2020 Chevrolet Corvette StingrayHandout / Chevrolet Los Angeles, CALIFORNIADiscreetly opening the Los Angeles Auto Shows doors sorry, the doors of AutoMobility LA the North American Car, Utility and Truck of The Year committee unveiled this morning its nine finalists for 2020.From 46 eligible vehicles this year, and 26 semi-finalists voted on in September, the candidates have now been reduced to nine contenders, three in each category.Without further ado, heres which models (all-new or substantially new and available at dealerships before the end of the year) have caught the 50-journalist-jurys attention.2020 Car of the Year finalists: Chevrolet Corvette Stingray; Hyundai Sonata; Toyota Supra2020 Utility of the Year finalists: Hyundai Palisade; Kia Telluride; Lincoln Aviator2020 Truck of the Year finalists: Ford Ranger; Jeep Gladiator; Ram Heavy DutyThe LosersThe German manufacturers. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and VW-Audi-Porsche did make up more than a third (18) of the 46 eligible contenders (six for BMW, eight for Mercedes and four for VW) but none made it to the final cut.Check Out All Our Latest Auto Show CoverageAlso, an unusually high-number of trucks were fielded in this years contest, with the Ford Ranger, the Chevrolet Silverado HD, the GMC Sierra HD, the Ram Heavy Duty and the Jeep Gladiator eligible. The finalists cut sent away both General Motors contenders.The AbsenteesDid you say electric vehicles are the future? Plug-in hybrids? Even Polestar 1, the first product out of Volvos brand-new perform-electric division, didnt make the cut.The (Possible) Winnerswill be announced two months from now, in Detroit.Yes, in Detroit. These coveted awards have been unveiled in the Motor City in January for the last quarter of a century, as the lead-off press conference at the North American International Auto Show.But remember: the NAIAS has this year been moved to June. So whats happening with the awards ceremony? After careful deliberation, the (NACTOY) jury arrived at an overwhelming consensus that continuing the partnership with the Detroit Area Dealers Association (DADA) and our January awards ceremony were the best choices for 2020, NACTOY President Lauren Fix said.So stay tuned for the unveiling, planned for the January 13.Past NACTOY Winners2019 Genesis G70 Hyundai Kona and Kona EV Ram 15002018 Honda Accord Volvo XC60 Lincoln Navigator2017 Chevrolet Bolt Chrysler Pacifica Honda Ridgeline2016 Honda Civic Volvo XC902015 Volkswagen Golf Ford F-1502014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Chevrolet Silverado2013 Cadillac ATS Ram 15002012 Hyundai Elantra Land Rover Range Rover Evoque2011 Chevrolet Volt Ford Explorer2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Ford Transit Connect2009 Hyundai Genesis Ford F-1502008 Chevrolet Malibu Mazda CX-92007 Saturn Aura Chevrolet Silverado2006 Honda Civic Honda Ridgeline2005 Toyota Prius Ford
Origin: North American Vehicles of the year 2020: And the winners are… among these finalists
‘American
2020 Porsche 718 Boxster T and Cayman T make North American debut
Are the standard Porsche 718 Boxster and its sister, the 718 Cayman, just too milquetoast for you? Do you simply not have enough consonants in your life?Then the boffins at Porsche have an answer for you, the 718 Boxster T and Cayman T.Filled to the gunwales with performance-enhancing features to sharpen its handling when compared to a non-T Boxster or Cayman, these new models will include the PASM Sport Suspension as standard equipment, along with a mechanical limited-slip diff and Porsche Torque Vectoring.The inclusion of those natty suspenders mean shorter springs are on-board, plus re-tuned adaptive dampers and a ride height thats about an inch closer to terra firma. The Sport Chrono Package is also standard.Just dont go looking for more power. The 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are powered by the same 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder boxer engine as the standard Boxster and Cayman models, developing 300 ponies and 280 lb.-ft. of twist.In conjunction with the optional PDK transmission and using the Launch Control feature, both variants can reach 96 km/h from a standstill in just 4.5 seconds. Mercifully, the standard transmission for the 718 T variants is a six-speed manual gearbox. Top speed is 272km/h.Various trimmings and trappings distinguish the T from other 718s as well. Eagle-eyed spotters will spy the Agate Grey mirror caps and rollover protection bars. Joining the festival, Mr. Ts model designation badges are also this colour.Inside, Sport Seats Plus with pronounced bolsters and Sport Tex fabric are standard, while Full Bucket Seats, normally reserved for GTS and GT4 models, can be optionally ordered. In the grand Porsche tradition of taking things away and then charging more, black fabric door opening loops replace the traditional door handles.Given the extra handling chops of the T, count on it to get ham-fisted drivers out of trouble more easily than the now-admittedly-workaday standard non-T car, a vehicle now completely worthless and one whose owners are busy running it through the nearest wood chipper.The 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster T and 718 Cayman T are available to order now and are expected to reach dealers in summer 2020. South of the border, MSRP for the 718 Cayman T is US$66,400, while the 718 Boxster T retails for US$68,500. Expect a modest increase in those numbers for Canadian
