Automotive

Letter From The UK: Days of Thunder Gone Forever

Letter From The UK: Days of Thunder Gone Forever
If ever this writer needed a reason to move lock, stock, and barrel to the United States it is this: In Europe, very soon, the Subaru WRX STI will be no more. Thanks to the mealy-mouthed misery-mongers that dictate our European lives, the good old Scooby Doo (It’s a British thing. Cockney rhyming slang: Scooby Doo/Subaru) with its 2.5-liter boxer engine is finding it harder and harder to meet euro-emissions regulations in its current guise.
My all-time favorite car will no longer be imported here. It will, however, continue to be sold on your side of the pond so don’t be surprised if, like Eddie Murphy, I announce I am Coming To America.
I am bereft. I am so upset by this news that I have to turned to poetry for solace and have written this Haiku:
Please stop all the clocksMy Scooby is gone baby, goneDriving passion done
Never say that Automoblog doesn’t bring you true culture.
The Last Week
Over the years, your correspondent has driven all the versions of this iconic car, brought to the fore via the World Rally Championship in the hands of the late, great Colin McRae. Just recently, I spent a happy week with the last of this legendary line.
Much driving ensued. Vast quantities of fuel were consumed and many miles were covered in typically British weather. The main images show the actual vehicle after a run through some fast country roads (cover photo above and one below). This is a car that can leave you breathless. Not especially powerful, the (relative) lack of horsepower is made up for by a level of grip that laughs in the face of our muddy, broken roads and hairpin corners. I had a wonderful time but now that time has passed.
Soon, America, your time will come. I give you another year at best before you too say goodbye to this fabulous free-spirited samurai of the road. Then you’ll know how it feels to see the essence of automotive passion disappear like lifeblood sucked from the world by the authoritarian vampires of state, only to be replaced by some sterile substitute. True Blood for the road.
Subaru Viziv Concept. Photo: Subaru UK Ltd.
Will Lightning Strike Again?
No. Sorry to be so blunt but I can’t sugarcoat this. Subaru is offering up the Viziv, currently in concept form as an addition to the range and it, like all new vehicles from the Japanese company, will be based on the Subaru Global Platform. I have learned there may be a replacement for the WRX STI based possibly on this car or on the, in Europe at least, rather lacklustre Impreza hatchback.
Whatever comes next, the true horror will be under the hood. I can scarcely bring myself to write this without a wave of nausea sweeping over me, but whichever model is selected to provide the performance version it will be sure to have a smaller engine and could even be – a hybrid! I know, I know. End of days.
Here’s the evidence: Chris Graham, Managing Director of Subaru UK said: “I’d never think it’s the final, final edition [of the WRX STI]. We don’t yet have any dates from Japan for a relaunch, but I think we could see it as a hybrid.”
And It Gets Worse
That same executive is on record as saying – the heretic – they may also be dropping the manual six-speed gearbox across the brand. All Subaru cars will be driven through an automatic, more than likely the current “Lineartronic” slush box because it is compatible with the “Eyesight” safety system but which, in my opinion, would be hopeless in a performance car. Perhaps this will not be so bad for you as it is for me, as I believe Americans are rumored not to like to drive stick.
No stranger to the thrills of driving, Automoblog feature columnist Geoff Maxted is confronting the end of an era – the loss of the Subaru WRX STI, or “Scooby.” The performance car, which will no longer be available in Europe, is Maxted’s most beloved. Photo: DriveWrite.
Days of Thunder
One of my great loves, on television and never witnessed live alas, is American NASCAR motor racing. We do not really have its like here and this is my point. The sight of hugely powerful, more or less recognisable vehicles thundering around an oval, fender to fender, is to this writer the essence of what we love about cars. No fancy fripperies, no over-regulation, just automotive power and driving skills. In a sense this is what the Subaru WRX STI means to me. Imagine how you would feel if NASCAR was suddenly banned or had the Nissan Leaf as the mandatory race car.
That’s what the loss of the Scooby means to me.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite

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AI & Auto Safety: Separating Reality From Fantasy

