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Ford Ranger PHEV built for choice not compliance, says exec

Ford Ranger PHEV built for choice not compliance, says exec

Perth Now6 hours ago

Ford Australia has launched the Ranger PHEV to broaden customer choice, not meet emissions regulations, according to senior global product executive Jim Baumbick.
The Ranger PHEV joins a growing collection of electrified Ford models in Australia that includes the all-electric Mustang Mach-E SUV and E-Transit and E-Transit Custom vans, as well as a plug-in hybrid version of the Transit Custom.
All will serve as key pillars of Ford's initial response to the New Vehicle Emissions Standard (NVES) in Australia, with sales of the greener vehicles set to help offset fines accrued by dirtier models in the lineup such as diesel versions of the Ranger and the Everest SUV, as well as the petrol-powered Mustang sports car.
However, Mr Baumbick says that Ford was working on diversifying its Ranger lineup well before the strict new emissions regulations were announced, and that the Ranger PHEV complements its other ute offerings.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
'This is not a compliance play, it's a portfolio of options,' Mr Baumbick told Australian media at the international launch of the Ranger PHEV.
'At Ford, we want to let the customers choose so they can pick the right tool for the job.
'The regulatory requirements in Australia have changed very rapidly, faster than normal process. But we already had this in development, and we'll continue to enhance the portfolio.
'We're launching it now, but we didn't do this because of the new requirements. It's part of our overall mission to offer a portfolio of options.'
Despite his insistence that the plug-in hybrid version of the Ranger wasn't an emissions-led project, Mr Baumbick admitted that Ford was caught on the back foot by tightening regulations across the globe. Supplied Credit: CarExpert
The ink officially dried on the Australian Government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) at the start of this year, bringing with it regulations designed to reduce the carbon footprint of the Australian car market. While the NVES came into effect on January 1, 2025, penalties won't start being accrued until July 1.
'Going electric isn't a light switch,' explained Mr Baumbick.
'We're trying to move as fast as we can, and when things change quickly there are development lead times, so stay tuned.
'It's going to be a portfolio of solutions over a longer arch of time. We're going to continue to improve the efficiency and emissions of our systems and a migration to hybrids over time will make a big contribution to the challenge of reducing emissions. EV will play a significant role, but it's got to be the right tool for the job.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert
As for the other measures Ford is set to take to survive in the Australian market, the brand is committed to shielding consumers from the financial burden of NVES fines.
'We're not jacking up prices due to our regulatory status,' Mr Baumbick asserted.
'As we always have, we continue to work on our broader mission to improve year over year. Every model is going to continue to improve.'
MORE: Explore the Ford Ranger showroom

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Spotlight on inflation as state treasurers come clean
Spotlight on inflation as state treasurers come clean

The Advertiser

time2 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Spotlight on inflation as state treasurers come clean

