Chevy Reveals New, Special Edition Colorado Models

Chevy Reveals New, Special Edition Colorado Models

At the State Fair of Texas, Chevrolet announced their Centennial Celebration, a series of events and happenings to commemorate 100 years of building trucks. The celebration is marked by the national expansion of Chevy’s Truck Legends program and new, “Centennial Edition” variants of the Silverado and Colorado, among other things. Recently, the new Centennial Edition Silverado was displayed on the 2017 Luke Bryan Farm Tour and at the Sunbelt Ag Expo in Moultrie, Georgia.
As part on the ongoing celebration, Chevrolet has revealed two new Colorado models, the ZR2 Midnight and Dusk Edition. The ZR2 is, essentially, the off-road-ready version of the Colorado.
Special Treatments
The 2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Midnight Edition sports an all-black exterior theme, with a blacked-out bowtie and 17-inch, five-spoke wheels. The truck also features a black sport bar with off-road, LED lighting and unique ZR2 logos. The Dusk Edition offers the same content as the Midnight Edition, but can be purchased in all other ZR2 exterior finishes, with black accents throughout.
“The Colorado ZR2 Midnight and Dusk Edition models offer customers even more personalization choices from the only company with three distinct trucks: midsize, full-size, and full-size heavy-duty,” explained Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Chevrolet Truck Strategy, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Chevrolet offers more choices because the truck market is too diverse for a ‘one size fits most’ strategy.”
2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Midnight Edition. Photo: Chevrolet.
Power & Performance
When compared to the “normal” Colorado, the ZR2 has a 2-inch higher profile and a 3.5-inch wider track to account for a number of off-road obstacles. Some of the truck’s most notable features are underneath it, like the high-strength, fully boxed steel frame and cast-iron control arms. The off-road suspension is highlighted by the Multimatic DSSV dampers with position-sensitive spool valve technology. With this setup, the Colorado ZR2 can canvass uneven, off-road terrains but still provide a solid, stable feel on paved surfaces.
The Chevy Colorado ZR2 comes standard with front and rear electronic locking differentials, hill descent control, and an aluminum skidplate for the radiator and oil pan. An Autotrac transfer case (with shield), four-wheel disc brakes, Duralife rotors, and a modified, 3.42 rear axle ratio are also standard. Engine choices include a 3.6-liter V6 with 308 horsepower or a 2.8-liter Duramax diesel with 369 lb-ft. of torque.
2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Dusk Edition. Photo: Chevrolet.
In Person
The 2018 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Midnight and Dusk Editions will make their public debut at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, beginning on October 31st. They will remain on display throughout the event as part of Chevy’s exhibit of concept and production vehicles.
The ZR2 Midnight Edition on display will have the 3.6-liter V6 and a number of accessories and performance parts, including an air intake system and special exhaust. The ZR2 Dusk Edition will be equipped with the Duramax diesel, a cold air intake, and finished in Summit White.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.





Photos & Source: Chevrolet.



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2017 Lexus GS F Sedan Review: The Quickest GS You Can Buy

2017 Lexus GS F Sedan Review: The Quickest GS You Can Buy


The 2017 Lexus GS F Sedan is the quickest GS you can buy. This sedan isn’t the GS with a random sports package and some exterior badging, it’s a true performance car from Lexus. They have infused a new attitude into the GS F.
When Toyota boss Akio Toyoda said he wanted to give the timid Lexus brand some performance attitude a few years ago, he wasn’t kidding. The 2017 Lexus GS F is a good example of what he wanted the brand to develop into. The GS F ramps Lexus up to its highest performance level yet.
The GS F borrowed performance parts from the RC F coupe and they fit just fine. The sedan gets the high-performance V8 from its RC F stablemate, along with revised braking and suspension. In short, it’s the most powerful sedan Lexus has ever made. The Lexus GS F competes in a tough segment too, with the BMW M5, Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, Cadillac CTS-V, and Audi RS 7.
What’s New For 2017
The Lexus GS F gets continuously variable dampers for 2017.
Features & Options
The 2017 Lexus GS F Sedan ($83,940) comes loaded with standard features like 10-way power-adjustable seats, automatic wipers, forged 19-inch wheels, leather trimmed sport seats, keyless entry and ignition, and Lexus Enform Remote, a smartphone app that includes a vehicle finder, remote unlocking and starting, and climate control operation. Other features include a power tilt-and-telescope steering wheel, a backup camera, heads-up display, a 12-speaker audio system, and navigation.
Underneath, the GS F gets an electronically controlled differential, Brembo high-performance brakes, upgraded sport suspension, a 5.0-liter V8, torque vectoring technology, and an 8-speed transmission.
The only optional features on this GS F tester were the premium Mark Levinson audio system ($1,380) and special 19-inch wheels ($600). Total MSRP including destination: $87,490.





