JSwain

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

2017 Porsche 911 Carrera PDK Automatic – Instrumented Test

2017 Porsche 911 Carrera twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter flat-six engine

Ferrari LaFerrari Spider: Now You See It

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Ferrari has released, via Twitter, the first photo of the open-top version of the LaFerrari. This is the first we've seen of the sun-seeking supercar, although potential customers already have been shown the car-and, yep, it's sold out.

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CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed the car's existence in an interview this spring. Marchionne referred to it as “the Spider,” but in a statement today, the company said the car's name-along with its technical details-would be revealed at this fall's Paris auto show, where the car will make its official debut. That's also when we'll learn how many will be built.

Ferrari did confirm that the roadster version, which it characterized as a “limited-edition special series,” has the same powertrain as the hardtop. That means a 6.3-liter V-12 supplemented by an electric motor, with a total output of 949 horsepower.

We also know that the car comes with both a soft top and a removable carbon fiber hard top. There's no word, however, on pricing. One wonders if the customers invited to the special preview were told-or maybe it was just: “Do you want one or not? We haven't settled on a price; when the car is ready, we'll bill you.” Somehow, we doubt that anyone would have objected.

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Which 2016 Subcompact SUVs Have the Highest MPG Ratings?

CARS.COM - Subcompact SUVs are the smallest of the bunch and they're highly desired by car shoppers for several reasons: They're city friendly like a subcompact car, but they offer more cargo room and an elevated ride height that many drivers enjoy. Though they be but little, they are practical, as Shakespeare might say.

Related: Eight Guilt-Free SUVs

Subcompact SUVs also have the best overall fuel economy of the segment. For 2016, the average EPA combined rating for subcompact SUVs is 28.2 mpg, which beats the 25.4 combined mpg average for compact SUVs by nearly 3 mpg. That subcompact average should increase for the 2017 model year with the introduction of the Kia Niro hybrid, which is targeting a 50 mpg EPA combined rating.

The top five subcompact SUVs with the best EPA combined ratings are (ratings shown are city/highway/combined mpg):

Honda HR-V, 28/35/31
Mazda CX-3, 29/35/31
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, 30/34/31
Buick Encore, 28/34/30
Nissan Juke, 28/34/30

Check out the list below (sorted alphabetically) to see all the 2016 subcompact SUVs and their EPA-estimated mpg ratings (and fuel types). The figure listed below are the highest-rated mpg configuration for that model. Fuel-economy ratings can vary by trim and powertrain choice.

Audi Q3, 20/29/23 (premium)
BMW X1, 22/32/26 (premium)
Buick Encore, 28/34/30 (regular)
Chevrolet Trax, 26/34/29 (regular)
Fiat 500X, 25/34/28 (regular)
Honda HR-V, 28/35/31 (regular)
Jeep Renegade, 24/31/27 (regular)
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque, 21/30/24 (premium)
Mazda CX-3, 29/35/31 (regular)
Mercedes-Benz AMG GLA45, 23/29/25 (premium)
Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class, 25/35/29 (premium)
Mini Countryman, 27/32/29 (premium)
Mini Paceman, 27/32/29 (premium)
Nissan Juke, 28/34/30 (premium)
Subaru Crosstrek, 26/34/29 (regular)
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, 30/34/31 (regular)

2016 Honda HR-V;

Cars.com photo by Evan Sears

2016 Jaguar XJR Tested: Two Cars in One

Jaguar's hopes for a major increase in North American sales no longer rest as heavily on the appeal of its XJ flagship sedan, nor do its high-performance credentials depend solely on the 550-horsepower XJR model tested here. While the XJ was for a time the closest thing Jaguar had to a “volume” model, it's now just the largest and most expensive of three sedans the brand currently offers, one rung above the mid-size XF and two steps above the new entry-level XE. The real quest for more sales rests in the latter and, especially, in the also new F-Pace crossover; at the same time, the XJ's role as the marque's image leader has been at least partly usurped by the F-type sports car. READ MORE ››

Monday, July 4, 2016

Perfecting Navigation Tools to Enable Autonomous Driving

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According to telematics experts, high-definition maps are the foundation for all future driving experiences. Knowing exactly where the car is and where it's heading and having accurate road information is what enables navigation, advanced driving assistance (such as automatic braking), and autonomous cars. Maps even influence insurance costs, fuel economy, and ride-sharing opportunities. So it's no wonder that the methodology used to create and update maps is now in a dramatic state of flux.

