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componentplanet · 5 years ago

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Top Cars of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show That Never Was

Out of an “abundance of caution,” a phrase we’re hearing a lot, the Swiss government pulled the plug on the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS). Since this is 2020, not 1990, the news from the show went out anyway as automakers switched to video reveals over the past week. Geneva intros fall into three categories: a wide range of mainstream and upscale cars from across the world; a lot of EVs and some plug-in hybrids because Europe is moving more quickly (governments for sure, buyers somewhat less so) to alternative energy sources; and the eye-candy $150,000-$3 million cars for those flush with oil money and others who Americans, from a distance, sniff at as Eurotrash.

Geneva is not just any auto show. In the even years when there’s no Frankfurt show, this is the world’s most important auto show. And unlike Frankfurt, Detroit, and Tokyo, there’s no hometown bias since Switzerland has barely any auto industry. It does have a lot of wealthy residents and visitors with money to burn. Here’s our take on virtual Geneva 2020.

2021 Audi A3 gets a standard 10.1-inch center display. The instrument panel goes up to 12.3 inches.

The 2021 Audi A3 debuted with a showing of the Sportback version, meaning hatchback, which will ship later this year along with the A3 sedan. It has bolder styling and will be heavy on tech with a 10.1-inch center stack display standard, this on a subcompact vehicle about 175 inches long. At a time when some mainstream small cars are doing 8 inches as standard, this is one way to justify a price tag that can push into the forties. The instrument panel is digital, too (dubbed Audi Virtual Cockpit), with a 12.3-inch version optional and offering more display modes.

International editions will get small turbocharged gas and diesel engines. The US gets a larger turbo-four (gas) with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Sport S3 and RS3 versions will come later. Ditto hybrid versions. The big difference: the US for sure will get an A3 sedan but probably not the A3 Sportback. That’s because it’s a hatchback. But you could also call it a small SUV – many of which have sloping rear rooflines – and we’d happily buy. Although to our eyes it mostly looks like a wagon, which is another body style Americans aren’t currently keen on.

The Fiat 500 will be an EV-only vehicle with a range 0f 175-200 miles depending on test procedure.

The beloved little Fiat 500 Cinquecento (Italian for 500) – beloved for its style and sporty driving, less so for reliability – is gone as a combustion-engine car. Bigger Fiats such as the Fiat 500X motor on, and the Cinquecento is to become a battery electric vehicle. An older version was called the 500e but now that electric is the only way you’ll get a Fiat 500, it will be the 2021 Fiat 500, no e.

The new EV 500 has doubled its range. Fiat says it can drive up to 199 miles (320 km) using a 42.0-kWh battery. That’s on the European WLTP test, which stands for Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure. Harmony or not, US EPA numbers are lower, perhaps 175 miles. For a car that’d be great urban runabout, 175 would be plenty, but American buyers like 250-300 miles even more. Because of this, Fiat has not yet said if it’s bringing the new 500 to the US. Right now, pure EV sales are less than 1.5 percent of the US vehicle market, and the majority of those sales belong to Tesla, at least currently.

Eight-generation Volkswagen Golf GTI. It’s the only Golf Americans will get: the fast one.

Golf GTI cockpit.

The 2021 Golf GTI is redesigned inside and out. This is the sportiest of VW’s compact (actually, subcompact at 168 inches long), four-door Golfs. Let’s jump ahead to why lots of people buy GTIs: The 2.0-liter turbo-four engine climbs from 228 to 245 hp, and torque from 258 to 276 pound-feet. The standard transmission is a six-speed manual, or millennial anti-theft device, as VW says in its ads – and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is offered.

VW had some years with mixed reliability. That’s better. The most recent Consumer Reports reliability survey has VeeDub right at average. And since reliability has gone up over time, VW is in a good spot. Still, as VW works to rebuild sales, it isn’t bringing every variation to the US. For now, only the sportiest Golf will be offered, even if this car, with its upright seating, provides a lot of rear-seat comfort and luggage capacity.

Hyundai Prophecy is much smoother-looking than 2019’s sharply edged 45 Concept.

The Hyundai 911 Turbo. Or so it seems.

