New Rewards Reservation Program To Include 2019 Infiniti QX50

New Rewards Reservation Program To Include 2019 Infiniti QX50 The 2019 Infiniti QX50, sure to be a hit with the soccer-mom brigades across suburbia, is now part of a new program that gives customers a chance to reserve the vehicle before it officially lands. In addition to reserving your QX50 for the not at all unreasonable starting sum of $36,550, the program offers luxury gifts. This reservation system must be working, since more than 4,000 people have already signed up?
So besides tech, audio, and home tchotchkes that Inifniti calls “luxury rewards,” what does your 36 large get you? Well, about all the things people demand these days.
Platform & Styling
The 2019 QX50 is built on an all-new platform that sets standards for refinement, rigidity, and interior space in the premium crossover segment. According to Infiniti that is. Of course, that term “rigidity” tells any serious off-roader the QX50 is not to be taken to Moab or anything like that. The QX50 is built for shopping mall parking lots, private school parking lots, beauty salon parking lots, and well, you get the idea.
The exterior styling is said to be “bold” and convey Infiniti’s “Powerful Elegance” design language to the crossover segment. Okay, sure, whatever. For that market segment though, the QX50 does bring lots of interior space, quality materials, and high levels of craftsmanship to the party.
Photo: Infiniti.
Power & Performance
The QX50 is motivated through the suburbs via a VC-Turbo engine. VC in this case stands for variable compression, and indeed this is the world’s first production-ready variable compression ratio engine, transforming on demand just how hard your air/fuel mixture is squished. The 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine adjusts its compression ratio so power and efficiency is optimized. The 2.0-liter VC-Turbo combines the power of a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with the torque and efficiency of a 3.5-liter V6. Nice! But let’s take it out of this “crossover” and put it in a sports car, shall we Nissan?
And oh yeah, of course, the 2019 QX50 offers a buffet of technologies to make your driving experience all the easier. This raft of high-tech stuff includes the available ProPILOT Assist and the first front-wheel drive application of Direct Adaptive Steering, now in its fourth-generation. Both of these techno-goodies are key components in Infiniti’s vision for driver assistance tech that allows you, as the driver, to retain ultimate control over your vehicle.
2019 Infiniti QX50 on display at the North American International Auto Show, Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
Pricing & In Person
The 2019 Infiniti QX50 comes in three very well equipped model levels: pure, luxe, and essential. Each of those can be had in your choice of front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The special pre-sale reservation program is available through February 28th. Customers who sign up and purchase or lease the 2019 QX50 by May 31st are eligible for additional gifts. Below is a handy little chart that shows the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices.
The 2019 Infiniti QX50 is on display at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center, downtown Detroit. The show officially opens to the public on Saturday, January 20th.
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. 
Model
Engine/Drive
MSRP
QX50 PURE
2.0-liter VC-Turbo / FWD
$36,550 USD
QX50 PURE AWD
2.0-liter VC-Turbo / AWD
$38,350 USD
QX50 LUXE
2.0-liter VC-Turbo / FWD
$39,400 USD
QX50 LUXE AWD
2.0-liter VC-Turbo / AWD
$41,200 USD
QX50 ESSENTIAL
2.0-liter VC-Turbo / FWD
$43,350 USD
QX50 ESSENTIAL AWD
2.0-liter VC-Turbo / AWD
$45,150 USD
Cover Photo & Source: Infiniti.



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2019 Toyota Avalon Appears In Detroit

2019 Toyota Avalon Appears In Detroit
Well, here it is, the all-new 2019 Toyota Avalon, which, to be honest, is the automotive equivalent of saying “here’s the all-new 2019 jar of mayonnaise!” I’m not trying to imply that the 2019 Toyota Avalon is a bad car, not at all. It’s not. What I am saying is that it is boring. Sure, sure, it has adequate power and handling, and enough comfort and convenience features and room to make you feel like you’re driving down the road in a medium-sized Tokyo apartment, but it is as exciting as getting pushed off a milk crate into a vat of marshmallow frosting.
Bland Or Bold?
Look, maybe I am being unfair here, but these things have always bored me to tears. I make no bones about either my general dislike of sedans or my firmly held belief that cars bleached of all spirit and soul are most likely to bleach me of my spirit and soul. I’m sure the 2019 Avalon is smooth and quiet and comfortable and reliable and slick and noiseless and relaxing and dependable and velvety and tranquil and secure and unfailing as a Kenny G solo, but no one in the automotive world will have their nether regions corrupted by this car. Ev-ver.
But (and this is a big but) if that is the kind of car you need at this point in your life, i.e. something innocuous, roomy, sedan-like, and Japanese, it’s hard to go wrong buying a 2019 Toyota Avalon. For 2019, the Toyota Avalon will come in four grades: XSE (which is all-new), Touring, XLE, and Limited. The Hybrid model Avalons come in XLE, Limited, and XSE.
2019 Toyota Avalon on display at the North American International Auto Show, Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
 
