+++ BYD has converted its compact electric crossover, the Atto 2, into a plug-in hybrid powered car. The new petrol-electric version arrives in line with the Chinese company’s strategy to diversify its European powertrain offering in order to cater to fluctuating demand for EVs. The Seal U DM-i is already its best-selling model in Europe and it has recently been supplemented by the new Seal 6 DM-i. The new Atto 2 DM-i gets a new PHEV powertrain that makes it capable of driving 90 km under electric power alone. As with the electric Atto 2, there will be 2 versions of the DM-i version with different battery sizes and power outputs. Further technical details (such as its petrol engine’s configuration) remain under wraps, but it’s expected to broadly align with the electric Atto 2 in its outputs. For reference, that car is offered with either 177 hp or 204 hp, depending on trim level, although both deliver a 0-100 kph sprint time of 7.9 seconds. The PHEV is visually differentiated from the EV by a reworked front end, with a larger grille to improve cooling to its combustion engine, and different badging. A new Midnight Blue paint option will be exclusive to the Atto 2 DM-i. More details on the PHEV are set to follow next month and deliveries are scheduled to begin early next year. When it arrives, the 4.3 meter-long Atto 2 DM-i will be the smallest PHEV on sale. The current Jeep Renegade 4xe is shorter, at 4.2 meter, but is due to come off sale imminently. +++
+++ FORD expects to lose $2 billion in profit after a devastating fire at a key supplier of aluminium for its top-selling F-150 pickup truck. The announcement is Ford’s first detailed accounting of the damage it expects from a September 16 fire at Novelis’ aluminum factory in Oswego, New York. The Novelis plant is Ford’s top provider of aluminum for its highly profitable F-Series pickups and other oversized cars, including SUVs like the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. The automaker has already reduced production of some of those models. +++
+++ Adaptive damping isn’t new, but active suspension, which NIO has developed for its flagship ET9, is a far rarer beast. Called SkyRide and developed in conjunction with Clearmotion, it is described as “the world’s first fully integrated hydraulic fully active suspension”. In road cars, adaptive damping has been widely adopted as a way of varying the damping force on the fly. This meant damping could adapt to different surfaces or driving styles and be adjusted through driving modes. Conventional adjustable dampers, often used for aftermarket tuning or in motorsport, can only be adjusted manually by the turn of a screw.
Active suspension is different. Computer-controlled hydraulics or mechanisms supplement springs to control the car’s body movements much more effectively. So while dampers provide some resistance to the movement of springs and adaptive dampers do the same thing reactively, active suspension is just that: active. It can move the body on the chassis if needs be. The advantage is improved comfort and superior handling through better control of body movements. The system also integrates with the steer-by-wire and braking systems to improve stability if there’s a tyre blowout. Proof was a demonstration of SkyRide with front and rear tyres being deflated on the same side of the car at 160 kph without mishap. Some early Formula 1 systems did away with conventional springs altogether and the active suspension also fulfilled the basic task of keeping the car off the ground. But this requires energy-sapping power, so the Nio system retains soft air springs to do that job. Powered by a hydraulic pump, the active element controls the body during cornering, riding undulations and bumps. It’s lightning-fast, making adjustments 1.000 times a second and in-cabin motion is said to be reduced by 75% compared with conventional suspension. SkyRide can adjust ride height on one aspect of the car if sensors detect an impending impact: if the car is about to be rear-ended, it can raise the tail to achieve the best bumper-to-bumper contact.
