2019 Subaru BRZ: Still Lacking Power, But Still Good Enough

• Nice as it would be, the 2019 Subaru BRZ does not see a horsepower increase.
• But maybe that’s okay? There are lots of other things to love about this new Subaru.   

Subaru is upping the ante with the introduction of the 2019 BRZ. More power right?! No, just kidding. Instead of tooling around with the 2.0-liter Boxer engine, Subaru decided a limited edition trim was enough.

The new “Series.Gray” includes wheel upgrades, a new paint color, and blacked-out exterior badges.

2019 Subaru BRZ Breakdown

The base BRZ Premium comes with LED headlights, power door locks and side mirrors, rear vision camera, engine immobilizer, and keyless entry. The Premium model adds a welcome lighting system to greet you when approaching the vehicle. Dual USB ports, a 6.2-inch touchscreen audio display with eight speakers, and Bluetooth capability are standard across the range.

Don’t forget the leather steering wheel, and leather accents for the door trim, shifter, and center console.

All in all, not bad. The 2019 Subaru BRZ Premium starts just under $26,000. In truth, I would pay more in exchange for a more powerful and responsive Boxer motor. For the money, the Limited trim offers better value for $28,000 and change. It adds LED fog lights, keyless access with push-button start, Alcantara seats with leather-trimmed bolsters and heating, courtesy lights, and an illuminated vanity mirror for passengers.

Standard on the Limited is Subaru Starlink. It comes with a larger seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system supports SiriusXM radio and a voice-activated navigation system.

2019 Subaru BRZ. Photo: Subaru of America, Inc.

By The Numbers

Also standard is the 4.2-inch display screen next to the tachometer. It provides information about the steering angle, oil and coolant temperatures, and lateral G-forces. There is also a stopwatch function so you can measure your lap times, which we assume won’t be blisteringly quick given the lack of power.

But for $1,195 more, the Limited can be optioned with the Performance Package. That adds Brembo brakes with four-piston front and dual-piston rear calipers, SACHS shock absorbers, and new 17-inch black alloys. This package is only applicable to manual models. Sadly, there is no power upgrade.

New for 2019 is the exclusive Series.Gray trim in khaki gray paint, different 17-inch black-finish alloys, and blacked-out exterior badges. The interior gets red stitching, frameless rearview mirrors, and a combination meter visor. Only 250 Series.Gray models are allotted for the 2019 model year with prices starting at $30,140.

And no, you can’t get a more powerful engine in this trim either.

2019 Subaru BRZ Series.Gray. Photo: Subaru of America, Inc.

Enough! How Does It Drive?

Same as before, and unsurprisingly similar to the Toyota 86. Look, if you are considering the Toyota 86 or Subaru BRZ, you aren’t exactly looking for balls-out power and acceleration, right? You buy these cars for the sporty driving experience, and not for the boundless rush of torque from the motor. Compared to the Mazda MX-5, the Subaru BRZ is more accurate and more precise, although it is less forgiving than the Mazda.

Do it right, it will blow your mind. Do it wrong, however, and you might end up in a ditch.

Seriously now, both the Toyota 86 and Subaru BRZ are excellent in the hands of an experienced racing driver. Of course, you need to get the six-speed manual when shopping in this category. Unless you don’t enjoy driving (then it’s perfectly okay to get the automatic).

More About That Engine

Powering all trim levels of the 2019 Subaru BRZ is the familiar 2.0-liter Boxer-four that produces 205 horsepower. Peak torque of 156 lb-ft. comes between 6,400 and 6,800 rpm. The automatic variant gets five less horsepower and a smidgen less torque. The new Subaru BRZ also comes with a TORSEN limited-slip differential to make the most of the close-ratio manual gears.

Now, it’s not as if the BRZ (and the 86 for that matter) is screaming for more power. It’s how the chassis feels it can handle more than a measly 200 horsepower. The car feels quick but you need to squeeze the throttle to get the adrenaline rush.

Maybe a BRZ STi is in the works? Probably not.

Photo: Subaru of America, Inc.

---

Do it right, it will blow your mind. Do it wrong, however, and you might end up in a ditch.
Click To Tweet

---

The Verdict

Despite the absence of a tuned engine, the 2019 Subaru BRZ is still good enough. The funny thing is the 2019 Mazda MX-5 RF (yes, the one with the folding metal roof) feels faster than the BRZ. This is despite the MX-5 having a SKYACTIV motor with only 155 horsepower.

