Tag Archives: Markets

First Look: 2022 Kia Carnival

admin • February 23, 2021

Kia is looking to shake things up in a “staid” segment with its new minivan, the 2022 Carnival.

Farewell Sedona. Kia officially unveiled the replacement for its familiar minivan today, festively dubbing it the Kia Carnival.

The decision to drop the Sedona nameplate for the 2022 model year has been rumored for many months and reflects the South Korean carmaker’s desire to use similar nameplates worldwide. It took the same approach last year, using a makeover to rename the old Optima sedan the new K5.

There’s more to the move, however. Kia is pushing the brand upmarket. And, as we have already seen with the K5 and the Telluride SUV, that quickly becomes apparent when you get a close look at the new Carnival. It not only gets a new look but plenty of features that push it well into “premium” territory,” a far cry from Kia’s familiar image.

“The Kia Carnival is here to disrupt a staid segment and proves once again what is possible when conventions are shattered,” said Sean Yoon, the president and CEO of Kia Motors North America. “With its SUV-like character, our new multi-purpose vehicle delivers a combination of premium design, intelligent packaging, and an abundance of innovation in safety and technology. For these reasons, the Carnival is the first vehicle to proudly wear our all-new Kia badge and is a bold signal of things to come.”

A more rugged, SUV-like design

Kia keeps with its push to get some global consistency with its vehicle names changing the Sedona to the Carnival.

The new look is decidedly more boxy than that of the old Kia Sedona, with a larger, more upright take on the brand’s familiar “tiger nose” grille, framed by slit-like headlamps. The hood is more horizontal, with creases intended to imply power. The roofline and side windows take on a more ute-like appearance, though the 2022 Kia Carnival retains the twin sliding doors that minivan buyers love.

A rear skid plate and a choice of 17- and 19-inch wheels add to the more aggressive look of the new people mover.

The cabin is where the new Carnival really stands out when compared to the outgoing Sedona line, with more upscale materials and details, like the chrome dash running the length of the instrument panel.

Carnival will be offered with both 7- and 8-passenger configurations, with the optional center buckets able to slide and recline. The “Slide-Flex” system in the 8-passenger model allows a variety of different configurations, and the front passenger seat can be converted into a table.

Segment-leading passenger and cargo space

The new Carnival offers plenty of room as well as all of the technological creature comforts expected in minivans these days.

Functionality remains a critical purchase consideration for MPV buyers and Kia claims the new Carnival delivers best-in-class interior space of 168.2 cubic feet, as well as segment best cargo room of as much as 145.1 cf with the second and third rows folded down.

Technology matters, as well, and the new Kia Carnival boasts twin displays, including a 12.3-inch recongfigurable gauge cluster. The basic touchscreen infotainment display measures 8 inches but upgrades to 12.3 inch with navigation. Bluetooth is built in, with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard on all models. Wireless versions are available with the dual rear screen entertainment package. Wireless charging and built-in WiFi also are offered. And there are up to nine USB ports and an optional 110-volt outlet in the cabin.

There’s a rear occupant alert system using ultrasonic sensors designed to alert parents and caregivers if a child or pet remains in the second or third rows after the vehicle is shut off and doors locked. It can notify them in several ways, including sending an alert by text message.

The Passenger Talk system acts like an intercom to make it easier for occupants up front to chat with those in the rear. And a camera also lets parents keep an eye on children in back. It even uses night vision to let it work in the dark.

Plenty of safety gear

The new Carnival offers more cargo space than any of its competitors in the segment.

As one would expect of a modern minivan, the 2022 Carnival is loaded with airbags and more advanced driver assistance systems, including forward collision warning with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, and parking collisions avoidance.

Under the hood, all versions of the new Kia minivan use a 3.5-liter V-6 pushing out 290 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque through an eight-speed automatic. All-wheel-drive is not available. The minivan features one of the segment’s better tow ratings, at a max 3,500 pounds.

The 2022 Kia Carnival is expected to reach U.S. showrooms during the second quarter. Pricing will be released closer to then. The outgoing Kia Sedona currently starts at $30,400.

The new Carnival will be facing some tough competition, including new or recently updated offerings from the minivan segment leaders, the Chrysler Pacifica, the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna. The minivan segment has been shrinking for more than a decade but all of the key players are hoping to rebuild momentum with more rugged designs and the addition of new tech and safety features.

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First Look: 2022 McLaren Artura

admin • February 17, 2021

The 2022 McLaren Artura is a transformative vehicle for the British supercar maker.

The perception of driving a hybrid continues to change as more and more sports car makers reap the benefits of instant torque for neck-snapping acceleration, the latest being McLaren’s new Artura hybrid supercar.

Joining the likes of Porsche 918 Spyder, Ferrari SF90 Stradale, Acura NSX, Lamborghini Sian FKP 37 and even its stablemates the P1 and Speedtail, the Artura is designed to be the next step in the evolution of the breed.

The 2022 Artura is different from the other McLarens as it’s the company’s first-ever series production model. It’s also the first to use the company’s new McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture, or MCLA, specifically designed for high-performance hybrids. The new model is the result of intense work to migrate toward hybrid and, eventually, all-electric vehicles.

Purpose-built high-performance hybrid

The supercar maker developed a new lightweight tub fro the Artura called the McLaren Carbon Lightweight Architecture.

