TheDetroitBureau.com covers the top stories occurring in the auto industry in the latest edition of the Headlight News podcast. The weekly roundup includes news, features, reviews and more.
Acura’s giving its popular RDX compact ute a midcycle refresh for 2022.
This week’s episode features Publisher Paul A. Eisenstein talking about three big new product debuts: the Acura RDX, Ford Expedition and Toyota Tundra — the last two taking place at the first-ever Motor Bella in metro Detroit. Other stories in the podcast include:
Ford also confirmed the arrival of the Bronco Raptor model in 2022;
Jeep became the latest brand to cut production due to the chip shortage;
AlixPartners updated its earlier estimates for how much the auto industry will lose to the shortage to $210 billion — almost double what it forecast May;
GM announced its plans to replace the batteries in its Bolt EV and EUV models after working with the battery maker, LG Chem, to resolve a problem that caused about a dozen vehicle fires; and
Tesla’s in the news — again — this time because transportation officials in San Francisco expressed concerns about its Full Self-Driving program. They are concerned that current issues with its Autopilot semi-autonomous driving technology and the name “Full Self-Driving” will create an unsafe environment.
Executive Editor Joe Szczesny has the top story this week with the announcement that Mike Manley is leaving Stellantis to become CEO at auto retailing giant AutoNation. Manley, who was tabbed to replace the late Sergio Marchionne to head up then Fiat Chrysler, continues his streak of working with executives with big personalities.
Former FCA Chief Exec Mike Manley is leaving Stellantis to take over as CEO at AutoNation.
Contributing Editor Larry Printz uses the words “bargain” and “Jaguar” in the same sentence while reviewing the 2021 Jaguar XF. Now the only four-door sedan available in the leaping cat’s line-up, it gets a price cut in concert with an updated interior. The combination makes it a fine competitor for German brands in the segment.
Managing Editor Mike Strong says the week ahead will be heavily focused on product. We’ll take with bespoke SUV maker Ineos Automotive EVP Greg Clark to talk about the brand’s first offering, the Grenadier, as well as its plans for the North American market. That’ll be followed by an update about GM’s BrightDrop electric commercial vehicle subsidiary, the world premiere of the Jeep Grand Cherokee as well as the September sales report on Friday.
Printz returns to tell us about the founding of Lincoln in 1917 — as an aircraft company. It later switched to vehicles with the 1921 Model L. The first Jeep prototype by the American Bantam Car Co. is delivered in 1940 — called the Blitz Buggy. The government shifted contract to Willys — Bantam builds the trailer. In 1948, the Honda Motor Co. is founded, building motorcycles. It builds its first car in 1963. Check out more at on the podcast.
Mazda’s debuted its first battery-electric model, the 2022 MX-30 crossover. There are many more EVs coming in the next year.
If you’re looking to buy a battery-electric vehicle today, your options are quite limited. But that won’t be the case for long. By the end of next year, automakers plan to add more than three dozen new BEVs – and that doesn’t include variants of existing models, like the single motor versions of the Volkswagen ID.4 and Polestar 2 soon being added.
In Part I we looked at everything from the Audi A6 e-tron to the Lucid Air. Now, let’s look at what’s coming from the back half of the Alphabet.
Mercedes-Benz EQA
Mazda MX-30. The little Japanese automaker has been slow to embrace electrification, hoping that its SkyActiv technology would let it meet increasingly rigid emissions standards. That all changes with the launch of the Mazda MX-30, its first pure battery-electric vehicle. How well is will fare in a market seeking longer and longer range is uncertain, the little SUV only fitted with a 32 kWh battery pack that can barely deliver 100 miles range. But, after waffling a bit, Mazda now expects to offer an optional rotary engine range extender to give the MX-30, with its 143-hp motor, more utility.
Mercedes-Benz EQB
Mercedes-Benz EQA. The German luxury brand might have been slow to embrace battery power but it has truly plugged in, showing off nearly a half-dozen concepts and production models at the recent Munich Motor Show. The family soon will include the EQA. That will become the smallest, all-electric Mercedes SUV when it comes to market next year. Final details for the American model haven’t been released but look for around 250 miles of range from its all-wheel-drive system. Mercedes claims it had more than 20,000 advance orders in hand by the time EQA debuted last February.
Mercedes-Benz EQE
Mercedes-Benz EQB. One of the Munich launches, it will roughly match the existing Mercedes GLB crossover in size. By moving batteries and motors below the load floor, the CUV will have a bit more room for up to seven passengers. Two all-wheel-drive versions will be available at launch early next year, with the EQB 4Matic promising up to 416 km, or 262 miles of range, as well as a sporty 288 horsepower. The EQB 300 4Matic will make about 225 horsepower and yield roughly the same range from its 66.5 kWh battery pack. Those are European numbers, so U.S. range will likely be less.
Mercedes-Benz EQG
Mercedes-Benz EQE. The 2023 EQE will become the second model line to use the automaker’s new EVA2 electric vehicle architecture, following the launch of the flagship EQS model. And like the bigger sedan, the EQE will adopt a distinctive “one-bow” design language meant to set it apart from traditional Mercedes sedans. The all-electric answer to the classic E-Class will, in typical Mercedes fashion, offer two variants at launch, the EQE 350 with 288 hp, as well as “another model” that wasn’t identified during the sedan’s Munich debut.
