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Thursday, September 17, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 17, 2020

Sep 17, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

Electric Ford F-150 will have more power than any current F-150

More details about the electric Ford F-150 are out, and while there's still much to learn, there's enough in this latest dump from Ford to whet our appetites. To start, Ford claims the electric F-150 will have more horsepower and torque than any F-…

2021 Subaru Crosstrek First Drive | A bigger engine equals a better car

BERLIN, Ohio — If horsepower is good, then more horsepower must be better. And in the case of the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek, more horsepower comes courtesy of an optional 2.5-liter engine that provides potential buyers with a long-desired alternative to …

Rimac is reportedly close to buying Bugatti from the Volkswagen Group

Croatia-based Rimac is finalizing a deal to purchase Bugatti from the Volkswagen Group, according to an unverified report. If the rumor is accurate, the sale would propel Rimac to the top of the automotive industry, guarantee that Bugatti's future is…

5 best retro design touches of the Nissan Z Proto

The Nissan Z Proto is chock full of retro design elements, so let's take a tour through our five favorite (plus one bonus) retro touches. If you want a full breakdown of the Z Proto, check out our reveal post here . We go over the powertrain, tech and…

Volkswagen's new compact crossover will be called Taos

The upcoming compact crossover from Volkswagen we've heard so much about is going to be called Taos, not Tarek or any other previously proposed name. It's named after a tiny town in New Mexico that is currently home for about 6,000 residents. Volkswa…

2021 Ford Explorer Review | The gutsy grocery getter

Most three-row family crossovers are just minivans in disguise. What's going on inside them matters far more than the oily bits – it's the number of cupholders that count, not cylinders. The 2021 Ford Explorer is different. Although certainly spaciou…

2021 Chevy Silverado confirmed to get GMC Sierra's multi-function tailgate — and sooner

In a confirmation of earlier reports , the Chevy Silverado is getting the multi-function tailgate from the GMC Sierra . But it's arriving sooner than expected, as it will be available on the 2021 model early next year. Reports had suggested it could be…

Ram introduces latest 'Built to Serve' pickup honoring U.S. Air Force

Ram announced Thursday that the third of its five-truck "Built to Serve " series will officially launch Friday. The latest edition, finished in either Anvil or Billet Silver, honors the U.S. Air Force on the anniversary of its founding. "Ram continu…

2020 Audi A6 Allroad Cargo Area Driveway Test | A wagon full of wheels

A couple weeks back, Audi sent over a spankin' new 2020 A6 Allroad for our first-drive opportunity. Since I have no mini-mes to drive to or from, well, anywhere, I fell back on a tried-and-true mantra: When life gives you wagons, make cargo runs. Tha…

Wednesday, September 16, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 16, 2020

Sep 16, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

Nissan Z Proto previews the retro, rear-drive, turbo, manual future of the Z

The Nissan Z Proto is finally here, and it looks like it offers just about everything enthusiasts have been hoping for. It blends styling highlights from the Z's long history into one, clean, modern package. And under the stylish skin is a twin-turbo…

What should the next Nissan Z be called?

With the Nissan Z Proto officially revealed , a lot of questions have been answered. We know what it looks like, and it looks quite good. We know it will have a twin-turbo V6 and manual and automatic transmission options , which also sounds good. But i…

Ferrari Portofino M brings 'Modificata' to the brand's GT convertible

The Ferrari Portofino originally made its debut at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show, and after three years, it's time for an update to the brand's 2+2 retractable hardtop, which arrives in the form of the 2021 Ferrari Portofino M. More power, a new gearb…

Ford's beefed-up Bronco prototype stars in new teaser photo

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a Ford Bronco Raptor? Is it going to be called the Warthog? In order, the answers are, no, no, maybe and maybe. All we know is that it's beefy, and Ford shared a photo of it going full-send on its twitter account Tu…

2021 Honda Civic Review | The sun is about to set

Cue up Semisonic , it's closing time for the current-generation Honda Civic. It sure had a good run, though, as it managed to get back all the mojo that had been lost with its underwhelming and barely competitive predecessor. Available in sedan, hatch…

2021 Kia Telluride Review | Fashion and function

It's a rare thing when a three-row family conveyance can be deemed cool, but we're pretty sure the 2021 Kia Telluride manages to pull it off. Credit almost entirely goes to its refined, tastefully adorned and classically proportioned styling. There's…

GM to manufacture its own entire family of Ultium Drive EV components

General Motors Co is set to announce plans on Wednesday to put into production an interchangeable "family" of electric vehicle (EV) drive systems and motors, boosting manufacturing efficiencies as it transitions to a fully electric lineup. The move,…

Rivian's electric R1T pickup has at least one thing in common with the Eagle Talon

Over half a dozen carmakers have entered the race to bring a modern-day electric pickup to the market. Rivian took a significant step towards the finish line when it started building pre-production prototypes of the R1T. Published on YouTube, the mi…

Mercedes ready to roll out solid-state battery tech for production in city buses

"In general, vehicles with solid-state batteries as standard were not expected until the middle of this decade. Mercedes-Benz is faster: the new eCitaro G is the first series production city bus in its category anywhere in the world to be equipped wi…

Watch a freight train loaded with new cars lose a fight with a low bridge

In life, there are bad days, and then there are extra-bad, "you just caused $2 million in damages" days. A train engineer experienced the latter when he lost an ambitious battle against a low bridge. Footage posted on YouTube shows freight cars slow…

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 15, 2020

Sep 15, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

All the Nissan Z cars that got us to the Z Proto

One of the longest running and most famous nameplates in Nissan's history is that of the Z car . It has been with us since 1969 nearly continuously, and with only occasional missteps. Only a couple Nissans can match it for history and notoriety, such …

