Mercedes-Benz is teasing the next-generation GLA with a design sketch, just a day or so before the official release of the 2021 model.According to Mercedes-Benz, the new vehicle will be 10 centimetres taller than the previous model to give it more of a crossover appearance.It will also be 15 millimetres shorter, although Mercedes says legroom will not be impacted, since the length will be taken off the overhang.In fact, there will actually be more room, because the wheelbase has been lengthened.As far as styling goes, the sketch reveals, mostly, what weve come to expect of Benz crossovers. Were sure the pedestrian looks wont stop Mercedes-Benz from packing the vehicle full of tech, including the excellent MBUX infotainment system. At the very least, we know the rear bench seat will be unique, and feature a forward- or backward-sliding function, as well as 40/20/40-split capability.The wheels are huge, at least on the teaser drawing, in ironically stark contrast to recent reports Audi predicts 23-inch wheels should be about the largest fitted to production cars. Clearly, Mercedes stands with GM in forecasting 26-inch rims in the near-future.On top of the regular model, AMG 35 and 45/45S models are expected to be available, as well as a 250e plug-in hybrid model.The GLA will be revealed to the world online exclusively on December 11; the first auto show to feature it in the metal will be Genevas, in March of
Origin: 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLA teased in design sketch just ahead of reveal
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One of the first-ever Land Rovers just hit the mud for the first time in decades
There are barn finds and then there are barn finds. In 2016, one of the three original launch Land Rovers was found in a garden near the Solihull factory where it was built. The company trotted it out to pay homage to its history, promising to restore the brute back to spec. After much work and careful planning, the OG Brit is ready to turn a wheel on U.K. soil once again.The truck built an impressive resum after helping to launch what would go on to be one of the countrys most well-known brands. After passing through several owners, it apparently found itself in Wales being used as a static power source, before its engine seized in the late 80s.Restoration work began last year, undertaken by a team of experts at Land Rover Classic at its Classic Works facility in Coventry.Interesting discoveries during the work included an original King George V sixpence coin from 1943, a piece which had been deliberately left under the galvanized capping of the rear tub as a hidden memento. After loitering in a field for decades, one can bet there was a generous helping of agriculture in there as well.This approach required the team to strip the vehicle down to its bare chassis and begin a painstaking process of testing and checking which components could be reused and rebuilt following decades of decay and rust. Some parts, such as the rear axle, were X-rayed and depth-tested in an effort to determine their fitness.For parts that needed to be replaced or had been removed over the vehicles life, the team used the archive of original drawings kept by Land Rover Classic, plus access to other surviving pre-production Land Rovers. These tech illustrations helped to restore the original routing and mounting of the exhaust, the brass wheel hubs, the gearbox, and transfer box. The original badge was also AWOL, so the team digitized a photograph of another Land Rover at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show and used that to replicate and place a new one.We this amount of fastidious attention to detail, we think its safe to add this Land Rover to a list of barn find greats even if it was, technically, found in a
Origin: One of the first-ever Land Rovers just hit the mud for the first time in decades
The last front-engined Chevrolet Corvette just rolled off the line
A moment of silence, please: Chevrolet has built its very last front-engined C7 Corvette. The historic vehicle rolled off the assembly line in Bowling Green, Kentucky yesterday.GM was surprisingly low-key about it, sending out only a lone tweet instead of a press release. The last one was a black 2019 Z06, powered by a 650-horsepower 6.2-litre V8 engine, sold long before it was built.It was offered last June at the Barrett-Jackson Northeast Auction and brought US$2.7 million dollars, with the winning bid benefiting the Stephen Siller Foundation charity. It was the highest price paid at a Barrett-Jackson auction for a vehicle donated by an automaker. The money went to the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which builds accessible, mortgage-free homes for injured military veterans, and helps pay off mortgages of families of first responders killed in the line of duty.Some endings are bittersweet. The last #Corvette C7 – the end of an era – rolled off the line today. It was previously auctioned for $2.7 million with proceeds going to building smart homes for veterans. pic.twitter.com/3NU7gWWbc6 Chevrolet (@chevrolet) November 15, 2019With the end of C7 production, the plant can now begin to build the mid-engine C8 Corvette, with a starting price in Canada between $69,998 and $85,398 across its three trim lines.The C8 marks the first time a Corvettes engine has been anywhere but under the hood since the sports car was introduced for 1953. The Bowling Green plant, which has made more than one million Corvettes since production started there in 1981, is the only factory that makes the
