SVE Plots Blazer-Based Typhoon Revival If A GMC Version Arrives
That could make the ongoing crossover invasion a little easier to digest.
Corvette Delivery Dispatch with National Corvette Seller Mike Furman for May 19th
Each week, Criswell Chevrolet’s Mike Furman delivers new Corvette Stingrays, Grand Sports, Z06s and ZR1s to his customers who come from all parts of the country to work with the nation’s top individual Corvette seller.
Mike has a busy summer as he confirms he’ll be at the official reveal of the C8 Corvette on 7.18.19!
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Does your dog enjoy Corvette rides as much as you do? Here’s a pet-friendly seat cover that will protect your seats when Fido is riding shotgun.
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The Ford Focus ST Wagon and 8 Other Wagons We Don’t Get Here
Ford just unveiled the second generation of the Focus ST Wagon, and unless you live outside the confines of the United States, you can’t have it. To make matters worse, you can’t even console yourself with the regular Focus ST hatch, because the Blue Oval cut U.S. availability of all sedans and hatches last year.
Just to make it sting a little sharper, the new ST Wagon looks fun—damn fun. Power comes from your choice of a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-banger with 276 horsepower and a whopping 310 lb-ft of torque or a 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel with 187 horses. If you spec it incorrectly and outfit it with the diesel, a six-speed manual transmission is the sole gearbox, but the 2.3-liter comes with either a six-speed manual or a slick seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Just like the Focus ST hatch we took for granted, the wagon comes outfitted with go-fast goodies, including an active electronically controlled differential, rev-matching, active dampers, and multiple drive modes.
This is a bitter pill to take, and it got us all riled up on wagons. To rub salt into the wound, here’s a quick rundown of other neat five-door wagons we want but can’t have in the States. You’re not welcome.
Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Estate
We’re starting with the coolest forbidden-fruit wagon of them all. Sure, we’re thankful we get the E 63 S wagon, but we’d also very much like to charge around in the smaller and more agile C 63 five-door. If you’re familiar with the C 63 S sedan, figuring out the wagon is simple—same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, same 503 horses and 516 lb-ft of torque.
All the Audi Avants
This one’s pretty bad. Pick your hi-po, hi-speed, all-wheel-drive poison; RS4 Avant (2.9-liter turbocharged V-6, 444 hp), the older RS6 Avant (4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, 553 hp), or the sweet RS6 Performance (4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, 597 hp). Or how about the all-new S6 Avant, the sweetest one of all, thanks to its 3.0-liter mild-hybrid 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V-6 producing 349 horsepower and an eye-opening 516 lb-ft of torque. At least we can hang our hopes on the rumors that the next RS6 Avant might come to America.
BMW 5 Series Touring and 3 Series Touring
The M5 Estate was binned after the E60 generation, so if we can’t get it, at least no one else can, either. However, we still don’t get the regular 5 Series Estate here in the U.S., and we’re definitely salty about that, especially the 340-hp 540i xDrive M Sport Touring configuration. For a while, we consoled ourselves with the smaller 3 Series wagon, but it looks like the next-gen isn’t coming here, either. Thanks a lot, BMW.
Mazda6 Touring
We got the wagon variant of the Mazda 6 a couple generations back, but we’re out of luck for the shapely current-gen 6er. It’s a shame, as you can get the sharp-handling wagon with a six-speed manual and a diesel engine.
Volkswagen Golf R SportWagen
Nothing too complicated here. Take the existing (and very good) Golf SportWagen, fit it with the mechanicals of the sublime Golf R, and sprinkle on a few American tears. It has the same 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder as the hatch, putting down 296 horsepower to all-four-wheels through either the quick seven-speed DSG or six-speed manual transmission. To make matters worse, we’ve driven it, and it’s as excellent as we fear.
Subaru Levorg STI Sport
While we’re stuck here with a hatchless WRX and STI, Japan is busy enjoying the STI-ified Levorg wagon. While we don’t even get the regular Levorg, the STI Sport (think M Sport or AMG Sport) model packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged flat-four from the WRX, boosted up to a mighty 296 horsepower. It also has uprated suspension, brakes, tires, and wheels to keep up with that extra power, so it’s probably a riot. There is one flaw—one which we point out with much schadenfreude. Even in Japan, it comes exclusively with a CVT transmission.
