Autocar Agosto 15, 2018

YOU KNOW A car is significant when its whole class has been named after it. And the BMW 3 Series class is soon to welcome its latest entrant: an all-new 3 Series. While cars of its ilk may seem like an endangered species due to the ever-increasing number of SUVs, the 3 Series segment is actually in rude health. In recent years the Jaguar XE and Alfa Romeo Giulia have swelled the ranks and brought welcome driver appeal, while the Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class come with levels of technical sophistication and everyday luxury that wouldn’t look out of place a class or two higher. The appeal of the 3 Series has always been its all-round ability – as good as the best in most key areas and crucially always…

“The £9bn plan involves mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery EVs and hydrogen-fuelled models” Mercedes-Benz bosses have approved a €10 billion (£9bn) programme to launch more than 130 electrified variants within the next seven years, spearheaded by the upcoming EQ S luxury saloon. The plan – which involves an extended range of mild hybrids, plug-in hybrids, battery EVs and hydrogen-fuelled models – was tabled at a recent board meeting of Mercedes’ parent company Daimler and received the backing of chairman Dieter Zetsche. The goal of the massive project is to give Mercedes an unparalleled range of premium electrified models, which will help to significantly reduce the company’s average fleet emissions ahead of a series of increasingly strict EU CO2 emission regulations starting from 2021. The model assault will be split across the…

Mercedes-Benz’s vast electrification strategy is invention born out of necessity, as with similar programmes from other car firms. Increasingly tough legislation, such as a staggered EU clampdown on CO2 emissions, will force car makers to electrify an growing percentage of their fleet. The challenge for car firms is that, in the short to medium term, the market for pure-electric cars will be limited by still-developing EV infrastructure and their relatively high price. So Mercedes can use its scale to its advantage, investing heavily in hybrid machines alongside its EV range. The clever move is using the same EQ branding, with various suffixes, to unite all its electrified cars. Creating a direct link between EVs and hybrids will help prepare Mercedes buyers to make the switch to electric when the time…

Tesla Model X On sale: now This large SUV can’t match traditionally powered rivals for ride and build quality but impresses for its cleverness, pace and interior space. Tesla is developing a Model Y small SUV. Jaguar I-Pace On sale: now Jaguar’s first EV has beaten the Tesla Model S in an Autocar twin test. It’s both an excellent EV and one of the best Jaguars in years. The I-Pace features 394bhp and a 90kWh lithium ion battery. Audi E-tron On sale: 2019 The E-tron had been due to launch this month but ‘organisational issues’ have delayed it until mid-September. It’s built on the VW Group’s MLB platform and should have a 248-mile range. BMW iX3 On sale: 2020 Shown in concept form at the Beijing motor show this year,…

Mercedes-Benz unveiled its EQ sub-brand with the launch of the Generation EQ concept – which previewed the EQ C – at the Frankfurt show in 2016. According to the firm, EQ represents Mercedes values of “emotion and intelligence”. While the full EQ badge is reserved for full electric cars, the firm is using the EQ Boost and EQ Power brands for its hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Mercedes also intends for the EQ sub-brand to extend beyond cars and be used for a wider range of electric services, including home charging systems such as wallboxes and storage units. Here are the EQ-branded cars on the market today and the EQ models that are due. EQ BOOST (MILD HYBRIDS) OUT NOW EQ POWER (PLUG-IN HYBRIDS) OUT NOW EQ (PURE-ELECTRIC CARS) UNCONFIRMED BUT…

“The move signals a return to the bodystyle after a 20-year hiatus, with a potential debut in the 488” Ferrari has filed a patent with the European Patent Office for a new Targa-style convertible roof design. The move signals a return to the bodystyle for the car maker after a 20-year hiatus, with a potential debut in the 488. The patent application refers to “a car with a ‘Targa Top’ body” that features a “coupé body with a rigid roof that is removable and is supported at the front by the upright of the windshield and at the rear by a robust, full-width roll bar”. The Targa-style top Ferrari refers to is similar to that used by Porsche on the 911, but the new patent refers to the specific design…