Nate Deremer, of Deremer Studios, LLC JCC’s official photographer, visited Daytona International Speedway November 4-8, 2020 for the HSR Classic 24 Hour at Daytona presented by IMSA.
The HSR (Historic Sportscar Racing, LLC) Classic 24 Hour is a yearly event open to cars that were raced from 1960 through 2013 at Daytona. A little tweak to the 24 Hour tradition, instead of running all the cars throughout the night the field is divided into race groups from specific periods that are run at four different times throughout a 24 hour period. Each race consists of 45 minutes of track time which includes a five-minute pit stop for non-mandatory driver changes.
Nate’s photos are always incredible and his shots at Daytona’s historic racetrack do not disappoint. View the photo album on the Deremer Studios, LLC website at
“I was in a head on collision that totaled my 2012 mustang GT. A few weeks later I met my (soon to be) wife and consulted her while I was in the market for a new car. After having one sports car totaled I was not discouraged in my ownership of a performance driving machine.
I was considering the 370Z, GT86, and 2017 Camaro ZL1. I was a few months from being deployed so it was ether get something lower down now or wait till post deployment and get a ZL1. I decided to get something then and build it up as I went. I had a friend take me to the nissan dealership as they had the base model 370Z.
Cody’s 2017 Nissan 370z on the showroom floor with 67 miles on the odometer. Magnetic black with graphite grey wheels and black interior. Photos courtesy of Cody.
After sitting in it I was set, I didn’t even need to go look at the GT86. Four hours later after a lot of haggling over the price I walked out with the keys to a 2017 Nissan 370Z from the show room floor with 67 miles on the odometer.
One of the first things I did was drop in a set of resonated down pipes to get rid of the constricted exhaust sound. As I was working on this I had just removed the cats when the auto hobby center on the base had to close. I left, moving my car with open headers out of the shop and to the parking lot where I was hit by a distracted driver on the driver quarter panel and wheel and he pushed on and creased my door as well. Insurance covered the $4,500 in damage. The collision center worked on my car after I left for deployment just two days after the accident. My wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, and her mom picked my car up from the shop for me.
Upon returning home for a month break in our deployment, I installed my down pipes. Sounded amazing but there was still some restriction from the factory intakes. After that deployment I married my wife. A few months passed and we began working up to another deployment. I had to leave for a month in the middle of moving into our new house. When I returned my wife had bought me a cold air intake I had been looking at before I left.
With the restrictiveness of the factory components removed I put the breaks on modifications for few months then I bought a set of pedal covers, a 5 point harness, and weighted shift knob. Fast forward till after second deployment and I got a bucket seat where in I manufactured my own seat brackets. After that it was time for new tires and with that I installed slotted rotors and higher temp brake pads. Puts us at the current time in history.”
Cody’s Story
“I was born and raised in Alaska. Single income poverty line family of six. My step dad worked in construction and as a hunting guide during summer months. Winters were slow for him, so we were always under the pressure of making bills.
Cody and his Z .
As I grew up I was interested in trucks, dirt bikes, guns, and airplanes. The last I pursued to a great extent; working at the local airport for an aircraft mechanic as work study at the age of fourteen. I was home schooled, so it was not uncommon for me to do my school late in the evening after spending eight to ten hours in the hanger. I was also a participant in the Talkeetna branch of Build a Plane.
After my boss at the airport moved, I went to work for a machine shop making aircraft parts but was forced to quit after my school load took up too much time and I was unable to balance a full time job there. Later that school year I went to work on tourist aircraft for a few months.
Cody’s favorite co-pilot
After graduating I enrolled in AVTEC, a trade school in Seward AK. I started in their industrial electrical program but due to difficulties in understanding and keeping pace with the other thirty one students, the two instructors encouraged me to move to a different program. I did and found a last minute seat in the structural welding program.
Now for a later life point of view – I was not the greatest student. But I had a natural talent for welding and it was the program I initially wanted to get into but it had been full at the time I had enrolled earlier. After graduating with high marks. I went to work for my parents company that was still in the process of growing while I waited for my resume to be noticed. But after half a year I enlisting in the navy as an AE.
