Acura ARX-05 DPi IMSA Cars Roll Into Detroit With Momentum

Wayne Taylor Racing No. 10 Acura ARX-05 DPi Class car shared by Ricky Taylor and Filipe Albuquerque.
Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Acura ARX-05 DPi IMSA Cars Roll Into Detroit With Momentum

At the halfway point of the final Daytona Prototype international (DPi) season, Acura has begun to flex some muscle with back-to-back 1-2 finishes. Don’t let that fool you. Recent history and drivers involved remind us there’s a long way to go.

The Acura ARX-05 DPis fielded by Wayne Taylor Racing and Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian are coming off a pair of road courses – WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course – that favor their design. The No. 10 WTR Acura won both races to take the class lead in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The No. 60 MSR Acura finished second both times and sits second in the DPi standings.

“I feel like in the past few years the parity of the cars has really suited certain places more than others,” said Ricky Taylor, co-driver of the No. 10 with Filipe Albuquerque. “For the Acura, it’s Laguna, Mid-Ohio, Road America – those sorts of places where we really need to do our job and get the most points possible.”

“Once we go to Detroit, we expect it to swing back the other way.”

ZOOM Call Press Conference featuring DPi Class competitor Renger van der Zande, co-driver of the 

No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R & GTD Class competitor Roman De Angelis, co-driver of the 

No. 27 Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3

DPi Class competitor Renger van der Zande, co-driver of the No. 01
Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R. Image Credit Edmund Jenks (2022)

GTD Class competitor Roman De Angelis, co-driver of the No. 27 

Heart of Racing Team Aston Martin Vantage GT3. Image Credit Edmund Jenks (2022)

Therein lies the great equalizer. Bumpy tracks like the Raceway at Belle Isle street circuit favor the design of the Cadillacs. Detroit is up next on the calendar with the Chevrolet Sports Car Classic on June 4.

A glance at the 2022 standings at the midpoint shows all six fulltime entries still in the hunt with only 132 points separating the top five cars. 

The outlier could be the No. 01 Cadillac Racing entry, whose incredible pace has been outshone only by its incredibly bad fortune, leaving it 208 points back. 

As the co-driver of the No. 01 Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R, Renger van der Zande points out in the included ZOOM Call Press Conference,  that the key to IMSA's management in competition comes down to the Balance of Power (BoP) weight decisions applied to the racing platforms. 

“The last street track was in Long Beach and we did very well, especially Sebastien had a race that was amazing,” said the 36-year-old van der Zande. “I think we’re going confident into the second street race of the year. I think the Cadillac has always been doing well at Detroit. We, obviously, have a bit of a BoP hit with 15 kilos. The car is really on edge with the weight, so that 15 kilos might not sound like too much, but it is that little extra that has killed us in the past. That was at tracks like Road America. I don’t know how it’s going to hit us in Detroit…" 

The Netherlands based driver went on to point out that through this addition of weight, not only does this weight penalty effect the driving balance of the car, but that tire degradation goes up as well, causing the car to lose grip over a long stint. Hear more from both Renger van der Zande & Roman De Angelis about The Chevrolet Sports Car Classic from Belle Isle (ZOOM Call above) as this will be the last race held at this venue as next year, this Detroit Grand Prix will be moved to the streets within the city of Detroit.

“It’s actually simple,” Taylor explained. “The smoother the track and the higher the speed in the corners, the better it is (for the Acura). It comes down to just how low you can run the car. (With) the Cadillac, you can run it wherever you want (in ride height). The Acura, if it’s not just skimming the ground, it’s losing grip. When we go to a bumpy place like Detroit or Long Beach, which also have slow-speed corners, that’s where we suffer.”

History also shows that, even halfway through the schedule, teams seemingly downtrodden shouldn’t admit defeat. Last year, for instance, the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R was 157 points out of the championship lead after five races. Felipe Nasr and Pipo Derani rallied to win the title by 11 points.

In 2020, Taylor and then-teammate Helio Castroneves were in sixth place at the halfway mark, the equivalent of 100 points out of first. They bounced back to win by the equivalent of 10 points under the current scoring system.

Also worth noting is that Cadillac finished better than Acura last year at three remaining tracks (Detroit, Road America and Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta) on the schedule, with the jury out on the remaining two circuits. Acura outdid Cadillac at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen in 2021, but Cadillac returned the favor a week later in the sprint race at Watkins Glen International. The WeatherTech Championship returns to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July for the first time since 2019, when Acura got the better finish of the two manufacturers. But a year earlier, Cadillac won the race.

 Meyer Shank Racing No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Acura ARX-05 DPi Class car driven by Oliver Jarvis and Tom Blomqvist.
Image Credit: Brandon Day via FB/META (2022)

Which leaves Oliver Jarvis of the No. 60 Meyer Shank Racing Acura to echo the sentiment of all DPi drivers.

“It’s important that we capitalize on the tracks that do suit our car, we make the most of it and come away with maximum points,” he said. “We’re getting to halfway of the season and points you score here could be crucial for the championship at the end.”

The Chevrolet Sports Car Classic airs live from Detroit at 3:00 p.m. ET Saturday, June 4 on USA Network, Peacock and IMSA Radio.

[ht: IMSA]

For this last race at Detroit's Belle Isle park street course, IMSA will put on a race that will prove the DPi Class point/counterpoint that this posting seeks to bring to light. 

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: The Chevrolet Sports Car Classic, USA Network, Peacock, IMSA Radio, Ricky Taylor, Oliver Jarvis, Filipe Albuquerque, Tom Blomqvist, Renger van der Zande, Roman De Angelis, The EDJE

Chip Ganassi Racing Defines Tour-De-Force At The 106th Running Of The INDY500

Post 3-Round Qualifications at the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Race for 2022 - from left to right - Defending 2021 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion, Alex Palou, 7-Time NASCAR Champion/retiree and INDY500 Rookie Jimmie Johnson, 6-Time NTT INDYCAR SERIES Champion and NTT P1 Pole Award winner for the 106th Running of the INDY500 Scott Dixon, Chip Ganassi Racing team owner Chip Ganassi, NTT INDYCAR retiree NTT INDYCAR Champion/INDY500 Winner Tony Kanaan, Formula 1 retiree and second year CGR team driver (and 2022 winner of the INDY500) Marcus Ericsson. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment via FB/META (2022)

Chip Ganassi Racing Defines Tour-De-Force At The 106th Running Of The INDY500

In a motorsports event environment that has recently become the cornerstone in what can be termed "The House Of Penske", the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Memorial Day weekend, played host to one of the strongest showings in team work and performance to be witnessed during The Greatest Spectacle In Racing.

