The next time a person thinks of a Dodge Durango and a Chrysler Pacifica, they won’t be thinking of a typical SUV or minivan.
Mopar, the parts and accessories arm of Fiat-Chrysler, will unveil later this morning its concept versions of both vehicles at the 2016 SEMA event.
The B5 blue Dodge Durango Shaker concept features three rows of seating with a custom fabricated functional shaker hood, the first for a Durango. The vehicle also features a 6.4-liter HEMI engine that has an eight-speed automatic transmission.
Mopar replaced the standard exhaust with a customized chrome Mopar cat-black duel exhausts. The Durango Shaker also is three inches closer to the ground, having a custom lowering kit installed.
Also featured on the vehicle are stain black 22 inch high by 10 ½ inch wide wheels on customer fenders. Also adding to the sportier look and feel is an open grille design, which replaces the crosshair grille, providing better air intake.
Other features include satin black side sills, B5 blue mirror caps and a B5 blue custom rear spoiler.
Inside are three rows of Viper seats, trimmed in leather with B5 blue stitching as accents. The steering wheel is borrowed from its sportier car cousin, the Charger SRT.
Mopar tweaked Chrysler’s minivan to produce the Chrysler Pacifica Cadence, which offers plenty of interior storage that minivan owners are used to. Besides the usual storage areas, the Pacifica has a 9-foot paddleboard added to the top and a pet kennel inside. It also comes with wireless charging for mobile devices. In keeping true to its family theme, the vehicle comes with a first aid kit.
The vehicle is outfitted with Mopar 20-inch wheels in tricolor satin and gloss black with blue accepts. It also comes with a Mopar running board that adds lift to the Pacifica.
The 2016 SEMA show runs today until November 4. The Mopar press event starts today at 4:26 pm Pacific time. TFLcar will be covering the show from wall to wall, so check back for more updates from the show.
Check out this TFLcar video review of the regular Chrysler Pacifica:
The Ford Mustang just got a little bit slimmer in its new carbon fiber body.
Ford and SpeedKore unveiled a carbon fiber Mustang, which weighs about 500 pounds lighter than a stock Mustang, during the 2016 SEMA event in Las Vegas this week. TFL’s Roman Mica talked to Sean Smith from SpeedKore, the company that installed the carbon fiber body, to learn more about the new vehicle.
The carbon fiber Mustang is the first one Ford had built. It’s also not just a wrap around the body – it has a real carbon fiber body.
Smith said there are plans to make more of this type of Mustang, which he estimates will start around $145,000.
One of the hardest parts of installing the carbon-fiber body was making sure the weave of the carbon fiber lined up around the car. By lining it up, the weave runs in one direction and adds to the aesthetic look.
What other features does the car have? Find out by watching the complete TFL video above.
In a month where all but one contender showed sharp sales drops, the Toyota Camry held onto the top spot in the midsize sedan sales chart for October. In doing so, it also became the first car in its class to top the 300,000 sales mark.
For the month, the Camry’s sales were down 15 percent over October 2015 and are down 9.4 percent for the year. However, it was still plenty to lead the second-place Honda Accord by 4,000 sales for the month and extend its overall lead even more, almost guaranteeing a top spot by year’s end.
The Accord fared just about as well for the month as the Camry, with a drop of slightly more than 15 percent. Its yearly drop of 3.6 percent actually makes it one of the better performers in the category in a year where more sales are going to crossovers.
The only midsize sedan to show gains across the board was the Subaru Legacy, which showed positive gains for month-to-month, monthly and yearly sales, the only car to show a positive in all three, and one of only three to show positive gains for the year.
The Nissan Altima kept the third spot with a decent performance, its 3.3-percent loss being the second best monthly performance after the Subaru.
