Automotive

2018 Buick Enclave Premium AWD Review

2018 Buick Enclave Premium AWD Review

Buick’s largest premium crossover gets new upgrades for 2018. The second-generation Enclave raises the bar in the styling and technology departments, and is slightly longer than last year with additional legroom for rear passengers. We’ll see why it’s an appealing choice for a luxury three-row crossover SUV.
This week, we’ve been driving the 2018 Buick Enclave Premium AWD.
What’s New For 2018
The Buick Enclave gets a full redesign for 2018. In addition to a sizable list of improvements, Buick has introduced a new, top-of-the-line Avenir version. The Enclave’s wheelbase has grown, the roofline is lower, and the windshield is more angled. Vehicle weight has dropped and the use of LED lighting has increased.
Features & Options
The 2018 Buick Enclave Premium AWD ($50,315) comes standard with LED headlights, a power hands-free tailgate, keyless ignition, pushbutton start, heated power front seats, three-zone automatic climate control, and 18-inch wheels. The eight-inch touchscreen infotainment system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Premium trims get perforated leather seat upholstery, lane-change alert, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Premium trims also come standard with a 10-speaker Bose audio system, ventilated front seats, heated second-row seats, front/rear parking sensors, power third-row seats, and forward collision alert with automatic emergency braking.
Options on this Premium tester included the dual front and rear moonroof ($1,400), 20-inch aluminum wheels ($1,400), rear camera mirror ($825), White Frost Tricoat paint ($995), Trailering Equipment ($650), and an HD Cooling System ($495). Total MSRP including destination: $57,055.

Interior Highlights
Elegant yet subtle is how we would describe the interior, featuring a rich cockpit that blends technology with tastefulness. The cabin’s fit and finish excels and offers impressive comfort. We like especially like the upgraded perforated leather, the heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row seats. The electronic instruments and display screens appear in an expressive sweep across the dashboard, giving it a contemporary feel. We think Buick’s IntelliLink is among the most user-friendly infotainment interfaces, unlike many other luxury crossovers on the market.
We found the first and second rows had plenty of room for adults with good head clearance and leg space. Power front seats are supportive and comparatively firm. Out back, second-row bucket seats slide fore/aft to expand either leg or cargo space. The optional dual-pane sunroof even offered sizable headroom for taller passengers.
Out back, the Enclave’s second-row captain’s chairs pivot for easy access to the third row, which provide ample space for even six-foot adults to sit comfortably. The second row is a place you won’t mind spending lots of travel time. Cargo space is also a strong point for Enclave, with 23.6 cubic feet of space behind the third row, growing to 58 cubes with the seat folded away. Cargo capacity reaches up to 97.6 cubic feet when the second-row seat backs are folded down.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Buick Enclave is powered by GM’s latest 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 310 horsepower and 266 lb-ft. of torque. Engine output has grown by 22 horsepower compared to the 2017 model, though torque has declined slightly. It’s mated to a quick-shifting 9-speed automatic. Our Enclave Premium tester came with optional all-wheel drive.
Fuel economy has significantly improved, yet falls behind some competitors. All-wheel drive models get an EPA-estimated 17/25 city/highway and 20 combined.
Driving Dynamics
The moment we got up to highway speed in the Enclave Premium, we noticed the cabin was especially quiet and the ride was smooth despite uneven pavement. The 3.6-liter V6 is strong, accelerates quicker, and has improved driving dynamics over its predecessor.
We especially liked the shift quality of the 9-speed automatic transmission during the mountain driving we did this week. Shifts were smooth and the engine never had to hunt for the right gear. We used the steering wheel paddle shifters along with a semi-manual mode for maximum control and a more sporty driving experience. Overall, the new Enclave has road manners that will satisfy even the pickiest luxury car buyers. The suspension yields a suitable, yet taut and firm ride that feels controlled. Through even the tight mountain corners, there is very little body lean.
Conclusion
The 2018 Buick Enclave is a sassy but luxurious three-row SUV. Its strong engine and satisfying ride further enhance its appeal. The Premium trim offers plenty of luxury and comes with a host of features to keep families feeling comfortable and safe on the road.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Buick Enclave Gallery

2018 Buick Enclave Official Site.
Photos: Buick.

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Class-Action Lawsuit Targets Ford, Bosch For Diesel Emissions Violations

