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Latest by S. Edelstein

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Apple CarPlay set for a major update, including new dashboard screen, this fall

Among the 2019 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference announcements were a series of updates for Apple CarPlay. The system gets a revised look and enhanced Siri integration. Apple claims CarPlay is available in 90% of new cars in the U.S. The updated CarPlay is part of iOS 13.
2020 Ford Escape

Ford says it puts 250 bottles’ worth of recycled plastic in the average new car

Ford claims to use 1.2 billion recycled plastic bottles every year, an average of 250 bottles per car. The plastic is used to make underbody shields and wheel liners for Ford cars and trucks. Ford claims recycled plastic has the added benefit of being lighter than conventional plastic.
2019 Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe

Mercedes-AMG GT 73 plug-in hybrid will unleash 805 hp, report says

The Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door may get a new twin-turbocharged V8 plug-in hybrid powertrain, according to a new report. Expected to be called Mercedes-AMG GT 73, the plug-in hybrid would have 805 hp and all-wheel drive. The same plug-in hybrid powertrain may also be used in other AMG models.
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 diesel

Chevrolet Silverado to finally get its diesel engine, but is it worth the wait?

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 gets its diesel engine one model year later than expected. The Duramax inline-six offers more horsepower and torque than the rival Ford F-150's diesel engine. The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado goes on sale later this year with other small updates and new features.
Volvo and POC car-bike helmet crash test

Volvo is crash-testing bike helmets against cars to improve cyclist safety

Volvo and safety gear manufacturer POC have developed car-bike helmet crash tests in an effort to better protect cyclists in collisions with vehicles. The two Swedish companies claim this is a world first. Volvo claims current bike helmet tests don't account for impacts with cars.
Hennessey Maximus 1000 Jeep Gladiator

Hellcat-powered, 1,000-hp Jeep Gladiator is excess fit for a Roman emperor

It was only a matter of time before someone married a Hellcat V8 with a Jeep Gladiator pickup truck. Hennessey Performance not only made the engine swap, but gave the Gladiator 1,000 horsepower. The truck costs $200,000, though, including the price of a stock Jeep Gladiator.
Jaguar Land Rover "sensory steering wheel"

Jaguar Land Rover tests sensory steering wheel to combat distracted driving

Jaguar Land Rover has developed a "sensory steering wheel" that uses temperature changes to give turn-by-turn directions. The automaker claims this tech could help cut down on distracted driving. Jaguar Land Rover has no plans to put the steering wheel into production, however.
Subaru Crosstrek Desert Racer

The Crosstrek Desert Racer off-road buggy is like no Subaru you’ve ever seen

The Subaru Crosstrek Desert Racer is a Class 5 Unlimited buggy built for off-road racing. It's an attempt by Subaru to expand beyond its traditional focus on rallying and rallycross. Subaru teamed up with Grabowski Brothers Racing and Crawford Performance on the project.
Volkswagen Golf GTI Aurora concept

This tuned Volkswagen Golf GTI sports a hologram-controlled audio system

Volkswagen apprentices crammed a hologram projector into the trunk of a Golf GTI hot hatchback. VW said the hologram was built using currently available tech, but that it isn't ready for use in production cars. Volkswagen commissioned the car for the annual Wörthersee meet.
2020 mid-engined Chevrolet Corvette

Tuners may have a big problem with Chevy’s mid-engine Corvette, report says

The upcoming mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 will feature a "unique encrypted ECU," according to a new report. That ECU will include protections against tampering that may make it impossible to tune, the report claims. The new Corvette will be unveiled July 18.
Ferrari SF90 Stradale

Ferrari’s SF90 Stradale, its most powerful road car ever, is a plug-in hybrid

The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is the Italian automaker's latest supercar, and its first production plug-in hybrid. Boasting 986 horsepower and all-wheel drive, it will be a terror on any racetrack. The SF90 proves that Ferrari is serious about electrification and reducing emissions.
Volvo augmented reality

