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Alongside the Porsche 918 Spyder, the McLaren P1 ushered in the era of the hybrid hypercar. At a time when people associated “hybrid” with the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt, the P1 proved that electrification doesn’t require sacrifices to performance. Now, the automaker is considering an all-electric supercar, although a potential production version won’t arrive for some time. McLaren is currently testing the waters with an EV prototype, McLaren engineering design director Dan Parry-Williams confirmed to Autocar. “We’ve got a pure EV mule and part of the reason for that is to ask how we can deliver driver engagement in a fully electric world,” he said. “But there’s still quite a journey from here to there in terms of our products.” McLaren confirmed in its six-year plan last year that an all-electric drivetrain was in development, and we last heard the automaker was preparing an EV for launch by 2020. The report said that the new model wouldn’t replace the P1 but would slot just underneath that supercar, carrying a price tag below $1 million. McLaren faces plenty of obstacles when it comes to building an EV supercar, Parry-Williams lamented. Battery technology remains a key issue. “Let’s say you want to drive on track for half an hour. If that was an EV, that car would have over 500 miles of [road] EV range, and it would be flat as a pancake at the end,“ he noted. “The energy required to do really high performance on track is staggering. And then you have to recharge it.” Parry-Williams also said the industry is investing more heavily in batteries that accommodate long ranges rather than batteries that deliver the power density required for high-performance supercars. For now, McLaren seems content with internal-combustion engines. It just introduced the Senna, which delivers 789 hp from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8. By 2022, however, McLaren aims for half of its new cars to feature hybrid technology.
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/mclaren-reportedly-testing-eventual-ev-supercar-3/
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Alongside the Porsche 918 Spyder, the McLaren P1 ushered in the era of the hybrid hypercar. At a time when people associated “hybrid” with the Toyota Prius and Chevrolet Volt, the P1 proved that electrification doesn’t require sacrifices to performance. Now, the automaker is considering an all-electric supercar, although a potential production version won’t arrive for some time. McLaren is currently testing the waters with an EV prototype, McLaren engineering design director Dan Parry-Williams confirmed to Autocar. “We’ve got a pure EV mule and part of the reason for that is to ask how we can deliver driver engagement in a fully electric world,” he said. “But there’s still quite a journey from here to there in terms of our products.” McLaren confirmed in its six-year plan last year that an all-electric drivetrain was in development, and we last heard the automaker was preparing an EV for launch by 2020. The report said that the new model wouldn’t replace the P1 but would slot just underneath that supercar, carrying a price tag below $1 million. McLaren faces plenty of obstacles when it comes to building an EV supercar, Parry-Williams lamented. Battery technology remains a key issue. “Let’s say you want to drive on track for half an hour. If that was an EV, that car would have over 500 miles of [road] EV range, and it would be flat as a pancake at the end,“ he noted. “The energy required to do really high performance on track is staggering. And then you have to recharge it.” Parry-Williams also said the industry is investing more heavily in batteries that accommodate long ranges rather than batteries that deliver the power density required for high-performance supercars. For now, McLaren seems content with internal-combustion engines. It just introduced the Senna, which delivers 789 hp from its twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8. By 2022, however, McLaren aims for half of its new cars to feature hybrid technology.
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/mclaren-reportedly-testing-eventual-ev-supercar-2/
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/i-cars-collision-reporter-magazine-the-diagnostics-issue/
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/collision-reporter-round-table-tips-on-navigating-diagnostics-changes/ TUCSON, Arizona--With editor-at-large Arthur St. Antoine having spent plenty of time with the new JL Wrangler Rubicon chasing hobbits down in the Shire, it only made sense for me to hop into one of the more conventional variants on hand. And so I hopped into a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited, which struck me as the variant most likely to be chosen by the vast majority of people who buy Wranglers not for rock crawling but things like Costco parking-spot trawling. While the Wrangler made no claims to the a significant share of the mass SUV market prior to arrival of the four-door JK Unlimited, it’s the model that’s powered most of its growth—Wrangler sales jumped almost 50 percent from around 80,000 to almost 120,000 when it was introduced in 2007, and the JK’s popularity exceeded the TJ’s even during the depressed recession years of 2008-’10, peaking in 2015 with more than 202,000 sold in the U.S. alone. With SUVs being far more popular in 2017 than they were in 2007 thanks to the rise of the crossovers, the competitive landscape is more complicated—and the potential customer pool is much larger. Enter the JL Sahara.
