Sunday, July 31, 2016

2017 Nissan Armada Driven: Now on Patrol

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When Nissan created the original Nissan Armada, its first full-size sport-utility vehicle, it did so in the traditional way, using the platform of its full-size pickup. That pickup, the Titan, had been introduced in 2003, and Nissan's big ute, the Pathfinder Armada, arrived that same year, as a 2004 model. The Pathfinder label was supposed to leverage the name recognition of the brand's popular mid-size SUV, but eventually it was jettisoned, and the vehicle became simply the Armada. READ MORE ››

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Friday, July 29, 2016

Mercedes-Benz and Tesla See a Future in Electric Self-Driving Buses

Mercedes-Benz Future BusPeople are moving toward the urban cores of our cities in record numbers. And while cities are pushing inward, it's becoming harder than ever to have a car-or multiple cars-in a household. Meanwhile, new subways and rail lines require deep pockets and often controversial funding sources. The solution, as some see it, is the automated (or semi-automated) city bus. A bus ticket is hardly an aspirational purchase for middle-class American consumers, yet two aspirational brands-Mercedes-Benz and Tesla-both recently mentioned bus projects intended to address the urban mass-transit dilemma.

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It makes sense. Moving people on buses networked with the traffic signals might ease gridlock without making other (far costlier) changes such as building new subways or light-rail lines, or adding politically loaded policies like urban-area tolling for private vehicles. According to the Union Internationale des Transports Publica (UITP), an international organization for transport authorities and operators, a single, large articulated bus could replace 40 personal vehicles and take up just one-eighth of the road space.

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The Mercedes-Benz Future Bus, a semi-automated city bus with a technology suite called CityPilot, is a front-runner in this field. It can journey up to 12.4 miles (20 km) without a need for the driver to touch the steering, accelerator, or brake pedal. With a dozen cameras plus long- and short-range radar systems monitoring the route ahead, the Future Bus can spot obstacles and pedestrians, follow lane markings, and function as part of a new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, employing networked data about traffic and signals along the route.

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Mercedes-Benz Future Bus with driverThat Mercedes-Benz system requires a driver on board (a press of a button puts it in semi-automated mode). It's also fully functioning today, and being tested on a route in the Netherlands, to Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. Meanwhile, looking many more years into the future, Tesla recently announced a plan that sounds, in some respects, complementary to solutions like the Future Bus.

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Tesla Sees Future for Smaller Semi-Autonomous Buses

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Over the long term, Tesla says it intends not only to enter the bus business, but to produce a pilotless bus. As part of the much-discussed Tesla Master Plan Part Deux for the company to expand and “cover the major forms of terrestrial transport,” CEO Elon Musk said: “In addition to consumer vehicles, there are two other types of electric vehicles needed: heavy-duty trucks and high passenger-density urban transport.”

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Musk suggested that a fleet of smaller semi-autonomous buses could transition the role of the bus driver to that of a fleet manager. In the Tesla scenario, you'd arrange to ride these buses via a cellphone app, although Musk also suggested placing fixed summon buttons at existing bus stops.

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Tesla says its bus design would have car-like performance, so as not to impede traffic flow, and would include a flexible seating layout that could accommodate wheelchairs, strollers, and bicycles.

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The Mercedes-Benz Future Bus, as it stands, is diesel-powered, but the company has announced an all-electric propulsion system for its buses on the way for 2018; that should beat Tesla by many years. Would getting the Tesla name, or Mercedes-Benz's active-safety reputation, into city buses make Americans more likely to ride them? It's too early to say, but with these two names involved, the future of public transit now looks not only safer but a little more glamorous.

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Thursday, July 28, 2016

2017 Audi Q7 e-tron: Green Cred for a Diesel?

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As a diesel-powered plug-in-hybrid SUV, the Audi Q7 e-tron occupies a niche within a niche within a niche. It could be seen as evidence that Audi's product planners are determined to find the least-populated space in the great automotive Venn diagram. There have been diesel hybrids before in Europe (notably Volvo's V60 PHEV) but never one this large offering quite this much all-electric range. READ MORE ››

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Porsche 911 GT3 RS Tech Dive: Why It's the Best 911 of Them All

