In retrospect, it seems inevitable: Texas tuning shop Hennessey is planning to build a 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 with 1,200 horsepower.As if the vehicle wasnt already hard enough for some good ol boys to adjust to, being mid-engined and all, now that extra horsepower will be sure to send all said boys into other peoples yards even quicker.To make it happen, Hennessey will take the LT2 V8 and bolt on two massive turbochargers. To stop it from becoming tiny shards of engine parts, forged aluminum pistons and forged steel connecting rods will be installed, along with a few other bespoke parts.To send the power to the wheels, Hennessey says it will incorporate an upgraded and fortified factory dual-clutch automatic transmission and a full Brembo brake system. Those Brembos will definitely be getting a stiff workout. The HPE1200, as it will be called, doesnt have a price or a release date yet, but were sure itll be too soon before we see a bunch of these things terrorizing our quiet neighbourhoods.Before the HPE1200 is built, Hennessey will also unveil a line of products for the C8, like a stainless steel exhaust system, a supercharger upgrade good for 700 horsepower, and more once computer tuning becomes available for the new C8 platform.Hennessey has also revealed it has modified over 500 C7s so far, and the next upgrades it will make available for purchase will be decided by online questionnaire. The customers are telling us what they want and big surprise they want more power! says John
Origin: Hennessey plans to build a 1,200-hp Corvette C8 because of course
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French policemen arrest a MicroCar because its passenger is… a pony
French policemen from Sud de la France were conducting a distracted driving crackdown near Marseille last week when they spotted surely the strangest thing theyll see in their career: a goddamn pony riding shotgun in a microcar.They snapped the photo you see above, then they arrested the woman driving the vehicle, only to discover she also didnt have a drivers licence.Luckily, behind the wheel of a microcar like this, thats not a problem: in France, as long as youre over 14 years old, you can drive said voitures sans permis on almost any road, except expressways and highways. And anyway, you dont want to ride those citadines anywhere but cities or on quiet regional roads, since theyre legally limited to 45 km/h.Prêts à devenir #Policier et à affronter l#Insolite ? https://t.co/PdWDtr7qY9 Surprise lors dun contrôle routier 🚔 entre #LaCiotat et #Marseille, un poney au service des enfants handicapés !!! Noble cause certes mais attention aux règles de transport de nos amis les #Animaux pic.twitter.com/tJoZNFmRAU Police nationale 13 (@PoliceNat13) November 22, 2019The problem here was more the, uh, animal. As Police Nationale 13 told the media after the bizarre event, there are rules for keeping our four-legged friends safe in an automobile. In this case, they were obviously not respected.To be fair, the horse seems like it was treated humanely, as its owner explained to the officers. First, wood planks on the floor gave it space to stretch comfortably. And while the pony got into the car from the trunk, once they got to their destination a center for handicapped children hed exit via the passenger door. The woman, a psychomotor physiotherapist, pleaded she was simply transporting the therapy animal in the microcar until she got her drivers licence, when she could legally drive the horse in a much more suitable van.Police officers checked her story and found she was telling the truth so they let her go. No fine was issued. But, boy, did those cops have a story to
Origin: French policemen arrest a MicroCar because its passenger is… a pony
Subaru recalls almost 35,000 Foresters because airbags may not go off
2017 Subaru Forester XT Touring Subaru has issued a recall for its Forester for a sensor in the passenger seat that can cause the airbags to deactivate. The recall affects 35,806 Subaru Forester vehicles from model years 2015 to 2018.Some Subaru vehicles are fitted with occupant detection, which works by sensing if a person is sitting in the passenger seat and readying affiliated systems, like the airbag, if it needed to deploy.The recall states the electrical connection for the occupant detection system (ODS) could become loose over time and become disconnected. If the part becomes disconnected, it could leave the airbag for that passenger turned off in a crash, potentially causing serious injury.While the recall affects a relatively small number of vehicles here in Canada, in the United States, 366,282 Forester SUVs could experience the issue.Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards require the use of an ODS to determine if the occupant sitting in the passenger seat is of adequate size to be protected by the airbag in a crash. Many of the newer systems do not use weight to measure if there is a person sitting in the seat, but rather an Electrostatic Capacitance Sensor that changes based on the electrical charge in a persons body. This way, the airbag will not be activated if a box or bag is placed on the seat.Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail and instructed to take the vehicle to a dealer to inspect the ODS sensor mat harness. If the part is found to be faulty, it will be replaced.To see if your vehicle is affected, visit Subaru.ca and type in the VIN of your Subaru, or call
Origin: Subaru recalls almost 35,000 Foresters because airbags may not go off
Ford recalling 4,300 heavy-duty trucks in Canada because axle may fracture
Ford is recalling 4,316 new heavy-duty trucks in Canada because an axle shaft made from a bad batch of steel may fracture, increasing the risk of a crash in traffic, or of a rollaway in park.A total 28,579 examples of 2019 model year Ford F-Series Super Duty pickups are also affected by the recall in the U.S.On affected vehicles, the electronically locking rear-axle assembly may have been assembled with a passenger-side axle shaft made from a steel not up to Fords specifications, which may fracture.If the vehicle is driving in two-wheel-drive mode when this happens, it could stop or slow the truck in traffic; if stopped without the parking brake applied, the vehicle may be unable to hold park and could move.Ford is advising owners to use the parking brake when the truck is parked until dealers inspect and repair the axle shafts in affected
Origin: Ford recalling 4,300 heavy-duty trucks in Canada because axle may fracture
Jeep Gladiators see stop-sale because driveshafts could fracture
2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Jeep is issuing a stop-sale and recall on its new Gladiator trucks because a small percentage could see their driveshafts fracture due to an assembly error.Roughly five per cent of the nearly 3,500 new Gladiators built between Dec. 15, 2018 and June 25 may be affected by an issue wherein they were assembled without grease in the monoblock joint portion of the driveshaft.That CV joint in the center of the driveshaft could, without grease, overheat and seize, which could then fracture the rear driveshaft, causing a loss of forward power and possibly falling onto the road.Jeep hasnt connected any collisions or incidents to the issue, but says it has received six related warranty claims.Owners will be notified if their truck is affected beginning mid-October, but until then should be mindful if they hear any vibration in their Gladiators
Origin: Jeep Gladiators see stop-sale because driveshafts could fracture
Future sports cars sold in Canada will be quieter because of this new EU rule
2020 Mercedes-AMG GT R ProHandout / Mercedes-Benz Regulations that dictate the maximum volume of new sports cars in Europe will also result in quieter cars in North America and around the world, according to a Mercedes-AMG boss. In an interview with Australian publication Car Sales, Mercedes-AMG’s head of product planning, Basitian Bogenschutz, confirmed the upcoming AMG A 45 S and CLA 45 S will be the first AMG products to sing at the volume dictated by the European authorities. And that’s not just in Europe, either, as Bogenschutz explains that producing two separate exhaust systems with different sound outputs for different markets is simply too pricey. So, AMG for one will take the path of least resistance and produce the one quieter unit to be distributed to all markets. The tightening European sound restrictions will spell the end of the current CLA 45’s and A 45’s engine’s snaps, crackles and pops, replacing it instead with a system that communicates that hearty gurgle to those inside the cabin, but not outside. “So we added the AMG pure performance sound, where we take the real sound from the exhaust system, the pulsation of the real sound and move it inside the car,” Bogenshutz told Car Sales. “It works together with the exhaust system.” Mercedes-AMG is the first maker of loud cars to detail how the European regulations will impact the global driving community, but it likely won’t be the last. The rules are the rules, and fussing about them, no matter how loudly, won’t win any exceptions. The future is coming, but you’ve got to listen to hear it.
