2016 Honda HR-V First Drive Overview: Modest Gets Tall

The SUV-ification of the automobile marketplace continues apace, with buyers in even the smallest segment now deciding that they, as well, want the larger seating position and (in all-wheel-drive versions) the undesirable-climate capability afforded by a crossover-type automobile. Honda is displaying much more hustle than usual with the new 2016 HR-V, receiving into this game in the still-early innings. The Nissan Juke, the Mini Countryman, and the Buick Encore have been the pioneers but in the past year the size of the field has far more than doubled, with new entrants such as the Chevy Trax, the Jeep Renegade, the Fiat 500X, and the upcoming Mazda CX-3. The HR-V crossover, which slots in beneath the wildly well-known CR-V in size and cost, promises to be a powerful entrant in this burgeoning field.

Solid Feel

Whereas the CR-V is primarily based on the Civic, the HR-V shares its platform with the Fit subcompact. The HR-V, however, is a entire order of magnitude more solid- and substantial-feeling than that waif-like small box. The cabin is significantly wider, the windshield is not miles away, and the interior design and style and materials are much better. If you never looked behind you, you could effortlessly be convinced that this is a new CR-V.

Indeed, the HR-V is substantially bigger than the wee Match. Its wheelbase is longer by 3.2 inches, its front track wider by 2.1 inches, and the rear track is up by 2.6 inches. General, the HR-V casts a shadow 9.1 inches longer and 2.8 inches wider than the Fit, and it stands 3.2 inches taller.

These added inches, of course, bring with them a lot more w7 Compared to the Match, the HR-V is practically 400 pounds heavier by Honda’s measurements. Even so, its curb weight of roughly 3000 pounds is svelte for this class.

Not So Speedy

In other markets, the HR-V makes use of the Fit’s 130-hp 1.5-liter 4-cylinder, but for the United States Honda wisely bypassed that engine in favor of the bigger, 1.8-liter unit from the Civic. Alas, the 1.8-liter’s output is not that much greater, mustering 141 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 127 lb-ft of torque at 4300 rpm—figures that are near the bottom of the baby-ute pile. It’s no surprise, then, that the HR-V is slow, with zero-to-60 occasions likely falling in the 9-to-10-second range. The CVT automatic, which is the only obtainable transmission with AWD, sends revs soaring and keeps them there although 1 waits for speed to create. (Or one can flap through the paddles, which causes the transmission to run by way of 6 preset ratios.)

Honda provides a 6-speed manual in front-wheel-drive LX and EX models, and it offers the sensation of livelier acceleration. We like that the stick is easy to shift, but the clutch travel appears long and the throws a bit ropey. Sadly, the manual is at a genuine disadvantage in fuel economy. According to the EPA, the automatic returns 28/35 mpg with front-wheel drive, beating the manual by 3 mpg in the city and 1 mpg on the highway the CVT-only AWD model nets ratings of 27/32 mpg. All of these figures are at or near the top of the class.

On our straight, flat, and visitors-choked drive route in South Florida, the HR-V didn’t show considerably verve for cornering—although it didn’t have a lot chance to do so beyond an aggressively taken on-ramp or 2. The HR-V’s electric energy-steering method, even though, does provide reasonable effort, and the suspension capably soaks up road irregularities.

Inner Space

The HR-V’s genuine talents lie elsewhere—chiefly in its men and women- and cargo-carrying capacity. Packaging has extended been a Honda forte, and it’s definitely on show here. The HR-V follows the Fit’s lead in cleverly putting the fuel tank beneath the front seats, which enables the rear seat cushion to flip up, creating a sensible space for ferrying taller objects. Alternately, the split rear seatbacks can flop forward, as can the front passenger seatback. Even when it’s not displaying off its gymnastic flexibility, the HR-V boasts the largest cargo hold amongst its peers, whether or not that’s behind the rear seats or with that row folded. And the really low cargo floor facilitates effortless loading, a boon for these who frequently haul heavy items.

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2016 Honda HR-V First Drive Overview: Modest Gets Tall

2016 Variety Rover Gets Diesel Engine, Tech Upgrades

Whilst Land Rover’s epically expensive and ultra-deluxe Range Rover SVAutobiography and sporty Range Rover Sport HST soaked up the limelight at the brand’s New York auto show stand, they weren’t the only news-makers. The standard Variety Rover receives a smattering of minor updates for 2016, including a new diesel engine, a energy bump for the base gas V-6 engine, and some new tech.

