#both electric and with internal combustion engines. Like the rest of the Volkswagen Group

[shopsmartautos]

[businessliveme]

Porsche’s $150,000 Electric Taycan Turbo Is Aimed Right at Tesla

(Bloomberg) — After four years of hype, Porsche has debuted the Taycan electric car. The four-door sedan is the first all-electric vehicle from the Stuttgart, Germany-based automaker. (Although its founder, Ferdinand Porsche, built hybrid-electric “electromobile” cars under his own name as early as 1900.) The first models in the new series are the $185,000, 750-horsepower Taycan Turbo S and the $150,900, 670-horsepower Taycan Turbo.

Read: Electric Mini Cooper SE First Drive Review: Specs, Photos

Range was announced as 450 kilometers, or 279 miles, which is less than that of the latest Tesla Model S. Less powerful—and likely less expensive—variants of the all-wheel-drive cars will follow later this year: The first big derivative, called the Taycan Cross Turismo, will arrive at the end of next year.

“We know we need to continue evolving, because the world around us is evolving,” said Klaus Zellmer, head of Porsche North America, at the debut on Sept. 4 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. “In the automotive industry we will see more change in the next five years than we have seen in the past 50.”

Roughly 200 journalists and invited guests gathered at the site—known for hydroelectric power—for the unveiling on Wednesday morning, which occurred simultaneously with mirror events at a solar farm near Berlin and a wind farm near Shanghai. “The future is electric, whether you want it or not,” Zellmer said.

The 2020 Porsche Taycan represents the biggest investment Porsche has ever made in a new model, Zellmer said, incorporating funds from $6.6 billion the company has devoted to making electric vehicles at a new factory in Stuttgart.

Read: 2019 Porsche Cayenne S Review

It benefits from the additional $2 billion that parent group Volkswagen AG spent to build the Electrify American program, a VW subsidiary that owns and maintains a national network to charge electric vehicles. Roughly $800 million of that sum will be used to build an electric network in California alone.

(Source: Yahoo Finance)

It also spells the birth of an entire third appendage to the Porsche portfolio, adding battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) to the existing roster of combustion engine and hybrid-motored vehicles, such as the Cayman, Macan, Panamera, and 911. After the Taycan Cross Turismo electric car, there will be a fully electric Macan, Zellmer said: “By 2025, more than 50% of all Porsche vehicles sold worldwide will have a plug.”

Same, but Different

The 2020 Porsche Taycan looks much like the Mission E Concept that debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015, with some notable changes. It has lost the suicide doors, futuristic disc wheels, and rear definition that the concept had, mainly due to safety regulations and concerns, said Chad Bass, Porsche’s manager of E Performance. With seating for four and a trunk big enough to hold two large golf bags, the current iteration looks most similar to the $86,300 Panamera sedan.

Read: Have We Hit Peak Supercar?

It has two electric motors, one at the front axle and one at the rear axle, that allow the Taycan Turbo S to go from zero to 60 mph in 2.6 seconds, while the Taycan Turbo can do it in 3 seconds. Both times equal, but do not beat, times posted by Tesla’s Model S. Top speed for both is 161 mph.

But don’t let the “Turbo” name fool you. The Taycan is not turbocharged. Porsche is using the term “Turbo” for branding only, since an actual turbocharger is a device driven by an engine’s exhaust gas that forces compressed air into a combustion chamber to enhance efficiencies in internal combustion engines—not in electric motors.

“For Porsche, the Turbo name represents a brand, the top tier of our performance vehicles,” Calvin Kim, a Porsche spokesman, said in an email. “As the new Taycan Turbo and Turbo S represent the top tier of the Taycan family celebrating its world premier today, we believe it deserves the title.”

Under the hood and chassis, Taycan packs adaptive air suspension, rear-wheel steering, and four drive modes. Those include “Normal,” “Sport,” “Sport Plus,” and “Range.” An individual system can also be configured according to preferences. Unlike other electric cars that operate in one gear, the Taycan has a two-speed transmission, allowing it a quicker acceleration rate and then, in second gear, to maintain efficiency and power while traveling at high speeds better than a typical single-gear configuration would.

(Source: Yahoo Finance)

The Taycan will also be the world’s first production vehicle with a system voltage that can charge with 800 volts, instead of the commonly used 400 volts for electric cars. That means that under ideal conditions (not fast driving, not running the AC), the time to get from 5% to 80% charged will be 22.5 minutes.

The 800-watt chargers are part of Porsche’s plan to afford easy charging to all Taycan owners. Each Porsche dealership and experience center will offer quick-charge stations, and each Taycan owner will receive three years of free charging on the Electrify America network.

Inside, most of the conventional buttons and knobs found in previous Porsches have disappeared in favor of an almost totally touch-controlled dashboard and center console. The main instrument cluster is a curved, 16.8-inch screen with a small touch-control field at the edges to alter light and chassis functions.

Drivers can choose among four display modes for the configurable cluster, including “Classic,” which is reminiscent of traditional Porsche gauges (minus the tachometer), and “Pure,” which simply displays such essential information as speed and route guidance.

There’s also a 10.9-inch infotainment system with customizable home screen and an angled 8.4-inch touch panel with handwriting recognition to control things such as the climate inside the cabin. The Porsche Taycan will be the first car ever to come with Apple Music built directly into the car’s entertainment system.

In the rear of the cabin, a 5.9-inch touch control panel directs climate and audio zones. Interior trimming materials made sustainably from recycled polyester fibers and floor coverings and from old fishing nets are available.

The First of Many Electrics

At a private event on Tuesday evening, before the debut in Canada, Zellmer showed a film comparing the the Porsche line’s introduction of electric technology to when the company first introduced turbocharging to such endurance racing cars as the 917 and later, the 930 production car. Electrification of the Porsche line is a calculated risk, an announcer said, but the company thrives on the challenge.

“Taycan is a turning point for Porsche and the entire automotive industry as it raises the technical bar for EVs beyond Tesla,” said Michael Dean, a senior automotive analyst for Bloomberg Intelligence, in his latest report on the company.

Porsche is using the Taycan to break into the all-electric segment slightly differently than did such competitors as Audi and Jaguar, which chose to attack Tesla’s dominance with their own all-electric SUVs, the e-Tron and i-Pace, respectively. Porsche, on the other hand, opted to jump into the all-electric market in the form of a four-door sedan. (It debuted the 918 hybrid supercar in 2013 and Cayenne hybrid SUV in 2014, but Taycan is the first modern Porsche vehicle that is all-electric.)

“The Taycan should achieve a rare feat for a first-generation BEV and be profitable from launch, given Porsche’s proven pricing power, albeit at vastly reduced margins as compared with gas-powered models, in our view,” Dean said.

Reportedly all 10,000 of the Taycan units allocated to North America have already sold, with an additional 10,000 to 20,000 slated for the rest of the world. None have been allotted to the Porsche car-sharing program, Porsche Password.

Perhaps the biggest question regarding the triumph of the new vehicle is how it compares to its closest competitor, the Tesla Model S. The pre-eminent electric sedan—with a price range from $79,990 to well over $100,000—Model S has set the bar as the first and best option for a luxury-level electric sedan. It has a total equivalent of from 417 horsepower up to 762hp and an all-electric range of up to 370 miles. The Taycan’s pricing, however, will start in a higher category than that of the Teslas: $185,000 for the Taycan Turbo S and $150,900 for the Taycan Turbo.

Zellmer said that 50% of the people who have reserved a Taycan are new to the brand, with the most conquests coming via Tesla owners. The biggest switch from the other half of the Taycan reservers are those who own the 911.

Porsche brass have downplayed the likelihood that Taycan would cannibalize sales of the Panamera sedan, which accounted for less than 10% of all the brand’s sales globally last year. (By contrast, the Cayenne and Macan SUVs comprise more than 60% of all Porsche sales.) Since the Taycan offers blinding speed and the aura of the new fancy thing, consumers may wonder why they should buy the more ubiquitous Panamera at all, especially in the hybrid versions.

“People will want combustion engine cars for a long time,” Bass said, adding that he did not foresee the Taycan taking a big chunk of Panamera sales.

The debut came a week after Porsche announced it had set a record-breaking lap of 7 minutes, 42 seconds for a four-door electric vehicle at the Nuerburgring race track in Germany. The Tesla Model S has not publicly attempted that record.

Deliveries to the United States will begin in early 2020.

The post Porsche’s $150,000 Electric Taycan Turbo Is Aimed Right at Tesla appeared first on Businessliveme.com.

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[jonathanbelloblog]

The Future for Small Cars in Europe and Beyond: Lots of EVs

A lack of profits is seeing European automakers jettison or heavily revise their plans for future generations of their subcompact cars, especially ones powered solely through internal combustion. In moves paralleling those made by American automakers and their smallest models, VW has ceased development of a successor to the eensy Up!, Renault isn’t planning to replace the Twingo in its current form, and Opel won’t create a new version of the funky Adam. What future such cars may have—on both sides of the pond—may involve China and the volumes partnerships there can provide, as in the case of Mini/Great Wall and Smart/Geely.

Which is to say the European makers will not abandon the segment, but entries are almost certainly to be more environmentally focused—think EVs and plug-ins—and thus more expensive. Take for instance VW’s recently approved Urbanout model, an MEB-based fully electric subcompact crossover. Listed internally as MEB-AO, the Urbanout is about 61 inches tall (about four shorter than a Ford EcoSport) and has the footprint of a Polo, but boasts the interior roominess of an MPV from one class up. Of course, it’s expected to start at 25,000 euros, reflective of the 5,000-euro premium required to fit it with batteries. This remains the fly in the business-case ointment for every affordable BEV, and until the first affordable solid-state energy cells arrive, the road forward for such EVs is likely to remain bumpy.

“Small” May Eventually Be Synonymous with “EV”

We’re on a path toward an inflection point between small cars and full electrification. While data shows demand for small and very small cars will increase slightly globally over the next five years—with FCA, PSA, and Hyundai-Kia emerging as the leaders—the game will change between 2024 and 2030. While some brands will pull out of the small-car arena altogether, an armada of startups from all over the globe will fight for what will increasingly be an EV-focused segment. There may even be a high-volume effort led by VW and Ford, and the Chinese will want to play, too, just as that country prepares to phase out its compulsory joint-venture arrangement in 2022.

The danger, however, is that EV adoption rates aren’t expected to rapidly expand in a parallel fashion. A survey from JP Morgan Chase suggests that the global EV penetration will increase rather slowly from three percent in 2020 to 18 percent by 2030. While the same study foresees only marginal growth for plug-in hybrids, conventional and mild hybrids are predicted to rocket from seven to 39 percent. At 41 percent, vehicles powered solely by internal combustion will still top the table, if only by a small margin.

Now that VW has officially announced its intention to make its MEB components set available to third parties, it’s only a matter of time before a single-DNA multi-brand strategy happens. VW’s first partner in Europe will likely be Ford, while the group’s Chinese allies are FAW, SAIC and JAC. By 2025, the Volkswagen Group intends to build 15 million MEB-based vehicles. Out of its total investment of €80 billion ($90.4 billion), €50 billion ($56.5 billion) will be devoted to batteries, which explains the Germans taking interest and positions in mining, new raw materials, and shared sourcing and assembly.

By comparison, Fiat—0currently the clear leader of the subcompact market—intends to spend less than €5 billion ($5.6 billion) on no more than four new EVs by 2022. Although Chinese customers can already purchase entry-level EVs for as little as the equivalent of $5,700, these products are not yet fit for exportation. This may change after 2025 when several local brands such as BAIC and Changan will stop selling combustion-engine vehicles altogether. At this point in time, only a handful of manufacturers like Nio or Exceed by Chery plan to ship EVs to Europe, and all of them aim exclusively at the more profitable B and C segments.

