2017 Frankfurt Motor Show
Internal combustion engines still rule the road, but at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, electrics are getting ready for a more commanding role.
The show’s star was the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE. This plug-in hybrid Hyper-Car concept combines a racing V6 with no less than 4 electric motors for over 1,000 horsepower.
More practical is the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA. A second member for their upcoming EQ electric sub-brand.
Or how about this Mercedes-Benz GLC F-CELL with ultra-compact hydrogen fuel-cell and battery technology.
Frankfurt was the world premiere for the BMW i Vision Dynamics. This four-door Gran Coupe, aimed at Tesla--has a 373-mile all-electric range.
For SUV fans, check out the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance. A three-row plug-in hybrid that seats 6 in high-tech luxury.
Even MINI’s iconic two-box design sees a brighter future with electric power.
Volkswagen I.D. electric sub-brand with include the I.D CROZZ crossover for 2020. Followed by the sure-to-be iconic I.D. Buzz microvan in 2022.
Audi is predicting electric autonomous driving with the Audi Aicon. Using artificial intelligence, but no steering wheel or pedals, it has the ability to drive itself nearly 500 miles on a single charge.
Audi’s all-new petrol and diesel powered A8 flagship already offers Level 3 automated driving, and a 48 Volt electrical system.
Porsche's 2019 Cayenne was unveiled just before the show, but a surprise Turbo version rolled onto the Frankfurt stage with 550-HP and a 0-60 of 3.7 seconds.
Jaguar announced their all-electric production car racing series, while over at Land Rover, the conventionally powered Discovery SUV gets the extreme SVX all-terrain treatment.
Not to be left out, Asian brands made Frankfurt news as well. Honda’s with its cute and tiny Urban EV Concept, and Toyota, with a hybrid concept of the C-HR crossover.
So clearly the way in which we drive is getting “amped up” in the not so distant future. And that’s it for this week’s Motor News.
8th-Gen Dodge Charger, Rivian R2 & R3, and Maserati GranCabrio Reveals
March 22, 2024 The Dodge brand has surprised everyone, unveiling the next-generation Charger with both electric and gas powertrains.
The EV-only 2024 Daytona R/T and Daytona Scat Pack will be available at launch, both using a 93.9 kWh battery pack. The more powerful Scat Pack is capable of 670 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque.
As for gas power, while Charger’s HEMI V8 is out, the Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six is in. Available in standard- and high-output versions, the latter reaches 550 horsepower.
The first two-door Daytona EVs begin production mid-2024, arriving for this model year. They’ll be followed by the internal-combustion Charger and all four-door models in 2025.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian debuted not one, but two smaller, cheaper utilities, the R2 and R3. Both are built on a new midsize platform, with the R2 about 15-inches shorter than the current R1S. The R3 is also a four-door five-seater, but it does so in a slightly more compact, hatchback-like package. It’s joined by the R3X, geared more towards off-road performance.
Exact powertrain details are unconfirmed, but Rivian is aiming for at least 300 miles of range with the larger of two battery options. There will be single-, dual- and tri-motor powertrains. Arriving in 2026, the R2 is expected to start around $45,000, with the R3 undercutting that.
Back on the ICE front, Italian sport luxury maker Maserati showed off the new GranCabrio, a convertible variant of the GranTurismo sports car.
Beautifully sculpted, the GranCabrio is 100 percent made in Italy. Under the hood is a 542-horsepower, twin-turbo V6; a detuned engine from their MC20 super car.
Expect a price tag around $200,000.
And that’s the latest on this week’s Motor News!