An Automotive Engineer's Point of View – News and Reviews
Not long after Volvo announced that products introduced from 2019 onwards would feature electrified powertrains, a new joint-venture was established to enhance intellectual property sharing with its Chinese parent company, Geely Holdings, and ultimately Geely Auto and LYNK & CO (all of which Geely Holdings is a significant stakeholder).
Check out the whole story at TFLcar.com
The Honda Accord has been a standout among the midsize sedan segment, always bringing a refreshing dose of sport to the sedan segment. Once responsible for handling the day-to-day duties of the American family, this role has been largely taken over by crossovers and smaller cars. Honda has proved that it can still hit home-runs with the Civic and the CR-V but it will take a bit more to ensure the Accord is considered a success.
After two generations of interior mis-steps and relatively conservative exterior designs, the all-new Accord has been injected with some much needed premium appeal and upped the ante on what defines sport within this segment. Is it enough to keep it at the top of its class?
Continue reading “2018 Honda Accord – Saving the Sedan and the Manuals”
Volvo has announced that from 2019, all new model releases will feature an electrified powertrain, meaning that it will either be a mild-hybrid, plug-in hybrid, or full EV. The brand will continue to sell cars solely powered by combustion engines until about 2023, depending on new model development timing.
While this is a big industry news, as no other traditional brands have committed to electrifying their entire lineup, it may not be considered as significant by the time 2019 and especially 2023 come around. Consider this as more of a brand direction announcement, rather than a major technological advancement.
Continue reading “Volvo – First to Announce Commitment to All Electrified LineUp”
We like to point to F1 for some substantial technological advances, but it’s largely the commercial side of the auto industry that serves as technology’s real-world test bed; being able to verify and put a value behind the durability, serviceability, and life-cycle costs. At this year’s annual World Truck Show, Ford, Chevrolet, and Ram all made announcements regarding different areas the customer experience such as, branding, virtual customization, and OEM approved aftermarket companies that convert fossil-fueled trucks into hybrid and full-on electric vehicles.
Continue reading “Commercial Tech Proven for the Retail World”
And best of yet, I wasn’t the only one.
Georgetown Lake is less than an hour’s drive from Denver and is the site of this year’s Land Rover Flatirons Ice Cup. 2017 was the Land Rover-exclusive event’s 14th year and featured a full model lineup from the latest Range Rover LWB to the Discovery Sport. In total, there were 26 different drivers and popularity for the event remains as high as ever. Nam Phan, event coordinator with Land Rover Flatirons, said that half of the available spots were claimed within the first day and that he regularly gets RSVP requests before a date is even set.
I had never driven a car on a frozen lake before so this was a bit strange to me. Sure, I’ve driven on plenty of black ice but never did I enjoy it or turn around to try it again. This seemed like a great opportunity to do some slip and sliding and spend the day with some fellow Land Rover owners.
Continue reading “Racing my Range Rover Sport on a Frozen Lake”
This is the 2018 Lexus LS 500 that debuted at this year’s Detroit Autoshow. It’s styling represents a bold yet classic direction for Lexus and is arguably the first design that successfully integrates the brand’s signature spindle grille.
NAIAS / Detroit Auto Show
With CES looking more and more like a traditional auto show, this week’s Detroit Auto Show can be considered as the second half of big reveals and forecasts of a vastly different mobility environment.
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has kicked off in Las Vegas and with the automotive industry going through a bit of a revolution as the quest for the most “connected car” intensifies. Here are some quick notes from the introductions that I found most relevant.
Industry News
The overall industry has been fairly calm during this final week of 2016.
Preparations for the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show and NAIAS (Detroit Auto Show) are expected to bring a significant amount of news.
In a great moment of when the pessimistic “oh yeah…” turns into a very enthusiastic “oh yeah!”, Chevrolet unveiled the production version of the Colorado ZR2.
The pessimism lies with over-promised concept cars and overhyped “off-road” packages that are often little more than a skid plate and a limited-slip differential. When Chevrolet introduced the 2014 ZR2 concept car, it featured an impressive list of features but it seemed a bit more fantasy than reality. But oh boy, when Chevrolet recently introduced the production version, it came out with both guns a-blazin’!
Continue reading “Chevrolet ZR2 – An Enthusiast’s Win and What May Follow”