Matt M. Myftiu
Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.
Richard Childress, Austin Dillon and Daniel Hemric look ahead to 2019, RCR’s 50th anniversary season
TO KICK OFF RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING’S 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION IN 2019, TEAM OWNER, RICHARD CHILDRESS, AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW CAMARO ZL1, AND DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Full Transcript:
WINSTON KELLY: “We are here today to publicly kick off Richard Childress Racing’s 50th anniversary celebration that will begin in 2019. You may have seen last week that these cars were unveiled to the shop in Welcome, North Carolina and posted on numerous social media and other channels, but this is kind of the public coming out if you will of the 50th anniversary and also have another exciting announcement to make in just a moment.
WINSTON KELLY: “We are honored on behalf of the NASCAR Hall of Fame to announce today that Richard Childress Racing and Richard himself have invited the NASCAR Hall of Fame to partner with this 50th year celebration and our NASCAR Hall of Fame exhibits team along with the RCR team are going to co-create a special exhibit, ‘RCR 50th Only In America’ that is currently in development that will be unveiled here in May of 2019. We are delighted to be apart of that, delighted to help showcase this incredible history here at the NASCAR Hall of Fame and partnership with Richard Childress Racing.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS VIDEO AND YOU THINK OF 50 YEARS WHAT ARE YOUR EMOTIONS, YOUR THOUGHTS AS WE GO INTO 2019?
RICHARD CHILDRESS: “Well, you’ve got to look at the future always, but the future comes with history and when I look up there and think of all those times and the wins and the people and the employees and drivers and sponsors that have been responsible for RCR to be
around for 50 years, I’m just a very small part of it. I’ve been along for the ride with a lot of folks and 50 years, who would have ever dreamed? I never thought I would be alive 50 years much less celebrating 50.”
Michigan International Speedway 2019 race tickets and campsites are now on sale
Tickets and campsites are now on sale for the two weekends of 2019 racing action at Michigan International Speedway.
Fans can visit www.mispeedway.com or call 888-905-7223 to get the best deals. Grandstand tickets start at $39 and week-long camping starts at $135.
“The 2019 NASCAR season is quickly approaching and we cannot wait to welcome all the fans to Michigan International Speedway,” track President Rick Brenner said. “We continue to create special experiences for our fans and campers for the week as NASCAR’s Most Entertaining Track.”
Mercedes-Benz announces pricing for V8 versions of AMG GT 4-door coupe
Mercedes-Benz has announced pricing for the V8 variants of the highly anticipated new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe. The Mercedes- AMG GT 63, powered by a handcrafted AMG 4.0-liter V8 biturbo that produces 577 hp and 590 lb-ft peak torque, starts at $136,500*.
The more powerful Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S produces 630 hp and 664 lb-ft peak torque and starts at $159,000*.Additional standard equipment for the GT 63 S includes the AMG Performance Exhaust System, the AMG Dynamic Plus Package including Active Engine Mounts, RACE Mode, Drift Mode, and AMG Drive Unit steering wheel controls. The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 and Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S will arrive in U.S. dealers in the first half of 2019. Pricing for the GT 53 variant will be announced at a later date.
BMW will show off Vision iNEXT technology at 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas
At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the BMW Group will showcase the future of driving pleasure and the potential of digital connectivity in a variety of different ways.
From January 8 to 11, visitors to the BMW Pavilion in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Silver Lot will have their first chance to take a virtual drive in the BMW Vision iNEXT, accompanied by the BMW Personal Assistant.
The BMW Vision iNEXT vehicle will be displayed alongside a sophisticated mixed-reality installation that enables visitors to virtually experience the BMW Vision iNEXT. With virtual reality goggles and a specially-designed spatial concept, visitors are able to immerse themselves in this virtual world – from driving to autonomous riding and more.
2019 Cadillac CTS-V: Pure power, pure driving joy
Some vehicles, I really look forward to driving. Others, not so much.
And then, there are the special ones. The ones that have something the others just don’t. The ones in which you truly enjoy every minute behind the wheel.
The 2019 Cadillac CTS-V is one of those special ones, a vehicle aimed squarely at people who love exploring just how much a motor vehicle can do.
Aimed at a very niche market of enthusiasts and taking on tough competitors from the other side of the pond, Cadillac needs to come with its A-game on this performance offering.
2019 GMC Yukon: Contender for king of the old-school SUVs
Crossover is the buzzword of the past decade (even Lamborghini made one, for chrissakes), but body-on-frame SUVs have not yet gone the way of the dodo bird.
