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Q&A: Green Car Pioneer Ron Cogan Offers Sage Insights

May 3, 2021 admin

Green Car Journal Publisher Ron Cogan at the 2020 Green Car Awards. He’s been covering the shift to environmentally friendly vehicles for three decades.

The automobile has transformed we live, work and play. Unfortunately, it’s also had a seriously detrimental impact on Planet Earth. And now, as it becomes more crucial to address issues like climate change, the automobile is in the crosshairs.

That’s a message many have come to just lately. Not Ron Cogan. The veteran automotive journalist was among the first to recognize the need to clean up the car, in 1992 launching Green Car Journal. Where some have focused exclusively on electrified vehicles, pure battery-electric models, in particular, Cogan and his magazine have looked at all the various green car technologies that have come — and, in many cases, gone — during the past three decades.

The latest issue of Green Car Journal focuses specifically on battery-electric vehicles. But, as is Cogan’s style, it takes a pragmatic, even somewhat skeptical, look at this potentially game-changing technology, recognizing there are still many challenges to be overcome before BEVs can clearly replace the time-tested internal combustion engine.

Cogan spoke to TheDetroitBureau.com about his years covering the green car world and what he sees coming in the years ahead.

Cogan’s enjoyed a front-row seat, watching and writing about the shift from ICE-powered vehicles to electrified models in the U.S.

TheDetroitBureau: These days, everyone is writing about electric vehicles but you’ve been at this for a long time, haven’t you? And don’t you take something of a broader look when it comes to environmentally friendly vehicles?

Ron Cogan: Green Car Journal, which launched in 1992, has been all about options, everything that’s happening in the green space, whether it’s methanol, ethanol and natural gas, even high fuel-efficiency gasoline. Now, there’s a huge push towards electrification. It wasn’t our call to tell people what to drive. With our 30^th birthday coming up we wanted to let people read different opinions from industry leaders.

TDB: We now have General Motors CEO Mary Barra setting a transition to all-electric vehicles and announcing a second battery plant. Is this the year of the tipping point for battery-electric vehicles?

Cogan: I would agree there’s a tipping point going on in the sense that there’s a major commitment by a lot of automakers. It’s gone beyond lip service. For the industry, the tipping point is here. The question is whether it is a consumer tipping point yet. Only so many people are willing to step up to pure electric vehicles. More see a hybrid as the way to go because it’s so seamless, and some to plug-in hybrids. But have we reached a tipping point for consumers? I’m not so sure.

Cogan notes that hybrids provide a level of convenience that pure EVs cannot.

TDB: Yet BEVs do seem to be gaining a lot of momentum.

Cogan: Well, the range issues is being overcome to a large degree, But even with 250 miles, on a long trip you have to plan ahead (to find places to charge), which is why I think plug-in hybrids are going to be pretty huge. When you can’t plug in you’re not limited, so I think that category is really going to expand. With a plug-in you can do everyday driving in electric but switch to internal combustion when you have to go farther. I think it’s a win-win. And it will get more people into buying electric vehicles.

TDB: I find that the best way to promote electric vehicles is to get people into electric vehicles. They’re often surprised by the performance, for one thing.

Cogan: Yeah, today’s electric vehicles are pretty amazing given what they offer — everything a combustion vehicle can offer and more. The launch in an electric vehicle can be pretty exciting and some companies, like Tesla, are keying in on that, talking about how they can beat a Ferrari on track and all that. I think that’s surprising a lot of people.

Cogan is quick to note that EVs are not the only way to improve the efficiency of vehicles. His publication’s honored several diesels.

TDB: I have more and more people asking if this is the right time to buy an electric vehicle. Many worry that, like with an iPhone, if they buy today something better will soon come out and they’ll regret it. What would you tell them?

Cogan: The technology, the range, all of that will improve over time, as will the cost which will continue to go down incrementally. So, it’s a tough question. If you find the right vehicle that appeals to you, it makes sense, go ahead and buy the vehicle. There are some great choices out there now and there are going to be more coming up. The jump to 250 miles (which most new BEVs are offering) is huge and there are going to be more and more charging stations coming online. True, the nature of it is that there’s always going to be something better. But do you never buy an electric vehicle because of that?

TDB: Doesn’t that make an argument for leasing, rather than buying? You can move to something newer and better in a few years — and not worry about trade-in values.

Cogan: I think leasing is the ideal way to go with electric vehicles. It means you don’t have to take as much of a risk. You know what your payments are. You know when you’re going to turn it in. And then, you can move on to the next generation of electric vehicles. Leasing takes the risk out.

Green Car Publisher Ron Cogan, Chevy Marketing Director Steve Mojoras and the 2016 Volt, which was honored by the Green Car Awards.

TDB: Let’s talk about batteries — in particular, next-generation batteries. Honda, Ford and others are all talking about solid-state batteries (which supposedly will be lighter, deliver longer range and shorter charging times and even reduce the risk of fire). Are they real? And will they live up to expectations?

Cogan: It seems that if solid-state comes close to all the promises it would put BEVs over the top, making all the difference in the world. Solid-state, from what we hear, is the ideal technology.

TDB: What would you estimate will be the BEV share of the market by 2030? And could it be even bigger than people are forecasting now?

