2020 Buick Encore GXBuick The upcoming 2020 Buick Encore GX reminder: its a separate model from the Encore and not simply a trim level will offer the choice of two different engines when it goes on sale next year. Neither of them are very large.Taking a peek at GM Canadas fleet order guide, we find the mystifyingly-named Encore GX will be offered in three trims, Preferred, Select, and Essence.Only the Preferred model will be available with either front- or all-wheel-drive; the latter two are AWD-only in the Great White North.This lone front-wheel-drive Encore GX will receive a 1.2-litre three-pot turbo making 137 horsepower at 5000 rpm and 166 lb.-ft. of torque at 2500 rpm. It will be lashed to a CVT gearbox. Eighteen-inch aluminum wheels are the sole offering no matter the trim, so at least buyers of the base model neednt suffer the indignity of hubcaps.All-wheel drive Preferred models, and all Select and Essence trims, will be powered by a 1.3-litre turbo four producing 155 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 174 lb.-ft. of torque at just 1500 rpm. The combination of more torque at a lower engine speed, and the fact this engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic and not a soul-sucking CVT, leads your author to believe these will be the Encore GX volume models.In case youre wondering, the non-GX Encore offers but one engine in this country a 1.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder mill that makes 138 hp and cares not one whit if the car is front- or all-wheel-drive. It seems curious that Buick would source different engines with near-as-makes-no-difference displacement and power outputs for two machines that share two-thirds of a name.To refresh your memory, the upcoming Encore GX is ever so slightly larger than the Encore, with the former measuring 171.4 inches long and the latter casting a 168.4 inch shadow. GX is about an inch taller and wider, riding on a 1.5-inch longer wheelbase. All other measures headroom, legroom are virtually identical. The GX does claim an extra five cubes of cargo volume behind the rear
Origin: Buick Encore GX to earn brace of small-displacement turbo engines
engines
GM trashes the Equinox and Terrain diesel engines for 2020
2018 Chevrolet Equinox Premier Diesel AWD Thanks to the misdeeds of a few automakers, diesel-powered engines are currently enjoying the popularity of toothpaste-flavoured ice cream.This excepts large-and-in-charge pickup trucks, of course, as prodigious oil-burning torque remains the choice for getting work done. In the mainstream, however, its definitely fading from public consciousness.Chalk up another cancellation to market demand, then, as Chevy will not be renewing the diesel engine option in the Equinox crossover for the 2020 model year.Gearheads over at The Car Connection were told by Chevy spox earlier this week that the engine wont return thanks to poor demand.A quick check of the Canadian fleet order guide for General Motors confirms this decision will carry over to this country as well. In addition to binning the 1.6-litre turbo-diesel for 2020, the trim levels of 3LT and 3LZ will also vanish.The usual colour-naming dance is also being performed, with some shades like Orange Burst being swapped out for the likes of Cayenne Orange. A fresh Midnight Edition murders out all the chrome, while content that was once part of a Driver Confidence Plus package is now standard equipment.In case youre wondering, the GMC sales staff across the showroom also have one less diesel engine in their catalog. The 2020 fleet guide spells out deletions for the GMC Terrain, erasures which include the turbo-diesel. Minor trim and equipment changes are also on tap for the upcoming model year. These changes are reflected on the American fleet guide as well.The diesel was available in these crossovers for a couple of years, producing only 137 horsepower but a healthy 240 lb.-ft. of torque. It was paired with a six-speed automatic, a box which possibly explains its relatively meh real-world fuel economy, even though Chevy advertises an efficiency of 6.0 L/100 km on its Canadian
Origin: GM trashes the Equinox and Terrain diesel engines for 2020
BMW expects to build diesel engines for another 20 years
Diesel power, in the guise of the new 2014 328d, returns to BMWs 3 Series lineup. BMW may be heavily investing in electric vehicles, but it expects to continue building petroleum-fueled engines, with diesel lasting at least 20 years and gasoline another decade after that.Speaking with Automotive News Europe, Klaus Frhlich, BMW Group board member of development, said even with battery-electric and plug-in hybrids, he expects at least 80 per cent of the companys vehicles will still have an internal combustion engine by 2025.A best assumption would be just 30 per cent electrified sales by 2025, Frhlich added.We see areas without a recharging infrastructure, such as Russia, the Middle East, and the western internal part of China, so they will rely on gasoline engines for another 10 to 15 years, Frhlich told the magazine. He said the coastal part of China, and cities like Beijing and Shanghai, will be battery-electric in about ten years, while Europe is more likely to embrace plug-in hybrids. In the U.S., he expects battery-electrics to sell mainly on the west coast and in parts of the east coast, but they will not become mainstream vehicles. In order to create emissions credits for environmental regulations, the company will most likely offer sportier, more powerful BMW M plug-in hybrids to American (and no doubt Canadian) customers.Frhlich told Automotive News Europe that the shift to electrification is overhyped, and that battery-electric vehicles cost more in terms of raw materials for batteries. This will continue and could eventually worsen, as demand for these raw materials increases.BMW will abandon a 1.5-L three-cylinder diesel it sells in Europe because its too costly to engineer it to comply with tightening emissions standards. Frhlich also said the company wont design a successor to the six-cylinder, 400-horsepower diesel in the 750d, since its too pricey and complicated to build due to its four turbochargers.The automaker will continue to engineer four- and six-cylinder diesels, but with no more than three turbochargers. Its working on a business case to continue its eight-cylinder gasoline engines, but will eventually drop its V12, which only sells about 5,000 copies per year globally including at Rolls-Royce and which has to be regularly updated to meet new emissions standards, especially in
