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Check out this Rare Auto-Union DKW Munga that’s for sale!

By
Nathan Adlen
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Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 2.04.23 PM

Built by Auto-Union in Ingolstadt, Germany, The DKW Munga was a 981-cc, 3-cylinder, 2-stroke off-roader that used an all-wheel drive (AWD) system that was the godfather to modern German AWD. According to Wikipedia, “‘Munga’ comes from the German phrase Mehrzweck Universal Geländewagen mit Allradantrieb, which translates as ‘multi-purpose universal cross-country car with all-wheel drive.'”

DKW Munga IntThe DKW Munga was the European equivalent to the original Jeep (Willys MB and the Ford GPW).

This particular vehicle is the four-seat version, but there were many others: there was a pickup/troop carrier version known as the Munga 6 (it held up to six) and a long pickup called the Munga 8 (you guessed it, the Munga 8 could hold eight). Some were converted into ambulances, ammunition carriers, agricultural vehicles and staff cars among many other uses.

DKW Munga Nose

Serving NATO and nearly every country outside of North America, the Auto-Union DKW Munga is known for its off-road ability, utility and toughness. They are becoming rather popular collectors vehicles, although, in North America parts and support are difficult to come by.

Here’s the seller’s pitch:

This is my baby, I have been cleaning it up and working on it for a year or so now but my little knowledge of German engineering and being in college has made it near impossible to continue working on it. So I have decided to sell this very rare piece of history. Make an offer.

I have two, both the same year and make but one has a really nice body but no engine and the other one has an ok shaped body and an engine. My plan was to put the engine into the nicer body that also has a newer transmission and use the not so nice body for parts.

However, this Munga is is 99% all original parts. The only parts in it that aren’t original are the battery, the ignition and the fuel filter. Everything else including the paint job is the same as it was in 58. The body is in fairly good shape with a small dent in back and a dent in the radiator grill (as shown in photo) The seats are leather and they do have quite a few cracks but could easily be re-upholstered.

We do not have the doors and cover for it however there is a small chain that latches across that the Germans called a “door”. The floor is a bit rusted but nothing to bad. I have spend the last year or so working on the engine and after 20 years or not running, I got it to turn over. There are only a few left in the world and even fewer in America.

It is a great project to work on and could easily be up and running with a little work. Lights also work and the transmission is in great shape just needs to hooked up properly.

DKW Munga engine

DKW Munga rearIf you have any other information or insight on this amazing vehicles, let us know below!

This vehicle is currently for sale for $6,000 in Denver, CO.

Speaking of cool Jeep-like vehicles, check out this TFLcar off-road video review of the 2016 Lexus GX460:

Actor Anton Yelchin, Star Trek’s Chekov, killed by his own Jeep Grand Cherokee [Updated]

By
John Inama
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Anton Yelchin
Anton Yelchin (Photo: The Verge)

Anton Yelchin, best known for his roles as Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek reboot and as Bobby Garfield in Hearts in Atlantis, was killed early Sunday morning when he was pinned against a brick mailbox by his SUV.

His vehicle, a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was in neutral when it pinned the actor against the mailbox and a security fence at the bottom of a steep hill, according to Los Angeles police and reported by CBS News.

The CBS News report also quoted Los Angeles police spokesman Lt. Larry Dietz as saying that it was “just one of those freak accidents” and that the actor didn’t properly shift his car into park.

2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee

2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees are part of a larger recall issued by Fiat Chrysler in April. The recall, which affects 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees, Chrysler 300s and Dodge Chargers equipped with the Monostable or E-Shift transmission shifters, addresses concerns over a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation in which they called the shifter “non-intuitive” and that it increased the chance of a driver putting it into a gear they didn’t intend.

The NHTSA investigation found 121 crashes and 30 injuries linked to the shifter and confusion as to whether or not the car was put into park.

Police haven’t linked the actor’s death to the Jeep’s transmission.

Stay tuned to TFLcar.com for more updates on this breaking news event.

Update #1 – 6/20/2016

Fiat Chrysler spokesperson Eric Mayne said the company will conduct “a thorough investigation” of the accident that killed the young actor. It has been confirmed that Yelchin’s Grand Cherokee was recalled but had not yet received the necessary fix.

