Seite 2: Automotive novelties 2023

Inhaltsverzeichnis

For some time now, there have been studies that are supposed to roughly show the design of the next Mazda 6. The time should come in the second half of the year, because a change is actually due. The sedan and station wagon have been on the market since 2012 and, measured against that, have held up surprisingly well visually. But technically it is about time, because the current platform does not offer the possibility of electrification of the powertrains. And Mazda cannot escape this trend either.

In recent years, Mazda has repeatedly attracted attention with unusual engine solutions. Only Mazda currently offers a gasoline engine that ignites its mixture partly via compression. The CX-60 was launched in 2022 with a plug-in hybrid, followed in 2023 by diesel and gasoline engines as inline six cylinders.

Kia

Kia will round off its range of electric cars with the EV9 this year. The brand showed where it is headed at AutoMobility LA 2021. The e-SUV will be significantly larger than the EV6, which is around 4.7 m long, and there will also be at least one technical change: The familiar 800-volt voltage level will be retained, but Kia will improve the energy content. No figures are available yet, but we can expect at least around 90 kWh. Kia promises a range of 500 km, and the motors are expected to produce around 440 kW together. The SUV is expected to be launched in the second half of the year, although it is still uncertain whether European customers will be able to order the series at the start.

Audi

Audi did surprisingly well last year, even though volume models like the A4 and Q5 have already reached a considerable age, because the past revisions and model changes have not changed either of them profoundly. The new A4 will be the first to be available as a plug-in hybrid. Above all, we can expect a fundamental change in design.

The Q5, which is more important for the global market, should at least be unveiled in 2023, with sales probably not starting until 2024. A PHEV is already available in the current model, and this offering will be expanded in the successor. The A4 and Q5 will be among the last new Audi models that will still be available with combustion engines.

Opel

Opel is one of the few brands that has small electric cars in its range - and is quite successful with them. In a few months, the Corsa-e was the best-selling electric car in Germany. The Mokka is also selling very well, and here, too, the e-drive has played its part in this success. In 2023, both will be revamped. Technically, details of the facelift are already known: The battery in the E versions grows to 51 kWh, and the range in WLTP increases due to significantly lowered consumption. This is probably only partly due to the improved electric motor. In the WLTP, the charging loss is also included in the consumption. It is therefore conceivable that Opel has reduced the charging losses and thus lowered the consumption figure in the cycle.

We expect the Corsa to have a front end with the look of the Mokka. In the interior, the measly seven-inch display should make way for the instrument cluster and the entertainment electronics will be more intuitive to operate. The revised versions of the Corsa and Mokka will be unveiled in the spring.

The Astra with electric motor will then be launched as a five-door sedan in the middle of the year, followed by the station wagon towards the end of the year. The key data are already known: The engine has an output of 115 kW, and the battery has an energy content of 54 kWh. In this environment, that's a narrow dimension. So it is quite possible that Opel will improve on this point, but this will by no means happen this year. The price has not been revealed yet - we expect a base price significantly below the VW ID.3.

Volvo und Polestar

Volvo has two premieres lined up this year: The EX30, which will serve as Volvo's future entry into the world of electric cars, is to be unveiled in the spring. Volvo hasn't been smaller for a long time. At around 4.2 m, the EX30 will be about as long as a Renault Megane Electric. Volvo has not yet revealed any technical data, but since the brand will not participate in a battle for the cheapest e-car, we expect rather generous values: battery from 60 kWh upwards, engine power at least 130 kW in the base model. Financially, the Smart #1 could provide a rough orientation, which is available from around 41,490 euros.

The EX90, which will be shown for the first time in November 2022, will serve a completely different clientele. It is intended to win over customers who have so far opted for the XC90. The battery here has a capacity of 111 kWh, and the powertrain has an output of 300 or 380 kW depending on the version. The EX90 is prepared for highly automated driving and will also be one of the first to use Google Maps HD. Including a truly rich standard equipment, the E-SUV costs at least 105,550 euros. Weak consolation: Even with all the available extras, this electric car won't cost much more, because the base price includes almost everything imaginable.

The Polestar 3 is built on the same basis. It, too, is a full-bodied e-SUV that will be offered with 360 and 380 kW. Surprisingly, the prices are slightly below the level of the Volvo EX90; the least expensive model is to be sold from 88,600 euros - just under 17,000 euros is a decent chunk even in this class. Highly automated driving and Google Maps HD will also be available in the Polestar 3.

The Volvo XC40 is being revised this year, with the technical update for the electric cars already completed in December 2022. The details are quite interesting, because Volvo has changed the single-engine version from front- to rear-wheel drive, and there is also a version with a motor that offers minimally more power and range.

Ford

The revival of a legendary name for a new off-road vehicle raises great expectations. In fact, it's not a soft-boiled SUV model, but an off-roader with a ladder frame, long and short wheelbase, and seriously engineered-in off-road capability that can really only be found in the USA, Alaska, or certain developing countries. This was most recently the domain of the Jeep Wrangler. The Bronco can't really compete with the otherwise comparable Wrangler because of the lack of axle mobility. Even if only slightly.

Nevertheless, Ford now wants to market the Bronco in Germany as well. Here, initially with a 2.7-liter V6 gasoline engine with 246 kW output and 563 Nm torque, the familiar 10-speed torque converter automatic or a 2.3 liter four-cylinder with 198 kW, 315 Nm and 7-speed torque converter automatic, both with a really short off-road range. Of course, it can also be equipped with differential locks on request. Even in basic equipment, however, the Bronco could end up between the 55- and 70,000-euro mark. It can be assumed that an advanced battery-electric version with the electrical technology of the Ford F-150 pick-up truck is already being tested. Whether and when the car will come probably also depends on the availability of batteries.

Ford has a problem and urgently needs to solve it: The only electric car currently in the lineup is the Mustang Mach-E, which drives great but isn't mass-market compatible. The brand is facing upheaval: Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy will not get direct successors. The Kuga is selling well, partly because it is available as a plug-in hybrid. This year, Ford finally wants to enter the mass market of electric cars. The first will be an e-SUV based on Volkswagen's Modular Electric Toolkit, which will be about the size of a VW ID.4. This also sets the key data: 400 volt voltage level, maximum 170 kW charging power and 77 kWh battery. The unveiling should be in spring, and delivery could start before the summer vacations. In terms of prices, we expect an offering that starts slightly below VW's. We can expect around 43,000 euros for the base model.

Smart

The Smart brand is being revived this year. The original idea of a tiny but luxurious subcompact car has been abandoned. The Smart #1 is a compact car measuring around 4.3 m in length and roughly the size of a VW ID.3. Even the base model has an output of 200 kW, and the top model is said to have 315. For some customers, it would have been more important to be able to charge three-phase in the lowest-priced model, but AC charging ends at 7.4 kW. The more expensive models, on the other hand, can be charged with up to 22 kW. A peak of 150 kW is possible with direct current. The 66-kWh battery is good for a range of 440 km in the cycle. The base model costs 41,490 euros, and sales will start before the end of January. Slightly larger will be the Smart #3, which will probably also be sold in Europe with 200 and 315 kW from the end of 2023. Prices here are likely to start at just under 50,000 euros.

(mfz)