Automotive

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Fastest 911 Ever With Staggering Nürburgring Lap

Porsche 911 GT2 RS Fastest 911 Ever With Staggering Nürburgring Lap

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

Power & Performance
The specs for the 911 GT2 RS are just as staggering as that lap time. It’s the fastest and most powerful road-going 911 thanks to a 3.6-liter twin turbo flat-six engine, producing 700 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque. The two-seater tips the scales at 3,241 pounds and is shod with standard N-spec Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires. All this adds up to a 0 to 60 launch of 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 211 mph.
The Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the cover car in Microsoft’s upcoming Forza 7. Forza 7 will be one of the main launch titles for the soon-to-be-released Xbox One X which means, given the inclusion of the Nürburgring-Nordschleife in Forza, that you could have a tilt at those lap times laid down by Messrs. Kern and Tandy. I know I’ll be trying.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos, Video & Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.

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2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure Arrives With Tow Package, New Features

2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure Arrives With Tow Package, New Features

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

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Ford, Virginia Tech Help Autonomous Cars Talk To Us

Ford, Virginia Tech Help Autonomous Cars Talk To Us

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

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

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Polestar Confirms Launch Markets For Polestar 1

Polestar Confirms Launch Markets For Polestar 1 For those of you late to the party, Polestar is Volvo’s performance brand. Then in October, Polestar became a new and separately branded electric performance car company. The Swedish auto group is now setting up its own dealership structure with interesting delivery methods. In case you have been chomping at the bit to get one of Volvo’s electric/hybrid hot rods, salvation is at hand: Polestar just announced which markets will be getting their cars first.
Hot Cakes
With regard to the Polestar 1, the sub-brand’s first car, the reservations have been flying off the virtual shelves. The Swedish automaker says new “subscriptions” already outnumber early production slots. In other words, there are more orders then there are cars on the assembly line at the moment. That’s got to be a good thing for a new car company to hear. When they launched the brand, Polestar says more than one customer per minute was registering their interest in being one of the first “owners” of a Polestar 1. And that’s one of the interesting things surrounding the car. It’s not just innovative in its design and build and technology, but they are also breaking out a semi-new way of “selling” the things.
To receive a Polestar 1, you don’t buy it, you subscribe to it.
Photo: Polestar.
At Your Service
In theory, this subscription model takes care of all of your personal transportation needs (as far as Polestar is concerned). You order the car virtually, sort of like buying something from Amazon. There will be dealerships to help customers see the vehicle and do the touch and feel thing, while the sales staff help them through the ordering process. The Polestar 1 and all follow on models will be offered using this new subscription model. To get a Polestar 1, there’s no deposit required and the all-inclusive monthly payment aims to deliver “hassle-free usage” and seemingly covers everything: insurance, depreciation, pick up and delivery for the inclusive servicing program, and various, on-demand benefits as-and-when you require them, sir or madam.
In a way, the Polestar 1 is sort of like cable TV in automobile form. All you do is contact your cable, er, Polestar provider, select your package (i.e. car) and the thing shows up. Any issues, call the number, and they’ll get it fixed. Yes, I know this sounds like a good idea in theory. In theory. As anyone who has waited around all friggin’ day for the cable guy to show up only to not have the right box in his truck might see the weak points in this idea. Then again, Polestar is selling something much more expensive than a cable subscription, so you’d hope they would be a little more attentive to customer support and satisfaction than a cable company. I mean, no one can be lower than a cable company when it comes to that stuff, can they?
Photo: Polestar.
Limited Release
The bad news is that the Polestar 1 will not be available worldwide on initial launch. The primary inaugural markets will be the United States, China, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands. So if you’re a Polestar fan that lives in, oh, let’s say England, you’re out of luck on the first go round. Polestar says they went with these initial markets due to customer demand. More countries will be introduced across the world later on with a formal announcement made at a later date. Polestar Spaces, what they officially call dealerships, are expected to open by the middle of 2019.
The car itself, the Polestar 1, was covered by us recently, but just to fill you in, the first car with the Polestar logo on the hood is a 2+2 Grand Touring Coupé with a stonking 600 horsepower Electric Performance Hybrid powertrain. It has an all-electric range of 150 kilometers, or around 94 miles, which should be enough for around town driving.
Pricing & Availability
Polestar 1s will start rolling off the assembly line in mid-2019 at a new, purpose-built Polestar Production Center in Chengdu, China. Sadly, no word on price, but “expressions of interest” can be made through Polestar’s website. These will be converted when the formal order books for the Polestar 1 open early next year.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format.

