Automotive

Calling All Cars: Automotive Technology & Design. Free Course Open to Young Persons Interested in...

Calling All Cars: Automotive Technology & Design. Free Course Open to Young Persons Interested in... This article originally appeared on AutoVision News. It has been republished with permission.

Productions Plus has partnered with SynaVoice SOL to offer weekly online summer courses to high schoolers on different topics. Starting on July 6th, Productions Plus and SynaVoice SOL will host Calling All Cars: Automotive Technology & Design. This week-long program will introduce high schoolers to the automotive industry and provide insight into how cars work.

The free virtual class is led by Matt Troyer and Ken Smith from Productions Plus. Together, Troyer and Smith have created some of the industry’s most comprehensive training programs for brands like Audi, Nissan, Toyota, and Lexus. Troyer and Smith coach at racetracks and in the classroom, and now virtually for Calling All Cars: Automotive Technology & Design.

Internal Combustion to Autonomy

The class covers a range of topics, from the terminology used by manufacturers today, to how they decide on styling their vehicles. During the week, high schoolers will learn the fundamentals of an internal combustion engine and how electric vehicles came into existence. Troyer and Smith will also explain how automakers are leveraging new technology to build tomorrow’s cars.

“We teach basic automotive technology and the history of the automobile, but we also look at telematics, autonomous driving, and future cars,” Troyer explained. “We demystify some of the things about automotive technology that can sound intimidating by keeping it simple.”

The course will be as immersive as it is expansive. On the final day of the class, Friday, July 10th, a Q&A session and a virtual tour of a 1965 Buick Skylark convertible are planned. “Everything we teach, we try and infuse with entertainment, passion, and interest,” Troyer added.

How to Register

Calling All Cars: Automotive Technology & Design currently has openings. Parents can register their students free of charge. The course runs Monday, July 6th through Friday, July 10th from 10 am to 12 Noon Eastern.
Original article: Calling All Cars: Automotive Technology & Design. Free Course Open to Young Persons Interested in Automotive Technology

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Pie In The Sky: Chevy & Domino’s Create In-Vehicle Pizza-Ordering Tech

Pie In The Sky: Chevy & Domino’s Create In-Vehicle Pizza-Ordering Tech Chevrolet and Domino’s are now offering in-vehicle ordering via GM’s Marketplace platform.
Drivers create their “Pizza Profile” and use that to place orders for either carry-out or delivery.
While useful, we’re not entirely sold on the idea when we have smartphones and mobile apps.
“Chevy is the first automotive brand to provide embedded in-vehicle pizza-ordering,” they cried. “Why?” I muttered in response. Basically, what we’re dealing with here (and “dealing with it” is about all I can handle at the moment) is Chevrolet partnering with Domino’s to provide people who own Chevys the ability to order pizza directly from their car’s touchscreen. It’s not all that dissimilar from what Domino’s and Ford did two years ago, partnering to examine how self-driving cars impact pizza delivery.
How Do I Order Pizza From My Car?
This in-car, pizza on-demand is part of the Chevrolet Marketplace, a commercial platform GM launched near the end of 2017. It allows Chevy owners to buy stuff, essentially. Marketplace can order coffee and food (pizza in this case), find gas stations, make dinner reservations and so on. Chevy says Marketplace is the industry’s first in-vehicle commerce platform. Marketing types – being who they are – tout this like it’s the best technological innovation since the space-saver spare.
“Millions of eligible Chevrolet drivers can now order their favorite Domino’s pizza from their in-vehicle touchscreen,” reads a recent press release. “So it’s ready for carry-out when they get to the store or will arrive at their home if they choose delivery.”
Which isn’t that impressive of an achievement. What Chevy and Domino’s are offering is a one-touch (really a few touches) ordering of America’s favorite Italian food. So sure, that does take out the arduous task of actually having to dial and speak to another human on the phone. But you could do that with an app, you know, like the one Dominos and other national pizza chains already have.
