Automotive

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: True Italian Flare

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio: True Italian Flare Seems like someone at Alfa Romeo has been taking serious hallucinogens again, because Alfa went and made a Quadrifoglio version of their all-new 2018 Stelvio SUV. Sure, other car companies have done this: AMG Merc G-Classes and seriously hopped up Porsche Cayannes and that sort of thing – but this is Italian levels of crazy. Remember, the Germans invented the pipe organ. Italians invented opera.
Disaster Response
To Italians, everything is a big deal. You miss’a da’bus? Una catastrofe! Girlfriend dumped you? Una catastrofe! The pope dies? Una catastrofe! Ferrari comes in second? Una catastrofe! So when an Italian car company, Alfa, in this case, gets into the SUV game, and various people (e.g. Germans) start making go-fast versions? Una catastrofe! The only “reasonable” and “sane” response is to not only make your own SUV, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, but then you’ve got to do something like drop in 75 percent of the engine from a Ferrari 488 GTB and say, “stai ben’!”
Speed Fixes Everything
Is the all-new 2018 Stelvio Quadrifoglio practical? Can it ford deep streams? Drive up snow-covered mountain slopes with ease? Reliable? Who cares! For everyone of you that say stuff like that is important in an SUV, I have the following rebuttals: 505 horsepower, zero to 60 in 3.9 seconds, and a top speed of 176 mph. Sure, sure, yap all you want about “Ford Expedition” this “German build quality of the Cayenne” that, I’ll be taking the Stelvio Quadrifoglio for a little jaunt around the Nürburgring. Where, in case you didn’t see this one coming, the SQ lapped the place in a record 7 minutes 51.7 seconds. Yes, that’s the fastest time ever posted by a production SUV, and yes, that makes the Stelvio Quadrifoglio the fastest production SUV in the world.
Photo: FCA US LLC.

Power & Performance
As I mentioned, the SQ will be motivated down La Strada via an all-aluminum, 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, generating 505 horsepower. In addition to all that horsepower, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio engine cranks out 443 lb-ft. of torque. Said mill is direct-injected, and was designed to heighten the lightweight architecture of the SUV. It features a compact, 90-degree layout to drop the center of gravity seemingly four feet under your seat. The engine is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which makes sense, because adding a full-on Ferrari double clutch semi-auto box would have tripled the price.
And from there on out, things on the Stelvio Quadrifoglio just seem to get more and more radical. The Quadrifoglio features a class-exclusive carbon fiber driveshaft. A carbon fiber driveshaft?! In a “truck?” Voi gente di Milano siete un mucchio di torte alla frutta! That composite driveshaft is hooked up to a torque vectoring differential (a piece of kit right out of Ferrari’s Grand Prix shop), controlled by a four-mode Alfa DNA Pro selector, complete with a Race mode. There is a Quadrifoglio-tuned adaptive suspension system to compliment the steering which Alfa describes as “direct.”
Photo: FCA US LLC.
Fine Touches
The Stelvio Quadrifoglio also comes with 20-inch aluminum wheels with immense 6-piston Brembo front brakes. There are aggressively bolstered Alcantara leather seats (14-way power front and 4-way lumbar adjustments), leather-wrapped dash and doors with accent stitching, and genuine carbon fiber adorning the interior. You will also find a specific Quadrifoglio instrument cluster with a 200-mph speedometer (risate maniacali) and a cylinder deactivation system to maximize fuel efficiency.
And the finishing touch (Italians always have that nice finishing touch) is the hand-painted Quadrifoglio badge. Said badge is symbolic of Alfa Romeo race cars and high-performance production vehicles.
Photo: FCA US LLC.
Pricing & Manufacturing
The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is manufactured at the Alfa Romeo plant in Cassino, Italy (yes, that Cassino) and lists for a not all that unreasonable $79,995. No, that’s not cheap. Indeed, that is the most expensive Alfa you can currently buy. But it is right in line for what other (and let’s just say it: lesser) higher performance SUVs go for.
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 is work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.

Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.

