+++ An all-new, petrol-powered Q5 will headline a deluge of new AUDI cars due before the end of 2025. Spanning 9 distinct models and a variety of body styles, the German maker’s bold plans look to cover every corner of the new-car market with an increasingly diverse line-up. Kickstarting this Audi new car blitz is the facelifted A3 unveiled a few weeks ago, with tech and material updates aimed to elevate the premium hatch to top of class. It will be joined by a sharper, faster S3 at launch, plus an even more bonkers RS3 before the year is up. The other new model we’ve already seen in full is the all-new Q6 e-Tron. This upmarket electric SUV uses the same platform as the Porsche Macan-E, offers up to 620 km of range, has 3 screens inside running an Android-based operating system and can be recharged from 10 to 80 percent in a mere 21 minutes. The summer of 2024 will see a flurry of new models being unveiled, starting with the third-generation Q5. The venerable family SUV won’t look too different to the out-going car, but big changes are planned within. Expect a substantial tech upgrade and more hybrid powertrains. The e-Tron GT electric flagship will get a minor nip and tuck as part of its upcoming update, as well as upgraded battery and motor technology. A dual-motor range-topper is set to nudge 1.000 hp, borrowing from the max power versions of its Porsche Taycan sister car. The A6 e-Tron will be Audi’s BMW i5 rival and will also be offered in Avant estate form. Expect big batteries and powerful motors to deliver both a long range and strong performance. Meanwhile today’s A4 becomes tomorrow’s A5, as petrol models move to odd numbers in Audi’s all-encompassing line-up, and familiar exterior styling will be paired with a cutting-edge cabin. With so much on the books for 2024, the all-new Q3 may be pushed to early 2025. The Q3 will continue to be offered with petrol, diesel and hybrid power, but may borrow some styling cues from the Q6 e-Tron this time around. With no replacement for the Q2 planned, the BMW X1 and Volvo XC40-rivalling Q3 will take the mantle as Audi’s smallest SUV. The brand new A7 is due next year and will act as a replacement for the ageing A6. Expect both fastback and Avant models to appear in time, featuring a range of hybrid-assisted engines. Finally, Audi has just given the current Q7 a second facelift, hoping it can hold its own until an all-new version appears late next year, which will continue to utilize 6-cylinder internal-combustion engines. You’ll notice there is no mention of the TT or R8 here. As it stands, there are no firm plans to replace these cars, but an Audi insider insists the brand “will do something in that space”. How that looks remains to be seen, but for now it’s “auf wiedersehen” to Audi sports cars. +++
+++ In financial year 2023, the BMW GROUP achieved its business objectives, as forecasted. With a total of 2.554.183 premium vehicles delivered to customers (+6.4%), this represented a solid increase. Group revenues for the full year rose to €155.498 million (+9.0%). In addition to the full consolidation of BBA, revenues were primarily driven by higher sales volumes and positive product mix effects. Earnings before financial result (EBIT) climbed to €18.482 million (+32.0%). The pre-tax earnings of €17.096 million reflect a corresponding base effect: In the prior year, the revaluation of previously held shares in BBA of €7.7 billion had significantly increased the BMW Group’s financial result and Group earnings. In the absence of this effect, pre-tax earnings (-27.3%) and Group net profit (-34.5%) for 2023 were significantly lower than the previous year. Without the one-time revaluation effect referred to, Group net profit for 2023 would have been solidly higher year-on-year. In the automotive segment, earnings before financial result (EBIT) increased significantly to €12.981 million (+22.1%). Tailwinds came from the full consolidation of BBA, as well as sales growth and an improved product mix. This was offset by headwinds from research and development spending, as well as higher material costs. The EBIT margin for this period was 9.8% (2022: 8.6%). Excluding depreciation and amortisation for BBA assets from the purchase price allocation of €1.4 billion previously referred to, the EBIT margin was 10.8%. Thanks to this positive earnings development, the segment’s free cash flow totalled €6.942 million at the end of December (2022: €11.071 million/-37.3%), despite higher capital expenditure. The previous year included the positive one-time effect of €5 billion from the full consolidation of BMW Brilliance. The BMW Group’s capital expenditure amounted to €8.836 million (+8.5%) in 2023. Substantial expenditure was channelled into the electrification and autonomous driving modules, setting up high-voltage battery production in various markets and plant construction in Debrecen, Hungary. Group research and development expenses totalled €7.538 million (+13.8%). In addition to development expenses for the future models of the Neue Klasse, R&D spending was primarily focused on further electrification and digitalisation of the vehicle portfolio and automated driving. In the automotive segment, owing to a slight increase in demand, full availability of new models and the upcoming model launches, deliveries of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles are projected to be slightly higher than the