The Polestar 2 features a 440-kilometre full-charge range and a price of $69,000 for a fully loaded model.Polestar Volvos tuning-arm-turned-full-EV-manufacturer, Polestar, is opening its first dealership in North America. The location chosen for the premiere store? Montreal.According to Automotive News, the Swedish brand, now owned by Chinese company Geely, will open up its first retail store on Groupe Park Avenue, in Brossard, Quebec near Montreal.Hugues Bissonnette, a Quebec native, has been appointed the brands Canadian manager. Hugues was most recently the director of sales operations for Volvo Cars Canada; now he will spearhead all of Polestars Canadian commercial efforts.Hugues has the right skill set, developed over time working in both the Americas and Europe, and I am confident he will have great success launching Polestar in Canada, Gregor Hembrough, head of Polestar in the Americas, said in a statement. The company calls the dealerships Polestar Spaces, and this latest Space will be run in partnership with Groupe Park Avenue, which runs 18 auto dealerships split between 12 different brands. The Polestar dealer will have no inventory, however; the vehicles will be made to order.On top of this principal Space, there will also be smaller retail Spaces in high-traffic areas closer to downtown that can house two or three cars and a few no-commission product specialists and demonstrators.Polestar Montreal will open in 2020, and will be followed by Polestar Spaces in Toronto and Vancouver before making its way down to the
Origin: The first North American Polestar dealership will be in Montreal
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Mazda releases more details on its first EV
Mazda’s first electric vehicle, to be revealed at Tokyo motor show next week, will develop the design language first seen on the recently launched Mazda3 to reflect “futuristic values and changing lifestyles,” said the car maker. The model, which will go on sale next year, has a coupe-like cabin and “achieves a lightweight look by adopting a unique door concept”. Mazda added that the front face bears a “friendly expression”. The interior is said to use empty spaces around the centre console to create a closeness between the driver and passenger seats. Mazda added that interior materials were chosen for comfort and “eco-friendliness”, both of which are intended to make the cabin comfortable. The model, previewed by the e-TPV prototype, will adopt an SUV bodystyle, which can more easily accommodate an underfloor battery pack. The latest information from Mazda follows confirmation last month that it would launch its first electric car on 23 October. The model, previewed by the e-TPV prototype, is expected to adopt an SUV bodystyle, which can more easily accommodate an underfloor battery pack. It will use a similar set-up to the prototype, which has a 35.5kWh battery and a single electric motor delivering 138bhp and 195lb ft of torque to the the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. The EV is likely to have a range between 120 and 150 miles, similar to the new Mini Electric but significantly less than more obvious rivals, such as the 279-mile Hyundai Kona Electric. It will be able to accept 6.6kW domestic charging and 50kW public rapid charging. Mazda will also introduce a modern version of its famed rotary engine in a range-extender variant of the EV. Two years ago, Mazda boss Mitsuo Hitomi confirmed that, rather than being used in its purest form, a rotary engine will be used as an EV range-extender. He said: “The rotary engine isn’t particularly efficient to use as a range-extender, but when we turn on a rotary, it’s much, much quieter compared to other manufacturers’ range-extenders”. The Japanese firm’s range hasn’t featured a rotary-engined road car since the RX-8 went out of production in 2012, but it did produce a rotary range-extender Mazda 2 prototype – which Autocar drove – back in 2013. It has remained interested in reintroducing the technology to production since. The Mazda RX-Vision Concept, which was shown at the Tokyo motor show in 2015, used such a powertrain. Mazda has eschewed hybrid and electric models in recent years, instead choosing to focus on improving the efficiency of its petrol engines. This year, it introduced spark plug-controlled compression ignition to the latest Mazda 3, with the promise that it will “combine the economy and torque of a diesel engine with the performance and lower emissions of a petrol
Origin: Mazda releases more details on its first EV
First Drive: 2020 Audi RS 7