The new model went on a diet, in some measure because of the MCLA, but also the company looked to cut weight wherever possible. For example, they reconfigured the cabling used in the electrical systems, saving 10% in that area.

Not including the hybrid components, the Artura boasts a dry weight of 3,075 pounds. The total weight of the hybrid components is just 287 pounds, which includes the 194-pound battery pack and 34-pound E-motor), resulting in a DIN curb weight of 3,303 pounds.

This puts the new model on par with comparable nonhybrid supercars, which is a massive advantage for the Artura. It boasts a power-to-weight ratio of 481bhp/ton, which leads the class, McLaren says.

“Every drop of McLaren’s experience and expertise has been poured into the Artura,” said Mike Flewitt, CEO, McLaren Automotive, during the online debut of the newest model.

“Our all-new, High-Performance Hybrid delivers all of the performance, driver engagement and dynamic excellence for which McLaren is renowned, with the additional benefit of EV driving capability. The introduction of the Artura is a landmark

The new Artura races from 0-to-60 mph in just 3 seconds, and from stop to 124 mph in 8.3 seconds.

moment – for McLaren, for our customers who will appreciate and enjoy this car on every emotional and rational level, and for the supercar world.”

A new breed of McLaren

The result of this effort is a stunning machine that moves McLaren forward from being a maker of no-nonsense, no-frills performance beasts to modern supercar purveyors. Want outrageous power? 671 horsepower and 531 pound-feet of torque. Check.

Want outrageous speed? In the video revealing the new car, the company skipped 0-to-60 mph (3 seconds, btw) instead heading straight to 0-to-124 mph, which it clocks in 8.3 seconds. It hits 186 mph (or 300 kph) in 21.5 second and a top speed limited to 205 mph. Check.

McLaren offers its new hybrid supercar in four interior color combinations and two types of seats.

Perhaps most interesting, like the aforementioned Acura NSX and others, the gas-powered engine in the Artura is not a V-8, but a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that on its own puts out 577 hp and 431 lb.-ft. of torque.

High performance isn’t new for McLaren. However, now you get all of this jaw-dropping outrageousness with an all-new interior with niceties like air conditioning, key controls on the steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen for infotainment and configuring the advanced driver assistance systems and — gasp — Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

All of this comes with McLaren exterior design that screams “I’m faster than you,” and the revised interior that comes in four different color options. If you’ve got $225K, you can order it now. It comes four specifications that include things like power folding mirrors, soft-close doors, power seats and Homelink. It also comes with a five-year vehicle warranty, a six-year battery warranty and 10-year body warranty.

A Week With: 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4Matic

admin • February 11, 2021

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4Matic offers an impressive mix of comfort and performance.

Entry-level luxury vehicles walk a tightrope. Manufacturers must maintain the illusion of luxury while offering a high-end vehicle at a popular price. But more often than not, consumers must add options to get any luxury, rendering the initial “reasonable” price a work of fiction.

Yet luxury goods have never been a value proposition. For every 5% in improvement in quality, you’re greeted with a 50% improvement in price. Certainly, that’s always been the case with the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4Matic, a premium performance variant of its redesigned entry-level 2021 GLA 250 and 250 4Matic crossover.

Overview: Once a rarified trim on a handful of vehicles, AMG performance models are now far more common, accounting for 12% of Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. sales. Like the CLA-Class sedan, with which the GLA-Class shares its platform, the GLA 35 gets the same AMG treatment as the CLA 35, with a $11,230 premium added to the GLA 250’s $36,230 base price.

For 2021, the new AMG GLA 35 gets a new-look exterior that isn’t quite as distinctive as its predecessor.

An even hotter GLA 45 is also available, allowing you to reach 60 mph 0.8 second faster, but it will cost you an additional $6,950, or $54,550 – a 50% premium from the base model’s $36,320 starting price. And that’s before adding options.

That’s why the GLA 35 is the better deal; you get upgraded performance, but without the nosebleed pricing.

Exterior: The redesigned GLA-Class is more handsome and imposing than the first generation. It certainly seems worthier of its price, despite being 0.6 inches shorter.

But the new styling comes at a cost, since the GLA has grown 3.6 inches taller.

“… Lost is the previous generation’s aggressively sporty stance, derived from its low roof and high ground clearance. Certainly, the new GLA is handsome, but a bit less distinctive …”

Interior: Nevertheless, the added height does provide more interior space, as does the GLA’s wheelbase, which has been lengthened by 1.1 inches. Now, there’s usable back seat with enough legroom to be practical every day.

Giving the GLA the AMG treatment adds $11,230 to the vehicle’s price tag.

Material quality also seems far better than the GLA it supplants. Three large air-conditioning vents framed in shiny black plastic give the interior a sophisticated visual punch.

That feeling is enhanced by the $400 AMG Performance steering wheel wrapped in Nappa leather, and the gray and black MB-Tex seats, as the $47,550 base price isn’t enough for Mercedes-Benz to provide leather seats.

Surprisingly, items like heated front seats ($500), AMG steering-wheel buttons ($460), and a navigation system with augmented reality ($1,295) are not standard.

And the test car’s $53,220 price didn’t include ventilated seats, which are optional, or a heated steering wheel, which isn’t offered at all.

Powertrain: All GLA-Class models come with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine connected to an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission. Mercedes-Benz describes the GLA 35’s engine as “AMG enhanced,” distinguishing it from the GLA 45’s “AMG handcrafted.”

