+++ A new teaser from BENTLEY has confirmed a sporty Continental GT S will join the ranks of GT coupe and drop-top GTC models. It also shows the top of the car driving along a winding mountainous road with a V8 soundtrack in the background. The old GT S offered an increase in power, so it’s likely the new S will top the current GT’s 550 hp and 770 Nm, while retaining the same 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8. On the teaser, there is a close-up image of the new car’s wheel, showing a fresh alloy design and red brake calipers. It looks like the S will not use the GT Speed’s 440 mm diameter carbon ceramic brake discs and 10 piston calipers, which took the title of the world’s largest brakes ever fitted to a production car. Bentley says the new S will be ‘focused on driving performance and striking visual cues’ and while the 2.164 kg Continental GT might sound like a tough platform to create a true driver’s car, the excellent GT S of 2014 proved that Bentley could make a fast, fun and luxurious grand tourer. I expect the GT S to cost significantly more than the standard GT’s €283.267 starting price, although not as much as the €353.724 GT Speed. +++
+++ BMW M celebrates its 50th anniversary this year as it prepares to launch its second standalone model in its 5-decade history. The XM performance SUV will debut later this year and will be among the new models from the division to wear a new black BMW M logo. The iconic 3-colour badge will be transformed into a simpler-looking logo with a blacked-out design, which will be applied to all upcoming performance cars from the division. The new logo made its debut on the back of the iX M60 electric SUV and BMW now confirms it will be used for all future M models. The new black logo uses a titanium bronze surround as the only contrasting colour to the black main hue. The XM is next in line to get the new black emblem before every brand new M model gets it. However, the purists should probably be happy to hear the existing M products will stick to the original 3-colour design. “The overall future direction for complete new cars is that we have a black M badge and the existing cars like the M4, for example, we will not change”, BMW M sales and marketing vice president Timo Resch told. “For next-generation type of cars, that’s where you will see an M badge that is black. Only new platforms and completely new models will get a black badge”. In addition to the new blacked-out core design, the updated BMW M logo brings a new colour-coding system for the surrounding trim across the entire M portfolio. It reflects the position of the respective M vehicle in the hierarchy and whether it is strictly performance-oriented or a more luxurious product. The recently unveiled M4 CSL, for example, has a 3-colour version of the logo with a red surround, whereas the iX M60 features a black version of the logo with a golden coloured surround. The M division’s legendary 3 colours (light blue, dark blue and red) won’t disappear and will be featured in new ways, though. While the Bavarian company wants to change its DNA “a little bit”, it remains committed to its traditions. “When we look into the future design, we will continue to play around with these colours, because they are part of the identity of BMW. They belong to us and you see them on the race cars. You will see cool ways of using these colours”, Resch added. +++
+++ Ford boss Jim Farley said the brand’s ELECTRIC vehicles may shift to fixed prices and completely online sales. In a speech, Farley described a future where Ford dealerships would no longer stock inventory but serve as customer service centers for picking up online orders or repairing existing vehicles, with buyers also having the option for home delivery. In this hypothetical scheme, eliminating car dealerships would put an end to haggling with salespeople. “We got to go to non-negotiated price”, said Farley. Naturally, he also used his speech to throw some jabs at competitors.”I believe some Mach-E and Lightning customers would love to have a Mustang for the weekend. Maybe they want a Super Duty. I can do that”, Farley said, “They can’t”. The company announced plans this year to be the top EV car maker in the world, hoping to beat out Tesla and other companies with strong EV brands such as BMW, Nissan and Kia. Farley said Ford aims to have the capacity to produce 600.000 EVs by 2023, a notably smaller figure than the 936.000 deliveries that Tesla made last year. The CEO said he believes that prices for EVs will lower to an average of $25.000, as the cost of batteries and distribution gets cheaper. +++
