Automotive

2020 Mustang Shelby GT500: More Muscle For America’s Supercar

2020 Mustang Shelby GT500: More Muscle For America’s Supercar The 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 is one of America’s most powerful muscle cars.
Engineers developed an advanced transmission to handle the GT500’s horsepower.
Zero to 60 in the mid-three-second range and equally-impressive quarter-mile times.
I’ll never forget my first encounter with a Shelby GT500. I was driving along at a gingerly pace when everything came to a halt. Apparently, the Shelby GT500 up ahead was trying to execute a three-point turn on a two-lane road. The car in front – who refused to be bothered by all the commotion – went ahead and passed the Shelby. I, on the other hand, applied the brakes and signaled the Shelby driver to go ahead.
Setting The Stage
Obviously mesmerized by what I was seeing, the Shelby made quite a noise as it lazily made the turn. The driver – who rolled the window down as he completed the turn – gave me a friendly honk, a smiling nod, and stepped on the gas. As he did, I caught the exhaust pipes which exited right under the driver’s door. It was an aftermarket titanium system with a sound I can only describe as mighty loud.
I was 25 in my moderately-flashy, Japanese sports coupe. I’m telling you, seeing this powerful muscle car making a three-point turn ironically became a turning point (no pun intended) in my own life. That moment deepened my passion for the motor car. And if I can’t have them, then I should probably just write about ‘em for passion’s sake.
So here we are with the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500. I can only assume more power, more ludicrous numbers, more noise, and record-breaking performance. At least, that’s what I thought when I first saw it; and boy, oh boy I was right!
2020 Mustang Shelby GT500. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
2020 Mustang Shelby GT500: More Powerful Than The Ford GT
I didn’t find this surprising at all the more I examined the specs. However, part of me never expected to see the day when a Mustang would out-power a GT, but here we are, as ridiculous as it seems. Although they are two very different vehicles, the GT supercar settles for a 647 horsepower version of Ford’s turbocharged EcoBoost V6. By comparison, the 2020 Shelby GT 500 comes with a supercharged, 5.2-liter V8 mill producing 760 horsepower and a staggering 625 lb-ft. of torque.
When you think the same motor only churns out 526 horsepower in the Shelby GT350 and 350R, the figures are mind-boggling, to say the least. In many ways, the new Shelby GT500 is heading into the stratosphere. And we’re not even talking about banging heads with a McLaren, Ferrari, Lamborghini, or some other supercar. The new Shelby GT500 is still a Mustang, which means it’s the same car you take to the grocery store as well as to the track.
Power is transferred to the rear wheels via a 3.73:1 Torsen limited-slip differential. In addition, the 2020 Shelby GT500 features an independent rear suspension, larger half shafts, and a carbon-fiber driveshaft to reduce what Ford calls torsional distortion and rotational mass. And with 760 horses stampeding in full force, the 2020 Shelby GT500 is officially the most powerful car Ford has produced in all its 116 years of existence.
2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 under the hood. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
High-Tech Automatic Transmission
Still mourning the loss of a proper stick in today’s cars? I am too, but we have to man up and move on! It makes more sense to give a car like the new Chevy Corvette Stingray a standard dual-clutch automatic. The same logic applies here. The good news is, automatic transmissions are not the slush boxes of yore. Today, they actually improve performance by executing shifts much faster than a human can. Or should we say, more effectively than a human can.
“Contrary to popular belief, fast shifts do not always equate to better road performance,” explained Pat Morgan, Ford Performance Powertrain Manager. “In every driving situation, we emulated what professional drivers do; whether it’s a smooth, precise heel-and-toe shift of a professional track driver or a much more forceful power shift like drag racers.”
Ford did their homework and decided to mate a Tremec TR-9070 DCT seven-speed dual-clutch automatic to the new Shelby GT500. “Effortlessly handling the 760 horsepower is our segment-first, Tremec dual-clutch transmission, with an advanced control system that enhances GT500’s five drive modes to deliver a driving experience once reserved only for exotic supercars,” said Ed Krenz, Ford Performance Chief Program Engineer. “The range of brute-force drag acceleration, seamless road shifts, and amazingly smooth shifts on the track further highlights how the soul of the Shelby GT500 is elevated in our most advanced Mustang ever.”
Related: The 2019 Mustang Bullitt is a true sleeper! Here is our full review.
80 Milliseconds Flat
The Tremec TR-9070 DCT utilizes a novel wet clutch system with five friction plates in the odd-gear pack, across 155 square inches of surface area. Meanwhile, the even-gear pack has six friction plates providing 136 square inches of surface area. Combined with seven non-sequential helical forward gears with triple cone synchronizers, the system can easily match the engine’s torque curve for stupendously fast and effective shifts. In fact, the system engages the gears in 80 milliseconds in Sport mode.
“In many ways, this is like having two transmissions in one,” Morgan said. “On one hand, it enables performance at the outer reaches of straight-line quickness with minimal torque interruption, yet provides an incredible amount of finesse and control in track environments for maximum stability and predictability at the limits of lateral acceleration.”
2020 Shelby GT500 transmission. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Zero To 100 & Back Again
Ford says every driving mode in the new Shelby GT500 alters the personality and on-road behavior of the vehicle. For instance, going from normal to track mode changes the throttle response and gear selections. The system also changes the dampening, stability control, exhaust sound, and even the instrument panel.
Others newsworthy features include an rpm-selectable launch control with electronic line lock; available carbon fiber wheels and bespoke Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires; and the largest front brakes of any domestic sports coupe. With 16.5-inch front rotors, Ford says the new Shelby GT500 achieves zero to 100 mph, and back to zero again in a scant 10.6 seconds.
Related: “Obsessed with speed his whole life. . .” the history of the Shelby Mustang.
2020 Mustang Shelby GT500: Don’t Forget The Engine!
To better cool the incoming air, Ford’s engineers inverted a 2.65-liter roots-type supercharger, with an air-to-liquid inter-cooler, and tucked it away in the engine’s valley. Ford says this design also lowers the 5.2-liter V8’s center of gravity. To optimize performance, the aluminum alloy block features wire-arc cylinder liners and high-flow aluminum cylinder heads; plus larger forged connecting rods. Beneath that, a structural oil pan features an active baffle system to keep oil where it’s needed.
The supercharged 5.2-liter V8 is built by hand for the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Pricing & Availability
Ford has yet to release the MSRP for the 2020 Shelby GT500. We reckon it will start around $70,000 before options. First deliveries begin later this year, and I cannot wait to finally take one for a drive, especially in Sport mode.
“Every aspect of the Shelby GT500 driving experience changes with the mode – be that the throttle responsiveness and snap of the shifts you feel in the seat of your pants, or the ‘pop and burble’ of the exhaust in performance modes,” Morgan said. “It’s a full, multi-sensory visceral experience.”
Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.
2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 Gallery

