2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring Review: A True Driver’s Car

2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring Review: A True Driver’s Car 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RFIn Our Opinion: The Mazda MX-5 Miata is a real driver's car. While there are faster and more prestigious cars on the market, they will come with a higher price tag. The Miata, on the other hand, is a different breed. When you hit the road, the Miata will stand out from every other car. Styling-wise (especially the RF), very few sports cars can match it, and we would argue even fewer are more fun to drive. The Miata has been delighting drivers for three decades, and we see no sign of Mazda slowing down in that regard. Exterior Styling 94Interior Layout 84Driving Dynamics95Safety & Tech Features 80Everyday Functionality70ProsFun Affordable Retractable RoofConsCramped Cabin Limited Storage Space 85We had the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring this week, and it came at the right time. There is still plenty of summer left, and it’s the perfect time to drop the top and enjoy the wind in your hair and face. The Mazda Miata RF is versatile as both a daily commuter and as a fun weekend car. The power-folding hardtop makes it much more usable as we found out this week.



Mazda MX-5 Miata: What’s New For 2020?



The formerly optional Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and i-Activsense package of driver safety features are now standard. Last year’s GT-S package (which adds a black roof for RF models) is now standard on manual-equipped Grand Touring cars. 



Miata fans and collectors may want to try and get their hands on the 100th Anniversary model. Announced earlier this year by Mazda, this special edition is based on the 2020 Grand Touring. 



Features & Options



Our 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring came standard with LED headlights, daytime running lights, rain-sensing wipers, and heated leather seats. Connectivity and entertainment features included a nine-speaker Bose audio system, a seven-inch touchscreen, two USB ports, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Safety features included lane departure warning, blind-spot monitor, and rear cross-traffic alert.



The Grand Touring trim with the manual transmission adds a shock tower brace, sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein shock absorbers, and ventilated front brakes. 



The Grand Touring is the more luxurious trim level with 17-inch dark silver wheels, adaptive headlights, heated mirrors, auto-dimming rearview and driver-side mirrors, automatic climate control, and navigation.



2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF.What Does The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata Cost?



Total MSRP, including destination, for our 2020 Miata RF was $35,645. By contrast, the 2020 MX-5 Miata starts at $26,580 (soft top and manual transmission). The 2020 Miata RF starts at $33,045 (Club trim level and manual transmission).



Whether you go with the original soft top or the hardtop RF, the Miata has always been an excellent car for the modest price tag.



Interior Highlights: Simple & Straightforward



The Grand Touring cabin is tight but still livable as a daily driver for a small two-seat roadster. Mazda makes the most of the interior’s space and prioritizes driving for pleasure, not just transportation. There are not many controls or buttons, but they are easy to use and reach.



The cabin is quieter than an average convertible thanks to the RF’s power-folding hardtop instead of the standard Miata’s fabric top. Forward visibility is good in the small cabin, but the RF’s targa-like top somewhat impacts the view out the back window. The automatic top is quick to retract and deploy with the flip of a switch, however. The RF’s hardtop can open and close in just 13 seconds.



Two-seat roadsters are not exactly designed for comfort, but the Miata RF comes with a few extras to make life easier. Although it’s still summer, we would make use of the heated seats this fall. Our test Miata also came with rain-sensing wipers, a rear window defogger, and a Bose premium sound system.



2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF interior layout. Interior Highlights: Cramped at Times



If you are over six feet, you’ll have a tight fit, and there isn’t much head and legroom for taller drivers. Average size drivers will even be snug, but you’ll find an agreeable position thanks to the tilt/telescoping steering wheel.



There is not much storage space either, but you can tuck a few items away in the small center console. Mazda includes two convenient removable cupholders that can be stored away when not being used.



2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Powertrain



The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque. It is a rear-drive configuration, which is what a sports car like this should have. The engine comes paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic.



Related: An in-depth look at Mazda’s factory warranty. Gas Mileage of The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF



The Miata RF has an EPA estimated fuel mileage of 26/34 city/highway and 29 combined with the manual transmission. By contrast, the automatic returns 26/35 city/highway and 29 combined.



The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF produces 181 horsepower and 151 lb-ft. of torque.How The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Drives



Suppose you are going to buy a two-seat, rear-drive convertible sports car – or, more specifically, the 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF. In that case, we recommend the six-speed manual gearbox. It ramps up the fun-to-drive meter and allows you to get the most from the small car. The only downside is driving in stop and go traffic if you also use it as a daily commuter.



The 181 horsepower engine doesn’t sound like much, but in this small, lightweight sports car, it has enough power to dial up the fun factor. This current generation of the Miata underwent a number of weight reduction measures, and it shows on the open road. In order to keep the Miata’s 50/50 weight balance, the engineers cut weight from the suspension, transmission, and air conditioning system. As for the RF specifically, it is lighter because of the aluminum hood and trunk lid.



