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Automakers Suspend Operations, Change Equipment Due to Chip Shortage

Ford is temporarily suspending production at its Kansas City assembly plant to deal with the shortage.

Automakers continue to search for ways to deal with the semiconductor chip shortage impacting the industry on a global scale.

Most companies cut back production and shift available chip inventory to high-profit vehicles like pickup trucks. Seemingly no automaker is immune to the problem, including pricey luxury and sports car makers. Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and others all recently announced moves to deal with the shortage.

This week is not different with Daimler, Stellantis and Subaru reporting today they are taking new measures to account for current run of chip shortages, both in the U.S. and in other facilities around the world.

New announcements

Ford plans to extend the shutdowns at plants that build its F-150, Ford Transit, Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, Ford Edge/Lincoln Nautilus and Ford Mustang. The Kansas City Assembly Plant that builds its top-selling F-150 and Transit commercial van suspend operations for the weeks of May 3 and 10. It’s currently closed down.

GM is slowing production of its van at its Wentzville plant to deal with the chip shortage.

The Flat Rock, Michigan plant, which builds the Mustang, and Chicago plant that builds the Explorer and Aviator will also be down the first two weeks of next month. They’ve been down since the week of April 12, according to Automotive News.

The company plans to continue the reduced production of its Super Duty and medium-duty trucks at the Ohio Assembly Plant near Cleveland.

General Motors plans to move its Wentzville (Missouri) Assembly plant from three shifts to just two on a temporary basis starting the week of April 26. It’s cutting van production at the site. Production of its midsize pickups, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon, are unaffected. The company just restarted operations at the facility last week after a two-week shutdown.

Other moves

In what may be the most novel approach to dealing with the issue thus far, Stellantis is using analog speedometers in some its Peugeot models instead of the digital ones they would normally come equipped with.

Daimler is cutting hours for 18,500 workers at two plants in Germany as it waits for more chips.

The move affects only the Peugeot 308, Reuters reported, which are built in France. The brand sold about 98,000 of the 308 model last year. The 308 is being phased out this fall in favor of a new vehicle. The company may reduce the price as a result of the less advanced speedo.

Daimler plans to reduce hours for 18,500 employees and idle production at its Bremen and Rastatt plants in Germany. Bremen builds the C-Class as well as the GLC, GLC Coupe and the all-electric EQC. The Rastatt plant produces the A-Class hybrid as well as the A-Class sedan, B-Class and GLA compact SUV.

Japanese automaker Subaru Corp. revealed plans to temporarily suspend production at its plant in Lafayette, Indiana. The closure will be in place until the end of April, according to officials. It will affect about 15,000 vehicles for North America, officials noted. The company builds the Ascent, Outback, Legacy and Impreza at the site.

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Buy/Drive/Burn: The Cheapest Full-size, Truck-based SUVs in America for 2021

We continue the Cheapest Of series today on Buy/Drive/Burn, and check out the least expensive full-size truck-based SUVs on sale in America in 2021. And we’ve been generous today and equipped each of them with four-wheel drive to avoid any usability concerns. Today’s trio is very close in price but diverges elsewhere. Let’s go.

Chevrolet Tahoe

The Tahoe is new for 2021, is the cheapest vehicle here. This year it gains a host of updates including an independent rear suspension and some very in-your-face-styling. General Motors believes more trims are better, and offers Tahoe in LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country variations. At the lower end, an LS starts at $49,600, and a High Country is $68,200 before options. Unlike the others here, the power plant depends on trim and is provided via the stalwart 5.3-liter V8, a 6.2-liter V8 (High Country only), or a 3.0-liter inline-six turbodiesel. The 5.3 and diesel are both available at the LS level, and the V8 is slightly cheaper. A 4×4 LS is available in eight different free colors, most of which are grey-ish. Seats are covered in cloth here, but buyers can choose between Jet Black and “Very Dark Atmosphere,” or as you’d call it light gray. A bench seat can replace the front console, but that’ll cost you $250. With no options selected and after the freight charge of $1,695, the Tahoe asks $54,295.

