Automotive

2019 Audi A7: The Sportback With Two Turbos & 900 Ambient Lights

2019 Audi A7: The Sportback With Two Turbos & 900 Ambient Lights The 2019 Audi A7 is loaded and that’s putting it modestly. Even the slightest glance at this sportback is hardly brief. Audi throws around the latest automotive buzz words: precision, simplicity, and functionality among others. Toss in phrases like “award-winning” and “lighting innovations” and it’s either a hard-sellers’ wet dream or one tremendous car.
Benefit of the doubt says tremendous car. Is it?
What makes the 2019 Audi A7 worth more than a passing glance?
Power & Performance
Driver’s who like meat on the bones will appreciate the new 3.0-liter TFSI V6 engine. Gone is the belt-driven supercharger in favor of a twin-scroll turbocharger. As a result, the 2019 Audi A7 blasts out 355 horsepower, 369 lb-ft. of torque (1,370-4,500 rpm), and hits 60 in 5.2 seconds. The new valvelift system and four individual drive modes don’t hurt either.
Audi’s evergreen quattro all-wheel drive is in the mix with a seven-speed S tronic dual-clutch automatic.
The Mild Hybrid Electric Vehicle system is stored under the A7’s rear cargo floor. On-board powertrain software uses route data and information from the vehicle’s sensors and forward-facing camera to determine the system’s output level. Power is supplied from the 10Ah battery to a belt alternator starter, while a conventional pinion starter handles cold starts only.
Chassis & Suspension
While the steering-rack’s placement provides better handling, a lighter front five-link suspension is employed for a more comfortable ride. A 20 mm lower Sport Suspension is available for Premium Plus and Prestige models.
19-inch, 10-Y-spoke wheels with all-season tires are standard, contrasting the optional 20-inch five-double-V-spoke silver wheels. Prestige models offer available 21-inch, five-V-spoke-star design (gray polished) wheels with summer tires.
Lighting Treatments
When Audi says “lighting innovations” they mean it. Two other lighting arrays are available for the new A7 aside from the standard LED headlights/daytime running lights combo. Premium Plus models receive HD Matrix-design LED headlights/daytime running lights and dynamic front turn indicators. Prestige models have the same but with Audi’s laser light function, denoted by a blue X in the lower portion of the headlight.
Automatically controlled at 43.5 mph, Audi says laser lights are 30 percent more energy efficient than standard LEDs.
Up front, the narrow headlights extend from the wider and lower Singleframe grille. The twelve adjacent lighting segments of the HD Matrix-design headlights, separated by narrow spaces, mimic the binary digits 0 and 1. Inside, an available ambient lighting package provides over 900 color combinations because why not!
2019 Audi A7 in Triton Blue paint. Photo: Audi of America, Inc.
Tech Treatments
The MMI touch response system replaces the rotary dial and the conventional buttons from prior models. Haptic and acoustic feedback lets drivers hear and feel a “click” when triggering a function. The upper 10.1-inch display (8.8-inch on Premium models) controls the infotainment, while the lower, 8.6-inch screen displays climate, comfort, and convenience commands. MMI stores up to 32 “shortcuts” for easier access to the most-used items.
MMI Touch responds either by using an integrated smartphone-style keypad, handwriting, or voice commands. With the latter, drivers speak requests like “where is the closest coffee shop” to which the A7 responds.
The 2019 Audi A7 is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, using the vehicle’s antenna to charge the driver’s phone inductively. Audi’s virtual cockpit with Google Earth imagery and a full-color heads-up display are available.
Three-zone automatic climate control, panoramic sunroof, and heated eight-way power front seats are standard.
Safety & Security
The 2019 Audi A7 offers a comprehensive suite of standard and available safety systems, each benefiting from a zFAS central controller. This system obtains information from up to 24 different sensors, therefore creating a digital picture of the A7’s environment to better assist individual safety features.
S Line Package
Dress up for the ball with this available package. Styling details include a titanium-black diffuser insert, illuminated door sills and fender badge, and the Sport Suspension. Airflow to the radiators and around the wheels improves due to the front bumper’s larger air inlets.
Pricing & Availability
Premium models begin at $68,995, Premium Plus at $73,395, and Prestige at $77,295 (including destination charges). Expect the 2019 Audi A7 this fall. Two turbos and 900 ambient lights later, seems like we have one solid Sportback on our hands.
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: Audi of America, Inc.