2020 Audi RS 7Graeme Fletcher / Driving There was very little wrong with the outgoing Audi RS 7. The only nit boiled down to the fact there just wasnt enough visual differentiation between the regular A7 and its uber-fast sibling. The design team mustve heard the comment and styled the new model accordingly; the 2020 RS 7 shares just four bits with the mortal A7 the front doors, roof and platform. Thats it!Up front, the grille is more pronounced with larger air inlets, and the front fenders are 20 millimetres wider on each side. It is, to use Audi-speak, now a wide body. The headlights are also new dynamic matrix LEDs with slick daytime running lights embedded within. It also has a bolder tail with stronger shoulders, an RS-specific bumper with a rear diffuser, and a new take on the taillights. The overall effect is fetching and differentiated, to say the least.Inside, the changes are relatively small. The RS front buckets are superb, holding the riders in place without confining, and Audis Virtual Cockpit has been reworked so the serious driver can track the g-forces within the instrument cluster and the forces at play when the RS7 is driven hard climb very quickly.When pushed through a fast left-hander heading onto an unrestricted section of Autobahn the RS 7 was pulling 1.22 G. After merging onto the highway with foot buried, the RS 7 just kept pulling to 293 km/h. At this point, the tunnel vision forced a lift! While the top speed is capped at 250 km/h, adding the dynamic package plus bumps it to 305 km/h. The package adds all-wheel steering, Audis sport rear differential, and massive carbon ceramic rotors with 10-piston front calipers this combination is necessary to keep things sane at speeds that would see a Boeing 787 Dreamliner lift off.The blistering turn of speed and the manner in which the RS 7 makes light work of a hairpin is down to the work beneath the brightwork. It starts with the 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8. This thing can be likened to lightning in a bottle; keep the cap on and its a controlled light show that sees the RS 7 purr about town in a quiet and civilized manner. Uncap it, though, and the 592 horsepower and, more importantly, the 590 pound-feet of torque anywhere between 2,050 and 4,500 rpm flash to the fore and give real meaning to fast. There is no turbo lag off the line and the mid-range punch is astounding. The potent V8 also works with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and cylinder deactivation to improve fuel economy. In the end, the RS 7 runs to 100 km/h in 3.6 seconds. Thats excellent, but it does not speak to the pace through mid-range and beyond. It turns out the human thumb is not fast enough to log an accurate 80 to 120 km/h passing time. Lets just say it sits just over two seconds.The power is relayed to the optional P285/30R22 tires and an RS-tuned version of Audis Quattro all-wheel-drive system through an eight-speed manumatic transmission. In this case, the Quattro system sends 60 per cent of the power to the rear wheels and 40 to the front, giving the RS 7 a rear-drive feel. However, the system can send up to 85 per cent of the power rearward, or up to 70 up front, if conditions demand. The RS 7 also delivers real-time torque vectoring by physically altering the drive being sent to the left or right wheel through a corner.This action, combined with the dynamic variable rate steering, sees the RS 7 dive into a corner with tenacity and unerring precision. This is amped up with the new all-wheel steering system; at speed the rear wheels turn in the same direction as the fronts to sharpen the response. In a parking, lot they turn in the opposite direction, cutting the turning circle by one metre.The 2020 Audi RS 7 is a riotous ride that touches both ends of the performance spectrum perfectlyThere are two suspension choices. The first is the RS adaptive air suspension with a 10-millimetre lower ride height compared to the A7. While it will likely be the more popular choice, its the RS Sport Suspension Plus with Dynamic Ride Control (DRC) that delivers the best balance between ride comfort and outright handling. The air springs are replaced with steel springs and there are three-stage dampers. The softest setting is taut but compliant, but at the opposite end, the RS 7 hunkers down and rides out a corner with basically no body roll. Given the RS 7 weighs in at 2,065 kilograms, it handles more like the smaller RS 5 than the large luxury sedan that it is.The only piece of overkill is the number of driving modes. Along with Efficiency, Comfort, Auto, and Dynamic come two customizable modes RS1 and RS2. If you factor in the engine/transmission, steering, suspension, all-wheel-drive and exhaust sound adjustments, each of which has three sub-settings, along with the drive and sport modes for the transmission, the possible permutations are bewildering.Cut to the chase and leave Auto as the default mode. Select city-friendly settings for all facets and
