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New Forza Horizon 2 pack features Chevy Monte Carlo SS, Audi RS6 Avant [w/video]

The latest car pack for Forza Horizon 2 is hitting Xbox Live today, giving Xbox One owners a shot at six new vehicles that date back to 1970. Leading the charge in the hearts and minds of the Autoblog staff is, of course, the 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, one of the most 80s-tastic performance coupes of its time. Chevy's 80s-era NASCAR representative is joined by another General Motors performance two-door, in the form of the 1970 Buick GSX. Complete with a 455-cubic-inch V8, the GSX could best be thought of as the grandpappy to the iconic GNX of the late 1980s. Crossing the pond, we have a trio of offerings from the United Kingdom, with the 2002 Lotus Esprit V8, the redesigned, aluminum-intensive 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged and finally, the 2015 McLaren 650S. The mid-engined offerings should be a riot on the winding roads of Forza Horizon 2's European locales, while the Range Rover should make cross-country efforts an absolute breeze. Finally, virtual wagon lovers will be able to enjoy the 2015 Audi RS6 Avant and its combination of Quattro all-wheel drive and a twin-turbocharged V8. As per usual, this latest car pack will be available to gamers for $5 while season pass owners will score the sextet of vehicles for free. Scroll down for a video of the new offerings in action, as well as the official press release from Turn 10 Studios. "Forza Horizon 2" NAPA® Chassis Car Pack Now Available The roads and countryside of "Forza Horizon 2" beg for you to leave your mark on them. The NAPA® Chassis Car Pack for "Forza Horizon 2" on Xbox One has arrived, bringing five amazing new cars to blaze trails, break records, or just enjoy a casual cruise in. First off, the new McLaren 650S Coupe's uncanny acceleration and preposterous top speed will satisfy the elitist in you. If you want get away from it all, there's no better way than in the Supercharged Land Rover. Need muscle? Take the classic form of the Buick GSX or the later model Monte Carlo SS for a spin. We all need more wagon in our lives and the Audi RS6 is ready to run around town or serve up surprises at the track. The NAPA® Chassis Car Pack for "Forza Horizon 2" on Xbox One is available today for $5 in the Xbox Live store. Starting today, also available this month for free for all Xbox One players is the 2002 Lotus Esprit V8.

Electric Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Bolt EUV and more GM electric cars are on the way

GM’s murky and somewhat secretive electric car plan is falling into place, as the company dumped a massive amount of information about whatÂ’s in the pipeline at an event at its Warren, Michigan campus today. New EVs are going to be popping up across the GM brand lineup, with new entries from Chevrolet, Cadillac, GMC and Buick in progress. We also learned some big news about GMÂ’s new Ultium battery tech today, but check out this story for all of those nitty-gritty details. The electric vehicle onslaught will begin with the Cadillac Lyriq, an electric SUV thatÂ’s already been teased out. Naming it the Lyriq is the news today. No explanation for the name was provided, so weÂ’ll have to wait for April to learn more. GM didnÂ’t specifically say if the Lyriq would be launched at the NY Auto Show, but that show (assuming coronavirus doesnÂ’t cancel it) will begin on April 8 this year. Next up in the order of events is the GMC Hummer electric truck that we know will be launching on May 20. This truck will use GMÂ’s modular Ultium battery technology. However, the wait to buy a GMC Hummer will be a long one, as the truck isnÂ’t going to dive into production until fall 2021 at GMÂ’s Detroit-Hamtramck plant. GM revealed that its new modular Ultium batteries can be configured anywhere from a 50 kWh pack to a 200 kWh pack depending on the application. Range is estimated to be about 400 miles on the upper end with the largest battery pack, and GM continues to boast about a 0-60 mph acceleration time of three seconds. Charging estimates for the Ultium battery-equipped Hummer EV were also provided. GM says its truck platform will have 800-volt battery packs and be capable of 350 kW fast-charging. Time estimates werenÂ’t given, but those numbers suggest the truck will be a rapid charger. The Hummer truck on hand, which was the same that previously starred in GMC's Super Bowl spot, showed off removable roof panels that store in the frunk, as well as what appeared to be a version of GMC's Multi-Pro tailgate. It also featured sail panels on the sides, similar to those in front of the bed of the Chevy Avalanche. In addition to the Hummer, expect to see a couple Chevys launching. GM says the refreshed Bolt EV will be launched “in late 2020” with a refreshed interior and what appear to be thicker front seats.

How GM engineers are using diaper 'snow' to keep you warm

Testing how snow affects General Motors' vehicles isn't really a problem right now for the company's engineers, but in the dog days of summer the process isn't exactly easy. The only real option is for them to book time at the automaker's climatic wind tunnel. However, a flash of brilliance from an engineer allows snow to be simulated regardless of the temperature outside, and the discovery is all because of his daughter's wet diaper. The realization came to GM Thermal Systems engineer Nicholas Jahn while he was swimming with his daughter and noticed how her diaper ballooned in size in the water. He found out the substance that makes this possible is called sodium polyacrylate. When the material gets wet it grows and forms fluffy flakes that are a close imitation of snow. Best of all, the stuff can be prepared easily any time of the year, and it's reusable. The engineering team uses the material to test the effectiveness of the heating systems of GM's vehicles. They spread the sodium polyacrylate over the inlets at the base of the windshield to obstruct the airflow and then crank the heater. After some time, they can see how much is being sucked into the system and design more efficient systems in the future. See how the process works in the video above and read about the diaper discovery in GM's press release below. Diapers Change Chevy Cruze Winter Warm-up Time GM validation engineer uses diaper material "snow" to reduce frigid drives 2015-01-06 DETROIT – An item commonly found on an infant's changing table is helping General Motors' engineers simulate snow year round, ensuring heating systems in cars like the 2015 Chevrolet Cruze can quickly and efficiently warm its interior. Packed snow can prevent air from entering the inlet panel at the bottom of the windshield, obstructing the flow of air into the heating system and reducing the amount of air it can push out. This can lead to less efficient warming of the car's interior and windshield defrosting. "The last thing anyone wants to do when it's freezing cold out is scrape their windshield," said Nicholas Jahn, GM Vehicle Thermal Systems engineer. "The testing we perform on the Chevrolet Cruze with the diaper material allows us to maximize the car's heating capabilities." Ironically, Jahn stumbled upon his diaper-based testing method in the middle of summer. During a swim with his daughter, he noticed her diaper multiplied in size when it came into contact with water.