Category: Highlight

  • Mini plans 2 more SUVs, both with electric powertrains

    Mini is preparing for a major shakeup of its lineup, a move that will see the automaker move beyond the subcompact segment and offering electrified powertrains in every vehicle line.

    Central to this will be an increased focus on the growing crossover SUV segment. Mini said Wednesday that it will add two more SUVs to its lineup to join the existing Countryman.

    One will be a dedicated EV similar in size to the Countryman, while the other will offer conventional powertrains as well as a battery-electric option, and will be larger than the Countryman. This larger SUV will sit in the compact segment and could come close to matching the BMW X3 in size.

    A revival of the Paceman name for the dedicated EV and Traveller for the compact SUV has been rumored.

    All Mini is willing to say is that in any segment in which it competes, its vehicles will always have the smallest footprint.

    2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop

    2020 Mini Cooper SE Hardtop

    The new SUVs, plus the Cooper SE based on the Hardtop 2-Door, which incidentally is about to be updated, will be Mini’s only vehicles offering battery-electric power for the time being. Other vehicle lines will receive the option of a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

    Mini was rumored to be working on a minicar smaller than the Cooper SE for its next EV, though that model looks to be off the table for now.

    The smaller of the two new SUVs will be the first vehicle developed and built by Spotlight Automotive, the new Chinese joint venture between Mini and Great Wall Motors. Spotlight was established in 2019 to develop electric cars for Mini and Great Wall, for sale in both China and export markets. It will start production of the smaller SUV in 2023.

    The larger SUV is being designed primarily for North America, where the Countryman is deemed too small. It isn’t expected until about 2024. Though it’s yet to be confirmed, this SUV may end up sharing the rear-wheel-drive-based CLAR platform found in the BMW X3, meaning it could potentially be built at plants in China and the United States where the X3 is currently in production.

    Concurrent with the development of the two new SUVs is development of a fourth generation of the modern Mini lineup. The first of the new generation will be the signature Hardtop, which is slated to arrive around 2023. Before it arrives however, the current generation will be given one more update.

    Source

  • Wild Donkervoort D8 GTO JD70 gets track-only R version

    Dutch sports car marque Donkervoort unveiled the wild D8 GTO JD70 in June to celebrate the 70th birthday of its founder, Joop Donkervoort, and now the company has a version developed exclusively for track use, and yes, it’s even faster than the original.

    For the track-only D8 GTO JD70 R, the engineers at Donkervoort dialed everything up a notch while also improving the safety via increased use of carbon fiber in the side-impact zones. A fixed roll cage and fire-suppression system are also fitted as standard. Should the customer desire, they can add a race car-style bladder-style tank or a Kevlar-carbon-fiber protective layer for the standard tank.

    [embedded content]

    Output from the D8 GTO JD70’s Audi-sourced 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-5 is unchanged at 415 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, yet the R version is faster. This was made possible by swapping the standard 5-speed manual transmission for a 6-speed sequential transmission with paddle shifters.

    The sequential ‘box not only delivers quicker shifts, but it can up shift with the throttle held wide open, meaning no let up in power during acceleration. The transmission also blips the throttle when downshifting, though the driver can disengage this feature when desired.

    Donkervoort D8 GTO JD70 R

    Donkervoort D8 GTO JD70 R

    Donkervoort said the rest of the drivetrain has also been strengthened, including the propshaft, driveshafts and limited-slip differential.

    Donkervoort hasn’t released full performance specs but for reference, the original D8 GTO JD70 will sprint to 62 mph from rest in 2.7 seconds and top out at 174 mph. It will also pull an insane 2 g of lateral acceleration in the corners, limited only by its street-legal Nankang AR-1s. The R version bumps this to 2.25 g thanks to stiffened suspension (with four-way adjustable dampers) and slick tires, also Nankings.

