Page 36 - On The Move - Volume 16, Issue 4
P. 36
Toyota Buying 4.9% Stake in Suzuki
Toyota is buying a 4.9% stake in Suzuki at a cost of ¥96 billion ($906.8 They say the alliance will combine Toyota’s strength in electrification tech-
million). nologies with Suzuki’s strength in technologies for compact vehicles.
Suzuki plans to acquire, through purchase in the market, shares in Toyota The automakers say in a statement they intend to achieve sustainable
equivalent to ¥48 billion ($453.4 million). growth by overcoming new challenges surrounding the automobile sector by
The share acquisitions will be implemented after the automakers obtain building and deepening cooperative relationships in new fields while continu-
approvals from foreign-competition authorities. The companies say the move ing to be competitors.
will help establish and promote a long-term partnership for promoting collabo- “Specifically, to take up challenges together in this transitional era, the
ration in new fields, including autonomous driving. Toyota plans to acquire 24 two companies plan to establish and promote a long-term partnership…pro-
million shares of common stock in Suzuki. moting collaboration in new fields, including autonomous driving,” the state-
The two automakers began discussing a business partnership on Oct. 12, ment says.
2016, and since then have continued to consider specific details. Suzuki joins a growing list of partnerships for Toyota, which already holds
They announced in March they would begin specific considerations to en- a 5.1% stake in Mazda, a 16.8% stake in Subaru and 100% of Daihatsu.
gage in joint product development and collaboration in production, in addition Source: Ward’s Auto
to promoting the mutual supply of products.
Volkswagen’s Electric ID. Buggy Could Reach Production
Volkswagen advances toward a future of new electric-powered models However, the ID. Buggy is more than just for show. VW says it is genuinely
under its recently created ID. sub-brand. serious about placing the machine into production as a low-volume addition
The German automaker’s plan, which is budgeted to cost over $50 billion to the future ID. lineup. It has even taken the unusual step of seeking out pos-
for the Volkswagen brand alone, has been meticulously conveyed with the un- sible partners capable of handling small-scale production, suggesting it could
veiling of six different concept cars over the past four years. The latest is the license the MEB platform to companies interested in building an electric mod-
eye-catching ID. Buggy, a back-to-basics 2-seater inspired by the classic Meyers ern-day recreation of the Manx.
Manx Dune Buggy. It successfully updates the look of the Meyers Manx with a friendly face
The high-riding, battery-powered concept, which has no doors or fixed featuring a low-set bumper and round headlights that contain daytime running
roof, was conceived to inject some fun and flippery into the upcoming ID. fam- lights and pupil-like main-beam projectors.
ily. It also showcases the modularity and versatility of VW’s MEB electric-car As with the Meyers Manx, the ID. Buggy’s unadorned plastic body appears
platform, which will make its production debut next month underpinning to float above the chassis. The reinforced windshield is freestanding, without
the new ID. 3 hatchback. any additional support. A composite fabric roof provides protection from the
elements. Rollover protection is provided by a sturdy structure behind the two
seats.
Power comes from a rear-mounted electric motor developing 202 hp and
228 lb.-ft. (309 Nm) of torque. It drives the rear wheels exclusively, with an elec-
tronic differential providing a torque-vectoring effect for optimal traction. As
with other ID. models already signed off for production, VW says a second elec-
tric motor could be packaged up front to provide 4-wheel drive should buyers
request it.
There’s no official weight figure yet. However, VW quotes a 0-62 mph (100
km/h) time of 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 100 mph (161 km/h). Energy is
provided by a 62-kWh battery, giving a range the automaker puts at “around
155 miles” (250 km) on the WLTP test cycle.
With a charging capacity of 100kW, VW claims the battery of its latest con-
cept can be charged from empty to 80% within 30 minutes.
Will the ID. Buggy ever reach production? Happily, it seems likely.
Nothing is official just yet, but VW says is actively seeking partners to
build what is arguably the most radical ID. model yet. With all the talk about
its future being quite positive up to now, there’s no reason to believe it won’t
eventually see showrooms.
Source: Ward’s Auto
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