With a July rate cut looking increasingly uncertain, monthly inflation data will shed new light on the likelihood of more mortgage relief. The Reserve Bank of Australia takes greater stock in less volatile quarterly figures but the consumer price index for May will provide a valuable insight into inflation's direction of travel when released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. After inflation came in higher than expected at 2.4 per cent in April, economists at ANZ are expecting the headline figure to ease to 2.3 per cent off the back of falling petrol prices. But conflict in the Middle East has sent crude oil soaring in recent days, so a reversal in prices is likely to come in the following months. From $US60 a barrel in May, some analysts have predicted oil could soar past the $US100 a barrel mark if the conflict between Israel and Iran spirals, with strikes on oil infrastructure and disruption to supply chains. That would have a widespread impact on Australian prices, given oil flows through to input costs, either directly via production or indirectly via distribution, for pretty much the entire economy. But ANZ commodities analysts Daniel Hynes and Soni Kumari think the $US100 a barrel scenario is unlikely. The most likely outcome (they assign about a 50 per cent chance) is for crude prices to reach $US75-85 a barrel, despite an extended conflict. "This would see supplies come under direct threat," the analysts said. "However, the oil market is better equipped to respond to that than it has been in the past. "(Oil exporting organisation) OPEC has over six million barrels per day of spare capacity that can be quickly activated." The Reserve Bank will likely look through the noise of volatile oil prices and focus on the underlying pace in the trimmed mean. On Tuesday, Australia's largest and third-largest regional economies, NSW and Queensland, will unveil the state of their finances. Together, the two account for about 20 per cent of all government expenditure in Australia and are increasingly contributing to mounting public debt. This has real consequences for the macro economy and the Reserve Bank's monetary policy strategy, e61 Institute economists Michael Brennan and Aaron Wong said. "State and territory finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path," they said. "Before the pandemic, state budgets were broadly balanced. This year, the states will run a collective cash deficit close to 2.0 per cent of GDP - bigger than the federal deficit, thus more than half the nation's total government sector deficit." NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has conceded the state's remaining AAA credit ratings with agencies Fitch and Moody's are under threat amid the ongoing deficit. This would make borrowing costs more expensive and further constrain the state's spending capacity. The ACT will also reveal its budget on Tuesday, with its finances expected to remain in deficit. In his February budget update, Treasurer Chris Steel revealed the territory's projected deficit swelled by more than 50 per cent to $970 million from the previous update just seven months earlier. Wall Street investors were meanwhile on edge over the Iran-Israel conflict heading into the weekend, as the US considers whether to get involved. Trading was choppy for much of Friday, with the S&P 500 losing 12.53 points, or 0.21 per cent, to end at 5,968.34 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 95.27 points, or 0.49 per cent, to 19,451.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 38.47 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 42,210.13. Australian share futures fell 20 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 7,812. The S&P/ASX200 fell 18.2 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 8,505.5, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 17.9 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8,723.5. With a July rate cut looking increasingly uncertain, monthly inflation data will shed new light on the likelihood of more mortgage relief. The Reserve Bank of Australia takes greater stock in less volatile quarterly figures but the consumer price index for May will provide a valuable insight into inflation's direction of travel when released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. After inflation came in higher than expected at 2.4 per cent in April, economists at ANZ are expecting the headline figure to ease to 2.3 per cent off the back of falling petrol prices. But conflict in the Middle East has sent crude oil soaring in recent days, so a reversal in prices is likely to come in the following months. From $US60 a barrel in May, some analysts have predicted oil could soar past the $US100 a barrel mark if the conflict between Israel and Iran spirals, with strikes on oil infrastructure and disruption to supply chains. That would have a widespread impact on Australian prices, given oil flows through to input costs, either directly via production or indirectly via distribution, for pretty much the entire economy. But ANZ commodities analysts Daniel Hynes and Soni Kumari think the $US100 a barrel scenario is unlikely. The most likely outcome (they assign about a 50 per cent chance) is for crude prices to reach $US75-85 a barrel, despite an extended conflict. "This would see supplies come under direct threat," the analysts said. "However, the oil market is better equipped to respond to that than it has been in the past. "(Oil exporting organisation) OPEC has over six million barrels per day of spare capacity that can be quickly activated." The Reserve Bank will likely look through the noise of volatile oil prices and focus on the underlying pace in the trimmed mean. On Tuesday, Australia's largest and third-largest regional economies, NSW and Queensland, will unveil the state of their finances. Together, the two account for about 20 per cent of all government expenditure in Australia and are increasingly contributing to mounting public debt. This has real consequences for the macro economy and the Reserve Bank's monetary policy strategy, e61 Institute economists Michael Brennan and Aaron Wong said. "State and territory finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path," they said. "Before the pandemic, state budgets were broadly balanced. This year, the states will run a collective cash deficit close to 2.0 per cent of GDP - bigger than the federal deficit, thus more than half the nation's total government sector deficit." NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has conceded the state's remaining AAA credit ratings with agencies Fitch and Moody's are under threat amid the ongoing deficit. This would make borrowing costs more expensive and further constrain the state's spending capacity. The ACT will also reveal its budget on Tuesday, with its finances expected to remain in deficit. In his February budget update, Treasurer Chris Steel revealed the territory's projected deficit swelled by more than 50 per cent to $970 million from the previous update just seven months earlier. Wall Street investors were meanwhile on edge over the Iran-Israel conflict heading into the weekend, as the US considers whether to get involved. Trading was choppy for much of Friday, with the S&P 500 losing 12.53 points, or 0.21 per cent, to end at 5,968.34 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 95.27 points, or 0.49 per cent, to 19,451.