AD #2270 – Ford Spends Billions on EVs, Ferrari Wants to Take on Tesla, Eyes on Design Winners
January 17th, 2018 at 11:41am
Runtime: 6:23
0:24 Ford Cuts Back on Cars
1:14 Infiniti Plans Electrified Line-Up
1:49 Ferrari Wants to Take on Tesla
2:47 IndyCar Debuts New Aero Kit
3:45 Eyes on Design Winners
4:49 Kia Reveals the New Forte
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On today’s show…Ford cuts back on passenger vehicles…Ferrari wants to take on Tesla… and Kia takes the wraps off the new Forte. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.
This is Autoline Daily the show that covers all aspects of the global automotive industry.
FORD CUTS BACK ON CARS
As we’ve reported, the whole world is going crazy for crossover vehicles. And to help deal with the shift in consumer taste, Ford is going to introduce more SUVs to its line-up, while cutting back on passenger cars. It wants to increase its SUV mix by 10%, while lowering sedans by the same rate. Some new models could include “authentic off-roaders and high-performance city crossovers.” At the same time, the company is beefing up its line-up of electrified vehicles. It’s spending $11 billion to rollout 40 new electrified models globally by 2022, including 16 battery-electric vehicles. Ford says these moves will help make it stronger, more profitable and provide better returns.
INFINITI PLANS ELECTRIFIED LINE-UP
Recently a number of automakers have announced plans to electrify their line-ups within the next decade. And now Infiniti is joining the party. By 2021, all of its new vehicles will offer an electrified powertrain. One of the options will be its e-POWER technology, which uses a small gasoline engine to charge a high-output battery. The company will also introduce its first pure EV the same year. Thanks to the new commitment, Infiniti expects half of its sales will be electrified vehicles by 2025.
FERRARI WANTS TO TAKE ON TESLA
And speaking of electric luxury cars, Ferrari will introduce a battery-powered supercar to take on the Tesla Roadster. CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters at the Detroit auto show “People are amazed at what Tesla did with a supercar. I’m not trying to minimize what Elon did but I think it’s doable by all of us.” However, he did not say when it would launch. Marchionne also revealed that Ferrari will introduce its first SUV in late 2019 or 2020.
Still to come…a look at the best-looking vehicles at the Detroit auto show, according to designers.
INDYCAR DEBUTS NEW AERO KIT
2017 marked the last year that manufacturers were allowed to design their own aero kits for the Verizon IndyCar racing series. Drivers disliked the fact that many of the little aero pieces could easily break off. But the new universal bodywork was just unveiled at the Detroit auto show and there’s the belief more manufacturers will join the series because they won’t have to spend millions designing aero kits. The design was inspired by Indy cars of the early 1990s with the hope it will create more exciting racing. The large rear wings that created a ton of downforce, but also produced a lot of turbulence, are gone. It’s a much sleeker design. Weight has been reduced and shifted forward as well, for better overall balance. So the cars should be faster and following distances cut in half. The racers will be starting their engines on March 11th.
EYES ON DESIGN WINNERS
Every year Eyes on Design descends on the Detroit auto show with over 30 of the best designers, past and present, in the industry, to hand out awards for best designs. So, it’s a great honor for an OEM to get an award and this year’s winners were just announced. The Infiniti Q Inspiration won for both Best Concept Vehicle and Best Interior Design. Best Production Vehicle went to the BMW X2. It also took home honors for Vehicle Harmonization. The Ram 1500 was awarded Best Designed User Experience and Innovative Use of Color was given to the Nissan XMotion. Congrats to the winners.
Coming up next, Kia reveals the new Forte.
KIA REVEALS THE NEW FORTE
Kia took the wraps off the new Forte. It’s styling has been slightly refreshed but it still retains the look of the outgoing model. The length of the vehicle has been increased, which was used to provide extra legroom for passengers and more cargo space in the trunk. The vehicle is powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that features Atkinson Cycle technology and a cooled EGR system. The engine can be mated to a six-speed manual or what Kia calls an Intelligent Variable Transmission or IVT for short. Built in house by the automaker, the IVT is a modified CVT that uses a chain-like belt instead of a push belt, which helps it mimic a conventional automatic transmission. The setup is expected to deliver a combined 35 MPG, which is 3 better than the current model. The new Forte goes on sale later this year in the U.S.
For more from the Detroit auto show, be sure to check out our coverage. We talked to automakers and suppliers about their latest reveals, newest technology and how new trends are impacting the industry. Look for that on our website or on our YouTube channel.
But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.
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Comments (19)
January 17th, 2018 at 12:02 pm
Electric cars…don’t like them..I am not a fan of Chrysler products due to quality issues and a Chrysler that went the lemon law year ago. But I hope they never turn away from V8 engines with big horsepower.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:12 pm
Ford wants to roll out 40 new electrified models globally by 2022? Does it even have 40 models now globally? They must be including the mid and heavy duty truck lines.
I wonder if any of that 11 billion is going toward charging stations.
January 17th, 2018 at 12:53 pm
@2 – I’ll bet Ford will count a HEV and PHEV on the same nameplate/body as 2 toward the 40.
January 17th, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Maybe each trim level counts toward the 40, like Fusion S, Fusion SE, and Fusion Titanium.