Origin: Future sports cars sold in Canada will be quieter because of this new EU rule
New Ford Focus RS comes with free vape because stereotypes
In what could possibly be the ultimate example of a stereotype coming to life, a Ford dealership is offering buyers of a Focus RS on its lot a free vape with their purchase.Prestman Auto of Salt Lake City is offering this used Ford Focus RS for US$25,900, and along with the car, is tossing in, too, the opportunity to try vaping and the culture that surrounds it.Jalopnik got in touch with the dealership to confirm the promotion was, indeed real, and not a joke like we assumed.Yes, there is a vape included in the purchase of the RS. We have a vape store next to our dealership that the buyer can go to and pick out a vape, a rep from the dealership said. We did that because most of the potential buyers for that car come with vape in hand.The Ford Focus RS garners the attention of mostly men in their mid-20s who enjoy something called hooning, saying things like hashtag-save-the-manuals, and then under-steering into a tree in a giant cloud of vape smoke (at least, if the rest of the stereotype is also true).This dealership hopes to offer all of that in one concise buying transaction. In all fairness, the car seems to be in pretty good shape, with only 34,576 miles on the odometer, which means the head gasket probably hasnt exploded yet (but maybe check before purchase). It does feature a six-speed manual transmission; and “Drift Mode,” for extra
Origin: New Ford Focus RS comes with free vape because stereotypes
The Corvette C8 will never get a manual because no one buys them: engineer
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8Chevrolet The C8 Corvette is changing the game in a lot of ways for Chevrolet: it is, of course, the first mid-engined sports car its ever built. And weve now learned it is, unfortunately, the brands first sports car to forego a staple of the segment: the manual transmission.In a conversation with Motor Authority at the cars reveal, lead engineer Tadge Juechter simply said No when asked if the manual transmission would make an appearance in the C8.We couldnt find anybody honestly whod be willing to do it. Because just like the automatic, the DCT, it would have to be a bespoke manual, Juechter said.Its low volume, very expensive. The reason is its a low-volume industry. That industry is dying building manual transmissions.The numbers have changed vastly from when the Corvette first appeared on the scene, he said; now only 15 per cent of Corvette buyers choose the manual. Every year it goes down, down, down, down, Juechter lamented. Ouch. So not only will people not buy them, Chevrolet cant even get anybody to build them one at a decent cost, but it makes sense considering the requirements the C8 had for a transmission.According to Jeuchter, there isnt much room behind the driver to fit the engine, let alone the transmission, so it had to be compact. The engine is already dry-sumped to give it a small oil pan, and all the cooling devices associated with the engine also needed a place to go. Also, there had to be a place for the owners golf clubs, and thats more important than any performance options.Making the engine anything but an automatic posed too many problems for the team, so the manual was not even considered, marking the end of the row-your-own Corvette. Will you miss
Origin: The Corvette C8 will never get a manual because no one buys them: engineer
Caddy says new V-Series’ horsepower is lower because drivers were ‘intimidated’
The 2020 Cadillac CT5-VGraeme Fletcher / Driving.ca As we recently covered, the new 2020 CT4-V and CT5-V have arrived with upgrades across the board, except for in the power department. That’s down, but why? According to statements made by GM president Mark Reuss and reported by Automotive News, people were scared of the gobs of horsepower in the last V-Series, so the company is pulling back a bit for this new generation to make them more appealing. There was, frankly, some people who were intimidated by the cars, Reuss said following the unveiling of the cars last week. When we did a V-Series, they were hammers. There’s some intimidation there. Those “hammers” included the CTS-V, which claimed 640 horsepower from its supercharged V8 and topped out at over 320 km/h; and the ATS-V, whose twin-turbo V6 made 464 horsepower and could push the car to 304 km/h. In contrast, the new V-Series CT4-V makes 320 horsepower from its turbocharged four-cylinder, while the CT5-V gets 355 from its turbo-six. So, yeah, they’re less intimidating now, perhaps hinting at a detuned CT6-V on the way, too (its 550 horsepower will no doubt be too scary for drivers, as well). Meanwhile, Cadillac has been testing a pair of track-ready V-Series prototypes that Reuss says “represent the next step in Cadillac’s V-Series performance legacy.” It’s expected the track-approved CT4-V will house a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 with 400-plus horsepower, and the matching CT5-V either a twin-turbo 4.2-litre V8 with 500-plus horsepower or the same 640-horsepower supercharged V8 that currently powers the CTS-V. Pricing for the now-less-intimidating V-Series cars hasn’t been announced, but Caddy says they’ll be the most accessible to date.
Origin: Caddy says new V-Series’ horsepower is lower because drivers were ‘intimidated’
Genesis still offers a manual G70 because enthusiasts still want one
2019 Genesis G70 2.0T SportChris Balcerak / Driving Genesis is proving manual transmissions still matter by keeping the three-pedal option around in its G70 sport sedan. According to Carbuzz, in the United States, just four per cent of buyers have chosen the G70’s manual transmission option to date. In Canada, the take rate also hovers around four per cent, working out to about 1,300 cars to date since the option was introduced late last year. But for Genesis, that’s completely OK. That’s because Genesis knew the take-rate would be low for the three-pedal option, but still chose to include it anyway, because the G70’s performance and position in the market warrants it. The car itself already punches above its weight class, taking on Germany’s Big Three — notably the BMW 3 Series, which no longer offers a manual. Evidently, Genesis offering a manual G70 has won over enthusiasts. For 2019, the Genesis G70 can be optioned with a six-speed manual transmission paired to a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The engine itself produces a healthy 255 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque; opting for the manual in the G70 also adds a limited-slip differential, Brembo brakes, and dedicated performance tires. To say the least, it’s an excellent performance package — and economical, too. The G70 2.0T Sport alleviates a mere $45,500 from your
Origin: Genesis still offers a manual G70 because enthusiasts still want one
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