+++ DACIA will launch a new flagship model next year. It’ll be called the Bigster, and it’ll catapult the brand into the lucrative large SUV market, offering buyers a more affordable alternative to the likes of the Land Rover Discovery Sport and Volkswagen Tiguan. Given this competition, the Bigster will be a crucially important car for the brand. Dacia says the SUV has been tasked with bringing “a touch of coolness” to the marque’s image, thanks in part to its tough new design language and minimalist badging. It’s also one of three new models Dacia will bring to market by 2025. Dacia parent company Renault is planning an attack on the family hatchback and midsize SUV segments, and the new Bigster will play a pivotal role. It’ll sit alongside cars like the Renault Captur and the Kadjar-replacing Renault Austral. But, to make sure the Romanian brand doesn’t move too far upmarket, the company has deployed a new platform strategy. Every Dacia, including the upcoming Bigster, is now set to be based on the same CMF-B underpinnings as the Sandero hatchback. The platform will become a one-size-fits-all solution for Dacia, with the brand stretching the underpinnings to their limits in terms of size for the Bigster and enabling the company to enter larger vehicle segments at a still-affordable price. Dacia previewed a concept for the Bigster in early 2021. The firm has already confirmed that the SUV will measure 4.6 metres long, which is roughly the same size as the Land Rover Discovery Sport and larger than popular sellers like the Volkswagen Tiguan. The brand has also promised a spacious interior, but whether or not the company will offer a seven-seat variant of the SUV remains unknown. However, the brand will certainly cater to buyers hankering for more space with its other two planned offerings, which includes the impressively cheap seven-seat Dacia Jogger MPV. The CMF-B platform opens up a wide range of powertrains, including hybrid power. Hybrid drive has long been excluded from Dacia’s ranks for its high price-point, but the Bigster and the new Jogger MPV will lead the charge for the technology within the brand. Given the SUV’s size and weight, I’m not expecting to see the 90 hp 1.0-litre 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine from the very cheapest version of the Sandero. The engine simply wouldn’t have enough grunt to make the larger Bigster move at anything other than tectonic speeds. Instead, the line-up will likely start with the 110 hp version of the same engine. More powerful engines could also be sourced from the likes of the Captur, with Dacia potentially poaching its 130 hp and 150 hp 1.3-litre 4-cylinder TCe petrol unit. Dacia has also hinted that the Bigster will be available with a BiFuel petrol/LPG drivetrain as found in the smaller Sandero. Hybrid drive will be another focus for the car, with buyers likely being offered the 140 hp 1.6-litre four-cylinder hybrid drivetrain in the Clio E-Tech. The same system has already been earmarked for use in the Jogger MPV in 2023. Renault has also confirmed that a new hybrid drivetrain designed with SUVs in mind is in development for 2022. This system uses a 1.2-litre turbocharged 3-cylinder engine, and can develop up to 200 hp. Despite the size increase and the fancy hybrid technology, Dacia won’t lose sight of its budget-conscious image with the Bigster. The company has already hinted that prices will fall into line with vehicles from the segment below; think more T-Roc than Tiguan. With that brief set out, we’re expecting a starting price of around €30.000. That would undercut the ever-popular Tiguan by around €10.000 and trim almost €2.000 off the cost of the more economically priced Skoda Karoq. +++
+++ HYUNDAI is quickly pivoting into an era of electric vehicles. Shortly after announcing it would halve the number of internal combustion models, it launched its first EV on its dedicated Electric Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), the supremely enjoyable Ioniq 5. Now, the Hyundai Motor Group, which includes sister brand Kia and luxury brand Genesis, has closed its engine development division at its research and development center in South Korea to put those resources into electric powertrain development. Researchers from engine design are moving to its electrification design center, but a few remain behind to continue to refine existing internal combustion engines. The powertrain system development center will become an electrification test center, and the performance division will focus on electric performance. The group has also established a battery development center, and the R&D Center will also focus on raw materials for batteries and semiconductors. In an email, R&D boss Park Chung-Kook told employees: “Now, it is inevitable to convert into electrification. Our own engine development is a great achievement, but we must change the system to create future innovation based on the great asset from the past”. The Hyundai Motor Group is targeting 1 million EVs a year by 2025, and full electrification by the year 2040. In addition to the newly launched Ioniq 5, Hyundai is planning to launch the Ioniq 6, based on the stunning Prophecy concept, in 2022, and we’ve already seen spy shots of that prototype in testing. That will be followed by the full-size Ioniq 7 SUV in 2024, which was recently previewed by the Seven Concept at the 2021 L.A. Auto Show. Kia is set to launch the EV6 in 2022, and Genesis recently revealed the GV60 electric crossover, both of which will use Hyundai’s E-GMP architecture. Genesis also recently revealed an electric version of the GV70 crossover in China. Of course, Hyundai is also invested in hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, both commercial vehicles like its Xcient trucks, and passenger cars like the Nexo and the recently revealed Vision FK concept. +++
