Tuesday, October 20, 2020

2022 GMC HUMMER EV Edition Coming Late Next Year


The 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Edition, the first fully electric addition to GMC’s lineup, is powered by three separate motors within two Ultium drive units delivering a GM-estimated 1,000 horsepower and GM-estimated 11,500 lb-ft of torque enabling an estimated 350+ miles of driving range on a full charge, based on preliminary testing. GM estimates 0-60-mph performance in approximately 3 seconds. A 13.4-inch diagonal infotainment screen and 12.3-inch diagonal driver information center display convey vehicle performance and driver awareness information. Production begins in late 2021, at GM’s Factory ZERO Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly Center, a nearly 40-year-old facility repurposed and retooled with a $2.2-billion investment devoted to electric vehicle production. 


Wednesday, October 14, 2020

2021 Acura MDX - All-New Early Next Year

The fourth-generation 2021 Acura MDX, with an all-new light truck SUV platform, will be powered by a 3.5-liter V6 with i-VTEC® valvetrain connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The upcoming MDX Type S will feature a 355 horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine powering Acura’s fourth-generation SH-AWD® system. The MDX Prototype debuts Acura’s all-digital Precision Cockpit™, replacing physical gauges with a customizable 12.3-inch driver’s meter. The new MDX will arrive at dealers early next year with the MDX Type S to follow in Summer of 2021.


Tuesday, October 13, 2020

2022 Volkswagen Taos Compact SUV Coming Next Summer

The all-new 2022 Volkswagen Taos is 175.8 inches long which is 9.3 inches shorter than the Tiguan, with a wheelbase of 105.9 inches, width of 72.5 inches and height of 64.4 inches. The Taos is powered by a 158 horsepower 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that currently powers the Jetta sedan. The engine is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission in the front-wheel-drive model, while models with 4Motion® all-wheel drive get a seven-speed DSG® dual-clutch automatic transmission. There will be S, SE, and SEL trim levels with pricing to be announced ahead of the launch in the Summer of 2021.

Monday, October 12, 2020

2021 Audi R8 Coupe and Spyder RWD Starts At $144,195 This Winter

The 2021 Audi R8 rear wheel drive Coupe and Spyder become the newest members of the R8 2021 model line, joining the R8 V10 quattro Coupe and Spyder, powered a naturally aspirated 532 horsepower 5.2-liter FSI V10 engine mated to a seven-speed S tronic® dual-clutch transmission. The R8 RWD weighs less than its all-wheel drive counterpart due in part to the loss of components such as the prop shaft, front axles, multi-plate clutch, and front differential. 2021 Audi R8 V10 Coupe RWD starts at $144,195 (including $1,495 destination charge but not $1,700 gas guzzler tax ($2,100 gas guzzler tax on performance models), sales taxes, title, options, and dealer charges). The 2021 Audi R8 V10 Spyder RWD starts at $156,395. The soft-top in both R8 Spyder models features an electrohydraulic drive system to raise and lower the roof in about 20 seconds, at speeds of up to 31 mph. The roof was developed with lightweight construction in mind, and weighs only 97 pounds. The 2021 R8 V10 performance and R8 V10 RWD Coupe and Spyder will be available in dealerships this Winter.


2021 Honda Ridgeline Coming Early Next Year

The 2021 Honda Ridgeline, set to launch early next year, is powered by a 280-horsepower 3.5-liter direct-injected VTEC® V6 engine mated to a 9-speed automatic transmission. Available on Sport and RTL, and standard on RTL-E and Black Edition is Ridgeline’s i-VTM4® torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system, which automatically sends up to 70 percent of the engine’s 262 lb.-ft. of torque to the rear wheels and continuously apportions 100 percent of that torque between the left and right rear wheels based on driving conditions at each wheel. The 2021 Honda Ridgeline has standard 1,580-pound payload capacity and up to 5,000-pound towing capacity.


2021 Jaguar XF In RWD and AWD

2021 Jaguar XF is powered by a 246 horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine available with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The 296 horsepower variant is exclusively paired to an all-wheel drive system for enhanced traction. Both engines routing power through an 8-speed automatic transmission. The new XF also includes Auto Vehicle Hold that holds the brakes when XF is stationary, until the driver depresses the accelerator to drive away. JaguarDrive Control features selectable Comfort, Eco, Rain-Ice-Snow and Dynamic modes and the new interior has a centrally mounted 11.4-inch HD touchscreen. The variant choices are: XF P250 S RWD, P250 SE RWD, and P300 R-DYNAMIC SE AWD. 