Chevy’s big mistake is the same one a number of automakers are committing today. They keep trying to make your car do something that other devices already do, and do much better. When I read that quote above, after tripping over the caveat of “eligible,” my immediate reaction was can’t we already do that on our phones? The answer is yes. Yes we can.
To place orders through Marketplace, users set up a free Pizza Profile with Domino’s, either online or through the Domino’s mobile app. Photo: Chevrolet.
Related: I tested GM’s controversial Marketplace app: Here’s what I found.
But No Phone Necessary
Chevy explains the machinations of the system: you can save your favorite orders and review past ones from the Domino’s Pizza Profile and, with a few screen taps, place those orders again. Easy-peasy. And here’s where Chevy unwittingly points out the system’s failing, saying how it works independently of any mobile device.
But Why? What on earth is the point of that? Anyone with basic capabilities and some causal reasoning is already thinking: “I can do this with my phone, what’s the big deal?” Let me answer that: It’s not. This is not a big deal. Chevy wants you to think it’s a big deal the same way Domino’s wants you to think it’s actually pizza.
This is, like most tech innovations these days, solving a problem that never really existed in the first place, and doing so in a cumbersome and intrusive way. And some of these tech “solutions” create more problems than they actually solve. Carlos A. Alvarenga, Senior Research Fellow and Adjunct Professor in the Logistics, Business, and Public Policy Department at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business, dubs this as the Linn Effect.
Within Marketplace, customers place a saved order or a recent one from their Domino’s Pizza Profile. Photo: Chevrolet.
Pie In The Sky
To wit, and I quote from the press release: “To place pizza orders through Marketplace, users first need to set up a free Pizza Profile with Domino’s, either online or through their Domino’s mobile app. The profile will include their preferred delivery address, preferred stores and payment method information, as well the chance to create and save their favorite order as an Easy Order. Through Marketplace, users will link their Pizza Profile to their vehicle, allowing for simple ordering in the future.”
So, let me get this straight. I set up my Pizza Profile, handing over personal information to a large corporation, like where I eat, where I buy their food, how I pay for it etc. Then save a bunch of my preferences for what I like to eat (more big data to get crunched, sifted, and sold); and then all this information links with another corporation that chains it to a specific vehicle. And then, when I’m driving and I say to myself, “Boy a pizza sure sounds good,” I open the app, tap a few buttons, and all my pizza dreams will come true!
Or, I can go through the debilitating and draining task of picking up my phone and saying, “Yeah, this is Tony. I’d like a medium pizza with Italian sausage and onions to go. Okay, thanks.” I do declare, how did we ever survive such hardships?!
Only in America could a couple of companies come up with such a semi-laughable way to get more personal data; target and track you, yet spin it as a benefit and expect people to say, “Cool!” Of course, there is a percentage that will think it’s cool, but I honestly don’t know how to help you at this point if you do.
Photo: Chevrolet.
Cars Are Not (And Should Never Be) Phones
Manufacturers have to stop trying to make their cars act like smartphones. Know why? Because smartphones already act like smartphones. That ship has sailed. The fact Chevy did this raises the awful specter that one of two things happened in a planning meeting one day in Detroit. Either someone said “Gee, it sure would be cool if my car could order pizza for me.” Or the much more likely scenario: someone said, “How can we leverage our customer base to get more demographic and purchasing data out of them, then sell that off as another revenue stream?”
Like I said, most tech innovations today solve problems that never really existed in the first place. And don’t get me started on what counts as “pizza” in the boardrooms at Domino’s.
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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2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Review: No Terrain Too Tough

