Maserati Alfieri Mule Spied in the Wild

Maserati Alfieri Mule Spied in the Wild
VW Investing in New Battery Technology
Ford Might Use More CVTs
Chrysler V6 to Gain Turbo, Direct Injection
Chevrolet Trax Could Gain GMC Sibling
Jaguar SUV Won’t be Called an ‘SUV’

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The Maserati Ghibli is keeping busy these days, acting as a mule for several upcoming models.

The Ghibli has been spied testing as a mule for the Maserati Levante, an upcoming SUV model and now AutoGuide.com's spy photographers have caught it acting as a mule for the production version of the Maserati Alfieri that will actually be a coupe and gunning for the Porsche 911 and Jaguar F-Type. The mule was spotted with a quad-exhaust setup in the rear, and according to our spy photographers, it sounded quite aggressive.

The mule could also be a prototype of the upcoming Alfa Romeo mid-size sedan model. Rumor has it that the Alfa Romeo sedan will carry the Giulia nameplate, but the Italian automaker hasn't confirmed whether or not that will be the case.

Discuss this story at our Alfa Romeo forum

VW Investing in New Battery Technology

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Volkswagen might be doing electric car owners a solid in the near future that could see the range of their cars tripled.

Volkswagen of America, according to a report by Bloomberg citing unnamed sources "familiar with the matter," bought a 5 percent stake in QuantumScape, a startup company focused on developing next-generation battery technology. The company is working to develop solid state batteries that might serve as an alternative to the liquid electrolytes used in many electric cars today.

According to the report, Volkswagen is considering using the fireproof technology for automotive applications in Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche products.

VW CEO Martin Winterkorn said during a speech at Stanford last November that he sees "great potential in this new technology, possibly boosting the range to as much as 700 kilometers (430 miles)." That is more than three times the range that Volkswagen's e-Golf.

The solid state batteries would have the potential to store more energy than lithium ion packs currently being used in most electric cars and they could prove to be safer as well. Tesla fell under scrutiny in 2013 when one of its Model S sedans caught fire after hitting a large metal object at high speed.

[Source: Bloomberg]

Discuss this story at our Volkswagen forum

Ford Might Use More CVTs

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Ford is examining the possibility of using more continuously variable transmissions in its vehicles to boost fuel economy.

The company currently uses CVTs in a handful of its products including the CMAX Hybrid, but there aren't currently any non-hybrid Ford vehicles that make use of the technology. But Ford global product development boss Raj Nair told Automotive News that the company is re-thinking its position.

"We've had some experience with CVTs and it wasn't all good," he said. "They are getting better. And we are taking another look, particularly in the low torque applications. There may be some [potential] there."

Ford Previously offered the Five Hundred sedan and its Mercury Montego sibling with a CVT, but that ended in 2007. American drivers are continuing to lose their taste for manual transmissions with manual transmissions accounting for fewer than five percent of new car sales.

But CVTs are gaining acceptance in the U.S. with major nameplates like the Honda Accord and Civic dropping their traditional automatics along with the 2014 Toyota Corolla.

[Source: Automotive News]

Discuss this story at our Ford forum

Chrysler V6 to Gain Turbo, Direct Injection

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Chrysler is preparing to add direct injection and turbocharging to its line of Pentastar V6 engines in order to increase output and enhance fuel economy.

As part of its plan to meet increasingly strict corporate average fuel economy requirements, the first of Chrysler revised engines will be the 3.6-liter V6 in the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to a report by Automotive News. Following that, the new 2016 Chrysler Town & Country minivan will use a 3.2-liter V6 rather than the current 3.6-liter engine.

According to the report, Chrysler might also turbocharge portions of its V6 lineup that are currently naturally aspirated. The next-generation minivan will use a smaller V6 than it does now along with the new nine-speed automatic transmission combination currently in use in some versions of the Cherokee crossover. The combination is expected to lend the vans a 25 percent fuel economy boost over the current 17 MPG city and 25 MPG highway rating.

Discuss this story at our Jeep forum

[Source: Automotive News]

Chevrolet Trax Could Gain GMC Sibling

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Chevrolet's new-to-America small crossover could prompt a GMC sibling to follow.

"I think that is certainly possible," Trax chief engineer Al Manzor told Automotive News during a press preview of the vehicle in San Diego. The Trax is a Chevrolet-branded version of the Buick Encore that launched last year and the Opel Mokka. Chevrolet began selling the Trax in other markets in 2012 including Canada where it entered the market for the 2013 model year.

SEE ALSO: 2015 Chevrolet Trax Review

The Trax, which shares its platform with the Chevrolet Cruze, is the latest offering in the rapidly expanding sub-compact crossover segment. Soon, Honda will launch its HR-V based on the Fit and Mazda will follow up with the CX-3 next summer.

But if General Motors chooses to field a GMC-branded sub-comapct crossover, it could threaten to butt heads with Encore sales. Year to date, Buick reports selling 45,790 Encores, or a 57 percent increase over its sales in 2013.

[Source: Automotive News]

Discuss this story at our Chevrolet Trax forum

Jaguar SUV Won’t be Called an ‘SUV’

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Jaguar doesn't plan on referring to its upcoming utility vehicle as an "SUV" when it arrives sometime in 2016.

Brand boss Ralf Speth told AutoCar that the term "SUV" will be reserved for vehicles under the Land Rover brand that are designed with off-road capability in mind. Jaguar's upcoming crossover will emphasize sporty on-road dynamics rather than off-road ability and will consequently not be branded as an "SUV."

"Of course, it will be a vehicle which looks great and which has a strong stance, but the capability will be very different from a Land Rover," Speth said to AutoCar. "[JLR chief engineer] Mike Cross and his vehicle dynamics team will do an extraordinary job to make sure that it is sensational to drive on the road. It will be something special in that regard. Of course, it will not be anything like a sports car, but it will have a very specific character that sets it apart."

The AutoCar report says Jaguar is currently referring to the ca internally as a "sports crossover," but that it plans to mint something sexier sounding by the time it officially debuts. When that happens, Jaguar is expected to remain relatively faithful to the C-X17 concept that it first put on display during the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.