Class-Action Lawsuit Targets Ford, Bosch For Diesel Emissions Violations Uh-oh, this could get really messy. Ford Motor Company and Bosch are being sued after being accused of conspiring to make diesel engines that cheat in order to comply with US market regulations. The class-action lawsuit is being brought on behalf of F-250 and F-350 owners, alleging both companies worked together to conceal the particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions of F-Series Super Duty diesels built between 2011 and 2017, in violation of the Clean Air Act.
The suit further alleges that engine software provided by Bosch allowed Ford to adjust engine parameters to reach optimum emissions during EPA testing. Once on the road in real life, the engines emittied over 50 times the legal limit of greenhouse gases and particulate matter. This could be a very big problem for both companies.
Similar Scenearios
The lawsuit, filed January 10th in the U.S. District for the Eastern District of Michigan, claims Ford’s performance, power, and towing capabilities for the Super Duty are only obtained by switching off or turning down emissions controls when the software senses the vehicle is not in an emissions-testing environment. By and large, this is pretty much the same thing that Volkswagen was caught doing. VW ended up on the wrong end of $30 billion worth of fines, according to the latest report from Reuters.
It is alleged that what Ford and Bosch did was also on that scale. On top of everything else, this news hits the streets just before the launch of a diesel-powered F-150 and with the North American International Auto Show in Detroit right around the corner.
Emission Controls
Curiously, this is not all a software-based cheat. For a variety of various engineering reasons (i.e. wanting to get more power and torque for its new range of diesel engines) Ford deviated from the typical exhaust layout. Normally, the exhaust for a modern diesel goes from the cylinders to a particulate filter, then to the catalyst and then, as a final stage, to a urea injection system to treat the exhaust before being vented out the tailpipe. In an effort to get more power, Ford fiddles with the order. The dirty exhaust gas went through the catalyst first, then through the particulate filter and then it got the urea injection treatment.
All that is well and good, except that after going through the catalyst, the plaintiffs and their lawyers say Ford outright bypassed the particulate filter and dumped the undercooked particulate gunk straight out the tailpipe, and into the air we breath.
“Ford also deceived consumers in calling its diesel Super Duty trucks “fuel efficient,” and that without manipulating its software to turn off emissions controls, Ford could not have achieved the fuel economy it promises,” the lawsuit reads.
2017 Ford Super Duty. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Multiple Counts
The lawsuit hits Ford and Bosch with 58 counts of violating state consumer laws, false advertising laws, deceptive trade laws, as well as violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). The lawsuit further states that Ford did not act alone and colluded with Bosch to evade emissions requirements for the sake of profit. The suit ultimately says it was an “organized scheme.”
It’s worth noting the law firm bringing this to court, Hagens Berman, is the same firm responsible for emissions lawsuits against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Mercedes-Benz, General Motors, and Volkswagen. Hagens Berman went so far as to conduct their own independent testing of the suspected 2011 through 2017 Ford Super Duty trucks. That’s where they found the emissions of harmful pollutants including the NOx (nitrogen oxide) emissions up to 50 times the legal standard. They also say that even in average stop-and-go conditions, emissions are routinely as high as five times the standard.
“Our firm is the only law firm that has developed a system of independent research, including a team of dedicated scientists road-testing vehicles to uncover the next instance of emissions fraud that has blindsided consumers,” said Steve Berman, Managing Partner, Hagens Berman. “Ford has joined the ranks of Volkswagen, Fiat Chrysler, Mercedes, and GM in its scheme to rake in profits for diesels that pollute at levels too high to even legally sell in the U.S., all while charging a $8,400 premium over comparable gas Super Duty models,”
“Bosch takes the allegations of manipulation of the diesel software very seriously. It is a well-known fact that these allegations remain the subject of investigations and civil litigation involving Bosch,” Alissa Cleland, Spokesperson for North America, Robert Bosch GmbH, tells Automoblog via e-mail. “Bosch is cooperating with the continuing investigations in various jurisdictions, and is defending its interests in the litigation.”
Cleland added: “as a matter of policy, and due to the sensitive legal nature of these matters, Bosch will not comment further concerning matters under investigation and in litigation.”
We reached out to Ford Motor Company. Our request was returned by Michael Levine, the automaker’s Product Communications Manager for North America.
“All Ford vehicles, including those with diesel engines, comply with all U.S. EPA and CARB emissions regulations,” he said. “Ford vehicles do not have defeat devices. We will defend ourselves against these baseless claims.”
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format.

