This Feature On The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Really Stands Out

Admittedly, we have yet to drive a vehicle – namely the 2018 NSX supercar or RLX Sport Hybrid – with Acura’s latest Sport Hybrid Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system. Although we can imagine well enough what it’s capable of in something like the NSX and RLX, we do wonder how it might change up the ride and handling of an SUV like the MDX?

The 2018 MDX Sport Hybrid is equipped with the patented all-wheel drive, three-motor system from Acura.

Power & Performance

The MDX Sport Hybrid’s performance features are plentiful and exciting. For example, the 3.0-liter i-VTEC V6 engine creates 321 horsepower and 289 lb-ft. of torque, meaning it’s the most powerful SUV Acura has ever manufactured. Acura says despite turning out 30 additional horsepower and a 45 percent higher EPA city fuel economy rating when compared to the conventionally-powered MDX, the Sport Hybrid is only an extra $1,500.

In our minds, the hybrid variant is easily worth the extra money. That’s the way we would go.

Other performance features include a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, an Integrated Dynamics System with a SPORT+ mode, Active Dampers, and Electric Servo Brakes.

The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid comes in two new shades of red but this lighter gray/silver isn’t half bad either. Photo: Honda North America.

Color Schemes & Safety Tech

Acura’s designers must love red as two new colors, Basque Red Pearl II and San Marino Red, are now available. The Technology Package and Advance Package are on offer and include unique interior trim elements and stainless steel sport pedals. It’s worth noting the Technology Package can seat seven, while the Advance Package seats six with second-row captain’s chairs and a larger center console in place of a three-person bench seat.

Adaptive Cruise Control with Low Speed Follow, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist, and Collision Mitigation Braking are among the available safety systems.

Pricing & Availability

The 2018 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid is available now with a starting MSRP of $52,100. If you drive one off the lot, let us know on Twitter how you like the Super Handling-All Wheel Drive system.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos & Source: Honda North America.

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Outsider: Hardening up the Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled

If there’s a spiritual heir to the go-anywhere machines of the 1960s, it’s the Scrambler Ducati Desert Sled. Unlike most modern-day scramblers, the Duc is happy in the rough stuff. Even if it’s unlikely to be thrashed as much as the 1963 Bonneville that Bud Ekins built for Steve McQueen.

When our man Matt rode the Desert Sled a year ago at the launch in Spain, he was impressed: “The Desert Sled is the scrambliest scrambler money can buy,” he said. But of course, some people will always want to push things further—and one of those folks is former Paris-Dakar Rally racer Fabio Marcaccini.

Fabio now runs Unit Garage from his base in a small town near the Adriatic coast, on the eastern seaboard of Italy. He makes kits that amp up the offroad performance of modern-day BMWs, Triumphs and Moto Guzzis.

And he doesn’t sell farkles—he raced the Dakar five years in a row for Yamaha, so he knows what works and what doesn’t.

This prototype machine is called Fuoriluogo, which loosely translates to ‘outsider’ or ‘out of place,’ and Ducati supplied a Desert Sled to kick the project off.

The original idea came from Italian motojournalist Roberto Ungaro, formerly of the Italian magazine Riders. He suggested that Unit Garage developed a bike based on the Desert Sled—but Fabio decided to take the project a step further.

Instead of building a one-off, he proposed an easy-to-assemble kit that could go into production, and lift the off-road capabilities of the Ducati to new heights. Termignoni agreed to produce a new exhaust, and the project was green-lighted.

“The bike is more ‘off’ and less ‘on’ road,” Fabio explains. “Because if you call a motorcycle a Desert Sled, sooner or later you’ll find someone who’ll go into the desert!”

“It’s easier to ride because it has a shorter tank that allows a better riding position. You can get up to six centimeters [2.3 inches] closer to the handlebars, which dramatically improves the feeling when riding off-road.”

For this hand-made prototype tank, Unit Garage used steel. They’ve kept the lower part of the original tank, so it uses the same mounting points and fits the standard fuel pump.

But despite being shorter, it holds two or three liters more fuel than the OEM tank. And since it’s a replacement tank, it uses the same plastic on the front section and the same fuel cap.

The new seat is divided into two parts, and has a dual purpose. It can be used for two-up touring, because there’s a cushion inside the rear section. But the cushion can also be removed if you’re traveling alone, releasing a little extra space for small essentials.

The planned kit will also include a side bag, with a quick release system and a dedicated subframe. This will fit all Ducati Scrambler models, and uses an existing canvas bag from the Unit Garage range.

There’s also a small toolbox that can fit under the swingarm, close to the engine. Fabio designed a similar system for his 1990 Paris-Dakar bike, and it’s big enough to contain a small repair kit to fix broken chains and punctured tires. A tough new aluminum bash plate protects the engine.