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Audi RS 7
Volvo reveals XC40 Recharge as first full electric model
The four-wheel-drive XC40 Recharge features two 201bhp electric motors, one mounted on each axle, that combine to offer 402bhp and 487lb ft of torque. That enables it to achieve 0-62mph in 4.9 secs, with a limited top speed of 112mph. Power is drawn from a 78kWh underfloor battery, with Volvo citing a WLTP-certified range of more than 248 miles. Charging is available through an 11kW AC charger or a 150kW DC fast-charger, which the firm says can deliver an 80% charge in 40 minutes. The vehicle largely retains the exterior and interior styling of the conventional XC40, albeit with the addition of a new sealed fascia in place of the traditional radiator grille for the combustion engine. The model also gets Recharge branding and other minor design tweaks, while the charging port is located on the rear pillar of the car in the same place as a traditional petrol cap. Built on the same Compact Modular Architecture (CMA) platform as the regular XC40, the Recharge version retains largely the same dimensions with a length of 4425mm and a width of 2034mm. Because of the underfloor batteries, the XC40 Recharge has a slightly reduced ground clearance of 175mm, compared to 211mm on the regular model. The XC40 Recharge offers 413 litres of luggage capacity, a reduction of 460 litres for the regular model although, due to the space saved by the lack of a combustion engine, it gains a 31-litre ‘frunk’ storage area underneath the bonnet. The machine weighs a minimum of 2150kg, compared to 1497kg for the combustion-engined version. The XC40 Recharge is also the first Volvo to feature a new infotainment system powered by the Google Android operating system. That system features Volvo On Call, the firm’s digital platform. The likely initial price of the XC40 Recharge is similar to that of the closely related Polestar 2, the first electric model from Volvo’s spin-off performance brand. That model, which features the same electric powertrain – and identical power, torque output and range – costs £49,900 in its initial Launch Edition. Planned base models are likely to cost around £34,500. To accompany the launch of the XC40 Recharge, Volvo is also revamping its sales process. From early next year, customers visiting its website will be asked first if they want an electrified car, and a range of financial incentives designed to encourage efficient electric driving will also be offered. With Volvo aiming for plug-in hybrids to account for a fifth of its total sales next year, the firm is planning to triple production capacity for its electrified models, including the XC40 Recharge. It will also offer a new Designer’s Choice selection for Recharge models, which it says will feature “radically reduced delivery
Origin: Volvo reveals XC40 Recharge as first full electric model
First Drive: 2020 Ford Escape
Louisville, KY If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Porsche should be blushing over what Ford has done with its 2020 Escape. From the headlights to the overall silhouette, the all-new Escape takes on some very Porsche Macan-like features. Heck, even the side moldings and lettering on the rear deck look so Macan-like, it would be easy to mistake one for the other in the dark.Toyota, too, might be impressed: the rear taillights of the Escape essentially mirror those of the 2019 RAV4, currently the hottest vehicle in the small SUV category today, a segment once owned by the Escape until a few years ago when the spunky little Ford began to look and feel its age. Having soldiered on for some seven years, the third-gen Escape ran well past its best before date in a segment that was producing fresher produce in the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, RAV4, Mazda CX-5 or Nissan Rogue.Ford only admits to looking at its own sports cars for inspiration, the trapezoidal grille and lower front end borrowed from the sixth-generation Mustang and Ford GT, although some see a bit of Tesla in there as well. Maybe all new cars are starting to look the same; but the new Escape is definitely attractive, far better looking and more aerodynamic than ever before, sitting lower, wider and longer, but also dropping some 90 kilograms thanks to a new platform with plenty of lightweight, high-strength steel. That platform is Fords scalable architecture found beneath the all-new Focus (which we wont get) and the new Lincoln Corsair. And, holy, has the chassis change made a difference. Where the former Escape rode more like a rhino, the new generation glides almost as quietly as a Lincoln, with front seats that are especially comfortable. The new Escape far exceeds the ride quality of its biggest rival, the RAV4, both in plushness and sound. Only a hint of tire or wind noise can be heard. While the suspension may not feel as responsive as the Toyotas, the Ford seems better able to eat up so many deficiencies in the road. Electronically assisted steering is accurate with good weight, and the brakes feel positively excellent. A drive mode select, standard on all models, allows for even more adjustment to the throttle and transmission, with Normal, Eco, Sport and Slippery settings.Even the engine in the base model feels sprightly. Standard on S, SE and SEL trim levels, the 1.5-litre three-cylinder with 181 horsepower and 190 lb.