Ford Expedition

Ford’s Expedition is F-150 based as you’d expect and has been on sale in its current guise since the 2018 model year. It’s available in five different trims presently: XL STX, XLT, Limited, King Ranch, and Platinum. Prices range from a base of $49,025 to nearly $74,000 for the Platinum. All trims feature the same 3.5-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6, which produces 375 horsepower. In XL STX trim, all six available paint colors are free of charge, and one of them is brown. All seats are covered in cloth at this level, and the only color on offer is Ebony. The 4×4 upcharge is added to the acquisition fee of $656 and the destination charge of $1,695 for a grand total of $55,385.

Nissan Armada

The most expensive entry of today’s trio is also the only one from Japan. The Nissan Armada in its current guise is sold as the Patrol elsewhere in the world and shares a body with the more expensive QX80 and a platform with the Nissan Titan. Available in four trims, S, SV, SL, and Platinum, the Armada ranges from $48,600 to over $65,000 before options. All trims share the same naturally aspirated 5.6-liter V8 used across Nissan’s truck line that’s good for 400 horsepower. Colors available for free on the SV 4WD trim include black and silver. Interiors are dark gray or tan, and the leather has an -ette at the end of it. The four-wheel drive and shipping fee add up for a base price on the Armada of $57,095.

Three big SUVs, all of them ask for around $55,000 of your dollars. Which one goes home with you?

[Images: GM, Ford, Nissan]

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GM Launches New In-Car Navigation Technology Maps+

General Motors announced the launch of Maps+, an in-vehicle, app-based navigation solution.

General Motors is taking another run at selling consumers on in-vehicle navigation with Maps+, an app-based system that will be available by the end of the month.

The new technology is available to owners of roughly 900,000 model year 2018 GM vehicles and newer as part of the company’s connected services plans.

“We know customers want an easy and convenient in-vehicle experience that improves over time,” said Santiago Chamorro, GM vice president of Global Connected Services.

“We listened to customer feedback and developed a product that works seamlessly with our current infotainment systems and provides a highly personalized experience that will iterate throughout the lifetime of the vehicle,” Chamorro added.

That personalization allows for favorite locations or points of interest, a choice of day or night mode for the map and shortcuts when searching various categories, such as coffee, food, fuel and recent spots or favorites.

New system easily integrated

GM’s tried in the past to implement a viable in-car navigation system, like Chevrolet’s GogoLink. It was a new smartphone app-based nav system.

Automakers have been trying to cash in on navigation devices for more than two decades with only limited success. In-car systems started out as luxury options with hefty price tags.

The systems also required pricey updates. Those checks became tougher for owners to write as new technology came on the market, including the new ubiquitous smart phone, thus in-car navigation lost its edge.

Chamrro, however, noted GM has been offering connected vehicles for more than 25 years. The new digital solutions in the GM system safely and seamlessly integrate into the busy lives of vehicle owners, he said.

The Maps+ rollout leverages the over-the-air update capabilities of GM’s growing fleet of connected vehicles and underscores the company’s commitment to deliver best-in-class customer experiences throughout a vehicle’s lifetime while enabling a safer drive, he said.

Meanwhile, GM and Mapbox will continue to enhance the system by developing new features and improvements based on feedback and metrics. Maps+ was developed to meet driver needs and preferences while keeping hardware capabilities of different vehicles in mind, they said.

GM planned to use smartphone-like over-the-air updates to add its GM Marketplace to many 2017 models.

New system uses voice commands

Owners of GM vehicles can start Maps+ navigation with Alexa Built-In voice control and listen to music or podcasts using the system’s integrated audio apps. The system brings up points of interest, shops, restaurants, parking and more. With features including embedded speed limit alerts and low fuel recognition to route drivers to a nearby station.

“The map is the canvas for providing the driver with a delightful, easy-to-use experience,” said Peter Sirota, Mapbox CEO.

“From discovering new places to avoiding traffic on your commute to paying at the pump or the plug, Maps+ lays the foundation for an excellent navigation experience. We are excited to build upon this with GM to continue to drive adoption.”

South Korean EV Battery Makers Settle U.S. Squabble

SK Innovation paid $1.8 billion to LG Energy as part of a settlement so it can produce EV batteries at this soon-to-be-complete plant in Georgia.

