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Weekly Recap: Ford guns for 2016 Le Mans glory with new GT

On the eve of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Ford confirmed it will return to the French endurance race in 2016 and campaign the new GT racecar 50 years after three GT40s swept the podium at the Circuit de la Sarthe. The factory will back a two-team, four-car effort that will compete in the World Endurance Championship and the Tudor United SportsCar Championship running cars operated by Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates. The GT racecar will make its track debut in January at the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and the driver lineup will be announced later. "But rest assured, there's quite a line forming out the door," Ganassi said at the announcement. The GT is the modern successor to the iconic GT40, which won Le Mans four straight years from 1966-1969. The racecar is a rolling testbed of Ford's latest technologies, including a powerful twin-turbo EcoBoost V6. The car also makes extensive use of carbon-fiber pieces and advanced aerodynamics. Ford tapped Multimatic Motorsports of Canada and Roush Yates Engines to aid in the development of the GT racer. The road-going version, which was revealed in January at the Detroit Auto Show, is also set to launch next year. It caps Ford's growing performance lineup, and the company has ambitious plans to launch more than 12 new sporty models by 2020, including hot metal like the Focus RS, F-150 Raptor, and Shelby GT350R. The GT embodies Ford's best tech, but news of its return to Le Mans immediately conjured images of the company's fierce rivalry in the 1960s with Ferrari and intense competition with Porsche. "When the GT40 competed at Le Mans in the 1960s, Henry Ford II sought to prove Ford could beat endurance racing's most legendary manufacturers," Ford executive chairman Bill Ford said in a statement. "We are still extremely proud of having won this iconic race four times in a row, and that same spirit that drove the innovation behind the first Ford GT still drives us today." Ford is going back to Le Mans. Somewhere, Hank the Deuce must be smiling. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 BMW 7 Series arrives in the fall BMW revealed the sixth generation of its flagship 7 Series this week, which will start at $81,300 when it launches in the United States this fall. BMW is billing it as the roomiest 7 Series ever, and it measures 206.6 inches in length.

Chevy up to old EVs-equal-range-anxiety tricks in new Volt Olympics ad

General Motors is at it again with a new Chevrolet Volt TV commercial. Viewers of the Winter Olymics (at least in some markets) recently saw a TV ad in between the skating and the skiing that made no mention of the environmental benefits or freedom from the power of Big Oil that electric vehicles provide. No, this one was based on pure survival instinct. In the video, a father is driving down a highway, perhaps through the Mojave Desert. His young son is sitting in the Volt's backseat and asks what happens when the EV's battery runs out. "We'll have to cross that burning desert with snakes and cactus until we make it back to civilization," the dad tells his son as they pass the skeleton of a fallen bull. The fine print makes it clear that the actual maximum range is 342 miles. But there is hope. The father tells his son, with a beaming smile on his face, that the gas generator has kicked in and they're going to make it through the desert. As they wend their way to the horizon, a voice over says that Volt drivers who charge up regularly are making it 900 miles between fill ups. The fine print makes it clear that the actual official maximum range before you need to either plug in or fill up is 342 miles. This theme that emphasized range anxiety has been utilized by GM since the extended range Volt was launched in late 2010, despite the fact that Chevrolet now offers an all-electric vehicle in the Spark EV. Volt fans are praising the commercial, called The New Freedom, on the GM-Volt forum and you can see for yourself below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: Cheverolet via CleanTechnica, YouTube Green Chevrolet GM Fuel Efficiency Green Culture Electric range anxiety extended range

2019 Chicago Auto Show Truck Roundup: Toyota, Ford, Chevy and Ram bring it

The 2019 Chicago Auto Show features an array of heavy-duty trucks, smaller trucks, other kinds of trucks, and well, more trucks. That means new versions of the 2020 Chevy Silverado Heavy Duty and 2020 Ford F-150 Super Duty, a refreshed 2020 Toyota Tacoma and a trick tailgate on the 2019 Ram 1500. Sound a little crazy? Morgan Stanley research says 68 percent of passenger vehicles sold in the United States last year were classified as light trucks. So actually, bring on the trucks! Here's some impressions on the Chicago reveals, plus our take on the 2020 Subaru Legacy sedan. — Toyota updated the 2020 Tacoma with some light but useful enhancements. An improved infotainment has new audio features and larger screens. The grilles and wheels are different, but nothing drastic. Toyota still offers nice differentiation across the Tacoma lineup, and the design tweaks are subtle but thoughtful. Toyota tends to stretch out the Tacoma's generations, so it's wise to keep modifying and iterating to keep pace in this competitive segment. — Staying with Toyota, the Land Cruiser Heritage Edition is a legit special model that fans of this historic nameplate will appreciate. An anchor of the Toyota line in the United States since 1958, the Land Cruiser's roots date to Toyota's 1951 BJ Series military vehicle. Two colors, Midnight Black and Blizzard Pearl, are exclusive to this model and look slick against the blacked-trimmed grille and lightly bronzed wheels. Inside, bronze stitching is used on the steering wheel, seats, center console and other parts. The best part? Land Cruiser spelled out in script on the rear pillar. It's a limited model (1,200 units) and pricing isn't out yet, but that badge is probably why you buy this SUV. — The 2020 Chevy Silverado HD gets imposing looks that differentiate it from the light-duty range, an eye-popping max towing capability of 35,500 pounds and some updated powertrain elements. A new gas-fed V8 that serves as the entry point is one of the highlights, and the 6.6-liter mill makes 401 hp and 464 lb-ft, up significantly over the old 6.0-liter. There's also a new Allison 10-speed transmission teaming with the Duramax diesel to achieve that lofty max towing figure. With an updated trailering system and a larger cabin, the Silverado HD range is comprehensively remade to fight Ram and Ford. — The 2020 Ford Super Duty is also redone, and like the Chevy line, it gets a new gas V8 checking in at 7.3 liters.