Tesla Cybertruck Max Towing Revealed
Tesla has revealed the maximum towing capabilities for the long-anticipated Cybertruck by including it in display materials located at some of the brand’s physical locations. As the company lacks a dedicated PR department, the information comes by way of social media accounts and dedicated forums. While this means Tesla hasn’t confirmed the figures, there is sufficient coverage to deem the number plausible. Until the manufacturer says otherwise, Cybertruck will be capable of towing 11,000 pounds.
Volkswagen to Cut Jobs As Part of $11 Billion Cost Saving Effort
Volkswagen needs to cut costs and to get there, the automaker is cutting jobs. Company CEO Thomas Schaefer said that VW’s growing costs and waning productivity have necessitated the cuts, which will take place over the next several years.
There Are Still Two Ford Crown Victorias Running Taxi Service in NYC - For Now
It’s the end of an era that many of you probably thought ended years ago: The Ford Crown Victoria’s time as a taxi on the streets of NYC is coming to a close, as the last two cars still eligible for duty are aging out.
Tesla Begins Charging $1 Per Minute Congestion Fees at Busy Superchargers
Tesla recently started opening its Supercharger network to outside EV brands, but the influx of more vehicles to charge has put a strain on the system. To help with the surge, the automaker has started charging congestion fees of up to $1 per minute at busy Supercharger locations.
Get Ford F-150 Raptor Power for Much Less Coin
The Ford F-150 Raptor R is a seriously impressive truck with an equally serious price tag that puts it out of reach for most buyers. An Alabama Ford dealer has a solution, however, in the form of a base F-150 XL with a Roush supercharger and other upgrades.
Nissan Hikes Armada Price Tag for 2024
The jumbo Nissan Armada has a higher entry-level price point for 2024 compared to last year – but it would be tough to solely blame inflation for this cost hike. Rather, customers should know the brand simply decided to bin a (relatively) low volume base trim.
The Next Hyundai Elantra N May Receive Larger Engine
The sprightly and engaging Hyundai Elantra N may be eligible for an engine upgrade in its next incarnation.
Albert Biermann may have retired from running the brand’s performance division. But he’s still serving as Hyundai’s senior technical advisor, continues to influence the brand’s designs and claims the next-generation Elantra will accommodate something larger than the 2.0-liter turbo that’s currently fitted to the N model.
Ford Scales Back Michigan Battery Plant Investments
Ford has said it will restart construction on the electric vehicle battery facility it’s building in Marshall, Michigan, after pausing work when the UAW strike kicked off a couple months ago. But the company has also announced that it would be “re-timing and resizing some investments.”
Ford Revises Dealer EV Requirements
In what could be a tacit admission the transition to electric vehicles is going approximately as smoothly as a Michigan secondary road, it is being reported that suits at the Blue Oval are rolling back some of the requirements demanded of dealers in order to shill EVs to customers.
Hyundai Teases 2025 Tucson for European Markets
Hyundai recently rolled out the 2024 Tucson, but the automaker is already talking about the 2025 model. The popular SUV is getting an update for the model year, bringing fresh styling and a more sensible interior with physical buttons.
Surprise: More Cybertruck Specs Leak Ahead of Official Reveal
The Tesla Cybertruck is due for an official release next week, but the slow, steady drip of information isn’t stopping. According to forum users in Southern California, the automaker has two Cybertrucks on display at a mall in San Diego, and they claim to have new specs to share.
Toyota Financial Ordered to Pay $60M Penalty
In yet another chapter of dealers (and their financial arms) behaving badly, Toyota Motor Credit has been levied $12 million civil fine and also order to fork over $48 million in restitution after a court found the organization played fast and loose with some rules.
Ford Issues Official Statement On UAW Contract Ratification
While the United Auto Workers’ contract seems to be a done deal for all three Detroit-based automakers, Ford is the only brand that’s issued any formal statements on ratification thus far. But there’s not much to pick apart in the release. The company avoided opportunities to promote itself as the brand that seemed most willing to accommodate the UAW and only brushed against assertions that paying workers more would add to its operational costs.
