Automotive

2018 Toyota Corolla XSE Review

2018 Toyota Corolla XSE Review

Those wanting a compact car with attitude should take a look at the new Toyota Corolla. If you want a safe compact car, the Corolla gets a suite of safety features not typically found in this segment. Add in a dash of Corolla’s excellent fuel economy along with its high resale value, and you have all the ingredients for a car that will please budget-conscious consumers.
This weekend, we drove the top-of-the-line, 2018 Toyota Corolla XSE.
What’s New For 2018
The 50th Anniversary Edition trim has been dropped. Otherwise, the Toyota Corolla goes forward unchanged.
Features & Options
The 2018 Toyota Corolla XSE gets you a lot of features for the money ($22,730). It comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, a black mesh grille, heated color-keyed side mirrors with turn signal indicators, a rear spoiler, and a chrome-tipped exhaust. Inside, we were treated to a leather-wrapped steering wheel with paddle shifters, sport front seats, power moonroof, and the upgraded Entune audio system. The XSE also comes standard with heated front seats and an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat.
Standard safety features include Toyota’s Safety Sense with pre-collision warnings, pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, lane departure alert with steering assist, and auto high beams. Our XSE tester came with the optional Entune Premium Audio ($525) with an integrated navigation system and the Entune App Suite. The TRD Performance exhaust ($649) was a nice touch. Total MSRP including destination: $25,337.

Interior Highlights
We slid into the XSE and saw the most up-to-date cabin yet for Toyota’s compact car. It features a stylish dashboard, a sporty steering wheel, and an automatic gear shifter that fit perfectly into our hands. We particularly liked the traditional audio and climate controls unlike some that are put in difficult-to-use touchscreen menus. When we did need to use the seven-inch touchscreen, it offered up large buttons, clear graphics, and quick responses. It could be one of the easier infotainment systems to operate in this class.
Various connectivity features came courtesy of the Entune App Suite with services like Bing, Facebook, Yelp, Pandora, and real-time traffic data.
The Corolla’s front seats hugged us from behind and provided adequate comfort, particularly with the firmer bolstering found in the XSE. We adjusted the telescoping steering wheel, came up with a comfortable driving position, and were able to see the gauges perfectly. Out back, there’s more legroom than most small compact sedans and headroom is a plus for taller passengers. Trunk capacity is average at 13 cubic feet, but the wider opening makes it fairly easy to load and unload any items you might need to transport.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The 2018 Toyota Corolla XSE comes powered by a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 132 horsepower and 128 lb-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a Continuously Variable Transmission which benefits the Corolla in terms of gas mileage. With the larger 17-inch wheels, the Corolla gets an EPA estimated 28/35 city/highway and 31 combined mpg using regular unleaded fuel.
Driving Dynamics
When we hit the push button start and powered up the Corolla, we could hear the louder growl from the optional TRD Performance Exhaust. When we pressed on the gas, it gave off a distinct exhaust note younger buyers will appreciate. Many go for this in aftermarket shops, but Toyota was wise to offer it from the factory.
The Corolla’s four-cylinder engine is bulletproof when it comes to reliability but it does lack in the performance department. We pushed it hard at altitude but were asking for more power as we tried to pass slower traffic. The CVT automatic gearbox has a distinct rpm drone and the TRD exhaust accentuates the sound even more. We tossed the compact car around the tight mountain curves too, but it’s really designed more for city commuting. On the upside, it handles city streets with ease and it won’t leave you tired after a long commute.
Conclusion
The 2018 Toyota Corolla XSE offers up a lot for the money. Add in Toyota’s reliability, excellent fuel economy, and the compact’s styling, and you’ve got a good commuter that should last for years. If you are looking for safety, the standard rearview camera, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and adaptive cruise control are as good as most luxury sedans.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Toyota Corolla XSE Gallery

2018 Toyota Corolla Official Site.
Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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This New Rezvani Shows Why Modesty Is For The Birds

