+++ For a few years now, the ASTON MARTIN VANTAGE has been without V12 power. It’s technically been without Aston Martin power, too, since its twin-turbo V8 comes from Mercedes-AMG. But that may change in the near future based on these spy photos from the Nürburgring. They show a Vantage, but one that’s wider and with exhaust that suggest it may get a few more cylinders like its close cousin, the V12 Speedster. Staring us down is the prototype’s enormous front grille, taller and wider than standard Vantage units. It’s flanked by two smaller inlets and underlined by an aggressive front splitter. The whole front seems to be wider, as evidenced by the mismatch around the front fender and hood. Speaking of the hood, there’s a big mesh “V” sitting on top to cover what are likely heat-extracting vents, which would probably be important for handling the heat from a twin-turbo 5.2-liter V12. Changes at the back are a bit more subtle, but only a bit. The rear fenders have large fender flares, suggesting the production car will also be wider at the back with correspondingly larger tires. There’s a little gurney flap on the rear spoiler, so we may see a more aggressive spoiler in production. We also see a center exhaust instead of each of the dual pipes on the ends of the rear diffuser. This exhaust looks a lot like what Aston Martin used on the V12 Speedster, itself based on the Vantage, but without the roof section. This is probably the strongest evidence that the car has the extra cylinders. With Aston clearly knowing how to shove a V12 into a Vantage chassis, and the high-end sports car market’s never-satiated desire for more powerful and rarer items, a V12 Vantage seems like a slam-dunk product. The question will be, what output will it make. The V12 Speedster made 700 horsepower, but it was a limited-production special edition. The V12 Vantage could get the DB11’s 630 horsepower variant to give the Speedster a bit of breathing room. And that would still be a nice power increase over the 503 horsepower of the regular Vantage. Based on these spy shots, we’d bet we have around a year before we see the production model, maybe a little less, maybe a little more. +++
+++ AUDI has signed off the design of the hightech Project Artemis electric car that will arrive in 2024 as the firm’s new flagship, and will preview it with a concept at the Munich motor show in September. The Grand Sphere, to be revealed on 2 September, will be one of three show cars that the German brand will produce in the next year to showcase its approach to vehicles equipped with level-four autonomous driving systems (allowing for unsupervised self-driving in certain conditions). The production version will succeed the A8 saloon as Audi’s luxury flagship. It is due to be revealed in 2024, before going on sale early the following year. Audi design chief Marc Lichte told that the Grand Sphere will be “a very concrete teaser of the Artemis project” that will showcase “a new revolution in design” with a focus on interior space. He said: “I asked our design teams not for their vision of an A8 successor but for something completely new. Sales volumes for three-box saloons such as the A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class are going down, and there are new, more attractive bodystyles. “Honestly, I think the S-Class has been a lot more successful than our A8, so we have to come up with something completely new to attack the S-Class. This is the result”. +++
+++ Continuing to explore ELECTRIC vehicle data, I will today take a look at the vehicle weight versus the total battery capacity (official or estimated). I listed all the EVs by their weight (in kg) per battery capacity (in kWh). The results are between 22 and 75 kg/kWh. For example, in the case of the Ford Mustang Mach-E (ER, AWD), its weight of 2.300 kg and battery capacity of almost 98.9 kWh translates to 23.2 kg/kWh. And that’s the second-best result overall. The problem with Mach-E is its efficiency though. As we can see, most models with the lowest results are Teslas: Model 3 Long Range (23.5-24.5 kg/kWh) and Model S Long Range Raven (22.4 kg/kWh). However, the Volkswagen ID.3 also did pretty well at 24.6 kg/kWh. The median (middle result) is 30.7 kg/kWh. Overall, the best results usually belong to the models equipped with large battery packs (like the Mach-E) and high-energy dense battery cells. If we look carefully, we will see that the latest Tesla Model 3 Standard Range+ is in the middle of the pack at 30.7 kg/kWh. First, because the battery is smaller (a level of 60 kWh or so) and CATL’s LFP batteries are less energy-dense. That’s actually not a bad result for the entry-level Tesla, as it almost matches 62 kWh versions of the Volkswagen ID.3 with higher energy-dense cells (NCM chemistry). The newly launched Hyundai Ioniq 5 stands at 28.4 kg/kWh, almost on par with Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq iV (27.1-27.8 kg/kWh), which considering a several percent smaller battery is a very similar outcome. It will be interesting to see whether the new MIC Model Y LR will be close to 25 kg/kWh. That lower weight per battery capacity unit is one of the main factors behind Tesla’s high efficiency. The huge and heavy Audi e-tron 55 SUV notes 28.6 kg/kWh, but has a 95 kWh battery. At the bottom of the list, we will see cars with battery packs of 40 kWh and smaller. An interesting thing is that the kg/kWh factor starts to increase quickly in the case of smaller battery versions. +++
+++ FORD has doubled its production target for the F-150 Lightning because of strong early demand for the full-sized electric pickup truck ahead of its 2022 launch, and the company plans to spend an additional $850 million to meet that target, several people and suppliers familiar with the plans said. The No. 2 U.S. automaker is targeting annual production of more than 80.000 in 2024, up from its prior target of more than 40.000, according to the sources, who asked not to be identified. “They were pleasantly surprised by the demand for the Lightning”, one of the sources said of Ford officials. Industry observers have questioned whether individual buyers will give up their gas-powered pickups for electric models, but commercial customers are pushing for electric trucks and vans to reduce their carbon footprints. The ramp to the new production target includes plans to build about 15.000 next year after the electric truck’s spring launch and 55.000 in 2023, a second source said. Following the launch of the second generation Lightning in late 2025, the annual target is just shy of 160.000. The increase is on top of the 50% boost Ford outlined last November, the sources said. Driving the more optimistic targets is strong pre-launch demand for the vehicle, especially with commercial customers, the sources said. “We are excited with customer demand for the F-150 Lightning and already