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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2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS Redesign, Release Date, Price

Germany is indeed the origin of the car have been known in one of the best cars ever. Mercedes-Benz GLS will come with a few changes that we think will make you more confident entering this car in your plans. Great performance will present on the latest-generation 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS. the plug-in hybrid will most likely be available for model 2020.

2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS

The redesign will be our discussion on this article. Much speculation circulating about this car. Competition for this car will be at the start of the Infiniti QX80 which is a rival with this car. And we should not forget the Lexus LX 570 and also competitors should beware of such in the Lincoln Navigator.

Interior and Exterior

Talking about the exterior of 2020 Mercedes GLS, this vehicle has the search of SUV. Also, Mercedes-Benz GLS is going to be presentable and amazing. The driver will discover that there are a lot of powerful options while in the exterior layout. A number of improvements consist of the grille, headlights, oxygen consumption, and lots of far more. Moreover, there’s a rumor said that this car features a large exterior physique for this kind of a classy sports car.

Relating to towards the interior, 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS comes in the higher class cozy cabin. This auto will satisfy you with seven individuals in it. Numerous seats are upholstered properly with leather materials. There is certainly also the center unit that may be flanked rightly together with the mixture of hardwood, aluminum, and fiber of carbon dietary.

Additionally, there is certainly 8 inc touch screens which are made use of to accessibility the media and any infotainment approach. There are certainly other characters within this vehicle that will satisfy the consumers drastically. The driver will obtain various considerable adjustments while in the interior of this vehicle, just like the music process, air conditioning program, heating technique, burglar alarm, and much more.

Engine Performance

The engine on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS is going to be positioned numerous styles of engines. Nonetheless, this time the producer must present engines with mild-hybrid technology. The already acquainted is a 3.0-liter V-6 turbocharged engine which can be ready to create 360 horsepower and 360 lb-ft of torque. It functions by using a 9-speed automatic plus the all-wheel-drive program is normal. It will get 17 mpg inside the city and 22 mpg over the highway.

The next is really a 4.7-liter V8 twin-turbocharged unit. This engine is capable of creating 440 horsepower and 510 lb-ft of torque. It will eventually also use the very same 9-speed gearbox and common AWD. At the same time, it is rated at 14 mpg while in the city and 19 mpg over the highway. In addition, the range-topping GLS 63 will likely be powered by a 5.5-liter and V8 engine which can be able to generate 570 hp. It’ll be coupled which has a 7-speed automatic transmission. The all-wheel drive can also be standard. This engine gets 13 mpg in the city, 18 mpg about the highway, and 15 mpg mixed.

Release date and Price

According to rumors circulating. Mercedes-Benz 2020 GLS will be present in the summer of next year. But rumors. And there is also rumor has it in the middle of the year 2020. You are probably very curious about the release date of this car. until now Mercedes-Benz has yet to provide information on this news. How about the price. The price for the moment not available. But dare we speculate a price for 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS will be around $70.550.

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Aston Martin Vantage GT3 To Take On Abu Dhabi

