Success and failure

Last week's good and bad car news

Tuesday. Computer on, the weekend is over. At Greenchoicess we look back on the week in which the small Panda and a large Polestar dominate the car news. Good news, bad news, success, and failure.

Success – BMW continues to build good petrol cars

BMW is dead serious about its upcoming Neue Klasse, a new generation of BMW models that are all electric. But don't think that BMW is saying goodbye to the combustion engine.

Soon you will have to look even closer before you realize whether the BMW in front of you is electric or runs on petrol. According to Autocar UK, product boss Bernd Körber has said that BMW will continue to build cars with a combustion engine (hybrid or not) in the near future and that they will have the same design as the electric models of the Neue Klasse.

BMW is following the same path as group member Mini. The new Mini gives you the choice of two powertrains: electric and petrol. But if you put them next to each other, you can hardly see the difference (the left photo below is the petrol version). Underneath they are certainly different. The electric Mini is on a new EV platform, while the Cooper with a petrol engine is actually the Mini that came onto the market in 2013.

New BMW 3 Series

The upcoming BMW 3 Series will receive the same treatment as the Mini. There will be an electric version based on the Neue Klasse concept car (see the middle and right photo below), but also a version with a similar combustion engine. However, the ICE version is based on the current platform, but in an upgraded variant.

Despite all the adversity EVs are facing, BMW says through sales director Jochen Goller that the current trend is still for the growth of electric cars. While the sales estimates for EVs were far too optimistic two years ago, they are now too pessimistic. I think that as soon as the range increases and the charging time becomes shorter, many consumers will still change their mind.

6 new electric BMW models

BMW wants to release six new electric models by 2026, all based on the Neue Klasse. The first model will be an SUV that will replace the current electric BMW X3 (see left photo above). In addition, five other models - including an electric BMW 3 Series - are in the pipeline.

BMW wants the EV share of its sales to increase gradually. In 2023, 16.7 percent of all BMWs sold worldwide were EVs, and BMW aims for 20 percent by 2024. And if everything goes according to plan, the share will grow to 25 percent in 2025. A year later, this must have risen to 33 percent, partly due to the six Neue Klasse models.

Success – The best electric car of the moment

There was already a Tesla Model Y Long Range with two electric motors, but now there is also a version with only rear-wheel drive. The driving range increased from 533 to 600 kilometers.

What is striking about the Model Y Long Range RWD?

When you buy a new car, you usually don't think about the fact that sooner or later the model will have a successor that is better. That's how it works with telephones and that's just part of it. But we can almost smell the successor to the Model Y. It is expected that it will receive the same refresh as the Tesla Model 3...

The rumors about a new Model Y were so persistent that we jumped every time a Tesla press release arrived in our mailbox. Is it about the new Model Y?! In the meantime, the pressure is off thanks to an illuminating tweet from Elon Musk: there will not be a new Tesla Model Y in 2024. So if you buy one today, it will be new for at least six months.

What's good about the Tesla Model Y Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive?

The Tesla Model Y is perhaps the best electric car of the moment. It offers all the nice EV features that Teslas are known for, such as low power consumption, a large range and fast and easy charging. Of course the Model 3 does that too, but the Model Y is our preference thanks to its high seating position, plenty of interior space and the large tailgate. The sedan-like hatch of the Model 3 is not nearly as practical.

And which version of the Model Y should you get? The Tesla Model Y Long Range RWD makes the switch to electric driving the easiest, because it has the largest range and therefore you have the least range stress. If you make long journeys (read: you drive 100 km/h) and the weather is nice, you can travel 500 kilometers on a single battery charge. For many people that is the magic number.

And don't think that you are missing anything in the sporting field. Because with only one electric motor on the rear axle, the Long Range sprints to 100 in 5.9 seconds. The Longe Range with two electric motors is only 0.9 seconds faster. Both have an impressive top speed of 217 km/h by EV standards.

Apart from the fact that there is undoubtedly a new Model Y in the pipeline, Tesla is one of those brands that continuously improves its cars. Even a car that is 6 months newer will be a little better. By that logic, this is the best time to buy an 'old' Model Y. After all, the model has been built and fine-tuned for three years.

What could be improved about the Model Y Long Range?