+++ JAPAN ’s factory output jumped at the fastest pace on record in November, as easing global supply chain bottlenecks helped car production leap out of its recent slump, lifting prospects for a strong fourth-quarter economic rebound. But while improved manufacturing conditions provide some relief for policymakers, persistent global semiconductor shortages and new risks from the Omicron coronavirus variant are expected to cloud the outlook for the world’s third-largest economy. Factory production gained 7.2 % in November from the previous month, posting its largest jump since 2013 when comparable data first became available, thanks to rising output of motor vehicles and plastic products. That meant production rose for the second straight month after increasing 1.8 % in October and posted a faster rise than the 4.8 % gain expected in a poll. “Output recovered to where it was previously because car production rebounded,” said Takeshi Minami, chief economist at Norinchukin Research Institute. “But seen from a global perspective, supply bottlenecks and especially the chip shortage are likely to be prolonged so that will slow down the recovery pace of output”. The data showed output of cars and other motor vehicles surged 43.1 % from the previous month in November, also a record, while plastic products production rose 9.5 %. Despite the stronger output, Japanese automakers are still unable to completely shake off the drag from persistent global parts and chip supply issues. Japan’s top automaker Toyota said last week it would suspend production at five domestic factories in January due to supply issues and the health crisis. Analysts say the auto sector could see a prolonged impact from chip supply snaps as chipmakers focus on producing cutting-edge semiconductors over less advanced chips. “What is required for cars aren’t the state-of-the-art chips”, said Chihiro Ohta, general manager for investment research and investor services at SMBC Nikko Securities. “They need old-generation models”. Manufacturers expect output to rise 1.6 % in December and 5.0 % in January. However, a Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) official cautioned firms’ forecasts in the monthly survey tended to be overly optimistic. Output of durable consumer goods rose 39 %, while that of capital goods, which analysts say is closely related to the capital spending component in gross domestic product (GDP), was unchanged from the previous month. More broadly, analysts expected Japan’s economy will grow an annualised 6.1% in the current quarter, rebounding from a third-quarter slump with consumer and corporate activity expected to recover, a poll showed this month. Separate data showed the jobless rate rose to 2.8 % from the previous month’s 2.7 %, while an index gauging job availability was at 1.15, unchanged from October. +++
+++ MASERATI ’s long-awaited follow-up to the first-generation GranTurismo will finally be unveiled during 2022, featuring a classic 2-door GT bodystyle and the option of both petrol and fully electric power. Rivalling everything from M-powered versions of the BMW 8 Series to the Ferrari Roma in petrol form, and EVs such as the Porsche Taycan in electric form, the GranTurismo will also be joined by a drop-top GranCabrio, likely to arrive in 2023. The GranTurismo sticks to the classic 2-door, 4-seat proportions of the previous model, with a long bonnet, steeply raked windscreen and wide rear haunches. The new model also appears to borrow inspiration from the MC20 supercar, particularly at the front-end, with a similar headlamp shape and heavily sculpted bonnet. The grille will be larger, however, and the overall profile of the rear-end is reminiscent of the old GranTurismo’s. Exhaust tailpipes are just visible on the prototypes I’ve seen, and Autointernationaal understands that the car will launch first with combustion-engined power. Technical details are yet to be confirmed, but a likely engine candidate is Maserati’s new ‘Nettuno’ twin-turbo V6 found in the MC20. In that car it produces 630 hp and 730 Nm of torque, although it remains to be seen if it’ll be detuned for the GranTurismo. There’s also the possibility that Maserati will continue using its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8, which has recently found homes in the company’s Ghibli, Levante and Quattroporte Trofeo models. The unit itself is related to the engine found in Ferrari’s Portofino and Roma, but emissions regulations could make the V6 the favoured option for the GranTurismo. More radically, and unlike all of the GranTurismo’s traditional rivals to date, it will also be offered with pure electric power. Set to be branded Folgore, the battery-powered coupe will make use of a three-motor powertrain, with one motor mounted on the front axle and two on the rear to make the car all-wheel drive. That’ll likely also bring torque vectoring tech to the model, while Maserati also touted an 800v electrical architecture which would allow ultra-fast charging. It is also claimed that the electric GranTurismo will have “more than 50 per cent more power” than the previous V8-powered GranTurismo, meaning a power output of around 700 hp. If that figure is