Mercedes-Benz EQS
Mercedes-Benz EQG. What we saw in Munich was labeled a “concept” vehicle. But that’s only for the time being. We can expect to see a production version of the battery-powered SUV to start rolling out in production form by late next year. Like the classic G-Class, the show SUV got an independent suspension on the front axle, but retained a rigid torsion beam axle in back. This will be no soft-roader. Expect the production model to retain all the capabilities of the “Gelandewagen.” By using four motors, one for each wheel, the automaker promises “unique driving characteristics both on- and off-road.”
Nissan Ariya
Mercedes-Benz EQS. For Americans, the all-electric alternative to the S-Class becomes Mercedes’ first long-range BEV this year. The sedan features a new “one-bow” design language that will be one of the auto world’s most aerodynamic designs. Inside, it gets an equally radical design anchored by the new pillar-to-pillar Hyperscreen. Add great performance and projected range of 770 kilometers, or nearly 480 miles, per charge, and the EQS takes dead aim at the Tesla Model S. The Munich show, meanwhile, saw the debut of two variants, the ultra-exclusive EQS Maybach and the high performance EQS AMG.
Porsche Macan EV
Nissan Ariya. The Japanese automaker was the first to launch a mainstream battery-electric vehicle a decade ago — the Leaf — but it has dragged its feet adding more to the line-up. And sales of the Ariya SUV now have been delayed due to the semiconductor shortage. But it should reach showrooms by early in 2022. Ariya rides on a flexible new architecture, and it gets major upgrades to the drivetrain in the latest-generation Leaf. Several variants will be offered, up to a 380-hp AWD model, and range should top 300 miles with an optional pack. The semi-autonomous Pro Pilot 2.0 system also will be available.
Rivian R1S
Porsche Macan EV. Porsche might once have seemed like the last brand to go electric but it has given a bear hug to battery power, starting with the Taycan, and with an assortment of other BEVs to follow. That next will include a version of the Macan SUV which, in gas form, is about to get a complete makeover. As with sibling brand Audi, Porsche will offer both ICE and BEV versions of key models. But the Macan EV actually will ride on its own, skateboard architecture, the Premium Platform Electric, or PPE. (Which it will share with Audi.) Expect Porsche-like performance and extremely fast charging.
Rivian R1T
Rivian R1S. This startup is seen as one of the most likely to carve out a solid niche in the automotive market, thanks to some hefty funding an extensive orders for all-electric delivery vans from customers like Amazon Prime. Rivian’s first entry into the retail market will come with a pair of electric trucks, including the R1S sport-utility vehicle. It will offer seating for up to seven, range of anywhere from 230 to 400 miles, depending on the optional battery pack, the ability to tow 7,700 pounds, and sports car like speed. The debut price is expected to be around $73,000.
Subaru Solterra
Rivian R1T. The nascent EV maker’s pickup will be first to market, the R1T Launch Edition debuting this month. That will be a premium trim package, with more mainstream versions to follow by early in 2022. As is the norm in the full-size pickup segment, Rivian will offer a broad range of configurations. That includes battery packs of anywhere from 105 to 180 kWh, as well as various motor layouts. Models with the biggest pack, Rivian claims, will hit 60 in just 3 seconds. The R1T will best the Rivian SUV in towing, as it’s rated at up to 11,000 pounds. It also plans to offer a semi-autonomous alternative to Tesla’s Autopilot.
Tesla Cybertruck
Subaru Solterra. The little Japanese brand has long teased the idea of going electric with various concept vehicles. It’s finally getting there, having finally revealed the production Solterra last month. Subaru still hasn’t offered much in the way of drivetrain details, however. But, like its design, it’s expected the underlying technology will stray little from what Toyota has coming next year in the form of its first long-range BEV, the bZ4X. The two automakers have shown how well they can work together with the latest-generation Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ sports car.
Toyota bZ4X
Tesla Cybertruck. As has been the unfortunate norm for the California upstart, Tesla has repeatedly delayed the launch of its first pickup until at least early next year. That means it will follow behind both GMC’s Hummer, Rivian’s R1T, and possibly even the Ford F-150 Lightning and Bollinger B1. That and its radical styling led to Elon Musk suggesting the Cybertruck could be a failure. But that seems unlikely considering Tesla took deposits from more than 200,000 potential customers within days of Cybertruck’s debut — and some observers believe the figure now stands at more than 1 million.
Volkswagen ID.Buzz
Toyota bZ4X. Officially, the electric SUV Toyota revealed in June was just a prototype — but company officials are doing little to hide the fact that a production version of the new bZ4X Concept is heading to U.S. showrooms, possibly by next year. Details are sparse, but it shares underpinnings and drive tech with the Subaru Solterra. Range is promised at more than 250 miles, performance as “sporty.” For Toyota, the bZ4X will serve as just the entry point. It says there will be seven all-electric bZ, or “Beyond Zero,” models, along with eight other BEVs.
Volkswagen ID.Space Vizzion
Volkswagen ID.Buzz. For many years, VW has attempted to come up with a replacement for its iconic Microbus. It finally has the right product — albeit one drawing power from a battery pack. While the ID.Buzz has repeatedly been delayed, it is widely expected to land in U.S. showrooms either next year or in 2023. Designed as an eight seater, it will share the same MEB platform and drivetrain system as the ID.4 electric SUV. While the final name could change, VW expects to assemble the battery-powered Microbus in Mexico.