The name of this version encourages long rides. And although the driving range is designed for this, we experience room for improvement in other areas. The cabin is quiet enough, but the new Model 3 shows that it can be better. The suspension comfort is also a bit disappointing. On the smooth highway everything is fine, but as soon as you turn onto a cobblestone road, you are shaken up. You expect a little more convenience from an electric family car.

The next point for improvement is very subjective: the Model Y could use a new design. There are washing machines that radiate more emotion than the white car in this test. In addition, the interior has lost its wow factor, because a sleek dashboard with a large central screen is now the rule rather than the exception in the car world.

Failure – Is there a loose bar at BMW?

After seven years, BMW thought it was time for a new BMW X3. The fourth generation has a plug-in hybrid powertrain with more range, but there will be no electric variant. The bodywork is completely different and in some versions it houses a very special kidney grille.

According to its makers, the BMW X3 has been given a completely new, fresh design language. This should provide a 'monolithic' overall picture. In layman's terms: it looks sleek and impressive. Although non-BMW fans may shrug their shoulders and say that the new X3 still looks exactly like its predecessor...

Crazy grille new BMW X3 (2024)

Yet it has grown almost 5 centimeters in length over the new BMW X3 and has also become about 3 centimeters wider. The height actually decreased by more than 1.5 centimeters, so that the car now looks less SUV-like. The optically longer hood also contributes to a more dynamic appearance.

The most striking new design feature is the grille on some versions. It has both vertical and diagonal bars. As if half of one side has come loose and is hanging crookedly. As far as we're concerned, that looks very strange. In the M version, the grille only has horizontal slats. Furthermore, the design has become more subdued, with fewer folds and lines going in all directions.

Busy conditions in the interior

Inside, the X3 is packed with high-tech gadgets. The BMW Curved Display and the BMW Interaction Bar - a light and task bar integrated into the dashboard - should provide a modern ambiance. Couldn't the designers have kept a few more physical buttons instead of all those busy things? Wasn't screen control originally intended to create a quiet, uncluttered workplace?

The electrically adjustable sports seats (optional), upgraded materials and abundant LED lighting contribute to the high-quality appearance. While 'premium' still meant 'little space for a lot of money' in old BMWs, this is absolutely no longer the case with the new X3. The seating space is spacious both front and back and you can store 570 to 1700 liters of luggage.

With the ambient lighting in the blue-red variant you will be in a higher M Motorsport atmosphere. This trick is probably only intended for people who sleep under a BMW duvet and have the propeller logo tattooed on their chest. For ordinary people this is very over the top.

No more electric iX3

Remarkably, the new BMW X3 has not been given a completely new platform. That certainly does not mean that it will technically continue in the same way. All powertrains remain electrified in some way, but each has become more powerful. Furthermore, there will be no new fully electric iX3 for the time being.

Plug-in hybrid X3 drives almost 90 km purely electrically

All petrol and diesel engines receive mild hybrid support and an eight-speed automatic transmission is standard. In addition, the plug-in hybrid will receive the necessary technical adjustments and a more appealing type designation. It is now called X3 30e xDrive instead of the tongue-twisting 'xDrive30e'.

Under the hood is a two-liter four-cylinder with 190 hp, which together with a 184 hp electric motor (previously 109 hp) generates a system power of 299 hp. The petrol-electric duo ensures smooth performance (0-100 in 6.2 s, top 215 km/h) and (potentially) low consumption. The current 19.7 kWh battery is almost twice as large as the old one and should provide an electric range of up to 89 kilometers. About twice as much as before.

For the speed devils, BMW supplies the X3 M50 xDrive with a six-cylinder in-line engine that, together with its electric partner, produces 398 hp and 580 Nm. This allows you to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds. Not bad for an SUV, although we are quite used to all the electric violence of late.

The M Sport differential, the (optional) adaptive suspension and a range of driver assistance systems ensure that excessive performance does not lead to unsafe situations. Parking assistance with reversing assistance and a camera system are also standard.

Failure – This brand is still looking for a designer

The parent company of Fiat, Opel, Peugeot and Citroën is not waiting for the wrangling over import duties for Chinese cars. Together with the Chinese Leapmotor, Stellantis has started production of a cheap EV in Poland. Soon in the showroom, without price increases.

According to the American investment bank Jefferies, the joint venture between Stellantis and Leapmotor has already started European production of the Leapmotor T03. The small, cheap electric car comes off the production line at Stellantis' Tychy factory in Poland.

