911 TARGA LEAD

The News for May 22nd, 2020

Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or bull. This week: Porsche debuts new 911 Targa, Alpina has a new super SUV and it’s built in America, GMC shows off removable roof panels of Hummer EV, new Genesis G80 price undercuts competition, Volvo says speeding is bad, and your news for the week.

Porsche 911 Targa

911 targa

The Targa is coming back for the eighth time in 911 history since it debuted in 1965. It’s launching later this year as the Targa 4 and 4S (based on the Carrera 4 and 4S) with all the classic Targa elements but on the most advanced 911 platform ever.

Targa’s distinction among other models is all in the roof and back of the cabin. The roof panel can be retracted and there’s a giant wraparound rear window with the classic Targa bar separating them. As with other recent Targa models, the simple act of removing a roof panel is made incredibly not simple by a fully automatic retraction system. This lifts the entire rear window section and hangs it over the ass end to get it out of the way. It then flips the roof panel over the Targa bar and stows it flat behind the seats and over the engine. 19 seconds will have passed when the rear section flips back down to complete the Targa transformation.

911 targa

Besides that, everything else you get with the Targa models is identical to the Carrera models they’re based on. Both receive a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat six, all-wheel drive, and an eight-speed PDK. The Targa 4’s flat six produces 379 horsepower while the Targa 4S receives 443 horsepower. Opt for the sportier Targa 4S and you can also check a box for a seven-speed manual as a no cost option.

911 targa

Prices for the Targa 4 and 4S seem to match those of the Cabriolet models at $119,300 and $135,200 respectively. For the same money, it’s really just a matter of how much headroom you want. Porsche also dropped a hint in their press release of a special edition Targa that will debut next month. They say it will “expand the combination of traditional styling elements, timeless design, and cutting-edge technology”. So more on that later.

[Source: Porsche]

Alpina XB7

alpina xb7

[Filed under: inevitable]

Surprisingly, this is not Alpina’s first SUV. It’s just the first one to make it to America. Seeing as we can’t get enough of them these days, it’s the right time for Alpina to expand a bit with a ridiculously powerful version of the BMW X7.

Power is what Alpina does best and it’s no difference here. The 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 that comes with the X7 M50i normally produces 523 horsepower and 553 lb.-ft. of torque. In the Alpina XB7 that same engine makes 612 horsepower and 590 lb.-ft. of torque. This absolute unit weighs at least 5,600 pounds but can still manage a four-second-flat 0-60 mph time, a 12.6-second quarter mile, and a 180 mph top speed.

alpina xb7

The rest of Alpina’s upgrades are what you see on everything they make. It rocks a new front bumper lip and rear diffuser as well as those signature 21″ multi-spoke Alpina wheels.

The Alpina XB7 will be built in South Carolina alongside regular BMW SUVs and start at $141,300. This will be the first time an Alpina is produced entirely in the US that I can think of. BMW Spartanburg used to make Z4s but the body-in-white was shipped to Germany for the Alpina treatment. This time though it seems everything is taking place in the US. Which makes sense because we’re probably buying 90% of them anyway.

[Source: Alpina via Jalopnik]

GMC Hummer EV shows off removable roof panels

Hummer EV - Open Air

Not to be outdone by the 911 Targa, GMC showed off a more traditional removable roof that’s coming to the Hummer revival. The full reveal of the electric off-roader was delayed due to – well, you know – so they’re making up for it with some teasers released on the day it was supposed to be shown in full. This one shows off the three (at least) roof panels that can be popped off for limitless headroom. There’s no word on what those panels will be made of. I’m secretly hoping there’s at least an option to get it in fabric.

[Source: GMC]

Genesis G80 priced aggressively

g80

The all-new Genesis G80 will be fighting hard for some market share among the luxury sedan space. It’s a gorgeous and well-equipped offering from South Korea and it will have the price advantage on its side. Pricing starts at $47,700 for the four-cylinder model and $59,100 for the V6 model.

Compared to its rivals in four-cylinder form, that’s a significant difference. As Jalopnik points out, it’s over $3,000 less than the cheapest rival, the Lexus GS (which is dying soon), at $51,065. The difference grows much further when you start comparing German offerings. The V6 G80 still undercuts the competition but not by nearly as much. It’s within a $350 of the BMW 540i and $700 of the Audi A6 55 TFSI. There are of course loads of options that can quickly inflate those prices, but Genesis is making the G80 a very attractive option for buyers in that segment, especially for those looking at four-cylinder options.

[Source: Genesis via Jalopnik]

Volvo limits most new cars to 112 mph

volvo s90

In what’s probably the biggest “but mooooom” moment of the year, Volvo says speeding is bad and is forcing you to agree. All new Volvo models excluding Polestar performance models will be limited to 112 mph / 180 kph. A new Care Key feature is launching alongside the speed limiter as well. This allows owners to impose other restrictions on the car when being used with a spare set of keys.

