- Opinion: Frankfurt is when electrification gets serious – Autocar: With tough new emissions targets about to be introduced, car firms are having to push electrified cars like never before Thanks to striking British Airways pilots, we took the train from London to Frankfurt (just one change at Brussels, if you”re interested). The German city’s impressive Victorian main station was festooned with posters advertising hybrid cars as well as very large ‘lifestyle” ads from Volkswagen, signalling the company”s new ID electric car family and brand re-launch at the Fra
- Ford to launch eight electric vehicles in Europe this year – Reuters: Ford Motor Co said on Tuesday it would launch eight electric vehicles in Europe this year, a key step in its target of achieving a majority of its overall sales from electric cars by the end of 2022.
- Renault details two new electric cars due in 2020 – Autocar: Renault plans to rapidly expand its EV portfolio beyond the Zoe Kadjar-sized crossover and electric Twingo are inbound as the firm scales up its EV offering beyond the Zoe The next two electric models from Renault will be a Kadjar-sized crossover and a zero-emissions variant of its Twingo city car. They form part of Renault”s electrification strategy to offer eight electric vehicles by 2023. Both are expected to be revealed in the next 18 months. Future product planning boss Ali Kassaï said: “We
- Recovery first: for next Nissan CEO, priority is profit before Renault partnership – Reuters: Recovery first: for next Nissan CEO, priority is profit before Renault partnership ReutersThe next head of Nissan Motor Co will need to prioritize a recovery in profits at the troubled Japanese firm ahead of trying to fix its relationship with top …
- Daimler enlists computer game designers to encourage efficient driving – Reuters: Daimler is hiring computer programmers to create games that encourage electric and hybrid vehicle owners to drive more efficiently, the company’s research chief Markus Schaefer said on Tuesday.
- Opinion: JLR boss Ralf Speth on preparing for Brexit – Autocar: Speth: “Where am I going to store 20 million parts a day?” Britain’s biggest car maker faces concerns over parts deliveries and administrative delays Brexit, then. The current Brexit barometer in the industry at today”s Frankfurt motor show is one of exasperation. Cheeks get puffed, shoulders shrugged, ‘you know as much as me” often volleyed back over the net at the mere mention of the ‘B’ word when chatting with any car executive. Whatever the outcome, a man more affected than most in the indus
- Jaguar: ‘We’ll continue to make saloons’ – Autocar: British firm’s design chief says the future isn’t just SUVs, hinting the next XE and XF could gain bold styling Jaguar”s new design boss, Julian Thomson, is committed to the firm continuing to make sports cars and saloons, and not simply creating more and more SUVs. Thomson, who recently took over from Ian Callum, told Autocar at the Frankfurt motor show that the company will not “go full bore into SUVs – we will do cars in the future, too”. The firm has invested heavily in SUVs in recent years
- Lithium bulls need to chill out – FT: Battery metal bulls suddenly have more to cheer about. This week saw the flashy launch of VW’s ID. 3, a mass-market hatchback that symbolises the …
- Lamborghini Sian FKP 37: 808bhp hybrid honours late VW boss – Autocar: Aventador SVJ’s V12 is uprated and mated to a small electric motor Hypercar receives new production nameplate in tribute to Ferdinand Piech, who acquired Lamborghini in 1998 Lamborghini has pulled the covers off the most powerful and fastest-accelerating car it”s ever produced – and it”s also the firm”s first hybrid. Making its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show, the limited-run Siån previews Lamborghini”s plans to take its brand of V12-powered flamboyance into the near future with models
- BMW to close Oxford factory for two days as hard Brexit looms – Guardian: BMW will close its Mini factory in Oxford for two days on 31 October to guard against potential disruption as the carmaker prepares for Brexit.
