Fiat-Chrysler pressured dealers to take extra inventory to boost sales numbers
Recently Fiat-Chrysler recently had about 40,000 vehicles backed up in storage lots which was causing tension with some dealers who were being prodded into bringing on board more inventory than they wanted from the manufacturer.
2020 Audi A8 gains plug-in hybrid powertrain, sporty S8 model
The 2020 Audi A8 lineup gets a major update in the form of a new S8 performance model and two other new powertrains. The S8 features a twin-turbocharged V8 mild hybrid powertrain making 563 hp. Audi is also bringing an A8 plug-in hybrid model to the United States for the first time.
Check out the electric Ford Mustang Mach E before you’re supposed to see it
Leaked documents erroneously published on Ford's official website have given us an early look at the Mustang Mach E, an electric crossover whose styling draws inspiration from the emblematic pony car. It will make its official debut during an event scheduled for November 17, and deliveries will start in late 2020.
Uber just got hit with a massive fine over how it classifies its drivers
New Jersey has slapped Uber with a $649M fine to cover the cost of unpaid employment taxes that it says result from the ridesharing company’s misclassification of its drivers. Uber describes them as independent contractors, which exempts it from having to offer various benefits enjoyed by regular company employees.
Denver residents now have more opportunities to hail an electric Lyft ride
Lyft is making 200 electric cars available to Denver drivers through its Express Drive rental program. The company claims this is the most electric cars it has ever launched at once. Lyft wants more ridesharing drivers to use electric cars, but feels additional backing from lawmakers is needed.
Daimler is taking a ‘reality check’ on self-driving cars over safety challenges
Daimler is reigning in expectations for self-driving cars, CEO Ola Kaellenius told a group of reporters. Safety has proven a greater challenge than originally anticipated, he said. Daimler is also unsure if it could make much money off the ridesharing fleets of self-driving cars originally envisioned.
How do you get people to take your electric supercar seriously? Set a lap record
A new Japanese electric supercar called the Aspark Owl will head to the Nürburgring in 2020 to attempt a lap record at the famous German racetrack. Aspark has to beat Porsche to secure a place in the record books. The Aspark Owl boasts a claimed 2,012 horsepower and zero to 60 mph in 1.69 seconds.
A fleet of Teslas drove 300,000 miles. Here’s what broke and what didn’t
Tesla electric cars in the Tesloop shuttle service have racked up 300,000 miles apiece. Here's what issues those cars experience after accumulating high mileage. Tesloop owns seven cars, including Tesla Model 3, Model S, and Model X electric cars. They haven't been trouble-free.
Hyundai Motor Group develops world’s first Road Noise Active Noise Control tech
Through six years of research and development and several partnerships across industry and academia, Hyundai finally unlocks the technology for a truly revolutionary noise-canceling system. It is lighter and faster than anything before it and it will debut on the Genesis line soon.
Ford’s 3D knitting tech ensures your seats won’t burst at the seams
3D knitting lets Ford make seats from one giant piece of fabric, instead of stitching together up to 40 individual bits. This technique saves time, reduces waste, and allows for more customization. It's not quite ready for prime time yet, but the Blue Oval calls 3D knitting the future of car upholstery.
Hyundai is gearing up to release an American-made pickup truck
Hyundai will invest $410 million into its 14-year-old Montgomery, Alabama, factory to build the Santa Cruz, a truck it's developing for the American market. Several key questions remain unanswered, like whether it will use unibody or body-on-frame construction. Production is scheduled to begin in 2021.
Ferrari rediscovers beauty with the 612-horsepower, 199-mph Roma
The Ferrari Roma coupe proves modern Ferraris can be both high tech and beautiful Ferrari clothed the basic platform and twin-turbo V8 from the Portofino in sleeker bodywork to create the Roma. Ferrari claims the coupe will do zero to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds, with a top speed north of 199 mph.
Volkswagen breaks ground on U.S. electric car factory, production starts in 2022
Volkswagen plans to start making electric cars in the United States in 2022. The German automaker is expanding its current Chattanooga, Tennessee, plant to make that possible. Volkswagen will build a crossover based on the ID.Crozz concept at the Tennessee factory alongside internal-combustion models.
Toyota partners with weather firm to use wiper blade data to predict weather
Japanese weather forecaster Weathernews has teamed up with Toyota to utilize its data communication module technology to pinpoint windshield wiper usage and therefore low-level rain that does not appear on weather radar. This technology will help drivers prepare for wet roads.
McLaren’s latest supercar has 804 horsepower and no roof
The McLaren Elva is an 804-horsepower roofless supercar inspired by the McLaren-Elva Can-Am race cars of the 1960s. Under the skin, the Elva boasts thoroughly modern carbon fiber construction. McLaren will make just 399 cars, priced at $1.69 million each. Deliveries begin in 2020.
How Cruise builds digital maps for its self-driving cars
General Motors' Cruise division designs its own maps for self-driving cars. Those maps are vital to improving the performance of autonomous cars in real-world situations, Cruise claims. Cruise's self-driving cars compare sensor data to stored maps to orient themselves and plot maneuvers.
Hold your horses: Electric cars won’t go mainstream, Honda says
Honda acknowledged the need to make electric cars, like the adorable-looking E unveiled for Europe, but it will reduce its fleetwide emissions using gasoline-electric hybrid technology. Company CEO Takahiro Hachigo also cast doubts on the viability of autonomous technology, at least in the near future.
F1 has plans to race the world’s first net zero carbon engine in 2030
Formula One wants to effectively eliminate emissions by develop a "net zero" carbon hybrid powertrain. That will likely involve a combination of efficiency improvements and carbon offsets. Formula One also wants to eliminate single-use plastics at its races by 2025, and reduce emissions in other areas.
With newly added AWD, Toyota’s Camry and Avalon are ready to battle winter
The Toyota Camry and Toyota Avalon are getting optional all-wheel drive, which should make both sedans a more practical option in snowy regions of the country. The all-wheel drive system from the Toyota RAV4 was modified to work in the Camry and Avalon, which are currently front-wheel drive only.
Stylish and compact, Hyundai’s next concept is tailor-made for Los Angeles
The yet-unnamed concept car is the next step in Hyundai's design overhaul. It's powered by a plug-in hybrid powertrain, though technical details remain under wraps for the time being. It's unclear at this point whether the concept will reach production, or if it's a one-off design study built for the auto show circuit.
Lyft to return its electric bikes to San Francisco after battery fires
Lyft is about to return its electric bikes to San Francisco after two battery fires in July 2019 forced it to take them off the street. The company said it plans to deploy 4,000 new e-bikes over the next six months in the Bay Area, adding hundreds each week starting in mid-December.
Elon Musk says Tesla will build a European Gigafactory outside of Berlin
Tesla is adding another engineering and design center location, as well as another “Gigafactory,” in Berlin, Germany. The latest Gigafactory joins other facilities in Nevada and New York, as well one in Shanghai that's currently under construction. Musk said it would be located near a Berlin airport.
Airbag racing suits will be mandatory for 2020 American Flat Track racing
Sports apparel manufacturer Dainese and American Flat Track racing have taken a major step in the interest of motorcycle racing safety. Following a similar requirement 2018 for MotoGP racing, starting with the 2020 season, American Flat Track Premier Twin competitors will be required to wear airbag tracksuits.
Cookie Monster is back as a voice for Waze. Here’s how to set it up
In honor of the Cookie Monster and his birthday, Waze, the Google-owned navigation program, is bringing back his voice. Now Cookie Monster can you tell you how to get, how to get to Sesame Street. Like earlier this year it is expected to be available for a limited time.
Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus Boot aims to be the supercar of off-road vehicles
Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is shifting focus from racetracks to the legendary Baja 1000 off-road race. The Boot is a reincarnation of a classic off-road racer, packing up to 650 supercharged horsepower. A racing version will compete in the 2019 Baja 1000, where the original raced 50 years ago.
Volkswagen and HP want your next car to have 3D-printed parts
Volkswagen and HP are looking for ways to get 3D-printed metal parts into production cars. HP was able to print 10,000 scale models of the Volkswagen ID.3 electric car, proving its Metal Jet 3D printers can work at high capacity. Volkswagen wants to 3D print gearshift knobs and other small parts.
Volkswagen aims for value with its updated 2020 Passat sedan
The sedan segment in America is shrinking, but Volkswagen still believes in it. The German firm introduced the redesigned 2020 Passat with a new look, more tech, and a lower price to boot. With a base price of $23,915, Volkswagen is cutting the price of the Passat by about $1,300.
Tesla is working on an even more insane performance version of the Model S
Tesla already has Ludicrous mode, so what could be more insane than that. The answer is Plaid. That's what Tesla is calling a new performance upgrade for the Model S. Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the upgrade will be available next year, with more details to follow in the coming months.
Formula One is adding cost caps in 2021, so teams are spending even more for 2020
Formula One is adding cost caps for the 2021 season in order to level the playing field. But some Formula One teams are responding by spending even more in 2020, according to a new report. Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull dominate Formula One in part because of their massive budgets.
Lyft’s self-driving car-testing program is racking up the miles
Lyft is steadily growing its autonomous car program, adding a new dedicated testing facility in California and a fleet of Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans. Lyft claims its test cars are covering a greater number of miles in autonomous mode than they were just six months ago.
Mercedes-Benz’s brawny G-Wagen will get an electric makeover
The Mercedes-Benz G-Class way be one of the last of the old-school SUVs, but it's about to get a modern electric powertrain. The CEO of Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler confirmed it in a speech. Mercedes-Benz plans to launch 10 electric cars by 2022, but it's unclear when the G-Class will go electric.
When it comes to green cars, Hyundai thinks the more, the merrier
Hyundai will launch 13 hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric cars through 2022. Some of the cars will be updated or redesigned versions of existing models, such as the Hyundai Ioniq and Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. The total includes six cars and seven SUVs, according to Hyundai.
Former GM factory will get new lease on life building electric trucks
A new startup has acquired the General Motors factory in Lordstown, Ohio, and plans to convert the factory to build electric trucks. These electric trucks will be sold to fleets rather than retail buyers. The startup, Lordstown Motors Corporation, was spun out of Ohio-based Workhorse Group.
Audi’s tail-wagging rear-wheel-drive R8 will play an encore in 2020
Audi made the limited-edition R8 RWS a regular production model by popular demand, and Digital Trends learned the model might reach American shores. Like the RWS, the RWD gets a de-tuned version of the regular R8's 5.2-liter V8, and unique chassis tuning that allows it to drift.