Most I-Pace drivers only need two charges a week according to Jaguar app The Go I-Pace app monitors car usage to see how an EV would fit user needs Almost 90% of potential Jaguar I-Pace owners could cover their weekly mileage with a maximum of two charges per week, according to data gathered by the company’s Go I-Pace app. The app measures daily car use, and helps show users how an I-Pace would fit their driving needs. Information from those already using the system show that 87% of drivers would only need two full charges a week to cover their required mileage, while 52% of drivers would only need to charge once a week. More than 35,000 trips have been logged by the app, with an average user covering 216 miles per week, and an average journey of 8.4 miles. Jaguar’s I-Pace has a WLTP range of 292 miles on a single charge. Joanna Hewitt, Digital Innovations, Jaguar Land Rover said: “The Go I-Pace app was designed to demonstrate how EV ownership can benefit drivers, particularly in understanding journey impact on range and how often they would need to plug in. Looking at the data we have had so far it is clear to see that not only is I-Pace ownership cost-effective, it is extremely convenient too.”
Origin: Most IPace drivers only need two charges a week according to Jaguar app
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Lotus reveals 1973bhp Evija as world’s most powerful production car
Lotus has revealed the Evija, the all-electric hypercar it claims will be “the most powerful production car in the world”. An output of 1973bhp is promised when it hits roads next year, which is more than the upcoming 1888bhp Pininfarina Battista and Rimac C_Two, and the 1479bhp internally combusted Bugatti Chiron currently in production. No more than 130 of the two-seat hypercars will be built, each priced at £2.04 million. “Target specifications” include four-wheel drive, 1254lb ft and torque vectoring, giving it a 0-62mph time of less than three seconds, a 0-186mph time of less than nine seconds and a top speed of 200mph-plus. A production slot can be reserved with a refundable £250,000 deposit. The Evija, apparently pronounced ‘E-vi-ya’, will be Lotus’s first new-model launch under Geely ownership, and is the maker’s first all-new model for more than a decade. It will be made at the company’s traditional home in Hethel, Norfolk, and will act “as a ‘halo’ for the rest of the Lotus range” both now and for “new Lotus performance cars to come”. The car pictured here in a studio is for show, but Lotus’s design director, Russell Carr, told Autocar that “this is how it’ll be on the road. This is very much the production car. All the surfaces are made to production level.” The Evija, which is codenamed Type 130, is low and broad, at 4.59m long, 2.0m wide and 1.12m high. According to Lotus, it “marks the beginning of a contemporary new Lotus design language”. “We wanted from the start to do something that was pure, simple, but have a sense of luxury and elegance about it,” said Carr. “On the outside, we started by thinking ‘what are the existing factors from the Lotus DNA that we want to keep?’, and really important for us were the strong haunches you see on the car. It’s very important when you’re sitting inside that you can see the corners of the vehicle – it helps you place the car on the track. It’s also just a very emotional thing to see the bodywork; rearwards as well.” “We have the cabin sat low within those fenders, which are really important to us because the car’s all about dynamics,” said Carr, “and if the cabin sits low and the fenders are pronounced, you have the impression that the car’s got a low centre of gravity.” Around the overall design simplicity come some advanced aerodynamics (see Carr QA, below), which direct air flow over, under and through the car, creating a complex body shape with vast scoops running through the rear three-quarters, and exiting at the back. The design is permitted by the adoption of electric drive. “That certainly gives us a lot more freedom, yes,” said Carr. “You’ve obviously got battery packs that can be placed in certain places, and it’s certainly different from a traditional combustion engine, and we’ve tried to exploit that as much as possible.” Lotus hasn’t yet revealed how many electric motors the car will have or where they’ll be positioned, but its partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering – which is, among other things, the supplier of batteries to the Formula E grid – will be key to the Evija’s performance. Lotus said the Evija will have a 70kWh battery, capable of being charged at up to 350kW, enabling an 18-minute charge with a WLTP range of around 250 miles. The charge port is at the rear of the car. Construction is from carbonfibre, both for the chassis and the body. Light weight is core to all Lotus models and the Evija weighs several hundred kilos less than the Battista and C_Two are reported to be, although they have more battery capacity. Even so, at 1680kg, the Evija is likely to become the heaviest Lotus ever. Despite this, Lotus boldly claims it will “set a new standard for Lotus driving performance” and