Porsche surprised many as it showcased its new electric sedan – Mission E. The Porsche Mission E is powered by a 600PS all-electric drive motor with a range of 500km while Porsche Turbo Charging recharges 80 per cent of the battery in just 15 minutes!

One of the biggest hurdles faced by electric cars is range but the Porsche Mission E has a solution for it. The car can travel 500km on a full charge which is impressive but further hikes its appeal is the fact that it can be charged with enough energy for around 400 km more driving range in less than 15 minutes! The reason for this stupendous recharge time is the fact that the Porsche Masson E employs a 800-volt technology for the first time instead of conventional 400volts. This system has been christened as Porsche Turbo Charging and the charging time is the fastest for any electric vehicle. The lithium-ion battery runs the entire length of the car, between the front and rear axles and the car boasts a 50:50 weight distribution. To keep the kerb weight low, the Mission E has been crafted from combination of aluminium, steel and carbon fibre reinforced polymer.

The cabin layout is typical of any Porsche production car but with a touch of modernity in terms of design and materials. The lack of a transmission tunnel means that interior space has risen. Another aspect of the interiors is the lack of physical buttons or knobs as they have been replaced by OLED (organic light-emitting diodes) screens. There is also an eye-tracking system that works with a camera to detect which instrument the driver is viewing. If the driver sits lower, higher or leans to one side, the 3D display of the round instruments reacts and moves with the driver. The Porsche Mission E will hit production in the next few years and given the technology it has on tap, the folks at Tesla Motors should be a worried lot. 

Courtesy : Autocar

The Audi e-tron Quattro concept is the precursor to the all-electric Audi Q6 SUV; manufacturer claims a range of over 480km, output up to 496bhp.

Audi has taken the wraps off of the e-tron Quattro concept. The precursor to the company’s upcoming all-electric Q6 SUV, thee-tron Quattro concept combines the rugged elements of a SUV with the sporty styling of a Coupe.

Stylistically the same as seen in the official design sketches, the e-tron Quattro concept uses Audi’s latest development in battery technology, aerodynamics, lightweight construction and electric drive systems to help provide it with performance to challenge the current crop of fast petrol, diesel and electric Audis.

At the heart of Audi’s newest concept sits a trio of electric motors – one powering the front wheels while two power the rear. Base output for the system is set at 429bhp but can be temporarily boosted to up to 496bhp. Torque output is set at 81.57kgm. Power is distributed to all four-wheels a drive-management system while an electronic torque vectoring system is used to apportion power between the rear wheels to help maintain optimum grip. In addition, the e-tron Quattro concept also gets all-wheel steering with the rear wheels moving by as much as five degrees to shorten the turning diameter.

The e-tron Quattro concept uses a floor mounted 95kWh lithium-ion battery located under the passenger compartment to power the trio of electric motors. As per the manufacturer, the battery allows the e-tron Quattro concept a range of over 480km.

The concept also comes equipped with the option of wireless charging. The e-tron Quattro concept comes equipped with a wireless charging system and a piloted parking function that automatically parks the car over a charging plate embedded in the ground to start charging the batteries. The charging deactivates automatically once the batteries car charged and the whole system can be monitored through a smartphone. In addition, the long roof-line of the concept houses solar panels that assist in charging the battery.

The e-tron Quattro concept also features active aerodynamic elements which extend once the vehicle crosses 80kph. The active elements include a roof mounted spoiler than extends by upto 100mm, an extending rear diffuser to speed-up the air-flow rate and extending side sills which smoothen the flow of air over the rear wheels allowing the SUV to have a drag co-efficient of 0.25, the lowest on an SUV and at 4880mm in length, 1930mm in width and 1540mm in height, the e-tron Quattro is sizeable as well.

Inside, the interior seems to draw heavily from the Audi Prologue concept unveiled at the Los Angeles motor show in 2014 with an all-digital interface and a flat-bottomed multi-function steering. The cabin features a four-seat layout with individual seats front and back and a 615-litre boot.

Courtesy : Autocar

Fiat could equip the Linea with same engine as the Abarth Punto – the 143bhp 1.4-litre T-Jet petrol.

Fiat recently revealed the Abarth Punto along with the 595 Competizione at the BIC.