Interior Highlights
Stepping inside the GS F reveals special features not offered in the standard trims. The GS F model gets aluminum pedals, carbon fiber trim, and sport seats we think offer up exceptional comfort and support. The additional Alcantara leather throughout the cabin gives it a sportier feel than other Lexus products, especially around the dash. The dash is characterized by its horizontal lines and cool ambient lighting at the perimeter. Yet, it offers the typical Lexus luxury we think beats even the best German sport sedans. There are extra padded leather panels in rich shades, smooth wood trim, and the fit and finish overall is top-notch.
Another area the GS F goes against the typical Lexus luxury grain is by piping engine and exhaust notes into the cabin. The 5.0-liter V8 powerplant gives out a throaty growl unlike any other model produced by Toyota’s luxury brand. We found ourselves jumping hard on the gas just to hear that sweet sounding engine.
The 10-way power seats, which we put to the test this week, are comfortable, supportive, and have more bolstering for hard cornering. The color heads-up display helped keep our eyes on the road and it was a good thing as we pushed the GS F hard this week. The giant, 12.3-inch high-resolution display sits ready for commands from the Remote Touch “joystick” on the console. In the back, there’s good head room for taller passengers but knee room is lacking. Although the rear doors are big, making it easy for adults to climb in and out.







Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Lexus GS F is the quickest sedan the brand has ever built because it uses a 5.0-liter V8 sourced from the RC F high-performance coupe. The engine has 467 horsepower and 389 lb-ft. of torque. It’s backed by an 8-speed Sport Direct-Shift automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters. With both direct and port injection, this V8 gets an EPA-estimated 16/24 city/highway and 19 combined mpg.
This is attainable only if you can keep your foot out of it. Good luck with that.
Driving Dynamics
It’s hard to drive the GS F in a casual manner. The first time we stomped on the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8 and heard the engine and exhaust notes, we wanted to have that thrill over and over again. It’s heard like sweet background music through two speakers, one front, one rear, as it is piped in. Lexus says the GS F will sprint to 60 in just 4.5 seconds. You know it’s quick when you look down and you’re going 92 mph before you even get on the highway!
On the road, when weren’t seeing how it handled the corners (where the torque vectoring makes the sedan respond beautifully), the GS F is a comfortable cruiser. The 8-speed automatic transmission is crisp, smooth, and responsive, although it can’t match the German competition’s dual-clutch gearboxes. The big 19-inch staggered wheels gripped the pavement and the Brembo performance brakes (15-inch front and 13.5-inch rear) are needed with all those horses under the hood. The ride is smooth enough, considering the GS F gets a sport tuned suspension with stiffer shocks and springs.
Conclusion
The Lexus GS F offers a rear-drive sedan that’s pushing the limits for the Japanese automaker. It has the character of a true performance car with the luxury you would expect from the Lexus brand. The GS F is the quickest GS you can buy, and our experience says Akio Toyoda is succeeding in infusing a new attitude into the luxury brand.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2017 Lexus GS F Gallery






































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2017 Lexus GS F Official Site.
Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.



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Acura TLX PMC Edition: A Brief Walk Around