be “the most dynamically accomplished road car in the history of Lotus”. Inside, the carbonfibre construction remains visible in what’s a relatively spacious cockpit. “The start point is a floating beam, this open instrument panel you can place your hand right through,” said Carr. “The inspiration for that came from classic racing cars, from the 1950s and ’60s, in which you can see the structure. In those days it would have been tubular, but on this it’s carbonfibre. “We wanted to use carbonfibre, and once we got into that we started looking at wishbones on racing cars. We looked at modern racing bicycles as well, and that informed some of the sections and forms that go in there. And that’s really become a very distinctive part of this interior. If you love modern racing bikes or componentry on racing cars, you’ll recognise that.” “It’s a nice shape to use as well, with the wing profile, and adds a strong aeronautical flavour on the whole car. It’s very distinctive,” Carr added. “There’s a certain luxury to space and in such cars you can feel very claustrophobic. This feels open.” That’s in stark contrast to another upcoming hypercar, the Aston Martin Valkyrie, with the implication that the
Origin: Lotus reveals 1973bhp Evija as world’s most powerful production car
This ’67 up for sale may be the most expensive Corvette ever
This is a 1967 Chevrolet Corvette L88, one of the most powerful and rarest cars to ever come out of America, and its coming up for auction at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.In case you are unaware of the L88, that letter and two digits carry a pretty hefty weight in the automobile world.While the 427 Tri-Power was the hot rod most people could put in their driveway, the L88 required a little more cajones to own, and had almost one-quarter more of the Vettes base price tag added onto it.The big news is the engine: the 427-cubic-inch V8 in the L88 boasted 12.5:1 compression, a 850-cfm Holley carburetor, and was essentially a rectangular-ported-head monster.Chevrolet said it made 430 horsepower, but in reality, output was somewhere in the neighbourhood of 500. It was a full-blown race engine you could put in your skinny-tired plastic two-seater.According to Hagerty, this is the first L88 Corvette to roll off the production line, making it exceptionally special, as well as exceptionally valuable. It also has the benefit of some storied race history at the hands of Tony DeLorenzo, who piloted it to a few SCCA victories. The car has been restored a few times, and now sits in original showroom configuration.A concours-restored number-one-condition 1967 L88 set records at auction not long ago when it sold for US$3.45 million. This L88 isnt in as good a shape, being described as a number-two-plus, but being the first L88 ever built could help it hit a high number.Hagerty predicts this L88 will sell for approximately 20 per cent more than the previous best-selling Corvette L88, which means it could go above the US$4-million
Origin: This ’67 up for sale may be the most expensive Corvette ever
Most American-made cars sold in the U.S. are Japanese
The first American-built 2017 Subaru Impreza rolls off the assembly line at Subaru of Indiana Automotives (SIA) plant. While Donald Trump has been pressing for tariffs on foreign-made cars and parts, it turns out the most American-made cars sold in the U.S. today are usually Japanese.The annual American-Made Index compiled by Cars.com found nine of the 15 most U.S.-sourced vehicles are manufactured by Honda and Toyota.The two Japanese automakers dominated the latest study thanks to the big number of popular vehicles they assemble in America and their high content of U.S.-made parts.Its not surprising that theres a lot of vehicles here from Honda, Kelsey Mays, senior editor of Cars.com, said in an interview. About two-thirds of Hondas cars are assembled in the U.S., which is more than General Motors and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Mays said. Toyota also sells mostly American-made vehicles in the U.S. market.The 2019 study, published Tuesday, takes into account many of the issues Trump has stumped about when it comes to the automotive trade. Cars.com examined assembly location, parts sourcing as determined by the American Automobile Labeling Act, factory employment relative to sales and sourcing of engines and transmissions. The five factors arent equally weighed and Mays declined to give details of the breakdown.Fiat Chryslers Jeep Cherokee SUV topped the list, and GMs Chevrolet Corvette sports car placed fifth. But Japanese automakers dominated the ranking just as they did in 2018. The study, which debuted in 2006, was redesigned in 2017.While Japanese nameplates are among the most American-made, some American brand icons are not in the Top 10. One common misconception involves Fords F-150, Americas longtime best-selling vehicle: Some 71 per cent of respondents believed it to be the most American vehicle on the road, but Cars.com said it actually ranked No. 13.Many U.S. consumers give preferential consideration to American-made vehicles, according to the survey. But nearly 