-The Porsche 911 GT3 RS is, in our opinion, the king of the vast 911 lineup-although the Turbo S is more expensive to start-and second-in-command to the now-discontinued 918 Spyder supercar in the modern Porsche hierarchy. Needless to say, when we finally pried ourselves out of the driver's seat of this example to capture photos, it was difficult to put down the camera. But it was worth the down time to capture the collection of spectacular details that follow. This particular car rang in at $192,420 and was equipped with all the weight-saving options and almost none of the luxury frippery-items like a leather interior, the front-axle lift system, or even air conditioning and a radio were all absent. It's the build combination most true to the RS lineage.-Porsche's carbon-ceramic brakes-Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake (PCCB), in marketing speak-are a $9210 option on the GT3 RS. Now in their third generation of development, the PCCB rotors are made of silicon carbide reinforced with carbon-fiber chips. They are slightly larger than the standard cast-iron units at 16.1 x 1.4 inches in front and 15.4 x 1.3 inches in the rear, and are clamped by massive fixed aluminum calipers (six pistons front and four pistons rear). And in the case of the GT3 RS (as well as the GT3 and Cayman GT4), the brakes also come with more aggressive Pagid brake pads; the whole system is utterly confidence inspiring and indefatigable.-No matter how large the brakes, they'll succumb to fade without proper cooling. Pictured here are the GT3 RS's large ducts channeling cooling air to the rear brakes, one of the reasons that the RS's braking stayed consistent lap after lap during our track test, unlike its 911 Turbo S sibling, whose brakes go soft after a couple laps.-The sounds that emanate from these twin pipes are otherworldly; the GT3 RS's 8800-rpm wail is one of the best-sounding-and loudest-production-car noises extant. The car sings through a 9.9-pound titanium exhaust, which saves 6.6 pounds over the GT3's steel muffler. Our relentless high-rpm excursions no doubt helped to cultivate the dramatic purple coloring.-Notice the massive amount of height adjustability in the rear shocks; our car is set to its beginning third or so of travel, even though the rear tires were tucked up into the rear bodywork and were occasionally rubbing during extreme track driving.-In addition to front and rear ride-height and anti-roll bar adjustability, the GT3 RS's front shock towers (shown here) allow for camber adjustments up to roughly negative 1.5 degrees. But maybe it could use a little more: Although the GT3 RS cornered at a heady 1.08 g on our skidpad, the latest Corvette Grand Sport, at 1.18 g, comfortably topped that. The Corvette's track-alignment settings call for more negative camber, at 2.0 degrees.-As in the GT3, this harder-core RS variant has a small actuator (shown in the center of the photo) to steer the rear wheels up to 1.5 degrees in either direction. Below 31 mph, it turns the rears in the opposite direction of the fronts, which shortens the turning diameter, and above 50 mph it steers them in the same direction as the front tires. It's been expertly dialed in, because the steering is exemplary and never feels in any way artificial or non-linear.-The quickest way around Virginia International Raceway-yes, we had the car at this year's Lightning Lap shootout-is to go bounding over the curbs. But that didn't happen without some collateral damage to the GT3 RS's rear fender wells, shown here.-Nearly all of the underbody is covered to smooth airflow-Porsche claims that the GT3 RS achieves the identical coefficient of drag (0.34) as the GT3 despite having double the downforce. Note the exceptions in the form of the strategic NACA ducts for specific cooling needs.-This nifty Porsche tool threads onto the hub to ensure that the wheel comes off and goes back on straight and true because, as the Porsche technician was quick to remind us, “dinging a carbon-ceramic brake rotor is a $6000 mistake.”-One of the top priorities of the GT3 RS development team was to shoehorn the 20-inch front and 21-inch rear Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires from the 918 Spyder supercar into the 911, yielding a 20-percent-larger contact patch than on the GT3. Although the wheels are made of forged aluminum instead of the 918's (optional) magnesium, they were surprisingly wieldy, which is probably a large contributor to the GT3 RS's impressively forgiving ride quality over small road imperfections.-Archimedes no doubt would have gotten a kick out of Porsche's center-lock wheels, with their stratospheric 443 lb-ft tightening torque requirement. (The GT3 RS's 4.0-liter falls more than 100 lb-ft short of having sufficient twist to secure the car's lugs at its 6250-rpm peak.) But the Porsche technician actually made the task-which involves torquing, loosening, and then re-tightening the lugs-look easy with this extraordinarily long torque wrench.-Expensive, impractical, fussy, and incredibly cool: Porsche's center-lock wheels.-Although the GT3 RS's defining characteristic is its wailing, 500-hp flat-six, it's tough to see any visual evidence of its existence from either above or below. Upsized from the GT3's 3.8 liters to 4.0 liters in the RS by way of a 4-mm stroke increase, the RS version has fortified pistons and titanium connecting rods, and its crankshaft uses a special tempered steel straight from Porsche's 919 Hybrid LMP1 race car: The steel is melted and re-melted multiple times in a vacuum to achieve its ultra-high (and no doubt mega-expensive) purity.-With the underbody panels removed, we can finally catch a glimpse of Porsche's highly evolved, flat-six masterpiece.-The GT3 RS is available only with Porsche's dual-clutch automatic, called PDK. Although we have a Pavlovian response to the thought of a manual paired with this glorious engine-as it is in the new 911 R-the PDK gearbox works terrifically in the GT3 RS. It's smooth when driven gently and lightning-quick when asked to be. On track and in Sport mode, PDK is so prescient that no paddle inputs are required to always be in the optimum gear. Which is why, love of manuals or no, we can agree with Porsche on one thing: PDK definitely makes for quicker lap times. ---This version of PDK doesn't have “creep” functionality (i.e., it doesn't engage when the brake is released; it waits for a prod of the throttle) and also will select neutral any time the driver pulls both shift paddles simultaneously. It will then reengage the clutch when the paddles are released- and it will do so abruptly when paired with a generous throttle application. Because sometimes what you need in life is a little wheelspin.