You probably know that the 2017 Chevy Bolt is an all electric vehicle (EV). You may have also heard that it is rated at 238 miles of total driving range per charge. However, you probably have not heard about all the following details!
First off, the Bolt EV’s electric motor is rated at 200 horsepower and 266 lb-ft of torque. It has a single speed transmission that feeds power to the front wheels. The lithium-ion battery has a 60 kWh capacity, which is actually enough to take you over 238 miles, depending on the environment and your driving style. Chevrolet says some owners of the Bolt EV recorded close to 290 miles on a full charge.
The Bolt EV starts at $37,495 for the base model before destination charges, federal and state tax credits. If you have enough tax liability, you can effectively get the Bolt for under $30,000. The federal tax credit is $7,500. States, such as Colorado, offer a $5,000 tax credit for electric vehicles.
Chevrolet invited and flew me out to Detroit to have another test drive in the Bolt EV, this time it was on an autocross course that they set up.
Why autocross a Bolt electric? Chevy is proud of the car’s handling characteristics, and it is a fun hatchback to drive around. Although, the floor-mounted batteries bring the center of gravity down, the Bolt EV is a fairly heavy (around 3,600 lbs of curb weight). The car can be quick around a tight driving course, but it still exhibits a body lean, although predictable. The power is plentiful and the brakes are linear and powerful.
chassis
battery system
drive unit
The Bolt EV has something that Chevy (and some other electric car manufacturers) calls “one foot driving”. This is due to the regenerative braking. As soon as you decrease the amount of throttle input, the car starts to slow down due to energy conversion to charge the batteries. There are actually four separate regenerative braking modes: regular D-drive setting, more noticeable mode that is activated with a steering wheel pedal, L-low transmission mode with more aggressive regeneration, and L-low mode with the steering wheel pedal. As complicated as this sounds, the system works smoothly an in linear fashion. Still, you need some time to get used to this. Once you get the hang of it, the driving style feels natural.
This electric five-person hatchback is now available for sale nationwide. Check out the video for the other “things” you may not know about the new Bolt EV.
The annual Shelby American Collection Car Show proudly demonstrates half a century of incredible racing heritage.
This past weekend, we at TFL Car were treated to a special event right in our back yard. That event was the annual Shelby American Collection car show. The non-profit museum is dedicated to the legacy of Carroll Shelby and Ford’s racing heritage. Here, enthusiasts can journey through over fifty years of automotive history encapsulated within some of the most valuable and significant cars in the world. Shelby American Collection President Steve Volk recounts some of Shelby’s history in the video above.
The collection itself is amazing, but what set this weekend apart was the array of collector’s cars gathered outside the museum. Various collectors from all over flocked to this event, showcasing their own pieces of Shelby history. Models ranging from the iconic GT40 and Cobra to the latest Ford GT were on offer. To commemorate the event, here are five remarkable cars from the Shelby American Collection car show.
1. 1962 Shelby Cobra (CSX 2000)
CSX 2000 was the first (and now, most valuable) Cobra, designed in 1962.
This is the daddy of all Shelby cars. This is the prototype Cobra, dubbed CSX 2000. In 1961, Carroll Shelby accosted AC Cars of England, asking them if they could modify their Ace two-seater roadster to house a V8 engine. AC agreed, and Shelby approached Ford for a suitable engine. Ford’s engine paired to AC’s lightweight chassis and body design proved to be a brilliant combination. Shelby continued to develop the Cobra over the years, culminating in the Mark III in the mid-to-late 60s, housing a massive 7.0-liter V8 engine. What you see here, however, is genesis. This car kicked off a tradition that is still alive in Ford models today. So valuable is this car, in fact, that it sold for a record-breaking $13.5 million last year.
2. 1953 Allard J2X
Carroll Shelby raced the Allard J2X early in his career.
Before the historic AC Cobra came to fruition, Carroll Shelby was a racing driver. He raced this 1953 Allard J2X for Roy Cherryholmes, a Texas businessman. In 1953, Shelby competed to win 9 out of 10 races. The next season, Shelby raced 1,000 kilometers in Argentina and caught the attention of Aston Martin team manager John Wyer. Powered by a 331 cubic-inch Cadillac V8, the J2X allegedly served as Shelby’s inspiration for the Cobra.
3. Ford GT40 (GT40 P/1015 pictured)
The Ford GT40 Mark II was the first to win Le Mans in 1966.
