The Jeep Avenger electrical SUV was named the European Automotive Of The Yr on the Brussels auto present this week. In response to Autocar, a panel of 57 main motoring journalists from 23 international locations solid votes for this yr’s winner and the Jeep Avenger gained with a complete of 328 factors. Second place went to the Volkswagen ID. Buzz with 241 factors, whereas the Nissan Ariya got here in third within the voting with 211 factors. The Kia Niro completed fourth with 200 factors adopted by the Renault Austral with 163 factors. Rounding out the listing of seven finalists have been the Peugeot 408 with 149 factors and the Subaru Solterra/Toyota bZ4X with 133 factors.
Picture courtesy of Stellantis.
This yr marks the sixtieth anniversary of the European Automotive of the Yr award, which was established in 1964. The primary winner was the Rover 2000. [Author’s note: I wanted a Rover 2000 in the worst way because it had a wicked cool ice alert system with a sensor mounted on the front bumper.] The COTY award is supported by 9 automotive publications throughout Europe, together with Autocar.
Russian journalists weren’t welcome this yr, leaving the jury pool at 57 in contrast with 61 in 2020. Each jury member has 25 factors to award and will give not more than 10 factors to any single automotive. Every decide should distribute factors between at the very least 5 vehicles. Main components into account embrace technical innovation and worth for cash.
My colleague Maarten Vinkhuyzen lambasted the COTY course of in a latest article, saying “Solely three (of the 7 vehicles thought-about) could be known as trendy structure automotive know-how fashions. Two fashions are based mostly on transitional know-how, with each a tailpipe model and a battery electrical model. The final two are simply yesteryear’s know-how. That is over a decade after the brand new know-how was demonstrated to be higher and even after the regulators and lots of OEMs themselves declared the fossil gas burners a know-how of the previous, a know-how that ought to be deserted as quick as potential.
“Any mannequin with a tailpipe ought to be disqualified for utilizing yesterday’s know-how. That might take away the Peugeot 408 and Renault Austral from the listing. The Jeep Avenger and Kia Niro ought to solely be judged on the BEV variations of the fashions. Utilizing an outdated shared platform shouldn’t be actually progressive know-how, it’s upgraded outdated know-how to bridge the time wanted to develop trendy know-how.”
Maarten is a self-described “grumpy outdated man” who requested me to write down this story as a result of he’s in Brussels in the mean time in search of different objects to critique amongst this yr’s choices. Since I’m additionally a member of the identical fraternity, I used to be elected and I hope I’ve executed a great job of conveying his barely muted outrage on the ridiculousness of the COTY choice course of.
That being mentioned, I discover the Jeep Avenger to be an electrical automotive that’s trustworthy to the Jeep custom. It’s a beautiful automobile, particularly within the yellow livery Stellantis has chosen for the automotive and I feel it could possibly be massively standard within the US. The mother or father firm, for causes of its personal, has elected to not supply it within the US, little doubt as a result of it’s not 24 toes lengthy and doesn’t weigh 9000 kilos. That’s a disgrace as a result of if I have been in search of an electrical SUV, I might undoubtedly take into account the Jeep Avenger — however solely in yellow!
ID. Buzz GTX Coming In 2023
In different electrical automotive information from Europe right this moment, Kai Gruenitz, head of analysis and growth for the Volkswagen Model, spoke to the assembled multitude of automotive journalists. Autocar was available and studies that he gave extra particulars on how the agency will broaden the ID. Buzz vary past the preliminary five-seat MPV and Cargo van.
“The GTX can be a cool excessive efficiency model, with 250 kW (335) bhp], a devoted inside, new exterior colours, and a few further options,” he mentioned. It’s going to use the twin motor 4 wheel drive system shared with different variations of the Volkswagen ID vary of EVs, together with the 2023 Volkswagen ID 7 saloon. He mentioned the corporate can be contemplating launching a non-GTX 4-wheel drive model of the ID. Buzz.
Gruenitz additionally mentioned the lengthy wheelbase model of the ID. Buzz coming this summer season will providing better seating flexibility than the 5-passenger mannequin that’s based mostly on the business van. That mannequin has solely a normal 3-person bench throughout the again that splits 60/40 and may’t be eliminated. The lengthy wheelbase model can be 25 cm longer than the usual automotive and have seven seats. “It’s going to have three rows and 7 seats, and you may pull all of them out of the again,” mentioned Gruenitz. “It’s going to even have captain chairs that flip round.”
When requested for an replace on the event of the California model, Gruenitz mentioned: “There can be a camper model. The primary idea is being labored on now. It’s fascinating what’s potential and what can be cool and usable.” In response to Autocar, the camper is anticipated someday in 2025.
In a press launch this week, Volkswagen extolled the virtues of the ID. Buzz, which noticed 10,800 models inbuilt 2022. “Our ID. Buzz created an actual BUZZ in 2022 — not simply right here, however everywhere in the world,” mentioned Lars Krause of Volkswagen’s business automobiles division. “We’re very pleased with the launch of our first all-electric Bulli from Hannover. Now, our process is to additional ramp up manufacturing of all fashions and to ship the automobiles to our clients and followers. In the previous couple of months, we’ve already succeeded in doing this and we’ve been ready since September to extend deliveries to clients considerably. In November and December, we despatched out 30 per cent extra automobiles than in the identical interval final yr.”
The ID. Buzz helped raise gross sales for the business automobiles division in Germany at a time when the general marketplace for new automobiles within the nation was struggling a decline in gross sales. “The gross sales workforce in Germany led by Mathias Busse did all the things proper final yr! At the side of the sellers and in shut cooperation with our manufacturing groups, we achieved an excellent outcome when it comes to models delivered and concurrently set a brand new document when it comes to gross sales efficiency,” Krause mentioned.
“The ID.Buzz is lengthy awaited by many followers of the outdated hippie bus. It’s a nostalgic product that provides good worth for cash.” Maarten Vinkhuyzen says. On that foundation alone, it deserves to thrive.
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