After boot camp and initial schooling I got orders to a helicopter squadron in Jacksonville Florida. Where I discovered trucks were impractical, but sportscars?
Thus my car guy phase started and has been fueled since, with no indication of stopping.”
Interested in showcasing your ride? Send us a message at chris@firstcoastcarculture.com
From behind the steering wheel the redesigned 2020 AMG CLA, whether it is the 35 or 45, is a sports car. AMG’s precise steering and on-point suspension produces an inspiring handling package. The turbocharged engine and dual-clutch transmission yield excellent acceleration and the AMG brake package provides confident stopping power.
Sit in the front passenger’s seat or plant yourself in the rear seating and the CLA becomes a luxurious family-friendly sedan (although Mercedes refers to it as a coupe because of the styling). We aren’t saying that the compact CLA will meet the needs of every family, but AMG has done a lot to make the enthusiast darling more practical for 2020. Thanks to a nicely-appointed interior that is bigger than the outgoing model with added (and greatly appreciated) rear headroom, the CLA becomes a true competitor in the highly competitive compact luxury sedan segment.
Three Variants of CLA
For 2020, the CLA sedan is offered in three different trim levels: the base CLA 250, and the two cars that we spent time with: the AMG CLA 35 and AMG CLA 45.
The CLA 250 is powered by turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that is rated at 221 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. The base 250 model is front-wheel-drive, but Mercedes’ 4Matic all-wheel-drive is available as an option.
2020 AMG CLA 45
The AMG CLA 35 includes a more powerful version of the 2.0-liter turbo rated at 302 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. For many years 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque was the magic formula for a brilliant sports car and with close to those numbers, it is hard to deny the performance of the CLA 35. Zero to sixty takes 4.8 seconds (less by some outlets). All-wheel-drive and the AMG performance additions make the 35 a strong contender in the segment. Both the 250 and 35 are equipped with an intuitive seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
2020 AMG CLA 35
If the 35’s bump boost isn’t enough; the AMG 45 turns up the volume to the tune of 382 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. Mashing the accelerator to the floor yields gasps from passengers and contentment from even the most discerning enthusiasts. All-wheel-drive and the AMG suspension, coupled with the hardy dual-clutch EIGHT speed automatic transmission means nearly instant traction; the launch can be quite visceral.
Exterior Styling That Makes an Impression
Thanks to a “sharknose” grille and a svelte silhouette, the CLA looks professional yet aggressive. Yes, the design is a bit flashy but the Mercedes design team shows great restraint avoiding clichés and over styling in favor of simple flowing lines. The result is a sedan that almost passes for a sports coupe – even when you’re staring directly at the rear C-pillar. Standard features on the base 250 include LED headlights and taillights, a panorama roof and 18-inch alloy wheels. AMG 35 and 45 models get 19-inch wheels, unique grilles and a list of AMG exterior touches.
A Tech-filled Interior that is Sporty-Comfortable
2020 AMG CLA 35
The CLA is equipped with Mercedes-Benz’s newest infotainment system, Mercedes-Benz User Experience or MBUX. The system is intuitive and looks great. Our AMG review vehicles included a digital voice assistant that responds to the word “Mercedes.” We found ourselves asking Mercedes about the coming weekend’s weather in exotica locales, just to know what we were missing. The system is highly configurable and works well with Apple and Android devices.
2020 AMG CLA 45
AMG models include a set of performance apps that provide the driver with important information at a glance. Our favorite setting provided instant horsepower and torque numbers along with engine oil and transmission oil temperatures all displayed on the 10.25-inch touchscreen display.
Standard active safety features include active brake assist, emergency call service, attention assist, blind spot assist, rearview camera and crosswind assist. Additionally, the all models also come with 8 air bags, an electric parking brake, rain-sensing windshield wipers and an antitheft alarm system.
The 2020 CLA 250 starts at $36,650. The AMG CLA 35 and 45 start at $46,900 and $54,800 respectively.
Photo and information courtesy of The Ponte Vedra Auto Show.
