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INNOVATION

Book Review: Preston Tucker

April 17, 2017 by admin 3 Comments

…and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow.

Preston Tucker may not be a name familiar to people outside of the auto industry or the business world, unless you happened to watch the 1988 movie, “Tucker: The Man and His Dream.”

I never saw the movie, but have been long familiar with the story. Or at least I thought so.

That is until I read the book, “Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow,” by Steve Lehto (Chicago Review Press; 272 pages; $27,99; ISBN: 978-1-61374-953-1). In effect, Lehto exposed the entire story, going well beyond the man’s aspirations to show how industry leaders, politicians, and regulators colluded to destroy the company and perhaps the man who ran it.

I must say that the author’s story was infuriating — not for how he illustrated it, but for the hard truths exposed. Tucker himself weathered injustice after injustice as the three largest automakers of that era — General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler — did everything they could to wreck Tucker’s dream.

Unfortunately, the Big Three succeeded.

Attorney and Industry Expert

Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of TomorrowTo his credit, Lehto brought not just an investigative touch to the story, but his legal expertise. Indeed, he is not only the author of the “Lemon Law Bible,” but he’s a practicing attorney based in Michigan. His website reveals his background in lemon law and consumer protection, areas where the auto industry has made significant changes following years of neglect or willful ignorance.

Preston Tucker was the consummate entrepreneur, born in 1903 just outside of Detroit. That proximity to Motor City meant that he had access to the emerging industry and everything related to it. Early on, he managed a service station near where he grew up with his wife, Vera. While Vera managed the station during the day, Preston worked on a Ford assembly line.

When the service station lease ended, Tucker quit Ford, joined the police force, then moved on to sell Studebakers, then Stutz and Chrysler. Stints at Pierce-Arrow and Dodge should also be counted, before his interest in race car development and military vehicles followed.

WWII: An Opportunity Emerges

During the Second World War, America’s car companies quit producing passenger vehicles and became assembly lines for all sorts of military vehicles and hardware. As the war labored on, pent-up demand for new vehicles surged and by the time the war ended, consumers were looking for new designs.

Unfortunately for the traditional manufacturers, the only “new” cars planned were based on designs used before the war. It would take several more years before the pre-war styles were retired.

A New Automaker: Tucker Corporation

Preston Tucker saw an opportunity and formed the Tucker Corporation even before the war ended. In quick succession, Tucker assembled a group of industry leaders to launch his enterprise, based on a 1946 design of the car. Soon, a “Tin Goose” prototype followed and the company acquired its first manufacturing plant.

But problems and opposition arose early on, including some of Tucker’s own making. Known as a consummate salesman, Tucker easily endeared himself to others and did an outstanding job of promoting the company’s stock. However, he soon found that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) would scrutinize the company, launching a formal investigation.

It is at this point in the story that the Tucker Corporation was racing against time. The company needed to get vehicles produced to convince detractors that production-ready models were possible. At the same time, at least one Michigan politician was hell bent against Tucker, and quite possibly in the pocket of at least one automaker threatened by what the Tucker entity might become.

Tucker 48: The Car of Tomorrow

What became known as the “Tucker 48” was truly a state-of-the-art conveyance. Tucker envisioned a car that wasn’t just modern, but equipped with safety equipment not offered in that day.

A padded dashboard, disc brakes, a pop-out windshield, and a third headlight which swiveled when taking corners, were just a few of the safety features offered. Its rear-wheel, rear-engine design was unusual too — altogether, the Tucker 48 had the potential to not just shake up the industry, but to transform it. It became known as “the car of tomorrow” — a stark contrast to the aged designs offered by Detroit.

I won’t go into all the details about how the Tucker Corporation unraveled — you need to read the book — but I will say that there were enough doubters, backstabbers, and ne’er-do-wells to undermine the company. Sadly, the media was complicit, launching baseless critiques of the car or advancing a disproven narrative, e.g. — the car could not drive in reverse.