previous year. Fully-electric vehicles’ share of deliveries is forecast to increase significantly, compared to 2023. The EBIT margin should be within the range of 8-10% in 2024. A slight reduction in the CO2 emissions of the EU new car fleet is to be expected, thanks to further improvement in vehicle fuel consumption and the rising number of vehicles with an electric drivetrain. The company therefore also expects its numbers to once again be significantly lower than the official targets in the EU. Also due to this trend, Group earnings before tax will decrease slightly. Since the BMW Group continues to be a leader among its competitors in digitalisation and electrification of the vehicle fleet and intends to expand this position further, R&D spending and capital expenditure for future projects will peak in the automotive segment in 2024. The production network will also be further expanded in 2024 in connection with the Neue Klasse. Growing uncertainty around macroeconomic and geopolitical conditions could cause economic performance in some regions to deviate from the expected trends and developments. This concerns trade and customs policy, security policy and possible intensification of international trade disputes. The war in Ukraine and potential implications for the BMW Group’s business performance are also being closely monitored. The applicable restrictions, due to sanctions, have already been factored into the company’s guidance. +++
+++ GEELY has previewed its new Galaxy E5 ahead of the electric SUV’s unveiling at the Beijing motor show next month. The 5-seater is the first from Geely’s new premium brand to be developed in both left- and right-hand-drive forms, said the company. The 4th model in the newly established Galaxy line-up is expected to be positioned in China’s hard-fought RMB150.000 to RMB200.000 (€45.000 in the Netherlands) price bracket, going up against the likes of the Nio ES6, Aiways U5 and BYD Seal U. Geely officials have confirmed that the E5 is planned to spearhead a renewed global sales push, as the company sets its sights on emulating the global sales success of its Chinese rival, BYD. Already represented in Europe by its brands Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Lynk&Co and Zeekr, the Chinese car maker has so far taken its time in establishing its namesake brand outside of China. However, this strategy appears to have been altered with the news that it is now developing its new models. Technical details of the E5 have yet to be revealed, though it is expected to be offered exclusively with a pure-electric drivetrain. At the launch of the Galaxy line-up in 2023, Geely announced a naming scheme where ‘E’ models represent “intelligent pure electric”, with ‘L’ models being “intelligent electric hybrid”. It also said even numbers would represent saloons, with odd numbers reserved for SUVs. The Galaxy line-up currently consists of 3 models: the L6 saloon, L7 saloon and E8 SUV. +++
+++ Recently, there has been a lot of fuss about the demise of the HYUNDAI N combustion engines. The i20 N and i30 N are about to be discontinued in Europe. In Germany, the 2 compact sports cars are still available until the end of the year. The Kona N has already been forced to retire with the model change. I reported on this at the end of February. The fact that Europe, with its strict emissions standards and its commitment to end sales of the combustion engine in 2035, is pretty much a wrong-turn from a global perspective, which is now once again evident with regard to the Hyundai N models with combustion engines. In the rest of the world, there is still a long way to go. Joon Park, vice president of the performance sub-brand N, spoke at length on the subject and promised: “Internal combustion engines are not dead”. The news about the future of Hyundai’s piston-powered sports cars puts an end to a series of rumors and confusion spread by European media in recent weeks. Hyundai N will stop selling internal combustion engine models only in the European Union and a few other markets that penalize these engines. Elsewhere, products such as the i20 N, i30 N and Elantra N will continue to be developed and sold. Joon Park also talks about which drive concept he personally prefers, about the high development costs of the Ioniq 5 N and that they even had a manual gearbox in the pipeline for the e-sports car (which, incidentally, is not yet in the parts bin). Read an interview with Joon Park here: Question: Why did Hyundai choose the Ioniq 5 to develop its first all-electric sports car? Answer: “Because the Ioniq 5 was the first model developed with our new modular E-GMP platform and we wanted to offer a high-performance N version to the electric car market as soon as possible. But we didn’t just want to offer a car with a powerful motor or a high-performance battery. We decided to develop it with the aim of creating a car that is really fun to drive, one that puts a smile on your face when you drive it. The Ioniq 5 N is the first electric sports car from Hyundai, but of course it won’t be the last. The advantage is that if we reach the goal with a car that has a high centre of gravity and a high weight, the next developments will be much faster and even more fun to drive”. Q: Has Hyundai already decided what the second electric N model will look like? Could it be the Ioniq 6 N or a derivative of the N Vision 74 Concept? A: “We can’t