Fresher look, more amenities and new naming strategy usher in 2020 Cadillac XT5

The mid-cycle refresh of the 2020 Cadillac XT5 brings it in line with the smaller XT4 and new XT6 the latter well be getting full details on July 29. Yes, when the XT5 lands this September it will be offered in Luxury, Premium Luxury and Sport models.The last two can be optioned up to the Platinum trim, which includes upgraded leather and advanced safety aids like adaptive cruise control and full-speed auto emergency braking.In all cases, the XT5 has sharper exterior styling with a new mesh-like grille, LED headlights and daytime running lights along with the equipment preferred by luxury crossover buyers: heated leather seats; the next-gen Cadillac User Experience (CUE) system with a large touchscreen; and a 360-degree camera view. The latest CUE system has a new controller that now includes a jog function, which makes it easier to navigate from one facet to another.On the safety front, the XT5s features list includes lane-departure warning with keep-assist; low-speed forward collision avoidance; and auto high-beams.The XT5 Luxury arrives with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder that produces 237 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque. It drives the front wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Premium Luxury uses the same engine and transmission, but it drives all four wheels through the companys single-clutch AWD system. This model can also be optioned up to the engine featured in the Sport model a brawny 3.6-litre V6 that makes 310 hp and 271 foot-pounds of torque.The Sport sits out on its own with its powerful engine and nine-speed automatic driving all four wheels through a slick twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system. The plus here is that the two clutches in the rear axle module give it torque vectoring some will argue that it is not real-time, but it is way better than any brake-based system.The clutches in the rear differential send more power to the outside rear wheel in a corner if required the system is capable of sending 100 per cent of the drive to the outside wheel. This action sharpens the turn-in response, reduces understeer and the amount of steering wheel input required. The Sport model also ups the ante with 20-inch wheels, tauter suspension, adaptive damping and a faster steering ratio. Finally, the refreshed XT5 uses Cadillacs new naming strategy. It is loosely based on the torque output of the engine under the hood of the vehicle. There will be a number of designations including the 400 found on the XT5 Sport. The reason for the switch is to accommodate the electric era when it finally comes of age torque will become the dominant number and replace horsepowers importance in the process.In this case, the 400 badge tells the onlooker the engine has roughly 400 Newton-metres of torque on tap. Yes, a new naming system using a unit of measure thats foreign to North America. Regardless, in simple terms, the XT5 Sports V6 pushes 271 pound-feet of torque, or about 367-Nm of torque. Round that number up and you have the 400 designation. If youre confused, you are not alone.Full Canadian specifications and final pricing will be announced closer to the September launch
Origin: Fresher look, more amenities and new naming strategy usher in 2020 Cadillac XT5

Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane

2019 Lexus LS 500Handout LIBERIA, Costa Rica So, you want a new LS 500. Well now, arent you in the minority? Whats wrong with you? Dont you know large, luxury sedans are totally pass? Why arent you shopping some over-priced, underperforming sport-ute like all your peers? Seriously, in this day of rampant me-tooism, if you want to stand out, buy a sedan. If youre independently foolish and really want to stand out, get an LS 500.Not that theres anything wrong with Lexus latest flagship sedan. Its actually a bit of a stunner as long as you can stomach the muy-macho grille and doesnt go half bad, either.One surprising thing is that Lexus doesnt offer the new LS with eight pistons; a V6 is the only available engine. However, both are fortified, the regular LS with twin turbochargers and the LS500h with a naturally-aspirated 3.5-litre V6 mated to Toyotas Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. Both will provide more than adequate performance, though, despite Lexus protestations to the contrary, the Hybrid doesnt feel nearly as sporty as the turbo. Always relaxed partially because its mated to a ten-speed automatic the 416-horsepower V6 unit scoots when it has to, trundles when youre relaxed, and will if its anything like Lexus motors past will do so until your children are grandparents.The LS ride/handling balance fairly matches its engine. Not nearly as sprightly as a Maserati Quattroporte and still a smidge behind BMWs 7 Series, the latest LS is still up for the job of straightening twisty roads. Those so inclined are best served by opting for the air suspensions its standard equipment on the LS500h and switching the mode button to Sport+. The steering becomes heavier, the springing firmer, and the whole plot a little more inciting, all without much ruining the big Lexus ride. Inside, the LS is pretty much the treat youre expecting, sumptuous leather covering roomy seats and delicate wood trim. This last gets special attention as all Lexus artwood inlays are built by Yamahas music division, my favourite being the one with the aluminum highlights. According Paul Williamsen, head of Lexus global marketing planning, Yamaha first overlays a wood veneer onto an aluminum substrate. Then it etches the patter it wants to remove the upper wood, leaving the aluminum underneath exposed. But because the aluminum is at a lower level than the wood and we certainly cant have an uneven surface in a Lexus, can we? Yamaha then vacuum seals the entire piece sucking the underlying metal onto an even keel with the overlaid wood. Wow, thats a lot of trouble for a few metal pinstripes.Williamsen says this is part and parcel of the companys Experience Amazing strategy: In the battle of marketing slogans, I think relentlessly pursuing perfection is a better measure of Lexus obvious obsessive compulsion.Only two foibles (may) mar the LS 500s interior. Lexus touchpad manipulated infotainment screen is either a love it or hate it affair. By love it or hate it, I mean everyone hates it at the beginning and then a few learn to, well, almost like it. Its polarizing. Almost as wonky but not nearly as polarizing are the multi-function switches puts on each side of the instrument binnacle. It either reminds you of a fighter jet or looks like someone forgot the wipes until the very last moment. Either way, it doesnt really compromise ergonomics so its not nearly as polarizing as the touchpad.Overall, the LS500, like all large luxury sedans, perhaps more than most, doesnt deserve to be ignored. Its a luxurious, spacious and well-crafted sedan, that last word the only reason its not more popular. No pricing is available on the 2020 yet, but the 2019 LS starts at $103,150 and Lexus Canada has some screaming deals going on right now. 2018 Lexus LC 500 Handout / Lexus Damn the family, I want two doors: Well, has Lexus got a sports coupe for you. Based on the same platform as the LS, the LC 500 has two things going for it. The first is that, unlike the sedan, the coupe is still offered with a naturally aspirated, we-dont-need-no-stinking-turbos 5.0-litre V8. The same one offered in the RC F, in fact: 471 horsepower, a 10-speed transmission, and some seriously stiff suspension make for an entertaining ride. Officially, the reason the twin-turbo V6 doesnt power the LC is that it wasnt quite ready when the big coupe was being engineered, but I think Lexus engineers just wanted to make some noise. The LC500 delivers. Indeed, while the LC is available as a hybrid and I recommend that powertrain for the LS the LC is best served by the rootin and tootin V8.More importantly, the LC500 has a face Maserati would die for. Lexus spindle grille may be a little overwrought for its run-of-the-mill sedans and soft-roaders, but it matches the LCs curves and creases perfectly. I dont usually render critiques about styling as my eye may not behold the same image as your own but I think this is the sexiest sport coupe extent. On looks
Origin: Want a 2020 Lexus LS 500? Take a look down memory lane

