Category: Car presentations

Volkswagen takes a bold step towards the affordable EV for the masses with its ID.2all* concept car.

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

It’s coming: Volkswagen brought us a first glimpse of an all-electric Volkswagen costing less than 25,000 euros with their “ID. 2all” concept vehicle.

It is of course front-wheel drive, range of up to 450 kilometres, innovative technological features such as Travel Assist, IQ.LIGHT or Electric Vehicle Route Planner and a new Volkswagen design language.

Technical buffs are interested to know that this new “E”VW for the masses will be based on the MEB Entry platform and is one of ten(!) new electric models that Volkswagen will launch by 2026.

In my modest opinion, VW takes here a formidable and bold gamble… will the European car markets (and more specifically its electric infrastructure) be ready for this?

Read further about this “milestone” E-VW…it is sooo interesting and will be a harbinger for things to come!  

Hans Knol ten Bensel

VW’s goals and ambitions with this new true “E”-VW…

It is certain that VW wants the wider public to again fall in love with its cars: Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars stated it clearly: “We are transforming the company rapidly and fundamentally – with the clear objective of making Volkswagen a genuine Love Brand.”

The concept of “Wertarbeit”, a concept so beloved by the Germans, which can be freely translated to “Quality work which creates value”, is also not lost in the boardroom and lobby’s of Volkswagen. Imelda Labbé, Member of the Brand Board of Management for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales, stated it clearly: “We are transferring the typical Volkswagen virtues to the new world of mobility: top quality and workmanship, outstanding software and digital services with genuine added value.”

Mechanical perfection and reliability is therefore of prime importance, and so VW adops well-tried solutions, present in the MEB platform, which by the way uses also all the automated product processes which are already well in place.

Kai Grünitz, Member of the Brand Board of Management responsible for Development, states it for us: “The ID. 2all will be the first MEB vehicle with front-wheel drive. We are exploiting the great flexibility offered by our modular electric drive (MEB) platform and will set new standards in terms of technology and everyday usability with the MEB Entry platform.”

This VW will also certainly be no sluggard: It has a powerful electric drive motor with an output of 166 kW / 226 PS and will have a calculated WLTP range of up to 450 kilometres.

A new design…

The ID. 2all concept vehicle was designed by Andreas Mindt, who took over as the new Head of Volkswagen Design on 1 February 2023. Volkswagen is in his blood, as his father was a designer in Wolfsburg before him. Andreas Mindt joined Volkswagen in 1996 after studying design. He created bestsellers such as the first Tiguan and the seventh-generation Golf. In 2014, he moved to Audi in Ingolstadt as Head of Exterior Design.

The next step followed in 2021 when Mindt became Director of Design at Bentley in Crewe, England. However, he has always maintained his close ties to Volkswagen and continues to be the proud owner of a Beetle. Andreas Mindt on his first project as Volkswagen Head of Design: “We are transferring the DNA of our icons into the future. The ID. 2all is therefore also homage to the Beetle, Golf and Polo.”

Andreas Mindt has developed a new Volkswagen design strategy – one that will ensure the brand’s DNA remains clearly recognisable in the future. Mindt: “I am focusing on three main pillars: stability, likeability and excitement.”

“The most important value for Volkswagen design is stability,” says Andreas Mindt. This includes value stability, stability of form, reliability and recognisability. “A second core element of the brand is likeability,” explains the designer. The Beetle, Volkswagen bus, new Beetle and ID. Buzz clearly demonstrate this. “Stability and likeability – we have to achieve these two values in every respect.” But there is much more to a successful Volkswagen than that: “We also want to create excitement in our customers.” For example, with added dynamics, improved operability or the classic “form follows function” of an ID. Buzz or Golf. Technologies, forms and concepts are what make a Volkswagen desirable. Stability, likeability and excitement are typical characteristics of the Volkswagen design, the Volkswagen feeling. Mindt assigns three design elements to each of these three values. They are all reflected in the ID. 2all.

I was happy to read Mindt’s comments on design, which I have repeated time and again in my guide tours at Audi Brussels: Automotive design is an art form, but there are still clear laws that apply – such as the golden ratio. I couldn’t agree more with Andreas Mindt: “Likeability is created by the golden ratio. This is quite simply the ratio of three fifths to two fifths.” Leonardo da Vinci already followed this geometrical principle in works such as the Mona Lisa. The designer continues: “The feature line running below the window shoulder is located on exactly the golden ratio line of the ID. 2all. Both the Beetle and Golf also always followed the principle of the golden ratio.” People perceive this division created by nature as being pleasant and likeable.

Easy to use…

VW has learned from the usability mishaps in the commands of the early ID’s. VW now calls it ‘self-explanatory operation’. The touch display (diagonal: 32.7 cm / 12.9 inches) of the infotainment system has a new menu structure. Below this there is a newly developed, separate air conditioning control panel. Other vehicle functions are operated by means of a menu control in the centre console, which can also be used to change the look of the digital instruments. The new multifunction steering wheel is designed to be clear and self-explanatory – two thumbwheels on the left and right and two buttons each, and nothing else.

Charged to 80 per cent in less than 20 minutes…

The battery permits a calculated WLTP range of up to 450 kilometres. At DC quick-charging stations, the battery can be charged from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes.

Provided we find these stations! In our country, the situation is still abysmal what these quick charging stations is concerned. Take Fastned: when I want for instance to drive from Antwerp to Knokke, I need to have enough range to make the 210 km trip back and forth to Antwerp, and to make things even worse, there is no Fastned charging station in the whole Antwerp region so far, and NONE in Knokke… so I would have to go towards Brussels in Steenokkerzeel, about 43,7 km from Antwerp, to find one… ridiculous isn’t it? I need at least 260 km range for the trip! To avoid any misunderstandings, we looked here only for Fastned charging stations. There are of course some other 4 to 38 kW charging stations, but any of the apps to find chanrging stations do NOT show whether you can use your bank card or not. At more than 90 %, it is not possible…

Back to our concept car…

Of course, this VW accelerates like a bullet: 0 to 100 km/h in less than 7 seconds. Its top speed is limited to 160 km/h.

A bold step for Volkswagen, but a very logical one if you take a look at its strategy. Soon, we will live in (very) different times…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Awards for Alfa Romeo and Jeep…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car News, Car presentations, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

There are smiling faces at Alfa Romeo: the iconic Giulia wins the “mid-size import” category in the readers’ competition of the magazine “auto motor und sport ” . The victory in “Best Cars 2023” is already the sixth success for the Alfa Romeo Giulia in the past seven years.

18 candidates were put to the test by the readers of “auto motor und sport” in the “mid-size import” category, and the Giulia was a winner with 19,5% of the votes.