AI & Auto Safety: Separating Reality From Fantasy If you’re not tired of hearing the term “artificial intelligence” yet, you will be soon. That’s because few buzzwords have been so ubiquitous – or creeped into the public consciousness so quickly. Even “low-carb diets” faded away after a few years, but it looks like we’re stuck with AI for the next few years (or even longer).
The good news is it could actually save your life. Especially if you drive a car.
Staying Power
That’s because unlike the long-forgotten “information superhighway,” AI is actually built on the fundamentally sound principle that a computer, if given the correct inputs and instructions, can make calculations and decisions far more quickly and accurately than a human. So even though artificial intelligence may have sci-fi aspirations of delivering true sentience, what it is evolving into is a system that lets machines collect and collate data to improve outputs over time.
So what does this have to do with safety, especially behind the wheel? The short answer is absolutely everything. Most traffic accidents occur as the result of human error and poor reaction times. Look at any instance where a car was rear-ended: in those wrecks, the driver who was at fault wasn’t able to hit his or her brakes in time. Anti-lock braking systems have helped mitigate that problem over the last few decades, but AI is about to change the safety game in an even more fundamental way.
AI On Wheels
AI may have started out on the fringes of the auto industry, but it’s impossible to ignore today. IHS Markit predicts a jump in AI-based systems in cars from 8 percent today to 100 percent by 2025. And while most current AI tools are related to speech recognition (such as built-in systems for navigation), over the next decade they’ll cover just about every aspect of operating a motor vehicle.
One of these areas is advanced driver assistance systems, sometimes referred to as “ADAS” for short. This is a broad category that includes machine vision systems, LiDAR, and radar detection systems. This approach leverages one of the key aspects of this new paradigm – the rapid advancements in AI-driven 3D imaging. There are even tools that ensure drivers are fit to be behind the wheel. These may sound like incremental improvements over things like rear-view cameras, but they are fundamentally different because AI systems are designed to learn from experience, getting smarter as they are exposed to more data. Showing you a picture of what’s behind your car is cool; letting you know it’s a child running after a ball is transformative.
Sense Media Managing Director, Rob Stead gives the opening remarks at AutoSens Brussels, September 20th 2017. The two day conference, held at Autoworld Brussels, examines the many facets of automated driving including the role of artificial intelligence. The event attracted nearly 500 attendees, many of which hold senior engineering and leadership roles in the industry. Photo: Sense Media.
Drive My Car
If machines have better reflexes than humans, never stay too late at the party, never drive home tired after work, and always know when to brake in a matter of milliseconds, exactly why are people taking the wheel at all? In fact, some experts predict that a generation from now most “drivers” won’t actually be operating their cars. Three years ago, Toyota launched a billion-dollar AI company and more recently announced a new venture called the Toyota Research Institute-Advanced Development or TRI-AD, with a goal to start testing their own autonomous, electric vehicles by 2020.
In 2016, GM spent the same amount to buy Cruise Automation, a San Francisco-based developer of autonomous vehicle technology. The first driverless cars are already on the road in a limited capacity, but it’s only a matter of time before they’re the norm, not the exception.
The Toyota Research Institute presented Platform 3.0 at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. Platform 3.0, built on the Lexus LS 600hL, is Toyota’s latest autonomous research vehicle. Photo: Toyota Motor North America.
Lasting Impact
All of these innovations ultimately come back to one thing: AI-based 3D imaging – whether it’s using face authentication to determine if someone is able to drive safely or figuring out if another car is being operated unsafely. The first automated car tests (including a famous one funded by DARPA) were failures . . . until engineers replaced their 2D cameras with 3D ones that could actually capture images in a way that could prevent accidents.
As cameras get better and processors get faster, we are rapidly approaching the day when human drivers are so much less safe than their electronic counterparts that the only logical choice will be to get in, sit down, and let the car move you safely to your destination.
George Brostoff is the founder and CEO of SensibleVision, a leader in 3D face authentication technology, headquartered in Cape Coral, Florida. He has founded three successful tech companies, holds seven patents, and grew up working in a family business.

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2019 Mazda CX-3: Sign of The Times?

