MLB evo (e-tron), J1-Performance Plattform (e-tron GT concept), MEB (Q4 e-tron concept), PPE (Designmodell Sportback-Layout).Audi Audi is on a power surge that will see 30 new electrified rides launched by 2025. Ten will be plug-in hybrids like the upcoming Q5, A7 and A8 vehicles. The other 20 new products will be pure electric. This side of the future portfolio is based on four new platforms that will underpin everything from the outrageous e-tron GT to future SUVs like the Q4 e-tron, as well as new sedans, coupes and wagons.The first of the core platforms already sits beneath the Audi e-tron. The modular longitudinal platform or MLB evo will also sit under the e-tron Sportback thats set to be shown at this years Los Angeles Auto Show in November. The 95-kilowatt/hour lithium-ion battery gives the current e-tron a range of 400 kilometers.Moving ahead, the platform will be used for future SUVs and sedans with different outputs and battery capacities there will be two different battery sizes and electric motor outputs offered when the e-tron Sportback lands. The second J1 platform is a joint venture between Audi and Porsche. It was designed specifically for high-performance cars. Currently, it underpins the Porsche Taycan and will sit beneath the e-tron GT when it arrives.The concept car, shown at last years LA Auto Show, clearly points to the production version add door handles and remove the illuminated e-tron badge on the front splitter and you have the production-ready version. It has two electric motors with a combined output of 582 hp and 612 pound-feet of torque from rev one.The instant-on performance delivers a run to 100 kilometres an hour of 3.5 seconds. It also has a battery capacity of more than 90 kW/h. In a different move, the e-tron GT has two cutouts in the battery to make room for the rear seat riders feet. The e-tron GT also uses a new 800-volt system. This allows the charging times to be much faster than with a system with a lower voltage rating think Ohms law. This high-voltage system is going play a big roll in Audis future.Moving forward, derivatives with different electric motor outputs and battery modules with allow the future lineup to expand quickly. The third platform is the modular electrification toolkit, or MEB platform that underpins the upcoming Q4 e-tron. This platform, which comes from VW, represents the future of all Audi compact and mid-size pure electric models. Its a scalable architecture that supports SUV, sedan, coupe and wagon body styles. It will arrive with a rear electric motor, but allows for the addition of a second electric motor at the front. This gives it a quattro extension. As with the J1 platform, its designed to accommodate different electric motors and lithium-ion battery packs.As used in the Q4 e-tron, the MEB platform delivers the exterior dimensions of a Q3, but it has the interior space of a Q5. It will have 301 hp. There was no mention of battery size.The Premium Platform Electric or PPE is another joint Audi-Porsche venture and it will be used for future luxury cars arriving in 2020 and beyond. It is a rear-drive platform, but has the ability to accommodate a front electric motor, which, again, gives it quattro all-wheel-drive. Its a curious decision given Audis current crop of high-end sedans and SUVs arrive with standard quattro. The Audi e-tron GT Concept Audi The PPE platform is fully scalable it supports different wheelbases, track widths and ride heights so it will be used for SUV, sedan, coupe and wagon derivatives. Again, it uses the 800-volt electrical system.The PPEs dimensions and overhangs are shorter than those of the current gas engine models. The real plus is that as electric cars do not need a central tunnel to accommodate the rear driveshaft and exhaust system, theres significantly more interior space. Other features include active torque vectoring when there are two electric motors aboard, air suspension and available four-wheel steering.As envisioned, the sports car based on the PPE platform will be a low-slung speedster with a long wheelbase and an oversized wheel/tire package. While the secret concept shown at the mobility workshop was a pure design exercise, if the production model picks up the key styling cues, the future looks seductively
Origin: Audi’s forthcoming electric range will be built on the backs of these four platforms
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Orders open for four Peugeot PHEVs
Orders open for four Peugeot PHEVs PHEV power for the 3008 and 508 ranges Peugeot has opened its order books for four new plug-in hybrids, as it pushes electrification acros its core line-up. Customers can now place reservations for the 3008 Hybrid, 3008 GT Hybrid4, 508 Hybrid, and 508 SW Hybrid. The 508 Fastback and SW plug-in hybrids are capable of covering up to 39 miles on a single charge, while the 3008 GT Hybrid4 offers 40 miles on electric-only power. The latter is powered by a 1.6 litre petrol engine and two electric motors, producing a combined 300hp (220kW). Performance for the flagship PHEV is good, with the 0-62mph time covered in just 5.9 seconds. The 40 mile electric range is possible thanks to a 13.2 kWh battery, which helps return CO2 emissions of 28 g/km. The 3008 Hybrid and 508 PHEVs are backed by an 11.2 kWh battery, which powers a single electric motor. Combined with a 1.6 litre petrol engine, the combined power output is 225hp (165kW). All four models can be charged in less than two hours on a 7 kW charge point, and with a good electric range for PHEV models, they benefit from BIK rates for company car drivers. Peugeot’s four plug-in hybrids come as the pure-electric e-208 is due for launch, and the French manufacturer has confirmed an e-2008 crossover is due in the near future. The Hybrid PHEVs are able to be ordered now, with deliveries starting in January 2020.
