Forget the presidential debate, let the wrangling over Vehicle of the Year commence.
The 2021 North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year (NACTOY) Awards announced its 27 semifinalists Wednesday. The list includes eight sedans, 15 SUVs, and four trucks, and tells the tale of the Detroit Three’s move away from cars. One sedan is from Detroit, while five Motown SUVs make the list. All four truck candidates are from Detroit.
The 2021 Escalade has the bold presence and exclusive technology to elevate the extraordinary and make every drive feel like an occasion.
Cadillac, Cadillac
2021 Ford Mustang Mach E
2021 Chevy Trailblazer
Chevrolet, Chevrolet
The 2020 Land Rover Defender comes in 90 (two-door) and 110 (four-door) trims. All vehicles are four-wheel-drive with the ability to wade into 35-plus inches of water.
The 2021 Ford Bronco Sport is based on a unibody chassis – not the truck chassis of its brother Bronco – but it still likes to get dirty off-road.
All-new for 2021, the Chevy Suburban is the longer version of its twin, three-row Tahoe. Built on the Silverado truck chassis, the family Suburban has a more refined interior and ride than the pickup.
2021 Nissan Rogue
Nissan, Nissan
The subcompact-plus 2020 Mazda CX-30 is the Japanese brand’s fourth entry in the SUV market – placed between the tiny CX-3 and bigger, compact CX-5.
2021 Genesis GV80
Genesis, Genesis
2021 Kia Seltos
Kia, Kia
2021 Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai, Hyundai
2020 Kia Sorento
Kia, Kia
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime
Toyota, Toyota
2021 Toyota Venza
Toyota, Toyota
2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge P8 AWD in Glacier Silver
Volvo, Volvo
Contenders range from icons like the Cadillac Escalade and Ford F-150 to upstarts like the Ford Mustang Mach E, Ford’s first electric vehicle. Not only are the nominees dominated by utility vehicles, but they represent the most diversity of drivetrain offerings with everything from V-8 engines to gas-electric hybrids to full electric vehicles.
Early favorites are the Genesis G80 for Car of the Year, Ford Bronco Sport for SUV and Ford F-150 for best truck.
Significantly absent from the list is the Tesla Model Y, the American electric automaker’s latest SUV and the hottest selling SUV EV in the market. However, Tesla did not make its car available for jury testing.
2021 Ford F-150 Limited in Smoked Quartz Tinted Clearcoat.
Ford, Ford
Most powerful Super Duty yet launches with two new engine offerings including all-new advanced 7.3-liter gasoline V8 and upgraded third-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke® diesel V8; all-new heavy-duty 10-speed TorqShift® automatic transmission
Ford, Ford
The 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave has a 45-degree approach angle to better hurdle obstacles.
2021 Ram 1500 TRX
FCA US LLC, Ram
A jury of 50 independent journalists whittled 46 new vehicles for the 2021 model year down to the semifinalist candidates. Each car will be fully vetted in the months ahead and finalists announced in December in Los Angeles. Winners will be announced in January during an event hosted by the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
“The breadth of choices in the SUV category from style to powertrain is really impressive,” said NACTOY Secretary Gary Vasilash, an industry veteran who is editor-in-chief of AutoBeat. “You have everything from a $20,000 Kia Seltos to a $120,000 Escalade.”
The Escalade’s remake – which includes features like a 38-inch touchscreen – sits on top of the Chevy Silverado pickup truck platform that also supports 2021 Chevrolet contenders Tahoe and Suburban.
The full slate of nominees come despite a coronavirus-scarred year that saw auto sales crater in March and April as states shut down dealerships and national unemployment soared. Sales have since rebounded, but many product introductions were pushed back until later this year.
The Bronco Sport is an indication of the increased bandwidth of the SUV market. The so-called “baby Bronco” will have many of the rugged style attributes of the forthcoming Bronco (due in the middle of next year) which Ford has targeted at the Jeep Wrangler. Unlike the truck-chassis Bronco, however, the Bronco Sport will be on the same unibody platform as the Ford Escape. All three vehicles will be available to customers in the compact SUV segment – an unprecedented offering from the brand.
According to IHS Markit, SUVs made up 47.4% of US sales in 2019 with sedans dropping to just 22%. Taken together with pickup trucks – the most profitable vehicles in the Detroit Three lineup – SUVs and trucks now make up nearly 80% of US sales.
Nevertheless, 2021 NACTOY sedan nominees are some of the most stylish models ever conceived as automakers use their inherently sleeker shape and handling dynamics to sell to non-SUV customers. The Acura TLX marks a return to that brand’s sporty vibe. The gorgeous Kia K5 and Genesis G80 are statement cars from Korean automakers determined to go head-to-head with Japanese and European mainstays.
Vasilash is particularly fond of the $20,000 Nissan Sentra which offers upscale looks and a wealth of safety features like adaptive cruise-control and blind-spot assist not found on luxury cars costing thousands of dollars more.
All-new for 2020, the Nissan Sentra compact combines great looks with a more nimble, lowered chassis for just $25k in SR trim.
The 2020 Cadillac CT4-V is a new performance variant of the CT4 – which itself replaces the ATS sedan and debuts in the subcompact segment.
2021 Acura TLX
JAMES HALFACRE, Acura
2021 Hyundai Elantra
DREW PHILLIPS, Hyundai
2021 Genesis G80
Jack Schroeder, Genesis
2021 K5 EX 1.6T FWD
Kia
2021 Mercedes E-class
Mercedes, Mercedes
The 2021 Polestar 2 is the second car from Volvo’s new EV brand. Where the Polestar 1 was an expensive, $100k-plus halo car – the 2 is aimed at the volume Tesla Model 3.
“It’s a car that regular people car afford to buy,” said Vasilash. “It’s significant because it is aimed at a customer that wants a vehicle with more style and dynamics than their neighbor’s SUV.”
The 2021 contenders also include a wealth of battery-powered vehicles as automakers try to replicate Tesla’s success in the market as well as meet California’s draconian sales goals. California’s governor has announced the state will prohibit the sale of new, gas-powered cars by 2035.
Models include the Polestar 2, the first sedan from Volvo’s electric car brand, as well as the Toyota RAV4 Prime, a gas-hybrid plugin variant of America’s’ best-selling SUV.
2021 NACTOY Semifinalists
Car of the Year
Acura TLX
Cadillac CT4/CT4-V
Genesis G80
Hyundai Elantra
Kia K5
Mercedes-Benz E Class Sedan, All-Terrain, Coupe, Cabriolet
The Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 is not going out quietly.
The screaming 8,250-rpm, V-8 pony car rides into the sunset this fall wearing the historic Wimbledon White and Guardsman Blue stripe paint scheme of the original 1965 GT350 that tore up race tracks and made Mustang a legend 55 years ago. It marks the last batch of GT350s to roll off the Flat Rock assembly line since its 2016 debut.
You may have heard your windows rattle last week when I rode Mustang’s demon to Hell, Michigan’s challenging roads and back. With its high-pitched pterodactyl shriek, the 526-horse, 5.2-liter flat-plane crank V-8 — different than the low-pitch T. rex gurgle of Mustang’s traditional V-8 — has always stopped bystanders in their tracks.
Add its original paint scheme, and the last GT350 proves irresistible. It has always been so.
In 1965, Shelby race driver Ken Miles – immortalized in “Ford v. Ferrari” — won at Green Valley Raceway in Texas, establishing Mustang as a racing force. As the GT40 thrilled international crowds, GT350 made hearts race back home.
As the Mustang Mach E leads Ford into electrification, the sixth-generation muscle car shoulders a burden beyond its traditional role as America’s favorite sports car. Together with the Ford F-150 pickup and Bronco SUV, Mustang is now a key corporate pillar in Ford’s promise to deliver toughness, adventure and performance.
For the last five model years, the GT350 has defined performance.
With its daring 2015 Mustang redesign, Ford reestablished its pony at the head of the Detroit muscle car pack after years of trailing crosstown rival Camaro. Keen to rekindle its performance cred, too, Ford resurrected the Shelby GT350 for the first time since 1965. It led a stampede of speed including the Bullitt, GT500 and forthcoming Mach 1 models.
Given its ’60s heritage, there’s no doubt the GT350 is the brand halo. Like its 1965 forefather, its racing version — the GT350R-C — was an instant success on the race track, winning in its 2016 IMSA Daytona debut.
“Looking back on it, what Ford and Carroll Shelby created back in the mid-’60s was so important to Mustang,” said Mustang marketing boss Jim Owens. “The Shelby GT350 Heritage Edition vehicles are a meaningful tribute to the Shelby legacy.”
With its manual transmission, wicked Shelby Cobra badge and athleticism, GT350 embodies Mustang’s ethic: a wild stallion in a field of pure-bred horses.
I’ve driven more precise cars — Porsche, Corvette, Supra — over Hell’s undulating roads this year, but none made my hair stand on end like the Shelby. With 31 more horses than the mid-engine Corvette, the GT350 gulped real estate along Hadley Road. But with 317 cubic inches of V-8 up front, I always felt like I was hanging on to the great beast’s neck.
Boasting magnetic shocks and huge Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 gummies available on my GT350R tester, Ford engineers have worked miracles to strap the 3,700-pound ’Stang to the asphalt. But the naturally aspirated engine — rare in this turbocharged age — begs to be revved to 8 grand, where it hits a deafening 104 decibels (the dB race car limit at some race tracks, FYI). It’s the highest-horsepower, normally aspirated eight-cylinder Ford has ever crafted. It creates a deep bond between car and driver.
“We’re still deeply in love with the GT350R,” wrote Car and Driver magazine at its annual Lightning Lap competition at Virginia International Raceway in 2016. “We love that every time the throttle opens, it sounds as if a million tiny hammers were being fired into the exhaust.”
The 760-horse supercharged Mustang GT500 cyborg sibling may be faster, but GT350 is the class heartthrob.
Back off the throttle, and the V-8 pops and gurgles like it’s digesting a meal. Stab the throttle for a heel-and-toe downshift, and the Cobra seems to spit fire. During my time in Hell, I never turned on the radio. The engine is soundtrack enough.
But like the standard Mustang upon which it’s based, the GT350 is an easy daily driver. Dial back its Sport and Track modes (my preferred settings for Hellish delights) to Normal and it cruises along happily through Livingston County.
I gave it navigation instructions through the Android Auto app, tuned to my favorite comedy stations on Sirius XM, set cruise-control for town speed limits. These are alien concepts to the 1965 GT350 that spawned generations of enthusiasts six decades ago.
It’s a seductive package that’s been in demand for five years. In 2016 GT350 sold for $49,995 — my winged, more track-focused GT350R was $66,495. For 2020 those prices are $61,635 and $74,630, respectively. Demand has been through the roof.
Tack on an additional $1,965 for the Shelby Heritage Edition. It’s a small price to pay for history.
The Jeep light transport vehicle, General Dwight Eisenhower once said, was “one of three decisive weapons the U.S. had during World War II.”
Over 70 years later it inspires three of the most important SUVs in the U.S. auto market.
The Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco and today’s tester — the 2020 Land Rover Defender — all have their roots in the World War II Jeep. In an SUV-crazed market, their war-era history still resonates with customers. The Wrangler is the direct descendant of that Jeep. Ford also built Jeeps during the war, a legacy that ultimately inspired the Bronco.
And Land Rover? Its first model was built in 1948 on the Jeep warrior’s chassis.
Today, that vehicle has evolved into the Defender SUV. But while its sister Wrangler and Bronco are mainstream badges, the Defender is aimed at a higher demographic. It’s a Wrangler for the luxury class.
Like many Americans, I thought Land Rover was exotic even before I knew what it was. The “Series I” SUV (before marketing came to its senses and called it Defender) co-starred in the movie “Born Free” that I watched umpteen times as a kid. Rover’s occupants were beautiful people with English accents. Lions lounged on its roof. It drove across Kenyan grasslands. Cool.
By contrast, my first memories of Jeeps were windshieldless, machine-gun-toting Army vehicles. The Bronco? It won Baja 1000 races in the Mexican desert. Crazy, rugged stuff.
