Exclusive: the future of Ford, according to its bosses

One hundred years ago nearly half of the cars on British roads were Fords. Henry Ford opened his first dealership here in 1910. A year later he chose Trafford Park, Manchester, as the site of his first Model T factory outside the US. He built the first British cars before 1911 and by 1914 he was making cars there on a moving production line. On that beginning Ford’s leading position in the UK car market was founded, along with the enduring notion that Ford is a British company. Although the Blue Oval no longer makes cars or vans here, it does make huge numbers of engines and employs 3000 engineers at its Dunton design and engineering centre. But over the past decade it has struggled to make profits in Europe and has been through several bouts of ‘right-sizing’, involving retrenchments and plant closures, without much improvement of the bottom line. Meanwhile, its all-American rival General Motors has sold up and departed Europe for good. Given all this, and the unprecedented challenges car makers face over the next decade, we thought it right to visit Ford’s epicentre in Dearborn, Michigan, to meet the company’s leaders and learn their plans for the future, for Europe and for the UK. The following story reveals our findings. Darren Palmer: meet ‘Mr EV’ Darren Palmer remembers the moment his vision of electric cars changed. It drove him to leave a dream job launching exciting conventional cars to lead Ford’s headlong dash towards an entirely new kind of battery-propelled mobility. “I was in charge of Mustang, Explorer and Lincoln’s performance models, and having a great time,” Palmer recalls. Then out of the blue he got the call. The new challenge, it turned out, was to become product development director of Ford’s Project Edison, a 70-strong cross-functional think-tank set up in a former hosiery factory in Detroit’s Corktown district to conceive a new range of high-performance EVs. “I was unsure at first,” Palmer recalls. “For me, electric cars were more about sensible buying than the exciting cars I knew. Then Sherif Marakby, our autonomous vehicle CEO, said, ‘trust me this is going to be the next big development in cars’. When you know them, you’ll love them. And he was right. “I just couldn’t believe how good these new cars were. They could do things you’d never do in an ICE (internal combustion-engined) car. They were just better.” Such passion from Palmer, a tall, fast-talking Englishman who has spent much of his 28-year Ford career on the fast-track, is all the more powerful for the fact that this is the man who delivered Ford’s much-loved Fiesta ST200, a skunkworks pocket-rocket universally admired. He also delivered the Mustang to Europe, proudly watching it become the world’s best-selling sports car. He’s a car lover since childhood, so when he starts talking about this new strain of EVs being “sexy and emotional”, you need to listen. The big plan, first publicised by Ford around 18 months ago and expanded since, is to spend $11 billion on a cycle of exciting EVs beginning next year. Under the deal recently agreed with Volkswagen, Fords built on the MEB platform will kick in from 2023. The flow will start next year with a ‘Mustang-based crossover’. The name Mach One was floated early on, although it has since emerged that it will be called the Mach E. A battery Ford F150 will come before 2022, says Palmer, and a fully electric Transit. Palmer won’t confirm that a Ranger or Bronco (the famous compact 4×4 that’s returning with conventional power after disappearing in the mid-1990s) are in the BEV mix, but he doesn’t deny it either. “We’re hitting our biggest icons first,” he says, “but we have more. And we’ll keep working through them.” Meanwhile, starting now, Ford is launching a new or renewed supporting range of smaller plug-in hybrids, first being the Escape SUV (our Kuga) with a larger Explorer not far behind, although it isn’t currently planned for the UK. Project Edison grew out of an earlier plan to build a second generation of the decent but dull economy BEVs, such as a second-generation electric Focus. But the decision to stop making saloons in the US, along with a realisation that the way to sell new BEVs at a profit was to build exciting cars closely related to existing icons, brought a new philosophy. “We decided very carefully where we’d play in the electric car market, and that every one would amplify the characteristics of the model it was based on. Each one had to be extremely desirable, but at an attainable price,” says Palmer. “These cars won’t necessarily be cheap, but they’ll be gotta-have-it models, sold at a price we judge is attainable for our existing customers. They’re our focus. Ford has always democratised technology and this will be more of the same. But early adopters of BEVs have a lot to deal with, so Project Edison is working on every aspect of ownership, from the minute someone considers an electric car, through the whole
Origin: Exclusive: the future of Ford, according to its bosses