Interior Treatments
As one would expect, the interior of the new Avalon is nicely thought out, with well executed comfort and tech features. The Avalon exists to get you from A to B and to do so without raising your heart rate (sad as that is). Depending on the trim level, you get stuff like specially engineered wood and a mix of Perforated Ultrasuede or Softex seats. Those seats come with either vertical stitching or a quilt pattern with special perforation, and two-color stitches.
Toyota points out how the soft-touch materials are noticeable throughout. It’s on the Piano Black trimmed center console, on the slim instrument panel leading into the doors, in the rear compartment – really just all over the place. That Piano Black finishing can also be found on the rear cup and device holders, and in the armrest between passengers. Throughout the interior are air vents, controls for the seat warmers, and USB charging ports.
The upholstery color choices, which I first thought would consist of beige, tan, taupe, champagne, and Caucasian, actually show more variation that that. The 2019 Avalon’s interior can come in Cognac, gray and beige, gray or black Perforated Ultrasuede, or gray, beige, or black Softex.
Cutting Down
Curiously enough, for being such a big car in its past iterations, the 2019 Avalon is marginally smaller here and there. Toyota trimmed the overall height by an inch, chopped 0.8 inches off the rear deck, and lopped off 0.4 inches from the rear overhang, and one inch from the front overhang. Although smaller, the Avalon is a little wider, now up to 72.8 inches total. The wheelbase was extended by two inches. This is actually an old styling trick most popularized by the Wide-Track Pontiacs back in the 60s.





Multimedia Amenities
Of course there’s a big screen on the dash: a nine-inch multimedia display that controls audio, navigation, and climate control. Below the screen is a slide-open eBin containing a 12-volt plug and the standard wireless Qi mobile device charger. There are three USB power ports located inside the center console. The instrument panel itself is a seven-inch Multi-Information Display, showing vehicle information, turn-by-turn navigation, and various vehicle settings. Both Limited and Touring models come standard with a 10-inch Heads-Up Display for vehicle and engine speeds, turn-by-turn directions, audio settings, and drive modes.
The stereo is an Owsley Stanley grade JBL performance audio system. It features 14-speakers, 1200-watts of power, and a tuned 7.1-channel surround sound system. Fitting, since JBLs are known for their fine, mellow, warm sound reproduction.
Power & Performance
The 2019 Toyota Avalon comes with two powertrain choices: normal and hybrid. The normal internal combustion engine is an Atkinson cycle 3.5-liter V6 with direct injection and updated VVT-iW (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent Wide) and variable valve timing systems. Toyota says the V6 develops more power and better fuel economy through “D-4S direct injection” and the aforementioned updates to the VVT-iW and variable valve timing systems. Other V6 specifications include a 11.8:1 compression ratio; bore and stroke dimensions are 3.7-inches and 3.3-inches respectively.
The hybrid drive combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (direct injected) plant with Dual VVT-i with VVT-iE (Variable Valve Timing intelligent system by Electric motor). This is coupled to Toyota’s Hybrid System II with a 650-volt electric motor and Continuously-Variable Transmission.
Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Availability & In Person
Expect to see the 2019 Toyota Avalon on sale this spring. In the meantime, the vehicle is on display at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center, downtown Detroit. The show officially opens to the public on Saturday, January 20th.
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. 
Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.



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The all-new 2019 Genesis G70 is the BMW 3-Series' latest worry

The all-new 2019 Genesis G70 is the BMW 3-Series' latest worry The latest from Hyundai’s newly established luxury brand is here to make the Germans quiver in their shoes.

What’s going on?
Amid a massive concert featuring some of America’s greatest pop stars in South Korea, Hyundai’s new luxury sub-brand, Genesis, revealed its latest concoction. Meet the 2019 Genesis G70 sedan, the BMW 3-Series’ latest contender from the Far East.
Many years in the making with plenty of hype and anticipation to accompany, the new Genesis G70 seeks to steal buyers away from the traditional European, and even Japanese, automakers currently dominating the compact sports sedan segment. And there’s a lot of participation. Besides the BMW 3-Series, the G70 joins the battlegrounds currently occupied by the Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Jaguar XE, Alfa Romeo Giulia, and even America’s Cadillac ATS.
Can Genesis put a dent in one of the most competitive market segments in the entire automotive industry? We think so, and on paper, the G70 is very promising.
“The Genesis G70 is the latest demonstration of our dedication to delivering innovative, customer-oriented vehicles,” said Vice Chairman Dr. Woong-Chul Yang. “We will continue to focus our R&D efforts on the development and expansion of the Genesis brand. It is a great point of pride to have Genesis showcase what a true luxury brand of Korean origin can present to our discerning customers.”
It’s genesis for Genesis









































