JLR gets £500m from government to develop electric cars The loan guarnatee will boost EV work carried out by Jaguar Land Rover Jaguar Land Rover has been awarded a £500 million loan guarantee by the UK Government to help develop electric cars. The move was signed off by Theresa May, and she told a meeting of industry leaders on Monday (16th July) that the funding would be made up of £500 million from UK Export Finance – the government-backed credit agency – and a further £125 million from commercial lenders. Reports say that Mrs May met with representatives from companies including Jaguar Land Rover, Aston Martin, Vauxhall, and Nissan, plus energy firms including the National Grid, BP and Shell. She told those assembled that the government was committed to supporting the car industry in a switch to electric vehicles. Earlier this month JLR announced significant investment in its Castle Bromwich plant as the company plans to build electric cars there, including the next-generation pure-electric Jaguar XJ saloon.
Origin: JLR gets 500m from government to develop electric cars
Autocar confidential: BMW’s secret window, Ssangyong’s pleasant surprises, and more
This week, as we hold an inverted glass up to the motoring industry’s staff room door, we hear about Hyundai’s most in-demand model, why Volvo won’t shun the showroom, and more. Amping up EV sales New Hyundai UK boss Ashley Andrew says securing more production allocation of the Kona Electric is one of his priorities. “The Kona Electric was our dealer network’s most in-demand model – when you’ve got demand exceeding supply, I think you’ll always have that,” said Andrew. He proposes offering customers stuck on the long waiting list the “interim solution” of a flexible lease on an Ioniq EV. And a rear opening window, to boot The engineers of the new BMW 3 Series Touring had to fight to retain the model’s separately opening rear window, because not enough owners know about it, according to product manager Stefan Horn. Urging Autocar to write about the feature, he said: “It’s a bit of a hidden thing. We argued we should keep it – but we need customers to know about it, or it will die.” Shock tactics The word new Ssangyong customers use the most? ‘Surprising’, according to new UK boss Nick Laird: “When I joined, they bought Ssangyong for highly rational reasons – it was excellent value for money. Now when people get in the car, they’re going: ‘I wasn’t expecting that. This is a lot nicer, a lot more modern and contemporary.’” Dealer or no dealer “People outside the retail world don’t understand just what a good job dealers do,” said Volvo UK operations director David Baddeley, following the brand’s recent online sales model roll-out. “We put them at the centre of it; it’s a retailer-based model. We are absolutely convinced the future is very strong for
Origin: Autocar confidential: BMW’s secret window, Ssangyong’s pleasant surprises, and more
Ford to resurrect Mondeo as global mid-sized crossover
Ford of Europe is preparing a radical re-invention of its European large family car line-up by replacing the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy with a single crossover-style estate model. The new vehicle, whose name is not yet known, will mark Ford’s exit from both the classic large hatchback market and the MPV sector. Although there’s no news on a definitive launch date, the car is expected to arrive in early 2021. Unlike some of Ford’s bespoke European models, the model will be sold in North America and beyond. In the US it is being compared by insiders to the Subaru Outback, itself a high-riding estate car. Although a niche model in Europe, the Outback has been a significant success in the US since it was launched two decades ago, with recent sales above 200,000 units annually. Last July Jim Farley, Ford’s president of new business, technology and strategy, hinted at the move away from conventional road cars towards what he called ‘utility’ body styles. He said the thinking behind the move into medium-rise crossovers was that customers would get “utility benefits without the penalty of poorer fuel economy”. The new car will be built on Ford’s super-flexible C2 platform, which underpins the new Focus and, in time, should be able to stretch from accommodating the next Fiesta to the future seven-seat Edge SUV. The front section of the architecture will also be used by Ford’s future Transit and Tourneo family. The model will be offered with petrol and diesel engines plus a 48V mild-hybrid petrol option. The base engine is expected to be Ford’s 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit, which will have a belt-driven electric motor and small battery in mild-hybrid form. Insiders says that new Euro 6d-compliant diesel engines are, in pollution terms, as clean as petrol engines in real-world use. It is understood that these new oil-burners are still more economical than even mild-hybrid petrol engines, as well as being less expensive. Ford’s move to medium-height crossovers in Europe is also partly a recognition that meeting future EU fuel economy regulations would have been very difficult with a line-up of conventional SUVs. For a similar