2016 Toyota Land Cruiser -- Race Organizer Review

In which your Race Organizer uses about 0.001% of the Land Cruiser's off-road capabilities during Thunderhill RacewaySometimes this Race Organizer selects vehicles to review since the roads around the lane are potholed nightmares, alternative times since the 24 Hours of LeMons judge is the baller, as well as still alternative times since it's fun to fire photos of glossy brand new cars alongsidetheir fully hooptie-ized crapcan-racing counterparts.For the 2016 Vodden the Hell Are We Doing 24 Hours of LeMons, held during Thunderhill Raceway Park in Northern California, we decided which we indispensable the capability to expostulate upon the circuitous dirt paths surrounding the lane in order to get to better photographic vantage points. Any car with halfway decent ground clearance could have finished this, though the LeMons Supreme Court believes in swatting flies with sledgehammers. Hence, the stately overkill of the 2016 Toyota Land Cruiser. To get to Thunderhill Raceway from the San Francisco Bay Area, most pushing in wholesome-looking parts of the California Central Valley contingency take place. Photo by Murilee Martin I flew in to Oakland Airport, which meant the 150-mile expostulate to the track. The Land Cruiser is maybe the car which initial put Toyota upon the global map, as well as the resounding face of Eiji Toyoda himself glowers sternly over those who design as well as set up this lorry today. A Land Cruiser contingency be capable of withstanding most hundreds of thousands of miles of abuse during the hands of warlords in the most inaccessible jungles, deserts, as well as plateau in the world, as well as we're flattering certain Mr. Toyoda would climb out of his grave as well as personally fire any Toyota worker who did not put reliability as well as off-road capability as the tip two equipment upon the Land Cruiser to-do list. For this reason, this lorry does not yield the main road ride utterly as cushy as other, some-more compromised SUVs. If you're the UN general upon the peacekeeping mission in the Sahara, we want this interior. Photo by Murilee Martin Still, we have circumnavigated the United States in 22 days in the zero-option '88 Hilux as well as taken all manner of godawful beaters upon prolonged main road drives, as well as so the couple of not-so-harsh bumps upon the deferred-maintenance California main road do not ruffle me. The '16 Land Cruiser is copiousness gentle as well as equipped with the brain-rattling sound complement (if we get the discretionary Entune Premium JBL system), energy from the 381-horse V8 is sufficient to pierce the truck's bulk nicely, as well as we kept hoping which the party of Tusken Raiders would burst out of the wild-blackberry bushes along Interstate 5 as well as give me an forgive to take the Land Cruiser crashing through the little irrigation canals as well as over the little steep, rocky hills. Land Cruisers have always looked businesslike. Photo by Murilee Martin The greeting to the Land Cruiser from the racers during the '16 Vodden the Hell Are We Doing competition was as resigned as the outmost coming of this truck. A couple of stopped to admire it, as well as they whistled admiringly when they learned of the $84,820 price tag. Worth it, though maybe not the sensible squeeze if we do not devise upon serious off-roading, preferably in the "failed state." If we really caring which the third-row seat in the Land Cruiser is the bit cramped which it is then maybe we are better-suited for an SUV which wouldn't last fifteen mins in the Khyber Pass. The Land Cruiser took me to parts of the Thunderhill trickery we had never visited in 9 years of shooting competition photos there. Photo by Murilee Martin Thunderhill is the big, sprawling facility, as well as the Land Cruiser did the excellent pursuit of taking me upon paths meant for ATVs as well as reaching photography shots we had never before used. None of this "off-road" pushing was particularly challenging, though removing stranded would have been the medium-grade disaster, what with the competition to organize. Toyota Land CruiserMSRP $83,825 BaseMPG thirteen / eighteen City / HWYResearch Toyota Land Cruiser >


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Rear Seat Reminder aims to prevent hot-car deaths

