Automotive

2019 Genesis G70 Looks To Establish Brand’s Longevity

2019 Genesis G70 Looks To Establish Brand’s Longevity You know, Hyundai – okay, okay Genesis, sorry – might really be onto something here. Hyundais are, generally speaking, well made, fantastically practical cars that are ultimately disposable. Genesis, the spinoff brand from the Korean auto-giant, is just like that, only luxury-oriented and feature rich. Could there be a market out there for rich people who would not only drive a Genesis, but drive a new one every year?
Good Old Days
That used to be the way it was done, actually. I’ve personally known several old duffers who used to, every year, drive their car back to Detroit, straight to the factory, and trade it in right there, for the next such-and-such coming off the line. Now, people who are leaning that way just get a new such-and-such on lease every 12 or 24 months. Could Genesis be one of those cars? It is pretty loaded down with all that feature-frosting rich dorks demand.
Marketing Speak
Genesis officially introduced the 2019 G70 luxury performance sedan to the U.S. market at this year’s New York International Auto Show, and yeah, there’s a lot there. The G70 rounds out the Genesis sedan lineup, joining the G80, G80 Sport, and flagship G90 with all that codswallop about the brand’s “Athletic Elegance” design signature blah-blah-blah. Marketing speak, you know?
Still, the interior of the G70 is driver-focused and saturated with enough high-quality materials to choke a horse. Brushed aluminum surfaces, quilted Nappa leather seats, stainless steel speaker grilles, and premium-stitched soft-touch surfaces are all over the place. A 15-speaker Lexicon high-fidelity audio system with QuantumLogic surround-processing allows you to listen to, oh, I dunno, Slayer, in some sort of strange, false echo DSP-chip “environment.”
Photo: Genesis Motor America.
Power & Performance
You want power? The U.S. market G70 will have “enough.” There’s a choice of two engines: a 252 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four, and a 365 horsepower 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6. Obviously get the big mill! Rear-wheel drive is standard (baby!) and all-wheel drive is optional. The standard box is an eight-speed, sport-tuned automatic with steering wheel mounted shifters and launch control regardless of engine.
And this is actually impressive: Genesis will offer an optional six-speed manual gearbox on the 2.0 real-wheel drive model. Huzzah! Huzzah! Someone is listening to the luddite gearheads out there! Huzzah!
Ride & Handling
All G70s ride on a pretty standard MacPherson multi-link front and multi-link rear suspension. Sure there’s performance-oriented geometry dialed in, and sure, it probably corners okay, but until Genesis/Hyundai start hiring away chassis guys from Red Bull, don’t expect this thing to be a real track star. They have paid attention to overall lightness however, St. Colin of Hethel be praised.
There’s an aluminum hood and a mechanical limited slip diff for improved traction. Variable ratio steering is on the G70 3.3 turbo, and 3.3 turbo Sport models add an electronically-controlled suspension.
The G70 is customizable to each driver’s preference with five available modes. You can tweak powertrain response, steering weight, engine sound, torque distribution, (all-wheel drive models), and suspension firmness. Brembo brakes are optional with fixed four-piston calipers up front, and two-pistons at the rear so you can stop real good. 19-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires are an option as well.
Photo: Genesis Motor America.
Safety & Technology
Digital servants? Of course, this is a car designed and built by Koreans in 2019. There’s oodles of standard safety equipment: Forward Collision Avoidance Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Driver Attention Warning make up the Genesis Active Safety Control suite.
Like all Genesis models, the G70 comes with advanced telematics, seamless connectivity, and nifty in-house tech goodies like Destination Search powered by Voice, Car Finder, Enhanced Roadside Assistance, Stolen Vehicle Recovery, and SOS Emergency & Automatic Collision Notification.
On top of all that, the G70 is an Amazon Alexa-enabled device with voice control.
Availability & In Person
The Genesis G70 arrives at dealers this summer and will come in eight exterior colors: Victoria Black, Casablanca White, Himalayan Grey, Santiago Silver, Adriatic Blue, Mallorca Blue, Havana Red, and Siberian Ice. In the meantime, it’s on display at the New York International Auto Show, now through April 8th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
Photos & Source: Genesis Motor America.

