Category Archives: new vehicle

Joys of Crossover Trucking? Largest Subaru Ever

Ascent, with a 113.8-in. wheelbase, is the largest Subaru ever built. With 153.5 cubic feet of passenger volume, plus cargo space, the Ascent provides room for every passenger and their gear. Continue reading

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Off-Road Cruise Control on 2019 F-150 Raptor and Ranger

While this is old news – see AutoInformed.com on Active Damping Controls Ride on 2019 Ford Raptor – the suddenly super competitive performance truck market (oxymoron?) has makers scrambling for publicity. Continue reading

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More Trucks – Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison

In consecutive years, Colorado introduced the segment’s first diesel engine (ignores other GM vehicles), an all-new V6 gas engine/eight-speed transmission combo, the ZR2 “segment of one” off-roader and now the Bison. The 2019 Colorado ZR2 Bison goes on sale in January 2019, modified for extreme off-road use and backed by a full factory limited warranty. Pricing? Not yet – just assume it will be more than the $42,000 ZR2 or similarly priced Tacoma TRD Pro. Continue reading

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Harley-Davidson, Tuscany Motor Tease Concept Pickup

Co-designed by Tuscany and the Harley-Davidson styling team, the Harley-Davidson concept truck (www.HarleyTruck.com) takes cues from the Harley-Davidson Fat Boy motorcycle. Continue reading

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Topless Prancing Horse, Err 720 Horses

The new 488 Pista appears to have the highest performance ever in a spider given the with an unprecedented weight-power ratio of 1.92 kg/cv or horsepower. This came from a good old ‘Merican hot rod trick – stuff the most powerful Ferrari V8 engine ever. Continue reading

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New Genesis G70 Luxury Sport Sedan Makes Concours Debut

The all-electric, high-performance Genesis Essentia Concept made its world debut at the 2018 New York International Auto Show to mixed reviews among the press I talked with there. Continue reading

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VIR Upset – BMW M8 Finally Tallies First Win as Corvette Leads GTLM Driver’s Championship

The No. 25 BMW M8 GTE, driven by Connor De Phillippi (USA) and Alexander Sims (GBR), completed 88 laps of the classic Virginia International Raceway two-hour-and-forty-minute race, winning with just a 1.323 second margin of victory over the relentlessly driven Corvette. Continue reading

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Ford to Unveil New Model During Woodward Dream Cruise Tomorrow. Mustang NASCAR Cup Edition Coming?

This remains ‘Merican pavement pulverizing territory. The burnt rubber on Woodward avenue in the run up to the Dream Cruise with the prelude of Roadkill Nights Powered by Dodge at the MI Concourse just off Woodward in Pontiac are just the latest examples. With American passenger cars now an endangered species, the pony cars thrive. I’ll wager the Mustang is the last passenger car assembled by FMC after the crossover tidal wave finishes washing though the auto industry and it wrestles with connect and self-driving vehicles. Continue reading

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Profits of Trucks – Tahoe, Suburban Premier Plus Models

” Premier Plus gives both Suburban and Tahoe customers another option to choose from with several added premium touches.” They start at +$75,000. Continue reading

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JMC, Ford Develop Territory in China

Territory was developed and tested at Ford in Nanjing, China and Melbourne, Australia. The all-new SUV will be manufactured at JMC’s Xiao Lan plant. No word yet on possible export plans to North America, which is currently embroiled in Trump’s trade wars, although Ford acknowledges it has another small crossover coming there. From where is not confirmed. Continue reading

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2019 Lexus ES 350 in Production at Georgetown Kentucky

Workers at the company’s U.S. facility spent more than 150,000 hours training to build the ES model that delivers Lexus claims of a “fundamentally higher level of performance than its predecessors.” That includes sensory training that teaches assemblers, for instance, to feel for an abnormality as minute as a thread of hair. Continue reading

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Gen Seven Lexus ES Sedan Starts at $40,075

The ES 300h is capable of delivering exceptional fuel efficiency, responsive performance and minimal emissions for an entry-level executive sedan (at these prices?). Continue reading

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Lightweighting Avant-Garde – GM, BMW, Asahi Kasei, Mazda, Sika Automotive

The winner in the Full Vehicle category was the behemoth General Motors’ 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, which weighed in at 450 pounds (204.5 kilograms) lighter than its predecessor. GM was caught napping by Ford when it introduced its aluminum intensive F-Series –long the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. Continue reading

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2019 Silverado 1500 has Largest Pickup Bed

“The bed is the heart and soul of any pickup,” said Tim Herrick, executive chief engineer, Full-Size Trucks, General Motors. “We’ve added so many features and benefits that it deserves its own name – Durabed.” Continue reading

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Modest Tweaks for 2019 Durango and Dodge Line

“The Durango is our three-row Charger of the SUV segment, delivering uncompromised utility, advanced technology, class-leading towing and driving range, confident driving dynamics and aggressive styling,” said Steve Beam, Continue reading

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