Automotive

Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE Takes On Santa’s Sleigh

Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE Takes On Santa’s Sleigh When I was a kid, I wondered how Santa Claus made it around the world, to every house, in just one night. My parents and I lived in an apartment, which only complicated matters. Since we didn’t have a chimney, one year I asked my father how Santa was going to get in. When my father, a distinguished college professor, assured me he would leave the patio door unlocked, I inquired if that were safe.
“It’s a small town, we should be fine,” my father responded.
Super Sled
Still, Santa would need a fast rig to make every house and a new Camaro sounds like the ticket. Earlier this year, the 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE set a record time on the Nürburgring, making it the fastest Camaro ever on the famed German track. With a supercharged LT4 engine and Brembo high performance brakes, the Camaro ZL1 1LE would be Santa’s ideal car for quickly accelerating to and stopping at every house.
But don’t expect to see Santa at a Chevy dealership anytime soon. Turns out, old St. Nick’s sleigh is one powerful sled. A recent comparison conducted by GMPartsCenter.net shows that while the Camaro ZL1 1LE might be every Chevy enthusiasts dream, its 650 horses are hotly contested by only nine reindeer.
“What could we compare to the new Camaro ZL1 1LE,” asked Matt Mylan, Director at GMPartsCenter.net, noting the car’s affordable price point and performance attributes. “If we’re going to compare it to any machine, that machine has to be amazing, and Santa’s sleigh definitely qualifies.”

Chevy Versus Sleigh
The Camaro holds an advantage in fuel efficiency, with a combined 20 miles per gallon. By comparison, Santa’s sleigh requires one to two cookies per house, which means a significant amount of calories is required to move the sled through the average neighborhood. While milk was not calculated, you can figure a good amount of that is needed as well. When considering the transmission, Santa’s mode of transportation proves a bit more difficult. One would have to master all of his special reindeer calls, whereas the Camaro ZL1 1LE comes with a quick-shifting six-speed manual.
It would appear the Camaro ZL1 1LE holds the advantage in power: 650 horses versus nine reindeer, but it seems Rudolph is a sleeper. GMPartsCenter.net estimates the top speed of Santa’s sleigh is 2.3 million miles per hour, with 60 coming in less than a millisecond. With cargo space, there is no contest. We could fit a few gifts (or maybe only gift cards) in the Camaro’s 9.1 cubic feet for sure, but with all the kids in the world, GMPartsCenter.net rightfully estimated the cargo space in Santa’s sled to be infinite. After all, Santa has to make room for all those fire trucks.
The chart is below. Enjoy!
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.

Camaro ZL1 1LE Photos: Chevrolet.

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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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From 1925 To 2018: Alfa Romeo Returns To Formula 1