-ft. of torque pulls the Escape quickly off the line, but runs out of breath into the mid and upper range. It should be efficient, too, with cylinder deactivation that enables the 1.5L to run on just two of the three. Engine noise is evident but not horribly bothersome, with some growl and an absence of smoothness, which isnt surprising given theres only three pistons at play. Far more impressive is the revised 2.0-litre turbo thats available on the two highest trims, the SEL and Titanium. The 2.0L EcoBoost is a thrill to unwind, with 250 horsepower and 280 lb.-ft., able to scamper the Escape forward with surprising force, even with ample cargo aboard. Exhibiting little turbo lag, the 2.0L remains calm and collected right until redline, although theres no real exhaust note to speak of. It can be optioned with paddle shifters and can tow 3,500 lbs when paired with the tow package, compared with just 2,000 lbs for the 1.5L. Both engines are bolted to a smooth shifting eight-speed automatic, controlled by Fords simple-to-use rotary dial near the right knee. The dial will automatically click into park if the driver opens the door while still in gear with the seatbelt unbuckled.All Escapes are powered by the two front wheels, but AWD is now available on all trims.In spring, a hybrid Escape arrives with an all-new, 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle engine married to a continuously variable transmission. The hybrid engine will come standard on the Titanium trim in FWD or optional AWD. In the hybrid, a briefcase-sized, liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery sits beneath the right-side floor, so it doesnt take up space in the cabin. More impressive is its 880-kilometre range on a single tank of fuel. A plug-in hybrid with an electric range of 48-kilometres is also coming in 2020, but it will only be FWD. Pricing for the base S starts at $28,549 for FWD and $30,049 for AWD; the SEL with AWD and the 2.0L engine costs $37,049 while the Titanium with the 2.0L and AWD crests the $40k threshold by $49. The Titanium hybrid with FWD, meanwhile, sits at $36,549 but $38,049 with AWD. Add $1,850 for freight and delivery.Fuel economy figures have not been released, but in our anything-but-slow drive through Kentucky, we were able to achieve a respectable 9.4 L/100 km with the 2.0L EcoBoost. Expect the hybrid to be significantly better.Also taking a giant leap forward is the interior, which can for the first time be optioned with a head-up display, although the white numerals are reflected on a small piece of
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Ford Escape
Mazda gives more details on its first EV
The interior of Mazda’s first electric vehicle, to be revealed at Tokyo motor show next week, has been designed to “evoke a sense of openness” through empty spaces, said the maker. Mazda said the concept uses empty spaces around the centre console to create a closeness between the driver and passenger seats. It added that interior materials were chosen for comfort and “eco-friendliness”, both of which are intended to make the cabin comfortable. The latest information from Mazda follows confirmation last month that it would launch its first electric car on 23 October. The model, previewed by the e-TPV prototype, is expected to adopt an SUV bodystyle, which can more easily accommodate an underfloor battery pack. It will use a similar set-up to the prototype, which has a 35.5kWh battery and a single electric motor delivering 138bhp and 195lb ft of torque to the the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. The EV is likely to have a range between 120 and 150 miles, similar to the new Mini Electric but significantly less than more obvious rivals, such as the 279-mile Hyundai Kona Electric. It will be able to accept 6.6kW domestic charging and 50kW public rapid charging. Mazda will also introduce a modern version of its famed rotary engine in a range-extender variant of the EV. Two years ago, Mazda boss Mitsuo Hitomi confirmed that, rather than being used in its purest form, a rotary engine will be used as an EV range-extender. He said: “The rotary engine isn’t particularly efficient to use as a range-extender, but when we turn on a