+++ This year’s 24 Hours of Spa saw ASTON MARTIN secure a GT3-class win with the Vantage, and to mark the achievement, the firm has created the Vantage AMV24 Edition. Available exclusively to ‘clients in Continental Europe’ the AMV24 gets a bespoke look as an homage to the race car. Just 24 Vantage AMV24 Editions will be made and along with this exclusivity, each owner will be invited to the 2025 Spa 24 Hours and drive their cars on the historic circuit. First deliveries are expected from early 2025 and while pricing wasn’t announced, expect them to sit around the 350.000 euro mark in the Netherlands.
Created by Aston Martin’s in-house bespoke ‘Q’ division, the AMV24 Edition gets a bespoke and aptly named Podium Green paint finish and a bright lime green racing stripe down the length of the car: mirror caps and air vent intakes front and rear are also painted lime green. There’s gloss black on the lower part of the body while the 21 inch alloy wheels are finished in satin black.
The interior features a plaque on the sill with a unique Vantage AMV24 Edition logo, more logos on the seat’s headrests and contrast stitching in lime green against the ventilated black leather. The mechanicals of the AMV24 Edition are the same as the standard Vantage, which was recently refreshed for 2024. That means there’s a 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 with 670 hp and 800 Nm of torque powering the rear wheels, a 50:50 weight distribution, a 0-100 kph time of 3.4 seconds and a top speed of 323 kph. Aston Martin’s GT3 victory at Spa was the first time a British-built car had won there for 40 years, thanks to its partner team Comtoyou Racing. “Owning the Vantage AMV24 Edition will mean owning a unique piece of history. The Aston Martin Vantage GT3 win at Spa this year was the first overall win for an Aston Martin car since 1948. I congratulate and thank the Comtoyou team for an exceptional victory”, said Andreas Bareis, Aston Martin Europe regional president. +++
+++ AUDI has reported a tough first 9 months of 2024, with profits down, revenue down and deliveries down. The German brand blames the falls on a “challenging” market, notably among electric cars, the increased competition from the likes of cheaper Chinese offerings and production output being slowed by limited parts availability. A sales dip in China (this year down 8.5% to 477.247 sales) has also heavily impacted the brand, given China is its biggest market outside of Europe. Compounding the situation, sales in Europe were down 9.8% to 503.746 cars. Overall, Audi sold 1.235,590 vehicles, a fall of 10.9%, in the first 9 monthes of 2024. +++
+++ BENTLEY is delaying a plan to offer only fully electric vehicles by 2030 as EV sales continue to disappoint projections across the industry. It will extend the target for its “Beyond100” business strategy (now called “Beyond100+) by 5 years to 2035, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frank-Steffen Walliser said. “We all know the automotive market looks different”, said Walliser, the former Porsche motorsport guru who joined Bentley on July 1st. “Legislation for sure is driving electrification. We have to be honest there’s not a lot of demand—customers are kind of careful in considering something like that”. +++
+++ General Motors plans to discontinue the CADILLAC XT4 crossover in January, when the company idles its Kansas assembly plant to retool for the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV. The XT4 was never officially sold in the Netherlands, but a grey import from Germany (where it was available with an Italian dieselengine) was possible. +++
+++ JAGUAR is set to enter its next era with the unveiling of a new concept car previewing its long-awaited electric GT on 2 December. Autointernationaal.nl previously reported that the radical concept is due next month, and the brand has now said that the “next stage in Jaguar’s transformation” will be revealed at Miami Art Week on 2 December. The bombshell, part of parent company JLR’s second-quarter financial presentation, confirms that we are just weeks away from getting our first taste of Jaguar’s ground-up reinvention. The show car is due to demonstrate the new design language that will define a 3-model line-up, comprising the 4-door GT, a Bentley Bentayga-like SUV and a Bentley Flying Spur-sized limousine. All 3 cars will sit on the long-wheelbase JEA platform, which is being developed exclusively for use by new-era Jaguar models. In the GT, it will yield a range of more than 700 km and power outputs north of 600 hp. Prices will start from around €120.000. Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover recently told that the decision to reveal the concept in the United States was down to that market’s importance, but added the brand is not disregarding its origins. “Don’t read that as ‘Britishness isn’t important’,” said Glover. “It’s a really important part of the brand. But we’re also a global brand. And look at the size and the scale of the US market. For us it’s really important”. JLR said in August that it has begun road testing camouflaged prototypes of the next-generation Jaguars. The GT is due to go on sale late next year, with the first deliveries taking place in summer 2026. Jaguar recently ended sales of new cars, having ceased production of the F-Pace. As well as the update about Jaguar, parent company JLR announced that its profit for the first half of its 2025 financial year (April to the end of September) increased by 25% compared with last year. It took €1.3 billion, despite an aluminium shortage that restricted production during the second quarter (July-September) and saw that period’s profit before tax drop by 10% year-on-year, to €460 million. JLR boss Adrian Mardell hailed its as a “resilient performance”, as second-quarter revenue dropped by 5.6% year-on-year, to £6.5 billion. The company said it expects production volumes to “pick up strongly” in the second half of the financial year as aluminium supply returns to normal. JLR also reported strong interest in the upcoming Range Rover Electric, with 48.000 potential buyers registered on its wait list. Land Rover has taken some 2.900 orders for the Defender Octa, it said, and 11.000 examples of the Range Rover SV and Range Rover Sport SV have been sold since their respective launches. +++
