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Payne: The Acura TLX gets its mojo back
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 14, 2021
Think of great career athletic comebacks and a few come to mind. Tiger Woods at the Masters in 2019. Andre Agassi winning the French Open in 1999. Nike Lauda’s rebound after a fiery crash to win the world Formula One title.
Add Acura to the list.
Hondas’ luxury brand was the choice of motorheads at the turn of the century with such apex-carvers as the Acura Integra and TLX Type-S. Then Acura took a wrong turn and got lost in the wilderness. The quick moves gave way to soft cars as Acura built luxury liners like the RDX and hung big chrome beaks on its bow.
With its all-new 2021 TLX performance sedan, Acura has returned to its roots. The new car — with the first Type-S performance trim in 12 years lurking in the wings — is a toned, powerful, affordable athlete.
Yet in the decade-plus that Acura wandered the wilderness, the market changed.
Acura has once again positioned itself as a value athlete against the German trinity of BMW, Mercedes and Audi. But this go-around, Acura isn’t the only brand that is redefining itself with premium sedans. The $40,000 sedan market is flush with ambitious products for those who are looking for something different than the same ol’ German.
For example: while TLX baselines competitively to the Teutonic trio, the Mazda 6, Kia Stinger and VW Arteon (a mainstream German) baselines to the TLX, undercutting it in price while offering equally compelling specs.
In this boiling piranha tank of great sedans, I took the TLX predator for a ride.
Acura boss Jon Ikeda and his musketeers realized last decade that Honda’s performance brand had to build a distinctive brand or be left behind. Not for nuthin’ have the Germans achieved their renown. They’ve built reputations at the highest levels of motorsports which trickle down to their performance-studded production lineups.
Take BMW. With the mid-engine, 1979 BMW M1, Bimmer set a performance halo that is the envy of today’s luxe bands. The M badge — now appearing on Olympians like the BMW M4 and M2 — brings track-tuned athleticism that trickles down through every SUV and sedan in its lineup.
So Acura launched the mid-engine NSX in 2015, jump-starting Acura Precision Performance.
Awesomeness had followed. The NSX wowed with its hybrid performance, all-wheel drive and sculpted styling — a $160,000 supercar offering the same tech as a $900,000 Porsche 918. The NSX has spawned a competitive, IMSA GTD race car. And just to be sure no one questions Acura’s commitment to supercar performance, it won the IMSA championship outright in 2019 with a striking Acura DPI entry run by Captain Roger Penske.
The commitment to performance has spread through everything in the lineup. The Acura RDX may be a volume SUV, but its interior style and athletic handling are inspired by Papa NSX. Even the MDX mid-size sedan shared the NSX’s electric, all-wheel-drive system.
But it’s the TLX that most closely follows the NSX lineage. The world may be moving to SUVs — 70% reckons Acura by 2025 — but the premium brand realizes that buyers still want ground-hugging performance sedans.
Take my friend John, who has eschewed SUVs for a Tesla Model S and now an Audi A6. Why? Because when he leaves the city behind, he wants to have some fun on America’s wide-open roads.
The TLX is the perfect companion to the Acura RDX, one of my favorite SUVs for not only its handling, but its supreme value. This is a $38,000 SUV that offers standard adaptive cruise control, panoramic roof and leatherette interior. Good luck finding that on a German.
For about $700 less than the RLX, the TLX offers all that value with sedan handling.
Using all 272 ponies in TLX’s all-new 2.0-liter turbo-4, I consumed corners over Oakland County’s Old Pontiac Trail. The chassis has 50% more torsional rigidity than the last gen. The 10-speed tranny shifts like butter. The torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system grips like a fly on ointment.
But surveying my stallion after my spirited ride, I wondered if that was enough.
For all its race car inspiration, the TLX is conservative in styling. Sure, designers have made a lower, wider, sleeker sedan. But everyone’s doing that these days — have you seen the Hyundai Sonata? At just $26,000, it’s created a rear LED light show that would make the luxe class proud.
TLX’s fascia design is more competitive with the Mazda 6 and Kia Stinger, which offer specs similar to the TLX — but for much less.
Consider that the Mazda — outfitted with a comparable, smooth, 2.5-liter turbo-4 — is the Acura’s equal in style and standard appointments, yet stickers for 7 grand less. Or for really insane value, consider Kia’s flagship AWD Stinger, which boasts 100 more horsepower, better interior and cargo room for a price similar to Acura’s AWD A-Spec model.
As I say, boiling piranha tank.
Better that I view the TLX from the interior — my 6’5” frame and broad shoulders fit easily in a driver’s seat that is noticeably broader (thanks to a wider track stance) than the last gen.
Here, Acura has constructed a more distinctive landscape. The center console immediately reminds of the NSX supercar with a Drive Mode button so big it could launch a nuke. The clever “trigger” shifter is signature Acura.
The red leather seat option is, well, red leather. It’s irresistible.
More resistible is the touchpad-operated infotainment system. While not as maddening as Lexus’ unworkable mousepad, it’s a distraction. Better to stick with tried-and-true rotary dials (Mazda) or touchscreen (BMW, Merc) that are more intuitive to a generation of smartphone users.
It’s worth noting, too, that Mazda also races a mid-engine IMSA racing prototype that competes against Acura. And the Mazda 3 hatchback is more beautiful than any entry-level luxury compact.
But TLX (and TL predecessor) has built impressive numbers over its 25-year U.S. run despite slips along the way. In 2019, TLX was the third-best selling model in compact luxe — behind only Audi and Cadillac. With the 2021 model, Acura is rewarding its fans with the best TLX in three generations. It’s a credit to Acura’s investment in a brand that speaks performance again.
The comeback is complete, but nowhere near done. Just wait until the 350-horse, turbo 6-powered Acura TLX Type S arrives this spring. The Audi S4 should be nervous. But both will struggle to keep up with the Stinger GT.
2021 Acura TLX
Vehicle type: Front- and all-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
Price: $40,525, including $1,025 destination charge ($47,775 A-Spec as tested)
Powerplant: 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder
Power: 272 horsepower, 280 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.9 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 131 mph
Weight: 3,920 pounds (AWD as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 22 mpg city/30 highway/25 combined (FWD); 21 mpg city/29 highway/24 combined (AWD)
Report card
Highs: Distinctive interior; taut chassis
Lows: Conservative exterior; glitchy touchpad
Overall: 3 stars
Payne: How I voted in the North American Car of the Year Awards
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 12, 2021
Some elections aren’t very contentious at all.
My fellow North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year jurors and I have voted and Ford Motor Co. was the overwhelming winner of the Truck and Utility categories. The Ford F-150 pickup and Mustang Mach-E SUV won in landslides. We’re talkin’ Johnson v. Goldwater, Reagan v. Mondale.
Heck, the Ford F-150 won bigger than FDR v. Alf Landon in 1936. Alf who? The third category was a squeaker with Hyundai’s Elantra winning Car of the Year by two votes over the Genesis G80.
I voted with the majority in all three cases. Which is unusual, as I have had quarrels with my fellow scribes in the past. Since 1994, our 50-member jury of auto critics vote in the most prestigious, annual, independent auto award in North America. This year, we whittled a list of 43 new, 2021 models down to 27 semifinalists. From a comprehensive, October test event in southeast Michigan emerged our nine finalists.
If I have a beef with the election, it was in the primaries. The SUV primary in particular.
So hot are SUVs in the U.S. market that they made up 50 percent of new vehicle entries this year. So good were the entrants that 15 of the 27 NACTOY semifinalists were SUVs. From there emerged the $43,995k Mustang Mach-E, $49,925 Genesis GV80, and $47,450 Land Rover Defender.
Seriously? Not a single ute under $40k? Who can afford these chariots?
Not a lot of folks, which is why volumes for luxury SUVs are low. Of the three utes, the Genesis might push 50,000 sales a year. Compare that to some of the contenders that didn’t make the finalists list. The Nissan Rogue, for example. This blue light special has consistently sold 400,000 units a year — second only to the Toyota RAV4 as the best-selling non-pickup in America.
For 2021, the new Rogue really takes it up a notch. Sculpted styling, a knockout interior, loads of standard tech — and a new, luxurious Platinum edition which, at $36.5k, is still well under the starting price of our three finalists.
Even better is the 2021 Mazda CX-30, perhaps the best SUV bargain around. With a starting price of (ahem) $23k, this little beauty offers standard — standard — features like adaptive cruise control, auto high beams, lane-departure warning, best-in-class 186 horsepower, and a partridge in a pear tree. Load it up with all-wheel-drive, moonroof, leatherette seats and blind-spot assist and you get an SUV that can go toe-toe-with a $45 grand BMW X1 in the twisties for under $29,000. Go the head of the class, kid.
But my favorite was the Baby Bronco.
Voted Detroit News Vehicle of the Year, the Ford Bronco Sport brings a hatch-full of personality to America’s most popular SUV segment. With the looks of its dirt-kicking, truck-based Bronco big brother and the comfort of its unibody-based Escape sister, the Sport is a loaded, no compromise SUV.
How loaded? Get Sport in Badlands trim for $35k and its dual-clutch pack all-wheel-drive system will shred off-road trails. The rear hatch will devour two bicycles upright. Camp for the night and you can light the campfire with hatch-based floodlights. Dude, this treat could push 150,000 sales a year, giving Ford a powerful one-two punch with Escape in the compact class.
I know, I know. Our NACTOY mission statement reads the award should “honor vehicles that have raised the standards and have become new benchmarks in their classes.” But the compact EV benchmark is the 326-mile Tesla Model Y. The 300-mile Mustang Mach-E was a sentimental favorite with its ambitious effort stretching the Mustang stable to include a high-tech EV. It nearly doubled the second-place GV80 in points (265 to 136) while the Defender got just 99.
The Car of the Year votes were more to my liking.
Starting at just $20,625, the Hyundai Elantra is a comprehensive effort, bringing to market an affordable, 2021 compact with great looks, impressive tech, and an array of models. Elantra will push segment-leading Honda Civic (due for its own remake in 2022) with a full line of trims including hybrid and N-line performance models.
With 176 points (each juror is given 10 points to distribute in each category), the Elantra edged the luxury-bargain $48,725 Genesis G80 with 173 points. A close third went to the Nissan Sentra, another compact car punching waaay above its $20k price.
F-150’s win for Truck of Year was never in doubt as America’s best-selling pickup got impressive upgrades including an onboard generator, lay-flat seats for a lunch nap, and a console desk. These Ford folks know truck guys.
I had a warm spot for the Ram 1500 TRX. With its 700-horse Hellcat V-8, ripped bod, and boardroom interior, this super trucktruck garnered 130 points. But the F-150 stomped it and the Jeep Gladiator Mojave (30 points) with a whopping 340 points.
No one will be asking for a recount.
Ford dominates Car of Year Awards with F-150 and Mustang Mach-E
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 12, 2021
Detroit — And the envelope please. . . .
Ford Motor Co. dominated the first big award of the 2021 automotive season — the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year — claiming two wins. The Ford F-150 took home Truck of the Year while the Blue Oval’s first all-electric vehicle, the Mustang Mach-E, won Utility of the Year. Hyundai Elantra’s won for Car of the Year.
The 28th annual NACTOY awards are one of the auto industry’s most prestigious. Selected by an independent group of 50 journalists from across North America (including the author of this article), the prize honors new vehicles that have raised the standards and become new benchmarks for their classes.
“It is always a complex process to bring a vehicle of this magnitude to market,” said Kumar Galhotra, Ford president of the Americas and International Markets Group, on receiving the award for the 14th generation of the best-selling F-150. “It was a process made even more complex by COVID.”
Ford has been the best-selling truck in America for 44 straight years, with a model line that offers models ranging from $30,000 work trucks to luxurious Limited models with sticker prices north of $70k.
The F-150 offers countless configurations across six different powertrains with a hybrid option offered for the first time in 2021. Detroit automakers dominate the pickup segment and the F-150 beat out two other formidable truck models, the off road-oriented Jeep Gladiator Mojave and the first 700-horse pickup, the Ram 1500 TRX.
The SUV category was the year’s most contested as automakers have flooded the market with models to satisfy consumers’ unquenchable thirst for all things ute. Of the 43 new vehicles introduced this year, half were SUVs.
The ambitious, battery-powered Mustang Mach-E is Ford’s answer to Tesla Inc.’s successful Model 3 and Model Y model line. The first non-sports car from Ford’s Mustang sub-brand, the Mach-E beat out Genesis’s first SUV, the GV80, and the iconic Land Rover Defender.
“This is really special in so many ways,” said Galhotra. “The Mach-E is the first new member of the Mustang family in a long time. It represents the future of our company.”
Though sedans make up a diminishing share of the U.S. auto market, Asian manufacturers like Hyundai continue to devote resources to compact cars as a way to attract entry-level buyers and appeal to consumers who prefer to think outside the SUV box. With its 2021 Elantra, Hyundai offers a comprehensive compact lineup to battle segment leader Honda Civic.
“With bold styling and an impressive list of standard high-tech features, along with multiple configurations that include hybrid and high-performance models, the Elantra confirms Hyundai’s serious commitment to the compact car segment,” said NACTOY juror and board member Gary Brauer, executive publisher of CarExpert.com.
The nine finalists for the 2021 model year were weaned from a competitive group of 27 semifinalists judged on criteria including: innovation, design, safety, performance, technology, driver satisfaction, and value.
The selection process takes place over 12 months of jury testing and three separate votes. This year was the first time the winners were announced via a virtual event due to the ongoing challenges of the coronavirus. The event was initially scheduled to be held at Detroit’s TCF Center.
New FCA Detroit plant to produce Jeep Grand Cherokee L
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 12, 2021
Detroit’s newest auto assembly plant will produce a larger, three-row version of Jeep’s most popular vehicle, and it will be called the Grand Cherokee L.
Combining the utilitarian tradition of the Grand Cherokee with advancements in technology and premium options, the 2021 Grand Cherokee L seeks to tap into up to 75% of the large SUV segment — much of which is currently unexplored by Jeep without a three-row option, Christian Meunier, global head of Jeep, told The Detroit News.
“This is a chance to expand the Grand Cherokee nameplate and volume and take care of our customers and make them happy,” Meunier said. “It’s a big opportunity to also keep the customers in the family because when you get kids or you expand or you need more space, now between this and Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, we’ll have everything needed to keep them in the family.”
