2019 Subaru Forester: Little Bit Bigger, Little Bit Better

2019 Subaru Forester: Little Bit Bigger, Little Bit Better Is it just me, or is the Subaru Forester getting bigger? They used to be this more upright wagon that was about the same size as the Outback (more or less), but they seem to be slowly turning into bigger and bigger SUV-like rides. And the specs from Subie on the 2019 Forester bare this out. The wheelbase is nearly two inches longer, for one thing, and there are gains in head, hip, and shoulder room. Yup, bigger.
Red Carpet
The new Forester just rolled out at the New York International Auto Show, marking the fifth generation of the Subaru SUV. The thumbnail sketch is that the 2019 Forester will come in Standard, Premium, Limited, and Touring trims, along with a new Sport trim. All versions are powered by the ever-dependable 2.5-liter four-cylinder Boxer engine. The plant is paired with a standard Lineartronic CVT; also standard (all trim levels) is Subaru’s Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system. Duh!
The 2019 Subaru Forester’s wheelbase was increased from 103.9 inches to 105.1 inches. This allowed the rear seat legroom to increase, which is now 39.4 inches, a 1.4 inch gain over the prior model. Photo: Subaru of America, Inc.
Safety & Security
Like many other car companies these days, Subaru is really focused on ladling in as much safety tech as they have available. Apart from what is now seen as “the regular safety stuff,” Subaru has also come up with DriverFocus. DriverFocus is a monitoring system that uses facial recognition software to identify signs of fatigue or distraction, and works in conjunction with Subaru’s EyeSight Driver Assist Technology to reduce the chances of an accident. A nifty little side note is that DriverFocus can also recognize up to five drivers and their presets for seat position, climate, infotainment, and such.
The rest of that safety stuff includes Automatic Pre-Collision Braking, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Departure and Sway Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Pre-Collision Throttle Management, and Lead Vehicle Start Alert. That’s the standard stuff. Optional safety features are Reverse Automatic Braking, Blind Spot Detection, Lane Change Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The higher trim packages include High Beam Assist, Steering Responsive Headlights, and Trailer Stability Assist.
And lots of airbags too: front airbags, a driver’s knee airbag, front side pelvis/torso airbags, and side curtain airbags.
2019 Subaru Forester Sport interior layout. Photo: Subaru of America, Inc.
Connectivity & Technology
There is also lots of non-safety tech to be found in the new Forester: Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, SiriusXM, Bluetooth capability, phone connectivity, and audio streaming just to name a few. The Aha and Pandora apps are also integrated. The navigation system is built-in and voice-activated, powered by TomTom with an eight-inch, high-resolution touchscreen. The Starlink Connected Services offers remote start, a concierge service, anti-theft vehicle immobilizer with flashing security lights, and young driver safety functions including geofencing, speed alert, and curfew. Firmware updates come to your Forester over the air.
Power & Performance
All of this tech and safety is powered down the road, paved or otherwise, by a new version of the 2.5-liter Boxer four-cylinder engine, complete with direct fuel injection and higher compression. The new plant produces 182 horsepower and 176 lb-ft. of torque. With the standard Lineartronic CVT, the whole package gets 33 mpg on the highway.
If you opt for the Sport or Touring, the CVT has a mode that simulates a seven-speed manual transmission with the steering wheel paddle shifters. In the middle of the drivetrain is the standard, driver-selectable SI-DRIVE that allows you to tailor the vehicle’s throttle characteristics by selecting between “Intelligent” and “Sport” modes. “Intelligent” mode helps smooth out accelerator inputs for fuel savings, while “Sport” mode tunes the throttle to emphasize performance.
A power rear gate is standard on Limited and Touring trim levels and available as an option for Premium and Sport. Photo: Subaru of America, Inc.
Design Treatments
Subie goes into great detail on the new Forester’s design, but to me, there’s not much to go into here, which is a good thing. It’s kind of that straight up, two box design with truck-like proportions. It’s simple, non-finicky, and it works. Fuji Heavy Industries has added new colors for 2019 though: Jasper Green Metallic, Horizon Blue Pearl, and Crimson Red Pearl. You can even get a panoramic moonroof.
There’s a ton of cargo space (76.1 cubic feet), 60:40 split rear seatbacks, and the rear gate opening width is 51.3 inches wide, which is pretty big. If that’s not enough room for you, roof rails, standard on all but the base model, allow for carrying stuff like bicycles and kayaks. New tie-down hooks are integrated into the rails so all your toys can be secured more easily.
Availability & In Person
The 2019 Forester is arriving at Subaru retailers later this year. In the meantime, it’s on display at the New York International Auto Show, now through April 8th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
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 Subaru Forester Gallery

















Photos & Source: Subaru of America, Inc.