Driving Dystopia: Judge Dismisses Automotive Privacy Lawsuit
Last week, a federal judge refused to have the courts reexamine a gaggle of class action lawsuits claiming automotive manufacturers had violated Washington State's privacy laws after allegations that on-board infotainment systems were recording customers’ private text messages and mobile phone call logs. Despite substantial evidence that the above claims are not only true but also just the tip of the iceberg as manufacturers have normalized some of the most egregious data harvesting we’ve seen, the Seattle-based judge said the allegations were not severe enough to be considered a violation of the Washington Privacy Act (WPA).
VinFast to Pay Customers Who Need Extended Repairs
VinFast had some stumbles out of the gate with its U.S. vehicle launch, racking up seriously mixed reviews and delaying the rollout with technology hiccups. The company is now working to ease the ownership experience for owners who have problems with their EVs, offering payouts for service issues.
Cruise CEO and Co-Founder Steps Down
Cruise is going through some things right now. After one of its robotaxis hit a pedestrian, the company halted all autonomous vehicle operations and issued a recall for many of its units. It also lost the ability to operate in California, its home base, at least temporarily, and now, we’ve learned that its CEO and co-founder has stepped down.
United Auto Workers Ratify New Labor Contract
Despite several large facilities voting against the UAW labor contract negotiated with Detroit automakers, the deal has been ratified by union members from both General Motors and Stellantis. This is based on the UAW’s own vote tracker and has put to bed any serious fears that GM might have to reenter negotiations.
While Ford’s voting hasn’t yet reached the point where we can say anything definitive, its negotiations with the union also went the best. The Blue Oval offered sweeter deals than rival automakers and sooner, too. It’s on the brink of ratification and may even have reached that point by the time you’re reading this.
Manhole Cover Damaged a Ferrari and Squashed F1 Las Vegas GP Free Practice 1
The Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix is this weekend, and things are off to a rough start. After seeing ticket prices fall due to softer-than-expected demand, race organizers are facing criticism after a manhole cover badly damaged one of the two Ferrari cars.
Cadillac Confirms the Compact 2025 Optiq Electric SUV
Thanks to GM’s investments in electrification, Cadillac is accelerating its EV development and has confirmed another new gas-free model coming in 2025. The Optiq will enter the automaker’s lineup as a compact electric SUV, slotting in beneath the Lyriq and flagship Escalade IQ.
Chinese Smartphone Company Previews First EV
Despite years of talk that Apple would eventually start building all-electric vehicles, China’s Xiaomi looks to have beaten the American brand to the punch by previewing the first production EV designed by an established consumer technology company. Though designed might be the wrong word to use as the front of the SU7 sedan appears to have been lifted off the McLaren 750 S while the back is pure Porsche Panamera.
Subaru Gifts New Styling, Technology to 2025 Forester
Showing up at the sixth-generation of this long running nameplate, the 2025 Subaru Forester adds a yaffle of technology whilst smoothing out some of the old car’s odd styling choices.
Genesis Shows Off GV80 and GV80 Coupe
At an event earlier this week in Los Angeles, the Genesis brand unveiled a revamped GV80 crossover plus a production version of the GV80 Coupe which jumps on the bandwagon occupied by cut-roofed rigs like the BMW X6 and Mercedes GLE Coupe.
Kia Introduces Two EV Concepts at 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show
LOS ANGELES -- In addition to the updated 2024 Sorento, Kia has unveiled two concepts today at the 2023 Los Angeles Auto Show -- the EV3 and EV4.
2024 Kia Sorento -- Family Influence Brings Rugged Facelift
LOS ANGELES -- Boxes are in these days, it seems.
OK, that's probably a bit of an overstatement -- there are plenty of crossovers on the market with swoopy styling -- but the facelifted 2024 Kia Sorento is definitely following the rugged/boxy trend.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe -- Open for More
LOS ANGELES -- No, we haven't turned into a late-night infomercial, saying "but wait, there's more!"
We're quoting the tagline from the press release for the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe: "Open for More." So tagged because the liftgate opening is larger.
