Mercedes-Benz reveals “world’s first” autonomous valet parking system

German authorities have granted approval for a fully automated valet parking system at the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart. The system, claimed to be the world’s first, will be in daily use at the facility’s parking garage. It collects and returns vehicles automatically, with no monitoring human behind the wheel. The system is operated via a smartphone app; drivers can exit their vehicle, activate the parking process on their phone and then leave the building while the vehicle parks itself in a designated space. Bosch-provided sensors throughout the car park communicate with the Daimler-developed receivers in the vehicle to guide it safely through the driving corridor. The vehicle will stop automatically if an obstacle is detected. The system uses Level 4 driverless technology, which is defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers as “driverless driving in a geographically discrete area”. Daimler says the function is “a comprehensive safety concept with appropriate testing and approval criteria that can be applied beyond this pilot project”. As there was no existing legal framework in place for the regulation of an automated valet system, the Stuttgart regional administrative authority and the local transportation authority were on-hand during development to assess the system’s operating safety. Dr Markus Heyn, member of the Bosch board of management, said: “Driverless driving and parking are important building blocks for tomorrow’s mobility. The automated parking system shows just how far we have already progressed along this development path.” This project is the latest in a series of collaborations between Bosch and Daimler. The supplier is currently developing artificial intelligence software for Daimler’s planned driverless taxis, and recent photos appeared to show a test rig for a new synthetic fuel being co-developed by the pair of German
Origin: Mercedes-Benz reveals “world’s first” autonomous valet parking system

Carlos Ghosn sues Nissan-Mitsubishi for millions in damages

Carlos Ghosn is reported to have launched a lawsuit against Nissan and Mitsubishi after he was removed as chairman of the alliance last year on charges of financial misconduct. Dutch newspaper NRC claims Ghosn is seeking £13.5m (€15m) in damages in a Netherlands case, with his lawyer claiming proper procedure was not followed when the two Japanese companies ousted the chairman. “In the Netherlands, if you want to fire an executive you have to first tell him what he’s being accused of, and you have to provide him with the evidence for the accusations. Neither of those things has happened,” lawyer Laurens de Graaf told the paper. The case is being reviewed but a trial date has not been set. So far, Ghosn has launched no cases against his other former employer, Renault, as he resigned from the French firm’s board of his own accord. Ghosn, who has been charged with a number of financial misconduct offences, was planning to tell the world his side of the story via a press conference earlier this year, and created a Twitter account to inform the public. The next day, however, he was re-arrested by Japanese authorities, before being freed on a £3.6m bail later that month. He has since regularly repeated his claims he is being framed by Nissan executives and is innocent of the charges against him, including understating his income over five years by £34 million. The 65-year-old was dismissed from his role as Nissan’s chairman after he was arrested last November. But he officially remained on the firm’s board until a vote in Tokyo in April. Greg Kelly, the former Nissan special director who was arrested at the same time as Ghosn, was also sacked. Renault chairman Jean-Dominique Senard was added to the board, as part of an effort to stabilise the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance following Ghosn’s
Origin: Carlos Ghosn sues Nissan-Mitsubishi for millions in damages