South Korean battery makers LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation finally settled a two-year old dispute about intellectual property that had the potential to undermine efforts by Ford Motor Co. and Volkswagen AG to put electric vehicles on the road.

The agreement came as the Sunday deadline for President Joe Biden to become involved loomed over the process. In a joint statement released this past weekend, the sides said they agreed to settle all legal disputes relating to EV batteries in the United States and South Korea.

As part of the settlement, SK agreed to pay the equivalent of $1.8 billion in a lump sum and royalties. In return, SK can move forward with the operations of a new plant in Georgia that is expected to supply batteries for EVs built by Ford and Volkswagen.

Production at the Georgia plant was threatened by the litigation, which had grown to include the U.S. International Trade Commission and the White House as well as regulators in South Korea.

Ford relieved by settlement

Ford was counting on SK Innovation to produce EV batteries for its electrified F-150.

“We are pleased that SK Innovation and LG Energy Solution have settled their differences. This allows us to focus on delivering a range of Ford world-class battery electric vehicles for our retail and fleet customers, while also supporting American workers, the economy and our shared goal of protecting the planet,” Ford said in a statement released after the settlement was announced in South Korea.

Back in February, U.S. ITC sided LG Energy in a trade secrets case but permitted SK Innovation to import components for domestic production of lithium-ion batteries for Ford Motor Co’s EV F-150 program for up to four years, and for Volkswagen of America’s electric vehicle line for two years.

As a result of the settlement announced over the weekend, both sides have agreed to withdraw all pending legal disputes in United States and Korea and agreed to a “10-year non-assertion,” essentially agreeing not to sue each other for a decade.

Jong Hyun Kim, CEO and president of LG Energy Solution and Jun Kim, CEO and resident of SK Innovation released a joint statement announcing the settlement and agreed to focus on the larger goals set forth by the Biden administration.

The Volkswagen ID.4, which is the brand’s first EV in the U.S., will reportedly use SK Innovation batteries.

“This settlement demonstrates LG Energy Solution’s willingness to protect and maintain a fair and competitive climate within the EV industry. This agreement also reinforces the significance of our intellectual property acquired over the past 30 years,” said LG Energy’s Jong Hyun Kim.

Help from Biden sought in dispute

The settlement in South Korea also eliminates the need for even more direct intervention by the Biden administration. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp pleaded with the administration to overrule the ITC’s initial ruling.

Kemp said the ITC ruling threated 2,600 jobs at the SK plant and would be a major blow to Georgia’s economy, which already reeling from a dispute over new law that places new restrictions on voting by Georgia residents and gives the legislature the right to set aside election results after votes are counted.

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Honda Looking to Get a Little More Rugged with Trailsport Moniker?

The new Honda Ridgeline gets a more rugged exterior update for the 2021 model year. Could a Trailsport edition be coming soon?

Is Honda trying to make its trucks and SUVs appear to be tougher? Maybe.

The Japanese automaker’s secured a new name: Trailsport. When compared to RAV4, Passport and Pilot, Trailsport seems almost vicious by comparison. The automaker registered the name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and website Carbuzz tracked it down.

The application reads as follows: “The mark consists of a miscellaneous design set above the term TRAILSPORT with the letters ‘R’ and ‘S’ connected together all in a stylized font. This trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of land vehicles, namely, sport utility vehicles, automobiles, trucks, and structural parts for the foregoing.”

Getting a little tougher

There’s no clear indication if Honda intends to use it for new vehicle or, more likely, a special edition or trim package, such as the Honda Ridgeline Trailsport.

Subaru is offering up a beefed up version of the Outback called the Wilderness edition.

Regardless, the company’s been looking to add more capability to its trucks and utes, toughening up the look of aforementioned Ridgeline for the 2021 model year after the previous iteration was roundly criticized for its “soft” or non-traditional appearance.

In addition to the new look, it also got additional tweaks to keep the functionality the Ridgeline has touted both in terms of utility and performance, including the top standard payload capacity for a V6 all-wheel-drive truck.

The biggest change for 2021 is the truck’s overall exterior shape, which is altered by getting an entirely new front-end design. The new look is a bit more aggressive with a “power bulge” on the hood accented with a more squared-off front end and bigger, more upright grille. Most of its competitors have been upsizing the grilles on their trucks and looking for “tougher” monikers for their vehicles too.

