Category Archives: News

Review of 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Edition

Posted on by
Reply

It feels like just yesterday; I was in university with friends driving around Mom and Dad’s hand-me-down Grand Cherokees. Although those years are a bit hazy from all the 90s grunge rock, I have one fond memory of a ride home from a very cute blonde who drove a classic, green Jeep Grand Cherokee.  As a young car guy at the time, that combo was equal to a royal flush in poker…..So it comes as no surprise that I have had a soft spot for the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee

1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee – Then

Jeep had incredible success with its 1990 Grand Cherokee models which went on to set the standard for the medium-sized SUV.  More recently, sales of the Grand Cherokee model have provided significant help to Chrysler’s bottom line through a very critical time in its history. To this day, the Jeep Grand Cherokee continues to build on its success as the benchmark in luxury and performance capabilities within the SUV marketplace.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit – Now

To say the new 2014 Grand Cherokee is not your average soccer Mom’s ride is a complete understatement. This new model is an exceptional piece of craftsmanship and precision built on an outstanding legacy which Chrysler has carefully refined for the past twenty years.  Today’s end product is something very special and as a result, we were excited about taking a closer look.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Driver’s view

The new 2014 model has amazingly clean, sleek lines along with an aggressive 4×4 stance that’s ready to take on any type of road or weather condition.  Unfortunately, we never had the opportunity to use the selec-Terrain 4 wheel drive system but we can easily imagine how much fun it is for owners to select and go.

Throughout the week, friends, neighbours and car folks we ran into on our travels were all eager to chat about the new ride and many complimented its stellar good looks.  Having driven in both city and highway environments we can say the Grand Cherokee was a real treat to drive in both situations.  It has the power and rawness when you need it while also providing the creature comforts of a luxury car with its character and function.

Our tester came with the 3.6L V6 which has a posted fuel consumption rating of 12.4L/100 km city and 8.3L/100 km highway. The Grand Cherokee is able to get these stingy fuel numbers as a result of Chrysler’s newly developed eight speed automatic transmission and its Econ fuel saving model.  This new improved fuel efficiency does not come at the cost of performance though as the V6 has a 0 to 60 time in the seven second range which is very respectable for a vehicle of approx 4900 pounds.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Side rear view

Our test vehicle came in the top of the line Summit trim which includes a range of extras which brought the sticker price to $62,085 CAD.  This prices includes some out of this world features not even imagined yet back in the 90s.

Some of these new technology features include:

  • 8 speed automatic transmission with E-Shift
  • Steering wheel mounted shift controls (paddle shifters)
  • 3.6L Pentastar™ VVT V6 – 290 hp – 260 lb-ft torque
  • Power 12-way driver’s seat with lumbar adjust
  • Memory settings function for driver’s seat and mirrors
  • 7-inch reconfigurable in-cluster display centre
  • Exotic open-pore wood accents
  • Dual-pane panoramic sunroof
  • Heated steering wheel
  • Tilt/telescopic steering wheel
  • Adaptive Bi-Xenon HID headlamps with headlamp washers
  • LED tail lamps
  • Remote start system
  • Quadra-Trac I™ 4×4 system
  • Quadra-Trac II™ 4×4 system with Hill Descent Control
  • Quadra-Lift™ Air Suspension System
  • Select-Terrain™ with Auto, Snow, Sand, Mud and Rock settings
  • harman/kardon® 19-speaker audio system with 825-watt amplifier
  • SiriusXM Satelitte Radio
  • UconnectTM 8.4AN multimedia centre with 8.4-inch touch screen
  • 8-way power passenger seat
  • Power liftgate
  • P265/50R-20 All Season Tires
  • Advanced multistage front air bags
  • Seven air bags including driver’s knee blocker
  • ParkView® Rear Backup Camera with dynamic grid lines
  • Park-Sense® Rear Park Assist System
  • Park-Sense® Front Park Assist System
  • Hill Start Assist
  • Brake Assist
Jeep Grand Cherokee

Backseats

The interior is beautifully appointed with all seats covered in a high quality leather with the Summit trim branding (pictured above). A real attention to detail is noticeable as Chrysler continues to up their game in this area throughout their 2014 line-up.  The combination of special interior features such as; heated steering wheel, dual-pane panoramic sunroof and wood trim sets the Summit model apart from its competition.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Rear cargo area

