A crisis is a crisis, but the luxury car segment is doing well. Lamborghini is selling more than ever and getting better.

In the first six months of 2022, the manufacturer from Sant'Agata delivered 5,090 cars. This is the best period in the history of the brand. The most important markets are the USA and China. If you order a car now, it will be on the road only in a year and a half. The queue could soon get significantly longer.

First of all, the Urus range, which accounts for 61 percent of sales, will be refreshed. We will probably see a plug-in version, and unofficially there is also talk of a Performante version.

Lamborghini intends to put into production a raised Huracán Sterrato, which will allow it to get off the asphalt. It's a very unusual structure, but that's why it can interest buyers who want to stand out.

The next Volkswagen Passat will probably only be offered as a wagon – after the first spy shots, Auto Bild practically removed the camouflage. This is what the new Passat could look like!

The current generation of VW Passat has been on the market since 2014. In a normal cycle, it would be time to move on. Internally badged B9, the upcoming Passat will probably only be available as a wagon called the Variant – it could be introduced in 2023.

However, the Passat B9 is not expected to be available at dealers until 2024. One of the reasons for this is that the next generation has to move to a factory in Bratislava, Slovakia, as the main Passat plant in Emden (Lower Saxony) will build the ID.4 and, in the future, the ID Space Vizzion electric wagon.

What is certain is that it will go up in price. The Passat Variant with "Concept Line" equipment currently sells for 34,725 euros, the successor is likely to cost over 35,000 euros with decent basic equipment.

Auto Bild's camouflaged prototype hunters have now caught their first glimpse of a standard-body Passat. Despite the camouflage, the first details can be seen, the How To Cars artist has already practically removed the camouflage foil.

The new front fascia could feature larger air intakes, while the grille (disguised by a sticker on the prototype) could collapse into a slot – like the Golf, Multivan or other current models with internal combustion engines from Wolfsburg. The fog lights could go to the main headlight.

Also striking: the side windows of the prototype are narrowed, the rear is flatter and has fewer curves. The taillights will likely be connected to each other via a wide strip of lights.

In addition, the car looks longer than the current model in the pictures. That could confirm suspicions that the next Passat will adopt the Superb's wheelbase. Then it would grow by five centimeters to a good 4.85 meters in length. With the extra centimeters, the family hierarchy would be adjusted again, because the Golf Variant, which has also grown, has recently become very close to the Passat.

First of all, the rear passengers and the trunk would benefit. The luggage compartment could accommodate more than 1800 liters, currently it is 1780 liters.

The new Passat also uses the MQB platform, so no big surprises are expected on the driving side. Two two-liter diesels of around 150 and 200 horsepower cleaned by a double SCR system are conceivable, as well as classic gasoline engines (probably around 150 and 220 "horses") and plug-in hybrids.

The plug-in variants can also come in two performance levels. The top model probably has around 250 "throat", the weaker drive will probably cross the 200 Horsepower mark. With the hybrid Passat, electric range is more important than power: a 20 kWh battery could cover 100 kilometers.

In addition, VW should add charging technology: instead of 3.6 kW, a charging power of 11 kW would be possible - the battery would be recharged after approximately two hours.

The all-electric Peugeot e-2008 compact crossover gets extended range as part of updates for 2022

Verdict

Peugeot’s updates to the e-2008 have focused on what buyers want and need at this level of the market: more range. It’s a small but useful gain and it’s great to see the brand acting on experience to boost this small electric SUV’s appeal. However, the so-so ride, frustratingly sluggish infotainment system and a shortage of rear-seat space (albeit with a big boot) still peg this Peugeot back to the same result as it achieved initially. We’re certainly grateful for the extra range and the added flexibility it brings, though.

Range remains one of the biggest deciding factors for electric car buyers. But with optimisation tweaks, many manufacturers can now unlock more miles more often and more easily. That’s exactly what Peugeot has managed to achieve with this newly updated e-2008 compact electric crossover.