How many more reminders do we need to understand what a mature car company the Hyundai group has become? Now there’s the Prophecy concept EVd using Hyundai’s Sensuous Sportiness concept. The effect is of an elongated, lowered Tesla Model 3 done right, with beautiful curving lines and few interruptions (such by side mirrors) in the concept. In the rear view, there’s a spoiler that pays homage to Porsche 911s. Inside the cockpit, the steering would be done by joystick, at least on the concept.

Propulsion, were the concept to come to market, would be electric-only, and Hyundai vows to have 44 electrified vehicles by 2025. According to Hyundai, “The expectation is to sell more than 670,000 battery and fuel cell electric vehicles annually by this time [2025], and to be positioned among the top three EV providers globally.”

BMW i4 Concept: Shipping in Europe late 2021, US early 2022.

The BMW i4 Concept is the stalking horse for a late 2021 / early 2020 3 Series-sized EV. It’s a closer-to-production advance on the Concept 4 coupe from last fall’s Frankfurt Motor Show. (See, with all the motor shows, sometimes you have more than one concept, plus the final shipping car, and you’ve got new at three shows.) It will be a powerhouse, with 530 hp and a sub-4-second 0-60 mph time.

Range is in flux, or rather the world’s competing test cycles are not in sync. The WLTP figure says 600 km or 373 miles. But BMW says on EPA tests, range will likely be in the mid-200s. Length is listed at 189 inches, or 3 inches longer than the 3 Series sedan. Based on BMW’s evolving naming convention, 4 in the name means 4 Series means the coupe version of the 3 Series, and four doors make it a 4 Series Gran Coupe. We believe most buyers don’t need 300 miles of range most of the time. But try telling that to someone cross-shopping the Tesla Model 3 that provides two options: 250 miles (standard range) or 322 miles (long range). While Tesla is the industry’s benchmark for battery efficiency, long range, and loyal followers who put Bernie Bros to shame, BMW is the leader in cockpit telematics and the past few years the premium German automakers have developed a reputation for highly reliable cars (Porsche, Audi, and BMW; Mercedes-Benz is a bit below average currently).

Fisker Ocean will have a head-up displaying karaoke lyrics. Your life is now complete.

Fisker Ocean cockpit. No, no 48-inch display across the dash. That’s Byton.

The Fisker Ocean SUV got its European (virtual) debut at the non-Geneva show, reprising some of what the industry saw in Las Vegas at CES 2020. It is “the world’s most sustainable vehicle” with a vegan interior, offers a solar roof adding up to 1,000 miles a year of range (that is, 3 miles a day) in sunny climes, and Fisker would prefer to lease out the Ocean rather than sell this compact (183-inch) SUV: $379 a month with $3,000 down.

Safety fanatics may freak, but Fisker says there’ll be a head-up display with karaoke mode, meaning the lyrics to songs will be projected at the base of the windshield so you can sing along. Fisker’s challenge is that the company will be coming to market along with a lot of other electric vehicles from vendors with lengthy pedigrees. But then, Tesla was just a startup, too, and not long ago.

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport: You can’t afford it. Most people who can are too old to get in. There is justice.

Some Bugatti customers had a complaint. Not the $3 million price tag. (Paying that kind of money proves you’re a Player.) Nor was it the top speed well over 200 miles per hour. Rather it was the feeling the car wasn’t 100 percent comfortable to drive at speed. Now comes the Chiron Pur Sport.

The Pur Sport is lighter, but it also has a six-foot-wide spoiler to plant the car at its insanely high speeds. The engine remains the same: 16 cylinders, quad-turbos, and 1,500 horsepower. The tradeoff is the top speed of about 235 mph has been scaled back to 217 mph. Price will be $3.3 million and 65 will be built.

Now read:

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Tesla Teardown Scares Competitors: ‘We Cannot Do This’

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#Top Cars of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show That Never Was

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goarticletec-blog · 6 years ago

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2018 LA Auto Show preview

New Post has been published on https://www.articletec.com/2018-la-auto-show-preview/

2018 LA Auto Show preview

The 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show was a good one, with more new cars, trucks and SUVs than one could easily shake a stick at. AutoMobility LA, as it’s also known, proved why it’s one of the most important auto shows in the calendar year by bringing out something new to entice just about everyone who loves cars. Anyone who sets foot in the Los Angeles Convention Center from Nov. 30 to Dec. 9 during the show’s public days will not be disappointed.

