Its an open secret that your author has been pushing Ford to bring a version of the mighty Ranger Raptor to these shores. With GM taking a big slice of the mid-size off-road pie with the Colorado ZR2 and ZR2 Bison, the Blue Oval must surely know its leaving money on the table. Thats without mentioning the Tacoma TRD Pro and its ilk.Where the Glass House has fallen down, a Texas-based tuner has picked it up. PaxPower, a speed house out of Houston, has unveiled a 350-hp Ranger with plenty of off-road goodies at this years SEMA show in Las Vegas. A common cop-out Fords offered as to why the Ranger Raptor isnt in North American showrooms is the presence of a weak-sauce 2.0-litre diesel engine making just 210 horsepower. While it is true this mill would not satisfy customers in this region, PaxPower has proven a Raptor-like Ranger can be built around this markets 2.3L EcoBoost engine, thank you very much. Tuned to about 350 horsepower, this clever girl will surely outrun most of the other creatures in the jungle.Starting with a current-model Ranger FX4, PaxPower adds OEM Raptor body panels to the fenders, bedsides and most obviously the front fascia. Those bumpers are custom-fabricated, though, and offer approach and departure angles better than any stock Ranger could ever dream. Toyo R/T rubber sets a just-right stance.None of this show would be of any use without a bit of off-road go, so the company installed a prerunner long-travel suspension setup from BajaKits to pair with King 2.5 front coilovers and rear shocks. Specific front and rear suspension travel isnt mentioned but it surely matches or beats the overseas Ranger Raptor measures of 32-per-cent and 18-per-cent increases over a standard Ranger.Like it? Me, too. Since the crew at Ford seem paralyzed on this issue, one can head over to PaxPower to spend their
Origin: Texas tuners build the Ranger Raptor that Ford won’t sell here
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Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final new Saab 9-3 this month
The last new Saab 9-3 ever to be made will be auctioned off later this month to raise funds for research into zero-emissions travel. The almost-unused saloon was built in 2013. It will now be sold by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the EV manufacturer that acquired Saab’s assets upon the firm’s collapse in 2012. Proceeds will be donated to NEVS’ Sustainable Mobility Scholarship at Sweden’s University West. NEVS said: “The fund will be awarded to individuals making significant efforts to pave the way for future mobility solutions, ranging from electric car technologies and sharing economies to initiatives for self-driving cars.” The model up for auction is a 217bhp 2.0-litre petrol Aero Turbo saloon in silver, which, according to the company, was intended for crash test purposes and set aside from customer models. The car has been parked ever since, with around 40 recorded miles on the clock, making it the final new 9-3 to leave the Tröllhattan factory. Saab ceased production of the 9-3 in 2011 and planned to unveil an all-new model at the following year’s Paris motor show. It was to be a dramatically styled two-door coupé with a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine supplied by BMW. The Swedish manufacturer’s collapse in 2012 put a stop to development of the new 9-3. Production of the final-shape model resumed under NEVS in 2013, with contribution from around 400 external suppliers, but ended just a year later, with only 420 units having left the factory. NEVS recently began production of the 9-3 EV, a 186-mile-range electric saloon based on the conventionally fuelled
Origin: Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final new Saab 9-3 this month
Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final Saab 9-3 this month
The last new Saab 9-3 ever to be made will be auctioned off later this month to raise funds for research into zero-emissions travel. The almost unused saloon was built in 2013. It will now be sold by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the EV manufacturer that acquired Saab’s assets upon the latter’s collapse in 2012. Proceeds will be donated to the firm’s Sustainable Mobility Scholarship at Sweden’s University West. NEVS said: “The fund will be awarded to individuals making significant efforts to pave the way for future mobility solutions – ranging from electric car technologies and sharing economies to initiatives for self-driving cars.” The model up for auction is a 217bhp 2.0-litre petrol-powered Aero Turbo saloon in silver, which, according to the company, was intended for crash test purposes and set aside from customer models. The car has been parked ever since, with around 40 recorded miles on the clock, making it the last new 9-3 to leave the factory. Saab ceased production of the 9-3 in 2011, with plans to unveil an all-new model at the following year’s Paris motor show. It was to be a dramatically styled two-door coupe, with a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged engine supplied by BMW. The company’s collapse in 2012 put a stop to development of the new 9-3, and production of the final-shape model continued under NEVS in 2013, with contribution from around 400 external suppliers. Production finally ended in 2014, with just 420 units having left the ex-Saab factory in Trollhättan, in the south of Sweden. In 2018, NEVS began production of the 9-3 EV, a 186-mile electric saloon based on the conventionally fuelled
Origin: Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final Saab 9-3 this month
BMW and Daimler will sell self-driving cars by 2024
Daimler AG und BMW Group starten langfristige Entwicklungskooperation für automatisiertes Fahren. Daimler AG and BMW Group start long-term cooperation for automated driving.BMW BMW and Daimler announced early July theyre teaming up to bring their joint self-driving technology efforts to dealerships in less than five years.In February, the long-time rivals in the sports sedan market partnered up to develop autonomous vehicle technology that both companies would implement into their own vehicles.Now, the two automotive giants have said their plan is to have Level 4 self-driving cars ready to sell for 2024.Level 4 systems can operate without a driver in some conditions and safely stop the car in the event that the driver is unable to take control. Level 5 autonomous driving is the real goal; its at that point vehicles are able to behave and react like humans, but that level isnt expected to materialize until the end of the next decade at the earliest.For now, the vehicles will be expected to be able to handle highway driving, as well as parking. Urban areas and city centres are also in the works. As for actual vehicle implementation, the two brands are planning on making the technology scalable, which means that multiple vehicles will be able to use the same system. The sensors, computers, cloud data storage and software that controls it will be licensed out to other firms once its completed.The timeline seems to be moving along rapidly, but the brands havent forgotten about the most important thing when it comes to self-driving cars: safety. BMW and Daimler, as well as other companies, recently published a paper entitled Safety First for Automated Driving, which lays out the guidelines for safety methods and development for Level 3 and 4