Volvo C40 Recharge
Volkswagen ID.Space Vizzion. VW has launched what is arguably the world’s most expansive — and expensive — battery-car program, investing $86 billion through the end of the decade. It already has the ID.4 on sale in the U.S. and CEO Herbert Diess recently announced that VW will introduce more BEVs in the U.S. than originally planned. That could include both the ID.Life concept introduced at the Munch Motor Show, as well as the ID.Space Vizzion revealed in concept form at the LA Auto Show in 2019. More wagon than crossover, it is widely expected to reach market next year. Look for 300 miles of range.
Volvo C40 Recharge. Volvo brought out its first long-range electric in the form of the XC40 crossover. It’s now preparing to add a second variant in the form of the C40. In a break with its normal nomenclature, the BEV will opt for a sportback, rather than coupe body style. Don’t expect major powertrain changes, the C40 Recharge expected to be powered by a 402-hp, twin motor drive system. In the XC40, it runs for up to 208 miles per charge using a 75-kWh battery pack.
Volvo XC90 Replacement. You can be all but certain this won’t be the electric model’s actual name. While it’s set to replace the Swedish brand’s SUV flagship, Volvo’s CEO recently confided that future models will switch away from their alphanumeric format. “Calling that just a new XC90 would be wrong because this is the really a first of its kind,” explained CEO Håkan Samuelsson. Whatever it’s called, look for its to use a new and larger platform than the C40 Recharge, one specifically designed for Volvo’s largest products. Also expect it to get more range than the current battery models.
Classic car insurance company Hagerty announced Wednesday it acquired the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, held each March on tiny Amelia Island, off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.
Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The shows founder, Bill Warner, 78, will remain as Chairman Emeritus. Warner founded the show in 1996, and it’s evolved into a must-attend event for car enthusiasts.
The 2021 Best in Show Concours dElegance was the 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet.
“Our objective is to knit the enthusiast community together in a way that supports and protects the future of car culture,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, in a statement. “We are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to build upon and scale Bill’s vision.”
A growing portfolio
Hagerty’s move adds to their growing portfolio of top-notch automotive events. The company now owns some of the premiere automotive concours in the country, including Concours d’Elegance of America, the California Mille, and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance.
It also hosts Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional in the United Kingdom, with the next show slated to occur July 31. In addition, the company takes part in more than 2,500 automotive events annually.
Warner had been looking to bring in someone to take over the show for several years, but to little avail. Rumors have been circulating for weeks that a sale was imminent, but word did not leak out until Wednesday, with the issuing of a press release and a letter to the judging staff.
The 2021 Best in Show Concours de Sport was the 1974 Shadow DN4.
A legacy in the collector car community
Warner founded the vent looking to infuse the staid world of the concours with the passion of motorsports. That dual passion could be seen in Warner’s insistence that a Best in Show award be given to one production car and one race car, as Warner felt that race cars always got slighted at concours. The innovation has been copied by other American automotive events.
The most recent show, held May 23, Best in Show, Concours d’Elegance awarded to a 926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet, while Best in Show, Concours de Sport went to a 1974 Shadow DN4.
Held on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island for the past 26 years, the event has raised more than $3.75 million for charity.
Marketed as “The Aristocrats of Motordom,” Bakers were widely admired. Thomas Edison owned one. President Taft bought one for the first White House automotive fleet.
But the show reflects its location, held on an island that’s home to the show’s venue, the Ritz-Carlton, as well as funky, thanks to Fernandina Beach, a low-key Southern town with an eclectic main street and home to Florida’s oldest continuously operating bar.
The show is very much a reflection of Warner, and his passion for anything automotive. Warner, a Jacksonville native, spent years photographing races at Sebring and Daytona for Road & Track and Sports Car Graphic.
While the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, founded in 1950 and America’s first, considers itself the most important collector car show, many collectors prefer Amelia, which has quickly risen to challenge its hidebound rival. It’s hard to imagine the stuffy California show fielding Chevrolet Corvairs or yellow Italian sports cars or beach cars. To Warner, it’s all about pushing the envelope on what’s expected at a concours.
“Those two fairways are my canvas, and the cars are my oils,” Warner told the Tribune News Service of his show field at the Ritz Carlton in 2015. “Everyone has the same canvas; everyone has the same oils. You just have to have the creativity to come up with something special.”
Considered the oldest surviving electric car, the Electrobat IV was developed by chemist Pedro Salom and engineer Henry Morris, who received the first U.S. patent for the electric car in 1894.
That, and a healthy dose of Warner’s Southern charm, has endeared the show to many, including automakers such as General Motors, McLaren, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, as well as some the top race car drivers, car designers and industry executives.
In the same Tribune News Service story, Warner also knew his time with the show might coming to a close. “I think the hardest thing for me to pass on is my demented automotive mind. You have to understand the feng shui of the show. It’s not just about lining cars up.”
An old tradition
A modern-day concours d’elegance is little more than a 21st century update of a 19th century tradition, where wealthy carriage owners would meet and compete to see who had the best carriage. Owners were asked to compete by invitation only, you couldn’t pay to compete, a tradition that continues today. The name concours d’elegance is a French term meaning “a competition of elegance,” and only the finest, rarest cars are asked to compete.
The concours season starts in Florida in March with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, hits a crescendo with California’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and wraps up with the South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance in November.
Part of a series of photos, this leaked picture of the 2022 Tundra TRD Pro in red forced Toyota to show off the new truck earlier than desired.