Acura TLX PMC Edition: A Brief Walk Around The 2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition is hand-built at the company’s Performance Manufacturing Center.
A special exterior color using nano pigment technology was developed for the limited edition TLX.
The TLX is the first Acura model to receive “PMC Edition” treatments; MDX will follow shortly. 
Another surprise for this year’s New York International Auto Show was Acura’s roll out of the 2020 TLX PMC Edition. The PMC, which stands for Performance Manufacturing Center, is sort of like Acura’s version of BMW’s M division or Mercedes-AMG, only if it actually went faster. The 2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition gets some nice finishing touches here and there, and is assembled with greater care, but that’s about it.
Wishing For Slightly More
The TLX PMC Edition is a limited edition car, although Acura does not say what the actual production numbers will be. At this point, my guess it will be a special edition until they run out of the little glue-on serial plaques that say “Special Edition.”
Sad, really, given what Honda is capable of in the performance arena, but they have always been a conservative car company. Their vaunted NSX came out powered by a V6 when everyone else was going for much higher cylinder counts. Branding something as “PMC” and building it alongside the NSX at the actual Performance Manufacturing Center in Marysville, Ohio; but not giving us a hot-rod version seems like kind of a waste.
The 2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition is hand-built at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville, Ohio. Photo: Acura.
Power & Performance
The 2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition sits atop the TLX lineup, powered by an i-VTEC V6 engine with direct-injection. The 3.5-liter V6 makes 290 horsepower and is paired to a nine-speed automatic. Acura’s torque-vectoring system, Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive, is on-board and a godsend in slippery conditions. When the hand-assembly process is complete, each TLX PMC Edition will undergo the same quality controls as the NSX; including dyno checks, final paint inspection, rough-road simulation, and water leak tests.
It is not, however, a factory stripper; it is still loaded with the full-zoot of premium features from the TLX Advance Package. The exterior is anything but run-of-the-mill, featuring PMC Edition exterior treatments and interior design elements from Acura’s A-Spec line.
Photo: Acura.
Shiny & New
The easiest way to spot the 2020 TLX PMC Edition is by the Valencia Red Pearl pain, which Acura says is “deeply lustrous and grade-exclusive.” It’s made using something called nano-pigment technology that can only be applied in the bespoke factory’s advanced paint facility. (It was previously reserved for the NSX only). Acura goes into excruciating detail about the hows and whys of their ever-so-cool paint, but it’s basically candy apple red and seems, to my eyes, not all that dissimilar to what hot-rodders and low riders have been doing since 1959.
Only Acura takes five days to paint this TLX. I guess it’s worth it.
Other goodies include lots of gloss black stuff. There’s gloss black 19-inch, split-five-spoke wheels with black lug nuts; a gloss black roof panel, door handles, and grille with body-colored surround. There are shiny bits too, like the dual four-inch black chrome exhaust tips. The heated seats feature black Milano leather with Alcantara inserts, black piping and red stitching; those look quite nice. There’s a perforated leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching and paddle shifters, and there’s red stitching on the door panels, center console, and armrest as well.
Photo: Acura.
A-Spec Treatments
Even the floor mats are special, with metal A-Spec badging. Speaking of A-Spec, the PMC gets a trainload of that stuff too: A-Spec exterior and interior appearance packages, along with jewel-eye LED headlights, LED foglights, and GPS-linked navigation with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. The stereo is this great big whompin’ thing, an Acura ELS Studio premium audio system with 10 speakers and enough power to make you go deaf.
Tech & Safety
Wireless charging for phones? Check. Surround view camera system? Check. Power-folding door mirrors with auto-dimming? Of course! Front and rear parking sensors, blind spot information system, rear cross traffic monitor? Duh! And of course, there’s the full suite of AcuraWatch safety technologies to keep you from doing anything egregiously stupid.
Pricing & Availability
Like I said, this is a limited-run TLX, but final numbers are so far absent. Deliveries of the 2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition will begin this summer with pricing around $50,000.
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. 
2020 Acura TLX PMC Edition Gallery

















Photos & Source: Acura.



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Free Performance Car Pumpkin Carving Patterns

Free Performance Car Pumpkin Carving Patterns

As the seasons change, fall colors blossom, tailgating excursions ensue, and trick-or-treaters set out for candy hauls of legendary proportions. Marking the fall decidedly is Halloween, a time of sweet treats, costume parties, and the mystery of why radio stations spin Jim Stafford’s Spiders and Snakes in the proceeding days.
It’s a 70s country hit detailing an idiosyncratic boy who, upon realizing the fairest girl in school has a crush on him, is unable to reciprocate the feelings. Granted, unrequited love is probably terrifying but that doesn’t make it a Halloween song.
Moving on . . .
Modern-Day Dragula
If you’re tired of carving the typical spooky kitty into your pumpkins, you might consider these free patterns of a 2018 Camaro ZL1 1LE and Subaru WRX STI. The patterns, which only require a printer, steady hands, and a big orange pumpkin, were provided by GMPartsCenter.net, SubaruPartsPlus.com, and StoneyKins. These performance car patterns will look cool on the front porch with candles inside – at least that’s how Matt Mylan, Director at GMPartsCenter.net, puts it.
“A real life Camaro is technically much faster than a pumpkin, and a pumpkin can’t corner as well as a real ZL1 1LE, but, other than all that, a pumpkin with a Camaro carved into it is awesome,” he said.
The Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE is the is the fastest Camaro in history, as verified by its recent Nürburgring time. Under the hood is a supercharged, 650 horsepower LT4 engine, complimented by a literal treasure chest of aerodynamic and suspension technology. The MSRP for a Camaro ZL1 1LE is around $70,000. The MSRP for the average pumpkin is significantly less.
“For the price of a pumpkin spice coffee drink and an hour of spare time, you can have a brand new pumpkin with a Camaro carved into it that’s almost as good as the real thing,” Mylan said. “Almost.”




