Matt M. Myftiu
Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.
2017 Chrysler Pacifica minivan lives up to the hype, and then some
Let’s be blunt: Chrysler (and parent company FCA) have a lot riding on its new 2017 Pacifica minivan.
With the impending disappearance of the Chrysler 200 sedan, the Pacifica will soon be one of only two remaining Chrysler nameplates (the other being the Chrysler 300 full-size sedan). Sure, there is also a hybrid version of the Pacifica available (and a rumored all-electric version coming in the future), but if you’ve only got two vehicles in your portfolio, they better be great and they better be selling.
WIth that in mind, Chrysler has worked hard to make the all-new Pacifica (a replacement for the long-running Town & Country minivan … not a reboot of the Pacifica crossover that stopped production after 2008) as competitive as it can be vs. the other minivans and boatload of SUVs available to families.
Did FCA and Chrysler do enough to make it work? I just spent some time in a Pacifica and I’m back with a full report to let you know.
It's official ... Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return to 88 car for 2017
DALE EARNHARDT, JR. DRIVER OF THE NO. 88 CHEVROLET SS AND RICK HENDRICK, OWNER OF HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, spoke with members of the media via teleconference to discuss Dale’s return to the seat of the No. 88 Chevrolet SS for on-track competition in 2017.
Full Transcript:
WELCOME BACK. YOU TESTED DARLINGTON ON WEDNESDAY, WHICH WAS THE FINAL STEP BEFORE BEING MEDICALLY CLEARED FOR COMPETITION. HOW DID IT FEEL TO BE BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A RACECAR AND HOW DID THE TEST GO OVERALL FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.:“Well, the test, I thought, couldn’t have gone any better. Darlington was a great host and NASCAR was really great to work with to put it together. I really appreciate them creating opportunities and rules for drivers in this type of situation to be able to get in a car. It really helps build your confidence to know that everything is working like it’s supposed to work, no matter what your injury it before you go get back into a full race weekend. It’s nice to be able to kind of get some personal reassurance and confidence. I was really happy to have the opportunity. We got to the racetrack, the weather was great and we just ran laps. We put tires on, run 15 laps at a time; take about a 20 minute break, Dr. (Jerry) Petty was there. We did a personal evaluation before we got in the car to set a baseline and Dr. Petty was evaluating me after each run to see if everything was good. A lot of the things that he was checking, visual and balance and so forth, actually strengthened throughout the process. You sort of get acclimated and up to speed with what it takes to kind of drive a racecar and those systems strengthen through that process. Rather than see them sort of flat-line and stay the same, which was what I was hoping for, they actually got stronger. That was great. I felt like throughout the day I got more and more comfortable in the car and it felt like an old shoe by the end of the day. I was happy with the speed we had. That wasn’t really the ultimate goal, but we had great speed. The car drove really good and we just continued to put tires on it and go out and run 30 laps at a time. And come in, get out, think about it, talk about it, get checked out and by the end of the day we felt really confident that health wise I was 100 percent and ready to get back in the car.”
Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid production launches at Windsor Assembly Plant
The industry’s first-ever electrified minivan, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, rolled off the line at the FCA US Windsor Assembly Plant (Ont.) on Dec. 1, further expanding the Company’s leadership in the segment.
The launch of the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid marks another milestone for the Windsor plant as it is the first electric vehicle to be built on its assembly line.
“The nearly 5,900 employees at Windsor Assembly are bringing more than 33 years of minivan production knowledge and expertise to the launch of the Pacifica Hybrid,” saidBrian Harlow, Head of Manufacturing, FCA – North America. “They understand, now more than ever, how critical it is for our manufacturing processes to be directly connected to our diverse and expanding customer base.
“Building the Dodge Grand Caravan, the Chrysler Pacifica with the traditional gas powertrain and now the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid on the same assembly line requires the expanded application of World Class Manufacturing methods and tools to ensure we deliver world class quality in every vehicle we make,” said Harlow. “The Windsor team is proud to build the industry’s first hybrid minivan, and is confident that it will provide a positive and delightful experience to our future customers.”
Since launching the first minivan in 1983, the Windsor plant has built 10 million of the more than 14.3 million vehicles that have been sold to date.
While the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica reinvented the minivan segment, the Pacifica Hybrid builds on its functionality, versatility, technology and bold styling with the addition of electrification technology, making it the most fuel-efficient minivan ever for hauling people and cargo.
The hybrid version of the sixth-generation family hauler will deliver a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved range of 33 miles solely on zero-emissions electric power from a 16-kWh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery. The Pacifica Hybrid also earned a fuel-economy rating of 84 miles-per-gallon-equivalent (MPGe) from the EPA, reflecting the vehicle’s combined city- and highway-cycle performance in electric-mode only, as tested.
