General Motors desperately needed its next-generation EVs to make a good impression. The company is fighting Ford and others in a race to match and outperform Tesla, but it hasn’t had the best luck along the way. After announcing that Ultium-based EVs would not offer Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, GM issued a stop sale for the Chevy Blazer EV over software issues. The issues were bad enough for the automaker to offer an olive branch to early owners in the form of a financial reimbursement.

Leaning into the connection between its name and slang for sneakers, Nissan unveiled the 2025 Kicks in Brooklyn at the opening rounds of this year’s NCAA tourney at Barclays Center.

The world does not need another way for Tesla superfans to show their love for the company. Beyond the endless legions of people (or bots) willing to spring into action online anytime someone speaks ill of the company, it has released novelty products, like liquor, to adoring fans. The company is now offering another way to show Tesla love. Head designer Franz von Holzhausen recently tweeted images of the CyberHammer, an actual sledgehammer available through Tesla’s referral program as a reward.

Concept vehicles don’t often make it to production unchanged, but the new Infiniti QX80 looks an awful lot like the QX Monograph concept the automaker showed late last year. The new SUV was recently revealed with boxier styling, more interior space, and an updated interior design with more tech and high-end materials.

Kia is revamping its entry-level car. The 2025 Kia K4 will be revealed later this month at the New York auto show as a replacement for the long-running Forte. We won’t have full specs on the car until next week, but its styling and design mark a significant step forward for what will likely still be Kia’s most affordable model.

A new study is claiming that automakers lose an average of $6,000 for every $50,000 electric vehicle they sell. Boston Consulting Group, an American-based global management consulting firm that issued the report, said the figure accounts for customer tax credits — painting a rather bleak picture for the future of EVs.

New standards are coming for tailpipe emissions in the next few years. An announcement from the Biden administration this week unveiled the rules, which look to remove more than seven billion tons of carbon and other pollutants from our air.

Back in the early 1990s, when I was in high school, a friend’s dad owned an off-road parts distribution company, and we had a ton of fun with his Chevy big block-swapped Jeep CJ. I specifically remember shredding the driveshaft on at least three Tennessee backwoods trails. Modified Jeeps are nothing new, but the automaker is jumping into the fray with a send-off model to honor the rowdy V8 it offered for the SUV’s last few model years.

People who buy cars from brands like Bentley aren’t generally concerned with things like recessions and the opinions of the masses, but the automaker thinks its customers are buying fewer expensive cars because they feel bad about showing off. Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said the company’s disappointing profit numbers from 2023 reflect its buyers’ “emotional sensitivity.”

Stellantis has agreed to adhere to California emission policies, including requirements to make two-thirds of new cars to zero-emission or electric by 2030. This means the automaker — which oversees Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, Ram, Fiat, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and several brands that are not sold in the United States — will be required to cut emissions through the 2026 model year and adhere to California’s requirement to have a majority electrified fleet within the next several years. There are also provisions for the company to spend millions of dollars on charging stations and community outreach programs designed to encourage EV sales.

Despite all the innovation in the electric vehicle world, battery packs haven’t deviated from the two primary shapes they’ve always taken. Automakers generally employ either a rectangular or cylindrical battery pack, which limits their ability to position them in some places on the vehicle. General Motors might be looking to buck that trend, as a recently discovered patent application shows the automaker is looking at less traditional shapes for its next-generation battery packs.

Cleveland, Ohio, has approved new zoning and transportation policies that are angling to transform it into the next “fifteen-minute city,” The City Planning Commission voted to move forward with changes to building codes in several pilot neighborhoods it wants to make more pedestrian friendly. However, such policies have become contentious with European examples further down the path of progress seeing relatively consistent opposition due to the fact that the ultimate goal is to eliminate the automobile.

Almost all of us have made a boneheaded purchase or three in our lives. But few are notable as the debacle at Hertz, a company which most gearheads know decided to buy tens of thousands of electric vehicles only to bin them at severely subvented prices. Now, the CEO is stepping down from his role.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety occasionally updates its testing methods to keep pace with a rapidly evolving automotive industry, but there’s one thing that hasn’t changed with the new tests: Crash speeds. In a recent YouTube video, the IIHS detailed why it hasn’t increased crash-test speeds above 40 mph despite the fact that most highway drivers routinely hit much higher speeds.

