2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye: Frankenstein’s Fury

2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye: Frankenstein’s Fury Leave it to the Dodge boys to not leave well enough alone. As a matter of fact, “not leaving well enough alone” is kind of a company trademark. How else could you explain stuffing a 426 Hemi into a Dodge Dart? Speaking of putting in engines that are too big for everyday rides, say hello to the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye.
Essentially, what we have here, is car engineering a la Dr. Frankenstein; a little bit from here, a little bit from there, and a brain clearly labeled “A.B. Normal.” I’m fine with that.
Wide & Wild
The 2019 Hellcat Redeye (no real explanation as to why they call it that) is, like all Mopar products since time immemorial – or at least since the end of The War – 99.999% about dat engine yo! Take the supercharged Hemi Demon V8 out of the quickest, fastest, and most powerful muscle car ever, and stuff it into this latest demi-ogre, and abracadabra: The 797 horsepower 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye!
Yes, the new 2019 Redeye is available with the Widebody Package. Yes, this definitely looks cooler than a bug on ice. Yes, you’re now 3.5 inches wider overall with improved handling and braking. Yes, the Redeye comes with larger, six-piston Brembo front brakes, wider wheels and tires, and the suspension upgrades featured on the “normal” R/T Scat Pack Widebody. Yes, the interior has some cool upgrades and there are some special wheels but, honestly, who cares about all that other stuff when you’re confronted with a powerplant like this?
2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Heavy Equipment
The heart of the 2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye is sourced from its (sadly) limited-production big brother: the Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. That would be the supercharged, 6.2-liter big block Hemi rated at a staggering 797 horsepower and a just as astounding 707 lb-ft. of torque. Or, about the same torque as an ocean-going tug. The blown 6.2 Hemi is mated to a TorqueFlite 8HP90 eight-speed automatic transmission with internals that must have a Hulk-like disposition to things like heat, shear forces, sun-like thermal loading and such.
The Redeye mill has 25 major upgrades, including a larger supercharger, strengthened con-rods and pistons, a high-speed valve train and, thankfully, an improved lubrication system. The Redeye’s supercharged high-output engine features the largest factory supercharger on any production car: 2.7 liters, or about the displacement of a smaller BMW engine. Consider that for a moment: The blower on this thing is bigger than the engine in your car (most likely).
Said supercharger has increased boost pressure (14.5 psi) and a higher rpm limit of 6,500 rpm.
The Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye features a Brembo system with two-piece, 15.4-inch front rotors and six-piston front calipers. The combination is meant for better heat management, thermal capacity, and longevity. The new Challenger also employs an electronic power steering system that can be custom-configured via the SRT Performance Pages. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Binge Drinking
The Redeye is so thirsty it has two dual-stage fuel pumps versus the normal single pump found on lesser models. How thirsty? This thirsty: At full throttle, the high-output Hemi ingests and consumes 1.43 gallons of fuel per minute. That’s enough to completely drain the tank in just under 11 minutes – or a burn rate slightly better than a Saturn V moon rocket.
Somehow though, the Redeye still gets 22 miles per gallon in “normal” highway conditions. So dig that: It is both way faster and more powerful than a 1969 Hemi ‘Cuda (for instance) yet gets about double the fuel mileage.
You will note the new dual-snorkel hood. This new bonnet is one of three sources of intake air along with the driver’s-side Air Catcher headlamp Inlet near the wheel liner to feed the new, larger air induction box.
The SRT Power Chiller diverts the air-conditioning refrigerant from the interior cabin to a special unit mounted by the low-temperature circuit coolant pump. Charge air coolant, after being cooled by ambient air passing through a low-temperature radiator at the front of the vehicle, flows through the chiller unit, where it is further cooled. The chilled coolant then flows to the heat exchangers in the supercharger. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Hard Candy
Other goodies borrowed from the SRT Demon include Torque Reserve to deliver up to 3.9 psi of boost at launch and up to 55 percent more engine torque. Torque Reserve is active once the engine speed passes 950 rpm, and closes the bypass valve to “pre-fill” the intake with boost while better managing fuel flow and spark timing. Also along for that very short drag-strip ride are high-strength steel prop shafts for a 15 percent increase in torque capacity, and 41-spline half shafts to boost torque capacity another 20 percent.
And if you want to get all old school with this . . . this . . . beast? Ogre? Animal? Whatever, dig: The 2019 SRT Hellcat Redeye offers your choice of two final drive ratios, the standard 2.62:1 or the available 3.09:1 for “enhanced” launch capability. Trust me, you want the 3.09 gears.
All of this adds up to the 2019 Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye being one of the most powerful muscle cars in history: 1/4-mile E.T. of 10.8 seconds at 131 mph and a top speed of 203 mph. You got the timing slips to beat that? Bring ’em!
Manufacturing & Availability
Production begins this fall at the Brampton, Ontario Assembly Plant, with the Challengers arriving at dealerships in the fourth quarter.
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
Challenger SRT Models
1/4-mile elapsed time/speed
Top Speed
Redeye Widebody
10.8 seconds @ 131 mph
203 mph
Hellcat Widebody
10.9 seconds @ 127 mph
195 mph
Redeye
11.1 seconds @ 131 mph
203 mph
Hellcat
11.2 seconds @ 125 mph
199 mph




