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2019 Chicago Auto Show Special | Autoblog Podcast #570

On this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore and Associate Editor Reese Counts discuss the 2019 Chicago Auto Show, including the debuts of the Toyota RAV4 TRD, refreshed Toyota Tacoma, the Mazda Miata 30th Anniversary Edition and the new Subaru Legacy. We also announced our best-of-show winners. We also talk about a couple of SUVs we've had at the office, the new Mercedes-Benz G-Class and the BMW X5. Finally, we spend your money on a new, fun vehicle for winter. Autoblog Podcast #570 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2020 Volkswagen Jetta GLI 2019 Mazda Miata 30th Anniversary Edition 2020 Subaru Legacy 2019 Ram 1500 split tailgate 2019 Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road Chicago Auto Show Editor's Picks Mercedes-Benz G550 BMW X5 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Podcasts Chicago Auto Show BMW Mazda Mercedes-Benz RAM Subaru Toyota Volkswagen Videos Original Video

Volkswagen Cross Up! aimed at rugged lifestyle folks, complete with plastic cladding

If you thought there was nothing wrong with the Volkswagen Up! that a little body cladding wouldn't fix, you're in luck. VW has officially pulled the wraps off the production version of the Cross Up!, and its wheel arches and rocker panels are full of the black plastic cladding you've been yearning for.
In addition to the "particularly rugged design and tough, lifestyle qualities" that the cladding exudes, VeeDub has also seen fit to put its Cross Up! on a new set of 16-inch alloy wheels clad in 185/50-series tires. Inside, there are new kick plates to go along with a dash pad that can be had in red, black or silver.
All that cladding must equal additional off-road readiness, right? Well, sure... just so long as you're fine with the same 75-horsepower three-cylinder engine that all other Up! models also feature, along with a five-speed manual transmission sending power to the front wheels, again, just like all other Up! models. The Cross Up! appears to have a taller ride height than other models, but we haven't been able to find out what - if any - changes have been made.

Porsche 911 with VW turbodiesel prepares for LeMons assault

LeMons racing is a wonderful example that setting limits can actually breed creativity. The series mandates that all entries must cost $500, not counting safety equipment, and that cap forces teams to be ingenious in how they build a racecar. Take for example this diesel-powered Porsche 911, which its creators have dubbed Ferkel the Nein-11, that will be racing in the Sears Pointless race this weekend in Sonoma, California.
This Frankenstein combines a 911 chassis that was originally bought just for its European powertrain and a Volkswagen TDI diesel engine mounted in the rear. After deciding the shell could still be of some use, the team decided to go racing. "We began brainstorming what replacement drivetrain to use for maximum offense and there was really only one answer: a diesel," said Philipp von Weitershausen, one of the team captains, to Jalopnik. They bought a 1998 Jetta TDI on the cheap and started figuring out a way to hack the engine into the bay. To pay respect to the donor, the VW's trunk was highly modified (and drilled) and grafted onto the back of Ferkel.
This team isn't a newcomer to LeMons. Its last car was a classic VW Beetle with a Subaru engine and dual controls, named Ferdinand the Bug, which could be driven from the left or right side. It's quite a sight.