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2019 Genesis G70 Looks To Establish Brand’s Longevity

2019 Genesis G70 Looks To Establish Brand’s Longevity You know, Hyundai – okay, okay Genesis, sorry – might really be onto something here. Hyundais are, generally speaking, well made, fantastically practical cars that are ultimately disposable. Genesis, the spinoff brand from the Korean auto-giant, is just like that, only luxury-oriented and feature rich. Could there be a market out there for rich people who would not only drive a Genesis, but drive a new one every year?
Good Old Days
That used to be the way it was done, actually. I’ve personally known several old duffers who used to, every year, drive their car back to Detroit, straight to the factory, and trade it in right there, for the next such-and-such coming off the line. Now, people who are leaning that way just get a new such-and-such on lease every 12 or 24 months. Could Genesis be one of those cars? It is pretty loaded down with all that feature-frosting rich dorks demand.
Marketing Speak
Genesis officially introduced the 2019 G70 luxury performance sedan to the U.S. market at this year’s New York International Auto Show, and yeah, there’s a lot there. The G70 rounds out the Genesis sedan lineup, joining the G80, G80 Sport, and flagship G90 with all that codswallop about the brand’s “Athletic Elegance” design signature blah-blah-blah. Marketing speak, you know?
Still, the interior of the G70 is driver-focused and saturated with enough high-quality materials to choke a horse. Brushed aluminum surfaces, quilted Nappa leather seats, stainless steel speaker grilles, and premium-stitched soft-touch surfaces are all over the place. A 15-speaker Lexicon high-fidelity audio system with QuantumLogic surround-processing allows you to listen to, oh, I dunno, Slayer, in some sort of strange, false echo DSP-chip “environment.”
Photo: Genesis Motor America.
Power & Performance
You want power? The U.S. market G70 will have “enough.” There’s a choice of two engines: a 252 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four, and a 365 horsepower 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6. Obviously get the big mill! Rear-wheel drive is standard (baby!) and all-wheel drive is optional. The standard box is an eight-speed, sport-tuned automatic with steering wheel mounted shifters and launch control regardless of engine.
And this is actually impressive: Genesis will offer an optional six-speed manual gearbox on the 2.0 real-wheel drive model. Huzzah! Huzzah! Someone is listening to the luddite gearheads out there! Huzzah!
Ride & Handling
All G70s ride on a pretty standard MacPherson multi-link front and multi-link rear suspension. Sure there’s performance-oriented geometry dialed in, and sure, it probably corners okay, but until Genesis/Hyundai start hiring away chassis guys from Red Bull, don’t expect this thing to be a real track star. They have paid attention to overall lightness however, St. Colin of Hethel be praised.
There’s an aluminum hood and a mechanical limited slip diff for improved traction. Variable ratio steering is on the G70 3.3 turbo, and 3.3 turbo Sport models add an electronically-controlled suspension.
The G70 is customizable to each driver’s preference with five available modes. You can tweak powertrain response, steering weight, engine sound, torque distribution, (all-wheel drive models), and suspension firmness. Brembo brakes are optional with fixed four-piston calipers up front, and two-pistons at the rear so you can stop real good. 19-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are an option as well.
Photo: Genesis Motor America.
Safety & Technology
Digital servants? Of course, this is a car designed and built by Koreans in 2019. There’s oodles of standard safety equipment: Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Driver Attention Warning make up the Genesis Active Safety Control suite.
Like all Genesis models, the G70 comes with advanced telematics, seamless connectivity, and nifty in-house tech goodies like Destination Search powered by Voice, Car Finder, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Recovery, and SOS Emergency & Automatic Collision Notification.
On top of all that, the G70 is an Amazon Alexa-enabled device with voice control.
Availability & In Person
The Genesis G70 arrives at dealers this summer and will come in eight exterior colors: Victoria Black, Casablanca White, Himalayan Grey, Santiago Silver, Adriatic Blue, Mallorca Blue, Havana Red, and Siberian Ice. In the meantime, it’s on display at the New York International Auto Show, now through April 8th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
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: Genesis Motor America.