Origin: BMW expects to build diesel engines for another 20 years
Audi Q7 SUV mid-life update brings new engines and styling
Audi has given the Q7 a major makeover with new styling and upgraded kit to bring it in line with the rest of its SUV range – with every engine featuring electrified technology. The five or seven-seat SUV will go on sale in September with a choice of two 3.0-litre diesel engines, producing 228bhp and 282bhp respectively, and a 335bhp 3.0-litre petrol engine. All three units are mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox and a 48V mild-hybrid electrical system, which allows coasting for up to 40 seconds with the engine switched off. Those will be followed soon after by a plug-in hybrid petrol version – technical details of which are yet to be disclosed – and the hot SQ7, which features the same 429bhp 664lb ft 4.0-litre twin-turbo mild-hybrid TDI engine used in the new SQ8. The revamped Q7 features an updated design to bring it in line with Audi’s other SUV range, including a new-look grille and new standard LED headlights. The rear features a new chrome strip that runs between the rear lights. While it sits on the same platform as before, the new Q7 is 11mm longer at 5063mm, although its wheelbase of 2994mm remains unchanged. Audi has put a major focus into the car’s interior to match the rest of the range, including the latest version of Audi’s twin touchscreen MMI infotainment system, featuring a main screen of up to 10.1in. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit system is standard, with an optional head-up display available. In five-door form the Q7 has 865 litres of boot space, rising to 2050 litres with the seats folded. The new Q7 is available with optional electromechanical active roll stabilisation and all-wheel steering to boost handling, along with standard steel spring or optional air suspension. The SQ7 version has gained unique design touches including a revamped grille and chrome exhaust pipes, along with 20in wheels and upgraded brakes measuring 400mm at the front and 370mm at the rear. Carbon fibre-ceramic brake discs are available as an option. The revamped Q7 is due on sale in the UK in October, priced at around
Origin: Audi Q7 SUV mid-life update brings new engines and styling
Renault Koleos updated with new engines, looks and kit
Renault has revealed an updated version of the Koleos, bringing the large SUV into line with its recently refreshed Kadjar sibling. External changes are as subtle as they are on the Kadjar and include an altered grille, new skid plates front and rear and additional chrome. LED headlights are now standard fit across the range, while new two-tone alloy wheels and a Vintage Red paint scheme are added. Interior upgrades include new soft-touch materials, trim details and two-stage reclining rear seats on all models. A new pedestrian detection function has been added to the active emergency braking system, while the infotainment now gets full-screen Apple CarPlay capability. Renault has also added two new diesel engines to the Koleos. The first is a 148bhp 1.8-litre unit, replacing the 1.6-litre diesel in the outgoing model. It’s front-wheel-drive only, puts out 250lb ft of torque and is claimed to emit 143g/km of CO2 emissions. A new 2.0-litre also features with 187bhp and 280lb ft of torque, claiming 150g/km of CO2. The marque has seemingly taken the opportunity to make both engines CVT-only, reflecting the decreased popularity of manual transmissions in this class. Greater refinement is also claimed, while the more powerful diesel comes with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system. Alongside the material changes, Renault has also simplified the Koleos range. Two trim levels are now offered: Iconic and GT-Line, with standard kit increased over the previous base model. Prices will be announced in July, with deliveries expected in
Origin: Renault Koleos updated with new engines, looks and kit
Ferrari won’t supply engines to Maserati after 2022
2018 Maserati GranTurismo MCMaserati Maserati has had the proverbial rug pulled out from under it, with Ferrari announcing it would no longer supply engines to its Italian cousin. Ferrari CEO Louis Camilleri broke the news during his Q1 earnings call; the entire transcript is available through The Motley Fool. Eventually, we will no longer supply engines to Maserati, which from our perspective is actually a good thing, both from a margin perspective, but also the fact that we can transfer a lot of the labor that’s been focused on the engines to the car side of the business, Camilleri said. He added it would officially stop supplying Maserati with engines by 2021 or 2022. Arguably, the best reason to buy a Maserati was because of the Ferrari engine, which the company has been using since 2002 when it was in the same bed with Ferrari under Fiat’s roof. Ferrari was spun off from FCA in 2015 but continued to supply its 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8; 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6; and 4.7-litre naturally aspirated V8 engines to Maserati. Maserati was depending on the inclusion of Ferrari engines to help it revitalize its products, which haven’t been selling so well lately. As Maserati prepares for an advertising assault and an onslaught of new products, it will have to find a better selling point than the Ferrari engine. Perhaps Germany’s Mercedes-AMG, an engine supplier to many brands, would like to swoop in and take Ferrari’s place? More likely, Maserati will reach into the FCA parts bin for its engines, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We would do filthy things with a Hellcat-powered Grand Sport, you can bet on
Origin: Ferrari won’t supply engines to Maserati after 2022
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