The firm has previously revealed a number of details about the Taycan, including images showing the car’s interior, which takes the brand’s design and technology to a new level. It’s based around up to four digital displays, including a curved, freestanding 16.8in configurable driver’s display – Porsche’s first fully digital instrument binnacle. To the right of that the Taycan features a 10.9in infotainment screen where navigation, music and connectivity functions are handled. To the right of that – uniquely for Porsche – is an optional screen of the same size for the passenger. It can’t control driving functions, but allows them to programme the sat-nav and media features independently. Finally, there’s an 8.4in portrait layout screen on the centre console, set at an angle with a touch trackpad below to help control the upper screen. Unlike the upper two touchscreens it offers haptic feedback to improve usability on the move. Over-the-air updates – traditionally a big draw for Tesla buyers – are also possible in the Taycan. Buyers will also receive a free six month subscription to Apple Music, with Apple CarPlay integration also included. Android Auto functionality is not available, however. Despite the distinctly high-tech approach, classic Porsche features such as the dash-top analogue clock still feature. Porsche has been building up to the launch by releasing snippets of information about the Taycan. A pre-production version of the machine recently completed 2128 miles in a 24-hour endurance test run at the Nardò high-speed test track in Italy. Porsche claims that, in temperatures of up to 32deg C, the electric performance saloon averaged speeds of between 121 and 134mph. Minimal stops were made, with the Taycan only pausing for driver changes and battery top-ups. The Taycan’s battery size is yet to be confirmed, but it’s said to offer around 270 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle. In order to maximise mileage, the test car was charged using Porsche’s 800V ultra-fast chargers, capable of delivering 249 miles of range in 15 minutes. The machine will be the first mainstream production car built using 800V technology, allowing for the use of fast-charging stations. The car made its public dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in lightly disguised form, driven by ex-Formula 1 driver Mark Webber. The Taycan has previously been previewed with official camouflaged images (below) and has also been spotted testing numerous times in prototype guise. The Taycan’s styling is heavily influenced by the original Mission E concept, which was designed by Porsche’s former head of exterior design Mitja Borkert, now head of design at Lamborghini. Details include a retractable rear spoiler, advanced regenerative braking system and Tesla-style retracting door handles. The Taycan is the first in an extended line-up of electric models being developed in a programme budgeted to cost up to £5.3 billion through to the end of 2022. It marks a radical departure from Porsche’s traditional line-up, bringing zero-emissions running together with the promise of what the new car’s lead engineer, Stefan Weckbach, describes as a “typical Porsche driving experience”. When it goes on sale in the UK, the Taycan will be positioned between the £55,965 Cayenne SUV and £67,898 Panamera five-door coupé in a move that will set the scene for the introduction of other new electric Porsches, including a mid-engined sports car in the mould of the existing 718 and an electric Macan. Porsche UK boss Marcus Eckermann told Autocar earlier this year that the Taycan is “the beginning of a new era” for Porsche, and is attracting many conquest customers. “We have a lot of interest in the car – and a lot of new customers. Based on the expressions of interest, there are more new people to the brand than existing customers.” While he declined to give expected sales figures, the Taycan’s share of the line-up is set to be considerably higher than the overall EV market share in the UK, which is below 1%. Porsche has previously said it expects to produce 25,000 Taycans worldwide annually, which is about 10% of its current sales. In the UK last year, Porsche sold 12,500 cars, so we can expect at least 1250 sales of the Taycan per year. The Taycan will be offered in two bodystyles, with the standard saloon planned for right-hand-drive delivery in Britain in early 2020 and a higher-riding estate-cum-crossover model, previewed by the Mission E Cross Turismo concept, arriving in showrooms in 2022. Taycan rivals include Tesla Model S Among the key rivals for the new Porsche is the Tesla Model S, which was used as an initial benchmark during the early phases of the Taycan’s development. However, Weckbach acknowledges the model will also compete against a host of other upcoming electric offerings, including the E-tron GT from sister brand Audi and the Mercedes-Benz EQS. Taking full advantage of the packaging advantages
Origin: New electric Porsche Taycan to be revealed today
New Renault Zoe: UK prices and specs announced