Photos & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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Chevy’s 2.7L Turbo Silverado: Does It Pass Muster?

Chevy’s 2.7L Turbo Silverado: Does It Pass Muster? Chevy’s turbo Silverado will hit the market before the end of the year.
The new 2.7L Turbo, according to Chevy, tops comparable Ram and Ford engines.
How will the new turbo hold up in a product line long dominated by 5.3 and 6.2 V8 engines?
While the 6.2 V8 is the biggest and baddest rooster in the Silverado barnyard, Chevy is showcasing a new spring chicken for their 2019 1500 lineup. It’s hard to imagine General Motors – with the mighty 6.2 and evergreen 5.3 – going smaller. And turbo. But alas, as Garfield once observed, the times are always changing.
Meet the new 2.7L Turbo four-cylinder for the 2019 Chevy Silverado.
By The Numbers
When the 2019 Silverado debuted, new engine technologies, advanced manufacturing, and “mixed material strategies” were the core of the discussion. Earlier this year, we received further insight into how the new Silverado came together, after sitting down with Scott Damman, Lead Development Engineer for the 2019 Silverado.
“The engineering team was actually tasked with going and looking at every single part for weight savings,” he explained. “To do that we actually went to our suppliers and our supply base to begin pulling on new technology, which included new processes for building things.”
A 2019 Chevy Silverado with the 2.7L Turbo is 380 lbs. lighter than a current model with the 4.3L V6. As a bonus, the turbo Silverado is still lighter, despite increased interior and cargo space. Standard on LT and RST, the new turbo offers a 14 percent torque increase and a 13 percent bump in city fuel economy versus the 4.3 V6. It’s also a full second quicker when sprinting to 60 mph (6.8 seconds).
EPA fuel economy ratings come in at 20/23 city/highway for rear-wheel drive models. Max towing is 7,200 lbs. with a 2,280 lbs. max payload when properly equipped.
“With up to 23 mpg on the highway, the truck is efficient while still offering plenty of capability to tackle weekend projects and trips to the lake,” said Tim Asoklis, Silverado Chief Engineer.
Chevy’s 2.7L Turbo endured 475,000 validation tests and a million miles of real-world testing. Photo: Chevrolet.
While the 6.2 V8 is the biggest and baddest rooster in the Silverado barnyard, Chevy is showcasing a new spring chicken for their 2019 1500 lineup.Click To TweetBarnyard Brawl
On the nitty-gritty end, Chevy is swinging heat at their fellow Detroit rivals. The bowtie brand says the turbo Silverado delivers 310 horsepower and 348 lb-ft. of torque, topping Ford’s 3.3L V6 and Ram’s 3.6L V6 mild hybrid by 31 and 29 percent respectively. With the 2.7L Turbo, peak torque runs between 1,500 and 4,000 rpm; the engine reaches said peak quicker than the aforementioned Ram and Ford mills, according to Chevy.
Chevy’s 2.7L Turbo should not be confused with Ford’s 2.7L EcoBoost, which is a V6. Same displacement yes, but different class. That engine generates 325 horsepower and 400 lb-ft. of torque by comparison. Ford’s 3.3 V6, which is naturally-aspirated, creates 290 horsepower and 265 lb-ft. of torque.
Still, with Chevy having such an extensive history with the 5.3 and 6.2, how will – or how can – the 2.7L Turbo Silverado find its place? Granted, Ford’s EcoBoost engines are in a different class, but does GM now look like Johnny Come Lately? Is turbocharging half-ton trucks best left to Ford, considering the EcoBoost F-150 launched in 2011?
Hard to say.
Given the extensive number of options and price ranges, it may ultimately boil down to personal preference. One thing for certain though, trucks today are pulling their weight. And not just in payload but in efficiency. As manufacturers stack their truck lines with more advanced powertrains and lighter materials, the long-term benefits are likely more than we realize, according to this recent Detroit Free Press report.