“Minivan drivers travel an average of around 30 miles each day, meaning that most Pacifica Hybrid owners will be able to complete their daily activities solely on electric power,” saidTim Kuniskis, Head of Passenger Car Brands, Dodge, SRT, Chrysler and Fiat, FCA - North America. “For those longer weekend trips, the 33-mile all-electric range combined with a full tank of fuel will deliver an expected total range of 566 miles, alleviating the potential of any range anxiety.”
The battery pack – neatly packaged under the second-row floor in a unique battery case to retain maximum interior volume for both passengers and cargo – may be fully recharged in as little as two hours using a 240-volt plug-in system.
As the original creator of the minivan more than 33 years ago, FCA US has transformed the segment with firsts – notching 78 innovations through the first five minivan generations. With the introduction of the all-new Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid, FCA US adds 37 minivan firsts to its portfolio for an unprecedented total of 115 innovations in the segment, including the industry’s first minivan available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.
The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid models feature a unique front grille pattern and wheel design, as well as distinctive badging and an exclusive Silver Teal Pearl Coat paint, differentiating it from the rest of the Pacifica lineup.
FCA US invested $2.6 billion USD to develop the Pacifica, including its hybrid counterpart, with $744 million USD (over $1 billion CAD*) allocated to the plant to add floor space, retool and upgrade equipment.
The Chrysler Pacifica Hybridpricingstarts at $34,495 with available U.S. federal tax credit, not including state and local incentives, and will begin arriving in dealerships over the next several months.
* Based on currency exchange rate of 1.37% as of December 2015
-- Press release courtesy of FCA
Five Audi models are 2017 IIHS Top Safety Picks
For 2017, five Audi vehicles have earned 2017 Top Safety Pick awards from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The 2017 Audi A3 and Q7 models and the A6 with available driver assistance package earned a Top Safety Pick rating. The 2017 Audi A4 earns a Top Safety Pick+ rating for the second consecutive year, when equipped with optional LED headlights with high beam assist (2.0T Prestige models only), as do Q5 with available adaptive cruise control and adaptive Xenon headlights (3.0T Prestige models only). The A3, A4 and the Q7 all earned a “superior” rating for front crash prevention.
For both awards, models must earn “good” ratings in the Institute’s small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as an “advanced” or “superior” rating for front crash prevention with standard or optional automatic braking. New for 2017, vehicles must also receive no less than an “acceptable” rating for headlight visibility and illumination in order to receive a Top Safety Pick+.
"This year’s Top Safety Picks for A3, A4, A6, Q5 and Q7 models speaks to our brand’s commitment to make driver assistance and other innovative technologies available to all customers, from luxury SUVs to entry-level sedans,” said Scott Keogh, President Audi of America. “We understand that safety and technical innovations are top considerations in a new vehicle purchase and we are proud to have so many of our models recognized with these prestigious awards.”
Six 2017 Volkswagen models earn Top Safety Pick ratings
The 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK award is issued to vehicles that have earned good ratings in IIHS tests evaluated in five categories: frontal impact moderate overlap; frontal impact small overlap; side impact; roof strength; and head restraints. It must also offer an autonomous emergency braking system (AEB) that earns at least an advanced rating for front crash prevention.
The 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK+ rating is issued to vehicles that have met all of the TOP SAFETY PICK criteria and must offer headlights that earn at least an acceptable rating for visibility and lack of excessive glare.
“At Volkswagen, we strongly believe that the latest advanced driver assist technologies can be delivered without being in the premium segment,” said Hendrik Muth, Senior Vice President, Product Marketing and Strategy. ”The IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK and TOP SAFETY PICK+ ratings awarded to a variety of Volkswagen models compliments our ongoing commitment to offering these features .”
NASCAR chooses Monster Energy as new Cup series sponsor, replacing Sprint
NASCAR and Monster Energy have announced a multi-year agreement for the premier series entitlement as well as the prestigious annual NASCAR All-Star Race.Monster Energy, which will begin its tenure as naming rights partner onJan. 1, 2017, will become only the third company to serve as the entitlement sponsor in NASCAR premier series history, following RJ Reynolds and Sprint/Nextel.
As part of the agreement, the brand also becomes the Official Energy Drink of NASCAR.
“Monster Energy is a brand built on excitement and enthusiasm, qualities that align with NASCAR,” said Brian France, NASCAR Chairman and CEO. “This sponsorship position is the most unique in all of sports and entertainment, and we are thrilled to have a partner that will help us further elevate the series. Today’s announcement is the culmination of a thorough search, one that resulted in the right partner at this important time in our sport’s history.”