-These carbon-fiber-shell bucket seats are the best sport seats in the business. They have enough lateral support to make them useful on the track, but are generous enough to allow those with a physique larger than that of a professional racer-that's essentially everyone-to drive long distances in comfort. The backrest is fixed, but we had no qualms with its angle; adjustments include manual fore and aft and a power height. Clambering over their rigid, high-walled sides when getting in is well worth it every time.-Ostensibly a trickle-down innovation from racing, Porsche's new pit-speed mode-essentially a second cruise-control function that will limit speed to a selectable set point up to 55 mph-seems gimmicky and proved less-than-intuitive to use, as it requires switching back and forth between traditional cruise control and pit-speed cruise.-One of the very rare no-cost options in Porsche's vast catalogue is the GT3 RS's stereo/infotainment delete. Ditching the 7.0-inch touchscreen and its ancillaries saves 17 pounds.-Switching out the interior door handles for pull loops made of seatbelt material is a regular Porsche GT trick. In this case, the deletion of the handles, along with the modified door panels save nearly a pound. (A whole pound!)-The other no-cost light-weighting opportunity is to eliminate the air conditioning system, saving 26 pounds, although after a 700-mile road trip in 90-degree heat, it's not one we'd necessarily recommend. Running the fan seemed to bring in air that was always substantially warmer than the ambient temperature, and we also had trouble keeping the windows from fogging when it was raining.-The driver's delight is directly proportional to the proximity of the tachometer needle to its monstrous 8800-rpm limit. Factoid: To have the gauge faces rendered in white, as on our test car, is an $860 option. (Red is also available for the same price.)-Sticker versions of the Porsche crest up front and the model name at the back are an RS tradition. This is done not so much for weight savings, says Porsche, but as a tie-in with its (and, really, any maker's) race cars.-The front splitter and the fender vents (see next slide) are the main contributors to the GT3 RS's additional front downforce. But this photo also shows our car's indulgent, $3715 headlights: swiveling LED lamps with Porsche's “four point” daytime running lights. $605 of that upcharge is for the black headlight surrounds.-These gaping vents in the top of the front fenders allow high-pressure air to exit, and are thus a significant enabler to front downforce, which is a claimed 267 pounds at 186 mph. The fact that these unique fenders are made of carbon fiber saves five pounds versus the aluminum pieces on other 911s.-Working in tandem with the dramatic ducktail shape of the carbon-fiber engine cover, the massive carbon-fiber rear wing-which stands just over five feet off of the ground-adds 494 pounds of downforce at 186 mph in the most aggressive of its three adjustable positions. Overall, the GT3 RS generates three times as much downforce as the GT3, and roughly 80 percent of what the GT3 Cup racer makes.-Hybrids and EVs aren't the only automotive recipients of lithium-ion batteries, proven by this $2300 Samsung option that saves 30 pounds. However, at 40 amp-hours, the energy capacity of this lithium-ion unit is just over half that of the standard, 70 amp-hour nickel-metal-hydride battery. It's also not effective below temperatures of 14 degrees Fahrenheit. A GT3 RS with this option actually comes with both batteries, so the owner can swap between them to enable cold-weather driving if desired.-Instead of the typical lug wrench, the GT3 RS comes with this hefty socket used to remove the single-lug wheels. It's tucked out of the way under a plastic cover in the frunk (front trunk) area-the torque wrench to budge the wheels from or to the specified 443 lb-ft is not included. Sure, it adds noncritical weight, but it beats the odds that a roadside-assistance service will have one, and also saves the $300 to purchase one separately.-A frunklid made of carbon fiber instead of aluminum saves 3.3 pounds. It's also one of the RS's few material upgrades that are readily viewable, and it substantially enhances the front trunklid's visual appeal when open.-Although it doesn't look like much, this is the automotive world's first production magnesium roof. Porsche claims that it's 24-percent lighter than an equivalent carbon-fiber part-that's 1.5 pounds-not because magnesium is inherently lighter than carbon fiber, but due to the additional weight added in surface films and paint coats to smooth out the inherently rougher surface of a carbon-fiber panel. Also fascinating is the complex supply chain: The magnesium is strip cast and then warm-rolled down to a thickness of 1.1 mm at a supplier in Korea, where it is then cut into a roof-sized chunk. This is then shipped to another supplier in Canada, which shapes it to the correct curvature at roughly 800 degrees F. The magnesium panel then gets a U.S. passport stamp, where it receives a plasma oxidation coating. Then, it's off to Germany, where it's finally bolted and bonded to the GT3 RS's roof frame and painted along with the rest of the car.-Minimizing the tire-to-wheel gap is already a Porsche strong suit, but the GT3 RS goes a step further with its monster 21-inch rear tires, where they're tucked up inside the fender. The edges of the fenders on this car were already rolled for clearance purposes and, as seen earlier, the tires were occasionally rubbing during max-attack laps at VIR.-Since the GT3 RS employs the wide bodywork from the Turbo-the RS's track is increased by 1.8 inches in front, and 1.1 inches in the rear versus the GT3-Porsche had to figure out what to do with those gaping fender vents, which, in the Turbo, feed intercoolers. So the GT3 RS's intake plumbing was revised so that it's now the only 911 to inhale through the side intakes. (All the others breathe through the top of the engine cover.) Upsides include both enhanced intake roar and a claimed 10-hp boost over the rated 500 figure at high speeds from the ram-air effect.--