GMC Acadia to suggest industry-first reserve featureSummer is in full swing in many tools of a country, as well as with a summer feverishness comes a seasonal threat of death from heatstroke for children incidentally left in a car. This year, twelve children have already died of heatstroke inside vehicles, with approximately half of all such incidents occurring when a kid is forgotten by his or her parent or caretaker. Pets face a risk from heatstroke in such bland scenarios, as well, as they're often not authorised inside stores where their owners have been using errands.GM has grown a elementary complement which will find to prevent such tragedies, as well as will suggest it in a 2017 Acadia. Dubbed Rear Seat Reminder, a complement detects when possibly behind door is non-stop up to 10 minutes prior to a begin of a journey; a subsequent time a engine is incited off, it sounds 5 audible chimes as well as displays a message upon a instrument panel which reminds a motorist to check a behind seats."General Motors has grown a brand new record for a GMC Acadia, a Rear Seat Reminder, to give busy parents an important sign to check a behind chair prior to withdrawal a car," pronounced Kate Carr, boss as well as CEO of Safe Kids Worldwide. "Technology alone cannot solve a issue of heatstroke when it comes to immature children, yet this brand new Acadia sign can help. We must regularly remember which a safest way to strengthen a kid from heatstroke is to never leave a kid unattended in a vehicle." The complement monitors if behind doors have been non-stop prior to a journey as well as reminds a motorist a subsequent time a car is incited off. Since Rear Seat Reminder works by monitoring either a behind doors have been opened, it does not differentiate in between humans, pets as well as groceries upon its own. The Acadia will be a first GM car to suggest this system, yet you suspect it'll spread to a rest of a lineup as well as other GM brands flattering quickly, since how simply it works.If only this were something which could be installed during a dealership around a program update, since a fact which flattering much all cars can acknowledge when their doors have been opened. GMC AcadiaMSRP $30,975 SLMPG seventeen / twenty-four City / HWYResearch GMC Acadia >


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Nissan's fuel-cell solution: Replace hydrogen with ethanol

New ethanol fuel cells could eliminate hydrogen infrastructure challengesNissanhas developed a brand brand new kind of fuel dungeon drivetrain for cars which taps an onboard tank of ethanol instead of pressurized hydrogen, delivering a cheaper as well as safer float which it says is some-more user friendly.The brand brand new technology, dubbed an e-bio fuel cell, aims to combat a usual hurdle to deploying normal hydrogen fuel dungeon vehicles: a miss of a hydrogen fueling infrastructure. Nissans complement uses bio-ethanol, derived from renewable crops such as corn or sugarcane, as well as which refueling infrastructure already mostly exists.E-bio fuel cells should additionally be less costly than normal hydrogen systems since they dont need a expensive carbon-fiber storage tanks for pressurized hydrogen or costly changed metals such as platinum as catalysts for physical phenomenon generation.Nissan aims to bring a record to market in fleet vehicles by around 2020.By regulating this fuel, it can have wider application, Executive Vice President Hideyuki Sakamoto said today while announcing a development. We do not need a hydrogen infrastructure. That is a greatest advantage, along with improved safety. Nissans complement shares a elemental record with a normal fuel dungeon systems in such vehicles as a Toyota Mirai or Honda Clarity fuel dungeon sedans.It even requires hydrogen to be fed through a fuel smoke-stack to generate electricity. And like those existing vehicles, it uses which physical phenomenon to power an electric motor which drives a car. Excess physical phenomenon is additionally stored in an onboard battery.But a greatest difference is which Nissans complement generates a hydrogen inside a car. It does so through an one some-more step rubbed by a member called a reformer.The reformer transforms ethanol in a fuel tank in to hydrogen, which is then fed in to in a fuel stack. In a normal hydrogen fuel dungeon car, there is no reformer. The cars fuel tank carries pressurized hydrogen pumped without delay from a fueling station.Nissan says a complement has multiform advantages, despite a additional step.First, ethanol fuel is much some-more widely accessible than hydrogen, making it simpler to introduce a drivetrain technology. It additionally doesnt need a special fueling station.Indeed, countries such as Brazil already widely use ethanol fuel.Second, ethanol is safer to use than hydrogen since it is not as combustible.Also, Nissans complement operates during a much higher temperature. That means it doesnt need pricey changed metals as catalysts. Low priced metals will do. Costs have been serve marked down since a fuel tank is not a high-tech carbon essential element pressurized capsule. Finally, a fuel neednt be pristine ethanol. It can even be a brew of up to 55 percent water, which serve brings down a cost of a operation.On a flip side, Nissan said it needs to urge a systems feverishness government since swings from hot to cold extremes put pressure on durability. And since it works most appropriate during high temperatures, driving reply lags until a complement heats up.Also, normal fuel dungeon cars have been zero emissions; which is, they emit usually H2O fog as well as heat. Nissans complement emits H2O vapor, feverishness as well as carbon dioxide. That is since carbon dioxide is a byproduct of a onboard reformation of ethanol in to hydrogen.Nissan argues, however, which a complement is carbon neutral when counted wheel-to-well. That is since carbon dioxide released is eventually sequestered in a crops which have been harvested to have a ethanol. So carbon is contained in a sealed loop.Despite building a brand brand new technology, Nissan said it hasnt given up on normal hydrogen fuel dungeon systems. Indeed, it will continue to rise which record in together with a partners Daimler AG of Germany as well as Ford Motor Co.The article "Nissan develops brand brand new ethanol fuel cells to burst infrastructure hurdle" first appeared on Automotive News. By Hans Grimel, Automotive News


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2017 Porsche Macan GTS first drive: Pikes Peak in a crossover!

