A Brief Introduction To The Legends of Bugatti

A Brief Introduction To The Legends of Bugatti The Bugatti Veyron got its name from French racing driver Pierre Veyron. The man was a test driver and development engineer for Bugatti between 1933 and 1953. But in 1939, Pierre Veyron won the 24 Hours of Le Mans with fellow Frenchman Jean-Pierre Wimille in a Bugatti Type 57C Tank.
20 years ago, the Bugatti Veyron literally invented the hyper sports car segment. It’s a car with ridiculous numbers and an astronomical price tag. Even today, a typical Bugatti Veyron will cost anywhere from $1.7 to around $3 million. Without the Veyron, the Chiron wouldn’t be here today.
“Thanks to the Veyron, Bugatti catapulted itself into a new dimension. We set benchmarks around 20 years ago with the first luxury hyper sports car and we are proud of that to this day,” explained Stephan Winkelmann, President of Bugatti. “The Veyron continues to be a car of superlatives: it broke several speed records and redefined what outstanding automotive engineering can do.”
Looking Back At The Legends
As a fitting tribute to the legends of Bugatti like Pierre Veyron and Jean-Pierre Wimille, the French car maker released a series of special-edition models based on the Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse. These rare collectibles were conceived to celebrate more than a century of Bugatti’s legacy and automotive excellence. Veyron production started in 2005 in the Alsatian town of Molsheim, a significant moment in Bugatti’s history further underscored by the special editions.
“With the Veyron, Bugatti brought vehicle production back to France where our luxury brand was established 110 years ago and where it belongs,” Winkelmann continued. “The Veyron is a work of art on wheels, its materials meet top quality standards and the quality of finishing is still one of a kind to this day.”
Let’s take a moment to look back at the Bugatti Veyron Legends.
Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Jean-Pierre Wimille
The Bugatti Veyron Jean-Pierre Wimille is hard to miss. The carbon fiber body has the same gleaming blue paint and light blue contrast of the Type 57 Tank race car that won Le Mans in 1939. This is the first Bugatti Legends Edition. It comes with unique touches including a laser-engraved signature of “Wimille” on the petrol and oil filler caps.
The Veyron Jean-Pierre Wimille made its debut in Pebble Beach, California in August 2013.
Jean Bugatti
The second Legends Edition Veyron is named after Jean Bugatti, the eldest son of company founder Ettore Bugatti. In 1936, he became head of the company at just 27. Sadly, he died in a horrific road accident three years later in 1939.
Jean Bugatti was a gifted car designer. He penned the glorious curves of the Type 57SC Atlantic, which remains one of the most expensive vintage cars with only three models in existence today.
Meo Costantini
This Bugatti Veyron Legend is named after one Bartolomeo “Meo” Costantini. He was the head of the factory racing team and the most-trusted ally of Ettore Bugatti. Costantini also won the Targa Florio race twice in a Bugatti Type 35.
The Bugatti Type 35 belongs in the rare echelon of successful race cars in the 1920s. The tribute car comes with hand-polished aluminum panels on the wings and doors, along with a new Bugatti Dark Blue Sport paint job.
Bartolomeo “Meo” Costantini at the Targa Florio in 1925 in a Bugatti Type 35. Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Rembrandt Bugatti
The fourth Veyron Legends Edition is the Rembrandt Bugatti. He’s the brother of Ettore Bugatti and arguably one of the most important sculptors of the early 20th century. Rembrandt Bugatti is famous for his bronze sculptures of animals.
He was so good that his sculpture of a dancing elephant became the symbol of Bugatti. It first appeared on the radiator cap of the Bugatti Type 41 Royale.
Black Bess
The fifth Veyron Legend is the Black Bess. The Bugatti Type 18 or “Black Bess” is one of the first street-legal supercars, and was the fastest road car in the world back in the day. Interestingly enough, the DNA of the present day Veyron is traced directly to the Type 18.
The first owner of the Bugatti Type 18 was World War I aviator and war hero Roland Garros, a man who crossed the Mediterranean by airplane in 1913. A close friend of Ettore Bugatti, he chose the Type 18 because the car allowed him to travel as fast on land as an airplane did in the air. The French Open today bears his name.
Black Bess. Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Ettore Bugatti
The sixth and last Veyron Legends car is the Ettore Bugatti, which should come as no surprise. This is the crowning glory of the Legends series. The man combined engineering and artistry in a way that did not exist at the time. To some, the elder Bugatti devised the finest automotive species to roam the planet, and this Legends car pays homage to his brilliance.
The front part of the carbon fiber body is hand-polished aluminum with a coating of clear lacquer. As an added touch, the EB logo and Bugatti horseshoe emblem are crafted from platinum.
Ettore Bugatti circa 1924 in a Type 35. Photo: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.
Related: A walk though the showroom of Bugatti Legends.
The Bugatti Veyron: All About The Numbers
The Bugatti Veyron is – for lack of a better word – the granddaddy of hyper cars. Similar to the new Chiron, the Veyron is all about sheer numbers, and the madness starts with the power unit. The Bugatti Veyron makes good use of an 8.0-liter 16-cylinder motor with four turbochargers. It produces 1,000 horsepower and 921 lb-ft. of torque, the latter coming in between 2,200 and 5,000 rpm. This allows the Veyron to scamper from zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds, hitting 124 mph in around 7 seconds.
Top speed is a staggering 252 mph.
With those numbers, the Bugatti Veyron became one of the fastest series production cars. Things took a turn for the better when Bugatti came up with the Veyron Super Sport in 2010. It came with 1,200 horsepower and an incredible top speed of 268 mph. Now you know where the Bugatti Chiron got its insatiable appetite for speed.
Do you have a favorite Bugatti Legends car? Let us know on our Twitter page.
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. 
Photos & Source: Bugatti Automobiles S.A.S.