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

2016 Mercedes-Benz GLA250 4MATIC Tested: A Four-Season Warm Hatch for the Materialist

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We can't imagine that many buyers feel torn between a performance hatchback and a compact-crossover SUV, but if you're one of these indecisive individuals, you'll want to know about the Mercedes-Benz GLA250, which inexplicably merges these segments into one handsome package. READ MORE ››

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15 Tech Tidbits on the All-New 2017 Porsche Panamera

-Porsche is claiming that the second-generation Panamera that goes on sale in January will share only its badge and its name with its predecessor. An entirely new platform dubbed MSB underpins the new Panamera, and the exterior design certainly looks less like an aquatic mammal and more like a 911 this time around. But there's more than just a vague 911 roofline to the new Panamera, as the sedan now borrows a lot of chassis technology from the 911.-Porsche calls its new platform the Modular Standard Drivetrain (Modularer Standardbaukasten in German), or MSB. Created as a new rear- and all-wheel-drive platform for the entire Volkswagen Group, Porsche's MSB launches in the new Panamera. Porsche claims it can be adapted for two wheelbases on the Panamera; a total of four wheelbases are available for other,  future models. Presumably, the platform will underpin the next Cayenne and likely is the basis for future Bentleys as well.-Nearly a third of the 737-pound body-in-white (the naked unibody structure with body panels) is composed of aluminum. Previously, the Panamera had an aluminum hood, doors, and front fenders. The new car's entire body-side stamping and roof are now aluminum. In front, the front crash structure and suspension mounting points are aluminum to reduce front-end weight. The engine compartment is designed to accommodate a variety of engines. In the U.S. market, we'll get a 440-hp,  2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 and a 550-hp, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8.-Moving backward from the engine compartment, the floor stampings are aluminum. Much of the passenger-cell structure is steel. Attaching aluminum parts like the entire body side to the steel skeleton requires a process that uses adhesive to bond and separate the two materials to avoid corrosion, along with a rolling process that crimps the aluminum skin to the steel skeleton. Porsche claims that its laser-welded roof panel and aluminum skin contribute to a 68-pound weight reduction. --Unfortunately, the lighter structure doesn't translate into a lighter curb weight. The new car's additional equipment and features cancel out any savings; the new Panamera will weigh the same as the outgoing model. Structural rigidity, never a source of complaint in the Panamera, is up by eight percent.-There are two new engines available for U.S. Panamera buyers. There's a diesel, too, but we won't be getting that engine. Both of the gas burners have two turbochargers in the valley of the V, a configuration known as a “hot V.” All Panameras are turbocharged, but the Turbo-badged model will get a 4.0-liter V-8. The engine makes 550 horsepower from 5750 to 6000 rpm and 567 lb-ft of torque from 1960 to 4500 rpm. ---Engineers hint at a higher-horsepower version, so don't be hugely surprised to see a 600-hp Panamera Turbo S. When you don't need all of that power, the engine will run as a four-cylinder as long as the engine is turning between 950 to 3500 rpm and the torque requirement is less than 184 lb-ft. This engine is Porsche's first foray into cylinder deactivation.-Porsche places a catalytic converter just off the exhaust side of the turbochargers. To control the heat, there is a large heat shield that covers the valley between the heads and runs down the back of the engine. It wraps the hot exhaust, turbos, and catalytic converter in what looks like an aluminum sleeping bag.-Acceleration is expected to be fierce. Porsche's numbers are usually conservative and put the Panamera Turbo at 60 mph in 3.6 seconds. The time drops to 3.4 seconds with the Sport Chrono option that adds launch control to the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. Top speed is an ungoverned 190 mph, achieved in sixth gear.-Derived from the V-8 is a 2.9-liter V-6 that powers the Panamera 4S. The V-6 shares the V-8's 90-degree angle and also has two turbochargers in the valley of the V. This V-6 is 10.3 pounds lighter than the Panny's last-gen V-6 turbo.