+++ FORD will add 6.200 factory jobs in Michigan, Missouri and Ohio as it prepares to build more electric vehicles and roll out 2 redesigned combustion-engine models. The company says it will invest $3.7 billion in the three states between now and 2026. It also will convert about 3.000 temporary workers to full-time status with pay raises and benefits. A factory in Avon Lake, Ohio, near Cleveland, will be expanded so it can build an unidentified new electric commercial vehicle, with 1.800 new jobs. 90 more jobs will be added in Lima and Sharonville, Ohio. A plant in Claycomo, Missouri, near Kansas City, that makes big electric and combustion-engine Transit vans will get a third shift of 1.100 workers to handle increased demand. In Michigan, Ford plans to add 2.000 jobs at three assembly plants, and another 1.200 at other facilities. A factory in the Detroit suburb of Wayne that now builds the Ranger small pickup will see investment and jobs to make a new Ranger. A plant in Flat Rock south of Detroit will build a new version of the Mustang muscle car that it now builds. And Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn also will see investment and jobs so it can build more F-150 Lightning electric pickups to meet unexpectedly high demand. The company also will add 600 jobs at a new parts packaging facility to be built in Monroe, Michigan, and another 600 at several component plants in the state. It’s part of Ford’s plan to be able to make 2 million electric vehicles per year globally by 2026. Kumar Galhotra, president of Ford Blue, the company’s division that makes internal combustion vehicles, said the EV investments are needed in part because Ford underestimated demand for EVs. As soon as Ford opened reservations for the electric F-150, it began planning to expand the Dearborn plant that makes them, he said. “The reservations were so much higher than the production capacity that we had put in”, Galhotra said. “This is the first time in my career that we were expanding the plant before the plant was built”. Ford stopped taking reservations for the F-150 Lightning at 200.000, and it’s now converting reservations to orders. About twjo thirds of those contacted so far are converting, but the company said it didn’t have an exact number. In addition, the Mach-E and E-Transit vans are sold out for the year, Galhotra said. Ford wouldn’t give details of the commercial EV to be built at the Ohio Assembly Plant by mid-decade. The factory has been on the edge of closure for much of its life but has managed to survive even when building older vehicles. “I think this tremendous investment, both in dollar terms and jobs, and the type of product we’re putting there, shows that the Ohio Assembly plant and that community have a very bright future”, Galhotra said. Ohio is offering about $200 million in incentives for the Ford investment, while Michigan is contributing about $150 million. Although there will be a small capital investment to add the third shift in Missouri, there are no incentives for this project. Ford said it already has begun switching the temporary workers to full-time, and it’s starting to hire the new workers for the plants. The announcement came a year ahead of when contract talks start with the United Auto Workers union. New product and job announcements normally are part of the negotiations. Ford also pledged to spend $1 billion over the next 5 years to improve the work experience at its factories. The company is working with the UAW to determine the needs, which could include better lighting in parking lots for safety and healthier foods in the factories. Ford’s decision to build 3 battery plants and 1 new assembly plant in Kentucky and Tennessee last year raised questions about the company’s manufacturing commitment to its home state and region. Michigan politicians worked hard to lure General Motors EV assembly and battery plants in January after losing the Ford plants to the southern states. UAW officials praised Ford’s announcements in a company statement. “Ford stepped up to the plate by adding these jobs”, president Ray Curry said. It’s likely that Ford will build a fourth North American battery factory in the Great Lakes region in a joint venture with SK Innovation of Korea, but Galhotra said he’s not ready to make an announcement yet. At the pace Ford is moving with EV production, more production will be needed, Galhotra said, pointing to the Michigan site where the electric F-150 is being built and the commercial EV to be built in Ohio. “We’ll have more announcements to come”, he said. +++
+++ 2 years ago, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) put a JEEP Wrangler through its driver’s side small front overlap crash test twice. The IIHS describes the test as, “a vehicle travels at 65 kph toward a 5-foot-tall rigid barrier. A Hybrid III dummy representing an average-size man is positioned in the driver seat. 25 percent of the total width of the vehicle strikes the barrier on the driver side”. After the Wrangler collided with the barrier, it tipped over to the right, onto the passenger’s side, both times. The IIHS says it just tested a recent Wrangler in the same test, and the same thing happened. The Institute said this resulted “in a marginal rating for driver-side small overlap protection”, which is 1 step above the worst rating of poor, 2 steps below the other 2 ratings, acceptable and good. There was some back-and-forth between IIHS and Jeep after the tests 2 years ago. When the Wrangler tipped over the first time, the IIHS said Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) “questioned whether this outcome was related to the method that IIHS engineers had used to attach the vehicle to the crash propulsion system. IIHS agreed to conduct a second test using a different method, which was approved by FCA”. Then it tipped over again in the second test. In response, the automaker said: “FCA