Vauxhall has begun testing a rally variant of the new Corsa-e electric hatchback, making it the first manufacturer to offer customers an electric rally car. Called the Corsa-e Rally, the model will be available to buy from sister-brand Opel’s motorsport division, with the German manufacturer claiming a sub-£46,000 price tag. The cost represents a near-£20,000 increase over the £26,490 starting price of the standard Corsa-e, with the rally model retaining the 50kWh battery and 134bhp, 192lb ft electric motor of the production variant. “We have two objectives”, said Opel Motorsport Director, Jörg Schrott. “Both cars are covering as many miles as possible, in order to gather the maximum amount of data at an early stage. There is no experience of an electric rally car that we could turn to, so initially we had to rely on calculations and simulations. “These are being gradually replaced with real data. Other focuses are on loads and temperature management of the battery, as well as adapting the software. I am pleased to report that our programme is going smoothly.” Rally-spec suspension has been fitted and the body made slightly wider and higher, with a 2mm-longer wheelbase. Few technical details have been revealed, but it’s also expected to be significantly lighter than the standard car. In terms of design, the Corsa-e Rally bears a strong resemblance to its production counterpart, differentiated only by FIA-mandated towing straps, lightweight performance alloy wheels and a prominent decal package. The Corsa-e Rally will compete in the 2020 ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, a one-make electric race series that will host 15 young rally
Origin: Vauxhall begins testing Corsa-e electric cutomer rally car
testing
2020 Mercedes S-Class seen testing with less disguise
Mercedes-Benz will move its S-Class flagship saloon to a new generation next year, and prototypes are beginning to drop disguise in new shots. Latest images show more of the BMW 7 Series rival’s overall profile, and we can see that the brand isn’t ditching the curvy surfacing of the outgoing model. It will have, however, a redesigned front end with lights inspired by the latest-generation CLS. A spy photographer previously managed to point their lens inside of a prototype, revealing Mercedes has totally redesigned the cabin around a large, portrait-oriented central touchscreen. The Tesla-style display is significantly larger than any screen Mercedes has offered in previous models, and detail shots show the bottom half of it is dedicated to the limo’s climate control functions, with touch-capacitive shortcut buttons below. It’s likely further updates to the brand’s already new MBUX user interface will boost features and usability, while the brand’s trademark digital dials are also visible. The seventh-generation S-Class looks set to regain its place at the forefront of the brand’s technical knowhow, with a range of new electrified powertrains and advanced driver assist features. Comfort and technology levels will take a boost with the target of lifting it beyond rivals such as the Audi A8 and BMW 7 Series. The new Mercedes flagship, which is due in UK showrooms next year, has been developed to support two distinctly different saloon models for the first time. While standard versions are set to receive a range of plug-in hybrid drivetrains, the German car maker also plans to introduce an aerodynamically optimised pure-electric version that insiders say will serve as the flagship model for its new EQ electric vehicle sub-brand. Badged EQ S, the new model will offer a claimed range in excess of 310 miles on the latest WLTP test cycle when it goes on sale in 2022. Plug-in hybrid versions of the S-Class will feature part-time zero-emission capability for distances of up to 62 miles, together with the option of a newly developed 4Matic four-wheel-drive system with fully variable apportioning of drive between the front and rear axles. The EQ S forms part of Mercedes’ £9 billion programme to introduce more than 10 dedicated electric vehicles to the UK market within the next six years. In a further change, it is believed that Mercedes-Benz has decided to do away with its long tradition of offering the standard S-Class, which goes under the internal codename W223, with two different wheelbases. Nothing is official at this stage, but it is understood that the growth of the E-Class to a length of 4920mm is behind a decision to produce the new S-Class exclusively in long-wheelbase guise, with the car measuring around 5280mm in length. However, while the standard S-Class sits on the MRA platform, the more technically advanced four-wheel drive EQ S will be the first Mercedes-Benz model to be based on the new modular electric architecture (MEA) platform. Unlike the structures being developed to underpin smaller EQ models, it is not based on an existing platform but has been developed as dedicated EV architecture with a flat floor to house batteries. The drivelines set to power hybrid versions of the new S-Class are based around Mercedes’ latest 3.0-litre and 2.9-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines and the AMG-developed 4.0-litre V8, all of which operate in combination with a disc-shaped electric motor housed within the automatic gearbox and a lithium ion battery located in the boot floor. The pure-electric EQ S is set to receive two electric motors – one acting on the front axle and the other driving the rear – providing permanent four-wheel drive in all variants. In the upcoming EQ C, this set-up delivers more than 400bhp and some 516lb ft, although engineers involved on the development of the EQ S suggest it will offer even greater