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Inside The 2019 Acura RDX

Inside The 2019 Acura RDX The 2019 Acura RDX, which recently debuted at the New York International Auto Show, sees the most extensive overhaul to its platform in a decade. For 2019, the Acura RDX comes with a VTEC Turbo engine, 10-speed transmission, and an available torque vectoring all-wheel drive system. The available A-Spec variant goes further, adding sport appearance detailing both inside and out.
Walk Around
The 2019 RDX has a new look that Acura calls “sharp, low, and wide.” The RDX aims for that wide stance and sleek presence by focusing on its “wheels-out” proportions. It has that Acura signature Diamond Pentagon Grille, now flanked by Jewel Eye headlights with seven LED light elements. The wide air intakes include an NSX-inspired air curtain to feed air around the front wheels and down the body. Prominent hood bulges are visible from inside the cabin so you can always remember what a powerful SUV you have and that you’re not compensating.
The front and rear fenders have sharp character lines themselves and another aggressive character line runs the length of the RDX. The whole thing is capped off with distinctive “dragon tail” LED taillights. No, really.
Photo: Honda North America.
Chassis & Suspension
What lies beneath the sculpted new body is also of interest. The architecture delivers a “sophisticated driving experience” thanks to a 2.6 inch longer wheelbase; cargo behind the rear seats has expanded by 3.4 cubic feet, and there’s an additional 1.7 cubic feet of under floor storage. The 2019 RDX also has a fully-flat rear floor for easy loading and unloading. That body structure is mated to an all-new chassis with variable ratio, dual-pinion electric power steering. There is a “sport-tuned” Macpherson strut suspension at the front, an all-new five-link independent rear suspension, and adaptive dampers.
Power & Performance
The new RDX is motivated by a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0-liter, 16-valve powerplant with a DOHC VTEC valvetrain and Dual Variable Timing Cam. Power comes out at a healthy 272 ponies and 280 lb-ft. of torque; that’s up by around 10 percent versus the outgoing model. And since the torque band has been moved lower, there’s quicker acceleration and sharper throttle response.
Also in the mix is a 10-speed automatic transmission, the first and only 10 speed found in the RDX’s class – but I wouldn’t expect that to last since these ten-cog boxes are all over the truck world. Give them time to percolate down into the almost-truck-world. Acura says gear changes are quick and seamless, in both automatic mode and when using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Torque Tools
Curiously enough for an SUV, the RDX comes with torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. Torque vectoring is currently found on high performance exotics (Ferrari invented it) but it is a clever engineering solution that should make a welcome appearance on almost any road vehicle. Acura’s torque vectoring is a little different since it is applied to the front end to sharpen handling response, rather than applied to the rear. Although Acura points out that up to 70 percent of the torque can be sent to the rear wheels, and up to 100 percent can be distributed to either the right-rear or left-rear wheel; so that’s pretty close to what “normal” torque vectoring is.

Interior Treatments
Of course the inside is all spacious and luxurious. This is an SUV from Acura, after all. The seating comfort and lateral support improves thanks to more intricate sculpting, lightweight steel frames, and 16-way power adjustability. The standard panoramic moonroof has power slide and tilt functions and a power sliding sunshade. Brushed aluminum, stainless steel, open pore Olive Ash wood, Ultrasuede, and rich Milano leather can be slathered about the cabin as the buyer sees fit.
Acura’s True Touchpad Interface is also along for the ride and provides a system-level approach to the in-car user experience. The interface features a 10.2-inch full-HD center display and an all-new, Android-based operating system. Acura even included a padded wrist rest for a comfortable and stable platform while operating the touchpad. The new RDX also comes with a premium audio system developed by Acura and Panasonic.
Availability & In Person
The new RDX is set to arrive at Acura dealers nationwide mid-year. In the meantime, it’s on display at the New York International Auto Show, now through April 8th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
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 Acura RDX Gallery

















Photos & Source: Honda North America.



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2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali Review