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 38.47 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 42,210.13. Australian share futures fell 20 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 7,812. The S&P/ASX200 fell 18.2 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 8,505.5, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 17.9 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8,723.5. With a July rate cut looking increasingly uncertain, monthly inflation data will shed new light on the likelihood of more mortgage relief. The Reserve Bank of Australia takes greater stock in less volatile quarterly figures but the consumer price index for May will provide a valuable insight into inflation's direction of travel when released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. After inflation came in higher than expected at 2.4 per cent in April, economists at ANZ are expecting the headline figure to ease to 2.3 per cent off the back of falling petrol prices. But conflict in the Middle East has sent crude oil soaring in recent days, so a reversal in prices is likely to come in the following months. From $US60 a barrel in May, some analysts have predicted oil could soar past the $US100 a barrel mark if the conflict between Israel and Iran spirals, with strikes on oil infrastructure and disruption to supply chains. That would have a widespread impact on Australian prices, given oil flows through to input costs, either directly via production or indirectly via distribution, for pretty much the entire economy. But ANZ commodities analysts Daniel Hynes and Soni Kumari think the $US100 a barrel scenario is unlikely. The most likely outcome (they assign about a 50 per cent chance) is for crude prices to reach $US75-85 a barrel, despite an extended conflict. "This would see supplies come under direct threat," the analysts said. "However, the oil market is better equipped to respond to that than it has been in the past. "(Oil exporting organisation) OPEC has over six million barrels per day of spare capacity that can be quickly activated." The Reserve Bank will likely look through the noise of volatile oil prices and focus on the underlying pace in the trimmed mean. On Tuesday, Australia's largest and third-largest regional economies, NSW and Queensland, will unveil the state of their finances. Together, the two account for about 20 per cent of all government expenditure in Australia and are increasingly contributing to mounting public debt. This has real consequences for the macro economy and the Reserve Bank's monetary policy strategy, e61 Institute economists Michael Brennan and Aaron Wong said. "State and territory finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path," they said. "Before the pandemic, state budgets were broadly balanced. This year, the states will run a collective cash deficit close to 2.0 per cent of GDP - bigger than the federal deficit, thus more than half the nation's total government sector deficit." NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has conceded the state's remaining AAA credit ratings with agencies Fitch and Moody's are under threat amid the ongoing deficit. This would make borrowing costs more expensive and further constrain the state's spending capacity. The ACT will also reveal its budget on Tuesday, with its finances expected to remain in deficit. In his February budget update, Treasurer Chris Steel revealed the territory's projected deficit swelled by more than 50 per cent to $970 million from the previous update just seven months earlier. Wall Street investors were meanwhile on edge over the Iran-Israel conflict heading into the weekend, as the US considers whether to get involved. Trading was choppy for much of Friday, with the S&P 500 losing 12.53 points, or 0.21 per cent, to end at 5,968.34 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 95.27 points, or 0.49 per cent, to 19,451.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 38.47 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 42,210.13. Australian share futures fell 20 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 7,812. The S&P/ASX200 fell 18.2 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 8,505.5, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 17.9 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8,723.5. With a July rate cut looking increasingly uncertain, monthly inflation data will shed new light on the likelihood of more mortgage relief. The Reserve Bank of Australia takes greater stock in less volatile quarterly figures but the consumer price index for May will provide a valuable insight into inflation's direction of travel when released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday. After inflation came in higher than expected at 2.4 per cent in April, economists at ANZ are expecting the headline figure to ease to 2.3 per cent off the back of falling petrol prices. But conflict in the Middle East has sent crude oil soaring in recent days, so a reversal in prices is likely to come in the following months. From $US60 a barrel in May, some analysts have predicted oil could soar past the $US100 a barrel mark if the conflict between Israel and Iran spirals, with strikes on oil infrastructure and disruption to supply chains. That would have a widespread impact on Australian prices, given oil flows through to input costs, either directly via production or indirectly via distribution, for pretty much the entire economy. But ANZ commodities analysts Daniel Hynes and Soni Kumari think the $US100 a barrel scenario is unlikely. The most likely outcome (they assign about a 50 per cent chance) is for crude prices to reach $US75-85 a barrel, despite an extended conflict. "This would see supplies come under direct threat," the analysts said. "However, the oil market is better equipped to respond to that than it has been in the past. "(Oil exporting organisation) OPEC has over six million barrels per day of spare capacity that can be quickly activated." The Reserve Bank will likely look through the noise of volatile oil prices and focus on the underlying pace in the trimmed mean. On Tuesday, Australia's largest and third-largest regional economies, NSW and Queensland, will unveil the state of their finances. Together, the two account for about 20 per cent of all government expenditure in Australia and are increasingly contributing to mounting public debt. This has real consequences for the macro economy and the Reserve Bank's monetary policy strategy, e61 Institute economists Michael Brennan and Aaron Wong said. "State and territory finances are drifting onto an unsustainable path," they said. "Before the pandemic, state budgets were broadly balanced. This year, the states will run a collective cash deficit close to 2.0 per cent of GDP - bigger than the federal deficit, thus more than half the nation's total government sector deficit." NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has conceded the state's remaining AAA credit ratings with agencies Fitch and Moody's are under threat amid the ongoing deficit. This would make borrowing costs more expensive and further constrain the state's spending capacity. The ACT will also reveal its budget on Tuesday, with its finances expected to remain in deficit. In his February budget update, Treasurer Chris Steel revealed the territory's projected deficit swelled by more than 50 per cent to $970 million from the previous update just seven months earlier. Wall Street investors were meanwhile on edge over the Iran-Israel conflict heading into the weekend, as the US considers whether to get involved. Trading was choppy for much of Friday, with the S&P 500 losing 12.53 points, or 0.21 per cent, to end at 5,968.34 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 95.27 points, or 0.49 per cent, to 19,451.01. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 38.47 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 42,210.13. Australian share futures fell 20 points, or 0.23 per cent, to 7,812. The S&P/ASX200 fell 18.2 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 8,505.5, as the broader All Ordinaries lost 17.9 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 8,723.5.

