Tag Archives: vehicles

NEW CARS

Volkswagen Previews Sub-€30K Electric SUV Ahead of Munich Debut

Crossovers are eating the world, and Volkswagen isn’t about to be left behind. With compact SUVs and high-riders dominating sales charts, VW is preparing a new entry-level electric crossover that promises to be stylish, affordable, and, most importantly, attainable. Ahead of its official unveiling on September 7 and first public showing at the IAA Mobility Show in Munich, the automaker has released design sketches that hint at what’s next in Wolfsburg’s expanding ID. lineup.

A Baby ID.4 With Big Ambitions

Think of this newcomer as a crossover spin on the ID.2all hatchback concept revealed last year. That tidy B-segment EV, shown in both standard and sporty GTI form, set the stage for Volkswagen’s push to deliver a true people’s electric car at around €25,000 ($27,000). This upcoming SUV—unnamed for now but rumored to wear an “ID.2 Cross” badge—adds the elevated driving position and chunkier styling customers crave, while still aiming to keep prices below €30,000 ($32,000). That puts it well under the larger ID.4, which starts north of €40,000 in Germany.

Near-Production, With a Concept Edge

The sketches, shared on social media by VW’s head of design Andreas Mindt, suggest a subcompact SUV with an outsized presence. Oversized wheels, stretched proportions, and futuristic LED light bars front and rear check all the concept-car boxes. A rugged skid plate underscores its crossover character, while a contrasting rear pillar with three slots nods to Volkswagen’s design experiments. Expect toned-down details by the time production begins, but the essentials—boxy stance, wide track, and clean surfacing—should carry through.

Size and Platform

Dimensionally, the SUV will likely shadow the ICE-powered T-Cross but benefit from a roomier interior thanks to its EV-specific platform. The ID.2all hatch measured 159.4 inches long with a 102.3-inch wheelbase, and this crossover shouldn’t stray far from that footprint. Underneath sits the MEB Entry architecture, a downsized, front-wheel-drive–friendly take on the VW Group’s modular EV toolkit. Unlike larger MEB-based models, which default to rear-drive, the ID.2 SUV starts with a front-mounted motor and is expected to offer both single- and dual-motor versions down the line.

Powertrain and Performance

The ID.2all concept carried a 222-hp front motor, enough for a 0–62 mph sprint in under seven seconds and a top speed of 99 mph. While the SUV may not match those figures exactly, performance should remain competitive for the segment. More powerful dual-motor AWD versions are plausible, though VW might reserve that tech for pricier trims, given limited demand in the entry-level EV market.

Built for the Masses

The production version will be assembled in Pamplona, Spain, alongside the T-Cross and Taigo. It will also share bones with the Skoda Epiq, another subcompact EV due to launch soon. Price will be critical, and VW knows it: with a target range of €25,000–30,000, the crossover will take on an army of competitors including the Peugeot e-2008, Jeep Avenger, Kia EV2 and EV3, Volvo EX30, and even Toyota’s upcoming Urban Cruiser EV.

EV Momentum

Volkswagen’s timing is strategic. The company’s EV sales grew 47 percent in the first half of the year, hitting nearly half a million units. And with the €20,000 ID.1 hatchback waiting in the wings for 2026, VW is building a stair-step ladder into full electrification. This crossover may not be the flashiest ID. model in the lineup, but it could be the most important.

If Volkswagen nails the balance of price, practicality, and personality, the ID.2 SUV could well become the Beetle of the EV age—an electric car for everyone, but wearing crossover clothes.

Source: Volkswagen

News

BMW’s First Full-Fat Electric M3 Spotted: Codename ZA0

BMW M has long thrived on one thing: combustion fury. From the sonorous S14 four-cylinder in the E30 M3 to today’s twin-turbocharged inline-six in the G80, the formula has been clear—fast revs, raw sound, and that elusive balance between muscle and precision. But the brand’s future won’t be fueled by premium unleaded. Enter “ZA0”—the codename for the first-ever all-electric M3, a car that could redefine Munich’s most iconic performance badge.

The First Real M Without Pistons

While BMW already offers electric M Performance models, ZA0 is the first true M car with zero tailpipe emissions. Think of it as the next chapter in the M3 lineage—just without the burbling inline-six. Recent spy shots caught the prototype hammering around the Nürburgring, and while it’s still cloaked in the brand’s trademark swirl camouflage, the car is starting to show its hand.

The front bumper sheds a little disguise, revealing lower air intakes—not for feeding turbos, but for cooling electric motors and battery packs. The reinterpreted kidney grille, influenced by the Vision Neue Klasse concept, looks sealed but may hide active flaps to balance cooling and aerodynamics. Close the shutters, and you extend range; open them, and the car breathes harder during hot laps.