Following a trend

Subaru just launched a new family of more rugged off-roaders with its new Wilderness edition offerings, starting

The new Pathfinder’s sporting a more rugged look for the 2022 model year.

with the new 2022 Outback Wilderness. The automaker described the ’22 Subaru Outback Wilderness as “the most rugged and capable” version of the crossover in its history.

Once little more than a gussied-up station wagon, the new Wilderness model adds features designed to give it serious off-road credibility, starting with an increase in its ride height, upgrades to the suspension, revisions to its all-wheel-drive system and a standard front skid plate. The automaker will expand the line-up to include Forester and Crosstrek in the near future.

With competition like the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon and Gladiator Mojave and the Ford Bronco harkening back to a rougher, tougher time and the increasing desire of owners to take these vehicles that look like SUVs out to do SUV-like things, it’s no surprise that other automakers are hustling to bolster their crossovers and urban-friendly utes.

Don’t forget Nissan

For the 2022 model year, Nissan’s finally given the Frontier midsize pickup a major makeover.

Nissan did the same with its 2022 Pathfinder and Frontier entries with one executive proclaiming the Pathfinder has “returned to its rugged roots,” for the new model year. While the Pathfinder got a more muscular look and a few small upgrades to improve its off-cement capability, it was the Frontier that got a big boost.

The new Frontier adopts a more solid and upright appearance with a bolder, less derivative front end. All versions of the truck get enhanced ground clearance and enhanced approach and departure angles, with a prominent front skid plate.

For those who are serious about off-roading, there’s a new Pro-4X version featuring an electronic locking differential, Bilstein off-road shock absorbers and underbody skid plates. That could enhance Frontier’s appeal to those who might otherwise consider the Toyota Tacoma, for many the off-road benchmark of the segment. The Pro-4X is all-wheel drive but for those who want a 2WD model, the new Pro-X adds LED head, DRL and fog lights for a more rugged appearance.

Chevrolet Electric Silverado A ZERO Production

Chevrolet’s Silverado electric pickup will be built at the Factory Zero assembly plant in Detroit-Hamtramck, Michigan, along with GMC’s Hummer EV SUV which will also be produced there, General Motors president Mark Reuss said today.

A new-from-the-ground-up EV pickup, and not adapted from the gas-powered Silverado, it will use the Ultium Platform. Ultium is General Motors’ virtual development tools and technology, said to have reduced development nearly 50 percent to 26 months.

Chevrolet estimates the new Silverado EV will have a 400-mile range on a full charge. Like its gas-powered sibling, there will be retail and fleet versions of the EV, both expected to be in demand. “Chevrolet will take everything Chevy’s loyal truck buyers love about Silverado — and more — and put it into an electric pickup that will delight retail and commercial customers alike,” said Reuss.

Factory ZERO, General Motors’ renamed Detroit-Hamtramck assembly plant, signifies the company’s zero crashes, zero emissions, and zero congestion outlook for the future. ZERO is the largest renovation and retooling ever for a General Motors manufacturing plant. Its paint and body shop, along with the general assembly area, are getting upgrades including new machinery, conveyors, controls, and tooling. The plant’s footprint is now over 4.5 million square feet.

General Motors previously hawked its modular propulsion system and Ultium battery-powered global EV platforms. The company is definitely looking to compete head-to-head for customers wherever they may exist. Ultium is a joint venture with LG in Lordstown, Ohio to produce battery cells for future battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Construction of that facility is underway.

General Motors world domination plan calls for a million EVs by 2025, and North American EV leadership. How will this work out with the power grid, President Biden’s future vision, and infrastructure improvements?

[Images: General Motors]

Plant Shutdowns Extend into April for Detroit Automakers

Ford canceled overtime shifts at its Kansas City Assembly plant’s truck line for April, May and part of June.

The shortage of semiconductors is forcing Detroit’s automakers to trim production, including production of pickup trucks that are increasingly short supply, in the mid-April.

Ford Motor Co. has already gone through a series of forced shutdowns due to the ongoing shortage. The company said this week it is closing the Dearborn Truck Plant, one of the company’s flagship facilities. It will be down the weeks of April 5 and April 12. In addition, the company cancelled super shifts — the company’s term for overtime shifts — the weeks of April 26, May 10, May 31 and June 21.