With the intent to compete with the BMW 3-Series, the Genesis G70 has some big shoes to fill. As a looker, the G70 provides a new take on the compact luxury sports sedan in the exterior design department. For instance, it doesn’t particularly act like it’s trying to mimic any of its competition. Instead, the G70 sports various aesthetic traits that clearly separate it from the competition. As a result, the G70 is unique in its own right, meshing a hint of European influence with South Korean Gangam-style flare.
Luc Donkerwolke, formerly of Bentley, calls the new G70 a true representation of Genesis’s new “athletic elegance” design theme.
“At Genesis, we shape fascination and desire with the passion, dedication and talent from our designers. We modulated all parameters from the Genesis DNA to tailor a sports sedan. This challenge required the highest skills and know-how. The G70 is designed to captivate all senses with its sensuous and tensioned muscular volumes.”
Inside, the Genesis G70’s interior appointments also seem well up to the task. It visually offers a luxury feel with a hint of sportiness. To prove that Genesis is serious about upping its performance driving game, the dashboard is angled towards the driver. That’s so the G70s infotainment and center stack can be easily controlled, much like the glory days of some old BMWs.
But it’s not all just show…
There’s plenty of go too with the choice of a 2.0L turbocharged gasoline inline-four, a range-topping 3.3L twin-turbo V6, and a 2.2L turbodiesel inline-four for Asian and European markets. The 2.0L GDI gas four is one we’ve become familiar with, offering around 250 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of twist. Though equip the sport package and the horsepower rating gets a subtle bump.
The 3.3L twin-turbo GDI V6 is another engine we’re already familiar with, serving duty in the latest G80 and G90 sedans. That’s good for around 370hp and 376 lb-ft of twist, which allows the fastest G70 to hit 62 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds.
Genesis didn’t specify, but we imagine the company’s preexisting eight-speed automatic will serve cog swapping duty.
And it’s not just all power either…
Supporting the G70’s promising performance is a multi-link rear suspension setup, dynamic torque vectoring, and even a standard mechanical limited-slip differential. This is the kind of stuff that we’ve come to expect from German competition. But to find it on a new luxury sports sedan that’s the first of its kind from Korea is even more surprising.
To tweak the handling performance, Genesis says the G70 was extensively tested in extreme situations. From Death Valley, USA, to the “Green Hell” Nurburgring, to the Austrian Alps, and the northern end of Sweden, Genesis wanted to ensure the most optimal handling, performance, and durability in the most challenging of climates.
This of course means we can expect the G70 to come loaded with lots of kit. The list ranges from Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 15-speaker Lexicon surround audio system, and voice recognition. All of it is controlled by an eight-inch LCD touchscreen.
How much will it cost and when will it go on sale?
Genesis didn’t announce priving as of yet. But such specific details will be revealed sometime in early 2018.
– By: Chris Chin
2019 Genesis G70 Quick Specifications
Category
 Genesis G70
Length (mm)
4,685
Width (mm)
1,850
Height (mm)
1,400
Wheelbase (mm)
2,835

Overhang
(mm)
F
805
R
1,045
Engine Type
Lambda II 3.3 T-GDI
Theta II 2.0 T-GDI
R-FR 2.2 VGT
Drive Configuration
RWD
AWD
RWD
AWD
RWD
AWD

Fuel Economy
(km/ℓ)
9.0(19”)
8.6(19”)
10.7(18”)
10.4(19”)
10.0(18”)
9.5(19”)

15.2(17”)
14.5(18”)

13.6(17”)
13.5(18”)
Displacement
(cc)
3,342
1,998
2,199
Max Power
(ps)
370

252
(Sports Package: 255)
202
Max Torque
(kg·m)
52.0
36.0
45.0
2019 Genesis G70 Photo Gallery





























































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2019 Jeep Cherokee Hits The Scene In Detroit