Aston Martin Vantage GT3 To Take On Abu Dhabi Aston Martin Racing’s new Vantage GT3 set for the Gulf 12 Hours.
Three works drivers will join the partner teams in the Abu Dhabi event.
Aston Martin will be dragging three of its customer teams halfway around the globe to run the endurance race at the sparkling Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi. This can easily be seen as Aston carrying on the fine tradition of factories supporting gentleman race drivers and semi-independent teams.
They could win, but they will most surely have fun.
Desert Gold Mines
A few years back, Abu Dhabi, as a nation, realized they were sitting on a small ocean of oil, which effectively means they were sitting on a small ocean of money. Thankfully (from a gearhead perspective) they decided to spread some of that cheese all over the desert floor in the form of a not-at-all-bad racing complex. At the time, the rumors were they dumped more than a billion dollars into the project, and boy, it sure looks like it. Yas Marina (the name of the place) looks like a race track from a sci-fi movie set 50 years in the future.
And, from what I gather, it’s a blast to drive.
Hence, F1 runs there, locals run there and, in the case of Aston Martin, we will see three Aston Martin Racing partner teams run the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 at the Gulf 12 Hours on December 15th.
Related: An in-depth look at the Aston Martin Racing Vantage GTE.
Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Photo: Aston Martin The Americas.
Team Work Makes The Dream Work
The lead teams will be Oman Racing and TF Sport in the PRO class. A good choice since Oman Racing finished on the podium, third overall, at the same event in 2015. They also came in second in the PRO/AM class last year. The graph is running in the right direction. The Oman entry will be piloted by two Brits, the works drivers Darren Turner, a three-time Le Mans class winner and another team regular Jonny Adam. Joining them will be Omani racer Ahmad Al Harthy.
TF Sport, which has been campaigning an Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE in the FIA World Endurance Championship, also ran a V12 Vantage GT3 in the 2018 Blancpain Endurance Series as well as the British GT Championships. So no wet-behind-the-ears newbies here. TF will be running the new Vantage GT3 in the UK next year, so gaining experience at the Abu Dhabi enduro will be quite valuable.
Photo: Aston Martin The Americas.
New Prospects
Also in the PRO class will be up-and-comers R-Motorsport. They’ve already won once in the Blancpain Endurance Series with the V12 Vantage GT3, nabbing three consecutive pole positions in their debut season. R-Motorsport have been loyal and long-time campaigners of Aston Martin racing cars, so the factory gave them full backing for this race.
“We are really excited to run the new Aston Martin Vantage GT3 on its debut outing outside Europe,” explained R-Motorsport Team Principal Florian Kamelger. “The challenging event in Abu Dhabi will give us the best opportunity to test the car in a long-distance race before we run it in 2019.”
R-Motorsport will have their regular drivers, Jake Dennis and Marvin Kirchhöfer, with a third yet to be confirmed. Just to mention: I can be contacted at: One Automoblog Towers, Detroit Michigan. Although I do not come cheap, I am available.

Further Representation
Aston Martin will also be represented in the PRO AM class by Beechdean AMR, running a Vantage GT3. This will be the race debut for Beechdean AMR. Although new, the team will be headed up in the driving department by two-time British GT and European Le Mans Series champion Andrew Howard (another Brit) and Humaid al Masaood from the United Arab Emirates.
The journeyman Chris Dyson from the good ol’ USA and British works driver Ross Gunn complete the lineup.
“Having been the first team to run the outgoing multiple race and championship winning Vantage, it is a real privilege to be part of a lineup with the first AM drivers to race the new Vantage GT3,” said Beechdean AMR Team Owner Andrew Howard. “We have been lucky enough to test the prototype and if that is anything to go by, then it will be as big a leap from the current car as the Vantage was from the glorious DBRS9.”
Related: Aston Martin Vantage – styling wonder or blunder?
In Person
This will be the eighth running of the Gulf 12 Hours, which will be split into two six-hour races. It all takes place on December 15th. It will most definitely be worth checking out.
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
Photos & Source: Aston Martin The Americas.

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2019 Ford GT Carbon Series: Velocity Mutants Welcome

