Theres hardly a car company on the planet that wont jump at the opportunity to add another crossover or SUV to its ranks. Even the mighty Aston Martin and Ferrari are getting in on the game.Given that, it shouldnt be much of a surprise to anyone the new vehicles being shown off by Chevrolet at an auto show in China are utilities.Called the Menlo and apparently built off the bones of a Bolt EV, this car is the first all-electric Bowtie-branded vehicle in China. The company is calling it a sedan for reasons unknown, but this new rig certainly takes the shape of a crossover or SUV.According to GM, the Menlo has a range of 410 kilometres when fully charged and measured under the New European Driving Cycle. Even if that system is slightly more generous than North American tests, it still suggests a driving range not far off that provided by the Bolt.If youve a set of eyes, its easy to tell the Menlo is part of the GM crossover family, with a pair of headlights bookending a thin strip of chrome and resting atop a very familiar bumper. Around back, the Menlo EV would fit exceedingly well in a parking lot full of Equinox and Blazer vehicles.Speaking of Blazer, Chevrolet also showed a three-row version of that trucklet at the same show in which it introduced the Menlo EV. Such a vehicle is not expected to make the jump to America, as it would have the propensity to cannibalize sales of other similarily-sized Chevy three-row rigs. Weve asked GM Canada about whether there are plans to bring either to dealerships here, and it told us the Menlo EV isnt going to be sold in Canada as we speak emphasis ours. Doesnt that sound like it leaves open a small window it might come here eventually?The company says it will have more details about the Menlo EV at this years Guangzhou Auto Show, a soire which runs from November 22 through December 1. Its expected the car will go on sale in China during the first half of calendar year
Origin: Chevrolet’s finally building an EV crossover — but only for China
(finally)
The Toyota C-HR finally looks a little less wild for 2020
Toyota has refreshed the C-HR for the 2020 model year, and, joy of joys, its decided to make the styling less, uh, controversial, even if only slightly.Around the rear, the styling hasnt changed much or really at all. However, it was never the rear that we had a problem with, it was always the front.Mercifully, the face has become a little more conventional and even bears a slight resemblance to the Corolla Hatchback, which we think looks quite good. The front of the vehicle also gains adaptive LED headlights on Limited trims. New wheel designs are available in 17 and 18 inches, and there are a few new colour options to go along with the two-tone combinations.Also long overdue at Toyota is the inclusion of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility as standard features. An eight-way adjustable power drivers seat is now available on Limited trims as well.A modern car mid-cycle update isnt complete without the addition of the latest safety tech, and the 2020 C-HR is no different (despite its looks). Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist, Automatic High Beams, and Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control all come standard.XLE trims add Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Limited trim models come with Emergency Assistance Button, Enhanced Roadside Assistance and Stolen Vehicle Locator.Canadian pricing has not been announced, but we expect it to be a little more expensive than the outgoing model year, due to its much more handsome appearance and wealth of
Origin: The Toyota C-HR finally looks a little less wild for 2020
Newfoundland man who sold the first-ever Ford Mustang will finally see it again
