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Stellantis Showing Grand Cherokee 4xe, Chrysler Concept at CES 2022

Attendees at CES 2022 in Las Vegas will get their first in-person look at the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe as well as a concept car called the Chrysler Airflow as Stellantis looks make an impact on the highly influential show.

The Stellantis booth diagram at CES 2022 seems to lack vehicles from some of their brands, including Dodge and Ram.

Stellantis will showcase its salvo in electrification with more than just the Grand Cherokee 4xe, displaying vehicles spanning all of the company’s 14 brands, and featuring not just electrification, but autonomy and connectivity — technology that has been largely absent from its portfolios.

“The future of mobility is fueled by technology,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO, in a statement. “Electrification, with our 30 electrified models available including fuel cell vans, connectivity and autonomy are all important facets of that future.”

Four platforms underpin Stellantis’s future

In July, Stellantis announced over €30 billion of investments in electrification and software through 2025 to execute its ambitious transformation.

The company’s show of force at CES is proof of the company’s massive product makeover. Going forward, battery-electric vehicles will use one of four platforms: STLA Small, STLA Medium, STLA large, and STLA Frame. The platforms are designed to accept a variety of drivelines.

Of 14 brands, Jeep’s the star

Despite its wide array of brands, the company appears to be focusing most on Jeep.

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4xe charging — Stellantis is showing the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, shown here in Summit trim charging, at CES 2022 in Las Vegas.

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe: Given that Jeep has already announced “Zero Emission Freedom,” its plan to offer a fully electric Jeep vehicle in every SUV segment by 2025, the arrival of the first Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrid electric model is no surprise. It’s expected to deliver 25 miles of all-electric range, while returning 57 MPGe. That’s impressive for an SUV with 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque.

When it comes to technology performance, the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee is equipped with a 10.1-inch display, Uconnect 5, an operating speed that’s five times faster than its predecessor, and equipped to handle over-the-air updates. Front passengers get a 10.25-inch touchscreen, while those in back can have 10.1-inch displays. And Amazon Fire TV streaming is built-in. Jeep will offer the Grand Cherokee 4xe in four trim levels: Limited, Trailhawk, Overland and Summit. The 4xe will not be offered on base Laredo models.

Stellantis will emphasize its new Wagoneer luxury sub-brand at CES, with a display that fills a quarter if the booth.

Jeep Wrangler 4xe: Adding an exclamation point to the Grand Cherokee 4xe is the Wrangler 4xe, which provides 21 miles of pure electric driving, not bad for a vehicle that will take you to the edge of civilization. Power comes from a 2.0-liter inline-4 and two electric motors that generate 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, enough to tow 3,500 pounds.

There’s also a conventional hybrid mode that blends power from both the gas engine and electric motors. A third, “e-Save” mode puts a priority on recapturing energy normally lost during braking and coasting to build up the battery pack’s charge.

Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer: Jeep’s new luxury sub-brand is not expected to be shown in 4xe trim. But the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer is loaded with cutting-edge technology, with up to seven screens, including a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster, a 12.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, a third screen for the front seat passenger, two video screens for the second row and another for the third row.

Integrated Amazon Fire TV, and a 1,375 watt, 23-speaker McIntosh sound system rounds out its tech package. Opting for the less-flashy Wagoneer nets an SUV powered by a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 with a 48-volt hybrid system, delivering 392 hp and 404 lb-ft of torque, and returns an EPA fuel economy rating of up to 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway.

Is a reimagined Chrysler on the way?

Chrysler Airflow concept CES 2022 — Stellantis is looking to make a splash at CES with the Chrysler Airflow Concept. The company only released this computerized image of the vehicle.

Chrysler Airflow: Details are sparse on this concept, which we reported on a year ago. Bravely resurrecting the name of the failed, but innovative, 1934 model, Stellantis is saying little about the Airflow concept, other than it is “leading the brand’s transformation to clean mobility and seamlessly connected customer experiences.”

We do know that it uses the underpinnings of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivan suggests it could readily be brought to market. Currently Chrysler has two models: the Pacifica and the aging 300. Certainly, the brand’s lack of a clear image and its meager product line-up are ripe for a radical revision, and whatever the Airflow has to offer could be the first step in a reimagining of the brand. More is expected to be revealed at CES, but initial images reveal a concept with has a steeply raked windshield linked to an equally aggressive back end by a coupe-like roofline.