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New Technology Addresses Intersection Safety

New Technology Addresses Intersection Safety
According to the United States Department of Transportation, 51 percent of all injury crashes and 28 percent of all fatal crashes occur at either an intersection or T-junction. The causes of these collisions are numerous. Sometimes, drivers are distracted or under the influence; others may have mistakenly misjudged the situation or were unable to see another car or pedestrian approaching. Overall, the National Safety Council found that over 40,000 motor vehicle deaths occurred in 2016, making it the deadliest year on U.S. roads since 2007.
Reducing The Numbers
Autonomous driving proponents believe vehicle perception technologies will help improve such grim statistics. In other words, if a vehicle could see its environment, communicate with other cars and the surrounding infrastructure, many – if not all – of today’s traffic accidents could be prevented, especially at intersections. One such technology is Continental’s Vehicle-to-X, a system that can detect road users within a 360° radius of an intersection. V2X communicates the position and movement of any objects within that field of vision to oncoming vehicles equipped with the technology. Continental says V2X is part of the company’s Intelligent Intersection concept, described as an “end-to-end solution.”
“Our solution is based on transferring and adapting vehicle-proven hardware and software solutions to an infrastructure application,” explained Jeremy McClain, Head of Systems & Technology, Chassis & Safety, Continental North America. “Cities will be able to deploy this technology to increase safety for their citizens and visitors alike.”
Continental’s V2X uses advanced sensor fusion algorithms and Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) units to generate an environmental model of the intersection. It can detect other cars, and is designed to prevent left-turning vehicles from getting struck head-on by traffic that may suddenly appear out of nowhere. V2X also detects pedestrians and cyclists, something other safety advocates say is an important element to consider. For example, Richard Schram, Technical Manager, Euro NCAP, highlighted the organization’s 2025 Road Map at AutoSens Brussels in September. He explained that Euro NCAP is working to minimize the higher fatality rates associated with two-wheeled vehicles in an accident.
Photo: Continental.
Eye In The Sky
However, pedestrians and cyclists only benefit from this technology if they can actually be detected by it, a critical point raised by Continental during the research and develop of V2X. By placing cameras, radar, and LiDAR at the corners of a intersection to communicate with vehicles, Continental hopes to reduce the number of accidents within an intersection. Continental says once those road users are detected, a list of relevant objects are delivered to a sensor fusion unit, which generates a comprehensive 360° environmental model.
Those relevant objects are then sent via Dedicated Short-Range Communications to every approaching vehicle. A special control unit inside the vehicle receives the messages, where an on-board system checks it for relevance, and triggers action accordingly if a critical situation is at hand. Should a collision appear imminent, a warning can be sent to the driver, or the vehicle’s brakes could be deployed automatically.
“With the Intelligent Intersection technology, we offer a new safety element with a perfect fit for future smart cities,” said Bastian Zydek, Project Manager, Intelligent Intersection. “Active monitoring of intersections provides the driver and/or intelligent vehicle system a very important time advantage to take action, even before a problem would have otherwise become visible.”
“In the longer term, the technology can also serve to improve inner-city traffic flow, thereby reducing travel time and vehicle emissions,” McClain added.
Photo: Continental.
Human Touch
Continetal will be discussing Intelligent Intersection and its corresponding technologies at the Consumer Electronics Show, Tuesday January 9th through Friday January 12th in Las Vegas, Nevada. Intelligent Intersection was first demonstrated on a test track in October at Continental’s development center in Brimley, Michigan. The next steps include a lager test and pilot implementation at an intersection in Columbus, Ohio.
Earlier this year, we met with Continental representatives during an industry event at Detroit’s Cobo Center. We learned about the company’s five different internal divisions, each with their own unique technologies and objectives. What we found was how each of those divisions come together to create the company’s single most important vision.
“The Intelligent Intersection is a showcase of collaborative safety and a further step towards reaching our Vision Zero – our vision of accident-free driving,” Zydek said.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photos & Source: Continental.