The Ponte Vedra Auto Show is open and free to spectators. The show features up to 200 classic and collector cars! Jacksonville Car Culture’s Chris Brewer will be on hand to help judge the 50th Anniversary of the Z Car special display.
The show takes place on the Nocatee Event Field located at
245 Nocatee Center Way, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32081
Parking for the event is free!
About
The Ponte Vedra Auto show is presented by Art ‘n Motion in association with the St. Johns County Chamber of Commerce and the St. Johns County Tourism Development Council.
“They Said I Could Never Finish; So I Finished First.”
Ewy Rosqvist, winner of the 1962 Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix with Ursula Wirth in a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE.
Stumbled upon this very cool 1962 Mercedes-Benz 220 SE Matchbox at my local Walmart. Not a bad way to invest $1. Ewy’s story is legendary. She was the first female Touring Car Grand Prix Winner, proving the “experts” wrong and breaking barriers along the way. This little toy is worth having simply as a reminder that anything is possible with hard work, dedication and believing in yourself.
From Mercedes-Benz Classic (Daimler:AG): “The first race for Rosqvist and Wirth in their top-end Mercedes-Benz 220 SE (W 111) Saloon was the four-day Swedish Rally to the Midnight Sun (12 to 16 June 1962) where they immediately secured the women’s cup. They took 6th place in the 22nd Rajd Polski (2 to 6 June 1962) and then came in 12th in the Liège–Sofia–Liège Rally (29 August to 3 September 1962) before going on to win the Argentinian Touring Car Grand Prix. Ewy Rosqvist and Ursula Wirth won all six stages of this 4,624-kilometre race in course records, triggering enthusiastic celebrations on their arrival in Buenos Aires. It was probably the biggest success in Ewy Rosqvist’s glittering career. To seal this victory Ewy Rosqvist not only succeeded in dominating the race, she also increased the average speed from 121.234 km/h to 126.872 km/h compared to the previous year’s winning duo (Walter Schock and Manfred Schiek in a Mercedes-Benz 220 SE).”
Racer, writer, broadcaster, entrepreneur and motivational speaker Lyn St. James is the Honoree of the 26 th annual Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance scheduled for May 20-23, 2021.
Lyn’s life is a high speed motorsports adventure. Her racing career began in a Ford Pinto –her daily driver – in the 1970s and had its grand finale more than two decades later in a special commemorative ceremony on the “yard of bricks” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Lyn at the Indianapolis 500 in 1993. Photo courtesy of Lyn St. James.
Her first titles were a pair of regional south Florida road racing championships. She moved up quickly racing a Corvette at Sebring, Palm Beach and Daytona. A brave class victory in the punishing 1979 24 Hours of the Nurburgring racing an AMC Spirit AMX sponsored by BF Goodrich is an exotic and sometimes overlooked line on Lyn’s deep resume. By then corporate America liked what they were seeing and hearing from the racer from Willoughby, OH.
She graduated to the pro ranks in the 1980s as a Ford factory racer. In 1984 Autoweek magazine named her Rookie of the Year in IMSA’s GTO class. A year later she won IMSA’s Norelco Driver of the Year award. That was a very good year: an IMSA GTO victory came in August 1985 at Road America in the Lowenbrau Classic. A month later, on one of her favorite tracks, the full Grand Prix course at Watkins Glen, Lyn scored an unprecedented and still unequalled solo IMSA GTO class victory in the Serengeti Drivers New York 500 racing a Roush Mustang. The eighties also saw two class victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona.
Lyn celebrates after winning the IMSA GTO class at the Serengeti Drivers New York 500 at Watkins Glen in 1985. Photo courtesy of Lyn St. James.
For Lyn the eighties were fast and productive. In 1988 she set a closed course speed record for women at 212.577 mph in a Bill Elliott-built Thunderbird. That was just one of 21 national and international speed records Lyn authored. She earned another page in the record books with an Indy 500 qualifying lap of 227.32 mph that stood as a record for women until Sarah Fisher’s lap of 229.675 mph qualifying for the 2002 “500.”