European mass production in September 2024

Pre-production models are currently being built, but the factory is said to be on track for mass production of the T03 in September. Stellantis chose the Tychy factory as the first production base in Europe for Leapmotor's cars. The Fiat 500 was previously built in this factory.

Larger 'European' Leapmotor in the making

The collaborating partners also plan to build a second Leapmotor model in Poland in the first quarter of 2025. That will be a compact SUV, the Leapmotor A12, according to Jefferies. This car is similar in design to the C10 (green car in the photo), but is slightly smaller. The Leapmotor A12 is also expected to be priced very competitively.

Production in Poland is just as cheap as in China

Leapmotor has also started preparing for local production of components, a bank spokesperson added. Production costs at the Polish factory are around 400 to 500 euros per car, comparable to those of Leapmotor's home base in China. In Italy, costs would be about double, Leapmotor management told Jefferies.

Sales of Leapmotor T03 will start soon

Stellantis will begin selling Leapmotor EVs in nine European markets in September, including Germany, the Netherlands, France, Italy and Spain. The European Commission last week announced additional duties on imported Chinese EVs from July. For Leapmotor this would amount to 21 percent, but by having production take place in Europe, these additional costs are avoided.

Failure – Perfect for a toothbrush

The Citroën C3 gets a cool brother: the new Citroën C3 Aircross (2024). Although the SUV-like variant of the C3 is much larger, higher and cooler, prices remain modest. In fact, perhaps the Dacia Jogger should be worried.

With the new C3 Aircross, Citroën is going to shake up the compact SUV segment. Although compact ... with its length of 4.39 meters, it is not only much longer than the regular C3 (4.03 m), but it also trumps its predecessor by 23 centimeters. The width (1.79 m) and height (1.66 m) are also not bad.

That is why Citroën dares to also offer the new C3 Aircross as a seven-seater. Just like the German Stellantis colleagues do with the new Opel Frontera, which stands on the same Smart Car base plate. In this price range it is only the Dacia Jogger that offers the option of a third row of seats.

Plenty of space for a compact SUV

The C3 Aircross offers the most legroom in its class in the second row. It was already okay in the regular C3, but thanks to a 13 cm longer wheelbase (2.67), this is the ideal compact SUV for parents who are growing their own basketball team. In the seven-seater version, those over 12 will probably avoid the rear bench, because we do not expect overly spacious places there.

The seven-seater version of the C3 Aircross is special in this class. According to Citroën, access to the third row of seats is easy thanks to the wide rear doors and the folding second row of seats. But with all seats in use, only 40 liters of luggage space remains. Perfect for a toothbrush and clean underpants for all seven occupants, but the question remains whether everyone can bring their own towel.

The chassis promises a lot of suspension comfort

Just like the regular C3, the new C3 Aircross gets the instrumentation disguised as a letterbox and the extra thickly padded Advanced Comfort seats are also present. Together with the suspension with double hydraulic dampers, they probably provide an even smoother ride than in the regular C3. Because it could not completely disguise its short wheelbase on an undulating road surface.

We had hoped that the 10.25-inch touchscreen in the C3 Aircross would be standard, because we find the lack of it in the cheapest regular C3 rather poor. But a look at the list of standard equipment of the You version makes us fear the worst. The overview mentions the smartphone station as a basic facility; So you have to rely on your phone to listen to music and navigate, even with the cheapest C3 Aircross.

Standard features include: manual air conditioning, active lane assistance, cruise control, traffic sign recognition, rear parking sensors, electrically operated front side windows and LED headlights. The Max version does have a touchscreen, as well as 17-inch alloy wheels, a navigation system, exterior mirrors with blind spot detection and parking sensors front and rear.

Electric Citroën C3 Aircross (2024)

The Citroën C3 Aircross comes with different powertrains, which we already know from other Citroëns. This includes the new 100 hp three-cylinder 1.2-liter petrol engine with timing chain, a 136 hp hybrid and a fully electric version with 113 hp. Only the 1.2 petrol has a six-speed manual gearbox, the hybrid and electric C3 Aircross have an automatic transmission.

The electric Citroën ë-C3 Aircross has a range of more than 300 kilometers and can be charged from 20 to 80 percent in 26 minutes. In 2025 there will be a version with a WLTP range of 400 kilometers.

More interesting car news next week!

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