Also the new Alfa Romeo Tonale proved a favorite. It just missed out on victory by only 0,2% and scores a 2nd place in the category ‘Compact SUV – Importers’. The D-SUV Alfa Romeo Stelvio is also among the top 3 models in the category ‘Large SUV – Importers’.

The Jeep Avenger clearly has won the hearts of the femaile voters. The fully electric Jeep® Avenger is named Best Family SUV in 2023 Women’s World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) awards. A panel of 63 WWCOTY jurors from 45 countries selected the Avenger ahead of 12 other family SUVs.

In January, the Avenger was named European Car of the Year 2023. More than 12,000 units have been sold since the opening of orders for the 1st Edition on Dec 1, 2022 and then the full lineup on Jan 11th, 2023.

The WWCOTY jury praised the  Avenger for its “successful design and excellent off-road capability”, and for being “a commitment to the future that customers will appreciate”.

More news soon about the other WWCOTY winners…and we will next week have an extended testdrive with the plug in hybrid Tonale, we are looking forward to it, and soon you will read our comments!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We drove the Opel Mokka 1.2 Turbo 130 HP: the unique panache of a four wheeled lightning …

Posted in Car News, Car presentations, Car Tests, Design, Lifestyle, New ModelsLeave a comment

Opel cars carry proudly the iconic lightning or “Blitz” badge, and this since the Opel-RAK 1 or rocket record car made an unforgettable impression in March 1928, when it achieved 75 km/h and more than 100 km/h in April of the same year.

The Opel group was also working on liquid-fuel rockets in those days: In a cabled exclusive to The New York Times on 30 September 1929, Duke von Opel is quoted as saying: “Sander and I now want to transfer the liquid rocket from the laboratory to practical use. With the liquid rocket I hope to be the first man to thus fly across the English Channel.” It announced the dawning of a new age: that of rocket propulsion.

But we will stay with both feet on the ground, and enjoy the four wheeled products of the brand. And I must admit, I did already enjoy them massively in my early automotive life. My first Opel I tested as a car journalist was in 1968, actually replacing my father Theo ten Bensel, then Editor of weekly illustrated “De Post”. It was the beautiful Opel GT 1900, driven in the surroundings of Port Grimaux.

In the summer of 1971 we made a high speed trip to the Austrian Grand Prix in Zeltweg, with a Manta 1900, having the same 102 HP engine as the sleek GT two seater, coupled to three-speed TH-180 automatic. The Manta proved to be not only fast, it excelled with a stable, wonderful handling, making it a true Gran Turismo. Since then, my admiration for Opel cars was born.

When I slid behind the wheel of a Mokka, superb looking in its black livery, I immediately was again seduced by the no-nonsense Opel efficiency, build quality and style. Opel adopts in-car connectivity and instrumentation with the philosophy of “less is more”, and indeed the dashboard is an example of user friendliness and simplicity.

But it is stylish too. The new Mokka was the first model with the Opel Vizor as the future brand face, and indeed it symbolizes very well what Opel this decade wants to look like: pure, precise – reduced to the essentials. Like a full-face helmet, the Opel Vizor organically integrates the grille, the headlights and the brand logo in one single module that covers the new Opel face.  

The Mokka is also well proportioned: its bold looks are characterized by short overhangs and a well-planted, wide stance. It’s also is 12.5 centimetres shorter than the predecessor – despite the 2.0cm-longer wheelbase.

We told you about the first generation “A” Opel Manta. It inspired the initial concept of this elegant feature: for the new Mokka, the designers literally reinvented the Manta’s grille with twin headlight-modules on a black surface, framed by a thin chrome bar.

The legendary “Blitz” brand logo we also told you about has been redrawn and will adorn all upcoming models from the German carmaker. The surrounding ring is now slimmer, more elegant, more precise. This emphasizes the “Blitz” even more. All details are super sharp with a very small radius. The ‘Opel’ lettering is integrated in the lower part of the ring.

At the rear, The Mokka nameplate, executed in sharply crafted lettering, stretches in a wide landscape format to emphasize the width of the vehicle, “pure”, without irritating additives such as equipment lines or displacement abbreviations. It sits centrally on the tailgate below the legendary Blitz. Nice!

Under the hood: a variety of drivetrains…

The multi-energy platform CMP (Common Modular Platform) allows a variety of powertrains. Opel offers the Mokka-e with 100kW (136hp) electric drive, which we drove in beautiful Flemish Pajottenland at the end of last year. (See https://autoprova.be/2022/12/07/opel-mokka-and-the-best-barista-in-the-world/)

But it there are of course the well proven 1,2 litre three cylinder petrol engines with power outputs ranging from 74kW (100hp) to 96kW (130hp).

This engine family takes centre stage in the Stellantis Group and is found in virtually all brands and models. We tested here the 130 HP version coupled to the equally well proven 8 speed auto box, which we also find in many Stellantis models. Compared with the Citroen C5 X we tested with the identical drivetrain, it made a more sophisticated impression, with less vibrations and generally smoother pickup. Performance leaves also here nothing to be desired, with a top speed of a solid 200 km/h and an acceleration time from 0 to 100 km/h in 9,2 seconds. You guessed it: this is by and large the performance of the original Porsche 911. Not bad…

Of course, very Porsche untypical is the consumption: this is where enormous progress is made over the years: where the 60’s Porsche would consume well over 13 liters/100 km in town, the 1,2 litre Mokka will consume about half, and even less, with an average of 6-5,9 litres. On the open road, the differences are just as large. Cautiously driven, the vintage Porsche would consume 9-9,5 liters on the open road, the Mokka will chalk up merely 4,3 liters… These WLTP figures require a very sensitive foot, and indeed also ask for rather sensitive cruising speeds, but let’s face it, what has been reached over the years is just enormous. This, lets’ not forget, will make our modern petrol engines future proof for many years to come…

We just loved the three cylinder throb of the engine, which was overall quiet anyway, and this made driving this Mokka a genuine pleasure.

Add to all this the impeccable handling, then you understand this Mokka is indeed a driver’s car. It does not have the absolute eagerness of a pure sports car, but is stability and steering precision is certainly inviting you to drive it with spirit. It feels at home in town, as it is smooth at slow speeds, and on the Autobahnen it is a true master. This is a machine built for (very) high cruising speeds, for hours on end. On country roads, its positive handling and stability lets you also tackle the route with verve.

Efficient aerodynamics

Of course, to make this Mokka a smooth Autobahn high speed master, some detailed work had to be done. So the carmaker’s engineers optimised the new Mokka’s aerodynamics in the wind tunnel of Stuttgart University (at the Research Institute of Automotive Engineering and Vehicle Engines).

Depending on the model variant, they cut the drag factor to an excellent 0.32 cD. The basis for the aerodynamic efficiency is the new Mokka’s frontal area of only 2.27 m2.

