Automotive News (Page 937)

Two of the biggest electric transit bus titans were in the news recently: BYD plans to build a manufacturing facility for its buses and batteries in Brazil, and Proterra has announced the first sale of its second-generation “infinite range” electric bus.

Since the news hit that the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat would pack 707 horsepower and 650lb-ft of torque, the discussion over how the Chevrolet Camaro would battle back has been a hot topic but with the success of the Corvette Stingray and the breathtaking performance of the upcoming Z06 – maybe GM won’t bother building a Hellcat-killing Camaro after all.

Ford Motor Company recently rolled out the weight figures for all of the 2015 Mustang fastbacks, showing us that the next generation has gained far less than the 300 pound increase that was rumored over the past few months – and preserving the Mustang’s place as the lightest of the three American muscle cars.

The Mazda6 is clearly the favorite mid-size car among those who have tested it in the US market. What is it that makes this car such a clear leader?

Ford announced back in January that the company would introduce a new 2.7L EcoBoost V6 for the 2015 F150 which caused many skeptics to question whether it would be “enough motor” for the bestselling truck in America, but with the formal announcement of the power figures for the next generation F150 – those skeptics will need to find a new point to critique.

This past weekend I had the extreme privilege of flying to Portland Oregon to spend some time with the 2015 Dodge Challenger lineup and while we had an opportunity to drive all of the new models, all of my attention was on the new Challenger SRT Hellcat. With 707 horsepower, this is the most powerful American production car of all time and the 6th most powerful in the global production performance car market so while the chance to drive the entire lineup was on hand – for me it was all about the Hellcat.

The German Grand Prix was an exciting showcase of single-seater racing. A new gamer-to-racer dominated GT3 while Vettel and Ricciardo returned excellent performances.

The 2015 Lexus IS is the second year of the new generation. There are important changes Apple iPhone users might want to look for and some new amenities and trim details to note.

The 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek takes on a 21,700-mile there-and-back-again trek from London to Ulaanbaatar. Why is Subaru doing it?

2014 Subaru WRX STI Global Rallycross action concluded Sunday with disappointing results. What happened to the Subaru team?

Two iron-willed drivers from the car shopping site Edmunds.com drove a Tesla Model S from Redondo Beach, California to New York, NY in just 67 hours and 21 minutes. The feat is further demonstration that taking a Tesla on long road trips is becoming more and more convenient.

The automotive community has been more than willing to gripe about the fact that there has been no SRT Viper Roadster since the 5th generation of the Chrysler Group supercar was introduced, but those waiting for a topless Viper can finally sleep at night – although this new Viper Roadster doesn’t come from the Chrysler Group and it doesn’t come cheap.

Today I bring you a great on-car look at the 2015 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in action on a quarter mile drag strip and on a 2 mile road course at the recent media launch – with yours truly piloting the 707 horsepower monster muscle car in all of these new videos.

The 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 will come with a “build your own engine” option similar to the C6 Z06 and ZR1, but a new report indicates that not all C7 Z06 buyers will have the option of paying to build their own 650 horsepower supercharged V8.

How a simple thing like a low coolant level can pit customers against the dealer service advisors.

The 2015 Mazda2 was launched today for the global market by Mazda. Known as the Demio everyplace else, and called the Huzumi as a prototype, the Mazda2 now enters its fourth generation.

Last week we all enjoyed the video showing the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang in action on the famed Nurburgring and while we noted the super aggressive body and the precision handling, we skimmed right past one very important point – it sounds very much like the next generation high performance Mustang will feature an automatic transmission.

While attending last week’s 2015 Dodge Challenger launch in Oregon, a variety of Chrysler Group representatives had no expectations of productions limits for the 707 horsepower SRT Hellcat model, but a new report based on insider information suggests that the Chrysler Group may build just 1,200 examples of the Hellcat Challenger in the first model year - which could lead to colossal dealership markups.

Lexus will move the convertible coupe IS 250C and IS 350C to the new RC platform. The only question is when.

The 2014 Subaru BRZ GT300 was the second fastest car at Sports Land SUGO qualifying. Why did they finish 14th?

The Korean battery maker LG Chem has announced that it will supply the battery for a 200-mile electric vehicle in 2016. Which automaker signed the contract?

Higgins driving the 2014 Subaru WRX STI wins New England Forest Rally and secures the 2014 Rally America National Championship. Travis Pastrana and Chrissie Beavis take 2nd.

On the twentieth anniversary of the 300ZX's Le Mans victory, the car will show up to commemorate that by once again showing up on the track.

Nissan's premium brand Infiniti is stretching its legs once again, this time entering the Vietnamese market.

If you want a 2015 Subaru WRX or WRX STI be prepared to wait. Dealers can’t keep up with the demand. How long is the wait?

The 2014 Subaru Forester, 2013 Outback, 2013 Legacy, 2013 XV Crosstrek and 2013 Impreza all have potential oil consumption issues. Now there's a Subaru Oil Consumption Lawsuit pending.

After being named the Most Valuable Player for the 2014 Major League Baseball All Star Game, Angels’ slugger Mike Trout took home a brand new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible – picking the sleek sports car over a brand new Chevrolet Silverado pickup while also signing the hood of a second Corvette to be auctioned off.

Few people have had a chance to ride in the 2015 Ford Mustang, but thanks to a special event held for select media yesterday afternoon, I had a chance to ride in a trio of new Mustang fastbacks and I had the camera rolling – giving you a chance to take a virtual high speed ride in the next generation pony car.

The revival of the Datsun name continues as the brand expands into Russia with production beginning on the on-DO family sedan.

General Motors has done a very good job of keeping the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro completely hidden from the prying eye of spy photographers over the past few months, but the first batch of spyshots have surfaced online – showing a heavily camouflaged car that looks far more like a refreshed current Camaro than a radical redesign.