Autocar readers visit Bentley HQ for exclusive concept viewing

The histories of Autocar and Bentley have frequently intertwined over the past century, but the Crewe-based luxury car maker set an entirely new standard earlier this month by treating 30 Autocar subscribers, plus their friends and partners, to an exclusive concept car world premiere of their own. A few days earlier, the company had invited a strictly limited group of the world’s automotive journalists to Crewe to see the wraps come off the EXP 100 GT, a magnificent electric four-wheel drive luxury saloon concept, intended to show what luxury motoring could be like in 2035, from the points of view of styling, interior design, flexible accommodation, convenience and new materials that might be available. Similar in length (5.8m) to the longest Bentley Mulsanne limo in production, the 100 GT was configured both for autonomous and normal driving, under the theme of “extraordinary journeys”, either with the steering wheel retracted and the car in full self-driving mode, or with the driver taking charge on enjoyable roads. Bentley board member Astrid Fontaine explained the thinking behind the car to our Autocar group, while head of exterior design JP Gregory talked about the key design cues of the EXP 100 GT. Afterwards, both took part in a QA involving Autocar and Bentley people. The audience, who stayed for lunch, showed a keen appreciation of the car’s magnificent styling, and a passionate interest in the whole subject of electrification and the part it will play in 2035 motoring. But questions ranged far and wide, even including one reader’s forthright criticism of the shape of the current Bentayga SUV. Bentley’s diplomatic answer: it suits the customers who choose it, sir… All attendees – readers (two of whom brought Bentleys of their own), Crewe staff and Autocar writers – enjoyed this special occasion, which is fortuitous because right across its long history, Autocar has set out to be more than a magazine (and lately a website) but also the centre of a thriving, like-minded, car loving community. We’re already hatching plans to stage more of these events, one of the first likely to be an Autocar visit to Plant Oxford, the Mini factory. Keep reading the magazine and website and we’ll publish full
Origin: Autocar readers visit Bentley HQ for exclusive concept viewing

Exclusive: McLaren to launch extreme open-cockpit speedster

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

Exclusive: McLaren to launch elegant open-cockpit speedster

Aston Martin will withhold DBX production just to keep it exclusive

Despite the fact it’s getting into the SUV game so it can simply sell more vehicles, Aston Martin will reportedly limit production of the upcoming DBX in an effort to retain the brand’s exclusive reputation. As the brand’s first SUV, it’s likely that the DBX will sell more than any other Aston — and that’s kind of the problem. Andy Palmer, the British luxury automaker’s CEO, told Australian website Carsales that DBX production will be capped for the first year unlike other luxury brands, which continue to chase larger numbers. “I purposefully restrained production to 5,000 units — for exactly that reason,” Palmer told the publication, speaking to the brand’s rep as a maker of premium automobiles. “There’s always a tendency when you’ve got an order book to turn everything up. And when you do that, you start making mistakes, in my experience.”Despite the self-imposed limits, Aston Martin is still aiming to double its output by 2025. Palmer explains how the overall production numbers will be increased over time. “When the Lagonda comes in 2023, we’ll turn it up to 7,000 but we’ll leave it at that, with around 4,000 DBXs rolling off the line and another 3,000 Lagondas,” he said.The brand anticipates many of the initial DBX sales will go to Aston Martin owners who already own an SUV. The DBX is already in the works at Aston’s Wales plant and is slated for a public debut sometime later this year.
Origin: Aston Martin will withhold DBX production just to keep it exclusive