But when it comes to precision, agility, and a fun-to-drive demeanor without spending crazy amounts of cash, the new Subaru BRZ is still worthy of consideration.

Alvin Reyes is the Associate Editor of Automoblog. He studied civil aviation, aeronautics, and accountancy in his younger years and is still very much smitten to his former Lancer GSR and Galant SS. He also likes fried chicken, music, and herbal medicine. 

Photos & Source: Subaru of America, Inc.

from Automoblog.net https://ift.tt/2y7KMQP

I.D. Buzz Cargo: VW’s New Mystery Machine For The New Age

• The I.D. Buzz Cargo has a range of more than 340 miles according to Volkswagen. 
• The 230V socket provides power for tools and other equipment without an additional generator.
• When is VW going to release it? They didn’t exactly say . . . 

Volkswagen has this on again, off again thing in going with the reboot of their bus. You know, the Type 2, the hippie bus. They’ve gone through several iterations with this guy. All of them would be produced. But none of them ever were. However, VW says this one is for real.

It’s called I.D. Buzz Cargo. What is this? A cartoon character?

Building A Mystery

Well, it is kind of cartoon-ish looking, what with that snub nose and permanent smile on its face. And those huge expanses of bodywork on the sides are just begging for a Mystery Machine paint job. But if you put all that aside, you can see VW is serious with this thing. As they flatly state, the I.D. Buzz Cargo “has the potential to write history as one of the most advanced light commercial vehicles.”

That’s a big claim, but does VW have the specs to back it up?

The Buzz Cargo, like other vehicles in VW’s I.D. line, is entirely electric. The Buzz Cargo aims to be the urban delivery vehicle in the coming years – at least for smaller stuff, like packages from Amazon. Think of it as the “last mile” delivery vehicle from Tesla, if Tesla were one of the largest automakers on the planet.

VW I.D. Buzz Cargo. Photo: Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Payload & Storage

This concept (yes, it’s just a concept for now, but VW says they’re going to make it, honest, cross their hearts, pinky swear!) shows the path the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles division will take. Clocking in at 198.7 inches long, 77.8 inches wide, and 77.3 inches tall, the Buzz Cargo aims to be small on the outside – perfect for urban environments – while being big on the inside – perfect for hauling.

The rear overhang extends about four inches over the vehicle. Maximum payload is 1,760 lbs., or about the all up weight of a Lotus Elise.

The interior cargo space includes a shelving system, so there’s no sliding door on the driver’s side. The front doors and sliding door open electrically, via a sensor, which will come in handy. Essentially, the I.D. Buzz Cargo recognizes authorized persons via a digital key sent to the van by smartphone.

The I.D. Buzz debuted at the 2017 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. “The Volkswagen brand’s big electric offensive begins in the year 2020 with a completely new vehicle architecture,” explained Dr. Herbert Diess at the time, Chairman of the Board of Management for Volkswagen. “That is when we will be launching an entirely new generation of fully connected, all-electric vehicles to the market.” Photo: Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Autonomous Capability

Instead of two single seats up front, there’s a driver’s seat and a double bench-seat on the front passenger side. The middle section of the bench folds down, serving as a work space with an integrated laptop. If the driver is using the automated “I.D. Pilot” mode, work can even be done on the move, since the I.D. Buzz Cargo aims to be fully autonomous. The driver can activate the Level 4 autonomous mode by pushing on the steering wheel for a few seconds. The steering wheel then retracts into the instrument panel.

Once in autonomous mode, the driver’s seat turns 15 degrees to the right in order to work better with that laptop. While on the move, they can handle bills of lading and paperwork, and all that other stuff delivery people have to sort through.

---

Think of it as the last mile delivery vehicle from Tesla, if Tesla were one of the largest automakers on the planet.
Click To Tweet

---

Augmented Reality

Important information projects onto the road in 3D via an Augmented Reality heads-up display. The information remains in the driver’s line-of-sight, allowing them to concentrate on road conditions. An integrated tablet controls the infotainment and climate functions. The main driving controls are located on the steering wheel.