With the aid of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and attention to detail in the wind tunnel, Opel’s aero experts then chiseled down to the excellent drag coefficient by fine-tuning every detail that helps improve the aerodynamics. The engineers optimized the design of the new Mokka’s characteristic Opel Vizor, as well as the shapes of the A-pillars and the exterior mirrors. In addition, cladding covering the bottom of the engine compartment and the underside of the body improves the airflow beneath the car.

Other major sources of drag are the wheels, tyres and wheelhouses. The new Mokka therefore features innovative air curtains that increase aerodynamic efficiency in this area. An air curtain is an integrated duct on each side of the front fascia that creates a tall, thin jet of air across the face of the front wheel and tyre. The air curtain directs the flow smoothly across the wheel openings, decreasing the amount of wake and separation from these areas.

Need we say more? Yes actually. The Mokka also has…active aerodynamic shutters!

The new Mokka also benefits from an active shutter that further reduces drag and improves fuel efficiency by automatically closing the frontal opening when cooling air is least needed. Until recently, this innovation has been more common on more expensive cars from higher segments.

When closed, the shutter system enhances aero performance by redirecting airflow around the front of the vehicle and down the sides, rather than through the less aero efficient engine compartment.

The shutter is open or closed depending on engine coolant temperature and speed. For example, the shutter opens when the car is traveling up a hill or in hot city driving. The shutter closes when less engine cooling is required, for example at urban-road speeds.

The results of these efforts are impressive: compared with the previous model, which had a drag coefficient of 0.35, CO2 emissions in the WLTP2 cycle are up to 9.0 g/km lower, while drag at motorway speeds has been reduced by 16 per cent.

High tech LED headlamps and more…

But not only clever physics have been put in the Mokka. It has also a (very) fair share of high tech electronics. All models are equipped with latest generation LED lamps – from daytime running lights in typical Opel graphics to headlamps and front fog lights. The Mokka has adaptive IntelliLux LED® matrix light with a total of 14 elements. Cruise control, a smoothly operating lane assist and forward collision alert with automatic city emergency braking and pedestrian detection operates at speeds above 5.0km/h. Below 30km/h, the system can bring the vehicle to a complete stop. If the speed exceeds 30km/h however, speed is reduced and the driver must actively brake…

Inside: Opel’s “Pure Panel”

As we said, the good design continues. The structure of the Pure Panel, along two widely stretched screens, strikes a balance between digitalization and purely intuitive operation, without needing to navigate into sub-menus. We simply loved it.

The connectivity is also well served:  The top of-the-line Multimedia Navi Pro offers a high-resolution 10-inch colour touchscreen; in this configuration, the driver information display covers more than 12 inches. The Apple CarPlay as well as Android Auto compatible multimedia systems have integrated voice control.

The new Mokka also offers the OpelConnect service with a direct link to breakdown assistance and eCall. If the airbags or seatbelt tensioners deploy in an accident, eCall contacts the local Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) automatically.

Comfort and style…

Thorough seating engineering is typical of Opel. Various six-way ergonomic seats are available, which are individually adjustable. You can choose between alcantara or classic leather. What seduced us also was the GS trim of our test car. Alloy wheels in TriColor black, a black roof, black exterior mirrors and skid plates front and rear in SUV design. The Opel Blitz, the Mokka nameplate and the Opel Vizor frame are in high-gloss black. There is a characteristic red signature line across the car. The interior features a black ceiling, aluminium pedals and red décor. The black seats with side cushions in premium leather-look have red stitching and design accents…

Conclusion

This Mokka will wet your appetite. It’s good looking, lively, frugal, a pleasure to drive, well built and finished. It is equally at home on fast Autobahnen for fast cross country Gran Turismo driving as well as urban errands. It’s tough, built for a long life. To sum it up, it’s Opel…

Hans Knol ten Bensel  

We drove the Nissan Qashqai e-power: enjoying the delights of EV driving…with no strings attached

Posted in Automobilia, Car News, Car presentations, Car technology, Car Tests, E-mobility R &D and solutions, New ModelsLeave a comment

We all know it too well: Battery powered full EV’s are just wonderful to drive, seducing you with their stream of vibrationless, quiet and instant EV power.

We also realize however that at least in Belgium and also in several European countries the public charging infrastructure seems to be still in its infancy, and when you don’t have a house with a driveway with your own charging unit, you can forget about fully enjoying your EV for private use.

Indeed, apartment or condominium inhabitants can also better look elsewhere: beefing up the power circuit in de building meets much resistance from the owners, and they also find the potential fire hazard of an EV car in their underground garage rather too big.

So if you want to sell a car to a wide public which wants to enjoy the EV smoothness, without the recharging troubles, then it is wise to develop a car such as this Qashqai “e-power.”

The Nissan engineers indeed took the hybrid concept a step further: the petrol engine, here a 1,5 litre three cylinder unit,  just generates electricity and the wheels are therefore only driven by an electric motor. Does it all work fine? Just read on…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Full Hybrid the Nissan way…

Let’s tell it right away, this is definitely one of the very smoothest hybrids I have ever driven. Indeed, total EV smoothness is achieved as there is only the electric motor powering the car. This electric motor is good for 140 kW with a torque of not less than 330 Nm. So this Qashqai is indeed well powered, as the performance figures clearly show. This Nissan will accelerate smoothly from 0 to 100 km/h in merely 7,9 seconds, reaching an electronically governed top speed of 170 km/h.

The engine – the Nissan KR15DDT unit , a 1498 cm3 3 cylinder unit with direct injection, DOHC and CVTCS (Continuously Variable Timing Control System), is very well insulated and indeed is almost inaudible, adding greatly to the pleasant feel of driving a fully fledged EV. Just for the record, it develops 116 kW / 158 PS / at 4600 rpm, torque is 250 Nm between 2400 and 4400 rpm.

Nissan also names this engine ‘VC Turbo’, with those first two letters standing for Variable Compression. The engineers went to very great lengths: instead of conventional connecting rods, the pistons are joined to the crankshaft through motor-driven, multi-link devices which vary the top and bottom dead centre positions of the pistons. This allows to adopt a high compression when performance is wanted, or low compression to improve fuel economy. Soo clever!

But how about fuel efficiency and consumption? As there are invariably losses in the drivetrain in the generation of the electric energy, you are well advised to adopt a smooth driving style, driving with anticipation in order to save as much kinetic energy as possible. The less kW the engine has to generate given a certain distance, the better it is.

Of course, the hybrid concept in this Qashqai has also efficiency gains when the urban pace is low and involves many stops.