And, well, there's more. Read on.
The New Tesla Cyberquad is Less Likely to Injure Your Kids
The Tesla Cybertruck is allegedly nearing its release, four years after its initial reveal. It’s been a long time, but if you can think back that far, you might remember the automaker showed an electric quad alongside the truck. Unfortunately, the toy had to be recalled for not meeting Consumer Product Safety Commission standards, but it recently returned to the market with less chance of injury.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Has Hi-Po Attitude
LOS ANGELES -- High performance isn't just limited to vehicles that burn dead dinos in some way, shape, or form. EVs can get in on the fun, too.
The 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N isn't the first high-performance EV -- there are several examples on the market. Instead, it's another reminder that EVs don't have to be boring commuter machines.
Study: Giant Pickups and SUVs More Dangerous to Pedestrians, Obviously
A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has claimed that large, blunt-nosed pickups and SUVs pose a greater risk to pedestrians than other vehicle types. It’s quite possibly the most obvious outcome to any study we’ve ever seen and it seems to crop up every few years even though the vehicles in question just keep getting bigger and squarer.
BMW Announces National Adaptive EV Charging System Expansion
BMW has announced it is expanding its ChargeForward incentive program to drivers of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles living in the contiguous United States. The proclamation coincides with the launch of the brand’s all-electric i5 and is supposed to incentivize customers into “aligning their vehicle charging with times when renewable energy is highest on the grid.”
That’s progressive-corporate speak for charging vehicles when the demand for electricity is lower to ensure less energy is wasted. One of the biggest obstacles presented by EVs is that widespread usage would result in explosive energy demand many electrical grids may not be able to accommodate. BMW believes this can be mitigated with ChargeForward by ensuring user charging times are carefully monitored and scheduled.
The NTSB Wants More Speed-Limiting Tech in New Vehicles
New cars have all sorts of driver monitoring tech on board that can tell when a person is paying attention or has their hands on the wheel, but the National Transportation Safety Board feels there’s a need for more. The NTSB asked 17 automakers to add anti-speeding tech to new vehicles going forward, following an extremely deadly crash in Las Vegas last year that left nine people dead.
Toyota Rolls Out Crown Signia
Making good on its promise to show an SUV variant of its new Crown sedan, Toyota introduced the Crown Signia yesterday at an event in Los Angeles.
Toyota Unveiled the 2024 Camry as a Hybrid-Only Affair
We’re not even out of 2023 yet, but we’re already talking about 2025 model-year vehicles. Toyota recently revealed a new version of the iconic Camry sedan for 2025, which will let go of the car’s powerful V6 option in favor of hybrid power, more tech, and top-notch safety equipment. The car goes on sale in spring 2024.
UAW Contract Voting Has Been Mixed Thus Far
Unionized Ford workers in Louisville, Kentucky, and General Motors employees from Spring Hill, Tennessee, have voted no on the contract agreement reached by the United Auto Workers. While this only represents a fraction of the UAW votes needed to ratify the updated contract, it’s a sign that the deal hasn’t yet gone through and may not if the trend continues.
General Motors is Now a Registered F1 Power Unit Manufacturer
The drama between Michael Andretti and the old guard of Formula 1 continues. While the sport’s governing body, the FIA, approved the American team’s entry to the grid with backing from General Motors and Cadillac, F1 itself has yet to accept the application. Even so, Andretti’s position recently got much stronger, as GM announced that it would develop and build power units in-house beginning in 2028.
Tesla: Cybertruck Buyers Cannot Resell Within the First Year
The Tesla Cybertruck is finally getting a formal reveal on November 30, four years after Elon Musk first announced it. While we still don’t have many details on the long-awaited EV, it appears Tesla is taking early steps to preempt the flippers that have ruined so many other recent vehicle launches. The automaker recently updated its Motor Vehicle Order Agreement Terms and Conditions to state that Cybertruck buyers cannot resell the truck for the first year of ownership.