Mini’s Chinese EV Future

While the Nissan/Renault/Mitsubishi alliance, PSA, and GM are doing their own things in the bargain basement, BMW and Daimler are strengthening their China connections. Together with Great Wall, BMW is investing $770 million to build Mini EVs in a highly efficient greenfield site. Designed and engineered in Germany, the new Mini-E will be sold across the world starting in 2023. The first version out will be a shortened three-door city car still known as MiniMini and possessed of proportions not unlike those of the Rocketman concept of several years ago. We hear that the Great Wall joint venture will eventually produce three body styles: the MiniMini, a regular three-door, and a chunky, radically compact neo-SUV along the lines of the VW Cross Up! show car. In this context, BMW must also decide on the future of the two Mini plants in Oxford, England (ex-Rover), and Born, Netherlands (ex-Mitsubishi/Volvo). Since China wants to be a 100-percent EV market by 2030, tie-ups such as this one may be the safest and most cost-effective bet to fill the slots at the bottom end of the market.

What’s going to happen to the rest of the Mini range? An inside line suggests that the clock is ticking for the five-door hatch and the cabriolet which won’t go electric and are too small to dock onto BMW’s FAAR architecture. Another endangered species is the Clubman, sources claim. Having said that, we would not be surprised if Mini were to select FAAR as the way to go for the next Countryman and its two sister models. Offered in fwd and awd guise, powered by a 2.0litre four instead of the breathless 1.5litre three and available in different stages of electrification, we expect to see a dramatically dynamic and quite stylish coupé-like Sportsman (unlike the slow-selling three-door Paceman, this one has five doors) as well as a rough & tough SUV-like version described as one-third Land Rover and two-thirds Range Rover which may be badged Bushman. In total, this strategy would spawn four crossovers, thereby reflecting the continueing change in buyer preference.

Those other Models

As for the Up!, 2020 will see its final update with the addition of three EV versions with battery packs that store 24, 36, or 49 kWh of energy and are powered by electric motors with respective outputs of 94 hp and 170 lb-ft, 121 hp and 243 lb-ft, and 148 hp and 317 lb-ft. Range is expected to fall at 190, 250, and 310 miles on the more optimistic European cycle, while prices will fall between 20,000 and 27,500 euros. The Up! is the last Volkswagen model still based on the ancient PQ architecture conceived way back when under Ferdinand Piëch.

According to sources from within Daimler and Renault, their Smart-related tie-up will expire when the Forfour/Twingo runs its course. For the Germans, the tentative plan for 2025 and beyond is to align Smart with Geely. Less likely is a partnership with BYD, the Chinese home of the only mildly successful Denza EV co-engineered with Mercedes. In contrast, Geely is investing $5 billion in its EV activities, which already include a cheap model marketed under the Kandi name. Other potential candidates are the brand’s long-term partners BAIC and BJEV who may start building electric smart Fortwos in the not too distant future. Smart 3.0 will however feature a completely new bespoke EV architecture. The first fruit from this affordable, scalable, and globally compatible matrix is claimed to be a small crossover dubbed Formore due in 2025 at the latest. Meanwhile, the Fortwo and Forfour replacements have been penciled in for 2026 and 2027.

IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

The Future for Small Cars in Europe and Beyond: Lots of EVs

A lack of profits is seeing European automakers jettison or heavily revise their plans for future generations of their subcompact cars, especially ones powered solely through internal combustion. In moves paralleling those made by American automakers and their smallest models, VW has ceased development of a successor to the eensy Up!, Renault isn’t planning to replace the Twingo in its current form, and Opel won’t create a new version of the funky Adam. What future such cars may have—on both sides of the pond—may involve China and the volumes partnerships there can provide, as in the case of Mini/Great Wall and Smart/Geely.

Which is to say the European makers will not abandon the segment, but entries are almost certainly to be more environmentally focused—think EVs and plug-ins—and thus more expensive. Take for instance VW’s recently approved Urbanout model, an MEB-based fully electric subcompact crossover. Listed internally as MEB-AO, the Urbanout is about 61 inches tall (about four shorter than a Ford EcoSport) and has the footprint of a Polo, but boasts the interior roominess of an MPV from one class up. Of course, it’s expected to start at 25,000 euros, reflective of the 5,000-euro premium required to fit it with batteries. This remains the fly in the business-case ointment for every affordable BEV, and until the first affordable solid-state energy cells arrive, the road forward for such EVs is likely to remain bumpy.

“Small” May Eventually Be Synonymous with “EV”

We’re on a path toward an inflection point between small cars and full electrification. While data shows demand for small and very small cars will increase slightly globally over the next five years—with FCA, PSA, and Hyundai-Kia emerging as the leaders—the game will change between 2024 and 2030. While some brands will pull out of the small-car arena altogether, an armada of startups from all over the globe will fight for what will increasingly be an EV-focused segment. There may even be a high-volume effort led by VW and Ford, and the Chinese will want to play, too, just as that country prepares to phase out its compulsory joint-venture arrangement in 2022.

The danger, however, is that EV adoption rates aren’t expected to rapidly expand in a parallel fashion. A survey from JP Morgan Chase suggests that the global EV penetration will increase rather slowly from three percent in 2020 to 18 percent by 2030. While the same study foresees only marginal growth for plug-in hybrids, conventional and mild hybrids are predicted to rocket from seven to 39 percent. At 41 percent, vehicles powered solely by internal combustion will still top the table, if only by a small margin.

Now that VW has officially announced its intention to make its MEB components set available to third parties, it’s only a matter of time before a single-DNA multi-brand strategy happens. VW’s first partner in Europe will likely be Ford, while the group’s Chinese allies are FAW, SAIC and JAC. By 2025, the Volkswagen Group intends to build 15 million MEB-based vehicles. Out of its total investment of €80 billion ($90.4 billion), €50 billion ($56.5 billion) will be devoted to batteries, which explains the Germans taking interest and positions in mining, new raw materials, and shared sourcing and assembly.

By comparison, Fiat—0currently the clear leader of the subcompact market—intends to spend less than €5 billion ($5.6 billion) on no more than four new EVs by 2022. Although Chinese customers can already purchase entry-level EVs for as little as the equivalent of $5,700, these products are not yet fit for exportation. This may change after 2025 when several local brands such as BAIC and Changan will stop selling combustion-engine vehicles altogether. At this point in time, only a handful of manufacturers like Nio or Exceed by Chery plan to ship EVs to Europe, and all of them aim exclusively at the more profitable B and C segments.

Mini’s Chinese EV Future

While the Nissan/Renault/Mitsubishi alliance, PSA, and GM are doing their own things in the bargain basement, BMW and Daimler are strengthening their China connections. Together with Great Wall, BMW is investing $770 million to build Mini EVs in a highly efficient greenfield site. Designed and engineered in Germany, the new Mini-E will be sold across the world starting in 2023. The first version out will be a shortened three-door city car still known as MiniMini and possessed of proportions not unlike those of the Rocketman concept of several years ago. We hear that the Great Wall joint venture will eventually produce three body styles: the MiniMini, a regular three-door, and a chunky, radically compact neo-SUV along the lines of the VW Cross Up! show car. In this context, BMW must also decide on the future of the two Mini plants in Oxford, England (ex-Rover), and Born, Netherlands (ex-Mitsubishi/Volvo). Since China wants to be a 100-percent EV market by 2030, tie-ups such as this one may be the safest and most cost-effective bet to fill the slots at the bottom end of the market.

What’s going to happen to the rest of the Mini range? An inside line suggests that the clock is ticking for the five-door hatch and the cabriolet which won’t go electric and are too small to dock onto BMW’s FAAR architecture. Another endangered species is the Clubman, sources claim. Having said that, we would not be surprised if Mini were to select FAAR as the way to go for the next Countryman and its two sister models. Offered in fwd and awd guise, powered by a 2.0litre four instead of the breathless 1.5litre three and available in different stages of electrification, we expect to see a dramatically dynamic and quite stylish coupé-like Sportsman (unlike the slow-selling three-door Paceman, this one has five doors) as well as a rough & tough SUV-like version described as one-third Land Rover and two-thirds Range Rover which may be badged Bushman. In total, this strategy would spawn four crossovers, thereby reflecting the continueing change in buyer preference.

Those other Models

As for the Up!, 2020 will see its final update with the addition of three EV versions with battery packs that store 24, 36, or 49 kWh of energy and are powered by electric motors with respective outputs of 94 hp and 170 lb-ft, 121 hp and 243 lb-ft, and 148 hp and 317 lb-ft. Range is expected to fall at 190, 250, and 310 miles on the more optimistic European cycle, while prices will fall between 20,000 and 27,500 euros. The Up! is the last Volkswagen model still based on the ancient PQ architecture conceived way back when under Ferdinand Piëch.

According to sources from within Daimler and Renault, their Smart-related tie-up will expire when the Forfour/Twingo runs its course. For the Germans, the tentative plan for 2025 and beyond is to align Smart with Geely. Less likely is a partnership with BYD, the Chinese home of the only mildly successful Denza EV co-engineered with Mercedes. In contrast, Geely is investing $5 billion in its EV activities, which already include a cheap model marketed under the Kandi name. Other potential candidates are the brand’s long-term partners BAIC and BJEV who may start building electric smart Fortwos in the not too distant future. Smart 3.0 will however feature a completely new bespoke EV architecture. The first fruit from this affordable, scalable, and globally compatible matrix is claimed to be a small crossover dubbed Formore due in 2025 at the latest. Meanwhile, the Fortwo and Forfour replacements have been penciled in for 2026 and 2027.

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

The Future for Small Cars in Europe and Beyond: Lots of EVs

A lack of profits is seeing European automakers jettison or heavily revise their plans for future generations of their subcompact cars, especially ones powered solely through internal combustion. In moves paralleling those made by American automakers and their smallest models, VW has ceased development of a successor to the eensy Up!, Renault isn’t planning to replace the Twingo in its current form, and Opel won’t create a new version of the funky Adam. What future such cars may have—on both sides of the pond—may involve China and the volumes partnerships there can provide, as in the case of Mini/Great Wall and Smart/Geely.

Which is to say the European makers will not abandon the segment, but entries are almost certainly to be more environmentally focused—think EVs and plug-ins—and thus more expensive. Take for instance VW’s recently approved Urbanout model, an MEB-based fully electric subcompact crossover. Listed internally as MEB-AO, the Urbanout is about 61 inches tall (about four shorter than a Ford EcoSport) and has the footprint of a Polo, but boasts the interior roominess of an MPV from one class up. Of course, it’s expected to start at 25,000 euros, reflective of the 5,000-euro premium required to fit it with batteries. This remains the fly in the business-case ointment for every affordable BEV, and until the first affordable solid-state energy cells arrive, the road forward for such EVs is likely to remain bumpy.

“Small” May Eventually Be Synonymous with “EV”

We’re on a path toward an inflection point between small cars and full electrification. While data shows demand for small and very small cars will increase slightly globally over the next five years—with FCA, PSA, and Hyundai-Kia emerging as the leaders—the game will change between 2024 and 2030. While some brands will pull out of the small-car arena altogether, an armada of startups from all over the globe will fight for what will increasingly be an EV-focused segment. There may even be a high-volume effort led by VW and Ford, and the Chinese will want to play, too, just as that country prepares to phase out its compulsory joint-venture arrangement in 2022.

The danger, however, is that EV adoption rates aren’t expected to rapidly expand in a parallel fashion. A survey from JP Morgan Chase suggests that the global EV penetration will increase rather slowly from three percent in 2020 to 18 percent by 2030. While the same study foresees only marginal growth for plug-in hybrids, conventional and mild hybrids are predicted to rocket from seven to 39 percent. At 41 percent, vehicles powered solely by internal combustion will still top the table, if only by a small margin.

Now that VW has officially announced its intention to make its MEB components set available to third parties, it’s only a matter of time before a single-DNA multi-brand strategy happens. VW’s first partner in Europe will likely be Ford, while the group’s Chinese allies are FAW, SAIC and JAC. By 2025, the Volkswagen Group intends to build 15 million MEB-based vehicles. Out of its total investment of €80 billion ($90.4 billion), €50 billion ($56.5 billion) will be devoted to batteries, which explains the Germans taking interest and positions in mining, new raw materials, and shared sourcing and assembly.

By comparison, Fiat—0currently the clear leader of the subcompact market—intends to spend less than €5 billion ($5.6 billion) on no more than four new EVs by 2022. Although Chinese customers can already purchase entry-level EVs for as little as the equivalent of $5,700, these products are not yet fit for exportation. This may change after 2025 when several local brands such as BAIC and Changan will stop selling combustion-engine vehicles altogether. At this point in time, only a handful of manufacturers like Nio or Exceed by Chery plan to ship EVs to Europe, and all of them aim exclusively at the more profitable B and C segments.

