Renault reveals electric 4Lbased concept

Renault reveals electric 4L-based concept The convertible model uses Twizy running gear Renault has used its electric vehicle expertise to create an EV version of one of the manufacturer’s classics – the e-Plein Air. Based on a Renault 4, the Plein Air was a door-less convertible version introduce in 1968, but Renault has modernised it with an electric drivetrain from its Twizy. The concept has no official technical statistics, but a compact battery and small electric motor mean it’s not going to be challenging the Renault Zoe in terms of performance or range. It has been created for the 10th anniversary of the 4L International gathering. The Renault 4 remains one of the company’s best-selling and popular models. Changes made include a closed-off front grille, removed rear seats, and new luggage rack. There are no plans to put the model into production, though it’s clear that retro-fitting electric powertrains to classic cars is picking up in popularity. The Mini has been electrified by Swind, though manufacturers are also getting in on the game. Joining Renualt are Jaguar and Aston Martin in creating electric versions of some of its most famous models.
Origin: Renault reveals electric 4Lbased concept

Exclusive: McLaren to launch extreme open-cockpit speedster

McLaren is developing a two-seat open-cockpit speedster that will focus on providing exhilarating on-road driving and become the sixth model in its Ultimate Series, Autocar can exclusively reveal. According to a source aware of the car, the new limited-run machine will sit alongside the track-focused Senna and the 250mph Speedtail hyper-GT at the top of McLaren’s range. Whereas the Senna has been designed as the ultimate road-legal track car and the Speedtail developed around high-speed aerodynamic efficiency, the new speedster has reportedly been conceived for road-driving pleasure. It will apparently highlight the more emotional, fun side to McLaren – albeit while retaining the high-performance, high-tech traits for which the Woking firm is known. The as-yet-unnamed machine will be the first pure open road car McLaren has made, with styling that will reportedly evoke open-top sports prototype racers. That will pitch it into competition with Ferrari’s recently revealed Monza SP1 and SP2 speedster models. The speedster is claimed to offer a more ‘fluid’ interpretation of McLaren’s design language than the firm’s other models, with prominent use of flowing, elegant lines. Our source has been told the interior design will closely match that of the exterior and is set to feature low-profile dihedral ‘butterfly’ doors. The flowing styling will contrast with the aerodynamically focused Senna and reflects the fact that the new car is being developed primarily for use on the road, with the intention to maximise the ‘pure pleasure of driving’. It is being honed to deliver extremely agile handling while giving high levels of driver response. Our source has been told that it will offer astonishing levels of feedback. That driving experience, combined with the open cockpit, is understood to offer a greater connection between the driver and the environment around them. Power is tipped to come from McLaren’s 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged petrol engine and, unlike the 1036bhp Speedtail, won’t include any electrification or other hybrid technology. The output for the car is not yet known, although the focus on road driving pleasure suggests it will be slightly reduced from the 789bhp of the Senna. However, as part of McLaren’s Ultimate Series line-up, it is still likely to be elevated from other models in the firm’s range. As is usual with McLaren, the power will be driven through the rear wheels only, likely through a dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The new speedster is tipped to weigh less than the 1198kg Senna, making it one of the lightest road cars the firm has ever built. This is achieved by both the lack of a roof and, as is customary for McLaren, extensive use of carbonfibre. The open-top machine will be a strictly limited-run model, with volume thought to be restricted to fewer than the 500 examples of the Senna that the company has produced. A price of around £1.5 million has been suggested, similar to the cost of the Monza SP1 and SP2. A reveal or launch date for the new model has not been determined yet, although it is likely to be produced after the 106 examples of the Speedtail. Production of that machine is due to begin in late 2019, after the final examples of the Senna GTR, which would suggest cars will start to be built in late 2020 or early 2021. McLaren models have traditionally been split into three series: Sport, Super and the range-topping Ultimate cars, although the forthcoming new grand tourer will launch a fourth. The Ultimate Series has its roots in the firm’s seminal road car, the F1, and was launched with the P1 plug-in hybrid supercar in 2013. When asked to confirm the project, a McLaren spokesperson declined to discuss the new car, saying: “Our usual position in respect of speculation about possible future models is not to comment and that’s the case
Origin: Exclusive: McLaren to launch extreme open-cockpit speedster

