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Like What You Drive and How it’s Equipped? Thank the Military

The new Jeep Wrangler hybrid is the latest descendent of the original Willys-Overland MA.

Americans can take some things for granted, particularly how much our armed forces contribute to our health and well-being on a daily basis. Typically, it’s military’s technology needs that lead to breakthroughs in consumer products, like M&Ms and Cheetos.

Correspondingly, if you love driving your sport-utility vehicle with satellite navigation on a touchscreen while wearing aviators, thank the military. A surprising amount of what we take for granted in our cars, trucks and SUVs originated somewhere in the world as a military RFP.

So let’s march back in time, shall we?

Sport-utility vehicles

Regardless of which SUV you drive, they all owe their existence to the U.S. military. In July 1940, they put out an RFP for a “light reconnaissance vehicle” that would weigh less than 1,300 pounds, have a wheelbase of less than 75 inches, measure less than 36 inches tall, employ four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case and could carry 600 pounds. Its body must be rectangular, have a fold-down windshield, three bucket seats, and blackout and driving lights. Ok, the weight target was later revised, but otherwise, the proposal became the Willys-Overland MA, known today as the Jeep, a vehicle whose character now overshadows the entire automotive industry.

(Ford hypes Mach-E, taking it on “Electric-Vacation.”)

Navigation systems, like Hyundai’s on this 10.25-inch display screen, came from the military.

CPUs

The central processing unit, or CPU, is the part of the computer that actuates software, and a typical new car contains between 25 and 50 of them on average, with luxury cars containing more than 100 in some cases. But the first digital, programmable computer was developed during World War II at the University of Pennsylvania as an electronic calculator to help the war effort. But it could hardly be considered a desktop PC. Weighing 30 tons, it occupied 40 cabinets with 18,000 vacuum tubes, 10,000 capacitors, 6,000 switches and 1,500 relays. And here you thought your laptop was heavy.

Satellite navigation system

That guidance your vehicle receives comes from global positioning satellites orbiting the earth, first developed bythe United States Navy, which built the first satellite-based navigation system in 1959 to track its Polaris nuclear submarines. Each satellite uses multiple atomic clocks, developed by a Columbia University professor in the 1940s, to calculate the time within 100 billionths of a second. Dubbed Transit, the system measured the Doppler shift in the satellite’s radio transmission as it orbited. This required prior knowledge of its orbit. Modern satellites do the reverse, transmitting their position form earth, for faster response.

(Auto workers move up in line for COVID vaccine.)

Capacitive touchscreens

The massive touchscreen on the Tesla Model Y is also born out of a military technology.

If you love the convenience of a touchscreen, thank the Brits. It was born in 1965 at the United Kingdom at the Royal Radar Establishment, the advanced research arm of Britain’s Air Ministry. The screen is actually multiple layers of glass and plastic coated with a conductive material. Touching the screen completes an electric circuit, commanding the operating system to respond. Initially used by air traffic controllers, it wouldn’t reach consumers until the arrival of the Hewlett-Packard HP-150 in 1982, a PC running MS-DOS on a 9-inch Sony touch-sensitive CRT. The first touchscreen in a car was unveiled three years later in the 1986 Buick Riviera.

Radar

New vehicle driver assistance safety features like automated cruise control use radar to add an extra edge of safety. Radar was developed as far back as 1888 by German physicist Heinrich Hertz, who discovered that radio waves could be transmitted and speed measured. But it was Christian Hülsmeyer, a German engineer, who took Hertz’s principles and attempted to sell radar to the German military in the early 1900s. They weren’t interested, but the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. was. They began working with it in 1922. By World War II, radar was commonly used by the U.S. military to track ships and planes.

The 2021 Escalade has available Night Vision which helps instill confidence on night drives.

