Automotive

Volvo’s Skövde Plant Establishes Climate-Neutral Manufacturing

Volvo’s Skövde Plant Establishes Climate-Neutral Manufacturing Volvo Cars’ engine factory in Skövde, Sweden has become the automaker’s first climate-neutral manufacturing facility. The news was announced by Volvo this week, although the plant switched to renewable heating on January 1st. According to Volvo, Skövde will serve as a significant step toward the company’s vision of establishing climate-neutral manufacturing globally by 2025.
“Improving energy efficiency is our first priority and then, for the energy we need to use, we aim for supplies generated from renewable sources,” explained Javier Varela, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing and Logistics, Volvo Cars.
Sustainable Efforts
A new agreement between Volvo Cars and the local provider ensures all heating supplied to the facility is generated from waste incineration, biomass, and recycled bio-fuels. The electricity supplied to Skövde has come from renewable sources since 2008. A similar approach was taken at Volvo’s facility in Ghent, Belgium in 2016, where a special heating system was implemented saving 15,000 tons of C02 per year and ultimately reducing carbon emissions by 40 percent.
“Environmental care is one of our core values,” said Stuart Templar, Director for Sustainability, Volvo Cars. “Along with our plan to electrify all new Volvo cars launched from 2019, climate-neutral manufacturing operations will significantly reduce our overall carbon footprint, supporting global efforts to tackle climate change.”
“We will continue to work actively with our energy suppliers in all regions to secure further access to renewable energy for our manufacturing plants,” Varela added.
Extensive History
In general, Skövde is among only a few climate-neutral automotive plants in Europe. Volvo has utilized the facility since 1930 to manufacture engines, although the Sköfvde foundry and mechanical workshop was established much earlier in 1868 by John G Grönvall. The foundry produced frame saws, iron stoves, and turbines, later moving to engines in 1907. Today, the facility employs nearly 3,000 people.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos & Source: Volvo Car Group.

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DB11 Volante: Aston Martin Makes A Pretty One

DB11 Volante: Aston Martin Makes A Pretty One

Oh you pretty thing . . . British design can be so frustrating. On the one hand, you have things like the Supermarine Spitfire and the Jaguar E Type and anything Sir Christopher Wren designed. On the other, you have stuff like the Ford Anglia and that MI6 Building.
The brand new Aston Martin DB11 Volante is definitely one of the former.
Shaken, Not Stirred
Aston Martin, purveyor of cars to likes of James Bond, refers to its convertibles as Volantes. And the car we are looking at here, the DB11 Volante, is indeed the drop-top version of last year’s DB11 Coupe. Unlike the Coupe, there is no V12 engine available in the Volante. Some will bemoan this loss, but I am not one of them. Although the V12 plant is very impressive, the engine found under the Volante’s hood provides for a lighter package, meaning the convert will be more nimble and responsive. Said plant is a new 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 that cranks out 503 ponies.
The mill sits within an all-new bonded aluminum structure the Volante shares with the DB11 Coupe, minus the roof and such. The DB11 Volante is lighter and more rigid than the model it replaces and offers a much broader envelope of abilities, greater levels of performance and handling, and all that typical British character, refinement, comfort, and interior space Aston Martin is known for.
Photo: Aston Martin The Americas.
Performance Tech
That small block V8 is hooked up to and integrated with a whole slew of computer controlled subsystems and powertrain elements to make the Volante a grand tourer with some serious performance abilities. For example, there are 3-stage powertrain and chassis modes that operate harmoniously with the 8-speed automatic transmission, the electric power steering, and the dynamic torque vectored limited-slip differential. Aston Martin says this allows the Volante’s driver to “tailor its behavior in a way that best suits the road, weather conditions or their mood.”
Or, as I would put it: “There’s enough drivetrain nannies, chassis tuning, and fail-safe gizmos that will prevent you from spinning this thing into a ditch and scarring up its pretty face.”
Sounds like a fair deal.
Styling & Design
The DB11 Volante has the same single-piece aluminium bonnet (that’s “hood” to those of us that speak American) found on the DB11 Coupe. It has the same “Curlicue” styling bit, which I quite like; wonderful integration with the wheel well and it helps with air extraction to boot. Other styling touches include wood or carbon fiber veneer panels on the seat backs, a tailored fabric top in a choice of Bordeaux red, black silver or grey silver, “light blade” taillights, and new forged alloy wheels. Aston Martin says the end result is “breathtakingly sleek and athletic” and I am not going to argue with them.
Photo: Aston Martin The Americas.

