Drew Dowdell

The Ford Puma sold in Europe was once a little coupe based on the Ford Fiesta. Since coupe sales are dangerously close to zero, when Ford decided to reincarnate the name, it instead brought it back as a crossover coupe version of the Ford EcoSport. The new Puma will be powered by a 1.0 liter, 125 horsepower engine with 48-volt mild hybrid setup or a more powerful 155 horsepower system horsepower running through the front wheels. Diesel options will come later. Under the rear floor is a storage area with a drain plug that Ford calls a Megabox, something probably more appropriate for an F-150. It will come with Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Speed Sign Recognition, and Lane Centering. The driver cluster is a full TFT digital display. Sync3 with Android Auto and Apple Car Play are standard. No word yet on whether the Ford Puma will come to the US, but given the crossover craze going on here, we would not bet against it. If it does come to the US, the direct competition would come from the Mazda CX-3, Hyundai Kona, and Honda HR-V. View full article

BMW unveiled their BMW Vision M Next Concept in Munich today. This concept displays the prototype of BMW's future driving assistance technologies named "EASE" and "BOOST". EASE allows the car to take over the task of driving and allowing the driver to relaxing in a comfortable living space. Relaxing, talking, in-car entertainment, or other things focused away from driving are possible here. BOOST offers the driver the ultimate driving experience. The interior is driver oriented even if the driver is not driving. The design keeps the driver focused on the right content at the right time. Much of the Vision M Next Concept is a homage to the current BMW i8 PHEV. The exterior is pure sports car. Power comes from a PHEV drive with a total output of 600 horsepower and a top speed of 186 MPH. Zero to 62 MPH is said to take just 3.0 seconds. There is also a BOOST+ mode that grants extra power at the push of a button. All electric mode is good for up to 62 miles of range allowing for most commutes to be made purely on electricity alone...assuming you don't use the BOOST+ button too often. The concept isn't expected to go into production, but could indicate the path that BMW takes for both the i8 and fully autonomous driving. Parts of the structure use recycled carbon fiber reinforced plastic, similar to bits of the 7-series and the platform can be used for EV, PHEV, and internal combustion engines. BMW plans on releasing 25 electrified models over the next few years with all of them on the scene by 2023. View full article