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A Soft Goodbye To The Old Muscle Cars, A Hard Hello To The Cadillac CTS-V

October 24, 2018 by Andrew Mrozinski

Guys, let’s face it, we all love our muscle cars. We love the looks, the superchargers, turbochargers, and the exhilarating sound. Truthfully, guys who are into muscle cars most likely know of other guys with muscle cars. Aside from being attention-grabbing, muscle cars also very fun to restore. Cars, muscle cars in particular, can be an extension of the owner. They can also portray power and aggression, which is a popular reason for so many people choosing to drive them. However, with all the fun in the restoration process and portrayal of masculinity, eventually people’s maturity will surpass their muscle car passion. There’s no issue with owning a muscle car as a project, but sooner or later it won’t be as fun to daily drive one.

In this case, guys should really consider the Cadillac brand by visiting a Cadillac dealership and checking out their impressive lineup. Every aspect of Cadillac’s lineups, from the interior design, innovative safety features, groundbreaking performance, and overall aesthetic appeal is crafted with perfection. Many may not be aware, but the 2017 Cadillac XTS was featured in “Wardsauto” top 10 best interior list. Inside of the Cadillac vehicles, owners can experience the touch screen QUE system, with seamless connectivity, responsive intelligent design, and natural voice recognition. Everyone will appreciate the craftsmanship inside of a Cadillac vehicle from their hand-finished refinement.

There is a reason why Cadillac has been around for over a century, they know quality. By offering premium quality at competitive prices, Cadillac understands how to give the consumer the best bang for their buck. Additionally, by being around for so long, Cadillac still knows safety better than any other automaker with their advanced V2V safety technology. While leading the charge for the future of driving safety, Cadillacs are packed with the newest and latest safety features. Some of those include blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, and automatic braking. Some of the new Cadillacs, such as the CT6, are considered to be a testament to state-of-the-art engineering.

Guys that are still looking to enjoy the performance aspect of driving should consider the Cadillac V lineup. Being around for over a dozen years now, the V series continues to impress in ways other manufacturers just can’t. With a massive 6.2L supercharged V-8 engine packing 640hp and 630ft-lb of torque, the Cadillac CTS-V sedan packs more power than you’ll ever need. Accelerating from 0 to 60mph in just 3.7 seconds, it is faster than their competitor BMW M4 and Mercedes AMG lineup. Additionally, Cadillac is equipped with ultimate precision magnetic ride control and traction management, which reads the road up to 1,000 times per second and automatically adapts to changing road and weather conditions, unlike conventional suspensions. The suspension and control is transferred to the driver through a thickly wrapped steering wheel sculpture and wrapped in leather, or available microfiber suede for easy grip and ultimate control. Keeping the driver secure includes the addition of a comfortable Ricardo performance seat which offers 18-way adjustability, slip-resistant microfiber suede inserts, and aggressive bolsters that cradle the driver’s body during hard cornering. Of course, with all of that power, drivers need to be able to stop the vehicle. This is why Cadillac specifically designed six-piston front, and four-piston rear fixed caliper Brembo brakes with vented rotors for powerful braking every time.

Cadillac’s supercar-like performance brings the ultimate driving experience to the driver, while keeping the luxurious aspects and features of a luxury car. Aside from being gorgeous, the Cadillac CTS-V carries no decorative parts. Every part of the vehicle is functional, from the pillars to the carbon fiber weight saving grills. Everything internally about the V-series Cadillac is derived from the powerful Corvette Z06 series, with 2 extra comfortable seats. The exhilarating sound of this vehicle is also all pure, unlike the electronically recorded sound of the BMW M5, the Cadillac’s rumble is sure to put a smile on the driver’s face, and some intimidation as well. There are so many reasons to drive a Cadillac aside from groundbreaking performance and sophisticated luxury superior to many. It’s like love at first drive when you get in this super comfortable, yet scary performance machine, every time.

