All posts by Francis Mitterrand

News

Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman will not be available in EU

In a few months, the new European Union safety regulations will begin to apply, and their first victims are the Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman, which will no longer be offered in the EU. However, the Cayman GT4 RS and Boxster RS Spyder remain in the offer.

The fourth generation Boxster/Cayman debuted in 2016 under the internal codename “982”. The first generation Macan is even older, considering that it has been on the market since 2014. It is unlikely that the withdrawal of the 718 model from the EU will significantly affect Porsche sales, while the petrol Macan is a very sought-after commodity.

In an interview with Motor1, a Porsche spokesperson said that these two models will not be able to be registered in the EU, but will continue to live in other markets. The problem is the electrical architecture that the Boxster and Cayman use, and the changes that Porsche would have to make to these cars would cost the company too much. For the same investment, Porsche could produce a completely new model.

The new generation Porsche 718 Cayman and Boxter will arrive on the market next year and will be fully electric models.

Source: Porsche, Motor1

News

Nissan will launch 30 new models by 2026

Two weeks ago Nissan revealed the new generation of 2+2 sports car, the Nissan GT-R (model code: R35). This is the last edition of this model, which arrived on the market 17 years ago. Now, as part of “The Arc” business plan, Nissan will launch 30 new models over the next two years.

Nissan’s goal is to sell one million cars a year, and that should be helped by 30 new cars, 14 of which will be powered by a gasoline engine. Also, the intention is to reduce the production costs of next-generation electric vehicles by more than 25 percent, in order to cope with the increasing pressure of cars coming from the neighboring country (China).

The new generation will consist of an electric crossover as the successor to the Leaf model, the next-gen Micra based on the R5 platform, the all-electric Juke and the recently introduced Kicks. Also, the arrival of several SUVs, minivans, mid-sized pickups, as well as a number of Infiniti models is expected. It is realistic to expect a new generation of the Patrol model as a rival to the Land Cruiser, a renewed Qashqai for the European market, the upcoming minivan Elgrand for the Japanese market and a new version of the Skyline.

Also, Nissan plans to increase its investment in electric cars by 70% in the coming years, which will cover the entire range of segments with 34 new cars. As a result, 40 percent of Nissan’s fleet will be electric by 2026 and 60 percent by 2030.

Nissan will develop the electric vehicles in groups using modular manufacturing techniques and shorter development cycles with the aim of reducing costs by 30 percent compared to the current model, the Nissan Ariya.

Source: Nissan

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Nissan will launch 30 new models by 2026
Tuning

Manhart CRE 700 based on Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance

In 2023, Mercedes introduced a new generation of C-Class that no longer uses a V8 but a more powerful plug-in hybrid four-cylinder engine, without a distinctive sound, the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance. It is an impressive car with racing technology that the German tuner Manhart took to a higher level with the project called MANHART CRE 700.

The CRE 700 is painted black, which is standard for most Manhart projects, with a wide gray and thin red stripe running from the front fascia over the hood and roof to the rear. It is equipped with Manhart lowering springs by H&R that lower the body by approximately 20 millimeters, new exhaust system with sports downpipe, MHtronic module, 300-cell catalytic converters, 20″ rims with red details wrapped in 265/35 ZR20 ront and 275/35 ZR20 rear Michelin tires.

Inside, the interior of the standard C 63 S E Performance is retained. The dark cabin is still adorned with sports seats, red seat belts and carbon fiber accents.

When it comes to the powertrain, the CRE 700 is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine paired with an electric motor for a total of 725 hp (541 kW) and 826 lb-ft (1,120 Nm) of torque. That’s more than the 671 hp (500 kW) and 752 lb-ft (1,020 Nm) of torque available in the Mercedes-AMG C 63 S E Performance. Power is sent to all wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission.

Manhart could continue to work on the plug-in hybrid model and potentially expand the range of tuning options in the future, of course, depending on demand.

Source: Manhart

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