Renault has revealed UK pricing and spec details of the new Zoe, ahead of orders commencing in mid-September and first deliveries in January. The new Vauxhall Corsa-e rival is, like the old car, available with two purchasing options. It can be bought outright from £25,670, or £18,670 under Renault’s battery leasing scheme. The firm hasn’t quoted monthly battery lease costs yet, however. The base Play model comes with a 106bhp electric motor, alongside kit such as LED headlamps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB, auto lights and wipers and a 7kWh fast charging wallbox, including installation. Step up to Iconic from £27,170 (or £20,170 under battery leasing) and you’ll also get sat-nav, climate control, wireless phone charging and a driver assistance package, among other features. Iconic also brings the option of the more powerful 132bhp motor, allowing 0-62mph in 9.5sec and a limited top speed of 87mph, for an extra £500. That’s standard on GT Line trim, which gets a larger 9.3in touchscreen, a rear-view camera, synthetic leather and recycled cloth upholstery and blind spot warning. Options include 50kW DC rapid charging with a CCS connector, costing £750. Designed for those who intend to do frequent long journeys, it can deliver 90 miles of range in around 30 minutes. Effectively a heavy redesign of the outgoing model, the new Zoe will go on sale in a dramatically different market from the one its predecessor entered in 2012, with a range of competitors including the new Peugeot e-208, Vauxhall Corsa-e, Honda e and Volkswagen ID 3. Sharing the same overall dimensions as the outgoing Zoe, the car’s design is updated with new grilles and bumpers, plus new, standard-fit LED headlights and tail-lights. There is a fresh colour palette inside and out, as well as new wheel designs. The intention has been to modernise the supermini’s looks. The interior is more heavily revamped, with a new dashboard design introducing a 10.0in customisable digital instrument display as standard across the range. Top-spec cars also receive a new curved 9.3in touchscreen infotainment display, similar to that found in the latest Clio, using the firm’s Easy Link connected technology. As well as being able to locate suitable charging points, it can tell if one isn’t functioning properly. A new smartphone app can also remotely pre-heat or cool the car. Higher-quality materials and new upholstery, including one made using 100% recycled fabric, aim to give the Zoe a more upmarket air. New details, such as an electronic gearlever and parking brake, free up extra storage space in the cabin, while wireless smartphone charging and an acoustic windscreen have been added. The Zoe’s biggest developments are in the powertrain department. The previous generation, which was upgraded throughout its life, made use of a 40kWh battery in its highest spec, but now an increase to 52kWh allows Renault to claim a WLTP-certified range of up to 245 miles. Renault has also adapted the car’s charging system to optionally allow a 50kW DC charge using a CCS plug, joining existing Type 2 and AC connections behind the enlarged front badge flap. An optional 7kW wallbox enables owners to charge the battery from empty to full in nine hours. The new Zoe is now available with a choice of two motors. A base 106bhp unit – carried over from the old car – is joined by a higher-spec 132bhp version. Renault claims this power unit, which makes 181lb ft of torque, allows the Zoe to achieve the 0-62mph sprint in less than 10 seconds and go from 50mph to 75mph in 7.1sec. Its top speed rises from 81mph to 87mph. Chassis changes are limited, but Renault claims the spring and damper rates have been tweaked and all-round disc brakes appear for the first time. QA Emmanuel Bouvier, director of sales and marketing and EVs, Renault This is effectively a heavy facelift of an older design. Why not an all-new platform? “We are in the unusual situation where we have a seven-year-old vehicle whose sales are growing significantly year on year. We are confident that this Zoe has plenty of life left in it, but we are considering using a common (Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi) Alliance platform in future.” You claim the new Zoe is part of a wider assault on the EV market. What is next? “Our objective is to cover A-, B- and C-segments, with multiple shapes of vehicles (ie standard cars and crossovers/SUVs). These will be focused on being passenger cars. I cannot tell you more at this stage.” Does the recently launched City K-ZE fit into these plans in Europe, or is it just for China? “We are currently investigating if the City K-ZE has international sales potential. No decision has been made
Origin: New Renault Zoe: UK prices and specs announced
How Delta Motorsport has reinvented the test mule
In the beginning – which is to say in September last year – Delta Motorsport’s highly flexible new S2 autonomous and electric car chassis, one of the star exhibits of this year’s LCV Show, was only going to appear as a notional prototype, born in a computer and destined to stay there forever. Under the original plans, this all-aluminium, skateboard-style EV chassis design – which now sits proudly in three dimensions at the centre of a specially designed stand – wasn’t even due to show its screen-based face until this time next year. Then everything changed. In a remarkable last-minute turnaround, Delta’s two founders – engineering director Nick Carpenter and operations director Simon Dowson – decided their S2 project would be more timely and have a far bigger impact if shown this year as a live concept. As project leaders they hurriedly consulted partners in this Innovate UK-backed project – Titan (by-wire steering), Alcon (by-wire brakes), Warwick Manufacturing Group, Potenza Technology (digital safety know-how), Cranfield University (limit handling studies) – and, with everyone’s enthusiastic approval, and working alongside GCE (structure design) and Tecosim (CAE specialists), they set to work at top speed. The chassis you see here was completed just days before the show opened. It was a true feat of execution, although Carpenter, Dowson and partners seem entirely unfazed by their achievement. It goes with the territory in their high-pressure world of technical creativity. “Being part of a small organisation with a limited budget is a really positive thing,” Carpenter explains. “The bigger you are, the more prone you are to paralysis by analysis. There’s huge pressure to find exact answers when there may not be any. In a small company, you just don’t have time.” What’s the reason for the S2 project’s sudden change of pace and shape? Carpenter has a more eloquent explanation, but it boils down to the fact that there are currently platoons of promising researchers in the nooks and crannies of vehicle-focused autonomy and electrification, all with theories or processes that urgently need to take next steps. Trouble is, appropriately engineered test vehicles are expensive and in extremely short supply. S2 can do much to fill the void. At the same time, Delta and its partners see a golden opportunity to prove, progress and then earn from their own technical expertise – and their well-proven car-building capabilities – while greatly aiding others in parallel fields of automotive technology: sensor designers, for example, or creators of vehicle infrastructure and even start-ups working on new forms of ‘mobility as a service’. “S2 is a flexible chassis system with a much broader capability than the production-based machines our industry usually has to make do with,” explains Carpenter. “When you ask colleagues with a promising project what they’re going to do for a test vehicle, they’ll often tell you they’ve bought a Ford Mondeo or a Chrysler Pacifica and are going to automate it to make a test mule. It isn’t the car they really want. It’s just what they can get.” By contrast, S2 can be configured comparatively quickly and easily to handle a huge variety of tests and customer activities, says Carpenter, and practically every use furthers the causes of Titan, Alcon and the other partners. “Let’s say you’ve developed a promising piece or process but it’ll cost £5 million and two years to convert a mule to take it further. You’re never going to do it. But if the cost is £200,000 and six months, you’ll probably give it a go.” On the face of it, skateboard-style chassis aren’t particularly new. Plenty of players in the EV business have already employed the concept of locating motor, ancillaries and power electronics at the extremities of an electric car and connecting them with a low, rigid platform chassis that carries the traction battery-set below the cabin floor. It’s the logical way to do things. What makes the skateboard revolutionary are the far greater levels of designed-in flexibility than those of previous offerings, to the extent that Delta is describing it to clients as ‘skateboard 2.0’, justifying the S2 name and deliberately built to take account of lessons thrown up by predecessors. It uses a self-supporting structure of fabricated aluminium, designed by GCE and Tecosim, and depends on compact box sections for its rigidity, with the double-wishbone independent suspension systems carried on the chassis longitudinals at both ends. As well as being almost infinitely flexible in wheelbase, track, overall length, overall width, bulkhead dimensions, crossmember positioning, seating positions and ride height, it can accept a huge variety of powertrains, both hybrid and pure EV. In theory, it could also handle hydrogen fuel cell applications, and even a petrol-only version should anyone ever ask. In fact, it’s so flexible that Carpenter is reluctant to say it has a
Origin: How Delta Motorsport has reinvented the test mule
How Delta Motorsports has reinvented the test mule
In the beginning – which is to say in September last year – Delta Motorsport’s highly flexible new S2 autonomous and electric car chassis, one of the star exhibits of this year’s LCV Show, was only going to appear as a notional prototype, born in a computer and destined to stay there forever. Under the original plans, this all-aluminium, skateboard-style EV chassis design – which now sits proudly in three dimensions at the centre of a specially designed stand – wasn’t even due to show its screen-based face until this time next year. Then everything changed. In a remarkable last-minute turnaround, Delta’s two founders – engineering director Nick Carpenter and operations director Simon Dowson – decided their S2 project would be more timely and have a far bigger impact if shown this year as a live concept. As project leaders they hurriedly consulted partners in this Innovate UK-backed project – Titan (by-wire steering), Alcon (by-wire brakes), Warwick Manufacturing Group, Potenza Technology (digital safety know-how), Cranfield University (limit handling studies) – and, with everyone’s enthusiastic approval, and working alongside GCE (structure design) and Tecosim (CAE specialists), they set to work at top speed. The chassis you see here was completed just days before the show opened. It