Issue 1265
September 18, 2024
 

About The Autoextremist

@PeterMDeLorenzo

Author, commentator, "The Consigliere."

Editor-in-Chief of Autoextremist.com.

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On The Table


Sunday
Sep112022

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

(Ferrari images)
This is the 2023 Ferrari Purosangue, the first four-door, four-seater car in Ferrari’s history. According to Ferrari PR minions: "Now, in the culmination of 75 years of leading-edge research, Ferrari has created a unique car and the encapsulation of the Prancing Horse’s DNA, where performance, driving pleasure and comfort coexist in perfect harmony. And that’s why this new model was called Ferrari Purosangue – Italian for thoroughbred." Powered by a 65 degree, normally-aspirated V12 with 715HP and 528 ib-ft. of torque and weighing just under 5,000 lbs, the Purosangue will go 0-62 mph in 3.3 sec. (according to manufacturer's figures) and has a top speed of 193 mph. It is equipped with the eight-speed, dual clutch automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive system from the GTC4 Lusso. The system provides AWD up to 124 mph, then it becomes rear-wheel-drive. Rear-wheel steering is standard, along with a suite of features that come with Ferrari's Slip Control system shared by the other machines in Ferrari's portfolio. The suspension system, according to Car and Driver, features TrueActive Spool-Valve Dampers from Multimatic, which negates the need for anti-roll bars thanks to an electric motor at each corner that can apply force to the dampers to control body motions. The suspension has the ability to lower the car by 0.4 inch during hard cornering, but the ride height stays put with a ground clearance of 7.2 inches, meaning that there is no off-road pretense with this machine. The staggered wheel and tire setup features 22-inch, 255-width rubber up front and 23-inch, 315-width tires in the rear. Watch the introductory video from Ferrari here. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Okay, so I love the Purosangue. It immediately sets the standard for hyper-luxury, hyper-performance machines with four seats. Make no mistake, there is nothing even remotely "SUV" about the Purosangue; this is a genuine high-performance machine with a little more room and as Ferrari notes, the weight distribution comes out at a very advantageous 49/52, front/rear. The overall design is exceptional - Ferrari Design is on an incredible roll of late - and it is much more aggressive and beautiful than the GTC4. As far as I'm concerned, the Purosangue is a grand-slam home run. Should they have built it? Yes, and why not? They will sell every single one they build. It arrives here one year from now, in case you're interested. How much? Around $390,000. -PMD
(Ford images)
Ford introduced the all-new 2024 Ford Mustang in Detroit Wednesday night, the seventh generation of the company's iconic pony car. 
Each new Mustang carries its own unique front end. The GT is differentiated from EcoBoost models by larger, more aggressive grille openings, engineered to allow increased airflow. The car’s aerodynamics are optimized further with the addition of new hood vents and redesigned front splitter. The all-new Mustang launches with 11 exterior color options, including two new shades, Vapor Blue and Yellow Splash, complemented by new stripe colors and designs. There is a choice of three Brembo brake caliper color options: Black, Red and Grabber Blue, plus an all-new lineup of alloy wheels, ranging from 17-inch standard size on base models to 19-inch for GT, with optional 20-inch alloy wheels. New for the 2024 model year is the Mustang Design Series, providing further customization options straight from the factory. The Bronze Design Series Appearance Package adds Sinister Bronze alloy wheels with bronze badges, and is available on both EcoBoost and GT models, with or without the optional Performance Pack. The 5.0-liter V8 continues to offer a standard six-speed manual gearbox; a 10-speed automatic is available. Customers can also opt for the EcoBoost model, powered by an all-new, four-cylinder turbocharged 2.3-liter powertrain. Drivers can quickly adjust steering effort, engine response, and transmission and electronic stability control settings through six available Drive Modes. These are Normal, Sport, Slippery, Drag, Track, plus a customizable setting with up to six individual profiles, tailored to the driver’s view ahead of them. Mustang GT and EcoBoost models are both available with an optional Performance Pack, which adds a host of track-focused features, including a front Tower Brace, Torsen® Limited Slip differential and optional MagneRide active suspension, wider rear wheels and tires, and larger, 390-millimeter front and 355-millimeter rear Brembo brakes. The GT Performance Pack adds brake ducts for even more enhanced cooling and a standard auxiliary engine oil cooler. Performance Pack also offers optional Recaro® seats and active exhaust. Mustang GT with manual transmission includes standard rev-matching that helps hold engine RPM when the clutch is engaged; this retains peak torque between manual gear changes. The all-new Mustang goes on sale in the U.S. starting next summer and will be assembled at Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.
(Ford images)
Ford also introduced Mustang Dark Horse, 
a street and track-capable performance Mustang created by a special team of Ford engineers and designers with the kind of "visual cues and all the capability sports car lovers expect, right down to the available carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution," according to Ford PR minions. Mustang Dark Horse will feature a specially modified 5.0-liter Coyote V8 with a projected 500HP with piston connecting rods first introduced in the 760HP Ford Performance Mustang Shelby GT500. Mustang Dark Horse includes a dual throttle-body intake design to improve engine breathing, accentuated by the open nostrils in the front grille. Mustang Dark Horse comes standard with a unique six-speed TREMEC manual transmission that connects to the driver through a standard 3D-printed titanium shift ball. The manual also includes a special Mustang Dark Horse transmission oil cooler. Drivers also have the option to choose Ford’s advanced 10-speed automatic transmission with sport paddle shifters. Mustang Dark Horse includes brake cooling NACA ducts, an auxiliary engine oil cooler, a rear axle cooler and a unique and lighter-weight radiator with improved cooling capability and more powerful cooling fans to improve endurance and recovery. The Mustang Dark Horse has unique chassis tuning, larger rear sway bars, heavy-duty front shocks, and 19-inch Brembo front 6 piston brakes with 13.9-inch rotors. Steering response and grip are further enhanced with a new lightweight Ford Performance-designed strut tower brace and K-brace. A Torsen® rear differential and standard Pirelli P ZERO™ (PZ4) tires with staggered fitting wheels (19-inch-by-9.5-inch front and 19-inch-by-10-inch rear wheels) and standard MagneRide® shocks are included. For ultimate street-legal and track performance, the available Handling Package improves aerodynamics even further with the most downforce of any all-new Mustang thanks to a unique rear wing that includes an integrated Gurney Flap, similar to that of the Ford GT. The Handling Package also adds stiffer springs, larger front and rear sway bars and wider Pirelli Trofeo tires and 19-inch-by-10.5-inch front and 19-inch-by-11-inch rear wheels. Customers can also equip Mustang Dark Horse with lightweight carbon fiber wheels from Carbon Revolution (late availability). Specific racing versions will be available, with pricing and availability to come.


