reveal

Hybrid-only Honda Jazz revealed in leaked image ahead of Tokyo reveal

An image of the next-generation Honda Jazz has been revealed in Japanese media, ahead of its reveal at the Tokyo Motor Show. Alongside an earlier teaser image, the Japanese car maker said the new Jazz will “raise the bar in terms of comfort and driver enjoyment”.  Honda has previously confirmed that the model will be launched in Europe with hybrid technology as its sole powertrain. Autocar first reported the move in March, and in September this year, Honda affirmed that its bestselling model in the UK would only be offered with petrol-electric hybrid engines. It will use the same dual-motor hybrid system already seen in the brand’s CR-V hybrid when it launches next year. Honda said the powertrain “provides an exceptional blend of strong and effortless driving performance and impressive fuel economy”. The Jazz will be the first in the brand ‘s line-up to only offer a hybrid powertrain, with other models soon to follow suit. Honda announced earlier this year that all of its combustion-engined models in Europe will be offered with hybrid powertrains by 2025. Honda said at the time: “Ahead of its 2025 electrification goal, Honda will expand the application of its i-MMD dual-motor hybrid system, with the introduction into smaller segment cars an important first step.” Currently, the only model it offers as a hybrid is the CR-V, which indirectly replaced a diesel variant of the compact SUV. Petrol variants are also sold. Honda UK has seen great success with the CR-V Hybrid, which accounts for 55% of the model’s sales. Following the launch of the hybrid Jazz in 2020, the next electrified model will be the Civic in 2021. The CR-V Hybrid pairs two electric motors with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and a CVT transmission. However, given its smaller dimensions, the Jazz supermini will use either a 1.0-litre of 1.5-litre petrol engine and have less power. Honda UK sales boss Phil Webb said the maker will launch a campaign to help educate on the hybrid Jazz given the older age of many of its loyal customers. He predicts a dip in sales when it first arrives on roads next summer, but anticipates it will bounce back to between 18,000 and 20,000 units annually in the UK. The new Jazz must remain familiar enough to appeal to those loyal owners, while also bringing in new people to Honda’s entry-level model. Today’s preview image and the spy shots previously published of the Jazz testing show a minor evolution for the fourth-generation Jazz. The space-maximising upright profile and tall glasshouse remains, but with more curved lines and redesigned lights, bumpers and
Origin: Hybrid-only Honda Jazz revealed in leaked image ahead of Tokyo reveal

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe leaked ahead of tonight’s reveal

BMW’s new 2 Series Gran Coupé is due to be revealed later tonight, but official images have been leaked online to spoil the show.  The new shots show the four-door Mercedes-Benz CLA rival’s exterior styling in full, with a distinct visual difference compared to the larger 3 Series and new 1 Series.    While the front-end is recognisable from the 2 Series’ hatchback sibling, the rear-end shape appears to be inspired by the firm’s latest coupe SUV, the BMW X4, with similar tail-lights and tailgate shape. The need to accommodate two conventional front-hinged rear doors and sufficient rear seat leg room is said to be behind the decision to give the new car a wheelbase that’s halfway between the 2690mm span of the 2 Series Coupé and the 2810mm of the 3 Series saloon. Inside, the 2 Series Gran Coupé will sport a new interior layout that’s also set to be adopted by the successors to today’s 2 Series Coupé and 2 Series Convertible, which are due in 2020. The turbocharged three-cylinder and four-cylinder engines of the 2 Series Gran Coupé will mirror those of the existing line-up. On the petrol side of the range, expect a 134bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine in the 218i, 181bhp and 242bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder units in the 220i and 225i, with a more potent version in the M235i. Among the diesels will be 148bhp, 187bhp and 221bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines in the 218d, 220d and 225d respectively. Like its two-door siblings, the 2 Series Gran Coupé will offer a choice of a standard six-speed manual or optional eight-speed torque-converter automatic gearbox, with xDrive four-wheel drive available as an option. However, the latter will be offered in combination with only a limited range of engines. The highlight of the new line-up, though, will be the M2 Gran Coupé. This model will use the same 365bhp turbocharged 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder engine as its highly lauded two-door sibling. It will be offered with a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Although it’s still early days, that engine – designated S55B30 – is expected to provide the M2 Gran Coupé with similar performance to the M2, which has an official 0-62mph time of 4.4sec in manual form and an electronically limited top speed of 155mph. The 2 Series Gran Coupé will be produced alongside the 2 Series Coupé and 2 Series Convertible at BMW’s plant in Leipzig, Germany. A plug-in hybrid model is also mooted. This is expected to use BMW’s turbocharged 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor mounted within the forward section of a standard eight-speed automatic gearbox. With a lithium ion battery pack positioned beneath the floor of the boot, the hybrid set-up is intended to provide the 225e with an electric-only driving range of up to 31
Origin: BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe leaked ahead of tonight’s reveal