Hyundai Workers Also Slated for Pay Raise
With Honda having followed Toyota in offering employee raises in the wake of the United Auto Workers (UAW) appearing to have settled contract negotiations in Detroit, the rest of the industry appears to have set off a Domino Rally of wage increases. Hyundai is now offering manufacturing workers more than they were making last year and has promised to bump pay by 25 percent through 2028.
Toyota Applied for "Land Cruiser FJ" Trademark in Japan
Companies file trademark applications all the time to protect product names and other concepts, but the applications don’t always mean that something new is coming. That said, a recent Toyota trademark application in Japan spotted by Land Cruiser forum members has sparked heated conversation around what might be coming.
Shocker: Cruise Robotaxis Occasionally Need Human Help
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous vehicle division has had a bumpy few months. A number of frustrating failures have caused massive traffic pileups, car accidents, and even injured pedestrians. There have been so many issues that the company is temporarily halting public testing and has issued a recall for some of its vehicles. Now, we’re learning that Cruise’s robotaxis aren’t as robotic as everyone thought, as the company recently told CNBC that it employs “remote assistant agents” (people) to help the vehicles navigate.
Survey Breaks Down EV Preferences By Politics and Ethnicity
A recent opinion survey has attempted to break down the public interest in all-electric vehicles based on key demographics. While the results were largely predictable, there were some novel takeaways that could be of interest to automakers hoping to market the vehicles. The data also shows how trends may be shifting, with the prognosis being less than ideal for EVs.
MINI Introduces John Cooper Works Countryman
What is technically the largest MINI (which is a very strange sentence to write), the Countryman is getting an infusion of horsepower and a smattering of inventive color schemes.
Automakers' Protests Against AM Radio Have Always Been About Money
The days of crackly AM radio appear to be numbered, despite efforts to keep up with emergency alert systems that depend on the technology. Automakers inaccurately complained that keeping AM radio could interfere with sensitive electronic equipment and EV features, but a new report shows that the arguments were really about their bottom lines.
Tesla Cybertruck Specs Allegedly Leaked Ahead of Late November Reveal
We’re just weeks away from the Tesla Cybertruck’s official unveiling, but the company hasn’t yet released specs or even a price. A recent leak could shed light on the issue, as an “insider” sent what they claim are Cybertruck specs to The Fast Lane EV.
Cruise Autonomous Vehicles Recalled
General Motors’ Cruise autonomous division has had a rough few weeks. First, the company temporarily shuttered operations while it determined why its vehicles kept running into things. Earlier this week, Cruise announced a pause in production of its autonomous van, and now, the NHTSA is getting involved with a recall.
Report: Wholesale Used Car Prices Decline Slightly
Wholesale used-vehicle prices reportedly saw a modest dip through the end of last month. However, it wasn’t enough to rationalize running out to the nearest automotive auction or setting up camp near your preferred dealership as you wait for the savings to come rolling in.
Ford Teases Mustang Update, Possible California Special Trim
Showing up today on the Instagram account belonging to Jim Farley, a shadowy teaser image portends some sort of new trim for the Mustang. A few simple adjustments to the photo’s brightness characteristics reveal there could be a GT/CS trim in the pipeline for next year.
Maine Approves Right-to-Repair Rules, Auto Lobby Annoyed
The State of Maine has voted "yes" to Question 4, which mimics the right-to-repair legislation that passed in Massachusetts three years earlier. This makes Maine the sixth state in the U.S. to approve such a measure and requires automakers to standardize modern vehicle onboard diagnostic systems and make them available to both customers and any independent repair shops they’d like to use.
While the decision represents another important victory for the right-to-repair movement, the world’s largest automotive lobby predictably bemoaned the situation.
This 1970 Chevy Suburban Costs More Than Most Supercars
Icon’s vehicles have never been cheap, but its latest vehicle goes above and beyond. The company has long offered custom resto-modded SUVs with deep-six-figure price tags, and it’s now set its sights on the Chevy Suburban. Called the Reformer, the updated, hand-built SUV sports 1,000 horsepower and a $1.1 million starting price.
