+++ ALPINE won’t fit the upcoming A110 E-Tech with “fake” gearing, as Hyundai has with the Ioniq 5 N, or pump the cabin with synthetic engine noise, the French brand’s CEO has said. In the Ioniq 5 N (the first purpose-built electric hot hatch) an artificial gearbox can be operated through paddles, accurately simulating the power delivery of an internal combustion engine. Simulated engine noise is also played through the speakers. When asked if the A110 E-Tech could adopt a similar set-up, especially in light of the Ioniq 5 N’s positive reception, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief said: “This is fake. This is really fake. I don’t like fake things like that”. He added that the next A110 should not sound like it has an ICE because it “is an electric car”, although he added that “we could make electric cars have the sound or things of ICE cars” if customers demanded it. It’s possible that Alpine will use a man-made sound instead of simulated engine noise, as in its new A290 hot hatch. “We could find something that is not the same but similar”, said Krief. “It is very easy to do that”. Due in 2026, the new A110 will be Alpine’s third electric car, following the A290 (derived from the new Renault 5 E-Tech) and the production version of the A390_B concept being unveiled at the upcoming Paris motor show. Although Alpine has previously tested an electric powertrain in the existing A110 structure, the new car will sit on a bespoke platform. This will be shared with a Porsche 911-style 2+2 called the A310, earmarked for launch later this decade. +++
+++ The Paris Motor Show, now just around the corner (monday October 14th is the opening day for the press), will be very interesting this year. Debuting are several models for the European market, many of them Chinese. BYD is among the manufacturers we will be keeping an eye on (along with Leapmotor, Xpeng, Seres, GAC, Skyworth, Forthing, Hongqi and Maxus) and will present the European version of the Sea Lion 7, electric rival of the Tesla Model Y. The news is actually not official, because the company has only said that it will present a new European model in Paris, but many sources claim that it is indeed the Sea Lion 7, an important model not only because it rivals Tesla, but because it represents the brand’s top technology in Europe. The Sea Lion 7 is 4.83 m long, 1.92 m wide and 1.62 m high. It is 80 mm longer than the Tesla Model Y and 89 mm longer than the Leapmotor C10 mid-size SUV. In Europe, it will be positioned below the Tang large electric SUV and next to the Seal U mid-size SUV, available with plug-in hybrid and battery electric drive models. The Sea Lion 7 is already on sale in China with a 230 hp rear-mounted electric motor, while a higher output version delivers 308 hp (the battery pack is 72 kilowatt-hours or 81 kWh). There is also an all-wheel-drive version with a second electric motor at the front axle for a combined power output of 523 hp, which BYD claims sprints from 0 to 100 kph in 4.2 seconds. The largest battery offers a range of 600 km (measured using the China Light Duty Vehicle Test Cycle) and all are manufactured by BYD using its lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry. Another noteworthy technology of the Sea Lion 7 is the ‘dual-gun’ which allows 2 chargers to be connected at the same time, doubling the charging speed to almost 500 kW. The car also has what BYD claims is the highest speed electric motor. BYD will be China’s largest carmaker at the Paris Motor Show 2024 and will also present its luxury brand Yangwang with the large plug-in hybrid SUV U8. BYD, I recall, is the second largest seller of electric cars in the world after Tesla, with 1.169.579 units sold until the end of September. BYD has also chosen Alfredo Altavilla, Sergio Marchionne’s former right-hand man at FCA, to make inroads into the European market. +++
+++ Rolls-Royce has updated its GHOST limousine, introducing new materials and technologies in response to increasing demand for personalisation. The average Ghost buyer spends an additional 10% of the car’s retail price (roughly €40.000) on customisation, Rolls-Royce said. To that end, it has introduced several new material options, including Grey Stained Ash and Duality Twill. Grey Stained Ash is a hand-stained ash wood that’s finished with microscopic metallic particles, which are said to create a shimmering effect. Duality Twill, meanwhile, is a textile woven from bamboo into a graphic inspired by the ropes on sailing yachts. Rolls-Royce said a full Duality Twill interior comprises 2.2 million stitches and 11 miles of thread and takes 20 hours to complete. Inside, a revised glass panel spans the width of the dashboard, and the software for the digital instrument panel can now be colour-matched to the car. In-car connectivity is said to have been drastically improved, with rear passengers now able to connect up to 2 streaming devices to their corresponding screens. The rear infotainment system can also be paired with wireless headphones and there are USB-C ports hidden in the centre console. The amplifier for the Ghost’s sound system has been upgraded from 1300 Watt to 1400 Watt too. The new car also gains blockier styling, in line with the new Series II Cullinan. The lower grille area of the front bumper is smaller, for instance, and the daytime-running lights now wrap around the outer corners of the main projector lenses.
