8th Generation Volkswagen Golf R Packs More Punch

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Volkswagen’s newest (8th gen) Golf R is the most powerful and fastest series-production version of the popular hatchback yet.

Akin to its stable partners the new Arteon R and Tiguan R the new, powerful Golf R has 316bhp and 310lbft in its new version of the turbo charged 2.0-liter, four-cylinder gasoline engine.

The power and torque boosts come from the fourth creation of the EA88 unit, the Evo4, the Golf R can do 0-62mph in just 4.7 seconds. Volkswagen also has stated that peak torque is reached at 2100rpm all the way up to 5350rpm.

The focus of updating the Golf R has been a collection of tweaks to the drivetrain intended to improve agility and responsiveness rather than pure power.

The Golf R receives the same upgraded version of VW’s torque-vectoring technology which distributes drive evenly between the rear wheels rather than just between front and rear axle. This is done using a pair of electronically operated multi-disc clutches. The system will balance engine output in just milliseconds.

The Golf R is most physically different from others because of a 20mm suspension drop and items like a new front splitter, rear diffuser and quad-exit exhaust and new wheel designs.

 

Fiat Chrysler Rolls Out 1500 TRX Ram Pick-Up

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Fiat Chrysler’s timing when it comes to big, beefy vehicles is amazing with the latest example occurring earlier today.

Fiat Chrysler Ram brand got some great news when its new 1500 TRX was named on of three final choices for the 2021 North American Truck of the Year.

The 1500 TRX sports a 6.20liter supercharged Hemi V-8 giving 702 horsepower and 650 pound-feet of torque. The TRX can do zero to sixty in just 4.5 seconds and completes the quarter mile in 12.9 seconds. It has an official top speed of 118mph.

The Launch Edition, starting with Vin # 1, will include just 702 trucks built. They will be painted in an exclusive Anvil Gray paint job. The interior will include a brushed aluminum and red center console badge noting the special model run.

The Launch Edition will also come standard with the TRX Level 2 Equipment Group which means it’ll include carbon fiber interior trim, a color accent package, HUD, beadlock-capable wheels, Harman Kardon premium sound with 19 speakers, a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, hood and body side graphics, and Advanced Safety Group.

Fiat Chrysler said the model sold out, that is 702 trucks, in less than three hours.

 

Ford’s New Hybrid F-150

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While it will not come out as king on the hill in overall pick-up mileage, Ford Motor Company’s 2021 F-150 hybrid will beat out all the gas-powered rivals, this according to estimates from the EPA.

The new F-150 hybrid has a 3.5 liter V-6 “PowerBoost” hybrid variant. The two-wheel drive will get a combined 25 miles to the gallon—25 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, according to Ford. It will receive best in class among light-duty pickups with gasonline engines.

It will still trail its diesel rivals like the Chevy Silverado (27 mpg combined) and the Dodge Ram 1500 (26 mpg combined.

The four-wheel drive hybrid F-150 will come in around 24 mpg combined, 24 mpg city and highway.

The 2WD hybrid delivers 430 hop and 570 pound-feet of torque, according to Ford. It is rated at 12,700lobs of conventional towing (with the tow package) and a maximum payload of 2,120 pounds.

The new F-150 are available for sale now.

 

Jaguar’s New F-Pace SVR

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Jaguar will complete the change overs in its model range with the new F-Pace SVR that has many improvements.

The F-Pace SVR is recorded as doing 0-60mph at 3.8 seconds and the top speed is 178MPH, both of which are slightly better than the previous model. Even with the performance boosts the overall CO2 emissions are down to 6g/km and the new SVR’s fuel economy also improved.

Other revisions include a new steering rack, better road feel and electronic brake booster that shortens the pedal and improves feel. There is new adaptive damping and chassis bushes that increases the benefits of the vehicle’s “Dynamic” mode and creates more comfort in the soft driving modes.

All new features are present in the cabin as well. Fancier materials and trim details are seen throughout the cabin, this includes new finishes and new stylized rotary dial to select drive mode. The new F-Pace SVR has the new Jaguar Pivi Pro infortainment system with a 11.4 in screen.

The new 2021 F-Pace SVR is now available for pre-order at £77,595.

Tesla Models Under Investigation by NHTSA for Front Suspension Failure

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Tesla Auto Maker owned by eccentric billionaire Elon Musk is under investigation by the United States National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration know otherwise as the NHTSA. They are looking into 115 thousand some Tesla vehicles that have front suspension safety issues.

The United States National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration said it was opening a preliminary evaluation into the 115, 000 Model S vehicles from 2015-2017 and Model X vehicles from 2016-2017. This comes after they received 43 complaints that claimed there was a failure in the right or left front suspension fore forks.

Tesla made an announcement about the possible issue in a service bulletin that discussed a manufacturing condition that they said could result in a front suspension link failures, the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration said.