Mini’s Chinese EV Future

While the Nissan/Renault/Mitsubishi alliance, PSA, and GM are doing their own things in the bargain basement, BMW and Daimler are strengthening their China connections. Together with Great Wall, BMW is investing $770 million to build Mini EVs in a highly efficient greenfield site. Designed and engineered in Germany, the new Mini-E will be sold across the world starting in 2023. The first version out will be a shortened three-door city car still known as MiniMini and possessed of proportions not unlike those of the Rocketman concept of several years ago. We hear that the Great Wall joint venture will eventually produce three body styles: the MiniMini, a regular three-door, and a chunky, radically compact neo-SUV along the lines of the VW Cross Up! show car. In this context, BMW must also decide on the future of the two Mini plants in Oxford, England (ex-Rover), and Born, Netherlands (ex-Mitsubishi/Volvo). Since China wants to be a 100-percent EV market by 2030, tie-ups such as this one may be the safest and most cost-effective bet to fill the slots at the bottom end of the market.

What’s going to happen to the rest of the Mini range? An inside line suggests that the clock is ticking for the five-door hatch and the cabriolet which won’t go electric and are too small to dock onto BMW’s FAAR architecture. Another endangered species is the Clubman, sources claim. Having said that, we would not be surprised if Mini were to select FAAR as the way to go for the next Countryman and its two sister models. Offered in fwd and awd guise, powered by a 2.0litre four instead of the breathless 1.5litre three and available in different stages of electrification, we expect to see a dramatically dynamic and quite stylish coupé-like Sportsman (unlike the slow-selling three-door Paceman, this one has five doors) as well as a rough & tough SUV-like version described as one-third Land Rover and two-thirds Range Rover which may be badged Bushman. In total, this strategy would spawn four crossovers, thereby reflecting the continueing change in buyer preference.

Those other Models

As for the Up!, 2020 will see its final update with the addition of three EV versions with battery packs that store 24, 36, or 49 kWh of energy and are powered by electric motors with respective outputs of 94 hp and 170 lb-ft, 121 hp and 243 lb-ft, and 148 hp and 317 lb-ft. Range is expected to fall at 190, 250, and 310 miles on the more optimistic European cycle, while prices will fall between 20,000 and 27,500 euros. The Up! is the last Volkswagen model still based on the ancient PQ architecture conceived way back when under Ferdinand Piëch.

According to sources from within Daimler and Renault, their Smart-related tie-up will expire when the Forfour/Twingo runs its course. For the Germans, the tentative plan for 2025 and beyond is to align Smart with Geely. Less likely is a partnership with BYD, the Chinese home of the only mildly successful Denza EV co-engineered with Mercedes. In contrast, Geely is investing $5 billion in its EV activities, which already include a cheap model marketed under the Kandi name. Other potential candidates are the brand’s long-term partners BAIC and BJEV who may start building electric smart Fortwos in the not too distant future. Smart 3.0 will however feature a completely new bespoke EV architecture. The first fruit from this affordable, scalable, and globally compatible matrix is claimed to be a small crossover dubbed Formore due in 2025 at the latest. Meanwhile, the Fortwo and Forfour replacements have been penciled in for 2026 and 2027.

IFTTT

[thecarexpertuk]

The Frankfurt motor show is, by far, the largest motor show in Europe and held every two years. Geneva might be the darling of the supercar manufacturers, but Frankfurt is a tour de force for the big German car companies and other major brands.

This year, the overwhelming theme for almost everybody was electrification. Almost every concept car and new production model featured either a hybrid or fully-electric drivetrain of some sort. With numerous governments planning to ban purely petrol and diesel cars in coming decades (the UK expiry date for non-electrified new cars is 2040), the car manufacturers were rolling out their latest ideas for electric vehicles.

Three-pointed star of the show

There was no doubt about the leading attraction at Frankfurt this year. Mercedes-Benz finally took the wraps off its long-awaited Mercedes-AMG Project ONE supercar. As close as you can possibly get to a Formula One car for the street, this 1,000hp monster is powered by a hybrid powertrain developed from Lewis Hamilton’s championship-winning F1 car.

Bentley’s next big leap

We’d already seen the photos, but Frankfurt marked the public debut for the all-new Bentley Continental GT, powered by a substantially reworked 6.0-litre W12 petrol engine. The original model revolutionised Bentley when it was launched in 2003, and was updated in 2010. Now the third-generation model promises to lead Bentley into the next decade, with a plug-in hybrid and possibly even a fully-electric model to follow.

Ferrari redefines the “entry-level” model

Replacing the successful California model, which has marked the gateway to the Ferrari range for the last decade, is the new Ferrari Portofino. With 600hp on tap and a handy 70kg weight reduction, however, its performance is anything but pedestrian. Styling is also smoothed out compared to the rather fussy California, especially with the folding hard-top roof in place.

Audi finally builds a rear-wheel drive car

For decades, Audi has championed the safety benefits of all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive over the driving dynamics of rear-wheel drive. When the brand took control of Lamborghini nearly 20 years ago, the first thing it changed was to add all-wheel drive to the Italian supercars to make them safer and easier to drive.

So it was to everyone’s great surprise that Audi whipped the covers off a special version of its R8 supercar called the RWS, which stands for Rear Wheel Series (as usual, Audi is great at catchy names). Only 999 are planned to be built, and they are likely to sell out quickly.

Next page: Living in electric dreams Nearly every car company at Frankfurt was keen to talk about electric power. Given the spectacular nose-dive of diesel sales in the UK, and governments everywhere looking to ban diesel cars from entering major cities, electric power appears to have reached a tipping point. Suddenly the UK government’s plan to ban non-electrified new cars from 2040 seems very conservative.

Whether a familiar hybrid setup, a plug-in model with more electricity and less fossil fuel, or a fully-electric motor powered by a battery or hydrogen fuel cell, there was electricity everywhere in Frankfurt as manufacturers showed off their plans for augmenting or replacing the internal combustion engine.

BMW’s i division steps up

BMW showed off a concept for an electric sports saloon called the i Vision Dynamics, which previews an upcoming i5 saloon to join the company’s i3 and i8 all-electric models. Longer, lower and wider than a regular 3 Series saloon, the i5 is set to reach roads by 2021.

Also on the BMW stage was the Concept X7 iPerformance, previewing a large luxury SUV to take on Range Rover. Powered by a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, as well as regular petrol and diesel models, the production BMW X7 is set to arrive late next year.

Finally, Frankfurt marked the public premiere of the already-announced upgrades to the successful BMW i3 city car, including a high-performance i3s model.

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Volkswagen wants you to forget dieselgate

Frankfurt 2017 marked Volkswagen’s most determined effort yet to set out its plans for an electric future and try to make people forget about the diesel scandal that continues to dog the company (and the rest of the car industry).

VW showed off its T-Roc small SUV, which offers nothing revolutionary but which will follow the likes of the Range Rover Evoque and the MINI brand in offering enormous personalisation. Compared to the more strait-laced models in the Volkswagen range, the T-Roc attempts to be more emotional and exciting. We’ll see about that when it hits showrooms next year.

Volkswagen also served up further evolutions of its electric vehicle concepts, the ID Buzz and ID Crozz. Leading the way for up to 80 new electrified models from across the Volkswagen Group by 2025, the production Crozz should arrive in 2020, ahead of the Buzz in 2022.

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Mercedes-Benz makes the case for hydrogen

While most car manufacturers are looking squarely at batteries to deliver electricity, Mercedes-Benz remains part of the minority who still insist that hydrogen fuel cells will play an important role in powering electric cars over coming decades.

In Frankfurt, Mercedes showed off a different kind of plug-in hybrid; a GLC SUV that combined a hydrogen fuel cell with a battery to delivery electricity in two ways. Promising considerable advantages over a regular plug-in hybrid (the fuel cell and the battery both supply electricity to the same motor, rather than having to fit both a petrol engine and an electric motor on board), the GLC F-Cell could enter limited production in the next year or so.

Mercedes also previewed an upcoming electric small car and its next-generation A-Class hatchback with the EQA concept car. The production EQA will not replace the A-Class, and will likely be built on a completely different platform to maximise the advantages of its electric drivetrain. It’s possible that the next A-Class, due in 2019, could be the last conventionally-powered small car from Mercedes-Benz.

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MINI and Honda preview new electric city cars

With large cities likely to be the major battleground for electric vehicle sales over the next few years, both MINI and Honda rolled out concepts that preview production models that will go on sale by 2019.

The MINI Electric Concept gave an early indication of what the production model will look like, smoothing out some of the traditional MINI design cues to improve airflow. Interior design was not part of the project, so the car on the Frankfurt stand had simple blacked-out windows. Also not up for discussion was any detail of the electric powertrain, which will be revealed at a later date.

The Honda Urban EV combines retro design cues with future tech in a far more successful way than any MINI design since the original BMW MINI back in 2001. Paying homage to the original 1970s Honda Civic, the Urban EV previews an all-electric city car that is set to hit the streets by 2019.

Set to be the flag-bearer for Honda’s electric programme, the Urban EV will lead a wave of electrified models starting with the CR-V Hybrid, set to be launched next year. Honda’s target is for two-thirds of all European sales to be hybrid or electric models by 2025.

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Jaguar goes electric SUV racing

Despite many thousands of Jaguar fans wishing that the manufacturer would throw its hand into world-class racing series like Formula One, WEC/Le Mans or even GT3 racing, the company has again dodged its major rivals by announcing a single-make race series for its new I-Pace electric SUV.

Billed as a support series for the Formula E championship (best not to ask about how Jaguar’s debut season went), we can expect to see the I-Pace eTrophy series get underway in conjunction with the 2018/19 Formula E season.

Meanwhile, the F-Type sits in the corner, just begging to be developed into a GT3 race car…

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Next page: Looking further ahead – will we even drive in the future? As with the Geneva motor show earlier this year, the development of autonomous vehicles continued to throw up some fascinating concept cars.

Some manufacturers worked on the transition between manual and automatic driving, while others showed off concepts for a fully-automated future.

Audi Aicon predicts a first-class future

Audi’s Aicon (short for AI concept) envisages a completely self-driving future, with not a steering wheel or brake pedal in sight. Instead, passengers can relax in a cabin that has been inspired by first-class aeroplane cabins.

Cabin space is huge, thanks to an overall vehicle size longer than the Audi A8 flagship saloon. Passengers can stretch out in comfort while the car takes care of the driving. And since the car’s “brain” uses radar and laser systems to see where it’s going, there’s no need for traditional headlights. Instead of being used to see where you’re going, the Aicon’s elaborate LED units are used for people to see it coming.

Renault makes your car a part of your home

The Renault Symbioz concept was very similar to the Audi Aicon, forecasting a fully-autonomous electric luxury vehicle for 2030 or thereabouts. But Renault has also been thinking about how such a vehicle can integrate with the rest of your life, for those times when it’s not delivering you from A to B.

Inspired by the design of living rooms, Renault sees the Symbioz being used as an extra room of your house, where you can either sit and chat with a friend (or whatever else you might want to do in the privacy of your back seat), or lock yourself away to do some work away from the disruption of the rest of the family.

The Symbioz would also sync with your diary to manage energy consumption for best efficiency. If you don’t have any trips planned, it will use the electricity in its battery to power your house. Then it will charge up overnight when electricity is cheap to be full of charge before you need it again. Of course, if you’re rubbish at keeping a diary or like being spontaneous in your driving, it might not be for you…

A smart vision for future car use

Daimler’s city car brand, smart, has already announced plans to go fully-electric in coming years. At Frankfurt, smart showed off a concept car called the Vision EQ, a self-driving city car that will act like a driverless cab to pick up and drop off passengers as it goes along.

There were no great surprises at Frankfurt, with every major new model having been already announced, previewed or teased in advance of press day. The major reveal of the show was the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE, and the only real surprise was that it was uglier than almost every media rendering had predicted…

Unsurprisingly, there were no great announcements about any new diesel engines or models. Industry figures continue to insist that diesel cars will play an important role for the foreseeable future, but the end point for diesel seems to be getting ever closer. A flurry of new electrified vehicles that will arrive over the next few years will only hasten its demise.