---To combat the shake inherent in a 90-degree V-6, the engine has a balance shaft. Porsche denies that the engine's displacement has anything to do with Chinese regulations that tax engines 3.0 liters and larger, but the automaker insists that the 2.9-liter displacement is because the V-6 uses  iron-sleeve cylinder liners instead of the thinner plasma-sprayed iron coating in the V-8. ---The bore size between the V-8 and the V-6 is different, but the stroke is the same. The new engine makes 440 horsepower at 5650 rpm and 405 lb-ft of torque from 1750 to 5500 rpm. The previous Panamera's turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 made 420 horsepower and 384 lb-ft. Porsche touts a zero-to-60-mph time of 4.2 seconds for the 4S. Order the Sport Chrono package, which comes with launch control, and that time falls to 4.0 seconds. Top speed comes in at 179 mph.-The only transmission available will be a new eight-speed dual-clutch automatic that also will  serve duty in all other vehicles spun from the MSB architecture. Built by ZF but tuned and programmed by Porsche, the transmission features a larger spread of gears  and can be adapted for rear- or all-wheel-drive configurations, which hints at a possible rear-drive Panamera. ---Like the current Panamera, the transmission has the ability to perform launch-control starts when the car is equipped with the Sport Chrono package. Porsche tells us that the transmission can handle up to 738 lb-ft of torque and can be easily adapted to accept an electric motor, which leads us to believe that another Panamera hybrid is on its way. In our brief ride in the Panamera, the gearbox clipped off instant shifts and performed a 911-like launch-control start.-Although a longer-wheelbase version is coming, the Panamera Turbo and 4S will get a 116.1-inch wheelbase, up from 115.0 inches. Rear-seat legroom is good for adults, and the rear seats are as comfortable as the fronts, but don't try to squeeze three across in a Panamera's back seat. All Panameras are four-seaters.-A control-arm front and multilink rear suspension comes standard with steel springs and electronically adjustable shocks; a three-chamber air-spring chassis is optional. The three chambers correspond to the three suspension settings (Normal, Sport, and Sport Plus). In Normal mode, all three chambers are used. Hit Sport, and one of the chambers closes, leaving two to spring the car. In Sport Plus, two chambers close, leaving the smallest chamber. With the air suspension, the body can be raised 0.8 inch and lowered 1.1 inches in the front and 0.8 inch in the rear to improve stability at speed.-Like the 911, the Panamera can be ordered with PDCC Sport (Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control Sport) that consists of electronically controlled anti-roll bars that are twisted by electric motors to combat body roll. An electronically controlled locking differential is part of the PDCC Sport package.-Also like the 911, the Panamera can now be ordered with electronically actuated rear-wheel steering. At speeds below 30 mph, the rear wheels can turn 2.8 degrees in the opposite direction of the front axle to reduce the turning circle. At higher speeds, the rear axle will steer in the same direction as the fronts to stabilize the chassis. On our brief ride around the Lausitzring near Dresden, the Turbo would go into nicely controlled power drifts when coaxed. Body control remained tight,  and the optional 21-inch wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires gripped with sports-car tenacity.-Braking power is not in short supply. On 4S models, the 14.2-inch steel front rotors are clamped by six-piston calipers. The 4S's rear axle has four-piston calipers grabbing 13-inch rotors. Turbo versions have huge 16.1-inch front rotors with six-piston calipers and 15-inch rotors with four-piston calipers in the rear. Carbon-ceramic brakes borrowed from the Cayenne Turbo S are optional; these have 10-piston calipers in front that cover nearly half of the rotors. In back, the system features six-piston calipers.-Front and center of the driver is an analog tachometer, the only real gauge. The rest of the gauges are part of two configurable 7.0-inch TFT displays flanking the tach. Above the shifter is a 12.3-inch touchscreen that controls the audio system, the climate control, the navigation system, and a host of other minor controls.---Equipped with Active Cruise Control (ACC),  the Panamera will now use map data to automatically slow for corners when the cruise control is set. Similar to what's used in the Audi Q7 and A4, Porsche's InnoDrive system will brake, downshift, and set the speed through corners. Unlike Audi's system, InnoDrive has the ability to go through corners more quickly or more slowly depending on whether the car is in Normal, Sport, or Sport Plus mode.--