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New Graphic Details Three Decades of The Honda Civic Si

New Graphic Details Three Decades of The Honda Civic Si The Civic is the quintessential Honda, seen by many today as a reliable and affordable means of transportation. The Civic Si was greeted the same way when it debuted in 1986 on the heels of the CRX Si a year earlier. Since then, the car has seen its fair share of revisions and upgrades, but despite three decades passing, the cost of the car hasn’t changed all that much after adjusting for inflation.
The team at HondaPartsOnline.net put together this interesting comparison chart that details the Civic Si’s specs and pricing through the years.
“Performance enthusiasts know this Honda combines some smooth shifting, quick agility, and unmistaken power into a reasonably priced compact,” said Cesar Aranda, HondaPartsOnline.net Director. “Other car brands don’t offer this kind of performance and quality for the price, so we thought it would be fun to look at the pricing history and see if the Si is still an affordable option.”
Dressed To Impress
The United States Congress outlined the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards in 1975 following the 1973 oil embargo. Through the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, Congress established fuel economy standards for cars to begin meeting by 1978. By 1985, automakers were expected to record an average of 27.5 mpg with their fleets. With the Civic Si, Honda was uniquely positioned to meet these increasing demands. When the hatchback Si arrived, it delivered 26 in the city and 30 on the highway. By comparison, today’s Honda Civics deliver 40 or above on the highway, depending on the model.
1986 Honda Civic CRX Si. Photo: Honda North America.
Power & Performance
Performance was solid for the 1986 Civic Si at 91 horsepower. A series of sensors assisted the car’s computer in handling what Honda called “timed-sequential multi-port Programmed Fuel Injection.” By comparison, the Civic Type R is the most powerful car Honda has ever sold in the United States. The 2.0-liter engine under the hood is characterized by direct injection, a dual overhead cam, and Honda’s evergreen VTEC technology. The Type R creates 306 horsepower and 295 lb-ft. of torque, a great deal more than Civic buyers in the 80s were used to.
“Honda’s been racing motorcycles since 1955, and they were building Formula 1 engines in 1983. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Honda is one of the best engine builders in the world,” Aranda explained. “Considering that Honda has pioneered a lot of engine performance technology, it’s great that they continue to improve this high performing, affordable model for the public.”
Honda Civic Type R. Photo: Honda North America.
Pricing Comparisons
HondaPartsOnline.net analyzed the pricing through the years and found that, when adjusting for inflation, not much has changed. In fact, in some variations, today’s Civics cost less. For example, when the 2003 Civic Si hatchback’s MSRP is adjusted for inflation, it rings up nearly $2,000 more than the 2017 base model. On a similar note, the 2017 Si coupe has better fuel economy and more horsepower, but costs less than the 2015 model.
“Honda keeps improving the performance on the Si, reducing the weight, and keeping the price low,” Aranda added.
The graphic from HondaPartsOnline.net is below. Enjoy!
Carl Anthony in Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.

Civic Photos: Honda North America.