has produced more than 500.000 of these vehicles. By conservative estimate, they have accounted for 11 billion kilometres of on-road driving. From this population, we are unaware of any incidents that correlate with the vehicle dynamic portion of the IIHS test result”. According to the IIHS site, the recent Wrangler Unlimited gets good ratings for the moderate front overlap test, which puts about 45% of the vehicle into a two-foot-tall barrier at just under 65 kph. The Wrangler earned good ratings for roof strength, and head restraints and seats tests as well. An updated side test earned a marginal rating to go along with this updated small front overlap challenge. The Wrangler’s ratings are all over the map depending on where you look on the map for crash test results. The newly redesigned SUV scored one star in European NCAP crash testing at the end of 2018, whereas Australia and New Zealand’s NCAP tests gave the 2019 Wrangler 3 stars. Our own National Highway Traffic Safety Administration hasn’t given the Wrangler an overall score yet, but the Jeep earns three or four stars for every NHTSA test it’s been through so far. +++
+++ MERCEDES already has a good selection of electric vehicles either already on sale or very close to going on sale, but all of its smaller models are based on ICE models. The current entry point into the Mercedes EQ lineup is the EQA, a small crossover that is basically the current GLA with a big battery in the floor. The manufacturer already has a bespoke EV platform to underpin its larger offerings (EQE and EQS), MEA (short for Modular Electric Architecture), but it needs one for its smaller models too. Called MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture), it will be used in models in the automaker’s so-called Entry Luxury lineup, the equivalent of today’s front-wheel drive lineup. However, the EVs that will replace today’s compact Mercedes will be more expensive and upmarket propositions. According to Markus Schafer, Mercedes’ Chief Technology Officer: “The vehicles of our entry-luxury MMA platform will be based on the MB.OS software architecture for the first time in 2024. They will feature many innovations that stem from the tech programme behind the Vision EQXX. As part of this, we are refocusing our portfolio and reducing at the same time, complexity. We aim to achieve this with a smaller number of alternatives. Instead of 7, we plan to offer 4 models in this segment”. So the first of these MMA-based EVs will debut in 2024, and it could be a posh Volkswagen ID.3 rival, not a crossover (although a crossover equivalent will surely be offered). It will be the electric equivalent of the current A-Class, so we shouldn’t expect Mercedes to just offer it as a hatchback; we would expect to see at least a saloon, maybe even something more overtly sporty. Regarding the look of its future models, we can look at studies like the Vision AMG concept or the EQXX production preview for reference. Both of these vehicles, even though they may seem different, have one important common trait: they are both very low-slung, have an elongated rear section that tapers off and generally a teardrop-like aesthetic. It’s also worth noting that these future small electric Mercedes models will not be direct replacements of today’s A-Class, B-Class, CLA and others (or their electric equivalent models like the EQA). The automaker will likely create new model lines that are differently positioned to better fit into the EQ lineup. As said, the number of compact body styles offered will be reduced as Mercedes shifts its focus and more towards the higher end spectrum of its range. This seems to be a trend among luxury automakers these days: they are increasingly moving upmarket where you may sell fewer vehicles, but the profit margins are better. +++
+++ After years of delays caused by development hurdles, the AMG One finally debuted this week in all of its F1-powered glory. All 275 hypercar have long been sold out, but none of them will be roaming the streets of the United States. Why? Because the folks from Affalterbach have decided not to tweak the hybrid V6 powertrain to meet local regulations. Doing so would’ve negatively impacted performance, and MERCEDES-AMG didn’t want to demote the PHEV. I’ll remind you the AMG One is powered by the turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol mill working together with no fewer than 4 electric motors. It delivers a colossal 1.111 hp, with the combustion engine alone producing 600 hp at a screaming 9.000 rpm. These juicy numbers will be unattainable for ‘1-percentres’ in the US, which have been informed about the first-world problem. A letter sent by Mercedes to prospective buyers from the US, says: “In order to preserve the unique character of its F1 powertrain, we have concluded that meeting U.S. road standards would significantly compromise its performance and its overall driving character”. Of course, lest we forget about the show or display law, which is essentially an exemption allowing owners to drive the cars for a maximum of 4.000 kilometres per year. That means it’ll technically be possible to see one on the streets of the United States. With only 275 units being made, the AMG One will rarely be seen in Europe, its main market. Taking into account its fragile engine and the likelihood of the hypercar’s rising value, chances are many of them will sit in a climate-controlled garage. While the United States isn’t getting (well, kind of) the AMG One, it was the other way around with the McLaren Sabre as the 865 hp beast was only sold in the US of A. +++