Next up is the Tokyo motor show, where we can expect to see what the major Japanese manufacturers have to offer in the way of concept cars and new metal.

Car manufacturers electrify Frankfurt The Frankfurt motor show is, by far, the largest motor show in Europe and held every two years.

[jesusvasser]

First Drive: 2018 Smart ForTwo ED Cabrio

SAN DIEGO, California – The most often question I hear when Smart comes up is, “Would it work for the average buyer?” My answer is more often than not, “No.” However, for those that live in the right part of New York City, downtown Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or similar dense urban environment, the Smart’s all-electric drivetrain and easy-to-park size makes a case that can’t be easily refuted. But with sales an equally pint-sized range and cargo area, is the drop-top Smart be the enticement the brand needs to survive in the U.S. market?

Smart faces no such questions in its home market. When the new all-electric drivetrain was launched in continental Europe, it quickly sold out. In fact, demand was so high that Smart delayed the U.S. launch in order to meet production deadlines and deliver cars to paying customers.

When Smart U.S. announced that its lineup would go fully electric, many dealers decided to axe the brand as sales declined from around 7,000 cars sold each year to just 2,900 through 11 months of 2017. Smart’s continued future in the U.S., then, rests on coastal city-dwellers that don’t have children, pets, or the need to travel far beyond their immediate neighborhood for a good cup of coffee.

Smart’s PR team came up with a Scavenger Hunt of sorts for our drive through the winding, hilly, ocean-adjacent streets of sunny San Diego to show the versatility of the Fortwo Cabrio ED. It’s likely that it was also an attempt keep our minds busy with clues and the hunt and away from the EV’s short 58-mile range and lack of interior space.

The Smart ED’s three-phase electric drivetrain resides where the fuel tank used to be and makes 80 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque, but power delivery, however, just isn’t as direct or as engaging as other electric vehicles. In fact, the behavior is closer to that of an internal combustion engine, where power gradually builds then peters off at the top. I’d like more electric oomph, especially from something that weighs just 2,383 lbs. Smart claims the ForTwo ED Cabrio will hit 60 mph in just under 12 seconds, but to my calibrated posterior, the real-world sensation feels slower. It’s not as unbearably slow as a malaise-era diesel, but making the experience more fun would go a long way in convincing people to buy the little EV.

Charging the car world’s equivalent of Mini-Me also presents challenges. According to Smart, using a standard outlet takes 13 hours to reach 80-percent of range and 16.5 hours to get to full, dropping to a more respectable three hours to full with a fast charger. Still a considerable amount of time, especially, given the small battery and short range.

The little city car, however, held its own in normal traffic on San Diego’s oft-uneven streets. Though the short wheelbase makes for a slightly bouncy ride at speed, the soft suspension setup does a good job of absorbing impact force and managing jolts. Steering is direct and responsive, while the lower center of gravity created by the replacement of the fuel tank and drivetrain with EV components made the Smart far less wobbly.

Nor is the Smart Fortwo ED Cabrio as “golf cart-esque” as many others have transcribed. The interior is well-appointed for its price and station in life. Touch points are soft and the infotainment system is well thought out. There are a few pieces of hard plastic, but the overall interior experience is one of good, German build quality. My audiophile ears would prefer better acoustics, however, as the bass is slightly heavy and treble not as crisp as other base sound systems. That said, with such a small sound-space, Smart’s engineers did an admirable job.

But, like Smart cars in the past, the car’s lack of interior space will likely be a sticking point to the already niche buyer looking for a small electric city car. Overall length is just 106.1 inches— great for parking, not great for luggage, animals, or even groceries. I stowed a motorcycle helmet, jacket, and pint-sized day bag in the car’s trunk, but if I had brought anything else outside a pack of gum, it’d probably be on the passenger’s lap. In terms of practicality, the Fiat 500e and Volkswagen eGolf are much better propositions both on paper and in the real world. Both offer more space, more range, and more usability.

Then there’s the matter of the Smart’s price. The Smart Fortwo ED coupe starts at $24,550 before any state and federal tax EV incentives, while the Cabrio we drove starts at $28,850. That’s not much less than 500e and eGolf, which start at $32,995 and $30,495, respectively, and also meet federal and state conditions for incentives.

Our scavenger hunt tasks completed—my partner and I finished in 2nd place!—we returned to our starting point. After exiting the car, I’m faced with a variation of a question I’ve been asked so many times before—“In an increasingly diverse small EV segment, will the Smart Fortwo ED work for the average costal buyer?” I modify my original answer to “I’m not sure.”

It’s a good city car and for a small group of people, it’s likely perfect. But when other small EVs exist, why not spend slightly more and get more space, power, range, and utility? The 2018 Smart ForTwo ED Cabrio feels like a European on holiday. It gets along with residents just fine, but it never aimed to assimilate into the American way of life.

2018 Smart ForTwo ED Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $28,850 (base) MOTOR Three-pase synchronous electric motor/80 hp, 118 lb-ft BATTERY Li-ion , 17.6 kWh TRANSMISSION Single-speed LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, FWD hatchback RANGE 58 miles L x W x H 106.1 x 65.5 x 61.2 in WHEELBASE 73.7 in WEIGHT 2,383 lb 0-60 MPH 11.7 sec TOP SPEED 81 mph

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

First Drive: 2018 Smart ForTwo ED Cabrio

SAN DIEGO, California – The most often question I hear when Smart comes up is, “Would it work for the average buyer?” My answer is more often than not, “No.” However, for those that live in the right part of New York City, downtown Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or similar dense urban environment, the Smart’s all-electric drivetrain and easy-to-park size makes a case that can’t be easily refuted. But with sales an equally pint-sized range and cargo area, is the drop-top Smart be the enticement the brand needs to survive in the U.S. market?

Smart faces no such questions in its home market. When the new all-electric drivetrain was launched in continental Europe, it quickly sold out. In fact, demand was so high that Smart delayed the U.S. launch in order to meet production deadlines and deliver cars to paying customers.

When Smart U.S. announced that its lineup would go fully electric, many dealers decided to axe the brand as sales declined from around 7,000 cars sold each year to just 2,900 through 11 months of 2017. Smart’s continued future in the U.S., then, rests on coastal city-dwellers that don’t have children, pets, or the need to travel far beyond their immediate neighborhood for a good cup of coffee.

Smart’s PR team came up with a Scavenger Hunt of sorts for our drive through the winding, hilly, ocean-adjacent streets of sunny San Diego to show the versatility of the Fortwo Cabrio ED. It’s likely that it was also an attempt keep our minds busy with clues and the hunt and away from the EV’s short 58-mile range and lack of interior space.

The Smart ED’s three-phase electric drivetrain resides where the fuel tank used to be and makes 80 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque, but power delivery, however, just isn’t as direct or as engaging as other electric vehicles. In fact, the behavior is closer to that of an internal combustion engine, where power gradually builds then peters off at the top. I’d like more electric oomph, especially from something that weighs just 2,383 lbs. Smart claims the ForTwo ED Cabrio will hit 60 mph in just under 12 seconds, but to my calibrated posterior, the real-world sensation feels slower. It’s not as unbearably slow as a malaise-era diesel, but making the experience more fun would go a long way in convincing people to buy the little EV.

Charging the car world’s equivalent of Mini-Me also presents challenges. According to Smart, using a standard outlet takes 13 hours to reach 80-percent of range and 16.5 hours to get to full, dropping to a more respectable three hours to full with a fast charger. Still a considerable amount of time, especially, given the small battery and short range.

The little city car, however, held its own in normal traffic on San Diego’s oft-uneven streets. Though the short wheelbase makes for a slightly bouncy ride at speed, the soft suspension setup does a good job of absorbing impact force and managing jolts. Steering is direct and responsive, while the lower center of gravity created by the replacement of the fuel tank and drivetrain with EV components made the Smart far less wobbly.

Nor is the Smart Fortwo ED Cabrio as “golf cart-esque” as many others have transcribed. The interior is well-appointed for its price and station in life. Touch points are soft and the infotainment system is well thought out. There are a few pieces of hard plastic, but the overall interior experience is one of good, German build quality. My audiophile ears would prefer better acoustics, however, as the bass is slightly heavy and treble not as crisp as other base sound systems. That said, with such a small sound-space, Smart’s engineers did an admirable job.

But, like Smart cars in the past, the car’s lack of interior space will likely be a sticking point to the already niche buyer looking for a small electric city car. Overall length is just 106.1 inches— great for parking, not great for luggage, animals, or even groceries. I stowed a motorcycle helmet, jacket, and pint-sized day bag in the car’s trunk, but if I had brought anything else outside a pack of gum, it’d probably be on the passenger’s lap. In terms of practicality, the Fiat 500e and Volkswagen eGolf are much better propositions both on paper and in the real world. Both offer more space, more range, and more usability.

Then there’s the matter of the Smart’s price. The Smart Fortwo ED coupe starts at $24,550 before any state and federal tax EV incentives, while the Cabrio we drove starts at $28,850. That’s not much less than 500e and eGolf, which start at $32,995 and $30,495, respectively, and also meet federal and state conditions for incentives.

Our scavenger hunt tasks completed—my partner and I finished in 2nd place!—we returned to our starting point. After exiting the car, I’m faced with a variation of a question I’ve been asked so many times before—“In an increasingly diverse small EV segment, will the Smart Fortwo ED work for the average costal buyer?” I modify my original answer to “I’m not sure.”

It’s a good city car and for a small group of people, it’s likely perfect. But when other small EVs exist, why not spend slightly more and get more space, power, range, and utility? The 2018 Smart ForTwo ED Cabrio feels like a European on holiday. It gets along with residents just fine, but it never aimed to assimilate into the American way of life.

2018 Smart ForTwo ED Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $28,850 (base) MOTOR Three-pase synchronous electric motor/80 hp, 118 lb-ft BATTERY Li-ion , 17.6 kWh TRANSMISSION Single-speed LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, FWD hatchback RANGE 58 miles L x W x H 106.1 x 65.5 x 61.2 in WHEELBASE 73.7 in WEIGHT 2,383 lb 0-60 MPH 11.7 sec TOP SPEED 81 mph

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

First Drive: 2018 Smart ForTwo ED Cabrio

SAN DIEGO, California – The most often question I hear when Smart comes up is, “Would it work for the average buyer?” My answer is more often than not, “No.” However, for those that live in the right part of New York City, downtown Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or similar dense urban environment, the Smart’s all-electric drivetrain and easy-to-park size makes a case that can’t be easily refuted. But with sales an equally pint-sized range and cargo area, is the drop-top Smart be the enticement the brand needs to survive in the U.S. market?

Smart faces no such questions in its home market. When the new all-electric drivetrain was launched in continental Europe, it quickly sold out. In fact, demand was so high that Smart delayed the U.S. launch in order to meet production deadlines and deliver cars to paying customers.

When Smart U.S. announced that its lineup would go fully electric, many dealers decided to axe the brand as sales declined from around 7,000 cars sold each year to just 2,900 through 11 months of 2017. Smart’s continued future in the U.S., then, rests on coastal city-dwellers that don’t have children, pets, or the need to travel far beyond their immediate neighborhood for a good cup of coffee.

Smart’s PR team came up with a Scavenger Hunt of sorts for our drive through the winding, hilly, ocean-adjacent streets of sunny San Diego to show the versatility of the Fortwo Cabrio ED. It’s likely that it was also an attempt keep our minds busy with clues and the hunt and away from the EV’s short 58-mile range and lack of interior space.

The Smart ED’s three-phase electric drivetrain resides where the fuel tank used to be and makes 80 hp and 118 lb-ft of torque, but power delivery, however, just isn’t as direct or as engaging as other electric vehicles. In fact, the behavior is closer to that of an internal combustion engine, where power gradually builds then peters off at the top. I’d like more electric oomph, especially from something that weighs just 2,383 lbs. Smart claims the ForTwo ED Cabrio will hit 60 mph in just under 12 seconds, but to my calibrated posterior, the real-world sensation feels slower. It’s not as unbearably slow as a malaise-era diesel, but making the experience more fun would go a long way in convincing people to buy the little EV.

