Only a locked rear differential and tires inflated to 90 psi. The Atlas Cross Sport will be VWs first four-door PHEV/HEV crossover, borrowing the GTE PHEV technology from the Golf, but mating it with a 3.6-liter V6 FSI powerplant along with front and rear electric motors. Electric trucks will continue to make their way into the market, finding niches where they make economic sense today. Reacting with many years’ delay, Volkswagen has finally decided to significantly embolden its SUV presence in China with two nameplates exclusive to this market, both making their entrance this month: the Tayron and Tharu (see further down). On top of the Tayron described earlier in this article, Volkswagen also launches the Tharu SUV this month. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has rated it at a Top Safety Pick. March 25, 2018 - Jaguar Land Rover is proud to announce it will debut three new vehicles at the New York International Auto Show alongside its widest range of vehicles in company history.
In this case, the British automaker revealed its much anticipated I-Pace battery-electric crossover SUV this week, one week before the public opening of the Geneva Motor Show. In any case, it looks like the days of Elon and crew having an iron grip on the hip, stylish electric luxury car market are numbered. The iX3 is the first i-series car to be a version of an existing model, in this case, the X3. This EX3, using a Gleagle badge (previously a Geely brand), is in fact a simple electrified version of the Geely Vision X3. Using a 7-kW Level 2 home charger, it’ll take about 10 hours to add the same amount of charge. The vehicle will be handmade and will take the centre stage of JLR’s pavilion at the Auto Expo. This time around I want to take the Model X on a longer trip to also evaluate the burgeoning network of charging stations around Australia.
Alas, Baojun did launch a new nameplate this year but it was the 310, a small hatchback seemingly out-of-touch with the consumer tastes of today, but if Baojun says so, I tend to want to follow. Baojun is the sales success story of the past two years: it has gone from nothing to half a million sales in 2015 and is headed towards over 800.000 this year. But it’s not until you turn the key and hear basically nothing (Feel free to insert your favorite British car reliability joke here…) that you truly realize how radically this legendary sports car has been transformed beneath the skin. Road feedback and feel was good, with the cabin isolated from common road imperfections. The low, central placement of the battery between the two axles assures a low center of gravity and a 50:50 weight distribution, with a standard Active Air Suspension and optional configurable Adaptive Dynamics aiding in sporty driving feel. The F-Pace promptly went up on two wheels as we went up the ramp and stayed that way as grant intended. 575. The black wheels and adaptive lighting were on the list, as was a cabin air ionizer, much appreciated during a smoky period from California wildfires.
The interior features ambient lighting all over the place, from the ceiling to the doors to the console and the floor. The latter uses "Smart Settings" powered by artificial intelligence to calculate features like personalized range and driving habits. On the efficiency front, the I-Pace uses a 90-kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery pack that delivers a driving range of 240 miles (386 kilometers). On paper, it can reach 60 miles per hour within 3.9 seconds from complete standstill. Interested buyers can head down to their local Jaguar dealer and place an order; pricing will be announced on March 6 when the electric SUV makes its in-person debut in Geneva. It’s a car for early adopters, the kind of buyers that don’t bat an eyelid when learning the Model X’s price tag. But it’s the whole package we are looking for. The E-Pace’s sporting pretensions mean its ride isn’t exactly cushy and tire noise levels are elevated, especially on rougher pavement. But during the hourlong drive from the Port Elizabeth airport to Shamwari, neither the ride nor interior NVH proved uncomfortable or out of character for a vehicle in its class.