January 17th, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Glad to see Nissan ePower moving fwd , it’s the EV system that really makes the most sense,. Simpler,lighter,cheaper . The most uncomfortable test drive I ever made was a Nissan CVT . The uncertainy & indecision was most disconcerting
January 17th, 2018 at 2:39 pm
I still don’t understand why Nissan wants to make a hybrid that will get worse highway mpg than a non-hybrid, and having a big “full power” electric motor, will probably be more expensive to make than the usual hybrids. If they used a big battery, making it a plug-in with maybe 40 mile electric-only range, it could make sense for people who do most of their driving within that 40 miles, but would have the capability to go on longer trips, like an i3 REx.
January 17th, 2018 at 2:44 pm
I’m actually a bit surprised that none of the manufacturers have considered something like the e-drive or similar approach as the Chevy Volt with a small diesel generator. Diesels are the perfect application for high torque with a set RPM. I would think they could use a smaller Diesel engine than gas to achieve that needed generator power. Maybe because of the emissions and noise.
January 17th, 2018 at 3:02 pm
It seems like no one combines diesels with any kind of hybrid, except for a Peugeot that will never see the light of day in the U.S.
Yeah, probably emissions and noise are part of the reason, but maybe also the expense of combining two technologies, both of which add to cost. It would be interesting to know what a car like a Prius or Fusion hybrid would do with a diesel in place of their current Atkinson tuned gas engines.
The only series hybrid sold in the U.S. is the plug-in i3 REx, which uses a 2 cylinder scooter engine, probably mainly because it is small and packages easily. A diesel should be good in that car, if it would fit. I’ve read that the i3 REx can “run out of juice” and slow down in mountains, when the battery is depleted. A small battery series hybrid, like Nissan e-power, would need a fairly big engine/generator to avoid that problem.
January 17th, 2018 at 3:11 pm
@7 Lambo2015, I agree, have always thought that would be the way to go. Your car could be charging out in the parking lot while you are at work of running errands. A small diesel (or gas) powered generator should be very efficient. Maybe there is a good reason that this doesn’t work, I would like to know.
January 17th, 2018 at 3:36 pm
The only car sold in the U.S. that uses an ICE running a generator, without a direct connection from the ICE to the wheels, is the BMW i3 REx. When running on gas, it combines the inefficiencies of the ICE, the generator, and the electric motor. It does not get very good gas mileage for a hybrid, when running on gas, and is only equal to a conventional Honda Civic.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=38229&id=38061&id=37309&id=38249
From reports I have found, the real world mpg correlates fairly well with the EPA number.
That is why {almost} no one makes series hybrids. The i3 REx is primarily for people who will do most of their driving on plug-in power, but want to be able to “go anywhere,” if the need arrises.
January 17th, 2018 at 3:39 pm
#8 – Volvo has a hybrid diesel that is not sold in the U.S. https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/volvo/v60-hybrid
I’ve had diesel hybrid discussion with my brother over the last couple of years as it seems like a natural for economy reasons. Perhaps the initial on-cost or U.S. aversion to diesels (thanks to GM in the 80′s & VW currently) is a major barrier.
January 17th, 2018 at 3:55 pm
#11 JWH, thanks for the link. I didn’t know about that one. It looks nice, but would be pricey.
January 17th, 2018 at 10:20 pm
#11,12 I found that the V60 hybrid uses a regular diesel/autobox powertrain to the front wheels, and an electric motor/generator to the rear wheels, like the Peugeot CUV I remember reading about a while back. That sounds like a relatively simple way to make a hybrid version of various vehicles, and with good software, provide the good acceleration on ice that buyers of AWD cars crave.
January 18th, 2018 at 7:39 am
I just viewed a Ford Ranger video and it sure looks very similar in size to the Colorado so it is definitely a mid-size pickup (by my eye). It looked nice, and feel, that it will go head to head with the Chevy once it expands its offerings. This will also suggests that the Chevy/Ford pickup fight will grow to include both sizes. So, any looking for a more compact truck will have to look elsewhere.
January 18th, 2018 at 8:39 am
#14 Chuck I posted the dimensions in Mondays comments and yeah the Ranger is within an inch in length, width, height and box length. At least for what is being sold in Mexico currently.
As Ford takes the mid-size truck battle to GM I wonder how GM will respond to the Ford bringing the Bronco II back that is built on the Ranger platform. Maybe GM will bring back the Blazer or trailblazer or better yet the Typhoon and Cyclone.
January 18th, 2018 at 8:47 am
Just to show how the GM small truck has grown here is the Colorado compared to the S10
S10 Colorado Diff
Length 180.5 in 212-225 32-45
Width 64.8 in 74-77 9-12
Height 60.0 in 70 -72 10-12
January 18th, 2018 at 8:51 am
Brand loyalty aside, the biggest difference between the GM and Ford “smaller” pickups, may be the powertrains. With Ford, you get a turbo 4/automatic. With GM, you can get a 4 or 6 cylinder, both NA, and can get a manual trans with the smaller engine.
January 18th, 2018 at 9:13 am
Sorry it took all the spacing out making it hard to read but basically the Colorado and similar new Ranger are about 32 to 45 inches longer
9 to 12 inches wider and 10 to 12 inches taller and about 900lbs heavier. However apparently they dont offer the Colorado in a reg cab so thats comparing a 2WD base S10 to a 2wd base extended cab Colorado.
January 18th, 2018 at 9:26 am
Yep, no Colorado regular cab, nor will there be a regular cab Ranger. My ’95 S-10 was the tidy regular cab, short bed, about the length of my Prius.