The rear view mirrors are gone, replaced by cameras projecting images onto small screens in the cab of the I.D. Buzz Cargo.

VW I.D. Buzz Concept interior layout. Photo: Volkswagen of America, Inc.

Does The I.D. Buzz Cargo Deliver?

Other nifty distinguishing features include the new solar roof. This photovoltaic system generates enough power to extend range by up to 9.3 miles per day. The longer this thing is in the daylight, the further it can drive, which should make fleet managers happy.

Add all this up and combine it with the I.D. Buzz Cargo’s 340 mile range, and you have a very usable option for urban delivery services. Of curse, the question, yet again, is will VW be serious this time. I bet they are. After the diesel-gate scandal, VW has invested in EVs big time. And they’re smart enough to realize there is plenty of money in the commercial sector.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. His forthcoming new book The Future In Front of Me, The Past Behind Me will be available soon. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz

Photos & Source: Volkswagen of America, Inc.

from Automoblog.net https://ift.tt/2DCrp87

Street Thrasher: The XT 600 gets the supermoto treatment

No list of retro enduros is complete without the noble Yamaha XT 600. Manufactured for almost two decades until 2003, it ticks all the important boxes: basic, versatile and reliable.

But what if you’re not looking for a trail weapon per se? The XT 600 makes a pretty rad supermoto too, if executed just right. And Walid, from Parisian shop Bad Winners, sure knows how to design a motorcycle.

He didn’t set out to customize an XT 600. “The XT picked me,” he tells us. “I had it in the workshop for three years—I got it from a client who had to leave town for a job in Australia.”

“But I didn’t want to ride it as it was. I had this clear idea for an air-cooled supermoto—an old-school supermoto from the 90s.”

The Yamaha in question was a 1991-model XT 600 E with a mere 13,000 km on the dial. And since it belonged to a client, Walid had previously serviced it—so he knew it was in good nick. With no fix-ups needed, he could move right on to the fun stuff.

But first, he had to take the XT’s stance from trail bike to street thrasher. On went a set of 17” Excel hoops, laced up to the original Yamaha hubs, and now wrapped in Dunlop’s Sportmax Mutant supermoto tires.

The Yamaha’s OEM Nissin brakes were deemed good enough, so they were simply upgraded with stainless steel lines.

Moving to the suspension, Walid trimmed 80 mm off the front forks, and equipped them with stiffer springs. The rear was upgraded with a new YSS shock, also with a harder-than-stock spring. “I didn’t want to have a smooth trail bike,” was Walid’s reasoning.

Even though the motor’s internals were left alone, it was treated to a new coat of black. Two Keihin CR35 carbs were installed, along with open filters to replace the old air box.

The exhaust headers were custom built in stainless steel, and terminate in a TEC muffler. (Yes, they’re wrapped, but Walid says it’s because they generate too much heat.)

Cosmetically, the XT 600 shed all of its stock bodywork. Walid retrofitted the fuel tank from a Yamaha RD250, and fabricated a set of ‘shoulders’ to drastically alter its shape.

“The inspiration is from the Husqvarna 701 Supermoto,” he explains. “When you look at it from behind, the lines are like a bodybuilder’s shoulders: massive. I wanted that same shape for the XT.”

They’re functional too; each side is covered with a mesh screen in front, with stealthy LED headlights and turn signals hiding inside. The fuel tank’s capped off with a Yamaha XJR1300 gas cap.

The XT’s tail section received an equally radical reworking. Rather than a simple cut-n-loop job, Walid ditched the entire subframe and started from scratch.

The new arrangement cuts a much more aggressive contour, with side panels and abrupt rear fender that are welded on rather than bolted on. It’s a curious move, but Walid tells us he simply wanted as few bolts visible as possible.

There’s a new leather-covered seat up top, and a neat compartment underneath for electronics. In there, you’ll find a small Lithium-ion battery, and a new loom built around a Motogadget m.unit control box.

The cockpit features Renthal bars and grips, Motone switches, and a teeny tiny Motogadget speedo mounted up on the bars. The front’s finished off with a custom-made number board and fender combo.

No supermotard is complete without some bright coloring—and no Bad Winners bike is complete without a sharp livery. Walid originally wanted to use a similar design to one of his previous builds, but when he couldn’t make it fit the tank contours, he started playing around with it.