But it hasn’t stemmed from an increase in battery capacity. The revised e-2008 still uses the same 50kWh pack as before, and it feeds the existing 134bhp electric motor.

The French brand has optimised other areas to unlock more range and push well through the 200-mile mark, with the car’s total claimed range now at 214 miles. The charging rate is unaltered, though, with 100kW capability giving an 80 per cent top-up in 30 minutes. A standard home charge will take seven and a half hours.

New tyres rated A+ for efficiency have been fitted to the car’s 17-inch wheels. These reduce rolling resistance and improve efficiency, and Peugeot has also tweaked the electric motor’s gear ratio to make it more efficient at higher speeds; it means the e-motor doesn’t have to spin quite as fast to maintain a 70mph cruise, for example, which results in lower energy consumption.

Also, a more efficient heat pump, teamed with a new humidity sensor mounted inside the cabin at the top of the car’s windscreen, better adjusts the heating and ventilation system to further optimise power usage. It’s surprising how much energy it can take to run the air-conditioning, and with this car Peugeot has shown how optimising multiple areas when engineering an EV can result in a useful real-world gain.

Our test proved that the changes were successful, because while the e-2008 didn’t quite match its claims, a genuine 180 miles in hot conditions (good for the battery, bad for energy consumption with the air-con always on) demonstrated decent efficiency.

Dynamically, this revised car feels pretty much identical to the pre-update model, which means plenty of easily accessible performance thanks to its 300Nm of torque. No ICE-powered small SUV can muster this output, and it makes the e-2008 feel peppy and alert on the move, plus it’s superbly easy to drive thanks to the single-speed automatic transmission. Officially, the 0-62mph sprint takes nine seconds, but in reality you’ll never need to go any quicker in a car like this; it’s the low-speed performance around town that counts.

The steering is still sharp, helped by Peugeot’s i-Cockpit layout and small steering wheel, while the e-2008’s ride is acceptable. Our Allure Premium test car came equipped with 17-inch wheels as standard, and although the e-CMP underpinnings sometimes struggle to deal with the worst urban scars and bumps on B-roads, the ride smooths out at motorway speeds, exactly as it should in a car like this.

However, the cabin layout still won’t be to everyone’s tastes. The infotainment system is laggy, although in this guise it does at least come loaded with features, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. That’s handy because the standard seven-inch set-up doesn’t feature built-in sat-nav, but it does include a reversing camera and digital instruments.

There’s a fair level of safety tech, too, and the 434-litre boot is a good size, but space in the rear could be better.

Source: autoexpress.co.uk

Automobilewoche writes that Audi, Porsche and Bentley may have to rethink their plans for electric vehicles as a result of problems arising at Cariad, the software development subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group.

The aforementioned publication cites unnamed company sources who claim that Audi's new flagship electric vehicle, which is being developed as part of the Artemis project, could be launched up to three years later.

The first vehicle based on the new electric platform was originally supposed to be launched as early as 2024. With the second generation of software, it was supposed to be capable of Level 4 autonomous driving. However, due to issues at Cariad, it won't be able to launch until 2026 and more likely won't actually come out until 2027.

The German premium carmaker is now focusing on a less ambitious model that could arrive in 2025 without that autonomous driving technology. To do this, it will use the mid-generation software version 1.2. It was supposed to be completed in 2021, but is also far behind schedule, sources said.

The problems also affect Porsche and Bentley. Sources say the British carmaker's plan to sell electric vehicles from 2030 is now in doubt due to software delays.

On the other hand, Porsche has already started pre-production of its electric Macan at the Leipzig plant, but it may have to change plans. “The hardware is great,” said a Porsche source, “but the software is still lacking.

Mileage fraud is one of the most common on the used car market. It illegally increases the price of a used vehicle and destroys the ownership experience. As a recent carVertical study revealed, buyers of premium German cars are at the highest risk of buying a car with a modified mileage reading.