Night vision

Ponder the battlefield advantage of having devices that use infrared light to see where there is no light. Initially developed by the Germans in World War II, they were too unwieldy, despite magnifying light 1,000 times. After World War II, the U.S. Army worked with RCA for the next couple decades to develop night vision devices, which were used during the Vietnam War. But it wouldn’t be perfected until the 1990s, where they played a crucial role in Operation Desert Storm. First offered as an automotive option by Cadillac, it’s now a common option on high-end automobiles for navigating dark country roads and avoiding deer, not the Viet Cong.

(Volvo confirms small EV in the works.)

Aviator glasses

OK, it’s not a part of your car, but you might wear them while driving one. Now a fashionably classic design icon, aviator sunglasses were developed after test pilot Shorty Schroeder flew a biplane above 33,000 feet. Schroeder’s insulated goggles fogged, so he lifted them, only to have his eyes freeze over. Miraculously, Schroeder managed to land the plane. The incident shocked his friend, Lt. John Macready, who then worked with Bausch & Lomb to develop the glasses, which debuted in 1936 as Ray-Ban Aviators. The glasses were far lighter than goggles and featured green lenses that maximized vision by reducing glare.

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2021 Jaguar E-Pace Gets “Thorough Freshening”

The Jaguar E-Pace gets a significant exterior update for the 2021 model year.

There was a time when the corporate suits wouldn’t even consider a station wagon, never mind an SUV – but these days, Jaguar sales are dominated by its three utility vehicles, starting with the E-Pace that is getting a significant update for the 2021 model year.

Among other things, Jaguar tweaked the exterior to put it more in line with the looks of the bigger F-Pace, as well as XF sedan that is also being refreshed for 2021. The cabin, likewise, gets updated, though the most notable changes come in the form of the new, curved 11.4-inch touchscreen that manages the latest version of the Jaguar Pivi Pro infotainment system.

“E,” here, might stand for entry, and with the demise of the XE sedan, the 2021 Jaguar E-Pace becomes the cheapest product offered by the British automaker. Make that “the least expensive” model in the Jaguar line-up. With a starting price of $42,045, a full $1,045 more than the outgoing 2020 model, the E-Pace is anything but cheap.

(Jaguar celebrating 60 years of E-Type with limited-edition models.)

The E-Pace exterior update is inspired by it the look of its F-Pace sibling.

From a styling standpoint, Jaguar has been pushing to bring its entire portfolio more in sync with the big F-Pace that currently serves as the brand’s flagship (at least while we wait for the complete makeover of the XJ sedan).

There’s a new mesh grille framed by chrome brightwork, new LED headlights, an updated bumper and more sculpted hood up front. More subtle changes to the sides and roofline, Jaguar claims, are inspired by the F-Type sports car. The 2021 E-Pace also gets new wheels.

Inside, there are subtle changes, such as the “cricket-ball” stitch for the soft upper trim on the shifter, and new soft-touch materials around “driver touch points,” including a knee pad. But what you’ll likely notice immediately is the introduction of new technology.

The 11.4-inch touchscreen handles the Pivi Pro system that comes standard on mid and upper trim packages. If it’s anything like the technology we’ve been seeing on other new Jaguar – and Land Rover – models, you can expect it to be not just quicker but also more intuitive. Among other things, you won’t have to drill down through as many menus to operate the most common functions. All versions of the 2021 Jaguar E-Pace will now feature both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – though not the new wireless versions. Wireless smartphone charging is available.

(First Look: 2021 Jaguar F-Pace.)

A new, 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display has also been added to the option list, meanwhile. It not only replaces conventional gauges but also shows turn-by-turn navigation instructions and other useful information.

The E-Pace gets two engine options for the new model year, carryovers from 2020.

On the powertrain side, the 2021 E-Pace sticks with the two options offered on the outgoing SUV. The P250 and P250 SE models go with a 246-horsepower turbo-4. Sport 300 models get the mild-hybrid 2.0-liter inline four bumping power up to 296 hp. Both engines send powerr to all four wheels through a 9-speed automatic.