rotary, it’s much, much quieter compared to other manufacturers’ range-extenders”. The Japanese firm’s range hasn’t featured a rotary-engined road car since the RX-8 went out of production in 2012, but it did produce a rotary range-extender Mazda 2 prototype – which Autocar drove – back in 2013. It has remained interested in reintroducing the technology to production since. The Mazda RX-Vision Concept, which was shown at the Tokyo motor show in 2015, used such a powertrain. Mazda has eschewed hybrid and electric models in recent years, instead choosing to focus on improving the efficiency of its petrol engines. This year, it introduced spark plug-controlled compression ignition to the latest Mazda 3, with the promise that it will “combine the economy and torque of a diesel engine with the performance and lower emissions of a petrol
Origin: Mazda gives more details on its first EV
First Drive: 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport
BARCELONA, Spain While I have driven countless SUVs from a multitude of manufacturers over the years, products made by Land Rover have somehow eluded me. The British automaker specializes in SUVs there are no pickups or sedans or coupes in its lineup and prides itself on building some of the most luxurious and capable vehicles in the world. I therefore looked forward to my first opportunity to drive a Land Rover, at the world press introduction of the 2020 Discovery Sport, held in Barcelona. Sadly, I left Spain feeling somewhat indifferent.The Discovery Sport saw its most recent generational redesign in 2016, so as 2020 rolls around, so does the Sports mid-term upgrade. This revision brings a few exterior changes, like new LED head- and taillights, grille and bumpers, as well as a new interior. Four variations are available in Canada, two standard Discovery Sport models, and two higher-spec R-Dynamic variations. Prices range from $47,400 for the Discovery Sport S, to $58,700 for the R-Dynamic HSE.According to Land Rover, the Discovery Sport is a compact SUV designed to cater to adventurous middle-class couples, most of which have yet to procreate so, young, childless cohabitees who are often away on weekends. If that sounds like you, the Discovery Sport just might fit the bill: Its styling is understated yet sporty; it offers off-road capability for adventurous weekend outings; it boasts up to 1,575 litres of interior storage; and if you do eventually decide to perpetuate the family bloodline, it features seating for up to seven.While Land Rovers marketing spiel expounds the merits of being the only compact SUV to offer a third row of seats, they are actually jump seats for small kids. The good news is that they are optional, so you dont have to pay for them unless you have a copious brood or really dont like somebody. Youll also get the maximum storage space without them. The interior has been completely refreshed, including a big reduction in hard plastic surfaces. The dashboard is all new, and quite attractive. I really like the cleanliness of the cockpit, which gives the Sport an airy feel. All buttons and dials except for two of each on the centre stack have been eliminated and replaced by touchscreens. When the ignition is off, the dashboard is just an array of glossy black surfaces. Push the start button and the black surfaces come to life with images and icons that serve to control the various functions. There are six USB and three 12-volt ports available throughout the interior, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard.The large dials operate the climate controls, while the one on the right also serves as the drive mode selector. There are seven drive modes that tailor drive settings to get you over anything from dry pavement to snow to mud and ruts. An extensive off-road course along our drive revealed Land Rovers raison dtre: The Discovery Sport is easily capable of handling anything an urban dweller might encounter on the way to the remote weekend cabin in the woods.The 12-inch high-definition instrument panel is highly configurable, with a multitude of attractive display options. The only downside is that you have to scroll through various menus to call up different functions, and then have to back out to reach your default display. While all of this streamlining is visually appealing, it does make certain functions tedious. The absence of dedicated buttons for the drive modes, for example, means that any change in settings requires multiple steps. And we also experienced the first of a pair of minor vehicle glitches with the new touchscreens, when we had to set up the drive modes for a difficult uphill climb and the display froze, refusing to accept our selections until we backed out and went back into the desired menu. The two Dynamic Sport models and R-Dynamic