reason, it’s not yet known whether the car will be offered with fuel-sapping all-wheel drive in Europe. Instead, some kind of electronic traction control system for navigating loose surfaces is possible. Ford will be hoping that the model will appeal to today’s mainstream market of ‘adventurous families’ who will be attracted by running costs lower than those of an SUV, allied to what’s said to be a particularly capacious load bay and a comfortable raised driving position. Although the car will replace three very different vehicles, it is likely to outsell the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy combined. Last year Ford Europe sold around 50,000 Mondeos, 24,000 S-Max models and 12,000 Galaxys – figures which are too low to be profitable enough. By the time the model is launched, Ford will have discontinued four MPV model lines. The MPV market has been hit hard in recent years, and as a result Ford will end production of the C-Max and Grand C-Max by late summer, as well as the Romanian-built B-Max compact MPV. The Galaxy and S-Max will likely follow next year. The B-Max will in effect be replaced by the upcoming Puma, and the company will look to steer existing C-Max owners into the new Kuga compact SUV. Mondeo and S-Max buyers will be targeted by the Fusion, and Galaxy users moved towards the smaller Transit Edge seven-seat
Origin: Ford to resurrect Mondeo as global mid-sized crossover
This Lamborghini Countach formerly owned by Mario Andretti is up for sale
Mario Andretti needs an introduction about as much as the Lamborghini Countach does. The Italian-born American racer has won races in IndyCar, Formula One, World Sportscar Championship, NASCAR and more. The Lamborghini Countach, produced from 1974 to 1990, was the first car to be designed in the covetable ‘Italian wedge’ style.Together, they are the poster children for speed — one personified, one mechanized. Imagine, then, how much a low-mileage Countach formerly ownedby the racing great would be worth. And now stop imagining and look at this figure: US$499,000 ($651,000). That’s how much this 1984 Lamborghini Countach S from the personal collection of Mr. Andretti is going for on Motorcar Gallery. The vehicle, a 371-horsepower 5.0-litre 5000 S model, was purchased new by Andretti in ‘84 as one of just 321 ever built. “Mario had good taste when he picked our car…The early carbureted Countach has a sound and feel that’s missing in the later fuel-injected versions,” reads the listing. “The red with tan combination is much more attractive than the Popsicle colors that were in vogue at the time.”“Cosmetically the car looks sharp. It sports the original red paint highlighted with a pinstripe incorporating Mario Andretti’s logo. The exterior rear view mirrors are also embellished with an Andretti logo. The interior is original, complete, and in top condition.”Motorcar Gallery says it had the car’s engine out to give it a “complete overhaul to new car specs.” This Countach may have been driven just a few miles (17,000 miles to be precise), but with Andretti behind the wheel, you can bet they were driven quickly.
Origin: This Lamborghini Countach formerly owned by Mario Andretti is up for sale
Jaguar Land Rover is testing a mood-sensing AI system
Jaguar Land Rover understands that driving can be stressful. Traffic, construction, annoying passengers, whatever it is you’re late for — it can all add up to an unpleasant experience behind the wheel. In fact, as the British automaker points out in a recent press release, reports indicate that 74 per cent of people admit to feeling some form of stress every day. That’s why it has been developing a “mood-detection system” that uses AI-powered tech to track facial expressions and implement subtle changes to help restore some tranquility to the driving experience. Here’s how it works: A driver-facing camera and biometric sensors function in tandem with software that interprets facial expressions to communicate a driver’s #currentmood to the car’s central system, which can then make potentially mood-boosting adjustments. The system might adjust the ambient lighting and emit some calming colours if it detects you screaming in rage at the person you’re tailgating. Or it might lower the cabin temperature or play your favourite pump-up songs if it detects you’re getting tired. All the while, the system’s AI is working to interpret the nuances and changes in facial expressions and in the driver’s preferences, allowing it to make “increasingly tailored adjustment.” And it’s not just concerned with the driver, either. JLR has stuffed the tech into the headrests and aimed it at rear passengers, hoping to help tired travellers catch some zzz’s en route by automatically tinting windows, dimming lights and raising rear-seat temperatures. No word yet on when/if it’ll find its way into cars that we can drive, but the brand promises this is “the next-generation of Jaguar Land Rover’s existing driver-tracking technology.” Sounds lovely in theory. But be warned, if you’re the type of person who gets irate when your passengers adjust the temperature or change the radio station without asking, this might not be for you.
