Category Archives: new vehicle

Mazda MX-5 RF Debuts at New York Auto Show

With strong contrast between light and shadow and a high-density finish, Machine Grey allegedly gives the impression that the vehicle’s body has been sculpted from a solid steel ingot. Continue reading

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Buick Encore ‘Encore’ is Actually a Mild Redo

Introduced in 2013, the Encore surprisingly was a winner by offering premium features typically associated with larger luxury cars and trucks – a well-known strategy at German carmakers. Encore rose to the head of the fast-growing small SUV market – an ongoing global trend – topping it in 2014 and 2015. Continue reading

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Bentley Bentayga SUV Deliveries Start

Guests at the event in Crewe were given access to Bentley’s factory to see the Bentayga’s assembly process. Continue reading

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Alfa Romeo Giulia Line Debuts at the New York Auto Show

The Germans – notably Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz – dominate the market. To a smaller degree Japanese brands – Acura, Infiniti and Lexus – also are active. Alfa and Jeep are the key elements in FCA’s planned global expansion. The Jeep line appears to be a relatively easy global play; Alfa is a much more difficult proposition. Continue reading

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Driving the 2016 Nissan Sentra – Substantial Upgrades in Equipment, Electronics & Safety Systems  

In the golden days for automakers the so-called mid-cycle freshening of a platform such as the Nissan Sentra was fast and dirty – headlights, taillights, new colors and the like – cheap and cheerful between major revisions every eight years or so. Continue reading

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Chicago Finishes its 108th Auto Show

It was a good start in 2016 for what is billed as the “consumer auto show,” with some justification because Monroney sticker prices are on each vehicle, as opposed to automaker self-celebrations at other international shows. Continue reading

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Mazda Begins Production of CX-9 in Hiroshima

This three-row seat CX-9 is long overdue for a major overhaul in an ultra-competitive field, but Mazda’s fragile financial position (net income -25% in Q1 of Japanese FY 2016) saw it mildly freshening the Ford Edge-based platform since its 2007 introduction. That’s a long time in car life years. Such vehicles turn into, well, dogs. Continue reading

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Mercedes-Benz Tuscaloosa Starts GLS Production

During 2015, Mercedes-Benz renewed almost its entire range of SUVs. The new models are successful – sales of the GLC, the updated GLE and the new addition to the SUV portfolio, the GLE Coupé, are at record levels. Continue reading

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Sprinter Extreme Concept – Strong, Work Ready

Take the heavy-duty Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cab Chassis, hire long-time Benz customer RENNtech, and present the Sprinter Extreme as the ultimate work machine concept. That’s what Mercedes-Benz did today in Chicago. Stretching more than 20 feet from bumper-to-bumper, it’s over 95″ tall. Hauling 6400 pounds of payload and a towing capacity of 7500 pounds, it’s an impressive heavy-duty truck that looks like it came from Jurassic Park.

“Unlike most concepts, the foundation for the Sprinter Extreme can be ordered at a Mercedes or Freightliner dealership today with the help of our MasterUpfitter program.” says Bernie Glaser, Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Vans USA. Continue reading

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New 2017 Ram Power Wagon – Ultimate Off Roader?

Ram Truck says at the Chicago Auto Show today that it continues to build the best pickups, which may come as news for Ford F-Series and Chevrolet Silverado fans. Continue reading

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Buick Cascada Ads Digital Only for Now

The Cascada, Buick’s first convertible in 25 years, arrives in dealerships if all goes well during February. Continue reading

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BMW X4 M40i Unveiled at NAIAS

The 2016 BMW X4 M40i will be available at certified BMW dealers in February 2016 starting at $57,800 plus Destination and Handling. Continue reading

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New Semi-Autonomous E-Class Premiers at NAIAS

What E-Class does to the art of driving and distinctive vehicle character is subject to debate. Will driving fun still exist? Continue reading

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Honda Ridgeline Mid-Size Pickup Debuts at NAIAS

The Ridgeline faces stiff competition from the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, as well as Chevrolet and GMC Canyon trucks in the segment. Ford and Dodge, of course abandoned the market in favored of full-size pickups, a move that they are currently getting way with because of $2 a gallon gasoline, but one that is a far riskier bet in the long term. Continue reading

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December New Vehicle Sales Projected at 1.7m, SAAR 18m

If accurate, December will end the biggest year of U.S. new-car sales ever seen, with total light vehicle sales of ~17.5 million, up 6.1% compared to 2014 totals. The previous high was 17.35 million units in 2000. Continue reading

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