In 1989 she entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans driving a Ford-powered Spice. Another classic race course and even though her car retired on Sunday morning Lyn logged a lot of seat time. She returned to the classic French 24 Hours in 1991 with two-time World Sports Car Championship race winner Desiré Wilson and Cathy Muller, but their Cosworth-powered Spice prototype lasted just 47 laps. In 1990, Lyn earned yet another GTO class win in another famous classic endurance race, the 12 Hours of Sebring, with a Mercury Cougar XR-7.
Lyn gives a thumbs up after qualifying for the Indy 500 in 1992. Photo courtesy of Lyn St. James.
It was a visit to the Indy 500 with her mother in 1966 that revealed Lyn’s passion for motorsport. Her Indy 500 career began with a surprise test at Memphis Motorsports Park in a Dick Simon Racing Lola. Things began to move quickly. Lyn’s commercial, marketing and persuasive skills brought JCPenney to her Indy rookie program.
On Memorial Day 1992, Lyn raced her JCPenney sponsored Lola/Chevy — the Spirit of the American Woman — to eleventh place, becoming the first woman to win Indy’s prestigious Rookie of the Year award.
Even today she is quick to remind us that she still holds the record as Indy’s oldest Rookie of the Year winner. Eight years and seven Indy 500s later Lyn retired from Indy Car competition with career earnings of nearly $1.2 million.
Lyn St. James behind the wheel of the JCPenney sponsored Lola during the Indy 500. Photo courtesy of Lyn St. James.
Lyn’s strong entrepreneurial streak first emerged in an auto components business that fused with her passion for racing. Her ability to see and understand motorsport from the perspective of the cockpit and the boardroom has been a constant asset during her long tenure in and around motorsport. In 2010 those skills were honored by Automotive News as one of The Top 100 Women in the Automotive Industry. Sports Illustrated named her one of the “Top 100 Women Athletes of the Century.”
She has been a spokesperson for Ford, appeared in Rolex ads and is the founder of the Lyn St. James Foundation (a 501(c)(3) charitable organization) for the education, training and advancement of women in automotive fields. She has also served on the board of Kettering University, a top engineering school.
Lyn served as President of the Women’s Sports Foundation from 1990 to 1993. In 1994 Lyn was inducted to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame; Working Woman Magazine included her as one of the Top 350 Women Who Changed the World between 1976 and 1996. She’s been summoned to The White House for civic honors by three consecutive Presidents — Reagan, Bush and Clinton.
“Lyn has been an integral part of the racing community for years and followed in the steps of the likes of Elizabeth Junek, Janet Guthrie, and Lella Lombardi who won races, set records and broke barriers,” said Bill Warner, founder and Chairman of the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. “Lyn earned her stripes driving a wide variety of race cars starting in club racing with her daily driver, a Ford Pinto, and culminated with a successful career in Indy cars. Along the way, she shared long distance drives with some of the best drivers of the day. There is more than a quarter of a century of proof that she is the “real thing” behind the wheel.”
It is hard to imagine a world where 385 horsepower seems “adequate.” Just ten years ago that number would have raised eyebrows, especially in a compact crossover SUV. But thanks to AMG’s overachieving GLC 63 and its 469 horsepower biturbo V8 that drops almost a second in the zero to sixty time, the GLC 43 seems like a respectable compromise for those who desire performance but not at the top-trim’s cost. And it is.
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-AMG
Mercedes does a wonderful job of throwing automotive reviewers off their game. Do you write about the attractive styling first? Do you mention the luxurious interior? Or do you go straight for the driving dynamics? The GLC 43 excels at all three, if there is compromise it lies in the fact that Mercedes built a great looking SUV with a benchmark interior and made it drive like a sports sedan.
Attractive Exterior Design
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-AMG
Sleek and muscular, the AMG GLC 43 stands out from the compact crossover segment. Mercedes has refined the boxy look of the GLK that it replaced, but kept the athletic presence that made the outgoing design popular. The G in GLC ties the model to the Mercedes G-Wagen and the resemblance, while passing, is enough to evoke the occasional “baby G-Wagen” from the AMG faithful.