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2017 Volkswagen e-Golf Gets A Price (And It’s Not Just The MSRP)

2017 Volkswagen e-Golf Gets A Price (And It’s Not Just The MSRP)

VW’s 2018 E-Golf just had its price revealed, and it’s not all that bad. Cheaper than a new Tesla, for one thing, but the bottom line here is, as always, the bottom line: This better work. And I’m not saying that just for the sake of the planet, but I’m saying it for the sake of VW. After that diesel-gate screw up, Volkswagen has got to get their act together and start selling cars, a lot of cars, or things could turn out very bad for them.
Hand In The Cookie Jar
Volkswagen, like a number of other European automakers, has a lot of history in diesel engines. And a lot of them, VW chief among them, were not all that interested in pursuing EV technology. They decided to put their engineering focus on diesel engines for the sake of efficiency, but a funny thing happened on the way to the emissions testing station. VW was caught red-handed faking their diesel emissions scores and got the crap pounded out of them, legally and financially speaking. Shoot, one of the corporate higher ups just got a jail sentence for his part in L’affaire Diesel.
This leaves VW and any other automaker banking on diesel in a bit of a technological and political bind. With new efficiency and emissions standards looming on the horizon, car companies have to clean up their act. Which brings us to Volkswagen’s e-Golf: they better be able to make and sell these things by the boat-load. Funny thing is this just might work out. The Volkswagen E-Golf looks like a good alternative to most of the other EVs out there.
Photo: Volkswagen of America Inc.
Range Increase
The 2018 e-Golf has a starting price of $30,495, which I note is much cheaper than the hotly anticipated Tesla Model 3, and about what Nissan sells their Leaf EV for. The new e-Golf gets some improvements, like a longer EPA-estimated range, better economy, and more power. The updated lithium-ion battery improves energy capacity to 35.8 kWh, up from the previous 24.2 kWh, for an increase in vehicle range (83 miles to 125 miles on a single charge).
No, Jack, it’s obviously not a road trip car; it’s aimed at around town travel.
There’s also a 7.2 kW on-board charger standard on all trim levels, so you can charge the battery in less than 6 hours at a 240V station. And, when you go with the DC Fast Charging, optional on SE models, standard on Limited Edition and SEL Premium, the battery can be charged up to 80 percent within an hour at a DC fast charging station.
Battery chemistry improvements raise the overall “fuel” economy to 126 MPGe for city driving and 111 MPGe on the highway/autobahn. Combined city/ highway gets you 119 MPGe. These figures are slight improvements over the previous model.
Photo: Volkswagen of America Inc.
Power & Performance
All that juice is applied to the Straße via an upgraded 100 kW electric motor. It puts out 134 horsepower, a notable improvement over the previous 85 kW electric motor that put out 115 horsepower. Unsurprisingly, torque is also up, from 199 lb-ft. to 214 lb-ft., good enough to get you to 60 in just 9.6 seconds. Top speed is a lackadaisical 85 mph, but I doubt 99.9% of e-Golf buyers will care.
Trim Levels
Breaking it down by trim level, the base, or as VW puts it “value-oriented” e-Golf SE starts at $30,495. It comes with more standard equipment than the previous base model. The SE comes with an 8-inch glass-covered touchscreen display, LED taillights, cruise control, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and the 7.2 kW on-board charger. Adding the DC Fast Charging package tacks on another $995.
The e-Golf Limited Edition rings out at $33,795 and includes all of the SE stuff, but adds DC Fast Charging capability, V-Tex leatherette seating surfaces, and Park Distance Control (ParkPilot), along with a new feature called Maneuver Braking to “avoid or mitigate the effects of a collision with stationary objects while parking.” No, seriously.
The range topping e-Golf SEL Premium will cost you $36,995 and offers an optional Driver Assistance package for $1,395. That includes a 12.3-inch Volkswagen Digital Cockpit instrument cluster, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning with Autonomous Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Monitoring, Lane Assist, Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Traffic Alert, Park Assist, and Light Assist.
So, there it is. It’s not exactly a Hail Mary pass on Volkswagen’s part, but they better start selling these things like crazy.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Volkswagen of America Inc.

