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2018 Ford Expedition Starts Production At Kentucky Truck Plant

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2018 Ford Expedition Starts Production At Kentucky Truck Plant

30 Oct 2017, 16:54 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Car Profile

Following an investment of $900 million, the Kentucky Truck Plant is capable of churning out the all-new Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. After the luxed-up Navigator started production on September 25, the Expedition followed suit. One of the first customers of the full-size SUV is Houston pastor Develron Walker (pictured), who received his 2018 Expedition as a gift from FoMoCo.
26 photosWhy’s that? Hurricane Harvey took its toll on Develron’s church and community, as well as his previous car. Walker argues the church was denied both government assistance and a small business loan, despite the fact the pastor and his congregation helped 200 families following the storm. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the narrative behind Ford’s generous benefaction.
“Even while facing extremely tough circumstances, Pastor Walker has shown his relentless commitment to helping those in his community, and we hope the Expedition will help him go further with his ministry as they rebuild,” declared Joe Hinrichs, the Dearborn-based automaker’s president of global operations.
Just like the previous Expedition, the 2018 Expedition is propelled by a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6. The EcoBoost engine is rated at 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, but there’s a more powerful tune available. Reserved for the Platinum trim level, the more potent EcoBoost develops 400 ponies and 480 pound-feet. Regardless of trim level and drivetrain specification, the newcomer relies on a 10-speed automatic transmission co-developed with GM.
Arriving at dealerships in the coming weeks, the 2018 Ford Expedition is expected to boast best-in-class mileage. What’s for certain, however, is that the redesigned Expedition is the best of its class in terms of towing, being capable of trailering 9,300 pounds (4,218 kilograms). Pricing kicks off at $51,695 for the Expedition XLT. The slightly longer XLT Max will set you back $54,385. At the other end of the spectrum, the 2018 Ford Expedition Platinum Max retails at $75,400.
Those interested in the 2018 Lincoln Navigator, well, the full-sized luxobarge is considerably more expensive. The base model starts at $72,055 while the Black Label retails at $93,705.
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BMW i3 Production Hits 100,000 Units, i8 Roadster To Be Made In Leipzig

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BMW i3 Production Hits 100,000 Units, i8 Roadster To Be Made In Leipzig

30 Oct 2017, 14:15 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Car Profile

Inaugurated in 2010, the Leipzig plant in Germany is where BMW manufactures the i3 and i8. The former celebrates a production milestone after the 100,000th i3 rolled off the assembly line, while the i8 family will usher in the Roadster in 2018. And similar to the coupe, it will also be built in Leipzig.
85 photosThese announcements were made by plant director Hans-Peter Kemser and chairman of the Board of Management, Harald Kruger, as the launch of the BMW Battery Storage Farm. Essentially a storage unit comprised of 700 batteries sourced from used i3s, the eco-friendly setup is connected to the plant’s wind turbines, and it’s integrated with the public power grid of Saxony.
Moving back to cars, the i3 is currently produced at a rate of approximately 120 vehicles per day. In regard to production, the number of i3s manufactured in 2016 totals 26,631, sensibly more than the 2,783 i8s built in the same period. The ratio will likely soldier on in 2018, when the i8 Roadster will be added to the range, breathing new life into the brand’s plug-in hybrid flagship.
According to Kruger, BMW will offer no less than 25 models with electrified drivetrains by 2025, including the long-anticipated i5 and the iNext. “With BMW i as our spearhead, we intend to remain the leading premium supplier of electro-mobility going forward,” declared the official. Speaking of electro-mobility going forward, the 530e iPerformance is the first BMW to be offered with wireless charging capability, a feature that’ll become available next year.
While the i8 Roadster is too expensive for the reach of mere mortals who want to go green, the i3 is more than adequate for those in the market for a premium-oriented EV and range-extended electric vehicle. According to an undisclosed tipster, the i3 will receive a battery upgrade sometime in 2018, which is expected to offer 42.5 kWh capacity and a much-needed boost in driving range.

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Citroen C4 Hatchback Going Out Of Production, Replacement Coming In 2020/2021

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Citroen C4 Hatchback Going Out Of Production, Replacement Coming In 2020/2021

