Automotive

2018 GMC Terrain Denali Review

2018 GMC Terrain Denali Review The 2018 GMC Terrain is all-new and like the Chevy Equinox, has the same footprint, but it gets new exterior styling that makes this SUV a lot tamer for consumers. The new 2.0-liter turbo should give families enough power and some fuel mileage gains as well.
This week, we’ve been driving the top-of-the-line, 2018 GMC Terrain Denali with all-wheel drive.
What’s New For 2018
The 2018 GMC Terrain is entirely new, from the downsized chassis and body, to the 2.0-liter turbo engine and nine-speed automatic transmission.
Features & Options
The 2018 GMC Terrain Denali ($39,270) comes with leather seats, an eight-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, blind-spot monitors, a 110-volt power outlet, remote start, power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. Denali adds a handsfree tailgate, a power passenger front seat, HD radio, seven-speaker audio, navigation, 19-inch wheels, and LED headlamps.
Extra safety equipment includes forward-collision warnings, surround-view camera, and automatic park assist. Additional extras included the ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and wireless charging. Total MSRP including destination: $44,370.

Interior Highlights
Stepping inside reveals leather seats with plenty of bolstering, lots of soft-touch materials, brushed aluminum trim, and plenty of power adjustments to help find the perfect driving position. The first thing we noticed was the unique push/pull space-saving gear shifter in front of the console. It took us awhile to get used to it, but it does add extra storage space in the console and room for the smartphone charger.
The seating position in the Denali’s cabin seems lower than before, which makes the Terrain feel less SUV-like. The infotainment system is straight-forward and simple, with a eight-inch screen and big icons. The display is clear, bright, responsive, and fast, all without too many features or too much information.
The backseat has plenty of room for adults, and rear passengers will appreciate the tall doors, so there’s less ducking to climb in, but the flat seat bottoms won’t be comfortable for long trips. The seats fold mostly flat to provide 63.3 cubic feet of cargo space, less than the competition. Behind the rear seats there is 29.6 cubic feet available.
There’s a handy storage compartment underneath the rear cargo deck. The front passenger seat folds flat to accommodate longer items like 2x4s and kayaks.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The 2018 GMC Terrain Denali is powered by a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, making 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. Mated to a nine-speed automatic with all-wheel drive, it offers peppy acceleration and gets an EPA-estimated 21/26 city/highway and 23 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
The transmission pairs nicely with the new 252 horsepower turbo engine, and it felt strong during our quick runs up I-70 west of Denver. The turbo offers steady power and a cool whistling sound as it climbs through the gears. We found ourselves wanting steering wheel paddle shifters which aren’t offered on the Terrain.
The Terrain’s ride is designed more toward comfort than cornering ability. We took it through the tight mountain curves and there was enough body lean to remind us we weren’t in a sports sedan. The suspension offers poised and predictable handling in all situations; the ride overall is comfortable on the highway and you hardly feel the bumps on rough pavement.
The Denali has a higher state of suspension tune and 19-inch wheels with better all-season tires. It tracks true and smooth, but doesn’t offer much feedback. Still, it helped us avoid a deer in the mountains west of Denver during our seat time.
The optional all-wheel drive on our Denali tester is a part-time system, activated by a knob on the console with different traction modes. It’s easier than other all-wheel drive units without the ability to self-activate.
Conclusion
The fully redesigned 2018 GMC Terrain addresses the problems the aging generation had, and now represents a more compelling choice in the smaller, five-passenger crossover segment. GMC pulled off making the Terrain smaller in size without sacrificing too much leg and headroom.
The new four-cylinder improves performance and fuel mileage is reasonable if you keep your foot out of the turbo. It’s comfortable, easy to drive, and comes standard with one of the best infotainment interfaces in the class.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 GMC Terrain Gallery

2018 GMC Terrain Official Site.
Photos: GMC (SLT & Denali models shown).

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Letter From The UK: Autonomous Britain

