AD #3425 – New Mustang Will Be More Difficult To Tune; All Hyundai’s to Get OTA Updates; BMW M2 Gets Power Boost

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

HYUNDAI GROUP TO ADD OTA CAPABILITIES TO ALL ITS VEHICLES
The Hyundai Group is planning to transition all of its models to Software Defined Vehicles by the middle of the decade. That includes adding over-the-air update capabilities, which starts next year and by 2025, all segments it sells vehicles in worldwide will have the feature. This applies to both EVs and gas-powered vehicles. The automaker is also developing a Connected Car Operating System, which will offer customers personalized services, including software subscriptions. Hyundai says it expects to have 20 million vehicles registered for its connected car services by 2025. The data collected from its connected vehicles will also be used for future mobility products including Purpose Built Vehicles, VTOLs or passenger drones, robotaxis and robots. The Group plans to invest around $12.5 billion by 2030 to improve its software capabilities and speed up Software Defined Vehicle development.

HONDA MAKES BIG U.S. EV & BATTERY INVESTMENT
Honda is making a big battery investment in the U.S. The automaker and LG Energy Solution announced plans to build a new $3.5 billion EV battery plant in Ohio. Construction kicks off next year and the aim is to open by the end of 2024. The plant will produce lithium-ion pouch batteries and will have the capacity to produce 40 GWh annually. The batteries will be used to power EVs based on its new e:Architecture that go on sale in the U.S. in 2026. Honda also announced its investing another $700 million to re-tool three plants in Ohio for EV production.

FOXCONN TO BUILD EVs FOR IndiEV IN OHIO
And speaking of EV production in Ohio, Foxconn signed a deal with IndiEV to build prototype versions of the startup’s One EV hatchback. Foxconn will produce the model at its plant in Ohio that it purchased from Lordstown Motors. The One features a 95-kWh battery that provides 300 miles of range. Its dual motor all-wheel drive setup produces 475 horsepower and moves from 0 to 60 MPH in 4.2 seconds. The One has a starting price of $45,000 and IndiEV is currently taking reservations but it hasn’t announced when it will start delivering to customers.

MERCEDES PARTNERS WITH MICROSOFT TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION
Mercedes is trying to future-proof its manufacturing sites so it doesn’t run into the same kind of production delays that it’s facing today. So, it’s teaming with Microsoft to integrate a new data platform that will help link up all of its plants worldwide. This will allow it to do things like create a virtual replica of its manufacturing process to test changes and effectiveness of changes before implementing them in the real world. Mercedes will also be able to more easily detect supply chain bottlenecks and prioritize resources for electric and higher-profit models. With this new platform, Mercedes hopes to improve passenger car production efficiency by 20% by 2025 as well as reduce overall emissions.

NEW MUSTANG WILL BE “MUCH MORE DIFFICULT” TO TUNE
Automakers almost never unlock the full potential of their powertrains, mostly for safety and reliability reasons. Owners, however, are much more willing to push the limits of a system. But the new 7th gen Mustang is going to be “much more difficult” to tune according to the chief engineer. It all has to do with the car’s new electronic architecture. It’s encrypted, and if it detects what Ford calls a “break” it will start to shut down or disable certain components or functions. Does this mean owners won’t be able to make any modifications to their new Mustang? Heck No! It sounds like Ford will rely on more trusted tuning companies and maybe its own in-house performance division to develop upgrades for the iconic car.

LEXUS UPDATES UX 300e EV
Lexus updated its UX 300e, the all-electric version of the small crossover. When it was launched in 2020 in Europe, it featured a 54.4 kWh battery pack. Now it’s equipped with a 72.8 kWh battery, which provides 450 kilometers of range or about 280 miles. That’s 40% more than the outgoing model. Other updates include a new 12.3 touchscreen display, more advanced safety technology and body rigidity was strengthened by adding 20 more spot welds. Lexus will begin delivering the UX 300e to customers in the spring of next year but it didn’t reveal how much it will cost.

CANOO RECEIVES ANOTHER EV ORDER
EV startup Canoo just received another order for its vehicles. Fleet leasing provider, Zeeba, ordered 5,450 of Canoo’s Lifestyle Delivery Vehicle and Lifesyle Vehicle, with an initial binding commitment of 3,000 EVs through 2024. Earlier this year, Canoo warned investors that it was running out of cash and may not survive. But the startup received a lifeline from Walmart in July, when the retail giant signed a deal to purchase 4,500 of its EVs with option to boost that to 10,000.

Was that gorgeous Buick Wildcat concept just a tease, or is it indicative of the brand’s future? That’s what we want to ask Bob Boniface, the head of Buick design, when he joins us on Thursday for Autoline After Hours. Joe Dematio from Haggerty and Greg Migliore from Autoblog will also be on the show, and we invite you to join us to discover where Buick is headed.

 

BMW M2 GETS POWER BOOST
Not all new BMWs are getting a radical version of the automaker’s twin kidney grille. The all-new M2 wears a much more compact grille with the top end lopped off, which kind of creates a scowling, straight brow-line that flows into the LED headlamps. The powertrain setup is very similar to the current M2. It features a 3.0L turbocharged in-line 6-cylinder engine that drives the rear wheels via either an 8-speed automatic or 6-speed manual transmission. But the engine now produces 453 horsepower, which is 48 more than before, and it does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds with the automatic and 4.1 seconds with the manual. That extra power likely helps offset the extra weight of the new M2. It’s over 200 pounds or nearly 91 kilograms heavier than the current model. Look for the new M2 to launch next year. It will be built at BMW’s plant in Mexico and pricing will start around $63,000.

JEEP WAGONEER LONG WHEELBASE IMPRESSIONS
What’s it like to drive the long wheelbase version of the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer? Well, it’s more of a luxury car experience than a rough and tumble off-road one. Yes, they have Jeep’s superb all-wheel drive system, but these Wagoneers are all about showing up in style at the country club, not about clambering down the Rubicon Trail. Climb in and shut the door and you’ll be impressed at how well the cabin is isolated from the outside world. Even when driving well over posted highway speeds there is a remarkable lack of wind noise. And that all-new, twin turbo, inline 6, which is 5 decibels quieter than the V8, provides plenty of power despite all the mass it has to move around. But the real differences with these long wheelbase versions are the gargantuan amounts of rear seat leg room, the surprisingly roomy 3rd row, and the generous amount of luggage space. That’s what you get when you add another foot to the overall length. Now the question is whether Jeep can truly pry people out of their BMWs, Range Rovers and Mercedes-Benzes. We think they have the hardware to do it. Now we’ll have to see if the market agrees. 

But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and we’ll see you again tomorrow.