“We believe that a car maker has a responsibility to help improve traffic safety,” said Malin Ekholm, head of the Volvo Cars Safety Centre. “Our speed limiting technology, and the dialogue that it initiated, fits that thinking. The speed cap and Care Key help people reflect and realise that speeding is dangerous, while also providing extra peace of mind and supporting better driver behaviour.”

The top speed limit has proven to be controversial since it was announced, with some observers questioning the rights of car makers to impose such limitations through available technology.

Yet Volvo Cars believes it has an obligation to continue its tradition of being a pioneer in the discussion around the rights and obligations of car makers to take action that can ultimately save lives, even if this means losing potential customers.

I wonder what kind of statistics they saw before choosing to pick this fight. Their goal of reducing accidents and fatalities on the road is admirable, but how many of those really take place speeds higher than 112 mph? Speeding is a major contributor to accidents, sure, but is it really that much speeding? I feel this is about as effective as a bar tender cutting someone off at 12 beers to keep them from getting too drunk.

Either way, Volvo is taking a strong stand against all the people buying their cars who then regularly drive at triple digit speeds on the highway as if it was nothing. All five people that this decision impacts will just have to take their money elsewhere.

[Source: Volvo]

What’s your automotive news?

hooniverse

That’s all I’ve got for you this week, so now it’s your turn. If you saw anything, fixed something, broke everything, or otherwise did anything even remotely car related that you want to share with your fellow hoon, sound off in the comments.

Have a good weekend.

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36 responses to “The News for May 22nd, 2020”

  1. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    I don’t think Volvo’s decision is coming out of thin air. They have done cutting edge crash research since the 1930s, with their own on-site-teams often arriving before ambulances and police in the Gothenburg area. Crashes above that speed of 180 kph might not be particularly common, but they are severe. All motorway research points towards not high speed being an issue, but high speed differences. So limiting the top speed and expecting that most people move between 110-150 kph could make a difference. That said, I still follow the German Volvo forum that I started in 2001 and these people do travel with the cruise control set to 200-230 kph. The outcry in Germany was audible, and Volvo is certainly distinguishing itself from the horsepower wars the German brands are engaged in. In most countries though, I don’t even think this speed limit matters.

  2. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    Wait, Volvo is finally considering the safety of people outside the Volvo? Damn 2020 is s weird fuckin’ year. This is gonna take some getting used to. From my earliest days as a motorcyclist the word has always been, “Watch out for the damned Volvos!” My housemate had her leg broken twice, both Volvos. The drivers (face it, in the 80s & 90s they were all daft suburban yuppies) were so smugly secure in their safety cages that they were a menace to everyone else on the road, two footed, two wheeled or otherwise.
    The rules were:
    Volvo: Daft yuppie not paying attention, wildcard, changes lanes and slams on brakes at will. Baffled by 4-way stops.
    Porsche: Aggressive yuppie who will try the most daring maneuvers, harmless, can generally be counted on to stick the landing.
    BMW: Daft & Aggressive yuppie that will try to do exactly what the Porsche just did but flub it embarrassingly because that’s a sedan not a sports car.

  3. Sjalabais Avatar
    Sjalabais

    I don’t think Volvo’s decision is coming out of thin air. They have done cutting edge crash research since the 1930s, with their own on-site-teams often arriving before ambulances and police in the Gothenburg area. Crashes above that speed of 180 kph might not be particularly common, but they are severe. All motorway research points towards not high speed being an issue, but high speed differences. So limiting the top speed and expecting that most people move between 110-150 kph could make a difference. That said, I still follow the German Volvo forum that I started in 2001 and these people do travel with the cruise control set to 200-230 kph. The outcry in Germany was audible, and Volvo is certainly distinguishing itself from the horsepower wars the German brands are engaged in. In most countries though, I don’t even think this speed limit matters.

    1. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      Every JDM (as in cars sold in Japan, not JDM yo! brigade in a USDM Nissan 240SX or Honda Civic) car has had this limit for years, and yet Wangan runs in Skylines and Supras still happened. HKS Speed Limit Defender devices just found a new market. 😉

    2. Fuhrman16 Avatar
      Fuhrman16

      I kinda agree with you. Where in the world, besides unrestricted sections of the Autobahn, are such speeds even legal? In the U.S. for example, the highest legal speed limit is 85, and that’s only for a few bits on Texas freeways. And are there really all that many people driving around at triple digit speeds?
      And honestly, this isn’t anything really all that new. Every modern GM and Mopar (at the time) car I grew up driving in were governed to a top speed of around that anyways.

      1. Zentropy Avatar
        Zentropy

        I’ve never understood why cars were able to go so fast. I’ve been in triple digits (mph) probably once in the past 15 years, and that was for a few seconds. It’s not legal, and not necessary. I don’t understand why Volvo went so high as 112 mph. Why not 90?

