A measuring hose for emissions inspections in diesel engines sticks in the exhaust tube of a Volkswagen Golf 2.0 TDI diesel car at a garage in Frankfurt an der Oder, eastern Germany, on October 1, 2015. Four major automakers reached a compromise with Californias clean-air regulator to boost fuel efficiency, a move the Trump administration dismissed as a PR stunt that wouldnt affect its plans to ease mileage requirements enacted during the Obama administration.The joint agreement with Honda, Ford, Volkswagen and BMW amounts to a rebuke of the Trump administrations 2018 proposal that recommended capping mileage requirements at a 37 mile-per-gallon fleet average starting in 2020, instead of eventually rising to 47 mpg.That plan also proposed stripping California of its authority to regulate carbon emissions from vehicle tailpipes.The compromise with California gives participating automakers some relief starting in model year 2022 by easing the pace of annual efficiency gains currently required under the California Air Resources Boards regulations on tailpipe greenhouse gas emissions, and extends the program by one year through 2026. Automakers will also receive additional compliance credits for selling electric vehicles under the plan, among other revisions, the states air pollution regulator said.The Trump administration is hell bent on rolling them back. They are in complete denialism about climate change, Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom told reporters on a media call. Regardless of what the Trump administration determines in the next few weeks, we are moving forward and we reserve our right to litigate.California is in talks with additional automakers that are expected to join the pact as well, Mary Nichols, chairman of the states Air Resources Board, said on the call.In a joint statement, the automakers said the pact with California will provide our companies much-needed regulatory certainty by allowing us to meet both federal and state requirements with a single national fleet, avoiding a patchwork of regulations while continuing to ensure meaningful greenhouse gas emissions reductions.The pact comes as the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are working to finalize their 2018 proposal after discussions with California officials broke down earlier this year.Todays announcement from CARB has no impact on EPAs regulation of greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, Michael Abboud, an EPA spokesman, said in an email. This voluntary framework is a PR stunt that does nothing to further the one national standard that will provide certainty and relief for American consumers.In the statement, NHTSA said work continues on a final rule with which all companies must comply. Automakers for months have urged the Trump administration to moderate its rollback, fearing a lengthy legal battle over Californias regulatory powers would throw the critical standards into uncertainty for years. Those efforts have had little sway so far on the White House, which rejected a plea by 17 carmakers last month to work out a compromise with California.The companies also want to avoid a split market with federal mileage requirements in most states and more stringent rules in more than a dozen states that adhere to Californias standards. The states that follow California standards account for more than a third of all U.S. auto sales.General Motors, which did not sign the pact with California, said in a statement its focus remains on working with all parties on a solution that would involve a 50-state solution and a national electric vehicle
Origin: EPA balks at automakers’ fuel economy pact with California
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BMW iNext: high-tech electric SUV seen with less disguise
BMW’s long-awaited rival to the Audi E-Tron and Mercedes EQC, the electric iNext SUV, has been caught in prototype form giving us a much better look at its exterior design. The disguised test mule, snapped on the back of a trailer outside one of the brand’s German facilities, can be seen to feature styling distinctly different from the brand’s conventionally-powered SUVs. It sits lower to the ground and has a more streamlined shape than its size equivalent, the X5, which is conveniently parked above the iNext prototype on the trailer. The less upright design will improve aerodynamic properties, allowing it to a achieve an EV range tipped to be up to 400 miles in top variants. BMW continued the gradual unveiling of the iNext, due in 2021, last week with the reveal of a range of images depicting the advanced model’s polygonal-shaped steering wheel. A new interior shot shows that wheel in the prototype, although much of the car’s cabin is still covered up. Described as the first BMW model in which the driver is no longer required to take care of the task of driving, the iNext is fitted with a newly