Automotive

2018 GMC Terrain Denali Review

2018 GMC Terrain Denali Review The 2018 GMC Terrain is all-new and like the Chevy Equinox, has the same footprint, but it gets new exterior styling that makes this SUV a lot tamer for consumers. The new 2.0-liter turbo should give families enough power and some fuel mileage gains as well.
This week, we’ve been driving the top-of-the-line, 2018 GMC Terrain Denali with all-wheel drive.
What’s New For 2018
The 2018 GMC Terrain is entirely new, from the downsized chassis and body, to the 2.0-liter turbo engine and nine-speed automatic transmission.
Features & Options
The 2018 GMC Terrain Denali ($39,270) comes with leather seats, an eight-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, blind-spot monitors, a 110-volt power outlet, remote start, power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a panoramic sunroof. Denali adds a handsfree tailgate, a power passenger front seat, HD radio, seven-speaker audio, navigation, 19-inch wheels, and LED headlamps.
Extra safety equipment includes forward-collision warnings, surround-view camera, and automatic park assist. Additional extras included the ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and wireless charging. Total MSRP including destination: $44,370.

Interior Highlights
Stepping inside reveals leather seats with plenty of bolstering, lots of soft-touch materials, brushed aluminum trim, and plenty of power adjustments to help find the perfect driving position. The first thing we noticed was the unique push/pull space-saving gear shifter in front of the console. It took us awhile to get used to it, but it does add extra storage space in the console and room for the smartphone charger.
The seating position in the Denali’s cabin seems lower than before, which makes the Terrain feel less SUV-like. The infotainment system is straight-forward and simple, with a eight-inch screen and big icons. The display is clear, bright, responsive, and fast, all without too many features or too much information.
The backseat has plenty of room for adults, and rear passengers will appreciate the tall doors, so there’s less ducking to climb in, but the flat seat bottoms won’t be comfortable for long trips. The seats fold mostly flat to provide 63.3 cubic feet of cargo space, less than the competition. Behind the rear seats there is 29.6 cubic feet available.
There’s a handy storage compartment underneath the rear cargo deck. The front passenger seat folds flat to accommodate longer items like 2x4s and kayaks.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
The 2018 GMC Terrain Denali is powered by a new turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder, making 252 horsepower and 260 lb-ft. of torque. Mated to a nine-speed automatic with all-wheel drive, it offers peppy acceleration and gets an EPA-estimated 21/26 city/highway and 23 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
The transmission pairs nicely with the new 252 horsepower turbo engine, and it felt strong during our quick runs up I-70 west of Denver. The turbo offers steady power and a cool whistling sound as it climbs through the gears. We found ourselves wanting steering wheel paddle shifters which aren’t offered on the Terrain.
The Terrain’s ride is designed more toward comfort than cornering ability. We took it through the tight mountain curves and there was enough body lean to remind us we weren’t in a sports sedan. The suspension offers poised and predictable handling in all situations; the ride overall is comfortable on the highway and you hardly feel the bumps on rough pavement.
The Denali has a higher state of suspension tune and 19-inch wheels with better all-season tires. It tracks true and smooth, but doesn’t offer much feedback. Still, it helped us avoid a deer in the mountains west of Denver during our seat time.
The optional all-wheel drive on our Denali tester is a part-time system, activated by a knob on the console with different traction modes. It’s easier than other all-wheel drive units without the ability to self-activate.
Conclusion
The fully redesigned 2018 GMC Terrain addresses the problems the aging generation had, and now represents a more compelling choice in the smaller, five-passenger crossover segment. GMC pulled off making the Terrain smaller in size without sacrificing too much leg and headroom.
The new four-cylinder improves performance and fuel mileage is reasonable if you keep your foot out of the turbo. It’s comfortable, easy to drive, and comes standard with one of the best infotainment interfaces in the class.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 GMC Terrain Gallery

2018 GMC Terrain Official Site.
Photos: GMC (SLT & Denali models shown).

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2019 Ford Ranger: Radar Love

