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Worldcarblog.com

Friday, 21 October 2022 05:18

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Rolls-Royce is taking its ultimate-luxury ethos to a new realm with the all-electric 2024 Spectre coupe. James Bond probably wouldn't toast the new model with one of his shaken-not-stirred signature martinis given his history of battling the international crime organization known as Spectre. But he might want to drive the regal new coupe nonetheless. The Spectre rides on the same platform as the Phantom sedan and Cullinan SUV but is propelled by a fully electric powertrain consisting of two electric motors that pump out a combined 577 horsepower. The driving range is estimated to be around 260 miles per charge, which does not place the Spectre among the long-range EV cohort with less-expensive rivals such as the Tesla Model S and the Lucid Motors Air. But buyers with the $400,000 or so available to buy a Spectre aren't likely to road trip when their private jet is always standing ready at a nearby airfield. The Spectre is Rolls-Royce's first in a series of EVs, and the company says that its gasoline-powered models will be phased out of the lineup and replaced entirely with EVs by 2030.

What's New for 2024?

The Spectre is a new addition to the Rolls-Royce lineup and its first customers can expect to take delivery by the end of 2023.

Rolls-Royce hasn't released much information about the Spectre yet, including its price tag. We expect to see classic Rolls-Royce features and options on the new coupe, including a series of highly-customizable packages offered through the company’s Bespoke design service.

EV Motor, Power, and Performance

All Spectres will come with a dual-motor electric powertrain with 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. Rolls-Royce says that's enough to move the 6559-pound coupe to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. You may scoff at that estimate and point to the Tesla Model S Plaid that hit 60 mph in 2.1 seconds in our testing, but we'd be quick to remind you that Rolls-Royce's brand ethos is more about quiet cruising than mind-bending performance. Rolls-Royce has installed adaptive suspension to ensure an appropriately isolated ride, and the engineers also made room for a massive amount of sound-deadening material that Rolls says will ensure the cabin remains whisper quiet.

Range, Charging, and Battery Life

Rolls-Royce hasn't said how large the Spectre's battery is but it's estimating a driving range of about 260 miles per charge. DC fast-charging should be possible, but we'd guess that most Spectre buyers will have a charging system installed at their estates so they aren't forced to wait around in the parking lot of a Walmart like the rest of us.

Interior, Comfort, and Cargo

The Spectre's cabin offers space for four with bucket seats in both rows. Anyone who's familiar with Rolls-Royce's current interior design will find a similarly sybaritic one here, although the company has added several design features that are unique to Spectre. For example, in addition to the brand's signature starry-night headliner, the Spectre's door panels rock a similar twinkle with tiny LED lights sparkling in the area surrounding the armrests. We don't yet know all the details or have a list of options and features but the Spectre should be available with a seemingly endless array of personalization options and material choices.

Source: caranddriver.com

The Specter luxury coupe marked the British prestige brand's entry into the electric race.

Rolls-Royce's entry into the electric car market works in its own way. They can simply afford it, that is, they can be sure that they will easily extract a few hundred thousand euros from their fans for a huge electric coupe weighing less than three tons.

Specifically, the Specter weighs 2,975 kg, making it one of the heaviest production cars on the market right now. Of course, the Specter is not a small car, so the distance between the axles is as much as 3,210 mm.

The supporting structure is aluminum, but the burden of the huge battery cannot be hidden.

The 700 kg battery is a nice ballast in the floor of the vehicle, and with a capacity of more than 100 kWh, it enables a solid driving autonomy of 520 km, according to WLTP.

The electric drive produces 585 hp and 900 Nm, which apparently in RR they consider sufficient to satisfy the appetite of future owners, but also some basic standards of the brand.

After all, the company is no stranger to electricity because Charles Rawls was thinking about an electric car more than 120 years ago. In 1900, he bought an electric vehicle and was mesmerized by the feeling of driving without noise, vibration and stench.

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On paper, it reaches 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, but that really matters less in a car of this caliber.

Yes, the Specter is fast, but it should be experienced more like a road version of a luxury yacht, just as the rear of the car suggests.

Equipped with "Magic carpet ride" chassis and Planar suspension, the Specter will ride the mountain roads between Nice and St. Tropez like on rails.