Volvo wants to use augmented reality tech to help design future cars

Volvo and Finnish tech firm Varjo have developed an augmented reality headset that can be used while driving a real car. Volvo claims this will help speed up the development process of future cars. Digital tools are quickly being adopted by automaker design departments.
Alaka'i Technologies Skai

The Skai is a multipurpose flying car powered by hydrogen fuel cells

Alaka'i Technologies is the latest startup to attempt to launch a flying car. But unlike its rivals, the Alaka'i Skai is powered by hydrogen fuel cells. Alaka'i plans to use the Skai as a flying taxi, delivery van, and ambulance, as well as personal transportation.
Volksawgen ID R 5-8

VW may shift $56 billion in battery spending from Samsung over concerns

Volkswagen may shift some of its electric-car battery business away from Samsung over concerns that a deal with the Korean firm will unravel, according to a new report. Volkswagen plans to spend $56 billion on batteries to power a growing lineup of electric cars.
Hyundai N Nürburgring

Hyundai is flying Veloster N owners to the Nürburgring to watch its cars race

Hyundai is hosting an "N Homecoming" for fans of its budding N performance sub-brand at the 2019 Nürburgring 24 Hours race. Hyundai i30 N TCR and Veloster N TCR race cars will compete in the race. Hyundai considers the 'Ring to be one of two spiritual homes of N, along with Namyang, South Korea.
(L to R) Audi S6 TDI, S7 TDI, S6 Avant TDI

Audi launches sportier diesels in Europe, but don’t expect them in the U.S.

Audi is adding TDI diesel mild-hybrid powertrains to most of its sporty S models in Europe. The setup aims to boost performance without sacrificing fuel efficiency. Audi parent VW's diesel emissions cheating means they won't be coming to the U.S. Diesel is on the defensive worldwide.
Ford GT 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans retro liveries

Ford says au revoir to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with retro GT liveries

The 2019 24 Hours of Le Mans will be the last for the Ford GT, a tribute to the legendary Ford GT40 that won Le Mans four times in the 1960s. The current GT won its class on its first try in 2016, but was winless at Le Mans in 2017 and 2018. Ford will deck out four GT race cars in retro liveries.
Simon Pagenaud wins 2019 Indy 500

How Verizon and Team Penske used 5G to help win the Indy 500

Team Penske, the most successful race team in Indy 500 history, used Verizon 5G in its bid to win the 2019 Indy 500. Modern race cars generate tons of data, and a 5G connection lets teams harvest that data faster. The Indy 500 is one of the world's oldest races, but it benefits from modern tech.
Nissan Leaf

Leaf electric-car batteries can outlast vehicles by up to 12 years, Nissan claims

Nissan Leaf batteries have roughly twice the life span of the cars they're installed in, according to an executive from the automaker. Nissan is investigating alternative uses for those batteries. That includes Nissan home energy storage, as well as projects to power larger buildings.
2016 cadillac cts v first drive sedan 029

Cadillac confirms V-Series performance versions of the CT5 and CT4

Cadillac will unveil CT5-V and CT4-V sports sedans in Detroit May 30. They will be the latest cars in the General Motors luxury brand's V-Series performance line, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. Cadillac did not disclose any details on the CT5-V and CT4-V, however.
Audi TT 20th Anniversary Edition

Audi TT will get the ax to make way for electric cars — and the R8 may be next

Once a design leader, the Audi TT will meet its demise to make room in Audi's lineup for more electric cars. Audi executives confirmed plans to kill off the TT at the automaker's annual shareholder meeting. Audi plans to replace the TT with an electric model in the future.
Mercedes-Benz GLE580 4Matic

Mercedes-Benz GLE SUV tries to balance power and efficiency with mild-hybrid V8

The redesigned Mercedes-Benz GLE will get a V8 mild-hybrid powertrain when it launches in the United States later in 2019. The 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 makes 483 hp on its own, but can also get a 21 hp electric boost. Mercedes-Benz hasn't disclosed gas mileage figures for the V8 mild-hybrid model.
2020 BMW X7 M50i