(Chevrolet)
Chevrolet has unveiled the new 2023 Tahoe RST Performance Edition in Detroit today (9/14). The special edition four-wheel-drive Tahoe is aimed at performance enthusiasts who want a sport-oriented full-size SUV. The new Tahoe RST Performance Edition leverages a number of chassis, suspension and other elements from the pursuit-rated Tahoe PPV package for police, with many of the vehicle’s dynamics calibrated by the same engineering team. The Tahoe RST Performance Edition also includes modifications to the induction and exhaust systems that increase output of the standard 6.2L V-8 to 433HP and 467 lb-ft of torque, an increase of 13HP and 7 lb-ft over the current RST’s available 6.2L engine. On the special edition, the 6.2L V-8 engine continues to be exclusively paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission. Stuff borrowed from the pursuit-rated Tahoe include: Police-spec springs, re-tuned dampers and police-spec chassis calibrations; Police-spec lower ride height of 0.4 inch (10 mm) in front and 0.8 inch (20 mm) in the rear; Brembo® front and rear brakes with unique Torch Red calipers (the front brake rotors are nearly 25% larger in diameter than the standard RST system); and performance-calibrated brake pedal feel and Police-spec Firestone Firehawk Pursuit 275/55R20 tires with specific 20-inch aluminum wheels in black. The RST Performance Edition by the numbers? 0-60 mph in 5.78 seconds; the quarter mile in 14.2 seconds at 97 mph; a top speed of 124 mph and 60-0 mph braking in 133 feet. In addition to the unique powertrain, chassis and suspension upgrades, the Tahoe RST Performance Edition comes standard with the Luxury Package, which includes a host of active safety features and driver convenience features. You also get a black “RST” badge on the rear tailgate and standard sport pedals. The Tahoe RST Performance Edition package option is priced at $8,525 and will be exclusively available on the 2023 Tahoe RST with the 6.2L V-8 engine. Production begins in Q4 2022 at GM’s Arlington Assembly in Texas. Watch the video here.

