BMW finally takes the wraps off the Z4
For the past few years, fans of the entry-level BMW Z4 sports car have had to content themselves with camouflaged images of the replacement. The wait is now over and the Sleuth loves what he sees, starting with a busy face and air-extractor bodywork that consumes large portions of the front fenders. In typical BMW style, the cockpit is all business, with the gauges, touchscreen and various controls angled toward the driver’s position. The initial Z4 M40i First Edition will come with a 340-horsepower turbocharged 3.0-litre inline sixcylinder engine that BMW claims will propel the two-seater to 100 km/h from rest in 4.6 seconds. A turbo 2.0-litre four-cylinder will likely follow later in the model year.
The next Ford Mustang will ride on a modular platform also used by the Explorer: The Sleuth’s sources are reporting that a radically different Mustang is scheduled to arrive for the 2021 model year (likely to be launched in the spring of 2020). It will include a first-ever gas-electric hybrid model that will provide decent power and exceptional fuel economy. The other big news is that the next Mustang will be available with all-wheel drive, although it’s not likely to be available with a V-8 engine. This follows the competing Dodge Challenger that added a V-6-AWD option for the 2018 model year. Interestingly, the Mustang will be built on an all-new modular rear-wheel-drive platform that will also form the basis of the next Ford Explorer and the upcoming Lincoln Aviator utility models.
Hyundai is taking the full-size-utility route: The South Korea-based automaker rarely makes a product misstep, but the full-size body-on-frame Borrego utility vehicle that was introduced for the 2008 model year — and was gone one year later — certainly qualifies. The Sleuthy One’s sources, however, are now hearing that Hyundai is planning another assault on the category dominated by vehicles such as the Chevrolet Tahoe, Nissan Armada and Toyota Sequoia. The new model, which will be based on the Grandmaster concept that was showcased earlier this year, is expected to be named Palisade. The new tall wagon will be constructed using the same unitized (frameless) platform that’s planned for Hyundai’s upcoming midsize pickup. Expect the Palisade to be revealed in 2019 as a 2020 model.
Toyota looks to take a bite out of the Raptor: The trend to creating extreme off-road-capable full-size pickups continues to grow, and Toyota is right in the thick of the action with the 2019 Tundra TRD Pro. The automaker has installed the same kind of Fox-brand shock absorbers that Ford uses for the F-150-based Raptor off-roader (also the springs that give the TRD Pro an extra five centimetres of lift). Other specialized content includes a big hood scoop, less restrictive exhaust system, skid plates and Michelin all-terrain rubber mounted on lightweight wheels. The TRD Pro gets the same 381-horsepower 5.7-litre V-8 (69 fewer horses than the Raptor’s turbocharged V-6) as regular Tundra models.
A new Tesla competitor is preparing to launch: If you were paying attention in your high school science class, you might be familiar with Faraday’s law of electromagnetism. If not, you will likely soon hear about the electric-car maker by the same name. Faraday Future, which has set up shop in Hanford, California (with considerable backing from business in China), recently built the first preproduction FF 91. According to Faraday, the allelectric four-door hatchback’s three motors combine to produce an astonishing 1,050 horsepower, which can propel the car to 100 km/h from rest in 2.3 seconds. The car’s lithium-ion battery pack is good for about 600 kilometres between recharges. There’s no word yet on pricing or availability in Canada, but the FF 91 goes on sale in the United States in mid-2019.
A new world record for the most expensive used car: A 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO, one of only 36 built, recently sold at auction for $44 million US, claimed to be a record for any car. Including the buyers fee, the total came to $48.4 million. The car was sold at RM Sotheby’s annual Monterey collector-car auction in August. Experts predicted the car would sell for as much as $60 million US. The previous record of $38.1 million was set by a similar Ferrari GTO that sold at Bonham’s Auction in Carmel, California.
You can buy stock in Aston Martin: The 105-yearold British producer of fast and luxurious automobiles has launched an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange. The share offering represents 25 per cent of the company’s estimated $7-billion US valuation. The IPO became effective on Sept. 20.