+++ BENTLEY has revealed a new, top-specification Mulliner variant of its extended wheelbase Bentayga SUV. Sitting at the top of the Bentayga range, it features a raft of design changes and high-end interior upgrades, plus a single V8 engine choice. The Mulliner name has held various titles within Bentley over the course of its history, but in its modern application applies to both its bespoke manufacturing arm and as top-spec model in each of Bentley’s 3 lines. Each share distinctive Mulliner design elements, starting with the double diamond grille pattern that’s also repeated on the front wing emblems. Bentley also offers a Blackline specification, effectively replacing any brightwork with a gloss black alternative. The Mulliner 22 inch wheel design is specific to this top trim, and is available in 3 finishes from a bright chrome through to gloss black. The greatest changes can be found inside the cabin, where Bentley now offers a unique tri-tone option for its curated interior leather and trim combinations. These set combinations can then be personalised further with different stitching options, but all feature Mulliner’s unique stitching pattern. To help further uplift the sense of opulence, elements like deep-pile wool floor mats and the use of metal ‘B’ inlays in the veneer trim are also included, with the usually optional four-seat ‘Airline’ rear seating package, featuring 2 individual captains chairs and a full centre console, also now standard fit. The Bentayga EWB Mulliner is available with Bentley’s 4-litre twin-turbocharged V8 that produces 550 hp and 770 Nm. Power is sent through all 4 wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission and despite the Bentley’s huge size and weight it will still hit 100 kph in 4.8 seconds. Bentley’s rear wheel steering and Dynamic Ride Control systems are on hand to help reduce the Bentayga’s sense of mass on the move. The rear wheels are able to steer in the opposite direction to the fronts in order to improve its agility and low-speed manoeuvrability. At high speeds, the rear wheels steer in the same direction as the fronts to the benefit of high-speed stability. Dynamic Ride Control is Bentley’s shorthand for an active anti-roll system which utilises a 48V electrical system to power movable struts in the suspension to actively eliminate roll. This is combined with an active air-suspension setup and switchable dampers to deliver the greatest possible ride quality. Bentley has not revealed prices for the new Mulliner as yet, but it will sit higher than the existing EWB’s price tag. Production and deliveries are also yet to be confirmed. +++
+++ BYD is trying to expand its plug-in electric car business outside of China by exporting its cars to more and more new markets, including Europe, but not yet to the United States. The Atto 3 recently entered the European market with the potential for some decent sales results. Last month, it was the bestselling electric car in Sweden. Today, we will take a look at the Moose test of the BYD Atto 3. The tested version was equipped with a 60.5 kWh battery (LFP), a 204 hp electric motor and 18 inch wheels with Continental EcoContact 6Q 235/50 R18 XL 101V tires. The car was able to successfully pass the test (without hitting any cons) at an initial speed of roughly 71 km/h. That’s not a particularly high speed. Actually, it is below average (a few miles behind the Hyundai Kona Electric for reference), but was considered relatively good for a city crossover. It was also noted that the BYD Atto 3 has a soft suspension for a more comfortable ride, rather than for high-speed manoeuvrability. For comparisment: the Tesla Model 3 Long Range AWD did the test with 83 km/h, the Hyundai Ioniq 5 RWD with 82 km/h, the Aiways U5 with 78 km/h, the Dacia Spring with 77 km/h), the Cupra Born with 75 km/h, the MG 4 with 74 km/h, the Renault Mégane Electric with 74 km/h, the Volkswagen ID.4 with 73 km/h, the BMW iX1 with 72 km/h, the Volvo XC40 Electric Twin with 72 km/h and the Kia Soul EV (e-Soul) with 68 km/h. The BYD Atto 3 is not particularly fast in the slalom either. The car completed the test in 25.6 seconds, which is one of the slowest times recorded so far. Fastest was the Porsche Taycan GTS with 21.5 seconds. Only the Volkswagen ID.Buzz (25.7 seconds) and the Dacia Spring (27.9 seconds) were slower than the BYD Atto 3. +++
+++ The likelihood of encountering a moose is slim but the evasive manoeuvre test is a good method to see how a car reacts to the driver’s input to avoid an imaginary obstacle. Originating in Sweden’s 1970s, the moose test was made famous in 1997 by car magazine Teknikens Värld when journalist Robert Collin flipped the original A-Class. It was a huge blow for Mercedes, which had to recall all cars sold to date and halt deliveries for 3 months. A Spanish magazine is keeping the tradition alive by putting the latest cars through the dreaded moose test. After evaluating the regular HONDA Civic back in November, they’ve now tested the Type R. But the high-performance version failed to impress the reviewer. The highest entrance speed without taking down any cones was only 74 km/h, which oddly enough, was lower than the 77 km/h achieved by the standard hatchback. That’s despite the fact the Civic Type-R has chassis and suspension updates over the standard compact hatch, not to mention sticky tyres in the form of bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S. The normal Civic also had a higher speed in the middle of the moose test (68 km/h vs 63 km/h) but a lower exit speed (45 km/h vs 48 km/h). The test driver describes the hot hatch’s result as being a “modest figure” given the sporty nature of the Honda. He did repeat the test a few times and the car’s performance improved, likely thanks to increased grip after the tyres warmed up. Speaking of which, the tyre pressure was slightly lowered at the front axle and that too paid dividends in terms of how the car behaved while navigating through the cones. It became more predictable while exhibiting less signs of understeer. Even with warmer, less inflated tyres, the reviewer wasn’t able to successfully complete the moose test at higher speeds. In the preceding slalom test, it needed 23.8 seconds to finish the course, which positioned it near the bottom of the rankings. It was 0.6 seconds slower than an Audi RS3 Sportback and even a tenth of a second behind the much larger and heavier BMW M340d xDrive Touring. +++
