By Johannes Hellstrom, Yilei Sun 2 Min Read STOCKHOLM/BEIJING (Reuters) – Swedish truck maker Scania, a unit under Volkswagen AG’s commercial vehicle arm Traton SE, has bought a truck company in China to start making vehicles for the first time in the world’s biggest auto market, it told Reuters. FILE PHOTO: The logo of Swedish… Continue reading Sweden’s Scania to start making trucks in China after acquisition
Tag: VW
2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 Starts Production, Packs 550 PS
2021 Bentley Flying Spur V8 Starts Production, Packs 550 PS
16 Nov 2020, 20:51 UTC ·
by
Mircea Panait
Home > News > Car Profile
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.
21 photos
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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@VW Group: Audi and KIT are working on recycling method for automotive plastics
A large number of components in automobiles are made from plastics. They have to meet exacting safety, heat resistance and quality requirements. That is why, so far, only petroleum-based materials have been suitable for manufacturing plastic components in automobiles that are subjected to particularly intensive wear. Such materials are not recyclable in most cases. Whereas… Continue reading @VW Group: Audi and KIT are working on recycling method for automotive plastics
@VW Group: Audi on the road toward CO2-neutral production sites
AUDI AG intends to contribute its share to achieving the Paris climate goals. The company has initiated a large number of actions along the entire value chain to support the vision of achieving carbon neutrality on the environmental balance sheet by 2050. All actions to reduce the environmental footprint in manufacturing and logistics are concentrated… Continue reading @VW Group: Audi on the road toward CO2-neutral production sites
German FAZ: VW sniffs mountain air000541
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American Volkswagen Passat Will Cease Production in 2023, No Replacement Planned
American Volkswagen Passat Will Cease Production in 2023, No Replacement Planned
21 Nov 2020, 1:40 UTC ·
by
Mircea Panait
Home > News > Car Profile
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.
11 photos
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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Jaguar seeks to block US imports of Porsche, Audi SUVs
Land Rover was among the first automakers to forge a path in the highly profitable market for luxury sport utility vehicles, simplifying the technology for affluent but inexperienced off-road drivers. But the foreign-made rivals in the British company’s rearview mirror have grown closer than they might appear. On Thursday, Jaguar Land Rover Automotive Plc asked… Continue reading Jaguar seeks to block US imports of Porsche, Audi SUVs
@VW Group: Well-balanced and sporty at the same time – the new ID.4(((ID.4 – Power consumption in kWh/100 km (NEDC): 16.9 – 16.2 (combined); CO2 emission in g/km: 0; efficiency class: A+.))) chassis
Nimble in the city, agile on country roads, relaxed on the highway: the new ID.4 from Volkswagen is an all-rounder that is effortless and easy to drive. Volkswagen has invested a great deal of know-how in the chassis of the E-SUV – in the mechanical components and the electronic control system. “The purely electrically driven… Continue reading @VW Group: Well-balanced and sporty at the same time – the new ID.4(((ID.4 – Power consumption in kWh/100 km (NEDC): 16.9 – 16.2 (combined); CO2 emission in g/km: 0; efficiency class: A+.))) chassis
@VW Group: Volkswagen engages in improving working conditions in artisanal cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo
As a responsible company, Volkswagen is actively engaging in improving artisanal cobalt mining conditions in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as the living conditions for people in the surrounding communities. Cobalt is an important raw material for the production of electric vehicle batteries. Artisanal mining involves risks to the environment and people. Volkswagen… Continue reading @VW Group: Volkswagen engages in improving working conditions in artisanal cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo
@VW Group: New photovoltaic system for ŠKODA AUTO Service Centre in Kosmonosy
In collaboration with ČEZ Solární, a subsidiary of energy services provider ČEZ ESCO, ŠKODA AUTO has installed new solar panels on five buildings of its Service Centre in Kosmonosy. In addition to these photovoltaic modules on the roofs, the carmaker will also obtain electricity from the newly built solar carport. The entire installation spans an area of… Continue reading @VW Group: New photovoltaic system for ŠKODA AUTO Service Centre in Kosmonosy