Innehållsförteckning för July 2018 från MotorTrend

There is a good chance you’re one of the 100-plus million Amazon Prime customers who enjoys free shipping on products you order online. Likely you get your purchases delivered to your home or office. But what if you could get packages sent directly to the trunk of your car while at the beach or on vacation? That’s now a reality here in the U.S. Just as we went to press, General Motors and Volvo announced a program with Amazon called Amazon Key In-Car Delivery. Owners of certain Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, and Volvo vehicles who download the Amazon Key app and connect it to their car (via Volvo On Call or OnStar for GM cars) will be able to grant Amazon delivery drivers access for package drop-off. In-Car Delivery will…

ASSESSING THE UNDERLYING ENGINEERING OF THE MAKE-OR-BREAK TESLA It doesn’t take much Googling to locate alarming headlines about Tesla’s Model 3. Parts rework rates of 40 percent! Line speeds still less than half of Elon Musk’s promised rate! Never mind the hate-posting on Twitter: Stock price tumbles! Shorts pass $10 billion! Is this just a case of a niche manufacturer struggling with the transition to high-volume production, or is the Model 3’s essential engineering flawed? We’re not going to weigh in here on Tesla’s production ramp-up struggles. Rather, we’re going to dig with some folks who are highly qualified to comment on the Model 3’s product and process engineering. In other words: Is the Model 3 a well-designed car? Munro & Associates, Inc. of Auburn Hills, Michigan, is in the…

Ferrari is proud of its history of building high-performance engines, winning races with them, and winning international awards for them. These include 21 different class awards in the Britain-based International Engine of the Year Awards, including top honors for the 488 GTB’s 3.9-liter twin-turbo V-8 in 2016 and ’17. To secure a threepeat, that engine gets a big upgrade for duty in its new 488 Pista. One week after its Geneva unveiling, Ferrari invited IEOTY judges to Maranello to learn about, test drive, and assess the award-worthiness of this latest engine. It was a very good day to be an engine geek. Ferrari has added 49 horsepower and 6 lb-ft to this already high-strung engine the nerdy way: by sweating small details that improve the engine’s breathing, rotational inertia, friction,…

The boring, spacious, and slow U.S.-market Toyota Corolla sedan has a vibrant European cousin that carries none of those traits. New for 2019, the Corolla hatchback reverses traditional Corolla sedan weaknesses in a package that could change consumers’ opinions about the decades-strong nameplate, for better and worse. Known elsewhere as the Auris (and the replacement for the Corolla iM here), the 2019 Corolla hatchback is one of the most attractive cars in its segment. That pissed-off front styling you’ve seen all over the automotive universe is realized effectively on the sharp Corolla hatch—whether you get the SE or sportier XSE trim—with cool fangs on the lower front fascia and standard LED headlights. Around back the creased sheetmetal is interestingly shaped, except it’s not sheetmetal. The hatch is composed of a…

The Tesla Model S is cool: fast, stylish, and fun to drive. But Elon Musk’s master stroke was to create an ecosystem that enabled intrigued consumers to consider Tesla a realistic alternative to a conventional car. Tesla’s network of 120-kW fast-charging stations, Superchargers, could bring the original Model S’ battery to an 80 percent charge, enough for 170 miles of driving, in 40 minutes. That’s what made the Model S a real car, not an engineering novelty. Governments and mainstream automakers have watched—and learned. There are already 33,000 electric vehicle charge points in the United States, 95,000 in the European Union, 13,000 in the U.K., and 150,000 in China. And work is underway on a network of fast-charge points that rival the speed and convenience of Tesla’s Superchargers: More than…

Chevrolet wowed us with its sixth-generation Camaro, which moved to a new platform that blurred the line between sporty coupe and legit sports car. We liked it so much that we named it our 2016 Car of the Year. But that was three years ago—meaning the Camaro is half way through its life cycle. To keep its pony car fresh, Chevy is giving it a makeover for 2019. The 2019 Camaro features redesigned front and rear ends, as well as more visual differentiation between trim levels. SS models now get a “flowtie” badge and front bumper air curtains that are said to improve the car’s aerodynamics. The SS also gets special headlights with a unique LED light signature and a heat extractor vent on the hood. But the big news…

Designed as a collaborative effort between Kia’s Korean and U.S. studios, the 2019 K900 is longer than its predecessor and features unique design cues such as a tiger-nose grille featuring 176 jewellike cells that create a ripple effect. Its headlights and taillights sport a new duplex pattern to show off its wide stance. The K900 features a minimalist cabin with a large, floating 12.3-inch touchscreen as its centerpiece. Leather upholstery comes standard, and you can upgrade to higher quality Nappa leather. Heated and ventilated front seats come standard, with the driver’s side featuring 20-way adjustability while the passenger has a dozen adjustments. In the rear, heated, ventilated, and adjustable seats are optional. Kia’s UVO infotainment system comes standard with navigation. The K900 comes with a customizable 12.3-inch instrument cluster display,…