Toyota releases November sales numbers; Highlander sees big jump
Toyota has reported November 2016 sales of 197,645 units, an increase of 4.3 percent from November 2015 on a volume basis. With two more selling days in November 2016 compared than November 2015, sales were down 4.1 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis.
Toyota Division posted November sales of 168,595 units, up 5.3 percent on a volume basis and down 3.2 on a DSR basis.
“We expect to see the industry set a new sales record for November,” said Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager of the Toyota Division. “All-time best-ever Highlander sales combined with November best-ever RAV4 volume extends the Toyota Division’s 2016 streak of consecutive light truck sales records to 11 months.”
2016 Nissan Altima isn’t flashy, but is kind on the wallet and at the gas pump
Sedans may not be the hippest kind of car you can buy, but boy do they sell.
Once you get past the pickup trucks and their dominant numbers, sedans make up most of the top selling cars out there, mainly due to their lower price point and the fact that, well, everyone’s gotta drive something and we don’t all need SUVs.
One of the models battling in the always busy midsize sedan segment is the Nissan Altima -- which has to find a way to compete against some of the biggest vehicle brands and models (think Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Ford Fusion, Hyundai Sonata, etc.) and actually manages to do so quite well every year.
I recently spent a week in an Altima, and I’m back with a full report on how it fits into the sedan landscape.
Winner Jimmie Johnson, other Chevy drivers comment on their day at Martinsville
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – RACE WINNER
WHERE DID YOU COME FROM AT THE END?
“We really had great long run speed. We lost track position through a couple of different means there at the first half of the race. Honestly, that caution with the No. 19 car put us in the catbird seat. I wasn’t sure I could get by the No. 18 or the No. 11, but we got going and I got by both of those guys. I thought ‘man I hope this stays green’ because that really suits what our racecar was doing all day long.”
WHAT WAS IT LIKE COMING FROM THE BACK AFTER GETTING THAT PIT ROAD SPEEDING PENALTY?
“It was so tough for 20-30 laps; everybody was running the same speed. I would try to maintain my position and not burn off my tires and wait for guys to start slipping and sliding and then I could finally get going. Those long green flag runs towards the end were really what put us in position to win.”
THIS IS GOING TO BE THE FIRST TIME YOU GO TO MIAMI WITH A CHANCE FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP UNDER THIS FORMAT WHAT IS THE APPROACH THE NEXT COUPLE OF RACES TO LEARN FOR MIAMI?
“I mean at Texas it’s not the exact same track, but we can still learn at Texas and take that to Miami. Win races; try to put as much pressure as we can on ourselves, because we know come Homestead that pressure is going to be pretty intense.”
WHAT A CRAZY DAY FOR YOUR RACE TEAM… RUNNING OUT OF FUEL AT ONE POINT. WHAT WAS THE PANIC AT THAT MOMENT? DID YOU THINK THE DAY WAS DONE?
“Yeah, there were a lot of moments but anything in life you have to work for it. It’s not going to come easy and we knew that coming into this race. There are so many challenges with this track. I’m so thankful for this race team.
“To win on this weekend at this track with the tragedy we had in ’04, we’re thinking of all the loved ones that we lost in the plane crash. We want to thank our family and friends. It’s a great time to start winning races.”
IS THIS A MOMENT WHERE YOU HAVE TO PINCH YOURSELF THAT YOU’RE GOING TO BATTLE IT OUT AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI FOR A CHAMPIONSHIP?
“I’ve been trying to ignore this conversation about seven (championships) but now I can’t! We’re locked in. I’m just honored to be in this position. I wouldn’t be in this position without the belief of Lowe’s and all their employees had in me back when I was running 10th or 15th in the Busch Series. Rick Hendrick, Jeff Gordon… all of the people who have believed in me to get this point. It’s crazy that we have a shot at seven now. We couldn’t do it without our partners at Chevrolet, Valvoline and the list goes on and on. Thanks to them all very much.”
ANYTIME YOU CAN JOIN RICHARD PETTY AND DALE EARNHARDT, THAT’S A BIG CONVERSATION. HOW MUCH WILL YOU THINK ABOUT THAT OVER THE NEXT FOUR WEEKS?
“I’ll probably lie to all of you guys and say I’m not going to think about it at all. But it’s inevitable. Fortunately, I don’t have to think about it for three weeks. But we’re going to enjoy this and savor it. We’re going to get our ducks in a row for Homestead.”
WHAT SORT OF MAGIC DID YOU GUYS FIND IN THIS 48 CAR TO GET TO VICTORY LANE?