Chevy’s 2.7L Turbo is paired with an eight-speed automatic. Photo: Chevrolet.
With Chevy having such an extensive history with the 5.3 and 6.2, how can the 2.7L Turbo Silverado find its place?Click To TweetPhysical Chemistry
The 2.7L Turbo’s genetic makeup includes a dual overhead cam valvetrain system. This enables high- and low-lift valve profiles, continuously variable valve timing, and Active Fuel Management – or cylinder deactivation. The combination helps strike an optimum balance between performance and efficiency.
The 2.7L Turbo is also Chevy’s first application of Active Thermal Management, which uses heating and cooling advantageously across the entire powertrain system.
Translation: this helps with fuel economy, recovering otherwise wasted exhaust heat so the engine and transmission warm up quicker. Finally a dual-volute turbocharger housing improves response and cuts lag.
“The new Silverado 2.7L Turbo delivers impressive performance and fuel efficiency,” Asoklis added. “It’s fun to drive every day – quick from the start, and pulling hard under acceleration.”
When the 2019 Silverado debuted, new engine technologies, advanced manufacturing, and mixed material strategies were the core of the discussion.Click To TweetAvailability
The 2019 Chevy Silverado 1500 features eight trims and six engine/transmission combinations including the new turbo. Expect the 2.7L Turbo at dealers before the end of the year.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.
Photos & Source: Chevrolet.

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Scare Everyone With This Free Nissan Leaf Pumpkin Carving

Scare Everyone With This Free Nissan Leaf Pumpkin Carving Nothing more terrifying than poor gas mileage . . .
It’s Halloween! A time of sweet treats, costume parties, and repeated spins of Jim Stafford’s Spiders and Snakes and Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London on local radio. The trick-or-treaters will soon dress up and seek out their respective trove of candy treasures. Some of those trick-or-treaters will even be kids.
College students in Detroit. You know who you are.
Scream For Green
Revving up a big muscle car to rattle the bolts of lesser machinery certinately has its allure. However, equally as terrifying is the bill to keep such a muscle car: fuel, tires, washes, fuel, accessories, performance parts, fuel, insurance, tires, fuel, tires, storage, and the list goes on. Did we mention insurance?
Instead of painting black marks onto the pavement, might we suggest a little more green for Halloween? Like Nissan Leaf green. Instead of doing the same old Jack-o-Lantern patterns – dark castle, scary kitty, freaky spider, flying bats, funky trolls etc. – why not transform this year’s gourd into a green machine?
NissanPartsPlus.com and StoneyKins have created a free, first-generation Nissan Leaf pumpkin carving pattern.
“Sure, you might be able to scare some kids with carving big, jagged teeth or whatever, but what if you make this sensible electric vehicle look really cool to a 10 year-old,” said Steve Ferreira, Director at NissanPartsPlus.com. “This Halloween decoration holds up to tradition while giving a nod to the future.”
The Nissan Leaf. Leafs? Leaves? Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Battery Packs & Raisin Boxes
The 2019 Nissan Leaf has an estimated 150 miles of range with its lithium-ion battery pack. Total output stands at 147 horsepower and 236 lb-ft. of torque, an increase of 37 and 26 percent respectively. Among the top features: ProPILOT Assist, which includes safety tech like automatic braking, and the e-Pedal system to bolster more efficient driving.
According to Nissan, the individual structures of the laminated lithium-ion battery cells have improved, representing a 67 percent increase in energy density versus the original 2010 model. Incidentally, the new Leaf was named “2018 World Green Car” by the World Car Awards in March.
“Beyond this being a cool decoration, it is a way to celebrate your environmental side,” Ferreira said. “I’d like to encourage everyone’s love of nature, but please don’t be the house that gives away raisins.”
Well said. And the part about the environment was good too.
Where To Find The Leaf Pattern
You can grab the free Nissan Leaf carving pattern here.
And if you just can’t shake that performance car vibe, here are two others for you. Both free. Happy Halloween!
2018 Chevy Camaro ZL1 1LE pattern.
2018 Subaru WRX STI pattern.