was a true feat of execution, although Carpenter, Dowson and partners seem entirely unfazed by their achievement. It goes with the territory in their high-pressure world of technical creativity. “Being part of a small organisation with a limited budget is a really positive thing,” Carpenter explains. “The bigger you are, the more prone you are to paralysis by analysis. There’s huge pressure to find exact answers when there may not be any. In a small company, you just don’t have time.” What’s the reason for the S2 project’s sudden change of pace and shape? Carpenter has a more eloquent explanation, but it boils down to the fact that there are currently platoons of promising researchers in the nooks and crannies of vehicle-focused autonomy and electrification, all with theories or processes that urgently need to take next steps. Trouble is, appropriately engineered test vehicles are expensive and in extremely short supply. S2 can do much to fill the void. At the same time, Delta and its partners see a golden opportunity to prove, progress and then earn from their own technical expertise – and their well-proven car-building capabilities – while greatly aiding others in parallel fields of automotive technology: sensor designers, for example, or creators of vehicle infrastructure and even start-ups working on new forms of ‘mobility as a service’. “S2 is a flexible chassis system with a much broader capability than the production-based machines our industry usually has to make do with,” explains Carpenter. “When you ask colleagues with a promising project what they’re going to do for a test vehicle, they’ll often tell you they’ve bought a Ford Mondeo or a Chrysler Pacifica and are going to automate it to make a test mule. It isn’t the car they really want. It’s just what they can get.” By contrast, S2 can be configured comparatively quickly and easily to handle a huge variety of tests and customer activities, says Carpenter, and practically every use furthers the causes of Titan, Alcon and the other partners. “Let’s say you’ve developed a promising piece or process but it’ll cost £5 million and two years to convert a mule to take it further. You’re never going to do it. But if the cost is £200,000 and six months, you’ll probably give it a go.” On the face of it, skateboard-style chassis aren’t particularly new. Plenty of players in the EV business have already employed the concept of locating motor, ancillaries and power electronics at the extremities of an electric car and connecting them with a low, rigid platform chassis that carries the traction battery-set below the cabin floor. It’s the logical way to do things. What makes the skateboard revolutionary are the far greater levels of designed-in flexibility than those of previous offerings, to the extent that Delta is describing it to clients as ‘skateboard 2.0’, justifying the S2 name and deliberately built to take account of lessons thrown up by predecessors. It uses a self-supporting structure of fabricated aluminium, designed by GCE and Tecosim, and depends on compact box sections for its rigidity, with the double-wishbone independent suspension systems carried on the chassis longitudinals at both ends. As well as being almost infinitely flexible in wheelbase, track, overall length, overall width, bulkhead dimensions, crossmember positioning, seating positions and ride height, it can accept a huge variety of powertrains, both hybrid and pure EV. In theory, it could also handle hydrogen fuel cell applications, and even a petrol-only version should anyone ever ask. In fact, it’s so flexible that Carpenter is reluctant to say it has a
Origin: How Delta Motorsports has reinvented the test mule
Best lease deals of the week: Budget family SUVs
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 budget family SUVs: 1. Dacia Duster 1.6 SCE Access £886 deposit, £148 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The cheapest SUV here is much more comfortable, refined and practical than its predecessor. Don’t expect engaging handling or scintillating pace but do expect to feel ever so slightly smug. 2. Ford Kuga 1.5 Ecoboost 120 Zetec £1140 deposit, £190 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The most expensive car in this selection is also the best to drive. The Kuga offers a blend of agility and body control that is, frankly, second to none. It’s a rare treat in a class that’s often lacking in both. 3. Hyundai Tucson 1.6 GDI SE Nav £1102 deposit, £184 per month, 36 months, 8000 miles per year The Tucson may not shine brightly in any particular area but is nevertheless a smart, capable and practical family SUV that’s also reliable and pretty likeable. SE Nav trim isn’t the cheapest but it’s our favourite. 4. Nissan Qashqai 1.3 DIG-T Visia £1098 deposit, £183 per month, 48 months, 8000 miles per year The car that kick-started the current SUV craze continues to lead by covering more bases than most of the opposition. Some newer rivals may better it for driving pleasure but few are as well rounded. 5. Skoda Karoq 1.0 TSI SE Technology £981 deposit, £164 per month, 24 months, 8000 miles per year Few will argue with the Karoq’s price but there’s more to this Skoda than the sound of pennies saved. In fact, it’s a great all-rounder with a composed ride, a good choice of engines and a spacious and versatile cabin. For more great personal business lease deals visit What Car?
