The Vanquish 25, debut project of former Jaguar design boss Ian Callum and his new Callum design group, has made its first public appearance at the Hampton Court Concours of Elegance. Callum is planning to build a batch of comprehensively rethought and re-engineered Aston Martin Vanquish V12s as the new business’s first bespoke car project. The Vanquish 25 project forms part of a series of R-Reforged edition cars fully endorsed by Aston Martin, with customers able to upgrade their existing car, or have R-Reforged source one for them. UK-based R-Reforged has previously worked with Aston Martin on other projects, and will play a key role in the Callum project’s customer experience. Each finished car is expected to cost £550,000 including a sourced V12 Vanquish. Delivery of finished cars is due to start late this year and the full batch of 25 should be completed and delivered at the end of 2020. The Astons will be returned to bare metal and rebuilt from scratch in Callum’s new Warwick-based workshops. They will incorporate dozens of subtle and not so subtle changes, some of which Ian Callum has wanted to make since his original Vanquish design hit production in 2001. “There are things on the car I’ve always wanted to fix,” he said. “Now I have the chance.” One strong theme running through the whole car is a unique fabric and trim pattern that Ian Callum, a loyal Scot, calls his “abstract tartan”. It appears in the Vanquish in surprising places, such as air outlets and speaker grilles, as well as seating and trim panels and will be used on Callum cars in future. The partners at Callum have already built two Vanquish prototypes, one to show off their body and cabin developments and another to perfect a new suspension set-up that runs to bigger wheels and tyres, stiffer springs and dampers plus changes to anti-roll bars and suspension bushes. All cars also get larger-diameter carbon-ceramic brakes plus new 20in wheels that use the Vanquish’s original pattern but are now offset to improve stability and stance. Each V12 engine gets software, camshaft and exhaust changes to boost its power by around 60bhp to between 500bhp and 600bhp, depending on the model. A modern six-speed torque-converter automatic is offered, although many owners are expected to stick with the Vanquish’s original automated manual gearbox. Ian Callum’s “new old” Aston is still very recognisable as an original Vanquish but has many modern details. There’s a new-style front bumper and grille, the latter subtly framed with carbonfibre and its horizontal bars most prominent. The lights are new LED units and the old, round foglights (Callum calls them “frog eyes”) are dropped in favour of air scoops for the bigger front brakes. There are new-design exterior mirrors (“we’ve dropped the old boxing gloves”) plus handsome side skirts incorporating a four-notch design that will become a feature of future Callum cars. The exhaust’s back box has been reduced in size and incorporated into the rear bumper assembly to improve the efficiency of the rear diffuser and the car gets new LED tail-lights, an unusual and expensive feature (but necessary, Ian Callum insists). More subtle improvements abound. Special Michelin tyres carry the Callum tartan on their sidewalls. The side windows are framed with specially fabricated trim pieces (not the Jaguar cast-offs of the original). The interior is completely retrimmed over new architecture, with the emphasis on high-quality materials and execution. The new front seats adopt a more sporting profile and the tiny rear seats have been ditched in favour of better accommodation for those in the front. There’s a new screen-based HMI and a demountable Bremont watch is fitted into the centre of every fascia. Although Ian Callum left Jaguar only a couple of months ago, his design partners — David Fairbairn, Adam Donfrancesco and Tim Bird — have been working on the project for much longer. “We want to get back to making things,” said Ian Callum. “The idea is to do bespoke projects for customers as individuals.” “I like that the Callum team’s first project is based on the original V12 Vanquish designed by Ian,” Aston Martin’s Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman said. “Aston Martin Lagonda is very proud of the cars created during Ian’s time and they are an important part in both our heritage and evolution.” The original Vanquish, born from a 1998 concept designed by Ian Callum before he joined Jaguar, introduced a new era of Aston design and construction in 2001 that led directly to the successful years of the DB9 and smaller V8 Vantage. The car, although handsome, never found buyers as readily as others and was discontinued in favour of a new, DB9-based Vanquish in 2007. Donor Astons for the Callum treatment will come either from existing owners or the company will source suitable cars itself. A fairly restricted series of colours and interior treatments will be offered: Ian Callum
