Automotive

Genesis G70: South Korea’s S-Class Response

Genesis G70: South Korea’s S-Class Response

You have to hand it to them. And by them, I mean they. And by they, I mean Hyundai. The Genesis G70 surely isn’t a bad car, not even close to it. And, here’s the first of many rubs confronting the Genesis G70: they want it to be a thing in and of itself. It is The Genesis, not, most definitely not the Hyundai Genesis. Just: Genesis.
And all the press materials go to great lengths to refer to the car as just that. The mentions or uses of the word “Hyundai” tally up to two in over 2,000 words of verbiage. So what is it? What is the Genesis G70? In a nutshell, it’s pretty easy: Hyundai’s answer to the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.
Jack of All Trades
Hyundai, the South Korean mega-corp-conglomo-nopoly, does everything from construction projects to chemicals to electronics to shipbuilding to automobile manufacturing. Hyundai has been making good, solid, dependable yet affordable cars for decades now. In a lot of ways, they have out Toyota’d Toyota and the other Japanese marques whose stock in trade has long been good, solid, dependable yet affordable cars. But what if you want more than that? What if you, as an ambitious mega-corp-conglomo-nopoly, want more for your automobile division? Enter Genesis. Something well built, stylish, solid, safe, with an on-the-road and at-the-curb presence to make people notice. Enter Genesis.
Styling & Design
They describe the Genesis G70 as being “an athletic sedan characterized by its graceful and dynamic exterior styling” with an “elegant and intuitively designed interior.” This is all fair enough and, from a marketing perspective, the G70 completes the Genesis sedan lineup, slotting alongside the G90 flagship and the mid-luxury G80. No, I don’t know exactly what they mean by “mid-luxury” either.
The G70 offers a broad spectrum of color options, both inside and outside. There are ten exterior colors available, and they have come up with a new paint-finishing method: small, evenly distributed aluminum particles and high luminosity colors to maximize the exterior paint. Or, as Ed “Big Daddy” Roth calls it, “metalflake”. The inside has the same “big box of Crayolas” approach for available colors.
The G70 interior is prioritized around superb fit and finish with a focus on simplicity and an importance on real functionality. The overall layout is horizontal with a rather nice sport steering wheel. Since this is a Genesis, premium materials such as aluminum door handles, metal speaker grills, and quilted leather door panels are found throughout the cabin.
Photo: Genesis.
Power & Performance
The Genesis G70 aims to be agile yet safe, dynamic yet quiet, but it all starts from the powertrain. There are three powertrains on offer: a 3.3-liter V6 turbo, a 2.0-liter inline four-banger turbo, and a 2.2-liter inline four cylinder diesel. The engine to pay attention to here is the 3.3-liter V6 turbo – that’s the one found in the “enthusiast-focused” G70 Sport. That 3.3-liter V6 turbo plant cranks out 365 ponies and 376 lb-ft. of torque. All of this is good enough to get the G70 Sport to 60 in 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of 168 mph. The G70 Sport also comes with variable-ratio steering and an electronically controlled suspension for better response and ride and handling.
You also get a number of other fancy-schmancy performance goodies, such as launch control, rack-mounted, motor-driven power steering (R-MDPS), multi-link rear suspension, dynamic torque vectoring, and a mechanical limited slip differential. They have also put in this contraption called Active Sound Design (ASD). This system “creates an aural character that reflects the engine load and driving mode settings.” That’s all they say about the ASD deal, but I cry witchcraft and sorcery, or, at the very least, fakery and I don’t hold with it. Nosir!
Photo: Genesis.