Turns out the modern variants pretty much follow the stereotypes. The Wrangler and Bronco can be stripped naked of their body panels for extreme off-roading. I’ve tested the Wrangler through the muck of Flint’s ORV park; rode shotgun as Bronco navigated the dirt and dust of Holly Oaks park. They feature articulated suspensions, so they can crawl over rocks at all kinds of weird angles. The Defender has none of these things. While plenty capable in the sticks, this is a more refined tree chewer.
So, naturally, I took it the grasslands of Kenya — er, Charlevoix County — up north.
Alas, I didn’t see any lions or Brits, but the Defender impressed with its off-road refinement. Start with the adjustable air suspension.
The Defender already comes with impressive 8.5-inch ride height. But as I encountered the long grass and uneven terrain, I wanted more. I toggled the suspension-lift button on the dash and Rover hiked its skirts to 11.5 inches. The transition took just seconds, upping the Defender’s specs to a class-competitive 38-degree approach angle, 28-degree breakover angle and 40-degree departure angle.
The Defender also comes with an encyclopedic range of drive modes including Grass and Sand, Mud Ruts, Sand and Ocean Bottom (kidding about that last one). I selected Grass and Sand and grunted happily along — splitting narrow tree lines, climbing grades, navigating rocks. The gnarly, off-road tires — Goodyear Wranglers — clawed the earth.
On a couple of occasions, deep ravines turned me back. If I want to go that rugged, I’ll slap 40-inch monster tires on a Jeep, thank you very much. The Defender is for more civilized outings.
At $72,180, my tester was dressed in classy jungle green over a body that can best be described as premium Lego.
The vehicle’s traditional, boxy design (“A shape a child could draw,” says Land Rover design chief Gerry McGovern) has been cleverly updated to match its modern electronics. Like Lego blocks, the pieces fit in place. Snap in round LED headlights embedded in glass blocks next to a block grille. Snap on black plastic strips on the hood. A white roof. A body-colored C-pillar block that defines the side view.
You can’t miss it.
And not just because of its design. This is a big vehicle. Nearly 10 inches longer than the compact Wrangler, the mid-size Rover is six inches wider and four inches taller. This translates into five more inches of shoulder room inside — 78 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats down.
Like its famous ancestors, Rover comes in two-door (90) and four-door (110) variants. Unlike Defenders of yore, the brute is built on a unibody which Rover engineers say eclipses the old ladder frame for strength. It felt plenty solid off-road, but the Defender was quite comfy on my drive up Interstate 75. Made to shed its doors, the Wrangler is noisier than Defender, which could pass for a normal SUV. It’s an off-road wolf in sheep’s clothing.
This being luxury class, the Defender inline-6 is supercharged and turbocharged for gobs more power than Wrangler’s six. The result is 395 horses trampling the grasslands (a 296-horse turbo-4 is also available).
Echoing the exterior, the interior is Lego simple.
We motorheads love boy-toy touches on our sports cars like giant rear wings (Subaru WRX STI), flared fenders (Dodge Challenger Widebody) and hood intakes (Mustang GT500). Defender gives off-road motorheads some bling, too.
The interior style — Rover calls it “constructivist modular” — is punctuated with faux screws, as if the body panels were screwed in by 10-year-olds. The polyurethane steering wheel spokes are snapped in place. The dash is a wide trough interrupted by a simple tablet screen.
The center console offers lots of room, including subterranean storage. It’s particularly purse-friendly. I have a weakness for popcorn, and a popcorn box fits nicely. Land Rover figures you’ll spend hours in this car, and the passenger-friendly touches continue in back with a row of USB and charging ports.
The vehicle’s screens are rich in capability. Land Rover has struggled to keep up on electronics, so I used available Android Auto app for directions. But vehicle-specific information is excellent.
Venturing off-road, detailed driveline graphics suddenly came to life — taking the car’s pulse. Churning along a dirt slope, the Rover’s rear differential locked for better traction. An altitude number traced my climb. Toggle descent control and I could drive feet-free downhill in forward gear or reverse.
Assuming owners want to get their $72,000 SUV really dirty, drivers can wade through up to 35 inches of water. Dirty passengers needn’t worry — the seats are made from tough, washable fabric.
I threw lots of luggage in the back, the door-like hatch swinging open left to right. This being a Brit, it’s oriented toward left-hand drive English roads. There’s loads more room on top, with roof rails that can take 660 pounds of stuff.
You know, for any lions that want to lounge up there when you’re in Kenya.
2020 Land Rover Defender
Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV
Price: $51,250, including $1,350 destination fee ($72,180 110 SE as tested)
Subaru designers modeled a hiking boot when they sat down to shape the latest Outback SUV. Rugged front end. Blocky, black side-cladding.
So it only makes sense that the Outback’s little brother, the 2021 Crosstrek, looks like a trail-running shoe.
The new Subaru has beefier black cladding all around. The front grille lattice is right off a New Balance shoe. The chunky, charcoal fenders mimic a running sole. Even the 17-inch wheels are wrapped in a higher-profile tire.
All that is deliberate because, like sporty footwear, the Crosstrek itches to be taken off-road. I obliged, lacing up the Crosstrek and flogging it over the gravel and valleys of middle Ohio. Yes, Ohio. Turn south from the pancake flat terrain of Great Lakes Detroit and Toledo, and Buckeye country gets more hillier as it approaches the Appalachians.
This is familiar country to your hillbilly West Virginia-born reviewer who spent much of his youth trekking back and forth from Charleston to middle Ohio to autocrosses, race tracks and hill climbs in the right seat of my father’s sports car. Hurtling through the country, the road trip could be as thrilling as the race event.
For 2021, the Crosstrek offers a Sport trim for the first time, following the Impreza Sport hatchback and the Outback Sport (now called Onyx). The Sport comes after Crosstrek has spent the last eight years crushing it, selling over 750,000 units as America switched from sedans to utes. Crosstrek sales are now more than double that of stablemate Impreza hatchback.
It’s about time Crosstrek got a Sport option.
The idea behind the Sport/Onyx trims is to accentuate signature model features. The Impreza Sport amplifies the hatch’s sporty flavor with low-profile, sports car-like wheels, blacked-out grille and tightened suspension. It’s a hot-hatch wannabe.
The Crosstrek Sport (like the Outback Onyx) is a different animal. That shoe-like cladding tells the tale.
Barreling along between cornfields on gravel-strewn, pothole-pocked county roads, the Crosstrek Sport is a blast. Its standard all-wheel drive claws for grip, while the Global Platform architecture that underpins the Impreza and Crosstrek continues to impress. I became a convert in 2017 when I whipped the Impreza hatch over the challenging twisties of San Diego’s Cuyamaca Mountains.
The Crosstrek is no less impressive despite hiking up its skirts to 3.5 inches higher off the ground. At 8.7 inches the Crosstrek Sport isn’t quite a Jeep Wrangler (10.7-inch ground clearance) but it is the best in class — two inches higher than my other subcompact ute all-star, the Mazda CX-30. Which looks nothing like a trail-running shoe.
The sleek Mazda would be just as happy if it never saw a gravel road. Its athletic stance is more suited for asphalt where it devours every other small SUV on the planet.
Still, the CX-30 got Subaru’s attention. The Mazda boasts a best-in-class 186-horse 2.5-liter 4-banger. Subaru looked in its toolbox and realized it had one of those, too. Its 182-horse, 2.5-liter has been a mainstay as the Outback’s standard engine. True to Subaru DNA, it’s also a compact Boxer engine (like that found in a Porsche Cayman) that helps lower the high-riding SUV’s center of gravity.
Stuff it in the Crosstrek — and voila! — more spring in the trail-running shoe’s step.
Subaru says this should satisfy its growing “overlander” customer base — folks who want to hit the trails but are looking for something more affordable (and more comfortable) than a Jeep Wrangler. The Crosstrek Sport still can’t match the Wrangler’s’ 270-horse turbo-4, but the 182 horses is a nice step up from the standard Crosstrek’s 152.
The Crosstrek’s improved looks and power are icing on the cake, because the base ute is so dang generous.
Crosstreks get a lot of love from consumers, which translates into the segment’s highest resale value. It’s easy to see why. This thing is loaded with standard goodies. The standard-features war is intense these days with rivals like Honda and Toyota offering pre-collision brake-assist and blind-spot assist standard. Subaru takes a slightly differ tack with its “Eyesight system” that includes daily essentials like pre-collision braking and then adds keyless ignition, adaptive cruise-control and lane-keep assists for 2021.
Readers of this space know I think adaptive cruise-control a must (and glaringly missing on some cars like the $78,000 Chevy Suburban I recently drove).
Managed with two cameras on either side of the mirror (no radar brick in the grille), the system is the best self-driver this side of a Tesla or Mercedes. I’m not making this up. In low-speed traffic or at cruise on the interstate, the $27,000 Subie self-drives with minimal input from the driver. Boosting its off-road cred, the Sport model adds X-mode which enabled me to concentrate on steering over steep terrain without touching the pedals — the car managing speed by itself.
I last used that on a Jeep Wrangler. Adventurous Subaru fans will flip over it.
Crosstrek and Mazda are both loaded in the standard features department, adding generosity to their abundant personalities. Subaru doesn’t try and compete with Mazda’s wicked luxury interior, but the Sport trim does step up its game with yellow-stitched, faux-leather seats embroidered with “Crosstrek.” (Subaru wants you to know no bovines were harmed in the making of this car’s seats.)
The yellow theme is echoed by a gold insert in the steering wheel. The instruments are nothing fancy, but the essentials are all here – big knobs for navigating infotainment, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for navigation, and useful storage bins in the center console.
In parallel with its rugged ethic, Subaru also is proud of its 5-star NHTSA safety rating and green credentials. Reminders abound. When I turned off the Crosstrek’s default auto-engine shutoff, lane-keep alert and traction-control buttons, avatars for all three lingered in the instrument display — like nannies wagging their fingers.
Small bother. Above all, Crosstrek Sport wants you to have fun.
Pop the rear hatch and the rear cargo area is covered in a rubber mat, encouraging you to throw dirty stuff back there. The sturdy roof rails beg for a bicycle or kayak. The rear seat room is generous so you can bring along your 6-foot friends.
I bet they’ll will be wearing trail-running shoes.
2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport
Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV
Volkswagen made its mark in the U.S. market with practical, affordable icons like the Beetle and Golf GTI. It hopes its first battery-powered vehicle, the ID.4, will do the same for electrics.
The German brand took the wraps off the compact SUV on Wednesday. The ID.4 will be the first EV from a foreign carmaker to be built in the U.S. as it competes against similar SUVs from domestic brands like the Tesla Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach E.
Like its competitors, it will have a steep road to climb against cheaper, longer-range gas-powered vehicles. Compact SUVs like the Toyota RAV4, Nissan Rogue and Honda CR-V each sell about 400,000 units annually.
Scheduled for 2022 production in Chattanooga, Tennessee, early models of the ID.4 will arrive here early next year from Germany. Once the source of Golf compact car production, the Zwickau, Germany plant has been remade to produce cars off the manufacturer’s new MEB electric platform – with high hopes to achieve global volumes of 330,000 units a year.
When production begins stateside, the ID.4 will be built alongside the gas-powered Passat sedan and Atlas SUV. VW says it is committed to an all-EV future and has invested $800 million in Chattanooga for electric vehicle production.
The ID.4’s footprint most closely resembles its sister Tiguan SUV, VW’s bestseller with about 109,000 units sold here in 2019.
Starting at $39,995 (with the price expected to be about $35,000 once U.S. production starts in 2022), the first edition ID.4 compares favorably to the smaller, subcompact $36,620 Chevy Bolt EV especially when the federal tax credit for EVs factors in. The Bolt is no longer eligible for the $7,500 credit whereas the VW will get the full credit until its reaches 200,000 in sales.
In addition to being bigger than the Bolt with a 6-inch longer wheelbase and 13 more cubic feet of cargo, the ID.4 will also be available in all-wheel-drive. A larger Chevy Bolt EUV is expected for 2022.