50 per cent of respondents said they were very or somewhat concerned about the impact of tariffs on their new car purchasing decisions.Cars.com hasnt seen a massive relocation of production in a way that would influence its rankings despite the Trump administrations imposition of tariffs on China and threats to do so on European and Japanese imports. Mays said Ford and GM have indicated a few employment changes because of the tariffs, but no automaker has significantly altered its assembly lines or supply chains in reaction to trade policy. Still, such changes could be coming and would likely raise costs for car buyers, he said.The White House delayed imposing tariffs on imported vehicles from the European Union, Japan and other nations on May 17 for 180 days. Earlier this month, the administration denied a GM request to exclude its Chinese-made Buick Envision from a 25 per cent import
Origin: Most American-made cars sold in the U.S. are Japanese
The unthinkables: manufacturers’ most oddball models
A Ferrari soft-roader? It’ll be a very fast soft-roader, and one that may even introduce the Maranello wail to Dubai’s Big Red, a huge, shifting sand dune that needs traction and torque in spades to be successfully crested. But a maker of cars designed to go as fast as possible to point B from point A, a maker that has forever harnessed the benefits of Tarmac-skimming centres of gravity and sylphic frontal areas does not sound like a maker of vehicles featuring neither of these desirables. Still, a Ferrari SUV really is coming and it’s likely to be as far removed from a WW2 Jeep as a smartphone is from a red telephone box. It’s also what the market wants and accurately judging that fickle arena of desire has produced a lengthy lineup of cars that, at one time, would have been unthinkable progeny for their creators. Some have been jarring additions to their makers’ ranges. Some have fallen from grace with equally jarring effect. And others, unexpectedly, have become lynchpins for their makers. Here’s a selection of the most notable. What we said then: “Rolls has, like Porsche did with the first Cayenne, tried to put clear Rolls-Royce cues into the design. Maybe they just don’t translate to an SUV, or maybe we’re just not used to it yet.” The market demanded an SUV of Rolls-Royce and the market got it. An off-roading Rolls-Royce is not such an alien idea. The robustness of the early cars meant they were frequently used off road in Arabia, courtesy of Lawrence, and as armoured cars during WW1. But as with the first Cayenne, the Cullinan’s look is troubling. What we said then: “To the majority of buyers of today’s conventional city cars, the launch of the new Aston Martin Cygnet must rank as one of the daftest this century.” Apart from hijacking the innards of a Morgan three-wheeler, Toyota’s cubist iQ has to be one of the unlikeliest building blocks for an Aston Martin. Apparently the result of a (surely fevered) conversation between the bosses of these companies, the Cygnet struggled to find takers but, perversely, has become sought after now since deletion. What we said then: “Inspired by classic independently produced Mini-based coupés from companies such as Broadspeed, Marcos and Midas, the new Coupé is not exactly elegant – not in the traditional sense, anyway.” There’s nothing wrong with the idea of a Mini Coupé, but the real thing, though, wasn’t what most might imagine as rakish Minimalism. The bubble-topped two-seater appeared to be wearing a kind of helmet forward of its frumpily vestigial boot, producing a rear end that reminded us all what a brilliantly sculpted car the original Audi TT coupé was. What we said then: “The most radical road-goer to wear four rings since records began.” Audi channelled its inner Lamborghini with the superb R8, a model introduction all the more surprising because Ingolstadt actually owned the Italian supercar maker. Even more surprising were the R8’s entertaining dynamics and a ride better than any other Audi, A8 included. What we said then: “It’s another electric vehicle that, we can’t help but conclude, would be better with its own power source on board. But the Twizy has a loveable character.” It is loveable, too, and quite unlike any Renault, ever. But the appeal palls in rain and cold, both penetrating the tandem occupant zone copiously without the optional semi-enclosing doors. It doesn’t go all that far on a charge, either, although that may be a good thing. Great on the right day, in the right weather. Which is why it has no rivals. What we said then: “An extreme take on the whole crossover concept.” What we said then: “If there’s one word that seems to define the VW Phaeton it’s ‘why?’.” Ferdinand Piech’s folly, the VW Phaeton made sense only to VW’s boss and, eventually, Chinese buyers, whose liking for big saloons prolonged the life of this supposed VW flagship for longer than it deserved. Piech’s ambition for VW was admirable – the same upmarket thrust yielded the successful Touareg – but it made as much sense as selling billionaire jewellery in John Lewis. What we said then: “Brilliant package with a neatly designed seating arrangement, all for a good price.” This under-wheeled cargo carrier was among the first supermini-scale MPVs. Despite a body as ugly as it was voluminous, the Yaris Verso sold moderately well but it was still an image-compromising product. What we said then: “A bit different from the norm, but too patchy to recommend it.” The last Lancia to be sold officially in the UK was the Delta in the 1990s but the model did return, in third-generation form, after being engineered for righthand drive. Fiat crassly sold it here not as a Lancia but as a Chrysler and it never really caught on. (See also Ypsilon.) 1998 Fiat Multipla What we said then: “There should be more cars on the road like the Multipla. As a means of transporting families, it is a work of
