Next-Generation Honda Jazz to Go Hybrid Only (At Least in Europe)

After the debut of its first all-electric vehicle, the Honda e, at the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Honda is announcing the next steps in its “Electric Vision” strategy.

Chief among them is the confirmation that the upcoming all-new Honda Jazz will be offered only as a hybrid for the European market. Per Katsushi Inoue, Chief Operating Officer and President, Honda Motor Europe:

“In 2020, Honda will launch the next generation Jazz and today, we can confirm that this model will be introduced into Europe with hybrid technology as the sole powertrain option.”

While the current Jazz, and by extension, the City is available with Honda’s i-DCD or Intelligent Dual-Clutch Drive (a mild hybrid system), it’s understood that the upcoming Jazz will abandon this technology in favor of Honda’s more advanced (and more efficient) i-MMD or Intelligent Multi-Mode Drive.

While the i-DCD prioritizes compactness and simplicity, the i-MMD system goes for maximum efficiency. It uses a system of five interlinked systems: an internal combustion engine, electric motors, a power control unit, an engine-linked clutch, and a lithium-ion battery.

What’s clever about the i-MMD is that there is no transmission, at least in the traditional sense. There are four gearsets between the electric and combustion power sources and the front wheels, but all drive ratios are fixed. The powertrain provides three standard propulsion modes: electric-only, gasoline-only, and combined gas and electric, without shifting gears or varying a planetary ratio.

Honda’s “secret sauce” takes away the conventional transmission and torque converter. And with no pulleys and one fixed gear, it delivers 46 to 80 percent less friction compared to a conventional automatic.

The all-new Jazz is expected to retain a similar footprint with the current model, but will be slightly wider making it even roomier. Spy shots also suggest that it will gain a less angular, softer styling as well. It is also said to gain a floating infotainment console seen in other car manufacturers, too. The all-new Jazz is the centerpiece of Honda’s display at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show this October.

The Hyundai i10 N Line is a Turbocharged Pocket Rocket

About a week ago, Hyundai showed off its new i10—their smallest car that comes packing with tech normally found in larger, more expensive cars. Their engineers wasted no time in coming up with a hotted up version and naturally, it falls under Hyundai’s sporty N Line: meet the i10 N Line.

Now, for those attuned to Hyundai’s name convention, N Line models typically feature just aesthetics and handling upgrades rather than full-blown sporty changes. For the i10 N Line they’ve made an exception and bolted in a turbocharged engine too.

Granted that the 1.0-liter 3-cylinder turbocharged motor in the i10 N Line won’t light up the spec sheet on fire, but imagine 100 horsepower and 172 Nm of torque in a car that’ll probably weigh just a ton—you have a recipe for a true pocket rocket. The best part? Hyundai’s not bolting on any fancy transmission here, they’re sticking to a tried-and-tested 5-speed manual.

Along with the new engine, the i10 N Line has exterior and interior enhancements to communicate its newfound sportiness. These include redesigned bumpers, a new grille, re-designed LED DRLs, and of course spattering of red hues (including on the i10 badge itself). The changes out are completed by exclusive 16-inch alloy wheels shod with 195/45 R 16 tires. Inside, it gets red air vent rings, sportier seats, and of course, N-branding on the steering wheel and shifter.

The Hyundai i10 N Line is actually the fouth “forbidden fruit” in the N Line. Destined only for Europe, it joins the i30, i30 Fastback, and Tucson in getting an N Line variant. For the Philippines, the only N Line available (by order basis) is the Veloster N.

This Limited Edition Hyundai i30 N Project C is Lighter, But Not Significantly Faster

The world took notice when Hyundai unveiled the i30 N two years ago. But while it was designed and built to take on the world’s best hot hatches, there were still a few skeptics. Well, Hyundai just went a step further and created this, the i30 N Project C.

Limited to just 600 units worldwide (sadly, all are destined for Europe), the i30 N Project C pushes the limits even further. By dabbling in carbon fiber reinforced plastic and slapping 19-inch forged OZ racing wheels at each corner, this car sheds 50 kilograms.

More than just a diet, Hyundai engineers worked to recalibrate the i30 N’s suspension. It drops 6 mm closer to the ground while new internal calibrations for the existing dampers, shorter higher stiffness springs, and rear cargo zone stiffer complete the changes.

Outside, the i30 N Project C is finished in a dark matte gray with the carbon fiber parts finished with an exposed, high-gloss weave. Inside, it has Alcantara highlights as well as Deep Orange highlights.

Power remains the same as the standard i30 N and with that, it has a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 275 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 353 Nm of torque at 1,450 to 4,700 rpm (378 Nm on over boost at 1,750 to 4,200 rpm). The sole transmission is a 6-speed manual. Maximum speed is at 250 km/h, while its 0-100 km/h time stands at 6 seconds flat. This makes it 0.1 seconds faster than its regular i30 N counterpart and about 0.2 seconds faster than the Golf GTI. The Subaru WRX is still faster though at 5.2 seconds.

The Concept 4 Shows BMW Design Has Lost the Plot

Say what you want BMW, but the Concept 4 is anything but “clear and precise.” Unless what you mean by clean and precise is cleanly and precisely ugly. Yes, ugly; like gut-wrenching, yo mama ugly joke ugly. It’s so ugly that BMW didn’t even provide one official single head-on shot.

Even they knew there was a problem in there somewhere.

Of course, BMW is so quick to point out references such as the BMW 328 or 3.0 CSi, but those were fine-looking coupes. None had nostrils so frickin’ big that they didn’t have a place to put a front vanity plate on (BMW settled on transparent plastic). It can probably sniff out its owner’s cocaine stash all the way from his climate-controlled garage.

If only BMW showed restraint on the size of that nose would everyone get to appreciate the subtle details that the design team worked so hard on. See, the grating inside the grille? They’re horizontal with a faceted cut lending depth to the grille itself. Look closer, and another highlight is revealed: the intricate grating within the kidneys and air intakes is made up of an array of small “number 4s” joined together.

But, no. You can’t see them because of what ginormous grille/nostril.

And it’s sad because the rest of the car is actually quite alright. It’s a bit dull, especially from the side, but at least it’s clean, understated, muscular—something you won’t mind parking in your climate-controlled garage. Even the exterior color—Forbidden Red is awesome. It’s a rich, glossy red when highlighted, and almost black when shaded. But then you get to the grille. WTF.

Thankfully, the Concept 4 is staying as a concept car. However, BMW did say that it’s previewing the design direction of the 4 Series Coupe, and that’s worrying. C’mon BMW. Less grille this time, please.

The Hyundai 45 Concept Shows Koreans Now Look at Iconic Models for Inspiration

Hyundai is having one eye looking firmly at the past, while showing off a concept of the future: meet their 45, an electric vehicle concept that fuses the Korean carmaker’s heritage while also showing off their advancements in electrification and autonomous driving tech.

The first vehicle from Korea that draws inspiration from an iconic model from the past, in this case, the 1974 Pony Coupe Concept, which was unveiled, aptly 45 years ago, the Hyundai 45 uses 45-degree angles at the front and rear to form a diamond-shaped silhouette that indicates Hyundai’s direction in their EV design.

Like a certain Japanese carmaker, the Hyundai 45 strips away complex lines, moving towards a clean, minimalistic look—a further evolution of their Sensuous Sportiness design. The headlamps themselves are cubic in design, making the Hyundai 45 instantly recognizable.

At the bottom of the door, a special garnish highlights its long-distance battery capability and, through active LED lights, drivers can intuitively know how much longer they can drive even before they get in the car. Cameras also replace traditional side mirrors allowing the 45 to mark a start to Hyundai’s self-driving car dreams. The system even has an embedded turntable that rotates the lens past a brush to ensure perfect visibility at all times.

Inside, the Hyundai 45 is minimalist in design. Inspired by furniture, it fuses wood, fabric, and leather. The seats can be made to rotate allowing passengers to face each other, while the infotainment system itself is interfaced with a projection-beam interface.

While the design of the Hyundai 45 is clearly just for show, what’s more important is what’s found underneath. Using a skateboard floor, the 45 keeps its battery and drivetrain stored underneath the cabin creating a larger, more usable space despite a compact footprint.

All-New 2020 Land Rover Defender is an Icon Re-Imagined

Land Rover has released the all-new Defender. An icon re-imagined for the 21st century, it carries the same adventurous spirit and design, wrapped around a clever, capable, and safe platform.

Its distinctive silhouette makes the Defender instantly recognizable. Its upright stance, Alpine light windows in the roof, side-hinged tailgate, and rear-mounted spare tire are nods to its predecessors, while its minimal overhangs provide excellent approach and departure angles.

The stripped-back personality of the original Defender has been embraced inside, where structural elements and fixings usually hidden from view have been exposed, with the emphasis on simplicity and practicality. Innovative features include a dash-mounted gear shifter to accommodate an optional central front ‘jump’ seat, which provides three-abreast seating across the front like early Land Rovers.

As a result, the Defender 110 offers five, six or 5+2 seating configurations, with a load space behind the second-row seats of up to 1,075 liters, and as much as 2,380-liters when the second row is folded. The Defender 90 will be able to accommodate six occupants in a vehicle the length of a compact family hatchback.

User-friendly features include durable rubberized flooring and an optional full-length folding fabric roof that allows passengers in the second-row seats to stand up when parked.

Underpinning the all-new Defender is the new purpose-engineered D7x (for extreme) architecture is based on a lightweight aluminium monocoque construction to create the stiffest body structure Land Rover has ever produced. It is three times stiffer than traditional body-on-frame designs, providing perfect foundations for the fully independent air or coil sprung suspension and supports the latest electrified powertrains.

Permanent all-wheel drive and a twin-speed automatic gearbox, center differential and optional Active Locking Rear Differential ensure it has all the hardware required to excel in any terrain. Terrain Response also makes its debut allowing experienced off-roaders to fine-tune individual vehicle settings to suit road conditions, while inexperienced drivers can let the system detect the most appropriate vehicle settings for the terrain, using the intelligent Auto function.

The new body architecture provides ground clearance of 291 mm and world-class off-road geometry, giving the 110 approach, breakover, and departure angles of 38, 28 and 40 degrees (Off-Road height) respectively. Its maximum wading depth of 900 mm is supported by a new Wade program in the Terrain Response 2 system, which ensures drivers can ford deep water with complete confidence.

On dry land, Land Rover’s advanced ClearSight Ground View technology helps drivers take full advantage of Defender’s all-conquering capability by showing the area usually hidden by the bonnet, directly ahead of the front wheels, on the central touchscreen.

Powering the all-new Defender, is a choice between advanced gasoline or diesel engines. At launch, the P300 (300 horsepower, 4-cylinder) and more powerful P400 (400 horsepower, 6-cylinder) offer Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle technology, while those opting for a diesel have a choice between a pair of 4-cylinder engines: the D200 (200 horsepower) and D240 (240 horsepower). A Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle version will join the range next year.

The all-new Defender will be available in 128 global markets, including the Philippines. It should arrive at Land Rover showrooms by next year.