Origin: Jaguar Land Rover is testing a mood-sensing AI system
These complex model movie-car replicas are ‘subscribed to’ and built piece-by-piece
So you think you’re a film buff, do ya? How far would you go to prove it? Would you spend thousands of dollars and dozens of hours to reconstruct physical totems of your fandom? If you’re nodding along enthusiastically, then you might just be among Eaglemoss’s target demo. It’s a purveyor of licensed collectibles and models that includes one of the coolest, most involved sets of automotive film model cars we’ve ever seen. Eaglemoss’ Die-Cast Club Garage currently features 1:8 models of the Aston Martin DB5 from the James Bond classic Goldfinger; the supercar forefather, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL Gullwing; the Nissan GT-R from The Fast and the Furious; and the most iconic movie car of all time, the DeLorean from Back to the Future. The DeLorean model measures in at over 50 cm long, featuring metal body panels, gullwing doors, a detailed interior complete with flux capacitor, and working lights that glow blue like all good time machines.The model Bond car is similarly complex, with Q-approved features like rotating tire slashers, an ejector seat, hidden machine guns, rotating license plate, functioning horn and a concealed radio telephone. But what sets these models on a whole other level of nerdiness isn’t their attention to detail – though that’s impressive ,too – but the way in which fans purchase them. Because you can’t just up and buy any of these cars. Eaglemoss has positioned the collectibles as “build-up” models, with subscribers getting shipped “issues” each month that include parts to add to the vehicles along with various other memorabilia and collectibles. And none of the builds is cheap or super-expedient. The DeLorean comes together after 130 monthly issues at, totalling US$1,646.75. Or for the real BTTF fans, there’s an extra 30 issues to bring the machine up to spec with that of the third and final series instalment. The Bond car is a little more affordable, with 86 issues and a total build price of US$1,081.35.The collection has another pair of scale vehicles coming soon, too. The Batmobile from the vintage TV series starring Adam West is on its way, as is the 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance from the original Ghostbusters
Origin: These complex model movie-car replicas are ‘subscribed to’ and built piece-by-piece
News Roundup: A US$4-mil ‘67 Corvette heads to auction, a gender reveal burnout ends in flames and more top stories
Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.Here’s what you missed while you were away.What might be the most expensive Corvette ever is going up for saleWhen it comes to Corvettes, none is more coveted than the L88. So when this, the first 1967 Corvette L88 to ever be produced according to Hagerty, goes up for sale at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, it’s expected to break sales records. The rare V8-powered car comes with a pedigree including a few SCCA race wins with Tony DeLorenzo behind the wheel, and is expected to fetch upwards of US$4 million at the classic car auction. Rear-end photos of the next-gen Corvette leak days before official revealIt’s mere days before GM is set to officially reveal the new Chevrolet Corvette, but just like a spoiled 9-year-old one day before his birthday party, we just can’t help sneaking a peek through the wrapping paper. An image posted on corvetteforum.com and reposted to Instagram appears to show the back side of the mid-engined Chevy, revealing tail lights that remind some of the Camaro. Take a look-see if you’re into spoilers, or hold off just a few more days until July 18.Hyundai says the Santa Cruz-inspired pickup truck is coming very soonHyundai is hoping to generate a “whole new class of buyers” with its first pickup truck, which it says should be on the way shortly. Details and specs haven’t been revealed just yet, so we’re still imagining something close to the five-seat crossover-style Santa Cruz concept truck Hyundai revealed over four years ago. The South Korean brand will likely build the trucks in the U.S. to avoid the 25-per-cent tariff on imports. We get behind the wheel of the 2020 Toyota GR Supra for the first timeIt’s been 21 years