2015 Cadillac Escalade: First Impressions

2015 Cadillac Escalade⁶

For the past 10 years, I have not paid any mind to the Cadillac Escalade. Why, because for the past 14 years the Cadillac Escalade was just a rebadged GMC Yukon Denali and Chevy Tahoe. Don't believe me? Go on Google Images and look at the interior shots of all three vehicles in the same model year and you will see the similarities. Now of course the materials and colors will be different and there will be subtle layout differences, but look at the overall design. You will see that the steering wheels are identical, the center consoles are the same, and even the dashboards are similar. Pop the hood and you'll even see the same LS V8 mated to the same transmission in all the three vehicles. The main problem about rebadged cars is all of the problems found in the lower tier vehicle will be found in the more expensive vehicles. So in 2011 when the Chevy Yukon was recalled for steering and rear suspension problems, the 2011 GMC Denali and Cadillac Escalade suffered through those same recalls^1,2,3. And when the Chevy Yukon was recalled for brakes, steering, and transmission problems in 2012, the 2012 GMC Denali and Cadillac Escalade had to be recalled too^4,5. What happened to brand separation? Ford had this same problem with Mercury and Lincoln and look where that have gotten them; Mercury is dead and Lincoln had to overhaul their entire company to stay afloat. GM really needs to pay attention and do a better job at establishing brand separation. Even though some Audis use the same chassis as Volkswagen and some Lexus’s are based off Toyota’s platform, you cannot distinguish the lower tiered vehicles from its more expensive counterpart. Although GM rebadges a handful of their vehicles and all of those vehicles are currently North American exclusives, Cadillac cannot afford to mess up with any of their vehicles. They only have 5 main models in their lineup and they cannot assume that the ATS and the CTS (their most popular vehicles) will keep them out of trouble.

Thankfully, Cadillac is beginning to pay more attention to their brand image and is moving in the right direction despite GM’s dwindling stock numbers. The new 2015 Cadillac Escalade is beginning to redefine its image and move away from its Chevy and Yukon brothers. They are all based off the same platform, which is ok, but the Escalade offers a different exterior, interior, powertrain, and features than its younger brothers. That is a huge step in the right direction.  Let’s take a first look at the new Escalade, the SUV that reintroduce Cadillac into the luxury market back in 1999.

Design

Bold, advanced, and luxurious are the 3 words that came to mind when I first saw the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade. If you ask Cadillac what they think of the design, they would say art and science. Art and science is the new design inspiration that Cadillac is starting to use in their recent models. Whether you can see this art and science inspiration in the new Cadillac’s is based on a viewer’s perception but the inspiration is there.

Beautiful LED headlights and accent lights that extend down the bumper⁶

The headlights are the most noticeable design feature that holds the art and science DNA. These headlights are made up of LED lights instead of the traditional bulbs and projector beam units that we are used too. Because LED are lighter, brighter and last 20 times longer than traditional light sources, designers can go crazy when designing light units and consumers don’t have to buy and replace their bulbs anymore. When I look at the Cadillac’s headlights, it’s basically a vertical version of Acura’s Jewel headlights seen in their new vehicles. These LED ice cubes are then neighbored by a long LED accent light that runs all the way down to the bumper. Remember those accent lights; just like how you can recognize an Audi from afar just by its LED accent light, you will recognize current and future Cadillac’s with these long vertical accent lights day or night. The same concept is seen in the taillights, all LED lights (not new) formatted in very long and narrow tail lights (very new). The automotive internet world has shared some negative views and criticism about these tail lights. But I personally don’t believe people hate them because they are ugly, I believe people don’t like them because they different, new, and nothing else is like it one the market. People are natural conservatives; we don’t like change or new things. Just wait till 2015 and popularity increases, people will begin to like this tail light design. Overall exterior designs extremely well when you get the ESV model.