(Jeep images)
Jeep® has announced a comprehensive plan for its next generation of fully electric 4xe vehicles as part of a sustainable transformation "to become the leading electrified SUV brand in the world," according to Jeep PR minions. The plan, which premiered on the brand’s YouTube channel, calls for the introduction of four all-electric SUVs in North America and Europe by the end of 2025. Fifty percent of Jeep brand sales in the U.S. will be fully electric by 2030, according to the manufacturer, while 100% of European sales will be all-electric by then. The plan is in full support of the net-zero carbon emissions targets set by Stellantis. The Jeep brand showed the first images of two fully electric SUVs – the all-new Jeep Recon and an all-new Wagoneer, code name Wagoneer S – that will arrive in North America and other regions around the world, while confirming that the all-new, all-electric Jeep Avenger will launch in Europe early next year.  
The Jeep Recon.
The Jeep Wagoneer S.
The Jeep Avenger, for Europe.

(Chevrolet images)
Chevrolet’s EV blitz continues with the introduction of the all-new 2024 Equinox EV, "an affordable all-electric SUV tailored to help modern families make a seamless, confident and uncompromising transition to an EV," according to Chevrolet PR minions. With a starting price of around $30,000 on the 1LT, the Equinox EV is expected to be the most affordable EV in its class. It rounds out an electrified portfolio that covers major segments for Chevrolet, including full-size trucks (Silverado EV), midsize SUVs (Blazer EV) and compact SUVs (Bolt EV and Bolt EUV). Plus, the new 2024 Equinox will also be available with up to an available GM-estimated 250+ miles of range on a full charge. In addition to the Ultium-based propulsion technologies, features include a large infotainment screen — including an available 17.7-inch-diagonal system — a strong suite of standard and available driver assistance technologies, and available Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology for compatible roads. Editor-in-Chief's Note: This is a huge deal for GM and the industry. As I've stated repeatedly, affordability is the key going forward for the whole BEV "thing." This 2024 Equinox EV - which will be in-market next summer - threatens to turn the business on its ear. -PMD

(Dodge images)
The 2023 Dodge Challenger Scat Pack Swinger and Dodge Charger Scat Pack Swinger represent the third and fourth of seven Dodge special-edition "Last Call" models. Following the announcement of the 2023 Dodge Challenger Shakedown and 2023 Dodge Charger Super Bee, the Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger models reach back to the brand’s muscle car past - duh - for inspiration. The two Scat Pack Swinger models include available F8 Green, Sublime Green and White Knuckle exterior color options, combined with green interior accents "to create a classic Swinger look," according to Dodge PR minions. You also get: Unique "Gold School" badging, wheels and painted Shaker intake for the Challenger; and Throwback “Swinger” cursive graphics on the rear fenders. Only 1,000 of each of the Swinger models will be produced, both in Widebody configuration. Six special-edition Dodge Challenger and Charger models will be revealed through Sept. 21, 2022, with the fifth model to be announced on Sept. 14. The seventh and final 2023 Dodge model — the very last of its kind — will be revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022. Like all 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger models, Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger special-edition vehicles will carry a commemorative “Last Call” underhood plaque. Further
 details and specific information on the 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger Scat Pack Swinger are available at Dodge.com.