Škoda Octavia vRS Estate 245
We don’t get any Škodas of any flavor, but if we got to choose, we’d take the Octavia vRS Estate. Essentially, this is a GTI wagon, with the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder putting out 242 horsepower in the top trim. Spring for the aforementioned “245” version and it’s fitted with a limited-slip diff, and your choice of six-speed manual or seven-speed DSG transmission. Is it good? We guess we’ll have to wait until 2044 to find out, which is when we’ll be able to legally import one.
Mercedes-AMG CLA35 Shooting Brake
Technically, this doesn’t exist yet, but if the last generation of CLA 45 Shooting Brake is anything to go by, then the new generation of CLA should spawn an AMG-ified wagon soon enough. Of course, we’re not getting this one either—probably. That would be a shame, because the regular CLA 35 looks like a hoot, with a 2.0-liter turbo-four packing 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. And you can bet that another CLA 45 is on the way, too.
The post The Ford Focus ST Wagon and 8 Other Wagons We Don’t Get Here appeared first on Motortrend.
[SPIED] Pretty Soon the C8 Corvettes Will be Everywhere…
Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV Prototype Caught Testing In Spain
Only question is, what is it for?
Chevrolet Discount Takes $12,000 Off 2018 Silverado In May 2019
Get 'em while they're hot.
[PIC] New C8 Corvette Rendering from ZoraC2 and the Mid Engine Corvette Forum
A new member to the MidEngineCorvetteForum.com named ZoraC2 has shared his first render of the C8 Corvette as he envisions.
Here’s his comments on the render:
Here is what I feel the production C8 will look like, specifically around the front end and sides. It took a good number of hours but I believe this captures what we will see on the production car.
Saturday Morning Corvette Comic: Every Day is Laundry Day
When you have a great looking Corvette, you want to keep it clean, right? I bet his Corvette is black too…
You can browse more of our Corvette comics here!
Source:
JerryKing.com
Related:
Saturday Morning Corvette Comic: Why Kids Need Good Fathers
Saturday Morning Corvette Comic: Feeding the Addiction
Saturday Morning Corvette Comic: When Your Kids Help With Detailing Your Corvette…
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Tesla Model Y Styling Breakdown: A Designer’s Take on the New SUV
Elon Musk’s master plan has always had the Model 3 circled in fat red ink as Tesla’s mega-selling, do-or-die affordable car. But since then, those fickle car buyers out there have been having other ideas and ditching their sedans for crossovers. Although the Model 3 has been selling remarkably well nonetheless, it hasn’t been enough (probably because of its price) to avoid a $700 million loss last quarter. Moreover, the predicament’s been compounded by slipping sales of the more profitable Model S and X (the S is seven years old now, but still going strong, check out our exclusive Model S long-range test) and the headwind of evaporating federal incentives.
Answer? Scribble out that first circle and draw a new one around the next car—the Tesla Model Y. Although it’s based on the Model 3 (75 percent so, Musk says), it’ll land in the absolute sweet spot of the market (crossover) and where people are accustomed to spending a little more. Everything seems hunky-dory then, except for one thing. That sloping roofline that doesn’t look much like today’s crossovers.
So what, then, does a car designer (whose first name isn’t Franz) think of the Tesla Model Y? It just so happens that we know a really good one, Mr. Tom Gale, longtime design maestro at Chrysler and MT’s sage of style. I dialed Tom’s number:
Kim Reynolds: Hi Tom. So here’s my big question: How would you identify this thing? A tall sedan? Or a crowd-pleasing crossover?
Tom Gale: I don’t see it as a crossover at all. In fact, I think a lot of people are going to miss it on the road. Just today I saw a Model 3, and it really is a testament to how well they’ve evolved the proportions of Tesla’s design. The same is true with the Model Y, but to me, this is just a sedan being taller.
