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2021 Aston Martin DBX looks the part, likely drives it, too

After 106 years in business and after five years working on development, Aston Martin presents its first-ever SUV, the DBX. Having seen spy shots and teasers of the vehicle's progress over the past year, it's everything we'd expect, and on first glance it holds up as an Aston Martin. The company's already told us there's an AMG-sourced, 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making 542 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, making this the most powerful version of that motor in the English automaker's lineup. Shifting through a nine-speed torque converter automatic, zero to 60 miles per hour takes 4.3 seconds, top speed is 181 mph. We've heard the exhaust note. And we've seen the leather-filled interior and the $189,000 USD price, which comes to $192,086 after destination. What we now know are 24 pages worth of press release detail that make this a true Aston Martin. We'll share just a few of those details here. The exterior has all the rake and swoop one would expect. Astride the trademark grille shape are LED headlights, below those, DRLs ring two aerodynamic ducts that reduce lift and drag and cool the brakes. Frameless doors hide their window seals for a super clean look, and the B-pillars are fronted with glass to help the illusion of an unbroken expanse. The rakish rear glass slides down to a pronounced, fixed spoiler lip reminiscent of the Vantage. Two wheel sizes are offered, both 22 inches — the V-spoke design shown, and an optional Ribbon design that gives the "appearance of interwoven strands of contrasting color metal" that's inspired by "the interlocking antlers of stags in battle." The DBX comes on a new bonded aluminum platform specifically developed to support an SUV. Years of experience with the construction method helped engineers keep weight of the five-seater down to 4,940 pounds for the vehicle overall. The weight is dynamically managed by an adaptive air suspension bolstered by a 48-volt anti-roll system. The standard 7.8-inch ground clearance can be raised by 1.8 inches to clear a 19.7-inch wading depth, or lowered by a hair under two inches when easy access is needed to the 22.3 cubic-feet of trunk space behind the second row. The new AWD system uses an electronically controlled center diff and a rear differential to apportion torque, going from a 47/53 torque split to sending almost 100 percent of twist to the rear.

2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring brings plug-in hybrid tech to the small crossover

LOS ANGELES — When the new Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair were launched, the Corsair was strangely lacking a hybrid variant like the cheaper Ford. The reason for this is that Lincoln was preparing a slightly more advanced hybrid for the small luxury crossover. The 2021 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring elevates itself over the Ford by bringing plug-in capability and a different kind of all-wheel drive. At the front of the Corsair, the powertrain is the same as the Ford Escape. It's a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline-4 and an electric motor powering the front wheels. But at the back, Lincoln has added another electric motor with a single-speed transmission to power the rear wheels, just like Toyota has been doing in the all-wheel-drive versions of the Toyota Prius, RAV4 Hybrid and Lexus UX250h. In addition to giving the Corsair four driven wheels, it brings total horsepower up to 266 ponies, an increase of 66 over the Ford. Having this rear motor opens up lots of freedom for how much power is given to the rear wheels, and a Lincoln representative said that the rear can go into a coasting or free-wheeling state when cruising for efficiency. Supplying electricity to the Corsair Grand Touring is a floor-mounted 14.4-kWh battery pack. Lincoln estimates it will provide enough power for the Corsair to drive about 26 miles on a charge. Neither the battery nor the rear motor take up any interior space, so rear passenger and cargo capacity remain the same as the regular Corsair. Charging can be done at Level 1 or Level 2 chargers, with the former taking 10 to 11 hours and the latter taking 3 to 4 hours. DC fast charging is not available, something that's featured on the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Hybrid mechanical bits aside, the Corsair Grand Touring is just like any other Corsair. The only indicators that it's a hybrid are the unique grille, 20-inch wheels, blue badging and additional door for the charging plug. The Grand Touring comes standard with Lincoln's cell-phone key system, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist and automatic high-beams. Automatic parking, a head-up display and adaptive cruise control are all options. Pricing hasn't been announced yet, but will likely revealed closer to the on-sale date in the summer of 2020. Looking at the price structure for the Aviator, which also has a Grand Touring plug-in hybrid variant, the Corsair Grand Touring could be priced above the current range-topping Reserve trim.

2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible is much more than just coupe minus roof

LOS ANGELES — Usually when a convertible version of an existing car is introduced, the reveal story generally goes something like, "It's the same, but the roof has been removed, it goes down in XX seconds, there's less structural rigidity and it weighs XXX more pounds. That's it, carry on." With the 2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible, there was actually a surprising amount done to create the drop-top version and make sure it's as compelling as its existing coupe sibling. But before we get to that, make sure to take a moment to admire how pretty the LC 500 Convertible is. Or, perhaps, a second moment. The car you see here is painted Structural Blue and features a stunning Santorini-esque white-and-blue interior. That this combo will be limited to a mere 100 units as a special-edition Inspiration Series is an absolute crime. My goodness it's beautiful. OK, the Convertible transformation. Lexus improved chassis rigidity by adding, reshaping and/or relocating structural braces, including the rear suspension brace tower. To counter this, weight is reduced at the rear by using a die-cast aluminum suspension brace, and a unique dampener used to ensure comparable ride quality as the coupe. Unsprung weight at the front suspension was also reduced. In total, only 217 total pounds were added for the convertible over the 2019 LC 500 coupe. The new soft-top has four layers, and Lexus says its fabric was selected to make sure that it would stay tight and prevent wrinkling. Excellent sound insulation is promised, but Active Noise Control is also employed, whether the roof is raised or lowered, to further suppress noise. The roof is lowered in 15 seconds and raised in 16. A rigid tonneau cover is employed when the roof is lowered. Design changes for the convertible include a trunk lip that's been raised slightly and widened. The center brake light is integrated into it ­– it's normally above the back window. The beltline and rear molding were also reshaped to suppress wind, while a transparent plastic wind deflector is integrated neatly behind the back seat. 2021_Lexus_LC_500_Convertible_07 View 13 Photos Like various Mercedes and BMW convertibles, a neck-level heater is added for the front seats. They are integrated into the LC's existing "Climate Concierge" that automatically activates the heater or air conditioner, seat heating or ventilation, and the heated steering wheel. It'll also automatically blow warm or cold air onto the driver's hands when on the steering wheel.