announce it yet. It’s important to emphasize that N is the division responsible for Hyundai’s ’technological powerhouse’. It is the sub-brand that develops new technologies that will later be used in other Hyundai Motor Corporation models”. Q: In recent weeks, there have been many rumors from Europe that have been picked up by media around the world. They said that Hyundai N will no longer develop and sell sports models with combustion engines. Is that true? A: “No, this is just a decision made for the EU market because we are no longer allowed to sell high-performance sports cars with combustion engines due to environmental regulations. For Hyundai N, the combustion engine is not dead. In Asia, America and Oceania, Hyundai N combustion engines will continue to be available”. Q: The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is a 650 hp hot hatch that accelerates from 0-100 kph in 3.5 seconds. It’s not cheap, costing €74.000 in the Netherlands, but it costs half or less than other sports cars with similar performance. Are you losing money to gain market share? A: “We are business people, our main goal is to make money. But before we are business people, we are car fanatics. But we also have to be smart. It is true that the development of the Ioniq 5 N was very expensive and we will not recoup the investment with this first model. The compensation will come with the next N models. But it’s true, there were no limits to this first development. You should have seen the look on our engineers’ faces when we asked them to give free rein to their ideas: “There are no limits! That’s why we have many engineers from South Korea, but also from Europe and other regions. They found the fertile ground for their ideas in Hyundai N”. Q: Which cars on the market compete with the new Ioniq 5 N? A: “Well, I have to be honest: it has no direct competition today. But other competitors will come. In the meantime, there are many electric cars that can accelerate very quickly on the straight, but there is none in its class or price range that can hold a candle to it on a track like the Nürburgring”. Q: Do you personally prefer sports cars with an electric or combustion engine? A: “I confess that I’m a fan of combustion-engined sports cars, and one of my favorite hobbies is taking part in track days as an amateur driver. We have learnt a lot from this type of audience because they are real customers who will be interested in the new Ioniq 5N. We have here a high-performance electric car that can drive for a full 20 minutes on the track without tiring and without the batteries going into economy mode. The suspension and brakes of this vehicle are designed to withstand the demands of such a vehicle on the racetrack. We have even developed a type of quick charger specifically designed for the pits at the racetrack: In 20 minutes, the battery can be restored to 80% of its capacity and is then ready for the next journey. We know racetrack fans very well and the Ioniq 5 N was developed with them in mind”. Q: Is that why the Ioniq 5 N also has the vibrations and noises of a combustion engine and a transmission that mimics the gear changes of a multi-stage automatic? A: “Yes, because this car is first and foremost an emotional product. It makes noises, has vibrations and can be driven with a lot of driver intervention. It weighs 2.200 kilos, but it doesn’t feel heavy on the racetrack: ES is very manoeuvrable and very fast, but it can also be driven in the city as an everyday hatchback, with all the advantages for city driving that are offered for electric cars in Europe”. Q: Hyundai N is now an official competitor in the World Rally Championship (WRC) and the World Touring Car Championship (TCR), will there be models derived from these race cars in the future? A: “Yes, in some markets we already offer the i20 N, i30 N and Elantra N today, but I understand your question: there will be more in the future. We want to transfer everything we learn in racing to the road, and it won’t just be electric sports cars. The brakes, suspension, steering and tires that we have developed for the Ioniq 5 N can also be applied to very powerful combustion sports cars. We could even have equipped the Ioniq 5 N with a manual gearbox, for which we developed a prototype. But that would have meant that we would have had to install more heavy components. The development was not carried over to the Ioniq 5 N, but it was not a wasted investment. We will see all these developments in future Hyundai N vehicles”. +++
+++ A hardcore V8-powered version of the LAND ROVER DEFENDER is inbound as the first in a line of top-flight flagships dubbed ‘Octa’. Previously thought to carry the long-dormant SVX branding, the radical new off-roader has been spotted testing several times, but only now (a few months before its debut) has the firm given the first official details of the new model. It will be the first car to wear the new Octa badge, which JLR says will be used for all future range-topping Defender models. The name is said to come from the octahedron shape of a diamond, the hardest naturally occurring mineral on Earth; a reflection, no doubt, of both the car’s durability and price. Technical details remain largely under wraps, but JLR has confirmed the new variant will use a twin-turbocharged V8 rather than the supercharged ‘AJ’ unit in the existing 8-cylinder Defender models. It is likely to be