Bentley considering a number of new models from a car above the Mulsanne, a new sports car, and well, many others.

Bentley is exploring the possibility of offering a low-volume sedan based on the Mulsanne that would be positioned above it in the lineup -- a model separate from the Mulsanne convertible that has been rumored for years.

The derivative wouldn't share the Mulsanne name and would be built in small numbers, 50 to 100 units total, Rolf Frech, Bentley's board member for engineering, told Automotive News Europe sister publication Automotive News at a press launch for the revised Mulsanne.

"That doesn't mean we then have to make a bigger car than the Mulsanne," Frech said. "But maybe there are some possibilities for additional edges in this exclusive realm."

Bentley also is giving the other end of its lineup some attention.

It is close to a decision on whether to bring the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept to production. The two-door sports coupe would serve as a gateway to the Bentley brand and give buyers more of a performance edge than the larger and more expensive models Continental can offer.

Frech says producing the Speed 6 is a matter not of if but when; there's vast enthusiasm for the model among customers and the media and at Bentley.

David Undercoffler

Automotive News Europe

Report HERE

Aston Martin aims to launch 800-hp, all-electric Rapide in two years time says CEO Dr Andy Palmer.

Aston Martin is betting that even James Bond won’t mind an 800-hp electric car.

The longtime builder of British sports cars will bring an all-electric version of its four-door Rapide to market in two years, CEO Andy Palmer confirmed to Automotive News.

Speaking at Sunday’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance -- a target-rich environment for a high-end brand such as Aston Martin -- Palmer said the electric Rapide would be followed by an all-electric version of the DBX crossover by the end of the decade. Palmer’s confirmation comes several months after he indicated Aston was considering an electric Rapide in April.

It's too early to confirm powertrain specifics, Palmer did reveal his eye-watering expectations for the Rapide: all-wheel drive, around 800 hp and a 200-mile range.

Two key factors

This newfound emphasis on electric cars is driven by two key factors.

“If you want to keep making V-12 engines, then you’ve got to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum,” Palmer said of the company’s defensive strategy. Emissions-free models are necessary in the immediate future to balance out the emissions of its powerful V-8 and V-12 sports cars, especially in markets such as China.

At the same time, Aston is also going on the offensive, noting an opportunity for a powerful, seductive electric car that’s positioned well above a loaded version of Tesla’s most powerful Model S. The P90D currently tops out around $142,000 before any incentives.

“What Tesla clearly shows you is we haven’t hit the ceiling in terms of price,” Palmer said. “But I think it’s hard, though not impossible, for them as a relatively new brand to keep pushing up and to go into that super premier area.”

Palmer declined to be specific about the price of an electric Rapide, but hinted it would be in the $200,000 to $250,000 range (a current gasoline-powered Rapide starts at $205,000). Buyers in that range are looking for “something beyond a pure technology play, they start now looking for legacy,” Palmer said. 

And he didn’t mince words about Tesla’s recently announced “Ludicrous mode” upgrade that drops the Model S 0-to-60 mph acceleration time to 2.8 seconds.

“We don’t do Ludicrous because Ludicrous speed is stupid,” Palmer said.

“I think that the fact that you could drive a few laps of a decent race course or race it around the Nordschleife [famed track in Germany] is much more interesting than doing 500 meters in Ludicrous mode.”

The electric Rapide will use batteries sourced from an “established supplier” such as LG or Samsung -- though not Panasonic -- according to Palmer. Production will be in the hundreds annually, and none of the Rapide’s components will be shared with any Mercedes, which owns 5 percent of Aston Martin and is currently developing engines in conjunction with Aston.

With a goal of starting production within two years, Aston already has an all-electric Rapide test mule on the road.

Several years after the Rapide EV goes on sale, an all-electric DBX will join it. The four-door, awd crossover coupe will be introduced around 2019 as a plug-in hybrid, then a gasoline model, and finally the all-electric version.

DBX EV

It’s too early to know whether the DBX EV would use the same (or similar) powertrain as the Rapide, or whether it would use a new system, Palmer said. He did confirm that Aston was considering a two-door version of the DBX as well.

Aston will use the DBX range to broaden its customer base, particularly in markets such as China and Russia -- something Bentley, Lamborghini and Rolls-Royce are also planning with future SUV models.

The DBX models will be the second of three pillars Aston is relying on to become a profitable company with a sustainable business model selling around 7,000 vehicles a year (the company sold around 3,400 globally in 2014). The first pillar is revamping its lineup of two-door sports cars, the first of which is the successor to the DB9 expected to debut in 2016, likely as the DB11.

The third pillar will be cash from Aston’s burgeoning Lagonda sub-brand of high-margin, custom-built models, as well as two specialty models a year -- like the track-only Vulcan hypercar and the Vantage GT12 introduced this year.