Tesla presented the “new” Roadster back in 2017, but the car isn’t expected to officially launch until next year. CEO Elon Musk has made some big promises about the car, including that it could break the one-second 0-60 mph time barrier. We’re now hearing more grandiose claims about the car, with Musk saying that it would feature rocket technology thanks to a partnership with his other company, SpaceX.

A few weeks ago, Ford announced that it had created an internal skunkworks team to focus on affordable EVs and a new platform to underpin them. Bloomberg recently reported more deeply on the project, noting that The Blue Oval may be planning up to three new electric models on the new architecture, including a compact SUV and a small pickup truck.

Lithium Americas has broken ground on its Thacker Pass mining operations, potentially opening the door to what some are calling the largest lithium deposit in the entire world. However, it’s estimated to be another three years before refinement takes place and the materials can be adapted for use in battery powered products — including all-electric vehicles.

Volkswagen employees in Chattanooga, TN, have filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board for a vote to join the UAW. Clearly pleased, the union shared this world with the news on Monday to be accompanied by the requisite media agitprop.

This will be the first time a non-union automotive plant has filed for a union election in quite some time. The UAW called it a “grassroots effort” following the UAW’s previous contract negotiations with Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis.

It will be of little surprise to learn that Mercedes-AMG, like just about every other car company on this green earth, are fettling the prices of their wares. Still, even the one-percenters who fork out for sporty machines like the Merc GT coupe may be blinking in askance upon seeing that model’s new sticker price.

Tesla’s Autopilot and Full-Self Driving tech have been under scrutiny for a while now over their repeated failure to stop collisions and monitor driver behavior. Now, it’s Ford’s turn under the spotlight with its BlueCruise system. The NTSB said it wants to find out if the system was in use when a Mustang Mach-E was involved in a deadly crash in San Antonio, Texas.

The Tesla Model Y is a wildly popular EV on the global stage, but the automaker is still looking for ways to boost sales and keep it relevant. As we approach the end of the first quarter of 2024, Tesla is pushing the Model Y with a message that prices will increase on April 1 in hopes that the threat of higher purchase price s will drive buyers to act in the next two weeks.

While car crime has been up generally in recent years, some North American cities have seen staggering increases in automotive theft. Toronto estimates that it has endured a nearly 150-percent in automotive crime over the past six years and local authorities are rolling out a new tactic to cope with the situation — police have advised the public to just let thieves take their vehicle.

In what may very well be the  final round of drinks at the GT-R table, Nissan has rolled out a few changes to Godzilla for the 2025 model year.

Most people in the U.S. are distrustful of autonomous vehicles. That’s the message from AAA’s latest study, which found that a surprising number of people express fear, and many are uncertain about autonomous technology.

Honda’s partnership with General Motors yielded the Prologue EV and Acura ZDX, and the Japanese automaker is now looking to team up with Nissan to do more of the same. The pair announced their fresh collaboration at a news conference earlier today.

A recent report from The New York Times has accused automakers of selling customer driving data to insurance firms. While this is something many drivers had already been made aware of since the implementation of connected vehicles, the outlet claims that the amount of data has ramped up to a staggering degree. Not only is the amount of data being shared staggering, so is the specificity and degree to which it’s impacting people’s insurance rates.

The report focuses on LexisNexis’ “Risk Solutions” program formerly dedicated to keeping track of accident reports and moving violations. However, the division has expanded dramatically over the years and now oversees just about every scrap of relevant data modern vehicles can accumulate about you.

On International Women’s Day, the Kia EV9 was announced as the “Supreme Winner” of the Women's Worldwide Car of the Year (WWCOTY) 2024. However, saying that this is the vehicle women most desire — let alone are willing to spend money buying — is probably a stretch.

Hyundai is expanding its “N” performance line with the new electric Ioniq 5 N, which will land as a 2025 model. The automaker recently priced the hot EV, making it the most expensive vehicle in its lineup in the United States.

It was easy to make fun of Dodge and the “fake” exhaust it chose to employ on the new Charger EV, but it’s no longer the only one trying to capture the thrill of a performance gas engine with a silent electric powertrain underneath. We’ve seen “exhaust” systems for the Mustang Mach-E that mimic a V8 sound, and now, Cadillac’s getting in the game with a new concept car. While we haven’t seen a complete picture of the new electric Opulent Velocity concept, the automaker’s short teaser film let us hear the car, which sounds somewhere between a spaceship and an eight-cylinder’s roar.

