Search the Community
Showing results for tags 'rumorpile'.
-
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the new Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport, and it isn't surprising that Ford was possibly considering another family member. But a report from Automotive News says that new member has been iced. According to two sources, Ford canned the idea for a Bronco pickup. Designed to compete against the Gladiator pickup, it was expected to be launch in 2024 and built alongside the Bronco SUV at Ford's Wayne assembly plant. However, Ford notified suppliers over the past few months about the model being cancelled. Not surprisingly, Ford declined to comment. We should note that Ford never confirmed the plans for a Bronco truck. Rumors started to swirl last year after a design video popped up showing drawings of a possible truck. It was reported that this model was getting some traction at the company. Why was this model canceled? It may be a case of too many chefs in the kitchen. Ford's current truck lineup is made up F-Series, Ranger, and the upcoming Maverick. Adding another model to their lineup may eat into the sales of the Ranger and Maverick. It doesn't help that the Gladiator - the competition - isn't setting the sales charts afire. Last year, Jeep moved around 77,000 Gladiators - a fraction when compared to the over 200,000 sales of the Wrangler. To top it all off, Ford is currently dealing with various production issues with the Bronco. The most recent deals with the hardtop having various quality issues. Ford has delayed production of hardtop models as it waits for replacements. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
There is a lot of buzz surrounding the new Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport, and it isn't surprising that Ford was possibly considering another family member. But a report from Automotive News says that new member has been iced. According to two sources, Ford canned the idea for a Bronco pickup. Designed to compete against the Gladiator pickup, it was expected to be launch in 2024 and built alongside the Bronco SUV at Ford's Wayne assembly plant. However, Ford notified suppliers over the past few months about the model being cancelled. Not surprisingly, Ford declined to comment. We should note that Ford never confirmed the plans for a Bronco truck. Rumors started to swirl last year after a design video popped up showing drawings of a possible truck. It was reported that this model was getting some traction at the company. Why was this model canceled? It may be a case of too many chefs in the kitchen. Ford's current truck lineup is made up F-Series, Ranger, and the upcoming Maverick. Adding another model to their lineup may eat into the sales of the Ranger and Maverick. It doesn't help that the Gladiator - the competition - isn't setting the sales charts afire. Last year, Jeep moved around 77,000 Gladiators - a fraction when compared to the over 200,000 sales of the Wrangler. To top it all off, Ford is currently dealing with various production issues with the Bronco. The most recent deals with the hardtop having various quality issues. Ford has delayed production of hardtop models as it waits for replacements. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
-
Rumorpile: Ford's Small Truck May Arrive As A 2021MY Vehicle
William Maley posted an article in Ford
During a recent fireside chat with Bank of America, Ford teased a new 'Whitespace' product due in the 2021MY. What could that product be? Muscle Cars & Trucks speculates this may be a smaller pickup truck. We've been hearing rumblings about this since 2018 when Automobile Magazine first brought this to light. This truck would be the replacement for the Brazilian market Courier, last sold in 2013. It would be based on the C2 platform that underpinned at the time the new Focus for markets outside of the U.S. Fuel would be added to the fire a year later when Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets dropped this, Since then, a trademark filing for Maverick by Ford has appeared, possibly giving us a name for this new model. Plus, dealers were shown this model earlier this year where it earned an enthusiastic reception. This model could have a starting price of around $20,000 or so when it launches. Stay tuned. Source: Muscle Cars & Trucks -
Rumorpile: LA Auto Show Possibly Moving To May
William Maley posted an article in Los Angeles Auto Show
The COVID-19 pandemic has possibly caused another auto show to rethink their plans. According to Automotive News, organizers of the show are planning to delay the show from November to next May. Three sources tell the outlet the new dates are May 21st to 31st. Two of sources go on to say that an announcement could come this week. Automotive News tried to get comment from Terri Toennies, president of the show, but did not reply. By possibly moving the LA Auto Show to May, automakers and organizers of the New York and Detroit shows find themselves in a difficult spot. The LA show sandwiches between New York (April) and the revised Detroit show (June), which may cause automakers to make difficult decisions as to which shows get the most significant unveilings or whether to attend at all. Auto shows in general have been struggling before the onset of the pandemic. With automakers deciding to hold their own events to have more time in the spotlight and save cash, the spectacle of the show has gone down. We'll keep you posted. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) -