This New Rezvani Shows Why Modesty Is For The Birds Let us welcome, fellow gearheads and speed freaks, the latest debutant to the world boutique supercars: The Rezvani Beast Alpha X “Blackbird.” Yes, that’s it’s real name. No, it has nothing to do with insufferable Michael Bay movies (yet) nor is it a kid’s toy (yet). But it most definitely is part of the retinue of boutique supercars like Koenigsegg and Gumpert and Scuderia Glickenhaus.
Select Slices
For those of you not clued in, boutique supercars aim for a particular niche of an already niche market. Say you’re really rich. And say you want a car that both feeds your enormous ego and shows other people how rich and special you are. Buy a Ferrari or a Lambo or a McLaren? Are you daft?! No, no, no. You need something as unique and special as you are. Unfortunately, that also means you could wind up with something that’s as fly-by-night and structurally flawed as you are, but hey, you gotta be you, y’know?
Photo: Rezvani Motors.
Less Than Subtle
So you go out and get something like a Koenigsegg or a Gumpert or a Scuderia Glickenhaus, or Rezvani hopes, something like the Beast Alpha X “Blackbird.” What the Beast Alpha X “Blackbird” is, in many ways, is a rather “normal” example of what a modern supercar is. It’s smaller than you’d expect, mid-engined, and a two seater with a removable targa roof panel. Styling-wise it looks like what would happen if a Lotus Evora and any of this year’s Lambos had a baby. There are curves, but they’re largely mishandled, and there are, as one would expect, huge aero bits and pieces chopping off hunks of air here and cleaving it over there. The car has the subtlety of a 15-year-old’s drawing on his high school notebook. Then again, how subtle would you expect something named the Beast Alpha X “Blackbird” to look?
Curiously, the Rezvani is an American-made boutique supercar. Orange County, California, to be exact. Rezvani even goes the whole way and builds their own engines. To my way of thinking, rolling out your own bespoke supercar and having it powered by something off the rack like a small block Chevy means you’ve just made a kit car with pretensions.
Photo: Rezvani Motors.
Power & Performance
In the case of the Beast Alpha X “Blackbird,” said lump is an in-house designed and built . . . four cylinder. Wait, what? Yup, it’s motivated by a four-banger, albeit one that cranks out serious power. Rezvani says it’s a “reliable and powerful” 2.5-liter, 700 horsepower four-pot with a forced aspiration system driven by twin turbochargers. Apparently. Rezvani only mentions “turbocharger,” singular, but the engine pics on their website show two of them screwed onto the block. Whatever. Rezvani also says the turbo setup is “innovative and efficient” but does not give any details about how that is.
They do say the powerplants are built from the ground up using new Carillo racing forged pistons, rods, cams, valves, springs, and a Cosworth sourced ECU. Again, that’s kind of off the rack. Rezvani also states the engine “allows for a low cost of ownership and service,” which implies the thing won’t explode like a hand grenade, but still, 700 ponies from only 2.5 quarts and only four pistons seems like it’s asking a lot. Coupled to that plant is a close ratio 6-speed manual transmission or an optional sequential automatic box.
Also worryingly, Rezvani says it was designed with one thing in mind: brutal power. Brutal doesn’t sound like something that would go along with drivability does it?
Photo: Rezvani Motors.
Open Sesame
Since this is a boutique supercar, of course the doors are goofy and complex. Rezvani calls them SideWinder doors, and has even gone so far as to trademark the SideWinder name. They say the doors “provide a unique experience unlike any other,” but I’m not sure how they mean that. None of the pictures I see show how the things work. The seats are designed and built in-house, however, so that’s a nice touch.
The instrument cluster is a programmable dash display setup, with shift lights and shift points pre-programmed to tell the driver when to shift for maximum horsepower and torque. Unfortunately, the instrument cluster looks like they got it from a 1985 Corvette. That was cool when Cyndi Lauper was new, but less so now.
Photo: Rezvani Motors.
Pricing & Availability
All this carbon fiber bodywork, wrung 2.5 four-banger, and 2,150 lbs. of all-up weight equal one performance claim: zero to 60 in 2.9 Seconds. Which is impressive. They don’t say when you can get one but pricing starts at $225,000. That is before you begin adding stuff using the cute little configuration thing on their website.
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.
Rezvani Beast Alpha X “Blackbird” Gallery

Photos & Source: Rezvani Motors.