+++ Ford said that it would invest $3.7 billion in U.S. plants to build the 7th generation MUSTANG and the next Ranger pickup. Part of that announcement consisted of a simple graphic image with the words “7th Generation. The all-new Ford Mustang” with the horse logo. Not so subtly hidden in the image was a 6-speed manual shift gate pattern in the “O”. The option of a stick shift wasn’t in serious doubt, but it wasn’t a forgone conclusion, either. Sports car after sports car have jettisoned what was once called the “standard” transmission. See the Corvette C8, BMW M5, Audi TT, Toyota Supra (though that will soon be rectified), and everything from Ferrari. These days, manuals are so rare that carmakers make big pronouncements about their mere existence. See the Nissan Z, Acura Integra, and now the next Mustang. Previous rumors have had the next Mustang, debuting in 2023 for the 2024 model year (also its 60th anniversary), powered by possible hybrid drivetrains. These have pointed to hybridized versions of both the 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder and a Coyote V8. An electrified Mustang would be powered by a 10-speed automatic transmission. In April, Ford’s vehicle director for icons and Ford Performance, Ali Jammoul got real in an interview: “You know, eventually it’s going be phased out, right?” Jammoul added, “As long as there’s a market for it and customers still want that higher performing feel, it’ll stay, but clearly you can deliver a lot more from an automatic, especially from EVs”, He added, “It’s clear there will be more electrification, and manual gearboxes will not be around in the future”. So, even if the manual gearbox lives to shift another Mustang generation, it might very will be the last. +++
+++ The European passenger car market is suffering a pretty significant decline, as the number of new registrations in April decreased by 21% year-over-year (after a 19% decrease in March). The situation is very challenging and even the PLUG-IN ELECTRIC CAR SEGMENT is now affected. Roughly 158.600 new passenger plug-in cars were registered in Europe last month, which is 1% less than a year ago. However, not everything is bad, as the plug-in market share expanded to 19%. The most important thing is that the all-electric car sales are still slightly above last year’s level (up 15%), accounting for 10% of the total market. The main reason why plug-ins are down by 1% in April is plug-in hybrids, as their registrations are down 14% year-over-year. So far this year, some 723.766 new passenger plug-in electric cars were registered in Europe. That’s about 21% of the total volume. The Fiat 500 electric was the most registered plug-in model in April with 5.593 units, noticeably ahead of Peugeot e-208 (3.775) and Skoda Enyaq iV (3,721). It also means that 2 Stellantis BEVs are on top, while the top MEB-based electric car from the Volkswagen Group happens to be Skoda. Down in 4th place is the Kia Niro EV and in 5th place is the Dacia Spring, which is imported from China. Well, there is no Tesla (production and import from China were limited) in the top 10, while the top Volkswagen is below 3.000 units due to parts supply issues. Apart from the Fiat 500 electric, the Peugeot e-208 and the Skoda Enyaq iV, the top 10 consists of: the Kia Niro EV (e-Niro; 3.513), the Dacia Spring (3.461), the Ford Kuga PHEV (3.185), the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV (3.039), the Hyundai Kona Electric (2.985), the Volkswagen ID.4 (2.938) and the Renault Zoé (2.874). The numbers for the first 4 months are less surprising, as we still see 2 Teslas with a huge advantage at the top (Model 3 with 33,639 sales and Model Y with 27.369), followed by the Fiat 500 electric (19.392) as the best of the rest. De rest of the top 10 cars year-to-date are: Kia Niro EV (e-Niro; 16.325), the Volkswagen ID.4 (14.088), the Ford Kuga PHEV (13.876), the Hyundai Kona Electric (13.650), the Renault Zoé (13.607), the Peugeot 3008 HYBrid (13.553) and the Peugeot e-208 (12.853). The list of top plug-in brands, as usual, consists of many premium brands at the top. Tesla is down two positions from #1 after Q1 to #3 after April (still #1 among BEVs). The top 10 plug-in brands (share year-to-date) are: BMW (9.4%), Mercedes-Benz (8.9%), Tesla (8.4%), Kia (6.4%), Volvo (6.0%), Audi (5.8%), Peugeot (5.8%) and Volkswagen (5.8%). The top plug-in automotive groups (share year-to-date) are: 1. Volkswagen Group (17.4% share), Stellantis (15.3%), Hyundai Motor Group(11.8 %), BMW Group (11.3% share), Mercedes Group (10.1%) and Tesla (8.4%). +++
