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Wednesday, February 10, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 10, 2021

Feb 10, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Ford Ranger Tremor First Drive | Capability at a competitive price

While the United States is generally the truck capital of the planet, we've been missing out on one of the coolest pickups of the last couple years, the Ford Ranger Raptor. And the fact that it was a truck from one of our homegrown automakers added t…

Rivian, with Amazon and Ford already in its corner, plans huge stock IPO

Rivian Automotive Inc., the electric-vehicle startup backed by Amazon.com and Ford is looking to go public as soon as September at a valuation of about $50 billion and perhaps more, according to people familiar with the matter. The company's timelin…

Ford Maverick prototype spy photos reveal an independent rear suspension

Spy photos of the upcoming Ford Maverick compact pickup truck have revealed a fascinating development in the truck's design. Up until this point, the Maverick prototypes we've seen have featured a torsion beam rear suspension and front-wheel drive . T…

2022 Audi E-Tron GT revealed as sporty, electric cousin to Porsche Taycan

We loved the look and the thinking behind the Audi E-Tron GT when the concept car debuted at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. With its four-door coupe styling and special performance touches from Audi Sport, the E-Tron GT promised to be a stunner if i…

Porsche Taycan claims indoor speed record with 102-mph run

Porsche's 750-horsepower Taycan Turbo S, with a little help from racing driver Leh Keen, has claimed the Guinness World Record for top speed by a vehicle achieved indoors, hitting 102.6 mph and toppling the 86-mile-per-hour mark set by Tanner Foust i…

Land Rover Defender 110 Luggage Test | Boxy is better

If there's one thing I've learned doing all these luggage tests, it's that boxy is better. Be it the Mercedes GLB, the Toyota 4Runner or Jeep Wrangler, it doesn't take a geometry teacher to tell you that trying to fit rectangular-shaped things into a…

Land Rover's original Defender returns from the dead again with V8 power

Land Rover's original Defender simply won't die. Although the second-generation Defender has entered its second year on the market, demand for the first-generation truck remains high enough to warrant a string of limited-edition models defined by ex…

Subaru and Toyota could join forces on rally-inspired AWD hot hatch

A report out of Japan states that Subaru and Toyota might be working jointly on an all-wheel-drive high-performance car. The rumored hot hatch is said take inspiration from the rally machines both companies fielded from their 1990s heydays. Accordin…

Bugatti begins assembling the first 1,600-hp Centodieci prototype

Created as a tribute to the EB110 , the Bugatti Centodieci is coming to life. The French firm has started putting together the running and driving prototype that it will use to fine-tune the model before it launches production. Although the Centodiec…

Catalytic converter thefts spike nationwide as precious metal prices spike

Catalytic converter thefts are on the rise, and the crime increase is fueled by a number of factors. The New York Times reports that police are sounding the alarm on an unusual nationwide surge in cases. St. Louis catalytic converter thefts were ei…

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 9, 2021

Feb 09, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Mazda CX-30 2.5 Turbo First Drive | A lifted, almost-hot hatch

The Mazda CX-30 is already Mazda's second-best-selling vehicle after the CX-5, and it's only been a year since the little crossover went on sale. It's easy to guess why — the CX-30 is an affordable and stylish crossover. What makes it a meritorious v…

Watch as pickup plunges 70 feet off a snowy, icy Wisconsin overpass

A driver in the Milwaukee area is lucky to be alive after his pickup skidded on a highway interchange, was launched over the edge on a ramp of built-up snow and ice, and landed on the interstate 70 feet below. The accident happened Saturday on I-94 …

Tesla leads and Infiniti bleeds in Consumer Reports' satisfaction survey

According to Consumer Reports, Tesla owners are more likely to rave about their vehicles than any other brand. And we're not surprised — Tesla has performed very well in past customer satisfaction surveys, despite the fact that the electric cars them…

Toyota launches a Hilux pickup designed to tame the Arctic

Toyota joined forces with Arctic Trucks to create an evolution of the mighty, Tacoma -sized Hilux that's right at home on some of the planet's most challenging terrain. Called AT35, it was designed specifically to let scientists and adventurers reach …

Jeep will bring an electric Wrangler to Moab this spring

With production of the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe officially underway , now would be a dandy time for America's classic off-road brand to dip its toe a bit deeper into the electrified waters (not literally, that'd be dangerous). And it seems exactly that …

VW ID.Buzz spy photos show it wearing Transporter clothes

Ever since the concept made its debut in Detroit four years ago, we've been anxiously awaiting the production version of the VW ID.Buzz electric minivan . We're getting closer to that moment, as evidenced by these spy photos that show what seems to be…

Redesigned 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross gets big updates, small price hike

Mitsubishi has released pricing information for the comprehensively redesigned Eclipse Cross it revealed in late 2020. Positioned at the bottom of the firm's crossover range, the soft-roader will go on sale as a 2022 model. The range consists of fou…

Honda Civic Type R crate motor is now easier to install, and anyone can buy one

Honda has announced a limited edition package that will make its Civic Type R crate motor easier to install. Called the Controls Package, it includes a wiring harness, fuse box, accelerator pedal, and ECU programmed by Honda Performance Development. …

2021 Ford Bronco Sport gets five lifestyle accessory bundles from the factory

Ford is making it easier for outdoorsy buyers to build a 2021 Bronco Sport that suits their needs by releasing five lifestyle accessory bundles. Installed by the dealer, the packages all include parts provided by Yakima. Whether you're into biking, …

Koala causes 5-car pileup in Australia, hitches a ride as it's rescued

CANBERRA, Australia — A koala has been rescued after causing a five-car pileup while trying to cross a six-lane freeway in southern Australia. Police said the crash in heavy Monday morning traffic in the city of Adelaide caused some injuries, but no…

