The development of the seventh generation of the Chevrolet Camaro may have just been shelved, and after 2023 the Camaro name could die altogether, according to multiple sources within GM speaking to Muscle Cars Trucks.The rumours may seem like a huge blow to fans of the pony car, but it should be noted its already left the automotive world once before, in 2002.The fifth-generation Camaro with its throwback styling was revealed in 2009 to great fanfare, but, two more generations on, its not farfetched to imagine it going away again.A few factors support the claim, the first of which is the phasing out of the current Alpha platform that the Camaro is built on. The Camaro will not transition to the new platform, called A2XX, that underpins the Cadillac CT4 and CT5.Another factor is the movement of Camaros chief engineer, Al Oppenheiser, to GMs electric car division. Information about a next-generation Camaro happening has also been scant, to say the least.When pressed for comment by Motor Authority, GM officials offered a suspiciously vague non-denial.While we will not engage in speculation, we will remind you of our recently announced updates coming to the Camaro lineup this fall, a spokesperson said.An all-new LT1 model will provide customers V8 power with the design and affordability of our LT trim. The award-winning SS model will feature a new front fascia from the Camaro Shock concept. All of our updates are customer-driven to improve the car and its driving experience. Lately, the Camaro has not seen the sort of booming sales it did when its 2009 reintroduction was first announced. The pony car segment is ruled now by the Ford Mustang, with the Dodge Challenger in close pursuit.This has lots to do with the Camaro sitting at a higher price point, as well as a facelift that was so ugly and received so much blow-back, Chevrolet actually reneged on and re-redid the design.This is still very much speculation, so were going to wait for some more clearer sort of confirmation before we start planning the going-away
Origin: Chevrolet may be killing off the Camaro after the sixth generation
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Ontario government eyes raising driving fees months after freezing them
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pictured during a photo opportunity with New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Wednesday May 22, 2019.Chris Young / Canadian Press Less than a year after freezing driver and vehicle fees in Ontario, the Progressive Conservative government is considering raising them again, while bracing for a negative reaction.In a proposal quietly posted to a regulatory registry for public comment, the government says it is seeking to introduce annual fee increases of two per cent across the board for various driver, vehicle and carrier products and services.These moderate fee increases will allow the government to continue delivering services and move towards full cost recovery without increasing taxes for all Ontarians, said the posting.Transportation Minister Jeff Yurek said Wednesday that he is looking at implementing predictable increases, after the previous Liberal government introduced multiple increases per year at larger amounts.We are looking to see how we can attain that cost recovery model, but in a way that reflects peoples ability to pay and were going to try to tie it to inflation, but as I said, no decisions have been made and I look forward to peoples responses on that, he said.The posting on the regulatory registry was up for just five days and removed on Monday. Only two comments were received, the ministry said.The fee increases would start July 1 and continue for five years, under the proposal.It is anticipated there will be a neutral to negative reaction from drivers, vehicle owners and commercial carriers, with the impact on drivers and vehicle owners estimated to be low as proposed increases are minimal and will be spread over a five-year planning horizon, the proposal says.The government froze some driver fees last August, cancelling increases that had been set for the following month, leaving the fee for a new drivers licence, for example, at $90 instead of $97.People are fed up with paying more and more every time they need to renew their licence or take a driving test, Premier Doug Ford said in a statement at the time.Later, the government also cancelled increases for some passenger, commercial and farm vehicle and driver fees that were set to take effect Jan. 1, 2019. Interim Liberal leader John Fraser said the government is saying one thing and doing another.The Ford government made a big deal about not raising license fees and now theyve done this quietly, hoping no one would notice, he said in a statement.The Ford government has put themselves in a very tight fiscal box. Theyve reduced their revenues through tax cuts for the rich and corporations as well as ending cap and trade. When revenue is reduced, it limits your
Origin: Ontario government eyes raising driving fees months after freezing them
Tracy Morgan’s Bugatti scraped by Honda minutes after he takes delivery