Technology & Safety
The cabin is also drowning in high tech gee-gaws, like a smart posture control system for minimal stress on long journeys. There’s an 8-inch touchscreen display with MirrorLink, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The G70 also comes with server-based voice recognition technology, using Kakao’s artificial intelligence platform Kakao I. A 15-speaker Lexicon system is there when you really want to crank the K-Pop.
The G70 has a buffet of safety doohickeys like pedestrian impact mitigation technology that lifts the hood to absorb shock and minimize injury. There’s Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist, Highway Driving Assist, Blind Spot Collision Warning, and J-Pop Avoidance Assist because we all know that Psy and Exo are totally hot and AKB48 and Arashi are totally not.
Photo: Genesis.
Big Questions
Will this work? Will the G70, along with the G80 and G90, be able to make Genesis into a brand of its own? That’s the obvious goal here, and I’m not saying they can’t do it. A lot of people in the car business have lost a lot of money saying that same thing about South Korean car companies. Perhaps Hyundai can defy the odds?
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.

Photos & Source: Genesis.

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Lotus Evora GT430 Sport Joins The Party

Lotus Evora GT430 Sport Joins The Party

Okay, so I’m starting to see a pattern here. Lotus, as lovely as they are, has been beating the hype machine drum every two or three months about a “new” model. If this were a major car manufacturer, this article would be nothing but calling them out for being stupidly old school and calling a trim package a “new” model.
But this is Lotus, and most importantly, with all these new Evora variants, they actually feature improvements to the car in terms of performance and design.
Reclaiming The Title
When the Evora fist came out, it was a bit of a puzzle to a lot of hardcore sports car types, and especially Lotus fanatics. It came out right in the middle of that whole Dany Bahar era of 100% horse manure (“Lotus cars aren’t about performance, they are about fashion and luxury”), and the overall layout, that 2 + 1 seating thing, struck a lot of people as odd and unnecessary. Then cooler heads prevailed, Bahar was run out of Hethel on a rail, and performance engineers took control and steered Lotus back on a course that benefits us all. Okay, all us gearheads, because to my knowledge, Lotus has never made a grocery-getter or kid picker-upper and if they ever do, we’re going to have a scrap on our hands.
Performance Engineering
As the name implies, the Lotus Evora GT430 Sport is a further variation and improvement on the GT430. There’s some slight nips and tucks here and there to make it prettier (in a way) and some judicious massaging of the drivetrain and chassis to make it do what Lotus cars have always done: Go, turn, and stop much better than you’d expect.
The Lotus Evora GT430 Sport is part of the extended Evora family, which also has the Evora 400, Evora Sport 410, and the recent addition of the Evora GT430. The new Evora GT430 range (that would be the GT and the Sport) includes two body options and a choice of manual or automatic transmission. To some, the thought of a slush box in a Lotus is outright blasphemy, but put down those pitchforks and torches for a second and hold up. We’ll get to why the automatic in the Evora is actually a pretty good deal. Like its GT430 sibling, the Evora GT430 Sport is motivated from county to county by the same 3.5-liter V6 supercharged engine that cranks out 430 horsepower and 440 Nm of torque, or 317 lb-ft.
Photo: Lotus Cars USA Inc.
Weight & Aerodynamics
The Evora GT430 Sport tips the scales at 10 kilos (22 pounds) less, for a total of 1,248 kg or right around 2,750 pounds. Divide that by the 430 horses and you come up with a power-to-weight ratio of 345 horsepower / tonne (that’s a metric ton) which guarantees you this little car is going to flat out fly when you mash the pedal. As a matter of fact, the Evora GT430 Sport has a top speed of 196 mph, making it the fastest Lotus production car ever.
The easiest way to tell the Sport apart from the Evora GT430 is how the Sport has “motorsport derived aerodynamics.” This is a very polite and British way of saying the flips, kicks, spoilers, and such are not Vin Diesel-inspired cake decorations of no performance utility, oh no. There’s a carbon fiber splitter and a large, profiled carbon wing to suck you onto the tarmac. Louvers at the top of each front wheel arch to cut lift and reduce pressure within the wheel well. The GT430 Sport also has wider wheels and tires.
Photo: Lotus Cars USA Inc.