Origin: The last front-engined Chevrolet Corvette just rolled off the line
The 2021 Optima just teased by Kia looks outrageous
Kia released some teaser images of its 2021 Optima late October, revealing a dramatic and different shape than were used to.Just like its cousin, the new Hyundai Sonata, the styling is bold. Conventional headlights have been replaced with thin LED strips that curve around the central beams. The rear taillights are full-width and sit under a pseudo-ducktail.As is the style nowadays, the roofline swoops gracefully from the windshield all the way back to the taillight panel to create a fastback (please, for the love of god, dont call it a Grand Coupe). A chrome strip curves around the top of the side windows and the bottom of the rear window.Inside the Optima is a similarly futuristic interior, with a large digital gauge cluster and wide infotainment screen. There isnt a clear provision for the shifter, suggesting the Optima will either have a knob-operated transmission; or a push-button transmission like the Sonata.The Optima will, more than likely, share drivetrain options with the Sonata. That means it will probably feature a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder; and a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder. As far as the 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder rumoured for the N-Line Sonata, that might make its way onto a more sporty Optima dubbed the SX.Expect the 2021 Optima to drop sometime in
Origin: The 2021 Optima just teased by Kia looks outrageous
The 2020 Nissan Titan just got an update to its styling and performance
The Nissan Titan full-size pickup undergoes an extensive redesign for the 2020 model year.Nissan Nissan has updated its Titan pickup truck with better looks and a host of new technological and performance updates.Styling has been improved Nissan calls the new exterior design Powerful Warrior, and we can see why. The grille has been revised to look more aggressive, but its not ridiculous like some other trucks; and the LED headlights provide much more illumination.There are more LEDs hiding in the bed, as well, to light up your cargo; theyre activated by opening the tailgate.Inside the Titan is a much more luxurious interior, with a wood-grain steering wheel and real wood touches available, which should stand up to the more expensive truck interiors were seeing these days. Speaking of seeing, you can now peer up through the panoramic sunroof when the crew cab is specced, and 8.0- or 9.0-inch touchscreens are available for when you arent stargazing. Under the hood is Nissans trusty 5.6-litre V8 engine, now producing 400 horsepower and 413 lb.-ft. of torque. The engine is connected to a new nine-speed automatic transmission two more gears than previous. A 3.69:1 axle ratio also gives the truck a little more leverage when the going gets tough. Its also helped to knock almost a second off the 80-to-110 km/h time.Safety is a big concern with any vehicle, and Nissan is stepping its game up in the 2020 Titan. Eight airbags now come standard, as well as Safety Shield 360, which includes forward automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, reverse automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning and automatic high-beam headlights. Surround-view camera, traffic-sign-recognition, and adaptive cruise control are also available.The truck was unveiled at a state fair in Texas, a place that knows a thing or two about trucks. It will be made available to customers in early
Origin: The 2020 Nissan Titan just got an update to its styling and performance
The Tesla Model 3 just earned the IIHS’ top safety award
The Tesla Model 3 has earned its first award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, and its a good one.In crash testing, Teslas cheapest model won the organizations top-tier award, Top Safety Pick+, which means that it scored good or better in the passenger-side small overlap test and the headlight evaluation, areas many automakers struggle with.The Model 3 earned big points for its performance in the driver-side small-overlap front crash test, one of the most challenging tests to score well at as well.The car held up fairly well, with the lower door pillar intruding only 8 inches, equal to a moderate risk of injury to the drivers lower leg, and no other injuries reported.Another aspect modern-day cars have to score big in is front crash prevention systems, and Teslas systems scored well in these areas, too, earning good marks for the 20 km/h and 40 km/h tests.Vehicles with alternative powertrains have come into their own, IIHS Chief Research Officer David Zuby says. Theres no need to trade away safety for a lower carbon footprint when choosing a vehicle.The fact the car scored so well is a great feat of engineering, as the Model 3 obviously doesnt have an engine in the front to absorb any of the impact. The battery is also very innovative in that it is rigid and fortified, which diverts crash forces away from the
