Now that is customer service: Steve Lussier, mayor of Sherbrooke in Quebec Eastern Townships, was ready for a new car, and as a hybrid vehicle owner for the past 15 years, wanted something electric.But his long-trusted Infiniti-Nissan dealership the one he bought his Infiniti Q50 Hybrid and (rare) Nissan Pathfinder Hybrid (still owns it) from didnt have a new 100-per-cent electric model to offer him.Odds are it wont for another two or three years.So the dealership pulled some strings and got him what he wanted, a used 2018 Tesla Model 3 with just 30,000 kilometers on the clock, traded in by a local businessman.In one day, the transaction was done, says Lussier, who took delivery of the well-equipped full-electric sedan last Friday. I still have discover some of its features its such an advanced-techno car but for now, I very happy about it.Our story would normally end here, but Infiniti Sherbrooke posted about the deal on its social media and inadvertently inspired numerous blog posts blowing the whole thing up headlines along the lines of mayor turning green or Infiniti dealership admits it doesn’t have electric models.The dealerships Facebook page was flooded with comments about how the brand, in an effort to retain a loyal customer, instead lost him to Elon Musk, or how Infinitis doing Teslas marketing for it.Jean-Sbastien Poulin, co-owner of Infiniti de Sherbrooke, cant believe all this fuss when, bottom line, his client wanted an electric car. Infinitis brand doesnt have yet an electric car. So I found a solution.There are plenty of dealerships that sell other brands vehicles to accommodate their customers why all these roadblocks suddenly thrown at us?And of course, Infiniti isnt the only luxury brand without a pure electric offering. Try shopping for EVs at Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln, Cadillac, Land Rover or even Lexus, the haut-de-gamme arm of hybrid hype-builder Toyota. Yes, Lussier could have bought an Infiniti-adjacent Nissan Leaf, a good vehicle (he) recently test-drove for a whole week, but he says its not where I wanted to go. Ditto the thought of heading to Sherbrooke BMW for a new i3.He wasnt content waiting a year on an admittedly attractive new Polestar, and could have been lured into a Jaguar I-Pace if the brand had had staff on hand to answer his questions when he visited the Salon du véhicule électrique in Saint-Hyacinthe last October. Oops.But then, Lussier was already hooked on a Tesla anyway. I put a $1,000 a year ago to reserve a brand-new one, he told Driving.ca. After a test drive last summer, he fell in love with the Californian electric sedan. One of my municipal councillors already owns one, and he loves it, too.Lussier didnt suddenly turn green either. (Next week at city hall,) we are going to announce additional funding to help our citizens finance their home EV-charging stations, the Mayor confided to this author.We have been doing so with a $500 municipal subsidy since 2013, but it became so popular, with more than 300 requests a year, we had to review the budget allowance. So well reveal something else next Monday.Even greener, Lussier says hes set to purchase his first electric motocross bike from the local Valcourt Bombardier (BRP), which last February bought up the now-defunct California-based Alta all-electric motorcycle company.Asked if he will eventually buy an electric Infiniti when they hit the Sherbrooke showroom, Lussier says Im eager to test-drive what my dealership will offer, but if ever I want to buy another Tesla, I know that once again, it will accommodate
Origin: An Infiniti dealership sells a Tesla to Sherbrooke’s mayor – and everybody goes crazy
goes
Seat Mii Electric goes on sale
Seat Mii Electric goes on sale The Mii Electric launches the electrified Seat range Orders are now being taken for Seat’s Mii Electric, with the first 300 customers set to benefit from a free home charger, charging cable, and three years’ free servicing and roadside assistance. Featuring a range of 161 miles on a charge (WLTP) from its 38.8 kWh battery, the Seat is fitted with a 61 kW electric motor. The Mii Electric uses a CCS inlet to allow rapid charging at up to 40 kW. This means a charge to 80% will take less than an hour, while charging at home or in public on a 7 kW unit will take about four hours. Seat has kitted out the Mii Electric in one trim level, and it’s well equipped. Fitted as standard are 16-inch alloys, rear privacy glass, leather steering wheel and gear selector, heated front seats, air conditioning, cruise control, automatic wipers, and rear parking sensors. Seat’s Drive Mii app is also available to download on to customer’s smartphone, which acts as infotainment system when fitted into the car’s cradle. This includes navigation, and an eco trainer. The addition of the Seat connect app also means drivers can access the usual EV features, such as remote climate control, pre-conditioning, driving data, and charging management. The Mii Electric sees the launch of an updated VW Group electric citycar range, with a refreshed VW e-up! and new Skoda Citigo-e iV due – all sharing the same powertrain. The Seat Mii Electric can be ordered now, with pricing at £19,300 including UK Plug-in Car Grant. Deliveries are expected towards the end of Q1 2020.