... following a 911 GT2 as a sign of how many fun we could be havingThe sun popped up over a good executive solid as well as splattered orange as well as yellow light all over a eastern Rockies, similar to Jackson Pollock with a very large brush, initial during a very top, which was still sleet dusted as well as red dirt, afterwards slowly down a slopes. And there we were in about a middle of it all, lined up similar to dragsters in a staging lanes, watchful for someone to open a gates to a strong fortress of Pikes Peak appearing a mile upon top of us similar to a wrathful, Old Testament God ready to smite us all for a impudence.Porsche had paid somebody during a Peak what we can customarily assume was a massive raise of Deutschmarks to let us by a embankment as well as onto a highway prior to anybody else -- even a fishermen lined up during a back of us watchful to captivate a lunkers to their shore-bound, gaiter-wearing doom. The thought was to blast up a towering about as fast as dopes similar to us could be approaching to blast in Porsches deep as well as mighty.Yes, Porsches.OK, they werent911s. Heck, they werent evenCaymen. They were ... OK,this is embarrassing ...MacanSUVs. Go forward as well as laugh, we chuckleheads. But cling to upon a minute, man, they were MacanGTSmodels, a sportiest of a wholeAudi Q5-based lineup. Yes, theMacan Turbohas 400 hp to a GTS 360, though a cessation tuning, a electronics, even a delivery changeable algorithm have been sportier upon a Macan GTS than upon a Turbo. If youhaveto go midsized SUV, youre probably starting to wish to go Macan GTS.So it wasnt perfect: These werent911 Rs or even911anythings. But Porsche had been personification up a sporty aspect of a GTS model, even using a term (we have been certain we heard it) sports automobile to report it. Sports car? A midsized SUV? Were they out of their schnitzel-snorting minds?We would find out shortly enough. At a head of a small Macan-a-van was Porsche pilote extraordinaire Jeff Zwart, driving a 911 GT2 hed won with in 2002. Why did he get a 911 GT2 when we had to humour a indignity of a Macans? Because hes Jeff Zwart, as well as we arent. Zwart has raced Porsches here given we were in junior high school, some-more often than not winning his class. So he deserved a 911. We customarily deserved Macans. Albeit Macan GTSs. The Macan GTS makes 360 hp though has doing features which have it a sharp-witted performer, for a crossover. The Macan GTS starts as a Macan S, which itself proposed as an Audi Q5. Thats not a bad place to start for a midsized SUV. By increasing a progress 3 psi in a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6, swapping in brand new camshafts as well as revising a path for a intake, Porsche raised horsepower from 340 in a S to 360 during 6,000 rpm in a GTS, while torque goes from 339 lb-ft to 369 from 1,650 to 4,000 revs. To house a increasing boost, a GTS has brand new pistons as well as a couple of alternative beefed-up inner parts.To have a many of a increasing output, a ride height of a air cessation is dropped 10 mm upon a GTS, which also gets bigger front brakes: a same 360-mm front discs as a Turbo though a same 330-mm rears as a base as well as S models. The cessation is stiffened up 10 percent front as well as rear, as well as a rear stabilizer bar is thicker. It rides upon 20-inch wheels standard. The Porsche Stability Management is loosened up a little, too, permitting up to 15 degrees of tailhappiness. The Macan GTS 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 makes 360 hp Whats it similar to to drive?Zwart common his sage wisdom with all of us a night prior to a run.People think its easier now which its paved, he said of The Mountain. Its unequivocally not.He afterwards dispensed all kinds of reassuring advice about exactly how many Pikes Peak has changed given it was paved a whole way, finale with this tale of drifting off a highway in a 911.Let me discuss it we about this a single situation, he intoned, referring to a 1994 crash during a mark called a Picnic Ground. Three things crossed my mind as we approached it: 1. This is a beginning Ive ever gotten to a Picnic Ground. 2. This is a initial time Ive ever gotten to a Picnic Ground in fifth gear. And, 3. This is not a Picnic Ground.Off he went. But which was 22 years ago, as well as hes gotten many better. At slightest we assumed he had or Porsche wouldnt have put him in assign of a well-being upon a Peak. To end his presentation, he reassured us which we would be only fine by saying, Youre starting to be hauling ass!The next mornings plan was which all 5 or six dope-driven Macans would follow Zwarts GT2 so which Zwart could show us a line. In this orderly fashion not customarily would we be hauling ass, we would be far reduction expected to haul which donkey off a highway during a Picnic Ground. Maybe. How tough could it be? There were customarily 156 turns, as well as Zwart probably remembered many of them.So they let us by a embankment during morning as well as we took a fairly resting expostulate past a lake as well as to a central starting line. Then we were off. Immediately we realized not which a GTS was in truth a good handler though which a luggage wed seat-belted in place in a back had broken lax as well as was rolling around, crashing initial into a single doorway as well as afterwards a alternative as we counted off a initial couple of of a 156 turns. Squeeeee went a front tires, roll, roll, bang! went a luggage. We had a PSM set to sport-plus, which lowered a car, stiffened a cessation as well as increasing a shift points of a transmission. We didnt have to shift ourselves as a seven-speed PDK wound out to redline (or almost -- we were looking during a highway as well as Macan in front of us as well as not a tach). It shifted right about where we would have shifted any way as well as let us concentrate upon not drifting off as well as landing in downtown Colorado Springs a couple of thousand feet next us. One guy who tried to shift for himself may or may not have over-revved or during slightest overheated a engine, as well as his Macan blew steam out all over a pavement, sidelining his bid for a morning. The rest of us sped past, laughing. There was still a little sleet upon Pikes Peak as well as Mount Evans. We did get to try out which 15 degrees of tail zany exiting a pointy curves of a Ws -- it stepped out unexpected as well as afterwards only as unexpected stopped stepping out -- though customarily a Macan understeered far some-more than it oversteered. We could see Zwart each now as well as afterwards up during a front of a conga line, dive-bombing turns as well as spraying dust as well as sand in his wake. Tink-tink-tink went a mud flecks as they center-punched a paint job upon a Macan.Despite a twin-turbos compensating for a increasingly skinny air, we felt which maybe a little of a 360 horses had remained in a stable down in C. Springs. Or maybe we were only perplexing too hard. Who knows? Ask any race horse if they ever have sufficient horsepower. But maybe 15 or twenty turns into a course we proposed to think a sports automobile analogy might have been stretching it a bit.By a time we reached a summit, fourteen minutes as well as shift later, we were means to simulate a bit. It wasnt a sports car, though if we longed for a combined practicality of an SUV, is this a single a sportiest? After all, a BMW X3 is positively sporty.The GTS is many some-more a drivers car, said Torsten Gaertner, senior engineer of driving dynamics for a Macan. The AWD is some-more rear-wheel biased.Is it some-more a drivers automobile than a X3?The disproportion with a Macan is accessibility, he said. You can expostulate this automobile unequivocally well very quickly. BMW sells way some-more X3s than we do Macans, so to do which we have to have compromises.And there have been fewer compromises in a Macan, fewer still in a Macan GTS. So right after pipping Pikes Peak, we drove north as well as scaled another mountain, Mount Evans, which during 14,130 feet is twenty feet higher than Pikes Peak. The highway there was not sealed off for us, so we had to expostulate many some-more cautiously. Nonetheless a pavement during reduce elevations was incredibly smooth, as well as we were means to feel out a GTS balance as well as doing some-more thoroughly. Here it felt a lot some-more sporty, as well as if not a sports car, it was positively a sportiest as well as slightest tippy of a class. You can even expostulate it upon dirt! Do we wish it?The cost of a Macan GTS starts during $68,250 as well as can go up flattering high from there. Its small sufficient to be unsentimental as well as yet sporty sufficient so we dont have to abandon your sports-car ethos to own one. Sound similar to what you're looking for? Then maybe we do wish it.