2019 Mazda CX-3: Sign of The Times? Mazda recently introduced its updated CX-3 subcompact crossover before journalists at the New York International Auto Show. The CX-3 looks just like the other Mazda CXs, only squashed into a much smaller package. I’m not saying it’s a bad look or that the 2019 CX-3 doesn’t work, it’s just that you can only smush something down so far. Other than that, the new Mazda CX-3 will work out quite well in urban environments.
Minor Upgrades
And that – urban environments – is what this is all about. Although you could nominally take a Mazda CX-3 off-pavement, you wouldn’t confuse it for a Jeep. And besides, 90 percent of CX-3 owners would never do that in the first place. The new CX-3’s interior has undergone a significant revamp with the most notable new bit being the electronic parking brake. Yes, that gives you more room and allows for a significant increase in storage space, but gone will be the joys of handbrake turns in snowy parking lots. Full-leather seating surfaces are now available and redesigned seats provide drivers a more comfortable position.
The SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine is said to be smoother, more efficient, and more refined. Also reduced, according to Mazda, are noise, vibration, and harshness characteristics.
2019 Mazda CX-3 on display at the 2018 New York International Auto Show. Photo: Mazda North American Operations.
Reactive Vs. Proactive
And all this is well and true and fine and good, but it’s another example of how automakers are all SUVs, all the time these days. Car makers have clocked to the fact that people love SUVs, so be it. But car makers will try and do the strangest things to try and accommodate those perceived needs. Automakers are, by and large, reactive organisms. They see a trend and respond to it. It’s hard to think of the times car manufacturers have shifted audience desires in a given direction. The only two I can think of is the Ford Mustang and the Chrysler minivans (both of which were done at the behest of Lee Iacocca, curiously enough). The Mustang started the pony car wars, of which we are still enjoying the fruits of today, and the minivan created the, er, well, it created the minivan.
But so be it. Automakers see that most Americans want an SUV – or something that can be sold as an SUV or a crossover or an “Urban Activity Vehicle” or something else condescending – and come perdition or high water, they’re going to sell it to us. This isn’t a problem. SUVs aren’t like disco music, something that was forced on the people. No, we want our SUVs, and nine times out of ten, we want them for all the wrong reasons.
Fashion Sense
So Mazda will make us a CX-3. A vehicle with limited non-pavement functionality and too small to haul anything practical. And people will buy them, and most of those people will be happy, and who am I to say they are “wrong” in their purchasing choices. People, the same slice of the market, actually, were joyously happy with minivans. Until those same people realized that driving a minivan marked you as a “suburban parent, 2.6 children, dog (small – medium), loves: Local Sports Team.” And the most practical, get-the-job-done conveyance ever devised by 1980s era man had to go.
And I should say that I am not just picking on Mazda here. A number of automakers released new SUVs during the New York International Auto Show; Acura, Lexus, Lincoln, Hyundai, and Maserati among them. It’s all about what is fashionable. Fashion. That’s why people buy SUVs, ultimately. And if the 2019 Mazda CX-3 suits your style, then have at it. It’ll work.
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 Mazda CX-3 Gallery

Photos & Source: Mazda North American Operations.

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Memory Lane: Bumbershoot Festivals & Defensive Driving

Memory Lane: Bumbershoot Festivals & Defensive Driving

Part one of this series here.
It’s been a few weeks since the anger over losing my beloved F-150 has faded, as if losing my truck was more important than the fact that I was not seriously injured. According to the United States Department of Transportation, male drivers aged 16 to 29 are the most dangerous people on the road.
The guy who hit me and totaled both vehicles in the process was 28.
As much as I want to be in denial about it, I was a young driver and fitted that category perfectly. My angst towards the guy subsided when I remembered the accidents I had caused, and how I became more respectful of the machines I drove over time.
Forty Dollar Folly
When I was 18, or so, I borrowed a co-worker’s 1965 Plymouth Valiant with a push button transmission. It was black with red interior. I lived up north and was driving on a clear road, except it was covered with black ice. Due to my inexperience, I failed to recognize it and lost control of the car. I ended up down an eight-foot embankment, the car smashing dead on a boulder. The rock didn’t move, but the front of the car was pushed back quite a ways and it was totaled.
I only suffered a scratched knee when it busted the 8-track tape.
Of course, there was a cost to my poor driving and I had to reimburse my co-worker for what the car was worth to the tune of $40.00 per paycheck, a lot back then. I felt bad about the whole thing, but at least there was no one else involved in the crash. After that, I was a little less careless. I would have the occasional distraction, like hitting the rear bumper of a car waiting at a yield sign when I was too preoccupied to see if the road was clearing up so I could get on the freeway.
But I still drove too fast, especially in wintertime, and would lose control of my car once in a while and hit a curb.
According to Safety Insurance, at least 77 percent of traffic accidents are the result of driver error. Photo: Pexels.