    Donkervoort D8 GTO JD70 R

    Donkervoort D8 GTO JD70 R

    To help hone one’s skills behind the wheel, telemetry data from most of the vehicle’s systems, including key elements like speed, tire temperature and g loads, can be sent to the pits for real-time analysis or saved for later use. This system is also connected to a forward-facing camera so a track run can be recorded with a data overlay.

    Donkervoort plans to build only 70 D8 GTO JD70s all up, including both the regular and track-only versions. Pricing for either model starts at 198,000 euros (approximately $233,760).

    Source

  • Lewis Hamilton makes F1 history by taking home 92nd win

    Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton became Formula One’s winningest driver on Sunday by racking up his 92nd win, or one more than Michael Schumacher.

    Hamilton took home his latest win at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portimao, which played host to a special Portuguese Grand Prix forming the 12th round of the revised 2020 calendar.

    Hamilton has been a consistent top driver throughout his career, with his first win coming with McLaren at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix, in what was his debut season. Incidentally, he missed out on the championship title that year to Kimi Raikkonen by just one point. A year later and he had his first title under his belt.

    Mercedes-AMG's Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix

    Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix

    Given his stellar run this season, Hamilton is almost certain to secure his seventh title in 2020, which will see him equal Schumacher’s record tally.

    Hamilton’s record-breaking win on Sunday was yet another dominant run, though perhaps not at the start where, despite starting on pole, fellow Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas and McLaren’s Carlos Sainz were both able to jump ahead of Hamilton when the lights turned green, and Sainz was briefly in the lead at one point though was passed by Bottas on lap six. Hamilton was able to pass Sainz quickly, too, and eventually passed Bottas about a third of the way through the race.

    From this point on Hamilton cruised to victory, with Bottas finishing second some 25 seconds back. Third place went to Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen some 34 seconds behind the winner. It was an impressive run for Verstappen who, after contact with Racing Point’s Sergio Perez in the first lap, suffered a spin and had to make an unscheduled pit stop.

    2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix

    2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix

    Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc also put in an impressive performance. Despite a poor start that saw him lose four places, slipping back to eighth place, he managed to keep cool and fight his way up to fourth at the finish line, passing Sainz, as well as Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, McLaren’s Lando Norris and Alfa Romeo’s Kimi Raikkonen in the process. AlphaTauri’s Pierre Gasly also managed to pass those drivers to secure fifth place.

    There were few dramas, though Racing Point’s Lance Stroll on lap 18 suffered a spin near Turn 1 after coming into contact with Norris. Stroll was able to continue racing but received his first of two time penalties of the race. He received his second for a track limit violation and was later called in by his team while running last.

    Hamilton’s lead in the 2020 Drivers’ Championship now extends to 256 points. Bottas is second with 179 points and Verstappen is third with 162 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes leads with 435 points versus the 226 of Red Bull and 126 of Racing Point. The next round on the calendar is a special Emilia Romagna Grand Prix on this coming weekend at Italy’s Imola.

    Mercedes-AMG's Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix

    Mercedes-AMG’s Lewis Hamilton at the 2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix

    Below are the full results from the 2020 Formula One Portuguese Grand Prix:

    1) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG
    2) Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes-AMG +25.592 seconds
    3) Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing +34.508 seconds
    4) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +65.312 seconds
    5) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri +1 lap
    6) Carlos Sainz, McLaren +1 lap
    7) Sergio Perez, Racing Point +1 lap
    8) Esteban Ocon, Renault +1 lap
    9) Daniel Ricciardo, Renault +1 lap
    10) Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari +1 lap
    11) Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo +1 lap
    12) Alexander Albon, Red Bull Racing +1 lap
    13) Lando Norris, McLaren +1 lap
    14) George Russell, Williams +1 lap
    15) Antonio Giovinazzi, Alfa Romeo +1 lap
    16) Kevin Magnussen, Haas +1 lap
    17) Romain Grosjean, Haas +1 lap
    18) Nicholas Latifi, Williams +2 laps
    19) Daniil Kvyat, AlphaTauri +2 laps
    NC) Lance Stroll, Racing Point DNF

    Source