2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali Review
If you need a full-size SUV, built on a truck chassis, ready to tow a trailer, and haul large amounts of cargo with nine-passengers, there aren’t many choices. The GMC Yukon XL will fill your order and can even take the abuse of rough, unpaved roads on a regular basis, something car-based crossovers won’t handle. Add the Denali trim and you’ve got a rugged SUV with the style and trimmings of a luxury vehicle.
This weekend, we drove the top-of-the-line, 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4WD.
What’s New For 2018
The Yukon Denali, the top GMC trim, adopts a sophisticated 10-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a new Denali Ultimate Package with 22-inch wheels, a sunroof, and a large helping of safety tech add-ons.
Features & Options
The 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4WD ($71,865) comes loaded with features including tri-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, and 60/40-split folding second- and third-row seats. Also included is a 110-volt power outlet, an eight-inch touchscreen interface, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and OnStar communications (with a 4G LTE connection and Wi-Fi hotspot). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compliments a nine-speaker Bose audio system, which includes a CD player, satellite and HD radio, and a USB input.
Other features include foglights, side steps, roof rails, front and rear parking sensors, automatic wipers, and a trailer hitch receiver with a wiring harness. GM’s Teen Driver monitoring system, which limits certain vehicle settings for young drivers, also comes standard.
The top-of-the-line Denali trim adds 20-inch wheels, xenon headlights, adaptive suspension dampers, a trailer brake controller, a heads-up instrument display, active noise cancellation, second-row bucket seats, navigation, and a wireless smartphone charging pad.
The new-for-2018 Denali Ultimate package ($8,030) adds 22-inch wheels, a sunroof, power side steps, adaptive cruise control, a rear seat entertainment system with DVD player, an extended satellite radio and traffic information subscription, and enhanced security features. The Ultimate package also adds forward collision alert with automatic low-speed emergency braking, a vibrating safety-alert driver’s seat, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning and intervention systems.
Total MSRP on this Denali tester including destination: $80,190.

Interior Highlights
The GMC Yukon XL is just that: it’s super-sized for extra cargo and passenger-carrying abilities. Yukon XL is 20.5 inches longer than the normal Yukon, on a wheelbase that’s 14 inches longer. Yukon XL offers a lot more third-row legroom, making the XL ideal for hauling large numbers of passengers. Stepping inside, the Denali proves handsome and luxurious, reminiscent of a high-end luxury vehicle.
The Yukon XL is absolutely cavernous inside were six-footers will feel comfortable for long trips. An eight-inch touchscreen sits high above logically-laid-out controls that are easy and quick to use. The front seats are especially comfortable with plenty of adjustments and power-adjust pedals to help find the perfect position for any size driver. The second row captain’s chairs are just as comfy, giving passengers extra elbow room. The XL provides ample stretch-out space for taller passengers and even the third row can handle adults without an issue. 
With the third row deployed, it offers up a generous 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold down the second and third rows, and you’ve got a whopping 121 cubic feet of maximum cargo space at your disposal. Loading cargo can be a bit of a chore, however, because of the relatively high rear tailgate floor.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
Yukon Denali gets GMC’s 6.2-liter EcoTech3 V8 engine, sending 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft. of torque to the wheels via a new 10-speed automatic. Our Yukon XL came with 4WD, a locking rear differential, two-speed transfer case, rear load leveling, and was equipped to tow 7,500 lbs.
The EPA fuel mileage estimates come in at 14/21 city/highway and 16 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
When we pushed the gas pedal to the floor, the big 6.2-liter came alive quickly and delivered a remarkably eye-opening response. Of course, the price is a big drop in fuel mileage, but the demographic that will buy the Yukon XL aren’t all that concerned with the price of gas. Although the V8 can run on half its cylinders during light-load usage to help reduce fuel consumption.
The ride is comfortable in spite of the bigger wheels and thanks in part to the Denali’s Magnetic Ride Control. The SUV smoothed out the bumps on the dirt roads with ruts. We experienced a spring snow storm in Denver and the 4WD system allowed us to cut through the ice and snow. Denali comes with a 2WD mode, 4-wheel automatic, 4-High, and 4-Low for unpaved roads and trails.
The cabin is quiet even when we stood on the gas. The new 10-speed automatic was smooth and we never felt it hunting for the right gear, even at altitude going up the steep I-70 incline heading out of town. The GMC Yukon Denali can haul a boat-load of people without an issue and the only problem we had was slower traffic getting in our way. The big vehicle gives the driver a feeling of power and authority on the road.
If you are doing high-traffic city driving, the Yukon XL is a challenge trying to navigate tight parking lots and narrow streets. It requires a rubber neck and paying attention to how you park. Denali does come with an array of parking sensors, rearview camera, and a vibrating safety-alert driver’s seat, which we thought was a bit over the top.
Conclusion
The GMC Yukon XL Denali offers a rugged SUV with the style and trimmings of a luxury vehicle. It will handle all your people and cargo-hauling needs with room to spare. The Denali is luxury grade. Add in the 4×4 capability and you’ve got a big family hauler that will go anywhere you point it.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali Gallery








GMC Yukon XL Denali Official Site.
Photos: GMC.



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Want Your Next Lexus To Start? Lick The Steering Wheel. No. Seriously.