the 4.4-litre BMW-sourced unit used in various Range Rover models, including the Sport SV. In that car, it puts out 635 hp and 800 Nm, and propels the 2.5-tonne SUV to 100 kph in just 3.8 seconds. Using the BMW engine would suggest that the long-running ‘AJ’ V8 is not long for this world. Production ended last year and that JLR retained a stockpile of supercharged 5.0-litre units of indeterminate quantity. How many remain is unclear, but the AJ is currently offered in just 3 cars: the Defender V8, the Jaguar F-Pace SVR and the final Jaguar F-Types. Production of the latter ends for good this June. JLR has also revealed that the Octa will use the same ‘6D Dynamic’ suspension system as the Range Rover Sport SV. This system hydraulically links the dampers front to rear as well as side to side, providing active control over the car’s pitch and roll without a physical anti-roll bar. That should help to provide the level of wheel articulation required by a hardcore off-roader like the Octa, without compromising on-road drivability or comfort. To that end, JLR said it is testing the car in the “most exhaustive” range of conditions of any of its cars to date: “from the snow and ice of Sweden to Dubai desert, Nürburgring Tarmac and Moab rock crawls”. Images published by the firm reveal that the Octa also receives a bespoke set of Brembo brakes, suggesting on-track performance is a priority. These are marked with the special Octa diamond logo, which also features on the steering wheel and side-pannier mounts. The Defender Octa will be revealed in full later this year. Pricing has yet to be detailed, but the similarly conceived Range Rover Sport SV costs nearly €137.000 more than the D300 model in the Netherlands, hinting at the kind of mark-up that could be applied to the Octa. For reference: the current top-of-the-line Defender 130 D300 (the Outbound edition) is priced from €160.294 in the Netherlands. +++
+++ The question of whether a vehicle is fuel-efficient has always been of interest to the majority of drivers. To help all those who want to change their car today or are simply considering a purchase in the next few months, I have decided to compile a short ranking list of the 10 MOST ECONOMICAL PETROL CARS currently available according to WLTP homologation data. It is therefore worth remembering that the WLTP homologation, although somewhat more realistic than the previous NEDC data, does not indicate the exact consumption value obtained in daily road traffic. It is a value based on test bench standards, which makes it possible to compare the consumption of different vehicles. It is therefore relative and not an absolute value. One final note. Several new petrol cars with mild hybrid technology dominate this 2024 fuel consumption ranking with very interesting results. At least on paper. 1) Suzuki Swift: Thanks to its mild hybrid powertrain, the newly launched Suzuki Swift takes first place in the fuel consumption ranking for petrol vehicles with a WLTP value of 4.4 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of just 99 g/km. 2) Peugeot 208: The redesigned Peugeot 208 is fitted with the mild hybrid petrol engine, which in the less powerful 100 hp version has a combined fuel consumption of 4.5 l/100 km. The CO2 value is 101 g/km. 3): The Opel Corsa is the German cousin of the Peugeot 208, at least as far as the platform and mechanics are concerned, and consumes at least 4.5 l/100 km with the new 100 hp mild hybrid version, just like the French car. The CO2 value is 101 g/km. 4) Fiat 500: A different engine to the previous ones, but still a petrol mild hybrid, is that of the Fiat 500 Hybrid, which has a combined WLTP fuel consumption of 4.6 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 105 g/km. 5) Lancia Ypsilon: On a par with the Fiat 500 is the larger Lancia Ypsilon Hybrid, Italy’s third-generation 5-door model, which flanks the electric version with a mild hybrid engine: 4.6 l/100 km and 103 g/km CO2. 6) Mazda 2: The Mazda 2, which has been on the market for a long time, is also available with the 90 PS mild hybrid engine, which has a homologated fuel consumption of 4.7 l/100 km and CO2 emissions of 107 g/km. 7): The first car in the C-segment in the ranking is the Peugeot 308, which achieves a combined fuel consumption of 4.7 l/100 km and a CO2 value of 107 g/km with the new mild hybrid engine. 8) The Citroën C4 has also received the new 1.2-litre hybrid engine from the Stellantis Group and can therefore consume 4.7 l/100 km and emit 106 g/km of CO2. 9) Toyota Aygo X: The Toyota Aygo X is the only petrol engine that is not electrified, as the Japanese manufacturer has never focused on mild hybrid engines. Nevertheless, the new Aygo X only consumes 4.8 l/100 km in the combined WLTP cycle and emits 108 g/km of CO2. 10) Fiat 600: Bringing up the rear of the top 10 list is the brand new Fiat 600, which is already equipped with the 100 PS mild hybrid engine and has a combined fuel consumption of 4.8 l/100 km with CO2 emissions of 109 g/km. +++