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Ford Enters New “Territory” In Chinese Market

Ford Enters New “Territory” In Chinese Market China, now the world’s largest automotive market, is a goldmine for ambitious manufacturers. As “tier 1” cities like Beijing and Shanghai implement license plate restrictions to mitigate congestion, demand is rising in the country’s smaller cities. Since these cities are less likely to have such restrictions, it may explain the rising demand.
But what exactly are Chinese consumers wanting in their next automobile?
By The Numbers
Registered vehicles in Chinese cities with no license plate restrictions is expected to jump to about 23.7 million in 2020, up from 10.8 million in 2010. By contrast, registrations in restricted cities is expected to fall to 1.6 million in 2019, from a peak of 2.2 million in 2010. The data is according to IHS Markit’s latest China Provincial Forecast.
And like in the United States, SUVs are all the rage.
Last year, the McKinsey Center for Future Mobility noted that China’s midsize SUV segment experienced an annual growth rate of 38 percent between 2012 and 2016. As a result, Chinese manufacturers are packing the market with SUVs, although one Michigan-based automaker wants a bigger piece of the pie.
Joint Collaboration
Meet the Ford Territory, an entry-level, midsize SUV, developed in partnership with Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC).
“The Territory is a breakthrough for Ford in China in terms of our ability to successfully compete with Chinese automakers for millions of customers that we do not currently serve,” explained Peter Fleet, President, Asia Pacific and Chairman & CEO, Ford China. “Territory is a key proof point for how we will grow in China.”
Officials say the collaboration combines JMC’s market insights with Ford’s expertise in vehicle design, engineering, and manufacturing. Ford’s testing centers in Nanjing, China and Melbourne, Australia helped tune the suspension and reduce NVH levels.
“We brought Territory to market with speed, high quality, and cost efficiency,” Fleet said.
Ford Territory interior layout. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Performance & Technology
A gasoline engine, 48V mild hybrid with Miller-Cycle technology, or a plug-in hybrid are among the powertrain options for the Ford Territory. Ford says each will be “efficient” but provide no details on how said efficiency is achieved. Based on the latest data, it seems hybrid powertrains will be the top sellers.
Tech features include a Mandarin voice-command function and FordPass Connect with embedded modem.
Family Affair
The Ford Territory joins the EcoSport, Kuga, Edge, Explorer, and Everest in the automaker’s SUV lineup. The vehicle is part of Ford’s China 2025 plan to launch over 50 new vehicles in the country by then. JMC’s Xiao Lan plant is responsible for production; expect the Ford Territory on sale early next year.
“It will be affordable for young families and new buyers across China, not just the coastal mega-cities,” Fleet added.
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: Ford Motor Company.

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Forget Paper Towels: Here’s How To Clean Your Car With a Power Tool

Forget Paper Towels: Here’s How To Clean Your Car With a Power Tool Recently, I received a tool from Dremel called the Versa Power Cleaner as part of their #ConquerTheCleanup campaign. The Versa is a handheld, high-speed cleaning device that can be used with spray, foam, gel, or liquid cleaners. Enthusiasts who refer to their car as “my baby” will appreciate the Versa Power Cleaner and wonder how they ever lived without one.
For example, it saves your wrists when it comes to polishing wheels and tires.
But it has a number of uses around the homestead as I found out: bathroom soap scum? Check. Grease on the backyard grill? Check. Dirty patio furniture after being in storage all winter? Check?
As part of the #ConquerTheCleanup campaign, I put the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner to the test: first on my vehicle and second in my apartment.
Disclosure: This article is sponsored by Dremel. All views and opinions expressed here are my own. Check out our advertising guidelines to see why we’d never steer you wrong.
Handy & Dandy
When I think of innovation and technology, I always think broadly. Cars, airplanes, artificial intelligence, and other big tech concepts come to mind. But this little Dremel is a pretty marvelous piece of engineering and innovation. It can do just about anything and it’s cordless. The Dremel Versa Power Cleaner offers 2,200 rpm of rechargeable power and four interchangeable cleaning pads.
White Foam Eraser Pad: Use this multi-purpose pad for harder surfaces like a counter top, glass, baseboards, and non-stainless steel appliances. This pad has micro-abrasive characteristics so using it on a softer surface could result in scratches – for example, it’s not recommended for wood, copper or stainless steel.
Brown Abrasive Heavy-Duty Pad: This pad is for that long-embedded grime and grit. It can handle a number of tough metal items from lawn furniture to uncoated cookware.
Blue Microfiber Non-Scratch Pad: This pad is the “go-to” for most things around the house. Pots, pans, kitchen appliances, outdoor tools and equipment – you name it, this pad can do it.
Black Nylon Bristle Brush: Like the brown pad, this is for those heavier jobs. For car enthusiasts, this is the attachment to use when cleaning tires. For anything that would take an excessive amount of elbow grease, this brush is the ticket.
Some (Actually Hardly Any) Assembly Required
Assembling the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner is really easy, and the individual pads attach with what appears to be very durable Velcro. The “backing pad” holds the cleaning pad in place, which attaches in just a few seconds to the Versa itself.
The nicest accessory is the rubber splash guard, which has two positions: extended and retracted. When extended, the splash guard will keep the spreading and spraying of water and/or cleaning solution to a minimum. If there is an area that is harder to reach, just pull the splash guard up to retract it. If necessary, the splash guard can be removed entirely.
Before going to work, I fully charged my Dremel Versa Power Cleaner. Dremel recommends having it charged each time before using it, and advises not to run it while plugged in.
I find it easier to clean the exterior of my vehicle versus the interior – meaning I tend to neglect the interior and, as a result, it keeps getting worse. By this point, paper towels and normal rags won’t do the trick.
The Versa vs. Those Dirty Interior Panels
I have plenty of applicator pads and soft towels for the exterior of my vehicle, but what I lack is a way to make my interior shine like the exterior. This is where the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner really “shines” and where I found it to be the most useful.
For example, the lower panels directly inside my vehicle get hit with my shoes (and my passenger’s shoes) during exit and entry. It doesn’t take long for that part of the interior to get really dirty, especially during the series of rain storms we have experienced in Detroit recently.
Try an experiment: from the driver’s seat, look down and to the left. Just above the floor mats is an entire section of your interior that is likely to be covered with dirt and grime. Those areas can be neglected, especially if you quickly run your car through the wash because you don’t have time.
As you can see from the gallery below, my lower interior panels were looking pretty gross (top photos) but the Dremel Versa made short work of the weather stains and blemishes (bottom photos).