The first preproduction Mustang, with serial number 1. FORD MOTOR COMPANYFord A retired car salesman in Newfoundland who accidentally sold the first Ford Mustang ever built will be reunited with it this coming weekend.As reported by CTV News, Harry Phillips will be a special guest at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan after his granddaughter started a Send Harry to Henry social media campaign.Prior to the Mustang actually going on sale, Ford sent pre-production models to its dealers, intended strictly for display.In order for all showrooms to have one for the official sales launch on April 17, 1964, the earliest cars built went to the dealerships that were farthest away. George G.R. Parsons Ford in St. Johns, where Phillips worked, got the very first one, a white convertible with serial number 5F08F100001.Captain Stanley Tucker, an airline pilot, saw it and immediately wanted it. He paid $4,300 for it, Phillips said, sealing the deal three days before the launch but agreeing to let the dealership display the car for a while.The whole thing was a mistake. The car, a pre-production model, wasnt meant for sale and was supposed to be returned to the automaker. When it didnt come back, Ford went looking for it.It took two years of negotiation before Tucker agreed to relinquish it, accepting in trade a fully-loaded 1966 Mustang that was the millionth one built. The car went on display at the Henry Ford Museum in 1984. Tucker died in 2008.Canada also got the second one built, a hardtop (pictured above) that went to a dealer in Yukon. That car sold at auction in January 2019 for US$192,500. Only one other pre-production model is known to exist. The first production Mustang intended for sale went to Gail Wise, a schoolteacher in Chicago, who still owns it.Phillips has never visited the Henry Ford Museum, and it will be the first time hes seen the car since he sold it 55 years ago. Museum officials have planned a VIP day for him, including a tour of the Rouge factory where the car was
Origin: Newfoundland man who sold the first-ever Ford Mustang will finally see it again
The 2020 Toyota Prius finally offers AWD, Apple CarPlay
The 2020 Toyota Prius is finally here, and it boasts a ton of tech to go along with its brand-new electric drive system.The styling hasnt been changed at all, unfortunately, but when it comes to the Prius the only things that ever mattered anyway were fuel economy figures, which have unfortunately not been released for Canada yet.However, in the U.S. the EPA estimates 58 mpg city, 53 highway and 56 combined, which is about 4.0 L/100 km city, 4.4 highway and 4.2 combined. Pricing for the 2020 Prius in Canada starts at $28,550, which gets you front-wheel drive, a 7-inch display, Toyota Connected Services by Toyota, and Apple CarPlay compatibility. For $1,000 more, you can spec the AWD-e version, which has an electric motor powering the rear wheels for extra traction, mileage and emissions. You also get fog lights with the AWD-e version, which immediately turns it into a rally car.The Technology trim will set you back $32,590, but adds integrated Sirius XM Satellite Radio, heated steering wheel, auto-dimming rearview mirror, wireless phone charging pad, an eight-way power-adjustable drivers seat and a host of safety features. These features are also available on the $33,450 AWD-e Technology, and include Blind Spot Monitor and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and rain-sensing wipers. The AWD-e Technology adds an 11.6-inch high-definition touchscreen with embedded navigation, and fog lamps.The top of the heap is the Advanced AWD-e trim, which adds auto-levelling headlamps, heads-up display, adaptive front lighting, integrated garage door opener and intelligent clearance sonar with intelligent parking
Origin: The 2020 Toyota Prius finally offers AWD, Apple CarPlay
DMV finally gets licence plate ‘pee’ joke after 15 years, revokes it
A driver in New Hampshire has just had her vanity plate yanked by the dour wanks at the states Department of Motor Vehicles despite it having adorned her vehicles for the better part of 15 years. Things really do move at a sloth-like pace at the DMV, eh?The sin committed by Wendy Auger of Rochester, for which she was (eventually) reprimanded? Daring to invoke a bodily function.Not an offensive one, mind you, simply in the form of an exhortation every parent since the dawn of the automobile has uttered at their offspring do you need to PBE4WEGO? Alas, the state rules out plates referencing human excretions of any sort, making this tag a line-crosser.DMVs on this side of the border have also been called out as grim-faced and heavy-handed. Up here in the Great White North, a Nova