SE come standard with a 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four that claims 246 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of torque. New for 2020 is a 48-volt mild hybrid powertrain thats optional in the R-Dynamic SE and standard in the HSE. It still uses the 2.0-litre turbocharged four, but a belt-driven electric motor bumps peak output to 286 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque. The only transmission is a ZF nine-speed automatic, and all-wheel drive is standard.In the hybrid, the engine shuts off at speeds below 17 km/h to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. It does this anytime the vehicle slows, acting much like a regular start-stop function, but one that doesnt wait for the vehicle to come to a complete stop before shutting off the engine. Its quite seamless in operation. Canadian fuel consumption numbers are not yet available, but European specs claim as low as 6.9 L/100 km for the mild hybrid.Unfortunately, the only vehicle available for testing was a Euro-spec Discovery Sport mild hybrid, and its spec sheet claimed a zero to 100 km/h time of 9.2 seconds. And it felt as slow, making passing a tedious,
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport
BMW i1 will be the first in a lineup of new electric vehicles
BMW plans to kick off an electric car revolution with a brand-new i1, with a more conventional appearance than the space-age i3, says a new report.According to Auto Express, 12 fully electric cars and 13 plug-in hybrids will be making their way to BMW showrooms within the next four years. The first of the breed will be the i1, followed by the iX3 SUV and the fully electric i4.Robert Irlinger, head of BMWs i Division, says the electric platform that underpins its front-wheel-drive cars can be adapted to almost any vehicle the customer wants. Whatever they demand, they can get a plug-in hybrid X3, a fully-electric 4 Series, too. Thats a big step and a big change in our strategy.This means that essentially any BMW could be made electric, and in configurations such as front-wheel-drive, rear-wheel-drive with electric front assist (so, all-wheel drive) as well as obviously fully electric and hybrid. To give you an idea of the styling on the i1, Auto Express suggests itll likely look like a 1 Series with the kidney grilles censored by that, we mean BMWll put a honking black rectangle across the front of them. Presumably, itll fit some piece of safety tech or a bumper there or something. The rest of the vehicle should look like a conventional hatch, which should make it a hit with buyers.Expect to see this electric 1 Series within two years, with the other models to follow
Origin: BMW i1 will be the first in a lineup of new electric vehicles
First Drive: 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S
The Taycan Turbo S might be by definition a sedan, but by all other accounts is a unabashed and unapologetic sports car.Andrew McCredie GOTHENBURG, Sweden Having just driven 400 kilometres in a 750-horsepower sports car, I felt surprisingly refreshed. No ringing ears. No sore kidneys. No rattled teeth.Welcome to the new era of the supercar road trip.To celebrate/show off its first-ever all-electric vehicle, the 2020 Taycan, Porsche invited the worlds motoring press to Scandinavia last week to begin an 18-day, 6,440-km odyssey that would cover nine countries between Oslo, Norway and Stuttgart, Germany. I had the privilege of being among the first group of journalists on the first leg between Oslo and Gothenburg, which included a lunch stop at an Ionity charging station in Strmstad, Sweden, 20-kilometres south of the border between the two countries. The first two models in the all-wheel-drive Taycan fleet are the Turbo and Turbo S, with less powerful variants expected sometime next year and a Cross Turismo by the end of next year. My tester was the Turbo S.The drive route was a good mix of urban roads, twisty country lanes and major highways, each of which demonstrated different attributes of the Taycan (pronounced Tie-Con). Settling inSitting in the drivers seat, it was immediately apparent that as much design work and engineering had gone into the cabin ergonomics and aesthetics as had into the much-hyped electric powertrain system. The well-bolstered seating position and the way the meaty sport steering wheel met my eager hands felt almost identical to a contemporary 911 cockpit. This, along with the equally 911-ish silhouette of the Taycan, softened my internal criticism of Taycan press material Id read before the drive that kept referring to the sedan as a sports car. Strapped into the drivers seat, youd be hard pressed to think youre in a four-door. And unlike a 911s rear seats that dont accommodate anyone over five-feet tall (and even then if