Best Shots: February 2020

Friday, February 28, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 28, 2020

Feb 28, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2019 Hennessey Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk HPE1000 First Drive | Sounds like war, goes like hell

LOS ANGELES — To get our hands on Hennessey's 1,000-horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk HPE1000, we agree to meet Vinny Russo in an alley across the street from the practice facility of the Los Angeles Clippers. Noon sharp. We hear the Hellcat-…

2020 Geneva Motor Show canceled over coronavirus fears

Swiss authorities have indirectly canceled the 2020 edition of the Geneva International Motor Show by banning all public and private gatherings attended by over 1,000 people. The decision is a response to the deadly, highly contagious coronavirus tha…

Hyundai halts work at SUV factory after autoworker tests positive for coronavirus

SEOUL — Hyundai Motor shut down a factory in South Korea on Friday after a worker tested positive for the new coronavirus, disrupting production of popular models such as Palisade sport utility vehicle. Shares of the automaker ended down more than 5…

Porsche Ice Experience in Finland — doing crazy things in high-dollar Porsches

LEVI, Finland — Utter darkness. It is around 6 p.m. in the Arctic Circle and blowing fat tufts of snow. The LED headlamps on the Porsche Carrera 4S barely pierce the icy path, a steeply pitched logging road. Yet I'm full-blast on the gas, eyes strain…

2020 Hyundai Venue SEL Drivers' Notes | Little, with lots to like (depending who you ask)

Road Test Editor Zac Palmer: This car is small. Remarkably small. The Hyundai Kona is a tiny car, but this Venue is five inches shorter, and it shows right away. I parked it next to a new Honda Civic , and the Civic dwarfed this crossover. That may sa…

Lowered widebody 2020 Corvette C8 is just a matter of time

Production of the mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette C8 only started on February 3, but dreamers have been imagining customizations, mods and hacks since the day it was introduced in 2019 . Aside from adding wheels and spoilers, body kits are always some …

[VIDEO] Aston Martin Bulldog gets another chance to wedge its way past 200 mph

Tell us if this sounds familiar: In the mid-1970s, Aston Martin decided it wanted to prove its engineering prowess by building a car that would hit 200 miles per hour, so company designer William Towns penned the Bulldog DP K9 concept ; in 1980, Aston…

Hybrid Ferrari prototype suggests another electrified model besides SF90

Even though its first hybrid, the LaFerrari, was launched several years ago , Ferrari is still new to the hybrid game. That's why the Ferrari SF90 Stradale plug-in hybrid was such a big deal. Well, that and the fact it's the company's most powerful ca…

The Chevrolet Impala through the years: 1958–2020

The Chevrolet Impala has officially been discontinued for the third time. Take a walk with us down memory lane as we explore the model's history.

[VIDEO] SnoShark is one of the most popular ice scrapers on the market so we tested it

If you're anything like us, you probably put just about no thought at all into buying an ice scraper. After all, most are basically the same. They've got a scraper on one end and a brush on the other. Might as well just pick one up at the checkout li…

Thursday, February 27, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 27, 2020

Feb 27, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Chevy Impala Last Drive | A car that works, heading to retirement

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Over a million Americans had at least one thing in common in 1965: They bought a new Chevrolet Impala. First released as an upmarket evolution of the Bel Air for the 1958 model year, the Impala nameplate was gradually woven into th…

2021 VW GTI is revealed with more horsepower and torque, but of course

The 2021 VW GTI has finally been revealed, and it doesn't mess with the formula. Inside and out, its only a little more aggressive looking than the regular eighth-generation Golf . Those mild exterior changes hide a punchy turbo four-cylinder that's e…

2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid fuel economy and pricing announced

When a car company announces a hybrid, such as the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid , the obvious first question is, "What's the fuel economy?" Frustratingly, Honda wasn't giving an answer at the CR-V Hybrid's debut, but now it's provided the numbers on fuel co…

