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Thursday, September 24, 2020

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

Sep 24, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

Join the Autoblog AMA today at noon ET | Bring your Bronco, Tesla, ID.4 and any other questions

We've done a few "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) sessions on Reddit in the past , but now we're hosting our own, live, right here on Autoblog. We'd love to get in touch directly with our core readers and users. We'll be live right here , for an hour beginnin…

2021 Acura TLX First Drive | The mojo is returning

Buildup for the 2021 Acura TLX started more than a year ago when Acura released the stunning Type S Concept . It was long, low, wide and graced with gorgeous rear-drive proportions. Plus, it was slathered in some of the best blue paint we've ever seen…

2021 Toyota Venza Review | The fancy RAV4 Hybrid

The 2021 Toyota Venza is a new, hybrid-only crossover that doesn't share much of anything with its predecessor save for the name. It does, however, share an awful lot with the RAV4 Hybrid , including its powertrain and underlying platform. However, th…

Why the Volkswagen ID.4 is a Very Big Deal

Why aren't Americans buying more electric cars? There are myriad answers, but one is certainly the current, Titanic-sized gap that exists between cars like the Chevrolet Bolt and Hyundai Kona Electric , and then ritzier choices like the Tesla Model S …

California to ban sale of new gasoline-powered passenger vehicles in 2035

WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES — California will ban the sale of new gasoline powered passenger cars and trucks starting in 2035 in a dramatic move to shift to electric vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Governor Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday. "…

BMW M's first electric car will be a sportier version of the i4

BMW M put an end to years of rumors by announcing it's developing its first electric car. Based on the upcoming i4, the sedan will pack a serious punch, but it won't give the recently-unveiled M3 a run for its money. "Next year, we will launch the f…

2021 BMW M3 caught out in the real world in new spy photos

Itching to see what the 2021 BMW M3 looks like in the real world? You're in luck. Yes, the 2021 BMW M3 and M4 have already been formally revealed , but things often get lost in translation between a photo booth and real life. Fortunately, our spies in…

General Motors designers sketch the GMC pickups of the future

It's been a busy few years for GMC's team of stylists. They penned a new look for the Yukon and the Yukon XL , and they gave the Sierra 1500 a nip-and-tuck that we'll discover in the coming months. Overhauling these hugely significant models hasn't st…

2021 Rolls-Royce Ghost has a fascinating new part to make it one of the most comfortable cars in the world

One of the neat things about Rolls-Royce is the extraordinary lengths the company will go to for maximum comfort. It's like how supercar builders will look for every little advantage to make their cars a tenth of a second faster. On the 2021 Rolls-Ro…

Audi R8 Green Hell commemorates victories at the Nürburgring

Audi has announced a new, limited-run R8 model dubbed "Green Hell" to commemorate its success on a little piece of country road in Germany called the Nürburgring. Perhaps you've heard of it? While 'Ring fever has subsided over the past decade or so,…

Wednesday, September 23, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 23, 2020

Sep 23, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Volkswagen ID.4 breaks cover with 250-mile range

Volkswagen unveiled the ID.4, a compact crossover that spearheads its electric car offensive in the United States. Developed with battery power in mind from the get-go, this Tiguan-sized model is offered with rear- or all-wheel drive, and it was deve…

2021 BMW M3 and M4 revealed with a standard manual and up to 503 horsepower

As we expected from the spy photos , both the 2021 BMW M3 sedan and the M4 coupe share the extra big grilles introduced on the new 4 Series. But if you can look past the controversial nose, the new M3 and M4 have a lot to offer those seeking a more tr…

2021 BMW M3 and M4 get even more flair with M Performance Parts

The 2021 BMW M3 and M4 are definitely tailored for those looking to make a splash wherever they go. However, the base car can already be made flashier with a full catalog of BMW M Performance Parts released alongside the sedan and coupe. Many of the …

2022 Tesla Model S Plaid coming with three motors and more than 1,100 horsepower

Remember those modified Tesla Model S prototypes lurking around the Nürburgring last year ? They looked significantly more mean than your typical Model S Performance. And now we know they didn't just look mean. The company announced during its "Batter…

Tesla stock gets a shock from Battery Day

Tesla faced a stock market reality check on Wednesday after a much hyped "Battery Day" event which Wall Street analysts judged chiefly for its omissions and hazy delivery deadlines. Investors had expected two big announcements from Chief Executive O…

2021 Ford Ranger XL gets STX Special Edition Package for more tech on the base truck

A new STX Special Edition Package is now available on the 2021 Ford Ranger in its base XL trim. It brings some appearance and tech extras to the cheap, base level Ranger that were previously reserved for the more expensive XLT trim. The package cost…

Does the Mercedes-AMG GT need more power? Not really, but it's getting it

Mercedes-AMG seemingly disagreed with us when we labeled the GT's 469-horsepower output "more than adequate," because it's injecting more 54 horses into the driveline for the 2021 model year. It's also expanding the list of standard and optional feat…

BMW M 1000 RR is the first M-branded motorcycle

Meet the BMW M 1000 RR. It's BMW's first M-branded motorcycle, and as such, it's chock full of the best bits and pieces the German manufacturer could scrounge up in an effort to meet its maximum two-wheeled on-track performance capabilities. It all a…

2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line revealed with subtly aggressive design

We've known for a while that there would be a 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line. We've even driven it . But only now are we finally seeing the hopped up midsize sedan. And it looks fine. Don't get us wrong, it's still as handsome as any of the other Sonatas…