2019 Jeep Cherokee Hits The Scene In Detroit
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee just debuted in Detroit, Michigan at the North American International Auto Show. Jeep says the 2019 Cherokee will feature a more premium design overall, but stay true to its original Jeep styling, which they note as “icnonic.” Given that “iconic Jeep styling” is essentially a box on four wheels that can sustain incoming fire from a Wehrmacht MG 42, this is a good thing.
New Suit
Styling is new all around for the 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The front fascia is entirely new as are the hood, the headlamps, which are LED units, the daylight running lamps, and the fog lamps. There is a new and lighter power liftgate that provides hands free operation. Wheels? Those are new too. There are five new wheel designs, including a set of premium 19-inch wheels on the Overland models. Jeep also says you can experience “open-air freedom” thanks to the available dual-pane sunroof (which is kinda pretentious, but I also bet the view is pretty nice).
The interior has also gotten the premium treatment. Functionality and design has been refined with new Satin Chrome and Piano Black, high-gloss accents that really let you know how far we’ve come from the motorized U.S. Army mule of the 1940s. The rear cargo volume has improved and there is more convenient storage space available.
The modern conveniences extend to such niceties as a fourth-generation Uconnect system that includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get your choice of either a seven or 8.4-inch touchscreen with pinch-and-zoom capability.
Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
Power & Performance
Under that big, flat-ish hood sits a completely new 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine with direct-injection. Said four-banger cranks out 270 horsepower and a healthy 295 lb-ft. of torque. Both of those figures are noteworthy given they are coming from only 2.0-liters of displacement. The new, 2019 Jeep Cherokee is also fitted with engine stop-start technology (ESS) to optimize your fuel economy and to minimize greenhouse gas emissions.
I know stop-start tech kind of got a bad rap when it first came out, but it seems like most of those criticisms have been dealt with over the years. So really, having engine stop-start technology isn’t that big of a deal any longer. That engine is mated to an enhanced TorqueFlite nine-speed automatic transmission, tuned to match the performance of the new turbocharged inline four-pot.
The 2019 Cherokee also has two other power plants to choose from. There’s a 3.2-liter Pentastar V6, also equipped with ESS technology. That mill puts out 271 horsepower and 239 lb-ft. of torque with a towing capability of 4,500 lbs. Very nice. Jeep says this towing figure is best-in-class. The other engine is a 2.4-liter Tigershark MultiAir2, delivering 180 horsepower and 170 lb-ft. of torque (also quipped with ESS).
2019 Jeep Cherokee on display at the North American International Auto Show, Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
 
Off-Road Prowess
Jeep says the 2019 Cherokee, with its enhanced four-wheel drive systems, is the benchmark for mid-sized SUVs. Which all follows, given that Jeeps are famed the world over for their off-road capabilities. And to that end, the new Cherokee features the next-generation of Jeep’s Active Drive I. The rear drive module is fully automatic and goes in and out of four-wheel drive at any speed without any driver input needed. Jeep also cut nearly 17 lbs. from the Active Drive I setup to increase fuel efficiency and performance.
Jeep Active Drive II includes a two-speed Power Transfer Unit with special torque management capabilities, and low-range gear reduction. This is available if you’re going to get into more serious, mixed, and unpredictable terrain. A perfect bit of kit for those of you that own fishing cabins, do a lot of skiing, or live in places like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Thanks to the Jeep Selec-Terrain traction control system, you have up to five customized modes – Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud, and Rock  – available from your dashboard. Oh, and speaking of Rock Mode, this thing has a crawl ratio of up to 51.2:1, which means it could probably climb the Washington Monument.
2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Production & In Person
Yes, it’s all shiny and new, but you don’t have to look very deep to see it’s still a Jeep. The new Cherokee is on display at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center, downtown Detroit. The show officially opens to the public on Saturday, January 20th.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee is manufactured at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Belvidere, Illinois. It will arrive in Jeep showrooms in the first quarter of this 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. 
2019 Jeep Cherokee Gallery




















Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.



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2019 Kia Forte Arrives With Hints of Stinger DNA

