What is it?The first plug-in hybrid version of Toyota’s best-selling RAV4, the Prime looks to expand on the number of electrified compact sport-cutes Toyota Canada sells, which currently account for about a quarter of the 62,000 RAV4s the company hopes to sell this year.Why is it important?Toyota is changing the focus of all its hybrids, emphasizing the performance improvement of electrification as much as its environmental benefits. So, in marrying a 2.5-litre Atkinson-cycle four with Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive, the new RAV4 Prime boasts 302 net horsepower, the most ever for the sport-cute. And, yes, it is more than the then-top-of-the-line 3.5-litre V6 Toyota offered in the RAV4 between 2006 and 2012.Those 302 horses also make the Prime quicker than any previous RAV4, its 5.8-second sprint to 96 kilometres an hour (60 mph) in true hot-rod territory. Hybrids are no longer just for fuel economy!Check Out All Our Auto Show CoverageNot that the Prime suffers in that arena. Thanks to the estimated 60 kilometres of electric-only range afforded by its huge-for-a-PHEV 17.8-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the new RAV4 plug-in is rated for the electric equivalent of 2.6 litres per 100 kilometres. And, of course, thanks to the rear-mounted traction motor, the Prime offers Toyotas Electronic On-Demand All-Wheel-Drive system.On a more pedestrian front, even the SE version of the RAV4 Prime gets heated and power adjustable seats and an eight-inch Touchscreen while the top-of-the-line XSE gets the RAV4s first paddle shifters and 19-inch rims, the largest ever offered on a hybrid RAV4. When is it arriving?Summer of 2020.Should you buy it?Damn straight you should. Any time you can cut your fuel consumption as dramatically as this while increasing performance so substantially is a good day for any SUV owner. Factor in the convenience of plugging in at home and quick refuelling on the road, and the RAV4 would seem an optimal blend of traditional and electric technologies for what we hope will be a reasonable price.As the RAV4s press release boasts, welcome to a new chapter of Toyota SUV performance.LISTEN: What do car dealers think about electric vehicles? Are they keen to have them in their showrooms? We talk to Vancouver GM dealer Blair Upton about this and much more during this week’s episode of Plugged In. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV boasts 302 HP — yes, you read that right
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Porsche’s new Macan Turbo boasts smaller engine with more power
The 2020 Porsche Macan TurboPorsche If the current Porsche Macan Turbo isnt sufficiently turning your crank, dont give up on it just yet.The upcoming 2020 Macan Turbo will give you almost 10 per cent more power than the 2019 edition, and out of a smaller engine at that.The current Macan Turbo carries a 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 that makes 400 horsepower.For 2020, Porsche drops in a new 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6, borrowed from the Cayenne and Panamera, that produces 434 horsepower. Torque remains the same at 406 lb.-ft., but while it kicks in a little later, it stays around longer, with maximum torque at 1,800 to 5,600 rpm. The 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo Porsche The top speed is now slightly higher at 270 km/h, and if you order the Sport Chrono Package, youll get from zero to 100 km/h in 4.3 seconds.Getting it back down will also be quick, as the reworked chassis includes standard tungsten carbide-coated brakes. The transmission is a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch unit, and all-wheel drive is standard. Turbo-specific styling cues include the front fascia and double-wing fixed roof spoiler; inside, the facelifted interior comes with adaptive 18-way sports seats and a surround-sound stereo system. The GT sports steering wheel from the 911 is available as an option.Of course, you never get something for nothing, and while the current Macan Turbo starts at $87,200, this quicker 2020 version will begin at $94,200. It goes on sale at the end of
Origin: Porsche’s new Macan Turbo boasts smaller engine with more power
New Dodge Charger Daytona edition boasts 717 horsepower