Beginning with our favorite subject, energy, the mid-level 2016 Variety Rover HSE’s supercharged 3.-liter V-6 gains a 40-hp enhance. Now, with 380 horsepower, the HSE stands a tiny taller above the base Range Rover, which nonetheless tends to make do with 340 ponies. The Td6 single-turbo 6-cylinder diesel engine getting offered in the 2016 Range Rover Sport joins the Range Rover lineup, where it tends to make the very same 254 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. The diesel Range Rover is anticipated to attain 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, a respectable set of estimates that’s far, far above the next-most-effective big Rovers, the supercharged V-6 at 17/23 mpg.

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Land Rover hasn’t touched the Variety Rover’s handsome exterior—we’re okay with that—but it has introduced a new InControl Remote smartphone app that permits owners to remotely lock and unlock their doors, start off their engine, and activate the horn and lights to help find their car in crowded parking lots. In addition, the backup and surround-view parking cameras now feed drivers a higher-resolution image, and the backup camera gets a standard washer function to maintain it clean.

Every Variety Rover has a common power tailgate with gesture-primarily based (kicking) activation Land Rover cleverly placed the sensors on the sides of the bumper so that customers can open the tailgate with a kick from the sidewalk. Lastly, a protocol was added to reduce the Variety Rover’s air suspension to its “access” height automatically when shifted into park. Pricing for the 2016 Rovers will be released closer to the on-sale date this fall.

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2016 Variety Rover Gets Diesel Engine, Tech Upgrades

2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Unveiled, Gets Aluminum Body and a Twin-Turbo V-6!

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It is a bird, it really is a plane . . . it is the boulder-decimating new Raptor!

In one particular of his final shows as the cocky, right-wing-mocking speaking head on the Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert made a gleeful, deliciously prescient point about Americans’ short interest spans for inexpensive gas: “Fuel is inexpensive this week? Give me a 5-year lease on a rolling cargo ship with the aerodynamics of a cinder block!” The statement might have been sarcastic, but there couldn’t be a better climate into which Ford could introduce its second-generation F-150 Raptor.

Hulking on its off-road suspension, widened fenders, and meaty 35-inch tires, the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor is just as outrageously polar bear–mocking and lane-deflowering as its groundbreaking forebear, only now it swills cheap hooch. Not that such a detail matters considering that getting introduced in 2010, the roughly $ 50,000 Raptor has had buyers lining up even through the late stages of financial recession and 4-buck-per-gallon gas. Naturally, we enjoy the point. Who wouldn’t, offered its large power, ability to bomb across craggy terrain at 100 mph, and bad-ass visuals?

Constructed Eco Tough

Happily, Ford stuck to the script for the new model—almost. There has been some paraphrasing in the engine bay, where, rather of the old truck’s 411-hp 6.2-liter V-8, sits a new twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 engine with direct fuel injection. While it shares a displacement figure with the larger of the 2 EcoBoost V-6s obtainable in the typical F-150, the Raptor’s mill attributes a new aluminum block and upgraded internals, revised heads, and tweaked fuel-delivery equipment. Final output figures weren’t offered at the time of this writing, but we’re told to count on 450 to 500 horsepower and far more torque than the current V-8’s 434 lb-ft. As for fuel-economy estimates, Ford is likely to trumpet efficiency gains on account of the turbocharged engine, but horrible, ignorable fuel economy is element of the Raptor’s charm. We’ll file preliminary EPA estimates under “we do not care.”

Of course, 4-wheel drive will be regular, and the Raptor’s setup now contains a terrain-response function that optimizes the truck for varied surfaces such as snow, rocks, and far more. Feeding the transfer case is Ford’s first application of its all-new 10-speed automatic transmission.

You Can not Crush This Beer Can

The new powertrain is bolted to an equally new frame that, although derived from the 2015 F-150’s steel unit, is substantially upgraded to greater deal with the abuse doled out by full-throttle (sweet) jumps, massive rocks, and whatever else a Raptor can subjugate to its will. 2 wheelbases and cab configurations will be supplied: a 133-inch-wheelbase, extended-cab SuperCab and a 145-inch, 4-door SuperCrew. Following in the F-150’s footsteps, the higher-overall performance truck also switches to aluminum bodywork, shedding a claimed 500 or so pounds in the procedure. A composite hood and front fenders additional decrease mass.

Ford’s stylists somehow managed to massage these fancy new materials in such a way as to imbue the Raptor’s rippling physique with even a lot more muscle. The slight upkick to the rear quarter-panels lends the tail a bad-ass stadium-truck appear, and the grille when once more boasts giant “Ford” lettering and federally mandated marker lights on account of the truck’s width. Colossal Ford lettering also tends to make it onto the Raptor’s tailgate, and there are vents on every front fender and one more 1 on the hood, in addition to LED accent lighting everywhere.