Origin: Seat Mii Electric goes on sale
Bentley Bentayga Hybrid goes on sale in UK
The Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, the firm’s first electrified production vehicle, is now on sale in Europe and the UK, priced from £133,100. First revealed at the Geneva motor show in March 2018, order books for the plug-in hybrid SUV were due to open later that year. However, the launch was significantly delayed in the European market as a result of WLTP emissions certification. A Bentley spokesman said the setback was “due to WLTP certification, with business priority placed on getting the (new) Continental GT and GT Convertible on sale in as many markets as possible”. Customer deliveries of the Bentayga Hybrid are now set to get underway before the end of this year. The luxury plug-in hybrid is capable of up to 24.2 miles of electric-only range on the WLTP combined cycle. It couples a 126bhp, 295lb ft electric motor with a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine for a 0-62mph time of 5.5sec and top speed of 158mph. Total power output is unconfirmed, but it can be expected to match the 455bhp of the powertrain-sharing Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, while torque is rated at 516lb ft. Unique to the Bentayga Hybrid is a range of new sat-nav features that automatically calculate the “optimum combination of electric motor and engine” according to the planned journey. Three driving modes – EV, Hybrid and Hold – offer varying balances of electric and engine power, with regenerative braking working to recover energy at all times. The SUV is capable of 80.7mpg on the WLTP cycle, with CO2 emissions rated at 79g/km. Bentley claims the battery can be fully charged from empty in two and a half hours. The Bentayga Hybrid is Bentley’s first step into electrification and precedes an electrified version of the firm’s new Flying Spur luxury saloon that’s set to arrive in 2020. Plans for an electric sports car have been shelved, however, with boss Adrian Hallmark telling Autocar at the Goodwood Festival of Speed: “We are wrestling with multiple dimensions, and it is my belief – and it is an informed estimate, not a defined goal – that we will have the capability of building a car with the high performance and high range capabilities that our customers expect by around
Origin: Bentley Bentayga Hybrid goes on sale in UK
Watch: Classic Ford truck goes up in flames in Ontario
An unlucky classic car enthusiast in Windsor, Ontario saw his vintage Ford F-150 almost burn to the ground after a small engine fire turned into something much larger.The incident, captured in a now-viral video post shared on Facebook by Firefighter World, involved an incredibly clean-looking classic 1980-to-1986-gen Ford F-150 Stepside pickup.Initially, the owner tries in vain to put out the flames with a pair of pants.The woman riding in the vehicle searches for a fire extinguisher or some water from nearby businesses, while the man frantically tries to put the fire out by himself.The owner can be heard repeatedly crying out I just finished it today!Eventually, he finds a fire extinguisher and tries to put out the growing blaze himself, but the fire had by then gone past the point of handheld extinguishers, and the man is forced to watch his truck burn until firefighters arrive to put out the blaze.The cause of the fire is not known, but being a likely carbureted classic truck, the engine may have backfired due to incorrect tuning and caused the air cleaner to catch fire. At one point the chrome air cleaner top is seen falling off the fender and onto the ground.Its also possible the fuel lines werent all tightened up properly, causing fuel to drip onto the exhaust manifold. This is a stark reminder of why classic car owners or any car owner really should carry a fire extinguisher in their vehicle. Theyre cheap, and in some cases can save you a phone call to your insurance provider.Commenters on the video have been mostly sympathetic, and our hearts cry for this guy, too, who doubtlessly poured his soul into this truck just to watch it go up in smoke. Somebody want to start a
Origin: Watch: Classic Ford truck goes up in flames in Ontario
Pink auto insurance card goes digital for Ontario drivers
Traffic is blurred in a timed exposure on the Gardiner Expressway during the evening rush hour in Toronto, Ont. on Wednesday April 30, 2014.Ernest Doroszuk/Toronto Sun/QMI Agency Ontario drivers can now carry electronic proof of their auto insurance on their smartphones or other devices.Finance Minister Rod Phillips says the pink paper insurance slip isnt being eliminated yet, but being able to display the information on a phone can save drivers from rummaging through their glove compartments.He says there will be a one-year phase-in period, when insurers will have to issue a paper card in addition to the electronic option if it is requested.Phillips says the electronic cards will feature safeguards that wont allow them to be altered or edited, and privacy concerns are top of mind.Drivers will be responsible for making sure their phone can display the proof of insurance, even with a poor signal, drained battery or damaged screen.The Insurance Bureau of Canada says consumers have digital options in other sectors such as banking and retail, so auto insurers are pleased their customers will have the same