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Ford Announces Senior Leadership Changes

Ford Announces Senior Leadership Changes Ford Motor Company has announced what they deem as “key changes” to their senior management team in the interest of “improving the company’s operational fitness” while accelerating a “strategic shift to capitalize on emerging opportunities.” While that is certainly true for the sake of economics, the most recent shuffle does come on the heels of Raj Nair’s departure, Ford’s former head of North America.
Phoebe Wall Howard of the Detroit Free Press reports that Nair exited Ford after unspecified but “inappropriate behavior.”
Leadership Changes

Kumar Galhotra, 52, is appointed Group Vice President and President, Ford North America, effective March 1st. Galholtra will be responsible for leading all aspects of Ford’s North American business. He will report to Jim Farley, Ford’s Executive Vice President and President, Global Markets.
Galhotra has been with Ford for nearly 30 years and has served in a multitude of senior-level engineering and product strategy positions around the world. Since 2014, he has led Lincoln but took over the company’s top marketing position last year. Joy Falotico, 50, is now Group Vice President of the Lincoln Motor Company and Chief Marketing Officer, succeeding Galhotra. Her appointment is effective March 1 st.
Since October 2016, Falotico has been Group Vice President, Chairman, and CEO of Ford Motor Credit Company. With $151 billion in receivables, it’s Ford’s second-largest profit contributor. In 29 years at Ford Credit, she has served in a number of executive positions around the world.
Reporting to Galhotra will be Stuart Rowley, 50, who is named Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Ford North America, effective March 1st. Rowley, who was previously Vice President of Strategy, will be responsible for driving the redesign of the North American business to improve its overall fitness.
Successors
Succeeding Falotico is David McClelland, named Vice President of Ford Motor Company and CEO of Ford Credit. A 25-year veteran of Ford Credit, McClelland, 48, was most recently Executive Vice President, Marketing and Asia Pacific. McClelland has been instrumental in Ford Credit’s growth in China, and the move into new fintech and mobility initiatives like the Canvas vehicle subscription service. His appointment is effective March 1st, reporting to Bob Shanks, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
John Lawler is appointed Vice President, Strategy, succeeding Rowley. Lawler, 51, who joined Ford in 1990, brings a deep background in finance and general management into the strategy role, including his current position as Ford’s Corporate Controller. Lawler also previously served as Chairman and CEO, Ford China. He will report to Shanks in the new role effective March 1st.
Cathy O’Callaghan, 49, is now Ford’s Vice President and Corporate Controller and CFO, Global Markets, succeeding Lawler. O’Callaghan also joined Ford in 1990 and is currently Chief Financial Officer, Ford South America. O’Callaghan will report to Shanks in her role as Corporate Controller and Farley in her role as CFO, Global Markets. Her appointment is effective June 1st.
Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett praised the organization’s talent, saying the automaker is “very fortunate to have an experienced and committed executive team in place.” Hackett elaborated, saying the executive team is committed to strengthening Ford’s business and committed to the automaker’s vision of becoming the “most trusted” mobility company with “smart vehicles for a smart world.”
Photo & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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2019 Volvo V60 Revealed, Emphasis On Versatility & Safety

2019 Volvo V60 Revealed, Emphasis On Versatility & Safety Volvo reveled the new V60 in its “natural habitat” or rather in the driveway of a home in Stockholm, Sweden. The location was fitting given the V60 is a five-door, midsize wagon and ideally suited for families on the go. Volvo says the new V60 “caters to the diverse needs and realities of modern family life” by being both practical and versatile.
“The family estate driver is an important customer for our business and has been for generations,” explained Håkan Samuelsson, President & CEO, Volvo Cars. “The new V60 honors that tradition, but also takes it much further.”
Essential Foundations
Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture, or SPA platform, underpins the new V60. It’s a natural choice given how the XC60 and four 90 Series vehicles also reside on the platform, and it’s entirely permissible that Volvo’s success the past few years is owed partly to SPA-inspired designs. Overall, the architecture streamlines things for Volvo’s engineering and manufacturing teams, and provides a number of benefits for the consumer: more interior space, better safety technology, and stronger impact protection among them.
Photo: Volvo Car USA, LLC.
Safety & Security
Complimenting the high-strength steel of the SPA architecture is an exhaustive list of safety features and advanced driver support systems. City Safety with Autobrake technology and Pilot Assist are two of the biggest. The first uses automatic braking and various detection methods to avoid potential collisions by spotting other cars, pedestrians, cyclists, and even large animals. The latter helps the driver with steering, acceleration, and braking on well-marked roads up to 80 mph.
The V60 also includes Run-off Road Mitigation, Oncoming Lane Mitigation, and other steering and driver assistance systems. The optional Cross Traffic Alert with autobrake is also available.
Photo: Volvo Car USA, LLC.
Power & Performance
In the United States, the V60 will be available with a T5 engine creating 250 horsepower for front-wheel drive models. All-wheel drive models see a nice bump to 316 horsepower with the T6 engine. There are rumors and reports of the T8 hybrid engine coming to the United States for the V60, and even a diesel powertrain. Vovlo’s press photos do show a plug-in hybrid variant, but for now the we shouldn’t hold our breath.
“At the moment we are only planning to take the T5 and T6 powertrains, with V60s arriving in calendar year 19,” says Jim Nichols, Technology and Product Communications Manager, Volvo Cars.
Availability & In Person
Preservative buyers will be able to “access” the new V60 through a subscription service called Care by Volvo. The service offers a monthly flat-fee subscription for the vehicle versus more traditional methods of ownership. In the meantime, the 2019 Volvo V60 will be on display at the Geneva International Motor Show beginning on March 8th.
In related news, Polestar will also make their European debut at the Geneva International Motor Show. The company’s initial car, the Polestar 1, will be on display for the first time.
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.
2019 Volvo V60 Gallery

Photos & Source: Volvo Car USA, LLC.