Geely's new EV platform will spawn new electric Volvo models

BEIJING — China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group on Wednesday launched its first electric vehicle-focused platform to enable automakers to more efficiently roll out models for different purposes or markets. As the global auto industry pursues electric…

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 22, 2020

Sep 22, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2020 Land Rover Defender 110 First Drive | As good as you hoped

MT EQUINOX, Vt. – Perhaps Americans have had their fill of wimpy, interchangeably styled crossover SUVs. Or, testosterone has found its way into our water supply. Either way, manly 4x4s with authentic designs and rich backstories are enjoying their m…

New Ford Maverick spy photos reveal size, suspension details

The upcoming Ford Maverick has been spied yet again, this time with a current Ford Ranger tagging along. Not only do these photos show off the true size of Ford's new baby pickup, but they also give us our clearest view yet of its rear suspension. …

NBA great Michael Jordan forms NASCAR team with Bubba Wallace as driver

Basketball great Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin have partnered to form a new single-car NASCAR Cup Series team that will feature Bubba Wallace as its driver, the trio said on Monday. Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, wi…

2021 Detroit Auto Show pushed back to fall, and this move is permanent

The Detroit Auto Show just moved its 2021 show dates from June 11-26 to September 28 through October 9. In other news, the earth is still orbiting the sun. Honestly, it would be bigger news if the NAIAS announced it was keeping its originally schedul…

Lincoln Sync 3 Infotainment Review | Clean and eminently usable

Many of the newer Lincoln products might be vastly different in design and experience than their Ford counterparts, but infotainment software is still heavily shared between the two brands. That said, Lincoln has made a great effort to make its versi…

The BMW M8 leads this month's list of discounts

Back in June of this year, the BMW 8 Series was the most heavily discounted vehicle in America . This month, it's the 617-horsepower M8. Midsummer buyers of the 2020 BMW M8, which is offered in hardtop, convertible and four-door Gran Coupe bodystyles…

Lotus shows how drivers will be able to change the Evija's behavior

Lotus published footage of the Evija, its first series-produced electric car, undergoing shakedown testing on its Hethel, England, track. It also detailed the model's different driving modes, and the effect they'll have on the powertrain. Electric t…

Lucid previews a hot new Air that's 'quicker than quick'

Lucid published a short video that confirms the 1,080-horsepower version of its electric Air sedan will not remain the range-topping model for long. It looks like reports of a quicker, more powerful variant are about to materialize. Posted on the co…

Polestar plans to double showrooms this year and move into new markets

BEIJING — Polestar, the performance electric vehicle maker based in Sweden and owned by China's Geely, plans to double the number of showrooms in existing markets this year and expand to new countries in Asia and the Middle East, its CEO said on Tues…

Touring Superleggera Aero 3 applies unique style to modern Ferrari underpinnings

The long-running coach building company Touring Superleggera recently revealed its newest model, the Aero 3. It's sort of a spiritual successor to the company's Disco Volante from several years ago as it combines styling from streamlined race cars of…

Monday, September 21, 2020

What You Missed | Your Autoblog Daily Digest for September 21, 2020

Sep 21, 2020

Top Stories of the Day

2021 Nissan Maxima 40th Anniversary Edition gets retro gauges, red interior

The reveal of the Nissan Z Proto is easily the most significant event for Nissan this year, but another of its long-running nameplates is reaching a big milestone, too. The Nissan Maxima full-size flagship sedan is turning 40 years old. To celebrate,…

Ford Bronco will get a manual with the Sasquatch package after all

The launch of the 2021 Ford Bronco went off almost without a hitch. It looked the part, it packed all the off-road goodies you could ask for, you could pull off the top, and there was a manual transmission option. The one hiccup was that the Sasquatc…

2021 GMC Yukon Denali First Drive | Finally living up to the Denali reputation

For most of its existence, the GMC Yukon has been a virtually identical twin to the Chevy Tahoe . It would have some exterior differences, maybe a couple of different features, but aside from the badging, you'd be hard-pressed to distinguish the two. …

Nikola founder Trevor Milton resigns after big GM deal, accusations of fraud

FRANKFURT, Germany — Shares in electric and hydrogen-powered truck startup Nikola plunged on Monday after the company's founder resigned amid allegations of fraud — just two weeks after signing a $2 billion partnership with General Motors. The compa…

2020 Ford Mustang GT500 Road Test | Speed over subtlety

"These things are badass," my neighbor said, while both of us gazed over the Twister Orange 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 in front of my house. An hour had passed since its delivery, and already this car had brought out the neighbors. I hopped in the dri…

2021 Chevy Silverado Multi-Flex tailgate, towing improvements detailed

As promised, GM detailed the forthcoming updates to the 2021 Chevrolet Silverado pickup Monday morning, highlighting its adoption of a Chevy-branded variant of GMC's MultiPro tailgate, dubbed "Multi-Flex ." And like the Sierra , the 2021 Silverado gets…

2020 Ford Explorer nabs IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating after updates

The 2020 Ford Explorer has been named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the agency's best rating. The redesigned Explorer initially fell short of that mark, however, only making the grade after Ford introduced a runnin…

Jeep announces Adventure Academy to teach owners how to drive off-road

Jeep has created a driving school called Adventure Academy to show owners how to explore the great outdoors without getting stuck in a rut. It's open to all motorists who own one of the brand's four-wheel-drive models, whether it's a CJ-5 or a Gladia…

Toyota GR Super Sport hypercar previewed at 24 Hours of Le Mans

Here's your yearly reminder that Toyota is building a hypercar. Just like it did in last year's running of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Toyota has provided us a preview of the GR Super Sport. This car will run in the hypercar class in the World Enduran…