Based on the Lola Mark 6, the GT40 was built to take on Ferrari at Le Mans after it snubbed Ford’s attempt to buy the brand. Henry Ford II focused his rage toward building a Ferrari-beater on the endurance racing circuit. In 1966, a Mark II GT40 like the one pictured above delivered Ford his first major victory over Ferrari. Not only that, but other versions of the GT40 clocked up wins in 1967, 1968 and 1969. The GT40’s significance to Shelby American cannot be understated, as this car represented the first victory for an American manufacturer at a European race in four decades.
4. 2005 Ford GT
The first-generation Ford GT is a remarkable homage to the Le Mans-winning GT40s of the 1960s.
So significant is Shelby’s and the GT40’s heritage that echoes of those glory days have lingered on. In 2005, Ford marketed the GT for the 21st century. This car was designed in anticipation of Ford’s 100 years in business, and paid respect to the endurance-crushing GT40s of yesteryear. The GT40 is similar in appearance to the racing cars of the 60s, save slightly larger dimensions. This car’s appearance in the Shelby American Collection show adds modern flavor to the legacy brought forth by Shelby and cars like the GT40.
5. 2017 Ford GT
Ford’s newest GT is a triumph of combining modern technology with the styling cues of the old-school GT40s.
Keeping with modern flavor, this car was a sight to behold. As the only new GT in the state of Colorado, this car was a sensation to all attendees. Like the original GT, this new car also marks an automotive milestone – this one being 50 years since the GT40 won the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans. While this car looks to the future and shies away from the massive V8s endemic to GT40s, this car is still an excellent reminder of Shelby’s racing heritage and a delightful way to round out this annual auto show.
Learn more about the Shelby American Collection
To learn more about the Shelby American collection, check out their website here. TFLnow also features a longer video outlining Shelby’s astounding racing history.
TFL’s stalwart 2016 Jeep Wrangler JK got some big-boy tires, suspension, and shocks, and grew three inches. In this before-and-after video, Tommy shows us how the stock Wrangler performed on the challenging Plane Crash Trail high in the Rocky Mountains near TFL headquarters in Boulder, Colorado. Spoiler alert: It does pretty well.
The Mods
Tommy, Michael, and Roman took some time out of their schedules to meet at Devon’s Car Care in Boulder, CO to do these mods. But what exactly did Tommy do to the Jeep? He got a 3″ Alpine CT3 lift kit from our friends at Teraflex, a set of Rugged Ridge17×9 inch aluminum rims, and some 35″ FirestoneDestination M/T2 Tires. Special thanks to Teraflex, Rugged Ridge, and Firestone once again for sending us these awesome parts, and to Devon’s Car Care for helping us with the install. Devon has done this sort of job a thousand times and his expertise was extremely helpful.
What a difference 3-inches makes. [photo: TFL]
The Final Product
While these mods certainly improved the looks of Tommy’s Jeep, we are more interested in how much capability they added off road. In total, the JK should be sitting a total of 4.5″ higher than it was from the factory (1.5″ extra from the tires and 3″ from the lift). To find out, Tommy took it up the same T33A “Plane Crash” trail that he did in the before video. In that first video, his lack of ground clearance actually did lead to a small amount of scraping on the bottom of his Jeep, something I gave him a slightly hard time about. However, with the new suspension and tires, Tommy’s Jeep took down this fairly difficult trail with ease.
To see the lift process and see Tommy take his newly modded Jeep off-road, be sure to watch the whole video!
Also be sure to stay tuned to TFLcar for more fun Jeep off-roading videos coming soon.
Honda’s new van is faster, quieter, and more efficient. [photo: Honda]The minivan market in the States has been declining slowly for awhile, but that won’t stop the three top dogs in the market (Toyota Sienna, Chrysler Pacifica, and Honda) from selling hundreds of thousands of them. Even as three-row crossovers and SUVs continue to grab more buyers, minivans won’t go away. Why? Because the people who drive minivans love them and there are millions of these people. (Full disclosure: my family has beaten the snot out our 2006 Honda Odyssey, logging 150K trouble-free miles on it so far).
So it comes as no surprise that Honda is upping the minivan arms race with the latest iteration of the Odyssey, which is now more powerful, smoother, more versatile, and more luxurious than its previous version. I had a chance to spend a week with the new van here in Colorado and see how it held up to the punishment that my family can dish out on a vehicle.