BMW iNext test mules work up a sweat in the African desert

The electric BMW iNext is inching its way toward production. The German carmaker released images showing camouflaged test mules doing their best to stay cool as they explore the Kalahari Desert under the scorching sun. It's not easy being a prototyp…

Coronavirus fears prompt automakers to send fewer staff to Geneva Motor Show

FRANKFURT — Carmakers are reducing staff attending Geneva's car show next week as Switzerland confirmed three new cases of the coronavirus, including one in Geneva. Toyota on Thursday said it is paring back its attendance to include "business critic…

VW ID.3 electric car's software bugs threaten summer launch

Volkswagen's issues with software code continue, according to a report in Germany's Manager Magazin and picked up by Automotive News . In December, Manager explained the VW ID.3's software platform didn't work; nevertheless, the automaker remained com…

Citroen Ami electric car is not even a car, but for $22 a month, who cares?

Citroën expanded its lineup towards the bottom by introducing an electric, two-seater city car you don't need a license to drive. Called Ami, it was developed with both private users and car-sharing programs in mind. The newest addition to the Citro…

2020 Audi SQ7 priced at $85,795 and up; here's what you get

We can now put the second bookend on the 2020 Audi Q7 range. A couple of weeks ago, Audi announced pricing for the entry-level Q7 45 , which starts at $55,795. At the Grey Poupon end of the lineup, the SQ7 will cost $84,800 in base Premium Plus trim, …

Pedestrian deaths in U.S. reach highest level since 1988

New estimates from the Governors Highway Safety Association suggest that pedestrian fatalities rose to the highest levels in more than 30 years in 2019, to 6,590. The report cites familiar culprits, including a lack of safe road crossings, distracted…

A New York man hits a cyclist then sues the cyclist

Bryan Agnello gave up driving an automobile two years ago, but in 2020, he found himself detailing to the police his involvement in a rear-end collision. Agnello was reportedly riding his bicycle in Rochester, New York, on a rainy January evening whe…

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 26, 2020

Feb 26, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Ford Bronco interior spied in fresh photos

The 2021 Ford Bronco is just weeks away from being formally unveiled to an eager enthusiast audience. Today, we have the first photos of the new 4x4's interior, which appears to stick to the nameplate's classic themes. Those who were concerned that…

2021 Ford Bronco to get 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6?

We've seen all kinds of spy shots of the 2021 Ford Bronco in two- and four-door versions , showing everything from the instrument panel to the suspension and brakes . The engine's been tougher for outsiders to pin down, leaks and rumors pointing to at …

Ford Bronco models will get a blitz of 150 accessories at launch

Ford's new Bronco may be ready to go toe-to-toe with the Jeep Wrangler in terms of capability, but the Blue Oval wants to make sure its dealer network is prepared for another key component of the 4x4's launch: accessory merchandizing. To that end, …

2021 Subaru Crosstrek is finally getting a more powerful engine

Subaru will address one of the Crosstrek 's biggest shortcomings by making a 2.5-liter flat-four engine available in time for the 2021 model year. It will power the range-topping Limited trim and a new Sport-badged model. You asked, and the Japanese …

VW Touareg R is a rousing 456-hp PHEV, the R division's first

Volkswagen's R division has its first plug-in hybrid model, the Touareg R. Under its hood is a 3.0-liter turbocharged TFSI V6 gas engine with 335 horsepower, with electric assistance provided by an e-motor producing 134 hp. When goaded into Boost mod…

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 hot crossover revealed with 382 horsepower

Following up on the reveal of the regular GLA-Class , the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 is making its debut at the Geneva Motor Show. Mercedes decided to show off its hot crossover a little early, though, along with details on the powertrain. Interestingl…

2020 Porsche 911 Review & Buying Guide | The icon, evolved

While it's often cliché to call a car "iconic," the 2020 Porsche 911 is one of the few cars that truly earns it. The sleek, almost-a-supercar sports coupe has changed a lot over its many generations, yet it stays true to what the 911 has always embod…

2021 Aston Martin DB11 Shadow Edition gives the V8 model some exclusivity

The entry-level 2021 Aston Martin DB11 with its Mercedes V8 is a very good sports car, and in some ways arguably better than the V12 versions , but it does lack some of the specialness of those with the most cylinders. Seemingly on cue, Aston Martin i…

2020 DS 9 attempts to pelt France back into the luxury sedan segment

The Peugeot-owned DS brand will travel to the 2020 Geneva Motor Show to introduce the 9, its flagship sedan. France's long-overdue answer to the Audi A4 picks up where the Citroën C6 left off in 2012, but it lands in a lower segment. The 9 stretches…

2021 Hyundai Elantra GT revealed in updated i30 for Europe

Though the Hyundai Elantra GT has only been on sale in the U.S. a couple of years, it's getting a light refresh. The freshened styling makes its debut on the car's European twin, the i30, and helps it fit in with the latest Hyundai models such as the…

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 25, 2020

Feb 25, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Cadillac CT5-V First Drive | The lowercase v series

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. — This isn't the Cadillac CT5-V we were expecting. After years of successively higher horsepower and world-beating performance statistics, Cadillac flipped the script with the CTS-replacing CT5 by making the reborn car's first V-…

The Ford F-150 'runt' Raptor returns, raises new questions

The Ford F-150 Raptor mule that has been in hiding since first appearing back in June of 2019 has returned, sporting new structural bracing, a coil-sprung rear suspension, and likely a host of other updates we can't even see. But what is it? Here's…

Polestar Precept concept car is a sign of Polestars to come

Polestar is here to stay, and now the new offshoot brand has a concept car to envision its future. The vehicle in question is called the Polestar Precept. It takes shape as an electric four-door grand tourer, and Polestar says the car reveals "a visi…

Geneva Motor Show organizers urge coronavirus checks

FRANKFURT — Geneva Motor Show organizers on Tuesday pressed exhibitors from coronavirus-infected areas to check staff for symptoms before arriving in Switzerland and pledged to step up cleaning and disinfection at the congress center. Geneva is set …

This may be the Ford Mustang Mach 1 yet again

Rumors of a Ford Mustang Mach 1 have been swirling, and the mildly tweaked Mustang prototypes that are circulating around Dearborn are giving fuel to the fire. These recent spy photos fill up the rumor fuel tank, particularly as it's wearing more cam…

[VIDEO] $140,000 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI took Derek Spratt 7 years to build

Canadian engineer Derek Spratt has fond memories of the 1983 Volkswagen Rabbit GTI he bought new in college. When nostalgia began knocking on his door decades later, he sourced a nearly identical example and spent seven years turning it into his drea…

Ford Ranger rally raid racer gets EcoBoost 3.5L V6 power

While the Ford Ranger Raptor is currently the most badass factory Ranger for street use (though sadly not in the U.S.), a South African outfit called Neil Woolridge Motorsports (NWM) has building even more amazing rally raid Rangers under authorizati…

DBX goes black tie with Q by Aston Martin

Aston Martin won't begin delivering its new DBX to customers in North America until the latter half of this year. Perhaps as a favor to DBX intenders that haven't placed orders yet, Q by Aston Martin has prepared a bespoke DBX for the Geneva Motor Sh…

2021 Subaru WRX STI to pack 400 horsepower?

The next-generation Subaru WRX STI may boast as much as 400 horsepower from a re-tuned, 2.4L turbocharged boxer engine, making it the most powerful factory STI ever to be offered in America. Forbes reports that an upgraded version of the engine cur…

BMW Concept i4 electric car will whir its way into the Geneva Motor Show

BMW's first series-produced electric sedan is around the corner. Named i4, the 3 Series-sized model will make its debut as a close-to-production concept car during the 2020 Geneva Motor Show opening its doors on March 3. Electric powertrains give de…