The Volkswagen ID. R Electric Race Car Broke Multiple World Records and Then Retired

by Gabrielle DeSantis

It’s great to go out on top, and the Volkswagen ID. R did just that. After an impressive but short lifespan, the record-setting electric race car was retired along with the rest of the Volkswagen racing program. However, the influence of the Volkswagen ID. R will still be felt in the rest of Volkswagen’s ID. electric lineup.

The Volkswagen ID. R electric race car

The Volkswagen ID. R electric race car | Volkswagen of America, Inc. Newspress Limited

The Volkswagen ID. R first appeared in 2018. The race car is powered by two electric motors, with one on each axle. Together they produce 507 kW, 680 hp, and 479 lb-ft of torque, says Green Car Congress. This electric race car can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.25 seconds, and it has a top speed of 263.1 mph.

The Volkswagen ID. R’s electric speed and power have enabled it to break and set several world records in different races worldwide. Two notable examples are its triumphs at Pikes Peak and Nürburgring. In June 2018, it set a track record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, with 7:57.148 minutes. Meanwhile, tt set the electric record at the Nürburgring in June 2019, with a time of 6:05.336 minutes. This was faster than the previous record by 40.564 seconds, reports Volkswagen and the ID. R had an average speed of 204.96 km/h (127.36 mph).

In September 2019, the VW ID. R set another record, posting the fastest time going up the Tianmen Shan Big Gate Road in China, with 7:38.585 minutes, reports Top Gear. For all of these appearances, Romain Dumas was the record-setting driver.

The end of the ID. R and Volkswagen motorsports

At the end of 2020, Volkswagen announced that it would close its motorsport division and focus its resources on mass-market electric vehicles (EVs), reports VW ID. Talk. By 2025, Volkswagen plans to invest about $86 billion into developing electric technologies. This large investment makes it difficult for Volkswagen to continue funding its expensive racing program as well.

This decision affects the ID. R and customer racing programs but doesn’t affect the racing programs with Audi or Porsche that also exist under the Volkswagen Group umbrella. Additionally, despite being a fully electric car, the Volkswagen ID. R is being retired due to the entire VW racing division closing. However, lessons learned from VW’s electric race car will be found in other Volkswagen EVs, including the currently available Volkswagen ID.4.

Other Volkswagen ID. vehicles

The Volkswagen ID .line will still continue without the ID. R. While the ID. R electric race car will no longer be around, lessons learned from it, including information about a battery’s power density, will be used in future ID. models. For those wondering, the ID. signifiers of Volkswagen’s EV lineup stand for Intelligent Design and are followed by numbers to differentiate each model. This Volkswagen naming system has lower numbers used for smaller models and higher numbers used for larger models.

The Volkswagen ID.3 compact hatchback is available in Europe, and the Volkswagen ID.4 compact crossover is available in the U.S. Two smaller cars, the ID.1 and ID.2, are planned for Europe, says CarBuzz. The ID.5 will be a coupe version of the ID.4, but it isn’t scheduled to arrive in the U.S. The ID.6 will be a large crossover, but it’s unclear if it will be exclusive to China. With seven seats, it would be a great addition to the U.S. market. Additionally, the ID. Buzz microbus is currently a concept vehicle that is soon moving into production.

While the Volkswagen ID. R has been retired, its design has helped provide lessons on building performance electric vehicles, and its world records helped publicize the possibilities of EVs. It will live on in the ID. range of vehicles.

RELATED: Tesla Model 3 vs. Volkswagen ID. 4: Which Is More Reliable?

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The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX Struggles With Normal Truck Stuff

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Is it a bird or a plane? No, it’s the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX super-truck! We aren’t sure if the Ram 1500 TRX is here to save the day, but it does make things more exciting for off-roading. However, this massive beast isn’t excused from daily driving, and with great power comes great responsibility. 

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX Could Be Better With Everyday Things

2021 Ram 1500 TRX | Ram

We know that the 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is an excellent option for racing through the desert and off-roading. But this beast begins at about $70,325. So, the chances are that people who purchase this truck may use it as a daily driver instead of only adventuring. 

Using the Ram TRX as a daily driver may become a little tricky due to its features and sheer size. For example, the TRX is 88 inches wide. The average full-size truck is only about 80 inches wide. Also, the TRX is 80.9 inches tall, while the average truck is 76.4 inches tall. It weighs 6,396 lbs, and the average truck weighs about 5,000 lbs. 