A possible lifeline for Fiat

Fiat 500 and Chrysler Airflow concept CES 2022 — The auto company plans to show the new Fiat 500, left, as well as the Chrysler Airflow Concept at the show.

New Fiat 500: While no longer sold in the U.S., despite the presence of Fiat dealers. Unlike the previous electrified 500, dubbed the 500e and sold only in California, the New 500 has a range of up to 199 miles, not the 87-mile range that proved so impractical on the 500e, and comes equipped with an 85-kW fast charge.

Whether it will be brought to the U.S. remains unknown. Fiat dealers have one model in their current U.S. line-up, the 500X, which might explain why they’ve only sold 2,107 vehicles in the first 9 months of 2021. Given its meager line-up, the future of this brand in the U.S. remains questionable. Without new models, such as the New Fiat 500, the risk of consumers being stuck with an orphan will continue to smother sales.

A strong French presence

Stellantis will also display three vehicles by brands not currently sold in the U.S. Perhaps the most intriguing is the Citroën Ami, a diminutive two-seat urban EV that uses symmetrical parts to keep costs down. Its cube-like shape maximizes its interior shape, and its tiny footprint allows it to recharge in three hours. There’s also the Citroën Skate Mobility Concept, a skateboard platform that can be used as a base for different pods that go on top of it. The company sees this as an autonomous mobility solution in urban centers.

A bit more excitement comes in the form of DS, a Citroën luxury sub-brand that was spun off as a standalone brand in 2015. They are showing the DS E-Tense FE21, a two-time defending champion in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Weighing a mere 1,984 pounds, its 52-kWh battery helps generate 338-hp, resulting in a 2.8-second 0-60 mph time. Sacrebleu!

Other brands MIA — so far

Curiously, Stellantis said nothing about Ram, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, Maserati or others under the Stellantis umbrella. What those brands will display remains to be seen — or not. It is possible that Stellantis is seeking to emphasize Chrysler, so the absence of those brands leaves bandwidth for the Airflow to garner significant press.

Stellantis’s display can be seen virtually on Jan. 3, 2022.

Geneva Motor Show Delayed until 2023

The Geneva Motor Show for 2022 has been cancelled, organizers blaming the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Koenigsegg Regera Geneva 2020 — Officially cancelled in 2020, the Geneva Auto Show still went on, albeit virtually.

The event was originally scheduled to take place next February. The move came despite shows in Chicago and Detroit occurring in recent months, although the New York International Auto Show elected to cancel its 2021 event scheduled for late August.

“We have pushed very hard and tried everything to reactivate the Geneva International Motor Show in 2022,” said Maurice Turrettini, president of the Comité permanent du Salon international de l’automobile, which organizes the event.

“Despite all our efforts, we have to face the facts and the reality: the pandemic situation is not under control and presents itself as a big threat for a large indoor event like GIMS. But we see this decision as a postponement, rather than a cancellation. I am confident that the Geneva International Motor Show will come back stronger than ever in 2023.”

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Porsche Mission R Concept

Overview

Porsche claims that they are indeed the most successful brand in customer motorsport, with 30 one-make cups globally, over 4,400 911-based Cup cars manufactured to date, with 31 years of Carrera Cup racing in Germany. As a result, the folks at Zuffenhausen and Weissach are probably wondering as to what the future of customer racing using pure EV’s looks like.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014907

The German brand clearly isn’t satisfied with Formula E. They are hence already looking ahead with the Mission R, which – on paper – looks like an electric 911 GT3 Cup car.

The Mission R could in fact go on to become the centerpiece of the Porsche single-brand cups in the not-too-distant future. The car embodies everything that makes Porsche what it is; They include attributes like Performance, Design, and in keeping with the times, Sustainability.

Bodywork with a focus on Sustainability

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014909

Upon first appearance, the concept resembles the very successful Le Mans 919 racer, although with a far more gracious-looking front and a rather stubby back. The rudiments of the Cayman floor unit are hidden under the shell. The car is 14’ long, which makes it shorter than the 718. A width of 6’6”, on the other hand, is notably more, while its height of 3’11″ is considerably lower than that car. The Mission R incorporates the most recent advances in active aerodynamics, both in the front and in the back, where a massive, two-section movable spoiler resides. The Mission R also features Porsche Active Aerodynamics (PAA) with Drag Reduction System (DRS) on the nose section as well as that giant rear wing.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014902

Through the domed roof, a carbon-fiber superstructure visible from the outside may be viewed.