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-AMG
Luxury features can be found throughout the GLC43’s exterior. From the automatic LED headlights and rain-sensing windshield wipers to the power liftgate, Mercedes’ crossover strives to be the segment standard. The 20-inch five-spoke wheels are nicely proportional, giving the compact a slightly bigger curb appeal and road-going presence.
Benchmark Interior Appointments
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-AMG
Spacious room for four adults or comfortable accommodations for five, the GLC 43 is everything you expect from a Mercedes crossover. Finding a comfortable driving position is only a matter of tweaking thanks to the power-adjustable front seating and a power-adjustable steering column.
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-AMG
The 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system includes voice control. Much like a new smartphone, the system is triggered by simply saying “Hey, Mercedes” and barking out a command. Mercedes includes a touchpad in the center console and buttons on the steering wheel for additional control and functions. The system includes standard Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, HD Radio, satellite radio and dual USB-C ports
Standard driver-assistance features include blind-spot monitors, lane keep assistance and automated emergency braking.
Cargo space is 17.6 cubic feet which is expandable to 56.5 cu ft with the rear seat folded.
Power and Performance
Photo courtesy of Mercedes-AMG
The AMG GLC 43 is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6. We’ve already mentioned the 385 horsepower, but the engine also produces 384 lb-ft of torque. For many years the gold standard of 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft made for what we considered motoring nirvana, the additional 80-something in each category seems equally lovely. Thanks to precise steering, apt braking and a sport-tuned adaptive suspension the GLC 43 is equally adept on the highway, in the city and on a winding road with elevation changes. According to EPA estimates, fuel economy is rated at 18/24 mpg city/highway.
Pricing for the 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 starts at $59,500 excluding fees.
Jacksonville, FL – Announcing the special classes for the 26th Annual Amelia Concours d’Elegance, May 20-23, 2021.
1938 Hispano Suiza DuBonnet Xenia. Photo by Michael Furman.
Hispano-Suiza The fabled Spanish-Swiss grand marque remains the only car named for a king, Alfonso XIII of Spain, himself a Hispano enthusiast, who owned as many as 30. His enthusiasm for the marque and its reputation for exquisite engineering made it a favorite of royals, celebrities, heroes of all stripes and even a few literary characters who drove Hispanos across the pages of bestselling fiction when the need to project a sense of wealth and style was required. Every famous European coachbuilder of the custom body epoch dressed Hispanos. Their V-8 engines helped win the air war in WWI. That elegant engineering blood gave the cars that wore the “flying stork” mascot, as the sales brochure put it . . . “vitesse, securite, confort, silence, elegance.” It wasn’t hyperbole. Even today the reputation of Hispano-Suiza ranks it with the greatest, most respected and revered names at the pinnacle of the auto industry.
The Porsche 935. Photo courtesy of The Brumos Collection.
Porsche 935 “The Racers’ Concours” honors and celebrates the 45th anniversary of the long-lived, fire-belching 200-plus mph Porsche 935 turbos that once ruled international endurance racing. The 935 was the backbone of international endurance racing for nearly a decade and owned championship titles from Daytona to Le Mans and back. Its popularity remains so potent that nearly five decades after its debut Porsche is creating 77 tribute cars to the 935/78 Moby Dick Le Mans racer based on the 911 GT2 RS.
1977 Chevrolet Corvette Supervette. Photo courtesy of Canepa Motorsport.
Chevy Thunder Truly the “heartbeat of America” from Indy, Sebring, Daytona, Le Mans, Pro Stock, Can-Am, Trans-Am, club racers, Sprint Cars, Baja & Desert racers, IROC, F5000, Swamp Buggies, Dune Buggies, Hot-Rods, Kit Cars and even to off-shore powerboats, Chevy’s small blocks, big-blocks and pure racing engines set records, crushed competitors and dominated practically every type of motorsport for well over half a century. Chevy’s small block V-8 of 1955 was the elegantly simple engineering masterpiece that inspired hot rodders and race car builders alike. Chevy small block power even sat on the front row of the Indy 500 (1981), outran the fabled Offys on dirt tracks, ruled NASCAR’s high banks, short tracks and road courses, won the 24 Hours of Daytona, the 12 Hours of Sebring and owned the Can-Am (at one point winning 33 races in a row).
