Automotive

2018 Honda Fit Sport Review

2018 Honda Fit Sport Review
The Honda Fit gets a mild redo and a new Sport trim, which we have been driving this week. The Fit gets a few upgrades but keeps its best attributes of reliability, economy, performance, and interior versatility. It’s a good choice for city dwellers and a nice place to spend time commuting.
This week we drove the new Honda Fit Sport to see how it stacks up.
What’s New For 2018
The Honda Fit features updated styling and a new, mid-tier 5-Door Sport model. It also comes with more active safety technology and driver aids, an updated infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, re-tuned suspension and steering, and added sound insulation for a quieter ride.
Features & Options
The 2018 Honda Fit Sport ($17,500) comes standard with a rearview camera, remote entry, tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and driver-seat height adjustment.
The new-for-2018 Sport trim adds some “sporty” styling highlights, as well as 16-inch alloy wheels, fog lights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. The Sport’s infotainment system is a seven-inch touchscreen interface that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It also includes a six-speaker sound system with satellite radio. Total MSRP including destination: $18,390.

Interior Highlights
Stepping inside the Fit Sport reveals a cabin that feels bigger than a subcompact should. Most subcompacts feel tight and leave you with a feeling of claustrophobia. It features attractive cloth seats, some hard plastics, but still plenty of soft-touch surfaces. Controls are logically positioned and you don’t get the sense it’s an economy hatch. The fit and finish is good and the quality of materials is above average for this price point.
Fit is still a small car, but there’s a surprising amount of room in the front and back. We adjusted the steering wheel and height-adjustable driver’s seat and found the ideal driving position.
In the back, we were again surprised at how much legroom rear passengers are afforded, although headroom will be tight for 6-footers. The Fit comes with a 60/40-split folding rear seat Honda calls a Magic Seat. The rear seat can be positioned in a number of configurations, making the subcompact car able to handle more types of cargo than other typical hatchbacks. There’s also a handy hidden cargo tray for valuables under the rear deck. The rear hatch features a low-load height and it’s wider than others in this class, making it easy to pack larger items.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Fit Sport is powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine with direct injection, producing 130 horsepower and 114 lb-ft. of torque. Our Sport tester came with a smooth-shifting standard six-speed manual gearbox. EPA fuel mileage estimates come in at 29/36 city/highway and 31 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
We noticed two things about the Fit Sport after we got underway. Visibility is very good for a subcompact, and Honda’s engineers added more sound insulation which translates to a quieter ride on the highway. We also noticed the 1.5-liter engine is not particularly high-revving, and it takes awhile to get up to highway speed. We tested the Fit at altitude, however, so it will develop a bit more power at sea level.
The Fit Sport is nimble around the tight mountain curves, staying relatively flat when we took them fast, and is generally fun to drive. At highway speeds, the Fit is stable and composed. If you want a hot hatch, you will need to move up to the Civic, but the Fit is a capable commuter that’s easy to live with. It won’t leave you tired after a longer commute in traffic either.
The six-speed manual is a smooth-shifting gearbox for those who like to drive. Once you get used to the clutch uptake, shifts are precise and one of the better subcompact manual rowers we’ve driven.
Where the Honda Fit shines is in tight city streets and parking spaces. Thanks to the car’s small footprint, we were able to zip right into a small parking sport on the street without parallel parking. The Fit offers up nimble handling and a tight turning radius, allowing us to make a 180-degree turn around in the middle of the street. Overall, the Fit offers a fun and satisfying drive for urban dwellers.

Conclusion
The 2018 Honda Fit Sport is a very capable subcompact offering hatchback utility, sporty driving dynamics, smart packaging, excellent rear passenger and cargo carrying ability, good looks, and fuel efficiency. Add in Honda’s reputation for reliability and longevity, and you’ve got all the qualities needed.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Honda Fit Orange Fury Gallery

2018 Honda Fit Crystal Black Pearl Gallery

2018 Honda Fit Official Site.
Photos: Honda North America (other trim levels also shown).

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Bugatti Chiron Sport: Yeah, So What

