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Chicago Auto Show: How the Acura NSX broke the rules 30 years ago, and how Ford never forgot

Posted on February 7, 2019 by Ben Hsu

Thirty years ago, Honda went to the Chicago Auto Show to introduce a concept it called New Sports eXperimental. As we all know, the Acura NSX would become one of the best cars ever to emerge from Japan, or from humanity, really. But long before anyone even drove the thing, it was already causing a stir.
Auto shows are a funny thing. Prior to letting the public into a so-called Tier One show like Chicago, there?s two days of press conferences that are open only to journalists. There?s a lot of pressure during these big reveals, and the stakes can be tremendously high.
An executive could say something off-script, a car might break as it drives onto the stage (we?ve seen this happen twice) or, perhaps worst of all, there could be a sea of disapproving faces when the sheet?s finally whisked off the latest creation. And no matter what happens, the assembled media is there, ready to beam your every move to millions of eyes around the globe.

Press conferences typically last 20 minutes, but can take months, sometimes years, of preparation. Everything thing is rehearsed to a T, right down to the length of the pauses in the CEO?s speech. The primary goal, above all, is to ?control the message.? As such, early leaks are very much frowned upon.
That makes the days before the press preview even stranger. It takes a lot of time and manpower to set up those massive booths, and during these prep days the convention centers are a free for all. There?s people wiring up the lighting, laying down the carpets, building the stages, unloading the cars, and even jamokes like us like us hanging around.

It?s a wonder there aren?t more leaks during this time, especially these days when everyone has a camera in their pocket. It would be so easy to sabotage the grand reveal by shooting a few pics or recording an exec rehearsing their presentation, fully mic?ed up to make sure the teleprompters and a/v system works.
In the auto show environment, however, all companies have a mutual respect for each other, even if they?re bitter rivals on the track or in the marketplace. They understand that, at the end of the day, they?re all there to make their pitches and sell some cars, so one violates the code. Still, mistakes do happen.

Such was the case 30 years ago, in February 1989, on the eve of the NS-X Concept?s big debut. That evening at the Drake Hotel, Honda was prepping their hugely important presentation about a supercar that would shock the world. At the same time Ford was holding their own live press conference, in the very next room.
Somehow, Honda president Tadashi Kume managed to slip behind the wheel of the concept and, for reasons known only to him, turned it on and stomped on the gas. Honda, in typical Japanese understatement, described it as ?a sound that could be heard in an adjacent room.? Autoweek?s Blake Z. Rong had a much more entertaining take:
The engine sparked to life, then it roared as Kume proceeded to rev to redline ? right in the middle of the Ford conference. Everyone was shocked. ?Mr. Kume, stop it!? yelled Kurt Antonius, Honda?s spokesman emeritus, gesticulating wildly. ?They?re gonna hear this!?
Honda merely said that ?the noisy blast attracted media attention.?


Fast forward to 2016, when the long-awaited second-generation NSX debuted at the Detroit Auto Show. Ford had just debuted its stunning new GT supercar at Joe Louis Arena, just down the street from Cobo Hall, where the main show is held. A ?remote? is fairly typical when automakers are expecting a particularly large crowd or need some special staging.
After the reveal the car is moved to its proper booth, where it gets placed on a rotating pedestal for the public days. This is all very common, and on press days concepts will often creep slowly through the halls. Presumably, journalists, unlike the public, are professionals and can be trusted to be around a moving vehicle.
As it happens, the GT?s path to the Ford display took them right past the Acura stand. And as you guessed, they mashed the throttle, letting out a piercing wail smack dab in the middle of the new NSX?s press conference.

Now, we can?t read the minds of the fine folks at Ford, but you can imagine what this looked like?an act of revenge 27 years in the making. Was it payback for Chicago? Did the driver?s foot slip as he inched the GT over the plush rugs of Cobo? Was anyone from Ford or Acura at both the Drake in 1989 and in Detroit in 2016? We?ll never know, but the story is too damn good to be written off as a coincidence.
Now, we can?t read the minds of the fine folks at Ford, but you can imagine what this looked like?an act of revenge 27 years in the making. Was it payback for Chicago? Did the driver?s foot slip as he inched the GT over the plush rugs of Cobo? Was anyone from Ford or Acura at both the Drake in 1989 and in Detroit in 2016? We?ll never know, but the story is too damn good to be written off as a coincidence.