- New BMW 8 Series Gran Coupé makes first public appearance – Autocar: New 8 Series Gran Coupé will go on sale in the UK this September with choice of straight-six and V8 engines BMW has rounded out its new 8 Series line-up with the Gran Coupé. The new four-door 8 Series will go on sale in September after its Frankfurt motor show debut, priced from £69,340. The Gran Coupé joins the 8 Series Coupé and Convertible with a line-up that will comprise six-cylinder and V8 models, including the rapid new 516bhp M850i xDrive Gran Coupé. The 8 Series Gran Coupé replaces the
- Updated Audi Q7 SUV makes public debut – Autocar: Three engine choices all feature electrified technology with more variants to follow Audi has given the Q7 a major makeover with new styling and upgraded kit to bring it in line with the rest of its SUV range – with every engine featuring electrified technology. Making its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show, the five or seven-seat SUV will go on sale in September with a choice of two 3.0-litre diesel engines, producing 228bhp and 282bhp respectively, and a 335bhp 3.0-litre petrol engine. A
- He uncovered GM crisis, took on automaker when NHTSA didn’t – Freep: Lawyer Lance Cooper runs a small law firm in Marietta, Georgia. He discovered the faulty ignition switches in some General Motors cars that led to …
- New Alpina B3 Biturbo Touring lands at Frankfurt show – Autocar: New generation of BMW 3 Series-based performance models get overhauled engines and trademark Alpina suspension changes Alpina has used the Frankfurt motor show to unveil its take on the new G20-generation 3 Series, the B3 Biturbo, in Touring form. The B3 will use a re-engineered version of BMW’s 3.0-litre direct-injection, straight-six petrol engine, with twin-turbocharging and a performance cooling system to deliver 462bhp and a maximum torque of 516lb ft from 3000rpm. Alpina claims a top speed
- Automakers turn on style to try to switch SUV fans to electric – Reuters: Automakers turn on style to try to switch SUV fans to electric ReutersMercedes-Benz and Porsche are showcasing curvaceous, high-end electric sports cars at the Frankfurt auto show as part of an industry effort to counter Tesla, …
- The Latest: Ford plans big push into electrics in Europe – Washington Post: The Latest on the Frankfurt auto show (all times local):. 12:30 p.m.. Ford Motor Co. says that more than half of its European sales will …
- 2020 Honda Jazz to be offered as hybrid-only in Europe – Autocar: Honda Jazz 2020 Next-generation of Honda’s popular city car will only feature a petrol-electric powertrain The next-generation Honda Jazz will be launched in Europe with hybrid technology as its sole powertrain, Honda confirmed at the Frankfurt motor show. The move was first reported by Autocar in March, and now Honda has confirmed that the Jazz, its bestselling model in the UK, will only be offered with petrol-electric hybrid engines. Frankfurt motor show 2019: live news and updates It will use
- Volkswagen ID 4: 2020 electric SUV on display – Autocar: Volkswagen ID 4 Kia e-Niro-rivalling electric SUV displayed at Frankfurt sporting heavy camouflage; set to lead ID range in US Volkswagen has displayed the forthcoming ID 4 SUV, the second production model in its new bespoke electric car line-up, at the Frankfurt motor show. The SUV, which is based on the ID Crozz concept has has previously been spied testing, is due to be launched in 2020, and is set to lead the ID range in the USA. Frankfurt motor show 2019: live news and updates It is on disp
- Nissan searches for its third CEO in three years – Automotive News: Following the resignation of Hiroto Saikawa after a scandal over pay, the Japanese automaker”s board needs to find a leader who can guide the company through decade-low profits and job cuts as car sales slow globally.
