2020 Mercedes-Benz EQCHandout / Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-Benz is delaying the Canadian release of its EQC, its first full battery-electric vehicle, by more than a year as it focuses on the vehicles launch in Europe.The SUV was originally intended to enter our market in spring 2020, but according to reports from American news outlets, its now being delayed to 2021.The EQC launch in Europe and other markets earlier in 2019 generated high interest worldwide for the EQC. In a recent direction from Daimler AG, it is a strategic decision to first support the growing customer demand for the EQC in Europe, Mercedes-Benz Canada told Driving.As a result of this decision, the Canadian and U.S. market launch dates of the Mercedes-Benz EQC will be rescheduled to 2021 (originally Q1 2020).So yes, the Great White North will be the Wait White North for a little while, while Mercedes readies its first true EV for the masses. While it may very well be Europeans buy more EVs than North Americans do, causing Benzs shift in focus as it says, it could also be because it gives the company a chance to update the EQC for the North American market.As it sits now, the SUV only gets about 200 miles (320 km) of range per charge. Thats just not enough for most people, especially considering the vastness of Canada. Mercedes-Benz has promised to announce 10 all-electric models by 2022, to meet stricter European emissions regulations. By 2030, European automakers will be required to reduce their fleet emissions by 37.5
Origin: Mercedes-Benz is pushing back the Canadian launch of its first full EV
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Mini is bringing back its manual transmissions
2019 Mini Cooper 3-DoorPeter Bleakney / Driving For many years, small hatchbacks have been characterized by their fun-to-drive nature, and most will agree nothing is more fun to drive than a car with a manual transmission.Mini agrees, and so its bringing back its manual transmission option for most of its vehicles after a brief hiatus.Starting early February 2020, customers will be able to resume ordering (two- and four-door) Mini hardtop and convertible models equipped with manual transmissions from March 2020 production, spokesperson Andrew Cutler told Car and Driver.With take rates for manual transmission vehicles landing in the lower echelons, Mini actually manages to garner more attention from purists than other brands. According to Mini, the Cooper Hardtop S has a manual transmission take rate of 45 per cent, which is astounding in this day and age. There is a segment of the customer base that prefers driving with a manual transmission, so we do want to maintain that for the component of our customers who expect that, said Cutler. We are going to continue to ensure that weve got manuals when and where possible.The reason for the hiatus in North America was an update to the fuel-delivery system, which enhanced efficiency. The testing that occurred left the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and the eight-speed automatic as the only options.Unfortunately, the transmission will not be returning to every model. Those left out will be models with all-wheel-drive and the John Cooper Works editions, which require a more stout transmission to handle their added
Origin: Mini is bringing back its manual transmissions
Elon Musk beats back defamation lawsuit over insulting tweet
(FILES) In this file photo taken on July 19, 2017, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, speaks during the International Space Station Research and Development Conference at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. Tesla shares stumbled on July 16, 2018 as chief executive Elon Musk faced criticism over a public spat with a British diver who worked on the Thai soccer team rescue. Shares of the electric car maker were down 3.5 percent in late-morning trading at $307.82 on news that Musk could face a libel suit over the episode.Musk attacked British diver Vern Unsworth, who had dismissed the Tesla chiefs efforts to help the rescue mission for the 12 boys as a PR stunt in a widely seen interview on CNN.Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images Elon Musk beat back a defamation claim from a British cave expert who sued the billionaire CEO over a tweet in which Musk labeled Vernon Unsworth a pedo guy.A federal jury in Los Angeles December 6 took about an hour to return a verdict that said Musks insult fell short of defamation.We were pretty much unanimous from the word go, said Carl Shusterman, a 70-year-old immigration lawyer who served on a jury for the first time.Shusterman said the verdict was straight-forward because it wasnt clear if the tweet was actually about Unsworth, since Musk didnt name him. The judge told the jurors that was one of the elements required to establish defamation, Shusterman said.My faith in humanity has been restored, Musk said after the verdict.Its another win for Musk, 48, whos managed to get out of legal trouble relatively unscathed. Musk agreed to step down from his role of chairman of Tesla for three years in 2018 to settle a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission lawsuit over a tweet the regulator said misled investors. But hes run Tesla and SpaceX as usual.Unsworth had sought US$190 million in damages for the harm he claimed to have suffered from the tweet, and to punish Musk. Musk said he fired off the tweet in anger after Unsworth insulted him and his team in a television interview.I respect the jurys decision, Unsworth said after the verdict. Ill take it on the chin and move on.His lawyers were less gracious, repeatedly referring to Musk as a billionaire bully.It was the first time that Musk has been called as a witness at a trial, despite numerous legal spats, including one with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over a tweet the regulator said misled investors.Musk told the jury the tweet aimed at Unsworth shouldnt have been taken literally and was sent because the caver insulted his effort to help rescue members of a Thai soccer team from a flooded cave in 2018.The rescue effort had riveted the attention of the worlds media. Musk and engineers at his companies prepared a mini submarine, built with rocket parts, to help. The kids, aged 11 to 16, were saved without the use of the sub.The high-profile effort from the celebrity CEO drew derision from Unsworth, who knew the caves well and helped in the rescue effort. He told CNN that Musk could stick his submarine where it hurts and that it had no chance of working.Musk responded on Twitter, calling Unsworth