Monday, February 8, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 8, 2021

Feb 08, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

Bruce Springsteen sends unifying tone in Jeep's Super Bowl ad

Jeep released its Big Game commercial on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday, and like several past messages from Jeep's parents Stellantis (the company that resulted when Fiat Chrysler merged with France's Peugeot), this one is meant to tug on patrioti…

Tesla invests $1.5 billion in Bitcoin and will accept it as payment for its cars

Tesla announced in an SEC filing this morning that it will begin accepting Bitcoin as a form of payment for its cars "in the near future." The California-based automaker further said it bought $1.5 billion in the digital cryptocurrency. According to …

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 First Drive | The XL hot hatch

STEVENSON, Wash. – At this point, just about anything could have the term "crossover" applied to it. It's inherently vague, and we've long since moved beyond the strict definition of an "SUV with a unibody platform." So if one wants to consider the 2…

Lotus bids farewell to the Elise and the Exige with Final Edition models

Lotus will put the Elise, the Exige, and the Evora out to pasture later in 2021 to make room for a new model that internally is being called Type 131 . Before it embarks on this major lineup overhaul, the firm will send off the Elise and the Exige — t…

Hyundai and Kia say the reported Apple car deal is now off

SEOUL — South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co said on Monday it is not now in talks with Apple Inc on autonomous electric cars, just a month after it confirmed early-stage talks with the tech giant , sending the automaker's shares skidding. Wiping $3 billio…

Automakers respond to GM's #NoWayNorway Super Bowl spot with... pizza and fish?

Ford and Audi took to social media this week to respond to General Motors' "No Way, Norway" Super Bowl spot, and somehow, a discussion about global automotive electrification has devolved to the point where we're questioning the size of each other's …

Porsche to debut the new 911 GT3 in a live video event next week

Porsche will reveal the new 911 GT3 in one week and one day. The company's media site is now host to a livestream video preview titled "Livestream Digital World Premiere for the youngest member of the Porsche 911 GT family from Stuttgart." Of course…

Suzuki Hayabusa superbike makes a triumphant comeback for 2021

Suzuki has introduced the highly anticipated third-generation Hayabusa. Developed for flat-out speed, the bike receives evolutionary styling updates, a redesigned engine, and a broader suite of electronic riding aids. The original Hayabusa unexpecte…

C2 Corvette to be re-imagined as 1,200+ horsepower EV, the AVA Stingray

The C2 Chevy Corvette, which was sold from 1963 to 1967, is about to enter a new chapter. The iconic American 1960s sports car is set to be reborn as an ultra-powerful electric car, the AVA Stingray. The effort is being undertaken by Studio AVA, a sm…

This converted Mercedes Sprinter camper van is a vacation home on wheels

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. It's been a year (or more) sinc…

Friday, February 5, 2021

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for February 5, 2021

Feb 05, 2021

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Ford F-150 Platinum Driveway Test | Max recline and stay awhile

We've been in the midst of a 2021 F-150 blitz around the various Autoblog home offices of late, as Ford has fire-hosed its overhauled half-ton into the waiting arms of critics all across the country. This was your author's second look at the new F-15…

The 300-series Lexus LX will have V8, greater differentiation from Land Cruiser

For the first time in 64 years, there will not be a Toyota Land Cruiser sold in the U.S. The venerable off-roader is not in Toyota's 2021 American lineup, but the rest of the world will still get the next-generation Cruiser, called the 300 series int…

Ford F-150 Raptor, Nissan Pathfinder and Frontier, and Cadillac Blackwings | Autoblog Podcast #663

In this week's Autoblog Podcast , Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale and Associate Editor Byron Hurd . It's a packed show this week, and the three dive straight into the week's truck loads of news, starting with the …

The topsy-turvy history of the Nissan Pathfinder

With the introduction of the new 2022 Nissan Pathfinder, we wanted to take a look at the long-running SUV's history. And while this Pathfinder is more of an evolution of the previous model, it turns out that the SUV's history is a topsy-turvy one fil…

Nissan product blitz continues with a Qashqai teaser

Nissan has dropped some major product in recent weeks. There's been a new Rogue , updated Armada , Ariya EV, the long-awaited Z , and just yesterday, a new Frontier and Pathfinder . But Nissan's not done yet. They've also just dropped a teaser for the ne…

Toyota's Super Bowl commercial doesn't have anything to do with cars

While General Motors is touting its EV strategy and starting a feud with Norway , Toyota is taking a very different tack for its Super Bowl ad. It actually doesn't talk about cars at all, instead telling a short story about a Paralympic athlete. The …

Porsche and Tag Heuer announce Carrera Porsche Chronograph

Porsche and Tag Heuer are taking the next big step in their long-standing romance, announcing a deeper strategic partnership that will kick off with a new watch: the Tag Heuer Carrera Porsche Chronograph. Timepiece fans will tell you that the Tag He…

Glickenhaus shows the hydrogen-powered Boot-based truck it wants to race in Baja

Jim Glickenhaus challenged Elon Musk to a zero-emissions off-road showdown in 2020. Tesla has yet to accept the duel, but Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus is moving forward with its plans to race a hydrogen-powered truck. Although we knew that the Glick…

Infiniti 400 Red Sport engine confirmed for Nissan Z Proto

There has been much speculation about the Nissan Z Proto's engine. We've long suspected that the Z concept was powered by the 400-horsepower twin-turbo V6 from the Infiniti 400 Red Sport series. Now that hunch has been confirmed by photos of the Z Pr…