric motor with 200 horsepower, putting it up 53 hp on the motor in the standard model. And you get more range, too. Again, Maragano wouldn’t throw out numbers, but conservative estimates say a range beyond 350 kilometres. If all of these numbers are true, the Leaf E-Plus will get in the ring with the entry-level Tesla Model 3 and the Opel Ampera-e. The base Model 3 comes with a 50 kWh battery, 197 hp, and a 350 kilometre range. The Ampera-e gets a 60 kWh battery, 200 hp, and a 380 kilometre range. Refilling the Leaf E-Plus battery should take less time as well. A leaked Nissan presentation indicated an 11 to 22 kW onboard charger, and the prototype car caught at the charging station was fast-charging at 102 kW, double the rate possible on today’s Leaf. Nissan won’t be at this year’s Paris Motor Show, so we might look forward to a reveal at the L.A. Auto Show in November. +++
+++ Shortly after the arrival of the POLESTAR 2 saloon, the Polestar 3, a ‘low and aerodynamic’ coupe SUV, will be launched in 2022. Information on the car remains thin on the ground but I know it will be a pure electric model with a targeted range of 500 kilometres. I am also expecting to see Polestar move further towards establishing its own unique design identity with this car, after the Polestar 1 closely aped Volvo design themes. Polestar’s chief operating officer Jonathan Goodman said; “The Polestar 3 will be a coupe-style SUV and it’s not our plan to do a re-skinned XC90 or anything like that. The XC90 is very much a Volvo car, the Polestar 3 will be about drivability, it’ll be about design and about offering something different”. Polestar’s strategy of using performance parts from specialist manufacturers in the Polestar 1 is also likely to be carried over to the Polestar 3. The ‘1’ has Ohlins suspension and an Akebono braking system to underline its performance focus. Like the Polestar 1, the ‘3’ will be produced at the brand’s new facility in Chengdu, China. Goodman feels that Polestar’s unique position in the market will give it the agility to respond quickly and think in an innovative way, while enabling it to still leverage Volvo’s technological and engineering expertise. “We’ve got very different positioning. You’ve got your traditional OEM like Porsche and where they’re going with their EVs then on the start-up side you’ve got Tesla and we’d put ourselves in the middle between the two. We’ve got Volvo platforms and Volvo manufacturing standards. We’ll be using trusted technology with the ability to build cars and build factories. It also gives us a global reach. We also have the agility of a start-up, we think of ourselves internally as a 90 year-old start up, We have the technology but also the chance to move faster and try different things”. Polestar has an innovative strategy for selling its cars with the new Polestar 1, 2 and 3 models available for outright purchase or as part of a subscription deal. Then there’s the network of Polestar Spaces, small 250 m2 showrooms in shopping locations with non-commissioned sales people where Goodman believes customers can, “rediscover the joy of finding out about a car without someone saying ‘I need you to sign, I need you to sign’ ”. “Polestar 1, 2 and 3, and all the others, will only ever be shown in a Polestar space”, says Goodman. “They won’t be in a Volvo dealer, however, all the aftersales work will be carried out by trained Volvo technicians. Part of the offer when we sell through subscription will be that we’ll run pick-up and delivery servicing. We don’t want Polestar in a box in a Volvo showroom but we would say to Volvo dealers, if they’re in the right market for it, will you invest in a Polestar Space? We will be available for outright purchase but predominantly on subscription. You put all the monthly payments into one simple payment and give people total transparency on what they’re going to pay”. While Polestar is creating a brand identity separate from Volvo in some respects. The links between the two will remain. “You will undoubtedly see electric Volvos, but the positioning will be very different. Says Goodman. “They will focus on the traditional virtues that have made Volvo so strong (the safety, the comfort and everything else) and our focus will be on drivability and driving dynamics. The recently revealed Volvo S60 Polestar Engineered lays the groundwork for another close link between the two manufacturers. As Goodman explains; “It’s got all the traditional merits a Volvo customer likes about their car with a little bit of Polestar in it. And there’ll be a range of Polestar engineered products coming out that create that link. Those cars will only ever be in a Volvo showroom”. +++
+++ The PSA Group has narrowed to 15 states and 4 Canadian provinces its top picks as possible points of entry for sales as the French automaker continues to ramp up plans to return to North America, the head of its North American division said. Larry Dominique, CEO of PSA Group North America, told that he is focusing on 15 states with customers who are willing to buy imports and represent 62 % of vehicle sales. Dominique’s presentation mentioned 14 states: California, Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Arizona, Washington, Massachusetts, Virgina, North Carolina, Georgia and Maryland. The 15th state was undisclosed. “Those states are of the most interest to me at this point in time because they’re high volume and import receptive”, he said. In Canada, PSA also is looking at 4 provinces (British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Quebec) that represent 87 % of Canadian sales. The maker of brands such as Peugeot, Citroen, DS and Opel hopes to sell cars again in North America by 2026. Peugeot left the U.S. in 1991. Its North American headquarters is in Atlanta, with plans for 15-18 employees by the end of this year. PSA plans to ramp up hiring in 2019. PSA Group has a 3-pronged, 10-year plan to sell cars again in North America. Its first play is through mobility. It launched the Free2Move app in Seattle in fall 2017. The app lets customers order and pay for a variety of transportation services, such as ride-hailing or public transit, with one mobile app. Free2Move also is the brand PSA Group will use to launch a new car-sharing service in the U.S. An announcement is expected within weeks on the non-PSA vehicle brand it will use, said Dominique, a former TrueCar and Nissan executive. Dominique said PSA will use a leasing partner for about 600 vehicles, though PSA and an automotive brand also had to come to an agreement. As for how it will sell cars in the U.S., Dominique has been looking at innovative distribution models for its vehicles outside of the traditional dealer franchise system. And while the company’s focus is on new cars, PSA also is looking at what it will do with cars that will come out of service from car-sharing, he said. In Europe, for example, PSA has Free2Move used car sales, Dominique said. “How do I remarket those vehicles in a way that I can protect the residual value and so forth”, he said. “That’s really important to us”. +++
+++ Elon Musk wants to be the chief executive of “a real car company”. His goal is to turn TESLA into a mass producer capable of measuring up against some of the most productive car factories in North America. After a year of factory problems plagued the rollout of its Model 3, Tesla is getting closer to this goal. The company’s sole plant in Fremont, California, reached a weekly output of 6,944 cars at the end of June, including 5,031 Model 3s. If the Tesla factory could sustain that level for a year, it would rank 14th among 70 auto plants in North America, according to 2018 production data estimated by market research firm just-auto.com. That’s on par with the average weekly output of the General Motors in Silao, Mexico and the Ford plant in Chicago. Of course, producing nearly 7,000 cars in one go-for-broke week to meet Musk’s self-imposed deadline is very different from sustaining that output over a 52-week period. For the first half of 2018, Tesla averaged just 3,378 cars per week; only enough to take 48th place in the ranking of North American factories. In an interview, Musk predicted that by August his factory would be able to make 5,000 Model 3s each week, in addition to Model X and S vehicles, without heroic measures. “In 3 months”, he said, “I think 5,000 will feel normal”. Tesla has more than its fair share of naysayers. But this week Tesla lost one after a teardown of its Model 3 sedan turned one of the company’s most outspoken critics into a true believer. Munro & Associates, a small firm in Detroit that specializes in tearing down new vehicles and analyzing all their parts, released a scathing report in April calling the Model 3 poorly built and expensive to make. But after reevaluating the Model 3, the company has come to a radically different conclusion. Sandy Munro, founder of Munro & Associates, came away quite impressed with the Model 3’s electronics. After a second teardown, he found the Model 3’s electronic systems to be closely integrated and often times running multiple vehicle functions, thereby eliminating the need for duplicate (and expensive) electronics systems. In one example, Munro says Tesla is manufacturing its electronic rearview mirror for about $30, compared to about $165 for the Chevrolet Bolt (Opel Ampera-e). Munro also spoke highly of the Model 3’s battery pack. He found that the Model 3’s new cells are 20 % bigger than Tesla’s previous battery, but contain about 50 % more energy. In fact, Munro called the Model 3’s batteries the best in the business right now. After evaluating all of the new data, Munro believes that the Model 3 has a baked in profit margin of “over 30 %”. He added: “No electric car is getting 30 %. Nobody”. Tesla is still ramping up Model 3 production but hit the milestone of producing 5,000 units per week in June. Tesla currently has about 420,000 reservations for the Model 3. +++