The all-wheel drive capability puts the ID.4 on par with the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y which dominate SUVs sales in the U.S. Through June, according to CleanTechnica, the two Teslas have piled up nearly 60,000 in sales compared to the closest competitor – the Bolt – at just over 8,000 units.
Like the Teslas (and the forthcoming Mustang Mach E), the 201-horsepower Volkswagen will be rear-wheel drive biased for better handling. The RWD option is unusual in the compact SUV market with its usually front-wheel drive powered vehicles. Interestingly, the ID.4 goes against type with low-tech rear drum brakes – with regenerative braking, VW says rear disc brakes aren’t needed in an EV.
With the 82-kWh battery stuffed under the floorboards like other EVs, VW says the ID.4 will have familiar, fun VW handling despite its high-riding SUV stance.
For another $4,000 — about $10,000 cheaper than a comparable, 384-horse Model Y — the ID.4 will add a front electric motor for a total of 302 horsepower and better winter grip. With 250 miles of range, the VW is competitive with the Bolt’s 259, if not Tesla’s class-beating 290-322 miles.
But in an indicator of why EVs have struggled in the US market at just 2 percent market share, the ID.4’s stats pale next to its gas-powered peers.
For under $30,000, for example, the VW Tiguan boasts 430 miles of range and more cargo space. For green customers looking for a hybrid option, the all-wheel-drive Toyota RAV4 Prime plug-in is $5,000 cheaper and will go 522 miles on a tank of $2-a-gallon gas.
Ford’s $28,000 Escape Sport Hybrid compact SUV will go 568 miles on a tank.
To make the electric offering more attractive, VW is offering three years of free charging from its national, Electrify America charging network. U.S. governments forced VW to build the network as penance for its Dieselgate sins. The network parallels Tesla’s national fast-charging network, though so far, there are only seven locations in Michigan.
Most EV buyers will use the ID.4 for local commutes, plugging in at home where the ute can do a full charge on a faster, 240-volt plug in about 7½ hours.
The ID.4’s interior maintains the simplicity of the exterior with most functions executed by touch or voice control. Like Tesla, ID.4 features big console screens – 10 or 12-inch tablets are available – though a classic instrument display is behind the steering wheel.
The $40,000 car is stuffed with standard stuff including self-driving tech called IQ.DRIVE, forward-collision warning, emergency braking, blind-spot monitor, adaptive cruise-control, lane-keep assist and more.
The flexible architecture underneath ID.4 will spawn a family of VW EVs. The Golf-sized ID.3 hatchback is aimed at the European market, and VW is working on a wagon and microbus-inspired van.
The ID.4 will be sold across all 50 states, through some 600 dealers. Buyers can put down a $100 deposit at VW.com with an additional $400 due later. Customers can follow their ute’s production progress online before eventual delivery at their VW dealer.
The 2020 Maserati Quattroporte is dated, heavy, lagging in infotainment technology and expensive.
But, boy, is it irresistible.
There’s something about Italian luxury brands that make our legs weak, and the Quattroporte is a case in point despite the fact that it’s an aging sedan in a SUV world. Like its Ferrari, Alfa Romeo and Lamborghini countrymen, Maserati comes with boatloads of sex appeal. It’s got racing history. Runway style. Brand cache. It’s the Italian bombshell you always dreamed of in travel brochures.
With its Levante model, the Italian brand has dutifully followed market demand for an SUV. The Levante checks all the signature boxes — trident logo, racy roofline, big grille — but it’s designed to mimic the sedans that have carried the family crest for decades. Those are the vehicles we really covet.
The six-figure, sixth-generation, flagship Quattroporte (Italian for “four doors”) is the most desirable of all. My friend Rob has coveted a Quattroporte for 20 years. When I finally scored a tester, I immediately brought it over to him to see if reality lived up to the dream.
Right on cue, his knees buckled.
Like Monica Bellucci, the Quattroporte has presence. In an era of in-your-face grilles, the long hood is a ski slope, ending in a sports car-low nose that sniffs the ground. The huge trident grille with its uprights bars — as if imprisoning the rabid beast within — is unmistakably Maserati.
The swept headlights start a lovely shoulder line over big 20-inch wheels that doesn’t end until the broad hips. Every line is purposeful, efficient, European. There are hints that this is a dated, 2013 chassis — the headlight units, for example, are not as lean as current LED designs.
But overall, the style is timeless. Its sporty fascia is a welcome departure from the intimidating, upright grilles found on the mug of, say, the BMW 7-series.
Gal pal Missy, an 89-year-old car nut, also turned to jelly when I brought the Maserati by. She could have driven around in the Italian heartthrob all day. The big rear lounge chairs reclined — and she also had command over the front passenger seat when more leg room was needed.
But I didn’t feel the tug of younger generations as I have with, say, the Tesla Model S or the Audi A8. The Maserati has an Old World feel to it.
Part of that, surely, is that Maserati doesn’t race like other luxury brands — Audi, BMW, Mercedes. Racing wins was once a Maserati hallmark — and maybe that will return now that the 630-horse MC20 supercar is coming for 2021. But more than that is the cabin technology where Quattroporte lags. As Tesla and Audi wow with their splashy Google Map and touchscreen displays, the Maserati is a generation behind.
The instrument display is analog compared to the competition’s lush, digital landscapes. The center console screen is taken right out of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s corporate parts bin — shared with a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Don’t get me wrong, the Jeep’s UConnect system is one of the finest in the business, but it lacks the brio you would expect in a six-figure Italian stallion.
I thought of the new Corvette and how its mid-engine layout and sci-fi digital instrumentation have turned millennial heads. Does today’s youth aspire to a Maserati when they strike it rich?
The interior is otherwise swathed in luxury. Exquisitely stitched seats, acres of wood, and those adjustable rear seats that had Missy purring.
But what really woke me up was the drivetrain. Push the starter button and my murmurings about technological deficiencies were suddenly drowned out by my elevated heart rate. Italians are masters of styling and engine tech. The twin-turbo V6 under the hood in front of me was developed by Ferrari.
It growled at idle like a starved tiger. Sport driving mode is temptingly placed next to the simple monostable shifter. Shift paddles the size of butcher knives stick out from the steering column.
I toggle to manual shifting. We’re off.
Brap! Brap! Brap! go the upshifts as I lashed the 3.0-liter, two-turbo engine V-6 with an excellent 8-speed transmission. The Quattraporte is a big, all-wheel-drive luxury sedan — but it’s 150 pounds lighter than the equivalent, V6-powered BMW 7-series. Four hundred pounds lighter than the Mercedes S-class.
As I bounded through the twisties of M-66 up north, the Maserati really came into its own. Where the Germans are ocean liners, the Italian wants to gulp terra firma.
The car’s tight, weighted steering seals the deal, and Quattroporte and I danced from apex to apex. It’s a feeling not unlike another Italian, the Alfa Romeo Giulia, which lags its German peers in interior electronics but puts a smile on your face when you want to play.
Italians make driver’s cars, and that’s how the Quattroporte stands out in the big yacht market. My standard V6’s 424 horsepower is a good 60-100 ponies above its German peers. If that’s not enough, then an earth-pawing, 525-horse V-8 is available in the upper trim Gran Lusso.
I found 424 was plenty.
Luffing along I-75 north of West Branch, I came upon a pickup weaving back and forth across the northbound two lanes. The predicament allowed the Maserati to show off two of its latest assets.
The first was automatic braking. As the truck blocked the left-hand lanes, I moved to the right lane to pass. The truck veered right across my bow. Before I could react, the car did — its automatic braking system (using the same technology that enabled adaptive cruise control on my long ride north) flashing a red alert in my instrument panel and braking automatically. Eccellente!
The second was raw power. Reacting quickly to the pickup’s blocking maneuver, I juked left and dropped the hammer.
Foom!
The Quattroporte’s twin turbos rocketed the big sedan past the wandering pickup. The menace was a dot in my rear view mirror in seconds.
Of course such amenities are also available on full-sized sedans like, say, a Dodge Charger Scat Pack (485-horse V-8) or Kia Stinger (365 ponies) for half the price of the Maserati.
But they don’t have a trident at the end of a long nose that has mesmerized buyers for decades. Brand matters. But so does tech. Maserati will need to hustle to keep up with a new generation of luxury that decorate college kids’ dorm walls.
2020 Maserati Quattroporte
Vehicle type: Rear- and all-wheel-drive, five-passenger, big sedan
Price: $112,985, including $1,995 destination charge ($126,805 S Q4 as tested)
Powerplant: 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6
Power: 424 horsepower, 428 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.6 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 179 mph
This week, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s Ram launched another salvo at the truck market, making its dazzling, 60-40 split tailgate even more versatile with a companion, retractable step. Unlike conventional drop gates, the Ram 1500’s tailgate opens outward like a barn door allowing easier fork-lift pallet access to the bed — or easier individual access via a pop-out step.
The full-size truck’s innovation was the latest weapon in a battle begun by Ford Motor Co. over a decade ago with its Tailgate step — recently eclipsed by the General Motors Co. GMC Sierra’s jaw-dropping (literally, check out the ads), six-function Multi-Pro gate.
Once upon a time, the Detroit Three pickup wars were about who could tow more. But today, with pickup sales earning big profits at over 3 million units sold a year, skirmishes are breaking out all over the truck — not just under its hood.
The trick tailgate clash follows pitched battles over best interior, most creative bed, coolest console, and best super truck.
“Every truckmaker is looking for some away to set themselves apart,” said Roman Mica, publisher of The Fast Lane Truck, a leading truck benchmarking website. “So now we have a tailgate battle.”
Combined with the $395 retractable step available via Ram’s Mopar parts subsidiary, the $995 Multifunction tailgate is a cheaper option than the GMC Sierra’s Multi-Pro tailgate which is only available on upper trim models starting around $45,000. But it probably won’t bring your neighbor running for a demo. The six-way Multi-Pro has wowed truck buyers with its button-operated, six-way versatility: 1) tailgate drop, 2) long-board load stop, 3) second-tier, board load stop, 4) work surface, 5) walk-in standing desk, 6) bed-entry stairs.
GMC’s Multi-Pro ads — with jaws and tailgates dropping in awe as a GMC Sierra rolls by — have been a staple of weekend football games.
The Ram’s two-way tailgate not only opens to an 88-degree angle for easier forklift loading — but it also drops like a normal tailgate. The pop-out bed step is mounted under the middle of the rear bumper for easy bed access when the barn door opens. The retractable step is also available with a regular tailgate — swinging out from the driver’s side, rear-bumper corner.
“Our retractable bed step further enhances the convenience and utility of Ram’s industry-leading cargo management system,” said Mopar parts chief Mark Bosanac.
Ram’s innovation leaves Ford trailing its cross-town rivals, which is ironic since TFL Truck’s Mica said Ford started the tailgate battle.
“The F-150 has had a tailgate step for years,” he said. “And to be fair, the Honda Ridgeline (midsize pickup) pioneered the swing gate before Ram.”
Ford’s Tailgate step was re-engineered in 2014 to fully disappear into the tailgate when not in use. The tailgate package includes a grab handle that pops out to help with bed access. That’s so 15 minutes ago. Ford is now reportedly working on its own multi-function tailgate for the F-150.
Ram’s news comes on the heels of its success in the console battle. Its 12-inch, Tesla-like screen wowed in 2018.
“Interiors used to be Plain Jane,” said Mica colleague, Andre Smirnov at TFLTruck. “Then Ram blew everyone out of the water with an interior worthy of a BMW 7-series or a BMW S-class.”
Ford responded with its “table console” in the forthcoming, 2021 F-150 — which boasts innovations like a stowable, electronic gear shifter to clear a flat, interior work surface.
Territory aft of the front cabin has become a battleground, too. Ram offers sub-floor storage bins, GMC and Chevy Silverado have carved out hidden cubbies in the second-row seatbacks, and the 2021 Ford introduces lockable storage underneath the seats.
