The 2014 Camaro is available with a track-focused 1LE Performance Package.Chevrolet Chevrolet is recalling certain Camaro key fobs given to owners as replacements for defective key fobs starting in 2014, the company said early October.The first recall, in 2014, was for every fifth-generation Camaro produced to that point, beginning model year 2010.The automaker said drivers knees could bump into the keys, possibly knocking it out of position while driving. Chevrolet took them all back and gave owners replacement key fobs.Now it turns out some of those replacements may have been of the same faulty switchblade-like flip design, or at least that some dealers were selling these keys as replacements, says Consumer Reports.It was an employee that recently realized the bad keys were still listed on GMs books as a replacement part, meaning some owners may have got them instead of the less bulky flat blade design meant to actually replace the old ones.Chevrolet will contact the owners of the affected 10,740 Camaros directly to let them know whether they need a replacement for their replacement key or
Origin: GM re-recalls bad Camaro key fobs it accidentally kept giving out
News Roundup: Schwarzenegger sets teenage activist up with Tesla, Chevy unveils C8 convertible and more
Welcome to our weekly round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.Here’s what you missed while you were away.When Arnold met GretaWhen Arnold Schwarzenegger was introduced to 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg at a European environmental summit earlier this year, he was thoroughly impressed. (Join the club, Arnold.) And then, when he learned she’d be making a North American tour, he offered to set his new friend up with one of the greenest ways to get around: a Tesla Model 3. Thunberg travelled to Montreal to participate in the climate strike along with approximately 500,000 others, and is continuing on to other events elsewhere in North America. 70-year-old B.C. driver given ticket for having cell phone in cup holderWhere do you keep your cell phone when you’re driving? Obviously, it’s illegal to hold it in your hand and use it – that’s distracted driving – but one senior citizen in B.C. was shocked to receive a ticket this week for having her smartphone charging in a cup holder. Randi Kramer, who’s had a clean driving record for the last 50 years or so, was issued a $368 ticket for distracted driving, despite not being distracted by her phone at all. Kramer plans to fight the ticket and her story has already got the attention of a local lawyer. The new C8 convertible arrives with folding hardtopThe 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray was unveiled this week, and unlike the initial C8 launch that nearly broke the internet earlier this summer, there’s not so much to report on. The new model will be available with a folding hardtop only, and be powered by the same plant as the coupe: a 6.2-litre 490-horsepower V8. Chevy chose to reveal the convertible at the Kennedy Space Center’s Rocket Garden in Orlando, Florida as a nod to all the astronauts who’ve driven ‘Vettes over the years. The 2020 Corvette convertible will start at $78,998 when it arrives in Canada next spring. Watch Tesla owners damage their cars using the new Smart Summon featureA new software update downloaded into Teslas around the world last weekend, teaching the electric vehicles a highly anticipated new trick. Smart Summon automatically pilots empty cars across parking lots or driveways to their drivers, who summon them with the press of a button on an app. But despite the word “Smart” being right there in the name, and Tesla officially reminding driver they “are still responsible for (their) car and must monitor it and its surroundings at all times,” the new feature has occasionally hit a few snags. Or, more accurately, other vehicles and garage doors. Check out some of the Smart Summon fails caught on camera and already making the rounds online. Russian YouTuber tests how many spokes your car wheel actually needsHow many spokes is enough spokes? Sure, all of them would be ideal, but when push came to shove, how many could you still drive with? Like, if you literally pushed and shoved (or cut) the spokes off the wheels, like this Russian YouTuber did, how far would you get? Turns out, pretty far! The Garage 54 YouTube channel, which is dedicated to these kind of automotive “torture tests,” fits an old car with a bunch of tires with a varying number of the alloy spokes removed, and basically drives around on them until they break. The language dubbing is bearable, but the video itself is highly
Origin: News Roundup: Schwarzenegger sets teenage activist up with Tesla, Chevy unveils C8 convertible and more
The most affordable hybrids that will save you money