From 1925 To 2018: Alfa Romeo Returns To Formula 1 This is great news, this is terrible news. It will be a hallmark long remembered before the whole idea sinks beneath the waves of history without so much as a bubble. Alfa Romeo, the team, the team that for so long represented Italy, the team that utterly dominated European and Grand Prix racing, the team that behaved like rank amateurs without an ounce of engineering know-how, the team of true greatness and truly great failures is returning to Formula 1.
No Guarantees
David Letterman, noted funny man, native Hoosier, Porsche aficionado, and race team owner once said, after watching one of his cars drop out while leading by country a mile: “The great thing about racing is that anything can happen. And the terrible thing about racing is that anything can happen.” He was only half kidding and 100 percent right. I’ve come to call that quip of his “Letterman’s Constant.” Ask anyone who has been around racing, and I have been around the sport my entire life, and they will tell you not only how true Letterman’s Constant is, but also how many times they’ve seen it happen.
It is another way of saying that, in racing, there are no sure things.
Weight & Significance
The nuts and bolts of this, the hows and whys and wherefores are pretty standard stuff, as to any given car company entering into the most pressurized and highest end of Motorsports. Alfa Romeo, a division of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, has signed on to be an “engine supplier” to and primary sponsor of the Swiss-based Sauber F1 Team. Pretty standard, in much the same way Honda did a few years back when they started making engines for McLaren.
What is not standard is the emotional Weight and historic Significance of this pairing (and yeah, I meant both of those to be capitalized). Although Ferrari justifiably holds the spotlight in the minds of modern Italian race fans, they are, despite all their successes (and let’s face the immutable fact that Ferrari is the best team in Grand Prix history) a bit of a newcomer. Ferrari is to Alfa Romeo the way Porsche is to Mercedes-Benz. You know that laurel wreath that rings Alfa’s badge? That was added when Alfa won the first World Manufacturers’ Championship. Not its first, the first in 1925. Alfa justifiably had the motto: Primo campione del automobili del mundo; first automotive champion of the world. Add to this a partial list of former Alfa Romeo employees: Campari, Varzi, Nuvolari, Fangio, Farina, Ascari (both father and son), and Vaccarella. Put those two factors together and what you get is this:
World Championships: 5; Mille Miglia victories: 11; Targa Florio victories: 10; outright 24 Hours of Le Mans victories: 4; European Touring Car Championships: 17. And those are just the major titles. Alfa Romeo has racked them up in Italian, French, German, and European F3 Championships; Trans-Am Championships, DTM championships, and British, Spanish, and French Touring Car Championships, with equal aplomb.
So what’s the downside here? What’s the other side of Letterman’s Constant? Two things: Alfa Romeo and Sauber.
The Alfa Romeo P2 Gran Premio lead the team to the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925. Photo: FCA US LLC.
With Or Without You
Have you ever lived with an Alfa Romeo? It’s like living with Monica Bellucci if she had serious bi-polar issues. It is days and nights of unbridled desire and delight and then WHAM! Next thing you know, you’re dumped on the side of the road, staring deep into the smoking ruins of what was your heart or your engine or whatever, feeling like an Old Testament prophet who has seriously offended God. “What’s this? What’s wrong? What did I do? How is this my fault? Why? WHY?!” you howl into the lonely and pitiless night.
And this fine Italian tradition, like a vendetta your third uncle is still paying for, carries on to this day. Look, I seriously desire an Alfa Romeo Giulia, but have you seen their reliability reports? And what will Alfa bring to the F1 table for 2018 when it starts in Melbourne? Who knows? But what is known (and this is where things get tricky) those engines nestled in the snug confines of a Sauber engine bay, aren’t really Alfas. They are rebadged Ferrari power units. The good news is Alfa/Sauber will be getting the latest spec Ferrari power plants from the start of the season. The bad news is that in 2017, Ferrari’s engines had a tendency to fail if you squeezed them hard.
Sure, sure, you could look at that and say it’s all a ruse and a Bad Thing, but c’mon. Rebadging engines is a fine racing tradition, and besides, Alfa has been running reconfigured Ferrari mills in their road cars for a while now. Lop off two cylinders, and you got the sublime V6 of the modern Giulia. Mount that V8 from the 360/430 up front and you’ve got the inspirational V8 of the 8C Competizione. Besides, all this badging and rebadging will raise Alfa Romeo’s image in America, where they are seriously looking to expand.
Photo: FCA US LLC.
From Hills To Mountains
And of course, there’s the Sauber end of this equation. The Swiss team (based out of a kind of nowhere town called Hinwil) has been in serious performance trouble for as long as anyone cares to remember. This is a very sad state of affairs. For a while there, Sauber was seriously knocking on the door to be one of the front runners. And before that, Sauber was a frighteningly fast team in big bore sports car racing. Their Sauber Mercedes C9s displayed top end power at Le Mans like I have never seen, and they still hold the outright terminal velocity record at the great French race: 251 miles per hour and change. They hit that speed in practice, qualifying, and throughout the race, lap in, lap out for an entire day.
How they went from there to being at the literal back of an F1 grid is frankly beyond me. They have a fantastically well run operation staffed by literal geniuses. They have a wind tunnel that NASA is envious of. They just got a new infusion of cash from Swedish investors (not sure how that dovetails, but hey, an operating budget is an operating budget). And now they’ve got even more money and backing from Alfa Romeo.
Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team pilots Charles Leclerc (left) and Marcus Ericsson. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Pretty Faces & Exciting Races
How can this not work? What could possibly go wrong with this chemical admixture? Simple: This is racing. And the great thing about racing is that anything can happen. And the terrible thing about racing is that anything can happen. Officially called the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team, they will sport the distinctive Alfa Romeo colors and logo seen in the past, and will be on the grid in Australia for the first race of the 2018 Formula 1 World Championship. Will this work? I don’t know. But they’ll be pretty to look at, that’s easy to say.
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: FCA US LLC.