Spiders, Snakes & Subarus
Subaru fans will delight knowing their porch walkway is now a mini race track. One might not initially describe the WRX STI as “scary” but that probably depends on who you ask, given the car’s specs. The 2018 WRX STI is unlike any other in Subaru’s lineup with its turbocharged, 305 horsepower 4-cylinder engine. The Multi-Mode Vehicle Dynamics Control system with Active Torque Vectoring provides exceptional handling and performance.
“I guarantee you’ll scare the heck out of any adult that owns a Mustang, Camaro, or Challenger if you carve an STI into your pumpkin,” says Steve Ferreira, Director at SubaruPartsPlus.com. “When one passes you, you start to freeze, paralyzed by the fact that no one is going to save you from getting lapped.”
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. 
 
2018 Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE pattern.
2018 Subaru WRX STI pattern.



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Range Rover Sport Goes Plug-In Hybrid In 2019

Range Rover Sport Goes Plug-In Hybrid In 2019

Even though the new Range Rover Sport will be in dealerships by the start of the new year, Range Rover is already thinking ahead to 2019. That’s when the Range Rover Sport Plug-In Hybrid will arrive on these streets. For a certain segment of humanity (and it’s easy to picture Range Rover buyers being in that segment), living green is very important.
Now, probably, someone who buys a Range Rover will not be one of those “off-the-grid” types, living on garbanzo beans and recycling household waste for fertilizer, but that doesn’t mean the average Range Rover buyer doesn’t care.
Power & Performance
The 2019 Range Rover Sport will be the first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle produced by Jaguar Land Rover. Officially called the 2019 Range Rover Sport P400e, the new model offers ecologically conscious performance thanks to a 296 horsepower, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder Ingenium gasoline engine. It’s combined with a 114 horsepower (that’s 85 kW) electric motor. With a total of 398 horsepower and 472 lb-ft. of torque available for the permanent four-wheel drive system, 60 mph comes up in 6.3 seconds; the entire rig tops out at 137 mph. That maximum speed is both impressive, given this thing is as aerodynamic as the crate it’s shipped in, and also unimpressive, since ’round 140 ain’t all that fast.
But you know they probably have to limit that top speed or risk damaging something like the regen system or burning out an electric motor or something like that.
Electrified Capability
The electric motor is juiced by a 13.1 kWh high-voltage lithium-ion battery that Land Rover engineers setup to maximize interior space and weight distribution. The longitudinally-mounted 2.0-liter Ingenium gasoline engine is paired with the 85kW electric motor, housed in the ZF automatic eight-speed transmission at the center of the vehicle, and alongside the 7kW on-board charger.
The Range Rover Sport P400e can run on just the batteries and not the dinosaur juice in the gas tank, with the all-electric range coming in at 31 miles. The company says “Land Rover customers can experience zero-emission off-road luxury with uncompromised all-terrain capability.” And that is probably true. It will be interesting to see if someone actually tries to get up 25 miles of bad logging road using just the EV drivetrain in this thing though.
The Range Rover Sport is comprised of an all-aluminum body, 39 percent lighter than the steel equivalent. The structure was subjected to extensive testing in something referred to as “optimization processes” by Jaguar Land Rover. This process included computer simulation and a 1,000 years of processor time. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.


