Hey, Your Top Automobile News for 29 August, 2020

Your Daily Automobile updates From Around The World [img]  [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [img]( [The Automobile News]( [Is Poland’s wait for a car it can call its own nearly over?]( Ever since FSO, best known for its communist-era Polski Fiat and Polonez models, stopped producing automobiles in 2011, Poland has been without a car maker of its own. The automotive sector remains, however, the second largest industry in the country, accounting for around seven per cent of Polish GDP and supporting hundreds of thousands of jobs in both production and related services. Fiat Chrysler, Opel (Peugeot-Citroen) and Volkswagen all have plants in the country. A decade on from the demise of FSO, the wait for a car that Poland can call its own may finally be coming to an end. Last month, ElectroMobility Poland, a state-backed joint venture set up in 2016 by four Polish power companies, revealed two prototype vehicles under the [Izera]( brand, which it hopes will be ready to enter production in 2023. Both models, one an SUV and the other a hatchback, codenamed Z100 and T100 respectively, are fully-electric. Both the SUV and the hatchback, which look good, promise satisfactory, though far from groundbreaking, performance. Zero to 100 km/h should take less than eight seconds while the driving range will reach up to 400 kilometres. Izera aims to offer two battery packs compatible with power wall home chargers as well as fast-charging stations. This could be crucial given that the country currently has just 1,194 charging points, compared with more than 27,000 in neighbouring Germany. Obvious comparisons with the US-brand Tesla have been made in some automotive circles, but Łukasz Maliczenko, director for product technical development at ElectroMobility Poland plays these down. “Izera electric cars are not meant to be luxurious goods but rather vehicles affordable by Poles,” he says. Adam Sikorski, president of the Polish Automotive Group, who has high hopes for the project, prefers drawing comparisons with the FSO Polski Fiat 126, known affectionately as the maluch (little one). A Polski Fiat 126 from 1973 “Coming up with a Polish electric car will give us access to the latest know how, whose further development can be continued by Polish companies in years to come. This is what happened once the Italians moved their Fiat 126 manufacturing site to Poland,” he says. “Initially, the whole production was based on an Italian license and Italian components, but with the passage of time more and more Polish manufacturers were involved in the project. They laid the foundations for the present Polish automotive sector. We do hope that this success story can be repeated and the technology acquired through the project can be harnessed in other mobility projects. The Polish Automotive Group has been invited by ElectroMobility Poland to support the project on the supply chain side, as regards to parts and components. We will do our best to find stable local suppliers and high-quality parts for the project and we invite all interested entities to cooperate with us.” The design of the Izera prototypes is the work of an independent Italian studio, Torino Design, while Tadeusz Jelec, a long-term Jaguar designer, was a project consultant. “We wanted to emphasize the unique character of the car, so that everyone identifies the Izera brand as soon as they see the vehicle on the street,” says Torino Design’s Roberto Piatti. “We spent long hours designing the appearance of the prototype. Browsing through the works of contemporary Polish artists, we looked for inspirations and reference points to underline the Polish character of our brand. At the same time, it was extremely important to us that the shape of the car evokes positive emotions. After all, this is supposed to be a family car,” adds Mr Jelec. When the prototypes enter production, it is likely that they will feature some changes to the cars unveiled in July, although ElectroMobility Poland’s CEO Piotr Zaremba says the production models “will retain the characters of these vehicles”. An Izera SUV prototype Poland’s nationalist government, led by the Law and Justice part (PiS), has been keen to promote and invest in local companies with the aim of creating globally-competitive giants ever since it took office in 2015. The government earlier this month announced plans to merge three of the four shareholders of ElectroMobility Poland (PGE, Enea, Tauron), into two groups as part of a planned reform of the entire energy industry. The fourth shareholder, Energa, was in April acquired by state-owned oil company PKN Orlen. The development of Izera fits this trend, and the government hopes that it will boost research and development, as well as innovation, across the country. “Building a Polish electric car brand will be a powerful and ambitious endeavour for the whole national research sector,” says Piotr Dardziński, CEO of the Łukasiewicz Research Network. Poland’s electric cars are not merely for Poles, however. The project has international ambitions, as suggested by the name, which comes from the Izera Mountains in the south west of the country. “With their mild hills and vast areas, the mountains are perfect for family trips and have a very distinctive character. Just like our car does,” says Paweł Tomaszek, director of the communication and business development office at ElectroMobility Poland. “The Izera Mountains cross borders, located in both Poland and Czechia. Similarly, the Izera brand crosses both geographic as well as symbolic boundaries as the project involves a team of international experts. At the same time, the name sounds friendly and is easy to pronounce and memorise not only for Poles. After all, Izera has