Bugatti Chiron Sport: Yeah, So What Hey look, there’s a new Bugatti here, the Bugatti Chiron Sport. I’m sure a lot of people will be excited by this news. I, however, am not one of them. There’s a new Bugatti Chiron Sport? So what.
Yes, yes, I know. The Bugatti Chiron Sport, like the “normal” Chiron or even the Veyron before it, is a technical marvel. There’s about as much technological sorcery and power packed into these things as an ICBM. The engine is a purposefully weird layout with enough forced induction blowers, coolers, intercoolers, and radiators to seem like something from an WWII fighter.
And all that power is put to the ground through a very sophisticated all-wheel drive system and tires the size of oil drums.
Talking Track
But again: So what? Bugattis are all wonderful, technical exercises, but why does that really matter? Would I be as impressed if someone built a steam car as fast as a Ferrari? Sure, but I wouldn’t care all that much. You built a prop plane that can break the sound barrier? Cool . . . but, so what? Who’s going to buy the thing? None of the world’s air forces, I can tell you that. So Bugatti does all this cool stuff and gets monstrous levels of performance. But they don’t race. And if you don’t race, it doesn’t count. Period.
Bugatti, the old man himself, even for all his affectations of a third rate maitre d’ from Leon, and being picky for pickiness sake, at least he Raced. These new guys, Volkswagen, essentially, they bought the Bugatti name and slapped it onto an Audi/VW/Porsche-drawing board and made a very good road car. But for me and my money, if you don’t race it, you don’t count.
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Handling & Torque Tech
Curiously, what differentiates the Bugatti Chiron Sport from the normal Chiron is weight. The Chiron Sport is supposed to be all about handling performance, but you don’t have to look very deep to see it’s mainly a trim package with some new wheels and a few bits and bobs here and there. You think this thing is going to handle? At more than two tons, 4,400 pounds actually, I’d bet any one of the new Lotus special editions would chew this thing up and spit out the pieces on a tight mountain road.
The new Chiron Sport, which has the same power output and performance data as the other Chirons, does come with a dynamic handling package, a stiffer suspension, and the new Dynamic Torque Vectoring function. Nice. Torque vectoring is important, and it really transformed the first road car its inventor, Ferrari, put it on more than a decade ago. Thanks for joining the party.
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Grocery Getter
The Chiron Sport also gets a new wheel design and four-pipe exhaust deflector. And by deflector, I’m guessing they mean diffusor. Which means Bugatti focused on blowing the underbody, and sticking the thing down on high-speed corners. And that’s all well and good, but it’s also a gimme. Of course they’re going to maximize high-speed grip. All they got is speed. Trying to get more handling at lower speeds would reap little rewards for a Holstein of a car.
Which explains this little tidbit from Bugatti: “Chiron Sport corners significantly faster: lap times on Nardò handling circuit five seconds better than with Chiron.” Have you seen a map of the Nardò handling circuit? I count one long straight, two high-speed wiggly bits, and more than a few very high-speed sweepers. Put this thing on a course where you need Handling and not just “handling,” and you’ll get what I’m on about.
To further understand this, clock to this: The weight has been reduced 18 kilograms, or around 36 lbs. That’s it. After all this, it’s dropped the weight of a bag full of groceries. If you dropped that much weight from oh, a Miata, you’d notice it, but on this tank, shedding less than one percent of the all up weight ain’t going to get you bupkis. Oh, and before I forget, the Chiron Sport is the first production vehicle in the automotive industry with carbon fiber windscreen wipers. Really. Talk about gilding the lily.
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Pricing & Availability
The base price of the new Bugatti Chiron Sport is €2.65 million net, or $3.26 million for the U.S. market, including transport, customs duties, taxes, and fees. And for that amount of yenom, the filthy rich customers can choose individual color and trim options to “give their car an even sportier appearance.” Larf. For that amount of money, I could choose several cars that would be more fun up a mountainside and back, and none of them would take the automotive equivalent of a papal bull to get serviced.
First deliveries are planned for the end of the year. I’d say get in line, but you already are if this is your sort of car. It’s obviously not to my tastes.
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.
Bugatti Chiron Sport Gallery

Photos & Source: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.

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Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder: Open-Air Emotion

Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder: Open-Air Emotion Lamborghini just rolled out the latest version of its Huracán, the Huracán Performante Spyder. That’s just a very continental way of saying: Hey look, we made the Huracán into a Targa-esque thing. No, it’s not really a convertible. And no, it’s not really a Spyder either, but it will blow your hair back to the tune of a 202 mph blast of wind.
The Huracán Performante is the more, uh, performance-oriented version of the “regular” Huracán (not that there’s much “regular” about this little beastie to begin with). Although I’ve seen no official word, it seems “Performante” will be to Lambos what Speciale is to Ferraris: the factory hot rod version.
Aerodynamic Design
From a design standpoint, the Performante Spyder takes a number of cues from Super Trofeo race cars, and also from open-frame street fighter motorcycles. Okay, kind of childish, but that’s kind of what Lamborghini is known for. There’s visible carbon fiber running throughout and the aluminum bits here and there drop 35 kilos (around 75 lbs.) versus the original Huracán Spyder. The use of forged composites are found in the front and rear spoiler, engine bonnet, rear bumper, and aerodynamic diffuser.
All of those are functional aero elements within Lamborghini’s patented active aerodynamics system, first introduced on the Huracán Performante: Aerodinamica Lamborghini Attiva, or ALA. The ALA system varies aero-load for either high down force or low drag, as well as enabling aero vectoring in high-speed cornering, thus providing excellent dynamics on the road or track. And all of this ALA stuff is governed by the Lamborghini Piattaforma Inerziale (LPI) system in real time; tweaking the car’s setup as well as activating the ALA system in less than 500 milliseconds to ensure the best aerodynamic configuration in every driving condition.
The Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder has a dry weight of 3,322 lbs., with a distribution front/rear of 43/57 percent. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Power & Performance
With its 5.2, V10 naturally-aspirated engine, the Performante Spyder accelerates to 62 mph in 3.1 seconds and to 124 mph in 9.3 seconds. Like the Performante coupé, the Spyder outputs 640 horsepower at 8,000 rpm, producing 442 lb-ft. of torque at 6,500 rpm. Lamborghini says more than 70 percent of that torque is readily available at 1,000 rpm.
The Spyder, like the Huracán Performante coupé, includes an enhanced suspension system, recalibrated ESC, a more responsive Lamborghini Dynamic Steering system, and a permanent four-wheel drive layout for maximizing traction. Lamborghini’s driver-mode system comprising of STRADA, SPORT, and CORSA allows you to customize the car to suit your tastes.
Open-Air Enjoyment
The roof part of the Huracán Performante Spyder is a lightweight, electro-hydraulic deal that complements the car’s distinctive lines, whether open or closed. It is also said to maintain rigidity and handling, since even as a convertible it maintains the stiffness of a sports car. The roof opens in just 17 seconds up to a speed of 30 mph, which is a totally cool move to pull when leaving your burger joint of choice.
Pricing & Availability
The first lucky customers will take delivery of their new Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder this summer with a suggested price of, gulp, $308,859. No, that is not cheap, but you weren’t really expecting it to be, were you?
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.
Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder Gallery

Photos & Source: Automobili Lamborghini.

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2017 Mazda CX-9 Trim Level Guide

Mazda recently announced their CX-9 sport utility vehicle will be back for its sophomore model year, with an unchanged MSRP of $31,520 when it reaches showrooms later this month. Sounds like a good deal already, but, of course, Mazda being Mazda, has done some tweaking and improving here and there.

Sport Trim

The entry version of Mazda’s CX-9 is dubbed the Sport trim level. The Sport version comes standard with LED headlights and taillights as well as fabric seating surfaces.

The parking brake is, sadly, electronic, so no hand-brake turns in snowy parking lots for you mister. Also standard are 18-inch wheels, a rear backup camera, trailer stability assist, MAZDA CONNECT infotainment with Commander control, and a 7-inch color display. I have no idea what “Commander control” might be, but it sounds a tad over the top and compensating.

All the other stuff is pretty self explanatory. Trailer stability assist sounds like a wonderful idea for anyone who’s messed around with trailers, especially in cross winds, slippery roads, and stuff like that. The MAZDA CONNECT infotainment is one of those centralized data platforms within the car. Everything from your tunes, phone, navigation, and the like run through the system.

The rear backup camera also seems to be a very good thing to have, and lots of car companies are touting them at the moment. If you go for the Sport trim level, you can also opt for the Sport Package (that doesn’t sound too confusing), which adds a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and heated door mirrors. Nice for those of you in winter climes and/or ski-bum types.

2017 Mazda CX-9. Photo: Mazda North American Operations.

Touring Trim

Further up the food chain lives the CX-9 Touring where you get an auto-dimming rearview mirror, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, and SCBS (that’s Smart City Brake Support, which is one of those contraptions that hits the brakes for you when you’re not paying attention, you dolt).

You also get a selection of black-or sand-colored leather seating surfaces.

HomeLink garage door openers, Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry System, a power liftgate, power front seats, and an 8-inch MAZDA CONNECT touchscreen display round out the options, all of which seem fairly attractive.

If you tick the box for the Touring Premium Package (again Mazda, confusing naming conventions here), you get automatic headlights, LED fog lights, navigation, and a premium 12-speaker Bose audio system that will get you Felix Pappalardi levels of hearing damage I bet. Rain-sensing wipers, rear backup sensors, second-row retractable sunshades, SiriusXM satellite radio, and a sunroof are also included.

Grand Touring

Next up comes the Grand Touring were you get all the icing from the Sport and Touring trim levels. Here you get an Adaptive Front-Lighting System, 20-inch wheels, aluminum interior trim (nice!), and Mazda’s first Active Driving Display that projects instrument and navigation information onto the windshield (essentially a HUD). There is a high-beam control (I assume that’s automatic), lane-departure warning (because you can’t pay attention, can you?), lane-keep assist (you really can’t pay attention, can you?), and Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Smart Brake Support.

Finally, a set of roof rails and memory settings on the driver’s seat finish off the Grand Touring.

“We are seeing a considerable number of new Mazda buyers come in from premium and luxury brands, with CX-9 Grand Touring and Signature models regularly being cross-shopped with the likes of Lexus, Porsche, and Volvo,” said Tetsu Nakazawa, Vehicle Line Manager for crossover SUVs, Mazda North American Operations. “That consumer confidence illustrates the strength of CX-9’s design, quality, and engineering innovations.” Photo: Mazda North American Operations.

Signature Trim

And at the very apex sits the CX-9 Signature that comes with standard predictive i-ACTIV all-wheel drive. That would be 27 sensors, busily working away, measuring conditions more than 200 times per second, to govern how to allocate power to each wheel so you never feel them slip.

On the inside, the CX-9 Signature is adorned with Auburn-colored Nappa leather, rosewood supplied by Japanese guitar-maker Fujigen, LED signature accent grille lighting, and LED accent lighting around the automatic shifter.

Regardless of which model you choose, all power comes from Mazda’s turbocharged SKYACTIV-G 2.5T engine. That plant produces 250 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque on 93-octane gasoline (227 horsepower on 87-octane if you’re a cheapskate). Fuel economy? A class-leading EPA rating of 22/28 city/highway and 24 combined for front-wheel-drive configurations. The engine is teamed up with a standard SKYACTIV-DRIVE six-speed automatic.

Starting price of $31,520 USD and finishing off just under $38,000 USD if you go full-boat and get every option available. Not bad at all.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

2017 Mazda CX-9 Gallery

Photos & Source: Mazda North American Operations

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Volvo V90: Personalized, Pretty & Powerful

I know, it’s just a wagon, what’s so special? 1 – it’s a very pretty wagon, and 2 – it ain’t slow. Nope, Euro-wagons have a habit of being much faster, and therefore much more fun, than you’d think. If you’re an American gearhead with a penchant for quick Euro wagons, another option is at hand, brothers and sisters. The Volvo V90 Wagon is now available to order for U.S. customers. Volvo allows us (and there’s a few of us out there) to use their custom order service via Volvo Concierge, so you can get a full range of options from the comfort of your couch.

Power & Performance

The V90 is based on Volvo’s new Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) and shares interior design qualities such as the 12-inch Sensus Connect Touchscreen, open-pore wood trim, and Nappa leather with the S90 sedan. You can choose from two power plants for the V90, either Volvo’s T5 FWD, turbocharged DriveE engine, or the T6 AWD, turbo and super charged powertrain in Inscription or RDesign trim.

Obviously, we here at One Automoblog Towers recommend the latter. A Polestar performance package that upgrades the powertrain is also available.