Letter From The UK: Autonomous Britain

That thunderous noise you hear is the future rushing towards us like an out-of-control freight train. On board is the usual motley collection of intolerance, crime, war, pestilence, regret, love, an awakening Eco-consciousness, and automotive autonomy.
In the UK, as elsewhere probably, when politicians spy a bandwagon they will leap on it with alacrity. Autonomous cars, we learn, will be The Next Big Thing. Of course, many of the people who are so hot for this new technology are not likely to be around for the day when driverless cars rule the road.
Because that day is still a long way off.
This writer, for example, unless he is very lucky or becomes a rare scientific anomaly, will most likely be happily driving a heavenly V8 on the long and winding road to the town of Salvation before autonomy fully takes the wheel. The fact is, despite the wholesale rush to achieve this proposed motoring Nirvana, many, many ordinary folk are far from being convinced and this is why:
Autonomy Trials
Recently, we witnessed on a news program, a controlled test. An autonomous car containing, essentially, us, was directed at two oncoming vehicles; one was a car, the other was a quad-bike with dummy rider. “Our” vehicle had to make a decision: It selected the soft option and veered into the quad-bike. In saving “us” it chose to “kill” the rider. It is this sort of dilemma the industry faces.
Another person viewing with me wondered about the idea of a “safe,” empty lane as a third option, which is a thought. The point is, the system is far from foolproof, and there are plenty of fools out there on our roads.
The UK is also about to see trials (in a controlled environment they say) of platooning driverless commercial trucks, operated, we are told, by a single human driver. Expert voices were heard enthusing about this idea but also (and much more loudly than before), there were expert dissenting voices. It is clear to much of the British public that our autonomous future is far from ready.
Earlier this year, FCA US LLC delivered 500 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans to Waymo to boost the tech company’s autonomous driving program. Waymo’s early rider program in Phoenix, Arizona gave area residents a chance to experience a self-driving vehicle on their daily commutes. Waymo will use the feedback to enhance how they design future self-driving technology. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Brits Don’t Trust The Technology
A large majority surveyed by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers recently responded that they (younger people tend to be more accepting, to be fair) do not trust this technology. They would not feel safe at any speed. Briefly, they worry about hacking, other driver’s actions, personal security, injury, or an untimely death. Conversely, they like much of the safety technology that is filtering down. Apparently, we like safety gadgets just as long as we remain in total control, seems to be the thinking. Further, the increasing popularity of electric cars demonstrates the way Brits are thinking right now.
The Car As Transport
In the beginning of the modern age, the horseless carriage replaced the horse. The joy of driving for the sake of it was soon established as motorists discovered the speed and thrill of skillfully operating a piece of sophisticated machinery. Now, the cold, dead hand of government does not care for speed. It does not care about your thrills or your freedoms; it cares only about control. Dissenters cannot say this technology is wrong; they cannot say it is bad. For all they know, it might turn out to be brilliant and we will all laugh at how naive we were, yet the concerns about personal freedoms remain.
More than twenty auto manufacturers have identified 2020 as a target to offer vehicles with higher levels of automation. SBD Automotive, a technology, consultancy, and research company, notes that by that time, cyber-attacks are expected to expose the automotive industry to $70 billion of liability.

Bleak Driving Future?
But what will we lose? Well Chip Foose will be out of a job for a start. All those tuners and specialist auto shops that spread out along urban freeways will all be gone, perhaps to be replaced by “lifestyle” accessory shops to bling up our banal, boring rides. No more sports cars or hot hatchbacks either; all that will be left for us will be the minivan of the midlife motoring crisis.
Instead, we will get on-the-fly charging points that will sprout along our roads like a pimply rash on a teenager’s face. Cars, like serried ranks of tuna fish cans, will shuttle our bored selves from A to B. The car as transport. I think I’d prefer a horse. To my mind, the proponents of this technology have a great deal to think about to convince the buying public that this really is the way forward.
I realize I am painting a gloomy picture. This may be because I personally do not want to relinquish control of my car. I love driving too much. Autonomous cars will likely allow driver input anyway; there will probably be a choice and the overarching benefit of road safety and fewer deaths will be achieved, leaving our personal freedom of choice intact. At least I hope that’s how it will be. Certainly we are seeing the beginning of the end of the golden age of cars. It remains to be seen what this new age will bring.
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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Volvo XC40 Targets Urban Dwellers, City Commuters