Scotia man is currently rowing with that provinces registrar over his plate, one which bears his own European surname.Apparently, another motorist took umbrage with his GRABHER plate, conflating it with a certain statement made by a certain politician Stateside. In the broad expanse of Saskatchewan, another driver was denied his surname as a vanity plate, too, though this one was slightly more understandable. The DMV rejected the mans request for an ASSMAN plate, even though it is pronounced Oss-men. In this instance, the motorist exacted his revenge by wrapping the entire tailgate of his truck with the word.What do you think of these bureaucrats decision to yank Augers plate? Whats the most creative one youve ever seen? Be sure to chime in
Origin: DMV finally gets licence plate ‘pee’ joke after 15 years, revokes it
Mississauga will finally get the 401 expansion it so desperately needs
Winterís first snarl. Snowstorm hammers southern Ontario, leaves Toronto in gridlock. Todays foul weather caused huge delays along the 401.Mark ONeill Widely considered the most congested roadway in North America, an 18-kilometre stretch of the 401 between the Credit River in Mississauga and Regional Road 25 in Milton will be widened. Currently just three lanes in both directions, the new configuration will see the installation of “two 10-lane segments, two 12-lane core collector systems and the median High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.” In total, much of the roadway will be effectively doubled. Capacity has long been an issue on Highway 401, and the changes should ease commute times as well as assist in the flow of goods across the top of the city. Additionally, rapid residential growth means the present highway is inadequate for those it services anywhere from 118,000 to 175,000 vehicles daily. The $639.8 million contract, which went to Aecon Group Inc, also includes “bridge reconstruction and replacement, structural culvert replacements, drainage and utilities work, as well as ecological restoration.” Another expansion of a 4-kilometre stretch of the 401 between McLaughlin Road to east of the Credit river is currently underway, scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2020. When done, it will have a 12-lane core and collector system instead of the current six lanes. There will be HOV between Mavis Road and Highway
Origin: Mississauga will finally get the 401 expansion it so desperately needs
Is Volkswagen finally ready to challenge Tacoma and Ranger in the small pickup market?
What is it? Not a full-size truck and not an SUV either, the Volkswagen Tarok Concept is VW dipping its toe in the small-truck waters to see if should dive in and swim. Clearly envious of the stampede of sales going to full-size trucks amid an equally coveted resurgence of midsize trucks, VW is presenting the Tarok at the NY Auto Show as way to gauge interest for the vehicle in North America, even though VW already intends to build the truck for South America. Why does it matter? With a reconfigurable cargo bed capable of carrying six-foot objects, thanks to a folding waterproof panel behind the rear seat, the Tarok boasts a cargo-carrying capacity of 1,030 kg (2,270 pounds) — more than the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger or Jeep Gladiator — so perhaps take that with a grain of salt, given that a solid rear axle is unlikely and the engine is the same as that in a Golf, a 147-hp turbocharged 1.4-liter four cylinder. A digital instrument cluster, 9.2-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a removable Bluetooth speaker in the centre console also add character, as does the concept’s large glass roof. When is it coming? That’s entirely up to the public’s reaction. VW previously showed a small pickup in NY, the Atlas Tanoak, a pickup with considerable appeal and strong interest, yet the Tanoak hasn’t moved much down the production line as far as we know. Should you buy it? If a full-size truck is too big, and the midsize offerings from Chevrolet, Toyota and Jeep are just too truckish, the Tarok would no longer leave some buyers between a rock and a hard
Origin: Is Volkswagen finally ready to challenge Tacoma and Ranger in the small pickup market?