27 Oct 2017, 14:36 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Car Profile

The introduction of the C4 Cactus facelift is a two-sided matter for Citroen. The compact-ish crossover effectively replaces the C4 hatchback, which is one of the least exciting cars in the segment, as well as one of the oldest.
11 photosNot accounting for the first generation (2004 to 2010), the C4 hatchback has been with us since 2010. Also offered as a sedan and in Aircross flavor, the C4 also brought forth the DS 4, which happens to suffer from peculiar flaws.
Listed on the French and British configurators from €18,950 and £21,310, respectively, you know the C4 hatchback doesn’t have a winning chance against the likes of the cheaper and funkier C4 Cactus. So what did Citroen’s higher-ups decide given this dire situation? Phase it out, of course!
The confirmation comes from Xavier Peugeot, senior vice president of product planning at Citroen. “The current C4 is a seven-year-old design and we had to make a decision. We will stop production and the C4 Cactus will take its place,” he told the peeps at Autocar, and that settles the deal. But what will happen with the void left by the C4 hatchback? After all, the compact segment is hugely popular in Europe, and Citroen cannot afford to misstep.
As it happens, the French automaker is developing a C-segment hatchback for launch in 2020, 2021 at the latest. An all-new model from the ground up, the all-new C4 hatchback is expected to ride on the EMP2 platform, which underpins many cars in the PSA lineup, from the Peugeot 308 to the DS 7 Crossback, as well as light commercial vehicles such as the Toyota Proace.
Needless to highlight, the 2020/2021 Citroen C4 hatchback will borrow the Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension system from the C4 Cactus and C5 Aircross. According to Citroen head honcho Linda Jackson, “we are talking here about 21st-century comfort in suspension and seats.”

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2018 Chevrolet Corvette Production Coming To An End In January

On January 22, the 2018 Corvette will stop production at the Bowling Green plant in Kentucky. That, in turn, translates to four months of production, making the 2018 model year one of the shortest lived. More to the point, 2018 MY production will total 9,700, which is sensibly less compared to the 32,782 examples built in model year 2017. And a… (continue reading >>)

Australian Car Production Stops With The Last Holden VF II Commodore

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Australian Car Production Stops With The Last Holden VF II Commodore

20 Oct 2017, 15:54 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Industry

The very first Holden to roll off the line is the 48-215 at Fishermans Bend on November 29, 1948. On October 20, 2017, the story concludes with the final VF II Commodore built at the Elizabeth plant, a Redline model which marks the end of the General Motors RWD Zeta platform and Australian car production.
8 photos“It’s the very last ‘true’ Holden, isn’t it?” Rightly so, and its replacement is a badge-engineered Opel Insignia marketed as the ZB Commodore. Front-wheel-drive by nature and capable of accommodating a V6 in the engine bay, there’s no denying the ZB isn’t the replacement the VF Commodore deserves.
Ford pulled out of Australia, and so did Toyota, leaving the sovereign country dependent on imports. All is not lost, however, as Holden prepares to welcome the Chevrolet Camaro as its new flagship in 2018. Converted to right-hand drive, of course, with the help of HSV. Oh, and by the way, HSV is expected to change its name into Walkinshaw. Because why not?
“The passion and dedication of the team here is second to none, it has been an honor to work alongside them. In the final years of production, we have been building categorically the best-quality cars to ever roll out of this plant, and our last car was our best,” declared Richard Phillips, Holden’s executive director of manufacturing. So, what happens to Elizabeth’s workers?
Up to this point, the transition program has resulted in approximately 85 percent of the workers finding new jobs. What’s more, 1,000 people will be retained as direct staff in Melbourne and across national zone offices. The 200-strong dealer network, meanwhile, consists of 6,000 employees.
Scheduled to go on sale in early 2018, the Holden ZB Commodore will be available with an assortment of four- and six-cylinder engines. The range-topping VXR will rely on a 3.6-liter V6 with a 9-speed automatic transmission and an all-wheel-drive system. In regard to output, 235 kW and 381 Nm of torque is not nearly enough compared to the LS3 V8 of the VF II Commodore, but then again, that’s how the cookie crumbles for Holden these days.

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Sluggish Sales Equal Production Slowdown For Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Jeep, Fiat

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Sluggish Sales Equal Production Slowdown For Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Jeep, Fiat