The most critical components of all, nevertheless, are sheltered by the Raptor’s blistered fenders. Those would be the Fox Racing shocks, coil-sprung aluminum front control arms, and the leaf-sprung strong rear axle. To increase on the old Raptor’s impressive suspension travel—11.2 inches in front and 12.1 inches in the rear—Ford upped the Fox shocks’ diameters from 2.5 inches to 3.. The units still feature internal bypasses that take the edge off of quick, difficult impacts. Skid plates in front help safeguard against meet-and-greets with desert rubble, and shallower front and rear bumpers increase the truck’s strategy and departure angles. New 17-inch aluminum wheels are wrapped in BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A K02 tires that practically scream out for raised white lettering.

It Believes Knows It Can Fly

Amazingly, yet another carry-more than function of the 2017 F-150 Raptor is its close to comprehensive lack of competitors. Dodge delivers the 1500-primarily based Ram Runner, but it is offered only in kit type by way of the Mopar catalog. General Motors in no way picked up the telephone when Ford came calling in 2010, and it hasn’t considering that. Some credit is due to the Ford SVT engineers—who now toil below the Ford Performance banner, hence the absence of “SVT” in the new Raptor’s name—that created such a solution that worked almost as properly on the street as it did in the Baja.

Obtaining sampled many iterations of the new F-150, we can report that the weight loss afforded by the switch to aluminum building is palpable from behind the wheel. Yet for all that, this Raptor version is the one particular we’ve been waiting for. With the base value anticipated to keep about the $ 50,000 mark, it will continue to be within attain of anybody with desert-runner fantasies. So, yeah, Mr. Colbert? You can sign us up for one of these babies.

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2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Unveiled, Gets Aluminum Body and a Twin-Turbo V-6!

Vehicle Thief Gets Owned by The Leg Sweep

Try to steal or rob a car in Brazil and you will end up on the ground as noticed in this video. The big guy comes out of nowhere and sweeps the legs out from underneath the kid. But he does not get the message and circles about the car again until the guy comes out with what appears like a bat. Just a small bit of karma for the vehicle thief, nevertheless it is clear he didn’t discover his lesson the first time.

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Vehicle Thief Gets Owned by The Leg Sweep

Hyundai’s Work to Fire Up Competitor to BMW M, Mercedes AMG Gets Boost from Former BMW M Chief Engineer

For effectively over a year, Hyundai has contemplated how to tackle the efficiency vehicle segment after announcing its new “N” sport-model series. Every choice was on the table, from adding graphics and a louder exhaust to otherwise regular cars to using bigger engines from higher-positioned models, up to a complete-fledged work that would rival—at least in concept—BMW M GmbH, Audi Quattro GmbH, and Mercedes-AMG. It appears that Hyundai’s efforts are about to get a excellent sturdy kick in the shorts, as the automaker just announced the hiring of BMW M’s chief engineer, Albert Biermann.

To be stationed at Hyundai’s R&D center in Namyang, South Korea, Biermann will be accountable for the improvement of high-efficiency derivatives for the Hyundai and Kia brands he is also tasked with the common improvement of ride and handling, as nicely as safety and comfort, of mainstream Hyundai and Kia models. The Koreans have made fantastic strides in dynamics the past handful of years—look no additional than the newest Genesis sedan—but they still have a techniques to go prior to sporty competitors like Honda and Mazda have something to be concerned about.

That said, we are excited over the prospect of higher-overall performance models for the 2 Korean brands, which we fully count on to rival the offerings of the German competition, as effectively as Cadillac’s V-series and Lexus’s F models. “N,” by the way, is a moniker derived from the Namyang R&D center but it could also stand for “Nürburgring,” exactly where Hyundai operates a new testing center.

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But back to Biermann—clearly, Hyundai-Kia’s gain is BMW’s loss. With Biermann’s departure, BMW loses its second passionate auto guy from prime management ranks this month. Just 2 weeks ago, R&D chief Herbert Diess deserted BMW to head up the Volkswagen brand in Wolfsburg. Biermann, who is 57, apparently figured he wouldn’t have a lot of a profession left at BMW when the company announced that outgoing M GmbH chief Friedrich Nitschke would be replaced by Franciscus van Meel (48 years young) on January 1, 2015 (a move we 1st reported in May possibly 2014). At BMW, senior managers retire at 60, and it is a rule with couple of exceptions.

At Hyundai, Biermann will be the most prominent Western executive to be head-hunted soon after design chief Peter Schreyer abandoned VW for Kia. (Schreyer now heads up style for both Kia and Hyundai.) His hiring at Hyundai is serendipitous, for last year we were told that the automaker’s N models would attempt to emulate BMWs’ dynamics. To that end, Biermann’s crowning achievement at BMW might have been the current M3 and M4 with their downsized, turbocharged straight-6 engine and bespoke manual transmission and steering technique. We’d be okay with a little M3/M4 in some Hyundais. Would you?