- BMW M1 reborn as 591bhp two-seat plug-in hybrid – Autocar: Vision M Next concept previews a carbonfibre-bodied petrol-electric supercar which will become the new BMW M flagship BMW”s M performance car division is developing a long sought-after successor to the 41-year-old M1 supercar. Previewed by the Vision M Next making its debut at the Frankfurt motor show, the advanced carbonfibre-bodied coupé is planned to go on sale early next decade, with BMW’s head of development Klaus Frohlich responding to questions about its production liklihood by saying: “W
- New BMW 3 Series Touring: sporty estate makes Frankfurt debut – Autocar: New 3 Series Touring will go on sale in the UK in late September Available in plug-in hybrid form for the first time, the new 3 Series estate “handles even better” than the old one BMW has shown the new 3 Series Touring at the Frankfurt motor show, and promised it will retain the dynamic handling of the saloon version. The new 3 Series estate will go on sale in late September with a range of petrol and diesel engines. For the first time in the Touring, there will be a plug-in hybrid 330e model,
- Opel CEO says Brexit is delaying investments in British plants – Reuters: Opel CEO says Brexit is delaying investments in British plants ReutersPeugeot SA will not invest in Vauxhall and Opel’s British plants in Ellesmere Port and Luton while the outcome of Britain’s exit from the European union remains …
- Diesel sales are growing again, says Mercedes boss – Autocar: Mercedes has unveiled the new GLE 350de as a diesel-electric version of its flagship SUV CEO Ola Kallenius believes buyers will come to see diesel as the cleanest of the conventional fuels Mercedes-Benz global diesel sales are growing again, suggesting the fuel type is far from dead, CEO Ola Källenius has revealed. Speaking at the Frankfurt motor show, Källenius revealed that he believed common sense would ultimately preserve the fuel’s future. He pointed to data to show that the latest upgrades
- Hyundai launches Veloster N ETCR as first electric racer – Autocar: Electric touring car features the firm’s first mid-mounted power unit and rear-drive layout Hyundai has unveiled its first electric race car, the Veloster N ETCR, at the Frankfurt motor show. Designed to compete in the new Electric Touring Car race series (ETCR), the Veloster-based performance EV takes inspiration from the firm”s conventionally fuelled i30 N TCR and Veloster N TCR racers. Power is sent to the rear wheels from a mid-mounted electric motor – a first for Hyundai. Power output is un
- Mercedes-AMG developing first fully electric sports car – Autocar: SLS Electric Drive had impressive performance but did not sell well Follow-up to the limited-run SLS AMG Electric is in development as performance brand plots zero-emission future Mercedes-AMG has begun work evaluating its first series production electric performance car, CEO Ola Kallenius has revealed, although he has declined to give any specifics. Talking about the performance brand’s future, Kallenius said: “We have to get to the point where the means of propulsion is not considered importan
- UAW workers brace for potential strike, remember the unity of past walkouts – Freep: Wolikow transferred to General Motor’s Flint Assembly and commutes back to his … Besides Lordstown, GM plans to close three other U.S. plants: …
- Byton M-Byte electric SUV breaks cover in production form – Autocar: Chinese start-up’s Tesla Model Y rival is planned to go on sale in Europe in 2021 for around £40,000 Chinese start-up company Byton has revealed a near-production-ready version of its first model, the M-Byte electric SUV. The M-Byte has been in development for two years. Launching on the Chinese market initially, with customer deliveries set to get underway in the middle of 2020, it’s planned to arrive in Europe in 2021 at a starting price of €45,000 (£40,280). That’s slightly more than the expe
- VW Warns Trade War Gloom Is Getting ‘Scary’ as Car Sales Slow – Bloomberg: Volkswagen AG and other carmakers warned that trade tensions risk dragging the global economy into a recession as the fallout starts to hit consumers.
- Daimler CEO says meeting 2021 emissions targets will be significant challenge – Reuters: Cutting average emissions from the Mercedes-Benz passenger car fleet to meet the European Union’s 2021 target is going to be a significant challenge, Daimler Chief Executive Ola Kaellenius said on Tuesday.