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Famed Automotive Artist Draws Beautiful Acura NSX Cutaway

Famed Automotive Artist Draws Beautiful Acura NSX Cutaway Acura is showcasing a new cutaway sketch of the NSX, hand-drawn by famed automotive illustrator Shin Yoshikawa. Yoshikawa’s cutaways represent, in fine detail, the powertrain, chassis, and mechanical components of a given automobile. This Acura NSX cutaway sketch took months of perpetration and research, but it was drawn mostly from notes and memory.
Which, given the depth of the NSX, is incredible!
Details Are Everything
For reasons like this, Yoshikawa is among the greatest living automotive artists. However, creating this Acura NSX cutaway sketch was hardly a walk in the park.
“The NSX’s innovative power unit was extremely challenging to draw, making the second-generation NSX the most difficult vehicle I have sketched,” Yoshikawa explained.
The 2019 Acura NSX produces a total system output of 500 horsepower and 406 lb-ft. of torque. The 24 valve, twin-turbo V6 features forged steel connecting rods, a dry sump system, and cast aluminum pistons with integrated cooling channels. Acura measures the turbo boost at 15.23 psi. With a compression ratio of 10.0:1, the NSX cranks out more than 140 horsepower per liter of engine displacement.
“Everything comes down to the details,” Yoshikawa continued. “If you don’t understand the technology that goes into building vehicles, you won’t be able to build them, and you certainly can’t draw them.”
2019 Acura NSX. Photo: Acura.
New & Improved
The 2019 Acura NSX made its global debut during Monterey Car Week. Updates include a new body-color front grille garnish and high gloss treatment for the front and rear fascia mesh. A Thermal Orange Pearl paint, an Indigo blue leather interior, and two new brake caliper colors complete the styling treatments.
Performance enhancements include stiffer stabilizer bars and new software tuning. Acura says the NSX now has a time nearly two seconds faster around the Suzuka Circuit.
Below is a clip of Yoshikawa on Jay Leno’s Garage, along with a full-scale image of his NSX sketch. Yoshikawa has been an automotive artist for the last 50 years.

Acura NSX cutaway sketch by Shin Yoshikawa.
Source: Acura.

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Polestar Spaces Are NOT Traditional Dealerships, Company Says