Origin: The unthinkables: manufacturers’ most oddball models
Mercedes-AMG unveils most powerful four-cylinder engine ever
The world’s most powerful 2.0 litre, four-cylinder series production engine has been revealed by Mercedes-AMG, set to feature in its upcoming ’45’ model range. Developing 415bhp in its most potent ‘S’ form, this completely new 2.0 turbo replaces the engine in used in the previous A45 A-Class, CLA45 and GLA45. Despite the potency of the outgoing A45 355/376bhp AMG four, engine development boss Ralf Illenberger says that emission requirements, the desire for more power, less weight and the different packaging requirements of Mercedes’ latest generation of compact cars necessitated a complete redesign. “The only carryover parts are a few nuts and bolts.” The new M139 engine produces 382bhp in standard form and 415bhp in ’S’ form, and 354lb ft or 369lb ft of torque. Another major aim has been extracting a sportier driving experience from the engine by altering its torque delivery. While the previous, M133 four cylinder engine’s torque curve resembled a diesel’s, rising steeply to level off across a wide chunk of the rev range, the new M139 2.0 produces more of a crescendo of thrust. The aim is to produce the rising rush of acceleration characteristic of a revvy, normally aspirated engine. Rather than flat-lining, diesel-style, from around 2000rpm, AMG’s new engine generates peak torque at 5200rpm, while nevertheless producing more shove than the old between 1000-2000rpm, the strongest surge developing from 3000rpm. Overall, says Illenberger, “it produces a more sporty delivery.” More diesel-like are the 160 bar combustion pressures generated by the new unit, and a lighter yet more robust cylinder block developed to withstand them. It’s of the closed deck variety, creating a crankcase casting more like a part-closed box rather than a semi-open one, with deep, strengthening skirts around the cylinders. The new alloy block is as strong as a diesel engine’s, says Illenberger. The 16-valve cylinder head is also new, a key design challenge being the dispersal of the considerable heat generated. Larger exhaust valves and valve seats, a redesigned water jacket, oil, water and air chilling for the turbo and separate coolant plumbing for the cylinder head and cylinder block allow more efficient and protective control of under-bonnet temperatures, assisted by electrically controlled water pumps. The head itself features ‘Camtronic’ variable inlet and exhaust valve control and dual injectors per cylinder. A single piezo-injector per cylinder would be at the upper limit of its fuel volume delivery, says Illenberger, so a second quartet of injectors sits within the inlet manifold tracts to boost delivery under hard acceleration. The Camtronic system enables two camshaft profiles to provide a blend of good fuel economy and heightened throttle response. The vanes of a sizeable turbocharger run in low-friction roller bearings, an electric wastegate minimising the loss of boost when pressure modulation is required. The turbo now lives between the engine and the front bulkhead, the cylinder head having been turned through 180 degrees in order to fit the engine beneath the lower bonnet lines of the new models. The turbo’s new location requires extra cooling, some of this provided by and engine cover shaped to direct fan-generated airflow over it. Illenberger says that the electric water pumps may also function after the engine has been switched off, to cool the block, head and turbo. The more potent ‘S’ version sometimes harnesses the air conditioner for cooling too. Besides designing an all-new engine AMG has also developed a more streamlined way to make it. Each engine is still built under the ‘one man, one engine’ approach long used by the company – there are several women hand-assembling these engines too, incidentally – the methods of electronically recording the sequence of and torque applied to each power-tool-attached component streamlined to save time. The new arrangement also improves assembly ergonomics. The new methods cut the production time by 20 to 25%, says plant manager Alexander Kurz, enabling AMG’s four-cylinder manufacturing facility to produce 140 engines per day over two shifts. The first car to feature this unit will be the A 45 in July, the CLA 45 saloon appearing near-simultaneously, the GLA 45 a little later.
