There are times when technology in cars becomes more than just a curiosity or a line item on spec sheet. In a recent test of the 2019 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport AWD, a setting for driving on snow proved incredibly helpful. How it actually works also became abundantly clear.That’s an interesting finding for me. Sometimes, in a car test, you have a hunch about how a particular mode works or what is happening behind the scenes. After testing the redesigned 2019 Ford Edge not long ago, the Co-Pilot360 system that nudges you back in your lane if you veer into a shoulder too far was quite visceral – you know exactly what the engineers intended. In a similar way, after driving the Q50 on multiple outings in both light and heavy snow, it became obvious what was happening, and it was a major advantage.Cold comfortFirst, you should know that the Q50 I was testing came equipped with snow tires and already benefits from all wheel drive. A computer senses tire slip and can provide … [Read more...] about How the snow setting on the 2019 Infiniti Q50 actually works
Driving on snow
Jaguar XF Sportbrake (2019): towed on skis, driven on snow, tested beyond limits
In 2017, the new Jaguar XF Sportbrake was launched with a stunt that involved skier Graham Bell being towed along behind the car to set a Guinness World Record speed of 117mph. Now it was our turn. We were invited to experience the test behind the updated 2019 Sportbrake XF before taking the car out on the icy roads of the French mountains. Our fingers survived enough to type this, but did the legs fair so well? And how did the car hold up driving on snow so deep usually only skidoos dare brave it?Image 1 of 3Image 2 of 3Image 3 of 3While there were a few variants on the car, the models we spent time with all had all wheel drive as well as a 2.0 litre diesel or petrol engine. That meant up to 300PS of pure power intelligently pushed through the four wheels to make sure the car clung to the snow and ice.The R-Sport trim meant bigger wheels and a body kit on top of the standard offerings, which is why it looks so good in the photos. There were also spiked tyres for the snow and ice … [Read more...] about Jaguar XF Sportbrake (2019): towed on skis, driven on snow, tested beyond limits
Show winter who’s boss with this Nissan Juke that rolls along on tank-like tracks
Nissan has unveiled the Juke Personalization Adventure concept ahead of its public debut at the 2019 Tokyo Auto Salon, and it is a sight to behold for snow lovers. It rides on four tank-like tracks that let anyone lucky enough to slip behind the wheel forget every lesson they ever learned about driving on snow and ice. The Juke Personalization Adventure concept started life as a regular-production Juke — a model no longer sold in the United States but still available in other global markets. Nissan made it much wider by tacking plastic flares onto the wheel arches, which keep the tracks safely tucked under the body. Though technical specifications remain under wraps, we know the Juke Personalization Adventure concept comes with all-wheel drive and torque vectoring. It looks capable of taming anything Mother Nature can throw at it, including snowbanks and foot-deep mud. You’ll never lose the Juke Personalization Adventure out in the wilderness. It’s decked out with a … [Read more...] about Show winter who’s boss with this Nissan Juke that rolls along on tank-like tracks
Nato’s Cold War games in icy Norway: ‘We have been taking driving lessons on snow’
Spanish soldiers in a Pizarro tank in Norway. Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP "This is my second time seeing snow, so it's a rather new experience," said a tank operative, a Florida native more accustomed to ice boxes than ice floes. Like thousands of fellow US marines, Corporal Josye Martinez has been flown for military exercises to Norway, a country which pokes its head into the Arctic circle. It's not just the conditions that are frosty. These are Nato's biggest military exercises since the end of the Cold War, a fact which has upset Russia. "When I first landed in Norway, I was really cold, my body went into shock... But as the time has gone by I've actually adapted to it," said Martinez, perched in the turret of an Abrams tank. The military exercises are taking place from October 24th-November 7th. The manoeuvres are aimed at training the Atlantic Alliance to defend a member state after an aggression by a third party. US Marines play with a dog. Photo: Jonathan … [Read more...] about Nato’s Cold War games in icy Norway: ‘We have been taking driving lessons on snow’
How this all-wheel-drive muscle car can help you understand data analytics for cars
Image credit: Josiah BondyThe level of driver feedback in the 2018 Dodge Challenger GT is quite astounding. As you drive this at $33,495 all-wheel-drive muscle car, you can use the Performance Pages app to monitor things like acceleration, the current horsepower, and engine RPMs. It’s a sign of how we’ll learn more about vehicle dynamics in real-time, especially once cars can drive on their own.To access the app, you have to press the app's icon and flick one page to the right on the main 8.4-inch touchscreen. The app, which looks a bit like the instrument cluster you might find above the steering wheel on some cars, takes a few seconds to load, presumably because it’s connecting to the sensors in the car that monitor things like oil pressure, current horsepower, and the G-Force. That last reading is the most interesting by far, at least in terms of how you can measure what's happening as you drive. G-Force is the gravitational pull you feel, so … [Read more...] about How this all-wheel-drive muscle car can help you understand data analytics for cars