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2018 Hyundai Tucson Arrives In Dealerships With More Updates, Technology

2018 Hyundai Tucson Arrives In Dealerships With More Updates, Technology The Hyundai Tucson recorded its best November in the company’s history, and as the new model arrives for 2018, expect to see more available features. More than 90 percent of 2018 model year Tucsons will feature a 7-inch audio display, HD Radio, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and heated seats. The Guidance Package offers free map and multimedia system updates and unique fabric seats, made by YES Essentials, are now standard for the gray and beige interiors.
Power & Performance
The 2018 Hyundai Tucson is motivated by two different four-cylinder engines, a 1.6-liter or a 2.0-liter. Both engines untilize direct injection while the 1.6-liter is turbocharged for additional power and efficiency. The 1.6-liter makes 175 horsepower and 195 lb-ft. of torque when paired to Hyundai’s seven-speed EcoShift dual-clutch transmission. Expect to see this combination on the Value and Limited trims. By comparison, the 2.0-liter creates 164 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque when matched to a six-speed automatic transmission. This combination is standard on SE, SEL, and SEL Plus trims.
EPA fuel economy estimates come in at 27 combined mpg for the 1.6-liter turbo and 26 combined mpg for the 2.0-liter. The 2.0-liter’s transmission has an overdrive lock-up torque converter to increase fuel economy at higher speeds. All-wheel drive is available across the lineup.
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Trim Levels
The SE trim remains as the base model, although the SE Popular Equipment package is now the SEL trim. This latter trim level includes the aforementioned 7-inch audio display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. The SE Plus is now SEL Plus; the Value and Limited trims remain but Eco and Night have been discontinued. That said, the trim levels for the 2018 Hyundai Tucson, in order, are SE, SEL, SEL Plus, Value, and Limited.
Those opting for the SEL Plus and Limited trims get three years of Blue Link Connected Car Services, including the previously mentioned Guidance Package. The Blue Link system lets drivers start and adjust their Tucson’s interior climate remotely and schedule maintenance among other things. Those going for the Value trims will have Android Auto and Apple CarPlay at their service while Limited customers will be treated to a heated steering wheel.
Heated front seats have been expanded to the SEL trim and above, HomeLink is now available starting with the Value trim, and SiriusXM and HD Radio are now available starting with the SEL models. Other available features for the 2018 Hyundai Tucson include proximity key, push button start, panoramic sunroof, Clean Air Ionizer, and an Infinity premium audio system with Clari-Fi Music Restoration Technology. The latter is featured on the SEL Plus as well as the Limited trim.
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Safety & Styling
The 2018 Hyundai Tucson has a number of available advanced driver assistance systems like blind spot detection with rear-cross traffic alert, lane change assist, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, and lane departure warning. On the outside, the Tucson is characterized by 17 or 19-inch alloy wheels, LED daytime running lamps, and HID headlights that turn as the steering wheel does for better visibility at night.
Pricing & Availability
The 2018 Hyundai Tucson is available now with a starting MSRP of $22,550 for the front-wheel drive SE with the 2.0-liter. The same model with all-wheel drive runs $23,950. At the top end, the front-wheel drive Limited with the 1.6-liter goes for $29,425; $30,825 with all-wheel drive. Buyers who want to land in the middle of the specturm might consider the SEL Plus with the 2.0-liter. When equipped with front-wheel drive, the MSRP is $26,700; $28,100 with all-wheel drive.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
2018 Hyundai Tucson Gallery

Photos & Source: Hyundai Motor America.

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2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE Review

2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE Review
Why would you want a wagon? The Volkswagen Golf Alltrack was released last year as the newest member of the iconic Golf family, and it’s designed for adventurous families. It has a more rugged appearance, all-wheel drive, and cargo carrying abilities rivaling similarly priced compact crossovers. It’s ready for the trail and gets better mileage than many small crossovers or SUVs.
And, you can’t find many vehicles with a 6-speed manual gearbox option like the Alltrack.
What’s New For 2018?
Returning for the 2018 model year is the Alltrack’s 1.8-liter TSI turbocharged four-cylinder engine, standard 4Motion All-Wheel Drive, and Hill Descent Control. The vehicle comes outfitted in three trim levels: S, SE, and SEL. This week, we drove the attractively outfitted 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack SE.
Features & Options
The Golf Alltrack SE gets perforated leatherette seating, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, heated front seats, heated windshield washer nozzles, ambient interior lighting, backup camera, foglights, LED taillights, LED Daytime Running Lights, alarm prep, automatic headlights with rain sensor, an 8-inch touchscreen with Composition Color infotainment, and a Fender Premium audio system, which adds a subwoofer and upgraded sound. The Driver Assist package added a panoramic sunroof, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and a self-parking system. Total MSRP, not including destination: $29,765.