That Tucker was able to get 51 cars to the market before the whole thing crumbled is a tribute to the man. That there were only 51 cars built is a crying shame — without much interference, the industry could have transformed much faster, delivering safer cars and saving thousands of lives.

But consider this: safety features are costly and manufacturers long put share values above consumer safety, a problem that isn’t as prevalent today, but it still does exist.

The End of the Road

After several years of wrangling with the opposition, Tucker found himself without a company and with people launching civil suits against the company and himself, including dealers who lost their investment.

Though Tucker prevailed, he was destitute, yet he maintained the dream of launching a new company. At the same time, he was never quite himself and was later diagnosed with lung cancer, passing away at age 53 — just eight years after launching the Tucker 48.

Shades of Musk and Tesla?

There is much that can be gleaned from Letho’s work, which I think has an important place in chronicling Tucker history, even without the foreword by Jay Leno.

Some compare Tucker’s rise and fall to Elon Musk, founder of Tesla Motors. Although Musk is similarly imbued with entrepreneurialism, his personal wealth and the very favorable government backing for his electric vehicle initiative means comparisons between the two stops there. Indeed, although Musk’s long-term success is still in doubt, at least he hasn’t faced the same insurmountable headwinds as Tucker.

And that’s putting it all very mildly.


See Also — Book Review — The Allure of the Automobile

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: auto industry, Chicago Review Press, ELON MUSK, INNOVATION, Jay Leno, Preston Tucker, regulators, safety, SEC, Steve Lehto, TESLA MOTORS, Tucker 48

Apple’s Project Titan Autonomous Car

August 19, 2015 by admin 1 Comment

From the rumor files.

Computer and consumer electronics authority Apple Inc. has its eyes intently focused on the automotive industry. And not just through its Apple CarPlay initiative, what works with the telematics systems found in select new cars.

Automobile by Apple: iCar?

No, Apple wants to manufacture the car itself and those rumors are hardly new. Indeed, earlier this year the scuttlebutt had Apple purchasing Tesla Motors, a report that has since been dismissed. At the same time Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk has said that he welcomes the competition, believing that Apple’s entry would provide a “broader consumer acceptance of electric vehicles.”

Why would Apple manifest interest in building cars, especially since it would enter an industry where it has no experience? There are a few reasons for this, including two that should be examined.

First, Google is jumping in. Google and Apple are arch rivals and are currently battling each other to gain access to influence in-cabin telematics systems. Just as Apple’s CarPlay is rolling out throughout the auto industry, Google’s Android Auto is doing likewise. There’s a lot be gained by banding together with car manufacturers. And, by the way, Google is already working on its own autonomous vehicle. Apple wants in and they are not about to allow Google to win the day without putting up a valiant effort.

Second, market convergence is here. Cars are computers and computers are in cars. The marriage of cars and computers has been underway for two decades now as in-car computers essentially control your vehicle. Car manufacturers need technology to help them build autonomous vehicles, something Apple, Google and others are flaunting their expertise. If you want vehicles to talk with each other, then a system has to be in place that permits this. Once driverless vehicles are approved for everyday use, the market convergence will be complete. Complete, but still in its infancy.

Let’s Call it Project Titan

Apple CarPlay
Project Titan will go far beyond Apple CarPlay.
Apple’s new car initiative has a name, dubbed Project Titan. AppleInsider reported on the project this past March, uncovering a secret facility just minutes away from the company’s Cupertino, California, headquarters. That news followed earlier reports that Apple was luring engineers from Tesla Motors and other manufacturers to launch the project. Furthermore, a Sunnyvale location was identified and a sprawling “repair garage” is just one component in that complex.

Project Titan is an appropriate name, but it should not be confused with the Nissan pickup truck bearing the Titan name. But just as Titan in Greek mythology represented one of a family of giants, the Apple car is an enormous initiative much in the same way that the first Mac and iPhones also were. Steve Jobs may have died, but the desire to innovate lives on in Apple Inc.