Lexus, Toyota’s luxury division, introduced two versions of their NX luxury compact utility crossover last year, the Lexus NX 200t and the Lexus NX 300h hybrid. There’s also a special, performance oriented NX F-Sport that’s based on the NX 200t. All three Lexus NX models are loosely based on the same platform as Toyota’s RAV4 – loosely being the key word, as 90 percent of NX parts are different, and even similar parts have undergone retooling with tighter tolerances that result in a feel that’s considerably more luxurious than the mass- produced RAV4.
Lexus actually pioneered the car-based luxury crossover category 17 years ago with their RX 300 (launched in 1998 as a 1999 model). The NX models clearly indicate an evolution in the segment that the RX 300 created. NX models are larger, heavier, quicker, with greater fuel economy than that first mid-sized RX. The compact NX is also more structurally sound with an increased use of high-tensile steel, screw welding and adhesives in production.
Power for the Lexus NX 200t and Lexus NX 200t F-Sport represented the first use of Toyota’s 2.0-liter, DOHC, 16-valve twin scroll turbocharged in-line four-cylinder engine with intercooler and electronic fuel injection that delivered 235 horsepower in a range from 4,800-5,600 rpm, while also developing 258 pound feet of torque from 1,650-4,000 rpm. The engine’s variable valve timing enabled it to transition instantly from Otto to Atkinson cycle as power or fuel economy requires.
The Lexus NX 300h, which we’ll deal with here, borrows its 2.5-liter, in-line four-cylinder power source from the Lexus ES 300h. Both the standard NX 200t and NX 300h will be available in either a front-wheel or all-wheel drive configuration.
The engine, which is transversely mounted up front mates to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission (CVT) with intelligence. Motive force is transmitted to either the front wheels or full-time all-weather all-wheel drive, which utilizes active torque control with and electromagnetic coupling for the rear differential, instead of a conventional torque converter, which allows the system to move from 100 percent up front to a 50/50 split with the rear wheels.
In terms of its appearance, the new Lexus NX displays a highly emotional overall design with sharp lines and angles in a condensed mass that features solid surfaces, pronounced front and rear fender flares that are incorporated or fused into the dramatic diamond-shaped body style that leads off with Lexus’ signature “spindle” grille, flanked by sharp, thin geometric headlamps and arrowhead shaped LED running/directional lights. The windscreen is sharply raked rearward over the rear-slanted roof that ends with an integrated spoiler. The peak of the diamond-shaped body’s door section thrusts upwards diagonally, matching the roof’s peak in the side silhouette. The tail end presents a squared-off, sculpted look, accented by the uniquely shaped bright dual exhaust tips.
The Lexus NX 300h rides on suspension componentry consisting of a MacPherson strut design and a rear trailing arm type double-wishbone unit with separated springs and dampers that avoid cabin intrusion by the strut towers.
Standard worthwhile features include: keyless locks, door handle footlights, LED headlamps and turn signal lamps, 17-inch wheels, Siri Eyes Free mode and an 8-speaker CD audio system with satellite radio. The 7-inch multimedia display features a touch pad located in the center console with haptic adjustable feedback, providing familiar pinch, stretch, pinch, drag as well as double-tap functions, similar to a lap top computer. The rear cargo cover may be folded in half, and is able to fit under the rear storage compartment with the spare tire.
There is a full suite of available active safety features including: lane departure warning, blind spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and pre-collision braking. There’s also an enhanced Lexus Enform app that allows setting speed or distance limits for a guest driver – great for monitoring and controlling teenaged driver activity. Another high-tech feature is the wireless charging of Qi-equipped electronic devices. So many features abound in all of the Lexus NX models, that space prevents listing them all here. Of course, there are options available for personalization and enhancement.
My test 2016 Lexus NX 300h 5-door SUV was a front-wheel-drive version and came with a base price of $39,720, which increased to a total of $48,945 after factoring in a compatible wireless charger, electrochromic inside rear view mirror, power folding rear seats, the Luxury Package, Navigation Package, electrochromic outside rear view mirrors with blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, intuitive parking assist with clearance and back sonar, along with delivery, processing and handling fee. The exterior was sprayed Blue Vortex metallic, complemented by a tan and black interior with piano black trim accents.