a pedo guy and adding: Never saw this British expat guy who lives in Thailand (sus) at any point when we were in the caves. Sus meaning suspect, or suspicious.Later, he asked why Unsworth hadnt sued him. Musk also hired a private investigator to dig into Unsworths personal life and leak information to British tabloids.Unsworth, a financial consultant who divides his time between England and Thailand, described to the jury the effect the tweet had on him.When you combine sus and pedo guy, I took it as I was being branded a pedophile, Unsworth said on Wednesday. I feel vulnerable and sometimes, when Im in the U.K., I feel isolated.Musk, who had apologized to Unsworth on Twitter, did so again in court. But Unsworth told the jury he had nothing to apologize for to Musk.Musk told the jury he found Unsworths comments in the CNN interview wrong and insulting especially to his team which he said worked hard to help in the rescue effort and so he fired back.Neither man impressed Shusterman, the juror. He said there was no need for Unsworth to put down Musks mini submarine, and Musks response was equally immature.I felt it was like two junior high school students fighting, Shusterman
Origin: Elon Musk beats back defamation lawsuit over insulting tweet
Cadillac is going back to real names for its cars as it switches to EVs
The 2016 Cadillac Escala concept. Cadillac is changing its naming scheme back to actual words, ditching the alphanumeric convention that, to some, has felt less-than-personable these past few years.The rollout of the electric vehicles is the time well start to move back toward naming, said Cadillac President Steve Carlisle.The name change comes as Cadillac prepares to launch a host of new battery-electric vehicles, according to Automotive News.The original alphanumeric nomenclature was the brainchild of Johan de Nysschen, Carlisles predecessor, who also worked at Audi and Infiniti. The idea behind it was to give a more European feel to the brand as well as a clear hierarchy, with names like XT5 and CT6, but it also meant dropping historic names like Seville, DeVille and Eldorado. Were entering the decade as an internal-combustion-engine brand, he said. Well exit the decade as a battery-electric brand. Its the end of the ICE age for Cadillac.Cadillac will gradually be converted into GMs EV brand; it plans to have 20 all-new electric vehicles by 2023. As Carlisle stated, by 2030 the majority of Cadillacs will be electric.As for the brands current vehicles, theyll likely receive a refresh sometime in the future before fully transitioning to EVs. The brand-new Escalade is set to be revealed in February, and will be transitioned to an EV eventually, though not before it gets Cadillacs Super Cruise hands-free driver-assist system, with a few improvements, such as automated
Origin: Cadillac is going back to real names for its cars as it switches to EVs
Plugged In: Coast-to-coast and back in an Audi e-tron
Harvey Soicher pictured with his then brand new Audi e-tron a couple of days before embarking on Mary Anns Electric Drive.Andrew McCredie What do you get when you combine a cross-country electric vehicle road trip with a poignant love story? Mary Anns Electric Drive, thats what. In this weeks episode of Plugged In, we chat with Harvey Soicher, a Vancouver man who tragically lost his soul mate 18 months ago but found some semblance of healing by embracing what he calls a pioneer spirit to drive his Audi e-tron from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and back. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: Plugged In: Coast-to-coast and back in an Audi e-tron
The Audi RSQ E-Tron Concept is back in ‘Spies in Disguise’
There’s a new trend in super-spy transportation: electric power. Bond is set to drive the Aston Martin Rapide E in the upcoming franchise film, and over in the animated world, Audi is gearing up its first pixelated concept car, which is also electric.The Audi RSQ E-Tron concept is set to debut in the upcoming animated movie Spies in Disguise. The short video teaser titled “Lunch Break” features Lance Sterling (with the voice and goatee of Will Smith) acting all cool, like only a super-spy can in the passenger seat of the Audi RSQ E-Tron concept, while the high-strung nerdy weapons specialist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) freaks out beside him. There’s a broken bridge, which the Audi jumps; a helicopter, which the Audi outruns on the streets with its Audi on Demand Performance Package Power Boost; and a targeted missile, which the Audi outmaneuvers in the subway system.As the car careens around the city, we get a glimpse of a holographic cluster, an infotainment centre on the windshield and a digital dash running the width of the car. And when the spot ends, we see Beckett behind the wheel “living his best life,” unaware that autopilot is on. Presumably, they also head to a drive-thru after this is all over — because this was their lunch break, and spies gotta eat. Spies in Disguise will arrive in theatres on December 25,
Origin: The Audi RSQ E-Tron Concept is back in ‘Spies in Disguise’
Mitsubishi might be bringing back the Lancer Evolution: report
2015 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Final Edition Back in 2015, we bid farewell to the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution. The brand had released the Final Edition, sending a pretty clear signal we were at the end of an era. But a lot can change in four years. According to Autocar, Mitsubishi has plans to bring the Lancer Evolution back and reintroduce an eleventh-gen model into its line of performance cars. Autocar’s anonymous “Japanese-based sources” say the car will arrive in the styles of either a four-door saloon or a five-door hatch. The publication goes on to suggest the future Lancer Evolution will borrow mechanics from the Renault Mégane RS, including its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, dual-clutch gearbox and the S-AWC four-wheel drive setup, developed by Mitsubishi and used in the Evo X. In the top-end Mégane RS, that engine develops 296 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, but there’s a chance Mitsubishi will boost power to around 350 horsepower by adding a hybrid system. Some Mitsubishi fans were not at all pleased when the brand resurrected the “Eclipse” nameplate on a crossover, giving birth to the Eclipse Cross. And while it seems the Evo has escaped this fate for now, it wouldn’t be all that surprising to see Mitsubishi stretch a version of the Evo XI to plop into the compact crossover segment. Official details to follow shortly, we hope.