Origin: Best lease deals of the week: Budget family SUVs
Ex-Uber engineer Levandowski charged by U.S. with stealing self-driving car secrets
Former Uber Technologies Inc. engineer Anthony Levandowski was charged with stealing driverless-vehicle technology from Alphabet Inc.s Waymo unit, resurrecting the intrigue of the biggest legal battle to grip Silicon Valley in recent memory.The 33-count indictment announced August 27 by federal officials in California adds a new criminal chapter to the saga surrounding Waymos civil claims of trade-secret theft against Uber.Even after the companies abruptly settled the litigation in the middle of a high-stakes trial last year, questions remained about the mysterious engineer at the center of the turmoil.All of us have the right to change jobs, San Francisco U.S. Attorney David Anderson said at a press conference in San Jose. None of us has the right to fill our pockets on the way out the door. Theft is not innovation.Levandowski, 39, voluntarily surrendered to authorities and faces a maximum of 10 years in prison if hes convicted. Anderson said the governments investigation is ongoing, but he declined to discuss the probe further.Levandowski didnt steal anything from anyone, his lawyer, Miles Ehrlich, said in a statement. The indictment rehashes claims discredited in a civil case that settled more than a year and a half ago.In his initial court appearance Tuesday, Levandowski pleaded not guilty and was released by a judge for now on US$2 million bail and a condition that he wear an ankle bracelet. He was told to return to court September 4 for another bail hearing after prosecutors voiced concern that with his vast wealth and dual citizenship in France, he might try to charter a private plane and flee.Legal experts had long speculated about what prosecutors might have found after the San Francisco judge handling the Waymo lawsuit referred it for further investigation in May 2017 and the case produced streams of evidence and testimony embarrassing to Uber. Emails and texts revealed a deeply personal connection between Levandowski and Ubers then-chief executive officer, Travis Kalanick. The criminal charges largely mirror Waymos civil claims that Levandowski while he was still at the company hatched a plan in 2015 with Uber for him to steal more than 14,000 proprietary files, including the designs for lidar technology that helps driverless cars see their surroundings.Throughout the case, U.S. District Judge William Alsup said it seemed overwhelmingly clear Levandowski took confidential files from Waymo but that theres no smoking gun proof Uber illegally used the information.Uber said in a statement Tuesday that it has cooperated with the governments investigation and will continue to do so.Waymo said, We have always believed competition should be fueled by innovation, and we appreciate the work of the U.S. Attorneys Office and the FBI on this case.Pronto, Levandowskis latest autonomous vehicle venture, said Tuesday that its chief safety officer will take over as CEO as a result of the
Origin: Ex-Uber engineer Levandowski charged by U.S. with stealing self-driving car secrets
News Roundup: Honda’s life-saving new airbag, VW’s sexist ad and more
Hondas next-generation airbagHonda 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.Honda’s reinvention of the passenger side airbag will save lives Honda’s next-generation passenger front airbag design Honda Honda has partnered with auto safety supplier Autoliv to develop a new kind of passenger side airbag that has the potential to reduce the number and severity of injuries and save lives. Over the last four years, the collaboration piece conceived an airbag with three separate chambers instead of one, and a piece of fabric that bridges them in front like a sail, adding “uninflated volume” and helping to reduce blunt force of impact. Honda says it will debut the next-gen airbags in select models by 2020. U.K. bans VW ad for promoting gender stereotypesIn yet another ‘c’mon VW, you’re better than that’ moment, the German automaker has received a slap on the wrist from advertising authorities in the U.K. for airing an ad that harmfully portrayed gender stereotypes. And, yeah, it’s pretty bad. The men are doing things like floating in a spaceship, leaping across a long jump pit with a prosthetic leg, while the female characters make sandwiches, do laundry and take the baby to the park. Ouch. We’ve said it before and will probably say it again: do better, VW. VW recalls 117,000 cars in Canada over rollaway riskCloser to home, Volkswagen is recalling over a hundred thousand cars in Canada that may be at risk of rolling away unexpectedly. The brand explained that the issue is caused by silicate that builds up on a shift lever switch which then allows the key to be slid out even if the car isn’t in park. So, you park your Jetta on a slight incline up the street from the farmer’s market, get out with your reusable shopping bags and then watch as the car rolls backwards into the organic corn stall. The recall, which also hits some 670,000 vehicles in the U.S., includes a number of Jettas, Golfs, GTIs and Beetles. Dealers can simply add a switch and circuit board to solve the issue, but you’ll still be eating corn for weeks. 