Charging the car world’s equivalent of Mini-Me also presents challenges. According to Smart, using a standard outlet takes 13 hours to reach 80-percent of range and 16.5 hours to get to full, dropping to a more respectable three hours to full with a fast charger. Still a considerable amount of time, especially, given the small battery and short range.

The little city car, however, held its own in normal traffic on San Diego’s oft-uneven streets. Though the short wheelbase makes for a slightly bouncy ride at speed, the soft suspension setup does a good job of absorbing impact force and managing jolts. Steering is direct and responsive, while the lower center of gravity created by the replacement of the fuel tank and drivetrain with EV components made the Smart far less wobbly.

Nor is the Smart Fortwo ED Cabrio as “golf cart-esque” as many others have transcribed. The interior is well-appointed for its price and station in life. Touch points are soft and the infotainment system is well thought out. There are a few pieces of hard plastic, but the overall interior experience is one of good, German build quality. My audiophile ears would prefer better acoustics, however, as the bass is slightly heavy and treble not as crisp as other base sound systems. That said, with such a small sound-space, Smart’s engineers did an admirable job.

But, like Smart cars in the past, the car’s lack of interior space will likely be a sticking point to the already niche buyer looking for a small electric city car. Overall length is just 106.1 inches— great for parking, not great for luggage, animals, or even groceries. I stowed a motorcycle helmet, jacket, and pint-sized day bag in the car’s trunk, but if I had brought anything else outside a pack of gum, it’d probably be on the passenger’s lap. In terms of practicality, the Fiat 500e and Volkswagen eGolf are much better propositions both on paper and in the real world. Both offer more space, more range, and more usability.

Then there’s the matter of the Smart’s price. The Smart Fortwo ED coupe starts at $24,550 before any state and federal tax EV incentives, while the Cabrio we drove starts at $28,850. That’s not much less than 500e and eGolf, which start at $32,995 and $30,495, respectively, and also meet federal and state conditions for incentives.

Our scavenger hunt tasks completed—my partner and I finished in 2nd place!—we returned to our starting point. After exiting the car, I’m faced with a variation of a question I’ve been asked so many times before—“In an increasingly diverse small EV segment, will the Smart Fortwo ED work for the average costal buyer?” I modify my original answer to “I’m not sure.”

It’s a good city car and for a small group of people, it’s likely perfect. But when other small EVs exist, why not spend slightly more and get more space, power, range, and utility? The 2018 Smart ForTwo ED Cabrio feels like a European on holiday. It gets along with residents just fine, but it never aimed to assimilate into the American way of life.

2018 Smart ForTwo ED Specifications

ON SALE Now PRICE $28,850 (base) MOTOR Three-pase synchronous electric motor/80 hp, 118 lb-ft BATTERY Li-ion , 17.6 kWh TRANSMISSION Single-speed LAYOUT 2-door, 2-passenger, front-engine, FWD hatchback RANGE 58 miles L x W x H 106.1 x 65.5 x 61.2 in WHEELBASE 73.7 in WEIGHT 2,383 lb 0-60 MPH 11.7 sec TOP SPEED 81 mph

IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

2017 Frankfurt Motor Show Hits, Misses, and Revelations

FRANKFURT, Germany — Stanley Kubrick famously had planned a pie fight between the Yanks and the Soviets for the final scene of his 1964 classic, “Dr. Strangelove.” We couldn’t help thinking about such a pie fight breaking out in Volkswagen Group’s Hall 3 at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show, where the walking lanes came to a standstill as Audi conducted its Elaine concept press conference.

Compounding the crowd, Audi moved in with the rest of VW Group this year from its old spot in the center square between Hall 3 and Mercedes-Benz’s Guggenheim-like grand arena. Audi used to have a big, crowded, temporary arena all to itself. Dieselgate budget cuts, you know.

The Audi Elaine is a connected, electric four-door SUV “coupe” that premiered at Shanghai earlier this year (a sign of the times) and spoke to the automaker executive conducting the presser in a Cortana-like voice. It was in German, so we can’t tell you who the exec is or what he and Elaine said, but we yearned for Dustin Hoffman to yell “Elaine! Elaine! ”from offstage.

Enough of the cinematic metaphors. The big celebrity highlight was when three-time Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton drove out into Mercedes-Benz’s stand in the Mercedes-AMG Project One.

BMW and Mini moved from the front of the Frankfurt Messe, near Mercedes and VW Group, to Hall 11 about a kilometer away, which at least provided incentive to walk into the non-German automakers’ displays in-between. With General Motors gone, Opel shrunk to a smaller stand as part of PSA Peugeot, and nine other automakers having stayed home this year, the 2017 Frankfurt IAA was a smaller, more German industry-intense affair. Nonetheless, this show has plenty of cars and concepts to like, criticize and contemplate.

Hit: The idea behind the Mercedes-AMG Project One

I like the concept of a Formula 1-powered hypercar.

—Robert Cumberford

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One

Totally unconvincing collection-of-clichés styling. A serious disappointment.

—R.C.

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One

The biggest buzz of the show, if far from an unqualified hit. No, it’s not pretty and looks like an update of the legendary BMW-powered McLaren F1 road car. But Gorden Wagener’s team designed it for best aero and downforce, like a purpose-built racecar. Better yet, it’s the first hypercar that will be capable of speeds of nearly 220 mph from just 1.6 liters worth of hybrid turbo V-6.

—Todd Lassa

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One Nose

Perspective matters. My first glimpse of Project One came from a second story balcony, revealing a sculptural, wasp-waisted shape bisected by a contrasting air intake and dorsal fin in matte black carbon fiber. Coming down to ground level revealed an entirely different slant: viewed head-on, the 1,000-plus horsepower sled seemed surprisingly unemotional. Despite a more than a passing resemblance to the late, great McLaren F1, the AMG’s schnoz simply couldn’t deliver on the promise of that striking top view, let alone the sculpted, tucked, and diffuser-clad rump. Blame the slavish demands of the wind tunnel (or whatever/whomever you want), but Project One’s proboscis is a reminder that form can lose charisma when it’s tied so directly to function.

–Basem Wasef

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One Fin

Every great hypercar needs a signature design touch and Project One’s pièce de résistance is the carbon fiber piece that spans the mid/aft section of its roof. Doubling as an air intake and a shark fin intended to improve lateral stability in high-speed corners, this smoothly contoured form manages to evoke both a sense of function and touch of whimsy.

–B.W.

Hit: ASpark Owl

Is it a serious effort? Who knows, but in terms of styling, it really puts Project One on the trailer. Spectacular.

–R.C.

Revelation: ASpark Owl

I love walking along at an international auto show, minding my own business, and getting stopped dead in my tracks by an abjectly beautiful vehicle I’ve never seen before. Case in point: the ASpark Owl, a new electric supercar from Japan that makes some bold claims just begging for substantiation. Though I couldn’t find an expert on-hand, I did learn from a large format hardbound book (seriously) that this lean, mean, carbon fiber EV weighs only 1,900 pounds and packs two motors that can scoot it to 62 mph in two seconds flat. The prose includes no shortage of buzzwords (power amplifier, supercapacitor, speed reducer), but can we just brush all that aside for a moment and drool at the Owl’s killer looks?

–B.W.

Miss: Renault Symbioz Concept

Worst concept of the show. Lumpy plastic windshield, bad seating package, awful profile. Not at all up to the usual Renault concept standard.

–R.C.

Renault gets credit for unveiling not just a concept car, but an entire house to go with it. The Symbioz is one of those Internet of Things things, a battery-powered blobbymobile that can park itself and communicate with the house (i.e. if the heat’s on in the car, the house heats up as you approach). It can fold away its own steering wheel and turn into a sitting room, which is exactly what we don’t want from a car. The sad part is that in order to make the Symbioz the focus of its press conference, Renault gave short shrift to its other Frankfurt introduction, the Megane RS, a 276-hp hot hatch with four-wheel-steering. Now that’s the Renault we want to drive.

–Aaron Gold

Hit: Renault Symbioz Concept

Yes, yes, it’s all that. But the good news is: 2020, your new Renault Avantime is here.

–T.L.

Miss: BMW Concept X7 iPerformance

We love a big, imposing SUV just as much as the next jerk, but the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance’s odd proportions and massive maw is more off-putting than it is badass. Sure, it gains eco points for its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. But let’s leave the mean, menacing look for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, shall we?

–B.W.

I wouldn’t be so offended by the hideously massive “Star Wars” tie-fighter kidney grille if it weren’t for the Nissan Patrol/Infiniti Q80-style rear quarter-windows and d-pillars. Why didn’t they simply tap partner Toyota for a Land Cruiser to reskin?

–T.L.

Hit and Miss: 2019 Bentley Continental GT

The new Continental GT is big, bold, and breathtakingly beautiful. I’d call it a hit if the back end didn’t look like it was ripped off from an Audi A7��a sin that might be forgivable were both brands not owned by the Volkswagen Group. The A7 may well have the best-looking rump this side of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, but grafting it on to the Continental GT is just plain lazy.

–A,G.

Hit: The Bentley Continental GT’s Creased Haunches

Bentley’s long overdue Continental GT replacement has a lot going for it, including a new platform from Porsche, nearly 300 pounds of weight savings, and, finally, a modernized interior. But one curious detail caught our eye in Frankfurt: the coupe’s sharply creased haunches. “[Showgoers] haven’t stopped touching it,” one Bentley flack said of the aluminum panel. Manufactured using an aerospace-derived superplastic forming technique, the panels have an interesting engineering backstory. But arguably more important is a tactile invitation that bodes well for the car’s market appeal.

– B.W.

Hit: Borgward Isabella concept

Best concept in the show. Illustrates what happens when a brilliant designer tackles an electric car. Anders Warming, ex-Mini design chief, is one of the best young Germans in the business. The Isabella has many innovative styling ideas, but some old ones that didn’t work 40 years ago, and don’t work now, such as the fading paint on glass.

–R.C.

Hit: Borgward Smartphone Fan

No question, the best swag at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was this little fan that plugs into the bottom of your smartphone. It was given out by Borgward, a once-well-known German concern now reborn and backed by China, where its cars are sold. (They plan to return to Europe soon.) This little gizmo is exactly what you’d expect from a Chinese concern: Useful, amusing, cheaply made and potentially dangerous (good luck unplugging it without sticking your fingers in the whirling blades). I plan to steal about half a dozen of them by any means necessary. And what about Borgward’s SUVs, you ask? Trust me, the fan is better.

–A.G.

Miss: BMW i Vision Dynamics concept

Instead of showing us a Tesla Model S with a kidney grille, I’d like to have seen BMW unveil something new and forward thinking, like the Borgward Isabella concept.

–T.L.

Revelation: Jaguar I-Pace Trophy

With plans to electrify their entire lineup by 2020, Jag is going gangbusters on EV tech. This much we know. But the latest surprise from Frankfurt is that the folks from Coventry are transforming electric I-Pace crossovers into a support series for the Formula E series. Built by the carmaker’s Special Vehicle Operations division, the I-Pace eTrophy racer packs a satisfying visual punch: despite its family-friendly configuration, the wide-hipped, spoiler-clad, roll cage equipped sport ‘ute looks mean enough to appease the most hardcore internal combustion apologists.

–B.W.

Hit: Ferrari Portofino

To me, a successful Ferrari design is one that looks instantly familiar. You know you’re looking at something you’ve never seen, but you also know you’re looking at a Ferrari. The Portofino is one of those cars—it just looks right, and it manages to look right whether the top is up or down. Thirty years down the road, this will be remembered as one of the great Ferrari designs, and it’s a privilege to have seen it make its world debut.

–A.G.

Hit (qualified): Ferrari Portofino

Much better than the California, still not up to the usual Maranello standard.

–R.C.

  Hit: Hyundai Kona

If the Genesis G90 shows that the South Koreans can do a great imitation of Lexus, the Hyundai Kona shows they can do a great imitation of Citroën. This car has just enough nutsy details to keep it interesting without veering off into weird (Toyota CH-R), controversial (Nissan Juke), or downright ugly (Kia Sportage). What with all the mature-but-dull designs Hyundai has introduced over the past couple of years, the Kona might be the vehicle that gives them back their mojo.

–A.G.