19 Oct 2017, 14:42 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Industry

Bad news, fans of Fiat Chrysler’s most Italian of brands! Both Alfa Romeo and Maserati are not doing great regarding sales, the reason why FCA decided to cut production for both automakers. And the reason for this slump in demand? Apparently, new Chinese import rules have hit Fiat Chrysler hard, especially the two brands.
36 photosAlthough China faced criticism in the past for being too lenient on emissions and pollution, the People’s Republic is working hard on addressing these issues. Collateral damage comes in the form of increased restrictions for automakers, mostly because China follows the model set by France and the UK, countries that will ban the sale of fossil fuel cars and SUVs by 2040.
By August 2017, China had reached its 2020 target for solar energy installation, which makes the People’s Republic the largest producer of solar energy in the world. Large-scale carbon capture plants are also on the way, with the first of a planned eight currently being built. The bottom line is, China’s government is very focused on reducing the carbon footprint.
And as a result of these policies, imported automobiles are not exactly welcome in the Middle Kingdom unless they’re hybridized or electric. Alfa Romeo and Maserati don’t have such vehicles in their lineup, and that’s the gist of it. According to Automotive News, FCA declined to comment on the matter, but the cited publication has the numbers to back up its claims.
The Levante plant in Mirafiori will shut down for two weeks between October and November, with sales in China now averaging 350 examples per month compared to more than 800 units per month in the first half of the year. Over at Alfa Romeo, the Cassino plant in Italy now builds 265 vehicles per shift instead of 300. This decision follows four Fridays that were hampered down by production stops, totaling a loss of 2,000-plus Giulias and Stelvios.
From 2,666 Stelvio units delivered in China in July, Alfa Romeo slumped to 227 examples in August. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade have both seen production reductions at the Melfi plant in Italy. From the report: “Workers at the plant have been temporarily laid off for 21 days this year, including 11 days in the third quarter. As a result, production of the two models was down 25 percent in the quarter.”

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2018 Lamborghini Urus Partially Revealed On The Assembly Line

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2018 Lamborghini Urus Partially Revealed On The Assembly Line

18 Oct 2017, 11:46 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Car Profile

The House of the Raging Bull is proud of its ongoing strategic investment program, which sees the Sant’Agata Bolognese facility expand from 80,000 to 160,000 square meters. Without beating around the bush, most of the money was poured into an all-new factory, which will handle production of the Urus.
17 photosIn fact, pilot production is already underway, with the following video teasing many bits and bobs of the “Super SUV” that will likely take the Nurburgring record from the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. And the bottom line is, Lamborghini intends to double its production output to 7,000 vehicles per year.
Other than the all-new assembly line, finishing department, and office building, the investment also brings worth an all-new test track with thirteen different surfaces specific to sport utility vehicles. Dubbed Manifattura Lamborghini, the Urus-building factory and its annexes were completed in 18 months. And as expected, the facility relies heavily on robots and automation.
The line that handles Urus production is called Industry 4.0 and is dedicated to the SUV that shares its underpinnings with the Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, and Bentley Bentayga. From the video of the Manifattura Lamborghini, it’s easy to spot at least three unfinished Urus vehicles. The one on the assembly line features carbon ceramic brakes, which is a must in a hefty sport utility vehicle.
The clip further treats us to the design of the five-spoke alloy wheels and the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 developed by Porsche, as well as the side profile and front fascia of the Urus. It’s no LM002, but according to Lamborghini, the technology built into the Urus makes it properly capable in off-road scenarios.
Packing at least 650 horsepower and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission, the Urus will be followed by a plug-in hybrid model in the near future. As a brief refresher, the Italian automaker will take the veils off the all-new SUV on December 4 at the Sant’Agata Bolognese site.

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BMW In Talks With Great Wall To Manufacture MINI Vehicles In China

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BMW In Talks With Great Wall To Manufacture MINI Vehicles In China

15 Oct 2017, 21:38 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Industry

At the present moment, MINI operates a production plant in Cowley, UK, with a remainder of production attributed to VDL Nedcar in Born, Netherlands. In the coming years, however, the BMW-owned British automaker might expand outside of Europe thanks to the helping hand of Great Wall.
23 photosReports in the Chinese media suggest BMW is in early talks with Great Wall to create a joint stock company incorporated in the People’s Republic with limited liability. In a statement released on behalf by the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, Great Wall has confirmed the talks, providing clarifications.
From the statement: “As of the date of this announcement, the Company and BMW have not entered into any legal documents for the establishment of a joint venture in China.” There’s no deal on the table just yet, but the offer is too good for BMW and Great Wall to take a step back. “Both parties entered into a confidential agreement on 18 April 2016 for the feasibility of research and development of battery electric vehicles and traditional power vehicles.”
Upon discussion, BMW and Great Wall signed an agreement on February 21, 2017, “for discussion and evaluation on the feasibility of cooperation for vehicles of MINI brand.” It’s extremely clear, then, that intentions are strong from both parties. But until the two automakers agree to create a joint venture in China, there’s still a whole lot of talk and feasibility evaluation to be done.
BMW is already present in China with the help of Brilliance, an alliance that started in 2003 and is responsible for the local production of the 1 Series, 2 Series Active Tourer, 3er, 5er, and X1. Great Wall, on the other hand, doesn’t have any joint venture to speak of at the present moment. The Haval sport utility vehicle brand sold better than the rest of the Great Wall lineup in 2016, but a joint venture has the potential to be a more lucrative business.
When rumors emerged of the MINI-Great Wall potential tie-up on Wednesday, October 11, shares of the Chinese automaker jumped 13 percent, then were suspended from trading on Thursday. Shares have resumed trading on Monday, 16 October.