Volvo XC40 Targets Urban Dwellers, City Commuters

Volvo’s upcoming new SUV, the XC40, aims at staying in the premium segment while it heads downward, size-wise. SUVs, for all their functionality and popularity, have some hitches in their armor, especially when it comes to in-city usage. Size is obviously what I’m talking about here. Have you ever seen a Hummer in a crowded, downtown environment? Of course you have.
Don’t be that guy. Seriously. But that’s where the latest batch of smaller, yet still upscale, SUVs comes in. And this is where the new Volvo XC40 will fit this fall.
Urban Logic
Volvo, beloved Swedish automaker of all things boxy and very safe, says it right up front: “Volvo Cars’ new XC40 delivers a confidence-inspiring SUV designed for city living.” City living. This one is aimed right at you young urban hipster over-earners that are newly married with a baby on the way. And, since this is a Volvo and it is a Scandinavian company, it’s kind of hard to argue with their logic. Volvo wants the XC40 to make your daily, urban commute less stressful and more enjoyable.
To that end, there’s a whole suite of integrated stuff to go along with the vault-like design and build quality. Say hello to safety, connectivity, and infotainment technologies with a Swedish bent.
Volvo Cars’ User Experience Lab. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Solid Foundations
The new XC40 is the first car built on Volvo’s Compact Modular Architecture (CMA). It includes a range of groundbreaking technologies that Volvo first introduced in the 90 and 60 Series sedans. And all of that Compact Modular Architecture stuff is based on Volvo’s larger Scalable Product Architecture (SPA). See, it is scalable.
The overall look, feel, and daily livability of the XC40 flows from Volvo’s lifelong approach to safety and integrated user experience philosophy. Volvo calls it the “Circle of Life,” and no, I am not making that up and don’t blame me if you’ve got that Disney song stuck in your head now. Volvo calls this Circle of Life deal “a constant improvement of standards and technologies, based on consumer insights and real life data.” Okay, sounds good to me (apart from that Herrgårdsosty name they gave it).
Safety & Security
Since the starting point for each new Volvo is the forward-thinking safety – and it has been that way since the company’s inception – they are not shy about adopting newer strategies for driver assistance systems. In other words, the new XC40 also gets a healthy dose of the safety and infotainment goodies found in its larger stablemates.
The safety and driver assistance goodies are, as you would expect from Volvo, numerous and sensible. The new XC40’s gizmos incorporate Volvo’s semi-autonomous Pilot Assist system (take that Elon!), the latest generation of City Safety, and Runoff Road protection and mitigation; all to keep you from sweeping up wayward pedestrians and, uh, driving the thing off the road. There’s also the now-more-common Cross Traffic alert with auto braking, plus a 360° camera that helps you maneuver your XC40 into tight parking spaces.
Park and Pay application in the Volvo XC60. Photo: Volvo Car Group.
Connectivity & Interactions
Like its larger XC60 and XC90 brethren, the XC40 features Volvo’s connected Sensus infotainment system. This Sensus stuff is focused around the large, portrait oriented touchscreen that should be familiar to many modern car shoppers. Volvo says Sensus is easy and intuitive to use becasue the interface allows drivers to access a host of functions and services.
“We built a confident, easy-to-use, and convenient everyday user experience based on real-life interaction and research, starting from our foundation of leading safety,” explained Ödgärd Andersson, Vice President, Vehicle Software & Electronics, Volvo Cars. “The XC40 is a car for a generation of consumers that expect full connectivity. All screens have been optimized for a safe, easy, and efficient interaction, to support active city driving,”
And, may I also point out that the “Son of Anders” has not one but two umlauts in her totally rockin’ first name and if Ödgärd Andersson is not in an after-work Swedish heavy metal band, I will be disappointed.
Safety and user experience via Volvo cars. Photo: Volvo Car Group.

Segment Expansion
Volvo is taking this urban SUV trend seriously.
“The XC40 is our first car in this rapidly growing segment and has a clear focus on navigating today’s hectic city environments,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and Chief Executive Officer, Volvo Cars. “Building on Volvo’s heritage as the leader in safety, the new XC40 will offer the best possible safety standards combined with an easy-to-use interface and convenient connected services.”
Håkan Samuelsson is also a cool, rockin’ name.
Malin Ekholm (whose name is more pretty than rockin’) is Vice President of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. She summed up the company’s whole approach thusly: “Modern city life presents complex challenges for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users. With the XC40, we aim to reduce the socalled cognitive load on the driver. While our safety and driver assistance systems actively identify and mitigate potential conflicts, you as a driver can relax more and therefore enjoy city driving.”
And you know, she’s not wrong about any of that. And it’s fair to say Volvo knows how to add all these new safety gizmos and infotainment bric-a-brac without it getting in the way of actually driving a car. The upcoming XC40 aims to keep it that way.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Volvo Car Group.