“It was really those long runs. We didn’t get the black right-side rubber to lay down like I had hoped. But it was the closest we had had it for a long time. Having those long runs really suited my style and our setup of our racecar.”
HOW WILL YOU APPROACH THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS?
“Obviously we want to win more races. If we can have success at Texas, that will only put us in Miami with more confidence and more speed in our car. That’s a mile-and-a-half. It will be nice to go into Phoenix not having to worry about much - really the next two! It puts us in a good position. The work is far from over. There’s one race that’s winner-take-all.”
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JEFF GORDON, INTERIM DRIVER, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 6TH
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT IS LIKELY YOUR LAST RACE HERE AT MARTINSVILLE? AND LIKELY YOUR LAST TIME BEHIND THE WHEEL OF A NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES CAR?
“Well, I had a lot of fun out there. It is great to be here in front of all these awesome short track and Martinsville NASCAR fans. It’s just a special place to me and I had a lot of fun and had a great car. This No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet was really good. I knew we didn’t have the short run speed for some of those Gibbs cars. I don’t know where Jimmie (Johnson) came from, wow; he is just so good here. You get him out front like that and he is just unbelievable. Congratulations to those guys stamping that victory and getting them to Homestead that is amazing just like we did last year. Had to overcome a lot of adversity, but that last run I don’t know if it was from running so many caution laps there trying to figure out the scoring, which was kind of a disaster, but that was a tough one for NASCAR to figure out. I don’t know if that had an effect on our tires or what, but the car just didn’t feel the same on that last run and had to settle for sixth.”
ON JIMMIE HAVING HIS SHOT AT A SEVENTH TITLE:
\"When things are on the line and things matter most, Jimmie and that team know how to step it up to another level. They showed that today. He\'ll be showing that again in Homestead. I was back there in sixth or seventh place just watching him go after the No. 11 car (Denny Hamlin). That was just phenomenal driving and racing. Then he just drove away.
\"Well seven is a number to a lot of people, but to me he is already one of the all-time great. That number might just solidify that in the history books and maybe for some others. Maybe it might be special to him personally.\"
IS THIS YOUR LAST RACE AND ARE YOU HAPPY WITH SIXTH PLACE FINISH?\"Well I would rather have won. I felt like we had a fourth or fifth place car the run
before that so I always wanted to get the most out of it. I was a little disappointed it didn\'t take off there at the last yellow, but very proud of this team proud of my performance. Best finish I\'ve had in this car. Good way to finish my run this year in the No. 88 Chevy.\"
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JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 CREDIT ONE CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 8TH
GOOD FINISH TODAY:
\"We had a good car. We got a little bit lucky with the caution there after we had a bad run and got a lap down there. It is nice to have a little bit of luck on our side. We had a really good car; we got a little bit of luck and got a good finish.\"
ON CLOSING SEASON STRONG:
\"I thought since we had a little bit newer tires than some of those guys, we would be in a good position with the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson). We just didn\'t quite have it here when we needed it. But we\'ll keep moving on.\"
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AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 KROGER/CLOROX CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 10TH
“Just a good day. Just missed it a little bit, couldn’t quite get the car to turn kind of right through the exit of the center of the corner to get it pointed. Just kind of struggled with the same thing all day. Compared to the spring I thought we were just a little bit off, but we still had good speed, ran in the top 10 all day. The way that played out I thought we were actually going to be real fortunate and have a shot and unfortunately I just ran out of fuel and had to make the decision to try to go right to pit road there to make sure we didn’t get stuck on the racetrack. Never seen a race at Martinsville last 100 laps green, I thought if we could have got a caution there we could have maybe fought back up to sixth, seventh or eighth that is kind of where we could run, I thought on outright speed. Third top 10 in a row, I think it’s the first time I’ve ever had three top 10’s in a row. I think it’s the first time the team has ever had it. Martinsville has always been a good place, but it just shows we are getting more speed in the car. A lot of these places that we are going to it’s definitely helping. Looking forward to the last three races, brand new cars and Texas and Phoenix are places we have kind of struggled at, look forward to going there and trying to improve.”
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KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 BUSCH LIGHT CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 20TH
WHAT WERE YOUR ISSUES TODAY:
\"We were slow all weekend. We could just never get the handle on it.\"
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGE YOU NOW FACE REGARDING THE CHAMPIONSHIP:
\"I haven\'t really looked at it. We will see.\"
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KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 STATE WATER HEATERS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 22ND
WHAT WERE YOU STRUGGLING WITH MOST TODAY?