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2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4X4 Review

2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4X4 Review
If you are looking for a cute urban commuter that’s still capable for weekend excursions to the high country, the Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4×4 could be the ticket. Renegade is unmistakably a Jeep with its tall, vertical sides, round headlights, and signature grille. What sets it apart is its compact size and wide stance.
Our tester came with the Trailhawk 4×4 package. It just wouldn’t be a Jeep without it, right? This week, we drove the 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4×4. One thing is for sure: it’s ready to take you away from civilization.
What’s New For 2017 & 2018
The 2017 and 2018 Jeep Renegade essentially carried over from 2016 with the Trailhawk as the top trim. Xenon headlights, automatic high beams, and keyless ignition and entry are new features.
Features & Options
The 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk 4×4 ($26,895) gets the full off-road package that includes hill descent control, a raised suspension, tow hooks, and underbody skid plates. It features 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires, unique exterior accents, a full-size spare, an upgraded driver information display, and a 115-volt power outlet. Our tester came complete with premium cloth upholstery, red interior stitching, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and a removable cargo floor panel.
We also had the optional navigation ($1,245) featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen, HD radio, and Uconnect (includes extra safety features, a WiFi hotspot, and voice texting). A Cold Weather package ($545) included heated front seats, windshield wiper deicer, and a heated steering wheel. The Safety group ($645) included blind spot/cross path detection, a security alarm, and rear tonneau cover. It also came with remote start ($205).
Total MSRP including destination: $30,630.

Interior Highlights
The cabin of the Renegade is surprisingly roomy and comes with plenty of head, shoulder, and legroom. The shape of the Renegade helps give it an open feeling with good outward visibility for a compact vehicle. The front seats are comfortable and nicely bolstered. Renegade is wider than many small SUVs too.
The interior of the Trailhawk features some unique nods to Jeep’s past. This includes things like a Jeep grille on the speaker housing, a mud splash for the redline on the tach, and a Moab topography map on the storage tray ahead of the gearshift. The heated seats and steering wheel will be especially welcomed on cold winter mornings or when hitting the trails in the back country on a ski trip. There is some hard plastic inside but many surfaces are soft-touch vinyl.
The back seats leave a little to be desired when it comes to room for adults, but this is a compact vehicle and not a full-size SUV. Storage capacity measures 18.5 cubic feet and cargo room is sizable behind the rear seat, which folds flat.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk features a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, two-speed transfer case, and off-road equipment. The 2.4-liter plant produces 180 horsepower and 175 lb-ft. of torque. It comes mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels. The Renegade Trailhawk 4×4 comes in at 21/29 city/highway and 24 combined mpg according to EPA estimates.
Fuel economy rates middle of the pack for a compact SUV.
Driving Dynamics
In the city, Renegade drives like a small SUV and is particularly easy to maneuver in traffic or when navigating tight parking lots. Take it out on the highway and it offers a smooth ride with enough power for most driving situations. We tested the Trailhawk at high altitudes, going up steep mountain roads, and felt the small Jeep was underpowered when we needed it most. The 2.4-liter could use a bit more torque for pulling up steep inclines – it has to rev high to achieve its peak torque.
For city driving, most commuters will have sufficient power to get around urban streets and highways, however. The nine-speed transmission is better than a CVT, but wanted to hunt for the right gear as we pushed it hard up I-70 at altitude. The small SUV handled the two-lane mountain roads comfortably, coping with the curves as we went. There was some body lean due to the higher profile, however.
The Trailhawk is designed for rugged terrain, and it can go off-road easily with its 8.7-inches of ground clearance. Though mostly quiet on paved roads, the off-road tires do contribute to a noisier ride at higher speeds. Heavy snow hit the Denver area this week but with a flip of the switch to 4-wheel high, we plowed through 8-inches of snow without issue. We felt confident in the vehicle’s ability to get us anywhere we need to go.

Conclusion
Those wanting a capable urban commuter, with ample cargo room, flexibility, and off-road capability, will find the Renegade Trailhawk is good entry-level Jeep. It’s sufficiently refined as well as pleasantly capable for urban living. For the occasional weekend warrior, the Trailhawk offers plenty to keep you comfortable and warm in the back country.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
Jeep Renegade Trailhawk Gallery

Jeep Renegade Official Site.
Photos: FCA US LLC. (2018 models also shown).

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This Feature On The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Really Stands Out