Proactive Position
I became much more responsible when I had the good fortune of taking a defensive driving and skid control course. It is one of the best courses I have ever taken, still putting into practice what I learned so many years ago. The main thing I realized is I was following too close, and I can see to this day how many people tailgate. The other thing I realized was an overconfidence in the braking ability of cars. Aside from driving too closely and having little time to react, braking also takes time.
From the moment your brain tells your foot to switch to the brake pedal, it may already be too late. So, I’ve learned to keep my distance, at least three seconds behind, not two, and to know the limits of the car, and not just in terms of braking. Speeding was the last thing to be stricken off my list of do’s and don’ts. I even lost my driver’s license because of too many speeding tickets.
Wintertime Woes
The defensive driving course helped me countless times. There was a particular trip in winter when the sun was shining. I was driving a 1989 Thunderbird LX, climbing a hill next to a large body of water. The combination of moisture from the lake, sun, and cold air had turned the road into an ice rink. On the other side of the hill, I came upon a surreal sight. At least a dozen vehicles had skidded off the highway. There was a Greyhound bus way out in the field, the driver outside waiting.
None of the cars had overturned and no one was injured. They were waiting for the police and tow trucks to come along.
There was no one else on the actual road except me. I decided not to stop and made the conscious effort to stay away from the brake pedal. Had I stopped, I would likely have ended up off the road, or been an obstacle for future traffic since there was not enough space on the shoulder. Besides, there was nothing I could do and there were enough people around to help one another. I glided safely past this particular spiderweb of winter and eventually to the ice free pavement up ahead.
According to AAA Exchange, applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids during wintertime driving. Photo: fancycrave1.
Weekend Outing
Another time, I was driving my friend’s Chevy Lumina on the I-5. We were off to Seattle to attend Bumbershoot over Labor Day weekend. My friend was up front in the passenger seat and his two sons were in the back seat. The traffic was heavy, but we were making good time by staying in the left lane. All of a sudden, a Honda Accord positioned in the center lane loses a wheel. The Accord does a 180 but stays in its lane coming to a stop. The driver, still wondering what had happened, was now fearful of being hit head-on by the cars following behind.
I drive past the Accord, still in the left lane, but the wheel was bouncing ahead. It’s all happening at 60 mph too. We don’t know where the wheel is going to end up and a guy driving a Grumman van in the slow lane doesn’t know either. He is afraid of getting hit by the wheel and as he tries to avoid it, makes his way through the center lane and into our lane. We are gradually being squeezed between the van and the median barrier. I apply the brakes slowly and manage to avoid the barrier and the van. Thank you, defensive driving course.
We made it okay to our hotel near Seattle Center. I particularly enjoyed the Brazilian Girls, the New York Dolls, and the icing on the cake, Iggy Pop and the Stooges. “I want to be your dog.” Yeah, man! If you’ve never been to Bumbershoot, it’s worth putting on your bucket list.
Seattle Skyline. Photo: Unsplash.

Mindful Considerations
I cannot count the number of times the skills I learned during that course helped me out of jams. It seems too easy to obtain a driver’s license. At least it was when I started driving. I’m not judging. I was an overconfident and irresponsible driver in my youth. When young, we think of ourselves as invincible and oftentimes, we carry that to our senior years, especially when we sit behind the wheel.
In fact, a refresher course should be mandatory for all seniors of a certain age. I know so many “old guys” who should not be driving, but won’t give it up. They will lose their freedom, maybe their identity if they stop driving. For the young, defensive driving should be greatly emphasized as it teaches respect for a vehicle, something we all should have the moment we grab onto those handlebars or that steering wheel. This is challenging to inculcate since today’s cars are much safer and reliable, which only adds to the false sense of security.
Michael Bellamy is the author of our Memory Lane series. He enjoys driving his 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC and until an untimely collision claimed it, his 2001 Ford F-150 7700.
Cover Photo: Pexels.