Tracy Morgans Bugatti Veyron in a fender-bender with a Honda CR-VTwitter @J_MOSK Tracy Morgan’s $2-million Bugatti Veyron was hit by a Honda CR-V at a ritzy intersection in New York City just an hour after he purchased the vehicle. The comedian’s new buy was of a used vehicle technically, but, unfortunately for the Honda driver, it wasn’t just some daily driver—this was a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport convertible, according to Page Six. “He bought it today. That style with the top down is usually over two million dollars. Those kinds of cars are very rare and to get any year is special.” Those are the words of Frank Pica, a sales consultant at Manhattan Motorcars where Tracy bought the vehicle second-hand. “When I got the phone call, I said, ‘That’s Tracy’s car?’ I couldn’t believe it. That was its maiden voyage.” Tracy Morgan bought a Brand new Bugatti in NYC today someone in a Honda sideswiped it minutes later. pic.twitter.com/twGSOC0POq TheHipHopGuru (@thhguru) June 5, 2019 The woman in the Honda CR-V was reportedly playing on her phone and tried to make a right turn from the left lane. Many people blamed the Honda driver, whose vehicle wore New Jersey plates. She didn’t recognize the actor when she exited the car, but almost everybody else on the street did. The damage was not extensive and Morgan walked away unhurt, although he did spend a few minutes in an ambulance to make sure he was OK before leaving in another car. Thanks for any concern but I am totally fine. My NEW CAR? We shall see. Love you all. Tracy Morgan (@TracyMorgan) June 4, 2019 “She ran into him. She was on her phone,” said one of the witnesses. “He said he got it literally an hour ago and he paid $2 million for it, and it’s pretty scraped up. It still had a dealer tag,” added another. According to the police, the woman driving the Honda was not
Origin: Tracy Morgan’s Bugatti scraped by Honda minutes after he takes delivery
BMW demands payment on financed M4 after owner’s mods
A Youtuber got a firsthand lesson in why you should always read the fine print after BMW came calling for the full payment on his financed M4 Competition, claiming he violated conditions by modifying the vehicle, including jacking the output up to over 700 horsepower. Rickardo Senior (aka Ricky) from the Youtube channel LivingLifeFast says he bought the Bimmer for an “epic deal” of just over £60,000 ($100,000) back in December, and things were going great. He’d taken it down to Belgium to spice it up a bit, adding a hybrid turbo, methanol injection, an upgraded exhaust and more. All the work resulted in an increase of 276 horsepower, pushing Ricky’s M4 up to 720 horsepower from the standard 444, which is undeniably cool but also, according to BMW, a breach of contract. The brand has given him a week to pay up or face having the car repossessed. Ricky says BMW gave him two reasons for the ultimatum. One is that he’s “altered the vehicle without (its) consent” and the other has to do with the company’s doubts that he’ll be able to make the payments on the Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) plan. Ouch. Within the PCP contract, the customer gives a deposit and multiple payments including a final instalment based on the value of the car as it exists at the time. If the buyer decides they don’t want the vehicle at that point, they’re free to return it without making the final payment. When cars are modified, however, their value diminishes, potentially leaving the brand with a car that’s worth less than it would be if it were unmodified. “Based on these two breaches, BMW are demanding the full amount for this car by next week,” Ricky tells the camera in his BMW PSA. “If I don’t make the payment for this car by next week, they’re threatening to recover the vehicle and probably auction the car off and bill me for the remainder of what’s left of the debt.” Ouch. Not nice, BMW. Through it all, Ricky seems to be staying pretty cool, saying he’s not out to throw shade at BMW. “The only reason I’m making this video is because I think it could be educational,” he says. The top comment on the video reveals the potential solution for others looking to modify a vehicle they don’t entirely own yet. “Should’ve financed through a bank if you were gonna mod
Origin: BMW demands payment on financed M4 after owner’s mods
‘Aladdin’ star sues Tesla after he claims wheel flew off car
Mena Massouds Tesla Model 3, following a wreck September 2018TMZ It would seem Aladdin has more on his mind lately than foiling the villainous Jafar. According to a report from TMZ, star actor Mena Massoud is instead busy taking legal action against Tesla, claiming the car company is at fault for a crash last year. The entertainment website reports that Massoud alleges the right-front wheel of his then-new Tesla Model 3 suddenly “crumpled” and flew off the car. This, he says, caused him to lose control and hammer the formerly useful electric sedan into a particularly stout tree along the edge of Hollywood Boulevard. Pictures posted by TMZ show a wrecked Model 3 crumpled up like a discarded chip bag, and a destroyed wheel tire assembly. Now, unless our eyes deceive us, that assembly includes a brake caliper and various front suspension parts, all of which are rare to just shear off a car without warning. Keyboard warriors are quick to lay blame in both directions, with some spouting their belief Teslas are poorly made and others thinking there’s no way a wheel and tire combination spontaneously abandons the car onto which it was bolted. At this point, it would appear that it’s up to the courts to figure that one out. There is no mention if Autopilot was engaged. The lawyer cited by TMZ as representing Massoud, Kevin K. Javidzad, is listed as working for the offices of Colony Law in Los Angeles. His practice focuses on, among other things, personal injury matters. For its part, Tesla has been cranking up production of its volume model in the months since Massoud bought his car in September. With the new Model Y scheduled to roll off assembly lines and the flagship Model S sedan due for an interior restyle, Tesla has its hands quite full. (Image from