2019 Kia Forte Arrives With Hints of Stinger DNA
The 2019 Kia Forte recently debuted at the North American International Auto Show, highlighting the Korean company’s efforts to evolve it into a more refined compact car. The Forte picks up design cues from the Stinger, which is probably a good call, given how well the Stinger has been received. The Forte is also Kia’s first car with the in-house designed and built Intelligent Variable Transmission. The 2019 Kia Forte also introduces their new line of Smart Stream technologies to help increase fuel efficiency.
Sweet Spot
Kia seems to want to straddle the line with the Forte by trying to keep it sporty and youthful while moving it toward a more sophisticated appearance, thanks to a number of styling cues inspired by the Stinger. Peter Schreyer, President & Chief Design Officer, Hyundai Motor Group, and his team incorporated ingredients of the Stinger’s DNA into the Forte to give it a commanding road presence: Long hood, short deck, and that traditional, overall fastback-like shape, only applied to a sedan. The cowl point was pushed back a healthy five inches to create a more athletic stance and to give the 2019 Forte a more planted look.
Hood creases contribute to the Forte’s muscular appearance, which flows through the front fascia as well. A new slant to the grille and an aggressive black lower valance are nice touches. The front bumper also has the neat little trick of doubling as air curtains to improve aero performance; even the headlamp design and layout is said to be “Stinger­esque.” The rear bumper gets the same treatment with separate reverse and turn signal indicators beneath available LED taillights that are connected by a sleek, horizontal trim piece.
2019 Kia Forte on display at the North American International Auto Show, Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
Power & Performance
The 2019 Kia Forte is powered by a second-generation 2.0­-liter Nu four cylinder Atkinson Cycle engine. The engine uses a cooled EGR system to boost fuel efficiency. Power and torque figures are not expected to change over the 2018 Forte: 147 horsepower and 132 lb-ft. of torque, but fuel efficiency is up by 3 mpg.
Transmission-wise you can choose from either a six speed manual or Kia’s aforementioned Intelligent Variable Transmission. The Intelligent Variable Transmission is Kia’s own improved version of a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The new IVT unit gets around the old rubber-­band­-like feel of a CVT, thanks to adaptive style shift logic and a chain type belt instead of a push belt. KIA’s IVT is also much quieter than a CVT thanks to wrapping the transmission case in a sound insulating cover. This move dropped NVH levels by 5dB.
Interior Treatments
The interior is just as well thought out and whittled down to what works. Going with a fastback shape reinforced the Forte’s exterior appearance, but it also gave engineers an opportunity to increase the passenger compartment in key areas for greater comfort, especially on longer journeys. The dashboard is all about openness and avoiding clutter, for example. There’s lots of clean lines and minimal buttons, which are intuitively placed below an eight-inch color touchscreen.
Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
Bigger & Easier
The Forte is bigger in lots of key areas; length is up by 3.2 inches to 182.7 inches, so there’s more legroom and cargo space in the trunk. That trunk now holds 15.1 cubic feet of your stuff. The overall width is up by 0.7 inches which gives Kia a little more visual width to play with. All occupants will appreciate easier ingress and egress, plus improved outward visibility, according to Kia.
Safety & Handling
With a Top Safety Pick Plus rating, the 2019 Forte is stronger than before thanks to additional hot stamped components and a structural content of 54 percent Advanced High-Strength Steel. The seat frames are stronger and lighter in weight with increased lumbar support and denser seat foam.
Noise, vibration, and harshness has been improved thanks to an increase in body stiffness. That increased body stiffness also plays a major role in better handling too. There’s a new subframe design to improve lateral responsiveness, and steering feel is better than the Forte’s predecessor thanks to enhancements within the Motor Driven Power Steering system.
Photo: Gino D’Orazio for Automoblog.net.
Tech Galore
And of course, since the model year is 2019, the new Forte is swamped with high-tech goodies. The 2019 Forte comes standard with an eight-­inch color touchscreen compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The screen is neatly integrated into the dash and within the driver’s line of sight. With the right smartphone devices, the system also has the capability to read SMS texts aloud through Bluetooth, and you can even wirelessly charge your compatible Android and Apple devices. A premium sound system developed with Harman Kardon cranks out an impressive 320 watts of power.
Pricing & In Person
Once again, Kia shows that it knows how to build cars that buyers want at a very (low) specific price point. Although pricing was not announced, don’t expect the 2019 Kia Forte to break the bank when it arrives later this year. When it does, the whole shootin’ match comes in three trims: LX, S, and EX. In the meantime, the new Forte is on display at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center, downtown Detroit. The show officially opens to the public on Saturday, January 20th.
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. 





Cover Photo & Source: Kia Motors America.



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Porsche 911 GT2 RS Fastest 911 Ever With Staggering Nürburgring Lap

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Fastest 911 Ever With Staggering Nürburgring Lap

Somehow over the years, the Nürburgring has become the de facto benchmark for carmakers. What once started out as a make-work project by the Nazis (no, really) and ended up being the venue for the German Grand Prix for decades was, for a while there, seemingly consigned to being a footnote in racing history. Niki Lauda’s near-fatal crash in ’76 sounded the death knell for the track as a GP venue in favor of safer more anodyne locations like Hockenheim or the new Nürburgring GP circuit.
Local Attraction, Digital Destination
The old track, properly referred to as the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, was still there, draped around the countryside, ringing the ancient ruins of a Medieval castle, used on occasion for sports car races, and, for no sane, logical, reasonable explanation, open to the average driver as a public road. You could, and still can, for a not-unreasonable fee, take any car with a license plate for a lap around the old Nordschleife. Everything from 2CVs to big bore Ferraris were welcome and this, over the years, grew organically into a yardstick to measure yourself and your car.
Automotive manufacturers cottoned to this growing level of cachet right around the same time that Sony and Microsoft were establishing themselves in the game console market. Before you could legally drive on a public road in this country, you could lap the Nürburgring-Nordschleife just as fast as your digital car could go in a PlayStation or Xbox.
And now, setting a hot lap time around the old circuit means something, and boy, did Porsche just blast off a hot one a few days back with their 2018 911 GT2 RS. For those of you that want to cut to the chase, here’s the number: 6:47.3. That is, to use the engineering term, really &#%$^*$ fast! I mean mein Gott in Himmel fast. Seriously. Power up your PlayStation or your Xbox and give it a go. See how fast you can go. G’head. Take your time. I can wait . . . see? Not that easy, is it?
Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Sunday Driver
And do keep in mind that although the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is a factory stripper hot rod, it is also a fully street legal sports car. This is no track day special. You could hang a license plate off your 911 GT2 RS and drive it to work if you wanted to. I know I would, but I’m funny like that.
Porsche’s best lap time of 6:47.3 minutes surpassed Zuffenhausen’s internal target by 17.7 seconds, a huge gap to say the least. Frank-Steffen Walliser, Head of Motorsport and GT Cars for Porsche, stated flatly, “this result makes it official: The GT2 RS is not only the most powerful, but also the fastest 911 model ever built.”
As if that lap record wasn’t intimidating enough, it’s also worth noting that it wasn’t a single, go for broke, banzai lap. Porsche points out that once drivers Lars Kern and Nick Tandy broke the previous record for street legal sports cars of 6:52.01, they immediately proceeded to lap the track in under 6:50 on five separate occasions. Although Kern and Tandy were each trading the quickest times back and forth, it was Kern, a Porsche test driver by trade that set the quickest mark of the day.
Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.