The interior of the new GLA is covered in Nappa leather on the steering wheel and seats.

The difference? Eighty horsepower. And whereas the GLA 35 reaches 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, the GLA 45 does the deed in 4.3 seconds. GLA 250s can be had with front-wheel or all-wheel drive, GLA 35 and 45s come solely with all-wheel drive.

Technology and Safety: Surprisingly, many of the driver-assistance features you might expect are absent. That said, you do get stability control, brake assist, blind-spot assist and a rearview camera. An optional $1,700, Driver Assistance Package adds many of the missing features.

Like many recent Mercedes-Benz products, a horizontal MBUX touchscreen is visually incorporated into the digital instrument cluster. The display can be configured in one of three modes, Classic, Sport and Supersport.

The striking high-definition graphics and user interface are easy to use, either by touching the screen or using the touchpad on the center console. Processor speed is impressive. The GLA offers Bluetooth audio streaming, four USB-C ports and is Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatible.

Driving Impressions: Its engine may not be handcrafted, but it still packs a wallop. It’s a fantastical fun mill, generating huge power the nanosecond after you punch the throttle. Throw the GLA 35 into a corner, and you’ll find it to be a very fun dance partner. The steering is accurate, if numb, and the brakes are up to the task of bringing this party to a halt.

The stiff, unyielding suspension is tuned for German roads, not American ones, so imperfections are uncomfortably magnified, and accompanied by an incredible amount of road and tire noise that drown out any conversation, not to mention the audio system. The combination makes any long-term drive an exercise in endurance.

Wrap Up: How badly do you want an AMG? While the GLA 250 makes a convincing case as a premium commuter, the GLA 35’s punchy engine is compromised by a stiff unyielding suspension and symphony of road and tire noise that seem out of place given this car’s premium price tag.

GM Secures Big Order for New BrightDrop Commercial EV

admin • February 5, 2021

Merchants Fleet is working with BrightDrop to procure 12,600 BrightDrop EV600s, an all-new, electric light commercial vehicle.

General Motors has lined up a major new customer for its new, all-electric commercial van and reiterated its support to Lordstown Motors, the Ohio EV maker preparing to launch a new electric pickup truck.

New Hampshire-based Merchants Fleet said it plans to further electrify its portfolio with 12,600 new commercial vehicles from BrightDrop, the fledgling business backed by General Motors.

“Merchants Fleet’s move to add such a large number of BrightDrop EV600s to their portfolio signals their strong commitment to accelerate the electric fleet movement, and their belief that BrightDrop solutions will help them and their clients achieve a greener and more efficient future,” said BrightDrop President and CEO Travis Katz in a statement.

Customer to use GM new battery system

GM’s third-generation global electric vehicle platform with its Ultium battery technology.

The EV600 is powered by GM’s Ultium battery system that it’s producing in concert with South Korea’s LG Chem. The vans will be built at the GM CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, and Merchants Fleet expects the BrightDrop EV600s to enter its clients’ fleets starting in early 2023.

The new van is one of the 30 electric vehicles GM plans to launch during the next several years in a wide range of segments. GM’s goal is to sell more than a million electric vehicles annually by the middle of the decade.

Ideally for GM, thousands of those EV will be snapped up by fleet management companies, like Merchants Fleet, which is one of the nation’s fastest growing examples. BrightDrop says it is building a smarter way to deliver goods and services. The company says it plans to use electric first-to-last-mile products, software and services while improving overall sustainability.

GM renews endorsement of Lordstown Motors

In addition to the new deal, GM also offered a strong statement of support for Lordstown Motors, the new EV maker that purchased the company’s former plant in Lordstown, Ohio, hence the name.

Lordstown CEO Steve Burns announced the company’s plans to go public, in a reverse merger with DiamondPeak Holdings.

GM said it is by working closely with Lordstown Motors Corp. to support the launch of the battery electric Endurance pickup. Lordstown Motors is in the midst of a reverse merger by DiamondPeak Holdings Corp. That deal is expected to close during the fourth quarter and the company will be listed on the Nasdaq.

Additionally, GM is investing $75 million in the company, which includes the sale of the former Lordstown Assembly plant and production equipment, noting its support for Lordstown Motors dates back to May 2019 and is part of the company’s continuing support for the Lordstown community.

GM and LG Chem have formed a joint venture and together are investing more than $2.3 billion to build a new, state-of-the-art battery cell manufacturing plant in Lordstown that will create more than 1,100 new jobs. Construction of the facility is on schedule.

The new battery cell manufacturing plant will play a critical role in GM’s commitment to an all-electric future, GM said as it announced a new investment at GM plant in Toledo, Ohio.

GM to invest more in Toledo Transmission

GM is investing $75 million in its Toledo plant.

GM said it will invest $75 million in its Toledo, Ohio transmission manufacturing plant. The investment will increase the plant’s capacity to build 10-speed automatic transmissions that are used in GM’s full-size trucks. Work will begin immediately at the Toledo plant.

“Through this investment, we continue to take steps to strengthen our current core business and build on our significant manufacturing presence in Ohio,” said Phil Kienle, GM vice president, North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations.

Since 2009, GM has invested more than $3.3 billion in Ohio, Kienle noted. Toledo Transmission Operations opened in 1916 and now employs about 1,700.