New Materials, Old Tricks

One of the quirks of this test mule is its possible use of flax-based composites. BMW has been experimenting with natural fibers to replace carbon fiber, and the M division is already claiming a 40-percent reduction in CO₂e emissions compared with traditional carbon roofs. The swirly prototype might be hiding just that—a natural-fiber roof where carbon once reigned.

Other details: unfinished taillights, missing M-style mirrors, and riveted camo panels hiding bodywork lines. At the back, a subtle lip spoiler recalls the current M3’s proportions, though BMW is clearly working hard to keep the final design under wraps.

Big Shoes, Bigger Tires

The EV M3 doesn’t ride on dainty eco-rubber. Earlier prototypes were seen with Michelin Pilot Sport 5s, mounted on 20-inch rear wheels. Behind them lurk massive brakes—another reminder that this isn’t a softened i4 M50 but a purpose-built M car. Flared fenders and a hunkered stance further confirm it. Don’t let the bulky test bumpers fool you; the finished product will be sleeker and more aggressive.

The Twin Futures of the M3

For those who can’t stomach an M3 without a straight-six, relief is coming in the form of the G84, due around 2028. It’ll carry a reworked version of the S58 inline-six with mild-hybrid tech to meet emissions rules. Word is it’ll be xDrive only, automatic only, and potentially the last combustion-powered M3 ever. That makes today’s G80—with its six-speed manual and rear-wheel drive—the final bastion for purists. Buy now, or forever hold your peace.

Why This Matters

BMW’s M division has always prided itself on adapting—whether it was turbocharging in the F80 era or all-wheel drive in today’s G80. The jump to electric power is simply the next evolution. If ZA0 can deliver the response, balance, and driver engagement that define an M3, then history won’t repeat—it’ll recharge.

One thing is clear: the M3’s DNA isn’t going away. It’s just learning to hum instead of roar.

Source: BMWBlog

NEW CARS

INFINITI QX65 Monograph: The FX Spirit Reimagined, or Just Another Pretty Face?

Monterey Car Week has a way of turning concepts into conversation pieces, and INFINITI clearly wants in on the noise. At The Quail, the brand unveiled the QX65 Monograph, a sportback SUV concept designed to resurrect some of the daring that once made the FX a design icon.

INFINITI says this sleek two-row, midsize SUV pushes its “Artistry in Motion” philosophy forward, and if nothing else, the QX65 makes a statement. The proportions are bold, the stance is unapologetically athletic, and the detailing is far more ambitious than what’s been rolling out of INFINITI showrooms lately. If the FX was once the rule-breaker in the luxury crossover space, this Monograph wants to remind us that INFINITI still knows how to color outside the lines.

A Roofline That’s All Attitude

The defining feature here is the fastback silhouette. The roofline arcs dramatically before plunging into the tail, a design flourish that gives the QX65 an instant sense of speed, whether parked or in motion. Wide fenders and wheels shoved to the corners further amplify its stance. INFINITI calls it “muscular elegance.” We’d call it “FX with a 2025 haircut.”

Twilight in Motion

Then there’s the paint. The Twilight finish—an evolution of INFINITI’s Akane hue—shifts between reddish purple and shimmering gold depending on the light. It’s flashy, yes, but it works. Paired with gloss black trim and bronze accents that trace the roofline and grille, the QX65 looks properly exotic in the California sun.

The grille itself nods to Japanese bamboo forests, though this time INFINITI’s designers have “stirred the trees in a storm,” creating a more aggressive texture. A glowing badge sits dead center, flanked by piano key LED lighting that stretches nearly the full width of the nose. It’s dramatic, bordering on theatrical, but it’s the kind of theater that might actually get people to look twice at an INFINITI again.

Jet-Inspired Details, Designer Wheels

Around back, jet-inspired taillights extend outward with vertical fins, a design cue meant to add depth and speed. The rest of the tail is deliberately clean, letting the LEDs carry the drama. Massive 22-inch wheels with twisted, layered spokes mirror the roofline’s sense of movement and detail, proving that INFINITI is sweating the small stuff.

Concept Today, Reality Tomorrow?

Of course, all this concept-car bravado raises the usual question: how much of this makes production? INFINITI execs insist the QX65 Monograph is more than vaporware. “It’s a signal,” says Tiago Castro, VP of INFINITI Americas. The brand, which has spent the better part of a decade chasing relevance, clearly sees this as a pivot point.

The challenge will be execution. Will the Twilight paint, sculpted body, and bold roofline survive the translation to a real showroom model? And will the production QX65 carry the hardware—engines, tech, dynamics—to back up the design, or will it be another case of style over substance?

For now, the QX65 Monograph is a refreshing reminder that INFINITI hasn’t forgotten how to dream. Whether it can deliver on those dreams in the very crowded midsize luxury space remains the bigger story.

Source: Infiniti