KR: At the Model Y’s introduction, our Miguel Cortina got a ride in one that has the optional third row, but they wouldn’t let anybody climb back there. Third row—good or bad?
TG: I think it’s a waste of time. The compromise to overall storage space is a step too far.
KR: So far, you’re being critical.
TG: Actually, you really can’t fault the car’s line work, and I think the Model Y sits on the platform fairly well. They’ve used some of the devices they did on the Model X, where you black out things they don’t on the sedans. And when you look at the way the Model Y’s DLO [daylight opening—the shape of the side glass] finishes within the side view, it’s far more comfortable than on Model X, where it hangs on for so long the car almost looked shifted on its platform.
KR: I’m sensing a “but” coming …
TG: I would have loved to have seen them exercise their design talent trying to figure out a roof that’s better suited to the intended function of this vehicle. I love the design consistency, but I can see the internal struggles that they must be having. I just would’ve let this one break out and say, “See, we can go after this market with some different stuff.”
KR: When I look at the Model Y’s profile, what I see is the price of batteries talking. It’s pack probably costs $10,000-plus, meaning—unlike a gasoline car—the Model Y has to be obsessively efficient to minimize this tremendously expensive cost. Probably why Lucid’s first car, the Air, is an aerodynamic sedan, too. And why I’m sort of amazed by the boxy Rivian. But on the other hand, the Rivian is exactly what people expect a crossover or truck to look like.
TG: I’m no longer on Rivian’s board, but I’ll tell you that it’s far more efficient than it looks. Look—this is the designer in me talking so take it with a grain of salt—I wouldn’t compromise for a few minuscule points of aero. As important as they are, you’re going to throw the baby away with the bath water because the public’s consideration is the most important thing. Without knowing any of the aero numbers, but being taller, you’ve already got the frontal area. And there’s a lot of aero devices you could use if the roofline had a conventional pickup in the back. OK, you’re going to create a larger vortex, but I would question how much of that offsets what you’re losing in terms of the product perception. That’s the central point: If the reason’s aero, that’s a big bet. Look at the BMW X6 or the Honda Crosstour. Not very well accepted…
KR: So let’s imagine that you walk into Tesla design studio just at the point where the Model Y was a full-scale, completed clay model. I hand you the sculpting tools to make changes. What would you do?
TG: Well, that’s tough because Franz [von Holzhausen, Tesla’s chief designer] is living with it day-in and day-out. And I think the openings, the graphics of the vehicle overall, the line work of the vehicle, it’s really very good. But if I were to lead them, I guess I would say, “I want to investigate what you could do with the roofline and still have it be Tesla.” Leave the C-pillar—that is very recognizable of Tesla—and then try to grow something out of the back of it. Then I would look at whether there’s an inventive way to change what you do with the hatch to gain function. Maybe you let some of the top of the hatch move forward into the roof so that you’ve got a taller space to hold stuff.
KR: Go on. You’re on a roll.
TG: From there I would move around to the front and say, “Why don’t we look for a way to create some image equity that would be ours. Maybe make the top of the Tesla ‘T’ part of the upper character line.” They kind of started it already with the noses of the Model S and X. Then I’d ask, “Is there something we can do to accentuate its capabilities?” I would’ve loved to have seen a little bit more track—maybe they could’ve done it with wheel offset. I would’ve been really riding hard on the engineering guys for me.
KR: Back to the roofline; instead of the Y’s big slope, could Tesla have gone with the sort of station wagon-y roofline of the Porsche Gran Turismos?
TG: For some reason, the words “station wagon” are verboten in the U.S. Having said that, I think the Gran Turismos are very successful from a design perspective. But from a marketing perspective, station wagons are too low to be perceived as functional.
KR: Earlier, I Googled images of the Model Y, and at first glance, I didn’t realize that a lot of them were speculative renderings made before the unveiling. You can hardly tell them from the actual car. This must be the most predictable-looking vehicle in a long time. And with its sloping roofline, it’s dangerously undifferentiated from the Model 3.
TG: I think they’re going to cannibalize some Model 3 sales.