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Uber ignores California's grounding of self-driving Volvo XC90s tests

2016 - Uber launches self-driving Volvo XC90s

Uber hasn’t even completed a week of live testing of its fleet of completely-autonomous Volvo XC90s and they’re already in deep doo-doo.

What’s going on?

Uber has been hitting the headlines with the launch of its first wave of self-driving, completely autonomous Volvo XC90s in San Francisco for a series of real-world tests. It hasn’t been a full week since the cars began testing and already they’re causing trouble.

It all started when a video surfaced on the web of a self-driving Uber XC90 clearly running a redlight sometime last week. Since then, California regulators and the DMV called for a complete grounding of the XC90 fleets. However, Uber isn’t complying and thus has yet to pull the XC90s from the road.

Uh oh, that doesn’t sound good. What are California regulators saying?

Because of the clear video showing the Uber XC90s are still problematic and a safety hazard, the California Attorney General’s office threatened legal action if Uber doesn’t ground the fleet.

The letter was sent later Friday, demanding Uber to apply for the proper permits to allow for continued testing of its XC90s. The permits need to be supplied by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

However, Uber contested these demands claiming its cars feature technology that’s no different than the equipment used on other advanced driver-assistance systems. As a result, the fleet of self-driving XC90s do not need those permits to continue testing.

But Momma California says otherwise…

According to California’s Vehicle Code Section 38750, the DMV amended new legislature regulating the testing and public use of autonomous cars on California’s public roads. Because of these clear statues, the DMV issued a cease-and-desist letter to Uber on Dec. 14 under this code.

But Uber argues that code section only applies to fully-autonomous vehicles with no steering wheel, no pedals, or human driver. The XC90s are still XC90s, just with a bunch of autonomous tech on it.

The debacle is ongoing.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: USAToday

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The 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S is a not-so-extreme SV

Think of it as the Lamborghini Aventador S without the V.

What’s going on?

Lamborghinis are pretty rambunctious and it’s hard to imagine how much more ridiculous they could get. How does more power, more aerodynamics, and more performances sound?

With the 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S, that’s exactly what you get. But you don’t get as much performances as the SuperVeloce. That’s not necessarily a bad thing if the the Aventador SV is just a little too much Aventador for you. Instead, the Aventador S is basically like a SuperVeloce without the Veloce.

Ok. So how much more power are we talking?

The 6.5L naturally-aspirated V12 already offers a whopping 690hp and 508 lb-ft of torque for a 0-60 time of just 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 220 mph. Because the Aventador S essentially gets the SV’s revised V12, that means power jumps up to 740hp with torque remaining the same as the regular car. The SV’s mill however gets a higher redline as well. But interestingly, the zip to 62 mph still takes around 2.8-2.9 seconds.

All that extra power but not that much more performance…what else is new with the Aventador S?

To match the extra power, the body gets slightly reworked to serve up more downforce at speed for better stability and handling. Additionally, “overall efficiency” is claimed to increase by 50 percent. Downforce at the front increases by 130 percent and a stunning 400 percent at the rear.

Also new is an active four-wheel steering system, which is new for the Aventador. During low speed maneuvers, the rear wheels can steer in the opposite direction as the front for a better turning radius. When traveling at faster speeds, the system reverses its actions to improve high-speed handling.

How much will this Aventador S cost?

A lot of money, as you can imagine. Prices for the 2017 Lamborghini Aventador S start at $421,350. Check enough boxes on the options list and you’ll pass $500,000 very easily.

Deliveries are scheduled to commence in spring of 2017.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Lamborghini

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GM halts production for cars from heavy crossover SUV demand

Like you’ve never heard us tout how popular crossovers are before…

What’s going on?

Crossovers! “Oh jeeze…” Yea. I know what you’re thinking. We get it. They’re popular. I get it too.

But this is how crazy it can get. Car demand is so slow for General Motors, multiple reports indicate the Big Three’s General had to put a stop on various assembly lines. The reason: the demand for crossovers is just too damn high!