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2018 Audi S5 Sportback: The Semi-Sleeper In Wait

2018 Audi S5 Sportback: The Semi-Sleeper In Wait

Audi says the 2018 S5 Sportback “leads the segment in performance,” and who am I to disagree? My question is: what segment is that, exactly? The semi-big coupe, mid-hatchback segment, I suppose?
And it’s not like I’m really complaining here, it’s just the Audi 5 Series really doesn’t need much dodging around when it comes to performance. Audi has, for a while now, pretty much stolen the march on other German car brands, in terms of leveraged performance.
They’ve pretty much owned Le Mans for a very long while, and they show no hesitancy when it comes to putting performance stuff into their road cars. Ergo, the S5, the more performance oriented version of the A5 coupe, is no slouch in either in the go/turn/stop departments.
Power & Performance
Audi’s 2018 S5 Sportback has an all-new 3.0-liter TFSI V6 engine living under the hood. It produces a rather vigorous 354 horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque. That power band spreads from 1,370 to 4,500 rpm, which is nice and mesa-like. Power from the V6 plant gets to the bahn via a newly prepared eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission, optimized for the V6’s low-end torque.
The 2018 S5 Sportback blastoffs from 0 and hits 60 mph in 4.5 seconds, topping out at 155 mph when equipped with summer performance tires. Not bad, not bad at all. The standard Audi drive select comes with four different modes: comfort, auto, dynamic, and individual. S5 Sportbacks come standard with quattro all-wheel drive, because, duh.
Photo: Audi of America, Inc.
Styling & Design
There’s a wider, flatter Singleframe grille (yes that’s one word, and yes, Audi went and registered it, and yes, I think that’s overreaching) and a longer, lower hood line to highlight the V6 mill. The wave-design shoulder line is more distinct than earlier generations, and there are wider wheel arches. The slim sculptural LED taillights are joined by a horizontal design line to offer a markedly muscular look, and to emphasize vehicle width.
The S5 Sportback is recognizable by its aluminum-optic side mirror housings, the Platinum Gray Singleframe grille with aluminum-optic double horizontal blade bars, S model specific rear diffuser with honeycomb structure, and quad exhaust outlets with chrome tips. Consider it a semi-sleeper.
Interior Treatments
The sophisticated interior of the S5 has seating for up to five, as long as the backseat passengers are not NBA hopefuls or typical Wal-Mart shoppers. There’s three-dimensional decorative inlay trim with climate control integration that spans from the door panels and across the dashboard. There’s also 35 cubic feet of cargo capacity with the rear seats folded down.
Photo: Audi of America, Inc.

Standard Equipment
The list of standard equipment for the all-new S5 Sportback is rather extensive, but the high points include full-LED headlights, the aforementioned drivetrain, a leather/Alcantara trimmed interior, heated eight-way power front seats with four-way power lumbar support, and driver’s memory. The seats are diamond stitched with power side bolsters and massage function.
Other niceties include a power sunroof, power tailgate, and three-zone automatic climate control with digital rear display.
Optional Features
Options? Oh yeah, you got options. 19-inch 5-spoke-cavo design wheels with summer performance tires, a full-color heads up display, tunes via a Bang & Olufsen sound system with 3D sound, and Audi MMI touch with handwriting recognition. Yeah, I don’t get why it needs handwriting recognition either, and good luck recognizing mine, bub.
The driver assistance package includes adaptive cruise control with traffic jam assist, Audi active lane assist, high beam assistant, and traffic sign recognition (cause you’re a distracted baboon and need all the assistance you can get). A heated, 3-spoke steering wheel with shift paddles are part of the cold weather package, as are heated rear seats. The warm weather package gets you ventilated front sport seats.
Photo: Audi of America, Inc.
Pricing & Trim Levels
Pricing? Well, that’s where the bad news starts.
The dollars start flowing right away for the 2018 Audi A5 Sportback: $42,600 for the Premium level, all the way up to $66,700 for the 2018 S5 Cabriolet in Prestige trim, which is about what a new Corvette costs. And I highly recommend you think about that for a bit. The middle of the road, pricing-wise, seems to be the S5 Coupe starting at $54,600. But still, that’s not out of the ordinary for the market and for what Audi is bringing to the table here.
If you go for the S sport package you get red brake calipers, sport adaptive damping suspension, and rear sport differential, and really, you should go for this. Don’t be a poseur – go and get all the performance goodies you can.
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.