Drive Modes
The Range Rover Sport P400e has two driving modes to best suit your luxury transportation needs. The default mode is called Parallel Hybrid, which combines the gasoline and electric drive. You can further optimize the battery charge or fuel economy by utilizing one of two charge management functions while in Parallel Hybrid mode. One is the SAVE function which prevents the battery charge from dropping below a pre-selected level.
The other mode is called Predictive Energy Optimization. Predictive Energy Optimization, or PEO is used by entering a destination into the navigation system. The navigation system will then use built-in GPS altitude data for the selected route, and combine the electric motor and gasoline engine to maximize fuel economy. Pretty slick. The Electric Vehicle or EV mode enables you to run solely on the electric motor using energy stored in the battery.
Exclusive Features
Other niceties found on the Range Rover Sport P400e include Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 technology. Terrain Response 2 has a unique calibration to logically and accurately distribute torque from the electric motor to all four wheels. Terrain Response 2 gives greater control during low-speed, off-road maneuvers and provides maximum torque from zero rpm.
A new cabin air ionization system, called Nanoe, is a nice feature for passengers. The suite of driver assistance features on the new Range Rover Sport has been “restructured to be even more intuitive for customers.”
Cost? Who knows at this point, but with the upcoming Range Rover Sport topping out at around $140,000 and the plug-in EV coming in on top of that model, don’t expect the 2019 Range Rover Sport P400e to be inexpensive.
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: Jaguar Land Rover.



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2018 Nissan Maxima Arrives With More Tech, New Colors

2018 Nissan Maxima Arrives With More Tech, New Colors

The Maxima is Nissan’s flagship sedan and for 2018, the vehicle adds a handful of new options. The 2018 Nissan Maxima comes in five grades: S, SV, SL, SR, and Platinum. Standard equipment includes Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Intelligent Forward Collision Warning, and Automatic Emergency Braking.
Nissan’s patented V-Motion grille is also present on the 2018 Maxima.
Power & Performance
The heart of the Maxima is a 3.5-liter VQ-series V6 with 300 horsepower. It’s attached to an Xtronic transmission with D-Step shifting logic. Nissan says this provides “rapid shifts at high throttle openings” for a more “performance-oriented” feel. Ride and handling is refined through the 4-wheel independent suspension and monotube rear shock absorbers.
Look & Feel
The 2018 Nissan Maxima is characterized by its wider front end and muscular stance, much of which centers around the aforementioned V-Motion grille. The LED daytime running lights further compliment the body lines. The color selections were tweaked a bit with a new Carnelian Red paint added to the mix.
The more sporty Maxima SR features 19-inch wheels and tires.
The available Ascot leather seating surfaces with diamond-quilted inserts add luxury points. Additional convenience points come by way of two available rear USB charge ports.
Photo: Nissan North America.
Technology & Connectivity
The 2018 Maxima benefits from a host of available tech magic, including NissanConnect. The system features navigation on an 8-inch display with SiriusXM radio and SiriusXM Travel Link. Through NissanConnect, owners can start their Maxima remotely via their smartphone or locate it should it be stolen.
Available safety features include Intelligent Cruise Control, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Blind Spot Warning, and Intelligent Driver Alertness.
Pricing & Availability
The 2018 Maxima is now at Nissan dealerships nationwide; we have included a pricing chart below. The 2018 Nissan Maxima is assembled in Smyrna, Tennessee, while the engines are produced in nearby Decherd.
Carl Anthony in Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. 
2018 Nissan Maxima Starting MSRPs
Maxima S
$33,020
Maxima SV
$35,020 
Maxima SL
$37,440 
Maxima SR
$38,280 
Maxima Platinum
$40,690 
Photos & Source: Nissan North America.



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Mazda6 Gets New Amenities In Mid-Cycle Refresh