Further aft, the pickup bed became a high-profile showdown between F-150 and Silverado when Ford introduced the first aluminum truck in 2015. Chevy tried to puncture Ford’s bubble — literally — with an ad dropping a toolbox into the F-150’s bed to punch holes in the tin.
More recently Silverado laid claim to the segment’s biggest bed. Not to be outdone, Ram boasts the pickup war’s only bed-side toolboxes — called RamBox Cargo Management System.
Detroit’s three automakers have not forgotten about the engine bay.
Each model cycle seems to bring a new champ when it comes to clean-and-jerking the most weight. For 2020, the Silverado leads the field at 13,400 pounds towing — 2,543 pounds payload in the bed. F-150 is next with 13,200 pounds of towing — 3,270 pounds payload. Then Ram 1500 at 12,750 pounds and 2,500 payload.
All three makers vie for best fuel economy with diesel engines offerings. Chevy leads by a nose with 27 mpg versus Ram’s 26 and Ford’s 24.
When fuel economy is the least of your concerns, a battle is brewing on the “super truck” front. Like the horsepower wars of Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger, pickups are pawing the ground.
Ford innovated the segment with the Baja Desert-eating, 450-horsepower Raptor. Ram is countering in 2021 with its own prehistoric predator, the TRX (pronounced T-Rex) stuffed with a 702-horse Hellcat engine.
And where Ford and Ram are, GM can’t be far behind.
The Kentucky Derby wasn’t the only place high-performance horses were racing last weekend.
Ford’s 1,400-horsepower electric Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 drag racer squared off against its sister 1,000-horsepower V-8 Mustang Cobra Jet on Sunday at the NHRA Nationals in Indianapolis.
The Indy appearance was the battery-powered Mustang Cobra Jet’s first at a drag strip. Ford sees an electric future. And just as with fossil fuel-powered sports cars, Ford is using the race track to test the limits of electric power. Ford has also developed a racing version of its Mustang Mach E — also packing 1,400 horsepower like the dragster — to push the envelope on road race tracks.
“It was pretty cool to see the response from all the fans,” said Ford Performance Chief Mark Rushbrook, who was on hand in Indy. “People were around (the electric car) all weekend — coming up to the car looking at it, taking selfies, excited to see the technology there and especially the performance capability.”
Capitalizing on the Mustang’s storied reputation for performance, Ford is launching a Mustang sub-brand headlined by the Mach E, the first electric Mustang SUV. It will go on sale later this year.
Indianapolis featured the first exhibition match-race for the two Cobra Jet dragsters in front of a national TV audience (and socially distanced grandstands) at the Super Bowl of drag racing, the NHRA Mello Yello Series Denso U.S. Nationals. The electric dragster’s battery powers four electric motors that make 1,100 pound feet of torque. The conventional Cobra Jet is motivated by a 5.2-liter supercharged V-8.
Dressed in matching white livery with gold cobras painted on the doors, the two cars lit up the Lucas Oil Raceway strip. NHRA Funny Car driver Bob Tasca III was behind the controls of the all-electric Cobra Jet 1400, while former NHRA Funny Car driver Tony Pedregon piloted the V-8 Cobra Jet.
Tasca popped a wheelie in the EV pony off the line, and Pedregon crossed the quarter-mile line first in 8.797 seconds at 158.26 mph. Tasca was just behind him at 8.826 seconds and 156.81 mph.
The e-dragster’s time was just off tests that clocked the car at 8.27 seconds at 168 mph. The gas-powered Cobra Jet has competed in NHRA for years against competition from Chevy and Dodge and holds the NHRA Factory stock quarter-mile record of 7.7 seconds at 176 mph.
Rushbrook said Ford and NHRA are in talks about bringing electric drag-racing to the sport. “NHRA is open to discussing the right classes,” he said. “We will include other manufacturers in those discussions… so that we can compete against Chevy or Dodge or Toyota. We’d love to have Tesla come and race with us, too.”
Rushbrook said there is lots more to learn about the electric monster’s capabilities.
“It’s been a great but challenging project for all of us at Ford Performance,” said Rushbrook. “We are very interested in continuing to work with NHRA to determine how electrification can be part of the sport and to show off the Cobra Jet 1400 at max power in due course as regulations develop.”
Instant electric torque off the line has already made Tesla a legend among amateur drag racers. YouTube is full of videos of Model S sedans disappearing from V-8 production muscle cars like the Mustang and Dodge Hellcat.
But the Cobra Jet face-off was the first chance to see the professionals go at it in cars made exclusively for the dragstrip. The silent launch of the Cobra Jet 1400 was in striking contrast to the earth-shaking supercharged V-8 Cobra Jet.
At the top end of the sport, nitro-guzzling Top Fuel dragsters make spectator eyes water as they rocket down the strip at 320 mph.
“Drag racing has always been where Detroit proves its most advanced powertrains,” said NHRA chief development officer Brad Gerber. “The U.S. Nationals is the sport’s quintessential stage for reaching enthusiasts wanting a glimpse at the future technology of performance vehicles.”
Look for the Mustang Cobra Jets to square off again at NHRA’s Gainesville, Florida event the weekend of Sept. 25-27.
If you’ve been on Mars for the last few years, you may be disoriented when you see what’s happened to America. No, I’m not talking about the coronavirus pandemic and urban riots; I’m talking about Buick’s lineup.
America’s once-stodgy sedan brand has been transformed into a stable of hip SUVs.
Buick’s “mistaken identity” ads featuring utes like the Envision and Enclave were the most watched car ads of 2019, and “That’s not a Buick!” has become an American catchphrase. I’m not making this up.
To convince you the world has gone mad, let’s unpack the name of this week’s tester, the 2020 Buick Encore GX ST.
It’s the bigger brother of the Encore — Buick’s pioneering 2013 subcompact SUV. Yes, I just used Buick and pioneering and subcompact in the same sentence. Polling rock-bottom in brand identity and desperate for attention, GM let Buick’s product team off the leash to create a segment-busting, entry-level, cuddly SUV. Consumers adored the little pup.
Hitting the SUV craze in full stride, Encores flew out of the pet shop, selling 102,000 copies last year. That’s more than the Honda HR-V, for goodness sake. It also brought in new buyers to the brand who could move on to Buick’s other crossover offerings, the Buick Envision and three-row Enclave.
Buick decided to milk the Encore’s success with the Encore GX (for Grand Crossover). In Encore’s pioneering spirit, the Encore GX is one of the first subcompact-plus SUVs, shoehorned between the subcompact and compact spaces. Yeah, I’d like a new name, too, to avoid confusion. But Buick’s marketers figure they have a good thing going.
Other than its surname, Encore GX shares nothing with little-bro Encore. It’s on a longer front-wheel-drive platform, offers all-wheel drive and is more space-comparable to a compact — yet isn’t as doughty-looking as the more expensive Envision.
And just to remind you that it’s a luxury car, the Encore GX comes complete with an alphanumeric alphabet soup designation like the ST (for Sport Touring) tacked onto the end of the name. It’s right up there with the Mercedes GLA 63 GT mouthful.
So successful is Buick’s SUV transformation that it’s quietly killed off its last remaining sedans, the Regal and Regal Tour X Wagon. They were my favorite Buicks with their hatchback utility and sleek lines. Carrying on their sex appeal, my Encore GX ST was smeared with alluring red lipstick in the grille and a peppy 155-horse turbo-3 cylinder.
That’s not a typo. I said three-cylinder in an SUV.
Engineers are doing marvelous things with three-bangers these days, and I have mourned the passing of the Ford Fiesta and its “Godzilla-in-a-box” 1.0-liter turbo-3. It was a joy to drive while returning 35 mpg. The Encore GX’s 3 isn’t so sippy (just 28 mpg), but when mated to GM’s state-of-the-art 9-speed tranny it is plenty zippy.
Trouble is, while Buick was re-inventing itself, so was the competition. Lunging out of the subcompact-plus starting gates with the $25,095 Encore GX are two more SUVs from premium mainstream brands: the $23,110 Kia Seltos and Mazda CX-30.
Both offer even more powerful engines: the 175-horse turbo-4 in the Seltos, the 186-horse 2.5-liter 4-cylinder in the Mazda — while returning comparable 27-mpg fuel economy.
More important, they expose GM’s persistent refusal to standardize technology (a miss most glaring in the $78,000 Chevy Silverado I recently tested that neglected adaptive-cruise control). Adaptive-cruise and blind-spot assist — two essentials on Mrs. Payne’s shopping list — are standard in both the Kia and Mazda for hundreds of dollars less than the Buick.
Some buyers will balk at the Kia’s eccentric styling but not the Mazda, which (despite its lamentable wheel-arch cladding) is one of the most appealing vehicles out there. Then Mazda loads on the value.
An all-wheel-drive CX-30 (with Select trim) equipped with standard adaptive-cruise control, blind-spot assist, automatic windshield wipers and leather seating clocks in at $28,700. My front-wheel-drive Encore GX ST (in comparable Essence trim) started at $29,495 before selecting options that are standard on the CX-30.
Escape to rural roads in the Mazda, finger the paddle shifters in manual mode and it’s a fun box with tight handling and an eager drivetrain. The GX doesn’t even come with paddle shifters.
Reach behind the GX’s steering wheel and you can toggle … not shift paddles, but hidden volume and radio station controls. That’s where Buick makes its play. This is a ute for those who want that old feeling of Buick luxury in a new shell.
Cruise around Metro Detroit and the Buick adroitly soaks up bumps on our oxcart roads. The Mazda wants to squeal the tires; the Buick wants you to hear the sounds of your favorite Sirius XM station.
Cockpit features are familiar to other GM premium products. The infotainment system echoes the Chevy Corvette or Suburban SUV or Cadillac XT4, as did the posh camera mirror in my GX ST tester. There was even self-park assist, particularly useful in an SUV with yuuuge blind spots.
My favorite shared piece is the flat-folding front seat, which I first encountered in the wee Encore back in 2015 when I had knee surgery. If you’ve had leg surgery, you’ll know the difficulty of traveling in anything smaller than a Silverado pickup. But the Encore and Encore GX allow you to fold the front seat flat so I could easily use it as an ottoman from the back seat.
A more common use would be for toboggans that I used to take to Michigan’s snowy hillocks with my kids. GM’s clever engineers have chosen the right side for the 60 percent split in the 60-40 rear seat so it aligns with the front passenger seat — opening a cavernous aisle from rear hatch to front glovebox (with the front and rear seats flattened).
Three long sleds slot in there nicely.
Of course, if you’re heading out in the snow much, you might prefer the all-wheel-drive option of the Encore GX which gets you into even pricier territory, some $5,000 north of the comparably equipped Mazda. That’s the downside. But just the idea of a young family taking the kids to the slopes in a hip Encore GX ST SUV tells you how much this brand has changed in the last few years.
Welcome back from Mars. 2020 is one weird scene, man.
2020 Buick Encore GX
Vehicle type: Front-engine, front- and all-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV
Price: $25,095, including $995 destination fee ($34,115 front-wheel-drive Essence ST as tested)
Powerplant: 1.2-liter turbo-3 cylinder or 1.3-liter turbo-3
Power: 137 horsepower, 162 pound-feet of torque; 155 horsepower, 174 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 9.3 seconds (Car and Driver)
The long-awaited Jeep Grand Wagoneer SUV is coming back, and that’s not the off-road brand’s only new offering.
The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in that debuted Thursday is a greener, more-premium version of the brand’s iconic dirt-kicker. Just as the Grand Wagoneer offers a teak-trimmed alternative to gold-plated Range Rovers, the 4xe is aimed at the lifestyles of the rich and adventurous.
The Wrangler 4xe will mate twin electric motors to a 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder gasoline engine for a combined 375 horsepower and stump-pulling 470 pound-feet of torque. The system claims about 400 miles of hybrid range with a towing capability of up to 3,500 pounds. The 4xe will get a claimed 25 miles on its 17-kWh battery alone.