Power & Performance
The specs for the 911 GT2 RS are just as staggering as that lap time. It’s the fastest and most powerful road-going 911 thanks to a 3.6-liter twin turbo flat-six engine, producing 700 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque. The two-seater tips the scales at 3,241 pounds and is shod with standard N-spec Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. All this adds up to a 0 to 60 launch of 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 211 mph.
The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the cover car in Microsoft’s upcoming Forza 7. Forza 7 will be one of the main launch titles for the soon-to-be-released Xbox One X which means, given the inclusion of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in Forza, that you could have a tilt at those lap times laid down by Messrs. Kern and Tandy. I know I’ll be trying.
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, Video & Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.



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2019 RDX Prototype Represents Acura’s Most Extensive Redesign

2019 RDX Prototype Represents Acura’s Most Extensive Redesign  
The 2019 Acura RDX Prototype made its world debut at the 2018 North American International Auto Show. The reveal gives us a look at the new design, advanced technology, and luxury features of the five-passenger SUV expected to launch later this year. The 2019 Acura RDX is a clean-sheet, top-to-bottom remake and will be the first Acura model to fully exemplify the brand’s new design language seen in the Acura Precision Concept.
Lighter & Larger
The third-generation RDX has been engineered on a lighter platform with a stiffened body. The 2019 RDX will mark the return of Acura’s Super-Handling All Wheel Drive (SH-AWD) to the RDX, giving it a slick torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system. The new system provides a 40 percent increase in maximum torque capacity versus the current SH-AWD system.
“Combine it with our new powertrain, the stiffer body and chassis, and the improved steering and you have, hands down, the quickest, best-handling RDX ever,” said Jon Ikeda, Vice President & General Manager of the Acura Division of American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
The RDX Prototype also boasts a wider track (increased by 1.2 inches), a longer wheelbase (gaining 2.5 inches), and a shortened front overhang. The wheels have been pushed to the corners, according to Acura. In addition, the 2019 RDX will be the first Acura SUV presented in A-Spec trim for sportier styling inside and out.
Power & Performance
Motivating the RDX is a new 2.0 liter, 16-valve direct-injected plant. The engine features a low-inertia, mono-scroll turbo, a DOHC VTEC valvetrain, and a Dual Variable Timing Cam (Dual VTC) system. All that alphabet soup translates into 40 percent more low-end torque than before. Mated to the new engine is a segment-first, 10-speed automatic transmission. If you go with all-wheel drive for your RDX, you’ll get the next generation of Acura’s aforementioned SH-AWD, complete with a new rear differential and a 150 percent increase in maximum torque capacity, compared to the older RDX.
An Adaptive Damper System is available and is tied into the NSX-inspired Integrated Dynamics System. The IDS system comes with four distinct drive modes: Sport, Sport+, Comfort, and Snow. There’s a drive mode dial placed high in the center console.
Photo: Honda North America.
Interior Design
Speaking of the interior, it’s more spacious, more sophisticated, and more tech-savvy than before. The center console is a floating design, inspired by the Acura Precision Cockpit. The sport seats are powered affairs with a matching sports steering wheel. The interior detailing is “contemporary” with authentic, high-grade materials throughout, including Nappa leather, brushed aluminum, and open-pore Olive Ash wood.
The passenger cabin is larger thanks to the RDX’s longer wheelbase with room for five. Acura claims the cabin space is class-leading as is rear legroom and cargo space. The front seats are heated and ventilated, and Acura used a softer and more durable full-grain Nappa leather. 16-way power adjustments for both the driver and front passenger are standard, and all models come equipped with a panoramic sliding moonroof.
“Our engineers conducted thousands of hours of research to create a driver-centric approach that is the first of its kind and distinctly Acura,” explained Toshiaki Mikoshiba, President & CEO of American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “This new RDX is the most extensive Acura redesign in more than a decade and a powerful indication of things to come.”