Locked & Loaded
With the White Foam Eraser Pad and a few sprays of traditional interior cleaner, I was able to nix the excess dirt and grime that builds up on those lower interior panels in a hurry. Normally, I would have to scrub with a towel but it is much easier letting the Versa do the work – I just guided it up and around the curves of the panel. From there, I did the passenger side interior panels, dashboard, and center console.
On my driver’s side door panel, I had a particular spot of dirt (who knows how it got there) too ingrained for regular towels. Like I did with the lower panels, I hit the area with a few spays of interior cleaner and simply guided the Dremel tool over the surface. It easily removed the dirt stain within a few seconds.
The Dremel Versa Power Cleaner works well on harder, plastic surfaces. In this case, with the White Foam Eraser Pad, I was able to remove a stubborn spot of dirt on my door panel. However, say you spill coffee or soda on your center console? This handy tool would make short order of any nasty stains left over from a cold brew.

The Versa vs. The Stovetop
After my vehicle’s interior, I decided to tackle another area I often overlook: my stove. I figured what else could I power-buff to shininess that I have been ignoring? My nasty stove immediately popped into my head.
The burners on my stove have (or should say had) these caked-on brownish rings around them. At this point, they are so far into the surface that scrubbing by hand is honestly a waste of time. That won’t work. And so the extent of my stove cleaning is to simply run a soapy rag over it, removing any immediate residue and calling it a day.
I started with the Blue Microfiber Non-Scratch Pad which removed about 70 percent of the grit. But my stove proved harder than my vehicle, so to eliminate the rest of the grime, I actually switched to the Brown Abrasive Heavy-Duty Pad. Sometimes, you have to bring out the heavy equipment.
If there was ever a cleanup for the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner to conquer, my stove was it. Nasty!
Miracle Worker
With both pads, I went slowly with the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner, even holding it over the troublesome spots for a moment to really let the pad work. The slower you go, the more effective it is on something like a neglected stove. I used Bar Keeper’s Friend but regardless of what cleaning solution you pick, definitely use the splash guard in the extended position. Otherwise, you will launch the solution across your kitchen.
I wiped the residue off my stove and tossed the Versa back on the charger. Total time to clean my stove: five minutes. And I don’t think it was even this clean when I moved in.