The mid-range Wrangler is mechanically identical to the entry Sport—both can be had with your choice of 3.6-liter V-6 or 2.0-liter turbo four, regardless of door quantity, and both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic, though the V-6 can be had with a six-speed manual. Where the two differentiate are fancy frills like power windows and door locks, which the Sport goes without; on the two-door Sport, you can even skip the A/C. And while the stripper special is the one I’d likely drop my Bitcoin gains on, the 2018 Wrangler I spent most of the day in was a well-equipped Sahara Unlimited with a 2.0-liter turbo under its hood and the new retractable Powertop. On a variety of roads around the Tucson area, including a bit of washboardy dirt road, the Sahara Unlimited felt less like a Wrangler and more like, well, a modern crossover. There’s still a little on-center play in the steering, but it’s otherwise smooth and well weighted. The suspension offers a surprisingly smooth and composed ride with reasonable levels of noise, while the brakes don’t offer any surprises in either direction. (A brief stint in a two-door Sahara later in the day offered much of the same, but with the expected loss of directional stability due to the shorter wheelbase.) What was surprising was the performance of the 2.0-liter turbo-four. Aided by a linear throttle with a smooth tip-in, it made the Sahara happy to get going and offered plenty of pull at any speed. The eight-speed automatic did almost all of its work in the background like a good auto is supposed to, its ratios and programming well matched with the engine’s powerband. It’s enough of an improvement over the V-6, which is fine, that it’s worth having to forego the manual.
As for the Powertop, it’s a nifty bit of kit that I can see having been inspired by one of its distant cousins, the Fiat 500C, as like the Cinquecento’s, only the central piece retracts. With the full doors in place, it’s not an entirely open-air experience, but you get a lot closer once you remove the cargo area side panels with simple twists of easy-to-operate latches. Half-doors should become available in 2019; in the meantime, you can also just yank them off. Unfortunately, no such luck for the rear glass of this setup. But you can fold the windshield, which is no longer a semi-Herculean undertaking requiring the better part of an hour and a half. The number of bolts that have to be removed has shrunk from 28 to four, and some of the Jeep staff boasted about being able to complete the task in about five minutes. General creature comforts are much improved as well. Interior material quality and fit is as on par with even the fancier Grand Cherokee and some bits almost felt premium, while the latest Uconnect iteration offers a much higher and crisper resolution than before. Several annoyances of the JK were expunged in the refinement process, such as the push-button door handles and non-stay doors. With the JL, you can easily open the (much lighter aluminum) door with one hand by simply pulling on the handle, and you won’t have to worry as much about it crushing your shins afterward.
The Sahara off-road experience was kept to a basic dirt trail on the approach to a hilltop site where Jeep had some Rubicons prepared for us to hop into (the turbo-four is excellent for crawling, offering the sort of predictable and smooth power delivery needed to keep everything shiny without worries about atmospheric loss at altitude). I wouldn’t take the Sahara on the technical rock trail they picked out for us to crawl over simply because you’ll be charging sans lockers, but it’s not unhappy in moderate off-pavement. It’ll certainly get you and your surfboard down to the sand at San Onofre without complaint, which is as far off-road as most of these will ever go. And make sure you check the box for the optional limited-slip rear differential if you get snow or plan going to it. Despite all of its additional refinement and polished looks, the 2018 JL Wrangler will not be mistaken for anything else by anybody. Given the number of compromises removed in the redesign process, I hope Jeep has some shovel-ready plans to expand the footprint of its Wrangler plant in Toledo, Ohio. The JL Wrangler is an excellent all-around vehicle that also meets all purist expectations and stays true to the brand. Jeep will sell every last one that it can roll off the line. After all, there’s not much reason to get a functional but nondescript compact-midsize crossover for the Costco crawl when you can have this Wrangler instead. If you’re going to be stuck behind a slowly reversing Prius, you might as well sit there with a smile.