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV formally will unveil the vehicle during a virtual event at noon Thursday on YouTube. The vehicle launches at the east-side Mack Assembly Plant in Detroit at the end of this quarter. It will start hitting dealers in the second and be exported worldwide. Pricing has not yet been announced, but will be “premium” in the segment, Meunier said. Details on the redesigned two-row Grand Cherokee and its 4xe plug-in hybrid version will come in the second half of 2021.
Long one of the best-selling, two-row, mid-size SUVs in the U.S. market along with the Toyota Highlander, the Jeep Grand Cherokee adds a third row that should expand the midsize ute’s reach to take on three-row competitors like the Ford Explorer and Chevy Traverse.
The Grand Cherokee L grows over a foot in length compared to the current model, but is not as large as the forthcoming Jeep Wagoneer. The three-row Grand Cherokee is longer than class leaders Traverse or Dodge Durango. A rare mainstream brand that is cross-shopped with luxury makers, the Jeep may also get a look from luxury shoppers of Audi’s three-row Q7, for example.
“It’s really remarkable with the Grand Cherokee today and it will be even more with the new one,” Meunier said, “that duality between the premium appearance, the sophistication, appearance and the charm, but also the ruggedness. It’s strong off-road, but it’s also very, very good on-road.”
The redesigned Grand Cherokee features a new architecture shared by both the two-row and three-row versions. Sixty percent of the vehicle is steel with aluminum making up the closures like the hood and tailgate.
It was designed from the bottom up, Meunier says. That’s in contrast to Jeep’s first attempt at the three-row with the three-row Commander that debuted in 2005 and ended in 2010, said Sam Fiorani, vice president of vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions LLC. The Commander was just 2 inches longer than the Grand Cherokee, comprising space in the back rows.
“Since the Commander, the market has blossomed for three-row crossovers,” Fiorani said. “There are so many Grand Cherokee owners out there that there’s likely a large number that have families and could appreciate that third row and extra space and a larger model.”
The standard 3.5-liter Pentastar V-6 engine offers 290 horsepower and 257 pound-feet of torque. It can pull up to 6,200 pounds and has a driving range of nearly 500 miles.For even more power, the 357-horse V-8 comes optional.
Future performance variants of the Grand Cherokee may come with even more capability. The current Grand Cherokee Trackhawk boasts 707 horsepower and a $100,000 price tag that challenges the BMW X5 M.
The Grand Cherokee L comes with four trims: Laredo, Limited, Overland and Summit. It offers three available 4×4 systems, five terrain modes and up to 10.9 inches of ground clearance and 24 inches of water fording.
The Grand Cherokee L’s design took inspiration from Jeep’s original full-size SUV, the Wagoneer. One example is the forward-tipped grille that further lengthens the already longer hood and cab from the current Grand Cherokee. The openings in the seven-slot grille are wider, and the front fascia is larger than in previous generations. The LED headlights also get a slimmer design.
The vehicle offers more than 110 safety features, including Active Driving Assist. That is FCA’s name for Level 2 hands-on-wheel, eyes-on-road automated driving capability such as lane-centering and adaptive cruise control. A hands-free version of the technology will be available later this year on the 2022 Overland and Summit models.
There is even more technology inside the vehicle starting with the up to 10.1-inch digital touchscreen installed with the Android-powered Uconnect 5 infotainment system that FCA says is five times faster than the previous generation. Also new is a 10.25-inch frameless digital gauge and cluster with nearly two dozen menus to select driver-assist technologies, media options, and other features.
The Grand Cherokee L is the first production Jeep to offer a fully digital rearview mirror and a windshield Head-up Display that shows speed, navigation and other information without having to look away from the road.
“If you’re building a high-volume family vehicle, it has to have pretty aggressive technology,” said Karl Brauer, an analyst at auto search engine iSeeCars.com. “Buyers are looking for that entertainment capability and technology.”
A 360-degree camera, a rear-seating monitoring camera and a McIntosh 19-speaker audio system also are available. The Grand Cherokee L is the first FCA vehicle to offer an electronic remote release to fold second-row seats flats. Palermo leather, Waxed Walnut wood and 21-inch wheels are available on the Summit Reserve Package. Mopar will offer 75 accessories for the vehicle.
The vehicle also is the first Grand Cherokee to have a front axle bolted to the engine for better noise and vibration management as well as a front-axle disconnect that automatically switches between two-wheel and all-wheel drive.
Fiat Chrysler paid $1.6 billion to transform its Mack Avenue Engine Complex into the first new assembly plant in nearly 30 years. The investment is creating 3,850 new jobs in the city. After current Fiat Chrysler employees are transferred, available positions will go to newly hired Detroiters first. An American flag decal on the Grand Cherokee L will pay tribute to it being made in Detroit.
“I think there is a lot of pride from people making the product in Detroit and designing it there,” Meunier said. “There is a lot of pride in the company there.”
Technology previously used in FCA’s body shop that match laser light with radar will be used at the end of the production line to ensure greater repeatability and accuracy than conventional camera-based measuring systems checking body-panel geometry. A new track on site also will conduct testing to ensure quality for things like noise level in the vehicle’s cabin.
“Quality is all about the attention to detail and about processes and consistency,” Meunier said. “We always like to say the only things tougher than Jeeps are their owners.”
Payne: Two good to be true, VW Arteon and Honda Accord Hybrid
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 7, 2021
It’s just gorgeous.
Sleek sedan lines. Clamshell hood. Black, 20-inch turbine wheels. Coupe-like roof tapering to a huge, utilitarian hatchback. No, I’m not talking about the Audi A7. I’m ogling the Volkswagen Arteon, the prettiest midsize car in the U.S. market.
This week’s $49,100 Arteon tester is a prime example of a wave of mainstream cars in the market that are as good as their luxury peers — but for thousands of dollars less.
You want beauty and power in a big sedan? You don’t have to pay the comparably equipped Audi A7’s $72,340 price tag. The VW will do nicely, thank you very much. And it upends the brand hierarchy since the two all-wheel drive lookers come from the same VW Group stable.
Another example is the $36,795 Honda Accord Hybrid I just flogged all over Washtenaw County. Is your idea of luxury a sippy 44-mpg Lexus ES 400e hybrid with a mega front grille? Save $10,000 and buy a loaded, 43-mpg Honda Accord Hybrid with a kisser you can see coming a mile away.
Credit the electronics revolution or manufacturing advancements or feng shui, but my twin testers have all but shrunk the mainstream/luxury gap to nothing. I’ll get to the gaps that remain in a moment.
But first, let’s take another lap around the Arteon.
Audi A7 designer Sebastiano Russo is a genius, and his protégés appear to have designed the Arteon. The symmetry of the car is perfection. Once upon a time, it was the wheels that separated luxury from mainstream, but my VW R-line’s turbine pinwheels are the most stunning thing this side of a Tesla Model S.
The Arteon’s fastback is not only lovely, but it’s a hatchback just like the Audi, bringing SUV-like utility to a sedan. That’s crucial in my book. SUVs have eaten sedans for lunch thanks to their easy hatch-storage and high seating position. But that utility has come at the sacrifice of appearance. Boxy, five-door ute profiles are hard to distinguish.
I recently drove a refined, athletic Audi SQ8 — its profile virtually indistinguishable from every other SUV in the parking lot despite its $95,495 price tag. Sedan designers have been quick to take advantage. There’s no mistaking the Arteon.
Or the Accord. Introduced in the 2018 model year, the Accord wowed with its stunning interior, dramatic sportback and chiseled physique. Its cheaper price compared to the Arteon owes in part to the car’s normal boot opening, as Honda avoided the considerable expense of fortifying the rear end for a hatchback. Additionally, the Accord does not offer all-wheel drive like Arteon.
But when compared to a $47,635 Lexus ES 300h, the bargain Honda is superior in every way. Its exterior is more elegant and its huge maw nearly as intimidating as the Lexus (if that’s your kind of thing).
The interior is a tour de force with digital instrument display, tablet display and acres of room (roomier than Lexus and on par with the Arteon, with palatial 40.4 inches of rear legroom) that allowed a giraffe like me more space than a living room Barcalounger.
Under its sunroof, it goes toe-to-toe with the Lexus on 12-way memory leather seats, heated steering wheel and trigger shifter. Then it pulls away with Honda’s typical, obsessive attention to interior ergonomics: better infotainment controls, head-up display and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.
A word on those last items.
General Motors pioneered head-up displays a couple decades ago in high-end vehicles like Cadillac and Corvette, and Honda is the only automaker to my knowledge to match Caddy in enabling head-up adjustment on the dash — a detail (remember that obsessive ergonomics?) consumers will appreciate.
As for the wireless smartphone apps, Mrs. Payne nearly bought the car on the spot. One of the electronic revolution’s greatest advancements, smartphone apps have enabled $25,000 cars the ability to navigate on Google Maps — and that’s superior to any navigation system that luxury-makers can produce. Wireless compatible means you simply have to enter the car to sync it to your phone’s nav/text/email. Coming soon to every vehicle.
The gap to luxury is still evident in the VW Arteon’s interior. Not that it’s bad — it just doesn’t measure up to the car’s exterior ambitions even as it supplies a standard digital instrument display, Wi-Fi connectivity, mobile-app connectivity and panoramic moonroof for stargazing.
Arteon matches Audi with its torque-vectoring all-wheel drive drivetrain. Shy of the Audi A7’s 335-horse turbo-6, Arteon’s 268 horses and 258 pound-feet of torque are good enough for a 0-60 mph sprint in 6 seconds compared to the A7’s 5.2.
Step on the throttle through the twisties and the big VW hatchback rotates with precision, the turbo-4 growling happily. It’s athleticism that VW has honed across hatchbacks like the peerless Golf GTI and R for years. In between retail store stops where the Arteon preened in parking lots next to cookie-cutter SUVs — boooring! — I enjoyed miles of social distancing across the country roads of northern Oakland County.
That athleticism is found in the Accord as well. Honda is a racing brand with deep roots in Formula One and IMSA racing championships. The DNA trickles down to the Accord. With its planted steering and stiff bones, it is a joy to throw around.
That joy is numbed a bit by the Accord hybrid’s one-speed drive and its unrelenting CVT-like drone. Ugh, the sacrifices of driving green.
But the numbers are undeniable. Compared to the luxe-class Lexus, Accord boasts 614 miles of range on the highway compared to the ES 300e’s 568. Yet the Honda sprints to 60 mph a noticeable 2 seconds quicker. Thrills for less dollar bills.
Of course, brand matters. Lexus exclusivity means you’ll see fewer of them on the road compared to the 250,000-plus units Accord moves every year. Giving the Accord Hybrid a unique grille treatment — or two-tone roof — might help. But so superior is it to the Lexus that it’s hard to justify another $10,0000 for a badge.
My sultry Manganese Gray Metallic Arteon had no such issue. Given its pricing as VW’s halo car, its sales numbers aren’t much different than the A7, meaning you won’t see many of them. Roll down the block and jaws will drop.
And with the $33,0000 you save by buying it instead of an A7? You can buy a Honda Accord EX-L Hybrid.
2021 Honda Accord Hybrid
Vehicle type: Front-wheel drive, four-door, five-passenger sedan
Price: $26,370, including $955 destination charge ($36,795 Hybrid Touring as tested)
Powerplant: 2.0-liter 4-cylinder mated to AC motor and 1.3-kWh battery
Power: 212 horsepower, 232 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: One-speed direct drive
Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.5 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 115 mph
Weight: 3,803 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA 44 mpg city/41 highway/43 combined
Report card
Highs: Good looks inside and out; loaded with premium features
Lows: CVT drones; polarizing, big front grille
Overall: 3 stars
2020 Volkswagen Arteon
Vehicle type: Front- and all-wheel-drive, five-door, five-passenger hatchback
Price: $37,015, including $1,020 destination charge ($49,100 Premium R-Line as tested)
Powerplant: 2.0-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder
Power: 268 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.0 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 127 mph
Weight: 3,854 pounds (AWD as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 20 mpg city/29 highway/23 combined
Report card
Highs: Stunning exterior; roomy cabin and cargo space
Lows: Conservative interior; lacks a GTI-like performance model
Overall: 4 stars
Trucks, SUVs can’t make up for shutdown as GM, FCA sales fall in 2020
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 6, 2021
Demand for pickup trucks and SUVs in the second half of 2020 could not make up for an eight-week pandemic-induced shutdown in the spring and flailing fleet sales in the months since.
Analysts watching the industry predict U.S. vehicle sales for 2020 will come in around 14.5 million vehicles. That’s a decrease from 17.1 million cars, trucks and SUVs in 2019 and could be the lowest level since 2012.
General Motors Co. on Tuesday said its U.S. sales fell 11.8% from 2019. Meanwhile, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s sales fell 17%, but its profit-heavy Jeep SUVs and Ram pickups and commercial vans made up a majority of sales, despite their sales falling 14% and 11% respectively from 2019.
Ford Motor Co. will detail its annual results Wednesday. Through November, the Dearborn-based Blue Oval’s total vehicle sales were down 16.8% year-over-year — declines that may not necessarily be a bad thing for Ford and other automakers.
Lighter inventories and resilient demand — despite economic decline from the COVID-19 pandemic — have kept transaction prices high. Buyers are continuing to put significant money down to buy larger vehicles with the features they want because other such spending options as vacations and restaurants are not as available amid the virus outbreak.
“There are two markets here,” said Jeff Schuster, vice president of global vehicle forecasting for LMC Automotive Ltd. “Those in the service, those that have really been significantly impacted, and then those that have shifted to working from home and continued with their employment. Those are the ones that are driving this push and recovery. What they are spending their money has shifted.”
GM said its average transaction price for the year set a record at $39,229 and for the fourth quarter at $41,886. Its sales were up 4.8% year-over-year in the last three months of 2020, marking GM’s best fourth quarter since 2007. Retail sales, it said, have returned to their pre-pandemic level after starting their recovery in May when auto plants reopened.
But with its best-selling vehicle, the Silverado, sitting at just 47 days of supply versus a 65-day industry average, there’s room for growth: “No, we are not at pre-pandemic levels,” said Michelle Krebs, executive analyst at Cox Automotive Inc.’s Autotrader. “We won’t be next year.
“There are a lot of headwinds at the start of this year. The pandemic is still raging, cases are on the upswing, and the vaccination rollout is slow at the moment. Things won’t go back to normal until the pandemic is reined in and there is mass vaccination.”
Buick sales fell 21.4% in 2020. Cadillac’s fell 17.1%, Chevrolet’s dropped 11.2%, and GMC’s declined 8.8%. Chevy Silverado pickup truck sales rose 3.2%, and GMC Sierra sales were up 8.9%. All brands except Buick increased in October through December.
“Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac set the bar high for these products in terms of technology, refinement and utility, and sales are exceeding our expectations,” Steve Carlisle, GM executive vice president and president for North America, said in a statement.
He highlighted the results of the Cadillac Escalade, GMC Yukon and Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban full-size SUVs that launched this year in Arlington, Texas. Sales for all combined were down 19% for the year, but up 25% in the fourth quarter.
“We launched them on time despite the pandemic, and the team in Arlington is working around the clock to meet demand,” Carlisle said. “We have quickly recaptured all the short-term gains our competitors made as we transitioned to the all-new models.”
At Fiat Chrysler, only Alfa Romeo increased its sales for 2020, up 2%. Chrysler’s dropped 13%, Dodge’s fell 37% and Fiat’s plummeted 53%.
In the fourth quarter, FCA sales fell 8%. Although Ram had its best December for retail sales since it split from Dodge in 2010, total sales fell 5%. Jeep’s declined 4%. Only Alfa Romeo and Chrysler saw an increase of 23% and 5% respectively.
“The economic indicators are pointing in the right direction for the start of 2021,” said Jeff Kommor, FCA’s head of U.S. sales, said in a statement. “Gas prices remain low; housing remains strong and consumers have access to credit.”
All of that is contributing to predictions that 2021 sales will fall between 15.3 million and 15.7 million vehicles and take a few more years before they reach 17 million again. Forecasters expect dealer inventories will continue to remain lean through the first six months of the year.
“The first part of the year is going to be really rough,” Krebs said. “There’s some pent-up demand both on the retail side and fleet side. But because the economy is stalled (from the pandemic), the recovery is stalled.”
GM and FCA’s annual declines were larger than some of their competitors. Toyota Motor Corp.’s U.S. sales fell 11.3% in 2020, though they surged in December by 20%.
Hyundai Motor Co.’s 2020 sales fell by 10% as it was hit hard by declines in rental car fleet sales. On the retail side alone, the Korean automaker was up 1.2%, powered by new SUVs like the three-row Palisade and subcompact Kona.
“In the month of December, our (sales) mix was over 70% SUV and 30% sedan which I believe is the highest it’s been in quite some time,” Randy Parker, North American sales chief, said in an interview.
Still, Hyundai introduced two new cars this year as it remains bullish on a sedan market abandoned by Detroit automakers: “I’m thankful that Hyundai has stayed on the car side of the business. No matter what the market is, we’ve got a purse for every seat.”
The two Asian brands showed mixed results on electrified vehicles, which the industry has bet on for growth. Sales of Hyundai’s Ioniq sedan — the brand’s answer to Toyota’s Prius with hybrid, plug-in, and all-electric versions — dropped by 30% in 2020 to 13,570 units.
Toyota, on the other hand, saw its hybrid models grow to 16% of overall sales despite its Prius business plunging by 50% in four years. Hybrid versions of its popular RAV4 and Highlander SUVs have grown as customers have crossed over to crossovers.
Volkswagen AG’s U.S. sales also dropped 10% in 2020, and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.’s declined by 33.2%, signaling deepening trouble for the Japanese automake
New autos: What’s coming to showrooms in 2021
Posted by Talbot Payne on January 5, 2021
The year ahead is still uncertain as to when auto shows and other new-vehicle introductions will return to pre-COVID normal. But that won’t slow the flood of new vehicles heading to showrooms. Buyer demand has remained unexpectedly strong despite the economic downturn and the uncertainty of the times.
Manufacturers are rolling out pickups and refreshed SUVs. There are fewer choices for those looking to buy sedans. But never have there been more electric vehicles to choose from.
Here’s what to look for in the next 12 months:
SUVs
Acura MDX
Acura’s flagship SUV is remade and will arrive early in 2021. Rising on a new platform, the MDX is longer and wider with a higher $47,925 starting price thanks to increased standard content like a panoramic sunroof. Amidst all the change, the V-6 carries over. But for those who want to rock, a 355-horse turbo V-6 will soon arrive in the Type S model.
Alfa Romeo Tonale
Fiat Chrysler’s struggling luxury brand needs more sport utilities and the gorgeous Alfa Romeo Tonale may be just the tonic. The $35,000 Italian stallion takes aim at other entry-level SUVs, such as the BMW X1, and should arrive as Alfa’s first hybrid vehicle.
BMW iX
The new flagship for BMW’s i-electric division after the lukewarm reception for the BMW i3 hybrid and scissor-door i8 sports car. The $70,000 all-wheel-drive iX SUV comes with a footprint similar to the gas-powered X5. An all-new interior has a huge, curved screen that incorporates both instrument and console displays.
Buick Envision
Regal? Tour X? Buick sedans and wagons are gone. This is an all-SUV brand now, completing a transformation that began with the big Encore crossover in 2008. The Envision compact ute will get a remake early in the year.
Chevrolet Bolt EUV
Much-ballyhooed as GM’s first Tesla-fighter, the Bolt hatchback beat the Model 3 sedan to market but failed to blunt Tesla’s momentum. The Bolt’s bigger brother, the Bolt EUV crossover, steps up Chevy’s game to take on Tesla’s Model Y crossover. It comes with Super Cruise, GM’s answer to Tesla’s semi-autonomous Autopilot system. The EUV gains 6 inches of length and 3 inches on interior over the Bolt.
Ferrari Purosangue
The Purosangue is Ferrari’s first SUV. Heresy! But that’s what customers want. Sports car makers are ringing the cash register with insanely powerful SUVs. Porsche started the trend with the Cayenne. Now there’s the Maserati Levante and Lamborghini Urus, so it was inevitable that Ferrari followed. The Purosangue is expected to ride on a new all-wheel drive chassis with a hybrid turbo-V-8 stuffed under the hood. Expect at least 650 horsepower and an asking price in the mid-$300,000s.
Fisker Ocean
Henrik Fisker wowed the auto world with his Fisker Karma back in 2012, promising an electric future alongside Musk’s Tesla Model S. The Karma, however, faded from view and the Fisker Ocean is Henrik’s reboot as a more affordable all-EV brand.
Ford Bronco
Not OJ-era Bronco of the ’90s, the reinvented modern Ford Bronco goes toe-to-toe with the Jeep Wrangler. The throwback look is there, but the Bronco takes a more high-tech approach like an electronic drive-mode selector. With two engine options and six trim levels, all the off-road goodies are here — from locking differentials to detachable sway bars to huge 38-inch tires on the Badlands trim.
Ford Fusion Activ
The Fusion sedan is dead, but the badge will find new life as a Subaru Outback-fighting crossover. Spy shots suggest a sleek, station wagon-like bod raised up for trips to the mountains.
Genesis GV70
The Genesis GV80 wowed with its Bentley-like style and quiet ride. Next up: the GV70 aimed at the high-volume compact SUV market. Hyundai’s luxury brand has taken a while to move toward in-demand utes, but its intentions are now clear: re-create the Lexus model of offering premium style at an affordable price.
Hyundai Tucson
The Korean brand’s mainstay compact model gets a sexy makeover. In addition to its hot new bod, the Tucson may get a sporty 300-horse N-line performance model to go with 2.5-liter inline-4 and hybrid powertrains.
Infiniti QX55
Infiniti gets into the coupe-like SUV arena. QX55 channels the brand’s memorable FX looker and will complement the square-back QX50. Standard all-wheel drive and a more aggressive face separate it from its cheaper brother.
Infiniti QX60
While the QX55 rounds out Infiniti’s compact portfolio, the best-selling QX60 is an all-new three-row SUV flagship for the brand. With a stylish new interior, Nissan’s luxury brand hopes the QX60 can get the attention of a more upscale clientele.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Grand Cherokee gives up its status to the new Wagoneer as the top-line Jeep SUV, but not its swagger. Based on the same chassis as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV, the Grand will reportedly be longer and more luxurious than the current model.
Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer
Jeep goes after the truck-based Chevy Tahoe and Silverado with these twin three-row SUVs. The Grand Wagoneer concept suggests that Jeep may even have Cadillac Escalade in its sights. The concept’s interior boasted not one but three digital touch-screens, including one for the front passenger. A hybrid model might be coming, too.
Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392
The Wrangler muscle car. The 392 means the Jeep will share one of the Dodge Challenger’s 6.4-liter, 470-horse V-8 so that you can go 0-60 in under 5 seconds. The 392 will be an off-road beast, too, as it is based on the dirt-kicking Wrangler Rubicon with 33-inch tires.
Jeep Wrangler 4xe
Jeep has a Wrangler for everyone. If the 392 is about blinding speed, then the 4xe (you’ll know it by the blue accents) is about preening green with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that offers long-range, a stump-pulling 470 pound-feet of torque — and an eSave mode so you can save battery power for when you want it. Like a quiet cruise through the forest.
Land Rover Defender 90
The Defender 90 is the two-door version of Land Rover’s iconic off-road warrior, the four-door 110. Offered with the same turbo-4 and V-6 engine offerings as big brother — but with fewer doors and lower sticker price.
Lexus LQ
Lexus has lacked a three-row, range-topping competitor to the BMW X7 and Audi Q7. The LQ — teased as the LF-1 Limitless concept at the 2018 Detroit auto show — will fix that. Expect multiple drivetrains including a hybrid model — and a giant spindle grille, of course.
Mercedes EQC
Delayed in the U.S. market, the EQC should be the German luxury brand’s first EV when it arrives in 2021. It will headline a full electric stable to parallel Mercedes’ gas-powered lineup. EQC will be a compact SUV sandwiched between a smaller EQA and bigger EQE.
Nissan Ariya
Nisan’s first EV was the Leaf, and the stylish Ariya really takes it up a notch. Aimed at the Tesla Model Y with a cheaper sticker price (Nissan’s signature value play), Ariya will offer 300 miles of range in its top big-battery trim. Nissan has been aggressive in driver-assistance systems so expect capable semi-autonomous driving as well.
Toyota Sienna
Toyota’s minivan gets a major makeover inside and out. The exterior follows the Highlander SUV’s head-turning wardrobe. Under the skin, the Sienna will be offered standard as a sippy hybrid. The second-row seats aren’t stowable like a Chrysler Pacifica — but they can be moved 25 inches for maximum legroom.
VW ID.4
VW promises an all-electric future and its first U.S. entry is a compact crossover. ID.4 will start as a rear-wheel-drive ute with optional AWD coming later. Expect a minimalist interior and $7,500 tax break for early buyers. Once the tax break runs out, the $40,000 ID.4 will face stiff competition from VW’s $26,000 gas-powered Tiguan SUV.
VW Taos
Making life even tougher on the ID.4 will be VW’s first entry-level subcompact SUV priced in the low $20,000 range. The Taos will share the Tiguan’s familiar boxy shape with lots of interior room for its class.
Volvo XC40 Recharge P8
Volvo’s electric brand, Polestar, debuted in 2020 with a sleek, Polestar 2 crossover. The Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 is Volvo’s first EV and — while built on the same platform as the Polestar — looks very similar to its gas-powered XC40. Expect 200 miles of range and standard AWD.
Cars
Audi A3
Audi’s entry-level sedan gets a makeover for the 2022 model year with sharper looks and the brand’s typically snazzy interior digital displays. With competitors like the BMW 2-series and Merc A-class, A3 stakes its claim with a peppy turbo-4 and AWD.
Audi e-Tron GT
Tony Stark’s gorgeous EV ride finally comes to the showroom. The e-tron looks like a Audi A5 with its sleek fastback, but it’s based on the same architecture as Porsche’s Taycan EV. Expect dual motors and 250 miles of range.
Audi Q4 e-tron
The Audi adds a starter EV to its electric lineup. The Q4 e-tron is slotted below the compact e-tron SUV and e-tron Sportback. Q4 e-tron will be the first Audi ute on the brand’s electric MQE platform.
BMW M3/M4
Here come the giant kidneys. The ferocious M-badge will reportedly bring 500-horsepower to the new 3-series sedan and coupe — and the first look at BMW’s controversial “buck-tooth grille.”
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
Cadillac’s BMW M-fighting compact sedan packs heat with Corvette’s 6.2-liter, 650-horse V-8 under the hood. Note: Blackwing signifies Cadillac’s performance badge — not the 550-horse Blackwing V-8 that briefly appeared in the CT6-V Blackwing sedan.
Chevy Corvette Z06
Corvette can’t make the red-hot, mid-engine C8 fast enough. Now comes the first track model — the Z06 version sporting the ‘Vette’s first overhead-cam, flat-plane crank, 8,000-rpm engine. The Ferrari-like, 5.5-liter V-8 will shriek like no other ‘Vette engine you’ve heard.
Honda Civic
The best-selling retail compact car in America gets an extreme makeover. Civic adopts a more sophisticated, conservative body style after its last wild-child generation. Expect the same expanded model lineup, however, with Si and Type-R performance variants. All Civics will from here on be four-door sedans.
Lucid Air
Championed by former Tesla designer Peter Rawlinson, the stunning Air goes after Tesla’s top-line Model S for EV pre-eminence. Boasting over 500 miles of range and executive rear seats, expect the EV to start at around $80,000 and push north of $150,000 on upper-trim models.
Jaguar XJ
Not your grandpa’s Jag. The Jaguar XJ gets a radical makeover. Radical as in all-electric. With 300-mile range and fast-charging capability, the XJ will be Jag’s second EV after the iPace crossover.
Maserati MC20
The Italian performance brand finally gets the mid-engine supercar the brand has desperately needed. With 621 horsepower and stiff carbon-fiber tub, the Maserati MC20 should be a rocket.
Mercedes S-class
Mercedes’ flagship sedan is all-new for 2021. Starting at $109,800 you’ll get space-age tech like: Augmented reality head-up display that projects images directly in the driver’s field of vision. A micro-sleep warning that uses an infrared interior camera to monitor driver drowsiness. And 10 massage programs with two levels of intensity and a duration from 8-18 minutes. Ah, Elysium.
Nissan Z
Nissan finally replaces the ancient 370Z sports car. Likely called the 400Z, the new variant should get a twin-turbo V-6 and the sleek looks previewed by the Z Proto concept.
Porsche 911 Turbo
As night follows day, so does the latest 911 get its supreme, AWD Turbo variant. The jaw-dropping numbers tell the story: A whopping 640 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque — improvements of 60 horses and 37 torque over the last gen. Zero-60 goes by in just 2.2 seconds. Keep it floored and you’ll hit 180 mph in 21.4 seconds.