+++ The entry-level HYUNDAI crossover in Europe is the Bayon. Revealed in March 2021, is the most affordable cross-over from the South Korean company on the Old Continent and it is currently being prepared for a minor mid-cycle refresh. It appears that the visual changes will be kept to the minimum. At the front, it seems that the LED daytime running lights will gain a new sleeker shape and one might even speculate there will be a coast-to-coast LED strip like on the new Kona. The main lighting clusters might also receive a new form but I can’t confirm that for the time being. This is literally everything we can tell about the design of the facelifted Bayon so far. The rear end seems untouched and even the wheels design appears to be identical with the model that is currently available in Europe. I don’t have a detailed look at the interior but the fact that there’s no camouflage covering the dashboard on this prototype makes us believe the tweaks inside the cabin will also be minimal. I don’t think the Bayon will get big upgrades under the bonnet. After all, Hyundai wants to keep the price of the crossover as low as possible and a high-tech electrified powertrain would go against that policy. Hyundai will probably keep the distance between the Bayon and the Kona, which means the Bayon won’t get the latest tech from the South Korean manufacturer with the mid-cycle facelift. +++
+++ MERCEDES has been spotted putting the new second generation EQC through its paces, giving us our first glimpse of the new all-electric family car due in 2025. It’ll join an extensive range of electric SUVs in the Mercedes-Benz lineup, sitting between the compact EQA and EQB models, and the much larger EQE and EQS. It will go on to rival the BMW iX3 and Audi’s forthcoming Q6 e-Tron. The current EQC was the first unique, mass-produced all-electric model developed by Mercedes, a trailblazer that came with certain compromises in terms of range and efficiency. Yet, the model has proven to be popular, making this all-new version that much more important to get right. Designed to sit alongside the petrol-powered GLC, the EQC will actually share very little with its combustion engined sibling and instead make the move to a totally bespoke EV chassis. This is likely to be the new Mercedes MMA architecture that’s due to be put into production in 2025, rather than the EVA platform underpinning the current EQE and EQS model lines. These advanced underpinnings will give the new EQC a much more efficient platform to work from compared to the first generation model, and introduce the ability to house larger battery packs and more intelligently packaged electric motors. There will be the option of both single and twin motor powertrains on MMA models, with a greater emphasis on vertical integration for elements like the batteries to help reduce costs and more precisely tailor them to the EQC’s requirements. The new EQC will feature a balanced overall silhouette, keeping the windscreen relatively upright in contrast to the EQE’s short bonnet and extreme windscreen rake. While the window line does drop sharply, the roofline looks to remain fairly boxy for the benefit of rear headroom. The new EQC will also introduce a new generation of Mercedes digital interfaces and design, and will be optimised to seat 5 passengers. An AMG model will not be far behind, although AMG’s high-end electric models will be put onto their own AMG.EA platform, so we’ll have to wait and see how this affects standard Mercedes EV models like this new EQC. I expect the new EQC will be revealed some time in late 2024 or even early 2025, with production due to commence later that year. +++
+++ New vehicles are safer than they’ve ever been, but there’s always room for improvement. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently proposed a new rule requiring automakers to equip new models with SEATBELTS WARNING SYSTEMS for both front and rear passengers. While many models already have such warnings available, only the driver seat is currently required to sound an alarm. The new requirements would extend to the front passenger and people in the back seat riding in vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of 4.500 kilos or less. Changes to the rules proposed by the NHTSA would require a visual warning on vehicle startup that lasts at least a minute to give the driver a status update on rear passengers. If a rear belt is unbuckled while the vehicle is moving, audio and visual warnings lasting 30 seconds would be required. Similar changes apply to the front seat, though the alarms would last until the passenger buckles. While they’re not always comfortable, seatbelts save lives. NHTSA’s acting administrator, Ann Carlson, said, “In 2021, almost 43,000 people lost their lives on America’s roads, and half of those in vehicles were unbelted. This proposed rule can help reduce that number by getting more to buckle up”. Seatbelts reduce the risk of fatal injuries in a crash by 55 percent for passenger cars and 74 percent for trucks and vans. Front-seat passengers reduce their risk by 44 percent in cars and 73 percent in trucks and vans. The warnings work, too, and the NHTSA’s proposed rules would allow automakers to customize audio and visual alerts to match their branding. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which also crash-tests new vehicles, recently updated its crash standards to include a side-impact test with significantly more impact force. New vehicles are heavier, especially electric models and large trucks and SUVs, and the IIHS test protocols were updated to align with the current reality. It also had to retool its testing hardware to accommodate much heavier vehicles. +++