The 2016 Lexus NX 300h represents a stellar entry into the compact luxury crossover league. It will fall in between BMW’s X3 and the Lexus RX 300 in dimensions and power. The Lincoln MKC is another potential competitor, possessing similar parameters.
The steering wheel was inspired by the Lexus LFA in its shape and feel, and fits the car’s demeanor in terms of handling attributes and characteristics, which are spot on, delivering a planted and stable and comfortable ride quality.
The overall performance of the Lexus NX 200t and 200t F-Sport is a cut above that of many competitors, but the interior ambience and luxuriousness is its strong suit. Fit and finish are well above entry-level standards, reflecting an old-world craftsmanship quality.
Bottom-line, the 2016 Lexus NX 300h was designed to play a leading role with the focus on attracting a more youthful buyer, and the Lexus team seems to have nailed it. It is extremely good-looking, performs well and represents a good value, while delivering respectable mileage with its hybrid system.
SPECIFICATIONS: 2016 Lexus NX 300h 5-Dr SUV
Base Price: $39,720.
Price as Tested: $48,945.
Engine Type and Size: 2.5-liter, DOHC, 16-valve in-line four-cylinder with Atkinson cycle and electronic fuel injection.
Hybrid Power system: Series/parallel system with gas engine, high-voltage battery and electric motors. Total system power – 194 hp. Two permanent magnet motor generators MG1 & MG2 and motor generator rear (MGR), 650V and sealed Nickel Metal Hydride – 204 cells and 244.8V Nominal Voltage.
Are hatchback vehicles back in style? Chevrolet thinks so and has introduced the hatchback version of the Cruze.
TFL’s Roman Mica had the chance recently to drive the new 2017 Cruze hatchback to see what it’s all about.
Chevy is joining the ranks of Volkswagen, Ford, and Honda in offering a hatchback to its customers. The new Honda Civic hatchback is also expected to be released shortly, marking the first time in years Honda has offered its iconic vehicle in a hatchback version in the United States.
Under the hood, the Cruze hatchback has a 1.4-liter turbo engine that produces 153 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque. The car isn’t super fast, but is peppy for a commuter car.
Inside, the hatchback version offers more room for both storage and passengers. Roman noticed that when he sat in the back seat of the hatchback version there was more room for him as opposed to the regular sedan version.
All that room, however, does come at a price. Chevy has added $1,100 more to the price tag of the hatchback version. The model Roman drove comes in at about $29, 465, which was loaded with technology and luxury features.
What is the gas mileage of the new Cruze hatchback and is it comparable to other smaller cars? What features did Roman like best? Find out by watching the complete TFL video above.
When Mopar announced two of their 2016 SEMA customs, the Dodge Shakedown Challenger and the Jeep CJ66, details of the engines were curiously absent. The reason was made clear soon enough – both concept cars are packing brand new HEMI crate engines using new kits that are designed to fit classic Mopar vehicles.
Two HEMI crate engine kits are available – a 5.7-liter, or 345 Crate HEMI Kit, and a 6.4-liter, or 392 Crate HEMI Kit. The engines are sold separately, but the kits allow for easier installation in classic cars. Each kit comes with a “power distribution center, a powertrain control module (PCM), engine and chassis wiring harnesses, an accelerator pedal, O2 sensors, ground jumper, charge air temperature sensor and in-depth information sheets on installation,” according to a Mopar press release.
The engines also come with stock PCM calibration that rates the 345 at 383 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque, and the 392 at 485 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque. The engines are optimized for manual transmissions, although Mopar says that an automatic could be used, but is not optimal.
On the SEMA show floor, the Shakedown Challenger had a 392 crate engine and the CJ66 had the smaller 345 crate engine.
The SEMA show in Las Vegas continues until Friday. Check out all of TFLcar’s coverage of the event here.
