2022 Retrospective: The Most Important Events and Decisions of the Year

1. Built since 2013 at the Leipzig plant, the production of the BMW i3 was halted in June 2022. In almost nine years, 250,000 units were produced.

Launched in 2013, the BMW i3 is one of the pioneers of electromobility. With its LifeDrive structure that integrates a CFRP safety cell and its revolutionary design, the BMW i3 was ahead of its time. The model was replaced by a more conventional model, the new iX1, in BMW's lineup.

2. McLaren and BMW have signed a partnership to develop a sports model and an electric crossover.

For the second time in history, BMW and McLaren are seeking cooperation on a joint project. The first result was the sensational McLaren F1 powered by the BMW-sourced V12 engine.

Now, the two companies are exploring the possibility of building a sports model and an electric crossover. At BMW, the sports model could be a successor to the M1 or a future electric 8 Series.

3. Mercedes sold one of two 300 SLR Coupe examples for 135 million euros ($143.49 million), making it the world's most expensive collector car.

The car was sold following a secret auction organized by Sotheby's auction house, and the buyer's identity remains unknown. The example sold was produced in December 1955 and was always in possession of Mercedes. The company used it in various events.

4. Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus will have no successors.

Ford has decided not to offer a successor to two of the company's long-standing models. Thus, the life cycle of the Fiesta ends in 2023 and the Focus will step down in 2025. Therefore, the smallest model in Ford's lineup remains the Puma. To fill the space left empty by the Focus, Ford will offer an electric SUV, built on VW's MEB platform, in the summer of 2023.

5. The Los Angeles Fire Department is using the electric-powered Rosenbauer RTX for the first time.

The vehicles are powered by two electric motors with a maximum output of 360 kW (483 hp) or 260 kW (349 hp) of continuous power. The energy comes from two Volvo Penta batteries with a total capacity of 132 kWh. There is, however, a 6-cylinder diesel engine with 300 ps (296 hp) of BMW origin, used as a backup.

6. Legoland California built the Ferrari F40 to a scale of 1:1 from 358,000 components.

The 1:1 scale model was built from 358,000 components and weighs more than 3,000 pounds (1,361 kg). A total of 3,700 hours of work was required to bring this unique project to life, 1,800 hours of which were spent on design and 1,900 hours on construction. It is on display at LEGOLAND California's Ferrari Build and Race attraction, which also features a digital racetrack.

7. The head of the VW Group, Herbert Diess, has been fired.

Diess's management has been criticized for the disaster at the Cariad software subsidiary but also for quality problems with the Golf and the new ID family. Also, the plan to replace the MEB platform after only five years was considered risky. Its place was taken by Porsche boss Oliver Blume.

8. The VW Group stopped Audi's Artemis project and postponed VW's Trinity project by two years.

Diess's departure and Blume's arrival led to a radical change in VW Group's plans. The Artemis project previewing an electric luxury Audi, designed to compete with the Mercedes EQS, and featuring level 4 autonomous driving facilities, was halted.

The Trinity project of an electric VW limousine with the new 2.0 OTA upgradable software has also been delayed for two years and turned into an SUV. And the modular SSP platform has been postponed to 2028, with VW refining the existing MEB architecture.

9. Renault has sold all 68% of its shares in Avtovaz for just one rouble, the equivalent of $0.014, to Russian state-owned NAMI.

Renault suffered the most from Russia's aggression in Ukraine. To comply with the international sanctions, the French carmaker gave up its 68% majority stake in Avtovaz and left Russia, also losing the Avtoframos plant located near Moscow.

10. Rolls-Royce unveiled the Spectre, the first electric model in the company's history.

Rolls-Royce has found that the brand's models' owners are not necessarily interested in what's under the bonnet but want a car that is very quiet and has generous low-end torque.

So that's what the new Spectre delivers. With 430 kW (585 ps or 577 hp) and 900 Nm (664 lb-ft), it runs from zero to 100 kph (0-62 mph) in 4.5 sec and will cost 379,015 euros ($402,904), slotting between the Cullinan and the Phantom.

11. Ferrari launched the Purosangue, the first SUV in the company's history.

Ferrari justifies why the Purosangue is not an SUV. While all SUVs have the engine and gearbox at the front, the Purosangue has the engine mounted at the front, well behind the front axle, and the gearbox at the rear in a transaxle system, just like the firm's 2+2 GTs.

The car is powered by a 6.5-liter 715-horsepower (725-ps) naturally aspirated V12.

12. The Mercedes-AMG One is the fastest production car on the Nurburgring with 6:35.183 minutes.

The record was set on 28 October 2022 by Maro Engel, DTM driver and Mercedes-Benz ambassador. Maro Engel's time is more than 8 seconds better than the previous record set by Lars Kern in June 2021, driving a Porsche 911 GT2 RS, equipped with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires and OEM Manthey Performance Kit.

13. BMW has unveiled the PHEV XM SUV, the M division's first own model after the M1

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the M division, BMW unveiled the XM high-performance PHEV SUV, the second exclusive model after the M1, which debuted in 1978. The base version has 663 ps (654 hp) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft), while the top Label Red version will have 748 ps (737 hp) and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft).

14. Lamborghini built the last Aventador - a blue LP780-4 Ultimae Roadster.

The Aventador has been in production since 2011, and this is the last Lamborghini with the classic naturally aspirated V12 engine. However, rumors are that the next generation will still have a V12 machine with hybrid technology.

