Auto_Evolution Online News – Page 5 – I wish I had more to offer

2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 Starts Production, Packs 550 PS

16 Nov 2020, 20:51 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

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Formerly known as the Continental Flying Spur, the Flying Spur is the indirect replacement of the Mulsanne. Following the launch of the W12 version, the only sedan in Bentley’s range is now available with a V8 engine borrowed from Porsche.
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The 4.0-liter Flying Spur has recently started production in Crewe, and every single example of the four-door grand tourer needs “more than 100 hours” from start to finish. In terms of suck-squeeze-bang-blow, the entry-level V8 cranks out 550 PS (524 horsepower) and 770 Nm (568 pound-feet) of torque from as low as 2,000 rpm.
16 percent more efficient than the W12 engine, the eight-cylinder motor emits 288 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. This means 441 miles or 709 kilometers with a full tank of dinosaur juice and a combined fuel economy of 22.2 mpg UK (make that 18.5 miles per gallon in the U.S.A. or 12.7 liters per 100 kilometers in Europe.)
“The new Flying Spur V8 is the newest addition to our family, built in our carbon-neutral factory in Crewe. This is our tenth model in production at the moment, and we’re really looking forward to getting the first cars to their lucky new owners,” said member of the board for manufacturing Peter Bosch. But still, what tenth model?
Last time I’ve visited the British automaker’s configurator, four model lines were listed. One of them is the Mulsanne, which has been discontinued in June 2020. The other three are the Flying Spur, Continental GT, and Bentayga, which clearly means that Peter is referring to all the body styles and engine options available as “models.”
100 kilograms (220 pounds) lighter than the W12, the V8-powered Flying Spur can shut down four cylinders when torque demand is below 235 Nm (173 pound-feet) and the engine’s speed is lower than 3,000 rpm. The change is said to be imperceptible to the occupants, and deactivation takes 20 milliseconds. According to the British company, 0.2 seconds translates to “a tenth of the time it takes to blink.”
The eight-cylinder engine isn’t the only Porsche-developed part of the Flying Spur, though. The Volkswagen Group MSB vehicle architecture has been developed specifically for the Panamera, and the Continental GT also rides on this platform. Another piece of hardware that needs to be mentioned is Electronic All-Wheel Steering, a.k.a. Rear-Axle Steering including Power Steering Plus in the Panamera.

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American Volkswagen Passat Will Cease Production in 2023, No Replacement Planned

21 Nov 2020, 1:40 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

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Back in 2011, the Passat branched into two very different models. The one developed for North America is one of the worst-selling Volkswagen models in the United States, moving 14,123 units in 2019 as opposed to 17,215 units of the Beetle.
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There are plenty of reasons why the Passat for the U.S. market is such a huge commercial flop, starting with the unsinpiring looks. What do you think about when you see one in the parking lot? I, for example, can’t escape that little voice in the back of my head that tells me “Volkswagen could’ve done much better by using the European model.”
It may be affordable at $22,995 for the entry-level specification, but the mid-size sedan from Chattanooga plays second fiddle to the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Even if you load it up to the brim with options, the interior still feels cheap in comparison to the Japanese rivals that also happen to be made in the United States of America.
Taking an even wider perspective, did you notice how bad the good ol’ sedan is doing in this part of the world? The Camry is the nation’s best-selling sedan, though off 1.9 percent last year. Together with hatchbacks, station wagons, sporty coupes, and convertibles as well, passenger cars are steadily losing ground to SUVs and trucks.
As a result of these consumer-driven trends, “we’ve made a decision to cancel the Passat.” Those words come from head honcho Ralf Brandstatter, and I’m surprised they took so long to understand what a bad product the North American Passat is.
Wards Auto reports that 2023 is the final year for the nameplate in the United States, the year the ID.4 is expected to reach full capacity at the Chattanooga factory. Volkswagen also makes the Atlas and Atlas Cross there, and in preparation for the electric crossover, no fewer than $800 million will be invested in the plant.
If you’re curious why the ID.4 is so important to Volkswagen in the coming years, bear in mind that an entry-level version is planned to enter production in 2022 with a starting price of $35,000 before the $7,500 federal tax credit. Although it’s not the same size as the Tesla Model Y, it’s easy to understand what Volkswagen is trying to do.
On an ending note, the German automaker isn’t prepared to pull the plug on the Passat for good in other parts of the world. Europe, for example, is gearing up for an all-new model in 2023 with an updated version of the MQB vehicle architecture.
As far as the Old Continent is concerned, the Volkswagen Group will transfer production duties to the Skoda subsidiary in the Czech Republic. The reason for this change is pretty simple. Going forward, VW intends to free up German production capacity for the ID. series of electric vehicles.