Revised BMW 5 Series to get bold design updates, arrives 2020

Prototypes of the facelifted BMW 5 Series have begun testing on public roads ahead of a planned introduction in mid-2020. Although it’s still heavily disguised, the updated executive model will clearly receive a bolder look in keeping with styling developments brought to both the latest 3 Series and facelifted 7 Series. The move is part of a broader strategy at BMW that aims to give each model its own individual appearance. Among the new design elements expected to be brought to the 5 Series are a more prominent kidney grille, redesigned headlights and a more heavily structured front bumper that incorporates newly designed air vents, including vertical air curtain ducts at the outer edges. Changes at the rear are likely to be less significant, although the plastic wrap adorning the spied prototypes hints at styling revisions to the tail-lights, rear bumper, tailpipes and area around the numberplate. Inside, the 5 Series is expected to receive new digital instrument graphics as well as a revised central display housing the infotainment functions. Today’s 5 Series will get BMW’s latest iDrive 7.0 operating system as part of a running change from this month onwards, suggesting the 2020 model will carry this on until the introduction of an iDrive 7.5 system in the eighth-generation 5 Series model due in 2023. The prototype shown here is propelled by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, shown by the mandatory identification on its front doors as well as the flap for the charging port integrated into the front-left wing. The current G30 5 Series is already sold with a plug-in hybrid setup in the 530e. This has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor developing a combined 248bhp and providing an electric-only driving range of up to 40 miles. As part of a push to take its plug-in hybrid drivelines into the performance car class, BMW is said to be planning a new 545e model running the same set-up as the 745e. This would use a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine and electric motor making a combined 388bhp and yielding an electric-only range of up to 36 miles. In further developments, BMW plans to equip all petrol engines with a particulate filter, while the diesels will receive new selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, according to Munich
Origin: Revised BMW 5 Series to get bold design updates, arrives 2020

James Ruppert: why cash is king for used cars

Well, here’s a surprise: paying up front for a car is increasingly falling out of favour with UK drivers, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance. Apparently, the proportion of drivers saying they will opt for finance, leasing or renting for their next car has increased by 6% (from 37% of total buyers in the car market in 2018 to 43% now). This trend is driven by the young, 60% of whom will borrow, lease or rent to acquire their cars, with the majority saying this was for lifestyle reasons rather than financial ones. Although paying for a car up front is the most common way of purchasing a car, the proportion planning to do this for their next car fell from 63% in 2018 to 57% this year. So, yes, paying with cash is going out of fashion and that is very understandable for those who want a simple, uncomplicated and rather more expensive life. At our end of things, rather than stumping up an initial deposit and then finding the easy monthly payments, you know what to do. Buy affordably used. And £5000 always seems to me like a sensibly solid budget to play with. The first thing I see is a Land Rover Freelander, which is becoming something of an obsession. To me, it is an alt-Defender, at least until we become either happy or sad about the new one. So £5000 for a 2008 2.2 TD4 SE with a panoramic roof, leather and Bluetooth seems very reasonable, even with 106,000 miles. Probably the most sensible family hatch of all would be a 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Zetec with just 57,000 miles. It has a full-up Ford service history and you will pay just £20 road tax. It may be evil diesel but officially you’ll get 67.3mpg, although anything near 60 is great going. This is a real no-brainer to buy. Actually, if you need a cheeky little hatch that’s more recent, I’d steer in the direction of a 2015 Fiat 500 1.2 – a Pop Star model with 26,000 miles. Finished in white with air-con and service history, this is a pretty little thing to use on your daily commute. If you just want to look dead smart, how about a 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Tech Sport? That’s another 60mpg motor right there and all that sophistication for £5000, plus it looked as clean as a whistle and don’t worry about the verified 112,000 miles. Why bother going down the PCP route when there are beauties like this? Paying for cash may be going out of fashion, but at least our old banger won’t depreciate or get repossessed. What we almost bought this week Chrysler Neon 2.0 LX: ‘Over-sold and over here’ was a typical put-down for the Chrysler Neon, but there’s no denying it made an interesting alternative to a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. The second-generation model (2000-2005) was much improved, at least in Chrysler’s terms, and LX trim brought air-con, electric folding mirrors and leather trim. This 2004 example has done 44,000 miles and is up for £990. Tales from Ruppert’s garage For the past 40 years, my Mini Cooper has managed without a cigarette lighter. Just as well as I don’t smoke. But a 12V output might be useful in the modern world. I have never used a satnav in it (relied on maps for my last 200-mile-plus journey) and I often forget my mobile phone so don’t feel the need to charge it. Anyway, I thought I would install one that I bought for a tenner. It took me a while to sort out because I am no electrician but, hey, we have some power. Not sure what I am going to do with it. The suspension is still broken. Reader’s ride James McKinney is a regular on this page and here is something special. “Our fun car for high days and Sundays is an 11-reg Saab 9-3 convertible,” he says. “It has a 2.0 turbo petrol engine and auto ’box. We bought it in July 2016 with only 7000 miles up by one previous owner and with a full Saab service history. It currently has less than 20,000 miles on the clock. “It is a lovely car to drive and has all of Saab’s renowned safety features. It exhibits virtually no scuttle shake and the build quality is very impressive. Not surprising given Saab’s avowed intention was to produce a convertible that was better than its BMW or Mercedes equivalent. In my view, having owned both of the German marques, it definitely is superior.” Readers’ questions Question: I’m tempted by a new-model BMW 320d Touring but would a nearly new, old-shape one be a more sensible purchase? Gary White, Southampton Answer: We know you just want permission to have the new-shape model. And why not? We tested the saloon and gave it five stars. BMW promises the new Touring will “handle even better” than the old one. Add in its three-year warranty, tempting finance deals… It’s a no-brainer, except that we found an old-shape 2019/68-reg 320d M Sport Shadow Edition auto Touring with 1800 miles for £24,889, compared with £38,955 when new and £39,825 for a new-shape 320d M Sport Touring auto. A saving of £15,000 sounds pretty sensible to us. John Evans Question: I’ve seen a 2015/15-
Origin: James Ruppert: why cash is king for used cars