Download attachment: MINI-Great Wall joint venture statement (PDF)

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Volkswagen Pulls The Plug On The Scirocco, Mk4 Reportedly In The Offing As An EV

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Volkswagen Pulls The Plug On The Scirocco, Mk4 Reportedly In The Offing As An EV

15 Oct 2017, 8:34 UTC · by Mircea Panait
/ Home / News / Car Profile

Previewed by the IROC Concept in 2006, the Scirocco is officially dead. Produced in Portugal since 2008, the sports compact hatchback had it coming for a long time now. So what gives?
25 photosWell, bear in mind the Scirocco shares the Volkswagen Group A5 (PQ35) platform with the fifth-generation Golf. And as a brief refresher, the Golf Mk5 entered production in 2004, so yeah, the underpinnings are obviously old. But that’s not all there is to the downfall of the Scirocco Mk3. Far from it, in fact.
The Scirocco R may be the crowning achievement of the range, but in comparison to the Golf R, the go-faster model didn’t feature 4Motion all-wheel-drive. With 276 hp (280 PS) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) sent to the front wheels, you can bet your sweet bippy it’s hard to push the R to its limits.
Volkswagen didn’t offer a formal announcement about the Scirocco’s demise, though confirmation comes from the German configurator of the 3-door hatchback. “The Scirocco can no longer be ordered with individual equipment. However, finished vehicles are available for you,” and that’s basically that.
Volkswagen offers the remaining Scirocco inventory in three trim levels, with prices starting at 24,950 euros for the entry-level specification. Der Scirocco “Sound” is 28,250 euros, while the range-topping Scirocco GTS is 31,825 euros. That’s right, ladies and gents, the most powerful Scirocco currently on sale has 220 ponies to play with, which is 10 less than the Golf GTI offers.
To make matters worse, the Golf GTI is €2k cheaper than the Scirocco GTS. Particularly in an SUV-driven market, the Scirocco didn’t make sense anymore from a commercial standpoint, especially if you consider how capable the Golf 7.5 is in GTI and R specifications. And on that sad, sad note, all is not lost.
Reports in the motoring media suggest Volkswagen might be interested in bringing back the Scirocco at some point in the future, riding on the MEB platform. With an all-electric powertrain, the Scirocco Mk4 is expected to be offered in two configurations. The entry-level model will reportedly make use of a 170-PS electric motor, while the Scirocco R is supposed to get a twin-motor powertrain rated at 300 PS. Word has it the Scirocco EV will offer 200 miles at the least (322 kilometers), 375 miles tops (604 kilometers).

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Consumer new car finance volumes down 8%

6 October 2017
New figures released today by the Finance & Leasing Association (FLA) show that new business volumes in the point of sale (POS) consumer new car finance market fell by 8% in August, compared with the same month in 2016, while the value of new business was up by 2% over the same period.
The percentage of private new car sales financed by FLA members through the POS held steady at 86.0% in the twelve months to August.
The POS consumer used car finance market reported new business in August up 8% by value and 2% by volume, compared with the same month last year.
Commenting on the figures, Geraldine Kilkelly, Head of Research and Chief Economist at the FLA, said:
“The August figures reported by the POS consumer new car finance market are in line with wider trends in private new car sales. These trends are not unexpected given the strength of the market in recent years and subdued consumer confidence about the general economic outlook.
“New business volumes in the POS consumer car finance market overall were stable in the first eight months of 2017 compared with the same period in 2016.”
Table 1: Cars bought on finance by consumers through dealerships
New business
Aug 2017
% change on prev. year
3 months to Aug 2017
% change on prev. year
12 months to Aug 2017
% change on prev. year
New cars
Value of advances (£m)
817
+2
3,561
+2
18,356
+4
Number of cars
45,728
-8
191,258
-7
1,002,368
-3
Used cars
Value of advances (£m)
1,284
+8
3,855
+12
14,568
+10
Number of cars
113,221
+2
339,625
+6
1,301,475
+5
Table 2: Cars bought on finance by businesses
New business
Aug 2017
% change on prev. year
3 months to Aug 2017
% change on prev. year
12 months to Aug 2017
% change on prev. year
New cars
Number of cars
30,146
+3
132,405
+5
513,616
0
Used cars
Number of cars
5,293
+51
17,534
+54
58,848
+35
Note to editors:
In 2016, FLA members provided £118 billion of new finance to UK businesses and households. £88 billion of this was in the form of consumer credit, over a third of total new consumer credit written in the UK in 2016. £41 billion of it supported the purchase of new and used cars, including over 86% of private new car registrations.2. For media enquiries, please contact the FLA press office on 020 7420 9656.