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2019 Ford Ranger: Radar Love

2019 Ford Ranger: Radar Love The 2019 Ford Ranger will employ the latest safety technology to make towing easier for drivers, according to the automaker. Ford’s Blind Spot Information System, standard on Ranger XLT and Lariat, can monitor either the truck by itself or with a trailer attached. Radar housed in the Ranger’s taillights monitors any potential blind spots all the way to the back of the trailer.
The system then alerts drivers as other vehicles cross into those blind zones.
Trailer Profiles
The 2019 Ford Ranger can store up to three trailer profiles, including a trailer’s length, which lets the radar system know how far back to provide warnings when another vehicle is traveling next to the trailer. Ford says such a system is class-exclusive and not available on any other midsize pickup.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Power & Performance
When it was revealed at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, Ford promised the latest in EcoBoost technology for the 2019 Ranger. A 2.3-liter EcoBoost with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection will power the new Ranger. The engine also features a forged-steel crankshaft and con rods and chain-driven dual overhead cams.
Trims include the entry-level XL, mid-level XLT, and high-level Lariat, with available Chrome and Sport appearance and FX Off-Road packages. The 2019 Ford Ranger will come in a SuperCab or SuperCrew configuration.
Market Potential
In the last few years, newly redesigned midsize trucks have surged onto the market, evidenced by the return of GM’s Colorado and Canyon, Toyota’s Tacoma, and Honda’s Ridgeline. In May, Ford revealed the intense and rigorous testing the 2019 Ranger was enduring on its way to dealers later this year.
Below is a short video that showcases how the blind spot technology works on the 2019 Ford Ranger.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.

Photos, Video & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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Ferrari: Race to Immortality Faces Danger & Tragedy With Style & Grace

Ferrari: Race to Immortality Faces Danger & Tragedy With Style & Grace I have a theory that 99.9 percent of all car movies are terrible; barely watchable dreck that only offers brief glimpses of something cool and car-related, let alone offering true insight into the automotive world, let alone the human condition. This movie, however, Ferrari: Race to Immortality, is most definitely not one of those movies.
Studios & Garages
I should preface this with the fact that I worked in movie and TV production for decades. Seeing a movie with me (and any of my production team friends) is usually bogged down with post-viewing conversations about bad edits, bad directing decisions, commenting on lens choices and stuff like that before we get into the meat of the movie; i.e. the plot, the narrative, and the acting.
On top of that, there’s the gearhead side of me that has to be seen to. We, the gearhead movie-goers, all seem to have this nagging trait. We know cars intimately, and when something is technically wrong, it grates on us, and usually to a disproportional level. Tire squeals on gravel, seven upshifts in a five-speed car, driving off a cliff = explosion. It bugs us, I get it. Shoot, it bugs me all the time.
That said, I can unequivocally say that Ferrari: Race to Immortality is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen. Not racing documentaries, mind you; one of the best documentaries period.
At The Limit & Over The Edge
Essentially, Ferrari: Race to Immortality is a film version of Mon Ami Mate by author Chris Nixon. The movie revolves around the lives, racing and otherwise, of Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, two British racers from the 1950s. The 1950s were a particularly violent and reckless time for auto racing. Spread across the decade, top line drivers from all disciplines (Grand Prix, Indy, sports cars etc.) were dying at the rate of one every other week.
Around 28 per year, every year, for a decade.
The movie starts with the infamous Le Mans crash of 1955 that saw the Mercedes 300 SLR of Pierre Levegh catapult into the main grandstands, on fire, and take more than 80 people with him. That, more or less, sets the tone for the entire movie to follow. “I keep death in my hip pocket,” Enzo Ferrari once said, and this movie shows you the meaning of those words.
Mike Hawthorn. Photo: The Cahier Archive.
Human Conditions
Hawthorn was involved in that crash (some alleged was the cause of the crash) but won Le Mans that year. Indeed, he became the first Englishman to win the World Driving Championship. In a lot of ways, Hawthorn was right out of central casting: tall, good looking, butter-colored wavy hair, always raced wearing a bow tie, just the sort of thing the British fans and press would eat up.
Peter Collins, on the other hand, was more ruggedly featured, and say what you want about the two of them, looks-wise, but they sure had a string of girlfriends. The movie just doesn’t point this out, it actually has interviews with the various ladies involved with these racers.
All of the interviews and sound bites, with fellow racers, the aforementioned lady-friends, journalists, Enzo himself, and historians are all delivered via voice over and it works fantastically. No talking heads to distract with boring visuals. And what is said is just dynamite stuff. Not just from a gearhead perspective, but, very importantly, from a human perspective.
Hawthorn was interviewed extensively back in the day, and his stuff is rather “right off the rack” in what is said, and some of it I had heard before. Collins is friendly, joking; seems like a real good bloke. Enzo is Enzo: political, cunning, measured, Machiavellian. The real meat here is what is said by the girlfriends and the historians. There’s none of this “I’m just the steady backing on the home-front” BS that we have sadly come to expect.
At one point, Louise King, Collins’ wife said, in response to a question about the danger involved, “One time, Peter did try to bring it up, and I stopped him. ‘Don’t’, I said, ‘Just don’t.’ And we never spoke of it again.”
Sweet Jesus.

