Borgward premiere's a new electric car at Shanghai, ready for build at the new Bremen plant.

WORLD PREMIERE OF A CONCEPT CAR EQUIPPED WITH AN INNOVATIVE ELECTRIC DRIVE SYSTEM

The Borgward BXi7—Powered by Electricity

At this year’s Auto Shanghai (April 21–28, 2017), Borgward presented the BXi7, an SUV with all-electric drive. The near-series concept car demonstrates the impressive potential of the Borgward e-PROPULSION electric drive platform particularly clearly. The platform is suitable for both SUVs and sedans. The battery makes a big impression with its high energy density. It gives the BXi7 a range of up to 500 kilometers and can be charged to 80 percent of capacity within 30 minutes at a fast-charging station.

An electric motor at both the front and rear axles turn the SUV into an all-wheel-drive vehicle. The motors have a combined output of 200 kW / 272 hp and a maximum torque of 400 Newton meters. The vehicle accelerates from 0–100 km/h in 6.5 seconds and has a top speed of 200 km/h.

A high level of operating comfort is ensured by the e-PROPULSION smartphone app.  Among other things, this app enables drive system and interior preconditioning, the intelligent control of various charging functions, and the monitoring of the vehicle’s range, remaining charging time, and interior temperature.

With its LIGHTNING BLUE paint job, the characteristic appearance of the BORGWARD BXi7 reflects the fresh, forward-looking spirit of BORGWARD e-PROPULSION. Exclusive design features are also displayed by the roof rails with their seamless transition into the roof spoiler, the vehicle’s front and rear bumpers, the rear diffuser, and aerodynamically optimized wheels. The exterior design is rounded out by blue color applications in SKY COLOUR and the signature LED daytime running lights.

The interior is upgraded by large decorative elements in LIGHTNING BLUE, discreet trim, and the typical BORGWARD rhombus seat stitching in SKY COLOUR. This impression of sporty elegance is enhanced by the newly designed gear selector lever in the center console and the large LCD displays.

Bremen to become Borgward’s global center for electric mobility

As announced in fall 2016, Borgward Group AG is establishing its global competence center for electric mobility in Bremen. On a 140,000 square meter site along the Weser River, Borgward will build a production facility for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles as well as a test track, a brand studio, and a delivery center. Construction will begin in early 2018, and production is scheduled to commence in 2019. The plant will have a production capacity of 50,000 vehicles per year.

Mercedes launches a new concept to further expand the range of compact vehicles.

With the Concept A Sedan at Auto Shanghai (April 20 to 27, 2017) Mercedes-Benz is providing an outlook of the next generation of compact vehicles and a potential, new body type.

The Concept A Sedan show car specifies the evolved Mercedes-Benz design language. Thanks to its purist, surface-focused design featuring reduced lines and flat surfaces the show car is hot and cool at the same time. The "Aesthetics A" sculpture already demonstrated that the upcoming compact class generation marks the dawn of an even more rigorous implementation of the design idiom of "sensual purity".

"Our Concept A Sedan shows, that the time of creases is over”, say Gorden Wagener, Chief Design Officer Daimler AG. “With its perfect proportions and a sensual treatment of surfaces with reduced lines, it is the next milestone of Sensual Purity and has the potential to introduce a new design era."

The current compact vehicle generation is crucially contributing to Mercedes‑Benz's most successful and rejuvenated appearance ever to make 2016 the sixth year of records in succession. More than two million compact vehicles have been sold around the globe since 2012. In addition to the contemporary design language, innovative assistance systems, connectivity, and driving pleasure, model variety is a crucial factor for success: with the A and B‑Class, CLA and CLA Shooting Brake, as well as the SUV crossover GLA five differently positioned variants are available on the market.

"Their success shows that our customers are absolutely delighted with the current generation of Mercedes-Benz compact cars", says Britta Seeger, member of the Board of Management of Daimler AG responsible for

Mercedes‑Benz Cars Marketing & Sales. "We are therefore extremely confident that the planned expansion will lead to a continuation of this success story."