The 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GP is overwrought and automatic

As we’ve said many, many times before: Nurburgring times are not the measuring stick automakers hold them out to be. They donÂ’t happen under controlled circumstances with independent observers and bone-stock cars, generally. So that makes the new 2020 Mini John Cooper Works GPÂ’s exact time – which BMW officially fudges as “under 8 minutes” and which spy shots peg at 7:56.69 – fairly meaningless. WhatÂ’s not meaningless are the optics. Regardless of whether others cheat, that time isnÂ’t particularly impressive, behind the likes of the Renault Megane R.S. Trophy-R, the Honda Civic Type R, and the Volkswagen GTI Clubsport. LetÂ’s say, hypothetically, that all of those faster ‘Ring runners were Â… ringers. Maybe the Mini isnÂ’t. But strip away this stopwatch discussion and what remains is perhaps even more controversial. The John Cooper Works GP is a busy little thing, be-winged and spackled with GP decals and red accents and unusual overfenders. And itÂ’s an automatic – no manual here. Certainly all this will excite some, but itÂ’s bound to create some controversy for its sheer audaciousness. LetÂ’s start with the styling. Deep, bright red accents abound, looking almost like enamel. The trim is otherwise darkened, even the badging. That large split wing above the rear hatch has a distinct sci-fi vibe, like it was ripped off the concept art for a 2042 fusion-powered race car. Whether it meshes with the loosely-defined retro vibe of the underlying Mini Cooper is up to you. The most striking exterior element is the overfender treatment. TheyÂ’re a combination of a plastic understructure and a chopped carbon fiber material cap with a hexagonal seam motif. In pictures, it looks a bit like fiberboard – probably not the look Mini was going for. The panels stand proud of the fenders, too, especially at the top seam. If weÂ’re being generous, they look quite bold. But it seems that this element will live or die on how it appears in the flesh, so weÂ’ll wait until then to analyze it more. The styling is going to create some polarization, and so too will the mechanical spec and performance numbers. The turbo inline-four makes 301 horsepower – respectable, sure, but not outlandish. The 0-60 time is off the pace compared to the superlative Civic Type R, which clocks a 4.7-second run according to Car and Driver (Honda is mum on 0-60 times, by the way). The GP? 5.0 seconds. Good, but not the best – just like its claimed ‘Ring time.

2019 Jaguar XJ Collection Special Edition is a 300-unit curtain call

The current 2019 Jaguar XJ is effectively a lame duck, as we have previously reported production ended in July, 2019, and a new all-electric model is on the way. But before it's sent into the archives, Jaguar designed one last special-edition variant to celebrate the luxury sedan. It's called the XJ Collection Special Edition, and it's limited to 300 examples exclusively for the U.S. market. Matching the car's personality, the overall package is quite low-key. The exterior of the XJL can been draped in Yulong White, Santorini Black or British Racing Green (the obvious choice) and wears 20-inch five-spoke wheels with a satin gray finish. A "Collection" badge on the rear deck lid signifies the limited nature of the vehicle. The white or black models can be paired with Ebony/Ebony or Mineral/Ivory interiors, while the Green models can only be paired with an Ebony/London Tan interior. All examples will have door paneling in a gloss rich oak veneer with exclusive linear laser inlay. Jaguar also used "XJ Collection" branding on the metal tread plates, and an "XJ Collection One of 300" "intaglio" tags the dashboard. All 300 units start with the rear-drive long-wheelbase XJL Supercharged. That means all 300 have 470 horsepower and 424 lb-ft of torque, so its sleeper status remains. The XJ Collection Special Edition lists at $86,025, including destination.

Bugatti considering electric four-seater as second model

Bugatti's long-rumored additional model could run on electricity rather than gasoline, according to a recent report. The company is tentatively planning a downward expansion without diluting its image. Downward is a relative term when spoken in the same sentence as Bugatti. The company isn't interested in chasing volume with an alternative to the Volkswagen GTI. Instead, Bloomberg wrote it's envisioning an electric four-seater priced between 500,000 and one million euros, sums that represent about $555,000 and $1.1 million, respectively. Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann told the publication that convincing parent company Volkswagen to fund the model requires a "hard fight," however. "The industry is changing fundamentally, and we have to address what opportunities there are to develop Bugatti as a brand going forward," he explained. Releasing a second, cheaper model would mark a dramatic shift for the prestigious automaker, which has stuck to a one-core-model strategy since its renaissance in 1998. The EV could bump its annual output from about 100 to 600 cars. Winkelmann was the driving force behind the Urus when he ran Lamborghini, which has led to speculation that Bugatti's second model will be an SUV. Speaking to Autoblog, a spokesperson for the company again doused cold water on the rumors. "It would not be an SUV," we learned. The representative stressed nothing has been decided yet, so it's still too early to tell precisely when the second model would enter production if it receives the proverbial green light for production. Less than 100 Chiron build slots remain available, but the French company has its work cut out for the coming years. It will deliver the first of 40 planned examples of the Divo in 2020, send the one-off La Voiture Noire to its mysterious new home in 2021, and build the first of 10 Centodiecis (pictured) in 2022. Additional Chiron variants (like the record-breaking 300+) aren't out of the question, either. The idea of an electric Bugatti isn't without precedence. In 1931, company founder Ettore Bugatti built a battery-powered runabout named Type 56 to drive on his property. It was never meant to be a production car, but requests from wealthy clients (including Belgian king Leopold III, who wanted one for his wife Astrid) convinced Bugatti to make 10 examples between 1931 and 1936. Four remain in 2019, including one in original condition that Autoblog got the opportunity to drive in 2018.

UAW turns its focus to Fiat Chrysler, which may resist more than Ford did

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union on Monday turned its bargaining focus to Fiat Chrysler, raising the possibility of another strike against a Detroit automaker. Ford workers ratified their contract Friday night, while the union settled with General Motors last month after a 40-day strike by 49,000 workers that shut down the companyÂ’s U.S. production. Ford, which has 55,000 UAW workers, mostly followed the pattern agreement set at GM. But industry analysts say the same deal will cost Fiat Chrysler a lot more money because of the makeup of its workforce. Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley said recently that automakers are in “different conditions” in terms of labor forces, hinting the company may be reluctant to follow the pattern. The union, however, expects FCA to follow the template set by GM and Ford. “We look forward to bargaining a fair, balanced and patterned contract as FCA is a profitable company,” the UAW said in a statement. “You cannot brag about your earnings to Wall Street and at the same time ignore the sacrifice of your workforce that put you in that profitable position.” The deal with Ford and GM gives workers hired after 2007 pay raises so they reach top UAW production wages within four years. It also gives temporary workers a path to full-time jobs within three years. Workers hired after 2007 now are paid lower wages than workers hired before that, even though theyÂ’re doing the same jobs. Workers hired before 2007 get a mix of annual pay raises and lump sum payments. Fiat Chrysler has more workers hired after 2007, and a higher percentage of temporary workers than either Ford or GM. That means the terms of the contract would cost the company more money, said Kristin Dziczek, vice president of labor and manufacturing with the Center for Automotive Research, an industry think tank in Ann Arbor, Michigan. “They are looking at significant cost increases,” Dziczek said of FCA. She says a strike against FCA isnÂ’t out of the question, and depends on how willing the company is to follow the pattern set by Ford and GM. FCA said in a statement it welcomes bargaining toward a deal to keep investing in the companyÂ’s future and creating opportunities for employees and communities. Ford has about 18,500 workers hired after 2007 who will get big pay raises with the new contract, compared with GM's 17,000. But Fiat Chrysler has over 20,000 union employees hired after 2007.