2019 Dodge Challenger Gallery


























Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.



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Understeer Versus Oversteer: Know Your Limits

Understeer Versus Oversteer: Know Your Limits The handling terms oversteer and understeer we instinctively know, even if we’ve never really put a name to them. You don’t have to be a dyed-in-the-wool track person to have experienced either of these conditions, but they do appear most readily at a track. There are two old jokes about oversteer and understeer. One goes like this: oversteer scares the passenger and understeer scares the driver. The second is this: oversteer is when you smash the rear of the car into something – understeer is when you smash the front into something.
Differing Definitions
Understeer and oversteer are actually technical terms, but there are other words that are synonymous with both. Understeer is often called “push” and sometimes referred to as “plow” or “plowing.” You will often hear phrases like, “I’ve got a wicked push entering turn 3,” or “the car just understeers through the whole back section of the track.” Oversteer is referred to as a car being “loose,” “free,” and/or “tail-happy.” As in, “I’ve got so much oversteer through turn 5, the car is really loose.” Generally speaking, understeer is about how the front is not working and oversteer is about how the rear is not working.
Understeer
Understeer is when a car corners less than what you are telling it to with the steering wheel. When a car is understeering, as you enter a corner, you turn the wheel, and you expect the car to turn into that corner, but rather than turning all the way into and through the corner, it actually does not turn in enough. Rather than cornering smoothly through a curve, your car heads more and more toward the outside of the corner, unless you do something about it. Most people respond to a situation like this by turning the wheel more; to essentially say, in mechanical terms, “No! I want you to be over there! Go over there! Go that way!” They turn the steering wheel more and more in the direction they want to go.

Unlikely Odds
90% of the time, this doesn’t work. 90% of the time you are understeering through a corner because you have entered the corner too fast. So fast, in fact, that the front wheels, which is where understeer comes from, become overwhelmed by your forward energy and cannot generate enough grip to give you cornering entry. Turning the steering wheel more and fighting with the car only makes understeer worse. It puts more and more energy into the front tires that have been unable to keep up with your forward momentum from the beginning. By and large, the best thing to do in a vast majority of understeer situations is to back off the throttle. You’re going too fast into the corner already, so slow down, get the car back underneath you, and then get back on the throttle.
TrackDays has this excellent resource on how to correct understeer, should you find yourself in that situation.
Oversteer
Oversteer is when a car corners more than what you are telling it to with the steering wheel. You enter a corner, turn your steering wheel x-amount, and the rear of the car comes out more than what it should. Oversteer is the rear of the car coming around as you corner – it’s your car wanting to essentially spin around. Oversteer is, for a gearhead actually, a fun handling state. Oversteer is, from a performance standpoint, a faster handling condition for a car to have, assuming you can balance it.
Having either too much understeer or oversteer is a bad thing. Any car, however, regardless of drivetrain layout, can and will understeer and oversteer moment to moment when cornering. It is your job, as the driver, to operate your car in a safe manner. This whole notion of a car being “unsafe at any speed” is codswallop. Sure, if a car is outright built wrong, or has not been maintained properly, or there is a mechanical failure, then it is unsafe. Mostly, it is up to you, yes you, the junior Mario Andrettis of this world, to drive in a safe manner.
Always maintain proper control of your vehicle.
Mindful Considerations
In an ideal situation, a car going through a corner describes a perfect circle, with the rear wheels exactly following the front wheels – like a train following a set of railroad tracks. That’s why you hear the phrase, “handles like it’s on rails” as praise for a given car.
Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus Cars, genius chassis designer, and all-around fantastic automotive engineer famously said, “the steering wheel tells the front end where to go, and your right foot tells the back end where to go.” He was, obviously, talking about rear drive cars. And what he was getting at has to do with the fact that, as you are entering, traveling through, and exiting a corner, a rear-wheel drive car, when driven at the limit of adhesion, will require you to manage what both the front and rear are doing simultaneously. You are the driver. Be in control. Drive it. Know your limits. Know the limits of your car. And do not exceed those limits. In all things automotive: balance.
Finally, we would recommend an additional resource from TrackDays. They recently spoke with six different pro race car drivers and gathered the best advice when it comes to being behind the wheel.
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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Orange Fury Ford Mustang Inspires Ice Cream Sandwich