Hyundai’s Work to Fire Up Competitor to BMW M, Mercedes AMG Gets Boost from Former BMW M Chief Engineer

2015 Toyota Prius C Images and Info: The Littlest Prius Gets Updated

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We’;re thinking the adjustments won’;t aid much.

Toyota likes to contact the Prius iconic. We suppose it most likely is iconic to a particular segment of the auto-getting public. So what could be much better than a lighter, less pricey, and smaller version? One that can then spread the Hybrid Synergy Drive gospel to very first-time car purchasers, who can then move up into the mainline model for their subsequent obtain? In truth, Toyota has provided just such a vehicle, the Prius C, for a couple of years.

It’s now been updated for 2015, but we’re not positive the modifications will do significantly to raise its profile. You see, the Prius C is an underperformer in numerous areas. Its hybrid powertrain utilizes a wheezing, 73-hp, 1.5-liter 4-cylinder mated to an electric motor and a CVT total method output stands at a meager 99 horsepower. To assist accomplish its impressive 50-mpg combined fuel-economy figure, the Prius C packs regenerative braking and electric power steering. It can travel an complete mile on electric power alone.

Besides Regular and EV modes, the C, which is based on the Yaris platform and is unrelated to the standard Prius, also offers an Eco mode. It can “support optimize fuel economy when you are prepared to give up some throttle response and do not require the air conditioner to be ice cold,” the press components explain with exceptional frankness.

For the 2015 model year, Toyota has introduced new fabrics and patterns inside the cabin and mixed up new paint colors that incorporate Electric Lime Metallic, Tangerine Splash Pearl, and Sparkling Sea Metallic. The taillights have been redesigned to incorporate light pipes, and the headlights are executed totally in LEDs. Toyota also reworked the front fascia with a new gaping-mouth grille at the center flanked by auxiliary lights that resemble upside-down keyholes. It is not specifically well executed to our eyes, and the grille looks out of spot with the rest of the design and style.

The 2015 Prius C comes in 4 trim levels called—wait for it—One, 2, 3, and 4. The initial level is rather well equipped with the aforementioned LED headlights, automatic air conditioning, and keyless entry. Level 2 adds cruise manage, a split-folding rear bench, greater speakers, and some further trim. The Prius C 3 gets premium audio and a navigation program, as effectively as push-button begin. Ultimately, the 4 contains heated seats, a backup camera, a sunroof, and larger-grade interior materials.

But even turned up to 4, the Prius C cannot escape its somewhat pedestrian roots. One piece of evidence is the traditional-seeking transmission shifter, which is a lengthy, narrow metal stick. Larger Prius models (such as the Prius V) function a futuristic gear selector on the dashboard. When we tested the Prius C a couple of years ago, we summed it up thusly: “It has wheels and gets great gas mileage.” That is nonetheless accurate.

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BMW 2-series Gets Mini Cooper Engine and AWD Diesel—Just Not In U.S.

BMW just announced some interesting updates to the fun-size, rear-wheel-drive 2-series. Beginning in March of 2015, the entry-level 218i will be powered by the 1.5-liter turbo 3-cylinder that motivates the base model Mini Cooper, while elsewhere on the choice sheet buyers will be able to spec a diesel-powered 220d with all-wheel drive. There’s a catch, though: BMW tells us these setups will not be available in North America. Bummer.

The 1.5-liter 3-banger will bring 136 horsepower and 162 lb-ft of torque to BMW’s littlest coupe. The organization says it’ll get the European equivalent of 42 to 46 miles per gallon, although at a bit of a expense to efficiency: The thrifty 3-cylinder will take a shade beneath 9 seconds to sprint to 60 mph. That nonetheless seems affordable to us, specifically given the competent 2-series chassis and availability of a true 3-pedal 6-speed manual. Consider of it as a rear-wheel-drive Mini Cooper, sorta.

Alongside the 218i, BMW will also roll out an all-wheel-drive version of the diesel-powered 220d, a setup the organization says will surpass the European equivalent of 50 mpg. With diesel torque to spare, such a model will sprint to 62 mph in a somewhat more sporting 6.8 seconds.

The poor news? Neither the thrifty 3-banger nor the torqueful diesel is headed to North America’s shores. A BMW spokesman confirmed to Vehicle and Driver that the 2015 lineup will stay the exact same as it ever was: 228i and M235i, in coupe and convertible kind, with optional all-wheel drive.