Visual Treasures
All the interviews come across like a rich vein of gold willingly mined. There are extensive interviews with Alfonso de Portago, the brilliantly talented yet doomed Spaniard. Until last night, I had never heard him speak. Other drivers, writers, girlfriends, and such all chime in, but none of the interviews are fluff, none of it is filler. Every word adds to and enriches what is being shown on screen.
And oh what they show on screen.
The visual end of things is nearly flawless. All of the archive materials used are flat out fantastic. Yes, I had seen much of this footage before, but a remarkable amount of it was unknown to me. All of the older footage was re-graded and level-matched, most of the grain and such taken out. None of it was colorized.
There is tons of footage from back in the day of these guys hanging out, waiting to drive, smoking cigarettes, goofing off at hotel pools, getting out of cars covered in grease and dirt and grime, levering themselves out looking as physically spent as a human can, but beaming; beaming bright satisfied smiles.
Time Machines
And mixed in with all this are drop-dead-gorgeous shots of various vintage Ferraris (246s, 555 Squalos and such) shot in the present day. It would seem the producers got ahold of some far too lucky rich guys that own these old beasts, dressed them up, and turned them lose on old race tracks to get more footage. And the new stuff is seamlessly integrated with the old stuff. And I do mean seamlessly.
A lot of the work I did was as an editor, and more than once I was caught off guard, only noticing two or three cuts later that they had dropped in modern footage with the old. The last time I failed to notice editing like that was watching Schindler’s List.
Yeah, this movie is that well done.
Ferrari: Race to Immortality at Brands Hatch.
Ideal Balance
Ferrari: Race to Immortality seemingly covers it all, but never gets bogged down in technical details or soap opera subplots, neither becoming too maudlin over the constant drum-beat of fatalities nor exulting in the sacrifice. The rivalry between Eugenio Castellotti and Luigi Musso. Collins’ ultimate sporting gesture with Juan Manuel Fangio. Enzo’s belief that more pressure equaled more wins. Meditations on the nature of danger and mortality by Stirling Moss. The sublime joy of sliding your race car just so through and out an entire turn.
But more than anything else, what is made abundantly clear, moment after moment, frame after frame, is that everyone involved loved this life.
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
Ferrari: Race to Immortality
Synopsis: The 1950s saw the rise of Scuderia Ferrari in the Formula One World Championship in the deadliest decade in motor racing history. Ferrari: Race to Immortality tells the story of the loves and losses, triumphs and tragedy of Ferrari‘s most decorated drivers in an era where it was la dolce vita during the week and a coin toss of whether they lived or died on the weekend.
Director: Daryl Goodrich
Starring: Peter Collins, Mike Hawthorn, Enzo Ferrari
Run Time: 1hr 31m
Availability: Via Amazon Prime, official trailer here.

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General Motors Enters Final Phase of Technical Center Expansion

General Motors Enters Final Phase of Technical Center Expansion

The final phase of a 360,000-square-foot expansion of the GM Design studios is underway at GM’s Global Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. Groundbreaking is set for mid-2018 on the new facility which will surround the Design Dome Auditorium, viewing patio, and connect to the existing Design Center.
On the southwest corner of the campus, a new parking structure is also being completed.
Forward Looking
In May of 2015, construction and renovations began at GM’s Technical Center, part of a multiyear, billion dollar investment by General Motors. The efforts will help the automaker expand their operations to better meet the demands of future customers.
“We can only begin to predict how mobility will change in future generations,” explained Michael Simcoe, Vice President of Global Design, General Motors.
The renovations encompass the vehicle engineering center, engineering West and South, Pre-Production Operations, and the Alternative Energy Center, including a new Strucutral Development Laboratory.
“Investing in our creative and skilled team and providing them with inspiring, modern spaces, new technologies, and more ways to work together will foster innovation that leads to real solutions for customers,” Simcoe said.
Photo: General Motors.
Construction & Development
Walbridge and SmithGroup JJR are overseeing the design and construction. Simcoe has also played a pivotal role, having helped facilitate the expansion of other GM global design studios. GM Design was established in 1927 as The Art and Colour Section by Harley Earl; Simcoe is the seventh Design head in GM’s history.
The GM Technical Center opened in 1956 and was hailed for its engineering, design, and technology at the time. World-renowned architect Eero Saarinen and landscape architect Thomas Church envisioned the campus which was, in 1986, named by the American Institute of Architects as the most outstanding architectural achievement of its era. In 2000, GM’s Tech Center was listed on the National Register of Historic Places; in 2014, the Department of the Interior and the National Park Service designated it as a National Historic Landmark.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photos & Source: General Motors.