+++ It seems most automakers are now planning for an electric car future. However, with most companies moving forward at around the same time, battery cells and materials are already in high demand. To make matters worse, the global financial situation is in rough shape, and many people are suggesting a recession is upon us. STELLANTIS boss Carlos Tavares is among the many who are concerned about what lies ahead. He’s made it clear that there won’t likely be enough batteries to keep up with automakers’ goals. The CEO also told reporters he’s keeping watch on the economy, since a recession may be imminent. In order to prepare Stellantis’ brands for success with EVs, Tavares shared that the company plans to open a battery factory in Kokomo, Indiana, in 2025. If Stellantis follows through and succeeds, the upcoming factory will join several other new EV battery factories on American shores. Like many others in the field, Tavares believes batteries may be hard to come by in 2024 or 2025. He also believes that by 2027 or 2028, there simply won’t be enough raw materials for the number of EVs that are expected to be on the market. Tavares said: “We are in the Darwinian world. The guys who survive are the guys that adapt, and we will have to adapt if that reality materializes. The speed at which we are trying to move all together for the right reason, which is fixing the global warming issue is so high that the supply chain and production capacities have no time to adjust”. That said, it only makes sense for automakers to begin making big plans to assure that they’ve paved the way for their own successful EV supply chain. This is especially true if they’re actually serious about electric vehicles, and it really needs to happen sooner rather than later. Each automaker that beats Stellantis (or any other rival) to market with compelling EVs will obviously work to make batteries and raw materials even more scarce for those lagging behind. There’s simply a shortage of facilities that mine and refine lithium. He also points to bottlenecks caused by environmental regulations, as well as permitting related to the construction of new facilities. Fiorani is the vice president global vehicle forecasting at Auto-Forecast Solutions, a company that tracks automotive production. Tavares went on to reiterate that he’s not a fan of the governments and/or politicians trying to push companies to adopt EVs more quickly. He notes that electric cars are expensive to manufacture, and it’s important to make cars that are affordable for the masses. He added: “Stop playing with the rules. Leave the rules as they are and let people work properly with a lot of focus and a lot of rigor”. Stellantis’ upcoming battery factory in Indiana is part of a joint venture with battery supplier Samsung SDI. Samsung aims to invest over $2.5 billion to prepare to produce battery cells and modules for a long list of EVs that Stellantis will eventually build in North America. The companies hope to break ground for the effort later this year, which they say will create 1,400 new jobs. Indiana will help with incentives of nearly $200 million. +++
+++ Elon Musk’s demand that TESLA staff stop “phoning it in” and get back to the office got short shrift from Germany’s largest trade union. The Tesla chief executive waded into the future of work debate by telling staff at the electric carmaker that they must return to the office for at least 40 hours a week or leave the company. The IG Metall union in the German state of Brandenburg Sachsen, where Tesla’s plant is located, said it would support any employee who opposed Musk’s ultimatum. Tesla employs around 4.000 people in Germany and plans to expand the workforce to 12.000. “Whoever does not agree with such one-sided demands and wants to stand against them has the power of unions behind them in Germany, as per law”, Birgit Dietze, the district leader for IG Metall in Brandenburg Sachsen, said. Employees at Tesla’s plant in Grünheide, Germany, elected 19 people to its first workers’ council in February, setting the plant apart from others run by the carmaker in the United States and elsewhere without union representation, which Musk has fiercely resisted. Some of the workers are part of IG Metall which represents workers across automotive companies and other industrial sectors. In Germany there are currently no laws enshrining a right to work from home but the labor ministry is working on policies that would increase flexibility for workers. Many large employers, including automakers, have already embraced hybrid working models in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic which forced companies to send staff home to work. “We have a fundamentally different view on creating an attractive working environment, and stand for empowerment and personal responsibility in our teams to balance the ratio of mobile and in-person work”, said Gunnar Kilian, Volkswagen board member responsible for human resources. Luxury carmakers BMW and Mercedes-Benz echoed that view when asked about Musk’s ultimatum. “Hybrid working is the working model of the future. Different forms are possible, from complete presence to predominantly remote working”, a Mercedes-Benz spokesperson said. Musk, who has helped shift the traditional car sector to an all-electric future making himself the world’s richest man in the process, had blunt words for companies that didn’t require staff to be back in the office full-time. “There are of course companies that don’t require this, but when was the last time they shipped a great new product? It’s been a while”, Musk wrote in the email. +++