+++ LOTUS will make up to 200 more of its staff in the United Kingdom redundant, having already downsized its workforce in 2023 and earlier this year. The “organisational changes” affect Lotus Cars, the Hethel-based arm of the brand that is responsible for the Emira sports car, Evija electric hypercar and Type 135 project (developing an electric replacement for the Emira and Elise). The company said in a statement sent to Autocar that it would aim to retrain staff where possible “to retain specific skills and knowledge within the business”. Lotus UK employed 1.699 people at the end of 2023. While CEO Qingfeng Feng retains his position, Simon Lane, who was the Executive Director of Lotus’ Advanced Performance programme, left the company last week. The all-electric Evija supercar was presented by the Advanced Performance team and despite Lane’s departure, Lotus says it is still committed to the Evija. Lotus also says that it is still expecting to launch the Type 135 electric sports car by 2027, following its unveiling in 2026. The Theory 1 reveal in the summer pointed towards the Type 135’s design, which will be influenced by Lotus’ current internal-combustion engined sports car, the Emira. +++
+++ The next-generation MAZDA CX-5 will arrive within the next 2 years, the Japanese brand has announced, while also confirming that it will introduce the first pure-electric model using its all-new scalable architecture in 2027. Not much is known about the third-generation CX-5 at this point, other than it is set to feature the company’s own hybrid powertrain; potentially using an engine developed with the help of Subaru and Toyota, as the three Japanese brands are currently collaborating on new engines that are tailored for use in hybrid vehicles. A plug-in hybrid CX-5 seems likely too, as Mazda’s latest SUVs (the CX-60 and CX-80) are both offered with this type of powertrain. Plenty of rival mid-size SUVs, including the Hyundai Tucson, Ford Kuga and Toyota RAV4, are also available with plug-in hybrid power. Finally, Mazda will streamline the specifications and options customers will be able to choose from, with the goal of reducing the complexity of the next-generation CX-5 range by roughly 60 percent compared with the current model. Also on the way in 2027 is the first EV to be based on Mazda’s new scalable electric car architecture, and the firm is currently considering whether a plug-in hybrid variant could work too. Deputy General Manager of R&D Mazda Europe, Christian Schultze, told earlier this year that cars based on the new Scalable Skyactiv platform “will be in the heart of our production line-up nowadays”. I’m all but certain the new model will be an electric SUV, given that SUVs now make up the majority of Mazda’s range and are the brand’s top sellers. The Mazda Arata concept revealed back in April gave us a glimpse of a sharp-looking Tesla Model Y rival that will go on sale in China soon, so a similar model for Europe and other markets would make sense. Schultze told me: “You can basically make anything you want on the Scalable Skyactiv platform. We have tge MX-30, the CX-30 and the ‘3’ all on one platform with a different top hat (body) on that. It’ll be the same with the Scalable Skyactiv platform, but what we need to look at is how much space do we have for the interior, what is the space required for the battery, do we have a 1 or 2-motor system? Therefore we need to be scalable”. Mazda had announced in 2022 that it would bring out a trio of new electric cars by 2025, although none has even been teased since then, and until now the brand hadn’t confirmed exactly when it would launch a second EV to join the quirky MX-30 in its line-up. According to Schultze, one reason for Mazda’s slow EV roll-out is finding the right individuals. “We have hundreds of engineers who are experts for developing combustion engines, so what we had to build up is hundreds of engineers who can perfectly develop an electrified powertrain, and you can’t take these from your pockets”, he explained. “I think there is a kind of talent war outside, not only here in Europe but also in Japan, to get the people who can do that. So that’s why it maybe took us longer than we anticipated. But on the other hand, we believe when we come to the market it’s the right time”. +++
+++ MERCEDES-BENZ has set a new electric car distance record during testing of its third-generation CLA. Building on the benchmarks established by the sleek EQXX engineering concept, a prototype of the new saloon covered 3.695 km within a 24-hour period at the Nardò test track in Italy. This surpasses the 24-hour distance of 3.405 km set by the Porsche Taycan on the same 12.6 km banked oval in 2019. Based on the Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) platform, the CLA is the first of 4 new compact electric models the German car maker plans to launch by the end of 2026. Successor models to the CLA Shooting Brake, EQA and EQB are also in the pipeline. All 4 models feature a newly developed 800 Volt electric architecture (the first of its kind to be used by a series-production Mercedes-Benz) in combination with new-generation electric motors, heat pumps and the MB:OS operating system.