Base price for the new Odyssey starts at under $30K ($940 destination & handling charge not included). The top-shelf Elite model I drove came in at $46,670. That’s a lot of coin for a vehicle that’s going to be covered in drool, yogurt, melted Crayons, spilled milk, and the other mess bombs set off by small children in confined spaces. But its a sweet rig when it’s clean.
[photo: Honda]WHAT’S NEW
The big news is Honda’s new 10-speed automatic transmission, which at the time the Odyssey went on sale earlier this summer was the first 10-speed hooked up to a front-wheel-drive vehicle. Only available in the high-end Touring and Elite models, the new transmission promises a smoother power delivery band vs. the 9-speed trannie spec’d in the lower-priced LX and EX models. Oddly, the EPA numbers are the same no matter which transmission you get: 19 city/28 hwy/22 combined, but the 10-speed does up the towing capacity by 500 lbs. to 3,500 lbs.
The transmission is hooked up to a new 280-horsepower V6 with variable cylinder management, meaning that at highway cruising speeds, half the cylinders are deactivated to conserve fuel.
Inside the cabin, the big news is Honda’s “Magic Slide” system for the second row of seats. Take the middle seat out, squeeze a lever along the side of the remaining seats and you can slide a seat along a track to any position you want. It’s a quick and easier way to offer access to the 3rd row seats even if someone is sitting in the 2nd-row seat. It’s clever.
Honda also made a rear-cabin camera viewable on the touchscreen infotainment screen in the dash so parents can now see exactly which kid is starting fights in the rear. There’s even a in-cabin intercom system so parents in the front row can make use of to verbally enforce the law with those in the rear.
The cockpit is ergonomically tuned for long-haul driving. [photo: Honda]COMFORT & CONVENIENCE
The driver’s seat is built for long hours of driving. It’s comfortable and the ergonomics between the steering wheel and seat are well thought out. Honda greatly improved the infotainment user interface. The large, swipe-able touchscreen in the center of the dash is easy to see, read, and (finally) wonderfully intuitive. Bonus, there’s an actual volume knob–a missing feature that Honda owners have complained about for years. Likewise Honda was smart to keep the climate control separate from the touchscreen: a row of analog buttons below the touchscreen take care of it.
The second row Magic Slide seats struck me as a neat engineering trick until I realized what was lost. The seats are physically narrower than the ones on my 3rd generation Odyssey. Another difference: the 2nd-row center seat, while removable, doesn’t collapse into a stowable form that can fit into the secret storage compartment in the floor between the 1st and 2nd row. In the new Odyssey Elite, that space holds the spare tire.
The third-row seats are comfortable enough although the windows for those passengers are tiny. There’s a swooping exterior design element along the top rear side corners of the van that encompasses the rear pillars, and I’m assuming it is there to make the minivan look smaller. Unfortunately, for my kids, it exacerbates the tunnel-vision vibe back there and my kids’ potential for motion sickness (Trust me, the first time you clean up a kid’s vomit due to this issue it becomes something to think about.). Granted, there is a built-in vacuum cleaner accessible in the left, rear quarter panel, and it is hardy enough to suck up pea-gravel like debris through its lengthy hose that easily reaches the floor underneath the front seats. But it’s no a wet/dry vac.
As for the in-cabin view and intercom, I loved it. My kids? They thought is was creepy and invasive. In other words, it does exactly what it should do (Sorry, kids!)
2018 Honda Odyssey comes with CabinWatch. The driver can zero in on one passenger in the back and expand the view via the touchscreen to keep tabs on who is doing what back there. [photo: Honda]TECH
The Elite model came with a ceiling-mounted Blu-ray screen, wireless headphones for the 2nd-row seats. Standard stuff in premium family haulers, but I was impressed to see that Honda put headphone jacks and a volume control in the third-row seats so kids back there can watch and hear what’s playing. That’s indicative of the amount of thought and care that went into this vehicle. Weird, while there are plenty of power outlets and an HDMI jack for the video screen there are only 3 USB ports throughout the vehicle.
The Odyssey also comes available with 4G/LTE WiFi capability through AT&T’s network. As with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto ability (which the new Odyssey has) this should be a standard feature on any vehicle sold today for families. Essentially it turns the entire vehicle into one giant cellular antenna and significantly boosting the range and quality of your cellular connection over the puny antenna in your smartphone. With it you can wire your phones into the car’s network, and, if I understand this correctly, use the Bluetooth connection to stream video or music through the Odyssey’s stereo or video screen.