Dodge debuts limited-production 717-horsepower Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition on new 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody If youve held off buying a Dodge Charger Hellcat because it only has 707 horsepower, get your wallet ready. Theres now a Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition available on the new 2020 Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody that boosts its 6.2-L Hemi V8 engine to 717 horses.The new model, introduced during the annual Woodward Dream Cruise near Detroit, makes 717 horsepower, along with 650 lb.-ft. of torque. The trick is an increase in the shift points to 6,100 rpm in automatic mode, which yields the 10-horsepower boost exclusive to the model. As a tribute to the 1969 Charger Daytona, its limited to 501 units as the original was, and features unique Daytona decals with a matching spoiler.Four colours will be available B5 Blue, Pitch Black, Triple Nickel, and White Knuckle while other features include unique 20-inch Warp Speed wheels with Pirelli all-season or optional three-season performance tires, Brembo brakes, carbon fibre interior accents, blue-stitched seats, a suede flat-bottom steering wheel, and a plaque indicating the production number. A unique “Daytona” decklid, rear-quarter decal with matching spoiler and Daytona-exclusive B5 Blue paint are throwbacks to the 50th Anniversary. Like the legendary 1969 Daytona, production of the Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition is limited to 501 units. Handout / Dodge Like all Chargers, the Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition will be built in Brampton, Ontario. It pays tribute to the Dodge Charger Dayton introduced fifty years ago, which included a large rear wing and nose for NASCAR, and which was the first car to break 200 mph (320 km/h). Only 501 were built because that was the minimum needed to qualify for the race circuit.Dodge claims that the 707-horsepower Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody is the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world. The widebody styling adds 8.8 centimetres to the car, along with wider wheels and tires.Pricing hasnt been announced, but Canadian enthusiasts will be able to order theirs this fall, with delivery in early
Origin: New Dodge Charger Daytona edition boasts 717 horsepower
The Drako GTE electric supercar allegedly boasts 6,491 lb.-ft. of torque
The electric car market is far from crowded, but the frequency of new arrivals is definitely increasing.Drako Motors is the most recent EV-maker to enter the scene, and while the Silicon Valley-based brand hasn’t put out a production car yet, it has plans to hit the ground running with this four-passenger luxury car. Luckily, that car will allegedly have a helluva stride. Drako says its GTE will use four electric motors to make a combined 1,200 horsepower and 6,491 lb.-ft. of torque, and employ that twist to get it up to a top speed of 216 mph (332 km/h).The EV newcomers teased the car with a photo and a 10-second clip showing the same image and a date: 08.16.19.There isn’t much more known about the Drako GTE yet, other than the very-hard-to-believe ludicrous numbers and the fact that it set a lap record for electric vehicles at the Nürburgring in 2015 with a time of 7 minutes 49.04 seconds. As for its styling, Drako promises the car will offer luxurious “iconic Italian design” and enough room for four passengers and their luggage. The Drako GTE will make its public debut at the eclectic automotive gathering known as The Quail, in Monterey, this
Origin: The Drako GTE electric supercar allegedly boasts 6,491 lb.-ft. of torque
Ram’s next-gen EcoDiesel boasts class-leading torque
Ram has kicked off the month in a big, torquey way by announcing its next-generation EcoDiesel bound for its 2020 half-ton pickups. Rated at a heady 260 horsepower and 480 lb.-ft. of torque, FCA can make the claim it has the torquiest diesel half-ton on the market, as it bests the former champ, General Motors’ Silverado/Sierra, by 20 lb.-ft. All that torque is available at a barely-off-idle 1,600 rpm, by the way, meaning this thing should provide a good kick in the pants from rest. It’ll certainly haul the mail—12,560 pounds of it. That’s its new towing capacity when properly equipped, vastly outstripping the old EcoDiesel, which maxed out at 9,290 lbs of hauling. “The all-new EcoDiesel engine and our eTorque mild-hybrid powertrain technologies deliver the highest available fuel efficiency for our Ram 1500 customers,” said Reid Bigland, head of Ram Brand. That statement is interesting, given this new EcoDiesel – informally called the Gen 3 – hasn’t yet been rated for mileage. The old version of the EcoDiesel, which we’ll call the Gen 2, had a fuel economy rating of 8.71 L/100 km on the highway cycle. The 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is available in all models and configurations, including a first-time offering in the Ram Rebel. This is great news for off-road gearheads like your author, who know the value of low-end grunt out on the trail. Diesels aren’t great for high-rpm situations like blasting through a sand wash, but provide many advantages in other forms of off-roading. Offering it on the Rebel trim makes a whole lotta sense. 2019 Ram 1500 Limited Pricing wasn’t announced today, nor were official fuel economy ratings. Note well: the Ram 1500 Classic is also available with an EcoDiesel, but it is of the so-called Gen 2 variety. The 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel will go on sale in the fourth quarter of
Origin: Ram’s next-gen EcoDiesel boasts class-leading torque
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