Subaru BRZ
Rejoice, motorheads seeking an affordable, sub-$30,000 sports car. The nimble BRZ gets a major makeover and a new 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine making about 10% more horsepower — addressing the biggest drawback of the last model.
Toyota GR Corolla
Still a rumor, the GR Corolla should at last offer a hot hatchback for the Corolla lineup. Aimed at the VW Golf GTI and Hyundai Veloster, GR follows the Supra sports car in bringing more excitement to the Japanese brand.
Toyota Mirai
The auto industry continues to predict a hydrogen future, and this is Mirai’s second crack at it. With a $50,000 price tag $9,000 lower than before, the Mirai moves to a rear-wheel-drive platform with expected 400 miles of range. Due to limited hydrogen fueling infrastructure, Mirai will only be offered in California.
VW Golf GTI
The original hot hatch will carry on (along with the pricier AWD Golf R) as the only variant of VW’s hatchback. The GTI gets a power boost with over 240 horsepower — but the big news here is a much more stylish, digital interior.
Trucks
Bollinger B1/B2
The electric Bollinger pickup (B1) and cousin SUV (B2) will be made in Detroit. The simple design is meant to maximize utility with a front as well as rear tailgate so you can pass long objects through the cabin. The $125,000 Bollingers have a claimed towing capacity of 7,500 pounds.
Ford F-150 EV
America’s best-selling pickup gets into the all-electric game. The EV follows the first hybrid F-150 that debuted in late 2020. While startup EV makers like Rivian and Lordstown have stolen the headlines, Ford has offered teasers like, for example, the EV prototype pulling 1 million pounds: 42 F-150s loaded on 10 double-decker rail cars.
GMC Hummer EV
The legendary Hummer military vehicle is resurrected as an electric pickup truck. Hummer debuts at $112,000 and features rugged off-road ability, including something called crab mode which allows the truck to maneuver sideways in tight terrain. Based on GM’s all-new Ultium battery platform, the Hummer boasts a 0-60 mph sprint in just 3.0 seconds when equipped with three electric motor.
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Remember Hyundai’s pickup truck concept at the 2015 Detroit auto show? Hyundai hasn’t forgotten. Based on a unibody platform like the Honda Passport, Santa Cruz will be a mid-size truck for folks who want their Hyundai with a bed.
Lordstown Endurance
Aimed at service fleets, the Endurance claims to the working man’s EV pickup. It will feature a motor at each wheel. The truck starts at $52,500 with 250 miles of range.
Ram Dakota
The long-rumored mid-size Ram pickup cometh. Based on the same ladder-frame as the Jeep Gladiator pickup, the Dakota will likely get a cheaper starting price.
Rivian R1T/R1S
The Plymouth-based EV maker brings its upscale, adventure-oriented electric pickup and SUV to market. With its batteries in the floor, the Rivian truck offers excellent cargo space in the bed, frunk — even a tunnel space behind the rear seats.
Tesla Cybertruck
Tesla stunned the world in November 2019 with its futuristic pickup. The stainless-steel bodied truck aims to be the Ford F-150 of electric trucks with a price starting at under $40,000 and one, two and three-motor variants ranging from 250-500 miles of range.
In a year of surprises, a surprise choice for Detroit News Vehicle of the Year
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 31, 2020
The coronavirus proved massively disruptive to automakers in 2020 with manufacturing delays, skittish consumers and regional dealer shutdowns.
But the show must go on.
Market competition is fierce, and the last year was important to multiple brands introducing cornerstone vehicles. I tested 59 new cars, trucks and SUVs from automakers determined to meet product delivery schedules despite uncertain economic winds. In the end, three stood out for the 2020 Detroit News Vehicle of the year.
The variety of new entries was impressive. In addition to Ford’s foundational F-150 pickup, I evaluated Ford sub-brand pioneers Mustang Mach-E and Bronco Sport. General Motors’ Big Three Sierra/Silverado/Escalade re-asserted their authority. I floored the Porsche Taycan, the company’s first electric missile, and the Polestar 2, the first offering from Volvo’s EV brand. They are chasing Tesla, which delivered its Model Y (shock) ahead of schedule. Land Rover’s Defender is back. Cadillac landed new CT4 and CT5 sedans.
Amidst these brand mic-drops came models to die for. The first 700-horsepower SUV, the Dodge Durango Hellcat. The Porsche 911 Targa, master-class of style and handling. A last fling with the legendary Mustang GT350 before it rode into the sunset.
It’s been a memorable 12 months. Here are my nominees for 2020 Detroit News Vehicle of the Year.
Third place: Mazda3 Turbo
The Mazda3 Turbo is proof that the gap between luxury and mainstream vehicles has been all but obliterated.
The Turbo was Mazda3’s long-awaited return to the hot-hatch segment. The best all-around vehicles in autodom, pocket rockets like the VW Golf GTI, Honda Civic Type R and Hyundai Veloster mix hatchback utility and devilish fun at an affordable price.
With its head-turning looks and stylish interior, the Mazda3 Turbo takes the formula to another level. Loaded with standard features including blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise-control, all-wheel drive and a buttery smooth turbo-4 drivetrain pumping out 250 horses and 320 pound-feet of torque, a loaded red leather-swathed Turbo can be had for just $34,000. That’s $10,000 less than a comparable (hatch-less) Audi S3 pocket rocket.
Runner-up: Tesla Model Y
The Tesla Model 3 was Tesla’s game-changer, bringing the Silicon Valley brand’s high-tech electric vision to the luxury market. But its Model Y doppelgänger is now deployed in the popular compact-SUV segment.
Delivered ahead of schedule (a rarity for Elon Musk’s elves), the Model Y instantly became the standard that every other electric SUV must match.
And there are quite a few. This year alone introduced the Audi e-tron Sportback, Polestar 2 and Mustang Mach-E. More will follow next year, including the VW ID.3 and Mercedes EQS. The Model Y’s formidable capabilities indicate the uphill battle these wannabes face.
Its battery range, rear-seat room and self-driving capability are all tops-in-class. It stomps the e-tron, for example, in range (326 miles compared to 222). Its over-the-air updates (I tested a Model Y fresh off an Autopilot upgrade that recognized stoplights, for goodness sake) are the envy of the industry. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the Mach-E (my runner-up as year’s best EV) follows the Model Y formula to a tee: spare interior, big screen, similar range, similar self-driving capability, performance.
But the Mach-E lacks Tesla’s secret sauce: a consistent charging network. Every other EV must depend on sparse, third-party chargers to get about when far from home. Tesla’s proprietary network is fully integrated into the Model Y’s navigation system, meaning a fast charger is never far away.
Model Y leaves the door open to competitors with its nagging quality issues (my test car had window problems just weeks after delivery). If the wannabes can deliver consistently better quality, it may dull Tesla’s luster.
Winner: Ford Bronco Sport
The 2020 Detroit News Vehicle of the Year is the Bronco Sport. Surprised you, didn’t I?
The Ford F-150 is the 800-pound gorilla in this year’s judging — an all-new model of America’s best-selling vehicle. With a hybrid option and on-board generator capability it is very good and will top a lot of Vehicle of the Year lists. But option the F-150 with these goodies and it can easily crest $50,000.
Bronco Sport is not only affordable (starting at $28,115) in America’s largest segment, but it brings with it an outsized personality to an often-vanilla class. Credit big brother Bronco, which will debut in 2021.
The Baby Bronco, as the Sport is affectionately called, is part of Ford’s one-two punch countering Jeep’s wildly successful SUV brand, led by the tree-chewing, ladder-frame Wrangler. The bigger Bronco takes aim at the Wrangler; the Bronco Sport takes on the Jeep Cherokee and Latitude.
Built on the same unibody platform as the elegant Escape, the Bronco Sport teases offroad adventure to complement the Escape’s more metro vibe. Ford did not hold back. The Sport is a comprehensive effort.
The exterior shouts Bronco swagger with its round headlights and squared-off design. A bright color palette (my testers wore sky blue and yellow) telegraph the vehicle’s colorful personality. The interior is loaded with technology and lots of thoughtful details: There’s F-150-like second-row storage beneath the floor. A big cargo bay that can hold two upright bikes. Floodlights in the rear gate. A bottle opener on the rear pillar.
Typical of Ford, the Baby Bronco also comes with multiple engines and trims. My favorite is the off-road focused Badlands model. This eager beaver takes the 2.0-liter turbo-4 from Escape and marries it to the twin-clutch pack from the Ford Focus RS track rat for some serious off-road cred.
So capable is Badlands that I tore up an off-road, sand-choked autocross course at Holly Oaks ORV park. That’s my kind of family ute. Ford has put sedans in its rear-view mirror, but the Bronco Sport is proof that the fun spirit of Ford hot hatches — Focus ST and Fiesta ST — lives on.
In an auto market that offers so much variety, Bronco Sport has it all: fun, utility, style and a price tag that won’t break your wallet.
Out to pasture: These cars aren’t coming back in 2021
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 31, 2020
A long list of sedans introduced with great fanfare just a few years ago have been quietly retired for the 2021 model year.
The industry is experiencing radical change, and vehicles have to prove relevant to keep up. Sedans have been displaced by SUVs as Americans’ favorite vehicles. Trucks are the new lux. Manufacturers are pouring money into electrics to satisfy goveSearch Assets rnment mandates. And electronics are changing everything.
Here’s a farewell to vehicles we won’t be seeing next year.
Acura RLX
Acura’s flagship sedan is packing it in. The big sled boasted a hybrid V-6 derived from Acura’s NSX supercar, a trunkload of standard technology, and an affordable starting price. But it never was able to slug it out with luxury heavyweights like BMW and Mercedes. Honda is rebirthing its luxury line as a performance brand and the tame RLX doesn’t fit the new narrative. Acura’s smaller sedans are quick and athletic, while large and nimble SUVs like the MDX are customers’ preferred sleds.
Alfa Romeo 4C
Alfa Romeo’s sensational coupe ends its run as America’s only sports car under $100,000 with a carbon-fiber chassis. Introduced as the performance standard for the brand’s expanded sedan and SUV lineup, the wee 4C was a grown-up’s toy. With pin-point handling and a farty exhaust note, the 2,500-pounder was a great escape pod from daily life. Just don’t venture too far from home: cargo room was virtually non-existent. The 4C goes out in style with the final edition Spider 33 Stradale Tributo. Honoring the legendary 1967 Alfa 33 Stradale race car, it’s dressed exclusively in Rosso Villa d’Este paint with gray-gold alloy wheels.
BMW i8
The i8 was the first mid-engine BMW since the legendary 1979-1980 M1. The exotic i8 stopped traffic with its gorgeous design, including scissor doors, multi-colored kidney grille and swept hips. The all-wheel drive hybrid was powered by a three-cylinder gas engine mated to a front electric motor. If the M1 launched the Bavarian brand’s iconic M-performance badge, the i8 was supposed to introduce a new, battery-powered BMW to the world. But the i8 lacked an identity — it had supercar looks, but its performance was geared more toward environmentally conscious buyers.
Buick Regal/Regal Tour X
The venerable Regal made a last stab at relevance in Buick’s remade SUV lineup with a sportback sedan and a crossover wagon. A sleek sedan with hatchback utility, the Regal sought to combine the best of two worlds. Its sister Tour X was based on Europe’s Opel Insignia Country Tourer, bringing Euro-wagon elegance to the U.S. Despite their best efforts, the Buicks succumbed to stereotype: Americans don’t buy big sedans or wagons.
Cadillac CT6
Hatched as Cadillac’s flagship sedan in 2016, CT6 brought a number of cutting-edge technologies to the brand including a lightweight multi-metal chassis, Super Cruise driver-assist and a twin-turbo Blackwing engine. Super Cruise and Tesla’s Autopilot have led the way in semi-autonomous driving, and it will soon be in every vehicle in the Cadillac lineup. As the CT6 bows out, it leaves the Escalade as Cadillac’s flagship.
Chevrolet Impala
One of GM’s most storied badges bites the dust. Again. In a past life, the Chevy Impala was the best-selling U.S. vehicle ever, selling more than 1 million units in 1965. After hiatus from 1996-2000, GM brought the big sedan back as a mainstay of police and rental fleets. With the large-sedan market cratering (and even police cars are moving to SUVs), Impala got one final, handsome makeover in 2014 as a handsome, roomy sedan with muscular hips that made the badge proud.
Chevrolet Sonic
With the departure of the Impala and Sonic, Chevy is waving the white flag on cars. The wee Spark and mid-size Malibu are all that remain against a sea of Asian sedans. The Sonic was a pert, affordable subcompact, but was perhaps best known in Detroit for its manufacturing lineage. Production of the Korean-made Sonic was moved to Orion Assembly after GM bankruptcy negotiations with the UAW. It leaves Orion as it converts to EV production.
Dodge Grand Caravan
Dodge has become a muscle-car brand, and the Grand Caravan minivan doesn’t fit in with the Brotherhood of Muscle since Dodge has no plans to stuff it with a Hellcat V-8. Still, Grand Caravan sold well until its last breath. The Chrysler Voyager will pick up where Caravan left off, offering family-value below $30,000.
Dodge Journey
The aged Dodge Journey SUV was one of the best values on the market, offering three-row utility for a ridiculous starting price of $25,000. Media types griped about its 4-speed transmission and dated 2.5-liter engine, but the Journey was roomy with Dodge’s superb Uconnect infotainment system.
Fiat 124 Spider
A modern take on Fiat’s classic 1960s roadster, the 124 was an attractive, affordable small sports car. Produced alongside the Mazda Miata – with which it shared a chassis and interior — in Japan, the “Fiata” never sold as well as its Japanese twin.
Fiat 500L
Fiat’s little 500L compact wagon was the Pope’s choice of wheels when he visited the White House in 2015, but it did little for the Fiat’s profile in the U.S. market. Cute as button, the Fiat just wasn’t the brand Americans were looking for when they went ute shopping. The 500L’s demise leaves its sister SUV, the 500X, as the last Fiat standing in the U.S. market.
Ford Fusion
The Fusion limps to the finish line as Ford transitions to an all-SUV brand. It seems like another lifetime ago, but when the 2013 Fusion debuted it turned heads as one of autodom’s most beautiful sedans. It inspired a generation of Fords with Aston Martin-like grilles. Competing in the high-volume mid-size segment, the Fusion had it all. Options included all-wheel drive, a hybrid plug-in model, even a hopped-up V-6 muscle sedan. Look for the Fusion badge to return soon as a Subaru Outback-fighting crossover.