Here’s Why Automakers Build Concept Cars

July 5, 2017 by Heather Redding

Have you ever been to an auto show or seen one covered on television? Some of the cars are simply remakes or improvements of models already on the market. While these transformations can be innovative and interesting, they are also realistic when it comes to vehicle use.

However, at auto shows, you might also see concept cars, which are vehicles that will probably never be built or used. For example, the Chevrolet FNR-X, an all-purpose sports concept car, was recently unveiled at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show. With rear-hinged doors that are controlled remotely, side skirts that can move up and down depending on the driving mode and the ability to switch between the car’s engine and electric motor, this car is still far from being ready for mass-production. If such vehicles are just a dream of what a car could be in the future, why do concept cars exist?

A Vision for the Future

When it comes to what will be on the roads in the future, automakers have a lot of designs, ideas and potential technologies that they can consider. Some of these are based on new science and new opportunities that have not yet been fully explored, so the makers are unsure what will and will not work.

Concept cars are not required to meet crash test requirements or any other qualifications. Without these confines, engineers and designers are able to let their minds wander to some of the most creative ideas. Although these concept cars may never actually be made into road-ready vehicles, the concepts behind them could lead to innovations in everyday car models.

You will notice that most automakers focus on new technologies when they create concept cars. For example, Toyota has developed a concept car it calls Concept-i. This vehicle utilizes an artificial intelligence assistant named Yui that will notice your fatigue and will engage you in conversation or ask you to turn on the radio to keep you alert.

These new innovations are impressive and perhaps not ready for everyday vehicles, but the technology is introduced, explored and developed through the use of concept cars.

The Road to Mass Production

Engineers and automakers often do not see these technological ideas as unrealistic at first. With the freedom to dive deep into the automotive possibilities, many designers start with a few ideas and a sketch that will eventually become the basis of a vehicle.

With the sketch in hand, a technical team takes these innovative ideas and builds them in a computer-generated design which will later be used for creating a prototype. Most cars are explored in a 3-D format, often including a fully animated example. This helps automakers learn which features are good and which need improvement.

Test models of these concept cars are extremely helpful to automakers because they demonstrate design flaws and technical problems that need to be addressed. It is often the prototype that shows automakers which aspects of the car are unrealistic. However, the best ideas are typically used in a new prototype for a more road-ready vehicle that will eventually be put into full production for the public. In order to stay ahead of the competition, automakers keep these early prototypes a secret prior to an official release.

Auto shows, like the 2017 Shanghai one, are a great opportunity for automakers to launch a new vehicle. Unusual concept cars gain media attention for the company, and the hype and enthusiasm for the new car may open doors to greater opportunities.

Intriguing concept cars often lead to useful feedback from the media, auto experts, and even the general public. This information can help an automaker decide which concepts to continue to develop and which to toss. If an idea seems to be working and is popular among potential buyers, it will help automakers decide in which areas to invest more money.

Final Word

Although concept cars may seem like they are a waste of time because they will never be built for public use, these experiments in creativity and innovation are often the building blocks of new designs and upcoming models. By working with new technologies and unusual designs, concept cars are the future for many automakers. Look for new concept cars at many of the high-profile auto shows, and you will get a better idea about what the top automakers are currently cooking up in their design studios.

Modern day exotics that are true supercars

March 31, 2017 by Andrew Mrozinski

McLaren P1 — McLaren’s hyper exotic, the P1.

Today’s exotics are so much more, especially when you consider the hypercars being built today by the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and McLaren.

All three brands are known for their exotic cars, although Porsche less so than Ferrari and McLaren. And even though McLaren’s original creation, the F1, is understood to be one of the greatest exotics of all time, the brand only returned to manufacturing cars for enthusiasts in 2009 when the MP4-12C was unveiled. And as you will see below, manufactured one of the most incredible cars ever to drive on public roads, the P1.