While auto shows often tend to end up focusing on a single vehicle class — think SUVs at the Chicago Auto Show or exotics at Geneva — the LA show didn’t seem to this year. But, as we learned from Seinfeld, something lacking a central focus can still be highly entertaining. With debuts ranging from the highly anticipated Wrangler-based Jeep Gladiator pickup to the next Kia Soul, Mazda3, Porsche 911 and all-new Hyundai Palisade SUV, Roadshow’s staff found themselves pretty busy putting their butts in all the new seats.

Here’s our roundup of the most important debuts so that you’ll know what to look out for if you find yourself in LA or if you find yourself shopping for a new ride in a few months. For even more detailed look, be sure to visit our 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show landing page — it’s a convenient way to access all the in-depth coverage of all the individual models that we looked at this week.

Audi

The Audi E-Tron GT is still a concept car — and holy hell is it a good-looking one — though it will lead to a full production model that launches in late 2020. Its powertrain technology is closely related to that in the forthcoming Porsche Taycan, and that’s a good thing. The key specs that you need to know: It’s got a 90-kWh battery pack giving it a 248-mile range, as well as 590 total system horsepower and a 0-60-mph time of 3.5 seconds. The E-Tron GT will help Audi get toward its goal of selling 20 electrified models by 2025, and if more of them look like this, then we’re all for it.

Bentley

We already love the new Bentley Continental GT, and now there’s a fabulous convertible version that can do 207 miles per hour. The top, which Bentley says keeps the cabin 3 decibels quieter than in the old Conti GT convertible, can open or close in just 19 seconds when traveling at speeds up to 30 mph. Under the hood is a 6.0-liter, twin-turbocharged W12 engine, good for 626 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. The convertible is 375 pounds heavier than the coupe, but will still get to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. The new Conti GT made its debut in Los Angeles during the week of the show, but strangely, was not at the show itself.

BMW

BMW debuted its little heart out with a full lineup of hot new luxo-missiles, the most important of which is the M340i xDrive. BMW gave us a glimpse of the 330i at the Geneva Motor Show, and our man Steven Ewing got a chance to get behind the wheel of the new G20-generation 330i at the Nurburgring. This LA debut showed us the most aggressive version (so far) of the next 3 Series, which will make 369 horsepower from its turbocharged straight-six. After seeing it in the metal, we can confirm that it’s much more interesting in person, with its more aggressive exterior and interior.

BMW also had the new 8 Series Convertible on hand along with the Vision iNext concept (which still looks like a dye pack exploded inside) and its full-size, three-row X7 SUV, which you can read more about here.

Fiat

Fiat’s subcompact 500X crossover SUV has been on sale in North America since 2016, but it hasn’t quite caught fire with consumers (maybe it would if it looked more like the Multipla from the late 1990s and early 2000s). For 2019, a refreshed model debuts with slightly different looks, a new engine, standard all-wheel drive and a greatly simplified model range.

Slight downsizing has occurred in the engine bay, where the 1.4-liter turbocharged engine or 2.4-liter naturally aspirated engine has been replaced with a single 1.3-liter turbo unit. Despite the size reduction, the new engine actually produces a lot more torque than its predecessors: 210 pound-feet (versus 184 pound-feet in the 1.4-liter or 175 in the 2.4-liter). That should make it feel sprightlier than last year’s model, despite the fact that horsepower remains modest at 177.

For 2019, the six-speed manual transmission has been nixed, meaning it’s nine-speed automatic or nothing. Front-wheel-drive configurations have also been discontinued.

On the plus side, a newly upgraded Uconnect 4 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability, and adaptive cruise control and front park assist are now standard.

Honda

Honda’s Passport expired in 2002, but the nameplate has been resurrected (with 100 percent less Isuzu) as a two-row, five-passenger crossover that slots in sizewise between the CR-V and the Pilot, though it’s built on the same Honda Global Light Truck platform used for the Pilot and Ridgeline. The Honda Passport will launch early next year with rugged-adjacent looks and a 3.5-liter V6 engine churning out 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. It’ll be able to tow as much as 5,000 pounds if optioned correctly, and Honda will offer all manner of roof-mounted racks and accessories.