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Cadillac CT4-V & CT5-V: Meet Two Beautiful (And Powerful) Twins

Cadillac CT4-V & CT5-V: Meet Two Beautiful (And Powerful) Twins The CT4-V and CT5-V are the latest members of a growing family at Cadillac’s performance division. 
Both employ the automaker’s latest engine technology and utilize a special rear-wheel drive platform. 
More information is forthcoming, but for now we have a pretty good idea on what to expect.
The 2004 CTS-V was not your grandfather’s Cadillac. With a 5.7-liter V8 churning out 400 horsepower (later a 6.0), this new V-Series car hit 60 mph in about 4.6 seconds. Established in 2002 under the direction of one Ken Morris, Cadillac’s special vehicle performance team was looking to give the luxury marque serious street cred. Armed with a manual transmission, the first CTS-V would get its chance two years later, cutting its teeth on Germany’s famed Nürburgring circuit.
And perhaps, the rest is history?
“From the very beginning, Cadillac’s V-Series represented the ultimate expression of our design, technology, and performance,” said Mark Reuss, GM President. “It introduced an entirely new breed of performance-minded customers to Cadillac showrooms and helped transform the brand’s traditional image into one with different facets for customers’ varying driving tastes.”
Family Matters
The V-Series family tree grew to include five platforms: CTS, XLR, STS, ATS, and CT6, with the branches of that tree still growing. The new CT6-V is a literal monster and an exact beauty; one showcasing the best elements of Cadillac’s now 15-year-long V program. On the heels of the CT6-V come the CT4-V and CT5-V, smaller variants in size but certinately not in stamina or strength. Both are driven by Cadillac’s latest engine tech; both are supported by GM’s rear-wheel drive Alpha architecture; and both utilize Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 with V-Series specific tuning.
Here is a look at the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V. It’s hard to pick a favorite.
“The new lineup expands the V-Series ethos, drawing more customers into the Cadillac Performance family,” Reuss explained. “The newest Vs are focused on elevated athleticism and luxurious refinement for customers wanting a dynamic daily drive.”
From left to right: CT6-V, CT5-V and CT4-V. Photo: Cadillac.
2020 Cadillac CT4-V: Engine & Transmission
Indeed, the forthcoming CT4-V will make a great daily driver. It will have a nice, plush interior and plenty of connectivity options; it will be quiet and calm inside – essentially, it will have everything one would reasonably believe a Cadillac should. And under the hood, we have enough for a quick sprint down the on-ramp and for a heart flutter once on the highway. In other words, the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V is a nicely-balanced machine.
Take, for example, the 2.7-liter’s valvetrain which consists of a three-step sliding camshaft and dual-overhead camshaft with four-valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing and variable valve lift; and, for good measure, Active Fuel Management (or cylinder deactivation in GM’s parlance). These systems combine to balance performance and fuel economy, all while the driver sits comfortably.
Moving through the in-line four engine we find a single, dual-volute turbocharger (33-psi) with an electronically-controlled waste gate and special cooling system. Downstream is a 10-speed automatic (Hydra-Matic 10L60) with a limited-slip rear differential. All told, the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V dials up 320 horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque through a 2.85 final drive ratio. (SAE certification pending as of this writing).
2020 Cadillac CT4-V interior layout. Photo: Cadillac.
CT4-V: Chassis & Suspension
Up front, the CT4-V rides on a MacPherson-type suspension with dual lower ball joints; at the rear, it’s a five-link independent setup. All-wheel drive variants receive ZF MVS passive dampers and a direct-acting stabilizer bar. By comparison, real-wheel drive variants employ Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 with V-Series-specific calibrations. The V-Series calibration treatments continue over to the electric power steering system.