PSA unions vote in favor of merger with Fiat Chrysler

PARIS — The majority of unions representing workers at Peugeot maker PSA are in favor of a planned $50 billion merger with Fiat Chrysler, PSA executives and union representatives said. However, the unions said that once the merger deal was signed, they would be seeking detailed information about the plans for the combined company. At a PSA works council meeting, all trade union representatives on the council voted to give a favorable opinion on the merger. "We will remain vigilant about the social impact and await a clearer and more detailed picture of the plan's implications for plants, volume, and how much work will be given to the foundries," said Franck Don, representative of the CFTC union. "But the project in the form it's been presented makes sense because the two groups complement each other, are in good financial health, and thanks to the new format will attain a critical size which is vital in the auto business today." The merger would help the firms pool resources to meet tough new emissions rules and investments in electric and self-driving vehicles, as well as counter a broader downturn in car markets. Securing support from Europe's powerful trade unions will be critical for the merged company, which will employ more than 400,000 staff and operate hundreds of factories worldwide. The deal has stirred concerns in Germany and Britain where plants making Opel and Vauxhall cars have seen jobs cut in recent year as part of a cost-cutting drive. UAW/Unions Chrysler Fiat Citroen Peugeot PSA

Carlos Ghosn, a year after arrest, still seeks trial date and access to evidence

TOKYO — A year after his arrest, Nissan ex-Chairman Carlos Ghosn remains stuck in Tokyo under stringent bail conditions and without a trial date as he seeks access to a trove of Nissan emails and other evidence to fight charges of financial misconduct. His lawyers have asked a court to grant access to 6,000 pieces of evidence collected from Nissan such as electronic communications, which they say is crucial for a fair trial, showed an Oct. 4 court filing seen by Reuters. The once-feted executive has spent 129 days in detention since his arrest shortly after his private jet touched down at a Tokyo airport on Nov. 19, 2018. He faces four charges — which he denies — including hiding income and enriching himself through payments to dealerships in the Middle East. Nissan sacked Ghosn, saying its internal investigations revealed misconduct ranging from understating his salary while he was its chief executive, and transferring $5 million of Nissan funds to an account in which he had an interest. An earlier court ruling allowed prosecutors to hand back evidence to Nissan during pretrial wrangling over witnesses and evidence similar to the U. S. discovery process. If prosecutors are "given the freedom to unilaterally delete the collected evidence and return it to relevant parties, this is equivalent to granting the investigative agencies the right to destroy evidence," showed the filing to the Tokyo District Court. The lawyers also asked the court to rescind the earlier ruling, saying some evidence could be erased by Nissan to protect confidential business information. They argued the "ruling deprives Mr. Ghosn of his right to receive a fair public trial by an impartial court," as it enabled prosecutors to view and use the evidence and withhold it from the defense. Prosecutors are not required to hand over all evidence they or the police gather during investigations unless ordered by the court, unlike in the U.S. discovery process where prosecutors and defense lawyers disclose the evidence they intend to present in court. A spokeswoman for the Tokyo prosecutors' office said the office could not comment on individual cases. A Nissan spokeswoman declined to comment. Ghosn's lawyers have also asked the court to dismiss all charges against him, accusing prosecutors of colluding with government officials and Nissan executives to oust him to block any takeover of the automaker by French alliance partner Renault SA, of which Ghosn was also chairman.

2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Review & Buying Guide | Small but significant changes

The 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is a luxury SUV aimed at folks who want something different – not necessarily to be flashy, but just to stand out in a crowd of grey Audis and black BMWs. Besides its badge and decidedly un-German styling, the Stelvio drives like no other luxury SUV. It has quick steering with great feel and excellent road holding that provide the sort of involved driving experience you probably don't expect from a high-riding crossover – and that goes triple for the outrageous, 505-horsepower Quadrifoglio that is without question the most desirable and competitive Stelvio. However, to this point, choosing the Stelvio also meant putting up with some overtly cheap interior pieces, an arcane infotainment system, few accident avoidance technologies and a poor reliability reputation. As you'll read below, all but the reliability issue have been addressed for 2020 – and only time will tell if the reliability's been improved. These changes are welcome and make the Stelvio much easier to make a case for getting something different. What's new with Stelvio for 2020? The interior's cheap and wobbly switchgear, which so obviously stood out in the 2019 Stelvio, gets a welcome upgrade for 2020. The electronic shifter is a little more solid in action, it's now covered in stitched perforated leather and surrounded by a metallic housing festooned with a little Italian flag. The electronic parking brake has been relocated to the left of it. The center console has also been redesigned to accommodate a wireless charging pad. Knobs for the "dna" drive mode selector, volume/track and the infotainment control knob feel more solid, while the latter is ringed by a nice knurled metal finish. That knob, however, has become a redundant control interface as the 8.8-inch infotainment display is now touch-operated as well. It also has new graphics and a new interface with a configurable home screen. It's a definite improvement over what was there before. The Stelvio also gets more advanced accident avoidance tech, most of which are among the best-executed on the market. The base price has also gone down by about $1,000 for 2020 despite these upgrades. That's rare. What's the Stelvio's interior and in-car technology like? Despite its many worthwhile upgrades for 2020, the Stelvio's interior still doesn't possess the same luxurious look and feel you'll find in an Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Porsche or Volvo.

2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia First Drive | All about the little things

ALBEROBELLO, Italy – Little things can make a big difference. And for the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia, it's the little things that have been addressed, those that have been causing reviewers to kvetch and customers to look elsewhere. The cupholders that cause bottles to bang into the HVAC controls. The shifter and knobs made of cheap plastic that wobble about in your hand. The backwoods entertainment system that makes an Audi's look like it's been beamed in from the far-flung future.  The big things? They've been left untouched, almost entirely for the best. The Giulia's exceptional driving credentials have been well-documented with multiple awards and much gushing about divine steering and an astute chassis. For 2020, they're unchanged apart from some imperceptible tweaks to the steering that iron out an occasional low-speed refinement issue. Even when driven on the regrettably non-winding roads of southern Italy's "heel," the Giulia continues to come across as something different and special. That steering is pleasingly quick and full of feeling, friendly to both those who yearn for man-machine connection and those who'd rather not get an upper body workout when parking at Kroger. The Giulia feels light and playful, with a stiff chassis and adeptly tuned suspension. When people talk about sport sedans losing their edge (cough BMW 3 Series), it can still be found in the Giulia. At the same time, the adaptive dampers available in the Ti trim's Performance package impressively sops up nasty bumps, of which there are a great many around Italy's heel (AKA Puglia). Cars with such a sporting "edge" are often given a pass when it comes to ride quality, as a sore back and kidneys bruised by the seat bolsters are considered par for the course. The Giulia needs no such handicap. If there's a meh moment, it's the engine. Much is rightly made about the Quadrifoglio's 2.9-liter turbo V6 derived from Ferrari and possibly divine intervention. By contrast, the standard 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four doesn't offer much in the way of zest. Oh, its 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque are class-leading, and its 5.1-second estimated 0-60 time is exceptional. In sound, however, it's just another turbo-four, and most disappointingly, its 5,500-rpm redline is a real buzzkill. It's not exactly diesel-like, but it's close.