At the Kansas City Assembly Plant, the company is shutting down the truck side only the week of April 5. It cancelled super shifts at KCAP Truck side the weeks of April 12, April 19, April 26, May 3, May 10, May 17, June 7 and June 14. The Transit side is canceling super shifts for the weeks of April 5, April 12 and April 19.

Ford hit hard by shortage

The Louisville Assembly Plant, which builds utility vehicles, will be down the weeks of April 12 and 19.

Stellantis is temporarily shutting down its Windsor plant due to the semiconductor shortage.

Ford also said two other plants, Chicago Assembly, where the company builds the Ford Explorer, is canceling a super shift for the week of April 5, while the Ohio Assembly Plant, near Cleveland, where the company builds heavy-duty pickup truck is canceling super shifts for the weeks of April 12 and April 26.

In Canada, Ford’s Oakville Assembly Complex in Oakville, Ontario, where the Ford Edge is built, will be down the weeks of April 12, April 19 and April 26 due to the shortage of semiconductors.

Stellantis forced to shutdown

Stellantis said its North American operations continue to work closely with its suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry as It announced another round of temporary plant.

The Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, the Warren Truck plant in suburban Detroit, Toluca Assembly Plant in Mexico, and Canadian plants in Brampton and Windsor, Ontario, will be shut through the middle of middle of April, Stellantis said in a statement.

General Motors truck plants carry on

The company says it’s doing all it can to continue building full-size pickup trucks. However, the GM said the Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kansas, where the Chevrolet Malibu and Cadillac XT4 and the CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, where GM Builds the Chevrolet Equinox will be shut through mid-April.

GM’s CAMI plant in Ingersoll, Ontario, builds the Chevy Equinox and will be shutdown through mid-April.

“We continue to work closely with our supply base to find solutions for our suppliers’ semiconductor requirements and to mitigate impact on GM,” the company said in a statement e-mailed to TheDetroitBureau.com. “Our intent is to make up as much production lost at these plants as possible.”

Automakers are either facing or about to face some tough times when it comes to sales, which were very strong in March, according to at least one analyst.

“On a SAAR level, March auto sales are shaping up to meet or exceed Pre-Covid levels. The big rebound from the prior month was assisted by stimulus and pent-up demand from weather impacts in February. However, the stronger sales results are bumping against ongoing production issues, creating what could be a volatile demand environment over the next few months,” Chris Hopson, manager, North American light vehicle forecast, IHS Markit.

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Bow. Wow! One-Bow Design Takes Mercedes EQS in an Entirely New Direction

The new Mercedes-Benz EQS battery-electric sedan makes its formal debut April 15.

One thing’s for sure: there’ll be no mistaking the new Mercedes EQS sedan when it rolls down the street.

Think of the EQS as the all-electric alternative to the German automaker’s familiar S-Class flagship. But you clearly won’t confuse the two when it reaches showrooms in autumn. Some new battery-electric vehicles share the same design language as conventional, gas-powered products. With EQS, Mercedes goes off in an entirely new direction, one it’s been hinting at with concept vehicles like the 2019 Vision EQS.

The production model adopts what the automaker calls a “one-bow” design. It takes the look of the coupe-like Mercedes CLS to extremes. The result could have rolled off the set of a sci-fi film. But there are practical benefits in terms of range and interior roominess, as well.

“We said we have to go further” than just packing batteries into a conventional looking product,” Steffen Kohl, Mercedes’ director of advanced exterior style, said during a media webinar. The EQS “carries the future of Mercedes-Benz,” he added, noting the “one-bow” language of the EQS will strongly influence other products to come from the new, all-electric Mercedes-EQ sub-brand.

Plenty of power and range

Robert Lesnik led the exterior design effort for Mercedes new EQS battery-electric sedan.

EQS rides on a skateboard-like platform, mimicking virtually all new battery-electric vehicles. Its batteries, motors and other key electrical components sit below the floorboards.