Honda sees the Passport competing with the likes of the Nissan Murano and revitalized Ford Edge, though Honda’s entry does seem a little more rugged than those entries.

Hyundai

This year Hyundai debuted the 2020 Palisade, a new three-row, midsize crossover, and gave the first one to a couple who adopted four orphaned siblings. This isn’t Hyundai’s first crack at a three-row SUV — you may recall that the short-lived Veracruz fit that bill, followed by the more successful three-row Santa Fe and its recently renamed twin, the Santa Fe XL — but it does seem like an attractive and well-considered option.

Hyundai recently told Roadshow that the midsize SUV segment moves about 1.5 million units per year in North America, so it will be interesting to see how many of those sales the Palisade will capture when it hits dealers next summer.

Jeep

If this year’s LA Auto Show was about one thing, it was the 2020 Gladiator pickup truck. Jeep hasn’t offered a pickup truck in its lineup since the Cherokee-based MJ Comanche pickup of the late ’80s and early ’90s and if the internet’s reaction to it is any kind of barometer, it’s going to be a hit.

While it’s easy to write off the Gladiator as just a Wrangler with a pickup bed, there are a bunch of differences. For instance, it’s got a unique five-link rear suspension setup and can tow much more than the standard Wrangler, a segment-best 7,650 pounds and a payload of up to 1,600 pounds. A 3.6-liter V6 engine is standard, but we know that a turbodiesel will be offered at a later date. Don’t hold your breath for the turbo four-cylinder version.

Other Wrangler-derived conveniences and capabilities transfer to the Gladiator, such as the folding windshield with available removable hardtops and a folding soft top, plus the ability to ford 30 inches of water when you elect the tough Rubicon model. Mopar also showed off a ton of awesome accessories that will help make your Gladiator unique on the trail.

Kia

Kia brought the new, third generation of the Soul to the LA show. It has sharper styling, more tech and even an X-Line variant with a slightly more rugged look (read: black plastic fender trim). Powertrain choices comprise a 147-horsepower, 2.0-liter Nu inline-four and a 201-hp, 1.6-liter turbo option. Kia also introduced the 2020 Soul EV, which has a 64-kWh battery pack that should yield a driving range of at least 200 miles, though we’re still waiting on an exact number. Speaking of electric Kias, there’s also a new Niro EV. Like the Soul EV, it has a 64-kWh battery pack and a motor rated for 201 horsepower; Kia says it will return 239 miles of range on a single charge. The hamsters, thankfully, were nowhere to be seen.

Lexus

The Toyota Land Cruiser-based Lexus LX 570 is old, though it has received three face-lifts over the past 11 years. Rather than bringing a redesign to the LA Auto Show, Lexus is just showed off the 2019 LX with a new appearance package called the Inspiration Series. In a nutshell, you’re dealing with an ordinary LX 570, but “murdered out” as the kids say, with blacked-out 21-inch wheels and a black grille, along with several other dark bits to peg the sinister meters. The Inspiration Series also pegs the price alarms with its $100,420 MSRP, but that’s due to a lot of bundled-in optional features.

Only 500 units of the LX Inspiration Series will be made, so place your orders now. While you’re at it, you can learn more about this special SUV here.

Lincoln

First shown in concept form this past March at the New York International Auto Show, the Lincoln Aviator was the belle of the ball with its head-turning looks and cutting-edge features. Now the production 2020 Aviator has been fully revealed, with three rows of seating, rakish design and two powertrain options.

Buyers can pick between a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 engine with 400 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, with either rear- or all-wheel drive. A plug-in hybrid option is rated for 450 horsepower and 600 pound-feet, though Lincoln hasn’t yet offered any details on electric driving range or efficiency. Other luxurious and high-tech features include the ability to use your smartphone as the car’s “key,” a four-corner air suspension that uses a camera to “read” the road and react to bumps proactively, a 28-speaker Revel audio system and Lincoln’s CoPilot360 Plus active-safety suite. The fact that Lincoln used the Detroit Symphony Orchestra for the Aviator’s warning tones also truly resonates with our inner car nerds.

Mazda

The fourth-generation 2019 Mazda3 is now here, with both sedan and hatchback versions that follow the styling language previewed by the Mazda Kai concept shown at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show. The new car will go on sale in early 2019.