2020 Buick Encore GX is a really attractive middle child

The 2020 Buick Encore GX is officially a thing in North America. The compact crossover slips into the space between the slightly smaller Encore and the larger Envision, adding extra room behind the rear seats to pack in a lot more than the Encore, and only a little less than in Envision. Beyond the additional room, every trim of the Encore GX comes with safety tech that — for the moment, at least — can only be had as an optional extra on the standard Encore, if it's available at all on the smaller model. The six included features are automatic emergency braking, following distance indicator, forward collision alert, front pedestrian braking, IntelliBeam headlamps with automatically-adjusting high/low beams, and lane-keeping assist with lane departure warning. IntelliBeam, for instance, isn't available on the Encore, and doesn't come standard on the Envision until maxing out at the AWD Premium II trim. What's more, the new bigger Encore brother puts a list of substantial safety features on the options sheet, such as Automatic Parking Assist with Braking, a heads-up display, camera-based adaptive cruise control, high-definition Surround Vision camera system, rear park assist, rear cross traffic alert, and a hands-free power liftgate with logo projection. Convenience touches in the cabin are found in wireless charging, Bluetooth pairing for two phones simultaneously, and Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and Sirius XM with 360L compatibility. The 360L version of Sirius XM combines satellite services with streaming to provide more channels and access to live and on-demand shows. Buyers can luxe it up inside with optional perks like leather-appointed seats, a heated steering wheel, and an ionizing air filter. Buick says the Encore GX swallows 25.3 cubic feet of goods behind the second row. According to the dimension stats on the Buick site, that's 6.5 cubic feet more than the load space in an Encore and a measly 1.6 cubic feet less than the available volume in an Envision. The carmaker wants buyers to get the most flexibility out of the Encore GX area as well, serving up an adjustable load floor in every trim that can be raised to lie level with the folded rear seats and provide extra under-floor storage.

California to stop buying GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler vehicles over emissions fight

WASHINGTON — California said on Monday it will halt all purchases of new vehicles for state government fleets from GM, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler and other automakers backing President Donald Trump in a battle to strip the state of authority to regulate tailpipe emissions. Between 2016 and 2018, California purchased $58.6 million in vehicles from General Motors, $55.8 million from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, $10.6 million from Toyota Motor and $9 million from Nissan. Last month, GM, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and members of the Global Automakers trade association backed the Trump administration's effort to bar California from setting tailpipe standards, which are more rigid than Washington's proposed national standards. The automakers declined or did not immediately comment on California's announced ban on purchases of their vehicles. Starting in January, the state will only buy from automakers that recognize California's legal authority to set emissions standards. Those automakers include Ford, Honda, BMW AG and Volkswagen AG, which struck a deal with California in July to follow revised state vehicle emissions standards. "Car makers that have chosen to be on the wrong side of history will be on the losing end of CaliforniaÂ’s buying power," California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a statement. California purchased $69.2 million in vehicles from Ford over the three-year-period, $565,000 from Honda and none from the German automakers. The state also disclosed it will immediately no longer allow state agencies to buy sedans powered by an internal combustion engine, with exemptions for certain public safety vehicles. California's vehicle rules have been adopted by 13 other states. On Friday, California and 22 other U.S. states challenged the Trump administration's decision to revoke California's legal authority to set vehicle tailpipe emissions rules and require a rising number of zero emission vehicles (ZEV). The move follows a separate lawsuit filed in September by the states against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration seeking to undo a parallel determination. In August 2018, the Trump administration proposed freezing fuel efficiency requirements at 2020 levels through 2026, reversing planned 5% annual increases. The Trump administrationÂ’s final requirements are expected in the coming months and are set to modestly boost fuel efficiency versus the initial proposal, with several automakers anticipating annual increases of about 1.5%.

Refreshed Mitsubishi Mirage hatch and G4 sedan debut in Thailand

After Mitsubishi teased its global compact twins earlier this month, the Mirage hatchback and Attrage sedan — called the Mirage G4 here — greeted the public in Thailand. These appear to be cosmetic adjustments only, Mitsubishi mum so far on any powertrain changes. Both vehicles now wear the Dynamic Shield corporate face with "styling [that] sweeps round from the sides toward the middle of the nose in a protective embrace." At the edges of the red-trimmed grille strakes, restructured headlights now incorporate LEDs. In back, vehicle edges have been drawn more square and vertical. Below the revised taillights, the bumpers feature cutouts at their edges that house reflectors. Interior revisions on all trims include soft-feel cloth for hand-rest areas like the door card, new designs for the front armrests, and a carbon fiber pattern for the gauge cluster background and the window switch panel. Higher trims can be optioned with new seat designs, solid-colored synthetic leather in the sedan, and a mix of fabric and synthetic leather in the hatch, each with complementary piping and stitching. Another new option will be Mitsubishi's Smartphone Display Audio infotainment with a seven-inch screen and compatibility with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Both cars expand their color palettes with a White Diamond hue, and the hatchback adds Sand Yellow as well. Wheel designs get in on the upgrades, the hatch benefiting from a 15-inch two-tone, diamond-cut wheel, the sedan wheel coming in a solid silver finish. Assuming engines don't change when the redesigned bodywork goes on sale here, the 1.2-liter three-cylinder with 78 horsepower and 74 pound-feet of torque will be our only option, shifting through either a five-speed manual or a CVT.  Featured Gallery 2020 Mitsubishi Mirage Hatch and Attrage-G4 Sedan View 30 Photos Mitsubishi Hatchback Economy Cars Sedan