The COVID-19 pandemic has possibly caused another auto show to rethink their plans. According to Automotive News, organizers of the show are planning to delay the show from November to next May. Three sources tell the outlet the new dates are May 21st to 31st. Two of sources go on to say that an announcement could come this week. Automotive News tried to get comment from Terri Toennies, president of the show, but did not reply. By possibly moving the LA Auto Show to May, automakers and organizers of the New York and Detroit shows find themselves in a difficult spot. The LA show sandwiches between New York (April) and the revised Detroit show (June), which may cause automakers to make difficult decisions as to which shows get the most significant unveilings or whether to attend at all. Auto shows in general have been struggling before the onset of the pandemic. With automakers deciding to hold their own events to have more time in the spotlight and save cash, the spectacle of the show has gone down. We'll keep you posted. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article
-
When Kia revealed the new Soul to the U.S. in 2018, they announced that the EV would be arriving sometime a year later. 2019 came and the automaker announced that the Soul EV had been pushed back to 2020. A few months later, the launch date was pushed to 2021. Now, an internal source at Kia's U.S. office has revealed to Roadshow that the Soul EV isn't coming at all. According to the source, a number of factors played into this decision. Some of the factors such as limited supply of batteries and motors, along with increased demand for the model Europe were used to explain the last delay. Also, the Soul EV has independent rear suspension. The standard Soul doesn't, which would make the EV more expensive to bring to the U.S. and add complexity. Adding fuel to the fire, Kia has removed any mention of the Soul EV on their U.S. consumer and media sites. There is also no mention of the Soul EV on the EPA site. Previously, the vehicle was mentioned with a range of 243 miles. When reached by Roadshow, a Kia spokesperson said they haven't heard anything about the Soul EV being canned for the U.S., but did confirm they have "no pending plans to introduce before 2021 at the earliest." We'll keep you posted on this story. Source: Roadshow -
When Kia revealed the new Soul to the U.S. in 2018, they announced that the EV would be arriving sometime a year later. 2019 came and the automaker announced that the Soul EV had been pushed back to 2020. A few months later, the launch date was pushed to 2021. Now, an internal source at Kia's U.S. office has revealed to Roadshow that the Soul EV isn't coming at all. According to the source, a number of factors played into this decision. Some of the factors such as limited supply of batteries and motors, along with increased demand for the model Europe were used to explain the last delay. Also, the Soul EV has independent rear suspension. The standard Soul doesn't, which would make the EV more expensive to bring to the U.S. and add complexity. Adding fuel to the fire, Kia has removed any mention of the Soul EV on their U.S. consumer and media sites. There is also no mention of the Soul EV on the EPA site. Previously, the vehicle was mentioned with a range of 243 miles. When reached by Roadshow, a Kia spokesperson said they haven't heard anything about the Soul EV being canned for the U.S., but did confirm they have "no pending plans to introduce before 2021 at the earliest." We'll keep you posted on this story. Source: Roadshow View full article
-
During a recent fireside chat with Bank of America, Ford teased a new 'Whitespace' product due in the 2021MY. What could that product be? Muscle Cars & Trucks speculates this may be a smaller pickup truck. We've been hearing rumblings about this since 2018 when Automobile Magazine first brought this to light. This truck would be the replacement for the Brazilian market Courier, last sold in 2013. It would be based on the C2 platform that underpinned at the time the new Focus for markets outside of the U.S. Fuel would be added to the fire a year later when Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets dropped this, Since then, a trademark filing for Maverick by Ford has appeared, possibly giving us a name for this new model. Plus, dealers were shown this model earlier this year where it earned an enthusiastic reception. This model could have a starting price of around $20,000 or so when it launches. Stay tuned. Source: Muscle Cars & Trucks View full article
-