Transmission, Live Wire
Now, about that automatic transmission and why we will not be marching on Lotus HQ for a righteous stoning – at least not today. That automatic transmission will be available for both of the GT430 models. If you opt for the automatic transmission, you will net 10 Nm more torque (for a total of 450 Nm or around 332 lb-ft.). The bottom line is, get this, that the automatic version is even quicker than the manual GT430. 60 mph comes up in a pretty scant 3.6 seconds.
To make a transmission that usually implies less performance actually give you more performance, the Lotus six-speed automatic has an optimized gearbox ECU for ultra-fast changes from cog to cog. Gear selection is made from the driver’s seat via lightweight aluminum paddles mounted to the steering wheel, natch.

Speed Tech
Other go-fast-goodies include standard Öhlins TTX two-way adjustable dampers (which would have given A.C.B. Chapman fits, if he were still with us), J-grooved and ventilated brake discs, AP Racing four-piston calipers at all four corners, a lovely Torsen-type limited slip differential, and an adjustable traction control system in case that Torsen isn’t good enough for you, and you have a right foot closer to a ham than what Jimmy Clark had on the end of his leg.
The GTs, both the Sport and “normal” are available now. They are more than most of us can afford, but I, for one, still want one of these . . . or two. Life is too short for boring cars.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He means well, even if he has a bias toward lighter, agile cars rather than big engine muscle cars or family sedans.
Photos & Source: Lotus Cars USA Inc.

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2018 Nissan Versa Note Pricing Announced, New Features Added

2018 Nissan Versa Note Pricing Announced, New Features Added

Nissan recently announced U.S. pricing for the 2018 Versa Note, which comes in three levels: S, SV, and SR. Nissan customers may be delighted to know that starting MSRPs for the 2018 Versa Note did not increase over the current 2017 model, despite new features being added.
Style & Comfort
The Versa Note hatchback SR, at the top of the range, stands out the most with its more sporty character. Fog lights, a rear spoiler, and 16-inch machine-finished aluminum alloy wheels decorate the exterior. Suede-like seats and a leather wrapper steering wheel provide further interior comfort. The SR also adds Intelligent Key with Push Button Ignition, the Nissan Vehicle Immobilizer System, and Easy Fill Tire Alert.
Design & Functionality
Regardless of model, the 2018 Nissan Versa Note features the automaker’s signature “V-Motion” grille. The design is found on a range of Nissan vehicles including the Sentra, Altima, and Maxima. Interior volume is 112.9 cubic feet, cargo space is 18.8 cubic feet, front headroom is 40.8 inches, and rear legroom is 38.3 inches. Nissan says their goal was to make everything comfortable and family friendly.
Power & Performance
The 2018 Versa Note is powered by a 1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder, paired with a next-generation Xtronic transmission. The combination nets the Versa Note an EPA-estimated 39 miles per gallon on the highway. The transmission features a retuned D-step Logic Control, which simulates shifts, for a more natural feel.
The 2018 Nissan Versa Note is available now.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Versa Note 1.6 S Xtronic
$15,480 USD
Versa Note 1.6 SV Xtronic
$16,380 USD
Versa Note 1.6 SR Xtronic
$17,980 USD
Photo & Source: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

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2019 Nissan Armada & Frontier Arrive With New Features