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Mercedes-Benz GLS Grand Editions Headed To Detroit

Mercedes-Benz GLS Grand Editions Headed To Detroit If you’re a movie company executive or some sort of prince sitting on a literal ocean of oil, or an up-and-coming rapper, the Mercedes-Benz GLS Grand Edition is for you. I guess it’s also for you if you’re the sort of person that desires to live in a tract McMansion, and are still jealous over your neighbor’s gold scores. But what gives? What makes the Mercedes-Benz GLS Grand Edition so Grand in the first place?
Well there’s some stuff here and there that does distinguish it from its lesser brethren, but there are also a couple of glaring mistakes.
Two Strikes
First mistake: Grand. Isn’t that a Pontiac branding thing? Don’t they make Grand Ams and all that? Boy, somebody from Stuttgart better check in with the lawyers at PMD or using this “Grand” terminology . . . what’s that? Oh, right, right. Pontiac is out of business. Maybe that’s not a good sign. Maybe using self-aggrandizing terms like “Grand” isn’t a good move, selling too much sizzle and not enough steak, as it were.
Second mistake: Brown. Now, brown’s a great color and all that, and it does work well on interiors (brown leather and such) but brown as a paint color? Big mistake. And that’s the color I see on all the press photos from Mercedes-Benz for the GLS450. Yes, it will (better) come in other colors, which is great, because I distrust someone who thinks brown is a good color for a car. Brown cars never look clean. Not even Jay Leno can help you there.
Mercedes-Benz GLS450 4MATIC Grand Edition. Photo: MBUSA.
Safety & Performance
So what makes the Mercedes-Benz GLS Grand Edition so grand? First off, it’s all about the design direction. The Mercedes-Benz GLS aims to merge luxury with notable levels of comfort, along with nimble chassis dynamics (or as nimble as a huge box of an SUV can get), along with fully integrated safety systems. I have no doubt about their commitment to and execution of safety. Mercs are great in that respect. Built like bank vaults. Always have been, always will be.
The Grand Edition will be available for both engine-based models of the GLS, the GLS450 4MATIC and GLS550 4MATIC SUVs. That translates into a 4.5-liter V6 and a bigger block 5.5-liter V8. The GLS450 4MATIC puts out 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque; the GLS550 4MATIC is rated at 449 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of torque.
Mercedes-Benz GLS550 4MATIC Grand Edition. Photo: MBUSA.
Lap of Luxury
The features that make the Grand Edition so exclusive focus on interior and exterior design elements. The very lavish interiors feature Porcelain and Espresso Brown and designo Nappa leather seats. The chairs also get an exclusive diamond quilting and special Budapest-design piping. And no, I have know idea what on Earth Budapest-design piping is or counts as, but Hungarians are interesting folks, so maybe the piping will be interesting too?
The interior uses open pore brown ash wood trim with light stripes and Nappa leather on the dashboard. The Grand Editions also come with standard ambient lighting and Espresso Brown velour floor mats. Mercedes-Benz goes perilously close to the edge of making the interior of the GLS Grand Edition look like a waterbed store from 1977, but thankfully they don’t tumble over.
On the outside, the GLS450 4MATIC comes with 20-inch, 10-spoke two-tone wheels and an advanced LED Intelligent Light System, while the big-block GLS550 4MATIC comes with 21-inch wheels and Active LED headlamps. Both are finished with special “Grand Edition” badging.

Not So Special Edition
Special “Grand Edition” badging . . . sigh, that’s how it all starts. And this is just a word of caution to Mercedes-Benz, because honestly, they don’t strike me as being a stupid car company, but stuff like special “Grand Edition” badging is what American car companies tried to pull during the height of the Malaise Era to make otherwise pointless cars seem special. Wanna make that Chevy into a Caddy, put in leather seats and slap on a crest with some ducks on it. Sales of the Mustang II less than what you’d like? No worries, just give it a hideous trim package and call it the Cobra II! I know this goes without saying, but do not do that Mercedes-Benz. You’re better than that, and we, the customer are better than that and we all know it.
Photo: MBUSA.
In Person
If, for some reason, you want to let the world know just how special you are, then perhaps, just perhaps, the Mercedes-Benz GLS Grand Edition is the ride for you. The Detroit show is right around the corner (that would be the North American International Auto Show), so expect to see the Grand Edition’s official reveal then. It will be available and in dealers by mid-year.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format.
Photos & Source: MBUSA.