Origin: Mitsubishi might be bringing back the Lancer Evolution: report
Canadian university working on radar to detect kids forgotten in back seats
In the U.S., 751 children have died of heatstroke in cars since 1998.Getty Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario have developed an inexpensive sensor that triggers an alarm when children or pets are left behind in vehicles.Some vehicles currently warn drivers to check the rear seat when they exit the vehicle the system is triggered when the rear doors are opened before driving, suggesting a child might be buckled into a seat but dont actually detect if anyones there.In the U.S., its estimated an average of 38 children die each year of heatstroke after they’ve been forgotten and left behind in a hot car. In 2018 the number was 51, the highest on record.The Waterloo project was partly funded by a major automotive parts manufacturer and could be on the market by the end of 2020. It uses radar technology combined with artificial intelligence, and its inventors say it can detect unattended children or animals with 100-per-cent accuracy.The tiny sensor is designed to mount in the ceiling or on the rearview mirror. It sends out radar signals that are reflected back by both live and inanimate objects in the vehicle, and can penetrate the seats to look for rear-facing child seats. The AI then analyzes the signals and looks for breathing movements. If a child or pet is detected, the system sounds an alarm and prevents the doors from locking. Graduate students Mostafa Alizadeh, left, and Hajar Abedi position a doll, modified to simulate breathing, in a minivan during testing of a new sensor. University of Waterloo It addresses a serious, worldwide problem, said George Shaker, an engineering professor at the university, who said the system is so affordable it could become standard equipment in all vehicles.Because the device determines how many people are in the vehicle and where they are sitting, the information could also potentially be used to qualify for carpool lanes or toll rates. The researchers are also exploring the ability to monitor the drivers vital signs to look for distraction, impairment, fatigue or
Origin: Canadian university working on radar to detect kids forgotten in back seats
Audi’s bringing back its rear-wheel-drive R8 V10 for good
Dynamic photo, Colour: Florett Silver Audi is adding a rear-wheel-drive version of its venerable R8 supercar to its permanent lineup, and this time, you wont need to be on a waiting list to see if you get the privilege of owning one.Rear-wheel-drive in Audi R8s has been available only on special edition models up to this point, but now your regular Jolene (assuming theyve a fair chunk of change in their pocket) can own a more hair-raising version of the supercar, too.You still get a V10 with 532 horsepower and 398 lb.-ft. of torque, with the sonorous soundtrack coming frombehind your head; difference is the vehicle is 65 kilograms (143 pounds) lighter thanks to the omission of all the quattro parts. Down 30 horsepower and 15 lb.-ft. from the AWD model, the RWD version matches the special-edition RWS. To tell the RWD from the AWD, all you have to do is look at the distinctive side blades. The AWD versions will be painted all-black, while the RWD version sees blades body-coloured on the bottom with a black upper portion. As well as being distinctive, it also gives the car a much more cohesive look.Both coupe and spyder versions will be available, and since theyre missing the front-wheel-drive parts, theyre both cheaper than the standard R8. Only European pricing has been unveiled, but there it starts at 144,000 for the Coupe; and 157,000 for the Spyder, both representing a 22,000 discount from the AWD
Origin: Audi’s bringing back its rear-wheel-drive R8 V10 for good
Mid-engined Corvette’s launch pushed back to February 2020
The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8Chevrolet The first deliveries of the new C8-generation Chevrolet Corvette will be pushed back to February 2020 instead of showing up in customers driveways before the end of 2019 as previously anticipated, the automakers confirmed.As you mightve expected, the recent six-week UAW strike played a big role in that, reports Road Track.But so did the cars Bowling Green, Kentucky assembly facility needing more time to retool its production line for the Vettes new mid-engined architecture.After a temporary shutdown to make all that happen and, of course, after Chevrolet finishes rolling out the final C7 Corvettes it needs to still build the line should be back up and running by
Origin: Mid-engined Corvette’s launch pushed back to February 2020
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