Alpha Motor Corporation reveals latest electric CUV – the JAX

Alpha Motor Corporation has revealed its newest electric offering, in the shape of a crossover utility vehicle (CUV) called the JAX. It shares a platform with its sibling the Alpha ACE.

To really push its credentials the name JAX stands for Junior All-Terrain Crossover, positioning it as a fun, utility vehicle with enough space for four passengers with a clean powertrain. The adventure seeking electric vehicle was unveiled in a deep green finish inspired by nature surrounding the scenic Redwood Highway in Northern California. It is offered as four-wheel drive or front-wheel drive system with a towing capability of 830kg.

It will be fitted with a 75 kWh Lithium-ion battery providing an estimated 250 miles of range whilst capable of silently accelerating to 60mph in 6.5 seconds. Nothing to blow your socks off especially with the likes of Tesla, Rivian and Porsche all offering better specs all round.  

It isn’t necessarily as small as it looks in the pictures with the JAX coming in at 4,560mm long which is 300mm shorter than a Taycan, 1,930mm wide (30mm narrower than the Taycan) and 1,634mm tall (300mm taller than the Taycan). It provides 1769 litres of combined storage.

Inside, it becomes more evident where styling cues were lifted from – there is a central landscape display, a driver-centric digital speedometer and then very little else to clutter the environment. A lot of the internal components have been crafted to be easily replaceable.

Alpha is now taking deposits for the JAX and the ACE, but the company is keen to show its commitment to move humanity with innovations in electric vehicle modularity, customisation flexibility and practicality.

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Tesla reveals Model S Plaid and Plaid +

Tesla has recently announced its latest update to the Model S – now with triple motors, some mind-blowing specs and a whole a new interior. The current range is now filled with the Long Range edition with dual motors and all-wheel drive which has a 412 mile range and now the triple motor Plaid and Plaid + with 390 and over 520 miles respectively.

The new Plaid and Plaid + versions come with a new top speed of 200mph, acceleration to 60mph in 1.99 seconds with a peak power output of 1,020hp and 1,100+hp. Tesla has always had some insane numbers and it keeps pushing for mainstream manufacturers to catch up.

It has recently updated its interior too, swapping a normal round steering wheel to a yoke style steering wheel and removing all stalks including the gear stalks. The Model S will now use Ai to determine which gear you need. The indicators, horn and lights are now buttons on the steering wheel.

Another major change to the interior is the central screen. It has been changed from a vertical orientation to a 17-inch horizontal one, as well as a 12-inch driver display. The ventilation buttons have also been moved to the screen, meaning there are barely any physical buttons. There is also a new 22-speaker, 960-watt audio system with active noise canceling that offers the best listening experience at home or on the road.

The car now has Multi-device Bluetooth, wireless and USB-C fast charging for every passenger with enough power for your laptop provide even more connectivity and convenience. At the back, there is a secondary screen to allow gaming from any seat.

The battery pack now has a new module and pack thermal architecture allows faster charging and gives you more power and endurance in all conditions. And as per most Teslas, the cars all have Auto Pilot, Auto Lane change, Autopark and Summon.

Prices start at £83,980 for the Long Range, whilst the Plaid and Plaid + start at £110,980 and £130,980 with deliveries due to start in 2022.

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The rebirth of the Renault 5

As part of Renault’s new five year strategy, the company will transition to a more sustainable and cleaner brand by embracing electrified and hydrogen solutions and offering the greenest fleet of cars by 2025.

Part of that fleet is the rebirth of the cult Renault 5 model. The prototype is said to reconnect with the past, drawing inspiration of the glorious times to create a car that will offer a modern approach to the electric car with a nod to the past.

Let’s start with the size – it is a compact city car with strong features, think yellow headlights for one. The R5 is immediately recognisable, but thanks to a modern treatment of lines and flush surfaces with futuristic detailing, the result is in keeping with current times. Additionally, the styling elements taken from the original design hide some of the more modern features, for example: the bonnet air intake hides the charging hatch, the rear lights include aero flaps and the fog lamps in the bumper are daytime running lights. There is even a nod to the original ‘5’ on the side vent, the wheels and rear logo.

 “The design of the Renault 5 Prototype is based on the R5, a cult model of our heritage. This prototype simply embodies modernity, a vehicle relevant to its time: urban, electric, attractive.”
Gilles Vidal, Renault Design Director

Jaguar presents the Vision Gran Turismo SV

Jaguar has revealed its new Vision Gran Turismo SV racer for the hotly anticipated seventh generation Gran Turismo game due to be launched on PlayStation 5 in 2021.