Velocity EXO Road, Track & 0-60 MPH Review – TFL Leaderboard Hot or Not Ep.11

By
John Inama
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TFLcar has tested some interesting vehicles on the TFL Leaderboard Hot or Not series, but this week’s car might just top them all.

For this week’s episode, Roman Mica and Paul Gerrard flog a Velocity EXO around the track and around town to find out if this unique vehicle is hot or not.

Velocity is a company based in Arvada, Colorado, close to TFL headquarters. According to founder Jay Taylor, whom Roman met at a cars and coffee event, the idea for the EXO came from a street-legal dune buggy he had years ago. He wanted to make something similar – a bare-bones, lightweight car – but without the clunkiness of the dune buggy.

The EXO is sold as a kit car, so it doesn’t have a lot of features that are taken for granted on modern cars like airbags, crumple zones, a roof, doors, etc. It’s available from Velocity with a choice of three engines – a Volkswagen 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbo, an Audi 4.2-liter V8, or a GM LS1 V8, the same engine as in a Corvette. All engines are mated to a Porsche Boxster manual transmission, five speed for the smaller engine and six speed for the bigger engines.

All engines come with standard horsepower or available power boosts. Base price starts at for the 1.8 turbo, for the 4.2 V8 and $32,999 for the LS1. All models have performance, exterior and interior upgrades available.

So is the Velocity EXO hot or not? Watch the full video above to find out.

Velocity EXO

Acura’s four-motor electric NSX to take on Pikes Peak hill climb

By
Aimee Inama
-

Acura NSX EV Pikes Peak

Honda will debut a new all-electric concept car at the 100th 2016 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which features further enhancements on last year’s electric powertrain.

The Acura all-electric, NSX-inspired EV concept car will compete in the Electric Modified Class during the hill climb on June 26 in Colorado Springs. The new concept car builds on the experimental, all-electric, four-motor super handling all-wheel drive (SH-AWD) powertrain that won at last year’s Pikes Peak Challenge Exhibition class.

Tetsuya Yamano, who drove last year’s CR-Z-based electric prototype at the hill climb, will return this year to drive the Acura concept car.

“We’ve been tuning the car for several weeks at Pikes and have advanced its performance significantly,” Yamano said. “We’re honored to be running at Pikes in this historical, anniversary year – an event respected by racing fans all over the world.”

The concept car has the world’s first technology that enables four-wheel independent torque allocation, Honda said in a press release. Compared to last year’s model, the powertrain on the Acura produces three times the total system output. This year, it is mated to an NSX body.

The concept car that will be unveiled this year is part of the 20 years of development work Honda R&D has been doing in super handling technology in pursuit of ideal vehicle handling.

Honda has applied separate twin motor units, which it considers the brains of the powertrain, to each axle to achieve independent torque distribution to all four corners, or four-wheel torque vectoring.

Acura NSX EV Pikes Peak

Taking what they learned from last year’s hill climb, Honda has equipped each wheel with more thrust by updating the system management of the powertrain.

Besides the SH-AWD concept, Acura will have two other NSX supercars competing in this year’s hill climb, and the Acura NSX, MDX and TLX will serve as official pace cars.

Check out this TFLcar video of a 2017 Acura NSX going against a classic 2005 version:

New GMC Acadia helps owners remember what’s in the back seat

By
Aimee Inama
-

2017 GMC Acadia

Consumers who buy the new GMC Acadia won’t have to worry about forgetting children, pets or items in the back seats of their vehicles.

The 2017 Acadia, GMC’s mid-size SUV, will now come equipped with a rear seat reminder system that will alert a driver about checking the back seats of their vehicles under certain situations.

“Whether it’s your lunch, laptop, pet or most importantly, your child, it’s easier than it seems to forget what’s in the back seat when moving between life’s events,” said Tricia Morrow, GM global safety strategy engineer. “With this new feature, we are leading the charge to address this ongoing problem.”

GMC said it’s the first car manufacturer to equip one of its vehicles with this safety feature. Most new 2017 Acadias will come standard with this feature. The 2017 Acadia Limited, which is a carryover model from 2016, won’t have it. The 2017 Acadia is available for purchase at dealerships now.

2017 GMC Acadia

The system works by monitoring the activity of the rear doors. When someone open and closes the rear door 10 minutes before the vehicle starts or if the door is opened and closed while the SUV is running, the system activates. When a driver turns off the Acadia, the vehicle makes five chimes and displays a message that reads “Rear Seat Reminder/Look in Rear Seat” in the driver information center screen on the dashboard.