Monday, October 5, 2020

2021 Lexus IS 300 and 350 F Sport Start At $40,025 This Month

The 2021 Lexus IS 300 rear wheel drive, powered by a 241 horsepower 2.0-liter, turbocharged and intercooled inline four-cylinder engine equipped with an eight-speed Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission, will have a starting MSRP of $40,025 (including $1.025 delivery, processing & handling). The IS 300 AWD is powered by a 260 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine through a six-speed automatic transmission. The 350 F SPORT (above) is the only the 350 and F Sport IS model, coming with a starting price of $43,925 in either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, and powered by a 311 horsepower 3.5-liter V6 paired with the eight-speed Sport Direct Shift automatic transmission for the RWD and a six-speed automatic for the AWD version. The new IS will be available with larger 19-inch wheels. For 2021, the Pre-Collision System, which includes Frontal Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Pedestrian Detection and Bicyclist Detection, features an enhancement to the single-lens camera and millimeter-wave radar elements to expand the response range. The starting price of the 350 F SPORT is $43,925. The new 2021 IS is expected to arrive in dealerships this October.

2021 BMW X2 Special Edition Package For An Extra $3,550

The 2021 BMW X2 Sports Activity Coupe special edition, powered by a 228 horsepower 2.0-liter BMW TwinPower Turbo engine mated to an 8-Speed Sport automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle shifters, offers the M Sport X exterior package and Edition M Mesh trim package on X2 sDrive28i and xDrive28i models for $3,550. The special edition includes M Sport X exterior package, M Mesh kidney grille, choice of metallic paint including Brooklyn Grey Metallic, new 19-inch M Aerodynamic Style 919M wheels with orange or black highlights, interior Edition badging and M Sport Seats with leather upholstery. The MSRP for the 2021 X2 sDrive28i is $37,595 (including $995 destination) and $39,595 for the X2 xDrive28i.

Friday, October 2, 2020

All New 2nd Generation 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible

The all new 2nd generation 2021 BMW 4 Series Convertible, starts at 54,095 (including $995 destination) for the new 430i Convertible and $56,095 for the 430i xDrive Convertible which are powered by a 255 horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder BMW TwinPower turbocharged engine mated to an 8-speed transmission with new Sprint function. The M440i Convertible starts at $64,995 and the M440i xDrive Convertible at $66,995 are powered by a 382 horsepower 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder BMW TwinPower turbocharged engine also paired with an 8-speed transmission with new Sprint function. The new 2021 4 Series Convertible is 5.2-inches longer (5.3-inches for M440i models), 1.0-inches wider and 0.1-inch higher. It also has a 1.6-inch longer wheelbase than its predecessor while the front track has grown by 1.5-inches. Standard displays are an 8.8-inch center touchscreen control display and a 5.1-inch color display between the instrument gauges. Selecting the optional Live Cockpit Professional upgrades the displays to a 10.25-inch center touchscreen control display and a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument display.

2021 Audi RS 5 Coupe and Sportback Start At $76,145

The 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupe (above) and Sportback are powered by a 444 horsepower 2.9-liter V6 TFSI® bi-turbo engine paired with an eight-speed Tiptronic transmission directing the power of the engine to the permanent quattro all-wheel drive which takes the RS 5 Coupe from 0 to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and 3.8 for the Sportback to a top track speed of 155 mph, or to 174 mph with the Ascari launch edition for both variants. New for 2021, the RS 5 Coupe and Sportback are available in the Ascari and Black optic launch editions. The 2021 Audi RS 5 Coupe starts at $76,145 (including $1,045 destination charge), RS 5 Sportback at $76,445, RS 5 Coupe Ascari launch edition at $96,645, RS 5 Sportback Ascari launch edition at $96,945, and the Audi RS 5 Coupe and Sportback Black optic launch editions start at $88,445. In addition to exterior design changes, 2021 updates include as standard, Matrix-design LED headlights with Audi laser light, and LED taillights with dynamic turn signals and animation. The standard LED lighting plus package offers more than 30 different color combinations for greater customization of the interior. The new MIB 3 infotainment system offers drivers a 10.1” touch screen and enhanced computing power.