The automaker will reveal full powertrain details during a formal unveiling April 15. But EQS uses twin motors, one on each axle, drawing power from a 108 kilowatt-hour battery pack. That provides about 435 miles of range using the European WLTP test cycle. The EPA rating should come in somewhere about 350 miles, according to industry observers.

The layout moves the sedan’s wheels close to the vehicle’s corners. It also frees up space where a traditional gas or diesel engine would be mounted, providing significant flexibility to the Mercedes design team.

Shorter wheelbase, longer cabin

The cab-forward design features a short nose, the angled, one-piece aluminum clamshell hood rising aggressively to flow into a steeply raked windshield. Instead of a traditional, two- or three-box layout, the look is like that of a single bow line, explained Robert Lesnik, who led the exterior design effort.

The Mercedes-Benz Vision EQS concept provided a framework for the company’s new electric luxury sedan.

“EQS will be the world’s best production car ever in terms of aerodynamics,” with a drag coefficient of 0.20 significantly better than even the sleekest of today’s supercars, he explained.

The effect “looks optically lower than it is,” Lesnik added.

The front end features a new grille with “abstracted, three-dimensional star pattern(s),” according to Mercedes. It’s framed by slit-like headlamps flowing into the front quarter panels.

“When people ask why we need a grille anymore,” Lesnik explains that it is “not an air intake. It’s a face.”

“Coming from the future”

The side panels lack the normal creases found on conventional Mercedes models, though the greenhouse does pinch in towards the trunk, giving the EQS a sense of muscularity.

The new EQS features Mercedes’ newly introduced Hyperscreen technology.

Around back, the most distinctive feature is a light band connecting what Mercedes calls “curved, 3D helix” taillamps.

From nose to tail, the new EQS measures 5.2 meters, or 204.7 inches. That’s about 3.5 inches shorter than the U.S. version of the latest Mercedes S-Class. But the electric sedan has more room for four passengers, its cabin pushed forward into what would normally be the engine compartment.

As distinctive as the exterior might be, the interior takes things even further, said Peter Balko, who oversaw development of the cabin. “We wanted our interior to be modern,” he explained, “as if coming from the future.”

Buyers will have numerous options

Buyers have several key options to choose from. The showpiece layout uses the new hyperscreen concept first shown on the latest S-Class. It features a seamless digital cluster running the entire width of the instrument panel. The organically shaped glass blends three different displays, starting with the digital gauge cluster, the touchscreen infotainment screen and a separate display for the front passenger.

The gauge cluster on the new EQS is configurable based on the wants of the driver.

EQS offers a digital gauge cluster and a large, free-floating, Tesla-like infotainment screen for those seeking a more conventional look. The space in front of the passenger can be outfitted with an assortment of different woods and fabrics and even a version of the Star Pattern grille.

The EQS will “touch almost all of your senses,” said Kohl. Among other things, the product development team has come up with three distinctive, user-programmable “soundscapes.”

Sounding off

While battery cars aren’t entirely silent, they are significantly quieter than vehicles with conventional internal combustion engines. Motorists can enjoy the lack of noise or they can opt for one of the soundscapes, “depending upon the emotions of the moment,” said lead sound engineer Thomas Kuppers.

Silver Waves is meant to be soft and soothing;
Vivid Flux is “shimming and explosive,” a bit “techie but (with) warmth,” said Kuppers; and
Roaring Pulse is “pretty raw, with “the growl of thunder,” especially under aggressive driving.

“We haven’t finished yet,” Kuppers added, noting that, “There will be new soundscapes over the life of the vehicle that we will download through over-the-air updates.”

The new EQS will borrow from the conventional S-Class by also appealing to the sense of smell, Mercedes officials noted. The new BEV will have the ability to inject scents into the cabin, including some designed specifically for the new model.

First Look: 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed

The 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed could be the last vehicle the luxury maker produces that relies solely on the W-12 engine.

It’s faster. It takes corners better. And it’s designed to make long trips pass by in comfort. The 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed could prove to be a landmark product for the British automaker, potentially the last major model to rely solely on Bentley’s massive W-12 engine.

The automaker announced last November that it will offer only plug-in hybrids and pure battery-electric models starting in 2026, while going 100% BEV by 2030. That means that this new version of the GT Speed will have a relatively short, albeit glorious, life.