Offered only in upscale 4xe, Sahara and Rubicon trims, the Wrangler 4xe will start well north of the standard $29,790 Wrangler. Gas-powered Rubicon and Sahara trims start at about $40,000 and fully loaded models can push $60,000. Expect 4xe models to climb even higher. Prices will be announced as the 4xe comes to market in the US, Europe and China next year.
Just as Wrangler defines Jeep’s off-road ethic, so will the 4xe wear a green halo. It will lead a Jeep march of 30 electrified vehicles in the next few years as manufacturers strain to meet stringent government emissions mandates. At the premium end of the market where sleek EVs like the Tesla Model Y have gained traction, the 4xe plug-in offers a rugged choice without range anxiety..
Electric Blue will be the 4xe’s signature.
The unique color will trace Jeep badges as well as the Rubicon name on the hood. Electric Blue Rubicon tow hooks stand out against black bumpers. Inside, Electric Blue stitching highlights seats and trim in the 4xe Rubicon.
The Wrangler 4xe is armed for the Outback with a ladder frame, trail-rated gear, solid front and rear axles, full-time 4×4 two-speed transfer case, articulating suspension and 30 inches of water-fording capability (with the battery sealed under the rear seat to prevent damage).
Buttons left of the steering wheel control three modes of its “E Selec” energy-storage system.
eSave: Saves the battery for pure-EV off-roading or in urban areas (like European cities) were gas engines are banned.
Electric: The Wrangler operates on battery alone until the powertrain reaches minimum charge or the driver’s heavy right foot requests more torque (such as wide-open throttle) from the gas engine.
Hybrid: The default hybrid mode combines the 2.0-liter engine and electric motors.
Jeep promises that treacherous off-road maneuvers will be smoother in eSave mode using the vehicle’s torquey electric motors.
“The Wrangler 4xe offers a more precise off-road driving experience with no traditional transmission torque converter,” said Wrangler engineer Mike Weissich. Translation: The electric motors smoothly apply torque as opposed to a gas engine where the driver has to rev the engine to roll over rocky terrain.
Credit a new motor generator, replacing the conventional generator, that spins the engine for nearly seamless, fuel-saving start-stop operation and generates electricity for the battery pack. A second generator is mounted at the front of the transmission case, replacing the conventional torque converter of an automatic transmission.
Typical of electrified vehicles, the 4xe regenerates the battery when the driver uses the brakes. The blue Wrangler amps up that capability with a “Max Regen” feature which applies more assertive regenerative braking calibration when the vehicle detects the driver’s foot is completely off the throttle.
Whether drivers paying $60,000 for an SUV will want to risk off-road scratches is an open question. But if they just want to use the 25 miles EV range around town, the battery will fully recharge in about 12 hours on a standard household outlet.
The modern car is a technological wonder. Quiet, connected and smooth, it’s the rolling equivalent of a soothing, electronic pop song.
But sometimes I get nostalgic for a raspy rocker with a string guitar.
I was reminded of that feeling as I flogged a 1984 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI around the hills of Oakland County this summer. The Rabbit GTI (and its sedan stablemate Jetta GLI) are the 1980s ancestors of the all-new Golf GTI/Jetta GLI — performance versions of the German brand’s entry-level hatchback/sedan.
I had a chance to compare 36 years of progress when I tested a roomy, high-tech 2020 Jetta GLI recently as well. It’s not a hatchback, but the GLI sedan is otherwise the 2020 Golf GTI’s twin making it suitable for this week’s comparo. It shares the Golf GTI’s 228-horsepower engine, chassis and suspension, giving them serious punch over the base 147-horse Jetta/Golf.
The ’84 Rabbit GTI, of course, was the original pocket rocket, coming to our shores in 1983. The second generation of the car adopted the Golf name in 1986.
The 1984 GTI was the first car I ever owned. It was a hoot. And a revelation.
Taking a compact car and stuffing it with a performance engine, the Rabbit GTI was the automotive equivalent of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It was affordable, seated four — yet could instantly transform into a Tasmanian Devil picking on luxury cars twice its price. The V-dub inspired a revolution of pocket rocket including the Mazda3 Speed, Ford Focus ST and Honda Civic Si.
Getting behind the wheel of the ol’ ’84 with its hot red interior (VW keeps it in its Virginia heritage collection, occasionally letting it off its chain to play with journalists) brought the memories rushing back.
The Rabbit GTI was my post-college daily driver. I flogged it for hours from my Charleston, West Virginia, home to court the future Mrs. Payne in St. Louis. On the odd weekend, I would ring its neck at a local autocross. We bonded.
We even shared some hillbilly DNA, as Rabbit (and sibling Jetta) body stampings were made in Charleston before shipment to Westmoreland, Pennsylvania, for assembly. The Pennsylvania factory — which punched out VWs from 1978-87 — was the first modern foreign “transplant” in the USA, to be followed by Honda and others.
The ’84 GTI still felt relevant. It was the second historic VW I’d driven this year — a 1964 Beetle.
But the Bug felt like a museum piece, like an old-fashioned typewriter. For sure, the Rabbit GTI lacked the technological wizardry that makes the Jetta so much more livable today. But I didn’t feel like I’d be blown off the road by a passing Chevy Suburban as I did in the (72 mph top speed) Beetle.
Not that the Rabbit GTI was a Brink’s armored truck.
Tipping the scales at just 2,100 pounds, it is remarkably lighter than its 3,200-pound Jetta GLI and Golf GTI successors. Credit that difference not just to more technology, safety systems and sound insulation, but to simple dimensions. The Jetta GLI wheelbase is 105 inches compared to the 95-inch Rabbit.
Today’s compact cars have gotten fatter, just like its drivers.
I had to stuffed into the Rabbit while the Jetta was a Barcalounger by comparison. But that also means the Rabbit felt whip-quick. Its 90-horsepower 1.8-liter four-banger seems puny by today’s standards, but so does its one-ton weight.
With an intuitive 5-speed manual, the GTI was a treat to drive fast. Adding to the fun was a bratty engine note that rewarded hard driving. The GTI is a VW icon, its square shape and red highlights as recognizable as the Beetle’s bulbous profile and round headlights. I got more than a few thumbs-up from motorheads as I sped around town.
Four decades on, the current Jetta GLI has a more establishment feel.
In addition to its size, Jetta is loaded with safety and tech features that would have seemed out of a sci-fi novel in 1984: blind-spot assist, auto rain-sense wipers, anti-lock brakes, automatic windows, rear camera, automatic headlights, push-button start, heated seats and Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity are standard for just $26,890. As is a 10-color, LED ambient lighting system that changes depending on which Drive Mode you’re in (Eco, Normal or Sport).
Yes, the 21st-century car is a marvel of electronic advances. But Jetta GLI is hardly a numbing experience. Ford may have dropped out of the pocket-rocket race when it ditched the Focus, but the Honda Civic Si and Hyundai Veloster N are serious segment challengers. Jetta GLI (and brother GTI) are up to the challenge.
GLI’s 228 horsepower is 150% more than my ol’ Rabbit GTI, more than making up for its increased heft. Power-to-weight ratio in the Jetta is 1:12 compared to Rabbit’s 1:23. Combine that with a whopping 258-pound feet of torque, and the turbocharged, 2.0-liter Jetta GLI flat-out goes.
A limited-slip differential up front assures stability, so I could really keep my foot on this beast out of corners.
Establishment it may be (check out the conservative black interior), but GLI is true to the GTI’s original mission as a driver’s car. In addition to the expected power, Jetta GLI has a manual transmission option. The shifter is one of the best in the business with its notchy throws. It even adds a sixth gear over the ’84 model, enabling 32 mpg highway compared to the Rabbit’s 26 mpg.
Readers of this column know my preference is for the hot-hatch GTI (just as in 1984) over the GLI sedan — but the GLI’s $1,800 cheaper sticker price can’t be ignored.
When I sold my Rabbit GTI in the early ’90s it was starting to rust along the rocker panels. Modern, galvanized steel steeds like the Jetta are better protected, adding to the GLI’s more robust feel. And yet. …
There was no denying the GTI’s personality. Like a favorite raspy rocker’s soundtrack, the loud GTI left me with a lot of memories.
That’s the challenge of selling modern cars in the electronic age. Jetta GLI has its predecessor’s performance appeal, but will you remember it in 30 years?
Pontiac – M1 Concourse planted the seeds Tuesday to make Pontiac a major auto events destination.
The private car club attracted a who’s-who of Oakland County dignitaries for the ground-breaking of its event center and restaurant. Scheduled to open in September 2021 ahead of M1 Concourse’s inaugural American Festival of Speed auto exposition, the 28,500-square-foot center will contain a ballroom, large events space and two-story restaurant aimed at hosting major events as well as daily patrons. It will offer public access to the facility and its race track.
“We believe this is going to be the new hub of all things automotive,” said M1 CEO Jordan Zoltoff in an interview. “We like to say we’re going to be the Dream Cruise every day.”
He was flanked at the ceremony by Pontiac Mayor Dierdre Waterman, Oakland County Executive David Coulter and Oakland Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
“There are a lot of firsts here in Pontiac right now,” said Waterman, ticking off recent business commitments by Amazon and United Shore mortgage company. “And Pontiac is taking its rightful place as the home of the largest sports enthusiast facility in the world.”
Located at the southeast corner of M1’s 87-acre campus, the event center will have views of the facility’s centerpiece 1.5-mile Champion Motor Speedway. The center will have separate, public entrances distinct from the garages that house M1’s private club members.
M1 is located at the corner of Woodward and South Boulevard, just north of St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital.
The model is similar to high-profile private golf clubs like Oakland Hills and Detroit Golf Club that have played host to major golf tournaments. M1 swaps out the golf course for a race track. The event center is part of the facility’s long-term plan to be a private auto playground as well as a catalyst for change in Pontiac.
“We are breaking ground on something we have dreamed about for four years,” said M1 Concourse member Tom McDonald who drives a Porsche Speedster. He was one of a number of M1 members attending the ground-breaking who were enthusiastic about the facility’s larger commitment to making Pontiac shine.
“M1 is all about the Pontiac community. Pontiac is the next place besides Detroit that is natural for rehabilitation,” said Tim Hartge, CEO of the Pontiac Motorsports Exposition that will run the Festival of Speed. “Woodward Avenue connects them both. There is no reason not to see an a resurgence for both Detroit and Pontiac.”
Zlotoff said that his development team visited other private auto clubs around the country for ideas including Autobahn outside Chicago, Monticello west of New York City, and Spring Mountain in Nevada.
“The big difference between M1 and other motorsports facilities is we’re so close to not only the core metropolitan area, but also all the Motor City automotive activity that occurs here,” said Zlotoff. “We’re really catering to corporate clientele, whether it’s the (big auto companies) or tier one suppliers to do marketing events and VIP experiences.”
Zlotoff emphasized in particular the advantages of offering fine dining in the major metro area.
“We can have on-site dining facility that probably isn’t viable at other tracks just because they don’t have enough people coming through,” he continued. “We believe this is going to be a really desirable place to hang out and socialize.”
The two-story restaurant will be open seven days a week, feature indoor and outdoor patio seating, two full-service bars, and an upper level deck overlooking Champion Motor Speedway’s sweeping Turn 10B. A sealed cigar lounge is planned. M1 plans to announce a restaurant partner soon.
The event center’s grand opening will dovetail with Hartge’s inaugural American Festival of Speed next September. Modeled on the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England, M1’s auto-palooza hopes to rival the Detroit Auto Show as Michigan’s premier enthusiast expo with historic cars, point-to-point races, even new car reveals.
M1, located on a former General Motors manufacturing facility, has already attracted national attention.
“My friend Jay Leno called and wanted to film an episode of ‘Jay Leno’s Garage’ in Detroit. I told to come to M1 Concourse. It’s cool,” said Bouchard.
In addition to Leno’s show, M1 has played host to public events including cars and coffee car gatherings, open track days, and Roadkill Nights drag races presented by Dodge (the latter was canceled this year due to coronavirus concerns).