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Inside The 2019 Acura RDX

Inside The 2019 Acura RDX The 2019 Acura RDX, which recently debuted at the New York International Auto Show, sees the most extensive overhaul to its platform in a decade. For 2019, the Acura RDX comes with a VTEC Turbo engine, 10-speed transmission, and an available torque vectoring all-wheel drive system. The available A-Spec variant goes further, adding sport appearance detailing both inside and out.
Walk Around
The 2019 RDX has a new look that Acura calls “sharp, low, and wide.” The RDX aims for that wide stance and sleek presence by focusing on its “wheels-out” proportions. It has that Acura signature Diamond Pentagon Grille, now flanked by Jewel Eye headlights with seven LED light elements. The wide air intakes include an NSX-inspired air curtain to feed air around the front wheels and down the body. Prominent hood bulges are visible from inside the cabin so you can always remember what a powerful SUV you have and that you’re not compensating.
The front and rear fenders have sharp character lines themselves and another aggressive character line runs the length of the RDX. The whole thing is capped off with distinctive “dragon tail” LED taillights. No, really.
Photo: Honda North America.
Chassis & Suspension
What lies beneath the sculpted new body is also of interest. The architecture delivers a “sophisticated driving experience” thanks to a 2.6 inch longer wheelbase; cargo behind the rear seats has expanded by 3.4 cubic feet, and there’s an additional 1.7 cubic feet of under floor storage. The 2019 RDX also has a fully-flat rear floor for easy loading and unloading. That body structure is mated to an all-new chassis with variable ratio, dual-pinion electric power steering. There is a “sport-tuned” Macpherson strut suspension at the front, an all-new five-link independent rear suspension, and adaptive dampers.
Power & Performance
The new RDX is motivated by a direct-injected and turbocharged 2.0-liter, 16-valve powerplant with a DOHC VTEC valvetrain and Dual Variable Timing Cam. Power comes out at a healthy 272 ponies and 280 lb-ft. of torque; that’s up by around 10 percent versus the outgoing model. And since the torque band has been moved lower, there’s quicker acceleration and sharper throttle response.
Also in the mix is a 10-speed automatic transmission, the first and only 10 speed found in the RDX’s class – but I wouldn’t expect that to last since these ten-cog boxes are all over the truck world. Give them time to percolate down into the almost-truck-world. Acura says gear changes are quick and seamless, in both automatic mode and when using the steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
Torque Tools
Curiously enough for an SUV, the RDX comes with torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive. Torque vectoring is currently found on high performance exotics (Ferrari invented it) but it is a clever engineering solution that should make a welcome appearance on almost any road vehicle. Acura’s torque vectoring is a little different since it is applied to the front end to sharpen handling response, rather than applied to the rear. Although Acura points out that up to 70 percent of the torque can be sent to the rear wheels, and up to 100 percent can be distributed to either the right-rear or left-rear wheel; so that’s pretty close to what “normal” torque vectoring is.

Interior Treatments
Of course the inside is all spacious and luxurious. This is an SUV from Acura, after all. The seating comfort and lateral support improves thanks to more intricate sculpting, lightweight steel frames, and 16-way power adjustability. The standard panoramic moonroof has power slide and tilt functions and a power sliding sunshade. Brushed aluminum, stainless steel, open pore Olive Ash wood, Ultrasuede, and rich Milano leather can be slathered about the cabin as the buyer sees fit.
Acura’s True Touchpad Interface is also along for the ride and provides a system-level approach to the in-car user experience. The interface features a 10.2-inch full-HD center display and an all-new, Android-based operating system. Acura even included a padded wrist rest for a comfortable and stable platform while operating the touchpad. The new RDX also comes with a premium audio system developed by Acura and Panasonic.
Availability & In Person
The new RDX is set to arrive at Acura dealers nationwide mid-year. In the meantime, it’s on display at the New York International Auto Show, now through April 8th at the Jacob Javits Convention Center.
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.
2019 Acura RDX Gallery

Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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Jaguar I-PACE Debuts On London Streets

Jaguar I-PACE Debuts On London Streets

Jaguar’s new I-PACE has finally taken to the streets, hitting the road in its natural environment: A park in the middle of London, one of the most densely packed urban environments on the planet. No, you’re not very likely to see this thing busting up a trail in Moab, but I don’t really think that Jaguar cares very much.
Jaguar calls the I-PACE (yes, it’s in all caps, yes, it has an “I” in the name, no, Jaguar probably doesn’t seem to see the causticness in either of those) an “electric performance SUV concept.”
That does seem like a mishmash of corp-speak right out of a marketing weasel’s mouth, but it’s actually kind of accurate. The I-PACE is the Jaguar brand’s first electric vehicle and will arrive in the second half of 2018. That could be from July 2018 through December 2018, but Jag isn’t getting any more specific, so if you really want one, you’re going to have to deal with that vague description for now.
Concepts & Rulebooks
At the moment, the I-PACE is just a concept and it most definitely is an SUV – truck-like in looks if not truck-like in deed – and it does have performance (if the Jags of the early 80s could get up and go, even this truck-esque thing should move out of its own way). And the Jaguar I-PACE is, literally, electric (there’s batteries and an electric motor buried in there somewhere).
The Jaguar I-PACE finally got its chassis off the auto show floor and onto the streets, hitting the motorways of London for the first time. Specifically it was driving on the streets of London’s famous Olympic Park, to preview the EV SUV actually moving in front of the general public. This is essentially a working version of the show car, whereas the final production version will be revealed later this year.
Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum, who has been doing a rather adequate and workman like job, is very pleased with his company’s first foray into both the electric vehicle world, and the realm of SUVs.
“The feedback on the I-PACE Concept has been fantastic; it has surprised people and the enthusiasm for our first electric vehicle has been beyond all my expectations,” he said. “With the I-PACE Concept we’ve torn up the rule book to create a vehicle with supercar inspired aesthetics, sports car performance, and SUV space in one electric package.”
Jaguar I-PACE. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.