Other goodies include leather seats, a panoramic moonroof, and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard along with City Safety that activates automatic emergency braking with pedestrian, cyclist, and large animal detection (moose, deer and so on).

Volvo Concierge

Volvo has a rather nice online setup for the V90, which allows wagon enthusiasts to customize their vehicle. You can also get in touch with Volvo Concierge, which uses online chat, email, and actual voice to voice phone conversations with a real human being, to assist in configuring and ordering, if you want to take it to the next level.

Keeping up with the “high touch” attitude, Volvo Concierge will stay in constant contact with you, the future V90 owner, notifying you of when the car has been shipped from far off and exotic Sweden, and when you can expect it to reach your home. When it shows up at the local dealer for delivery, the car will have all preferences (radio stations, software settings, and other personal touches) based on the owner’s choosing set up and ready to go.

The Volvo V90 on display at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Carl Anthony for Automoblog.net.

Overseas Delivery

V90 buyers that wish to have the full Scandinavian experience (get your mind out of the gutter, I know what that sounds like, and it’s not that) can choose Overseas Delivery. Overseas Delivery gets you two paid airline tickets and hotel accommodations in beautiful Gothenburg, Sweden. Buyers also get a tour of the factory where the V90 is assembled and ultimately pick up their car at Volvo’s Factory Delivery Experience Center.

Once the keys are in your hot little hand, you can drive your V90 throughout Europe and drop it off at a designated port for shipping back home to the United States. How much fun is that?

Sadly, this much fun, beauty, and practicality does not come cheap. The T5 FWD R Design V90 will start at $49,950, with models, options, and higher-end specifications going up from there in price.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos & Source: Volvo Car USA, LLC.

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Nissan’s Midnight Edition Package Adds Style & Value

Nissan has what they call a Midnight Edition Package that has proven very popular with customers. So what do you do when you have something people want? Make more of it. Or, in Nissan’s case, expand it to a wider range of vehicles.

Originally, the Midnight Edition Package was an available option just for the Maxima SR sedan. The response was positive, so why let good vibes go to waste, thought Nissan. They expanded the availability to a total of six models, and unveiled them at this year’s Chicago Auto Show.

In addition to the Maxima, the Midnight Edition Package is now available on the Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Rogue, Murano, and Pathfinder.

2017 Nissan Sentra SR Midnight Edition. Photo: Nissan North America.

Sentra

Offered on both the 2017 Sentra SR and SR Turbo, ticking the option box for the Midnight Edition gets you black 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels (their full name is “Midnight Edition aluminum-alloy wheels” and that redundancy of “Midnight Edition” really gets out of hand, so just assume Nissan uses it everywhere). The package also includes black mirror caps, black rear spoiler, and available Midnight Edition floor mats.

The package is available on four different colors too: Red Alert, Super Black, Aspen White, and Gun Metallic, which, I’m assuming translates as red, black, white, and dark shiny gray.

The whole package will set you back $490, which isn’t all that bad.

2017 Nissan Altima SR Midnight Edition. Photo: Nissan North America.

Altima

The Altima version, the Altima SR Midnight Edition, is available on the 2017 Altima 2.5SR. You can get the package with Super Black, Gun Metallic, Pearl White, and Cayenne Red (e.g. black, gray, white, and red). The special edition package includes black 18-inch Midnight Edition aluminum-alloy wheels and low-profile 235/45R18 all-season tires, black mirror caps, black rear spoiler, LED headlights, remote engine start, and available Midnight Edition floor mats.

Cost? A not at all unreasonable $990.

2017 Nissan Maxima SR Midnight Edition. Photo: Nissan North America.

Maxima

The model that kicked off all this midnight madness, the Maxima SR, is still to be had. For 2017 it’s found again on the range topping Maxima SR, the most capable of the five available grade levels. The Midnight Edition comes with black 19-inch Midnight Black aluminum-alloy wheels, a black rear spoiler, rear diffuser, and the seemingly ubiquitously available Midnight Edition floor mats.

Colors for the Maxima SR include four: Pearl White, Coulis Red, Gun Metallic, and the original Super Black.

The cost is a still rational $1,195.