The world lost one of its preeminent car designers today, as Marcello Gandini has passed away at the age of 85. Though perhaps best known for the flashy and outrageous Lamborghini Countach, Gandini’s pen was applied to many other Italian, German, French, British, Japanese, and Swedish concepts and production designs. Gandini’s prolific portfolio of work made a permanent mark on automotive design.

Ford has trademarked an interesting name from its back catalog. Oval has filed trademarks for "RS200" and "Ford RS200" within the European Union Intellectual Property Office, according to our sister publication.

Following yesterday’s article about the IIHS suggesting the implementation of driver-monitoring as a way to mitigate lackluster advanced driving systems, many readers asked why automated driving still seemed so far behind in terms of development. After all, we have had companies promising the sale of commercially viable autonomous vehicles for years. But companies are nearly half a decade behind schedule with a public that has almost completely lost faith in the program.

What happened?

For years, the possibility of a hybridized Porsche 911 has been the topic of much discussion among enthusiasts. Some said the move would spoil the recipe, suggesting the brand create an entirely new model for electrification like it did with the Taycan. Others believed the potential performance gains associated with hybridization were too lofty to ignore, often citing the legendary Porsche 918 as proof. Regardless of which camp you happen to occupy, Porsche is indeed building a hybrid 911 and has even confirmed its official debut for this summer.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has cooked up a new ratings program to encourage automakers to implement even more electronic nannies, including the kind that watch your every move behind the wheel, because the current batch have been deemed inadequate.

“We evaluated partial automation systems from BMW, Ford, General Motors, Genesis, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan, Tesla and Volvo,” IIHS President David Harkey said. “Most of them don’t include adequate measures to prevent misuse and keep drivers from losing focus on what’s happening on the road.”

Rumors of Jaguar’s death may be greatly exaggerated, or are they? Recent posts on social media claim to feature a letter from a Jaguar dealer that tells an owner of the brand’s demise. While we don’t tend to fall for shaky internet rumors, there’s enough smoke around Jaguar to warrant a closer look for fire.

Security researchers have found numerous vulnerabilities in some of today’s most popular vehicles, including finding ways to access owner data, take control of vehicle systems, and more. Tesla’s vehicles aren’t immune, and a team of researchers recently showed how easy accessing one of the advanced EVs with a simple electronic device can be.

European-market cars are a great way to see what some of America’s favorite luxury brands have in store for the New Continent, but the Euro updates don’t always make their way here. One we’re hoping skips North America is Audi’s new subscription scheme, recently introduced with the new A3 in Europe. We’ll see the new car in 2025, but let’s keep our fingers crossed this change stays out of North America.

The steady stream of teasers for the 2025 Infiniti QX80 continues apace, and it appears your author has drawn the straw to act as yer guide in this matter until the thing actually drops later this month.

During last week's State of the Union address, President Joe Biden made a claim that seemed to suggest that his administration, along with the UAW, helped Stellantis resurrect a plant in Belvidere, Illinois. Did it actually happen that way?

The answer is unclear.

BMW has aggressive electrification plans, but the automaker isn’t taking its eye off the internal combustion ball. A new report from BMW Blog states that BMW is planning a next-generation M3 between 2027 and 2028 that will land with gas and electric configurations.

The automotive world is going electric while many companies are focused on keeping the lights on. Both are true for Nissan, so it’s not surprising to see that 2025 might be the last for its R35 GT-R sports car. The car hasn’t changed much in its 17 years on sale, but it’s hard not to mourn the death of another iconic gas vehicle.

For a long time, Tesla’s Superchargers only supported its vehicles, but the automaker has recently opened the network to outside brands. While some challenges, such as delays and crowded locations, were expected, there have been a few issues relating to the fact that some automakers don’t install their vehicles’ charging ports in places where they can be reached by a Supercharger cable. To remedy that issue, Tesla is working on an extension cable that would allow non-Tesla EVs to charge without hassle.

Volkswagen has sold tons of ID.4s, but the EV is getting an update heading into the 2024 model year to keep it current. Changes include more tech, new advanced driver assistance features, but they’re limited to higher, more expensive trim levels.

The annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab will kick off later this month, meaning we’re in for a deluge of teaser shots for whatever the mad scientists have cooked up in the Jeep labs ahead of this year’s gathering.