Instead of fitting a separate roll cage, this construction by itself acts as a supporting and load-bearing structure. Not only is it visually appealing, but it is also lightweight and stable, with room for an emergency exit hatch for the driver.

This robust structure also has a roof, which Porsche refers to as an exoskeleton. On top of that, body panels composed primarily of Natural Fiber Reinforced plastic (NFK) are used. Porsche uses the same material for the front splitter, diffuser, and side skirts.

“Porsche is the brand for people who fulfill their dreams. This is also true in motorsports. We experience our innovative strength on the race track, demonstrate courage in pursuing new avenues and delight car owners with sporting performance,” says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG.

A sporty Bespoke Racing Cockpit

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Interior
- image 1014911

Porsche uses NFK On the inside, as well. The material is used to make the inside door scales, the rear bulkhead, and the seat, among other things. When it comes to the interior, the driver is the focal point. All controls are easily accessible to the driver.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Interior
- image 1014912

The cockpit is influenced by cars used in gaming simulators. A helmet holder is also in place to dry and cool the driver’s helmet using the onboard air conditioning. The car features a steering wheel that incorporates the main information screen and is linked with another unit positioned behind, which complements the first one by showing the image from the rearview cameras. A third screen, to the right of the seat, displays the driver’s biometric information.

“In addition to our involvement in the Formula E World Championship, we are now taking the next big step forward in electric mobility. The concept study is our vision of all-electric customer motorsports. The Mission R embodies everything that makes Porsche strong: performance, design and sustainability.”

The Powertrain

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014914

The Mission R features two electric motors.
The motors are derived from the Taycan, but they were further improved for motorsport to the point that they are now virtually separate designs. It comes as no surprise that Mission R’s electric drivetrain exceeds 1,000 horsepower. Two motors, one on each axle, that produces 430 horsepower at the front and 644 horsepower at the rear. The race car’s standard continuous power output remains 671 horsepower. (This is nearly the same as the upcoming hybrid LMDh Le Mans car). While in qualifying mode,
the two motors produce1085 horsepower. A Four-wheel drive system transfers tractive force to the tarmac.

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014917

Porsche has also worked on the weight distribution. The battery pack is situated ahead of the rear axle, as opposed to the Taycan. Porsche refers to this as the e-core arrangement. This layout implies that the Mission R has driving characteristics similar to those of a mid-engine racer. The Mission R’s permanently excited synchronous motors have stators that are directly tempered with oil as a coolant. Speaking of cost savings, the Mission R does away without the Taycan’s two-speed transmission; acceleration from a standstill isn’t very important in customer motorsports. Also, there’s no limit to the power that drives with only one gear. The transmission and pulse inverter on both the front and rear drives are designed identically, saving both parts and money.

Blistering Performance

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014916

The Mission R will be able to sprint from 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds and reach speeds of over 187 mph.

The cells of the 80 kWh battery are also oil-cooled. Unlike in a typical electric motor where the coolant goes through a jacket outside the stator, the oil in direct cooling flows straight along the copper windings. More heat can be dispersed directly at the source as a result of this.

They run at 900 volts, which helps explain why the batteries can be charged from 5% to 80% in under 15 minutes during racing. Charging can be done at a rate of up to 340 kW. Such a short recharge time will enable the Mission R to confront a race weekend with free practice, qualifying, and the race without having to worry about range.

Conclusion

2021 Porsche Mission R Concept Exterior
- image 1014918

How exactly will motorsports evolve in the future? And how will interfaces withE-Motorsports change over time?. How plausible is this vision? Well, Porsche thinks they have an idea about where motorsports and the industry is headed.

Without a doubt, Porsche will be ready with an order book at the IAA in Munich and at the Porsche Motorsport desks. The maker has not yet stated when a probable manufacturing model will be available, but our guess would be somewhere between 2025 -2026.

You can watch Porsche reveal the Mission R below:

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Munich Motor Show to Spotlight Dozens of New Concepts, Production Models

While the Frankfurt Motor Show is no more, Germany retains its role in the hierarchy of automotive events with the debut of the first Munich Motor Show next month — and the event will bring out a broad array of new concept and production models.

IAA Mobility Munich — No longer the massive event it was when it was in Frankfurt, the Munich show is still going to be impactful.

