Best Shots: January 2021

Friday, January 29, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for January 29, 2021

Jan 29, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

Tesla Model S and Model X will shift themselves — by 'guessing'

Car companies get more creative by the day with their gear shifter designs. Many of them are annoying. Some were flat-out dangerous . None, however, have shocked as much as Tesla's just-announced method for shifting. When queried on Twitter about how…

2021 Ford Escape Review | The on-road ying

The 2021 Ford Escape is basically Ford's way of acknowledging that people are ultimately flocking to crossovers for three key elements: a tall driving position, extra versatility and available all-wheel drive. If they really do want old-school SUV vi…

Ford previews 2021 F-150 Raptor, announces February 3 reveal

Ford will expand the 14th-generation F-150 range when it introduces the 2021 Raptor on February 3, 2021. Comprehensive performance upgrades will again separate the Raptor from the standard F-150 it's based on. Expected to reach showrooms this summer…

Watch as Rimac fine-tunes the 1,914-horsepower C_Two in a wind tunnel

Rimac's electric, 1,914-horsepower C_Two is inching towards production. After running software simulations for two years, the company finally put a fully functional prototype in a wind tunnel to fine-tune its aerodynamic profile. Virtual modeling te…

AP Fact Check: Biden is using fuzzy math on 1 million new auto jobs

DETROIT — Casting his climate policy as a jobs plan, President Joe Biden left out important context and used fuzzy math when he announced sweeping new green initiatives that he says will boost the U.S. economy with the creation of 1 million new auto …

Suzuki Hayabusa's return is teased in video

Hang on to your kidneys, the planet's fastest production motorcycle is on its way back. Suzuki has released a teaser video for a new Hayabusa on its global and UK social media channels. Only a few glimpses of the superbike can be seen, but it's enoug…

Jeep Gladiator getting the Wrangler's 4xe plug-in hybrid drivetrain

Jeep confirmed it will offer the Gladiator with an electrified powertrain in the not-too-distant future. It stressed that plug-in hybrid technology will continue to spread across its range, both in the United States and abroad, and it ruled out relea…

Toyota announces far-reaching Woven Planet technology research unit

TOKYO — Toyota Motor Corp unveiled its Woven Planet Research Group at a virtual media event on Friday, promising to deliver the world's "safest mobility" as competition heats up to develop self-driving and connected cars. In the online presentation,…

Ford trims Explorer, Lincoln Aviator output due to ongoing chip shortage

Ford is cutting two shifts at its Chicago Assembly facility due to ongoing automotive silicon shortages . The facility, which produces both the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, will be operating only a single shift next week, Automotive News reports…

Sick of hearing about investing? Nothing about this Sprinter camper van is stock

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability are subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. Who hasn't found oneself at som…

Thursday, January 28, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for January 28, 2021

Jan 28, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Ford F-150 Suspension Deep Dive

I don't need to tell you that any all-new redesign of the Ford F-150 is a big deal. But last time around the talk was centered on its then-new aluminum body, and this time all the attention is being paid to the new hybrid powertrain, the folding shif…

General Motors sets goal of being carbon neutral, largely electric by 2035

General Motors has set a goal of making the vast majority of the vehicles it produces electric by 2035, and the entire company carbon neutral, including operations, five years after that. The Detroit automaker's push into electric vehicles has gone …

2022 Acura MDX First Drive | Ticking every box

The 2022 Acura MDX is Acura's latest, completely redesigned model in what's shaping up to be a rekindling of the Japanese luxury brand. Acura smacked us across the face (in a good way) with the luxurious and sporty TLX last year, and now it's trying …

Tesla introduces updated Model S: 520-mile option, Plaid performance, rectangular steering

Update: Elon Musk let us in on a couple more details about the updated Model S via Twitter . He said that the Model S Plaid will begin shipping to customers next month. Also, he claims that you'll be able to play Cyberpunk (a video game) on the car's …

Tesla Model X updated with the same interior as Model S, steering yoke and all

Turns out, it wasn't just the Tesla Model S that is getting a new interior. Tesla also applied the same interior design — steering yoke and all — to the Model X. We reported on the announcement of a Model X Plaid with 1,020 horsepower (and 2.5-second…

Oregon health officials give coronavirus vaccine to fellow motorists stuck in a snowstorm

GRANTS PASS, Ore. — Health officials in southern Oregon said staff gave out six doses of the coronavirus vaccine to motorists at an "impromptu vaccine clinic" along a roadside in a snowstorm. Josephine County Public Health said on Facebook that abou…

Upcoming Genesis electric crossover caught in spy photos

When the Hyundai Motor Group revealed its E-GMP electric platform , the company made it clear that it would underpin vehicles from every brand. The Ioniq 5 will be the first, and we'll see it fully unveiled soon. We've also seen spy shots of the Kia c…

Roush Super Duty dials Ford's big trucks up to 11

Roush Performance pulled the sheet off its 2021 Super Duty package Thursday. Highlighting a series of cosmetic and off-road upgrades offered by the signature Ford tuner, racer and parts developer, the Super Duty, like other packages offered by Roush,…

Lego introduces two-in-one vintage Porsche 911 kit

Air-cooled Porsche 911 prices left the stratosphere years ago, but Lego has a much cheaper alternative that won't take space (or leak oil) in your garage. Its newest car kit lets enthusiasts build a 911 Targa or a 911 Turbo. While some of Lego's car…

NASA's Perseverance rover is ready to land on Mars — and in stores as a Hot Wheels toy

The Mars Perseverance rover is nearing the end of its seven-month interplanetary journey, with touchdown on the Red Planet coming Feb. 18. This is peak science that should make Americans excited and proud. Especially kids. So to mark the event, Matte…

Wednesday, January 27, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for January 27, 2021