2020 Toyota Corolla HybridHandout / Toyota Electrification, thanks to Tesla and Toyota, has become mainstream. What was once futuristic and Jetsonian — i.e. the incredibly awkward Honda Insight of the 1999 — has now become commonplace — as in the goofy, bulbous profile of the Prius. Instead of being asked “Why did you buy a hybrid?” you’re now more likely to be pressed as to why you didn’t. In other words, what was once unique has become conventional.What hasn’t changed is that hybrids still command a premium. Oh, the price bump isn’t as big as it used to be, but with extra electric motors, batteries and gearboxes, it’s little wonder you have to pay more for their fuel-sipping ways.How much of a premium you need to pay then is the question. So Driving.ca investigated the most cost-effective electrified vehicles sold in Canada, taking into account everything from MSRP to long-term fuel cost savings to pricing compared with their non-electrified siblings. Here then are the most cost-effective hybrids (and I don’t think we need to post a spoiler alert regarding the fact that Toyota figures prominently).Overall best valueIt’s hard to go wrong with a Corolla, the world’s best selling car of all time, and it’s equally hard to find serious fault with Toyota hybrids, so the combination of the two would seem pretty hard to beat. At $24,790, the new Corolla Hybrid is the simple grafting of the Prius powertrain to compact Corolla, lending a mainstream look to a futuristic technology. As for a value comparison, conventional Corollas start at $18,990, but that’s hardly a fair contrast since base gas versions — powered by a 132 horsepower, 1.8-litre four — come with a manual transmission. Comparing apples to apples, the Hybrid is a $4,000 uptick from the Corolla L CVT. What one gets from that four grand is a combination of 1.8-litre Atkinson-cycle four and an electric motor that’s good for 121-hp, a combined 4.5L/100 km in highway and urban cycles all of which will cost you, according to Transport Canada, $1,170 a year in fuel. Compare that with the aforementioned Corolla L — 7.1 L/100 km and $1,846 annual fuel costs — and you have a payback period of around six years. If that seems like a long time, it might help being reminded that the Hybrid is actually closer to the LE CVT in trim bits. Said gas-powered LE costs $21,790 and the Hybrid would require a four-and-a-half year payback if you opted for it over the mid-priced conventional version. One thing’s for sure, this electrified Corolla, like other Toyota hybrids, will last a lot longer than that.Quickest payback periodIn terms of smallest increase in price over its conventional gas-powered, or the shortest amount of time needed to payback the premium paid for hybridization, it’s tough to beat Toyota’s RAV4. A 2.5-litre LE AWD RAV4 will set you back some $30,690, for instance, while the Hybrid version of the same LE AWD package costs $32,090. That’s a paltry $1,400, which, considering all the hardware needed to convert from gas to hybrid propulsion, is a pittance. Meanwhile, Natural Resources Canada says you’ll spend $1,693 fueling the gas-powered version but only $1,224 for the hybrid. Do the math and that’s but a three-year payback period, an amazing bargain for any kind of electrification. The electrified RAV4 proves an even more impressive bargain when you consider that Hybrid is actually more powerful — 219 horses versus 203-hp — than the gas car. No wonder Toyota Canada says that they had sold 9,591 RAV4 Hybrids so far in 2019, fully 22 per cent of all its RAV4 sales being electrified. Most cost-effective family of electricsThe reason I like the Kia Niro is that, not only is the Kia’s cute little electrified crossover cheap but it’s offered in three flavours — traditional hybrid, plug-in PHEV and, at the top of the range, a fully battery-powered EV. The base hybrid starts at $25,495 and, for less than a grand more than the Corolla Hybrid, you get a larger cargo area and 139 horses while sipping just 4.8 litres of gas every 100 kilometres. Move up to the plug-in version and Natural resources Canada says the Niro’s annual fuel costs will be but a paltry $753, making it the most frugal of hybrid crossovers. That’s not necessarily a bargain, though, since it starts at $33,965, that’s an $8,500 jump for a $206 annual savings compared with the bare bones Niro Hybrid. However, considering what the competition charges for similar vehicles, that should not be considered so much a slag against the PHEV, but as a compliment to the base Hybrid. And if completely eliminating greenhouse gasses is your foal — and yes, I do remember that this is supposed to be a hybrid comparison — the Niro EV offer 385 kilometres of electric-only range for $44,495, still competitive amongst battery-powered offerings.The people’s choiceNow, considering its $43,498 base price, Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV may seem an odd choice for an “affordable” hybrid. But the electrified SUV is
Origin: The most affordable hybrids that will save you money
Aston Martin’s newest DBS GT Zagato lets you complete the set