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Cruising Through Napa Valley In The 2018 Nissan Leaf

Cruising Through Napa Valley In The 2018 Nissan Leaf Although the new Nissan Leaf shares the platform with its predecessor, that is where the similarities end. Both the interior and exterior have been completely redesigned, as well as the battery and drive motor for increases in range and power. The updates don’t stop there either: the steering and suspension have been tuned and tightened, and the chassis has been firmed. The styling changes are apparent too, and safety features like Pro Pilot Assist and Intelligent Cruise Control set the 2018 Nissan Leaf apart in the segment.
We recently attended a media event organized by Nissan to see the 2018 Leaf. The vehicle’s name is an acronym for “Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family Car,” so it’s only fitting the 2018 model preview took place at the beautiful LEED Platinum-certified Bardessono Hotel in Napa County, California. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.
First Impressions
Nissan asked for customer feedback and have clearly taken note. When you see the new Leaf, it’s quite apparent it looks nothing like the one of yore. Very little semblance to the awkward lines and frog-like face can be found in this sharp, new design. Aesthetic appeal can be an emotional topic and it’s always subjective. However, opinions aside, the new styling Nissan has adopted is a significant departure from what we have become accustomed to regarding the Leaf, and most EVs from the onset. The “floating” roof with blacked out C-pillars, as well as the “V-motion grille” is found on other cars in Nissan’s lineup. The Leaf has clearly been brought into the fold and shares noticeable DNA with its gasoline-powered brethrens. The redesign is a welcome refinement and far less polarizing than the previous amphibious-faced rendition.
The family resemblance carries over to the interior as well. The vehicle as tested was a well-appointed SL trim, sporting leather-wrapped bucket seats, and a leather-stitched steering wheel, both electronically heated. The seats are firm but comfortable and the instrumentation layout is orderly and intuitive. The infotainment system is equally orderly and instinctive to use. Although the infotainment center has a similar shape to a tablet, there was clear consideration put into integrating the ubiquitous shape, opposed to the common practice of plunking an iPad lazily onto the dash.
However, there are a couple of drawbacks: some of the plastic-ey interior styling accents are quite Sentra-esque and, to be brutally honest, there is more of it than expected at this $37,000 price point. The steering wheel is adjustable but no telescoping action. The wheel position may be an issue for taller drivers as the battery pack sits below the seats, forcing a relatively high driving position. The driver’s seat used to feel a bit like sitting in the cockpit of a shrunken minivan, but now feels like the cabin of a modern car, so there is some improvement there.
2018 Nissan Leaf. Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation.
Enhanced Tech & Drivetrain: Obvious to Obscure
Although volumetrically the battery pack is the same size, Nissan cleverly increased its density by using a thinner separator and more efficient materials. By reducing the size of the separator, Nissan has allowed for greater battery cell density, essentially fitting more cells into the same amount of space. This means you get significantly more storage capacity and noticeably more power in the same amount of space, from 30kW to 40kW to be exact. This equates to roughly 150 miles on a single charge, boosting horsepower from 107 to 147, while torque climbs to 236 lb-ft.
Apple Car Play, Android Auto, and NissanConnect with navigation are optional, but vehicle tracking is one of the most unique features available. The vehicle can be tracked in real-time to make sure it stays where you left it; parents can even monitor a new driver. With EV Telematics, owner’s can set geographical boundaries on Google maps, triggering a notification to an app when the vehicle breaches the perimeter. Since Nissan has partnered with Amazon, many of the Leaf’s features, like climate control, can be activated by speaking to Alexa.