It might be difficult staying in narrow lanes or fitting this massive beast into tiny parking spots or your garage. The added weight could make it harder to stop with longer braking times too. Also, climbing in and out of this tall ride could be a challenge. 

Ram TRX issues with daily driving 

The gigantic 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is thirsty. It gets an EPA-estimated 10 mpg in the city and up to 14 mpg on the highway. It has a 33-gallon fuel tank capacity, but you may find yourself filling up more often than expected. 

A 6.2-liter V8 engine with 702 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque comes standard. It can fly from 0 to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds and has a quarter-mile time of 12.7 seconds. This is all very exciting until you experience this massive truck in heavy traffic. 

On the road, you’ll only want to accelerate with your big toe. According to Jalopnik, the throttle is pretty jumpy. You might get sent flying forward by accident until you get used to the way this truck handles. 

The height of the nose can hamper visibility, making it difficult to see what’s in front of you. With quick acceleration, the front end can lift up, making it even more challenging to see. Also, the brakes and steering feel disconnected, and you may experience a disconcerting body roll. 

But for off-roading, the Bilstein shocks provide a comfortable ride. The launch control sends you flying. The sound-view camera helps you navigate over steep inclines, and more. It’s tons of fun in the wild. 

The TRX doesn’t have the best daily driving features 

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX parked on a reflective surface
2021 Ram 1500 TRX | RAM

The 2021 Ram 1500 TRX is incredibly loud. This is both a positive and negative feature. Some fans will love to hear this beast roar. But others may feel awkward when they wake up the entire neighborhood. 

The touchscreen has a bit of a learning curve. There are tons of menus and buttons to click for everyday functions. While off-roading, the screen quickly gets covered in dust and fingerprints, making it difficult to see. Also, the digital display rearview mirror takes some time to get used to. Your eyes need to adjust to the brightness of the screen and the one-dimensional appearance. 

You get regular cruise control and adaptive cruise control with the Ram 1500 TRX, so pay attention. Using the wrong mode could have you getting too close to the vehicles in front of you without realizing it. 

We aren’t calling the Ram TRX a lousy truck. It’s phenomenal. However, before going all-in on this large and in charge off-roader, consider how you’ll enjoy it as a daily driver. It will take a little extra fuel and practice for maneuvering in tight city areas.

RELATED: The Tesla Cybertruck Outperforms the Ram 1500 TRX

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The 2021 McLaren GT Has One Magical Luxury Feature all High-End Cars Should Adopt

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Having a moon roof or sun roof in many cars is highly desirable, especially for drivers who love the feeling of a comfortable but don’t want to own one. It gives our vehicles a sense of spaciousness, but it isn’t always that convenient. With the sporty, sloping rooflines of many McLaren supercars, the roof itself is designed as a piece of glass that gives the cabin a roomy feeling, but it also lets in a lot of light that can’t be blocked out with the closing of a fabric screen door, like on some moon roofs. To resolve this issue, McLaren has used their expertise in technology to develop a feature that is truly magical and will leave any owner showing it off to anyone who gets into the car: an electrochromic glass roof.

How does the McLaren electrochromic glass roof work?

The McLaren GT | Martyn Lucy, Getty Images

The electrochromic glass roof in the McLaren GT allows the driver or passenger to dim or brighten the entire glass roof with the press of a button — and it pretty much looks like a magic trick when it happens. This process is seemingly automatic, taking only a second to go from complete visibility to cool darkness. While it seems like magic, the electrochromic glass is actually a work of technological art, and the science behind it is fascinating. On the surface, it appears that the glass roof works with the simple press of a button located above the rearview mirror, but the science and technology in play are much more complicated.

The science behind the new McLaren glass roof

The McLaren glass roof uses electrochromic glass, which is about as technologically complicated as it sounds. The glass roof is adjusted with an electromagnetic current that essentially turns the tinting on or off, going from a completely clear glass roof to a dark, tinted glass roof that offers plenty of shade and a few variations in between. It is essentially a form of smart glass, and while McLaren may have been one of the first to bring it to the automotive world, the technology itself has been around for quite some time. With this technology, the opacity of the glass itself is being altered by an electric voltage.

Should more cars adopt this glass roof style?

The electrochromic glass roof is more of a luxury than a necessity but an impressive one nonetheless. With many high-end luxury cars, having a feature like this would offer drivers a unique experience as well as giving them the option of showing off a rather neat technological advancement. It isn’t unusual for supercars to introduce new technology and features that will eventually trickle down to consumer vehicles, and while that isn’t always the case, it has held true in many instances, though this often takes time as new technology often become more affordable and reliable over time and as they advance.

This technology is still rather new in the way of widespread applications, making it a good option for a luxury car and supercar manufacturers looking to give their vehicles the latest technology that isn’t widely available or used.

RELATED: Robb Report Names the McLaren 765LT ‘Best Supercar of 2021″

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Why Does Consumer Reports Prefer the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek to the 2021 Mazda CX-30?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

If you want an SUV, but you don’t need anything too big, you may be looking at the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek or 2021 Mazda CX-30. What are the key differences between the two? Why does Consumer Reports give the Crosstrek a higher score? Let’s compare the ratings between the two. 

2021 Mazda CX-30 | Mazda

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek’s road test score is way higher than the 2021 Mazda CX-30

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek scores a good 3/5 for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in 10.2 seconds. 

Its transmission scores a 4/5. Routine and emergency handling both receive a very good 4/5. The Subaru Crosstrek’s max avoidance speed is 55 mph. The Subaru Crosstrek gets a perfect 5/5 for its braking. It can brake from 60 mph on dry pavement in 125 feet and 136 feet on wet pavement. The Crosstrek’s headlights only score a 3/5.

As far as comfort, the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek gets a very good 4/5 for its ride. However, it’s fairly quiet: it scores a 4 for its noise. Unfortunately, front-seat comfort is lacking, with just a 3/5. Rear seat comfort gets a 4/5. Interior fit and finish get an okay 3. The trunk and cargo space scores only a 2/5, with just 27.5 cubic feet of storage space.

The 2021 Mazda CX-30 still has solid road test ratings

Consumer Reports gives the 2021 Mazda CX-30 scores a good 3/5 for its acceleration. It can reach 0 to 60 in 8.7 seconds. Its transmission scores a 4/5. Routine and emergency handling both receive a very good 4/5. The Mazda CX-30’s max avoidance speed is 54 mph. The Mazda CX-30 gets a perfect 4/5 for its braking. It can brake from 60 mph on dry pavement in 133 feet and 147 feet on wet pavement. The CX-30’s headlights only score a 3/5.

As far as comfort, the 2021 Mazda CX-30 gets an okay 3/5 for its ride, as well as for noise. Front-seat comfort is pretty good, at a 4/5. Rear seat comfort gets only a 3/5. Interior fit and finish get a very good 4/5. The trunk and cargo space scores only a 1/5, with just 21.5 cubic feet of storage space.

Safety equipment is more plentiful in the CX-30

The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek comes standard with surprisingly few safety features across the board. Only a rear view camera, anti lock brakes, traction control, stability control, and daytime running lights are standard. Certain transmissions and trim levels may come with more.

Optional are forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking for the city and highway, lane keeping assistance, lane departure warning, pedestrian detection, blind spot warning, and rear cross traffic warning. 

Both the IIHS and NHTSA have crash-tested the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek. The IIHS gives it all good ratings. The NHTSA gives it five stars for overall crash, but just four stars for overall frontal-crash, overall frontal-crash: driver, and overall frontal-crash: passenger side. The overall side crash, overall side crash: driver and passenger sides, and side pole crash are all five stars. The rating for the 4WD rollover is four stars.

The 2021 Mazda CX-30 comes standard with a decent amount of safety features. Forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking for the city and highway, lane keeping assistance, lane departure warning, and pedestrian detection are all standard in the 2021 Mazda CX-30. So are a rear view camera, anti lock brakes, traction control, stability control, and daytime running lights. Optional are blind spot warning and rear cross traffic warning. 

Both the IIHS and NHTSA have crash-tested the 2021 Mazda CX-30. The IIHS gives it all good ratings. The NHTSA gives it five stars for everything except for its rollover rating. The rating for both the 2WD and 4WD rollover is four stars.

Overall, these two subcompact SUVs have very good ratings, and they’re both recommended by Consumer Reports. Despite the CX-30’s abundance of safety features and excellent crash-test ratings, it only scores a 75 in Consumer Reports overall rating. On the other hand, the Crosstrek gets an 84. Still, you may want to consider comparing specific categories that are aligned with your priorities to determine which is the right SUV for you.

RELATED: Fido Friendly: The 5 Best Cars for Dog Owners

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