2021 is going to be a very interesting year for the Mazda3 as two more engines become available. According to separate reports from Jalopnik and Hagerty, Mazda will be dropping in the turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder found in the 6, CX-5, and CX-9. The engine produces 227 horsepower on regular or 250 on premium. Like other Mazda models with this engine, the 3 will have it paired only with a six-speed automatic. Both reports say the engine will have AWD as standard. According to Hagerty's source, the engine will be available on a new trim called Premium Plus - likely taking the top spot in the 3's trim lineup. The source also confirmed this engine will not mean the return of the Mazdaspeed name for a hot variant. The other engine is a 2.0L four-cylinder that Jalopnik reports is only for the sedan. Hagerty believes this engine is the SkyActiv-G used in the previous-generation 3, not the SkyActiv-X with its compression-ignition system. Not surprisingly, Mazda said they "“have not announced any details for the 2021 Mazda3," when asked about this. Source: Hagerty, Jalopnik -
While the focus on the electric vehicles have been on the ultra plush and quick models from the likes of Tesla, Audi, and Jaguar, there is a lot of work being done for electric delivery vans. The combination of reduced maintenance, low fuel costs, and an abundance of torque to deal with heavy loads make them a perfect to do deliveries in urban areas. Rivian is the most-well known player here with plans to build out a fleet of electric vans for Amazon. Another player is ready to join the fight. Reuters reported yesterday that General Motors is working on a electric van for the commercial market. Five sources reveal that the van - codenamed BV1 - is expected to go into production late next year. It is expected to use Ultium battery technology that GM first talked about back in March. Utilizing this could solve one of the big issues with EVs, price. By switching Cobalt (expensive) for Aluminum (less expensive), GM says it will drop the cost of a battery to $100 per kilowatt-hour - making it around the same cost as regular gas powered van. Analysis done last year put the kilowatt-hour cost of a battery at $159. One item still being debated internally is whether the van will be sold as Chevrolet, GMC, or a new brand. When asked by Reuters, GM said it is “committed to an all-electric future and is implementing a multi-segment, scalable EV strategy to get there. At this time, we do not have any announcements to make regarding electric commercial vehicles.” GM isn't the only company getting on the electric van train. Ford has announced plans for an electric version of the Transit to launch in 2022, and British startup Arrival which has the backing of Hyundai, currently has an order of 10,000 vans from UPS. Source: Reuters- 16 comments
-
- 1
-
-
- electric
- electric van
- (and 4 more)
-
While the focus on the electric vehicles have been on the ultra plush and quick models from the likes of Tesla, Audi, and Jaguar, there is a lot of work being done for electric delivery vans. The combination of reduced maintenance, low fuel costs, and an abundance of torque to deal with heavy loads make them a perfect to do deliveries in urban areas. Rivian is the most-well known player here with plans to build out a fleet of electric vans for Amazon. Another player is ready to join the fight. Reuters reported yesterday that General Motors is working on a electric van for the commercial market. Five sources reveal that the van - codenamed BV1 - is expected to go into production late next year. It is expected to use Ultium battery technology that GM first talked about back in March. Utilizing this could solve one of the big issues with EVs, price. By switching Cobalt (expensive) for Aluminum (less expensive), GM says it will drop the cost of a battery to $100 per kilowatt-hour - making it around the same cost as regular gas powered van. Analysis done last year put the kilowatt-hour cost of a battery at $159. One item still being debated internally is whether the van will be sold as Chevrolet, GMC, or a new brand. When asked by Reuters, GM said it is “committed to an all-electric future and is implementing a multi-segment, scalable EV strategy to get there. At this time, we do not have any announcements to make regarding electric commercial vehicles.” GM isn't the only company getting on the electric van train. Ford has announced plans for an electric version of the Transit to launch in 2022, and British startup Arrival which has the backing of Hyundai, currently has an order of 10,000 vans from UPS. Source: Reuters View full article
-
2021 is going to be a very interesting year for the Mazda3 as two more engines become available. According to separate reports from Jalopnik and Hagerty, Mazda will be dropping in the turbocharged 2.5L four-cylinder found in the 6, CX-5, and CX-9. The engine produces 227 horsepower on regular or 250 on premium. Like other Mazda models with this engine, the 3 will have it paired only with a six-speed automatic. Both reports say the engine will have AWD as standard. According to Hagerty's source, the engine will be available on a new trim called Premium Plus - likely taking the top spot in the 3's trim lineup. The source also confirmed this engine will not mean the return of the Mazdaspeed name for a hot variant. The other engine is a 2.0L four-cylinder that Jalopnik reports is only for the sedan. Hagerty believes this engine is the SkyActiv-G used in the previous-generation 3, not the SkyActiv-X with its compression-ignition system. Not surprisingly, Mazda said they "“have not announced any details for the 2021 Mazda3," when asked about this. Source: Hagerty, Jalopnik View full article
