Former IndyCar driver Davey Hamilton tries his hardest to go the right direction on the race track, but back home in Indiana, hed prefer facing the wrong way in a 1952 Ford pickup.The story comes courtesy of %7B%22provider_name%22:%22YouTube%22,%22provider_url%22:%22https:%5C/%5C/www.youtube.com%5C/%22,%22object_url%22:%22https:%5C/%5C/youtu.be%5C/>%22,%22type%22:%22oembed%22,%22channels%22:%5B%22desktop%22,%22tablet%22,%22phone%22%5D%7D target=_blank rel=noopener>Barcroft Cars’ Ridiculous Rides, which profiled Hamilton and his ridiculous custom truck built to be driven down the road bed-first.Construction started by essentially turning the body around on the frame. The engine now resides in the bed, while the gas tank sits under the hood. Power comes from a Chevy 350 (sacrilege!) connected to a Turbo 350 transmission.The interior has undergone a complete transformation, besides the seats just being turned around. A section of the rear cab had to be cut out for Hamilton to put his feet somewhere, never mind the pedals. The steering wheel now comes up at an angle more akin to a bus, and the entire dashboard is a custom-fabricated piece. The backwards truck is without a doubt a confusing creation, even befuddling Hamilton himself like when he enters the truck, for example, since the drivers side door is now on the passenger side.Hamilton says people get a kick out of it, and that its fun when it makes somebodys day. And at the end of it, thats what hot-rodding is all about, isnt it? Having fun, and not taking life too seriously too many people have that
Origin: Racer builds 1950s Ford truck that drives backwards
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McLaren: no-go on SUVs, but yes to hybrids that do 96 km/h in 2.3 seconds
McLaren GT McLaren bosses say an SUV is (still) out of the question, but note there will be room in the lineup for new technologies, like hybrid hypercars capable of zero-to-96-km/h times under two-and-a-half seconds.When Car and Driver recently prodded him on the prospect of building an SUV, McLaren Automotive CEO Mike Flewitt says trucks are still a non-starter for the British brand.Why would we? he says. We dont have to.Wed never get a return on it, Flewitt says. The cost of designing a brand-new platform would cost well over $1 billion, and besides that, were all getting sick of thoroughbred supercar manufacturers building SUVs just to make a profit.Instead of trying to fit more people in the back of its vehicles, McLaren is trying to fit more power, and thats why there will definitely be another hybrid model, as well as a pure EV, although it is less keen on those. Flewitt says current batteries are too heavy, too expensive and not dense enough to meet the brands standards.As for the hybrid model, its already in the works. Riding on a next-generation platform set to be unveiled in the spring of 2020, the vehicle will rock a hybrid powertrain with all-wheel-drive.The target zero-to-60-mph (96 km/h) time is in the realm of 2.3 seconds, since launches will be aided by an electric front axle. The model will be the first of an eventual all-hybrid lineup, which will gradually subsume the gas-only car range over three or four
Origin: McLaren: no-go on SUVs, but yes to hybrids that do 96 km/h in 2.3 seconds
Nissan recalls newer cars, SUVs over braking defect that could pose fire risk
2019 Nissan Murano PlatinumBrian Harper Nissan is recalling close to 400,000 cars and SUVs in the U.S. over a brake system issue that could also lead to a fire, reports Reuters.About 394,025 vehicles are covered by the recall, specifically Nissan Murano SUVs from model years 2015 to 2018; Maxima sedans from 2016 to 2018; and Pathfinder and Infiniti QX60 utilities from 2017 to 2019.In affected vehicles, the braking system may leak brake fluid; if it drips onto a nearby internal circuit board, in rare instances that could cause a short circuit and maybe a fire, the automaker said early November.Drivers will see a warning message on the vehicles dashboard before such an electrical short occurs, but the hazard remains if that warning is ignored. Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by Nissan early December; the company is already working on a
Origin: Nissan recalls newer cars, SUVs over braking defect that could pose fire risk
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime PHEV boasts 302 HP — yes, you read that right
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
A Ford GT40 replica that starred in ‘Ford v Ferrari’ is heading to auction