designed steering wheel conceived to allow the driver to easily switch between highly automated driving and active driving modes. It is the second interior detail from the production version of the iNext to be revealed, following official images showing its curved instrument display earlier this year. Inspired by the steering wheels used in BMW race cars, the new steering wheel uses flattened upper and lower sections. They are designed to make it easier to recognise the steering angle than in a conventional round steering wheel. “The moment the driver re-takes control of the vehicle, they can detect the steering angle instantly – both visually and by means of touch,” said BMW. Together with the curved instrument display, the new polygonal-shaped steering wheel forms part of what BMW says will be a “pioneering interior design” for the iNext, which has been confirmed to go into production in 2021 as a “new technological flagship” model for the German car maker. The iNext is a similar size to the conventionally fuelled BMW X5 and will form an integral part of the brand’s electrification strategy. The SUV’s new platform has been conceived as a multi-purpose architecture that will go on to underpin ICE vehicles, hybrids and pure-electric models from the 3 Series upwards, in line with BMW’s plans to produce all future vehicles on one of two platforms. It’s expected to share its powertrain in some form with the BMW i4, due next year, itself claimed to be capable of up to 373 miles of range. Given the extra space for battery capacity in the iNext’s body, higher range variants are
Origin: BMW iNext: high-tech electric SUV seen with less disguise
Audi targets BMW X4 with new Q3 Sportback
Audi has launched a rival to the niche-filling Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé and BMW X4 in the form of the new Q3 Sportback. Arriving in the UK in the autumn and set to be priced from an estimated £35,000, it shares its mechanicals and interior with the standard Q3 but adopts a more striking coupé-cum-SUV exterior look. The Sportback receives a raft of specific design elements, including a 29mm drop in roof height and a slight, 16mm increase in external length. Although it’s actually a fraction narrower than the Q3, it gets a new 3D-profile grille and distinct styling lines aimed at creating the illusion of increased width. The model keeps the same ride height as the Q3, but with different surfacing to lower the car’s hip point. Details such as a large roof spoiler, unique bumpers and a standard gloss black trim package also mark the model out. LED headlights are standard, with full-matrix LEDs available as an option. Designer Seulah Park claimed the design reflects the decision to use the Q3 Sportback tag rather than the previously considered Q4 name. “We wanted this to be more aggressive and sportier, but we want them to be thought of in the context of a family, like a brother and sister,” she said. The interior is largely unchanged from the regular Q3’s, even down to the driver’s seat sitting at the same height. The Q3 Sportback gets a few new technology features, including a ‘car-to-x’ system that can tell you when traffic lights ahead will turn green and integration of Amazon Alexa voice control. Rear head room is reduced by the sloping roofline, but adjustable backrests and sliding rear seats allow the same claimed 530-litre boot capacity as the Q3. In its mechanical set-up, the Q3 Sportback isn’t dramatically different from the Q3. However, there is a steering system with new hardware and a variable ratio aimed at balancing ease of turning for bigger inputs with a precise feel in lower steering angles. The standard suspension set-up is the same as the Q3’s. A no-cost option sport suspension system can be added, along with cost-option adaptive dampers. At its launch, the Q3 Sportback will be available with three engine options. The sole petrol choice will be a 227bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI, alongside two 2.0-litre diesels with 148bhp and 187bhp. The most powerful two engines are mated exclusively to a seven-speed automatic gearbox and quattro all-wheel drive, while the 148bhp diesel has a six-speed manual ’box and front-wheel drive. In early 2020, Audi will add a new mild-hybrid petrol engine, a 1.5-litre four-cylinder unit, in the 35 TFSI variant. It continues to feature cylinder-on-demand tech but, when mated with the automatic gearbox, it uses a 48V mild-hybrid system that, on its own, is claimed to save 0.38 litres of fuel per 62 miles. The integrated starter/generator feeds a compact lithium ion battery, recuperating power during deceleration to allow engine-off coasting and more stop/start activation. Performance and fuel efficiency figures for all four engine options will be available at a later
Origin: Audi targets BMW X4 with new Q3 Sportback
Cadillac may build an Escalade EV with almost 650 km of range