2019 Ford GT Carbon Series: Velocity Mutants Welcome The Ford GT Carbon Series is the lightest in the blue oval’s GT lineup.
The GT Carbon Series is both track-ready and street-legal.
The window to apply for ownership, however, is slim.
The latest Ford GT hasn’t even hit the secondary market, and Dearborn is already messing with it, making it lighter, faster, and just plain sharper all the way around. Sure, it’s not perfect (what car is?) but with these updates, Ford edges (no pun intended) their GT a little bit closer to perfection.
Ford makes no bones about this new GT having a split personality. “The GT Carbon Series will be shredding tracks soon as the lightest of the road-going Ford supercars – and unlike its sibling racer, it will want to be driven home after time sheets are collected,” reads a statement from the company.
And how can I, or any other track-rat out there, argue with that? Sure, sure, coming up with a ride that is killer on the track is pretty easy. But driving it home after you’ve raced? That can be another problem all together.
Light = Right
The stuff you do to a car to make it perform better on the track – removing everything you can, tightening up the suspension, taking out the sound-proofing to save weight, ditching the air conditioning, stuff like that – only makes it loud, sweaty, and buck like a lumber cart through traffic.
Ford has done that for you, without throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
The Ford GT Carbon Series shelves nearly 40 lbs. thanks to a host of lightweight advances, like carbon fiber wheels, a titanium exhaust and lug nuts, and a polycarbonate rear hatch with better venting for hot air extraction. The carbon fiber wheels are killer, so much so that a number of racing series outright ban them. The titanium exhaust is a nice touch; great material, but expensive to replace. Same goes for the titanium lug nuts, although that’s not very new.
Ferrari has been doing that for 20 years now, cough, cough.
Ditto for the polycarbonate rear hatch. Hey, if it’s good enough for fighter jet canopies, then who am I to argue?
Related: How a rivalry with Ferrari spawned the Ford GT.
2019 Ford GT Carbon Series. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
The Cup Holders Have Left The Building
On the flip side, Ford kept just enough conveniences from the “normal” GT (can you use that word with a car like this?) to make it, at the very least livable, if not exactly usable in everyday situations. The air conditioning is still there, because you know it’s going to get hothothot inside. They also kept the SYNC 3 radio.
“While the Ford GT Competition model appeals to hardcore racing enthusiasts, we found more customers asking for more exposed carbon fiber with the air conditioning and radio still intact,” explained Lance Mosley, Marketing Manager, Ford Performance. “So we developed the Carbon Series to satisfy that need, while providing a distinct look.”
Personally, I would have no problem with ditching the radio. In a car like this, I’m getting enough music from that exhaust and those tires screaming for mercy. Ford, much to their credit, drew the line at the cup holders. I do not have a steering wheel on my coffee table, why do I need a cup holder in my track car?
Also sacrificed to the god of lightness: the driver’s side seat storage bin.
2019 Ford GT Carbon Series interior layout. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
More Carbon Fiber Please
To show off just how special this version is, and to remind you over and over again where the “carbon” in GT Carbon Series comes from, there’s more visible carbon fiber than any other Ford GT. There’s optional accent colors so you stand out from the more plebian GTs, and show what a velocity mutant you really are.
There are two exposed carbon fiber stripes and the interior is slathered in the aerospace stuff as well.
If you are one of the lucky purchasers of the 2019 Ford GT Carbon Series, you can choose between four optional accent colors: silver, orange, red, or blue. Those accents will be found on the mirror caps, center stripe, and brake calipers. You also get a unique seat pattern with silver stitching that is repeated on the steering wheel.
The paddle shifters are clear anodized deals and there’s a unique badge for the instrument panel.
Related: An in-depth look at the Ford GT’s Brembo Braking system.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
I do not have a steering wheel on my coffee table, why do I need a cup holder in my track car?Click To TweetAvailability
Prospective owners can submit their applications now but time is running out according to Ford. Which is a nicer way to utter: “On your knees before us, supplicant! We are not sure if you are valuable of our bounty!!”
Hey, I’d fill out the forms and wait in line too, if I had the cash. But I don’t. Cause I’m an Automotive Journalist. But a boy can dream, can’t he?
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
2019 Ford GT Carbon Series Gallery

Photos & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Review: Pavement Not Required

