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Weekly Recap: Tesla loses money, still dominates the news

Some people get an inordinate amount of attention. In politics, it's Donald Trump. In football, it's Jim Harbaugh. And in the auto world, it's Elon Musk and his always-fascinating electric car company, Tesla Motors. General Motors is spending $877 million to upgrade a factory. So what! US auto sales are up. Who cares? Tesla has a metal snake that will recharge your car! So was the week in Tesla – er, the industry. Snarkiness aside, Tesla did dominate the news cycle, led by the announcement the company lost $184 million in the second quarter. Tesla also said it expects to deliver between 50,000 and 55,000 vehicles this year, and is preparing for a full launch of the Model X crossover in September. Musk also made news during the earnings call by simply not answering a question about ride sharing, leading to speculation Tesla could be considering its own operation. While the financials were the arguably the most important company news, reports of a Model S cyber hacking were more compelling fodder for Tesla followers. Researchers were able to attack the sedan and bring it to a stop, though they required access to the car first. Tesla says it already has deployed a remedy for the situation. On a lighter note, Tesla published a video of its metal charger prototype that autonomously uncoils like a snake to power up the company's vehicles, provoking plenty of humorous comments and comparisons. Watch it and decide for yourself. While some of this might seem trivial, much of Tesla's recent attention has been warranted. It's the first startup US automaker in decades to launch from nothing and actually gain traction in the market. Sure, Musk is a lightning rod and Tesla always seems to be in the spotlight. But amid all of the publicity, it easy to lose sight of the new reality: Tesla is a force. OTHER NEWS & NOTES 2016 Chevy Volt lights up 106 MPGe The Chevy Volt's vitals are looking healthier for 2016. The second-generation plug-in hybrid racks up a gaudy 106 miles per gallon equivalent, which is an increase of eight MPGe from the 2015 model. The new Volt can travel 53 miles on electricity, a significant jump from the 2015 Volt's 38-mile range. The new car also has a 420-mile total range when factoring in the capability of the gasoline engine, which is 40 miles greater than the current car offers.

2016 Chevy Silverado puts on a better face

When Chevrolet introduced the redesigned Silverado pickup for 2014, you, our loyal readers, gave the new truck's front-end a lukewarm response. Aside from saying it was ugly, one commenter came to the far more damning conclusion that this brand-new vehicle already looked dated. For 2016, Chevy has attempted to address opinions like that, issuing a comprehensive facelift to its bread-and-butter pickup. Designers cut way back on the chrome for 2016, fitting a body-color strip across the middle of the grille and going to a single-headlight design. Combined with twin LED running lamps, the new look is much more modern while still harkening back to the retro-ish look introduced a few years back. The new truck also gets a much more muscular and aggressive hood, while the front bumper is significantly more modern, and features vertical housings for what look like LED foglights. The bad news, here, is that there's only one picture, shown above. We have no idea what changes Chevy has made to the rear of the pickup, nor do we know what other versions of the truck beyond the Z71 seen here may be available. The Bowtie brand did, however, confirm that we'd see a wider application of the eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as a new version of the MyLink infotainment system, which will play nice with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Look for much more on the freshened Silverado when it makes its official debut this fall. Until then, check out the press release and hop into Comments. We'd love to hear what you think about this facelift. 2016 Silverado: The New Face of Strong - Bolder, more sculpted look reflects Silverado strength, dependability - Available support for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay - Expanded use of 8-speed transmissions; additional safety technologies DETROIT – Chevy Trucks are on a roll, with Chevrolet pickup sales up 32 percent so far this year. Chevrolet intends to strengthen this momentum with significant updates for the 2016 Silverado 1500 full-size pickup. "The redesigned 2016 Silverado will build on Chevy Trucks' legacy of dependability. It will feature a more muscular appearance and offer new customer-focused technologies," said Sandor Piszar, marketing director for Chevy Trucks.

VW Finds CO2 'Irregularites', SEMA Recap, and More | Autoblog Minute

Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal gets a new wrinkle, US regulators hit Takata Corporation with a substantial fine, and we head to Vegas for a look at tuner paradise at the 2015 SEMA show. Autoblog Senior Editor Greg Migliore reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute Weekly Recap. Acura Chevrolet Honda Mazda Mitsubishi Toyota Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video Acura Legend