Simply because under these circumstances the EV motor does all the work, with the combustion engine recharging the battery under ideal load and revs, computer controlled of course. Indeed, only with the advent of electronic management of the drivetrain is this possible, but this has now been the case for many years, and has already been proven millions of times. It is good to note too that the e-power Qashqai has a 2.1kWh battery, which is somewhat larger than most non plug-in hybrids.

Therefore the Qashqai can achieve good efficiency in urban traffic, where we achieved a consumption between 6 and 6,5 l/100 km. On the open road, the engine has to feed rather more the electric motor with electricity, so when speeds are moderate, say up to 100 km/h, it is still possible to stay in the 6 litres/100 km range. 

It is only on the motorway at high cruising speeds that things are getting a bit awkward. The motor has then to feed the e-power to the electric motor for real, and this means averages between 7 and 7,8 l/100 km. So, what’s the verdict? EV smoothness and “zen” character of the drivetrain is yours indeed to enjoy fully, and we loved the Qashqai e-power for it. The consumption however will not break records here. You just need a very sensitive right foot and the constant awareness that developing kinetic energy costs money at the pump, and that you have to retain it as much as you can, adopting an anticipative driving style. Certainly in urban traffic the fuel economy is very creditable indeed…

You have many choices in driving this Nissan: The D-Mode lets you select between normal, power and eco, the EV button lets you use the electric motor in urban driving conditions as much as possible, and the e-pedal lets the electric motor act as a generator when you lift the throttle…

The qualities of a bestseller…

Did you know that in the UK the Qashqai is a bestseller in its segment? By the way, it is built in the Nissan factory in Sunderland, UK, where also the Juke and the Leaf roll of the production lines.

We can understand its success, as this SUV, which we tested in the Tekna top equipment version, has all the qualities to put a (broad) smile on your face. It has a very readable head-up display, a 12.3-inch ‘Nissan Connect’ touchscreen infotainment system, a powered rear tailgate and a of course many driver assistance functions. We liked the classic round dials, instrumentation buffs as we are, and also the good mix between touchscreen functions and physical knobs and levers.      

It is also practical, offering you a boot space of 505 litres, and it has very wide opening doors, a boon for mothers with toddlers which have to be heaved in the baby seats.

Comfort

This Nissan is very well insulated from engine and road/wheel noise, and the suspension is comfortable at speed. In urban driving situations on our Belgian inner city tram rails and ridges the suspension is rather firm, but feels never obtrusive. Of course the Tekna top equipment level leaves very little to desire indeed, including a very good sound system, which we enjoyed to the full in this marvelously quiet car.

This Qashqai really convinced us by combining the wonderful qualities of EV driving with the limitless mobility a fuel powered combustion engine offers us. We must admit that your servant regretted to part with it…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We spoke with Béatrice Foucher, Brand Chief Executive Officer of DS Automobiles…

Posted in Automobilia, Car manufacturers strategy, Car presentations, Concept Cars, Design, Fashion, Interviews, Lifestyle, men women and carsLeave a comment

We met already Mme Béatrice Foucher at the presentation of the DS 4 last year in Chantilly, where she presented the strategy of DS Autombiles at the “DS Week” event…

DS Automobiles is carving a fine niche for itself in the premium segment. Your servant appreciates the refinement, comfort and last but not least the style of these fine DS automobiles. You can understand that we were delighted to meet Mme Béatrice Foucher at the presentation of the DS 4 in the “DS week” last year in Chantilly. Then, the entire press presentation of this noble automobile was in line with its qualities: we were not only able to meet Mme Béatrice Foucher personally at dinner, together with the communications people of the brand at lunch, we also had interesting workshops with the designers, engineers and last but not least the craftsmen and artists who make the DS 4 into the hand made four wheeled gem it is. You can read more about this event in our columns, see https://autoprova.be/2021/09/05/we-had-a-first-drive-with-the-elegant-ds-4-the-electrified-future-has-arrived-at-ds-automobiles/

At the Brussels Salon this year, we were again invited to have an interview with her. Just read further…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

A prototype of the DS 4 was displayed in Chantilly, symbol indeed of French “Savoir faire”…

HKtb: I have to congratulate you on your client approach and your philosophy to extend the refinement of your cars, not only in its external styling, but also in the interior.

BF: Indeed, that is our “raison d’être”, it is a combination of technology and the French “savoir faire” or know-how. Indeed, after having admired the exterior, customers must open the door of our cars, like for instance the DS4, see the new leather, the new solutions in the interior we developed in the DS3, the new DS7. From the next year onwards, we are going to create what we call collections, like there exist in the world of fashion.

The stunning interior of the DS prototype seen last year in Chantilly. Look at the contours and wood lined finish of the seats. A harbinger of things to come?

HKtB: We see here on the Salon, the very stylish DS E-Tense Performance 600 kW prototype, are there details of this car we will see in the production models?

BF: This will be more for the exterior than the interior, its bodywork lines which will be seen on our cars from 2024 onwards.(See our photo below of this prototype)

HKtB: But you emphasize the “savoir faire” Français, the French art of life…in automotive mobility.

BF: Indeed, that’s it. This lies in the materials we use, the art of treating them and producing exquisite textures. The French know-how in terms of stock market value lies now in the companies producing luxury goods, who have an established international reputation. This know-how is internationally recognized and appreciated, and this we put into our cars. Indeed, we see the car as a part of the interior one lives in, a part of one’s private home, and so the satisfaction and the reason people buy our cars is this choice of materials which appeals to them.

The reasons why our clients buy a DS is first of all the design, both as well exterior as interior, as this is a car which tells something about them. The second element is the elegance and the luxury and last but not least, the comfort. These are the three aspects which make people purchase a DS. The level of satisfaction is very high; clients are very pleased with their choice.

HKtB: Are your clients mostly women?

BF: No! When we look at the statistics, we have the same share of male clients than the other premium brands, even for the DS3, which appeals only slightly more to women. The reason why our clients buy a DS is because it’s a French premium brand, they like a different car in this premium segment, and indeed, the (male) clients show the car to their spouses, they enter the car, and they fall for it. So indeed we have a female clientele “on the second row”, they have a strong influence in the choice of the car which doesn’t show in the statistics.

HKtB: When cars are too feminine, women (and men) don’t necessarily buy it…

BF: Indeed, but as soon as the cars embody a social statement, as premium cars do, the (sexual) codes are not important. We put forward the codes of “savoir faire” Français, of luxury, of refinement, which appeals to both men and women.

HKtB: Indeed, a Cartier watch also appeals to men…

HKtB: The successes of your involvement in the Formula E racing does not really translate into the image of the brand…it did not create the “Audi” effect.

BF:  You mentioned Audi. Now their Quattro was a car entering in rallies with iconic figures behind the wheel. Rallies are very popular. We are a young brand, dating from 2014, we chose the Formula E because it tells the story of our brand, with its fast and early move towards electrification. Formula E is not as popular as F1 for example, but it is iconic and indeed quite amusing and interesting.