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Ford Bronco Production Will Reportedly Kick Off on March 22, 2021

9 Nov 2020, 9:47 UTC ·
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Aurel Niculescu

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This year, Ford’s Bronco nameplate turned 55, so it was only fitting for the company to reveal the reinvented family – the Bronco Sport, along with the 2-door and 4-door models. Interest has been sky-high ever since before the reveal in July, but there’s still a long way to go – according to the latest report the production date has been scheduled for the first month of spring next year.
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Faced with dire economic prospects and a new management change at the top, the Blue Oval company clearly needed more than one winner for 2020. There’s a pair to speak off, already – the all-new F-150 and the reinvented Bronco family.
The F-150 best seller is always a clear hit, even if the competition never settles, so the second largest U.S. automaker was able to focus on the three models of its newly minted sub-brand – with a clear emphasis (and added mystery for a successful PR recipe) on the 2-door and 4-door Bronco siblings.
Not to think lesser off the Bronco Sport, which is a great compact SUV on its own, but it’s quite clear the enthusiast community is geared towards the fully-fledged Broncos more than anything else.
And, according to the bronco6g.com forum, all they have to do is wait a little longer – yes, we know everyone has been telling them that since July. That’s because the recently uncovered Ford schedule has programmed the 2021 Bronco models for assembly beginning with March 22, 2021.
Meanwhile, “initial order acceptance” will kick off on December 7th, 2020 and the “scheduling” will start on January 14th, 2021. It’s probably completely unrelated, but the December 7th date is of sad memory for America – back in 1941 the Empire of Japan was performing a surprise military attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Anyways, this time around we’re under more auspicious conditions and hopefully all the planets would align for the U.S. automaker to respect its assumed schedule. Otherwise, we’re not exactly sure how Bronco fans will react to Ford not keeping its promise.

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Polestar Precept EV May Be Built in New Geely Plant in China

26 Oct 2020, 21:51 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

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Presented in February to much critical acclaim from the automotive and tech media alike, the Precept Concept received the go-ahead for series production seven months later. The problem is, the Sino-Swedish brand doesn’t have an assembly plant for it.
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According to sources cited by Automotive News, a “state-of-the-art production facility” is planned in the People’s Republic of China, but no concrete details were given about the location or when it will be up and running. Those sources and local media report Chongqing as the most likely site for the assembly plant.
Owned and operated by the Geely Group – which owns Polestar and sister brand Volvo – the future plant is expected to churn out about 30,000 electric vehicles per year at maximum capacity. At the present moment, the 1 plug-in hybrid coupe is built in Chengdu in the west while the 2 all-electric fastback is made in Taizhou in the east.
“China is the home market for Polestar and we recognize the increasingly important drive for greater sustainability here,” declared chief executive officer Thomas Ingenlath, speaking at the Beijing International Automotive Exhibition 2020. “With this new factory, we will again raise the bar, aiming to produce the most advanced and premium electric car in China with the lowest carbon footprint.” That’s a pretty boastful promise, more so if you remember the 2's underwhelming range.
As a brief refresher, the Environmental Protection Agency couldn’t award the five-door liftback more than 233 miles between charges. To make matters worse for the first proper competitor of the Model 3, the Palo Alto-based automaker offers 263 miles for the rear-wheel-drive Standard Range Plus and 353 miles for the all-wheel-drive Long Range. In other words, Polestar can’t challenge Tesla on equal footing.
Turning our attention back to the Precept Concept, care to guess what the Sino-Swedish automaker had to say about what’s hiding under the body shell? Absolutely nothing except for a “large battery pack” that fits within a 122.4-inch wheelbase (3.1 meters). In other words, Polestar probably hasn’t decided on the powertrain just yet.

