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Volkswagen electric cars are about to get a huge push forward

Here's how VW is planning to make a major investment into electric cars

It’s not quite the $200 billion-plus speculated by fevered investors in February, but the announcement that Volkswagen will bring storied sports car maker Porsche public will still bring in a massive influx of cash into the German auto group.

Following speculation stewing since VW and the Piëch and Porsche families confirmed a preliminary agreement to look at an initial public offering in February, Volkswagen will release public shares of Porsche for the first time, instigating what might turn into the largest public stock offering in German history and the biggest European stock sale in over 20 years, according to the Robb Report.

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Two Volkswagen e-Golfs at a dedicated parking lot for EVs in Oslo, Norway.
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Though the date is not yet set in stone, Volkswagen already has plans on where it will direct an anticipated $59.6 billion to $84.5 billion in cash. Half the proceeds will go to shareholders as a special dividend and thank you from VW in early 2023. The majority of the remaining proceeds go toward developing and manufacturing more Volkswagen electric cars. The German automaker has stated plans to spend $88.4 billion on developing EVs, batteries, and software over the next five years.

VW has not been idle during that time, instead sparking EV sales and expanding deliveries year-over-year by about 27% since the second quarter 2021, according to Forbes. While EVs still only account for about 6% of Volkswagen’s total sales volume, the German giant certainly has the infrastructure to scale up. The company’s vast brand range should give consumers considerable choice as EV models standardize in the next few years. Volkswagen’s aim is for EVs to amount to a quarter of its sales by 2026.

In May, Volkswagen Group reported a backlog of 300,000 EV orders in Western Europe alone. Most buyers won’t receive these electric cars until next year, a company spokesperson told CNN Business. The carmaker already sold more than 99,000 EVs in the first quarter, which was up 65% from quarter one in 2021. In total in the first half of 2022, Volkswagen Group delivered 217,100 fully-electric vehicle sales. The most popular VW EVs include the ID.3 and ID.4 models, and the Audi e-tron.

To fund this investment, Volkswagen will sell 25 percent of Porsche, with an even split between voting and preferred non voting shares, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. While Volkswagen will retain 75 percent ownership of Porsche, voting shares will give Porsche heirs greater control over the company and its board going forward. The shares without voting rights will be floated, while the rest will be sold to the automaker’s heirs, the Porsche and Piëch families.

Reuters reported that VW published an “intention to float” for the IPO beginning in late September or early October with an end-of-the-year wrap-up. This includes an addendum that the timing and listing will be “subject to further capital market developments.” This is not out of concern for a floundering company. Porsche 2022 retail sales in the U.S. are up 2.8% on the year, despite inclement economic conditions. Supply chain issues, escalating energy concerns, rising food costs, increasing interest rates, the continued conflict between Russia and Ukraine, etc. led VW to hedge its bets on when Porsche stock will be released on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

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Lamborghini’s upcoming supercar will have a 1,001-hp plug-in hybrid V12 powertrain
Lamborghini news: Here’s a sneak peek at what engine will replace the outgoing naturally aspirated V12
Lamborghini LB744 PHEV Powertrain from overhead in the engine bay of a chassis.

Lamborghini is known for making world-class naturally aspirated engines. From the Huracan’s V10 to the Aventador’s V12, soulful engines are Lamborghini’s thing. Unfortunately, Lamborghini has discontinued the Aventador and its mighty V12 engine. While we don’t know what’s in store for the Aventador’s replacement, Lamborghini has given the world a look into its upcoming powertrain, which will include a plug-in hybrid component with three electric motors.
A PHEV from Lamborghini? It certainly sounds like the end times. But if you think Lamborghini is making something akin to the Toyota Prius Prime, that’s not what’s happening here. At the heart of the plug-in hybrid powertrain is a 6.5-liter V12 engine. The new L545 motor is a major upgrade of the Aventador’s 6.5-liter V12. The new engine weighs 37 pounds less, has more power, has a higher redline, and features a raised compression ratio of 12.6:1.

Getting into actual numbers, the new 6.5-liter V12 engine is good for 814 horsepower on its own. That’s a large upgrade over the Aventador, which made up to 769 horsepower in its most potent configurations. While peak horsepower comes at 9,250 rpm, the engine hits its redline at 9,500 rpm. If there’s one figure that hasn’t grown a lot, it’s torque. The new V12 is rated at 535 pound-feet, which is only 4 pound-feet more than the old 12-cylinder motor.
In addition to giving the engine a major overhaul, Lamborghini has also repositioned the way the gearbox and engine are packaged together. Unlike the Aventador, which had a single-clutch transmission that was positioned in front of the engine, Lamborghini has turned the new V12 180 degrees. Additionally, power is being routed through a new 8-speed dual-clutch transmission that Lamborghini designed that will sit behind the engine.
So far, these would be massive changes on their own, but the engine is getting a large helping hand from a plug-in hybrid component. Lamborghini will assist the V12 engine with three electric motors. Two axial-flux motors are located at the front – one on each wheel – and a third electric motor at the back that’s integrated into the transmission. The front electric motors allow for torque vectoring, while the rear electric motor can act as a starter motor, generator, or an extra source of power. On their own, each motor is capable of producing 148 horsepower – roughly the same amount of power as a compact car. Combined, Lamborghini claims the V12 engine and the electric motors are good for 1,001 horsepower.

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It’s no secret that the Mercedes-Benz GLC is the German automaker’s most popular model. Last year, Mercedes sold 342,900 units of the compact SUV globally. A staggering figure. Things, though, don’t slow down in the luxury class and after seven model years on sale, Mercedes believes 2023 is the right time to come out with a fully redesigned GLC and has officially announced pricing for the SUV. The automaker unveiled the redesigned GLC last June, but here's a quick recap if you missed it.
It’s not entirely surprising to see Mercedes roll out a new GLC for the 2023 model year. The GLC shares a platform, tech features, and powertrains with the C-Class. Given that the two models are closely related to one another, it only makes sense to see a new GLC that’s based on the C-Class.

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Amid the electric vehicle revolution and the introduction of more semi-autonomous technology, automakers are eager to change their bios from traditional automakers to tech companies. Rolls-Royce, well, Rolls-Royce is different. While the iconic British marque has introduced its first EV with the Spectre, Rolls-Royce really does expand its reach beyond the world of cars as a luxury marque. Case in point, the latest vehicle from Rolls-Royce is the Phantom Syntopia. It was made in collaboration with Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen and blends the worlds of high fashion and cars.
You may not think that fashion and cars belong together, but the Syntopia certainly makes a case for more collaboration across the two industries. The Syntopia is very purple and is inspired by the concept of “weaving water.” The automaker, which has created some stunning vehicles over its extensive history, calls the Syntopia a “bespoke masterpiece.” Heavy words from a brand that’s known for going above and beyond with some of the most bespoke vehicles on sale. But we believe the company certainly went to great lengths to make the Syntopia, seeing as how it took Rolls-Royce four years to perfect.

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