Thieves may again be targeting one of your hybrid car’s most valuable parts
Thieves appear to once again be stealing battery packs from hybrid cars like the Toyota Prius. The 180-pound pack is difficult and dangerous to access, but it's worth over $1,000, so thieves risk getting electrocuted to walk off with it. EV owners have nothing to worry about; their pack is far too heavy to steal.
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB is a junior G-Class with room for six of your friends
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB made its debut in Utah with a design that borrows a handful of styling cues from the G-Class. The model is about the same size as the GLC, but it rides on a front-wheel drive platform and offers space for up to seven passengers. Tech standard, an all-wheel drive is offered at an extra cost.
The 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo returns from sabbatical with new tricks
Porsche is bringing back the Macan Turbo for the 2020 model year. The flagship variant of the firm's smallest SUV packs a twin-turbocharged, 2.9-liter V6 engine that makes 434 horsepower. The Turbo also inherits the excellent infotainment technology found in other variants of the Macan, including the mid-range S.
Ex-Uber self-driving car whiz charged with stealing trade secrets from Google
Anthony Levandowski, the former head of Uber's self-driving car division, has been indicted on 33 criminal counts of stealing intellectual property. The American government claims he downloaded trade secrets from Google before leaving the company in 2016. He pleaded not guilty, and his lawyers claim he's innocent.
Automakers are one step closer to offering door-mounted cameras in the U.S.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into whether door-mounted cameras are a safe alternative to door-mounted mirrors. The agency will begin carrying out tests in the near future. The technology has already been approved in Europe and in Japan, but it remains illegal in the United States.
Toyota’s long-awaited FJ Cruiser replacement could arrive in 2020 with a twist
Toyota will allegedly fill the void created by the FJ Cruiser's demise by bringing the 2017 TJ Cruiser concept to production. It will be a completely different kind of car developed with a far smaller focus on off-road prowess. Rumors indicate the TJ Cruiser will make its debut in late 2019 or early 2020.
Volvo shifts its Care by Volvo new car subscription service into high gear
Volvo expanded its pioneering Care by Volvo subscription service to include more cars. Nearly every member of the Volvo range is available through the program, from the XC40 to the XC90. The company also streamlined the process of getting approved and insured, and made changes to satisfy its American dealers.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 v. GMC Sierra 1500: The differences and similarities
The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 are a lot alike, they're essentially the same truck under the sheet metal, but they're aimed at different buyers. We've broken down the similarities and the differences between these two popular pickups to help you decide which one deserves your driveway.
New tech could allow Porsche to turn the Taycan into a high-speed movie theater
The electric Taycan will offer a second infotainment screen for the front passenger at an extra cost, and Porsche is considering adding a video streaming function. It first needs to develop new technology that limits to viewing angle to ensure the driver isn't distracted by the program the passenger is watching.
Powerful, high-end electric cars are 40% more likely to crash than gas models, study finds
EVs with muscle car-like power and jaw-dropping acceleration times are more likely to crash than comparable piston-powered cars, according to French insurance company Axa. The firm said acceleration times are partially to blame. Conversely, smaller, less powerful EVs are slightly less likely to crash.
The 2020 Porsche Taycan EV has more screens than a 718 Boxster has cylinders
Porsche's Mission E concept won't change much as it transitions to a production model scheduled for 2019. The company confirmed it will use the Taycan (pronounced "tie-con") name on the production version of the sedan. An 800-volt charging system will help the battery pack deliver a long range.
Exploring the past, present, and future of infotainment technology in the Lexus RX
Lexus equipped the original RX with an early infotainment system that served as the foundation for future software. It hit the market at the right time, and motorists welcomed it with open arms; they wanted more tech. Lexus then introduced touchscreens, moved away from them, and returned. Here's why, and what's next.
Audi is giving buyers two cars for the price of one — for a week
Audi is giving motorists who buy or lease a 2019 model seven days of free rentals through its SilverCar division. Motorists can choose between the A4, the A5 Cabriolet, the Q5, and the Q7, and there are no mileage restrictions. The cars must be picked up from SilverCar's 26 locations in the United States.
Forget the iCar. Porsche gives Apple a first-class ticket to the auto industry
Porsche has teamed up with Apple to offer the Taycan with industry-exclusive entertainment features. The EV will come with integrated Apple Music when it goes on sale in 2020. It will be the first car with this feature, but it won't be the last, and the tie-up points the way forward in the field of infotainment tech.
Microeconomics and a little magic help bring the 2020 Audi RS 6 Avant to U.S.
Audi is finally bringing its high-performance RS 6 Avant to the United States. The new, fourth-generation model will arrive in American showrooms during the 2020 model year with a 600-hp, twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood. Fans have waited for the chance to drive Audi's super Awagon on American soil for decades.
The electric Volkswagen ID Buggy makes even Ferrari drivers stop and stare
Volkswagen traveled to the 2019 Geneva Auto Show to introduce an electric dune buggy named ID Buggy, and Digital Trends drove it in California. It's a modern-day tribute to the 1960s Meyers Manx, with an electric powertrain and state-of-the-art tech. If built, it could revive the dormant coachbuilding industry.