Origin: Ian Callum’s Vanquish 25 project makes UK public debut
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Ford’s new 7.3-litre gas V8 makes some outrageous power numbers
Ford F-Series, America’s best-selling truck for 42 years, is once again raising the bar for capability with its all-new 7.3-liter V8 gasoline engine. The 7.3-liter engine in Super Duty pickup cranks out best-in-class gas V8 output of 430 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and best-in-class torque of 475 ft.-lb. at 4,000 rpm. When your author initially heard the Blue Oval was in the throes of developing a new truck engine displacing a prodigious 7.3 litres, it was assumed someone had frying pans for fingers and simply mistyped the displacement. Surely they mean six-point-three litres, I thought while eating a bowl of breakfast nails and shaving with a rusty razor (thats the meal of choice for Super Duty owners, right?).Nope, 7.3 litres it is, or 445 cubic inches. Ford claims this engine produces a best-in-class gas V8 output of 435 horsepower at 5,500 rpm; and 475 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm.In a day and age where most manufacturers are bent on downsizing and turbocharging their gasoline engines (including Ford themselves with its EcoBoost), this 7.3-litre brute is a remarkable departure.The aim is to provide durability in the harsh environments into which Super Duty trucks are often pressed. Ford says to this end the engine uses overhead valve architecture yep, this is a pushrod mill. Engine builders know having an in-block cam reduces engine height and width; look at an old Ford 5.0-litre and 4.6-litre side-by-each for that stark illustration.This engine also features a variable-displacement oil pump that provides more oil when drivers are working the thing like a rented mule, but reduces parasitic loss under light loads. It is hooked to Fords ten-speed automatic. Engine start/stop and cylinder deactivation tech goes unmentioned.Such a design choice is interesting because, for nearly twenty-five years, Fords gasoline V8 engines have been small(er) displacement units and of an overhead-cam design. If your authors memory serves correctly, the last Blue Oval pushrod V8 was a 351 Windsor found in the 1995 Cobra R. Im certain youll tell me Im wrong in the comments.A differently tuned version of the same engine will also pop up in F-Series chassis-cabs and E-Series cutaways. The other two engines, a 6.2-litre gas and 6.7-litre PowerStroke turbodiesel, arent going anywhere. This new 7.3-litre should appear on dealer lots this
Origin: Ford’s new 7.3-litre gas V8 makes some outrageous power numbers
The Honda e dashboard design makes us want it even more
The Honda e Prototype at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.Harold Cunningham / AFP/Getty Images Hondas beautiful e concept is coming to life, and the more we learn about it, the more we cant wait to get our hands on one.Honda has just released a video detailing the dashboard of the e, and we have to say, it makes us want one even more than we already did.The dashboard consists of two 12.3-inch touch screens in the centre for the infotainment, an 8.8-inch screen right in front of the driver, and two six-inch mirrors on the edges of the dash to show what the external camera mirrors see.The design is downright gorgeous in its simplicity, and when the vehicle is turned off you wouldnt even recognize that the entire fascia of the dash was a touch screen.Its easy to configure too, basically, anybody thats ever been in contact with a smartphone can move around the apps and change the interface to suit their needs. A smartphone can also be used as a key instead of a standard fob and can be configured to set geofencing, preconditioning, and safety alerts.On top of the great dash, the vehicle will respond to Hey Honda commands. The climate change buttons have remained tactile, and so have the buttons on the steering wheel.According to Honda, more than 36,000 people expressed interest in buying the small EV after it was revealed, the UK, Germany, France, and Norway will get first priority, but we hope Honda knows that Canada wants it just as much as the rest of the
Origin: The Honda e dashboard design makes us want it even more
County in California makes it almost illegal to repair your car at home