After Warning from Feds, Tesla Recalling 135,000 Faulty Vehicles in the U.S.

admin • February 2, 2021

Tesla is recalling 135,000 vehicles to fix an ongoing problem with its touchscreens.

With federal safety regulators breathing down its back, Tesla has agreed to recall nearly 135,000 battery-electric vehicles equipped with touchscreens that are prone to unexpectedly failure – which could make it difficult for motorists to operate the vehicles and potentially lead to a crash.

The problem has been widely reported by owners and Tesla has been making free repairs on an ad hoc basis, but that didn’t satisfy the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which felt that the screens should be replaced before they fail, avoiding the chance that drivers would be left at risk.

Tesla uses its laptop computer-sized displays to operate virtually all vehicle functions and such failures could make it difficult to see what gear a vehicle is operating in, as well as being able to use its backup camera. And because the driver could lose the ability to control the vehicle’s climate control system – including front and rear window defoggers, NHTSA warned the problem “may decrease the driver’s visibility in inclement weather.”

(Tesla told to recall 158,000 vehicles due to touchscreen failures.)

The recall covers two of Tesla’s original product lines, a total of 134,951 Model S sedans and Model X SUVs.

The problem can cause the Model S touchscreen to fail, impacting several of the vehicle’s functions.

The safety agency has been looking into the touchscreen problem since last June – upgrading the probe in November after receiving 12,523 reports related to the problem.

It took the unusual step of requesting a recall in a letter sent to the EV manufacturer on Jan. 13. That followed discussed between Tesla and NHTSA officials, including a presentation that, regulators said, “confirmed that all units will inevitably fail.”

What has become known as the “eMMC failure” issue involves the displays that are ubiquitous in all Tesla vehicles but, in particular, those used by 2012-2018 Model S sedans and 2016-2018 Model X SUVs. They rely on NVIDIA processors and an 8 gigabyte flash memory device known as an eMMC NAND. The memory systems have a limited capacity and lifecycle. Once exceeded, they fail, taking down the Tesla display screen.

When it launched the probe in November, NHTSA announced that, “The data show failure rates over 30% in certain build months and accelerating failure trends after three to four years in service.”

(NHTSA expands probe into Tesla touchscreen issue.)

Early on, Tesla had been charging owners for repairs if their vehicles were out of warranty when the screens failed. The carmaker subsequently began making all repairs for free but, until now, had declined to proactively replace the displays until they did fail – something it knew would happen on all of the affected vehicles eventually.

The “eMMC failure” issue involves the displays in 2012-2018 Model S sedans.

The automaker tried to downplay the risks a failure could cause by stating that, “the driver can perform a shoulder check and use the mirrors. If the screen is not visible to control the climate control and defroster settings, the driver will be able to manually clear the windshield.”

The automaker also advised owners of the affected vehicles that it had released a software update that would maintain at least some critical functions in the event of a touchscreen failure. If the update were installed, “then the rearview backup camera will remain available, the exterior turn signal lighting will remain functional, and the windshield defogging and defrosting controls will automatically default to a preset cabin temperature to ensure windshield visibility,” Tesla said, while warning that vehicles that weren’t updated faced “possible malfunctions.

While Tesla resisted, until now, recalling the vehicles in the U.S., it did take such a step already in China, its second-largest market.

The touchscreen issue raises further concerns among safety advocates about Tesla’s extreme reliance on technology without offering any backup. That approach was underscored last month when the automaker announced that the new, super high-performance version of the Model S, the Plaid+ edition, will adopt a squared-off, yoke-style steering wheel devoid of manual turn signals. According to Tesla, the vehicle will intuit when a driver is about to make a turn. It has also said the vehicle itself will know when it needs to shift into forward or reverse.

(Tesla cleared of sudden unintended acceleration by NHTSA.)

This isn’t the first time the automaker has had a run-in with federal safety regulators. And it has been cited on several occasions for playing at least a partial role in serious, and sometimes fatal, crashes involving its Autopilot system. With the new Biden administration expected to call for increased diligence by NHTSA and other regulators, it could mean closer scrutiny for Tesla as it continues to push the boundaries of technology in its vehicles.

Toyota Agrees to Pay Record $180M Fine for Emissions Violations

admin • January 15, 2021

Toyota agreed to pay a $180 million fine after failing to report EPA-mandated emissions information.

Toyota Motor agreed to pay the largest civil penalty ever – $180 million – to settle a lawsuit brought by the Department of Justice because the automaker failed to report violations of U.S. emissions regulations for a decade.

The Japanese automaker avoided reporting violations of the Clean Air Act to the Environmental Protection Agency between 2005 and 2015. The company didn’t report defects that hindered its vehicles’ ability to control tailpipe emissions “designed to protect the public health and the environment from harmful air pollutants,” the DOJ said.

The lawsuit was filed and settled simultaneously in U.S. District Court in Manhattan because Toyota agreed to all the provisions in the consent decree. The company’s late or, in some cases, non-existent filings allowed for millions of potentially non-compliant vehicles to be sold in the U.S.

(New Toyota patent lets dirty car drive itself to the car wash.)

For a decade, the automaker systematically failed to report defects and top Toyota executives in Japan knew about the practice but failed to stop it, the DOJ contends.

Toyota either delayed or simply failed to send emissions information to the EPA from 2005 – 2015.