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Of course, BMW is only interested in bringing to the U.S. the models that will sell well—meaning nicely appointed variants with enough motor to satisfy the Ultimate Driving Machine tagline we’ve been hearing because the mid-1970s. Still, we’d enjoy to get these thrifty 2-series variants more than right here. Guess we’re left carrying out what we usually do in this situation: staring longingly toward Europe and sighing.

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BMW 2-series Gets Mini Cooper Engine and AWD Diesel—Just Not In U.S.

2016 Ford Explorer Gets a Major Overhaul: New EcoBoost Motor, Luxe Best-Spec Trim, and A lot more

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New styling, tech, and powertrain enhancements for Ford’;s extended-operating family members hauler.

The Ford Explorer fights in a crowded and extremely competitive segment, duking it out with cars like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, GMC Acadia, and Nissan Pathfinder. It is a large and hugely profitable segment, and now Ford has re-armed its Explorer with an extremely extensive midcycle update that brings considerable alterations outdoors, inside, and beneath the hood.

On the exterior, the 2016 Explorer shares only its roof, doors, and glass with the present model. New headlights consist of Ford’s 1st LED low beams as regular and optional signature eyebrow lighting, and they’re joined by a new grille opening and aggressive decrease fog lights. The taillights obtain a new 3-dimensional element, even though the rest of the rear finish gets newly integrated exhaust guidelines (with integrated soot catcher so they remain clean), reshaped D-pillars, and a more sculpted tailgate with a subtle spoiler up best.

The aesthetic tweaks group with active grille shutters to make the new Explorer 5 % a lot more slippery than the outgoing style, according to Ford. Look closely at the front fog lights, and you’ll see a functional inlet that directs air around the front wheel wells, cutting down on drag. Ford clearly focused on the specifics.

Why Didn’t Anyone Else Believe of That?

The common rearview and optional front cameras provide 180-degree views, and both come with a function Ford says has by no means prior to been on any production car: a lens washer. Anybody who’s had to thumb-smudge road salt or highway grime off of a backup camera—or tapped a parking-garage wall soon after neglecting to do so—will rejoice at this feature. It’s a wonder the likes of Mercedes-Benz and Audi haven’t thought to provide it. The Explorer can also be had with a revamped Active Park Assistant that can now semi-autonomously steer you into or out of a perpendicular parking spot (like the ones at Walmart) as properly as parallel park for you. Additionally, new side sensors help you figure out whether or not you are about to leave paint samples on that concrete column looming just behind your B-pillar in the parking garage. The Explorer also now gets Ford’s hands-free of charge, foot-sensing liftgate opener previously identified on the Escape and C-Max.

Inside, the capacitive-touch center-console controls have blessedly been scrapped in favor of sincere-to-goodness push buttons for the audio and climate controls. Audible cheers came up from the journalists at the unveil event when designer Chris Svensson announced this change, which he stated was prompted by copious client feedback slamming the touch-sensitive (or insensitive) prior design and style. Both the driver and front passenger get roomier footwells, while second-row guests get much more legroom thanks to redesigned front-row seatbacks. Front and rear “smart-charging” USB ports sense the current draw demanded by your smartphone or tablet, charging devices up to twice as quickly, whilst a 110-volt inverter offers 3-prong power at the back of the center console.

A Bigger Downsized Engine

The largest news beneath the hood is the smallest engine in the Explorer lineup: The 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder that replaces the 2.-liter turbo 4 as the middle of 3 engine selections in the Explorer. The 2.3-liter turbo 4 packs an estimated 270 horses and 300 lb-ft of torque in this application­, 20 fewer horses but 45 a lot more lb-ft than the naturally aspirated base 3.5-liter V-6. It’s up 30 horses and 30 lb-ft over the outgoing 2.-liter turbo.

The added oomph implies Ford can now offer you a Class II towing package on 4-cylinder Explorers, generating them capable of lugging up to 3000 pounds, as properly as lastly offer you 4WD as an selection with the turbo 4. Ford says the new 2.3-liter EcoBoost returns the same 20 mpg city and 28 highway as the smaller sized 4-cylinder. Base, XLT, and Restricted models can be fitted with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost for a $ 995 upcharge, with the twin-turbo EcoBoost 3.5-liter V-6 and its 365 horses and 350 lb-ft of torque becoming common on Explorer Sport and Platinum models.

Valuable Metals

Platinum? That’s appropriate: Ford debuted the revamped 2016 Explorer by displaying off its new best-spec Platinum trim line. On top of the myriad 2016 upgrades across the Explorer line, the Platinum level brings luxurious appointments to compete with range-toppers like the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit and the GMC Acadia Denali. To that finish, the Platinum gets its own matte-silver grille with a different insert to make sure your neighbors know you checked the most pricey box. This model also rides on its personal 20-inch machine-completed wheels with dark accents. Satin chrome adorns the mirrors, roof rack, door handles, and physique moldings.

