Best Shots: July 2020

Friday, July 31, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for July 31, 2020

Jul 31, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Ford Bronco vs 2021 Toyota 4Runner | How their specs compare

It's incredibly obvious which SUV is going to be most frequently compared with the 2021 Ford Bronco : the Jeep Wrangler . The two- and four-door body styles, the removable roof and doors, the comparable dimensions ... hell, even the marketing strategy.…

Ford posts $1.1B surprise quarterly profit thanks to VW

Ford on Thursday posted a quarterly profit thanks to Volkswagen AG's investment in Ford's self-driving Argo AI unit, which offset a production shutdown forced by the coronavirus pandemic as the No. 2 U.S. automaker said it still expects to post a los…

North America profit helps Fiat Chrysler limit its losses from coronavirus

MILAN — Italian-American automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) posted a smaller-than-expected operating loss in the second quarter, as a small profit in North America helped to limit the damage wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. FCA said on Frida…

2020 Honda Ridgeline Road Test | Hauling dirt

I had a pretty nice little Saturday in the 2020 Honda Ridgeline. Went to Home Depot. Didn't make it to Bed Bath & Beyond. There wasn't enough time. It was the morning Will Ferrell wanted to have before he started doing keg stands in "Old School."…

Land Rover Defender delays mount due to coronavirus-related production issues

Ready to plunk down some cash on a 2020 Land Rover Defender 90? You may have a while yet to wait, as deliveries of the new off-roader remain touch-and-go thanks to constraints imposed on production by the global coronavirus crisis. As noted by Motor…

Cadillac Lyriq teased ahead of debut next week

The Cadillac Lyriq is just around the corner, set to be fully revealed on August 6. Cadillac just released a few teaser photos and videos as preparation for the big debut a week from today. It's our best look at the production version of the car yet.…

Nico Hulkenberg returns to F1 after Sergio Perez tests positive for COVID-19

Sergio Perez SILVERSTONE, England — Germany's Nico Hulkenberg will replace Racing Point driver Sergio Perez at this weekend's British Formula One Grand Prix after the Mexican was ruled out by a positive COVID-19 test result. Hulkenberg, a v…

Subaru ends orders for BRZ in Japan as production winds down

Production of the Subaru BRZ has ceased, marking the end of an eight-year run for the small enthusiast car. The final examples have rolled off of the assembly line ahead of what is expected to be a brief hiatus before the introduction of its successo…

Honda trademarks 'Motocompacto' and we're hoping for a Motocompo revival

Fans of both Honda's four-wheeled and two-wheeled machines have reason to get excited (within reason), because the company may be reviving a beloved scooter from its past. Motorcycle news site Motorcycle.com discovered that Honda has trademarked the …

Barrett-Jackson plans scaled-back fall auction in Scottsdale

Automotive auctioneer Barrett-Jackson on Thursday said it plans to hold a special fall auction in Scottsdale, Arizona despite the state's status as a coronavirus hotspot and its appearance in a White House document as one of 18 "red zone" states wher…

Thursday, July 30, 2020

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

Jul 30, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Acura TLX Type-S to be powered by 355-horsepower V6

The 2021 Acura TLX Type-S is on track to deliver 355 horsepower, Honda's luxury subsidiary said Thursday, floating the power figure in an announcement that a prototype of its new sport sedan will serve as the pace car for the 2020 Pikes Peak Internat…

2021 Toyota Land Cruiser, 4Runner, Tundra pricing and special editions announced

Toyota has announced pricing and details about the 2021 Land Cruiser, 4Runner SUVs and Tundra truck. Each model sees some mild tweaks and/or special editions added to the lineup. Base prices have also ticked up slightly. You can check out the updates…

2021 Kia K5 First Drive | Comfy, cool, but not quite king

Despite the sedan market continuing to lose market share to crossovers and SUVs every year , it's still a segment that sells millions of units a year. It's also one of the most hotly contested segments with strong offerings from Honda, Toyota and Mazd…

Honda asks office workers to help build cars as it struggles with COVID-19

Honda confirmed reports that it has sent some of its office workers to the assembly line in its Marysville, Ohio, factory to fill in for employees who are quarantined after testing positive for COVID-19. The company explained part of the reason it's …

2021 Ford Bronco has reportedly racked up over 230,000 reservations

Ford recently confirmed motorists who haven't reserved their 2021 Bronco yet will need to wait until 2022 to take delivery. Although it hasn't published the number of reservations it has received, an enthusiast forum keeping track of where and how cu…

2020 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupe Driveway Test Video | The S should be a $

It is impossible to get around this car's price tag. At a staggering $105,690, this particular 2020 Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupe has more than $27,000 worth of options. Admittedly, two of the big ticket items, the $5,450 Ceramic Compound brakes, $2,000 …

Fisker plans lineup of four electric vehicles by 2025

Fisker recently declared it wants to secure the rights to use Volkswagen's MEB platform to underpin an electric crossover named Ocean . Although the deal hasn't been finalized yet, it released a preview image that sheds light on some of the other cars…

2021 Maserati Quattroporte spied getting ready for another light refresh

Maserati just announced that both the Quattroporte and Ghibli sedans would get Trofeo versions next month, but it looks like the standard Quattroporte is going to get a facelift soon, too. The Quattroporte is on the old side of the spectrum at this p…

1975 Chevy Blazer | Autoblog Cars for Sale Find of the Day

It's no secret that Americans love trucks. Not only are pickup trucks the perennial best sellers in the top three spots — with Ford, Chevrolet and Ram all represented — market share for truck-like crossovers and SUVs are eking ever higher as sedans a…