Chevy Thunder is the soundtrack of NHRA Pro Stock competition winning the championship 24 times, more than any other manufacturer. Its impact on American culture even extends to popular music; in 1962 the Beach Boys composed a song commemorating the power of Chevy’s big block Turbo-Thrust V-8 entitled, appropriately, “409.” Specifically songwriter Gary Usher’s “ . . . 4-speed, dual-quad, positraction four-oh-nine!” Since its first V-8 in 1917, Chevy V-8 power has touched practically every facet of American life towing trailers, delivering groceries or taking the likes of McLaren, Scarab, Lola, Chaparral, Eagle, Corvette and Camaro to scores of racing victories and championships; some Chevy V-8s even replaced those legendary Italian V-12s in American sports car racing.
Ferrari 275 GTB. Photo Courtesy of Peter Harholdt.
Ferrari 275 GTB It’s hard to imagine a tougher automotive act to follow than Ferrari’s landmark 250 GTs. From the mid-fifties to the immortal GTO of 1962, Ferrari 250 GTs set the standard, won the races and were the fast moving targets of every GT builder from Los Angeles to Coventry to Stuttgart. Unveiled in Paris in 1964 the 275 GTB became Ferrari’s first GT to fit modern alloy wheels and wear independent suspension at each corner. It proved itself in June 1965 with the Belgian racing yellow #24 275 GTB/C finishing third overall and eclipsing the Le Mans distance record of every previous class-winning GTO.
The 275 won Le Mans’ GT class again in 1966 and 1967. Easily the most famous 275 GTB — one of just ten NART Spiders built — was Steve McQueen’s signature ride in the 1968 double academy award nominated film The Thomas Crown Affair.
The 1909 Columbia Electric. Photo courtesy of Hyman LTD.
It’s Electric The Amelia’s “It’s Electric” Class showcases the development of the electric car from the beginning of the automotive age when it was a viable alternative to steam and internal combustion automotive power. Fast evolving highway and road infrastructure and the rise of the petroleum industry eased the electric car aside turning its advantages and strengths into liabilities. Times and technologies have changed. So have the mission and operational envelope of the automobile and its place in society. Fast evolving technologies and acute civic awareness of environmental trends stand poised to return the electric car to mainstream motoring life well beyond its original duty as short range urban transportation
1970 Dodge Charger R/T. Photo Courtesy of Peter Harholdt.
1970s Muscle Cars Purely American, the Muscle Car brought horsepower to the people with low monthly payments and practically unlimited brute force. Every manufacturer from Chevrolet to Ford, from Buick to Dodge offered an alternative and competitor to the Pontiac GTO, the car that started it all in the mid-sixties. The peak of the Muscle Car Era was 1970, just before emission laws and the fuel crisis hobbled Detroit’s horsepower warriors. Amelia 2021 will host a special display class from the renowned Wellborn Musclecar Museum in Alexander City, AL including a Muscle Car from every manufacturer that played Detroit’s high stakes high horsepower game at the overpowered breed’s showroom apogee in 1970.
1989 Ferrari F40. Photo by Deremer Studios LLC/Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.
Supercars of the 80s and 90s While the term “supercar” dates back to 1920, the descriptor is often associated with the debut of the mid-engine Lamborghini Miura in 1966. The rules to play the supercar game were simple: big exotic engines between the driver and the rear wheels and a body shape that echoed Le Mans prototype contours: the wilder the better. Enter the Lamborghini Countach, Ferrari F40, Bugatti EB110, Jaguar XJR-15 and the Ferrari F50.
Over time the term “supercar” expanded to describe an elite group of sports cars that stand apart in terms of design, performance, technology and price. For 2021, The Amelia will gather some of the world’s most iconic supercars of the 1980s and 1990s onto the main showfield.
Shadow DN4. Photo courtesy of Peter Harholdt.
