Car FYI

Photo Credit: FCA North America Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is seen as a slower adopter to electrified motoring compared to many other major automakers. Through much of the 2010s, the vehicle builder was mainly focused on bolstering the Jeep as well as the young Ram brand emphasizing more traditional propulsion. From 2020 until 2017, the only vehicle publicly sold by FCA to employ an electric drivetrain in North America was the Fiat 500e (a fully electric version of the stylish subcompact limited to sales in only select American states and was not available in Canada). Contrasting FCA’s barren electric or hybrid vehicle offerings through much of the past decade were production plans announced in the late 2000s.  At the 2009 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the corporate entity that would become FCA existed as Chrysler LLC. Recently splitting from its turbulent marriage with Daimler-Benz, the auto company operated under a private equity group eager to impress...

Photo Credit: Volkswagen Motorsport  The notion that motorsports improve the development of road cars is supported by an endless pile of case studies. While also progressing the course of technology, racing can provide a venue to promote a new image or ideology. Happening appropriately on Earth Day, Volkswagen unveiled a hill climb race vehicle the auto company intends to represent the spirit for their already-committed I.D. electric production car future. First announced last October and previewed with sketches that emerged last month, the Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak competition machine has now debuted in its real-world form as a fully-electric super sports car. The introduction comes just two months ahead of the 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb where the vehicle will be driven by former 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Romain Dumas. Slated to be propelled with 680 horsepower of electrically channeled force, the I.D. R Pikes Peak is not merely focused on completing t...

Photo Credit: Nissan Not even five years since being revealed to the public, one of the most profoundly distinct designs to have emerged for modern auto racing has become the subject of innovation, envy and contention. This month, Don Panoz, CEO of DeltaWing Technology Group and Japanese automaker Nissan have reignited a dispute over the ownership of a breakthrough engineering philosophy for modern automobiles on the race track as well as on the street. When the IndyCar Series welcomed proposals to visions of American open wheel racing for the 2012 season, a jet plane-like concept premiered generating an instant sensation. The radical DeltaWing presented an ultra-aerodynamic shape and lightweight construction boasting high-speed potential with less horsepower. A narrow front wheel track and the lack of downforce enhancing devices such as the conventional rear wing found on most modern race cars created a thought-provoking possibility to IndyCar competition that resulted in b...

With governments and even consumers requesting automakers to explore green technology, luxury cars offer the most viable place to create electrified powertrains. Luxury vehicles are typically sold at a high profit margin allowing the incorporation of new, exotic technologies to be performed without the limitations or sticker shock associated with electric cars trying to appeal to a growing market. That has been the key of success for Tesla Motors and the BMW i line is launching with the anticipation they can find a similar premium market for electrified cars. Taking their first step into the plug-in hybrid vehicle marketplace, Mercedes-Benz is all charged up with the newest variant of their flagship S-Class sedan . Set to be one of the largest plug-in hybrid cars on the market, the Mercedes-Benz S550 Plug-in Hybrid will also be perhaps the most lavish vehicle to be chauffeured through zero emissions motoring. For up to 20 miles, the S550 Plug-in Hybrid will exclusively run ...