Topside Testing
That fabric roof sounds like it’s a cross between a Savile Row suit and the mainsails from the HMS Ark Royal. It’s an all-new, 8-layer cosset design so the occupants are snug and dry from the extremes of weather and wind; it folds up into a class-leading, stack height at the touch of a button. Hit that button and 14 seconds later, the roof is down. Hit the button again, and in 16 seconds the top is up. You can also raise or lower the roof remotely from the key while moving at speeds up to 31 mph.
And the cherry on top is you get a 20 percent increase in trunk volume compared to the previous model.
The roof can take a pounding too. They ran it through more than 100,000 test cycles in special weather chambers designed to simulate atrocious conditions; they compressed 10 years of use into one month of testing, and drove prototypes of the thing around Death Valley and the Arctic Circle.
Pricing & Availability
They sum it up like this: “Engineered to be the most advanced and complete open-top Aston Martin ever built. Styled to put its rivals in the shade and honed to achieve a fine balance of ride, handling, responsiveness, and refinement, the DB11 Volante is dedicated to delivering a new dimension of driving pleasure.”
Which all sounds like a serious throwdown to the likes of, let’s see, who is the competition here? Jaguar, naturally. Also various German drop-tops – big BMWs, Mercedes-Benz and the like. The Italians don’t make convertibles like this, or at least Ferrari doesn’t. And let’s face facts here, nothing the Americans, French or Japanese make are even in the same league.
And what league are we talking about? The league that will run you the cost of a suburban home to get into. The price for the Aston Martin DB11 Volante starts at $216,495. Which is, obviously, a lot of money. Does all that work for you? If it does, then get down to your Aston Martin dealer by the first quarter of 2018 because that’s when the DB11 Volante is scheduled to show up.
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.
Aston Martin DB11 Volante Gallery

Photos & Source: Aston Martin The Americas.

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New General Motors Platform Addresses Transportation Challenges

New General Motors Platform Addresses Transportation Challenges

General Motors is diving headlong into several high-tech futures simultaneously. Autonomous vehicles, fuel cells, logistics simplification, even natural disaster relief. What I notice here is GM putting all this on the back of a semi-old idea of theirs: The flexible fuel cell platform.
In 2002, GM had this show car, but the whole thing wasn’t about the car itself, but the de facto chassis it was riding on. They called it “the skateboard” because that’s what it resembled: A huge, lowered platform with wheels at all four corners.
Essential Foundations
The deck of the skateboard formed the unified chassis and the fuel cell workings. There were electric motors at each wheel, powered by the energy the fuel cell produced, and here’s the beautiful part: you could mount any number of different bodies on it. To a company like GM, who wants to make their products as efficiently as possible, this is still perceived as a stroke of genius.
The bottom line is this: You make the skateboard chassis that contains all the running gear. You make them by the millions, literally millions of them, and the unit costs drop like an anchor without a chain. Then you can attach whatever body you want to that running gear, and the vehicle will still “work.” You need to produce a bunch of minivans? No problem! Just lengthen the skateboard a little, and you’re all set. Want an electric Corvette? Simple, shorten the whole thing, “tune” the software for more performance, and you’ve got a new Corvette. Pickup trucks, family sedans, delivery vans, cop cars: No problem! They’re all the same underneath.
Photo: General Motors.
General Solutions
Like I said, GM has been fixated on this theoretical concept for a while, and when growing needs (green efficiency, autonomous vehicles etc.) are coupled to a slew of growing possibilities (increasing capabilities with computer processing power, miniaturization of sensor suites and such), GM has a perfect opportunity to combine all of them into one big package, and be all things to all buyers. This is, in my estimation, the Holy Grail for GM. Why, it’s even right there in their name: General Motors. “What we do, generally speaking, is get you and/or your stuff from point A to B.”
I have long felt GM has been wanting, for decades, to be to transportation what Xerox is to photostatic copying and Kleenex is to blowing your nose: The generic answer to everyone’s transportation needs. “Hand me a Kleenex, will ya?” “Xerox me some copies of this report, will ya?” “I got to get to the airport, call me up a GM, will ya?” To some degree, GM already has this with Cadillac. “Well, sir, I can assure you, this is the ‘Cadillac’ of vacuum cleaners.”
And the funny thing is, with GM’s latest swing they call SURUS, they might be able to achieve that with all their brands, not just Cadillac.
The SURUS commercial platform leverages over 50 years of research and development in fuel cell technology by GM. The scalable and adaptable technology enables land, sea, and air applications across commercial and military environments. Photo: General Motors.

