1996 Volvo 850r Wagon T5r on 2040-cars

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Geely chairman is now the single biggest investor in Daimler

Li Shufu, the chairman and main owner of Chinese carmaker Geely, has built a stake of 9.69 percent in Daimler AG, the German carmaker said in a regulatory filing on Friday. The stake, worth nearly $9 billion at the current valuation for Daimler shares, makes Li the biggest single shareholder in the maker of Mercedes-Benz cars, trucks and vans headquartered in the German city of Stuttgart. A Daimler spokesman called the stake purchase a private investment by Li. "We are delighted, with Li Shufu, to have won over another long-term investor who is convinced of Daimler's innovative prowess, strategy and future potential," the spokesman said in response to a request for comment. "Daimler knows and respects Li Shufu as a Chinese entrepreneur of particular competence and forward thinking." Li's stake purchase makes him the top shareholder in Daimler ahead of the Kuwait Investment Authority, which owned 6.8 percent as of Sept. 30, according to Thomson Reuters data. Earlier this month, the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag reported that the Chinese industry giant was seeking to become Daimler's biggest shareholder, likely exceeding the 6.8-percent stake of the Kuwait Investment Authority. The paper said Daimler had reportedly turned down Geely's $4.5 billion offer for a 5-percent stake via a discounted share placement, saying that Geely could buy shares in the open market. Institutional investors currently own 70.7 percent of Daimler, and the company already has strong ties to Chinese automakers BAIC and BYD. Bild am Sonntag said the move was intended as a strategic alliance against Apple, Google and Amazon on autonomous and connected cars. And Reuters reported that Daimler wants to have bespoke "robo taxis" on the road quicker than Google's Waymo, and views Geely as a strong partner for that. Geely conversely is interested in Daimler's electric car battery technology, and sources quoted by the German paper say there are plans to establish joint electric car manufacturing in Wuhan, China, to meet China's smog-reducing quotas. Geely is developing the Lynk & Co. brand of electric and hybrid cars. Geely owns Volvo, which has enjoyed a renaissance under the arrangement, as well as the maker of London's black cabs. In December, it bought a stake in AB Volvo, the maker of Volvo trucks.

2024 Volvo EX90 SUV revealed as forward-looking electric flagship

STOCKHOLM — Volvo has unveiled its EX90 electric three-row SUV in Stockholm, Sweden, representing the future of the brand with a focus on sustainability, safety and technology-driven design. The EX90 will be offered with two twin-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain options. The first offers a total of 402 horsepower and 568 pound-feet of torque, and a 0-60 time of 5.7 seconds. The performance version is good for a heaping 496 horsepower and 671 pound-feet of torque, and 0-60 shrinks to 4.7 seconds. Its 111-kilowatt-hour battery (107-kWh usable), supplied by CATL, will provide up to 300 miles from a full charge, replenishable at a DC fast charger from 10-80% in 30 minutes at a peak charging rate of 250 kW. It will feature bi-directional charging, allowing the EX90 to supply electricity to your home, appliances or another Volvo EV. As far as size, the EX90 is 198.3 inches in overall length, eclipsing the XC90 by 3.3 inches in length with an identical 117.5-inch wheelbase. On the exterior, we see the Hammer of Thor daytime lights with a vertical bar below representing the lightning strike of the hammer. The horizontal lighting opens up like eyelids tto reveal the nighttime lights behind them. Up top, the lidar unit is prominent, but artfully blended into the black of the roof. The 22-inch wheels feature aerodynamic inserts that reduce turbulence; 20- and 21-inch wheels will also be available. The door handles rise to greet you when you approach with your digital key — your phone — from 30 feet away. The rear lights borrow their vertical signature from the C40. In all, the design is very "Scandinavian," meaning clean, inspired by nature and harmonious with technology, as Volvo design head Robin Page explained to us. True to the Volvo brand, safety is paramount. The EX90 utilizes cameras, radar and lidar, along with Nvidia-powered software, to take stock of the vehicleÂ’s surroundings, as well as the driverÂ’s gaze and attention, to help keep the occupants safe. The lidar can detect objects ahead to centimeter accuracy from 250 meters (about 820 feet) away in glaring sun or total darkness, Volvo says. Volvo describes the EX90 as “a highly advanced computer on wheels” with the ability to improve over time thanks to over-the-air software updates.

Vehicles awarded IIHS Top Safety Pick awards skyrockets for 2015 [w/video]

By practically every measure, passenger vehicles in the US are continuing to get safer. With the year rapidly coming to an end, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is releasing its annual list tallying of the scores for the latest vehicles to see how they compare to last year. Judging by the agency's evaluations, the numbers look quite positive. According to the institute, 71 vehicles earned either the Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ rating so far in its testing for 2015. Among the latest winners, there have been 33 TSP+ awards and 38 TSP medalists. That's a healthy increase over the 22 TSP+ and 17 TSP grades in 2014. The figures appear even more impressive when you consider that it keeps getting harder to earn the + designation. In the latest round of testing, a vehicle must offer some form of front crash prevention automatic braking to get the mark. Previously, just a warning to drivers was necessary. This list also illustrates the ways that automakers adapt to new testing procedures. In 2013 there were 117 TSP ratings and 13 TSP+ awards. Then, the IIHS mandated that to be a safety pick, a model had to score Good in the institute's four crash tests, plus a Good or Acceptable in the small overlap front test. That brought a plunge in 2014 to just 17 TSP grades. With the numbers climbing again, companies apparently have deciphered how to perform better. Some brands especially stood out on this year's list. The IIHS praised Volvo, Mercedes-Benz and Acura for offering standard front crash prevention systems on some models. Subaru received at least one of the awards for all seven of its models. Toyota also had seven, and the Honda brand did too – though the institute counts the two- and four-door versions of the Civic and Accord separately. Check out the full announcement below and a video about this year's winners. The full list can be viewed, here. Safety gains ground: More vehicles earn top honors from IIHS The number of vehicles earning either of the Institute's two awards has jumped to 71 from 39 this time last year, giving consumers more choices for optimum protection in crashes. The number of winners in the top tier - TOP SAFETY PICK+ - has increased by 11 for 2015, despite a tougher standard for front crash prevention. "This is the third year in a row that we are giving automakers a tougher challenge to meet," says IIHS President Adrian Lund.