Exclusive: Gordon Murray tells Autocar about his 2022 hypercar

As Gordon Murray lays out preliminary details of his 2022 T.50 hypercar, we speak to the father of the McLaren F1 to find out why he’s not obsessed with lap records, how the model will achieve segment-leading downforce figures and why it will be better than 1994’s fastest car in every way. How do you relate the T.50 to the McLaren F1 you designed? “It’s fair to call T.50 today’s equivalent of the F1. That was certainly our intention. Of course, it’s very different because the materials and technologies available today are so much better than they were. I look at the toolbox we’ve got at our disposal now and it excites me more than ever.” Does your different approach with the T.50 mean you don’t think much of current hypercars? “Not true. I’ve driven them all and many are brilliant. Most are amazingly capable. But they’re nearly all heavy, which is something you can disguise at times but which really tells when you’re talking driver involvement. You simply feel the weight. Heavy cars don’t get the hairs on the back of your neck rising the way a powerful, ultra-lightweight car does.” Why are you determined not to chase lap records and performance figures with the T.50? “I just don’t see the point. F1 was quick and T.50 will be quicker. In any case, you’re on a hiding to nothing. Pick some extraordinary top speed, design your car to attain it, and soon someone will come along and beat it – because it’s all he wants to do. Building your car to chase targets compromises it in other ways and we’re trying to build an uncompromised car.” You talk a lot about the disappearance of clean and pure styling. What’s that about? “Modern supercar styling can be pretty ugly and the excuse is that the car has been ‘styled by the wind tunnel’. I think that’s cobblers. It shouldn’t be true. With our fan providing T.50’s downforce, we can give it ideal proportions and clean lines.” And the T.50’s styling extends to the engine bay? “Very much so. We did it with F1 and we’re doing it better this time. We won’t just have a big composite panel that looks a bit like an engine, as others do. You’ll be able to see our engineering. We’ve even designed the engine with internal galleries for the pipes and wires so you’ll see beautiful cam covers, inlet trumpets and exhausts. It’ll look like engines are supposed to look.” The F1 had a gold-lined engine bay. Will you do that again? “It’s possible. If gold is still the best medium for reflecting heat when we get to build our cars in 2022, we’ll probably use it.” Why not make an all-electric hypercar? “Just about the most ridiculous thing you could do at present is make an electric supercar. With batteries in their current state, you’d end up with something that weighed two tonnes, would go well in a straight line for a while, but wouldn’t corner because of the weight, and wouldn’t have much range. Our new car is the opposite of an electric supercar in just about every
Origin: Exclusive: Gordon Murray tells Autocar about his 2022 hypercar

Exclusive: Government won’t reinstate plug-in hybrid grants

The UK government will not reinstate a grant for the purchase of new plug-in hybrid vehicles, Jesse Norman, Minister of State for the Department for Transport, has told Autocar. The grant was modified in October last year, with only electric vehicles qualifying for a £3500 subsidy. Previously, the subsidies for hybrid and electric vehicles ranged from £2500 to £4500, depending on the model’s zero-emissions range. “We have to spend the tax payers’ money in a way that reflects the changing market,” said Norman. “The evidence was very clear: owners of plug-in hybrids were not plugging them in, negating the environmental benefits and undermining the incentives. “Instead, our focus is very much on pushing battery electric vehicles. It is where we have to get to and where we can see the biggest benefits. If I look at the electric bicycle industry and how that has taken off and been opened up then I see great opportunity. Today you can buy an electric bike at Aldi for £500 – and that wasn’t the case a few years ago. “I expect the prices of electric cars to come down dramatically in the same way and I’m not prepared to spend tax payers’ money incentivising technology that doesn’t reflect this changing market.” Manufacturers of plug-in hybrid vehicles and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) had vigorously campaigned for an incentive to be reintroduced, saying its withdrawal had damaged the transition to low emission vehicles. Last month sales of plug-in hybrids dropped 34 per cent to 1922 units, compared with 2929 last April when the incentive was still in place. While supply issues of the latest plug-in hybrids have been identified as one reason for this, SMMT chief Mike Hawes said the figures were also “evidence of the consequences of prematurely removing upfront purchase incentives before the market is ready.” Mitsubishi, maker of the best-selling Outlander PHEV presented evidence suggesting that UK owners of the car cover half their average weekly mileage in electric mode, substantially lessening the model’s environmental impact. Although Norman didn’t confirm if the government’s decision had been based on data from Holland, which indicated that many plug-in hybrid cars weren’t being charged, when asked about Mitsubishi’s UK-specific data he added: “I am not prepared to look back and make retrospective changes that undermine the benefits full battery-electric vehicles can bring.” Reports suggest the German government is on the cusp of raising its grant for full electric cars to €4000 (£3400) – a figure which must be matched by the selling manufacturer – on cars costing less than €30,000
Origin: Exclusive: Government won’t reinstate plug-in hybrid grants