Origin: Mercedes-AMG unveils most powerful four-cylinder engine ever
Most Subaru BRZ drivers prefer manual while Toyota 86 drivers go automatic
Last week Toyota told the world just how many of its drivers were champing at the bit to drive a car with a manual transmission. It wasn’t many. Just one per cent of Corolla drivers opted for the stick shift in 2018, while around 33 per cent of the far-sportier 86’s buyers preferred the manual. Following the news, Autoblog recognized the opportunity to perform a twin study and asked Subaru for the BRZ’s manual uptake numbers. Hypothesis: It’s basically the same car, so it should have the same appeal as a manual. Conclusion: Nope. Compared to the previously reported one-third of Toyota 86 models ordered with a stick, buyers of the Subaru BRZ preferred the manual transmission 78 per cent of the time in 2018. Regarding the ‘nature vs. nurture’ debate in this particular twin study, nurture dominates. There must be something about Subaru branding that appeals to the part of the enthusiast crowd that prefers to have busy hands. For context, the Mazda MX-5 Miata soft top has a manual take rate of 76 per cent, and that’s a car that basically shouldn’t even be offered with an automatic. The Subaru WRX also had an impressive stat in this column, with 90 per cent of buyers ordering the manual. That’s weighted, no doubt, by the fact that the WRX STI is sold exclusively as a manual. But before you go declaring Subaru the Queen of the Manual, know that the automatic is still vastly preferred within the brand’s less-sporty models. The Subaru Impreza sells with a stick 8 per cent of the time, followed by the Crosstrek at 6 per cent and the Forester at 3 per cent.
Origin: Most Subaru BRZ drivers prefer manual while Toyota 86 drivers go automatic
This Bentley tank is the most Russian thing since the AK-47
A YouTube channel from Russia has built a tank out of a Bentley Continental coupe—because why not? Popular Russian YouTuber AcademeG dreamed up the idea and chronicled the build on their channel. We must say, it looks awesome. They’ve managed to make it work with a lot of the vehicle’s original parts, minus the front steering and the frame. The original steering wheel has even been made to control brakes on either side of the tracks. It works in conjunction with the open rear differential to choose which side to send power to turn it. The truly incredible part of the build is the tubular frame that AcademeG built to hold the tracks themselves, as well as the body. It is entirely constructed of tubular steel and has been beautifully welded together. Although since this is in Russia, we wonder why they didn’t just take an existing tank and put the Bentley body on it, as we assume there are just tanks lying around everywhere out there. Right? Powering the silly thing is a V8 engine we think is from the original car, with an open exhaust that makes the machine sound truly angry. The first run of the tank seems to be a hoot, even though it experiences some teething problems with the tracks falling off a couple times. A homebuilt tank can’t run perfectly the first time, so we’ll forgive them. How can you get more Russian than this? Hmmm—AcademeG, do a MiG fighter jet with a Rolls-Royce body
Origin: This Bentley tank is the most Russian thing since the AK-47
Under wraps: Britain’s most secretive engineering firm
f you only read headlines, you could believe UK Automotive Manufacturing Plc’s entire business (still healthy despite the predictions of doom) was conducted entirely by car makers and giant parts suppliers whose names are carried three metres high on factory walls. That’s not quite true. Below the radar sits an extensive network of discreet technical consultancies the majors commonly use to solve their thorniest problems. They survive and thrive by maintaining a limpet-grip on leading-edge technology and delivering results with a need-for-speed usually honed in motorsport. A prime example is Northants-based RML Group, an engineering and technology company with racing roots back to the 1950s and which expanded into top-level race car design and engineering in the 1980s. It has since further expanded its activities to become a leading authority in lightweighting, prototype construction and electrification, mostly for time-poor automotive giants but also for defence and aerospace clients. Sitting atop this compact empire in Wellingborough, Northants, is CEO Michael Mallock, grandson of Arthur Mallock, an architect of Britain’s post-war