I mention also here that the DS 7 360 or the DS9 is built by the DS Performance team. This means that besides the drivetrain which is shared with Peugeot, everything else is specific, it has a unique “feel” on the road and offers an exceptional handling. We also optimized the regeneration also on this car, which clients consider important. But indeed, we don’t have decades of sporting history to tell here…

HKtb:  Also the typical DS client is not the one who drives (very) fast or seeks the ultimate in performance…

BF: Indeed, this is what we want, and that’s the reason why we call it also “the art of the voyage”. The quality of the time you spend in the car is important. The satisfaction enjoying the comfort of a car being surrounded by noble materials. Of course, you have not less than 360 HP. I can use them if I want it, but what is offered here with this car to me is comfort and refinement. One has more than enough power at hand, but it is not an issue.

HKtb: Are your clients young, and is connectivity important for them?

BF: Our clients are not young, which is the case for all premium brands, if one looks at the B to C statistics, they are between 58 and 60 years old, the B to B is younger, from 45 to 50 years, let’s say. Everybody wants to be seen as an amateur of technology, being a “technophile”, because one thinks that if you don’t love technology, you are missing out. So everyone wants a car which is up to this. It is a social statement of modernity. I tell to my teams, the value of a car is nowadays 50 % hardware and 50 % software.

HKtB: This digitalization takes still further steps, like is shown by BMW with its “Neue Klasse” with screen wide displays and dashboard instrumentation and touch knobs and buttons reduced to the minimum, as the underlying digital menus are doing the rest.

BF: Our philosophy is very clear and we showed it also on our concept car, it is to say that what makes the value of our cars is that when you open the door, you have the impression to enter in a Bugatti. We have refinement, savoir faire, and this we want to stress even more in the future. Of course we consider also the increasing digital infotainment needs, as a modernist social statement, but we want this digital element to disappear when the client wishes so. If you enter the car, there is nothing on the screen. Only when you put the contact, the screen appears. That is our philosophy and our goal. Because at a certain point, showing a plethora of screens is not premium. The faculty of having the information appear and again discreetly disappear is premium. This is the direction in which we work. Of course, we need the technology to make this happen.

HKtb: What I would also look for in future DS automobiles is incredible sound…

BF: We made a partnership with Focal, installed in our higher equipment versions like the Rivoli line, which reaches already very good sound quality… of course we have now more silent, electrified or fully electrified cars, which makes this even more important. Everybody works on this, and we also work with partners who have built an enviable reputation in pure sound management. You will see more in the future…

HKtb: When I travel on a motorway, in a certain region, I would like to tune in on my sound system for cultural, historic or general information about where I travel.

BF: This fits in our philosophy of cultivating “the art of the voyage”, and this is also want the digitalization to bring us. My name I Beatrice, and I want to know about the culture, or art places to visit in the region or city where I travel. This is what connectivity should give me.  

 HKtb: I thank you for this interview.   

Hans Knol ten Bensel

We spoke with Pierre Leclercq: “our Citroën Oli is not only style. It is French Design.”  

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, Driving accessories, Environment, Fashion, Future car technology, Interviews, Lifestyle, New Models, Profiles, prototypes, Suppliers and car industryLeave a comment

On the Brussels Salon, Citroën showed its already iconic Oli prototype, a harbinger of things to come in the Citroëns which will be in the showrooms already this and next year. Reason enough for your servant to have a talk with its head of design, Pierre Leclercq, about the design philosophy of the progressive brand with the “double chevron”, and so much more…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

I started this interview asking indeed about this new design philosophy of the brand, striving towards simplicity, practicality, lightness, durability and sustainability in a very bold and original package.

PL: “With the Oli, there are two things. First there is the brand identity, as we show with the Oli styling elements which we will bring to the market as soon as this year. The front end, the new logo, the head- and rear lamps, also the coherence between the front and rear end. The latter is a very important element in our brand identity. (We have seen this already in the Ami – editor’s note).

The form language, the simplicity of the edges and the curves will also be seen on our future production cars, but then also the contrasting vertical elements will be present. Our designers will deviate here from the strictly automotive styling which you see in the other brands of the group, we have a non-automotive touch which will be a distinctive element in our future styling.

The magic goals of French Design…

The second fact is that the Oli is not just a styling exercise. It is not only style. It is really French Design. We work together with our engineers to reduce weight, the cost, we are striving for intuitive and simple solutions.

For instance the seats. It’s very important, we work with a whole team to get a seat which is very distinctive, which we can put into production. We discovered with the Oli that our clients are ready for these things. We see that our clients are ready to take bold steps together with us, because we have an image that we will bring something more on the road than just a nice looking car.

HKtB: This translates also into the choice of the materials, the dialogue with the suppliers about the substance and texture of the elements and their surfaces, their unique touch and feel, the atmosphere and character this gives to the car…

PL: We will be a zero carbon company in 2038, and this has a huge impact on materials. Not so long ago, the choice of the materials came very late in the process of building a car. The exterior and interior, the colors, it was seen as pure decoration. Here and there, one started to use recycled materials for some items, but that was it. This process is now completely turned around at Citroën. We now ask first to tell us which materials we can use, as we want recycled materials, unpainted, and we will go from there and adopt them. This is most interesting. And I think that our clients are also ready for this.

HKtB: These elements and this approach we also see in the Ami. The French, as even Mr. Tavares recently put it, love their individual mobility. The Ami is fit for the (mega)city… will there be other models geared for a new City Mobility in the spirit of the Oli?

We always search for new solutions…

PL:  We have many projects running now. It’s a bit like a funnel. When there is one project hitting the road, we have already other proposals in the pipeline. We are always searching for new solutions. If you remember, two years ago, we showed a rather disruptive project of robotized platforms, which is an intelligent use of the present day autonomous technology, in controlled urban areas. But I imagine perfectly in 2030 and 2035 that these solutions will be used in our cities. The design will then focus on the interior of the cabins and structures rolling on these platforms, a very interesting evolution.

The Ami represented a big risk for us, indeed, we thought about the city, but in fact, we scrutinized the clients who bought the Ami, age, location, etc, and we noticed that the Ami is not only used in the cities. We have clients who buy the Ami for their children and grandchildren, remember that in France you can drive an Ami at the age of 14, and it is better than a scooter. And in a market where these vehicles cost between 12 and 15.000 Euros, ours is available for 6.000 Euros… No small feat, as we respect the profitability margins of our group! It is now on the market for two years, and it has grown more into a lifestyle than a car. This is also what the 2 CV has achieved. It is not easy to create the same phenomenon in this day and age…

HKtB: Can you tell a bit more about your Ami buyers?