Dremel Versa Power Cleaner Uses & Pad Suggestions:
Grill Exterior (Non-Scratch)
Car Wheel Hub (Bristle Brush)
Stove and Countertops (Eraser)
Inside the Oven (Non-Scratch)
Pots/Pans (Heavy Duty) (Eraser)
Shower Glass Door and Tubs (Eraser)
Shower Tile Grout and Sink Faucets (Bristle Brush)
Metal Patio Furniture – Rust Removal (Heavy Duty)
Pricing & Availability
The Dremel Versa can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, Menards or on Amazon for an MSRP of $49.97. More information on the Versa Power Cleaner is available through Dremel’s website.
Point of Consideration
When fully charged, the Dremel Versa Power Cleaner runs for about 15 to 20 minutes, which should be long enough to do most jobs. Extended use will require additional charging time. A full charge, according to the owner’s manual, takes about two hours.
Fun Fact
To save your sense of fashion, it can even shine your shoes. Use the Eraser pad.
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.

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Letter From The UK: A Day With The Porsche GT3 RS

Letter From The UK: A Day With The Porsche GT3 RS Happiness is a state of mind. It can take many forms. It may be a first love, the thrill of a winter storm, a sunny beach at dawn or just waking up in the morning and finding you are still alive. A while back, this writer found yet another way to feel truly happy thanks to the Lizard Green car you see in the images; a vehicle that can take driving to new, dizzying heights and thrust the them into another dimension of time and space: the Porsche GT3 RS.
That’s why this writer is happy.
Happy because he recently spent a day behind the narrow leather steering wheel (with a Lizard Green colour-matched “top-dead-centre” marker, natch) of the Porsche GT3 RS. He would have been even happier had his beloved wife chosen to come along for the ride. Sadly, she declined, saying, “I’m not getting into that green thing with you driving.”
Sometimes, love can hurt a man.
Thus the loving caresses were saved for the GT3 and the ride paid me back in many ways. This car is superb and made extra special by the Porsche as featured being a one-off example; a Porsche employee was allowed to specify it to his precise instructions. Ultimately it is bound for Porsche’s heritage fleet. Happiness, then, is a 4.0-liter, naturally aspirated flat six, grumbling and barking and screaming behind you delivering plentiful, precise power delivery and an evocative soundtrack via an increased rev range.
Geoff Maxted’s Porsche GT3 RS outside the Porsche offices in Berkshire, England. Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
No Ordinary Car
The Porsche 911 does not change over the years, it evolves. Just when you think it can’t get any better, it does. Somehow the Porsche team always seem to find that little extra something.
One of the few 911’s without turbocharging these days, the GT3 RS still lays down an explosive 513 bhp, whisking you from zero to 62 mph in just 3.2 seconds. That’s from a standing start of course; it’s the in-gear acceleration that really counts and it is majestic. From 50 mph to 75 takes just 1.8 seconds, flicking quickly through the sport-tuned, seven-speed PDK short-ratio gearbox. It happens faster than you can say it. It is necessary to remember that this car is, essentially, a racing car that just happens to be road-legal.
Remember the days of the wayward rear end of a 911? Oversteer at best and heading for a disaster in the trees at worst? Not anymore; at least not with this car. The Porsche GT3 RS utilises rear-wheel steering, specially re-calibrated for the job. It works extraordinarily well. Adaptive engine mounts, an electronically controlled locking differential with torque vectoring, and more aerodynamic trickery that you can imagine all work together in conjunction with the massive tyres to provide unimaginable grip.
In the dry, anyway.
Devil In The Details
The steering is enormously precise. You simply cannot miss your apex. Front end traction going into corners makes the car feel totally flat and stable; there’s nothing twitchy going on. On the way out the shove from the rear is immense, yet the car is so well setup it does not induce fear and apprehension.
Always, the GT3 is whispering in your ear like a little devil: “Go on. You can do this.”
Fortunately, although at extra cost (This is Porsche remember. Everything you want is an optional extra.), you can choose huge Porsche Ceramic Composite brakes. Since the car as tested costs around $180,000 the supplement won’t really cause a ripple in your bank balance and, seriously, you really do want these brakes. The modulation is superb; no grabbing or snatching or fading even under heavy pressure. This car can stop as quickly as it gets to a top speed of 193 mph.
Oh, and crucially there’s a button that turns the volume of the titanium twin sport exhaust up to VERY LOUD.
Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
Inside The Cockpit
One of the most surprising aspects of this ultimate sports car is the ride. The Porsche GT3 RS is quite amiable when pottering about. Sure, it’s firm and the occupants can feel the bigger blemishes of the road surface, but on a smooth road all is serene. Everything is kept in order by an adjustable chassis and Porsche’s Active Suspension Management, the variable dampers being sport-tuned.
The fixed-back carbon-fibre seats, and the steering wheel, have ample adjustment although there are no rear seats in this version, the better to accommodate the scaffold-like roll bar, because, well, you just never know. There is an adequate storage pit for weekend luggage under the front hood as usual. If you can live with the noise long-term then this is a motor you could use every day.
The Bearable Lightness of Driving
Rather than supplementing with forced induction, Porsche have chosen to follow the mantra of the late, great Colin Chapman of Lotus fame who said, “First, add lightness.” It still holds true today. The bonnet, front wings, and engine compartment lid are all manufactured in carbon fiber. There are no interior door handles, just straps: that’s a few grams shaved off right there.
The weight saving continues throughout the vehicle but not at the expense of comfort and the model shown had all the technological modern conveniences you would expect in any one of those run-of-the-mill, ordinary prestige cars.
Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
The Happiness
It is no exaggeration to say this was the best drive I have ever had. It is truly impressive how Porsche’s designers and engineers have fettled every aspect of the car, every component working in harmony with all others. It’s a symphony on wheels played by Iron Maiden. It’s a fairground ride fashioned by gods. It is, in truth, automotive Nirvana.
This is not the sort of car this writer usually drives; expensive cars, yes, fast cars certainly, but never something that could be taken to a track as is and immediately break records. The drive was sublime.
I never once felt out of my depth and the throttle responds gently to the lightest of pressure which means none of those sudden, panicky “hurtling forward” experiences.
The Awesomeness
After spending some time getting used to the car and how it responded to inputs, the opportunity finally occurred to properly put the boot in. Warp speed: See traffic disappear in the rearview mirror; see hedgerows blur and the road rush toward you. Catch brief glimpses of pale faces as you flash past other cars, suddenly speeding way above the national limit, accidentally and briefly, obviously.
It was an experience that will live on in my motoring memory.
Being a reserved and distinguished Englishman who wears a Panama hat I am not given to exclaimed, excited verbal outbursts or automotive hyperbole, so deploying the word “awesome” is not usually in my lexicon, but as the Porsche GT3 RS is the finest driver’s car ever made, I will make an exception.
Awesome!
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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2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid: A Mini Starfleet Shuttle