Origin: Pink auto insurance card goes digital for Ontario drivers
2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 goes, stops quickly in a straight line
The 2020 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang in new Grabber LimeFord Ford is still keeping a few secrets about the upcoming Mustang Shelby GT500, but we now know the zero-100-zero time, and its wild.Although this metric is rarely used, the new GT500 with its 760 horsepower and 625 lb.-ft. of torque, can sprint to 100 km/h from a standing start and back down to zero in just 10.6 seconds.Most of this is due to the 5.2-litre supercharged V8 engine, but there are other factors at play here. The Michelin Sport Pilot Cup 2 tires help get all the power from the engine onto the ground without smoking the tires, and the available carbon fibre wheels keep rotating mass to a minimum. Thats all well and good, but the time wouldnt be as impressive if the GT500 didnt stop well, but the 16.5 inch brakes on the front wheels Ford says theyre the largest of any domestic sports coupe certainly help. Another critical factor in the search for the quickest times is what actually sends the power from the engine to the rear wheels. With the GT500, a dual-clutch automatic is the only option, but in Sport mode, it can over-torque shifts for uninterrupted power delivery similar to old-school power shifting, where the gas pedal stays firmly planted on the floor during shifts.The rear axle is a 3.73:1 Torsen limited-slip unit with stronger half -shafts. The 3.73 is actually quite mild, so its possible the GT500 could go even faster with a 4.11, or even a 3.90.While the numbers are impressive, it still is not a true zero-to-100 km/h time, leaving some numbers a mystery for
Origin: 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 goes, stops quickly in a straight line
The eTrophy goes to Jaguar for conquering EV speed freaks’ hearts
Tight racing was a hallmark of the inaugural I-Pace eTrophy Championship, and last weekends series-ending weekend in Brooklyn in sight of the Manhattan skyline was no exception.Havas Formula BROOKLYN, NY When the dust settled on the temporary track on the edge of Upper New York Bay Saturday, Brazilian driver Sergio Jimenez won the race and clinched the drivers championship in the inaugural season for the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series. The following day, on the same track, he put a punctuation mark on his title with another race victory, closing out the 10-race series in style.The real winner, however, has to be Jaguar, for not only the Herculean logistical task of moving machines, mechanics and gear to nine global cities to stage the racing over a six-month period, but for managing to successfully transform their all-electric road car into a bona fide racer.The I-Pace eTrophy car differs from the I-Pace you can buy at your local Jaguar dealer in just a few ways. All the creature comforts, including front and rear seats, have been stripped out, replaced with a roll cage and a race seat. Theres also a racing steering wheel in place of the leather-appointed one in the road car. The A/C system is still there but instead of cooling the driver it cools the battery pack. The race version also has tweaked suspension, beefed-up brakes and the software that runs the powertrain gets a bit of reworking. Apart from that, the two cars are identical. Exact same 90-kWh battery. Same electric motors driving the four wheels. Same inverter. I-Pace eTrophy championship manager Marion Barnaby joined Jaguar three years ago with the eventual goal of putting together the series.(Jaguar) had already been in Formula E so we knew there was a slot there for a support race, and we were fortunate to be the first manufacturer to approach (Formula E management) with the idea, she said Saturday at the Brooklyn track. We launched the idea in Frankfurt in 2017 and were now in July of 2019 and were finishing our first season. Thats a quick turnaround. The cars, the logistics, everything. Its just been a great experience and Im really proud of it.Not only has the first season proved to be a showcase for Jaguars electrification technology, its also provided some real world research and development.While youd expect that to centre around the electric powertrain given the fact the race I-Paces are driven flat-out in anger for 25 minutes Barnaby says it has been things as mundane as a mounting brackets integrity that has shown up on race engineers radar.If we know that might be an issue on a race track, thats great information for the road car team, she said. Batteries and drivetrain are performing just how we expected them to.That could very well be since Jaguar was the first major automaker to sign up for the then-fledgling Formula E series, which capped its fifth season here in New York. Much of what was learned in those early years in terms of battery software and heat control found its way into the I-Pace road car design.The eTrophy support