September 4th Throttle 🏎️💨

What’s up Throttle Heads 😎 Welcome back to another newsletter.

Audi Gives The 2025 Q5 A Fresh New Look With A Familar Engine

Audi has just pulled the tarp on the 2025 Q5 and SQ5 SUV giving it a fresh new look while keeping some of the most distinct features of its bestselling SUV. The windows and the body shape of the next generation Q5 are exactly what we are used to seeing in previous generations. However, the 2025 model features a massive redesigned grill with two air inlets flanking either side. A thin strip of LED daytime running lights acts as an eyebrow on top of the headlights. I think it looks a little funky from the images but the look could grow on me. Especially when I see the new Q5 in person. Audi has also clearly spent a lot of time tinkering with the taillights as they now feature 266 different panels which is just insane. The neat thing is they can warn other drivers of hazardous conditions like heavy braking or accidents.

The Q5 and the performance-oriented SQ5 both will be coming with two very familiar engines. The Q5 starts with a 268 horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder which is used throughout Volkswagon Car Empire. If you want your car to have a little more punch, you can pick up the SQ5 which features a 362 horsepower turbocharged 3.0 liter V-6. The Q5 and SQ5 will feature a new seven-speed dual-clutch which should improve the 0-60 time of both generations greatly. Fuel economy should remain the name with 25 combined mpg for the Q5 and 21 for the SQ5. Interestingly, Audi is not offering a hybrid version as they did with the previous generation. However, I would expect that to change given the increased popularity of hybrid vehicles with consumers due to tax credits.

The biggest departure from the previous generation is in the interior. The upper portion is dominated by two massive screens Audi has dubbed the “Digital Stage”. All the climate, audio, and car controls have been moved to the center 14.5-inch touchscreen. Thankfully, Audi has left a volume knob so you can change your music on the fly which is great. I am not a fan of car companies moving all the controls into a screen as it is so much easier to adjust music volume and temperature with a knob than having to mess with a screen. It also adds a layer of distraction which could make driving less safe. Audi has also added a 10.9 inch passenger display which allows the passenger to control some vehicle functions and watch videos. Passenger screens are becoming a huge trend with automakers which is mainly due to car companies being unsure of how to innovate past fully digital infotainment and gauge clusters. The 2025 Q5 is certainly a sick SUV and is expected to be part of the last generation of combustion-engine Audi vehicles.

The V-12 Vanquish Returns As Aston Martins GT King

God Save The King ‼️ Aston Martin has brought back the V-12 Vanquish with a fresh new look and a new V-12 engine which is a breath of fresh air when most car companies are not even selling models with V-8s. Aston Martin has rejected electrification so much with the new Vanquish that it does not feature a mild hybrid system, electric turbochargers, rear-axle steering, or all-wheel drive. It truly is a raw and powerful car. The engine has a size of 5.2 liters which matches the previous generation but it is a new model from the ground up. Its most notable improvement is a faster revving speed which is driven by exhaust-powered turbochargers. This increases power to 824 horses which is greater than the 759 found in its predescor. The new Vanquish has set a new top speed record for Aston at 214 miles per whole with a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds.

The Vanquish is wrapped with carbon fiber panels with a more raw look compared to Aston’s other GT models. A more prominent grill with a greater surface area allows for enhanced cooling of the massive engine underneath the hood. A first for Aston is an infotainment system designed by the company from the ground up instead of using a reskinned and outdated Mercedes system. There are also switches for vehicle functions and climate ‼️ In 2024 this is great to see when most companies are putting this functionality on screens. The Vanquish starts at $429,000 plus destination fees which is no surprise. Despite the hefty price tag, I think it is worth it for the amazing driving experience the Vanquish will offer. Aston expects this V-12 engine and Vanquish model to last until the end of the decade. Among high-end car enthusiasts, I believe the new Vanquish will be a smash hit as the raw driving experience it will offer is the antithesis of where the automotive industry is heading.

Hyundai Drops An Offroad Variant Of the Ioniq 5 EV And Adds Tesla Charging Ports

2025 is shaping up to be a big year for Hyundai’s Ionig 5 N SUV. Not only will Hyundai be adding a standard Tesla charging port to its vehicles, but it will also be selling an offroad variant of the Ionig 5 N dubbed the XRT. The XRT will get all-terrain tires, a 0.9-inch suspension lift, and a digital camo front end. it will also feature matte-black wheels, black accents, red tow hooks, and unique trim in the interior. Don’t expect to take the Ionig 5 XRT rock-crawling as it only has 7.0 inches of ground clearance. This is 1 inch shy of a Toyota RAV4 and 1.7 inches less than a Subaru Crosstrek. The XRT is meant for dirt roads compared to offroad trails.

What is also pretty dope about the 2025 Ionig 5 is it will come with a Tesla NCAS port. This will enable owners to access over 17,000 Tesla superchargers across North America. Hyundai is the first manufacturer to do so as they have beaten other companies such as Rivian to the punch which won’t ship models with the NCAS port until 2026. What is annoying with the Ionig 5 is the NCAS port is placed on the passenger side of the car. This may mean Ionig 5 owners have to double park at super charging stations which is bound to annoy Tesla and Hyundai owners alike. It is great Tesla is opening up the NCAS port to other companies but I would like to see a standardized charging port in North America to supercharge EV adoption.

GM Will Drop Brightdrop Brand And Rebrand EV Van as Part of Chevy

General Motors has had enough with their Brightdrop EV commercial van experiment. Only the vans are not going to the chopping block, only the van is. The EV commercial van brand will be folded into Chevy which already has an expansive commercial fleet sales operation. Brightdrop currently sells two vehicles. The 600 which is a long wheelbase van and the 400 which has a short wheelbase. Both models are offered in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive variants. The maximum combined range for both is 164 miles with the optional maximum range bringing the range up to 272 miles.

The vans will have their name changed to the Chevrolet BrightDrop 400 and 600. The vans will wear the classic gold bowtie which we all know and love. Other than that, they will remain the same. This change comes after Brightdrop was integrated into the GM Envolve Fleet Distribution Services. The aim of both of these changes is to expand the reach and market share of the electric van. It was also greatly overall Chevy’s commercial van lineup as they are still selling the decades-old Express vans which are dinosaurs.