+++ When talking about premium cars, it is hard not to mention the brands that have dominated the market for years. Who are they? BMW, Audi and Mercedes, of course. Well, the challenge between the three Germans has always been as fair as it is close. At different times, one or the other has dominated. With the ongoing ecological transition, the balance is shifting again. When it comes to electric cars, BMW is a cut above the competition. Suffice it to say that in 2024, the Munich-based company will have sold more battery-powered cars than Audi and Mercedes combined. This achievement brings with it other advantages. Frank Weber, head of development at the Bavarian carmaker, told that, thanks to the figures it has achieved, BMW is unlikely to have to buy credits to offset excess CO2 in 2025. This is good news in terms of remaining competitive and keeping prices from rising. Including electrics and plug-in hybrids, sales of electrified cars have reached 36 percent of the total. But how has BMW managed to get so far ahead of the competition? There are several reasons. First, flexibility. As successful as it is, BMW remains a brand with relatively limited numbers. Being able to rely on flexible platforms such as FAAR and CLAR has allowed it to operate with better economies of scale. There is also sharing between different models, such as the i4 and iX, for example, or iX1 and Mini Countryman, to name but a few. Another reason for BMW’s success with electrics lies in its product range. When the Munich-based company first entered the zero-emissions arena, it did so with a car that was meant to be unusual in every way. The i3 was a breakthrough model in terms of powertrain, design and content. It struggled to make its mark, and although sales have increased and remain popular, it has not been the success it had hoped for. BMW has changed course for its new electric range. It has taken conventionally powered cars and reinterpreted them with zero emissions: i4 and 4 Series Gran Coupe, iX3 and X3 are just a few examples. In this way, the motorist who wants to experience the transition to a battery-powered car can do so without too many ‘surprises’ by choosing a car he or she may already be familiar with, having owned it in its petrol or turbo-diesel version. Mercedes and Audi are also making this transition, but a little late. With this advantage, BMW has no intention of giving its rivals a chance to catch up. So this time, too, it is preparing to present the first model in its new family of electric cars, based on the Neue Klasse platform. It will start with a mid-size SUV, a kind of alternative to the X3, and continue with a model equivalent to the current 3 Series. The new platform will enable the Group to take a major step forward in terms of range, performance and efficiency, but will not be used for all the brand’s battery-powered cars, again for reasons of resource optimisation. +++
+++ FORD chief executive officer Jim Farley is to travel to Washington tomorrow to warn members of Congress that president Donald Trump’s proposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would “blow a hole” in the US auto industry. The impact of the tariffs would be “devastating” for American automakers, Farley said today. They would also provide a “windfall” to Asian and European rivals that wouldn’t face similar levies on cars they import from their home regions, he told the Wolfe Research automotive conference in New York. Farley has been among the US auto industry’s most outspoken leaders about the ramifications of Trump’s steep new levies, which could add $60 billion in costs to the sector, according to consultant AlixPartners. Most automakers have been careful about how they respond to Trump’s tariff blitz with Canada, Mexico and China, steel and aluminium in the crosshairs since he took office last month. Suppliers, especially Canadian suppliers such as Linamar, took the gloves off right away and bitterly criticized tariff plans. Carmakers were more circumspect. But today, Ford CEO Jim Farley took issue with Trump publicly, citing the cost and “chaos” of the tariffs. “President Trump has talked a lot about making our U.S. auto industry stronger, bringing more production here, more innovation to the U.S., and if this administration can achieve that, it would be, I think, one of the most signature accomplishments”, Farley said at an industry event. “So far what we’re seeing is a lot of cost and a lot of chaos”. Farley’s comments came after executive chair Bill Ford voiced optimism ahead of Trump’s inauguration that the president would be helpful to U.S. auto companies. “He clearly understands the importance of our industry and of Ford in the industry”, Ford said January 9. “I know he wants to be helpful to us. I feel very confident going forward Ford will have a voice and a seat at the table”. +++
+++ GENERAL MOTORS boss Mary Barra was a little more restrained in her remarks at today’s event. Barra believes GM could take actions to mitigate 30 to 50 percent of the tariffs’ impact without the need for additional capital. “We are prepared when we know exactly what’s going to happen”, she said. “Of course, if tariffs are longer, there’s additional things that we’ve studied that we know we can do from a capital-efficient way”. GM, by the way, is cutting 79 jobs in Canada, but that doesn’t appear to be related to tariffs. The cuts at the CAMI Assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, which builds Chevrolet BrightDrop delivery vans, are taking place just after the plant returned to 2 shifts. +++