Cogan: It’s tough to make a prediction, and I try to avoid that. But automakers and other interests are pushing for them and there’s a lot of interest in setting up a nationwide rapid charging network. All of that takes us in the direction where we know there’s going to be significantly more electric vehicles sold by then. But many things could influence the fate of gasoline vehicles. How’s the price of gas? If gas prices stay low there’ll be less incentive for electric vehicles. Technology will influence things. A recession could, as well. Legislation clearly will have an influence, especially if it’s a disincentive to drive on gasoline.

Honda has been at the forefront of fuel-cell vehicles with the Clarity.

TDB: On the subject of politics, the Biden administration wants to have 500,000 charging stations in place by 2030. Could that mean a faster growth rate for electric?

Cogan: If we get the range to drive on battery like you would on gasoline and you have a network of rapid chargers, suddenly, your functionality is increased exponentially. But there’s no way yet to know if the government is going to create (that public charging network). Administrations change. Agendas change. So, I don’t put stock into what you can count on as far as legislation matters.

TDB: But the Biden administration is clearly making a lot of proposals to promote electric vehicles. Do you like what you’re seeing?

Cogan: Yeah, as far as I can tell. I mean, we’re going to see how this all unfolds. This administration has a more proactive agenda for environmental issues in general and clean cars, specifically, than the previous administration. But I have to say you can’t always count on that. Back under the Obama administration, he wanted a million electric vehicles by 2015. It was never going to happen because there weren’t enough vehicles to make it happen. (But) I look at all of these things (Biden is proposing) as positive … a direction that seems to make sense for electrified vehicles.

Cogan drove a GM EV1 for a full year.

TDB: You started publishing Green Car Journal in 1992. Looking back on the last three decades, what were biggest surprises, the things you didn’t count on early on?

Cogan: One of the milestones was the debut of the GM Impact prototype and then the actual production of the GM EV1, I drove one of those for a year. It was an amazing car to be in on the evolution of electric vehicles. It was also interesting to note how hydrogen was big and then (see automakers) backpedaling, Now they’re interested in hydrogen again. It’s gaining momentum again.

One of the (other) things that surprises me is that we’re seeing such a push for electrification, at the extreme high end of both luxury vehicles and sports cars and exotics.

TDB: To wrap up, is the age of the internal combustion engine coming to an end?

Cogan: I don’t think you can discount internal combustion because it keeps getting better and better. And I don’t think you can discount hybrids and plug-in hybrids and focus just on battery-electric vehicles. Those are all a big part of the solution. It may have narrowed from when we started publishing. It’s no longer really about ethanol and natural gas and propane. It’s really about electrification and significantly more efficient internal combustion engines — and a combination of the two. It’s going to be even more exciting in the years ahead seeing how it will play out.

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Bow. Wow! One-Bow Design Takes Mercedes EQS in an Entirely New Direction

March 27, 2021 admin

The new Mercedes-Benz EQS battery-electric sedan makes its formal debut April 15.

One thing’s for sure: there’ll be no mistaking the new Mercedes EQS sedan when it rolls down the street.

Think of the EQS as the all-electric alternative to the German automaker’s familiar S-Class flagship. But you clearly won’t confuse the two when it reaches showrooms in autumn. Some new battery-electric vehicles share the same design language as conventional, gas-powered products. With EQS, Mercedes goes off in an entirely new direction, one it’s been hinting at with concept vehicles like the 2019 Vision EQS.

The production model adopts what the automaker calls a “one-bow” design. It takes the look of the coupe-like Mercedes CLS to extremes. The result could have rolled off the set of a sci-fi film. But there are practical benefits in terms of range and interior roominess, as well.

“We said we have to go further” than just packing batteries into a conventional looking product,” Steffen Kohl, Mercedes’ director of advanced exterior style, said during a media webinar. The EQS “carries the future of Mercedes-Benz,” he added, noting the “one-bow” language of the EQS will strongly influence other products to come from the new, all-electric Mercedes-EQ sub-brand.

Plenty of power and range

Robert Lesnik led the exterior design effort for Mercedes new EQS battery-electric sedan.

EQS rides on a skateboard-like platform, mimicking virtually all new battery-electric vehicles. Its batteries, motors and other key electrical components sit below the floorboards.

The automaker will reveal full powertrain details during a formal unveiling April 15. But EQS uses twin motors, one on each axle, drawing power from a 108 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That provides about 435 miles of range using the European WLTP test cycle. The EPA rating should come in somewhere about 350 miles, according to industry observers.

The layout moves the sedan’s wheels close to the vehicle’s corners. It also frees up space where a traditional gas or diesel engine would be mounted, providing significant flexibility to the Mercedes design team.

Shorter wheelbase, longer cabin

The cab-forward design features a short nose, the angled, one-piece aluminum clamshell hood rising aggressively to flow into a steeply raked windshield. Instead of a traditional, two- or three-box layout, the look is like that of a single bow line, explained Robert Lesnik, who led the exterior design effort.

The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept provided a framework for the company’s new electric luxury sedan.

“EQS will be the world’s best production car ever in terms of aerodynamics,” with a drag coefficient of 0.20 significantly better than even the sleekest of today’s supercars, he explained.

The effect “looks optically lower than it is,” Lesnik added.

The front end features a new grille with “abstracted, three-dimensional star pattern(s),” according to Mercedes. It’s framed by slit-like headlamps flowing into the front quarter panels.

“When people ask why we need a grille anymore,” Lesnik explains that it is “not an air intake. It’s a face.”