The current controversial tail lights⁶

The interior is just as luxurious and revolutionary as the exterior. I am pleased to see that the interior looks nothing like the GMC Yukon and Chevy Tahoe. It’s a beautiful montage of premium leather, woods, and technology. The very noticeable center stack retains the waterfall or V-like effect that is seen on the grill in the exterior. I pray that the QUE infotaiment system is improved in this Escalade because the current generation in the Cadillac ETS, ATS, and CTS is slow, hard to use while driving, and unresponsive. The QUE system is not all bad, its a good idea and may revolutionize the infotainment industry when it's fixed. But as of now, you will miss simple knobs and buttons to adjust climate control, control volume, and perform other simple actions. The no button theme also continues on the steering wheel, which will be interesting to try out for myself. For those who don’t know what I mean by no button theme; Cadillac’s new center console uses a black touch screen like plate instead of traditional physical buttons. The Que system will also collaborate with the all new 12” reconfigurable gauge cluster to display pages upon pages of driver information⁶.

All new interior including new steering wheel and virtual guage cluster .
That twotone color design is sexy.⁶

Luxury is maintained all the way to the back seats.
Looks better in the Kona brown color option⁶

There are 3 trim levels offered for the Escalade; Standard, Luxury, and Premium. The Luxury trim offers 22" rims, driver awareness packages (only warnings, not active), a head up display, and IntelliBeam headlamps6. One of the driver awareness features is the Rear Cross-Traffic Alert from the ETS. This feature is amazing! Everyone who drives full size SUVs know how nerve wrecking it can be when they back out into traffic in the city or close quarter environments. The IntelliBeam headlamps continuously scans for vehicles ahead and when they sense an oncoming vehicle, the headlight will dim to prevent you from blinding those vehicles. The Premium trim includes everything from the Luxury package but changes all of the driver awareness features from warnings to full automatic, and adds a 9" rear sear entertainment system6.

Cadillac has down a good job integrating the lines from the
power dome with the grill⁶

Powertrain

                The 2015 Cadillac Escalade’s powertrain is also all new and exclusive. The new Escalade will be equipped with a 6.2L V8 engine with direct injection, variable valve timing, and active fuel management producing a whopping 420 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque⁶. That’s a 17 hp and 43 lb-ft bump over the current Escalade’s 6.2L Vortec V8⁷. Does this new engine sound familiar? Does it sounds allot like the 6.2L V8 used in the new Corvette Stingray? Before you get too excited let me inform you that they are not the same engine. Despite occupying the same volume and using the same technology, this V8 is an all new engine available in the new Escalade and GMC Denali. Thanks to the active fuel management technology (disables 4 of the cylinders for maximum fuel economy) in the new V8, we should expect better fuel economy than the current generation (14 MPG city/18 MPG highway) despite producing more power⁷. Interesting fact; despite producing more power in the new engine, Cadillac actually lowered its trailering max from 8300 lbs to 8200 lbs^6,7. I wonder why that is. I know most don’t associate an Escalade as a vehicle to tow a yacht but I have seen it personally so there is a market niche.

Side profile of the new 2015 Cadillac Escalade⁶

                Carried over from the current model and found throughout GM vehicles, the new Escalade will include the Magnetic Ride Control. This suspension system is a GM savior. I knew it was something special when I saw that GM sold its usage to Ferrari. Magnetic Ride Control monitors the road about 1000 times a second and continuously makes adjustments to road conditions to produce the smoothest ride and best handling.

Competition

                The competitors for the Cadillac Escalade are the Land Rover, Infiniti QX56, Lexus GX, Lincoln Navigator, and maybe the Mercedes-Benz GL. Even though current and past Escalades was able to keep up with the large luxury SUV market, it was always towards the bottom of the list. Why? I believe past Escalades was able to sell mainly because of its image and statement it stood for rather than its quality, durability, and luxury. It's like the Hummer, people brought the Hummer because it was a Hummer. Buyers wanted that manly war-toughened vehicle and wanted to be seen in one, not because the Hummer was a good reliable car (it wasn’t) and could trek across the mountains like a military vehicle (not even close to be able to do that). The Escalade has a statement and image associated with it, and previous buyers brought the Escalade because of that image. Cadillac cannot continue to produce average vehicles and run their marketing strategy on this “buy a Cadillac because it’s a Cadillac” statement. They need to step up their game if they intend to dwell in this market place and charge a whopping $65,000 – $85,000 for an Escalade. America does not want an $80,000 version of a Chevy Tahoe, we want a luxury vehicle that offers performance, durability, technology that makes consumers question other companies like Lexus, and Infinity.