2019 Nissan Armada & Frontier Arrive With New Features The 2019 Nissan Armada and Frontier are arriving at local dealerships.
Both see a few changes for 2019, with the Armada adding new safety features.
2019 Nissan Armada
The Armada arrives with new safety features including Intelligent Cruise Control, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Forward Collision Warning. Also standard is Rear Door Alert, which reminds drivers of items unintentionally left in the back seat. Further, the Armada’s Intelligent Rear View Mirror uses a high-resolution rear camera to project an image onto an LCD monitor in the rearview mirror.
The system allows for better visibility by being able to switch to the rear camera to see behind the vehicle when needed.
Under the hood, the 2019 Nissan Armada sports a 5.6-liter Endurance V8 with 390 horsepower and a tow capacity of 8,500 lbs. when properly equipped. The engine is paired with a seven-speed automatic. Expect the new Armada in four trim levels: SV, SL, Platinum, and Platinum Reserve, each with the 5.6-liter V8.
2019 Nissan Armada. Photo: Nissan North America.
2019 Nissan Frontier
Although the truck could use an extensive redesign, Nissan is quick to mention the Frontier’s high marks from J.D. Power. S and SV Frontier trucks receive a standard seven-inch color touchscreen, while the availability of Cayenne Red Metallic expands across the range. The Midnight Edition package is optional for Crew Cab SV 4×2 and 4×4 trucks with an automatic.
The 2019 Nissan Frontier comes in either a King or Crew Cab, in 4×2 or 4×4, with two different engines. The 261 horsepower 4.0-liter DOHC V6 is our choice, but King Cab models do offer the optional, 152 horsepower 2.5-liter inline four.
2019 Nissan Frontier. Photo: Nissan North America.
Pricing Charts
Below are detailed pricing charts for both the 2019 Nissan Armada and Frontier. Add on another $1,395 for the Armada, and another $995 for the Frontier for destination charges.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.
2019 Nissan Armada MSRP
Armada SV 4×2
$46,790 USD
Armada SL 4×2
$51,590 USD
Armada Platinum 4×2
$59,690 USD
Armada Platinum Reserve 4×2
$62,690 USD
Armada SV 4×4
$49,790 USD
Armada SL 4×4
$54,590 USD
Armada Platinum 4×4
$62,690 USD
Armada Platinum Reserve 4×4
$65,690 USD
2019 Nissan Frontier King Cab MSRP

Model/Drive/Engine/Transmission

Frontier S King Cab 4×2 I4 5MT
$18,990 USD
Frontier S King Cab 4×2 I4 5AT
$23,060 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×2 I4 5MT
$23,860 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×2 I4 5AT
$24,910 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×2 V6 5AT
$25,620 USD
Frontier Desert Runner King Cab 4×2 V6 5AT
$26,300 USD
Frontier SV King Cab 4×4 V6 5AT
$28,510 USD
Frontier PRO-4X King Cab 4×4 V6 5AT
$33,430 USD
2019 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab MSRP

Model/Drive/Wheelbase/Engine/Transmission

Frontier S Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 6MT
$24,950 USD
Frontier S Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$26,000 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$26,750 USD
Frontier Desert Runner Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$27,730 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×2 LWB V6 5AT
$29,360 USD
Frontier SL Crew Cab 4×2 SWB V6 5AT
$34,010 USD
Frontier S Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$29,390 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 6MT
$32,780 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$29,940 USD
Frontier SV Crew Cab 4×4 LWB V6 5AT
$30,360 USD
Frontier PRO-4X Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 6MT
$33,140 USD
Frontier PRO-4X Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$34,190 USD
Frontier SL Crew Cab 4×4 SWB V6 5AT
$36,850 USD
Photos & Source: Nissan North America.

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Small Drones Keep Large Auto Manufacturing Plant Safe

