Dodge Confirms No Manual Transmission for New Charger

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.

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Automakers Sticking with Screens Are Going to Receive Bad Safety Ratings in Europe

Updated European safety certifications may discourage global automakers from leaning so heavily upon touch controls in the future. While not a formal government regulator, the European New Car Assessment Programme (NCAP) is extremely influential in a manner similar to the United States’ Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). These are the entities testing the crash worthiness of modern automobiles, or bench-marking industry safety standards, and Euro NCAP has elected to make distracted driving a major issue moving forward. By 2026, any vehicles sold within the European market will need to include physical controls to be deemed truly safe.

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Mercedes-Benz EQS to Adopt S-Class Styling Cues

Mercedes-Benz will reportedly be offering the all-electric EQS with a traditional grille lifted from the S-Class sedan. The brand’s all-electric flagship has failed to unseat the true king and the company has taken steps to try and incorporate some of the older model’s charms into the EV. Moving forward, the EQS will have a more traditional exterior as an option — perhaps signaling that the entire EQ line will soon be abandoning its overtly electric design language.

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Nobody Knows if the BMW M5 Touring is Coming to America

Despite having been quoted as confirming the BMW M5 Touring for North America, Domagoj Dukec has just recanted. Earlier statements from the brand’s design head stipulating that our market would have access to both the sedan and wagon versions of the M5 have been taken back — leaving everyone following the story more than a little perplexed.

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Ford Rumored to Dump Parking Assist Moving Forward

Ford is said to be in early stages of dumping parking assistance features on future models because drivers aren’t using the feature enough. Active Park Assist has been around for over a decade at this point. However, the computer-guided parallel parking feature is supposedly not going to be appearing in future models as a way to help the automaker cut production costs.

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Audi R8 Endures Delayed Demise to Satisfy Demand

While Audi had previously confirmed 2023 as the last year of the R8, production of the model has continued into 2024. The automaker will reportedly be keeping the mid-engine coupe around through March to satisfy demand.

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General Motors Bringing Back Plug-in Hybrids

Despite previously having committed itself toward a future where it builds all-electric vehicles, General Motors has made plans to bring plug-in hybrids back to our market. That’s according to CEO Mary Barra, who announced on Tuesday that the automaker would be leaning on hybrid vehicles to help contend with increasingly strict emission regulations.

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Hyundai Reportedly Building N Vision 74

Reports from South Korea are claiming that Hyundai will build a limited number of the N Vision 74, pegging the production figure at just 100 units. This comes after the company filed a trademark for the “N74” moniker, Till Wartenberg (vice president Hyundai’s N performance division) expressed interest in seeing the concept become a production model, and sustained rumors that the automaker was on the cusp of approving the model.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Chevrolet Equinox EV and GM Electrified Pickups Delayed

Following news that production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV would be delayed, General Motors has announced that the Chevy Equinox EV would likewise be arriving behind schedule.

The postponement was announced as part of GM’s earnings report, with CEO Mary Barra citing improvements the company would like to make to the product as well as some market challenges. Some of that revolves around using the time to better manage capital investment related to EV demand (or lack thereof) while the rest seems to apply to engineering changes that might make the vehicles more profitable.

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Report: Future BMW I3 Will Be Less Weird Than Original

As BMW’s first mass-produced “zero emissions” vehicle, the i3 boasted a predictably quirky design that seemed to underpin most manufacturers early attempts at fielding an electric car. But the model fell short in terms of range and luxury, especially in relation to MSRP, resulting in a de facto city car for those who liked the idea of owning a BMW-badged EV.

While the vehicle implemented some novel features, the model has aged rather poorly due to advancements in battery technology. It could be argued that the i3 ended up a failure due to the fact that BMW never figured out how to produce them cheaply enough to be a volume vehicle. However, it may have also been too odd to garner true mainstream appeal — something the brand says it doesn’t want to happen for the i3’s successor.

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Report: Stellantis Discusses Engine Plans

With Stellantis vowing to launch a slew of all-electric and hybrid vehicles by 2030, many are wondering how this will impact the lineup in North America. The company has repeatedly alluded to eliminating the HEMI V8 in favor of the more-European Hurricane 3.0-liter straight-six. While this is clearly being done to comply with emissions regulations without having to sacrifice power, plenty have bemoaned the company’s decision to abandon V8 powertrains whilst pivoting toward electrification. 

But Micky Bly, senior vice president and head of global propulsion systems for Stellantis, recently assured the public that the company doesn’t intend on dumping combustion engines overnight. It’s even going to keep a few of Chrysler’s oldest units around — just with some improvements designed to meet the relevant emissions standards. 

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No Hybrid Ford Explorer or Lincoln Aviator for the 2024 Model Year

It looks like the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator are dumping their hybrid trims for the 2024 model year. The Explorer SUV was previously offered with a hybridized 3.3-liter V6, whereas the Aviator Grand Touring came with a hybridized twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6. These powertrains won’t be available on the retail market anymore. However, there’s a chance PHEV variants of both models will return in 2025.

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