Lamborghini tech boss hails e-fuel as ICE ‘saviour'
Lamborghini tech boss hails e-fuel as ICE ‘saviour'

The Advertiser

time2 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Lamborghini tech boss hails e-fuel as ICE ‘saviour'

Synthetic fuel, also known as e-fuel, could save the internal combustion engine (ICE) according to Lamborghini's tech boss, who says electric vehicle (EV) performance parity is only a matter of time. Speaking to CarExpert, the Italian brand's chief technical officer, Mr Rouven Mohr, said the new Lamborghini Temerario powertrain – a twin-turbo V8 hybrid system with three electric motors producing total outputs of 677kW of power and 730Nm of torque – delivers the emotional experience the brand is known for. It can also run on synthetic fuel, making it somewhat futureproof amid ever-tightening emissions standards and alongside combustion-powered rivals in key Lamborghini markets around the world. "I'm not saying that synthetic fuel is better than fossil fuel, but it could be the saviour of the combustion engine," Mr Mohr told CarExpert. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "The new engine has been designed to deliver optimal efficiency and performance with both solutions." The powertrain gives the Temerario serious performance stats, including 0-100km/h acceleration in a claimed 2.7 seconds and a 343km/h top speed, but it's the way it delivers its performance that matters to the Lambo tech boss. "The brand DNA has to be always the maximum emotionality that you can have in the sector. This is our DNA," said Mr Mohr. "Therefore, it starts with the sound, but it's not only about that – it's also about the vibration that we feel, the shifting perception, how the car is rotating in the corner… for this, the V8 was considered the best choice." To set the V8 further apart from its rivals, Mr Mohr's team then set a staggeringly high benchmark of a 10,000rpm rev limit. "We decided, okay, what we must do [is] to do the most emotional V8 engine in the segment, and this [high-revving] direction was right here. If you speak about the race-oriented engine, it's revs – revs are always bringing emotions, not only because of the sound." The pursuit – and customer demand – of a visceral experience is why Lamborghini will be later than rival Ferrari in adding an EV to its lineup, which it currently plans to do in 2029. Mr Mohr also said Lamborghini is working hard to keep ICE technology, which he says still has room for improvement, in production for as long as possible. "If you ask me the emotion side at the moment, like I said before, I don't see the [electric] solution that is convincing now," Mr Mohr said. "Its time will come, trust me, because this kind of technology transformation needs longer," he said. "But we should also not make the mistake to think that it [ICE] will stop, because I can tell you, the generation that is now growing up step-by-step with the electrification of the standard cars, for them there will be a point where they say, okay, the old combustion thing is cool." That's why synthetic fuels will be a key technology for brands such as Lamborghini, and fellow Volkswagen Group automaker Porsche – with both brands investing in it for future products, but also because of the critical role heritage plays in the image of each brand. In 2023, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said synthetic fuel technology will be employed by the automaker for several reasons. "There are different levels to how we see it," Mr Winkelmann said. "The first one is we might utilise synthetic fuels only for our race activities. "The second thing is to protect our car park, because the majority of our cars after 60 years still exist. So after 2035, there must be an opportunity, and this is what I think is very important – that all of our customers can continue to drive their cars." MORE: Lamborghini Temerario says farewell V10, hello twin-turbo V8 PHEV Content originally sourced from: Synthetic fuel, also known as e-fuel, could save the internal combustion engine (ICE) according to Lamborghini's tech boss, who says electric vehicle (EV) performance parity is only a matter of time. Speaking to CarExpert, the Italian brand's chief technical officer, Mr Rouven Mohr, said the new Lamborghini Temerario powertrain – a twin-turbo V8 hybrid system with three electric motors producing total outputs of 677kW of power and 730Nm of torque – delivers the emotional experience the brand is known for. It can also run on synthetic fuel, making it somewhat futureproof amid ever-tightening emissions standards and alongside combustion-powered rivals in key Lamborghini markets around the world. "I'm not saying that synthetic fuel is better than fossil fuel, but it could be the saviour of the combustion engine," Mr Mohr told CarExpert. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "The new engine has been designed to deliver optimal efficiency and performance with both solutions." The powertrain gives the Temerario serious performance stats, including 0-100km/h acceleration in a claimed 2.7 seconds and a 343km/h top speed, but it's the way it delivers its performance that matters to the Lambo tech boss. "The brand DNA has to be always the maximum emotionality that you can have in the sector. This is our DNA," said Mr Mohr. "Therefore, it starts with the sound, but it's not only about that – it's also about the vibration that we feel, the shifting perception, how the car is rotating in the corner… for this, the V8 was considered the best choice." To set the V8 further apart from its rivals, Mr Mohr's team then set a staggeringly high benchmark of a 10,000rpm rev limit. "We decided, okay, what we must do [is] to do the most emotional V8 engine in the segment, and this [high-revving] direction was right here. If you speak about the race-oriented engine, it's revs – revs are always bringing emotions, not only because of the sound." The pursuit – and customer demand – of a visceral experience is why Lamborghini will be later than rival Ferrari in adding an EV to its lineup, which it currently plans to do in 2029. Mr Mohr also said Lamborghini is working hard to keep ICE technology, which he says still has room for improvement, in production for as long as possible. "If you ask me the emotion side at the moment, like I said before, I don't see the [electric] solution that is convincing now," Mr Mohr said. "Its time will come, trust me, because this kind of technology transformation needs longer," he said. "But we should also not make the mistake to think that it [ICE] will stop, because I can tell you, the generation that is now growing up step-by-step with the electrification of the standard cars, for them there will be a point where they say, okay, the old combustion thing is cool." That's why synthetic fuels will be a key technology for brands such as Lamborghini, and fellow Volkswagen Group automaker Porsche – with both brands investing in it for future products, but also because of the critical role heritage plays in the image of each brand. In 2023, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said synthetic fuel technology will be employed by the automaker for several reasons. "There are different levels to how we see it," Mr Winkelmann said. "The first one is we might utilise synthetic fuels only for our race activities. "The second thing is to protect our car park, because the majority of our cars after 60 years still exist. So after 2035, there must be an opportunity, and this is what I think is very important – that all of our customers can continue to drive their cars." MORE: Lamborghini Temerario says farewell V10, hello twin-turbo V8 PHEV Content originally sourced from: Synthetic fuel, also known as e-fuel, could save the internal combustion engine (ICE) according to Lamborghini's tech boss, who says electric vehicle (EV) performance parity is only a matter of time. Speaking to CarExpert, the Italian brand's chief technical officer, Mr Rouven Mohr, said the new Lamborghini Temerario powertrain – a twin-turbo V8 hybrid system with three electric motors producing total outputs of 677kW of power and 730Nm of torque – delivers the emotional experience the brand is known for. It can also run on synthetic fuel, making it somewhat futureproof amid ever-tightening emissions standards and alongside combustion-powered rivals in key Lamborghini markets around the world. "I'm not saying that synthetic fuel is better than fossil fuel, but it could be the saviour of the combustion engine," Mr Mohr told CarExpert. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "The new engine has been designed to deliver optimal efficiency and performance with both solutions." The powertrain gives the Temerario serious performance stats, including 0-100km/h acceleration in a claimed 2.7 seconds and a 343km/h top speed, but it's the way it delivers its performance that matters to the Lambo tech boss. "The brand DNA has to be always the maximum emotionality that you can have in the sector. This is our DNA," said Mr Mohr. "Therefore, it starts with the sound, but it's not only about that – it's also about the vibration that we feel, the shifting perception, how the car is rotating in the corner… for this, the V8 was considered the best choice." To set the V8 further apart from its rivals, Mr Mohr's team then set a staggeringly high benchmark of a 10,000rpm rev limit. "We decided, okay, what we must do [is] to do the most emotional V8 engine in the segment, and this [high-revving] direction was right here. If you speak about the race-oriented engine, it's revs – revs are always bringing emotions, not only because of the sound." The pursuit – and customer demand – of a visceral experience is why Lamborghini will be later than rival Ferrari in adding an EV to its lineup, which it currently plans to do in 2029. Mr Mohr also said Lamborghini is working hard to keep ICE technology, which he says still has room for improvement, in production for as long as possible. "If you ask me the emotion side at the moment, like I said before, I don't see the [electric] solution that is