The CLA prototype used for the record attempt was taken from a fleet of production-based engineering mules already undergoing durability testing ahead of the model’s planned launch early next year. It ran alongside a back-up prototype. Both cars featured a driver and front passenger as well as data loggers and other test equipment. Key to the record was a clever charging strategy, dubbed “plug and dash”, which was developed to maximise driving time. Rather than dipping well into the energy reserves on long periods of driving before recharging, Mercedes-Benz opted for shorter driving stints paired with frequent charging stops. “Regular charging brings a decisive advantage in both distance and time efficiency, essentially, how many kilometres can be driven for every minute of charging”, said Christian Pfeiffer, team lead of Mercedes-Benz’s latest electric drive system. The CLA prototype underwent a total of 40 recharges during the 24-hour attempt, each around 10 minutes in duration. Overall, the prototype was stationary for close to 28%, approximately 6 hours and 40 minutes, of the 24-hour record attempt. These short but regular stops enabled Mercedes-Benz to take advantage of a boost function that allows a high initial charging rate on a DC system compared with the average achieved over longer but fewer stops. Mercedes-Benz has yet to reveal the charging capacity of its upcoming electric model, but it has previously hinted it will be capable of accepting charge at around 250 kW, with an additional 50 kW boost function allowing it to reach 300 kW for short periods. This will enable a 400 km top up in just 15 minutes. The energy capacity of the new model’s lithium ion battery also remains under wraps, though it is claimed to be 89.6 kWh. This is said to provide the new CLA with an overall range of up to 750 km, making it one of the most efficiency and longest-ranged cars on sale. Production versions of the new model are also expected to offer a less energy-dense lithium-ion-phosphate unit as a cheaper option. The CLA used in the record attempt was a rear-wheel-drive model featuring a single rear-mounted synchronous electric motor and two-speed transmission. Again, technical details have yet to be disclosed, though Mercedes-Benz is claimed to be developing the new saloon with drivetrains offering between 204 hp and up to 544 hp in an AMG-branded dual-motor, four-wheel-drive performance model. Despite being developed as an “electric first” model, the new saloon will also be sold with a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol engine paired with a gearbox-mounted motor. Developed by Mercedes-Benz, the new 4-cylinder petrol engine will be produced in China by Horse Powertrain; a company jointly operated by Chinese car maker Geely and France’s Renault. Leaked specifications reveal the new unit, known internally as the M252, develops 252 hp and up to 350 Nm of torque in an initial state of tune, although this has yet to be confirmed by Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Källenius said: “With the CLA, we are ushering in a new era at Mercedes‑Benz. We will substantially elevate every aspect of what our customers can expect from a Mercedes in this segment. The modular platform allows for maximum flexibility. We can offer the CLA in both a state-of-the-art electric drivetrain version and a hybrid electrified combustion-engine version. And our operating system, MB.OS, will make it the most intelligent car we’ve ever built”. The third-generation CLA is planned to be revealed next year, with UK sales set to get under way by the end of 2025. Initial models will be electric only, with the hybrid option set to be made available 6 months after its launch. +++
+++ NISSAN will cut 9.000 jobs and 20% of its global manufacturing capacity, the automaker said on Thursday, as it scrambles to reduce costs by $2.6 billion in the current fiscal year amid a sales slump in China and the U.S. The plans underline the vulnerability of Japan’s third-largest automaker, having never fully recovered from the disarray that led to the 2018 ouster of former chairman Carlos Ghosn and scaling back of the partnership with Renault. Nissan cut its annual profit outlook by 70% to 150 billion yen ($975 million) on Thursday, the second time it lowered the forecast this year. Like many foreign automakers, it is struggling in China where BYD and other manufacturers from China are gobbling up market share with affordable EVs and hybrids that boast advanced technology. But Nissan’s graver problem may be in the United States, where it lacks a credible line-up of hybrid cars. That’s in contrast to