For such a practical machine, Unit Garage’s Scrambler looks exceptionally good. The lines, color and aluminum side panels echo what Fabio calls the regolarità (enduro) motorcycles of the 1970s and 1980s.

Granted, the kit won’t turn the Desert Sled into a Dakar contender, but it makes it even more adept off-road. Right now, the parts are being 3D scanned, so they can be easily replicated. (In the event of production, the bodywork would be reproduced in lightweight ABS plastic.)

It’s worth noting that this kit will fit all models of Ducati Scrambler, not just the Desert Sled. So let’s do a little market research here: who reckons Unit Garage (or even Ducati) should put this one into production?

Unit Garage | Facebook | Instagram

PS: Just for laughs, here’s a different exhaust that Termignoni knocked up. Inside the ‘expansion chamber’ is regular four-stroke tubing. That’s perhaps taking the ‘outsider’ concept a little too far …

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Jaguar I-PACE Takes On The Arctic (Video)

When Tony Westerlund, a potential Jaguar customer from Sweden, asked some challenging questions about how the new I-PACE would perform in the Arctic, the automaker responded by inviting him to Arjeplog to drive the car. Westerlund joined Jaguar’s engineers as rigorous extreme weather testing was being conducted on the new I-PACE at the company’s cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden.

The area is known for its bitter cold conditions where temperatures can drop to 40 below.

Fast Charging

Jaguar says the new I-PACE with DC fast charging capability can go from zero to 80 percent in about 45 minutes with a 100kW charger. While plugged in, drivers can prep the car’s battery and cabin temperature ahead of time without compromising range. Jaguar says this “pre-conditioning” ensures maximum range, performance, and comfort whether temperatures are freezing cold or extremely hot. The pre-conditioning can be controlled via the on-board InControl system or through the Jaguar InControl Remote app.

I-PACE models await testing at Jaguar’s cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden. Photo: Jaguar Land Rover.

In Person

The Jaguar I-PACE will be revealed during a live global broadcast on March 1st, 1:00 pm ET/19:00 CET, with the public debut set for the Geneva Motor Show on March 6th. The new I-PACE goes on sale later this year. In the meantime, the video below shows Westerlund behind the wheel at Jaguar’s facility in Arjeplog.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos, Video & Source: Jaguar Land Rover.

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FCA & Waymo Prepare For World’s First Driverless Ride-Hailing Service

FCA US LLC will supply thousands of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids to Waymo to support the launch of the world’s first driverless ride-hailing service. FCA previously delivered 100 self-driving Pacifica Hybrids to Waymo during the second half of 2016, plus an additional 500 last year. Waymo will open their autonomous ride-hailing service to the public later this year in Phoenix, Arizona.

Essential Partnerships

One of the goals for FCA and Waymo was to develop an autonomous vehicle for mass production. The partnership paired FCA and Waymo engineers together who devised ways to implement Waymo’s automated technology into the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Leaders from both companies say leveraging each other’s strengths, experiences, and resources is critical for the successful and safe implementation of autonomous driving.

“With the world’s first fleet of fully self-driving vehicles on the road, we’ve moved from research and development, to operations and deployment,” explained John Krafcik, CEO of Waymo. “The Pacifica Hybrid minivans offer a versatile interior and a comfortable ride experience, and these additional vehicles will help us scale.”

“In order to move quickly and efficiently in autonomy, it is essential to partner with like-minded technology leaders,” added Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V.

Photo: FCA US LLC.

Testing & Expansion

Last November, Waymo began testing a fleet of autonomous Chrysler Pacifica Hybrids on public roads, meaning the minivans became the first vehicle to attain Level 4 autonomy as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers. The additional Pacifica Hybrid minivans will support Waymo’s expansion of the driverless ride-hailing service to more cities across the United States. Waymo has already conducted testing in 25 cities, including Atlanta, San Francisco, Detroit, Phoenix, and Kirkland, Washington. Overall, FCA and Waymo logged more than 4 million miles of on-road testing and over a billion in simulation.

“Our partnership with Waymo continues to grow and strengthen; this represents the latest sign of our commitment to this technology,” Marchionne said.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos & Source: FCA US LLC.

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2019 Chevy Corvette ZR1 Scores Record Lap In Virginia (Video)

The 2019 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 arrives this spring and fans will likely be jazzed at the latest news concerning the bowtie’s pinnacle performance car. The 2019 ZR1 recently scored a record lap time on the 4.1-mile Grand Course West at Virginia International Raceway with a time of 2:37.25.

“The Corvette ZR1’s lap record at VIR, arguably America’s most challenging road course, is a testament to its supercar status,” said Mark Reuss, GM Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.

