Some intriguing showstoppers from Auto China 2024
“Electric” may be the most appropriate word to describe the atmosphere at the recent Beijing motor show, now considered to be one of the world’s largest automobile exhibitions.
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Ferrari 12Cilindri Deep Dive Preview: No electric here, just pure V12 beauty
MARANELLO, Italy – Bentley built its final W12 in April, an engine VW Group introduced in 2001. Mercedes and BMW already bid auf wiedersehen to 12 cylinders. But Ferrari is Ferrari. Defying trends and regulators, the company has created a radically reimagined GT whose name rivals “LaFerrari” for on-the-nose intent: The 12Cilindri.
Jeep CEO doesn't rule out a hybrid powertrain for the Recon EV
Recently installed Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa has a lot of hard yards ahead, his agenda for the brand including a return to one million annual sales globally, figuring out a marketing angle that entices hardcore Jeepers and casuals sniffing around the show floor, improving reliability, improving dealer relations, and navigating an even more stormy transition to electric vehicles. On the latter note, Jeep will launch two battery-electric models soon, the Wagoneer S this year, then the Recon late this year or in early 2025, the first products to reach the market here that sit on the STLA Large platform developed by parent company Stellantis.
BMW will drop the 'i' from gas-powered trim names
Gotta love an enthusiast's laser focus. After BMW announced a coming X3 trim called the X3 M50, BMW Blog asked where the expected «i» went, referring to the little dotted letter that stands for «injection» when placed at the end of a trim name on a gasoline-powered vehicle. For example, the X3 M50 will be the top non-M trim, replacing the X3 M40i. The outlet said that Bernd Körber, BMW's SVP of brand and product management, replied, "[We] historically had injection at the end [of the badge]. We said we would like to keep ‘i’ as an asset, and we would like to keep it as a signature to indicate you’re driving an electric car."
Ram exec all but admits a flagship above the RHO is on the way
As part of the marketing campaign for the Ram RHO pickup, the automaker created a three-minute video called "The Convoy" that lined up a number of Ram products including Warlock and Rebel X trims. Because it would take someone in-the-know to identify all the Easter eggs and behind-the-scenes secrets, Jeff Summers, head of advertising at Ram Trucks, has done just that. In a LinkedIn post, he picks out 20 features of the three-minute clip, such as the custom Baja truck «with Ram DNA» belonging to Baja race winner Rhys Millen, and the two KTM motorcycles chosen to represent one of Ram's European partnerships. Regarding the latter, Summers is talking about Ram signing on for a third year of sponsorship of the Red Bull KTM Factory Racing team, specifically in the the FIM Motocross World Championship.
McLaren's next ultra-exclusive flagship revealed at the end of this year
McLaren will be show the next installment in its Ultimate Series later this year — the range that claims the Senna, Senna GTR, Speedtail, and Elva at the moment. But really, we're talking about a successor to the cars with a 1 in their names, as in F1 and P1. An Automotive News story says the latest superstar from Woking, England, is expected to cost about $2 million when it arrives in 2026.
Sony Honda Afeela Virtual First Drive: Sleuthing for Sony's secrets on GT7
It's been a little more than a year since Sony and Honda revealed their joint electric car project, the Afeela, and just a couple of months since an updated version of the car was shown at CES. Neither company has gone into great detail about the car parts of the EV, instead focusing on the interior and potential for infotainment. So, when we saw that the car had been added to «Gran Turismo 7,» we saw an opportunity to potentially learn more about the guts of the sedan, and maybe even a little bit about how the car drives.
2025 BMW M5 rumored to make 718 horsepower, that's the good news
More intel courtesy of BMW whisperer ynguldyn, an oracle concerning future product out Munich who contributes regularly to the Bimmerpost forums. This time the proclamations touch on the 2025 BMW M5, the longtime super sedan that will pull an M5 Touring wagon to the states as well. The bullet points start with powertrains, which will feature the hybrid setup from the XM. In the hottest version of the XM, the so-called XM Label, the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six and an electric motor combine to produce a square 738 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque. In the M5, we're told the paring will make a combined 718 horsepower and 760 lb-ft. These figures generously up the ante from the previous-gen M5's 600 hp and 553 lb-ft.