Tag Archives: shanghai auto show
Porsche Panamera Executive Unveiled at Shanghai Auto Show 2017
Porsche just unveiled a long wheelbase version of its Panamera at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. The German automaker calls it the Porsche Panamera Executive.
China-Exclusive Model
First, it should be noted that the Panamera Executive will only be available in the Chinese market. Recognizing the potentials of the luxury vehicle segment in China and the preference of its rich personalities to be chauffeured to their destinations as they ride comfortably in the rear passenger seats, the automaker decided to offer the long wheelbase car in the giant Asian country.
Strong Demand for Luxury Cars in China
According to TheDrive, China was the strongest single market for the Porsche brand in 2015 to 2016. In a year on year basis, the sales of the brand rose up to 12 percent. The vehicles delivered by the brand to customers numbered up to 65,246. So far, the automaker seems to be carrying over its momentum this year.
From a market data, it was recorded that luxury SUVs and sedans have huge following from wealthy Chinese consumers. The sports car line does not enjoy the same level of demand but Porsche remained popular, especially for younger buyers. Among the company’s best-sellers were the Macan, Panamera and 911 units.
The Panamera Executive was showcased by Porsche during the event together with the 911 GTS and 911 GT3 models, which are the two more popular products of Porsche in China last year. The said cars saw an 11% spike in sales from 2015 to 2016.
5 Models to Choose From
Porsche revealed all five new long wheelbase models in Shanghai. These include the Panamera 4 Executive, Panamera 4S Executive, Panamera Turbo Executive, Panamera 4S E-Hybrid Executive, and Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Executive.
Drivetrain
The Panamera Executive has a rear-wheel drive system. The lineup is highlighted by the Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid. The car is powered by a 3.0-liter turbo V6 engine. The unit is capable of producing a 330 hp output.
The Volkswagen ID Crozz Vs. Skoda Vision E
Many automakers showcased their concept cars at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. Most of them offer a hybrid or all-electric powertrain. Among them were the Volkswagen ID Crozz and the Skoda Vision E concept cars.
Looking at the two vehicles, they surely bear a striking resemblance with each other. After all, their brands are closely related. Here is a quick look at their key features:
Exterior
Skoda is a Czech brand but it is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Volkswagen Group since 2000. Therefore, it is no longer surprising that the Skoda Vision E shares the same platform with the Volkswagen ID Crozz concept.
Side-by-side, the two concept SUVs have the same form, dimensions and panoramic roofing. They also got rid of the traditional front grille. The noticeable differences in their exterior lies in the lighting system, bumpers, body lines, wheels and badges only.
Interior
Skoda had taken liberties in the interior of the Concept E compared to the ID Crozz of Volkswagen. While the ID Crozz offers what looks like a futuristic but minimalist approach, the Concept E is adorned with a lot of gizmos, including three displays in the dashboard and more controls. The Concept E appears to have more prominent wood trims and leather accents too.
Power Unit
The new Volkswagen and Skoda concept vehicles share the same powertrain. Each auto is powered by two electric motors located at the front and rear.
The front motors of the ID Crozz and Concept E each provides an output of 75 kW. The rear electric motor produces 150 kW. Overall, each vehicle has a total output of 225 kW.
The concept cars are powered by a 83 kWh battery with regenerative braking technology. The tech is a form of energy recovery mechanism, which adds to the energy efficiency of the vehicles. Based on Skoda, the EVs can cover a distance of 500 km at full charge.
Testing of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Toyota Cars in China Will Start in October
Toyota Motor Corp said during the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show that it will begin testing its hydrogen fuel cell cars in China by October. The move is for the company evaluate the feasibility of bringing the Mirai in the giant Asian country’s market.
According to Reuters, Hirohi Onishi, Toyota’s head of business in China, revealed that the automaker is planning to construct a hydrogen fuel station in Changshu City in the eastern part of Jiangsu province during the testing phase. He stated that promotional activities will be made in line with the arrival of their product in the country to gauge how receptive are the Chinese consumers to the vehicle.