Aston Martin shares fall as uncertainty hits sales

Shares in Aston Martin have dived as the Gaydon-based car maker cut its sales and profit forecasts, attributing the fall to weak markets in the UK and Europe and economic uncertainty. The luxury marque said it was “taking immediate actions to improve efficiency and reduce the costs base as (it) heads into 2020”. Shares fell 22% in early trading, taking them down to around £8, a 55% fall over the £19 price which valued the company at £4.3bn when it first floated in October 2018. Aston Martin’s revised wholesale volumes are now 6300 to 6500 vehicles for the full year, down from the 7100 to 7300 units forecast at the time of its annual results in February. Wholesale car sales fell 22% in the UK and by 28% in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, while it was a rosier picture elsewhere: in America, now Aston Martin’s biggest market, volumes rose by 20% in the first half of the year. Aston Martin said retail sales grew by 26% in the first six months of 2019 but the poor performance in wholesale – which grew by only 6% globally – prompted a downgrading of full-year financial expectations. Along with a revised outlook on volumes, Aston Martin is expecting full-year figures to see an adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) margin down 20% and profit margin down 8%. Aston Martin said: “We anticipate that this softness will continue for the remainder of the year and are planning prudently for 2020.” Chief executive Andy Palmer has previously warned of the potential impact a no-deal Brexit could have on the car industry. The marque said that production of its DBX SUV and Valkyrie hypercar “remain on plan”. It added: “During the first half, we have been disciplined, as appropriate for our luxury positioning in maintaining the quality of sales with core wholesales up 9% supporting a continued reduction in dealer inventory as we prepare the network for DBX.” Palmer commented: “Whilst retails have grown by 26% year-to-date, our wholesale performance is adversely impacted by macro-economic uncertainty and enduring weakness in UK and European markets. We are disappointed that short-term wholesales have fallen short of our original expectations, but we are committed to maintaining quality of sales and protecting our brand position first and foremost. “We are today taking decisive action to manage inventory and the Aston Martin Lagonda brands for the long-term. We remain focused on the successful execution of the Second Century Plan and on delivering sustainable long-term
Origin: Aston Martin shares fall as uncertainty hits sales

New Aston Martin DBX confirmed for December launch

Aston Martin will open the order books for its new DBX SUV at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance next month, ahead of a global launch in December. The new machine, the British firm’s first SUV, recently made its UK public dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – and Aston Martin Lagonda’s latest financial update has now revealed more details on the development timeline. Aston Martin has started building pre-production versions of the new model at its new St Athan plant, ahead of it going on sale in the first half of 2020. It now says that it will take orders for the car at the Pebble Beach event in California, ahead of the launch in December. It added that it remained on track to begin series production at St Athan in the second quarter of 2020, which suggests first customer deliveries will follow in the second half of next year. The new 90-acre factory in Wales, built on a former Ministry of Defence site, has been under development since 2016, and will be the sole production facility for the DBX. The electric models of the revived Lagonda brand will also be built there. Ahead of the machine’s official launch later this year, Aston Martin previously issued images of the DBX sporting a new camouflage livery reflecting its new Welsh home. The machine is currently undergoing final testing using the pre-production versions, with full production due to commence early next year. A video published earlier in the year shows the DBX undergoing extreme weather testing in Sweden at Pirelli’s Flurheden proving ground, part of the two brands’ ongoing partnership. Speaking about that test, Aston Martin chief engineer Matt Becker said: “Testing these prototypes in cold climate conditions helps us to assess the car’s early dynamics and, crucially, ensure confidence-inspiring sure-footedness on low-grip surfaces. “This car propels Aston Martin into a new segment and our engineering team are enjoying the challenges of developing a quality luxury SUV experience through this robust testing schedule. Progress is on track and I am confident that we will deliver over and above what our customers would expect from an Aston Martin SUV.” The DBX is the first Aston Martin to go through a new dedicated test programme, to ensure it can produce the kind of dynamic on-road performance on which Aston has always made its name, allied to some credibility off road. Testing is also due to take place in the deserts of the Middle East, on German autobahns and at the Nürburgring. The DBX has also been seen on UK roads testing the brand’s AMG-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.0-litre V8, which is expected to be the first engine offered in the SUV when it arrives before the end of the year. Expect a similar power output to the DB11’s 503bhp. Unlike the concept, the production DBX will feature a more conventional five-door layout rather than the sleeker three-door design that was originally expected. The DBX is one of the most important models in Aston Martin’s history and the next phase of the company’s turnaround plan under boss Andy Palmer. While every Aston produced under Palmer to date as part of his ‘Second Century’ plan has been a replacement for an existing model (DB11, Vantage and DBS Superleggera), the DBX breaks new ground by having no direct predecessor. During its life cycle, the DBX will introduce hybrid technology to Aston and it will also play a key role in trying to attract female buyers to the Aston Martin brand. The DBX is built on an Aston Martin architecture that will be closely related to that set to underpin the Lagonda saloon and Lagonda SUV, which Aston also has in the pipeline. The new Lagondas will be built alongside the DBX in Wales, starting from 2021. However, whereas the Lagonda models will be electrically driven, the DBX will start life with petrol power before getting Mercedes-sourced hybrid technology early in the next decade. Aston Martin’s own V12 and Mercedes-AMG’s V8 engines will both find their way into the DBX, with Mercedes also donating the car’s electrical architecture. The DBX will compete against the likes of the Lamborghini Urus, Bentley Bentayga, Rolls-Royce Cullinan and upcoming Ferrari SUV. Given the broad appeal and rise in popularity of SUVs, the DBX is expected to quickly become Aston’s best-selling model. Sharp body creases and a pronounced shoulder line help reduce the overall visual bulk of what is the most high-sided Aston yet produced, while a new integrated grille design performs a similar role at the front of the car. It will also be the first all-new Aston Martin model launched after the company’s stock market flotation, after the firm returned to profitability last year. Aston Martin has changed significantly as a company under the leadership of Andy Palmer, who joined as CEO in 2014. He has brought financial stability to the company and returned it to profit. In 2017, the company was in the black for the first time since 2010. Aston’s
Origin: New Aston Martin DBX confirmed for December launch