“Coming from the future”

The side panels lack the normal creases found on conventional Mercedes models, though the greenhouse does pinch in towards the trunk, giving the EQS a sense of muscularity.

The new EQS features Mercedes’ newly introduced Hyperscreen technology.

Around back, the most distinctive feature is a light band connecting what Mercedes calls “curved, 3D helix” taillamps.

From nose to tail, the new EQS measures 5.2 meters, or 204.7 inches. That’s about 3.5 inches shorter than the U.S. version of the latest Mercedes S-Class. But the electric sedan has more room for four passengers, its cabin pushed forward into what would normally be the engine compartment.

As distinctive as the exterior might be, the interior takes things even further, said Peter Balko, who oversaw development of the cabin. “We wanted our interior to be modern,” he explained, “as if coming from the future.”

Buyers will have numerous options

Buyers have several key options to choose from. The showpiece layout uses the new hyperscreen concept first shown on the latest S-Class. It features a seamless digital cluster running the entire width of the instrument panel. The organically shaped glass blends three different displays, starting with the digital gauge cluster, the touchscreen infotainment screen and a separate display for the front passenger.

The gauge cluster on the new EQS is configurable based on the wants of the driver.

EQS offers a digital gauge cluster and a large, free-floating, Tesla-like infotainment screen for those seeking a more conventional look. The space in front of the passenger can be outfitted with an assortment of different woods and fabrics and even a version of the Star Pattern grille.

The EQS will “touch almost all of your senses,” said Kohl. Among other things, the product development team has come up with three distinctive, user-programmable “soundscapes.”

Sounding off

While battery cars aren’t entirely silent, they are significantly quieter than vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Motorists can enjoy the lack of noise or they can opt for one of the soundscapes, “depending upon the emotions of the moment,” said lead sound engineer Thomas Kuppers.

Silver Waves is meant to be soft and soothing;
Vivid Flux is “shimming and explosive,” a bit “techie but (with) warmth,” said Kuppers; and
Roaring Pulse is “pretty raw, with “the growl of thunder,” especially under aggressive driving.

“We haven’t finished yet,” Kuppers added, noting that, “There will be new soundscapes over the life of the vehicle that we will download through over-the-air updates.”

The new EQS will borrow from the conventional S-Class by also appealing to the sense of smell, Mercedes officials noted. The new BEV will have the ability to inject scents into the cabin, including some designed specifically for the new model.

Jeep Brings Back the Legendary Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer

March 11, 2021 admin

The legend is back for 2022. The Grand Wagoneer returns to the Jeep line-up after more than three decades away.

The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are back – and luxurious.

The long-awaited debut of what will now be the brand’s flagship model is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles Thursday morning and what awaits those who turn is a full sized, 8-passenger luxury vehicle ready to challenge names like Navigator and Escalade, among others, for the big dollars spent in the segment.

“We announced we were going to bring an American icon back and expand it into the premium world,” said Christian Meunier, Jeep brand CEO, during an earlier background webinar about the vehicles. The new models, aside from the names, share very little in common with their predecessors. The original Wagoneer was a go-anywhere and haul a lot of stuff while doing it vehicle.

The new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are supposed to deliver a unique customer experience, separate from their more rugged, off-roading siblings. Thee models are not “simply another Jeep,” Meunier explained. They’re definitely not as these are the first Jeeps that are not trail-rated, although officials attribute that to the size of the vehicle more so than their capability.

It’s a new day for Jeep

The new 8-passenger full-size SUV sets a new benchmarked for the Jeep brand.

The new models are “born from Jeep, but their character is different from the rest of the brand,” he said, noting their development stems from the four C’s: culture, consumer, category and character. The culture comes from the brand’s history of innovation and craftsmanship Jeep looks to replicate with the new models. The company targeted a specific type of buyer — the consumer — for the new luxury utes.

“These people live life to the fullest. They enjoy every bit of it. They don’t let friends, status symbols or someone else’s expectation define them, or limit them,” Meunier noted. “No, they are in charge, and they are free. They are free to follow their own path and change it as many times as they want. They don’t seek the perfect life.

“Perfection to them is cold, because it is something unremarkable rational and repeatable. Their life is beautiful because it’s unique, it’s emotional and it’s intense. In a collection of imperfect moments that become memorable experiences. When you leave such a fulfilling life you choose a vehicle with a personality.”

Jeep achieved “category,” the second C, a long time ago as the Wagoneer was a founding father of the large, sport-utility segment. The name carries with it a certain connotation or expectation. The company is confident the new versions of the vehicle will carry forward a unique and notable reputation like its ancestors, but different.

Volkswagen Ponders Porsche Offering to Fund EVs

February 18, 2021 admin

Volkswagen reportedly is considering an offering of Porsche stock to help fund its $86 billion EV plan.

Bringing EVs to market costs big money, forcing some automakers to go public to raise cash – Volkswagen possibly being next.

Reports suggest that VW is pondering a listing of Porsche AG. The money raised designed to help with the roll out more than $86 billion in electric vehicles set to come mid-decade. German business publication Manager Magzin reported the plan is only in the discussion stage.

The listing, which reportedly could net as much $30 billion, would only be for part of the sports car maker and wouldn’t occur until next year, the publication reported. Some analysts believe if Porsche AG were to be spun off entirely it could be worth more than $120 billion.