Want Your Next Lexus To Start? Lick The Steering Wheel. No. Seriously. Auto shows can be crazy places with half-thought out ideas all over the place. Gyroscope-stabilized briefcase warmers for the back seat. Cop cars with integrated doughnut dispensers. Turbine-powered iPad docks. Lots of nutty stuff that will (thankfully) never see the light of day. Sadly, Lexus and their new partner, genetic screening company 23andMe have teamed up for “Genetic Select” and it looks like they’re “serious.”
Lexus made the announcement in conjunction with the 2018 New York International Auto Show.
“Finding the perfect vehicle that meets your every need was once only a fantasy, but now it’s becoming reality,” crows Lexus inaccurately. Finding my perfect vehicle is easy guys. Finding the money for it, that’s the hard part. Genetic Select is the “Ultimate Answer to Vehicle Customization” and a revolutionary new car buying experience.
It also pegs the goofy meter.
Perfect Fit
Available on April 1st at Lexus dealerships, Genetic Select’s patented “DNA sequencing model-to-model technology” will pair drivers to a Lexus vehicle that’s tailored to their every characteristic. Lexus says with 23andMe’s understanding of genetic variants, Genetic Select will enable them to deliver the perfect color, trim, horsepower allotment, seating configuration, and radio presets, with 99.99967 percent accuracy.
“It will be impossible to tell where the driver ends and where the car begins,” reads a statement in the press release.
This is all based on the driver’s DNA, so if the customer does not have a genetic variant for bald spots, the car will come equipped with a sun roof. Those genetically prone to more freckles will receive custom window tinting.
In conjunction with 23andMe, Lexus will offer a unique vehicle customization program – one that considers the buyer’s genetics and configures the car accordingly. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Spit, Sign & Drive
Your Genetic Select appointment takes about 10 minutes and is sort of like the movie Gattaca. Lexus’ service staff will collect a saliva sample as quickly and painlessly as possible, then send it to 23andMe for full sequence testing. 48 hours later, the perfect vehicle will arrive at the customer’s doorstep, badda-boom badda-bing! You won’t even need a key to operate it – the revolutionary new saliva-powered start system operates via a DNA ignition sensor on the steering wheel. Just lick and drive!
Customers can make their appointments at their local Lexus dealership starting April 1st. The video below explains more.
That date again is April 1st! 
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, Video & Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.



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Memory Lane: “Stinks Like Cheese In Here” & Other Stories As A Private Chauffeur

Memory Lane: “Stinks Like Cheese In Here” & Other Stories As A Private Chauffeur
Allow me to carry your suitcase, sir!
I’m getting hot under the collar. I have to pick up the Director of the Department of Agriculture from a neighboring state. He was in town for a conference and I have to rush him to the airport. He’s already 20 minutes late and he might miss his commercial flight. If a government plane was waiting for him, it would be a different story.
But this is not my lucky day.
“The Boys”
In my haste to get him to the airport, I take a sharp turn off the hotel driveway. I find myself at the stop light in the oncoming lane of the six-lane boulevard. That’s why I’m a bit uneasy. The light is red and the director is looking at me wondering what the hell I’m doing. He looks at his two aides sitting in the back of the Chevrolet Caprice. They remain mute.
He can no longer keep his tongue. “Well, wait till I tell the boys back home.” I keep looking ahead pretending that I know what I’m doing as a chauffeur to high-ranking politicians. The “boys” he is talking about are the police officers who usually drive him around when he is home. But whenever he visits our neck of the woods, I drive him.
On top of that, I have to turn left.
Calm & Collected
I don’t say a word and keep looking straight ahead. Somehow, I’m relaxed and know that everything is going to be alright now that I have my passengers in my care. There is a car facing us across the intersection and the driver is also wondering what I’m doing in his lane. The Caprice may be helping. It could be perceived as an unmarked cruiser. For all he knows, the occupants could be undercover officers wearing suits.
The light turns green and I floor it. As if it were my right of way, I make my turn and end up in the proper lane. The director is shaking his head, smiling. I get him to the airport just in time and he makes his flight.
I’ve had countless adventures like this: taking one minister and my boss to a reunion, then waiting for them as they had to go to another meeting. Again, they were running late. Most of the driving was taking place on the highway but unfortunately, it was bumper to bumper. So, I simply drove the car on the shoulder for just about the entire trip. A few people got upset, honking their horns as we zipped by, but I saved a lot of time. My passengers never said anything.