“Toyota shut its eyes to the noncompliance,” Audrey Strauss, the acting U.S. attorney, said in a statement, “failing to provide proper training, attention, and oversight to its Clean Air Act reporting obligations.”

“Toyota’s actions undermined EPA’s self-disclosure system and likely led to delayed or avoided emission-related recalls, resulting in financial benefit to Toyota and excess emissions of air pollutants. Today, Toyota pays the price for its misconduct with a $180 million civil penalty and agreement to injunctive relief to ensure that its violations will not be repeated.”

(Toyota boss Akio Toyoda remains EV skeptic.)

While Toyota officials agreed to pay the fine, they appear unwilling to go as far as being the environmental bad guy the Justice Department suggests. Eric Booth, a spokesman for the automaker, told the New York Times the company alerted the authorities as soon as the lapses came to light, and that the delay in reporting “resulted in a negligible emissions impact, if any.”

Toyota contends that while it erred in not sending the information, the impact was negligible.

“Nonetheless, we recognize that some of our reporting protocols fell short of our own high standards, and we are pleased to have resolved this matter,” Booth added.

This isn’t Toyota’s first brush with this issue. In 2003, the automaker was penalized $20 million for selling 2.2 million vehicles with noncompliant on-board diagnostic systems. That was two years before the current round of transgressions began.

(Launching 25 models over 16 months, remain active in passenger car segments.)

In addition to the financial penalty, the company is working under an injunction that ensures it complies with emissions-reporting requirements going forward.

GM Offers Peek at Ultra-Exclusive Cadillac Celestiq — and Jetsons-Like Flying Car

admin • January 12, 2021

GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra’s been pushing the company’s all-electric future, she offered a peek as some of that at CES 2021.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra is fond of saying the automaker is “on a path to an all-electric future,” something she underscored during a virtual CES webinar focusing on not only the automaker’s battery technology but also showing off some of the many battery and autonomous vehicles in development.

Along with models the automaker already has unveiled, like the Chevrolet Bolt EUV and GMC Hummer, several other projects were revealed during the hourlong presentation, including an ultra-luxurious new Cadillac dubbed Celestiq, as well as a flying car concept “designed for the moment when time is of the essence.”

“The key” to just about everything GM has in development is electrification, stressed Barra, who has led a massive shakeup of GM’s traditional approach to the car business since being named CEO in December 2013. Barra recently announced GM will introduce 30 all-electric models by 2025, up from the previous target of 20 by 2023. Meanwhile, spending on EVs and AVs, or autonomous vehicles, will jump to $27 billion by mid-decade.

(GM wants to revolutionize e-commerce with electric droids and vans.)

GM’s Crystal Windham talks about Cadillac’s latest product, the Celestiq, during CES 2021.

The automaker introduced its first long-range all-electric model, the Chevrolet Bolt EV, in 2016 and is set to begin expanding the line-up this year with the stretched Bolt EUV and GMC Hummer pickup. The pace will rapidly accelerate in 2022 when Cadillac’s first battery-electric vehicle, the Lyriq SUV, launches, along with an SUV version of the Hummer and other products.

The Cadillac brand was GM’s first to offer a specific target date, 2030, for going entirely electric, and the new Celestiq will fill a long-opened gap as the luxury division’s new flagship. First shown during a media backgrounder last March as a pure concept exercise, the project was formally confirmed during Tuesday’s CEO keynote.

It’s “a designer’s dream,” said Crystal Windham, Cadillac’s director of interior design. While the Celestiq prototype was shown largely concealed by shadows during the webinar, the version seen by reporters last March bore much in common with the over-the-top Cadillac Sixteen concept of 2003 with what Windham described as “a dramatic presence with a low profile and rear-drive proportions.”

One of the most distinctive features of the Celestiq will be an all-glass roof divided into four quadrants. It will use electroluminescent technology so that each of the exotic sedan’s passengers will be able to change it from transparent to opaque. The instrument panel, meanwhile, will take things a step beyond what is offered in the latest-generation Caddy Escalade, introducing a video screen running pillar to pillar. There will be additional screens for rear seat passengers and additional touchscreens to operate climate and other vehicle controls.

GM didn’t offer an unobscured view of the Celestiq, but instead showed bits and pieces of the luxury EV.

GM officials have been mum about other details but Celestiq will use an all-wheel-drive version of GM’s new Ultium BEV platform and, based on comments made recently by brand boss Steve Carlisle, range of 400 or more miles is likely. Meanwhile, the Ultium platform can deliver up to 1,000 horsepower, though it is not clear if the Cadillac Celestiq will push that high.

During the Barra-led webinar, GM’s battery lab group manager Mei Cai revealed some of the automaker’s plans for the Ultium batteries that will soon start rolling off a new assembly line in Ohio built as part of a joint venture with Korea’s LG Chem.

The new cells will deliver 60% more energy than batteries used in today’s Chevy Bolt and deliver as much as 450 miles per charge, depending upon the vehicle and the size of its pack. They’re also about 40% lower in cost, which would mean something at or below $100 a kilowatt-hour.

(GM rolls out new logo and marketing campaign pitching its corporate transformation.)

In addition to luxury EVs for the road, GM revealed a VTOL flying car.