Toyota has been quietly providing a sneak peek at the next-generation Toyota Tundra to a handful of dealers and members of the media in recent weeks. Now that one of those retailers leaked out an image of the truck, Toyota has decided to release the first formal image of the 2022 Tundra.
There’s good reason for a dealer to get excited. The current Tundra has been around for an unusually long period of time, coming to market all the way back in 2007 and getting what was a relatively modest update for 2014. Its key domestic competitors, the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500, have gone through several complete makeovers during the same period. Even the Nissan Titan had a long-awaited remake in 2016.
“Some people don’t know how to keep a secret,” Toyota said in a tweet with the first official picture of the new 2022 Tundra.
Images leak out
The truck pictured in Toyota’s pic was nearly identical to the one in the leaked image, but for color. And, based on a number of details, appears to be a TRD model aimed at off-roaders. One of the most intriguing features is the light bar built into the truck’s new and significantly enlarged grille. The leaked images also show a TRD Pro tailgate. The official image also features 18-inch wheels shod with Falken off-road rubber.
There are plenty of questions to be asked about the next-generation truck. For one, will it be offered with more trim levels and body styles than the outgoing Tundra — and, in particular, in heavy-duty form? Detroit brands like Ford, Chevy and Ram offer seemingly endless variants that allow buyers to precisely match their needs and desires, something analysts believe have allowed the domestics to retain dominance.
Powertrain options make up another matter of speculation. The current Tundra offers a base 5.7-liter V-8 making an acceptable, if not overwhelming 381 horsepower. It’s widely expected that Toyota will lift a page from the Detroit playbook with an expanded series of engine options starting with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6.
This shot certain implies what kind of transmission to expect.
New powertrain options to include a hybrid
But there are growing expectations that a hybrid will be offered, as well. That should come as no surprise considering Toyota was a pioneer in that technology — and the fact that it has repeatedly laid out a goal of “electrifying” essentially every product in its portfolio. Meanwhile, it has watched Ford get a leg up by launching a hybrid version of the latest-generation F-150.
If a hybrid is in Tundra’s plans, will it match Ford’s strategy with the PowerBoost and offer a built-in generator that can provide power at work and camp sites?
While Toyota still isn’t offering any official details about the next-generation Tundra, the official release of this pic will clearly resonate with current owners and potential buyers. Until now, they’ve had little to go on but for spy shots, rumors and a short company video that revealed an unspecified engine cover with the words “iForce Max” stamped in. That appears to be the name Toyota will use for its hybrid powertrain.
Pricing is one of the other details we’ll likely have to wait to have revealed. The current Tundra model starts around $36,000.
After years of delays and false starts, Lincoln finally plans to introduce what it describes as a “full portfolio” EVs, with the first to make its debut in 2022.
Lincoln chief Joy Falotico revealed the brand’s plans to add four new BEVs to its line-up and offer a “full portfolio” by 2030.
In all, four battery-electric vehicles, or BEVs are now in development, Lincoln said in a statement. The luxury brand also said a “full line-up of connected vehicles” is in the works, taking things a big step beyond what it currently offers through its Sync infotainment system.
The rollout of the first Lincoln EV will come during the same year the brand celebrates its 100th anniversary, “no better time to propel the Lincoln brand forward,” said Joy Falotico, the automaker’s president.
The technology will fit Lincoln’s “Quiet Flight” mantra she added, since electric motors are virtually silent and smooth. They can also produce the sort of horsepower and torque that luxury buyers expect.
Lincoln is not saying what sort of BEV it plans to debut next year. But with the company effectively out of the passenger car market in the U.S., it appears highly likely that the marque will introduce some sort of utility vehicle.
Lincoln is looking to reimagine its vehicle portfolio as it moves toward electrification.
It will be based on an all-new “flexible architecture,” a skateboard-like platform putting both batteries and motors below the cabin load floor. The platform will be able to configured in either rear- or all-wheel drive, according to Lincoln.
Ford was an early pioneer in electrification with products like the short-range Focus EV and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. But it lagged behind as other manufacturers, starting with Tesla, began rolling out longer-range BEVs that also delivered more sporty performance.
Coming back to battery power
The carmaker joined the expanding market with last year’s launch of the Mustang Mach-E. And CEO Jim Farley said last month that the company will boost its investment in electrified vehicles to more than $30 billion by mid-decade. That will include more pure battery-electric models than previous planned. The next model in the rollout will be the Ford F-150 Lightning pickup set to begin production early in 2022.
While more and more mainstream products are coming to market, the higher premium for battery power has led many manufacturers to emphasize premium and luxury segments. Mercedes-Benz will join the fray later this year with the EQS, an all-electric alternative to the familiar S-Class. Startup Lucid will debut with a nearly $150,000 version of its Air sedan late this year.
Some of the shift to EVs may offer a chance at a new vehicle design ideas.
Lincoln’s technology push also will see it upgrade its connected vehicle technology and services. Today’s Lincolns come equipped with the brand’s version of Ford Sync. Using a smartphone app, a customer can lock the vehicle, remotely start some models, and performance a variety of other remote functions. Lincoln wants to go several steps beyond and is expected to introduce pay and even subscription services, as well.
Among other things, connected vehicles could be linked to a local network — or even to each other — to track weather and road conditions.
New Lincoln models are being equipped with smartphone-style over-the-air update capabilities. These will allow the automaker to remotely update software and even add new vehicle functions, such as advanced driver assistance systems.