Construction of the auto club’s final phase-four garages is already underway just west of the Event Center’s location. Upon its completion next spring, phase four will round out the 253 private garage/condos that are home to M1’s enthusiasts and their toys.
A map released with the event center site plan includes a go-kart track behind the event center.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Car buyers want dashboard cameras on their next new vehicle more than any other feature, even though only a couple of automakers have started to offer them.
In an age when cellphones and doorbell cameras are nearly ubiquitous, about 70% of car buyers in AutoPacific’s annual Future Attribute Demand Study say an on-dash video camera is a must-have for recording on-road incidents — or just keeping watch over their parked cars.
While aftermarket dash cams are available starting at about $100, Silicon Valley-based luxury automaker Tesla Inc. is the only manufacturer that builds them standard into their vehicles. Cadillac is rolling out its Surround Vision Recorder as a feature on its CT5, XT4, XT5, XT6 and coming 2021 Escalade. A Performance Data Recorder is ready for duty on upper trims of the Chevy Corvette and Camaro.
I’ve been using my Tesla Model 3’s Dashcam system on the road … and when I’m away from the car.
In typical Tesla style, the Dashcam software was released as part of a model-wide over-the-air system update nearly two years ago. The software allows the cameras in Tesla’s Autopilot system to capture video on a USB drive. Incremental upgrades followed with a significant update this year allowing owners to view video footage on the big 15-inch console screen.
“Features that promote safety, whether through improved driver visibility or collision avoidance, have been trending upward in AutoPacific’s Future Attribute Demand research for the past few years,” said Deborah Grieb, a research analyst for the automotive marketing research and product-consulting firm.
Comfort and convenience items have traditionally topped the list, and five years ago the top two choices were power driver’s seats and heated seats.
This year, safety features like dash cams and air bags surged to the top of the list with convenience features such as head-up display and over-the-air software updates just behind.
“Consumers have experienced an influx of personal video in social and news media in recent years and are very familiar with the potential security benefits of camera footage,” Grieb said. “It’s really not surprising to see such high interest in an in-vehicle recording device.”
Dashcam uses four of my Model 3’s eight navigation cameras — front, rear and both sides — to monitor surroundings. With flash drive inserted, Dashcam will automatically turn on when I enter the car, its camera avatar glowing red at the top right of the console screen.
I have not been in any accidents, so I have no horrific video to share. But Tesla Dashcam videos of various incidents are popular on the web, drawing hundreds of thousands of views.
If desired, you can replay your recent journeys, the four cameras capturing multiple views. Did you see that sky-blue Chevy Bel Air ahead of me on Woodward? The Mustang I out-dragged at a stoplight? Want to see what it’s like to hustle through the twisted roads of Hell, Michigan?
Dashcam will record your every move for 60 minutes and then begin again, writing over previously footage.
The horn can be programmed to save the last 10 minutes of video. Which is logical, since hitting the horn usually means trouble or imminent contact. Honk! Incident saved to show the officer it wasn’t your fault.
Or in the event you’ve witnessed something, tap the camera icon to save the clip.
For now, the main competition in dash cams is in the aftermarket. For $100-$400 (before installation), you can get some seriously capable dash cams from companies like Garmin, Blackvue and Vantrue that offer widescreen video and voice commands, and can be accessed via your mobile phone.
Dashboard cameras were a $3 billion industry in 2019, according to Grand View Research in San Francisco, with expected strong growth in North America over the next decade.
Tesla’s operator’s manual is in the screen (like everything else in this space-age car), so it’s easy to follow the detailed setup instructions.
When I’m away from the car, I put the Tesla into Sentry Mode, which keeps an eye on things when I can’t. Unlike a doorbell camera, Tesla’s Sentry Mode doesn’t allow video footage to be viewed remotely via phone app. Videos can be watched later on the console screen, or by transferring them to a computer with a flash drive.
I particularly like using Sentry Mode in tight parking places, should someone open their door on me.
Sentry Mode operates in three escalating states.
Standby: In its default state, Sentry Mode constantly monitors the area surrounding my Model 3 for possible security threats.
Alert: If Sentry Mode detects a threat — say, someone leaning on the vehicle or trying its door handle — Sentry Mode switches to the Alert state. Headlights flash and a big red digital eyeball appears on the center screen with the word “RECORDING” next to it to alert passersby.
Alarm: An intrusive action such as someone breaking a window triggers Sentry Mode’s Alarm state. A security alarm activates and the audio system makes a loud sound. And at this point Sentry mode does engage your mobile phone, sending an alert to let you know there’s trouble. Tesla says the alarm will sound for 30 seconds.
Fortunately, Sentry Mode hasn’t had cause to disturb me.
But the videos it takes are interesting viewing when I return to the car. By touching the Dashcam icon and selecting “Launch Viewer,” I can watch footage of activity around my car from each of the four cameras. I can pause and rewind.
Tesla’s Dashcam is on the cutting edge of consumer tastes. And the best part is, no assembly required.
General Motors is moving its Corvette engineering all-stars into its autonomous and electric vehicle programs, a move intended to give a jolt to the automaker’s commitment to an all-electric future.
The move is more than a shuffling of corporate chairs.
Headed by Tadge Juechter, the Corvette squad employs some of the company’s top engineering talent. In particular, the team knows how to push the envelope of vehicle performance — a capability GM is determined to bring to its fast-growing electric portfolio.
“GM is committed to a zero crashes, zero emissions and zero congestion future,” Juechter, who is executive chief engineer for Global Corvette, said in an exclusive interview. “But we are also committed to vehicles that give a transportation experience. How do you make EVs a joyful experience when you remove the internal combustion engine and transmission options? We will work to bring that passion into the EV space.”
GM’s automotive product development is essentially housed under two umbrellas: Global Products Programs include internal combustion-engine vehicle lines from trucks to cars as well as engines and transmissions; that’s where the Corvette team has operated. Then there’s Autonomous and Electric Vehicle Programs which oversee development of EVs in brands as diverse as Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC; that’s where the Corvette team is headed.
While not divulging future products, Juechter said his team will look to influence a new breed of performance electric stallions across GM’s portfolio. The automaker has already touted the capabilities of forthcoming products like the electric GMC Hummer which promises neck-snapping zero-60 mph acceleration in 3 seconds.
Juecheter hinted there’s more like that to come.
“We want to develop bespoke BEVs (battery-electric vehicles) that are a companion car to the Corvette in the garage,” said Juechter. “People have asked us questions like: ‘Why don’t you make a Corvette SUV?’ We want to create interesting BEVs that have a lot of driving cred.”
Juechter was quick to point out that the move will not compromise his team’s commitment to the fire-breathing mid-engine Corvette C8 introduced this year to rave reviews.
“Is this the end of V-8s for us? No,” said Juechter. “The V-8 powertrain plan for the Corvette will remain in its entirety.”
The 2020 C8 is the first Corvette to put the engine behind the driver, giving it performance on par with European supercars costing four times as much. In addition to the base 495-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8-powered Corvette, The News has previously reported that higher trims will get Corvette’s first overhead-cam V-8 — a high-revving 5.5-liter engine that motivates the Corvette C8.R race car
The News has also reported that the C8 will be electrified. A top-trim Zora model is expected mid-decade with an electric motor up front mated to a twin-turbo version of the 5.5-liter engine to create a combined 1,000 horsepower.
Juechter would not confirm any future Corvette models, but the team’s move is sure to fuel rumors of an all-electric Corvette. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden caused a stir earlier this month when he said he’s been told of a coming Corvette EV.
Juechter says that he has evolved into an electric believer.
“I have become more enamored with electrification over time,” he said. “Much of my life has been devoted to internal combustion engines. But the evolution to electric vehicles has to happen. You can either stand by or be a part of it. There are impressive things being done with electrification, and I am a passionate believer in the environment.”
There will be a a lot of automotive passion on the Autonomous and Electric Vehicle team.
Juechter will be reunited with Ken Morris, who recently left as Global Products Program boss to head Autonomous and Electric. The two motorheads have bonded before on vehicle development. Morris has been known to join the engineering wizards at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds to test their high-performance monsters.
“I’m excited to be putting the team that redefined supercar performance, design and attainability in key roles to help us integrate and execute our EVs to those same high standards,” Morris said in a statement.
Corvette until now was largely in its own silo (along with Camaro) on the internal-combustion side of the business. “Corvette shared the least with the rest of the portfolio,” Juechter said.
His group is expected to have a greater influence over the battery-electric side. As evidence is the promotion of one of Juechter’s top Corvette engineers, Ed Piatek, to a new role as chief engineer of future EV products. Corvette Chief Program Engineer Josh Holder will fill Piatek’s shoes as chief engineer for Global Corvette.
“We have to think long-term,” said Juechter. “What can I do to help the environment, but not lose the thrill of driving?”
Coming to a dealership near you: “Spawn of Tesla.”
America’s best-selling luxury electric automaker has inspired a wave of competitors from legacy rivals. The Ford Mustang Mach-E has its sights set on the Tesla Model Y. The Jaguar iPace targets the Model S. The Audi eTron takes on the Model X.
And now, the best-selling Model 3 finally has its first direct competitor, the Polestar 2.
But where Tesla tore up the rulebook on how to make an all-electric car, Polestar parent Volvo hopes to attract customers with more familiar features.
Flogging the Models 2 and 3 across the twisties of Hell, Michigan, I marveled at how Tesla has transformed green-car expectations over early market entries like the Nissan Leaf. Tree huggers? These athletes are road huggers. Like the Model 3, the Polestar 2 has nearly 80 kWh of battery in its belly and loves to attack apexes. Hustling along two-lane North Territorial Road in the Polestar, I encountered a sleepy Audi A7.
Mash throttle. Zot! I was by him on a wave of electric torque.
Polestar may be an electric startup, but it sprung from the bosom of a 93-year-old Swedish car company — not a mad genius entrepreneur in Silicon Valley. Legacy breeds conservatism.
The Model 3 shocked us with a spare cockpit anchored by a single 15-inch screen. All controls are in the screen, save two multi-purpose buttons on the steering wheel. Open the glovebox? It’s in the screen. Windshield wipers? In the screen.
Polestar 2, by contrast, modernizes Volvo’s familiar cockpit with a vertical, 12-inch screen. Adaptive cruise-control is controlled via traditional buttons on the steering wheel. An instrument display is behind it. The glove box is opened with a button. The wipers are operated by a stalk.
Given its more conservative nature, I doubt Polestar will sway the Tesla cult. Compared to hyper-growth Tesla, Polestar is suitably modest with its early sales projections. But it foretells a future of Tesla-like luxury vehicles.
Tesla is to cars what Apple was to smartphones. Its big screen revolutionized interiors. Its operating system set a new bar for electronics.
Think of Polestar as Android OS to Tesla’s Apple. Indeed, Android is at the heart of the Polestar experience.
Tesla follows Apple’s vertically integrated business model from battery production to its own operating system. Polestar is horizontal, contracting batteries to LG Chem and operating system to Android.
Polestar is the first to use Android OS in a car. Forget screen-mirroring your phone with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Polestar’s Android system is the real deal — a smartphone on wheels like Tesla.
“Hey, Google,” I barked at the car, just as I would my Android phone. The big screen awoke; familiar, multi-color Google bubbles awaited my command.
“Navigate to Hell, Michigan.”
The screen immediately plotted a course for Hell’s playground (from my Ypsilanti starting point). Android voice-recognition and ease-of-use put parent Volvo’s in-house OS (I recently used in a Volvo S60) to shame.
The Polestar 2 will naturally attract Volvo customers with its familiar Thor’s-hammer headlights, crisp styling and safety systems. They will also appreciate its hatchback – opening more useful cargo space than the Model 3’s standard trunk (the Polestar shares a platform with the Volvo VC40 SUV). And they will be impressed by the Android system – a big leap over Volvo’s fussy system.
The revelation extends to the digital, configurable instrument display which takes a page from Audi’s playbook by duplicating your map route in the instrument display as well as console screen. Some Tesla buyers will prefer it to glancing sideways at a center screen.