But GM already is working on second-generation Ultium technology which, said Cai, will yield another 40% reduction in price and double the energy capacity – meaning a range of as much as 600 miles per charge. Last March, GM President Mark Reuss also noted a longer-term goal of reducing charging times to as little as 10 minutes.

Lighter, more energy-dense batteries could prove critical for another project GM revealed during the Barra seminar. While just a concept, for now, it suggests the automaker is ready to join competitors like Hyundai, Toyota and Aston Martin in working on flying cars.

The four-rotor prototype, dubbed the VTOL (vertical-take-off-and-landing), is “designed for the moment when time is of the essence and convenience is everything,” said Michael Simcoe, GM’s vice president of global design.

Even fewer details were revealed about the VTOL than about Celestiq, though Simcoe did note the concept would use a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

The flying car would be targeted at Cadillac customers, as would another prototype revealed during the webinar, this one a sort of living room on wheels that adopts the sort of toaster-on-wheels shape that we’re seeing with many driverless vehicle concepts.

Michael Simcoe talks about the Cadillac Halo pod concept at CES 2021.

GM’s “provides a societal space for a group of friends or family to spend time together on their way to a destination,” said Simcoe. Like Celestiq, it features an all-glass roof, “but encourages eyes to turn inside to focus on one another.”

Among other things, the high-tech cruiser uses biometric sensors to constantly control interior temperature and humidity, as well as lighting and ambient noise levels, and even introduces aromatics to influence the “well-being” of its passengers.

(CEO Barra wants GM to be dominant global EV maker.)

As with the VTOL flying car, the prototype is envisioned to become part of what Simcoe described as the “Cadillac Halo portfolio.” No details were offered on production plans for either model.

First Drive: 2020 McLaren GT

admin • December 31, 2020

Perhaps not a true grand tourer by definition, but the 2020 McLaren GT does a stunningly good impression.

It is possibly the auto industry’s most abused marketing term: GT. A true GT, or grand tourer, is a sports car capable of effortlessly and comfortably traveling at high speed over long distances with cargo space that will carry more than a toothbrush and condoms.

Certainly, there are cars that meet this criteria, such as the Bentley Continental or Mercedes-Benz SL-Class. But there are others, such as the Kia K5 GT, that use it for marketing effect, as the K5 is far from any enthusiast’s idea of a true GT.

Overview: And so now we welcome the 2020 McLaren GT, the brand’s newest supercar and the first McLaren to be designated a grand tourer, although you’d never know it to look at it. That’s because it looks like merely the latest in a line of stunning McLaren mid-engine sports cars. Nonetheless, the company insists it’s a true GT, just not in the way you might think of one.

(McLaren Artura hybrid supercar to debut in 2021.)

Exterior: Many mid-engine sports cars pour on the visual geegaws to prove what’s already apparent by their mid-engine form. The McLaren GT dispenses with such juvenile dross, opting instead for an elegant purity of shape that’s mercifully adult, yet still promises fun thanks to its dramatic dihedral doors that swing up and out of the way. While it makes for a memorable entrance, the test car’s driver’s door had a habit of retaining water, which unceremoniously dumped out of the driver’s door when opened.

The McLaren GT’s exterior could certainly make one think it was simply another race-inspired offering from the company.

The new GT’s monocoque carbon fiber structure is similar to other McLarens, but the GT uses aluminum body panels rather than carbon fiber. That’s why it’s one of the brand’s heavier cars, although weight isn’t necessarily the enemy in great GTs.

The test car’s Pirelli P Zeros – 20-inches up front, 21-inches in the rear – wore attractive 15-spoke wheels that provide the perfect finishing touch. The result is simply stunning, although casual onlookers often mistook the GT for the new Chevrolet Corvette.

Interior: The artfully restrained cabin design is a bit of visual haiku, and a welcome relief in a class where some manufacturers indulge in design overkill. Its aura is enhanced by the sumptuous leather, knurled aluminum switchgear and the electrochromic glass roof, which allows you to adjust its opacity.

“… McLaren uses hydraulic steering and brakes which provide a direct responsive feel largely absent from many modern cars – even sports cars …”

It’s clearly a luxurious space, but it doesn’t feel overindulgent or excessive. This is evidence of McLaren’s roots as a sports car manufacturer, a feeling reinforced by the absence of the options you’d expect. So don’t count on ventilated seats, or ones that massage.

The McLaren GT offers plenty of room — for two, which may defy some conventional GT wisdom.

In addition, the seats are very firm, which some might find unrelenting for long drives, although their support is excellent. And unlike other GTs that make a token effort of offering room for more than two, the McLaren’s passenger capacity tops out at two, although the cabin is fairly roomy.

(McLaren taking orders for new supercar.)

Speaking of spaciousness, unlike its corporate siblings, the GT has a 14.8 cubic-foot cargo area beneath its soft-closing tailgate. There’s an additional 5.3 cubic feet of storage up front, bringing total cargo capacity to a very useful 20.1 cubic feet — enough to make it the most practical car McLaren offers.

But as in any mid-engine car, the rear trunk gets very warm due to engine heat, so it’s best to pack anything heat sensitive up front. As with any great GT, custom-fitted luggage is available.

“… You not only hear the V-8, you feel it, especially once you mash the throttle …”

Powertrain: A new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged McLaren V8 produces 612 brake horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque; that’s a 399 horsepower-per-ton power-to-weight ratio, one capable of delivering 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds on its way to a top speed of 203 mph.