Origin: Orders open for four Peugeot PHEVs
Mitsubishi’s Tokyo show star is roofless SUV with four electric motors
Mitsubishi will reveal a new compact SUV concept with a range-extending EV tech at next month’s Tokyo motor show. The MI-Tech Concept, first confirmed last month, is previewed again in another image released by the firm. It shows the model is a two-seater, lacking doors and a roof, so it’s unlikely to preview a close-to-production model. However, its intent is to preview a new generation of plug-in hybrid powertrains to be used on SUV models smaller than the Outlander. Instead of the traditional combustion engine, Mitsubishi has deployed a gas turbine engine-generator, allowing use of pure EV and series hybrid drive modes. The hybrid technology will be smaller and lighter than Mitsubishi’s current plug-in hybrid system, which it pioneered first on the Outlander PHEV. It will be four-wheel drive, with two electric motors on each axle for for greater off-road control and precise handling, the brand claims. It’s also claimed to offer both improved efficiency in urban environments. Mitsubishi has not released any further technical details of the new hybrid system, which will join the larger one it already has in its range on the Outlander. That current plug-in hybrid tech mixes a 2.4-litre petrol engine with a 13.8kWh battery and twin electric motors. A replacement for the Outlander was previewed at the Geneva motor show in March with a concept called Engelberg Tourer that continued with a 2.4-litre petrol engine but now mated to a larger 20kWh battery. The concept car’s downsized plug-in hybrid technology could therefore be intended for the Eclipse Cross, either in this generation or the next. Mitsubishi sources confirmed to Autocar earlier this year that the Eclipse Cross would be offered with plug-in hybrid technology in the future. Mitsubishi sources also confirmed to Autocar that it would look to move its three SUV models – ASX, Eclipse Cross and Outlander – further apart in size. The ASX is set to be offered with an all-electric drivetrain in its next generation, rather than hybrid technology. The 2019 Tokyo concept will follow a 2017 concept at the same show, called e-Evolution. The model offered visual clues to the next ASX, but more pertinently was an early indication of what the famous Evo could turn into – a high-performance electric compact SUV – should Mitsubishi decide to revive it early in the next decade as has long been
Origin: Mitsubishi’s Tokyo show star is roofless SUV with four electric motors
The ‘Fastest Woman on Four Wheels’ dies in crash while attempting to break record
Jessi Combs, race car driver and TV personality, died while trying to break a land speed record August 27, 2019 in the Alvord Desert in Oregon.Frederick Brown / Getty Jessi Combs was nicknamed the fastest woman on four wheels. She died August 27 in Oregon in a jet-powered car trying to become faster.The 36-year-old earned her nickname by breaking records. In 2013, she broke a 48-year-old mark when she reached 393 mph (632 km/h) in her North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger. She set another record in 2016 when she drove nearly 478 mph (769 km/h), her fastest speed, in the same desert where her life ended.Combs had attempted to beat her own speed before. In a September Instagram post, Combs said she reached a new top speed of 483 mph (777 km/h). Unfortunately a piece of debris was sucked into the turbine intake. There is minimal damage, though game over for now, she captioned a picture of herself smiling in aviator glasses. Looking forward to the next attempt of ludicrous speed.Tuesdays attempt resulted in a 911 call to the Harney County Sheriffs Office around 4 p.m., according to KTVZ in Oregon. The sheriffs office and the Bureau of Land Management are investigating the crash.Terry Madden, a member of Combs crew, confirmed her death in an Instagram post late August, stating he was the first one there. He urged people to not give to any false donation pages that might pop up.She was the most amazing spirit that that I have ever or will ever know, he wrote in the post. Madden said he and Combs family are working on a documentary that Combs wanted to complete and that a foundation in her honor will help her legacy live on.Combs, who self-described as a stereotype breaker and a real deal across her social platforms, was also an established metal fabricator and welder. She received a degree in custom automotive fabrication from WyoTech