All posts by Francis Mitterrand

Auctions

1986 Aston Martin Virage Coupe Prototype sold for £287,500 GBP

At the 1988 Birmingham Motor Show, Aston Martin presented the Aston Martin Virage as a replacement for its V8 models. It was produced between 1989–2000 and 2011–2012. year, and it is less known that two years earlier the British luxury automobile manufacturer produced a unique Aston Martin Virage Coupe Prototype (DB2034) based on the Aston Martin Lagonda. This one of a kind car was recently sold for £287,500.

The body of this model has been shortened to give it a two-door design similar to classic cars like the Ferrari 400. It is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 engine paired with a five-speed ZF manual transmission. It was Aston Martin’s attempt to produce a competitor to the Porsche 964 Turbo and BMW 850i of the 1990s.

At the beginning of 1990, the company gave the ‘green light’ and agreed to completely rebuild the car to full customer specification. The chassis was rebuilt, and the suspension was replaced with components intended for the Virage production model. Acceleration is improved while top speed is reduced to around 150 mph. In February 1993, a new Virage engine was installed.

Source: Bonhams

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1986 Aston Martin Virage Coupe Prototype sold for £287,500 GBP
News

2024 Ford Bronco for the Chinese market

Everyone knows that China is a big market, but also the country where production costs much less than in most developed countries. Chinese manufacturers continue to conquer Europe, leaving room in the domestic market for other companies that move production to Asia. Ford is one of them, and its legendary Ford Bronco will be produced in China from 2024, only for the domestic market.

The Bronco is already available in China where 80,000 units were sold in the first half of this year at a price of 96,000-165,000 USD (700,000-1.2 million yuan). The price is high, and some research suggests that the model made in China could cost 41,200 USD (300,000 yuan). That would be good for Ford, which would become more competitive in the market.

China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has revealed photos of two five-door Broncos, which could be an indication that there will be no three-door variants on the Chinese market. The vehicles shown also have two types of wheels, different bumpers and extended fenders, which lead to different equipment kits.

It seems that the Chinese Bronco will be similar in size to the American model. That means a length of 4,800-4,825 mm, a width of 2,070 mm and a height of 1,990 mm, with a wheelbase of 2,950 mm. Local media claim that the cabin of the Chinese model will be the same as that of the American one. However, since production will start next year, certain design changes can be expected.

When it comes to the powertrain, the Bronco will be powered by a turbocharged 2.3L engine with 275 hp (202 Kw) and 336 lb-ft (455 Nm) of torque. As a reminder, the US model is powered by a 2.3L EcoBoost with 300 hp (221 kW) and 325 lb-ft (441 Nm) of torque. It will be equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission, instead of the 7-speed manual and 10-speed automatic available in the US.

Source: Ford

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2024 Ford Bronco for the Chinese market
News

New Toyota batteries will offer a range of 1,000 km

The development and sale of electric vehicles is on the rise, and with them come certain problems. Currently, the biggest ones are batteries. Thus, Toyota announced that in the next three years it will produce a battery that will enable a range of at least 800 kilometers.

By the end of the decade, Japanese car manufacturers plan to sell 3.5 million electric vehicles globally, of which 1.7 million will be equipped with new batteries. According to the latest information, the offer will include four types of batteries of the new generation, as well as a battery with solid electrolyte technology (solid-state).

Toyota is currently developing a lithium-ion battery, Performance, which will be used from 2026 and will provide a range of over 800 km. It will cost 20% less than the battery currently installed in the leader of electric generation, the Toyota bZ4X. Thanks to the fast charger, the battery will be charged from 10 to 80 percent in about 20 minutes.

The second type of battery that Toyota plans to produce is the lithium-ion phosphate Popularization battery. They will offer a slightly shorter range (about 600 km) and will arrive between 2026 and 2027. The production of this type of battery will cost 40% less compared to the battery in the bZ4x model. It will charge up to 80 percent in about 30 minutes.

From 2027, a high-performance lithium-ion battery will be added to the offer, which will enable a range of over 1,000 kilometers. Also, Toyota is working on solid-state batteries that would also allow a range of 1,000 kilometers, and would be charged to 80 percent in just 10 minutes.

Source: Toyota