This Grand Touring trim has a firmer ride because of its sport-tuned suspension with Bilstein dampers. However, we thought ride quality was still pretty good even over rough pavement and an occasional dirt road. Just be careful as larger potholes will send a shiver through the chassis.



The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is a car you will always enjoy driving. Driving Dynamics: Let The Fun Begin!



The sport suspension is worth any discomfort when it comes to throwing the two-door coupe around tight corners, which we did in the mountains near Denver. It hugs the road fairly tight as we pushed the MX-5 hard around the twisties. The brakes are also a strong point and offer excellent stopping performance when you need them.



You’ll want the RF trim because it offers a quieter ride than the standard soft top. The power-folding hardtop makes the ride a little more enjoyable, especially at highway speeds. The RF also comes with a fixed buttress positioned behind each seat, giving it a distinct coupe or targa-like look instead of the Miata’s traditional roadster profile.



Conclusion: Always Fun



The 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF is a car you can’t wait to drive! The advantage of the RF is the quieter cabin, but for the money, the Miata packs a lot of fun in a small compact sports car, no matter the top.



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



Mazda MX-5 Miata Fun Facts Debut: 1989 Chicago Auto Show RF: Stands for “Retractable Fastback” 5,000: Number of Miatas Raced Globally April 2016: One Millionth Miata Produced Weight Savings Per Component Versus 2018 Driveshaft: 3 lbs. Suspension: 26 lbs. Front Rotors: 14 lbs. Transmission: 16 lbs. 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Gallery



Photos: Mazda North American Operations.
Original article: 2020 Mazda MX-5 Miata RF Grand Touring Review: A True Driver’s Car



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The Joy of Daily Driving: A Sensory Experience Like None Other

The Joy of Daily Driving: A Sensory Experience Like None Other

Weekday driving on public roads is a chore. Some do it for a living, others only because they must. I do it for these reasons too, however, I also enjoy it a great deal. Sure, traffic sucks and I have many statistics (I won’t bore you with those) that support the fact I live in the worst traffic state in the country. That aside, I still find the task of driving pleasurable, and not strictly because I am often paid to do it.
Man Marries Machine
Nearly every time I am behind the wheel, I am struck with that “wow” moment: where I reflect in-depth about the engineering marvel I am in control of. Musings of exactly what is stirring beneath the hood infiltrate my thoughts. Imagery of the biological and mechanical connection between the driver and machine flash through my consciousness. Imagine a microscopic camera filming the synapses in my motor cortex. The imagery follows the neuronal pathway resembling a flow of electrons, from the brain to the foot, as the abstract impulse becomes the physical movement of pressing the accelerator.
The depiction transitions from the body to the pedal, then courses through the throttle cable where the reverie enters the throttle body, and surges toward the air induction only to be violently sucked back through a wide-open inlet gate, bounding around the intake manifold, before plunging into the combustion chamber by the onslaught of incoming air. Here time slows as thousands of volts of electricity are generated by the ignition coil; the charge is released at precisely the right moment, pulsing the current down the spark plug wires, emerging as a fiery blue arc, igniting the swirling mixture of atomized fuel and air, coalescing in the rapidly compressing space between the cylinder head and piston.
As the explosion forces the piston back down the cylinder, the visualization transfers through the rod and into the spinning crankshaft. The vision expands to encompass the entire orchestra of apparatuses functioning in concert with each other. The head, block, and castings all appear translucent as to highlight the rapid pulses of electricity darting into the combustion chambers, exemplifying the explosive nature of the internal combustion occurring in absolute harmonic balance.
But that’s just me.
Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.
Concrete Concert
I’m not convinced the folks surrounding me on the freeway with their heads down, eyes affixed on some strangely glowing contrivance (occasionally glancing up to the road) are pondering the goings-on that propel us at speeds humanly impossible until just a few decades ago. This fairly recent achievement allows me to take pleasure in driving even the most mundane vehicles. The key to finding joy in the drudgery of slogging it out in stop-and-go traffic, is knowing when and where to cue this magnificent symphony. For example, the immense network of intertwined arterial superhighways are connected to a vascular network of surface streets. The connecting ramps between the two are a great place to crank the volume of this symphonic machine at your command (within reason of course), especially for less performance oriented autos, because these can be operated nearer their limits.
Not only are joining roadways often wonderfully sweeping, snaking banked passages of asphalt, but the limit of speed is frequently very low at entry. This allows one to satiate their carnal automotive appetite, accelerating from a school zone pace to freeway velocity, while navigating long sweeping banked curves. To rightly enter traffic at a prudent gait in an under-powered instrument of transportation, and maintain momentum, means routing the correct lines through an apex is critical. I find tremendous satisfaction in linking multiple lines through connecting chicanes; it is equally gratifying nailing a late apex on a decreasing radius bend, or a dual apex sweeper. After all, it would be hazardous to sluggishly coast around an on-ramp and attempt to merge into a maniacally flowing sea of steel at a snail’s pace.
Photo: Benjamin Caschera for Automoblog.net.