Ford Mustang Shelby GT350/350R
With its shrieking 8,000-rpm engine and dual stripes, the Shelby GT350 (and track-focused R model) was an instant muscle icon. The first Shelby GT350 produced since the 1965 legend, the modern car had amenities — magnetic shocks, digital displays — that the original could only have dreamed of. Yet, the GT350’s raw nature was intact with manual shifter only. In one last homage to the original Shelby, the last GT350s to roll off the line were dressed in Wimbledon White.
Honda Fit
One of the most versatile subcompacts in its class, the Honda Fit falls victim to the SUV onslaught. What it lacked in gerbil-power it made up for in practicality. The Fit featured sippy mpg and a handy hatchback. Inside, its signature second-row “Magic Seats” could be folded flat or folded up, so you could roll a bicycle inside. The front passenger seat could be folded flat for extra cargo room.
Jaguar XE
Jaguar’s entry-level, compact sedan couldn’t compete with SUVs. Notice a theme here? Typical of Jaguar, the XE was a looker and a joy to drive through the twisties. Alas, the infotainment system was slow and the back seat tight. With the loss of V-6 and diesel engine options for 2020, the XE was neglected.
Jaguar XF Sportbrake
The XF Sportbrake was a stunning Brit wagon in a Yankee market that does not prize wagons. The Sportbrake crossed the pond and wowed with all-wheel-drive handling and hot styling. Step up to the V-6-powered 380-horse S model and you could pick on Porsches on the way to soccer practice.
Kia Optima
Optima, meet the new Kia K5. Kia’s Optima was one of the prettiest sedans in its segment and helped establish Hyundai’s sister brand as an upscale buy. Don’t cry for the Optima, though. The K5 is even better looking while offering luxury amenities for under $30,000.
Lexus GS
Not even the strong Lexus brand could save the GS sedan. Slotted between the sporty, compact ES and the top-drawer LX, the vanilla GS got lost. Lexus customers prefer the best-selling RX350 SUV when shopping for a mid-sizer. And if you’re looking for a luxurious sedan, the Toyota Avalon is a better buy, anyway.
Lincoln Continental
The flagship Lincoln Continental wowed the 2017 Detroit auto show. Resurrecting the brand’s storied badge, the Continental debuted with a host of knockout features inside its elegant shell. There were 30-way front seats and a rear seat as nice as a boardroom. Those features eventually trickled down to more popular SUVs. Its work done, the sedan is being put out the pasture.
Lincoln MKZ
Also out to pasture is the mid-size Lincoln MKZ sedan. It will be missed. The MKZ’s shapely bod still turns heads and many competitors have adopted its stylish, horizontal tail light. Built on the same front-wheel-drive platform as the retiring Ford Fusion, the MKZ lacked the gusto found in competitors like Acura and Cadillac.
Mercedes-Benz SLC/SLK
The Mercedes SLC Roadster and its SLK hardtop twin bow out, and the luxury class will be less fun without it. The SLC in particular was a topless, weekend joyride. The 241-horse turbo-4 was a treat, even if the interior felt dated.
Nissan 370Z
Nissan’s affordable 370Z sports car exits stage-right. The Z Proto concept indicates a sequel is on the way, albeit at a significant price jump into the mid-$40,000 range. The $30,000 370Z may have been getting long in the tooth, but its V-6 engine was a hoot.
Subaru BRZ
The Subaru BRZ sports car takes a one-year sabbatical. The good news is it will come back better than ever for 2022. One of the most fun, affordable sports cars around, the next-gen BRZ will have a stiffer chassis, 10% more horsepower and updated styling. Good things come in twos, and BRZ will also have a twin sold as a Toyota 86.
Toyota Yaris
One of the most affordable cars in the market, the wee Toyota Yaris was a starter car with punch. Based on the Mazda2 chassis, it was fun to throw around. With 40 mpg and easy-to-park dimensions, it was an urban favorite. Entry-level Toyota buyers will have to cough up an extra $4,000 and buy a Corolla.
Used-car boom: Car buyers take refuge in affordable sedans
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 30, 2020
With a dearth of new cars priced under $20,000, average new-car transaction prices pushing $40,000 and vehicles lasting longer than ever, the used-car market is primed for growth as cost-conscious buyers shop for their next vehicles.
Mix in the COVID epidemic — with financial insecurity and a reluctance to use public transportation — and the used market exploded. And some of the hottest commodities out there? Used Japanese sedans.
The second half of 2020 saw the hottest pre-owned vehicle market in years. In June alone, used-vehicle sales were up 22% — the most since 2007, according to Edmunds.com. Edmunds sees that trend continuing in 2021 with a forecast of used-vehicle sales up 7% to 41 million sold.
After the Ford F-150 and Chevy Silverado pickups (consistently the top two best-selling used vehicles), the next best-sellers were the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima and Toyota Corolla.
Sedans might be taking a backseat to trucks and SUVs in the new-vehicle market, but on the pre-owned lot, their affordability and fuel efficiency remain irresistible. Combined with healthy, extended warranties and more durable chassis and drivetrains, sedans are winning over customers and earning brand loyalty for new buyers.
Jennifer Nickerson, 39, of Westland bought a used 2017 Honda Accord for her family this fall. She traded in her husband’s used Ram 1500 pickup at LaFontaine Honda in Dearborn.
“Gas prices brought him to the Accord,” said Nickerson, who bought the sleek made-in-Ohio sedan for $15,000 with about 30,000 miles on the odometer. “The pickup was a monster to refill.”
Dealers say fuel economy is a common reason for going with used sedans. The Accord, for example, gets 30 mpg compared to the thirsty Ram V-8’s 17.
But there are other factors that influence buyers that uniquely benefit sedans. They are generally $1,000-$1,500 cheaper than comparable SUVs, meaning Nickerson’s $15,000 Accord was not only a whopping $10,000 cheaper than a new 2020 model, but it was cheaper than a comparable Honda CR-V SUV. With a 16-year-old son starting to drive, affordability was key.
That affordability came with an extended, bumper-to-bumper warranty of eight years/120,000 miles — better than a new Accord at three years/36,000 miles.
Lafontaine Automotive Group Used Car Director Eric Benson said Dickerson’s experience is not unusual. Combine low interest rates, increased new-car lease rates and extended warranties, and he says used vehicles “can cost two-thirds of the price of a new car.”
In addition to veteran customers like Nickerson, Benson says used cars have become key to luring first-time buyers.
So successful has Honda been at attracting first-time customers through its pre-owned business that it now offers a sales portal for used cars through its own manufacturer website. It’s the first mass-market brand to do so.
“Rising new-vehicle transaction prices make used and certified pre-owned vehicles an increasingly important entry point to vehicle ownership for both young and first-time buyers,” Honda said in launching the service this month.
Detroit brands also see used cars as key to bringing in new buyers as Ford, Chevrolet and Chrysler all exit the small-car market.
“Selling new cars under $20,000 is a money-loser for Detroit manufacturers,” said LaFontaine’s Benson. “They can’t make them at a profit. So they are increasingly emphasizing the certified, pre-owned market to keep getting new customers into their brands.”
Benson’s colleague, Gordy Koenig, said LaFontaine Group’s used-car sales are up 10% this year over last, with continued growth ahead. He is predicting a 15% increase in 2021.
Bumper.com’s Alessandro Mannino sees the same trend nationally. Bumper examined over 134,000 vehicle searches across all 50 states from April 1-Sept. 15 to monitor buying trends.
“A lot of this has been driven by people in places like New York City where they are moving out of the city and need a car,” he said. Plant shutdowns caused by the pandemic in spring tightened new-car inventories and wallets. An aversion to public transit and ride-sharing drove more buyers into the car market.
For example, the No. 1 used (and new) Honda/Acura dealer in the nation this summer was Paragon Honda in Queens, as New York residents swarmed the dealership looking for fuel-efficient, metro-friendly sedans.
“No one is going into New York. It is a ghost town,” said Paragon general manager Brian Benstock, noting subway ridership has plummeted from 5 million a day to 1.2 million. “People are working from home, they are unemployed, they aren’t comfortable riding on a subway, bus or rideshare. Twenty-five percent of that market is shifting to personal, used vehicles.”
Bumper.com’s data indicates the affordable sedan trend could be here to stay as buyers find good cars without new car prices.
“The average age of vehicles searched is 12 years old,” said Mannino. “That shows users are willing to buy older vehicles they see as reliable vehicles. Overall, pickup trucks are the most popular vehicle for used-car buyers. But after that, sedans were the most-searched vehicles in 11 states, while SUVs were the most-searched in only three.”
Only the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Ford Explorer (No. 9 and No.10 respectively) SUVs broke the Top 10. The average oldest vehicles searched are the Honda Accord and Ford Mustang (15 years each).
The Ford F-150 (Ford was the most-searched vehicle in 31 states) and Chevy Silverado pickups were the most popular used-car searches, dominating across the southern, middle and western states. But midsize and compact sedans — led by Honda — were No.1 in states as varied as California, Connecticut, Georgia and Virginia.
With regulatory costs and the addition of new electronics driving up new-vehicle costs, both U.S. and foreign brands have seen average new-car transition prices soar. Kelley Blue Book reports the average new-car transaction price at $39,259 for November.
LaFontaine’s Koenig says the used market is increasingly important as a refuge for cost-conscious buyers: “Seventy to 80% of our sales are for vehicles less than $20,000.”
V-8 to volts: How do American muscle brands transition to EVs?
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 30, 2020
From California to New York to Washington, regulators increasingly are looking to phase out gasoline-powered cars in favor of electrics. That could pose challenges for some legacy Detroit brands.
Take Dodge for example.
The performance brand has built its current lineup on V-8 powered Challenger and Charger muscle cars harkening back to the company’s 1960s muscle-car roots. Dodge’s earth-shaking 700-horsepower Hellcat engines have pulled buyers into showrooms. Even the three-row Durango family-hauler has a Hellcat option.
But can Dodge convince customers to buy stealthy battery-powered machines that announce themselves on cat’s paws instead of with thunder?
“We are really in the infancy of where we’re going to go as an industry,” Dodge marketing chief Matt McAlear said trackside at the Durango Hellcat’s media debut in November.
“We’re not going to be able to change it — electrification is the future, and that’s what gets us out of bed is to continue to build this brand and make sure it evolves. Who knows where we are going to go? Maybe sound is piped in, maybe it’s a more modular design on skateboard architectures.”
Dodge has bucked the trend of declining sedan sales over the last five years by positioning itself as anything but a boring commodity product, McAlear said.
“We stand out in a crowd. It’s about our signature sound in our exhaust to our signature colors that you can’t get anywhere else.”
Sound is a big challenge. The distinctive melody of the supercharger-fed Hellcat engine is core to the brand. It’s the soundtrack to Dodge’s marketing pitch. But Dodge could follow the lead of other builders of electric performance cars, and broadcast the roar of a lusty V-8 into the cockpit via the cars’ sound systems.
Government and cultural trends in the last decade have pushed automakers to tout their fuel-efficient hybrids and safety qualifications. Dodge has achieved its success, say analysts, by positioning itself as a counterculture brand that thumbs its nose at politeness. Dodge’s 459,000 unit sales in 2019 dwarfed the 242,000 of all EVs combined in the U.S.
“They have cultivated a position that goes against general trends,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst with ISeeCars.com. “It has created a brand with very strong identity, with good results in sales and consumer quality ratings.”
But states like California are moving counter to the trend. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order ending sales of new cars with internal-combustion engines by 2035. A Biden White House is expected to move toward a more carbon-neutral policy.
“Brands like Dodge will be the most threatened,” Brauer said.
Ford’s Mustang muscle-car brand already is experimenting with the transition. It has targeted Tesla’s best-selling Model Y in the compact EV segment with the Mustang Mach-E SUV.
Ford is banking that Mustang’s performance history will give Mach-E credibility against a Tesla brand that has defined green performance since it introduced its “Ludicrous” acceleration mode in 2016.
Its signature V-8 bark has always set Mustang sports cars apart from wispy European turbo-6s. V-8 means Yankee muscle.
The electric Mustang Mach-E seeks to replicate some of that bark. In addition to the eerie thrum that all EVs must emit by federal regulation in order to alert pedestrians to their presence, the Mach-E’s drive modes (Whisper, Engage and Unbridled) pipe in noise through the stereo system to simulate an exhaust note. Unbridled’s low roar is the most distinct.
Porsche experiments with a similar sound in its first electric, the Taycan.
But neither EV utters the hair-raising shriek of a V-8 at full throttle. The absence of that soundtrack has turned off some early reviewers.
“A Mustang is supposed to be exuberant, unbridled. It’s supposed to make driving an occasion of joy,” wrote Road & Track. The magazine called the experience of driving the Mach-E “about as exhilarating as shopping for chest freezers.”
That doesn’t deter Dodge’s McAlear. He argues the brand has other signature qualities including color and style: “When you see a black-on-black Hellcat coming down the road, usually you hear it. But if not, you see it coming. There’s something about that grille, that stance — the air intake in the hood, the vivid colors. This brand is successful on so many aspects of vehicle design.”
ISeeCar’s Brauer says electric powertrains have inherent qualities — face-flattening acceleration, low center of gravity — that dovetail nicely with performance. If used correctly, those attributes could help the transition.
He points to Ford’s cornerstone F-series pickup brand which was largely V-8-powered until five years ago when Ford introduced turbocharged V-6s. Boasting similar capability to V-8s while bettering gas mileage, Ford’s “Ecoboost” V-6s are now part of a buffet of engine offerings including a hybrid.
“The F-150 now offers six powertrains, and only one is a V-8,” said Brauer. “It’s still there because buyers who have been with the brand for 30 years won’t buy a pickup without a V-8. The lesson is, if you don’t abandon your traditional buyers, then you can play with new technology.”
Analysts expect turbo V-6s in Dodge to replace some V-8s just as F-150 has done. Electrification would be the next step.
“The reality is those platforms and that technology we used does need to move on. They can’t exist as you get into the middle-2020s,” Fiat Chrysler chief Mike Manley told The Detroit News at the 2019 Detroit auto show. “And we can use electrification to really supplement those vehicles.”
Dodge and Ford marketers are also looking to racing, long a pillar of performance marketing, to help with the transition. NASCAR, where Ford plays, is going hybrid in two years. Drag racing, which suits the Dodge brand, may be a tougher sell with electric dragsters an oxymoron in a sport where nitro-burning, eye-watering fuel is at the heart of the sensory experience.