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Genesis G70: South Korea’s S-Class Response

Genesis G70: South Korea’s S-Class Response

You have to hand it to them. And by them, I mean they. And by they, I mean Hyundai. The Genesis G70 surely isn’t a bad car, not even close to it. And, here’s the first of many rubs confronting the Genesis G70: they want it to be a thing in and of itself. It is The Genesis, not, most definitely not the Hyundai Genesis. Just: Genesis.
And all the press materials go to great lengths to refer to the car as just that. The mentions or uses of the word “Hyundai” tally up to two in over 2,000 words of verbiage. So what is it? What is the Genesis G70? In a nutshell, it’s pretty easy: Hyundai’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Jack of All Trades
Hyundai, the South Korean mega-corp-conglomo-nopoly, does everything from construction projects to chemicals to electronics to shipbuilding to automobile manufacturing. Hyundai has been making good, solid, dependable yet affordable cars for decades now. In a lot of ways, they have out Toyota’d Toyota and the other Japanese marques whose stock in trade has long been good, solid, dependable yet affordable cars. But what if you want more than that? What if you, as an ambitious mega-corp-conglomo-nopoly, want more for your automobile division? Enter Genesis. Something well built, stylish, solid, safe, with an on-the-road and at-the-curb presence to make people notice. Enter Genesis.
Styling & Design
They describe the Genesis G70 as being “an athletic sedan characterized by its graceful and dynamic exterior styling” with an “elegant and intuitively designed interior.” This is all fair enough and, from a marketing perspective, the G70 completes the Genesis sedan lineup, slotting alongside the G90 flagship and the mid-luxury G80. No, I don’t know exactly what they mean by “mid-luxury” either.
The G70 offers a broad spectrum of color options, both inside and outside. There are ten exterior colors available, and they have come up with a new paint-finishing method: small, evenly distributed aluminum particles and high luminosity colors to maximize the exterior paint. Or, as Ed “Big Daddy” Roth calls it, “metalflake”. The inside has the same “big box of Crayolas” approach for available colors.
The G70 interior is prioritized around superb fit and finish with a focus on simplicity and an importance on real functionality. The overall layout is horizontal with a rather nice sport steering wheel. Since this is a Genesis, premium materials such as aluminum door handles, metal speaker grills, and quilted leather door panels are found throughout the cabin.
Photo: Genesis.
Power & Performance
The Genesis G70 aims to be agile yet safe, dynamic yet quiet, but it all starts from the powertrain. There are three powertrains on offer: a 3.3-liter V6 turbo, a 2.0-liter inline four-banger turbo, and a 2.2-liter inline four cylinder diesel. The engine to pay attention to here is the 3.3-liter V6 turbo – that’s the one found in the “enthusiast-focused” G70 Sport. That 3.3-liter V6 turbo plant cranks out 365 ponies and 376 lb-ft. of torque. All of this is good enough to get the G70 Sport to 60 in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 168 mph. The G70 Sport also comes with variable-ratio steering and an electronically controlled suspension for better response and ride and handling.
You also get a number of other fancy-schmancy performance goodies, such as launch control, rack-mounted, motor-driven power steering (R-MDPS), multi-link rear suspension, dynamic torque vectoring, and a mechanical limited slip differential. They have also put in this contraption called Active Sound Design (ASD). This system “creates an aural character that reflects the engine load and driving mode settings.” That’s all they say about the ASD deal, but I cry witchcraft and sorcery, or, at the very least, fakery and I don’t hold with it. Nosir!
Photo: Genesis.

Technology & Safety
The cabin is also drowning in high tech gee-gaws, like a smart posture control system for minimal stress on long journeys. There’s an 8-inch touchscreen display with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The G70 also comes with server-based voice recognition technology, using Kakao’s artificial intelligence platform Kakao I. A 15-speaker Lexicon system is there when you really want to crank the K-Pop.
The G70 has a buffet of safety doohickeys like pedestrian impact mitigation technology that lifts the hood to absorb shock and minimize injury. There’s Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and J-Pop Avoidance Assist because we all know that Psy and Exo are totally hot and AKB48 and Arashi are totally not.
Photo: Genesis.
Big Questions
Will this work? Will the G70, along with the G80 and G90, be able to make Genesis into a brand of its own? That’s the obvious goal here, and I’m not saying they can’t do it. A lot of people in the car business have lost a lot of money saying that same thing about South Korean car companies. Perhaps Hyundai can defy the odds?
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos & Source: Genesis.