Symphony of Exhaust
Similar practices can bring fulfillment with the added power of a few hundred horses mated to an equally proportionate number of torques. The challenge becomes keeping the beast tame enough for municipal roadways, especially around the twisty bits, with the added exuberance of putting the hammer down at the end. Additionally, the dreaded metering lights become a “sensible” 0 to 60 test, thus proving a spirited powerplant is not only a practical employment of utility, but a safety feature as well.
It is not uncommon for these high horse and heavily torqued automobiles to reward the operator with a titillating auditory experience. When a vehicle accelerates energetically, the intake is opened and the engine begins gulping air, and the orchestral network of air induction tubing really begins to sing. A properly tuned motor can be thoroughly pleasing, inciting a guttural, almost primal sense of amusement. This visceral thrill can be pronounced by certain environments as well, namely, a tunnel. When within the confines of the closely surrounded byway, it is customary to slow to speed within the limitations permissible by law, perhaps coupled with an enthusiastic shift into a lower gear. The quaffing intake song reverberates off the walls, as the expelling exhaust gasses serenade all those within the tunnel. The rumbling explosions of the harmonized cylinders dancing down the avenue rounds out the mechanical ballad. As the sonnet reverberates, it echoes deep into the soul.





Powertrain Buffet
Having great amounts of power at your disposal really allows the physical reactions of varying drivetrains to become evident as well. For instance, a mighty rear-wheel drive vehicle will react to the application of throttle input by creating torsion; the greater the torque (rotational force) the more this torsion will twist the frame and create downforce on the front wheels, willing the chariot through a corner when properly applied. Too vigorous of a throttle input will break the rear tires free, resulting in oversteer, whipping the rear end around. Although sometimes downright fun, excessive oversteer should really be reserved for the track or the skid pad.
Front-wheel drive can react similarly when exiting a corner; the correct amount of torsion can feel as though it pulls the car toward the exit. Again, too much can have dire effects to the tune of understeer, sending an auto sliding in a straight line when you wish it to turn with the road. This is, admittedly, not as much fun as oversteer but it can be used to the advantage of the driver in the appropriate place, although not on public roadways.
Correspondingly, all-wheel drive can have characteristics of both, depending on how and when power is sent to the wheels. The type of all-wheel drive system can play a major role in how the vehicle reacts too. Some are mostly front driven, while others have a rear bias. A good arrangement will be dynamic and or selectable to achieve the results desired by the pilot. As with many things, variety is the spice of (automotive) life, and having the luxury of experiencing different drivetrains is a flavor I fervently seek out.


Imagination & Creation
Not only are cars wonderfully complex machines, they are an integral part of life easily taken for granted. Yes, commuting is generally a mundane experience, and sitting in traffic is never fun, but the modern automobile is not simply an appliance, it is an achievement; and when a keen eye is kept out for the appropriate opportunity, daily driving can be an oh so joyous occasion.
So the next time you are jammed in gridlock, just look at it like waiting in line for a thrill ride. You may be trapped in the realm of utter boredom for hours on end, but eventually you will be rewarded.
Benjamin Caschera is a car nut in every sense of the word. His eclectic writings range from rants on traffic and wrenching on $500 cars, to adulation of the finest classic and/or latest hyper cars. Follow and heckle him on Twitter and Instagram: @TheBoringCarGuy



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2018 Chevy Tahoe Custom Promises Capability, Safety, Value

