+++ AUDI is developing its new RS7 Sportback ahead of a 2019 launch, with the flagship 5-door coupé due to put out more than 600 hp. Prototypes have been spotted testing on German roads with styling details in line with other Audi Sport RS models, including enlarged honeycomb air intakes at the front, bigger wheels and the trademark oval-tipped twin exhausts at the rear. Set to be built alongside the forthcoming RS6 Avant at Audi’s Neckarsulm plant in Germany, the RS7 Sportback will feature the latest 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged petrol V8 found in the Porsche Panamera Turbo and Lamborghini Urus. The engines power output is expected to be around 615 hp, which is 55 hp more than the outgoing RS7 and 10 hp more than the run-out RS7 Performance. A torque figure of 800 Nm is also cited by Audi insiders. That gives the RS7 the edge in the output race against the 600 hp BMW M5, although the 612 hp Mercedes-AMG E63 S still produces more torque, at 850 Nm. As before, drive will go through all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox and Torsen torque-sensing 4-wheel drive system. To aid performance and handling further, the A7’s second-generation MLB architecture will bring a weight reduction of around 80 kg over the outgoing RS7. The resulting 0-100 km/h time is set to come down to around the 3.5 seconds mark, while the derestricted top speed will top 300 km/h. Cylinder deactivation tech will also ensure incremental improvements in quoted emissions and fuel economy. Before the full-fat RS7 arrives, an S7 is expected to warm up the A7 range in mid-2019. It will trade in the old V8 for a twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6, shared with the RS4 Avant, delivering around 450 hp. The engine is significantly lighter than the 8-cylinder unit, which should aid agility, while it should also be more efficient. +++
+++ JAGUAR is considering an all-electric version of its next-generation F-Type sports car, due by 2021. Fully electric propulsion is one of a range of powertrains being assessed for the new UK-built sports car. Another is a 4.4-litre BMW-sourced V8. A replacement for the F-Type is still at least 2 years away, despite it being already 6 years old. Design chief Ian Callum told that “being a specialist car, it will have a longer life than the mainstream models”. Callum also confirmed that “despite sports cars not being a great growth area, there will be a future for the F-Type”. Developing a purely electric F-Type replacement would provide its designers and engineers with the scope to produce a design as bold as the E-Type was in 1961. Packaging the batteries below the floor would yield a dynamically valuable low centre of gravity and hybrid aluminium body construction would go some way to mitigating the weight penalty of the battery pack. Although today’s I-Pace is propelled by 2 electric motors (each 200 hp strong) fed by a 90 kWh battery pack, the energy density of batteries will have improved by the time the F-Type emerges and there will be plenty of scope to offer more powerful motors. Mounting the motors over both axles would allow Jaguar to continue offering rear- and four-wheel drive, the latter with a torque bias to the back axle. More than one powertrain option is in the running for the new F-Type, with electrification a strong likelihood. However, it’s not yet clear if petrol and electric options will be offered at the same time. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) plans to source its next-generation V8 petrol engine, codenamed Project Jennifer, from BMW. In its most potent form, the newly developed 4.4-litre twin-turbocharged engine is said to produce around 650 hp and nearly 800 Nm; an upper limit that would make the F-Type competitive with the most powerful Porsche 911s. Falling global V8 sales are the reason for JLR once again sharing an 8-cylinder unit with BMW (the last time was when the German car maker owned the Rover Group in the 1990s), making this the only business-viable approach. Regardless of powertrain, the next F-Type will use an all-new aluminium-intensive platform, which is expected to still be assembled in Castle Bromwich and is tipped to make the new car lighter and more space efficient. It is expected to retain the current car’s 2-seat layout. However, the platform is also capable of underpinning a proposed 2+2 coupé that, if signed off for production, will arrive after the next-generation F-Type and serve as a long-awaited replacement for the XK, which was taken off sale in 2014. As well as being more space efficient and lighter, the new platform will need to be able to meet the next generation of crash requirements. Among these is a roll-over test that will involve a car being dropped onto its roof from a point 1.5 times its own height without significantly crushing the passenger cell. A choice of petrol and electric powertrains would severely constrain the design freedom provided by a pure-electric drivetrain but widen the F-Type’s appeal. The temptation, though, might be to simplify, be bold and go electric, which would fit in with potential future plans for Jaguar to be an EV-only brand. Investors at Tata, Jaguar’s parent company, are unhappy with the sales performance of the brand’s existing petrol and diesel models. A radical product overhaul is on the cards, with a strategy said to be outlined by product planners to phase out the traditional line-up and replace it with a range of fully electric models. Jaguar already has impressive credentials in the EV arena with the new I-Pace, which has been well