Orange Fury Ford Mustang Inspires Ice Cream Sandwich

Y’know, sometimes, the gearhead world gets downright weird. This is one of those days. As I read the press release about this – this being Ford’s making of an ice cream sandwich that has some razor thin tie in with the beloved Mustang – I had to start over three or four times. One of those times I thought I might be having a stroke. But no, Ford is serious.
Okay, here we go.
Vanilla Whoopies
One of Ford’s bullet points reads as follows: “Sandwiches feature a zesty orange-flavored ice cream between two Vanilla Whoopies, covered in orange icing and an edible wrapper made from potato wafer paper with edible ink.”
Dude, seriously! I mean, take that sentence, and randomly insert commas, periods, and pauses and you’ve got some Beat Poetry that Lawrence Ferlinghetti would, like, totally dig. Man.
Anyway, what we got here is Ford trying to leverage National Ice Cream Day (no, I didn’t know there was one either) by teaming up with Coolhaus Premium Ice Cream (which, most likely has nothing to do with Rem Koolhaas, the Dutch architect (I hope)) to create the Mustang-inspired “Orange Fury” ice cream sandwich.
Photo: James Lipman.
Tasty Partnership
To make matters even more, I dunno, appealing or something along those lines, the Mustang-inspired Orange Fury ice cream sandwiches are a limited edition item. Which, honestly could be bad if these things taste good. I have no way of telling, since Ford didn’t see fit to send me a case. More’s the pity, since I live in the desert and any sort of ice cream sounds great right about now.
Ford goes on to tout their partnership with Coolhaus Premium Ice Cream by noting that Coolhaus is “the nationally celebrated sweet-treat brand known for unique, sweet-meets-savory flavors you can’t find anywhere else.” Which is interesting because of two things: One, that is a distressingly alliterative sentence, and two, I’ve never in my life heard of Coolhaus (although that name makes me think of sparse German architecture or history’s second-ever goth punk band).
Coolhaus limited-edition Mustang-inspired Orange Fury ice cream. Photo: James Lipman.