Aston Martin DBS GT ZagatoHandout Aston Martin says this is the modern twin of the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation. I say its got 760 freaking horsepower. Ill leave it up to you to determine which of those statements is the more important descriptor of the new DBS GT Zagato.Said monstrous power comes from twice-turbocharging Astons 5.2-litre V12. Bespoke pieces like the machined 3D wheels and carbon fibre litter this latest DBS. Inside, theres Caithness Spicy Red leather dont ask me what Caithness is; I dont know plus Zagato seat quilting in the shape of a Z, and satin twill exposed carbon fibre. But the most interesting thing about this announcement is that both the DBS GT Zagato and the DB4 GT continuation be built alongside one another, despite the obvious difference in years. Both are part of Astons DBZ Centenary Collection and the Continuation is part of that run of 19 original DB4s being recreated that should be read handbuilt at Aston Martin Works. Its worth noting that modernity has intruded ever so slightly into the Continuation models; all the original 60-year-old patterns have been digitized, and thanks to modern metallurgy, the original inline-six has been punched out to 4.7 litres and a very modern 390 horsepower.All of the DB4 GT Zagato Continuation cars will be delivered by the end of
Origin: Aston Martin’s newest DBS GT Zagato lets you complete the set
Ford’s Mustang-inspired ‘Mach-E’ SUV could debut November: rumours
Ford’s all-new Mustang-inspired fully-electric performance utility arrives in 2020 with targeted range of 480 kms.Handout / Ford Ford may finally be pulling the covers off of its Mach E electric utility vehicle in November, at the L.A. Auto Show late in the month, according to a recent report.Rumours first covered by blog Seeking Alpha put the alleged reveal date at November 19, just before the big show in the very-green-car-centric state.The long-talked-about Mustang-inspired battery-driven SUV has the potential to be a hit in California, one of North Americas largest markets for EVs, so the report has real legs.A reveal like this could have been held over for the Detroit auto show in January in the past, but with that show moving to June, now, automakers may be stacking a few big unveils up for L.A. Weve also heard rumours the 2021 Bronco may peek out from under the sheets in L.A., too, though it feels like a reveal that big would be more suited to Detroit. Of course, theres always a chance Ford might pull off both in L.A., or give us a big teaser of the much-anticipated SUV.We dont much about the Mach E just yet, save for its battery range, said to be in excess of 300 miles (480 km). Expectations are for the electric SUV to start production in April 2020 before showing up in dealerships in December with a price tag circa US$40,000.Wed assume Ford will offer a number of different versions of the thing, too, and a variety of battery pack sizes at different price points.The same Seeking Alpha report pins the Audi eTron Sportbacks reveal at the L.A. Auto Show,
Origin: Ford’s Mustang-inspired ‘Mach-E’ SUV could debut November: rumours
Volvo and Geely to merge combustion-engine programmes
Volvo and parent firm Geely are planning to merge their combustion-engine operations into a new stand-alone company, which will focus on developing more efficient next-generation units and hybrid powertrains. The new powertrain business would continue to supply regular and hybrid combustion engines to Geely’s stable of brands including Volvo, Lotus, Proton, LEVC and LynkCo. It would also aim to serve as a supplier to other third-party firms. The company would be comprised of around 3000 current Volvo employees and 5000 from Geely, with no job losses anticipated. Both firms have started to split their engine operations into new divisions ahead of the planner merger. Volvo says the move will allow it to focus on the development of fully electric powertrains and cars. The company is committed to offering an electrified version of every new model, and expects battery-electric vehicles to account for half of its global sales by 2025. Volvo will launch its first fully electric production car, an XC40 EV, next week. While Volvo is focused on an electric future, combustion engines will remain a key part of its offering, and Volvo boss Håkan Samuelsson said creating the new stand-alone engine company would have an enhanced ability to develop combustion-engine technology, particularly for hybrid cars. “Hybrid cars need the best internal combustion engines,” said Samuelsson. “This new unit will have the resources, scale and expertise to develop these powertrains cost-efficiently.”The new plans are subject to approval from the Volvo and Geely boards, relevant authorities and union
Origin: Volvo and Geely to merge combustion-engine programmes
Volkswagen reveals new look for high-performance R brand