While a number of manufacturers won’t be on hand for the debut Munich Motor Show, a preliminary count suggests those marques that will participate plan to reveal about two dozen new vehicles. And the final number could be even higher as some are expected to roll out a few, last-minute surprises.

As one might expect in Europe, there’ll be a big emphasis placed on new green machines, everything from conventional hybrids to pure battery-electric vehicles — as well as at least one new hydrogen model from BMW.

Here’s a look at some of the most significant announcements that will be made at the Munich Show — also known as IAA Mobility 2021 — during its run from Sept. 7-12:

Audi

The German luxury brand doesn’t plan to produce any new models that will run solely on gas or diesel by 2026. And while it will soldier on with plug-in hybrids through the end of the decade, its longer-term plan is to shift entirely to battery-electric vehicles. We got a sense of what’s in store this month at the Pebble Beach Concours with the unveiling of the Skysphere, one of three cutting-edge concept models. The Grandsphere is next in the series and shows where Audi hopes to go with an all-electric and fully autonomous SUV. The automaker also has two other models set to make public debuts in Munich: the RS3 hatchback and sedan line taking aim at the likes of the Mercedes-AMG A 45, as well as the all-electric Q4 e-tron. It will slip into a space just below the current, gas-powered Audi Q5.

BMW

The Bavarian automaker has had a long-running interest in hydrogen power — though it early on explored the possibility of using the lightweight gas as an alternative to gasoline in its internal combustion engines. BMW abandoned that approach and, like other manufacturers, now sees hydrogen working best in a fuel-cell system. That’s what will power the new BMW iX5. This is not a concept but a production model due out in 2022, albeit at low volumes and targeted for markets where there’s an available hydrogen distribution system. The other green machine is the facelifted BMW iX3 city car. And BMW isn’t ready to give up on gas models. It also plans to show the uplifted X3 and X4 sport-activity vehicles in Munich.

Mercedes-Benz

The German luxury brand is also planning a big showing of all-electric models, starting with the debut of the Mercedes-Benz EQE. It will serve as the company’s all-electric E-Class model and share the same Electric Vehicle Architecture, or EVA, as the larger Mercedes EQS flagship. Speaking of the EQS, the German marque will offer the usual family of variants and they will be getting previewed in Munich. They include an even larger and more luxurious EQS-Maybach model, as well as a more powerful EQS-AMG rumored to make 800 horsepower — taking aim at the Tesla Model S Plaid. Like BMW and Audi, Mercedes isn’t ready to go 100% electric but is continuing to tinker with other green drivetrains. That will become apparent with the debut of the new Mercedes-AMG plug-in hybrid. We’ll also see the high-riding Mercedes-Benz C-Class All-Terrain, and the armored S-Class Guard. Is there a surprise in store? Some reports suggest Mercedes could debut the EQG, an all-electric version of the big G-Class SUV.

VW ID.5 GTX — Volkswagen will brin g a slew of new vehicles to Munich, including the new ID.5 GTX.

Porsche

The sports car company will have a relatively modest presence in Munich — but a significant one, nonetheless. It will reveal a facelifted version of its smaller SUV, the Macan. That will provide insight into the upcoming debut of an all-electric version of the Macan due out in 2023. While they’re expected to have similar exterior designs, the BEV version of the SUV will be based on the new Premium Platform Electric, or PPE, architecture jointly developed by Porsche and Audi. Also on tap: the all-out version of Porsche’s bigger SUV, the Cayenne Turbo GT.

Volkswagen

Cupra EV from Seat — Spanish maker Seat, owned by VW, will show off it’s new electric spinoff, Cupra.

The German giant is planning to invest $86 billion to electrify its line-up and that will be obvious when Munich showgoers see what’s on tap from all of its various marques. As for the VW brand itself, it has a mix of electric and gas offerings to reveal next month. That includes a new electric city car that could be named either the ID.1 or ID.2 if the automaker sticks with its current naming strategy. Then there will be sportier versions of two of its current battery-electric vehicles. The ID.4 GTX is already available in Europe, and while the ID.5 GTX is being described as a “prototype,” a production version of the coupe-like SUV is expected to reach showrooms before year-end. Munich also will bring the public debut of the new Volkswagen Polo and GTI models, the latter unveiled online earlier in August. Completing the list, we’ll get a first public look at the new VW Taigo, a small, coupe-like SUV based on the current T-Cross line.