convincing now," Mr Mohr said. "Its time will come, trust me, because this kind of technology transformation needs longer," he said. "But we should also not make the mistake to think that it [ICE] will stop, because I can tell you, the generation that is now growing up step-by-step with the electrification of the standard cars, for them there will be a point where they say, okay, the old combustion thing is cool." That's why synthetic fuels will be a key technology for brands such as Lamborghini, and fellow Volkswagen Group automaker Porsche – with both brands investing in it for future products, but also because of the critical role heritage plays in the image of each brand. In 2023, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said synthetic fuel technology will be employed by the automaker for several reasons. "There are different levels to how we see it," Mr Winkelmann said. "The first one is we might utilise synthetic fuels only for our race activities. "The second thing is to protect our car park, because the majority of our cars after 60 years still exist. So after 2035, there must be an opportunity, and this is what I think is very important – that all of our customers can continue to drive their cars." MORE: Lamborghini Temerario says farewell V10, hello twin-turbo V8 PHEV Content originally sourced from: Synthetic fuel, also known as e-fuel, could save the internal combustion engine (ICE) according to Lamborghini's tech boss, who says electric vehicle (EV) performance parity is only a matter of time. Speaking to CarExpert, the Italian brand's chief technical officer, Mr Rouven Mohr, said the new Lamborghini Temerario powertrain – a twin-turbo V8 hybrid system with three electric motors producing total outputs of 677kW of power and 730Nm of torque – delivers the emotional experience the brand is known for. It can also run on synthetic fuel, making it somewhat futureproof amid ever-tightening emissions standards and alongside combustion-powered rivals in key Lamborghini markets around the world. "I'm not saying that synthetic fuel is better than fossil fuel, but it could be the saviour of the combustion engine," Mr Mohr told CarExpert. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. "The new engine has been designed to deliver optimal efficiency and performance with both solutions." The powertrain gives the Temerario serious performance stats, including 0-100km/h acceleration in a claimed 2.7 seconds and a 343km/h top speed, but it's the way it delivers its performance that matters to the Lambo tech boss. "The brand DNA has to be always the maximum emotionality that you can have in the sector. This is our DNA," said Mr Mohr. "Therefore, it starts with the sound, but it's not only about that – it's also about the vibration that we feel, the shifting perception, how the car is rotating in the corner… for this, the V8 was considered the best choice." To set the V8 further apart from its rivals, Mr Mohr's team then set a staggeringly high benchmark of a 10,000rpm rev limit. "We decided, okay, what we must do [is] to do the most emotional V8 engine in the segment, and this [high-revving] direction was right here. If you speak about the race-oriented engine, it's revs – revs are always bringing emotions, not only because of the sound." The pursuit – and customer demand – of a visceral experience is why Lamborghini will be later than rival Ferrari in adding an EV to its lineup, which it currently plans to do in 2029. Mr Mohr also said Lamborghini is working hard to keep ICE technology, which he says still has room for improvement, in production for as long as possible. "If you ask me the emotion side at the moment, like I said before, I don't see the [electric] solution that is convincing now," Mr Mohr said. "Its time will come, trust me, because this kind of technology transformation needs longer," he said. "But we should also not make the mistake to think that it [ICE] will stop, because I can tell you, the generation that is now growing up step-by-step with the electrification of the standard cars, for them there will be a point where they say, okay, the old combustion thing is cool." That's why synthetic fuels will be a key technology for brands such as Lamborghini, and fellow Volkswagen Group automaker Porsche – with both brands investing in it for future products, but also because of the critical role heritage plays in the image of each brand. In 2023, Lamborghini CEO Stephan Winkelmann said synthetic fuel technology will be employed by the automaker for several reasons. "There are different levels to how we see it," Mr Winkelmann said. "The first one is we might utilise synthetic fuels only for our race activities. "The second thing is to protect our car park, because the majority of our cars after 60 years still exist. So after 2035, there must be an opportunity, and this is what I think is very important – that all of our customers can continue to drive their cars." MORE: Lamborghini Temerario says farewell V10, hello twin-turbo V8 PHEV Content originally sourced from:

