Daily Archives: July 8, 2017
Is There A Ferrari SUV In The Works?
For many years now, car enthusiasts and experts have been wondering whether there will be a day that a Ferrari SUV will come zooming beside them on a stoplight. That would give commoners plenty of reasons and time to ogle at probably the most expensive SUV in the market.
In a report by CarAndDriver , Ferrari CEO and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles head Sergio Marchionne said, “You have to shoot me first” before we’ll ever get to see a Ferrari SUV. That seems to change now because more and more high-end auto brands are being seduced by the big chunk of market ready to spend money on an SUV.
High-end brands such as Porsche, Bentley, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Maserati, and Rolls Royce are diving into the pool of luxurious SUV production because of the fat profits gained from selling the auto. Now, there are also reports that Ferrari is readying its version of SUV (codename Project F16X).
The public will likely see the arrival of the Ferrari SUV in 2020, along with the follow-up to the GTC4Lusso. Right now, the Lusso is already an all-wheel drive, but thanks to the platform being developed for the F16X, it can get a higher ride height and a four-door coupe body.
The GTC4 will continue offering a V-12 engine while Ferrari’s planned SUV variant will most probably have a V-8 or hybrid powertrains.
Rise in Profit
Although Marchionne might have problems with the current Ferrari plan to have an SUV, it wouldn’t take much to convince him to try it out. The brand currently produces 8,000 to 16,000 units of Ferrari cars. Having an SUV, with that big of a market, in your lineup will significantly up the profit.
In truth, there is no indication that Ferrari would call this an SUV. It can be a crossover or Ferrari could simply create something out of thin air for the SUV.
2018 Nissan Leaf Features Self-Parking System
More than its celebrated self-driving capabilities, Nissan is also debuting its self-parking system in the 2018 Nissan Leaf and ProPilot system. Not only will the Leaf be able to make autonomous driving possible, it will also park itself with a click of a button.
The latest teasers for the next-generation 2018 Leaf showed the ProPilot Park. The driver can simply activate the system by pushing a button and searching for their ideal parking space. Once the spot has been chosen and located, the driver will hold down the park button and the 2018 Leaf would take over the handling of the steering input, braking, and light acceleration to park the car perfectly.
Nissan, of course, is still asking drivers to be mindful and attentive in monitoring their surroundings when Leaf is on the ProPilot Park system. The brand, however, is confident that the system will eliminate the stress coming from parking in tight quarters.
ProPilot Assist for Self-Driving Capabilities
Aside from the ProPilot Park system, which would be the perfect companion for those challenged by tight parking spaces, the all-new Nissan Leaf is also offering ProPilot Assist to provide self-driving capabilities in single-lane highway scenarios. So far, the system will be able to handle accelerating, braking, and steering in the proper conditions.
Nissan said the system will eventually navigate city intersections. The technology for this capability is just around the corner.
Nissan Leaf to Arrive September 6
By September 6, Nissan will unveil the 2018 Leaf. Hopefully, it will follow its predecessor’s footsteps because the current-generation Nissan Leaf is the best-selling electric car worldwide. Since its launch in 2009, it sold 260,000 units globally.
There are still no technical specifications released for the 2018 Nissan Leaf, though there will surely be a wide variety of electric ranges to be offered once it’s released. The current maximum range in the electric vehicle range is 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV’s 250 miles, but the Leaf may exceed that.