An example of a home garage.Stanley Munn Residents of Sacramento County may be in a bit of a bind the next time they elect to take on a car repair in their own garage. At issue are the countys zoning codes, some of which are worded with a vagueness that would make a politician proud.First expounded upon at the Grassroots Motorsports forum and brought into the mainstream consciousness by the gearheads at Jalopnik, the lawmakers have cleaved the activity of auto repair into two buckets: minor and major.Minor automotive repair is listed as including brake part replacement, minor tune-ups, change of oil and filter, repair of flat tires, lubrication and other similar operations.Major repairs are considered anything outside that scope, plus body or painting work of vehicles or vehicle parts. This is presumably meant to ward off neer-do-wells from setting up a chop shop or paint booth in their backyard.Heres the sticky part, though. The zoning law goes on to state it is unlawful to engage in even minor repair under the following circumstances:If using tools not normally found in a residence; When conducted on vehicles registered to persons not currently residing on the lot or parcel; Conducted outside a fully enclosed garage and resulting in any vehicle being inoperable for a period in excess of twenty-four hours. Number one on that list has a few people up in arms. What constitutes tools not normally found in a residence? Is it a welder? Air tools? Torque wrench? All of those reside in your authors suburban garage and see weekly use.The code goes on to say that The chemicals involved in major automobile repair can pollute our neighborhoods and endanger the health and wellbeing of our residents. Fair enough, as no one would want a person pouring motor oil or gallons of DuPont Hot Hues down the sewer drain.But its easy to see how haphazard enforcement of this code can get out of hand, especially when it goes on to say that this kind of activity increases vehicle traffic and the visual impact can negatively impact property values. Until the long arm of The Man comes knocking on my garage door, Ill continue giving my tools a
Origin: County in California makes it almost illegal to repair your car at home
Electric Porsche Taycan makes dynamic debut at Goodwood
The electric Porsche Taycan has made its dynamic debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in lightly disguised form, driven by ex-F1 driver Mark Webber. Porsche is building up exposure of its highly anticipated model ahead of its reveal at Frankfurt motor show in September, and UK arrival early next year. The Taycan has previously been previewed with official camouflaged images (below) and has also been spotted testing numerous times in prototype guise. The Taycan’s styling is heavily influenced by the original Mission E concept, which was designed by Porsche’s former head of exterior design Mitja Borkert, now head of design at Lamborghini. Details include a retractable rear spoiler, advanced regenerative braking system and Tesla-style retracting door handles. The Taycan is the first in an extended line-up of electric models being developed in a programme budgeted to cost up to £5.3 billion through to the end of 2022. It marks a radical departure from Porsche’s traditional line-up, bringing zero-emissions running together with the promise of what the new car’s lead engineer, Stefan Weckbach, describes as a “typical Porsche driving experience”. When it goes on sale in the UK, the Taycan will be positioned between the £55,965 Cayenne SUV and £67,898 Panamera five-door coupé in a move that will set the scene for the introduction of other new electric Porsches, including a mid-engined sports car in the mould of the existing 718 and an electric Macan. Porsche UK boss Marcus Eckermann told Autocar earlier this year that the Taycan is “the beginning of a new era” for Porsche, and is attracting many conquest customers. “We have a lot of interest in the car – and a lot of new customers. Based on the expressions of interest, there are more new people to the brand than existing customers.” While he declined to give expected sales figures, the Taycan’s share of the line-up is set to be considerably higher than the overall EV market share in the UK, which is below 1%. Porsche has previously said it expects to produce 25,000 Taycans worldwide annually, which is about 10% of its current sales. In the UK last year, Porsche sold 12,500 cars, so we can expect at least 1250 sales of the Taycan per year. The Taycan will be offered in two bodystyles, with the standard saloon planned for right-hand-drive delivery in Britain