 

Volvo Uses VR in Autonomous Safety Research

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Volvo is using development tools and hardware from the gaming world as part of new research intended to improve self-driving car safety.

Volvo is using a mix of VR hardware and the Unity real-time rendering software in driveable test cars. These models are being run on a closed test tracks to safely simulate real world driving scenarios.

This new project is an arm of a partnership between Volvo and the Finnish VR hardware company Varjo. Last year they made it possible to drive a real car with a mixed reality headset.

The project members have added a full body haptic suit. This allows for precise motion tracking. The suit can also cause muscle restriction in the wearer as they would experience in a real emergency stop.

This hardware has been incorporated into a group of XC90 SUVs and stationary simulators. In the actual vehicles overlays a virtual images on top of the real world. So, the system can simulate an animal crossing the road.

The project is only in the early stages and hasn’t yet produce findings that will be used in production cars.

Gas Powered Porsche Macan Gets One Last Update

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Porsche is putting the final touches on a face lift for the 6 year old Macan. Extending the life of the SUV before the full EV version comes out in 2022.

The updated version of the gas model will be sold along with the completely electric version of the Macan as the global transition from fossil fuel vehicles to electric take place.

While official details have not yet been released the new revision should included tweaks to the front and rear bumpers, lights and a keenly revised grill profile.

Interior changes could be quite extensive though. The current Macan revision got a button-heavy HUD that Porsche phased out with the new Cayenne and Panamera. This will likely be a more modern, touch only infotainment HUD and touch sensitive physical buttons throughout. An updated steering wheel from the Panamera is possible as well.

There is no news on a powertrain revision and Porsche has not yet set an official release date for the final gas powered Macan update.

 

Peugeot Releases New Pick Up “Landtrek” and Sends it On 16,000 Mile Inaugural Adventure.

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Car maker Peugeot has been a pickup truck maker since 1938 when the built their first flatbed. This was replaced by a series of trucks over the years. The final release was the 504 in 1979.

If we come forward to the present day the French automaker has come up with another workhorse for its truck lineup. They’ve called it Landtrek and it is aimed at emerging markets and celebrated a recent media launch in Los Cabos, Mexico.

The Landtrek will also launch in Latin America, but in two phases. First in Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, Paraguay, Panama, Peru and others. In a second phase it will be released in Brazil, Argentina, Colombia afterwards. The new Peugeot Landtrek will also be released in Sub-Saharan Africa. After these the Peugeot Landtrek will make its appearance in other markets.

To demonstrate it can keep up with the popular truck brands, the Peugeot Landtrek is being subjected to a fifty day, 16K mile trip all across South America. The trip will begin in Los Cabos. Next it will travel to Ecuador by sea and then to the southernmost city in the world Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina where it is planned to arrived in February 2021.

 

Hyundai Rolls Out New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck

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Hyundai is no doubt becoming one of the emerging heavy investors in next-gen vehicle tech. They are focusing on many eco-friendly options like EVs, hydrogen or their very new hydrogen fuel cell truck, the Xcient

Only just available in Europe, the Xcient is powered by a 190kW hydrogen fuel cell system which includes a dual 95xW fuel cell stacks. The Xcient also employees 7 hydrogen tanks that can hold about 32kg of hydrogen.

This adds up to a driving range of about 400km and a refill time of about eight to twenty minutes for the Xcient. This also means incredibly reduced CO2 emissions to its diesel equivalent. Hyundai also says that the Xcient’s new powertrain will not hinder load bearing claiming that it will haul what an equivilant diesel can.

Hyundai delivered the first seven Xcient trucks to Switzerland and they’ll send out another fifty by year’s end. Hyundai expects to roll out Xcients across Europe, N. America, China and New Zealand.

Bentley Reveals Flying Spur V8

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Bentley has created a gasoline, V8 option for its new Flying Spur saloon.

The Flying Spur V8 has 541bhp and 568lb ft from its new twin turbo motor. The Flying Spur V8 has a top speed of 198mph and hits 62mph in just 4.1 seconds.

Bentley first revealed the new variant at Goodwood Speedweek.

Lucky test drivers are reporting a more agile and responsive drive than its sister models. The V8 model the Bentley dynamic-enhancing systems like adaptive air suspension and torque vectoring among others. Extras include electric anti-roll technology and all-wheel steering.

CO2 emissions on this model are down by 17%. Bentley has not yet confirmed any official figures but many expect emissions to be about 280kg/km. The V8 will get about 22mpg when the WLTP combined cycle mode is on.

It also has a feature in which it can go down to just four cylinders when driving under 3k rpm to help with fuel consumption. Bentley claims the change from 8 to 4 cylinders takes just 20 milliseconds and drivers and passengers won’t be aware of it.