Combined Approach
SURUS stands for Silent Utility Rover Universal Superstructure, and GM aims to use the platform to solve some of the toughest transportation challenges brought up by natural disasters, global conflicts, and otherwise complex environments. The Detroit-based company showed off the flexible fuel cell electric platform with its autonomous capabilities at the fall meeting of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) recently.
This is very smart of GM. If they can make SURUS work in a military environment, then they should be able to adapt it into a platform for everyday use. If they can make it work in the middle of a desert, or the middle of a jungle, then it should work everywhere.
SURUS pulls together GM’s newest Hydrotec fuel cell system, autonomous capability, and various truck chassis components for high-performance, zero-emission power. The combination is meant to reduce logistical problems and lessen human exposure to harm. In other words, GM wants it to run for a long time, make little to no noise, withstand getting shot at, be able to take a beating, and drive on its own, with nobody getting hurt. Benefits include easy field configuration for a variety of uses, instantaneous high torque from the EV motors, “exportable power generation” so you can power stuff back at camp, water generation (the main “pollutant” from fuel cells is pure water), and quick refueling times.
A rendering of the SURUS platform as an ambulance to show the number of possible flexible fuel cell applications. Photo: General Motors.
Endless Possibilities
And that’s not just speculation on my part. GM states flat out “SURUS was designed to form a foundation for a family of commercial vehicle solutions that leverages a single propulsion system integrated into a common chassis.” While working on the military version, GM is also working on versions that are utility trucks, mobile and emergency backup power generation units, flexible cargo delivery systems (Hello UPS! Hello Amazon!), and commercial freight delivery vehicles. GM is also evaluating military configurations for SURUS and how the platform can be applied to light- and medium-duty trucks.
If General Motors can extrapolate this platform onto our roads, who is really going to notice? Us, the gearheads of this world. Sure, if you’re a minivan buyer or agonizing over which shade of beige to get for your Impala, a common drivetrain platform won’t mean much to you. But would you accept that same drivetrain on a new Corvette? I dunno, man . . . but then again, maybe this will allow The General more flexibility? Maybe they can crank out that mundane stuff for everyone else, and still keep Vettes and other factory hot rods powered by real internal combustion engines?
Performance exclusivity for us gearheads, predictable transportation for everyone else? Works for me!
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.
GM SURUS Platform Specifications
Four-wheel steering
Advanced suspension
Gen 2 fuel cell system
Autonomous capability
Lithium-ion battery system
GM truck chassis components
Two advanced electric drive units
State-of-the-art propulsion power electronics
Hydrogen storage system with over 400 miles of range
GM SURUS Platform Gallery

Photos & Source: General Motors.

