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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…

Monday, February 24, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 24, 2020

Feb 24, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray First Drive | Clean slate with the C8

LAS VEGAS — Let's forget for a moment that there's ever been a Corvette. That there are no expectations for where the engine should be, the type of suspension used, the quality of the interior or the type of people who stereotypically buy one. It's w…

2020 Corvette early prototypes were hidden under a Holden Maloo called 'Blackjack'

Chevrolet recently hosted media for first drives of the 2020 C8 Corvette . Among the novel discoveries related to the most important Corvette launch since the original Corvette, the Detroit Free Press dove into the lengths GM engineers went to in orde…

2021 Range Rover spied for the first time

Land Rover's luxurious Range Rover is due for an overhaul, and these shots are the first we've seen of the marquee British SUV in the wild. If you need to squint a bit to tell this prototype apart from the Range Rover Sport that broke cover In Janu…

2021 Ford F-150 interior revealed in new spy photos

Not a week seems to go by lately without multiple Ford truck revelations, and the latest comes courtesy of a new set of spy photos depicting the 2021 Ford F-150's updated interior. From these shots, we can see that the general shape of the dashboar…

VW planning ID electric cars with R performance designation, new battery tech

In December, Autocar reported that Volkswagen planned to use the GTX moniker on hot versions of the ID range, the same way GTI indicates spicier takes on the internal combustion range. The report indicated that there could be room above the GTX for e…

Watch Chris Harris in the electric VW ID.R waste a McLaren 720S

The Volkswagen ID.R doesn't have much in common with a McLaren 720S, other than the fact that they are both performance-crazed cars. One gets its power from batteries, the other from gas. One uses electric motors, the other a twin-turbocharged 4.0-li…

Alfa Romeo is bringing something deliciously loud to Geneva

Alfa Romeo will risk running afoul of Switzerland's engine noise regulations by bringing something deliciously loud to the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. The preview video it posted on Twitter asks more questions than it answers. The seven-second flick ann…

Ford hopes you'll trade some privacy for discounted car insurance

Ford thinks it has a way to make car insurance more appealing: taking advantage of the data available from connected cars. It's teaming up with Nationwide to introduce its own take on usage-based insurance. If you have one of several 2020 Ford or Lin…

Pininfarina Battista Anniversario at Geneva will mark design house's 90 years

Pininfarina will celebrate its 90th anniversary by unveiling a commemorative version of the Battista at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. The design house-turned-manufacturer released two images to preview its latest creation. Limited to five examples wor…

Junkyard Gem: 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser Dream Cruiser Series 1

It has become fashionable to hate the PT Cruiser these days, but Chrysler really hit a home run with the idea of a retro-looking, Neon-based vehicle that — legally speaking — qualified as a light truck according to American regulations and thus didn'…