2020 Mercedes-AMG GT offers brains and brawn in a sumptuous package
Mercedes-AMG has given the GT range a mid-cycle update that brings minor design tweaks and major tech upgrades. Every GT benefits from a digital instrument cluster and a new infotainment system, while the lineup grows with the addition of a GT R Pro model that blurs the line between street cars and race cars.
Nissan is charged up about giving your electric car’s battery pack a new life
Nissan announced its Nissan Energy program at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. The program is a three-pronged effort to promote the installation of charging stations, enable smart charging in homes and business locations, and upcycle used electric car batteries into low-stress power-management applications.
2019 Honda Passport ditches some seats, gains some ruggedness
The 2019 Honda Passport should look familiar, because it's basically a five-seat version of the existing Honda Pilot crossover. Honda claims the Passport is more rugged than its family-oriented stablemate. The Passport makes its public debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.
How do you evolve an icon? Up close with the new Porsche 911
Called 992 internally, the next-generation Porsche 911 gets evolutionary styling upgrades and much bigger changes under the sheet metal, including more tech. Porsche knows not to mess with a car that has become the backbone of its brand. The 2020 Porsche 911 made its debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The 2019 Mazda3 gains AWD, fresh design, and a groundbreaking engine
The all-new, fourth-generation Mazda3 will include Mazda’s revolutionary SkyActiv-X gasoline engine, which uses compression ignition like a diesel, plus a real diesel engine option and available all-wheel drive. The 2019 Mazda3 comes in hatchback or sedan form, and is expected at dealers early in 2019.
Rivian’s all-electric, seven-seat R1S isn’t your typical family SUV
Electric-car startup Rivian's second vehicle is the R1S, a seven-seat SUV with a claimed 400-mile range. The R1S can also do zero to 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, according to Rivian, which hopes to start deliveries in 2020. The R1S will be launched alongside the R1T pickup truck.
Luminar lidar sensor aims to detect if you’re sipping a latte or crossing a road
Volvo and sensor company Luminar Technologies have made a breakthrough in lidar technology that will greatly improve the vision of autonomous cars. The lidar allows an autonomous car to see up to 270 yards away, and gives it the ability to identity human actions and body parts (like arms and legs).
Volkswagen’s electric retro van could deliver your Amazon parcels in 2022
The Volkswagen I.D. Cargo concept is an electric, connected delivery van based on the I.D. Buzz concept from 2017. It boasts up to 350 miles of range and cool features like solar panels on the roof and a 230-volt outlet for power tools. It's not just a concept: production will begin around 2022.
Volvo’s self-driving trucks are ready to start work at a mine in Norway
Volvo is about to launch its first-ever commercial operation using its driverless truck technology. A deal with a Norwegian mining firm will see six of its autonomous vehicles carry limestone between the mine and a port in an operation aimed at boosting productivity and reliability, as well as safety.
General Motors purges factories, staff, vehicle lineup to fund future tech
General Motors is reducing staff and closing factories in a major cost-cutting plan meant to fund technologies like electric powertrains. GM will kill off the Chevrolet Impala, Volt, and Cruze, as well as the Buick LaCrosse, as part of the plan, leaving mostly trucks and SUVs remaining.
Rivian R1T electric pickup boasts 400-mile range, supercar-baiting acceleration
The R1T electric pickup truck is the first vehicle from startup Rivian. Expected to enter production in 2020, it features one of the most impressive spec sheets of any recent vehicle. Rivian claims the R1T will offer up to 400 miles of range, and super-quick acceleration.
The Bentley Continental GT Convertible is a jet setter’s dream come true
Bentley has released the convertible variant of the third-generation Continental GT. The 626-horsepower, V12-powered roadster is identical to the hardtop model with the exception of a power-operated top that opens or closes in 19 seconds. It's offered in standard cloth or, for the first time, British tweed.
Now you can upgrade your Mazda with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are becoming increasingly common in new vehicles, but Mazda is making sure owners of older cars don't get left out. The company is offering upgrades to the infotainment system of its vehicles dating back to 2014 so drivers can enjoy the mobile platforms.
This French firm alchemized a classic Lamborghini into a hot-rod for four
French hot-rod builder Danton Arts Kustom has turned a 1970 Lamborghini Espada into a hot-rod for four passengers. Nearly every part of the Espada has been updated or modified, but the build keeps the coupe's original V12 engine. What surprises us about it is how well it channels Lamborghini's design ethos.
Nissan chairman Carlos Ghosn ousted, arrested after whistleblower cries foul
Nissan will oust chairman Carlos Ghosn after an internal investigation revealed he under-reported his salary to Japan's financial authorities for many years. Greg Kelly, one of Nissan's representative directors, will leave for the same reason. Japanese media outlets report both men have been arrested.
Oops! Teen driver loses license just 49 minutes after passing his test
A German teen lost his driving license just 49 minutes after passing his test. Cops spotted the guy doing more than twice the legal speed limit, resulting in a driving ban and a fine. He had four buddies in the car when he was pulled over, prompting cops to suggest that he may have been trying to impress them.
The hamster-friendly 2020 Kia Soul will rock out at the Los Angeles Auto Show
Kia has released a teaser image to preview the next Soul. Scheduled to make its debut at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2020 Soul will keep the outgoing model's boxy proportions but will wear a sharper design. The electric and turbocharged variants will return, and all-wheel drive may be on the menu.
Tesla’s next-generation Superchargers will arrive in 2019
Tesla's network of Superchargers, the charging stations that allow vehicle owners to power up their vehicles, are getting an upgrade next year. The company will start rolling out the next generation of Superchargers starting in 2019, and they will be within range of at least 95 percent of active markets.
Here’s how Uber plans to improve its service for riders in wheelchairs
Uber has sometimes been criticized for its failure to provide adequate services for those with disabilities. It's been working to improve its service in this area, and its latest initiative sees it teaming up with a specialist transportation firm to provide more wheelchair-accessible vehicles with short wait times.
How a village in Italy caught 58,000 speeding drivers in just 10 days
A tiny village in northern Italy knew it had an issue with cars and bikes speeding through it, but data from a newly set-up speed camera left its residents utterly gobsmacked. In the first 10 days alone, the camera recorded more than 58,000 speeding offenses, with half of all vehicles traveling too fast.
Volvo will be at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, but it won’t bring any cars
Volvo has declared that it won't unveil anything at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, and that its display at the show won't feature a single car. Instead, Volvo plans to focus on mobility services, partnerships with tech companies like Amazon and Google, and autonomous-driving tech.
With lessons learned from racing, Mercedes-AMG takes GT R sports car to next level
Mercedes-AMG keeps finding ways to make its GT sports car even more hardcore. If you thought the GT R variant was as good as it got, get ready for the GT R Pro, which will race into the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. Mercedes says the Pro was designed with lessons learned from racing.
Jaguar can take the next F-Type in one of two completely different directions
Jaguar needs to decide what the future has in store for the F-Type, the only sports car in its portfolio. Its options include turning the next-generation model into an electric car aimed at the Tesla Roadster, and putting it into the ring with a twin-turbo V8 from BMW. The next F-Type won't arrive until at leasAt 2021.
Tesla owners will soon be able to summon a repair van in a few taps
When something goes wrong with your car, you wish there was someone there immediately to make it right. If you own a Tesla, that just might be possible. Company CEO Elon Musk tweeted out plans to expand the Tesla mobile app so users can request service for common problems in just a few taps.
Drool over Lamborghini’s latest dream machine: The one-off SC18
The Lamborghini SC18 was built by the automaker's Squadra Corse racing department at the request of a customer. Based on the Lamborghini Aventador, it features upgraded aerodynamic aids and reduce weight. Lamborghini plans to build additional racing-inspired one-offs in the future.
Jaguar’s V2X technology will keep you from getting stuck at red lights
We've all hit the gas to make it through a yellow light, uncertain how much time we have until it turns red. Jaguar wants to make sure you never have to make those split-second decisions again. The carmaker is building tools that will tell you what speed you need to drive to avoid getting stuck at a red light.
Lamborghini transforms the Urus SUV into a dual-purpose race car
Breaking stereotypes and tradition, Lamborghini has turned the Urus SUV into a race car that's equally at home on a paved track and on a dirt trail. The ST-X concept gets bigger air intakes, a full roll cage, and center-locking alloy wheels. It's 25 percent lighter than the Urus. It will start racing in 2020.
The world’s first 3D-printed titanium wheels are so intricate they look fake
HRE Performance Wheels and GE Additive have teamed up to create the world's first 3D-printed titanium wheels. Called HRE3D+ wheels, they are not only impressively light due to their innovative creation process, but also very durable. Sadly, you'll have to wait to get your hands on them.
Uber rolls out rewards program that lets its most loyal riders lock in prices
There's no shortage of competition in the ridesharing game these days. How do you get people to stick with your service? With a loyalty program, of course. Uber Rewards offers riders credits to Uber Eats, car upgrades, and the ability to lock in prices on their most traveled routes.
Honda will squeeze another model into its SUV lineup at the Los Angeles show
Honda will introduce a new SUV with a familiar nameplate at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. It envisioned the 2019 Passport as a five-seater alternative to the eight-seater Pilot. The two models will share a platform and many tech features, but Honda stresses the Passport will hold its own off the beaten path.
Startup Rivian exits stealth mode with a bold promise to electrify off-roaders
Electric car startup Rivian has finally turned off stealth mode and provided details about what it's been working on since 2009. It will build battery-powered off-roaders instead of taking on Tesla and others in the luxury EV segment. We'll see the company's first concept cars at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
2020 Toyota Corolla sedan aims to offer sharper handling, better tech
The 2020 Toyota Corolla sedan gets the same upgrades as the recently-introduced Corolla hatchback, including a firmer foundation, new engine, and more tech features. Will that be enough to keep the long-lived Corolla nameplate relevant? Like other sedans, the Corolla is in a battle with crossovers.
Many adults believe fully self-driving cars are already traversing U.S. highways
AAA research found confused consumers and semiautonomous vehicles not up to their tasks. The American Automobile Association tested cars with features such as lane-keeping and adaptive cruise control and found them lacking in real-world conditions. Forty percent of surveyed adults think self-driving cars exist now.
Ford teams up with Walmart to study consumer response to autonomous delivery
Last week it was Ford and VW and this week Ford and Walmart are signaling a desire to work together on autonomous vehicles solutions. Ford and the giant retailer will study consumer reactions to self-driving delivery vehicles. The purpose of the research is to discover the services people want.