Other brands

Cupra, the all-electric spinoff of Volkswagen’s Spanish brand Seat, will reveal a battery-powered hatchback based on the VW ID.3. It will share the Volkswagen MEB all-electric architecture but put more of an emphasis on performance than the ID.3.
Dacia will bring out a new 7-seat people-mover.
Hyundai is making an appearance in Munich and is set to give the European public debut of the all-electric Ioniq 5 — but it could have a surprise in store, as well.
Renault will weigh in with a small, all-electric SUV dubbed the Megane E-Tech Electric.

Smart is transitioning to an all-electric brand and is teasing plans to reveal a battery-powered micro SUV. It’s believed to be using a drivetrain developed as part of a joint venture between Smart parent Mercedes-Benz and China’s Geely.

Jeep Plugs In — Brand Expecting Plug Models to Generate 70% of its Sales

Slowly, carefully, the driver eases his Jeep Wrangler forward, its big wheels grabbing a purchase on the boulder blocking its way. The nose now pointing up at a seemingly impossible angle, the SUV quickly scrambles to the top of the craggy hill, offering a commanding view of Texas Hill Country.

The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is a massive hit for the off-road brand. The entire 2021 allotment is sold out already.

Jeep fans likely would say it’s all in a day’s driving off-road with a Wrangler. But what’s particularly notable about the excursion is the fact the SUV is doing it all in near silence. That’s because it’s the new Jeep Wrangler 4xe, the brand’s first electrified model.

Since it was launched this past April, the plug-in hybrid 4xe has caught on like a California wildfire, accounting for more than 20% of total Wrangler sales — a figure limited only by available production. Jeep’s U.S. brand boss Jim Morrison said dealers have now ordered every one of the plug-in hybrids the brand can build for the rest of the year.

A plug for every purse and purpose

The Wrangler 4xe may be the first plug-based model in the Jeep line-up, but it won’t be last — nor will it be alone for long. By mid-decade there will be a 4xe version of every model in Jeep’s product portfolio, global CEO Christian Meunier said during a webinar earlier this week. About the same time, Jeep will offer a full battery-electric vehicle in every single product segment it competes in, he added.

A 4xe version of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee will debut late this year, Jeep officials confirmed, with a plug-in option coming soon for the new Compass model introduced this week at the Chicago Auto Show.

“Electrification is the big opportunity for Jeep,” said Meunier. While the automaker will have to comply with increasingly stringent emissions and fuel efficiency standards, it plans to get out ahead of the regulators because it believes there will be growing consumer demand. “It’s an opportunity to make our products even more capable.”

Instant torque

The Grand Cherokee will be the next plug-in offered by Jeep with more to follow.

The Wrangler 4xe puts out 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. But even those seemingly impressive numbers tell only part of the story. The SUV’s two electric motors deliver virtually all of their rock-crawling torque the moment they start turning, quickly earning the plug-in a reputation for being especially capable off-road.

The electric drive system allows a motorist to shut off the Wrangler’s gas engine entirely, operating in near silence when driving off-road. On pavement, the SUV can manage up to 21 miles in electric-only mode, while also boosting mileage when its 4-cylinder gas engine fires up.

Since the 4xe’s launch, “We’re seeing customers who wouldn’t have considered a Wrangler because it was politically incorrect” (and often derided by environmentalists as a gas guzzler), said Morrison during an interview in Chicago. But now, the SUV is winning over eco-friendly converts. And Jeep officials are betting they’ll gain even more traction as they add more PHEVs and, eventually, BEVs to the brand.

An important anniversary

Meunier formally estimates that plug-based products will account for 70% of Jeep’s global sales by 2025. “And I think 70% is on the low side,” he added during this week’s webinar.

2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 with Xtreme Recon package also makes its appearance at the Chicago Auto Show this week.

The transformation comes at a significant time for the brand. It is celebrating its 80^th anniversary July 15, and it is in the midst of one of the most aggressive product campaigns in its history. Along with the Compass, it brought to Chicago the new Wrangler Rubicon Recon model. It is launching the next generation Grand Cherokee, and the first 3-row Grand Cherokee L. There’s also the high-line Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models coming later this year.

While Jeep was an early SUV pioneer, it missed a number of opportunities, Morrison conceded, by not expanding its line-up nearly as fast as key competitors such as Ford or Toyota. And that gave an opportunity to upstarts like Subaru, as well.