2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Review: No Terrain Too Tough 87Good 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMaxOverall Impression Excellent when off-road.Comfortable and spacious cabin.Lags behind other trucks in key areas.ProsEngine Power Safety EquipmentRoomy Rear Seating ConsPrice BumpFuel Economy The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro took a year off to get some upgrades, and now the Japanese automaker brings it back better than ever for off-road enthusiasts. It’s the trim you want for extreme off-road performance. It also receives new wheels that set it apart from previous years, although it gets a significant price bump from the 2016 TRD Pro we tested a few years ago. So is the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro worth the extra money?
Well this week, we’ve been driving the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax.
What’s New For The 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro?
TRD Pro is back after a year hiatus and comes with a revised suspension that includes Fox internal bypass shocks. The new BBS wheels feature Michelin P275/65R18 all-terrain tires. The TRD Pro trim is only available for CrewMax models. The current-generation Tundra was primarily designed by Toyota’s Calty Design Research centers in Newport Beach, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Features & Options: Safety & Off-Road Treatments
The 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax ($49,645) comes standard with heated mirrors, damped tailgate, rearview camera, an integrated trailer brake controller, Bluetooth, and a six-speaker sound system with a CD player and USB port. The upgraded tech interface includes a seven-inch touchscreen, HD and satellite radio, traffic information, and a navigation app. The crew cab adds a power rear window and an overhead console.
Safety features include forward collision warning and mitigation with automatic braking; lane departure warning and automatic high beams; and adaptive cruise control. TRD Pro also comes with variable, intermittent windshield wipers and wiper de-icer.
For improved off-road performance, the TRD Pro trim features larger aluminum Fox shocks for better heat dissipation and damping control; a two-inch front lift for more clearance, lighter BBS forged wheels, and LED headlights and fog lamps to help light up the trail at night. A shiny black exhaust tip and TRD Pro exhaust change the note, while a front skid plate prominently features the TRD logo in red.
Visually, a unique grille, TRD Pro stamping on the rear quarter panels, and a hood scoop separate it from the rest of the line. On the inside, TRD Pro logos are pretty much everywhere. Total MSRP including destination for our tester: $51,040.
2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax.
Related: On the road with the perfect weekend warrior.
Interior Highlights: Stadium-Sized Cabin
Stepping inside the Toyota Tundra reveals a spacious cabin ready to haul five adults and/or kids around with ease. There’s sufficient leg room for every rider, but the CrewMax is definitely the correct choice if you are carrying six-footers in the second row. The leather-trimmed bucket seats are plush and comfy. They feature attractive red stitching that sets off the black seats and dash. The rear seats slide and recline, though the backrest reclining angle isn’t too comfortable and the cushions are somewhat low.
All the controls are easy to locate and use, and there are plenty of storage compartments and cupholders for those long trips. Also for those longer trips is the TRD Pro’s Entune Premium Audio with Navigation and App Suite. When connected to your smartphone, the system gives you access to different apps via the dashboard touchscreen.
Just two things are missing in this spacious cabin: push-button start and heated seats. We think these are a must in this price range. There is tons of room in this Tundra for even the tallest adults, but the absence of heated seats is an oversight by Toyota.
The 2019 Toyota Tundra features High Solar Energy-Absorbing (HSEA) glass. To avoid sun damage to the interior, the glass filters solar heat and UV light.
Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs: Room For Improvement
The 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is powered by the i-Force 5.7-liter V8, which is synonymous with the Tundra name. The engine produces 381 horsepower (5,600 rpm) and 401 lb-ft. of torque (3,600 rpm). It comes mated to a six-speed automatic with sequential shift technology. Another i-Force powerplant is also available, a smaller 4.6-liter that produces 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft. of torque. Both engines utilize an aluminum cylinder block and variable valve timing.
EPA fuel economy estimates are 13/17 city/highway and 14 combined with 4WD. This is one mpg less combined than previous models. The larger fuel tank (38 gallons) is useful for longer hauls. However, when compared to other trucks in the market, the Toyota Tundra is way behind the pack in terms of fuel economy.
All Tundra beds are 22.2 inches deep and, when properly equipped, offer a payload capacity of up to 1,730 lbs. When properly equipped, the 2019 Toyota Tundra can tow 10,200 lbs. While this is a solid towing figure, it lags behind the current and updated offerings from the Big Three.
The Fox internal bypass shocks are one of the best features of the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax.
Driving Dynamics: A Good Sounding Truck
Thankfully, one thing Toyota didn’t change on the TRD Pro is the dual exhaust system. The 5.7-liter engine comes to life when you step on the pedal with a nice throaty rumble. We pushed the big full-size truck up I-70 west of Denver and into the mountains without issue. The TRD Pro is especially quick due to the engine’s high torque rating. The six-speed automatic shifts up and down smoothly, with shift points ideal for pulling a long mountain pass or hauling a larger trailer.
Driving Dynamics: Off-Road Test
On the open road, Toyota seemed to improve the ride quality somewhat over the previous model. With regard to our TRD Pro tester, it has the extra ground clearance and the right suspension setup for extreme off-road use, including 2.5-inch Fox internal bypass shocks. If you want to get away from civilization, this is the model you want. We tested it on an off-road course west of Denver, and the big truck had no problem pulling up steep trails and navigating a rocky stretch. Toyota says the suspension changes provide an increase in rear wheel travel of more than two inches, something we noticed on the course.
In urban settings, the Tundra has a civilized manner and it handles well enough. But around town, the CrewMax is tricky, as the truck is a bit long for most parking spots. If you need to get into smaller areas, this truck will leave you hanging out.
If you want to get away from civilization, the 2019 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro CrewMax is the truck for you.
Conclusion: Still Pretty Good
Those interested in venturing off-road or getting away from the city would be wise to consider the capable TRD Pro. It comes with plenty of creature comforts too if you do take it on a long trip. While it does fall behind the competition in some areas, the 2019 Toyota Tundra is still a solid truck with a strong track record of reliability behind it.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. All of his firsthand reviews are archived on our test drives page. Follow Denis on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2019 Toyota Tundra Gallery