Ride & Handling
We’ve discussed the obvious and shed some light on the obscure, but this is an automobile, and the real question is how does it drive? The details of exactly what has been changed suspension-wise are a bit vague, but it’s Nissan’s claim the chassis has been “enhanced” and the steering torsion bar stiffened 10 percent. Upon entering the beautifully curvaceous B roads of Napa Valley, the steering did feel quite lithe and the feedback is surprisingly concise. The ride is a bit stiff over the rough parts but comfortable under most conditions. The 2018 Leaf has grown one inch both in length and width over previous generations to 176 by 71 inches respectively; the height remains the same at 61.4 inches.
This fact begs the question, what has transpired in the chassis development to eliminate the tall, spongy feel that befell the original? Nissan attributes the enhanced feedback and steering feel to new control logic software, which utilizes steering angle sensors and Intelligent Ride Control for managing torque under cornering. Combine the improved handling with the increased torque, and you have a recipe for fun. In an EV no less!
Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation.
Advanced Drive Modes
Like most passenger cars with automatic transmissions, there are three familiar drive indicators: “D” “N” and “R.” As you might expect, there is an ECO mode that reduces the impact of acceleration, increases regenerative braking, and even augments the HVAC to maximize battery life. Interestingly there is a “B” accommodating the “D” on the shift knob. This mode essentially feels like driving in a lower gear, creating regenerative engine braking with 2.5 times more deceleration than “D.” None of these features are revolutionary or even uncommon, however, the e-Pedal is a feature that’s uniquely electric, and included on every trim level.
This feature is sincerely conflicting for me. As a proponent of driver involvement and a member of the Manual Transmission Preservation Society, it seems somewhat contradictory I should enjoy a driving characteristic like e-Pedal; it’s fun yet uninvolving. The e-Pedal allows the driver to navigate with a single pedal (according to a study conducted by Nissan) 90 percent of the time. Not two, not three, but one pedal to accelerate, cruise, slow, even come to a complete stop and hold stationary.
This is made possible by the unique function of the electric drivetrain. Rather than applying the standard friction brake, the drive motor creates resistance capable of bringing the vehicle to a stop extraordinarily and smoothly, simply by lifting your foot from the accelerator. Not only will it slow down at a rate of 0.2 g, but it charges the battery during deceleration. The feeling can be likened to driving in second gear with increased throttle response and aggressive engine braking. Nonetheless, I found myself driving the test vehicle in e-Pedal mode most of the time . . . that is, when the Pro Pilot Assist was not activated.
Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation.
Nearly Autonomous Driving
Pro Pilot Assist is the combination of active radar cruise control (Intelligent Cruise Control) in concert with lane departure and lane guidance assist. Intelligent Cruise Control is like other radar based systems, in that the vehicle will match the speed of the car ahead. When traffic impedes forward progress, the radar detects the obstruction, then slows and accelerates to match the speed of traffic. There are three time-gap-based distance settings in the assist mode, so the driver can adjust how closely they want to follow the car ahead.
The lane guidance is based on a visual system that uses a camera to scan the road for visual inputs, namely the lines. Some lane departure and lane guidance aides wait for a vehicle to come within an approach boundary to intervene and prevent inadvertently crossing lanes. The Nissan system is more of a constant guide, gently shepherding the automobile toward the center of the lane without abruptly bouncing to and fro across it. Pilot is an apt name due to its ability to navigate subtle curves in the road, and it is probably capable of negotiating turns greater than I had the nerve to allow without intervention. Slow moving traffic is where Pro Pilot Assist really shines.
Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation.
Alarm Bells
Nissan has shrewdly added layers of safety so Pro Pilot is not abused as a purely autonomous autopilot. The dash will flash warning lights if no driver is detected at the steering wheel for 5 seconds. Should the driver not have a hand, or even a finger on the wheel after the warning lights flash, obnoxious beeping will ensue. If the alarm is allowed to reach the equivalent of cardiac arrest, Pro Pilot Assist will pump the brakes three times while synchronously beeping insufferably. If this hasn’t jarred the driver awake, evoking some sort of input, the Leaf takes matters into its own hands and assumes the driver is somehow incapacitated.
The system can bring the vehicle to a stop from 40 mph and flash the hazard lights. This final emergency stop phase is where the noises get interesting. A whooping “Red Alert” siren sounds, and were it not an actual emergency, the audible alarm is quite comical. Being the Leaf is virtually silent, this may be the best noise the car makes (unless you have the optional Bose audio package). All kidding aside, this smart tech, along with safety features like automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, may very well save lives.
Photo: Nissan Motor Corporation.
Conclusion
The Nissan Leaf is the most popular car in a growing EV market. It’s not a sports car, its not a luxury car, or even a Hot Hatch. It is not meant to be any of these things, and that is evident. What the Leaf is though, is an excellent commuter, and a great city car. With the extended range and ever-growing DC quick-charging network, it can be more than a mode of transport confined to city limits. The Leaf is a zero-emissions leader with flavors of sport, style, and a dash of luxury. Nissan has shown battery-operated vehicles can be packed with technology at a lower price than previous generations.
As popularity is gained in the EV market and competition increases, I believe this trend will progress and prices will continue to fall. For myself, the exciting thing about driving the new Leaf is the noticeable increase in power and torque, yet you know performance has been tuned down for the sake of sensibility. So, I can’t help wondering what the future holds if say a lightened NISMO version of the Leaf were released to the public. Or even better, a purpose-built affordable FUN EV!
Benjamin Caschera is a car nut in every sense of the word. His eclectic writings range from rants on traffic and wrenching on $500 cars, to adulation of the finest classic and/or latest hypercars. Follow and heckle him on Twitter and Instagram: @TheBoringCarGuy
2018 Nissan Leaf Gallery