Related: How magnetic suspensions work and function.
From the factory, the 2020 Cadillac CT4-V will ride on 18 x 8.0-inch aluminum wheels with 235/40R18 summer-only tires. If you opt for all-wheel drive, the CT4-V gets all-season treads. Keeping everything under control is a Brembo front braking system with vented rotors.
The 2020 Cadillac CT4-V sits at a near-perfect 50/50 weight distribution. Photo: Cadillac.
2020 Cadillac CT5-V: Engine & Transmission
As we make the jump to the CT5-V, we see more muscle and grunt. The 3.0-liter twin turbo V6 runs low-inertia turbochargers to ensure power delivery across the rpm range. Like the CT4-V, this engine also uses electronically-controlled waste gates, while cooling comes by way of a water-to-air system. Diving deeper, we see the direct-injected V6 has dual-overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder; along with dual-independent valve timing and Active Fuel Management.
The CT5-V’s 10-speed automatic (Hydra-Matic 10L80) links with an electronic limited-slip rear differential. At the end of the day, the 2020 Cadillac CT5-V cranks out 355 horsepower and 400 lb-ft. of torque through a 2.85 final drive ratio. Like the CT4-V, the figures are pending SAE approval, but still. It’s a solid amount of snort.
2020 Cadillac CT5-V. Photo: Cadillac.
Keeping The Balance
This is a similar approach as the CT4-V. The idea is to keep an ideal balance between performance and fuel economy, while you as the driver are enjoying the comfort of the cabin. With the connectivity options, a driver can cue up their music and settle in for a long trip; the engine will do its job to maximize mileage but spring to life when extra power is needed, say for passing or climbing a hill.
The CT5-V is an ideal middle ground, in the sense it’s a bit more punchy than the CT4-V but not as aggressive as the CT6-V. Cost-wise, it will land between the two, which has it’s own advantages. An approach like this could serve as the CT5-V’s greatest asset. Yes, it runs more money than the CT4-V, but offers more power. No, it’s not as powerful as the CT6-V, but it’s less money. In this new line of Cadillac V-Series cars, the CT5-V may well be the gem.
CT5-V: Chassis & Suspension
The CT5-V resides on a MacPherson-type front suspension with dual lower ball joints, and a five-link independent setup at the rear. Like the CT4-V, Magnetic Ride Control 4.0 and the electric power steering receive V-Series calibrations. The similarities to the CT4-V make sense, although Cadillac puts emphasis on the stabilizer bars, both front and rear, as essential parts of the CT5-V’s suspension.
Wheels are slightly bigger here: 19×8.5-inch aluminum wheels with 245/40R19 summer-only tires. The Brembo front braking system returns with four-piston fixed calipers and vented rotors.
The 2020 Cadillac CT5-V features a Vehicle Control Mode with a customizable V-Mode. Photo: Cadillac.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
On the technology and safety-front, both are available with SuperCruise. Cadillac’s Super Cruise can automatically steer, brake, and keep the vehicle positioned on the highway in certain, optimal conditions. The system uses high precision LiDAR map and GPS data, an advanced driver attention system, and a network of camera and radar sensors. Cadillac says customers can drive hands-free on more than 130,000 miles of limited-access freeways in the United States and Canada, provided they have an active OnStar plan with emergency services.
In other words, with these two V-Series cars, it’s all about performance; including performance on the technology side of things.
Photo: Cadillac.
Pricing & Availability
The CT4-V and CT5-V will arrive early next year, with production at GM’s Lansing Grand River facility in Michigan. Exact pricing and additional product information is forthcoming. We are told by Cadillac these two V-Series cars represent “only the beginning” when it comes to what the future holds. With that in mind, we will look to the horizon; in the meantime, we cannot wait to drive the CT4-V and CT5-V.
Carl Anthony 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. Before going back to school, he simultaneously held product development and experiential marketing roles in the automotive industry. 
Photos & Source: Cadillac.