2022 Hyundai Tucson debuts with striking styling inside and out

Hyundai virtually pulled the covers off its brand-new 2022 Tucson today in Korea, showing off a radically redesigned compact crossover that will be sold in certain markets in two different wheelbase lengths and the option of hybrid and plug-in hybrid…

2021 Jaguar F-Pace hides big interior and powertrain changes under familiar sheetmetal

Jaguar's first-ever crossover is getting a major update. The 2021 Jaguar F-Pace, while looking not much different on the outside, is hiding an all-new interior as well as new engines. The changes to the exterior are quite mild, rather like those of …

2021 Volvo XC90 Review | The Swedish people mover

The 2021 Volvo XC90 is the biggest vehicle in Volvo's lineup, serving up three rows of Swedish luxury. It's an attractive crossover that's instantly recognizable as a Volvo, serving as the flagship that led the brand's revival a few years back. Volvo…

Improved headlights make 2020 Volkswagen Arteon an IIHS Top Safety Pick

The Volkswagen Arteon has made the grade to be an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick for the first time. The 2020 Arteon achieves that honor due to its Good ratings in all six IIHS crash tests, as well as Advanced or Superior ra…

Hyundai, Kia consider body-on-frame SUVs aimed at Tahoe and Expedition

Hyundai and Kia are open to expanding their presence in the SUV segment by each releasing a body-on-frame SUV. Both models will be marketed as alternatives to the Chevrolet Tahoe and the Ford Expedition . "From a brand perspective, obviously that is …

Hummer teases crab mode, reveal set for Oct. 20

DETROIT — GMC confirmed it will reveal the Hummer electric off-roader Oct. 20 and released a video teasing the vehicle's so-called crab mode. Crab mode allows the Hummer to move diagonally and is enabled by the vehicle's four-wheel steering. The vid…

2021 GMC Sierra adds towing tech, new HD Black Diamond Edition

Trailer towing is the focus of several new technologies coming to the 2021 GMC Sierra pickup, with the new features available both on the Sierra 1500 and the Sierra HD. The 2021 Sierra also sees expanded availability of GMC's MultiPro tailgate, a pri…

Foton Big General is a Chinese F-150 Raptor knockoff on Navigator knockoff wheels

Ford's second-generation F-150 Raptor will leave an unexpected legacy, and not the Subaru kind. As the firm prepares to replace it with a new model , a Chinese carmaker named Foton is getting ready to introduce a truck named Big General that dubiously…

Hyundai designs a DIY soapbox car

The designers at Hyundai Europe have developed a build-it-yourself push go-cart, and they're offering free detailed plans for any parent to tackle with their kid. A general booklet about the build is available here . The booklet references a detailed…

Monday, September 14, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 14, 2020

Sep 14, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Acura NSX Road Test | The cerebral supercar

The 2020 Acura NSX is the kind of car you're pumped to drive. You think about it the night before. You read up on it. You tell your friends and family. You notice passers-by admiring it in the driveway. They try to be sly. Some gawk. There's anticipa…

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor brings extra off-road capability and style

There are oodles of ways to configure an off-road-ready 2021 Ford Ranger, thanks to many different Ford Performance parts , kits and stage packages . And now there's yet another option in the Ranger Tremor, which packs plenty of choice upgrades in a tr…

Supercharged, 810-hp carbon fiber Shelby GT500CR takes a year to build, costs $300K

Classic Recreations has unveiled a limited-edition, resto-modded Mustang that looks like it raced right out of a Hot Wheels catalog. It features a carbon fiber body, and it's powered by a supercharged V8 engine. Wisconsin-based SpeedKore, which is k…

Ford says emissions regulations will keep a V8 out of the Bronco

Ford doused cold water on the rumors claiming the born-again Bronco will sooner or later gain an optional V8 engine. While an eight-cylinder might fit, the company needs to keep the SUV's CO2 emissions in check. "We have to manage the CO2 implicatio…

Rivian R1T faces first competitive test in Rebelle Rally

Not long ago, the Rivian R1T electric pickup engaged in a very public bit of development testing as a support vehicle for "Long Way Up " — the trip Ewan McGregor and Charlie Boorman took on Harley Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles from Ushuaia, A…

Oregon wildfires melt vehicles, blacken driveways

PHOENIX, Ore. — Matt Manson stared at the burned-out corpse of his pickup truck on Friday, which sat on a blackened driveway in front of a smoldering pile of rubble that once was his house. Like other residents of the small agricultural town of Phoe…

Ford Expedition will enter 2021 with more standard and optional features

Ford's biggest SUV, the eight-seater Expedition , will enter the 2021 model year with a longer list of standard and optional features. The extra content will help it fend off four new SUVs from General Motors. Motorists in the market for the long-whe…

Aston Martin AMR-C01 is an Aston you can drive in your living room

Aston Martin has made a lot of amazing cars over the decades. But none of them have been able to be driven inside a house. That sort of changes now, as Aston Martin has collaborated with driving simulator company Curv to create the AMR-C01 simulator …

Junkyard Gem: 1973 Mercedes-Benz 280C

Car shoppers seeking a slick-looking-yet-sensible luxury coupe in 1973 had plenty of choices from the Motor City, including the Pontiac LeMans , the Mercury Montego GT , and the Plymouth Satellite . Price tags on those machines started at $2,920, $2,926…

This is the sketch that became the '75–'76 Chevy Caprice

It's always interesting to see the initial design sketch for a production car, as it takes a familiar-to-us form and shows the idealized version of that car, the designer's blue-sky dream before it went through the mill of production feasibility, mar…