This Feature On The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Really Stands Out Admittedly, we have yet to drive a vehicle – namely the 2018 NSX supercar or RLX Sport Hybrid – with Acura’s latest Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system. Although we can imagine well enough what it’s capable of in something like the NSX and RLX, we do wonder how it might change up the ride and handling of an SUV like the MDX?
The 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid is equipped with the patented all-wheel drive, three-motor system from Acura.
Power & Performance
The MDX Sport Hybrid’s performance features are plentiful and exciting. For example, the 3.0-liter i-VTEC V6 engine creates 321 horsepower and 289 lb-ft. of torque, meaning it’s the most powerful SUV Acura has ever manufactured. Acura says despite turning out 30 additional horsepower and a 45 percent higher EPA city fuel economy rating when compared to the conventionally-powered MDX, the Sport Hybrid is only an extra $1,500.
In our minds, the hybrid variant is easily worth the extra money. That’s the way we would go.
Other performance features include a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, an Integrated Dynamics System with a SPORT+ mode, Active Dampers, and Electric Servo Brakes.
The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid comes in two new shades of red but this lighter gray/silver isn’t half bad either. Photo: Honda North America.
Color Schemes & Safety Tech
Acura’s designers must love red as two new colors, Basque Red Pearl II and San Marino Red, are now available. The Technology Package and Advance Package are on offer and include unique interior trim elements and stainless steel sport pedals. It’s worth noting the Technology Package can seat seven, while the Advance Package seats six with second-row captain’s chairs and a larger center console in place of a three-person bench seat.
Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Collision Mitigation Braking are among the available safety systems.
Pricing & Availability
The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid is available now with a starting MSRP of $52,100. If you drive one off the lot, let us know on Twitter how you like the Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.
Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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Jaguar I-PACE Takes On The Arctic (Video)

Jaguar I-PACE Takes On The Arctic (Video) When Tony Westerlund, a potential Jaguar customer from Sweden, asked some challenging questions about how the new I-PACE would perform in the Arctic, the automaker responded by inviting him to Arjeplog to drive the car. Westerlund joined Jaguar’s engineers as rigorous extreme weather testing was being conducted on the new I-PACE at the company’s cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden.
The area is known for its bitter cold conditions where temperatures can drop to 40 below.
Fast Charging
Jaguar says the new I-PACE with DC fast charging capability can go from zero to 80 percent in about 45 minutes with a 100kW charger. While plugged in, drivers can prep the car’s battery and cabin temperature ahead of time without compromising range. Jaguar says this “pre-conditioning” ensures maximum range, performance, and comfort whether temperatures are freezing cold or extremely hot. The pre-conditioning can be controlled via the on-board InControl system or through the Jaguar InControl Remote app.
I-PACE models await testing at Jaguar’s cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
In Person
The Jaguar I-PACE will be revealed during a live global broadcast on March 1st, 1:00 pm ET/19:00 CET, with the public debut set for the Geneva Motor Show on March 6th. The new I-PACE goes on sale later this year. In the meantime, the video below shows Westerlund behind the wheel at Jaguar’s facility in Arjeplog.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos, Video & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.

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Lotus Unveils Unlimited Edition Exige Cup 430

Lotus Unveils Unlimited Edition Exige Cup 430

Wait, didn’t I write about this one already? Nope. Looks like I haven’t, but there’s the “problem” in a nutshell. Lotus is making so many special editions these days that it’s hard to mentally separate them all. And if everything you make is “special” then, in a certain way, none of it is. And all of this superior engineering gets lost in the clutter. More’s the pity, because, of course, the new Lotus Exige Cup 430: Unlimited Edition is rather special.
Power & Performance
Curiously enough, coming from a company renowned for its chassis design skills and outright handling, the Lotus Exige Cup 430: Unlimited Edition (seriously, that’s its full name) is mainly about the engine. Like an old school hot rod approach, Lotus calls the plant “savage,” which I will chalk up to the marketing department needing their leash shortened. Basically, the engine gets a new supercharger and intercooler, but there are some body tweaks here and there, both as a way to differentiate the car but also to carve out more performance.
The engine gets a 15 percent bump in the power department, with an extra 55 horsepower over the limited-production Exige Cup 380. This all adds up to 430 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 325 lb-ft. of torque from 4,000 to 6,800 rpm. Or about what a new Corvette puts out in a car that weighs 50 percent less. Nice! Contrasted with the Exige Sport 350, it has 24 percent more power, and generates the same downforce at 100 mph, 220 kg, as the Exige Sport 350 does at its maximum speed of 170. Impressive.
The Lotus Exige Cup 430: Unlimited Edition (or LEC430UE if you’re cool) puts that 430 horsepower and 325 lb-ft. of torque to good use, with a 0 to 60 mph time of 3.2 seconds (or 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds if you’re interested in the metric performance). It tops out at 180, which probably seems like a lot more, because this is a pretty small car, and you are sitting very close to the ground.
Lotus Exige Cup 430: Unlimited Edition. Photo: Group Lotus plc.