KR: A lot rides on Tesla making the case—without advertising; they don’t advertise—that the Y isn’t just a “Model 3 Tall (M3T?)” but instead a new-think aerodynamic crossover. I guess we’ll see, right Tom?
TG: I guess we will.
The post Tesla Model Y Styling Breakdown: A Designer’s Take on the New SUV appeared first on Motortrend.
Porsche Goes Classic Hollywood at Luftgekuhlt 6
It was all a Marty McFly dream, right? One random Saturday morning, hundreds of classic Porsches pull in to surround the Hill Valley town square set from the movie Back To The Future. And then, by late afternoon, poof—they were all gone. Was it a dream, Doc? No, it was the sixth and very dreamlike installment of Luftgekuhlt, the now legendary gathering of air-cooled Porsches, and one of the finest car shows of any kind, anywhere.
The last American meetup, Luftgekuhlt 5, took place at the massive, yet tidy and oddly photogenic Ganahl Lumberyard in Torrance, California. After leaving that affair and spending the next few days drowning in a deluge of Instagram stories and Facebook photo galleries, I was left to wonder, how on earth will the Luft crew top this? By going from wood to Hollywood, of course.
Aside from the swarms of Porsche-philes, the set pieces at Luft 6 were absolutely made for photographers and social-media mavens. So I asked the MotorTrend visualists who attended for their impressions and best pic(k)s.
Our queen of social media, Carol Ngo, selected Rod Emory’s 356 RSR as her show favorite.
“Geez, what an absolute beast! A lot of sweat and tears went into building this. It wasn’t your typical bone-stock Porsche displayed,” said Ngo.
And the venue?
“They really outdid themselves this year! Unbelievable location with an insane lineup of cars. I especially like how even the most insane, expensive, historic cars were just placed all throughout the backlot with the rest of the bunch. The venue made it feel like you were in a city where everyone drove nothing but Porsches. How can they possibly top next year!?” she added.
Video producer Jeff Hammer liked the colorful row of 914s, but… “For sure [my] favorite was the Gulf-liveried 917 in front of the Western theatre marquee. Iconic,” said Hammer.
Perhaps because he’s an auteur, Hammer was not as dazzled as some by the Hollywood digs: “Venue was cool and everyone said it was dope but maybe I’m biased since I went to Rennsport but I don’t think it was really the perfect venue, especially the western town. It was anachronistic and full of artifice. All spectacle. I would have preferred something industrial or even a crazy contrast like nature or something really out there like a farm. I mean, Porsche did make tractors, right?” he concluded.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Kelly Moss Road And Race (@kellymossroadandrace) on May 11, 2019 at 2:59pm PDT
Photographer William Walker disagreed about the Hollywood facade: “The venue was spectacular! One of the things I hate about car shows is that you are always experiencing the cars away from their natural environment, which is on the street,” said Walker. “By having all of the cars on a backlot that looked like a city, it really added to the experience of the show. Likewise having all of the safari Porsches in the old west part of the town was really cool.”
Ceso Bagay runs social media for our sister publications, Super Street and Lowrider, picked the Paul Newman #70 Porsche 935 as his favorite, because of the broad racing pedigree (from IMSA to the 24 Hours of LeMans). Thanks to Newman, “It had a good tie-in with the Universal Studios ‘Hollywood’ theme,” said Ceso.
Porsche widebody race cars were popular with MotorTrend shooters, as photographer Jade Nelson selected the #40 JMS 935 as his pick of the show. He was also a huge, but qualified, fan of the location.
“Absolutely amazing, best venue I’ve experienced for a car show to date. Purely from a photographic standpoint I was frustrated. This is my fourth year in a row attending Luft and while the selection of cars and the location was the best yet I felt that the growth took away from the ability to appreciate the show visually and document the show in an exciting way compared to years prior. I felt that there were almost too many cars and most definitely too many people. Looks like it’s time for two full days next year!” said Nelson.
And last but certainly not least, we ran into our old buddy and former social media manager, Chris Bacarella, who is a photography and Porsche nut. Full disclosure, he also helps out with Kelly Moss Racing (one of the stars of the Old Mexico set at Luft 6). This was his first time at the air-cooled gathering and it left him suitably impressed.