Power & Performance
The I-PACE is motivated by a 90kWh lithium-ion battery, which makes enough juice to accelerate the beast from 0-6 in around 4 seconds, with a targeted range of approximately 220 miles according to EPA test cycles. That’s pretty impressive (given all the equivocating), since this thing probably weighs over a couple of tons. No, there are no official weight figures given, but c’mon, this thing is a truck and it’s hauling around a pallet-load of batteries, and neither “truck” nor “batteries” impart a sense of “lightness” do they?
Jag says that charging is “easy and quick” with an 80 percent charge accomplished in 90 minutes and 100 percent charge achieved in just over two hours using the 50kW DC fast charging system.
The electric motors are compact, lightweight affairs (so that’s a plus) with one at each end driving the front and rear axles. Combined they produce an output of 400 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of all-wheel drive torque, which is (frankly) a lot, but also remember what I said about this thing being heavy overall.
Putting power down to the tarmacadam and maintaining traction on a variety of “other” surfaces and weather conditions is all down to the electronic brain control unit that governs all the electronic systems; charging, inductance braking, those sorts of things. Jaguar says throttle response is “immediate” and the system provides “exceptional control over the front and rear torque distribution.”
Jaguar I-PACE. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.
Dramatic Presence
Will it work? Sure, probably, depending on what your definition of work is. If it’s driving Trevor and Sterling to lacrosse practice, then it’ll work. If it means 26 miles of bad gravel “road” to meet up with this job’s logging crew for the next 13 days straight, that remains to be seen.
Still, Jaguar is rightfully optimist about their creation, especially with regard to on-road dynamics.
“You can see the true value of the I-PACE’s dramatic silhouette and powerful proportions when you see it on the road against other cars,” Callum said. “Driving the concept on the streets is really important for the design team.”
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.
Jaguar I-PACE Gallery

Photos & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.

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2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali Review

2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali Review
If you need a full-size SUV, built on a truck chassis, ready to tow a trailer, and haul large amounts of cargo with nine-passengers, there aren’t many choices. The GMC Yukon XL will fill your order and can even take the abuse of rough, unpaved roads on a regular basis, something car-based crossovers won’t handle. Add the Denali trim and you’ve got a rugged SUV with the style and trimmings of a luxury vehicle.
This weekend, we drove the top-of-the-line, 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4WD.
What’s New For 2018
The Yukon Denali, the top GMC trim, adopts a sophisticated 10-speed automatic transmission. There’s also a new Denali Ultimate Package with 22-inch wheels, a sunroof, and a large helping of safety tech add-ons.
Features & Options
The 2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4WD ($71,865) comes loaded with features including tri-zone automatic climate control, power-adjustable front seats, and 60/40-split folding second- and third-row seats. Also included is a 110-volt power outlet, an eight-inch touchscreen interface, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and OnStar communications (with a 4G LTE connection and Wi-Fi hotspot). Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compliments a nine-speaker Bose audio system, which includes a CD player, satellite and HD radio, and a USB input.
Other features include foglights, side steps, roof rails, front and rear parking sensors, automatic wipers, and a trailer hitch receiver with a wiring harness. GM’s Teen Driver monitoring system, which limits certain vehicle settings for young drivers, also comes standard.
The top-of-the-line Denali trim adds 20-inch wheels, xenon headlights, adaptive suspension dampers, a trailer brake controller, a heads-up instrument display, active noise cancellation, second-row bucket seats, navigation, and a wireless smartphone charging pad.
The new-for-2018 Denali Ultimate package ($8,030) adds 22-inch wheels, a sunroof, power side steps, adaptive cruise control, a rear seat entertainment system with DVD player, an extended satellite radio and traffic information subscription, and enhanced security features. The Ultimate package also adds forward collision alert with automatic low-speed emergency braking, a vibrating safety-alert driver’s seat, automatic high beams, and lane departure warning and intervention systems.
Total MSRP on this Denali tester including destination: $80,190.