Parents will never miss soccer practice with BMW’s new 523-horsepower SUVs

BMW is launching M Performance versions of its biggest SUVs, the X5 and X7. While not full-on M models, they do pack 523-horsepower twin-turbo V8 engines, allowing both SUVs to sprint from zero to 60 mph in under five seconds. BMW will start building the X5 and X7 M Performance variants this summer.
2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Custom Trail Boss

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup lets you see through trailers — sort of

The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 pickup truck gets a handful of updates for the new model year, including a transparent trailer camera system and a big boost in maximum towing capacity. A diesel engine option for the Chevrolet Silverado is also expected to launch following a delay.
Aston Martin DBS Superleggera 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'

Live out your 007 fantasy with this special edition Aston DBS Superleggera

Aston Martin is releasing a limited-edition DBS Superleggera inspired by the James Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The Superleggera's ancestor was 007's car in that movie. Aston Martin will build 50 of the special edition cars.
2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport

2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport uses cameras to spot off-road obstacles

The 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport gets a host of new tech features, including a camera system that shows what's underneath the car. It also gets a mild-hybrid powertrain to improve gas mileage. The 2020 Land Rover Discovery Sport goes on sale in the United States this summer.
A person driving a car.

Many Uber and Lyft vehicles have glaring safety issues, report says

A Consumer Reports survey of roughly 94,000 cars registered with Uber and Lyft in New York City and Seattle found that many had open safety recalls. The rate of open recalls was similar to that of personal cars, however. It's down to the drivers to ensure these recalls are fixed.
Mercedes-Benz ESF 2019

Mercedes-Benz safety-car concept monitors the road ahead and your kids

The Mercedes-Benz Experimental Safety Vehicle 2019 was designed for a world where humans and machines share driving duties. It can use lights to communicate with other road users, and even monitor an infant's vital signs. It's the latest in a long line of Mercedes-Benz safety-car concepts.
Ford F-150 Limited 2019

Ford aluminum truck beds prove haters wrong, are cheaper to repair than steel

Repair costs were a major concern for truck buyers when Ford launched its aluminum F-150. But insurance data indicates that, if anything, the F-150 may be cheaper to repair than traditional steel trucks. Part of that is due to Ford's thorough training of dealers on aluminum bodywork repairs.
2019 audi e tron electric suv review etron us fd feat

2019 Audi E-Tron U.S. spec first drive review

We've been chasing the electric Audi E-Tron around the world for nearly a year; what a trip it's been. We finally got to spend time behind the wheel of the regular-production model in the bustling cities and arid desert of the United Arab Emirates to see how it compares with Jaguar and Tesla's competitors.
2020 Cadillac CT5

GM thinks up new electronic brain for its cars, allowing over-the-air updates

General Motors is launching a new electrical architecture to support more tech features in its cars. The system debuts on the 2020 Cadillac CT5, and will roll out to most other GM models by 2023. General Motors promises much faster processing speeds and over-the-air updates.
2020 Ford Explorer hybrid

Ford gears up to build rugged, capable hybrid trucks and SUVs

Ford is planning to put hybrid powertrains into big trucks and SUVs, and doesn't want to sacrifice things like towing capacity and off-road capability. A new hybrid system may help do that. The system debuts in the 2020 Ford Explorer, and will likely migrate to other vehicles after that.
Nissan ProPilot 2.0

Nissan ProPilot 2.0: Hands-off highway driving, here we come

Nissan is launching a new version of its ProPilot Assist system in Japan that's much smarter than the current version. It can handle acceleration, braking, and steering on highways while using a camera to make sure the driver doesn't fall asleep. Nissan will launch the new system in Fall 2019.

Aston Martin will revive James Bond’s DB5 at a price only Goldfinger can afford

Aston Martin will build 25 new versions of the DB5 from the 1964 James Bond film Goldfinger, complete with gadgets. These "continuation cars" will cost millions of dollars, but won't be road legal. It's Aston's second continuation-car project, after the recent revival of the DB4 GT.