Top rumours: McLaren dies, Audi takes over, Ford splits, Camry enters the GR cave.
Every month, we will follow up on the most prominent rumors in the automotive world during each, and we will always tell you, whether confirmed or unconfirmed. My owners from this new step aim to try to examine these rumors, and these rumors are often leaks from car companies about an upcoming product.
Top rumors: Lexus CT is coming to life as an SUV with hybrid and electric engines
Lexus needs a small electric crossover.
Lexus is said to be considering reviving the defunct CT model name from the dead as early as the 2024 new compact crossover similar to the Lexus UX.
If you don’t remember the Lexus CT, you’re not alone. It was a nice-looking car, but its mid-hybrid drivetrain and uninspiring driving experience gave way to the popular luxury hatchback. After 11 years of production, Lexus managed to sell just 380,000 examples of it, before it was discontinued earlier this year. . And we remind you of it in this video
According to what we can call leaks, the new model will avoid the hatchback design, and will take the form of a compact crossover with a variety of new engines. And unlike the defunct CT, and its 1.8-liter hybrid engine, the next version will be offered with a 2.0-liter hybrid engine, a 2.5-liter petrol engine, and an all-electric powertrain. The CT200h left some markets in 2017, but remained in several major markets until early this year.
These rumors reflect sentiments shared by Pascal Roche, Lexus Europe representative. In 2018, the company official confirmed that Lexus will not exit the hatchback division, and the official indicated that the CT is important to the brand. Pointing out that it attracts new people to the brand. He concluded by saying that we are looking for a different client.
At the time, it was rumored that the hybrid and all-electric models would be built on the new TNGA platform, replacing the CT hatchback. And it looks like the CT is poised to be a more upmarket alternative. According to the most prominent rumors, the newcomer will be priced at 4.3 million yen ($29,320) in Japan, more expensive than the $27,200 UX.
The incoming report indicates that the new car will be 59.8 inches tall, which puts it very close to the UX’s 60.6 inches. And potentially the smaller, well-priced CT is just what Lexus needs to enter the affordable semi-electric vehicle segment and help boost its average sales numbers.
Interestingly, the brand sells a relatively affordable electric vehicle. Known as the UX 300e, it has a range of 280 miles and a starting price of £44,195 ($50,700).
Ford CEO kills electric car breakup rumor
Jim Farley shut down rumors of a possible breakup but outlined the way forward.
Rumors surrounding the possible spin-off of Ford’s electric vehicle operations into a separate corporation caused a positive reaction in the financial markets, with Blue Oval’s share price rising just over 5% upon hearing the news. While Ford quickly shut down the rumors, reports indicated that CEO Jim Farley believes that separating two important parts of the business can lead to value that appeals to savvy investors.
And in a virtual conference held by the CEO of Ford, he said that he would not do such a thing. Farley indicated that he has no intention of turning Ford’s electric vehicle lineup — which currently consists of the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E and E-Transit — into a new, independent organization. Denying one of the most prominent rumours,
Farley continued, “There are no current plans to dispose of Ford’s gasoline division.” Instead, Farley outlined a new business plan, detailing how to handle the different aspects of the automaker, citing the need for new talent to handle the respective parts of the company.
While Farley denied rumors of a possible split, the CEO admitted his thinking about the two distinct subdivisions had changed. With a firm belief that electric vehicles and their customers are different from their petrol-enthusiast counterparts, he envisions a future with forward-thinking talents, engineering and procurement plans. He said: “You can’t ask ICE employees to do certain things. It takes a long time.”
Ford’s electric vehicle arm will require talented individuals who can create class-leading software and components and grow the electric vehicle division, while driving costs down. As MT reports, the CEO says, “We want to achieve these changes without impacting Ford’s traditional petrol side.” With key employees focused on specific projects, the end result should be products that are improved across the board.
This does not mean that the combustion engine division does not need to be restructured. Farley admitted that the Blue Oval has an opportunity to improve quality while reducing waste and becoming more streamlined. The CEO also pointed out that neither the company’s electric vehicles and combustion vehicles have reached the true earning potential. In fact, the CEO said that the company is still far from the profits he expected.
lately. Demand has skyrocketed for many of the Dearborn-based company’s products, and increased demand has even led Blue Oval to double production of the F-150 Lightning to meet customer needs. By producing a range of SUVs, crossovers and pickup trucks, Ford is set to grow stronger in the coming years.