2018 Cadillac EscaladeHandout / Cadillac Cadillacs next-generation Escalade could offer electric power for the first time, and, somehow, the massive and heavy SUV might even be able to net 400 miles (643 km) of battery range.According to anonymous inside sources speaking to the Cadillac Society, the fifth-generation Cadillac Escalade will offer more than just the standard 6.2-litre V8 gasoline powertrainthere will also be a high-performance version that uses Cadillacs 4.2-litre twin-turbo Blackwing motor.Both will allegedly use a 10-speed automatic transmission, and be available in either two- or four-wheel-drive. But rumours are for buyers wanting to go green, were looking at a plug-in hybrid a la the CT6 PHEV; as well as a fully electric model with a surprising amount of range.It isnt that surprising, however, because when you have a truck thats already heavy and huge, you dont have to worry about adding a bunch of battery weightthe chassis can already handle it. The next-generation Escalade will debut in 2021, but the electric option wont arrive right when the vehicle debuts. It will likely come later in the life cycle of the truck, the sources say.When it does debut, however, it will give the Tesla Model X a run for its money, as currently the top model of that vehicle only gets 325 miles to the charge. Of course, that number might be upgraded by the time the Escalade EV is released.The luxury-minded Escalade will also see NVH (noise/vibration/harness) levels drop thanks to the electric powertrain. And if you flick on the latest version of Cadillac Super Cruise while youre behind the wheel, it might be hard to shake the feeling youre sitting in your living room at
Origin: Cadillac may build an Escalade EV with almost 650 km of range
Volvo could expand its range with larger and smaller SUVs
2019 Volvo XC90Handout / Volvo Volvo could be planning even more SUV models, based on the success of its utility vehicles around the world specifically, it may look to fill its lineup with trucks both larger and smaller than anything in its range today.We are not excluding the idea of additions to the companys SUV range, CEO Hakkan Samuelsson said in talks with Auto Express, before adding that when it comes to Volvos crossovers, pundits should not exclude the idea that there might be a bigger one, but maybe also a smaller one.According to a story from Swedish outlet Teknikens Varld, the Swedish brand has known its needed a vehicle larger than the XC90 to compete with other brands offerings since 2002, but a lack of funds from former parent company Ford stalled development.However, since Volvo was bought by Geely in 2010, the brand has reopened the idea of creating an XC100 based on the SPA 2 archicecture, internally called Project V616.(When broken down, the codename reveals the project is part of class 6, for Volvos largest cars; 1 for a first-generation model; and another 6 to denote an SUV.)The same Swedish outlet says the XC100 will arrive in 2022 or 2023; that it will be five inches longer in wheelbase than the current XC90; and that it will sit an inch taller.As for the SUV smaller than the XC40? It hasnt been totally fleshed out yet, but its possible it will borrow technology from Geely, and might only be leased, not sold. It will also likely feature an electric powertrain, as the XC40 is already rumoured to receive
Origin: Volvo could expand its range with larger and smaller SUVs
Audi SQ7 revamped with 429bhp V8 diesel power
Audi has launched an updated version of the range-topping SQ7 SUV, featuring a 429bhp turbocharged V8 diesel engine. The seven-seat Range Rover Sport rival, which will go on sale in the UK next month, features the recent facelift seen on the rest of the Q7 range, with the addition of several S-specific details. They include a revamped grille, aluminium mirror details, quad chrome exhaust pipes and 21-inch cast aluminium wheels. The 4.0-litre biturbo V8 diesel engine is the same featured in the recently revealed SQ8, and offers 664lb ft of torque, a 0-62mph time of 4.8secs and a limited top speed of 155mph. As in the SQ8, the diesel engine is boosted by a 48-volt mild hybrid Electrically Powered Compressor (EPC) that aids the two turbochargers, improving torque under acceleration at low speeds. The powertrain of the sport SUV is driven through an eight-speed tiptronic transmission, and the SUV features Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. Adaptive sport air suspension is fitted as standard, while the SQ7 also features progressive steering to improve handling. There are 400mm brake discs at the front, with 370mm discs at the rear. The callipers are finished in black, although they are optionally available in red. The interior of the SQ7 features bespoke leather sports seats with integrated head restraints, and Audi’s MMI navigation plus system. The SQ7 will be offered in a Vorsprung edition, which adds all-wheel steering to further boost handling. It also features 22-inch wheels, and seats fitted with climate control and a massage function. The SQ7 will go on sale in the UK in August, with prices expected to start from around