Interior Highlights
The inside of the VW Golf Alltrack is stylish with Marrakesh Brown perforated leatherette seats and black trim to set the tone. The seats are comfortable and there’s enough soft-touch materials to make it feel a bit more upscale than your average crossover. The 6-speed manual shifter is positioned perfectly and the controls are easy to understand and driver-focused.
Visibility is excellent in all directions thanks to Alltrack’s tall greenhouse, plentiful glass, and relatively slim pillars, which differs from many of the crossovers today with raked rooflines. With the panoramic sunroof, the wagon offers up lots of light and a great view skyward too.
In the back, room is not as plentiful as up front, but there’s enough legroom for taller adults. Our riders commented this week on how the backseats are positioned too low and they felt claustrophobic. They couldn’t see out and wanted a better view of the road. The 60/40-split folding rear seats do offer a center pass-through, so you can carry a 2X4 without strapping it on the roof.
What adventurous families will like is Alltrack’s 30.4 cubic feet of standard cargo space which is SUV-like. And fold those seats down flat and you have room for extra camping gear with 66.5 cubic feet. The seat backs conveniently flip forward via easy-to-reach release handles on either side of the cargo area, so there’s no need to walk around to the backseat. We also like the handy two-position sliding cargo cover to conceal valuables during your weekend adventures.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Volkswagen Alltrack is powered by a 1.8-liter turbocharged engine producing 170 horsepower and 199 lb-ft. of torque. This tester came with a 6-speed manual gearbox and 4Motion all-wheel-drive. With the 6-speed manual, EPA fuel mileage estimates are 22/32 city/highway and 26 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
Because the 1.8-liter engine is turbocharged, we had no problem scooting up the mountains west of Denver at elevation. The engine’s torque also gets the Alltrack moving quickly from a stop, and is useful for carrying extra weight on those weekend excursions to the high country. Our only complaint is how the outside mirrors were small and were too touchy to adjust. We found ourselves taking longer than expected to change them to the right driving position.
Underway, the Alltrack has smooth power and the 6-speed manual gives the driver extra control in the curves. There’s a slight body lean in the curves because of the wagon’s 6.7 inches of ground clearance, which gives extra room when taking it off-pavement. But the Alltrack won’t be challenging the Subaru Outback (8.7 inches) for off-road-wagon supremacy.
Overall, we found the Allratck to be a competent road warrior and the perfect size for those urban-dwellers to navigate tight city streets.
Conclusion
The 2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack offers all-wheel drive, all-weather capability, cargo carrying abilities rivaling similarly priced crossovers, and it’s rugged enough for your weekend adventures away from civilization. It gets excellent fuel mileage and offers a 6-speed manual gearbox which is hard to find these days.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Volkswagen Golf Alltrack Gallery

VW Golf Alltrack Official Site.
Photos: Volkswagen of America, Inc.
*2017 model also shown.

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Memory Lane: Batting A Thousand