2018 Chevy Tahoe Custom Promises Capability, Safety, Value

Those eye-balling a 2018 Chevy Tahoe will have another option to choose from. The new Tahoe Custom edition is an extension of the current LS trim package and, according to Chevrolet, provides “uncompromised capability and value.” The 2018 Chevy Tahoe Custom includes 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, all-season tires, remote start, a chrome-accented grille, and a host of available safety features.
Market Direction
“The Tahoe Custom is a response to strong customer demand for Tahoe, as well as the full-size SUV segment moving upmarket,” explained Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Trucks Marketing Director. “In the past five years, the average transaction price for the segment has climbed, fueled by customer appetite for features like heated and cooled seats, adaptive cruise control, and a heads-up display. This created an unmet need in the marketplace for customers who want the cargo and towing capability of a full-size SUV to go camping, boating or off-roading but don’t necessarily want all of the option content offered on a Tahoe Premier.”
Cargo Capacity & Tech Capability
Those needing to haul additional cargo may appreciate the interior layout: Tahoe Custom’s third-row seat is gone for more room (54 cubic feet) behind the second row. Those wanting juice for the journey will find five USB ports and five power outlets — including a 110-volt three-prong outlet —  to support multiple devices. Other highlights include an 8-inch color touchscreen radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, 4G LTE connectivity with Wi-Fi hotspot (includes three-month/3G data trial), and a rear-vision camera.
Photo: Chevrolet.
Safety & Security
The 2018 Chevy Tahoe Custom has an available Enhanced Driver Alert Package with Forward Collision Alert, Safety Alert Driver Seat, IntelliBeam headlamps, Lane Keep Assist, and Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking. Standard are front and side-impact air bags, head curtain side-impact air bags for all rows, and GM’s trademark front-center air bag. The latter deploys from the inboard side of the driver’s seat, positioning itself between the driver and front passenger. GM created this airbag specifically to protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupants are on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle.
Power & Performance
The 2018 Chevy Tahoe Custom is equipped with the evergreen 5.3L V8, producing 355 horsepower with an EPA highway rating of 23. Standard tow capacity is 6,600 lbs. with up to 8,600 lbs. when equipped with the Max Trailering package.
Pricing & Availability
Expect the 2018 Chevy Tahoe Custom to arrive in September with a starting MSRP of $44,995.
 
 
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. 
Photo: Chevrolet.
Photos & Source: Chevrolet.



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The all-new sixth generation "F90" BMW M5 is here, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, 600 horsepower, and all-wheel drive

The all-new sixth generation "F90" BMW M5 is here, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, 600 horsepower, and all-wheel drive One of BMW’s most iconic cars enters a new generation with more oomph, making it the most powerful M5 yet.

What’s going on?
A new BMW M5 is here! And it’s faster and better than ever. As usual, it’s based off of the current generation BMW 5-Series, internally dubbed the G30. But unlike previous BMW M5s, this one is significantly different.
For the first time ever in the M5’s history, it comes standard with all-wheel drive, sadly rendering the rear-wheel-drive M5 a thing of the past. But it’s not like we didn’t see it coming, given that all-wheel drive proved to be popular by demand. Nonetheless, the new BMW M5 is completely new from the ground up.
What’s new with the next-gen BMW M5?
Because the new BMW M5 is, well, new, its pretty much that from the ground up. Besides the obvious, the biggest change to the M5 is its inclusion of all-wheel drive, a first for the company and the M5 itself. And it’s the only configuration available. To some, this seems like a blasphemous move since BMW always prided itself over the use of rear-wheel drive while its competitors shifted to all-wheel drive.
But all is not lost since according to BMW, it can completely disable its all-paw traction, enabling rear-wheel drive only, at the touch of a button. Another first for both BMW and the M5.
Despite the added complexity and equipment of the BMW M5, not to mention, growing slightly in size in every direction, the new BMW M5 manages to shave off a considerable amount of weight. Thanks to more extensive use of carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), the new M5 manages to save almost a couple hundred pounds. BMW knew they had a weight problem with the last M5, so they clearly readdressed it this time around.
 












What about performance?
A BMW M5 isn’t an M5 without performance. That said, the new model comes with plenty of it. The newest car utilizes the same twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8, though it’s been retweaked to serve up 600 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of twist. That’s up to 40 horses and 53 torques more than the outgoing car.
This was accomplished thanks to improved internal lubrication, more effective cooling, a special compartmentalized oil pan, and increased turbo and fuel injection pressures. There’s also better breathing tools, particularly with the exhaust system that saves 11 pounds alone. It also features electronically controlled valves to alter the sounds it channels, according to the situation.
Another significant change to the M5 is the lack of a manual and it ditches the previous car’s M DCT dual-clutch automatic, in favor of a more traditional, torque converter-based eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic.
Nonetheless, the result is a 0-60 time of just 3.2 seconds, while a 0-124 mph sprint takes only 11.1 seconds.
That’s a lot of performance, but there’s more!
While the new BMW M5 prides itself for featuring all-wheel drive, the beauty of that all-wheel drive system is its ability to operate in two-wheel-drive mode at the change of some settings. The idea is that all-wheel drive is there for the inclement of weather or improved grip for track or performance driving. Then, if the driver prefers to hoon around and hang the ass out just for fun, the M5 can be put in rear-wheel-drive mode.
The new BMW M5 will launch with a limited-run First Edition variant, with only 400 being made, and only 50 coming to the US. The First Edition M5 comes with a special Frozen Dark Red Metallic exterior. It’s complemented by BMW Individual glossy Shadow Line trim for the door and window frames, and the front grille. Also included are standard 20-inch seven-double-spoke lightweight alloy wheels painted in black. Special treatments occur inside with BMW M5 First Edition commemorative badging, Piano Finish Black Trim, Smoke White leather, and red contrast stitching.
Pricing isn’t yet available, but such information should surface nearer to the M5’s launch date in Spring of 2018. And because it’s an M5, expect that price to be high…like, really high.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: BMW USA News
2018 BMW M5 Quick Specifications