What’s Now SUVS Lincoln Aviator What’s New: Previewed as a concept vehicle earlier this year, the Aviator will join the lineup as Lincoln’s first vehicle to offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain. It sits in the space between the midsize Nautilus and the large Navigator. It’s not a traditional body-on-frame SUV, but it’s big enough to offer three rows of seating. What’s Not: The vehicle is completely new, but its name is not. Lincoln offered a Ford Explorer-based SUV called the Aviator model years 2003–2005. When: 2019 How Much: $42,000 (est) Cadillac XT4 What’s New: Cadillac seriously needs a second car-based crossover in its lineup, and the XT4 is here to fill the void. Joining the larger XT5, this new small crossover packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 237 hp. The…

Wisdom, Justice, Moderation. Those three words make up the state motto for Georgia, where General Motors gave us our first crack at the 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the most powerful ’Vette ever created by the Bow Tie brand. The Z06 is already bonkers with 650 hp, so we have to wonder: Is there any semblance of wisdom or moderation by bestowing the C7 ZR1 with more than 700 hp? You read that right. The big and brash ZR1 catapults the Corvette into the select group of cars making 700-plus hp, and not just under the wire, either. With 755 hp on tap, the ZR1 trounces not only the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat but also the McLaren 720S, Lamborghini Aventador S, Ferrari 488 Pista, and Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Torque is…

When Hyundai launched the 2018 Kona at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, it touted the crossover’s “urban smart armor” styling, which is both eye-catching and brash for the subcompact SUV segment. Normally, armor protects, but in this case it also reveals. Smart-everything urban millennials are the primary market for the Kona, and Hyundai is wasting no effort attacking that front. With that in mind, we find ourselves in Kona, Hawaii (like Hyundai would waste that branding opportunity). But the Korean automaker didn’t bring two Motor Trend millennials to the Big Island for the gram. Instead, we’re here to see what the latest entry in an increasingly competitive market can do. Ford, Chevrolet, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Jeep, Fiat, Toyota, and Nissan all have players in this segment. But rather…

What’s on Motor Trend This Month? May 26 LIVE! 24H GT Series/24H Touring Car Endurance Series, 12H Imola - Race Part 2 May 28 DIRT EVERY DAY, Ep. 77 May 30 China GT Championship, Zhuhai, China Mobil 1 The Grid, Program 8 IGNITION, Ep. 192 May 31 FIA World Rallycross, Great Britain June 1 Auto Mundial, Motorsport Mundial June 2 LIVE! DTM Championship, Hungaroring LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Championship, Hungaroring LIVE! Formula Drift Wall, NJ June 3 LIVE! Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, Paul Ricard LIVE! FIA Formula 3 Championship, Hungaroring LIVE! Trans Am Series, Detroit June 4 HOT ROD GARAGE, Ep. 64 June 6 HEAD 2 HEAD, Ep. 103 June 7 British Touring Car Championship, Thruxton June 8 Auto Mundial, DTM Championship, Lausitzring Motorsport Mundial June 9 LIVE! TCR…

As the name suggests, the Tanoak concept (pronounced “TAN-oh-whack”) is based on the Volkswagen Atlas, but with a total length of 214.1 inches, it’s nearly 16 inches longer. The wheelbase has also been stretched by 11 inches to accommodate a 64.1-inch bed. Meanwhile, the body has been raised 2 inches to give the Tanoak about 10 inches of ground clearance. With the tailgate down, VW says an ATV can fit in the bed. For comparison, the Honda Ridgeline is 210 inches long, has a 64-inch bed, and offers slightly more than 7 inches of ground clearance. Under the hood, you’ll find the same 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V-6, eight-speed automatic, and all-wheel-drive system that Volkswagen uses in the Atlas. Making 276 hp and 266 lb-ft of torque, the Tanoak’s V-6 is…

There hasn’t been much good news concerning small cars in the U.S. lately. The segment has been losing ground to crossovers, leading Ford to gut its passenger-car lineup, while GM is reportedly killing the Chevrolet Sonic later this year. But here’s one thing for small-car believers to get excited about: One version of the redesigned global Focus will arrive stateside next year. Ford tells us the North American market will have to wait until the second half of 2019 to get its latest C-segment offering. That’s likely due to Focus production moving from Michigan to China, a shift that will halt manufacturing of the compact for this market for about a year. But when we do get the new Focus, the Blue Oval says to expect more comfort and space…