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/first-drive-2018-jeep-wrangler-unlimited-sahara/ Typically, when a premium automaker adds a new SUV to its lineup it sees a significant sales uptick. But apparently that isn’t the case with Maserati. The Italian brand will extend production shutdowns in Italy this holiday season as it tries to unload current inventory, reports Automotive News Europe. The decision comes amid slowing sales in China. Although Maserati is keeping quiet on the matter, union sources are reporting a number of long shutdowns. Maserati’s Grugliasco plant in Italy has been shut down for a four-week period starting December 15. This factory, which makes the Ghibli and Quattroporte, was closed for just three weeks last year. At the Mirafiori plant, which builds the Levante SUV, production will stop from December 20 through January 15, although last year it shut down for just one day beyond required holidays and weekends. The Modena plant will stop making Granturismo and Grancabrio models until January 8. “It is clear that production is slowing down and investment in new models are on hold,” Federico Bellono, head of the union for the Turin area that includes the Grugliasco and Mirafiori plants, told Automotive News Europe. New regulations that affect the relationship between dealers and automakers have hurt sales in China. In October, Maserati delivered 750 Levantes to China, a decrease of 67 percent from 2016, according to JATO Dynamics. Sales in the U.S. fell 15 percent in October and November, and 4 percent in the EU. New products could help Maserati increase its sales. A second SUV is expected to arrive by 2020. Slotting under the Levante, it is expected to share the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. At this point, plans for the Alfieri sports car remain unclear. Source: Automotive News Europe (Subscription required) from http://chicagoautohaus.com/maserati-extends-production-shutdown-due-to-slow-sales-2/ Typically, when a premium automaker adds a new SUV to its lineup it sees a significant sales uptick. But apparently that isn’t the case with Maserati. The Italian brand will extend production shutdowns in Italy this holiday season as it tries to unload current inventory, reports Automotive News Europe. The decision comes amid slowing sales in China. Although Maserati is keeping quiet on the matter, union sources are reporting a number of long shutdowns. Maserati’s Grugliasco plant in Italy has been shut down for a four-week period starting December 15. This factory, which makes the Ghibli and Quattroporte, was closed for just three weeks last year. At the Mirafiori plant, which builds the Levante SUV, production will stop from December 20 through January 15, although last year it shut down for just one day beyond required holidays and weekends. The Modena plant will stop making Granturismo and Grancabrio models until January 8. “It is clear that production is slowing down and investment in new models are on hold,” Federico Bellono, head of the union for the Turin area that includes the Grugliasco and Mirafiori plants, told Automotive News Europe. New regulations that affect the relationship between dealers and automakers have hurt sales in China. In October, Maserati delivered 750 Levantes to China, a decrease of 67 percent from 2016, according to JATO Dynamics. Sales in the U.S. fell 15 percent in October and November, and 4 percent in the EU. New products could help Maserati increase its sales. A second SUV is expected to arrive by 2020. Slotting under the Levante, it is expected to share the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. At this point, plans for the Alfieri sports car remain unclear. Source: Automotive News Europe (Subscription required) from http://chicagoautohaus.com/maserati-extends-production-shutdown-due-to-slow-sales/ Like Valentino Balboni, Chris Goodwin became a McLaren institution. Goodwin’s test driving gave each successive McLaren a certain seal of approval that legitimized the car. From the first MP4-12C, to the forthcoming three-seat BP23 hyper grand tourer set to debut later this year, Goodwin has had his hands on them all, which makes his move from McLaren to Aston Martin an end of an era. His shadow loomed large. Goodwin had been with McLaren since 1997 when the legendary Ron Dennis told him that he should work as a test driver for McLaren. Chris had a fairly successful racing career, and when Dennis made his proclamation, the Brit wasn’t sure it was the right decision, but years later, Goodwin called it “the best thing I ever did.”