Origin: The Tesla Model 3 just earned the IIHS’ top safety award
Report: Mini might be pared down to just three or four electric models
Mini may plan to pare its lineup down to just three or four vehicles, all fully electric, in the not-too-distant future, according to a new report.According to Automobile, gasoline-powered Mini models might be all but dead, their chassis pushed aside to make way for an electric future.Contrary to earlier reports, it appears that management has since black-flagged the internal-combustion versions in favor of an all-electric model range, the magazine says.The decision has not been confirmed, but Mini would be wise to consider the consequences of turning its small-vehicle lineup into an EV-only brand. Take rival Daimlers Smart brand, which went down that road a few years ago, and has now folded up its tiny EV suitcase.The first electric model from the British marque is the Mini SE, due to go on sale in 2020; it will be the litmus test for the EV revolution, though other battery-powered vehicles are almost certain to follow in its wake. The SE is powered by a 32.6-kWh battery, and has an all-electric range of up to 270 kilometres. Another EV, based on the super-short-wheelbase Rocketman concept, is rumoured to show in production form around 2023, as is a more compact version of the classic three-door Mini. Lastly, theres talk of a crossover-style vehicle. All will run on a skateboard-style platform and feature front-wheel-drive, with energy stored in either 35- or 50-kWh battery packs.We would love to see the Rocketman come to North America, but its likely too small; if it does hit production, it will likely only be available in markets that allow small cars to be federalized, such as China, where it could be built in partnership with Great Wall Motors. The Countryman will likely be evolved into a
Origin: Report: Mini might be pared down to just three or four electric models
Aston Martin will withhold DBX production just to keep it exclusive
Despite the fact it’s getting into the SUV game so it can simply sell more vehicles, Aston Martin will reportedly limit production of the upcoming DBX in an effort to retain the brand’s exclusive reputation. As the brand’s first SUV, it’s likely that the DBX will sell more than any other Aston — and that’s kind of the problem. Andy Palmer, the British luxury automaker’s CEO, told Australian website Carsales that DBX production will be capped for the first year unlike other luxury brands, which continue to chase larger numbers. “I purposefully restrained production to 5,000 units — for exactly that reason,” Palmer told the publication, speaking to the brand’s rep as a maker of premium automobiles. “There’s always a tendency when you’ve got an order book to turn everything up. And when you do that, you start making mistakes, in my experience.”Despite the self-imposed limits, Aston Martin is still aiming to double its output by 2025. Palmer explains how the overall production numbers will be increased over time. “When the Lagonda comes in 2023, we’ll turn it up to 7,000 but we’ll leave it at that, with around 4,000 DBXs rolling off the line and another 3,000 Lagondas,” he said.The brand anticipates many of the initial DBX sales will go to Aston Martin owners who already own an SUV. The DBX is already in the works at Aston’s Wales plant and is slated for a public debut sometime later this year.
Origin: Aston Martin will withhold DBX production just to keep it exclusive
Honda just restored this—classic Chevrolet pickup?
American Honda 60th Anniversary Chevy Delivery TruckHonda Honda corporates latest restoration efforts are of a less-than-usual subject, this 1961 Chevrolet Apache long-bed used to deliver motorcycles to dealers in the mid-1960s.The restoration was completed for Hondas 60th anniversary of selling vehicles in America.Powering the truck is a 283-cubic-inch V8 coupled to a three-speed manual transmission, which is more than enough to carry around a couple of lightweight motorcycles.Speaking of which, the bikes in the bed are a 1965 Super Cub with a 49-cc motor; and a 1965 CB160 with a 161-cc two-cylinder motor.The truck isnt the exact vehicle that was used by Honda in the 60s, but it has been painstakingly recreated to look just like it. Honda worked hard to make the combination as close as it could to an archival photo it had of the truck, including the hand-painted livery with Honda Americas original home office address. Honda didnt start building its own cars until the mid-sixties, and even then they werent something that could haul a bunch of bikes around. At the time, Soichiro Honda was fully engrossed in racing, and the companys focus was on cutting-edge motorcycles, which is why its first car, the Honda S600, was built of mostly motorcycle parts.The truck and motorcycle combo will be making an appearance at this years SEMA show, as well as going on a nation-wide tour, before going back home to Torrance, California, where it will be displayed in front of a replica of Hondas 1959
Origin: Honda just restored this—classic Chevrolet pickup?