There are also a few useful and fun features: when stationary it can shake off accumulated snow through controlled body movements, and it can drop the ride height for occupants to get in and out faster than conventional air-sprung suspension with a similar function. It also links with gaming functions (which are increasingly relevant in China) and can integrate with the ET9’s in-cabin ‘5D Cinema’ so, for example, you get the full shaking effect when the dinosaurs attack in Jurassic Park. SkyRide will be tuned for other markets when the ET9 arrives in Europe, although Nio isn’t yet saying when that will be. +++
+++ The new managing director of Vauxhall (the British arm of OPEL )wants to return the brand to its historic position as one of the UK’s best-selling car manufacturers, following a slump since the Covid-19 pandemic. Steve Catlin, who took the helm of the brand in June, told: “My intention is to put Vauxhall back on the podium. That’s not an immediate aspiration that we’re going to deliver next year, but over the next few years, I want to get Vauxhall back onto the podium”. Catlin faces a significant task: according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the 3 best-selling brands in the UK up to the end of September were Volkswagen, BMW and Kia. Third-placed Kia has sold 93.000 cars this year, compared with Vauxhall’s 66.000, so there is much work to be done for Vauxhall to return to its previous position. Indeed, it is currently being outsold by its sibling brand, Peugeot. “We’re a unique brand in that we are only here for the UK, and we need to deliver that additional performance”, said Catlin. Asked how the brand plans to achieve such growth, Catlin highlighted a focus on retail buyers and dealers, rather than the historical concentration on fleets. He said: “The UK market is a complex market. There’s fleet channels and retail channels, and there’s sub-channels within that. I think there’s been a tendency historically for Vauxhall to be concentrated on a few of those channels and not all of them, sometimes to the detriment of the retail market. “It’s my intention to not only deliver the growth, but to do that in the retail marketplace, really activating the amazing team of retailers that we’ve got 200 partners out there to energise and engage them to help us deliver that ambition”. Key to that ambition is the first UK-focused marketing campaign in “a decade at least”. “Rather than taking any kind of generic advertising from German parent Opel, we’re doing something that is specifically about Vauxhall”, said Catlin. “I think if we can do that next year, we can add some emotional connection to all of the rational reasons as to why a Vauxhall is a great purchase”. A wave of new and updated models will also be critical. Catlin predicted that the incoming Frontera (which is larger than the Mokka, but also cheaper) will become the brand’s second-best-selling car next year, behind the Corsa. For reference, nearly 30.000 units of the Corsa were registered in the UK last year, followed by 20.000 units of the Mokka. If the Frontera splits the difference between the two, that alone would nearly bridge Vauxhall’s gap to Kia. The relaunch of the GSE performance sub-brand with a 280 hp derivative of the Mokka will also provide Vauxhall with something of a halo model, suggested Catlin. He said: “Vauxhall has got a great history in the hot hatch market. Everybody that you talk to, certainly of my generation, has got a story with Nova SRs (Corsa SR) and cool cars in that part of the market. That is a part of the brand that’s been missing and ultimately it helps because it creates some aspiration and emotion. “You can then start to see some of those cars’ attributes trickling down the range and that helps to create demand for the other trim levels as well. We might in the future look at adding styling cues from GSE into some of our lower trim levels so that you can buy into the sub-brand without having to aim for the full monty”. +++
+++ ROLLS-ROYCE has unveiled a special-edition Phantom described as the “most technically extraordinary car ever built” to mark the model’s centenary. Limited to 25 examples, the €5 million (Dutch pricing) Phantom Centenary Private Collection has been created to showcase defining moments from the past 100 years of Phantoms. While it retains the same technical specifications as a standard 8th generation Phantom, including a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V12 engine, the special is distinguished by its appearance both inside and out. The exterior design has “a strong reference to Rolls-Royce’s past”, according to its designer, Matt Denton, using two-tone paint inspired by the 1930 Phantom II Continental. There is a new gold-flake crystal overpaint applied on top of both the white and black to create a metallic shimmer, a unique Spirit of Ecstasy and bespoke disc wheels. The ‘RR’ Badge of Honour, on the front, rear and sides of the car is in 24-carat gold and white enamel for the first time. The most notable changes appear inside, where innovations new to Rolls-Royce include the use of 3D marquetry, 3D ink layer and 24-carat gold leafing. The rear seats portray 3 different stories through the ages, including an image of Rolls’ Conduit Street showroom, where the first Phantom was launched, and Henry Royce’s oil paintings of southern France. The process, which is described as being “inspired by Savile Row tailoring techniques”, uses 45 individual panels carefully aligned to the shape of the seats. Meanwhile, the