The cabin of the Platinum is stuffed with far more upscale supplies then previously supplied on a Blue Oval product. The upholstery puts on a lounge act, with Ford saying its “Nirvana leather” is the softest hide it is ever procured. Leather also wraps the seats, dashboard, door inserts, upper door trim, and armrests, and heated front and outboard second-row seats are regular. The ash wood and brushed aluminum trim sprinkled all through the interior are the true deal—no plastiwood or knockoff metal right here, and you can truly really feel the texture of the brushed aluminum. And do not miss the brushed-aluminum steering-wheel badge it is the initial all-silver Ford oval the company has ever used in production, and is intended to signify just how particular the Platinum is.

Additional sound deadening, a exclusive headliner to match the interior upholstery, fabric-wrapped A-pillar trim, a 500-watt Sony audio system, and an all-digital instrument cluster (an additional Ford first) round out the Platinum-level interior upgrades. The prime-of-the-line Explorer comes standard with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 and all-wheel drive, as nicely as its personal suspension tune. (There are also separate tunes for the Sport and the rest of the lineup.)

In spite of the massive overhaul, Ford says the 2016 Explorer will carry more than the identical $ 31,595 base value as the 2015 model. Pricing for the XLT, Limited, Sport, and Platinum models will become obtainable on Ford’s site shortly, and the revamped 2016 will hit showrooms sometime subsequent summer. As for the Explorer’s highly competitive segment, we’re considering its denizens just sat up and took notice.

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Hyundai Genesis gets highest safety score yet in ANCAP

Genesis, Hyundai Motor’;s new flagship luxury sedan, has achieved the highest score in the 21-year history of testing in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), with 36,88 points out of a possible 37 and a maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

A 5-star safety rating is ANCAP’;s ultimate measure of vehicle safety protection for occupants and pedestrians. The demanding assessment includes a 64 km/h frontal offset test and a 50 km/h side impact test, along with a 29 km/h pole test, a whiplash test simulating a 32 km/h rear-end crash, and a 40 km/h pedestrian impact protection test. A minimum number of active safety assist technologies (SATs) are also required.

The Genesis’; tally of 36,88 points includes a frontal offset score of 15,88 out of 16 and a side impact protection score of 16 out of 16. Genesis also scored 2 out of 2 in the pole test and a whiplash protection test rating of “good”.

Earlier this year, the all-new Genesis was the first and only rear-wheel drive vehicle in its class to receive the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’;s (IIHS) highest honor as a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+, continuing its segment leadership. Genesis was also the first rear-wheel drive luxury sedan to earn a “Good” rating in the IIHS’;s small overlap crash test.

“The Genesis is Hyundai’;s flagship model and as such offers a high level of physical crashworthiness and excellent safety features as standard,” said ANCAP chairman Mr Lauchlan McIntosh.

“This is one of the first times we have seen the word ‘Standard’; listed against almost every safety feature on our check list. Importantly, automatic emergency braking is one of these standard features – one that has recently been left off many new models hitting our shores.”

Structural integrity and strength has been a key priority of Hyundai Motor Company’;s engineering teams since development of the new “DH” model Genesis sedan began 6 years ago. The vehicle uses advanced high-strength steel throughout its body structure, and has been designed from the outset to pass the world’;s most demanding crash tests.

ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

To search crash test results and learn more about safety technologies, visit www.ancap.com.au

Crash test images and video can be downloaded from www.ancap.com.au/media

Hyundai Genesis gets highest safety score yet in ANCAP

Hyundai Genesis gets highest safety score yet in ANCAP

Genesis, Hyundai Motor’;s new flagship luxury sedan, has achieved the highest score in the 21-year history of testing in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), with 36,88 points out of a possible 37 and a maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

A 5-star safety rating is ANCAP’;s ultimate measure of vehicle safety protection for occupants and pedestrians. The demanding assessment includes a 64 km/h frontal offset test and a 50 km/h side impact test, along with a 29 km/h pole test, a whiplash test simulating a 32 km/h rear-end crash, and a 40 km/h pedestrian impact protection test. A minimum number of active safety assist technologies (SATs) are also required.

The Genesis’; tally of 36,88 points includes a frontal offset score of 15,88 out of 16 and a side impact protection score of 16 out of 16. Genesis also scored 2 out of 2 in the pole test and a whiplash protection test rating of “good”.