That, said Falotico, will allow Lincoln “to create an always-on relationship with (customers) and help transform the Lincoln brand for the future.”
Lordstown Motors Chief Executive Officer Steve Burns has resigned from the struggling electric vehicle startup, as has Chief Financial Officer Julio Rodriguez.
Lordstown Motors CEO Steve Burns resigned amidst a massive cash crunch that threatens the nascent EV maker’s survival.
The departures come just days after the Ohio-based company warned there was “substantial doubt” it would have enough money to remain in business for the next year. The company also faces an investigation by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission into claims that it misled investors.
Lordstown said Monday Angela Strand, its lead independent director, was appointed to serve as its executive chairwoman. A search will now begin for a permanent replacement for Burns. Separately, Becky Roof was named interim finance chief for the company.
“We remain committed to delivering on our production and commercialization objectives, holding ourselves to the highest standards of operation and performance and creating value for shareholders,” Strand said in a statement. “Along with the management team, I will continue to work closely with them and the Board to execute on Lordstown’s vision for the future of electrified transportation.”
Drawing from history to kick off the future
The new Endurance was supposed begin production at the end of September getting to full speed by the end of the year. That’s in serious doubt now.
Lordstown is one of numerous new companies targeting the electric vehicle sector. The company draws its name from the Ohio town in which its factory is based. It acquired the plant from General Motors, which once produced small cars like the Chevrolet Cruze there.
Lordstown’s goal has been to produce an all-electric pickup using novel in-wheel “hub” motors. It was emphasizing sales to fleets and, until a few months ago, claimed to have lined up thousands of advance orders for the vehicle, named Endurance.
It used its claimed success to help pull together financing and a deal to go public as part of a merger with DiamondPeak Holdings, a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC. At peak, its stock price surged to $31.80 a share. It closed Friday at $11.41.
Shares dropped in aftermarket trading after word of the resignations was released.
It all began with a report
Things began to crumble in March when the short-seller group, Hindenburg Research released a report questioning Lordstown’s optimistic sales projections. According to Hindenburg, the “fake” orders were used to help Lordstown raise capital. It has since come out that most, if not all, of the automaker’s sales claims are questionable.
Lordstown is engaged in beta testing its production line with the first of 57 pre-production models to come soon.
The SEC probe was announced shortly after the study was released. TheDetroitBureau.com has spoken to several of the companies Lordstown claimed were placing orders. It was told by several that they were, in fact, planning to purchase some Endurance pickups but had not yet finalized plans.
Lordstown has repeatedly said it plans to begin production of the Endurance this year — though Hindenburg’s report alleged that this wouldn’t happen for at least several years. What seems clear now is that the company doesn’t have the money to follow through.
“Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on our ability to complete the development of our electric vehicles, obtain regulatory approval, begin commercial scale production and launch the sale of such vehicles,” it said in a 10Q filing with the SEC last week.
This is the second automotive startup that the short-seller has targeted during the last year. It initially took aim at Nikola Motors, an Arizona-based company planning to bring hydrogen-powered trucks to market. After alleging he misled investors, Nikola’s CEO and founder Trevor Milton also resigned.
Despite the management shakeup, Lordstown said it still plans to participate in a presentation to the Detroit Automotive Press Association this week, as well as meeting of investors at its Ohio plant next week.
Autonomous tech company Waymo plans to team up with trucking company J.B. Hunt to haul freight using trucks equipped with AV systems between Houston and Fort Worth along the I-45 corridor.
The test run will use Waymo Via, the company’s autonomous Class 8 trucking unit powered by Waymo Driver and will be supervised by Waymo autonomous specialists, a commercially licensed driver and a software technician, on board to monitor every aspect of the Waymo Driver’s operations throughout the runs.
J.B. Hunt is teaming with Waymo to develop self-driving vehicle technology.
“This will be one of the first opportunities for J.B. Hunt to receive data and feedback on customer freight moved with a Class 8 tractor operating at this level of autonomy,” said Craig Harper, chief sustainability officer and executive vice president at J.B. Hunt.
“While we believe there will be a need for highly skilled, professional drivers for many years to come, it is important for J.B. Hunt as an industry leader to be involved early in the development of advanced autonomous technologies and driving systems to ensure that their implementation will improve efficiency while enhancing safety.”
Partnership designed to see how tech can be integrated
Through the collaboration, J.B. Hunt and Waymo Via will be exploring how autonomous driving technology can be integrated across fleets and enhance safety and efficiency.
Waymo and J.B. Hunt have already worked closely on operational and market studies that examined topics such as best practices for regular maintenance, what future facility layouts will look like, and which lanes are best suited for autonomous driving technology that led up to the project.
Waymo Via’s self-driving trucks have been on the road since 2018.
The upcoming test will also help the pair define how they can continue working together long-term.
“We’re thrilled to collaborate with J.B. Hunt as we advance and commercialize the Waymo Driver,” said Charlie Jatt, head of commercialization for trucking at Waymo.
“Our teams share an innovative and safety-first mindset as well as a deep appreciation for the potential benefits of autonomous driving technology in trucking. It’s companies and relationships like these that will make this technology a commercial reality in the coming years.”
Old hat for Waymo
Waymo brings over a decade of experience in building autonomous driving technology, having driven more than 20 million miles on public roads across 10 U.S. states and 20 billion miles in simulation. J.B. Hunt operates one of the largest company-owned fleets in North America, and its technology platform.