The funny thing was, Kume didn?t even give a crap about Ford. He wasn?t trying to disrupt their conference at all. According to Honda, immediately after stabbing the throttle, ?Kume turned to the NSX engineering team and asked why the NS-X Concept didn?t use the new VTEC technology that had been recently developed at R&D. When told that it was only planned for a 4-cylinder engine application, Kume pushed the team for a VTEC V6 design.?
Kume had simply been doing what Honda at that time did best, engineering. It?s almost unthinkable that a CEO would express concern about such a thing today, when cost cutting and sales targets take precedence Uber alles. Corporate strategies are too measured, with every tiptoe calculated to increase market share. Kume wasn?t trying to show up another company or outdo them. He was just trying to make the NSX the best damn car it could be, and as a result it changed the automotive world.

AcuraNSXConcept-Chicago1989-09.jpg




062-5643_AcuraNSX2016.jpg


http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/chi...6lnP8PHQx4rtj6J6TbABpNBjFgE8yUF4uRfy_Sww-L7sM

 
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2020-subaru-legacy-chicago-auto-show/?ftag=CAD-03-10aaj8j

2020 Subaru Legacy gets turbo, big new infotainment screen in Chicago

A new platform and a huge 11.6-inch Starlink infotainment screen headline the midsize sedan's changes.

Jon Wong mugshot
BY JON WONG
FEBRUARY 7, 2019 1:02 PM PST

Besides offering standard all-wheel drive, the Subaru Legacy has been one of the duller entries in the midsize sedan segment. In terms of performance and styling, it's been a largely forgettable car for the last couple of generations, something that wasn't always the case.

Time-hop back a decade, and you could buy new a Legacy 2.5GT spec.B with a turbocharged engine and manual gearbox that was like a more mature WRX STI. With the debut of an all-new 2020 Legacy at the Chicago Auto Show, Subaru hopes to return some pep to its midsize sedan step with a new platform and return of a turbo engine option. The most important change to shoppers, however, may be its huge new infotainment screen.

With a move onto the Subaru Global Platform that debuted underneath the latest Impreza, the seventh-generation Legacy makes huge gains in structural strength. Torsional and front suspension rigidity is up 70 percent, while rear subframe stiffness doubles compared with the current Subaru Legacy. That comes courtesy of more ultrahigh-tensile-strength steel, structural adhesive and new construction techniques.

A reworked MacPherson strut front suspension with internal rebound springs and aluminum lower control arms is bolted to the stiffer platform. A double wishbone setup is out back with the whole thing riding on either 17- or 18-inch all-season tires. Together, Subaru says the new Legacy will boast more responsive steering and handling along with smoother ride comfort.

Powering Base, Premium, Sport and Limited versions will be a familiar 2.5-liter boxer four-cylinder engine making 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque. With a continuously variable transmission Subaru estimates that it'll hit 60 mph in 8.4 seconds and return 27 mpg in the city and 35 mpg on the highway.
The big engine news is the arrival of a new 2.4-liter turbocharged flat four that replaces the 3.6-liter six-cylinder in the lineup. Available in the Limited XT and Touring XT trims, it delivers 260 horses and 277 pound-feet of torque between 2,000 and 4,800 rpm. Like the naturally aspirated base engine, the turbo works with a CVT returning an estimated 24 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. Subaru says the XT models will hit 60 mph in a not superquick, but respectable 6.1 seconds.

Visually, the new Legacy isn't too dramatic a departure from the car it replaces, with a slightly sleeker front end and roofline. It's far from an exciting design, but it's clean and inoffensive. Inside, Subaru is promising quieter and roomier accommodations with the range-topping XT Touring model featuring premium Nappa leather.

The most notable cabin change is the huge, vertically oriented 11.6-inch Starlink multimedia infotainment system that's standard on Premium, Sport and Limited cars. Entertainment, available navigation, climate, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are controlled through the tablet-style display. Like a smartphone, app icons can be arranged according to personal preference on the screen. Audiophiles will be able to spring for an available 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio setup and a Wi-Fi hotspot will be offered in the Legacy for the first time.