First Look: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

LOS ANGELES, Calif. When did the good folks at General Motors become such wizards at PR?Ham-handed at times, and occasionally downright counterproductive they can be, but when it comes to the mid-engine Corvette, The General has been playing us you, the consumer, and we, the media like a Stradivarius.Dribbling out information like pronouncements from the mount, the unveiling of a Chevrolet-badged mid-engine supercar has turned July 18 into the automotive media event of the year.So, never mind that theyve been spooning out details like were toddlers in high chairs. Or that we all already knew, thanks to the most easily-accessed spy photos in the history of new automobiles, every angle of its silhouette. Ignore the fact that, even though Driving was given a super-secret, hush-hush advanced briefing by none other than Tadge Juechter, the C8s chief engineer, we still dont know all the performance metrics of this new Corvette.Yes, all that aside, heres what we know, what we think we know and even to paraphrase the immortal Donald Rumsfeld what we dont know we dont know about Chevys new C8 Corvette. They really were worried Corvette loyalists would hate the C8Rumours that GM execs were worried the Corvettes traditional audience old, male and shirtless, according to one brutally honest wag would hate the new mid-engined C8 were absolutely spot-on. Indeed, according to Juechter, rumours Chevy would produce the C8 and C7 simultaneously as a sop to all those hairy-chested geriatrics were at one point true, GM execs hedging their bets in a fine example of Detroit mawkish indecision.But, as Juechter tells it, as soon as they saw the first rendition of the new C8, all plans for a C7 continuation were dropped. According to Automobile magazines 2014 Man of the Year, thats because the new mid-engine Vette is stunningly gorgeous. But I also suspect a large measure of newfound confidence came from the fact that, from the front or rear dead-on, the C8 looks very much like a refreshed mildly refreshed C7. Oh, some angles and creases have changed, but from directly behind or ahead, theres no mistaking the C8 for anything other than an evolution of the Corvette.From the side, however, the C8 looks all genuine mid-engined supercar, and a truly gorgeous rendition at that. From almost every perspective, the new Vette looks purposeful in its aerodynamics, subtle in its proportions and positively dynamic in its stance.Oh, there will be critics. A few nay-sayers will compare it to a McLaren-cloned this or deride it as an NSX-derived that. Then there will be those who will call the styling too American-centric, as if that were insult.They would be dunderheads. The new C8 is, in a word, stunning.The (base) engine is another ode to Corvette’s pastThe only truly solid powerplant information we have is about the base 6.2-litre small-block V8. Juechter cites compact dimensions (important for space considerations in a mid-engined car), a low centre-of-gravity (c-of-g is allegedly right around the drivers inner hip to allow better steering feedback) and sufficiently attractive looks all those hide-bound loyalists will no doubt be thrilled by the large 3.2-mm-thick glass panel in the rear hatch shows off the LT2 as reasons to stick with the small-block.Its unlikely anyone will be disappointed with the performance. Thanks to a new intake system and a wild set of immaculately crafted individual equal-length up-and-over headers, the LT2 pumps out 495 horsepower (at 6,450 rpm) and 470 pound-feet of torque (at 5,150 rpm), the most horsepower and torque for any entry-level model in Corvette history. It will be mated to a new Tremec-sourced eight-speed dual-clutch transaxle. No, there will not be a manual offered, the new C8 yet another resounding admission the stick-shift transmission is all but dead.As with previous Corvette gearboxes, 7th and 8th gears are essentially overdrives, the LT2 loafing as low as 1,200 rpm on the highway. Second through 6th, meanwhile, are track-ready close-ratios, for minimal rpm drop between shifts. Most impressive, however, says Juechter, is how short first gear will be. You wont believe how hard this car launches, still talking about the base small-block.In fact, if Chevrolets testing is right, the new Corvette is going to be scary-fast. Officially, GM claims the new C8 will break the three-second barrier to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometres per hour). That would indicate even the slowest C8 will be a genuine three-second zero-to-100-km/h supercar. On the spec sheet at least, the base C8 would seem a real challenge to lesser McLarens and Lamborghinis.Were basically certain Chevy is sticking with the overhead-valve layout, at least in the base car, so loyalists will be comforted by the rhythmic clickety-clack of the pushrods know and love. As Juechter puts it, its a true big-bore Corvette sound. If you dont like the sound of the small-block, youre not going to like this one, because it sounds just
Origin: First Look: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray

Mercedes-AMG gives the 2020 GLC 43 a new grille to make it look more AMG

Mercedes-AMG is giving the 2020 GLC 43 some AMG touches to make it more recognizable as the brands entry-level performance AMG SUV. Both the SUV and the four-door fastback (which they call a coupe) have been given the treatment.Thanks to the AMG-specific radiator grille with its vertical chrome-plated fins, it is very quickly clear: these GLCs come from Affalterbach, reads the press release, but theres more to the update than that. The bumper is also new, as well as the rear exhaust tips, of which there are now two; the headlights have also been updated to LED, and remind us of the AMG GT.The interior of the GLC 43 has been given the AMG treatment as well; it now features digital AMG-specific gauges, a flat-bottom steering wheel and a few red trim accents. There are even Chevrolet bowties on the steering wheel as a nod to the mid-engined Corvette! Oh, wait, those are controls for the infotainmentour bad. The latest edition of MBUX is also present, to go along with the updates 12.3-inch instrument cluster and 10.3-inch touchscreen. For the actual added performance, AMG has given the GLC 23 more horsepower, for a total of 385; thats matched by 384 lb.-ft. of torque from the 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6.Although Mercedes claims this is an entry-level performance vehicle, well guess that it still isnt cheap, but will have to wait until actual pricing and availability is released near the end of the year to find out for
Origin: Mercedes-AMG gives the 2020 GLC 43 a new grille to make it look more AMG