Cabin Technology
Everything is controlled by Acura’s new True Touchpad Interface. It has an Android-based operating system projected onto a dual-zone, 10.2-inch full-HD display. The True Touchpad Interface combines the advantages of conventional touchscreens and remote-based approaches, according to Acura. Also debuting is a new natural language voice recognition system. It is said to improve the ease and intuitiveness of voice commands in the vehicle. An interactive heads-up display (HUD) is also available.
“Acura’s new user interface will be a huge leap forward for our customers,” Mikoshiba noted. “But this is just one aspect of an incredibly rich and premium new cabin experience.”
And to cap it all off, there’s a totally boss stereo system. The 2019 RDX Prototype uses four ultra-thin, ceiling-mounted speakers connected to a 16-channel 710-watt Acura ELS Studio 3D system. The stereo was developed by Panasonic and tuned by Grammy-winning music producer and longtime Acura partner, Elliott Scheiner.
2019 Acura RDX Prototype at the North American International Auto Show, Cobo Center, Detroit, Michigan.
Production & In Person
All RDX models for the North American market will be built in East Liberty, Ohio, with the engines produced in Anna, Ohio, and the 10-speed automatic transmissions being manufactured in Tallapoosa, Georgia. Designed, developed, and built right here in America, the 2019 RDX will hit dealers mid-2018.
In the meantime, the vehicle is on display at the North American International Auto Show at the Cobo Center, downtown Detroit. The show officially opens to the public on Saturday, January 20th.
“What you’re about to see is not just the right product for where we are taking the Acura brand, it’s the right product at just the right time for today’s market,” Mikoshiba said.
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. 
2019 Acura RDX Prototype Gallery











Photos & Source: Honda North America.



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2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure Arrives With Tow Package, New Features

2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure Arrives With Tow Package, New Features

There is a new trim level for Toyota’s RAV4 called the Adventure. Perhaps that’s the subtle work of the marketing department, or maybe that’s done on purpose. Maybe it’s a more cleaver and less redundant way of saying “adventure starts with the new RAV4.” Of course the other, and much bigger question is: Starting at approximately $28,000! I thought these things were supposed to be cheap?
Bang For The Buck
Nearly $30,000 seems like a lot of scratch, to me, for an entry-level cute-ute/crossover/thingo. $30k can get you a lot of ride, even if you’re looking for something more or less off-road capable. So if you were to drop that much on Toyota’s RAV4 Adventure, what do you get for your money?
The condensed version is that the 2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure adds select exterior styling features and grade-specific interior bits and bobs. Falling between the XLE and SE versions, the Adventure gets large over-fender flares and big 18-inch five-spoke black alloy wheels, mounted with 235/55R18 tires. Toyota says this means the RAV4 Adventure is “ready to play in the dirt,” and I can hear you serious off-roaders, King of The Hammers participants, mud-boggers, and all the rest chuckling from here.
Adventurous Stance
But let’s face facts: 90% of rides like the RAV4 Adventure are bought by people who will never take them off-road. So yeah, Toyota is playing to that ego-fault and, like other crossover-thingo manufactures, Toyota is making money hand over fist. The RAV4 Adventure also comes with exclusive gray lower valance panels and rocker panel guards, black headlight bezels, black fog lamp surrounds, roof rails, and exclusive Adventure badging. You know, since it says Adventure, it better look the part. It also sits a bit higher with an overall height increase of 10-millimeters, while ground clearance is up a total of 6.5-inches from 6.1-inches.
Interior Treatments
On the inside there are exclusive interior features such as carbon-fiber-like trim panels, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and RAV4 Adventure logos on the door sill protectors. There are also all-weather floor and cargo mats with RAV4 Adventure badging and a 120V/100W power outlet in the cargo area to serve as a convenient portable charging station and/or handy power source during tailgate parties, camping trips, and the like.
Drive Options & Towing
The 2018 RAV4 Adventure (which Toyota hilariously terms as being “active lifestyle-inspired”) comes in front-wheel drive with an Automatic Limited Slip Differential. If you choose the all-wheel drive version, you get Dynamic Torque Control. Whether you choose the front driver or the more off-road suited all-wheel drive model, both versions feature a standard Tow Prep Package with an upgraded radiator and additional engine oil and transmission fluid coolers. With the available tow hitch receiver and wiring harness, the RAV4 Adventure is capable of towing 2,900 lbs. (FWD) and 3,500 lbs. with Dynamic Control equipped AWD models. Not too shabby in either case.
Safety & Security
Like all RAV4 models, the Adventure comes standard with an alphabet soup of safety, comfort, and convenience gizmos. You get Toyota Safety Sense P that includes Toyota’s Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, and Automatic High Beams; you also get Hill-Start Assist Control.
Colors & Availability
The RAV4 Adventure comes in five exterior colors: Black, Magnetic Gray Metallic, Silver Sky Metallic, Super White, and Ruby Flare Pearl, which is both new to the RAV4 and an additional cost. Other exclusive features include heated seats, a power driver’s seat, heated leather steering wheel, and wiper de-icer as part of a new Cold Weather Package. The 2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure is available now starting at $27,700 for the FWD model and $28,400 for the AWD variant.
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.
Photo & Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.