-
Rumorpile: New Document Reveals Possible C8 Powertrains
William Maley posted an article in Chevrolet
This week, Hagerty obtained a document from General Motors' executive director in charge of program management, Michelle Braun that says development on future car and truck programs has been paused due to the COVID-19 outbreak. But the document also mentions some intriguing information on upcoming powertrains for the C8 Corvette. Here are the details, Corvette Z06: 5.5L DOHC V8 known as the LT6 that will produce 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. No mention of any type of forced-induction. Corvette Gran Sport: 6.2L OHC V8 with a hybrid system that's expected to produce 600 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Corvette ZR1: Twin-Turbo 5.5L DOHC V8, dubbed LT7. Output is expected to be 850 horsepower and 800 pound-feet. Corvette Zora: The powerhouse of the C8, it will take the Twin-Turbo LT7 and augment with a hybrid system. This is expected to produce 1,000 horsepower and 975 pound-feet of torque. Hagerty's report says the rollout of the new engines will begin in 2022 with the LT6, but the COVID-19 outbreak may push the plans back. Source: Hagerty -
This week, Hagerty obtained a document from General Motors' executive director in charge of program management, Michelle Braun that says development on future car and truck programs has been paused due to the COVID-19 outbreak. But the document also mentions some intriguing information on upcoming powertrains for the C8 Corvette. Here are the details, Corvette Z06: 5.5L DOHC V8 known as the LT6 that will produce 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque. No mention of any type of forced-induction. Corvette Gran Sport: 6.2L OHC V8 with a hybrid system that's expected to produce 600 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Corvette ZR1: Twin-Turbo 5.5L DOHC V8, dubbed LT7. Output is expected to be 850 horsepower and 800 pound-feet. Corvette Zora: The powerhouse of the C8, it will take the Twin-Turbo LT7 and augment with a hybrid system. This is expected to produce 1,000 horsepower and 975 pound-feet of torque. Hagerty's report says the rollout of the new engines will begin in 2022 with the LT6, but the COVID-19 outbreak may push the plans back. Source: Hagerty View full article
-
Rumorpile: Shelby GT350 Could Be Getting A Dual-Clutch Transmission
William Maley posted an article in Ford
Before we go into this rumorpile report, we should note that we're taking a fair amount of salt on this story. You'll see what we mean momentarily. Road & Track reports that the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 will be getting a dual-clutch transmission in the next few years. The six-speed manual would still be offered. This information comes from Mustang6G.com, a forum site which has gotten leaked information that has been proven to be correct. The site showed evidence to Road & Track about the dual-clutch and they believe it to be accurate. The problem is neither Road & Track or Mustang6G say what the evidence is - hence why we're taking a handful of salt on this story. If they had said they got a build sheet, pictures of the transmission, or something else, we might put some more weight on it. When asked about this, a spokesman for Ford said "we don't speculate about future products." Source: Road & Track -
According to the Rumorpile, Toyota is working on bringing back the Venza, a car that went out of production after 2015. The original Venza did not sell very well, partially due to its wagon-like shape and also relatively high pricing. It also lacked any off-road pretense that typically comes with a crossover. The problem for Toyota is that there is a large Venza sized gap in their SUV lineup between the RAV-4 and Highlander. This time around, the Venza would ditch the wagon looks and instead be a true crossover along the lines of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Honda Passport, and Ford Edge. There is a possibility that the Venza would come in only hybrid form using the same 2.5-liter setup with rear electric motor that the Highlander uses. If the rumors prove true, you could see a new Venza hit the auto show circuit as early as 2021. -