2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS confirmed for Frankfurt reveal

Mercedes-Benz is preparing to take on the Tesla Model S, Porsche Taycan and next-generation Jaguar XJ with its plush new EQS electric saloon, and has confirmed it will make its debut at next week’s Frankfurt motor show. The announcement follows Porsche’s unveiling earlier today of the new Taycan, which will compete with the EQS in the flourishing electric premium saloon segment. Accompanying preview images give little away, but the silhouette sketch shows off a low, swooping roofline, while a slim headlight design is visible on the covered-up show car.  The latest addition to Mercedes’ forthcoming EQ electric vehicle line-up will join the EQC mid-sized SUV and EQA family hatchback in showrooms in 2021. According to officials, the EQS name implies a level of luxury, comfort and features consummate to the company’s traditional S-Class. It will head what the engineering boss of the EQ sub-brand, Michael Kelz, suggests will be a 10-strong electric model range by the middle of the 2020s. Whereas the EQC is based on existing underpinnings from the GLC and the EQA is set to use a modified A-Class platform, the range-topping EQS will be the first EQ model to benefit from Mercedes’ dedicated Modular Electric Architecture (MEA). Among the key engineering solutions included in the aluminium-intensive MEA platform is a flat floor structure. Recently spotted EQS prototypes confirm the production shape of the future flagship. It’s described as being roughly the size of the current CLS. In terms of proportions, it has a much shorter bonnet and a more heavily raked windscreen than the S-Class. In combination with the flat floor structure and a near-three-metre-long wheelbase as well as less intrusion from the gearbox and transmission tunnel than in conventionally powered models, this is expected to provide the EQS with greater interior space than Mercedes’ current range-topper. The heavily curved roofline and relatively shallow glasshouse is similar to that seen on the CLS, while the fastback-style rear contains a liftback-style bootlid similar to that of the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-door Coupé. The EQS is expected to be powered by two electric motors – one on the front axle and the other at the rear – providing permanent four-wheel drive. In the EQC, this set-up will deliver more than 400bhp and some 516lb ft. A lithium ion battery with a capacity of around 90kWh is planned to provide a range of between 400 and 500km (248-311 miles). Mercedes has confirmed the EQS will be produced at its main Sindelfingen factory on the outskirts of Stuttgart. It’s the third plant in Germany earmarked to produce an EQ model, with the EQC set to be built in Bremen and the EQA at Mercedes’ compact car plant in Rastatt. An additional EQ model, likely a GLB-based EQB SUV positioned below the EQC, will be produced at the Smart factory in Hambach,
Origin: 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQS confirmed for Frankfurt reveal

Audi RS Q3 Sportback drops disguise before Frankfurt reveal

Audi Sport is working its magic on the recently revealed Q3 Sportback – and the hot coupe-SUV will make its public debut at next month’s Frankfurt motor show.   The RS version of Audi’s seventh SUV will join its less-style focused RS Q3 sibling at the event. Since the standard Sportback has already been revealed, the performance model has lost camouflage and can be clearly marked out to be an RS model. It’s identifiable by its dual oval sports exhaust tips, Audi Sport logos on the brakes, and the air intake, grille and wheel styling, the RS Q3 Sportback is expected to use an all-new 2.5-litre five-cylinder petrol engine that produces up to 400bhp. Such an output would give it the muscle to challenge the upcoming second-generation Mercedes-AMG GLA45, which uses a smaller 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine but puts out 416bhp in top-spec S form. The Audi will likely counter with more torque, while many enthusiasts will welcome the retention of the distinctive five-cylinder layout.  Expect a 0-62mph time of around four seconds and a 155mph limited top speed. As is traditionally the case with RS products, we’ll also see bespoke interior fixtures alongside mechanical upgrades such as a bespoke suspension setup and the option of a sports differential.  The RS Q3 Sportback will be produced in 2019 at Audi’s plant in Győr, Hungary alongside the regular car. It is part of a growing line-up of style-led SUVs, spearheaded by the electric E-tron and range-topping Q8. 
Origin: Audi RS Q3 Sportback drops disguise before Frankfurt reveal

