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Bosch picks up 26% stake in Sun Mobility

German Tier 1 Bosch has acquired a 26 percent stake in Chetan Maini-backed Sun Mobility, a leading provider of energy infrastructure and services for electric vehicles. The technology major has bought the stake through its investment vehicle Robert Bosch Investment Nederland. Bosch says with its global reach it is focussing on enabling electrification within its four-pillar… Continue reading Bosch picks up 26% stake in Sun Mobility

First Kia Sonet rolls out from Anantapur plant

Kia Motors India today rolled out the first Kia Sonet compact SUV from its Anantapur facility in Andhra Pradesh. The production rollout comes exactly two weeks ahead of the official launch on O=September 18. The Kia Sonet is the company’s latest made-in-India product which will be sold in various global markets similar to the mid-SUV… Continue reading First Kia Sonet rolls out from Anantapur plant

The Ineos Grenadier and vehicles which inspired it at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace – Coventry Live

The Ineos Grenadier and vehicles which inspired it at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace – CoventryLive Home News Motors Motoring News By Enda Mullen-BP 12:19, 4 SEP 2020 The Ineos Grenadier prototype at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace1 of 5 The Ineos Grenadier prototype at the Concours of Elegance… Continue reading The Ineos Grenadier and vehicles which inspired it at the Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court Palace – Coventry Live

V8 Vantage Point: Aston Martin Reveals its Manual-Production Factory Secrets

17 Aug 2020, 7:15 UTC ·
by Aurel Niculescu

Home > News > Industry

The original Aston Martin V8 Vantage from back in 1977 was hailed as Britain’s first supercar, a proper 170 mph (270 kph) performer. But its looks were questionable – trying a jab at the muscle car of the moment without forgetting its grand touring roots. Still, the performance was unquestionable – and the latest generation is a proper spiritual successor in this area. But such wonderful automobiles are not just popping up just like mushrooms after a rain – they are lovingly built somewhere.
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That exact somewhere would be Aston Martin’s production location in Gaydon, Warwickshire, the United Kingdom. The Aston Martin V8 Vantage is born there, and we have video proof (embedded below) about the labor of love.
It followed in the footsteps of its DB11 bigger brother in setting up the brand’s “second century” strategy and came with a somewhat polarizing design by the same man – Marek Reichman. Looks are subjective but we agree with the decision – while the larger and costlier DB11 had to bow down to tradition, the nimbler Vantage could definitely carve a different clientele.
And so, it did, thoroughly preparing for the world’s toughest and greenest hell (aka the Nurburgring Nordschleife) but also deriving itself into an innovative open top sporting the fastest-folding soft top on the planet. But how does it all come to life is a question best answered by this new episode in the WELT Documentary – Inside the Factory series.
Because everyone is just starting a brand-new week, we could use a little nudge to get things done right – and this is exactly what happens here. Just look and awe at the manufacturing process for this British sports thoroughbred as it combines state of the art automated processes with the most traditional manual labor (around 200 hours of it, apparently).
We know the V8 engine does not spring to life on the premises, which kind of subtracts a little something from the atmosphere, but fret not – that Mercedes-AMG 4.0-liter and the eight-speed ZF automatic transmission have a successful marriage inside that exquisite body. And they race into a perpetual honeymoon with that 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) sprint of 3.5 seconds in no time!

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VW Electric Bingo Numbers Are Up, ID.4 Is Live in Zwickau Alongside ID.3