Toyota Crown SUV Bows November 14
It seems the buzz and speculation a few days back about the possibility of an SUV being birthed from the Toyota Crown nameplate was right on the money. If all goes as planned, it’ll be shown at the L.A. Auto Show later this month.
NHTSA: Don't Bedazzle Your Steering Wheel
It turns out that bejeweling your car's interior isn’t just in bad taste – it can hurt you in a crash. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released a consumer alert, warning people about “aftermarket steering wheel decals that could potentially cause significant injury or death.”
GM To Temporarily Halt Production of Cruise Origin Van
General Motors recently announced a pause on all autonomous vehicle operations after several high-profile accidents, one including a pedestrian. Automotive News reported that the automaker is also halting production of the Cruise Origin Van.
2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger: Charge It Up
The 2025 Ram 1500 Ramcharger brings back an old name, but this truck has some new tricks.
2025 Ram 1500: A Hurricane Arrives
No, it doesn't have a Hemi. At all. Sorry, old-school Mopar folks: The 2025 Dodge Ram will not have a V8.
Given the estimated power numbers Ram is tossing at us media folks -- and you the public -- that might not be a bad thing.
Cruise Outsources Review of Regulatory Response
On Friday, Cruise confirmed that its board had hired an outside law firm and technology consultants after the California Department of Motor Vehicles suspended its driverless vehicle operations. While robotaxi services had started developing a bad reputation in the months leading up to the suspension, Cruise (owned by General Motors) only saw government action taken against it following a high-profile incident where one of its vehicles struck a pedestrian.
Report: Mazda MX-5 ‘Miata’ Running With Special Editions Before EV Replacement
Despite being the kind of brand that always tries to do things a little differently, Mazda is supposed to follow nearly every other manufacturer down the rabbit hole of fleetwide electrification by 2030. While this is supposed to include the MX-5 roadster, the company doesn’t even like to see the model utilize forced induction on the grounds that it would tamper with what management would argue is the perfect recipe for its lightweight and naturally aspirated sports car.
There are a lot of questions about the Mitata’s long-term future as it pertains to electrification. However, Mazda does seem interested in leveraging the possibility of the current ND model being the last of its kind into additional sales.
Report: Tesla To Build Fabled Affordable Electric Car in Germany
We’re back here again. New reports state that Tesla is working toward an affordable EV model and note that it will produce the vehicles at its German location near Berlin. As these things tend to go with Tesla, the information came from an unnamed source, as reported by Automotive News.
Did Ford Tease New Bronco and Maverick Variants in a Recent Earnings Call?
It’s still difficult to buy a Ford Maverick and Bronco, both now a few years out from their initial releases, but there’s more on the way. The popular compact pickup and off-road SUV could be getting new variants soon, as the keen eyes at Motor 1 picked out language in its third-quarter sales results that could indicate fresh versions of both vehicles are on the way.
Stellantis/UAW Deal Spills Tea on Future Product
One of the most common refrains from automaker PR departments is “we cannot comment on future product.” Fortunately, the recent agreement between Stellantis and the UAW blew the doors wide open on that particular topic – at least for the Auburn Hills company.
2023 Audi TT Given Sendoff Limited Edition Model
Audi is discontinuing the TT this year and will be offering a Final Edition built in limited quantities. Based on the Roadster, the model is focused on giving a visual nod to the original that debuted in 1998 so you’ll have something to talk about with friends. But the first thing they’re going to bring up is why the cloth top is gray rather than the original black.
Cybertruck Struggles With Light Off-Roading in New Video
We’re just a few weeks away from the four-year anniversary of the Tesla Cybertruck reveal event. The announcement understandably made huge waves in the auto industry and everywhere else, honestly, but that excitement hasn’t survived the several-year wait for many people. Videos like this one aren’t helping the truck’s case, either, as it appears to be struggling with a relatively straightforward off-road obstacle.
Subaru Promises Something New for L.A. Auto Show
In typical form for the PR machine of a modern automaker, Subaru has released the briefest of shots showing a rig they promise to introduce at the upcoming L.A. Auto Show – and we have a pretty good idea what it is.
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