        Granted, I’ve never been too keen on speed. Acceleration, on the other hand, I fully appreciate.

        1. Sjalabais Avatar
          Sjalabais

          This depends a lot on context. European motorways are usually limited to either 90, 110 or 130 kph. Add in the 10% extra driving schools teach as a requirement “so you don’t stop traffic” and 150 kph is a must. The smallest cars can do that today, though, my mother even made it to 180 (speedo-) kph in a 90 hp Twingo with us kids inside 25 years ago.

          I also remember a newspaper article from the 90s, written by an American auto journo and translated to German. He used big words about he had looked forward to driving on the Autobahn. Rented a Porsche. Finally got to 180 kph, carefully. The piece ended with him being totally perplexed when he was passed at that speed by a granny in her Golf GTI, with a family in a BMW wagon flashing at her to, in turn, pass her.

      2. ptschett Avatar
        ptschett

        Where in the world, besides unrestricted sections of the Autobahn, are such speeds even legal?
        The way I understand it, a modern production street-legal car can be raced all day at an NHRA 1/4-mile dragstrip as long as it doesn’t cross the finish line going faster than 135 MPH or get there in under 10 seconds, as, can I say… DEMONstrated? by FCA recently.
        https://www.nhra.com/news/2017/why-dodge-challenger-srt-demon-blurs-nhra-s-lines-between-street-and-strip

        (Heck… the lowly 5.7L Hemi Challenger R/T w/ 8-speed automatic ought to be able to do 1/4-mile finish line speeds near 110 MPH without too much work. My record in my 2015’s performance pages is something like 13.5 at 105 just fooling around on an empty asphalt backroad, and I have the “all season” tires rather than the June/July/August“3-season” tires that my car’s Super Track Pack option usually would have brought to it.)

      3. ptschett Avatar
        ptschett

        Where in the world, besides unrestricted sections of the Autobahn, are such speeds even legal?
        The way I understand it, a modern production street-legal car can be raced all day at an NHRA 1/4-mile dragstrip as long as it doesn’t cross the finish line going faster than 135 MPH or get there in under 10 seconds, as, can I say… DEMONstrated? by FCA recently.
        https://www.nhra.com/news/2017/why-dodge-challenger-srt-demon-blurs-nhra-s-lines-between-street-and-strip

        (Heck… the lowly 5.7L Hemi Challenger R/T w/ 8-speed automatic ought to be able to do 1/4-mile finish line speeds near 110 MPH without too much work. My record in my 2015’s performance pages is something like 13.5 at 105 just fooling around on an empty asphalt backroad, and I have the “all season” tires rather than the June/July/August“3-season” tires that my car’s Super Track Pack option usually would have brought to it.)

    3. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      It also means they can equip the cars with cheap S-rated tires, and owners can similarly replace those with other cheap tires.

      Are Volvo police cars Polestars?
      https://assets.volvocars.com/police/~/media/row/police/policecars_exteriorfeature2_2.jpg

      1. Monkey10is Avatar
        Monkey10is

        It is not just lower rated tyres, but lower top speeds could mean smaller brakes mean less pressure to increase wheel sizes at every model refresh and at least a chance of tyres with compliance in the sidewall rather than ultra low profile wheel wrappers.

        1. theskitter Avatar

          Brilliant.

      2. Scoutdude Avatar
        Scoutdude

        Yup I was going to say that means they can stick with cheaper tires.

    4. nanoop Avatar

      Grown up in northern Germany I have done a couple of stints above 200kph in Germany in my life, although rather a few dozens, not hundreds. Straight speed is either boring (when conditions are good) or stressful (a sign you’re actually too fast for the conditions). It never struck me as a satisfying, effective means of travel. Then again, I am not a traveling salesman.
      Maybe it’s jading, or age, or both, but today I enjoy it much better to whip cars around roundabouts when no-one is looking. Ironically, the last time I’d hit above 180 was in Denmark (national limit is 130kph, and the car was on temporary places which wouldn’t facilitate the fining process and hence, increase the cost of a ticket…), running for a ferry because I lost so much time in clogged, jammed, crowded freedom-of-speed-Germany.

      I don’t know how important Germany is to Volvo, and how their customer base is looking at this today, but a couple of decades ago, safety and reliability were big sales points. Teachers that wanted sporty got themselves a Saab, which came strictly turbo’ed.

  4. mdharrell Avatar

    My 66 GL has an unreachable hypothetical top speed of 90 mph, so if Volvo decides to offer their 112 mph system as a no-cost safety retrofit for older models, I might be interested.

    1. crank_case Avatar
      crank_case

      Will it work in reverse too?

      1. mdharrell Avatar

        Currently it works equally well in both directions, so I would certainly expect that functionality to be retained.