2019 Ford Ranger: Radar Love The 2019 Ford Ranger will employ the latest safety technology to make towing easier for drivers, according to the automaker. Ford’s Blind Spot Information System, standard on Ranger XLT and Lariat, can monitor either the truck by itself or with a trailer attached. Radar housed in the Ranger’s taillights monitors any potential blind spots all the way to the back of the trailer.
The system then alerts drivers as other vehicles cross into those blind zones.
Trailer Profiles
The 2019 Ford Ranger can store up to three trailer profiles, including a trailer’s length, which lets the radar system know how far back to provide warnings when another vehicle is traveling next to the trailer. Ford says such a system is class-exclusive and not available on any other midsize pickup.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Power & Performance
When it was revealed at the 2018 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, Ford promised the latest in EcoBoost technology for the 2019 Ranger. A 2.3-liter EcoBoost with a twin-scroll turbocharger and direct injection will power the new Ranger. The engine also features a forged-steel crankshaft and con rods and chain-driven dual overhead cams.
Trims include the entry-level XL, mid-level XLT, and high-level Lariat, with available Chrome and Sport appearance and FX Off-Road packages. The 2019 Ford Ranger will come in a SuperCab or SuperCrew configuration.
Market Potential
In the last few years, newly redesigned midsize trucks have surged onto the market, evidenced by the return of GM’s Colorado and Canyon, Toyota’s Tacoma, and Honda’s Ridgeline. In May, Ford revealed the intense and rigorous testing the 2019 Ranger was enduring on its way to dealers later this year.
Below is a short video that showcases how the blind spot technology works on the 2019 Ford Ranger.
The Automoblog Staff contributed to this report and can be reached anytime.

Photos, Video & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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Ferrari: Race to Immortality Faces Danger & Tragedy With Style & Grace

Ferrari: Race to Immortality Faces Danger & Tragedy With Style & Grace I have a theory that 99.9 percent of all car movies are terrible; barely watchable dreck that only offers brief glimpses of something cool and car-related, let alone offering true insight into the automotive world, let alone the human condition. This movie, however, Ferrari: Race to Immortality, is most definitely not one of those movies.
Studios & Garages
I should preface this with the fact that I worked in movie and TV production for decades. Seeing a movie with me (and any of my production team friends) is usually bogged down with post-viewing conversations about bad edits, bad directing decisions, commenting on lens choices and stuff like that before we get into the meat of the movie; i.e. the plot, the narrative, and the acting.
On top of that, there’s the gearhead side of me that has to be seen to. We, the gearhead movie-goers, all seem to have this nagging trait. We know cars intimately, and when something is technically wrong, it grates on us, and usually to a disproportional level. Tire squeals on gravel, seven upshifts in a five-speed car, driving off a cliff = explosion. It bugs us, I get it. Shoot, it bugs me all the time.
That said, I can unequivocally say that Ferrari: Race to Immortality is one of the best documentaries I’ve seen. Not racing documentaries, mind you; one of the best documentaries period.
At The Limit & Over The Edge
Essentially, Ferrari: Race to Immortality is a film version of Mon Ami Mate by author Chris Nixon. The movie revolves around the lives, racing and otherwise, of Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins, two British racers from the 1950s. The 1950s were a particularly violent and reckless time for auto racing. Spread across the decade, top line drivers from all disciplines (Grand Prix, Indy, sports cars etc.) were dying at the rate of one every other week.
Around 28 per year, every year, for a decade.
The movie starts with the infamous Le Mans crash of 1955 that saw the Mercedes 300 SLR of Pierre Levegh catapult into the main grandstands, on fire, and take more than 80 people with him. That, more or less, sets the tone for the entire movie to follow. “I keep death in my hip pocket,” Enzo Ferrari once said, and this movie shows you the meaning of those words.
Mike Hawthorn. Photo: The Cahier Archive.
Human Conditions
Hawthorn was involved in that crash (some alleged was the cause of the crash) but won Le Mans that year. Indeed, he became the first Englishman to win the World Driving Championship. In a lot of ways, Hawthorn was right out of central casting: tall, good looking, butter-colored wavy hair, always raced wearing a bow tie, just the sort of thing the British fans and press would eat up.
Peter Collins, on the other hand, was more ruggedly featured, and say what you want about the two of them, looks-wise, but they sure had a string of girlfriends. The movie just doesn’t point this out, it actually has interviews with the various ladies involved with these racers.
All of the interviews and sound bites, with fellow racers, the aforementioned lady-friends, journalists, Enzo himself, and historians are all delivered via voice over and it works fantastically. No talking heads to distract with boring visuals. And what is said is just dynamite stuff. Not just from a gearhead perspective, but, very importantly, from a human perspective.
Hawthorn was interviewed extensively back in the day, and his stuff is rather “right off the rack” in what is said, and some of it I had heard before. Collins is friendly, joking; seems like a real good bloke. Enzo is Enzo: political, cunning, measured, Machiavellian. The real meat here is what is said by the girlfriends and the historians. There’s none of this “I’m just the steady backing on the home-front” BS that we have sadly come to expect.
At one point, Louise King, Collins’ wife said, in response to a question about the danger involved, “One time, Peter did try to bring it up, and I stopped him. ‘Don’t’, I said, ‘Just don’t.’ And we never spoke of it again.”
Sweet Jesus.