Can big rebates lure Tesla owners into Jaguar’s segment-bending I-Pace?
Jaguar wants Tesla owners to step into its stores and drive home in an I-Pace, its first and only electric car. The company is offering motorists who can prove there is a Tesla in their household a $3,000 rebate. Other deals are available, and they bring the I-Pace's price down to $54,50 before the $7,500 tax credit.
Will Volkswagen’s convertible T-Roc crossover start a trend?
Volkswagen's T-Roc just lost its lid. The sub-Tiguan model spawned a high-riding convertible that picks up where the Beetle left off. Buyers have two engines to choose from, and they can select a state-of-the-art infotainment system that's permanently connected to the internet. The model won't be sold in the U.S.
Water-repellent fabric lets Subaru seats keep up with the people sitting on them
Subaru developed a water-repellent fabric named StarTex to help the seats in its cars keep up with the people sitting on them. StarTex is soft to the touch, it's easy to clean, and it's vegan. It's only available on an upmarket variant of the new 2020 Outback, but we expect more models will soon offer it.
Freightliner starts delivering its electric eCascadia semi truck to customers
Freightliner will soon deliver the first two examples of its battery-electric eCascadia semi truck. The 730-horsepower hauler will be put in the hands of two companies that will test it in California and provide feedback. The manufacturer plans to build additional examples for its pilot program during 2019.
Porsche expands its hybrid range with three gasoline-electric Cayennes
Porsche expanded its range of electrified performance cars by releasing three hybrid variants of the Cayenne SUV. The range-topping Turbo S E-Hybrid models ally a twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 engine with an electric motor to deliver 670 horsepower. The Cayenne Coupe also gains a tamer E-Hybrid variant.
Tesla Model 3 traveling on Autopilot explodes twice after hitting a tow truck
The driver of a Tesla Model 3 and his kids are lucky to be alive after the electric sedan rear-ended a parked tow truck, exploded twice, and burned to the ground. The driver -- a Russian businessman -- told investigators he was using Autopilot at the time of the accident. Tesla is looking into the crash.
Bosch wants to give your car’s instrument cluster a full 3D makeover
Bosch is working on integrating passive 3D technology into your car's dashboard. The company's research shows drivers view and interpret information much faster when it's presented in 3D. There are no firm plans to bring the technology to production yet, but we expect to see it during the early 2020s.
Thieves are using high-tech methods to drive off in high-tech cars
Cars are becoming increasingly high-tech, so thieves are getting smarter to keep up. Code grabbing hardware widely available online lets them duplicate a key fob's code and get into a car without breaking a window or bending a door. The same basic hardware sometimes allows them to drive off in a car.
Is Fisker preparing to throw its hat in the electric pickup ring?
Electric car startup Fisker released an enigmatic, computer-generated teaser image that seems to show a pickup. The electrified truck will ride on the same platform as Fisker's upcoming SUV, and it will reach showrooms in about 2022. It will face competition from Rivian, Tesla, and Ford, among others.
The Ripper ATV is a motorized skateboard that thinks it’s a Jeep Wrangler
Rogue Power developed the Jeep Wrangler of the scooter world. Called Ripper ATV, it's a four-wheeled machine with a surprisingly advanced suspension, and an engine borrowed from a Honda lawnmower. It's designed for light off-roading, and it's small enough to fit in the back of a pickup truck. Pricing starts at $3,500.
For 2020, Volkswagen shuffles trim levels and adds tech across the board
Volkswagen is focusing on technology as it updates its full range of models for the 2020 model year. From the Jetta to the Arteon, all of the firm's cars benefit from a new infotainment system, and most receive standard electronic driving aids. The 2020 models will arrive in American showrooms in the coming months.
Audi places its smallest model where escooters and skateboards intersect
Audi developed a vehicle that blurs the line between escooters and skateboards. Its E-Tron Scooter is an electric skateboard that's shaped like a longboard and fitted with a scooter-like handlebar. It has 12.5 miles of range and a 12.5-mph top speed. Production and sales are both scheduled to kick off in 2020.
Chevy Bolt vs. Volt
Despite having similar names and a similar reliance on electricity, the Chevy Bolt and Volt are not at all the same car. To highlight the differences between these two vehicles, we compared them across several categories, allowing us to get a feel for the technology and features driving each model.
Tesla Model 3 tuned in Germany is an electric car you’ll either love or hate
German tuner Novitec has released a catalog of aftermarket parts for the Tesla Model 3. Its body kit includes several components made with carbon fiber, and it also makes 21-inch alloy wheels available. There are suspension parts, too, but Novitec leaves the Tesla Model 3's electric powertrain fully stock.
Audi Sport will unleash 6 new, redesigned performance cars in the next 4 months
Audi Sport announced plans to introduce six cars by the end of 2019. Looking at the dark teaser image it released, we think we see two variants of the RS Q3, an RS4, an RS6, an RS7, and an RS Q8. We'll see them in the next four months, but don't expect all of them to be sold in the United States.