        1. crank_case Avatar
          crank_case

          Currently it works equally well in both directions

          Technically the truth…

          1. Vairship Avatar
            Vairship

            The aerodynamics are about equal in both directions too… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96z4J0QO7M8

          2. crank_case Avatar
            crank_case

            I don’t understand Dutch, but why is a Snooker player reviewing a Volvo?

          3. Vairship Avatar
            Vairship

            He’s trying to snooker you into buying it?
            (I figured that might be Harrie Arendsen himself, although he looks young to be owning the dealership).

          4. mdharrell Avatar

            Ah, but that’s a 66 DL whereas mine’s a 66 GL. Completely different, um, badges…

          5. Vairship Avatar
            Vairship

            Grand Luxe instead of Deluxe Luxe? Or does it stand for something else in SweDutch?

          6. mdharrell Avatar

            Grand Luxe vs. De Luxe. I understand there are several minor differences, although I’ve never had a chance to examine a DL. The big difference, such as it is, is whether it has the Renault Cléon-Fonte 1.3 (GL) or 1.1 (DL) engine.

  5. Batshitbox Avatar
    Batshitbox

    Wait, Volvo is finally considering the safety of people outside the Volvo? Damn 2020 is s weird fuckin’ year. This is gonna take some getting used to. From my earliest days as a motorcyclist the word has always been, “Watch out for the damned Volvos!” My housemate had her leg broken twice, both Volvos. The drivers (face it, in the 80s & 90s they were all daft suburban yuppies) were so smugly secure in their safety cages that they were a menace to everyone else on the road, two footed, two wheeled or otherwise.
    The rules were:
    Volvo: Daft yuppie not paying attention, wildcard, changes lanes and slams on brakes at will. Baffled by 4-way stops.
    Porsche: Aggressive yuppie who will try the most daring maneuvers, harmless, can generally be counted on to stick the landing.
    BMW: Daft & Aggressive yuppie that will try to do exactly what the Porsche just did but flub it embarrassingly because that’s a sedan not a sports car.

    1. mdharrell Avatar

      “Volvo: Daf…”

      True.

      1. Batshitbox Avatar
        Batshitbox

        DAF joke dad joke. x2 multiplier!

    2. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Top Gear’s review of the S60R, with Jeremy blinking right and turning left, has that stereotype covered…

  6. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    The Alpina can go 0-60 in 4 seconds, but I wonder how fast it can go from 0-60,000 miles past warranty expiration.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Did you mean 0-60,000 dollars past warranty expiration? About two years…

      1. 0A5599 Avatar
        0A5599

        Well, I meant that it won’t accumulate miles very rapidly while it is waiting for expensive worn-out parts to be replaced by labor-intensive methods, but you summarized that nicely with a different metric.

  7. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    Because nothing is sacred in the Church of Capitalism, if they’re gonna throw t-tops on the Hummer (which I am all for), somebody better greenlight a Smokey And The Bandit remake ASAP.

  8. wunno sev Avatar
    wunno sev

    i think the context to remember with the speed limiter is that Volvo targets zero deaths in the cars they sell. intense speeds are kind of low-hanging fruit for this – it doesn’t take a lot to kill you at those speeds. practically, not many people do hit triple digits….but if your goal is zero, one person crashing at 150 is enough to ruin your whole year.

    i have taken a Volvo to 130 mph before. with a trunk full of like ten guns. super pleased with how it handled the high speed. #america

  9. salguod Avatar

    My car news this weekend is that I managed to exercise all 3 of my cars. Took the truck to Home Depot to pick up some shelving and to the recycling center to dispose of all the packaging from that shelving. First drive for it in a couple of weeks.

    Got the BMW out for the first time in several days and put gas in it for the first time in over 2 months. Didn’t really need it, but I needed gas in the can for the mower so I figured I would go ahead and fill up with the cheap-ish premium.

    And I got the Thunderbird out for the first time this season. Just a short trip, but she’s ready to go now.

  10. Wayward David Avatar
    Wayward David

    My automotive news this week involves a purchase. A minty one owner 2001 Buick Park Avenue literally showed up at my house last Friday. Originally owned by a little old lady from Hemet, CA who managed to put a total of 43,000 miles on the thing over the last 19 years. Interior is perfect, body is good except for a couple of ‘senior citizen scrapes’ on the rear fenders, runs great, has new brakes and newish tires. Pearl white over tan leather, all for under a grand. Bought it with a friend with the idea of cleaning it up and finding it a new home at a modest profit. We’ll see how that goes.

    1. Sjalabais Avatar
      Sjalabais

      Whut? How did you get it that cheap? As a kid, I bought these catalogues “all production cars in the world” and the Buick Park Avenue was one of my favourites. Graduated from school in 2002, but that generation is absolutely gorgeous in my eyes.