The Concept A Sedan: study of a compact premium sedan

The Concept A Sedan (length/width/height: 4570/1870/1462 mm) has been designed with the proportions of a dynamic, coupé-like and simultaneously compact, premium sedan. This aim is emphasized by the traditional three-box design featuring short overhangs, especially at the rear, as well as the slim greenhouse that has been offset towards the rear. Additional sedan characteristics are the relatively vertical C‑pillar, larger side windows and the higher beltline.

The wheel arch design featuring a reduced arch dimension emphasises the exclusive 20‑inch wheels. The light alloy wheels radiate technical precision with their sporty aerowheel look featuring a structured surface between the spokes. The door handles of the show car are flush with the body, while the outside mirrors, in a contemporary reinterpretation, stand proud of the beltlines.

The striking front expresses self-confidence: this is crucially highlighted by the deep Panamericana grille tilted towards the front, featuring vertical chrome inserts and a star in the centre, as well as the stretched bonnet with Powerdomes. The large, lower air inlet featuring a diamond grid structure and a striking trim strip in dark chrome is also amongst the most eye-catching features.

The headlamps with their eyebrows as a typical feature of the brand as well as the striking grid structure on the inside guarantee a confident look – and a simultaneously high recognition value. The structural sculpture that has been broken down in detail represents a technically based counterpole to the sensual exterior – "stimulating contrast" is one of the six guiding principles of Mercedes-Benz design. The grid structure in the lamps has been coated with a UV paint and it is exposed to ultraviolet light. As a result, the headlamps "glow" in different colours, depending on the light medium – the daytime running lamps, for instance, are white.

This unusual lighting technology is also used at the rear: The striking tail light image has also been designed as a structural sculpture. In line with the evolved design philosophy the lines and gaps at the rear have been reduced. As a contrast to the paintwork the rear bumper features a diffuser-look lower part trimmed in black and a chrome trim strip that emphasises the width and underlines the car's premium appeal. The integrated exhaust deflectors are finished in dark chrome. Additional features of the roadworthy show car are dark privacy windows all-round as well as a large, panoramic glass roof.

MG unveils a new sports car plug in electric car at the Shanghai Auto Show 2017.

MG Motor has unveiled an all-new electric supercar concept at the 17th annual Shanghai International Automotive Show (19 April) – the MG E-motion. Offering a glimpse of the future, the next-generation vehicle aims to push the boundaries of innovation and technology, while meeting the needs of today’s trend-setting car buyers.

Perfectly blending style, sophistication and elegance, the E-motion embodies MG’s vision for the future. With a slender sportsback-style design paying tribute to the brand’s hundred-year heritage, starlight matrix front grill and headlights bringing inspiration from the London Eye, and vertical tail lights developed using decades of world-leading design experience, the ground-breaking concept brings MG’s sense of fun and aspiration to the low emission marketplace.

Below the surface, the MG E-motion sets the standards in plug-in vehicle capability, with the latest pure-electric modular architecture platform developed in-house and delivering 0-100kmph in less than four seconds, despite boasting a range of more than 500km. Equipped with an intelligent infotainment system, the supercar is fully internet-compatible, which MG believes will position it perfectly for the younger market. 

In addition to the E-motion concept, the Shanghai International Automotive Show also saw the brand unveil a fully-customised version of the MG ZS compact SUV. Positioned as the first intelligent SUV, the model is already proving hugely popular with drivers worldwide.

With an 8” super control panel and the most powerful intelligent interconnected system ever developed, the MG ZS pushes the boundaries of innovative vehicle technology. Worldwide, the MG ZS has already experienced unprecedented sales demand, with upwards of 20,000 registrations being reported every month.

For the MG brand, this has helped to drive a 76% increase in year-on-year sales figures, alongside a 51% increase in sales compared to the previous quarter – easily surpassing the industry average.

Matthew Cheyne, Head of Sales and Marketing at MG Motor UK, commented: “The MG E-motion electric supercar concept demonstrates our global vision for the future. Alongside leading the way in design and capability, the next-generation model is the latest step in achieving the ultimate driving experience.

“The Shanghai International Automotive Show highlights our progress and capabilities, while further new models will continue this future-thinking strategy, embracing innovation to deliver ground-breaking vehicles for the drivers of tomorrow.”