My kids couldn’t wait to make this work, but after consulting the owner’s manual and several Honda-produced YouTube instructional videos, we never got our phones to connect to the network. (To Honda’s credit, they did offer me a step-by-step install on this set-up when they dropped off the van, but I declined. How hard could it be? I figured).
Cargo area with the 3rd row seats up.
…with the 3rd row seats stowed,
…and with the 2nd row seats removed. photos: Honda
UTILITY
Outside of moving up to eight people with enough room left over for their luggage, the appeal of a minivan is how easy it is to haul a myriad of stuff. Just fold the 3rd row seats into the floor and there’s enough room for bikes, strollers, pool floats, dogs, etc. Take the 2nd row out and you’re left with a cargo van big enough to hold kayaks, lumber, a make shift bed to live out your #vanlife dreams. Minivans make so many errands so much easier.
The new Odyssey does the same although I found two things to quibble about compared to my ancient 2006 Odyssey: First the roof is nearly two inches lower. That’s great for accessing gear on a roof rack, but not so much for shoving bikes or other tall objects into the rear of the van. Second, with the 3rd row seats folded into the floor and the 2nd-row of seats removed, there is even less flat space than in my gen-van. Between the fat hinges for the 3rd row seats, the floor vents for heat, and the tracks for the Magic Slide 2nd row seats there’s really no evenly flat surface for stacking anything such as moving boxes.
The high-end Odyssey’s come with a 10-speed automatic, paddle shifters, and Sport mode, as well as Eco, and Snow modes. [photo: Honda]PERFORMANCE
Here’s where the new Odyssey absolutely shines. The engine and transmission, the suspension, and the type of all-season tires spec’d by Honda make this minivan that people who love driving should buy. The 262 lb-ft. of torque that the V6 dumps into the front wheels will make the tires squawk. I’ve never seen or heard a stock minivan do that before. The 10-speed with the paddle shifter set-up in the Elite made downshifts into the corners of mountain switchbacks welcome. For such a purposely functional vehicle, it’s engaging to drive. There’s even a Sport mode; amusing but fun nonetheless.
The steering feels more precise than what I’ve experienced in the Odyssey’s competitive set. But don’t misunderstand me: it still handles like a minivan. Once up to speed, the Honda cruises along effortlessly and significantly quieter than my old van.
My test model came with an Eco mode that modifies the shift points to maximize fuel economy, however I found that the mode gutted the Odyssey’s performance with minimal boost in fuel economy. There’s also a Snow mode button that puts the vehicle’s traction control system on high alert and adjust the transmission’s shift points to reduce tire-spinning grunt.
In many Honda vehicles these days, the gear shifter is gone, replaced with push buttons. Many people don’t like the change, but the Odyssey is first time where I finally experienced its appeal. To Reverse, I pulled a small button down. To put it into Drive, I pushed a button. And what I found was that after a couple of days, I was going between each without needing to look at the gear selector. I could keep my eyes on the road or school parking lot around me. In some ways, it reminded me of working a manual gear shift in that you know what gear you’re in by feel.
Honda Odyssey cargo space with 2nd row seats removed and 3rd row seats stowed. [photo: Honda]
TFLCAR’s TAKE: If you want bleeding edge technology, try the Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid. If you want all-wheel-drive, try the Toyota Sienna. If you want a minivan that is (relatively) fun to drive, buy the Odyssey.
To see the 2018 Honda Odyssey in action, check out TFL’s Roman Mica and his review below.
Is this BMW Isetta Concept the future of city cars?
Are you covering the next Nissan Leaf?
Too many trucks – do a car project!
The first question comes from a fan who wants to know about the BMW Isetta Concept that’s been circulating.
Q:Greetings guys! It’s Mike again! I need to know if you’ve seen the sketches for the BMW Isetta Concept?
Looks cool, but it worries me because it is built to completely eliminate driver inputs. Basically, it’s a robot car. I don’t like the idea of not having a single control for us to use in case of an emergency.
What say you?
Mike G
A: Hi Mike!
What you saw was a concept penned by Justin Hyunjung Cho, the same talented artist who penned awesome concepts for McLaren, Volvo and Peugeot – among others. His idea was to create a small, autonomous vehicle that shared a few features with the original BMW Isetta. For those of you who don’t know, the original BMW Isetta was a micro car built with a 236 cc motor, basically a scooter engine, and it featured a front door that opened outward bringing the steering wheel with it.