+++ TOYOTA has halted production of the Aygo X and Yaris models in its plant in the Czech Republic, after a large fire burned down a supplier’s factory last week, causing a parts shortage. The fire erupted on Monday, August 14, at the Novares CZ Zebrak facilities in the Beroun region of the Czech Republic. Novares CZ supplies essential plastic components to Toyota and other automakers, playing a crucial role in vehicle production. Local media have reported that the fire resulted in damages worth 1.8 billion Czech crowns ($81.644.500), completely destroying the production and storage facilities. In response to the incident, Toyota dispatched teams to assess the extent of the damage at the affected factory. It took the firefighters 50 hours to extinguish the fire. Toyota spokesperson, Tomas Paroubek, said on Tuesday morning: “We had to stop production yesterday evening. This will of course have an effect on our production plan. It is not clear how long will the outage last”. Despite the outage caused by the fire, Toyota employees who were previously working on the production line will maintain their regular working hours. The company has opted to assign these employees alternative tasks, including training, during this period of disruption. The objective behind this decision is to ensure that these employees are adequately prepared for the resumption of production whenever it becomes feasible. The outage will impact Toyota’s Aygo X and the Yaris, both of which are intended for the European market. Previously, the same premises located in Kolin, Czech Republic, were used for producing the Toyota Aygo, Citroen C1 and Peugeot 108 models, which were jointly developed by the 3 companies. However, after the discontinuation of the Citroen and Peugeot products, Toyota restructured the Czech plant for its own production purposes. This is the second outage in Toyota’s factory in Kolin this year, following another one that occurred in February 2023. Before the production halt, the plant built 1.000 cars per day, with a total production of 202.255 units in 2022 representing an increase of 35% compared to 2021. +++
+++ VOLKSWAGEN has officially started production of its all-new, all-electric ID.7 saloon at its plant in Emden, Germany, which is also producing the ID.4. This is a symbolic start of series production (a small run was launched in June). The manufacturer already accepts orders in Germany and the first customer deliveries will likely begin this fall. Let’s recall that the Emden plant was recently affected by insufficient demand (for the ID.4), which at the end of June resulted in a 2-week-long cancellation of late shifts, extended plant vacations, and a decision to postpone the launch of the third shift for the fall. In other words, moving forward, everything relies on the demand of the ID.4 (also produced in Zwickau) and the new ID.7. The ID.7 is a new MEB-based model, which initially will be equipped with a 77 kWh usable capacity (out of about 81 kWh total) known from the ID.3 and ID.4. Driving range of the ID.7 Pro trim is expected to be 615 km in the European WLTP test cycle. Later, there will be an additional and entirely new battery option: 86 kWh of usable capacity (91 kWh total), which should give the ID.7 Pro S trim a WLTP range of 700 km. It’s not clear when exactly the new battery will arrive. The new battery can accept up to 200 kW of DC charging, while the smaller one up to 170 kW. Interesting too is the electric motor. The ID.7, as the first MEB-based model, will be equipped with the new APP550 electric motor, which has a power output of up to 210 kW. For reference, Volkswagen previously was using a 150 kW motor in the rear (and an additional 80 kW motor in the front in AWD versions). The ID.7 is rear-wheel drive, but there is a chance that an all-wheel drive version (named GTX), will also be introduced. The ID.7 is scheduled to enter the North American market in 2024. It will be sold also in China, but locally produced by two joint ventures – FAW-Volkswagen and SAIC Volkswagen. +++
+++ ZENVO could consider building a “junior hypercar” based on the new ZM1 monocoque used by the newly revealed V12 Aurora. The Danish brand’s chief commercial officer, Jens Sverdrup, told the platform is “fully” modular, implying that components used on the 1.88 hp Aurora (revealed last week at Monterey Car Week as a 450 kph successor to the ST1 and TSR) could be swapped for a less exotic material in order to cut costs. These interchangeable components could include the Aurora’s carbonfibre subframes. “Theoretically, we could build an off-road vehicle like a hyper-SUV, but only theoretically: I don’t think that will happen”, Sverdrup said, hinting at the platform’s flexibility. The mammoth 6.6-litre quad-turbocharged V12 engine in the Aurora has been designed to be as configurable as possible, said Sverdrup, raising the possibility of it being downsized into V6 and V8 formats. The displacement would presumably scale linearly, giving 3.3 litres and 4.4 litres respectively. “We have some customers for V6s and V8s derived from this car, that we might use in the future, if we want to do a junior hypercar, for example”. However, the likelihood that development of a new model will begin “all depends on the demand from customers”. Sverdrup said it’s Præstø facility could support production of 25 Auroras annually, which would complete the hypercar’s 100-unit run in 4 years, but that “some tweaks” would be needed to boost it further. For example, he identified the lack of paint booths as a “bottleneck” and noted that 1.000 man hours were needed to paint a single car. The firm does intend to build a new plant with greater capacity “at some stage”, but it will take “a few” years before such work can begin. +++