2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid: A Mini Starfleet Shuttle The 2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid is sitting in showrooms as you read this, and although the term “sport” rankles, the addition of 31 ponies in the horsepower column and a nearly 37 percent higher city fuel economy rating does make it worth considering. Of course it’s loaded with enough tech and safety features to feel like a Starfleet shuttle and, unfortunately, has a price to match.
Well, okay, it starts at $53,795, which isn’t that bad, so it’s only an unfortunate price if you have a tendency to covet sports cars in that price range (like me).
Performance Layout
The hybrid drivetrain in the new MDX is a variation of the hybrid drive system found in the latest NSX, which is a good idea. The foundation is a 3.0-liter, i-VTEC V6 engine coupled to a three-motor Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system. Super Handling-All Wheel Drive is Acura’s (nee Honda’s) trademark for their four wheel drive layout, and although it’s gruesomely cloying, we’re going to have to get used to it.
Photo: Honda North America.
How It Works
The MDX’s electric SH-AWD system operates independently of the gasoline engine. There are two rear-mounted electric motors that direct torque to the rear wheels. When you’re cornering, the system delivers positive torque to the outside rear wheel, to aid with turn-in and grip. Acura’s system simultaneously applies regenerative braking to the inside rear wheel to further enhance this.
The entire system output of the drivetrain adds up to 321 peak horsepower and 289 lb-ft. of torque, impressive, and, even more impressively, it adds up to a combined fuel economy rating of 27 mpg. I say that’s impressive because this SUV has to be on the porky side (Acura gives no weight figures).
The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is standard and is closely related to the NSX’s nine-speed DCT. The MDX’s 7DCT can operate automatically or manually via steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Photo: Honda North America.
Safety & Security
Naturally, since this is every inch the modern Japanese SUV, the 2019 MDX includes the AcuraWatch suite of advanced safety technologies: Collision Mitigation Braking System with Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, and Road Departure Mitigation with Lane Departure Warning.
There’s also Vehicle Stability Assist with traction control, Blind Spot Information, and a Rear Cross Traffic Monitor.
And if all that is still not enough to keep you out of trouble, Acura’s Advanced Compatibility Engineering body structure should keep you safer than houses in the event of a big thump.
Photo: Honda North America.
Extra Stuff
Besides all the safety and hybrid frosting on this Acura’s cake, there’s some nips and tucks, bits and bobs to make the new MDX Sport Hybrid stand out from its past brethren. There is high-contrast seat and door panel stitching, which seems to be a growing fashion trend these days. There is a new interior wood treatment and both the driver and front passenger seats get four-way power lumbar control.
New exterior colors are also available.
Pricing
Like I said, the 2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid starts at $53,795. That’s for the “base” model, dubbed the Technology Package. The top of the line MDX Sport Hybrid is called the Advance Package, and that one starts at $60,545. No, nether of those prices is exactly bargain basement, but you do get a lot of stuff – tech, drivetrain and safety – for your cash.
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
2019 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Gallery

Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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2018 Lexus ES 300h Review

2018 Lexus ES 300h Review There are some cars that are ideal for those business trips and meetings, and the 2018 Lexus ES 300h is one of the best. The Lexus ES falls into the luxury class and it offers the amenities both owner and client will appreciate. Over the weekend, we test drove the 2018 Lexus ES 300h sedan, which came equipped with a plethora of options to make life a whole lot more comfortable.
What’s New For 2018
The Lexus ES 300h receives no major changes for 2018, although some tweaks are expected for 2019.
Features & Options
The 2018 Lexus ES 300h comes standard with 17-inch, five-spoke wheels, LED lighting, a sunroof, heated mirrors, keyless entry and ignition, adaptive cruise control, a forward collision warning system with automatic braking, and lane departure warning and mitigation. Also standard are dual-zone automatic climate controls, eight-way power front seats, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a rearview camera.
On the infotainment front, the ES 300h comes with a driver information display, an eight-inch central display screen, Siri Eyes Free (iPhone voice control integration), and an eight-speaker sound system with a CD player, USB port, and satellite and HD radio.
The Navigation package ($2,615) added the mouselike Remote Touch interface, navigation, voice controls, a second USB port, and the Enform suite of smartphone-connected apps and concierge services. A 15-speaker Mark Levinson surround-sound audio system is also included.
The Ultra Luxury package ($3,000) included heated and ventilated front seats, a driver seat-cushion extender, driver and passenger-seat memory settings, upgraded leather upholstery, power door sunshades, and ambient lighting. Total MSRP including destination: $51,129.

Interior Highlights
Stepping into the ES 300h reveals a comfortable cabin with lots of leather and wood. It’s a great place to escape the noisy outside world. Just crank up the premium audio system and the world seems like a much nicer place. It’s easy to be pampered with the heated and cooled seats, heated steering wheel, and 10-way power driver’s seat.
The power trunk closer is especially convenient for business owners who need the trunk to carry important papers or equipment. Just push the button and the trunk opens or latches to make life a little easier while on the move. Owners who use this ES 300h for hauling clients will have very happy customers.
There is ample room and plenty of comfort for rear passengers to enjoy the ride. If the sun gets too hot, just pull up the side window shades, and the driver can even raise the rear window shade with the touch of a button. The ES 300 cabin is extra quiet while driving, allowing conversations to be had with ease.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The 2018 Lexus ES 300h is powered by a 156 horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, along with electric motors and a 245-volt NiMH battery pack. Combined output is 200 horsepower. The combo sends power to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT).
EPA fuel mileage estimates are 40/39 city/highway and 40 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
As we drove the 2018 Lexus ES 300h around town this weekend, we didn’t even notice it was a hybrid. The luxury sedan shifts seamlessly between electric and gasoline power. While driving through stop-and-go traffic in Denver, the Lexus ES 300h will run in electric-only mode. Gentler rates of zero to 25 mph can be achieved on battery power alone.
If you are late for an appointment, the zero to 60 time is just one second slower than the ES 350 gas. Plus, with the hybrid’s fuel stingy technology, you won’t have to spend an arm and a leg at the gas pump either.
Conclusion
Whether you use the 2018 Lexus ES 300h for business or pleasure, it’s a comfortable place take clients to lunch, or the family on an all day excursion. The cabin is spacious, especially for passengers seated in the back and there’s plenty of premium level options that will shout success to your clients. The ride quality is smooth and tranquil and passengers won’t be exhausted at the end of a long day on the road
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Lexus ES 300h Gallery

2018 Lexus ES 300h Official Site.
Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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Polestar 1 To Debut During Monterey Car Week