Nissan set to cut 10,000 jobs globally, according to reports

Nissan is preparing to axe more than 10,000 jobs globally, according to Japanese media. The car maker announced 4800 job cuts earlier this year, as part of an initiative to turn its fortunes round, having suffered its lowest profits for almost ten years. A further announcement is tipped to take place on Thursday. Global sales stagnation in the US and Europe, plus falls in Asia, political uncertainty, tariffs, the need to invest in electrification and autonomy and a part-ageing product line-up, including its successful Qashqai and Juke SUVs, and greater competition from rival manufacturers in the SUV segment have been cited as reasons for Nissan’s profits slump. The reports suggest that the bulk of the losses will fall on workers outside of Japan. Although there have been no specific warnings of losses at Nissan’s UK operations, earlier this year the firm made headlines when it reversed a previous decision to make some X-Trail models at its Sunderland factory. That was said to have led to “hundreds” of new jobs not being created at the plant. At the time it made specific reference to Brexit negotiations undermining the company’s position in the UK, although falling diesel sales and the EU’s tariff-free trade deal with Japan were also believed to be factors. Nissan has also hit the headlines recently with the arrest of former boss Carlos Ghosn, who is now suing the firm for unfair dismissal. The firm has previously committed to making the next-generation Juke – set to be revealed at this year’s Frankfurt motor show – and Qashqai, in Sunderland. In May this year Nissan reported net profits annual profits of 319bn yen (£2.37bn), down 5% on the previous year. This was the lowest figures since 2009/10, in the wake of the global financial crisis. The company has also warned that the current year could be
Origin: Nissan set to cut 10,000 jobs globally, according to reports

Exclusive: McLaren to launch elegant open-cockpit speedster

Best lease deals of the week: Automatic superminis

Leasing can be an affordable, practical route into having your own private car, but it’s not always easy to tell the good deals from the duds. The experts at our sister magazine What Car? work hard to find you the best pay-monthly schemes, taking into account mileage allowance, montly outlay, contract length and initial deposit. We’ll be bringing you the best deals they find from a different segment each week. This week, it’s automatic superminis: 1. VW Polo 1.0 TSI 95 SE 5dr DSG £1219 deposit, £203 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The Polo’s easy-going character suits an automatic gearbox, especially one as good as VW’s dual-clutch affair. Add a smooth ride, good refinement and robust cabin, and this Polo looks free of holes. 2. Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI 115 FR DSG 5dr £1138 deposit, £190 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The feisty Seat offers crisp handling, snappy looks and keen performance. An automatic ’box sounds like a fly in the ointment but it’s a swift-changing transmission that makes easy work of keeping the Ibiza on song. 3. Ford Fiesta 1.0 Ecoboost Zetec Auto 5dr £1221 deposit, £204 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year Ford’s Powershift automatic gearbox is an unsung hero and here it adds extra sparkle to an already great motor. It and the car’s 1.0-litre engine are perfectly matched, while Zetec trim helps keep the cost down. 4. Skoda Fabia 1.0 TSI 110 SE DSG 5dr £1236 deposit, £206 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year Auto ’boxes are tarred with the sensible brush, and you won’t find a more sensible buy than a Fabia – except that following its recent facelift the model got an injection of desirability plus a raft of new safety kit. 5. Audi A1 30 TFSI Sport S Tronic 5dr £1555 deposit, £259 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The priciest car here justifies its premium with a blend of top-notch build quality, impressive refinement and classy cabin. The dual-clutch S-tronic ’box adds an extra layer of sophistication to a smart motor. For more great personal business lease deals visit What Car?
Origin: Best lease deals of the week: Automatic superminis