Mazda6 Gets New Amenities In Mid-Cycle Refresh

Mazda, the Hiroshima-based auto manufacturer of cars great-to-banal, has just released some half-year updates to its bread and butter 6-Series lineup. This, doing things halfway through a year, is rather rare now, but lots of car makers used to do it with regularity. Ford’s Mustang, for example, came out as a half-year introduction; the first Mustangs being neither 1964s or 1965s, but actually were sold as 1964-1/2 Mustangs.
So what does Mazda bring to the Mazda6 menu halfway through 2017?  For a start, lots of leather.
Features Galore
Unlike the previous versions of the Mazda6, the 2017.5 now comes with leather seating surfaces along with other trim changes for both the entry level Sport and mid-trim Touring models. You also get Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross-Traffic Alert. The Mazda6 Sport comes with standard 17-inch alloy wheels, cloth seats, power windows, keyless entry, a backup camera, and an electronic parking brake (no more handbrake turns for you, young man).
The Mazda6 Touring, which is the mid-level trim for the range, comes with 19-inch wheels and “leatherette” seats. Touring models also come with Advanced Keyless Entry, dual-zone automatic climate control (nice!), rear HVAC vents, a 6-way power driver’s seat, and Smart City Brake Support (which is one of those low-speed automatic braking deals so you don’t look like a complete dork on hills and such). And there are automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers if you’re one of those forgetful types.
Navigation and heated front seats are now standard, and yes, the Mazda6 Sport has the newly available leather seats. If you’d like to upgrade the Touring package even further, there’s an available Bose/Moonroof/Satellite Radio Package, which carries on that fine Mazda tradition of cramming disparate features into one package option.
Photo: Mazda North American Operations.


Touring Packages
You can also add to the “normal” Touring Package with the Touring Premium Package. You get all the Touring goodies plus LED daytime running lights, self-leveling LED headlights, the Adaptive Front-lighting system, an auto-dimming interior rearview mirror (because you’re lazy), a Homelink garage door opener, heated side mirrors, and an auto-dimming driver’s side mirror. The Touring Premium package comes with your choice of black or Parchment leather seats and an 8-way power driver’s chair with adjustable lumbar support.
Sitting at the very top of the 2017.5 Mazda6 range is the Mazda6 Grand Touring. On top of all the previously mentioned perks, the Grand Touring comes with an Active Driving Display heads-up unit, LED interior lamps, LED fog lights, an LED signature grille surround, driver’s memory seat, 6-way power passenger seat, a car alarm, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for your base-level racing instincts, dark-painted alloy wheels to be cool, and a rear lip spoiler (also for the cool factor). Finally, the Grand Touring includes Mazda Radar Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist, High Beam Control, and Smart Brake Support.
If that’s not enough for you, tick the box for the GT Premium Package and you’ll get Mazda’s i-ELOOP regenerative braking technology, rear outboard heated seats, heated steering wheel, Nappa leather seats with contrast piping, bright finish metallic switches and handles, and a hand-stitched “chidori” steering wheel. There’s also tons of tech goodies strewn about, befitting a car of this new century.
Performance & Availability
Regardless of which trim level you pick, all 2017.5 Mazda6 cars come with the SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or, in Sport and Touring models, a 6-speed automatic. That 6-speed automatic is standard for the Mazda6 Grand Touring. Other niceties include improved sound insulation, G-Vectoring Control, and an available Machine Gray Metallic paint.
The 2017.5 Mazda6 is in dealerships as you read this. Here’s a handy little chart showing the available packages, costs, and colors:
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.
Mazda6 Sport 6-Speed Manual
$21,945
Mazda6 Sport 6-Speed Automatic 
$22,995
Mazda6 Touring 6-Speed Manual
$24,195
Mazda6 Touring 6-Speed Automatic 
$25,245
• Touring Bose/Moonroof/Satellite Package (Requires Automatic Transmission)
$1,325
• Touring Premium Package (Requires Touring Bose/Moonroof/Satellite Package)
$1,425
Mazda6 Grand Touring
$30,695
• GT Premium Package
$2,500
Premium Paint Colors
Machine Gray Metallic
$300
Soul Red Metallic
$300
Snowflake White Pearl Mica
$200
Photos & Source: Mazda North American Operations.



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Geely Holdings, Volvo Invest Heavily In Polestar