motorsport engineering heritage that spawned influential companies such as Colin Chapman’s Lotus and Eric Broadley’s Lola. But while Chapman Co embraced commerce, Arthur Mallock kept making simple, affordable cars go amazingly fast. His Ford and Austin-based specials regularly beat far more expensive and complex designs; his finest hour was probably the creation of the U2 family of clubman race cars that applied basic physical principles so brilliantly that they remain highly successful in modern and classic racing even today. It fell to Arthur’s sons, Richard and Ray, to develop businesses off Arthur’s inspiration. Richard’s stayed with Mallock’s racing cars and Ray’s expanded into RML Group – embracing big-time racing and engineering. It built and campaigned BTCC cars and Le Mans racers (Ray’s special love) before expanding to become a self-styled ‘high-performance engineering company’. This transition corresponded closely with Michael Mallock’s elevation to CEO, following Ray’s staged retirement. “When I left school I came to RML on a formal apprenticeship,” he says, “working in all the departments: stores, electrics, design. As well as driving the van.” RML was doing well with Ray at the top of his game, so there was time for Michael to chase the professional racing dream for a while, starting in single-seaters and moving to sports cars with some impressive results. He returned to RML full time after 2011, first taking a commercial role. He is disarmingly modest about his achievements compared with those of his father: “Ray’s very much an engineer, and a fantastic driver,” he says. “I’m not a bad driver, but not an engineer at all.” This change of emphasis at the top has helped RML adapt itself to the modern market, says Michael. “When I came back, I studied the fortunes of our traditional competitors, people like Triple Eight, MSD, TWR and Prodrive. Some have gone now and the rest have changed. I pushed for us to start moving away from pure motorsport while keeping the race mentality and the cutting-edge technology. Today only about 10% of our business is directly connected to motorsport. We’re still in high-performance engineering, but the work isn’t mainstream. We don’t do Ford Fiesta door seals…” Michael Mallock’s first big project was to manage development and production of the Nissan Juke R, an ultra-high-performance version of the quirky compact SUV. Although production numbers were small, it brought much attention to RML and its changing capabilities, and it is remembered fondly. The biggest recent change, says Mallock, has been the rise of electrification. In just a few years, through clever hirings and rapid acquisition of know-how, RML has become a leader in low-volume electrification, to the extent that it now has a newly established HV (for ‘high voltage’) Centre about 10 minutes’ drive from the company’s traditional base. Most early electric programmes can’t be discussed, but one that attracted huge publicity was Nissan’s ZEOD RC Le Mans car, an experimental petro-electric sports racer built for the famous 24-hour race’s ‘Garage 56’, traditionally reserved for a car that imaginatively employs new tech and doesn’t conform to an established class. With initials standing for ‘Zero Emissions On Demand’, the ZEOD RC used chassis technology developed from the rule-breaking but conventionally powered Nissan DeltaWing and was built to deliver the first-ever all-electric racing lap at la Sarthe. Powered by a tiny, lightweight 1.5-litre, 400bhp three-cylinder petrol engine plus two 110kW electric motors, the ZEOD RC did indeed complete its electric lap, achieving a top speed close to 190mph on the Mulsanne Straight – although it failed to finish the race. Any tour of RML faces participants with a conundrum: most of what
Origin: Under wraps: Britain’s most secretive engineering firm
Canada’s 10 most popular luxury vehicles in 2019’s first quarter – it’s an SUV game