2018 Kia Stinger GT long-term wrap-up | Putting the grand in grand tourer

One of our latest long-term tester departures is our 2018 Kia Stinger GT, and it's one we're sad to see leave. Our really red example was optioned ideally for this group of enthusiasts in southeast Michigan with the twin-turbo 365-horsepower V6, a few extra comfort features with the GT1 package such as a sunroof and heated steering wheel, and of course, all-wheel drive. And after over 18,000 miles of driving the Stinger, we were thoroughly impressed. The engine felt impressively powerful, delivering a big ol' shove to the back with every stab of the throttle. The handling was confident and quick. While it wasn't our exact long-term car, one of our editors took a Stinger to the track and had a good time with it. The styling never grew old, looking just as low, lean and aggressive as when it first arrived. And it was even comfortable and practical, just look at all the stuff we could stuff in it! Looking at everyone's final thoughts, the Stinger made a near-perfect daily driver. There were a few snags during our custody, though. A few creaks and rattles appeared, including an issue with a door hinge that had to be fixed by the dealer. We also ended up with a warped brake rotor that needed changing. Something that couldn't be fixed was the Stinger's thirst. We averaged between 19 and 23 mpg in mixed driving plus the occasional long highway slog. That's actually slightly better than the EPA's combined estimate of 20 mpg, but it's still not stellar. The four-cylinder is the way to go if you'll be racking up a lot of miles. Gripes aside, the Stinger GT was a welcome part of the Autoblog fleet. See what we all had to say about it in more detail below. 2018 Kia Stinger GT View 10 Photos Editor-in-Chief, Greg Migliore: I really enjoyed our long-term Stinger. It had guts. It had plenty of power. It was fun to drive. It had emotion in a way only a few non-luxury sedans have. Frankly, it's this and the Dodge Charger as far as large sedans go for enthusiasts. I loved how the Stinger sounded; guttural and deep. It looked the part, too, though some of the accents weren't to my taste. The steering was excellent, the right balance of precision and pliability. It offered confidence to push the car in corners and the necessary feedback to do so with skill. I really liked the Stinger. It offered a great value, though the interior did start to show some aging after a year in our fleet.

Jaguar-Land Rover rules out downsizing into new segments

Jaguar-Land Rover (JLR) will continue expanding its portfolio of models during the 2020s, but the group confirmed it won't chase volume by branching out into smaller segments like its German rivals. The two brands will instead seek partnerships to generate economies of scale. "We should not and will not drive down into segments just to get economies of scale," said Felix Brautigam, Jaguar-Land Rover's chief commercial officer, in an interview with Autocar. He added the second-generation Range Rover Evoque (pictured) released in 2018 is already a relatively small car. It stretches 172 inches from bumper to bumper and 75 inches from side to side, so it's approximately 4 inches longer and 5 inches wider than the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf. It's about 8 inches taller than the German hatchback, however. While that's small by luxury car standards, Mercedes-Benz and BMW respectively went smaller with their Smart and Mini brands. Audi doesn't have an entry-level sub-brand, but it doesn't need to because it's part of the gigantic Volkswagen Group. Japanese luxury firms like Lexus and Infiniti are also part of bigger companies. Brautigam's comments bury numerous rumors. They confirm Jaguar won't take on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, the Audi A3, and the BMW 1 Series with a model positioned below the XE, which competes against the C-Class, the A4, and the 3 Series, respectively. They also douse cold water on the born-again Freelander (which ultimately morphed into the LR2 in America), which Land Rover was allegedly developing to slot directly below the aforementioned Evoque. Ironically, JLR might soon have access to platforms capable of underpinning smaller vehicles. Parent company Tata Motors is actively looking for an outside company to link arms with the British brands, according to a separate report. Officials reportedly approached BMW -- which used to own Land Rover, and announced a joint-venture with the group in 2019 -- and Geely, the Chinese giant whose portfolio of brands includes Volvo, Polestar, Lotus, Proton, London Taxi Company, Terrafugia, and half of Smart, plus a sizeable, nearly-10% stake in Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler. Geely told Bloomberg it hasn't heard from Tata or JLR. BMW and Tata remained silent. While a partnership with someone looks likely considering the significant hurdles faced by JLR, its parent company has categorically ruled out selling the duo it purchased from Ford for $2.3 billion in 2008.

2020 Acura MDX PMC Edition coming to L.A. Auto Show

The Acura TLX PMC Edition debuted at the New York Auto Show earlier this year, the 2020 Acura MDX PMC Edition takes its turn in Los Angeles on November 20. The MDX PMC, hand-built at the Performance Manufacturing Center like the Acura NSX and TLX before it, will be limited to 330 units. The 300 examples destined for the U.S. and 30 for Canada represent 30 fewer units than the quota for the TLX PMC. That could translate into tighter demand for the MDX PMC, since the standard crossover does about 70 percent more business in the U.S. than the standard sedan. The doted-on MDX PMC follows the formula of combining Valencia Red Pearl paint with the normally-exclusive Advanced and A-Spec packages. Dark contrasts come from the body color grille surrounding gloss-black mesh, black chrome exhaust finishers, gloss-black decorating the roof, antenna, exterior mirrors, window molding, rear license plate garnish, and door handles, and gloss black 20-inch wheels. Inside is found an A-Spec steering wheel backed by metal-finished paddle shifters, black Milano leather seats with Alcantara inserts, red stitching throughout, and an individually numbered plaque identifying the build number. Extra luxury kit includes GPS-linked climate control, climate-controlled front- and second-row seats with second-row captain's chairs, and 10-speaker ELS Studio audio. The engine specs don't change, those being a 3.5-liter V6 with 290 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque shifting through a nine-speed automatic. Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive keeps the power in shape. When the automaker laid down a marker for the TLX PMC price, it said to expect something around $50,000, the final figure after destination coming in at $50,945. Acura says to expect the MDX PMC to figure in the "mid-$60,000 range," so don't be surprised at $66K minus some change. 

Ford workers vote to ratify new four-year UAW contract

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union said on Friday that rank-and-file members at Ford have voted in favor of a new four-year labor contract with the No. 2 U.S. automaker. The UAW will now focus on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the sole remaining Detroit automaker without a new labor contract. Talks with FCA are expected to begin on Monday, a UAW spokesman said. The union said 56.3% of Ford's hourly workers voted to approve the deal, which allowed the company to avoid a strike like the one that cost its larger rival General Motors about $3 billion (GBP2.3 billion). UAW leaders said earlier this month that Ford under the deal agreed to invest more than $6 billion in its U.S. plants, and to create or retain more than 8,500 UAW jobs. The deal also includes pay raises and lump-sum payments over the life of the contract, a pathway to full-time employment for temporary employees and unchanged healthcare coverage. Workers at GM approved a deal in late October that ended a contentious 40-day U.S. strike, the longest automotive labor stoppage since 1970. Detailed terms of the Ford deal — released just a week after GM workers approved their new contract — echoed those agreed to with GM, as the union typically uses the first deal as a template for those that follow. UAW leaders managed contract negotiations with Ford and GM, including the lengthy strike, while struggling with an ongoing federal corruption probe. To date, 10 people have pleaded guilty in connection with the criminal investigation into illegal payoffs. Just last week former UAW vice president and former GM board member Joseph Ashton was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. Earlier this month the UAW said that its president, Gary Jones, who had been linked to the ongoing corruption probe, was taking a leave of absence. Rory Gamble, the union's acting head, said last week he will examine every department of the union in response to the spreading federal corruption probe to prevent future misuse of members' dues.