Origin: BMW and Daimler will sell self-driving cars by 2024
Jaguar Land Rover owner denies deal to sell firm to PSA is close
The owners of Jaguar Land Rover have denied reports that they are close to finalising a deal to sell the car firm to the PSA Group. The Press Association has reported seeing a ‘post-sale integration document’ that has been circulated within JLR, highlighting the benefits of the company being sold by Tata Motors to PSA, which comprises Citroën, DS, Peugeot and Vauxhall/Opel. A source also told the PA that “things are moving quickly behind closed doors.” In reponse, Tata Motors re-affirmed a previous statement saying that “there was no truth to rumours that Tata Motors is looking to divest its stake in JLR.” A PSA Group spokesperson told PA that it was in “no hurry” to make any acquisitions, but added it would “consider” any oportunities that came along. PSA boss Carlos Tavares has been open in recent months about his desire to expand the group, either through acquisitions or partnerships with other car firms. Tavares led PSA’s purchase of Vauxhall/Opel from GM in 2017. The Peugeot family, which owns the largest stake in the PSA Group, also recently said it would back future mergers or acquisitions, including with the FCA Group. In an exclusive interview with Autocar India recently, Tavares was asked about the firm’s interest in Jaguar Land Rover. He said that it would be good for PSA to have a luxury brand, and that the company was “considering all opportunities,” adding he would be interested “as long as it’s not a distraction.” Tavares said that there had been no discussions with Tata Motors about Jaguar Land Rover yet. He also said that “we don’t have a specific target but if there are opportunities, of course, we will consider it.” Asked further about adding a luxury brand that would sit about DS, Tavares said: “Why not? Why shouldn’t we discuss it? It depends on what kind of value creation we could generate.” Jaguar Land Rover has struggled in recent months, hit by falling demand for diesels and the decline of the Chinese market. Recent heavy losses, including an asset writedown, also caused the Tata Group to post a quarterly loss. Tavares cited PSA’s success in turning around Vauxhall/Opel, which posted its first profit in 20 years recently, suggesting it could have a similar impact on the strugging British firm: “With Opel, we have demonstrated that we can turn around a company that was in the red for 20 years, in 12 months. So this is something we know how to do.” Tavares said the group’s current focus was on its ‘Push to Pass’ strategic growth strategy to expand the company’s global presence, including expansion into the US, Russian and Indian markets. In a statement to Autocar India following its interview with Tavares, Tata Motors said that Jaguar Land Rover was not for sale. Following Jaguar Land Rover’s 2018 losses, Tata’s boss had previously affirmed its commitment to the
Origin: Jaguar Land Rover owner denies deal to sell firm to PSA is close
GM in talks to sell shuttered factory in Lordstown, Ohio to EV truck-maker
The Workhorse electric truck concept.Handout General Motors is negotiating the sale of its shuttered factory in Lordstown, Ohio, to a company that builds electric trucks. The company confirmed Wednesday it’s in talks with Cincinnati-based Workhorse Group to sell the huge facility, and also announced plans to invest US$700 million in three Ohio factories to create 450 additional jobs. The potential sale, first announced on Twitter by President Donald Trump, could preserve some jobs at the sprawling plant east of Cleveland. But it also dashes any hope GM would reopen the factory where until March, it had built cars for more than five decades. Workhorse Group, led by Workhorse founder Steve Burns, would acquire the facility and would hold a minority stake in a new venture, a GM statement said. But it was unclear who would own the rest. “This potential agreement creates a positive outcome for all parties involved and will help solidify the leadership of Workhorse’s role in the EV community,” said CEO Duane Hughes. The company would build a commercial electric pickup truck if it buys the facility, Burns said in the statement. Should the project go forward, initial job numbers would be in the hundreds, said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, moments after fielding a call from GM CEO Mary Barra. That number could rise to 3,000 over several years if Workhorse were to win a contract with the U.S. Postal Service, DeWine said. “We have people who are I would say knowledgeable about the negotiations who have told us that. That would be one of the goals of the company as they grow their business—to get a contract with the post office,” DeWine said. But news of the pending sale was greeted gloomily by workers in Lordstown who were hoping that GM would reopen the factory that stopped producing the Chevrolet Cruze compact car in March. Tim O’Hara, vice-president of the United Auto Workers union local at the plant, said workers were hoping the union could negotiate a new product for Lordstown, allowing them to stay in the area and continue careers with GM. Many will be forced to transfer in order to preserve seniority and pension eligibility, O’Hara said. “I guess that means they’re done in Lordstown,” O’Hara said of GM. “Anybody that wants to continue working for them is going to have to transfer out.” Lordstown had about 1,400 hourly workers on one shift at the time the plant stopped production. But hundreds of others had been laid off earlier as GM cut two shifts to deal with slumping demand for the Cruze. Trump happily tweeted the news about Lordstown after a conversation with Barra, calling the announcement “great news for Ohio.” Lordstown had been pulled into the 2020 presidential campaign as Trump has pressured companies to add jobs in the U.S. Ohio is key to Trump’s re-election campaign, and he has attacked GM for plans to close the plant as part of a larger restructuring effort. Workhorse CEO Hughes said Tuesday the company is making progress in the transition from development to the production. The company is on target, he said, to begin delivering its new electric vans at the end of this
Origin: GM in talks to sell shuttered factory in Lordstown, Ohio to EV truck-maker
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