Blipshift's '96 Hours of BS' sale starts right now

We've finally reached peak summer in the wildest year on record. The sun is shining, and it's warm outside every day. Unfortunately, unlike years past, it's become harder to update your wardrobe due to stores being closed all around the country. Luck…

Wednesday, July 29, 2020

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

Jul 29, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Honda Odyssey refreshed with sleeker styling, new features

The 2021 Honda Odyssey gets an abundance of small additions and changes that amount to a significant upgrade for the new model year. Most noticeable is the restyled grille and front fascia along with revised lighting that includes LED headlights sta…

Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 is an 830-horsepower track weapon

Following in the footsteps of the likes of the Diablo GTR and the Miura Jota, the new Lamborghini Essenza SCV12 is the latest limited-run, uber-performance GT car that offers more power than any other naturally aspirated V12 model Lamborghini has eve…

2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class gets rear-axle steering and trick new airbag tech

Mercedes just keeps trickling out more and more information about the next-gen S-Class. We've already received the full download on its new MBUX infotainment system and 3-D instrument cluster , but today's info dump is full of even more intriguing det…

2021 Hyundai Veloster N adds optional DCT, standard Performance Package

The 2021 Veloster N will go on sale this fall with an eight-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission, Hyundai announced Wednesday. The new gearbox is just one of a handful of upgrades the little hot hatch will get for the new model year, alongside n…

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible First Drive | Is less roof better?

The azure waters of the French Riviera are set ablaze by the setting sun as a cool breeze wafts in from the Mediterranean. The warm breath from the neck-level heaters commendably compensate. The 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible turns inland, the road wi…

Remember the Sony Vision-S Concept? The CES standout will be road-tested

Apparently the Sony Vision-S Concept car's story isn't over yet. Sony made a big splash at CES in January this year with its fully operational electric car, but the company made it clear that it had no intentions of turning this concept into a produc…

GM reports 2Q loss of $758 million, but says things are looking up

General Motors Co on Wednesday said if the U.S. economy continues to recover from the coronavirus pandemic and the auto industry does not experience any further production shutdowns, the No. 1 U.S. automaker should be able to generate enough cash to …

2021 Buick Envision's bold design means small space gains, a few big losses

So far, every preview we've had of the 2021 Buick Envision compels us to believe that it isn't playing in the same league as the current Envision, nor is it playing the same sport. The chiseled, crisp exterior is matched by an interior that, in pictu…

Toyota says it's on track to produce solid-state batteries by 2025

Toyota has developed a working prototype of its long-promised solid-state batteries that are operating in running concept vehicles, and the company remains on track for limited production of them by 2025. That's the gist of an interview Automotive Ne…

Musk says Tesla is open to supplying batteries and technology to competitors

In response to reports that German automakers are working feverishly to catch up to Tesla in the electric vehicle segment, Elon Musk tweeted that the U.S.-based EV maker that he helms is willing to help them close the gap. The Tesla CEO tweeted that …

Tuesday, July 28, 2020

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

Jul 28, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Ford Expedition King Ranch Road Test | Ready for anything

Usually in preparation for a road trip, there is mental math to be done. Can all the bags be Tetrised in? Will there be enough room left over for food and gear? Can the dogs take up the whole back seat, or will stuff need to go back there, too? For …

2021 BMW 5 Series picks up a bevy of M Performance parts

Since the 2021 BMW 5 Series has been refreshed , it's also time for a new batch of BMW M Performance parts to customize it. The company revealed a whole range of visual and performance upgrades for the midsize luxury sport sedan in both standard 5 Ser…

Hyundai introduces an array of new air conditioning tech in pursuit of a cleaner interior

The air conditioning systems in Hyundai, Kia and Genesis vehicles are about to get a little better. Hyundai Motor Group just announced three new features it's developed to improve the experience: after-blow, multi-air mode and a fine dust indicator. …

[VIDEO] Jaguar InControl Touch Pro Infotainment Review | Improved, but far from the best

The infotainment systems in Jaguar or Land Rover vehicles over the past many years have been a cause for concern. They've been slow to respond, lacking in features and lagging behind the high-tech luxury competition by a wide margin. Software updat…

Tesla says it took government payroll benefits, which offset coronavirus shutdowns

Tesla received payroll related benefits from the government in the first half of the year to help reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its business, the electric carmaker said in a filing on Tuesday. The company, whose Chief Executive Of…

Florida man accused of buying Lamborghini with coronavirus relief funds

We'll preface this by saying that when things work as they're meant to, we don't hear about them. When it comes to the Paycheck Protection Program, created as part of the CARES Act in March to provide loans to businesses to pay employees during the c…

Pandemic drives average age of cars on U.S. roads to a record high

Drivers are holding on to cars and trucks longer during the coronavirus pandemic. The average age of a vehicle on U.S. roads rose by a month this year to a record 11.9 years. The IHS Markit consulting firm says the pandemic has caused consumers to …

Electric BMW 3 Series spied, adds to the growing list of future BMW EVs

BMW announced big electric plans yesterday , declaring that the next-gen 5 Series, 7 Series and X1 would be offered in full electric versions. It didn't, however, make the same announcement for the 3 Series. We don't exactly need BMW's confirmation to…

GM killed Holden but is reportedly creating a new brand for Australia

General Motors recently confirmed it will close its decades-old Holden division and exit the Australian market, but trademark filings suggests it wants to maintain a limited presence Down Under. It's allegedly joining forces with a local tuner to imp…

Legally blind man gets his sight back, buys himself a Chevy Corvette

Mike Schickerowski was never supposed to drive, let alone go flat-out in a V8-powered car. The 44-year old Alberta resident was born with an eye condition that made him legally blind and disqualified him from driving. He got his sight back after unde…