Report Insists that Future SUV is the First of Many Hybrid Bentleys

There are reports on the web that bestow the future Bentley SUV with an electric motor to help its large gas-guzzling engine provide swifter yet more efficient progress.

According to UK magazine Autoexpress, the VW-owned manufacturer has already confirmed that it is indeed the case, adding that a plug-in hybrid variant of the new utility vehicle could hit the market in 2017; precisely one year after the regular one, previewed by the EXP 9 Concept, makes its debut.

It goes on to predict that it won’t be the sole Bentley hybrid, and that it is, in fact, a sign of things to come. From what we understand, the entire range bar the Mulsanne will follow suite.

The tech used would be similar to that used by another of the group’s luxury brands, Porsche, in the Panamera and Cayenne hybrid models.

This rumor seems very likely, but we won’t know for sure until the SUV makes its debut sometime next year, before going on sale one year later. Hopefully, they can at least get the design right this time…

By Andrei Nedelea

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Britain Set to Overtake France in 2013 Car Production for the First Time Since 1966

The UK’s motor manufacturing industry is on track to build more cars than neighboring France for the first time since 1966.

Rising sales of UK-made cars, both domestically and in key export markets, are expected to drive manufacturing to a new record level, which would mean France would be relegated from third to fourth place in Europe’s car production rankings, behind Germany, Spain and Great Britain.

Industry bosses estimate 2013 UK car production to reach 1.55 million cars, up from 1.47 million in 2012 and 1.35 million in 2011. At the same time, France’s car production is expected to fall to around 1.54 million cars for 2013, down from 1.66 million in 2012 and 1.88 million in 2011.

“We’re currently neck and neck with France but Britain’s car production is on an upward trend. France’s is on a downward trend. We’re about to cross. It could well be that the new figures will show that 2013 is the year in which we overtake them,” a spokesman for Britain’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.

Auto industry chiefs forecast UK car production to continue its accelerated growth towards 2 million within three years, as a consequence of the investments made to increase production in the country.

2013 production growth was boosted by mainstream British-brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover, Mini and Vauxhall as well as super-luxury carmakers like Rolls-Royce and Bentley. Japanese carmakers including Nissan, Toyota and Honda also had a major contribution to production growth through their UK factories.

As for France, the fall in production is due to problems with the Euro, overcapacity, a stagnating domestic market and a lack of business confidence under the current government.

By Dan Mihalascu

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Nissan Has Plans to Double Sports Car Range in Coming Years

Nissan’s Andy Palmer recently announced on the sidelines of the Detroit motor show that the Japanese manufacturer was on track to double its sports car range in the next few years, up from two to four models. The plan is to have new versions to replace the current GT-R and 370Z, as well as a couple of additional cars, previewed by the two IDx and Bladeglider concepts.

Palmer was quoted as saying:

“The IDx will be at one end of the spectrum and the Bladeglider at the other, and in the middle we will have a lower-end sports car and a new GT-R. With the GT-R, we will do a renewal each year and there will be a new one. It will retain the mechanical look of the current car, but with more of the cues from the latest Nissan design. It will still be very aggressive."

In regards to the successor to the 370Z, he said that its powertrain had already been lined up and that it would employ smaller displacement and turbocharging. “There will be normal and Nismo versions” too, he said. The Bladeglider would be a full-electric vehicle, while the production IDx’s possible powertrain choices have already been detailed.

The move on Nissan’s part was reportedly prompted by the strong response they got from the two concepts and the desire from within the company to “find a way of re-engaging with youth who are not interested (in driving and getting their license) at all. I don't want to make these cars attractive to me but to them," according to Palmer.

By Andrei Nedelea

Story References: Just-Auto

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Automotive Industry at the Forefront of Technology, Full Stop

In spite of the fact that the automotive industry is a profit-driven and -making machine, it still inherently brings about technological progress, as companies try to outdo one another. It’s not the best way to bring it about, but at least it sort of works.

In fact, the automotive industry is easily one of the leading sectors and is “frequently a leader,” according to a CAR (Center for Automotive Research) report, quoted by GreenCarCongress.

It acknowledges that it’s difficult to raise one’s head and keep it up given the state of the industry and the ever changing conditions, economic or otherwise, and that some $100 (€73) billion are spent on research globally every year, of which around $18 (€13) billion in the US alone – that equates to $1,200 spent per vehicle.

It also makes up 16 percent of the total worldwide research and development funding, using around 4 percent of its revenues in this way, though that percentage can be and usually is higher.

The study mentions the following:

"The electronics content in modern automobiles has climbed dramatically, enabling the expansion of features that has improved safety, performance, and efficiency. An average vehicle contains around 60 microprocessors to run electric content—four times as many as a decade ago. More than 10 million lines of software code run a typical vehicle’s computer network—more than half the lines of code that reportedly run Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.”

By Andrei Nedelea

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Rumors of Cadillac ATS V with 425hp V6 Turbo and ATS V+ with a V8

The ATS has been garnering a lot of positive attention for Cadillac and consequently, GM as a whole, beginning with the initial launch of the sedan and continuing with the classy-looking Coupe revealed earlier this week. There's still more to come, including different body styles and more importantly, a V version.

Or make that two "V" versions, if we're going to believe a report from Motor Trend magazine that says Cadillac will offer a base ATS V equipped with a slightly uprated version of the CTS V Sport's 3.6-liter V6 making 425 hp, and later on, an ATS V+ (plus) with an even more powerful V8, though, there are no more details on that.

Strangely, the report mentions plans for the availability of three gearboxes, including a seven-speed manual, an eight-speed auto, and a dual-clutch transmission – the latter doesn't exist yet in a production model.

Finally, it's mentioned that the next CTS V won't get the Corvette Z06's supercharged LT4 6.2-liter V8, but a new twin-turbo version of the Corvette’s LT1 V8 " that's also slated for the next Corvette ZR1" – you know, the one that won’t be offered in the C7, according to another recent report…

We probably don't need to tell you, but we will anyway: take all information with a grain or two of salt until we hear something more concrete from an official source.

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