Off-Roading Crash Course For Dummies: What you Need to Know Before you go Wheeling

With Off-Roading becoming more and more popular and parts suppliers being readily available "Wheeling" has become a weekend warrior type hobby that you can do with your daily driver. Whether you plan to just go out on the trail to camp for the night or an intensive rock climbing weekend out into the great beyond there's some things you should do to prepare yourself. We decided to put together a small list of things a beginner should consider before hopping the white lines of the road into the rocks and dirt. Check it out below and feel free to comment below if you have some advice for beginners as well!

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

2016 Ram 1500 Pickup Review: One Truck, Many Flavors

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Overview: That the Ram 1500 trailed the Ford and Chevy half-ton full-size pickup trucks in our most recent comparison test doesn't make it a bad choice. It actually has several things going for it that the others don't, the most evident being the availability of a diesel engine, something Ford and General Motors still don't offer in this light-duty segment. READ MORE ››

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Monday, July 25, 2016

2016 Toyota Camry Quick-Take Review: Good Enough Sells Well

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-Overview: Competent and mostly inoffensive, the Toyota Camry was the go-to driving appliance for 429,355 buyers in 2015, making it once again the bestselling car in the United States. Despite its lack of verve on the road-which contributed to the Camry finishing last in our latest comparison test of family sedans-this is a sensible machine with lots of space for people and cargo, decent manners, plenty of available technology, and an optional hybrid powertrain that makes it an upstanding four-wheeled citizen for the environmentally conscious. A significant update for 2015 brought more aggressive styling, among numerous other tweaks aimed at honing its on-road character. A gaping maw with chrome grille slats dominates the front of most models, while the sportier SE and XSE trim levels call out their stiffened chassis underpinnings with a blackened mesh grille. READ MORE ››

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Friday, July 22, 2016

2017 BMW 740e Plug-In Hybrid Driven: This Is the Future?

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Regulators have left carmakers little choice but to embrace plug-in-hybrid technology: In Europe, for example, ultra-aggressive fuel-consumption standards, coupled with testing methods heavily favoring plug-ins, give such models a big advantage. In China, they're favored by legislation at both the municipal and national levels. Here in the U.S., CAFE requirements, environmental concerns, and more are putting pressure on manufacturers to pursue alternatives to conventional powertrains. Sales of reasonably priced plug-ins have begun to increase globally-especially in China-but sales of premium hybrids typically have been abysmal. Witness BMW's struggles with its ActiveHybrid line of vehicles, most of which have been discontinued. READ MORE ››

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Thursday, July 21, 2016

2017 Infiniti QX30 Sport Driven: The Euro-Hatch Version

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-Another cushy compact crossover may or may not be what the world needs now, but it's exactly what Infiniti needs. Enter the swoopy, stub-tailed QX30-which Infiniti is pitching as a “premium active crossover”-to give the brand an entrant in a segment poised for explosive growth. We tested an all-wheel-drive QX30 and found it does a reasonable job of being a cushy compact crossover, with its 8.0 inches of ground clearance, skid plates, and roof rails joining the creature comforts and chrome that come with being an Infiniti. READ MORE ››

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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Elon Musk's Tesla Master Plan, Part Deux: Semis and Pickups, Solar Roofs, and Car Sharing