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Lotus Evora GT430 Sport Joins The Party

Lotus Evora GT430 Sport Joins The Party

Okay, so I’m starting to see a pattern here. Lotus, as lovely as they are, has been beating the hype machine drum every two or three months about a “new” model. If this were a major car manufacturer, this article would be nothing but calling them out for being stupidly old school and calling a trim package a “new” model.
But this is Lotus, and most importantly, with all these new Evora variants, they actually feature improvements to the car in terms of performance and design.
Reclaiming The Title
When the Evora fist came out, it was a bit of a puzzle to a lot of hardcore sports car types, and especially Lotus fanatics. It came out right in the middle of that whole Dany Bahar era of 100% horse manure (“Lotus cars aren’t about performance, they are about fashion and luxury”), and the overall layout, that 2 + 1 seating thing, struck a lot of people as odd and unnecessary. Then cooler heads prevailed, Bahar was run out of Hethel on a rail, and performance engineers took control and steered Lotus back on a course that benefits us all. Okay, all us gearheads, because to my knowledge, Lotus has never made a grocery-getter or kid picker-upper and if they ever do, we’re going to have a scrap on our hands.
Performance Engineering
As the name implies, the Lotus Evora GT430 Sport is a further variation and improvement on the GT430. There’s some slight nips and tucks here and there to make it prettier (in a way) and some judicious massaging of the drivetrain and chassis to make it do what Lotus cars have always done: Go, turn, and stop much better than you’d expect.
The Lotus Evora GT430 Sport is part of the extended Evora family, which also has the Evora 400, Evora Sport 410, and the recent addition of the Evora GT430. The new Evora GT430 range (that would be the GT and the Sport) includes two body options and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. To some, the thought of a slush box in a Lotus is outright blasphemy, but put down those pitchforks and torches for a second and hold up. We’ll get to why the automatic in the Evora is actually a pretty good deal. Like its GT430 sibling, the Evora GT430 Sport is motivated from county to county by the same 3.5-liter V6 supercharged engine that cranks out 430 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque, or 317 lb-ft.
Photo: Lotus Cars USA Inc.
Weight & Aerodynamics
The Evora GT430 Sport tips the scales at 10 kilos (22 pounds) less, for a total of 1,248 kg or right around 2,750 pounds. Divide that by the 430 horses and you come up with a power-to-weight ratio of 345 horsepower / tonne (that’s a metric ton) which guarantees you this little car is going to flat out fly when you mash the pedal. As a matter of fact, the Evora GT430 Sport has a top speed of 196 mph, making it the fastest Lotus production car ever.
The easiest way to tell the Sport apart from the Evora GT430 is how the Sport has “motorsport derived aerodynamics.” This is a very polite and British way of saying the flips, kicks, spoilers, and such are not Vin Diesel-inspired cake decorations of no performance utility, oh no. There’s a carbon fiber splitter and a large, profiled carbon wing to suck you onto the tarmac. Louvers at the top of each front wheel arch to cut lift and reduce pressure within the wheel well. The GT430 Sport also has wider wheels and tires.
Photo: Lotus Cars USA Inc.

Transmission, Live Wire
Now, about that automatic transmission and why we will not be marching on Lotus HQ for a righteous stoning – at least not today. That automatic transmission will be available for both of the GT430 models. If you opt for the automatic transmission, you will net 10 Nm more torque (for a total of 450 Nm or around 332 lb-ft.). The bottom line is, get this, that the automatic version is even quicker than the manual GT430. 60 mph comes up in a pretty scant 3.6 seconds.
To make a transmission that usually implies less performance actually give you more performance, the Lotus six-speed automatic has an optimized gearbox ECU for ultra-fast changes from cog to cog. Gear selection is made from the driver’s seat via lightweight aluminum paddles mounted to the steering wheel, natch.