Traditional brands have a tougher road to drive compared to Tesla which was founded as an electric brand. “Detroit brands are fighting with another image,” Brauer said. “They are not going to get there overnight.”
But government mandates are unlikely to happen overnight, either.
“California has a long history of setting zero-emission standards — going back to the 1990s — that don’t get met,” continued Brauer. “The government comes up to a deadline, and then realize the consumer isn’t there.”
Payne review: All I want for Christmas is a McLaren GT
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 30, 2020
Coming out of M1 Concourse’s Turn 6 Hairpin onto the back straight, the McLaren GT’s twin-turbos hiss like a lit fuse. The mid-engine supercar explodes with astonishing speed down the 1,500-foot back straight, hitting 130 mph before massive, 14.4-inch front brake rotors bring it back to earth. Its carbon-fiber tub rotates effortlessly into Turn 7. Flat as a board. Begging me for more throttle up the hill into Turn 8.
The GT tops the Christmas wish list I sent to Santa.
Grand Touring cars like the McLaren are all the rage these days, from the Corvette C8 to the all-new Porsche 911 and Mercedes AMG GT. They are hellions in tuxedos. Felt hammers that can destroy a club test track by day, then take your date to the theater at night.
With its $213,000 GT, McLaren has joined the party. Replacing the 570 as the Brit brand’s “entry-level” sports car, the GT is intended as a more sedate daily driver compared to the $300,000, 710-horse 720S rocketship or the insane, race-car-in-production-clothing, $1 million Senna. The GT certainly looks the part with more conservative styling, comfy seats and loads of cargo room that rivals the Porsche or Corvette.
Indeed, the GT has gained the moniker “the McLaren Corvette” for its strikingly similar styling around the fascia and side flanks.
I had the good fortune to test the Corvette and Porsche this year, too, and it’s fascinating how different their personalities are even as they exhibit jaw-dropping performance on the limit. They each know their place on the shelf, with McLaren separating itself as the exotic of the bunch by bringing mid-engine, Formula One technology to the supercar market.
Sure, you can afford three Corvettes for the price of one McLaren GT, but the Big Mac is the best toy under the tree for GT performance.
As my test around M1’s club course suggests, the GT is not that much different than the 720S I tested there two years ago. Same fundamentals.
The GT is carved from the familiar, firm carbon-fiber backbone in the outgoing 570 and 720 (a new carbon chassis is due soon for a hybrid that will split the GT and 720 in McLarens’ lineup). Behind the driver’s head sits the same nuclear reactor that powers the 720.
Down 100 horsepower to the 720S at 612 ponies, the twin-turbo, 4.0-liter V-8 is the best engine I’ve driven. Its torque curve is relentless, its lung capacity seemingly limitless as it rockets past 100 mph. Consider the Corvette’s more pedestrian, push-rod, 6.2-liter V-8.
According to our pals at Car and Driver, both cars hit 60 mph in the same 2.8 seconds. Then the Englishman leaves the Yank behind.
The GT covers the quarter-mile in 10.7 seconds at 133 mph — half-a-second and 10 mph ahead of the ’Vette. The McLaren reaches 150 mph a yawning 5 seconds quicker. Holy Donner and Blitzen.
Of course, that’s why you belong to clubs like Pontiac’s M1 or Monticello in New York or VIR north of Raleigh/Durham. So that you can push the envelope of production cars with racing capabilities.
The magic of the McLaren GT and its Grand Touring peers is that you can also enjoy the drive there and back.
I was impressed by the McLaren’s bandwidth despite some obvious oversights.
Most obvious is a lack of available convenience features like Apple CarPlay/Android Auto apps and blind-spot assist — features customers take for granted on $30,000 cars today. They seem an odd oversight given the GT’s promise as a daily driver.
That said, no supercar I’ve tested can compete with the Corvette C8’s interior amenities. That may surprise since it’s the cheapest of the breed at just $60,000 — but the Chevy has the advantage of General Motors’ huge electronics toolbox, meaning it can grab a rear camera here (shared with Cadillac) or a 4G Wi-Fi system there (shared with GM’s other brands).
McLarens’ interior focus is on its unique attributes: beauty and speed.
Carbon-fiber tubs are inherently difficult for ingress given their high sills. But the McLaren enriches the experience every time with crowd-pleasing scissor doors — people really do say “oooh” and “ahhh” — that glide up and down effortlessly.
Once inside, my 6-foot-5 frame fit easily with plenty of head and knee room. Only the footwell was tight for my size-15 boots. Plenty of glass — including a full panoramic roof offering nice visibility for a mid-engine car. The knee room is aided by a floating center console screen as opposed to the typical high console spine. The console is then given over entirely to performance.
North of the simple push-button shifter are two electronic knobs that hold the keys to the GT’s enormous performance potential. They are activated by, well, an ACTIVATE button. One knob controls the suspension. The other the drivetrain.
Each has three settings: Comfort, Sport and Track.
Each ratchets up the performance: Smooth, Fun and Bonkers.
I had so much fun playing with all the mode combinations — and their effect on the GT’s road character and soundtrack — that I never fiddled with the infotainment system. The car is entertainment enough. There’s even a Launch Control button should you feel the need to test that 2.8 second, 0-60 claim.
Exiting stoplights is like transitioning to light speed in Hans Solo’s Millennium Falcon. Straightaways are gulped. Turns carved.
But for more utilitarian chores, the GT’s cargo space was more than adequate. The rear hatch easily swallowed two tennis bags (or a golf bag). The frunk (front trunk) is the biggest I’ve seen (bigger than even a Mustang Mach-E), swallowing a full-size suitcase for airport runs — not just a carry-on like the Porsche and ’Vette.
“I want to see the engine,” said a supercar collector friend. But like Porsche, McLaren is modest about peekaboo engine displays. The GT will get plenty of looks, but Christmas shoppers with more dramatic tastes will want the insectoid, winged 720S.
Still, drama can wear thin. A racing friend recently unwrapped a winged Porsche GT3, the brand’s most capable track car. After a year of spine-rattling commutes, he traded it for a Targa.
So have the elves crank out a McLaren GT for me, Santa. A gift for my senses — but not at the expense of my backside.
2021 McLaren GT
Vehicle type: Rear-wheel-drive, two-passenger sports car
Price: $213,195, including $3,195 destination charge
Powerplant: 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8
Power: 612 horsepower, 465 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 2.8 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 203 mph
Weight: 3,384 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA — 18 mpg city/22 highway/18 combined
Report card
Highs: Useful cargo space; turbo V-8 from the gods
Lows: Cramped footwell; more standard tech features, please
Overall: 4 stars
Ford, Fiat Chrysler lead NACTOY Vehicle of the Year finalists
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 18, 2020
Finalists for 2021 North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards were announced Thursday, with Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles scoring two contenders each.
Ford’s all-new Ford F-150 pickup is a finalist for Truck of the Year, with Ford’s first all-electric crossover – the Mach-E – picked as a finalist SUV of the Year. FCA’s Jeep Gladiator Mojave and Hellcat-Ram 1500 TRX are in the running for Truck of the Year. General Motors products were shut out.
Reflecting trends in the industry, Asian makers dominated the car category, Detroit automakers swept all three truck finalists, and the three SUV finalists were all premium-priced vehicles at a time when the average price of a new vehicle is pushing $40,000.
The F-150, perennially the best-selling pickup in the US, will be the odds-on favorite to win best truck with a comprehensive 2021 redesign that includes the truck’s first hybrid model. Its competitors are the off-road capable Jeep Gladiator Mojave midsize truck, and the first 700-plus horsepower pickup, the ferocious Ram 1500 TRX (pronounced T. rex).
Ford is also the front-runner to win Utility of the Year with its Tesla Model Y-fighting Mustang Mach-E. The $44,000 electric SUV is the first time that Ford has expanded Mustang into a sub-brand offering models beyond its core muscle cars. The elegant $50,000 Genesis GV80 will be a close contender as Hyundai’s value luxury brand makes its first foray into SUVs. The iconic $47,000 Land Rover Defender is the Jeep Wrangler of the luxury set. The first Defender to hit US shores in 40 years, it stars in the forthcoming James Bond flick, “No Time to Die.”
The finalists emerged from an intensely competitive field including GM’s lineup of popular SUVs — the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban and Chevrolet Trailblazer. Other wannabes included the Nissan Rogue, Ford Bronco Sport, Hyundai Santa Fe and Mazda CX-30.
Detroit automakers have put all their chips on SUVs and trucks, leaving the sedan field to Japanese carmakers.
The affordable Nissan Sentra and Hyundai Elantra will the favorites against the luxurious Genesis G80, the sister sedan to its GV80 ute. The affordable Sentra is a prime example of the democratization of autos with the $25,000 compact offering standard features like adaptive cruise-control, leather interior, sunroof and Apple CarPlay connectivity not found on luxury vehicles twice its price. Yet, the Elantra may have the upper hand in the voting race as it offers a vast lineup including a hybrid and N-line sport nodel.
The trio beat out a field of formidable group 2021 contenders, including the Polestar 2 – the car from Volvo’s EV brand – the Kia K5 and industry heavies like the Acura TLX and Cadillac CT4.
“In this very challenging year, these nine vehicles emerged as our Finalists out of an unusually strong field of 27 Semifinalists,” said NACTOY president Gary Witzenburg. “Each one of them – especially the 15 in the ultra-competitive utility vehicle category – is excellent in nearly every way.”
NACTOY is the most prestigious independent prize awarded in North America with a jury of over 50 auto journalists. Final voting is early next year, and the winners will be announced in Detroit on Jan. 11.
2021 NACTOY finalists
Car of the Year
Genesis G80
Hyundai Elantra
Nissan Sentra
Truck of the Year
Ford F-150
Jeep Gladiator Mojave
Ram 1500 TRX
Utility Vehicle of the Year
Ford Mustang Mach-E
Genesis GV80
Land Rover Defender
Payne: Ford Mustang Mach-E goes toe-to-hoof with Tesla Model Y
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 16, 2020
A 1910-era Model T sits on a farm just off North Territorial Road outside Unadilla, Michigan. I pulled my battery-powered 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E alongside for a picture.
A century ago the Model T buried its electric-car competition with superior range and affordability — and revolutionized 20th-century transportation. At the dawn of the 21st century, the Mach-E SUV wants to bring EVs back from the dead.
To achieve its goal, the Mach-E not only must prove itself superior to more affordable gas-powered Ford sport-utilities — it also has to catch the Tesla Model Y. Silicon Valley’s EV king deliberately pays homage to the Ford Model T’s nomenclature as it seeks to revolutionize transportation.
Rather than beat electrics again with its gas-powered haymaker, Ford wants to be an EV maker. The ironies make your head spin.
Pulling back out onto twisty North Territorial, my path was blocked by a slower car. A brief passing zone appeared. I pounced. Zot! With instant electric torque, Mach-E was past.
Glorious. Just like a Model Y.
Yes, the Mustang Mach E is as good as a Tesla. And that’s a compliment. For the last decade Detroit automakers have tried to outsmart Elon Musk’s EV pioneer. GM made a $65,000 Cadillac ELR. Claiming superior hybrid plug-in technology to overcome range anxiety, the ELR was pummeled by the Tesla Model S.
Then along came the $40,000 Chevy Bolt EV hatchback. It claimed superior build quality over the similarly priced Tesla Model 3. It even beat Model 3 to market. Tesla stomped it in sales.
Ford has recognized that like BMW’s compact 3-series in luxury performance, you don’t beat the segment standard with different technology, you match it with another powerful brand. The Audi A4 and Mercedes C-class have thrived under that theory. They baseline to BMW, and the cars are strong sellers.
Acknowledging that the Model Y is a very good performance SUV, Ford has used it as the baseline for its own EV ute. And they badged the challenger with the automaker’s most formidable brand: Mustang.
Tesla defined green luxury with face-flattening performance. Mustang — not Cadillac, not Chevy — is one of the few Detroit legacy brands that has immediate performance respect. And Mach-E (that badge itself conjures the ferocious, 1970s Mach 1 coupe) milks that legacy for all it’s worth while going toe-to-hoof, spec-to-spec with the Model Y.
Rather than reinvent the electron, Mach-E is a Model Y doppelgänger.
Model Y has 300 miles of range? So does the Mach E. Model Y has a 15-inch screen. Mach E’s is 15.5 inches. Both have frunks. Remote app for Y? Same in E. Panoramic roof? Check. High-performance model? Check.
Audi stands out from BMW with all-wheel drive and a mega-grille. Mercedes has a superior interior. Having matched Model Y’s specs, the Mach-E aims to beat it by being less radical.
Tesla’s blank face makes the point that EVs don’t need grilles to cool radiators. But it’s a bit off-putting. Mach-E traces the outline of a familiar Mustang grille. The ute isn’t pretty (is any SUV?), but it’s got Papa ’Stang’s DNA.
The yuuuge center touchscreen is quick and easy-to-use. “Navigate to Unadilla General Store” I barked, and the screen filled with turn-by-turn directions. But Mach-E helpfully adds a second instrument display behind the steering wheel etched with essentials like navigation, range and speed. More traditional than radical Tesla, but some might find it more workable.
Familiar touchpoints abound. The Mach-E’s mirror controls are on the door rather than in the screen like the Model Y. Cruise-control buttons are on the steering wheel. A giant knob controls radio volume. There’s a good ol’ Ford rotary gear-selector.
Hustling along East Territorial, I selected the Unbridled performance drive mode and the Mach-E started to growl like a … well, Mustang. Grrrr. The piped-in sound can be muted, but it’s welcome pony brand reinforcement.
Ford hopes that familiarity will carry over into choosing a reliable, legacy automaker. After all, for every Tesla convert there’s a story about a rear bumper falling off. Or month-long waits for a mobile repair unit. Buy a Mustang EV and help is as close as the neighborhood Ford dealer.
But these traditional backstops are also a reminder the Mach E lacks some of the derring-do that has made Tesla stand out. Model Y’s Apple-simple dash, for example: Big screen aside, the Mach-E feels less luxurious with common dash contours and cloth trim inserts. Tesla has playful features like whoopie cushions and a crackling fireplace.
But most significantly, Tesla has the nation’s best fast-charging network. It’s the brand’s secret sauce, and it’s intimidating to contemplate trips without it.
Ford relies on third parties like Electrify America, EV-Go and Chargepoint. It’s bundled them like a cable service-provider under the FordPass app so you can pay with one account. But the patchwork of stations is a crazy quilt compared to Tesla’s uniform, multi-stall superchargers.