According to the Rumorpile, Toyota is working on bringing back the Venza, a car that went out of production after 2015. The original Venza did not sell very well, partially due to its wagon-like shape and also relatively high pricing. It also lacked any off-road pretense that typically comes with a crossover. The problem for Toyota is that there is a large Venza sized gap in their SUV lineup between the RAV-4 and Highlander. This time around, the Venza would ditch the wagon looks and instead be a true crossover along the lines of the Chevrolet Trailblazer, Honda Passport, and Ford Edge. There is a possibility that the Venza would come in only hybrid form using the same 2.5-liter setup with rear electric motor that the Highlander uses. If the rumors prove true, you could see a new Venza hit the auto show circuit as early as 2021. View full article
-
Rumor has it that Ford is working on a V8 powered version of their Ranger Raptor currently sold in overseas markets. Only available in other parts of the world, the current Ranger Raptor is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel that produces 210 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft of torque, but a report in Wheels magazine says that Ford Australia is working with an external engineering company to swap the 2.0 diesel for a 5.0-liter V8 from the Mustang GT. The odd thing about this is that the Ranger Raptor 5.0 would be still built with the 2.0-liter diesel under the hood and then later converted to V8 gasoline power. Expect power to be about the same as it makes in the Australian spec Mustang GT, a healthy 455 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft of torque. If it all comes together, the Ranger Raptor 5.0 is expected to go on sale in Australia next year, sold by Ford dealers and backed by the full 5-year warranty. For now, the Ranger Raptor remains forbidden fruit to the U.S. no matter what engine is under the hood. -
Rumor has it that Ford is working on a V8 powered version of their Ranger Raptor currently sold in overseas markets. Only available in other parts of the world, the current Ranger Raptor is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel that produces 210 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft of torque, but a report in Wheels magazine says that Ford Australia is working with an external engineering company to swap the 2.0 diesel for a 5.0-liter V8 from the Mustang GT. The odd thing about this is that the Ranger Raptor 5.0 would be still built with the 2.0-liter diesel under the hood and then later converted to V8 gasoline power. Expect power to be about the same as it makes in the Australian spec Mustang GT, a healthy 455 horsepower and 410 lb.-ft of torque. If it all comes together, the Ranger Raptor 5.0 is expected to go on sale in Australia next year, sold by Ford dealers and backed by the full 5-year warranty. For now, the Ranger Raptor remains forbidden fruit to the U.S. no matter what engine is under the hood. View full article -
Rumorpile: Jeep Working on "Ultra-Compact" To Slot Below Renegade
Drew Dowdell posted an article in Jeep
Jeep is said to be working on a tiny crossover that will slot below the Renegade in size and will likely launch in 2022. The estimated size would be around 4-meters in length which puts it slightly shorter than a Nissan Juke. The primary competitive target is the Suzuki Jimny, a model not sold in the United States, but a segment important to Jeep globally. Jeep says that the new model would offer day-to-day practicality but still have the off-road prowess that people expect from a Jeep. As FCA is in a big push to electrify its vehicles these days, some form of electrification is likely with even a fully electric model possible. Though not offered in the U.S., FCA does build PHEV versions of the Jeep Renegade and Jeep Compass for the European market. With FCA's merger with PSA looming, the possibility of using one of Peugeot-Citroen's platforms as a base for the new model emerges. Could we potentially see a Jeep on the Opel Corsa platform? Time will tell. -
Jeep is said to be working on a tiny crossover that will slot below the Renegade in size and will likely launch in 2022. The estimated size would be around 4-meters in length which puts it slightly shorter than a Nissan Juke. The primary competitive target is the Suzuki Jimny, a model not sold in the United States, but a segment important to Jeep globally. Jeep says that the new model would offer day-to-day practicality but still have the off-road prowess that people expect from a Jeep. As FCA is in a big push to electrify its vehicles these days, some form of electrification is likely with even a fully electric model possible. Though not offered in the U.S., FCA does build PHEV versions of the Jeep Renegade and Jeep Compass for the European market. With FCA's merger with PSA looming, the possibility of using one of Peugeot-Citroen's platforms as a base for the new model emerges. Could we potentially see a Jeep on the Opel Corsa platform? Time will tell. View full article
-