However, if someone gets into their vehicle without opening the rear door and puts their groceries or other shopping items in the back, the system won’t activate. That would also apply to children and pets who get into the front first. If they get in through the front and climb into the back without opening the rear doors, the system won’t activate.

Although the new system is designed to help remind busy parents of a child in the back sat, GMC and Safe Kids Worldwide want to remind all drivers to never leave a child or pet unattended in the backseat.

“General Motors has developed a new technology for the GMC Acadia, the rear seat reminder, to give busy parents an important reminder to check the back seat before leaving the car,” said Kate Carr, president and CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Technology alone cannot solve the issue of heatstroke when it comes to young children, but this new Acadia reminder can help. We must always remember that the safest way to protect a child from heatstroke is to never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.”

2017 GMC Acadia

The 2017 Acadia comes in three trim levels in its second generation, including the base trim, which starts at $29,070, the All Terrain trim, which starts at $39,115 and the Denali trim, which starts at $44,920. GMC will continue to manufacture its first-generation model from 2016, calling it the Limited, with a starting price tag of $43,850.

Other new features for the 2017 Acadia include expanded safety features, a 2.5-liter inline-four cylinder engine or a 310-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 engine, adaptive ride control in the Denali and an improved all-wheel drive system in the All Terrain.

Check out this TFLcar video off-road review of the 2017 GMC Acadia All Terrain:

2016 Ford Focus vs Nissan Sentra Mashup Video Review: Which Car is the Better Buy?

By
John Inama
-

It’s not too often at TFLcar that we get two test vehicles at the same time that are direct competitors. When this happens, though, we pit them head-to-head, which is exactly what we did in this latest mashup video review.

In this video, the 2016 Ford Focus Titanium hatchback goes up against the 2016 Nissan Sentra SL sedan in a barrage of head-to-head tests to find out which one is the better buy.

The two compacts will be matched up for fuel economy, braking, utility, and even a drag race to find out which one is the best value.

Despite being competitors, the two cars couldn’t be more different. The Focus is a European-bred hatchback with a powerful 2.0-liter four cylinder that puts out 160 horsepower, and puts that power to the front wheels through a six-speed automatic. The Sentra has a definite Japanese style and has a less powerful 1.8-liter four cylinder that puts out 130 horsepower and puts its power to the front wheels through a continuously variable transmission.

The Focus is also a hatchback, while the Sentra is a sedan. While that might mean that the utility comparison would be a no-brainer for the Focus, the end result might be surprising.

So which one is the best value, and which ones do Nathan and Brian prefer? Check out the full video above to find out.

Focus_vs_Sentra_2

2017 Jeep Compass, Mazda3 Sedan vs. Dodge Dart and the Ask Nathan Video Update

By
Nathan Adlen
-

2014 Dodge Durango
In this edition of Ask Nathan:

This first question comes from viewer who is wondering about a next generation Jeep Compass.

Compass

Hello Nathan and the TFL Car guys! I have a dilemma and I hope you can help.

I was looking at the Jeep Renegade and the current model Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot. I don’t need anything too expensive but I like the Jeep vibe and want something more entertaining than my Honda CR-V. I think the Jeep Renegade is okay, but it’s a bit too small for what I have in mind. The Patriot and Compass are small too, but I like their price.

The Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are way too expensive for me. A friend at school who loves your show said that the Jeep Compass will be completely redone and will grow a bit too. Is this true? Will it be less expensive than the Cherokee?

Do you know anything about this Compass? Please let me know, I want to buy a new car by next summer or so.

Please tell Roman I said hi!

Mitch G.

Cleaton, KY

A: That’s a great question Mitch!

Please keep in mind: there is nothing solid out there yet. What you’re about to read is based on guesswork, rumor and very few facts. Still, we know that Jeep is planning something, if not a 2017 Jeep Compass.

I looked around and found out that Jeep is building a vehicle that should slot between the Renegade and Jeep Cherokee. Test vehicles are already on the road and there is said to be a debate about its name. Names like the Wagoner, Liberty, Scout and Compass have been rumored.

It may come out in 2017 after the Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot are discontinued. This vehicle may be part of a flood of crossovers that are built on the SCSS “BU” platform. This may include a three-row crossover and a utility pickup truck similar to the Honda Ridgeline.