Volkswagen’s not alone

VW says it will roll out 50 electrified vehicles across all its brands by 2025.

The rumor comes on the heels of Daimler AG’s move to separate its truck unit into its own separate company in the third quarter of this year. The idea is to “unlock the full potential” of the businesses, which some analysts believe means some sort of offering to raise cash.

Once the split occurs, the car unit will need to fund its ongoing expansion of its electrification effort and that could conceivably come in the form of issuing new shares. The new business will be named Mercedes-Benz AG.

Plenty of other automakers have benefitted from IPOs, notably Ferrari and Aston Martin. However, with the influx of new EV makers moving closer to production around the world, the final push to the finish line requires a massive amount of cash.

EV makers raising money

Nascent electric vehicle companies have been scurrying around looking to add more money to their coffers, the latest company added to the list is Rivian. The company raised more than $8 billion from private investors since the start of 2019, including a recent round netting the company $2.65 billion in fresh money.

Volkswagen has designated $86 billion to bring more than 50 EVs to market in the next few years, including the ID.4.

However, as the company is closing in on building pre-production and early run production electric trucks and SUVs at its plant in Normal, Illinois, the idea of having enough liquidity to get through the process must weigh heavy on the top minds there.

With all of the other EV makers raising money through reverse mergers with blank-check companies and getting listed and a fat check, Rivian appears to be on board. Reports suggest the company is preparing for a conventional IPO this fall that could net it as much as $50 billion.

Other EV companies that have secured additional funding through offerings include Fisker, Lordstown Motors, Faraday Future, Lucid Motors and Nikola Motors. Also, the king of EV mountain repeatedly offered new shares to raise funds.

Stellantis Enjoys Warm Welcome from European Investors

January 18, 2021 admin

Stellantis Chairman John Elkann is meeting with the media tomorrow to talk about the company’s future.

Not every merger involving an automaker these days involves a blank-check company. The newly minted tie-up between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. and Peugeot S.A. was finalized over the weekend and the resulting company, Stellantis N.V., is enjoying a warm welcome.

At least on the stock market.

The new company’s stock trades on three exchanges and it finished the day on the Paris exchange up nearly 7%, closing at €13.14. It also jumped up 7.7% on the Milan exchange.

The New York Stock Exchange, the third exchange it’s traded on, was not open today due to the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

(Chrysler is no more as Stellantis comes to life.)

CEO Carlos Tavares has a lot on his corporate plate now that the merger is complete.

The $52 billion merger of near equals creates a massive enterprise with operations on six continents, employs about 400,000 people, sells – at least for the time being – 14 vehicle brands and sells 8.1 million vehicles annually, making it the fourth-largest automaker in the world behind Volkswagen, Toyota and the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

With all of those possibilities, it’s going to take a press conference Tuesday to start revealing what Stellantis will look like now that’s it’s a living, breathing entity. What brands will stay? How many workers will keep their jobs?

People are nervous because the CEO of the new enterprise, Carlos Tavares, has a history of being fearless when it comes to eliminating unprofitable operations and processes in the pursuit of corporate profit. One need only look at how what he did with former General Motors’ subsidiary Opel. A money-loser for a decade, he had it in the black in one year.

(FCA CEO Manley gets new assignment following Stellantis merger.)

“Stellantis faces a mixed outlook as U.S. stimulus plans may buoy Chrysler vs. a more uncertain outlook for Peugeot in Europe,” Michael Dean, BI automotive analyst told Bloomberg. “Former PSA CEO Carlos Tavares takes the helm and, similar to his handling of PSA’s takeover of Opel in 2017, we anticipate a new strategy in the first 100 days of his stewardship. All regions face a difficult 1H amid continued lockdowns.”

Quirky name aside, investors gave Stellantis a warm welcome when it began trading Monday.

The two companies have worked to allay fears of major cutbacks in France and Italy. While top managers have outlined plans to trim costs by $6 billion following the merger, they insist they will be able to do that without closing any plants. They have outlined 40% of those cost savings coming from purchasing, 40% from combining product development efforts, and 20% from marketing and other operations.

However, it’s unclear how Tavares plans to tackle other issues such as improving the company’s performance in China, the world’s largest automotive market, and bolstering its electrification efforts, especially in the aforementioned China as well as in the U.S. Just addressing those two issues are likely to require billions of dollars and euros. Some of plans for these things and more may get touched on Tuesday, Marco Santino, a partner at consulting firm Oliver Wyman, told Reuters.

(Fiat Chrysler and PSA not exactly a “merger of equals.”)

“He has proven to be the kind of person who prefers action to words, so I don’t think he will make loud statements or try to over-sell targets,” he said.

FCA-PSA Set to Kick Off New Year With Completion of Merger

January 4, 2021 admin

Fiat Chrysler and PSA shareholders are expected to approve the merger of the two companies forming Stellantis, the world’s fourth-largest automaker.

This story has been updated to reflect the merger’s approval in separate votes by Fiat Chrysler and PSA investors.

The deal is done; shareholders at both PSA Group and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles now have voted to approve a merger creating the world’s fourth-largest automaker by sales volume, Stellantis.

Shareholders overwhelming approved the deal that was first announced in late 2019 — but only received final regulatory approval late last year. The $58 billion deal won an “Aye” vote from 99.15% of FCA shareholders, while 99.85% of PSA investors approved of the deal during an online meeting. Following the vote, the two companies said the merger process is expected to be completed by January 16.