California Track Time

Project Titan, however, appears much larger than the Sunnyvale location. Just this week, The Guardian (UK) newspaper claimed that it obtained correspondence confirming Apple’s agendum. The periodical says that Apple’s engineers recently met with officials from GoMentum Station, what composes a 2,100-acre former naval weapons base near San Francisco.

That garrison may be leased by Apple and used as the proving ground for an autonomous vehicle. It would be the ideal place too as it is composed of some 20 miles of urban streets and highways, an ideal arrangement for testing driverless cars. The Guardian noted that both Honda and Mercedes-Benz have tested their own self-driving vehicles, a secured facility surrounded by barbed wire and patrolled by security teams.

Automotive Manufacturers and Driverless Technology

While Project Titan may be what Apple has in mind, it still might want to consider what other manufacturers are doing. The Volkswagen Group, Tesla, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and a handful of undisclosed manufacturers are heavily invested in autonomous technology and could assist Apple in its endeavor.

Then again, Apple is used to hatching its products in house and delivering them to customers with overwhelming acclaim. That’s a tall order for Project Titan, but it appears that Apple isn’t shrinking from this titanic enterprise.

See Also — Tesla Owners Gripe Over Supercharger Abuse Warning

Photo copyright Apple Inc.

Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: Android Auto, APPLE, APPLE CAR PLAY, AUTONOMOUS CAR, CALIFORNIA, ELECTRIC CAR, GOOGLE, INNOVATION, PROJECT TITAN, TESLA MOTORS

Mcity Provides a Testing Ground for Autonomous Vehicles

July 21, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Autonomous driving test facilities are few in number. The University of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Transportation have partnered to build Mcity, a facility where connected cars and autonomous driving can be put through the paces.

MCity
MCity, where autonomous driving is put through the paces.

It is understood that driverless vehicles will eventually become commonplace on America’s roads. What is not yet clear is when this will happen. Indeed, there are obstacles that may slow down the process, including state and federal regulations, insurance industry oversight, and consumer acceptance. The technology is there, but the barriers must be removed.

On Monday, the University of Michigan launched Mcity, its 32-acre controlled environment designed to advance connected car and autonomous vehicle technologies. The city within the city of Ann Arbor will provide a unique environment for manufacturers, regulators, suppliers and insurance companies to help make autonomous driving a reality.

State and Industry Cooperation

Mcity was founded by the University of Michigan and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Together, the two invested more than $10 million in the test facility and 15 companies, including automotive manufacturers, insurance companies, technology companies and industry suppliers are contributing $1 million over the first three years. An additional 33 companies are contributing $150,000 over that span.

“We believe that this transformation to connected and automated mobility will be a game changer for safety, for efficiency, for energy, and for accessibility,” said Peter Sweatman, director of the U-M Mobility Transformation Center. “Our cities will be much better to live in, our suburbs will be much better to live in. These technologies truly open the door to 21st century mobility.”

Michigan remains the top state for producing cars as well as for research and development. The Wolverine State has also been at the forefront of connected vehicle technologies, something that Mcity is designed to advance.

“We’ve been a world leader in innovation, especially in terms of mobility,” said Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder. “We put the world on wheels. We transformed how the world moved. Michigan is uniquely positioned to continue to be a leader in mobility, and the University of Michigan’s new Mcity will play a critical role in that future.”

Real World Surroundings

Mcity was designed to mimic real world conditions. Thus, the environment includes a carefully designed network of roads along with traffic signs and signals, street lights, construction obstacles, sidewalks and, yes, building facades. The initiative was designed to provide surroundings that will allow emerging technologies to be tested in a controlled environment.

“There are many challenges ahead as automated vehicles are increasingly deployed on real roadways,” Sweatman said. “Mcity is a safe, controlled, and realistic environment where we are going to figure out how the incredible potential of connected and automated vehicles can be realized quickly, efficiently and safely.”