+++ The new JEEP COMPASS is getting closer and closer and we know it will debut later this year, although there is no exact date yet. It should be unveiled in November and in the meantime Stellantis is starting to drop hints here and there. After the first sketch published in October 2024, here are new images showing the new generation of the SUV. The new Compass is revealed on a technical drawing. We can see what its proportions will be and how it will differ from the Peugeot 5008. Why the French SUV? That’s easy: both models share the Stellantis STLA Medium platform. Compared to the Peugeot, the Jeep has different wheel arches, a new roof and some of the side panels changed. It shows what does and does not change between the two SUVs. The close relationship is hardly surprising: practically every car group shares some elements (aesthetic and mechanical) between different models, while customising others. It’s an economy of scale. Beyond the points of contact between the Compass 2025 and the 5008, the new Jeep, which will be produced in Italy at the Melfi plant, appears to have vertical side panels, typical of the brand and inspired by the off-road world. The front end is also exquisitely Jeep, with its 7 slits and squared-off wheel arches. The technical drawings also reveal the weight of the new Compass: 2.470 kg. Compared to the E-5008, this is not an insignificant difference. As we have known for some time, the new Compass will be available with different powertrains: mild hybrid, plug-in hybrid and 100% electric, just like the other models based on the STLA Medium. It will probably use the same ones already seen on the Peugeot 3008/5008, Opel Grandland and DS Numéro 8, although it could also adopt specific solutions to maximise off-road performance. +++
+++ The MERCEDES-AMG SL is already a pretty special car, but the firm’s Manufaktur personalisation programme has just created a super-limited edition called the Golden Coast. First deliveries of the SL Manufaktur Golden Coast are expected in February, but production is limited to 100 units globally plus, we suspect, purely for left-hand-drive markets. On the outside there’s a Kalahari Gold Magno paint finish, which Mercedes says is “reminiscent of gleaming golden sand beaches”. This is contrasted against forged 21-inch alloy wheels in black with gold trim, and black AMG brake calibers beneath. As standard the Golden Coast gets an AMG Night Package, AMG Extended Night Package and AMG Aerodynamics Package, which add a front splitter, blacked-out trim on the front wing, plus mirror caps, side sills and a rear diffuser all in gloss black. The radiator grille, exhaust tip housing and various badges are finished in black chrome. The interior gets a similar treatment, with the AMG Performance seats upholstered in black Nappa leather with black and gold stitching. This colour scheme extends to the dash, steering wheel, doors and centre console, while there’s also golden trim throughout and a special ‘Manufaktur Golden Coast’ badge. Given the car’s exclusivity, it’s not surprising Mercedes decided not to go with the SL 43’s 4-cylinder engine, but it didn’t choose the range-topping plug-in hybrid SL 63 E Performance either. Instead, the Golden Coast is based on the SL 63 4MATIC, which has a 4.0 litre twin-turbocharged V8 with 577 hp and 800 Nm of torque capable of propelling this roadster from 0-100 kph in 3.6 seconds. Pricing hasn’t been announced for the Golden Coast, but expect it to command a significant premium over the Mercedes-AMG SL 63 4MATIC+. +++
+++ PORSCHE is set to bring back the 911 Dakar with hybrid power and the promise of even greater on- and off-road performance. Senior sources have told that the upgraded model is under development at the firm’s Weissach engineering centre and it is planned to form part of the German car maker’s facelifted 992-series 911 line-up. Although a spokesperson said that “Porsche does not comment on speculation on its products”, Autocar understands officials have pencilled in a launch for the end of 2025. It will once again be sold in limited numbers. It was previously restricted to just 2.500 examples and production ended in November 2024. Featuring the same rugged and jacked-up design as its predecessor, the new 911 Dakar will be powered by Porsche’s innovative new T-Hybrid powerplant, already used by the facelifted 911 GTS. This combines a turbocharged 3.6-litre flat-six engine that develops 486 hp and 560 Nm with a gearbox-mounted electric motor that provides an additional 55 hp and up to 145 Nm. The set-up also uses heat transfer technology pioneered by Porsche’s Le Mans-winning 919 to charge the 1.9 kWh battery. In the 911 GTS, the T–Hybrid develops a combined 541 hp and 610 Nm. For comparison, the previous 911 Dakar’s turbocharged 3.0-litre flat six, which it shared with the previous-generation GTS, made 480 hp and 560 Nm. The increase in power from the hybrid set-up is expected to trim the previous Dakar’s 0-100 kph time of 3.4 seconds. The addition of electric power also promises improved fuel economy. Further details remain under wraps, although, as with the first 911 Dakar, the follow-up model is expected to be sold exclusively with an 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox and four-wheel drive. Porsche is also developing a new range of paint schemes and other options to be offered through its Sonderwunsch (Special Wish) scheme for the new model. +++