Visual Treasures
All the interviews come across like a rich vein of gold willingly mined. There are extensive interviews with Alfonso de Portago, the brilliantly talented yet doomed Spaniard. Until last night, I had never heard him speak. Other drivers, writers, girlfriends, and such all chime in, but none of the interviews are fluff, none of it is filler. Every word adds to and enriches what is being shown on screen.
And oh what they show on screen.
The visual end of things is nearly flawless. All of the archive materials used are flat out fantastic. Yes, I had seen much of this footage before, but a remarkable amount of it was unknown to me. All of the older footage was re-graded and level-matched, most of the grain and such taken out. None of it was colorized.
There is tons of footage from back in the day of these guys hanging out, waiting to drive, smoking cigarettes, goofing off at hotel pools, getting out of cars covered in grease and dirt and grime, levering themselves out looking as physically spent as a human can, but beaming; beaming bright satisfied smiles.
Time Machines
And mixed in with all this are drop-dead-gorgeous shots of various vintage Ferraris (246s, 555 Squalos and such) shot in the present day. It would seem the producers got ahold of some far too lucky rich guys that own these old beasts, dressed them up, and turned them lose on old race tracks to get more footage. And the new stuff is seamlessly integrated with the old stuff. And I do mean seamlessly.
A lot of the work I did was as an editor, and more than once I was caught off guard, only noticing two or three cuts later that they had dropped in modern footage with the old. The last time I failed to notice editing like that was watching Schindler’s List.
Yeah, this movie is that well done.
Ferrari: Race to Immortality at Brands Hatch.
Ideal Balance
Ferrari: Race to Immortality seemingly covers it all, but never gets bogged down in technical details or soap opera subplots, neither becoming too maudlin over the constant drum-beat of fatalities nor exulting in the sacrifice. The rivalry between Eugenio Castellotti and Luigi Musso. Collins’ ultimate sporting gesture with Juan Manuel Fangio. Enzo’s belief that more pressure equaled more wins. Meditations on the nature of danger and mortality by Stirling Moss. The sublime joy of sliding your race car just so through and out an entire turn.
But more than anything else, what is made abundantly clear, moment after moment, frame after frame, is that everyone involved loved this life.
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
Ferrari: Race to Immortality
Synopsis: The 1950s saw the rise of Scuderia Ferrari in the Formula One World Championship in the deadliest decade in motor racing history. Ferrari: Race to Immortality tells the story of the loves and losses, triumphs and tragedy of Ferrari‘s most decorated drivers in an era where it was la dolce vita during the week and a coin toss of whether they lived or died on the weekend.
Director: Daryl Goodrich
Starring: Peter Collins, Mike Hawthorn, Enzo Ferrari
Run Time: 1hr 31m
Availability: Via Amazon Prime, official trailer here.

