Latest news with #powertrain
The Drive
4 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
This Is How Mercedes Thinks an AMG EV Should Sound
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Mercedes just dropped a teaser for a new all-electric AMG model. This brief video clip not only gives us our first look at what AMG has planned for its new, all-electric platform, but our first listen . Seriously. And if you're confused by the uninterrupted squeal of tire noise, hang in there for the twist. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mercedes-AMG (@mercedesamg) There's admittedly not much to see on this still-camouflaged prototype (and if it's pure CGI, it's a convincing effort), but its basic form is recognizable. The teaser itself openly acknowledges that this is on the company's new electric architecture, which would narrow it down to one of the two models expected to ride on sedan and an SUV. We can pretty safely rule out the latter here. We also believe this new platform will take advantage of Benz's latest powertrain tech, including more compact batteries and axial flux motors. As for the sound? Hmm. Where to start… The 'engine' note itself is perfectly pleasant, but there's more going on here than just noise—there are audible 'shifts' being simulated here. Sure, there are EVs out there with multi-speed gearboxes, but even those function more like old-school overdrive features than the many-geared automatics found in modern gasoline cars and trucks. What we're seeing here is more akin to what you'll find in the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, where it's included as a driver engagement feature—and a surprisingly fun one, at that. But there's still one lingering question: is this going to be an 'exhaust' sound, or merely something piped into the cabin. The clicks audible with each shift sound an awful lot like paddle shifters to us, and why would you need to hear that from the outside? Given the mixed reception to EVs making uncharacteristic noises, Mercedes could be taking a conservative approach. While this would be at the precise opposite end of the spectrum from Tesla's Boombox and the inevitable Terrance & Phillip sideshow that followed, it may simply be too much fakery to woo whatever sliver of the car buying public an EV would appeal to if it simply sounded like it had a V8. In any event, we shouldn't have to wait too long to find out. This is meaty as teasers go, so we expect an official unveiling in the not-too-distant future. Got tips? Send 'em our way at tips@
The Drive
5 days ago
- Automotive
- The Drive
Ram Now Has the Best Powertrain Warranty in Trucks, and It Includes HD Models
The latest car news, reviews, and features. Warranties usually aren't exciting, but when they're this good, they're worth squawking about. Ram is rolling out a new 10-year/100,000-mile limited powertrain warranty on all 2026 model year trucks, from the 1500 half-ton to the 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500. That means no matter which new Ram truck you buy, whether it be a Baja-blasting RHO or a Cummins diesel-powered HD model, the powertrain will be covered well into the next decade (unless you exceed the mileage limit first, of course). Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis explained in a press release that this decision is a direct response to both the price of new vehicles and the loan terms most customers accept to buy them. 'Everything is more expensive, and trucks are certainly no exception. Truck buyers are financing purchases for longer periods of time, with nearly 80 percent of new truck loans exceeding five years,' he said. The only Ram model this new warranty doesn't apply to is the Promaster EV. Those are typically owned by fleets anyway, and the limited warranty isn't offered to fleets—only individuals and businesses. This 10-year/100,000-mile coverage includes the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, differentials, and axles. That means if the glow plugs go bad on your brand-spankin' new 6.7-liter Cummins at no fault of your own, they'll cover it. Or let's say the e-locking front diff gives out on your Power Wagon after 95,000 miles, then Ram will replace it so long as you aren't the reason it broke. It's a pretty sweet deal, all things considered. Ford and General Motors both cap out at five years/60,000 miles for their powertrain warranties, as that's really the industry standard. A few carmakers like Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, and Mitsubishi actually match Ram's new term limits, but this is the first we're seeing on big, hard-working trucks. It's impressive for that reason alone. Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@
Car and Driver
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Car and Driver
View Photos of the 2026 Audi Q3
We are still waiting for official powertrain details for the U.S. market, but Audi confirmed that the Q3 we're getting will come exclusively with a 2.0-liter turbo four.