Small Drones Keep Large Auto Manufacturing Plant Safe Automotive manufacturing facilities must uphold rigorous safety standards.
Inspecting a plant’s pipework, machinery, and roof areas require massive amounts of time and energy.
Ford of Europe is employing camera drones to more efficiently and safely inspect one facility in the UK.
Little Wonders
Innovations are common in the automotive industry. I am continually learning this as I widen my own scope of the business. Naturally, my favorite innovations deal with performance: this suspension makes that car handle better, such and such materials make it lighter, these engine features makes it faster, more efficient.
And on and on it goes.
Transitional Benefits
Those are the tangible innovations, meaning if you buy a new car, you will benefit in some way from said innovations. Then there are the not so tangible ones, unless you work in the business. Or in this case, a manufacturing facility. At least for now.
Little things, like what Ford is doing here, could have immense benefits for the rest of society in time. For now anyway, enter Ford’s Dagenham Engine Plant in the United Kingdom.
Safety Dance
Picture any chore or task with an inherent safety risk becasue of the height involved. This is a common occurrence for Dagenham Engine Plant employees while inspecting the facility’s vast roof areas. Previously, the team used automated and extendable platforms and scaffolding to check the gantries that support the plant’s heavy machinery.
With the average gantry spanning over 130 feet, each inspection would take a laborious 12 hours to complete. The Dagenham Engine Plant is almost two million square feet. Thus, covering the entire facility is as daunting as it is time consuming.
“We joked about having a robot do the work when there was a light bulb moment – use drones instead,” explained Pat Manning, Machining Manager, Ford Dagenham Engine Plant. “We used to have to scale heights of up to 50 metres to do the necessary checks on the roof and machining areas.”
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Working Smarter
Now the crew uses camera drones to inspect the gantries, a process that takes just 12 minutes. The drones also inspect pipework, machinery, and will sniff out any air leaks. The drones ultimately help the plant comply with safety regulations. Manning and his crew can carry out more frequent inspections without having to interrupt production, and without the risks normally involved.
“Now we can cover the entire plant in one day and without the risk of team members having to work at dangerous heights,” he said.
Hence why Ford is evaluating how drones can be incorporated elsewhere in the company. Further, it’s interesting to think how things like this could be applied to life outside a manufacturing facility.
In the meantime, the video below explains more.
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos, Video & Source: Ford Motor Company, Ford of Europe.

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2019 Hyundai Elantra: All About Dat Safety Package

2019 Hyundai Elantra: All About Dat Safety Package 2019 Hyundai Elantra enters its sixth generation with a handful of new features.
The SmartSense features might, for some, ease the anxiety associated with driving in a busy city.
Hyundai has just rolled out the redesigned 2019 Elantra sedan, and to say they are focused on safety would be a huge understatement. The last time I saw a car company trumpeting their safety features this much was Volvo in the late 70s.
And, you know, this is a good thing. Safety is good, and if Hyundai can give us more of it, then so much the better.
New Stuff
The Hyundai Elantra is now in its sixth generation. They’ve sold more than three million of these things since its launch in 1991, so this focus on safety strikes me as a good thing. For 2019, the exterior changes include a new hood, front fenders, front fascia, grille, and headlights. There is also a new trunk, taillights, and rear fascia.
New 16- and 17-inch wheel designs are there, along with new 15-inch alloy wheels on Eco trims while Limited and Sport get LED headlights. The interior gets a new AVN/Audio/Temperature control, center cluster, air vents, and storage tray.
2019 Hyundai Elantra. Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Safe & Secure
But really, Hyundai wants us to talk about the safety features. You’ve got Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist that is designed to help detect and monitor ahead of the vehicle, warning you if a collision is imminent. This system also initiates automatic braking. Lane Keep Assist can apply steering wheel input if the Elantra leaves your lane. Driver Attention Alert warns you of tired driving patterns with audible alerts and visual warnings displayed on the dash.
The SmartSense features on the Elantra Limited with Ultimate Package include Safe Exit Assist. The system sounds an alert letting passengers know it may not be safe to open the door to exit the vehicle. Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection utilizes the front radar and camera to help detect a vehicle or pedestrian. If you stupidly do not react to avoid them, the system can apply emergency braking.
Other SmartSense features include Blind-Spot Collision Warning with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist.
Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Tech Treatments
It’s not all safety at the exclusion of everything else with the 2019 Hyundai Elantra, oh no. There’s tons of audio, video, and navigation stuff around to entertain and help you. The new Elantra comes with Hyundai’s next generation AVN 5.0 infotainment system with an upgraded processor and an eight-inch screen. By comparison, the last generation had a seven-inch screen.
Presets within AVN 5.0 are easy to use because AM, FM, and SiriusXM channels are now on one screen with the HERE HD Traffic feature. A bird’s eye view has been added to the navigation maps, and you can now get traffic flow and incident data. The Elantra also has available goodies like Infinity Premium Audio with Clari-Fi, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and wireless smartphone charging.
2019 Hyundai Elantra interior layout. Photo: Hyundai Motor America.
Performance & Pricing
The 2019 Hyundai Elantra has two engine options on top aimed at fuel efficiency and a third engine option in the Elantra Sport that is more, well, sporty. The SE, SEL, and Limited offer the Nu 2.0L MPI Atkinson Cycle plant putting out 147 horsepower. The Eco offers the Kappa 1.4L Turbo-GDI mill putting out 128 horsepower. It gets an EPA-estimated 35 mpg thanks in no small part to the seven-speed dual clutch transmission.
No word on pricing or availability just yet, but, c’mon, this is a Hyundai. It’s gonna come at a Hyundai price, not a Bentley-sized bill.
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 Hyundai Elantra Gallery

Photos & Source: Hyundai Motor America.

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Save $30 On These New Dash Cameras From Cobra Electronics Until August 16th, 2020!

Save $30 On These New Dash Cameras From Cobra Electronics Until August 16th, 2020! Your Automotive Bargain Bin deals this week come from Cobra Electronics. Until August 16th, 2020, Cobra Electronics has up to $30 off when you order one of these three dash cameras and GPS Mount bundles. Make sure you use the coupon code GPS30.

Here is what Cobra Electronics has on special this week!

Affiliate Disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may be compensated when you purchase the products below.

Deal #1: Cobra DASH 2316D

About The Cobra DASH 2316D

This unit records both the front and rear of your vehicle for maximum coverage. Cobra’s iRadar technology can detect red light cameras, speed traps, and hiding patrol cars. “This is a nice little camera. I’ve only had it a short time, but the front and rear video quality is very good,” writes one reviewer on Cobra’s website.

Where To Purchase

Order directly from Cobra for $219.90 with the $30 discount. You also get the GPS Mount for that price.

Deal #2: Cobra DASH 2216D

About The Cobra DASH 2216D

The Cobra DASH 2216D is the perfect upgrade if you have an older Cobra unit. The 2216D has crystal clear video and can withstand both hot and cold temperatures while mounted to your windshield. Suppose you drift out of your late unintentionally or are approaching another car too quickly. In that case, the 2216D will give you a warning.

Where To Purchase

Snap up the Cobra DASH 2216D with the GPS Mount for $219.90 on Cobra’s website with the $30 coupon.

Deal #3: Cobra DASH 2208

About The Cobra DASH 2208

Another excellent option for a quick and affordable upgrade if you are running an older Cobra unit and want something new. The Cobra DASH 2208 comes with G-Sensor impact protection and continuous loop recording to protect you from things like insurance fraud.

Where To Purchase

This one is priced right! Order now via Cobra’s website and receive both the camera and GPS Mount for $119.90. Don’t forget to use the promo code GPS30 when you add it to your cart so you can claim your $30 discount.
Original article: Save $30 On These New Dash Cameras From Cobra Electronics Until August 16th, 2020!

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2019 Honda HR-V: New Look, New Features, Old Volume Knobs

2019 Honda HR-V: New Look, New Features, Old Volume Knobs 2019 Honda HR-V has landed at dealerships with a host of updates and tweaks.
The six-speed manual goes the way of the dodo but a new CVT enters the picture.
Pricing is reasonable and affordable – a nicely loaded 2019 HRV goes for under $30,000.
New Faces
Honda has given their best-selling HR-V a refresh in the looks department and slathered on the tech goodies. It was time for all of those things, yes, but Honda also has to be careful here. They sell a ton of these little guys, and if they mess with the HR-V too much, it might hurt the bottom line.
Essentially, there’s four main areas where the 2019 Honda HR-V has been tweaked. There’s a new Sport trim with unique styling cues and 18-inch wheels. There’s another new trim level, Touring, that adds multi-element LED headlights, leather-trimmed seats, and a power driver’s seat.
Across the line there’s a new Display Audio system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus the Honda Sensing suite of active safety features now available on EX and higher.
The styling makeover includes the bumpers, headlights, grille, and taillights. However, the new HR-V Sport and Touring get a unique look all their own: blackout trim and 18-inch wheels distinguish the HR-V Sport, and the all-wheel-drive-only Touring gets multi-element LED headlights, dark chrome trim, and LED fog lights.
2019 Honda HR-V Sport. Photo: Honda North America.
Sport & Touring
Sport trims also get a unique interior treatment, with a black headliner, gloss-black trim, and sport pedals. This new-for-2019 Sport trim fits between the LX and EX, and Honda says it gives the HR-V a “youthful vibe.” That description ought to make the kidz run for Chevy dealers in droves when they read that.
The HR-V Sport also features unique lower body trim, rocker panels, wheel arches, and exterior mirrors painted gloss black. The HR-V Sport also receives a honeycomb pattern grille, exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels and tires, and a chrome exhaust finisher. By comparison, the Touring borders its honeycomb grille with multi-element LED headlights unique in the HR-V lineup, along with five-element LED fog lights. The Touring rides on 17-inch machined alloy wheels.
The nav system, available exclusively for Touring, has sharper graphics and 3D landmarks. All models feature a redesigned driver’s gauge cluster with a large analog speedometer and digital tachometer. Although, if you opt for an EX or above, you receive a 4.2-inch Thin-Film Transistor Driver Interface with additional information including turn-by-turn directions.
The 2019 Honda HR-V will shift to higher revs under deceleration acting as a temporary engine brake. Photo: Honda North America.
Performance & Pricing
All of this newness is motivated down the road by a 141 horsepower, 1.8-liter SOHC i-VTEC four-banger. All HR-V models now use a Continuously Variable Automatic Transmission with the six-speed manual being discontinued.
And all HR-Vs benefit from a new Display Audio system with a simplified interface and “volume knob.” Honda does not go into detail on this mysterious “volume knob,” but all I can figure is that it’s something far too high-tech for my febrile little mind to grok.
How much, you ask? Not all that bad. The front-wheel drive LX starts off the range at around $22,000. It goes all the way to the top of the heap, all-wheel drive Touring for around $30,000. Before all the taxes and stuff that is.
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 Honda HR-V Gallery

Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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The 5 Most Expensive Cars Sold During The 2018 Monterey Car Week

The 5 Most Expensive Cars Sold During The 2018 Monterey Car Week The 2018 Monterey Car Week and Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance ended on a high note. There were two record sales that dominated this year’s event. It commemorated the most expensive American car ever sold at an auction. Total sales amounted to a staggering $368 million. This is a 12 percent increase over 2017, which managed a cumulative total of $323 million by comparison.
Here are the five most expensive cars sold during the 2018 Monterey Car Week.
1. 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO – $48.4M
The 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO earns the distinction of being the most expensive car sold at auction in history. It exchanged hands for a staggering $48,405,000 at RM Sotheby’s. It eclipsed the old record established by a similar Ferrari 250 GTO back in 2014.
Why the exorbitant price tag? The car competed in twenty official races and was never involved in a crash. It also happens to be the original test car of Phil Hill, who happens to be the only American driver to win the Formula One World Driver’s Championship.
1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. Photo: RM Sotheby’s.
2. 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Roadster – $22M
This 1935 Duesenberg SSJ Roadster sold for an eye-watering $22,000,000 by Gooding & Company, the most expensive American-made car ever sold at auction. Equipped with a massive supercharged 7.0-liter inline eight-cylinder motor that produces 400 horsepower, it’s no wonder why this Duesy was able to surpass the previous sales record set by the 1962 Shelby “CSX 2000” 260 Cobra in 2016 for an American car.
If you need to ask, that car sold for a measly $13,750,000.
3. 1963 Aston Martin DP215 Competition Prototype – $21.4M
RM Sotheby’s was on a roll when they sold this magnificent 1965 Aston Martin DP215 for $21,455,000. This car saw action at the 1963 24 Hours of Le Mans. Coincidentally, it was also piloted by racing driver Phil Hill along with Lucien Bianchi. This car is reportedly quicker than the Ferrari 250 GTO but had to retire early due to transmission issues.
The DP215 also happens to be one of the rarest Aston Martin vehicles in existence.
1963 Aston Martin DP215 Competition Prototype. Photo: RM Sotheby’s.
4. 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II Coupe – $9.795M
The 1966 Ford GT40 Mk II Coupe is regarded as the “Ferrari killer.” This particular GT40 is one of the original race cars that completed Ford’s 1-2-3 finish at Le Mans in 1966. All three Ford racers crossed the finish line at almost the same time, but this particular example came in third, which is enough to make it one of the most desirable race cars from that era.
RM Sotheby’s sold this GT40 Mk II for $9,795,000.
5. 1958 Ferrari 250 GT TdF Coupe – $6.6M
You might be wondering why this 1958 Ferrari 250 GT sold for $6,600,000 by Gooding & Company. Well, this Ferrari consecutively won the Tour de France from 1956 to 1959, hence the TdF moniker. It doesn’t just come with a proper racing pedigree, but a tuned 3.0-liter Colombo V12 motor and luscious alloy coachwork designed by Pininfarina and hand-built by Scaglietti.
1966 Ford GT40 Mk II Coupe. Photo: RM Sotheby’s.
Crunching The Numbers
Hagerty’s sales forecast wasn’t far off. The publisher of the Hagerty Price Guide released an official prediction of $342M total sales for the 2018 Monterey Car Week. We understand why old race cars are fetching astronomical price tags. It’s not just the bragging rights or the racing pedigree, rather the level of detail and craftsmanship.
“The Hagerty Price Guide team is constantly monitoring the market, looking at traditional land-based auctions, online auctions, public asking prices, private sales information that is provided by our million-plus members, and our network of dealer partners,” said Jesse Pilarski, Valuation Information Analyst at Hagerty. “We inspect thousands of cars each year to put sale prices in the context of condition, provenance, and spec, which can all greatly impact value.”
Based on the auction results, we were wondering why exotic race cars are in such high demand, while modern hypercars like the new Bugatti Chiron and 2010 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport failed to sell at the auctions. Even though Gooding & Company and RM Sotheby’s were able to sell two Ferrari LaFerrari’s for over $3M, the sales amounts were below the current valuation indicated by the Hagerty Price Guide.
“Several different reasons can cause values for a particular vehicle to increase or decrease. It could be something like new first-time buyers entering the market,” Pilarski explained. “Another reason the value goes up is the substitution effect. If you were shopping for a Mercedes-Benz 190SL, but those became too expensive what do you shift your sights to? Most buyers jump to the next SL Mercedes in line, the 280SL, which drives up values for the 280SL.”
Changing Trends
Ferrari, Aston Martin, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Mercedes-Benz often see higher values than other vehicles because of their names. Like fine wine extracted from heirloom grapes, there is something about exotic brands that stirs the interest of affluent car buyers.
“Cars at the top of the market work a little differently than Corvettes and Mustangs. Outside economic factors play a larger role for these cars. If traditional investments like stocks and real estate are providing poor returns, tangible assets like fine art and collectible cars become attractive,” Pilarski said.
Changes in the tax code can also play a role in the values of Blue-Chip collectible cars. As a result, collectors can capitalize.
“Up until recently, collectors were able to take advantage of the 1031 exchange which allowed them to defer paying taxes on sold vehicles if they rolled that money into a different vehicle,” Pilarski said.
Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine.

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