Interior Highlights
The GMC Yukon XL is just that: it’s super-sized for extra cargo and passenger-carrying abilities. Yukon XL is 20.5 inches longer than the normal Yukon, on a wheelbase that’s 14 inches longer. Yukon XL offers a lot more third-row legroom, making the XL ideal for hauling large numbers of passengers. Stepping inside, the Denali proves handsome and luxurious, reminiscent of a high-end luxury vehicle.
The Yukon XL is absolutely cavernous inside were six-footers will feel comfortable for long trips. An eight-inch touchscreen sits high above logically-laid-out controls that are easy and quick to use. The front seats are especially comfortable with plenty of adjustments and power-adjust pedals to help find the perfect position for any size driver. The second row captain’s chairs are just as comfy, giving passengers extra elbow room. The XL provides ample stretch-out space for taller passengers and even the third row can handle adults without an issue.
With the third row deployed, it offers up a generous 39.3 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold down the second and third rows, and you’ve got a whopping 121 cubic feet of maximum cargo space at your disposal. Loading cargo can be a bit of a chore, however, because of the relatively high rear tailgate floor.

Engine & Fuel Mileage Specs
Yukon Denali gets GMC’s 6.2-liter EcoTech3 V8 engine, sending 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft. of torque to the wheels via a new 10-speed automatic. Our Yukon XL came with 4WD, a locking rear differential, two-speed transfer case, rear load leveling, and was equipped to tow 7,500 lbs.
The EPA fuel mileage estimates come in at 14/21 city/highway and 16 combined mpg.
Driving Dynamics
When we pushed the gas pedal to the floor, the big 6.2-liter came alive quickly and delivered a remarkably eye-opening response. Of course, the price is a big drop in fuel mileage, but the demographic that will buy the Yukon XL aren’t all that concerned with the price of gas. Although the V8 can run on half its cylinders during light-load usage to help reduce fuel consumption.
The ride is comfortable in spite of the bigger wheels and thanks in part to the Denali’s Magnetic Ride Control. The SUV smoothed out the bumps on the dirt roads with ruts. We experienced a spring snow storm in Denver and the 4WD system allowed us to cut through the ice and snow. Denali comes with a 2WD mode, 4-wheel automatic, 4-High, and 4-Low for unpaved roads and trails.
The cabin is quiet even when we stood on the gas. The new 10-speed automatic was smooth and we never felt it hunting for the right gear, even at altitude going up the steep I-70 incline heading out of town. The GMC Yukon Denali can haul a boat-load of people without an issue and the only problem we had was slower traffic getting in our way. The big vehicle gives the driver a feeling of power and authority on the road.
If you are doing high-traffic city driving, the Yukon XL is a challenge trying to navigate tight parking lots and narrow streets. It requires a rubber neck and paying attention to how you park. Denali does come with an array of parking sensors, rearview camera, and a vibrating safety-alert driver’s seat, which we thought was a bit over the top.
Conclusion
The GMC Yukon XL Denali offers a rugged SUV with the style and trimmings of a luxury vehicle. It will handle all your people and cargo-hauling needs with room to spare. The Denali is luxury grade. Add in the 4×4 capability and you’ve got a big family hauler that will go anywhere you point it.
Denis Flierl has invested over 25 years in the automotive industry in a variety of roles. Follow his work on Twitter: @CarReviewGuy
2018 GMC Yukon XL Denali Gallery

GMC Yukon XL Denali Official Site.
Photos: GMC.

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Want Your Next Lexus To Start? Lick The Steering Wheel. No. Seriously.