+++ The cooling electric-car market is sending ripples across the industry, especially in the United States where a law banning the sale of new vehicles powered by an internal-combustion engine hasn’t been passed: no one’s making you buy an EV, at least not yet. Carmakers are shifting their future plans to take slowing EV sales into account, and hybrid technology is beginning to look more like an ideal middle ground, rather than a stepping stone at best and a flawed compromise at worst. POLESTAR , which only sells EVs and plans to roll out more in the coming years, isn’t worried about this trend. “I know that there is a lot of talk about the EV market slowing down, yes, but this is still the growing market”, Polestar boss Thomas Ingenlath told in the company’s Gothenburg design studio. “This is where we should not get it wrong. Yes, from the hype and the cheers and the ‘everything is rosy’ attitude there is now a little bit more realism to it, and the speed of the transition might not be as fast as some people might have expected, but it is still the growing segment. Electrification will be happening; there is no doubt about it”. Polestar remains on track to expand its range in the coming years, and every model in its pipeline runs on electricity. After giving the 2 a round of major updates for 2024, it will launch an SUV called 3 and a funky, fastback-like crossover named Polestar 4 due out by the end of 2024. The 5, a big sedan aimed at the Porsche Taycan, and a sports car called 6 will round out the lineup in the second half of the 2020s. It helps that Polestar competes in a niche; it aims to gradually increase its annual sales, but it’s not planning on challenging the Ford F-150’s sales crown or brawling against Toyota for dominance of the global car market. Ingenlath also argued that, in a way, the uncertainty regarding the take rate of electric cars gives Polestar an advantage, at least in consistency, while putting its rivals at a disadvantage. “You asked me how I feel about it: I feel energized. I actually don’t even mind OEMs going into that ‘oh, maybe’ phase because it gives us an advantage. For us, it’s clear, and we can concentrate on that. I would not like necessarily to be in that difficult position where you have that mixed portfolio and you have to really consider what to do as a next step. I don’t envy other OEMs for that position. It’s not easy”. And yet, Polestar could realistically launch a hybrid model if it wanted to. The brand’s first car, a shapely, limited-edition coupe called Polestar 1, was powered by a 630 hp plug-in hybrid drivetrain that assigned a supercharged and turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine to the front wheels and a pair of electric motors to the rear wheels. Polestar is part of China-based Geely, which also owns Volvo, so theoretically nothing would stop it from knocking on its sister company’s door, politely asking for a plug-in hybrid system, and walking back home with it. Would it? Maybe, but probably not. “I would not say, ‘Oh no, we would not consider a hybrid’. I’m not dogmatic about this”, Ingenlath said. “I’m convinced how much an electric car is a great car, and I want the car to feel like it. I think we have to see. I never want to build a brand around one technology. It might be that, in 10 years, there’s a great new invention which is different, and then we’ll do that. But, on the other hand, we have to be realistic and tell the consumer what they should put their money down on, and I think a battery-electric car is at the moment the best technology”. +++
+++ The long-awaited TOYOTA SUPRA GRWN has been spotted putting in some laps on the Nürburgring Nordschleife race track, as the ultimate high-performance variant of Toyota’s 2-seater sports car is readied to take on an array of elite track-focused sports cars, including the Alpine A110 R, Porsche Cayman GT4 and the incoming BMW M2 CS. Obvious visual changes for the Supra GRMN will include a new bonnet with cooling ducts, more aggressive aero around the front splitter and a ‘swan neck’ rear wing. But look closer and you’ll also see a new lightweight wheel design wrapped in Michelin rubber, plus a bigger set of brakes. The more focused Supra will get some serious chassis upgrades and appears to sit lower on its suspension, which is expected to be totally recalibrated. And of course it will wear Toyota’s GRMN badge; the abbreviation stands for “Gazoo Racing tuned by Meisters of the Nürburgring”. What’s hiding underneath the clamshell bonnet is still a mystery, but the Supra’s BMW-derived underpinnings could mean it will feature an engine from the German firm’s famed M division for the first time. As it stands, the 6-cylinder GR Supra currently features a 340 hp turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line 6-cylinder engine with the B58 designation. This engine is used in a variety of BMW models from the M340i to the X7, but there has been widespread speculation that the GRMN will finally adopt a full-fat M motor. The engine in question is likely to be the S58 unit currently in use in the M2, M3 and M4 models. In its least aggressive tune, it produces 460 hp, with further 530 hp and 550 hp outputs also available further up the range. Yet which of these will be utilized (or if it’ll mirror a BMW M tune at all) is still unknown. The existing GR Supra is available with both a 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmission, with the former being torque-limited, which could decide its availability in the GRMN. In any case it will work with an electronically-controlled limited-slip differential and create a far more capable dynamic package. The Supra GRMN should be launched later this year, but its availability here in the UK and its potential price point are still to be determined. +++