Photos: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. (Additional models and trim levels shown).

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Ultima RS: The Most Incredible Car You’ve Probably Never Heard About

Ultima RS: The Most Incredible Car You’ve Probably Never Heard About It all started out innocently enough. I noticed something on one of the racing sites, and that lead to a group email with me summarizing, “Yes, yes, great car, wonderful specs and all that. Now, could you please give it to an Italian so it will look less ugly?” The great car in question is the new Ultima RS. Indeed, it is a very great car, if also being frighteningly homely.

The company says the Ultima RS is the crowning glory of their 35 years and the finest expression of their core DNA.

What Is The Story Behind The Ultima RS?

Ultima, as a car company, has been kicking around for a while. In 1983, automotive engineer and designer Lee Noble established Noble Motorsport Ltd, and launched the Ultima Mk1. The Ultima Mk1 had a square-tube, space-frame chassis, along with the front brakes and steering of the Ford Cortina and Renault rear brakes. The V6 engine and transmission were from a Renault 30. If you had a subscription to Kitcars and Specials magazine back then, you would have seen the Ultima Mk1 in its pages.
By 1998, the forthcoming Ultima GTR is undergoing tests at the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA). By 2014, the company is producing the GTR’s replacement, the Ultima Can-Am. However, by 2015 the Ultima Evolution replaces them both with the company’s most advanced technology yet. A year later, sales would stretch to include 65 countries.
In addition, they are in the Forza Motorsport games and they were instrumental in the development of the McLaren F1.
The Ultima RS is the company’s most thorough and comprehensive revision of the road legal Ultima supercar. Photo: Damian Hock.
Related: A story over three decades in the making: the history of Ultima Sports Ltd.
For The Track & Street
The cars that Ultima makes are, more or less, track-only cars. However, the Ultima RS is as street legal as a Honda Civic. That explains the optional Alpine entertainment system with satellite navigation and Bluetooth, and the air conditioning option too.
“We have gone to great lengths to design the new Ultima RS in a manner for it to be deemed road legal in many countries, which is a hugely time-consuming and skilled task compared to simply manufacturing a track-only car,” reads the company’s website. “The beauty and ethos of the Ultima is that it can be enjoyed immensely on the public roads at sensible road speeds as well as on a race circuit where it can deliver devastatingly quick lap times.”
But Land-o-Goshen do these things look like they fell out of the ugly tree and hit a bunch of branches on the way down. But let’s put those concerns aside for the time being, because the view from inside the new Ultima RS must be sublimely terrifying.
Ultima RS interior layout. Photo: Damian Hock.
Sit Down & Strap In
The inside, while we’re on the subject, is about the size of a phone booth knocked on it’s back. You’re fully cosseted by a beefy roll cage and purposeful dials and a custom seat and all that, but really you are just crammed into a small, noisy, glorious space that is about 0.2 seconds away from the afterlife. I am not – and let me be clear about this – saying this car is going to kill you. Oh no, quite the contrary. I am saying your skill as a driver will not be enough to save you. There is quite the difference.
What makes me say that? The powerplant, for one.
Rocket Ship On Wheels
In the case of the Ultima RS, that would be the latest Chevrolet V8 LT1 direct-injected engine, putting out 480 bhp. Which, given how the RS is only 13.5 feet long, around six feet wide, and literally waist high (3.6 feet); and the entire thing tips the scales at a featherweight 2,050 lbs., means the performance is staggering. Zero to 60 in three seconds flat, quarter-mile times as quick as a superbike (11.2 seconds at 131 mph, top speed of 180 plus; praise Shiva this thing doesn’t get any cra- . . . oh, wait, I am so very sorry.
Those performance figures for the LT1-powered Ultima RS are for the bottom of the line; the entry level model, the starter pack, if you will. It goes up from there. Way, way up to performance figures just the other side of full-on race cars and just this side of hearing harp music.
The top-of-the-line engine choice is a Chevy supercharged LT5 mill that puts out a staggering 1,200 bhp. Yes, that is more than a current Indy car and more than a current F1 car. Yes, that is more than a current Nascar. Ultima Sports Ltd. has seemingly no problem with making, selling, and handing these over to anyone with the cash. Here’s a car that is capable of . . . (checks figures) . . . oh . . . oh my . . .
Look at this!
Zero to 60 mph: 2.3 seconds; zero to 100 mph: 4.8 seconds; standing quarter mile: 9.2 seconds at 156 mph. And finally, the top speed: 250 plus mph (gearing limited).
The Ultima RS is available with an “interchangeable silencer delete X Pipe” for those who want a “truly thunderous” V8 soundtrack. Photo: Damian Hock.
To Put That Into Perspective . . .
An Indy car does zero to 60 in around 2.2 seconds. A Suzuki Hayabusa does the quarter in 9.3 and it’s a friggin’ motorcycle! The Ultima RS is . . . is faster than most anything else out there and it’s only limitation is gearing? Seriously, no joke, spec-wise this thing is as fast as an Indy car and it has a license plate on it. I decided to build one of these up in Forza. I couldn’t get it all the way up to 1,200 bhp (only into the mid 900s), and I could barely keep the thing on the road.
Just imagine what it must be like in real life.
Perfect For That Midlife Crisis
I changed my mind. This might just be the most beautiful car on the planet. Shoot, you’re going to be moving too fast for people to get a good look at you anyway. I swear, this thing probably generates it’s own red-shift at this point. Now all I have is questions. Dirty, ugly questions. Like, can I fit in the thing? Can my bank account handle it? Is my last Will and Testament in order?
A few of the car’s specs are below, with the complete list here under the FAQ section. I’ve got to go lie down and think now. And I should call my therapist. And my priest. Also my minister and a Rabbi I know. Shoot, better call up that mortician too, just in case.
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.
Ultima RS Technical Specifications:
Chassis
Powder coated in satin black.
Fully-welded roll cage in 45mm CDS with welded rear braces.
Updated space-frame using mainly 38mm x 1.5mm diameter tube.
Body
Roof scoop option is a Le Mans-style design to provide more efficient engine cooling.
Unpainted GRP, finished in a gel coat utilizing the latest advances in pigment technology.
Carbon fiber elements include the front and side splitters, dive planes, brake ducts, and wheel arch vents.
Carbon Fiber Wing
Nine different angle of attack adjustment positions.
Swan neck mounts transfer downforce directly to the chassis.
Steering & Suspension
Front ride height hydraulic lift kit option.
Quick ratio steering rack – 2.1 turns lock to lock.
Fully-adjustable, custom-made coil spring dampers.
TIG welded, double unequal length wishbones with extended front wishbones.
Braking
Adjustable brake bias front to rear. All stainless steel TUV hoses.
Standard: AP 322 mm curved vane vented discs all round with 4-pot calipers.
Optional: Larger fitment of 362 mm x 32 mm curved vane discs all round with 6-pot calipers.
Tires
Michelin 19″ Pilot Sport Cup 2 and Pilot Sport 4S options.
Interior
Air conditioning.
Ultima RS branded luggage bag set.
Steering wheel mounted wireless switch gear.
Carpet for the floor and rear bulkhead with color-coded piping option.
Leather Alcantara seats with new grommets to accommodate 75 mm seat belts.
Ultima RS Gallery

Photos & Source: Ultima Sports Ltd.