Geely Holdings, Volvo Invest Heavily In Polestar

Geely Holdings, parent of Volvo Cars, has announced a major investment in Polestar. The first production model was reveled in Shanghai as the announcement came. The $756 million dollar investment will bolster the early phases of Polestar’s product lineup and industrial footprint.
“The investment highlights the financial muscle and industrial and manufacturing expertise Polestar will have access to, and establishes the fully consolidated Volvo Cars subsidiary as a stand-alone electrified performance car company,” Geely Holdings and Volvo Cars said in a statement.
Central Station
The investment dollars will be put toward a new, state-of-the-art Polestar manufacturing hub in Chengdu, China. The investment and corresponding facility will be instrumental in shortening the time it takes to develop and launch Polestar vehicles. The intent is to gain both a time and technical advantage over competitions, especially as Polestar looks to innovate new technologies in both electrification and connectivity. Volvo Cars and Polestar say the investment allows them greater “synergies” when it comes to joint development and economies of scale.
Polestar Production Centre in China. Photo: Volvo Cars.
Forthcoming Models
The Polestar 1 is, uniquely enough, the first model scheduled for production in mid-2019. The pure electric coupe hybrid is promising 600 horsepower and class-leading range and efficiency. Much of the Polestar 1 (about half) is based on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture; the rest is entirely new technology developed by Polestar engineers working within Volvo’s R&D department.
Polestar 2, a smaller variant, will enter production after the Polestar 1 and serve as Volvo’s first fully-electric car. The Polestar 2 is the first of five fully electric Polestar and/or Volvo vehicles planned between 2019 and 2021. The move comes following Volvo’s announcement this summer that from 2019, every vehicle in their lineup will have an electric motor.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. 
Polestar 1 Gallery

















Photos & Source: Volvo Cars.



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Letter From The UK: Classic Car Treasure Troves

Letter From The UK: Classic Car Treasure Troves


Like in many countries of the world, the British Sterling Pound currency is changing. Gone are our elegant paper bank notes, replaced now by seemingly indestructible plastic money that does not have that special “feel” only proper paper bank notes can have.
Goodbye Pound Coin
In general use, the British Pound is worth approximately $1.32. With the challenge of Brexit hanging over our heads like the sword of Damocles, by the time we become the The Lonely Man of Europe in 2019, I suspect the Pound will be worth about 25 cents, that’s if you get anyone to buy it at all. (As a writer, I take Dollars by the way if anyone’s interested. Also Roubles, Yen, multiple other currencies, and livestock in lieu).
Now, a good few years ago, the old One Pound note was replaced by a small, insignificant round coin. This was a complete “gimme” to forgers who we learn have made and circulated some 47 million of the things. Mostly, we are none the wiser when spending.
The British Royal Mint slowly cottoned on to this forgery business and as of the 15th of October, the old gold-colored £1 coin (by the time you read this) will have ceased to be legal tender. It has been replaced by a slightly thinner and lighter twelve-sided coin with a security feature that makes this dodecagonal coin much harder to forge. This means any £1 coins from your last UK trip you have been saving for your next holiday visit to the rainy shores of Britain are now worthless.
Mystery of the Missing Coins
An interesting currency statistic has been thrown up by Mr. Edmund King, President of the Automobile Association, here in Britain. It appears up to £30 million in old One Pound coins might be lost down the cracks and crevices and secret places of our cars. That’s a lot of money to lose out on.
Even as I type, UK drivers are frantically executing one last comprehensive sweep of their cars, some with actual metal detectors. Feverish hands are groping through gloveboxes, cigarette ash trays, side door pockets, and on, under, and between the seats. The more foolhardy are poking into electric seat motors (always a rich seam of lost items) in the hope of discovering some of this golden treasure – before it’s too late.
Go through the glovebox, dig around the seats, and carefully search every nook and cranny of your car. You never know what long forgotten treasures lie within.


Classic Car Treasure
There are approximately thirty million cars on the road here and it is not unreasonable to suggest there might be a £1 coin in each of them. The older the car the richer the spoils one suspects. This is why a classic or vintage car might be a real treasure trove of cash or other goodies. Consider for a moment the sort of events that take place in cars. If you know where I’m going with this and are at all squeamish then look away now.
Imagine when your Mom and Pop where courting. I know it’s a difficult image to conjure up without feeling a bit icky but bear with me. They would cruise to the drive-in for a bit of serious necking and general rummaging where loose notes and coins could be easily liberated from pockets and purses during the match.
Why, there could be whole dollars still hidden away in those beloved classic vehicles and barn finds that turn up every day and who knows what else? Old pin-ups of Cheryl Tiegs under the seat squab, ancient and outdated prophylactics bought long ago more in hope than expectation, a rusting weapon, Tiddles, your Grandma’s missing cat, a plain brown envelope containing $10,000 in used notes mysteriously marked with the cryptic message “see that Jake gets this or else” and, no doubt, many other strange and wonderful things.
Now that the word is out that the contents of Britain’s cars are worth more than the vehicles themselves, I expect our homegrown car thieves will just take the cash in future, or whatever else might be under the seat.
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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