in early 2020 and a higher-riding estate-cum-crossover model, previewed by the Mission E Cross Turismo concept, arriving in showrooms in 2022. Taycan rivals include Tesla Model S Among the key rivals for the new Porsche is the Tesla Model S, which was used as an initial benchmark during the early phases of the Taycan’s development. However, Weckbach acknowledges the model will also compete against a host of other upcoming electric offerings, including the E-tron GT from sister brand Audi and the Mercedes-Benz EQS. Taking full advantage of the packaging advantages inherent in its drivetrain layout, the Taycan combines the fundamental short-nosed proportions of traditional Porsche models at the front with the stretched proportions of modern front-engined models towards the rear, providing clear design links to existing models. One major departure from the earlier Mission E is the adoption of sturdy B-pillars and four front-hinged doors in a measure aimed at increasing body rigidity. At the rear, the Taycan also receives a short notchback-style boot lid housing a full-width light band that provides access to one of two luggage compartments. The other is under the bonnet and claimed to have a capacity of nearly 100 litres. The Taycan is around 4850mm in length and 1990m in width, making it 199mm shorter but 53mm wider than the Panamera. By comparison, the Model S is 4975mm long and 1965mm wide. More than one bodystyle due The initial saloon and crossover are just two bodystyles created by Porsche designers for the Taycan. Others not yet revealed to the public include two-door coupé and cabriolet proposals, the likes of which insiders at the German car maker’s headquarters say could be added to the line-up, if demand warrants it, once production capacity is freed up. The basis for the Taycan is the J1 platform, a high-strength steel, aluminium and carbonfibre structure designed to house battery modules of varying sizes as low as possible within the confines of a long wheelbase. This will also underpin the E-tron GT in a move aimed at increasing economies of scale. Significantly, the platform has been conceived exclusively as a dedicated electric vehicle architecture, with Weckbach confirming it doesn’t accept a combustion engine. It does, however, form the basis of a more versatile structure being developed in an engineering programme between Porsche and Audi called the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). The interior of the Taycan is described as providing a typical 911-style driving position up front and two individual seats with adequate space in the rear. Prototype versions
Origin: Electric Porsche Taycan makes dynamic debut at Goodwood
Ferrari P80/C makes UK debut at Festival of Speed
The Ferrari P80/C, a one-off track car based on the 488 GT3, has been displayed and demonstrated at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The new supercar was developed at Ferrari’s styling centre to a brief set by a “connoisseur of the Ferrari world” who wanted a modern sports prototype inspired by the likes of the 1966 Dino 206 S and 330 P3/P4. Those machines started as track cars but spawned roadgoing variants. The P80/C is based on the 488 GT3 racing car, chosen over the 488 GTB road car because the extra 50mm of wheelbase offered more “creative freedom”. It has been extensively reworked with a pure performance focus. The aerodynamics are based on the 488 GT3’s, but without the need to meet sporting regulations, there’s a new front splitter and a reworked rear diffuser. Ferrari claims the car is 5% more efficient, which is required to make use of the unrestricted engine. There’s also extensive use of underbody aerodynamics, with rear bodywork styled after the T-wings that have been seen in Formula 1 in recent years. The P80/C’s bodywork is made entirely from carbonfibre. Because the P80/C is a track-only car, Ferrari has been able to greatly reduce the size of its headlights, while its rear features a concave rear windscreen and aluminium louvres on the engine cover. The car has been designed for a carbonfibre wing and 18in wheels to be fitted when in ‘racing set-up’. It can be converted to an ‘exhibition package’, with the aerodynamic appendages removed and 21in wheels fitted. Ferrari says the car is sculpted to create a cab forward-effect with a more aggressive stance, including a wrap-around windscreen. There are also flying buttresses that converge near the roof line, paying homage to both the Dino and 250 LM. The car’s bodywork is widest over the front axle, then narrows sharply before broadening again near the rear. The interior is similar to the 488 GT3 donor car’s, including an integrated roll cage. Elements of the dashboard have been redesigned and there are new carbonfibre shell door panels. Performance figures for the car haven’t been given, but it’s likely to use an unrestricted version of the 3.9-litre turbocharged V8 in the 488 GT3. In the 488 GTB, that unit produces 661bhp. Ferrari says work on the P80/C began in 2015, giving it the longest development time of any one-off Ferrari produced to date. The name was chosen by the anonymous collector who commissioned it. Ferrari hasn’t revealed any details on its cost. The standard 488 GT3 costs around