Ice Cream Van
Apparently Ford went so far as to gin up a Coolhaus ice cream truck equipped with 2018 Mustang decals, fill it with Orange Fury ice cream sandwiches, and tool it around New York City for four days. This was all part of National Ice Cream Day and a cross marketing thing advantageous to both companies (I’m guessing). Your cost? Absolutely free my friend! Do you think they’d charge you to advertise to you?
You can also get the Orange Fury ice cream sandwiches at the Coolhaus shop in Culver City, California as well. It would seem all this Orange Fury ice cream sandwich stuff has to do with the new Orange Fury exterior color available on the 2018 Ford Mustang.
“I typically focus on things like color research, leather seats, and hand stitching, so this was definitely a bit different for me,” said Barb Whalen, Color and Materials Design Manager, Ford Motor Company. “It was fun applying some of those same design philosophies into helping Coolhaus create an ice cream flavor that really embodies the new Orange Fury color.”
Photo: James Lipman.
Edible Wonders
The technical specs for the Orange Fury ice cream sandwich break down like this: First, there are two Vanilla Whoopie cookies covered in orange icing that boarder the insides of the Orange Fury ice cream sandwich. Said insides consist of a scoop of the one-of-a-kind Orange Fury ice cream. The whole shootin’ match is wrapped in a unique, Mustang-printed edible wrapper made from potato wafer paper and edible ink. Sure, to adults like you and me, concepts like an “edible wrapper” might seem rather novel, but ask any five-year-old and they’ll tell you that all wrappers are edible.
“We couldn’t be happier that one of the original American classics chose Coolhaus, a new American classic, as a way to add excitement to their latest innovation,” said Natasha Case, Coolhaus CEO & Founder. Coolhaus Oompa-Loompas Glowbo, Fluffet, and Poofer could not be reached for comment.
The 2018 Mustang, regardless of color choice or availability of ice cream sandwiches, is due to reach showrooms this fall.
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.
Source: Ford Motor Company.



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Toyota Research Institute Joins Study On How Autonomous Cars Will Impact Workforce

Toyota Research Institute Joins Study On How Autonomous Cars Will Impact Workforce The Toyota Research Institute (TRI) is contributing $75,000 to the American Center for Mobility (ACM) for an analysis on how autonomous cars will impact driving-related jobs. ACM’s study, Preparing the Workforce for Automated Vehicles, is being conducted by Michigan State University in collaboration with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute.
“TRI is committed to advancing automated vehicle technology in ways that improve society and individual well-being, and we need to better understand the impact this may have on future jobs and employment,” said Dr. Gill Pratt, TRI CEO and Toyota Motor Corporation Fellow. “Our participation in this study can help address the societal effects in a meaningful way.”
Careful Examination
Officials say the research will provide key insight into the types of jobs that will be affected and to what degree. The study will also identify the skills and education needed for a more automated future. One of the study’s main objectives is to consider a “training template” for commercial drivers, especially in the areas of freight and package delivery, and taxi and ride-hailing.
“If autonomous vehicles become the norm, then truck drivers, taxi drivers, bus drivers, and Uber or Lyft drivers certainly will be impacted – and not in a good way,” Cliff Banks, President of The Banks Report, an automotive retail publication, told us in a special feature on autonomous cars in May. “I’ve watched Uber or Lyft drivers walk up to a house and help an elderly person down the stairs. Can an autonomous vehicle do that?”
Forward Looking
Toyota Motor North America was recently announced as a founding member of the Partnership for Transportation Innovation and Opportunity, a collaboration committed to exploring how autonomous vehicles will impact American workers as well as identifying opportunities to address future challenges. TRI is also in the process of constructing an autonomous vehicle test track in Michigan.
Preparing the Workforce for Automated Vehicles is expected to be published later this year.
“Industry involvement is paramount as we undergo this study, especially when we consider the implications on talent and how the potential needs of employers will shift,” said Soraya Kim, ACM’s Chief Innovation Officer and the study’s leader. “We thank TRI for their continued commitment and for being a partner to get this important work done.”
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
Source: Toyota Research Institute, American Center for Mobility.



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2019 Honda Insight: The 55 MPG Beast