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2020 Lexus RX & RXL: A Brief Yet Detailed Walk Around

2020 Lexus RX & RXL: A Brief Yet Detailed Walk Around The Lexus RX and RXL receive a number of updates, many of them on the tech front for 2020.
Performance and driving enthusiasts will appreciate the addition of two new F SPORT packages. 
The 2020 Lexus RX and RXL (fancy SUVs to you and me) get a thorough revamp for the new year. You can’t really say it’s a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Lexus has redone this luxo-crossover across the board and the improvements are noticeable. The best way to distinguish between the two is how the RXL is a little longer and – most important if you have a large family – comes with a third row of seats.
Other than that, they are quite similar in terms of form, function, safety, and technology.
Styling & Design (Maybe Slightly Overboard)
For 2020, the front and rear fascias are updated to bring the RX and RXL in-line with the rest of the brand’s look. Both have Lexus’ signature grille, and lots of “individual blocks” strewn across the overall form to give a balance of sophistication and strength and blah-blah-blah. Lexus goes on and on about this, but it doesn’t really matter much to me. Lexus has been off in their own design direction for a while now, and I worry they might never come back.
But let’s not talk too much about subjective things like styling, shall we. The meat of the RX and RXL is more than a strong enough selling point.
2020 Lexus RX 350 F SPORT. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Yakety Yak (It Will Probably Talk Back)
Take all of the on-board tech, for example. Standard on all models are the latest smartphone integrations and their respective virtual assistants. The standard eight-inch touchscreen is for messing with everything tech-related, like the Lexus Enform Remote system (you get a three-year trial period). This remotely starts the vehicle using your smartphone, handy to have when it gets cold.
There are six USB ports throughout the RX and RXL, so everybody’s devices stay charged. Of course both are fully compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The newest Lexuses (Lexi?) also have voice services like Amazon Alexa, so you can just yack at the Lexus Multimedia System, and it’ll start playing your favorite road trip playlist or start navigating you home.
Passengers (Lexus insists on calling them “Guests” which is kind of annoying) can choose between the standard eight-inch display, or an available 12.3-inch high-resolution, split-screen multimedia display. Going further yet is Dynamic Voice Command, which Lexus says recognizes “millions more phrases” than their conventional systems.
2020 Lexus RX 450hL interior layout. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Safety & Security
Safety? Of course a vehicle of this stripe will have enough safety stuff to make Ned Flanders sleep like a baby. There’s Lexus Enform Safety Connect and Enform Service Connect along with the Lexus Safety System+ 2.0 as standard equipment. This gives you stuff like daytime bicyclist detection, low-light pedestrian detection, Road Sign Assist, and Lane Tracing Assist. The Pre-Collision System can detect bicyclists and pedestrians in low-light situations.
Lane Tracing Assist also works in conjunction with the All-Speed Dynamic Radar Cruise Control and, in certain conditions, follows the car ahead of you. The Road Sign Assist gizmo displays road sign information in the instrument panel, which I don’t really see the efficacy of.
Related: Small package for the big city: meet the 2019 Lexus UX.
Essential Foundations
The 2020 Lexus crossovers get several updates to improve driving dynamics. The front and rear stabilizer bars are thicker, yet hollow to cut weight. They have reinforced bushings to reduce body roll and improve steering response. The shocks are re-tuned (natch) and feature a new friction control device to manage “high frequency vibrations,” meaning the RX and RXL should provide a smoother ride. The stiffer suspension reduces the overall noise and vibration from the road, Lexus says. And finally, active corner braking prevents understeer by clamping down on the inner tire.
If you want your RX or RXL with a hybrid drivetrain, that’s on offer as well. These are either the RX 450h or RX 450hL and serve up a combined 308 total system horsepower. For fuel economy, Lexus estimates 30 and 29 combined for the RX and RXL respectively. The ICE part of the hybrid system is a 3.5-liter V6 gasoline mill with two high-torque, electric drive motor/generators in the mix. The all-weather drive system employs a trick second independent electric motor to push the rear wheels when needed for optimal traction.
Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Related: Stylish and tech-focused: on the road with the 2019 Lexus RX 350 F SPORT.
F SPORT Treatments
If you’d like things a little more athletic and sporty than eco-conscious, the 2020 Lexus RX offers two F SPORT packages. The regular F SPORT package offers “the look” with additional tuning for a more muscular feel on the road. It includes a cold air intake (very Fast & Furious), active sound control, electric power steering, and a heated steering wheel. There are front and rear “performance dampers” and a Drive Mode Select system with Sport+ (very, very Fast & Furious).
By comparison, the RX F SPORT package includes an active variable suspension, which Lexus says is more responsive than prior systems. That active variable suspension is also borrowed from the mighty Lexus LC. Oh, and the RX F SPORT has Circuit Red seating with grey stitching on the seams.
No word yet on what the 2020 F SPORT packages will return for fuel economy. The current Lexus RX 350 F SPORT gets an EPA-estimated 19/26 city/highway and 22 combined mpg.
2020 Lexus RX 350 F SPORT interior layout. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Pricing & Availability
The 2020 Lexus RX and RXL will start production in the third quarter of 2019. Pricing information is forthcoming. The current Lexus RX 350 starts at $43,820 with front-wheel drive; $45,220 with all-wheel drive. The current three-row RX 350L starts at $47,870 with front-wheel drive and $49,270 with all-wheel drive.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz. 
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2020 Lexus RXL Gallery











Photos & Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.