BMW was one of many companies that built the Isetta and they were sold in different variants (including a work truck) from the early 50’s through the early 60’s. They were very inexpensive and popular as nearly 162,000 were sold.
This modern concept is all-electric and, like the original BMW Isetta, its front door opens with the front glass.
Yes, it looks like it would be an entirely automous vehicle. I wouldn’t worry too much about fully autonomous vehicles not having emergency controls any time soon. This model would work with your smartphone, which, in the future, might be an implant.
It would be fun to see an electric car like this that people can actually drive in the nearer future.
What do you think?
N
This next question comes from a viewer who wants to know if we are covering the next Nissan Leaf.
This is only a concept. The next Nissan Leaf will look… different.
Q: Hi Roman and Nathan, how are you doing? I loved your race video with the Chevy Bolt vs the VW GTI. Are you covering the 2018 Nissan Leaf debut?
I am very curios about what Nissan has done and I like your perspective on electric vehicles. I am serious about owning an electric car soon, but with this new Nissan Leaf coming, I might wait before buying. Currently, my bank has okayed me buying an Orange Burnt Metallic 2017 Chevy Bolt EV Premier which comes out to about $42,000 before credits.
Should I wait for the Nissan, or is this a good time to buy the Chevy?
Thanks guys, you’re the best!
Andy from Chico
A: Hi Andy!
Looks like it’s going to be a while before TFLcar sees the new Nissan Leaf. There will be several events coming in the (very) near future. While we’re off the invitee list, we’ll do our best getting that information out – as soon as we can.
N
The last question comes from a Twitter comment sent to me (via: Twitter@NathanAdlen) about our future projects.
Q:Are you guys going to ever build a hot rod or a sports car?
I see you always playing with Jeeps and trucks. Why no cars?
A: Howdy
We did work with a few Porsches and a Lincoln, but you’re right – we need more car projects.
We are working on several special film projects, kind of like Motor Mountain USA and whatnot, but we can always look to the near future.
I’ll bring it up with the team soon.
– Promise!
N
Check out all of the Paul and I had at the track with a BMW!
Nathan and The Fast Lane Car team are here to answer your (reasonable) questions. Interesting and/or entertaining emails will be posted to this column. If it’s relevant in the automotive universe, there’s a chance we may know something about it. The author’s email address and name will be omitted – leaving your initials or nickname, your preference.
From day one, The Fast Lane Car has made it our policy to answer as many questions and comments as we can. We get thousands of emails and comments and feel that, as part of a tight-knit automotive community, having an open dialogue with you keeps things fresh and exciting.
With the introduction of the Model 3, Tesla seems to be offering incentives to customers for some Model S and Model X vehicles.
Looking for a Model S or Model X? Now may be the time to buy, as Tesla may be offering huge sales incentives.
It’s no secret that Tesla seeks to dominate the electric car market. The emergence of the perennial Model S in 2012, the controversial Model X in 2016, and the much-hyped Model 3 this year outline demonstrate the company’s ambitions. However, to really make an impact, you have to keep consistent pressure on the market. Tesla knows this, and in the wake of the Model 3’s launch, they’re looking to shift existing inventory of the Model S and Model X. To do that, they’re offering a $1,000 referral credit on these models. That kind of incentive may not be enough to sway you, but how does $30,000 off a new Tesla sound? According to the following e-mail, that may not be outside the realm of possibility:
Hi [***********],
I hope this email finds you well.
I’m reaching out because we just announced an incentive on Model S and Model X P100D that I thought you may be interested in.
We are offering showroom incentives up to $30,000 off the original configuration price.This means you can lease Model S P100D for $1,500/month and Model X P100D for $1,600/month with 10,000 miles per year. Alternatively we are offering .99% APR financing or a cash purchase with the discount. These incentives are available for deliveries by September 30th 2017.
Lastly, we’ve reintroduced the Tesla Referral Program. You will receive a $1,000 credit towards the purchase of either a new Model S or Model X and Free Unlimited Supercharging.
It would be my pleasure to help you explore the options for a new Model S or Model X. If you are interested we can schedule a time for a call or if it is more convenient we can communicate via email.