series also shares with Formula E an impressive driver lineup. True, the latter has many former F1 hot shoes with more expected next season, in addition to new teams from Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, but the eTrophy drivers have some pedigree too. Series champion Jimenez has had stints in GP2 and Brazilian stock car racing. And then there are the two pilots from the Letterman Rahal Lanigan team. Kathleen Legge has driven the top open-wheel cars in the world, including F1, CART and IndyCar. And Bryan Sellers lengthy resume includes the 2018 GTD title in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. For Sellers, competing in the I-Pace eTrophy series has been a revelation.Getting one lap in this thing is about as hard as anything Ive had to do, he said prior to Saturdays race. It just doesnt always reward driving hard. Its driving smart that makes it.First and foremost, this is an electric racecar.Once the initial shock of the sensory deprivation is gone, the torque delivery system of the car is what really is the difference from an internal combustion engine car, Sellers offered. And an understanding of how speed and torque relate together in the car, and then how to apply that understanding.Then theres braking, which he calls monstrous, noting that where the Formula E drivers are braking around the 175 to 250 yard range out from a corner, I-Pace drivers are waiting till about the 50-metre mark to jump on the binders. Despite being 200 kilos lighter than the road-going I-Pace, this racer still tips the Toledo making it about twice as heavy as what Sellers is used to.So when you overshoot a brake zone that weight just carries you, he explained, adding that because of this the only real passing you get is via dive-bomb moves into tight corners. Great for fans; not so much fun for drivers.To that end, Sellers is hoping tweaks to the braking systems over the off-season will make for
Origin: The eTrophy goes to Jaguar for conquering EV speed freaks’ hearts
Kia’s 2020 Cadenza refresh goes bolder, more high-tech
The 2020 Kia K7 (Cadenza)Kia Kia took the covers off the refreshed 2020 Cadenza sedan it teased last week, confirming the production sedan will wear a much more aggressive face and hindquarters. More specifically, it revealed the Korean-market K7, which is basically the exact same car we get here with a different nameplate on it. The new Cadenza-K7’s front end is dominated by a larger, concave chrome grille, flanked by thinner, sleeker headlights; while out back the taillights now reach across the full width of the car, joined by a sort of dashed-line bar that will make for one interesting light signature. The 2020 Kia K7 (Cadenza) Kia The interior sees updates in the form of a new 12.3-inch touchscreen and re-positioned venting; the gear shift lever and button layout below the center stack has been refreshed as well. A digital gauge cluster lends the car a more premium feel than its predecessor. Available drivetrains are a mystery for now, since North American and Korean engine offerings aren’t always the same. The 2020 Kia K7 (Cadenza) Kia The 2019 Cadenza comes with a 290-horsepower 3.3-litre V6 with an 8-speed automatic in Canada, but we should get fuller details by year’s end. Expect the 2020 Kia Cadenza to wind up in Canadian showrooms late in 2019 or early next
Origin: Kia’s 2020 Cadenza refresh goes bolder, more high-tech
British invasion goes off as planned
Splendour in the grass at All-British Field Meet last weekend in Vancouver..Cam Hutchins We’re starting to enter the heart of carnut season in B.C. , and this weekend is chock full of cool events, most prominently the 50th annual Coastal Swap Meet. A great memory of that event dates back to the Nineties when it was in Cloverdale and I took my now-27-year old son to his first car show. I also volunteer to create the posters for the Swap Meet from photos I’ve taken at past events. As a photographer I love it as there is so much cool stuff to see through a camera lens, and it’s a great way to catch up with all sorts of folks in the auto hobby. Despite the weekend’s busy schedule, I will not be doing any events Sunday as our youngest son flies home for a visit from the wilds of Saskatchewan. Meaning one less carnut getting in your way to snap photos of all the cool cars at the Whips show or the two high school fundraisers at either Maple Ridge Secondary or Elgin Park Secondary. I will also miss the big Mustang show in North Van, but I will be there next year. Last weekend we needed to do some landscaping on Sunday and I was so excited I woke up at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. Since I was up, I headed to the All-British Field Meet and when I arrived, way before show co-founder Patrick Stewart told people to show up, there were already six cars lined up waiting to enter. As always lots of very interesting cars, and car owners, showed up, and one that really caught my interest was the ‘Smartie’ Purple 1961 Morris Minor Million. Turns out the car was part of the specially prepared Morris Minor model to celebrate the one-millionth production mark of the Minor 100. Just 350 were produced, with