correct, it would likely make the electric GranTurismo the fastest-accelerating version. Maserati has also said that the EV will be relatively lightweight, while the electric motors and battery pack will have a minimal impact on interior space and boot capacity. A long driving range and quick charge times have also been promised, but we’re yet to see figures to back up those claims. To be considered a ‘GT’ it would need to be capable of around 480 km on a charge. The GranTurismo is part of the company’s product plan, announced in 2020, which will see multiple new models launched in the coming years, including the forthcoming Grecale small SUV, convertible and electric versions of the MC20, and a new Quattroporte and Levante. Electric versions of all new models are also planned. However, the chip shortage has forced delays to the Italian brand’s model debuts. The Grecale, which was originally due to launch in 2021, will now be unveiled some time in the first few months of 2022. We’d expect to see the GranTurismo following that in the middle of the year. +++
+++ The new hybrid MCLAREN Artura is officially delayed. When McLaren officially revealed the Artura, it promised that deliveries would begin in the third quarter of 2021. The third quarter of this year has long since gone, and we’re about to head into 2022, and there are still no Artura deliveries taking place. The new target date for initial deliveries is set for July 2022. “We held on longer than everybody else in terms of stopping production, but unfortunately, our semiconductor supply dried up”, a spokesperson said. “That made us have to reduce production across the board”. So, there’s your reason for the delay, too. McLaren is blaming the chip shortage that is currently plaguing the entire automotive industry. It’s unfortunate, because McLaren could certainly use the new Artura to freshen up its lineup. McLaren originally meant the Artura to make up 40 % of its deliveries in 2022. With the delay until July next year, that’s going to be a difficult number to approach. In case you needed a reminder, the Artura is a totally new McLaren from the ground up, as it’s sporting a new platform, new twin-turbo V6 engine and a plug-in hybrid electric system for purely electric motoring (30 km with a full battery pack). The engine and electric motor combined produce 680 horsepower and 700 Nm, sending it to 100 kph in just 3.0 seconds. Base price for the Artura is €244.000 in the Netherlands. +++
+++ POLESTAR has had an interesting past. Founded in 1996 to build entrants in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, Polestar eventually became Volvo’s official performance partner in 2011. Volvo Cars, itself owned by the Chinese company Geely, fully acquired Polestar in 2015, spinning it off into its own brand that builds EVs and plug-in hybrids using existing Volvo platforms and powertrains. Polestar’s position as a former motorsports company turned tuning house doesn’t really jive with its current product lineup, though. As nice as the Polestar 1 grand touring coupe and Polestar 2 high riding fastback are, they don’t exactly tango with racing cars in terms of driving excitement. Adding to the young brand’s identity crisis, Volvo announced that its entire lineup would be free of internal combustion by 2030. What’s the point of an electrified car wearing relatively unknown branding, especially if its much more established corporate partner is also planning on a lineup consisting only of EVs? Polestar seems to have anticipated that question because the company just revealed a 3-year plan that involves new power, bespoke product architecture, and greater differentiation from Volvo. The EV manufacturer doesn’t mince words: Porsche is in Polestar’s sights as it seeks to enhance its high-performance reputation. Along with that emphasis on driving enjoyment, Polestar also expects to break even, financially speaking, in 2023, with its first profits arriving in 2025. Engineering is part and parcel of those goals. John Paolo Canton, Polestar’s head of public relations and communications in the Americas, confirmed the automaker was developing a new aluminium space frame chassis that wouldn’t be shared with Volvo. This lightweight architecture will also be capable of Level III driver assistance, allowing for unsupervised highway driving in certain conditions: the company credits its partnership with Luminar and its long-range lidar technology in that respect. Likely to remain a Polestar exclusive is a new motor, codenamed P10. Designed in-house, the P10 EV motor is capable of producing 610 hp on its own, about 50 percent more than the most powerful electric mill Porsche makes. Like the Porsche Taycan, the motor will also incorporate a two-speed transmission, and a size of 36 by 50 by 64 centimetres will allow it to scale to a variety of automobile form factors. Given its history of building championship-winning touring cars, Polestar has a credible claim on Zuffenhausen-level performance. But if that isn’t enough to convince the buying public, Canton also acknowledged the weight-conscious handling wizardry of one of Polestar’s other corporate partners: Lotus, the English sports car manufacturer owned by Geely. While Canton stopped short of saying Lotus was involved in the development of future Polestar autos (even though it too will go all-electric), he did suggest that each brand would contribute its own best practices and know-how to the Geely ecosystem. What will be shared among Geely brands is a new battery design that