Bentley Continental GT V8 and Toyota 4Runner | Autoblog Podcast #604

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski and Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. First, they talk about driving the 2020 Bentley Continental GT V8 First Edition, followed by the 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road. Then they revive a format called "This or That," discussing the Jeep Wrangler vs. Gladiator, Subaru Forester vs. Outback, Mustang vs. Camaro vs. Challenger, and whether they'd rather spend $25,000 on a new or vintage car. They've got an update on a previous Spend My Money segment, and, finally, they help another listener pick a daily driver. Autoblog Podcast #604 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 Bentley Continental GT V8 2020 Toyota 4Runner This or That: Jeep Gladiator or Jeep Wrangler Subaru Forester or Subaru Outback Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro or Dodge Challenger Vintage car or new car Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: Podcasts Bentley Chevrolet Dodge Jeep Subaru Toyota Truck Coupe SUV Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance Classics

Here's your chance to get a near-new 1st-gen Lexus LS400

The original Lexus LS400 was the automotive equivalent of a batter approaching the plate, pointing to the right-field bleachers and smacking the first pitch out of the ballpark. With the engineering excellence of Toyota fueled by the bountiful resources of the Japanese bubble economy, the first LS perfectly executed its mission. It also set a benchmark in quality and has earned a stellar reputation for durability. Most of the examples that today turn up in the used-car market have racked up mileage well into the six figures, and although they're often amazingly well preserved, that very longevity makes the idea of a near-new first-gen LS400 all the more compelling. With just 34k miles on the clock, this 1993 LS400 available now on Bring a Trailer is the freshest we've seen in a long time. This LS400 is said to have remained with its original owner until being acquired by a dealer in New Jersey. Like seemingly all LS400s of its era, the car is champagne gold with a tan leather interior. It also has chrome wheels and gold badging — but then we did say it was a New Jersey car. A just-completed $1,200 service included a new timing belt, water pump, and distributor caps and rotors (there are two, one per cylinder bank). That should start the winning bidder off on a course of several hundred thousand miles of trouble-free ownership. At this writing, bidding has already reached $10,000, with six days to go.

2020 Ford Escape, Lincoln Corsair ace crash tests, earn Top Safety Pick from IIHS

The redesigned 2020 Ford Escape and its platform-mate, the 2020 Lincoln Corsair, have both just completed their bout of crash tests at the hands of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and while they did not emerge unscathed, they did come away with the agency's Top Safety Pick Award. One caveat: The rating only applies to the Escape equipped with the available LED headlights, which were deemed Acceptable. Similarly, the Corsair needs the available curve-adaptive LED headlights, also rated Acceptable, in order to achieve Top Safety Pick. The Escape's standard halogen headlights scored only a Marginal rating, while the Corsair's base LED headlights were deemed Poor due to glare. Those low headlight ratings knock the vehicles out of contention for Top Safety Pick. Had either vehicle offered headlights able to achieve a Good rating, that would have been enough to get them the agency's Top Safety Pick+ rating. Outside of their headlights, the 2020 Escape and Corsair acquitted themselves well. The Escape saw a big improvement in the difficult small-overlap front crash test, going from a Poor result in the previous generation to Good with the new one. The Corsair performed identically, and both achieved Good ratings in all six crash tests. The IIHS also tests automatic emergency-braking systems, and the standard and optional systems in the Escape and the Corsair both earned Superior ratings.

2019 Lexus GX 460 Drivers' Notes Review | An ancient, yet luxurious SUV

The 2019 Lexus GX 460 is an old-school SUV with luxury draped all over it. Body-on-frame SUVs are the exception these days, as unibody crossovers lead the way forward. There are plenty of great reasons for this, but the GX marches on as a unabashedly truck-like SUV. Nothing about the price screams truck, though. At $70,840 as-tested, anybody who buys a new GX 460 is going to be left with a sizable hole in their wallet. However, it’s not without a bevy of luxury features. Being the high-zoot “Luxury” trim level, ours comes standard with an adaptive suspension, semi-aniline leather interior, a power-folding third row, mahogany wood accents and three-zone climate control. That said, Lexus still managed to tack on a decent number of options. A $2,340 Driver Support package added the Mark Levinson audio system and a suite of driver assistance systems. Our tester also had a $1,970 rear seat entertainment system and a $1,950 Sport Design Package. The package includes 18-inch gunmetal wheels, heated second-row captainÂ’s chairs and a sizable list of exterior changes like front and rear bumper spoilers and scarlet taillights. The powertrain is also stuck in a older time period. Whereas most large crossovers now use downsized turbocharged engines, this Lexus sticks with a 4.6-liter V8 good for ... wait for it ... 301 horsepower. The V6-powered ES 350 makes 302. Worse, the GX gets poor fuel economy and doesnÂ’t exactly rocket up to speed with much excitement, either. At least it's proven from a reliability standpoint. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: We try to talk about a specific element of the vehicles we test in Drivers' Notes, but indulge me today. IÂ’m going to talk about the Lexus GX 460Â’s ethos. By that I mean itÂ’s an old-school SUV that looks and feels the part. Wrapped in LexusÂ’ sharp, spindly styling, itÂ’s classy yet also kind of hulking. The steering is light and the vague brakes have little bite at first and then a lot as the pedal travel increases, making for challenging inputs for the driver. Still, I like it. The GX 460 captures the ethos of an old-school SUV perfectly. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder: For a three-row SUV, the GX feels pretty small inside. The second row is decent, but I know Greg had to do a little moving of seats in order to fit a rear-facing child seat back there.

General Motors could turn Hamtramck into its electric pickup, SUV hub

Electric off-roaders could revitalize the Detroit-Hamtramck factory that General Motors previously announced it will close. While official details remain shrouded in secrecy, analysts believe the plant will be re-tooled to manufacture at least three electric models due out during the early 2020s. The plant's scheduled closure was one of the grievances the United Auto Workers (UAW) union cited when it embarked on a 40-day strike in September 2019. General Motors agreed to keep it open without shedding much light on what it planned to build there. Analyst at LMC Automotive told the The Detroit News they believe an often-rumored electric SUV that will resurrect Hummer's name, image, or both will be one of the models assigned to the Hamtramck plant. Battery-powered variants of the GMC Sierra and the Cadillac Escalade will be made there, too, as will an enigmatic van. LMC Automotive's Jeff Schuster believes the van will come first; it could enter production as early as 2021. The Hummer — which might also be offered as a pickup — will follow before the end of 2022, while the Sierra and the Escalade will both arrive in 2023. We're taking this report with a grain of salt, though, because only one of the aforementioned models has been announced by General Motors. Rumors of a Hummer resurrection emerged in the summer of 2019, just a few weeks before we heard unverified reports of a battery-powered variant of the next-generation Escalade. General Motors confirmed plans to enter the burgeoning electric pickup truck segment, which Ford, Rivian, and Tesla also have their sights on, but it hasn't detailed how or when. The van is a mystery. General Motors refused to comment on the report. It previously announced it will keep Hamtramck open, and invest $3 billion to build electric vehicles there. The investment will create 2,225 jobs. Inaugurated in February 1985, the Hamtramck factory has churned out a diverse selection of models over the past 34 years, including Cadillac's Eldorado, Seville, and Allante, the Oldsmobile Toronado, the Buick Riviera, and more recently, gasoline-electric Chevrolet Volt. General Motors announced plans to close Hamtramck in 2018, but it quickly backpedaled and extended its lease on life until 2020 by keeping the Chevrolet Impala and the Cadillac CT6 around for a few additional months.