Speed Tech
Other go-fast-goodies include standard Öhlins TTX two-way adjustable dampers (which would have given A.C.B. Chapman fits, if he were still with us), J-grooved and ventilated brake discs, AP Racing four-piston calipers at all four corners, a lovely Torsen-type limited slip differential, and an adjustable traction control system in case that Torsen isn’t good enough for you, and you have a right foot closer to a ham than what Jimmy Clark had on the end of his leg.
The GTs, both the Sport and “normal” are available now. They are more than most of us can afford, but I, for one, still want one of these . . . or two. Life is too short for boring cars.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Lotus Cars USA Inc.

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Honda Insight Prototype To Debut In Detroit

Honda Insight Prototype To Debut In Detroit
Hey, remember the Honda Insight? It was that oddly shaped little two-seater that was the first production hybrid in America (sorry Toyota) that silently slipped away only to be replaced by a rather Prius-esque shaped thing. Well, it’s back, and this time around, 99 percent of the oddities and problems are ironed out and Honda is starting to make a pretty big deal about it.
The Honda Insight Prototype will take to the stage for the first time at this year’s North American International Auto Show, in beautiful (but cold) Detroit.
Prototypes & Precursors
Yes, Honda calls it a prototype, but they seem serious about bringing it to dealers by 2019. They call the Honda Insight Prototype a “precursor to the all-new 2019 Honda Insight.” So be it. Honda says the 2019 Insight will be an upscale and stylish five-passenger sedan, situated above the Civic in Honda’s car lineup. The future Insight will use Honda’s latest generation of their two-motor hybrid system.
The 2019 Insight will take an entirely new approach with styling versus the second-gen Insight from 2009. The ’09 was a 5-door, 5-passenger design with increased space and utility, and was one of the market’s more affordable hybrids. What’s also true is that Jeremy Clarkson hated the things, and not because it’s a green hybrid (Clarkson’s about as green as a Harkonnen). No, he disliked the Insights because the build quality was shabby. When was the last time you heard that about a Honda?
Funny thing is, I heard the same thing from other people. A car-friend of mine rented one on a business trip. He’s a Mercedes/German car guy and a person of very high standards, and he was floored by how cheap everything was. He said it was especially galling, given that it was a Honda.
Honda Insight Prototype. Photo: Honda North America.
Green Desires
Fast-forward to the North American International Auto Show and the 2019 Insight which will be unveiled there. The 2019 Insight is said to take an entirely new approach to styling, packaging, premium features, and overall performance that many mainstream car buyers require these days. Honda says it will be a “hybrid vehicle without any inherent compromise.”
“You won’t have to be an electrification advocate to appreciate the new Insight – it’s a great car in its own right, independent of what’s happening under the hood,” said Henio Arcangeli, Jr., Senior VP of Automobile Sales and GM of the Honda Division in America. “The all-new Insight embodies Honda’s approach to creating electrified vehicles without the typical tradeoffs.”
Arcangeli went on to say that “at the 2017 North American International Auto Show we announced our Honda Electrification Initiative with the intention to make two-thirds of Honda’s global vehicle sales electrified vehicles by 2030. With the Insight launching later in 2018 as the fifth electrified vehicle brought to market over the past year, we’re demonstrating our commitment to that goal.” Two-thirds? Impressive. Honda plainly sees where the economic, regulatory, and ecological winds are blowing and show no signs of being caught flat-footed.

Manufacturing & Availability
The Insight will be manufactured at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana plant, alongside the Civic and CR-V. It will join the Clarity series (Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric, and Clarity Plug-in Hybrid), and the 2018 Accord Hybrid as part of Honda’s green fleet. The Insight will be arriving at dealerships nationwide early next year.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format.
Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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Letter From The UK: An Autonomous Fairy Story