Aerodynamic Designs
The bodywork and aerodynamics are tweaked and trimmed and tuned to exploit all the extra power, but also to make things look cooler. The front clamshell, for instance, is new and ultra-lightweight. It features unique carbon fiber ducts with wider radiator apertures and a new mesh pattern to the grille. Lotus says this delivers a more “combative aspect” which may or may not be true (although it is true, I bet that phrase was turned by the same marketing wonk that came up with “savage”).
The reworked front end allows the new front splitter and “air curtain mechanism” to reduce drag. That air curtain works with the front end to efficiently move air though the front wheel wells to reduce any turbulence and drag generated by the front wheels themselves. Out back, there’s a larger, straight motorsport wing with increased downforce (the overall drag coefficient is not impacted by the wing).
Weight Reduction
If you total up the new designs of the front and rear clamshells, they are 6.8 kg lighter than those on other Exiges. Exigii? Anyway, the front and rear bodywork is around 15 lbs. lighter than before. Which fits, since Lotus has a full on fetish for making things as light as they can. Overall weight is down by 12 kg to 1,059 kg, or right around 2,400 lbs. in old money. You can trim a further 6 lbs. off that if you get this Exige model in its lightest configuration. I have no idea what they do to drop those final 6 lbs. (probably take everything out of the glove box) but further weight savings is available. So, if you total all this up, the Exige Cup 430’s power to weight ratio is 407 horsepower per tonne, which is up substantially from the Exige Cup 380’s 355 horsepower per tonne.
Photo: Group Lotus plc.
Just Enough? Too Much?
Lotus says this variant is “focused fairly and squarely on aggressive track performance and point-to-point supremacy,” which is more nauseatingly cute MarComm talk, but they are not kidding. The new Lotus Exige Cup 430 can lap the company’s Hethel circuit 1.2 seconds faster than the 3-Eleven, which is little more than a road-legal go kart in comparison to the Exige.
Do I want this car? Of course I do, just like I wanted the 14,947 Exige specials that came out last month. And that’s the “problem,” such as it is. Lotus needs to stop monkeying around with all these different specials, or at least limit them to one a year or so. Because if I had the money to buy this – around $150,000 – I’d worry that a few minutes after I drove it for the first time, there’d be a newer, better, even higher performing version on the market.
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.
Lotus Exige Cup 430: Unlimited Edition Gallery

Photos & Source: Group Lotus plc.

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Alfa Romeo Tonale: When Concepts Cars Become Social Creatures