since the last Supra was produced, so when Toyota decided to bring it back for a 2020 model year, it only made sense to make it the brand’s sportiest production car ever. And the sportiest Toyota it is. Our experts can confirm it, having recently taken the car out for a first drive on Quebec’s Circuit Mont Tremblant. Sharing a platform with the BMW Z4, the Supra isn’t just a Bimmer dressed by Toyota. As Costa Mouzouris puts it, “the Supra looks and feels completely different, and returns a driving experience that is more visceral and more intense.”Gender reveal burnout goes wrong—congratulations, it’s an explosion!And just like that, with the ignition and explosion of an Australian muscle car, we’ve reached Peak Gender Reveal. Because instead of opting to cut into a blue or pink cake cloaked in white icing, or open a box full of pink or blue balloons, one Australian dad decided to announce the sex of his new child using the spinning rear tires of a V8 Holden Special Vehicles Senator. But before the blue smoke had stopped swirling, a fire broke out, resulting in an explosion and the destruction of the Australian muscle car. Nobody was hurt, but the driver was fined and the video of the incident is now being used as an educational tool by Australian police. Five reasons we can’t wait to drive the 2020 Shelby GT500People deal with excitement in various ways. Driving’s expert Alex Reid, for one, makes lists. This week, with the anticipation of the new 2020 Shelby GT500 becoming simply too much to bear, the auto journalist began documenting and organizing the reasons he’s excited to drive Ford’s new pony. First, at the heart of the matter is what the brand calls “the world’s most torque-dense V8,” making 760 horsepower and 625 lb.-ft. of torque. And then there’s the history, which dates back to Texas in 1965. Read the rest of the list to further benefit from our writer’s fastidious nervous twitch. GM recalls 500,000 trucks due to “hard” brakes and defrosters that could start firesA probe into faulty power braking systems in some GM trucks and SUVS has escalated into a full-blown recall of around 300,000 new GM trucks and SUVs across Canada. The fault lies in a deteriorating vacuum that assists the power brakes, which can lead to a hard brake pedal and less effective braking. A second recall is targeting nearly 160,000 trucks with potentially glitchy rear window defrosters that could overheat and possibly start a fire. Click the link above to see if you’re GM truck or SUV might be affected.
Origin: News Roundup: A US$4-mil ‘67 Corvette heads to auction, a gender reveal burnout ends in flames and more top stories
Porsche sells no more than two duplicate sports cars per year
2019 Porsche 911 GT3 RS A point of pride for most gearheads is the ability to claim their car is unique to another example of the same make and model. This helps to explain why we gravitate towards the aftermarket catalog after hauling home a new ride.After all, why should a person who only knows where the gas goes drive the same exact same machine as someone who knows the firing order?Porsche, king of raking in option-sheet profits, seems to realize this. In an interview with U.K. outlet Autocar, the automakers Zuffenhausen plant manager said the brand sells no more than a pair of identical 911 or 718 models annually. This is great news for gearhead fans of the brand, especially the anoraks who memorize VINs and option codes.Here in Canada, the company offers a spellcheck-vexing program called Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. It offers buyers a wide range of options for customization, starting with a consultation with a panel of design eggheads. Contrasting seat colours, detailed trim packages, even decorative stitching is on tap. Feel free to click that link to check it out, but know that your productivity will suffer for the rest of the day. All this is, of course, in addition to the minefield of mechanical options one can fit to a 911 or 718. Sure, the guy down the road might also have one in Guards Red, too, but did he select the rear wiper? Of course not. His doesnt have the Sport Chrono Package either, an unforgivable omission. Toss in other interior and exterior frou-frou (leather-trimmed vents and painted washer nozzles, for example) and one begins to understand how Porsche can make this claim.With Porsches level of customization, theres little chance youll see yourself at the next
