The next Porsche 911, scheduled to be launched internationally in 2018, will get a hybrid powertrain and a fully digital dashboard. The car, currently being tested at the Nürburgring facility, will use the same technology as Audi’s Virtual Cockpit.

Base models of the 911 are expected to use the same 3.0-litre, flat-six, twin-turbo engine that made its debut in the facelifted 911 Carrera.Porsche 911 product line director Erhard Mössle has revealed that the new 911 will sit on a modified version of the MMB platform used by the current car and feature only mild styling changes.

 Porsche already has hybrid powertrains in its Cayenne SUV and Panamera sedan, with both cars using the same supercharged 3.0-litre petrol engine in combination with an electric motor. The 918 Spyder also features a hybrid powertrain – a 4.6-litre V8 engine with two electric motors.

 Last September, Porsche engineers told our sister publication Autocar UK that they were working on packaging a hybrid powertrain in the 911's body – something that could also account for the wider stance of development cars.

 Porsche is also considering an all-electric version of the 911 in the same vein as the Audi R8 e-tron.

Courtesy : Autocar

Connectivity between vehicles as well as between vehicles and transport infrastructure in the vicinity is one important step towards connected motoring that aims to reduce road accidents or minimise their consequences. 
From 2019, Volkswagen will start fitting its first models with pWLAN as standard in order to serve as an additional communication technology for the exchange-selected information relevant to traffic between cars made by different manufacturers. This will involve information being exchanged both between vehicles (car-to-car), as well as between vehicles and the transport infrastructure. This will, for example, enable information about the current traffic situation, accidents and other situations relating to traffic conditions to be shared with the local environment within a radius of approximately 500m, even faster than has been possible in the past.  

The technology is based on IEEE 802.11p (pWLAN), which the automotive industry has standardised and tested for direct, non-proprietary inter-vehicle communication as well as between vehicles and transport infrastructure and in international markets. 

It enables to share information about the current traffic situation, warnings or even sensor data with the local environment within milliseconds. This extends the vehicle’s coverage by several hundred metres, virtually making it possible to look round the corner. 

It provides an added advantage to the customers, as it uses a special frequency band intended for road safety and traffic efficiency. There are no ongoing communications costs and it does not rely on mobile phone network coverage.  

Johannes Neft, head of vehicle body development for the Volkswagen brand, said, "We want to increase road safety with the aid of networked vehicles, and the most efficient way of achieving this is through the rapid roll-out of a common technology. What matters most is that the technology is used consistently, and by as many manufacturers and partners as possible."

Courtesy : Autocar

Jaguar is set to expand on the petrol engine line-up of the XE, XF and F-Pace with a new 300hp iteration of the 2.0-litre Ingenium motor in international markets. The new engine was revealed at the New York Motor Show earlier this year and made its debut in the four-cylinder F-Type. This move effectively initiates the gradual phasing out of the carmaker's older petrol engines.

This new engine from Jaguar comes only about a month after the launch of a similar, 290hp 2.0-litre Ingenium petrol engine for the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Evoque. The latest Ingenium variant, capable of producing up to 300hp and 400Nm torque, is likely to enhance fuel economy and reduce CO2 emissions. The engine is Malaysian Wigs at its quickest in the XE; Jaguar claims a 0-100kmph time of 5.5sec, while the XF and F-Pace take 5.6sec and 5.7sec, respectively.

The Ingenium petrol engine is equipped with several new features, such as an electro-hydraulic valvetrain, integrated exhaust manifold and twin-scroll turbocharger with ceramic ball bearing technology.

"Our new 300PS petrol engine provides the performance synonymous with Jaguar, while delivering enhanced fuel economy thanks to its state-of-the-art exhaust technology and pioneering valvetrain design," said Nick Rogers, Jaguar's product engineering director.

With a 300hp petrol engine, the XF will not have a like-for-like rival in the market. Cars which are close in terms of power are either diesel or more performance-oriented ones such as the Audi S6, BMW 5-series 540i xDrive and Mercedes-Benz E 350 d.

JLR hasn't revealed whether Jaguar models, equipped with the new Ingenium petrol engine, will be available in India. As it stands, the automaker is currently offering only its 180hp, 2.0-litre, Ingenium diesel engine in most of its models in India.

Courtesy : Autocar

Volkswagen looks all set to shift its attention to electric vehicles as it plans to roll out as many as five battery-powered models in the coming years. Its I.D concept was revealed in the 2016 Paris Motor Show but the production version is likely to be launched in 2020. The electric cars will be based on the company's new MEB platform.

The I.D concept, nicknamed e-Golf, is equipped with a 125kW electric motor and will be able to accelerate from 0-100kph in less than 8.0sec. It is likely to have a range of 400-600km.

The e-Golf is expected to be followed by the I.D Cross. Its concept was previewed at the Shanghai motor show this year and had two electric motors powered by a 83kWh lithium-ion battery. The all-wheel-drive concept had a combined output of 225kW and a range up to 500km.

The next in line are the I.D. AEROe sedan and the I.D. Lounge crossover. Volkswagen is also planning to bring in a production version of its I.D Buzz concept, which is powered by dual electric motors with a combined output of 275kW and a 0-100kph time of just 5.0sec.

VW has vowed to deliver its electric-powered cars for prices similar to combustion engine cars. At a time when the global market for EVs is expected to grow, VW is preparing itself to lock horns with the likes of Tesla's Model 3 and GM's Chevrolet Bolt. The company plans to sell a million electric cars by 2025.

Courtesy : Autocar

Hyundai has announced that it is all set to introduce the second Hyundai N Performance model in 2018, following the debut of the i30N later this year. The news has been confirmed by Albert Biermann, head of the firm's vehicle testing and high-performance development.

No details have been released, but Hyundai previously hinted at the prospect of a four-wheel-drive Ford Focus RS rival with its 380hp, RN30 concept of 2016.

Joonhong Park, the head of Hyundai's high-performance vehicle development centre, explained that N would only cherry-pick the most appropriate models from the Hyundai range. "There is no plan to have an N model for every Hyundai," he said, [although] we have a road map for the next few years to come."

The division is not currently planning on integrating its hybrid, full electric and fuel-cell powertrain technologies into a performance mode with Park commenting, "Right now, there's no plan to bring that tech to N." He however said the brand was open to a shift if the market trend demanded it.

Courtesy : Autocar