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2018 Chrysler Pacifica Adds 4G LTE Capability, Expands Family-Friendly Tech

2018 Chrysler Pacifica Adds 4G LTE Capability, Expands Family-Friendly Tech

The Chrysler Pacifica’s family-friendly nature doesn’t mean ho-hum. For 2018, the Pacifica gets available 4G LTE connectivity with the upgraded Uconnect 4C NAV system and 8.4-inch display. According to Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA – North America, unlimited data runs $20.00 per month.
“The Pacifica’s new, faster 4G LTE network speed creates an in-vehicle Wi-Fi Hotspot that keeps everyone in the family connected with up to eight mobile devices, making it easy to browse websites, check email, and stream video,” he said.
Features & Functions
2018 Chrysler Pacifica Touring Plus, Touring L, Touring L Plus, and Limited, along with Pacifica Hybrid Touring Plus, Touring L, and Limited offer several different data plans from AT&T. The aforementioned standalone unlimited data plan runs $20.00 per month. Existing Mobile Share Value and Advantage plans receive 1 GB of data for $10.00 per month; a single day pass costs $5.00 and a trial period for the Wi-Fi is offered.
The 4G hotspot can also stream content from Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast, and Apple TV via the Uconnect Theater system, a segment-exclusive for Chrysler. Also included is a trial of SiriusXM Guardian on properly equipped vehicles. Benefits include real-time vehicle health reports, an app to remotely lock, unlock, or start the vehicle, and a location service which tells owners exactly where their Pacifica is.

Uconnect
The Uconnect system is really the focal point of the Chrysler Pacifica’s technology-oriented cabin. In a nutshell, Uconnect keeps occupants connected, entertained, and focused. Each FCA vehicle has a Uconnect system of some kind with a range of features and services, including handsfree calling or texting, AM, FM, HD, and SiriusXM radio, Bluetooth capability, and USB and AUX Ports. The Uconnect navigation provides detailed maps and turn-by-turn directions.
The most elaborate entertainment aspect of Uconnect is the available, built-in theater system in the Pacifica. Passengers can do everything from watching movies to playing games. There are two high-definition, 10-inch touchscreens and just about any device can be paired to the system via a USB or HDMI interface. For supported Android devices, content can now be streamed to the Uconnect Theater screens.
New Vision
This latest generation of the Chrysler Pacifica was revealed at the 2016 North American International Auto Show. The vehicle was completely re-engineered and re-imagined with more than 100 available safety features, a hybrid option, and an electrified variant that achieves 84 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) in electric-only mode and 33 miles of all-electric range. For those of us who grew up in the heyday of Chrysler minivans, they sure have changed a lot since then, to say the least.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid: Photo: FCA US LLC.
Photos: FCA US LLC.

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Categories of Cool: The Case For Automotive Art

Categories of Cool: The Case For Automotive Art

Cars are a fascinating subject, filled with history, contradiction, and wonderfully enigmatic stories. The utility of the automobile strongly contributes to the contradictory nature. Few other machines come to mind that are so widely used by the public for their utility. On the other hand, there is no comparably utilitarian machine that is quite so celebrated and personified.
When was the last time you heard of a local washing machine club get-together? Can you recall a dishwasher being described as beautiful, or a refrigerator as a work of art? Have you ever heard of an oven having soul?
Don’t get me wrong, I am sure there are interior decorators and appliance fanatics that could cite just such occasions, but such instances are nowhere near as prevalent as with automobiles. Herein comes the enigma; cars clearly evoke emotional responses from large groups of people, sometimes polarizing other times galvanizing. Every so often, an automotive creation comes along that the community as a whole regards it as something to behold. So, what exactly is it that makes said creation so appealing? Is there a recipe to making a cool car?
Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.
Warm Reminiscence
Unlike the Utilitarian examples of clothes and dish washers, one does not have to be a fanatic to appreciate certain cars. People who don’t know motor oil from blinker fluid will most likely find a specific model of car they are drawn to. Nostalgia undoubtedly plays a large role in the appeal for many individuals. Perhaps a beloved uncle owns a 1956 Chevy Bel Air and, when you see one, it brings back memories of that time your whole family piled in and drove to the annual hot air balloon rally.
Maybe your great grandmother owned a classic two-tone 1964 Volkswagen Beetle, so the very thought of one stirs the loving emotion that used to envelop your heart when she would tenderly smile while sneaking you a bit of fine Swiss chocolate, as your parent’s attention was directed elsewhere. It’s quite unlikely that a refrigerator will illicit similar reactions.
Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.
Jet Fighter Formula
Wistful memories aside, some automotive fabrications have an intrinsic charm that allures an overwhelming number of people. Could it be purely aesthetic? Could a designer simply hit all the right visual ques and make a car a legend remembered for all eternity as a work of art? The Jaguar E-type is a fine example, a historically beautiful object of vehicular refinement. The man responsible for this conception, Malcolm Sayer, was outwardly influenced by the aviation community (of which he was a member), heavily integrating cutting edge aerodynamics and sleek jet fighter designs. The overall appearance was equally as important as the performance, which for its day, was tremendous (and it’s still a blast to drive).
To this day, the E-type is considered by many to be one of, if not the most beautiful car ever made. Enzo Ferrari himself has been quoted saying so. It is hard to argue against, with the calculated balance, formulaic curves, and mathematical proportions seamlessly molded together with elegant flowing lines. This Jag is so visually appealing that it’s one of only two road cars in the New York Museum of Modern Art’s permanent design collection. If there is a formula for beauty, Sayer may have discovered it.
Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.