The radical Apollo IE supercar is finally headed for production
Supercar startup Apollo has just given us an update on its forthcoming vehicle, the Apollo IE (a.k.a. the Apollo Intensa Emozione). The brand confirms it has linked up with HWA AG and Capricorn Group to produce this successor to the Gumpert Apollo, but with a number of updates from the prototype it introduced back in 2017. The Apollo IE rides on an all-new first-of-its-kind 100-per-cent carbon-fibre production chassis that has been developed by HWA, a company that has helped build icons like the Mercedes-Benz CLK-GTR. The mono-cell structure is said to improve safety and torsional rigidity, reduce weight and remove the need for a roll cage altogether. Apollo’s GM and CMO Ryan Berris tells Motor Authority the choice to redevelop the chassis was made to “make certain that (the company) adhered to the highest safety standards that are at the cutting edge of technology and would permit use in future applications, leaving the door open for potential competition participation.” This “competition participation” would likely be in the World Endurance Championship’s brand-new Hypercar class. Other noticeable differences from the prototype include the car’s aerodynamics, as well as the cooling systems associated with the engine bay and brakes. The engine is a 6.3-litre V12 with a stable of 780 horses. While you wait for more details to emerge, check out the above video of an Apollo IE drifting around a track in Bahrain alongside some of the world’s most ridiculously cool
Origin: The radical Apollo IE supercar is finally headed for production
2019 Mazda CX-5 finally gets a diesel for North America
2019 Mazda CX-5 dieselHandout / Mazda What is it? Mazda’s long-awaited diesel finally arrives in Canada. Why does it matter? Mazda has been trying to bring its oil-burner to our shores for years. There’s been all sorts of theories — I’m not sure if they actually qualify as conspiracies — as to its long delay: a lack of performance, not enough reliability or simply not enough production capacity. My personal theory is that Mazda wanted to emulate what they thought was Volkswagen’s ability — illusory, as it turns out — to reduce NOx emissions without having to inject urea into the engine. If VW could do it, surely so could the engineers from Hiroshima. We know how that story ended. Whatever the reason for the delay, Mazda swears its 2.2-litre turbodiesel is really coming this time and it will first appear in the Signature version of its compact CX-5 crossover. Said Skyactiv-D is said to pump out 168 horsepower and an even more stout 290 lb.-ft. of torque, while sipping fuel at a pretty-darned-low-for-an-SUV 8.5 L/100 kilometres overall. Sensing some hesitance amongst potential buyers, Mazda devoted an entire paragraph of its press release to meeting North American emissions regulations, noting that it adopts “special combustion control software and exhaust treatment to meet the strictest emissions regulations” and that the company “worked closely with all proper federal and state agencies in the U.S., such as the EPA and CARB, to ensure the Skyactiv-D 2.2 engine passes all appropriate regulations.” Paranoid much? When is it coming? Possibly later this summer, if summer ever arrives. Officially, all Mazda says is the second half of 2019. Should you buy it? I drove an early version of the Skyactiv-D 2.2 some years ago and it was an impressive piece of kit, free revving for a diesel and plenty torque, to boot. One presumes it has only gotten better in the ensuing three or four years. Better late than never, I suppose, and I suspect that if the Skyactiv-D proves popular in this little crossover, we’ll see it in other “Signature” Mazdas as
Origin: 2019 Mazda CX-5 finally gets a diesel for North America
Aston Martin (finally) unveiled its first all-electric car, the Rapide E
Aston Martin is making an all-electric car. Specifically, it’s making this all-electric car. Beautiful, yes, and exclusive too, as the brand plans to produce just 155 of them. The Aston Martin Rapide E, which made its international debut at the Shanghai Auto Show this week, is based on the existing gas-drinking Rapide sedan and, on the surface, it shares quite a bit in common with this older sibling. In fact, it’s simpler to just list the differences: the Rapide E’s grille is grated rather than horizontally finned like on the sedan; the intake shape and fascia design have been re-imagined to make sure the 400-lb-heavier electric version cuts through the air properly; and there are some blue accents on the brake calipers and within the headlights. Under the surface, however, things are quite different. The car runs on an 800-volt 65-kWh battery that charges at 500 km of range per hour when plugged into a high-speed charger, and will provide an estimated range of around 322 km per charge. That battery pack passes the juice to a pair of twin motors mounted on the rear axle, which make 450 kW (or the equivalent to 600 horses) and provide the Rapide E with its rapidity (zing!), getting it up to 60 mph (96 km/h) in under four seconds and pressing it up to a top speed of 249 km/h. Inside the Rapide E has been outfitted with a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, plus an 8-inch infotainment system display that sits above the centre dashboard. It will also support both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This is the first full look at the finished, limited-ed electric car that James Bond will reportedly drive in his next on-screen appearance. It looks fit for a spy—we’ll have to wait just a bit longer to see if it handles well enough for one
Origin: Aston Martin (finally) unveiled its first all-electric car, the Rapide E
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