First look: 2020 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h

SANTA MONICA, CA — Lexus has always been a little ahead of the curve. Its first RX SUV, introduced way back when Jean Chrétien was still Prime Minister, seemed outrageous at the time. Lexus was crazy for building such an odd-shaped loon, I thought back then. But I also remember thinking, about the same time, those predictions that everyone would someday be walking around with a phone in their pocket sounded like lunacy. And yet here we are. Lexus was also ahead of the game when they decided to make quality and dealership experience hallmarks of the brand. No, Lexus models weren’t always as sassy as BMWs or Audis, but they sure as hell didn’t cost as much in maintenance either, consistently taking home “most dependable” and “most reliable” awards. In recent years, after adopting a design philosophy that was more angles and lines than a map of the constellations, Lexus cars and SUVs looked almost too futuristic, as if the brand was trying too hard. Only recently has that same design philosophy looked fitting for our time. But because the current, fourth-generation RX 350 and 450h has been in production since 2015, and because competition in this category is fierce, Lexus is freshening its most popular vehicle (also in three-row, RX L trim) for the 2020 model year. A cursory glance does not reveal that the front and rear fascias are new, or that it wears new 18-inch or 20-inch wheels. Triple-beam LED headlamps have been slimmed, and come standard starting on the Luxury grade. The fog lights have been moved lower and streamlined. Inside, an eight-inch touchscreen or optional 12.3-inch unit crowns the centre stack, paired with a remote touch pad located where your right hand naturally rests. And the multimedia system now includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto — finally — with six USB ports for devices. Those slimmer headlamps certainly accentuate the angry, angled look of the RX without being weirdly eccentric, and they work well with the brand’s hourglass grille to smartly freshen the RX’s front face. Rear tail lamps use an “L” motif across the top of the lamp, reflected by inverted Ls across the bottom. A power rear tailgate that can be activated by a kick sensor, is now available on the Executive package. All in all, it’s a big improvement on what was already an attractive vehicle. The ride, which was never objectionable, should see improvements too. Front and rear stabilizer bars are now hollow to reduce weight, yet thicker diameters and reinforced bushings will, Lexus says, help reduce body roll and improve steering response. Shock absorbers have been retuned to work with the stiffer roll bars, while upgraded dampers feature a new “friction control” device that helps to control high frequency vibrations for a smoother ride. To prevent understeer that occurs when turning into a corner too quickly, “active corner braking” brakes the inside rear tire to help keep the RX from sailing into the roadside shrubbery. Fifty more spot welds and adhesives are said to improve rigidity. Engines and transmissions remain the same — an eight-speed automatic hooked to a 3.5-litre V6 (295 hp; 268 lb.-ft) in the 350, and a 3.5-litre V6 with electric motor in the hybrid for 308 net horsepower and 247 lb.-ft. Safety, of course, has also made gains, much of it standard. A little like GM’s OnStar, “Enform Safety Connect” gives access to a live human 24/7 who can help in a crash or emergency. The pre-collision system has been improved so that it can now be aware of cyclists in the daytime — instead of just cars and pedestrians — in front of the vehicle. By increasing the camera’s sensitivity and dynamic range, pedestrians in low light conditions can be better seen as well. The system even has the ability to detect lane markings on the road to help with lane positioning; and if the markings are poor or non-existent, the RX will follow the vehicle in front of it when working with the RX’s radar cruise control. These all come standard. A new exterior colour, Moonbeam Beige Metallic, joins a new interior trim colour, Birch. A new RX F Sport package borrows a variable suspension system from the Lexus LC that’s more responsive than previous systems. F Sport packages also include a cold air intake, aluminum pedals, sportier steering with heated steering wheel, and an attractive red leather interior with bolstered sport seats. The 2020 RX and RX L will start production at Toyota’s Cambridge South plant in the third quarter of 2019. Pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date, but shouldn’t be too far off the current $55,000 starting
Origin: First look: 2020 Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h

Here’s what Ontario’s new license plates will look like

Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservative government released its designs for Ontario’s new license plates April 11, including a slogan that will replace the former “Yours to Discover” motto, which has graced plates in the province for 37 years. The new plates feature white lettering on a blue background (as opposed to the blue lettering on the white background of the outgoing plates), the tri-petal Ontario Trillium logo in the center, and of course the new slogan, “A Place to Grow.” The new plate will no longer have stamped, raised lettering, instead going for a flat sticker-type surface. Though it kind of sounds like something meant to encourage the blossoming of legal cannabis business in the province, the line “A Place to Grow” is actually borrowed from the song A Place to Stand, A Place to Grow, which was written to celebrate Ontario during the nation’s centennial festivities at Expo 67 in Montreal. Still, we won’t be surprised to see people slapping pot-leaf stickers over that trillium. This is the new Ontario license plate our question is is there still a green plate? @ONtransport pic.twitter.com/usDOqWXyXf Sudbury EV Assoc. (@GSEVAssociation) April 11, 2019 Commercial vehicles will also be getting a redesigned plate with the slogan “Open for Business,” one of the Ford government’s favourite catchphrases. The updates were officially revealed during the provincial budget announcement on Thursday, which included a broader plan to update the province’s branding to the tune of $600,000. The new plates will begin to be screwed onto cars once the current inventory has been depleted.
Origin: Here’s what Ontario’s new license plates will look like