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Lamborghini Delivers New Huracán To Italian Police

Lamborghini Delivers New Huracán To Italian Police

Somehow, the Italian police have gotten their hands on a brand new, Lamborghini Huracán to use as a police car, and for the first time in my life, I’d seriously like to be a cop. Normally, being a cop in Italy is 90% low-key and 10% life threatening (when you’re seeing to Mafia-related activities), but you know, I’d definitely put up with those numbers.
Automobili Lamborghini (that’s the official name of the Sant’Agata Bolognese builder of exotic cars) just delivered the police version of its Huracán supercar, dubbed the Huracán Polizia, to the Italian Highway Patrol in Rome.
Passing The Keys
This might come as a surprise to many, because 1 – Italy actually has highways, and 2 – Italy actually has an Italian Highway Patrol. The keys to the Huracán Polizia (which has got to be the coolest name for a cop car, ever) were handed over to Interior Minister, Senator Marco Minniti by Stefano Domenicali, Chairman & CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. Wait, Stefano Domenicali? The same Stefano Domenicali that ran Ferrari’s Grand Prix team? No wonder Lambos have been working so well lately.
The Italian Police Huracán (which is the way Italians say hurricane and is pronounced huruhKAHN) has been assigned to the Highway Patrol in Bologna. Bologna, the ancestral home of both Fascism and probably the best red sauce on the planet – hey, you gotta take the good with the bad, y’know? Bologna is also situated on one of Italy’s main Autoroutes, their version of highways, and like most other Italian Autoroutes or American highways, is chocked full of half-crazed speed freaks flogging all sorts of inappropriate vehicles (e.g. Fiat delivery vans) at velocities you’d think were suicidal.
Emergency Situations
Or, to put it another way, Bologna is a great location for the Huracán Polizia; it’s a big city without being too big, there’s lots of potential “customers” and most importantly, the lunch options are superb and numerous. The Huracán Polizia will be used both in normal police operations and for the urgent transport of blood and organs. Which, c’mon, sounds like the cherry on top for becoming an Italian cop. “You need me to get this kidney down to the hospital in Forli as quick as I can? Si comendatore! Si!”
This is not the first time Lamborghini has provided the Italian cops with cars. There’s another Huracán Polizia that has been operated by the Highway Patrol in Rome since 2015, in case you’re looking for office locations of a more cosmopolitan nature. In 2009 Lambo gave (sold?) the Roman police a Gallardo Polizia. That car is on permanent display at the Highway Patrol Auto Museum in Rome.
An essential task of the Huracán Polizia is to provide medical assistance. To this end, the front luggage compartment features a special refrigeration system for the urgent transport of organs. To provide emergency first aid, the Huracán is also equipped with a defibrillator, which can save lives by inducing targeted electric shocks that restore normal heartbeat in case of serious arrhythmia or ventricular fibrillation. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.


Special Treatments
The Huracán Polizia sports the official colors of the Italian Police: A two-tone Police Medium Blue with a broad white area and lettering “specially executed to match the Huracán’s dynamic look.” What, you were expecting them to just slap on some decals that say “Polizia.” This is Italy. Have some style. Whattaya think this is, Germany? The livery is finished off by a tricolor stripe running along both sides of the Huracán Polizia.
Like all Lamborghinis, the Huracán Polizia is equipped with Pirelli P Zero tires, but with the added touch of the sidewalls tinted in Police Medium Blue especially for the occasion.
The Huracán Polizia comes standard with the normally aspirated V10 that produces 610 horsepower. It puts all that power to the strada via an all-wheel drive system. Just like the Huracáns you or I could buy (snicker) the chassis is made of aluminum and carbon fiber. The inside features a whole buffet of cop-related gear. An integrated tablet and computer, recording equipment, and a video camera used to document police operations on the road. There is also a Nuova Simonelli Aurelia Ii Semi 2 Group Espresso Machine and a six capacity doughnut warmer. C’mon, who am I kidding? That was a joke. There’s no way Italian cops would stoop to eating doughnuts.
So, if you are a slow-witted American tourist (is that redundant?) moseying around Rome or Bologna in your rental Fiat Punto and you see a blue and white Lambo blast up onto your tail, do not get all uppity or, even worse, take this as an invitation to race. You will lose and soon be seeing the inside of Regina Coeli, where the red sauce is as mediocre as the espresso.
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: Automobili Lamborghini.
Photos & Source: Automobili Lamborghini.



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Report: Mercedes-AMG is developing a new line of performance EVs and hybrids

Report: Mercedes-AMG is developing a new line of performance EVs and hybrids The instant power delivery of electric motors should find themselves at home in Mercedes-AMG models known for power.