Are you a gearhead with a few extra barrels of money taking up space in the basement? Well, the crew at Mecum Auctions has just the car for you.As one of two replica Ford GT40s finished in this livery for use in the James Mangolds new film Ford v Ferrari, this beautiful machine is the Ken Miles hero car driven by Christian Bale during filming.Built at Rich MacDonalds Superformance Facility in California, this isnt your typical movie car thats been hacked to pieces before being rode hard and put away wet.MacDonalds incredible attention to detail is truly astonishing, making it easy to explain why this car was the one that provided the movie magic GT40 close-ups in the film. In what is surely one of the most legendary examples of self-confidence, MacDonalds shop built the car before they had even been selected to provide the vehicles for the movie.Powered by a specially prepared Roush V8 built to 511 cubes, this movie monster cranks out 600 horsepower thanks in no small part to kit like a KN Inglese-style injection system and an jaw-droppingly gorgeous rear-exit bundle of snakes exhaust. All this sends power through a five-speed manual transaxle, meaning youll be saving the manuals while being a total baller.Slathered in that iconic Gulf Blue, it features a pressed steel roof and a unibody structure constructed of electro-galvanized steel. Independent suspenders are installed front and rear, with unequal-length A-arms up front, Bilstein shocks with HR springs at both ends, and trailing arms out back.The car is also signed by Ken Miles 1966 crew chief and Ken Miles son, Peter. This hero car has seen plenty of screen time beyond the movie and its trailers, appearing at various red carpet events alongside the stars of the film. Short of an original GT40 racecar, provenance doesnt get much better than that.Itll be on the block at Mecums event in Kissimmee next
Origin: A Ford GT40 replica that starred in ‘Ford v Ferrari’ is heading to auction
Texas tuners build the Ranger Raptor that Ford won’t sell here
Its an open secret that your author has been pushing Ford to bring a version of the mighty Ranger Raptor to these shores. With GM taking a big slice of the mid-size off-road pie with the Colorado ZR2 and ZR2 Bison, the Blue Oval must surely know its leaving money on the table. Thats without mentioning the Tacoma TRD Pro and its ilk.Where the Glass House has fallen down, a Texas-based tuner has picked it up. PaxPower, a speed house out of Houston, has unveiled a 350-hp Ranger with plenty of off-road goodies at this years SEMA show in Las Vegas. A common cop-out Fords offered as to why the Ranger Raptor isnt in North American showrooms is the presence of a weak-sauce 2.0-litre diesel engine making just 210 horsepower. While it is true this mill would not satisfy customers in this region, PaxPower has proven a Raptor-like Ranger can be built around this markets 2.3L EcoBoost engine, thank you very much. Tuned to about 350 horsepower, this clever girl will surely outrun most of the other creatures in the jungle.Starting with a current-model Ranger FX4, PaxPower adds OEM Raptor body panels to the fenders, bedsides and most obviously the front fascia. Those bumpers are custom-fabricated, though, and offer approach and departure angles better than any stock Ranger could ever dream. Toyo R/T rubber sets a just-right stance.None of this show would be of any use without a bit of off-road go, so the company installed a prerunner long-travel suspension setup from BajaKits to pair with King 2.5 front coilovers and rear shocks. Specific front and rear suspension travel isnt mentioned but it surely matches or beats the overseas Ranger Raptor measures of 32-per-cent and 18-per-cent increases over a standard Ranger.Like it? Me, too. Since the crew at Ford seem paralyzed on this issue, one can head over to PaxPower to spend their
Origin: Texas tuners build the Ranger Raptor that Ford won’t sell here
GM reaches tentative deal with UAW that could end month-long national strike
Members of the United Auto Workers (UAW) who are employed at the General Motors Flint Assembly plant in Flint, Michigan, slow down salary employees entering the plant as they strike early on September 16, 2019.Jeff Kowalsky / AFP via Getty General Motors and the United Auto Workers have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract, and the union will decide Thursday whether to continue a more than month-long strike while the deal is voted on by members.The accord, announced by the UAW on Wednesday, may bring an end to the unions first national walkout against the carmaker in a dozen years.The UAWs national council will decide whether to recommend the agreement for a ratification vote, and if the strike will continue in the meantime.A resolution would come none too soon for GM, which analysts estimate has lost about US$2 billion, and its striking workers, who could be forgoing about US$2,000 of profit sharing. The two sides moved closer to a deal over the weekend after a tense week of publicly exchanging barbs and blame for the strike dragging on. With most of the major issues settled, GM CEO Mary Barra and President Mark Reuss joined the talks Tuesday to try to get a final agreement over the line, according to people familiar with the situation who asked not to be identified.One of the most contentious issues that was standing the way of a deal involved the treatment of temporary workers, some of whom have worked at GM for as long as four years. The two sides reached a compromise opening a path to full-time work after three consecutive years of employment, one of the people said. That three-year period could change before an agreement is final, the person cautioned.If the two sides come to an agreement, the local union leaders will decide whether to take it to members for a vote, and if workers will return to work before or after ratification.