It is not surprising that it was precisely on those roads that he performed the final tests and fine-tuning of the prototype before the start of production.

No need to waste words on the design. Suffice it to say - a pure classic, but also a never-wider LED-illuminated front fascia.

And yes, the lights are double, where the daytime ones are extremely thin, and the main ones are hidden under them. It's a recipe recently introduced by BMW and it didn't go over well with critics. It will probably pass here.

BMW customers are still looking for manual transmissions on the forums.

Manual gearboxes are slowly giving way to automatics. They are more comfortable and faster for drivers, and today they are at such a level of development that they do not increase fuel consumption.

CarBuzz was at the BMW M Festival at the Kyalami Grand Prix circuit in South Africa where he spoke with the head of the BMW M division, Frank van Mel. One of the key questions was how long will manual transmissions be available in BMW models?

"Unfortunately, the manual transmission is not so widespread anymore. It is more important in certain segments, namely the M2 and M3 models, as well as the M4. We continue to offer manual transmissions for those cars and those versions will be sold until the end of this decade," he said. van Mel.

Timo Resch, vice president of customer, brand and sales for BMW M, added that the company is monitoring the activities of customers who are petitioning online and voting, mostly asking for BMW to keep the manual transmission.

Resch said the engineers asked why anyone would need a manual transmission when automatics are faster, but then the marketing department simply told them: the fans demanded it.

In M models, the manual gearbox is still "living", but in other, more conventional models, it is increasingly giving way to automatics.

Tuesday, 18 October 2022 03:01

World premiere: Electric Mercedes EQE SUV

The Mercedes EQE SUV is a versatile alternative to the EQE business sedan.

Like the Mercedes EQE sedan, the new electric SUV is available with the basic innovations of the EQS model and at the same time is more dynamic than the EQS SUV model.

Mercedes says that the EQE SUV is one of the most spacious representatives of its class. Still, with a 3,030 mm wheelbase that's nine centimeters shorter than the sedan, it's more compact than the EQE sedan.

As the fourth model, following the EQS and EQE sedans, as well as the EQS SUV, the EQE SUV uses a new mechanical platform designed for three-pointed star electric vehicles.

The modular drive concept enables the EQE SUV to offer a wide range of maximum total power outputs from 215 to 300 kW. Depending on the equipment and configuration of the vehicle, the European variants of the vehicle can have a WLTP autonomy of up to 590 kilometers.

In the EQE SUV, the lithium-ion battery consists of ten modules. In certain cases, the company's innovative battery management software can be updated over-the-air (OTA).

The current generation of driving assistance systems includes a number of functions that support the driver.

General standard equipment on the EQE SUV includes ATTENTION ASSIST, Active Brake Assist, Active Lane Keeping Assist, Parking Package with reversing camera and Speed ​​Limit Assist. System status and activity are shown full-screen on the driver assistance display.

Additional options are available in the Assistance package, as well as in the Driving Assistance Plus package.

The mechanical basis of the new EQE SUV consists of a four-link suspension at the front and a multi-link independent suspension at the rear.

Due to the relatively short wheelbase of 3,030 millimeters and the appropriate suspension settings, Mercedes claims that the car is particularly nimble and manageable even with the basic setup.

AIRMATIC air suspension with ADS+ continuously adjustable damping is available as an optional extra. To increase the ground clearance, the vehicle level can be raised by up to 30 millimeters.

In addition to the DINAMIC SELECT programs ECO, COMFORT, SPORT and INDIVIDUAL, EQE SUV models with the 4MATIC all-wheel drive system also have an OFFROAD program for off-road driving.

A rear axle steering system with a maximum steering angle of 10 degrees is available as an option.

MBUX Hyperscreen on demand

With customizable software, the MBUX display and operating system make personalized suggestions for numerous infotainment, comfort and vehicle functions. The highlight of the interior is the optional MBUX Hyperscreen.

With the MBUX Hyperscreen, the three displays merge almost seamlessly to create a screen range over 141 centimeters wide.

The front passenger in the EQE SUV has the option of a 12.3-inch OLED display with its own user interface.

The system uses intelligent camera-based blocking logic that recognizes whether the driver is looking towards the passenger display. If this is the case, the system automatically dims the dynamic content for security reasons.