What’s going on?
More electrification!
“Oh jeeze, this really is the end of the internal combustion engine, ain’t it,” you might think. That seems true for the beloved Mercedes-AMG brand as Automobile reports Mercedes-Benz’s performance division seeks to shift its focus to electrification and hybridization.
Despite what seems like the end of the EPA, automakers still insist on moving forward towards EVs and hybrids to continue reducing its carbon footprint.
What can we expect from this new push?
According to the article, AMG plans to develop new high-voltage batteries, fast charging, and stronger motors, all with performance and efficiency in mind. From that, a total of four performance electric vehicles will join the AMG lineup. We can expect some models to sport as much as 612 instant horsepower from two motors powering all four wheels. Juice should be supplied by a 105-kWh battery.
When should we expect some electrified AMG awesomeness?
Probably sometime around 2020 to 2022. Two will be sedans while the remaining two will take form as crossovers.
On top of the complex power- and drivetrain technology, other features such as rear-wheel steering and uniquely tuned Airmatic dynamic suspension should be included.
What about the hybrid front?
All is not lost with the internal combustion engine just yet. Since AMG is all about power, its hard to deny that there will be many customers still longing for that classic AMG V8 burble.
What’s in store for the hybrids? Details are sparse, but more plug-in hybrids will arrive in the future both in Mercedes-Benz’s and Mercedes-AMG’s future.
Hints and rumors imply Mercedes will utilize the technology developed on earlier hybrid models. On those models, Mercedes mounted the electric motors into the transmission housing, assisting the cog swapper with power. This is a more ideal hybrid system overall since the car can still use a traditional transmission rather than the off-putting CVT that other hybrids use.
Other plug-in hybrid cars could include an electric rear-drive system with a separate power pack for front-wheel drive models.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: Automobile
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2017 New York Preview: The new Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban RST get more power and 10-speed auto

2017 New York Preview: The new Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban RST get more power and 10-speed auto Chevy tries to inject some more performance into their venerable full-size SUVs. How does 420hp and a 10-speed auto sound?

What’s going on?
Chevrolet just announced some new version of the Tahoe and Suburban called the Rally Sport Truck. What is it exactly? It’s a special edition package that adds the company’s more powerful 6.2L V8 and 10-speed automatic as standard.
Such a power- and drivetrain combination was not yet available previously, even on other versions of GM’s full-size family. The GMC Yukon still only gets a 5.3L EcoTec V8 and an eight-speed auto. You can still get a 6.2L V8 in the Yukon Denali and the flagship Cadillac Escalade. But both still don’t get the latest and greatest 10-speed automatic yet.
That means Chevy Tahoe lovers can get the latest power- and drivetrain combination ahead of their more luxurious stablemates.
So what are the details? How much more power are we talking?
Well, since the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban RST Editions basically just get the Escalade engine instead, that means the 6.2L EcoTec V8 is good for 420hp and 460 pound-feet of torque. It’s mated strictly to GM’s latest HydraMatic 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission. Then, a wider overall gear ratio of 7.39 is added to increase efficiency at highway speeds. But thanks to the forward gear count, shorter gearing allows for improved acceleration as well.
As a result, Chevrolet claims a Tahoe Rally Sport Truck Edition can hit 60 from a standstill in less than six seconds. For a truck weighing close to three tons (6,000lbs), that’s quite impressive.
Buyers also get GM’s Magnetic Ride Control active suspension to help body control and ride quality.
Sounds like a pretty dope Tahoe. When will it go on sale and for how much?
Those details, as expected, weren’t released yet. But we can expect that information to surface later on as we near the Rally Sport Truck line’s official debut at the New York Auto Show.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: Chevrolet
Chevrolet Tahoe Rally Sport Truck Special Edition Gallery












 
 
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2017 New York: The Nissan GT-R marches on with a new Track Edition set for NY debut

2017 New York: The Nissan GT-R marches on with a new Track Edition set for NY debut Nissan drags out the current-gen GT-R and adds a new Track Edition to the lineup, set for New York reveal.
What’s going on?
It seems the current generation Nissan GTR has been in production since the beginning of time. Believe it or not, it was first introduced a decade ago in 2007, exceeding the average generational lifespan of cars of about five to seven years. That basically means in car years, that’s the equivalent to being your great-grandfather.
And yet, Nissan continues to produce it, which means they need to keep it fresh. So what does that mean? There’s a new flavor of GT-R on the way. It’s called the Nissan GT-R Track Edition.
What’s new you might ask?
Well, the Nissan GT-R is pretty much the same as the 2017 GT-R that came before it. But this new version Nissan’s bragging about is a new “Track Edition,” due for a reveal at the 2017 New York Auto Show next month.

What exactly is the 2018 Nissan GT-R Track Edition?
According to the press release, Nissan describes it as a middling model that slots in between the T (Touring) and R (Racing) models. And yes, because of the name, it is biased towards track-day performance.
Changes take form in small details. For instance, the GT-R Track Edition features more adhesive bonding and spot welding during construction to stiffen up the chassis. The suspension receives some tweaks thanks to Nissan’s in-house performance division, NISMO. The result is a slight reduction in weight, added chassis rigidity. Rounding out the package is a set of sticky NISMO-spec tires.
Other updates include new 20-inch NISMO forged alloy-aluminum wheels, a cargon fiber rear spoiler, and a bespoke red and black interior color treatment for the Recaro bucket seats. The exhaust is also supplanted with freer-flowing titanium system.
Is there any more power?
Sadly, no. But, the GT-R Track Edition comes equipped with the most powerful version of the GT-R’s legendary VR38DETT 3.8L V6. That means 565 horsepower and 467 pound-feet of torque is on tap. It’s still mated to the same six-speed dual-clutch automatic, complete with the GT-R’s familiar ATTESA E-TS all-wheel drive.
The new Nissan GT-R Track Edition will take a bow at this year’s New York Auto Show next month.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: Nissan
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Jaguar Classic Launches E-Type Reborn Models In Germany