they are a contortionist), the Taycans rear seats fit a six-footer in comfort and sporty style. Likewise, the sedans trunk is a very good size (366 litres), and theres even room for a couple of backpacks under the hood up front (81 litres). Although the power button located on the dash to the left of the steering column is the same as the key ignition on Porsches since, well, forever, all Taycan comparisons to Porsche sports cars cockpits begin and end with the seating position, as the entire dash/gauge/switchgear layout of the sedan is all new, and according to Porsche, intended to bring its products into the digital age.With a central 10.9-inch infotainment display, an optional passenger 10.9-inch infotainment display and a floating centre console screen controlling things like climate functions, the Taycans dash feels very digital age indeed, the dashboard-mounted clock the only analog throwback in sight. However, its not overwhelming, which is often the case with multi-screened displays. Likewise, steering-wheel controls are kept to a minimum, limited to just audio/phone controls, a drive mode dial and a regeneration button. Ready for LaunchWith a push of that aforementioned start button, the Taycan Turbo S comes to life (not with a roar but a whisper). To put the car in gear you flip a unique toggle switch located on the dash to the right of the steering column; down for drive, up for reverse.The initial driving impressions in Oslo werent that much different from your garden-variety EV navigating city streets in morning rush hour. The acceleration was crisp, the cabin quiet and the ride silky smooth. However, when city streets gave way to country roads and with it opportunities to push the sport sedan into and through tight corners and up and over rolling tarmac, the Taycan revealed its unmistakably Porsche personality. Again, I was reminded of the press kit description, and again I understood and accepted the Taycan Turbo S as a sports car.The driving dynamics technological features of the Taycan Turbo S are extensive, innovative and include some industry firsts, and all have a profound impact on the performance and handling of this vehicle (for a deep dive on the technical specs, see David Booth’s thorough and definitive First Look of the Taycan).After an hour or so of running hills and dales through pristine Norway countryside and along waterways we met up with a highway that would take us to the Norway-Sweden border then onto the lunch stop. My co-driver was now at the wheel as we silently spirited along the motorway at 137 km/h, wind noise at a minimum and the experience not unlike that of sitting on a very comfortable high-speed train. <img src="/uploads/img/electric-cars/38-first-drive-2020-porsche-taycan-turbo-s.jpg"
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S
New Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: first images released
Aston Martin has released the first images of a new Vantage Roadster, in engineering prototype form, ahead of an expected launch in the coming months. The hardtop coupé variant of Aston’s Porsche 911 rival has been on sale in its current form since 2018, following its unveiling at the 2017 Los Angeles motor show, spearheading the firm’s design reinvention as part of CEO Andy Palmer’s Second Century Plan. The prototype retains the low, wide stance of the standard model, with styling changes limited to the addition of a canvas folding soft top. The Vantage’s slim rear light bar and ducktail-style spoiler are retained, as are the model’s prominent front splitter and rear diffuser. With the unveiling of the new Vantage Roadster, Aston will offer a convertible variant of every model in its current line-up, except the four-door Rapide, which is now only on sale in performance-focused AMR form. It remains unclear whether the AMR variant of the Vantage, which features the only six-speed manual gearbox in the maker’s range, will be offered as a drop-top. No technical details of the new model have been revealed yet, but it’s expected to retain the same 503bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 as the coupé, albeit with a fractional performance sacrifice due to the extra weight of the folding roof and the required structural bracing. The company has confirmed the model will be available globally in spring next year. As with the DB11 Volante, it can be expected to command an approximate eight percent premium over the standard model, suggesting a starting price of around £130,500. The launch will follow the high-profile revealing of the limited-run DBS GT Zagato, which joins the authentically recreated DB4 GT Zagato in Aston’s ultra exclusive DBZ Centenary
Origin: New Aston Martin Vantage Roadster: first images released
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