Nissan鈥檚 premium division, Infiniti, has big electrification plans and, according to the Sleuth鈥檚 intel, the all-new or significantly updated models will offer some degree of electrification, beginning with the 2021 model year. This will include battery-electrics as well as gasoline-electric hybrids. For performance as well as fuel economy, Infiniti will employ a combination of gasoline engines powering the front wheels plus up to two electric motors at the opposite end that can function independently or in combination with the engine (called a parallel hybrid). All will be built using a scalable platform that allows for such variations. For marketing purposes, look for the e-Power name. The recently revealed Q Inspiration concept hints at what the e-Power Infiniti models might look like.
Ford鈥檚 next Escape will break free of its small stature
The Sleuth has it on good authority that the Blue Oval automaker鈥檚 popular compact utility vehicle won鈥檛 be quite so compact when the next-generation model arrives for the 2020 model year. Apparently, Ford wants to match a number of the Escape鈥檚 peers, including the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue and Volkswagen Tiguan that have all grown in recent years. The Escape will also be built on a brand new platform that it will share with the 2019 Focus Active hatchback. Along with turbo and non-turbo four-cylinder powerplants, a plug-in hybrid Escape is expected.
Something completely different for Rolls-Royce
The Cullinan is the name of the largest diamond ever found and is part of the British Crown Jewel collection. Cullinan is also the name of the BMW-owned automaker鈥檚 ultra-luxury sport-utility vehicle. And other than traversing unpaved laneways or perhaps brief forays into tall grass whilst their owners are pheasant hunting, Cullinans will likely remain as only ever being pavement-bound gems. The 鈥渁ll-terrain car,鈥� as design director Gilles Taylor calls it, uses a twin-turbocharged 6.75-litre V-12 that produces 563 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. Along with all-wheel-drive, the Cullinan has all-wheel-steering for greater manoeuvrability. 鈥淏ase鈥� pricing starts at $325,000 US, with deliveries beginning in 2019.
Guess what new model(s) Lotus plans to introduce?
According to the Sleuth鈥檚 sources, the British sports-car maker (owned by Geely of China) is in the early development stages of two luxury sport-utility vehicles. Word has it that Geely鈥檚 design boss, Peter Horbury, is drawing inspiration from Porsche, which currently has two different sizes of utility models in play, namely the Cayenne and Macan. Details on the duo are still sketchy, but it appears that both will use platforms borrowed from the Volvo XC60 and XC90 tall wagons. That makes complete sense since it so happens that Geely owns Volvo. With the world gone mad for such vehicles, the Spy Guy wonders if, or when, McLaren and Bugatti will announce similar new-product plans.
Will Audi copy Mercedes-Benz with a small car for North America?
Until recently, upscale automakers would never have introduced their tiny Europe-only models over here. It was believed that such a move would diminish their brands amongst the upwardly mobile. But these days it seems perfectly acceptable to play in the affordable-luxury sandbox, which is why Mercedes-Benz will sell the subcompact A-Class models here in 2019. Thus, believes the Sneaky One, Audi will at some near-future date bring the latest A1 hatchback to our shores, if for no other reason than its dealer group will practically demand it. Most auto brands believe that snagging younger buyers early on will keep them with that brand as they ascend the socio-economic ladder. As well, small cars such as the A1 would make an ideal battery-powered or hybrid vehicle (think Lexus CT 200h).
鈥淕reen鈥� cars in carpool lanes
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority will stop allowing hybrid, electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles to access express freeway lanes otherwise designated for two or more passengers. The reason? The number of clean-air stickers issued for such models has increased dramatically, contributing to a reduction in average carpool-lane speeds.
Assistance for the blind riding in vehicles
Ford and communications company GTB Roma have developed Feel the View. The system鈥檚 special camera creates greyscale images of passing scenery that are projected onto the car鈥檚 side windows. The shaded areas then vibrate in a way that allows sight-impaired individuals to touch the contrasts, giving them a sense of their surroundings. An integrated vocal assistant also describes what the passengers are feeling.