2017 Nissan Rogue Midnight Edition. Photo: Nissan North America.

Rogue

The Rogue, Nissan’s best-selling nameplate, also receives the Midnight Edition action with black 17-inch Midnight Edition aluminum-alloy wheels, black mirror caps, and those available Midnight Edition floor mats. There are black roof rails, black cross bars, black splash guards, rear bumper protectors, and trick illuminated kick plates.

The package is only available with the Rogue SV and comes in Magnetic Black, Gun Metallic, Pearl White, and Palatial Ruby. Not just every day red, oh no, Palatial Ruby.

Cost, if you’re making a shopping list, is $990.

2017 Nissan Murano Platinum Midnight Edition. Photo: Nissan North America.

Murano

The Murano, the crossover named for a suburb of Venice, gets exclusive black 20-inch Midnight Edition aluminum-alloy wheels, black roof rails, black mirror caps, black splash guards, and those available Midnight Edition floor mats.

Sheesh Nissan, why don’t you just toss in the floor mats?

Color choices are Pearl White, Cayenne Red, Gun Metallic, and Magnetic Black. The whole thing will set you back $1,195, but it’s only offered on the Platinum grade level Murano.

2017 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum Midnight Edition. Photo: Nissan North America.

Pathfinder

Finally, the Pathfinder Midnight Edition includes fashionable black 20-inch Midnight Edition aluminum-alloy wheels, black mirror caps, black spoiler, black splash guards, those trick illuminated kick plates again, a chrome rear bumper protector and, I hope you’re sitting down, but Midnight Edition floor mats are also available.

You can get it in Pearl White, Cayenne Red, Gun Metallic or Magnetic Black, again, only on the Platinum model for $1,195.

All of these stylish Midnight Editions, with their floor mats, are either in Nissan showrooms now, or will be soon.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos & Source: Nissan North America

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The Range Rover Sport SVR Just Topped A Ferrari

The Range Rover Sport SVR Just Topped A Ferrari An SUV has not only matched but outperformed a supercar on a notable road in China. The new Range Rover Sport SVR has taken the record for negotiating the 99 corners of the famous Tianmen Road. A standard production Range Rover Sport SVR set a new unofficial record of 9 minutes 51 seconds for the seven mile ascent, at an average speed of 42.8mph, beating the previous record of 10 minutes 31 seconds, set by a Ferrari 458 Italia in 2016.
Tackling Tianmen Road is the latest challenge completed by the Range Rover Sport PHEV, following a climb to the Heaven’s Gate natural rock arch last month. The PHEV made its debut in a race against two-time open-water swimming world champion Keri-anne Payne and endurance athlete Ross Edgley in Devon, UK.
Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
The new Range Rover Sport SVR is the fastest Land Rover to date with its 567 horsepower supercharged V8. The SUV hits 60 in 4.3 seconds and can achieve a top speed of 174 mph. It’s considered a flagship for the brand with design revisions and lightweight materials to enhance performance, handling, and agility. Engineers focused on controlling pitch under heavy acceleration and braking, and changes to the damping hardware have improved turn-in, mid-corner grip, and body control.
It must have worked, at least according to Panasonic Jaguar Racing driver Ho-Pin Tung, who again piloted the Range Rover Sport SVR for the record-breaking feat.
“I am used to the high speeds of racing but these 99 turns were something unique. Maintaining concentration was the biggest challenge as the road twists and turns constantly, with huge drop-offs to the side,” he explained. “The consequences of getting it wrong would have been really serious so I focused on establishing a rhythm and the Range Rover Sport SVR made this easy – it may be an SUV but it has the performance and agility of a supercar and can take you to places a supercar can only dream of.”
Range Rover Sport SVR – Tianmen Road Challenge Gallery

Photos & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.

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Pre-Ordering Open For Polestar 1

Pre-Ordering Open For Polestar 1 The Polestar 1, the first car from the new electric performance brand Polestar, is now available for pre-ordering in 18 countries. The news follows Polestar making its first public appearance at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show, and so far the response has been positive.
“With over 7,000 people interested in owning a Polestar 1 since its reveal, we are extremely encouraged by the passion shown for our product,” explained Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer, Polestar. “We will now take the next steps towards delivering this beautiful car to our first customers.”
The Polestar 1, an Electric Performance Hybrid GT, produces 600 horsepower and over 700 lb-ft. of torque. Photo: Polestar.