We have also many clients who buy an Ami for their holiday homes. And as I said, of course grandparents who buy the Ami for their grandchildren. There are also clients who own a Ferrari and buy an Ami for their third or fourth car…

HKtB: We talked earlier in Paris about your open mindedness towards other designers, in other sectors, who could become involved in offering elements of the car during its life, for example, that in a further future one could offer replacement seats for Oli’s or Citroëns who after years of intensive use get a bit long in the teeth… or, rather, offer parts and items to customize the new Citroëns…

PL: It’s a philosophy I love very much. People more and more want an object which is really theirs. Design is not a luxury anymore. If you go for an Ikea kitchen, you can still choose the finish, styling and colors you want, to make it yours. This is now also true for cars. We have started this with the Ami.

HKtB: It is also true for Jeep. Mopar offers a wide array of accessories.

PL: Indeed, this trend is already more prominent in the States. But with the Ami we started off in Europe with the same trend. Not that we offer many accessories, but we created a desire with the customer to customize his car. It’s like Apple. They don’t offer many accessories themselves, but are produced by Belkin etc. It is a very interesting path for our cars in the future. This will give us for instance incredible interiors. I want the client to appropriate our geometries. Why not share our geometries on the internet Open Space and invite the developers to have fun with it?

Every brand has its own design team to embody its proper DNA

HKtB: What is your relationship or rather dialogue between your styling department and the suppliers? Do they come present you what is possible, or after having established a manifest for yourselves what you want to do in styling in the next five years, let’s say, you ask them to come up with new materials, possibilities?

PL: The dialogue goes both ways. But I want to stress here that the design has become very important. The suppliers are specialized in offering technology, for instance for the platforms we have conceived within the group, but over the last 30 years, what have we done? Instead of asking PininFarina or Bertone to style all the cars in the world, we have all established our design centers which carry truly our DNA, and every brand has its own equipe or team of designers. This is génial, because we have cars within the group which don’t resemble each other at all…

HKtB: With the new materials comes also repair friendliness, durability…

PL: Indeed, we want our cars to have a longer lifespan, and we will refresh them within our network. We need of course more control as nowadays we don’t see the car anymore after it has been produced. We have to control the recyclability of the car. Otherwise it’s no use to build the car with recyclable materials.

HKtB: It think it is necessary to tell the client that his car now has a long life and that you as the manufacturer will follow the car throughout its life.

PL: Indeed, a lifelong car, staying with you the rest of your life.

HKtB: Indeed, that as a brand policy you commit yourself to the clients that your Citroën model, Type A, B, or whatever, that you will always follow this car for decades to come…

PL: Ca serait génial, that would be a stroke of genius. It is our goal. It would be very interesting and it would completely change the idea of the automobile of today.

HKtB:  The youth is already there. They support and adopt the circular economy. I think Citroën is the right brand to do this. 

PL: Indeed, we push within the Stellantis group for these concepts, and I think that our clients are far more inclined to make these choices than the buyers of other brands.

HKtB: I thank you for this interview. Thinking out of the box is always interesting.

PL: I thank you, always lovely to exchange these ideas, thank you for the conversation. I also think that every car we build has to make the life of our clients better. These are not empty words. The Ami improves lives. We offered a new service; in Paris, people smiled when they saw the car. It takes something to convince a Parisien!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

A look at Peugeot’s future products and electrification strategy with the INCEPTION CONCEPT…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car News, Car presentations, Car safety, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, Environment, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle, New Models, prototypesLeave a comment

Featuring a revolutionary exterior and interior design, including the next-generation PEUGEOT i-Cockpit® and innovative Hypersquare control system with steer-by-wire technology, the INCEPTION CONCEPT will inspire PEUGEOT’s future products from 2025 onwards. The better news is that Peugeot plans to bring most of its innovations to production (!)

Based on the STLA Large platform, the fully electric INCEPTION CONCEPT is powered by a 100kWh battery providing a range of 497 miles. With two electric motors, the INCEPTION CONCEPT produces almost 680hp and accelerates from 0-62mph in under three seconds. The model also features 800V technology, enabling it to add 93 miles of range in just five minutes, and is capable of wireless induction charging.

Linda Jackson, CEO of the PEUGEOT brand, said: “PEUGEOT is committed to the electrification of its range. In 2023, our entire line-up will be electrified and in the next two years, five new 100% electric models will be launched. Our ambition is simple: to make PEUGEOT the leading electric brand in Europe by 2030. This objective and ambitious vision pave the way for a radical transformation for the brand, as represented by the INCEPTION CONCEPT.”

Indeed, PEUGEOT will reduce its carbon footprint by more than 50% by 2030 in Europe and to become fully Carbon Net Zero by 2038.

Over the next two years, PEUGEOT will launch five new 100% electric models and by 2030, all PEUGEOT cars sold in Europe will be electric.

Dramatic design

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT introduces a new, simpler and more refined design language for the brand, which will be introduced on future models from 2025. At the front, it features an all-new light signature incorporating PEUGEOT’s distinctive claw design, which is merged with the front grille to create a single object that also houses the sensors. This is made up of a single piece of glass with the logo in the centre, magnified by the 3D luminescent effect.  The front grille and headlamps are in my opinion a bit reminiscent of the ‘70s 504… 

A TECH BAR runs horizontally through the door layer. This flush screen emits different messages to the outside of the car when the driver and passengers approach it. The artificial intelligence equipped on the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT makes it possible to recognize the driver in order to set up the comfort settings (seat posture, temperature, driving mode and multimedia preferences) desired by each occupant. In addition, the TECH BAR also displays the battery charge level and houses many sensors and radars, leaving the bodywork completely smooth.

The INCEPTION CONCEPT’s bold design incorporates 7.25m2 of glazing to create a glass capsule for the passenger compartment that plunges to the driver and front passenger’s feet. All the glazing (windscreen, side windows and quarter windows) is made from glass designed for architecture. Adapted to the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT, it retains its exceptional thermal qualities and benefits from a multi-chrome treatment (treatment with metal oxides), a process initially used for the visors of astronauts’ helmets by NASA.

Completing the car’s unique design is an exclusive body colour, which highlights the shapes in the bodywork and interacts, like the glazing, by tinting according to the external environment. The paint is single-coated, meaning far less energy is consumed during its application.

‘BEV-by-design’ platform

The INCEPTION CONCEPT has been given the silhouette of a low (1.34m) and efficient saloon and is 5m in length. It is based on the STLA Large platform, one of four future Stellantis Group “BEV-by-design” platforms. The arrival of this new range of platforms from 2023 will revolutionize the PEUGEOTs of tomorrow. Specifically created for electrification, they offer major differences in terms of architecture which enabled designers to completely reshape the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT’s passenger compartment.