Letter From The UK: An Autonomous Fairy Story
Between these very virtual pages you will find dissent. Some esteemed colleagues are looking toward a bright new autonomous future, forged in the white heat of automotive technology. Others, like road knights of old, prefer the six-speed stick shift on the floor and two human eyes on the road ahead. I am firmly in the old-school group. Fortunately, in this regard at least, I am a couple of thousand miles away from the heart of Automoblog and the futurists can’t get to me.
Survey Says
Right now the autonomous lobby has the floor. With all the recent announcements – including one every five minutes from Elon Musk (who I firmly believe is actually Ernst Stavro Blofeld in disguise) about the massive investments in driverless cars, it is nice to know there is one company that, in a way, sides with me. Mazda.
This is an auto outfit that plays by its own rules. They make some good cars and they don’t seem to be swayed by trends particularly. The Japanese car giant believes that driving is an ability people want to keep. As any gearhead will tell you, it is a skill that can be fun as well as functional, and many motorists don’t want to lose it and find themselves in a convoy of conveyances all chattering away to each other and getting nowhere fast.
A survey across the European Union commissioned by Mazda has shown quite clearly a very large majority of drivers still want to drive themselves, even with self-driving technology available. In fact, a scant 29 percent actively welcome the arrival of autonomous vehicles. This flies in the face of all that we are told. I’m not paranoid (although I am pretty sure they are on my case) but it indicates to me a sense that, in order to gain total control over the roads, governments would rather like us to believe that this technology will save us from ourselves.
Photo: Mazda North American Operations.
Safety First
Many think as I do that auto technology should act, at best, as an aid to safety, available when needed to avoid accidents but with the driver in control of the driving process. This keeps the exhilaration of the act and retains the freedom of the road. Much of this technology is already here and available on our cars anyway. Subaru’s “Eyesight” for example, is brilliant. Most of us have no objection to an extension of this if it saves lives. What gets to folk is the “hands off” approach we are being encouraged to accept. I truly doubt experienced drivers will readily relinquish control to this level.
One surprising aspect of the Mazda survey is how there is no evidence of greater support for self-driving cars in any younger age demographic across Europe generally. For research purposes, the age groups were split: 18 to 24, 25 to 34, and 35 to 44. No group stood out in favor, when it is usual for youth to be more readily accepting of new technology. What does that tell you? Driving is about much more than just getting from A to B. There is danger that simply going for a drive, like Frank Zappa cruising for burgers just for the hell of it, could become a forgotten pleasure.
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
What Does The Future Portend?
Of course, I am maybe getting a little ahead of events. Although there is a powerfully global and by-and-large well-meaning lobby for the drive to driverless, it seems to me the reality of it is still a long way off. Sure, there are public road tests underway but I can’t see it coming to fruition in this decade. There are just too many variables on our roads, and the one thing autonomous technology does not have that we puny humans still possess is that sixth sense; that sixth sense that all is not well. Any practised driver will tell you this.
It is even possible to envisage a scenario whereby car manufacturers will quit the research while they’re ahead on the basis that, ultimately, it simply won’t be worth their while. Mazda clearly isn’t sure. I wonder.
In the official, authoritarian world that dislikes the idea of driving for pleasure and debases the role of the car in our family lives, the question has to be asked of autonomous, or indeed any other technology: just because they can, have they stopped to think whether they should?
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite

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2018 Nissan Versa Note Pricing Announced, New Features Added

2018 Nissan Versa Note Pricing Announced, New Features Added

Nissan recently announced U.S. pricing for the 2018 Versa Note, which comes in three levels: S, SV, and SR. Nissan customers may be delighted to know that starting MSRPs for the 2018 Versa Note did not increase over the current 2017 model, despite new features being added.
Style & Comfort
The Versa Note hatchback SR, at the top of the range, stands out the most with its more sporty character. Fog lights, a rear spoiler, and 16-inch machine-finished aluminum alloy wheels decorate the exterior. Suede-like seats and a leather wrapper steering wheel provide further interior comfort. The SR also adds Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, the Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System, and Easy Fill Tire Alert.
Design & Functionality
Regardless of model, the 2018 Nissan Versa Note features the automaker’s signature “V-Motion” grille. The design is found on a range of Nissan vehicles including the Sentra, Altima, and Maxima. Interior volume is 112.9 cubic feet, cargo space is 18.8 cubic feet, front headroom is 40.8 inches, and rear legroom is 38.3 inches. Nissan says their goal was to make everything comfortable and family friendly.
Power & Performance
The 2018 Versa Note is powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder, paired with a next-generation Xtronic transmission. The combination nets the Versa Note an EPA-estimated 39 miles per gallon on the highway. The transmission features a retuned D-step Logic Control, which simulates shifts, for a more natural feel.
The 2018 Nissan Versa Note is available now.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Versa Note 1.6 S Xtronic
$15,480 USD
Versa Note 1.6 SV Xtronic
$16,380 USD
Versa Note 1.6 SR Xtronic
$17,980 USD
Photo & Source: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

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