Better Late Than Never
The life of a chauffeur ain’t always easy, especially when you are fighting the clock and your passengers have no clue on how long it takes to go from point A to point B in a large, congested city. Other times, they tell you at the last minute they are arriving. I got a phone call once from the aide of another director. “The director will be arriving in a government plane at the downtown airport in about 10 minutes.”
Would it kill you to give me better advanced warning? I can probably make it to the airport in 10 minutes since the office is downtown. Unfortunately, the downtown airport is on an island and I have to take a short ferry trip to get there.
I run to the car, and coming out of the parkade, I take a turn where I should not be taking a turn. Of course, there is a cop, on a bicycle no less, and he catches up to me. I give him my government ID card and driver’s license and explain why I took the illegal turn. I’m verbally hurrying him to let me go along otherwise I’ll be late. He doesn’t like my tone of voice, but allows me to proceed without a ticket.
Government Planes
I make it to the ferry ramp. The ferry is on the other side. Figures. I wait, not so patiently. It’s a five-minute crossing of a canal. It takes longer to load and unload the cars but I finally make it.
The aide had the timing wrong, and I arrive next to the tarmac as the plane is on final approach. It’s an F-27 Fairchild-Hiller and the pilot will need the entire runway to land. If he misses, the plane is in the water. Those guys are good and he brings the aircraft around to where I’m parked. The director disembarks and he and his entourage pile up in my car. The plane will wait for them. It’s only a day trip. I don’t think there is a pilot’s lounge at the tiny island airport.
A couple of years later, I picked up another director of agriculture; a different one. Politics is a tough business and people come and go. He was accompanied by his wife and triplets. I drove them to their hotel so they could check in. I waited, as I had to drive the minister to another hotel for a meeting. After I dropped him off, I returned to his hotel to pick up his wife and children. I was instructed to give them a tour of the city.

Excuse The Cheese Please
The director’s visit coincided with a huge agricultural fair taking place in town, and his department had a kiosk showcasing cheeses from various regions of his state. The fair was closing for the day and I had to pack up all the cheese and bring it back to the office. There wasn’t a fridge at the fair, but we had one at my place of work. I loaded up about 200 lbs. of cheese in the trunk. It took a while. As I was about to go unload it, I realized I needed to take the director to a banquet.
He made his way back to the hotel because I was busy giving a tour to his family. I open the door and he gets in the car. He’s all decked out in a tuxedo. I can see in the rearview mirror that he is looking around, sniffing. “It stinks of cheese in here.” He blurts out.
“Well, sir” I explain to him . . . “I didn’t have time to unload it.” I tell him the story but he was worried, I guess, that he would smell of cheese when he got out of the car. He wasn’t happy.
Fido’s Bite
Another time, I had to drive the Consul of Peru. For some reason, Peru had a consulate in our city. He wanted to go to a branch of the American Kennel Club to have his purebred dogs registered with the AKC. “Are your dogs nice?” I surprised myself asking the consul.
“No. They are not nice. They stay inside my compound and if someone manages to climb the eight-foot wall to invade my property, the dogs will shred them to pieces. There’s a lot of crime in Lima.”
“Oh, Okay,” I thought.
His request to have his dogs registered was denied.

Close Calls & Juicy Gossip
I never experienced close calls, accident-wise, except one time when I was making a turn. One of those crazy bike couriers came from nowhere and slid on the wet pavement in front of the car. I stopped in time and didn’t hit him. My boss was sitting in the car with two high-ranking politicians.
You hear juicy tidbits as a chauffeur, but it’s not that glamorous of a job, unless you work for a wealthy patron who pays you handsomely. I learned the main preoccupation of politicians is to stay in power. I’ve driven all sorts of people; from CEOs to famous artists, and a lot of elected officials and their subordinates. The defensive driving course I had previously taken served me to no end, and still does to this day.
Being a chauffeur was fun, since I enjoy driving, and I got to know the city by heart.
Michael Bellamy is the author of our Memory Lane series, a collection of work that examines the unique relationships we have with automobiles. Bellamy has held a number of interesting jobs over the years, including a helicopter pilot and chauffeur to high-ranking politicians. He enjoys driving his 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC and 2003 Dodge Dakota. 