2018 BMW M5 Photo Gallery










































2018 BMW M5 First Edition Photo Gallery


























The post The all-new sixth generation “F90” BMW M5 slides into view, 0-60 in 3.2 seconds, 600 horsepower, and all-wheel drive appeared first on egmCarTech.



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Letter From The UK: Being A Motor Man

Letter From The UK: Being A Motor Man It’s all about the rightness of things, do you see? This dilemma that people of the male persuasion have to deal with because all men believe they are in the right. If, and I know you’ll find this hard to grasp, they are wrong it is always on a silly technicality, and that basically their wrongness is actually based on a solid grounding of rightness.
If others can’t see that, well, that’s their problem isn’t it?
Men Make The Best Drivers
Take driving. We all believe we are good drivers and if others think we are not, then they’re wrong and they are obviously acolytes of that pious, self-righteous, anti-car lobby of witless dullards who wouldn’t know driving skill if it jumped up and bit them. This sort of challenge to man’s inherent driving superiority is like a red rag to a bull.
We’ll show them.
Here in the UK there exists another group of people – for the sake of argument we’ll call “women” – who insist on referring to we mature fellows as “boy racers.” This is missing the point. If you want to enrage a bull you wave a red flag at it and it all kicks off. It can be like that in marriages too although the flag is optional. Mostly it’s just bull.
Traditionally and historically, men have done the driving and women the criticizing; that’s the natural order of things. This is the point: Over the last few decades more and more of the distaff side have taken to the wheel and yet we, the blokes, are still the ones at fault.
It just isn’t fair. Or right.

Or Is It?
It’s a hard truth to swallow, but perhaps – only perhaps mark you – the “boy racer” tag has something to it. Car makers are at fault of course for making all those great vehicles over the decades. The rot really set in at the tail end of the 1950s here in Great Britain when the Mini first became available. Acne-afflicted adenoidal youths discovered the sheer chuck-ability of the tiny wheeled wonder and drove accordingly, and it sort of stuck with them.
We up-specified them, fitted sporting cylinder heads, a Cherry Bomb exhaust, doubled the number of carburetors, and the rest is history.
The “boy racers” of yesteryear have grown up now and purchased Porsches and powerful BMWs believing that road conditions have never changed and their own reflexes are as they always were, back in those blossoming years of lusting flush and not in any way dulled by age or infirmity. This is why, when someone adjacent on the road drives badly we become incensed and determined to prove we can do it better. The rules say we should turn the other cheek and report the miscreant to the authorities; but this is not the manly way.

The Reason Why
You see, the problem for chaps is that they routinely suffer from an illness called Machismo. Characteristics of this terrible disease include a feeling of dominance, fierceness, and bravado and really you should feel sorry for them when so afflicted, bless them. Not wrong, right; just misunderstood. It is a well known medical fact, for example, that driving fast cars actually does make men more virile and attractive so it’s no wonder there’s trouble.
So men will continue to labor under the misnomer of “boy racer” and this is likely to only be changed by something radical like death by old age. This is because it never leaves you. The great and legendary British motor-racing Knight Of The Realm, Sir Stirling Moss himself, is on record saying he got into motor racing because it was dangerous. It’s the buzz! It’s the charge! There’s nothing we can do about it.
The final word lies in a famous expression: “When I was a boy I drove as a boy. Now that I am a man I’ll drive how the heck I like.”
From memory this may not be exactly the correct quote, but I’m probably right.
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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Stock Market Or Cars? Where To Invest? The Data Might Surprise You