Want Your Next Lexus To Start? Lick The Steering Wheel. No. Seriously. Auto shows can be crazy places with half-thought out ideas all over the place. Gyroscope-stabilized briefcase warmers for the back seat. Cop cars with integrated doughnut dispensers. Turbine-powered iPad docks. Lots of nutty stuff that will (thankfully) never see the light of day. Sadly, Lexus and their new partner, genetic screening company 23andMe have teamed up for “Genetic Select” and it looks like they’re “serious.”
Lexus made the announcement in conjunction with the 2018 New York International Auto Show.
“Finding the perfect vehicle that meets your every need was once only a fantasy, but now it’s becoming reality,” crows Lexus inaccurately. Finding my perfect vehicle is easy guys. Finding the money for it, that’s the hard part. Genetic Select is the “Ultimate Answer to Vehicle Customization” and a revolutionary new car buying experience.
It also pegs the goofy meter.
Perfect Fit
Available on April 1st at Lexus dealerships, Genetic Select’s patented “DNA sequencing model-to-model technology” will pair drivers to a Lexus vehicle that’s tailored to their every characteristic. Lexus says with 23andMe’s understanding of genetic variants, Genetic Select will enable them to deliver the perfect color, trim, horsepower allotment, seating configuration, and radio presets, with 99.99967 percent accuracy.
“It will be impossible to tell where the driver ends and where the car begins,” reads a statement in the press release.
This is all based on the driver’s DNA, so if the customer does not have a genetic variant for bald spots, the car will come equipped with a sun roof. Those genetically prone to more freckles will receive custom window tinting.
In conjunction with 23andMe, Lexus will offer a unique vehicle customization program – one that considers the buyer’s genetics and configures the car accordingly. Photo: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Spit, Sign & Drive
Your Genetic Select appointment takes about 10 minutes and is sort of like the movie Gattaca. Lexus’ service staff will collect a saliva sample as quickly and painlessly as possible, then send it to 23andMe for full sequence testing. 48 hours later, the perfect vehicle will arrive at the customer’s doorstep, badda-boom badda-bing! You won’t even need a key to operate it – the revolutionary new saliva-powered start system operates via a DNA ignition sensor on the steering wheel. Just lick and drive!
Customers can make their appointments at their local Lexus dealership starting April 1st. The video below explains more.
That date again is April 1st!
Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz.

Photos, Video & Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

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Memory Lane: “Stinks Like Cheese In Here” & Other Stories As A Private Chauffeur

Memory Lane: “Stinks Like Cheese In Here” & Other Stories As A Private Chauffeur
Allow me to carry your suitcase, sir!
I’m getting hot under the collar. I have to pick up the Director of the Department of Agriculture from a neighboring state. He was in town for a conference and I have to rush him to the airport. He’s already 20 minutes late and he might miss his commercial flight. If a government plane was waiting for him, it would be a different story.
But this is not my lucky day.
“The Boys”
In my haste to get him to the airport, I take a sharp turn off the hotel driveway. I find myself at the stop light in the oncoming lane of the six-lane boulevard. That’s why I’m a bit uneasy. The light is red and the director is looking at me wondering what the hell I’m doing. He looks at his two aides sitting in the back of the Chevrolet Caprice. They remain mute.
He can no longer keep his tongue. “Well, wait till I tell the boys back home.” I keep looking ahead pretending that I know what I’m doing as a chauffeur to high-ranking politicians. The “boys” he is talking about are the police officers who usually drive him around when he is home. But whenever he visits our neck of the woods, I drive him.
On top of that, I have to turn left.
Calm & Collected
I don’t say a word and keep looking straight ahead. Somehow, I’m relaxed and know that everything is going to be alright now that I have my passengers in my care. There is a car facing us across the intersection and the driver is also wondering what I’m doing in his lane. The Caprice may be helping. It could be perceived as an unmarked cruiser. For all he knows, the occupants could be undercover officers wearing suits.
The light turns green and I floor it. As if it were my right of way, I make my turn and end up in the proper lane. The director is shaking his head, smiling. I get him to the airport just in time and he makes his flight.
I’ve had countless adventures like this: taking one minister and my boss to a reunion, then waiting for them as they had to go to another meeting. Again, they were running late. Most of the driving was taking place on the highway but unfortunately, it was bumper to bumper. So, I simply drove the car on the shoulder for just about the entire trip. A few people got upset, honking their horns as we zipped by, but I saved a lot of time. My passengers never said anything.

Better Late Than Never
The life of a chauffeur ain’t always easy, especially when you are fighting the clock and your passengers have no clue on how long it takes to go from point A to point B in a large, congested city. Other times, they tell you at the last minute they are arriving. I got a phone call once from the aide of another director. “The director will be arriving in a government plane at the downtown airport in about 10 minutes.”
Would it kill you to give me better advanced warning? I can probably make it to the airport in 10 minutes since the office is downtown. Unfortunately, the downtown airport is on an island and I have to take a short ferry trip to get there.
I run to the car, and coming out of the parkade, I take a turn where I should not be taking a turn. Of course, there is a cop, on a bicycle no less, and he catches up to me. I give him my government ID card and driver’s license and explain why I took the illegal turn. I’m verbally hurrying him to let me go along otherwise I’ll be late. He doesn’t like my tone of voice, but allows me to proceed without a ticket.
Government Planes
I make it to the ferry ramp. The ferry is on the other side. Figures. I wait, not so patiently. It’s a five-minute crossing of a canal. It takes longer to load and unload the cars but I finally make it.
The aide had the timing wrong, and I arrive next to the tarmac as the plane is on final approach. It’s an F-27 Fairchild-Hiller and the pilot will need the entire runway to land. If he misses, the plane is in the water. Those guys are good and he brings the aircraft around to where I’m parked. The director disembarks and he and his entourage pile up in my car. The plane will wait for them. It’s only a day trip. I don’t think there is a pilot’s lounge at the tiny island airport.
A couple of years later, I picked up another director of agriculture; a different one. Politics is a tough business and people come and go. He was accompanied by his wife and triplets. I drove them to their hotel so they could check in. I waited, as I had to drive the minister to another hotel for a meeting. After I dropped him off, I returned to his hotel to pick up his wife and children. I was instructed to give them a tour of the city.