Origin: ‘Aladdin’ star sues Tesla after he claims wheel flew off car
Wienermobile listed for sale after it turns out to be not-great daily driver
An Oscar Mayer Weinermobile replica for sale in Californiacraigslist The coolest person in America is selling their daily driver. It’s priced under $10,000, works wonderfully with 110,000-plus miles on the engine and is shaped like a giant hot dog. Yes, this Oscar Mayer Wienermobile replica is currently up for sale on Craigslist in California. The vehicle has a price tag of US$7,000 and appears to be a pretty spot-on recreation of Oscar Mayer’s iconic Wienermobiles, which have travelled the U.S. selling meat tubes since 1936. “Hey all, I’ve got an Oscar Meyer Wienermobile replica for sale. Bought several years ago, had won several shows and many awards,” the Craigslist listing reads. “Currently has 110,400 miles but will continue to rise as I use it daily for transportation to work.” An Oscar Mayer Weinermobile replica for sale in California craigslist Uh, what do you do for work? Please say pizza delivery. Regardless, big ups, because this is the most badass daily commuter we’ve seen since the Lloyd and Harry’s Mutt Cutts van. So, why is this total rebel getting rid of such an epic ride? “Works and runs wonderfully, just need a new car for work,” the seller explains. “The Weinermobile as a daily driver was a novelty and enjoyable for about a week. Now I suffer.” Great taste, self-aware and funny? Whoever this long-haired wiener driver is, they sound like a real catch. The listing says delivery is available and cryptocurrency is also accepted.
Origin: Wienermobile listed for sale after it turns out to be not-great daily driver
French authorities return classic ute after realizing it’s not built for smuggling
An Australian automotive enthusiast living in the U.K. found himself in a bit of hot water with French customs when they deemed his 1970 Holden HG ute a smuggling vehicle, threatening to crush it and hand him a fine along with a jail sentence. Thankfully, after a year of explaining the ute is just obscure and not criminal, the owner is getting it back. It began when Travis McKimmie bought the well-maintained HG in the Netherlands and had it put on a truck and shipped to England. Along the way, a French customs patrol dog caught the scent of cannabis and sniffed out a small amount of years-old pot that was tucked in the vehicle’s spare wheel. Oh, mon dieu, un joint! Then, during a more thorough search, officials uncovered what they suspected to be a pair of smugglers’ compartments under a hatch at the rear of the vehicle. That’s when they impounded the vehicle and handed McKimmie a €70 fine for the cannabis. In actuality, the two 4020 cm hatches were created by the automaker itself. See, the Holden HG was built on a sedan or station wagon floorpan, so when the brand put a steel panel over the footwells to fashion the bed of the ute, it left two hollow compartments below. Some people put nothing in them, some put ice in them, and others, apparently, fill them with drugs. McKimmie was first told the vehicle would be crushed, then informed that instead French customs would use it as an educational tool for spotting smuggling vehicles. But he wasn’t having any of it. He bought the car fair and square and wasn’t about to let a little stale weed stand in the way of the restoration he had planned. So he began an education of his own, sending photos and emails and information to French customs, explaining the history and strange but explainable build of the Holden. At first the customs officials resisted, even threatening McKinnie with a heavier fine and a jail sentence if he challenged their decision. But he didn’t relent. After a year in the impound (for which McKinnie was charged €280) and many emails sent on its behalf, the vehicle is finally on its way to the U.K. “I finally got the end of the story that I wanted,” McKimmie said in a Facebook post in late April. “People in the U.K. don’t get it they just think it’s a old pick up as they call them over here but to me it’s a bit of Aussie
Origin: French authorities return classic ute after realizing it’s not built for smuggling
Hertz customers arrested after their rentals incorrectly marked stolen