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Ford, Virginia Tech Help Autonomous Cars Talk To Us

Ford, Virginia Tech Help Autonomous Cars Talk To Us


Well this is kind of a goofy question to answer, but honestly, I’m glad someone is thinking to ask it now versus waiting for an autonomous car to plow through a Times Square crosswalk: How will autonomous cars let us know they see us? If you think about it, this is not usually an issue for pedestrians and drivers interacting on the streets today. It’s kind of pointing out the obvious, but being either a pedestrian or a driver and interacting at a crosswalk is pretty easy because there are people involved.
Communication Breakdown
What happens when you take people, flawed and distracted though they may be, out of half of that equation? How will an autonomous vehicle be working, what it be needing to do, and how will it communicate that to us? For me, it has always been rather easy to tell what a car (and therefor its driver) is going to do. I spend a lot of time around cars and racetracks and end up paying a lot of attention to what cars are doing. So it’s easy for me to tell if a car/driver “sees” me and whether it’s okay to walk into the street.
Dive, squat, roll, transitioning from one vehicle state to another is something you pick up at racetracks almost by instinct. “Yeah, he’s on the brakes early,” you can say because, over the years, you have been training yourself to notice things like weight transfer, causing the front to nose down by half an inch because the driver has gotten off the throttle. And it’s easy to transfer those traits from the racetrack to every day life.
A lot of people, however, do not think in ways that your everyday, run-of-the-mill gearhead does. Those are the people that, when waiting to cross at a crosswalk wait. They wait until they not only see the car is slowing, but until they see it is coming to a stop, and then they, sometimes, wait even further until the car comes to a complete stop and they make eye contact with the driver and the driver gives them a nod or motions them forward (or both) and then they cross the street.
For those people, who are the majority, how will the inevitable autonomous car let them know it’s okay to cross? Ford Motor Company and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute have been working on just that.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Signals & Signs
FoMoCo and Virginia Tech are conducting user experience studies to suss out a way to communicate the vehicle’s intent by soliciting real-world reactions to self-driving cars on public roads. The team thought of using text displays, but reasoned that would require all people understand the same language. I would have rejected it because it requires people to stop, read, cognate, and react and that takes too much time. They also thought of using symbols, but that was nixed because symbols historically have low recognition among consumers.
Ford and VTTI found that lighting signals are the most effective means for creating a visual communications protocol for self-driving vehicles. Think of it as being akin to turn signals and brake lights, only more so. Turn signals and brake lights are already standardized and widely understood, so they reckon the use of lighting signals is the best way to communicate. The lighting signals will communicate if a vehicle is in autonomous mode or if it’s beginning to yield or about to accelerate from a stop. Makes sense, no?
To signal the vehicle’s intent to yield, two white lights that move side to side were displayed, indicating the vehicle is about to yield and come to a full stop. Active autonomous mode was signaled by a solid white light. Start to go was conveyed by a rapidly blinking white light that indicated the vehicle would soon be accelerating from a stop.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Candid Camera
To test this out, Ford equipped a Transit Connect with a light bar on the windshield. To go even further and not tip their hand that there was an actual human driving the thing, the VTTI team developed a way to conceal the driver with a “seat suit” so it looked like the van was empty. I know, I know, that’s going a bit far, isn’t it? Then again, this is real science, and a real study, and you best be figuring out how to negate outside undue influences and such. This is why studies are double-blind and things of that nature: eliminate all variables that can skew the results.
Ford and VTTI took it a step further even. While driving the simulated autonomous Transit Connect on public roads in northern Virginia, they captured pedestrian’s reactions on video. They logged over 1,800 miles of driving and more than 150 hours of data, including encounters with pedestrians, bicyclists, and other drivers at intersections, in parking lots, garages, and even airport roadways. The vehicle was studded with high-definition cameras to capture the behavior of other road users and provide a 360-degree view of surrounding areas as well.







Universal Language
Ford is hoping to create an industry standard and is already working with several organizations including the International Organization for Standardization and SAE International for a common visual communications interface across all self-driving vehicles, in all locations. Ford is also working on ways to communicate with those who are blind or visually impaired as part of this project too.
Will it work? They didn’t seem to run over anyone in northern Virginia so it worked in that sense, and besides, festooning cars with more lights and signals and all that, it does seem like a plausible and workable solution. Besides, we’ll have to do something along these lines, or nobody – cars, people the whole lot – will know what to do when the traffic light turns green.
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.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Photos & Source: Ford Motor Company.



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