2019 Honda Insight: The 55 MPG Beast The 2019 Honda Insight hybrid is here, and it offers a whole lot of practicality and reliability with a familiar Honda face – none of that goofy, “look at me driving my car from Mars styling” (cough, Prius, cough) – and it gets you 55 MPG in the city.
Fifty-Five? Holy Sh-
Features & Trim Levels
It is, indeed, a relatively normal looking car. I’m not sure why the first gen hybrids, Priuseseseses and such, had to go with such goofy styling, but all I can assume is that now the car buying public is used to what a hybrid is, and Honda figures they’ll be more comfortable buying them regardless of the wrapper.
Honda says the 2019 Insight has an EPA rating of up to 55 mpg in the city, lots of premium features, and starts at $22,830. Which strikes me as very inexpensive for what you get in the three different trim levels: LX, EX, and Touring. All trim levels come standard with multi-element LED headlights, push-button start (racy!), and the Honda Sensing suite of advanced safety and driver-assist technologies.
Other Insight EX goodies include the eight-inch display/audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Insight Touring adds leather seating surfaces, an eight-way power driver’s seat, Honda’s Satellite-Linked Navigation System, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
But let’s face it, Honda figured out how to make near-perfect automotive interiors back in the 80s. All the cool, discussion worthy stuff here lies under the hood, or unseen altogether.
2019 Honda Insight: Photo: Honda North America.
Power & Performance
The 2019 Insight is motivated by a third-gen Honda two-motor hybrid drivetrain. A 1.5-liter DOHC i-VTEC Atkinson-cycle inline-4 engine does the heavy lifting, and features a 40.5-percent thermal efficiency rating. That ICE is mated to an electric propulsion motor, cranking out 197 lb-ft. of torque. The whole shootin’ match adds up to a total system output of 151 horsepower.
Honda points out how this two-motor design allows the Insight to run without the need for a conventional automatic transmission. Hmmm, I bet tearing the drivetrain apart on one of these guys would be interesting and fun.
Honda further tweaks the energy regeneration system through the use of steering wheel-mounted Deceleration Selectors. These work similar to transmission paddle shifters, and allow you to toggle between three different levels of regenerative braking performance. Grab the left selector to increase regenerative braking, and the right to reduce it. Honda says the system not only increases battery charging via regeneration, but also helps reduce strain on the brakes themselves, letting the driver tailor their regenerative braking level for different conditions.
And yeah, that’s cool and all that, but why don’t you people make an Si variant where the paddles allow you to tailor performance? Just a thought.
Photo: Honda North America.
Drive Modes & Battery Placement
The full hybrid powertrain on the Insight uses power from all systems – the gasoline engine and electric motors –  to accommodate the driving conditions you might find yourself in, moment to moment, and can seamlessly shift through three distinct drive schemes.
In EV Drive, the Insight is powered completely by its electric drive motor, drawing power from the battery. In Hybrid Drive, the gasoline engine drives a generator that supplies electrical power to the drive motor and, in certain circumstances, Engine Drive operation connects the gasoline engine directly to the drive wheels, the way Gottlieb Daimler intended.
The battery for the 2019 Insight lives under the rear seats, housed in something called a “compact intelligent power unit.” The clever packaging solution allows the Insight to offer an impressive 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space. You can fold the rear seatback for long loads (with a 60/40 split in EX and Touring trims), and there’s a grand total of up to 97.6 cubic feet of interior space.





Manufacturing & Pricing
The 2019 Insight will join Honda’s lineup of electrified vehicles, alongside the Clarity series – Clarity Fuel Cell, Clarity Electric, and Clarity Plug-In Hybrid – and the new Accord Hybrid. The 2019 Insight is manufactured at Honda’s Greensburg, Indiana plant, while the 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle two-motor system, intelligent power unit, and hybrid battery pack is produced in Ohio.
Below is a handy chart that shows you the breakdown for the 2019 Honda Insight.
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
Trim
MSRP
MSRP Including $895 Destination
EPA Fuel Economy Ratings(city / highway / combined)
Insight LX
$22,830
$23,725
55/49/52
Insight EX
$24,060
$24,995
55/49/52
Insight Touring
$28,090
$28,985
51/45/48
Photos & Source: Honda North America.



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Letter From The UK: Brexit & Car Industry Repercussions

Letter From The UK: Brexit & Car Industry Repercussions The Saturday just past, June 23rd, was a significant milestone for the United Kingdom. It was on that very date two years ago that the British public – or at least those who could be bothered to get up off the couch and go vote – elected to leave the bloated political arena that is the European Union.
Since then we have endured 24 months of increasingly nasty and often false promises and threats and the automotive industry is at the heart of it. The appalling division this nightmare has engendered can be compared to that which has taken place in the USA since President Trump was sworn in.
The difference is that, in America’s case, the divisive issue is a person, in the case of the UK it is an ideal.
Brave New World
In the shining light of a new dawn in American politics, the election of Donald Trump could be seen as a stunning repudiation of the establishment. How successful he has been will depend upon who you ask; there is no middle ground it seems.
Similarly, over 40 years ago the British people were sold a new economic deal that made total sense, although there was no mention of political union. Depending upon who you ask, the EU is either a great success or it is an ideological empty bucket with a hole in it through which tax payer money pours. The envisioned brave new world of mutual respect has, since that fateful day two years ago, crumbled into the sort of bickering you expect in a school playground.
On the one side a weak and vacillating British government, on the other a bunch of un-elected arrogant stuffed shirts. It’s a disaster and one of the biggest headaches is what to do about the car industry.