levels of power and torque, with a planned AMG performance model earmarked to produce more than 600bhp. Despite the differing platforms, both the standard S-Class and the EQ S are set to share the same active suspension system. A development of the existing S-Class’s AirMatic+ system, it works in combination with a 48V electrical architecture and a stereo camera that scans the road ahead to adjust the spring and damper action on each wheel, allowing it to not only counteract body lean in corners but also to better control pitch. Stylistically, the new S-Class is claimed to break new ground with a lineage that Mercedes-Benz design studio sources say will influence a whole new generation of models. Recent prototype spy shots preview a design that will feature distinctive tri-band LED multibeam headlights, a new interpretation of the classic Mercedes-Benz grille and door handles that retract back into the bodywork to help improve aerodynamic properties. It is understood that the EQ S will adopt its own distinct styling. Reflecting the
Origin: 2020 Mercedes S-Class seen testing with less disguise
Bloodhound LSR reaches 628mph as testing concludes
The Bloodhound LSR reached a new top speed of 628mph as it wrapped up testing in South Africa ahead of a planned assault on the land speed record in around a year. The British machine, driven by current land speed record holder Andy Green, has completed a series of test runs of increasing speed on a specially prepared track on the Hakskeen Pan over the past month. Powered by a EJ200 Eurofighter Typhoon jet engine, Bloodhound completed its final test run with Green accelerating to 615mph before lifting off the throttle. The run was part of a test programme to evaluate how much drag Bloodhound generates at a variety of speeds, with data gathered from 192 sensors then compared with the figures previously calculated using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. That data will determine the size and power of the Nammo-built rocket that will be fitted to Bloodhound for the final record bid. “The stability and confidence the car gives me as a driver is testament to the years of world class engineering that has been invested in her by team members past and present,” said Green. “With all the data generated by reaching 628mph (1010 km/h), we’re in a great position to focus on setting a new world land speed record in the next year or so.” Ian Warhurst, the British businessman who stepped in to save the project from administration, said hitting the speed was “a real milestone”. He added: “We will now move our focus to identifying new sponsors and the investment needed to bringing Bloodhound back out to Hakskeen Pan in the next 12 to 18 months’ time.” The current land speed record, set by Green in Thrust SSC in 1997, is 763.035mph. When Bloodhound was first launched, the ultimate target was to try and eclipse
Origin: Bloodhound LSR reaches 628mph as testing concludes
New Seat el-Born: 2020 electric hatchback begins testing
Seat’s first bespoke electric car, the el-Born, has hit the road in new disguised testing shots ahead of its launch in 2020. The model, named after a fashionable Barcelona neighbourhood, can be seen to sport dimensions and design details similar to the Geneva motor show concept (below), despite the usual camouflage. Autocar was told earlier in the year that the Geneva concept was 95% production-ready, with only a few minor changes coming ahead of production, and that appears to be the case. The el-Born will be the second EV built on the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric architecture to go on sale when it is launched in 2020, after the Volkswagen ID hatchback. The engineering and powertrain of the two compact models are expected to be closely aligned, with a range of power outputs offered. The el-Born concept featured a 62kWh battery mounted in the skateboard chassis, with an electric motor making 201bhp. Seat claims it will achieve 0-62mph in 7.5sec. It will be compatible with 100kW DC supercharging, allowing the battery to be filled from empty to 80% in 47 minutes.The total range is quoted at 261 miles for this concept. It will also feature a thermal management system to maximise range in hot weather. The machine features a similar hatchback profile to the ID and styling that showcases what Seat design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos calls “the ultimate translation of our emotional design language into the new world of electrical vehicles”. He added that “we have to make customers fall in love with the idea” of an EV. The design features several streamlined areas to boost aerodynamic efficiency, including the Seat logo positioned flush on the front bodywork of the car, above small cooling vents that provide air to the battery pack. The A-pillar of the car has been pushed forward to maximise internal space, with the sharp side lines creating an air curtain. The rear features an LED light strip that runs the full width of the bootlid, with a double-layer spoiler contributing to the car’s aerodynamic efficiency. The interior features a digital instrument display and a 10.0in infotainment touchscreen in a dashboard design that, Seat says, is driver-orientated. Seat also says the el-Born will feature “state-of-the-art” driver assistance systems capable of level two autonomy, meaning it can control steering, acceleration and deceleration. A large central bag compartment is located where the transmission tunnel would sit in a regular combustion-engined car. The el-Born will be built alongside the ID at Volkswagen’s plant in Zwickau, Germany. The first bespoke electric car from Skoda, Seat’s Volkswagen Group sibling, will be based on the Vision E concept and also use the MEB platform and similar