15-year-old vanity plate with ‘pee joke’ causes ruckus at the DMVHow do you make the New Hampshire motor vehicle department laugh in 2019? Tell them a joke in 2004. A Rochester woman had her vanity plates pulled by the issuing authorities earlier this year, even though she’d already been using them for 15 years. The seven-character message in question: PB4WEG0. It’s clever, family-friendly and just solid travel advice, but somebody at the DMV didn’t think so. Luckily, the New Hampshire governor read about her pee-pun plight and intervened on her behalf, so the DMV reissued the plates. Next-gen VW Golf nears production The new Golf – still camouflaged The eighth-generation Golf is entering its final phases of testing, says Volkswagen. The brand teased the hot hatch with an image of a test mule draped in camo. Close inspection reveals modified headlights, a more tapered profile and a few other hints at the sort of tech that’ll be packed into it. VW promises it’ll be a “genuine eye catcher” as well as a “digital, intelligent and connected” creature, but we’ll have to wait until fall to determine how right or wrong they
Origin: News Roundup: Honda’s life-saving new airbag, VW’s sexist ad and more
New Nissan Juke is bigger, cleaner, more ‘grown up’
Nissan has revealed the second-generation Juke, claiming that the trendsetting compact crossover has “grown up”, with improved performance and practicality. The new model was unveiled at events in five European cities and is available to order now in the UK, priced from £17,395. The original Juke was launched in 2010 and Nissan has sold nearly one million examples since then, but having effectively founded the compact crossover class, it has come face to face with increased competition from a glut of new arrivals. Nissan sold 67,763 Jukes in Europe last year, compared with more than 100,000 a year between 2011 and 2013, according to figures compiled by Jato Analytics. By comparison, Renault sold 121,970 examples of the Captur in 2018. The Juke has received a thorough makeover for its second generation, with sharper lines and a bold new grille, but it retains some of the original model’s defining features, including large round headlights underneath thin daytime running lights. It maintains the ‘floating’ coupé-style roof design and sits on 19in alloy wheels for higher-spec versions, a first for the Juke. Ponz Pandikuthira, Nissan Europe’s product planning chief, said that although the Juke has “grown up”, it has been developed to offer improved performance and will still retain “the fun-to-drive qualities that have always made it stand out”. The new model is now built on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s CMF-B platform, which is also used for the new Renault Captur and Clio. As a result, the new Juke measures 4210mm long, 1595mm tall and 1800mm wide, making it 85mm longer and 170mm wider than the previous model, but 30mm lower. The wheelbase is also 105mm longer than previously. Despite the increased size, extra use of high-strength steel in the new platform has helped make the machine 23kg lighter than its predecessor. Nissan claims the new platform is more rigid and “offers better stability, performance and cornering capabilities”. Nissan says knee room in the rear has been extended by 58mm and the boot is 422 litres, substantially up from the 354 litres of the previous model, and only 8 litres less than the Qashqai’s luggage space. To aid the focus on interior comfort, ‘monoform’ seats – like those in the latest Qashqai – are standard and can be optioned with Alcantara or leather upholstery. The new Juke will be launched with a single engine choice: a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo, offering 115bhp and taken from the Nissan Micra. It will be available with a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic. The firm remains coy on future engine plans, but development