Memory Lane: Batting A Thousand

On Labor Day weekend, I attended the Hawkesbury (Ontario) Car Club show which is in its 19th year. Thanks to the tail end of Harvey, the rain drenched the proceedings. That being said, it was nothing like the good folks elsewhere in the United States experienced.
The last car show I attended was also soaked. So, I’m batting a thousand weather wise. But no matter, one hundred or so brave owners still showed their metal, as it were, and participated. Last year, the weather was nice and they had around 500 cars registered for the event.
Little Wonders
You meet the most interesting people at car shows. I met a gentleman who broke his neck not long ago and became a quadriplegic. Fortunately, his paralysis only lasted a few months. He regained enough mobility in his body and can now walk again. Who says there are no miracles? He brought his 1967 Mercury Cougar with the sequential turn signal lights. I told him he should have won a trophy. He replied that what he enjoys most about car shows is connecting with enthusiasts, such as myself, and didn’t care about winning trophies. He struck me as a very humble man.
1967 Mercury Cougar. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.
All Lit Up
1967 is the year Mercury gave birth to the Cougar. I owned a 1994 Cougar XR7 and it had 168,000 miles on the odometer when I sold it to purchase my 1997 Lincoln (shameless plug). I loved that Cougar and everything worked, including the air conditioning. Before the Cougar, I owned a 1989 Thunderbird LS, which I traded in for the XR7. Interestingly enough, the sequential lights first appeared on the Thunderbird in 1965. But for some reason the sequential lights became a big hit with the Cougar, not the T-Bird.
Goes to show that manufacturers can never tell what will please the public. Because it is now so expensive to build cars, perhaps that’s why they don’t take so many chances anymore, and all models in similar categories all look the same. In 1969, Chrysler installed sequential signal lights on their Imperials. Now you can see sequential signal lights on new Mustangs. They are just downright cool.
This 1977 Chevy Van took home a trophy at the Hawkesbury Car Club show. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.
Vans, Trophies & Broncos
Then, there was a guy who showed up with a Chevy van. Everybody likes a van. Kids love vans for reasons other than the adults, if you know what I mean. He confided that he took five weeks off and spent the summer attending car events. He won a bunch of trophies, including one at this show. I also met an elderly gentleman who drives a 1934 Mercedes-Benz 500K replica, which you can buy from a California company. It will set you back $80,000. You can get an used one in good condition for about $50,000. A real one would cost millions. His car looked stunning and he won a trophy, not surprisingly.
Another gentleman brought his 1964 Oldsmobile 98, which he has owned for the last 50 years. Then, there was a Ford Bronco owner. I know a guy who rebuilds Broncos. He removes the stock engine and replaces it with a 4.6L 32 valve motor like the one I have in my Mark VIII. Crazy! But in a good way.
This 1934 Mercedez-Benz 500K Replica was also a trophy winner. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.

Grand Theft Auto
I also had a long conversation with the owner of a Porsche 968. He believes at some point during its existence, the car had been stolen. He found out from his mechanic that the white paint was correct, but according to the serial number, the interior should be gray. It’s black. Not only that, some of the interior cabin is made up of 944 parts. He paid for the car fair and square and surmised the original owner must have been compensated by the insurance company. Somehow, the car found its way back into “legal” circulation and he purchased it.
A few days before the event, he was at the Porsche dealer for an oil change and while he was waiting, had a chance to sit in a 911 GT3 on display in the showroom. He was bowled over. I jokingly thought that most folks would have to rob a few banks to be able to afford a car like that.
This 1993 Porsche 968 was a trophy winner at the Hawkesbury Car Club show. Photo: Michael Bellamy for Automoblog.net.
Reminiscing & Recognition
I finally met the owner of a 1958 Chevrolet 210. My maternal grandfather had one of those and as a young child, I went with him to the B/A Gas station for a fill up. The attendant wore a uniform. Besides filling the gas tank, he checked the oil and cleaned the windshield. British American gasoline with its green and red round sign was bought out by Supertest and its bright orange leaf logo. All those old gas stations disappeared long ago.
Since a picture is also worth a thousand words, I will share the gallery below. I would be remiss if I didn’t express my gratitude to Carl Anthony, Managing Editor here at Automoblog. He is the one setting up the Memory Lane series, and does fantastic work. And a great big thank you to clubs, such as the Hawkesbury Car Club. Clubs like this around the world are responsible in large part, due their members, for keeping the interest in old (and new) cars alive.
Enjoy the photos!
Michael Bellamy is the author of our Memory Lane series. He enjoys driving his 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC and until an untimely collision claimed it, his 2001 Ford F-150 7700.
Hawkesbury Car Club Show Gallery

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