and established a line of welding gear for women.She displayed her various sets of expertise on TV, appearing on shows such as Jay Leno’s Garage and hosting The List: 1001 Car Things to Do Before You Die and MythBusters. Combs was also known for her time on television, as a guest fabricator on Overhaulin’, as a co-host of Xtreme 4×4 and All Girls Garage, among other things.As news of her death broke Wednesday, Combs fans and former colleagues eulogized her on Twitter. Kari Byron, who previously starred with Combs on MythBusters, tagged their old show and remembered Combs for always pushing limits.Former MythBusters co-host Adam Savage agreed. He lauded Combs for her presence on the show and passion for encouraging others.Im so so sad, Jessi Combs has been killed in a crash, Savage wrote on Twitter. She was a brilliant to(p)-notch builder, engineer, driver, fabricator, and science communicator, strove everyday to encourage others by her prodigious example. She was also a colleague, and we are lesser for her absence.In one of her last social media posts, Combs is staring at the back of a jet car, overlooking the desert as her team attends to the machine.It may seem a little crazy to walk directly into the line of fire, she wrote. Those who are willing, are those who achieve great
Origin: The ‘Fastest Woman on Four Wheels’ dies in crash while attempting to break record
Report: Mini might be pared down to just three or four electric models
Mini may plan to pare its lineup down to just three or four vehicles, all fully electric, in the not-too-distant future, according to a new report.According to Automobile, gasoline-powered Mini models might be all but dead, their chassis pushed aside to make way for an electric future.Contrary to earlier reports, it appears that management has since black-flagged the internal-combustion versions in favor of an all-electric model range, the magazine says.The decision has not been confirmed, but Mini would be wise to consider the consequences of turning its small-vehicle lineup into an EV-only brand. Take rival Daimlers Smart brand, which went down that road a few years ago, and has now folded up its tiny EV suitcase.The first electric model from the British marque is the Mini SE, due to go on sale in 2020; it will be the litmus test for the EV revolution, though other battery-powered vehicles are almost certain to follow in its wake. The SE is powered by a 32.6-kWh battery, and has an all-electric range of up to 270 kilometres. Another EV, based on the super-short-wheelbase Rocketman concept, is rumoured to show in production form around 2023, as is a more compact version of the classic three-door Mini. Lastly, theres talk of a crossover-style vehicle. All will run on a skateboard-style platform and feature front-wheel-drive, with energy stored in either 35- or 50-kWh battery packs.We would love to see the Rocketman come to North America, but its likely too small; if it does hit production, it will likely only be available in markets that allow small cars to be federalized, such as China, where it could be built in partnership with Great Wall Motors. The Countryman will likely be evolved into a
Origin: Report: Mini might be pared down to just three or four electric models
Pure EVs overtake PHEV sales for first time in four years
Pure EVs overtake PHEV sales for first time in four years Not since December 2014 have sales of pure EVs been higher than PHEVs Pure-electric cars outsold plug-in hybrids for the first time since December 2014, as the electric vehicle market continues its shift away from PHEVs and increased numbers of pure-EVs come to market. According to today’s figures (Thursday 4th July) from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK car market as a whole showed a 2.4% drop in overall sales during the month, compared with June 2018, but pure-electric sales increased 62%. with 2,461 EVs registered. Plug-in hybrids continue the category’s struggles in 2019, with only February’s performance exceeding the previous year’s. June was its toughest month to date, with -52% in registrations compared to 2018. The first six months of 2019 have seen an 8% decline in registrations of electric vehicles compared to the first half of 2018. Pure electric models have grown 61% in the same timeframe though, while PHEVs have dropped 31%. June’s figures are the first time the SMMT has broken down sales of mild hybrids and hybrids, whereas previously there hadn’t been clarity as to how the former fitted in with