Origin: 2020 Porsche 718 Boxster T and Cayman T make North American debut
The first North American Polestar dealership will be in Montreal
The Polestar 2 features a 440-kilometre full-charge range and a price of $69,000 for a fully loaded model.Polestar Volvos tuning-arm-turned-full-EV-manufacturer, Polestar, is opening its first dealership in North America. The location chosen for the premiere store? Montreal.According to Automotive News, the Swedish brand, now owned by Chinese company Geely, will open up its first retail store on Groupe Park Avenue, in Brossard, Quebec near Montreal.Hugues Bissonnette, a Quebec native, has been appointed the brands Canadian manager. Hugues was most recently the director of sales operations for Volvo Cars Canada; now he will spearhead all of Polestars Canadian commercial efforts.Hugues has the right skill set, developed over time working in both the Americas and Europe, and I am confident he will have great success launching Polestar in Canada, Gregor Hembrough, head of Polestar in the Americas, said in a statement. The company calls the dealerships Polestar Spaces, and this latest Space will be run in partnership with Groupe Park Avenue, which runs 18 auto dealerships split between 12 different brands. The Polestar dealer will have no inventory, however; the vehicles will be made to order.On top of this principal Space, there will also be smaller retail Spaces in high-traffic areas closer to downtown that can house two or three cars and a few no-commission product specialists and demonstrators.Polestar Montreal will open in 2020, and will be followed by Polestar Spaces in Toronto and Vancouver before making its way down to the
Origin: The first North American Polestar dealership will be in Montreal
Lawsuit claims GM trucks don’t run properly on American diesel
2015 Chevrolet Silverado HD General Motors line of diesel-powered heavy duty trucks are billed as workhorses, able to haul tens of thousands of pounds with impunity. Endless wells of hairy-chested torque from a 6.6-litre Duramax gets things rolling in a hurry.However, a class action lawsuit filed this week in Detroit seeks to put the brakes on certain models of GMs heavy-hauler, reports the Detroit News.Plaintiffs allege problems with the powertrains high-pressure fuel pumps, units manufactured by Bosch and installed in Duramax-equipped trucks from the 2011 to 2016 model years. According to the suit, the pump introduced metal shavings into the fuel injection system, leading to catastrophic and expensive damage.GM and Bosch declined to offer the Detroit News comment.At the root of this issue, say the complainants, is the composition of American diesel fuel. They claim it to be thinner than European diesel, a trait that allows for less lubrication and eventual degradation of the Bosch pumps. Plaintiffs in the suit say once this happens, debris finds its way into the engine.Lets examine this claim. As we all learned in Gearhead 101, modern diesel fuel is ignited under compression without a spark. A key indicator of diesel fuel quality is its cetane number, a measure of the fuels ignition speed that is, how long it takes to go bang! under compression. A higher cetane number indicates the fuel ignites more readily when sprayed into hot compressed air, such as the environs of an engine cylinder.Generally, diesel in Europe has a cetane rating of approximately 51, while the stuff on this side of the pond is generally rated around 45, except for a few areas in which a minimum of 48 is mandated (not to mention California, whose diesel fuel has a cetane rating of 53).For about the last ten years, all the American highway diesel fuel has been classified as Ultra-Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD), a blend which lowered the measured sulphur content to less than 15ppm. This, the suit claims, is the root of the problem. The fuel pump used in the trucks in question, a Bosch CP4, was introduced in 2011. Plaintiffs claim it was designed for the European market and didnt play well when swilling American ULSD. This may be so, but it would behoove the smart lawyer to also note that the Duramax engines in question are not fitted