Now, brand officials are confident they’ve left few open niches. If anything, however, going electric will create even more options, said Mark Allen, the director of Jeep exterior design.

A new design paradigm

Pure electric vehicles, in particular, offer “exciting” possibilities,” said Allen, since their batteries and motors are moved under the load floor. That essentially eliminates the need for a conventional engine compartment.

“I see us able to open up (the design) of a vehicle in ways we can’t now,” added Allen, highlighting sketches of some radically different Jeep designs that could come to market in the decade ahead.

There will be “plenty of new opportunities for Jeep,” echoed Morrison. As it goes electric, it will give the brand a chance to enhance the off-road capabilities it is best known for, while adding on-road comfort and features it couldn’t offer with conventional, gas and diesel-powered products.

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Hagerty Buys the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance

Classic car insurance company Hagerty announced Wednesday it acquired the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, held each March on tiny Amelia Island, off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The shows founder, Bill Warner, 78, will remain as Chairman Emeritus. Warner founded the show in 1996, and it’s evolved into a must-attend event for car enthusiasts.

2021 Best in Show Concours dElegance 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet — The 2021 Best in Show Concours dElegance was the 1926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet.

“Our objective is to knit the enthusiast community together in a way that supports and protects the future of car culture,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO of Hagerty, in a statement. “We are incredibly proud to have the opportunity to build upon and scale Bill’s vision.”

A growing portfolio

Hagerty’s move adds to their growing portfolio of top-notch automotive events. The company now owns some of the premiere automotive concours in the country, including Concours d’Elegance of America, the California Mille, and the Greenwich Concours d’Elegance.

It also hosts Hagerty’s Festival of the Unexceptional in the United Kingdom, with the next show slated to occur July 31. In addition, the company takes part in more than 2,500 automotive events annually.

Warner had been looking to bring in someone to take over the show for several years, but to little avail. Rumors have been circulating for weeks that a sale was imminent, but word did not leak out until Wednesday, with the issuing of a press release and a letter to the judging staff.

The 2021 Best in Show Concours de Sport was the 1974 Shadow DN4.

A legacy in the collector car community

Warner founded the vent looking to infuse the staid world of the concours with the passion of motorsports. That dual passion could be seen in Warner’s insistence that a Best in Show award be given to one production car and one race car, as Warner felt that race cars always got slighted at concours. The innovation has been copied by other American automotive events.

The most recent show, held May 23, Best in Show, Concours d’Elegance awarded to a 926 Hispano-Suiza H6B Cabriolet, while Best in Show, Concours de Sport went to a 1974 Shadow DN4.

Held on the grounds of the Ritz Carlton Amelia Island for the past 26 years, the event has raised more than $3.75 million for charity.

Marketed as “The Aristocrats of Motordom,” Bakers were widely admired. Thomas Edison owned one. President Taft bought one for the first White House automotive fleet.

But the show reflects its location, held on an island that’s home to the show’s venue, the Ritz-Carlton, as well as funky, thanks to Fernandina Beach, a low-key Southern town with an eclectic main street and home to Florida’s oldest continuously operating bar.

The show is very much a reflection of Warner, and his passion for anything automotive. Warner, a Jacksonville native, spent years photographing races at Sebring and Daytona for Road & Track and Sports Car Graphic.

While the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, founded in 1950 and America’s first, considers itself the most important collector car show, many collectors prefer Amelia, which has quickly risen to challenge its hidebound rival. It’s hard to imagine the stuffy California show fielding Chevrolet Corvairs or yellow Italian sports cars or beach cars. To Warner, it’s all about pushing the envelope on what’s expected at a concours.

“Those two fairways are my canvas, and the cars are my oils,” Warner told the Tribune News Service of his show field at the Ritz Carlton in 2015. “Everyone has the same canvas; everyone has the same oils. You just have to have the creativity to come up with something special.”

Considered the oldest surviving electric car, the Electrobat IV was developed by chemist Pedro Salom and engineer Henry Morris, who received the first U.S. patent for the electric car in 1894.

That, and a healthy dose of Warner’s Southern charm, has endeared the show to many, including automakers such as General Motors, McLaren, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, as well as some the top race car drivers, car designers and industry executives.