alternatively fuelled vehicles and petrol/diesels. Mild hybrids have shown huge growth since 2018, with petrol-based models up 456% and diesel mild-hybrids up 80%. This is predominantly down to the fact that there are far more models on the market than before, and the likes of Audi are replacing petrol- or diesel-only line-ups with mild hybrid engines. Table courtesy of SMMT Hybrids, which have performed well for some time, mainly thanks to Toyota/Lexus’s policy of replacing diesels with hybrid options, dropped 5%. Diesels fell 21%, with a market share of only 26% now after a couple of years’ of decline in confidence from buyers. The petrol market increased 3%. now making up two out of every three cars registered in the UK.
Origin: Pure EVs overtake PHEV sales for first time in four years
Audi accused of using four defeat devices in V6 diesel
The German transport ministry has identified up to four different emission defeat devices in software code used by Audi’s V6 diesel engine, according to separate reports published by Germany’s Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt. The various defeat devices are claimed to have been developed by Audi to provide models fitted with its turbocharged 3.0-litre engine with lower emission readings during government mandated tests on rolling roads under controlled conditions than actual results on public roads. The various defeat devices are said to have been used in vehicles produced up to the beginning of 2018, more than two years after US authorities made public findings that Audi parent company, Volkswagen, had used similar illegal software functions in various diesel models. The German transport ministry issued Audi with a forced recall of various models fitted with the V6 diesel engine in January 2019, confirming up to 200,000 vehicles in Germany were suspected of using an illegal software function the German car maker labelled as a “Motoraufwärmfunktion” or engine warm-up function. This so-called Motoraufwärmfunktion is, in fact, a secret defeat device used to manipulate emission results, say representatives of the German transport ministry. Models from Volkswagen and Porsche were also affected. Information in an addendum to the German transport ministry report obtained by Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt identifies a further three defeat devices. Three additional defeat devices were not deemed illegal despite the report suggesting they facilitated functions leading to emission manipulation. In the report, the various defeat devices are listed as A, B, C and D, according to Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt. However, the German transport ministry states only one can be identified as being illegal, suggesting Audi was free to voluntarily remove the other three functions from its software code as part of the recall announced earlier this year. Both Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt report it is apparent from the report that the German transport ministry did not undertake testing leading to the discovery of the defeat devices but relied upon information provided by
Origin: Audi accused of using four defeat devices in V6 diesel
Audi used four defeat devices in V6 diesel
The German transport ministry has identified up to four different emission defeat devices in software code used by Audi’s V6 diesel engine, according to separate reports published by Germany’s Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt. The various defeat devices are claimed to have been developed by Audi to provide models fitted with its turbocharged 3.0-litre engine with lower emission readings during government mandated tests on rolling roads under controlled conditions than actual results on public roads. The various defeat devices are said to have been used in vehicles produced up to the beginning of 2018, over two years after US authorities made public findings that Audi parent company, Volkswagen, had used similar illegal software functions in various diesel models. The German transport ministry issued Audi with a forced recall of various models fitted with the V6 diesel engine in January 2019, confirming up to 200,000 vehicles in Germany were suspected of using an illegal software function the German car maker labelled as a “Motoraufwärmfunktion” or engine warm-up function. This so-called Motoraufwärmfunktion is, in fact, a secret defeat device used to manipulate emission results, say representatives of the German transport ministry. Models from Volkswagen