have 120.000 customer reservations, and we will continue to look for ways to break constraints and meet customer demand,” Ford said in a statement. The company declined to comment further. Ford and other global automakers are racing to shift their gasoline-powered lineups to all electric power under pressure from regions like Europe and China to cut vehicle emissions. U.S. President Joe Biden has called for $174 billion to boost U.S. EV production, sales and infrastructure. In May, Ford outlined plans to boost its spending on electrification by 2030 by more than a third to over $30 billion. Ford also announced plans that month to form a battery joint venture with South Korean battery maker SK Innovation that would open 2 plants in North America. Ford’s EV strategy is focused on leveraging its strongest brands, with the electric F-150 and Transit van joining the Mustang Mach-E SUV. The petrol-powered F-150 has been the top-selling vehicle in the United States for over 4 decades. Other automakers with plans to introduce electric pickups include General Motors and Tesla, as well as startups Lordstown Motors, Canoo and Rivian. Ford owns a stake in Rivian. The increased Lightning production target has some suppliers worried about the extra investment that will entail and unsure the demand for electric pick-ups will meet Ford’s expectations.”It really puts suppliers in a dicey situation if the volume doesn’t come true”, said one supplier executive, who asked not to be identified. The redesigned F-150 Lightning, due in late 2025, is expected to be the first to employ Ford’s new TE1 truck architecture, AutoForecast Solutions previously said. The first-generation Lightning uses a platform that is heavily derived from the standard F-150. +++
+++ The FORD FOCUS ST has spawn a limited-edition variant billed as the most agile ST model to date. Unveiled in the United Kingdom, the Focus ST Edition was designed to be equally at home on the road and on the race track. It’s based on the fourth-generation hatchback, and it gains several enthusiast-approved upgrades including Ford Performance-tuned KW Automotive coil-overs, 19 inch alloy wheels that reduce unsprung weight by 10 %, and a hydraulically-activated electronic limited-slip differential. Ford notes the adjustable coil-overs reduce the ride height ever so slightly, and it points out its engineers increased the spring rate by 50 % over the standard ST. Visually, the ST Edition stands out from other, not as track-friendly versions of the Focus with an exclusive Azur Blue exterior color and contrasting high-gloss black accents. Slip behind the wheel, and you’ll spot blue contrast stitching and a red ST ignition button while sitting on Recaro sport seats partially upholstered with leather. Ford made no major mechanical changes to the ST Edition, meaning power comes from a turbocharged, 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 280 horsepower and 420 Nm. It spins the front wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission. Hitting 100 kph from a stop takes 5.7 seconds, and the ST’s top speed is limited to 250 kph. Each example of the Focus ST Edition will be delivered with a suspension tuning guide that explains how to adjust the coil-overs for a variety of driving conditions, including the Nürburgring track in Germany, where the ST was tested. As it stands, the ST is the spiciest Focus flavor offered on the other side of the pond. Ford hasn’t resurrected the fire-breathing RS yet, and unverified reports claim the model won’t return due to tight emissions regulations. +++
+++ The Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia has acquired a substantial stake in PAGANI , making an investment that the Italian hypercar manufacturer will put towards expansion and diversification. The PIF is now a part-owner of three car manufacturers: Pagani, McLaren and American EV start-up Lucid. It’s described as “the economic engine of the Saudi Vision 2030, driving the diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy”. The terms of this latest deal haven’t been disclosed, but it’s widely reported that the PIF’s stake in Pagani amounts to 30 %, with the Pagani family retaining its controlling share and founder Horatio Pagani remaining CEO and chief design officer. The investment will help Pagani to continue “its innovation part in the hypercar market” as well as move into new segments in the lifestyle sector. A new division called Pagani Arte has been launched, but it remains unclear whether this will have any link with the brand’s automotive output. Pagani has exclusively sold the Huayra hypercar in various forms since its launch in 2012, using a Mercedes-developed 6.0-litre V12 that isn’t used by any other brand. It’s expected that the Saudi Arabian investment will allow Pagani to source alternative powertrain solutions and potentially develop an all-new successor to its highly regarded flagship. No details of planned cars have been released a this stage, but Pagani promises “new models” as part of its expansion plan. It highlights its consistent financial performance in recent years as an indicator of future success. Notably, it recorded record financial results in 2020, when the pandemic obliterated the profit potential for many more mainstream brands. Horacio Pagani said: “Ever since its foundation, Pagani has enjoyed partnerships with best-in-class players, as we believe that excellence can only be reached through teamwork. This is proven by our long-standing partnerships with our technology partners – clear technology leaders in their reference sectors- that will continue to play an important role in Pagani’s future”. He went on to hint that the V12’s days are numbered, saying: “Our next hypercars will keep conveying unique emotions, irrespectively of their powertrain technology”. In 2018, Pagani told that there was “electric car research already ongoing”, but the company has offered no more clues in the 3 years since. +++
+++ TESLA chief executive Elon Musk said that the electric-car maker was working on improving the much-awaited update to its self-driving software “as fast as possible”. The billionaire entrepreneur tweeted that the Full Self-Driving Beta version 9.2 is “actually not great imo (in my opinion), but Autopilot/AI team is rallying to improve as fast as possible. We’re trying to have a single stack for both highway & city streets, but it requires massive NN (neural network) retraining”. Tesla had recently come under the scrutiny of U.S. safety regulators, who opened an investigation into its driver assistant system because of accidents where its cars crashed into stationary police cars and fire trucks. Two U.S. senators also called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate Tesla, saying it misled consumers and endangered the public by marketing its driving automation systems as fully self-driving. +++