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August 2016

Monthly Archives: August 2016

Ford Introduces 360-Degree Virtual Reality App With Ford GT Action

Ford Introduces 360-Degree Virtual Reality App With Ford GT Action

In addition to building exciting cars and trucks, Ford is always looking to expand the experience for customers and it’s latest release is the new FordVR App, a free downloadable App that puts you trackside at one of the biggest auto races in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford Introduces 360-Degree Virtual Reality App With Ford GT action and there’s more to come.

With the App, you’ll experience the sights, the sounds, and up-close action from pit lane, to being right there in the car with the drivers, and all from the comfort of your own home. The new Ford virtual reality app makes all of this possible. Launching today for iOS and Android users in the United States, Ford’s new virtual reality app delivers a powerful storytelling platform for consumers and fans to experience Ford innovations like never before.

“We are very excited about this opportunity to provide truly immersive experiences that showcase the best of Ford Motor Company,” says Lisa Schoder, Ford digital marketing manager. “Our virtual reality platform allows us to tell dramatic, impactful stories, to show a surprising side of Ford.”

The first piece of featured content is the story behind the all-new Ford GT’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fifty years after the original victory, the innovative balance of power and efficiency in Ford’s EcoBoost® engine delivered an incredible class win earlier this year.
“Just as Ford GT goes beyond the traditional at Ford, our entry into virtual reality content creation demonstrates how our passion for innovation permeates every piece of our business and offers a new touch point for tech-savvy consumers to connect with our brand,” says Schoder.
To help achieve its goals, Ford partnered with integrated production company Tool of North America, a leader in virtual reality and 360-degree content and mobile app creation. Tool has won numerous awards for innovation in storytelling, including Emmys, The One Show, South by Southwest, AICP and the Cannes Lions Palme d’Or.
“As an auto and racing enthusiast, I was inspired by the opportunity and the challenge of helping the iconic Ford brand make its virtual reality debut,” says Erich Joiner, director and founder, Tool of North America. “For the innovative Ford GT, I wanted to create something that gives people an exciting virtual reality experience beyond the traditional. I wanted to use the immersive technology not only to transport them to a new place, but to take them where only a special few from the Ford racing team typically go – inside the famed track at Le Mans.”

The Ford virtual reality app is accessible to anyone with a mobile device. Each piece of content offers users the option to experience it with a virtual reality headset, but headsets are not mandatory.
Ford virtual reality app users can expect the next story to debut in September, featuring Hoonigan Racing’s Ken Block and Ford Focus RS RX. Users with their push notifications turned on will get the update when new content goes live. The new virtual reality platform goes beyond showcasing Ford Performance vehicles.
“On top of sharing virtual reality stories about our innovative products, we are also looking to bring mobility issues to the forefront,” says Schoder. “As we expand our business to be both an auto and a mobility company, we are pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility.”
More than just showing you racing, this takes you behind the scenes for an unparalleled experience and we imagine that virtual reality will continue to reshape the way consumers interact with brands and engage in storytelling; more than 1 million New York Times subscribers received a virtual reality experience tied to a weekend edition.

This entry was posted in News, New Video and tagged Brothers Performance, ford, evan smith, evan j smith, ford gt, ford performance, le mans, revan media, 24 hours of le mans, racing, rev an media, virtual reality on August 18, 2016 by Evan Smith.
Mid-Engine Corvette & a ZR1?!

Literally within days of each other, prototypes have been spotted and rumors have been confirmed that there will be both a ZR1 version of the current C7 Corvette and a mid-engine C8 upcoming. I know that is a lot of Corvette news in a short amount of time and it is seemingly contradictory, but stay with me here.

The C7 Corvette platform debuted for the 2014 model year, revitalizing the Stingray nameplate for the base car. The following year the Z06 was released (unveiled at the 2014 North American International Auto Show), brandishing its wide-body and a supercharged version of the 6.2L Gen V V-8 platform. In March 2015 (at the Geneva Auto Show) the 2017 Grand Sport was unveiled, which follows the same formula as the C6 – Z06 wide-body treatment and handling upgrades along with the base model’s 460hp V-8. If we continue the C6’s product formula, the C7 is due for a ZR1 variant in the 2018 model year. As such, it should provide a power upgrade over the Z06’s 650hp LT4, but how?

When a ZR1 mule broke cover recently, Autoblog (among others) speculated that it could be a twin-turbo version that makes over 700hp and dubbed the “LT5” (to follow the Gen II nomenclature). From having worked with the Z06’s LT4, I will propose an alternate theory, which is that it could have a larger supercharger – say 1.9 or even 2.3L like the previous ZR1. The bigger blower and perhaps a few other tweaks could support over 700hp while sharing many of the LT4 components. For those of you skeptics out there, from the pictures it is clear that it is a C7 Corvette and it is definitely not mid-engine. And since the Grand Sport is already on the street, what other C7 would be so heavily camouflaged? Mounts for an unattached wing, an exposed carbon fiber hoop (like the C6 ZR1), blue brake calipers (also like the C6 ZR1), and plenty of cooling scoops are evident from the photos.