“We missed it. I don’t know where, how, why, we missed it. Even SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing) as a group we didn’t perform well. That was not the day we needed. Sorry to State Water Heaters, their only race of the year and we didn’t perform well for them. We just missed it.”
HOW DO YOU GUYS BOUNCE BACK NEXT WEEK?
“I have no idea, but we will figure something out. We came all this way we won’t give up now.”
CAN YOU PULL OUT OF THIS HOLE GOING FORWARD?
“Yeah, we picked a bad day to miss it.”
-- Transcripts courtesy of Team Chevy
NASCAR's rules change limiting Cup drivers in lower series was long overdue
It’s about time, and long overdue.
Of course, I’m referring to the big news this week, that in the wake of many years of domination by Cup drivers in lower series, NASCAR is finally taking strong action to limit the participation of experienced Cup series drivers in Xfinity and Truck series competition. This will allow those series to actually have the young drivers in those series battle more often for wins, and more importantly be left alone to battle with less Cup series driver involvement when it comes to Chase time and Dash for Cash races.
If you’re ever watched one of the rare Xfinity races that featured no top-series driver making an appearance, you know they’re some of the best shows in the sport.
Instead of Kyle Busch or another Cup star coming down to the lower series and dominating 90 percent of the race, you see tight racing between all the best young talent in the sport, often for the lead. It’s what the series was meant to be, and this move will ensure that’s the case going forward starting in 2017, at least for part of the year.
Here’s the breakdown of how the rules will work.
Starting in 2017, “premier series drivers with more than five years of full-time experience” can only compete in 10 races in XFINITY Series, seven races in the Truck series. This allows some younger racers to compete more often in the lower series if they want (think Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon), but prevents a Kyle Busch scenario where he hypothetically competes in 20 Xfinity races and wins 15 of them. Yes, I keep bringing up Kyle Busch, because he is basically the reason this rule now exists. He has essentially ruined the Xfinity Series over the past handful of years with his dominance whenever he competes, and I’m glad there will be limitations on him and others who would do the same. To put Busch’s accomplishments in perspective, 80 of his 85 Xfinity wins came while he was a full-time Cup driver, as did all 46 of his Truck series wins.
Drivers with more than five years of full-time premier series experience “will be ineligible to compete in the final eight races” in Xfinity or Truck series (aka the Chase races), and also can not compete in the Xfinity Series’ Dash 4 Cash races. This is just plain common sense, and I’m surprised it wasn’t put in place for 2016. How does it make sense to have a battle for Xfinity and Truck drivers to advance to next round by winning the race, and a bunch of ringers can come in and steal the show and go to Victory Lane. It makes no sense. Same with Dash 4 Cash, a great setup that only gets cluttered when Cup drivers are there.
Finally, “Drivers earning premier series points in 2017 also are not eligible to compete in the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Championship Races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.”; This will exclude all Cup drivers – which again makes sense. NASCAR wants Xfinity and Truck drivers up front battling for the win and the Championship in the final Chase race, not somebody who can’t earn points and is just there for the paycheck and the checkered flag.
For years I have used the analogy that the way NASCAR has operated its lower series is equivalent to letting Major League Baseball players compete on their off days in the minor leagues. Of course they shouldn’t, as they’re much better players than the minor leaguers. Heck, in the past it was even crazier. Before 2011, a Cup driver didn’t have to declare for one series, and could simultaneously compete in the full Xfinity series schedule and compete for both titles – something that was changed a few years back after Cup guys took home some titles in the lower series.
NASCAR, I understand, is a bit different. Sponsors drive the sport, so if they want a bigger name in the car to put their money on it, they can get that. But how on Earth are young drivers supposed to come up in the series, if the rides designed for them in Xfinity (and to a lesser extent, in Trucks) are already taken most weeks by a guy who already has a Cup series ride? It’s a bit of a Catch-22, and I understand the business implications involved. But in the end, it really does defy logic.
One could argue this rule doesn’t go far enough, and that ALL Cup drivers should be banned from Xfinity and Truck races, or the number of races allowed should be smaller. Even with the rule, Kyle Busch and many other Cup guys will do the allowed number of Xfinity or Truck races, and will steal the show some weeks. And by allowing the guys will less experience to still race without limits, it’s allowing the “next Kyle Busch” to emerge and dominate like he has in the past.
But for now, as someone who wants NASCAR to grow and who wants to see great racing between the stars of tomorrow today (like I saw back in the late 1990s between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, for example), I will applaud this move as a good first step.
The fans have demanded this for years after being underwhelmed by the show at Xfinity and Truck races, and NASCAR finally listened.
Matt Myftiu can be reached on Twitter @Matt Myftiu.
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