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Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Stelvio Ti: Longing For Milano

Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Stelvio Ti: Longing For Milano

I’m not sure how I feel about this. On one hand, it’s an SUV and, basically, there’s enough of those things running around out there. 9 out of 10 of them are bought for inconsequential “reasons” and the practicality you get could be better served by other rides. On the other hand: This is an Alfa Romeo.
Look, I will make no bones about this: I love Alfas. In my “huge warehouse for cars I will get when I win the lottery” there are many, many Alfas. Many. They have, without question, made at least a handful of truly great cars over the course of history.
You don’t get to call yourself “iL Primo Automobile Campione del Mondo” for nothing, you know. But still . . . it’s an SUV.
Longing For Milano
I can thoroughly understand Ford and GM and the like making these things. And I can even see other automakers selling them. They are top sellers, and in some cases (Porsche) the sales of SUVs allow car companies to make loss-leaders that are fantastic (911 GT3s). But then there are those other car companies that are making SUVs for no logical reason. Honestly, Bentley and Aston Martin and Lamborghini should be hauled before the committee poste haste and forced to explain themselves.
But, here I am, staring down the barrel of not one but two Alfa Romeo SUVs. Now what am I gonna do? Close my eyes and think of Milano, I guess.
Double Time
Basically, there are two Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUVs: the “normal” Stelvio, and the slightly more full zoot Stelvio Ti. Generally speaking, the overall similarities are like this: Alfa says it’s “an SUV for the S-curves,” which is cute, and what seemingly every manufacturer says about their SUVs. We, the gearheads, laugh loudly in their general direction. But in Alfa’s case, they might not be joking.
For starters, all Stelvio models feature a near 50/50 weight distribution, which is really going to help with handling and performance. There’s an eight-speed automatic transmission with available, steering column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters. Shifts take place in less than 100 milliseconds. No, I’m not kidding. That makes me start to think Alfa let the loonies out of the racing department.
“The all-new Stelvio further highlights and expands Alfa Romeo’s return to North America with a premium mid-size SUV that truly stands apart in the segment,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Alfa Romeo. Photo: FCA US LLC.
Performance Tech
Stelvios (Stelvii? Stelvi? Siamo spiacenti, il mio italiano è un po ‘arrugginito) come very well-equipped with lots of standard and premium features, like the leather interior, remote start with passive entry, bi-xenon headlamps, a roarty dual exhaust, a class-exclusive carbon-fiber driveshaft (fresco!), and a flat-bottom Formula One-inspired steering wheel (molto fresco!). The Stelvio also has a DNA drive mode selector, which is a rather overwrought term for a gizmo that varies suspension and performance settings based on need/terrain/conditions.
Everything is motivated down the Strada via a direct injected, 280 horsepower turbocharged and intercooled 2.0L engine. The Stelvio hits 60 in an estimated 5.4 seconds. And HOLY @&^%! is that ever quick right out of the box. 5.4 seconds? Like Porsche Cayenne GTS quick. Like, if I have to buy an SUV quick. 5.4 seconds . . . heck of a number, that.
Besides that plant cranking out the power, Alfa gets those kind of numbers thanks to an innovative Q4 all-wheel drive system, standard on all Stelvio models. I believe that’s the same AWD layout they used on 144 DTM cars that was so crushingly superior the FIA outright banned it.
The Stelvio Pass is the highest mountain pass in Italy and the second highest in Europe. With a 12-mile road that contains over 48 bends, adventurers reach up to 9,000 feet. Photo: FCA US LLC.

Executive Treatments
18-inch aluminum wheels are standard, with 19- and 20-inch wheels available. Other standard items include bi-xenon headlamps with signature LED daytime running lights, LED tail lamps, and a backup camera with rear park sensors (thank you). The remote start, passive entry with Keyless Go, and a power liftgate were all no doubt made with the FLA (Fat Lazy American) market in mind.
The Formula One-inspired, flat-bottom steering wheel with integrated push button start is available on the Sport Package for another $1,800. That also adds 19-inch wheels, steering column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters (which you should really get), a sport steering wheel, genuine aluminum accents, gloss-black window trim surround, black roof rails, aluminum sport pedals and deadpedal, and colored brake calipers. The sport-tuned suspension is a nice touch, as is the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.
Safety features include Full-speed Forward Collision Warning, Adaptive Cruise Control, and Lane Departure Warning. Photo: FCA US LLC.