Stock Market Or Cars? Where To Invest? The Data Might Surprise You Rarely, if ever, have cars been an “investment” in my life. For myself and countless other gearheads around the world, cars are not a way to make money, they are a perfectly efficient way to lose money. This is not to say classic cars cannot make money in the long run . . . just that 99.99999% of the time, they end up costing you bread, not earning it. If you’re going to invest, the stock market seems more likely.
Now, it seems, some people would beg to differ.
Cash For Classics
According to Kwik-Lift, manufacturers of high-strength steel home and repair shop maintenance lifts, “investing” money in certain cars is actually a good thing. Kwik-Lift says their data “proves” investing in a classic or soon-to-be classic car can offer a better return than putting money into the stock market.
Kwik-Lift bases this on five of the most expensive vehicles Barrett-Jackson sold in January. Kwik-Lift compared those sale values with what the same amount of cash would have gotten you compared with the return from the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index. Kwik-Lift concluded that their study “verified that collector cars are indeed a solid investment.”
And it’s not just Kwik-Lift. I recently read that a German investment firm said more or less the same thing about “investing” in classic 911s. And yes, while the German’s article does jive with what Kwik-Lift is saying, it’s also worth noting that used 911 prices added another zero in the past few years, which should skew the Germans dataset a little, one would think.
What it also does is put “reasonable” 911s out of reach for average guys like me, which totally bums me out. But that’s another story.
Will the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS be a classic one day? Is it worth buying now in the hopes it will increase in value in 50 years? Photo: Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Critical Questions
I can hear my investment banker friends laughing all the way out here in the boonies. There’s a bunch of things here that would get you laughed out of an Econ 101 class at the local community college.
First off, they’re using numbers from Barrett-Jackson, an auction company. Auctions are obviously very volatile sales environments, so their sales values are always taken with a grain of salt. Two: “sold in January 2018.” A one month sample size? Three: “five of the most expensive vehicles Barrett-Jackson sold.” Five cars? And only the most expensive? Again, too small a sample and you’ve already pre-skewed it.
Four: “these results were calculated by using a dollar amount invested into Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Index . . . and comparing it to the same dollar amount to purchase a vehicle.” What dollar amount? Compared to the S&P when? Over which time period? For how long?
Essentially, what Kwik-Lift did was take the cars in question, see what they sold for new from the dealer back in the day, see what B-J auctioned them for, and calculated the percentage gain over the years. Compare that directly against what Standard & Poor’s would have done over the same period of time, and abracadabra, a 1968 L88 Corvette is a “good investment.”
But here’s the thing: of course it looks like a better investment than the stock market in hindsight. In hindsight.
1968 Chevrolet Corvette Sport Coupe. Photo: GM Media Archive.
Money Talks
Back in 1950, Jackson Pollock painted Lavender Mist, an enormous abstract expressionist painting that hung in Peggy Guggenheim’s gallery for months with a price tag of $10,000. It finally sold, off the books, for around eight grand (if I’m remembering this right). And yeah, eight-large could have bought you a house back then, but still, do you know how much a Pollock of this caliber goes for today?
Hundreds of millions of dollars. Hundreds.
The point being, sure, you could have made a lot of money buying low back in the day and selling (very) high in the present day on something that is currently very desirable. But how do you know what you can buy today that will be seriously valued 50 years from now? You can’t, that’s the answer to that question.
Which is why serious investors, people who invest money for a living, people who own banks, for example, do not put their money in big block Corvettes, short wheelbase 911s or abstract paintings hanging in galleries in Manhattan. You know where they put their money? In banks. In the stock market. In the Standard & Poor’s 500. In real estate. That’s where you invest money, not in cars. You don’t make money with cars, you spend money on cars.
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

Cover Photo: 1970 Pontiac GTO by Darwin Holmstrom, from the book Pontiac GTO 50 Years also authored by Holmstrom.



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2019 Audi A8: A Bahn-Burner of The First Order