The GT is McLaren’s heaviest model, although it still races from 0-60 mph in 3.1 seconds.

The driveline includes launch control as well as comfort, sport and track driving modes. The car is fitted with an aluminum, double-wishbone suspension and twin-valve hydraulic dampers at all four corners, along with anti-roll bars front and rear. Steel brakes are standard, ceramics are optional.

Technology and Safety: The sort of driver-assistance safety systems you’ve come to expect on all cars, such as blind-spot monitoring, or adaptive cruise control, aren’t available, although the GT does have a standard backup camera, but that’s required by federal law.

Other safety features, such as airbags and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution, are standard.

The 7-inch portrait-style infotainment touchscreen is the centerpiece of the instrument panel and featured the optional – and excellent – 12-speaker, 1,200-watt Bowers & Wilkins audio system.

Driving impressions: If the interior’s lack of overindulgence doesn’t tip you off to the McLaren’s true character, then one drive will. Simply put, this is a super sports car; a carbon-fiber, mid-engine scream machine that produces oceans of power accompanied by a satisfying snarl from its exhaust. You not only hear the V-8, you feel it, especially once you mash the throttle.

The GT dutifully awakens with nary a hint of turbo lag, and the dual-clutch transmission snicks off the shifts as expected. Mercifully, McLaren uses hydraulic steering and brakes which provide a direct responsive feel largely absent from many modern cars – even sports cars.

The GT performs like the consummate sports car that it is, with grippy tires, neck-snapping acceleration and enough noise to remind you why didn’t choose a Bentley instead.

And it does a good job of absorbing the rough stuff dealt out by America’s crumbling infrastructure, it’s not the grand touring ride most will expect. One drive, and you could be excused for thinking this is a GT in name only.

(McLaren shows us the light – light weight – with new 765LT.)

Wrap Up: McLaren may call its GT a grand tourer, but its personality remains that of a true McLaren, albeit a McLaren sports car with luggage space. It’s not a GT, but there’s nothing wrong with that. And given its $213,195 base price, it’s one of McLaren’s least-expensive models.

Japan Joins Growing List of Countries Set to Ban Sales of Gas-Powered Vehicles

admin • December 28, 2020

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga supports the move to ban the sale of non-electric new vehicles staring in 2035.

Despite strong pushback from the country’s largest automaker, Japan has announced plans to halt the sale of vehicles relying solely on internal combustion engines after 2035.

The move means the Asian nation will join a growing list of countries planning to phase out vehicles powered by gas or diesel, including both the United Kingdom and Norway. A number of other countries, including France and Germany, are considering similar bans.

Vehicles with internal combustion engines won’t be banned entirely. Automakers will still be able to market hybrids in Japan, regulators ruled. Even so, the plan released on Christmas Day was a significant victory for Japanese environmentalists considering it was strongly opposed by key industry leaders, including Toyota President Akio Toyoda who warned earlier this month that a broad shift to electric vehicles could cause the auto industry’s traditional business model “to collapse.”

(Toyota boss Akio Toyoda remains EV skeptic.)

Akio Toyoda, Toyota’s top officer, is against the ban.

As the head of Japan’s largest and most powerful company – and in his role as the head of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association – Toyoda hoped to convince regulators to back off on the proposed ban. But it had widespread backing from other quarters, including Japan’s new Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

In October, shortly after assuming his post, Suga had pledged to cut Japan’s carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050 while indicating he supported a shift to battery-powered vehicles.

Global sales of electrified vehicles remain modest, running in single digits in all but a handful of markets, even when including hybrids, PHEVs and fuel-cell vehicles, as well as pure battery-electric vehicles. But demand is expected to increase sharply as key obstacles, such as range, cost and public charging, are addressed. It also will help that scores of new BEVs are scheduled to go into production in the coming years, proponents say.

While Japanese automakers were pioneers with their early push to bring hybrids to market, “Japan is very far behind” in terms of developing more advanced products relying solely on battery power, Masayoshi Arai, an official with the country’s

Nissan is one of a few Japanese automakers dedicating resources to a move to EVs.

Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, said last week.

Toyota only recently introduced a BEV model in Europe, though it has announced plans to add two more – one through the flagship Toyota division, a second under the Lexus badge. It also this month revealed an all-electric microcar targeting the Japanese home market. Only the Nissan and Mitsubishi brands, among Japanese automakers, have committed significant resources to the development of pure battery-electric vehicles and, even then, they have fallen behind key foreign rivals in terms of bringing new products to market.

(Toyota hopes to boost interest in hydrogen tech with second-generation Mirai.)

Toyota officials have, throughout the years, pointed to numerous concerns about BEVs, including their cost, limited range and other obstacles to widespread consumer acceptance. For his part, company chief Toyoda said this month that he feared a switch to all-electric models would seriously disrupt the classic automotive industry business model. He also raised questions about whether Japan’s electric grid could supply the needed energy — and, if it did add the generating capacity, he warned, that could actually increase the country’s reliance on fossil fuels.

With the debut of the 2021 Mirai fuel-cell vehicle, Toyota’s hoping to spur interest in the tech again.

For his part, Japan’s new prime minister is downplaying such concerns and said that efforts to address greenhouse gas production “should be tackled as a strategy for growth, not as a limitation on growth.”

