This week's snippets of automotive news include news on Infiniti upcoming SUV, the Bugatti Divo, Jaguar I-Pace wait-times, the plan for Maybach and Skoda on diesel.
Infiniti on a new SUV model:
Infiniti design director Karim Habib has hinted that a smaller, dedicated SUV sibling to the QX50 could be shown next year. While remaining coy about the details, he said we will see “a couple of new things in that area” in 2019.
A 'turning' point for Bugatti:
The launch of the Bugatti Divo could mark a turning point for the formerly top speed-focused brand. Company CEO Stephan Winkelmann said the Divo’s focus on dynamics and handling had been well received: “Life is not just about the shortest path from A to B–a winding road can be very enjoyable as well.”
Jaguar I-Pace waiting times:
UK customers are now facing a six-month wait for deliveries of the Jaguar I-Pace – the longest UK MD Rawdon Glover is comfortable with. “We’re looking at ways to keep the waiting list reasonable,” he said. “Interest is strong, and we’re enjoying the challenge of keeping up with that.”
The plan for Maybach:
The long-term plan for Maybach is for it to “stand on its own two feet, like AMG”, according to Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche. Bespoke Maybachs are on the cards, but first Mercedes will raise volume and credibility with more models based on cars such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Mercedes-Benz GLS.
Skoda on diesel:
“Diesel is not dead,” according to Skoda R&D boss Christian Strube, who confirmed that a newly developed diesel engine will launch in the next-gen Skoda Octavia. Skoda also decided that the new Kodiaq vRS should be diesel-rather than petrol-powered because torque “was really important”, said Strube.
Read more
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Diesel was what made Skoda,
Diesel was what made Skoda, canny buyers realised they could get a biggish family car / minicab based on VW platform and the then-respected TDi/SDi diesel engines for a sensible price.
Without diesel, and with prices now nudging VW prices, what will become of Skoda?
Skoda dealers 1 : VW dealers 0
My experience to date of Skoda is that they get the tech which VW (and its guinea pig customers) finally gets right after living with a range of glitches. We've had two VWs from new over the last 10 years and they've been the most unreliable we've known. Skoda does 'bread & butter' stuff better, in my view. Plus, Skoda dealers tend to be still family-run and, consequently, have a more loyal customer-base. I'd buy a Skoda way before considering a VW.
hmm but many posters on here
hmm but many posters on here told us Tesla would be in trouble when mainstream manufacturers with their vast high volume experience start making EV's. Maybe its not as easy as it looks then, JLR are producing only a small volume of ipaces so far yet are having to shutdown production facilities for weeks at the same time.
The Apprentice wrote:
You clearly still have a lot to learn on your apprenticeship. JLR may only be producing a small number of their I-Pace models at the moment as they are ensuring the premium experience is flawless from start to finish. Production facilities are being shutdown to allow equipment to be maintained to the highest possible industry standards, so each product they produce for their discerning customer base is built to an exacting standard, a standard that the Suebi can only dream of. The enhanced manufacturing process that will follow the shutdown will ensure each vehicle produced is infused with a premium quality experience, an experience unrivalled by other manufacturer.
Rodester wrote:
What a laugh. iPace was originally promised for July and deliveries only started in October. If this had been Tesla, then Autocar would have columns about late deliveries. Yet for JLR, as ever, they've been remarkably quiet.
iPace assembly is completely outsourced to a company called Magna Steyr with the batteries coming from LG.
The shutdowns in the UK are unrelated and to do with the fact that the management messed up with their forecasts on diesel product mix and sales to China - both of which sank. The CEO of JLR is using Brexit as a poor excuse for his faceless leadership.
The iPace situation is a realisation that making electric cars isn't so easy and poking fun at Tesla was all too easy for the automotive press who seem to have back pedalled now that 7000 Model 3's are coming off the line every week with demand increasing.
Sorry, but when I saw mention of the words 'premium experience' and Jaguar in the same sentence, I fell off my chair.
wheelman wrote:
Are you okay? You must have taken a knock to the head. That fall clearly affected your judgement because your ramblings mean nothing.