Shadow In 1970, the wildest year of Can-Am competition, everybody seemed to have a better, wilder or weirder idea. None more so than a radical, bizarre, unloved and evil handling little doorstop of a race car spawning a family that would claim the Can-Am Championship, deliver a future World Champion his first F1 victory and compete at the top level of Grand Prix racing. Don Nichols, Shadow Cars chief and a genuine international man of mystery, loved the Shadow radio serials and named his cars and team accordingly. The 2021 Amelia Concours will feature a special Shadow class including the bizarre and radical AVS — Advanced Vehicle Systems — Shadow Mk 1 of 1970, the 1974 Can-Am champion DN4 and Alan Jones’ 1977 Austrian Grand Prix winner, the Shadow DN8A. Shadow designers were an all-star team with world class credentials and imaginations: Trevor Harris, Peter Bryant and Tony Southgate drew the sinister shapes that were instantly recognizable as Shadows, right down to the team’s famous cloaked spy logo.
The SUV’s dramatic rise in popularity makes it easy to forget about the sedan’s continued significance. Sedan sales are down dramatically in 2019, but ruling out the segment’s importance remains short-sighted.
Hyundai gets it. Over the past few years, the manufacturer has expanded their lineup of SUVs to include Venue, Kona, Tucson, NEXO, Santa Fe variants and the Palisade. We’ve spent time with most of them and have found the build quality, performance and styling to be excellent. However, in the rush to fill out the SUV segment the Korean manufacturer has not forsaken their sedans. In the words of Albert Biermann, president and head of R&D Division, Hyundai Motor Group, “The Sonata (sedan) holds a special significance for our company as one of the longest-standing and most successful models in the global market.”
Spending a few days in Arizona with the all-new 2020 Sonata provided us with plenty of evidence that Hyundai’s strategy includes building attractive and tech-filled four-door midsize family cars. Add excellent fuel economy, one of the best warranties available and a MSRP that won’t break the bank, and it is hard to ignore the latest Sonata’s value.
The all-new 2020 model features Hyundai’s “sensuous sportiness” design language. To our eyes the styling of the four-door coupe is sleek and attractive. Sitting lower, but longer and wider than the outgoing model, it isn’t hard to consider the Sonata a sports sedan. The long hood and short rear deck lid, with integrated spoiler, are taken straight from the sports car lexicon.
Centered around a dashboard that was inspired by the stealth bomber’s wing, the interior design is simple and elegant. Seating is comfortable and the infotainment system continues to be one of the best in the industry. Rear passengers will find the new C pillar’s design robs a little space from the door’s opening, but once inside headroom is excellent and three adults will fit comfortably.
Sonata’s sporty look is more than skin deep. Hyundai’s new sedan is the first model to be based on the manufacturer’s new platform. According to Hyundai, the new architecture is lighter and stronger than the outgoing model. The changes result in better comfort, performance and safety.
The base SE model gains as much as three miles per gallon over the outgoing model. The 2020 Sonata SE, with the 191-horsepower 2.5-liter four cylinder engine, is rated at 32 mpg combined.
The base engine is complemented by a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine found in the higher trim models. The engine provides less horsepower, 180 versus 191, but has an advantage in torque. Thanks to a wide powerband that kicks in the sedan’s full 195 pound-feet of torque at a mere 1500 rpms, the turbocharged Sonata’s acceleration is immediate and feels consistent at almost every speed.
Both powerplants favor fuel economy as the key performance feature over acceleration. That said, the Sonata has plenty of power for the majority of owners shopping for an attractive family sedan. Handling is excellent. The sedan’s braking and steering is immediately familiar and welcome. Powered by either engine, the 2020 Sonata is a capable vehicle.
Driving enthusiasts will want to wait for the yet to be released Sonata N Line. The turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine produces 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. We were able to take a pre-production version of the N Line for a spirited drive along a twisty Arizona. While we can’t make an in depth assessment based on our limited time behind the wheel, we can report that the car is fast, fun and surprising in the best ways.
Hyundai’s new Sonata is filled with plenty of standard and optional technology features. Standard active safety includes forward collision-avoidance assist, lane keeping assist and advanced Smart cruise control with stop and go. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included in all models.