But, to my surprise, the Android system otherwise mimics Tesla. Take AM radio, for example.
Tesla doesn’t have it. Why? I’ve never received a straight answer. “Because AM is so 15 minutes ago. No one uses it in California,” a Teslaphile once told me. Really?
Leave it to Polestar engineers to explain. Electric motors interfere with the AM signal, one told to me, because they have similar frequencies. So Polestar doesn’t offer AM either. Over time (like my Model 3) digital options should become available.
As will Sirius XM, another feature Polestar — and Tesla — don’t offer. Both EVs, however, do offer Spotify, and it’s slick.
“Play U2,” I said to my friendly Google Assistant.
A list of U2 songs populated the screen.
Not as friendly is Polestar 2’s range, where it runs head-on into Tesla’s secret sauce: charging infrastructure.
My Polestar returned 73% of expected battery range (73 miles on the road took 100 miles off the battery) in my spirited outing to Hell and back. My Model 3 has returned similar numbers. But the Tesla’s mighty 80-kWh battery boasts 325 miles of range versus Volvo’s expected 270 (when EPA finalizes numbers next month).
That matters when traveling to, say, Traverse City, 250 miles from Ypsi.
“Navigate to Traverse City,” I barked.
“Out of battery range,” replied Google, noting I had just 100 miles of battery range left. “Add a charging stop.”
The first available stop was, um, a slow, 240-volt ChargePoint station. The map even put the word “Slow” next to it. I’m not making this up.
As with other key components, Polestar relies on third parties for charging. Companies like ChargePoint, EVGo and Electrify America. Which means you’ll need to research on your own whether you can get to Traverse City. Ask Tesla how to navigate there and it’ll map your course, including at which 150-kW fast-chargers to stop.
Polestar depends on Electrify America for fast-charging (like every other EV-maker not named Tesla) — and they haven’t a single supercharger north of Lansing. Tesla has eight.
Translation: Polestar owners will take their Volvo XC90 SUV up north. The Polestar 2 is a city vehicle.
Polestar is also conservative when it comes to self-driving. For an extra $8,000, Tesla offers you the world’s best autonomous capability. Automatic lane changes. Hands-free driving. Stoplight recognition (really, it just arrived in the latest over-the-air update). Polestar is content to give you Volvo’s adaptive cruise-control.
For many drivers that is enough. They don’t want to be a part of Elon Musk’s beta experiments.
Unlike Tesla’s mad rush to world domination (it was America’s best-selling luxury car last year), Polestar is starting as conservative as its styling. The 2 is offered as a top-trim, all-wheel drive model at $61,200 — add $5,000 for the Performance option like my $66,200 tester.
That’s about $5,000 more expensive than an equivalent Model 3 Performance model. The good news: New spawn Polestar still qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
2021 Polestar 2
Vehicle type: All-wheel drive, five-passenger electric hatchback
Price: $61,200, including $1,300 destination fee ($66,200 Performance model as tested)
Powerplant: 78-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mated to dual electric motors
Power: 408 horsepower, 487 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.5 seconds (Performance model as tested); top speed, 125 mph
Weight: 4,680 pounds
Range: EPA number pending. Estimated: 270 miles (as tested: 73 miles traveled took 100 miles off the battery)
Report card
Highs: Familiar Android OS; hatchback
Lows: Conservative styling; lacks Tesla charger network
As General Motors revs up its electric vehicles offensive with high-priced, high-style vehicles like the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV, it’s not forgetting about cheaper entries.
The $37,495 Chevy Bolt EV hatchback will get a refresh next year – and a bigger SUV brother, the Bolt EUV.
Chevy teased the two vehicles in a video Wednesday showing subtle changes in the EUV’s belt and roofline as it morphed from the familiar Bolt EV profile. The EUV loses the Bolt EV’s big A-pillar quarter window, while gaining a more dramatic “floating roof” at the C-pillar.
In addition to its bigger proportions, the Bolt EUV will be the first Chevrolet equipped with Super Cruise, GM’s cutting-edge self-driving technology first introduced in the Cadillac CT6. GM plans 22 vehicles with Super Cruise by 2023, including 10 by next year.
Both Bolts will go into production in summer 2021 as 2022 models.
Based on the same platform as the Bolt EV (which was introduced in 2017), the EUV and Bolt EV will not have GM’s latest, BEV3 platform that under-girds the Lyriq and Hummer. That platform features the 300-plus mile range Ultium battery.
But the EUV may exceed the Bolt EV’s 259 miles of range if it uses its longer size to stuff in more battery. Motor Trend reports that the EUV wheelbase is stretched 3 inches for more interior space and 5-6 inches overall.
Expect the EUV to be front-wheel-drive like the Bolt EV. And expect a starting price in the low-$40,000 range as Bolt EUV competes agianst other mid-price entries like the Telsa Model Y and Ford Mustang Mach E.
Both Bolts will be built at the Orion Assembly plant.
The subcompact Cadillac CT4 and compact CT5 may have gone down market compared to the, respectively, compact ATS and mid-size CTS they replace. But their performance variants promise to be just as potent.
Both cars will get the same carbon fiber-trimmed, sport steering wheel and V-mode performance capability. But the big headliner is the CT5-V Blackwing will get the same, 200 mph, manual-transmission capability as the outgoing CTS-V, one of the most ferocious sedans ever to hit the market.
The 200-mph figure — barely visible in a teaser photo’s instrument display — signals that the CT5-V Blackwing will come with the same, supercharged, 640-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 at the heart of the retired CTS-V. That 200 mph engine was also found in the last-generation, front-engine Corvette C7.
That’s good news for General Motors Co. performance fans who miss the stick shift option in the new, mid-engine Corvette C8. For the first time, Corvette has eschewed the manual in favor of a quick-shifting, dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Spy videos reported by Car and Driver have shown the Blackwings testing with similar, powerful V-8 and twin-turbo V-6 engines from the outgoing CTS-V and ATS-V. The CT4-V Blackwing version will likely get the same 464 horse, 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6 as the ATS-V it replaces.
At a surprise, on-track appearance at the 2019 Detroit Grand Prix — with GM President Mark Reuss and Global Product Vice President Ken Morris at the wheel — media onlookers noted the familiar V-8 and V-6 exhaust notes from the two fully-camouflaged cars.
Don’t be fooled by the Backwing badge.
Neither Blackwing model is expected to carry the fabled, 550-horse, twin-turbo, 4.2-liter Blackwing V-8 engine in its belly. The mill, the most advanced gas engine built by Cadillac, had a short life span in the now-defunct Cadillac CT6-V. Cadillac has since signaled that its future is electric and has devoted more resources to battery-powered drive-trains.
The Blackwing name lives on as representative of Cadillac’s pinnacle of performance.
In addition to the 200 mph Easter egg, the teaser pic reveals that the Caddies will gain state-of-the-art electronics shared with the Corvette C8. A Performance Traction Management system is located on the right of the steering wheel — and a V-mode button (which can instantly transform the car from cruiser to street hot rod) is visible on the lower left.
The CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings will be slotted above the middle-trim, V-series models. The Blackwings are aimed at Europe’s iconic BMW M, Mercedes AMG, and Audi RS Dobermans.
The mid-trim V-series models have debuted this year to warm reviews for their state-of-the-art aerodynamics and chassis tuning. The Blackwings promise to add to the formula with meatier engines will likely drive their sticker prices $30,000 north of the standard sedan models.
The standard, rear-wheel-drive CT4 starts at $33,990— well below the similarly-sized $36,490, compact ATS that it replaces — as it has moved down a segment to compete against the likes of the subcompact BMW 2-series and Audi A3. The mid-level $45,490 CT4-V makes 325 horsepower.
The CT5, currently available for sale, follows a similar path as its CT4 sibling with a starting price at $37,890 — well below the $47,990 of the CTS it replaces. The Blackwing will be priced above the $48,690 CT5-V which debuted last spring.
The mid-size CTS-V that the CT5-V Blackwing replaces started at $88,990 and could top out at over $100k as it competed against the mid-size BMW M5. Expect that price to drop as the Blackwing lines up against the compact-sized, $70,000 BMW M3.
The Blackwing athletes are due to hit dealer showrooms next summer.
When the green flag falls on the Indianapolis 500 this Sunday, it will mark the zenith of Roger Penske’s extraordinary racing career.
The Bloomfield Hills-based businessman and motorsports icon fell in love with America’s greatest race when his father took him to the track as a 14-year-old. Now 83, Penske will not only be looking to add to his record 18 Indy 500 wins as a team boss — he will be doing it as owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IndyCar series.
Penske has hardly had time to celebrate his trifecta.
The historic coronavirus epidemic threw a monkey wrench into the IndyCar series schedule. It has shut down racing for weeks and forced a rework of the schedule — including the Indy 500 that was moved to this weekend’s Aug. 23 date from its traditional Memorial Day.
“I think 2020 has been an incredibly difficult year for everyone,” said “The Captain,” as he is affectionately called, in an interview this week ahead of the big race. “Certainly, no one could have envisioned the challenges we have all faced this year. But the most important thing is we have found a way to keep moving forward.”
That relentlessly positive attitude has propelled Penske to a successful business career that includes not just the Indy jewels, but a sprawling empire that spans car dealerships, truck rentals, race engine manufacturing and supply chain management services.
At Penske Corp.’s heart, however, is a passion for racing. A passion seeded as a young teen growing up in Shaker Heights on the east side of Cleveland.
“My love for racing really began at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when my father took me to see my first Indianapolis 500 in 1951,” Penske said. “Since then, it was always a goal of mine to return to race at Indianapolis and, of course, competing at the Indianapolis 500 was the pinnacle of racing — and it still is.”
He was an amateur Sports Car Club of America racer in the early 1960s. Quick in sports cars, he earned Driver of the Year honors in 1961 and caught the eye of pro series like Formula One and NASCAR. He was even offered a rookie test at Indianapolis, but turned it down because he couldn’t get time off from his Alcoa day job — another rookie named Mario Andretti took his place instead.
Penske’s sights were set on business ownership.
“When I first began racing I really just enjoyed the competition and the challenge. … But once I got an opportunity in the automotive business through a Chevrolet dealership in Philadelphia, I knew that was going to require so much of my focus,” he said. “I made the decision to retire as a race car driver in 1965 to build the business.”
He also built a racing team, starting in 1966. The two enterprises became inseparable as the years went by, the racing providing his businesses a halo marketing profile while also reinforcing good business practices.
“Racing continues to be the common thread that runs throughout our business. Our success on the track — especially at the Indianapolis 500 — has really helped build awareness of our brand,” he said. “But beyond that, the lessons we have learned and the philosophies that have brought us success in racing have been directly applied to all areas of our business: teamwork, technology, perseverance and focus.”
A key partner is his early team endeavors was Mark Donohue — nickname, Captain Nice — a rare racing talent who also was a skilled engineer. Their success began in sports cars, then Trans Am Camaros — an SCCA class that Team Penske would dominate in the late 1960s. But their eyes were set on bigger fish.
“The Indianapolis 500 was the pinnacle of racing. We worked with our sponsors to put together a program for the 1969 Indianapolis 500 with Mark,” remembers Penske. Success was immediate.
Donohue finished seventh, winning Indy 500 Rookie of the Year honors. Just three years later, he stood atop the podium — the first of Penske’s 18 Indy wins. Penske started racing in NASCAR and the globetrotting Formula One series in the mid-1970s, an endeavor that cost Donohue his life in a tragic 1975 accident.
The Captain’s biggest successes have come at Indy. His parking spot in the paddock is #18 — in honor of the number of times he has won the 500.His winning drivers are a who’s who of Indy legends — Rick Mears (four-time winner), Al Unser, Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi, Helio Castroneves (three-time winner).
Associates who have worked for him describe a kind, driven entrepreneur with a keen eye for detail. He knows names and family details of team members right down to workers on shop floors. He attends every IndyCar race and serves as a driver race strategy manager.
The racers worship him.