Origin: New Seat el-Born: 2020 electric hatchback begins testing
The 2020 Ram 1500’s the first truck to earn top marks in IIHS safety testing
2019 Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn Ram is on something of a tear with its new 1500 pickup in this country, chalking up healthy sales as it offers customers a wide a range of trims and engines. Now, it has another arrow to add to its quiver a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS.This makes Ram 1500 the first full-size pickup to earn this accolade. It tests a half-dozen crashworthiness measures, plus the clarity and strength of headlight output.It is this last criteria that flummoxes most manufacturers, denying them the coveted + notation. Driver assists such as forward collision mitigation helps improve ratings as well.Ram ticked all the boxes in testing, meaning the Top Safety Pick+ rating applies to 2020 Ram 1500 pickups and 2019 trucks produced after May of this year, so long as theyre equipped with adaptive LED projector headlamps that have high-beam assist and Rams automatic emergency braking technology.Of the crash tests conducted by the IIHS, three simulate frontal impacts, with the new Ram half-ton recording good results in each. In typically understated government fashion, good is the highest possible rating. Outcomes were the same in the three remaining crashworthiness tests, which inflict damage consistent with a side impact, rear impact and a rollover.This recognition validates our unrelenting efforts to deliver more value for our customers, says Reid Bigland, head of Ram Brand. The new Ram 1500 has earned many accolades for its capability and design. It is immensely satisfying to have the IIHS recognize our truck for its compelling safety story. As for its competitors, the 2019 Ford F-150 also earns good marks in all crash tests but fails to annotate its result with a + thanks to headlights which only earn a poor rating. Its the same story at Chevy for its 2019 Silverado, save for a marginal result in the passenger-side small overlap crash test.Elsewhere in the automotive sphere, the snazzy new 2020 Hyundai Palisade also earns a Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS when equipped with its best headlights. Volvo, long a brand with a name thats basically a byword for safety, also picked up a brace of Top Safety Pick wins for its large S90 and XC90
Origin: The 2020 Ram 1500’s the first truck to earn top marks in IIHS safety testing
New BMW 4 Series Coupe spied testing at Nurburgring
The second-generation BMW 4 Series Coupé has been spotted undergoing dynamic testing at the Nürburgring, ahead of going on sale early next year. The new two-door Audi A5 Coupe and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe rival, previously spied on a truck near BMW’s Munich headquarters, displays a clear family resemblance with the larger 8 Series. It features a pronounced bonnet, heavy curved roofline, angled rear window and a pronounced shoulder-line over the rear wheels. Alongside the coupé model spied here, BMW is also developing a successor model to the 4 Series Cabriolet featuring a fabric roof in place of the metal structure used by the current generation, as well as a follow-up to the four-door 4 Series Gran Coupe. The 4 Series Coupe is based on the latest variant of BMW’s CLAR (cluster architecture) platform. It supports both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive, though unlike the larger 8 Series, developments such as air suspension and four-wheel steering are not planned to be offered as part of its planned seven-year life cycle. The engine line-up will be similar to that of the latest 3 Series with an extended range of 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.0-litre six-cylinder powerplants to be offered from the outset of sales. BMW insiders confirm plans for 420i, 430i and M440i xDrive petrol models together with 420d and 430d diesels. There will also be a new 430e plug-in hybrid model, featuring a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and gearbox-mounted electric motor developing a combined 248bhp and 309lb ft. The 420i, 430i, 420d and 430d, all with standard rear-wheel drive, will be offered with optional xDrive four-wheel drive, which will be standard on the M440 xDrive. Heading the new line-up will be the second-generation M4, which is set to run a powered-up version of BMW M’s new twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol engine developing 503bhp and 442lb ft of torque together with an eight-speed automatic gearbox and fully variable four-wheel-drive system in top-of-the-line M4 Competition
Origin: New BMW 4 Series Coupe spied testing at Nurburgring
2020 BMW 5 Series previewed as prototypes begin testing
Prototypes of the facelifted BMW 5 Series have begun testing on public roads ahead of a planned introduction in mid-2020. Although it’s still heavily disguised, the updated executive model will clearly receive a bolder look in keeping with styling developments brought to both the latest 3 Series and facelifted 7 Series. The move is part of a broader strategy at BMW that aims to give each model its own individual appearance. Among the new design elements expected to be brought to the 5 Series are a more prominent kidney grille, redesigned headlights and a more heavily structured front bumper that incorporates newly designed air vents, including vertical air curtain ducts at the outer edges. Changes at the rear are likely to be less significant, although the plastic wrap adorning the spied prototypes hints at styling revisions to the tail-lights, rear