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Ten years ago, members of the press gathered in a hangar at California's Santa Monica airport for the public debut of a Silicon Valley company's new car. Pre-reveal rumors suggested that Tesla's machine was little more than an electrified Lotus Elise. Prior to the event, the company sent out an e-mail denying this was the case. When the tarp was removed, the car was not an electrified Elise in the way that a Pontiac Firebird is not a Chevy Camaro. It's not, but y'know, it really is. Perhaps more interesting than the Roadster-which was never going to be more than a plaything, despite its claimed-at-the-time 250-mile range-was the company's plan for its future. It suggested that the funds garnered from starting with an expensive vehicle would allow Tesla to build a car for the masses down the line. A decade and a few swirls 'round the drain later, Tesla now sells a critically acclaimed sedan beloved by its wealthy owners, offers an overly complex crossover based on the same platform, and has taken hundreds of thousands in deposits for its forthcoming mid-priced Model 3 sedan. Now, CEO Elon Musk is rolling out the second phase of his master plan for the company.

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In a blog post entitled “Master Plan, Part Deux” (we were pulling for “Master Plan 2: Electric Boogaloo”), Musk makes the case for Tesla's acquisition of SolarCity, outlines when and why Autopilot will emerge from beta testing, suggests that Tesla will move into the heavy-truck segment, and outlines a plan that will seemingly have the company squaring off against Uber.

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Musk's stated rationale for combining Tesla with SolarCity-a solar-cell company founded at his suggestion by his cousins-is fairly simple. “One ordering experience, one installation, one service contact, one phone app,” he writes. A Tesla app would allow you to control both your home and your car, and the systems would be designed to work together seamlessly. More cynically, Elon's selling you the car. He also now happens to own the fuel generators you'll put on your roof.

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Truckin'

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Beyond the Model 3, Elon suggests a CUV will follow it to market, as well as some form of pickup truck. Given the clamor for crossovers in this country, a Model 3–based ute is a no-brainer proposition, and we doubt the company will make the same complexity-for-complexity's sake mistakes it made with the Model X. As for the pickup? Out on the West Coast, at least, there are plenty of ecologically minded folks who drive Toyota Tacomas. Most of them are drummers or windsurfers. It makes sense to go for a slice of their pie, not to mention the light-duty urban-delivery market.

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But the big revelation is that Tesla's looking to muscle in on bus and truck titans like Gillig and PACCAR. Musk states, “Both [a heavy truck and a bus] are in the early stages of development at Tesla and should be ready for unveiling next year. We believe the Tesla Semi will deliver a substantial reduction in the cost of cargo transport, while increasing safety and making it really fun to operate.” A fun-to-operate semi? Might it offer a “mow-down-parked-choppers” mode?

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Musk further suggests that future bus service could be handled by smaller vehicles operating in more of an on-demand mode, with “summon” buttons mounted at stops for those without access to smartphones.

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Virtual Key Parties

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For those with access to smartphones, however, Musk is offering a tantalizing bit of future steak. Those fortunate enough to own a Tesla vehicle in the fully autonomous future will be able to loan it out as an Uber-style ride to those in need of momentary transport. In his own inimitable Barnum-esque fashion, Musk proclaims that a future Tesla could “generate income for you while you're at work or on vacation, significantly offsetting and at times potentially exceeding the monthly loan or lease cost. This dramatically lowers the true cost of ownership to the point where almost anyone could own a Tesla.” In the future, for just pennies a day, green luxury could be all yours! This, of course, is dependent on full autonomy being both foolproof and legal.

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Terror of the Autons

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Finally, on the subject of autonomy, Musk continued to defend Autopilot, asserting that it would be “morally reprehensible to delay release simply for fear of bad press or some mercantile calculation of legal liability.” Regarding its future, he says once Autopilot becomes “approximately 10 times safer than the U.S. vehicle average” Tesla will do away with the “beta” appellation. As for the target number, Musk cites in his post a 2015 NHTSA fatality report that says that “automotive fatalities increased by 8% to one death every 89 million miles” that year.

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It's an audacious outline, and who knows how much of it will actually come to pass beyond the SolarCity merger, the Model 3–based CUV, and the light pickup, all of which seem like pretty safe bets and smart business. On one hand, it took Tesla a decade to get from the initial showing of the Roadster to begin pulling in orders for the car Musk has always wanted to build. On the other hand, that the company did manage to pull it off in 10 years can be seen as a minor miracle. Every major Tesla announcement seems to be accompanied by eye-rolls and delighted wonder in equal measure, and this one is no exception.