Photos: Nissan Motor Corporation, Leaf Media Drive.

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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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Swedish Families Help Volvo Develop Autonomous Vehicles

Swedish Families Help Volvo Develop Autonomous Vehicles
Swedish families are playing an instrumental role in Volvo’s autonomous vehicle development. The Hains and Simonovskis from Gothenburg, Sweden are already navigating the city in XC90 SUVs as part of Volvo’s Drive Me program. The families are utilizing XC90s equipped with autonomous technology just as they would any other vehicle for their daily routines. Volvo’s engineers will use the corresponding feedback and impressions to further develop the company’s driverless technology.
Volvo plans to have fully automated cars available by 2021.
Daily Lives
Three more families are expected to join early next year and Volvo says up to 100 people will be involved in the Drive Me program. Volvo’s engineers will monitor and study how the autonomous XC90 SUVs accompany these families throughout the day, from taking the kids to school to getting groceries. Volvo says the Drive Me program is about real customers testing the different stages of driver assisted and, eventually, fully autonomous technology.
The Hain family. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Family Matters
The Hain family comprises of Alex and Paula (45 years old), and their daughters Filippa (17) and Smilla (14). The Hains were the first ones selected to take part in the Drive Me initiative earlier this year. Joining the Hain’s are Sasko Simonovski (44) and his wife Anna (41), and their children Elin (10) and Villiam (8). The Volvo XC90s received by both families feature the automaker’s latest driver assistance suite, complete with a variety of cameras and sensors.
“Drive Me is an important research project for Volvo Cars,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President for Volvo’s R&D department. “We expect to learn a lot from engaging these families and will use their experiences to shape the development of our autonomous driving technology, so that by 2021 we can offer our customers a fully autonomous car.”
During the initial stages, the Hains and Simonovskis will keep their hands on the wheel as they normally would any other vehicle. Over time, Drive Me participants will gradually be introduced to more advanced driverless technology after receiving special training. Volvo says these more advanced vehicles will first be introduced in controlled environments with supervision from a safety expert.
The Simonovski family. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Forward Thinking
Proponents of autonomous driving have pointed to a number of benefits, including a world where no single person is hurt or killed in a traffic accident. Volvo’s Vision 2020 commitment is about developing technology to create a safer world, including the end goal of eliminating road fatalities. Across the industry, global summits on automated driving are being held to address and overcome the challenges facing autonomous cars.
“It feels great to be a part of this project,” commented Alex Hain. “We get the chance to be part of developing technology that will one day save lives.”
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photos & Source: Volvo Car Group.

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Letter From The UK: Are We Ready For Autonomous Cars?

Letter From The UK: Are We Ready For Autonomous Cars?