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Honda Engine Production Hits 25 Million In Ohio

Honda Engine Production Hits 25 Million In Ohio

Associates at Honda’s Anna, Ohio engine plant celebrated a milestone this week as the facility produced its 25 millionth engine. Honda recently invested $47 million there to bolster engine production for the 2018 Accord. New are two direct-injected VTEC Turbo 4-cylinder engines and a 2.0 i-VTEC Atkinson Cycle engine for the Accord Hybrid.
“Building 25 million engines is not just a major production milestone, but symbolic of the passion and commitment invested by our associates, past and present, to satisfy 25 million customers,” said Paul Dentinger, Plant Manager, Anna Engine Plant.
Versatile Facility
The 25 millionth engine, produced on Line 4, was a 1.5-liter turbo that will be shipped to the Marysville Auto Plant, about 45 miles east of Anna. Anna Engine produces more than 1.18 million engines annually, making it Honda’s largest engine plant in the world. The 2.5 million square foot facility supplies engines and components for 14 Honda and Acura vehicles made across the globe. The plant also makes the turbo engine for the Civic Type-R, the most powerful production Honda in the United States. Further, in the spring of 2016, master technicians at the Anna plant starting building the hand-assembled twin turbo engine for the Acura NSX.
“We continue to invest in our plant and our people to build a new generation of Honda engine products for customers here and around the world,” Dentinger said.
The Anna Engine plant opened in 1985 and total investments there by Honda exceed $2.7 billion. At its current production rate, the Anna staff should reach another 25 million engines sometime in the year 2038.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photo & Source: Honda North America.

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What Makes Supercars Super: The Dream

What Makes Supercars Super: The Dream

Recently, we launched our new series What Makes Supercars Super. The first episode follows one Mike Berman, owner of the The Yellow Compass Group, a boutique Ferrari dealership. Automoblog Host Gino D’Orazio introduces us to Berman and takes us through his dealership.
We see a showroom full of classic and unique Ferrari cars and why each one is so memorable and iconic to both Berman and his customers.
Our second installment entitled The Dream builds from the themes of the first episode. From behind the wheel of his BMW, D’Orazio conveys a passion only the truest car enthusiasts will understand. The Dream shows us how supercars bring out our deepest emotions and often leave us speechless. We have set out to determine just what makes supercars super. Indeed, there are probably a thousand answers, but discovering each of them is part of the thrill.
Enjoy.

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2018 Mazda3 Hatchback Grand Touring Review

2018 Mazda3 Hatchback Grand Touring Review

If you want a stylish, fun-to-drive, fuel-efficient car with utility, you might think you need to buy a small, sub-compact city commuter. But it’s all available in the Mazda3 hatchback. Mazda is producing some fun entries and this one competes well with popular rivals like the Volkswagen Golf, Honda Civic, and Ford Focus.
This week we drove the 2018 Mazda3 5-Door Grand Touring, which is the top trim.
What’s New For 2018
The Mazda 3 remains mostly unchanged for 2018, with a shuffling of some features and option packages. Our Grand Touring tester had LED headlights as standard equipment.
Features & Options
Our 2018 Mazda3 5-Door Grand Touring ($24,945) came standard with LED exterior lights (headlights, foglights, taillights), a sunroof, digital speedometer, an upgraded display in the instrument panel, leather upholstery, a nine-speaker Bose system, and satellite radio.
The Premium Equipment package ($1,600) added adaptive headlights, automatic high beams, a heated steering wheel, paddle shifters, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, navigation, lane departure warning and intervention, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning with braking for higher speeds, and a traffic sign reader. The Appearance Package ($1,750) added a rear spoiler, front air dam, rear bumper skirt, and side sill extensions.
Total MSRP including destination: $29,770.