2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Review: Pavement Not Required When Jeep brought the Cherokee back in 2014, they were hoping it would be a big hit with consumers. Well, they hit a home run because it lands in the top 20 best-selling vehicles in America, with more sales than its Grand Cherokee big brother. It comes in seven different trim levels and offers something for just about everyone looking for a small, all-wheel drive SUV.
This week, we are testing a trail-ready, 2019 Cherokee Trailhawk Elite 4×4.
What’s New For 2019?
The Jeep Cherokee gets new exterior styling, an optional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and an upgraded infotainment system.
Features & Options: Plenty To Pick From
The off-road-themed 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Elite 4×4 ($33,320) comes with an advanced all-wheel drive system (Active Drive II with Active Drive Lock). It also boasts slightly wider 17-inch wheels and all-terrain tires, an off-road-oriented suspension, locking rear differential, plus hill ascent and descent controls. Skid plates, tow hooks, unique exterior trim, and special interior upholstery are also standard.
Drivers in colder climates will apprentice the remote start.
Our Trailhawk tester also came with the optional Elite package, Technology group, and the upgraded sound and navigation systems. Total MSRP including destination: $40,245. By comparison, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk starts at $33,695.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk offers plenty of off-road capability for a smaller SUV. The optional V6 provides smooth, assertive power.
Interior Highlights: Classy & Composed
On the inside, the Trailhawk looks as good as the outside. It’s loaded with leather and premium touches like heated and ventilated front seats. In fact, the heated steering wheel came in handy this week during our chilly Colorado mountain runs, during which we tested this Trailhawk. Other nice touches include the rear backup camera, power liftgate, remote start, eight-way power driver’s seat, and four-way driver lumbar adjustments.
The interior is stylish and comfortable and much different than the Cherokee of the 90s. It’s almost too nice to take off-road, even though this SUV is highly capable. The cabin features black vents, brown titanium-like trim, and stitched leather on the dash. The center console has been redesigned, being shifted slightly rearward, creating a space for stashing a cell phone near a USB port. There’s also a 115-volt outlet and the latest version of FCA’s Uconnect infotainment system.
Behind the front seat, the 40.3 inches of rear legroom is nearly two inches more than the Grand Cherokee. The 60/40 rear seats fold flat easily for more cargo carrying ability. Jeep has included more volume for the rear area for 2019, which expands to 26 cubic feet. That’s wide enough to accommodate a pair of golf bags, according to Jeep.
With the rear seats folded flat, max cargo is 55 cubic feet.
Although the V6 can be a bit noisy, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk accelerates nicely.
Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
Our Trailhawk came with the optional 3.2-liter V6 that produces 271 horsepower and 239 lb-ft. of torque. The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic, standard in all Cherokees. Jeep’s 3.6-liter has been one of Ward’s 10 Best Engines and it’s a strong suite for the brand.
EPA-ratings for our tester with the V6 were 18/24 city/highway and 21 combined mpg. By comparison, the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo for the Trailhawk comes in at 20/26 city/highway with a combined of 22.
Related: In June 1941, the United States Army sought new proposals for a lightweight, four-wheel drive combat truck. And that’s how Jeep was born.
Driving Dynamics: Off-Road Ready
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk has a stiffer ride due to the off-road suspension, but it was surprisingly smooth on the highway. The nine-speed transmission is mostly seamless, but we noticed a slight hesitation between gear changes at lower speeds. This could be the result of first gear being an aggressive 4.71:1 for low-end performance.
But gears six through nine are all geared higher for the highway. Ninth gear is a super overdrive, at 0.48:1. By contrast, the low gear ratio for first gear is perfect for off-road driving.
If you are looking for a true off-road oriented SUV, the Trailhawk is the ticket. The Active Drive Lock (with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit), locking rear differential, and raised, off-road suspension make short work of the trails. It’s designed for climbing over and descending down the steepest terrain. For example, the Trailhawk’s crawl ratio of 56:1 nearly matches the Jeep Wrangler’s.
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk feels tight and controlled off-road.
Traction Modes: A Jeep Thing
The Trailhawk comes with a Selec-Terrain system for extra traction and stability when the pavement ends. It has five modes: Auto, Snow, Sport, Sand/Mud, and Rock. There’s a new independent suspension to compliment the increased torsional rigidity in the frame. After we got off the highway, we drove over a steep mining road between Evergreen and Idaho Springs for a good test.
That’s an area we don’t normally travel on our test drives, unless we have something like this Jeep.
Don’t be fooled by its good looks, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk will go wherever you point it. We shouldn’t be surprised because it’s still a Jeep.
Those who visit far-off fishing cabins, do a lot of skiing, or live in places like the Upper Peninsula of Michigan should have this Jeep at the top of their shopping list.
Related: The 707 horsepower Jeep that’s a blast to drive!
Conclusion: High Marks Overall
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is near the top of the Cherokee line, and comes with more goodies for the adventure seeker. But it’s so nice on the inside, it makes us wonder if buyers will be afraid to hit those more serious trails. Still, the Trailhawk is truly in an off-road class of its own because it will take its owner anywhere they want to go.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk Gallery