The 2020 Corvette C8 reveal nearly broke the Internet

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8Chevrolet It hasn’t even hit streets yet, and the 2020 Corvette C8 is already breaking records for GM.In fact, it was the very act of revealing it that led to the first record. On July 18, GM revealed the first ever mid-engined ‘Vette in an online event, and the traffic generated was almost too much for the automaker’s websites. The livestream stalled at times due to the 471,000 people watching around the world, and as soon as Chevy announced the “Visualizer” configurator was up on the site, it too was nearly drawn to a grind for almost a day by a continual flood of users. The day after the reveal, with the C8 live on the site, Chevrolet.com welcomed more visitors than any other day in its history, and five times more than the daily norm. “With a pretty rabid and passionate base, we knew we’d take 24 hours of grief,” Steve Majoros, director of Chevrolet passenger car and crossover marketing, told Roadshow. “The majority of people got the full (configurator) experience, which is the full 3D experience. We do have a way that the system throttles to what we’re calling a 2D experience (to speed load time). Once we hit thresholds, we worked with Amazon Web Services very quickly to double our server capacity.” The Corvette page on Chevrolet.com continued to garner the clicks for the rest of July, too, earning 2.4 million visits between the 18 and the end of the month. So did the Visualizer — some 1.3 million people spent over 152,000 hours configuring over 940,000 C8s before August 1. Have your tried the Visualizer? If not, click your way around your own digital Corvette C8 here.
Origin: The 2020 Corvette C8 reveal nearly broke the Internet

Hot Mercedes-AMG GLB SUV set for Frankfurt reveal

The first high-performance Mercedes-AMG version of the recently launched GLB compact SUV will be revealed at this year’s Frankfurt motor show. The Affalterbach firm is developing two four-wheel-drive versions of the GLB, in both 35 4Matic and 45 4Matic trim. The 35 version, which will feature the same 302bhp 2.0-litre mild hybrid petrol engine found in the A35 hot hatch, is set to be revealed at Frankfurt, with sales starting later this year. The Mercedes-AMG GLB has previously been spied undergoing development work in both variants. It is differentiated from standard versions by its reduced ride height, larger brake discs, multi-pot calipers and four tailpipes, as opposed to the twin-exit arrangement of the less powerful GLB 35 4Matic prototypes we’ve seen previously. The GLB 45, due on sale next year to rival the Audi RS Q3, is among a number of new Mercedes-AMG models set to run a newly developed four-cylinder engine based on Mercedes’ turbocharged 2.0-litre ‘M260’ unit. Also due to appear in the A45 4Matic, CLA 45, CLA 45 Shooting Brake and GLA 45, the new powerplant is claimed to develop 382bhp in standard guise and 416bhp in a higher state of tune. In the GLB 45, the new engine will be mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a new four-wheel drive system developed in a partnership between AMG and Austrian engineering specialist Magna Powertrain. It uses electrohydraulic actuation instead of the electromechanical operation of the four-wheel drive system by transverse engine models built by AMG up to now. Among the developments incorporated on the new four-wheel drive system is a rear differential featuring two separate clutches. They allow it to apportion up to 100% of power to each of the individual rear wheels in a so-called drift mode that AMG sources have revealed to Autocar will feature on all upcoming 45-badged models. The GLB 45 is set to crown the upcoming GLB line-up when it goes on sale in 2020. It will be positioned above the GLB 35, which runs a milder 302bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and is set to form part of the initial GLB line-up that’s planned to be launched in early June. The GLB is the eighth member of Mercedes’ compact car line-up. In standard guise, it offers the choice of either five or seven
Origin: Hot Mercedes-AMG GLB SUV set for Frankfurt reveal

