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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…

Monday, July 27, 2020

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

Jul 27, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Mazda 3 Sedan vs Hatchback Luggage Test | Which 3 reigns supreme?

A major reason for buying a hatchback is for added cargo space and versatility, right? Seems logical enough. It's certainly a reason I've been fond of them over the years. And since so many SUVs these days are just glorified hatchbacks, it certainly …

2020 BMW X3 xDrive30e First Drive | A plug only makes the X3 better

No BMW sells better in the United States than the X3 . The model has been around for a long time at this point (since 2003), straddling the line between sporty and utilitarian in a luxurious BMW package. From a longevity and popularity standpoint, it'…

2021 Ford F-150 Limited 4x2 SuperCrew starts at $72,520

The 2021 Ford F-150 stands as Exhibit A in the case explaining why pickup truck prices are climbing faster than kudzu, using evidence provided by early dealer order guides seen by CarsDirect (here is an order guide without prices ). When the automaker…

Rumored Genesis G70 wagon is real, caught for first time in spy shots

A few months ago, Genesis revealed it was looking at the possibility of offering a Genesis G70 wagon or shooting brake variant . It seems that possibility will become a reality, since one of our spy photographers caught just such a prototype out testi…

Volvo is testing what looks like an electrified, restomod P1800

Volvo's road testers haven't put P1800 prototypes through their paces since the early 1960s, so we're a little puzzled by the images sent to us by our spy photographers stationed in Sweden. Although they're blurry, the shots clearly show a completely…

BMW to introduce fully electric 5 Series, 7 Series and X1 in emissions push

FRANKFURT — BMW announced its intentions to offer a fully electric 5 Series , 7 Series and X1 as part of a sweeping product overhaul unveiled on Monday as the German carmaker seeks to lower vehicle emissions during production and on the road. All thr…

Mercedes-Benz putting seven models on the chopping block, dealers say

Mercedes-Benz will shift its model proliferation into reverse in the coming years, according to dealers familiar with the company's plans. At least seven nameplates are scheduled to retire without a direct successor. Speaking to industry trade journ…

Thai authorities investigating why charges were dropped in Red Bull heir's fatal crash

Police examine a damaged Ferrari at the home of the late Red Bull founder Chaleo Yoovidhaya in Bangkok in 2012. Police say then-27-year-old Vorayuth Yoovidhaya hit a police officer with his Ferrari, then dragged the body for several meters before…

Bugatti introduces the Baby II electric roadster priced at under $35,000

Bugatti returned to the electric-car segment after a decades-long hiatus by releasing a single-seater roadster that costs less than a new Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The catch is that it's a limited-edition model known as the Baby II that's a smaller repl…

[VIDEO] This electric tricycle/camper/boat looks straight out of a Wes Anderson fever dream

Transcript: Bike + boat + camper combo. Z-Triton is an amphibious electric tricycle camper for the outdoor enthusiast. Created by Latvian start-up Zeltini, the unique vehicle provides people the ability to interact with nature on land or on water. In…

Friday, July 24, 2020

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

Jul 24, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

Ford Bronco-based pickup could be coming to challenge Jeep Gladiator

Ford's burgeoning Bronco sub-brand will include a pickup aimed directly at the Jeep Gladiator, according to a recent report. Rumors outline an adventure-ready, off-road-capable truck that hauls more than the Bronco SUV . Citing sources familiar with …

2021 Mini John Cooper Works GP First Drive | Loud, harsh, expensive, hilariously fun

The Mini John Cooper Works GP has always represented the pinnacle of Mini performance. It's the most-powerful, lightest and most uncompromising in its pursuit of going fast. And it has never hidden that purpose, wearing bold bodywork to convey its se…

2022 GMC Sierra spotted with minimal camouflage

By all accounts, GM's current full-size truck twins, the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra , are good trucks that are in many ways competitive with the sales-leading Ford F-150 and a fresh Ram 1500 that's regularly nipping at the Bowtied truck's tail…

As ADA turns 30, finding just-right mobility for the disabled is a challenge

Barbara Alink, left, and Canadian Paralympian Felicia Voss-Shafiq, an Alinker ambassador. We cover all kinds of mobility at Autoblog, not always just cars, and this weekend we're noting the 30th anniversary of one of the landmark laws of our…

The 2020 Bentley Flying Spur has 3-D wood now, and it looks spectacular

This is the coolest wood you're going to see today. We promise. Bentley is now manufacturing something it calls "Three-Dimensional Wood." And yes, all wood we come into contact with is 3-D, but this stuff pops out at you like people and items do in a…

Honda trademarks 'Trailsport' nameplate, presumably for future off-roader

Honda does not have a body-on-frame off-roader to take on the Jeep Wrangler or the new Ford Bronco , but the Japanese automaker evidently is not ready to cede that market entirely to its rivals. As Carbuzz discovered, Honda recently applied to tradema…

Jeep Grand Cherokee's current generation is returning for 2021 after all

Jeep is busily putting the final touches on the fifth-generation Grand Cherokee, but the SUV isn't ready yet, so the current-generation model will allegedly return for one final model year. Although it won't receive major changes, a recent report cla…

2021 BMW X7 Dark Shadow Edition is a $120,000 limited-run X7 M50i

The BMW X7 is getting a special edition called the Dark Shadow Edition. It looks … like a shadow, so the name works. BMW has used the M50i model as a base, which means it's the fastest and best-handling X7 of the small bunch. This M Sport model come…

2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Luggage Test | Time for an Italian vacation

When it comes to handling and being fun to drive, the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia is right at the top. From its engaging and tossable Ti trim, to the totally bonkers Quadrifoglio , Alfa Romeo has some excellent options for those who love to drive. However,…

Where have we seen the United States Space Force logo before?

The official United States Space Force logo has been unveiled , and we love it. The delta-shaped insignia "signifies defense and protection from all adversaries" and incorporates an internal star at its heart, "which symbolizes how the core values gui…