Homeland Security was reportedly involved in stopping a street takeover in Conroe, Texas, after a prior event became violent when the police arrived. The takeover occurred in the wake of the Lone Star Throwdown, a truck-focused automotive meetup, with organizers complaining about the trend in the aftermath.

A recent study published in the Journal of Transport Geography has alleged that “car harm” cannot be undone by the world pivoting to all-electric vehicles. 

However, the paper doesn’t favor everyone running out to buy the largest diesel pickup they can afford. Instead, it adopts the same anti-driving nonsense we’ve seen from the Vision Zero Network and government regulators that have been caught up in its activism web. The issue, as framed in the study, isn’t that EVs still pose a problem. The complaint is that all vehicles are problematic and the paper recommends sweeping policy changes pertaining to how roads are managed to deal with the matter. 

In a California two-fer, electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian rolled out a pair of new EVs today, both of which have deep familial resemblances and a host of appeal to overlanders.

Dodge is in the news this week with its new Charger, which will be offered with gas and electric powertrains. While the automaker’s parent company is moving toward electrification, it remains dedicated to internal combustion, announcing that it would invest billions in a new engine that runs on ethanol. The automaker said its investments in South America, specifically Brazil, show its confidence in the continent and a desire to reduce emissions with bio-hybrid technologies.

Tesla released a new Model 3 for 2024, but keen eyes immediately noticed that the automaker had only refreshed two of the car’s three previous configurations. The standard range rear-drive model remained, along with the Model 3 Long Range, but the Performance was nowhere to be found. That could be changing, though, in typical Tesla fashion, there are no official confirmations.

The Nissan Leaf was already the most affordable EV on sale, but recent changes have made it even cheaper. The automaker announced that the car has regained eligibility for federal tax credits, though for only half of the maximum $7,500.

With the 2024 Dodge Charger having finally been previewed, driving enthusiasts have been arguing about whether the all-new model is an improvement from the original or a grotesque misstep. While it looks similar to its predecessor, Stellantis opted to abandon V8 powertrains for a turbocharged I6 or 400-volt electric architecture. The car has also fully embraced all-wheel drive at the expense of rear-drive variants. Considering the above, it should be no shocker that the brand likewise snubbed manual transmissions — with Dodge having just confirmed the decision.

If you’ve rented a car in recent years, there’s a great chance you were offered a Nissan of some sort. Whether it’s the Altima or Rogue, Nissan has long relied heavily on fleet sales, and the company’s most recent sales numbers show that the habit hasn’t died yet. A whopping 44 percent of its February 2024 sales, or around 40,000 vehicles, went to fleets, so get ready to be a temporary Nissan driver the next time you rent a car.

Upstart automaker Rivian has had its ups and downs, but buyers have pretty consistently rated it highly for satisfaction. Though the company’s first two vehicles, the R1T pickup and R1S SUV, are expensive, high-end EVs, Rivian has announced smaller models riding on a new R2 platform. The first, a lower-cost electric SUV, is expected to be revealed on March 7, but we’re getting a sneak peek at the specs and pricing thanks to the internet sleuths on X/Twitter.

Honda leaned on General Motors to help get its EV program off the ground here in the U.S., and it appears that the partnership is paying off in other ways. The automaker recently announced that its upcoming Prologue EV would be eligible for federal tax credits of $7,500, meaning buyers can get around 15 percent off the SUV’s purchase price at the point of sale.

A thesis will surely be written in the future about the yo-yo behavior of EV prices which are seeming to coincide with early adopters getting their fill while everyone else needs to be talked into the things. The latest? A round of cuts at Nissan on the tongue-twisting Ariya.

Tesla might not be the most dominant EV maker in the world, but it’s on top of the market here in the United States. Legacy automakers like Ford and General Motors are in the hunt, but so far, no one has been able to topple Tesla’s top spot. BMW is hoping to take some of the shine off of Tesla’s crown with a new incentive that gives buyers a $1,000 discount to buy one of its new EVs.

Pour another one out for the eight-cylinder engine. With the configuration departing from machines like the Ram half-ton pickup truck, Dodge Charger, and comprising only a relatively slim percentage of F-150 sales, it should be no surprise it is vanishing at some other brands as well.

A whistleblower has accused FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem of abusing his authority to influence the results of the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The alleged action was attributed toward influencing the results of the Formula 1 event.