Jaguar Classic Launches E-Type Reborn Models In Germany

Jaguar is getting into the factory resto game – not in a terribly big way, but still in a charming, and very British way. A few automakers have started up programs like this. They get some old, yet workable examples of their products from days gone by, and then a dedicated team at the factory restores them to “like new, showroom condition.”
And then the automaker sells them to the public, or, more likely, collectors with deep pockets.
Original Collection
Jaguar is having a go at this whole concept with what they pretentiously call the “E-Type Reborn.” Coventry went through 10 Series I E-Type Coupes with a fine tooth comb, making them literally as good as new, and then selling them. The first one just rolled out at the Techno-Classica Show in Essen Germany. By the way, the Techno-Classica Show sounds pretty cool, and if anyone is in the neighborhood, it would probably be worth checking out.
What the E-Type Reborn program does, is offer prospective customers the exceptional prospect of purchasing an original E-Type direct from Jaguar. It goes without saying that E-Types are very hot collectables these days, and if you’re one of those knuckle-dragging Saracens that look at purchasing a car like this as an investment, then getting one from the factory most likely means it will be worth even more money. Obviously, I don’t condone this as the sole reason for buying a sports car, nor am I Jordan Belfort, so don’t look at me for anything even approaching sound investment advice.
Original Condition
Every E-Type Reborn is plucked live from the real world, then sent through the factory’s resto program and completely redone according to the company’s original 1960s factory specifications. Unlike specialty shops and other marque experts, this gives the subject car exclusive access to build records and original drawings held by the Jaguar Heritage Trust, not to mention the team’s decades of experience in all things Jaguar. To maximize the vehicle’s quality, longevity, and collectability, Jaguar Classic Parts are used throughout the process.
The first E-Type to go through the process was a 1965 Opalescent Gunmetal Grey Series 1 4.2 Fixed Head Coupe. Originally exported to California in May of that year, the car put 78,000 miles on the clock before being put in storage in 1983. It has original matching numbers on the body shell, engine, and gearbox, all of which have, duh, been completely rebuilt by Jaguar Classic technicians. Jag keeps as much of the original vehicle as possible of course, while any safety-critical parts are replaced with new bits from Jaguar Classic Parts.
When necessary, body panels from Jaguar Classic’s reverse-engineered panel program are used. Jaguar’s team even goes so far as to recreate the correct type of spot-welding when refitting those panels. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.


Modern Components
Jaguar says if the customer would like “sympathetic upgrades from later E-Type models,” they can be incorporated into the restoration. Things like improved cooling (using Lightweight E-type-derived parts), installation of an all-synchromesh transmission (if not fitted to the vehicle originally), or the addition of later, Series 2 front brake calipers are all to be had. At extra cost, of course.
As mentioned, 10 examples will be produced as part of the Reborn program, all of them being Series 1 cars made from 1961 through 1968. All of them will sport either the 265 horsepower in-line six-cylinder engine, the 3.8 liter plant, or the big displacement 4.2. Same four-speed box that came with the cars in the 60s and same performance specs: 150 mph top end and a 0 to 60 time of around 7 seconds.
Notice anything missing? Anything that would have been, oh, let’s just say “nice” to have on a Jaguar today? Things like a functioning electrical system that has a lifespan somewhat longer than a bowl of grapes?
Nope, none of that here Cochise. When Jag says, in so many words, this is just like it was sitting on the showroom floor in 1964, they mean just like it was. That means you best be on speaking terms with Lucas, The Prince of Darkness. Yes, yes, I know. These are not being marketed, sold, or most likely even used as daily drivers. All ten of them will likely be snapped up in no short order, tucked away in a climate controlled storage facility, fussed over by a team of personal mechanics, and driven by their very, very rich owners a couple of times a year.
The Jaguar E-Type was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1961 and became a signature car for notable figures like Steve McQueen, George Best, Sir Jackie Stewart, Brigitte Bardot, and Frank Sinatra. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
Trophy Car
How much? Well the E-Type Reborn will start at “£285,000 dependent on specification,” which is around $300.000 in real ‘Murican money. Which is, let’s face it, completely senseless. For $300,000 you could get a . . . well, I’ll let you fill in the blanks here (things like a very fun track car and an enclosed trailer and a tow vehicle; or a year or two old Ferrari 458 Italia or a house).
But that’s just the point. Any one of the ten people who buy an E-Type Reborn are not thinking in a very practical, “this’ll be fun to drive to work on sunny days” kind of vein. No. This is a trophy. Like that squiggly modern art painting their third, 20-something wife had them buy that is now worth 564% more. Still, E-Types are fun when they’re running, and if you really want the cream of the crop, the E-Type Reborn is most likely it.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias towards lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.