Polestar 1 To Debut During Monterey Car Week We’ll finally get to see Volvo’s Polestar higher performance electric vehicle at this month’s Monterey Vintage festival. That’s as good a place as any: there’s tons of cool cars around (a good way to put your new vehicle in context) there’s tons of rich people around (a good way to reel in potential sales) and there’s tons of press people there (lots of free advertising), but the folks at Polestar are going a bit over the top.
Waxing Poetics
Or, at least they are going a bit over the top with their marketing copy. They talk about the upcoming Polestar (unimaginatively named Polestar 1) in the third person:
“Polestar is the new electric performance brand from the Volvo Car Group. Polestar will enjoy specific technological and engineering synergies with Volvo Cars and benefit from significant economies of scale as a result of its connection to Volvo Cars. . . . Polestar begins this new era with the Polestar 1.”
Sheesh, I have expected them to say: “Polestar! Makes hundreds of julienne fries in just seconds! Polestar! Love taker, as well as love giver! Polestar! You cannot deny it!” C’mon guys, is this a car, or is this Hannibal crossing the Alps?
Polestar Pebble Beach preview. Photo: Polestar.
Ready & Waiting
Well, we’ll get to cut through all the marketing hype on the 26th when the Polestar 1 will be set among a lot of glittering jewels on the Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Polestar says what we’ll be seeing is the production-ready version of the Polestar 1, so this is what we’ll see in the showrooms and on the streets.
Of course rolling it out during Monterey Car Week is pretty much a gimme, and including it at the famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is a nice move, since it positions the Polestar 1 as a future classic. There will also be a full-on Polestar pavilion on Peter Hay Hill at Pebble Beach and the Polestar 1 will also show up at The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering on Friday, August 24th, an event that sees some of the world’s rarest cars shown at the Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley.
No word yet on whether or not the guy that came up with the title “The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering” will get hunted down with dogs and beaten with saps for being an excruciatingly pretentious twit.
Photo: Polestar.
Gearhead Paradise
The Polestar 1 will also be seen throughout the Monterey Bay area, so non-gearhead/Concours d’Elegance types can view it too. It goes both ways though, and the powers that be at Pebble selected Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath as an honorary judge in the world-famous Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. So that could make for some interesting discussions.
If you’re going to be down on the gorgeous Monterey Peninsula for the vintage races, The Quail, Concorso Italiano, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance etcetera (and you really should, it’s gearhead paradise) you’ll see Volvo’s take on what they think Tesla should be doing.
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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Are You The Next Great Fiat Hoonigan Driver?

Are You The Next Great Fiat Hoonigan Driver? If you’re in the racing business, finding the hottest of hot shoes is an ongoing process. You are always keeping your eye out for the next great talent to come along. Or, if you want to be more proactive, you can more or less grow drivers the way baseball players are made using the farm system.
This second option is just what Fiat is up to.
Name Game
Specifically, it’s FIAT (which is in all caps, cause that stands for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino, not cause I’m shouting at you) and Hoonigan. And Hoonigan is just one word now, it’s not “Team” Hoonigan, or Hoonigan “Heavy Industries” or something like that, no, just Hoonigan. You know, sort of like Kanye or Cher or Bono, something mononymic and irritating and artlessly annoying.
Hoonigan is that racing outfit started and run by Ken Block that competes in the World Rally Championship, Global RallyCross Championship, FIA World Rallycross Championship and Rally America, but is best known for Block’s gymkhana videos of him sliding a rally car around on deserted streets. It’s not only what these guys are best known for, it’s what they’re best at doing. All of their entries in actual, real racing result in mid-pack finishes at best, and embarrassing crashes more often than not.
But – and this is the important part – the kids love it. And since if you were to ask your average occupier of the coveted 15-to-34 age demographic who, oh, Sebastien Loeb is, you’d get a blank stare, but mention Block, and you get something starting with, “Brah! Ken Block is TOtally … ” which is just what Fiat wants: young eyeballs coveting their products.
Fiat 500 Abarth. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Celebrity Appeal
To that end, Fiat and Hoonigan are teaming up to find the next great driver/Hoonigan personality with this year’s competition. Yes, “driver/Hoonigan personality.” I’ll let my unbridled disdain slide for the moment on that phrase. The people they suss out will be put through a number of driving challenges in various Fiat models. They start with the 500 Abarth (fun), go through the 124 Spider Abarth (even more fun), and ultimately end up in a 124 Abarth Rally Car (the funnest of all!).
Figuring out who the finalists will be is down to a bunch of “celebrity drivers and team captains, including Rhys Millen.” Besides that horrid back of the hand to Millen – a racer who should need no introduction – I’m guessing the celebrity drivers will lean more on the celebrity side than on the driver part, but who can tell at this point.
The winner will be announced this coming September and you can follow the competition as it happens on Fiat and Hoonigan’s social channels (clicks! likes! eyeballs! dollar bills for Zuckerberg, Brin, Page et al).
Hoonigans Wanted
I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to yourself, “Hey, I got some righteous tats and I like, totally kill on Instagram, and now that I think about it, my last three posts have totally been trending. Maybe being a race car driver would be cool. Hey, maybe I could be like that guy, Lewis Kardashian or Kim Hamilton or whatever his name is. Yeah, race car driver . . . I like the sound of that, brah!”
If that’s you, then Fiat and Hoonigan would love to hear from you. Drivers who feel their skills are worthy can submit a video explaining why they should be chosen for the challenge series.
And, keeping with the fine, age-old tradition of racing, you can even buy your way in. If you go out and buy yourself a 2018 Fiat 500 Abarth or a 124 Spider Abarth, included with the purchase is the opportunity for you to attend an Abarth Driving Experience at no additional charge. Fiat and Hoonigan are sure to notice you there.
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
Photo & Source: Fiat Brand North America.