2019 Audi A8: A Bahn-Burner of The First Order I’ve always had a soft spot for the big Audi sedans, the A8 and especially the S8. Sure, in the styling department they have faltered from their original taut; understated designs have turned abhorrently generic, but they will still haul you from here to there with amazing speed, grip, and comfort. Now, the 2019 Audi A8 looks to up the game even more.
Audi says their new for 2019 A8 delivers a “modern, serene interior design, usable technology, seamless connectivity and cutting-edge driver assistance features” and who am I to doubt them.
Indeed, as a top-of-the-line luxo-barge, you’d expect a big German sedan, any big German sedan to be dripping with tech. And just as expected, the A8 does not under deliver.
Power & Performance
The most important parts, the powertrain and chassis, get only a scant mention. But what we do know is how the 2019 Audi A8 will launch with its new 3.0-liter V6 TFSI turbo engine, paired with a new 48-volt electric mild-hybrid drivetrain. Audi says the V6 makes 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft. of torque.
Gearing is taken care of by an eight-speed tiptronic transmission. Naturally this is mated to a standard quattro all-wheel drive layout with a self-locking center differential. Other chassis and suspension features include adaptive air suspension, available predictive active suspension, and the available dynamic all-wheel steering system.
Comprised of 29 different frame materials and 14 cold and hot joining techniques, Audi says the A8 delivers an “intelligent material matrix” for better handling, comfort, and safety. Photo: Audi of America, Inc.
Interior Treatments
The interior of the 2019 Audi A8 is, of course, like a German-built UFO. The standard features include heated, 18-way power front seats with lumbar adjustments and memory, power tilt and telescopic steering column with memory, Velveeta and Nacho leather interior, er, sorry, that’s a Valetta Leather interior with Fine Nappa Extended Leather (whatever that is).
The optional air quality package includes an ionizer and aromatization; there is an optional “rear right passenger relaxation seat with heated massaging footrest,” plus aluminum-optic control buttons, and adjustable rear Matrix LED reading lights. Wait, there’s more . . . the smartphone-sized OLED touch remote can be used to customize rear seating and infotainment preferences including the Matrix reading lamps.
The front seats are now 22-way adjustable (with massage and ventilation). The steering wheel is heated, the windows are dual-pane acoustic glass, the front and rear door and center armrests are heated, while folding “productivity tables” are located in the center console.
2019 Audi A8 interior layout. Photo: Audi of America, Inc.
Technology Hub
Tech and connectivity? Buckle up Buckaroo. The Audi-standard MMI touch response is here, along with two touchscreens. The upper screen is a whopping 10.3-inches and the lower one is 8.6-inches. The driver can store up to seven individual profiles and the A8 has voice interaction with natural language processing. The map and navigation system is entirely new, and the HERE-powered setup learns drive routes over time so the system can make “smarter routing suggestions.”
The new myAudi app enables a greater range of smartphone-controlled vehicle selections. Also standard is the second generation Audi virtual cockpit with a large, 12.3-inch display. There’s an available full-color heads-up display and the Audi smartphone interface works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Available Bang & Olufsen Sound System comes with a Grateful Dead-level 23 speakers with Acoustic Lens Technology, 24-channel BeoCore amplifier, and a huge 1,920 watts worth of 5.1 Surround Sound. Righteous!
2019 Audi A8 on display at the 2018 New York International Auto Show. Photo: Audi of America, Inc
Safety & Security
The suite of driver assistance stuff reads like something from Mr. Spock’s office: The world’s first laser scanner in a production vehicle, improved sensors, and the zFAS central driver assistance computer that processes all of the sensor information. There is also Adaptive Cruise Assist, Intersection Assist, and Audi Pre Sense 360. More than just assisting you, if you do, ahem, get into an accident with your new Audi A8, the on-board emergency gizmos are there to help you out.
Emergency assist detects if you are unresponsive and brings the car to a stop in its lane, engages emergency hazard lights, and places an emergency SOS call.
Pricing & Availability
The 2019 Audi A8 with the 3.0-liter engine will go on sale this fall with a starting price of $83,800. According to Audi, a V8 engine will be available next summer. I can only surmise that, given the scant mentions of the drivetrain, it can only (hopefully) mean the upcoming S8 will be a real luxo-Bahn-burner of the first order.
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
2019 Audi A8 Gallery








Photos & Source: Audi of America, Inc.



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Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Showcases Decades of Racing History

Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion Showcases Decades of Racing History