- Ford Doesn’t See Impact From Moody’s Downgrade: Rowley – Bloomberg: Stuart Rowley, the Europe president of Ford Motor Co., discusses the company’s debt downgrade by Moody’s and the outlook for electric vehicle sales and …
- Opinion: Volkswagen’s ‘friendlier, people-focused’ era begins with the ID 3 – Autocar: Electric hatch’s ‘smiling face’ is a sign that Volkswagen is leaving the legacy of Dieselgate behind There was some light relief at the Frankfurt show’s annual Volkswagen Group night during the reveal of the ID 3, as the curtains failed to fall at the right moment. But beyond all that, it was the brand’s message that resonated. VW’s executives took to the stage with lots of smiles and jovial banter, with design boss Klaus Bischoff bringing on a young girl to get her view on what the car of the f
- Nissan looks to get back on track with leadership change – FT: Against expectations, Nissan’s chief executive survived the ousting of … Nissan’s alliance with Renault was badly fractured by Mr Ghosn’s abrupt arrest …
- Defender designer Gerry McGovern on reviving an icon – Autocar: Man behind 2019’s most hotly anticipated car tells us what the Defender means to him, and why purists should be pleased As one of the most important new cars of 2019, the new Land Rover Defender was not a car that could be created in the space of a week. We sit down with the reborn 4×4’s designer, Gerry McGovern, to hear what the car means to him, how he wants the purists to react, what will happen to the Discovery, and more. New Land Rover Defender: icon reborn as tough upmarket 4×4 How did it
- Land Rover design boss: “Defender isn’t an evolution of the DC100” – Autocar: DC100 launched in 2011 as a preview of the next-gen Defender DC100 concept previewed the next-gen Defender, but it didn’t please the purists Unveiled eight years ago to the month, the DC100 (Defender Concept 100) concepts were billed as showcasing two potential design routes for the next-generation car. One was a rugged-looking three-door, the other a two-door convertible. As likely intended, opinion was split, the convertible in particular drawing ire from Defender stalwarts for its leisure-ori
- Opinion: What a Defender owner thinks of the new Defender – Autocar: The new Defender won’t be everything the old car was, which, in a lot of ways, is no bad thing The thing about getting a Defender owner”s view of the new version is that there are so many different types of old Defender. And owner. There are perhaps more than any other car: you”re as likely to see a Defender (or classic Series Land Rover) on a fashion model”s Instagram feed as you are when you want a tree chopped down, call out the Mountain Rescue or go car spotting in Knightsbridge. It”s one of
- Land Rover unveils the all new Defender at Frankfurt Motor Show after 22-year hiatus in US – CNBC: Land Rover gave its new Defender a power boost with so-called mild-hybrid electric vehicle technology the didn’t exist 22 years ago and helps give it 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, making it capable of towing up to 8,201 pounds.
- Vision EQS previews Mercedes’ electric, self-driving vision – Automotive News: The concept takes its inspiration from the world of luxury yachts to present the automaker’s vision of future premium mobility. It’s expected to rival the Tesla Model S and to a lesser extent, Porsche’s new Taycan.
- Land Rover Defender returns to U.S. priced from $50,925 – Automotive News: Land Rover has transformed the Defender off-roader into a far more luxurious, roomier and high-tech vehicle. JLR’s head of vehicle dynamics calls the retooled Defender still “fun” but without the flaws of the model retired in 2016.
- Mercedes-Benz EQS Offers a Strong Hint of What All-Electric S-Class Might Look Like – Detroit Bureau: Daimler AG, the parent of the Smart and Mercedes-Benz brands, plans to … The Vision EQS adopts what Mercedes has dubbed a “one bow” design …
- Honda e: UK pricing confirmed from £26,150 – Autocar: Eagerly awaited electric city car makes production-ready debut in Frankfurt, with prices nearly matching the VW ID 3 Honda’s new e electric city car has appeared in production form at the Frankfurt motor show, as the firm confirms it will be available from £26,160 in the UK. The model’s price tag is lower than initially expected, and comes close to the new Volkswagen ID 3’s £25,500 starting price. Entry-level models are powered by a 134bhp electric motor, with prices rising to £28,660 for the 15
- PSA’s Tavares on Electric Vehicles, Europe’s Charging Network, Brexit – Bloomberg: PSA Group Chief Executive Officer Carlos Tavares discusses the outlook for electric vehicle sales and the charging network in Europe. He also …
- Carmakers Contend With Electric Future in Frankfurt: Show Update – Bloomberg: The electric car is front and center at Frankfurt’s car show with … Diess also wants government subsidies for the e-cars VW intends to …