Excuse The Cheese Please
The director’s visit coincided with a huge agricultural fair taking place in town, and his department had a kiosk showcasing cheeses from various regions of his state. The fair was closing for the day and I had to pack up all the cheese and bring it back to the office. There wasn’t a fridge at the fair, but we had one at my place of work. I loaded up about 200 lbs. of cheese in the trunk. It took a while. As I was about to go unload it, I realized I needed to take the director to a banquet.
He made his way back to the hotel because I was busy giving a tour to his family. I open the door and he gets in the car. He’s all decked out in a tuxedo. I can see in the rearview mirror that he is looking around, sniffing. “It stinks of cheese in here.” He blurts out.
“Well, sir” I explain to him . . . “I didn’t have time to unload it.” I tell him the story but he was worried, I guess, that he would smell of cheese when he got out of the car. He wasn’t happy.
Fido’s Bite
Another time, I had to drive the Consul of Peru. For some reason, Peru had a consulate in our city. He wanted to go to a branch of the American Kennel Club to have his purebred dogs registered with the AKC. “Are your dogs nice?” I surprised myself asking the consul.
“No. They are not nice. They stay inside my compound and if someone manages to climb the eight-foot wall to invade my property, the dogs will shred them to pieces. There’s a lot of crime in Lima.”
“Oh, Okay,” I thought.
His request to have his dogs registered was denied.

Close Calls & Juicy Gossip
I never experienced close calls, accident-wise, except one time when I was making a turn. One of those crazy bike couriers came from nowhere and slid on the wet pavement in front of the car. I stopped in time and didn’t hit him. My boss was sitting in the car with two high-ranking politicians.
You hear juicy tidbits as a chauffeur, but it’s not that glamorous of a job, unless you work for a wealthy patron who pays you handsomely. I learned the main preoccupation of politicians is to stay in power. I’ve driven all sorts of people; from CEOs to famous artists, and a lot of elected officials and their subordinates. The defensive driving course I had previously taken served me to no end, and still does to this day.
Being a chauffeur was fun, since I enjoy driving, and I got to know the city by heart.
Michael Bellamy is the author of our Memory Lane series, a collection of work that examines the unique relationships we have with automobiles. Bellamy has held a number of interesting jobs over the years, including a helicopter pilot and chauffeur to high-ranking politicians. He enjoys driving his 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC and 2003 Dodge Dakota.

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Scared of Nighttime Driving? New Ford Tech Can Help

Scared of Nighttime Driving? New Ford Tech Can Help

Among all those techno goodies like lane departure warning and automatic braking, some are actually capable of helping a driver in ways they cannot help themselves. Ford’s Pedestrian Detection system, for example, aims to help you see in the dark. Well, see pedestrians at night anyway.
Effectively, what we have here is a way to use on-board sensors that are already in place to do other things like look for, sense, and react to wandering pedestrians. In some ways, this strikes me as a good thing.
There are a ton of news stories out there about pedestrians too distracted by their smartphones, wandering obliviously into traffic and getting wham-o-ed into The Great Beyond.
Night Moves
Ford goes into great detail why, in the dark especially, this is not only difficult for even the most attentive drivers to counter, but also plays on the inherent fears built into our primitive brains. Ford says “night fears rooted in our pre-historic past cause stress behind the wheel,” and a new poll shows most people “worry about night blindness and many fear hitting pedestrians.”
And all of that makes sense, especially from a psycho-anthropological standpoint. And that’s Ford’s nice way of saying, “the stuff that scared the jeepers out of our Troglodytic ancestors still scares us.” So, yeah, fear handed down from cavemen causes stress on the road, and so does that Neanderthal in front of me who’s texting and driving at the same time. But that’s an opinion best left for another time.
Survey Says
Ford also points out how nighttime traffic accidents with pedestrians can be almost twice as likely to lead to a fatality. That is, statistically speaking, a pretty big jump. Ergo, it’s a jump worth paying attention to and trying to minimize. Ford surveyed thousands of drivers across Europe (this was a Ford of Europe study) and they found 81 percent admit to being scared on the roads at night. That’s both an impressive number and also noteworthy, considering what it takes to get a driver’s license in Germany. Getting a driver’s license in Germany is on par with getting a pilot’s license here in America. So they train and test the be-jeebers out of you, and “I am scared of driving on the road” is never an acceptable answer on the driver’s education test.
Ford goes on to say that more than half of the survey respondents say poor night vision is a source of stress, and more than a third worry they might be involved in an accident. Worries that they may mow down a pedestrian were mentioned by one in five drivers surveyed.
So, what can a car company do to help?
Research conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in the United States in 2015, 3 in 4 motor-vehicle related pedestrian deaths happened after dark. Photo: Megan Krause.