For example, I charted a path from Ypsilanti (where I picked up Mach-E) to Charlevoix, a distance of 207 miles on the ’Stang. It would require a game of hopscotch to get there: The Mach-E charted course to three chargers at a Chevy dealership, Consumers Energy station and a Gaylord public charger. Total time to arrival: 6 hours, 42 minutes. E-gad.
By contrast, my Tesla Model 3 (a Model Y in sedan clothing) would need to stop twice at Tesla Superchargers. Total time of trip: 5 hours, 20 minutes.
Mrs. Payne hates charging on long trips. She pointedly notes that her Subaru hatchback (no matter how much gas she has in the tank) could make the same trip in 4 hours and 40 minutes with one 10-minute gas fill-up along the way.
Such are the things that keep EV makers up at night.
Not to mention the competition in Ford’s own showroom like the peppy, $34,000 400-mile range Ford Escape Hybrid Sport — $15,000 cheaper than a comparable Mach-E before EV tax credits. But for those willing to brave the charging challenges (including the expense of installing a 240-volt charger to your home), the Mustang Mach-E is a torque-tastic treat.
Smooth power. Quiet cabin. No stop-start mechanisms at stoplights. Wrapped in sheet metal with clever design cues like button-handle doors and Mustang rear lights, the Mach-E fit this 6-foot-5 reviewer easily front and back.
Powered by electric motors, Mach-E doesn’t require the usual maintenance of oil and filters. But EV powertrains have their quirks and can interfere in AM-radio frequencies. The Model Y offers FM radio only. AM news junkies will be pleased to hear that Mach-E does offer AM/FM radio, along with Sirius XM, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto (unlike Tesla).
On such attention to detail does the Mustang Mach-E makes its claim to a broader EV audience.
2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E
Vehicle type: Rear- or all-wheel drive, four-door SUV
Price: $43,995, including $1,100 destination charge ($56,200 AWD, extended-range model as tested)
Powerplant: 68-88-kWh lithium-ion battery driving single or twin electric motors
Power: 266 horsepower (standard range, RWD or AWD), 290 horsepower (extended range RWD), 346 horsepower (extended range AWD); 317 pound-feet of torque (RWD), 428 pound-feet of torque (AWD)
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.8 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 134 mph
Weight: 4,394-4,890 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA est. range, 230 miles (standard range, 68-kWh battery), 300 miles (extended range, 88-kWh battery as tested)
Report card
Highs: Techy interior; gobs of torque on demand
Lows: Busy dash materials; hopscotch charging network
Overall: 3 stars
Cadillac Blackwing sedans to be GM’s first production cars with printed parts
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 16, 2020
3D printing applications have become commonplace in consumer products to include sneakers, jewelry and Ikea clothing hooks.
Add Detroit auto manufacturing to the list.
General Motors Co. has established a 3D printing center at its Warren Tech Center called the Additive Industrialization Center. With 24 3D printers, the 15,000-square-foot facility is the hub of GM’s acceleration of so-called “additive engineering” in its manufacturing process.
Adding speed and efficiency to production, 3D printing is now used on everything from GMC Hummer EV and Corvette prototypes to finished vehicles like the 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing sedans.
The Cadillac performance sedans will be the first GM production vehicles to feature printed parts – most prominently an emblem on the manual shifter knob. Other parts include the electrical harness bracket and a pair of HVAC ducts.
With auto-development cycles under relentless pressure to speed production, 3D printing has become an essential tool.
“The core component of GM’s transformation is becoming a more agile, innovative company, and 3D printing will play a critical role in that mission,” said GM Additive Design and Materials Engineering chief Audley Brown. “Compared to traditional processes, 3D printing can produce parts in a matter of days versus weeks or months at a significantly lower cost.”
For example, development of the 2020 Chevrolet Corvette was assisted by 3D-printed brake ducts that were put through grueling track tests. While evolving through four design changes, the printed plastic parts cut brake-development time from 10 weeks to just one, saving 64% of budget costs in the process.
The prototype for the forthcoming GMC Hummer EV pickup contains 17 printed battery-pack parts — components that have saved 50% of development time as GM rushes to bring the Hummer to market ahead of competitors like the Tesla Cybertruck.
“Three-D printed parts are currently suited to low-volume production like the Cadillac,” said Ali Shabbir, GM Engineering Group Manager for Additive Design and Manufacturing Product Applications. “A high-volume product like the Chevy Silverado would not be cost-effective today for additive-engineered parts. But 3D printing was certainly part of its development.”
Silverado’s sister, truck-based SUVs — the Chevy Tahoe and Suburban — benefited from nearly 100 hand tools that were printed at Arlington Assembly in Texas. The tools saved two months in the development process. Constructed with a nylon-carbon fiber composite, the parts weighed as little as three pounds compared to traditional tools weighing 10 to 40 pounds.
Warren Tech has been a hive of 3D printing development this year. They played a crucial role in the company’s contribution to the “Arsenal of Health” — as GM pivoted from making vehicles to medical devices in the early days of the coronavirus outbreak to assist hospitals and caregivers.
Applied engineering has been critical in the success of the IMSA Weathertech Series-winning Corvette C8.R. The GT racer carried 75 3D-printed parts, including essentials like the oil tank and oil cap and headlight assemblies. GM says that racing is a critical test bed for 3D parts as race teams hustle to prepare their thoroughbreds from week-to-week.
Given the brand’s high-tech profile, the Cadillac V-series cars were a deliberate choice to show off the company’s first 3D printed production application.
“And, this is just the beginning,” said Brown. “Ultimately, we see the potential for 3D printed parts to be used in a wide variety of production applications — from greater personalization options for new-vehicle buyers, to unique accessories and reproductions of classic car parts.”
Payne review: Bronco is delayed? Never fear, Baby Bronco is here
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 10, 2020
Delayed by COVID-related supplier issues, Ford Bronco fans must impatiently await its 2021 summer arrival. To make the time go by faster, may I recommend the Baby Bronco?
Available at your Ford dealer now, the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport — aka Baby Bronco — is a housebroken off-roader. Heck, with its cargo-friendly, quiet unibody cabin it would make a nice pair with the truck-frame Bronco in your garage.
I spurred this off-road hoss through Holly Oaks ORV Park’s “Sandbox” section so hard that stones got caught in the rim and dislodged the tire. Instant flat. Thankfully, the Bronco Sport comes with a spare so you can be on your way in no time. But the real lesson here is that you might want to equip your Bronco Sport with bead-locks like the Baja boys.
Payne, have you gone mad? Off-roading a compact family SUV?
Madness is encouraged by the Bronco team’s mad scientists who have invented one of the most refreshing utes to hit the market this year. Not only does the Bronco Sport resemble the open-air, all-wheel drive Jeep Wrangler-fighter coming next year, but it sports some performance drivetrain technology that even the bigger Bronco doesn’t have.
I’m talking about the available rear, twin-clutch pack system that can send 100% of torque to either rear wheel of the all-wheel drive system. If this thrilling torque-vectoring capability sounds familiar, that’s because it is. The twin-clutch pack comes right out of the ferocious Ford Focus RS (before Ford waved the white flag on cars and went all-SUV) that I destroyed the Waterford Hills race track with four years ago.
But pieces of the Focus RS live on: its 350-torque, 2.3-liter turbo-4 engine in the Mustang HiPo, and now the twin-clutch pack in a family SUV, for goodness sake.
“BWA-HA-HA-HAAAA!” I can hear Ford’s mad scientists cackling.
Modified for the ute, the clutch pack allows the Bronco Sport insane drifting capabilities when off-road — just like the Focus RS wowed us with on-track. “More throttle!” yelled vehicle engineer Eddie Khan as I hurtled into a tight, sand-choked turn. And, sure enough, the rear end slewed out, enabling me to rotate quickly like I was driving a rear-biased, 4×4 Ford Raptor instead of a common, front-wheel drive based ute.
Which means that when big brother Bronco arrives, you and family can take both vehicles to Holly Oaks — Bronco Sport for the high-speed bits, and the ladder-framed, twin-differential-locking Bronco for crawling over rocky obstacle courses.
I should mention that the twin-clutch system is only available on the Bronco Sport’s Badlands trim, which also gets a lifted, 8.8-inch ride height, sport shocks and off-road-spec tires for its Outback aspirations. But my loaded tester only cost $36,340, which is likely 10-grand south of a Bronco and much less than a premium-trim Ford Escape.
A word about the Escape, which shares the Bronco Sport’s bones.
While I go to bed each night cursing Ford’s decision to bury the Focus and Fiesta ST compact hatches (the latter a Payne Top 10 list pick), I’m soothed by the superb, compact Escape SUV. With a head-turning face outside and clever features inside (legroom-friendly, sliding rear seat; affordable hybrid model), it is one of the segment’s best offerings.
But Escape cannot do battle against the Toyota RAV4/Nissan Rogue/Honda CR-V juggernaut alone — thus the Blue Oval’s astute Bronco strategy that not only targets the iconic Jeep Wrangler, but also expands Ford’s presence in the compact SUV space with the Bronco Sport.
Instantly, Ford is now an alternative to the segment’s popular, off-road all-wheel-drive Jeep Cherokee, Compass and Subaru Crosstrek cuties. And Ford wasn’t content just to rebadge the Escape a “Bronco Sport.”
The new ute has a wonderful personality to go with its Bronco-esque looks.
Where Escape is stylishly sophisticated with its Aston Martin-like grille, tablet screen and sliding rear seat, Bronco Sport oozes outdoor playfulness. Its fascia is a dead-ringer for the Bronco with “split” headlights and the Bronco logo branded across its grille. No Bronco-like fenders — but roof rails and squared-off hindquarters are standard, as are healthy 30-degree approach and 28-degree departure angles for those off-road detours.
Inside, the Sport is decorated with chunky dials, pocket nets and storage bins right out of an outdoor catalogue. One of those dials is the signature Bronco GOAT mode drive selector including Eco, Normal, Sport, Slippery and Sandy (GOAT stands for “Goes Over Any Type of Terrain”).
My Badlands tester gives the Bronco Sport Jeep Trailhawk-like off-road bandwidth. But the starter base, Big Bend and Outer Banks models have plenty of capability to take you to the trail’s edge.
By raising its roof higher than Escape (to the benefit of 6-foot-5 giraffes like me in the back seat), the Sport can fit two bikes under its hatch. Just remove the front wheels, secure the hub forks to an installed bicycle bar and you’re set.
Brand manager Jovina Young got comfy with the Bronco Sport’s utility when she took it to the grueling, all-female eight-day Rebelle Rally in California this year. Bone stock, her Badlands Sport is still covered in sand from the rally. While she didn’t use the cargo hold for bikes, the rear hatchback’s built-in floodlights came in handy for when she (and fellow drivers) were camping in the middle of nowhere. There’s even a bottle opener for Miller time.
Rear carabiner hooks — shades of an F-150 pickup bed — helped her anchor gear and luggage with ratchet straps. Front cargo nets were stuffed with pens and other loose gear — as were the console’s multiple storage bins. While the interior can’t be hosed down like a rubberized Bronco Rubicon, the thick rear mats can be extracted for washing. Want to segregate mud-caked shoes? Or hide a wrapped Christmas gift? A sub-storage compartment is secreted under the rear seat.
Families — and off-roaders — live in their SUVs, and Young is evidence its builders lived in them as well.
So that’s what’s under the roof. Under the hood is a peppy 181-horse 1.5-liter turbo three-cylinder. Badlands buyers can upgrade to a 245-horse 2.0-liter turbo-4, which — ahem — adds additional Rock Crawl and Mud & Ruts GOAT modes.
So that when you you’re headed up north you can stop off at Holly Oaks — “BWA-HA-HA-HAAAA!” — and do some crazy off-road stuff.
Just make sure you’ve got bead-lockers on the tires.
2021 Ford Bronco Sport
Vehicle type: All-wheel drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
Price: $28,155, including $1,495 destination charge ($36,340 Badlands cloth seats, $40,250 Badlands First Edition leather as tested)
Powerplant: 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder; 2.0-liter turbo-4
Power: 181 horsepower, 190 pound-feet of torque (1.5-liter); 250 horsepower, 277 pound-feet of torque (2.0-liter)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.8 seconds (Car and Driver est. for 2.0-liter); towing, 2,200 pounds
Weight: 3,713 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 25 mpg city/28 highway/26 combined (1.5-liter); 21 mpg city/26 highway/23 combined (2.0-liter)
Report card
Highs: Bronco looks; AWD utility and standard features
Lows: Toils in shadow of Bronco and Ford Escape
Overall: 4 stars
Raptor Lite: New Ford F-150 Tremor boasts off-road cred
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 9, 2020
The Ford F-150 is expanding its menu of pickup trucks with a meaty, off-road offering in its Tremor lineup. Call it Raptor Lite.
Taking inspiration from Ford’s tree-chewing Raptor supertruck, the 2021 F-150 Tremor is dressed in an aggressive new hood and grille, and boasts off-road goodies like 33-inch tires, skid plate, front and rear locking-differentials, and increased suspension travel. It will compete with off-road offerings like the Ram Rebel, Chevy Silverado Trail Boss and GMC Sierra AT4.
It is the third Tremor offering in the Blue Oval’s pickup lineup following the mid-size Ranger Tremor and heavy-duty Ford F-250 and F-350 Tremors. While pricing for the new F-150 package has not been announced, expect it to cost around $4,000. It goes on sale in the summer of 2021.
“Like Super Duty Tremor and Ranger Tremor, introducing the all-new F-150 Tremor is a response to seeing how customers use our trucks to enable their outdoor lifestyles,” said Ford truck marketing boss Todd Eckert.
You’ll know it by the orange highlights.
Bisecting the front grille below the swollen hood is an “Active Orange” bar that stands out next to the blacked-out Ford logo. Dual orange tow-hooks peek out of the truck’s raised chin. Tremor logos tattooed on the box, tailgate and side panel also feature splashes of orange. Inside, Active Orange punctuates more Tremor detailing, including seat stitching and dash and door finishes.
Wardrobe aside, Tremor is distinguished by rugged, off-road hardware. Under the skin of the aluminum, SuperCrew cab is standard four-wheel drive and an upgraded suspension with added ground clearance. Also standard are locking rear and front differentials (torque-on-demand transfer case similar to the F-150 Raptor is on offer) married to meaty 33-inch tires. The tires make for a more aggressive, wider stance, while a Raptor-like bash plate protects the front chin when drivers explore the big truck’s 27.6-degree approach angle.