Best regards,
*********| Sales Advisor
There are a few important details to consider, given what’s contained in the e-mails. However, now seems the perfect time to buy a Model S or Model X P100D with a substantial discount.
Buyers can receive up to $30,000 off a Model S or Model X P100D, according to an e-mail circulating among owners.
Up to $30,000 off a Tesla? Only in certain circumstances
Unfortunately, such a substantial discount applies only to the P100D models, which are the most expensive in the range. Despite a recent price drop, the Model S P100D is still $135,000 before rebates and incentives. The Model X is a bit pricer, at $140,000 before rebates and incentives. The discount also applies to pre-existing inventory, as buyers need to take delivery of the car by the end of September, according to the e-mail. Nevertheless, any discount on the staggeringly fast P100D models makes the prospect much more appealing to potential buyers.
Why is this deal happening now?
This deal appears to be on the table until September 30. Why is Tesla offering a deal this month? Odds are, it’s to make their quarterly sales look better. Because of the Model 3’s wild popularity, orders are stretched out for years. Due to the backlog, it makes sense to try and shift some of their inventory that can be delivered more quickly. The company can then report better sales figures on the backs of strong Model 3 pre-orders and deliveries under this scheme.
If you’re in the market for a new Model S or Model X and know someone who already has one, make sure to take advantage of Tesla’s referral program.
Mercedes-AMG Project ONE Teaser [Photo: Mercedes-Benz USA]
Today, the world is a brighter place, for there is a new hypercar on the block.
Fellow enthusiasts, take a moment and cast yourself into the spectacular world of hypercars. What comes to your mind? The LaFerrari, Porsche 918 Spyder, McLaren P1, Koenigsegg Agera, Lamborghini Aventador, Bugatti Chiron, and now this. In celebration of AMG’s 50th anniversary, Mercedes-Benz has just teased the world premiere of its hybrid hypercar at the Frankfurt Auto Show (September 14 – 24). News of this Formula One-derived monster isn’t new – Mercedes officially announced the Project ONE earlier this year – but we’ll now soon see it in all its screaming glory. So, as we’re on the cusp of the big reveal, here’s what we currently know about AMG’s performance leviathan.
Performance? Check.
The Project ONE will comprise a F1-derived 1.6-liter V6 coupled to a squadron of electric motors.
Mercedes-Benz claims this high-performance hybrid will have an output of “over 1,000 horsepower” and a top speed “exceeding 350 km/h (217 mph). Delivering that performance is a turbocharged, 1.6-liter V6 coupled to a fast-discharge hybrid system, both taken from the F1 car. Acceleration figures aren’t available at time of writing, but given this car’s F1 origins, expect nothing less than spine-shattering haste.
The Project ONE will be all-wheel-drive, with the V6 powering the rear wheels through an eight-speed gearbox. To handle the power, AMG has chosen to use a computer-controlled manual gearbox, rather than a more fashionable dual-clutch setup. Drive to the front wheels will come purely from the electric motors. That means the front wheels will power the car in pure-electric mode for up to 15 miles. That ranges puts the Mercedes ahead of the McLaren P1 (7 miles) and in league with the Porsche 918 (18 miles).
Appearance? Futuristic, yet familiar.
While Mercedes has been forthright about the Project ONE’s performance, one area light on information is the car’s appearance. Let’s not forget AMG has been down this road before with the CLK GTR of the late 90s. This car looks vaguely familiar to that car, with its wide front end, as well as other hypercar titans of that era. However, its headlights suggest a design that appeals to the futuristic traits of modern hypercars. The teaser Mercedes-Benz provides doesn’t show much, but we’ll finally see what this car looks like at the Frankfurt Auto Show in a couple weeks.
Price? Around $2,540 per horsepower.
Mercedes-Benz touts the Project ONE as a project to deliver modern F1 technology in roadworthy form. Its primary objective is to turn the hypercar scene on its ear. Big claims such as these come with equally big price tags: each of the 275 units produced costs $2.54 million. Even if you could afford the asking price, all examples of AMG’s latest hypercar have already been spoken for. If you’re one of the lucky few to receive one, the first deliveries of the car are due next year, with production rapping up by the end of 2020.
Is this a new performance benchmark for hypercars?