Although it’s not a classic Dodge, the Honda Civic Type R debuted at the SEMA show. Check out the TFL video from the event below:
Minivans have the unfortunate stigma of being the ultimate automotive compromise. They necessitate that you give up any last attempt to look cool in favor of a spacious cabin and room to carry a family of five plus all their stuff. Toyota has used this year’s SEMA to do a number of things, including make a Prius capable of pulling 0.99 G on the skid pad. Now, they are attempting to make a minivan that is… wait for it… actually kinda cool, with the Sienna Extreme.
Toyota have brought in Real Time Automotive’s hot rod builder Rick Leos in hopes to support the self-proclaimed title of “swagger wagon.” So what exactly has been done to this run-of-the-mill Sienna to achieve this boisterous title?
On the exterior, it is a combination of body kits, dual exhaust, performance wheels, front and back aero kits, TRD brakes, oodles of carbon fiber, and chin-scrapingly low suspension. On the inside, the focus has gone towards luxury improvements, including a home theater system, reclining seats with custom upholstery, a refrigerator, Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth speakers.
Nothing much has been done to the powertrain, but that is fine, since this Sienna Extreme is fitted with the Sienna’s new 3.5L V6 engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission. So, was Toyota successful in making the ultimate “swagger wagon?” That is for you to decide. It certainly looks like a heavily modified minivan, but we’re not sure if that is really a good thing. Whether or not you like it, it certainly makes a bold statement, which is something that most minivans certainly don’t do.
Toyota aren’t the only ones trying to change the minivans image in the US. Chrysler would like to think that their all-new Pacifica minivan has also got a bit more to offer. To find out which is best, we took both to the test track to see which we would rather own. To find out which won, be sure to watch the full video below:
Of course, stay tuned to TFLcar.com and TFLtruck.com for all SEMA related news and information!
The Toyota Prius has long been somewhat of a joke to performance car enthusiasts. It is of course a hybrid, and therefore tragically slow anywhere north of highway speeds. Rather unfortunately for the Prius, its skinny, fuel efficient tires and heavy hybrid powertrain have meant that it was never particularly inspiring from a handling perspective either.
However, Toyota seems to be making an effort to change that last bit. What better place than SEMA for the Japanese automaker to reveal a performance build of the car that can supposedly hit 0.99 G on a skid pad.
Built by Gordon Ting of Beyond Marketing, the Prius G has seen a huge selection of performance upgrades to help improve the handling of the car, although no specifics are given. What we do know is that a lot of the handling comes from the stiffer chassis that is a part of every brand new Prius. From the pictures, it seems to have received some very sticky and much wider tires, some form of roll cage, as well as vast aerodynamic improvements to help produce downforce rather than reduce drag.
Allegedly taking design inspiration from an actual Prius race car, the GT300 version to be specific, this Prius G certainly looks like it should be able to handle quite well. In fact, given additional time to tweak the car further, the development team is certain that the Prius G could pull over 1 G on the skid pad, putting it in a territory of grip that rivals a Nissan GTR.
With this car, Toyota is hoping to alter the line of thinking that hybrids can’t be good to drive as well, although I’m sure Acura, BMW, Ferrari, McLaren, and Porsche (to name a few) would contest that rhetoric. Regardless, we should be excited to know that this level of performance is possible from, of all things, a Prius, as it could mean that we average consumers get to drive some spectacular machines that are also easy on the planet.
Of course be sure to stay tuned on TFLcar.com as well as TFLtruck.com for all the SEMA news you could possibly need!
While we certainly won’t be given the opportunity to thrash the Prius G anytime soon, we have had plenty of time to develop our opinions about the current Prius, to find out everything you ever wanted to know, be sure to watch the video below:
Roman just bought one of the most hated modern Land Rovers to prove a point: Even this SUV doesn't suck! Or maybe it does...that's what we're going to find out in our latest project series.
According to a White House announcement Tuesday, President Trump will sign a new executive order aimed at easing the impact of automotive-related tariffs.