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Tuesday, July 19, 2016

2016 Hyundai Tucson Eco Tested: More Efficient and Also Quicker

2016-Hyundai-Tuscon-Eco-AWD-placement

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We have lavished praise upon Hyundai's current-generation Tucson compact crossover, which manages to do most things well. Looks are subjective, we know, but the wagonoid vehicle is fairly handsome; the interior is a model of ergonomic simplicity; and the quality feel is evident. We even found plenty to like in our drive of a front-drive base-model Tucson SE. The Tucson nails the basics and fails to offend in any major way, and that stays true with the latest version to pass through our hands, the Eco model. READ MORE ››

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Center for Pet Safety Certifies Four Sleepypod Pet Carriers

CARS.COM - Nearly a year after doing well in the Center for Pet Safety's 2015 Crate and Carrier Crashworthiness Studies, pet product manufacturer Sleepypod has achieved CPS certification for four of its carriers.

CPS, a nonprofit pet-safety research and advocacy organization, recently published its test protocols and ratings guidelines for certifying pet travel carriers; participation in the program is voluntary and Sleepypod is the first manufacturer to earn pet carrier certification.

Related: Make Traveling With Your Pet Easier, and Safe

Three of the tested carriers - the Sleepypod with the Pet Passenger Restraint System Handilock, the Sleepypod Mini with PPRS Handilock and the Sleepypod Atom - earned five stars. The Sleepypod Air carrier earned four stars. CPS awards ratings of five stars, four stars or not recommended.

"The test evidence indicates that Sleepypod has completed ample research and development on its entire line of travel carriers to achieve the highest crash test ratings from Center for Pet Safety," said CPS founder and CEO Lindsey Wolko in a statement. "Sleepypod consistently outperforms other pet product manufacturers who struggle to even attempt to meet our rigorous testing and performance requirements. There is a level of commitment here that we simply don't see from the rest of the industry."

In an email, Wolko explained that CPS ratings are based on carrier excursion (including connection integrity); retention of the test dog before, during and after the test; overall construction integrity (materials, stitching and closures); and carrier lift (vertical movement of the carrier during the test).

When it comes to lift, Wolko wrote, CPS would "like the carrier to remain as stable as possible on the seat ... so carriers that meet all other requirements will be downgraded if they exceed a vertical limit."
Lift is the reason the Air carrier received four stars rather than five, she added.

"Sleepypod carriers have transformed how pet owners travel with their pets," Sleepypod co-founder Michael Leung said in a statement. "As more pet owners take their pets with them on vacation, errands and to work, Sleepypod carriers offer ease of use, maximum comfort and proven safety when traveling in cars."

Sleepypod also earned CPS certification for its small, medium and large Clickit Sport pet travel harness in 2014 and the extra-large Clickit Sport in 2015.

2016 Chrysler 300 Quick Take: Hip to be square

2016-Chrysler-300S-placement
-Like Steve McQueen in a turtleneck, the 2016 Chrysler 300 is old-school cool. Credit its blocky but suave styling, which gives the 300 a look that stands out from its peers, even though its basic shape launched more than a decade ago. Sure, the mechanically similar Dodge Charger possesses a comparably imposing stance, but it doesn't exude the class of its glitzier cousin-in this sense, the two are as different as Sinatra and the Stones. READ MORE ››

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Software Update Delivers Apple CarPlay, Android Auto to More Kia Vehicles

CARS.COM - Kia is expanding the availability of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to more of its lineup via a software update. Eligible models include current and previous model-year vehicles equipped with either with a compatible AVN 4.0 navigation system or the latest version of Kia's multimedia system, UVO3.

Related: Which 2016 Cars Have Apple CarPlay?
Related: Which 2016 Cars Have Android Auto?

Kia said that customers will be notified by the end of July via email to go to myuvo.com for vehicle eligibility and step-by-step instructions on the software download.

Eligible vehicles include:

  • 2017 Forte sedans and hatchbacks
  • 2015-16 Optima sedans and Optima Hybrids
  • 2015-16 Sedona minivans
  • 2014-16 Kia Soul hatchbacks and 2015-16 Soul EV electric vehicles
  • 2016 Sorento SUVs
  • 2017 Sportage SUVs

Apple CarPlay and Google's Android Auto are smartphone integration systems that allow users to access the apps and functions of their mobile device using the vehicle's multimedia system with greater convenience and - ideally - less distraction from the road.