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Mercedes-AMG GT Concept: The Performance Sedan Of The Future

Mercedes-AMG GT Concept: The Performance Sedan Of The Future

Mercedes-Benz is, at their heart, a big sedan company. Sure, they might build devastatingly quick race cars now and then. They might build beautiful Gullwings every quarter century or so, but at their heart, big, fast sedans is what Mercedes-Benz does.
Witness the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept.
What Ferrari is to road going sports cars, Mercedes-Benz is to big performance sedans: The Benchmark. With the new Mercedes-AMG GT Concept the Stuttgart company just rolled out at Geneva, they hope to redefine what that benchmark is.
Proper Introductions
What the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept does is successfully blend a bunch of odd, disparate elements. The Mercedes-AMG GT Concept wants to be all things to all people. It has the practicality of a four-door sedan, yet the styling of a coupe – working the now fashionable idea of a four-coupe to great effect – it has bags of power as only an engine-obsessed company like Mercedes-Benz can have, yet it gets great gas mileage and pollutes very little since it’s a hybrid; it is most definitely not a sports car, yet it cops design elements from its corporate sibling the AMG GT sports car.
Usually, this does not work. It does not work at all, and usually fails spectacularly. Look at the Pontiac Aztek. That tried to be all things to all people too, and besides ending up a radiating failure, its only real notoriety is that it was the car Walter White drove in Breaking Bad.
The Mercedes-AMG GT Concept works.
Quote Worthy
“With the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept, we are giving a preview of our third completely independently developed sports car and are extending the attractive AMG GT family to include a four-door variant,” said Tobias Moers, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH. “With our AMG GT Concept, that means a combination of an ultra-modern V8 gasoline engine and a high-performance electric motor, both intelligently networked with an extremely powerful yet lightweight battery concept.”
Moers also underscored the performance aspects.
“This hybrid powertrain offers an impressive electric range and the opportunity to generate a system output of up to 805 horsepower in its last level of development, and covers the sprint from 0-60 mph in less than three seconds – which corresponds to the performance of a super sports car,” he said.
Okay, let’s break down what Herr Moers just said.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz USA.


Perception Versus Reality
Look, we could delve deeply into the styling of the car, but ultimately all that is subjective. I can trust anyone with eyes out there to form an opinion on the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept’s looks, and I would wager that most people would find them pleasing. What is not subjective is the drivetrain.
As Herr Moers pointed out, this monster reels out 805 horsepower, which is comparable with the upcoming Ferrari Superfast. Let that sink in for a bit.
Yes, of course this thing is going to weigh more, so it’s going to need a lot of power to hit performance benchmarks like 0 to 60 in less than 3 seconds. But still, that’s a lot of go.
The performance-based hybrid system starts off with a handcrafted AMG 4.0L V8 biturbo engine, mated to an additional, powerful electric motor. Obviously the electric motor is critical to getting this thing to scoot to 60 mph in less than three seconds. The power generated from both sources gets routed to the Bahn via a fully variable AMG performance 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive system. Not only is this a benefit in cruddy weather, it also helps with the prodigious power output in general. Furthermore, with torque vectoring, each wheel can receive torque individually, resulting in a perceptible increase in performance.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz USA.
Track Inspired Performance & Efficiency
There are three operating modes for the AMG GT Concept. It can drive on the electrical system alone, just the combustion engine, or with an optimal combination of both as a hybrid. So, you could drive it as just an EV, sort of like a big Tesla, in a way. You could go with just the turbo V8, in full-on old school mode. Or you could be the clever ape and use both and get all the performance and efficiency you can handle.
The operating strategy of the AMG GT Concept is derived from the hybrid powerpack of the Mercedes Petronas AMG Formula 1 race car that has been kicking butt and taking names for the past three seasons. Three? Four? I can’t remember, and frankly, it’s been going on for far too long.
The AMG GT Concept hybrid system was developed in cooperation with engineers at Mercedes-AMG HPP High Performance Production GmbH. Just like in the Formula 1 car, the AMG GT Concept’s battery is charged while the vehicle is driven so you have maximum electrical power available at all times.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz USA.


Future Tastes
“The AMG GT Concept gives a sneak preview of the exterior design coming to the series production model,” according to a Mercedes-Benz press release.
That means they are going to build this thing, but like all show cars, what ends up in the dealership won’t be exactly what you see here. All show cars have a certain amount of gee-wiz stuff on them – gyroscopic self-leveling ashtrays and such. That’s the sort of stuff that doesn’t make it to production.
What will make it, however, will be the general look of the AMG GT Concept and its innovative, powerful hybrid drive system. No word on when it will arrive or what the price will be, but the AMG GT Concept sure seems close to production. It’s also not too wild of a guess to say this thing will cost many, many dollars. In the meantime, the Mercedes-AMG GT Concept is on display at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show.
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.
Mercedes-AMG GT Concept Gallery














Photos & Source: Mercedes-Benz USA



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Cadillac Unveils New User Experience Technology