McLaren and Audi rumors refuse to die
It has been a tumultuous year for the British carmaker. And the most prominent rumors said that Audi acquired McLaren
A surprising report indicated that Audi had acquired McLaren, and the British carmaker issued an urgent statement denying the report’s authenticity, stressing that there had been no change in the ownership structure of the McLaren Group. The most prominent rumors also dealt with the fact that BMW was interested in buying McLaren, which the German automaker itself denied.
Based on the latest reports over the past days, the story is not over yet and something is definitely brewing. Details are still emerging in what was described as a tumultuous year for the British manufacturer. According to Reuters, two separate sources confirmed that a partnership between Audi and McLaren was discussed at an Audi board meeting.
Partnership is the word from which the most prominent rumors were launched, and the company announced a partnership with Volkswagen, which is likely to take and continue to be discussed until next year to be decided upon. Volkswagen has allegedly spoken of plans for forays into Formula 1, something McLaren could certainly help it with. According to a report by Auto Car magazine, a source said that BMW is a potential model after all. It contradicts what Reuters reported.
The third-series maker BMW continues to deny the validity of the most prominent rumors, and it seems that the discussions have not developed to the point of BMW’s desire to officially admit its intention to buy McLaren. In all cases, these discussions between Volkswagen and McLaren appear to be related to Formula 1, but talks are said to have progressed to road cars as well.
Audi has been more open to the McLaren partnership than BMW, and Audi said it was “constantly exploring different collaboration ideas.” While speculation continues to swirl, the change at McLaren wouldn’t be a huge surprise at this point. The company suffered huge financial losses and had to cut jobs as a result of the pandemic.
In April, McLaren sold its headquarters in Woking, England. Then, in October, Mike Flewitt stepped down as CEO of the company. With new supercars on the way and a potential partnership looming with one or more German giants, the future of this iconic brand will be very interesting in the coming months. McLaren is expected to be one of the most prominent rumors ever.
Rumour: Toyota Camry bearing the GR badge is coming!
Please make it happen, Toyota: stay tuned!
Along with Honda, Toyota is one of the brands that maintains the importance of sedans in the markets. The Toyota Camry and Corolla are two of the few sedans that are among the best-selling cars in the market, along with the Honda Civic and Accord. If Toyota wants to maintain interest in sedans for the foreseeable future, one way to do so is to build performance-oriented versions.
Sedans are often more sensible than their SUV counterparts, and trying to maintain their popularity again isn’t a bad tactic. This is what Toyota is seeking, and according to the most prominent rumors, the Toyota GR Corolla Sedan is expected to be the ideal way to do this task.
But can the GR badge bless the larger Camry? It seems the answer to that isn’t very far off. Among the most prominent rumors, Motor Trend magazine quoted a sales official as saying: “Do not be alarmed,” in response to a question about the possibility of a sedan carrying the GR badge. But he didn’t specify which Corolla or Camry would carry the GR badge.
The idea of a hot Camry particularly gets us excited. After all, we’ve heaped praises on the Camry TRD V6 before and it’s clear many shoppers love it, too. With its 301-hp V6, the TRD is deceptively quick, taking less than six seconds to hit 60 mph, but the GR version will be something completely different.
The smaller GR Corolla hatchback already has 300 horsepower produced by its turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder, so it’s safe to assume that the potential GR Camry will make up to 350 horsepower to compensate for its larger size and increased weight.
As for what would power the GR Camry, Toyota could rework the TRD’s 3.5-liter V6 and add forced induction. This output can easily be raised to over 350 hp. Coupled with the all-wheel-drive system, its 0-60mph time of about five seconds doesn’t seem too far-fetched.
Like the Corolla GR, Toyota Gazoo Racing’s division has plenty of capabilities to throw at the finished Camry like Torsen limited-slip front/rear differentials, an all-wheel-drive AWD system with multiple power slots, and wider tires. Unlike the GR division that gave us the GR Corolla, the automatic transmission is more likely to be for a midsize sedan like the Camry.
We expect the Corolla sedan to get the GR treatment before the Camry, and it’s hard not to be moved by the idea of turning one of the most sensible sedans on the market into a true thriller. This comes amid rumors that Kia may leave the K5 GT and Hyundai Sonata N Line to pick up dust.
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