European aspirations and will be available also outside of Poland.” [Read more…]( [Read Full Story]( [Longest running cars and bikes in India]( The typical life cycle of a car today is 6-8 years, and it’s not uncommon for models to soldier on beyond 100 months. But to live beyond 250 months is quite rare. We dive into the fascinating history of these cars and motorcycles, each of which has a unique story to tell. Hindustan Ambassador (1957-2014) – 684 months The Ambassador wasn’t just a car. It was an Indian icon, the national car – one that spanned different eras and generations while serving political leaders, bureaucrats, businessmen, families and taxi drivers alike. It dominated Indian roads for decades and became an integral part of the country’s landscape. That it lived for 684 months gave it the honour of being the car with the longest production run in the world. The Ambassador’s roots go back to the 1948 Morris Oxford, launched in India in 1954 as the Hindustan Landmaster. In 1957, it got a new grille, hood and rear fenders and was christened the ‘Ambassador’. Thereafter, the car was unchanged for decades, save for minimal cosmetic changes that came far and few between. In 1963, it got a new grille and was named the Mark II. Then, a full 12 years later, another grille change made it the Mark III. In 1979 came another grille change, and, you guessed it, it became the Mark IV. This marked (no pun intended) the end of the Mark series, which was a sad industry joke at the time and reflective of an era in which product development was virtually non-existent. The little product development that was done was dieselising the existing 1,489cc petrol engine in 1975, to offer the Amby’s huge taxi market a low running-cost option. Emission regulations finally killed the ageing 1.5 petrol engine but not the car. To meet BS2 emission norms in 2000, HM shoehorned the 1.8-litre Isuzu engine from the Contessa into the Ambassador, which made it the fastest accelerating car in its class, beating Fiats, Marutis and Tatas at the time! Finally, in 2014, HM pulled the plug on a car that should have died many generations ago. But while the good old Ambassador has gone, it’s been around far too long to be forgotten in a hurry. Premier Padmini 1100 (1964-2000) – 432 months The other car, the only alternative and rival to the Ambassador was the Premier Padmini, which for around two decades was one of two choices Indian car buyers had. The Premier Padmini was essentially a rebadged version of the Fiat 1100 ‘Delight’, and it went on sale in 1964. Eight years later, Premier Automobiles Limited (PAL) was freed from the licensing contract with Fiat and started producing its own version of the 1100, which was first called the President, and then named ‘Padmini’. More user-friendly than the Ambassador, the Padmini was the preferred choice for families, and at one point, just before Maruti came in, it commanded an 8 to 10-year waiting period! Like the Ambassador, the car hardly changed over the course of its long 432-month life. With the arrival of the game-changing Maruti 800 in the early 1980s, PAL was jolted out of its stupor and a series of improvements were initiated on the Padmini. In 1985, the bypass oil circulation system was replaced by a full-flow system that improved the oil circulation. The compression ratio of the 1,089cc engine was increased, taking the power from 39hp to 42hp. In 1987, the traditional front quarter glass was deleted to save the company Rs 40! Between 1989 and 1992, the company went from Pierburg to Solex carbs to lower emissions and improve power. The Padmini briefly had a diesel engine – a 1,367cc unit that developed 41hp, which appealed to the taxi segment. It was this engine that gave diesel a notorious name, with its exhaust spewing out thick, black smoke and triggered a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) against vehicular emission, which is a running battle in the courts until today. The heart of the Padmini was always the 1,089cc engine that goes back to the 1937 Fiat Millicento! The biggest change to the good old engine came in 1993. The cylinder head was reworked completely, which boosted power to 48hp. This more powerful variant was called the S1 for Step 1. Sadly, there was no Step 2, and the Padmini, fast losing ground to the all-conquering Maruti 800 and unable to meet BS2 emission norms, was finally put to rest in 2000, after a solid 432-month inning. Best known as a kaali-peeli taxi immortalised in so many Bollywood movies, the Padmini made Fiat a household name. Maruti Omni (1984-2019) – 420 months It was launched in December 1984, exactly one year after the Maruti 800, but it went on to become the most enduring Maruti ever, finding customers right until it was discontinued in mid-2019. That it remained largely unchanged for over three decades is a remarkable testimony to its fitness for purpose, which was to transport the maximum number of people in the cheapest and most efficient way possible. However, it did not start out with the large Indian family in mind. It was launched simply as the Maruti Van for semi-commercial application. But, what cost-conscious Indians saw in this affordable, user-friendly and ultrareliable van was a frugal way to carry up to eight people. The closest 8-seaters were those from Mahindra, and they were too big, too crude and a lot more expensive in comparison. However, as a family car, the Maruti Van was also a bit too basic, and based on customer feedback, Maruti with its first stab at in-house R&D, tweaked it to make it plusher and more comfortable. The all-black interiors were changed to lighter and airier tones. The thin and flat middle-row seat was replaced by a bench with far more generous cushioning, and, lastly, the rear suspension, originally