In the same Tribune News Service story, Warner also knew his time with the show might coming to a close. “I think the hardest thing for me to pass on is my demented automotive mind. You have to understand the feng shui of the show. It’s not just about lining cars up.”

An old tradition

A modern-day concours d’elegance is little more than a 21st century update of a 19th century tradition, where wealthy carriage owners would meet and compete to see who had the best carriage. Owners were asked to compete by invitation only, you couldn’t pay to compete, a tradition that continues today. The name concours d’elegance is a French term meaning “a competition of elegance,” and only the finest, rarest cars are asked to compete.

The concours season starts in Florida in March with the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance, hits a crescendo with California’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and wraps up with the South Carolina’s Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance in November.

Genesis Goes Electric with Electrified G80 Sedan’s Debut in Shanghai

Genesis is looking to make up some ground when it comes to electrification with the new Electrified G80.

The Genesis brand is determined to go from catch-up mode to leaving its competition behind. After an initial delay, it’s rolled out an assortment of new SUVs and its now getting into the battery-car game with the launch of the Electrified G80 at the Shanghai Auto Show.

The name of the Genesis Electrified G80 sedan might confuse some folks, making it sound like the automaker simply stuffed some batteries inside the conventional, gas-powered G8. However, the new model gets a major makeover to ensure it gets the range and other benefits offered by switching to battery power.

“Today is very special because it represents a variety of firsts for the Genesis brand, not only because this is Genesis’ very first appearance at Auto Shanghai, but also as the first time we are unveiling a new product outside of Korea,” said Jay Chang, Global head of the Genesis brand. “The Electrified G80, the perfect balance of athleticism and elegance, marks the beginning of our journey into the EV market, representing Genesis in the era of electrification.”

Filling in gaps in the product line-up

Genesis has been on a product roll in the last year or so, but an EV was a hole in the line-up — until now.

Genesis has been on a roll this past year, expanding its SUV line-up, updating initial sedans, including the gas-powered G80, and rolling out concepts like the all-electric Genesis X coupe revealed last month.

The one thing missing has been a production battery-electric vehicle, something the automaker has long signaled was in the works — though it also was known to be considering different options, including a crossover, a city car or, as it now turns out, a relatively conventional sedan.

There are some questions left to be answered, such as what platform the Electrified G80 rides on. Parent Hybrid Motor Group has developed the E-GMP architecture for use on products including the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.

It’s not clear whether it also underpins the Genesis Electrified G80. But the luxury member of the family has clearly found a way to squeeze in plenty of batteries, claiming the BEV sedan will deliver as much as 500 km, or 310 miles, range using the global NEDC standard. That likely would drop to something at or under 250 miles using the U.S. EPA test cycle.

Quicker charging

The interior of the new electric G80 sedan features a slew of technology.

The powertrain also aims to address concerns about charging times. The Electrified G80’s drive system can flip from 400 to 800 volts, allowing it to plug into the latest public quick chargers. Using the newest 350 kilowatt systems it can go from a 10% to 80% state-of-charge in just 22 minutes, Genesis claims.

The Vehicle-to-Load, or V2L, system also lets a motorist tap energy stored in the battery to power electric tools or, if need be, appliances should a home suffer a power outage.

Genesis isn’t ready to reveal specifics about the motor drive system, though it does note the all-wheel-drive system has a “Disconnector Actuator” that lets it switch from AWD to just rear-wheel drive. That suggests there is a single motor mounted, most likely, on the rear axle.

In Sport Mode, the automaker claims, the Electrified G80 will launch from 0 to 60 in 4.9 seconds.

Lots of unanswered questions

While the battery model looks much like the conventional G80, it features a sealed version of the familiar Genesis Crest Grille. That reduces aero drag since there’s no need to send air to cool and feed a gas engine under the hood. The charging port is hidden within the grille’s upper right corner.

Inside, the automaker switched to sustainable materials, including fabrics made of PET from recycled soft drink bottles.

Calling electrification “one of the key strategies” for the brand, Genesis said the Electrified G80 will be followed by “additional EV models.” It also said it will share more information about the BEV and plans to bring it to North America “later this year.”

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Auto Sales Gain Traction as Americans Avoid Mass Transit

Fewer and fewer people are relying on taxis to get them around town due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Taxi business in New York City has dropped by 90% since the start of the pandemic, even as mass transit ridership has fallen precipitously.

