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GM's European Opel division may eventually go all-electric

General Motors' Opel division in Europe may transform itself into an all-electric vehicle maker by 2030. Granted, a lot can happen between now and then, including a potential buyout by French automaker PSA Group. Regardless, Opel appears to view its electric future beyond the Ampera-e, which is the sister vehicle to the Chevrolet Bolt, and more like Tesla. Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann indicated that focusing on electric drivetrains would be a superior strategy to expanding its EV technology while pushing forward with conventional drivetrains, says Automotive News Europe, citing comments Neumann made to German publication Manager Magazin. General Motors could make the decision to move towards an all-electric vehicle line for Opel as soon as May. Of course, that depends on whether Opel is bought out by PSA, the parent country to Peugeot and Citroen. PSA is in talks to buy General Motors' Opel and Vauxhall divisions, though government and labor representatives in Germany have expressed concerns over potential job losses from the proposed buyout, Reuters says. Regardless, GM has hinted at expanding its electric-vehicle line far beyond the Bolt, which has a 238-mile single-charge range and debuted late last year. Mary Barra, in an interview with CNET, said the Bolt's all-electric platform could be applied to a "huge range of vehicles," though wasn't specific about additional EV models. Opel first showed off its Ampera-e at the Paris Motor Show last fall. The name of the model raised some eyebrows because the Ampera badge had been previously used by Opel for the sister version of the Chevrolet Volt extended-range plug-in. Either way, Opel is looking to take on Renault for electric-vehicle sales supremacy across the Pond. Related Video:

2018 Woodward Dream Cruise: What to know and where to go

If there's anything that proves Detroit's motor-oil-in-the-veins, gearhead bonafides, it's the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, which will bring an anticipated 1.5 million or so people from near and far, plus tens of thousands of classic and custom and just plain weird cars, to a 16-mile portion of Woodward Avenue on Saturday for the 24th year. Loved by gearheads, collectors and the merely curious, who see it as the Motor City's version of Mardi Gras, and loathed by others, who deride it as the world's largest traffic jam, the Dream Cruise is nothing if not an explosion for the senses. What will you see there? Well, as Autoblog Managing Editor Greg Rasa put it last year, "There are historic cars. And works of art. Some are worth vast sums of money, and some are rat rods and rust buckets. And some are bizarre creations that make you ask, 'What were they thinking?'" A few things are certain: You will see many incredible automobiles. There will be plenty of T-shirts and other merch, official and not-so-much. It will be crowded, and probably hot. The Cruise will officially go from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., though of course cruisers have been out already for weeks. And there are plenty of attractions, both on and off the pavement of Woodward. Tony Michaels, the Dream Cruise's executive director, said the event is special for the Detroit region. "Together we celebrate the automobile and what it has meant to us," he told Autoblog. "To see the these fantastic vehicles and the proud owners says so much about who we are and our pride. "People should take it in to see history running 16 miles down Woodward Avenue and to be a part of the greatest automobile event in America." Ford is once again serving as the Dream Cruise presenting sponsor and will hold the 20th anniversary of the Mustang Alley at the corner of Nine Mile and Woodward in Ferndale, where it expects as many as 1,000 Mustangs to line up. It will also show off its lineage of trucks at 13 Mile, along with several performance vehicles at Duggan's Irish Pub at 31501 Woodward in Royal Oak. The company on Thursday unveiled the 2018 Mustang Cobra Jet drag car to celebrate the nameplate's 50th anniversary. Just 68 examples are planned of the $130,000 limited-edition model Other Ford activities include: Sales of tickets for a raffle of a one-off Kona Blue Mustang Bullitt, starting at the media clubhouse at 2 p.m. Friday. The raffle itself takes place in November and will support juvenile diabetes research.

Where the 2023 GMC Sierra AT4X fits into the hierarchy of off-road trucks

The world of off-road pickups sure seems like it's getting crowded, but the reality is that half-ton trucks were always pretty capable, even with what seemed like fairly basic 4x4 packages. It wasn't until recently that manufacturers really started to carve out different off-road niches for their mainstream pickup offerings. With the introduction of the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X (alongside its mechanical twin, the Chevy Silverado ZR2), the crowd has grown even thicker. Even we have trouble keeping up with the increased segmentation of off-road pickup trucks, so we threw together this handy guide to help you understand just where these various packages fit into the broader pickup hierarchy. Let's dive in.  Your basics If we say "Z71" or "FX4" to you, both will probably ring a bell. That's because they've been around a few days short of forever and their respective customers have grown so used to these package codes that OEMs got into the habit of just plastering them on the side of so-equipped truck beds. Anybody who sells a pickup truck offers some sort of basic off-road prep package like this one. Z71 is found on GM vehicles; FX4 is Ford's. Ram just calls it "Off Road Group," but no matter what you call them, they're all pretty similar.  Typical upgrades for this category include some additional ground clearance, a basic all-terrain tire, heavy-duty suspension upgrades and likely either a limited-slip or locking rear differential. These are pretty handy for anything beyond a rutted dirt road. On newer trucks — especially on higher trim levels — you'll probably also get some dedicated off-road drive modes.  Mid-range This is where things start to get interesting. To qualify for this category, a locking rear differential is a must. Most of the names in this segment are well-established too, though some (Nissan Titan Pro-4X, anyone?) may not necessarily be on your radar. The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro checks in here, as does the Ram Rebel, Chevy Silverado Trail Boss and GMC Sierra AT4 (no X!).  Realistically, if there's somewhere you need to go and one of these trucks won't do it, you might want to consider a helicopter. But it's 2021, and our thirst for capability is strong, so of course, there's a way to spend more of your money on this type of thing. Onward! Entry-hardcore Here we are, the home of the new 2022 GMC Sierra AT4X and Chevrolet Silverado ZR2. This is a tiny niche, otherwise occupied only by the Ford F-150 Tremor.