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Aventador S Roadster: The New, Top Chop Lambo

Aventador S Roadster: The New, Top Chop Lambo

The new Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster is here, but it is not really a roadster, nor is it a convertible. It’s really a targa version of the Aventador, but I’m not going to quibble about that and start getting all pedantic about correct automotive terminology. With a car like the Aventador S Roadster, who cares about stuff like that? The Aventador S Roadster, shoot any Lamborghini really, is the automotive equivalent of a freshman eight-and-a-half beers into his first fraternity kegger; the results are going to be spectacular if not necessarily positive.
Strong Like Bull
The Aventador S Roadster is, 99% of the time, just like a “normal” Aventador S. The only real difference is the removable roof panel that will allow the wind to mess your hair up like you’re standing outside in a hurricane. This, for some people, actually sounds like a good thing and, on most days, I am one of them.
The Aventador S Roadster is, like the fighting bull it is named after, big, powerful, and nothing to be trifled with. Sure, sure, it has all those modern high tech niceties like traction control and four wheel steering and stuff like that, but you know – just know – that some rich kid with more money than sense or skill is going to uncork an Aventador S Roadster (probably within weeks of buying it) and wrap it around a tree.
How can I say this? How can I say all those computers upon computers and the even more computers along for the ride will not work? Simple answer: Physics. Let’s look at the numbers, shall we?
Improved vertical control comes from an updated pushrod suspension, new rear springs, and the Lamborghini Magneto-rheological Suspension (LMS) with revised kinematics for the new four-wheel steering. A real-time variable damping system optimizes wheel and body control. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Numerical Factors
The Aventador S Roadster is a big girl. She’s just under 189 inches long overall, just under 80 inches wide, and tips the scales at 3,582 pounds dry weight with a 43 to 57 percent weight distribution. Add in a full 85 liters of fuel, 13 liters of oil, and your butt in the driver’s seat, and even those massive contact patches provided by the vast Pirelli meats (255/30/ZR20s up front and 355/25/ZR21 out the back) will, eventually, be overwhelmed by the laws of physics. Or, as Enzo Ferrari once said to a displeased customer who had just totaled his prancing horse, “being a Ferrari owner does not make you a Ferrari driver.”
That same ethos applies to the glorified tractors that bear Ferruccio’s name and are made at the behest of corporate overlords Audi, especially when you look at the other numbers, the real numbers, the numbers that count for the Aventador S Roadster.
Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Power & Performance
To wit: The engine. It’s a 6.5-liter lump of alloy and whirling parts that puts out 740 horsepower and 509 lb-ft. of torque. All that power that eventually hits the strada via the Pirellis runs through a Haldex gen IV electronically controlled 4WD system, and a 7-speed double dry plate gearbox with variable “shifting characteristics.” The drive modes are, get this, listed as STRADA, SPORT, CORSA, and the new EGO mode. Lambo says these modes influence “every aspect of the car’s behavior through management of traction, steering, and suspension.” The EGO mode (hey, at least they’re up front with their name!) permits the driver to set up their preferred criteria in each mode to suit their driving style. If you ask me, there should also be a mode that turns off all of the governors. Lambo could call it SUICIDIO mode. But they never listen to me, so this probably will never happen.
All this adds up to a beautifully flashy way to shuffle off this mortal coil. Top speed, for example, is listed at 217 mph. Lambo always mentions top speed first, because that is traditionally what is closest to their hearts. From a dead stop you’ll hit 62 mph in 3 seconds flat. In another 6 seconds, 9 seconds total, you’ll be seeing 124 mph. In 25 seconds from a dead stop, you’ll hit 186 mph. Braking is, thankfully just as prodigious. You can haul the Aventador S Roadster down to a complete stop from 62 mph in only 102 feet.
The TFT digital dashboard can be customized to the driver’s preferences and Apple CarPlay is standard. Photo: Automobili Lamborghini.
Open-Air Enjoyment
The Aventador S Roadster is all about that targa top though. The removable hardtop roof panels weigh less than six kg (about 13 pounds) and are convexly molded to ensure maximum cabin space for the occupants. It has that old Zagato double bubble feel to it. The hardtop roof panels are finished in matte black and are made of carbon fiber, naturally. There are options such as high gloss black, shiny visible carbon fiber, plus more color options using Lambo’s Ad Personam customization program. And I must sayt I love how they named the program in Latin.
The roof panels pop off quickly and are stored in the front trunk. There’s also a rear window that is electrically operated if you want more wind and more opera from that V12 plant sitting at your shoulder. That rear window can be closed while the roof panel is off to minimize cabin noise and airflow, but why would you want to do that?
The Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster gives you all this for a paltry $460,247.00. The first customers will take delivery in February; in the meantime, it will be displayed next week at the International Automobile Exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany.
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: Automobili Lamborghini.

