RUMOUR HAS IT...
INCREASING THE PACE
Jaguar could be just weeks away from revealing a vehicle that is likely to become its biggest seller. Or it could be a couple of months away.
The thing is, Jaguar is not officially confirming the existence of the E-Pace, in spite of having final development mules running around various parts of the world. Our sources have told us that the company is likely to reveal the car away from the traditional motor show circuit in May, but it could be June.
Either way, Jaguar will be keen to show its new crossover-small SUV before the middle of 2017 to give it time to focus on its big Christmas party celebration, the electric I-Pace.
The E-Pace will sit below the F-Pace, which has flown off Jag showroom floors since it was first launched and has just become the 2017 World Car of the Year. Aimed to rival the BMW X1 and Audi Q3, the E-Pace will share a platform with the Range Rover Evoque. The I-Pace will get its own unique platform.
From what we have seen, the E-Pace will feature a similar roofline and rear to the F-Pace, but up front it will have a much shorter bonnet, with our sources saying it will be similar in design to that of the I-Pace. Under that bonnet will be the new 2.0l Ingenium petrol and diesel engines with outputs yet to be confirmed.
DALLARA TO UP THE GAME
If you thought performance cars were a dying breed then think again. The landscape might be changing, as evidenced by hybrid powertrains in models like the Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spider, but new models seem to constantly emerge.
The latest news comes from Dallara, the company famous for its racing cars in F1 and Indycar. However, the Italian firm has also consulted with a number of performance marques, not least with Bugatti on its Veyron and Lamborghini on its Huracan GT3.
Now Dallara is promising a back-to-basics supercar to rival models such as the Alfa Romeo 4C and KTM X-Bow. Only 120 units are likely to be made annually and the firm looks set to use the 2.3l Ecoboost motor from the Ford Mustang.
PLANS FOR NEW ACCORD
From luxury and speed to something slightly more sensible and you don’t get much more sensible than the Honda Accord.
The current generation has not been the success of generations before it and Honda is keen to put the Accord back in a strong position in the sales charts in 2018. To do that, it will put the next generation Accord on the same platform as the new Civic. This means the Accord will become slightly smaller, but manufacturers are seeking increased profits from reducing the number of platforms so it makes good business sense if the Japanese marque gets it right. Engines are likely to be similar to those in the current Accord, but the V6 could be chopped and there could also be a new four-cylinder.
GROWING A NEW LEAF
Even more sensible, at least in markets where it might be practical, is the 2018 Nissan Leaf. The company is set to reveal the second generation of the Leaf later in 2017, sporting the brand’s new V-Motion design that has already appeared on models like the Murano and next generation Micra. Incidentally, the new Micra has been given the green light for SA, so expect that one here later in 2017 too.
The Leaf will get a new 60kWh battery which should increase its range to as much as 383km, essential if it wants to match the range of Chevrolet’s Bolt. The next generation Leaf will also get Nissan’s ProPilot self-driving system, self-parking and wireless charging.
Still with Nissan, we were surprised to see the new Nissan Patrol at a Nissansponsored equestrian event at the weekend. Mike Whitfield, MD of Nissan SA, said the firm has brought in three of the new Patrols from Australia to gauge initial reaction. However, he told us that the new model is likely to be launched in SA in October.