Jaguar earned its rep for creating sleek, catlike, powerful race-worthy sportscars. For nearly a century (founded as Swallow Sidecar Company in 1922), Jaguar has produced luxury street vehicles and track-winning racers. With its new 2019 I-PACE Jaguar moved into a new arena … the electric car niche, as I-PACE is the company’s first all-electric vehicle, and an EV SUV/crossover to boot.  Oh, and it is also fun to drive.

With all-wheel-drive, two electric motors and Jag’s iconic sleekness outside and luxury inside I-PACE still shows off Jaguar muscle with 394 horsepower and 512 lb-ft of torque while attaining an EPA-rated driving range of 234 miles – the X trim can get up to 295 miles. The combination of style, performance and environmental friendliness has made I-PACE an award star, winning 55 awards globally since its launch. 

The first Jaguar to use the highly intuitive Touch Pro Duo infotainment system and artificial intelligence to identify driver preferences to tailor the driving experience, I-PACE uses technology to identify and automate some of the routine tasks that can distract or inconvenience the driver. Also onboard I-PACE are:

• New EV Navigation that factors in route topography, driving style and more to optimize range
• Pre-conditioning of I-PACE’s battery and cabin temperature while plugged in to maximize range 
• Settings for home charging times to match best electricity pricing  
• I-PACE continuous tech improvement with wireless over-the-air updates ensuring customers always have the latest software 
• Rapid public charging from 0-80 percent in less than 40-minutes, with 15-minutes charge giving a 60-mile range
• Zero tailpipe emissions
• Customer peace of mind from eight-year battery warranty and 21,000-mile / two-year servicing

And above all, I-PACE embodies the Jaguar legacy of luxury and performance.

Borrowing its outward demeanor from Jaguar’s innovative C-X75 concept car, which was featured in the James Bond flick “Spectre”, I-PACE is not the know-slung McLarensque coupe that appeared in the film, but as a Crossover, it displays a short, low bonnet (hood), low aero-dynamic roof, roof scoop and hatch-raked rear screen. This is NOT a boxy SUV, even with a squared-off rear, the front is enhanced by a prominent rectangular grille, hood vent and slim eyelike headlights … making it more sedan-like than Crossover-looking.

Weighing in at a robust 4784 lbs (curbweight), the sporty I-PACE fits its midsize crossover niche with dimensions of 184.3 inches long, 61.3 inches high and 74.6 inches wide on a 117.7-inch wheelbase. 

Inside, the luxurious and well-appointed cabin is advanced and trendy, accentuated by high-quality materials, three information displays and touch-capacitive controls. The floating-bridge design for the center console is bold, cockpit-like and not traditional SUV bland. With seating for 5, front headroom is a bit tight at 39.9 inches; legroom is 40.9 and shoulder room is 57.6. In row two, you get a tighter 38.1 inches of headroom, only 35 inches of legroom and 54.6 inches of shoulder room.

As is typical with an electric vehicle, the cabin is quiet, though you do get some tire and road noise on the highway, and the touchscreen takes a beat to respond. Sightlines are good up front and on the sides, but the small rear window and rear shoulders create a blind zone.

I-PACE introduces the Touch Pro Duo infotainment system to Jaguar. Utilizing an innovative combination of touchscreens, capacitive sensors and tactile physical controls, Touch Pro Duo is intuitive to use. A new EV navigation system assesses the topography of the route to destination and insights from previous journeys, including driving style, to calculate personalized range and charging status with exceptional accuracy for maximum driver confidence. And to ensure owners always have access to the latest infotainment, telematics and battery energy control software, I-PACE is the first Jaguar to provide software over-the-air -- providing seamless updates. 

I-PACE power come from its state-of-the-art 2-electric-motor powertrain and its vanguard 90kWh Lithium-ion battery using 432 pouch cells, to deliver an expected range of .234 miles on a full charge – though I would plan for less than that. Owners will be able to achieve a 0-80 per cent battery charge in less than 40 minutes using DC rapid charging (100kW). Home charging with an AC wall box (7kW) will achieve the same state of charge in just over 10 hours – ideal for overnight charging. The high torque density and high-energy efficiency characteristics of the motors deliver sports car performance, launching the I-PACE from a standing start to 60mph in just 4.6 seconds (hand-timed) in tests. My fun-to-test quarter-mile was accomplished in an un-crossover-like 13.2 seconds (hand-timed), accelerating easily and handling like a sedan.