News Roundup: Double dose of FCA controversy, banged up Bugatti, and Teslas fires that just won’t go out
Flags are lowered at half staff at the FCA headquarters in Turin, Italy, Wednesday, July, 25, 2018. Sergio Marchionne, a charismatic and demanding CEO who engineered two long-shot corporate turnarounds to save both Fiat and Chrysler from near-certain failure, died Wednesday. He was 66. The holding company of Italian automaker Fiats founders, the Agnelli family, announced Marchionne had died after complications from surgery in Zurich. At Fiat Chrysler Automobiles headquarters in the Italian town of Turin, flags flew at half-mast, while in Rome the parliamentary committee for labor and finance observed a minute of silence.Alessandro Di Marco / The Associated press 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. Fiat Chrysler pulls out of merger proposal with Renault After being unable to agree on terms of the deal, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has withdrawn its proposal for a 50/50 merger with Renault. The agreement could have formed the world’s third-largest automaker after VW and Toyota, but according to FCA, the French State, which owns 15 per cent of Renault, was showing signs of hesitation (likely stemming from Nissan’s hesitation), prompting FCA to release a statement saying, “It has become clear that the political conditions in France do not currently exist for such a combination to proceed successfully.” Honda CR-V damages Tracy Morgan’s $2-million Bugatti minutes after it’s delivered Tracy Morgan’s Bugatti Veyron in a fender-bender with a Honda CR-V Twitter @J_MOSK Talk about comedic timing. Mere moments after comedian and former SNL cast member Tracy Morgan got behind the wheel of his new (though technically used) Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport convertible, the $2-million vehicle was struck and scraped at an intersection by a Honda CR-V. The driver of the CR-V was allegedly on her phone while trying to make a right turn from the left lane. Nobody was hurt, so feel free to laugh or cry. FCA North American exec files “whistleblower” suit over SEC probe Reid Bigland (Dario Ayala/THE GAZETTE) In other scandalous automotive news, Reid Bigland, FCA’s head of U.S. sales and top boss in Canada, is filing a “whistleblower” lawsuit against the automaker for allegedly cutting his pay by 90 per cent after he gave testimony in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into FCA sales reporting practices. The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages, claiming the company unjustly cost Bigland over US$1.8 million in bonus and stock payout. The drastic measures firefighters take to put out and keep out a Tesla fire Sure, we all love a good electric car fire — it’s the new best thing to watch on the Internet (sorry goats in pajamas). But what about for the firefighters who have to extinguish them after the content gold has been captured? Less entertaining, especially considering the cars have been known to reignite up to six days later—a stunt traditional gas-powered cars can’t pull—often requiring fire squadrons to submerge the heavy vehicles in tanks of water for days at a time. BMW demands full payment after Youtuber modifies his financed M4 BMW fan and Youtuber Rickardo “Ricky” Senior, who had a hybrid turbo, upgraded exhaust and methanol injection added to his recently financed BMW M4, bumping up the horsepower figure to over 700, recently learned the hard way why making changes to a product you don’t fully own can be unwise. Because while he views the mods as “upgrades,” BMW sees them as just the opposite, claiming he’s breached the terms of his Personal Contract Purchase and demanding he pay up in full, and soon. “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,” he told his Youtube, LivingLifeFast. Let’s all learn from Ricky’s ordeal. Europe to ban Camaro SS and Chevy Corvette sales Europe has spoken. The hearty American 6.2-litre LT1 V8 engine found in the C7 Corvette and sixth-generation Camaro SS simply will not do! To satisfy new emissions goals, both the European Union and the U.K. will instate a ban on sales of any Chevy with the V8 as of August 31, 2019. Sales of the used cars will still be permitted. European availability for the upcoming C8 remains up in the air. Quebec has been going HAM with the vanity plates. These are our faves so far This Porsche makes us wonder what is DADTOY1 Montreal Vanity Plate Spotting / Facebook It’s been just nine months since the province of Quebec changed the rules to allow for the use of vanity plates, and since then over 26,000 of the $250 pieces of rectangular metal have been sold by the SAAQ. It seems Quebec drivers have a lot to say in 7 characters or less. Some of our
Origin: News Roundup: Double dose of FCA controversy, banged up Bugatti, and Teslas fires that just won’t go out
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