The team at Special Vehicle Operations went a step further by building a full-scale design model as well as the in-game model showcasing the potential of EV motorsport design.

The concept builds on Jaguar’s Formula E technology using four electric motors, one at each wheel developed by Jaguar Racing to deliver 1,903PS catapulting the GT SV from 0-60mph in 1.65 seconds and onto a top speed of 225mph. For a race car, it has an incredibly low drag co-efficient of Cd 0.398 whilst also generating 483kg of downforce at 200mph. 

Designed as the ultimate virtual endurance racer, the Jaguar Vision GT SV pays homage to its illustrious forebears not only in a host of styling and surfacing references but in its unique circuit board livery which nods to milestones such as the Le Mans debuts of the C-type and D-type in 1951 and 1954 respectively.

Aston Martin DB5 Junior – MUST HAVE

Remember the Bugatti Baby II from a few weeks back? Well the team at the Little Car Company aren’t resting on their laurels and have built a fantastic Aston Martin DB5 Junior, an electric two-thirds scale version of the marque’s most iconic car.

Staying true to the original, only 1059 models will be built with original owners being offered the first opportunity to purchase matching chassis number DB5 Juniors to their DB5. Unlike the Bugatti Baby II, the DB5 Junior can accommodate an adult and a child sitting together in the cockpit. The body is a composite body sitting atop an aluminium honeycomb chassis.

This may be a toy to some but it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t truly represent the details of the car it mimics – sporting the same iconic Aston Martin wings, shield and DB5 badges as the original 1963 model. The dashboard is fitted with functional Smiths instruments, cleverly updated for the modern era. The fuel gauge is now a battery meter and the oil temperature gauge reads the electric motor temperature. The detailing didn’t stop there, the car is painted in the same Silver Birch paint as standard, with a full black leather interior and carpet set.

As with the Bugatti Baby, the DB5 Junior is available with three drive modes – Novice which has a 12mph top speed with 1kW of power and a remote kill switch if your young driver decides to venture out of the 30m range, Expert mode increases the power to 5kW and a top speed of 30mph and Race mode which is a ‘Balance of Performance’ setting aligning the top speed with some of the other models in the car company range.

If that isn’t enough for the young speed demon, there is the upgraded DB5 Vantage model which adds a fourth driving mode – Vantage mode – that is accessed through the hidden missile switch doubling the output to 10kW. A limited slip differential is fitted to ensure the power is put down on the ground properly, the body is made of carbon fibre making the model lighter and a second battery pack is added increasing the range to 20-40 miles.

The DB5 Junior starts at £35,000 plus local taxes, while the more powerful DB5 Vantage Junior is offered from £45,000 plus local taxes. Owners can customise the models to match their full size vehicles.

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GMC Hummer EV is coming

Hummer is back. Well not until 2021. But it will be cleaner and greener. No gas guzzlers this time, but an electric Hummer. Due to be revealed later this year, some mind blowing specs have been teased.

Up to 1,000 hp, 11,500 lb ft… 11,500 lb ft of torque and a 0-60mph time of three seconds. There is also mention of an ‘Adrenaline mode’, ‘crab mode’ and ultra fast charging for the ultium battery. From the teaser, it has familiar Hummer styling with the grille taking centre stage and there is a promise of an open-air infinity roof. GMC brought in LeBron James for the marketing so get ready for plenty more GMC LeBron ads as they surely need to get their money’s worth.

Very little else has been shown, prospective buyers will be able to see and reserve a Hummer EV around Autumn time this year with production commencing in 2021.

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1,400hp Mustang Mach-E: Electric cloud maker

What’s the best way to increase the hype of an upcoming electric car? Put seven electric motors in it and give it silly amounts of power. Well Ford Performance and RTR have done just that with the Mach-E.

Three motors drive the front wheels, four motors drive the back wheels – two more than standard, allowing the car to be used in varying situations – drag racing, rallying, drifting etc.

1400hp, a top speed of 160mph and over 1,000kg of downforce and put it in the hands of Ford racer Vaughn Gittin Jr. and that’s how clouds are made.

It is only a prototype at the moment, taking over 10,000 hours of collaborative work between Ford Performance and RTR but it surely sets the bar for tuners when the Mach-E is released.

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