Matt M. Myftiu
Matt Myftiu has been a journalist for two decades with a focus on technology, NASCAR and autos.
Tired of SUVs? Stylish Volvo V60 wagon is a strong alternative
The station wagon, once the vehicle most associated with family excursions, is arguably the most overlooked class of vehicles available today.
It doesn’t help that so few wagons are being produced (they make up only 1.4 percent of U.S. auto sales), and the biggest factor in this trend is the 500 SUVs and crossovers that dominate family vehicle buying these days.
But for folks who have SUV fatigue and want some alternative options, a few brands are still in the wagon business. In the luxury realm, the most notable player is Volvo, who offers a couple wagon options in the V90 and V60.
I recently tested a Volvo V60, which was redesigned for the 2019 model year, and I’m back with a full report on what it offers.
Mercedes-Benz targets entry-level luxury buyers with A-Class sedan
When the term luxury vehicle is thrown out, many people automatically envision something far out of the reach of the average car buyer, pushing toward the six-figure price range.
But in reality, on the lower end of the luxury scale are many vehicles that are well within reach for people who don’t fit into the 1 percent class.
With that in mind, Mercedes-Benz introduced an all-new vehicle for 2019, the A-Class (aka the A220). It’s an attempt to draw new and younger buyers to the brand as they battle BMW, Audi, Lexus and other luxury brands for category supremacy.
I recently tested an A-Class and I’m back with a full report on how it measures up.
Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell, and Martin Truex Jr. will win 2019 Truck, Xfinity and Cup series championships
Phoenix weekend is done and the final fours are all set. Here’s my predictions on how things will shake out at Homestead next weekend in all three top series.
Trucks:
1. Ross Chastain — Without a doubt, a Ross Chastain championship would be the best feel-good success story of the season in all series. After his 2019 Xfinity plans with Chip Ganassi were derailed by loss of DC Solar sponsorship after an FBI raid, he had to dip down to the Truck series and launch a late campaign with Niece Motorsports to earn enough points to make the playoffs. He did just that, won several races along the way, and now the Melon Man is potentially going to be a champion. Doesn’t get much better than that. I’d say he’s the favorite.
2. Brett Moffitt — Moffitt was last year’s champ with Hattori Racing, and was promptly let go. Thankfully he found a new at GMS pretty quickly, and has impressed in 2019 with four wins. Always a contender up front, Moffitt is Chastain’s biggest competition for the title.
3. Stewart Friesen — Friesen, long overdue for Victory Lane in the Truck series, finally got there in 2019: Twice in fact, including Friday night at Phoenix. It’s very possible that breakout season could end in a title if strategy plays out properly, but even if it doesn’t this has been a career year for Friesen.
4. Matt Crafton — Truck series veteran Crafton snuck into the playoffs on the strength of a strong finish at Phoenix. And while it would be an amazing comeback story if the former champion took the crown again, the reality is he has zero wins in 2019, and only 6 top-5 runs. That’s not exactly promising for his title chances, but if the other contenders run into trouble he could capitalize.
NASCAR must improve quality of racing at Phoenix before 2020 series finale.
Thoughts as NASCAR leaves Phoenix and heads to Homestead for the 2019 season finale:
— It’s imperative that NASCAR does something with the Cup aero package for shorter tracks before the 2020 season, at least in regard to shorter tracks. They simply can’t have the title race decided by 10 seconds. This was one of the worst races of the season, and we can’t have a repeat of that in 2020 when a championship is being decided at Phoenix.
— There’s a lot of talk about young guns in NASCAR, and there is definitely lots of young talent in the ranks in all three major series. But look at the top ranks in Cup, and what do we see?: An average age of 38.5 among the final four at Homestead. The lesson: For now, experience rules. Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, William Byron and others will get their shot at the title soon enough. But they’re going to have to get past the veterans to do so, as long as they’re around.
2020 BMW M2 CS Coupe announced
BMW has announced the next step in the evolution of the BMW M2, the M2 CS coupe.
The new high-performance coupe blends racetrack optimization with everyday usability to create the most capable version of M’s smallest model.
Power and torque are listed at 444 hp and 406 lb-ft (preliminary), an increase of 39 hp over the M2 Competition. Newly available, select CFRP body panels and components help reduce weight, lower the center of gravity and improve aerodynamics. Exclusive Carbon Fiber and Alcantara interior trim help set this M2 apart from all previous versions.
The new M2 CS has also been developed side by side with the new M2 CS Racing model, which will be offered by BMW Motorsport as a new entry model into customer racing. BMW M GmbH and BMW Motorsport worked closely together to take the learnings from the M2 street car and from the M4 GT4 customer program and apply them to the new M2 CS Racing model. A level of cooperation which we will see repeated with select limited edition M models in the future.
The 2020 BMW M2 CS Coupe will make its World Debut at Automobility LA on November 20th 2019.
