While You Were Sleeping

They’re potent, popular and can’t be stopped. Everyone wants to buy one. Every dealer wants to sell one. Just like the crack-like epidemic of SUVs in the ’90s, the subcompact crossover is the blue meth of today.

Here’s what happened overnight.

As Richard Hammond and James May wrap up the “lost episodes” of Top Gear sans Jeremy Clarkson, the three are rumored to be heading to Netflix with the unsuspended pair turning down deals worth 4 million GBP.

Here’s what caught our eyes over the weekend.

As rumors swirl about the eventual release of the BMW M3 Touring, Theophilus Chin has put a couple of renders together of Bavaria’s hot D-pillared automobile.

Here’s what happened overnight (and stories we’ve missed over the last few days).

The Volkswagen Phaeton, the pride of former chairman Piëch, has been discontinued in the UK. Don’t worry, though, if you’re one of those people who enjoy such understated luxury. Volkswagen is still planning a next-generation version of the car.

Here’s what happened overnight.

Yesterday evening, I appeared on the CTV News Channel in The Great White North to talk about Takata’s latest recalls. As a consequence, I’ve learned I look like Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants when I frown.

The ATS-V+ rumored by Motor Trend is definitely not happening according to Cadillac spokesperson David Caldwell. The proposed new model would encroach too much into CTS-V territory for comfort.

Here’s what happened overnight.

Mad Max has been tearing up the box office since mid-May. To capitalize on George Miller’s latest explogasm that’s putting Michael Bay in his place, Warner Brothers has made a video game, too.

This edition of While You Were Sleeping offers up a bit more than usual. Instead of just overnight, we are going to try to cover as many topics from over the long weekend as possible with additional commentary.

Here we go!

In addition to the go-anywhere Toyota HiLux, it looks like Australia will get a Fortuner reprise.

Here’s what happened overnight.

After being stuck in Nashville for an extra unscheduled 24 hours and spending the following 12 hours bouncing from airport to airport, I can easily say that air travel is horrible. Conversely, Mazda is extolling the emotional virtues of driving in a new ad campaign.

Here’s what happened overnight.

The first reviews are in for the 2016 Honda Pilot as the Japanese automaker lifts their embargo. Honda’s new SUV will be the most expensive model ever sold in the U.S.

It seems Porsche will have more than the GT2, GT3, and GT4 monikers to play with for its range of sports cars and SUVs.

As I fly down to Nashville to drive Nissan’s latest iteration of their 4DSC (“four-door sports car”) – the Maxima – we will have all the articles you expect on a Monday.

Here’s what happened over the weekend.

What will the next Mercedes-Benz A-Class look like? Theophilus Chin gives his take on a coupe version with the render above.

Our European correspondent, Vojtěch Dobeš, is at the 34th Annual GTI Meeting in Worthersee this week. Hopefully he will have some interesting stories to share if he isn’t too distracted by Austria’s fräuleins.

Here’s your news from overnight.

The Viper ACR will be able to take on other track-ready specials for thousands less.

Looking south of the A4 in Audi’s current range of motors, the hottest vehicle in its North American lineup is the current S3. Those of us west of the Atlantic don’t get to enjoy the turbocharged five-pot RS3 Sportback. Thankfully, Theophilus Chin is on the scene to digitally imagine our Ingolstadt desires with this compromise – the RS3 sedan.

Chrysler has built a lot of cars atop the K platform. BangShift has put together a handy guide to figure them all out.

As trucks ride a heat wave of interest from consumers, I look at this Grand Cherokee render and think, “That’ll do.”

Virginia is for lovers of license plate readers.

The Macan has given Porsche its best month ever in America. If this was the Cayenne, I’d be furious. Truth is the Macan is actually really damn good.

Almost everything interesting from overnight happened in Australia. So lets talk about video games instead.

Even though the first-generation Chevrolet Volt has had its price slashed every year since its debut, the next-generation range-extended electric vehicle will be priced even lower. This aims GM’s offering squarely at a number of more traditional hybrids.

This is what everyone in Silicon Valley was waiting for last night: a battery that hangs on a wall.

We go down memory lane this morning and look at some of the great cars British Leyland didn’t build.

Many optionally available subscription-based services, such as OnStar, offering automated crash reporting could lose their marketing edge in 2018.

In Los Angeles and Detroit, Ford took the covers off their two track-ready Mustangs – the GT350 and GT350R.

And Ford is only going to build 137 of them for 2015. Ehh?

The second-generation Chevrolet Volt won’t go on sale in Australia as GM will not convert it to right-hand drive.

After their automotive industry has been slowly devastated over the last decade, Australia may open its borders to private imports of new and like-new cars.

Come on, China. We know you can design a car on your own.

Those final episodes of Top Gear will be shown on BBC2 later this year, but there isn’t enough footage for three full episodes.

How is it that one man can play a Brecker Brothers tune all by himself, but Volkswagen can’t match Kia’s profitability and Acura can’t manage to sell cars? Could it be that the more talented people you put together in a room, the fewer good ideas come out of that room? But if that’s the case, how do you explain the Brecker Brothers in the first place?

You have to love the auto world. It’s a world where a Cimarroned-up version of the RAV4 is a sure-fire winner and an affordable FT86 competitor is a waste of time. The Russians get cheap Datsuns and we get expensive Volts. Meanwhile, the one-percenter train rolls on, now with additional boost for the V-12.

A hardcore car disappears, a softcore one is on the way, the bus goes upscale, Red Ink Rick has a fan!

Bertone took a beating! Someone else might have handed a beating out! Subaru’s on fire, Vipers are cold as ice!

Don’t you just hate it when you ask people to put on a sweater in the winter, metaphorically speaking, and then your tax on tank tops fails to bring in the cash harvest?

Another great day in the auto business, and more proof that deconstruction has not been completely der(r)ided in popular culture.

Rust never sleeps, and neither does TTAC, as we bring you a completely random yet utterly essential selection of recent automotive news.

Welcome to While You Were Sleeping, a roundup of the auto news from the recent past. We’ll be expanding and changing this report based on reader tastes. To begin with, it will feature just the hits that we didn’t cover with individual articles.