All posts by Francis Mitterrand

EV

2026 Toyota Urban Cruiser

The Toyota Urban Cruiser is a new crossover from the Japanese manufacturer that will be produced at Suzuki’s facility in India. It is the production version of the Urban SUV Concept unveiled last year.

The car is 4,285 mm long, 1,800 mm wide, 1,640 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,700 mm, which means it is slightly larger than the Yaris Cross. It is based on a new platform designed for electric vehicles and will be offered with two battery options, as well as front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

It is equipped with a lithium-iron-phosphate battery and a heat pump (which saves energy) for the air conditioning system and battery heating to optimize performance in cold conditions. All European versions will have a package of active safety systems, driver assistance systems including a collision warning system, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning system, lane keeping assist, and a 360-degree camera.

The cabin is equipped with a 10.1-inch multimedia system screen, as well as a 10.25-inch instrument cluster. The seats fold in a 40:20:40 ratio, and it should be noted that thanks to the sliding rear seats, the space between the front and rear passengers can be adjusted, creating more space for passengers.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment, and depending on the equipment, the interior has an electronically adjustable driver’s seat, JBL sound system and a fixed panorama.

The Toyota Urban Cruiser comes with two types of batteries, 49 kWh and 61 kWh. The smaller battery comes with a version powered by a single electric motor with 144 hp (106 kW) and 139 lb-ft (189 Nm) of torque, and FWD. The larger battery is offered in the FWD and AWD versions. The more powerful version is powered by a single electric motor with 184 hp (135 kW) and 221 lb-ft (300 Nm) of torque.

The price of the car has not been released.

Source: Toyota

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2026 Toyota Urban Cruiser
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The Ford Mustang GTD showed all its power on the Nürburgring Nordschleife

In June, Ford presented the most powerful and most expensive Mustang ever, which unleashed all its power on one of the most famous tracks, the Nürburgring Nordschleife, becoming the fastest American production car on this track.

On the 20.8 km long track, the Mustang GTD achieved a lap time of 6 minutes and 57.685 seconds, which is 4.3 seconds faster than the Dodge Viper ACR. Dirk Miller was the driver, and Ford is convinced that the Mustang GTD can achieve a better lap time, which they will prove next year.

This was announced by Greg Goodall, head of the engineering department in charge of this model, who said that he is confident that the Mustang GTD Coupé (with most of its carbon body panels and adaptive suspension/aerodynamics) will close the lap in less than seven minutes.

The Mustang GTD is powered by a 5.2-L Coyote V8 engine assisted by a mechanical supercharger with about 800 hp (597 kW) at 7,500 rpm, paired with an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that sends power to the rear wheels.

Source: Ford

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The Ford Mustang GTD showed all its power on the Nürburgring Nordschleife
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New Popemobile is Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ technology

Christmas is approaching and Mercedes has decided to deliver the Holy Father a new Popemobile as a Christmas present. It is a unique car based on the G 580 with EQ technology.

The car is painted pearl white and Mercedes has made some modifications such as changing the rear end by removing the left rear door while keeping the right rear door. The door provides access to a raised platform, which contains a centrally placed seat that can be rotated and is height-adjustable, allowing the Pope to change position and address the audience from different angles. Behind the Pope’s seat are two more, as well as steps and a rear platform for bodyguards. There is also a solid roof available to protect the Holy Father during bad weather.

When it comes to the powertrain, the standard model is powered by a quad-motor with 587 hp (431 kW) and 857 lb-ft (1,163 Nm) of torque, which is enough to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 5 seconds with a speed of 180 km/h. It is equipped with a 116 kWh battery that gives the G-Class a range of 385 kilometers on a single charge.

“With the new Popemobile, Pope Francis is the first pope to be traveling in a fully electric Mercedes-Benz when making public appearances. This is a special honor for our company, and I would like to thank His Holiness for his trust. With this Popemobile, we are also sending out a clear call for electromobility and decarbonization. Mercedes-Benz not only stands for the special and individual – but also for consistently creating the conditions for a net-carbon-neutral new car fleet in 2039,” said Ola Källenius, chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-Benz.

Source: Mercedes-Benz

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New Popemobile is Mercedes-Benz G 580 with EQ technology