Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of the biggest stories in the automotive industry (or whatever wasn’t impacted by the coronavirus) without the fluff or bull. This week: Ford builds the first real electric Mustang and it’s going drag racing, Lotus is reportedly building a more accessible volume sports car, Porsche reveals classic communications module to bring modern infotainment features to classic Porsches, Polestar 2 pricing gets revealed, and your automotive news.
Mustang Cobra Jet 1400
The latest addition to the long line of Cobra Jet Mustangs is the most dramatically different one yet. The turn-key drag racing car that was born at the height of the original muscle car wars has been reborn a few times in recent decades, each with more power than the last. But what makes the Cobra Jet 1400 unique is its the first one to feature an all-electric powertrain. It won’t hurt your ears but it will still hurt some feelings.
It’s just a prototype for the time being but is fully functional and capable of some big numbers. 1,400 horsepower and over 1,100 ft.-lbs. of instant torque translate to a low 8-second quarter mile at more than 170 mph. “Ford has always used motorsport to demonstrate innovation,” said Dave Pericak, Global Director, Ford Icons. “Electric powertrains give us a completely new kind of performance and the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400 is one example of pushing new technology to the absolute limit.”
Cobra Jet vs eCOPO
They’re of course not the first to push the limits of electric power in drag racing – Chevrolet revealed an eCOPO Camaro back in 2018. But the Cobra Jet 1400 has twice the power. That of course didn’t stop Chevrolet from talking trash. Even though their car is clearly outgunned. But why do numbers matter when you can just use your feelings as facts?
This escalation in EV performance comes as the first ever all-electric Ford to be called a Mustang gears up for its market launch later this year. Unlike the not-a-Mustang MachE though, this wasn’t entirely a home-built project. They called in the experts at Cascadia for the inverter and electric motor and AEM EV for the software, motor calibration, and controls. Watson Engineering provided chassis support and development as well as the roll cage while MLe Racecars were the general car builder. It’s unclear what Ford themselves contributed, but since it’s just a one-off prototype to see what’s possible in an electric drag racing Mustang, I suppose that’s not terribly important. Credit where it’s due though, Chevrolet’s less powerful eCOPO seemed to be more in-house with the potential for production.
Ford will be demonstrating the Cobra Jet 1400’s potential at some drag racing event later in the year. They didn’t specify when and where that would be, probably because they themselves don’t know yet. But if you have MotorTrend On Demand, “Hard Cell” will be showcasing the car’s abilities this Sunday.
[Source: Ford]
Lotus may be building a new volume model
(It’s not this)
Lotus isn’t a brand that you would expect to hear with words like “volume” and “everyday”, but according to a Bloomberg report, that may be about to change. In a move that may be aimed at pleasing their new overloads at Geely Group, they’re planning a more accessible car that can be used daily.
But before you fret about Lotus tarnishing the name with a godawful crossover to accomplish this, they’re reportedly planning a sports car as their first new offering. It’s what Lotus does best after all. This sports car would just be more spacious and easier to use and ideally cheaper as well. That’s of course all relative, because Lotus indicated the price would be between 55,000 and 100,000 in the Queen’s money, or about $67,000 at a minimum. Lotus did also indicate they would be looking at other segments as well, like sports sedans and cruisers. And maybe a crossover which would of course signal end times are upon us.
As Lotus looks to restart production when lockdown restrictions are lifted, they’ll be working on a factory expansion for the new model. We can expect to see its debut later this year or early next year.
[Source: Bloomberg via Autoweek]
Porsche introduces Classic Communication Management
Porsche is now offering a plug-and-play infotainment system for classic Porsche owners looking to bring a little bit of the 21st century into their car. The Porsche Classic Communication Management is launching in two variants which can exactly replace the original built-in units with 1-DIN or 2-DIN dimensions. They offer features like BlueTooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto (2-DIN only), and DAB+. A mixture of touch screen controls and physical buttons/rotaries is included and seamlessly integrates into the dashboard.
Models ranging from the original 911s of the 60s to the 996 and Boxsters of the 90s are supported. It can also be equipped in earlier front-engine and mid-engine models like the 928 and 914. The 1-DIN model, called PCCM and is the one with the smaller touch screen, is priced at $1,553. The 2-DIN model, called PCCM Plus and features the 7″ touch screen, costs $1,733. They’re available at the Porsche Classic online shop and at dealerships. Installation at dealers is available as well.
Polestar announces pricing for 2021 Polestar 2
Polestar is ramping up their EV efforts with numerous new models in the pipeline. Their first all-electric model to go on sale is the Polestar 2, a standard mid-size sedan that will inevitably go against the Tesla Model 3. The car’s MSRP was just announced at $59,900. This puts it below state incentive thresholds in prime EV markets like California and New York, which means up to $2,000 in state rebates add up to the maximum $9,500 of available incentives between state and federal tax credits.
It launches with 408 horsepower, 487 lb.-ft. of torque, all-wheel drive, a 78 kWh battery pack, and an EPA estimated driving range of 275 miles. Though it will be on sale all across the US, market launches in New York and the west coast are getting it first starting late this summer.
[Source: Polestar]
What’s your automotive news?
That’s all I’ve got for you this week, so now it’s your turn. If you saw anything, fixed something, broke everything, or otherwise did anything even remotely car related that you want to share with your fellow hoon, sound off in the comments.
Have a good weekend.
Leave a Reply