2024 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport 2.0t Se W/technology on 2040-cars

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Everybody's doing flying cars, so why aren't we soaring over traffic already?

"Where's my flying car?" has been the meme for impending technology that never materializes since before there were memes. And the trough of disillusionment for vehicles that can take to sky continues to nosedive, despite a nonstop fascination with flying cars and a recent rash of announcements about the technology, particularly from traditional automakers. Earlier this month, Toyota applied for an eye-popping patent for a flying car that has wheels with spring-loaded pop-out helicopter rotors. The patent filing says the wheels/rotors would be electrically powered, while in on-land mode the vehicle would have differential steering like tracked vehicles such as tanks and bulldozers. At an airshow in July, Aston Martin unveiled its Volante Vision Concept, an autonomous hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) vehicle it developed with Rolls-Royce. Aston says the Volante can fly at top speeds of around 200 mph and bills it as a luxury car for the skies. Audi used the Geneva Motor Show in March to unveil a flying car concept called the Pop.Up Next it developed with Airbus and Italdesign. If the Pop.Up Next, an electric and autonomous quadcopter/city car combo, gets stuck in traffic, an app can be used to summon an Airbus-developed drone to pick up the passenger compartment pod, leaving the chassis behind. Audi said that the Pop.Up Next is a "flexible on-demand concept that could open up mobility in the third dimension to people in cities." But Audi also acknowledged that at this point it has no plans to develop it. The cash-stoked, skies-the-limit Silicon Valley tech crowd is also bullish on flying cars. The startup Kitty Hawk that's backed by Google co-founder Larry Page announced in June that it's taking pre-orders for its single-seat electric Flyer that's powered by 10 propellers and is capable of vertical takeoffs and landings. The current version can only fly up to 20 mph and 10 feet in the air and has a flight time of just 12 to 20 minutes on a full charge. The Flyer is considered a recreational vehicle, so doesn't require a pilot's license. Uber says it plans to launch its more ambitious Elevate program and UberAIR service in 2023. "Uber customers will be able to push a button and get a flight on-demand with uberAIR in Dallas, Los Angeles and a third international market," Uber Elevate promises on its website.

2015 Volkswagen Touareg TDI Quick Spin [w/video]

There are two particularly great things about diesel-powered cars: torque and range. The 2015 Volkswagen Touareg TDI has both in spades. We put 190 miles on our test car, and upon return, the computer claimed we still had 490 miles to go. We weren't even averaging the EPA-estimaged 29 miles per gallon highway. Plus, that's in a sport-utility vehicle with tons of room and a whopping 406 pound-feet of torque. That said, our most recent adventure with the Touareg wasn't totally positive. This thing feels decidedly long in the tooth, despite a 2014 refresh. Driving Notes The Touareg TDI's powertrain really is the star of the show. The 3.0-liter, turbodiesel V6 has been in service since 2009, but it's still a dynamite engine. With 240 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which can be called upon at just 2,000 rpm, there's no shortage of thrust under your right foot. Turbo lag is an issue when you get aggressive with the throttle, but don't drive like a boob and you'll be fine. ZF's critically acclaimed eight-speed automatic delivers that power to all four wheels. But where other ZF-equipped vehicles deliver a crisper, sharper character, the TDI's trans is tuned for a far more relaxed driving experience. Upshifts are leisurely; the eight-speed keeps you right in the thick of the Touareg's broad torque curve. The suspension tuning follows a similar philosophy. It's far more comfortable than dynamic, soaking up all manner of bumps and general imperfections with aplomb. That said, the Touareg does not feel floaty or disconnected – just smooth. The greasy bits of the Touareg are very desirable, but the package they're wrapped in is less so. It's not that the interior or exterior designs are necessarily bad – fans of Earth tones will love our tester's Black Oak Brown Metallic paint and Cornsilk Beige interior – they're just kind of bland, or anonymous. The switchgear and buttons come from the Volkswagen parts bin, and while they're fine on a $20,000 Golf, these pieces aren't as appropriate in a vehicle that starts at more than twice the price. The dash plastics and faux wood don't look as nice as what's inside an Acura MDX, or even a Jeep Grand Cherokee. This mid-level Touareg TDI Lux starts at $57,580.

We recap the 2017 Detroit Auto Show | Autoblog Podcast #499

We're back with our first Autoblog Podcast of 2017! This week, Greg Migliore and David Gluckman discuss the 2017 Detroit Auto Show, including the hot debuts, some new versions of bestsellers, and an unofficial theme we picked up on. Then it's on to what they've been driving lately, and we wrap up with Spend My (Your) Money buying advice to help you, our listeners. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And please send trivia questions! You'll get the honor of stumping your fellow listeners, and we'll thank you too. Autoblog Podcast #499 The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics and stories we mention Our 2017 Detroit Auto Show coverage America was the unofficial theme of the 2017 Detroit Auto Show 2017 Chevy Malibu Hybrid 2017 Volkswagen Passat 2017 Buick Envision Used cars! Rundown Intro - 00:00 Detroit show recap - 03:04 What we're driving - 25:04 Spend My Money - 35:46 Total Duration: 49:45 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 Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Podcasts Detroit Auto Show Buick Chevrolet Ford Honda Jeep RAM Toyota Volkswagen Crossover Minivan/Van SUV Sedan Ford Bronco kia stinger gt