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Category: Highlight

  • Watch the Rimac C_Two undergo crash testing

    The Rimac C_Two may be a low-volume electric hypercar, but it still needs to be crash tested like any other production vehicle. Rimac on Friday released a video showing two prototypes being sacrificed for the cause ahead of the C_Two’s targeted 2021 launch.

    Rimac began crash testing in 2019, and did simulation work prior to that. The crashes shown here—both frontal offsets—represent the second round of testing. Cars were run into a barrier at a 40% offset at 40 kph (24.8 mph) and 56 kph (34.7 mph).

    To complete testing and regulatory homologation, Rimac plans to build 13 prototypes and five “pre-series” cars. Of these 18 cars, 11 will be destroyed in crash tests, Rimac said in a press release accompanying the video. These cars will be built on a new assembly line Rimac unveiled in June.

    Rimac C_Two production line

    Rimac C_Two production line

    Unveiled in concept form at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, the production-spec version of the C_Two was originally scheduled to debut at this year’s Geneva show, and start production before the end of the year. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show was canceled, and the start of C_Two production was pushed back to 2021.

    Rimac quotes output of 1,914 horsepower and 1,696 pound-feet of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 1.85 seconds (with a one-foot rollout), and a top speed of 258 mph. The car will also feature sophisticated driver-assist tech that will act as a driving coach on racetracks.

    Despite a price tag of $2 million, most of the C_Two’s 150 build slots were filled almost immediately after the concept car’s 2018 unveiling. Rimac’s technology may also make it into cars from Hyundai and Porsche—both of which own stakes in the firm. A September report also claimed Rimac could buy Bugatti in exchange for Porsche increasing its stake.

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  • EV startups Fisker, Lordstown Motors go public

    EV startups Fisker and Lordstown Motors are now publicly listed companies, though neither has delivered a product yet.

    They followed in the footsteps of fellow EV startup Nikola by entering a so-called “reverse merger” with a special purpose acquisition company whose shares are already publicly traded. And more EV-related deals are in the pipeline, including from Canoo and Mullen.

    Lordstown merged with DiamondPeak Holdings Corp. and started trading on the Nasdaq on Monday under ticker symbol “RIDE.” After initially jumping 20% to reach a high of $21.75, the shares sold off during this week’s market rout and closed Thursday at $14.74.

    Fisker Ocean

    Fisker Ocean

    Fisker has merged with Spartan Energy Acquisition Corp. and starts trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Friday under the ticker symbol “FSR.”

    By going public, Fisker and Lordstown are expected to receive $1 billion and $675 million, respectively. Both companies will use the bulk of the funds to get their first products to market.

    While Fisker doesn’t expect to have its first product, a Tesla Model Y rival called the Ocean, in production until late 2022, Lordstown expects its first product, the Endurance, a full-size pickup truck with in-wheel motors, to be in production by late 2021.

    Lordstown Endurance

    Lordstown Endurance

    The Endurance will be built at a former General Motors plant in Lordstown, Ohio, and could be followed by SUVs and a mid-size pickup truck. Lordstown said it has over 40,000 pre-orders, which would equate to about $2 billion in revenue.

    As for the Ocean, Fisker plans to outsource production to Magna Steyr in Austria. Magna Steyr will also supply Fisker with a platform for the Ocean and possibly other models the company has on the drawing board.

    Fisker said it already has 9,000 reservations for the Ocean, and unlike Lordstown which plans to launch in the North American market, Fisker plans to launch in North America and Europe. One of Fisker’s first European customers is a Danish ride-hailing company called Viggo which this week announced it will purchase 300 Oceans for its fleet.

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  • Preview: 2022 Genesis GV70 revealed as handsome BMW X3 rival

    Genesis on Wednesday released the first photos of a new crossover SUV called the GV70 which is coming to showrooms next year as the latest entry in the competitive small premium SUV segment.

    Genesis’ first SUV was the mid-size GV80 which is just reaching showrooms after coronavirus delays quashed the original summer release. The third SUV is expected to be a compact offering, possibly with battery-electric power only.

    The GV70 is yet another handsome design from Genesis, and one that’s more dynamic than the big and burly GV80. This is emphasized by the more dramatic slope of the roof toward the rear, compared to the flatter roof of the GV80.

    2022 Genesis GV70

    2022 Genesis GV70

    Otherwise, all the styling cues that have come to represent the Genesis brand are there, like the large crest-shaped grille and quad-light arrangement front and rear.

    Like other models from Genesis, the GV70 is based on a rear-wheel-drive platform, in this case related to the one in the G70 sedan which has just received major updates.

    It’s likely the standard powertrain will be a 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 with around 300 horsepower, and the available powertrain a 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 with around 375 hp.

    2022 Genesis GV70

    2022 Genesis GV70

    More details on the GV70 will be announced closer to the market launch but Genesis has confirmed that there will be both a regular model and GV70 Sport. Genesis hasn’t said if the Sport model will bring any performance upgrades, but the automaker has mentioned it will come with a more aggressive front fascia, unique 21-inch wheels, dark chrome exterior accents, and exclusive color and trim options inside including carbon-fiber.

    The GV70 isn’t the only new Genesis coming up shortly. As mentioned above, the G70 sedan has just been updated and is set to spawn a wagon body style for European markets. There’s also a dedicated EV in the works that could be badged a GV60, as well as a battery-electric version of the G80 sedan.

    Unfortunately, plans for a large coupe inspired by 2018’s Essentia concept appear to be off the radar as Genesis focuses on higher volume models first.

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