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2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF: The Bruno Mars of Sports Cars

2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF: The Bruno Mars of Sports Cars Mazda has finally gotten around to telling us what the price will be for the latest MX-5 Miata RF. They’ve been doing a bit of a striptease with this for a while; a bit of curve here, a scent of a power band over there, but now they’ve finally gotten off the dime and told us, financially speaking, what’s what for the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF.
Bottom line: Not all that bad.
One Suave Targa
The Miata RF, for those of you that don’t know, is the power retractable hard top version of the fourth-gen Miata. Wait, it’s not exactly that. It’s not a full-blown retractable hard top, it’s more like a retractable targa top. The B-pillar, flying buttresses and the tumblehome stay up, and the center section of the roof magically disappears somewhere.
This would have made the purists out there rather upset except for the fact that the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is a particularly handsome little guy. Think of it as the Bruno Mars of sports cars. No the top doesn’t go all the way down, but that 10,000 watts of charisma makes you overlook a lot of “faults.”
2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. Photo: Mazda North American Operations.
Club Mazda
The 2019 RF comes in two basic flavors, Touring and Club, but Mazda listened to us, the gearheads, and will now offer a new GT-S Package for the MX-5 Grand Touring. This means you get a six-speed manual transmission, a front shock tower brace, a limited-slip rear differential, and Bilstein dampers. The GT-S Package RFs will also come with a hand-painted black roof that was previously found only on the 2017 MX-5 RF Launch Edition.
The MX-5 Club offers a harder-edged alternative to the MX-5 Grand Touring. The MX-5 Club comes with standard Bilstein dampers, that shock tower brace, and limited-slip rear differential in models that are equipped with the manual transmission. Other niceties include heated cloth seats with red contrast stitching, body-color interior trim, Metallic Black 17-inch wheels, front air dam, rear lip spoilers, and a nine-speaker Bose audio system.
Package Power
The MX-5 Club SKYACTIV-MT (MT = manual tranny) also has the optional Brembo/BBS/Recaro Package with front Brembo rotors and red calipers, 17-inch dark gunmetal BBS forged alloy wheels, side sill extensions, a rear bumper skirt, and heated leather-upholstered seats. This is the one you want.
If you tick the option box for the i-ACTIVSENSE Club Package, then that will come with Smart City Brake Support and Lane-Departure Warning.
Photo: Mazda North American Operations.
Engine & Transmission
Like all the other Miatas for 2019, the RFs come standard with the SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter engine, cranking out 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque, an increase of 26 horsepower and 3 lb-ft. of torque. And, thanks to a slew of upgrades to the internals including lighter pistons and rods and a larger throttle, the latest MX-5 engine produces more torque throughout its rev range and you get to enjoy a 700 rpm higher redline.
That new engine comes with either a standard SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission or an available six-speed automatic with paddle shifters and Sport mode.
Pricing & Availability
Oh yeah, right, the price. Sorry. The bottom line is this: Right around $35K out the door and with the options you want. Yes, that is noticeably more than a non-RF Miata, but this is, after all, the top-of-the-line. Here’s a handy chart showing how the prices and options breakdown for the 2019 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF, which is available now.
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
Model/Package
MX-5 RF
MX-5 Grand Touring 6MT
$33,335
• GT-S Package (6MT only)
$750
MX-5 Grand Touring 6AT
$34,410
Auburn Nappa Leather (MX-5 Grand Touring only)
$300
MX-5 Club 6MT
$32,345
• Brembo/BBS Package
$3,770
• Brembo/BBS/Recaro Package
$4,670
MX-5 Club 6AT
$32,945
• Club i-ACTIVSENSE Package*
$450
*Not available with Brembo/BBS Package or Brembo/BBS/Recaro Package
Premium Exterior Colors:
Soul Red Crystal
$595
Machine Gray Metallic
$300
Snowflake White Pearl Mica
$200
Photos & Source: Mazda North American Operations.

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