Officials with the two companies have promised that the merger will yield a significantly stronger automaker, helping drive down manufacturing costs while also making it easier to prepare for the many changes set to sweep through the auto industry in the coming decade, notably the shift to electrified and autonomous vehicles. But the merger also raises numerous questions, starting with the broad range of brands each of the new partners bring to Stellantis. There has been widespread speculation that the new company could eliminate some of the weaker marques, including FCA’s namesakes, Fiat and Chrysler.

(FCA CEO Manley won’t be on the board after merger with PSA is completed.)

Carlos Tavares, PSA (left) and Mike Manley, FCA, shake hands following the signing of the merger agreement between the two companies in 2019.

“Stellantis will be a sort of conglomerate of brands, some great and some not so good and most very regional,” wrote Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois. “The merger will be a good opportunity for a reset.”

The auto industry has been facing enormous pressures in recent years and FCA’s former CEO, the late Sergio Marchionne, began looking for an additional alliance partner even before completing the merger that formed Fiat Chrysler Automobiles a decade ago. During his tenure the plan was rebuffed by some of the industry’s giants, including Volkswagen and General Motors. It was Marchionne’s successor, Mike Manley, who took things a step further.

Manley came within hours of completing a merger with the largest French automaker, Renault, but the deal unraveled just before it was set to be announced. Months later, FCA made the surprise announcement that it was talking with PSA, parent of brands including Peugeot, Citroen, Opel and Vauxhall.

A formal plan was announced in December 2019 but it faced a variety of challenges, including issues raised by the coronavirus pandemic. Nonetheless, the process moved forward, the proposed partners clearing the last regulatory hurdles as 2020 drew to a close.

Under the agreement, FCA’s Chairman John Elkann – heir to Fiat’s founding Agnelli family – will retain that title at Stellantis. So too will Carlos Tavares, the highly regarded CEO who has been credited with turning around the French company since joining it six years ago, keep his role. Significantly, PSA was able to put the Opel/Vauxhall unit into the black

FCA CEO Mike Manley will not retain a seat on the board of directors after the merger.

within a year after acquiring the German-based operation from General Motors. Under GM, Opel had been in the red for nearly two decades.

(FCA, PSA pick name for post-merger company: Stellantis.)

Nonetheless, PSA has plenty of challenges of its own. Among other things, it is trying to find the formula for returning to the critical U.S. market it left nearly three decades ago.

As Stellantis, the new enterprise will need to move quickly to catch up with key competitors racing to bring electric vehicles to market. These include not only established manufacturers such as VW and GM but new entrants like Tesla and Lucid.

The partners set some tough goals going into the final phase of the merger. Early on, officials estimated they could squeeze out savings of 3.7 billion euros, or $4.5 billion, through various efficiencies. They later upped that to 5 billion euros, or about $6.1 billion. But the pandemic has made the business of forecasting, whether unit sales, revenues or earnings, exceedingly difficult. And the expectation of analysts, such as IHS Markit, is that it will take to nearly mid-decade before global sales come close to pre-pandemic levels.

The industry has been seeing an acceleration of mergers, acquisitions and less overarching joint ventures and alliances in recent years. But FCA provides a textbook example of how they don’t always pan out. The U.S. side, Chrysler entered into a supposed “merger of equals” in 1998 but, a decade later, found itself discarded by the German side of DaimlerChrysler AG. It would have been allowed to go bankrupt by the Obama administration in 2009 were it not for Fiat pulling together a rescue plan.

Fiat Chairman John Elkann will retain the same role in a merged company.

Then, under CEO Marchionne, FCA spent years chasing an even bigger alliance.

Curiously, the company that originally defined the concept of “bigger-is-better” reversed course following its own brush with Chapter 11. GM not only sold off the endlessly struggling Opel unit but also pulled out of an assortment of once important markets, including Australia, Russia and South Africa. After the formation of Stellantis, GM will slide back one spot and become only the world’s fifth-largest automotive manufacturer.

(FCA, PSA formally lock merger into place.)

“The auto industry has been chasing size and consolidation for years, but it’s been slower in coming than many would like to see,” Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois told investors. “The question is whether GM, Toyota and Renault-Nissan have provided evidence that there may be limits to this strategy.”

Hennessey Looks to Make Run at Speed Record in New Venom F5

December 18, 2020 admin

The new Hennessey Venom F5 is powered by a 6.6-liter V-8 putting out 1,817 horsepower.

Records are made to be broken and speed merchant Hennessey Special Vehicles is looking to do just that with its newly, ahem, launched Venom F5.

This is Texas-based Hennessey’s second iteration of the vehicle, which competes with other supercars like the Bugatti Chiron SuperSport, and the company plans to produce just 24 of them at a cost of $2.1 million each.

“Our customers love speed, so we’re fired-up to push the boundaries of what’s possible to attempt the world’s fastest production car record, but the Venom F5 is about more than just speed and power,” the company noted in a release. “This car will handle superbly, quality is exceptional, there are more than 3,000 bespoke parts, materials are exquisite, everything is a fitting tribute to 30 years of the Hennessey brand.”

(Hennessey offers 805-hp Venom package for 2021 F-150.)

Hennessey is building 24 of the new Venom’s — at $2.1 million each.