Waymo has been a leader in self-driving vehicle technology for more than a decade but for more than a decade but like other companies with an interest in AV technology has been spurred by the pandemic in invest more in the freight-hauling side of the business, which offers the promise of better financial returns than robo-taxis.
Just a week after it debuted its first all-electric offerings for the U.S. market, BMW’s followed up with the debut of its 2022 X3 and X4 sport-activity offerings plus their X3 M and X4 M siblings, as well as the new 430i Gran Coupe and M440i Gran Coupe.
BMW’s readying its updated 2022 X4 models for their U.S. debut later this year. Its produced at the company’s plant in South Carolina.
The new models get substantive updates inside and out, the company noted, including improvements to the drivetrain, infotainment and safety technology features. In addition, the X3 M40i and X4 M40i feature 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
BMW’s X3 line-up boasts rear-wheel drive X3 sDrive30i, all-wheel drive X3 xDrive30i and M all-wheel drive X3 M40i. The X4 gets the xDrive30i model as well as the X4 M40i. They’ll be produced at the company’s plant in Greer, South Carolina — home to all of its SAV production — alter this summer.
Prices start at $43,700 for the X3 sDrive30i, jumping to $45,700 for the X3 xDrive30i and $57,800 for the X3 M40i. Meanwhile the X4 xDrive30i is $51,800, followed by the X4 M40i at $62,400. Destination of $995 is in addition to all MSRP pricing.
A few tweaks
The X3 M sprints from 0 to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds due to the improved torque for 2022.
The exterior updates do include the much-maligned “beaver teeth” kidney grille for the X3 and X4, although they are smaller than those seen on other new models. The changes also include redesigned headlights, front and rear bumpers, exhaust trim and rear lights.
In terms of performance, the BMW X3 M40i and BMW X4 M40i gain the benefits of a 48-volt mild hybrid-system for the new model year. The mild hybrid technology draws on a 48-volt starter/generator and an additional battery, so it has significantly expanded possibilities when it comes to brake energy recuperation, the company notes.
When the accelerator pedal is released, the generator converts the kinetic energy into electricity, which is stored in the 48-volt battery. Recuperation in coasting mode is particularly intense in Sport mode.
Plenty of performance with new X3 M and X4 M
The new X4 M Competition gets a 37 lb-ft increase in torque for the new model year.
With a new X3 and X4 comes the opportunity for the mad scientists at M GmbH to have some fun, which comes in the form of the 2022 X3 M and X4 M as well as the Competition variant for each one.
Set to hit the market in September, the X3 M and X4 M are powered by a turbocharged inline-6 cylinder. Naturally, it’s been improved for the new models.
The latest version of this engine currently delivers 457 lb-ft of torque in the BMW X3 M and X4 M and 479 lb-ft of torque in Competition tune. This is an increase of 37 lb- ft of torque for the Competition package equipped models and an increase of 13 lb-ft for the 2022 BMW X3 M and BMW X4 M.
The engine features characteristics typical of M, including track-proven cooling and oil supply systems, linear power delivery and a high redline of 7,200 rpm.
The new 430i zips from stop to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds powered by a 2.0-liter twin turbo 4-cylinder engine.
The new increased torque production lowers the 0-60 acceleration time of the BMW X3 M and BMW X4 M from 4.1 seconds to 3.9 seconds and from 4.0 seconds to 3.7 seconds for the Competition package-equipped X3 M and X4 M.
Top speed is an electronically limited 155 mph, which is increased to 177 mph when the optional M Driver’s Package is selected. This package also includes a voucher for driver training at one of the BMW Performance Center driving schools around the country.
Pricing on the new X3 M starts at $69,900 while the X4 M comes in at $73,400, plus the $995 destination charge for both.
Lower is not slower
The new 440i xDrive Gran Coupe was developed with heavy influence of BMW’s motorsports expertise from M GmbH group.
For those only requiring the sport and not the activity, BMW covered that as well with the debut of the second-generation 4 Series Gran Coupe. The Bavarian brand revealed two offerings: the 430i Gran Coupe and the M440i Gran Coupe.
BMW claims the new 4 Series models “promise and deliver class-leading design, performance, infotainment, connectivity and advanced driver assist safety systems.” The all-wheel-drive 430i features a long, low body and room for five adults. It’s powered by a twin turbo 2.0-liter 4 cylinder putting out 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It handles the 0 to 60 spint in a very capable 5.8 seconds. While it offers plenty of punch, it’s M440i that appeals to the racing driver in buyers.
The inline 6-cylinder engine powering the BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe was developed with the motorsport expertise of BMW M GmbH and comes with weight-optimized pistons and connecting rods as well as a twin-scroll turbocharger with indirect charge air cooling. It generates 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, pushing the BMW M440i xDrive Gran Coupe from 0 to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
The new 4 Series offerings begin production in July with the first ones hitting the streets in August. The 430i comes in at $44,800 while the M440i starts at $58,000 with a destination charge of $995 for both.
Whether you’re into performance, off-roading or just need a practical everyday grocery getter, Toyota has a special edition model for you.
2022 Toyota Highlander Bronze Edition
During a four-day media background session at the company’s North American headquarters in Plano, Texas, Toyota unveiled its plans for new special editions in effort to attract buyers.