Polestar Spaces Are NOT Traditional Dealerships, Company Says Polestar, a new electric performance band from Volvo Car Group, is establishing their retail network.
The company wants a look, feel, and experience different from traditional car dealerships.
The first “Polestar Space” will open next year in downtown Oslo, Norway on Øvre Slottsgate.
Polestar Spaces
Don’t call them dealerships, don’t even think of them as such. “Polestar Spaces” are anything but traditional dealerships, according to the automaker. The new electric performance brand, fresh off the North American reveal of the Polestar 1, will begin establishing its retail network.
“Polestar will be a fully digital brand, but a Polestar Space is where customers will be able to come into direct contact with us,” explained Thomas Ingenlath, Chief Executive Officer, Polestar. “In a Polestar Space, they’ll meet and interact with a Polestar brand and product expert, see the engineering under the skin as well as be able to take a test drive.”
The first Polestar Space will open in the middle of 2019 in Oslo, Norway, a key market according to the automaker.
“As Norway is one of the world’s most important electric vehicle markets, it is logical to begin the Polestar Space story in Oslo,” Ingenlath said.
Museum Exhibits & Multiple Channels
Polestar wants a minimalist approach, with a showroom space that closely mirrors the design and philosophy behind Polestar cars. The locations will have a museum-like feel. Wheels and carbon-fibre sections will stand like exhibits, complimented by material finishes, paint colors, and leather samples.
“A visit to a Polestar Space will be a very different experience to today’s typical car dealership,” Ingenlath said. “We aim to surprise and delight our customers, removing the hassle that comes with traditional car ownership.”
Representatives and employees will also embody the company’s retail philosophy.
“As the customer will order the car online, they won’t experience hard-sell, commission-based salespeople in a Polestar Space. Our customers will never feel pressure to sign a contract,” Ingenlath continued. “Polestar is a multi-channel brand which is why it must be supported by a unique retail experience.”
Polestar Spaces will feature elements of the company’s design language and philosophy, according to the automaker. Photo: Polestar.
Forward Looking
Polestar opens their portfolio with the Polestar 1, a 600 horsepower, low-volume performance hybrid. The aptly named and higher-volume Polestar 2 and 3 will follow as full battery-electric vehicles.
“By the middle of 2020, we aim to have opened up to 60 Spaces around the world to support the key launch markets for the brand,” Ingenlath said. “As we progress, we will open Spaces in more locations to support our retail development, making the brand more accessible with the opening of each new Space.”
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
Photos & Source: Polestar.

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Swedish Families Help Volvo Develop Autonomous Vehicles

Swedish Families Help Volvo Develop Autonomous Vehicles
Swedish families are playing an instrumental role in Volvo’s autonomous vehicle development. The Hains and Simonovskis from Gothenburg, Sweden are already navigating the city in XC90 SUVs as part of Volvo’s Drive Me program. The families are utilizing XC90s equipped with autonomous technology just as they would any other vehicle for their daily routines. Volvo’s engineers will use the corresponding feedback and impressions to further develop the company’s driverless technology.
Volvo plans to have fully automated cars available by 2021.
Daily Lives
Three more families are expected to join early next year and Volvo says up to 100 people will be involved in the Drive Me program. Volvo’s engineers will monitor and study how the autonomous XC90 SUVs accompany these families throughout the day, from taking the kids to school to getting groceries. Volvo says the Drive Me program is about real customers testing the different stages of driver assisted and, eventually, fully autonomous technology.
The Hain family. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Family Matters
The Hain family comprises of Alex and Paula (45 years old), and their daughters Filippa (17) and Smilla (14). The Hains were the first ones selected to take part in the Drive Me initiative earlier this year. Joining the Hain’s are Sasko Simonovski (44) and his wife Anna (41), and their children Elin (10) and Villiam (8). The Volvo XC90s received by both families feature the automaker’s latest driver assistance suite, complete with a variety of cameras and sensors.
“Drive Me is an important research project for Volvo Cars,” said Henrik Green, Senior Vice President for Volvo’s R&D department. “We expect to learn a lot from engaging these families and will use their experiences to shape the development of our autonomous driving technology, so that by 2021 we can offer our customers a fully autonomous car.”
During the initial stages, the Hains and Simonovskis will keep their hands on the wheel as they normally would any other vehicle. Over time, Drive Me participants will gradually be introduced to more advanced driverless technology after receiving special training. Volvo says these more advanced vehicles will first be introduced in controlled environments with supervision from a safety expert.
The Simonovski family. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Forward Thinking
Proponents of autonomous driving have pointed to a number of benefits, including a world where no single person is hurt or killed in a traffic accident. Volvo’s Vision 2020 commitment is about developing technology to create a safer world, including the end goal of eliminating road fatalities. Across the industry, global summits on automated driving are being held to address and overcome the challenges facing autonomous cars.
“It feels great to be a part of this project,” commented Alex Hain. “We get the chance to be part of developing technology that will one day save lives.”
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photos & Source: Volvo Car Group.