Alfa Romeo Tonale: When Concepts Cars Become Social Creatures The Tonale concept is Alfa Romeo’s first plug-in hybrid and premium compact SUV.
Styling elements include throwbacks to the brand’s history but take into account future designs.
New infotainment features allow drivers to be “fully connected” to the social communities around them.
Normally, if you try and cram too many interesting things together into one package, it ends up being a mish-mash and the end product isn’t very good. For example, if you try to combine a plug-in hybrid with a premium, compact SUV it might not work. Add to that mix Alfa Romeo, and you’d think you’d be heading down the wrong road. But check out the new Alfa Romeo Tonale concept from the recent Geneva International Motor Show.
It’s a compact SUV that’s easy on gas and even easier on the eyes.
The Showcase Car
First off, this is a show car, so don’t get your hopes up. Secondly, this isn’t a totally radical show car powered by stellar gasses filtered through rare earth substrates. The Tonale seems to be more of a showcase car than a show car, so maybe do get your hopes up. What Alfa has done here is demonstrate two things: One, you can have an SUV-like vehicle that is stylish and, two, a lot of the stuff you find within the Tonale you could easily find in other Alfas.
A lot could be said about the overall design and styling of the Tonale. And Lord knows I could say it, but I really hesitate to go into that sort of thing. Whether a car looks “good” or not is ultimately up to you and your eyes. What can be said is that Italians have a real gift for making even mundane vehicles (like SUV/crossovers) look like the hottest thing to come down the road since forever. To my eyes, this is a really well done car. The surface tension harks back to Alfa styling moves of the past – the Brera-like headlights, big phone dial wheels and such – all show that while German and Japanese car designers struggle to make stuff work, Italians do it without breaking a sweat.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale concept seats four and is decorated inside with aluminum trim, Alcantara leather, and translucent backlit panels. Photo: Alfa Romeo.
Related: Taking a day trip to Kelmscott Manor in a beautiful blue Alfa Romeo.
At Your Fingertips
Where the Tonale gets more concrete is on the inside. Not so much the styling, but what Alfa has decided to pack in there. Where modern cars currently are with concern to dashboards is becoming well-established. Screens are ideal, if not outright required. Fancy touchscreens and multi-function displays are no longer confined to the Rolls Royces and Bentleys of the world. So, if they are everywhere now, what will our dashboards of the near future look like and how will they function?
Alfa thinks it can answer that question.
The Tonale features a 12.3-inch, full-digital cluster and a 10.25-inch touchscreen in the central head unit. The main instrument cluster does what you’d expect, measuring speed, revs, and vehicle status stuff, while the big screen in the center handles all the infotainment. That’s pretty standard. What Alfa concentrates on is, of all things, the UI and software to make a seamless and fluid interface. Thus, multitasking becomes easier, more intuitive, and natural. Alfa says the driver will have all the latest features and functionality readily available at their fingertips.
And here’s where Alfa goes over the top, saying the Tonale allows you to be fully connected to the Alfa Romeo Lifestyle and Social communities through features like “Alfista” and “Paddock.”
The Alfa Romeo Tonale concept takes its name from the Tonale Pass, not far from the Stelvio Pass in the Alps. Photo: Alfa Romeo.
Entering The World of Alfa Romeo
Alfista is an “immersive” Alfa Romeo Lifestyle experience. Which kind of makes me shudder. When Alfa tries to explain itself, it doesn’t make me feel any better. Alfista aims to connect you with select Alfa Romeo clubs and community events. You know, get togethers, gatherings, drives and such; you receive live news and updates about all that as well as the current happenings of the Alfa Romeo brand. Ugh. It’s not a completely bad idea, but I don’t see why your car has to do what your phone already does.
Paddock is the “in-vehicle garage and market.” Paddock allows for the real-time viewing and purchasing of all the latest interior and exterior performance upgrades, equipment, and Alfa Romeo merchandise and apparel. All of which can be ordered direct via the touchscreen. Again, this makes me ask why you should do this with your car and not your phone.
What Alfa is pointing to here, however, is interesting. The problem is they are trying to tie their software to their hardware. What they should be doing is providing Alfista and Paddock to customers as a software download for their phones. Watch, I bet Alfa ends up doing that anyway in a few years. Alfista and Paddock are good ideas, just delivered through the wrong medium.
Alfa Romeo Tonale concept sketch.
Power & Performance: Slim Details But Promising
Sadly, Alfa does not give many technical details on the drivetrain, other than to mention the obvious. It’s a full-on, plug-in hybrid system. You can run on electricity or gasoline or both, and you can charge the batteries by hooking up to the grid. What Alfa does say is that they’ve tweaked the software so that as you drive the Tonale – or any other future hybrid with this system – you can go from electric to gasoline without noticing where the power is coming from. No need to worry, the Tonale figures it out for you. Just aim your nose down the via and go!
They say it still drives and feels like an Alfa Romeo (i.e. a total blast) but it’s now much more eco-conscious on your behalf.
“The Tonale marks the debut of the brand in the premium compact utility vehicle segment and does so in line with the characteristics that have always identified each Alfa Romeo model,” reads a statement from the company. “The goal is to deliver the best driving dynamics in the segment and to apply electrification in perfect Alfa Romeo style.”
Strangely, this mish-mash of stuff that shouldn’t work at all sounds really good to me.
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. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
Alfa Romeo Tonale Concept Gallery

Photos & Source: Alfa Romeo.

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2018 BMW M3 CS: The Bavarian Powerhouse