Yes, these massive relics live on, including the GMC Yukon, due to their extreme storage capacity and versatility.
There’s a limited number of contenders here, and the Yukon is primarily taking on its own GM brethren (Chevy Tahoe and Chevy Suburban) as well as the Ford Expedition and some foreign entrants that are smaller players in the segment (Lexus GX, Infiniti QX80, Toyota Sequoia, Nissan Armada).
I recently tested a 2019 Yukon — which saw its last major design overhaul back in 2015 and sees only minor changes for the 2019 model year — and I’m back with an update on how it competes in this old-school segment.
Audi shows off 2019 Q8, A6, A7, A8 and e-tron at L.A. Auto Show
Audi of America showed off the brand’s all-new 2019 sedans, SUVs and the first all-electric Audi e-tron at the Los Angeles Auto Show last month. On display were the all-new Audi A8, A7, A6 sedans, and Q8 SUV. The fully electric Audi e-tron was on display in L.A., following its global debut in September.
Audi e-tron
The Audi e-tron is the first all-electric production model from the brand and is a spacious five-seater, electric mid-sized premium SUV that is very well equipped to meet premium buyer expectations. The model will arrive in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2019 and is available now for U.S. customers to place reservations.
The Audi e-tron reflects fundamental Audi design – translated into the electric age by new, stylistically refined aerodynamically focused details. Consistent with the brand’s SUV models, the Audi e-tron bears the octagonal-design Singleframe grille with vertical struts. Its uniquely enclosed grille is presented in platinum gray – identifying it as a fully electric model.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. to drive pace truck at 2019 Daytona 500
Dale Earnhardt Jr. may be in the booth now, but he can't seem to stay away from a little on-track action.
Next up, the fan favorite will find himself driving the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado pace truck to lead the field to green for the 61st running of Daytona 500 in February 2019. This is the first time the Daytona 500 will be paced by a pickup truck.
“I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Silverado,” said Earnhardt Jr. “Away from the track I’ve driven Chevy trucks all my life, and I’m excited to have this unique experience of pacing the Daytona 500 with the Silverado.”
Earnhardt won two Daytona 500s and two July races at Daytona in his career. He has 13 top-5 finishes and 19 top-10s in 36 Cup Series career starts at Daytona.
“Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the perfect choice to pace the race because of his enthusiasm for the sport, his long history with Chevrolet and his love of trucks,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. vice president of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “It’ll be exciting to have Dale lead the field to green in the strongest, most advanced Silverado ever.”
The Silverado pace truck is powered by a production 6.2L V-8 engine paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. It delivers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. Chevrolet has paced the Daytona 500 12 times, seven with Camaro and five with Corvette.
Nissan Kicks joins the subcompact SUV battle
Subcompact SUVs seem to be growing on trees lately, and there’s yet another one in town. The Kicks is the latest vehicle in Nissan’s lineup, replacing the Juke at the low end of their SUV lineup.
I recently spent time in a Kicks and I’m back with a full report on what this little lifted subcompact has to offer.
LOOKS
By the very nature of being a subcompact SUV, the Kicks is small and the back seat is tight. It’s best for people who don’t plan to have a lot of folks in the back seat regularly. Storage space is decent for the class if you put down the rear seats. The materials used inside were pretty basic, nothing fancy, and the comfort level of the driver’s seat was a bit disappointing.
Exterior design looks sharp on the Kicks, much better than the funky-looking design of the Juke. The Kicks comes with 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels. Two-tone color schemes are offered to attract more buyers.
2019 Chevy Equinox deserves respect amid sea of SUVs
There’s a seemingly endless list of SUVs out there to choose from, in case you haven’t noticed. But a handful of them rise to the top of the sales charts every year, and for good reason, as they’re the real deal.
One of those is the Chevy Equinox, which underwent an attractive redesign for 2018 and sees only minor changes for the 2019 model. I’m here with a full report on what it has to offer and how it holds up to the competition.
LOOKS
While most SUVs aren’t too thrilling to look at, the Equinox’s look is one of the better designs in class, and my test vehicle was helped along by its sharp “Orange Burst Metallic” paint scheme.
The Equinox is classified as a compact SUV (the Trax being the subcompact in the Chevy family, the Traverse the midsize). I found the space situation in the Equinox to be roomy, but not a class leader. You get a grand total of 63.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down.
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