Abandon Ship
In the halls of power it is all about who is in control and wearing the biggest hat, which is of no help whatsoever to importers and exporters. We are due to leave the Union in March 2019. With so much to decide you would think it would be in the interests of all involved nations to get it sorted out, but no. Is it any wonder that car makers and all the ancillary manufacturers and producers involved in the building of cars have not a clue about which way to jump.
It does not help when companies like BMW threaten to leave the UK entirely. Well, they are a German company so they would say that, wouldn’t they? The fact is that Great Britain is a strong market for BMW cars and their other badges, Mini and the prestigious Rolls Royce. Why is it reasonable they would do something like that?
It gets worse. Instead of looking ahead and arriving at positive decisions you get this: The very pro-Europe Dutch government have chosen to make threats. They have issued advice to all businesses in The Netherlands warning their exporters that they may lose free trade access under existing deals “if a large part of your product consists of parts from the UK.”

Rules of Engagement
You see, after Brexit, component parts made in the UK will no longer count towards the ‘rules of origin’ and ‘local content’ under international trade rules. To qualify for EU free trade deals, normally at least 55 percent of a product’s parts must come from an EU country. In the case of automobiles this could count against them. Ford, for example, makes a huge number of engines here, some of which are exported for the production of their products in Europe.
Not only does Britain make whole cars for export, we also provide car parts in huge quantities. If we are not in the EU our exported goods could attract trade tariffs of the type the American President is currently threatening.
Of course there are ways around these issues. Norway for example has a different deal with the EU that works for them; it wouldn’t work for the UK but it demonstrates that it is possible to get a deal.  Reasonable people can see this but, of course, politicians are rarely reasonable.
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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Letter From The UK: The Glory of Speed

Letter From The UK: The Glory of Speed


As we huddle pitifully in the wind and rain of our tiny Islands, we gaze enviously across the pond at the wondrous and varied car shows available, so it seems, on a daily basis, across all regions of the USA. To us, the likes of Wayne Carini and Chip Foose are simply mythical figures to be glimpsed occasionally on a digital TV channel. From time to time though, the sun does put in an appearance on the British Isles and we are always slightly surprised when it especially does so at our greatest annual car show, the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Peaks of Performance
Every year around this time, many thousands of car enthusiasts descend upon legendary Goodwood in West Sussex for the Festival of Speed. This hardy annual never fails to disappoint the fans with an exciting concoction of exotic supercars, historic racing machines, the latest crop of regular road and concept cars, and much more besides. Even former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone showed up to surprisingly popular acclaim.
The theme for the 2017 Festival of Speed was “Peaks of Performance – Motorsport’s Game-Changers.” As the years pass, the organizers try to find a new way of exploring the thrilling past, present, and future of the automotive scene. In many ways this year was just the same as it always was, but they do try and put a fresh slant on the proceedings. It always seems to work. We auto fans just can’t get enough.
Audi R8 V10 plus Coupe.
Jaguar Project 8 Dream Car
Of particular interest this time, manufacturers showed racing and road-going machines that were faster than ever before, like the BAC Mono and the glorious Project 8 Jaguar. Making its global dynamic debut among the most powerful and extreme performance cars in the world at the Goodwood show, the new Jaguar XE SV Project 8 claimed the hotly-contested Michelin Supercar Paddock Showstopper Trophy – just four days after the jaw-dropping car was officially unveiled.
As the only four-door car in the Michelin Supercar Run, the Jaguar faced formidable competition in the power-packed paddock, but voters hosted by Michelin singled out the Project 8 as one of the six most popular cars of the weekend, qualifying it for the overall Showstopper Final on the last day of the show.
The Project 8 exclusively features the most highly tuned version of Jaguar Land Rover’s five-liter Supercharged V8 petrol powertrain. The 592 bhp (600PS) engine has a Titanium Variable Active Exhaust and is complemented by Jaguar’s all-wheel drive system. Additionally, this beast features motorsport-derived aerodynamics and carbon fiber panels to deliver a 200 mph top speed and a 0-60 time of a scant 3.3 seconds, making Project 8 the fastest accelerating Jaguar yet.
Jaguar XE SV Project 8.