The 2019 Jaguar E-PACE starts at $69,500 for the Base model and tops at the First Edition trim at $85,900. My I-PACE in SE trim based at $75,850. Firenze Red exterior paint added $575 and came with 20-inch 6-spoke wheels, Ebony grained leather sport seats with Ebony/Ebony interior, 10-way electric memory front seats, soft grain leather sport steering wheel and 11-speaker/12-amp channel Meridian sound system. A high-res Head-up information display added $970; a 360-degree surround camera and adaptive cruise control added $1300; four-zone climate control added $800; and delivery and destination charges added $1025 for a sticker-as-tested of $80,520.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

Carlisle Events and its staff have won numerous awards since its inception in 1974.  Founded by Bill Miller and the late Elliot “Chip” Miller, the events at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds entertain over a half a million guests annually, plus draw over ten thousand classic and collector cars to America’s Automotive Hometown each season.  None of this would have been possible without the passionate efforts of two men who shared more than just the same last name.  Their efforts and decades of work/contributions within the collector car hobby have earned them a VERY special honor – being named 2019 Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum Automotive Heritage Award recipients.  The ceremony takes place at the AACA Museum’s “Night at the Museum” gala and silent charity auction on October 9 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

There’s a bit of irony surrounding this award for Bill and Chip, as the October 9, Hershey based ceremony is also home to where it all started for the Miller’s (not related) more than 45 years ago.  It was 1973 and Chip was selling a ‘50s era Corvette at the AACA’s big event in Chocolate town.  What the young men didn’t realize at the time, was that while the Corvette in question seemed “old” to them, it did not classify as a classic car.  As such, they were asked to remove the car from the grounds. 

“We decided we needed a place for guys like us who liked the kinds of cars that we did,” said Bill Miller.  With a rented fairground and some loan money, Bill and Chip set out to make history, and they most certainly did.  Over the years, their efforts have resulted in billions of local economic impact dollars, countless jobs, thousands of dollars in charitable monies, dozens of cars given away, proposals, marriages, babies, generations of guests and a mecca for car lovers from around the world to converge and “talk shop” for a weekend.

After many years of hard work, the duo receives this amazing honor, albeit posthumously for Chip.  The Automotive Heritage Award is designed to honor and provide public recognition for an individual(s) who made an exceptional contribution to the hobby by preserving antique automobiles and motorsports vehicles, exhibiting their vehicles, promoting the hobby, engaging in sustained, noteworthy activities that have positively impacted the hobby and using his/her position in the hobby for philanthropy and service to others.  This is the third annual offering of the award.  Past award recipients include race car driver Bobby Rahal and Gale Halderman, the man who sketched the first Ford Mustang. 

This recognition is the latest in a line of honors for Bill and Chip since the inception of Carlisle Events.  Past honors include the Meguiars Award, Central Penn Business Journal Persons of the Year (with Lance Miller), the Others Award from the Salvation Army and many more local and regional honors.  In addition, Chip was posthumously inducted into the National Corvette Hall of fame in 2013.

Lance Miller, Chip’s son, will accept on his behalf, while Bill Miller will join Lance on the stage for this amazing recognition.  Complete event information is available at www.aacamuseum.org/events or by calling the AACA direct at 717-566-7100.

Redesigned and all-new from the ground-up, the Next Generation Sierra is differentiating itself from its sibling, the Chevrolet Silverado, after years of badge engineering and shared body panels with new styling, performance enhancements, a GMC-exclusive, industry-first MultiPro Tailgate, segment-first Multi-Color Head-Up Display, six engine set-ups, three cab sizes, and six trim levels that are all GMC.

New for 2019 is a reconfigured footprint that is larger in almost every dimension, including a longer wheelbase and longer crew cab body that offers about 3 inches more rear legroom than the previous model, yet the new model is lighter than the previous version, thanks to a mixed materials approach — including aluminum for the doors, hood and tailgate, with steel for the fenders, roof and standard cargo box. Also onboard is a GMC-exclusive, industry-first CarbonPro carbon fiber cargo box, developed to increase durability, efficiency and functionality, while offering best-in-class dent, scratch and corrosion resistance. The innovations don’t stop there as Sierra gets a segment-first Rear Camera Mirror that can function as a traditional mirror or as a camera screen, helping to eliminate obstructions such as rear seat passengers and head restraints while providing a wider, less obstructed rear field of view. And the 2019 Sierra offers a ProGrade Trailering System with Trailering App for a connected and comprehensive suite of trailering technologies, enhanced front and rear suspensions and an improved brake system featuring electro-hydraulic power assist, larger-diameter Duralife brake rotors and larger brake pads.

Of the six trims, I tested the top-of-the line Sierra Denali, the luxury flagship of the next-generation Sierra lineup, distinguished by iconic design cues, more upscale appointments, purposeful technologies and capability in a professional grade truck. Along with its bold design and premium features, the new Sierra Denali ups the ante in the segment with the most powerful V-8 engine in its class, and exclusive ride, handling and performance technologies designed for comfort, control and capability.

Denali stands tall, with a strong, purposeful stance, bold bodywork, chiseled shoulders and a tall, powerful hood, which is capped with a grille that’s bigger and bolder than any prior Sierra. New “light blade” signature lighting elements within Sierra Denali’s headlamps help accentuate the pickup truck’s exterior design, providing a distinctive appearance.

The Sierra1500 trims fill out their muscular demeanor with three cabs styles: regular, double cab and crew cab and run in length from 210.8 inches with a regular cab and 6-foot-6-inch box, to 231.7 inches with either a double cab and 6-6 box or the crew cab and a 5-foot-8 box. This represents a gain of from 2 inches to 6 inches depending on configuration. The Denali I tested, with Crew Cab and short box, sat on a 147.4-inch wheelbase (regular cab models are on a 16.5-inch wheelbase). Width goes 81.2 inches and height is 75.5 inches. Curbweight for the 4WD Crew Cab is a confident 5015 lbs. (regular cabs go as low as 4531), and the max trailering rate is 12,100 lbs.

In a you-want-it-we’ve-got-it-for-you approach to power, GMC trims comes with six different engine choices: 4.3-liter V-6 or 5.3-liter V-8 mated to a 6-speed automatic; 2.7-liter turbo or 5.3-liter V-8 coupled with an 8-speed automatic; and a 6.2-liter V-8 or a 3.0-liter turbo-diesel matched with a 10-speed automatic. Fuel economy runs from 15 to 20mpg in city driving and from 19 to 23 mpg on the highway. Powerwise, the 4.3 gets you 285hp and 305 lb-ft; the 5.3 rates at 355hp/383 lb-ft; the 2.7 turbo runs 310hp/348lb-ft; and the 6.2 delivers 420hp/460 lb-ft.

My 6.2-liter Denali was an upgrade over the standard 5.3 and was rated at 15mpg/city and 20mpg/highway -- I averaged 17.7 mpg in my heavy-footed tests. But the 6.2 really came alive when asked. While handling was big-truck loose, and steering was a bit vague, power was king. The 6.2 gave me a 6.2-second zero-to-sprint during a 14.6 second quarter-mile. Acceleration at speed took a beat, then exploded with power. At slow speed and around town, acceleration was a bit hesitant. Firm suspension feel was exhibited through an independent front with coil-over-shock with twin-tube shock absorbers working well with a solid axle rear with semi-elliptic, variable-rate, two-stage multileaf springs and splayed twin-tube shock absorbers. 

Inside, Denali is luxuriously appointed and is augmented with advanced connectivity, 
an 8-inch-diagonal GMC Premium Infotainment System with a high-resolution color touchscreen, and a seven-speaker Bose® Premium Sound System with Richbass® Woofer in the center console personalization features. Sierra Denali’s crafted cabin is spacious with 43 inches of front headroom in the crew cab version and 40.1 in the rear. Legroom is a comfortable 44.5 inches up front and 43.4 in the cab, and shoulder room is 66 and 65.2. 

The base regular cab, standard box 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 starts at $29,000 for 2WD and moves through multiple trims, cabs, beds and engines, topping out with the Denali basing at $54,700 and apexing at $66,590 for the Denali Yukon. My test Denali was the Yukon, so that I could try out the 6.2-liter engine. The 2WD setup was upgraded to 4WD for an additional $3000. Onyx Black exterior paint actually discounted the price by $1095 from the Summit White price, and Denali in Black looked powerful and luxurious. Jet Black perforated leather appointed seats were at no charge; The Denali Ultimate Package of power sunroof, power retractable assist steps, 4-wheel antilock disc brakes, 22-inch bright aluminum wheels with Midnight Silver premium paint, 22-inch all-season tires, inclination sensor, Enhanced Security Package with self-powered horn, interior movement sensor and vehicle inclination sensor, and Adaptive Cruise Control with Advanced with Forward Automatic Braking added another $7055 to the price. Roof rack cross rails added $265; premium all-weather floormats added $235; and destination and freight added $1295, for a stick-as-tested of $79,550, but package discounts and cash allowances trimmed the MSRP-as-tested to $76,050.
  
You can see GMC trucks through the decades, and more than 2,000 trucks of all eras, at the Carlisle Truck Nationals, August 2-4 at the Carlisle (PA) Fairgrounds. This event and has been one of the world’s largest truck shows since 1991. This celebration of trucks features Pick-ups, Heavy-duty trucks, Big Rigs, Mini Trucks, Antiques, Custom Vans, 4x4s, Jeeps, SUVs, Vintage Fire Trucks, Monster trucks and more.


> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years. </I>

Herb Houston of South Carolina has been named the Grand Prize Winner of the MotorCrush 100K Sweepstakes.

The public announcement came at the IMSA Northeast Grand Prix—part of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship series—on Saturday, July 20, 2019, at Lime Rock Park just before 10:00am. MotorCrush users and Grand Prize-hopefuls were able to tune-in via Instagram Live to hear the winner’s name, but only one of them went home with a modified Nissan GT-R valued at $70,000.

Houston, who had been contacted prior to the event and was flown-in the day before, accepted the keys. “When I received the news, I asked myself, ‘Is this for real?’ There was disbelief, coupled with a lot of excitement,” he said. “I was sworn to secrecy up to this point, but now I can finally share this with my friends, family, and the MotorCrush community.”

Shortly after Houston got behind the wheel, he was asked to slide over to the passenger seat as professional sports car champion and ALIVE® founder Andy Lally took him out onto the track to show Houston the full capabilities of his new ride. The GT-R is outfitted with a 3.8L twin-turbo V6 engine, 6-speed dual clutch, and 480 horsepower—all wielded with the expertise of a pro driver.

The experience, and the car, were made possible thanks to MotorCrush’s partners, Lockton Motorsports Insurance® and Lime Rock Park, as well as the hard work of their build contributors, including:

• K&N® Filters
• Motul
• Designer Wraps
• Committed Service Brand; and
• J-Tune Performance

The app serves to connect enthusiasts to all aspects of the motoring community. For Houston, this is what drew him to MotorCrush. “I've been into cars almost my whole life,” he said, “and grew up in a thriving car culture.  But since I have been raising a family in a very rural community, it's all removed. With MotorCrush, I was able to interact with other enthusiasts in spite of the distance.”

Houston said his top priority after leaving Lime Rock Park will be to show his new ride to his father.

The sweepstakes, which ran from November 1, 2018 to May 15, 2019, may be over, but there is more to look forward to from the ALIVE Team. In the fall, Lally will be taking the six recipients of the Andy Lally Track Day for a ride of their own. The Team also plans to host sweepstakes for ALIVE’s two other products: Track Rabbit and Awesome Joe Auctions. 

Life is Good – that’s what Chip Miller would always say.  For a pair of recent fund-raising events hosted by the late National Corvette Hall of Famer’s namesake foundation, not only was it good, it was great!  On Friday, July 19, the Chip Miller Amyloidosis Foundation welcomed hundreds of surfers and dozens more families for its 16^th Annual Surf Fest and 4^th annual Slide for Amyloid & Taste of OC.  

In the days leading up to Surf Fest, the ocean was calm by surfing standards, but with Chip Miller looking down on an event he’d surely be proud of, King Triton rose up, offering perfect surfing conditions with waves not seen in OCNJ all summer. 

Registration got things going at 7:30 a.m.  with surfers of all ages and skill sets taking part in the fun.  Nearly a hundred surfers took part with the top 6 being recognized in 7 different categories.  Those categories included Girls 12 & Under, Girls 13 & Up, Boys 12 & Under, Jr. Men, Men, Longboard and Parent/Child.  Category winners (in the same order) include Brynn Gallagher, Mia Gallagher, Cruz Dinofa, Tucker Collins, Stephen Zakroff, Kaiden Cameron and the Edington Family.

Complete results are available HERE.

As if cooling off IN the ocean wasn’t enough on a day when temps touched triple digits, the CMAF had more water themed fun planned for the evening.  Just blocks from the surf beach sits the Ocean City Water Park and as the sun faded to the west, the 2019 turnout and subsequent festivities topped last year’s event.  Earned money was well over $30,000 and surpassed last year’s totals, while sixteen restaurants and eateries in OC donated some of the best food anyone could want as part of the evening.

My father, Chip Miller was looking down on us this beautiful beach day,” noted CMAF president Lance Miller.  “We haven’t had waves all summer and everyone couldn’t believe their eyes once they peered towards the ocean and saw some incredible surf pouring in for the contestants to enjoy. We couldn’t have asked for better surf and weather,” continued Miller.

Miller also noted that the weather (and his wife) played a key role in the Taste of OC/Slide for Amyloid event too. 

“The weather couldn’t have been better for an evening at the OC Waterpark. My wife, Michele, really took the helm this year and worked diligently on getting local eateries behind the Taste of OC.  I was simply stunned at the transformation she and her friends did to make the waterpark an elegant yet laid back setup. The food was out of this world! The outpouring of rave reviews were constant all evening long, people really loved the food. We couldn’t have done it without the amazing OC community.”

These two events are just two of many on the summer schedule for the CMAF.  The next event happens Saturday, July 27 at the OCNJ Skate Park as part of the 3^rd Annual Skate Fest.  Following Skate Fest, the CMAF turns its attention to Carlisle Pennsylvania for Corvettes at Carlisle, the annual CMAF dinner and Corvette raffle giveaway hosted by the Lancaster County Corvette Club.

As with all events, prices and participation vary, but complete details on the 2019 season can be found online at www.ChipMiller.org or via the CMAF Facebook page, www.facebook.com/AmyloidosisAwarenes.  Can’t make the event?  Donate today via the CMAF web page.  Either way, join in the fun and support a great cause along the way.