Traditional map suppliers such as Google and TomTom still employ technicians driving around in cars festooned with elaborate sensor arrays to digitize every minor and major path accessible to autos. These $250,000-and-up tools gather GPS data plus information from radar, lidar, and onboard cameras. Their high-definition vision systems note speed limits, lane markers, and construction detours. Miniaturized versions of these sensors will serve as the eyes of tomorrow's autonomous vehicles.

This wealth of raw data from sensor-equipped vehicles must be scrutinized and analyzed. Before it's uploaded to cloud storage, it must be compared with known open-source information and vetted for accuracy. Then it's ready for the mapmakers' customers-typically carmakers-to download for use in their models equipped with navigation systems. An added service, at extra cost, is access to updates necessitated by major and minor construction projects.

Creating and selling maps with updates is the traditional business model. Mapbox, an innovator founded in 2010 and based in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., has devised an alternative approach. Instead of providing map data, this open-source enterprise sells advanced tools to businesses so they can create their own “living maps.” Mapbox CEO Eric Gundersen explains, “What we offer is a Photoshop for maps, which gives customers the ability to build and update maps best suited to their uses.” In addition to tapping satellite imagery, Mapbox gathers information from vehicles on the road-including precise latitude and longitude, plus a time stamp that allows plotting the centerlines of their paths, directions of travel, speed, and distance from vehicles ahead. To waylay concern about invasion of privacy, this data is anonymized. “We can gather 100 million miles of data per week,” adds Gundersen. “This is used to quickly and accurately update existing maps. So our users can easily provide their navigation customers information that's practically real time.”

MapQuest, the Weather Channel, Pinterest, and others are existing Mapbox clients. What Gundersen calls “a major deal with an OEM brand” has been signed. He wouldn't say who that is, but it's clear that Google and TomTom have their work cut out keeping up with this new map facilitator.

Perfecting Navigation Tools To Enable Autonomous Driving

mapbox1

According to telematics experts, high-definition maps are the foundation for all future driving experiences. Knowing exactly where the car is, where it's heading, and accurate road information is what enables navigation, advanced driving assistance (such as automatic braking), and autonomous cars. Maps even influence insurance costs, fuel economy, and ride-sharing opportunities. So it's no wonder that the methodology used to create and update maps is now in a dramatic state of flux.

Traditional map suppliers such as Google and TomTom still employ technicians driving around in cars festooned with an elaborate sensor array to digitize every minor and major path accessible to autos. These $250,000-and-up tools gather GPS data plus information from radar, lidar, and onboard cameras. Their high-definition vision systems note speed limits, lane markers, and construction detours. Miniaturized versions of these sensors will serve as the eyes of tomorrow's autonomous vehicles.

This wealth of raw data from sensor-equipped vehicles must be scrutinized and analyzed. Before it's uploaded to cloud storage, it must be compared with known open-source information and vetted for accuracy. Then it's ready for the map makers' customers-typically car makers-to download for use in their models equipped with navigation systems. An added service, at an extra cost, is access to updates necessitated by major and minor construction projects.

Creating and selling maps with updates is the traditional business model. Mapbox, a San Francisco- and Washington DC-based innovator founded in 2010, has devised an alternative approach. Instead of providing map data, this open-source enterprise sells advanced tools to businesses so they can create their own “living' maps.” Mapbox CEO Eric Gundersen explains, “What we offer is a Photoshop for maps which gives customers the ability to build and update maps best suited to their uses.” In addition to tapping satellite imagery, Mapbox gathers information from vehicles on the road-including precise latitude and longitude, plus a timestamp that allows plotting the centerlines of their paths, directions of travel, speed, and distance from vehicles ahead. To waylay concern about invasions of privacy, this data is anonymized. “We can gather 100-million miles of data per week,' adds Gundersen. “This is used to quickly and accurately update existing maps. So our users can easily provide their navigation customers information that's practically real-time.”

MapQuest, the Weather Channel, Pinterest and others are existing Mapbox clients. What Gundersen calls 'a major deal with an OEM brand' has been signed. He wouldn't say who that is but it's clear that Google and TomTom have their work cut out keeping up with this new map facilitator.