Origin: Audi SQ7 revamped with 429bhp V8 diesel power
Corvette courts Ferrari fans with a mid-engine sports car
The mid-engine Corvette is finally coming.Handout / Chevrolet Barry Grussner has been a Corvette junkie since he was a high school kid in the 1960s. He fawned over the original two-seater until he was able to buy his first, a used 1962 model.Eight Corvettes later, Grussner is one of the first to have reserved the radically changed car that General Motors is showing off Thursday near Los Angeles and will start producing this summer.CEO Mary Barra will be at the event to unveil the first-ever Corvette with the engine built into the middle of the car, just behind the two seats.Its a design approach that the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari have taken for years to better balance the weight of the car onto the wheels and improve handling. It also pushes the cabin forward and raises the back haunches, making the car look more like a cat thats ready to pounce.You get an engine in back like Porsches and Ferraris, said Grussner, 71, who owns a machine shop in the Detroit suburb of Wayne, Michigan. With a mid-engine, its going to be a great handling car, and if it looks like the sketches Ive seen, it will look great too.At a time when consumers are far more interested in SUVs and investors are keen to hear about carmakers plans to deploy futuristic robotaxis, an all-new Corvette seems so 1998. The market share for sports cars has been shrinking for several years. Yet GM is adding 400 workers and a second production shift at its plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in a big bet on booming demand for a re-imagined American icon.Its an audacious move. As Baby Boomers have gotten older, theyve been leaving sports cars for sport utility vehicles with more space and creature comforts. Corvette sales have fallen every year since 2014, including a 25-per-cent drop last year to less than 19,000 units. Sales are down another 10 per cent this year as GM prepares to bring out the newest-generation car.GMs biggest challenge may have less to do with appealing to existing owners than with getting a new generation of sports-car enthusiasts to take a look. To do that, Chevy will have to overcome less-than-ideal generalizations about who buys Corvettes.The hold-back for younger buyers with Corvette has not been the engine location. Its the image, said Eric Noble, president of The CarLab, a consulting firm in Orange, California. The image is some old white guy with a mustache whos on his third wife.Chevy is trying to appeal to first-time buyers with new technology features in the car, GM spokesman Chris Bonelli said, without elaborating on what new gadgets the new Corvette will offer.Plenty of Corvette die-hards are lining up for the car. Paul Stanford, who owns one of the largest Corvette dealerships in the U.S., said he has 170 people who have put down a couple thousand dollars to get on the waiting list and reserve one. He said GM is telling its dealers that they expect to be able to steal away some buyers of high-end European brands.People looking at these $250,000 mid-engine cars will look at this and see true value, said Stanford, whose Chevrolet store is in Dearborn, Michigan. Chevy is looking for a big opportunity with this car. Corvette buffs have been clamoring for a mid-engine sports car since GM first brought the model to life in 1953, said Kelly Ryan, president of the Corvette Club of America. While its controversial among front-engine fans, he thinks its the right move.This will be a giant step forward, Ryan said. Its about time. Ill buy one.With a starting price on the current model of $56,000 for the entry-level Stingray, Corvette has sold well in part by offering high performance for far less than European sports cars. But while the mid-engine configuration may improve handling, it also may make the car less appealing as a daily driver, CarLabs Noble said.Ryan said younger members are joining the Corvette Club and that he expects the new car to accelerate that generational shift. He sees the mid-engine debate as nothing compared with what the future holds.I figure in five years well see an electric Corvette, Ryan said. This may be the last major change to a Corvette that runs on gasoline.If Ryan is right, the die-hards will really have something to argue about
Origin: Corvette courts Ferrari fans with a mid-engine sports car
New BMW 4 Series Coupe spotted with minimal camouflage