front seats use laser-etched artwork based on hand drawings and include a rabbit design; a nod to Roger Rabbit, the codename for Rolls-Royce’s relaunch in 2003. More historical references are laced into the headliner, which features 440.000 stitches. On the dashboard is a so-called ‘Anthology Gallery’ that has 50 3D-printed vertical aluminium fins. Each of them is made up of sculpted letters readable from both sides, which form quotes from media acclaim over the century. The standout detail is the intricate woodwork on the door cards, which shows noteworthy journeys made by Phantoms. For example, the front passenger door shows the landscape of Henry Royce’s summer home in West Wittering while the driver’s door depicts the 4.500-mile journey across Australia of the first BMW-era Phantom. Each of these creations include 3D marquetry, laser etching and 3D ink layering. They also uses 24-carat gold-leafing. CEO Chris Brownridge said: “Phantom has always been a car that people remember. It is the world’s pinnacle luxury product. It has had a remarkable role over the years, with owners including Queen Elizabeth II, 50 Cent and Salvador Dalí”. Sales and brand director Julian Jenkins added: “Phantom is integral to the brand. The world is changing but there has been consistently strong demands for Phantom in particular. The 25 units are already sold globally, many of them to very young clients, which demonstrates the enduring appeal this car has”. +++
+++ Questions have been circulating about the future of SEAT for a couple of years now, as the Volkswagen Group funnels funds into thriving sister company Cupra. But now, during a presentation at the much-delayed media launch of the facelifted Ibiza and Arona, we’ve been given a glimpse of the Spanish maker’s planned turnaround. A huge part of this will be tweaks to the slow-selling 4th-generation Leon, which arrived back in 2020. First will be a full-hybrid powertrain for the Leon and its Estate sibling in 2028. I expect the electrified engine will sit alongside the existing mild-hybrid set-up, though the full-hybrid will bring significant efficiency improvements over what is currently offered. The system will consist of a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine with an electric motor mounted on a 7-speed DSG with 2 power outputs: 136 hp or 170 hp. We’ll get more information when the second-generation T-Roc launches next year, which will be the first VW Group car to use the new full-hybrid powertrain. Shortly after the full-hybrid Leon’s launch in 2029, Seat will bring an ‘updated Leon range’ to market. It’s likely to be more than a light reskin or facelift, given that the current car will be almost 10 years old by then. Details are thin on the ground for now, but I expect an evolution of Seat’s current design language with a sharp, angular look along with updated platform technology and a major interior overhaul. Sven Schuwirth, Seat’s executive vice president for sales and marketing, told what to expect from the brand’s Volkswagen Golf rival: “You will be surprised. Last year we introduced changes to the infotainment and the addition of the Leon plug-in hybrid, which I think is a proper one for the first time with its range, and there will be an even bigger update in 2029”. Before then, Seat has promised to electrify its small-car range by fitting mild-hybrid powertrains to the Ibiza and Arona in 2027. The same technology will soon feature in the Volkswagen Polo and Skoda Fabia, as the VW Group looks to extend the lives of its various superminis, protecting them from increasingly stringent emissions regulations. Meanwhile, the facelifted Ibiza and Arona are set to start full-scale production imminently, with first customer cars due in early next year. +++
+++ Carlos Tavares shockingly resigned as STELLANTIS boss last December, following internal disagreements with the company’s board. He’s now written a book that suggests the automaker could break up. According to Bloomberg, Tavares wrote “I am worried that the 3-way balance between Italy, France and the U.S. will break”, He went on to say Stellantis’ leadership needs to push for unity every day or they risk being pulled apart in multiple directions. The 67-year old Portuguese executive also suggested his departure means “French interests” might not be as well protected as they were under his watch. The former CEO went on to mention a scenario where a Chinese manufacturer could buy the European brands, while the Americans would take back control of their own. He said this would loosely mirror what General Motors did when they sold off Opel and Vauxhall. The drama isn’t surprising as Stellantis has 14 brands and the company has refused to let some go. This has created plenty of problems on its own as the Tavares era was dominated by a focus on Europe. This came at the expense of their American counterparts as Chrysler is barely alive, Dodge is in trouble, and Jeep’s money printing machine has run out of paper. Even Ram is reversing course and headed back to greener, Hemi-powered pastures. Besides neglecting important brands, Tavares focused on cutting costs. This made him unpopular with employees and unions, particularly those in Italy and the United States. In fact, the UAW launched a ‘Sh!t Can Carlos’ website, which still remains active to this day. Following his resignation, Stellantis’ board wasn’t exactly shy about saying they disagreed with Tavares. However, the former CEO reportedly uses the book to tell his side of the story. +++