Limited Edition
Crucially, and you’ll have to take this writer’s word for it at least until you can find a YouTube video, it sounds as aggressive as you would expect; the growling V8 accompanied by the glorious old-school whine of a huge supercharger. Outstanding aural delights!
To ensure exclusivity, no more than 300 examples of the Project 8 will be hand-built at SVO’s (Special Vehicle Operations) Technical Center in Coventry and priced from £149,995 in the UK. If you want one (and you really do), you’ll need to move fast because this magnificent motor won’t be available for long.
All You Desire
Red cars from Ferrari ran amok to celebrate the 70th birthday of the marque. All the famous sports cars and racers that Goodwood usually commands were there, but this time a display of V12-engined F1 cars created an operatic sound all their own. Their extraordinary exhaust notes are so different from today’s race cars that sound like digital lawn mowers in comparison.
The new and blisteringly quick track-only Aston Martin Vantage AMR Pro made history at the Festival of Speed when it became the first vehicle to tackle the legendary hill climb using re-refined engine oil. Recycled or re-refined motor oil is nothing new, of course, but this is different. This landmark was made possible by a new active oil management system from Nexcel, part of the Castrol Group. Oil and filter change in ninety seconds anyone?
BAC Mono.
Memorable Conclusions
As ever, the Goodwood Festival of Speed did not disappoint the throngs who braved the inevitable long and tiresome car park queues to get in. Sports cars like the BAC Mono (which won its class), Audi R8, and the exquisite French Alpine were all at full chat on the track. With the hill climb and rally exhibitions, the supercars, and the also-rans; all the sights and sounds of the vibrant world of cars coupled with the roar of the engines and the smell of the crowd, once again, by doing the same thing brilliantly well, the show did not disappoint. With tired legs and weary ears, the multitudes went home happy.
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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2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS: The Ultimate 911?

2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS: The Ultimate 911?

There’s no way to sugarcoat this. There’s no “yeah, but” equivocations surrounding the new 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS. It’s the 911 of all 911s. It’s the top kick; the king of the mountain. All other 911s, from the various GTs to the RS and RSR; the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is now the 911.
The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS is the fastest and most powerful street-legal 911 ever. It recently took its introductory bows at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. Before this thing even hits the road or the race track, its numbers are just staggering.
More Power, Less Weight
The GT2 RS is powered by a twin-turbo flat-six engine that puts out 700 horsepower and 553 lb-ft. of torque. That’s 80 horsepower and 37 lb-ft. of torque more when compared to the previous 911 GT2 RS. As with all Porsches, the engine’s the thing, and the 2018 911 GT2 RS is certainly no exception. The 3.8-liter flat six is based on the plant from the current 911 Turbo S. The GT2 RS mill gets larger turbochargers with a new design that sprays water on the intercoolers when the intake air temperature reaches a certain threshold for optimum cooling at peak loads. The new GT2 RS can accelerate from zero to 60 in 2.7 seconds, topping out at 211 miles per hour; it tips the scales at the curb at 3,241 pounds.
The exhaust system is made of lightweight titanium and weighs 15 pounds less than the system used in the 911 Turbo. The front luggage compartment lid is made from carbon fiber and the roof panel is made from magnesium.
If you want to shave another 40 pounds from the vehicle, there’s the optional Weissach package that includes magnesium wheels and even more carbon fiber. The roof and anti-roll bars are made of carbon fiber, as are the end links on both axles. If you opt for the Weissach Package, you’ll see the carbon fiber weave of the luggage compartment lid and the roof are left largely exposed. The Weissach package will cost you an additional $31,000.
According to Porsche, the customized GT seven-speed double-clutch Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission in the new GT2 RS enables maximum efficiency with uninterrupted torque transfer. Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Handling & Aerodynamics
The new 911 GT2 RS has grip for days, thanks to its race-bred chassis and the fact Porsche developed a rear axle steering system, plus a stability management system tuned for “spirited” driving. There are air intakes and outlets all over the place and, of course, a big honking rear wing. The air intakes on the rear quarter panel, along with other parts of the rear, are made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic.
The wheels and tires are massive with 265/35/ZR20 tires up front and 325/30/ZR21 tires out back. Stopping is accomplished via the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes, which are standard.
Interior Treatments
The interior of the 911 GT2 RS is a red Alcantara with black leather and carbon fiber. The Full Bucket Seats have carbon fiber reinforced backrests and offer a high level of comfort and lateral support. The GT2 RS has Porsche Communication Management, the central control unit for audio, navigation, and communication. Porsche’s Connect Plus and Track Precision app are standard. These techno goodies enable a detailed recording, display, and analysis of driving data on your smartphone.
Porsche’s Chrono Package is optional and expands the PCM functions to display, save, and evaluate lap times. The Chrono Package includes a stopwatch on the dashboard with an analog and digital display. Finally, the Porsche Track Precision app is used in conjunction with an infrared transmitter placed at the side of the track; the lap trigger receiver enables drivers to record lap times with a higher level of precision. Fancy, no?
The 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS will reach U.S. dealers in early 2018. It will cost you *gulp* $293,200. Yes, that is a lot of crust. But c’mon, the new Porsche 911 GT2 RS is worth every penny.
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.
2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS Gallery








