Matt M. Myftiu
Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.
2016 Nissan 370Z NISMO: Calling all driving enthusiasts
The history of Nissan’s Z-Car lineup is deep, going back nearly 50 years to the late 1960s, but the goal has always been the same -- to build fast, fun sporty cars.
While it’s a small piece of Nissan’s overall stamp on the market, it’s a piece worth maintaining, and I recently got a chance to take the wheel of a 2016 Nissan 370Z NISMO.
2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali is extra big, extra beautiful
There are big vehicles, there are bigger vehicles, and then there is the 2015 GMC Yukon XL Denali.
A full-size SUV in every sense of the word, this thing is extremely large -- inching out even its competitors in this segment.
It’s large as in you could fit a small car inside of it.
It’s large as in you could maybe even live in it for a little while (though it doesn’t have a shower, so that wouldn’t last very long).
For 2015 the Yukon XL is fully redesigned with exterior styling changes and interior upgrades. I spent a week driving this luxurious land-cruiser, and I’m back with a full report on my experience.
Driving the BMW i3 is like driving the future
From the moment you see the BMW i3 -- the plug-in electric-powered hatchback from the luxury automaker -- and you know you’re looking at something evolutionary (or perhaps revolutionary). From its spaceship-esque bubbly shape, to the unique and attractive interior design, this is clearly unlike any other vehicle you’ll ever see.
Beyond looks and design, this is a vehicle that tells the future. No, it’s not what everyone will drive now -- honestly, they will probably sell very few of them compared to gas-powered vehicles due to the “range anxiety” that electric vehicles tend to give potential buyers -- but years down the road we’ll look back at vehicles like the i3 and remember that this was a trailblazer.
My week behind the wheel of an i3 was unlike my usual vehicle testing periods, mostly in a good way, and I’m back with a full report on this visitor from the future.
2016 Dodge Grand Caravan: Minivan legend still going strong in sunset years
Some vehicles come and go and are barely remembered. You could say the opposite is true for the Dodge Grand Caravan. Around for decades, this minivan staple was already supposed to be dead and gone, but has again returned for the 2016 model year.
It’s the cat with nine lives, and I recently got a chance to test the 2016 Grand Caravan to see what it still had to offer as it drives off into the sunset and Chrysler’s more upscale Town and Country becomes the flagship minivan for FCA.
Ryan Blaney finishes seventh at Kansas for second Top 10 of season
Ryan Blaney and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion turned in their second strong performance in as many weeks with a seventh-place finish at the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. It was the rookie driver’s second top 10 and fourth top 15 finish of the season.
The Wood Brothers’ famous No. 21 followed last weekend’s 14th-place showing by qualifying eighth for the Kansas race.
Starting from that eighth spot, Blaney ran in the top 10 for most of the 267-laps, leading the race on laps 215-219. He dropped only as far back as 17th at lap 158.
2016 Nissan Altima unveiled in Detroit
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. executive vice president and North America chairman José Muñoz has pulled the wraps off the extensively redesigned 2016 Nissan Altima. It is scheduled to go on sale in November at Nissan dealers nationwide with a starting MSRP of $22,500 USD.
"The new 2016 Altima has been transformed in one of the most extensive mid-cycle product makeovers in Nissan history – outside, inside and under the skin," said Muñoz. "The new Altima offers class-leading standard fuel economy of 39 miles per gallon highway for Altima 2.5-liter engine equipped models. No other mid-size sedan has shown consistent fuel economy gains over the last decade like Altima has, including a 26 percent increase since 2006."
FCA U.S. updates Pentastar engine for 2016, improves fuel economy
Already unique among V-6 engines for its refinement, power, efficiency and adaptability, the formidable 3.6-liter Pentastar is remade for model-year 2016.
Depending on the application, the redesigned V-6 delivers fuel-economy improvements of more than six percent while increasing torque more than 14.9 percent. This occurs at engine speeds below 3,000 rpm, where elevated torque has its most profound impact on the driving experience.
Enhancements such as two-step variable valve lift (VVL), cooled exhaust-gas recirculation (EGR) and innovative weight-reduction strategies boost the engine’s efficiency and performance, all while preserving the smoothness that remains a hallmark of the Pentastar brand.
NASCAR announces base 2016 rules package
NASCAR announced today the base NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rules package to be used during the 2016 season. The package was delivered to teams after an extensive collaborative process between NASCAR and industry stakeholders.
The base package will include a 3.5-inch spoiler, a 0.25-inch front leading splitter edge and a 33-inch wide radiator pan. These components will provide lower downforce on the cars, and Goodyear will develop tires to complement them. Earlier this season, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway featured a similar aero package.
FCA reports September 2015 U.S. sales up 14 percent, best September since 2000
FCA US LLC today reported U.S. sales of 193,019 units last month, a 14 percent increase compared with sales in September 2014 (169,890 units), and the company’s best September sales since 2000.
The Dodge, Jeep, Ram Truck and FIAT brands each posted year-over-year sales gains in September. The Jeep brand’s 40 percent increase was the largest sales gain of any FCA US brand during the month. The company extended its streak of year-over-year sales gains to 66 consecutive months.
“On the back of a strong sales industry we were able to achieve our best September sales in 15 years and our 66th consecutive month of year-over-year sales growth,” said Reid Bigland, Head of U.S. Sales. “Last month’s sales strength was broad based with five FCA vehicles setting September sales records and two others posting their best monthly sales ever.”
When Tony Stewart retires, NASCAR will have a big void to fill
"It's never gonna happen."
If you had told me a few years ago that NASCAR's Tony Stewart would be retired from the Sprint Cup series career as soon as 2017, that would have been my response.
Tony Stewart loves racing more than anything, I would have said, and he will be here as long as he can compete -- possibly longer.
But of course, that's not the case. On Wednesday, Stewart is expected to announce that he will be competing in his final season in the Cup series in 2016, with Clint Bowyer expected to take over behind the wheel of the 14 car starting in 2017 (no 2016 stopover destination for Bowyer has yet been announced).
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