designed for high payloads was redesigned to make the ride softer and more compliant. And with all those changes came a new name. In 1988, the Maruti Van was rebranded the Omni, and this image makeover established it as the de facto family car in rural India. In fact, few vehicles have enjoyed such a loyal following and it’s not uncommon for households to have rebought the Omni 5-6 times. The Omni remained largely unchanged for the rest of its life, except for a few cosmetic changes and upgradation of the venerable 796cc, three-cylinder F8 engine to meet the new emission standards. At the turn of the century, the Omni was given disc brakes in a bid to improve safety. But the fact is that, with its small wheels, high centre of gravity and small track, and, lest we forget, zero crash protection afforded by the cab-forward design, the Omni was anything but safe. In fact, this is what finally killed the Omni as it simply could not meet the more stringent crash regulations that came into effect last year. Its discontinuation has left a huge void in Maruti’s portfolio, which can never be filled. And at a price of just Rs 2.88 lakh (8-seater; ex-showroom) before it went off the market, there will never be another people carrier that can offer as good value for money. [Read more…]( [Read Full Story]( [Here’s Why Ford Calls Their F150s ‘Lobo’ In Mexico]( There are major distinctions between the Ford F-150 of the US and its Mexican Lobo, but the main reason is to make it sound cooler. The Ford F-Series isn’t all that hot in Mexico. Which is kind of strange because why would something that sells so well in the US, not do equally well in Mexico? So, okay, let’s rephrase what we said, the Ford F-Series isn’t all that big a hit in Mexico, unless it exists as the Ford Lobo, and there’s a whole howling story behind the name if you excuse the pun. Obviously, the idea was to make it sound way cooler than an F-150, to make it appeal to a demographic whose main interest is cool. There are also major distinctions between the Ford F-150 of the US and its Mexican twin, the Lobo, and we’ll get into that soon enough. But for now, know that you do head to the south of the Border, there’s a wolfish beast that lurks around every corner and its called the Ford Lobo. And it’s one you’d love to drive… The Story Of The Ford F-150 & The Lobo Go to Mexico, and you’ll find that this country also adopted the Ford F-150 as one of its bestselling trucks, along with all of its features, for you’ll spot a lot of them. Only you’ll find them existing as the Ford F-150 as well and the Ford Lobo too. So what was the idea of turning some of the Ford F-150 into the Ford Lobo in Mexico? In the ‘90s, amidst flagging sales, Ford decided that perhaps rebranding the F-150 in Mexico may bring about a revival. So it decided to go for a name that instantly attracted a younger demographic and had a certain cool quotient about it. Ford decided on Lobo, and Lobo is Mexican for a wolf. Think ‘90s young Latino male, and you can guess why Ford decided on this name. This kind of strategy is not a new one and Ford has often employed. For example, the Ford Fusion is also sold as the Ford Mondeo elsewhere in the world. Or the Ford Everest, is one of the best selling SUVs in India, as the Ford Endeavour. So sometimes, a name change becomes a necessary tactic for better sales. One thinks of the Lobo and imagines a howling wolf across a moonlit desert, and cars simply do not get more masculine than this especially since they are racing across roads bracketed by the desert. The Ford Lobo launch coincided with Cinco de Mayo to make it even more attractive and region-specific, and it did bear some design elements like a billet grille, monochromatic looks, and unique 17-inch aluminum wheels. How Is The Ford Lobo Different? The first thing about the Ford Lobo is that it comes in only in the XLT trim upwards. The base trim of the F-150 isn’t branded as the Lobo, it is still sold in Mexico as the F-150. But with the Ford Lobo being a better trim, the wolf of Mexico is an elite beast, so to speak. Not all engines of the Ford F-150 are available in the Lobo, plus the diesel and the hybrid variant haven’t made it to the Mexican shores to date, though talks are on. There are also some minute design differences put into place to categorize the Ford Lobo as a whole other vehicle from the rather down-market Ford F-150 in Mexico. Along with Mexico, the Ford Lobo is also black-marketed to parts of Europe because who does not want a Ford F-150 that is also a wolf? Since the Lobo is the Ford F-150 only, it shares in the triumphs as well as the problems that come with the F-150. Ford Lobo Specs The drivetrain lineup of the Lobo is pretty much the same as the Ford F-150 in the US, with the smallest option being a 3.5-liter turbocharged V6, belching out 375 horses and 470 ft-lb torque. This comes on the Lariat and the Platinum. The 3.3-liter unit in the US is not an option in Mexico. The XLT trim comes with the Ford V8 that offers 395 hp and 400 ft-lb of torque and remains one of the most powerful trucks ever in Mexico as well. [Read more…]( [Read Full Story]( ------------------ You Might Like [Learn more about RevenueStripe...](        ------------------ Connect with TheAutomobileNews on Facebook and Twitter [fb](  [tw]( ------------------ You received this email because you operate or create content for a website/service and based on your website it seemed like this could be important information to you and your users. TheAutomobileNews daily newsletter is managed by [Postbox Consultancy Services Pvt. Ltd.]( C-4/5, IBD Emporia, Kolar Road, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, INDIA, 462042 Want to change how you receive these emails? [Update your preferences]( or [Unsubscribe]( Â