Origin: Porsche sells no more than two duplicate sports cars per year
BMW’s secret M5 wagon mule hides McLaren F1 power
The McLaren F1 set the world on fire when it came out, boasting incredible performance specs and offering no compromises, not even on driving position.The star of the show is undoubtedly the engine, commissioned by McLaren from BMW, who the racing firm knew would take the projects details to the nth degree.Of course, the engine would have to be tested before being given to the supercar manufacturer, but BMW didnt really have a mid-engined car that it could use for the application, save for the classic M1.Enter the E34 M5 Wagon, an extremely unlikely donor for the 6.1-litre V12 but. nevertheless, the car that would be the mule used to develop this insane engine.The existence of the wagon was revealed in talks with David Clark, former director of McLaren road and race car programs from 1994 through 1998, on Chris Harris Collecting Cars podcast; the vehicles otherwise remained a total mystery until now. Clark says hes driven the car, and that its an outrageous thing.It isnt hard to see why. In the McLaren F1, the 627-horsepower engine helped the carbon-fibre-bodied supercar reach 240.1 miles per hour (386 km/h), which is still the current record for a naturally aspirated road car. Of course, the car was built for racing, in which it achieved great success, even scoring an outright victory at Le Mans in 1995.While 627 horsepower doesnt seem like much these days, in 1995 it was more than double the 311 horsepower the M5 would have made stock, making for a wild ride,
Origin: BMW’s secret M5 wagon mule hides McLaren F1 power
Ford dealerships jump on board the retro truck package bandwagon
I dont know about you, but a good truck is as critical to your authors survival as fresh air and water.As a product of the 90s, I remember two-tone paint and KC Hilites with fondness.Smack the two of them together and, well, youve a recipe for quickly draining this guys bank account.Every now and then, an alert dealership (yes, they do exist, despite copious evidence to the contrary) will take notice of trends like this and craft a way to shrewdly make a few extra bucks.The latest ticket to ProfitTown? Decking out a full-sized American pickup with color schemes and graphics from the me-too 80s and go-go 90s. View this post on Instagram Ok Hollis, you’ve got my attention.😎💯😎 #ford #f150 #fseries #pickups #BlueOval #trucksofig #TruckShow #fordf150 #xlt #fordfamily #fordtrucks #retro #bfgoodrich #bfg #twotone #tutone #tommytutone #8675309 #TheWhiteStripes #hollisford @hollisford @ford_supersales @sidsellssigns A post shared by Dude Drives Cars (@dudedrivescars) on Apr 6, 2019 at 5:33am PDTThis particular whip is a brand-new Ford F-150 XLT located in the rural town of Truro, Nova Scotia. Optioned lightly, the red pickup was far from the most expensive rig on the Hollis Ford lot, so the dealer had more than a little wiggle room to apply some decals and a set of knock-off Alcoa wheels. The effect is striking, recalling a time when trucks were sold in a variety of natty two-tone paint jobs.In fact, one could make an argument that this trend mashes together the best of both worlds. While most of us like to reminisce about the so-called good ol days through rose-coloured glasses, the reality is that it was anything but. Trucks were low-tech workhorses that rarely got better than 18 L/100 km despite not having anywhere near the number of creature comforts truck owners enjoy today. In fact, a good many of them werent even #blessed with a headliner.It makes so much sense that a near-twin to the Hollis throwback has just cropped out miles away, at Beechmont Ford in Ohio. Sniffed out by the gearheads at Motor1, This build takes the concept even further, adding a classic-look roll bar topped with KC Hilites to the two-tone design; and period-correct wheels wearing 35-inch meats. That awesome look is courtesy of a wrap, by the way.Would you pay extra for a truck-based taste of yesterday? Hit us up on social media or in the comments
Origin: Ford dealerships jump on board the retro truck package bandwagon
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