Jan 27, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

Watch SSC Tuatara break the top speed record, seems for sure this time

SSC just completed a third attempt at taking the record for the fastest production car in the world. The first attempt was marred by controversy after controversy (video footage inconsistencies and GPS calibration issues). The second attempt never re…

2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E Infotainment Driveway Test

Tesla has basically made having a gigantic touchscreen in an electric car mandatory. Polestar has certainly followed that lead, and Rivian intends to go that way as well. Over in Europe, the adorable Honda E has screens covering the entire width of t…

2022 BMW M5 CS revealed as the 627hp competition to the Competition

Feast your eyes on the 2022 BMW M5 CS. This 627-horsepower, niche-of-a-niche supersedan is 230 pounds lighter than the already-nasty M5 Competition and capable of hitting 60 mph in 2.9 seconds on the way to a top speed of 190 mph — and BMW will only …

Divers haul more than 40 cars out of Nashville's waterways

If you're looking for a lost YJ-generation Jeep Wrangler, and you live in the Nashville area, city officials may have found your car in one of the region's waterways. It's one of more than 40 vehicles that were dragged out of locations like the Cumbe…

Ford F-150 spy photos suggest the truck could get magnetic paint

Ford's decision to switch the majority of the F-150's stamped body parts from steel to aluminum had a significant, positive impact on weight and therefore its fuel economy numbers and the truck's ability to haul and tow. On the other hand, aluminum c…

Ford Transit van gets an ST-style makeover

Customization for the Ford Transit van typically involves little more than a business name and logo on the exterior and maybe some racks and shelving inside, but this makeover takes the Transit in an entirely different direction. Created by Poland-b…

2021 Audi Q5 Review | A best-seller gets an update

All signs point to the updated 2021 Audi Q5 continuing to be its brand's best-seller. Its oh-so-Audi design, well-stocked equipment list and reasonable pricing are obviously appealing attributes to those shopping in the crowded compact luxury crossov…

Sondors Metacycle electric motorcycle costs $5,000, goes 80 miles and 80 mph

We see a number of electric motorcycles get introduced, but they're often pretty expensive, or kind of rinky-dink little things with little speed or range. They can look pretty weird, too, which was our first thought when we saw the Sondors Metacycle…

2022 Hyundai Tucson receives sporty-looking N Line trim in Europe

Hyundai's fourth-generation Tucson made its debut in late 2020 with a radical new design. Motorists who want an even more extroverted look will be able to order the N Line trim, which brings an array of performance-inspired accents inside and out. It…

GM, Navistar team up to build hydrogen-powered heavy trucks

DETROIT — In about three years, Navistar plans to start selling low-emission hydrogen-powered heavy trucks under a partnership with General Motors and a small distribution company called OneH2. The venture announced Wednesday is an early commercial …

Tuesday, January 26, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for January 26, 2021

Jan 26, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

Biden plans to replace federal fleet with American-made electric vehicles

President Joe Biden said today that the U.S. federal government would replace its fleet of vehicles with electric vehicles. "The federal government also owns an enormous fleet of vehicles, which we're going to replace with clean electric vehicles mad…

2021 Nissan GT-R Road Test | Godzilla on ice!

Call it a dinosaur. Mock the Nissan parts bin interior. Declare it overpriced versus newer sports cars. The 2021 Nissan GT-R doesn't mind. It's still Godzilla, and it will still rip your head off with pleasure. Flashback to a few years ago: I was ch…

GMC Hummer EV coming to Extreme E with Chip Ganassi Racing

The electric off-road racing series Extreme E is getting another famous face. This time it's not a person, but rather a vehicle: the GMC Hummer EV . GMC announced that it will be the main sponsor for the Chip Ganassi Racing Extreme E team. With the s…

Volvo will give away cars worth $2 million if a safety is scored in the Super Bowl

Volvo put $1 million worth of free cars on the line at last year's Super Bowl . For this year's Super Bowl LV, Volvo is doing it again, but it's doubling the prize potential. If a safety is recorded in the big game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and…

Quadratec's one-off YJL is a square-eyed tribute to the original Jeep Wrangler

Quadratec, the world's largest independent retailer of Jeep parts and accessories, built a one-of-a-kind Wrangler inspired by the original YJ model to celebrate its 30th birthday. Called YJL, the SUV gains square headlights that appeal to your 1990s …

This one-of-a-kind Ferrari Breadvan Homage is exactly what it sounds like

Dutch coachbuilder Niels van Roij Design immersed itself in an obscure chapter of Ferrari history to turn a 550 Maranello into a one-off shooting brake named Breadvan Homage. Built at the request of a collector, the model is a modern take on the 250 …

'Flying cars' still aren't ready for takeoff, but automakers keep climbing aboard

Flying cars (and jetpacks) have fascinated the public and press for decades and are a surefire way to get crowds and coverage at an event. At this month's virtual CES , GM scored big buzz (and a significant stock-price bounce ) from its numerous announ…

An amazing Group B rally car collection heads to auction

Kicking off in 1982, the Group B era spawned some of the most fearsome rally cars of all time. The technologically advanced pioneers of all-wheel drive and turbocharging defined a time when automakers had carte blanche to build machines with unrestri…

Ford Bronco prototypes get trial by fire after trailer goes up in flames

Carmakers need to put every new model through a battery of tests, but checking whether a car can survive extreme heat is not normally part of the homologation process. Ford presumably obtained valuable data about the new 2021 Bronco 's heat resistance…

Mansory made a lawnmower that's also a tribute to Air Jordan shoes

German car customizing firm Mansory is known for its outrageous and, at best, polarizing projects. But none of them are as strange as this, the BSTN GT XI. Yes, it is a lawn mower . Yes, that is the Air Jordan logo on it. No, none of this is a joke. I…