Origin: Ferrari P80/C makes UK debut at Festival of Speed
Citroen Ami One concept makes UK debut
Citroën’s tiny Ami One city car concept has gone on display in the UK for the first time at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The Ami One, which made its public debut at the Geneva motor show earlier this year, is a two-seat show car that meets Europe’s quadricycle regulations. That means it’s less than 1.5m wide, has a top speed of 28mph and weighs less than 450kg. As a result, it could be driven without a driving licence in some countries. The concept explores some of the issues facing makers of very small cars as consumers turn to bigger models or stop buying cars entirely. “The young are connected to use, not ownership,” said Citroën’s senior vice-president of product and strategy, Xavier Peugeot. “To me, Ami One is not a car. There are people for whom mobility is not an object.” The Ami One is intended to be a vehicle whose use would be shared at least as much as it’s privately owned, so it is built simply and cheaply and to be tough. “The materials are all chosen for durability,” said Frédéric Duvernier, Citroën’s head of concept cars, who led the design of the Ami One. To cut production costs, there’s a huge reduction in the number of components required to make the Ami One. The front and rear windows are different but otherwise body panels are common across sides wherever possible. Both doors are the same, so the driver’s door is rear-hinged, the passenger side conventional; the orange panels below the windscreen and rear window are common; the chevron-ribbed sills are common across four sides; and every wheel arch is an identical moulding. Exterior badging is all by decal and the rear lights use only two LEDs apiece. Onboard electrical content is pared back, too. The Ami One integrates with the entertainment and navigation systems of a smartphone, whose screen it mirrors onto a head-up display and which the driver controls by voice. That and the instruments are where the car’s only interior electrics lie. The windows are either open or closed, not electrically operated, and the 2CV-style fold-back roof is hand-operated. According to Citroën CEO Linda Jackson, the Ami One is not cited for production but does explore what Citroën’s city cars could become, given the segment’s dwindling number of buyers. “When you see the size of the segment, and people moving to B-segment and B-SUVs, we’ll not straight replace the C1,” she said. “What is the evolution? We’re talking urban areas and car sharing, although you might want ownership. Anything for cities means electric. We need to look at the A-segment and what is the next answer. Maybe it is the Ami One.” QA with Frederic Duvernier, head of concept cars, Citroen What brought about the Ami One? “Between 16 and 30 years old, nobody buys cars. So there’s a group who don’t buy cars but who still need to move. Concept cars have a role in the company to move us forwards. We asked ourselves questions with every part: do we need it, or what do we need?” Tell us about its design. “Initially, it was going to be smaller. When you are surrounded by SUVs, you must feel confident. It’s not friendly. It’s not feminine. It’s robust, as a tool. On the exterior, we have halved the number of components you’d normally need.” And what about the interior? “It’s the same thinking as the (2007) Cactus concept inside. Maybe that was too early! But the world has changed very quickly. The interior paint is like on aeroplanes. The seat flock is super-low tech. And dotted fabric hides
Origin: Citroen Ami One concept makes UK debut
New Ford Puma makes first UK appearance at Goodwood