For Dummies
If you’re Ford, you come up with improved Pedestrian Detection technology that works at night for the first time. After coming up with prototypes, Ford’s development team worked at night, sending life-sized dummies into the path of vehicles on closed tracks. And, c’mon, how much fun was that job? You’re out at the test track at night, you and a bunch of your engineer buddies. Along comes Heinrich, the macho factory test driver, and then you and your engineer buddies go, “Eins! Zwei! Drei!! Los gehts wieder, Dummy!!”
And they pay you to do this? Sign me up.
Anyway, by the end of all this fun and dummy ballistics, Ford is able to, for the first time, introduce new technology that detects pedestrians at night. The system automatically applies the brakes if the driver does not respond to initial warnings.
“We know some drivers find hitting the road at night a stressful experience. Especially driving in towns and cities, pedestrians – sometimes distracted by mobiles – can without warning step into the road, leaving even alert drivers very little time to avoid an accident,” said Gregor Allexi, Active Safety Engineer, Ford of Europe.
And how much do you want to bet that with a name like Gregor Allexi, that guy was in charge airborne dummy deployment?
2018 Ford F-150. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Advanced Detection Technology
The Pedestrian Detection system processes information from a bumper mounted radar pinger, as well as a windshield mounted camera. Contained within Ford’s on-board computer is a database of “pedestrian shapes” so the car can tell the difference between people and objects, such as trees and road signs. The camera is firing off at 30 “snapshots” a second (which is a TV camera frame rate). This video feed and viewing angle enables the system to distinguish pedestrians, even in low-light conditions, illuminated only by the headlights.
If the system detects a pedestrian before the driver, it first provides audible and visual warnings. Should you be a complete chowderhead and fail to respond, the system automatically hits the brakes for you. Ford will roll out this advanced pedestrian detection technology later this year, when it is introduced on the next generation Fiesta in Europe. In North America, the new technology will debut first on the 2018 Ford Mustang and F-150.
For tips when it comes to nighttime driving, we recommend this advice from the National Safety Council.
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.
Cover Photo & Source: Ford Motor Company.

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Report: BMW wants to sell fully-autonomous vehicles by 2021

Report: BMW wants to sell fully-autonomous vehicles by 2021 As the industry trend for self-driving cars continues, BMW wants to ramp up their efforts as well.
What’s going on?
BMW announced some new plans for its lineup in the coming years. According to AutomotiveNews, the Bavarian automaker seeks to produce and sell fully-autonomous vehicles by 2021.
Speaking with BMW’s senior vice president for the brand’s autonomous driving division, Elmar Fickenstein, a new BMW will arrive with “Level 3, 4 and 5” stage autonomous vehicles.
Click here for more news on BMW.
What does that mean?
Well, it doesn’t mean the 3-, 4-, and 5-Series will be the models to become self-driving capable. It means there’s a new classification system for autonomous vehicles, representing just exactly how autonomous capable they are. At the bottom, you have minimally to no self-driving capabilities. At level three and above, the more self-driving capabilities are equipped.
Beginning with level three, the car is semi-autonomous with assistants like lane departure correction, or Mercedes’ latest adaptive cruise control. Levels four and five are fully-autonomous capable, like Tesla’s Model S with AutoPilot.
When could we expect to see these cars begin testing?
BMW recently teamed up with Intel and Mobileye to help develop the new computers to run BMW’s autonomous driving programs. BMW engineers will focus more on developing the handling dynamics and safety systems.
The plan: have a fully operational fleet of autonomous 7-Series for real-world testing by the end of this year.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: AutomotiveNews
Self-Driving BMW 5-Series at the 2017 CES

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2017 Lincoln Continental: Feeling A Little Blue