Smart route planning

When it comes to navigation with "electric intelligence", the name says it all. Because based on numerous factors, it plans the fastest and most convenient route including charging stations.

It also reacts dynamically to traffic jams or a change in driving style, for example.

Navigation with electric intelligence is smart; calculates estimated charging costs per charging stop. In addition, the user can individually edit the planned routes.

Planned routes can be individually edited by adding desired charging stations along the route or excluding suggested charging stations.

Heat pump as standard

The Mercedes EQE SUV has a sophisticated thermal architecture with a heat pump as standard. This makes the system work very efficiently: excess heat from the electric drive (inverter and electric motor) as well as high-voltage batteries that would otherwise be released into the environment can be used to heat the interior.

This drastically reduces battery consumption for the heating system, thus increasing the range.

Another useful and efficient function is air conditioning control before departure. The THERMATIC automatic climate control system with two climate zones is standard in the vehicle, while THERMOTRONIC with four zones is available as an option.

Adjusted charging tariffs

From June 2022, Mercedes me Charge offers three new charging tariffs in Europe that are tailored to individual driving performance.

"Mercedes me Charge S" for occasional charging, "Mercedes me Charge M" for normal charging and "Mercedes me Charge L" for frequent charging.

With the introduction of a new, transparent tariff system, fixed prices that are valid regardless of the operator are partially available to customers. With the Plug & Charge function, the EQE SUV can also be easily charged.

Lots of high-tech features

The DIGITAL LIGHT headlight technology (special equipment) enables innovative functions, such as the projection of auxiliary markings or warning symbols onto the road.

Another highlight of the equipment is the ENERGIZING AIR CONTROL Plus. The HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter cleans the incoming outdoor air at a very high level of filtration. ENERGIZING COMFORT connects the various comfort systems in the vehicle.

Individual ENERGIZING COMFORT programs allow a special program for good mood depending on the mood or needs of the user. This improves physical comfort and performance while driving and during breaks.

The Dolby Atmos sound format raises the audio experience in the EQE SUV to a new level, according to Mercedes.

The proportions of the EQE SUV combine function and aesthetics with the sporty character of an SUV.

Wheels in sizes from 19 to 22 inches are mounted flush with the outer edge of the body.

The EQE SUV shares some aerodynamic measures with models from the same family. The chassis with numerous aerodynamic details plays a central role in the very good drag value Cd of 0.25, which is achieved despite the large cargo volume and short rear overhang.

But the dimensional concept with the flat windshield, broad roofline and recesses were also important factors.

High level of passive safety

The principles of Integral Safety apply regardless of the type of drive system. Like all other Mercedes Benz models, the EQE SUV therefore has a rigid passenger compartment, special deformation zones and state-of-the-art restraint systems.

The European version of the EQE SUV can detect whether the rear seats are actually occupied. If the passenger in the back is not wearing a seat belt, the driver receives a special warning. The so-called passenger presence reminder can indicate children in the back of the vehicle.

In vehicles for Europe, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada, this system is fitted as standard.

Motorization

Mercedes will initially offer three versions of the EQE SUV.

The basic EQE 350+ with rear-wheel drive and a single electric motor of 292 HP (215 kW) develops 565 Nm of reverse torque.

It is followed by the EQE 350 4Matic with 4-wheel drive and two electric motors. It is interesting that the total power is the same as in the rear-wheel drive model (292 hp), but the maximum torque is higher thanks to the additional electric motor and is 765 Nm.

At the top of the range is the EQE 500 4Matic, also with all-wheel drive and two electric motors. The total power of this version is 408 hp (300 kW) and the torque is 858 Nm.

CO2-neutral production as part of eco-balance

Production of the EQE SUV will begin in December at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama (USA).

A battery plant in nearby Bibb County supplies batteries for this model as well as the EQS SUV.

As of this year, all Mercedes-Benz passenger car and van plants worldwide have achieved CO2 neutral production as part of their environmental balance – including the two Mercedes plants in Alabama.

Hurricane Ian created numerous problems in Florida, and firefighters in this American state became aware of the danger posed by submerged electric cars.

Numerous electric vehicles were under water during the hurricane, and the batteries that were soaked could soon catch fire, so the owners of such cars were warned of the danger of fire.