Like I should have to tell any real gearhead this, but it’s almost time for the Monterey Historics, also known as the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. For those that don’t know (and I pity their barren and bereft life), every year around mid-August there is easily the best gathering of old cool rides, sports cars, and vintage racers on the planet. It takes place at Laguna Seca, Pebble Beach, The Quail Lodge, and as a rolling display on the costal and inland roads of the Monterey Peninsula.
Sea of Iron
The Monterey Historics make every other similar event look like a Saturday night cruise-in at the Malt Shack in size, scope, breadth, and depth. Besides Monterey, The Goodwood Festival of Speed is just a run up a rich guy’s driveway with some cos-play thrown in. The Amelia Island Concours is just a bunch of swells standing around talking about the new colors in Ralph Lauren polo shirts. The parking lot at Laguna Seca is better than 75% of the car shows I’ve been to. My first time to the vintage races, I was waiting in line when I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw an alloy-bodied Ferrari short-wheelbase Berlinetta. “How many of those did they make,” I wondered, “14, 16, something like that.” 20 yards later, I drove by two more of them parked in the infield.
The entire locale is saturated in vintage and exotic iron to the point of metallosis. There are Ferraris and Bugattis and Alfas and Lambos and Jags and Astons and Delahayes and Stutz Bearcats and Packards and Duesenbergs all over the place; literally around every corner. I saw a Bugatti Type 35 parked at a frickin’ 7-Eleven while the owner was inside buying smokes. It is that level of saturation, and this year’s event doesn’t show any signs of letting up. For example, just at Laguna Seca alone, there will be some of the most prominent racing history on display yet.
Regal Racers
There will be a special infield exhibit showing racers with historical significance to the track, with the first and most recent winners across from one another. The 1956 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa Pete Lovely drove to victory at the inaugural Laguna Seca event and the Pebble Beach Road Races in 1957 will be among the first. Those Pebble Beach Road Races were the good, old style races on closed public roads, in and out of the fog shrouded trees, with scant attention paid to “safety.”
Lovely’s ’56 Ferrari 500 Testa Rossa is a car I’m actually quite familiar with. Lovely was a local racer when I was growing up; he kept the car throughout his life and I saw it many times at other vintage races. Next to Lovely’s iconic machine will be the 2016 K-PAX Racing McLaren 650S GT3 that Alvaro Parente won the Pirelli World Challenge with last October.
Photo: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.
Heritage Racers
Also on exhibition, the 1956 Porsche 356A Carrera that competed in the last race on the old Pebble Beach course. There will be a 1963 Shelby King Cobra, an odd choice since the King Cobras never lived up to their promise, nor did they match the exploits of the original Cobras. A 1971 Ford Mustang Boss 302 will also be shown, representative of the Trans Am battles that took place there and at other tracks across North America. A monstrous 1973 Porsche 917/30, the car Roger Penske and Mark Donohue refined to such a degree that it destroyed the competition and then the entire series will be on display. Also on exhibit, a 1983 March Indy Car, the first to win at Laguna Seca.
There will be a 1985 Porsche 962, the IMSA variant of the 956, alongside the frighteningly effective 1993 AAR Toyota Eagle that Dan Gurney used in annihilating the competition. There will also be the 1999 BMW V12 LMR that won the Le Mans 24 Hours after extensive input from Williams Grand Prix Engineering. The Le Mans 24 Hours gets further representation with a 2005 Audi R8 that has unique ties to the 2.238-mile circuit. As a final cherry on top, you can get up close and personal with the 1989 Yamaha YZR500 Wayne Rainey rode to a win at the 1989 U.S. Grand Prix. That was Rainey’s first of three consecutive victories in Monterey. Little guy was so good with a bike they named one of the corners after him (it’s the left-hander directly after the 80-foot elevator drop of the Corkscrew).
Memorable Moments
If you can make it, go. If you can’t make it this year, go as soon as you can. On the track there will be 550 race cars of historic provenance doing what they were designed to do: race. Don’t care about race cars? Then consider the Concours d’Elegance at Pebble Beach; there’s The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering or the Concorso Italiano as well. Either way, get out and enjoy a world-class car show when you can. The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is held August 17th through the 20th.
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.
Photos & Source: Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.



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2018 Jaguar F-TYPE: Anything But Dull And Boring (Video)

2018 Jaguar F-TYPE: Anything But Dull And Boring (Video)

The 2018 Jaguar F-TYPE is anything but dull and boring, and earlier this week, that’s exactly what Jaguar was going for. The automaker launched a new campaign for the F-TYPE in the towns of Dull, Perthshire in Scotland and Boring, Oregon. Jaguar provided a new F-TYPE for two residents of Dull and two from Boring so they could zip through their respective communities in not so dull and boring ways.
Community Bond
Dull, with 200 residents, sits about 75 miles north of Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow. Boring, here in the United States, is about 21 miles east of Portland, Oregon. Although a bit larger than Dull at 8,000 residents, Boring’s citizens share the same passion for their home as those in Dull. They readily embrace the names, joining forces in 2012 to form a new public holiday – Dull and Boring Day – now held annually on August 9th. To mark the occasion this year, Jaguar showcased the new F-TYPE and demonstrated how each community is anything but what their name reflects.
“Bringing the F-TYPE to the cities of Dull and Boring allowed us to have a bit of fun with the brand in a way that was relatable for Jaguar consumers in the United Kingdom and the United States,” said Joe Torpey, Communications Manager, Jaguar Land Rover North America.
2018 Jaguar F-TYPE. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
Performance & Technology
The 2018 Jaguar F-TYPE is powered a diverse range of engines, including a turbocharged 296 horsepower Ingenium four-cylinder, a supercharged V6, and an all-wheel drive V8. The latter is found in the F-TYPE SVR Coupe with a top speed of 200 mph. If you don’t want to go that fast, opt for the F-TYPE SVR Convertible which only hits 195 mph.
Those with an appetite for technology will appreciate the new F-TYPE. The standard Jaguar InControl Touch Pro system features faster processors and automotive Ethernet connections. The system supports a number of additional apps and driver assistance technologies. GoPro connectivity enables a new app called ReRun that sources telemetry data from the car like speed, lateral acceleration, gear selection, and throttle and brake position. Said data can be transferred to a smartphone so drivers always have a record of their track performance.
The 2018 Jaguar F-TYPE starts at $59,900 and will be available later this year. In the meantime, see how the citizens of Dull and Boring made the most of their holiday with the new F-TYPE in the video below.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.

Photo, Video & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.



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