It seems that all you have to do in today’s market to raise billions is subsidize your product at a tremendous loss, then when buyers flock to your door, call this a disruptive force that will change an industry: Profitability is something that you can defer with a story. So maybe it’s because I still
This installment of the Roadkill Extra engine-building series gets a bit theoretical: What is compression ratio, how does it affect engine performance, and how can it be altered? But it’s also very practical, as David Freiburger explains every detail you need to understand in order to use a compression-ratio calculator. Tune in and tune up!
We had so much fun building our dream 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 coupes that we just had to do it again with the convertible once the configurator went up. After cumulative hours playing—err, “researching”—on Chevy’s official visualizer, the staff of MotorTrend have carefully spec’d their ultimate fantasy C8 Corvette convertibles. Read on to find out
The new LCV light commercial variant of the range extender electric taxi has made its European debut at an exclusive preview event in Frankfurt, Germany. Designed to meet rapidly increasing European demand for green, electrified commercial transport, the zero-emission capable LCV van is brought to us by LEVC, part of the Geely group, owners of
Japanese carmaker Nissan has warned that a no-deal Brexit would make its European business model unsustainable. The firm’s chairman, Gianluca de Ficchy, said if a 10% export tariff was introduced after the UK left the EU it would put its operations “in jeopardy”. This would be case if the UK moved to World Trade Organization
French auto supplier Plastic Omnium SA has experienced “significant operating difficulties” in ramping up production at its plant in Greer, S.C., which is slated to be a flagship operation for the French company. The difficulties relate to the size and complexity of the plant along with increased production since this summer, the company said in its
When Volkswagen unveiled its Bulli concept vehicle last March at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the response from the press and the public was fairly unanimous: “Build it!” Now, there are rumors that VW is preparing to do just that, and it could hit the U.S. by 2014. The Bulli was a hit for at
We owe Chris Bangle an apology. The avant-garde BMW designer was roundly castigated when his provocative reworks of the 5 Series and 7 Series sedans hit the streets in the early 2000s. The undercut bodysides, contorted surfacing, and edgy detailing offended the auto industry’s chattering classes. Yet even the so-called “Bangle butt,” the squared-off trunklid
In today’s Electrek Green Energy Brief (EGEB): Chemistry Nobel Prize win for lithium-ion batteries is a win for green energy. US interior secretary criticized Green New Deal at a New Mexico oil and gas conference. PG&E is cutting electricity to around 800,000 homes and businesses in Northern California to prevent wildfires. Five great green jobs
Jeep, which fiercely protects its trademarked name, is celebrating the demotion of an emoji that it says falsely represented the all-terrain vehicle. Until Apple’s most recent iOS update, iPhone users typing the word “Jeep” in a text would see an auto-populated emoji of a boxy blue car. This did not sit well inside the automaker,
BMW’s fastest ever road-legal car, the M8 Coupe Competition, thrilled journalists and put plenty of smiles on their faces at the Portimao circuit, in Portugal, during the media launch. With all settings sharpened up, the Germans claim that it needs as little as 3.2 seconds for the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) sprint. However, as it
LONDON — Nissan has ended night shifts at its UK plant, whose future is said to be threatened by Britain’s departure from the European Union. Nissan’s plant in Sunderland, northeast England, is Britain’s largest car factory, building the Qashqai and Juke SUVs, along with the Leaf electric car. The factory’s output of about 440,000 cars
The National Basketball Association lost almost all of its major Chinese sponsors in the country, the league’s biggest market outside the U.S., as the government flexes its economic muscle after a tweet backing Hong Kong’s protesters triggered a backlash. A local joint venture of Nissan Motor Co. was the latest to distance itself from the
A Koenigsegg Agera RS originally destined for private sale has been revived after a second serious accident. Dubbed “Gryphon,” the cursed Agera RS was originally commissioned by an American collector, but suffered its first major crash during pre-delivery testing back in 2017. The rebuilt Gryphon was spotted near Koenigsegg HQ by Instagram user photochristofferf. Aside
New Android Auto compatibility complements an outstanding suite of basic features in every RAV4 that includes at least a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay compatibility, automatic emergency braking, at least one USB charger, Bluetooth connectivity, and power features. Good basic equipment and a generous touchscreen, which grows to 8.0 inches on Adventure, Limited, and TRD