Photos & Source: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.



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Hagerty Providing Specialized Insurance For The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

Hagerty Providing Specialized Insurance For The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon

The 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the strongest, most powerful, most utterly insane street legal car yet. Naturally, Dodge made the car, the automaker who believes more horsepower is the answer to all of life’s foibles, big and small. Hagerty, an insurance company for enthusiast cars, trucks, and motorcycles, will offer specialized policies for the forthcoming Demon. Hagerty, who also supplies insurance for tractors, automotive tools, spare parts, and automobilia, says owners will have specialized coverage so they can enjoy their new performance machine.
Impressive Stats
The Dodge Challenger SRT Demon is the first-ever production car to do a front-wheel lift, as certified by Guinness World Records. It’s the world’s fastest quarter-mile production car with an elapsed time (ET) of 9.65 seconds at 140 mph, as certified by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). It also registers the highest g-force (1.8 g) ever recorded at launch in a production car. The 6.2-liter Hemi V8 features a deep-skirt cast iron block, aluminum alloy heads, and the now famous hemispherical combustion chambers. Running on 100 octane fuel, expect 840 horsepower (6,300 rpm) and 770 lb-ft. of torque (4,500 rpm).
In other words, it’s totally nuts, but maybe nuts isn’t so bad?
“We are living in the golden age of automotive performance, and the Demon is the latest example that speaks directly to the hearts of enthusiasts,” said McKeel Hagerty, CEO, Hagerty. “The insurance industry had a hand in ending the first great muscle car era, and we’re here to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.”
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Bold Coverage
Hagerty’s coverage will be the same Guaranteed Value policy provided to all vehicles that qualify for the program. Unlike traditional policies for the less-inspired grocery-getters us lemmings drive, the vehicle’s value is established when the policy is issued. This eliminates any negotiation on value should the vehicle experience a total covered loss. Dodge named Hagerty as the official insurance provider of the Challenger SRT Demon in April; the car is expected in dealerships this fall.
“We didn’t build the Demon to be a halo car that never sees the light of day,” commented Tim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands – Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and FIAT, FCA – North America.
Hagerty established a dedicated hotline for Demon owners: 844-840-8733. Those who wish to utilize the interwebs for further inquiry can visit Hagerty’s website and look for the “Quote Now” tab. Either way, a policy is waiting if you have raised your hand and said “yep, that’s the Challenger for me.”
“We want to make sure that Demon owners have access to the insurance they need to get these cars out on the street,” Kuniskis added.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Photos & Source: FCA US LLC, Hagerty.



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