(Dodge Images)
Dodge has added another hot rod to its “Last Call” lineup: the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona. According to Dodge PR minions, the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona traces its lineage to a famous monarch of the 1960s and 1970s West Coast drag-racing scene: William “Big Willie” Robinson, who nicknamed his 1969 Dodge Charger “King Daytona” and used it not only in claiming victory at the drag strip, but also in keeping racers on the track and off the streets. The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona honors the original by pumping the performance of 
the Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody to 807HP and pairing a "Go Mango" exterior with Satin Black King Daytona rear fender graphics, Satin Carbon Warp Speed wheels, Satin Chrome exterior badging and more. Black Nappa/Alcantara “Daytona” seats with orange stitching and King Daytona orange instrument panel badge highlight the interior, and orange interior stitching accents the instrument panel, console, steering wheel and door trim. The 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona represents the fifth of seven special-edition Dodge “Last Call” models that celebrate the Dodge Challenger and Dodge Charger, which in their current form are coming to an end. Only 300 of the 2023 Dodge Charger King Daytona special-edition vehicles will be produced. The sixth special-edition Dodge “Last Call” model will be revealed on Sept. 21, 2022, and the seventh and final 2023 special-edition model — the very last of its kind — will be revealed at the 2022 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, scheduled for Nov. 1-4, 2022. Details and specific information on Dodge “Last Call” models are available at Dodge.com


The AE Song of the Week:

Hello
I've waited here for you
Everlong

Tonight I throw myself in two
Out of the red
Out of her head she sang

Come down and waste away with me
Down with me
Slow, how you wanted it to be
I'm over my head
Out of her head she sang

And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang

Breathe out
So I can breathe you in
Hold you in
And now
I know you've always been
Out of your head
Out of my head I sang

And I wonder
When I sing along with you
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when
She sang

And I wonder
If everything could ever feel this real forever
If anything could ever be this good again
The only thing I'll ever ask of you
You've got to promise not to stop when I say when

"Everlong" by Foo Fighters, from the album "The Colour And The Shape" (1997)*. Written by Dave Grohl. Watch the Official Video here. 

*This song is often interpreted to be about the drug addictions and bad habits of the late Kurt Cobain, who was in Nirvana with Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl, who wrote this song. However, according to an interview with Grohl in Mojo magazine, he penned this song during one of the lowest points in his life over Christmas 1996. The frontman was sleeping in a sleeping bag on a friend's floor having just gotten divorced from photographer Jennifer Youngblood, and as a consequence was homeless. On top of that Grohl had no access to his own bank account, and both his drummer, William Goldsmith, and guitarist, Pat Smear, were on the verge of quitting the Foo Fighters. In the midst of all this he wrote this love song in about 45 minutes. Dave Grohl wrote the song about Veruca Salt frontwoman Louise Post, whom he was dating after separating from his first wife, Jennifer Youngblood. He said "Everlong" is about "being connected to someone so much that not only do you love them physically and spiritually, but when you sing along with them you harmonize perfectly." The song evokes real love, that feeling of shyness, yet excitement, like the first time for anything. It's a feeling that is so strong that you want it to last forever, even though you know nothing ever lasts forever. in the video, Grohl is trying to protect his girlfriend. When he sees that she is in trouble his hand grows abnormally large and beats down anyone that tries to hurt her. The band performed this on The Late Show With David Letterman on February 21, 2000, when Letterman returned from heart surgery. Letterman explained that the song was important to him during his recovery, and specifically asked for Foo Fighters to perform it on his first night back. The band had to cut short a tour to do it, but they made the appearance and got a ringing endorsement from the host, who introduced them as "my favorite band playing my favorite song." The group became Letterman mainstays, appearing on the show for a whole week in 2014. When Letterman did his final show on May 20, 2015, Foo Fighters played this song to close it out, once again getting a stirring introduction from the host. As they played, a montage of memorable moments in Letterman history was shown. According to Grohl, this was the first song he wrote with lyrics that were often quoted back to him by fans. He says the line "Breathe out, so I can breathe you in" really resonated. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)


Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG