All posts by Francis Mitterrand

EV

2025 VW ID.3 GTX Performance

At the end of January, the head of Volkswagen design, Andreas Mind, published sketches of the revised Golf Mk8, which will undergo a redesign in all versions (basic, GTI and R). And while we wait for its official debut, the German manufacturer introduced the all-electric VW ID.3 GTX Performance.

The car will be offered in two options, GTX and GTX Performance. The GTX Performance is powered by Volkswagen’s most powerful electric motor with 326 hp (243 kW) and 402 lb-ft (545 Nm) of torque, which is enough power to push the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds. This makes it the fastest ID.3 model, even faster than the Tesla Model 3 (6.1 seconds). The top speed that GTX Performance reaches is 200 km/h (124 mph).

The ID.3 GTX is powered by an electric motor, which is installed in the ID.4 (two-wheel drive), with 286 hp (213 kW) enough to reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6 seconds. This means that it is more powerful than the recently refreshed g GTI, which has 266 hp. Both new versions use a single-speed gearbox.

Both versions come with a revised suspension, but the GTX Performance goes a step further thanks to standard DCC adaptive dampers that provide more comfort and body control than the GTX. Also, they are equipped with a 79 kWh battery, which enables a range of up to 600 km and can be charged with a power of 175 kW.

Speaking of design, Volkswagen doesn’t seem to have put too much effort into this model. Redesigned front bumper, black mirrors, details on the roof and a new set of 20-inch five-spoke Skagen rims, a new black rear diffuser, trick LED taillights (optional LED Matrix), and GTX badge instead of ID.3, are just some of the design solutions.

The interior of the car is enriched with sports seats with GTX logo, red stitching, chrome GTX lettering on the sports steering wheel, a 12.9-inch screen with a redesigned menu and illuminated sliders for heating, a Wellness application that allows adjusting the lighting, air conditioning, sound system, and a voice assistant. powered by ChatGPT technology. Also, those who want more will be able to choose ErgoActive performance seats with integrated headrests, electrically adjustable.

Source: VW

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2025 VW ID.3 GTX Performance
News

Chery is considering building a plant in Italy

European manufacturers are still struggling with Chinese car manufacturers, who are trying to conquer the European market in different ways, so the European Union introduced additional tariffs on vehicles from China. However, Chinese companies seem to have a “plan B”, building plants in Europe. After the Chinese car manufacturer BYD announced that it is building its plant in Hungary, another Chinese company (Chery) could follow the same path, but in Italy.

Currently, Stellantis is the only major car manufacturer in Italy and the new Italian government is trying to increase production by introducing another manufacturer, the Chinese company Chery. According to official information, the government is considering offering the Chinese manufacturer to build a plant in Italy, in order to increase the annual production of cars to over one million. Italy currently produces 800,000 cars a year.

Building a plant in Europe would be a good strategic decision that would allow Chinese companies to avoid obstacles when it comes to additional taxes or potential quotas that the EU could impose on vehicles imported from China. Obviously, Italy is the ideal place for that. According to Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, over the past year the government has been talking to several manufacturers, including Tesla. The government’s goal is to increase production by an additional 300,000 cars per year.

Chery is the fifth largest Chinese car manufacturer with 1,881,316 vehicles sold in 2023. In the next two years, the company will launch three new SUV models with different power options, primarily intended for European customers. “Expectations are high and sales in Europe should be high enough to support the construction of the plant,” said Chery Europe Managing Director Jochen Tueting.

Source: Reuters

Tuning

Brabus 930 based on Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance

German high-performance automotive aftermarket tuning company Brabus introduced a powerful luxury sedan, the Brabus 930, based on the Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance.

At first glance, the Brabus 930 has a more powerful look than any factory S-Class, with a package of carbon components that include a front splitter, bumper intake trim, a new grille with integrated RamAir intakes, side skirts, a lip spoiler and a larger diffuser with four tailpipes. . The offer also includes actively controlled valves of the Brabus sports exhaust system, which gives the car a more powerful sound. Thanks to the Brabus SportXtra suspension module, the car can be lowered up to 10 millimeters, depending on the driving mode.

Inside, the Masterpiece package brings two interior configurations, black and sky blue, premium leather upholstery with a diamond pattern, plenty of carbon fiber and Brabus badging. The number 77 refers to the year 1977, when Brabus was founded.

When it comes to the powertrain, the Mercedes-AMG S63 E Performance is a powerful car powered by a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine with 802 hp (590 kW). However, Brabus did its best to raise the output to 930 hp (684 kW) and 1,114 lb-ft (1,510 Nm) of torque, thanks to the PowerXtra B40E-930 module.

Power is sent to all wheels via a 9-speed automatic transmission. Although weighing almost 2.6 tons, the car accelerates from 0-100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds with an electronically limited top speed of 290 km/h (180 mph). The car is mounted on a set of 22-inch BRABUS Monoblock ZM “Platinum Edition” high-tech forged wheels.

Speaking of the price, the Brabus 930 starts at 405,000 euros.

Source: Brabus

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