Mcity: Vehicle to Vehicle Communication

Mcity will permit vehicles to talk with each other, even around blind corners, as well as to the infrastructure. The locale will help vehicles determine when a person crosses the road in front of a car as well as detecting when a dog does likewise.

As important as Mcity is for building an autonomous vehicle network, it is only the first step that the University of Michigan, the UDOT and its partners will take. Real world deployment will expand to Ann Arbor proper where connected cars are already traversing the city’s streets. From there, the entire southeast region of the state will become the testing ground, simulating driving conditions throughout the country.

Thus, from a controlled environment with just scores of vehicles at work, the deployment will expand to as many as 9,000 vehicles in Ann Arbor to 20,000 vehicles in the southeast Michigan region. Further, a 2,000-vehicle mobility service of connected and automated vehicles will be deployed in Ann Arbor.

For more information, check out the U-M Mobility Transformation Center.

Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: ANN ARBOR, AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, CONNECTED CARS, DRIVERLESS CARS, INNOVATION, MCITY, MICHIGAN, TECHNOLOGIES, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

Honda Heritage Center Opens in Ohio

December 24, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

New facility showcases Honda’s history in America.

1974 Honda Civic.
A 1974 Civic: the model that started it all for Honda.

Many people understand that Honda is a Japanese car manufacturer, but the depth and breath of its business extends out much further than that. The company has been doing business in the United States for 55 years and was the first of the “big three” Japanese automakers to build a car manufacturing plant in North America. Truly, Honda is a global operation.

Honda Heritage Center

More than a decade before selling its first cars stateside, Honda established itself as a power equipment and powersports manufacturer. When it came time to build a car factory in the United States, the company chose Marysville, Ohio, for its first location. Since then, Honda has opened other plants, a technical development center and additional facilities. Last week, Honda turned yet another chapter in its US-based history by opening the Honda Heritage Center in Marysville.

On hand at the dedication was the chief operating officer of Honda’s North American regional operations, Takuji Yamada. He was joined by Ohio Gov. John Kasich, state and community leaders, and other Honda officials in dedicating the $35 million, 160,000 square-foot building. The facility is composed of a museum, a technical development center and offices for the automaker.

The museum portion will welcome its first visitors in January and pay tribute to “Honda’s unique tradition” and feature the many products made and achievements reached over the past half-century and more. Visitors will see how Honda has progressed technologically on a number of fronts, including motorcycles, power equipment and automobiles, with some of those products on display.

Part of the museum space will also showcase such innovative technologies as a replica of its ASIMO humanoid robot and the HondaJet. The latter is new with customer deliveries to start in 2015.

Honda motorcycles

Honda’s history of motorcycle manufacturing precedes automotive production.

Technical Development Center

The technical development center was designed to assist Honda engineers, equipment service technicians and production associates in automotive production across North America. Its mission is to ensure that Honda associates are able to carry out the company’s advanced technology requirements. Essentially, Marysville will play a greater role in helping Honda with the development and production of global Honda models. The upcoming Acura NSX is just one example of such a new model.

Explained Tom Shoupe, chief operating officer and executive vice president of Honda of America Mfg. Inc., “As we introduce more sophisticated technologies in our products and in our plants, we are working to ensure that our associates are equipped with the skills required for the manufacturing demands of the future. We view this investment in Honda people as critical to our future success.”

The State of Ohio provided grant money through its JobsOhio program to help launch the technical development center. The center has five full classrooms, including robotic manufacturing cells to provide more hands-on training for technicians. The curriculum is composed of several elements ranging from maintenance math and frequency drives to advanced training for die molds and machining. The state believes the center will serve as both an important focal point for Honda as well as augment regional labor pool development.

HondaJet

The Acura NSX, HondaJet & ASIMO are among Honda’s futuristic offerings.