Auto Express
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Honda bets big on hybrids with new ‘world-beating' tech
Honda has announced plans to launch no fewer than 13 next-generation hybrid cars by the end of the decade. All will feature what the brand claims will be the 'world's most efficient powertrain' and all will arrive within a four-year timeframe starting in 2027. Honda is still moving forwards with its radical new '0 Series' electric cars, the first of which is due to launch next year, however the recent slowdown in EV sales has caused the brand to reassess some of its predictions. For instance, it no longer believes 30 per cent of its global sales will be from EVs by 2030, as previously thought, leading to some reevaluating of its EV strategy and product plan. But while 'the expansion of the EV market has fallen behind the initial projection', as Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe put it when announcing the brand's new roadmap, 'demand for hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs) is growing. Advertisement - Article continues below 'We are forecasting that the demand for HEVs will continue to grow toward 2030, as they contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, without the issue of needing charging infrastructure.' These new hybrid models will 'play a key role during the transition period' before EVs become a lot more popular. Honda's next-generation e:HEV hybrid powertrain will be an evolution of its two-motor system, which it introduced back in 2014. This sees a petrol engine work together with two electric motors, one used to drive the wheels and another to generate energy for the car's battery. The combustion engine can drive the wheels, mainly on the motorway to maximise efficiency. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Honda plans to make various upgrades to its system, such as expanding the proportion of the rev range where the engine operates most efficiently. The new and improved hybrid setup will be combined with a new, lighter platform and a newly-developed electric AWD drive unit. Put all this together, and Honda says it will be able to improve fuel economy by more than 10% compared to current models. For context, the latest hybrid-powered Honda Civic can officially return up to 56.5mpg, and we managed to average 50.3mpg during our own testing. Honda is also aiming to reduce the cost of its next-generation hybrid powertrains by more than 30%. To demonstrate the renewed importance of hybrids within the company, the new 'H mark' badge that was originally only going to be worn by members of the '0 Series' EV line-up, will now also feature on Honda's most important hybrid models, starting in 2027. Understandably, technical details are thin on the ground at the moment, and so is any information about these 13 new hybrid models. However, we expect that successors to the Jazz supermini and Civic hatchback will be among them, considering the outgoing versions are a few years old now. Our dealer network has 1,000s of great value new cars in stock and available now right across the UK. Find your new car… Find a car with the experts New Kia Sportage breaks cover and it's sleeker than ever New Kia Sportage breaks cover and it's sleeker than ever Full specification and details have been announced for the UK version of Kia's big-selling mid-size SUV Car Deal of the Day: Get the Range Rover look for (a lot) less with the Jaecoo 7 for £244 a month Car Deal of the Day: Get the Range Rover look for (a lot) less with the Jaecoo 7 for £244 a month Jaecoo is another Chinese brand that has recently arrived in the UK, and its 7 SUV has made a bit of a splash. It's our Deal of the Day for 3 June. Car Deal of the Day: The Citroen C5 Aircross is a big car for a very small £208 a month Car Deal of the Day: The Citroen C5 Aircross is a big car for a very small £208 a month Its replacement may be waiting in the wings, but the current Citroen C5 Aircross is still a fine car. It's our Deal of the Day for 2 June.
Top Gear
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Top Gear
Skywell BE11 Driving, Engines & Performance
Driving What is it like to drive? Sinfully underwhelming. It just about manages to go, stop and turn on command, thus doing the bare minimum to qualify as a 'car'. But ask anything more of it and you might as well be asking a dolphin to operate a forklift truck. The BE11's shortcomings boil down to the ride and the powertrain. It gets MacPherson struts on the front axle and multi-link suspension at the rear: that should be an assuring combo, but its behaviour is so basic it makes you wonder if Skywell did any setup work at all beyond just bolting it onto the frame. Advertisement - Page continues below The body doesn't wallow in corners, but you get jiggled laterally and longitudinally. All the time. Undulating roads cause it to pogo along like a merry-go-round. Handling-wise, it's vague and distant, with numb steering and a chassis that simply doesn't want to engage. Judge your speed well (translation: slow right down) and very occasionally the Skywell will corner predictably, but more often than not you'll find yourself tugging at the wheel to correct your trajectory, upsetting the ride (again) in the process. Fluid this is not. Crumbs. And the powertrain? Mildly infuriating, unfortunately. 201bhp sounds like plenty but the BE11's motor is entirely pedestrian, even lacking the 0-30mph chops that make most electric cars perky in urban areas. Venture out onto the open road and it's got just enough oomph to get by (0-62mph in 9.6 seconds is slow, but not glacial), but this isn't a car that belongs in the outside lane unless it's mid-way through a traffic jam. More annoying is how easy it is to spin the wheels, especially when you're waiting at a junction with a bit of lock on. You only have to prod the accelerator for the grip to momentarily vanish, making you look like a berk with lead feet. Can't be good for tyre life either. Advertisement - Page continues below Worst of all though is how lazy it is. Press the throttle, pause, then the power comes. Same for the regen: lift off, wait… then the braking force kicks in. What it gives you is always at odds with what you want from it. Ostensibly there are Sport and Comfort modes, but they don't seem to do anything. That's pants. Now you're going to tell me the range is diabolical, aren't you? No, actually. We saw 3.3mi/kWh during our test drive, which points to a theoretical range of more than 280 miles against a claim of 304 from the bigger 86kWh battery. The BE11 had warm weather and gentle country roads on its side, so we'd expect that figure to fall significantly on a longer motorway run or in colder conditions. The bigger issue is the charging speed: both the Standard and Long Range versions are capped at 80kW, so the promise of a 0-80 per cent top-up in 1h 10m and 1h 23m apiece falls well short of what we've become used to from mainstream EVs that'll have you on your way again in half an hour. Plug in at home and a full charge will be an overnight job. Nothing wrong with that – 11kW AC is pretty conventional. Highlights from the range the fastest 150kW Long Range 86kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 9.6s CO2 0 BHP 201.2 MPG Price £39,940 the cheapest 150kW Standard Range 72kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 9.6s CO2 0 BHP 201.2 MPG Price £36,940 the greenest 150kW Long Range 86kWh 5dr Auto 0-62 9.6s CO2 0 BHP 201.2 MPG Price £39,940