boss Matthew Ewing said it is “evaluating options for extending the powertrain lineup.” Ewing did, however, confirm no diesel engines would be offered. “For expected Juke users, the 1.0-litre powertrain has a good balance of performance and economy,” he commented. Alongside the 1.0-litre petrol, expect a higher-powered 1.5-litre petrol and eventually a Nismo, which would likely outperform the current generation’s 198bhp. Given the new Captur is gaining a plug-in hybrid model, an electrified powertrain could also reach the new Juke at some point. Ewing confirmed the platform had not been developed for a pure electric powertrain, adding that Nissan did not yet know if a third-generation Juke would offer a zero-emission model. Nissan may choose to only offer electric in standalone models as it currently does with the Leaf. For the first time, the Juke will be offered with the latest version of Nissan’s ProPilot driver assistance systems, including steering and braking assist. It will also be available with the most recent version of the NissanConnect infotainment system, which uses an 8.0in touchscreen and is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The audio set-up can be upgraded with an eight-speaker Bose sound system. The maker describes the new Juke as the “most connected Nissan yet” with features including over-the-air updates, wifi (with monthly fee) and remote locking plus the ability to check the health of your car via an app. The Juke will be offered in five trim levels, with entry-level Visia models costing from £17,395 and range-topping Tekna+ costing £23,895. Buyers who opt for Tekna+ trim will be able to choose from multiple colour combinations for the body, roof and interior upholstery, along with customisable bumpers and side sills. The launch line-up will also include a limited-run Premiere Edition. It’s based on the Tekna+ trim level and just 140 examples will be offered in the UK, priced from £23,995. The Juke will continue to be built at Nissan’s Sunderland plant and first deliveries are expected in
Origin: New Nissan Juke is bigger, cleaner, more ‘grown up’
Tesla exempt from China’s new 10-per-cent car sales tax
Elon Musk with Shanghai mayor Ying Yong at the groundbreaking of Teslas first Chinese plantSupplied / Getty Images Tesla won exemption from a 10-per-cent Chinese tax on automotive sales, sidestepping trade tensions with the U.S. following CEO Elon Musks visit to the country.The exemption, which typically is reserved for domestic makers of electric vehicles, affects all Tesla models sold in China, the nations industry ministry said Friday on its website.Chinas concession to one of Americas most high-profile companies comes amid heightened uncertainty as to where the trade war between the two countries is headed. A week ago, President Donald Trump ordered U.S. companies to immediately begin looking for alternatives to China, only to later suggest that tensions were cooling.During a two-day visit, Musk made an appearance at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, debating Alibaba Group Chairman Jack Ma onstage.He also spoke with local authorities and toured a new gigafactory being built about 70 kilometers away from the city center. That was followed by a meeting with Chinas Minister of Transportation, Li Xiaopeng, on Friday in Beijing, according to government news reports.The sales-tax reprieve could partially offset retaliatory tariffs that may be put on Teslas and other U.S.-built cars later this year. China announced last week that it would increase tariffs on American autos by 25 percentage points to 40 per cent on December 15, in reaction to new levies the Trump administration plans on Chinese exports. Analysts at Evercore ISI estimate that Tesla will incur US$620 million in incremental cost if the higher duties are imposed.Tesla currently imports all of the cars it sells in China but plans to make the Model 3, its best-selling vehicle, at the new plant starting late this year. The company on Friday raised prices in China as trade tensions weigh on the countrys
Origin: Tesla exempt from China’s new 10-per-cent car sales tax
Frankfurt motor show 2019 preview: one week to go