Cadillac Unveils New User Experience Technology


This is a strange thing to try and comprehend, but I bet you’ll end up seeing more and more of it as our dashboards and our smartphones overlap in some great Venn diagram of user interfaces. Cadillac has just updated what it calls the “user experience” in its CTS sedan.
As it turns out, this generic term of “user experience” is something I have quite a bit of experience with. I work with a lot with game companies, training outfits, and people who do museum designs and stuff like that.
“User experience” is a catch all phrase that all boils down to this: “How does the person using “this” [and “this” can be anything from a kiosk in a museum to a training film] come out at the end of the encounter?”
Museums To Motor Cars
Ideally, you want your audience, say a bunch of grade school kids at a natural history museum, to know more about dinosaurs at the end of the day. Cadillac is applying this basic idea so as to better integrate people, both passengers and drivers, into its cars. You could sort of see it coming, if you’ve been paying attention.
First off, everyone seems to have a smartphone or a tablet or both. That ubiquity is very attractive to almost anyone who makes or sells things. Beyond giving you a place to attach your smartphone to your dash, it quickly grew to integrating smartphone systems with automotive ones. Getting songs to the speakers of your car from your iPod quickly grew to factory integration of things like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. So how long before it grows to be more than that?
If Cadillac has anything to say about it, how long is now.
Photo: Cadillac.
Personalized Preferences
This next-generation user experience system debuts in the new Cadillac CTS, and will be arriving at U.S. dealerships soon. Cadillac plans to include the system in the XTS and ATS sedans in 2018 with other product lines to follow. The aim is for the system to offer a more personalized, intuitive interface with the upgrade.
Cadillac wants a dynamic environment that can be fine-tuned over time to meet a customer’s evolving connectivity needs. They also want to leverage cloud computing to further personalize vehicles, be it for better navigation, or updating and installing different applications via the Collection app store.
Caddy is aiming to apply the functionality of apps and smartphone practices into the vehicle. Which is a clever way to approach this. They aim to provide customers easier access to common features via a Summary View where key applications like climate, audio, phone, and navigation are displayed on one screen. My Driver Preferences is what Cadillac calls it, and yes, that sounds like a third rate appropriation of something Apple would have done in 1988, but give them a chance, they’re still learning.
My Driver Preferences are individualized, cloud-based profiles that allow you to jigger the infotainment system to match personal preferences, and take that with you to any new Cadillac user experience equipped vehicle. You know power seats with memory functions? Think of it like that on steroids. You hop into your rental Cadillac, log in, and how you and the car talk to one another is just like your personal car back home.
Photo: Cadillac.


Predictive Preferences
So you can tweak things like vehicle and display settings, contact favorites, navigation route preferences, and recent destinations. A particular driver creates an individual account for their preferences across all Cadillacs and then can manage them either in the vehicle or via myCadillac Owner Center on the Cadillac website.
Of course this all integrates with your smartphone (Cadillac might be a lot of things, but they ain’t stupid).
The new system features an available, all-new navigation app with what Caddy calls “an intuitive interface” that gives a driver access to destination information via available cloud-based services. This includes updated points of interest, live traffic information, fuel prices, and parking information.
And yes, all that sounds good, but what Cadillac will need to sell is using their system over Google Maps or the like. The Cadillac system does have enhanced voice recognition and improved onscreen search functions, so you can access more relevant search results. This is a subscription-based system that can learn your preferred routes and destinations, even going as far as offering predictive suggestions based upon traffic and frequent destinations.
Why is it that these sorts of things in cars want to try and second guess what you need or want, and then feed you recommendations? Besides being rather cloying and most likely a pain in the rear, the answer is obvious: Money.
Photo: Cadillac.
Mindful Usage
Not only will a car company (General Motors via Cadillac, in this case) get a lot of demographic data to sift through, they can sell that to potential business partners. Like selling how many Cadillac owners searched for and actually went to a Chili’s while on the road to Brinker International. It’s sort of like Big Brother, only instead of dragging you to Room 101, they manipulate you into spending money at a chain restaurant in a strip mall.
All of this feel-good and semi-useful totalitarianism comes standard on new Cadillacs equipped with the user experience system as an available, opt-in 12-month connected navigation trial. So in a way, it’s sort of like OnStar, only more so. If you want to geek out on this, it functions via the built-in OnStar 4G LTE platform, which with customer consent, allows Cadillac to remotely update various features.
“With customer consent” is an important term to keep in mind for . . . well, most likely the rest of our lives now.
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: Cadillac



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