New Hyundai Avante expected in last quarter
Hyundai's new Elantra - known as the Avante here - sports a "four-door coupe" look. It is thus longer, lower and wider compared with the previous sixth-generation model.
Engine variants will include a hybrid featuring a 1.6-litre Atkinson cycle four-cylinder engine paired with a 32kW electric motor powered by a lithium-ion-polymer battery.
The 2021 car has two 10.25-inch screens, all under one piece of glass, like what Merc did recently. It will offer wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The longest, broadest and with the most expansive wheelbase in its class (surpassing even the big Honda Civic), the new Hyundai is due in the last quarter of this year.
Apex AP-0 electric concept is fast and light
British manufacturer Apex has taken the covers off its AP-0 concept electric sports car.
Apex says the race-inspired and road legal AP-0's lightweight construction, cutting-edge aerodynamics and feet-up driving position combine to deliver "an unrivalled driving experience".
The rear-driven car hits 100kmh in 2.3 seconds and has a top speed of 304kmh. A Lidar-powered system allows the AP-0 to more accurately identify potential hazards. It promises a range of up to 515km and ultra-fast charging capability.
BMW, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce halting output in face of coronavirus
Ferrari and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have become the latest in a string of car manufacturers to suspend production because of the worsening Covid-19 pandemic. Others which have done likewise or pared down production include BMW, Nissan, Honda and Toyota in the United Kingdom.
Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler are due to do the same in the United States. Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot and Renault are among those which are halting output in Europe.
BMW has just announced a planned closure. Bloomberg reported that the company has abandoned hopes for another record year in sales, predicting deliveries will be "significantly below" last year's levels and profitability the weakest for years.
Zenvo hits 100kmh in 2.8 seconds
Danish hypercar manufacturer Zenvo has unveiled its 1,177bhp twin-supercharged TSR-S. The carbon-fibre racer has a hybrid gearbox, increasing drivetrain capabilities for future models. Zenvo builds five cars a year by hand from its factory in Denmark, with each powered by a twin-supercharged flat-plane V8. It promises a zero to 100kmh timing of 2.8 seconds - which the new Porsche 911 Turbo matches with half the power.
VW safety tech wins award
Volkswagen's car-to-everything communication system has become the first new technology to land a European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) accolade in nearly six years.
Fitted to the Golf 8 and future ID models, it allows cars to communicate with one another and with properly equipped road infrastructure and emergency vehicles to give the driver advanced warning of local safety hazards. Such cars can transmit a signal to others if they have broken down or stopped suddenly and present a safety risk.
Euro NCAP, however, says the efficacy of the new technology depends hugely on a critical mass of vehicles equipped with it.
Nissan to end car production in Indonesia
Nissan will cease production in Indonesia because of slumping sales, Kyodo News reported.
Last month, Nissan reduced its full-year operating profit forecast to 85 billion yen (S$1.12 billion) from an earlier estimate of 150 billion yen, as the carmaker faces falling sales in the United States, Japan, Asia and Europe.
The Japanese firm has been on a tailspin since it removed disgraced chief executive Carlos Ghosn in late 2018. The developing coronavirus pandemic could worsen its woes.