Ferrari is known the world over as the Italian car maker building exotics many of us dream about and a select few add to their collections. Ferrari in recent years has been building cars the well healed drivers among us can afford and the rest of us drool over at our local Cars & Coffee events. But like McLaren, Ferrari realized creating the ultimate exotic was within reach by combining the magnificent gasoline combustion engines they are known for with today’s electric technology. And they have created the LaFerrari, a car they simply named after themselves.

As mentioned above, Porsche is new to the exotic car game. Not only are they highly regarded by enthusiasts for the performance of their sports cars but they are at least regarded by the same crowd as ‘affordable’. Buying a used Porsche is easily within reach of the average aficionado although the classics are increasing in value at a torrid pace. Following the same model as McLaren and Ferrari, Porsche mixed a little electric horsepower with that of a gasoline engine to create a truly super exotic, the 918 Spyder.

Here’s a brief synopsis of each manufacturer’s hyper exotic cars.

McLaren P1
On the traditional gasoline side, the McLaren P1 is powered by a 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 with a maximum output of 727 bhp and 531 lb-ft of torque at 7,500 rpm. On the electric side there’s a 177 bhp motor providing an additional 192 lb-ft of torque.

When working in tandem, both motors provide a total of 904 bhp and 723 lb-ft of torque. When left in its automatic setting, the electric motor can fill in the gaps as the V8’s turbos spool up.

The P1 reaches 62 mph (100 kph) in 2.8 seconds and continues on to 124 mph (200 kph) in 6.8 seconds and 186 mph (299kph) in 16.5 seconds. The McLaren’s top speed is limited to 218 mph (351 kph) but with it removed, the P1 can reach 249 mph (401 kph). Amazing yes, but not surprising from a car company involved in auto racing for decades.

Ferrari LaFerrari
Ferrari’s ultimate hyper exotic is the LaFerrari. And yes, we know, that’s a very strange name. But as any Ferrari enthusiast can tell you, the LaFerrari is the Italian brand’s stamp on what makes an incredible car today…the mix of a high performance gasoline engine with the extra boot from an electric motor.

The LaFerrari packs a 6.3 liter V12 producing 789 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 520 lb-ft of torque at 6,750 rpm. Additionally, the car has a 161 bhp electric motor similar to what is seen in today’s Formula 1 cars and is commonly referred to as a KERS or kinetic recovery system.

Both motors together produce 950 bhp and 664 lb-ft of torque delivering a top speed of 217 mph (349 kph). As far as the other speed stats, the LaFerrari will hit 62 mph (100kph) in less than 3 seconds, 124 mph (200 kph) in under seven seconds and 186 mph (300 kph) in about 15 seconds. Ferrari has said the LaFerrari has lapped the Fiorano Test Circuit in 1:19.70, making it the fastest car Ferrari has made for normal street use.

Porsche 918 Spyder
And last but not least is Porsche and their 918 Spyder. It, like the others, starts with a gasoline powered engine mated to electric motors for that extra kick.

The 918 features a 4.6 liter V8 delivering 608 hp but goes a step further by having two electric motors developing an additional 279 hp. All told, the Porsche packs 887 hp and a top speed of 210 mph (340 kph).

One 154 hp electric motor drives the rear wheels in parallel with the V8. The second electric motor has 125 hp and drives the front wheels. It includes an electric clutch to disconnect the motor when it’s not in use.

The other important stats is an acceleration time of 2.5 seconds to 62 mph (100 kph), 7.2 seconds to 120 mph (200 kph) and 19.9 seconds to reach 190 mph (300 kph).

The downside to cars like these is there’s far fewer made when compared to other makes and models. And, of course, the cost. These cars are incredibly expensive. But there is an upside and that’s learning a few exotic car hacks towards buying, owning and selling exotic cars. With a little extra inside info, you never know what may land up in your garage.

A Soft Goodbye To The Old Muscle Cars, A Hard Hello To The Cadillac CTS-V