On the safety front, Subaru's EyeSight Driver Assist Technology suite of features comes on every Legacy to include forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keep assist with lane centering. Features such as reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane change assist and rear cross-traffic alert will be available.

A new DriverFocus Distraction Mitigation System is also optional on Limited and standard on XTs that uses a camera and facial recognition software to monitor the driver for signs of fatigue or distraction. When a distracted or sleepy driver is detected, a warning will appear on the gauge cluster and center infotainment screen to alert the driver and passengers.

Top-of-the-line Touring XT versions also benefit from a 180-degree front-view monitor that shows the view of front blind spots on the center screen. That should help in situations such as pulling out of alley or into traffic when something like a parked car or sign is obstructing your view.

The 2020 Subaru Legacy will go on sale in fall. Pricing details aren't available yet, but shouldn't differ too drastically from the current car. For reference, the 2019 Legacy starts at $23,430, which includes $895 for destination.
 
Seen that legacy alright, I think it's class looking, Legacy in my opinion isn't supposed to have massive racer looks, a big luxury car is what they have in mind, and with 280ps nothing to complain about lol
Wonder will the do a tS model, 2016 tS was very nice, brakes wheels and lip kit. Nice tho
 
[h=1]Subaru Recalls More Than 450,000 Vehicles For Air Bag Problems[/h]https://boston.cbslocal.com/2019/02/25/subaru-air-bag-inflator-recall/?fbclid=IwAR1OVCe595D7HmDhgN97QFHN44KD6WVw547kIn2MBzdg7LlFnNhiAGb0uLI

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) ? Subaru has announced a recall of nearly half a million vehicles because of a problem with air bag inflators.
ConsumerAffairs.com reports that the recall affects more than 450,000 vehicles in 21 states, including all of New England. Models including 2010-2014 Tribecas, WRXs, Legacys and Outbacks, 2010-2011 Imprezas and 2010-2013 Foresters are being recalled.
Check Subaru?s Recall Website: https://www.subaru.com/vehicle-recalls.html

The automaker says long-term exposure to humidity and changing temperatures could cause the front passenger airbag inflator to explode. That explosion could send sharp metal fragments flying, running the risk of serious injury or death.
Subaru is notifying owners about the recall and dealers will replace the air bag inflator for free.
 
just seeing above me tommy555 with 555 thanks lol

in other news :
The SUBARU VIZIV ADRENALINE CONCEPT was unveiled at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show. :facepalm::icon_hang:
 
Keeping in mind, this is a concept. They also need to produce cars and jeeps for their wider market. Yes the STI/WRX is hugely successful but they need to appeal to their other customer base also.
 
A subaru story you knew nothing about :thumbsup:

1988-1989 Subaru Justy LSR
Salted Scooby


By JOHN MATRAS


It?s called bench racing, those idle discussions about what if and just maybe. Most go no further than that. Reality and the crush of day-to-day life usually set in. But occasionally lunchroom chatter becomes a world land speed record. It happened with nine Subaru employees and one pre-production 1987 front-drive Subaru Justy.
The lunchroom group discussed taking a Subaru to Bonneville?easier and cheaper than racing any circuit for a season?but the records for the classes for turbo-charged and normally aspirated Loyales were ?pretty stout,? recalls team member Roger Banowetz, now at Subaru Research & Development. ?One of the guys suggested the Justy and we all laughed at him.?

The 1.2-liter mini-Sube was long on economy, EPA rated at 38/41 mpg, but wasn?t without performance potential. It had an sohc two-intake, single-exhaust valve aluminum head that made the little three-cylinder a nine-valve engine.
Another asset was the composition of the team. The group of volunteers from the California-based Subaru Technical Center brought a variety of talents to their after-hours project of making a racer from the Justy.

The car would compete in a ?production? class, which naturally doesn?t mean ?stock.? It did mean a stock body and standard layout as well as a carbureted engine running on gasoline. As no car had ever bettered the Southern California Timing Association?s base time of 115 mph for I-Production, the team from STC destroked the 1190-cc triple to displace 997 cc. A custom billet steel camshaft, 12:1 pistons and steel tubular exhaust headers were fabricated for the engine, as was a custom intake manifold to mount the three 40-mm Mikuni motorcycle carburetors in place of the stock two-barrel Hitachi carb. Engine mods included using titanium valve spring retainers, removing the balance shaft and removing the springs from the bearing seals to reduce friction. A stock, Japanese-market 1.0-liter Justy crankshaft and connecting rods were used, however. As Banowetz says, ?In all, very few racing components were used. [It was] a very stock and strong Subaru Justy.? Indeed, it eventually produced 120 hp at 9200 rpm, against the stocker?s 66 hp at 5200 rpm.
Rules allowed lowering, so the Justy was dropped three inches, decreasing frontal area, and a small Japanese- market front spoiler was added. Although stock trans-mission and final-drive ratios were used, the gearbox ran ATF for reduced friction. A homemade cool-fuel can looks like it was made from your grandmother?s cookie canister. ?Cool? air was routed via the cowl and from behind the grille, the airbox made from a Pampers box and duct-taped together at Bonneville. Although an accessory tachometer was installed, the Justy?s dash, front and rear seats and even carpeting remained. A full roll cage was installed. The STC team took the Justy to Bonneville in August 1988, achieving a two-way average of 117.553 mph, a new I-Production record. A return the following August after a year of engine work yielded a ?down run? speed of 123.938, with a return speed of 122.570, its engine screaming at 11,900 rpm through the traps. The two-way average was 123.224 mph, a new record and one that stands today. The Justy still exists, but it hadn?t run since it set the record. Subaru put it in running order again, and we not only heard it but drove it?a little?as well.

Don?t doubt we heard it run. The unmuffled exhaust gathers an immediate crowd. The three-cylinder actually will idle, though it has a lean stumble until revs are added. Then it?s like lighting a fuse on this nickel rocket. The Justy?s curb weight is only 1700 pounds, so 120 horses launches it hard.

Hmmm, wonder how many horses a full 1.2 liters would make? Maybe we could give those hot-rod Honda guys something to think about if we got an old Justy, cam specs from Subaru, some motorcycle carburetors...
 
[h=1]NEWS: Nissan exec suggests next Z and GT-R might be electric[/h]With both the Z and GT-R in generations that have lasted a decade or so with no hints about their futures. So, whenever a top Nissan executive whispers a phrase about either model, enthusiasts take notice. The most recent utterance comes from Chief Planning Officer, Philippe Klein, who told Top Gear that the company is pondering the next step for both the Z and GT-R.

In a recent interview with Top Gear, Klein says that while performance cars are ?under the gun of regulations,? that the company doesn?t want to let go of these cars so easily. ?The emotion is still there, for us and for our customers,? Klein said. He also reassured enthusiasts: ?You should keep the faith, because we do!?
Klein then hinted that Nissan is considering an electrified option for both vehicles. ?I don?t know how much experience you have with EVs, but they are very fun to drive,? he told Top Gear, alluding to the accelerative abilities and low center of gravity inherent in electric cars.
?The driving experience is very high on our priority list,? Klein reassured, adding that the challenge is how to maintain that experience while conforming to regulations is a challenge.
If any company has the ability to do it, though, it?s Nissan, who, in their alliance with Renault and Mitsubishi comprises one of the largest car companies in the world. If carmakers like Honda, BMW, and Mazda can do it, so can Nissan. The ability is there, but there must be the will to match.
When Top Gear asked about whether Nissan would consider partnering up with another automaker like Toyota did with the Supra, Klein replied, ?I cannot answer this ? what I can say is whatever we do, we have to carry our brand very strongly, otherwise it makes no sense.?

http://japanesenostalgiccar.com/new...fThIgjllQjdG5y80zagn4PsT_3sAqsIKiI9tRgujpd-o4
 
everyone seems to be going electric these days:

[h=1]Ducati CEO Confirms ?The Future Is Electric? Responding to Growing Demand[/h]https://www.intelligentliving.co/ducati-future-electric/