Stelvio Ti
Okay, so the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio (the “normal” base level model) has an MSRP of $41,995. The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Ti lists at $43,995. It features all the goodies on the Stelvio, but adds even more premium perks and convenience offerings. For starters, the 19-inch wheels are standard as are the genuine wood interior accents; a larger 8.8-inch entertainment and information display, SiriusXM, front park sensors, heated steering wheel, and heated front seats are also part of the Ti.
Two further sub-models include the Ti Sport and Ti Lusso. Each of these will cost you a not-unreasonable $2,500.
Properly Packaged
The Stelvio Ti Sport adds 20-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, 12-way power high performance sport leather seats, including 4-way lumbar and power bolsters with thigh extenders (stop that giggling), steering column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters, sport steering wheel, gloss-black window trim surround, black roof rails, aluminum sport pedals and footrest, and colored brake calipers.
The Stelvio Ti Lusso (lusso is the Italian word for luxury) includes the 19-inch wheels, Luxury Pieno Fiore Italian leather seats with Cannelloni inserts, 12-way power front seats including 4-way lumbar, leather-wrapped dash and upper door trim with accent stitching, genuine wood trim in dark gray oak or light walnut, a luxury steering wheel, and aluminum pedals and footrest.
Overall, that sounds like a lot of bang for your buck. It’s right in the middle of the budget spectrum for SUVs, and hits the sweet spot for luxury/performance oriented buyers. If Alfa Romeo can make these things run (and not to totally dismiss the 400 pound gorilla in the room, that is a very big and very important if) they should sell them by the boatload. Would I buy one? Forse … forse … my “huge warehouse for cars I will get when I win the lottery” does have lots of space after all.
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.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Gallery

Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.

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McLaren 570S GT4 To Debut In 2017 China GT Championship

McLaren 570S GT4 To Debut In 2017 China GT Championship

This weekend, the McLaren 570S GT4 track car will makes its debut in the first race of the 2017 China GT championship. The event at Beijing Goldenport Park circuit is expected to draw a TV and online audience of over 75 million. Since its conception last year, the China GT has become one of the most extravagant, most elite racing contests in China.
McLaren has been named Official Safety Car partner and will provide a 570S road car accordingly.
Track Attack
The 570S uses its lightweight architecture and carbon fiber Monocell II chassis to its distinct advantage. The 570S was designed for the track, and benefits especially from things like an aluminium rear wing that balances extra downforce. There are bonnet “nostrils” to improve overall airflow and a centrally mounted front radiator to encourage heat dissipation. In short, the McLaren 570S has an array of cutting-edge tech that makes it a fitting machine for the race track.
Photo: McLaren Automotive.
Winning Team
16 teams will compete in 12 races at six different locations: Beijing, Erdos, Zhuhai, Shanghai, Chengdu, and the new Zhejiang circuit. The GT4 class is new for 2017, in addition to the GT3 and GTC competitions that ran in 2016 last year.
A McLaren customer racing team named “The Winning Team” will enter a 570S GT4 piloted by two professional racers in the GT4 class, David McIntyre and Roelof Bruins. McIntyre, McLaren’s Managing Director of China, competed in the Korean Speed Festival for three years and ran the Malaysian Touring Car Championship last year. Bruins begain as a youth in karting and has 25 years of racing experience. He competed in Korean Touring Cars for the past seven years, winning five championships during that time.
The duo will race the McLaren 570S GT4 at all 12 dates on the China GT calendar.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photo: McLaren Automotive.
Photos & Source: About McLaren Automotive.

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2017 Nissan Rogue Sport: Priced Right For Buyers On The Go

2017 Nissan Rogue Sport: Priced Right For Buyers On The Go

The new 2017 Rogue Sport, that would be Nissan’s small-ish SUV crossover thingo, the one you saw a while back with all those Star Wars/Rogue One commercial tie-ins, finally has its specs and pricing set. As one would expect, it is loaded with tons of standard features, and won’t break your bank account.
Nissan’s new Rogue Sport is the slightly smaller, sportier and more affordable version of the normal Rogue.
Emotional Cues
The Rogue Sport is designed for younger, urban SUV buyers, so you know Nissan will market this thing as being as hip as they can get away with, and that it will be covered in tech features. The Rogue Sport has many of the design, utility, and technology features of the normal Rogue, which is probably a very good move since the Rogue is Nissan’s best-selling vehicle in the United States.
The Rogue Sport’s design mixes a compact body with strong fender volumes and an aggressive “wheel-oriented stance” to convey “a feeling of robust agility.” Nissan calls it an “emotional geometry,” but to me, there’s nothing very special or overly distinctive here. Moving on.
Creature Comforts
Comfort and convenience features? Oh my yes. By the car load. The seating is leather-appointed (meaning it’s only leather where you touch it) and the front seats are heated. There is an available Divide-N-Hide Cargo System (whatever that might be), a RearView Monitor, Siri Eyes Free, and NissanConnect with Navigation and Mobile Apps. There’s a 7.0-inch color touchscreen display and a Hands-free Text Messaging Assistant. Also available is the advanced Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection and Intelligent Cruise Control, plus SiriusXM.
Photo: Nissan North America.