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C8 Corvette Production Resumes After Temporary Stop Over “Supply Shortage”

19 Oct 2020, 21:19 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

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Not that long ago, Finch Chevrolet sales consultant Morgan Crosbie said that Corvette production would grind to a temporary halt. Fast-forward to the present day, and the Bowling Green plant has resumed production of the mid-engine sports car.
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Morgan highlights at the 6:10 mark of the following video that 800 to 850 cars are rolling off the line weekly, and the 2020 model year has been extended into December. The sales consultant also said that “there’s a huge waiting list” for the 2021 Corvette, which is going to cost a little more if you plan to get the Z51 pack.
“We got tons of people lined up for 2022,” added Morgan, and “we've started to take deposits for the anniversary editions in 2023.” There’s no mistaking that C8 hype is at an all-time high, and we’ve not even been presented with the high-revving Z06 yet.
Chevrolet is expected to unveil the first performance-oriented C8 in the lineup next year for 2022, and as you already know, the biggest secret of the Z06 is the engine. A flat-plane crankshaft V8 with 5.5 liters of displacement is the culprit. Codenamed LT6, this engine is based on the LT5 that Corvette Racing runs in the screamin’ C8.R.
Rumored with no fewer than three wing options, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 high-performance tires, and carbon-fiber wheels, the Z06 will rev higher than 8,000 rpm. It remains to be seen if Chevy will match the Voodoo V8 of the Shelby GT350, though, a 5.2-liter powerplant that keeps spinning until the tacho reaches 8,250 rpm.
After that, the E-Ray is expected as a 2023 model to replace the Grand Sport with a hybridized small-block V8. In addition to the 6.2-liter engine of the Stingray, the first-ever Corvette with a hybrid powertrain is also rumored to be the first-ever Corvette with AWD thanks to a pair of “electric motors in place of the front trunk.”

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Armored Jeep Grand Cherokee Celebrates 1k Production Milestone

9 Oct 2020, 11:41 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

Home > News > Custom Cars

We don’t think much of the Grand Cherokee these days, partly because a ground-up redesign is right around the corner as a 2022 model for the United States. But until the next generation rolls out, Jeep is celebrating the 1,000th example of the utility vehicle's armored version.
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“You’re joking! This is factory-armored utility vehicle?” It is, dearest reader, and the conversion is handled in Mexico rather than the Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit. Developed in collaboration with German Shields, this specification is priced at 1,850,900 pesos ($86,515 at current rates) and features only one powerplant option in the guise of the 5.7-liter HEMI V8.
Not exactly a slouch but not on the same level as the 6.4 or Hellcat either, the eight-cylinder blunderbuss is connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission and full-time 4×4 in the guise of the Quadra-Trac II. The four-wheel-drive system features a 44.1:1 crawl ratio but off-roading an armored vehicle isn’t exactly recommended given the sheer weight of this fellow here.
The curb weight of the standard model takes a hit from the special run-flat tires, anti-grenade underbody plating, the reinforced suspension at all corners, engine protection, and 19-millimeter glass with polyvinyl inserts. This Jeep complies with the U.S. DOJ NIJ-IIIA level of protection, meaning that it can withstand five .44 Magnum rounds from a 5.5-inch-or-longer barrel and five bullets from a 9-millimeter SMG with a 9.5-inch-or-longer barrel.
Based on the Limited Luxury Advanced 4×4 trim level, the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Armored is loaded with amenities such as automatic climate control, Nappa leather upholstery with perforated inserts, ventilated seats up front and heated seats out back, LED interior lighting, a 7.0-inch TFT instrument cluster, and Uconnect 8.4 NAV infotainment with Alpine hi-fi speakers. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are featured too, along with a heated steering wheel, Active Noise Control, and memory for the exterior mirrors.
Although armored vehicles are oddities to regular people like you and me, this is actually a huge industry. By 2026, the armored vehicle market is projected to reach $26.12 billion worldwide as per Fortune Business Insights.