- 2020 Hyundai i10 N Line warm city car makes its debut – Autocar: Compact city car grows up with more dynamic styling, more space and new technology Hyundai has revealed a warm N Line variant of its upcoming i10 city car, which is set to become the most advanced car in its class when it arrives early next year. The i10 will become the fourth N Line model, following the i30 hatchback, i30 Fastback and Tucson when it arrives in 2020. It will be offered with a turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine producing 99bhp and 127lb ft of torque, making it th
- Reckless Loans Devastated Taxi Drivers. Now Prosecutors Are Investigating. – New York Times: It could reverberate throughout the city’s taxi industry, which has been … hastened in part by competition from ride-hailing companies such as Uber …
- LEVC presents TX Shuttle as electrified mobility offering – Autocar: Based on London”s new black cab, the TX Shuttle is aimed at airport transfer services and private hire firms London taxi maker LEVC has shown a shuttle-style reworking of its TX electrified cab at the Frankfurt motor show. Called the TX Shuttle, the new model uses the same 1.5-litre petrol engine and 147bhp electric motor as the TX for an electric-only range of 80 miles and overall range of 377 miles. The company says it “sees major demand in Europe for shuttle versions of the TX taxi”, and has
- Japan gov’t backs Nissan CEO Saikawa’s resignation – Mainichi: The Japanese government has been in close contact with the French government, the biggest shareholder in Renault SA, Nissan’s alliance partner for …
- Ford cut to junk by Moody’s on doubts over plan to boost profit – Automotive News: Ford Motor CEO Jim Hackett has been dealt a major blow by Moody’s Investors *Service*, which cut the automaker’s credit rating to junk over doubt his plans to fix …
- Hyundai 45 Concept reveals design direction for future EVs – Autocar: Clean-lined prototype makes extensive use of LED technology, takes inspiration from 1970s concept Hyundai is previewing its design future by looking to the past with the all-electric 45 concept unveiled at Frankfurt. It is tipped to preview the future shape of an all-electric C-UV likely to go into production in the next few years. The 45 is named after the number of years since the Korean maker”s first production car, the Pony, was previewed with a sleek Coupé concept designed by Giorgetto Giug
- Vauxhall boss: firm could benefit from a hard Brexit – Autocar: Vauxhall’s recent advertisements have emphasised the company’s British origins Firm believes departure from EU could prompt buyers to turn to fundamentally British brands Vauxhall boss Stephen Norman believes his company”s recent emphasis on Britishness in advertising may pay dividends if there is a hard Brexit at the end of next month. Norman describes the current UK car market as “incredibly difficult” and “not just overheated but absolutely scalding” as manufacturers struggle to clear large c
- Car makers near CO2 cliff-edge in electrification race – Reuters: * Fallout seen increasing threat to auto jobs (Adds comments from VW CEO)
- New 2019 Porsche Macan Turbo touches down in Frankfurt – Autocar: Turbo prices are a jump up from the mid-range Macan S Porsche’s flagship Macan variant brings 434bhp 2.9-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder engine, and is available to order now The flagship Turbo model of Porsche’s revised Macan range has made its public debut at the Frankfurt motor show. Sitting above the mid-range Macan S, the Turbo commands a price premium of nearly £20,000 at £68,530, and is available to order now. For that you get significantly more power: 434bhp, to be precise, which is nearly
- New Land Rover Defender to be revealed today – Autocar: One of 2019’s most hotly anticipated new models is about to show its face. Get familiar with it here The first official images of the new Land Rover Defender have leaked out, seemingly taken from a magazine article to be published on the car in South Africa. They give the best look yet of the car, which is set to be revealed at today’s Frankfurt motor show. The legitimacy of the images seems to be confirmed when they are compared to previously leaked images, as well as an official teaser video t
- Audi shows hot SQ8 as new flagship SUV – Autocar: SQ8’s engine is the largest V8 Audi offers in Europe 429bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine is firm’s most powerful V8 in Europe Audi’s hot new SQ8 has made its Frankfurt debut as the firm’s flagship SUV, featuring a 429bhp mild hybrid turbodiesel V8 engine. The 4.0-litre biturbo unit offered in the range-topping performance version of the coupe-inspired Q8 large SUV is the most powerful V8 offered by the firm in Europe. It produces 664lb ft and powers the five-seater from 0-62mph in 4.8 seco
- 2020 Audi RS6 Avant performance estate shown in Frankfurt – Autocar: Most of the bodywork is bespoke. Audi says 0-62mph takes 3.6sec Five hot new Audis will follow in the 591bhp wake of the super estate later this year Audi Sport has shown the fourth-generation RS6 Avant, which features a 591bhp mild-hybrid twin-turbo V8 and will spearhead a major RS range expansion, at the Frankfurt motor show. The hot estate is one of six new Audi Sport models due this year, including the RSQ3 and RSQ8 SUVs, which have been spied testing recently. But the flurry of launches kic