The ESV's proportions fits the Escalade's design well⁶

                In the past, I never paid the Cadillac Escalade any mind because it was an example of rebadging at its finest. I was serious when I said that America does not need an $80,000 Chevy Tahoe; that’s what the GMC Yukon Denali is for. America needs a Cadillac, a luxury vehicle that uses its art and science philosophy to produce vehicles that are unique and competitive in today’s market. Cadillac is beginning to branch into the right direction but based on my first look, they are not there yet. Yes Cadillac produced a new vehicle unique from its GM cousins, but I am not convinced they produced a vehicle that is seriously competitive against other luxury SUVs. Don’t get me wrong, people will purchase the new Escalade in large numbers mainly because it’s an Escalade. But Cadillac will struggle to attract enough new customers to move it up the top large luxury SUV list.

Work Cited

1.       MotorTrend. "2011 Cadillac Escalade Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/cadillac/escalade/recalls/>.

2.       MotorTrend. "2011 Chevrolet Tahoe Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/chevrolet/tahoe/recalls/>.

3.       MotorTrend. "2011 GMC Yukon Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/cars/2011/gmc/yukon/recalls/>.

4.       MotorTrend. "Chevrolet Tahoe Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/new_cars/08/chevrolet/tahoe/recalls/>.

5.       MotorTrend. "GMC Yukon Recalls." Motor Trend Magazine. MotorTrend.com, n.d. Web. 10 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/new_cars/08/gmc/yukon/recalls/>.

6.       Cadillac. "2015 Escalade Luxury SUV | Cadillac." Cadillac.com. Cadillac.com, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://www.cadillac.com/future-cars/2015-escalade.html>.

7.       Cadillac. "STANDARD & OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT." Cadillac.com. Cadillac.com, n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2013. <http://www.cadillac.com/escalade-suv/features-specs/standard-optional-equipment.html>.

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How does the Nissan GT-R’s Launch Control Work?

The Nissan GT-R’s launch control is iconic in terms of single handedly sending a car into supercar territory. 2.7 seconds is what it takes to propel this car to 60 mph, everyone knows this but there is a lot of confusion about how the GT-R accelerates so quickly. I am prepared to fully crack the code and tell you exactly how the GT-R can keep up the Bugatti Veyron. To fully explain the launch control, I will be explaining each step as they occur in order from activation to flying past 60 mph.

STEP 1: Spooling the Turbochargers

                After activating the launch control, everyone knows that you must press the brake and the accelerator at the same time. This action is needed to spool the turbos to prevent turbo lag. Don't believe me; try launching the GT-R without launch control. No matter what you do you'll reach 60 in around 3.7 to 3.9 seconds with an extremely long initial turbo lag.

Beautiful Engine, but you have to spool those turbos³

STEP 2: Priming the Bilstein DampTronic System

                The Bilstein system is the GT-R’s advanced suspension system that uses dozens of systems that measures vehicle speed, lateral acceleration, torque, engine rpm, and braking behavior to help provide the right amount of dampening. Impressive huh? So of course Nissan would fit in a special protocol for the launch control. Everyone knows that during a sudden acceleration, with or without launch control, the resulting change in inertia causes the weight to transfer to the rear of the car. The weight transfer causes less down force and less grip for the front wheels resulting in torque steer. The resulting wheel spin of the front wheels will extend launches by a few fractions of a second. To prevent such a phenomenon, Nissan tuned the launch system to keep the GT-R flat at launch.  All of this suspension priming occurs as your spooling the turbos in the previous step.

The next 3 steps occur at the same time

STEP 3: Grippy tires, ATTESA E-TS all wheel drive, and VDC = fast times

The next the 3 features of the GT-R that contributes to that amazing acceleration all work at the same time, so I will be combining them in step 3. At this moment, you have just released the brake to start the run.

The stock GT-R wears a set of Dunlop® SP Sport MAXX GT 600 DSST CTT high-performance run-flat tires. To best describe these tires, I would call them street bike tires for cars. That’s not an insult, the level of grip these tires can achieve is unbelievable, and unbelievable grip is needed for launches.

 

Dunlop SP Sport MAXX GT 600 DSST CTT⁴

The advanced total traction engineering system for all-terrain, or ATTESA, is what primarily receives most of the credit for the GT-R’s rapid launches. But if four wheel drive is the magic ingredient then why don't other all wheel drive sports cars with more power like Audis and the new Porsche 991 turbo accelerate to 60 in less than 3 seconds. Obviously there is more to the story than just all wheel drive, but the ATTESA system does play a part in putting all 463lb-ft of torque to the ground. Notice that I said “putting torque to the ground” instead of horsepower, that’s because engine torque is what the tires are subjected to. With ATTESA 50:50 torque distribution each wheel only has to handle 116 ft-lbs of torque, well within the range of what those large Dunlop summer tires can handle. I call it tire efficiency; maximum torque is at or just above what the tires can handle. Something that the BMW M6 and AMG’s need to learn.

The Nissan GT-R’s traction control or Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) obviously plays a launches. Because the all-wheel drive system does most of the work by dividing up the torque to manageable levels, the VDC doesn’t have to control a mountain of torque like most super cars with 500+lbs of torque and two wheel drive. Turn off traction control and you will feel a little initial wheel spin so VDC is doing something. But to be able to launch repeatedly and consistently without any hint of wheel spin implies that this dual partnership can achieve big things.

STEP 4: Short gearing goes a long way   

                After those Dunlops hooked up to the pavement, the Nissan GT-R will launch you as if you shot out of a cannon. Before you thinking this step is about the super fast gear shift times, let me inform you that this step is actually about the gear ratios. This is the Nissan GT-R’s biggest secret when it comes to its launch control. The Nissan GT-R has extremely short gears. For those who don't know much about gear ratios let me explain a little bit. When you look at car spec sheets that have gear ratios, you will see numbers associated with each gear. For example, the 2014 Corvette Stingray’s 1^st gear ratio is 2.97:1 which means for every 2.97 revolutions of the engine the transmission’s output drive-shaft performs 1 revolution1. The GT-R’s 1^st gear ratio is 4.56:1; you can see the significant jump in ratios between the two cars2. The higher the ratio numbers the shorter the gear, which means that the engine is able to rev through the gear easier leading to faster accelerations. To put it in simple terms, short gears highlight the engine’s torque and long gears highlight the engine’s horsepower. Sports car companies tend to avoid short gears because even though you’ll accelerate faster, you will achieve a lower top speed. This is why 600hp rally cars with extremely fast acceleration times don’t have high tops speeds to match. Nissan obviously choice to focus on 0-60 mph accelerations so much that they devoted the first 3 gears to be short to achieve the quickest accelerations. Then to try to maintain the high top speed of 198 mph, the GT-R returns to normal size gear ratios. Although they manage to touch 198 mph, it’s also the cause of one the GT-R complaints from hard core performance enthusiasts. For years reviewers have been complaining about how the GT-R flies like a bat out of hell from 0-100 mph, but from 100+ the GT-R becomes gutless. This is because those reviewers are experiencing the transition from short gear ratios to longer gears. Despite the complaints, I believe Nissan have made a good decision.

STEP 5: Now we talk about shift times

2012 Nissan GT-R⁵

                For all of you purest out there who claim that traditional manuals are the way to go and should be available in all sports cars. Let me inform you that the GT-R would not be where it is today if it was equipped with a stick shift. All of the hard work contributed by the systems and hardware explained in the previous four steps would be negated with a traditional manual. Even highly experience racing drivers would not be able to pull fast enough shifts even to maintain a 3 second acceleration time. The driver also has to modulate the clutch to get off the line, another time stripping opportunity. Also, a GT-R with a stick shift manual would mean that every GT-R owner wouldn’t be able to achieve its optimum acceleration time (whatever that would be). Let’s just face the facts; double clutch is the way to go. Not only does it allow every owner to achieve the quickest acceleration runs repeatedly, the 0.15 sec shift times of the double clutch is the final icing on the cake to achieve the mind numbing 2.7 seconds acceleration run.

                Now you are flying past 60 mph, and most likely hitting 80 mph before you realize it. Yes the acceleration is that fast thanks to the above 5 steps. The biggest contributors to the GT-R launch are the all wheel drive system, the short gearing, and the fact that the engine doesn’t produce over 500 ft-lbs of torque (very important for the tire management).  Even though they are the biggest contributors, the entire GT-R package is needed together to create this monster.  The GT-R was not build to have a design presence or to be full of emotion; it was built solely on technology and physics in mind to achieve the fastest 0-60 mph times and to eat up track times. Now you are awed and knowledgeable, which is better than just being awed. 

Resources

1.       Road and Track. "2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stngray Performance Report." Road and Track. RoadandTrack.com, Sept. 2013. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. <http://www.roadandtrack.com/cm/roadandtrack/data/vettecomp.pdf>.

2.       Nissan. "2014 Nissan GT-R Specs." Nissan USA. Nissan, 2013. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. <http://www.nissanusa.com/sportscars/gt-r/versions-specs>.

3.       MotorTrend. "2012 Nissan GT-R Photo Gallery." MotorTrend.com. MotorTrend.com, 29 June 2011. Web. 8 Dec. 2013. <http://www.motortrend.com/photo_gallery/coupes/1105_2012_nissan_gt_r_photo_gallery/photo_06.html>.

4.       Tire Rack. "Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT 600 DSST CTT." Tire Rack. Tire Rack, n.d. Web. 08 Dec. 2013. <http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=SP+Sport+Maxx+GT+600+DSST+CTT>.

5.       Hqwide. "Cars Nissan Gtr Wallpaper." HQ Widescreen Wallpapers. Hqwide, n.d. Web. 26 Nov. 2013. <http://hqwide.com/cars-nissan-gtr-wallpaper-40101/>.

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Carbon ceramic brakes vs. conventional steel brakes: Is it worth the money

When it comes to designing your dream car, the carbon ceramic brake package is often a no-brainer check off the option block. But with a price premium of $8,000 in some vehicles, is it really worth choosing ceramics over the conventional steel?

Cross drilled carbon ceramic brakes on a Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.3 

Carbon ceramics brakes used to be an exotic car exclusive. Its high price masked in the sky high price for the vehicle itself. Now, carbon ceramics brakes are making its way into everyday performance luxury cars such as Porsche, BMW, Mercedes Benz and more. Entering a consumer market place where buyers begin to care about the options they choose and the price that accompany them. The most affordable car I was able to find that offers a ceramic brake option is the Porsche Boxster ($50,400 base price), where the upgrade to ceramics cost a whopping $7,4001. I find it hard to justify that increase in price, especially with the flaws that accompany ceramics during everyday driving. Before I go explaining the flaws of carbon ceramics brakes, let me inform you of its many benefits.

Carbon ceramic brakes refer to the carbon-ceramic composite material that the rotors are made of offering superior braking performance during extreme use. This composite construction offers lighter, stronger and more durable disks than their steel counterparts. And it’s this 3 way blitz where carbon ceramics shine over steel. Despite being larger in diameter, each carbon ceramics disc are about 12 lbs lighter than steel2. Therefore a vehicle equipped with ceramics can shed 24-28 lbs off its overall curb weight2. Where ceramics shine as the ultimate brake package is in its durability. Remember, Brakes decelerate your vehicle by forcing stationary brake pads onto the moving rotors and friction stops the car. Where there is friction, there will be heat. Steel brakes often have a tough time dissipating this heat during repeat hard use on the track. When the standard steel rotors get too hot, they warp, deform, and loose performance. Carbon ceramics dissipate heat far more effectively, preventing deformation, and maintaining performance. Not only can they dissipate heat efficiently, the extreme temperatures ceramics can handle are amazing. It’s why

Ceramic brake disc glowing due to high temperatures generated friction.
Although glowing bright, performance is not impacted6

carbon ceramic brakes are the number one choice in racing. Also the carbon composite material does not corrode like steel does when they are abused by water and salt2. Carbon ceramics are also known to last forever. Ok, not forever. But it has been reported that one set of ceramic brakes can last throughout the entire life of the car, about 100,000 miles according to brake manufacturers2. Now it’s too early to confirm those results true, but that is an impressive statement to make. Now you are probably wondering why I haven’t started quoting 60-0 mph stopping distances for ceramic brakes and begin comparing them to the steel equivalent. But most fail to realize that some steel disc packages stop just as fast as the ceramics do. The only time where carbon ceramics begin to gain an advantage is after repeated heavy braking, and the heat from the friction begins to scrub performance from the steel brakes.

Carbon ceramic brakes do have its flaws, but those flaws only show itself during everyday driving. First flaw is cost. No need to explain any further. The second flaw is the “squishy” or lack of feel the brakes have when they are cold. Ceramics don’t actually begin to feel “normal” until they heat up from extended track use. Which means those brakes will never feel “normal” for the 90% of drivers who never go tracking. The squishy feeling is actually the most common complaint and is a big deal for those who love the confidence of an early brake feel. Another flaw, which is me just nitpicking, is the squeaking noise ceramics make during low speed braking. Not as loud as truck and bus brakes sound, but just as annoying. The last flaw is of course the price. Sorry, I can’t help myself. The price for the upgrade can make anyone wince at its sight. Yes, ceramics discs look cool with those large dark gray rotors crossed drilled for extra heat dissipation. Yes, ceramic disc offer exceptional braking performance on the track. Can I reiterate, on the track. But if you don’t spend your Sundays at the track, where is all the money going? It’s a hard call to make, especially the standard steel brakes offer just as good braking performance as the carbons ceramics.

Ceramic brakes fitted to Lexus' flagship sports car,
the Lexus LFA5

So tell me, is it worth the premium? Are carbon ceramic brakes an $8,000-$9,000 bragging right or a design piece like carbon fiber trim? Are carbon ceramics brakes worth the inconsistency in brake feel depending on weather? In my opinion, I say if you’re a consumer that goes to the track to take a couple hot laps. Go ahead and get the ceramic brakes, you will not regret that decision. But if you are just buying your Porsche or BMW M6 to commute around town or flog on a windy canyon road, I would stick with the standard steel brakes. They are much cheaper, more consistent in pedal feel, and offer just as much performance as the more expensive ceramics. Now I do have one exception for those who work or live near a valley or mountain, carbon ceramics is a good choice coming from a safety standpoint. Those who live in that type of environment know that there are some long windy roads that go downhill at a steep grade for long distances. The steady braking needed to traverse that road can surely cause your steel brakes to overheat and lose performance which you don’t want spiraling down a steep hill. But worst case scenario aside, it’s all up to you to make the right decision.

Resources

1. Porsche Cars North America, Inc. "Porsche Car Configurator - All Boxster Models." Model Overview. Porsche Cars North America, Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.porsche.com/usa/modelstart/all/?modelrange=boxster>.
2. Brembo SGL Carbon Ceremic Brakes. "Benefit." BSCCB. Brembo SGL, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.carbonceramicbrakes.com/en/benefit/Pages/benefit.aspx>.
3. Car and Driver. "2012 Lexus LFA Cross-drilled Carbon-ceramic Brake Rotor and Caliper."Car and Driver. 2013 Hearst Communication, Inc., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.caranddriver.com/photos-10q2/352444/2012-lexus-lfa-cross-drilled-carbon-ceramic-brake-rotor-and-caliper-photo-352498>.
4. Brembo. "Carbon Ceramic Discs." - Brembo Brakes. Brembo S.p.A., 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.brembo.com/en/car/original-equipment/products/Pages/Carbon ceramic discs.aspx>.
5. Ross, Michael Alan. "Carbon-ceramic Brakes." CNET. Cnet, 2013. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-10863_7-10018759-2.html>.
6. Alexsmolik. "Ferrari 599XX Glowing Brake Disk Downshifts !!!" YouTube. YouTube, 22 Sept. 2011. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2Q4OpGCfME>.

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