2018 BMW M3 CS: The Bavarian Powerhouse

BMW’s M3 has sort of been the benchmark performance sedan since its inception. And BMW continues to bang that drum, even though their 3 Series has grown over the years, and their original hot rod, something that’s light and tossable and small and agile, has grown sizably over the years. And I mean that literally. In comparison to where it started, the current BMW 3 Series is about where the 5 Series was decades ago. Ever thus is that trend for auto manufacturers; slightly bigger, an inch here, ten pounds there, year over year. And what was once small and logical is now bigger and fatter.
To make this even weirder, here we have the new BMW M3 CS, a special edition model that delivers a “fine blend of high performance and complete everyday practicality.” Wait, I thought that’s what the M3 already was? What gives?
Abundantly Speaking
What gives is, essentially, marketing speak. Oh sure, the M3 CS has more. More power, more torque, more gee-gaws and such, but essentially it’s “just” this year’s M3, only more so. Why the Bavarians didn’t take all the CS stuff and simply call it the “2018 M3” is beyond me, but BMW gets funny sometimes. So that weirdness aside, the BMW M3 CS is everything we’ve come to expect from an M3. It’s quick, it’s fast, it’s powerful (and I mean really powerful), it has tons of tech, but not so much tech that it gets in the way of the overall driving experience (hopefully). And it is screwed together by members of a society that have a real fetish designing and screwing things together “right.”
Weight Loss
The CS has lots of carbon fiber, even more than you’d normally find on an M3. The widespread use of carbon fiber, carbon fiber-reinforced plastic to be accurate about it, keeps this first-ever BMW M3 CS much lighter than the “normal” M3. Around 110 lbs. less than a normal M3, so that’s worth paying attention to. Large portions of the body are also made from carbon fiber, like the hood, which drops 25 percent of its weight in comparison to the regular M3. The roof panel is made of carbon fiber and that alone is more than 13 lbs. lighter than a conventional steel version. Plus, that weight savings comes from way up high on the body, so the center of gravity will drop, handling will improve and such. The front splitter? Carbon fiber. Even the “Gurney Flap” hanging out back is done up in exposed carbon fiber.
According to BMW, the engine’s crankcase has a “closed-deck” design to make it more rigid, thus allowing for higher cylinder pressures. The sleeveless cylinder walls have a twin-wire, arc-sprayed coating to reduce weight. Photo: BMW of North America, LLC.
Power & Performance
And all this lightness is a good thing. Regular readers know I’ve got a fixation for lightweight cars, but what the M3 CS is really about is power. Lots of it. Bags of it. For BMWs, it all seems to come down to what that “M” stands for, which is motor. And boy does the 2018 M3 CS pack a whopper of a mill. To wit, it’s an M TwinPower Turbo inline 6-cylinder that cranks out 453 horsepower at 6,250 rpm (28 more than the “normal” M3), with 443 lb-ft. of peak torque, available from 4,000 to 5,380 rpm (37 lb-ft. more). Great googly-moogly, that’s a lot of power!
Some would say that’s too much power and, let’s be frank here, those people are morons. 453 + 443 sounds like f-u-n fun to me. And I mean mathematically verifiable fun. 60 mph comes up in a scant 3.7 seconds and the top speed has increased to 174 mph. See? F-u-n fun. All of that power and torque is put to the bahn through the 7-speed M Double-Clutch Transmission with Drivelogic.
Naturally, the suspension is tweaked to deal with the higher engine output. The M3 CS comes standard with BMW’s Adaptive M Suspension that offers a choice of three modes: Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ with different damper settings in each of the three modes. Three different settings for the precisely tuned M Servotronic electromechanical steering can also be selected at the touch of a button.
The BMW M3 CS is outfitted with an Active M Differential, an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to enhance traction and stability. The control unit communicates with the DSC (Dynamic Stability Control) system, and factors in the accelerator position, rotational wheel speeds, and yaw rate to deliver the maximum torque to the rear wheels while still maintaining traction. Photo: BMW of North America, LLC.

Noteworthy Points
Also adding to the fun is a nice, throaty sounding M sport exhaust system. It’s specially tuned for the CS with a quartet of stainless steel tailpipes blending perfectly into the carbon fiber diffuser. Point of parliamentary procedure: BMW uses the term “rear diffuser.” Most car companies do. Rear diffuser? That’s idiotic and redundant. Of course it’s a rear diffuser. Have you ever seen a diffuser at the front end of something? No. No you have not.
That’s like saying, “the new rear feathers of this arrow . . . ” Duh! You don’t put feathers on the front of an arrow no more than you’d put a diffuser anywhere but on the rear of a car. So knock it off, it’s starting to bother me.
Interior Treatments
The inside is drenched in Alcantara and two-tone full Merino leather in Silverstone/Black. There’s a new red start/stop button and the passenger compartment is pared down to the essentials for significant weight savings, but still graced by the presence of lightweight M sport seats. There is, however, such niceties as automatic climate control and a Harman Kardon surround sound system.
Pricing & Availability
You like? Of course you do. And if you really like, you better get to your local BMW dealer. Production of the M3 CS is limited to approximately 1,200 units worldwide, with only 550 of them coming to the United States. Pricing has not been announced but BMW will start taking orders in May.
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.
2018 BMW M3 CS Gallery

Photos & Source: BMW of North America, LLC.