Pushing the big beast is a 400-horse turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 – just shy of the Raptor’s 450. Off-road hardware extends to the cabin, with a six-position auxiliary power switch on the overhead console so owners can easily add off-road winches and air compressors. The new, 2021 F-150 architecture enables a 2-watt on-board generator to power tools or football tailgate accessories like TVs and grills.
The Tremor can tow 10,900 pounds. With a payload rating of 1,885 pounds, the standard 5½-foot box can handle dirt bikes and ATVs when the trail ends.
In addition to its standard features, the Tremor offers goodies like a 360-degree camera and Trail Control – a sort of low-speed cruise-control. Familiar to Raptor owners, it allows pedal-free driving to make extreme off-road driving like rock-crawling easier. Determined to go anywhere, anytime, Tremor offers a Rock Crawl mode to go with standard drive modes including Tow/Haul and Mud/Rut.
The Tremor builds on the off-road capability of F-150’s familiar FX4 off-road package. The F-series broad lineup of pickups is the best-selling truck in the US with nearly 900,000 units in 2019. First models of the 14th-generation 2021 F-150 began shipments to dealers this week.
Printed auto parts are just around the corner for production vehicles
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 9, 2020
Five years ago, Detroit auto show crowds scratched their heads over a car whose body, frame and interior emerged fully formed at the show from computer printers that laid down layers of carbon-fiber infused plastic to form the three-dimensional components.
The 3D printing of auto parts, demonstrated then by a small company called Local Motors, has accelerated from auto show curiosity to manufacturing necessity in just a few short years.
This year, printed parts logged 80,000 miles on Chevrolet’s Corvette, IndyCar, NASCAR and Silverado race teams, while providing prototype duty on production vehicles like the Ford Mustang GT500.
With its hand-made cars and focus on immediate results, the racing industry is the current focus of 3D-printed parts, but manufacturers don’t rule them out for production-line vehicles.
“We’re on a journey of identifying opportunities across a number of areas including motorsports, product development and future production vehicles,” said Ali Shabbir, General Motors Co.’s chief of additive design and manufacturing product applications. “Racing continues to be an excellent proving ground for new concepts and technologies leading toward production.”
Leading the way is the mid-engine Corvette C8.R race car which bristled with 75 printed parts as it pounded through grueling endurance races to its first IMSA Weathertech Sportscar GT title this year.
Those parts included such essentials as the oil tank and oil cap, parts of the driver cooling-system, power-steering pump bracket and headlight assemblies. Fifty of the parts were made in-house by GM and survived some of the world’s most punishing tracks including the washboard-rough Sebring Raceway in Florida.
The 3D printing process starts with a three-dimensional digital blueprint of a part that is downloaded to a printer. A nozzle on the machine lays down successive layers of plastic, metal or ceramic until a perfect physical representation is created.
The manufacturing process has become a mainstay of educational art programs with classes on how to make printed jewelry and decorative objects for the home. On a much larger scale, the technology has become essential to automakers as they seek to shrink production cycles.
Before they become rolling sheet metal, modern cars are developed with extensive computer modeling. Printed parts help to quickly assemble them into prototype cars for wind-tunnel testing and other development needs.
“Right now, we see large benefits in the pre-production space,” said GM’s Shabbir. “3D printing has the benefit of speed and quick iteration. With 3D prototypes, teams can rapidly check the viability of different versions of the same part, which can save considerable time during the development phase.”
Ford showed off its pre-production assets — including supercomputers, printer and wind tunnels — to the news media last year ahead of the introduction of its 760-horsepower GT500 muscle car.
Crafted at Ford’s Advanced Manufacturing Center in Redford, the printed prototype parts for the GT500 were fitted to the front end of a standard Mustang GT for testing at Ford’s wind tunnel in Allen Park. The printed parts also did duty at the state-of-the-art Windshear wind tunnel in North Carolina that’s used by racing teams.
“We did over 300 simulations in the virtual world, then we 3D-printed car parts and took it in the wind tunnel,” Mustang GT500 aerodynamic engineer Matt Titus told The Detroit News.
The Team Penske racing team partnered in 2017 with Stratasys, a 3D printing solutions company, for tooling and engineering prototypes. Penske now uses printed components on its actual IndyCar racers. For example, the V-6 exhaust system was printed to eliminate failure points in traditional manufactured components while increasing design freedom and reducing cost.
NASCAR, too, is a hotbed for development. Chevy switched to the Camaro ZL1 1LE for this year’s Cup Series, replacing the ZL1. The body of the new car underwent extensive wind-tunnel testing using over 500 printed prototype parts. On-track, the Camaro uses a printed gear-cooling duct, which logged 18,500 miles of competition in 27 races.
Printed parts even go off-road racing. The Chevy Silverado off-road race truck has in-house printer-generated components including a rear shock absorber shield for protection over rocky desert terrain.
Don’t expect to see a car on a showroom floor anytime soon like the one with a body, frame and interior printed at the Detroit auto show. Individual components are a different story.
“GM’s 3D printing capability speeds up our learning cycles,” said Jim Campbell, chief of GM’s U.S. Motorsports, “and, in turn, these racetrack experiences help our additive manufacturing team move one step closer to using 3D printed parts in production vehicles.”
Payne review: Dodge Durango Hellcat is Hulk on wheels
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 3, 2020
Dodge’s muscular lineup has always struck me as an Avengers comic book. There’s Challenger. And Hellcat. Demon and Charger. So what to make of a full-size SUV joining the team, the 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat?
Let’s call it Hulk.
Get it in green. It’s the perfect color for this huge, 5,710-pound, 710-horsepower beast that was once called Bruce Banner — er, Dodge Durango.
Its capabilities are stupefying, comic-book stuff. Zero-60 in 3.5 seconds officially. I did it in 3.4. With launch control. You’ve got to take it out on the road with the kids: With all-wheel drive, this Hulk is a stable genius compared to its rear-wheel drive Charger Hellcat mate.
Find a deserted road on the way to school. Press the Launch button on the console (yes, there really is a button called Launch on the console). Mat the brake, mat the throttle, release the brake. Hulk explodes forward like a CGI action sequence, all four wheels churning in perfect harmony. The supercharger is screaming, the 6.2-liter V-8 roaring — if you can hear it over the kids’ cheers. It’s epic.
Try that in the Dodge Charger Hellcat and it’ll turn your hair white. With 707 horsepower running though just the rear wheels, it’s a challenge even for modern electronics systems to channel the power. I tested the Durango Hellcat back-to-back with an upgraded 797-horsepower Charger Hellcat Redeye in North Carolina this fall, and the Durango beat it to 60 every time thanks to superior traction — and despite Hulk’s added weight and ungainly appearance next to the sleek Charger.
The Charger Hellcat (and sister 485-horsepower Scat Pack) is one of my favorite sedans. But it’s hard for even this car disciple to deny that the Durango Hellcat is the superior family vehicle.
Not only does Durango accommodate six comfortably with its palatial third row seat — your 6-foot-5 correspondent could sit behind himself sitting behind myself in the third row — but it comes with significant interior upgrades you can’t get in the Charger.
Chief among these is adaptive cruise-control which the Durango possesses and the Charger Hellcat does not. That low Hellcat face is handsome compared to Hulk’s meaty mug, but it comes at a sacrifice of airflow which the hungry, supercharged monster under the hood demands. The radar brick simply takes up too much grille space. Not so with the taller Durango, even though it feeds the same V-8.
I find adaptive cruise essential in Hellcats — not just for easier highway driving — but to regulate them in heavily policed speed limit zones. Believe me, this beast is so effortlessly quick you’ll find yourself at insane speeds very quickly.
“I’m sorry, officer, but you say I was going HOW fast?”
Durango also gains (along with the new Chrysler Pacifica minivan) Fiat-Chrysler’s latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system. Uconnect has always been an ergonomic gem — Dodge-Chrysler cockpits are generally the easiest to use in the industry — and Version 5 continues to lead the way with an enlarged 10.5-inch screen (compared to the Charger’s old 8.5-incher), quicker response, Android operating systems and excellent voice commands.
The Durango even excels on the track (yes, I took it to Carolina Motorsports Park) despite its higher center of gravity. Screwed to the ground with advanced shocks, the all-wheel drive system allows you to mat the throttle out of turns. By contrast, the rear-drive Charger is more nervous on exit and therefore more of a handful to drive. You gotta track the Hulk to believe it. Dodge even offers a free driver’s school at Bondurant Raceway in Phoenix.
That said, Hulk could use a few beauty pointers from its Charger siblings.
The Charger Hellcat Widebody is one of the most sinister, reptilian designs conceived. With its glowing LED lamps and swollen hood, it looks like something that migrated from Skull Island to exterminate the Prius species. Durango Hellcat, on the other hand, looks like, well, a Hulk. You might think twice about bringing it home to mother.
SUVs are hard to make sexy. But may I suggest widebody fender flares like the Charger Hellcat? And perhaps an elongated roof-spoiler like some of Durango Hellcat’s smaller, hot-hatch car brethren? Widebodies have been a boon to Charger and Challenger sales — and they are practical, too.
Doing zero-60 launches on the way to elementary school won’t come cheap. The Durango Hellcat comes in a healthy $10,000 north of its Charger equivalent. But can you put a price on a child’s smile?
Mommy, can we please hear the Hulk roar one more time?
2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat
Vehicle type: All-wheel drive, four-door, six passenger SUV
Price: $82,490, including $1,445 destination charge ($89,965 as tested)
Powerplant: Supercharged 6.2-liter V-8
Power: 710 horsepower, 645 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.5 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 180 mph; towing capacity, 8,700 pounds
Weight: 5,710 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA est. N/A (9.9 mpg observed)
Report card
Highs: Ferocious AWD performance; interior sanctuary
Lows: Gulps fuel; exterior design needs some love
Overall: 4 stars
Payne review: Versatile Chrysler Pacifica minivan gets a new face and AWD
Posted by Talbot Payne on December 1, 2020
Good looks. Stow ’n’ go seats. Vacuum cleaner. Sliding cabinet drawers. Under-floor storage. Three-row comfort. Kick-open sliding doors. Plug-in hybrid. The Chrysler Pacifica minivan almost had it all.
“Where’s the all-wheel drive?” asked customers.
Jeez, some people just can’t be satisfied. So rejoice, minivan fans. For 2021, the significantly refreshed Pacifica offers AWD just like its SUV cousins. The nod to SUVs comes at a sacrifice to the Pacifica’s pretty face that echoed the classy but discontinued Chrysler 200 sedan. Its thin grille and elegant bow-tie lower grille were automotive art.
As a fan of the original design, I’ll need time to get used to the plastic surgery, though the fascia now shares the mesh grille of the Chrysler 300. It’s bolder. More masculine. More ute-like. The rest of the Pacifica’s attractive swept lines are intact. Only the Kia Sedona can hold a candle to it in class.
But consistent with Pacifica’s “you can have it all” theme, the old look is still available. It’s now badged Voyager.
With the Dodge Grand Caravan kaput (a minivan just didn’t fit in a Dodge lineup consisting of fire-breathing Hellcats), Chrysler has taken the opportunity to fill the void left by the affordable Caravan with the affordable Voyager. Starting at $28,495 (the Grand Caravan started at $29,025), the front-wheel-drive-only Voyager is the entry-level minivan to the $36,540 Pacifica’s premium play.
Premium has never been so practical. It is an automotive Swiss Army knife, with an interior configuration to suit every family or need.
1. Need pickup capability? Stuff both rows of seats in the floor, open the hatch and roll in bicycles, boards, TVs, you name it. At 80 inches tall, you could put a table and four chairs inside for a card game on a rainy day, for goodness sake.
2. Need a basement? Open the stow ‘n’ go storage bins under the second row and fill them up. A bin easily swallowed my fat briefcase during my North Carolina test drive. A colleague used the space like a suitcase to store travel clothes.
3. Need a work chair? Fold over a second-row seat into an ottoman, then slide into the third row with your feet up and get to work on the road.
When done, an available vacuum cleaner can clean the place up.
The center console offers three variations as you climb the trims. The base Touring trim offers an “island” between the front seats with two drawers, cupholders and bin storage space. The island grows into a full console in the Limited trim with sub-storage for your purse. The top Pinnacle trim grows the center console so big it eliminates the stow ‘n’ go option for the second row.
With quilted seats and panoramic roof and a FamCam lens (for watching the kiddies in the back seats), Pinnacle is a rolling living room. But you don’t have to buy the top trim to get essentials. Indeed, Pacifica claims most standard safety features in the segment, including musts like adaptive cruise-control, blind-spot assist and automatic emergency-braking.
Honestly, the Touring is all you need — throw in 3-grand for AWD and $1,300 for the cool, blacked-out S appearance package (all the cool minivan parents got it) and you’re out the door for just over $40,000. Somehow, Chrysler’s elves managed to get a prop shaft through all that basement storage for the all-wheel-drive system.
My hip wife is allergic to the term “minivan,” but mention that it’s AWD and she’d have been hard-pressed to ignore this vehicle when we had rug rats in the house. I nailed the throttle over Charlotte’s twisties and all four hooves coordinated nicely. No fuss, no wheelspin from the front tires.
The throaty Pentastar V-6 reminded me how much I miss 6-bangers in a world where mpg nannies have all but mandated turbo-4s.
From its rotary console shifter to its obsessively organized control buttons, the Pacifica’s dash is a delicious buffet. Just mix in the latest digital googaws — wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and UConnect 5. The latter now comes with a quick, spacious 10.5-inch screen with intuitive menus throughout.
As Pacifica proves, you really can have it all in a minivan. Though I did find one thing lacking ….
Dear, Chrysler: FCA’s stable of large family vehicles — Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Durango, Dodge Charger all have performance badges boasting the 700-plus horsepower, supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 hammer.
Isn’t it time for a Pacifica SRT Hellcat?
2021 Chrysler Pacifica
Vehicle type: Front- or all-wheel-drive, four-door, seven-passenger minivan
Price: $36,540, including $1,495 destination charge ($52,140 Limited AWD with S appearance package as tested)
Powerplant: 3.5-liter V-6
Power: 287 horsepower, 262 pound-feet of torque (with 93-octane fuel)
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 7.9 seconds (Car and Driver); towing, 3,600 pounds
Weight: 4,883 pounds (AWD as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 17 mpg city/25 highway/20 combined
Report card
Highs: New AWD for Michigan winters; Swiss Army knife dexterity
Lows: Gets pricey — but there’s always the more affordable, entry-level Voyager van
Overall: 4 stars