Whether Mercedes’ claims ring true and this car rewrites the rule book remain to be seen. On paper at least, the Project ONE’s impressive performance figures make it a serious rival to the current crop of hypercars. Its eye-watering price tag and exclusivity give it the potential to usurp the current elite. Most importantly, this car is a chance for Mercedes to deliver F1-style performance in a street-legal package, and further cement the legitimacy of hybrid technology in modern performance cars. Regardless of the car’s ultimate ability, the Project ONE’s unveiling is a remarkable celebration of 50 years of AMG cars.
[photo: Mazda]I can’t remember a Mazda model that hasn’t been fun to drive, and the roomy, compact Mazda 2017 CX-5 SUV is no exception. You thus can have your cake and eat it too with the much-improved CX-5. It looks racy, is fun to drive, has comfortable room for five tall adults and possesses a large cargo area. Rear doors open wide to allow easier placement of child seats.
List prices are competitive, ranging from $24,045 for the base model to $30,695 for the top-line Grand Touring version, which I tested with all-wheel drive (AWD). There are Sport, Touring and Grand Touring models. You can get a CX-5 with front-wheel drive (FWD) or AWD.
What’s New
Standard are a redesigned exterior and interior, re-engineered body and chassis, “G-Vectoring Control” for vehicle dynamic enhancements, full-speed radar cruise control, reclining rear seat, full-color touch screen display, rearview camera, radar cruise control, Bose 10-speaker sound system, lane-departure warning and blind-spot monitoring with rear across-traffic alert.
Optional for some models are a heated steering wheel, power lift gate, windshield projected Active Driving Display, heated front seats and heated rear seats.
My Grand Touring AWD CX-5 test car listed 19-inch wheels (up from standard 17-inch), dual-zone automatic air conditioning with rear vents, heated power mirrors with turn-signal lights, small rear roof spoiler, tilt/telescopic leather wheel with audio and cruise controls, leather-trimmed upholstery, push-button start, bright-finish exhaust tips, power moonroof, power lift gate and split folding rear seat backs that greatly enlarge the cargo area. That area had a low wide opening and was pretty roomy even with the seat backs in their normal position.
[photo: Mazda]
Comfort & Convenience
The attractive, driver-oriented interior was quiet, thanks to a stiffer body structure and more sound insulation. There were an average number of cabin storage areas. The comfortable front seats were supportive, but the rotary dial controlled infotainment system took some time to get used to. However, dashboard controls backed up some functions of the dial-controlled system.
More automakers are beginning to use such backup controls because many frustrated car buyers dislike trying to figure out such things as touch-screen controls and consequently give a car low reliability marks.
My test CX-5 also had the $1,830 Premium package that has a driver memory seat, power front passenger seat, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, active driving display and windshield wiper de-icer. The bottom line price thus was $34,085, including a few minor options and a $940 freight charge.
Many buyers for compact SUVs are family folks who look for safety features. My test CX-5 had plenty. They included hill launch assist, a variety of air bags (including front and rear side-curtain bags), blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, smart city brake support, smart lane departure warning and lane-keep assist systems.
[photo: Mazda]
Performance
All CX-5 models have a sophisticated high-revving 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine with 187 horsepower. Torque is 185 lb-ft. at 3,250 r.p.m. for the FWD CX-5 and at 4,000 r.p.m. for the AWD model. The transmission is an alert six-speed automatic with an easily used manual shift feature.
My test CX-5’s acceleration was quick in town, when entering fast freeway traffic and passing on highways. There’s a “sport” driving mode activated by a console switch that raises revs for such things as faster acceleration, but it’s really not needed except in infrequent driving circumstances.
Estimated fuel economy with FWD is 24 miles per gallon in the city and 31 on highways. With AWD, it’s 23 and 29. The CX-5 has a 14.8-gallon fuel tank with FWD and, thoughtfully, a 15.3-gallon tank with AWD.
The nicely weighted electric power steering is quick. And my test car’s handling was nimble, thanks to such things as an all-independent suspension, front/rear stabilizer bars, dynamic stability control and traction control. The lower-profile tires on the larger 19-inch wheels also helped.
The ride was generally smooth, but some raised expansion strips on Chicago-area freeways definitely could be felt. The anti-lock brakes, which have a brake-assist feature, had a nice linear pedal action, although they initially felt a little too sensitive.
TFLCAR’s TAKE: Mazda emphasizes driving fun with its vehicles, and driving the CX-5 Grand Touring AWD was enjoyable, even on short hops.
See the new CX-5 in action in a rare off-road review in the video below.
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