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2018 Subaru BRZ tS Arrives This Spring, Limited To 500 Units

2018 Subaru BRZ tS Arrives This Spring, Limited To 500 Units Finally, finally, finally! Subaru just announced they will be rolling out a limited edition, performance version of the BRZ sports coupe for 2018. Like many of you, I have been waiting impatiently for Subaru to let the STI gurus have a go at their everso enjoyable sports coupe. And although this is not the full-blown fire-breather of our dreams, at least it’s a start.
Holiday Wishes
The BRZ is a great little car. In a lot of ways, it’s sort of like the Miata coupe that Mazda never made. It’s light, handles well, is real-wheel drive, inexpensive and, sadly, not nearly as powerful as it could be. You, me, them, all of us gearheads know it would be so easy to drop a bigger mill under that low hood. And Subaru already has them, just waiting on the shelf. Yes, we all understand the exigencies of price points for the given buyer demographic, and insurance burdens, but c’mon Subaru (we seemed to have collectively begged) Do. The. Right. Thing. and make a higher performance version of the BRZ.
Performance Tech
Officially it’s called the 2018 BRZ tS (tuned by STI). So it’s not even an official STI deal, it’s just Subie’s in-house skunk works breathed on it here and there. But what they have done is rather nice, even if it’s not Earth-shakingly significant. The BRZ tS adds STI-tuned front and rear SACHS dampers (shocks) and coil springs along with an STI flexible V-brace in the engine compartment to stiffen things up. New draw stiffeners are added to the chassis and sub-frame to improve steering response. You’d figure the torsional rigidity is now on balance with the main wing spar of a Boeing 747.
Subaru has also upped the wheel size for the first time. The BRZ tS comes equipped with lightweight, 18-inch wheels sporting 215/40 R18 Michelin Pilot Sport tires for mollusk-like grip and quicker turn-ins. The brakes are Brembo rotors clamped by 4-piston front calipers and 2-piston rear calipers for better stopping power, fade resistance, and pedal feel.
Exterior Design
The exterior is said to be more aggressive thanks to an exclusive STI carbon fiber rear spoiler. The rear wing is manually adjustable so you can “fine-tune rear downforce for track driving.” Yeah, have fun playing with that, but just remember aerodynamics is a Science with a capital “S” and your hospital stay can be Long with a capital “L” and Expensive with a capital “E.” Proceed with caution. Anyway, the 2018 BRZ tS also has front, rear, and even side underspoilers for better airflow and increased traction and stability. The 2018 BRZ tS is available in three colors: WR Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Silica, and Crystal White Pearl. You will get the World Rally Blue.
Like it’s limited edition sibling, the WRX STI Type RA, the BRZ tS is embellished with an exclusive Cherry Blossom Red accent around the front grille and rear bumper cover. The official BRZ tS badge in chrome and red is on the front grille and rear hatch. The exterior mirrors (which can fold), the roof-mounted shark fin antenna, and the BRZ and Subaru badging are all finished in black. Sadly, the fog lights have been removed and replaced with “unique fog light covers.” More light is always better, but Subie has a habit of taking away fog and driving lights to differentiate their more special versions.
Interior Treatments
The cockpit is highlighted by black leather and Alcantara upholstery, with contrasting red stitching and accents all the way through the interior; steering wheel, door and dash panels, knee pads, shifter, emergency brake boot, and visor over the gauge cluster. The front seats even have red leather bolsters and the seatbacks are embroidered with the tS logo. The front seat belts are red and the rearview mirror is frameless. There is a standard 4.2-inch LCD multi-function display positioned next to the tach that shows vehicle performance data: things like lateral Gs, accelerator pedal position, braking force, steering angle, oil and coolant temperature, battery voltage, and an integrated stop watch for recording lap times. I like that bit!
Pricing & Availability
The 2018 hot rod BRZ tS (tuned by STI) will be limited to 500 units and ring out at $33,495, not prohibitively expensive. Expect to see the BRZ tS at Subaru retailers this spring.
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.
Photo & Source: Subaru of America, Inc.

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Texting & Eating: New Documentary Examines How Badly We Drive