bumper, tailpipes and area around the numberplate. Inside, the 5 Series is expected to receive new digital instrument graphics as well as a revised central display housing the infotainment functions. Today’s 5 Series will get BMW’s latest iDrive 7.0 operating system as part of a running change from this month onwards, suggesting the 2020 model will carry this on until the introduction of an iDrive 7.5 system in the eighth-generation 5 Series model due in 2023. The prototype shown here is propelled by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, shown by the mandatory identification on its front doors as well as the flap for the charging port integrated into the front-left wing. The current G30 5 Series is already sold with a plug-in hybrid setup in the 530e. This has a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and an electric motor developing a combined 248bhp and providing an electric-only driving range of up to 40 miles. As part of a push to take its plug-in hybrid drivelines into the performance car class, BMW is said to be planning a new 545e model running the same set-up as the 745e. This would use a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine and electric motor making a combined 388bhp and yielding an electric-only range of up to 36 miles. In further developments, BMW plans to equip all petrol engines with a particulate filter, while the diesels will receive new selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, according to Munich
Origin: 2020 BMW 5 Series previewed as prototypes begin testing
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
Jaguar Land Rover is testing a mood-sensing AI system
Jaguar Land Rover understands that driving can be stressful. Traffic, construction, annoying passengers, whatever it is you’re late for — it can all add up to an unpleasant experience behind the wheel. In fact, as the British automaker points out in a recent press release, reports indicate that 74 per cent of people admit to feeling some form of stress every day. That’s why it has been developing a “mood-detection system” that uses AI-powered tech to track facial expressions and implement subtle changes to help restore some tranquility to the driving experience. Here’s how it works: A driver-facing camera and biometric sensors function in tandem with software that interprets facial expressions to communicate a driver’s #currentmood to the car’s central system, which can then make potentially mood-boosting adjustments. The system might adjust the ambient lighting and emit some calming colours if it detects you screaming in rage at the person you’re tailgating. Or it might lower the cabin temperature or play your favourite pump-up songs if it detects you’re getting tired. All the while, the system’s AI is working to interpret the nuances and changes in facial expressions and in the driver’s preferences, allowing it to make “increasingly tailored adjustment.” And it’s not just concerned with the driver, either. JLR has stuffed the tech into the headrests and aimed it at rear passengers, hoping to help tired travellers catch some zzz’s en route by automatically tinting windows, dimming lights and raising rear-seat temperatures. No word yet on when/if it’ll find its way into cars that we can drive, but the brand promises this is “the next-generation of Jaguar Land Rover’s existing driver-tracking technology.” Sounds lovely in theory. But be warned, if you’re the type of person who gets irate when your passengers adjust the temperature or change the radio station without asking, this might not be for you.
Origin: Jaguar Land Rover is testing a mood-sensing AI system
New 2020 Toyota Yaris seen testing with mini-Corolla design
Toyota will renew its ageing Yaris next year to bring the supermini into line with the rest of its range, and new Nürburgring spy shots give a revealing glimpse of the final design. Sporting a similar attention-drawing ‘disguise’ as the recently launched Supra, the 2020 Yaris can be seen to adopt the wider, squatter stance of the latest Corolla. Swollen wheel arches seem to give it much more visual aggression than the eight-year-old outgoing car, and the profile looks to be less top-heavy, too. That’s a clear indication of the car’s TNGA platform architecture – modular underpinnings that are also shared with the Corolla, Camry and C-HR. Another prototype with a different camo and wheel design was spotted at the ‘Ring at the same time, suggesting the Japanese firm is trialling two different chassis set-ups. It is likely that the one in the red camo is a GR Sport variant, Toyota’s new trim designation for models with a sportier tune to bridge the gap between mainstream variants and the full-fat GRMN flagship. Also on test was a hybrid variant, determined because of the legally mandated yellow sticker that must be installed on all electrified test vehicles. Toyota’s UK sales are overwhelmingly biased towards hybrid models, so a petrol-electric variant should continue to be the volume seller. It’s possible that the 2020 Yaris will also come with a straight petrol version, however, more suited to sporting variants. If the brand’s latest range additions are anything to go by, expect significant dynamic improvements afforded by the TNGA platform, plus a big improvement in interior quality and technology. Reports suggest this year’s Tokyo motor show in October will be the location for a new Yaris’s unveiling, although the Japanese domestic market version is expected to be different. The full European debut should be in early 2020, with sales to follow soon
Origin: New 2020 Toyota Yaris seen testing with mini-Corolla design
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