Ford might develop future engines with outside firms, says executive
Ford might develop future engines with outside firms, says executive

The Advertiser

time2 hours ago

  • The Advertiser

Ford might develop future engines with outside firms, says executive

A senior Ford executive thinks customers no longer separate brands based on their petrol and diesel engines, and this might lead to the automaker developing new engines with suppliers or, maybe, rivals. According to Automotive News John Lawler, Ford's vice chair overseeing strategy, partnerships and alliances, told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, "I don't think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago". He told the conference, "Where [internal combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was — the horsepower, the displacement, the torque and everything about the vehicle — I think a lot of that is gone". Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Part of this, Mr Lawler believes, is down to electrification, which allows automakers to increase power and torque, while reducing CO2 emissions, with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Mr Lawler posits this might lead automakers, including Ford, to develop next-generation engines with other companies. Doing so would save money that could help them compete with Chinese automakers. According to the vice chair, Ford needs "to be competitive against them not only on speed of development, software capability, electrical architecture capability, but also overall electrification capability". In 2022 Renault merged its Horse drivetrain division with that of Geely's Aurobay in the hopes of attracting customers for its engines and transmissions outside of the two automakers' stable of brands, which include Dacia, Volvo, Zeekr, and Lotus. It should be noted engine and drivetrain sharing between rival automakers, while not the norm, isn't completely unheard of. In the early 2000s Ford developed a V6 turbo-diesel in conjunction with the PSA Group, which was used in a wide variety of vehicles, including Australian Ford Territory, as well as the Citroen C5, Peugeot 407 and 607, and a whole host of Jaguar and Land Rover models. Other times, manufacturers just sign a supply agreement to fill a hole in their drivetrain lineup, such as when Toyota Europe used BMW diesel engines in the 2010s for a number of models, including the RAV4. Small manufacturers often rely exclusively on engines from other car makers, with Lotus, for example, using mills from Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Ford is no stranger to collaborating with other car makers in other areas too. It currently shares a number of platforms with the Volkswagen Group, with the Volkswagen Amarok based on the Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Transporter based on the Ford Transit Custom. Going the other way, the Ford Transit Connect is based on the Volkswagen Caddy, and the European Ford Explorer and Capri EVs are based Volkswagen MEB architecture. Prior to all this, Ford jointly developed a 10-speed automatic transmission for use in full-size pickup trucks with cross-town rival GM. MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from: A senior Ford executive thinks customers no longer separate brands based on their petrol and diesel engines, and this might lead to the automaker developing new engines with suppliers or, maybe, rivals. According to Automotive News John Lawler, Ford's vice chair overseeing strategy, partnerships and alliances, told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, "I don't think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago". He told the conference, "Where [internal combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was — the horsepower, the displacement, the torque and everything about the vehicle — I think a lot of that is gone". Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Part of this, Mr Lawler believes, is down to electrification, which allows automakers to increase power and torque, while reducing CO2 emissions, with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Mr Lawler posits this might lead automakers, including Ford, to develop next-generation engines with other companies. Doing so would save money that could help them compete with Chinese automakers. According to the vice chair, Ford needs "to be competitive against them not only on speed of development, software capability, electrical architecture capability, but also overall electrification capability". In 2022 Renault merged its Horse drivetrain division with that of Geely's Aurobay in the hopes of attracting customers for its engines and transmissions outside of the two automakers' stable of brands, which include Dacia, Volvo, Zeekr, and Lotus. It should be noted engine and drivetrain sharing between rival automakers, while not the norm, isn't completely unheard of. In the early 2000s Ford developed a V6 turbo-diesel in conjunction with the PSA Group, which was used in a wide variety of vehicles, including Australian Ford Territory, as well as the Citroen C5, Peugeot 407 and 607, and a whole host of Jaguar and Land Rover models. Other times, manufacturers just sign a supply agreement to fill a hole in their drivetrain lineup, such as when Toyota Europe used BMW diesel engines in the 2010s for a number of models, including the RAV4. Small manufacturers often rely exclusively on engines from other car makers, with Lotus, for example, using mills from Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Ford is no stranger to collaborating with other car makers in other areas too. It currently shares a number of platforms with the Volkswagen Group, with the Volkswagen Amarok based on the Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Transporter based on the Ford Transit Custom. Going the other way, the Ford Transit Connect is based on the Volkswagen Caddy, and the European Ford Explorer and Capri EVs are based Volkswagen MEB architecture. Prior to all this, Ford jointly developed a 10-speed automatic transmission for use in full-size pickup trucks with cross-town rival GM. MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from: A senior Ford executive thinks customers no longer separate brands based on their petrol and diesel engines, and this might lead to the automaker developing new engines with suppliers or, maybe, rivals. According to Automotive News John Lawler, Ford's vice chair overseeing strategy, partnerships and alliances, told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, "I don't think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago". He told the conference, "Where [internal combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was — the horsepower, the displacement, the torque and everything about the vehicle — I think a lot of that is gone". Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Part of this, Mr Lawler believes, is down to electrification, which allows automakers to increase power and torque, while reducing CO2 emissions, with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Mr Lawler posits this might lead automakers, including Ford, to develop next-generation engines with other companies. Doing so would save money that could help them compete with Chinese automakers. According to the vice chair, Ford needs "to be competitive against them not only on speed of development, software capability, electrical architecture capability, but also overall electrification capability". In 2022 Renault merged its Horse drivetrain division with that of Geely's Aurobay in the hopes of attracting customers for its engines and transmissions outside of the two automakers' stable of brands, which include Dacia, Volvo, Zeekr, and Lotus. It should be noted engine and drivetrain sharing between rival automakers, while not the norm, isn't completely unheard of. In the early 2000s Ford developed a V6 turbo-diesel in conjunction with the PSA Group, which was used in a wide variety of vehicles, including Australian Ford Territory, as well as the Citroen C5, Peugeot 407 and 607, and a whole host of Jaguar and Land Rover models. Other times, manufacturers just sign a supply agreement to fill a hole in their drivetrain lineup, such as when Toyota Europe used BMW diesel engines in the 2010s for a number of models, including the RAV4. Small manufacturers often rely exclusively on engines from other car makers, with Lotus, for example, using mills from Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Ford is no stranger to collaborating with other car makers in other areas too. It currently shares a number of platforms with the Volkswagen Group, with the Volkswagen Amarok based on the Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Transporter based on the Ford Transit Custom. Going the other way, the Ford Transit Connect is based on the Volkswagen Caddy, and the European Ford Explorer and Capri EVs are based Volkswagen MEB architecture. Prior to all this, Ford jointly developed a 10-speed automatic transmission for use in full-size pickup trucks with cross-town rival GM. MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from: A senior Ford executive thinks customers no longer separate brands based on their petrol and diesel engines, and this might lead to the automaker developing new engines with suppliers or, maybe, rivals. According to Automotive News John Lawler, Ford's vice chair overseeing strategy, partnerships and alliances, told the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference, "I don't think that consumers really think about powertrains the way they did 30 years ago". He told the conference, "Where [internal combustion engines] defined what a vehicle was — the horsepower, the displacement, the torque and everything about the vehicle — I think a lot of that is gone". Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Part of this, Mr Lawler believes, is down to electrification, which allows automakers to increase power and torque, while reducing CO2 emissions, with hybrid or plug-in hybrid drivetrains. Mr Lawler posits this might lead automakers, including Ford, to develop next-generation engines with other companies. Doing so would save money that could help them compete with Chinese automakers. According to the vice chair, Ford needs "to be competitive against them not only on speed of development, software capability, electrical architecture capability, but also overall electrification capability". In 2022 Renault merged its Horse drivetrain division with that of Geely's Aurobay in the hopes of attracting customers for its engines and transmissions outside of the two automakers' stable of brands, which include Dacia, Volvo, Zeekr, and Lotus. It should be noted engine and drivetrain sharing between rival automakers, while not the norm, isn't completely unheard of. In the early 2000s Ford developed a V6 turbo-diesel in conjunction with the PSA Group, which was used in a wide variety of vehicles, including Australian Ford Territory, as well as the Citroen C5, Peugeot 407 and 607, and a whole host of Jaguar and Land Rover models. Other times, manufacturers just sign a supply agreement to fill a hole in their drivetrain lineup, such as when Toyota Europe used BMW diesel engines in the 2010s for a number of models, including the RAV4. Small manufacturers often rely exclusively on engines from other car makers, with Lotus, for example, using mills from Rover, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. Ford is no stranger to collaborating with other car makers in other areas too. It currently shares a number of platforms with the Volkswagen Group, with the Volkswagen Amarok based on the Ford Ranger, and Volkswagen Transporter based on the Ford Transit Custom. Going the other way, the Ford Transit Connect is based on the Volkswagen Caddy, and the European Ford Explorer and Capri EVs are based Volkswagen MEB architecture. Prior to all this, Ford jointly developed a 10-speed automatic transmission for use in full-size pickup trucks with cross-town rival GM. MORE: Everything Ford Content originally sourced from:

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