The News for March 2nd, 2018


Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of some of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or bull. There’s also just a little opinion of mine because I can. This week:

  • Jaguar’s production-ready I-Pace EV finally breaks cover

  • Alpina stuffs four turbochargers in a diesel X3 because they can

  • GMC reveals all-new Sierra

  • All-new Lexus UX may be the ugliest compact crossover yet

  • What’s your automotive news?

Jaguar I-Pace


Jaguar has finally revealed the production-ready I-Pace two years after it was first shown as a concept. And as manufacturers do, they did so a few days before its scheduled debut at the Geneva Motor Show. At this point we have just about every bit of information on Jaguar’s first ever battery electric vehicle minus the price – we have to wait a few more days for that. Let’s dig in and see how Jaguar does an EV.
Starting with the most important stats first, the I-Pace runs with a 90kWh lithium-ion battery powering two synchronous permanent magnet electric motors (of Jaguar’s own design) for up to 240 miles at a time. There’s one motor placed on each axle to effectively make this AWD. Combined output is 394 horsepower and 512 lb.-ft. of torque which allows for a 4.5-second 0-60 mph time.

The battery can regain 80% of its charge from empty in 40 minutes using a 100kW DC fast charger or in ten hours with a standard 230V AC wall box. And when it’s plugged in, the I-Pace can precondition the battery temperature to maximize range or heat/cool the cabin just before owners set off. While on the go, the battery relies on its own heating and cooling systems to ensure optimal efficiency in extreme heat and cold.
With all the heavy parts mounted low and evenly front to rear, drivers can benefit from a low center of gravity and near optimal 50:50 weight distribution. Jaguar went with a double wishbone front and integral link rear suspension setup to strike a good balance between #dynamism and refinement.

As with many new EVs, the I-Pace can be driven with a single pedal when its regenerative braking is at its strongest of two settings. Up to 0.4G of braking force can be applied without ever having to go through the trouble of moving your right foot a couple inches to the left.
Moving to the outside, it’s… uh, yeah pretty much identical to what we saw two years ago.
The cabin is designed to be airy and open thanks in part to the standard full-length panoramic roof (which absorbs infrared light). offers generous space in every dimension for a vehicle its size. There’s 40.9 inches of leg room up front and 35 inches for the back seats which also benefit from a large storage compartment where the transmission tunnel would normally be and trays under the seats for laptop/tablet storage. There’s 25.3 cubic feet of storage capacity in the trunk and that doubles with the back seats folded flat.

Buyers can have their I-Pace upholstered in a Luxtec material, optional Grained Leather, Fine-Grain Windsor leather or a premium textile alternative developed with Danish textile experts Kvadrat – a high quality material that combines a durable wool-blend with recycled technical suede cloth.
Now it being a modern EV and all, it’s packed with as much technology as it can fit. At the center of its infotainment system with two center-mounted touch screens, digital gauge cluster, and available full color HUD is what they call a human-machine interface. It’s “artificial intelligence” which helps automate some of the key tasks that would otherwise distract a driver. It uses “Smart Settings” to learn from the driver and anticipate their needs so it can learn your weaknesses and upload the data it collects on you to the central hub so the other I-Paces can plan the great robot takeover do more things for the driver. It can adjust climate control settings based on the weather and get a favorite radio station tuned in before the door even opens. It’ll even tell you if you left your phone behind.

As easy as it would’ve been to copy and paste the navigation system from their other models, Jaguar built a brand new one optimized for EVs. When it plans a route, it factors in the topography of planned routes with insights from previous journeys and individual driving styles. It will also identify potential charging locations along the chosen route if it knows it can’t make it on a single charge.
The I-Pace will also be Jaguar’s first car to receive software updates over the air. Customers will continue to be supported after delivery with updates for the infotainment system, telematics unit, and – interestingly enough – battery charging capability. I’m sure that last part will be how they enforce making lease payments on time. “Oh, you missed last month’s payment? No problem. Enjoy your 20-hour charging times and 10 mile range ya bastard.
The Jaguar I-Pace is available to order from retailers now. It comes with all the typical Jaguar warranties including an additional 8 year/100,000 mile battery warranty; up to 70 percent state of health.
[Source: Jaguar]

Alpina XD3


Now for a totally different kind of crossover, the 2019 Alpina XD3 made its first appearance the week before it was supposed to as well. Alpina, who are known for making BMWs better, revealed their latest attempt at a better X3 and it involves diesel and the same number of turbochargers as the Bugatti Chiron.
The XD3 has four turbocharges bolted to its BMW-sourced 3.0-liter straight-six diesel engine for no reason other than because they could. It produces 388 horsepower and 567 lb.-ft. of torque, can go from 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds, and top out at 165 mph. A BMW xDrive setup with Alpina-specific torque distribution does its best to manage the torque in a variety of conditions. It rides on sport suspension of Alpina’s design and features adjustable dampers.

