AD #2916 – Hyundai Venue Stands Out in A Crowd; Ford Ranger Tremor; China Wants to Boost Fuel Cell Vehicle Sales

This is Autoline Daily, the show dedicated to enthusiasts of the global automotive industry.

CHINA REVEALS PLAN TO BOOST FUEL CELL VEHICLE SALES
And we start out today in Asia, where China is about to roll out its strategy to develop a hydrogen economy. Reuters reports that China’s strategy will include policies for local governments and car companies to build a hydrogen supply chain and business models. Automakers such as SAIC and BAIC announced they’re going to start making fuel cell cars. Even though China dominates the global market for battery electric cars, it sees hydrogen as the long-term solution.  

JAPAN & KOREA ALREADY SUBSIDIZING FUEL CELLS
And China is not the only one. Japan and South Korea are already subsidizing the development of fuel cell cars, which explains why Toyota, Honda and Hyundai already sell them. Even though Elon Musk calls them “fool cells” and is trying to turn people against them, a growing number of countries see hydrogen as the pathway to the future.

DELPHI WINS ANOTHER BID FOR EV INVERTER
As we’ve reported, suppliers are the ones developing most of the technology in vehicles these days. And Delphi Technologies announced it just won a bid to supply a major European OEM with its 800-volt inverter for battery electric vehicles. The unknown company will start using the inverter in 2024. Delphi says it’s now the primary inverter supplier to three of the top four premium brands in the world. It didn’t name those companies but it sure sounds like Audi, BMW and Mercedes to us.

 

DODGE REVEALS NEW POLICE VEHICLES
Dodge revealed the new versions of the Charger and Durango police vehicles. The Charger is now available with an 8-speed automatic transmission that’s mated to either a new V-6 with all-wheel-drive or a Hemi V-8. The Durango has the option for a 3.6L V-6 or a 5.7L Hemi V-8 that can be mated to the same 8-speed transmission. The Durango Pursuit also comes with 20 new standard features. The company is taking orders for the models now but production of the Charger starts at the end of the year, while the Durango goes into production in the first quarter of next year.

FORD UNVEILS NEW RANGER TREMOR
To the disappointment of many enthusiasts, Ford isn’t bringing the Raptor version of the Ranger to the U.S., at least not yet anyway. But Ford isn’t leaving you hanging. It introduced an exclusive off-road package for the mid-size pickup, called Tremor, which is the same name it uses for the off-road package on its heavy-duty trucks. The Ranger Tremor comes with unique styling elements inside and out, side steps, underbody skid plates, rear locking diff, off-road drive modes and an off-road tuned suspension, which raises the ride height by about ¾ of an inch. The later, along with fender lip moldings, help clear the 32-inch all-terrain tires and help improve approach and departure angles. There’s no change under the hood. The truck comes with a 270-horsepower, 2.3L EcoBoost engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The Tremor package is available on mid XLT trims and higher that are equipped with the SuperCrew 4X4 configuration. It will cost just under $4,300 and production is slated to start early next year. 

MUSTANG MACH-E SET TO MAKE CHINESE DEBUT
Speaking of Ford, if you didn’t know the all-electric Mustang Mach-E was going to be a true global vehicle, you do now. It’s going to make its debut at the Beijing Auto Show, which was pushed back to the 26th of this month due to the coronavirus. Ford says it hopes the Mach-E helps “open a new chapter in EVs for Chinese customers.”

ASTON MARTIN INTRODUCES RACING SIMULATOR
Another result of lockdowns due to the coronavirus was a spike in video game play, especially virtual races. That may be why Aston Martin has introduced its own racing simulator. Its look was dreamed up by Aston Martin designers, which took inspiration from its racing program in the form of the grille. The seating position is the same as its new hypercar, the Valkyrie and it even features a carbon fiber monocoque. Of course, no racing simulator is complete without the latest and greatest software and a giant curved display screen. So, what does one of these things cost? Base price is 57,500 pounds or about $74,000. That’s a lot of money, and you’ll be lucky to get one because they’re limited to 150 examples, but remember other professional setups can cost well over $100,000. 

HYUNDAI SHOWS OFF SOAPBOX CAR
Remember that soapbox car Hyundai teased? Well, here it is. And this is more than just something to show off, It was actually developed for families and friends to build together. So, it’s made from affordable and easily available materials, like wood, metal rods, brackets and screws. And the wheels are from a wheelbarrow. But even though this is a project for anyone, the soapbox was designed like a regular car. The styling inspiration is Hyundai’s 45 concept car. A team of engineers built the chassis, the design team sketched ideas on paper then with 3D models. And another team worked on the trim and color. If you want to try and build Hyundai’s soapbox car, the company has made the instructions available for download. Just click the link in our transcript or description box below.

As we keep pointing out, suppliers account for most of the innovation in the auto industry. Remember, they provide 80% of the value of every vehicle. That’s why we’ve invited George Trampler from ZF to join us on Autoline After Hours this Thursday. He’s the head of engineering and we’ll get his insights on where ZF is placing its bets on future technology. So join John and Gary for more insights into what’s going on in the global automotive industry.

 

HYUNDAI VENUE STANDS OUT IN A CROWD
In marketing jargon, entry level cars are often referred to as “cheap and cheerful.” And that definitely describes the Hyundai Venue. We just had one in the Autoline Garage, what they call the Denim Edition. It’s relatively cheap at $23,300, and is cheerfully styled with design details that make it stand out in a crowd. Note the white roof and the other white trim pieces, including the top of the mirror housings, as well as the white panels below the headlamps, and the thin white strip at the bottom of the back bumper. There’s also a white trim piece at the top of each wheel well and a long one that runs along the rocker panels. That white plastic is a way of breaking up and brightening the design without using chrome, which would have been more expensive. Inside, it features denim seat inserts outlined by vinyl trim pieces with white piping and white stitching. The materials are all inexpensive but the effect is terrific. This is a very inviting and approachable vehicle. And it can be very pleasant to drive, as long as you keep it under 60 miles an hour and under 3,000 rpm. Anything over that and its 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engine and continuously variable transmission start to complain while road noise, wind noise and body boom start to drown out conversations. But if you drive it at a nice leisurely pace, the Venue is a delightful transportation module. Like all Hyundai’s, it comes packed with the latest safety systems and convenience features. And the EPA rates it at 32 miles to the gallon. Obviously, this is not the car for enthusiasts who want to go auto crossing on the weekends. But it strikes as the perfect vehicle for ambling around beach communities or college campuses. And it serves as a textbook example to other car designers of how to spiff up the styling without spending a ton of money.

But that’s it for today, thanks for watching.