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

2017 Frankfurt Motor Show Hits, Misses, and Revelations

FRANKFURT, Germany — Stanley Kubrick famously had planned a pie fight between the Yanks and the Soviets for the final scene of his 1964 classic, “Dr. Strangelove.” We couldn’t help thinking about such a pie fight breaking out in Volkswagen Group’s Hall 3 at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show, where the walking lanes came to a standstill as Audi conducted its Elaine concept press conference.

Compounding the crowd, Audi moved in with the rest of VW Group this year from its old spot in the center square between Hall 3 and Mercedes-Benz’s Guggenheim-like grand arena. Audi used to have a big, crowded, temporary arena all to itself. Dieselgate budget cuts, you know.

The Audi Elaine is a connected, electric four-door SUV “coupe” that premiered at Shanghai earlier this year (a sign of the times) and spoke to the automaker executive conducting the presser in a Cortana-like voice. It was in German, so we can’t tell you who the exec is or what he and Elaine said, but we yearned for Dustin Hoffman to yell “Elaine! Elaine! ”from offstage.

Enough of the cinematic metaphors. The big celebrity highlight was when three-time Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton drove out into Mercedes-Benz’s stand in the Mercedes-AMG Project One.

BMW and Mini moved from the front of the Frankfurt Messe, near Mercedes and VW Group, to Hall 11 about a kilometer away, which at least provided incentive to walk into the non-German automakers’ displays in-between. With General Motors gone, Opel shrunk to a smaller stand as part of PSA Peugeot, and nine other automakers having stayed home this year, the 2017 Frankfurt IAA was a smaller, more German industry-intense affair. Nonetheless, this show has plenty of cars and concepts to like, criticize and contemplate.

Hit: The idea behind the Mercedes-AMG Project One

I like the concept of a Formula 1-powered hypercar.

—Robert Cumberford

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One

Totally unconvincing collection-of-clichés styling. A serious disappointment.

—R.C.

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One

The biggest buzz of the show, if far from an unqualified hit. No, it’s not pretty and looks like an update of the legendary BMW-powered McLaren F1 road car. But Gorden Wagener’s team designed it for best aero and downforce, like a purpose-built racecar. Better yet, it’s the first hypercar that will be capable of speeds of nearly 220 mph from just 1.6 liters worth of hybrid turbo V-6.

—Todd Lassa

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One Nose

Perspective matters. My first glimpse of Project One came from a second story balcony, revealing a sculptural, wasp-waisted shape bisected by a contrasting air intake and dorsal fin in matte black carbon fiber. Coming down to ground level revealed an entirely different slant: viewed head-on, the 1,000-plus horsepower sled seemed surprisingly unemotional. Despite a more than a passing resemblance to the late, great McLaren F1, the AMG’s schnoz simply couldn’t deliver on the promise of that striking top view, let alone the sculpted, tucked, and diffuser-clad rump. Blame the slavish demands of the wind tunnel (or whatever/whomever you want), but Project One’s proboscis is a reminder that form can lose charisma when it’s tied so directly to function.

–Basem Wasef

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One Fin

Every great hypercar needs a signature design touch and Project One’s pièce de résistance is the carbon fiber piece that spans the mid/aft section of its roof. Doubling as an air intake and a shark fin intended to improve lateral stability in high-speed corners, this smoothly contoured form manages to evoke both a sense of function and touch of whimsy.

–B.W.

Hit: ASpark Owl

Is it a serious effort? Who knows, but in terms of styling, it really puts Project One on the trailer. Spectacular.

–R.C.

Revelation: ASpark Owl

I love walking along at an international auto show, minding my own business, and getting stopped dead in my tracks by an abjectly beautiful vehicle I’ve never seen before. Case in point: the ASpark Owl, a new electric supercar from Japan that makes some bold claims just begging for substantiation. Though I couldn’t find an expert on-hand, I did learn from a large format hardbound book (seriously) that this lean, mean, carbon fiber EV weighs only 1,900 pounds and packs two motors that can scoot it to 62 mph in two seconds flat. The prose includes no shortage of buzzwords (power amplifier, supercapacitor, speed reducer), but can we just brush all that aside for a moment and drool at the Owl’s killer looks?

–B.W.

Miss: Renault Symbioz Concept

Worst concept of the show. Lumpy plastic windshield, bad seating package, awful profile. Not at all up to the usual Renault concept standard.

–R.C.

Renault gets credit for unveiling not just a concept car, but an entire house to go with it. The Symbioz is one of those Internet of Things things, a battery-powered blobbymobile that can park itself and communicate with the house (i.e. if the heat’s on in the car, the house heats up as you approach). It can fold away its own steering wheel and turn into a sitting room, which is exactly what we don’t want from a car. The sad part is that in order to make the Symbioz the focus of its press conference, Renault gave short shrift to its other Frankfurt introduction, the Megane RS, a 276-hp hot hatch with four-wheel-steering. Now that’s the Renault we want to drive.

–Aaron Gold

Hit: Renault Symbioz Concept

Yes, yes, it’s all that. But the good news is: 2020, your new Renault Avantime is here.

–T.L.

Miss: BMW Concept X7 iPerformance

We love a big, imposing SUV just as much as the next jerk, but the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance’s odd proportions and massive maw is more off-putting than it is badass. Sure, it gains eco points for its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. But let’s leave the mean, menacing look for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, shall we?

–B.W.

I wouldn’t be so offended by the hideously massive “Star Wars” tie-fighter kidney grille if it weren’t for the Nissan Patrol/Infiniti Q80-style rear quarter-windows and d-pillars. Why didn’t they simply tap partner Toyota for a Land Cruiser to reskin?

–T.L.

Hit and Miss: 2019 Bentley Continental GT

The new Continental GT is big, bold, and breathtakingly beautiful. I’d call it a hit if the back end didn’t look like it was ripped off from an Audi A7—a sin that might be forgivable were both brands not owned by the Volkswagen Group. The A7 may well have the best-looking rump this side of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, but grafting it on to the Continental GT is just plain lazy.

–A,G.

Hit: The Bentley Continental GT’s Creased Haunches

Bentley’s long overdue Continental GT replacement has a lot going for it, including a new platform from Porsche, nearly 300 pounds of weight savings, and, finally, a modernized interior. But one curious detail caught our eye in Frankfurt: the coupe’s sharply creased haunches. “[Showgoers] haven’t stopped touching it,” one Bentley flack said of the aluminum panel. Manufactured using an aerospace-derived superplastic forming technique, the panels have an interesting engineering backstory. But arguably more important is a tactile invitation that bodes well for the car’s market appeal.

– B.W.

Hit: Borgward Isabella concept

Best concept in the show. Illustrates what happens when a brilliant designer tackles an electric car. Anders Warming, ex-Mini design chief, is one of the best young Germans in the business. The Isabella has many innovative styling ideas, but some old ones that didn’t work 40 years ago, and don’t work now, such as the fading paint on glass.

–R.C.

Hit: Borgward Smartphone Fan

No question, the best swag at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was this little fan that plugs into the bottom of your smartphone. It was given out by Borgward, a once-well-known German concern now reborn and backed by China, where its cars are sold. (They plan to return to Europe soon.) This little gizmo is exactly what you’d expect from a Chinese concern: Useful, amusing, cheaply made and potentially dangerous (good luck unplugging it without sticking your fingers in the whirling blades). I plan to steal about half a dozen of them by any means necessary. And what about Borgward’s SUVs, you ask? Trust me, the fan is better.

–A.G.

Miss: BMW i Vision Dynamics concept

Instead of showing us a Tesla Model S with a kidney grille, I’d like to have seen BMW unveil something new and forward thinking, like the Borgward Isabella concept.

–T.L.

Revelation: Jaguar I-Pace Trophy

With plans to electrify their entire lineup by 2020, Jag is going gangbusters on EV tech. This much we know. But the latest surprise from Frankfurt is that the folks from Coventry are transforming electric I-Pace crossovers into a support series for the Formula E series. Built by the carmaker’s Special Vehicle Operations division, the I-Pace eTrophy racer packs a satisfying visual punch: despite its family-friendly configuration, the wide-hipped, spoiler-clad, roll cage equipped sport ‘ute looks mean enough to appease the most hardcore internal combustion apologists.

–B.W.

Hit: Ferrari Portofino

To me, a successful Ferrari design is one that looks instantly familiar. You know you’re looking at something you’ve never seen, but you also know you’re looking at a Ferrari. The Portofino is one of those cars—it just looks right, and it manages to look right whether the top is up or down. Thirty years down the road, this will be remembered as one of the great Ferrari designs, and it’s a privilege to have seen it make its world debut.

–A.G.

Hit (qualified): Ferrari Portofino

Much better than the California, still not up to the usual Maranello standard.

–R.C.

  Hit: Hyundai Kona

If the Genesis G90 shows that the South Koreans can do a great imitation of Lexus, the Hyundai Kona shows they can do a great imitation of Citroën. This car has just enough nutsy details to keep it interesting without veering off into weird (Toyota CH-R), controversial (Nissan Juke), or downright ugly (Kia Sportage). What with all the mature-but-dull designs Hyundai has introduced over the past couple of years, the Kona might be the vehicle that gives them back their mojo.

–A.G.

IFTTT

[jesusvasser]

2017 Frankfurt Motor Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations

FRANKFURT, Germany — Stanley Kubrick famously had planned a pie fight between the Yanks and the Soviets for the final scene of his 1964 classic, “Dr. Strangelove.” We couldn’t help thinking about such a pie fight breaking out in Volkswagen Group’s Hall 3 at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show, where the walking lanes came to a standstill as Audi conducted its Elaine concept press conference.

Compounding the crowd, Audi moved in with the rest of VW Group this year from its old spot in the center square between Hall 3 and Mercedes-Benz’s Guggenheim-like grand arena. Audi used to have a big, crowded, temporary arena all to itself. Dieselgate budget cuts, you know.

The Audi Elaine is a connected, electric four-door SUV “coupe” that premiered at Shanghai earlier this year (a sign of the times) and spoke to the automaker executive conducting the presser in a Cortana-like voice. It was in German, so we can’t tell you who the exec is or what he and Elaine said, but we yearned for Dustin Hoffman to yell “Elaine! Elaine! ”from offstage.

Enough of the cinematic metaphors. The big celebrity highlight was when three-time Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton drove out into Mercedes-Benz’s stand in the Mercedes-AMG Project One.

BMW and Mini moved from the front of the Frankfurt Messe, near Mercedes and VW Group, to Hall 11 about a kilometer away, which at least provided incentive to walk into the non-German automakers’ displays in-between. With General Motors gone, Opel shrunk to a smaller stand as part of PSA Peugeot, and nine other automakers having stayed home this year, the 2017 Frankfurt IAA was a smaller, more German industry-intense affair. Nonetheless, this show has plenty of cars and concepts to like, criticize and contemplate.

Hit: The idea behind the Mercedes-AMG Project One

I like the concept of a Formula 1-powered hypercar.

—Robert Cumberford

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One

Totally unconvincing collection-of-clichés styling. A serious disappointment.

—R.C.

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One

The biggest buzz of the show, if far from an unqualified hit. No, it’s not pretty and looks like an update of the legendary BMW-powered McLaren F1 road car. But Gorden Wagener’s team designed it for best aero and downforce, like a purpose-built racecar. Better yet, it’s the first hypercar that will be capable of speeds of nearly 220 mph from just 1.6 liters worth of hybrid turbo V-6.

—Todd Lassa

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One Nose

Perspective matters. My first glimpse of Project One came from a second story balcony, revealing a sculptural, wasp-waisted shape bisected by a contrasting air intake and dorsal fin in matte black carbon fiber. Coming down to ground level revealed an entirely different slant: viewed head-on, the 1,000-plus horsepower sled seemed surprisingly unemotional. Despite a more than a passing resemblance to the late, great McLaren F1, the AMG’s schnoz simply couldn’t deliver on the promise of that striking top view, let alone the sculpted, tucked, and diffuser-clad rump. Blame the slavish demands of the wind tunnel (or whatever/whomever you want), but Project One’s proboscis is a reminder that form can lose charisma when it’s tied so directly to function.

–Basem Wasef

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One Fin

Every great hypercar needs a signature design touch and Project One’s pièce de résistance is the carbon fiber piece that spans the mid/aft section of its roof. Doubling as an air intake and a shark fin intended to improve lateral stability in high-speed corners, this smoothly contoured form manages to evoke both a sense of function and touch of whimsy.