Once he’d settled on the dazzling scheme you see here, he handed the tank over to Aerografik to lay it down. The rest of the XT’s parts were finished in either blue or black.

This former trailie now looks fun, aggressive and ready to eat the streets. But even though Walid built it to his taste, he won’t be enjoying it for long. As is the curse with building custom bikes for a living, it’s already for sale.

Somebody please buy it before we do.

Bad Winners | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by Guillaume Petranto

from Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/2xLKO1g

2019 BMW X2 M35i: It’s A Bird! It’s A Plane! It’s A . . . We Don’t Know!

• The 2019 BMW X2 M35i is the newest member of the brand’s Sports Activity Coupe family.
• But what does that mean exactly?
• The engine is pretty cool – we know at least that much. 

Drum roll please because here it is, the all-new 2019 BMW X2 M35i. The latest in a growing lineup of those sort-of-SUV/sort-of-a-coupe things that are real popular in Europe, and only mildly popular here in The States. What BMW is after here is people who want everything: a car and a sports car and something swoopy and something practical and something sort of off-roady.

Oh, and the X2 M35i is small too.

So Many Rugrats

The 2019 BMW X2 M35i is, as with all things BMW, pretty capable. But, as with much of what’s rolling out of the Bavarian’s factories, it’s one of a bunch of half-way between this and that and another thing model. I swear to Kurt Tank that BMW has so many M variants and X models rolling around, it’s like keeping track of the members of the chorale at a Wagner opera.

It’s tiring and I’m not sure why they do this.

2019 BMW X2 M35i. Photo: BMW of North America, LLC.

---

BMW has so many M variants and X models rolling around, it's like keeping track of the members of the chorale at a Wagner opera.
Click To Tweet

---

Power & Performance

What we have here is the newest member of BMW’s X2 Sports Activity Coupe family. The new X2 has an “extroverted” design. The 2.0L TwinPower turbocharged 4-cylinder puts out 302 horsepower and 332 lb-ft. of torque. No major engine component went untouched either. The crank has larger main bearings for better reinforcement. The pistons are new with a slightly dropped compression ratio (down to 9.5:1 vs. the previous 10.2:1). The intake has a higher flow tract and the cooling system has been upgraded.

The turbo is larger and boost increases.

All that energy goes to the ground via BMW’s xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive system. The eight-speed sport automatic with Launch Control also helps. The X2 wears an M Sport Differential on the front axle for the first time ever, and features a Torsen limited slip with a 39 percent lock-up. The transmission has steering wheel shift paddles, M Performance specific tuning, and updated gear ratios.

The 2019 BMW X2 M35i hits 60 in just 4.9 seconds. Not bad.

Photo: BMW of North America, LLC.

Suspension & Braking

On top of the boss engine is the M Sport suspension, with stiffer spring and damper rates, and a 10 mm lower ride height. The rear axle carrier and lateral control arms improve driving dynamics, according to BMW. An optional adaptive damper suspension with two different manually selectable modes is also available for the 2019 BMW X2 M35i.

The braking system has these fancy Dark Blue M metallic calipers for consistently short braking distances.

Interior Treatments

Complimenting the exterior design is the M Sport Package, with a standard M Sport leather steering wheel, shift paddles, and sport seats. The optional front M sport seats (buy these) have integrated headrests and aggressive lateral support for both driver and passenger.

The M sport seats are available upholstered in Magma Red Dakota Leather with perforations and black accents, or Black Dakota Leather with perforations. The standard sport seats come in Black or Oyster SensaTec.

The latest generation of BMW’s ConnectedDrive and Apple CarPlay are also along for the ride.

Photo: BMW of North America, LLC.

Pricing & Availability

How much? BMW doesn’t say, but then again, how cheap are BMWs? Not very. Production for the U.S. market begins in November.

Tony Borroz has spent his entire life racing antique and sports cars. He is the author of Bricks & Bones: The Endearing Legacy and Nitty-Gritty Phenomenon of The Indy 500, available in paperback or Kindle format. His forthcoming new book The Future In Front of Me, The Past Behind Me will be available soon. Follow his work on Twitter: @TonyBorroz

2019 BMW X2 M35i Gallery

Photos & Source: BMW of North America, LLC.

from Automoblog.net https://ift.tt/2NPlrWg