Interior Highlights
When we stepped inside the Mazda3, we thought the cockpit was truly driver-focused. Everything is centered on driving enjoyment, with all the controls arranged symmetrically around the driver. The heads-up display is available to make it easier to have fun driving this sporty hatch. The electronic emergency brake is another small thing some might not notice, but it provides room for the gear shifter to be optimally placed.
The leather-trimmed front seats are supportive, comfortable, and among the best in the class; we think they’re near-luxury level. Mazda has some of the best interiors for this price point of any automaker. The quality of materials is top notch and the fit and finish is excellent for a vehicle under $30,000.
In the back, there’s 35.8 inches of rear legroom, so taller passengers will feel cramped. It’s fine for short rides, but not long road trips. When it comes to cargo space, the hatch is among the best. The 5-Door Grand Touring offers 20.2 cubic feet behind the rear seat. With the seats folded flat, it offers up an abundant 47.1 cubic feet of cargo space, moving it into small SUV territory.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The Grand Touring comes powered by a 2.5-liter engine, producing 184 horsepower and 185 lb-ft. of torque. It’s mated to a six-speed automatic with Sport Mode and paddle shifters. It’s a front-drive configuration and gets an EPA-estimated 26/35 city/highway and 30 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
The first thing we noticed after getting behind the wheel was the heads-up display. It’s one of the best features for any driver so you can keep your eyes on the road. We like it because we push our testers to the limit. The 2.5-liter had ample power for most driving situations, and small hatch buyers will like the four-cylinder with the automatic because of the excellent fuel mileage.
The 6-speed Sport Mode automatic is ideal for enthusiasts because it offers steering wheel paddles, and it shifts with the decisiveness of a dual-clutch transmission. Mazda says “Driving Matters” and this car is a good example of what they transfer to the driver. We found the Mazda3 handles the tightest curves and mountain roads like more expensive German sedans. The ride can be a bit busier than most compact cars and somewhat stiff because the suspension is tuned for sport over comfort.
But that’s why you would buy this car: for the driving enjoyment.
Conclusion
The 2018 Mazda3 5-Door Grand Touring is one of the best hatchbacks for the money. It not only ramps up the fun-to-drive meter, but it offers functionality, sporty styling, a top-notch cabin, excellent fuel economy, and safety. If it were offered with all-wheel drive it would be even better.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 Mazda3 5-Door Hatchback Gallery

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2018 Mazda3 5-Door official site.
Photos: Mazda North American Operations.

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2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe: Have Your Cake & Eat It Too!

2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe: Have Your Cake & Eat It Too! The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe features a new EQ Boost system.Horsepower is up slightly, but torque is up significantly versus the prior model. Zero to 60 mph is estimated by Mercedes-AMG at 4.8 seconds; top speed is TBD.The Germans are just going to keep calling these swoopy sedans coupes. I guess we should just give in to the new convention and go along with it. In this case, we’re talking about the 2021 Mercedes AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe. And sure, it tries to have it both ways, but it also sort of gets it both ways.

Best of Both Worlds

Essentially, automakers, and German automakers, particularly, are trying to have their cake and eat it too. They want a sedan, but they want to stay away from that staid three-box reality as much as possible. Hence, this whole idea of a four-door “coupe.”

I will say this: the AMG GT 43 4-Door is not unattractive (although the front is kind of, uh, present). Given that it’s a Merc, it’s screwed together like a bank vault, and it’s just as reliable. And given that it’s an AMG, it should go like the blazes.

2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe. Photo: MBUSA. Under The Hood: Engine & EQ Boost

Most importantly, the engine bay of the Mercedes-AMG GT 43 is filled by a 3.0-liter turbo inline-six. The new 43 Coupe, like the 2020 GLS, features an EQ Boost system that employs stored electric power from the 48V battery through an Integrated-Starter-Generator.

All said, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe cranks out 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque. In case you’re comparing against the outgoing model, that’s a bump of 21 horsepower and 184 lb-ft. of torque!

Transmission & Drive Modes

That mill and all its high-voltage wizardry are hooked up to an AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT nine-speed transmission. AMG DYNAMIC SELECT drive modes, an AMG Ride Control Sport Suspension, and silver-painted six-piston front brake calipers are standard.

Add in a Burmester surround sound system, electronically-deployable rear spoiler, and the Mercedes-Benz User Experience Infotainment System and you are down the road in style.

Pricing & Availability

Let’s face the inevitable here. You want the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe, but would probably rather have something like this. But you have a family. You need a rear seat. And four doors are handy. So the answer is the AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe.

U.S. deliveries are expected to begin in late 2020 with a starting MSRP of $89,900. Tack on another $1,050 for destination and delivery.

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.

Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe Gallery

Photos & Source: MBUSA.
Original article: 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT 43 4-Door Coupe: Have Your Cake & Eat It Too!

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Chevy eCOPO Camaro Concept: Drag Racing Goes Electric!

Chevy eCOPO Camaro Concept: Drag Racing Goes Electric! Chevy partners with Hancock and Lane Racing for the eCOPO Camaro Concept.
The Chevy eCOPO Camaro is entirely electric and runs a quarter-mile in the single digits.
Testing is still underway although the concept made its debut recently at SEMA in Las Vegas.
Okay, calm down, calm down. This won’t be easy for some to hear. Chevrolet has just rolled out a COPO Camaro drag car, and it’s an electric vehicle. I know, I know. Given the torque produced by electric motors, this could be one of the coolest moves ever.
Or, it could be a sign of the apocalypse. “And the angel opened the fourth seal, and an electric Camaro came fourth.” I’m pretty sure I read that in the tech sheet about the head bolt torque specs on SBC crate engines. Either way, you know there’s some die-hard Camaro people taking this like a scene from Ghostbusters.
What’s next? Dogs and cats living together?
Torque Baby!
Personally, I have no problem being the heretic this time around and saying the Chevy eCOPO Camaro could be totally cool! Totally cool in two ways: One, racing improves the breed; and better electric race cars will mean better electric cars for us gearheads. And second: Torque Baby, Torque!
As is well known, electric motors put out all their torque from zero RPM on up. Meaning drag racing should be a perfect venue for messing with EVs to make them more fun.
You know there's some die-hard Camaro people taking this like a scene from Ghostbusters.Click To TweetBy The Numbers
Before we get into the nitty-gritty technical stuff here, let’s go over what a COPO is for those not in the know. The COPOs were Chevy’s answer to things like Super Stock Dodges back in the day; factory strippers with all the go fast drag parts thrown in so you could be king of the Saturday night digs. A few years ago, Chevy brought the COPOs back, and a fun time has been had by all as they squared off against Drag Pack Mustangs (thank you, Ford) and whatever beasts Mopar would let escape from the dungeons of Auburn Hills.
Now, this COPO, (or eCOPO) is just like its (literal) fire-breathing, pollution-gushing siblings. It’s not to be taken lightly. Based on the 2019 COPO Camaro, the eCOPO cranks out 700 plus horsepower and 600 lb-ft. of pavement-wrinkling torque. Chevy estimates it can run the quarter-mile in the nine-second range. Nine. Out of the box. That is . . . not bad at all! Nine!
I know guys that have worked all summer to hit single digits, let alone get a turn-key solution. Amazing!
Related: How the Camaro ZL1 became GM’s fastest track car.
The Chevy eCOPO Camaro Concept takes inspiration from the original 1969 COPO Camaro. Photo: Chevrolet.
How The Chevy eCOPO Camaro Works
Well, it starts with an 800-volt battery pack and ends up with your head snapping back like Ali drilled you in the nose. Between the big, whompin’ battery packs and the ground sits a pair of BorgWarner HVH 250-150 motor assemblies, each generating 300 lb-ft. of torque. Things get real goofy at this point, with both electric motors mated to a “conventional racing-prepared Turbo 400 automatic transmission.”
Really? Isn’t that the same slush box Chevy puts in trucks and stuff?
This thing isn’t a rolling advertisement for the future of electric vehicles; it’s a testament to how tough a Turbo 400 automatic is. Sheesh! South of that, all the power gets channeled to the same solid rear axle used in the production COPO Camaro race cars.
Chevy says the 800-volt battery pack allows for more efficient power transfer to the electric motor, and supports faster recharging. This is important, given the limited amount of time between rounds in drag racing. Also – like I need to point this out – when we can figure out how to juice these things up quicker, the more viable they’ll be for day to day use.
SEMA attendees were able to see under the hood of the Chevy eCOPO Camaro Concept.
This thing isn't a rolling advertisement for the future of electric vehicles; it's a testament to how tough a Turbo 400 automatic is.Click To TweetBattery Management System
This monitors all critical voltages and temperatures within the battery pack. It links into an inclusive safety system that constantly gauges all electrical components for proper function and safe operation. Makes total sense, because an electrical system voiding itself of that much power should be running as hot as a blast furnace from green light to checkered flag. The batteries of the eCOPO live in the trunk and are sealed off from the interior.
Also, you crew chiefs will already be thinking about those big, heavy batteries sitting way back. Yes, the eCOPO Camaro holds a 56 percent rear-weight bias, which, yes, helps launch the car like a golf ball off a tee.
And now, the three words that will make your week: Electric. Crate. Motors.
Chevy eCOPO Camaro Concept. Photo: Chevrolet.
New Generation
The eCOPO Camaro’s electric motor uses the same bell house mounting pattern and crankshaft flange as the popular LS engines (hint) in Chevrolet’s crate engine portfolio (hint hint). That allows you to bolt it up to just about any GM transmission (hint hint hint). Also, the transmission, driveshaft, and other drivetrain components remain in the same locations as a gasoline-powered COPO Camaro. Meaning the electric motor simply bolts into the engine compartment in place of the gas engine in a direct swap.
And, if you can do it in a COPO, then you could do it with anything else you could fit an LS into. Again: You could do it with anything else you could fit an LS into.
“The possibilities are intriguing and suggest a whole new world for racers,” said Russ O’Blenes, Director, Performance Variants, Parts and Motorsports, General Motors. “The eCOPO Concept is all about where we go in the future with electrification in the high performance space.”
To which I say, “Shut up and hand me that wrench, O’Blenes!”
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
Photos & Source: Chevrolet.