Detroit Debut: 2016 Acura NSX

Besides its heritage center announcement, Honda’s Acura division made some news of its own as it announced that its second-generation NSX sportscar will make its production version debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January.

The new model will be underpinned by a hybrid powertrain outfitted with a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine and multiple electric motors. Global production of the 2016 Acura NSX will take place exclusively in Marysville, Ohio, with the first deliveries to customers expected in late 2015. Additional product information will be offered at the Detroit auto show with official pricing coming later in the year.

Photos supplied courtesy of Honda North America.

Additional Honda News

Honda Beats Nissan With a CR-V Stick

Honda Debuts FCV Concept Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

Why the Honda Insight Failed

Next Generation Honda Ridgeline Silhouette Teased

Filed Under: Automotive News Tagged With: ACURA NSX, American Honda, ASIMO, HONDA HERITAGE CENTER, INNOVATION, MARYSVILLE, OHIO, TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER, Technology

Lower Fuel Prices Will Have No Effect on Big Three Innovation

December 9, 2014 by admin 1 Comment

GM, Ford and Chrysler Embrace Fuel Saving Innovation.

Fuel prices are continuing to fall, dropping below $2.50 per gallon for regular grade gasoline in some areas. That’s just the kind of move that has some shoppers looking at larger and less efficient vehicles, perhaps advancing certain auto trends not yet foreseen. The drop in fuel prices, expected to last for several years, won’t stop car manufacturers from innovating, however. Instead, there are a number of changes underfoot that will continue even if gas prices continue to trend downward.

Updated Engines for Chrysler

Ram 1500 innovation.

This small diesel powers select Ram 1500 models.

Of all the major manufacturers, the Chrysler Group has the heaviest exposure to larger vehicles. That’s good for profits, but it is bad in helping the company reach mandated corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) ratings. The problem becomes magnified in each succeeding year up to 2025, when manufacturers must find a way to produce and sell passenger vehicles averaging 54.5 miles per gallon.

Chrysler needs to move away from V-8 engines or at least offer powerful, smaller engines that can step in as well. At present it has a pair of V-6 engines that are likely to play a much larger role in helping Chrysler reach its goals. Specifically, Pentastar family engines displacing at 3.2 and 3.6 liters will receive important innovations.

Those upgrades will bring in a host of technologies such as turbocharging and direct injection notes AllPar.com. Ford makes use of these technologies in its EcoBoost engines, enabling it to provide smaller and more efficient engines with no loss in overall power. Currently, both Pentastar engines are naturally aspirated; making new technologies available will mean supplementing its current V-8 line of HEMI engines. Eventually, those larger engines might be dropped as the CAFE mandates are raised.

Continuously Variable Transmission for Ford

CVT innovation.

Toyota pairs its 1.8-liter engine with a CVT.

Just as Toyota added a continuously variable transmission (CVT) to the Corolla line beginning in 2014 and has enjoyed a nice boost in fuel economy, Ford may do likewise with some of its own models reports Automotive News. Much attention has been directed Ford’s way with the upcoming release of 9- and 10-speed transmissions. Those transmissions, however, will be paired with its larger engines.

A CVT could find its way in such cars as the Ford Focus and Fiesta. Certain versions of those models already get at least 40 mpg on the highway and a CVT could advance those numbers. CVT technology has been used by Nissan for more than 20 years, but other automakers have had mixed results, in part because of consumer hesitancy.

For instance, CVTs don’t use gear points as do standard automatic transmissions and cause a rubber band effect when pressing on the accelerator that returns a pulling sensation. Engines tend to sound louder and the resultant transmission lag annoys some people. Toyota has found a way to limit that sensation and that could be something Ford has figured out too.

GM Does Diesels

As gas prices fall, diesel prices drop too. Still, diesel fuel now carries a mark up of about 20 percent even as such engines are 30 to 35 percent more fuel efficient than comparable gas engines.