The storage capability is huge as you can see from the (above image) which illustrates how small one standard airline carry-on bag, a computer bag and two pairs of shoes appear in its cavernous rear storage area. With a very generous 36.3 feet of cargo space behind the rear seats it has space for all your gear and with the rear seats folded down you have access to a monstrous 68.3 feet of cargo room. Honestly, if you need more room than that just buy yourself a min-van.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Side view

As for its competition, many options are available for North American buyers in this market segment.  However, the main competitors include; the Ford Explorer, Ford Edge, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, Lexus RX 350, Acura MDX, Range Rover Sport (significantly more money), and Hyundai Santa Fe XL. However, although some of these competitors can actually seat seven (Grand Cherokee only seats five persons) there is a range of varying levels in exterior and interior refinement, towing capacity and off- road capability of which the Grand Cherokee Summit all brings its “A” game.

After spending a week with our Grand Cherokee, I can seriously say if I was in the market for a mid-sized SUV this would be at the top of my list.  And most importantly, my wife really liked the look of it since it’s always a good thing when your partner appreciates another vehicle parked in the driveway.

Record Setting Burn Across the USA

Posted on by
Reply

On Sunday October 20th, Ed Bolian set a new record for driving across the United States of America, in, wait for it, 28 hours and 50 minutes!  Bolian, his co-driver and support passenger, piled into a 2004 Mercedes-Benz CL55 AMG in mid-town Manhattan and drove at an average speed of 98 mph and a moving average of 100 mph. They stopped for a total of 46 mins along the way and arrived in Redondo Beach, California a little over a day later.

Ed Bolian

Ed Bolian and co-driver Dave Black

Their vehicle, a CL55, had two extra gas tanks fitted that could hold a total of 67 gallons (400 lbs worth) of gas in the vehicle.  This allowed them to travel 800 miles between fill ups (they stopped only three times for gas during the whole journey). They also never took a bathroom break (although one would think the co-driver may have been tempted to sneak one in during the refueling break). Additional equipment in the vehicle included police scanners, CB radios, two GPS units, two iPhones running traffic (and speed trap-related) apps and two laser jammers.

On route

On route

The sub-30 hour mark beats the previous record set by Alex Roy in 31 hours and 17 minutes in 2006.

Read all about the preparation and the journey on Ed Bolain’s blog and over at Jalopnik.

Source: Ed Bolian.com, Jalopnik.com

Documentary about Japan’s Yakuza underworld

Posted on by
1

Having lived in Japan back in 2000/2001, I experienced their car culture first hand.  It truly is totally unique and like no other place in the world. Specifically, their attention to detail with modifications to out of the ordinary rides is just not something that you see anywhere else in the world.  Beginning with high-end luxury cars, domestic step wagons, bad-ass turbo charged drift machines, to American muscle cars you see it all in Japan. But one group that stands out as the most “out there” is the Yakuza organized crime gangs that control the Japan’s underworld.

Yakuza car

Yakuza car

Recently, a new documentary titled Underground Hero chronicles this group and the admiration for their cars.  Take it for what’s it worth, as it is an incredible raw look at a dark, sinister world which is rarely seen by the masses.

Subaru teases us with concept car “Levorg” as lead up to Tokyo Motor Show

Posted on by
Reply

Subaru’s parent company Fuji Heavy Industries has announced it will introduce a new sports tourer “LEVORG” (prototype) at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show. The LEVORG features a very stylish design with a sports car feel.  According to the official press release, the name is a combination of the words “Legacy,” “Revolution” and “Touring”.

Subaru Levorg

Subaru LEVORG

Designed to combine the feel of a sports car with the practicality of a touring car, the Levorg will be the first concept previewed from Subaru of its performance focused wagons. The specs are as follows – 1.6-liter turbocharged boxer four-cylinder and next-generation EyeSight technologies in what looks to be a sexy and strong package.

For official press release click here.

Source: Subaru Canada

Sebastian Vettel becomes four-time F1 world champion

Posted on by
Reply

If you have a son and want him to become a successful race driver you may seriously want to think about naming him Sebastian. Yes, the spelling is slightly different but the facts remain between the F1‘s Sebastian Vettel and the WRC‘s Sebastien Loeb they have combined for 15 major championships.  Although we have covered several stories in the past on Loeb it’s now time to take a look at Vettel who this past weekend was crowned with his 4th consecutive F1 championship.

