"Tesla Model 3" aiming to build a mass production structure won "2018 best car" selected by Popular Mechanics magazine

An American technical journal with a history of over 100 years "Popular mechanics"In the year 2018 of the best car of the year" Car of the Year ", Tesla's"Model 3"Was chosen. It seems that there is a desire to look at the large conversion of the automobile that visits in the near future as the background that model 3 which is dedicated to the mass production structure was chosen.

Best Cars 2018 | The 2018 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Awards
https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/g19605464/best-cars-2018/

Popular mechanics, such as "Sedan of the Year", "SUV of the Year", "Truck of the Year", "Car that can be enjoyed more than price", etc. in addition to the car of the year We have chosen a total of 22 cars in the category. I picked it up mainly from familiar cars in Japan.

◆ Car of the Year 2018 "Tesla Model 3"
About the reason why Tesla Model 3 was chosen Popular mechanics unexpectedly cite the point that it is "fun to run." The magazine tried on a premium interior specification with a seat heater ($ 5000: about 530,000 yen) with an additional battery (9000 dollars: about 960,000 yen) for vehicles with a base price of $ 35,000 (about 3.7 million yen) ), Automobile pilot (5000 dollars: approx. 530,000 yen), special painting (1000 dollars: approx. 110,000 yen), etc., the vehicle price has expanded to nearly $ 55,000 (about 5.8 million yen) Although it is said that it was gorgeous specification, apparently it seems to have enough appeal to meet that price.


By placing the motor on the rear wheel side, Model 3 is basic specification and weight distribution of the body is 47: 53 and it is a little rear heirby. There are few models with this front and rear balance in a four-seater commercial car, and the representative of that is Porsche 911. Thanks to the light nose, the handling performance is good, and by driving a rear wheel strongly with a motor equivalent to 271 horsepower, it seems that it is one unit that can enjoy a comfortable running. By the way, the 0 - 60 mph acceleration (0 - 96 km / h acceleration) is catalog value in 5 second range, but in real cars it may be in the 4 second range.

In addition, by adopting a 15-inch display and concentrating meters and switches in one place, it is one of the beauty points that there is room in indoor design. Depending on the person, there seems to be a demand for "meter at the handlebar", but due to aggregation of the operation system omission of cables and the like helps to reduce weight of the car body, the way of the next generation car It may be said that it is indicated.

On the other hand, as for the negative side, it is concerned about where the influence of cost reduction can be seen, such as a trunk room with a metal panel exposed. EV is expected to start introducing each manufacturer in the future around 2020 in the future, but 2018 Car of which Tesla's enthusiasm and advancedness including Tesla 's enthusiasm and cutting - It seems that it is supposed to be the year award.

◆ Sedan of the Year "Kia Stinger"
V6 squeezing 365 horsepower Hot model equipped with a 3.3 liter engine and driving the rear wheels to the main. It is a model located in the same class as the BMW 440i Grand Coupe and Porsche Panamera and the 0 - 60 mph acceleration is 4.4 seconds. While it is a high-performance model, the price performance is also high as one of the points that the price is less than $ 40,000 (about 4.2 million yen).


◆ Crossover of the Year "Alfa Romeo Stelvio"
The reason why this model was chosen among categories of crossover where emphasis is placed on usability and loadability is because the handling was excellent. There is only Alfa Romeo with a primitive sports car "4 C" that stacks the rear engine on the carbon frame, it seems inevitable to increase the handling. There is a firm feel while feeling lightness, feedback of the feel coming back from the car is also good. Still, the capacity of the luggage compartment is about 540 liters, ensuring sufficient usability.


◆ SUV · of the year "Land Rover Discovery"
A model that improved motility and fuel consumption by adopting aluminum body. Inherited from the tradition of the Land Rover series, it is also a point to have high off-road performance, equipped with auto lock type rear diff and vehicle height adjustable air suspension. The high driving performance that can handle circuit running if it comes to mind from the bad road of the road without road is a characteristic which can also be said to be synonymous with the Land Rover series.


◆ New brand that has the most fun "Paul Star"
Paul Star announced that it will be entering the high-performance EV field, which was established as a high performance department of Volvo, plans to introduce a hybrid vehicle "Polestar 1" which combines an engine and a motor in 2019. The four cylinder 2.0-liter gasoline engine combines two rear motors, boasting a high performance of 600 horsepower and a maximum torque of 1000 Nm, it is said to have features that can run 150 km only by a motor. After that, a lot of models such as 'Polestar 2' targeting Tesla Model 3 are planned to appear.


◆ Track of the Year
Three of the tracks of the year, "2019 Ram 1500", "2019 Ford Ranger" and "2019 Chevrolet Silverado" are selected as tracks of the unique genre. Although it is a truck which attracts attention only in size, it is also a field where new technologies such as Ram 1500 have been introduced, which reduces running resistance by transmitting the heat of the engine to the rear wheel differential gear via the radiator liquid. Recent trucks are fairly rich in luxury equipment, and it seems that the number of three selected this time is being evaluated as well. It is regrettable that American brands are selected and neither Toyota "Tundra" nor Honda "Ridgeline" etc is selected.




◆ The most exotic and thrilling car
In the high performance car division, McLaren 720 S with carbon fiber chassis, Porsche 911 GTS which made balance of all acceleration, braking and cornering at high level, V12 cylinder manufactured in Aston Martin in a rich body design 5.2 liters twin Three of the Aston Martin DB 11 equipped with a turbo engine are selected and it seems that both are reasonable results among recent super car models.




◆ A car that you can enjoy more than the price
As models with high cost performance, eight of "Hyundai Velostar", "Ford Mustang", "Chevrolet Camaro", "Honda Civic Sports", "Volkswagen Golf GTI", "Subaru WRX", "Chevrolet Cruise Diesel" and "Mazda Roadster" were selected It is. Everything is just a model that can enjoy a sporty running with a powerful engine.


It is also interesting that "Chevrolet Cruise Diesel" equipped with a diesel engine is chosen. Recent diesel engines show that they have performance suitable for sports models as well. In addition, despite the fact that several years have passed since the debut, "Mazda / Roadster" is also selected as a point of interest. It seems that the appeal of having a manual soft top roof which can be opened and closed even while sitting in a driver's seat on a compact and lightweight body has been appreciated.