Downplaying the need for new coal or natural gas plants, the plan released by the Japanese government would add up to 45 gigawatts of new offshore wind generating capacity by 2040.

With the Christmas Day announcement, Japan becomes the second member of the Group of Seven, or G7, to lay out specific plans to ban non-electrified vehicles.

The UK originally had planned to do so by 2040 but now has pushed that target date up to 2030. Like Japan, its ban will continue to permit the sale of hybrids – but only through 2035, at which point only pure, zero-emissions vehicles will be able to be sold in Great Britain. That will include both BEVs and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

Despite its reticence about EVs, Toyota rolled out a new battery-electric car Dec. 25: the C⁺pod.

A handful of other countries, including Norway, have also laid out ZEV transition plans. So have some states and regions – including California and the Canadian province of British Columbia. A number of cities, such as London, Paris, Berlin and Mexico City, plan to bar vehicles not running in zero-emissions mode, meanwhile. China, meanwhile, has laid out plans to have “New Energy Vehicles,” plug-based models, reach 20% of the market by 2025. It is considering a total ban at a later date.

(Britain to ban sale of all new gas and diesel cars by 2030.)

With most of the country’s automakers reluctant to bring plug-based models to market, demand has grown far more slowly than in many other major regions. The Ministry of Economy, Industry and Trade noted that consumers purchased only 6,000 PHEVs and BEVs during the third quarter of 2020. By comparison, demand tripled in Europe to 270,000 – all-electric models accounting for roughly three-quarters of Norwegian sales. China, meanwhile, is expected to again top 1 million plug-based models for all of 2020.

Former Michigan Governor in Line for Secretary of Energy Post

admin • December 16, 2020

Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is reportedly Biden’s choice to head the Department of Energy.

President-elect Joe Biden is apparently prepared to nominate former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm to lead the U.S. Department of Energy, giving the domestic auto industry an influential ally in the new administration’s inner circles.

Granholm’s selection, which hasn’t been announced formally, was kept well below the radar. However, Biden worked with Granholm on the critical effort to rescue General Motors and Chrysler Corp. during the early days of the Obama administration in 2009 when she was in her last term as Michigan’s governor.

As Michigan’s governor, Granholm was a forceful champion of the domestic auto industry and pushed hard to bailout Chrysler at a time when some of Obama’s Wall Street-oriented advisers and others were recommending the company be allowed to fail and its remnants absorbed by other automakers.

(As Biden’s new Transportation chief, “Mayor Pete” will face massive list of automotive challenges.)

Granholm’s advocacy earned her the thanks of the United Auto Workers and her proven track record with union should help bolster the Biden administration’s credibility with blue-collar workers, particularly in the Midwest.

General Motors Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre (left to right), Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano look on as the first Chevrolet Volt battery comes off the line at the GM Brownstown Battery plant in Brownstown Township, Michigan Thursday, January 7, 2010. The facility is the first lithium ion battery pack manufacturing plant in the U.S. operated by a major automaker. X10SN_SN013 (Photo by Steve Fecht for General Motors) (01/07/2010)

Then-General Motors Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre left, Granholm, and former U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu at a GM battery plant .

At the same time, she also prodded Detroit’s automakers to adopt new technology.

In addition, Granholm has long been a champion of alternative energy, pushing Michigan’s utilities to develop wind and solar power despite opposition from state Republicans, the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and other business leaders, who complained incessantly that the state’s cold, cloudy weather made it impossible to use wind or solar power.

Now Michigan’s two major electric utilities, Consumers Power and Detroit Edison, are in the process of phasing out coal-fired plants.

Granholm’s commitment to alternative energy dovetails neatly with Biden’s own commitment to develop new sources of energy that could gradually wean the U.S. from its dependence on the oil — a commitment Biden defended during his final debate with President Donald Trump before the election.

Under Trump, the DOE had been run by former Texas Governor Richard Perry, who was heavily influenced by oil and gas interests.

(Barra, Gamble meet with President-elect Biden.)

According to Politico, the lion’s share of DOE’s budget is revolving around nuclear power and nuclear weapons.

Granholm, left, with the-auto recovery czar Ed Mongomery, argued to save Chrysler Corp.

However, it also oversees a network of 17 national laboratories that act as a key resource for the development of new technology and have worked closely with automakers on batteries and electric propulsion and other inventions for use in manufacturing.

Carla Bailo, CEO for the Center for Automotive Transportation in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said during a webinar sponsored by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation it is important that the technology necessary for building and operating electric vehicles be developed in the United States and not drift offshore to China and Europe, which are making major investments in electric vehicles.

While the Trump administration has made a trade a central part of its China policy, the incoming Biden administration is very aware that the U.S. is in a race for new technology with the Peoples Republic of China, according to Chris Krueger, managing director of the Cowen Washington Research Group.

Getting more consumers to use battery electric vehicles will also require a substantial effort to educate consumers about the noted, Michelle Krebs, executive analyst with Autotrader. Up until now, consumers have been reluctant to let go of traditional vehicles, she noted.

Granholm was first elected Attorney General of Michigan in 1998 and served one term before capturing the Democratic nomination for governor in 2002. She was re-elected in 2006, defeating Richard DeVos, the husband of Trump’s Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

(Unions helped Biden in 2020 election.)

Since then she has been a law professor at the University of California-Berkeley and a political commentator on CNN.

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