The Frankfurt motor show is traditionally one of the biggest events on the motoring calendar, and this year is no exception, with game-changing unveilings expected from Porsche, Volkswagen, Land Rover and more. Especially notable this year is a heightened emphasis on new electric cars. As well as the Volkswagen ID 3, we’ll also get a look at the Honda E, Porsche Taycan, Peugeot e-2008 and others as manufacturers hit the ground running with plans for universal electrification. That being said, there will no doubt be quite a crowd gathered around conventionally fuelled new cars like the Land Rover Defender, Audi RS7 and BMW X6. We’ve been getting ready for the show, and have compiled a list of all the important models we’re expecting to see when the doors open on 12 September. We’ll be updating it as we learn more, so keep an eye on our complete rundown to ensure you don’t miss a thing: Alpina B3 Biturbo We’ve still got a while to wait until BMW takes the wraps off the G20-gen M3, but tuning specialist Alpina is ready to unveil its M340i-based B3 Biturbo. Expected to make its debut in estate form, the B3 will fill the gap between the regular 3 Series and hot M3 with a 400bhp-plus 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six. Audi RS Q3 The wraps came off Audi’s new Q3 Sportback last month, and now Audi Sport’s RS-badged reworking is set to break cover at Frankfurt. The Mercedes-AMG GLB 45 rival has been driving around with minimal camouflage ahead of its arrival, and is expected to pack a 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine pumping out around 400bhp. RS6 Audi Sport’s flagship wagon retains its twin-turbo 4.0-litre petrol V8 as it moves into a fourth generation for 2020, with power upgraded to 591bhp to take on the Mercedes-AMG E63 S and BMW M5. Visual differences over the standard A6 include trademark chunkier wheel arches, larger air intakes and bigger wheels. RS7 Sportback The new RS7 Sportback will be the hero car for Audi Sport’s range of performance models, sharing a 600bhp-plus V8 with the RS6. As with the outgoing variant, power will be sent to all four wheels by way of an eight-speed automatic gearbox, while an 80kg weight loss should bring subtle performance gains. A3 Audi will introduce the fourth generation of its popular A3 in 2020 and is expected to show off the Volkswagen Golf rival at Frankfurt. Its launch has been pushed back due to Audi’s struggles with WLTP emissions testing and a heightened focus on EV development, but the company promises the new A3 will be the most advanced car in its segment and set new standards of refinement. S8, SQ8 and Q7 facelift We’ll also get our first in-the-metal look at the S8 performance saloon, one of only two models in Audi’s S range to retain a petrol powerplant, as well as the new SQ8 hot SUV and facelifted Q7 seven-seater. BMW X6 The recently revealed third-generation X6 will make its public debut in Frankfurt before it enters UK showrooms, priced from around £63,000. The coupé-style high-rider’s looks have been brought into line with the brand’s current design language, and a refreshed range of powertrain options is headed up by a 523bhp 4.4-litre petrol V8 yielding a claimed 0-62mph time of 4.3sec and a limited 155mph top speed. Vision M Next The Vision M concept is BMW’s idea of what a comeback for the M1 supercar of 1978 might look like. Previewing a production sports car tipped to arrive before 2025, the Vision M packs a 591bhp petrol-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain that’s also destined to appear in more mainstream BMW M performance models further down the line. Cupra Tavascan Seat’s newly hived-off performance brand Cupra will show off the Tavascan as a concept version of its first EV, which takes the form of a coupé-style SUV based on the Volkswagen Group’s universal MEB architecture. Its rakish roofline, angular front end and distinctive headlight design imply the production model will be a performance-oriented reworking of the Seat el-Born electric hatchback. Honda The Honda E electric city car was first revealed in 95%-production-ready prototype guise at the Geneva motor show in March, but it’s finally ready to emerge in its final form before customer deliveries begin next year. Expect little to change in the way of styling, with more than 6000 UK buyers alone having already expressed interest in buying an E. Hyundai Electric racer Frankfurt will see the unveiling of Hyundai’s first all-electric race car, which has been developed in Germany and previewed in a series of videos posted to the firm’s Twitter feed. Details remain scarce, but the new model is likely to be based on the existing i30 N TCR customer racer. Last year, rival firm Cupra revealed early details of the 670bhp Seat Leon-based e-Racer, to enter an upcoming electric touring car race series, which Hyundai is also expected to support. Electric concept car Hyundai will also show off its new ’45’
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