While some are purely cosmetic, others have additional equipment that help them stand apart. Given the timing of the new model announcements, pricing for any of these models has not been finalized.
Here’s a look at what’s coming to Toyota showrooms for 2022.
2022 Toyota Highlander Bronze Edition
Exclusive to the Highlander Hybrid and available with front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, the Bronze Edition is, as you might have guessed, a Highlander Hybrid painted in Cement or Wind Chill Pearl with bronze accents on its wheels, door sills, pleather-trimmed seats and floor mats.
2022 Toyota Prius Nightshade
Priced between the Hybrid XLE ($41,535) and Hybrid Limited ($45,490), the Bronze Edition gets additional standard equipment above the XLE grade, including a hands-free power liftgate, rain-sensing wipers, a digital rearview mirror, 1,500-watt power outlet, puddle lamps with Highlander logo, ambient lighting, 10-way power driver’s seat with memory, and LED-strip daytime running lights.
2022 Toyota Prius Nightshade
Available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, the Prius Nightshade is a murdered-out Prius hybrid, offered in black, white or silver. The 11th Toyota model to get the Nightshade treatment, it wears blacked out mirror caps, door handles, rear deck spoiler, shark fin antenna and five-spoke alloy wheels (17 inches with all-wheel drive, 15 inches with front-wheel drive). Pleather-trimmed heated front seats, heated steering wheel and semi-gloss black center console are included in the package.
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Special Edition
2022 Toyota Sienna Woodland Special Edition
Toyota’s hybrid minivan gets a dose of off-road style with the Sienna Woodland Special Edition. Yes, it has all-wheel drive, which sends as much 80% of the Sienna’s power to the rear wheels. More importantly, it gets added ground clearance, although Toyota didn’t say how much.
Additional exterior upgrades include a tow hitch with 3,500-pound towing capability, roof rails, 18-inch wheels, and black badging. Inside, look for a 1,500-watt power outlet — perfect for camping — along with dark chrome accents, unique black seat trim, a navigation system with a 1,200-watt JBL audio system, sliding second-row captain’s chairs, kick-activated sliding doors, heated front seats, second-row sunshades and seven USB ports.
Thoughtfully, Toyota will donate $250 to the National Environmental Education Foundation for each special edition it sells.
2022 Toyota GR Supra A91 CF
2022 Toyota GR Supra-A91 CF Edition
Not a name that rolls off the tongue, the GR Supra A91-CF Edition — the CF an abbreviation for carbon fiber — is a North American exclusive and limited to 600 copies. The CF Edition wears exposed carbon fiber on its front splitter, side rockers, side and rear canards, as well as the rear spoiler, matched to Absolute Zero, Nitro Yellow or Phantom Matte Grey paint.
Nineteen-inch matte-black wheels complete the exterior flourishes. Inside, it’s decked out with an Alcantara and leather interior in a mix of red and black. The package is offered on 2.0, 3.0, 3.0 Premium trim levels. In addition, all Supras with the Premium Audio Package now get full-screen Apple CarPlay, as Toyota attempts to catch up with its competitors.
Regardless of which 2022 Supra model you buy, buyers get a complimentary one-year membership to the National Auto Sport Association, which includes its high-performance driving school, and discounted admission to sanctioned events.
2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
2022 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
America’s best-selling midsize pickup for 16 years gets a revised Tacoma TRD Pro model based on the Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4×4 Double Cab short-bed iteration and boasting Toyota Racing Development-tuned Fox internal bypass shocks and a taller suspension lift — 1.5 inches up front and 0.5 inches at the rear. TRD-engineered forged aluminum upper-control arms add strength and additional rebound.
The results can be seen in the off-road stats boulder bashers appreciate: a 36.4-degree approach angle, 24.7-degree departure angle, and a 26.6-degree breakover angle, all improvements from previous TRD Pro models. The TRD Pro also wears black TRD wheels shod with Goodyear Territory all-terrain tires. Helpfully, an 8-inch touchscreen displays front-, rear- and side-camera views.
Other interior upgrades include black leather-trimmed heated front seats with TRD Pro logos on the headrests, TRD shift knob, and TRD Pro all-weather floor mats. The driver also gets a 10-way power adjustable seat.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition
2022 Toyota Tacoma Trail Edition
First introduced for 2021, the Tacoma Trail Edition Is basically a Tacoma SR5 with additional standard features and offered solely in 4×4 Double Cab trim. With 9.4 inches of ground clearance, and a 6,400-pound towing capacity, the Tacoma Trail Edition gets an additional 1.1-inch lift in the front and 0.5-inch lift in the rear.
Its front air dam is deleted to improve ground clearance, resulting in an approach angle of 34 degrees, a breakover angle of 26.4 degrees, and a departure angle to 23.6 degrees. Off-road undercarriage skid plates are standard, as is a locking rear differential. Four colors are available, including one new one, Lunar Rock, as well as Army Green, Midnight Black Metallic and Super White.
2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport
Other exterior tweaks include a grille inspired by the first TRD Pro, a 0.5-inch wider track, and new Goodyear all-terrain tires. Inside, there’s black fabric seats accented with unique tan stitching, standard all-weather floor mats, and a bunch of standard goodies. Toyota’s 3.5-liter V-6, generating 278 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, is standard.