Sebastian Vettel Image source: telegraph.co.uk

Sebastian Vettel
Image source: telegraph.co.uk

At only age 26, Vettel is said to be one of the most ambitious drivers in the world and his ambition is certainly paying off.  Driving for Team Infiniti-Red Bull which by all accounts is the wealthiest and best staffed F1 team as it includes the top technicians who have the uncanny ability to anticipate Vettel’s every need before trouble arises around the racetrack.

Sebastian Vettel 2013 Red Bull RB9 race car

Sebastian Vettel
2013 Red Bull RB9 race car

With his 4th championship, Vettel has now surpassed the three championships of the late Aryton Senna on the all time list and tied Senna’s arch rival Alain Proust for four. This along with his annual salary of €12m safely plants him in the history books as the real deal. His winning record over the past four years proves he is now the best driver in F1 but the real question now is, “will he be able to break the all time F1 record of his countryman, Michael Schumacher who won seven F1 championships?”

Michael Schumacher Seven championships

Michael Schumacher’s seven F1 championships

New Details of “The Beast”

Posted on by
Reply

Autoweek has recently uncovered new details about the presidential limousine, otherwise known as “The Beast.”  Or should we say limousines as there isn’t just one, but rather twelve in the President’s motor pool, each cost more than $1 million.

Presidential limo otherwise known as The Beast

Presidential limo otherwise known as The Beast

Although it may resemble a Cadillac, there is very little in the car that is a Cadillac.  Rather the vehicle is a custom job built from the ground up in order to handle the extra load imposed by the operational features.

Some of those features include special locking mechanisms, communications and fire-suppression systems as well as Kevlar-reinforced Goodyear run-flats.  Other extras not found in your average limousine are a separate oxygen supply under the President’s seat, emergency medical equipment, including bottles of the President’s blood type and an encrypted satellite phone.  Finally, don’t forget its military-grade armor on the doors, fenders and fuel tank.

Autoweek has also provided a run down on some of the more interesting numbers on the vehicle:

BY THE NUMBERS

3.7: Average miles to the gallon

12: Number of actual Beasts in service

$1.5 million: How much each Beast costs

18: How long the Beast is, in feet

8: Thickness, in inches, of the doors’ armor plating

5: Thickness, in inches, of the windows–bulletproof, of course

15,000: Best guess on how much The Beast weighs, in pounds

Surprisingly, despite all the extra weight the vehicle apparently accelerates and handles quite well according to those in the know.  All in all, the vehicle is an impressive engineering feat, with much more than meets the eye.

Source: Autoweek

Elon Musk buys James Bond Lotus Submarine

Posted on by
Reply

Our regular readers know we have a serious “bromance” for Tesla Founder Elon Musk so it should be no surprise we had to give this story some attention.  Recently, the Lotus Esprit submarine car used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me was sold at auction in London for $966,560.

Lotus Espirit Submarine car

Lotus Espirit Submarine car

At the time of the sale the buyer’s identity remained a mystery, but Jalopnik has now reported that billionaire genius Elon Musk, CEO of both Tesla Motors and SpaceX was the man who purchased it. But it gets better, according to a statement provided to CNN Money Musk was disappointed to learn that it can’t actually transform from car to submarine so he doesn’t plan to leave it as just a prop. “What I’m going to do is upgrade it with a Tesla electric powertrain and try to make it transform for real”.  And seriously, if there is one man in the world that can make this happen it’s Elon Musk.

The history of the infamous Lotus submersible from movie star to collector piece of Elon Musk is equally interesting. As told by the folks at Autoblog, after filming ended in the 70s, the car was shipped to Long Island, NY and placed in a storage container that was paid in advance by the studio for 10 years. However, after the money ran out, the contents of the container were sold off Storage Wars-style in 1989 and won by an local couple. It was shown in public on occasion throughout the years, but its value remained a mystery until being sold last month. While the selling price tag is far from the most valuable James Bond car ever to be sold the Lotus Espirit submarine remains one of the most unique cars ever built.

Sources: CNN Money, Jalopnik, Autoblog.

RIP Land Rover Defender

Posted on by
1

News this week that Land Rover will be discontinuing their Defender model in 2015.

The Land Rover Defender is being discontinued

The Land Rover Defender is being discontinued

The Defender was first introduced into the consumer market in 1983 as the Land Rover Ninety and the Land Rover One Ten, with the numbers representing the wheelbase in inches.