The situation, repeated across the country, reflects a variety of factors, including a huge increase among those working from home and a sharp decline in business travel. But even among those who must commute, there’s been a sizable shift away from mass transit and ride-hailing services to the use of personal vehicles. And that is leading not only to a surge in car sales, both new and used, but also in the type of vehicles American motorists are purchasing.

Among new car buyers, in particular, motorists are ordering vehicles loaded with the latest in high-tech features, from smart safety devices to infotainment systems, as well as in-car WiFi and other technology, members of an expert panel agreed during a session at the virtual CES 2021.

(Pandemic may not have changed car buying habits of consumers.)

Workers who had previously taken public transportation are now shifting to driving themselves in large numbers.

“COVID is probably going to change commuting patterns permanently,” said Carla Bailo, the CEO of the Center for Automotive Research, noting research that finds only 20% of Americans expect to go back to their offices full-time, while 90% expect to go to an office less frequently. Americans “won’t revert back,” stressed Bailo, “even when we get through the COVID pandemic.”

It’s not just the way Americans travel for work that’s changing, added Bailo. Though tens of millions wound up traveling during the Christmas and New Year holidays, AAA found a significantly higher percentage took the family car, rather than flying or traveling by train, compared to pre-pandemic holidays.

“We’ll see for some time people reverting back to their cars for social holidays,” said Bailo.

The pandemic has not only made people more reliant on their cars for traveling, but seen people use their vehicles as places to work and even to get a break from family members after extensive isolation, said Christiane Zorn, a senior marketing executive with Audi. And the pattern is playing out in other global markets, as well, she added.

The car, suggested Zorn, is becoming “a personal device,” one increasingly loaded up with even more technology than the typical home or office, echoed Andrew Poliak, an executive with Panasonic Automotive.

Due to the pandemic, travel during the holidays was be down slightly, but most of those trekking to see friends and family were driving.

“We’re coming to this point of convergence,” Poliak said, where many of the things a person could do at home or office can be done in the car. Indeed, he added, it’s becoming increasingly common to have a better audio system in the family vehicle than in the typical living room.

(Auto industry “in much better place,” but price surge likely to continue.)

“Technology will play a big part in the design of the automotive interior in the future,” according to Poliak, and that’s reflected by some of the latest automobiles, such as the Cadillac Escalade, with its 39 inches of video screens. The new Mercedes-Benz EQS due out next year will have a “pillar-to-pillar” Hyperscreen display, the automaker announced during a separate CES event.

Tellingly, when Ford redesigned its F-150 for the 2021 model year it developed a retractable gearshift lever that opens up a large workspace that can be used for a motorist’s laptop computer.

While much of the new wave of technology is designed for passenger comfort and convenience, there’s also been significant growth in the use of advanced driver assistance systems, such as forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking. Some new models offers dozens of these smart safety features.

New and used car sales are on the rise as people move away from public transportation and back into personal vehicles for their commute.

And the first semi-autonomous driving systems, such as Tesla’s Autopilot and General Motors’ Super Cruise, are receiving warm public receptions. Stefan Buerkle, a senior vice president at mega-supplier Robert Bosch, expects to see the growth of auto-parking technologies that could allow a motorist to exit at their destination and then send their vehicle off to find a parking spot on its own. A press of a keyfob or a tap on a smartphone app would summon the vehicle later.

“You won’t have to park your car anymore, or go looking for a spot,” something that adds to urban congestion, said Buerkle. But there’s another advantage, he added. “That will also make much better use of the infrastructure, especially in cities, where space is at a premium.”

Self-parking technology could allow cities to shift to remote parking locations and reduce the need for lots to be set up in dense urban centers, the CES panelists agreed.

While such technology is likely still a few years from production, it will simply add to the trend that has seen new car prices rise rapidly in the last several years. At a separate conference last week, analysts from Cox Automotive noted that the typical new vehicle sold in the U.S. is now rolling off the dealer lot for a record price of around $40,000.

(Commuting may have changed forever, finds new study.)

But the new technologies showing up in the latest vehicles also seem likely to change the basic business model of the auto industry, Bailo and her fellow panelists said. The push to add 4G and even 5G connectivity will allow automakers to not only sell new vehicles but also develop new revenue streams. That will include providing in-vehicle entertainment and using smartphone-style over-the-air updates to add additional features, said Zorn, much as Tesla plans to do with the next major update of Autopilot.

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