2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport
Offered with rear-wheel drive or part-time four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case, the 2022 4Runner TRD Sport is the newest model in the 4Runner line-up, with X-REAS, for Cross-Linked Relative Absorber System, which automatically adjusts shock absorbers to offset opposing inputs on opposite corners of the SUV to reduce pitch and yaw. This helps given the 4Runner’s 9 inches of ground clearance; 9.6 on four-wheel-drive models.
Twenty-inch wheels and a full-size spare are standard. Exterior gewgaws include color-keyed exterior trim, TRD hood scoop, a front spoiler and black roof rails. Heated black pleather seats with gray stitching, TRD logos, and a TRD shift knob complete the interior makeover. A 270-hp 4.0-liter V-6 engine is standard, as is an 8-inch multimedia touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Amazon Alexa.
General Motors is looking to go to the moon again.
A new generation of lunar rovers under development by Lockheed Martin and GM could be used by Artemis astronauts in 2024.
The Detroit-based auto company, which produced the lunar rover for the Apollo 15 mission to the moon, is partnering with Lockheed Martin to develop and produce a “lunar terrain vehicle,” or LTV, for use by for NASA’s Artemis program.
The goal is to design and build a vehicle that allows astronauts explore more of the moon’s surface “than ever before,” according to GM officials. The LTV is just the first of several types of vehicles needed to help get astronauts across the moon’s surface.
“General Motors made history by applying advanced technologies and engineering to support the Lunar Rover Vehicle that the Apollo 15 astronauts drove on the Moon,” said Alan Wexler, senior vice president of Innovation and Growth at GM, in a statement.
“Working together with Lockheed Martin and their deep-space exploration expertise, we plan to support American astronauts on the Moon once again.”
EV expertise + experience = LTV job
NASA needs a vehicle capable of traveling the lunar South Pole.
GM enjoys the advantage of having done this before. It aided NASA in the development of the agency’s Apollo Moon program, having developed, tested, integrated and produced the inertial guidance and navigation systems for the series, in particular Apollo that put astronauts on the moon for the first time in 1969.
Additionally, it helped to develop the Apollo Lunar Roving Vehicle (LRV) for Apollo 15-17. The all-electric LRV never drove farther away from NASA’s based than 4.7 miles during its time on the moon’s surface. Fortunately, GM’s electric vehicle technology has advanced substantially since then.
The new vehicles aim to travel “significantly farther distances,” including the moon’s South Pole, which is cold and dark with severely rugged terrain. The vehicles will also need to be able to haul plenty of equipment in addition to people. NASA, according to reports, is looking for a vehicle to be able to travel about 600 miles on a charge and about 6,000 miles in a 42-day period.
The GMC Hummer SUT, which is set to debut later this year, recently went through some extreme winter testing, which may lend the company’s engineers some much-needed insight into how their current battery technology will fare in the far-colder reaches of space.
A rendering shows how the Hyundai TIGER X-1 could maneuver across the moon.
Not the only automaker with lunar plans
GM isn’t the only auto company working on lunar vehicles, in fact, it may be described as the latest to prepare a vehicle to be driven on the moon. Earlier this year, Hyundai unveiled its autonomous, all-electric TIGER X-1, which it claimed could be used on the moon.
However, Toyota’s been working diligently with the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA, to develop a new lunar rover for its moon mission in 2030. The automaker started the project in 2019 and proceeded quickly enough that it expressed hope that NASA would use its vehicle for the 2024 mission to the moon.
The Lunar Cruiser, as Toyota calls it, is a six-wheeled, hydrogen-powered rover, and it made it clear that while the project began as a JAXA-inspired vehicle, it hoped the U.S. space agency would take notice.
“We have now found a new ‘road,’ which is the moon. And for this new road, we will be able to make a new vehicle,” Takao Sato, project head of Toyota’s Lunar Exploration Mobility Works and a former interior design engineer who worked on the Prius hybrid, told Automotive News. “This is a dream for us.”
Toyota is developing a lunar land rover that the company hopes NASA will use for a 2024 lunar mission.
Audi also prepared a remote-controlled buggy to be used on the moon in 2016. The German maker supported a team of scientists chasing the Xprize, hoping to launch their mobile lab atop an Indian rocket. The goal was to have it travel nearly a quarter-million miles before landing on the Taurus Littrow Valley — which just happened to be the last place an Apollo moon mission landed nearly 50 years ago.
GM’s first lunar models
The company’s first LRVs were battery-powered four-wheelers that they stripped down as much as possible to permit them to be loaded onto a Saturn V rocket for launch. They also folded so they could be loaded in the cargo back of the Apollo mission’s Lunar Excursion Module, or LEM.
Power was provided by what was, for the time, a highly sophisticated 36-volt silver-zinc potassium hydroxide batteries. They weren’t rechargeable, which didn’t matter on a one-way mission like Apollo — that’s likely to change this time around. The key was the battery pack’s durability in the moon’s devastating environment. Maximum range was 57 miles, though the longest distance driven was 22.3 miles on Apollo 17 – with the astronauts never getting more than 4.7 miles from their LEM base.
The first vehicles were somewhat purpose-built models, but GM is expected to develop — in concert with Lockheed Martin — a variety of vehicles. Autonomous, self-driving systems will allow the rovers to prepare for human landings, provide commercial payload services, and enhance the range and utility of scientific payloads and experiments.Lockheed, which will be leading this effort, has produced vehicles used for every Mars mission thus far, including the 11 spacecraft that has carried the rovers used on the Martian surface to the Red Planet.
