Autocar November 06, 2019

IS A TWO-TONNE-PLUS plug-in hybrid SUV really more than twice as ‘green’ as a city car weighing less than half as much and using the latest internal combustion engine? That’s what the official CO2 ratings, and the need to dramatically reduce them as legislated by the European Union, will have you believe. City cars have traditionally had the lowest CO2 ratings, well below 100g/km in many cases, yet they can go no lower without becoming electrified. Doing this adds weight and, crucially, cost, thus removing the whole point of city cars: to provide affordable new car ownership to the masses. The EU’s ever-stricter CO2 regulations have in effect wiped out the affordable new car as we know it (p20). As a result, it’s likely that buyers will turn to used cars with…

“It would compete head on with the Mercedes-AMG One, which is also underpinned by F1 drivetrain tech” Porsche has reaffirmed plans for a hypercar to crown its line-up – and, in a bid to provide a clear link between its motorsport activities and road cars, it could use a hybrid driveline originally developed in an aborted Formula 1 engine programme. However, the Aston Martin Valkyrie rival remains at a conceptual stage, with an introduction unlikely before 2023 at the earliest. In keeping with comments made by Porsche chairman Oliver Blume this year, high-level sources at the German car maker’s Weissach technical centre confirm that a definitive production go-ahead for the successor to the 918 Spyder is dependent on a decision from Porsche board members on whether to commit to pure-electric or hybrid drivetrain…

IS A TWO-TONNE-PLUS plug-in hybrid SUV really more than twice as ‘green’ as a city car weighing less than half as much and using the latest internal combustion engine? That’s what the official CO2 ratings, and the need to dramatically reduce them as legislated by the European Union, will have you believe. City cars have traditionally had the lowest CO2 ratings, well below 100g/km in many cases, yet they can go no lower without becoming electrified. Doing this adds weight and, crucially, cost, thus removing the whole point of city cars: to provide affordable new car ownership to the masses. The EU’s ever-stricter CO2 regulations have in effect wiped out the affordable new car as we know it (p20). As a result, it’s likely that buyers will turn to used…

Scepticism of pure-electric ‘halo’ models is rife within Porsche and its head of sports cars, Frank-Steffen Walliser, made his feelings clear to Autocar during the Frankfurt motor show in September. Asked if he welcomed the influx of electric hypercar projects during the past year, Walliser (above) said: “We have seen a lot of studies of electric hypercars. For me, the proof is when it’s on the street with a licence plate. With a study, I don’t have to show you that it truly works, outside on the street, homologated.” Walliser then took a more philosophical line. “Does an EV hypercar work?” he asked. “For me, it’s like saying that a drag racer is a suitable sports car. For sure, it’s perfect from 0-100. But there are more things out there that make a…

“It would compete head on with the Mercedes-AMG One, which is also underpinned by F1 drivetrain tech” Porsche has reaffirmed plans for a hypercar to crown its line-up – and, in a bid to provide a clear link between its motorsport activities and road cars, it could use a hybrid driveline originally developed in an aborted Formula 1 engine programme. However, the Aston Martin Valkyrie rival remains at a conceptual stage, with an introduction unlikely before 2023 at the earliest. In keeping with comments made by Porsche chairman Oliver Blume this year, high-level sources at the German car maker’s Weissach technical centre confirm that a definitive production go-ahead for the successor to the 918 Spyder is dependent on a decision from Porsche board members on whether to commit to pure-electric…

Alfa Romeo’s future product plans have been slashed, according to the brand’s third-quarter earnings report. It says the plan has been “rationalised” down to four future models: replacements for the Giulia and Stelvio, the Tonale and another SUV. This means the new GTV coupé and 8C replacement, announced in June 2018, have been shelved or pushed back, alongside a planned BMW 5 Series rival. FCA boss Mike Manley told investors during a third-quarter earnings call that Alfa’s portfolio plan is “significantly scaled back, with a corresponding reduction in capital spending”.…