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Bentley Continental GT: It’s Not A Sports Car, But It’s Still Fast

Bentley Continental GT: It’s Not A Sports Car, But It’s Still Fast

This is the all-new Bentley Continental GT. It is many things, but one thing it is definitely not, is a sports car. Yes, it is very fast. Yes, it can cover huge amounts of ground at high speed. Yes, it has NASA levels of technology packed within. But, this thing weighs more than a Sherman tank. No, Bentley doesn’t give weight figures, but I’m willing to bet this Bentley, like all Bentleys before it, tips the scales at least double what a real sports car should.
Red Carpet Treatment
No, the Bentley Continental GT will not be seen at an Autocross meet any time soon, although it might be entertaining if it were to. The Bentley Continental GT is not about stripped down, high performance at all costs. No, the Continental GT is all about getting you from, say, Madison Avenue out to your place in Montauk, and doing so quickly and quietly, while drowning you in wood and leather and luxury and high tech connectivity and more wood and leather.
Wait, what am I saying? How nouveau riche. Madison Avenue to Montauk, how gauche of me. More like from your place in Kensington up to Highclere.
Power & Performance
Yes, the Bentley Continental GT is fat and overstuffed with riches and tech, turning it into a rolling gentlemen’s club. But, somehow, it is also capable of getting up and moving fast. This third generation of the Continental GT, which the Anglo-German company refers to as the “definitive luxury Grand Tourer,” is motivated down The Strand thanks to an enhanced version of the company’s 6.0-liter W12 TSI twin-turbocharged engine. It delivers 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft. of Sarsen pulling torque, good enough to make this hefty ride hit 60 mph in 3.6 seconds with a top speed of 207 mph. That W12 plant is mated to a dual-clutch, eight-speed transmission. This is the first application of that gearbox in a Bentley, and it makes for faster, more efficient gear changes.
Designed, developed, and handbuilt in Crewe, the W12 TSI engine is one of the most advanced in Bentley’s history. The unique “W” configuration means the engine is 24 percent shorter than a traditional V12. This helps weight distribution and increases cabin space. Bentley utilizes precise engine management technology that makes 300 million software calculations per second. Photo: Bentley Motors.
Chassis Implementation
The new Continental GT has, of course, gotten a new skin to cruise around in. And although it is modern and attractive (from some angles), it is, sadly I think, rather copycat and lacking in understatement (something 99 percent of Bentley owners value highly). The Conti GT oozes along on a new, technically innovative, adaptive chassis that uses Bentley’s 48-volt Dynamic Ride System. This new system controls ride comfort and lateral roll, “cushioning passengers from excessive movement as well as making the car feel effortlessly precise,” cause, you know, your butt’s worth a couple billion dollars, so you better give it more cushion.
The exterior was created using what Bentley calls a revolutionary technology, resulting in a lightweight, yet stiff, body structure. The engine is positioned further back in the chassis to improve weight distribution, of course, and results in “driver-focused, dynamic performance.”
Steering feel and suspension design was a focal point for Bentley. The Electric Power-Assisted Steering, with a variable rack ratio, improves feedback and isolates unwanted road disturbances for better overall handling. The air suspension uses three-chamber air springs which gives the Continental GT 60 percent more air volume in the softest setting than the previous model. Photo: Bentley Motors.

Interior Finishes
The new Bentley Continental GT is a four seater. No plebian bench seat in the back. Oh no. None of that for the Bentley buyer, thank you very much. And the new Conti has improved luggage capacity for, get this, “genuine real-world usability.” Gee, I wonder how many cinder blocks I could haul back from the hardware store in the thing? I’ll ask for a loaner from Bentley and let you know how that “genuine real-world usability” works out.
The interior, which Bentley redundantly calls a “luxurious cabin,” is saturated in features and details that quietly scream: “look at how much money you just spent!” There’s a new “diamond in diamond” leather design which one-ups that now-old diamond stitch pattern that Bentley popularized a short while back. Your choice of off the rack interior colors come from the “extensive portfolio of 15 colors across hides and carpets.” Seriously, the whole 4,000 word Bentley press release uses terms like that continually. The more I read, the more I find myself starting to agree with Cecil Rhodes and what should have been done with The Cape Colony.
The Bentley Continental GT offers a Bang & Olufsen 1,500 watt, 16-speaker system with illuminated speaker grilles. It benefits from the first automotive application of the BeoSonic system – a new way for tone setting with a one-touch user interface. Photo: Bentley Motors.
Laundry Lists
But, as Olde English as the new Continental GT is, it also has lots of that high tech stuff nestled within. There is an advanced, fully digital, driver-focused instrument panel and this thing they call the “Bentley Rotating Display.” The Bentley Rotating Display features a 12.3-inch touchscreen stored in a three-sided unit and, as the name implies, revolves the veneer to reveal the touchscreen and analogue dials.
Bentley goes on, at Silmarillion-like length about every last detail of the new Continental GT, but most of it is, again, very Silmarillion-like, and rather uninteresting; how they choose the carpets, the hand-finished twisted polished wheel finish, luxurious haptic finishes, Mulliner Bespoke buttock massagers, cut-crystal effect taillights, and more . . . so much, much more. Okay, one of those is a joke, but I’ll let you figure out which one, but reading through it becomes hard to tell whether Bentley is being serious or having a laugh with this stuff.
The Bentley Continental GT will make its global debut at the IAA Frankfurt Motor Show starting on September 14th. No word on when it will reach showrooms or what it will cost. Probably those answers are “pretty soon” and “comparable to a yacht.”
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: Bentley Motors.

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2018 Nissan Leaf Makes North American Debut

2018 Nissan Leaf Makes North American Debut

The 2018 Nissan Leaf was unveiled at a media event in Las Vegas yesterday (September 6th) at the Thomas & Mack Center. The Las Vegas appearance followed the vehicle’s global launch earlier in Tokyo, Japan. The 2018 Leaf underscores Nissan’s commitment to clean and efficient transportation.
“When we launched Leaf in 2010, it instantly became the most affordable, mass market EV in the world,” said José Muñoz, Chief Performance Officer, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. during the Las Vegas event. “We are not walking away from that proposition.”
Technology & Performance
The 2018 Nissan Leaf has an estimated 150 miles of range with the automaker’s latest segment innovations, including a more aerodynamic exterior, advanced driver assistance systems like ProPILOT Assist, and an e-Pedal feature for more efficient driving. In 2019, a high powered variant is expected with increased motor and battery capacity. Nissan is aiming for segment leadership by focusing on extensive testing and consumer interactions.
“This new Leaf is not just the latest symbol of Nissan’s global leadership in the EV segment,” Muñoz remarked. “It is the culmination of everything we’ve learned from more than two billion miles of real life, on-road driving and from the feedback of hundreds of thousands of owners around the world, particularly Leaf customers here in the U.S.”
Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Pricing & Availability
The 2018 Nissan Leaf will arrive at dealerships early next year with a starting MSRP under $30,000. That’s less than the current Leaf despite the 2018 variant offering more technology, range, and power. To date, Nissan has sold over 112,000 Leaf EVs in the United States and more than 283,000 globally, making it the world’s best-selling electric vehicle.
“We believe the new Leaf will be another game changer for Nissan in the U.S., just as the redesigned Rogue has been in the last year and a half, hitting the ‘sweet spot’ in the growing EV segment,” Muñoz added. “It takes everything we’ve learned from our loyal first-generation Leaf owners to the next level.”
Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan.
Photo: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
Photos & Source: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

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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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