The Hennessey folks are looking to exceed a 311 mph average after two runs on the landing strip at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida early next year. The new Venom clearly has the look of a vehicle capable of that kind of speed, and the powerplant only supports the notion.

The Venom F5 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V-8 engine, which the company developed and built in-house. Hennessey designed and built completely in-house. It produces 1,817 horsepower funneled through a 7-speed transmission.

That results in a 0 to 60 mph time of a smidge under 2.6 seconds. It puts power to the ground as a rear-wheel-drive model rather than all-wheel drive, which is a more typical configuration for hypercars, especially those looking to set new records.

This power, 277 hp/liter, in a car that weighs just 2,998 pounds generates a power-to-weight ratio of 1,298 hp/ton – the highest of any road car, the company noted. The weight is achievable due to its carbon-fiber monocoque and other lightweighting methods, i.e. carbon fiber everywhere.

(Jurassic Drive: Hennessey unleashes new beast — VelociRaptor 6×6.)

While it’s built with speed as its selling point, Hennessey plans to sell 24 of these vehicles so come creature comforts will be built into the two-seater, such as air conditioning, a 9-inch Alpine touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available and Bluetooth capability.

The new Venom is certainly fast, but it’s not just a chassis with a huge motor bolted to it.

However, the new Venom isn’t just the legendary automotive custom builder’s latest offering with a big price tag. The company plans on regaining the title of world’s fastest production car. That title is currently held by SSC’s Tuatara hypercar, which posted an average speed of 316.11 mph in October. Or maybe it’s not. There is some controversy surrounding the verification of the new leader’s record run, but for now it’s still the official record holder.

Since there is some issue surrounding the current benchmark, Hennessey officials laid out their plans to make sure there is no uncertainty surrounding their efforts.

The record attempt will be independently verified by the world-renowned experts from Racelogic using VBOX GPS data acquisition systems. Racelogic / VBOX engineers will be on site to install, test and calibrate the speed testing equipment in the F5 to ensure absolute accuracy and transparency.

(Ready! Set! Record! Hennessey wants speed title for Venom F5.)

In addition, VBOX engineers will verify all test data and final speed numbers. The speed test will be attended by independent witnesses, media guests and F5 customers. GPS data and uninterrupted video footage will also be made publicly available following the speed test.

Auto-Themed Book an Ideal a Last-Minute Gift for the Car Fan on Your List

December 15, 2020 admin

If you need a last-minute gift for the automotive fan on your list, one of these books may fit the bill.

Editor’s Note: Finding that perfect item for the car nut on your shopping list gets tougher and tougher every year. TheDetroitBureau will be offering up some suggestions during the next few days in hopes spreading some holiday cheer — or easing the headache associated sometimes associated with gift giving.

Books are a favored choice for gifts during the holiday season, particularly the last-minute variety. The list of books aimed at gearheads is exceptionally long with plenty of amazing options for the automotive maven on your shopping list.

However, in recent months, several new titles have appeared, paying homage to storied brands, taking an in-depth look at motorsports and even examining junkyards.

With the number of days left the calendar to get gifts dwindling, here’s a list of some of the best of new automotive-focus books that could move you from Grinch to the Greatest with the simple swipe of a credit card.

(Zoox’s new “toaster” may be the EV of the future.)

Hemi Muscle Cars 70 Years: Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth High Performance. Darwin Holstrom. 190 pages. Quarto Publishing Group.

One of the best elements of this book is that it places the muscle cars from Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth in a historical context and ties those vehicles back to wider design and automotive traditions. I especially liked the fact that the author, who has written other collection-style books on Gibson Guitars and Indian Motorcycles, makes the writing is straightforward and accessible.

In addition, the book includes a broad selection of photographs of many vehicles built over the past seven decades from a variety of sources. An interesting book for both fans and for anyone interested in muscle cars.

Junkyard: Behind the Gates at California’s Secretive European-Car Salvage Yard. By Dieter Rebmann/Roland Lowisch. 176 Pages. HEEL Verlag gmbh.

Southern California has rich tradition of serving as the is setting for mystery stories and the German-based team delve into one that is set amid region’s rich and varied automotive culture. The text tells the story a German-born immigrant who settled in Los Angeles and built a business out scrap by buying up the wrecks of the European-made cars he found around LA.

The pictures by Dieter Rebmann, a long-time photographer, whose list of commercial clients includes, VW, Bose Bugatti and Daimler, turn the landscape of the space that Klein created in South Central L.A. into a work of art that could grace the coffee table of anyone interested in automotive culture or impressive photography.

(First Drive; 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E.)

Volkswagen Beetles and Buses: Smaller and Smarter. Russell Hayes. 176 pages. Quarto Publishing Group.

Even if you are not Volkswagen fan, the books are bound to bring a smile to your face simply because the quirky, off-beat design of the Beetle and the legendary VW Bus seemed to be such a departure from traditional automotive design.

The text by Russell Hayes, a veteran London-based automotive journalist, delves into the history of both vehicles going all the way back to the 1930s. But it also builds out into a history of the design push-pull that led to the re-emergence of Beetle in the years after World War II and its continuous evolution that turned it into a global icon.

The VW Bus initially came from Volkswagen effort to meet the demand for an economical vehicle that could be used for inexpensive travel and camping, which became popular with a cash-strapped population in the post-war years. One of the book’s shortcomings is that while there are a lot of historical snapshots in the book, overall, the photography is rather bland.