There are lots of changes beneath the surface, too. The Mazda3 base engine will still be a 2.5-liter inline-four, with either manual or automatic transmissions with six speeds. The 3 is also the first production Mazda to use the company’s Skyactiv-X compression-ignition engine, which uses a supercharger and a mild-hybrid motor assist. As if that’s not enough, the Mazda3 also boasts an upgraded 8.8-inch infotainment system and an infrared eye-tracking Driver Monitoring System that can tell if the driver is looking away from the road.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-AMG used the LA show to reveal the Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro, which is an even more bonkers version of the already certifiable AMG GT R. There’s no power increase, with the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 still putting out 577 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, but the GT R Pro benefits from a revised coilover suspension, adjustable anti-roll bars, carbon-ceramic brakes and retuned dynamic engine mounts. It also adds the AMG Dynamics stability control system, which has Basic, Advanced, Pro and Master modes.

Along with the Pro, of course, AMG has updated all versions of the GT coupe and convertibles with tweaks like restyled headlights, a new rear diffuser, a fully digital instrument cluster and some other interior switchgear changes. Oh, and those vents on top of the fenders are totally making the Roadshow staff swoon.

Mini

Ever since the first Mini arrived in 1959, the brand has been no stranger to special editions. Yet another one will make its North American premiere at the 2019 LA Auto Show. The Mini John Cooper Works Knights Edition takes a run-of-the-mill John Cooper Works Hardtop and drizzles it with a black and silver shining-armor theme.

The Knights Edition also features a John Cooper Works variable exhaust straight out of the accessories catalog that will let you drive stealthily or broadcast to the world that you’re fine with being small and loud, like Gilbert Gottfried. Read more about the John Cooper Works Knights Edition here.

Nissan

Nissan is updating its “four-door sports car” for the 2019 model year, giving the Maxima a slightly revised look inside and out, as well as extra safety technology on the inside. There’s also a new Platinum Reserve style package and a new orange interior stitching for the SR trim level. The car still uses a 3.5-liter V6 engine that sends 300 horsepower to the front wheels. Similarly, the 2019 Nissan Murano crossover receives an update with new lights, new interior trim pieces and a new grille design. It also adds more safety technology, and even diamond-quilted leather in the top-tier Platinum model.

Porsche

Southern California has long been Porsche’s most important market, so it’s only fitting that the sports car maker would choose LA to unveil the next generation of its most storied model, the 911. The 2020 911 debuted in Carrera S and 4S guises, with a 3.6-liter turbocharged flat-six engine rated for 443 horsepower, which is 23 more than before. A new eight-speed PDK dual-clutch is your only transmission choice at launch, but Porsche promises a manual is on the way later.

At first blush the new 911 may not look that different than its predecessor, but the car is 1.77 inches wider up front with a bumper and headlight treatment reminiscent of the 993-generation 911 of the mid-1990s. It also has flush-mounted electric door handles and restyled, wide taillights. Extra technologies include features like a Wet Mode, which will adjust the stability and braking systems when it detects water on the road, and standard precollision braking.

Rivian

Electric-vehicle startup Rivian is used the LA show to reveal its R1T pickup truck and its R1S SUV. The pickup claims a 400-plus-mile range and a 0-60 time under 3 seconds, as well as impressive towing and payload ratings. The R1S is a three-row luxury crossover that is also designed for lots of off-roading. It’ll use the same motors and battery packs as the truck, though its driving range should be a little longer, at up to 410 miles of range if you elect the 180-kWh battery pack. When production time comes, Rivian has pledged to build its vehicles at the former Mitsubishi factory in Normal, Illinois. The R1T is due in fall 2020 and the R1S should come in early 2021.

Toyota

This is a huge year for Toyota at the LA Auto Show, with two major bread-and-butter debuts in the form of the all-wheel-drive Toyota Prius, which adds an electric motor to its rear axle to help it lure people away from crossovers, and the all-new 2020 Corolla Sedan, which also adds a hybrid powertrain for the first time in the US market. Those are all important debuts as they’re big sellers for Toyota and now will be even more appealing.