“I’m very proud to know Roger, quite frankly. I think he’s a monument of racing — a monument of business in general,” Frenchman and 2019 Indy 500 winner Simon Pagenaud said. “I want to make him proud by winning. Frankly, I would like to be the driver to win his first Indy 500 as an owner of the speedway.”
Penske’s influence transcends his team. His efficient management style — even his white shirt and slacks dress code — is emulated up and down pit row.
“In the paddock, no one is more respected,” said former Car and Driver executive editor Steven Cole Smith, who covers motor racing for Autoweek and Grassroots Motorsports. “But interestingly, those who work for him don’t call him Mr. Penske. They call him Roger.”
The Indy 500 has changed dramatically over the years. Speeds have climbed from an average lap speed of 150 mph in the 1960s to over 230 mph this year. Yet perhaps nothing has altered the sport as dramatically as the coronavirus epidemic.
The racing world heralded a bold new era with Penske’s purchase of the Indy 500 and IndyCar from the Hulman family late last year. But the new boss couldn’t have had an inkling of what was to come.
The pandemic crippled the early 2020 racing season. May races at Indy and Detroit fell in quick succession, with the season not getting underway until June. The Indy 500 was rescheduled until late August, which seemed a safe bet at the time.
The season gained momentum as Wisconsin’s Elkhart Lake road course welcomed the return of thousands of fans to motorsport in July.
But a surge in national cases panicked officials, leading to the postponement of IndyCar’s Mid-Ohio race until October. Bad news for Sunday’s 500 inevitably followed: no spectators would be allowed for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Penske reacted with his trademark optimism: “The most important thing is we have found a way to keep moving forward. I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish together, and while this year’s Indianapolis 500 will certainly be different without fans in attendance, we are looking forward to putting on a great show for everyone watching on NBC.”
Says Cole Smith: “There is no better steward to pull IndyCar and IMS through this pandemic.”
Dealing with fast-changing health conditions hasn’t been Penske’s only Indy 500 challenge. As a team owner, he has watched his Chevy-powered team uncharacteristically struggle in qualifying.
His Fab Four of drivers — Pagenaud, Castroneves, reigning IndyCar champ Josef Newgarden, and Will Power — were frozen out of the top three rows of qualifying last weekend. It’s the first time that’s happened since 2002. Instead, Penske’s Honda-powered rivals dominated qualifying, with Newgarden the first Penske car on the 33-car grid in 13th.
But The Captain is not one to dwell on the past. Of past Indy winners, he confesses no single favorite. All carry special moments, he says.
His focus now is on Sunday, the next race. The next challenge.
“To me, I am always looking forward,” he said. “While I am so proud of all we have accomplished at Indianapolis, I am focused on our next opportunity to win there and that will come for us this Sunday.”
The subcompact Cadillac CT4 and compact CT5 may have gone down market compared to the, respectively, compact ATS and mid-size CTS they replace. But their performance variants promise to be just as potent.
Both cars will get the same carbon fiber-trimmed, sport steering wheel and V-mode performance capability. But the big headliner is the CT5-V Blackwing will get the same, 200 mph, manual-transmission capability as the outgoing CTS-V, one of the most ferocious sedans ever to hit the market.
The 200-mph figure — barely visible in a teaser photo’s instrument display — signals that the CT5-V Blackwing will come with the same, supercharged, 640-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 at the heart of the retired CTS-V. That 200 mph engine was also found in the last-generation, front-engine Corvette C7.
That’s good news for General Motors Co. performance fans who miss the stick shift option in the new, mid-engine Corvette C8. For the first time, Corvette has eschewed the manual in favor of a quick-shifting, dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Spy videos reported by Car and Driver have shown the Blackwings testing with similar, powerful V-8 and twin-turbo V-6 engines from the outgoing CTS-V and ATS-V. The CT4-V Blackwing version will likely get the same 464 horse, 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6 as the ATS-V it replaces.
At a surprise, on-track appearance at the 2019 Detroit Grand Prix — with GM President Mark Reuss and Global Product Vice President Ken Morris at the wheel — media onlookers noted the familiar V-8 and V-6 exhaust notes from the two fully-camouflaged cars.
Don’t be fooled by the Backwing badge.
Neither Blackwing model is expected to carry the fabled, 550-horse, twin-turbo, 4.2-liter Blackwing V-8 engine in its belly. The mill, the most advanced gas engine built by Cadillac, had a short life span in the now-defunct Cadillac CT6-V. Cadillac has since signaled that its future is electric and has devoted more resources to battery-powered drive-trains.
The Blackwing name lives on as representative of Cadillac’s pinnacle of performance.
In addition to the 200 mph Easter egg, the teaser pic reveals that the Caddies will gain state-of-the-art electronics shared with the Corvette C8. A Performance Traction Management system is located on the right of the steering wheel — and a V-mode button (which can instantly transform the car from cruiser to street hot rod) is visible on the lower left.
The CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings will be slotted above the middle-trim, V-series models. The Blackwings are aimed at Europe’s iconic BMW M, Mercedes AMG, and Audi RS Dobermans.
The mid-trim V-series models have debuted this year to warm reviews for their state-of-the-art aerodynamics and chassis tuning. The Blackwings promise to add to the formula with meatier engines will likely drive their sticker prices $30,000 north of the standard sedan models.
The standard, rear-wheel-drive CT4 starts at $33,990— well below the similarly-sized $36,490, compact ATS that it replaces — as it has moved down a segment to compete against the likes of the subcompact BMW 2-series and Audi A3. The mid-level $45,490 CT4-V makes 325 horsepower.
The CT5, currently available for sale, follows a similar path as its CT4 sibling with a starting price at $37,890 — well below the $47,990 of the CTS it replaces. The Blackwing will be priced above the $48,690 CT5-V which debuted last spring.
The mid-size CTS-V that the CT5-V Blackwing replaces started at $88,990 and could top out at over $100k as it competed against the mid-size BMW M5. Expect that price to drop as the Blackwing lines up against the compact-sized, $70,000 BMW M3.
The Blackwing athletes are due to hit dealer showrooms next summer.
In the 19th century, huge elephants would kneel to pick up Indian maharajas. These royals would ride atop their steeds in gem-flecked carriages called howdahs, decorated with gemstones. In 21st-century America we don’t have royalty.
But we have howdah-carrying elephants.They’re called Chevy Suburbans.
I picked up Mrs. Payne for a night out this summer in Chevy’s all-new 2021 model. When we arrived at the Clarkston Union Bar & Kitchen, the elephant — er, Suburban — dropped 2 inches to allow for easier egress for my 5’5” wife.
Thank an all-new air suspension, part of a comprehensive remake of one of the bowtie brand’s most beloved vehicles.
The Suburban is the stretched version of the Tahoe, the Brobdingnagian mega-utes based on the same truck platform as the mega-selling Chevy Silverado. Sister brand GMC has its own version called the Yukon, while crosstown rival Ford puts its Expedition atop the Ford F-150 platform. Like the full-size pickup market, truck-based SUVs are dominated by Detroit automakers with Suburbans, Tahoes and Expeditions ruling the road like, well, elephants.
But for 2021, the Tahoe and Suburban have taken significant steps to separate themselves from their truck kin. Silverado and Suburban badges have always suggested a difference between ranch workhorse and family transport, but now it’s more than just a name, third-row seats and a hatch.
For the first time ever, Tahoe and Suburban get more upscale independent rear suspension and unique interiors. I’ve yet to drive the Tahoe, so I’ll focus on my Suburban Z71 tester.
I am already a fan of the new Silverado, the lightest truck in class thanks to a 400-pound diet over the last generation due to shrewd multi-metal chassis engineering. Suburban inherits this chassis, then adds car-like independent rear suspension making it a joy to drive.
The smoother road ride over Metro Detroit’s ox-cart roads is welcome — but the SUV’s light weight (Suburban saves 300 pounds over the last gen) still means it’s fun to drive on-road. Pity my poor third-row passengers.
This thing is an ocean-liner, stretched another four inches over its predecessor. Second-row seats not only gain 10 inches of legroom, but the captain’s chairs slide, allowing for easy third-row seat access. The rug rats are waaay back in coach now.
Curled up in their seats, headphones on, playing their video games, they deserve a warning when dad decides to have fun in the twisties. Might I suggest an intercom system like an ocean liner?
Attention passengers: the captain is about to have a little fun.
An intercom system (I’m not kidding, actually — the Kia Telluride has one and it’s a lot shorter than the Suburban) is one of the few things missing from this technological tour de force. The other is adaptive cruise control, which GM has been notoriously reticent in offering in vehicles from the Chevy Traverse to the Corvette. ACC comes standard on my wife’s $21,395, all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza hatchback for goodness sake. And on one of my favorite SUVs, the $23,000 Mazda CX-30.
For a long-distance cruiser like the Suburban (starting at $57,795), adaptive cruise should be standard as well. Suburban doesn’t even offer it until the High Country trim, starting at the kingly sum of $77,890.
Or my $78,925 (cough) Z71 tester.
My recent $72,075 Corvette C8 ride didn’t have adaptive cruise, either. The good news is there are other Suburban features that favorably reminded me of King ’Vette — and the Cadillac CT4-V.
That’s because the interior has been comprehensively overhauled compared to Chevy and GMC Sierra pickups I’ve recently inhabited. The latter felt dated with, for example, stalk shifters and low infotainment screens. Maybe the Ford Expedition’s stylish new interior got GM’s attention.
The Suburban brings a modern electronic “trigger shifter” (a dash-mounted version similar to the Corvette). The tablet screen is mounted high on the dash — see Caddy and ’Vette — making for better visibility so I could keep my eyes on the road while accessing Chevy’s typical blizzard of tech offerings, from Sirius XM to Wi-Fi hot spot to nav system.
Forget the nav system, actually, as Suburban offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. My wife still swears by them as the best map guidance in autodom. “Go to Clarkson Union” I barked and Android Auto had it on our tablet screen in a jiffy.
Stomp the gas pedal and V-8 Corvette tunes fill the cabin. My eight-holer was of the smaller, 5.3-liter variety. Those wanting the Full-Monty, 6.2-liter V-8 ’Vette experience will have to jump (as with adaptive cruise) a rung to the High Country model.
There are a lot of rungs. Six in all as the Suburban lineup looks a bit like the endless, eight-trim Silverado — something for everyone. I like my Z71, thank you very much.
The Z71 gives the big bus a rugged, off-road swagger with blacked-out grille and nameplates complimenting its chiseled flanks and LED running lights. Royal elephants would kill for this kind of bling.
With a higher approach angle, skid plate, standard four-wheel-drive, all-terrain tires, two-speed transfer case, Hill Descent Control and red tow hooks, the Z71 elephant could credibly do support vehicle duty if you wanted to tow your ATVs to a Michigan off-road park.
Such work is usually the domain of pickups, but they cease to be passenger friendly aft of their crew cab. Stretching almost 19 feet from stem to stern, the Suburban is just shy of the 19.2-foot long Silverado with 5.8-foot bed — which means 41.5 cubic feet of storage in back for a Conestoga wagon with 550 miles of range.
And it’s covered like a Conestoga.
Inside are options galore — befitting a Chevy that can easily price out in the neighborhood of a Mercedes GLE SUV. My favorite features include the second-row captain’s chairs, which, like minivan seats, can flatten into an ottoman. I liked sitting in the third row, propping up my size 15 feet on the second-row stool and getting laptop work done while on the road.
And the center console island? It moves. Push an overhead button and the whole console slides backward, revealing a hidden drawer underneath — good for stowing valuables or just everyday items like charging cords for the two USB jacks in the back seat.
It’s one fancy carriage. Maybe they should have called it the Chevy Howdah.
2021 Chevrolet Suburban
Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear- and four-wheel drive, six-or-seven-passenger SUV
Price: $52,995, including $1,295 destination fee ($78,925 4WD Z71 trim as tested)
Powerplant: 5.3-liter V-8, 6.2-liter V-8
Power: 355 horsepower, 383 pound-feet of torque (5.3-liter); 420 horsepower, 460 pound-feet of torque (6.2-liter)
Henry Payne RSS