Hyundai has also developed a smartphone “key” that allows the driver to operate the vehicle without a traditional key fob. The Limited’s key fob includes a remote control function for starting the car and driving it into narrow parking spaces from outside the vehicle.
Pricing for the 2020 Hyundai Sonata starts at $23,400 for the base SE. The top line Limited costs $33,300. Pricing does not include a $930 delivery. SE and SEL models are equipped with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The SEL Plus and Limited arrive with the 1.6-liter turbocharged engine.
This review also appeared in The Florida Times-Union.
Ruthless. A fitting word to describe the competition in the mid-size family sedan marketplace. Juggernauts from Toyota and Honda continually take top sales numbers with their respective Camry and Accord. KIA and Hyundai fight for consumer dollars with the Optima and Sonata. Everyone of them is a great vehicle, all are worthy of consideration.
Last year, Nissan redesigned their entry into the mid-size family sedan segment. The resultant all-new Altima deserves a place right along the top contenders. With attractive styling, a comfortable amenity-filled cabin, advanced safety tech and a pair of capable engines and transmission, the new Altima shines.
Powered by the base 2.5-liter inline 4-cylinder engine, with is rated at 188 horsepower and 180 lb-ft of torque and a CVT transmission, the base Altima offers excellent fuel economy with up to 28/39 city/highway mpg.
Consumers living in colder climates will appreciate the addition of all-wheel-drive, which is available on all trim levels equipped with the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine. The “intelligent” all-wheel-drive system automatically detects road conditions and redistributes power to the front wheels accordingly.
The turbocharged Altima is powered by a 2-liter turbocharged inline4 that makes 248 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque. The smaller, but more powerful engine helps make the Altima a better enthusiast’s choice, although the CVT transmission tends to remind the driver that the Altima is also a gas sipper. The turbocharged SR and Platinum FWD models are rated at 25/34 city/highway mpg.
On the road the Altima is a compliant vehicle that does what you ask of it. Daily commuting ticks by without incident and weekend family outings are comfortable. The standard 8-way adjustable drivers seat makes finding a comfortable driving position easy. Nissan’s “zero-gravity” seats are some of the most comfortable in the segment.
Rear passengers are given plenty of legroom. While we wouldn’t want to plan a cross-country road trip for 5 grownups, three adults will find the rear seats accommodating for short trips around town. The trunk’s 15.43 cubic feet of cargo space is in line with the segment, besting Camry (15.1) but sitting below Accord (16.7).
The five 2020 Altima Trims Levels at a Glance:
S, SR, SV, SL and Platinum
Front-wheel-drive is standard. Models with the 2.5-liter engine and are available with all-wheel drive. Altima SR and Platinum grades are available with the 2.0-liter turbocharged engine.
Altima S includes standard Automatic Emergency Braking, Intelligent Driver Alertness, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, Rear View Monitor, NissanConnect with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 7-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display, Remote Engine Start, 12-volt DC power outlet, four front/rear USB charge ports (Type-A and Type-C), 8-way power driver’s seat, 60/40 split-folding rear seat, Rear Door Alert and more.
Altima SR adds 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, unique rear diffuser color, sport suspension (FWD only), sport interior with sport seat, paddle shifters, leather-appointed steering wheel, LED projector headlights, dark chrome grille, Nissan Safety Shield 360, exhaust finishers, black side mirror caps and body colored door handles.
Altima SV includes a moonroof, LED fog lights, 17-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, heated front seats and steering wheel, ProPILOT Assist, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Rear Automatic Braking (RAB), heated outside mirrors with LED turn signals, 2-way power lumbar support, High Beam Assist (HBA), rear console HVAC vents and Dual Zone Auto Climate Control.
Altima SL adds a Bose premium sound system with nine speakers, NissanConnect with Navigation and Services, Traffic Sign Recognition, leather-appointed seats and 4-way power passenger seat.
Altima Platinum includes 19-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, Intelligent Around View Monitor, interior accent lighting, and driver memory seat and mirrors function.
Pricing for the 2020 Nissan Altima starts at $24,300 plus fees.