2019 Jeep Cherokee Official Site.
Photos: FCA US LLC.

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2020 Kia Forte GT: Little But Also Big

2020 Kia Forte GT: Little But Also Big The 2020 Kia Forte GT takes inspiration from the Stinger.
Kia says it’s a practical, compact performance sedan.
The Forte overall is one of Kia’s best-selling models.
2020 Kia Forte GT: Alphabet Soup
Kia decided to roll out the Forte GT way early, showing the 2020 Forte GT at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas. SEMA is a good venue for this sort of thing, and the GT version is about as hot as a Forte will likely get. Hopefully, it will not get lost in the blizzard of alphabet soup that are the Forte trim levels. That would be the FE, LXS, EX, GT Line, and GT. Confusing, no?
And on top of that, within the “GT trim levels” you can pick from two: The GT1 and GT2 packages.
Luckily, we’ll only be concerning ourselves with the GT stuff.
Gloss Black Trim & Ambient Lights
The “GT Line” is mainly trim bits that make your car look fast, but it skips the stuff that actually makes it fast. I know, why would someone do this in the first place? I wouldn’t, but I guess somebody does. The GT Line offers stuff like a gloss black grille, offset by red accents. The same gloss black treatment is applied to the outside mirrors (heated and with LED turn signals), the side sills, and rear spoiler.
The GT trim does get a beefier, sport-tuned dual exhaust, 18-inch alloy wheels, and LED headlights. Inside, drivers enjoy contrast stitching, LED ambient lighting, and an illuminated GT dash inlay. The Forte GT Line also gets alloy sport pedals, a flat bottom steering wheel with white contrast stitching, and black sport cloth seats with “performance” side bolsters.
Related: An inside look at the Kia Stinger.
The 2020 Kia Forte GT employs an independent front and rear suspension, with larger front disc brakes and sway bars. Photo: Kia Motors America.
Power & Performance
All this “racy” styling is powered by a naturally-aspirated 147 horsepower, 2.0-liter MPI four-cylinder engine. However, it’s with the actual GT that things get more interesting in the engine room. The GT features a turbocharged 1.6-liter DOHC I4 plant with gasoline direct injection. The engine puts out 201 horsepower and 195 lb-ft. of torque, sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual clutch automatic.
Safety & Infotainment
A whole bunch of tech, safety, and convenience stuff is found throughout the 2020 Forte GT. Dubbed “Kia Drive Wise,” all the goodies are standard. There’s Forward Collision Warning, Forward Collision Avoidance Assist, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Assist-Line, and Driver Attention Warning. Available options include Blind Spot Collision Warning with Lane Change Assist, Rear Cross Traffic Collision Warning, and Smart Cruise Control.
Both GT packages come with LED overhead lighting, a sunroof, and a 320-watt Harman Kardon eight-speaker audio system. Wireless charging, a 4.2-inch LCD screen, and dual-zone automatic air conditioning? Check.
2020 Kia Forte GT interior layout. Photo: Kia Motors America.
Pricing & Availability
Price? Kia only says it will be announced closer to the Forte’s on-sale date for the 2020 model year. However, you have to figure it won’t break the bank. C’mon, this is a Kia. Exorbitantly priced, they’re not.
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 Kia Forte GT Gallery

Photos & Source: Kia Motors America.

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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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