Shadow: The Magnificent Machines of a Man of Mystery: By Peter Lyons. 463 Pages. Evro Publishing.

Fans of auto racing invariably get hooked on the drivers or the machines or even the team owners if the develop if the cars develop a reputation for invincibility. But this book, by a writer with a long career chronicling motorsports, tells the story of an underdog whose teams and cars took on the giants of auto racing in the 1970s. Donald Robert Nichols’ small, under-resourced teams succeeded in literally making a race of it any number of series, including Formula One where money is often a decisive factor in determining who wins and who loses. It is a compelling story, but the author, who enjoyed unique access to Nichols and his colleagues as the photographs demonstrate, is underserved by his editors.

100 Years of Bentley. By Andrew Noakes. 240 Pages. Quatro Publishing.

Bentley is one of the most celebrated marques in the automotive world and throughout the past century it has retained its aristocratic bearing despite the vicissitudes of the global automotive industry. The book tells the story from the beginning, starting with the company’s founder, W.O. Bentley, a railroad engineer by trade.

The story told in the book is artfully illustrated with photographs, drawings and other types of material that helps brings the story to life. The photographs, many of them drawn from Bentley’s archives, have the feel of fashion photography found in glossy magazines such as Vogue or Harper’s Bazaar. The book also comes with a slip cover suitable for a coffee table.

(FCA begins new era with production of first Jeep Wrangler 4xe.)

The Complete Book of Classic MG Cars. By Ross Alkureishi. 238 Pages. Quatro Publishing Group.

The first MG was built in 1924, according to this chronicle of the fabled MG marque. The book celebrates the company’s history of producing a long line of sports cars that have come to define the automobile for generations of motorists.

The book lays out MG’s history model by model and includes descriptions of the technology and specifications of virtually every model. The chronicle could have been rather plodding but the author, a British automotive journalist, manages to artfully keep the story moving forward to the early days of the 20^th century when the Rover Group – than the owner of MG – ran aground and ownership was transferred to Chinese hands. While the MG name has been eclipsed, it has never died, which makes the book so interesting.

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Bentley Shifting to All-Electric Portfolio by 2030

November 5, 2020 admin

Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark discusses the company’s Beyond100 plan.

British performance luxury marque Bentley plans to shift from internal combustion powerplants to battery-electric fast enough to make your head snap like so many of the vehicles it produces — in less than a decade.

Bentley’s push to electrify its entire portfolio with hybrids and battery-electric vehicles by 2026 with a move to BEVs only by 2030 is part of the company’s overall goal of being a carbon-negative company by the end of this decade. Those goals, and others, are all wrapped up in its Beyond100 strategic plan designed to keep the brand at the top of the luxury heap with its current customers as well as future buyers.

It’s this push – driven largely by governmental mandates – to make the company carbon neutral that ultimately trickled down into the plans for the vehicles, CEO Adrian Hallmark said.

(Bentley unwraps updated 2021 Bentayga.)

Bentley executives participate in the Beyond100 webcast Thursday.

The company will launch not one, but two new hybrids next year. Further it expects that its entire model line-up will offer a hybrid variant to match the gas-powered vehicle by 2023. This will be followed by Bentley’s first-ever pure electric model in 2025 as it marches on to its goal of full electric by the end of the decade.

While the shift away from gas-powered vehicles in such a short period of time may be alarming to some, the 100-plus-year-old carmaker has a few good reasons to put this plan into gear. First, it’s based in Great Britain, which was slated to ban the sale of new gas- and diesel-powered vehicles in 2040. However, there is a push to accelerate the deadline to 2030, which would fit very nicely into Bentley’s new electrification timeline.

That said, Jan-Henrik Lafrentz, Bentley’s CFO, noted during an online event hyping Beyond100, that the company is advocating for hybrids to meet the government’s definition of zero-emission vehicles despite using an internal combustion engine as part of the pairing. He noted the company has been suggesting to government officials that there should be an “overlap period” to allow for the move from ICE-powered vehicles to hybrids because they cost less than pure EVs.

(Bentley Mulliner moves into new era with debut of Bacalar.)

On top of that, Bentley’s own research shows that the younger buyers they want to attract in the near future are looking for “an experience” when they buy a vehicle. They also noticed that 60% of “high net worth” people will be under 40 years old. Further research last year showed that after the brand introduced its EXP 100 GT electric concept car, it managed to get the eye of millennials with a double-digit uptick in the percentage of them saying that they intend to buy a Bentley.

Bentley’s Hallmark, right, said the company expects to be carbon negative by 2030.

In short, electric vehicles draw younger buyers and Bentley’s push to change over quickly means future buyers.

“We really see that we’re in a good position to engage with this customer,” said Chris Craft, the brand’s sales and marketing chief.

However, the company’s efforts aren’t limited to just producing carbon-neutral vehicles as quickly as possible. It’s looking to be the world’s leading environmental automaker. Its production site in Crewe, England was certified carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust. It achieved the ranking by implementing a variety of green processes, such as a water recycling system in the paint shop, planting trees, installing 30,000 solar panels to help it switch to renewable energy sources to power the facility.

Long term, Bentley wants to be carbon negative, and thinks it will happen by 2030. In short, the company’s vehicles and facilities will lower the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

(Bentley offers glimpse of its future with EXP 100 Centenary Concept.)