Meanwhile, the rear lights receive a new banded design said to be inspired by the Spectre. Under the skin, the latest Ghost uses the same planar suspension system and twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 as the outgoing version. The engine is available with 2 power outputs, 570 hp and 600 hp, with the latter reserved for the more driver-focused Black Badge car. That model also gets a raised brake bite point, decreased pedal travel and a ‘Low’ drive mode with 50%-quicker gearchanges when the throttle is 90% open. Prices are expected to fall broadly into line with the existing outgoing Ghost, which is priced from €403.334 in the Netherlands. However, the transaction price of most cars will be significantly higher. Former Rolls-Royce chief Torsten Müller-Ötvös noted in the company’s 2022 results that the average commission for its Bespoke division took a car’s cost €500.000 and that some examples of the more opulent Phantom limousine cost more than €2 million. +++
+++ RIVIAN ’s vehicle deliveries took a downturn in the third quarter, prompting the electric automaker to lower its production targets for the remainder of the year. This shift means Rivian is now on track to produce fewer vehicles in 2024 than it did in 2023, marking a potential setback for the company’s growth trajectory in the competitive EV market. During the July-to-September period, Rivian managed to deliver 10.018 vehicles. This figure reflects a sharp 27% decline from the 13.790 vehicles it delivered in the second quarter and the 13.588 it managed in the first quarter of the year. Although production did see a rise from 9.612 units in the second quarter to 13.157 units in the third quarter, it still fell short of the 13.980 vehicles Rivian had built in the first quarter. The automaker attributed the lower-than-expected production numbers to a shortage of a key, unspecified component that is shared among the R1T pickup, R1S SUV, and its commercial van, all of which rely on this critical part. “This supply shortage impact began in Q3 of this year, has become more acute in recent weeks, and continues”, Rivian said. “As a result of the supply shortage, Rivian is revising its annual production guidance to be between 47.000 and 49.000 vehicles”. Originally, Rivian had set a goal of producing 57.000 vehicles for 2024, the same number it had achieved in 2023. However, with the updated guidance, the company now expects to wrap up the year having delivered between 50.500 and 52.000 vehicles to its customers. Rivian’s founder and CEO, RJ Scaringe, addressed these production and supplier-related difficulties during a Morgan Stanley investor conference in September. He pointed out that both external supplier issues and internal production challenges had caused delays. “We’ve had a couple of supplier issues of recent that have been challenging and in particular, a few issues around our in-house motors with some of the components that have been painful and a reminder of just how a multi-tiered supply chain can be difficult”, he said. The financial impact of these production slowdowns and reduced deliveries won’t be fully understood until Rivian releases its financial results on November 7. As of its last update in July, the company still projected that it would achieve its first-ever gross profit by the fourth quarter of 2024. +++
+++ ROLLS-ROYCE isn’t pursuing hybrid powertrains, and while it plans to transition to an all-electric line-up by 2030, it remains open to alternative options, if that’s what its customers prefer. Many car manufacturers are pivoting towards hybrids as a stopgap before later transitioning to electric-only powertrains. However, according to Rolls-Royce chief executive Chris Brownridge, “a hybrid is not something we would envisage”, suggesting that it could compromise the “waftability and effortless power” of its vehicles. “Waftability” is a term Rolls-Royce uses to describe the smooth, effortless driving experience its cars deliver. It’s the feeling of gliding along the road with minimal effort, where the suspension, powerful yet refined acceleration, and top-tier sound insulation make the ride feel almost air-like. The goal? To provide unparalleled comfort and tranquility for both driver and passengers, even at high speeds or on long journeys. Rolls-Royce appears confident that battery-electric vehicles are its future. While the Spectre is currently its only EV, it will soon be joined by a full-size crossover and an electric replacement for the Phantom in the coming years. The brand will then be ready to retire its internal combustion models after the 2031 model year. However, Brownridge indicated this date is flexible. “We have the ability to go all-electric by 2030, but we will be led by our clients”, he said. “Different regions of the world will progress in terms of their powertrain at different rates. So, it’s important that we can accommodate that”. Unlike many legacy automakers that are focused on scaling up volume, Rolls-Royce enjoys the luxury of not needing to chase higher sales. Last year, the company sold around 6.000 vehicles, and according to Brownridge, there’s no target to increase that number. Instead, the brand is focused on “growing value for our clients” by enhancing its bespoke offerings, which allow for extensive customization of new vehicles. For example, in the case of the electric Spectre, 75-80% of early orders feature significant customization. This has pushed the average transaction price to around €520.000; about 30% higher than the car’s base. In North America, 1 in every 3 Rolls-Royce vehicles has significant personalization, recently prompting the brand to open an exclusive Private Office in New York where customers can design their dream cars. +++