15. The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the last Mercedes built on a conventional engine platform.

The MRA II platform will be used for the last time in a Mercedes. The new E-Class will also drop the V8 engine for the AMG versions like the C-Class. It will though, keep the air suspension and get all-wheel steering. All powertrains will be mild hybrids or plug-in hybrids.

16. Mercedes A-Class and B-Class will have no successors.

Mercedes is narrowing its compact model range to the next generation. Thus, the A-Class hatch and sedan, as well as the B-Class, will have no successors. Instead, the smallest Mercedes-Benz model will be the CLA, and the future compact range will consist of only four models: CLA, CLA Shooting Brake, GLA, and GLB.

17. Jaguar Land Rover has CEO Thierry Bollore.

After two and a half years, Thierry Bollore has been fired from his position at Jaguar Land Rover. Tata bosses are unhappy with the financial losses incurred over the past two years and the failures of Jaguar, which halted the development of the upcoming electric XJ after a massive wasted investment.

18. Audi to take over the Sauber team.

Audi will enter F1 in 2026 and will gradually take over a majority stake in the Sauber team. Why 2026? Because that's when the new engine regulations come into force. Audi will develop the new engine in Germany, where 120 people already work.

19. Elon Musk and Chancellor Olaf Scholz have opened the Tesla Gigafactory in Grunheide, near Berlin.

Europe's first Tesla factory was inaugurated on 22 March and is located in Grunheide, 35 km (22 miles) southeast of Berlin. At an estimated cost of $4 billion (3.76 billion euros), the plant has a capacity of 500,000 units per year, and production started with the Tesla Model Y.

20. BMW bought the Alpina brand from the founding Bovensiepen family.

To fill the niche between BMW and Rolls-Royce, BMW bought the Alpina brand but will take over the rights to the brand on 1 January 2026. The brand's current owner will produce 5,000 more cars by the end of 2025 but will not develop any new models. This is because creating a new model costs 10-15 million euros ($10.63-15.95 million), and the investment return is achieved in about six years.

21. Volvo has built induction charging stations for the Volvo XC40 taxi fleet in Gothenburg.

The Cabonline taxi network, the largest taxi operator in Northern Europe, has been testing a network of inductive charging stations in the central area of Gothenburg for three years. This network will be used to charge the batteries of a small fleet of electric XC40s.

22. Nissan halts the development of ICEs for Europe.

Nissan will stop investing in developing internal combustion engines for Europe from 2023. The Japanese estimate that by 2026, electrified cars will account for 75% of Nissan's sales in the region. From 2030, the company will only sell electrified vehicles in Europe.

23. Volvo boss Hakan Samuelsson left the company, and Jim Rowan, former head of the Dyson Group, took his place.

Hakan Samuelsson has been replaced as Volvo's chief executive after he led the Swedish brand in its transition to electromobility.

Geely bosses felt they needed someone with "a strong background in software, digital transformation, and innovative consumer products." They chose Jim Rowan, the former head of the Dyson Group, who has no automotive industry experience.

24. After two consecutive postponements, the Geneva Motor Show is out of Europe for good and moving to Qatar.

Held since 1905, the Geneva Motor Show was Europe's most prestigious automotive event. It took place every year in the Palexpo complex near Geneva airport. In 2020, it was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and then the 2021 and 2022 editions were not held. From 2023 it will be held in.....Qatar.

25. Mercedes is building its first wind farm, in Papenburg, northern Germany. The facility will provide 15% of Germany's energy needs.

Germany's big premium carmakers have realized that dependence on Russian gas will be a big problem in the future. In addition, they want to use as much renewable energy as possible.

That's why Mercedes-Benz intends to build a wind farm near the Papenburg racetrack, in northern Germany, to produce 100 MW and provide 15% of Germany's energy needs.

26. VW to develop with Magna an electric pickup and off-roader for the U.S. market.

VW is considering reviving its Scout sub-brand to produce an electric pickup and SUV for the U.S. market. To that end, VW wants to collaborate with Magna because the company's MEB and PPE architectures are unsuitable for building a pickup the size of the Ford F-150.

27. Max Verstappen wins his second consecutive F1 title.

With 15 Grand Prix wins and 454 points achieved, Verstappen's 2022 victory was much more evident than his 2021 victory and helped Red Bull Racing to win its fifth Constructors Championship.

28. Sony and Honda want to build an electric car together.

The two giants believe they could have an advantage over Tesla if they offer more in-car entertainment using Sony's gaming, entertainment and music content. Planned for 2025, the car is being developed by the newly created Sony Honda Mobility joint venture.

29. Porsche Design has turned the 911 GT3's exhaust into a premium soundbar.

The 911 Soundbar 2.0 Pro system takes the exhaust design from the new 911 GT3, features 2.1.2 virtual surround sound, and has 300W of power. It also features 4K compatible HDMI ports, Bluetooth 5.0, and Dolby-Atmos DTS-HD.

Only 500 copies were produced for a price of $12,000 (11,290 euros), making it the most expensive audio system from Porsche.

30. The drive-in cinema in Ashheim near Munich has been equipped with 38 charging stations.

What could be more efficient than charging your electric car while watching a movie at a drive-in cinema? Munich-based ChargeOne, a specialist in e-mobility charging solutions, had this brilliant idea and installed 38 AC stations with an output of 11 kW each in the drive-in cinema in Aschheim, near Munich. The cinema has a 540 sq m (5,813 sq ft) projection screen and can accommodate 600 cars.