Kia has previewed the new Korean-market K5 fastback saloon, which hints at the design of the upcoming fifth-generation Optima, ahead of its release in December. The pictures show several stylistic changes for the new car, which are likely to be adopted by the next generation of its European sister model. The Optima is expected to be unveiled within the next year. The new car’s profile is now more muscular, due in part to the body being narrowed between its wheel arches and the greater swage lines adding heavier creases along its side panels. The windows receive chrome detailing and are frameless for the first time, with chrome touches extending to the rear bumper. At 4905mm, the new K5 is 50mm longer than the outgoing model and 25mm wider at 1860mm, making it similar in size to the Vauxhall Insignia Grand Sport. The wheelbase has grown to 2850mm, but the height has been lowered by 20mm for a sportier look. Kia has yet to release any performance figures, only confirming that the car would benefit from a range of new alloy wheels, available in 16, 17, 18 and 19in, with gloss black, dark grey and light grey colour options. The K5 will not be released in the UK, and it is unclear whether the next-generation Optima will make it here either: Kia recently pulled the model from sale, at the time telling Autocar that it had no plans to launch a
Origin: Kia K5 reveal hints at upcoming Optima
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Volkswagen hints at upcoming rugged electric 4×4
Volkswagen is considering an all-electric off-roader as part of its new ID family of vehicles, design boss Klaus Bischoff has confirmed. The firm will later this year launch the production version of the ID hatch, the first machine built on its new MEB platform – and it will be followed by a string of fully electric models on that architecture in the coming years. Speaking on the eve of the Shanghai motor show, where the firm launched a new ID Roomzz large SUV concept, Bischoff responded to a question about Volkswagen producing a more traditional MEB-based 4×4 by saying: “Maybe one of the next ID family members is a more rugged thing than we have seen.” At Geneva, Volkswagen launched an ID Buggy concept, which is intended as a small-volume lifestyle machine that could be produced by partners. However, it also serves as a proof of concept for a possible electric off-roader. The instant torque of an electric car would be ideally suited to off-road driving, and the MEB platform has been designed to house a powertrain with electric motors on each axle, offering all-wheel drive. A dedicated MEB off-roader would offer substantially more ground clearance than the ID Crozz SUV concept Volkswagen previously revealed – and Bischoff admitted this could cause design issues. “The higher and more boxy you go, the harder the aerodynamics are – it’s the biggest hurdle,” he said. “You can lose 60km of range by doing this.” With such a model likely to be a few years away, Volkswagen would have time to address the range issues with more advanced battery technology. Volkswagen recently showcased a concept of a remote EV charging station, which uses recycled ID car batteries, as a way of installing charging points in remote locations away from power infrastructure. That system could also make the concept of an electric off-roader a more viable production proposition from
Origin: Volkswagen hints at upcoming rugged electric 4×4
Futuristic Audi AI:ME concept hints at Volkswagen ID rival
The new Audi AI:ME concept, which has made its public debut at the Shanghai motor show, previews the firm’s vision of shared urban mobility in the future – but also provides hints to a forthcoming A3-sized compact electric model. The model is the third of four concepts the manufacturer is producing to show its vision for shared motoring in 10 years’ time, with the idea that subscribers choose the car they need for any given moment. It follows the 2017 Aicon concept, designed for inner-city journeys, and last year’s PB18 E-tron sports car. While the PB18 E-tron likely previews Audi’s future R8 successor, the styling of the AI:ME hints at a compact crossover. The firm says it isn’t built on a specific platform, but at 4300cm long, 1500cm high and 1900cm wide it is similar in size to the Volkswagen ID hatch and Seat el-Born EVs, both of which use the VW Group’s MEB electric vehicle platform. Audi chief designer Andreas Mindt said the car was styled in such a way because “urban cars all look like telephone boxes, and we didn’t want a machine like that.” He added: “It’s still simple and boxy, with clear lines.” Asked whether Audi would launch an MEB-based EV similar in size to the AI:ME, Mindt said: “We are working on this, let’s say. There can be. I’m not allowed to say too much, but maybe. Why not?” He added that several design elements of the concept would be seen on Audi models in the near future. The AI:ME is designed for functionality in tight city environments, with a compact crossover-like body intended to maximise manoeuvrability and visibility. Unusually, the top section of the windows – distinguished by a distinctive line running around the car – is wider than the bottom part, which Mindt explained is to ensure “the widest point is where your head is, where you want the most space.” Only the bottom half of the windows open, which Mindt said is designed to direct the air to your body rather than face. The exterior also features LED lights front and rear, which have been designed to send signals to pedestrians and other vehicles through light sequences and colours. The AI:ME has a 65kWh underfloor battery, which drives a 167bhp motor on the rear axle. Because the concept is designed to allow for Level Four autonomy, the interior is particularly future-focused, with a retractable steering wheel to maximise space in autonomous mode. There are two tables for practicality, a food storage unit and magnetic cupholders. A large storage area in the dashboard, along with door cubbies, are open, to reduce the chance of leaving personal belongings in shared cars. Much of the car’s infotainment and systems are operated through a large augmented reality display, which in autonomous mode can be controlled by gesture or by looking at it, using built-in eye-tracking cameras. The systems can also be operated via touch panels built into the doors. The interior materials are designed to be soft and tactile, while live plants are built into the dashboard and panoramic roof, to highlight the in-built air filtration
Origin: Futuristic Audi AI:ME concept hints at Volkswagen ID rival
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