As a motoring writer of long-standing and an old-school petrol-head through to my bones, I have to admit to being ambivalent about autonomous cars. What can you expect from a guy who still has AC/DC compact discs in the car? I’ve tried, really I have; I have listened to knowledgeable people and nodded sagely as they described the technology, but sorry, I can’t really get interested if I’m totally honest.
I don’t want to relinquish control.
I’m also getting tired of the vanilla cars being produced today for the mainstream market generally. They are mechanically sound certainly but where’s the flair; where’s the daring design? I’m not expecting something out of Isaac Asimov, just something that’s . . . fresh. Once upon a time, you could tell a car simply by silhouette. Bet you can’t now.
Land of Confusion
I’ve thought about this and yes, I have concluded it’s probably an age related thing. The simple fact is that older people are more resistant to change. A recent survey by Continental Tyres in the UK produced the same result as the one I mentioned in a previous letter a couple of weeks ago. We still have a bit of a “boy racer” (grown men loving The Fast and the Furious cars) culture here in the UK, but young people generally are not really engaged with driving. They prefer others to do it for them, hence Uber and the like. It costs a lot to learn and, although cheap first-timer cars are plentiful, insurance costs are through the roof.
They see the traffic jams and general traffic chaos, plus the running costs and just can’t be bothered.
Rural Challenges
This is especially true of urban dwellers. Now that all our public transport is in private hands, profit is always the only motive. Thus many towns and cities have brilliant internal transport hubs. Even the town I live, in the beautiful county of Wiltshire, the “around town” bus service is excellent.
Our UK main-line train service is very good too, but very expensive at peak times. Small branch lines have been shut down so for rural dwellers it is a different picture. If transport routes lose money, the companies don’t want to know. As a consequence, virtually everyone needs a vehicle in the countryside and this is another area likely to be problematic for autonomous cars. Our rural routes are often nothing more than country lanes with no road markings, blind bends and summits, and a very good chance of rounding a corner and locking headlights with an agricultural machine.
Human drivers are used to this; how will autonomy cope?
Autonomous cars in rural areas will face different challenges than those in urban settings.

Generational Gaps
Older drivers, in my view, see the current technological advances – autonomous emergency braking, hands-free cruise control, matrix LED headlights, surround reversing cameras, and the like as generally good things. They accept them as being available now. What they don’t like is letting go. It’s the loss of something they have always had – control over their destiny. That’s the perception that has to change. They see it like being on an aircraft with a drunken pilot.
They don’t know what is going to happen and there’s nothing they can do if it does. Autonomous cars should have the fail-safe for drivers to take over the autopilot at a moment’s notice.
Rooftop Shouting
Standards of driving are so bad here in Britain that a mix of autonomous and driver-controlled cars WILL lead to disaster. Right now, in my view, autonomy cannot possibly calculate the variables of stupid people unless it runs in special traffic lanes, which makes sense, but that won’t happen here on our antiquated road system. It seems to me that the approach being taken by the industry AND government is what’s at fault here. A positive message is fine but the enthusiasm for something not yet tried and tested, in the layman’s view, is too overwhelming. Proponents are far too pushy and prone to over-egging the pudding.
The answer, in my opinion, is for there to be a “softly, softly” approach. Stop shouting it from the rooftops. Move the technology forward slowly, taking time to introduce it into the cars we are encouraged to buy; EVs, hybrids, and the like. Get people used to the idea, like encouraging children to eat their vegetables. It takes time. There is nothing that upsets us more than people flagrantly waving things in our faces. Slow down the flood of information. Tell us when the feast is ready, not when it’s cooking.
General Motors became the first automaker to assemble driverless test vehicles in a mass-production facility when a fleet of self-driving Chevrolet Bolt EV test vehicles began coming down the line at Orion Township Assembly in January. Photo: General Motors.
Autonomy Levels
There are, we are told, six levels of autonomy:
Level Zero: No Automation:
In other words, the driver drives. As it has always been: acceleration, braking, and steering are all controlled by a real human at all times, even if they’re assisted by warning sounds or safety intervention systems. If your car has automated emergency braking, for example, it can still be viewed as Level Zero.
Level One: Driver Assistance:
Hands on the wheel. In certain driving modes, the car can either take control of the steering wheel or the pedals. The best examples of Level 1 automation are adaptive cruise control and park assist. The computer is never in control of both steering and acceleration or braking.
Level Two: Partial Automation:
Now it begins: Hands off the wheel if you dare but keep your eyes on the road. A Level 2 vehicle has certain modes in which the car can take over both the pedals and the steering wheel, but only under certain conditions, and the driver must maintain ultimate control over the vehicle. Tesla’s Autopilot is an example of this.
Level Three: Conditional Automation:
You can take your hands off the wheel and eyes off the road – sometimes. This is going to take some getting used to. In a Level 3 vehicle, the car has certain modes that will fully take over the driving responsibilities, under certain conditions, but a driver is expected to retake control when the system asks for it. The car can decide when to change lanes, and how to respond to dynamic incidents on the road, but uses the human driver as the fallback system. This is where it starts to get a bit tricky, where insurance liability is concerned, for example.
The 2018 Cadillac CT6 features Super Cruise which utilizes a driver attention system and LiDAR map data. These systems are added to the network of cameras and radar sensors already in the CT6. Photo: Cadillac.

