2012 Latitude 2.4l Copperhead on 2040-cars

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12 new cars that will never go out of style

Some cars never go out of style. It’s rare, but it happens. They get old. They get depreciated. But they never stop looking cool.  Some might call them modern or instant classics. Within a few years theyÂ’re no longer the latest and greatest, no longer the flavor of the month, but they remain special. Eternally special. Timeless.  These cars arenÂ’t necessarily going to be worth a fortune someday. However, some may not depreciate as rapidly or as far as other models. But thatÂ’s not what weÂ’re talking about here. These are the cars that enthusiasts will always find desirable from the curbside. TheyÂ’re the cars you end up shopping on eBay late at night 10 years later because you canÂ’t get them out of your head. TheyÂ’re the cars that will forever excite you when you spot a clean one in traffic or in a parking lot.  There are plenty of recent examples over the past couple of decades that could count as instant design classics. But then we got to thinking, what 2021 models will be forever cool to stare at? Which new cars and trucks on sale today will we be shopping on eBay late at night in the 2030s? We kept supercars and other ultra-expensive cars off the list to keep things within the realm of attainability, and ended up with 12 total cars. Lexus LC WeÂ’re not applying a numerical ranking to any of the cars on this list, but if we were, the Lexus LC would be No. 1. There isnÂ’t another car design out there that can stir our emotions the way an LC can when itÂ’s just standing still. This car is a concept design come true in the most beautiful of ways, and itÂ’s a shoo-in winner for Concours events decades into the future. All of this heaping praise, and we havenÂ’t even gotten to the LC 500Â’s intoxicating 5.0-liter V8. It doesnÂ’t win drag races. It wonÂ’t be the fastest around the track against any similarly-priced competition. But none of that matters. ItÂ’s quite possibly the best car you can buy new, and that says it all when it comes to the LC. Chevrolet Corvette It might not be the stunner that the Lexus LC is, but the new C8 Corvette is and will always be a special vehicle. ItÂ’s the first mid-engine Corvette, which instantly cements it into an automotive hall of fame section of sorts. All of the performance stats and specs are there to back up its supercar-like looks, and it remains the best performance bargain on sale today.

2017 Jeep Compass is finally a compact crossover worthy of its badge

Jeep finally thinks it has a Compass that points true north. When the compact crossover first debuted alongside the Patriot for the 2007 model year, it was all wrong. The original Compass didn't look like a Jeep, didn't have any off-road credibility, and wasn't remotely fun to drive. It was, by all accounts, a failure. A mid-cycle refresh helped matters in 2011, and the addition of a six-speed automatic to replace the unloved CVT made 2014 and later models the best of the breed. Until now, that is. View 14 Photos There's a brand-new Jeep Compass for 2017, and it looks to put Jeep's compact crossover contender back on track. The new Compass looks a lot like a shrunken Grand Cherokee, which is no bad thing. A slotted grille leads the way, and the bulging fenders and slowly rising bodysides add visual interest to the two-box shape. An optional dual-pane sunroof should help keep the cabin from feeling too confining, though the Compass lacks any sort of removable top system like that of its smaller sibling, the Renegade. One engine will be available in the United States. The 2.4-liter Tigershark four-cylinder engine offers 180 horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque. That's 8 more ponies and 10 more lb-ft than before. Buyers can choose from three transmission options, starting with a six-speed manual on either 4x2 or 4x4 versions. Front-wheel-drive Compass models get a six-speed auto option, while 4x4 models get a nine-speed. Both the Jeep Active Drive and Jeep Active Drive Low – the latter system features a crawl ratio – can send 100 percent of the engine's available torque to whichever individual wheel has the most traction. A Trailhawk model (above in red) is a new addition to the Compass line, and it comes with unique fascias and a small suspension lift that improve its off-road cred with a 30-degree approach angle, 24-degree breakover angle, and 34-degree departure angle. Trailhawk models get Hill Descent Control and a Rock Mode added to the Selec-Terrain system, which, coupled with a 20:1 crawl ratio, should make the Trail Rated Compass the most capable vehicle in its class. As you would expect, the Compass is a unibody. That should make it pretty comfortable on the road, too, and its Koni frequency damping struts both front and rear ought to make it ride pretty well. Inside, there are three different center LCD screen sizes, depending on trim. Base models get a 5.0-inch unit, with larger 7.0- and 8.4-inch units optional.

Jeep Wrangler to remain in Toledo, get a pickup version

Production of the Jeep Wrangler is staying in Toledo, OH, and it might be getting a pickup in the near future, according to Automotive News. Meanwhile, Cherokee production is leaving Ohio. The announcement was reportedly made to plant management earlier today. "We found a solution that accommodates a variety of other interests to us because of the way in which we can move some product around," CEO Sergio Marchionne said to Automotive News. A Jeep spokesman declined to comment to Autoblog. Right now the official details about FCA's production plans are still hazy. However, an official announcement is expected when the automaker has a deal with the UAW, which could be by Sept. 14. According to insiders speaking to AN, the Wrangler pickup would join the lineup in 2017 or 2018. While losing the Cherokee doesn't help the Toledo factory, the new pickup should take up some of the slack. It also keeps Wrangler production going in Ohio until the next-generation model launches in 2018. The Cherokee is expected to move to the Sterling Heights Assembly plant in Michigan or Belvidere Assembly in Illinois because they build vehicles on the same platform, AN reports. The future of Wrangler production has been a hot topic at the Toledo plant for the entire year. There was initial speculation that model might leave the factory if it moved to an aluminum body. However, the latest reports offered some hope of the Jeep remaining there. Last week, Autoblog's sources at FCA also said that the Wrangler pickup was coming but couldn't confirm a timeframe. Related Video: