Best Shots: June 2020

Tuesday, June 30, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for June 30, 2020

Jun 30, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

Ford Ranger gets an available power bump from Ford Performance

Ford announced Tuesday that it will offer a series of off-road packages for any four-wheel-drive Ranger pickup, care of the Ford Performance division, providing escalating bundles of features that should get the attention of performance-minded truck …

Bentley Bentayga gets its first big update with new design and improved tech

The 2021 Bentley Bentayga is subject to the model's first significant refresh since the ultra-luxe SUV was introduced for the 2016 model year . In the meantime, Bentley has rolled through a few variants, but now we're getting design changes, tech enha…

2020 Bentley Flying Spur First Edition Road Test | $280,000 worth of drama-free splash

After reading Brett Berk's First Drive review of the Bentley Flying Spur , I was intrigued. Not by the author's propensity for shedding clothing (though that sure is … something), but by some of the car's numbers and its drivetrain features. Figures s…

Barrett-Jackson is selling the first Fisher-bodied Chevrolet Camaro

Barrett-Jackson is giving Chevrolet enthusiasts the opportunity to own the first Fisher-bodied, Los Angeles-built Camaro. Made in 1966, it was treated to a complete restoration and it looks as good as it did when it was new. Although the Camaro went…

Ineos teases Projekt Grenadier SUV just before July 1 debut

Remember, Ineos CEO Sir Jim Ratcliffe wanted to buy Land Rover's tooling for the old Defender when the legendary 70-year-old do-it-all truck ceased production in 2016, but Land Rover turned Ratcliffe down. So as you do, Ratcliffe formed Ineos Automot…

Land Rover details construction-site-friendly Defender Hard Top

Land Rover hopes to mute the critics who claim moving the Defender upmarket alienates commercial users by launching an entry-level model named Hard Top. It's a cheaper, relatively basic variant of the SUV designed to feel more comfortable taking work…

Hennessey announces performance, off-road upgrades for the 2021 Ford Bronco

Aftermarket companies are just as eager to get their hands on the new Ford Bronco as off-roading enthusiasts. American tuner Hennessey has already announced plans to offer a catalog of parts for the upcoming SUV. If Hennessey knows more about the ho…

Ford Mustang Mach-E orders open — and performance specs get a boost

Ford says it's nudging performance specs upward on the Mustang Mach-E after more testing and development work, as it opens order books for its highly anticipated all-electric crossover . The upgraded specs apply to both standard- and extended-range m…

2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo Road Test | Finding joy

There is a Ferrari F8 Tributo sitting in my driveway, casting the unmistakable silhouette of a mid-engine supercar. There's no mistaking the lightness of a hood, nor the fecund swell of the aft. This is no ordinary car. Not to frame everything aroun…

Lamborghini yacht by Tecnomar is 4,000-hp tribute to the Lambo Sián FKP 37

Lamborghini is no stranger to the boating industry, it developed a pair of marine engines in the 1980s, but it has never made its own boat. It took a step toward the world of yachts when it teamed with Italian firm Tecnomar to design a high-performan…

Monday, June 29, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for June 29, 2020

Jun 29, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Audi Q5 gets more power, new look, and better technology

Audi updated the Q5, its best-selling model in the United States, with a redesigned front end, more power, and new available rear lights that use technology television fans will be familiar with. It's due out later in 2020. Stylists tweaked the Q5's…

GM Defense wins $214M U.S. Army contract for Infantry Squad Vehicle

In 2003, General Motors sold its defense division to General Dynamics. In 2017, seeing renewed opportunity to put its commercial innovations to military use — and with the military newly keen on using commercial technology for military purposes — GM …

Consumer Reports lists the cars most likely to blow a head gasket (or two)

Cars that suffer from chronic head gasket problems are astonishingly expensive to keep running. Consumer Reports has put together a list of the worst offenders by analyzing data from its Annual Autos Survey. There are four Subaru models on the list, …

2020 Ferrari F8 Tributo Road Test | Finding joy

2021 Jeep Wrangler supposedly ditching 2.0L eTorque

Last year, Jeep made a few changes to the powertrain options that appeared focused on encouraging greater adoption of the 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo. Instead of charging for the four-cylinder engine option and the obligatory eight-speed automatic …

2021 Cadillac XT6 adds 2.0-liter turbo and new base trim in second year

The 2021 Cadillac XT6 has been announced, and the three-row crossover is going through a few notable changes in its second model year. There's a new base trim and base engine, and Cadillac has added tech features to improve the experience. Starting …

Nissan Ariya electric crossover will be unveiled July 15

Nissan plans to reveal its Ariya electric crossover on July 15 and debut it in Japan before offering it in other markets including the U.S. The announcement, reported by Automotive News , came at Nissan's contentious annual shareholders meeting in Tok…

2021 Subaru Ascent Review | One for the faithful

The 2021 Subaru Ascent doesn't really stand above and beyond the crowded field of three-row family crossovers. There are those that make a bolder statement outside, that are more luxurious inside and that are better to drive. Some are even more spaci…

2022 Mini Hardtop spied with bigger grille

The current generation of Mini Hardtop and Convertible has been around since 2014, so it doesn't come as a big surprise that one of our spy photographers spotted a group of test cars sporting refreshed styling. These cars were all Mini Cooper S or Mi…

Nikola Badger pre-orders open today, and the FCEV pickup comes with a water fountain

The next step toward the Nikola Badger pickup eventually making a home on public roads happens today, with pre-orders officially open. Badger-intenders can take advantage of one of three pre-order levels from $250 to $5,000, all of which sweeten the …

Friday, June 26, 2020

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

Jun 26, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Ford F-150 revealed: new tech, fresh interior and a class-leading powerful hybrid

The 2021 Ford F-150 has officially arrived, ushering in the 14th generation of America's bestselling pickup. This redesign integrates key elements of the previous-generation truck, including its extensive use of aluminum body panels, with new tech, s…

2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost: What we know about the heavy-hitter hybrid

The 2021 Ford F-150 has been officially revealed to the world, and along with it, a first-ever hybrid model. Like Ford's turbocharged "EcoBoost" engines, this new hybrid system gets its own marketing tell-tale: "PowerBoost." Unlike the former, Ford…

The 2021 F-150 elevates Ford's bed game

The new 2021 Ford F-150 is ushering in a new era of pickup capability, but there's more to it than the introduction of the PowerBoost hybrid . While that new powertrain is certainly the truck's headlining element, the supporting electrical architectur…

Mazda seemingly confirms turbo Mazda3, plus reveal date

Yes, you read that right, Mazda seems to have confirmed that a 2021 Mazda3 turbo is on the way. The company replied to multiple tweets asking about such a car, including one from yours truly, with a teaser video and the phrase "Power comes to those w…

California to require zero-emissions heavy trucks

LOS ANGELES — California on Thursday approved a groundbreaking policy to wean its trucking sector off of diesel fuel by requiring manufacturers to sell a rising number of zero-emissions vehicles, starting in 2024. The mandate, passed unanimously by …

Cadillac Lyriq electric crossover reveal date announced

The Cadillac Lyriq will be the company's first fully electric car, and it was due to be shown back in April . Then the coronavirus pandemic happened and screwed everything up. But now we have a new reveal date for the Lyriq: August 6, 2020. The d…

2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Luggage Test | Not as 'gran' as promised

As we discovered with the M340i , BMW must be using a different measurement method than other manufacturers, because its cargo volume specs are not consistent with the amount of space actually available. Or, to be most accurate, other cars with the sa…

Jeep Grand Wagoneer PHEV rumored to do 30 miles on a charge

The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will eventually be here, establishing Jeep in a luxury stratum the same way the original Wagoneer did in 1963. The differences today are that the original Wagoneer took three years to develop, today's Wagoneer has…

2021 Subaru Ascent adds standard lane-centering, lane-keep assist, and adaptive headlights

The 2021 Subaru Ascent, the brand's three-row midsize SUV, adds lane-centering (which works in conjunction with the adaptive cruise control) and lane-keep assist to its standard-equipment list. Curve-adaptive headlights are newly standard on the base…

Kia's Intelligent Manual Transmission — here's how iMT and clutch-by-wire works

When Kia introduced the facelifted Rio for Europe a few weeks ago, the press release briefly touted a clutch-by-wire six-speed manual transmission that would improve gas mileage and reduce CO2 emissions. A new press release provides details on the In…

Thursday, June 25, 2020

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

Jun 25, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

Watch live | 2021 Ford F-150 debuts Thursday

Ford is set to unveil the 2021 F-150 to the public Thursday night, and you can watch the event live right here on Autoblog. The YouTube feed will go live Thursday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. EDT. You will also be able to access the feed via Faceb…

2021 Ram TRX to be revealed this summer

The wait for the 2021 Ram TRX will soon be over, FCA confirmed Thursday with a social media teaser. The much-anticipated, Hellcat-powered Raptor slayer will be revealed this summer. It's not a mirage. https://t.co/CZSAFgLBZZ Ram TRX | Late Su…

Watch today's Lordstown Endurance electric pickup reveal here

Lordstown Motors Corp will show off its planned electric pickup truck at an event at noon EDT today as the startup seeks to begin producing vehicles at a former General Motors factory in northeast Ohio. Lordstown Motors, which hopes to start deliver…

The Ultimate Toyota Off-Road SUV Suspension Flex Test

As I sit down to write this, it's dawning on me that I have owned all three of these vehicles at one point or another. The Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road is the one that currently shades my driveway. You've seen it before. Twice. But I actually brought…

Eagle Lightweight GT meticulous Jaguar restomod is 'the best an E-Type can be'

England claims so many boutique, specialist car companies doing such sensational work that if an artist were to draw a national muse for Britannia, she would hold a scepter in one hand and a gear shift in the other. Next up in the island's crowded sh…

1999 Honda Prelude Type SH Retro First Drive | Torque-vectoring pioneer

Autoblog wasn't around for the literal first drive review, but as they say, it's better late than never. Take a trip down memory lane in our latest retro first drive. "Designed to be an aggressive sports coupe with superior handling, the Prelude i…

J.D. Power 2020 Initial Quality Study puts Dodge and Kia in first place

For the first time ever, an American automaker is ranked at the top of J.D. Power's yearly Initial Quality Study as Dodge tied with Kia for the top spot. Kia landed in first from second place last year — though it's Kia's sixth consecutive year as th…

The Bentley Mulsanne exits the stage as production ends

Bentley is done with the Mulsanne. The one you're looking at here is the penultimate car to come out of the factory in Crewe, Cheshire, England. Apparently, the owner of the last one is rather secretive and wants to keep their car under wraps. That b…

2020 Lotus Evora GT Road Test | Don't forget about Lotus

Slipping into the leather, carbon fiber-backed seats and turning on the engine is an event in the 2020 Lotus Evora GT. Stick the stubby, unmarked key in the ignition, turn two notches; press a button on the remote; push the clutch in, and hold the "E…

Tesla project Roadrunner calls for expanded battery plant in Fremont

Tesla is currently working on a project dubbed Roadrunner to build a new battery research and manufacturing facility. That's not surprising , but its location may be. According to documents from the Fremont, California, city government, Tesla filed pa…