The E-Pace 300 Sport features Jaguar’s Active Driveline AWD system which can shift rear torque from left to right using two independent, electronically controlled wet-plate clutches. The E-Pace 250 models, on the other hand, are fitted with the Jaguar Standard Driveline AWD system which can disconnect the driveshaft to the rear axle, effectively functioning as a front-drive system when power demand is light and traction is good.

One other plus for the new model year: Jaguar extends the E-Pace warranty to five years and 50,000 miles.

(From track to street to track with the Jaguar I-Pace.)

While you can get into the base 2021 Jaguar E-Pace P250 S for $42,045, the better-equipped P250 SE is likely to be the big seller and carries a starting price of $47,145. The 300 Sport starts at $51,045. Expect to see the updated SUV reach U.S. showrooms around the end of the year.

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Former VW, Porsche, BMW and Tesla Execs Join Forces at New EV Startup

Several top former auto execs are joining forces at Piech Automotive. The first EV will be the GT2 coupe.

While it may not be quite as well known as that of the Porsche family, the Piech name is equally storied among automotive insiders and enthusiasts. Together, these frequently squabbling relatives can lay claim to having helped create two of the European industry’s most important brand names: Porsche and Volkswagen. And now, the Piech name will be applied to a new sports car being launched as part of a new, all-electric marque based in Switzerland.

Piech Automotive plans to have its first model, the GT2, in showrooms late in 2022, with at least two other models to follow.

The company might be dismissed as just one of the many startups hoping to profit from the global transition from internal combustion to electric propulsion, but there are several reasons why it deserves a closer look. The most significant is the fact that it is being run by a high-powered group of former Porsche, BMW, Tesla and Volkswagen executives, notably including one Matthias Mueller.

(Mueller out, Diess in at VW — and more shakeups to come.)

The Piech GT2 will reportedly race from 0 to 62 mph in less than three seconds.

Mueller was a one-time head of the Porsche brand and rose to become the CEO of Volkswagen AG after the German automaker’s diesel emissions scandal broke in 2015. He was subsequently ousted in a boardroom coup three years later, replaced by Herbert Diess who had been recruited from BMW.

Mueller now will serve as the chairman of Piech Automotive and his appointment comes at a critical time.

The BEV startup first showed off what was then called the Piech Mark Zero concept at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show and has been pushing for funding ever since. It expects the next funding round underway now will help it raise enough capital to take the sports car into production – newly renamed the Piech GT2.

In what is now the norm for electric vehicle design, the GT2 will rely on a skateboard-like platform that will be flexible enough to handle multiple “top hats,” or bodies, with two more apparently in development, according to the company.

Also in an approach becoming quite common among high performance BEV brands, the GT2 will rely on a three-motor layout, one on the front axle, two in the rear. The combined package set to deliver 450 kilowatts of power, or 603 horsepower. That will be enough, Piech claims, to hit 100 kph, or 62 mph, in “under three seconds.”

The new GT2 will put out 603 horsepower and can be charged from zero to 80% full in just 40 minutes and 40 seconds.

(EVs cost half as much as gas-powered vehicles for maintenance.)

While the size of the battery pack hasn’t been disclosed, the two-seater is said to have a range of 310 miles using a long-range pack, and 250 miles with the standard one. These are based on the European WLTP test cycle so, if the Piech GT2 comes to the U.S., it would likely come in 10 to 20% lower.

Recharging, meanwhile, will take as little as 40 minutes and 40 seconds from empty to 80% of capacity, Piech claims. While details of the sports car’s electric architecture hasn’t been released that would clearly indicate it can use the latest 350 kilowatt public fast chargers and operates at or above 800 volts.

Currently, the only vehicle capable of using such chargers to their full capacity is the Porsche Taycan, though it is expected to become more the norm in the years ahead as it brings charging times down to what motorists currently expect when filling a gas tank.

As for the Piech name, it is one of the family branches of the family tree linked to Ferdinand Porsche. He’s the engineering genius who helped create the original “people’s car,” or Volkswagen, and who later went on to lend his name to the eponymous Porsche sports car company.

Matthias Mueller once headed up VW and is now Piech Automotive chairman.

His most notable heir, at least within the auto industry, was Ferdinand Piech who was named Volkswagen AG CEO in 1992 and later became the company’s chairman. Piech eventually became embroiled in the diesel scandal and other controversies. He died in August 2019 at the age of 82.

(Former Volkswagen chief Ferdinand Piech dies at 82.)

Mueller, who was considered a Piech protégé, will join an assortment of former industry leaders running the new EV startup. That includes its new technical director, Klaus Schmidt, who was once a senior figure at BMW Motorsport, as well as Jochen Rudat, who set up Tesla’s European distribution network.

Ford Outperforms GM, FCA in Third Quarter Sales

Ford said the F-Series finished the third quarter strong with a 17.2% increase in September.

Ford Motor Co. outscored its Detroit rivals, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler during the third quarter by reporting a smaller sales decline and picking up share in the pickup market.

Ford, reporting a day after GM and FCA, was down 4.9% compared to a year ago. GM and FCA reported 10% declines during the third quarter as the industry showed signs of recovering from the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, which stalled sales last spring.

“Despite the challenging pandemic environment, our retail unit sales were down only 2 percent and we had our best third quarter of pickup truck sales since 2005,” said Mark LaNeve, Ford vice president of sales marketing and service. “F-Series finished the quarter on a high note with September sales up 17.2% with over 76,000 F-Series pickups sold. This is a testament to our winning product portfolio and the performance of our great dealers.”

(U.S. new car sales show signs of life in September.)

Volvo Cars enjoyed its best September sales results since 2004.

FCA’s Ram pickup deliveries slipped 3.4% year over year to 156,157 pickups during the third quarter as the Chevrolet Silverado pickup from GM fell 5.4% to 145,525 units. Subaru and Toyota reported sales gains in September as actual sales gains versus the previous year.

Volvo Cars USA maintained its upward momentum trend announcing its fourth consecutive month of year-over-year growth. Retailing 10,274 cars in September 2020, the strong result represents 10.2% growth over the same period last year and marks the best September result for the brand since 2004.

Honda brand sales climbed 11% as trucks set a September record with a 20.4% jump, while Acura September sales increased 16.6% on strong performances from MDX, RDX and ILX. “September marks a high-water mark for Honda sales this year with double-digit gains and our first month in positive territory since the pandemic began,” said Dave Gardner, executive vice president of National Operations at American Honda.

(Automakers expected to report strong September sales.)

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today reported total September sales of 24,237 vehicles, an increase of 28.7 percent compared to September 2019. Mitsubishi Motors North America Inc. (MMNA) today reported third-quarter 2020 sales of 24,857 vehicles, an increase of 1.5% over the same period in 2019, and up a significant 49% over the previous quarter of 2020.

Mitsubishi Motors saw sales rise 1.5% versus last September and a 49% compared with the second quarter of 2020.

Volkswagen of America reported its sales 7.6% and Porsche Cars North America Inc. said third quarter U.S. retail deliveries rose 5% from the same period a year ago, continuing a recovery trend from coronavirus lockdowns in the first half of 2020.

September 2020 sales benefitted from two extra sales days, and the Labor Day holiday weekend, which fell in August for 2019 results. Incoming figures from reporting automakers are reflecting year-over-year improvements for the month, and on an unadjusted volume level the sales tally for the month is expected to be up 2-3% year over year the first time since February 2020 the market will realize a monthly y/y improvement,” noted IHS analysts Stephanie Brinley.

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“The SAAR reading for the month is expected to improve from the 15.2 million unit reading in August, possibly bumping against a 16-million-unit pace. But this would still be well below the 17.2 million unit reading of September 2019,” she said.