Swede. former Formula 1 driver, and third year Chip Ganassi Racing's Marcus Ericsson became the second person of Swedish decent to win the Indianapolis 500 in the one-hundred and twelve year history of this 106th 500 mile challenge. 

Chip Ganassi Racing's second year driver from Sweden, Marcus Ericsson, pours the winner's milk over himself in celebration on left ... on right, former Chip Ganassi Racing's driver from Sweden, Kenny Brach, congratulates a student he mentored throughout his career. Image Credit: Foto: TT via FB/META (2022)

Many may remember the name of Kenny Brach from the open wheel days of the IRL (Indianapolis Racing League) and CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) sanctioning bodies during the late 1990's. While driving for A. J. Foyt during his second year with the team, after capturing an IRL Series Season Championship in 1998, Kenny won the 1999 83rd Running Of The Indianapolis 500.

It turns out that Kenny was also a person of great influence through the early years in the pursuits of Marcus Ericsson as a race car driver through Karting, and later through conversations about driving the oval races in America. Further, it is noted that during his career, he was a driver on a Chip Ganassi Racing team in 2002 along with Bruno Junqueira, Jeff Ward, and amazingly ... Scott Dixon.

In the 2022 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Post-Race Press Conference, Marcus was able to field a congratulatory ZOOM Call participation from Kenny where Marcus shared that while he languished racing with the uncompetitive teams in F1, he felt that he would love to race in INDYCAR because it was more competitive and that he was comfortable with the very high-speed corners presented throughout the circuits they raced on in F1, more so than many of the other drivers he competed with. He always imagined to himself that he might be good at oval racing if given a decent chance to grow and learn.

The team work on display from Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR) showed itself all during this month of May from each of the five drivers and teams entered in the 106th Running Of The Indianapolis 500. 

Chip Ganassi Racing Brain Trust Post-Race Press Conference - Mike Hull, Chip Ganassi, & Mike O'Gara

The other members of the CGR Team begins with the other three full-time drivers that include six-time NTT INDYCAR Series Champion and INDY500 winner (2008) Scott Dixon, defending 2021 NTT INDYCAR Series Champion Alex Palou, second-year and seven-time NASCAR Series Champion (coming out of retirement to learn to race in INDYCAR including the INDY500) Jimmie Johnson, then the addition of a one-race specialist entrant - past NTT INDYCAR Series Champion and INDY500 winner Tony Kanaan. 

The style and intention of these professionals ... as a functioning team as opposed to five separate and singular units ... showed itself in how evenly matched the performance of the drivers, as a group, throughout the 6-Practices and the 3-Rounds of qualifications to set the 33 car field. 

No other team, as a group, represented themselves better. After all, CGR captured the NTT P1 Pole Position Award through having Scott Dixon post the fastest four lap qualifications speed to capture the pole starting position (his fifth) recorded in the 106th running history of the INDY500 event at 234.046mph.followed by his teammate Alex Palou at 233.499mph which, in itself, came very close to Scott Brayton's run of 233.718 set in 1996 that had been the fastest four lap qualifications speed for pole position recorded until 2022.

The fastest four-lap qualifying style run of all time at Indy, was set by Arie Luyendyk, also in 1996, although because this run was not set on Pole Day, Luyendyk was only able to post a speed that earned him a 21st position on the grid.

Jimmie Johnson came close to earning the distinction of "Rookie Of The Year" for the 106th Running Of The Indianapolis 500. He led laps and ran high in the order before his late RED Flag crash. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Paul Hurley (2022)

Before the race, in practice and through qualifications, all five CGR cars and the group that supported them set performance speeds that had them at the top of the 33 car field as a consistent dominate force to a level that may never be matched. Combined Practice (6 sessions) CGR drivers were Dixon P2, Johnson P3, Palou P4, Ericsson P9, Kanaan P20. Qualifications ended with Dixon P1, Palou P2, Ericsson P5, Kanaan P6, Johnson P12.

During the race, especially throughout the first couple of pitstops, it looked as though the two leading drivers of CGR would just go out and control the race through swapping the lead with each other to save fuel and maintain field pace. First Dixon would be in the lead a few laps, then Palou would pass and tow Dixon for a few laps, then Dixon would tow Palou, and so on, and so on. Nothing is predictable here at this 112 year old motor culture and event center facility, however.

Alex Palou gave up his early race leading performance on an unforced timing error having to do with rules governing Full Course YELLOW Flag pitlane closures. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Matt Fraver (2022)

The first chink in this seemingly perfect strategy came on Lap 68 when Callum Illot driving the No. 77 Chevrolet-Powered Juncos Hollinger Racing Dallara hit the wall on an unforced driving error (the second incident at this same corner, Corner 2 - Rinus VeeKay driving the No. 21 Chevrolet-Powered Ed Carpenter Racing Dallara spun on Lap 39) setting up an opportune time to pit for the field leading Alex Palou. The problem here was that Palou was force to drive through since the Full Course YELLOW Flag dropped just feet before the No. 9 of Alex Palou was able to cross the limit line that defines pitlane, having the Pits be closed to all cars during a full course caution period for safety purposes. On the next lap around, the No. 9 car was so low on fuel, Alex had to come in for a splash sending him to the back of the field for restart on Lap 77.

This left Scott Dixon at the front of the field without a team mate to perform this cooperative strategy of swapping the lead. Conor Daly, driving in a competitive Chevrolet-Powered Ed Carpenter Racing prepared car, did step up a couple of times, but realized that, when leading, he was giving a fuel mileage tow advantage to the Honda-Powered GCR prepared car.

The next issue in preventing a Chip Ganassi Racing team victory came on another driver error, this one forced, when Scott Dixon came in for his final pitstop on Lap 175. Scott came in over the limit line too fast and violated the pitlane speed limit that is allowed within the whole of the pitlane and after getting his car serviced, Dixon had to drive around a full lap then come through pitlane again, as a drive-through penalty, forcing Dixon to rejoin the field one-lap down, at or near the back on Lap 177.

Now what? 

After the field performed its pitstops, this left the lead first to Pato O'Ward for two laps, then CGR team mate Tony Kanaan for five laps, then another CGR team mate Alex Palou for three laps, then interrupted by Andretti Autosport's Marco Andretti for three laps, then back to a dual CGR team mate stint run until the end of the race with Jimmie Johnson (the only Rookie to lead laps in this race) for two laps, and finally Marcus Ericsson for the final 11 laps. 

RACE RECAP - Championship Racing News By Josh Farmer >>>

Marcus Ericsson in champion vanity shoot with hat, wreath, and Borg Warner trophy at the yard of bricks station - well earned. As Mike Hull, Managing Director of Chip Ganassi Racing, observed during the post-race press conference, "It's really difficult to teach somebody to win. There's a lot of race drivers that say if this, if that. This guy doesn't say 'if'. He said, Let's work together and make it happen." Image Credit: Penske Entertainment: Doug Mathews (2022)

Were it not for a late race crash for Jimmie Johnson that brought out a Lap 195 RED Flag and set up the final dash to the end of 200 laps, Jimmie Johnson may have been named "Rookie Of The Year" for finishing high and leading laps. Again, the team work and domination by CGR was "in everyone's senses/face." This was truly a "all hands on deck" team effort.

In the end, the team effort displayed by the personnel in support of five drivers and cars had each of the drivers lead laps and lead the vast majority of laps during the 200 Lap affair at leading a total of 163 Laps in the eventual winning of the 106th Running Of The Indianapolis 500. Scott Dixon walks away as the driver to lead the most laps, at 655, in the overall history in the 106 races run over the 112 years this 500 mile test has been held.

When it comes to Chip Ganassi Racing's Marcus Ericsson P1, Tony Kanaan P3, Alex Palou P9, Scott Dixon P21, and Jimmie Johnson P28 ... Tour-De-Force in team work and effort sums this Memorial Day motor culture tradition quite nicely, n'est-ce pas?

UPDATE From American Legion  (click GETTR image) 

[As Suggested/Almost Predicted Here At The EDJE]

... notes from The EDJE

----

Post Script:

During the 2022 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500 Post-Race Press Conference which was additionally attended by writers on a virtual ZOOM Call, Tony Kanaan also mentioned that his car was also a best of the field at the end, just not enough to pass Arrow McLaren SP driver Pato O'Ward or Tony's CGR team mate Marcus Ericsson, but that he had placed himself in the best possible position to win his second INDY500 ... all it would take would be a bump, a cut tire, a two car accident into the wall and there he sat in P3 with a lead against the field to cross the Start/Finish Line and "Yard Of Bricks" to deliver Chip Ganassi Racing its fifth (5th) Indianapolis 500 victory in it's history of competition. 

TRANSCRIPT:

Q. With two laps to go, restart, the Indy 500 victory is right there in front of you, all you got to do is pass this guy. What is it like in the cockpit, in your head, to have that kind of shot and come up short?

PATO O'WARD: You clinch. You clinch a lot every corner (smiling), yeah (smiling).

Q. That's it?

PATO O'WARD: You go flat and you hope to God the car doesn't snap.

Q. How about you, Tony?

TONY KANAAN: I had the best seat in the house. I'm like, C'mon, Pato, go, go, go.

PATO O'WARD: You liar (laughter).

TONY KANAAN: If you guys crash, I would win (laughter). Go, go. May be my teammate, but I didn't take him out (laughter).

He's smart enough not to do it. I was like, Oh, I guess we're finishing third.

ENDS

Chip Ganassi pointed out during the post-race press conference in an answer to a question on having Tony back for another try at winning the INDY500, "In his retirement we've made him the vice president of entertainment (smiling). And he can drive, too, yeah. He can still win this race. You saw today with his performance. Led a little bit. Kanaan is a veteran. He's a wily veteran. He knows his way around this place, no question. So we're not throwing him out yet."

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TAGS: Chip Ganassi Racing, CGR, Marcus Ericsson, Tony Kanaan, Alex Palou, Scott Dixon, Jimmie Johnson, Tour-De-Force, Team Work, INDY500, The Greatest Spectacle In Racing, The EDJE

Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Driver's Preview WeatherTech Raceway Event

ACURA Grand Prix Of Long Beach DPi Class race start at Turn 1. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2022)

Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Driver's Preview WeatherTech Raceway Event

The overall fourth event weekend in the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship season rolls into the Monterey Bay area to take over the Laguna Seca venue in a reset of a Springtime event timeframe. The last three years, when the INDYCAR Series finale was moved from Sears Point's Sonoma Raceway, saw a push to try to put IMSA Sportscars and NTT INDYCARS open-wheel racing on successive weekends in September but after a two year run at this set up, it was probably best for track management and the separate series to carry these events on a stand alone basis.

To some of the enthusiasts, it seemed smart to secure a campsite and live in the Monterey Bay area, tied to the dirt, but so much for glamping. It was fun while it lasted but now folks can get down to brass tacks and focus, focus, focus just one weekend on DPi (focus), GTD PRO (focus), and GTD (focus) competitors and cars.

Drivers of these three classes sat down and participated in arranged virtual press conferences via the ZOOM Call technology and format with a plan for three drivers for each class held on separate days for each of the classes. 

A line of questions made themselves clear to Motorsports Journal when DPi ACURA driver from Wayne Taylor racing pointed out one of the challenging characteristics in the driving surface of WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca is the maturity of the asphalt which creates tire wear and has the surface be a little slick in response. The next three clips start at a point where this topic is discussed by most all of the participating drivers. This is a great listen when one has the time and focus of a drive from Southern California to the Salinas Valley and beyond.

A Zoom interview held April 19 with select DPi drivers previewing the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Motul, April 29-May 1, 2022.

 

ZOOM Call Time: Tuesday, April 19, 2022 | 2 p.m. ET

Participants:

** Alex Lynn, co-driver of the No. 02 Cadillac Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R

** Ricky Taylor, co-driver of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi

** Tristan Vautier, co-driver of the No. 5 JDC Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R

18:18 - Ricky Taylor - Talking about Laguna Seca and track conditions. Just click and listen.

A Zoom interview held April 21 with select GTD PRO drivers previewing the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Motul, April 29-May 1, 2022.

 

ZOOM Call Time: Thursday, April 21, 2022 | 1 p.m. ET

Participants:

** Antonio Garcia, co-driver of the No. 3 Corvette Racing Corvette C8.R GTD

** Mathieu Jaminet, co-driver of the No. 9 Pfaff Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R

** (Scheduled/Missed Call) Cooper MacNeil, co-driver of the No. 79 WeatherTech Racing Mercedes-AMG GT3

19:23 - Mathieu Jaminet, in responding to a question about track surface. Just click and listen.

A Zoom interview held April 25 with select GTD drivers previewing the Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship Presented by Motul, April 29-May 1, 2022 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.

 

ZOOM Call Time: Monday, April 25, 2022 | 2 p.m. ET

Participants:

** Mike Skeen, co-driver of the No. 32 Team Korthoff Motorsports Mercedes-AMG GT3

** Ryan Hardwick, co-driver of the No. 16 Wright Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3R

** Bryan Sellers, co-driver of the No. 1 Paul Miller Racing BMW M4 GT3

14:53 - Mike Skeen, in responding to a question about track surface. Just click and listen.

Context is everything, but the most important understanding, is that sportscars, racing in multiple classes at the same time, deliver one of the most satisfying racing experiences one can receive in modern motor culture. The Monterey Peninsula provides the best of backdrops geographically anywhere in North America for one to immerse themselves in Touring, Eating, Camping, Carmel-ing, or just plain multiple class IMSA professional sportscar racing (tickets) on a surface that helps to separate true competitors from simple drivers.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Hyundai Monterey Sports Car Championship, DPi. GTD PRO, GTD, Class Racing, Presented by Motul, April 29 - May 1, 2022, The EDJE

Stuttgart-Based H2FLY Sets New World Record For Hydrogen-Electric Passenger Aircraft

Stuttgart-Based H2FLY Sets New World Record For Hydrogen-Electric Passenger Aircraft

On April 12th, 2022, H2FLY, the Stuttgart-based developer of hydrogen fuel cell technologies for aircraft, announced that its demonstrator aircraft, the HY4, set what is believed to be a new world record last week for hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft, flying at an altitude of 7,230 feet and confirming the company's position as one of the leading companies in this new sector.

The news comes as the company also flew a 77-mile journey between Stuttgart and Friedrichshafen on this day of April 12th, marking the first time a hydrogen-electric passenger aircraft has been piloted, between two major airports.

Commenting Prof. Dr. Josef Kallo, co-founder and CEO of H2FLY said "This is a remarkable achievement for H2FLY, as no other hydrogen-powered passenger aircraft has flown between two commercial airports to date. We are also thrilled to have set what we believe to be a new world record by reaching an altitude of over 7,000 feet with our HY4 aircraft. We want to thank our long-time partners Stuttgart Airport, University of Ulm, DLR Stuttgart, Friedrichshafen Airport, and AERO Friedrichshafen, for supporting us in our mission to make sustainable travel a reality."

The aircraft flew the mission to Friedrichshafen in order to participate in the AERO Friedrichshafen airshow, taking place from April 27th. The HY4 will be presented to the general public for the first time and will be exhibited until the end of April. Up to now, testing of the HY4 as taken place exclusively in the test area around Stuttgart Airport. Stuttgart Airport is a long-term partner of H2FLY and plays a key role in supporting the company with it's infrastructure.

Walter Schoefer, Speaker of the Board of Flughafen Stuttgart GmbH concluded: "We are delighted that HY4 has achieved this next technical milestone. This is another step on the long road of the aviation transformation process towards a more climate-friendly air transport. We see hydrogen-electric engines as the key to zero-emission flying and have therefore been promoting the HY4 project for many years. As a ‘fairport’, we want to continue to be a pioneer and enabler for the next steps when it comes to sustainability.”

Claus-Dieter Wehr, Managing Director of Friedrichshafen Airport commented: "In the airport's more than one-hundred-year history, this is the first time a hydrogen-powered aircraft has landed here in Friedrichshafen. We are very pleased that we can thus play our part in the further development and testing of hydrogen-electric propulsion. Particularly in view of the numerous projects on sustainable mobility in aviation, I see great opportunities for the Friedrichshafen site to create the framework conditions for innovative aviation companies and to attract them here.”

The four-seat HY4 has successfully demonstrated the applicability of hydrogen-electric propulsion solutions in aviation during several flight campaigns and with more than 90 takeoffs. It also serves as a test platform to further develop the propulsion system and thus lay the foundation for development work on a hydrogen-electric-powered, 40-seat Dornier 328, which will be developed jointly with Deutsche Aircraft by 2025.

"Sustainable aviation is the central topic at this year's AERO Friedrichshafen. We are, therefore, really pleased that Prof. Dr. Kallo and his team from H2FLY are celebrating a trade show world premiere at AERO Friedrichshafen with the HY4 hydrogen-electric aircraft. For more than ten years, we have been showcasing innovations from the field of electric aviation as part of the e-flight-expo. With the AERO Sustainable Aviation Trail, we are illustrating how innovative the entire general aviation sector and this year's AERO are with over 75 registered exhibitors on this sustainability trail in 11 exhibition halls," as stated by Head of AERO Roland Bosch and Show Director - Tobias Bretzel, AERO Friedrichshafen.

Sustainability in aviation also plays a significant role for Friedrichshafen Airport and this year's AERO, one of the world's most important aviation trade shows with more than 600 exhibitors from 35 nations. H2FLY will be represented at the air show from April 27 to 30 with its booth and the HY4 in Hall A7. In addition, H2FLY co-founder and CEO Prof. Dr. Josef Kallo will hold the presentation "Powered by Hydrogen H2FLY - Emission-Free Flying" as a featured speaker at the "IASA Conference - GREENER SKIES AHEAD The Future of Regional Aviation Pioneering Sustainable Air Transport" on April 27 from 11:00 a.m. CET.
[ht: H2FLY]

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: H2FLY, HY4, Stuttgart, Friedrichshafen, 77 miles, 7,230 feet, AERO Friedrichshafen airshow, The EDJE

IMSA DPi Cadillac's Westbrook, Derani, & ACURA's Albuquerque Share Thoughts On Race 03 At Long Beach Streets

Wayne Taylor Racing's No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi at the apex of the famed passing turn at the end of the Seaside Straight, Firestone Turn 9. Image Credit: Edmund Jenks (2021)

IMSA DPi Cadillac's Westbrook, Derani, & ACURA's Albuquerque Share Thoughts On Race 03 At Long Beach Streets

A ZOOM Call interview was held on March 29 with select DPi drivers to preview the third race of the season held on the temporary street course at the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, April 8-9, 2022.

The 1.968-mile, 11-turn temporary street circuit encircles the Long Beach Convention Center and runs down scenic Shoreline Drive. It offers numerous overtaking opportunities, including Turn 1 (Toyota) - Turn 6 (Tecate Turn) - Turn 8 - Turn 9 (Firestone) - but getting the hairpin Turn 11, just before the frontstretch, right is critical as this sets up Turn 1.

Richard Westbrook, co-driver of the No. 5 JDC Miller MotorSports Cadillac DPi-V.R, Pipo Derani, co-driver of the No. 31 Whelen Engineering Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R, and Filipe Albuquerque, co-driver of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi remain excited over competing through the concrete canyons on the shores of the Pacific Ocean during Southern California's primary rites-of-spring event.

CADILLAC RACING LONG BEACH PREVIEW: ZOOM TRANSCRIPT

In advance of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race April 9 on the 1.968-mile, 11-turn street circuit in Long Beach, California, Pipo Derani (No.31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R) -- who co-drove to the 2021 victory to lead a Cadillac sweep of the podium -- and Richard Westbrook (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R), co-driver of the DPi championship points-leading team, met with the media March 29 via Zoom conference.

RICHARD WESTBROOK (No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac DPi-V.R):

THE MUSTANG SAMPLING COLORS HAVE WON AT LONG BEACH, BUT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR FIRST WIN THERE. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO TO BRING IT HOME FOR YOU AND TRISTAN VAUTIER?

“It’s going to be incredibly tough, obviously. Going into the third round that starts off at Daytona, a completely different circuit, and then the polar opposite going to Sebring and then completely different yet again going to Long Beach. I feel like every time I’m going to a new track with this car – the track I know but it’s the first time in this car – it’s almost like I’ve never been there before because the car is so different than a GT and the last time I raced in prototype. It’s a massive learning curve, but there’s a lot you can take from Sebring to Long Beach setup-wise and we obviously had a good car there. I’m quietly confident and just really pleased to get the 36 hours of Florida out of the way because that was my target – to get through those two events and get some decent points on the board, learn as much as I can, try to fit into the team as best I can and get myself a platform for the short-race season. That’s what we’ve done. To come out of those two rounds with leading the championship, I sort of have to pinch myself. Obviously, it’s early days and lots of race to go, but we’ve given ourselves a good platform. I’m looking forward to Long Beach, but a completely different challenge.”

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING ON A STREET CIRCUIT WITH A SHORT RACE?

“Street circuit qualifying is nuts. You have to sort of go to places that you don’t really want to go to in practice. You have to step out for sure and take the car past its limit in some way. I prefer to be finishing that race.”

QUESTION FROM MOTORSPORTS JOURNAL >>>

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SECTION OF THE LONG BEACH TRACK AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GAINING FROM THAT SECTION?

“I guess the last two corners because when you have sections of circuits where you can give up a little bit to have a good run through the last corners – where you can sacrifice a bit to gain something somewhere else. That whole last section where you’ve got the right and then the long left and then the final hairpin, you can go quicker in one but you’re going to have to sacrifice in the next. It’s sort of connecting the three and I like that sort of challenge in any circuit. We turn up for the first practice at 9 o’clock in the morning and it’s kind of a meaningless session because you’re just cleaning the circuit and the track just evolves, evolves and it’s a completely different circuit come race day. I remember that race day is normally quicker (lap times) than qualifying because the track just continues to evolve. You have to be ready for that. You sort of have to adapt yourself. You can’t go into each session with the mindset that ‘I need to improve in that corner, maybe I’ll try that.’ The track next session is completely different, so you have to be open-minded in how you set out to work. I’ve never won at Long Beach, so it's about time I did.”

ENDS

IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE IN TUNE WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATE?

“When you get a new teammate, the first few races you’re sort of working out what does he like to eat, where are we going to have dinner tonight. It’s getting used to all that stuff. The chemistry with Tristan (Vautier) and Loic (Duval) has been really strong. We’re definitely working toward the same goal in terms of setup on the car; we like a similar setup. For me, it’s only going to get stronger. I can’t say enough about Tristan. I’ve been super pleased with how he performs, and his one-lap pace is incredible. Hopefully, he puts that to good use all year.”

PIPO DERANI (No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac DPi-V.R):

FOND MEMORIES OF LONG BEACH LAST YEAR. HOW ARE YOU GOING TO REPEAT WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATE TRISTAN NUNEZ?

“Long Beach last year was definitely a key moment in our championship. It was a fantastic race because the year before we almost won the race; in the end we wound up losing the wheel after leading the race up to the last pit stop. To capitalize last year and make sure we win that one when it slipped away the year before was great. Long Beach is a great track to drive. The event is a fantastic together with INDYCAR to have a lot of fans around. A street track is always challenging to be so close to the walls. It’s going to be again a very challenging and a very tight field and difficult race to win as usual in IMSA. Our Cadillac DPi runs really well at that track. Looking forward to it with a new teammate Tristan (Nunez). He’s driven there before and hopefully he’ll hit the ground running with the Cadillac. After two races under his belt, he’s getting more used to the Cadillac DPi. I’m looking forward to heading west and having our two races there at Long Beach and then later at Monterrey.”

YOU CAME BACK LAST YEAR TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER A ROUGH START. DO YOU HAVE A PHILOSOPHY ABOUT IT OR ARE YOU EVEN THINKING ABOUT IT?

“I think last year was a little bit chaotic in the beginning for us. I’d like to think this year has started much smoother than last year. Last year, we had a gearbox problem at Daytona, a horrible Sebring and we made our lives very difficult toward the end of the season to win the championship the way we did. I think we won the championship by 11 points, so it was really tight and difficult to overcome the difficult beginning. This year, not ideal to finish fourth at Daytona, but getting our first podium at Sebring I think we are much closer to the championship leaders than we were last year. Of course, we would like to be further up. There’s no philosophy in starting slow and trying to finish strong. I think a championship is built not only on the second half of the season but trying to make sure you get the points early on as well. The championship is so strong; we had a really strong race at Daytona this year and came up short at the end when it counted. We didn’t quite have the pace in the last 30 minutes and there were three cars that were stronger than us that finished ahead of us. In a championship, we try to maximize points when we can. If we can’t win, then take second or third or even fourth. I think we’re within 30 or 40 points from the lead so better than last year. Hopefully, it’s a good beginning to be stronger toward the rest of the championship.”

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES TO HAVING THREE DIFFERENT SETUPS FOR THE FIRST THREE RACES?

“It shows the diversity of the championship. You go from Daytona – very big track – to Sebring – very bumpy track – and then to a street track in California. I think it brings something to the championship and for the teams to adapt quickly to these changes. They are great tracks to drive; each have their own peculiarity. Daytona being the beginning of the season and so many long straights and then going to Sebring, a track that was so strong for Cadillac. You have a brand like Acura that dominated at Daytona and then Cadillac dominating at Sebring. And now going into Long Beach – a track that has been quite even between the two manufacturers over the last few years. We got pole position last year and won the race. It’s great to have such a great combination of tracks where you have to keep yourself and your team on your toes and do the best job possible to stay ahead.”

WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF QUALIFYING ON A STREET CIRCUIT WITH A SHORT RACE?

“It’s a track that is hard to pass. Also, you can get a little bit lucky because you see others making mistakes, hitting the walls and eventually you can be a little bit lucky with a yellow, but you don’t want to count on that at all. In an hour, 40-minute race, I think you need to maximize your chances and that starts with qualifying. That’s the beauty of the sport; you have to put it together early and hope that the race stays green.”

WHAT MAKES THE CADILLAC SUCH A GOOD CAR AT LONG BEACH?

“I think Cadillac has shown to be very good when the track is bumpy. Not last year, but the year before Acura qualified on pole with a Penske car and I think they had the pace to win just like we did. Last year, it seemed like we had some advantage over the Wayne Taylor car and the Shank car, but they seemed to have stepped up this year in terms of performance, so I’m expecting a close fight. But the Cadillac is a fantastic car over the bumps. We saw that at Sebring. It’s a car that copes well with a bump track and normally street tracks tend to be a little bit more bumpy than a normal track. I think this is one of the strong points of our Cadillac DPi and hopefully we can use that to our advantage over the race weekend at Long Beach.”

QUESTION FROM MOTORSPORTS JOURNAL >>>

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SECTION OF THE LONG BEACH TRACK AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GAINING FROM THAT SECTION?

“A fun part of Long Beach is the roundabout where it’s quite tight, it’s interesting how you have to go around the roundabout but at the same time try to clip a little bit of the curb. You have nice pictures there; sometimes it looks as if the car is on top of the grass.”

ENDS

IS THIS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET MORE IN TUNE WITH YOUR NEW TEAMMATE?

“I think it’s been a learning curve after three years with Felipe (Nasr) when you get to learn and understand each other so well. Having Tristan (Nunez) come on board this year has been refreshing. It’s been two races where Tristan has allowed himself to adapt to the team. It’s always good to have Daytona and Sebring as the first two races of the season because you have so much track time and you have time to find all those details you need for a good relationship with your teammate. It’s not easy to just step into DPi with the car that just won the championship to perform at the highest level, but so far he's doing a fantastic job. I think we’re heading into a different type of race of the championship that is much shorter and I’m sure he’s going to do really well. We’ll continue to develop this relationship and hopefully bring some wins to the team and bring another championship.”

No Transcript As Yet For >>>

Filipe Albuquerque, co-driver of the No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura ARX-05 Acura DPi

QUESTION FROM MOTORSPORTS JOURNAL >>>

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE SECTION OF THE LONG BEACH TRACK AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GAINING FROM THAT SECTION?

Answer Spooled Up In Video Above >>>

ENDS

... notes from The EDJE


FEATURED ARTICLE >>>

TAGS: IMSA, DPi, Cadillac, ACURA, No. 10 Konica Minolta Acura, No. 5 Mustang Sampling Cadillac, No. 31 Whelen Engineering Cadillac, Westbrook, Derani, Albuquerque, The EDJE

House Of Penske Dominates Race Two And First Oval Of The 2022 Season

 

Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden nips teammate and NTT P1 Pole Award winner Scott McLaughlin at the Start/Finish Line by 0.0669 after 277 Laps on a last corner pass in the XPEL 375 at Texas Motor Speedway. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment - Chris Owens (2022)

House Of Penske Dominates Race Two And First Oval Of The 2022 Season

It's early in the season where we have had the season-opener on the street course in the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida and this weekend's high-speed banked oval at Texas Motor Speedway near Ft, Worth, Texas.

To those who have been paying attention to the opening races in North American professional motorsports at the highest levels, Team Penske has been on quite a roll. If one were to add machinery and drivers who were formally directly associated with Team Penske, the start of the 2022 season for the "House Of Penske" is quite astounding.

To review, the first race of the IMSA DPi season - the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona - was won by an ACURA that was first introduced to this class of sportscar racing and sold to Meyer Shank Racing driven by two past driving members of Team Penske, Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud.

The first non-points paying race of the NASCAR Cup Series season - BUSCH Light Clash at the Coliseum - was won by Team Penske's Joey Logano. Further, the first points paying race of the 2022 season - the Daytona 500 - was won on the 85th birthday of his car owner, Roger Penske, by 23-year-old NASCAR Cup Series rookie Austin Cindric. Cindric beat Bubba Wallace to the finish line by .036 seconds in overtime to win Sunday’s 64th running of the Daytona 500.

The first race of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season - Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg - was won by Team Penske second year driver, New Zealander Scott McLaughlin who won his first race for this INDYCAR team.

Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden celebrates by pulling the triggers on the six shooter pistols, one in each hand, in victory lane after winning the NTT IndyCar Series XPEL 375 race at Texas Motor Speedway. Said Newgarden, of the win performed on the last corner before the Start/Finish Line, "I just went for it. He [teammate Scott McLaughlin] didn't do anything wrong, up on traffic, getting loose. I was a little stronger than him at the end for sure. It would be unwise, it actually shows his wisdom. It would have been very unwise for him to take a flyer and go high side without knowing what's going to happen. He won the first race, leading the championship. That would have been silly for him to do that decision. For me it was a risk but I think it was somewhat calculated. I saw people going up there toward the beginning and middle of the race. I took a calculated risk and it worked out."  Image Credit: Penske Entertainment - Chris Owens (2022)

The second race of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season - XPEL 375 - was expected to be very hotly contested, and this race did not disappoint. 

Much of the early buzz surrounded the fact that NASCAR standout veteran and second year driver for Chip Ganassi Racing Jimmie Johnson was finally going to be in his element. During his NASCAR career, Johnson won seven of his thirty-five starts in each 500 mile race performed at Texas Motor Speedway. This race was only going to be a contested length of 248 circuits/375 miles - only 3/4ths of the length of a NASCAR event.

J.R. Hildebrand had just signed on with A.J. Foyt Racing (AJFR) to be the oval race specialist in the car normally driven by Rookie driver, Colombian Tatiana Calderón. He competed in 11 straight INDY 500 races and was brought on to lend some valuable experience in coaching two rookie drivers (the other Rookie being Indy Lights Champion , Floridian Kyle Kirkwood) and assist with second year AJFR driver, Canadian Dalton Kellett, as well as run all of the ovals on the 2022 schedule.

A 27 car count field had fans excited about the prospect of this race. In recent years, having 19, 20 , 21, or 22 cars seemed about the norm for most INDYCAR competitors taking to the track - not being a race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the INDY 500. This has been growing through the refinements and maturity of the DW12 racing platform and aero-dynamics, with this racing season becoming the most robust car count racing seasons in years.

RESULTS >>>

This excerpted and edited from Racer - 

PRUETT: IndyCar had empty stands at Texas - Here’s why it's worth the investment

By: Marshall Pruett - March 20, 2022 10:53pm ET

The best thing to come from Sunday’s IndyCar race is the fact that, after a fun race with more passing than we’ve seen in years, IndyCar has something to fight for at Texas Motor Speedway.

If the XPEL 375 turned out to be another single-lane stinker where we were stuck with 248 laps of follow-the-leader, I’d be singing the old country song, “Turn out the lights, the party’s over…they say that all good things must end” and rooting for IndyCar to uproot its act from Dallas/Fort Worth and find another oval worthy of its affection.

Thankfully, the constant action near the front, the rising and falling drivers everywhere else and the thriller of a finish — one teammate ripping the heart out of another — made a big and positive impression that wasn’t entirely expected. If only there were more people in the grandstands to have seen Josef Newgarden, Scott McLaughlin, Marcus Ericsson, Jimmie Johnson, Santino Ferrucci and the rest of the 27 crazies put on a heck of a show.

----

The extra 150 pounds of downforce IndyCar added to its Texas aero specifications and the revised Firestone tires helped drivers to charge harder into and out of the corners, and while the second lane never materialized as anything other than an infrequent option, the competition was fierce. The series has some valuable takeaways to consider; Newgarden thought the extra session run late on Saturday to try and bring the second lane to life served a purpose.

----

A highly skilled IndyCar promoter who was in attendance thought the tiny crowd was likely a result of making a big mistake on setting the start time around 11:30 a.m. Most churches don’t let out before noon in the Bible Belt — and if it’s a good sermon it might be 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. before the doors are opened. IndyCar and TMS might have asked a lot of fans to choose between the Good Word and good racing. If that’s true, the grandstands provided the answer on who won that divine contest.

----

What I do know is: After the race IndyCar produced, Texas needs to stay on the schedule. But not if it looks like they forgot to open the gates to the damn event. 

As I’ve probably written 50 times in recent years, IndyCar cannot afford to go to venues where it looks small and unimportant, and that’s exactly what we had on Sunday.

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IndyCar needs to intervene and bring its marketing and promotions capabilities to bear. Penske Entertainment is treating its co-promotion of the upcoming Hy-Vee IndyCar Weekend at Iowa like it’s the most important race the world will ever know.

From all the sponsors it has signed to the big music acts Hy-Vee has brought in, it’s clear that when Penske Entertainment wants to go on the attack to make sure people buy tickets to an event it’s in charge of, it will work itself to the point of exhaustion. Unlike Iowa, IndyCar’s annual visit to TMS isn’t a track rental where its promotional efforts are directly tied to making a profit. But maybe it should be treated that way.

----

IndyCar drivers and teams risk too much over those 248 laps to play in front of an empty house. They deserve better and so do the faithful who circle this event on the calendar every year and pray for a good race.

Now that they’ve got one that’s worth saving, it’s time for IndyCar to stop pinning its hopes on TMS to deliver a massive crowd and do its part by attacking the problem and getting people in those seats themselves.

[Reference Here]

With the level of success the House Of Penske has had at the many racing series and tracks in North America this year, maybe it is time to flex some of their "other" muscles found at the House Of Penske's Penske Entertainment.

Team Penske driver, who's second in the Championship points, Will Power gives a congratulatory hug to Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden on his last turn pass and win in the XPEL 375. Newgarden moves up to P4 in the season points behind Chip Ganassi Racing driver and 2021 season Champion Alex Palou. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment - Chris Owens (2022)

Driver Season Championship Points Here >>>

In summation after looking at the post race 2022 NTT INDYCAR SERIES Season driver points chart - impressions:

Pretty eye-opening given that some drivers are doing better than imagined.

Top of the order in points is House Of Penske with Scott McLaughlin @ P1 and Will Power @ P2 (trailing by only 28 points) - the "down-under" twins - both male and both qualify and win a lot. Josef Newgarden for his part @ P4 (32 points behind), notched his 21st career IndyCar victory. Team Penske earned its 600th win across all racing programs.

INDY 500 winner during his first year driving in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES has always coveted being a season champion, but has come up short, started this season with an intent that this was going to be the championship breakout year. After only two races in a 17 race season, he finds himself stuck at the starting line. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment - Chris Owens (2022)

Colton Herta is highest points for Andretti Autosport at P7 - Andretti Autosport's Alexander Rossi has only beaten out two extreme Rookies ... so that makes him literally LAST in points.

Jimmie Johnson finished in sixth place in the XPEL 375 for his best IndyCar finish to date. Johnson is racing the full IndyCar schedule for the first time in 2022 after joining the circuit part-time last year. On the year, Jimmie is a surprising P11 ahead of Rahal at P12 and O'Ward at P13.

 

Pre-Race meeting between one-race fill-in driver Santino Ferrucci and second year driver for Chip Ganassi Racing Jimmie Johnson who was able to register more laps of racing at Texas Motor Speedway than any driver in the field due to his seven championship winning NASCAR Cup Series seasons over 18 full-time year career. Image Credit: Penske Entertainment - Chris Owens (2022)

Santino Ferrucci with a one-race fill-in for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing driver Jack Harvey, who had an accident during the final practice and due to ACCELEROMETER PROTOCOL was not allowed to take to the track and race, finished the race as the biggest mover - Santino went from dead last @ P27 to P9 in the No. 45 RLL Honda. Due to this performance, Ferrucci has more points @ P20 in the season points stack rankings after two races than ... Conor Daly, Ed Carpenter, Kyle Kirkwood, Jack Harvey, and oval specialist J.R. Hildebrand (who should be the one with the most points of those mentioned before him - yet still has more points than Rossi).

Really a fun 11.7% completion snapshot of an early season before ACURA Grand Prix Of Long Beach set to run as Race 03 on April 8-10, 2022.

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: Texas Motor Speedway, INDYCAR, House Of Penske, IMSA, NASCAR, Car Counts, XPEL 375, The EDJE

An Efficient, Safety Orientated, Performance Crossover

An Efficient, Safety Orientated, Performance Crossover 

By: James Groth - Review & Photography - Originally For - Partially Featured - Green Car Journal 

Location: Phoenix, AZ - The Electrified 2022 Lexus NX Hybrid Line Up 

A significant message Lexus is putting out for 2022 is…"over the next four years, half of the twenty new, or updated Lexus models, will be Electrified”.  NX Hybrids are expected to be 23% of those sales. 

For the majority of potential owners the winner I believe will be the 350h as its priced $500 below the gas version NX 350. The new pricing strategy will allow more customers to enjoy the benefits of a hybrid powertrain that provides superior mileage, combined EPA MPG 39 over the gas models MPG 25.  The marketing strategy of pricing 350h hybrid models below gas models I believe will be recognized as an industry milestone for converting customers to hybrid technology.

In recent years perhaps many potential buyers of SUV/Crossovers have passed on them due to their handling qualities in high winds and roll-over compared to sedans. Lexus has made the suspension of the 2022 NX a focal point by addressing how suspension affects ride quality, handling, quietness and overall driver confidence. 

Here is how they drove. For the vehicle size class the NX competes in this Crossover/SUV is nimble and very capable on twisty roads. Both the 350h and in particular the 450h+ instilled confidence to take sharp turns at speed without tire scrubbing or excessive lean and body roll. 

Ride quality was excellent with no harshness over bumps or rough road surfaces. The cabin remained quite at highway speeds providing a near home environment to enjoy the clarity of the audio system. 

Lexus' redesigned its suspension systems to include Adaptive Variable Suspension on the NX F Sport models. While the NX F Sport was not available at the media presentation I expect it will satisfy owners seeking sports car handling relative to NX’s size. AWD is offered on the 350h and is standard on the 450h+.  AWD is a contributor to the overall handling qualities of the NX and should be a strong consideration for those dealing with rain and snow. 

Power is sourced from four distinct powertrains:   

Gas Powered 

2.5L 4-cylinder 

2.4L  Turbocharged 4-cylinder.  

203 hp                                     275 hp

184 lb-ft torque                        317 lb-ft torque

8 speed auto                           8 speed auto

FWD or AWD                          AWD standard

Combined EPA MPG 28         Combined EPA MPG 25

0-60 mph 8.2 sec (FWD).       Full time AWD

8.6 sec (AWD)                        0-60 mph 6.6 sec

Hybrid Powered

2.5L 4-cylinder Hybrid.          2.5L 4-cylinder Plug-in Hybrid

239 total system hp               302 total hp

Electronic CVT                     Electronic CVT

AWD                                     AWD

Combined EPA MPG 39      Combined EPA MPG 84

0-6- mph 7.2 sec                  0-60 mph 6.0 sec 

EV range 37 miles estimate 

The 450h+ is designated by a power budge on the hood to accommodate the 450h+ power plant. Owners will be able to run with and out run some sporty vehicles with 0 to 60 mph performance of six seconds flat in the 450h+.  The 350h comes in at 7.2 seconds which should be competitive but less than the 350 gas that turns a 0-60 mph of 6.6 seconds. All three of these models have the power necessary for safely passing on two lane roads. 

The NX 350h has a fourth-generation hybrid drive with a two-motor transaxle/single motor rear differential and utilizes a lithium-ion battery. The 450h+ adds to those specs a 18.1kWh lithium-ion battery allowing for an estimated 37 miles of EV driving range. A full charge is achieved in 2.5 hours from a 240V outlet.  Many owners will appreciate that there is an optional 6.6kW on board charger.

If the latest connected services are a large part of your purchase decision, then NX has to be a top contender. The connected services are in five categories: Drive, Remote, Safety, Wi-Fi and Service. Each of these categories perform four to six unique functions. The connected services include Virtual Assistant. Navigation is cloud-based and Google powered.  The wireless charging is a simple welcome addition. The Lexus Interface has a 10-inch color Head-Up display standard with a 14” touchscreen optional. I found the Head-Up display useful and functional even with a blazing Arizona sun torching the windshield. 

The digital rear-view mirror is unique and another of the many very functional safety systems in this newly designed NX 2022 line up. The new safety systems are so numerous that space does not allow me to properly address them.  They include Remote Park and in particular Front Cross-Traffic Alert to prevent collisions when making left turns.  I did not have time to adapt to the Panoramic View Monitor display which was a distraction for me. 

Digital latches exterior and interior are a first and unique in design and use. Not to worry if the battery dies as you can still open the doors. A power folding rear seat is available. With the front seats set for a six foot driver the rear leg room may be a comprise for some people. Cargo capacity has increased by 14%. Standard wheels are 18” with 20” optional. To size up matters for your garage here are the critical NX numbers: overall length 183.5”, width 73.4”, height 65.3”.

Eight exterior colors are offered and three additional are exclusive to the F Sport range. There are four interior color offerings for 350h and 450h+ each can be selected in either Nuluxe or leather. The F Sport has two colors but they only come in Nuluxe, there is no leather offering. 

For audiophiles there is a1800 watt amp, with 12 channels powering through 17-speakers from premier audio manufacturer, Mark Levinson. This system made me feel as though I were in a theater, watching an action movie. The Mark Levinson systems clarity and reveal will out perform the majority of owners home system. The standard Lexus Premium Audio with 296 watts through 10-speakers has the sound quality to satisfy most owners. 

Conclusion: Lexus like all manufacturers designing a new or replacement vehicle study the competitive leaders and look to top or match them. This is what Lexus has done with the new NX by stepping up their game in every category.  They have succeed, in particular in the major categories of Price, Performance, Technology and Safety.  The highlight model in the line for me was the NX 450h+ which I preferred over the larger F Sport RX. Lexus is making the transition into hybrids easier with the ‘Affordability Factor’ as a key element.

Pricing: 

NX 250 FWD $37,950  -  NX 250 AWD $39,505  -  NX 350 $41,550  -  NX 350h $41,050  -  NX 450h+ $55,560

P.S. The author also drove the IS 500 on mountain and freeway roads back to the AZ Biltmore. This is one hell of a hot rod with a sleeper 5.0 liter motor pushing out 472 hp through AWD and a taught suspension. The press notes did not show a 0-60 mph, just know this IS 500 accelerates in an instant  rush of power. I was glad I moved to the third lane as I saw the motorcycle cop follow and pull over the Dodge Challenger that passed me …     

... notes from The EDJE

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TAGS: James Groth, Green Car Journal, NX 250, FWD, Lexus, AWD, NX 350, NX 350h, NX 450h+, IS 500, F Sport, The EDJE