Chevrolet Cruze innovation

GM continues to use diesels in smaller vehicles including Cruze.

GM has long been committed to diesels with its heavy-duty pickup trucks. It also offers a diesel variant for the Chevrolet Cruze. Come 2015 and you will see an expanded diesel application in its midsize pickup trucks — Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. But it may not stop there.

Indeed, ever since the Ram 1500 received a 3.0-liter six cylinder diesel option, competing automakers have been studying doing likewise. GM, along with its Isuzu partner, jointly manage DMAX — a company that produces the 6.6-liter turbo diesel V-8 engine found in heavy-duty Chevrolet and GMC pickup trucks. A 2.8-liter turbo diesel four will power the midsize trucks; a 2.5-liter turbo diesel four is available in other markets, such as in Thailand.

What GM needs is a V-6 diesel motor and it once has access to one when it shared ownership of VM Motori with Fiat. In Oct. 2013, Fiat acquired GM’s 50 percent share in the company, effectively shutting GM out of the market. Still, GM likely has a V-6 turbo diesel on its drawing board, perhaps based on the smaller fours and measuring about 3.8 liters. Expect GM to green light production if diesel demand increases, but perhaps not until fuel prices are raised across the board again.

Big Three Innovation

Although engines and transmissions will play a significant role in improving fuel economy, further innovations will come through vehicle lightweighting. We’re seeing some of that right now in the aluminum-bodied 2015 Ford F-150. Ford’s competitors — domestic and foreign — are responding by choosing high-strength, but lighter weight steel, carbon fiber and are pursuing other fuel saving initiatives. These efforts will continue even as uel prices are sinking, what is likely to prove a temporary pull back as automakers prepare for much higher CAFE standards.

See Also — Gasoline Fuel Choices for Today’s Cars

Filed Under: Engineering & Technology Tagged With: ALLPAR.COM, AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, CAFE, CHEVROLET COLORADO, CHRYSLER, CVT, DIESELS, Ford, FORD F-150, GM, INNOVATION, LIGHTWEIGHTING, Toyota, TRANSMISSIONS, VM MOTORI

PSA Peugeot Citroën Promises Hybrid Air Technology by 2016

January 22, 2013 by admin 1 Comment

Innovative hybrid system uses gasoline and compressed air.

PSA Peugeot Citroën showcases its hybrid air system.
PSA Peugeot Citroën showcases its hybrid air system.

French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroën no longer sells its cars in the United States and Canada, an absence that may not be remedied anytime soon despite the company’s new alliance with the General Motors Company. The PSA Group has had some struggles as it seeks to reduce capacity, lay off some workers and set its financial house aright, with no immediate plans to return to the North American market.

Hybrid Air Technology

Despite its current challenges, PSA is moving forward with its business and is developing all-new technologies. Today, on its Innovation Day, PSA unveiled what it calls an innovative full hybrid gasoline system, one that runs on gasoline and compressed air. PSAs Hybrid Air system is expected to debut in 2016, fitted to subcompact or B-segment models.

PSA says that the technology will deliver a vehicle that can travel 21/100 km or 117.6 miles per gallon on the European cycle. In city driving, that accounts for a 45 percent fuel savings or a 35 percent boost overall. The numbers, though they might be considerably different in North America, would easily outpace conventional gasoline-electric hybrids. At present, the Toyota Prius c is the segment leader here it gets a combined 50 mpg.


See Also — Peugeot Prepares for its U.S. Return


Proposed Vehicle

The PSA Group is showcasing cut outs of its Hybrid Air technology on its website. This vehicle makes use of a gasoline engine and an automatic transmission up front along with a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic motor. In the forward section of the drivetrain is an energy storage system. At the rear, just before the axle is the fuel tank. A low-pressure storage compartment is located between the rear wheels.

Hybrid Air technology makes use of three driving modes: gasoline power, air power and combined power.