Icing On The Cake

The record lap at VIR was set last month during routine validation and performance testing. The stock ZR1 was configured per the standard track and aerodynamic settings recommended by the owner’s manual. The ZR1 was finalizing its 24 hours of at-limit track testing, with multiple GM Performance engineers logging laps, including vehicle dynamics engineer Jim Mero who set the record.

“The track had been empty since mid-December, so it was a bit slow when we started, but the conditions turned pretty quick at the end,” explained Alex MacDonald, Manager, Chevrolet Vehicle Performance. “On the heels of announcing our Z06 time of 2:39.77, the ZR1 lap time is the icing on the cake.”

Power & Performance

The ZR1’s LT5 6.2L supercharged V8 is the most powerful production Chevy engine yet, complete with 755 horsepower and 715 lb-ft. of torque. The engine also features GM’s first application of a dual-fuel-injection system, which includes direct injection (primary) and port injection (secondary). The engine is paired to either a seven-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic transmission. The latter was equipped to the record-setting ZR1 at VIR.

The new ZR1 features a larger, 2.65-liter supercharger that generates more boost but spins slightly slower when compared to the LT4 engine of the prior generation. This reduces heat and parasitic loss while lowering air intake temperatures for better performance. There are 13 radiators total, four of which are new to facilitate cooling between the engine oil, transmission, and differential.

Photo: Richard Prince/Chevrolet.

Vital Equipment

The record-setting ZR1 was also equipped with five-point harnesses, a harness bar, track seats, and the ZTK Performance Package, which includes an adjustable carbon-fiber High Wing, a front splitter with carbon-fiber end caps, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 summer-only tires, and specific chassis and Magnetic Ride Control tuning. Helping control the ZR1 around VIR for the record lap was a unique, hybrid material Brembo braking system.

“On the racetrack, the ZR1 can compete with any supercar – at any price,” Reuss said.

“It’s not too often you set a lap record during validation testing,” MacDonald added.

When it arrives the spring, the 2019 Chevy Corvette ZR1 will start at $119,995, with the ZTK Performance Package going for $2,995.

Carl Anthony is Managing Editor of Automoblog and resides in Detroit, Michigan. He studies mechanical engineering at Wayne State University, serves on the Board of Directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, and is a loyal Detroit Lions fan.

Photos, Video & Source: Chevrolet.

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Toyota Issues Recall For Certain Prius And Lexus Vehicles

Toyota Motor North America, Inc. has announced a safety recall in the United States of approximately 49,000 model year 2016 Prius and Lexus RX vehicles, and model year 2015 and 2016 Lexus NX vehicles. Toyota says the vehicles have air bag systems where an open circuit could be created over time.  If this were to occur, the air bag warning light will illuminate and the side and curtain shield air bags and/or front air bags may not deploy.

This may increase the risk of injury to the occupants in the event of a crash.

Further Information

For all involved vehicles, dealers will inspect the serial number of the sensors and replace them with new ones, if necessary, at no cost. All known owners will receive a notification by first-class mail starting in late March. Toyota, Lexus, and Scion owners are encouraged to check and see if their vehicle is under this or any other outstanding recalls. Similar information is available through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration here.

Toyota is encouraging those with additional questions to contact Toyota Customer Service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987.

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A New TAXI Movie is Set to Arrive This Year and it’s Going to be Awesome

The TAXI movie series has definitely made us laugh quite a lot of times. With this being the fifth installment, the adventure seems to continue as the action is yet again centered on the famous custom white Peugeot taxi. The movie promises speed, action and a ton of funny situations. All that remains to be seen is if this movie will improve on the formula we’ve already come to know.

While most movies bring out famous stars and personalities, this particular movie while also doing this, seems to bring to our attention the results of the French automotive industry, more precisely the famous car that seems to be driving this series forward, the white Peugeot. It is true that the series decided the change the original 406 model with the more recent 407 for the 2007 movie and seems to have been also kept for this one.

The story still seems to be happening in Marseille, only this time the driver behind the Peugeot 407 is no longer a simple taxi driver. He is a police officer that’s been charged with the finding of a gang of Italian robbers driving Ferraris. Being a comedy at heart, it’s funny not to laugh at how the Peugeot 407, even in its heavily modified form, seems to keep up with Ferrari’s models present in the movie. The movie does have a special vibe to it. It is after all a French comedy, and a good one at that.

A trailer has already been made available. It details a little bit of the story which seems fun and captivating. Regarding the actors, some will make their appearance for the first time in the series, while others will reappear from the older movies in the series. The movie is produced by Luc Besson while being directed by Franck Gastambide. It remains to b seen how all the actors work together in order to offer the viewers the product most of them are expecting, especially those that have following the series from its start.

In case you are looking for a movie this year that is center on the automotive culture and would like to have a good laugh, as well, the fifth installment of the French movie TAXI is the movie for you. Funny and full of action, this particular movie will probably live up to the expectations of all fans of the series.

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