On top of that, Toyota is showing off the sporty-ish TRD versions of the Avalon and Camry.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen’s debut at the I.D. Buzz Cargo, the work-van version of the passenger van that debuted last year. In addition to looks that force you to be happy, the I.D. Buzz Cargo features a passenger compartment with three-across seating along with an electric driving range approaching 350 miles. The one at the show was gussied up to look like a racing support van and it made us feel kinda funny, like when we used to climb the rope in gym class.

We have a ton of additional information about the I.D. Buzz Cargo van, which you can check out here.

Volvo

Volvo brought a virtual reality demo of its fancy-pants 360c concept, a driverless car designed to leave the sensor hardware carbuncles behind for a smoother, less autonomous-looking (that is, more attractive) appearance. Other than that, Volvo isn’t planning to have any other production cars on display. It did, however, have a pile of Amazon boxes for people to sit on, so look forward to that, true believers.

Our editor-in-chief, Tim Stevens, recently got up close and personal with this innovative machine. You can read more about the autonomous 360c here.

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jonathanbelloblog · 7 years ago

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Shock Value: The 12 New Electric BMWs Due by 2025

The BMW i3 and Tesla Model S were pioneers in terms of modern, mass produced electric vehicles. Since then, Tesla has yet to turn a profit, while BMW has earned a record $8.25 billion. Despite this discrepancy, the stock market value of two companies is about the same.

“It must be wonderful to be a new player in this business,” grumbles BMW CTO Klaus Fröhlich. “Why? Because you have no legacy to take care of.”

In the case of BMW, those legacies include a large workforce trained to complete tasks that may soon become obsolete, an assembly network designed to build conventional vehicles with internal combustion engines, a hungry dealer network that needs to be fed, and an EV line-up comprised only of the slow-selling i3.

BMW may have moved to producing EVs and advanced hybrids before many of its rivals. But while the i3 and the i8 are in many ways compelling cars, their hyper-complex and expensive engineering concepts seriously dented the bottom line. The experience steered BMW away from making cars with featherweight carbon-fiber uppers riding on aluminum chassis. Instead, almost all future-generation zero-emission BMWs are to be based on evolutions of the two existing mainstay architectures.

BMW’s first completely new EV, known as iNext, will debut in 2021. That’s may be four more years of waiting, but the trickle of electric BMWs will quickly turn to a flood, with 11 more EVs set to join iNext by 2025. Here’s how they’ll roll out.

Mini E

You saw the concept car at the Frankfurt Show, but you won’t be able to buy the production version of the second Mini E before 2019—a decade after the first, a limited production effort used for field testing. It’s not a rebodied i3, though the idea was under consideration until cost killed it. Instead, the new Mini E sits on a comprehensively adapted version of the UKL platform that underpins regular Minis so it can be built on the same assembly line as its brethren.

In essence, the Mini E adopts a decontented and downsized version of the e-motor assembly that drives the front wheels of the i8. The 38-kW/hr battery, which fills all the cavities in the floorpan, powers a motor rated at 128 hp and 184lb-ft of torque. This arrangement should deliver plenty of forward motion, but when driven like a Cooper, the Mini E might still struggle to cover more than 125 miles on a single charge. But the use of the UKL structure means the Mini E may be up to $12,000 less expensive than the i3.

i3X

The model designation is not final (X3i is one of the options), but the project is set in stone. Like the Mini E, this is a version of an existing product, namely the new BMW X3 (pictured). Due to arrive in 2020, it’ll get different sheet metal with a grille similar to that previewed by the i Vision Dynamics concept at Frankfurt. A front-mounted motor will drive the rear wheels and there won’t be an AWD option. Insiders predict a 70-kW/hr lithium-ion battery, a 301-hp power unit, and a real-world range of 160 miles. This model was originally intended only for the Chinese market, but to plug the gap until the arrival of iNext, i3X will now reportedly go global.

i8 replacement

The current timeline suggests that the i8 will be discontinued in 2022. Its replacement, however, is not due before 2024. Why the gap? It apparently has a lot to do with the on-off-on sports car project with McLaren. Due in 2021 and recently confirmed by internal and supplier sources, the BMW-McLaren deal is not unlike the BMW-Toyota arrangement that’s producing the Z4/Supra, except this time, McLaren is doing most of the groundwork.