400bhp+ Mercedes-AMG GLB 45 SUV set for Frankfurt reveal

The hot Mercedes-AMG version of the recently launched GLB compact SUV will be revealed at this year’s Frankfurt motor show. The GLB 45 4Matic, to which Mercedes’ high-performance arm is currently putting the finishing touches, is due to go on sale early next year to rival the Audi RS Q3. It has previously been spied undergoing development work. The AMG division has kicked off testing of the GLB 45 on public roads some 12 months before its planned showroom debut. The GLB 45 is differentiated from standard versions by its reduced ride height, larger brake discs, multi-pot calipers and four tailpipes, as opposed to the twin-exit arrangement of the less powerful GLB 35 4Matic prototypes we’ve seen previously. The GLB 45 is among a number of new Mercedes-AMG models set to run a newly developed four-cylinder engine based on Mercedes’ turbocharged 2.0-litre ‘M260’ unit. Also due to appear in the A45 4Matic, CLA 45, CLA 45 Shooting Brake and GLA 45, the new powerplant is claimed to develop 382bhp in standard guise and 416bhp in a higher state of tune. In the GLB 45, the new engine will be mated to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a new four-wheel drive system developed in a partnership between AMG and Austrian engineering specialist Magna Powertrain. It uses electrohydraulic actuation instead of the electromechanical operation of the four-wheel drive system by transverse engine models built by AMG up to now. Among the developments incorporated on the new four-wheel drive system is a rear differential featuring two separate clutches. They allow it to apportion up to 100% of power to each of the individual rear wheels in a so-called drift mode that AMG sources have revealed to Autocar will feature on all upcoming 45-badged models. The GLB 45 is set to crown the upcoming GLB line-up when it goes on sale in 2020. It will be positioned above the GLB 35, which runs a milder 302bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and is set to form part of the initial GLB line-up that’s planned to be launched in early June. The GLB is the eighth member of Mercedes’ compact car line-up. In standard guise, it offers the choice of either five or seven
Origin: 400bhp+ Mercedes-AMG GLB 45 SUV set for Frankfurt reveal

Cupra previews first EV ahead of Frankfurt reveal

Cupra will reveal its first fully electric vehicle, which it says will combine elements of a sports coupé and an SUV, at this year’s Frankfurt motor show. The Seat sub-brand, which is focused on premium performance cars, showed its first stand-alone car, the Formentor coupé-crossover, earlier this year. It will follow that up with the electric concept car, which will preview its first production EV. Cupra has released a single teaser image of the concept, which it says will unite “the silhouette of a four-door crossover with the presence of an SUV and the sleekness of a sports coupé”. It follows a teaser video, which gave glimpses of the headlight design. Although Cupra has not confirmed details of the new concept, it will be based on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric platform, which will be used for parent firm Seat’s el-Born EV. It is likely to be a more extreme version of that car. That would match how the Formentor, which will be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, is a heavily reworked coupé version of the Ateca SUV. When Seat turned Cupra into a stand-alone brand last year, bosses said it would act as a “technological flagship”, including in electrified powertrains. Cupra describes the new concept as “a vision of the future” of the brand.  The EV concept has been termed a “high-performance vehicle”, suggesting it could get one of the most powerful motor options available for the new MEB platform – likely to feature a motor on each axle offering all-wheel drive. Although the teaser image only shows the rear of the car, Cupra says the front design balances “aesthetics and performance”, featuring a low-set illuminated Cupra logo. The rear will feature a functional aerodynamic diffuser. Cupra takes its name from Seat’s long-running line of performance models, although the brand has a wider focus on attracting higher-end customers who would not usually consider a Seat. That is why the firm has so far focused on SUVs and crossovers, starting with the reworked Cupra Ateca and the Formentor. Seat is aiming for Cupra to offer seven models by 2020, which will mix stand-alone machines with high-performance versions of Seat models, including the current Cupra
Origin: Cupra previews first EV ahead of Frankfurt reveal