I believe that, for now, the base model Jeep Renegade will remain the least expensive Jeep product.

We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Cheers!

N

—

2013 Dodge Dart: Top 3 Unexpected Surprises

This next question is from a a fan who’s cross-shopping a Dodge Dart SXT vs Mazda3 Sedan i Touring.

Hi Nathan, I wanted to measure your opinion. I have narrowed my choices for my next car to two vehicles. I like the Dodge Dart SXT and Mazda3 Sedan i Touring.

Here’s what I know about each car.

Dodge Dart SXT:

It’s big for a small car
It’s very cheap, I can get one for nearly 15% under sticker (I think under $17,500 loaded)
I like the ride
You like it

Mazda3 Sedan i Touring:

A fun car to drive
Looks great inside and out
Has a good reputation and rating from you

I also know that you were disappointed with the Dodge Dart GT. You seem to know the good and bad with both vehicles. I wanted to know, if it were your money, which one would you buy?

I have a 7-year old and a girlfriend. No pets and I rarely go camping. I live just outside of Phoenix, Arizona, so good air conditioning is very important.

Do my questions make sense? Please let me know what you think.

Sincerely,

Sage J.

Arizona

2014_mazda3_hatch_mazda

A: Hi Sage!

Right off the bat, the Mazda3 is a more rewarding/fun car to drive.

It is the better choice unless you’re in need of more room and a quieter ride. You see, I know the Dodge Dart has its faults, but ride, comfort and noise control are not among them. In fact, if it were me, with my current needs (kids, dogs, utility needs etc.) I would still consider the Dodge Dart over the Mazda3.

As you already mentioned, the Dart is heavily discounted – which is true. Dealerships are cutting prices big time. While the Mazda3 is fairly affordable, it’s nowhere near the bargain the Dodge Dart is.

It all depends on what you truly want. Do you the fun car or the more practical one?

Practical = Dodge Dart

Fun = Mazda3

It’s just that simple.

Hope that helps!

N

The last post is in regards to TFLcar’s newest program: “Ask Nathan!” I know, it’s a bit self-glorifying, but it’s a name that’s easy to recognize – right?

MMUSA Nebraska Plaquea
Nathan next to the plaque marking the highest point in Nebraska

“Ask Nathan” Makes its video debut!

TFLcar’s newest program will be a weekly Q & A and behind-the-scenes show based on TFLcar.com’s “Ask Nathan” weekly column. This show will feature behind-the-scenes video displaying what’s in the TFL studio/garage and what the TFLcar/TFLtruck team is working on, and will also answer a few of your questions.

Ask Nathan will also pack a few surprises, contests and fun trivia too.

Cool, right?

Each episode will run three to six minutes and will have an occasional “special” guest too.

Excited yet?

I am!

Here’s the first episode:

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.

Got a question for Nathan? Drop him a line at: asknathan@tflcar.com

Lamborghini Centenario: 770 hp, carbon fiber, all gone

By
Brian Waring
-

[doptg id=”28″]

Marking what would have been the 100th year of Ferruccio Lamborghini is the aptly named Lamborghini Centenario you see above. The car, which made its debut at the 2016 Geneva Auto Show, was recently on display at the Petersen Automotive museum for the first time to U.S. clients, although only 40 of them will ever make it into production – 20 coupes and 20 roadsters.

The Centenario is a showcase of the company’s knowledge of aerodynamics and its ability to form carbon fiber into any shape it pleases. The body is made entirely of the material and is offered without paint for those who prefer the woven look. Dry weight for the vehicle is 3,351 pounds.

“This car is the ultimate expression of Automobili Lamborghini,” said Alessandro Farmeschi, Automobili Lamborghini America chief operating officer. “The Centenario marks what would have been the 100th birthday of Ferruccio Lamborghini and is a fitting tribute to our company’s founder. Its cutting design showcases the latest technologies that give our super sports cars such a competitive edge.”

In addition to the carbon fiber body, notable performance notes for the Centenario include the most powerful Lamborghini engine ever – a 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 that puts out 770 hp – and a rear-wheel steering system meant to enhance turn-in feel. The result of Lamborghini pushing the envelope with this car is a claimed 0-60 time of 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph.

Want one of the 40 Centenarios that will be built? You’ll have to wait until they hit the used market as they have already all been sold.

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