According to AutomotiveNews and The Detroit News with info provided by Autodata, GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck, Fairfax, Lansing Grand River, Lordstown, and Bowling Green will all hit the stop button on everything for several week periods.

That’s a lot of plant locations. What cars are affected?

Here’s a quick list of what each plant builds:

Detroit-Hamtramck Facility to shut down for three weeks, builds:
- Buick LaCrosse
- Cadillac CT6
- Chevrolet Volt
- Chevrolet Impala

Fairfax, Kansas to shut down for three weeks, builds:
- Chevrolet Malibu

Lansing Grand River to shut down to for two weeks, builds:
- Cadillac ATS
- Cadillac CTS
- Chevrolet Camaro

Lordstown, Ohio to shut down for one week, builds:
- Chevrolet Cruze

Bowling Green, Kentucky to shut down for one week, builds:
- Chevrolet Corvette

Currently, an overstock issue is a larger issue for the company with many vehicles still heavy in supply. There simply is no more room to store inventory.

On the flip side, crossover and truck supply is lower than company standards because dealers can’t keep those on the lots. The lower gas prices in recent years stimulated crossover, SUV, and truck sales over more fuel-efficient alternatives.

To try and coax more buyers into the showrooms, GM will soon begin offering more incentives and discounts.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: AutomotiveNews, The Detroit News

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The 2018 Honda Odyssey will enter a new generation in Detroit

Actually, the real teaser of the next-gen 2018 Honda Odyssey is after the jump.

What’s going on?

Honda’s on the verge of revealing an all-new Odyssey for 2018, just as we’re all on the verge of celebrating the holiday season at its peak on top of a new year. To make sure we’re aware, the company teased the new model by having some children of the Odyssey team members draw up some sketches of what’ll most likely be their next space shuttle.

Watch out current auto designers–these kids have a bright future in auto design!

The current Odyssey minivan has been with us since 2011 and is pretty much due for a replacement. That replacement is set to be revealed at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.

Check out the actual teaser after the jump.

So Honda’s got a new people-carrier and baby-hauler (or maker) in the works. What’s new about it?

2018 Honda Odyssey Teaser Scribble

Well, as depicted by one of the junior Odyssey team member’s vision, it will be dark purple with a light purple roof, while sitting on two eyeballs and looking like a purple elephant with a pocket protector as its butt. Or it might look like a pirate hat rolling on four donut magnets and two yellow eyes. Heck, it might even be rainbow colored!

Now, as cool as that would be…

It unfortunately won’t really be as adorable as the sketches above. But like previous generations of Honda Odyssey, the new one is to be based on the same platform as the latest Honda Pilot crossover, which takes its platform from the latest Accord.

Because it’s a family oriented vehicle, the Odyssey should come with sweet family oriented quirks. Like the outgoing generation’s optional integrated vacuum system meant to handle those little ones who like to throw things.

Thanks to its typical Accord and Pilot-based roots, the new Odyssey, like previous versions, should continue to come with happy Accord-like driving dynamics. Meaning, it shouldn’t be a total bore to drive, proving the Odyssey is the best choice for petrolheads who need to provide for their families without too much compromise.

No specific details were released with the teaser. But we imagine the new 2018 Honda Odyssey will come with a similar powertrain to the Pilot, the company’s latest beloved V6.

And here’s that actual teaser of the new Odyssey.

2018 Honda Odyssey Teaser Sketch

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Honda

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2017 NAIAS Teaser: The new 2018 Chevrolet Traverse, this is almost it

The next-gen Chevrolet Traverse should predictably be a more value-oriented version of the GMC Acadia, like the outgoing model.

What’s going on?

The Chevrolet Traverse has been with us for a very long time. In fact, it’s been with us for so long (since 2009), people seemed to have forgotten about it since it’s so stale. But now, Chevrolet is finally getting around to revealing the second gen model.

And they just released a teaser to confirm its pending arrival.

Oooo…so Chevy’s replacing it’s rental-destined Traverse. Will it be all-new?

Yes! It will be all-new and like the current Traverse, it should essentially be a Chevrolet version of the GMC Acadia since they’re basically cousins. They come from the same platform.

The outgoing model rides on the GM Lambda platform, an enlarged and heavily modified version of the GM Epsilon platform, which is also shared with previous versions of the Chevrolet Malibu. Now, GM has an all-new Epsilon platform out and it currently underpins the latest Cadillac XT5 and the all-new GMC Acadia.

What will power it?

So far, as with every teaser, all the details are currently being withheld. That is, until Chevrolet reveals the new car at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

– By: Chris Chin

Source: Chevrolet

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