If, in fact, the ZR1 debuts for the 2018 model year, we should expect an official announcement no later than early next year. This, then, raises the question as to when and where a mid-engine model fits in. According to The Detroit News: early 2019. Moreover, its sources report that the current generation will run until 2021 when the mid-engine C8 – code-named “Emperor” – becomes the sole Corvette. The C7 uses a front-mid arrangement, which places the engine behind the front wheels. However, many feel that placing the engine behind the driver and in front of the rear wheels is a better method of balancing the handling as well as providing greater platform flexibility for variations such as all-wheel-drive and hybrid-electric models to mirror other currently available supercars. An announcement is expected in early 2018 and production starting late in the year. Former chief engineer Tom Wallace and head of product development Bob Lutz weighed in on the mid-engine, hybrid Corvette. In fact, Lutz says he was approved for an all-wheel-drive Corvette in 2007, but had to scrap it due to the impending bankruptcy.

Some may think that these rumors are simply perpetuated by the media, and that there is no basis for a mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, hybrid Corvette. However, it is important to keep in mind that the Corvette has always been about pushing the boundaries of technology to produce the ultimate performance. Through his many prototypes, it was apparent that engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov (aka “Father of the Corvette”) only cared about performance. He was a racer after all, and director of high performance at Chevrolet. In 1959 Duntov built the first mid-engine prototype (dubbed CERV), and the early ‘60s sequel used two separate torque converters for the front and rear drive wheels. If this is any indication, the only legacy that Duntov or the Corvette team cared about is the legacy of winning – not the legacy of an outdated platform.

This entry was posted in News, Opinion and tagged 2018 Corvette, Mid Engine Corvette, C8 Corvette, Corvette news, Corvette rumors, Chevrolet Corvette on August 11, 2016 by Scott Parker.
2017 Camaro Order Guide Leaked

The 2017 Chevrolet Camaro order guide was leaked on Camaro6.com, and there are a few surprises. First and foremost: it appears that, unlike the Cadillac CTS-V, the 2017 Camaro ZL1 will receive the same 650hp and 650 lb-ft of torque as the Corvette Z06. All three utilize the 6.2L supercharged LT4 engine, but the CTS-V is down-rated to 640hp and 630 lb-ft. In Chevrolet’s own press release, the ZL1 was said to produce “an estimated 640 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque,” similar to the CTS-V.

No official word has come yet from the folks at Chevrolet as to the change in power rating, but this has been known to happen. Unlike your typical engine builder, the manufacturers use a protocol set by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) to dyno test the engines. The protocol includes installing all equipment that could affect the power output like the full exhaust and accessory drive system. The same engine with electric power steering, tubular Tri-Y headers and a full 3.0-inch exhaust system could easily make more than one with a pulley-driven power steering pump and a more choked exhaust system. And even when the dyno session is SAE-certified, there is a 1-percent tolerance between the observed test and the advertised figure to account for slight manufacturing variation. Bottom line: don’t worry about 10hp.

Speaking of horsepower, if you are concerned about putting this much power in the hands of a teen – all 2017 Camaros will come standard with a new “Teen Driver mode.” Vehicle settings can be programmed to associate with a particular key fob that can “limit certain vehicle features, and it prevents certain safety systems from being turned off. An in-vehicle report gives you information on your teen’s driving habits and helps you to continue to coach your new driver.”

New options for 2017 include the 50^th Anniversary floor mats, illuminated sill plates, interior spectrum lighting, sport pedals, black bowtie emblems, a fuel door with exposed carbon fiber insert, body-color lower grille insert (SS only), four choices of rally stripes, body-color wing, 50^th Anniversary car covers, and Camaro logo wheel center caps. What really caught my eye on the 100-page order guide was the 50^th Anniversary Edition option for the 2LT and 2SS. Focusing on the 2SS version, the package includes: Nightfall Gray Metallic paint, “FIFTY” badging, anniversary aluminum wheels and center caps, unique stripes, body color front splitter, orange calipers, special trimmed leather seating with suede inserts and Orange stitching, and logos adorning the seatbacks and steering wheel. That sounds like an excellent consolation package for those of us without $60,000 [for a ZL1].

This entry was posted in News, Camaro News and tagged camaro, 2017 camaro, 2017 Chevrolet Camaro, 2017 Camaro order guide, 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on August 2, 2016 by Scott Parker.