The new “BEV-by-design” native electric platforms will also introduce technological modules powered by artificial intelligence: STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit and STLA AutoDrive. Like the INCEPTION CONCEPT, future PEUGEOT models will be equipped with STLA Brain artificial intelligence and will be fully connected.

Powertrain

The 100% electric PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT is equipped with 800V technology. Its 100kWh battery enables it to travel 497 miles on a single charge, with extremely low consumption of just 12.5kWh per 100 km. The INCEPTION CONCEPT is capable of adding 19 miles of range in one minute, or 93 miles in five minutes, and can also be recharged wirelessly by induction.

Two compact electric motors, one at the front, the other at the rear, make the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT a four-wheel drive vehicle. The combined power is close to 680hp (500kW), enabling it to accelerate from 0-62mph in under three seconds.

Next-generation i-Cockpit®

With its new Hypersquare control system, the PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT offers an agile driving experience and an all-new, more intuitive i-Cockpit®. Inspired by video games, the Hypersquare control system does away with the conventional steering wheel in favour of digital electric controls and steer-by-wire technology.

The centre of the Hypersquare is a tablet-type screen dedicated to the distribution of control information. The pictograms for the different features (air conditioning, radio volume, ADAS etc.) are displayed on the two side panels to facilitate access to the chosen control. The latter is located inside the circular recesses and can be accessed by moving the thumb only, without taking your hands off the steering control.

The next generation i-Cockpit also includes the Stellantis STLA SmartCockpit technology platform and STLA AutoDrive, enabling Level 4 autonomous driving. When driving is delegated, Hypersquare retracts and a large panoramic screen slides out from the floor to offer a new passenger compartment experience.

 PEUGEOT’s goal is to introduce the Hypersquare on a next generation vehicle in the range before the end of the decade.(!)

Interior

The PEUGEOT INCEPTION CONCEPT features a minimal cockpit dedicated to the driver alone, which does without a dashboard, crossbar and the bulkhead, providing a completely open view of the road.

Sustainable ‘moulded textiles’ are also used throughout the interior. Scraps of 100% polyester fabric from the design centre’s prototyping workshops or from suppliers are re-used to make load-bearing or trim parts. The seats are covered with a velvet made from 100% recycled polyester, which extends onto the floor and features 3D patterns to act as a floor mat.

More Peugeot news soon…

Hans Knol ten Bensel

BMW rides you into an enhanced real and virtual world at CES Las Vegas…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Car technology, Concept Cars, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Future technologies, Lifestyle, New Models, prototypesLeave a comment

The BMW Group is sharing its vision of the future digital experience, both inside and outside the vehicle, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2023 in Las Vegas.

It presented the BMW i Vision Dee, a futuristic mid-size sedan with a new and pared-down design language. The name “Dee” stands for Digital Emotional Experience – and that is precisely its aim: to create an even stronger bond between people and their cars.

This car has future digital functions will go far beyond the level of voice control and driver assistance systems we are familiar with today.

It starts all with a BMW Head-Up-Display extending across the full width of the windscreen, providing a glimpse of the next vehicle generation.

From 2025 onwards, this innovation will be available in the models of the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group has also refined its use of colour-change technology. Having unveiled the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink, with the ability to change from black to white, at the last CES, BMW i Vision Dee can now curate its exterior in up to 32 colours.

“With the BMW i Vision Dee, we are showcasing what is possible when hardware and software merge. In this way, we are able to exploit the full potential of digitalisation to transform the car into an intelligent companion. That is the future for automotive manufacturers – and, also, for BMW: the fusion of the virtual experience with genuine driving pleasure,” said Oliver Zipse, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. “At the same time, BMW i Vision Dee is another step on the road to the NEUE KLASSE. With this vision, we are looking far into the future and underlining the tremendous importance of digitalisation for our upcoming product generations.”

With its intelligent, almost human capabilities, BMW i Vision Dee accompanies drivers not only through real-life situations on the roads, but also in their digital environment.

“A BMW lives by its unparalleled digital performance. BMW i Vision Dee is about perfect integration of virtual and physical experiences,” said Frank Weber, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Development. “Whoever excels at integrating the customer’s everyday digital worlds into the vehicle at all levels will succeed in mastering the future of car-building.”

BMW Mixed Reality Slider: into the virtual world in five steps

The BMW, in combination with the advanced Head-up Display, is the digital highlight and central operating control of BMW i Vision Dee. The completely virgin and simple dashboard panel shows just a line with dots. This is the Mixed Reality Slider. By using shy-tech sensors on the instrument panel, drivers can decide for themselves how much digital content they want to see on the advanced Head-Up Display. The five-step dot selection ranges from analogue, to driving-related information, to the contents of the communications system, to augmented-reality projection, right up to entry into virtual worlds. In parallel, dimmable windows can also be used to gradually fade out reality. Mixed reality can be experienced in BMW i Vision Dee in an immersive way that engages different senses without requiring any additional tools, creating a new dimension of driving pleasure for the user.

Advanced BMW Head-Up-Display: in NEUE KLASSE from 2025

The BMW Group is known in the automotive sector as a trailblazer for the Head-Up-Display and has systematically refined this technology over the past two decades. In BMW i Vision Dee, projection across the entire width of the windscreen allows information to be displayed on the largest possible surface – which only becomes recognisable as a display once it is activated. In this way, the BMW Group demonstrates the huge potential of projection technology and BMW i Vision Dee visualizes how a advanced Head-Up-Display could also be utilized in the future for the display and operating concept. The standard-production version of the BMW Head-up-Display extending across the full width of the windscreen will be used in the models of the NEUE KLASSE from 2025 onwards.

Welcome scenario with voice and phygital icons

The digital experience already begins outside the vehicle, with a personalized welcome scenario that combines graphical elements, light and sound effects. Natural language serves as the simplest, most intuitive form of interaction, enabling perfect understanding between humans and their vehicles. The headlights and the closed BMW kidney grille also form a common phygital (fusion of physical and digital) icon on a uniform surface, allowing the vehicle to produce different facial expressions. This means BMW i Vision Dee can talk to people and, at the same time, express moods such as joy, astonishment or approval visually. BMW i Vision Dee can also project an image of the driver’s avatar onto the side window to further personalize the welcome scenario.

World premiere for full-colour E Ink technology

Following the spectacular debut of the BMW iX Flow Featuring E Ink at CES 2022, the BMW Group is now unveiling a full-colour version of the E Ink technology in BMW i Vision Dee that will be used as the outer skin of the vehicle for the first time worldwide.

BMW i Vision Dee, rather than simply alternating between black and white, now showcases a multi-coloured, fully variable and individually configurable exterior. An ePaper film from the BMW Group’s cooperation partner, E Ink, is applied to the body to create this magical display of colour. Up to 32 colours can be displayed.

