Here are the car news stories you might have missed this week.
With some results from the election still not in and possibly not coming until next week, it still looks like the push toward extreme climate regulations throttling the energy sector and pushing into the automotive industry will be slowed, if not halted for now. Still, there are plenty of crazy things going on this week, so let’s dive into the stories you might not have caught.
1. Finally the Porsche 911 we’ve all been wanting.
For a long time, the aftermarket has been building Safari Porsche 911s for those who have pockets deep enough to afford such a thing. Now Porsche realizes there’s enough demand to offer a factory version, so it’s revealed photos of the prototype Porsche 911 Dakar testing in different environments. A real is set for November 16 at the Los Angles Auto Show.
Check out the official press release here.
Learn why a group of analysts can’t seem to figure out why Middle America isn’t excited about EVs here.
2. The French and Chinese are teaming up.
No, this isn’t a joke – Renault and Geely are entering a partnership to keep developing internal combustion engines. With both country’s governments pushing hard for electrification, the two giant automakers have found it’s more practical to split the ICE divisions from the company and pool resources. What this means for the long run remains to be seen, but at least they’re not ditching ICE development, unlike some automakers.
Learn more about this deal here.
3. Ford pushes toward augmented reality while driving.
Speaking of companies ditching development in ICE to go after crazy technologies, Ford’s chief electrification executive made some interesting comments at an EV conference in London on Monday. He talked about how he wants future Fords “doing things your phone can’t do,” which apparently includes an augmented reality view while driving. Think of it like the overlays in video games like Forza where the computer shows you the line you’re supposed to be centering the car over, highlights signs, etc.
Read more here.
4. BMW to keep the low end of the market.
Another automaker that’s cutting things back while pursuing electrification is Mercedes, deciding it won’t be selling so many lower-end models in the future. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse told the media his company won’t be deploying such a strategy as it moves into the EV space further. After all, those entry-level products help capture customers who will later buy up-line models, so such a cut does seem rather short-sighted.
Check out what all he said here.
Lead image via Porsche