21 Aug 2020, 10:13 UTC ·
by Aurel Niculescu

Home > News > Industry

Slow and steady we find out more and more about the next member of the Volkswagen ID. family – the new MEB fully electric SUV has been slated for its official worldwide premiere at the end of September and the German automaker is gearing up for the event with the first series-production units.
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Volkswagen AG is in “Back to School” mood – only we are dealing with an electric offensive this autumn. Come September 1st and we are going to see the first Czech representative of the MEB architecture, the Enyaq iV.
Then it is time for the Volkswagen ID.4 to shine at the end of September, with the German company also preparing to start series production in Chattanooga for the U.S. market and in China for the world's biggest EV market.
In Europe, the model is being readied for assembly at the Emden plant alongside the Zwickau site, as well. The latter is getting first dibs, though, and becomes the second ID. Model “Made in Saxony” alongside the ID.3 hatchback.
Volkswagen is hurrying up with the series production starting ahead of the actual world premiere for a very specific reason – the dealerships will receive their first examples before the end of the year. Which is a significantly tighter schedule than it was for the ID.3 – and we also need to take into account this is a global product set to go on sale not just in Europe or the United States, but also in China.
The Zwickau manufacturing facility is at the forefront of VW AG’s sustainable mobility plans, with the ID.3 and ID.4 produced and delivered without negative impact on the environment.
The factory is also receiving a cash infusion of around 1.2 billion euros (more than $1.4 billion) during the process of conversion to an exclusive e-cars location. In 2021, when the plant is set to reach full EV capacity, it will be capable of churning out approximately 300k of MEB electric cars annually.

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Electric car sales double in UK in August

Motor industry warns that £16.7bn needs to be spent on charging infrastructure by 2035 to hit target Go to Source

Sixt Launches Subscription Service in U.S.

Customers can choose their preferred vehicle category, mileage allowance, protection package and more to fulfill their mobility needs and can sign-up today to drive tomorrow. Photo via Sixt. Sixt is now offering a flexible form of individual mobility in the United States with its new product Sixt+. The car subscriptionplan allows customers access to a vehicle… Continue reading Sixt Launches Subscription Service in U.S.

Ferrari Discontinued GTC4Lusso In Secret, No Replacement Announced

2 Sep 2020, 15:40 UTC ·
by Mircea Panait

Home > News > Car Profile

When the FF was introduced in 2011 at the Geneva Motor Show, the Prancing Horse of Maranello took a bit of a bet. Instead of conventional all-wheel drive, Ferrari decided on two transmissions for the front and rear axles.
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2,291 examples were produced until 2016 when the facelift came out, renamed to GTC4Lusso and marketed as all-new even though that’s not true. As opposed to the V12-only predecessor, the three-door shooting brake added a twin-turbo V8 as the entry-level option, known as the GTC4Lusso T.
The eight-cylinder model also happens to be rear-wheel drive, giving the car a different character in the twisties even though 4WS four-wheel steering is shared with the V12 engine. 2020 is the final year for the GTC4Lusso, and Ferrari didn’t even care to announce the discontinuation in an official manner.
Road & Track received an e-mailed statement from Maranello in this regard, claiming that it’s all in accordance with the Italian automaker’s five-year model strategy announced in 2017. “Ferrari has phased out production of the GTC4Lusso and GTC4Lusso T,” and no, there’s no word of a replacement.
The Prancing Horse may be a little busy with the development of the Purosangue these days, which is said to serve as a successor although that’s not the case. The FUV – short for Ferrari Utility Vehicle – is said to feature five doors while the GTC4Lusso twins feature three doors and seating for four.
Even Maranello is aware of the differences between these two, claiming that the Purosangue will be differently positioned to the GTC4Lusso. Expected no later than 2022 under the Tipo 175 codename, the SUV will ride on a front-mid-engined platform designed for V6, V8, V12, and hybridized drivetrains.
All-wheel drive has also been confirmed, along with a double-clutch transaxle, rear-seat entertainment, and a more modern Human Machine Interface. Given the know-how that Ferrari gained from the development of the SF90 Stradale, a plug-in hybrid option with ludicrous performance is very likely as well.

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Elon Musk: Tesla to unveil core structural design change for how cars are made

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is teasing some important structural changes in the way they make cars — some of which are going to be unveiled at Battery Day later this month and implemented at Tesla Gigafactory Berlin. Over the past few months, Musk has been teasing some important manufacturing improvements to be introduced at Tesla… Continue reading Elon Musk: Tesla to unveil core structural design change for how cars are made

Honda and GM join hands to develop cars in North America

General Motors and Honda Motor have teamed up to make a range of vehicles in North America, deepening their ties as carmakers come under pressure to share technology and costs to meet demands for cleaner vehicles. Under the alliance, Honda and GM intend to share common vehicle platforms, including electrified and internal combustion propulsion systems, the U.S. carmaker… Continue reading Honda and GM join hands to develop cars in North America