Earlier this year, the all-new Genesis was the first and only rear-wheel drive vehicle in its class to receive the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’;s (IIHS) highest honor as a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+, continuing its segment leadership. Genesis was also the first rear-wheel drive luxury sedan to earn a “Good” rating in the IIHS’;s small overlap crash test.

“The Genesis is Hyundai’;s flagship model and as such offers a high level of physical crashworthiness and excellent safety features as standard,” said ANCAP chairman Mr Lauchlan McIntosh.

“This is one of the first times we have seen the word ‘Standard’; listed against almost every safety feature on our check list. Importantly, automatic emergency braking is one of these standard features – one that has recently been left off many new models hitting our shores.”

Structural integrity and strength has been a key priority of Hyundai Motor Company’;s engineering teams since development of the new “DH” model Genesis sedan began 6 years ago. The vehicle uses advanced high-strength steel throughout its body structure, and has been designed from the outset to pass the world’;s most demanding crash tests.

ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

To search crash test results and learn more about safety technologies, visit www.ancap.com.au

Crash test images and video can be downloaded from www.ancap.com.au/media

Hyundai Genesis gets highest safety score yet in ANCAP

Hyundai Genesis gets highest safety score yet in ANCAP

Genesis, Hyundai Motor’;s new flagship luxury sedan, has achieved the highest score in the 21-year history of testing in the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), with 36,88 points out of a possible 37 and a maximum 5-star ANCAP safety rating.

A 5-star safety rating is ANCAP’;s ultimate measure of vehicle safety protection for occupants and pedestrians. The demanding assessment includes a 64 km/h frontal offset test and a 50 km/h side impact test, along with a 29 km/h pole test, a whiplash test simulating a 32 km/h rear-end crash, and a 40 km/h pedestrian impact protection test. A minimum number of active safety assist technologies (SATs) are also required.

The Genesis’; tally of 36,88 points includes a frontal offset score of 15,88 out of 16 and a side impact protection score of 16 out of 16. Genesis also scored 2 out of 2 in the pole test and a whiplash protection test rating of “good”.

Earlier this year, the all-new Genesis was the first and only rear-wheel drive vehicle in its class to receive the US Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’;s (IIHS) highest honor as a 2014 TOP SAFETY PICK+, continuing its segment leadership. Genesis was also the first rear-wheel drive luxury sedan to earn a “Good” rating in the IIHS’;s small overlap crash test.

“The Genesis is Hyundai’;s flagship model and as such offers a high level of physical crashworthiness and excellent safety features as standard,” said ANCAP chairman Mr Lauchlan McIntosh.

“This is one of the first times we have seen the word ‘Standard’; listed against almost every safety feature on our check list. Importantly, automatic emergency braking is one of these standard features – one that has recently been left off many new models hitting our shores.”

Structural integrity and strength has been a key priority of Hyundai Motor Company’;s engineering teams since development of the new “DH” model Genesis sedan began 6 years ago. The vehicle uses advanced high-strength steel throughout its body structure, and has been designed from the outset to pass the world’;s most demanding crash tests.

ANCAP is supported by all Australian and New Zealand motoring clubs, the Australian Government, the New Zealand Government, Australian state and territory governments, the Victorian Transport Accident Commission, NRMA Insurance and the FIA Foundation.

To search crash test results and learn more about safety technologies, visit www.ancap.com.au

Crash test images and video can be downloaded from www.ancap.com.au/media

Hyundai Genesis gets highest safety score yet in ANCAP

FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy Africa Selection 2015 gets underway

The FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy Africa Selection for 2015 is currently taking place at Amanzingwe Conference Centre and the Gerotek Vehicle Testing Facility near Broederstroom west of Pretoria.

18 Participants aged between 16 and 25 from 12 countries including 2 from South Africa have gathered for a 3 day regional test and training selection event hosted by MSA.

After a welcome and introduction session on Sunday during which the participants introduced themselves and were given a preview of what lay ahead in the next 3 days, they started the exercise at Gerotek this morning.

An overall winner will be announced on Wednesday.

Also view:

Defensive driving courses a possible path to cheaper car insurance for young drivers

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FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy Africa Selection 2015 gets underway

The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Seems Unlikely

Every week, our German correspondent slices and dices the newest rumblings, news, and swift-hit driving impressions from the other side of the pond. His byline might say Jens Meiners, but we merely contact him . . . the Continental.

Next year, we will ultimately see the wild Bugatti Veyron 16.4‘s successor in the metal. I hear it’ll be named the Chiron, just like the eponymous 1999 Bugatti concept vehicle styled by Italdesign Giugiaro. You study it here first. In case you had been asking yourself, the Chiron notion auto appears to have taken its naming inspiration from early Bugatti racing driver Louis Chiron. Naturally, a cursory Google search returns far a lot more info for a diverse Chiron, who is apparently a notable centaur from Greek mythology.

No Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster

Difficult times lay ahead for the Porsche 911. I have observed its nightmare, and it is the Mercedes-AMG GTS, Benz’s new sports automobile which is in the middle of a multi-stage launch. Beginning with prototype drives and continuing with an ever-increasing multitude of particulars on its powertrain and interior, Daimler is keeping suspense at a maximum. Full information here next week.

Inside, the GTS is beautifully executed, with a stylized NACA duct in the center console and 8 cylindrical buttons mimicking a its engine’s V-8 cylinder arrangement. The most gorgeous detail is the row of buttons positioned above the windshield. It lends a positively aeronautical appear to this currently spectacular interior.

Power will come from the new M178 twin-turbocharged 4.-liter V-8 engine. Down the road, there will be a GT3 version, which will type the basis for a buyer racing series. But there will not be a V-6 engine option. And if Porsche ever decides to do a 4-banger 911, I am confident that the boys from Stuttgart will have that market all to themselves.

A roadster version of the AMG GTS is practically complete, and at this point it wants small a lot more than an executive yes/no choice. But a choice in the affirmative is unlikely to come, given that the topless GT would undermine the position of the a lot more prestigious SL. Already below stress from the upcoming S-class cabriolet that Daimler R&D board member Thomas Weber confirmed is on its way, an open-top GT is the final factor the ailing SL would need standing beside it in the showroom.

Volkswagen to Empower the U.S.

The U.S. may possibly be Volkswagen’s most challenging marketplace of late: Sales are effectively beneath expectations, and the cars are not in tune with the expectations of the average American purchaser. The design and style is perceived as cold and generic, and there is as well tiny “news” or pizazz in the brand’s portfolio.

Now top management has given the U.S.-marketplace operations a lot much more clout. Item cycles will be shortened to 5 years, in a 3–2 pattern: Following a model’s redesign, its first major facelift will come after 3 years 2 years later, an totally new solution will be prepared. The initial car to which this life cycle will apply is the upcoming B-segment SUV, followed by the next-generation Passat. Even prior to that, in time for the 2016 model year, the existing Passat will obtain a significant face lift. This update will give it a far much more aggressive and contemporary appearance.

To be clear, the new American-market place life-cycle strategy will not be applied to the brand globally, but they have implications for markets where U.S.-made models are sold, such as China.

I have received more intel on the next-gen VW Phaeton, which “is developed and finished” as these words are published. Based on the “MLB Evo” platform, the new Phaeton will be offered with numerous higher-powered engines, including a V-8 TDI with around 450 horsepower, a gasoline plug-in hybrid, and a W-12 (!).

Audi News, Electrically Supercharged Edition

Audi has just face-lifted its A6 and A7 models for the European market place, and now I’ve spent some time behind the wheel of the new A7 at the vehicle’s launch in Copenhagen. The updated A7 will come to the U.S. for the 2016 model year. The modifications, which consist of new headlights and taillights, bring the vehicle visually closer to the 2009 Sportback concept, which is a very good point.

The most fascinating model, apart from the ultra-potent RS7, is the A7 Competition (pictured above), a prime-of-the-line diesel model with a twin-turbocharged V-6 TDI. Thanks to a lot more aggressive timing, optimized turbocharger bearings, and a certain exhaust downpipe, it makes 326 horsepower (up to 346 horsepower below overboost circumstances). The sprint to 62 mph now takes merely a claimed 5.1 seconds, and best speed is governed someplace north of 155 mph. (Audi is normally a bit much more generous with its limiters than the competition, so raise your expectations.)

But Audi has yet a much better concept: Electric supercharging, which we have described in detail soon after Audi let us attempt out an RS5 TDI with a twin-turbocharged, 385-horsepower diesel equipped with such a device. In Copenhagen, Audi had a pre-facelift A6 prototype with an electric supercharger for us to try, as well. With its engine based on a 3.-liter V-6 TDI with a single turbocharger plus the e-superchargerr, it is rated at a healthy 326 horsepower. The motor does not match the twin-turbo RS5 TDI concept’s sheer upper-rev energy, but it performed just as beautifully at step-off and at low rpm. I can not wait to see this technologies on the road.

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A  Cool Lada—No, Seriously!

Pretty considerably every person missed out on the Moscow auto show, which is a pity. Lada unveiled the Vesta, a new compact sedan of unprecedented good quality (for the brand) and style. I like Ladas they are truthful vehicles with character. And the Vesta confident has lots of character.

The Continental: Bugatti Veyron Successor Gets a Name, Topless Mercedes-AMG GTS Seems Unlikely