@markrechtin You might not have heard of Sasha Selipanov, but you’ve most definitely seen his work. He penned the outrageous Bugatti Chiron. More recently, in his new gig as chief designer of Genesis Advanced Design, he led the creation of the stunning Essentia concept that stole the New York International Auto Show (see page 12). Actually, “penned” isn’t quite the right word for it. See, he created the Essentia digitally, solely using computer-aided design. Nary a pen nor pencil touched paper in the design studio—other than for the most basic of thematic representations. Everything else was CAD. And Selipanov is very, very proud of his process. Selipanov cuts a persuasive figure: broad-chested, shaved head, coarse black beard, piercing gaze, Metallica T-shirt. So you pay attention when he brusquely asserts that…

Toyota’s past and future collide in the 2019 Avalon, a flagship full-size sedan that must regain the trust of buyers put off by the outgoing model’s stiff ride quality. Yet Toyota must also attract younger buyers with a car that’s sportier than any of its previous four generations. So does the Avalon return to its roots as a mature, vaguely premium, comfortable sedan, or does it lean further toward the Nissan Maxima’s sporty side of the spectrum? Yes. Toyota’s Avalon strategy splits the lineup in two, and we aren’t referring to the 301-hp V-6 and 215-hp four-cylinder hybrid powerplants. If your definition of Avalon is a comfortable American-style cruiser, stick with the XLE and Limited grades. They place a higher priority on comfort than do the XSE and Touring trims…

“I charged the Bolt, and it changed me. I’ve been instinctively grabbing for a regen-on-demand paddle, which no other car has.” AVG FUEL ECON 121 MPG-E Service life / 14 mo/16,260 mi Base price* / $41,780 Options / DC Fast Charging pkg ($750); Driver Confidence II pkg ($495: forward-collision alert, emergency braking, lane keep assist, automatic highbeams); Infotainment pkg ($485: Bose system, 6 speakers, wireless charging, 2 USB charging ports); Cajun Red metallic paint ($395) Price as tested* / $43,905 Avg econ/CO2 / 121 mpg-e/0.00 lb/mi (at vehicle) Problem areas / Intermittent power steering failure, infotainment screen failure Maintenance cost / $0 Normal-wear cost / $0 3-year residual value** / $21,900 Recalls / None Thirteen months ago, I plugged in our long-term 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV for the first…

If you want a luxury sedan that offers great value for your money, the midsize Genesis G80 and the larger G90 should absolutely be on your radar. And when the compact G70 finally goes on sale, we expect it to give Lexus and BMW dealers a serious headache. Owners might come to appreciate Genesis’ conservative styling, but nothing in the lineup stands out as especially eye-catching. Take one look at the Genesis Essentia concept, however, and it’s obvious you’re looking at a real departure. This thing is gorgeous. Built to be an all-electric grand tourer, the two-door Essentia shows what Genesis designers can do when they’re allowed to cut loose. The headlights remind us of the ones we saw on the Genesis GV80 concept at last year’s New York show,…

Attention, fast wagon fans: Audi is not ruling out the possibility of selling RS Avants in the U.S. market; it’s just concentrating on the RS 5 and RS 7 Sportbacks for now. “We always look at potential new opportunities in the market,” said Filip Brabec, vice president of product management for Audi of America. “It’s a niche to explore. We keep holding discussions. Keep writing us letters.” For now, however, Audi is focusing on the launch of its RS 5 Sportback, a five-door hatchback that is the closest thing to an Avant in the U.S. lineup. “The RS 6 and RS 4 Avants are well accepted in Europe,” said Michael Renz, the new head of Audi Sport worldwide. “In the U.S., it might be a different situation.” Renz hears the…

Alfa Romeo’s Giulia sedan winning our Car of the Year was a huge deal, but let’s not forget that the base 2.0-liter turbo Stelvio crossover was a top finisher in our SUV of the Year testing, as well. And that was without a high-performance Quadrifoglio version in its SUV fleet. Well, that wait for the stonking Stelvio is over. One might jump to the conclusion that the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, by virtue of ditching the 280-hp I-4 in favor of a 505-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6, ought to be one great SUV, right? The engine certainly doesn’t hurt. In addition to the 505 Italian stallions, the Stelvio Q4 comes packing 443 lb-ft of torque, available from 2,500 to 5,500 rpm. The Quadrifoglio also sports a beefed-up version of the ZF eight-speed automatic…

“The trips that make us feel best as engineers are the ones where the passengers are yawning or falling asleep—that’s gold to us.” Waymo CEO John Krafcik is perhaps best known as the former head of Hyundai’s U.S. operations. But in the 1980s his engineering theories on lean manufacturing inspired a book that became required reading for auto execs and analysts around the world. In The Machine That Changed the World, Krafcik’s research was essential to explaining and defining the manufacturing process designed to minimize waste and maximize efficiency and product quality. Now, as head of Waymo, the autonomous driving technology company owned by Google parent company Alphabet, Krafcik is helping automakers rethink not how cars should be made but how they will be used. Driverless cars might once have…