In this May 9, 2011 file photo, a Hertz rental car worker checks out cars at San Jose International Airport in San Jose, Calif.Paul Sakuma / AP Renting a car can be a pain in the neck in and of itself—you gotta bring it back with a full tank, those wipers could stand to be replaced, and where’s the headlight switch anyhow? The last thing anyone needs is to be arrested and stuffed into the back of a cop car because your rental was reported stolen by the very company from whom you rented the thing. That’s exactly what happened to several customers of Hertz, the Florida-based company whose name evokes a trip to the dentist. An ABC affiliate reports there have been upwards of thirty such cases of this in the States, situations which leave confused customers in a sticky spot and even, in some cases, detention. In one incident, a person ended up getting arrested and spending half a day behind bars before being told there was a “glitch in the system.” Some glitch. The report goes on to detail the story of a person in Pennsylvania who was arrested and charged before having a judge toss the case out on its ear. Another client in Indiana had a similar experience of being wrongly accused of stealing the vehicle she was renting from Hertz. For its part, the car rental giant issued statements about the issue, saying “filing a police report is a last resort” and “false reports of stolen vehicles are extremely rare.” Thing is, it’s not an entirely new issue. A report from 2018 describes the plight of other customers who found themselves on the business end of handcuffs after Hertz reported the rental car they were driving as stolen. One person apparently spent over a week behind bars. It’s enough to make a person feel fortunate they only got dinged for fuel charges during their last
Origin: Hertz customers arrested after their rentals incorrectly marked stolen
Couple loses $14,000 after buying stolen SUV covered by Manitoba Public Insurance
2015 Ford Explorer LimitedGraeme Fletcher When a Manitoba couple bought a used 2015 Ford Explorer for $14,500 from an independent seller last August, everything about the deal appeared legit. They had no idea the vehicle was one of thirteen taken from a Winnipeg used car dealership in an alleged inside job involving a former sales manager. The SUV looked and was running fine, and the paperwork was all there. Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) was happy to cover the vehicle for its new owners, which as you’d expect made them feel completely safe in their new purchase. But all was not as it seemed, and soon the police came for the vehicle, seizing it and telling the owners it had been stolen from a Winnipeg dealership. According to the CBC, the vehicle hadn’t been reported stolen by the dealership, Auto List of Canada, when its new owners went to have it insured at MPI, which is why it didn’t set off any alarms. Normally the company’s system prevents registration of stolen vehicles, but police weren’t notified of the Explorer’s theft until two days after it had already been sold. It all unraveled for the thieves when a call from Winnipeg police informing Auto List of a stolen vehicle prompted the dealer to do a count—turns out 13 vehicles had disappeared from the lots. From there it was simply a matter of following the paper trail. Two men, including a former Auto List sales manager, have been charged with multiple counts of possessing stolen vehicles, forging bills of sale and transfer of ownership documents, and defrauding the purchasers. The hot Explorer was returned to Auto List, leaving the couple that purchased it out the full $14,500. MPI says they can attempt to bring legal action against the person who sold the hot SUV.
Origin: Couple loses $14,000 after buying stolen SUV covered by Manitoba Public Insurance
Tesla updates software after parked car caught fire in Hong Kong
Tesla is rolling out a software update for two of its electric vehicles, including the flagship Model S, to beef up battery safety as part of a probe into a vehicle fire in Hong Kong. The over-the-air updates will revise the charge and thermal-management settings for the Model S and X, Tesla said in a statement. The company said it’s acting “out of an abundance of caution,” insisting the vehicles are 10 times less likely to experience a blaze than their gas-fueled equivalents. A Tesla Model S suddenly caught fire in a parking lot at San Po Kong Plaza on May 12, the Hong Kong Economic Times reported. Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department has confirmed it’s investigating a fire, without identifying the make of the car. Recent vehicle fires have raised concern over the safety of electric vehicles in China, the top market. In 2018, the country recorded at least 40 fire-related incidents involving new-energy vehicles, which includes pure battery electric, hybrid plug-in and fuel-cell vehicles, according to the State Administration for Market Regulation. In its statement, Tesla said it had a team in Hong Kong to support its customer and establish the facts. “While our investigation with authorities is ongoing, we have found that only a few battery modules were affected and the majority of the battery pack is undamaged,” Tesla said. NIO, a Tesla rival, said last month one of its ES8 electric vehicles caught fire in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an while being repaired. Tesla earlier confirmed it was examining an incident in Shanghai after a car bearing the company’s logo was shown in an April social media video emitting smoke before bursting into
Origin: Tesla updates software after parked car caught fire in Hong Kong
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