Twenty years later, Goodwin is starting a new chapter at Aston Martin as the expert high performance test driver. The move is a boon for Aston Martin as not only is the British marque looking to expand its footprint in the luxury and supercar market but also the hypercar segment with the Valkyrie, and who better to determine if the car is ready for customers than the man responsible for tuning the McLaren P1? It won’t be an easy task. While Aston Martin’s Valkyrie is a hybrid hypercar like the McLaren P1, the Valkyrie uses a naturally aspirated V-12 and a body designed by Formula 1 superstar designer Adrian Newey. The car aims to employ similar dynamics to prototype Le Mans race cars—as well as a few tricks from Formula 1—to deliver an experience that’s yet to ever grace the road.
Goodwin will also be in charge of developing and honing Aston Martin’s upcoming Ferrari 488 GTB competitor, although that project is a little further down the pipeline compared to the Valkyrie. Additionally, Aston Martin were also able to bring Simone Rizzuto into the fold. Rizzuto was previously responsible for vehicle performance testing and integration at Maserati and Alfa Romeo. Rizzuto will take on the chief engineer of vehicle dynamics at Aston Martin. Speaking about Goodwin and Rizzuto, Aston Martin’s CEO Andy Palmer said, “I’m thrilled to have Chris and Simone’s caliber join Aston Martin’s already stellar engineering and dynamics team. Their decision is a great endorsement of our future plans, while the skills and experience they bring are second to none. As we enter the next crucial phase in the development of our growing product and powertrain portfolios, they will make an invaluable contribution in shaping an exceptional new family of Aston Martin models.”
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/aston-martin-poaches-mclarens-chief-test-driver-2/ Like Valentino Balboni, Chris Goodwin became a McLaren institution. Goodwin’s test driving gave each successive McLaren a certain seal of approval that legitimized the car. From the first MP4-12C, to the forthcoming three-seat BP23 hyper grand tourer set to debut later this year, Goodwin has had his hands on them all, which makes his move from McLaren to Aston Martin an end of an era. His shadow loomed large. Goodwin had been with McLaren since 1997 when the legendary Ron Dennis told him that he should work as a test driver for McLaren. Chris had a fairly successful racing career, and when Dennis made his proclamation, the Brit wasn’t sure it was the right decision, but years later, Goodwin called it “the best thing I ever did.”
Twenty years later, Goodwin is starting a new chapter at Aston Martin as the expert high performance test driver. The move is a boon for Aston Martin as not only is the British marque looking to expand its footprint in the luxury and supercar market but also the hypercar segment with the Valkyrie, and who better to determine if the car is ready for customers than the man responsible for tuning the McLaren P1? It won’t be an easy task. While Aston Martin’s Valkyrie is a hybrid hypercar like the McLaren P1, the Valkyrie uses a naturally aspirated V-12 and a body designed by Formula 1 superstar designer Adrian Newey. The car aims to employ similar dynamics to prototype Le Mans race cars—as well as a few tricks from Formula 1—to deliver an experience that’s yet to ever grace the road.
Goodwin will also be in charge of developing and honing Aston Martin’s upcoming Ferrari 488 GTB competitor, although that project is a little further down the pipeline compared to the Valkyrie. Additionally, Aston Martin were also able to bring Simone Rizzuto into the fold. Rizzuto was previously responsible for vehicle performance testing and integration at Maserati and Alfa Romeo. Rizzuto will take on the chief engineer of vehicle dynamics at Aston Martin. Speaking about Goodwin and Rizzuto, Aston Martin’s CEO Andy Palmer said, “I’m thrilled to have Chris and Simone’s caliber join Aston Martin’s already stellar engineering and dynamics team. Their decision is a great endorsement of our future plans, while the skills and experience they bring are second to none. As we enter the next crucial phase in the development of our growing product and powertrain portfolios, they will make an invaluable contribution in shaping an exceptional new family of Aston Martin models.”
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/aston-martin-poaches-mclarens-chief-test-driver/
from http://chicagoautohaus.com/3m-pps-world-cup-justin-jimmo/ |
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Autohaus is Chicago’s premier collision center, auto repair and customization shop located in Chicago’s Lincoln Park/Bucktown area. We are conveniently located to serve Chicago’s Gold Coast & North Side as well as the outlying Chicagoland area. Our full service auto repair shop prides itself on giving our clients the highest quality work and the absolute best in customer service. Archives
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