Toyota, which has seen a boom in demand for gasoline-petrol hybrid cars. Nissan misread demand for hybrids in the United States, CEO Makoto Uchida told a press conference. “We didn’t foresee HEVs ramping up this rapidly”, he said, referring to hybrid EVs. “We did start to understand this trend towards the end of last fiscal year”, he said, adding that making some changes to core models didn’t go as smooth as planned. The Yokohama-based company is planning to cut 9.000 jobs, equivalent to 6.7% of its 133.580 employees. It scrapped its net profit forecast due to ongoing restructuring efforts, which it said would reduce costs by 400 billion yen ($2.6 billion) this fiscal year. Uchida said he would voluntarily forfeit 50% of his monthly compensation starting this month and the other executive committee members will also voluntarily take a pay cut. Nissan will cut its production capacity by 20%, reduce vehicle development lead time to 30 months and deepen collaboration with its partners including Renault and Mitsubishi, it said. Uchida declined to give any details about the timing or location of the job and production cuts. Nissan is also selling up to 10% of its stake in Mitsubishi to raise up to 68.6 billion yen ($445.45 million). The automaker has 25 vehicle production lines globally and plans to reduce the maximum capacity of those, chief monozukuri officer Hideyuki Sakamoto told reporters. One method would be to change line speeds and shift patterns in factories, he said. Operating profit for the July-September second-quarter tumbled 85% to 31.9 billion yen, far below a consensus estimate of 66.8 billion yen. Nissan’s global sales fell 3.8% to 1.59 million vehicles for the first half of the financial year, largely due to a 14.3% drop in China. U.S. sales fell almost 3% to about 449,000 vehicles. Together, the 2 markets account for nearly half of Nissan’s global sales by volume. Honda reported on Wednesday a surprise 15% drop in second-quarter operating profit due to a heavy sales drop in China. +++
+++ The red ink flowed again for two of the leading NON-TESLA ELECTRIC CAR MAKERS during the third quarter. Rivian Automotive Inc. posted a $1.1 billion net loss in the quarter while luxury EV competitor Lucid Group Inc. said its third-quarter net loss widened to $950 million. The numbers weren’t pretty for either company, but both showed evidence to Wall Street that better times are coming. Rivian, which has been struggling for months with production problems stemming from supply chain drama, said it stands to gain some $300 million from the sale of regulatory credits to automakers needing them for emissions compliance. The company still has plenty of cash, about $5.4 billion, to overcome near-term challenges. “This has been a tough quarter for us because of some of the supplier-ramp challenges”, CEO RJ Scaringe said on the Thursday earnings call. Lucid spun a little more optimism in its report as its revenue gained traction, rising 45 percent to $200 million. Despite the cash burn, Wall Street pushed up the shares in after-hours trading. “We continue to see improvements to gross margin performance as our cost reduction efforts are gaining momentum”. interim Chief Financial Officer Gagan Dhingra said in a report. Lucid on Thursday also started taking orders for its highly anticipated Gravity SUV, which won’t start production until late in 2025. +++
+++ Full self-driving cars gained fresh impetus earlier this year when the British government passed the new Automated Vehicles Act, but safety experts from VOLVO have questioned the viability of the technology and its potential real-world use. Claudia Zarra, a safety manager at Volvo, denounced the feasibility of full self-driving cars. “Fully autonomous car safety is dependent on the conditions. We need a perfect environment for it to meet our standards”, Zarre said, referring to road markings, signs and general road conditions. “Volvo full self-driving won’t arrive until we know it’s 100 percent safe”, she added. The company unveiled a fully autonomous car, the 360c, way back in 2018 as a rival to not only cars, but also public transport. Since then, Volvo’s all-electric flagship, the EX90, has been launched, and while early models don’t feature Level 3 hands-free motoring, this autonomous technology will soon arrive via a Lidar pod on the new car’s roof. The Swedish company is not alone in developing such tech. Tesla recently announced its self-driving Robotaxi, which comes without a steering wheel. The compact 2-seater was claimed to have a provisional launch date of 2027, although such a car would currently not be legal on Dutch roads. +++