Not every Rolls-Royce Cullinan Black Badge comes in black

SPARTANBURG, S.C. — When Rolls-Royce recently unveiled the Cullinan Black Badge, the released press photos were of a very black car in a very black environment. But that did not match the car that was actually shown to the press. Quite the opposite, actually. The small event at the BMW Zentrum factory in South Carolina took place at night under a set of bright lights, and the car that came through the curtain wore a bright white body. We were fortunate enough to spend a brief time with the white Black Badge and snapped some photos of its details. As a reminder, all Black Badges have upgraded performance on top of the altered visual cues. Its twin-turbocharged 6.75-liter V8 has been upgraded to make 600 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, and the brakes, suspension and exhaust have been retuned as well. We spent an extremely limited amount of time in the Black Badge, so we cannot offer full comments about how it drives, but we can say the exhaust offers a nice insulated grumble in "Low" mode, the quickness off the line doesn't make any sense for a vehicle its size (trust us, it is huge), and it seemed controlled while cruising up the curves onto the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina, where these photos were taken.  The white paint exaggerates the parts Rolls-Royce darkens on all Black Badge models. The Spirit of Ecstasy, the grille surround, the inverted badging, the side frame finishers, the trunk handle, the trunk trim, the lower air inlet finisher, and the exhaust pipes have all gone black. Inside, this particular Cullinan has a red leather interior with patterned carbon fiber accents. It also has light contrast stitching, which includes infinity signs, a symbol used on Sir Malcolm Campbell's Rolls-Royce-powered Blue Bird K3 hydroplane. Check out all the details, including the built-in event seats in the trunk, in our massive gallery above. Featured Gallery White Rolls-Royce Black Badge Cullinan View 55 Photos Design/Style Rolls-Royce Luxury rolls-royce cullinan

Last Saab 9-3 built nets nearly $48,000 at auction

It was among the last Saabs to roll off the production line in Trollhattan, Sweden, is virtually new, and now it has a new owner. The Saab 9-3 Aero Turbo4 we told you about a month ago has sold in an auction for the equivalent of $47,789. As with anything related to the remnants of the legendary Swedish automotive brand, the backstory on this one is a little complicated, starting with the model year. Saab originally ground production to a halt in 2011. This model came about after National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS) acquired the brand out of bankruptcy, and was part of a run of 420 models built starting in late 2013 before NEVS lost the rights to use the Saab name and griffin logo. It was originally set aside for crash testing, but never actually used for that purpose, and mostly sat idle inside the plant, in case NEVS restarted production of combustion vehicles. The 41 miles on the odometer came from running the car on a test track near the Trollhattan plant for photography and video purposes. It features a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine that makes 217 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It has a two-tone interior with cream leather seats and a dashboard and center console that looks like what you might expect to result from Saab's parts-sharing arrangement under the ownership of bankruptcy-era General Motors. Nowadays, NEVS has financial backing from Chinese investors and is making electric vehicles based on the 9-3 platform and body, just without any Saab badging. It continues to operate the Trollhattan plant and another in Tianjin, China, and it reportedly plans a new plant in Shanghai. NEVS also has partnered with Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg in a venture to develop new EVs. The 9-3 buyer’s name is Claus Spaangaard. HeÂ’s a Danish car collector and car-repair shop owner who says he already owns two Saab cars. Proceeds from the auction will fund research into sustainable mobility in Sweden, NEVS says.

2019 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody Drivers' Notes | Widebody for everybody

The 2019 and soon to be 2020 Dodge Challenger R/T Scat Pack Widebody is another Challenger dart thrown against the wall by Dodge. It takes the desirable Widebody package we’ve seen on Hellcats and applies it to the naturally aspirated Scat Pack with the 6.4-liter V8. This kit includes stiffer adaptive shocks, stiffer springs, larger stabilizer bars, big Brembo brakes, a 3.09 rear axle ratio, 20-inch forged wheels and massive 305 section-width tires on all four corners. Most important of all, you get the special Widebody fender flares that give the car its signature look. The package is $6,000 on top of a regular Scat Pack. That means the cheapest youÂ’ll step into a Scat Pack Widebody is $46,740. The Widebody that rolled through our offices came in at a much-higher $57,295 after a number of options were tacked on. Many of these, you can skip. The 485 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque that comes standard is the most important aspect of this big coupe. Several packages costing more than $1,000 each add convenience and driver assistance tech, and the Harman/Kardon system is a hefty $1,595. With such a loud engine and exhaust, itÂ’s hardly worthwhile. Our tester also had the $1,595 eight-speed automatic transmission. ThisÂ’ll let you scare unsuspecting bystanders with the remote start system, but opting for a manual is an easy way to save some cash and increase driver involvement. With all the modern technology like adaptive cruise control, auto high-beams, heated and cooled seats, and blind-spot detection, the Challenger tries its best to keep up with the times. ItÂ’s no technological marvel, but itÂ’s neat to see some of these options available for folks who might want them. Still, tech gizmos are not what the Widebody is about. This Challenger keeps the same personality as all of those before it, but adds a dash of handling and hostility to its outward appearance. Here are our varied experiences with it during a week of testing. Editor-in-Chief, Greg Migliore: Yes, you can put a rear-facing convertible car seat in a Dodge Challenger. I did. It actually wasnÂ’t that hard. Remember, the Challenger is genetically a Mercedes sedan and shares underpinnings with the Dodge Charger. The biggest hurdles are ingress and egress, which is to be expected in any coupe. The roofline is low, but really not that bad. I simply lifted my toddler and maneuvered him into the backseat.  I was able to get him secured and fastened, and then I just stepped out of the car.