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Tesla Giga Texas Will Make Cybertruck Batteries Too

9 Oct 2020, 14:36 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

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At the beginning of the year, Elon Musk confirmed that a new Gigafactory would be constructed in the U.S. to handle Cybertruck production. Instead of Tennessee, the Palo Alto-based automaker chose Texas thanks to better incentives, lower logistics cost, and better access to a large workforce.
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Fast-forward to the present day, and The Austin Business Journal reports about battery production in addition to the futuristic-looking Cybertruck. “Documents filed with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality” confirm that Tesla Giga Texas will operate a cell-manufacturing unit.
Professional services company GHD submitted the application for an air-quality permit on behalf of Tesla, and the document states “battery packs that are installed in the vehicle,” presumably the Cybertruck. Six nitrogen-blanketed tanks with a volume of 20,000 liters each are listed as necessary for cell production, but there’s something that the filing doesn’t specify.
Tesla had originally acquired 2,100 acres, followed by a 381-acre site for future expansion. We don’t know if the battery cell and Cybertruck plants will be connected or separate units, but at the end of the day, logistics aren’t of the essence given the negligible distance between the two sites.
Tesla is also expected to construct a lithium hydroxide chemical plant on acreage meant for Giga Texas, and it wouldn’t be surprising if the hearsay turns out to be true. Rumored to go online in Q4 2022, the only purpose of this plant is turning hard rock spodumene ore into lithium hydroxide. The hydrometallurgical process is understood to eliminate the use of sulfuric acid, a colorless liquid that can cause severe chemical burns to us humans.
As for the cells that will be made in Texas, the 4680 design revealed during Battery Day is the most obvious candidate for heavy-duty applications like the electric pickup and the Tesla Semi. 4680s have been deployed in working vehicles for months, and Gigafactory Berlin is also going to produce them locally for the Model Y. Another application for the high-nickel cells is the Model S Plaid with 1,100 horsepower on tap and a starting price of $140k.

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C8 Corvette Production Stops Over “Supply Shortage”

9 Oct 2020, 8:23 UTC ·
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Mircea Panait

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There’s no denying General Motors had a lot of trouble with the C8 Corvette so far this year, but troubles keep on coming. After UAW strikes, stop-sale orders, recalls, and one too many quality issues, the mid-engine sports car is temporarily out of production over a shortage of parts.
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This information comes from Finch Chevrolet sales consultant Morgan Crosbie who has also confirmed that Bowling Green has averaged 800 to 850 cars a week with the second shift in full swing. Crosbie says that the second shift is part of the reason why supplier are not able to keep up with the production capacity. This isn’t the first supplier hiccup for the C8, though.
Chevrolet has discontinued two popular options of the 2020 model citing supply issues, namely the high-wing rear spoiler and 5VM ground effects package. The question is, why did the golden bowtie agree on these suppliers knowing that they won’t be able to keep up with demand? Isn’t this the golden bowtie’s fault for choosing cheap suppliers over serious ones?
“Next week or the week starting on October 19th” is when Bowling Green is expected to get back in business. A month or so after production resumes, the 2021 Corvette is scheduled to start rolling off the assembly line on November 16th. Crosbie has also found out that C8 deliveries in Canada will be halted after the second week of November due to bad weather.
Speaking of winter shenanigans, the Michelin tires that come standard aren’t good for sub-zero conditions. Be it the all-season or summer-only rubber boots, these tires don’t perform well at low temperatures and the tread isn’t suitable for driving on snow. The Pilot Sport All Season 4 developed specifically for the mid-engine Corvette can pull up to 1.0 g of lateral grip but they’re still a compromise in cold states or in Canada during winter.
On a related note, Chevrolet has confirmed that pricing for the 2021 Corvette will be similar to that of the 2020 model year. The only notable changes can be found in the options list, starting with the FE2 suspension available as a standalone option for $995. As for the Z51 go-faster package that most customers opt for, it’ll soon cost $5,995 instead of $5,000.

