Alfa’s sporty wagon to take on big dogs
The Sleuth sees a challenge for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles as it enters the utility-vehicle category dominated by the BMW X3, Audi Q5, MercedesBenz GLC-Class and others. However the new 2018 Stelvio has a number of positives going for it, other than being the only Italian model in the category. The standard turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 280 horsepower and 306 poundfeet of torque. That makes the Stelvio a powerhouse, relative to the others. The turbo is matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Following the initial launch, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio (Italian for “four leaf clover”) arrives with a potent 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque generated by a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V-6.
Is the 2018 Civic Si as good as everyone thinks? Si, Si: The Spy Guy recently got his hands on Honda’s small-but-mighty Civic Si coupe and sedan. The turbocharged 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine puts out 205 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque, which is up from the base turbo’s ratinging of 174/167. The output gain, plus the Si’s specially tuned suspension, bigger brakes, revised shift linkage for the six-speed manual transmission and other performance and visual mods (including a rear wing), make the car a blast to drive. Additionally, the $30,000 price tag, including destination charges, is reasonable. Although the Spy Guy loves to shift his own gears, the Si’s lack of an automatictransmission option could be a deal-breaker for many youthful buyers raised on two pedals instead of three.
Lamborghini car stars: The Sleuth has it on good authority that a long-rumoured movie based on the life of Ferruccio Lamborghini, the man who founded Automobili Lamborghini back in 1963, will soon begin production. The film, based on a book written by Lamborghini’s son, Tonino, will focus on Ferruccio’s longstanding rivalry with Enzo Ferrari. Antonio Banderas will star in the lead role, while Alec Baldwin has been tapped to play Enzo. Ambi apparently intends to show the movie (working title: Lamborghini: The Legend) at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival in France. The Lamborghini flick will join two similar productions centered on the life of Enzo Ferrari, due to begin production this year.
Will the Silverado follow the F-150 into the aluminum business? The Sleuth’s sources have spotted a camouflaged version of Chevrolet’s light-duty pickup that’s expected to go on sale in about a year’s time as a 2019 model. All indications are that, to reduce weight (and help fuel economy), the hood, doors and fenders will be made of aluminum, but the bed will stick with steel construction. A revised frame is expected to shed a few more pounds. By contrast, the current Ford F-150’s entire body is aluminum. Chevrolet’s current V-6 and V-8 powerplants will likely carry over, but a new 10-speed automatic transmission will replace the current six- and eight-speed automatics. A more aggressive grille and bumper, plus a revised dashboard with a significantly larger touchscreen are also expected.
More grunt for the Corvette: The Sneakster’s sources are hearing that the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 that’s expected for the 2018 model year will get a completely new V-8 engine called the LT5. The 6.2-litre mill — the same displacement as the current V-8 — will be fitted with dual overhead cams instead of the current cam-in-block arrangement and will be hooked up to a supercharger. Output will most certainly exceed the 650 horses produced by the current Z06 Corvette. The Sleuth’s best guess is somewhere in the 700-750-horsepower zone.
Rental market under pressure: If reports from Hertz are any indication, the industry is undergoing a downturn in revenue and profits. Rentals are down due to the growth in ride-hailing businesses such as Uber and Lyft. In addition, the used-car market, from which the company once derived a significant profit through the selling of its older fleet models, has gone soft due to an overall increase in used vehicles on dealer lots.