2017 Lincoln Continental: Feeling A Little Blue

Ah, Lincoln! Once the preferred brand of presidents (Kennedy) and mobsters (Corleone), Lincoln has slipped to being perpetually on the brink of joining Mercury in The Great Junkyard In The Sky. Once they were praised in rock songs by Charley Ryan, now they are mumbled about by Matthew McConaughey.
I like Lincolns. I like their big square style and almost anti-trend when it came to overall design. When Big American Cars were nothing but support systems for fins, Lincolns were big arched boxes with fantastically powerful engines.
Then again, I liked Mercury too, and thought the last genration Marauder was a great car, so what do I know?
Slate Gray Strategy
And now Lincoln, still inexplicably struggling to survive, is starting to talk seriously about color and style and fashion. There’s two things that come to mind: first, a lot of high end car companies are starting to do this. Cadillac, Rolls-Royce, even Mercedes-Benz (that staid bastion of German “style”) have taken to giving a lot of ink about color choices and semi-bespoke this and that. And secondly, I think about the Inter-Society Color Council.
Have you ever noticed that one day, usually in the spring, you see lots of consumer products that are all in similar colors? Say, slate gray for example. You see cars and toasters and sheet sets and furniture that all seem to be in the identical shade of slate gray, or in hues very closely aligned to it? That is because of the Inter-Society Color Council.
The Inter-Society Color Council is an cross-industry group that meets every so often (once a year I think) and says, “okay, what are the colors for 2023 going to be?” And then they settle that question and move on. It’s not as nefarious as you think. It’s mainly a way for companies from across the industry to figure out what paints and dyes to purchase by the rail car load so they can save money.
2017 Lincoln Black Label theme for Continental. Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Blue Shades, Black Labels
So when Lincoln says something like, “shades of blue are popular in fashion this spring – ranging from tranquil to refreshing and included as part of a palette based on nature,” and rhapsody is the signature Lincoln Black Label theme for the 2017 Lincoln Continental; the unique monochromatic interior offers rich, layered tones of blue in a multitude of textures,” that means two things:
First, Lincoln is following the lead of Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz et al. and making Fashion (with a capital “F”) a big part of what they sell, and second . . . well, about 8 years ago, a bunch of designers, color people from the Pantone Color Institute, fashionistas from Milan and Paris, design types from Silicon Valley and such were sitting around a table and said, “so . . . blue then? Blue’s gonna be it for 2017? Blue?”
And, unsurprisingly here we are when Lincoln flat out says, “versatile shades of blue, popular in spring designer collections, create the signature Black Label theme of the 2017 Lincoln Continental. Rhapsody uses a rich blend of materials to create a layered effect that complements the monochromatic tone in shades of blue. The materials are purposely arranged to flow like water: Glossier materials highlight the upper portion of the interior, while more lush touch points are lower, down to the softer, thicker carpet. Supple leather, rich Alcantara sueded cloth, mesh, and shearling combine to create an exceptionally diverse tactile experience.”
You better believe that blue is going to be a thing on upper end Lincolns for at least a year. And you’ll also start seeing lots of blues in Wal-Mart and Macy’s and such.
According to Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute, blue is a very distinguished color. In her book “Color: Messaging and Meaning,” she writes, “blue has long been associated with serenity, respite and tranquility in nature, while industries have found the hue a perfect representation of quality and achievement.” Photo: Ford Motor Company.

Top Dollar, High Demand
But why? Why make a big, public point of following fashion for an upmarket American car company? And really, you should see Lincoln’s press release on this. It reads like a community college student’s Sophomore Artist Statement: “the range of colors evokes a spectrum of emotion and feeling . . . blue . . . blue is even considered a color of protection . . . blue is an incredibly versatile shade . . . evokes feelings of warmth and security . . . ”
Seriously, the whole corporate letter is riddled with declarations like that.
My hypothesis is that Lincoln has very little choice left at this point. Look at your “average” purchaser of an upper end luxury car. They can afford to buy a new Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar, Cadillac, or whatever every year. They can afford to take into consideration both the brand and whether it’s fashionable. If all of their friends in Gstaad this past winter were just stunning (simply stunning!) in that tone of Sage Green, and they see it as an Alcantara color option when they’re taking the S-Class in for an oil change, you know they’re going to be seriously considering it when it comes lease-end, trade-in time in 4 months.
These people can afford to be fashionable with their purchases.
Photo: Ford Motor Company.
Lincoln Lawyer
So if Lincoln can tap into that, if they can make the Continental not just a vehicular choice, but a fashion statement as well, then they might find a flowing money river and keep their company solvent. And, honestly, that would be just fine with me. Like I said, I like Lincolns. I like them precisely because they’re sort of the “anti-Cadillac.”
Any Lotto-winning yahoo from the trailer park can go and buy a Caddy, because Cadillac = money. It takes an effort of will and choice to say, “I’ll have what Matthew McConaughey’s driving.”
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: Ford Motor Company.

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