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2020 Nissan Murano Redesign, Release and Price

Many crossover SUV that will be present in the year 2020. You may have specified an option that will make you happy. One of the artificial crossover Nissan might be of your interest. Many of the features of Excel which will be available on this car. The redesign will probably happen to 2020 Nissan Murano. And whether this car will be available in a hybrid. It is not yet certain. But if indeed it happens this car really be great.

Interior and Exterior. What’s new

The new exterior is significantly to boast about due to the fact it received a total remodeling that is sports and assures speed and luxury on your way. The V-molded front grille is coupled with Nissan’s signature Directed and daytime working lighting. Within the shape of the boomerang, the head lighting is employed in sync using the facial lines to existing the automobile previously mentioned essential aerodynamics. The moonroof about the Nissan Murano redesign is extended and delivers the superb presence from the skies. Back and front seating vacationers can all go through the usual surroundings hardly ever situated modern crossover autos. An entire new exterior attribute within the 2020 Murano is the ‘floating roof’ placed on the back in the car. The floating roof allows the motor lighter facts that crosses as much as the inside in the auto.

The safety paperwork can also be about the increased degree, especially now, when the corporation has prepared it with more fundamental security programs. Nevertheless, its cargo residing space is a tad bit limited as a result it really is not that practical if you are looking to pull some substantial and more major factors. The 2020 Nissan Murano model yr is here while in the promotion with lots of distinct updates contemplating of technologies, just additional overall health and safety, and infotainment attributes. They comprise the new touchscreen using the navigation, Apple CarPlay connectivity, and Android mobile phone Car. As clearly, the Murano urgent circumstance braking and ahead accident alert are now normal on all trims.

Engine Performance

The 2020 Nissan Murano improve conveys a 3.5-liter V6 engine which produces 26000 hp. The driver is associated with having a CVT transmission. 2020 Nissan Murano is available steady just like an all-wheel push, although the most beneficial tire generates non-compulsory. Gas surveys in the new Nissan Murano are sensible making 21 miles for every gallon inside the city and 28 mpg out and about.

Release date and price are still rumors

For the release date of the car, there is no certainty. We recommend that you wait for the confirmation directly from Nissan about release date and price for this car. For that price, we also do not have information that is so uncertain. But our estimate of the price of this car can get on $45.030 to trim top rated as for the trim will be available in the upcoming 2020 include S, SV, SL, Platinum.

2015 Nissan Murano driver-side small overlap IIHS crash test

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