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Audi adds Q7 SUV to its Silvercar on-demand rental service
Audi is hoping to attract families and groups of travelers to its Silvercar service, through which you can reserve and unlock cars with your phone, by adding its Q7 to the fleet. You can now reserve the SUV in Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando, Phoenix and Salt Lake City for rentals starting February 15th. Audi says it will make the Q7 available at its other Silvercar locations from June.
Mercedes' connected A-Class sedan will start at $32,500
Ever since Mercedes-Benz unveiled the first A-Class destined for the US, there's been one question on would-be drivers' lips: just how accessible is this tech-savvy Merc, really? Now you know. The brand has revealed that the 'entry' 2019 sedan will start at $32,500 for the base A220, while the AWD-equipped A220 4MATIC variant will begin at $34,500. That's not as inexpensive as it could be (Canadians pay the equivalent of $27,000 for a hatchback), but it's still relatively accessible for the first US-bound car to run Mercedes' smarter MBUX platform.
VW and Ford may work together on EVs and autonomous vehicles
In the latest instance of major automakers teaming up, Volkswagen and Ford will work together on commercial vans and pickups, and they could start selling such vehicles by 2022. The companies are also exploring potential collaboration on electric vehicles, self-driving cars and transportation services.
Infiniti QX Inspiration Concept EV makes a delayed Auto Show debut
Like every good luxury car brand, Infiniti has plans to make its first EV a crossover-ish attempt full of its special touches and design language. The latest step in that direction is the QX Inspiration Concept that takes advantage of the design opportunities of electric vehicles to meld high-tech up front with physical no-tech touches in the rear like real, natural wood inlays and even a marble center console extending toward the rear seats. There is one, small catch however -- even concept cars are usually running when they're announced, and due to an undisclosed technical issue, the Inspiration Concept could not answer the bell this morning. As Autoblog reported, designers were forced to say "It's here, but you can't see it" while showing clips on screen as the car sat backstage. The car did eventually get onto Infiniti's stand -- although it's unclear whether that was under its own power, I saw workers dragging a covered car either into or out of the booth just before -- to show off its pillar-to-pillar widescreen displays, suicide doors and cockpit that retracts into the floor when autonomous driving is enabled. This is supposed to set a 'direct precedent' for Infiniti's first electric car, so while we're assuming the marble console won't make it, under-floor battery cells, electric all-wheel-drive and an "aesthetic defined by straight lines, clean surfaces and concise graphics" could go on to the next stage.
VW will build its US electric cars in Tennessee
Volkswagen just made a major commitment to electric car production in the US. The company has revealed that it will open its first dedicated EV factory for North America at its existing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Production won't start until 2022, but VW claimed the new plant will create 1,000 jobs. The first vehicle out of the gate will be the ID Crozz SUV, which will go on sale in the country in 2020 -- in other words, those initial models will likely come from outside the country.
Nissan's IMs concept sedan EV includes a 'Premier' rear seat
While Nissan already sells a relatively popular electric vehicle, the Leaf, it's still imagining concepts that wrap more appealing shells around a zero-emission drivetrain. Enter its latest "Intelligent Mobility" concept car: the IMs. Following the IDs and IMx models we've seen at events in years past, this one tries to create a whole new kind of car with the "elevated sports sedan." In a world where SUVs and crossovers are eating into car sales, maybe that makes sense, but this almost-a-crossover not only rides high on 22-inch aluminum alloy wheels and an air suspension that adjusts to the terrain, but it can go with dual electric motors capable of 483 HP and 590 lb-ft of torque.
Ford's 2020 Explorer Hybrid adds range without losing storage capacity
While Ford already revealed its redesigned Explorer SUV, today at the Detroit Auto Show we're learning more about the new Hybrid version. Ford claims that this year it's introducing a whole slew of hybrid vehicles that combine performance and extended range via their efficiency, and this one is just the first. While we don't have all the details on its powertrain yet, the 2020 Ford Explorer Hybrid has a 3.3-liter V6 that's part of a hybrid system producing 318 HP (no word on torque -- yet), while pulling more than 500 miles of range from its 19.3 gallon gas tank. Beyond making life a little greener for SUV owners, Explorer chief engineer Bill Gubing points out that "Reduced cargo space in hybrids is a thing of the past for Ford customers." Unlike other Ford hybrid vehicles that sacrificed space for big, awkwardly-placed battery packs, this one slides its specially designed liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery into the chassis beneath the second row seats so owners don't have to give up legroom or cargo space. At 4,969 pounds it's even lighter than the 400 HP ST version Ford is also showing off today. Still, we'll want to see its storage capabilities for ourselves -- as well as the optional 10.1-inch vertically-oriented touchscreen -- and hear more about how much it tows before hooking up the boat and taking a trip up north. Update: Ford mentioned it's capable of towing up to 5,000 pounds, and the model I saw here on the show floor looked like any other SUV with three rows of seating. The battery pack is tucked somewhere under that second row and while you won't be shoving anything under those seats, there's nothing awkwardly poking out to block other parts of the cabin.
Cadillac drops teaser pics of its first electric vehicle
Shortly after GM revealed Cadillac will take the lead in its electrification push, the brand has given us a peek at its first-ever electric car. Following a couple of hybrid attempts, the new vehicle doesn't come with a name or any details, but from the looks we'd expect a Model X-fighting luxury crossover. The most important part may be what's under the skin, as this shows off the "BEV3" platform that GM plans to use for a number of electric cars going forward. Cadillac president Steve Carlisle said: "The architectural design will allow the battery packs to fit into the vehicle like ice cubes in an ice cube tray, you can put in as much water as you want to make as many cubes as you need -- the tray still takes up the same space in the freezer." The point of the design is flexibility, so that any kind of vehicle can have a unique design without reducing range. The drive units are similarly targeted for flexibility, with front-, rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations supported.
GM will make Cadillac its 'lead' electric vehicle brand
While Chevrolet launched the Volt plug-in hybrid and pure-electric Bolt, Cadillac has taken a backseat in GM's electric vehicle push. Now as it attempts to find profits in that segment, the company's electrification plans will put luxury first. In an update for investors released on Friday (PDF), the company said: Cadillac will be GM's lead electric vehicle brand and will introduce the first model from the company's all-new battery electric vehicle architecture, GM's foundation for an advanced family of profitable EVs. The flexible platform will provide a broad array of body styles and will be offered in front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel configurations. Its most critical components — including the battery cells — are being designed for maximum usability across all programs. The battery system will also be adjustable, based on vehicle and customer requirements. For a few years Cadillac sold an ELR hybrid coupe that was criticized for being overpriced at $75,0000 -- $35,000 more than the Volt that shared its powertrain. Its follow-up CT6 Plug-In Hybrid hasn't fared much better. The "flexible platform" referred to is called BEV3, a replacement for BEV2 (Battery Electric Vehicle 2), which the Bolt is based on. It appears that the next phase of its plans will roll out with a more carefully-considered plan and an eye toward growing sales in China. Other areas it's focusing on include commercializing autonomous vehicles (see its efforts with Cruise) and pushing trucks in North America.
