AD #2722 – Aston Martin Unveils 1st SUV, Toyota Introduces Plug-In Hybrid RAV4, VW Unveils 7th ID Concept

This is Autoline Daily reporting on all aspects of the global automotive industry.

The LA Auto Show is underway, which means there’s a bunch of new eye candy to look at. So let’s get to it.

VW UNVEILS 7TH ID CONCEPT
Manufacturing scale is one way Volkswagen hopes to be profitable with its EVs and it has introduced the 7th model to stem from its MEB platform, the ID. SPACE VIZZION concept, which will spawn a production model in 2021. It has a very station wagon look to it and is nearly identical in size to the Volvo V90. A 275-horsepower electric motor powers the rear wheels, although VW says a second motor could be added to the front for a total output of 355 horsepower and a 0 to 60 time of 5.0 seconds. The concept features an 82-kWh battery pack, which returns 590 kilometers on the WLTP cycle or up to 300 EPA miles.

TOYOTA INTRODUCES PLUG-IN HYBRID RAV4
Toyota is once again expanding the RAV4 lineup. Earlier this year, it introduced a TRD off-road version and now its adding a plug-in hybrid model for the first time. Called the RAV4 Prime, its powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder engine, which when paired with its electric motors cranks out 302 horsepower, making it the most powerful RAV4 ever. It’s also the fastest, moving from 0 to 60 MPH in 5.8 seconds. It has a pure electric range of 39 miles and features more premium touches both inside and out. The Toyota RAV4 Prime goes on sale next summer.

LEXUS SHOWS OFF LC 500 CONVERTIBLE 
And Toyota’s luxury brand, Lexus, took the wraps off the LC 500 Convertible. It’s powered by a 5.0L naturally aspirated, direct injection V8 that’s mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. Its soft-top can be opened or closed at speeds up to 31 MPH, and it takes 15 seconds to open or 16 to close. The Lexus LC 500 Convertible goes on sale next summer.

And don’t forget that on Autoline After Hours this Thursday we’ll have the head of engineering and the head of design of the Mach-E on the program. So if you want to learn a lot more about this car, be sure to tune in at our website, Autoline.tv or on our YouTube channel. 

LINCOLN REVEALS PLUG-IN CORSAIR
Lincoln introduced a plug-in version of the Corsair, called the Grand Touring. It uses a 2.5 liter Atkinson engine mated to an electronic continuously variable transmission. It’s a 2-motor system with one of the electric motors, which develops 110 foot pounds of torque, integrated into the rear-axle to create an all-wheel-drive system. It’s the first electric rear-axle developed by the Ford Motor Company. The combination of engine and motors produce 266 horsepower. A 14.4-kWh battery provides 25 miles of EV driving range. It goes on sale next summer.

NISSAN DEBUTS 2020 SENTRA 
Nissan debuted the all-new 2020 Sentra. It rides on a new platform that drops the height by two inches and gains two inches of width. Nissan gave the Sentra the V-Motion grille that is seen along with the brand’s other models, along with some tech goodies. LED headlights, standard driver assistance technology and some two-tone paint options are new for the eighth generation. The Sentra also gets a revised interior with quilted leather seats, a flat bottom steering wheel, Nissan’s “Around View” camera tech, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you’re looking for added performance you’re in luck, because the Sentra gets increases in horsepower and torque with a new 2.0L engine, now up to 149 horsepower and 146lb-ft of torque. The Sentra goes on sale in January. 

KARMA REVEALS TWO NEW VEHICLES
Karma Automotive revealed two new vehicles. First is the Revero GTS, a performance version of the Revero GT. It’s powered by dual electric motors and a three-cylinder range extender from BMW. It cranks out 536 horsepower, moves from 0 to 60 MPH in under four seconds and has a top speed of 125 MPH. It has a driving range of up to 360 miles with 80 miles of all-electric range. Production of the Revero GTS begins in the first quarter of 2020 but Karma is taking reservations now and it carries a starting price of $150,000. Karma also unveiled the SC2 Concept, which previews the company’s future design direction. The all-electric vehicle features front and rear mounted electric motors that produce 800kW of peak power and 10,500 lb.-ft. of wheel torque. It also delivers, 1,100 horsepower, screams from 0 to 60MPH in just 1.9 seconds and has a range of 350 miles. 

ASTON MARTIN UNVEILS DBX SUV
Meet Aston Martin’s first SUV, the DBX. We think it has a very unique shape. The front-end looks a lot like the new Ford Escape to us, but the back is long, drawn out and bulbous with a bit of a funky looking spoiler that kicks up at the bottom of the rear back glass. Of course, the interior looks sensuous and sporty. Under the hood is a 4.0L twin turbo V8 that makes over 540 horsepower and 516 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 100 km/h can be done in just 4.5 seconds. Deliveries will start in the second quarter of next year and pricing in the U.S. starts at just under $190,000.

AUDI SHOWS OFF FASTBACK E-TRON
Audi is showing off the fastback version of the electric e-tron, called the e-tron Sportback. Styling is very similar to the e-tron but you will notice larger front air intakes, a lower roof, better aerodynamics and less luggage space. Also new to this model are Audi’s Matrix LED headlamps. It features the same 95-kWh battery pack, but range comes in at 446 WLTP kilometers or about 247 EPA miles. The e-tron Sportback can be ordered at the end of this month, while European market introduction is scheduled for spring of next year. 

Ok now on to some non-LA show news.

LIQUI MOLY INTRODUCES LOW VISCOSITY OIL
Lower viscosity oils are becoming more and more common. 10W-40 used to be the most widespread viscosity, today 5W-30 and increasingly 0W-20 oils are the norm. And now the German oil company LIQUI MOLY has introduced a 0W-16 oil to the market. For those of you wondering, that ‘W’ stands for Winter and the first number is the viscosity of the oil at cold temperatures and the second is the viscosity of the oil at normal engine operating temperature. Automakers are turning to low viscosity oils because the lower it is, the less power the engine has to use to pump the oil, which results in lower fuel consumption and emissions. The new 0W-16 oil from LIQUI MOLY can be used in select Toyota, Lexus, Honda and Suzuki models.

HELLA DEVELOPS HIGH-RES LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY
German supplier Hella introduced a new, high-resolution lighting system called Digital Light SSL HD, which features 30,000 pixels that can be controlled individually. The technology not only improves regular lighting functions, it also enables light-based safety features like an optical lane assistant. This indicates the best lane to take when driving past road construction or it can light up an area on the side of the road for bicyclists or pedestrians. Hella says a European luxury brand will use the system starting in 2022.

But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and please join us again tomorrow.