Revised 5 Series to get bold design updates, arrives 2020

James Ruppert: why cash still reigns supreme

2020 BMW 5 Series previewed as prototypes begin testing

Prototypes of the facelifted BMW 5 Series have begun testing on public roads ahead of a planned introduction in mid-2020. Although it’s still heavily disguised, the updated executive model will clearly receive a bolder look in keeping with styling developments brought to both the latest 3 Series and facelifted 7 Series. The move is part of a broader strategy at BMW that aims to give each model its own individual appearance. Among the new design elements expected to be brought to the 5 Series are a more prominent kidney grille, redesigned headlights and a more heavily structured front bumper that incorporates newly designed air vents, including vertical air curtain ducts at the outer edges. Changes at the rear are likely to be less significant, although the plastic wrap adorning the spied prototypes hints at styling revisions to the tail-lights, rear bumper, tailpipes and area around the numberplate. Inside, the 5 Series is expected to receive new digital instrument graphics as well as a revised central display housing the infotainment functions. Today’s 5 Series will get BMW’s latest iDrive 7.0 operating system as part of a running change from this month onwards, suggesting the 2020 model will carry this on until the introduction of an iDrive 7.5 system in the eighth-generation 5 Series model due in 2023. The prototype shown here is propelled by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, shown by the mandatory identification on its front doors as well as the flap for the charging port integrated into the front-left wing. The current G30 5 Series is already sold with a plug-in hybrid setup in the 530e. This has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor developing a combined 248bhp and providing an electric-only driving range of up to 40 miles. As part of a push to take its plug-in hybrid drivelines into the performance car class, BMW is said to be planning a new 545e model running the same set-up as the 745e. This would use a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine and electric motor making a combined 388bhp and yielding an electric-only range of up to 36 miles. In further developments, BMW plans to equip all petrol engines with a particulate filter, while the diesels will receive new selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, according to Munich
Origin: 2020 BMW 5 Series previewed as prototypes begin testing

Autocar confidential: Seat predicts a rough patch, BMW circles the wagons and more