and Porsche were also affected. Information in an addendum to the German transport ministry report obtained by Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt identifies a further three defeat devices. Three additional defeat devices were not deemed illegal despite the report suggesting they facilitated functions leading to emission manipulation. In the report, the various defeat devices are listed as A, B, C and D, according to Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt. However, the German transport ministry states only one can be identified as being illegal, suggesting Audi was free to voluntarily remove the other three functions from its software code as part of the recall announced earlier this year. Both Bayerischen Rundfunk and Handelsblatt report it is apparent from the report that the German transport ministry did not undertake testing leading to the discovery of the defeat devices but relied upon information provided by
Origin: Audi used four defeat devices in V6 diesel
Four rare — and original — Shelby Cobras heading to auction next month
1967 Shelby Cobra 427 S/C RoadsterHandout / Mecum Mecum will auction off four rare (and original) Shelby Cobras next month from the estate of late car collector Steven Juliano. Per MotorAuthority, the snakes up for auction will be a 1967 427 S/C Roadster and a 1966 427 Roadster, plus a 1965 289 Dragonsnake and a 1964 289 Roadster. The ’67 S/C ticks all of the boxes of what you’d expect the classic Cobra to be, fitted with the outrageous 427 cubic-inch Ford V8. Side pipes, hood scoop, roll hoop, and wide hips are all present. On top of that, it’s an S/C model, short for Semi-Competition. Only 31 of these vehicles were converted from race cars into street spec, making them an extremely rare beast — especially this one, with only 10,760 miles on the clock. The second car is a 1966 model-year Cobra. It’s also fitted with a 427, but lacking the side pipes, hood scoop, and roll hoop — all of which makes it almost rarer and more unique than the S/C. It traded hands in the U.S. a few times before heading to Japan in 1987, where it was kept in perfect shape until 2010, when Juliano acquired it. The oldest Cobra here is a 1964 Factory Stage III outfitted with a 289 cubic-inch V8. This race-spec snake is the only one in the world built for street use, and was originally finished in Princess Blue before the first owner sent it back to the factory to be repainted in Ford Rangoon Red. It is considered to be one of the most highly optioned Cobras of its day. The last Cobra is a real doozy, a 1965 Dragonsnake, originally built by Shelby for drag racing and one of only six to have that distinction. It was specially ordered in yellow by brothers Don and Mike Reimer to match their Thunderbird tow vehicle. This one is also a Factory Stage 3 car. Each Cobra is estimated to sell around the US$2 million mark. The auction will take place between May 14 and 19 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Take Our
Origin: Four rare — and original — Shelby Cobras heading to auction next month
Four key crossover introductions from the New York Auto Show
Welcome to New York City and the annual auto show held in Hell’s Kitchen. While there were some beautifully fast cars like the Audi TT RS along sexy concepts — notably the Genesis Mint EV — the thrust remained, as it has at the past few auto shows, the all-conquering crossover and its brutish SUV sibling that ruled the floor space. It is not a particularly well-kept secret that crossovers and SUVs are what makes the auto business go round at this moment in time — Ford and GM are basically getting out of the car business while Mercedes-Benz proclaimed 2020 the Year of the SUV and proceeded to launch more crossovers than a couple of manufacturers combined. Here, in no particular order, are four of the key introductions: Lincoln finally got around to replacing the MKC with the Corsair, based on the all-new Escape, and also brings its new naming strategy more into line; Subaru presented its take on a crossover alternative, the extremely popular Outback; Hyundai added yet another small crossover to its growing arsenal, this one named Venue and slated to be Hyundai’s most affordable crossover; and Toyota launched a redesigned eight-seat Highlander with an average fuel economy of 6.9 L/100 km in hybrid trim – that’s better than many compact
Origin: Four key crossover introductions from the New York Auto Show
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