The BMW version of the high-performance hybrid coupe features unique body panels, seats, and cockpit accents, as well as an evolution of the McLaren 4.0-liter V-8 boasting cylinder heads designed in Munich. BMW will supply bespoke energy cells and performance electronics.

Where does this leave the i8? It’s still early days, but the plan is to go fully electric by means of three 335-hp motors, two in the rear and one up front. The new i8 would also pioneer breakthrough solid-state energy cells that promise huge performance improvements, including a ten-minute quick charge mode. Depending on battery size and driving style, range reportedly varies between 250 and 500 miles.

Here things get complicated, because this familiar designation is destined to switch from today’s i3 to a model based on the 3 Series. (To get the hierarchy back in order, the next i3 will be named i1.) It is not quite clear exactly when the all-new and radically different i3 will start rolling off the line. Some say 2020, some say 2021, and some even say the launch may be delayed until 2025.

The new i3 will be built on an evolution of BMW’s current rear-wheel drive matrix known as CLAR WE. This architecture is modular and fully scalable in terms of powertrain, able to accommodate internal combustion engine, plug-in hybrid or pure electric powertrains. Where needed the batteries reside in the transmission tunnel, under the rear seat, and in place of the fuel tank, and buyers can choose between batteries optimized for range or sport. CLAR WE is claimed to provide the flexibility required to manage the transition of technology and the fluctuation of demand.

The grapevine in Munich is predicting that a replacement for the current i3 will arrive in late 2022 or early 2023, which is another way of saying that the odd-yet-charming MkI has five years of life left in it. The five-door hatch i1 will be prettier, cheaper, and more practical than the current i3, swapping that car’s expensive high-tech underpinnings for a much more conventional layout based on the FAAR WE front-drive architecture that will be shared with the next generation 1 Series, X1 SUV, and all future Minis.

The i1 thus bids farewell to the rear-mounted motor and rear-wheel drive of the current i3, which takes away one important USP, but works wonders for the budget. To keep the price down, the body will be made of steel and the platform will be re-engineered to accommodate the battery trays. Expect two models, the entry-level i1e and the sporty i1s.

iNext

The iNext, which may be badged i20 when it arrives in 2021, is not only a new EV but also a key innovation tool. It will be the first BMW capable of driving autonomously, even if several restrictions still apply. True, it comes with pedals and a steering wheel, but provision has been made to integrate up to 30 sensors, and to integrate mandatory redundancies with regard to steering and brakes. Having said that, even this high-tech piece of kit won’t be ready for full autonomous operation before 2025 at the earliest.

As far as measurements and proportions are concerned, the iNext is allegedly a dead ringer for the Jaguar I-Pace, which happens to be the brainchild of several former BMW executives. “We are not interested in making safety a competitively relevant differentiator,” says Klaus Fröhlich. “Our in-house competence is instead reflected by batteries and e-motors, by the driving strategy, and by vehicle control all the way to the limit.”

This is the production version of the i Vision Dynamics concept shown at Frankfurt. The i4 is a cleverly redesigned 4 Series Gran Coupe equipped with a choice of zero-emission power packs, and is set to go on sale within a couple of months of the iNext.

Like the i3, the i4 will be built on the CLAR WE architecture. Expect two e-motors, all-wheel drive, torque vectoring, and probably even rear-wheel steering and semi-active air suspension. The mainstay variant likely combines a 134-hp front motor with a 214-hp unit propelling the rear wheels. A source from BMW marketing indicates that the i4 will be available with three different performance levels, provisionally labeled standard, sport, and supersport. As in the top-of-the-line iNext, the latter version drives each rear wheel with its own e-motor.

Also known as i6, this is the big brother of today’s i3. It has been in the making for over five years, changing from a car built using the same ultra-light, carbon intensive concepts as the current i3 and i8 to one based on CLAR WE. Sort of a crossover, but with coupe, wagon and sedan styling elements, i5 sits between X3 and X5 in terms of size. In terms of space utilization inside, however, it comes close to the X7.