–B.W.

Hit: ASpark Owl

Is it a serious effort? Who knows, but in terms of styling, it really puts Project One on the trailer. Spectacular.

–R.C.

Revelation: ASpark Owl

I love walking along at an international auto show, minding my own business, and getting stopped dead in my tracks by an abjectly beautiful vehicle I’ve never seen before. Case in point: the ASpark Owl, a new electric supercar from Japan that makes some bold claims just begging for substantiation. Though I couldn’t find an expert on-hand, I did learn from a large format hardbound book (seriously) that this lean, mean, carbon fiber EV weighs only 1,900 pounds and packs two motors that can scoot it to 62 mph in two seconds flat. The prose includes no shortage of buzzwords (power amplifier, supercapacitor, speed reducer), but can we just brush all that aside for a moment and drool at the Owl’s killer looks?

–B.W.

Miss: Renault Symbioz Concept

Worst concept of the show. Lumpy plastic windshield, bad seating package, awful profile. Not at all up to the usual Renault concept standard.

–R.C.

Renault gets credit for unveiling not just a concept car, but an entire house to go with it. The Symbioz is one of those Internet of Things things, a battery-powered blobbymobile that can park itself and communicate with the house (i.e. if the heat’s on in the car, the house heats up as you approach). It can fold away its own steering wheel and turn into a sitting room, which is exactly what we don’t want from a car. The sad part is that in order to make the Symbioz the focus of its press conference, Renault gave short shrift to its other Frankfurt introduction, the Megane RS, a 276-hp hot hatch with four-wheel-steering. Now that’s the Renault we want to drive.

–Aaron Gold

Hit: Renault Symbioz Concept

Yes, yes, it’s all that. But the good news is: 2020, your new Renault Avantime is here.

–T.L.

Miss: BMW Concept X7 iPerformance

We love a big, imposing SUV just as much as the next jerk, but the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance’s odd proportions and massive maw is more off-putting than it is badass. Sure, it gains eco points for its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. But let’s leave the mean, menacing look for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, shall we?

–B.W.

I wouldn’t be so offended by the hideously massive “Star Wars” tie-fighter kidney grille if it weren’t for the Nissan Patrol/Infiniti Q80-style rear quarter-windows and d-pillars. Why didn’t they simply tap partner Toyota for a Land Cruiser to reskin?

–T.L.

Hit and Miss: 2019 Bentley Continental GT

The new Continental GT is big, bold, and breathtakingly beautiful. I’d call it a hit if the back end didn’t look like it was ripped off from an Audi A7—a sin that might be forgivable were both brands not owned by the Volkswagen Group. The A7 may well have the best-looking rump this side of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, but grafting it on to the Continental GT is just plain lazy.

–A,G.

Hit: The Bentley Continental GT’s Creased Haunches

Bentley’s long overdue Continental GT replacement has a lot going for it, including a new platform from Porsche, nearly 300 pounds of weight savings, and, finally, a modernized interior. But one curious detail caught our eye in Frankfurt: the coupe’s sharply creased haunches. “[Showgoers] haven’t stopped touching it,” one Bentley flack said of the aluminum panel. Manufactured using an aerospace-derived superplastic forming technique, the panels have an interesting engineering backstory. But arguably more important is a tactile invitation that bodes well for the car’s market appeal.

– B.W.

Hit: Borgward Isabella concept

Best concept in the show. Illustrates what happens when a brilliant designer tackles an electric car. Anders Warming, ex-Mini design chief, is one of the best young Germans in the business. The Isabella has many innovative styling ideas, but some old ones that didn’t work 40 years ago, and don’t work now, such as the fading paint on glass.

–R.C.

Hit: Borgward Smartphone Fan

No question, the best swag at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was this little fan that plugs into the bottom of your smartphone. It was given out by Borgward, a once-well-known German concern now reborn and backed by China, where its cars are sold. (They plan to return to Europe soon.) This little gizmo is exactly what you’d expect from a Chinese concern: Useful, amusing, cheaply made and potentially dangerous (good luck unplugging it without sticking your fingers in the whirling blades). I plan to steal about half a dozen of them by any means necessary. And what about Borgward’s SUVs, you ask? Trust me, the fan is better.

–A.G.

Miss: BMW i Vision Dynamics concept

Instead of showing us a Tesla Model S with a kidney grille, I’d like to have seen BMW unveil something new and forward thinking, like the Borgward Isabella concept.

–T.L.

Revelation: Jaguar I-Pace Trophy

With plans to electrify their entire lineup by 2020, Jag is going gangbusters on EV tech. This much we know. But the latest surprise from Frankfurt is that the folks from Coventry are transforming electric I-Pace crossovers into a support series for the Formula E series. Built by the carmaker’s Special Vehicle Operations division, the I-Pace eTrophy racer packs a satisfying visual punch: despite its family-friendly configuration, the wide-hipped, spoiler-clad, roll cage equipped sport ‘ute looks mean enough to appease the most hardcore internal combustion apologists.

–B.W.

Hit: Ferrari Portofino

To me, a successful Ferrari design is one that looks instantly familiar. You know you’re looking at something you’ve never seen, but you also know you’re looking at a Ferrari. The Portofino is one of those cars—it just looks right, and it manages to look right whether the top is up or down. Thirty years down the road, this will be remembered as one of the great Ferrari designs, and it’s a privilege to have seen it make its world debut.

–A.G.

Hit (qualified): Ferrari Portofino

Much better than the California, still not up to the usual Maranello standard.

–R.C.

  Hit: Hyundai Kona

If the Genesis G90 shows that the South Koreans can do a great imitation of Lexus, the Hyundai Kona shows they can do a great imitation of Citroën. This car has just enough nutsy details to keep it interesting without veering off into weird (Toyota CH-R), controversial (Nissan Juke), or downright ugly (Kia Sportage). What with all the mature-but-dull designs Hyundai has introduced over the past couple of years, the Kona might be the vehicle that gives them back their mojo.

–A.G.

IFTTT

[jonathanbelloblog]

2017 Frankfurt Motor Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations

FRANKFURT, Germany — Stanley Kubrick famously had planned a pie fight between the Yanks and the Soviets for the final scene of his 1964 classic, “Dr. Strangelove.” We couldn’t help thinking about such a pie fight breaking out in Volkswagen Group’s Hall 3 at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show, where the walking lanes came to a standstill as Audi conducted its Elaine concept press conference.

Compounding the crowd, Audi moved in with the rest of VW Group this year from its old spot in the center square between Hall 3 and Mercedes-Benz’s Guggenheim-like grand arena. Audi used to have a big, crowded, temporary arena all to itself. Dieselgate budget cuts, you know.

The Audi Elaine is a connected, electric four-door SUV “coupe” that premiered at Shanghai earlier this year (a sign of the times) and spoke to the automaker executive conducting the presser in a Cortana-like voice. It was in German, so we can’t tell you who the exec is or what he and Elaine said, but we yearned for Dustin Hoffman to yell “Elaine! Elaine! ”from offstage.

Enough of the cinematic metaphors. The big celebrity highlight was when three-time Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton drove out into Mercedes-Benz’s stand in the Mercedes-AMG Project One.

BMW and Mini moved from the front of the Frankfurt Messe, near Mercedes and VW Group, to Hall 11 about a kilometer away, which at least provided incentive to walk into the non-German automakers’ displays in-between. With General Motors gone, Opel shrunk to a smaller stand as part of PSA Peugeot, and nine other automakers having stayed home this year, the 2017 Frankfurt IAA was a smaller, more German industry-intense affair. Nonetheless, this show has plenty of cars and concepts to like, criticize and contemplate.

Hit: The idea behind the Mercedes-AMG Project One

I like the concept of a Formula 1-powered hypercar.

—Robert Cumberford

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One

Totally unconvincing collection-of-clichés styling. A serious disappointment.

—R.C.

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One

The biggest buzz of the show, if far from an unqualified hit. No, it’s not pretty and looks like an update of the legendary BMW-powered McLaren F1 road car. But Gorden Wagener’s team designed it for best aero and downforce, like a purpose-built racecar. Better yet, it’s the first hypercar that will be capable of speeds of nearly 220 mph from just 1.6 liters worth of hybrid turbo V-6.

—Todd Lassa

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One Nose

Perspective matters. My first glimpse of Project One came from a second story balcony, revealing a sculptural, wasp-waisted shape bisected by a contrasting air intake and dorsal fin in matte black carbon fiber. Coming down to ground level revealed an entirely different slant: viewed head-on, the 1,000-plus horsepower sled seemed surprisingly unemotional. Despite a more than a passing resemblance to the late, great McLaren F1, the AMG’s schnoz simply couldn’t deliver on the promise of that striking top view, let alone the sculpted, tucked, and diffuser-clad rump. Blame the slavish demands of the wind tunnel (or whatever/whomever you want), but Project One’s proboscis is a reminder that form can lose charisma when it’s tied so directly to function.

–Basem Wasef

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One Fin

Every great hypercar needs a signature design touch and Project One’s pièce de résistance is the carbon fiber piece that spans the mid/aft section of its roof. Doubling as an air intake and a shark fin intended to improve lateral stability in high-speed corners, this smoothly contoured form manages to evoke both a sense of function and touch of whimsy.

–B.W.

Hit: ASpark Owl

Is it a serious effort? Who knows, but in terms of styling, it really puts Project One on the trailer. Spectacular.

–R.C.

Revelation: ASpark Owl

I love walking along at an international auto show, minding my own business, and getting stopped dead in my tracks by an abjectly beautiful vehicle I’ve never seen before. Case in point: the ASpark Owl, a new electric supercar from Japan that makes some bold claims just begging for substantiation. Though I couldn’t find an expert on-hand, I did learn from a large format hardbound book (seriously) that this lean, mean, carbon fiber EV weighs only 1,900 pounds and packs two motors that can scoot it to 62 mph in two seconds flat. The prose includes no shortage of buzzwords (power amplifier, supercapacitor, speed reducer), but can we just brush all that aside for a moment and drool at the Owl’s killer looks?

–B.W.

Miss: Renault Symbioz Concept

Worst concept of the show. Lumpy plastic windshield, bad seating package, awful profile. Not at all up to the usual Renault concept standard.

–R.C.

Renault gets credit for unveiling not just a concept car, but an entire house to go with it. The Symbioz is one of those Internet of Things things, a battery-powered blobbymobile that can park itself and communicate with the house (i.e. if the heat’s on in the car, the house heats up as you approach). It can fold away its own steering wheel and turn into a sitting room, which is exactly what we don’t want from a car. The sad part is that in order to make the Symbioz the focus of its press conference, Renault gave short shrift to its other Frankfurt introduction, the Megane RS, a 276-hp hot hatch with four-wheel-steering. Now that’s the Renault we want to drive.

–Aaron Gold

Hit: Renault Symbioz Concept

Yes, yes, it’s all that. But the good news is: 2020, your new Renault Avantime is here.

–T.L.

Miss: BMW Concept X7 iPerformance

We love a big, imposing SUV just as much as the next jerk, but the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance’s odd proportions and massive maw is more off-putting than it is badass. Sure, it gains eco points for its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. But let’s leave the mean, menacing look for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, shall we?

–B.W.

I wouldn’t be so offended by the hideously massive “Star Wars” tie-fighter kidney grille if it weren’t for the Nissan Patrol/Infiniti Q80-style rear quarter-windows and d-pillars. Why didn’t they simply tap partner Toyota for a Land Cruiser to reskin?

–T.L.

Hit and Miss: 2019 Bentley Continental GT

The new Continental GT is big, bold, and breathtakingly beautiful. I’d call it a hit if the back end didn’t look like it was ripped off from an Audi A7—a sin that might be forgivable were both brands not owned by the Volkswagen Group. The A7 may well have the best-looking rump this side of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, but grafting it on to the Continental GT is just plain lazy.

–A,G.

Hit: The Bentley Continental GT’s Creased Haunches

Bentley’s long overdue Continental GT replacement has a lot going for it, including a new platform from Porsche, nearly 300 pounds of weight savings, and, finally, a modernized interior. But one curious detail caught our eye in Frankfurt: the coupe’s sharply creased haunches. “[Showgoers] haven’t stopped touching it,” one Bentley flack said of the aluminum panel. Manufactured using an aerospace-derived superplastic forming technique, the panels have an interesting engineering backstory. But arguably more important is a tactile invitation that bodes well for the car’s market appeal.