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McLaren 720S: The Logical Progression

McLaren 720S: The Logical Progression

After monkeying around, McLaren has finally released the specs on its 720S supercar, and it’s pretty amazing. It seems to be a logical progression from McLaren’s 650S, which was a logical progression from the MP4-12C. But logic, schmogic, the McLaren 720S can haul the mail.
First off, that name. Yes, it’s a number, and not a name (minus points for that) but that 720 does not refer to the engine displacement. Which is kind of sad, really, cause a big, whompin’ 7.2 liter V8 in the back of this thing would have been so much fun, a la the 1960s McLaren CanAm cars.
Power & Performance
No, the “720” is actually the power output of the thing. Yes, that’s the power output in European standards. The good ‘Murican horsepower figures are 710. Which is, and not to use too technical of a term here: a LOT!
The main figures breakdown thusly: 710 bhp at 7,500 revs and 568 lb-ft. of torque (5,500 rpm). Like I said, that’s a lot. Especially given how little this thing actually tips the scales. That would be 3,128 pounds at the curb (or 1,419 kilos for you metric types out there). Combine those hard points for the golden calculation that is power-to-weight ratio, and you don’t have to be Isaac Newton to figure out where this is going.
0-60 mph comes up in a searing 2.8 seconds, 0-124 mph is reached in 7.8 seconds, with a maximum speed of 212 mph. Quick and fast, no? These numbers spool out thanks to the new M480T engine powering the 720S. It’s a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8, with power and torque fed to the tarmac via a 7-speed semi-auto box.
Every road car built by the British manufacturer since the McLaren F1 in 1993 has utilized a carbon fiber chassis. The same is true for the new 720S. A range of aluminium alloys are also used extensively in the chassis, as well as for some body panels. Photo: McLaren Automotive.

Handling & Aerodynamics
The architecture of the 720S is based around a new carbon fiber “tub” and upper structure, which McLaren refers to as the Monocage II. Essentially, it’s both the tub and a roll cage in one combined piece. It is extremely strong and rigid. McLaren doesn’t give specific torsional rigidity figures, but c’mon, these are the people who first used carbon fiber in a car – any car – back in their John Barnard era.
Handling, something the Brits have always excelled at, comes courtesy of McLaren’s Proactive Chassis Control, a new suspension design and McLaren’s power-assisted, electro-hydraulic steering. Grip? By the metric tonne. Balance? Like a Romanian gymnast on the uneven bars.
A interesting feature, design-wise, about the 720S is the lack of radiator intakes on the flanks of the car. They get cold air over the radiators via the unique “double-skin” aerodynamic shape of the dihedral doors. This channels air to the high-temperature heat exchangers for cooling the mid-mounted engine.
Interior Treatments
The interior is anything but Spartan. There’s yards of fine leather and lots of machined aluminum throughout the cabin. The new McLaren Driver Interface contains a Folding Driver Display and Central Infotainment Screen. The cabin offers excellent visibility, more space than you’d think, and a great deal of comfort.
Pricing & Availability
You can order a new McLaren 720S now – the first customers are expected to receive their cars in May. Price? A not all that unreasonable £208,600, which is around $250,000 USD. Three grades of the car are available, with different performance and luxury trims to suit a variety of tastes.
I’ll take mine in Papaya Orange, mate!
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.
McLaren 720S Gallery

Photos & Source: McLaren Automotive.

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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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