Breakneck Beauty
One could argue the E-Type was beloved not just because of its astounding beauty; the E-Type was also faster than the Ferrari 250 GT and for a third of the cost. From the very inception of the automobile, masterful feats of engineering have produced high speed machines that continue to be uniformly glorified. For example, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL, Aston’s DB4, Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari GTO 288, Porsche 959, Ferrari F40, and the McLaren F1 are some of the most heralded cars ever made.
Once again, these cars are not simply stunning, but at the time of their introduction, each was the fastest road going vehicle in production.
Today, some cars reach levels of speed and quickness that is purely astonishing. It seems every new sports car hits 60 in a blistering 3 seconds or less, and any car with a top speed under 200 is child’s play. A car like the Bugatti Veyron SS is not universally regarded as pretty, however when looking at the engineering alone, denying the cool factor is challenging to say the least: 1,200 horsepower produced by a W16 engine, coupled to a four turbo induction system. That is SIXTEEN cylinders! FOUR TURBOS! More horsepower than TWO Ferrari 458s. It is an automotive marvel that is undeniably cool from many perspectives.
Although this is not a Bugatti, the equally impressive SSC Ultimate Aero was the top speed title holder successor to the Veyron and predecessor to the Veyron SS. Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.
Humble Designs
What about cars that are neither attractive nor powerful, yet garner mass followings? The VW Beetle may fall into this category – its simple design is anything but striking, and why would it be? “The people’s car” began life with a whopping 25 horsepower, but by the time its run concluded, more than 21 million examples had rolled off the many production lines across the globe. And in over the sixty years of manufacturing, the power had only been increased by another 25 horsepower. Although the flat four cylinder rear mounted engine is interesting, it’s far from a technological wonder, but nevertheless, the bug is revered worldwide.
Less extreme cases that may fall into this paradigm consist of the Mazda Miata (MX-5), Subaru WRX, Volkswagen MKII Golf/ Jetta, BMW E30, Datsun 510, and many, many more. None of these cars have the sex appeal of the Jag, or the herculean power of the Veyron, yet throngs of folks adore and praise these seemingly mundane vehicles.
Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.
Automotive Cuisine
If you have driven any of the “under powered” and plainly stylized cars mentioned, you’ll notice one common thread: regardless of drivetrain these cars are just plain fun. The bug’s charm is its simplicity; you truly feel the mesh of the gears engage with each shift as the tiny motor chugs along. Subaru’s legendary AWD inspires superhero like confidence in any weather. If you can drive a Mazda Miata through a twisty chicane without an ear to ear grin, you may want to check your pulse for signs of life.
These cars each have a different personality; some exude a certain magic at a mere glance, while the true essence of others is not revealed until driven. Furthermore, what some find attractive, others find repulsive. The recipe it would then seem is as varied as the multiplicity of cars ever created. Does all this conjecture mean there is no recipe for a cool car? No, it means you don’t have to eat a decadent dessert every meal, every day, or have spaghetti for breakfast. So there is no singular recipe but the basic components are the same. It just takes the right chef to know how to mix the ingredients to create something astonishingly delicious.
Benjamin Caschera is a car nut in every sense of the word. His eclectic writings range from rants on traffic and wrenching on $500 cars, to adulation of the finest classic and/or latest hyper cars. Follow and heckle him on Twitter and Instagram: @TheBoringCarGuy
Cover Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.