All-new electric Fiat 500 spied testing ahead of 2020 reveal

An all-new electric Fiat 500 city car, the 500e, has been spied testing in California, ahead of its launch at the Geneva motor show in 2020. The sighting of the camouflaged prototype comes just a week after Fiat said it would invest 700 million Euros on the electric city car, to include a new production line in Mirafiori, Italy. Fiat hopes to produce 80,000 examples of the new 500e.  The car will be sold alongside the existing 500, which will continue to be powered by conventional petrol engines as well as receiving styling and technical updates. The all-new electric 500 will sit on a bespoke electric car platform, according to Fiat boss Olivier Francois, with the same platform potentially earmarked for use if the the new Panda-inspired Centoventi concept makes production. The electric 500 will be a key part of Fiat’s transformation in Europe into a brand focusing on small electrified city cars. “The car will stay true to everything you know about the 500, but will be entirely new,” said Francois. “Under the skin it will be radically different, but otherwise you will recognise the size and proportions. “But it is a big statement, starting our electric path with the 500. We are doing it with that car for reasons of pricing. It is clear that we cannot sell an electric 500 for the same entry price of today’s 500, but what’s clear is that more than half of our 500 customers today do not buy entry-level models. In fact, for them a 24,000 euro price is normal today. “If you look at our electric competition, they are priced around 32,000 euros. The leap then from 24,000 to 32,000 is not so much, especially if you factor in government grants for electric vehicles. Francois refused to be drawn on whether the electric 500 could be rear-wheel drive like the original, but said he would be open to the idea. He also said that an electric Abarth model could hold appeal. The electric car platform that the new 500 will sit on will be FCA Group developed. Francois said he would personally be open to sharing the technology with partners – the 500 platform has previously been shared with the Ford Ka, for instance,  but he stressed that any such decision would have to be made at a Group level. Fiat also confirmed the new 500 will be joined by a 500 Giardiniera estate, although the firm didn’t say if that would also appear at next year’s Geneva show. Ahead of the 500e arriving, a mild hybrid variant of the 500 is due to launch later this year. The aim is to consolidate the brand’s dominance of the city car segment – the 500 and Panda hold a third of this market – while developing technologies that allow these models to satisfy emission regulations.  This focus also means other, less successful Fiat models are expected to axed. These include the Punto – axed after a 13-year production run – and, while unconfirmed, the Tipo.  The 500 Giardiniera, which references the tiny wagon of 1960, will offer the best space efficiency in its class, says Fiat, and “unmistakable design”. It too will get electric and mild hybrid variants. The 500’s new platform architecture can also cope with a mild hybrid system. That unit consists of a belt driven, 12V starter-generator, although little detail has been provided on the electric drivetrain to be used in the 500. Lower-emissions petrol engines will also be offered in the 500 and Panda.  Francois conceded that the decision to develop the electric cars was driven “both by the desire to create a profitable electric car for our future, and to ensure we avoid the pressures of potential fines if we don’t hit CO2 targets.” Given the limited space for batteries and the 500’s urban appeal, range of the 500e is likely to be less than EVs such as the Nissan Leaf, which offers around 250 miles. The 500e will be a rival to a growing number of small EVs – Mini’s first series-production electric car is due in 2019, at the same time as the Honda Urban EV.  The 500e will be one of four electric powertrains offered by FCA. It will sit use a ‘City Car’ powertrain, while a ‘Mainstream’ powertrain will be launched in the Jeep Grand Commander. A ‘Performance’ powertrain will feature in the 2020 Maserati Alfieri and a ‘Premium’ EV powertrain will power the 2022 Maserati Quattroporte.  The push for electrification comes amid Fiat Chrysler’s abandonment of diesel; by 2022, there will be no diesel options in the FCA catalogue. These will be replaced by numerous hybrids, both full and plug-in, the first of which will be the new Jeep Grand Cherokee, landing in 2020.  The production capacity released by the deletion of the Punto and other unspecified Fiat models – such as Tipo – will be used to build more Alfa Romeos and Maseratis, whose premium prices can withstand the electrification costs. Some Italian capacity will be used to build some plug-in hybrid models, including certain Jeeps for global sale. Additional reporting by Jim Holder and Richard
Origin: All-new electric Fiat 500 spied testing ahead of 2020 reveal