In this week’s summary of motoring meetings, we hear about Porsche’s plans to develop new electric vehicle infrastructure, Ssangyong’s difficulties as a low-volume value car maker, and more. Porsche is Taycan EV infrastructure up a notch Porsche will offer branded fast-charging points at destinations such as hotels when the Taycan EV is launched, according to Porsche UK boss Marcus Eckermann. The chargers will be open to users of other makes of EV and Porsche will also tap into the Ionity network, part-funded by the Volkswagen Group. Seat’s glass is half full The pressure to cut emissions and switch to EVs will prove tough not just for Seat but also the industry as a whole, according to CEO Luca de Meo: “It will be a hard proving ground before a new era of automotive can blossom again. The next two or three years will be challenging, but the next 10 will probably be fantastic, for the whole industry.” Europe’s getting in estate The BMW 3 Series is best known as a saloon, but buyers in Germany – where more than a third of 3 Series are sold – prefer estates. The firm says 67% of the models sold in Germany to date have been Touring versions. Italian buyers are most keen on the estate, with 73% choosing it over the saloon. By contrast, 73% of UK buyers opt for the saloon. The cost of compliance The growing need for advanced safety systems means it’s not credible for smaller brands to be entirely focused on value, according to Ssangyong UK managing director Nick Laird. “Small brands can’t also be cheap brands, unless you under-invest in the long term,” he said. “That’s going to require niche brands to go more upmarket. Ssangyong has always been SUV-focused – which more brands are becoming – but we need to work hard to be different to the
Origin: Autocar confidential: Seat predicts a rough patch, BMW circles the wagons and more

Don’t forget about the C8 Corvette convertible

The mid-engined 2020 Corvette has debuted to some serious fanfare (and criticism, but well ignore that for now), but Chevrolet actually discreetly revealed two cars, which you might not have even noticed.Famously, the Corvette has always come in two body styles, Coupe with Targa roof (or T-tops) and a convertible, and the C8 is no exception.During Chevrolets presentation to reveal the revolutionary C8 Corvette, they waited until the very end to share the convertible version with us, and we have to say, it looks great. The flying buttresses make a comeback for the first time since the C3, replacing the glass roof panel that would have let you peek at the engine. Instead of a removable roof panel, the photos show that the top likely folks underneath a panel that doubles as an engine cover.No official details were provided for the convertible variant, but we can expect it will have the same 490-horsepower 6.2-litre V8 coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission as the standard coupe, along with the Z51 package that adds another 5 horsepower. Traditionally, a convertible variant of a sports car has a slower 0-100 time, but since the C8 started life as a Targa, theres a possibility that it may not be affected.As for the price, the Corvette C8 convertible will likely command a small premium over the standard Targa style as it has done in the past, usually about $5,000. Availability has not been announced, but it took a while for Chevrolet to release the convertible version of the C7 as well, so well wait with bated breath
Origin: Don’t forget about the C8 Corvette convertible

Audi SQ7 revamped with 429bhp V8 diesel power

Audi has launched an updated version of the range-topping SQ7 SUV, featuring a 429bhp turbocharged V8 diesel engine. The seven-seat Range Rover Sport rival, which will go on sale in the UK next month, features the recent facelift seen on the rest of the Q7 range, with the addition of several S-specific details. They include a revamped grille, aluminium mirror details, quad chrome exhaust pipes and 21-inch cast aluminium wheels. The 4.0-litre biturbo V8 diesel engine is the same featured in the recently revealed SQ8, and offers 664lb ft of torque, a 0-62mph time of 4.8secs and a limited top speed of 155mph. As in the SQ8, the diesel engine is boosted by a 48-volt mild hybrid Electrically Powered Compressor (EPC) that aids the two turbochargers, improving torque under acceleration at low speeds. The powertrain of the sport SUV is driven through an eight-speed tiptronic transmission, and the SUV features Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Adaptive sport air suspension is fitted as standard, while the SQ7 also features progressive steering to improve handling. There are 400mm brake discs at the front, with 370mm discs at the rear. The callipers are finished in black, although they are optionally available in red. The interior of the SQ7 features bespoke leather sports seats with integrated head restraints, and Audi’s MMI navigation plus system. The SQ7 will be offered in a Vorsprung edition, which adds all-wheel steering to further boost handling. It also features 22-inch wheels, and seats fitted with climate control and a massage function. The SQ7 will go on sale in the UK in August, with prices expected to start from around
Origin: Audi SQ7 revamped with 429bhp V8 diesel power