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2016 Polaris RZR XP Turbo EPS review: RZR sharp

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Wicked four-wheeler fears no terrainDirt bikes suggest the fullest as well as most exciting off-road experience, but for the more risk-averse, the Polaris RZRis more than just the viable substitute. Call it the corresponding or the UTV (utility charge vehicle)whatever it is, the two-passenger XP Turbo EPS feels equal tools mud bike, rally car as well as Baja buggy.Reach over the doorway for the latch, swing it open as well as drop in to the skinny bucket seat. Twist the pass to light the engine, lift the stiff gear selector back to engage tall or low, as well as the CVT takes over from here.Its turbocharged 925cc DOHC identical tiwn kicks out the claimed 144 hp; the powertrain feels counterfeit as well as unrefined, but does it ever work: The RZR creates so most energy which we hit 70-plus mph blasting through the sagebrush prior to we chickened out. Its quite the rush.A toggle upon the IP lets we select between 2WD as well as on-demand AWD, with AWD branch the RZR in to the lax tiger in deep sand as well as upon steep climbs. Electric energy steering offers low effort as well as good feel, as well as the disc brakes slow the unit in the surprising hurry, even upon lax surfaces.The RZRs tubular steel frame carries the double-wishbone steel cessation complement with sixteen inches front as well as eighteen inches rear travel. Its all built to take the beating, at least theoretically. Its turbocharged 925cc DOHC identical tiwn kicks out the claimed 144 hp. Unfortunately, our experience was cut short by the damaged rear CV joint. A Polaris rep told us which this can happen when we jump as well as have energy (on the throttle) upon landings. So, dont do that.Live as well as learn, we supposebut know which in more gifted hands, these things are capable of rebellious tough desert races with minimal modifications.Side-by-sides are hugely popular, as well as pushing the RZR Turbo XP shows why. Polaris RZR family includes the range of four-wheelers with outputs trimming from 75 hp to this ones 144, as well as they can be had in four-seat configuration if youve got friends as well as family to tote.You can jump, slide as well as get sideways for an exciting full-throttle pour out in all of them without the risk of mud biking.Ultimately, the RZR as well as its two-wheeled distant relations are, to channel Forrest Gump, like peas as well as carrots. While bikes are single-track nimble, the 64-inch-wide RZR is closer to the Jeep Patriot than an ATV, as well as so of course cant entrance slight motorcycle trails. But its quick as hell as well as handles all other turf with aplomb.Even for longtime dirt-bike riders, the RZR XP Turbo EPS is most impressive. And thats observant something. The RZR is built to take the beating. OTHERS TO CONSIDER:- Can-Am Maverick- Kawasaki Teryx- Yahama YXZ1000R By John L. Stein


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Watch a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon joyride in the Baja desert

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Story Topics Car Life, Car News, Racing, Video, Other News, People, SUV, DIY, Baja, Other Motorsports, Jeep, Jeep Wrangler

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Here's what the Volvo V90 Cross Country wagon will look like

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Gothenburg's brand new car will battle luxury crossoversSales of a Volvo V90 station car haven't even started, but a Swedish automaker has already been held contrast a next iteration: The Volvo V90 Cross Country is in a functions as good as it will feature a lifted ride height, all-wheel-drive, a reworked suspension, physique cladding, redesigned bumpers as good as front as good as back fascias, roof rails as good as a little beefy tires.The V90 Cross Country is approaching to pick up where a XC70 Cross Country will leave off during a finish of a year, replacing a indication which has been upon sale given 2007. The brand new Cross Country car is approaching to be powered by a brand's now-ubiquitous 2.0-liter inline-four connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission pumping out 316 hp as good as 295 lb-ft of hanging ornament in T6 guise. While alternative markets will expected embrace a diesel D5 version as good as a front-wheel expostulate T5 great for 250 hp as good as 258 lb-ft of torque, North America will expected get just a T6 AWD indication -- Cross Country buyers won't wish a soft-road car with usually dual pushing wheels. A T8plug-in hybrid AWD version, great for 410 hp, may be offering as well. The bottom V90 wagon, meanwhile, will expected suggest a T5 powerplant coupled with front-wheel drive.Expect a V90 Cross Country to entrance during a finish of 2016 or early 2017, starting upon sale during a first half of next year. Volvo won't be facing Subaru alone; by 2017 design to see a reply from Mercedes-Benz in a form of a similarly-upgraded E-Class station wagon.


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McLaren P1 GTR to honor James Hunt at Goodwood

A 986 hp travel legal P1 GTR will also have an appearanceNot one, though dual McLaren P1 GTRs are appearing at a Goodwood Festival of Speed June 23-26. One honors James Hunt, a British driver who won a Formula One championship 40 years ago in a McLaren M23.The late drivers helmet inspired a P1 GTRs liveries -- blue, yellow as well as red -- representing Wellington College, a boarding propagandize Hunt attended. McLaren Automotive entered a car -- Bruno Senna, McLaren P1 GTR driver program mentor, is pushing it upon Charles Gordon-Lennoxs estate.U.K.-based classic-car restoration residence Lanzante Ltd. is entering a second P1 GTR. This indication produces 986 hp, as well as believe it or not, is travel legal. The Lanzante group will attempt to set a fastest time for a highway car with 1999 Indy 500 leader Kenny Brck at a back of a wheel.McLaren is bringing other cars to a annual mountain climb, including a new 570GT. For some-more report upon who or what to design at a festival, check out Goodwood.com.

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