Origin: GM reaches tentative deal with UAW that could end month-long national strike
The most affordable hybrids that will save you money
2020 Toyota Corolla HybridHandout / Toyota Electrification, thanks to Tesla and Toyota, has become mainstream. What was once futuristic and Jetsonian — i.e. the incredibly awkward Honda Insight of the 1999 — has now become commonplace — as in the goofy, bulbous profile of the Prius. Instead of being asked “Why did you buy a hybrid?” you’re now more likely to be pressed as to why you didn’t. In other words, what was once unique has become conventional.What hasn’t changed is that hybrids still command a premium. Oh, the price bump isn’t as big as it used to be, but with extra electric motors, batteries and gearboxes, it’s little wonder you have to pay more for their fuel-sipping ways.How much of a premium you need to pay then is the question. So Driving.ca investigated the most cost-effective electrified vehicles sold in Canada, taking into account everything from MSRP to long-term fuel cost savings to pricing compared with their non-electrified siblings. Here then are the most cost-effective hybrids (and I don’t think we need to post a spoiler alert regarding the fact that Toyota figures prominently).Overall best valueIt’s hard to go wrong with a Corolla, the world’s best selling car of all time, and it’s equally hard to find serious fault with Toyota hybrids, so the combination of the two would seem pretty hard to beat. At $24,790, the new Corolla Hybrid is the simple grafting of the Prius powertrain to compact Corolla, lending a mainstream look to a futuristic technology. As for a value comparison, conventional Corollas start at $18,990, but that’s hardly a fair contrast since base gas versions — powered by a 132 horsepower, 1.8-litre four — come with a manual transmission. Comparing apples to apples, the Hybrid is a $4,000 uptick from the Corolla L CVT. What one gets from that four grand is a combination of 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle four and an electric motor that’s good for 121-hp, a combined 4.5L/100 km in highway and urban cycles all of which will cost you, according to Transport Canada, $1,170 a year in fuel. Compare that with the aforementioned Corolla L — 7.1 L/100 km and $1,846 annual fuel costs — and you have a payback period of around six years. If that seems like a long time, it might help being reminded that the Hybrid is actually closer to the LE CVT in trim bits. Said gas-powered LE costs $21,790 and the Hybrid would require a four-and-a-half year payback if you opted for it over the mid-priced conventional version. One thing’s for sure, this electrified Corolla, like other Toyota hybrids, will last a lot longer than that.Quickest payback periodIn terms of smallest increase in price over its conventional gas-powered, or the shortest amount of time needed to payback the premium paid for hybridization, it’s tough to beat Toyota’s RAV4. A 2.5-litre LE AWD RAV4 will set you back some $30,690, for instance, while the Hybrid version of the same LE AWD package costs $32,090. That’s a paltry $1,400, which, considering all the hardware needed to convert from gas to hybrid propulsion, is a pittance. Meanwhile, Natural Resources Canada says you’ll spend $1,693 fueling the gas-powered version but only $1,224 for the hybrid. Do the math and that’s but a three-year payback period, an amazing bargain for any kind of electrification. The electrified RAV4 proves an even more impressive bargain when you consider that Hybrid is actually more powerful — 219 horses versus 203-hp — than the gas car. No wonder Toyota Canada says that they had sold 9,591 RAV4 Hybrids so far in 2019, fully 22 per cent of all its RAV4 sales being electrified. Most cost-effective family of electricsThe reason I like the Kia Niro is that, not only is the Kia’s cute little electrified crossover cheap but it’s offered in three flavours — traditional hybrid, plug-in PHEV and, at the top of the range, a fully battery-powered EV. The base hybrid starts at $25,495 and, for less than a grand more than the Corolla Hybrid, you get a larger cargo area and 139 horses while sipping just 4.8 litres of gas every 100 kilometres. Move up to the plug-in version and Natural resources Canada says the Niro’s annual fuel costs will be but a paltry $753, making it the most frugal of hybrid crossovers. That’s not necessarily a bargain, though, since it starts at $33,965, that’s an $8,500 jump for a $206 annual savings compared with the bare bones Niro Hybrid. However, considering what the competition charges for similar vehicles, that should not be considered so much a slag against the PHEV, but as a compliment to the base Hybrid. And if completely eliminating greenhouse gasses is your foal — and yes, I do remember that this is supposed to be a hybrid comparison — the Niro EV offer 385 kilometres of electric-only range for $44,495, still competitive amongst battery-powered offerings.The people’s choiceNow, considering its $43,498 base price, Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV may seem an odd choice for an “affordable” hybrid. But the electrified SUV is
Origin: The most affordable hybrids that will save you money
Micra Cup: The little race series that could