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 350ePeter Bleakney / Driving It has not proven to be the kind of start many premium auto brands desired. After years of record-breaking performances, some of the most popular luxury brands kicked off 2019 with a whimper. Granted, auto sales on the whole are falling. After five consecutive record years, 2018 volume dipped marginally. Through 2019’s first three months, total industry volume has declined by more than 4 per cent. Plunging car sales and slowing pickup truck momentum deserve some of the blame, but decreased demand for many of Canada’s favourite premium-badged vehicles plays a significant role, as well. Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi – Canada’s three top-selling premium auto brands – combined to lose 3,750 sales in 2019’s first quarter, a year-over-year drop worsened by decreases at Acura, Alfa Romeo, Lincoln, Jaguar, Land Rover, and Maserati. In total, premium brand auto sales are down by nearly 7 per cent. With no manufacturer-supplied monthly reports from Tesla, it’s difficult to obtain firm figures for the Model 3. Based on data from Canada EV Sales, Model 3 demand plummeted following Ontario’s rebate removal, from a high of 1,540 Ontario sales alone to merely 49 in January. For the time being then, there’s no Model 3 on this list of Canada’s 10 top-selling luxury vehicles in 2019’s first-quarter. With sales reports from the Global Automakers of Canada, these are Canada’s luxury leaders so far this year. 10. Infiniti QX60: 1,159, up 41 per cent No vehicle on this list has gone longer without a major redesign than the QX60, which debuted as the JX35 in early 2012. The QX60 has consistently been Canada’s favourite Infiniti despite the fact that it only partially veils its proletarian Pathfinder underpinnings. Yet having never topped 5,000 sales in the past, Infiniti is on track for over 6,100 QX60 sales in 2019. Infiniti’s other utility vehicles combined for a 16-percent uptick in Q1. 9. BMW X1: 1,283, up 2 per cent There’s no shortage of competition for the X1 right inside BMW’s showroom, but X1 sales continue to rise. Including the X1 and its X2 offshoot, sales of BMW’s two smallest utility vehicles are up 28 per cent so far this year. The duo combines to produce more than one-fifth of the brand’s Canadian volume. Gone are the days when BMW’s 3 Series was Canada’s top-selling premium automobile – the 3er only ranks fourth in BMW’s own lineup. 8. Acura RDX: 1,518, down 3 per cent Not likely to remain in the red, the new third-generation Acura RDX is just exiting the transition phase and is likely to soon see positive forward sales momentum. The RDX is hugely important to Acura, which has seen its car sales slow to a trickle (the RDX outsells Acura’s entire car lineup by a wide margin) and suffered meaningful MDX decline, as well. 7. BMW X5: 1,521, up 25 per cent On track for a huge year of more than 8,000 sales, the X5 is the most costly vehicle on this list of best sellers. Pricing begins above $70,000 – none of the others even start above $60,000. Yet the X5 is now producing significantly more sales than similarly sized mainstream SUVs like the Nissan Pathfinder, GMC Acadia, and Subaru Ascent. X5 demand was not slowed by the arrival of the larger X7 in March. BMW Canada reported its first 180 X7 sales while X5 volume jumped 30 per cent to 504 units. 6. Lexus NX: 1,544, down 2 per cent Anyone who thought the NX’s face was too controversial for mainstream success was, evidently, wrong. So common is the NX half a decade into its tenure that its divisive face is now almost normal. Nearly 30,000 NXs have found their way into Canadian driveways since 2014. Even if the current pace of modest decline continues in 2019, Lexus will still likely add over 5,500 more NXs to the tally by year’s end. 5. Lexus RX: 1,635, down 0.2 per cent Perennially a U.S. luxury sales leader, the Lexus RX remains popular in Canada despite a recent loss of momentum. The RX was long Lexus’ most affordable utility vehicle. Now, two nameplates – the NX and new UX – sit beneath the RX. Lexus has nevertheless expanded the RX lineup to include a three-row RX L, and that vehicle could swing the tide in the RX’s favour. March volume, for example, was up 20 per cent. 4. Mercedes-Benz C-Class: 1,640, down 35 per cent There is but one passenger car on this list of Canada’s 10 top-selling luxury vehicles. This is it. You won’t find the BMW 3 Series here, nor the Audi A4. Meanwhile, C-Class sales are plunging along with sales of its traditional rivals. A4 volume is down 40 per cent this year; 3 Series sales are down 38 per cent. The C-Class is outselling both, combined. 3. BMW X3: 1,653, down 14 per cent Although BMW is currently producing over 200 monthly Canadian sales with its specialty utility vehicles – the X2, X4, and X6 – the brand’s first forays into the luxury SUV market remain the most popular. With its X3, now in its third generation, BMW builds Canada’s third-best-selling premium
Origin: Canada’s 10 most popular luxury vehicles in 2019’s first quarter – it’s an SUV game
All about car 