In the short term, Hallmark said the company was handling the impact of the pandemic well. The company expects to post break-even financials for the full year, selling more than 10,000 vehicles. Perhaps more importantly, the number of vehicles on order has risen 60% since the start of the year.

A Week With: 2020 Toyota Prius XLE

September 29, 2020 admin

The 2020 Toyota Prius XLE offers good, green transportation for buyers.

The Prius has been around for a long time, going back to the end of the last century when its introduction forever changed the way consumers and manufacturers look at powertrains by using batteries and electric motors.

This little hybrid began the slow but inexorable shift away from gasoline-driven automobiles that has spurred the development and production of vehicles like the Nissan Leaf, Chevrolet Bolt and, of course, Tesla’s entire line-up.

Overall: For anyone still interested in fuel economy, the 2020 Toyota Prius XLE is still a champ with combined 50 mpg rating from the Environmental Protection Agency. However, once considered pricey, the Toyota Prius now carries a relatively modest sticker price by today’s standards.

(Toyota marks 20th anniversary of “The Car That Changed an Industry” with special edition Prius.)

The new Prius still features one of the most recognizable exterior shapes in the market.

In fact, it is well below the average of vehicles sold in the United States of $31,755. It’s also proven to be durable and appears to have captured – or at least earned permanent place – the hearts of American motorists, which belies all the millions of words of snark and criticism sent its way throughout the years.

Its zero to 60 time remains mired, we would guess, in the double-digit range. But it is versatile and still really is one of the greenest of green vehicles on the road after all these years, getting better than 56 miles per gallon in the city.

Exterior: The five-door hatchback shape of the Prius makes it easily one of the most recognizable vehicles on the road. Even people who couldn’t care less about automobile design can recognize a Prius almost instantly.

“…Say what you will about its exterior shape, it is one of the few designs of the past two decades to have carved out a distinctive niche in automotive lore…”

That said, the face of 2020 Toyota Prius has been altered to give the car a more contemporary look. There also LED lights and the wheel have been dressed up, providing the car with more curb appeal.

The Prius comes complete with plenty of technology, including Apple CarPlay integrated into the infotainment system.

Interior: At its heart, the Prius is a compact car. But the interior also is comfortable, and the controls and the center stack is within easy reach of the driver’s seat. The materials used throughout the cabin of this version of the Prius has been upgraded from past when the interior had the distinct aura of cost cutting that worked against the vehicle’s technical virtues.

The seats are supportive with the rear seats being quite usable. The car’s interior is quite versatile with fold-down seats that increase the car’s capacity for carrying cargo or extra luggage and the area under the hatch can even accommodate a set of golf clubs. The visibility from the driver’s seat is excellent. However, the security shade that covers the cargo area tends to interfere visibility.

(Q&A: Toyota’s hydrogen chief Jackie Birdsall.)

Powertrain: Toyota has been tinkering with the hybrid drive system that utilizes nickel-metal hydride batteries, electric motors and a 1.8-liter double overhead cam four-cylinder engine. In the 2020 Prius XLE, the basic front-wheel-drive layout has been augmented by an electronic all-wheel-drive system.

The Prius offers plenty of room for five passengers.

Overall the system produces 121 horsepower and 105 pound-feet of torque. The 2020 Prius can operate solely on electric power in slow traffic for short distances. However, once the speed picks up, Synergy drive, unique to Toyota, is designed to connect the gasoline engine, electric motor and generator into one operating unit.

Safety and Technology: The 2020 Toyota Prius XLE that we drove was loaded with technology and safety features For 2020, the Prius offers Bluetooth a new Toyota Audio 7-inch Touch-Screen Display on L Eco, LE and XLE, new Apple CarPlay and Amazon Alexa Compatibility standard on all model grades and newly standard Safety Connect on all grades.

The rear passenger seats also have been equipped with USB ports. The safety equipment on the XLE includes driver assistance features such as lane-keeping and blind-spot monitoring and pedestrian alert. The XLE version I drove also came with a head-up display and automatic headlines that turn on dark roads and off when there is oncoming traffic.

Driving Impressions: Throughout the years, Prius has come under fire due to complaints about its sluggish performance. We found the 2020 Toyota Prius XLE is still rather sluggish in certain situations on the highway.

The powertrain performed well. There is plenty of torque, coming off a standing start and the regenerative brakes add stopping power and the shifts are seem virtually invisible because they were so seamless. The steering wasn’t as crisp as in conventional sedan but the Prius delivered a smooth, steady ride and handled curves and varied pavement conditions easily.

(Sales sliding, Toyota rethinks future of the Prius.)

Wrap Up: The Prius has been a mainstay of the Toyota line-up for years and while it may not be th most fashionable passenger car on the road today – and let’s face it, the automotive industry is nothing if not acutely fashion conscious – it has proven itself to be a versatile and reliable vehicle for urban and suburban driving.

The drop in fuel prices has diminished some of its appeal, but it is still one of the most efficient vehicles on the road today. As it prices come come into line with other sedans and crossovers available on dealer lots these days, it does offer the added benefit of being more environmentally friendly than other vehicle choices. The fact that the vehicle introduced years ago and hasn’t been scrapped underscores its durable character.

LNTransportation.net – Blogging On the Biggest Trends in the Auto Market