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Lamborghini Terzo Millennio: When Crazed Italians Hang With Hyper-Geeks

Lamborghini Terzo Millennio: When Crazed Italians Hang With Hyper-Geeks

The Lamborghini Terzo Millennio is, to me, a prime example of what has been Lambo’s Achilles’ Heel for decades: Styling. Ever since the Countach, Lamborghini basically gave up on giving their cars any sense of grace or elegance and have gone for brute presence and hard edges and gaudiness with all the subtly of a 25 minute heavy metal guitar solo. Automobili Lamborghini got together with not one, but two laboratories at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (aka MIT) and asked, in so many words, “hey, what would a possible future Lamborghini electric super sports car be like?”
The answer is this: The Lamborghini Terzo Millennio. A car that looks like something a 13-year-old would draw on the back of his notebook.
Central Command
MIT, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is arguably the best engineering school in the known universe (that’s right Vulcan Science Academy, you heard me). You know the MIRV, the Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicle for atomic warheads? That was dreamed up and invented at MIT. By graduate students. Stroboscopic photography? That was invented, single-handedly, by Harold “Doc” Edgerton, an MIT professor who taught freshman chemistry. The people that roam the halls and wander the MIT campus sit at the top of the Everest of geekdom. You ask MIT for “help” on your transportation project, and a byproduct might turn out to be a mass-driver that can sling ore from the asteroid belt back to planet Earth.
And Lamborghini, bless their hearts, decided to ask, and the result is the Terzo Millennio which, styling aside, packs about as much performance as a cruise missile on final approach. Bear witness.
Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Breaking Down The Beast
At its heart, this is a moon-shot of a car. If it happens at all in anything close to what we see here, it will happen many years (decades) down the road. Lamborghini flat-out states: “The concept physically imagines design and technology theories of tomorrow.” Theories? Wow, equivocate much? Lamborghini has chosen to focus on five different dimensions: energy storage systems, innovative materials, propulsion, visionary design, and emotion. Or, to put it in layman’s terms so you don’t have to be Florence LaRue: where the fuel goes, what it’s built from, how that fuel is dispensed to the tarmac, what it looks like, and . . . er, emotion? Really, they went with emotion? What does that even mean?
Energy Storage Systems
THUS SPAKE LAMBO!!: “The strategy of creating super sports cars with uncompromising performance generates Lamborghini’s motivation to revolutionize the approach to . . . SAVE ME!!! SAVE ME!!! Please don’t make me read this stuff. No need to get lost in all that MarComm drivel. The Energy Storage System, effectively the gas tank is a, in one word, supercapacitor. Which is (I hear some of you asking) just like yer run of the mill capacitor, only super. Essentially, a battery that is quick to discharge, quick to charge, and holds “enough” stored energy to “practically” use. Think of a much larger electric go-kart with a bodyshell and a license plate.
Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.

Innovative Materials
What is it built from? Answer: cloth and glue (aka carbon fiber). Cloth and glue that are used all over the place in structures and parts and the bodyshell, and also in interesting ways: like that same bodyshell acting as an accumulator for energy storage. Swift, eh? Lambo and MIT closely monitor the bodyshell to look for and predict cracks and structural failures, and self-fix them via micro-channels filled with “healing chemistries.”
To which I say, that’s cool and all, but couldn’t you just make the skin a little thicker and a little tougher and not even worry about “monitoring” it?
Propulsion System
Works like this: each wheel gets its own engine/generator, a pretty standard layout for an EV drivetrain. It’s so much easier to do this with electric motors, because even very powerful versions are also relatively small. And since all of these motors are controlled by enough computing power to make Seymour Cray tear up, that means you can automatically build in (and tweak on the fly) things like differential anti-lock braking based on accelerator data and steering wheel angles to optimize traction through mid-corner out to corner exit. To name just one of the simpler sub-routines anyway.
It’s not just that the car, with tons of electrical power delivered to the pavement near-instantaneously, can go and turn and stop, it can potentially do two or even three of those simultaneously.
Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Design
Let us just be Gorn-like, quick and merciful, and say this thing’s styling – regardless of how much aerodynamic sense it makes – looks like 13-and-a-half axe heads randomly attached to a big magnet. This car, the Terzo Millennio, does not look graceful or animated or lithe or agile. No, it looks stocky and apathetic and rigid and clumsy. Seriously. I’ve seen more aesthetic doorstops in Leningrad.
Emotion
Yeah. Yeah . . . no. Just, no.
Chances are the Lamborghini Terzo Millennio will hit the streets right about the time the mid-engine, quad rotor Wankel-powered Corvette is arriving (i.e. right around the time Gloria Steinem marries Harvey Weinstein). It’s a neat idea though.
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.
Lamborghini Terzo Millennio Gallery

Photos & Source: Automobili Lamborghini.

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