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Ferrari Portofino Comes Out of Nowhere

Ferrari Portofino Comes Out of Nowhere

First, Ferrari dropped the 812 Superfast into our laps with zero warning. No rhyme or reason, just sort of, “oh, here’s the most powerful front-engined V12 car we’ve ever made, hope you enjoy it.” And now they’ve up and done the same thing with this: The front-engined, V8 Portofino. The Portofino will be the “entry-level” Ferrari, and, leave it to Maranello to have their basic model crank out 600 horsepower. The Portofino is also the replacement for the now-outgoing Ferrari California T.
California Dreamin’
Speaking of the soon-to-be-gone Ferrari California T, I bet resale value on those just dropped like an anchor without a chain. For some reason the California was a problematic car for Ferrari. It was tagged fairly early on as the car the plastic surgeon’s third trophy wife would drive. A pity, really, since the Ferrari California was actually kind of fast and stylish and all that. But when you’re stable-mates are the likes of 430 Scuderias, it’s hard not to pale in comparison.
Now, the new Ferrari Portofino looks to burnish away any of those negative thoughts. Yes, it is rather “soft” and Ferrari states this up front: “a GT that represents a unique combination of sportiness, elegance, and on-board comfort.” But a lot of comfort and convenience features and packaging compromises can be overcome by a twin-turbo V8 plant cranking out 600 ponies, no?
In case you didn’t know, the Ferrari Portofino is named after this utterly charming little Italian tourist town that was sort of a haven for the well-healed many decades ago. Ferrari has even gone so far as to come up with a new shade of red: Rosso Portofino.
Photo: Ferrari S.p.A.
Interior Design
The Ferrari Portofino is, in many respects, an improved version of the California T. It has a retractable hard top, a sizeable trunk, and a roomy cockpit. The inside is, sadly for the likes of a gearhead like me, anything but Spartan and race-oriented. There’s an overall focus on comfort along with a slew of new tech and comfort features. There’s an infotainment system with a 10.2-inch touchscreen, a new air conditioning system and steering wheel, and 18-way adjustable seats with a new backrest design.
There are even two rear seats that Ferrari says are “suitable for short trips” but, in actuality, are little more than upholstered luggage space. The only people who could fit back there would be legless dwarves, but I am not here to judge you, or your lifestyle choices or make comments on why you would need a second legless dwarf when most of us make do with just one.
Moving on . . .
Photo: Ferrari S.p.A.
Power & Performance
That 600 horsepower – actually 600 cv, which works out to around 592 horsepower – is capable of firing this thing from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.5 seconds. Not bad for “entry level.” That V8 turbo puts out 40 cv more than the California T, thanks to new components and engine management software calibration. Maximum speed is said to be greater than 198 mph, which is probably a lot of fun with that top down, as Ferrari points out: “The characteristic Ferrari V8 soundtrack has also been further enhanced and can be fully appreciated, particularly in top-down driving.”
The V8 has also been worked over in relation to being better all around. More power, lighter weight, and more efficient. There’s all-new pistons, con-rods, and a new intake system design. The exhaust system geometries have been reworked and a new, one-piece-cast exhaust header reduces power loss, improves throttle response, and zeros out turbo lag. Variable Boost Management adjusts torque delivery to suit the selected gear for greater levels of acceleration and lower fuel consumption.
For the first time on this type of Ferrari, Portofino buyers will get the benefit of the third generation electronic rear differential (E-Diff3) integrated with the F1-Trac. This is, as the name implies, track derived wizardry that puts the power down to the ground with no muss, no fuss, and all go.
Photo: Ferrari S.p.A.

Steering & Suspension
The Portofino also carries electric power steering, dropping the steering ratio by seven percent for more response and is fully integrated with the E-Diff3. The shocks are trick magnetorheological units (say that three times real fast) with dual-coil technology to reduce roll and absorb uneven road surfaces.
Aerodynamics & Chassis
The Ferrari Design department worked closely with the Aerodynamics department (that would be the people with three wind tunnels, CFD server farms that draw power straight from a hydroelectric dam, and work on the aero of F1 cars as their main gig) to ensure maximum aerodynamic efficiency while also looking like Monica Bellucci’s prettier sister. Further, the Portofino’s chassis is all-new and features significant weight savings over the California T. All the chassis and body-in-white components have been redesigned with a critical eye to weight reduction and increased torsional rigidity
The Ferrari Portofino will make its world debut at the Frankfurt International Motor Show beginning on September 14th.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos & Source: Ferrari S.p.A.

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