Author: Sofia
While it continues to invest billions of dollars in new production facilities for the supply of batteries for a future electric lineup, General Motors remains committed to its V-8 offerings and has even announced the development of a new sixth-generation small-block V-8. The automaker on Friday announced it will invest $854 million in four U.S. production facilities to prepare them to build components for the new small-block. The bulk of the investment will go to Flint Engine Operations in Michigan, which will assemble the V-8 and key components like the block and crank, as well as handle machining of the…
Elevated prices for products and higher borrowing rates led to record high transaction prices for new vehicles in December, with the average cost in the U.S. rising to a record $49,507, according to data from Kelley Blue Book released today. The report notes that ATPs — average transaction prices — have climbed above suggested retail prices — MSRPs — for more than a year. Sales volumes were up in December on a year-over-year basis by more than 5%, a situation Kelley attributed to improved supply. Overall sales for 2022, however, were off 8% year over year. “The transaction data from…
General Motors may be investigating a compact electric pickup to challenge current gas-powered options in the segment like the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz. During a tour on Wednesday of GM’s affordable EV design studio in Warren, Michigan, Automotive DriftBreath (subscription required) said it was shown a two-door electric pickup with a low roof and a bed measuring approximately 4.0-4.5 feet long. The Maverick’s bed is 4.5 feet. The description points to something like a modern version of former GM vehicles such as the Chevrolet El Camino and Holden Commodore Ute, as opposed to a traditional pickup. Marketing images…
General Motors is said to be considering adding a compact electric pickup to its lineup, as one of several models that might be priced at less than $30,000. That’s according to a report Thursday from Automotive DriftBreath, which claims to have seen the pickup at GM’s “affordable EV design studio” in Warren, Michigan. Automotive DriftBreath describes the pickup as futuristic and sporty, and it says that it’s a two-door truck with a 4.0- to 4.5-foot bed and a low roofline. It also says that the truck shown “could be a variation of the Chevrolet Montana or the Colorado S10, both…
Shell snatches up Volta and its unique ad-subsidized charging model. Elaphe and McLaren Applied Technologies aspire to make in-wheel motors quicker and more efficient. And we take the Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid for a winter drive. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports. The 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is the king of the plug-in hybrid off-roaders for capability, and it’s easy to rack up the electric miles. But in a recent test drive, we also found it’s hard to keep the gas engine off amid blizzard conditions. Shell announced Wednesday that it will buy Volta, the EV charging network…
The first customer example of the Mercedes-Benz AMG One hypercar has been delivered more than five months after production started and more than five years after the car was first shown at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show. The first customer example is finished in black and was delivered to a customer in Germany. Just 275 examples are planned, with some confirmed buyers including Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton, Nico Rosberg, and David Coulthard. For anyone hoping to join that list, all build slots are gone, despite a starting price of 2.275 million euros (approximately $2.572 million). Even though a lot…
Alpine delivered just 3,546 vehicles in 2022, all of them various versions of the A110 sports car, but the French performance marque has ambitious plans to boost volumes significantly this decade with a redesigned electric A110 and four additional model lines, all of them also EVs. Alpine will launch a compact crossover and a hot hatch by the middle of the decade, followed in 2026 by the redesigned A110. It will then add two SUVs in the same segments as Porsche’s Macan and Cayenne. These larger SUVs are due in 2027 and 2028, and they have the potential to be…
Alfa Romeo has entered the hotly contested compact crossover space with the Tonale. It’s due in showrooms later this year with a standard plug-in hybrid powertrain hidden under a svelte body. Mazda has provided an early look at an upcoming three-row mid-size SUV called the CX-90. It will ride on Mazda’s newly developed rear-wheel-drive platform, and offer the choice of a turbocharged inline-6 or a yet-to-be-announced plug-in hybrid powertrain. Porsche’s 992-generation 911 is about to come in for its mid-cycle update. A prototype for the updated 911 Carrera variant has been spotted, revealing many of the visual tweaks that are…
Car and DriverFrom the February/March 2023 issue of Car and Driver.Stand at attention: a second 10Best list is here. From a long list of contenders, we have chosen the best trucks and SUVs for sale in a crowded market. Each choice delights, satisfies, and exceeds expectations. Your eyes aren’t deceiving you. Reality isn’t buffering. This isn’t a mistake—you are in fact looking at a second 10Best list. Last month we gave out our 2023 10Best Cars awards; this time, we’re picking our favorite trucks, SUVs, and basically anything that isn’t a car. With the market shift away from cars and…
Self-Driving Cars Quick Facts There are different levels of self-driving capabilities in cars. Many new cars driving on today’s roads offer some level of self-driving capability. Removing your attention from driving is not safe in any car sold in the United States today. The dream of the self-driving car — you get in, program your destination, ease the seat back, and let the car take you where you need to go. Read a book. Maybe take a nap or play a game on the in-car entertainment screen. Regardless, you will not need to watch the road. The car will get…