The body surface of the BMW i Vision Dee is divided into 240 E Ink segments, each of which is controlled individually. This allows an almost infinite variety of patterns to be generated and varied within seconds. The laser cutting process used to trim the films and the electronic control design were developed in partnership with E Ink. The adaptation of this technology for curved surfaces and the programming of the animations, were developed by BMW Group’s in-house engineers – enabling a form enabling a form of customisation that is unique throughout the automotive sector worldwide.

Reductive design – inside and out

The design of BMW i Vision Dee has been deliberately pared down to focus attention on the digital experience and the DNA of the BMW brand. The exterior is defined by the classic three-box sedan design that forms the core of the BMW brand. Traditional design elements, like the BMW kidney grille, twin circular headlights and the Hofmeister kink, are reimagined, with phygital icons replacing analogue elements. This gives BMW i Vision Dee its own digital, but human, character.

Inside, digitalisation goes hand in hand with reductive use of materials, operating controls and displays to ensure nothing distracts from the digital experience and the new feeling of enhanced driving pleasure. The unconventional design of the steering wheel, with its central vertical spoke, creates touchpoints that come to life when approached or touched and can be operated by moving the thumb. These phygital touchpoints control selection of the content projected onto the windscreen and, together with the Head-Up Display, thus support the principle of “hands on the wheel, eyes on the road”.

“With BMW i Vision Dee, we are showing how the car can be seamlessly integrated into your digital life and become a trusty companion. The vehicle itself becomes your portal to the digital world – with the driver always in control,” said Adrian van Hooydonk, head of BMW Group Design. “Implemented the right way, technology will create worthwhile experiences, make you a better driver and simply bring humans and machines closer together.”

Another milestone on the road to the NEUE KLASSE

The future of the BMW Group is electric, circular and digital. BMW i Vision Dee represents the digital aspect of this trio and will be another milestone on the road to the next vehicle generation, the NEUE KLASSE. The BMW Group will provide further insights and glimpses of the revolutionary vehicle concept of the NEUE KLASSE over the course of 2023. See more news soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Fiat present at CES with the 500 electric, and a metaverse powered showroom…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, New ModelsLeave a comment

The FIAT brand is playing its original approach to automotive mobility again at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegaswith two major exhibits starring the New 500 electric.

FIAT unveils for the first time the world’s first metaverse-powered showroom: the FIAT Metaverse Store. This revolution in customer experience is accessible, thanks to the partnership with Microsoft and Touchcast, at the Microsoft booth located in the West Hall #6017, recreating the feel of a showroom from home.

Alongside the FIAT Metaverse Store, the New 500 will also be the center of attention in the Free2move area of the Stellantis booth.

Reinventing customer approach in North America…

At the Los Angeles Autoshow 2022 Olivier Francois, FIAT CEO and CMO Global of Stellantis, officially announced the launch of the new Fiat 500e in North America in the first quarter of 2024 and the FIAT Metaverse Store will be one of the key innovative pillars for launching the FIAT electric icon in the US.

Launched last December in Italy, the FIAT Metaverse Store makes the Brand a leader in offering an immersive, simple, and human-driven brand experience. Inside the FIAT Metaverse Store, customers will be able to discover, configure, and even purchase the New 500 La Prima by Bocelli, experiencing the feel of a showroom with the help of the FIAT Product Genius, a real person ready to answer any questions. The entire New 500 line-up, additional models and markets can be found in the metaverse-powered showroom during 2023.

The FIAT Metaverse Store is a user-friendly and accessible to all technology, in fact it does not require a virtual reality (VR) headset or expensive hardware. The public will be able to try it out at the Microsoft booth located in the West Hall #6017 at CES 2023.

FIAT and Free2move together for more sustainable urban mobility

Lights shine on the New 500e 3+1 in the special Rose Gold livery, displayed as the only car at the Free2move stand. A collaboration, between FIAT and Free2move, stemming from a common goal: to build an increasingly sustainable urban mobility ecosystem as part of their mission to make EVs more accessible. The two brands are working on a unique value proposition that goes beyond rental, car sharing, and subscription. The customers will be able to enjoy a 360° Free2move experience through a Fiat car for a few minutes, several days or even months. This offer allows customers to tailor their rental contracts and associated services based on usage with a single invoice, directly from a dedicated APP.

More Fiat news soon also on the Brussels Salon de l’auto!

Hans Knol ten Bensel

Volkswagen Group of America will provide a glimpse of the ID.7…

Posted in Automobilia, Car Events, Car manufacturers strategy, Car News, Car presentations, Car Shows, Design, E-mobility R &D and solutions, Future car technology, Future technologies, New ModelsLeave a comment

At the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas between 5 and 8 January 2023, Volkswagen Group of America will showcase its first fully electric sedan based on the modular electric drive matrix (MEB). It will still be seen in a “smart” camouflage, which uses unique technology and multi-layered paintwork to create light effects on parts of the vehicle.

The ID. AERO3 concept vehicle initially presented in China already provided a preview of the new model, which embodies an aerodynamic design concept and is able to achieve ranges of up to 700 kilometers (WLTP).

After a six-year break, Volkswagen Group of America is returning to the CES – the world’s largest trade show for electronics – with a very special product…

With the new ID.7, VW is extending its electric model range into the upper segments. The ID.7 is one of ten new electric models that VW is planning to launch by 2026.

VW seems to have learned some lessons when it comes to the functionality of the various infotainment and dashboard commands. It ofeers a new display concept, an augmented reality head-up display, a 38-centimeter (15-inch) screen and new air conditioning controls integrated into the first level of the infotainment system. Now we also have illuminated touch sliders…

Like all other models in the ID. family, the ID.7 is based on the MEB of the Volkswagen Group. The advantages of the modular matrix with short overhangs and long wheelbase (2.97 meters) provide a large interior.

With its ID.7 sedan, Volkswagen is expanding its successful fully electric ID. family into the upper middle class of the high-volume segment and advancing its electric mobility campaign with the ACCELERATE strategy. VW has already reached a first milestone: Since the first ID.3 models were handed over to customers in September 2020, Volkswagen has delivered 500,000 vehicles from its ID. family worldwide through its subsidiaries – around one year earlier than planned and despite the ongoing difficulties in the supply chain.

After the ID.3, ID.4, ID.5 and ID.6 (only in China) models and the new ID. Buzz7, the ID.7 will be the sixth model from the ID. family and is Volkswagen’s second global car to be based on the MEB after the ID.4. It is planned to launch the electric sedan in the three primary markets of China, Europe and North America. The ID.7 for the European market will be produced at the Volkswagen Emden plant. After the ID.4, it will be the second model based on the modular electric drive matrix to be built in Emden.

More news soon!

Hans Knol ten Bensel