Pre-ordering involves a fully-refundable deposit, which serves as a placeholder for the car. During the selection process, a configuration tool allows prospective buyers to visualize their Polestar 1 before placing an order. The 18 countries where ordering is open include the United States, China, Sweden, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Denmark, Finland, the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Italy, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada.
In October, Geely Holdings, parent of Volvo Cars, announced a $756 million dollar investment to bolster the early phases of Polestar’s product lineup and industrial footprint. 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.
Source: Polestar.

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Nissan IMx KURO Concept: You Connect Your Brain To This One.

Nissan IMx KURO Concept: You Connect Your Brain To This One. The Nissan IMx KURO concept is a zero-emissions crossover that aims to investigate Brain-to-Vehicle technology. No. Really. Brain-to-Vehicle technology. I have no idea either, but I do hope they get it right. This car, the Nissan IMx KURO, is both a crossover concept and somewhat of a demonstrator platform for making vehicles even more predictive and safe with what Nissan calls Intelligent Mobility.
Concept Versus Reality
And apart from the overall crossover-ish design, it’s that Brain-to-Vehicle, or B2V, stuff that makes the Nissan IMx KURO so interesting. The overall design is simultaneously lumpy yet with protuberant edges, and none of it holds together well. The whole things screams “concept car” because you know there’s no way Nissan would make this.
Before You Know It . . .
This B2V technology has the potential to speed up reaction times for drivers, leading to cars that can keep adapting to make driving more enjoyable. Nissan says all this comes from “research into using brain decoding technology to predict a driver’s actions and detect discomfort” which sounds pretty creepy to me.
Nissan hopes by catching signs that a driver’s brain is about to initiate a movement, say turning the steering wheel, reaching for a control knob or pushing the brake pedal, driver assist technologies can begin the action more quickly. Ergo, reaction times improve and manual driving is enhanced. Or to put it more plainly, the car can see you reach for the control panel, think for itself (in a limited way) and say ‘A-ha! You’re going to turn the radio down, I’ll start doing that for you.’ But, you don’t have to be Marvin Minsky to see how this might not work.
The IMx KURO was first revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in October 2017. Kuro is the Japanese word for black. Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Autonomous Vibes
The other, more subtle way that Nissan’s B2V stuff could work is while in full autonomous mode. If it detects you are feeling some level of discomfort, the artificial intelligence system can evaluate that and change the driving configuration or driving style.
Not to be gross about this, but here’s a concrete example: Suppose you’re in full autonomous mode, and decide to read some reports on the way into work. You’ve already told the IMx KURO to hurry along, so it’s driving rather rapidly and trying to make up time. But now the B2V system notices you’re looking a bit green around the gills, and decides to dial back on the abrupt lane changes to help you out. Get it?
Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

Getting Connected
All this is achieved by you wearing a device that measures your brain wave activity, which is then passed on and analyzed by the autonomous system. Then, by anticipating the intended movements, the vehicle takes action, for example turning the steering wheel or slowing down. The system can do that 0.2 to 0.5 seconds faster than you or I could – Nissan also adds “while remaining largely imperceptible” which I would have to feel to believe.
Smart Transportation
The IMx KURO also has other clever tricks up its sleeve, aside from coiling itself into your brain. Since it’s an EV, it has some party favors to make it a good citizen. For example, after getting you to the airport, the IMx KURO can then go park itself and find a spot where it can connect to the local power grid, and act as a “virtual” power plant by returning electricity to the grid. Slick, no?
Oh, and once you return to the airport, the IMx KURO can pick you up at the terminal and drive home with little to no input from you. Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy.
The Nissan IMx KURO on display at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show.

Power & Performance
And, and just in case you think the IMx KURO will be zero fun along with being zero emissions, keep in mind it’s driven by a pair of high-output electric motors living at each end of the car, giving you all-wheel drive capability. Combine that with the 320 kW of power and an astonishing 516 lb-ft. of torque (more than the Nissan GT-R kids) and this thing could really scoot. There is also a high-capacity battery redesigned and re-engineered for increased energy density that supports a driving range of more than 370 miles on a single charge.
In some ways, Nissan could be onto something, but in others, I’m not sure your average customer wants to literally, physically connect their brain to a car.
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.
Nissan IMx KURO Concept Gallery

Photos & Source: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

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