The body’s flowing surfaces have been developed under what designer George Saridakis labels an “anti-wedge” policy. What he calls “separated” headlights and tail-lights are also a move against the current trends for “joining everything up”, Saridakis citing the industry fashion for full-width light bars across a vehicle’s tail. The new Puma is based on Ford’s existing B global small car architecture, the same as the Fiesta, but the platform’s inherent flexibility has allowed the Puma to be sized very specifically. It is just 30mm higher than the new Fiesta and the front seating position is raised by the same amount. This is still a compact vehicle, but it is usefully longer than the Fiesta as well as wider, with a wider track. And it squeezes a surprising amount of interior space out of a vehicle that’s smaller than the Focus. Saridakis says he and the project’s chief engineer, Norbert Steffens, worked in the styling studio with “cardboard and tape” trying to extract the maximum luggage space from the Puma structure. This crossover has a claimed 456 litres of boot space, whereas the Focus has just 370 litres. They achieved this by way of what Ford calls a “lower load box”. Cut through the boot floor, the box is a useful 80 litres in capacity and even has a removable plug in the bottom to allow it to be washed out. The Puma’s rigid boot floor can also be fitted in three different ways: low, on top of the load box; at a mid-height, which gives generous hidden storage; and clipped out of the way, by being attached to the backs of the rear seats. Steffens demonstrated that, with the boot floor clipped out of the way, it is possible to load items such as a golf club bag vertically in the back of the Puma thanks to the extra load height offered by the box. Even the parcel shelf has been rethought as a lightweight fabric cover attached to the tailgate itself, which avoids the need to stow an awkward load cover. From an engineering point of view, it’s the Puma’s new 48V mild-hybrid drivetrain that stands out. This is based around an updated version of Ford’s 1.0-litre Ecoboost petrol unit and replaces the conventional alternator with an 11.5kW integrated starter/ generator (called a BISG). It will come in 123bhp and 153bhp guises, with the more powerful version using a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. The BISG is connected to the engine via a belt and works in two directions: it can be used when braking and coasting to recover energy (which is stored in a small lithium ion battery) and it can also assist the engine during acceleration. Ford says the hybrid assistance has allowed the engine’s compression ratio to be lowered and a larger turbocharger to be fitted, as the BISG can mitigate turbo lag and keep the engine turning faster. Performance at lower speeds is especially enhanced, says Steffens, with as much as 50% more torque on offer. That improves fuel economy by around 9% on the WLTP economy test. This three-cylinder engine can also switch to two-cylinder running to save fuel and, in stop/start mode, the BISG can restart the engine in 300 milliseconds. Ford says the 48V model’s overall WLTP economy will be 124g/km. A 1.5-litre diesel with a six-speed manual gearbox will also be offered and is expected to be rated at 123g/km. On the handling side, Steffens says the Puma gets a new setting for the electronic power steering, a stiffer attachment for the beam axle and five-stud hubs for a more rigid fixing of the wheels compared with the Fiesta on which it is based. Ford’s hopes for the Puma are also reflected in the list of upmarket options. It will be one of the first Ford models to take local hazard information from the HERE data network, receiving live updates of congestion, crashes, ice and pothole warnings, for example. Adaptive cruise control, blindspot information, pre-collision assist and even lumbar massage front seats show how Ford wants to combine the potential of an executive-level spec in a town-friendly package. Why has you decided to offer diesel engines again, alongside the new 48v Mild hybrid petrol engine? Norbert Steffens, chief engineer Ford Puma: “The 1.5-litre diesel engine is still very slightly more economical than the new hybrid petrol under WLTP testing conditions. We absolute believe that the latest diesel engines are now completely clean (in pollution terms), as clean as petrol. The diesel Puma has a 12-litre Urea tank which will need re-filling between every 2500 and 6000 kilometres. Winter conditions and lots of short journeys are mean much more regular Adblue fill-ups, but that is how we ensure the lowest
Origin: New Ford Puma makes first UK appearance at Goodwood
New Kia Xceed crossover makes debut as sporty SUV