It was also sold in North America between 1993 and 1997 until in 1998 US regulations were introduced requiring airbags for both front seat passengers as well as side door impact requirements. The Defender could not be fitted with these without major modifications and based on sales numbers it was not economically viable to continue their sale in the US and Canada. Despite not being sold in North America from 1998 onwards, the Defender was popular enough that enthusiasts found ways to bring them over from Europe.

More stringent regulations, this time in European relating to fuel efficiency, also appear to be one of the reasons why the Defender will be discontinued.  In addition, recent sales of the Defender have been lagging with only 561 sold in the first eight months of the year. A replacement to the Defender is reportedly in the works, but won’t be available for some time.

RIP Defender….

Source: Wikipedia, Autonews.com, BBC News

Audi RS 6 Avant – Man vs. Machine

Posted on by
2

To celebrate the latest incarnation of the formidable 2013 RS 6 Avant, Audi UK has commissioned a very cool new video titled ‘The Duel ~ Man vs. Machine’ which has officially launched on their YouTube channel.

This epic video pits man against machine in an egg throwing battle the likes of which has never been seen before. Starring “Parkour” superstar Damien Walters and 007 stunt-driver /Top Gear’s ex-Stig Ben Collins the rules of ‘The Duel’ are simple – To cover your opponent in as much paint as possible, within the allotted time.

The 2013 Audi RS 6 Avant has a four liter, V8 twin turbo engine that produces a monstrous 560 HP and almost certainly can lay claim to being the world’s fastest production family car.  This is certainly different from the station wagon we all grew up with that’s for sure…..

IMG_4279

Audi RS 6 Avant

Audi RS 6 Avant

Audi RS 6 Avant

Audi RS 6 Avant

The only bad thing about this story is the painful fact that Audi is not bringing the RS 6 Avant to North America.  We have one word to say to Audi and that is – Why?

For the full specs and details of the Audi 2013 RS 6 Avant please refer to the following here. In addition, to get a glimpse of the “behind the scenes” making of this video check out the ‘How To Make An Omelette’ video here.

A quick look at the new BMW i3

Posted on by
Reply

The i3 is BMW’s newest foray into the electric vehicle market and is set to be released in 2014. Its bold styling both inside and out make the i3 a stand out addition to the BMW lineup.  RedlineNorth recently had an opportunity to view a production ready model of the i3 and were impressed with what we saw.

The all new BMW i3

The all new BMW i3

The i3 is a full battery electric vehicle (BEV), however, BMW has announced it will also be available with an optional ‘range extender’ gasoline back up engine, making it available as both a BEV and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). We think it’s a smart idea to offer both a BEV and PHEV providing choice to the customer as to which technology best fits their driving needs.  As a BEV the i3 will get approximately 130 to 160 km in range, more than enough for average daily driving, while the range extender will up that distance to between 240 to 320 km.  This is thanks to the on-board 18.8 kWh lithium-ion battery.  By comparison the 2013 Nissan Leaf has a 24 kWh battery with similar range.  The ability to get similar range as the Leaf, with less battery capacity, is in part due to the use of carbon fiber in the body manufacturing process, reducing the overall weight of the vehicle.

i3-1

A first look at the i3

Unlike BMW’s Mini-e which used a AC Propulsion powertrain, the i3 powertrain has been developed in house by BMW engineers. It provides 125 kW/170 hp with 184 lbs of torque. As an electric vehicle the full torque is available at standstill and doesn’t need to be built up with speed. This translates into 0 to 60 km/h performance in under 4 seconds and to 100 km/h in only 7.2 seconds.

i3-3

The i3 has a unique dashboard

The styling of the i3 is a departure from traditional BMW models.  The aggressive lines, front fascia and the 19 inch wheels, give the i3 a more modern and some what European look.  In addition, the styling also maximizes the aerodynamic properties of the vehicle to squeeze out extra travel range and efficiency. Inside the i3 dashboard looks almost as if someone has left their iPad on the dash for you to drive with.  The steering wheel prominently projects into the driver’s area and there is an absence of the center tunnel providing a more open interior space.

i3-2

i3 interior

All in all it looks like BMW has a promising model with the i3 with a combination of modern styling and solid performance. RedlineNorth is looking forward to its North America release currently slated for the first half of 2014 with a base price in the low $40,000s. We think it will be a great addition to both the BMW line up and the electric vehicle market in general.

Source: BMW.com