Raising the roofline by about 5.9-inches compared with the i4 has created ample room for big battery packs. At the same time, the crossover stance facilitates easier entry and exit, and it improves the visibility. BMW has not yet defined the final battery sizes, but the two bundles mentioned most often by insiders are rated at 60/80/100/120-kW/hr and 70/90/110/130-kW/hr. Since the batteries’ energy density is set to improve by about five percent year on year, there should be some windfall driving range and performance benefits available by the time the i5 puts in an appearance in 2023.

i5X

No, this is not an i5 with four driven wheels. Instead, i5X (or X5i) denotes the EV version of the next-generation X5, and is scheduled for 2024. Thanks to the flat-floor design of the tall-roof SUV, there is plenty of space between the axles to slide in flat battery packs, Tesla-style.

Like its up-market stablemates (and the Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQ-E), the i5X will be offered with two or three motors, and with different battery configurations. What about a fuel cell option, you ask? Well, the X7 show car was originally going to be fuel cell powered, but since batteries are improving in leaps and bounds, BMW now considers the fuel cell to be best suited for buses and trucks.

Tesla keeps updating the Model S, Mercedes is readying the full-size EQ-S, and Audi will electrify the next A8. Meanwhile BMW has no choice but to ask customers for patience as the current 7 Series does not even have a humble 48-volt system, let alone the option of an all-electric drivetrain. That’s why we’ll have to wait until the next-gen 7 Series, due in 2023, for an all-electric BMW luxury liner.

In theory, the 8 Series Gran Coupé, which has been heralded as the brand’s future flagship model, could step in three years earlier. In practice, however, the 8 Series is so tightly packaged that it would take a magic wand (or much smaller batteries) to squeeze in a decent-format power pack. In terms of e-motors, the i7 can reportedly mix and match five different units good for 214 hp to 429 hp.

i1X

First the good news: The plug-in i1X won’t cost more that a well equipped X1 20i xDrive. Now the bad news: According to the current game plan (which these days is reviewed on a bi-weekly basis), the e-version of the smallest X model will be built and sold exclusively in China, starting in 2022, and the powertrain will probably be reserved for the China-only long-wheelbase varant.

The reasoning behind this strategy is the aggressive timing imposed by the Chinese government, which wants to put an end to the combustion engine as soon as possible.

i5X LWB

Currently another China-only project, the long wheelbase i5X offers three rows of seats, a very popular option in the world’s biggest car market. At a later stage, however, this BEV may also be built in Spartanburg for the American market, where Daimler has just announced a $1bn investment in the production of BEVs, PHEVs and batteries.

Like all BMW i models out after 2021, the i5X LWB, due in 2023, will be capable of inductive fast charging, and its most significant advantage here may be BMW’s unique cell chemistry.

The post Shock Value: The 12 New Electric BMWs Due by 2025 appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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jesusvasser · 7 years ago

Text

Shock Value: The 12 New Electric BMWs Due by 2025

“It must be wonderful to be a new player in this business,” grumbles BMW CTO Klaus Fröhlich. “Why? Because you have no legacy to take care of.”

Mini E

i3X

i8 replacement

iNext

i5X

i1X

The reasoning behind this strategy is the aggressive timing imposed by the Chinese government, which wants to put an end to the combustion engine as soon as possible.

i5X LWB

Like all BMW i models out after 2021, the i5X LWB, due in 2023, will be capable of inductive fast charging, and its most significant advantage here may be BMW’s unique cell chemistry.

The post Shock Value: The 12 New Electric BMWs Due by 2025 appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

from Performance Junk WP Feed 4 http://ift.tt/2AnyZOq via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk WP Feed 4

0 notes

eddiejpoplar · 7 years ago

Text

Shock Value: The 12 New Electric BMWs Due by 2025

“It must be wonderful to be a new player in this business,” grumbles BMW CTO Klaus Fröhlich. “Why? Because you have no legacy to take care of.”

Mini E

i3X

i8 replacement

iNext

i5X

i1X

The reasoning behind this strategy is the aggressive timing imposed by the Chinese government, which wants to put an end to the combustion engine as soon as possible.

i5X LWB

Like all BMW i models out after 2021, the i5X LWB, due in 2023, will be capable of inductive fast charging, and its most significant advantage here may be BMW’s unique cell chemistry.

The post Shock Value: The 12 New Electric BMWs Due by 2025 appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

from Performance Junk Blogger 6 http://ift.tt/2AnyZOq via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Performance Junk Blogger 6

0 notes