The Hyundai Sonata is likely to make a big splash with its good looks when it hits dealers in a few weeks. One thing that was missing from the original release of the Sonata was an up-level engine option. To review, the Sonata can be optioned with a 191 horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder or a 180 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with a wide peak torque band and 195 lb.-ft. Gone is the 245 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo. Back in April, Hyundai confirmed that it would produce an N-Line version of the car with 275 horsepower. That car is likely to be debuting at the LA Auto Show later this month. The kicker is the N-line is not the full performance edition like a Sonata N would be. Now, rumors out of Korea via Korean Car Blog say that the full N will be coming late next year. Powering the Sonata N would be a 2.5-liter turbocharge direct injected engine producing at least 300 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft of torque. Power would be fed through an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. This powertrain has already been shown at a 2019 Hyundai Kia Motors Powertrain Conference, so we know they'll be building this engine for something. Of course, Hyundai has not commented on any of these rumors, so take a Sonata N with a grain of salt. Still, a performance tuned Sonata could make an exciting addition to the otherwise stale and fading mid-size car market. -
The Hyundai Sonata is likely to make a big splash with its good looks when it hits dealers in a few weeks. One thing that was missing from the original release of the Sonata was an up-level engine option. To review, the Sonata can be optioned with a 191 horsepower 2.5-liter 4-cylinder or a 180 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder with a wide peak torque band and 195 lb.-ft. Gone is the 245 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo. Back in April, Hyundai confirmed that it would produce an N-Line version of the car with 275 horsepower. That car is likely to be debuting at the LA Auto Show later this month. The kicker is the N-line is not the full performance edition like a Sonata N would be. Now, rumors out of Korea via Korean Car Blog say that the full N will be coming late next year. Powering the Sonata N would be a 2.5-liter turbocharge direct injected engine producing at least 300 horsepower and 311 lb.-ft of torque. Power would be fed through an 8-speed wet dual-clutch transmission. This powertrain has already been shown at a 2019 Hyundai Kia Motors Powertrain Conference, so we know they'll be building this engine for something. Of course, Hyundai has not commented on any of these rumors, so take a Sonata N with a grain of salt. Still, a performance tuned Sonata could make an exciting addition to the otherwise stale and fading mid-size car market. View full article
-
Rumorpile - AMG C63 To Lose V8 in Favor of Four-Cylinder Hybrid
Drew Dowdell posted an article in Mercedes Benz
Rumor has it that the next AMG C63 will be the first of a number of models to ditch their V8 in favor of 4-cylinder hybrid power. According to Autocar, the C63 could also lose a rear-wheel drive option, going instead with standard all-wheel drive. The engine would be an electrified version of the new M139 turbocharged 2.0-liter. In it's most powerful current form, it is the most powerful 4-cylinder in production anywhere putting out 416 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, and that's without any electric boosting. The engine was engineered to be mounted transversely or longitudinally and also with an eye on hybridization. For the C63, the M139 engine would adopt a 48 volt starter motor similar to the one used in the CLS 53 4Matic. On that car, the motor provides an additional 22 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, however in the C63, it would be tuned for even more power to reach up to a total system horsepower over 500. One main advantage to this setup would be a significant reduction in weight over the front axle. Additionally, the engine/motor combination has a lower center of gravity, that would be expected to improve handling and control. Moving the C63 to a hybrid powertrain is consistent with Mercedes' desire to reduce fleet CO2 emissions. -
Rumor has it that the next AMG C63 will be the first of a number of models to ditch their V8 in favor of 4-cylinder hybrid power. According to Autocar, the C63 could also lose a rear-wheel drive option, going instead with standard all-wheel drive. The engine would be an electrified version of the new M139 turbocharged 2.0-liter. In it's most powerful current form, it is the most powerful 4-cylinder in production anywhere putting out 416 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, and that's without any electric boosting. The engine was engineered to be mounted transversely or longitudinally and also with an eye on hybridization. For the C63, the M139 engine would adopt a 48 volt starter motor similar to the one used in the CLS 53 4Matic. On that car, the motor provides an additional 22 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque, however in the C63, it would be tuned for even more power to reach up to a total system horsepower over 500. One main advantage to this setup would be a significant reduction in weight over the front axle. Additionally, the engine/motor combination has a lower center of gravity, that would be expected to improve handling and control. Moving the C63 to a hybrid powertrain is consistent with Mercedes' desire to reduce fleet CO2 emissions. View full article