2021 Toyota Camry AWD vs. midsize all-wheel-drive sedans | How they compare on paper

Just as crossovers have become the dominant body style in the car market, the all-wheel drive they frequently feature has become more popular. In fact, all-wheel drive is so popular that automakers are increasingly putting it in traditional cars. The latest car to add driven wheels is the 2021 Toyota Camry. It will offer all-wheel drive on most of its trim levels, though only with the four-cylinder engine. It isn't alone in this market, though. So we've compiled the Camry's specifications, along with those of a couple of its competitors for comparison. For the purposes of this analysis, we're sticking with the AWD veteran 2020 Subaru Legacy equipped with a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter engine and the relative newcomer 2020 Nissan Altima. Both are similar in pricing and power to Camry. We've skipped the turbocharged Legacy and the turbocharged Ford Fusion with all-wheel drive as both have higher base prices and significantly more power. We'll take a look at these three sedans engine output, fuel economy, pricing and space. Below is a chart with all the raw numbers, and below that is more in-depth discussion of the cars. Performance and Fuel Economy These sedans are very closely matched, but one area where a clear winner emerges is in output. The Camry has a solid 21 horsepower and roughly 10 pound-feet of torque over the Subaru and Nissan. This, despite all of the engines having the same displacement. That power should make it quicker than the approximately 50-pound-heavier Subaru, though the Nissan Altima may stay with it thanks to its curb weight being about 100 pounds less than the Toyota. Also worth noting is that only the Toyota offers a traditional automatic transmission, whereas the Subaru and Nissan rely on CVTs. Subaru and Nissan have both dramatically improved their CVTs to the point they're quite unobtrusive, but if you strongly prefer the feel of softly shifting gears, the Toyota is your choice. In our experience, all three of these sedans are pleasant to drive with suspension and handling clearly tuned in favor of comfort over quickness. Fuel economy is close to a dead heat. Toyota hasn't announced official fuel economy numbers for the all-wheel-drive model, but we can estimate that, as with most all-wheel-drive variants, mileage will be slightly lower than normal models. We're betting it will only about 1 mpg worse than front-drive variants. That puts it in the same 29 to 30 mpg overall range as the Subaru and Nissan.

2020 Buick Encore GX pricing makes it a better bargain than the smaller Encore

In April, Buick revealed the Encore GX at Auto Shanghai. At the time, we thought there was a chance the slightly larger GX would supplant the Encore in the U.S. By August, we learned that wouldn't happen, the Encore GX slotting into the lineup between the Encore and the Envision. With nearly $8,000 between the starting prices of the Encore and the Envision, there'd be plenty of room for the GX to find a good home leaving plenty of MSRP daylight between the crossover bookends. That doesn't appear to be what's happened, though. CarsDirect got hold of an early order guide for the Encore GX, and writes that the Encore GX in Preferred trim will cost $24,100 before a $995 destination charge, totaling $25,095. That's $900 more than the entry-level Encore in 1SV trim, but $500 less than the Encore in comparable Preferred trim.    The Encore offers an intermediate Sport Touring trim between Preferred and top-level Essence trims. The Encore GX will come in an intermediate Select trim, which CarsDirect didn't mention a price for. Stepping up to the top Essence variant with front-wheel drive costs $29,495 for the Encore GX, $800 less than a similar Encore, which costs $30,295.   If these are the figures that show up on dealer lots, the Encore GX seems like a no-brainer. The Encore rides on an older GM platform called GEM, for Global Emerging Markets, the GX model is built on GM's new VSS-F architecture. Both are fine looking vehicles, but the GX is a little more handsome. The Encore offers one engine, a 1.4-liter four-cylinder with 138 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, shifting through a six-speed transmission. The base engine on the Encore GX will be a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with an estimated 137 hp and 166 lb-ft, shifting through a CVT. The second GX engine is a 1.3-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with an estimated 155 hp and 174 lb-ft, optional on the front-wheel drive Select and Essence trims, standard on every all-wheel-drive model. That more powerful motor shifts through a nine-speed automatic.  As if all that weren't enough, the GX's reason for being is that it offers more room. An additional three inches in length provides an extra 4.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row. The GX wins on safety, too, coming standard with tech like forward collision alert, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and automatic emergency braking.

Fiat Chrysler dumped 40,000 unordered vehicles on dealers

In a move that echoes recent history, Fiat Chrysler has been making more cars and trucks than dealers in the U.S. are willing to accept, with Bloomberg reporting that at one point the automaker had built up a glut of around 40,000 unordered vehicles. That’s led some dealers to accuse FCA of reviving the dreaded “sales bank” accounting practice of obscuring inventory to improve the balance sheet. The company reportedly began building up its inventory of unordered cars this summer despite an industrywide slowdown in sales and an eagerness by some dealers to thin their inventories because rising interest rates are making it more expensive to hold unsold cars. The inventory build-up also coincided with Fiat ChryslerÂ’s efforts to find a merger partner, first with Renault, which fell through, then last monthÂ’s announcement that it will merge with FranceÂ’s PSA Group. FCA denies any such scheme and tells Bloomberg the rising inventory is down to a new predictive analytics system designed to better square supply with demand from dealers that is helping the company save money and narrow the numbers of unsold vehicles. The company recently agreed to pay a $40 million civil penalty to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to settle a complaint that it paid dealers to report fake sales figures over a span of five years. While no one is suggesting that FCA is in dire financial straits — the company saw higher than expected earnings in the third quarter and record profits in North America — the practice has strong historical precedent by Chrysler, which built up bloated inventories in the run-up to its two federal bailouts, in 1980 and 2009. It was also common at GM and Ford during the 2000s, when all three Detroit automakers struggled with excess manufacturing capacity and plummeting sales in the lead-up to the Great Recession. Back in 2012, CFO Magazine wrote about a report that explained automakersÂ’ rationale for the practice and how it works: Say fixed costs for a given factory are $100, and that the factory can make 50 cars. Consumers, however, demand only 10. Under absorption costing, if the company makes all 50 cars, its cost-per-car is $2. If it makes only up to demand, or 10 cars, the cost-per-car is $10. Although each car adds variable costs for steel and other parts, if those costs are low, the company still has an incentive to make more cars to keep the cost-per-car down.

Alfa Romeo 4C production to continue until at least late 2020

Maserati will end production of the GranTurismo and the GranCabrio in November 2019, and it will retool the historic Modena, Italy, factory that makes both models in preparation for a new sports car due out in 2020. But Autoblog learned production of the Alfa Romeo 4C made in the same facility will continue even after the retooling, debunking rumors of the model's immediate demise. "Production of the 4C will continue in the same production plant/line until late 2020 for the NAFTA and APAC regions," an Alfa Romeo spokesperson told us via email. The factory will close during the retooling, so "there will just be some weeks of technical interruption" during the process, according to the same spokesperson. Production will resume as soon as the overhaul is completed, and Alfa's carbon fiber-intensive two-seater will be built alongside Maserati's next sports car. North American enthusiasts still have time to put a new 4C in their garage. Available only as a convertible, the 4C recently entered the 2020 model year with a limited-edition model named Italia that gains an array of visual add-ons, like piano black trim on the front end. Just 15 Italias will be built, but the standard 4C remains available as a regular-production model. It's powered by a mid-mounted, 1.75-liter four-cylinder engine turbocharged to 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The engine's displacement wasn't chosen at random; Alfisti will know right off the bat that it echoes the 1750 engine Alfa offered in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. European enthusiasts aren't as lucky. Autoblog also confirmed an earlier report claiming 4C production for the European, Middle Eastern, and African markets ended in August 2018. While the GranTurismo will be replaced by a new model in 2021, what the future holds for the 4C is up in the air. Alfa Romeo's product plan doesn't currently include a second-generation 4C, which is too bad. It's one of the purest, most undiluted sports car on the market; may it live long. Featured Gallery 2020 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Italia Auto News Alfa Romeo Convertible