+++ The SUBARU Solterra and the TOYOTA BZ4X twins will reportedly welcome a new member to the respective brands’ EV families in the form of a jointly-developed SUV that’s set to launch in 2026. Few details about this new EV are known, but it will reportedly incorporate parts from the BZ4X as well as other Toyota models in a bid to keep costs down. A report out of Japan claims production will be handled by Subaru’s Yajima plant in the Japanese prefecture of Gunma and that between 15.000 and 20,000 units could be manufactured each month. The new Toyota and Subaru models are expected to target the North American, European and Japanese markets. There’s a good chance that just like the Subaru Solterra and Toyota BZ4X, as well as the Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ, the new EVs could look virtually identical and may only have a few minor visual differences. Earlier this year, Subaru confirmed it would launch 3 fully electric SUVs co-developed with Toyota by the end of 2026 and a further 4 by the end of 2028. It’s unclear how large the model to be manufactured in Yajima will be, but we do know that one of the others is tipped to be a 3-row electric crossover that will be built in the US. Initially, this new model was expected to start production next year, but it’s been delayed to allow for design changes. Subaru has ambitious EV plans. It wants electric vehicles to account for 50% of its global sales in the future but in 2023, the Solterra, its only EV, accounted for just 0.02% of total sales. Evidently, the brand has a long way to go to achieve its goals and the only way to come close is to launch a slew of compelling new models that’ll convince buyers an EV is the way to go. While speaking about Subaru’s partnership with Toyota on EVs in May, chief executive Atsushi Osaki said that “through this approach of joint development, joint production and joint supply, we will ensure flexibility in the areas of development and production while mitigating risks with Toyota at a time when it is difficult to clearly predict future trends”. +++
+++ 2 images of the new VOLKSWAGEN Tayron 7-seat SUV have been leaked online, just 24 hours before the car was due to be unveiled. The pictures show the exterior of the car in full, including its long body and striking purple paintwork. Volkswagen has already announced that its new 7-seat SUV will be unveiled on 9 October, serving as the replacement for the Tiguan Allspace. It’ll also rival other large SUVs such as the Kia Sorento and award-winning Skoda Kodiaq. The Tayron name will be unfamiliar to European motorists, but Volkswagen has been using it in the Chinese market for several years now.
As well as confirming the nameplate’s introduction to European showrooms, the company also provided a glimpse of the rear end’s full-width light bar and illuminated VW badge in a recent teaser image. We can see this distinctive feature in these new leaked pictures, as well as the car’s long rear overhang (which will make room for those additional seats). I don’t yet know how spacious that third row will be; the Tiguan Allspace wasn’t the roomiest of 7-seat SUVs. Apart from the longer body and a tapering window line, there are a few features that mark out the new Tayron. The rear bumper detailing is all but identical to the Tiguan’s, but the badge has been moved from the base of the tailgate to above the numberplate. The lights are ever so slightly different, too, with an X-like motif similar to that found on the latest ID.3. To the front, the Tayron gets some unique detailing around the bumper, and the grille features a new design. But the lights and their signature are indistinguishable from the smaller Tiguan’s. The only other point of note is the fuel-filler cap on the front wing, suggesting the Tayron will be offered as a plug-in hybrid (unlike its Allspace predecessor). Previously, images shared by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) showed the car in Chinese spec, but it now transpires that the European car will be longer. We expect the Tayron to measure more than 4.7 metres from nose to tail, with a wheelbase of nearly 2.8 metres; by comparison, the Tiguan is 4.539 mm long and has a wheelbase of 2.676 mm. I’ve not had a look inside the Tayron yet, but I expect the interior will be identical to the Tiguan’s. This features a 10.25-inch digital driver’s display and 12.9-inch central touchscreen as standard, but an even larger 15 inch screen should be available as an optional extra. I expect there will be some physical buttons dotted around the cabin, as well as VW’s usual touch-sensitive climate controls that are now backlit, unlike in earlier cars. The Tayron will be based on the same MQB Evo platform as the Tiguan and the Skoda Kodiaq. That means buyers should get a choice of mild-hybrid petrol and pure-petrol engines, plus the aforementioned plug-in hybrid powertrain that, in the Skoda, offers a pure-electric range of up to 120 km. I expect prices for the Volkswagen Tayron will start from around €55.000. +++