ARCA Menards Series East 2020 schedule announced
The ARCA Menards Series East officially enters a new era with a seven-race slate in 2020 that will provide a mix of short-track showcases and national series companion events. The compact stand-alone schedule will also allow for the opportunity for competitors to compete for the new ten-race ARCA Menards Series Showdown championship.
The East season will kick off as the main event of the 54th World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at Florida’s New Smyrna Speedway on Monday, February 10. The champion will be crowned on Saturday, September 12 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s Full Throttle Fall Weekend.
Sam Mayer captured the 2019 East title at 16 years of age to become the youngest national or regional series champion in NASCAR history. He’s already counting down the days until the green flag at New Smyrna.
“I am looking forward to returning to the East series to defend my title in 2020,” Mayer said. “I had so much fun racing in that series this year and learned so much at every race. The competition was tough, and I’m sure it will be even better next year. With the series combining, it will give me the opportunity to race against some new drivers and become more competitive. Hopefully we can go out and win a bunch of races and take home another East series championship.”
Rolls-Royce unveils Black Badge Cullinan SUV
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has unveiled the latest member of the Black Badge permanent Bespoke Family, Black Badge Cullinan.
One-in-five Rolls-Royce commissions are done as Black Badge with a darker image that defines the taste of a younger generation of luxury consumer.
“Black Badge reflects the desires of a distinct group of Rolls-Royce clients: men and women who take risks, break rules and build success on their own terms. The time has come for Rolls-Royce’s boldest and darkest expression of Black Badge yet. The King of the Night, Black Badge Cullinan,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
This Rolls-Royce alter ego is marked with the mathematical symbol representing a potential infinity placed discreetly throughout the motor car. This marking was first applied to Sir Malcolm Campbell’s record-breaking Rolls-Royce-powered Blue Bird K3 hydroplane.
2019 Lexus RC350 offers thrilling driving experience
While it’s important to be practical with your vehicle choices, if you have the means it’s also nice to have some fun — and there are quite a few vehicles out there that will let you do exactly that.
One such ride is the 2019 Lexus RC350 F Sport, a luxury sport coupe that offers no shortage of thrills. Read on for a full report.
LOOKS
One look at the RC350 and you know it’s a hot rod.
From the aggressive front grille to its low-to-the-ground status, it gives off racy vibes. The exterior design is a work of art, with a beautiful, sleek design — a contender for best look in the class.
Point blank: THe RC350 is designed for speed and a fun driving experience.
It’s not set up for driver comfort, especially on longer drives (this isn’t a cushy SUV). The sport-style seating hugs the driver tight into the seat.
The back seat is strictly for storage, not people. Unless perhaps it’s a small child, and the people sitting up front are very short. Realistically, think of this vehicle as a 2-seater.
The seats are very low to the ground, and you really sink into the vehicle. This is a Lexus, so you’re going to have high-end materials inside. You’ll be greeted by quality leather seating and other high-end materials.
Options include triple-beam LED headlamps (a $1,160 option); Power moonroof ($1.1K) and heated steering wheel ($150).
Martin Truex is Gibbs' top dog; Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano both have valid arguments; and what's wrong with Kyle Busch?
Things were heating up this weekend in Martinsville, both on the track and on pit road afterward. Here are my takeaways on what we learned this week in terms of the championship fight, and what that Logano-Hamlin fight was really all about.
Truex is top dog at Gibbs, Busch in the dumps
There is no more debate to be had. After his thoroughly dominating run to the checkered flag at Martinsville, Martin Truex Jr. and the 19 team are clearly the best chance that Joe Gibbs Racing has to win the Cup title this year.
Even if Truex, Hamlin and Kyle Busch all make it to the Homestead 4 (which at this point is very possible), former team leader Kyle Busch probably has the lowest chance at winning the title of the three. And honestly, the way things are going, he might not even be in the Final Four.
He’s been inching backward toward being a mid-pack car for what seems like a very long time now, he can’t figure out how to drive with this aero package as well as his teammates, and quite frankly doesn’t seem happy most of the time.
2019 Hyundai Ioniq is a leader in plug-in hybrid battlefield
As the automotive world becomes electrified more each year, there is a race to get people further and further on electric power only. But it’s not all pure EVs.
The market for plug-in hybrids is still out there, with the potential to get people great fuel mileage with a bit of an electric boost.
One such entry is the 2019 Hyundai Ioniq Plug-In Hybrid, which I recently got a chance to test. Here’s a full report on how it stacks up in the hybrid arms race.
LOOKS
First introduced in 2017, the Ioniq features a standout design compared to other plug-in hybrids, including a shark-fin style antenna on top.
Unlike some other vehicles in this class, you wouldn’t know it’s a plug-in hybrid if nobody told you. It blends in quite well.
There are 16-inch alloy wheels, plus LEDs all around on its headlights, daytime running lights and taillights.
The inside of the Ioniq is roomy for the class and well-designed, but not fancy. This isn’t a luxury model — but it doesn’t look or feel cheap either..
My test vehicle was a high-end Limited trim level and featured leather seating and heated front seats. It also had a leather-wrapped tilt and telescopic steering.
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