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Leaked Tesla Email: Elon Musk Hopes 2020 Production Will Exceed 500,000 EVs

8 Oct 2020, 11:54 UTC ·
by Mircea Panait

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As with any public company, Tesla is under pressure from stockholders to perform. Not on the track, not in terms of customer satisfaction, but Elon Musk’s automaker has to sell as many cars as possible to keep the investors happy.
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The worldwide health crisis had posed and still poses a problem to many, but Tesla appears to be weathering the storm better than the competition. For example, a new record has been set in the third quarter of 2020 with almost 145,000 vehicles produced, most of them consisting of the Model 3 and Model Y.
Q2 production numbers more than 82,000 vehicles while the first quarter of the year accounted for a little more than 102k. Add up the numbers, and you’ll understand why Elon Musk is wishful thinking in the following statement.
“It will be tough but super exciting if we can exceed 500,000 cars made in a single year for the first time in Tesla history,” said the big kahuna in a leaked email to employees. “It all comes down to Q4. Please take whatever steps you can think of to improve output (while increasing quality),” concluded Musk.
Electrek’s take on this ambitious but improbable target is pretty obvious. Instead of increasing production by 20 percent, the cited publication wishes for Tesla to focus on “quality before volume.” Unfortunately for us, QA and QC are not as important as output for the previously mentioned investors.
It would be cheeky to expect Mercedes-Benz levels of quality from the Palo Alto-based automaker, no doubt about that. But then again, losing the glass roof of a Model Y on the highway in less than two hours of ownership doesn’t sit well with anyone willing to pony up more than $50k for the electric crossover.
TSLA was trading at $420 before the email leaked onto the Internet. After spiking to $429 per share in a matter of hours, the stock is currently sitting at $425.

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Giga Berlin Will Make Tesla Model Y With 4680 Cells, Structural Battery Pack

8 Oct 2020, 14:33 UTC ·
by Mircea Panait

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The “most advanced Gigafactory” to date, that’s how Tesla describes Giga Berlin. We already knew that the Model Y will be produced there for the European continent, but Elon Musk has also confirmed that the electric crossover will use 4680 cells and the structural battery pack.
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Berlin will also roll out “front and rear single-piece castings” and “a new paint system.” According to Elon Musk, these changes present “a significant production risk” that has to be assumed because Fremont and Shanghai will transition to the same technologies in two years’ time or so.
The head honcho of Tesla described the German-made Model Y as “a core structural design change,” and it’s easy to understand why. The tab-less cells and structural battery have to be linked to single-piece underbody castings while providing the same or better torsional rigidity than the Model Y manufactured today at the Fremont assembly plant in California.
Although unconfirmed, it’s easy to imagine the Model 3 getting the same upgrades in the future. You also have to take into consideration what these changes mean in terms of servicing. In the case of an accident, Musk said that “crash absorption rails can be cut off and replaced with a bolted part.”

In addition to better range, lower production costs, and easier manufacturing, the Model Y from Giga Berlin shouldn’t pose the same ramp-up problems Tesla had with the Model 3 in Fremont a few years ago. It’s obvious that Elon Musk is going all in, knowing that the competition won’t catch up to these advancements quickly enough to present a threat to the EV automaker.
4680 cells may also be the secret to the revival of the Model Y Standard Range that was canceled in July 2020 over range concerns. With the 2170 cells utilized right now, the electric crossover in this specification would be rated by the EPA at less than 250 miles (402 kilometers) according to Musk.
At the present moment, the Model Y is listed in Germany in two flavors. The Long Range AWD can be ordered from 58,620 euros while the Performance is 65,620 euros, translating to $68,830 and $77,050 at current exchange rates.
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