“It will be hard to top Luft 6. Besides the amazing location and cars, my favorite part of Luft is the people. It gives you a chance to see old friends, make new ones and even meet the ones you’ve been following on the internet in person,” said Chris. “You leave Luft with a lot more than great photos, but amazing memories and stories to talk about until the next one!”
Indeed. See you at Luftgekuhlt 7.
The post Porsche Goes Classic Hollywood at Luftgekuhlt 6 appeared first on Motortrend.
What Engine Will Power The Cadillac CT5-V?
Two choices clearly come to mind, but which ones will it be?
The Chevrolet Cadet Was The Genesis Of Modern Suspension Design
The Bow Tie brand's first true compact was radically ahead of its time.
5 Things I Learned From a Quick Spin in the Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor
The Tesla Model 3 is often seen as a game changer in the automotive industry. It battles the BMW 3 Series and offers at least 240 miles of range on electric power. And while prices can climb easily, it starts at well under $40,000 before tax credits. Although it took a while to arrive to market, today the Model 3 is the most popular sports sedan, with more than 10,000 deliveries in the month of April.
I recently spent time with the Model 3, and here are five things I learned after driving it for about 30 minutes.
The screen is dominantWhether you want to adjust the side view mirrors or the steering wheel height, everything has to be done through the infotainment screen. While I’m a fan of not seeing a single button on the dash or door panels, I wish it was easier to adjust certain functions.
Autopilot rocksWe all know Tesla’s semi-autonomous driving system (dubbed Autopilot) is the best one in the industry, but I had only experienced it in a close and safe environment. Recently, I tried it for the first time on the street and was impressed by how flawless the acceleration was, how well it read the lane markings, and how it was aware of its surroundings. The version that I drove had the regular Autopilot and did not include automatic lane changes.
Download the appSince Tesla is a car company focused on tech, you had to expect it would have a great smartphone app. But what I didn’t know is all of the things that you can do through the app with your Tesla. Besides determining the vehicle’s location and current speed (if its driving at the moment), users can see its battery status, lock or unlock the vehicle, and turn on the air conditioning. Your phone can also be set as a key through the app.
The dash cam is built inAlthough I didn’t learn this while driving the Model 3, I was impressed when I found out that the side and front cameras have recording capabilities when you’re on the road. So if you’re involved in an accident, or someone has assaulted you, you can get the footage from the cameras for your own benefit. All you have to do is make sure that the cameras are set to record.
It’s addictive to driveWhether you take it on a canyon road or simply down the street, the Tesla Model 3 is addictive to drive. The quick response, great handling, and low body roll make it a thrilling experience wherever you go.
The post 5 Things I Learned From a Quick Spin in the Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor appeared first on Motortrend.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. To Drive 2019 Corvette Grand Sport Pace Car For Indy 500
Race day can't come soon enough.
[SPIED] C8 Mid-Engine Corvette Acceleration With a Lightning-Quick Gear Shift
I thought the video from yesterday of the C8 Corvette driving on the highway gave us a pretty good sound clip to listen to and I know I’ve watched that video a half-dozen times just to hear it again like a new favorite song.
Thanks to the National Corvette Museum, we have another quick but powerful C8 video to share.
Oliver Gavin Is The Most Successful Corvette Racing Driver Ever: Video
The man has taken 50 wins in a Corvette. Fifty!
First Spy Shots Of Upcoming Chevy Bolt EUV Surface
Turns out the Bolt EUV leaked back in 2017.
[VIDEO] Help Paul Koerner Find New Homes For These Two 2019 Corvettes!
Our friend Paul Koerner, aka “TheCorvetteMechanic” who is a World Class GM Technician, shared this new video to YouTube where he’s doing something a bit different than his usual Corvette troubleshooting and servicing.
In this new video, Paul is standing in front of the camera and sharing the spotlight with two new 2019 Corvettes for sale at his dealership, Key Chevrolet in Middletown, CT.