2021 Volkswagen ID.4 electric SUV Starts At $39,995 Before Credits In Q1

The all-new 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 electric SUV will first be offered with an 82kWh (gross) battery and a rear-mounted AC permanent-magnet synchronous motor with 201 horsepower with an estimated range of 250 miles with a full charge on the EPA cycle. An electric all-wheel-drive variant with 302 horsepower will follow later in 2021. The ID.4 comes with three years of fast charging with Electrify America at no additional cost and can be charged with both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) fast-charging capability. The 11 kW onboard charger allows the ID.4 to charge the battery 33 miles in about one hour, and charges to full in around seven and a half hours at a home or public Level 2 charger. At a DC fast-charging station, with 125 kW charging, the ID.4 can go from five to 80 percent charged in about 38 minutes. The ID.4 starts at $39,995 for the rear-wheel-drive ID.4 Pro (available in the first quarter of 2021), before a potential Federal tax credit of up to $7,500 is applied. With those credits, the entry price of ID.4 is on par with the 2021 Tiguan SEL.  For qualified customers through Volkswagen Credit, the monthly lease payment for a 36-month lease with 10,000 miles a year, is $379 per month with $3,579 due at signing, excluding tax, title, license, options and dealer fees. Starting later in 2021, the ID.4 AWD Pro ($43,675) will be available. In 2022 when production starts in the U.S., Volkswagen plans on offering a localized version of the ID.4 priced around $35,000.

2021 Mercedes-AMG GT Coming In Early 2021

The 2021 Mercedes-AMG GT two-door models are powered by a 523 horsepower AMG 4.0L V8 biturbo engine, 54 more horsepower than before, mated to the AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 7-speed transmission and reaching 60 mph 0.2s quicker, in 3.7 seconds. Standard equipment now includes AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension with adaptive damping adjustment, electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle, AMG high-performance composite braking system and red painted brake calipers. The "Stealth Edition" also joins the lineup for model year 2021 for both AMG GT variants. The new 2021 AMG GT Coupe and Roadster will arrive at US dealers in early 2021.

2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line High Performance Sedan

The 2021 Hyundai Sonata N Line high-performance sedan, follows the launch of Sonata and Sonata Hybrid in 2019. 

2021 BMW M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe Arrive In March

The brand new 2021 BMW M3 Sedan (left) starting at $70,895 (including $995 destination) and M4 Coupe (right) starting at $73,795, are powered by a 473 horsepower 3.0-liter, inline-cylinder, BMW TwinPower Turbo engine offering the choice of traditional 6-speed manual transmission or automatic transmission. The Competition models’ S58 engine is further tuned to produce 503 horsepower. The front track has been increased by 1.5-inches over the previous models which helps to improve traction and directional stability. They feature standard BMW Live Cockpit Professional with a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument display and a 10.25-inch digital, high-resolution touch screen center display. The latest iDrive 7.0 operating system includes Navigation with new cloud-based BMW Maps, wireless connectivity for your mobile devices including Apple CarPlay, Android Auto compatibility and BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant and M-specific displays for the instrument cluster and optional Head-Up display. iDrive 7 allows the driver and passengers to interact through voice control, touch screen or via the touch iDrive controller. The RWD, manual-transmission M3 Sedan and M4 Coupe and the RWD, automatic transmission M3 Competition Sedan and M4 Competition Coupe will be offered at the global market launch next March. The M xDrive for the Competition models will arrive next Summer.

2021 RDX PMC Edition Coming This Month

2021 RDX PMC Edition, combining A-Spec and Advance Package features, follows TLX and MDX to be hand-built alongside NSX at Acura’s Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC). Powered by a 2.0-Liter Turbo VTEC Inline 4-Cylinder and paired with a 10-Speed Automatic Transmission, only 360 units of the RDX PMC Edition will be built for the North American market, each in Thermal Orange Pearl paint shared with the electrified NSX sports car. The range topping RDX PMC Edition will carry a sticker price in the low $50,000s when the first customer deliveries begin this month.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

2021 Kia Sorento Coming Later This Year

The all-new fourth-generation 2021 Kia Sorento, offered in LX, S, EX, SX, and SX-Prestige and available with either FWD or AWD, and offers 4 engine choices including a new 281 horsepower 2.5-Turbo option with mated to an 8-speed wet-clutch DCT for more responsive around-town or mountain-pass driving. The other powertrains are a 191 horsepower GDI 4-cylinder engine, a 227 horsepower GDI 4-cylinder Turbo Hybrid with 44 kW electric motor mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission and a 261 horsepower GDI 4-cylinder Turbo Plug-in Hybrid with 66.9 kW electric motor paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission getting an estimated 30-mile all-electric range. The 2021 Sorento, built on an all-new 3rd generation “N3” platform, is lighter, stronger and more flexible than previous models. The wheelbase is nearly 1.4 inches longer for more interior space. The 2021 Sorento is expected to go on sale later this year and pricing will be announced closer to its on-sale date.

2021 Nissan Rogue Coming Soon

The all-new 2021 Nissan Rogue, offered in S, SV and SL grade levels and, for 2021, a new Platinum grade, is powered by a 181 horsepower 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder engine with Nissan's Direct Injection Gasoline system. Off-road, Snow, Standard, Eco and Sport drive modes, available with Rogue All-Wheel Drive models, are engaged by the driver through a drive-mode selector mounted on the center console. Nissan Safety Shield 360 technologies include Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist and Rear Automatic Braking. The 2021 Rogue also offers 10 standard supplemental air bags and extended crumple zones to help protect occupants. The new Rogue also offers Nissan's innovative Intelligent Driver Alertness technology and Rear Door Alert as standard equipment on all grade levels. Also available is Blind Spot Intervention and Traffic Sign Recognition. Intelligent Cruise Control is included as part of the available ProPILOT Assist system. The all-new Nissan Rogue arrives at dealers throughout the U.S. this Fall.

2022 Hyundai Tucson Arrives In U.S. First Half of Next Year

The all-new 2022 Hyundai Tucson, fourth-generation compact SUV, with both a long-wheelbase and short-wheelbase variants, powered by a Smartstream™ 187 horsepower 2.5-liter, direct-injected, four-cylinder, gasoline powertrain coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission and 1.6-liter, turbo, direct-injected, hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains. The 1.6-liter hybrid produces an estimated powertrain output of 227 horsepower. The interior offers a vertically stacked, dual 10.25-inch full-touch screen exempt of hard buttons, a multi-air ventilation system and an open, hoodless digital gauge cluster. Tucson’s new Car-to-home feature allows customers to control smart home appliances from the car. The all-new Tucson goes on sale in Korea in September as a 2021 model. It will go on sale in the U.S. and other global markets as a 2022 model starting from the first half of 2021. Hyundai plans to offer N Line globally for the all-new Tucson with a launch date to be announced later. 

2021 Jaguar F-PACE

The 2021 Jaguar F-PACE SUV, is offered in F-PACE 250 and S 250 powered by a 246 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the S 340 with a 335 horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged six-cylinder MHEV, and the R-DYNAMIC S 400 which gets a 395 horsepower 3.0-liter turbocharged and supercharged six-cylinder MHEV, all paired with Jaguar’s eight-speed automatic transmission, which can be controlled using the steering wheel shift paddles. The central 11.4-inch curved-glass HD touchscreen, which is three times brighter and 48 percent larger than the previous 10-inch screen, complements a new, available 12.3-inch HD Interactive Driver Display with enhanced graphics and a configurable layout for full-screen navigation mapping with turn-by-turn instructions, digital dials, media, contact list or infotainment details. Full-screen 3D mapping is available with additional overlays for elements ranging from turn-by-turn instructions to compass bearings and places of interest. The optional Head-up Display technology is designed to reduce added distraction.

Monday, September 14, 2020

2021 Ford Ranger Adds Tremor Off-Road Package For $4,290

The 2021 Ford Ranger, powered by a 270 horsepower 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard 4x4 with electronic locking rear differential, adds the Tremor Off-Road Package designed to help owners tackle even rougher off-road terrain without compromising Ranger’s payload and tow ratings. Tremor boosts Ranger’s off-road metrics, including a 30.9-degree approach angle, up 2.2 degrees from the base SuperCrew 4x4, a 25.5-degree departure angle, which is up 0.1 degrees and a 24.2-degree breakover angle, up 2.7 degrees. The Tremor Off-Road Package is available on mid XLT and high Lariat series 2021 Ranger trucks with SuperCrew 4x4 configuration. Package pricing is $4,290 MSRP. The 2020 Ranger XLT MSRP is $29,655 (including $1,195 destination charges) so the Ranger XLT with the Tremor Package would be around $34,000 and $38,000 on the Lariat trim level.