Volkswagen has continued its rebranding efforts with a revised logo for its high-performance R sub-division. The German firm unveiled a new version of its VW roundel at the Frankfurt motor show as part of a company-wide rebranding effort. The new look is currently being rolled out across the UK. It has now introduced a new version of the R logo for its performance arm, which will appear on all of the sub-brand’s models. It will first be seen on the Atlas Cross Sport R-Line, which will be revealed shortly for the North American market. Volkswagen claims the new logo symbolises a fresh start for the R brand. Jost Capito, who heads up the division, said that R is “all about excitement and thrill” and that the firm is taking a “strategic and operative approach to working on great products and creating a unique customer experience.” The new logo was developed by Volkswagen’s in-house design team, with a focus on ensuring it would work in digital formats. It was designed to be “modern, distinct and sleek” and to show a “broader, more powerful impression” that “defined Volkswagen’s commitment to performance and exclusivity.” The Atlas Cross Sport will be revealed next week, following the concept version revealed at last year’s New York motor
Origin: Volkswagen reveals new look for high-performance R brand
SUV Review: 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS
2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS AWDJil McIntosh OVERVIEW The Blazer returns as a whole different animal PROSDecent driver, comfortable interior CONSThirstier than the competition, a couple of cheap bits VALUE FOR MONEYIt’s impressive, but it gets pricey WHAT TO CHANGE?Let me turn off the idle-stop HOW TO SPEC IT?Id get the $43,300 True North Thanks to the overwhelming popularity that crossovers and sport-utes enjoy these days, automakers are busy filling every size gap in their liftgate lineups. Thats the case at Chevrolet, where the new-for-2019 Blazer slides into a very thin slot between the slightly-smaller Equinox and somewhat-larger Traverse.A Blazer for the timesIts not rough-n-tough and truck-based as the original Blazer was. Instead, the company opted for unibody construction and an all-wheel-drive system that predominantly drives the front tires. That marketing move initially surprised me, because I thought the name might be reserved for a smaller off-roader especially since Ford is bringing back its rival Bronco name on a truck base. Instead, while the new Blazer might not be what I expected, its very impressive and a well-rounded performer.The entry model carries a 2.5-litre, 193-horsepower four-cylinder engine, and its strictly front-wheel drive. The four other trim levels all use a 3.6-litre V6 that makes 305 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of torque. Both engines use a nine-speed automatic transmission. The base V6 model comes in front-wheel drive but can be optioned to all-wheel. The True North, RS, and the top-level Premier use a more sophisticated AWD system that sends torque to the rear and then splits it between the wheels as needed for better traction and handling. Whats likely to be the biggest hurdle for buyers is that impressive doesnt come cheap. The lineup starts at $35,100 and finishes at $48,700, and thats before any options. My $46,300 RS was beefed up with a panoramic sunroof, 21-inch wheels, a block heater and wheel locks that took it to a hefty $49,320 before freight and taxes.In addition to its gloss-black exterior styling cues, the RS also gets a specially tuned suspension and quicker steering ratio family haulers can be sporty too, it seems.Im not entirely sold on the big-grille nose, apparently designed to draw comparisons to the Camaros front end, but the rest of the Blazer is handsomely styled, especially with its floating rear roofline and chiselled butt. The liftgate is hands-free on the RS, obediently opening when you kick your foot under it; to guide you, a light projects a Chevy bowtie on the ground at the right spot how cool is that? Interior quality and practicality almost live up to the price tagIn keeping with that Camaro theme, the interior is similarly styled to that sports car. That means the handsome dash has a minimum of clutter, but while its climate system is operated by simple buttons, theyre too small and tucked away. However, I give top marks to the Camaro-style twin-turbine vents in the centre stack: you aim them by moving the centre button, open or close them by twisting it, and then you spin their big outer dials to change the temperature. Even so, there were a couple of spots where my tester seemed a little lacking in the face of its heftier price tag: the shifter and turn signal switch felt cheap and clunky.Both the front and rear seats are roomy, and Chevy wisely resisted the urge to stuff in a third row. I took the Blazer on a three-hour drive, and the seats stayed comfy and supportive the whole way. At the rear, the RS includes a wonderfully useful cargo fence that slides back and forth to corral ones luggage or