It’s never a good sign when your car is making noises and smells like its burning, but one Pennsylvania woman was shocked to discover what was wrong with her Kia Sorento. In a Facebook post, Chris Persic said his wife called him and said there was something serious wrong with her crossover. Chris told her
Launching a new model name costs many millions of dollars, which is why automakers often bring back old names or radically alter the vehicles sold under an existing name. That explains why Toyota’s new two-seat sport coupe is called Supra, reviving a name last used in 1998. The new 2020 Toyota Supra has an inline-6
Ohio might be an odd place to look for the future of electrified vehicles. Like other Midwestern states, Ohio has no zero-emission vehicle sales mandate, so automakers spend little marketing electric vehicles and hybrids in the region. Those vehicles are sent to the coasts. “Manufacturers, they’re just not sending cars here for us to sell,”
It’s the fastest way around the track and it also happens to be the name of the show. That’s right, you guessed it! On this episode of The Racing Line presented by Tire Rack, pro driver Randy Pobst teaches you all about the racing line. The Racing Line presented by Tire Rack is the new
Even though the visually oriented blogging site Tumblr seems poised to cross over to the mainstream, it’s still viewed as a place for trendsetters in fashion and design. So really, it’s no wonder that Volvo is using Tumblr to tease one of its newest fashion-forward rides, the Concept You. Last week, we pointed to a video
Just now, I watched a mini-marathon of Buster Keaton movies on Turner Classic Movies followed by a good documentary that its director, Peter Bogdonovich, made about him last year. Actually, I went to see this when it was showing at the Nuart Theatre’s big screen in Santa Monica. Along with about twelve other people, I
Here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming Polestar 2. Not long ago, Volvo officially unveiled its Polestar 2. It happens to be the repurposed brand’s first battery-electric offering (the Polestar 1 is a plug-in hybrid). The upcoming entrant is unlike many other vehicles that the media calls Tesla killers. This is because Polestar has
PARIS — Ashwani Gupta, Nissan’s new chief operating officer, has spent much of the past 13 years shuttling between Tokyo and Paris in executive positions that gave him a bird’s-eye view of the Renault-Nissan alliance’s often-opaque structure. That broad experience, and a background that is neither French nor Japanese — nor tilted toward either Renault
Front 3/4 view of 2012 Honda CR-V Concept World debuts for new concept and production models typically happen at premier auto shows, like the North American International Auto Show, the Tokyo Motor Show or even the IAA (more commonly known as the Frankfurt Auto Show). The Orange County International Auto Show, held annually in Anaheim,
There was a time when SUVs were little more than farm trucks and safari shuttles, but as automotive tastes have changed over the past few decades, demand for luxury SUVs has shot through the panoramic multi-pane glass roof. There are more luxury SUVs now than ever before, and even heritage luxury automakers Bentley and Rolls-Royce
By Joey Klender Posted on October 8, 2019 Tesla CEO Elon Musk has an ongoing love affair with pop culture. Most specifically, memes, Spaceballs and of course Monty Python, who is the subject of Musk’s most recent Tesla Easter Egg. However, the secret feature requires some customization from the user before showing itself. The Easter
The UAW and General Motors are still far apart on at least one of the labor contract’s major sticking points: job security, a top UAW official said Tuesday. “We have openly told GM that we do not see a solid commitment to this talented and skilled workforce that has made them billions of dollars in
Hyundai continues to rival the likes of the Mazda6, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima with the Sonata, which for the eighth generation brings new styling, technologies and engines. The redesigned exterior makes it look sportier than the car it replaces, although it’s still not the prettiest one in the midsize sedan segment. The low and
Renault CEO Thierry Bollore’s future is in doubt amid strained relations with alliance partner Nissan, two French newspapers reported. Renault Chairman Jean-Dominique Senard will ask the automaker’s board to look for a successor to Bollore, Le Figaro said, citing unnamed sources. The search for Bollore’s successor could be on the agenda of Renault’s next board
BMW has high expectations for the M8 performance lineup. In June, execs touted the 2020 M8’s prowess around the Nürburgring-Nordschliefe in coupe and convertible four. On Tuesday, BMW revealed the more practical performance machine that’s related to the two-doors: the 2020 BMW M8 Gran Coupe. There may be faster laps around the ‘Ring, but very