Researchers hack and steal a Model S; Tesla says vulnerability now fixed
Security researchers in Belgium discovered an encryption flaw that let them hack into and steal a Tesla Model S without setting off the alarm. The problem involves the key fob and affects cars built before June 2018. Tesla fixed the problem, but the researchers warn other cars could be affected, too.
Volvo’s vision for the future puts you in this private first-class transport pod
Volvo unveiled a concept named 360c that shows how we'll be able to travel in the medium-term future. The box-like car is autonomous and electric. It offers a spacious cabin users can configure as a living room, a bedroom, or a meeting room. The Swedish firm says it's an attractive alternative to flying.
Tesla Model 3: Here’s the latest news including specs and performance
Here's everything we know about the Tesla Model 3, including its underlying tech, features, and its claimed range of 250 miles per charge. Now that the Model 3 production line is back up and running at an accelerated rate, and there's also a new Track Mode available to folks who buy the Performance model.
Electric SUVs will duke it out in the Arctic in new racing series
The organizers of Formula E are in the early stages of planning a sub-series named Extreme E. It will place electric SUVs -- like the Jaguar I-Pace, for example -- on purpose-built tracks in places like the Arctic and the Himalayas. The first Extreme E race is tentatively scheduled to take place in 2020.
Restored Porsche 911 gets a modern upgrade, but retains classic beauty
California-based restoration house Singer Vehicle Design has built its most advanced car yet. The Dynamic and Lightweight Study adds modern power and technology to the Porsche 911's timeless silhouette. Production is limited to 75 examples and each one will cost $1.8 million before buyers add options.
Bosch’s electric motor breakthrough makes semitrucks cheaper, cleaner, quieter
German engineering firm Bosch has developed a simple, cost-efficient way to reduce semitruck emissions. Its bolt-in electric motor lets a semitrailer's rear axles recuperate energy when the truck brakes and dispense it when it starts moving again. The technology also opens the door for autonomous parking.
Piaggio’s timeless Vespa gains connectivity as it goes electric
Italian scooter manufacturer Piaggio has released an electric version of its timeless Vespa scooter. The Vespa Elettrica offers about 60 miles of electric range and more connectivity features than any Vespa before it. Pricing starts in the vicinity of $10,000, and American deliveries will start in 2019.
Tesla isn’t going private (but it had the funding to do so, Musk says)
Tesla CEO and co-founder Elon Musk has decided not to take the company off the stock market. He made this decision after talking to three major banks, shareholders, and members of its board of directors. Going private would require time and resources Musk would rather allocate to ever-important Model 3.
The past, present, and future collide in Mercedes’ EQ Silver Arrow concept
Mercedes-Benz has introduced a concept named EQ Silver Arrow. It draws inspiration from the W125 Silver Arrow, a race car from 1937, while looking toward the future with an electrified powertrain. It shows the direction Mercedes' design will take, but it's not a preview of an upcoming production model.
AK-47 inventor aims a retro-styled electric sports car at the Tesla Model 3
Kalashnikov, the company that invented the AK-47 assault rifle, wants to become one of the world's leading electric car makers. It has introduced a prototype named CV-1 that blends the body of a 1970s wagon with cutting-edge EV tech. The company promises a 220-mile range and a six-second sprint to 60 mph.
Lamborghini’s 770-hp Aventador SVJ is not for the faint of heart
Lamborghini introduced a more extreme evolution of the Aventador S named SVJ during the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Built for handling, it receives trick aerodynamic technology called ALA that alternates between providing downforce and reducing drag. Lamborghini plans on building 900 examples.
Audi funnels its racing heritage into an electric supercar concept
Audi has introduced a cutting-edge concept car named the PB18 E-Tron that shows what an electric supercar could look like. It's not designed with autonomous driving in mind; Audi wants enthusiasts to drive the PB18. It takes a little over 2 seconds to reach 60 mph from a stop thanks to three electric motors.
Elantra, is that you? Hyundai’s compact sedan gets a nose job and more brains
Hyundai has given the 2019 Elantra an update no one saw coming. The changes include a sharper-looking design from the base of the windshield to the tip of the front bumper and a new infotainment powered by an upgraded processor. The 2019 Hyundai Elantra will go on sale before the end of 2018.
Bugatti’s new Divo will be light, nimble, and sharp as a scalpel
Bugatti doesn't introduce a new model very often. When it does, the whole industry takes notice. Named Divo, the firm's next car will arrive in August as a light, nimble car inspired by race cars built in the 1920s. It's limited to 40 examples, and chances are most of them are already spoken for.
Whistleblower says a drug-peddling Mexican cartel thrives in Tesla’s Gigafactory
A former Tesla employee has filed a complaint against the company. He alleges Tesla covered up links between some of its workers and a Mexican drug cartel, illegally spied on its employees by wiretapping their phone, and failed to report a $37 million theft. The company disputes the accusations.
Can BMW’s rebooted 3 Series regain gold standard for sport sedans?
The BMW 3 Series lost its way in 2012; once the gold standard in the sport sedan segment, it disappointed journalists and buyers by not living up to BMW's promise of delivering the ultimate driving machine. The brand-new model scheduled to make its debut as a 2020 model aims to climb back on top of the podium.
Volvo leverages the power of software to build more dynamic cars
Volvo has asked sister company Polestar to make its cars more dynamic through a software update. Offered at an extra cost, the AWD optimization upgrade sends more power to the rear wheels when the driver turns on dynamic mode. It stops short of making the car fully rear-wheel drive but it changes the way it drives.
Tesla board waits for Musk’s plan to go private as Saudi Arabia stays silent
Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk asked more questions than he answered when he declared he could take Tesla private. The money allegedly comes from Saudi Arabia, an oil-rich nation and Tesla investor, but officials have stayed silent. Tesla's board wants to closely examine any proposal to go private.
2019 Audi RS 5 Sportback first drive review
Audi expanded the RS 5 family with a high-performance sedan named Sportback. It stands out from rivals like the BMW M3 with a shapely fastback-like silhouette. While the previous RS 5 used a V8, the new model surfs the downsizing wave and gets a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6. We put it through its paces in Germany.
Porsche goes rallying, and it’s not with the model you’re thinking of
Porsche channeled its racing heritage to turn the 718 Cayman, not the Cayenne, into a rally car. The GT4-spec model was built as a functional concept, and it will participate in its first rally in August. Porsche will then decide whether to build the project for customers, but it won't be street-legal.
Amazon makes it simpler for infotainment developers to integrate Alexa Auto
Amazon has released a software development kit that makes it easier for developers to integrate Alexa Auto into an in-car infotainment system. The clear benefit is that the list of Alexa-compatible cars should increase drastically in the coming years. Expect to see more Alexa-compatible devices, too.
Love driving? Waze’s data scientists want to show you the fun way home
In the United Kingdom, Waze and Volkswagen have teamed up to launch a campaign named GTI Superdrives that identifies the best roads for driving enthusiasts. Data scientists singled out the 75 greatest roads in the U.K. Volkswagen told Digital Trends it won't launch a similar campaign in the U.S.
What kind of mini car does Tesla CEO Elon Musk have in mind?
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has announced his company has started the development of a mini car with space for one passenger. He didn't provide more specific details and there's no widely accepted definition of a mini car, so it's difficult to predict what the company is up to. One thing is for sure: it will be electric.
Bentley’s 66-pound book comes with fold-out pages as wide as a Bentayga
Bentley is celebrating its 100th anniversary in style -- and size. The brand has teamed up with publisher Opus to release a photo book that weighs 66 pounds in its heaviest configuration. It's a limited-edition piece available in three different styles but Bentley hasn't released pricing information yet.
Jaguar’s best-seller, the F-Pace, gets more tech for ’19, but it comes at a cost
Jaguar has updated the F-Pace, its best-selling model, for the 2019 model year. The SUV gets more standard tech features, including a 10-inch screen for the infotainment system, and driving aids like lane-keeping assist and emergency braking. Jaguar also improved its traffic sign recognition function.
Tesla adding in-car Atari games, a party mode, and an improved Autopilot
Tesla will release the next version of its infotainment system in early September. Called V9.0, it will add fun features including at least three Atari games displayed on the touchscreen plus a party and camper mode. V9.0 will also bring an updated version of the firm's Autopilot technology.
Pilot program makes driving a BMW as easy as choosing a Netflix movie
For a fixed monthly rate, Access by BMW members can swap cars as often as they want and have cars delivered straight to their door. BMW offers three tiers called Icon, Legend, and M, respectively through a pilot program in Nashville, Tennessee. Pricing starts at $1,099 and tops out at $2,699 for the most expensive tier.
Quiet but still alive, Faraday Future plans to start FF 91 production in 2018
California-based, Chinese-backed start-up Faraday Future has completed the first FF 91 body-in-white, a term that denotes a car's shell without a powertrain or trim parts. After nearly drowning in a sea of financial issues, the company received a lifeline and promises to start making cars by late 2018.
The Ford F-150 gets the Raptor’s power (but not its swagger) for 2019
For the 2019 model year, the Ford F-150 Limited receives the twin-turbocharged, 3.5-liter V6 engine from the Raptor model. The 450-horsepower engine comes without the Raptor's bloodthirsty looks or off-road chops. Limited models also get Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system and adaptive cruise control.
Audi will soon begin taking reservations for its electric e-tron Quattro SUV
Connected and loaded with tech features, the Audi e-tron Quattro will be slightly bigger than a Q5 and it will be "very, very competitive" in terms of range. Audi promises it will bring the model to the market with available cameras in lieu of mirrors but the technology is illegal in the United States -- for now.
2019 Audi TTS first drive review
Audi celebrated the TT's 20th birthday by updating it inside, outside, and beneath the sheet metal. In our 2019 Audi TTS First Drive Review, we explore the visual changes and travel to the Isle of Man to see the kind of driving experience delivered by the 292-hp engine and the new seven-speed automatic transmission.
Former Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne dies at 66
Sergio Marchionne, 66, has died from complications after surgery to remove a tumor from his right shoulder. The influential, outspoken executive was scheduled to retire in 2019. Mike Manley, who previously ran the Jeep and Ram divisions, replaced Marchionne as the top official for the automaker.