+++ The brand-new RANGE ROVER VELAR is finally coming into view before its official reveal next year. The Velar has typically been a style-led model, often sacrificing interior space for the sake of its proportions, and thanks to these spy shots, I can confirm the new Velar will be even lower, longer and more striking than ever. In addition to this, the Velar will be all-electric, rivalling other high-fashion electric SUV models such as the Porsche Macan Electric, Polestar 3 and Audi Q6 e-Ttron Sportback. As part of a proliferation of electric models coming from Land Rover in the next 2 years, the Velar will break from the upcoming all-electric Range Rover and Range Rover Sport by being designed from the ground up as a pure battery-electric vehicle (BEV). In doing so, the new Velar will adopt the next-generation EMA platform that will also be later used in other models. This EMA architecture will be cutting edge, and utilise over-the-air updates to keep it up to date as the model matures in the market. It will do this by focusing on features such as ‘evolving advanced driver-assistance systems’, ‘non-stop access to media streaming’ and exchanging data between JLR and EMA-based cars for additional service and maintenance prompts to ‘reduce costs for the client and JLR’. Given the EV rides on an all-new platform, there’s little in the way of technical details available, but a 800 Volt architecture is expected to allow rapid charging up to 350 kW. The EMA platform is also expected to underpin a next-generation Evoque, and while it was initially muted to also support ICE powertrains, JLR has remained tight-lipped about whether it will follow Porsche and other brands in softening its focus on BEV models. What this new platform also provides is the basis for a very dramatic set of proportions that are unique to the class. While the current Velar is hardly upright, the new model looks even lower and longer, whilst retaining its long clamshell bonnet, flush door handles and massive wheel size. Looking closely at the side, we can see the doors are now frameless, helping keep the side of the car visually clean, with more accentuated wheel arches hiding huge rims and tyres. The typical Range Rover floating roof looks to still be in place, and while the rear window will likely be little more useful than the one on a seventies Lamborghini Countach, tech such as a digital rear-view mirror will help with general rearward visibility. I expect to see the next generation of Land Rover interior design, with the latest digital interfaces and new-age materials. The original Velar was just as much a trailblazer in regards to its cabin styling when it was revealed in 2018, introducing us to a new, more contemporary take on Land Rover’s traditional interior design language. This is something we expect will be repeated this time around. +++
+++ RENAULT is aiming to bolster the appeal and values of its historic cars with a new certification for specialist technicians and suppliers, comparable to the Ferrari Classiche and Porsche Classic programmes. Different garages will be recommended for specific models and services. For example, a classic Renault 5 owner would be guided to mechanics particularly well versed in maintaining the 1970s supermini. An extension of Renault’s The Originals division, dedicated to promoting its historic models and selling merchandise, the seal of approval will initially be applied to eight sites, exclusively in France. Renault said it plans to gradually grow the network to 25 approved garages across the nation, putting people in 80% of the country within 100 km of a specialist. Thereafter, it will look to global expansion. Alongside the new service, Renault has published 50 original repair manuals for classic models online, free of charge, in addition to a series of how-to videos. “Clearly, the reference is Porsche and Ferrari, because they really take care of the collectors”, Renault marketing boss Arnaud Belloni said at the Rétromobile classic car show. Belloni suggested that going big on Renault’s heritage was a means of fighting off younger and highly competitive brands from China, because “there is no strong brand in the world without legacy”. “We’ve got young brands coming from everywhere but they have no legacy. They can succeed, sure, but you are stronger if you have legacy”, he said. “Each time you valorise legacy; each time you respect legacy; each time you talk about legacy, make it alive, you are stronger”. Belloni said that, in addition to the subjective strength of a brand, there is a tangible financial benefit to focusing on heritage too. He explained: “Economists admit that legacy is one of the big assets of a company, and it provides the value to the company, but it also provides the value to the modern company; each time we do events around legacy cars, it increases the value of all the cars of the same range. “When we did the Renault 17 restomod, the value of Renault 17s grew, and it gives a higher value to the current Renault range that has nothing to do with the 17”. This has particular relevance for Renault, which is majoring on retro model revivals with the new 4 and 5 imminent, and a new Twingo due next year. Belloni said: “Why should we do cars that people don’t want when we can do cars that people want? That’s the definition of our job: everybody was asking for a Renault 5, we did the Renault 5; everyone was asking for a Renault 4, we did the Renault 4; Van guys were asking for the Estafette, we’re going to provide a Estafette”. +++