– B.W.

Hit: Borgward Isabella concept

Best concept in the show. Illustrates what happens when a brilliant designer tackles an electric car. Anders Warming, ex-Mini design chief, is one of the best young Germans in the business. The Isabella has many innovative styling ideas, but some old ones that didn’t work 40 years ago, and don’t work now, such as the fading paint on glass.

–R.C.

Hit: Borgward Smartphone Fan

No question, the best swag at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was this little fan that plugs into the bottom of your smartphone. It was given out by Borgward, a once-well-known German concern now reborn and backed by China, where its cars are sold. (They plan to return to Europe soon.) This little gizmo is exactly what you’d expect from a Chinese concern: Useful, amusing, cheaply made and potentially dangerous (good luck unplugging it without sticking your fingers in the whirling blades). I plan to steal about half a dozen of them by any means necessary. And what about Borgward’s SUVs, you ask? Trust me, the fan is better.

–A.G.

Miss: BMW i Vision Dynamics concept

Instead of showing us a Tesla Model S with a kidney grille, I’d like to have seen BMW unveil something new and forward thinking, like the Borgward Isabella concept.

–T.L.

Revelation: Jaguar I-Pace Trophy

With plans to electrify their entire lineup by 2020, Jag is going gangbusters on EV tech. This much we know. But the latest surprise from Frankfurt is that the folks from Coventry are transforming electric I-Pace crossovers into a support series for the Formula E series. Built by the carmaker’s Special Vehicle Operations division, the I-Pace eTrophy racer packs a satisfying visual punch: despite its family-friendly configuration, the wide-hipped, spoiler-clad, roll cage equipped sport ‘ute looks mean enough to appease the most hardcore internal combustion apologists.

–B.W.

Hit: Ferrari Portofino

To me, a successful Ferrari design is one that looks instantly familiar. You know you’re looking at something you’ve never seen, but you also know you’re looking at a Ferrari. The Portofino is one of those cars—it just looks right, and it manages to look right whether the top is up or down. Thirty years down the road, this will be remembered as one of the great Ferrari designs, and it’s a privilege to have seen it make its world debut.

–A.G.

Hit (qualified): Ferrari Portofino

Much better than the California, still not up to the usual Maranello standard.

–R.C.

  Hit: Hyundai Kona

If the Genesis G90 shows that the South Koreans can do a great imitation of Lexus, the Hyundai Kona shows they can do a great imitation of Citroën. This car has just enough nutsy details to keep it interesting without veering off into weird (Toyota CH-R), controversial (Nissan Juke), or downright ugly (Kia Sportage). What with all the mature-but-dull designs Hyundai has introduced over the past couple of years, the Kona might be the vehicle that gives them back their mojo.

–A.G.

IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

2017 Frankfurt Motor Show Hits, Misses, & Revelations

FRANKFURT, Germany — Stanley Kubrick famously had planned a pie fight between the Yanks and the Soviets for the final scene of his 1964 classic, “Dr. Strangelove.” We couldn’t help thinking about such a pie fight breaking out in Volkswagen Group’s Hall 3 at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show, where the walking lanes came to a standstill as Audi conducted its Elaine concept press conference.

Compounding the crowd, Audi moved in with the rest of VW Group this year from its old spot in the center square between Hall 3 and Mercedes-Benz’s Guggenheim-like grand arena. Audi used to have a big, crowded, temporary arena all to itself. Dieselgate budget cuts, you know.

The Audi Elaine is a connected, electric four-door SUV “coupe” that premiered at Shanghai earlier this year (a sign of the times) and spoke to the automaker executive conducting the presser in a Cortana-like voice. It was in German, so we can’t tell you who the exec is or what he and Elaine said, but we yearned for Dustin Hoffman to yell “Elaine! Elaine! ”from offstage.

Enough of the cinematic metaphors. The big celebrity highlight was when three-time Formula 1 Drivers’ Champion Lewis Hamilton drove out into Mercedes-Benz’s stand in the Mercedes-AMG Project One.

BMW and Mini moved from the front of the Frankfurt Messe, near Mercedes and VW Group, to Hall 11 about a kilometer away, which at least provided incentive to walk into the non-German automakers’ displays in-between. With General Motors gone, Opel shrunk to a smaller stand as part of PSA Peugeot, and nine other automakers having stayed home this year, the 2017 Frankfurt IAA was a smaller, more German industry-intense affair. Nonetheless, this show has plenty of cars and concepts to like, criticize and contemplate.

Hit: The idea behind the Mercedes-AMG Project One

I like the concept of a Formula 1-powered hypercar.

—Robert Cumberford

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One

Totally unconvincing collection-of-clichés styling. A serious disappointment.

—R.C.

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One

The biggest buzz of the show, if far from an unqualified hit. No, it’s not pretty and looks like an update of the legendary BMW-powered McLaren F1 road car. But Gorden Wagener’s team designed it for best aero and downforce, like a purpose-built racecar. Better yet, it’s the first hypercar that will be capable of speeds of nearly 220 mph from just 1.6 liters worth of hybrid turbo V-6.

—Todd Lassa

Miss: Mercedes-AMG Project One Nose

Perspective matters. My first glimpse of Project One came from a second story balcony, revealing a sculptural, wasp-waisted shape bisected by a contrasting air intake and dorsal fin in matte black carbon fiber. Coming down to ground level revealed an entirely different slant: viewed head-on, the 1,000-plus horsepower sled seemed surprisingly unemotional. Despite a more than a passing resemblance to the late, great McLaren F1, the AMG’s schnoz simply couldn’t deliver on the promise of that striking top view, let alone the sculpted, tucked, and diffuser-clad rump. Blame the slavish demands of the wind tunnel (or whatever/whomever you want), but Project One’s proboscis is a reminder that form can lose charisma when it’s tied so directly to function.

–Basem Wasef

Hit: Mercedes-AMG Project One Fin

Every great hypercar needs a signature design touch and Project One’s pièce de résistance is the carbon fiber piece that spans the mid/aft section of its roof. Doubling as an air intake and a shark fin intended to improve lateral stability in high-speed corners, this smoothly contoured form manages to evoke both a sense of function and touch of whimsy.

–B.W.

Hit: ASpark Owl

Is it a serious effort? Who knows, but in terms of styling, it really puts Project One on the trailer. Spectacular.

–R.C.

Revelation: ASpark Owl

I love walking along at an international auto show, minding my own business, and getting stopped dead in my tracks by an abjectly beautiful vehicle I’ve never seen before. Case in point: the ASpark Owl, a new electric supercar from Japan that makes some bold claims just begging for substantiation. Though I couldn’t find an expert on-hand, I did learn from a large format hardbound book (seriously) that this lean, mean, carbon fiber EV weighs only 1,900 pounds and packs two motors that can scoot it to 62 mph in two seconds flat. The prose includes no shortage of buzzwords (power amplifier, supercapacitor, speed reducer), but can we just brush all that aside for a moment and drool at the Owl’s killer looks?

–B.W.

Miss: Renault Symbioz Concept

Worst concept of the show. Lumpy plastic windshield, bad seating package, awful profile. Not at all up to the usual Renault concept standard.

–R.C.

Renault gets credit for unveiling not just a concept car, but an entire house to go with it. The Symbioz is one of those Internet of Things things, a battery-powered blobbymobile that can park itself and communicate with the house (i.e. if the heat’s on in the car, the house heats up as you approach). It can fold away its own steering wheel and turn into a sitting room, which is exactly what we don’t want from a car. The sad part is that in order to make the Symbioz the focus of its press conference, Renault gave short shrift to its other Frankfurt introduction, the Megane RS, a 276-hp hot hatch with four-wheel-steering. Now that’s the Renault we want to drive.

–Aaron Gold

Hit: Renault Symbioz Concept

Yes, yes, it’s all that. But the good news is: 2020, your new Renault Avantime is here.

–T.L.

Miss: BMW Concept X7 iPerformance

We love a big, imposing SUV just as much as the next jerk, but the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance’s odd proportions and massive maw is more off-putting than it is badass. Sure, it gains eco points for its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. But let’s leave the mean, menacing look for the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, shall we?

–B.W.

I wouldn’t be so offended by the hideously massive “Star Wars” tie-fighter kidney grille if it weren’t for the Nissan Patrol/Infiniti Q80-style rear quarter-windows and d-pillars. Why didn’t they simply tap partner Toyota for a Land Cruiser to reskin?

–T.L.

Hit and Miss: 2019 Bentley Continental GT

The new Continental GT is big, bold, and breathtakingly beautiful. I’d call it a hit if the back end didn’t look like it was ripped off from an Audi A7—a sin that might be forgivable were both brands not owned by the Volkswagen Group. The A7 may well have the best-looking rump this side of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, but grafting it on to the Continental GT is just plain lazy.

–A,G.

Hit: The Bentley Continental GT’s Creased Haunches

Bentley’s long overdue Continental GT replacement has a lot going for it, including a new platform from Porsche, nearly 300 pounds of weight savings, and, finally, a modernized interior. But one curious detail caught our eye in Frankfurt: the coupe’s sharply creased haunches. “[Showgoers] haven’t stopped touching it,” one Bentley flack said of the aluminum panel. Manufactured using an aerospace-derived superplastic forming technique, the panels have an interesting engineering backstory. But arguably more important is a tactile invitation that bodes well for the car’s market appeal.

– B.W.

Hit: Borgward Isabella concept

Best concept in the show. Illustrates what happens when a brilliant designer tackles an electric car. Anders Warming, ex-Mini design chief, is one of the best young Germans in the business. The Isabella has many innovative styling ideas, but some old ones that didn’t work 40 years ago, and don’t work now, such as the fading paint on glass.

–R.C.

Hit: Borgward Smartphone Fan

No question, the best swag at this year’s Frankfurt Auto Show was this little fan that plugs into the bottom of your smartphone. It was given out by Borgward, a once-well-known German concern now reborn and backed by China, where its cars are sold. (They plan to return to Europe soon.) This little gizmo is exactly what you’d expect from a Chinese concern: Useful, amusing, cheaply made and potentially dangerous (good luck unplugging it without sticking your fingers in the whirling blades). I plan to steal about half a dozen of them by any means necessary. And what about Borgward’s SUVs, you ask? Trust me, the fan is better.

–A.G.

Miss: BMW i Vision Dynamics concept

Instead of showing us a Tesla Model S with a kidney grille, I’d like to have seen BMW unveil something new and forward thinking, like the Borgward Isabella concept.

–T.L.

Revelation: Jaguar I-Pace Trophy

With plans to electrify their entire lineup by 2020, Jag is going gangbusters on EV tech. This much we know. But the latest surprise from Frankfurt is that the folks from Coventry are transforming electric I-Pace crossovers into a support series for the Formula E series. Built by the carmaker’s Special Vehicle Operations division, the I-Pace eTrophy racer packs a satisfying visual punch: despite its family-friendly configuration, the wide-hipped, spoiler-clad, roll cage equipped sport ‘ute looks mean enough to appease the most hardcore internal combustion apologists.

–B.W.

Hit: Ferrari Portofino

To me, a successful Ferrari design is one that looks instantly familiar. You know you’re looking at something you’ve never seen, but you also know you’re looking at a Ferrari. The Portofino is one of those cars—it just looks right, and it manages to look right whether the top is up or down. Thirty years down the road, this will be remembered as one of the great Ferrari designs, and it’s a privilege to have seen it make its world debut.

–A.G.

Hit (qualified): Ferrari Portofino

Much better than the California, still not up to the usual Maranello standard.

–R.C.

  Hit: Hyundai Kona

If the Genesis G90 shows that the South Koreans can do a great imitation of Lexus, the Hyundai Kona shows they can do a great imitation of Citroën. This car has just enough nutsy details to keep it interesting without veering off into weird (Toyota CH-R), controversial (Nissan Juke), or downright ugly (Kia Sportage). What with all the mature-but-dull designs Hyundai has introduced over the past couple of years, the Kona might be the vehicle that gives them back their mojo.

–A.G.

IFTTT