The second-generation BMW 4 Series Coupé has been spied with a reduced level of disguise, giving an early hint of the styling of the new two-door Audi A5 Coupe and Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe rival due on sale early next year. The new BMW model, spied while being loaded on to the back of a truck near the German car maker’s engineering headquarters in Munich, 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 spotted with minimal camouflage
Toronto mayor says people with loud cars are compensating for something
To maintain the departure angle of the Mercedes AMG 63 G Wagon, the twin exhaust exists just aft of the rear wheels instead of out back.Derek McNaughton Toronto is enacting a new noise bylaw that will see some cars and motorcycles penalized for being too loud, BlogTO reports.But were sure it wont affect you, since only people who have to, um, compensate for something have such raucous exhaust systems, at least according to the citys mayor.The crackdown comes on the heels of complaints levelled by residents of the citys more affluent Yorkville neighbourhood about the noise pollution somehow getting around their Apple EarPods.Comments on a tweet by Mayor John Tory mostly seem to agree loud noises in the city are irritating, even if a few Twitterers instead categorized the Mayors speeches as such.Loud and excessive noise can be characterized as noise that is a nuisance to the general public, taking into consideration the nature, location, time and proximity of the source to residents and members of the public. Some examples of enforceable disturbances include: pic.twitter.com/tSjDGNuGS8 John Tory (@JohnTory) July 16, 2019Thats not all there is to the noise crackdown, however; Mayor Tory had an extra burn to add to the perpetrators of said pollution during his evening press conference.My wife has explained this many times to me as being simply an outcropping of the inadequacies that certain people feel mostly men who drive these cars around, he explained. I will go no further than that.Even as car people, we understand its pretty wanky to rev up your engine at a stoplight or do a big squealy burnout outside of the grocery store. We dont think youre cool, and if youre in a Mustang or Corvette, youre making us fear for our lives. I think people who live in the city understand that its not going to be Algonquin Park and its not going to be silent at all times, Tory added.But the thing they have no understanding and no patience for, and I tend to agree with them, is noise that is caused by vehicles especially people who are deliberately revving their engines and otherwise modifying their equipment to create an excessive level of noise that is disrupting the lives of people who are living in the city.Being excessively noisy will now cost you $155 during the blitz
Origin: Toronto mayor says people with loud cars are compensating for something
Tesla streamlines UK line-up with model price overhaul
Tesla has reconfigured its UK pricing structure and range as part of a move towards a simpler and more concise global line-up. The most significant alteration is the discontinuation of entry-level Standard Range variants of both the Model S luxury saloon and Model X SUV. To compensate for the reduction in choice, prices for both models in Long Range trim have been brought down by £800. In line with the removal of these Standard Range variants, Tesla has sought to distinguish the two remaining trim options with a £6300 price hike for the top-spec Model S Performance, and an increase of £5900 for the equivalent Model X. These two options are now available from £91,800 and £96,400 respectively. All Model S and X Performance variants will come as standard with the brand’s Ludicrous Mode, which brings 0-60mph times down to 2.4 seconds for the saloon and 2.7 seconds for the SUV. Lower down the range, the Standard Range Plus variant of the new Model 3 is now available from £36,490 (after application of the government’s £3500 plug-in car grant), a saving of £1560 over its initial £38,050 launch price. Meanwhile, prices for the dual-motor Model 3 Long Range Performance, which is capable of ultra-fast 200kW charging, have risen £550 to £49,140. This trim comes equipped as standard with performance wheels and a carbonfibre spoiler, and offers a 162mph top speed. A Tesla spokesperson said: “In order to make purchasing our vehicles even simpler, we are standardising our global vehicle lineup and streamlining the number of trim packages offered for Model S, Model X and Model 3. “We are also adjusting our pricing in order to continue to improve affordability for customers. Like other car companies, we periodically adjust pricing and available options.” UK pricing for the Model Y seven-seat compact SUV is still yet to be officially confirmed, with first deliveries not anticipated to take place before 2022. In the US, the new model is being offered from £35,500 in 300-mile Long Range
Origin: Tesla streamlines UK line-up with model price overhaul
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