William Maley

Bentley has been hinting for awhile about adding a second SUV to its lineup, something smaller than the current Bentayga. This new SUV could go all-electric according to a report from Automotive News. "I can assure you that Bentley -- on the long term view -- will not stay with one model only in the SUV lineup. We have clear indications that a smaller Bentayga as a Bentley SUV would find great acceptance," said Wolfgang Duerheimer, Bentley CEO. But there is the concern that the smaller SUV could eat into the sales of the Bentayga. Hence the idea of making it an EV. "If you are looking for such a car [small SUV] then we are looking to that in combination with the possibilities to go full electric. It only makes sense if you get really new customers into the brand," said Rolf Frech, Bentley's board member for engineering. Frech said that if this idea was to go forward, it would likely come in 2020 or beyond when Bentley reaches stage two of their electrification plans. Part one is the introduction of the Bentayga PHEV this year, followed by the Flying Spur and Mulsanne. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

Honda will soon be entering the electric car arena with the introduction of the Clarity EV this spring. But as Automotive News has learned, the Clarity EV will have a big disadvantage right out of the gate. The Clarity EV will only offer a range of 80 miles on a single charge. This puts it well behind nearly all of the electric vehicles on sale. 2017 Nissan Leaf: 107 mile range 2017 Ford Focus Electric: 115 mile range 2017 Hyundai Ioniq Electric: 124 mile range 2017 Volkswagen e-Golf - 125 mile range 2017 Chevrolet Bolt - 238 mile range Why the limited range? Honda explained to Automotive News the decision came down two parameters that were non-negotiable: the size of the Clarity's platform - underpins a fuel cell and upcoming plug-in hybrid - and keeping the starting price around $35,000. With these two points, Honda's engineers were hamstrung from putting in a larger battery. Still, Honda is trying to put a positive spin on this, saying they believe they have found a sweet spot in the EV marketplace. "A pillar of the Honda brand is affordability, and if Honda came out with some obscenely priced long-range electric car, what does that do for the brand? Most of our customers would not be able to acquire it," Steve Center, vice president of environmental business development at American Honda Motor. "These people want a battery car and they know what they do and where they go. They're very rational and they don't need to lug around or charge up a 300-mile-range battery because that costs them electricity." But how many of those people are out there? Studies within the past year or so have shown that while most people would be able to get away with an electric vehicle providing a range of under 100 miles, the fear of range anxiety rears its ugly head. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

While the big story at PSA Group (parent company of Citroen and Peugeot) is about the possible sale of Opel, they are also getting ready to begin to take their first steps into re-entering the U.S. marketplace. In April, car-sharing service TravelCar will launch at airports in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The service has been operating at various airports and train stations in Europe since 2012. The expansion into the U.S. is thanks to a 15 million euro (about $18.5 million) investment by PSA Group and MAIF, a French insurance company. TravelCar is different from other car-sharing services such as ZipCar and GM's Maven as it rents out other people's cars. The service allows owners free parking at airports if they allow their vehicles to be rented out. In turn, TravelCar says their rental rates are about half when compared to those from rental car companies. MAIF will be providing the insurance on the vehicles that are rented. “We announced our progressive entry to North America by launching mobility services with our partners. We deploy these services worldwide to meet customers’ expectations. With TravelCar today, we’re writing the beginning of this new step overseas,” said Grégoire Olivier, Head of Mobility Services, PSA Group. This investment is the first part of 10-year plan announced by PSA Group last year to possibly re-enter the U.S. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), PSA Group Press Release is on Page 2 PSA Group and MAIF join forces to bring TravelCar to the United States with carsharing services As part of the Push to pass strategic plan, an operation which fuels PSA’s ambition to become the preferred mobility provider for customers worldwide A concretization of the 10 years’ PSA project for the progressive entry into North America with mobility services launching As of April 1st 2017, TravelCar with the support of PSA Group and MAIF enters the United States with car rental offers for travelers, in Los Angeles and San Francisco airports. The offered solutions are designed to optimize cars ensuring they rarely go unused and become a resource for car owners. Three kind of services are offered to travelers; either owner or car user. Car owners who make their vehicle available for rent benefit from free parking. If the vehicle is rented out, the car owner is also paid. An advantageous-price parking solution is also available for car owners who prefer not to share their vehicle. Last, car users looking for a vehicle can have access to a private car at a reduced price – approx. 50% less expensive than with a traditional car rental offer. This kind of offer is today unique on the American market, which has more than 850 million travelers per year. Los Angeles and San Francisco airports are respectively the 2nd and the 7th biggest airports in the United-States. Moreover, the 2 cities located close to the Silicon Valley are favorable for these new offers deployment. For this launch, TravelCar just finalized a fundraising of €15 million thanks to PSA Group and MAIF. It is a significant deployment for the French company TravelCar, which was founded in 2012, and has a network of over 200 agencies and 300,000 users in ten European countries, before entering the American continent. “We announced our progressive entry to North America by launching mobility services with our partners” declares Grégoire Olivier, Head of Mobility Services, PSA Group. “We deploy these services worldwide to meet customers’ expectations. With TravelCar today, we’re writing the beginning of this new step overseas.” “With PSA Group and MAIF support, TravelCar entering the American market is taking a new step forward in its international growth”, declares Ahmed Mhiri, Founder & CEO TravelCar. “Our offer takes care of travelers from their departure, offering them a parking solution, and their arrival with an accessible and eco-responsible mobility solution.” “We are pleased to support our partners in their growth and development, especially at the international scale when the time has come ... and that’s now for TravelCar!" declares Eric Berthoux, Deputy CEO of MAIF Group. View full article

The Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is already a monster with 650 horsepower from a 6.2L supercharged V8 engine. But the people on the Camaro team thought they could further and the end result is the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE. It certainly looks the part with new canards, revised grilles, an exposed carbon-fiber air extractor for the hood, and a massive carbon fiber wing. A set of 19-inch forged wheels come wrapped in the widest tires ever offered on a Camaro - 305 mm wide tires in the front, and 325 mm tires at the back. The interior hasn't changed much aside from a lighter back seat. Under the ZL1 1LE's skin, there is a set of Multimatic Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve dampers (the same ones used on the Colorado ZR2), adjustable rear anti-roll bar, and a set of race springs. A six-speed manual is the only transmission on offer. GM says the Camaro ZL1 1LE laps their Milford handling course three seconds faster than the standard ZL1. No word on pricing, but the 1LE package for the Camaro ZL1 will be available later this year. Source: Chevrolet Press Release is on Page 2 2018 CAMARO ZL1 1LE SETS BENCHMARK FOR TRACK CAPABILITY Special aero, adjustable suspension, exclusive tires drive unprecedented performance for a production sports car DAYTONA, Fla. — Chevrolet has established a new performance benchmark with the introduction of the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE — the most track-capable Camaro ever. Taking the track-focused 1LE formula to an unprecedented level, the ZL1 1LE incorporates racing-based suspension and aero technologies, as well as exclusive Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R summer-only tires,* in an extreme track performance package. “The track-focused 1LE package offers progressive levels of performance across the Camaro lineup, from the V6 1LE to the SS 1LE,” said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. “But with the new ZL1 1LE, the progression takes a quantum leap — this is the ultimate track-day Camaro.” In preliminary testing, the new ZL1 1LE was 3 seconds faster than the standard ZL1 Coupe around General Motors’ 2.9-mile, 18-turn Milford Road Course test track. The improved track performance is driven by four key elements: Aerodynamics: New aero features including a carbon fiber rear wing, specific air deflectors and dive planes on the front fascia produce grip-generating downforce to help the car stick harder and drive faster in turns. Adjustable suspension: The ZL1 1LE features racing-derived, lightweight Multimatic DSSV® (Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve) dampers front and rear for exceptional wheel and vehicle control. The front-end ride height is adjustable with the front dampers, which are used with all-new, adjustable camber plates. The rear stabilizer bar also offers three-way adjustability. All of the components are designed for quick changes at the track for optimal performance and a quick return to street settings when the track day ends. Wheels and tires: New, lightweight forged aluminum wheels are an inch wider but an inch smaller in diameter, front and rear, than standard ZL1 wheels and are used with new Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R tires that deliver max lateral grip of 1.10g. Developed exclusively for the Camaro ZL1 1LE, the 3R tires are designed to warm up faster to help maintain more consistent grip and speed, lap after lap. The overall footprint grows approximately 10 percent over the ZL1, but the wheel-and-tire package weighs about 1.5 pounds (3.3 kg) less per corner. Lighter weight: The lighter wheels and dampers, along with reduced thickness rear glass and a fixed-back rear seat, contribute to an approximately 60-pound (27 kg) lower curb weight than a standard ZL1 Coupe. “The new Camaro ZL1 1LE offers the supreme track experience,” said Mark Dickens, executive director, Chevrolet Performance Variants, Parts and Motorsports Engineering. “It’s the pinnacle of Camaro performance and advances the 1LE’s nearly 30-year legacy of uncompromising, track-tailored capability.” The power behind the ZL1 1LE is the 650-horsepower, supercharged LT4 engine backed by a six-speed manual transmission featuring Active Rev Match. Brembo brakes, including red calipers with the 1LE logo, are also included. Additional standard features include dual-zone automatic climate control, Bose premium audio system, heated/ventilated front seats and heated steering wheel. The 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE goes on sale later this year. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date. View full article