“It delivers the ultimate combination of driving comfort and performance,” said Matthias Rabe, Bentley’s engineering chief, during a Tuesday morning media webinar.

The pinnacle of the brand

The Continental is the brand’s all-time best seller and gets better for 2022.

The Bentley Continental, in all its forms, has been the most popular model in the company’s history, helping usher in a massive transformation of the brand since the car was introduced back in 2003. The Speed is the “pinnacle” of the line, said Rabe. And, for 2022, it gets an assortment of upgrades.

That starts with the 6.0-liter W-12 engine which gains an additional 24 horsepower. The 2022 model now punches out 659 hp and 664 pound-feet of torque, enough to hit 60 in 3.5 seconds. Top speed climbs to 208 mph. Power is directed to all four wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission.

A Bentley isn’t about straight-line performance, of course. And, to improve its road manners, the ’22 GT Speed adds all-wheel-steering and torque vectoring, along with an electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential. A driver who wants to push the limits can even switch off the GT Speed’s electronic stability control and drift the car “a little,” said Rabe — no mean feat considering its size and mass.

New carbon-ceramic brakes help scrub off speed.

Few surprises … until you look under the skin

2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed interior

The new GT has four bucket seats and a leather, wood and metal-accented interior offering a seemingly endless range of customization opportunities.

Visually, there are few surprises with the update. There’s the familiar, rectangular Bentley grille which gets a subtle tweak to its finish. There are new 20-inch twin-spoke wheels and gloss black accents are available. But the look is immediately familiar, with the distinctive crystal cut quad headlamps, the fastback roof and the three distinctive accent lines.

Inside, there are four bucket seats and a leather, wood and metal-accented interior that offers a seemingly endless range of customization opportunities. Among other things, buyers can choose from 15 different hues of leather and Alcantara.

The W-12 has been a distinctive symbol of the Bentley brand. The question is how much of a future it has. Bentley stunned industry observers when it laid out plans to go all electric late last year. It’s timing puts it well ahead of key luxury competitors, as well as more mainstream companies like General Motors, which expects to switch entirely to BEVs by 2035.

Electrifying opportunities

The decision followed a survey of Bentley owners, 58% of whom said “they would buy an electrified Bentley in next five years if one was available,” said the brand’s CEO Adrian Hallmark. “If it wasn’t above 50% we probably wouldn’t have been as bold about our plans for the future,” he added during the Tuesday web event.

2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed W12 engine

The new Conti sports the renowned W-12 engine — perhaps for the final time.

Though the shift to plug-based products is coming up fast, “I wouldn’t quite call (this) a swan song for the W-12. There is a life left in what is essentially a new engine,” said Hallmark, noting there will be a number of variants of the Continental and other models before 2026.

That said, “We’re not going to create a plug-in hybrid with a 12-cylinder engine,” he stressed. It would simply be too big once adding a 250-pound battery pack. So, by 2026, any GT Speed successor going hybrid would likely use the British marque’s 8-cylinder alternative.

Whatever approach Bentley takes, chief engineer Rabe is confident it will connect with buyers. Battery cars should deliver precisely what Bentley customers expect: a quiet, comfortable ride, yes, but electric motors also have the advantage of providing maximum, tire-spinning torque the moment they start turning.

A good run

For the near-term, Bentley is just bringing its first PHEV to market, a version of the Bentayga SUV that is rapidly becoming the automaker’s best-selling model-line.

But Bentley, on the whole, is having a good run. Despite a seven-week shutdown of production last spring caused by the COVID pandemic, the automaker recorded record sales of 11,206 vehicles in 2020. And demand is up about 30% so far this year. Hallmark is confident that the launch of the new Continental GT Speed will add to that momentum.

The new model will launch in the U.S. and Europe during the third quarter of 2021, reaching China and other key markets a few months later.

Think Americans Love Pickups? Check Out Kenya, Thailand and Argentina

By any measure, the Ford F-Series is the world’s best-selling pickup, though primary demand is in the U.S.

Americans are in love with their pickups, no question about it. If anything, automakers are struggling to keep up with demand for products like the Ford F-150 and Ram 1500 in the wake of last year’s pandemic shutdowns and this year’s chip shortages.

You might think of the pickup as a distinctly American product, however, that’s far from reality. In fact, if you’re looking at the countries where these trucks hold the highest market share, the U.S. doesn’t even land in the Top 10.

Kenya is the unquestioned king here, pickups accounting for an astounding 53% of its total new vehicle sales in 2020, according to industry data, with Thailand slightly behind with a pickup share of 47%. Our northern neighbor, Canada, also showed more truck love than Americans did last year, at 23%, with Argentina, at 22%, still two share points ahead of the U.S.

Now, all that said, the U.S. remains the overwhelming sales leader when you are talking raw volume. The Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado and Ram pickup were far and away the three best-selling vehicles of any form in the U.S. last year, with combined volume of 1.945 million units. The GMC Sierra, ninth among all U.S. vehicles in 2020, adds 253,016 to that total. And we’ve so far only looked at full-size trucks.

The U.S. is an also-ran in the pickup market

Measured another way, the U.S. and Canada account for roughly nine out of every 10 pickups sold worldwide when you count everything from compact to heavy-duty models. But with a combined market share of around 20%, those trucks hold barely half the share of utility vehicles and even lag the declining sedan market.

The Toyota Hilux has earned a reputation as “king of the desert” in many parts of the world.

What’s unique about the U.S. is the focus on full-size and, especially, heavy-duty pickups. These products barely exist in many other markets and regions, with a handful of exceptions like the Middle East. That said, Detroit automakers are hoping to expand the appeal of these big rigs worldwide.

Ford launched the F-150 in Argentina last year, where the Ram 1500 already is on sale. The Chevy Silverado is expected to follow, according to LMC Automotive.

“As is the case in the U.S., pickups are prized in Argentina by a subset of the population who view them not only as practical, but also as a reflection of their lifestyle — a status symbol, if you will,” explains John Zekany, an LMC analyst focusing on the Americas.

“The bodystyle,” he adds, “also fits in well with the needs of Argentina’s agricultural sector, which accounts for a substantial share of the country’s GDP. Many of those who drive pickups would never dream of switching to a different vehicle type.”

What pickup buyers want varies by market

The ability to use pickups as combination work and lifestyle truck clearly appeals to buyers in many emerging markets, as is reflected by the pickup sales chart shown here.

The countries with the highest share of pickup sales. The U.S. doesn’t even fall into the Top 10. Source: Focus2Move.

What type of trucks they buy varies widely, however, from country to country. In many pickup-friendly markets, there are hefty tariffs and taxes that influence demand.

As a result, notes Zekany, the Ram 1500 is the only one of 11 imported models that generated sales of more than 1,000 vehicles last year. In Argentina, the locally assembled Toyota Hilux has captured a 27% share of the pickup market and 6% of the country’s overall new vehicle sales.

Midsize models like the Hilux are, for many buyers, not just more affordable but also more practical, especially when dealing with narrow roads and cramped local villages and cities. They’re also more fuel efficient, something owners in many parts of the world are acutely aware of.

The “king of the desert”

The Hilux has earned a reputation as the “king of the desert,” and it is especially popular in Africa, South America and the Middle East, according to research site Focus2Move. The Toyota now is the world’s fourth best-selling pickup, buyers in 140 different markets snapping up 457,876 of them last year.

New entrants will give pickup buyers even more options in the years ahead. Many of them are all electric, like this Rivian R1T.

Globally, it’s followed by the Ford Ranger – primarily the version sold outside the United States, the GMC Sierra, the Toyota Tacoma and the Isuzu D-Max.

One of the notable developments has been the rise of China’s Great Wall Wingle 5. It was number 9 last year, moving up from 12^th position globally in 2019. Significantly, Toyota landed its third pickup, the Toyota Tundra, on the charts in 2020, that full-size model rounding out the top 10.

New entries

The strong global demand for trucks has encouraged more players to get into the pickup market in recent years. Mercedes-Benz launched the X-Class a few years back and Hyundai is readying for launch the compact Santa Cruz. Meanwhile, a host of new start-ups are jumping in with all-electric models, including Rivian, Bollinger, Lordstown and Atlas.

If anything, global demand for pickups could grow even bigger in the years ahead.

Tag: Sales