Due to the effects of climate change becoming increasingly apparent around the world, there is a pressing need to transition away from burning fossil fuels and towards more environmentally-friendly vehicles. Because of this, the market for electric vehicles of all kinds will only continue to grow.
Motorcycle companies understand that this means they?d better position themselves to be ready for this growth by expanding their product lines for the future. They recognize what the reality is ? all vehicles, not only cars, will eventually have to be electric. Ducati, Harley Davidson, and other big names are in the midst of creating electric motorcycle models if they haven?t already.
Now, word has gotten out that Ducati could be the next to roll out an electric motorcycle. The company?s CEO has recently confirmed Ducati?s commitment to developing a production electric motorcycle. It is true that they currently do not have any production of electric motorcycles to their name, although the famed Italian motorcycle manufacturer is no stranger to EVs. Ducati even recently worked with the Milan Polytechnic School of Design to develop an electric Ducati concept, the Ducati Zero.

The Managing Director of Ducati Western Europe Edouard Lotth? revealed back in 2017 that Ducati had plans for both an electric motorcycle and scooter. However, he also admitted that the earliest anyone would see a model would be in 2021.
As this declaration left people wondering, Domenicali confirmed Ducati?s intentions of going electric in a recent speech. If there had been any doubt about Ducati?s intentions, they have been cleared out when the Ducati CEO told the crowd at a Motostudent event in Spain that:
?The future is electric, we?re not far from starting series production.?
Many famous major motorcycle manufacturers around the world are ready to produce vehicles that the world desperately needs, while still giving motorcycle enthusiasts what they want. Companies like Ducati will be at the forefront, showing vehicle makers and everyone that it is possible to survive in a rapidly changing world without having to sacrifice what made their companies great in the first place.

As you can see, there are many motorcycle brands out there producing electric two-wheeled vehicles already. Ducati is certainly not entering a wide open market. But one thing is for sure, with their brand legacy and famed design team, Ducati may be able to offer an electric motorcycle, unlike anything we?ve seen so far.
 
This customised classic Volkswagen Beetle is a project car done right


https://drivetribe.com/p/this-custo...mpaign=main+&utm_medium=fb&utm_source=organic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWNp7ngKSIk

The Volkswagen Beetle is one of the most iconic cars of all time. From its initial production in Germany after World War II, the Beetle was hugely popular in Europe and North America throughout the 20th century for its compact design and accessibility. In 1997, Volkswagen introduced a new version of the Beetle - which again was beloved worldwide.
This brings us on to how Adonis (who is featured in the video above) started a 10 year restoration project to fulfil a lifelong dream of his. As a child, Adonis would spend his summer days riding in the back of his uncle's old Beetle to the beach, which inspired him to one day have a Beetle of his own. Years later, Adonis was in the passenger seat of his friend's own modded Beetle - and this was what made him buy one.

So how did he do this? He got his hands on a 2.0 litre EJ20 Subaru engine, put it into his Beetle and strapped a T3/T4 turbocharger with fuel mods to the motor. A ported intake and exhaust gave the Beetle additional air, creating a power output of 377bhp. To ensure that the Beetle didn't fall apart under acceleration, Adonis installed a protective roll cage, as well as a new suspension to make the car as study as possible, complete with featured custom coilovers and polyurethane bushing on all corners. BMW brakes were fitted on the front, and Volkswagen brakes on the rear to ensure increased stopping power, and to finish the performance enhancements - a new hydraulic handbrake was fitted.


The car's exterior was completed with styling from the original Speedhunters Beetle, with custom BBS widened wheels fitted to compliment the Beetle's wide arches. To top it off, a large spoiler was fitted on the rear to generate extra downforce.
As a project car, there are few out there that can compete with the likes of Adonis's beloved Beetle. To turn an old Type 1 VW Beetle from a 60mph cruiser to a near 400bhp beast is not an easy feat at all - so full credit to Adonis for making his lifelong dream a reality.
 
Here it is!!!! The Adrian Flux Subaru Racing 2019 livery. A stylish revamp of our corporate colours with an upgraded aero package for 2019
 
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