received and is selling strongly. JLR UK managing director Rawdon Glover recently reported “a 6-month order bank, 250,000 website configurations and requests for more than 1.000 test drives. We could take 20 % more cars today”. The I-Pace will be followed by an all-new, all-electric XJ saloon in 2020, Jaguar’s embrace of electrification underlined by its participation in the Formula E race series and the recent introduction of the E-Type Zero, a rebuilding of old E-Type sports cars into EVs. Before the next-generation F-Type is revealed, Jaguar is planning a few upgrades to the existing model. Callum said it “will be improved dynamically and in other areas and there will be weight reductions”. Alongside that, the ‘2020’modelyear F-Type range has just been announced, the centrepiece being Chequered Flag special-edition versions, which mark 70 years since the launch of the 1948 Jaguar XK120. Besides these models, the range gains minor tweaks and equipment upgrades and the F-Type R adopts the SVR’s damper tune to improve low-speed ride comfort. +++
+++ Let’s be honest, we all like a little bit of LUXURY in our lives, don’t we? That’s nowhere more apparent than in the car world, where premium brands are seen as aspirational, not only for buyers, but also for rival mainstream brands. In my view, too many of them have ideas above their station; there’s nothing wrong with a brand that offers good old-fashioned value. That’s why I find Opel boss’ assertion that the company makes “modest cars for the modest person” so refreshing. But of the many clever things the car industry has done in recent years, 2 of the smartest have been the premium makers who’ve given us smaller, cheaper models, and the finance gurus who thought up PCPs to make them more affordable for us to acquire. This week we’ve driven the latest Audi A1, a car that, for some years now, has offered luxury for less. The car itself is another example of the Volkswagen Group’s brilliance at platform and parts sharing; making it easier, cheaper and more lucrative for Audi to build a great small car. But it’s also the knowledge that car buyers just can’t get enough of ticking the options boxes; options that come with rather tasty profit margins. Let’s credit Mini with kicking off the premium small car fad, but it seems people can’t get enough kit on any car. That’s why Ford’s top spec went from Titanium to Titanium X and now there are even grander Ford Vignale models. +++
+++ A post on MINI ’s official Twitter feed has confirmed a 2020 launch date for the new John Cooper Works GP. No further details or images have been revealed, but a concept shown at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed hinted at the design of the production model. Both the original and second-generation modern Minis offered a JCW GP model near the end of the mainstream models’ lifecycle, in 2006 and 2012 respectively. The new JCW GP will arrive shortly before the predicted launch of the new Mini Hatch. BMW board member Peter Schwarzenbauer said: “we are working on a new Mini John Cooper Works GP, which will be launched in 2020”, but gave no details as to whether it will bear a resemblance to the concept. The BMW-owned British brand said the concept is inspired by its triumphs at the Monte Carlo Rally in the 1960s, “embodying dynamic flair and the ultimate in driving fun”. Schwarzenbauer has told previously that a JCW GP model was likely to appear again. “The John Cooper Works GP is an important part of the Mini brand”, he said. “It has worked well for us in the past”. The 2018 concept featured extreme styling that is unlikely to be carried over in its entirety to a production model. There are large front and rear aprons, side skirts and a prominent roof spoiler. It also uses lightweight materials including carbonfibre, which Mini said optimises the power-to-weight ratio. No performance figures were provided, however. It sits on 19 inch alloy wheels, while the LED rear lights display half of the Union Jack in a nod to the car’s British origin. A version of these lights is now standard on the regular Mini hatchback. Inside, the concept has a rollcage and pair of low-mounted bucket seats. Gearshifts are commanded by paddles on the steering wheel. +++
+++ NISSAN wants more influence in its alliance with France’s Renault following the arrest of group Chairman Carlos Ghosn, arguing the structure does not adequately reflect the Japanese carmaker’s size and global sales. Japan’s No.2 auto manufacturer has long felt like the junior partner in the alliance built by Ghosn over the last 19 years, since he rescued Nissan from near-bankruptcy. The alliance was extended to include Mitsubishi Motors in 2016. But while Nissan is agitating for change, the French and Japanese governments talked up stability, saying they wanted to consolidate the alliance following Ghosn’s shock arrest on suspicion of financial misaccounting. Nissan has said it will fire Ghosn as chairman. “We need to return to the original idea of a win-win relationship”, a long-time Nissan executive told reporters at a briefing in Tokyo, speaking on condition of anonymity. It should be “a more equal relationship than before”. Nissan, while almost 60 % bigger than Renault by sales, remains junior in their shareholding structure. While Renault holds 43.4 % of Nissan, Nissan has just a 15 % non-voting stake in Renault. Renault’s biggest shareholder is the French state with a 15 % voting stake. The Nissan executive said a reduction of Renault’s stake in Nissan should be one option under consideration. Ghosn, a Brazilian, Lebanese and French citizen, had personally shaped the alliance and pledged to consolidate it with a deeper tie-up, one that not all parties were convinced by. Before his arrest, the 64-year-old was exploring a full Renault-Nissan merger at the French government’s urging. “We’d asked Carlos Ghosn to reinforce the alliance”, a French official told, adding that the government was still in the dark about the case against him. “It’s difficult to see what’s behind all this: whether it’s all true, or whether it’s been swiftly brought out to scupper the alliance or take control”. Auto analyst Thomas Besson of Paris brokerage Kepler was less equivocal. Nissan’s planned dismissal of its chairman “appears to be an indirect way of formally refusing a financial merger that Ghosn was advocating”, he said. As well as geography and culture, the ties among the companies are complicated by the role of the French state, which enjoys double-voting rights in Renault. In Japan there is concern France is ultimately seeking to take control of Nissan and Mitsubishi. In France, there are suspicions Ghosn may have been targeted so as to hinder French influence. Trust has been undermined on both sides. “There is a feeling of crisis at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry that at this rate Nissan and Mitsubishi will be seized by the French government,” said a senior source familiar with Japanese government thinking. French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire sought to ease the tensions, saying stability remained critical for both France and Japan. He said he wanted to see the evidence against Ghosn before reaching conclusions, and added that he would meet Japan’s economy and industry minister for talks. “At this stage, we do not have any evidence to support the accusations against Mr Carlos Ghosn”, Le Maire told reporters. “I would like to emphasize the Renault board’s request that Nissan share all the evidence available to it”. Renault tapped its chief operating officer and a senior board member to fill in for Ghosn, but the board refrained from ousting him while waiting for details on the allegations; a decision that could buy more time for an accelerated, permanent succession process. One of the world’s best-known auto industry executives, Ghosn bestrode the alliance, although he often said that his efforts to drive integration were hampered by the French government’s stake in Renault. A few days ago, Nissan CEO Hiroto Saikawa portrayed Nissan as a victim of Ghosn’s alleged misdeeds. But Nissan itself faces scrutiny over the financial misconduct case, with the Asahi newspaper reporting that prosecutors were weighing bringing a case against the Japanese automaker. With Ghosn potentially gone from the picture, the future of the alliance is the subject of intense investor speculation. Mitsubishi CEO Osamu Masuko said it may be hard to manage without Ghosn. The success of the alliance, which helps the automakers develop products and control costs, is critical for the members at a time when the industry is buffeted by major changes in consumer tastes and rivals are investing billions in new growth areas like automated and internet-connected vehicles. Given those considerations, the Japanese and French governments have backed stability in the alliance. It “is a symbol of Franco-Japanese industrial success”, the top Japanese government spokesman said, calling for a “stable relationship” among the three automakers. Nissan said an internal investigation triggered by a tip-off from a whistleblower had revealed that Ghosn engaged in wrongdoing including personal use of company money and under-reporting for years how much he was earning. Ghosn was arrested by Japanese prosecutors who said he and Representative Director Greg Kelly conspired to understate Ghosn’s compensation at Nissan over 5 years from 2010, saying it was about half the actual 10 billion yen ($89 million). Ghosn and Kelly, who has also been arrested, have not commented on the accusations. +++
+++ RENAULT is readying the 5th generation Clio, ahead of its launch early next year. Design boss Laurens van Den Acker confirmed the supermini’s launch date in September. Van den Acker also said the design was signed off. “It’s finished, it’s done, it’s dusted. It will be shown early next year. It’s going to be great. It has to be. It will be the best Clio we’ve ever done”. The Clio will distinguish itself from rivals by being one of the most technologically advanced models in its class when it launces in 2019. The move is part of a bid by the French car maker to keep its supermini at the forefront of the sector, especially in the face of increasing competition from compact SUVs, to which traditional small cars are starting to lose out. Van den Acker said criticism of current Renault interiors has prompted his team to focus on that area for future models. “interior-wise we try to make the difference. “That’s really where we’ve been criticised in the last few years, and we’re trying to create a very coherent concept”. The next Clio is set to marry a honed exterior look with a dramatic new interior dominated by a Tesla-style infotainment screen. It will also be capable of semi-autonomous driving. The exterior styling will be evolutionary, keeping elements such as rear door handles hidden in the door frames, albeit with a more grown-up look in line with the Mégane. It’s also expected to take design cues from the Symbioz concept car, shown last year. The interior will echo the Mégane, taking a leap away from traditional hardware to a large digital dashboard and tablet-style infotainment screen. This will set it apart from rivals such as the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo, which have smaller, more traditional touch screens. The new Clio is built on the CMF-B platform, an updated version of that used on the existing model and shared with the Nissan Micra. It will use 1.0-litre and 1.3-litre petrol engines, the latter developed with Mercedes, as well as a 1.5-litre diesel with up to 115 hp. A 48V mild hybrid 1.5 dCi, badged Eco2, is planned but won’t be available at launch. A plug-in model is understood to be due in 2020. Last year, Renault boss Carlos Ghosn announced the French car maker would launch 8 electric vehicles in the next 5 years. However, a fully electric variant of the Clio is not expected to be one of them. That’s because Renault executives are worried it would steal sales from its existing Zoe electric supermini. The Zoe was the best-selling electric car in Europe in 2017. There will be a new Clio RS, though. The hot range-topper will be unveiled in 2020. The current model is in run-out, with Renault recently releasing the limited-edition RS18 as its swansong before the next generation arrives. The next Clio RS will adopt the 1.8-litre turbo petrol engine from the new Mégane RS, but with less power. Volkswagen followed a similar strategy by using a detuned Golf GTI engine in the recently launched Polo GTI. The other key advancement is autonomous technology, not often found in this segment. The Clio is due to feature Level 1 and 2 autonomy, shared with vehicles from partner brand Nissan. Level 1 means it will have the latest safety systems such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, increasingly popular in larger cars, but Level 2 is the biggest step change: the Clio will have hands-off capability (although using it remains illegal), being able to park and keep in lane by itself. the Clio is easily the best-selling supermini in Europe, despite being 6 years old. According to figures from analyst firm Jato, it sold 327,395 units last year, compared with the 272,061 units of the second-placed Polo. Globally, the Clio is in 4th place, beaten by the Polo, Fiesta and Swift, mainly due to more modest sales outside Europe. That can be partially explained by the popularity in developing markets such as Latin America and India of its cheaper sibling, the Dacia Sandero, which is 5th globally. Although Clio sales have held strong and the broader supermini market is still growing, its biggest threat comes from compact SUVs. With the arrival to the segment of VW Group brands such as Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen, as well as Hyundai and Kia, there will be increasingly more small SUV sales, which, in turn, will stall those of superminis. After its reveal early next year, the Clio will go on sale by the summer. Prices are expected to rise over the current model. +++
+++ SKODA will push forward with a new, bolder design language starting with the forthcoming Scala, with design chief Oliver Stefani saying it was important to reinforce the brand’s values ahead of the introduction of electric cars into its range. Stefani joined the Czech firm from Volkswagen in 2017, tasked with developing a more ‘emotional’ design language, which will be rolled out on future models. Skoda is set to launch its first EV next year, which will be followed in 2020 by the marque’s first EV based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric platform. “Skoda values have always been functionality, usability and practicality”, said Stefani. “We’d like to add more emotion”. Skoda is in the midst of a major range expansion, with the new Scala launching later this month to replace the Rapid. The firm’s first electric car, the e-Citigo, will follow in 2019; ahead of the launch of several electric models based on the MEB platform. Asked if it was important to have the design language in place before the arrival of Skoda’s EV range, Stefani said: “Of course. You have to think about how the shape of cars will change. All of our cars have to have Skoda’s design DNA, which is really important to show what the brand stands for. My first job at Skoda was to think about strategy and how to change the design, but without losing what Skoda has built up in previous years. There’s no reason to do something completely different in terms of design”. Stefani has looked at developing Skoda design by looking at past models, as well as by developing a future design direction, which the firm has done using a sculpture showcasing sharp lines. Stefani described the development of Skoda’s design language as a “long-term plan”, with an overall focus on “smart understatement”. To achieve that, Skoda has set 3 key design ‘co-ordinates’: elegance, comfort and dynamic. Stefani defined elegance as being “not luxury or premium, just elegant”, and added that comfort involved building on Skoda’s reputation for decent interior space and ‘Simply Clever’ design features. He added that the firm will develop the use of ‘crystalline’ elements inspired by Czech glass, as seen on past models, but with the addition of “surprising elements” including added lines, which he likened to “twisting crystals”. Elements of the latest Skoda design have been seen on recent concept cars such as the Vision RS (which previews the look of the Scala) and the Vision X, on which the firm’s forthcoming small SUV will be based. Key elements include a bolder front grille, and further emphasis on strong lines down the side of cars. The Scala will be the first Skoda to have the brand’s name on the boot lid, instead of its logo; a feature that will be carried forward for future models. It will also feature a new-look interior, which has previously been previewed in sketches and in the interior of the Vision RS. It includes a wide dashboard built around a large freestanding central touchscreen, which features a ‘shelf’ in front of it for people to lay their hands while operating it. A similar interior design concept will also be used on Skoda’s electric MEB vehicles, as previewed by the Vision E concept shown at last year’s Shanghai motor show. While the key design elements and traits will be adopted across the range over time, Stefani said Skoda will make sure each of its models features a distinctive design to enhance their individual attributes, while ensuring they still feel part of a coherent range. +++
+++ TESLA has started taking orders for its Model 3 sedan in China for a deposit of 8,000 yuan ($1,153.60). Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said, “Probably some deliveries in March, but April is more certain”, after a Twitter user asked when the deliveries in China would begin. Tesla declined to comment. The company has been banking on its Model 3 sedan, the performance of which is seen crucial to the carmaker’s future. China is the largest market for electric vehicles and most forecasters predict that its sales in the country will speed up rapidly as government regulation drives toward a goal of 100 % electric vehicles by 2030. Tesla had signed a deal with Shanghai authorities in July to build its first factory outside the United States, which would cost around $2 billion to construct and would double the size of its global manufacturing. The Shanghai Gigafactory, based in eastern China, aims to manufacture Model 3 and Model Y cars, with annual capacity of 250,000 vehicles, according to a filing. Tesla is also developing plans to start producing about 3,000 Model 3s per week in Shanghai in the initial phase of its Gigafactory 3 to reduce the impact of tariffs. +++
+++ VOLKSWAGEN expects to become the most profitable manufacturer of electric cars thanks to a multi-billion euro expansion plan to mass produce battery driven vehicles, Chief Executive Herbert Diess said. VW will spend almost 44 billion euros on developing electric cars, autonomous driving and new mobility services by 2023 and explore further areas of cooperation with U.S. automaker Ford. Diess said he hoped to have an outline agreement on cooperation with Ford fleshed out by the end of the year, with the initial focus on commercial vehicles. He added that a merger with Ford was not on the agenda and also said there were no plans to take a stake in the American company. Mass producing electric cars will help the carmaker reduce the cost to the same level as current diesel vehicles, Diess said at a news conference in Wolfsburg, VW’s home town . “Very emotional vehicles, high economies of scale, I think we will be the most profitable company in electric vehicles”, Diess said. The supervisory board of Europe’s largest carmaker voted on far reaching capital spending plans to begin mass production of electric vehicles in Europe, the most radical strategy shift since VW’s diesel cheating scandal in 2015. Volkswagen will retool 3 of its German plants to build electric cars and to explore alliances with battery partners and rival carmakers. VW plans to increase productivity of its factories by 30 % by 2025 by building more vehicles from different brands on the same production line. It wants to lower the carmaker’s research and development ratio at the group’s automotive division to 6 % of revenues from 2020 onward. “Volkswagen must become more efficient, more productive and more profitable in order to finance the high expenditure in he future and stay competitive”, Diess said. Labor unions, who control half the seats on Volkswagen’s supervisory board, need to sign off on the plan to create global production capacity for 1 million electric vehicles by 2025 amid their concerns that assembling battery driven cars will require fewer workers. Around 436,000 industrial jobs in Germany are tied to building petrol and diesel engined vehicles. Jobs are under threat because a combustion engined car has 1,400 components in the motor, exhaust system and transmission, while an electric car’s battery and motor has only 200 components, according to analysts at ING Bank. Volkswagen’s management this week outlined plans for converting car plants in Zwickau, Emden and Hannover to build electric cars, providing job guarantees to workers until 2028. The first ID electric car is due to roll off the production line in Zwickau in 2019, as the plant ramps up to a production capacity of 330,000 electric vehicles. Zwickau currently builds the Golf. Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicle platform is also being eyed by Ford as the 2 companies continue exploratory talks about an alliance to develop self-driving and electric vehicles. “Our 2 companies complement each other very well in terms of both products and regions. The joint development and manufacture of a range of light commercial vehicles is at the core of the envisaged cooperation”, Diess said. VW expects significant synergy effects from this alliance, which may allow potential for developing a next generation Amarok and further SUVs, Diess said. Ford Chief Executive Jim Hackett told this week that the company was open to investment in its autonomous vehicle business by automakers and others, but cautioned that expanding partnerships with VW was a “delicate dance”. +++