Texting & Eating: New Documentary Examines How Badly We Drive 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel Overview
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel is a new documentary and podcast series.
The film shows how frequently distracted driving occurs by following eight different individuals.
Boyd Productions and Connecticut Public Television gathered hundreds of hours of footage.
Leading minds showcase how new technology may help curb distracted driving.
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel is available now.
An interesting documentary landed on my desk recently titled 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel. Three seconds is the time it takes to travel a football field while driving. Coincidentally, that’s the amount of time it takes the average driver to do something like look at a text message, choose a song or, even worse, reply to a text message.
The movie states up front that it is not here to scare you, and in that they are right. This is not one of those horrid driver’s education films from 1964 with lots of rock-a-billy and misspent youths and screeching tires and regrets.
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel is 55 minutes of exploration of not only distracted driving, but also trends in smartphone usage, autonomous cars, and augmented driving. That’s a fairly nice way of saying, narrative-wise, 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel is rather meandering and has a hard time getting to any one point. And, most crucially, it seems to not fully understand the point it is ultimately hoping to make.
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel follows the lives of eight people, ages 18 to 65, over six months using in-car cameras and tracking technology to monitor their driving habits. Photo: Jonathan Olson.
Honest & Intimate
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel is divided into three critical chunks. The first is a look at a data analysis firm that conducted a study of rather delicious deviousness. They mounted a bunch of cameras inside the cockpits of various cars, and pared that footage with accelerometer data from the driver’s phones. And not just any drivers, but a lot of teenagers. Those that have driven with or recall what you drove like as a teenager will readily know it can be frightening.
But I’m not just talking about hot-rodding reprobates out looking for cheap thrills and jazz music, oh no. I’m talking about drivers of all ages that are constantly on their phones or are constantly distracted. Everyone in 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel spends a terrifying amount of time reading texts and responding to them, plus full-on jamming to tunes with both hands off the wheel for long stretches. We’re talking Neil Peart-level air drum solos!
And eating food while driving . . . even eating it off plates with plastic utensils!
“While many of these driver’s habits will shock you, this is a very honest and intimate look at human behavior,” said Executive Producer Jennifer Boyd of Boyd Productions.
Katie, a young mother and photographer, is one of the subjects in film 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel. Photo: Boyd Productions, CPTV.
The Things We Do Instead of Driving
All of this accompanied by some juicy rationalizations: “Oh! The reason I was eating that was because I got the food like that, on a plate, at a birthday party. Swedish meatballs.” I’m not sure what the mitigating factor is here: the fact that she got the entire plate of food at a birthday party or that it was Swedish meatballs.
Nevertheless, all of this in-car footage makes you wonder, “Do I really pick my nose that often?”
“You’re in kind of a private space that is typically reserved for just the driver, and now you get to observe a lot of these things that are going on – that we all do,” explained Eric Jackson, Director of the Connecticut Transportation Safety Research Center at the University of Connecticut. “But you don’t think about it until you start watching the videos and you’re like ‘I do that.'”
Global Concern
It’s not just in the United States either. A survey conducted by Carzoos found that 75 percent of Australians eat while driving and another 55 percent use a mobile device. The same study found that 25 percent of women, aged 25 to 34, apply makeup while driving.
“We don’t have a distraction epidemic; we really have an attention epidemic,” said Bryan Reimer, Research Scientist, MIT. “I think that we really need to begin asking the question: What is distraction? Could it be that the act of driving has become the distraction from the communication and infotainment world that we all live in?”
The European Transport Safety Council reported last year on surveys conducted by Ipsos and Dekra. Ipsos found that 36 percent of drivers in the Czech Republic use their phone behind the wheel; Dekra found around 25 percent in Spain and Ireland did the same. And in a bizarre yet tragic case two years ago in Japan, the Pokémon Go game was a factor in a fatal accident.
“In today’s electronic digital age, it seems impossible for some people to resist answering phone calls or responding to text messages or Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook posts even while behind the wheel,” said Special First Lieutenant and Traffic Safety Specialist Jim Flegel of the Michigan State Police. “When a person drives distracted one time and nothing bad happens, they think they can do it all the time with the same results. This is not true! It only takes being distracted for a brief moment before a tragedy can occur.”
In the film we meet Aubrey who often checks social while driving. Photo: Boyd Productions, CPTV.
Just Google It
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel then drifts towards talking about automated driving. There’s no real clean break when they move from act one to act two, so it doesn’t work all that well. Still, the producers talk with people at Google working on better strategies for UIs (user interfaces) in the automotive world. Things like where the yes tap should be versus the no tap versus the go back tap on a smartphone screen.
Google has a very nice driving simulator rig with multiple screens and umpteen ways of tracking the driver being tested; facial expressions, eye movement, eye gaze, how long your eyes linger on a given point, body language, head motion, and speed – just thousands of data points to draw from. Curiously, the Google folks make no mention of voice recognition or voice control.
The producers give some passing time to talking about Tesla’s Autopilot, although they (like Tesla) point out how it’s not a real “set it and forget it” autopilot.
Possible Solutions
Ultimately, 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel tries to show what industry experts and entrepreneurs are doing to improve road safety. Recent data from the National Safety Council suggests roadway deaths this year may climb as high as 40,000.
It is at this point the film gets to what I’m guessing is the whole point: augmented driving. This segment has the most narrative and methodological oomph behind it, but the producers never really come out and state it. As a matter of fact, the film never uses the term “augmented driving” but that’s what it is. They talk with a National Transportation Safety Board accident investigator about autonomous versus augmented systems.
We also meet a Swedish automotive engineer from Autoliv who backs up what the NTSB guy says.
In so many words: taking humans completely out of the loop is a bad idea.
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel examines new technologies that may offer solutions to rising crash statistics. Photo: Jonathan Olson.
Human Intervention
The logic presented in 3 Seconds Behind the Wheel goes something like this: we don’t want the machine doing everything, because machines are bad at thinking on their feet during random, chaotic events. What we want is the machine doing most of the thinking, and then, if things go all cock-eyed, the human intervenes and solves the problem.
Other experts share similar views, and even offer real-world situations where human involvement might be the better option.
“When a driver approaches a ball in the street, they can determine that perhaps a child is following. Of course you can tell a computer this simple script, but a human can determine many different types of balls that could be in the road,” said Saskia de Craen from the SWOV Institute for Road Safety Research during AutoSens Brussels last year. “The point is that people are very good at adapting in situations like this and computers do make mistakes.”
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel examines how airline manufacturers have the ability to automate the entirety of a flight, but don’t. Human pilots control the take off and climbing to altitude. Once the plane is cruising eight miles high, then they switch on the automatic systems. Autoliv is working on something similar. The car can and does drive itself, but urges you to take the wheel when it feels you’re the better option.
Key Considerations
This film should present very few (if any) surprises to us grease-stained gearheads. We already know this. We already know we’re not driving a phone booth or a diner or a beauty parlor. When driving a car, we are doing so with the appropriate levels of care, dedication, and skill that our love for cars demands.
3 Seconds Behind the Wheel, in short, is not for us gearheads. It for those other lack-wits out there we are forced to share the road with. Let’s hope they’re watching this movie and paying attention.
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. His forthcoming new book The Future In Front of Me, The Past Behind Me will be available soon. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz

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2020 Range Rover Evoque Price and Release Date

What’s new from 2020 Range Rover Evoque will we discuss on the article this time. Land Rover about one of his luxury car manufacturer certainly not everyone can afford to buy this car. Crossover attracts more customers than we expected this may be supported by sales data from this car from year to year is always increasing. the new machine like his will be present such as diesel and plug-in hybrid Variant. But this new rumor.

2020 Range Rover Evoque Price

2020 Range Rover Evoque : Interior and Exterior

The new 2020 Range Rover Evoque will be the new generation model and will bring lots of alterations. It will eventually ride on the revised edition of your recent LR-MS architecture and it is actually likely to be somewhat wider and can obtain a longer wheelbase. In addition, it is actually anticipated to get lighter in contrast on the preceding model. As for that exterior design and style, the Range Rover Evoque will characteristic numerous equivalent styling cues together with the larger Range Rover Evoque. The similarities will largely be viewed from the front fascia together with the same narrow grille and angular headlamps. Also, it’ll get the bigger air inlets for far better cooling. On the rear end, we’ll recognize a new black bumper.

Within the cabin, 2020 Range Rover Evoque will get the additional room due to the bigger dimensions. So, this time the passengers will get pleasure from added space and for that reason a lot more comfortable. Furthermore, it’s going to come with two rows of seats as ahead of and can have the ability to welcome up to 5-passengers. The second row of seats is going to be split-folding which if wanted for more cargo area. Usually, the cargo space is additionally expected to get bigger because the Evoque is now wider compared to the former model 12 months. In addition, the products will even be upgraded and we can anticipate much more metallic and purely natural trims. The dashboard may also be revised with an upgraded infotainment display which will be much easier to use. Likewise, it’ll obtain an entirely digital gauge cluster and upgraded buttons around the center console.

Trims of the vehicle : SE, SE Premium, Landmark Edition, HSE, SE Dynamic, HSE Dynamic, Autobiography

2020 Range Rover Evoque Engine

As we stated, you will find prospects of hybrid powertrains while in the future, but for now, there isn’t any. The 2020 Range Rover Evoque includes the single 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged 4-cylinder unit which has 230 hp. For those who go for SE, SE Premium, HSE, Convertible, and Landmark Edition you’re going to get this output. The Evoque HSE Dynamic and Autobiography trims get the same powerplant but by using a distinct output of 286 horsepower. With both engine variants, you receive the identical 9-speed automated transmission.

2020 Range Rover Evoque Price and Release Date

For the price of what would be the same as the model before him, certainly not. 2020 Range Rover Evoque will be on the value of $43,000 for the highest trim. For more information about the release date as his Range Rover will issue his products at the beginning of the year 2020. Car competitors include the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60, the BMW X 4.

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