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Letter From The UK: Drunk With Distraction

Letter From The UK: Drunk With Distraction


Recently, I sustained a fall that has slowed me down a bit. To go from charging around like Road Runner on acid to becoming a couch potato virtually overnight has been extremely frustrating. No driving, you see. I am already suffering from cabin fever. The one piece of good news is that at least I can have an alcoholic drink or two, or three, for the duration of my incarceration.
Being laid up has also given me time to think about, of all things, road safety.
Here in the UK, we talk a lot about it and the authorities make many rules and regulations. Some of these are fair and sensible and some are tantamount to legalized theft or just plain downright stupid, but that’s government for you. You’ll already be aware of this no doubt. What is more worrying is the contempt which even the more sensible laws are treated with by some drivers.
Cops On The Ground
Part of the problem here is that our UK police force is run by pen-pushers, log-stackers, and accountants. Accountants like to save money (it’s in their nature; nothing you can do) and the result is that there are not enough policemen to go around these blighted isles. Get your house burgled here and there is only a one in ten chance of the case being investigated, let alone solved. As a consequence of this shortage, there is not much chance you will see a traffic officer on our highways.
This lack of roadside oversight means that some crazy motorists continue to use mobile technology on the go because there are not enough British Bobbies on the ground to catch them. Recently, the penalties for this have been made much more draconian, but the numbers getting caught remain comparatively few.
People who do not concentrate on their driving deserve what they get; the innocent people they kill or maim do not. The worst offenders for this are people who drink and drive. Yes, despite all the rules and laws and TV campaigns and newspaper reports, the drunks are still at it in the 21st century.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, two in three people on average will be involved in a drunk driving accident in their lifetime. Photo: Vigan Hajdari.
In Days Of Yore
In the dark, mysterious days of the prior century here in Great Britain, cars were simpler and although they broke down more often we could usually fix them ourselves. Back in the day, the people of the United Kingdom spent much of their leisure time in the pub too.
The pub, or Public House (like an American bar only with fake Elizabethan oak beams, warm beer, a dartboard, and a dreadful bore with a wet, slobbering dog) is licensed to sell alcoholic beverages and food. Once, pubs were the center of social activity. Men would traditionally “go to the pub” on a Friday night, come home totally “bladdered” from a surfeit of “booze,” encouraged by the thought of some hot lovin’ action from the dutiful wife at home. Usually, when he crept between the covers, he discovered that he was in fact married to Jadis, the Ice Queen of Narnia, cold enough to freeze the most fervent ardor and shrivel rampant manhood.
Worse still, our theoretical drunk probably traveled to the pub and back by car. It was a different world all right.
The attitude to drunk driving was relaxed to say the least. If you managed to get home in one piece that was fine. Drivers would actually have to crash, or at least do something fairly dramatic, to attract the attention of the cops, by and large. I know because a long time ago in my youth I learned the hard way with the precious wheels of my Audi almost vertical up a bank, the headlights searching the skies as if for enemy aircraft. It was a sobering, salutary lesson that had a profound effect on my attitude to road safety.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the average drunk driver has driven intoxicated over 80 times before the first arrest. Photo: Andy Kreyche.


Life Is Different Today
In the here and now, just like in the past, we drink to forget, although we can never remember what it is we are supposed to be forgetting. In short, it is a much more complicated world in 2017 and that goes for our automobiles too. Gone are the days when a car could be fixed with a sheer stocking doubling as a fan belt, some string, sticky tape, and a hammer. Now you have to have an engineering degree just to open the hood.
Yet despite the complexity of modern life, despite our traffic packed, busy, potholed roads, some cretins still believe the drink/drive laws do not apply to them. And people continue to die.
Although some believe that alcohol turns them into a driving god, the truth is even the sharpest reactions are dulled by booze. If you don’t react, you lose. It seems to me that drivers have become complacent at the wheel, distracted by devices and presumably lulled into a false sense of security by the high-tech safety technology on our cars.
Autonomous Drunks
If your car is autonomous; if it drives itself, why not have a drink or several? Is that our future motoring scenario? Uber recently demonstrated that automotive autonomy is not quite ready yet because real life has a habit of throwing curve balls at the most inopportune time. I personally found this out recently on a flight of good, old-fashioned stairs without the benefit of alcohol. Ouch.
If technology cannot yet master all the vagaries of the road then a drunk driver certainly can’t. If there are not enough law enforcers to go around then we should police ourselves. Don’t use your cell phone; don’t encourage the person next to you to do something intimate (unfortunately) and don’t, just don’t, drink and drive.
Geoff Maxted is a motoring writer, photographer, and author of our Letter From The UK series. Follow his work on Twitter: @DriveWrite
Cover Photo: Michal Jarmoluk.



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