007 better clear some room in his garage.

David Undercoffler

REPORT HERE

Scion to launch two new cars this year, but will still only offer a one model tier to its entire range of products.

Henry Ford would have liked Scion's approach to selling cars: Buyers can have any feature they want as long as it's standard.

Scion has always offered its cars in a variety of colors (Sizzling Crimson Mica, anyone?) and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. But the factory-installed options on every Scion end there. And the brand is sticking with that single-trim strategy as it prepares to add two critical new products to its thin lineup next month.

Plenty of automakers limit the number of a la carte options or even packages as a way to reduce manufacturing complexity and time. For Scion, the rationale is different. After all, several of its models are built for other markets where they are sold with options.

For one thing, the single-trim approach helps the brand maintain its value-oriented image, said Doug Murtha, Scion's group vice president, during a media event here.

Scion's cars appeal mostly to consumers seeking to get into a new car for about $20,000, with little extra budget for options. "To be honest, folks are reaching to get into a lot of these cars to begin with," Murtha told Automotive News.

Though a few customers may be willing to spend another $1,000 for leather seats or a moonroof, Murtha said, "are they necessarily our target customer, and is it worth the trade-off? We've said no from an inventory standpoint."

Simpler inventory management is another key benefit for Scion dealers, most of whom also carry the Toyota brand, with its far richer assortment of vehicles. "You don't have to stock hundreds of models of a car to satisfy one customer," said Ray Reilly, a senior vice president at Larry H. Miller Dealerships.

At the same time, a robust catalog of dealer-installed accessories allows customization when a dealer or buyer wants it.

Because Scion targets a higher percentage of first-time new-car buyers than most brands, a straightforward pricing setup is important, Murtha said.

Scion has stuck with the single-trim system since it started selling cars in 2003. Its latest models, the long-awaited iA compact sedan and iM five-door hatchback, will follow the same practice when they go on sale in September.

Scion hopes the new products will help it end a 26-month streak of year-on-year sales declines. This year's U.S. sales through July were down 20 percent from a year earlier.

The iA will start at $16,495 and the iM will start at $19,255, including shipping.

The one-size-fits-all approach could deter some customers looking for a specific feature that isn't included on the cars. It also forces Scion to carefully calibrate its offerings to ensure that young consumers aren't turned off by a lack of choice.

"The risk is going to be matching that vehicle with as high a percentage of buyers as possible," said Mike Wall, auto analyst at IHS. "If you don't thread that needle just right, you could lose some sales."

Still, for a brand aimed at young and first-time buyers, streamlining the choices is a smart move, he said.

Wall added: "Remember that the younger buyer could have just come from the Apple store and picked up a phone where there are very few configuration choices."

David Undercoffler

REPORT HERE

Oh Dear, TrueCar are being sued again, this cant be good news for the Online car sales business.

A group of 100 auto dealerships that are part of TrueCar’s network are suing the online car-buying service for not disclosing to consumers the nature of the fees that dealers pay the company for each sale.

The suit, filed today in state court in Los Angeles, alleges that TrueCar is engaged in “deceptive business practices” because its advertising touts transparent pricing but doesn’t disclose the transactions fees of $299 for new cars and $399 for used cars that many dealers pay TrueCar for each sale handled through the buying service.

The car pictures below are for illustrative purposes ONLY, and no inference to any brands involved in any Lawsuit with, or without TrueCar are not to be confused with actual brands that may or may not be involved (or in other words - Just enjoy the pics, they are there for your enjoyment and not for ANY other reason) 

According to the suit, because these fees are often passed along to the consumer and reflected in the dealer-set price that TrueCar presents to buyers, failure to disclose them violates California’s deceptive-practice statutes. The plaintiffs allege that consumers who learn of the fees are more inclined to complete their purchases at dealerships outside the TrueCar network.

The suit, filed by Bellavia, Blatt & Crossett in Mineola, N.Y., and another law firm, lists 100 dealerships as plaintiffs and seeks a court order requiring TrueCar to disclose the fees in all of its advertising.

TrueCar spokesman Alan Ohnsman said today that the company hadn’t yet seen the lawsuit and therefore couldn’t comment.

But he added: “We have invested substantial resources in our compliance efforts and have proactively engaged in dialogues about our business model with regulatory authorities and dealer associations across the country. We have high confidence that we’re compliant with all laws applicable to our business.”

The suit follows one filed in May by the California New Car Dealers Association alleging that TrueCar was operating without the proper licenses, and another suit -- also filed by Bellavia -- in March on behalf of 117 non-TrueCar dealers, alleging false advertising. TrueCar has called both suits meritless.

David Undercoffler

REPORT HERE