each UK dealership getting one in 1961. They were painted the colour of the first Minors, trimmed with white leather interiors and have and extra three zeros tacked on the end of the name badges. I was lucky to have exceptional light to photograph all the cars entering the show and was astonished at the number of Minis present. The Bentleys really caught my attention as they seem so huge and stately. Lots of cool little details to photograph. Close to where I was set up, I got to stare at the two beautiful Black Austin Healey 100-4s that were parked in front of some pink flower bushes. The cars really made the flowers look great! I have been shooting this event for years and it was the promoter Patrick Stewart who got me my first press pass for Laguna Seca to shoot for his Western Driver magazine. He and his wife Joan put on an exceptional event and they even present awards for youngsters at the show, ensuring that someone will keep bringing kids to a car show. Do the same this weekend! SHOWS MAY 24-25 What: 50th annual Coastal Swap Meet Where: Tradex Centre, 1190 Cornell St., Abbotsford When: Friday 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: $8 per day, Children under 16 free. Parking $7 per day with in/out privileges Info: 604-540-6141 or info@coastalswapmeet.com Website: coastalswapmeet.com MAY 25 What: Elgin Park Car Show Where: Elgin Park Secondary, 13484 24th Ave., Surrey When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: $2 Registration: 7:30a.m.-10a.m. $15 and open to all vehicles. Proceeds benefit school’s Automotive Club and Tech Ed Department Info: macdonald_t1@surreyschools.ca Website: elgincarshow.com What: Wings ‘n’ Wheels Airplane Car Motorcycle Show Where: Abbotsford Flying Club When: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: Drop-in and all vehicles welcome Info: 778-808-5887, 604-538-3814 or info@AbbotsfordFlyingClub.ca Website: abbotsfordflyingclub.ca MAY 26 What: GVMA’s 35th Annual Spring Show Where: Harbourside Place, North Vancouver When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. $20 and open to all Mustangs and Ford-powered vehicles. Info: 604-858-6763 or gvma@telus.net Website: gvma.org Facebook: Greater Vancouver Mustang Association What: The Whip Restaurant and Gallery Vintage Bike Car Show Where: The Whip Gallery Restaurant, 209 East 6th Ave., Vancouver When: 11 p.m. to 4 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 9 a.m. Minimum donation $10 for cars $5 for motorcycles. Proceeds go to B.C. Cancer Society Info: 604-8740-4687 or info@thewhiprestaurant.com Website: thewhiprestaurant.com What: 8th Annual Maple Ridge Secondary School Show Shine Where: Maple Ridge Secondary, 21911 122nd Ave., Maple Ridge When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 9 a.m. $15. All proceeds to MRSS Dry Grad Evening Info: 604-463-4175 or trevor_randle@sd42.ca What: VI Cruises Rendezvous #9 Spamfest Where: First Nations Campgrounds, Old Island Highway, Qualicum Bay When: 10:30 a.m. to … Admission: Free Registration: No cost, no prizes, no trophies, just good times Info: 250-338-6134, flleigh@telus.net, 250-248-7384 or vicruises@gmx.com What: Mopar Car Show Where: Coombs Fairgrounds, 1014 Ford Rd., Coombs When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission: Free Registration: 9 a.m. $10 and
Origin: British invasion goes off as planned
Cupra Leon ditches Seat badge and goes hybrid for 2020
The first hot Leon to ditch the Seat badge for Cupra branding has been spotted at the Nürburgring for the first time ahead of the car’s debut in 2020. Telltale signs that this isn’t just another prototype for the standard Leon include a lower stance, enlarged front air intakes, bigger wheels covering enlarged brakes and twin exhaust tailpipes jutting out from the back bumper. Set to arrive less than a year after the standard Mk4 Seat Leon makes its debut – likely at September’s Frankfurt motor show – the Cupra Leon is also set to receive a plug-in hybrid powertrain option. Seat CEO Luca de Meo confirmed this at the brand’s annual press conference last month. “In 2020, the new generation of Leon will come to market in five-door and ST versions. It will feature a plug-in hybrid powertrain that will produce up to 245bhp and less than 50g/km of CO2 emissions,” said de Meo. “Just before the end of 2020, the Cupra Leon and Cupra Leon ST, both with plug-in hybrid versions, will arrive.” It wasn’t made clear whether the power output de Meo referenced did in fact apply to the Cupra, although given the figure is less than today’s hot hatchback and a PHEV version is likely to weigh significantly more, we’d expect a greater output to be extracted for a Cupra model. Also unclear is whether or not the fast Leon will adopt all-wheel drive, by using either the conventional Haldex clutch system of today’s model or an electrically powered rear axle. Last year, de Meo told Autocar that Cupra as a brand would be used “as a gate to bring technology that will cascade to the rest of the Seat range”. A fully electric Cupra is also under serious
Origin: Cupra Leon ditches Seat badge and goes hybrid for 2020
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