Safety & Security
There is a complete suite of Nissan Intelligent Safety Shield technologies, gizmos, goodies, and gee-whizzers. This includes Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, and Lane Departure Prevention.
Power & Performance
Running gear wise, a 141 horsepower, 2.0-liter DOHC 16-valve inline 4-cylinder plant is standard. It’s mated to an Xtronic gear box with an Eco Mode switch and a 4-wheel independent suspension. Nothing really earth shattering there, or anything to write home about, but there’s the specs for those of you that want to know. You can get your 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport in either front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive.
Cargo Capacity
The Rogue Sport provides a lot of room inside, considering its small road footprint. There’s seating for five and up to 22.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second-row seat in the way back. Flop that second row of seats down and you get up to 61.1 cubic feet which is enough for a drum set or a DJ setup and PA – that sort of stuff.
Pricing & Availability
Pricing starts at $21,420 for the Rogue Sport S model in front-wheel drive configuration and goes all the way up to $27,420 for the full zoot, all the features all the time Rogue Sport SL AWD. So roughly speaking, between 20 and 30 large, there’s a small(ish) SUV/crossover thing out there waiting for you young, on the go, urban professional types. The new 2017 Rogue Sport is at Nissan dealers now.
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: Nissan North America.
Photos & Source: Nissan North America.

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Ford To Resume F-150 Production After Extraordinary Efforts

Ford To Resume F-150 Production After Extraordinary Efforts Despite a massive fire at the Meridian Magnesium Products facility in Eaton Rapids, Michigan, Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant will resume F-150 production on Friday, May 17th. Ford says the supply chain for the Super Duty is also restored, and production should restart at the Kentucky Truck Plant by Monday, May 21st. The Kansas City Assembly Plant, which produces F-150s, is also scheduled to resume operations by May 21st.
“While the situation remains extremely dynamic, our teams are focused on returning our plants to full production as fast as possible,” explained Joe Hinrichs, Ford President, Global Operations.
Heavy Equipment
After the May 2nd fire, teams addressed safety concerns and restored electricity as quickly as they could. The goal was to retrieve and relocate tools so production could resume, and the financial impacts of the stalled plants could be minimized. The teams ultimately removed 19 dies (a tool used to cut or shape material using a press) from Meridian’s fire-damaged facility.
In one instance, teams moved an 87,000 lbs. die from Eaton Rapids, Michigan to Nottingham, U.K. in a mere 30 hours. Under normal circumstances, something of this magnitude would take 10 days when considering import and export approvals and flight logistics. The die was sent to Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio where it was loaded onto an Antonov An-124 Ruslan, an aircraft renowned for its heavy cargo capacity.
“Faced with unexpected adversity, the Ford team, including our global supply partners, showed unbelievable resiliency, turning a devastating event into a shining example of teamwork,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s Executive Vice President of Product Development and Purchasing.
2018 Ford F-150. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Last Minute Approval
Nearly 4,000 miles away, a team in Nottingham was waiting to take the die to Meridian’s nearby factory. A U.K. import license for the die was granted only two hours before the plane landed.
“Thanks to their heroic efforts, we are resuming production of some of our most important vehicles ahead of our original targets,” Thai-Tang said.
“The ramp-up time to full production is improving every day,” Hinrichs added.
Most of the dies have been repaired, and Meridian is now producing parts for the F-150 in both Eaton Rapids and Nottingham. Parts produced at Nottingham will be shipped daily on a Boeing 747 until production in Eaton Rapids resumes fully. Ford says current F-150 inventory remains strong and customers should experience no delays in finding the truck they want.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.

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Letter From The UK: Lost In England (In An Audi SQ7)

Letter From The UK: Lost In England (In An Audi SQ7) England is a small country, yet the biggest of the four that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The others don’t like us much; they see us as conquerors as if we could do anything about changing history. In Scotland, some want independence from the Union and in Wales they put up all their signs in Welsh as well as England in a message of national defiance that just confuses tourists. Northern Ireland meanwhile historically has had terrible troubles of its own, but despite it all we’re still sticking together, demonstrating that it is economics, not love, that conquers all.
As mentioned, England is a small country. It would fit three times into France or Spain and there are several of your United States that are larger by area, yet we have one of the largest populations in Europe. In short, this is one crowded nation. It has been fully mapped for centuries, every road and every lane, every contour and every feature of interest is documented. We have very good cartographers who are constantly working.
It is said that if you stand still for long enough you will eventually appear on one of our national Ordnance Survey maps.
Conquering Horizons
Yet, as a true Englishman, one whose ancestors commanded much of the then known world with just a rudimentary sextant, I have proved that if you go all independent and switch off the technology it is still entirely possible to get lost in your own lands. Pioneers of American legend crossed an entire continent guided only by the setting sun and some vague directional notions. Without the benefit of map and satellite navigation, I managed to find myself and my increasingly frustrated wife down a tiny country lane in a huge Audi SUV without the first idea of our whereabouts.
All I tried to do was to head to the quaint, picture-book and quintessentially English village of Minster Lovell to see a ruined Grand Hall. Minster Lovell is less than fifty miles from my home.
You see, it was like this . . .
In spring and summer, the English countryside is second to none. Shaped by years of land management and people movement we have dark, brooding forests and wide open moorland. We have wild flowers in green meadows and seldom used roads. It is, in terms of nature at least, a very nice place to live.
Minster Lovell is not very far away so I decided that as I know my country very well, I would browse a map before we left and do the rest by utilizing my hitherto unerring sense of direction. I did not take a map. I left my phone on calls only and I did not turn on the straightforward, yet deadly accurate, navigation in the Audi SQ7 I had the pleasure of for a week.
Did you know that wikiHow has five different ways to find your way without a map? I didn’t look at that either.
Automoblog’s Geoff Maxted lost in the English countryside. At least the vehicle is luxurious and the view is nice. Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
The Audi SQ7
This is the car you need if you want to cross continents in a single bound. Nothing else comes close. The Audi SQ7 is a seven-seat vehicle that will carry your entire family and your dog. It is powered by a V8 twin-turbo engine that returns 32 miles for gallon or better, depending on how it is driven. Sounds like the ideal vehicle doesn’t it? So what if it’s a diesel? Does it matter?
It’s mighty. Mighty powerful, mighty comfortable and I love it, mightily. The Audi SQ7 TDI is the German brand’s most powerful SUV to date.
The Modern V8 Diesel
The car as featured here, fully option-loaded, costs £86,000 of our UK Pounds Sterling and buyers should opt for the carbon-ceramic brakes to counteract the SQ7’s sheer momentum. Nevertheless, for such a big beast, this SUV handles very well, the steering weighting up nicely as the speed increases. Drivers can choose comfort settings through the usual Audi ‘Drive Select’ feature, which in this case also offers a couple off-road or all-road options. For cruising, Comfort is fine with the eight-speed automatic gearbox nestled into the standard Drive mode.
Things change when Sport mode is selected on the gearbox and Dynamic on the suspension and steering settings. The engine emits a proper old-school V8 rumble that is quietly addictive. This builds as the throttle is floored and suddenly, amazingly, the driver will see the digital dial pass the legal speed limit like a hare past a tortoise.
Astonishing; and it’s all down to this very special engine.
Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
Performance Powerhouse
The eight-cylinder special displaces 4.0-liters and it merits our attention. Alongside twin sequential turbochargers, the engine uses a special type of forced induction: an electrically-powered compressor. Not a turbocharger, nor a supercharger, it is as described, a compressor, and it has one purpose – to eliminate turbo lag. It works, filling in as the turbos spool up.
I tested this by accelerating at speed in eighth gear without using kick-down. There was just a hint of hesitation before the car accelerated toward the horizon like the Millennium Falcon. Kick-down first, or use the manual gearbox option with the paddles, and you’re going faster than my credit card balance in my daughter’s hands.
In fact, the paddles feel pretty much superfluous. In Sport mode the gearbox reacts instantly of its own volition. 429bhp should be enough for any gearhead and the shove from 900Nm of torque has to be felt to be believed. The sprint to 62 mph from rest takes just 4.9 seconds, awesome for a car the size of Mount Rushmore.
The powerful Audi SQ7 took Geoff Maxted through Cotswold Village. Photo: DriveWrite Automotive.
Comfortably Lost In England
The brilliant Audi Virtual Cockpit offers navigation on the rising touchscreen and, if required, on the dashboard readout AND in the heads-up display. Sensible people will use this feature when visiting new places.
Highly adjustable sports seats, with sumptuous leather upholstery, kept us sitting pretty as we drove across unknown lands. As is well known, Audi interiors are second to none and no detail is overlooked. The dashboard is pleasingly understated. That’s a good thing. Honestly, you can’t fault it. In my opinion it is one of the best cars of its type on the road today.
It really is possible to have a good time in a SUV. This is not a vehicle for slinging about down tiny country lanes like a trim little sports car, but when the road opens up it is hard to beat. Getting lost, much to My Dear Lady’s chagrin and general disapprobation, is better in total leather luxury than it is in a covered wagon, I found.
Anyway, we found our way to Minster Lovell in the beautiful county of Oxfordshire fairly easily with only a couple of U-turns and minor skirmishes with irate, local drivers. We ate our lunch on the banks of the swiftly-flowing River Windrush and explored the village with its thatched roofs and pretty pub. The weather wasn’t great but in England that comes with the territory. We examined Minster Lovell Hall, a ruined 15th Century Oxfordshire manor house, in a beautiful rural setting beside the river.
Unfortunately, in this country we rarely get a place to ourselves, so I have used library pictures for effect.
Minster Lovell Hall. Photo: Rob Farrow.
Lessons Learned
Our problems started when we left the village via the essential one-way system required because of the narrowness of the lanes. Suddenly we were pitched into the heart of the Oxfordshire countryside. It was very beautiful; sheep grazed, grass grew, and we drove around for 30 minutes in a manner that I described as “exploration” but which my wife described as “lost.” An Englishman, I declared haughtily, is never lost; merely temporarily displaced.
In the end though, I conceded defeat, tapped in our address on the touchscreen, and followed the dulcet tones of the navigator. I had, like a greenhorn adventurer, described an almost complete circle and picked up our route just outside of – Minster Lovell.
On our next trip, which will possibly be to Donnington Castle in Berkshire but in a different car alas, maybe I will use a map or satellite navigation or my smartphone GPS after all. Or maybe all three.
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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