is compatible with 400-volt and 800-volt infrastructures. Polestar claims the battery can hit an 80 percent charge in about 20 minutes thanks to a maximum charging speed of 103 kilowatts. The electrical architecture will also enable bi-directional charging, allowing the car to keep a home powered up in the event of a power grid failure or severe weather. Although the automaker wouldn’t commit to timing for the arrival of the new battery, Polestar’s bespoke space frame platform and P10 motor are expected to show up on a forthcoming fastback saloon inspired by the Precept concept. Called Polestar 5 and pictured above, the sleek five-door will reportedly rival the Porsche Taycan in terms of performance, design, and innovation, if Head of Polestar USA Gregor Hembrough is to be believed. And to be honest, he’s probably right, especially if Lotus is indeed passing notes to Polestar in class. Until the 5 arrives sometime in 2024, Polestar will likely continue to make use of its parent company’s architectures. That doesn’t mean it will be resting on Volvo’s laurels, though. Polestar’s next debut will be an SUV based on the large Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) chassis found under the XC90, but it will reportedly be tuned to feel more performance-oriented instead. The automaker specifically called out the Porsche Cayenne as a potential rival to its midsize, 5-seat Polestar 3 offering, which we’ve already seen in camouflaged form. The due-in-2022 Polestar 3 certainly looks sportier and more aggressive than its XC90 cousin. A fastback roofline and two rows of seats distinguish it from the more traditional Volvo, and reports suggest it will be faster as well, courtesy of either retuned versions of the parent company’s electric motors or the aforementioned P10 units. Available in either a single- or dual-motor configuration, the flagship layout will be more powerful than any Volvo SUV. That means we can expect more than the 408 bhp and 650 Nm on offer from the likewise-electric C40 Recharge. Following its larger sibling will be a Porsche Macan–sized Polestar 4 small SUV, which should arrive in 2023. The automaker’s representatives were mum on details and wouldn’t relent when pressed, but the silence spoke (or at least inferred) volumes. Since Polestar wasn’t ready to divulge specifications or architecture details, I think the company might be cooking up something a bit more unique than an EV based on the XC40’s platform. The Polestar 4 may use parent company Geely’s Sustainable Electric Architecture (SEA), with power that should slightly eclipse the XC40 Recharge. The 2023 Polestar 3 will likely have a starting price of about €75.000, while the 2024 Polestar 4 should be quite a bit cheaper at about €45.000, according to CEO Thomas Ingenlath. Both crossovers will help the brand achieve even more growth among premium EVs, especially as consumers continue to prefer high-riding vehicles. Alongside the standard-bearing Polestar 5 fastback saloon and today’s Polestar 2, the Polestar 3 and 4 will help the automaker sell 290.000 units worldwide in the 2025 calendar year; a huge improvement from 2021’s projected sales of 29,000. Alongside that greater market penetration will be improved financial prospects, according to Polestar. As part of its aforementioned plan to break even in 2023 and turn a profit in 2025, the automaker will go public thanks to a proposed business agreement with Gores Guggenheim, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) that will give Polestar a spot on the NASDAQ ticker. The SPAC will partner with Polestar, with the EV manufacturer’s existing investors receiving a majority stake in the company and Gores Guggenheim’s public and private investors getting a piece of the pie as well. Polestar is expected to trade under the symbol PSNY once the details of the partnership finalise sometime in the first half of 2022, at which point the public should be able to buy shares of the automaker’s stock. Polestar expects a market valuation of $20 billion when that all goes down. Though small-to-middling among other automakers, that number is still distantly removed from the company’s cottage-industry roots in Swedish racing. But in spite of its modern trappings (and American investment dollars), Polestar is keen to maintain its Scandinavian heritage in design, performance, and environmental sensibility. Armed with Volvo’s logistics and retail know-how, Geely’s wide engineering portfolio that includes the geniuses at Lotus, and a healthy dose of capital, Polestar is itching to take on the premium-EV space. As much as we like the gorgeous Polestar 1 and practical Polestar 2, we’re excited to go Taycan- and Tesla-hunting with the brand’s compass rose badge leading the way. +++
+++ VOLKSWAGEN expects to produce around 43 % more vehicles at its main plant in Wolfsburg, its works council head told; a marked improvement from this year but still impacted by an ongoing shortage of semiconductors. This year, Volkswagen expects to produce around 400.000 cars in Wolfsburg, down from what works council head Daniela Cavallo previously said had been an initial 1 million target. While the situation is expected to improve in 2022, along with an easing of chip supply, the impact of the scarcity will still be felt, Cavallo told. “The programme for the year has not be fixed yet. But at the moment plans foresee 570.000 produced vehicles in Wolfsburg. Of course, there are also risks involved,” Cavallo, who also sits on Volkswagen’s supervisory board, said. +++