The 143bhp hot hatchback is scheduled to roll into showrooms during the upcoming festive season. The next model to get the Abarth treatment will be the Avventura, but Fiat is also considering a high-performance Abarth version of the Linea.

The company seems to have taken note of the positive feedback that the Abarth Punto has received, and hence the same 143bhp T-Jet turbo petrol engine could be available in the Linea. It is also likely that the other mechanical changes such as rear disc brakes, stiffened suspension and lowered ride height (20mm) will make it to the sedan, if the car gets cleared for production.

Like seen on the Abarth Punto, the Abarth Linea could get certain upgrades to design.

The Linea has struggled to keep up with its segment rivals, and is now beginning to show its age. But with the sedan getting the Abarth badge, Fiat will not only inject some much-needed excitement into the car, but will also allow it to cater to enthusiasts looking for a powerful-yet-affordable mid-size sedan.

Courtesy : Autocar

Japanese company is not keen on alliances with other global automakers; banking on Maruti and India for bigger scale. Plans to launch 20 models in five years.

The president of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Toshihiro Suzuki has stated that his company is not keen on striking an alliance with another global automaker in the near future. “We have just come out of a divorce (with VW), so we are not thinking of getting into another marriage immediately. I am not sure whether getting into a collaboration with another automaker is such a good idea anymore,” he said.

Suzuki plans to go at it alone and will explore cooperation with component suppliers for new technologies. “There are various technologies we are developing and our are engineers are investigating whether we should do it on our own or in collaboration with component suppliers,” he said.

The Japanese company currently produces around 3 million cars globally which is far below the scale of top manufacturers like Toyota, GM and VW, each of which produce around 10 million vehicles a year. However, Suzuki doesn’t feel it needs more volumes to survive on its own. “I am not of the view that it is only companies with large volumes that can survive. There are big and small players and both survive so I don’t think that scale is an issue going forward”

However, it is banking on Maruti for future growth. “By 2025 India is expected to become the third-largest market in the world and hence in the overall future strategy of Suzuki, Maruti’s role is becoming increasingly important,” stated Suzuki. But he concedes that fake rolex watches banking so heavily on India “is a risk” but added that “there are lots of bright spots and opportunities for further growth as well”.

Suzuki has tasked Maruti with an ambitious sales target of 2 million cars in India.  “This will be a big achievement for us and Suzuki and Maruti are working together as a team to develop the Indian market further. We will also look at other markets like Africa together,” said the Suzuki president. There is an ambitious plan in place to launch 20 new models in the next five years and most of those could be headed to India. “Except for the kei-jidosha (for the Japanese market only), cars we will bring all our models to India.” He also hinted that with the growing aspiration of consumers in India, he would look at “gradually going upmarket with more premium models”. Currently, the only models that cater to the higher segments are the S-Cross and Ciaz.

Suzuki also has plans to beef up the R&D capabilities of Maruti. The company has invested upwards of Rs. 2,000 crore in a state-of-the-art R&D facility in Rohtak, Haryana, which is geared to design and develop vehicles from the ground up.

“We have started the process of product development in India as we did with Suzuki Motor corporation fifty years ago. Eventually, I want Maruti to build its own R&D expertise and be in a position to eventually develop cars for Suzuki too,” said Toshihiro Suzuki, convinced that it will be Maruti and India that will chart the future of fake rolex watches uk his company.

Courtesy : Autocar

Showcasing advanced aerodynamic technology, the Concept IAA hints at future CLS design.

Not long after Mercedes released teaser images of the Concept IAA, the car has been officially launched at the Frankfurt motor show. IAA stands for Intelligent Aerodynamic Automobile, and the concept features an extendable body. At 80kph the elements in the tail section extend, increasing the total length of the car by 390mm.

The IAA concept is 100mm longer than the CLS and with the body fully stretched in aerodynamic mode, is longer than the S-class. The wheelbase too is 100mm longer than the current-gen E and CLS-class which hints at the possibility of larger interior space in future models. The interior of the IAA previews the upcoming E-class and is based on the current S-class.

Mercedes' Concept IAA features a petrol-electric plug-in hybrid system used in the C350e Plug-in Hybrid which pairs a 208bhp turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an 80bhp electric motor and gives out 275bhp and 61.10kgm of torque.

Mercedes is yet to provide any performance claims, although the new concept could be capable of delivering an electric-only range of up to 66km.

Courtesy : Autocar