with a lift pump. This is a bit of tech that takes some of the workload off the main pump the Bosch CP4, in this case.Without a lift pump, a low-pressure unit which pulls the fuel first, the CP4 is under constant suction and tasked with two jobs, drawing fuel and pressurizing it. This situation may introduce air bubbles into the mix since the pump is located waaaay up in the engine bay, a long distance from the fuel tank. The presence of air means the absence of liquid, and could help explain the production of metal shavings, which are claimed to be causing the expensive damage mentioned in this lawsuit.Regardless of the reason for the fuel pumps alleged degradation diesel quality or being overworked well be keeping an eye on this case as it works its way through the
Origin: Lawsuit claims GM trucks don’t run properly on American diesel
Watch: The first American Honda comes back to life in this restoration documentary
The first Honda N600 sold in AmericaHonda Honda has been doing business in America for 60 years this year, and to celebrate the milestone the brand has already – and this is true – restored a classic Chevrolet pickup.(I guess when you reach a certain age, you just do whatever you want.) Now it’s also released a video highlighting another special restoration it commissioned years back, that of the very first Honda to arrive in America, the 1967 Honda N600, serial number one. And there was just one person truly suitable for the job. That person is Tim Mings, the only full-time Honda 600 mechanic in the world. Ming had the N600 in his possession for a few years before he noticed the number. The car was one of just fifty 1967 N600s that made their way over to the U.S. from Japan to test the market.Ming brought Serial One to the So-Cal Japanese Classic Car Show (SCJCCS) in its unrestored state and vowed to return the next year with the vehicle fully redone. The video not only chronicles the specialty mechanic’s work, but also details the history of the N600 and of Honda in general, going back to when Mr. Honda himself first took generator motors and put them on bicycles using hot water bottles as gas tanks. The N600 was the brand’s first attempt at a four-wheeled vehicle and, as a result, it shares a fair bit in common with motorcycles of the time. When the gas crisis struck the U.S. in the ’70s, Honda was there with its small and frugal N600 (and later Civic) to fill the hole left by North American manufacturers.Serial One was disassembled, block-sanded by a body shop, its engine machined, repainted its original Ceramic White, and every little piece “lovingly massaged” by Ming and his team.It came down to the wire, with Ming pulling 12-hour days for seven days a week for the last while, but he made his deadline and delivered Serial One for its world premiere at the SCJCCS.Despite offers to rebuild it on behalf of private collectors, Ming allowed Honda to commission the build and produce the video.
Origin: Watch: The first American Honda comes back to life in this restoration documentary
News Roundup: Europe’s thing for classic American cars, a new affordable electric SUV, and Patrick Dempsey’s custom Mustang
Muscle cars at the Classic Remise Berlin. 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.Europeans are buying tens of thousands of American classics every yearThanks to a certain orange loudmouth, America does not have the best reputation overseas in Europe and the U.K. right now, but according to a Hagerty report, Europeans can’t get enough of their classic cars. Data gathered from shipping companies indicates around 30,000 classic cars are shipped from America to Europe each year, with muscle cars and Corvettes being the most commonly imported. One shipper believes it’s the quality of cars from rust-averse U.S. climates as well as the variety to choose from that has been enticing overseas buyers, even if they’re shopping for vintage European vehicles. Fisker released a photo of its upcoming electric SUVEV company Fisker pulled back a part of the sheets covering its forthcoming US$40,000 electric SUV this week. CEO Henrik Fisker posted a partial sidelong shot to Facebook, highlighting the D-pillar and the LED turn signal embedded therein, saying the lamp “will provide extra safety when you change lanes.” The company is allegedly “moving fast” to develop the Tesla Model Y competitor, and currently shopping around for a manufacturing plant.Supposedly ‘abandoned’ Plymouth GTX put up for sale despite owner’s objectionsEarlier this week, Hagerty reported a 1969 Plymouth GTX that had been forgotten in a Michigan storage facility with fees accumulating was going up for auction, despite the fact that its owner had come forward to legally claim it. Initially, the person wasn’t able to prove ownership to the authorities and the auction was allowed to