Level Four: High Automation:
Hands off, eyes off, mind off – sometimes. A Level 4 vehicle can be driven by a human, but it doesn’t ever need to be. It can drive itself under the right circumstances, and if it encounters something it can’t handle, it can ask for human assistance, but will park itself and put its passengers in no danger if human help isn’t forthcoming. Essentially, this is the first stage of a truly driverless motor. “For goodness sake Pops! Let go of the wheel!”
Level Five: Full Automation:
Do we even need a steering wheel? The interior might just as well be your parlour because the vehicle neither needs nor wants your help, thank you very much. It means full-time automation of all driving tasks on any road, under any conditions, whether there’s a human on board or not. The question is, “are we ready for this?”
Put simply like that we can see a natural progression, but enthusiasts for the technology won’t shut up about it. This in turn stirs up dormant politicians with the inevitable consequences. The technology is nowhere near ready yet and right now the onus is on the industry to prove it when it is, IF they want to convince the car buying public.
Leave It To The Young
As with any technological advances, it is young people who will pick up the challenge simply because they know nothing else. My seven-year-old granddaughter can work her way around an iPad as if born to it. They are not the problem. It’s the silver surfers; they won’t let go of their motoring past. The solution, of course, is to just wait the old ones out. That way, over the next 30 years, the herd of anti-autonomy aged will be thinned out by process of natural erosion. Then the world can be as autonomous as they like, but I’ll bet they won’t have so much fun.
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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Ford Motor Company, Mahindra Announce Strategic Partnership

Ford Motor Company, Mahindra Announce Strategic Partnership

Ford Motor Company and Mahindra Group are in the opening stages of a possible long-term strategic alliance. Both companies would benefit from each other’s experience and expertise, in particular Ford’s global reach and Mahindra’s operational model in India.
“The agreement between the two companies will allow each to leverage their mutual strengths during a period of unprecedented transformation in the global automotive industry,” reads a joint statement from Ford and Mahindra.
MultiFaceted Approach
The collaboration will run for three years and examine a multitude of opportunities for both companies, including mobility programs, connected vehicle initiatives, and electrification strategies. The partnership will also explore sourcing and commercial efficiencies, plus product development in general. Ford hopes to gain traction in India, an emerging automotive market.
“Ford is committed to India and this alliance can help us deliver the best vehicles and services to customers while profitably growing in the world’s fifth largest vehicle market,” said Jim Farley, Ford Executive Vice President and President of Global Markets.
Farley unscored the importance of the collaboration and believes working with Mahindra will help Ford capitalize on the forthcoming changes in the automotive industry.
“Our two companies have a long history of cooperation and mutual respect,” he said. “The enormous growth potential in the utility market and the growing importance of mobility and affordable battery electric vehicles are all aligned with our strategic priorities.”
Growing Base
Ford entered India in 1995 and remains as one of the country’s largest exporters. Ford manufactures and exports vehicles and engines from facilities in Chennai, Tamil Nadu and Sanand, Gujarat. India is also the second-largest Ford employee base globally, with more than 14,000 working across the Ford India or Global Business Services operations in New Delhi, Chennai, and Coimbatore.
As Ford is looking to expand in India, Mahindra wants additional traction outside the country. Mahindra has topped the utility vehicles segment in India for the last 70 years, and continues as a leader in clean, affordable transportation. Currently, Mahindra is the only manufacturer with a full line of electric vehicles in India, but the company believes such a portfolio is necessary today.
“The changes facing the automotive industry globally are triggered by the accelerated rise of new technologies, sustainability policies, and new models of urban shared mobility,” said Dr. Pawan Goenka, Managing Director, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.
Ford EcoSport, Goa, India. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
New Trends
Mahindra has already extended their global footprint as majority owners in Ssangyong Motor Company in Korea. To meet the needs of future automotive customers, Mahindra has invested in ride sharing platforms in the United States and the development of GenZe, the world’s first electric connected scooter.
“Given these changes we see the need to anticipate new market trends, explore alternatives, and look for ways to collaborate even as we compete and build powerful synergies that will allow rapid exploitation of the exciting new opportunities,” Dr. Goenka added.
At the end of the initial three year collaboration, Ford and Mahinda will then determine if the partnership is to continue.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photos & Source: Ford Motor Company, Mahindra.

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