Jimmy Patronis, Florida's chief financial officer and state fire marshal, posted the warning on Twitter, noting that the first cases had occurred, some of which he had personally witnessed. He also posted a video of when firefighters tried to put out a fire on a Tesla Model X that caught fire in the middle of the street. One of the onlookers said that they poured more than 5,500 liters of water on the Tesla, but the car was still smoking.

Extinguishing a battery fire requires special training and understanding of electric vehicles, and a fire can last several days even with the intervention of firefighters. According to a recent study by AutoInsuranceEZ, hybrid vehicles are actually more susceptible to fires than electric vehicles, but the bigger problem is that the fire itself is extremely difficult to put out. Due to corrosion in the cells of the lithium-ion battery, the electric car can emit smoke and flames for a long time, even after being submerged in water.

As Index.hr writes, considering that Florida has the second largest number of electric vehicles in the USA (behind California), Florida is becoming aware of this problem. At the end of last year, around 100,000 electric vehicles were registered in this federal state.

Sunday, 16 October 2022 06:03

Ford F-150 arrives in Europe

Hedin US Motor AB, a branch of the Hedin Mobility Group, will import the F-150 pickup truck into Europe with the blessing of Ford Motor Company.

"The Ford F-150 is the world's best-selling pickup truck for a reason, so we're thrilled to expand our group's import sector by bringing the American icon to Europe," said the company's founder and No. 1 man, Anders Hedin. "We look forward to offering European dealerships the F-150 family of vehicles, complete with a full service program, warranties, spare parts and accessories," added Anders Larkvist, CEO of Hedin US Motor AB.

Sales are scheduled to begin in November 2022. Pricing information is currently unavailable, but what we do know is that other European markets will follow the lead of Germany and Sweden, where buyers are presented with three options, starting with the Coyote V8-powered Lariat. The PowerBoost hybrid Limited and EcoBoost Raptor are also on their way to the Old Continent.

What may be a bit surprising is that there is no electric Lightning among the selections, but on the other hand it is also understandable, since Ford can hardly cope with the demand on domestic soil. The importer doesn't mention what cabin configurations are in the game, although we do know that the Raptor comes in a SuperCrew variant.

The Lariat is available in the US in SuperCab and SuperCrew trims, while the Limited can be configured as a SuperCrew. The logical conclusion would be that Hedin ordered SuperCrew models throughout the range.

As for pricing, the net price for the four-door Lariat with the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine is $54,545. The Limited powered by the PowerBoost hybrid system costs $81,465, while the Raptor costs $72,520.

The most famous model of the company from Stuttgart has been produced without interruption since 1964, and the imminent electrification of the automotive industry makes us wonder what the future holds for the 911.

It will not be difficult to electrify the Cayenne, Macan, and Panamera models one day, but the big question is what Porsche is planning with the 911 model.

Recently, spy shots of the redesigned version of the Porsche 911 have been appearing more and more frequently on the Internet.

All versions, coupe, convertible, even the Turbo version, were seen during the final tests. The Safari version was also recorded, and it is a raised version with off-road reinforcements and 4×4 drive, primarily intended for off-road enjoyment.

What has only been unofficially announced is that the cockpit will also undergo significant changes. Of course, the arrangement will go in the further process of digitization.

Until now, the instruments have had an attractive analog tachometer surrounded by screens simulating analog pointers, of course with the option of choosing to display a variety of information. The instruments are expected to be fully digitized.

There are no announcements regarding the engine, and minor changes are expected there, perhaps in a slight recalibration and a minor increase in power and torque. What is expected is that, through the redesign, Porsche's experts will somehow pack a hybrid drive into the existing platform. Well, that's already news. Moreover, it will not be a hybrid just for the sake of speed, but the hybrid 911 will be more powerful than the Turbo version. Similar to the Panamera model.

All this makes one think - what is Porsche planning with the 911 model? With the Cayenne models, the Macan will be easy. At some point, it probably won't be difficult to explain to customers that the Cayenne is now an all-electric model. The same applies to the Macan model, and it won't be difficult to convert the Panamera to electricity either, as long as it is conceptually separated from the Taycan in the model range.

And what to do with the legend? What fate awaits the 911 and when and how can this model become electric?

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