continue. Since then, however – and just in the knick of time really – his ownership was proven, a legal motion filed and the sale of the rare GTX stopped. Watch our editors try to justify the 797-horsepower 2019 Hellcat Redeye 2019 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye Nick Tragianis / Driving Adding another 80 horses to an already 717-horsepower engine is like putting Nutella on top on an Oreo: entirely unnecessary and probably quite dangerous, but, hey, since it’s just sitting there, you might as well eat it. As Driving’s Clayton Seams and Nick Tragianis note in their joint review, the Hellcat Redeye may be a bit of a “stupid car” with way too much power for most situations, but for the kind of person who lives life by the quarter-mile and appreciates machinery with real personality (even the obnoxious kind), there’s nothing quite like it. You can buy Patrick Dempsey’s 1965 Mustang fastbackHow much do you love Grey’s Anatomy? Even if your answer to that is negative fifty, you may still appreciate this custom Mustang build commissioned by actor Patrick Dempsey, who played Dr. Derek Shepherd, a.k.a. McDreamy, on the popular medical drama. A little over a decade ago, Dempsey hired Panoz Custom Sports Cars in Georgia to inject some modern style (to the tune of US$300,000) into this 1965 Mustang fastback, using a 2004 SN95 Cobra SVT as a donor. The result is a black-on-black 420-horsepower custom build with a six-speed manual transmission. And you can own it. Dempsey’s former baby is up for sale at a garage in Utah. Canadians can’t get enough of these seven aging vehiclesIf it ain’t broke, don’t update it. We went through some figures from manufacturers and other online sources to put together a list of seven aging cars Canadians can’t seem to quit. There’s the Dodge Grand Caravan that hasn’t been significantly updated since 2011 but remains the best-selling minivan in the country. Or the Toyota Tundra, which was last majorly overhauled in 2007 but had its best year for Canadian sales in 2018. Or the most ancient on the list, the Nissan Frontier, which has been playing the same song for 15 years, and we’re still giving it a standing ovation!Too many crossovers could kill the market, report saysIt’s called “market saturation,” and according to a new report, that’s where we’re headed if automakers don’t make a course-correction away from the concentrated production of SUVs and crossovers. The “Car Wars” report produced by the Bank of America Merrill Lynch suggests that the market could experience a 30-per-cent decline in auto sales by 2022. It’s projected that SUVs, crossovers and light trucks will make up 70 per cent of the 246 new or significantly updated models expected to arrive between 2020 and 2023.
Origin: News Roundup: Europe’s thing for classic American cars, a new affordable electric SUV, and Patrick Dempsey’s custom Mustang
Kohl’s ‘American Pie’ T-shirt features Ford, not Chevy, by the levee
American department store chain Kohl’s is selling a T-shirt with the potential to anger truck-lovers on both sides of the great Ford-Chevy divide. On the surface, the ‘Juniors’ American Pie Short Sleeve Crew Neck Americana Tee’ is an innocuous piece of fast fashion: A grey tee with a vintage truck and the words “Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry” printed on it. Seems like exactly what one might expect to find at a U.S. department store, right? A closer look at the truck reveals something off about the illustration. Something deeply troubling. It appears as though some monster has inked a ’70s Ford F-150 face onto what appears otherwise to be a mid-’60s Chevrolet. The hybrid truck with the potential to incite violence was brought to our attention by the editors at Jalopnik, who warn of an all-out riot. They managed to get a shot of the shirt on the website, but the image now appears to have been pulled. It’s odd, and kind of a dumb move on Kohl’s part, but is it really going to result in a bloodbath? We’d like to say no, but Ford and Chevy fans have been known to get physical, like the Virginia man who recently shot his wife and her son over an argument about which automaker makes superior vehicles. The tee is an allusion to the classic song “American Pie” by Don McLean. Everybody sing along now: Bye, bye Miss American Pie/ Drove my Chevy to the levee/ But the levee was dry/ Them good ol’ boys were drinking whisky and rye, singing/ This’ll be the day that I die Well, hopefully them good ol’ boys drinking whisky and rye aren’t driving that Chevy with the decal of Calvin peeing on a Ford in the Kohl’s parking lot, because a lifted Ford F-150 just pulled in. Nobody needs to die today, boys, despite what the song says.
Origin: Kohl’s ‘American Pie’ T-shirt features Ford, not Chevy, by the levee
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