Gasoline power would kick in during road and highway driving with the gasoline engine operating at a slightly lower speed to yield fuel savings of up to 5 percent. At speeds below 20 mph or 70 kph air power would take over, drawing energy from the storage system. During air power mode the gasoline engine comes to a complete stop and the highest efficiencies would be achieved.

The combined power mode means that the vehicle automatically and seamlessly switches between gasoline and air compression at certain times. Brake energy regeneration is also at work whenever the car is decelerating or when it is braking. Energy regeneration takes place during all three modes.

Range and Market

PSA says that its Hybrid Air system extends vehicle range by 90 percent over conventional gasoline engines. Moreover, it achieves zero emissions 60 to 80 percent of the time, and can also be fitted to compact or C-segment models as well as for light commercial vehicles.

Major technological partners for the Hybrid Air project were Bosch and Faurecia. The French government also lent its assistance.


See Also — Michigan Tech Students Help Build a Better Taillight

Photo courtesy of PSA Peugeot Citroën.

Filed Under: Engineering & Technology Tagged With: B-segment, GM, hybrid air, INNOVATION, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Subcompact Cars

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  • Fuel-Efficiency and AWD Champion: 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
  • Midsize Performance Master: 2021 Hyundai Sonata N-Line
  • Performance Hatchback: The All-New 2021 Mazda Mazda3 Turbo!
  • NACTOY Finalists For 2021 Offer Familiar and Futuristic Choices
  • Super Trooper: Nissan Titan Pickup
  • Behind the Wheel of the Popular 2021 Toyota Corolla Sedan
  • Lucid Motors Completes Arizona Factory
  • A Robust Turbodiesel Comes to the Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  • Mid-Engine Masterpiece: The Eighth-Generation Chevrolet Corvette Stingray
  • Compact Performance:
    2021 Cadillac CT4-V
  • All-Wheel Drive Supplies the Nissan Altima With a Competitive Edge
  • Return of the Toyota Venza!
  • Lexus Brings a Convertible to the Gorgeous LC 500 Line
  • Stellantis Logo Revealed by Peugeot, Fiat Chrysler Ahead of Spring Merger
  • Preview: 2021 Nissan Rogue Crossover
  • How to Fix a Broken Rivian Vehicle
  • Cadillac Gets Most Things Right
    With the XT6 Crossover
  • The High Potency Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye Widebody Coupe
  • The All-New Chevrolet Trailblazer Forges Urban Paths
  • The Small Infiniti QX50 is Big on Tech and Engineering Features
  • Toyota Brings the TRD Treatment to the Midsize Camry Sedan
  • The Kia K5 Outclasses Most Competitors, Including the Departing Optima
  • Can the Toyota RAV4 TRD Off-Road Handle Tough Terrain?
  • Subaru WRX Showcases Its Performance Chops
  • Infiniti Overhauls QX80 Trims and Makes This Important Safety Feature Standard
  • Ford F-250 Super Duty and a Trail-Stomping Tremor Package
  • A Cut Above: Mazda’s Mazda3
  • The Highly Efficient Hyundai Ioniq
  • Volkswagen Atlas Revels in its Strengths
  • General Motors Deepens Partnership With Honda, Takes Stake in Nikola
  • Smart Concept: Jeep Grand Wagoneer
  • More Than an Encore: Buick Encore GX
  • Got a Recall? There’s an App for That.
  • Refreshed Nissan Titan Makes Its Case
  • BMW M235i: Not Your Typical Coupe
  • Hot Stuff: Lexus RC F Sport Coupe
  • Will the Electric Vehicle Boom Create New-Found Dependencies for Foreign Minerals?
  • Rumors? We Got Them!
  • About Bollinger Motors, EV Startup
  • Raptor Fighter: Ram 1500 TRX!
  • White Space Wonder: 2020 Nissan Rogue Sport
January 2021
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