The masterminds behind the Micra Cup: series founder/promoter Jacques Deshaies and Nissan Canadas Didier Marsaud.Andrew McCredie BOWMANVILLE, Ontario In 2014, Nissan Canada had the daunting task of reintroducing the Micra after a two decade-plus absence. That fourth-generation model was already four years old when it arrived here that year, and its most notable feature was its price: with a base model under $10,000 it was the least expensive new vehicle in Canada. Viewed another way, the cheapest.Needless to say, positioning the Mexican-built, 1.6-litre four-door sedan would be a challenge for Nissan Canada execs like Didier Marsaud. That is until Quebec journalist Jacques Deshaies came calling with a crazy idea.Five years later at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and on the eve of the 62nd race in the Nissan Micra Cup, the two men reflected on the wild ride of establishing a racing series that has become part of the Canadian racing ladder system.We created the Micra Cup because we were bringing back a model to Canada that had not been here for 23 years with a name that most people did not know or remember, explained Marsaud, Nissan Canadas director of corporate communications. And as it was the least expensive car in the Canadian market, we wanted to demonstrate that this car is fun, reliable and works. The exclusive-to-Canada series features six race weekends in Ontario and Quebec between May and September, with drivers competing in 109-horsepower Nissan Micra base model S cars that are equipped identically. The appeal to drivers is two-fold: as a true spec style series what separates winners from losers is the driver, not the car; and for about $30,000 you can compete in the entire series. Plus, unlike so many feeder series, the Micra Cup gets exposure on TV and social media. For the first time at Circuit Mont-Tremblant, the two races this weekend will be aired live on the series Facebook page (Coupe Nissan Micra Cup) and on its YouTube channel, Micra Cup TV.Goals set, and achievedFor Deshaieswho has owned a race team, driven race cars and served as president of the 2004 Trois-Rivieres Grand Prixhis goal when he pitched the idea to Marsaud, and eventually then-Nissan Canada president Christian Meunier, was at the five-year mark to try and convince the young drivers in karting that their next step up the racing ladder is Micra Cup.Looking at the current grid, and noting that he signed up two young karters for next season just a day earlier, the affable Quebecer said he has achieved that goal. In fact, this weekends season finale double-header at Circuit Mont-Tremblant sees rookie Marco Signoretti, a former karting, battling series veteran Kevin King, a karting instructor, for the overall drivers championship.Likewise, Marsaud said he and Nissan had achieved their goal. And that was to raise awareness about the Micra.I love motorsport and a lot of people in Nissan Canada love motorsport, but our job is not to do motorsport, he said. Our job is to sell cars.Canadian-made grassrootsThe success of the Micra Cup hasnt gone unnoticed by others in the company, notably Nissan Global Motorsport Director Michael Carcamo.When Didier brought us the concept, we were over the moon, he told me in the Nissan pits at the Brooklyn Formula E race in August. It was really going back to the grassroots, an opportunity to give people something that we dont think is very common today. And thats an accessible racing platform. And making it a one-series highlights on one side the fact that we can produce a reliable and great racecar at a low cost. And at the same time the drivers get to be the stars of winning the race.And as Deshaies notes, when a manufacturer invests in a race series with one or two cars, sometimes they win, but most likely they dont. In the Micra Cup, each race the podium is three Nissans.Drivers’ thumbs upRacer Kevin King missed the opening race of the first season, but has competed in every race since, and he said that what has impressed him the most about the Micra Cupapart from the intense on-track competitionis how Nissan has supported the series.When the program started there was lots of talk about a lot of PR, and that Nissan (Canada) was going all in, the Trois-Rivieres native said. Throughout the years you have seen they are putting in a lot of effort, and I know all the drivers really appreciate that. Valrie Limoges has also been driving in the series since that first season, and she echoes Kings sentiment about the quality of the competition, adding she loves the fact that its a driver-focused series.There are some things drivers and crews can do on the set up of the cartire pressures and suchbut its mostly the driver, she said. I have learned that I am really, really competitive in my mind and that I really love racing. I have more expectations that will hopefully lead to something good in the future.Western alienationAs to any regrets, Deshaies said his only one is not being
Origin: Micra Cup: The little race series that could
Ford recalling more than 23,000 SUVs in Canada for seats that cut
2017 Ford Explorer Ford is recalling some 23,380 Explorer SUVs in Canada because the sharp edges of the front seat frames have been cutting passengers hands as they reach down to adjust it.In North America, a total of roughly 338,300 Explorers from model year 2017 equipped with power seats are affected by the issue.The sharp seat frame edges have led to Ford so far fielding some 31 reports of people cutting their hands as they reached down between the power front seat and the center console, the automaker said September 13.Dealers will add flocked tape to the exposed edge and tab on the inboard side of the power seat frames. Ford told customers that, in the interim, they should use caution and avoid contact with the seat frame edge until the repair is
Origin: Ford recalling more than 23,000 SUVs in Canada for seats that cut
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