Electric cars from Siemens and Renault that are energy-efficient themselves.
A few new car models have attracted a lot of attention in the automotive world. Renault’s new 500-horsepower model is inspired by the most famous model of the eighties.
On the other hand, France’s most luxurious sedan, on which the future of the DS factory depends, Aston Martin’s new supercar, released after a four-year delay, and images of the upcoming SUV from Chinese smartphone company Xiaomi have also emerged.
Electric Turbo
French automaker Renault has announced the development of an electric sports car inspired by the Renault 5 Turbo, the company’s most famous sports car of the 1980s.
The new car is called the Renault 5 Turbo 3E and it is going to be launched in 2026.
The Renault 5 Turbo 3E bears some resemblance to the newly launched Renault 5 Electric. But its design is inspired by the car produced between 1980 and 1984, with which Renault made a name for itself in many competitions.
The Renault 5 Turbo 3E uses two electric motors that produce 500 horsepower. The car’s chassis is made of carbon fiber to reduce weight and Renault says it takes just 3.5 seconds to reach 100 km/h.
No other information about the Renault 5 Turbo 3E has yet been released, but media reports suggest that it will be produced in limited numbers and cost more than 100,000 euros ($105,000). The base price of the regular Renault 5 electric model is around 25,000 euros ($26,200).
Renault showed off its new model at the end of a documentary, and in the final scenes of the film, called “Anatomy of a Comeback,” Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo visits the secret Renault 5 Turbo 3E project with company executives.
Luca de Meo was given the reins of Renault Group in 2020 when the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. He began the company’s turnaround and led a series of projects that included the launch of new electric cars inspired by models from the 1970s and 1980s.
The Renault 5 was the first of these new products, which last month became the best-selling electric car in France, surpassing Tesla’s Model Y.
French luxury car
French carmaker DS has introduced its most luxurious model, the No. 8. It is an electric car and DS says it can travel up to 750 kilometers on a single charge.
The No. 8 is the company’s first model powered solely by an electric motor. With this model, DS has also introduced a new way of naming its models, which is derived from the way French luxury brand Chanel names its perfumes and cosmetics.
The No. 8 is a combination of a sedan and an SUV. Like other DS models, the car’s appearance is also inspired by a concept that the company showed four years ago. DS has tried hard to make the No. 8 more luxurious. The car can be ordered in two colors like the Rolls-Royce, and the grille of the more expensive models is decorated with LED lamps.
DS, a subsidiary of Stlantis, has used a platform for the ‘No. 8’ that the automotive group has developed for mid-size electric cars.
Peugeot previously used this platform to build the 3008 model, and Stlantis is also continuing to use it for its upcoming new models of electric vehicles.
The ‘No. 8’ is available in three different models. The most powerful model has two electric motors that produce 350 horsepower. This model is capable of accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and has a maximum speed of 190 km/h.
DS says it has been very careful in designing the car to reduce the vehicle’s air resistance, or friction, as much as possible.
For example, the roof of the car is uniquely designed to create airflow, which DS says increases the car’s range by up to 12km. These ideas from the DS designers have added a total of 60km to the distance the car can travel on a single charge.
The interior of the ‘Number 8’ is the most luxurious interior ever designed for this factory’s models. There is a very advanced system for heating and cooling the front seats of the car and it is not limited to this, but those sitting on these seats can enjoy the convenience of massage.
In addition, there is a system on the front seat of the car that blows warm air on the necks of both the front seat passengers and the driver in cold weather.
DS says that with the help of this function, there is no need to turn on the heater in winter and as a result, the car uses less energy.
A panoramic roof, 14 speakers, 3D sound system connecting the car to ChatGPT artificial intelligence are other features of the DS ‘Number 8’. The Audi Q6 e-tron, BMW IX3, Lexus RZ, and Pallister Four are among the main competitors of the DS ‘Number 8’.
The price of the car has not yet been officially announced, but the cheapest model is expected to be 65,000 euros (68,400), and the most expensive model 85,000 euros (89,500).
Peugeot Citroen founded DS ten years ago to enter the luxury car market, but the company could not seriously compete with German and Japanese luxury car manufacturers.
After Peugeot Citroen’s merger or partnership with Fiat Chrysler and the formation of the Aslantis Group, competition has become more difficult for DS, because to prove itself as a successful business, it has to compete with other Aslantis carmakers such as Alfa Romeo and Lancia.
In this situation, the success or failure of the ‘number 8’ model plays a decisive role in the future of DS.
Valhalla delayed
Aston Martin has announced that it will launch its first hybrid model, the Valhalla, early next year after a four-year delay.
News of the Valhalla’s production was first announced in 2018. The car was due to go on sale in 2021 and compete with the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini and McLaren. However, Aston Martin’s financial problems have delayed the project several times.
Aston Martin says it will build 999 units of the Valhalla, with the first series of the car set to be delivered to customers in the second half of 2025. The price of the Valhalla has not been announced but is expected to be more than 600,000 pounds ($758,000).
The Valhalla has an eight-cylinder engine and three electric motors that produce a total of 1,079 horsepower. The car can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds and has a top speed of 350 km/h.
Aston Martin designed the Valhalla model and its second supercar, the Valkyrie, in collaboration with Red Bull Formula One team car designer Adrian Neve.
From next year, Adrian Neve will also design Aston Martin Formula One team cars.
Aston Martin’s financial situation has been unstable in recent years. An investment by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll in 2020 saved the company from bankruptcy and created an opportunity for the factory to produce new models, however, Aston Martin’s stock value has fallen by more than 50% this year and the company is still struggling.
Stroll hopes that Aston Martin’s presence in Formula One can draw attention to the company’s products and increase its sales with the arrival of new models.
Xiaomi YU 7
Chinese electronics manufacturer Xiaomi has released images and information about its second vehicle, the YU7. According to the company, the new SUV will be launched in the Chinese market in June or July next year.
Xiaomi posted images and news of its new model on the social network Weibo. At the same time, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun announced that they had provided the government with some information about the model in advance so that the factory had more time to test the car.
Chinese companies usually provide the government with mechanical information about their products a month or two before their launch.
According to information released by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the YU7 has two electric motors that produce a total of 681 horsepower. The car’s maximum speed is said to be 253 kilometers per hour.
The price of the vehicle is not yet known, but the SUV is expected to sell for between $34,000 and $48,000. The Tesla Model Y has a base price of $34,000, making it the closest competitor in the Chinese market.
Xiaomi, a smartphone and electronics manufacturer, launched its first car, the Su-7, this spring. The Su-7 is similar in appearance and technically similar to the Porsche Taycan electric car model, but it sells for a base price of around $30,000.
The SU7 was so well received that Xiaomi decided to produce 130,000 units of it this year instead of the 100,000 it had planned for production.
In October, Xiaomi also unveiled a sports model, the SU7. This model called the SU7 Ultra, has three electric motors that produce a total of 1,548 horsepower.
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