The Japanese brand finds putting the hydrogen fuel cell-powered Toyota cars in China challenging though. Automotive News reported that there are only five hydrogen stations in the country. The facilities are centered around the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Toyota station would be the first in Changshu.
Presently, the Toyota Mirai is sold in Japan, United States of America and Europe. From the said regions, the company has sold 3,000 units of the car. Australia, United Arab Emirates and Canada will also be the location of the other testing areas for the hydrogen fuel cell Toyota cars.
Lately, the Chinese government has implemented strict measures to curb the alarming pollution in the country. As a result, more automakers are investing into bringing their electric cars in that location. Recognizing the strong demand for EVs, even luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz and Audi are taking their game into the electric car segment of the Chinese market.
With such a stiff competition looming in the electric car business, it remains to be seen how the Mirai will be received by China’s consumers. Everything will be made clear once it arrives in the Chinese roads for testing.
4 Stuff You Should Know About the BMW 5-Series Li
The BMW 5-Series is in it is seventh generation for the 2017 model year. At this year’s Shanghai Auto Show, a new model of the car was just unveiled called the BMW 5-Series Li.
Here are 4 stuff you should know about the BMW 5 Series Li, which was manufactured under the Brilliance-BMW alliance:
1. Exterior
In a nutshell, the BMW 5-Series Li is the long wheelbase model of the 5-Series. It follows all the design cues of the car where it is based.
The 5-Series Li’s wheelbase is five inches longer than its standard version though. The extra space gives its rear passengers more legroom.
The target market of the series are the wealthy people who prefer to be chauffeured to their destinations. Thus, the extra room in its rear seats.
2. Interior
The long wheelbase car follows the interior elements of the 5-Series. It is adorned with Nappa leather and dark wood trims on the side panels.
However, its rear seats feature added soundproofing, electronically adjustable seats, two 10.5-inch touchscreens and Sky Lounge Panorama glass roof. In between the rear passenger seats of the luxury vehicle is another touchscreen display integrated with the center armrest.
3. Engine
The powertrains of the BMW 5-Series Li follows that of its standard version. Buyers of the long wheelbase models can choose among the two gasoline-fed 2.0-liter turbo inline-four engines and 3.0-liter turbo inline-6 engine versions of the luxury vehicle. The respective outputs of the units are 224 hp, 252 hp and 340 hp.
Sources in China claimed that there is also a BMW 5-Series Li M Sports. But do not get your hopes up too much on that one because it only offers a new set of bumpers and wheels.
4. Exclusivity
Unfortunately for most fans of BMW, the 5-Series Li will only be available in the Chinese market. As of writing this article, there is no official confirmation yet about the market release of the long wheelbase car.
3 Major Rumors About the Volvo EV
The first Volvo EV will be made using the CMA platform currently used by the XC40 crossover.
Volvo is reportedly gearing for the release of its first electric vehicle. The Volvo EV is expected to be introduced in China.
1. Bound for Chinese Market
Since Volvo Cars is presently owned by Geely Holding Group, and the company happens to be China-based, it just makes sense that the Asian country will be the first to get the brand’s first EV. There is also the fact that the Chinese market has a strong demand for electric vehicles now because of its stricter measures to curb pollution, which further support speculations.
Citing its sources within the company, Automotive News said the car will be produced at the Luquiao plant of Volvo located in the southeastern part of China.
2. It Will Have the CMA Platform
The Volvo EV will likely ride on the CMA or Compact Modular Architecture of its maker. The platform is currently used by its compact vehicles like the XC40 crossover. The architecture was developed in partnership with Lynk & Co, which is another subsidiary of Geely.
The article claimed that the Volvo EV will be an all-new model.There is no word yet about the body type of the auto and its key specs.
The source noted that the company is looking to put at least one million electric cars on the road by 2025. The brand is aiming to be one of the major sellers of EVs going to that year.
3. Details Will Be Unraveled in Shanghai
Information about the Volvo EV is still scarce. Its maker declined to comment about it yet. However, official announcements and some details about the vehicle are expected to be made public at the auto show happening on April 21-28, 2017 at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, China.