Kia will exploit another crossover niche as it opens the order books for the Xceed, the fourth model in the Ceed range. It is set to include a full line-up of petrol and diesel engines and, later on, a plug-in hybrid variant. The two-wheel-drive Xceed is said to marry hatchback-style driving dynamics with the practicality of a small SUV, wrapped up in a sportily styled body with a bespoke design. It’s expected to start from around £19,000, with the similarly conceived Ford Focus Active lined up as its closest competitor. The technical base for the Xceed is the five-door hatchback and it shares that car’s 2650mm wheelbase. Kia says only the front doors are carried over and rest of the body is new, including the windscreen and sloping roofline. The new body is 85mm longer and 26mm wider than the hatch, thanks to extended front and rear overhangs that increase the length of the Xceed to 4395mm. Kia hopes these dimensions will put the Xceed in a different class from big-selling small SUVs like the Nissan Juke and its larger sibling, the Qashqai. Kia, of course, has to position the Xceed between its £15k Stonic small SUV and the £19k Sportage family SUV. “There is growing desire for cars which offer more emotion and dynamism than an SUV, yet these customers don’t want to lose the practicality offered by a larger car,” said Kia Motors Europe chief operating officer Emilio Herrera. To give the Xceed a little more rough ground-covering ability and raise the driving position to improve visibility and in/out access for the driver, the ride height is pushed up by 42mm to create 174mm of ground clearance. This also raises the Xceed’s roofline to 1490mm – just a few millimetres lower than successful small SUVs such as the Fiat 500X and Audi Q2. With the higher ride height and the dynamic handling target, Kia has re-engineered the suspension using some unique components and a bespoke set-up. Kia said the target was to deliver “a mature ride and engaging handling character in all conditions”. The front axle features new hydraulic rebound stoppers, the front springs are softened by 7% and the rear springs by 4%. The steering is carried over from the hatch, but is retuned to give quicker initial response and a slightly lighter feel. Kia claims the retuned steering, together with the chassis changes, endow the high-riding Xceed with similar handling dynamics and roll control as the Ceed hatch. Refinement, meanwhile, is said to have been improved by a new dynamic damper for the rear cross-member. Kia says that the interior “carries over the cabin architecture of its Ceed stablemates” with an optional upgrade to a fully digital 12.3in instrument cluster – a first for Kia. Five engines will be on offer – three petrols and two diesels, all taken from the rest of the Ceed range. The range starts with a three-cylinder turbo 119bhp 1.0 petrol and moves up to a four-cylinder turbo 138bhp 1.4. A 201bhp 1.6 from the Ceed GT is available in other markets but Autocar understands this isn’t destined for the UK. The diesels are both 1.6 capacity in outputs of either 114bhp or 134bhp. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic optional on all engines except the 1.0. Plug-in hybrid and 48V mild-hybrid versions will be launched in early 2020. First deliveries for the new model are expected in
Origin: New Kia Xceed crossover makes debut as sporty SUV
New Mercedes-AMG four-cylinder engine makes over 100 horsepower per cylinder
Mercedes-AMG Produktion M139 2019Mercedes-AMG Mercedes-AMG have just released the most powerful four-cylinder engine to ever go into a road car — a wild, 416-horsepower 2.0-litre turbocharged engine set to be featured in the ’45’ series of vehicles. The outgoing engine was no slouch to begin with, making a healthy 376 horsepower. This means the company has managed to squeeze out an extra 61 horsepower out of the same displacement. Bravo, Mercedes. Along with the 416 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque in the S’ trims, there will also be a detuned version set for the standard 45s, making 382 horsepower and 354lb.-ft. That torque also comes in further along in the powerband, meaning you get a much steadier power delivery. To achieve all this, Mercedes-AMG have done some properly nerdy stuff, fitting the engine with electric wastegates, piezo-injectors, and relocating the turbo, etc. The engines will also be built more quickly thanks to Mercedes one man (or woman), one engine mantra, which includes tools that have already been computer-controlled to properly torque the bolts. According to plant manager Alexander Kurz, this cuts production time by 20 to 25 per cent, allowing 140 engines per day to be built. The M139 engine will be available in the upcoming A, CLA, and GLA 45
Origin: New Mercedes-AMG four-cylinder engine makes over 100 horsepower per cylinder
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