Automotive News Canada - September 2019 - v2 - 18

* S E P T E M B E R 2 019

2020 MERCEDES-AMG GLB 35:

ASTON MARTIN RAPIDE E: The automaker's first

electric car recently debuted in production-ready form
with two rear-mounted electric motors replacing the
gasoline Rapide's front-mounted V-12 internal-combustion engine. Although the Rapide E weighs nearly 200
kilograms more, the 600-horsepower sedan will reportedly zip to 60 mph (96 km/h) from rest in less than four
seconds. The 580-horsepower V-12 version, however,
can reach that speed in less than three seconds. Of
note for the Rapide E is an 800-volt charging system
and aerodynamic development by Williams Advanced
Engineering (of Formula One fame).

A higher-performing model will join
the recently revealed GLB 250 utility vehicle, which of course slots in
between the GLA and GLC. The allwheel-drive Mercedes-AMG GLB 35's
turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder produces 302 horsepower, compared with
GLB 250's 221. The extra power means
the GLB 35's claimed zero-to-60-mph (96
km/h) time of 5.1 seconds is nearly two
seconds quicker than the GLB 250's.

B y J E F F M E L N Y C H U K , E D I TO R - I N - C H I E F

2020 PORSCHE TAYCAN: The first EV from the automaker stands out

with a unique 800-volt charging system (double the "usual 400 volts for electric cars") which means it takes "just over five minutes" to add 100 kilometres of range to the battery pack located in the floor. Porsche will initially
offer two all-wheel-drive models, with the $173,900 (plus destination charges)
Taycan Turbo making 670 horsepower, and the $213,900 Turbo S putting
out 750. Note that neither model is actually turbocharged. Less-powerful
(lower-priced) variants are in the pipeline as is the hiked-up Taycan Cross
Turismo wagon. The Taycan, which is slightly smaller than the Panamera
sedan, has a two-speed transmission for the rear electric motor, an interior
that uses no leather, and front and rear trunks.

ACURA TYPE S CONCEPT: The company's new runway model foreshadows
the next-generation TLX sedan that's
expected for 2021. The production car
will be tamer - and there will be door
handles - but it appears that the point
is to position the car as more of a performance sedan. Although a turbocharged
four-cylinder engine will likely power
the base model, the all-wheel-drive
model could get a turbocharged 3.5-litre
V-6 and three electric motors. - ANC

DMS company to develop high-tech sales tools that use A.I.
BY AUTOMOTIVE NEWS CANADA

APP LINKS DEALERS WITH SHOPPERS

BOTH SIDES DERIDE RIDE-HAILING PLAN

CALGARY-BASED QUORUM
Information Technologies is getting a
$1.5-million interest-free loan from the
federal government to create a lead-generation data hub for auto dealers.
Using its
XSellerator
tools as a
foundation,
Quorum's proposal would
integrate customer information in the dealer management system (DMS) with data from automakers
and "existing artificial-intelligence data
opportunities."
It subsequently builds features that
provide dealership staff "easily actionable sales, service and parts leads."
Vice-President Dan Ichelson said
the system, operating within the
XSellerator DMS, would, in many cases,
let staff automatically allow the system
to follow up on the leads.
The federal money is coming through the Atlantic Canada
Opportunities Agency's Atlantic
Innovation Fund. It will contribute 75
per cent of eligible costs up to roughly $1.54 million, interest-free, with no
principal repayments until Sept. 1, 2022.
Though its head office is in Calgary,
Quorum's largest office is in St. John's,
Nfld., where it has more than 80 development, support and corporate staff.

CODY MONTANA MEDIA OF
Toronto is joining the increasingly
crowded field of online lead-generation
tools with Car Zoo, which is claimed to
connect an active buyer to a specific car
in a dealer's
inventory.
With Car
Zoo, buyers browsing
social media
would find
With Cody Montana
a dealer's
Media's Car Zoo
sponsored
posts, includ- lead-generation app,
it's up to the shopper
ing vehicles
to make contact with
on the lot,
the dealership.
complete
P H O TO : C A R Z O O
with VINs.
Shoppers
can click on a button for more details
and fill out a contact request form, generating a high-intent lead for the dealer
in real time.
Since the initiative to make contact is with the shopper, Cody Montana
Media contends the app provides dealerships with car buyers already browsing its inventory, without sales pressure.
Pricing for Car Zoo will vary by
province - for example, $135 per VIN
lead in Ontario and $265 in Alberta and
British Columbia, with a minimum
order of 100 leads. To participate, dealers must maintain a minimum 50-vehicle inventory.

THE BRITISH COLUMBIA
government's long-awaited ride-hailing
plan was unveiled in July, but it's still
drawing complaints.
The Metro Vancouver taxi industry is miffed that companies such as
Uber and Lyft will not be restricted by
municipal boundaries for trips, the way
traditional cabs are. For instance, someone leaving a downtown Vancouver
nightclub can't get a cab to suburban
Surrey but will be able to use Uber.
Meanwhile, ride-hailing companies
say the government's
insistence that their
drivers have Class 4
commercial licences
- required for cabbies - could limit
expansion outside
the Vancouver area
B.C.'s
because of a lack of
ride-hailing
qualified drivers.
program
Vancouver
requires Class
is the last major
Canadian city with- 4 commercial
out ride-hailing ser- licences for
Uber drivers.
vices, which are
P H O TO : R E U T E R S
expected to roll out
this fall after the
provincial government processes applications from providers such as Lyft and
Uber.

EXEC SHUFFLE AT EV MANUFACTURER
ELECTRA MECCANICA VEHICLES
Corp. (EM) has made key management

changes at the top as it prepares for volume production of its three-wheel Solo
commuter electric
vehicle.
In August, the
Vancouver-based
company hired
David Neace, Tesla's
former senior program manager, to
be director of sales.
He will work out of
Paul Rivera
EM's premier-maris Electra
ket Los Angeles
Meccanica's
sales, service and
new CEO,
distribution centre.
replacing
EM said Neace, who co-founder
had also worked in
Jerry Kroll who
other automotive
will remain on
and energy business- the company's
es, was responsible
board.
for Tesla's employP H O TO : E L E C T R A
MECCANICA
ee-delivery and
factory-direct programs. His efforts there helped boost
sales and improve the customer's purchase experience, EM said.
The hiring followed the recent
appointment of Paul Rivera, an expert
in automotive and advanced propulsion systems, as EM's CEO. He replaced
company co-founder Jerry Kroll, who
will stay on EM's board.
Another co-founder, Henry Reisner,
remains president and chief operating officer, principally responsible for
launching mass production of the Solo
at a plant in China. - ANC

Automotive News Canada - September 2019 - v2

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