To compile a list of cars with the most frequently returned mileage, IT company carVertical analyzed more than 700,000 used car history reports generated between November 2020 and November 2021. Eighteen different markets were analyzed, including Poland, Romania, Hungary, France, Slovenia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Germany, Croatia, Russia, the United States and Italy. as mileage data shows, the BMW M5 is most often compromised, with just over one-third of the tested models to which mileage may have been restored. However, this unique statistic underestimates the scale of the problem of reversing the odometer for BMW cars - as Mr. Matas Buzelis, car expert at carVertical, recently pointed out, BMW cars dominate the list:

"Half of the TOP10 list is occupied by cars from the Bavarian manufacturer. This correlates with the demand for used BMW vehicles in different markets. The data also reveals that expensive cars are more likely to have mileage returned, and this must be taken into account when looking for a used vehicle. In these cases, checking the mileage of the car is good. "

Second and third place on the list are occupied by the BMW 7 Series and Subaru Outback with 33.4 and 31.8 percent of cars, respectively, with possible counterfeiting. The Audi A8 was the fifth car with the most frequent mileage returns, while its sporting brother, the A7, ranked tenth with just over a quarter (25.8 percent) of such vehicles in the mileage reduction study.

Matas Buzelis explains that the presence of premium vehicles among those most often used is the reason for higher profits. Reversing the odometer is a relatively inexpensive and simple process that gives extra cash income to dishonest car dealers.

An extended list of 20 car models with the most frequently returned mileage can be found in this study.

Models of cars with the most frequently returned mileage by year of production: the oldest cars have the most scams

According to the research, it is necessary to check the mileage when buying used cars, especially for older vehicles. The most popular models with reduced mileage were produced between 2006 and 2016. However, car expert Matas Buzelis points out that there is a correlation between the possibility of fraud and car class:

"The list of cars with the most frequently returned mileage consists mainly of premium vehicles, but there are also economy class models, but with a smaller share in the total number of models. Subaru, Ford and Volkswagen cars belong to the same age group as higher class vehicles. It seems more likely that cars aged 5 to 15 will be compromised in terms of mileage. "

The Ford Mustang is the latest model on this list. Future owners of the sixth generation Mustang should take care of that by checking the historical mileage data online. Owners of the 2006 BMW M5, 2007 Series 5 and X5 should also investigate whether their car has the right mileage.

Matas Buzelis explains that the latest models may be a little harder to change the mileage reading. Newer cars are also less likely to be compromised because of the mileage they have actually driven because they are new:

"It doesn't make sense to return the mileage of a vehicle with, say, 50,000 or 80,000 kilometers per hour, but, for customers, it is worth checking whether such mileage readings are accurate or not.

Most models of cars with returned mileage according to the type of fuel: diesel cars have a better chance of this

Most mileage cars are equipped with diesel engines. As the automotive expert, Mr. Buzelis, points out, this has always been the case:

"Diesel cars are designed to cover longer distances, which means that such machines are more likely to have fraud in mileage. However, things may change in the future as diesel car sales decline.

"If we look at the numbers, we can clearly see that usually up to 80 or 90 percent of the models with returned mileage are vehicles with diesel engines. For example, take the Volkswagen Phaeton - out of 10 compromised models, nine are equipped with diesel engines, and only one is powered by a gasoline engine. "

Conclusion: mileage fraud significantly increases the value of used cars and destroys the ownership experience

carVertical analyzed the value of cars with returned mileage and found that 16.1 percent of vehicles inspected in the last 12 months had incorrectly displayed mileage. Since mileage scams are quite common in the used car market, it is important to use online car history checks to avoid becoming a victim.

While buyers of economy class cars are exposed to slightly less risk than the terrible ownership experience, those who buy premium diesel vehicles between 5 and 15 years of age are most at risk, because this is the type of vehicle most commonly used in this type of fraud. Performance models also have a high chance of falling victim to mileage fraud, and buying one such vehicle without checking the car’s history online can lead to a financial nightmare.