Audi targets BMW X4 with new Q3 Sportback

Audi has launched a rival to the niche-filling Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé and BMW X4 in the form of the new Q3 Sportback. Arriving in the UK in the autumn and set to be priced from an estimated £35,000, it shares its mechanicals and interior with the standard Q3 but adopts a more striking coupé-cum-SUV exterior look. The Sportback receives a raft of specific design elements, including a 29mm drop in roof height and a slight, 16mm increase in external length. Although it’s actually a fraction narrower than the Q3, it gets a new 3D-profile grille and distinct styling lines aimed at creating the illusion of increased width. The model keeps the same ride height as the Q3, but with different surfacing to lower the car’s hip point. Details such as a large roof spoiler, unique bumpers and a standard gloss black trim package also mark the model out. LED headlights are standard, with full-matrix LEDs available as an option. Designer Seulah Park claimed the design reflects the decision to use the Q3 Sportback tag rather than the previously considered Q4 name. “We wanted this to be more aggressive and sportier, but we want them to be thought of in the context of a family, like a brother and sister,” she said. The interior is largely unchanged from the regular Q3’s, even down to the driver’s seat sitting at the same height. The Q3 Sportback gets a few new technology features, including a ‘car-to-x’ system that can tell you when traffic lights ahead will turn green and integration of Amazon Alexa voice control. Rear head room is reduced by the sloping roofline, but adjustable backrests and sliding rear seats allow the same claimed 530-litre boot capacity as the Q3. In its mechanical set-up, the Q3 Sportback isn’t dramatically different from the Q3. However, there is a steering system with new hardware and a variable ratio aimed at balancing ease of turning for bigger inputs with a precise feel in lower steering angles. The standard suspension set-up is the same as the Q3’s. A no-cost option sport suspension system can be added, along with cost-option adaptive dampers. At its launch, the Q3 Sportback will be available with three engine options. The sole petrol choice will be a 227bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI, alongside two 2.0-litre diesels with 148bhp and 187bhp. The most powerful two engines are mated exclusively to a seven-speed automatic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive, while the 148bhp diesel has a six-speed manual ’box and front-wheel drive. In early 2020, Audi will add a new mild-hybrid petrol engine, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, in the 35 TFSI variant. It continues to feature cylinder-on-demand tech but, when mated with the automatic gearbox, it uses a 48V mild-hybrid system that, on its own, is claimed to save 0.38 litres of fuel per 62 miles. The integrated starter/generator feeds a compact lithium ion battery, recuperating power during deceleration to allow engine-off coasting and more stop/start activation. Performance and fuel efficiency figures for all four engine options will be available at a later
Origin: Audi targets BMW X4 with new Q3 Sportback