groceries, and which can be removed if the whole space is needed. Power and poise to spare, but far from perfect in refinementThe V6 is just right for the job, with smooth acceleration and more than enough power for highway passing. The nine-speed automatic is also a very slick unit, and while some of these lots-of-gears transmissions can be a little overeager, hunting for gears or staying in the highest ones too long when you want a downshift, that never happened with the Blazer; engine and gearbox were always perfectly-matched.It also handles remarkably well for a sport-ute: the steering is well-weighted, and it takes corners with sharp precision and very little body roll. The ride is smooth and well-controlled, and it proved to be a great choice as a comfy highway cruiser.What I don’t like is that the Blazer is equipped with a fuel-saving idle-stop feature that shuts it off when you come to a stop, and while most automakers give you the option of temporarily disabling the system, the Blazer has no such switch. Yes, its for fuel economy, but I should be able to make the choice. And even with the unalterable idle-stop, the Blazers fuel figures put it a bit thirstier than most of its competitors.The all-wheel-drive system increases the handling prowess as well as the traction,
Origin: SUV Review: 2019 Chevrolet Blazer RS
Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final new Saab 9-3 this month
The last new Saab 9-3 ever to be made will be auctioned off later this month to raise funds for research into zero-emissions travel. The almost-unused saloon was built in 2013. It will now be sold by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the EV manufacturer that acquired Saab’s assets upon the firm’s collapse in 2012. Proceeds will be donated to NEVS’ Sustainable Mobility Scholarship at Sweden’s University West. NEVS said: “The fund will be awarded to individuals making significant efforts to pave the way for future mobility solutions, ranging from electric car technologies and sharing economies to initiatives for self-driving cars.” The model up for auction is a 217bhp 2.0-litre petrol Aero Turbo saloon in silver, which, according to the company, was intended for crash test purposes and set aside from customer models. The car has been parked ever since, with around 40 recorded miles on the clock, making it the final new 9-3 to leave the Tröllhattan factory. Saab ceased production of the 9-3 in 2011 and planned to unveil an all-new model at the following year’s Paris motor show. It was to be a dramatically styled two-door coupé with a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbo engine supplied by BMW. The Swedish manufacturer’s collapse in 2012 put a stop to development of the new 9-3. Production of the final-shape model resumed under NEVS in 2013, with contribution from around 400 external suppliers, but ended just a year later, with only 420 units having left the factory. NEVS recently began production of the 9-3 EV, a 186-mile-range electric saloon based on the conventionally fuelled
Origin: Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final new Saab 9-3 this month
Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final Saab 9-3 this month
The last new Saab 9-3 ever to be made will be auctioned off later this month to raise funds for research into zero-emissions travel. The almost unused saloon was built in 2013. It will now be sold by National Electric Vehicle Sweden (NEVS), the EV manufacturer that acquired Saab’s assets upon the latter’s collapse in 2012. Proceeds will be donated to the firm’s Sustainable Mobility Scholarship at Sweden’s University West. NEVS said: “The fund will be awarded to individuals making significant efforts to pave the way for future mobility solutions – ranging from electric car technologies and sharing economies to initiatives for self-driving cars.” The model up for auction is a 217bhp 2.0-litre petrol-powered Aero Turbo saloon in silver, which, according to the company, was intended for crash test purposes and set aside from customer models. The car has been parked ever since, with around 40 recorded miles on the clock, making it the last new 9-3 to leave the factory. Saab ceased production of the 9-3 in 2011, with plans to unveil an all-new model at the following year’s Paris motor show. It was to be a dramatically styled two-door coupe, with a 200bhp 1.6-litre turbocharged engine supplied by BMW. The company’s collapse in 2012 put a stop to development of the new 9-3, and production of the final-shape model continued under NEVS in 2013, with contribution from around 400 external suppliers. Production finally ended in 2014, with just 420 units having left the ex-Saab factory in Trollhättan, in the south of Sweden. In 2018, NEVS began production of the 9-3 EV, a 186-mile electric saloon based on the conventionally fuelled
Origin: Swedish EV firm NEVS to sell final Saab 9-3 this month
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