Its most striking visual feature is the new lightweight forged 22″ Alpina Classic wheels (20-inchers are standard) and the Apina body kit.
It’s the closest thing we may get to an X3M for quite a while. And you know what? I’m fine with that.
[Source: Alpina via Autoweek]

2019 GMC Sierra


Remember the all-new Chevrolet Silverado that was revealed a few months ago? The Sierra is like that, but with more leather, a carbon fiber pickup box, and a fancy multi-function tailgate. That tailgate is probably the coolest part about this truck, so I recommend checking out GM-Trucks.com’s hands-on demo showing off some of the features.
[Source: GMC]

Lexus UX


You know that compact luxury crossover class that everyone is taking part in? The Lexus UX is just like all of those crossovers, but uglier.
[Source: Lexus]

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.
[Image © 2018 Hooniverse/Greg Kachadurian]

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17 responses to “The News for March 2nd, 2018”

  1. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    The I Pace is very interesting. It looks the more cartoonish the more “as it is”-the photos become, which is, sort of, neat. Imagine Lexus building cars that are both good and don’t make you want to put a paper bag over it. With the “beast from the East” currently hardening Europeans, official media report that Norway’s occasionally best selling car has 40% battery capacity less than in ordinary conditions. I actually see that, as a fairly sizable amount of Leafs and e-Golfs get picked up by the guys in safety vests along the roads I frequent.
    I am currently reading a [wrong language] book about travelling along Russia’s border. Rosatomflot is mentioned, a privatized fleet of nuclear ice breakers, which earn about 7% of their revenue by ferrying tourists. Figured that sort of reference would be to the liking of one or two Hooniversalists:
    http://www.rosatom.ru/en/rosatom-group/the-nuclear-icebreaker-fleet/
    http://www.rosatom.ru/upload/medialibrary/bb9/bb91b224f7688f11565bd30581330e1c.png

    1. outback_ute Avatar
      outback_ute

      Much lighter cargo, but complains more.

      1. nanoop Avatar

        German pilots say, allegedly, “Fracht motzt nicht, Fracht kotzt nicht” – Cargo won’t whine, cargo won’t vomit.

    2. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      They think they’re gonna average 13.85 knots (or miles per hour if those figures are in statute miles)? Even with a nuclear powered ice breaker I think that’s optimistic. /ship nerd

    3. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      Back when I motorcycled for a living we used to call pillion passengers, ‘talking luggage’

  2. outback_ute Avatar
    outback_ute

    I must admit to being slightly disappointed that the Alpina diesel wasn’t a 4 cylinder, or actually even 3 so that it would have more turbochargers than cylinders. I can only imagine the convoluted logic that arrived at dual two-stage turbocharging as a sensible idea; “but the transient response is 10% better, who cares if it costs 60% more?”
    Nice summation of the Jaguar too. The cargo volume figure clearly indicates the much shorter hood has enabled more interior space for the length (4682mm/184.3″) as it should for an electric car. However given weight is 2133kg and the battery will be roughly 720kg of that I wonder if they will consider a ‘city’ version with half the battery, giving a 130-140 mile range and a much lower price tag ($8k or so), similar to what Tesla does. It would have to help sales.

  3. salguod Avatar

    Am I the only one that finds that Jaguar quite ugly? The roof is too flat and the lower body proportions are all wrong .Considering how lovely the rest of their line up is it’s a real disappointment

    1. Maymar Avatar
      Maymar

      I’m not going to go as far as calling it ugly, but there’s a bit of an expectation that Jaguar doesn’t begin to consider interior dimensions until they’ve built something wonderful and slinky. An EV crossover with cabin-maximized dimensions is rather counter to what they’re known for, but I guess for what it is, it looks good?

      1. Rover 1 Avatar
        Rover 1

        I’ll wait for the Land/Range Rover version.

    2. JayP Avatar
      JayP

      I’d have to see it in person. Who’d ever thought Jag would bother with a hatch?
      Even if it’s 11/10s Gold scale.

    3. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      I wouldn’t say it’s ugly, but it’s uninteresting and completely forgettable. I like SUVs that look functional– when automakers build stilted coupes, I’m just left shaking my head.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      And it;s a pretty accurate representation of how high up the bed sides will be too.

      1. nanoop Avatar

        I saw a documentary about this, the first design was too small for the owners to enter in an upright posture. We’re still in that phase.

    2. Zentropy Avatar
      Zentropy

      Nailed it. FS pickups look ridiculous these days.

  4. nanoop Avatar

    Started reading Roy’s The Driver. All these people driving with DRL only in the darkness aren’t ignorant or unaware, they must be Cannonballers practicing.