First Drive: 2020 Toyota GR Supra

MONT TREMBLANT, Que. You cant really call the break between the previous, fourth-generation Toyota Supra and the all-new 2020 model a hiatus its been 21 years, after all. Its really a resurrection of storied nameplate. The Supra began as an upscale version of the now-defunct Celica, eventually morphing into a sporty standalone model. It reappears now as a completely new car, and it differs significantly from its ancestors now, its now an Austrian-made BMW at heart.Comparisons, therefore, will be drawn with the latest BMW Z4, with which the Supra shares a platform. No, the Supra isnt a drop-top, and having previously driven both the four- and six-cylinder Z4, I can attest that the Supra is quite a different car.Power comes from BMWs 3.0-litre turbocharged inline-six found in the Z4 M40i, claiming 335 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. Those number differ from the M40is 382 hp and 369 lb.-ft., but Toyotas brain trust assured us that this is because the Supra is tuned to deliver more torque at lower engine speeds. We cant dispute the logic, since despite the lower output, the Supra will sprint from zero to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds, compared to the Z4 M40is 4.5 seconds. Lacking a retractable roof and the additional chassis bracing a convertible usually requires drops the Supras curb weight by 20 kilograms compared to the Z4, at 1,541 kilos. I can almost hear manual transmission proponents lamenting the availability of only an eight-speed automatic, especially Toyota fans, who are grabbing up the manual-box Toyota 86 at a rate of 64 per cent compared to the automatic. But if a company offers only an automatic in a super-sporty coupe, it should at least be a really good one and the Supras is nearly flawless, shifting swiftly and without hesitation when using the steering-wheel paddles.And since weve just mentioned the Toyota 86, note that while the two-seat Supra is about the same length overall as its stablemate, the wheelbase is actually 101 millimetres shorter. The wheels track wider, too: 76 millimetres wider at the front and 50 at the rear.Toyota simplifies the drive-mode selection with two main modes Normal and Sport. A sport button on the centre console selects between the two modes, and Sport really amplifies the driving experience. It firms up the active suspension, steering, sharpens gear changes, and adds considerable exhaust sound and adds popping when backing off the throttle. The exhaust has a rich, raspy tone that comes close to aural ecstasy, even if some of the sound is generated electronically within the cabin.A third Sport Individual mode is available that allows you to tailor certain parameters. One parameter I would change within Individual mode is the transmission mapping; while gear changes were flawless and well timed when driving aggressively in Sport mode, it held lower gears at highway speeds, topping out in sixth gear while maintaining a steady 110 km/h. This is Toyotas sportiest production car ever, so it seemed appropriate to drive it at Quebecs Circuit Mont Tremblant. The fast, smooth and flowing course emphasised the Supras remarkable handling. Steering feel and precision are excellent, and the car is sharp and offers forgiving feedback through its firm suspension and rigid chassis. Its nonetheless a very fast car and not meant for novice track-day drivers, accelerating out of corners with more gusto than one would expect from 335 horses chalk that one down to its low-rpm torque delivery.Body roll is minimal, and the Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires offer appropriate track-friendly grip, allowing high cornering speeds. Another track-friendly feature is the Supras Brembo brakes; hammering on the brake pedal will make your eyes bulge, and theres no discernible fade after five hard laps. The seats feature deep, adjustable side bolsters, which hold you firmly in place when cornering at speed. A prominent, centrally mounted round tachometer hints at the Supras penchant for track driving.And about that automatic: It detracts nothing from the track driving experience; it does exactly what you ask of it in manual mode, and unless youre a complete dunce, with eight ratios to choose from youre never in the wrong gear. Even though shifting a manual transmission is no longer the quickest way around a track, I would prefer having the option, if only for the more intense driving experience and as 86 buyers have demonstrated, they also prefer sporty Toyotas with a third pedal. That said, the ZF-manufactured unit is a pretty good substitute.On the road, the Supra is stiff, even in normal mode, but not intrusively so unless you aim for big bumps, and theres more tire noise that infiltrates the cockpit than in a sedan. The Supra also turns heads on the road, though that might be because its currently a rare sight. Toyota says it will bring 300 units into the country for this year, and plans to bump that number to about 500 for next year. So if were to compare
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Toyota GR Supra

RM Sothebys to auction super-rare McLaren F1 for US$21M

The McLaren F1 is a special piece of machinery. For starters, the British supercar manufacturer only ever made 106 of them, 64 of which were given the gift of being legally allowed to drive on public roads. This example, chassis 018, which is set to soon cross the RM Sotheby’s auction block, is even more special. It’s one of two to have been called back to the factory following the F1’s win at Le Mans in 1995 and fitted with a GTR racing engine and High-Downforce Kit (HDK).The 1994 McLaren F1 LM-Specification’s V12 has been stripped of its restrictors, allowing it to push out another 53 horses to bring the total output up to 680 horsepower. That HDK kit shines through on the front end’s “revised nose” with new front fender vents and the large, fixed rear wing. But the owner who had it converted to LM Spec back in 2000 didn’t stop there. He also commissioned McLaren to add a transmission cooler, two radiators, an upgraded exhaust system, better AC, a radio, larger wheels, new headlamps and a different steering wheel. Then he had it painted platinum silver metallic and had the interior re-trimmed with cream, beige and brown leather. “Offering all the performance of the outrageously powerful and hyper-rare F1 LM at a fraction of the investment, F1/018 is an extremely desirable example. It is quite simply la crème de la crème, the best imaginable iteration of an already-perfect machine,” reads the RM Sotheby’s catalog. “The awe-inspiring McLaren would make a crowning addition to any collection, offering a distinctive and top-shelf example of the celebrated F1 so legendary among all motoring enthusiasts, from gawking fans to the most distinguished of collectors.”This ultra-rare McLaren F1 will find its new owner at an expected price between US$21 million and US$23 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey Car Week event from August 15 to
Origin: RM Sothebys to auction super-rare McLaren F1 for US$21M