Volkswagen Canada is taking away the front-wheel-drive option on its Atlas SUVs and fitting the trucks 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with AWD standard, citing low take rates on the FWD.The soon-to-be-released mid-size 2020 Atlas Cross Sport wont see FWD when it hits dealers here in March 2020, reports Automotive News; and when the full-size Atlas gets refreshed for the 2021 model year in mid-2020, itll drop that drivetrain.That means, for the first time, AWD Atlases can be paired with the 2.0-litre turbo four. Having the (all-wheel drive) with the four-cylinder allows us to offer it at a better price point, VW Canada public relations manager Thomas Tetzlaff told the outlet. The people that were on the fence, now weve given them that
Origin: VW Canada removing front-wheel-drive options from its Atlas
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News Roundup: Consumer Reports’ most and least reliable, Honda’s many CR-V options and police pull over the weirdest cars
2019 Lexus LS 500Handout 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.2019’s most and least reliable brands according to Consumer Reports 2019 Mazda CX-5 Signature Al Charest / Postmedia Breaking news! Dodge has landed itself on the top ten list of Consumer Reports’ most reliable brands! That’s a first. Otherwise, the list was not so surprising, with Japan sweeping the top three (Lexus, Mazda and Toyota in that order) and Jeep, VW and Acura elbowing each other for position down at the bottom of the pile. Where does your brand land on the list this year?Anyone want to buy a $90k Corvette for $145,500 on eBay?A selfish Corvette buyer is fishing for suckers online with an ad for a build slot for a 2020 C8 Corvette. The listing is asking for $145,500 for what is, if you were to purchase it directly from the brand, a $90,000 car. Listed as ““BRAND NEW C-8 2020 CORVETTE FOR SALE ALLOCATED PAID FOR 1ST WAVE EARLY RELEASE,” the car is basically just a standard 1LT trim C8 with the free white paint, free silver wheels, $100 mirrors, US$5,000 Z51 package and less than $10,000 worth of other options. Do the math. Don’t buy the car. Honda’s CR-V gets lots of new options for 2020Honda has freshened up its popular SUV for 2020, giving shoppers even more options for trims and some new options like Remote Engine Start and heated front seats at the base level of the CR-V. The exterior gets a bit of a facelift, too, with some Civic-esque tweaks, two new colour options and 19-inch wheels. All models will run with a 1.5-litre turbo four. Pricing starts at $28,690 for the base model, which is exactly $1,000 more than last year’s. These are the strangest vehicles to ever be pulled over by policeAn electric three-wheeler homemade from balsa wood and duct tape. A couch on wheels capable of travelling over 140 km/h. A bumper car with another bumper car being pulled beside it, armstrong-style. These are a few of the most surprising vehicles to get pulled over by police. The couch got a ticket, but balsa-wood trike did not. Check out the full list here. Gone in 60 Seconds ‘Eleanor’ Mustang likely to fetch over US$1 million at auctionThe “Dream Car,” or the main ride of the 11 Mustangs used in the 2000 Nicolas Cage film Gone in 60 Seconds, is scheduled to head to auction in January 2020. And based on the sale of the last, less-of-a-star ‘Eleanor’ Mustang, which sold for US$1 million, this Shelby-inspired 1967 Ford will likely fetch more than the sum of the entire film budget of the original 1974 cut of the film. The movie car will go under the hammer at the Mecum auction in Kissimmee, Florida in January 2020. LISTEN: Toyota has led the hybrid charge for two decades, and as Toyota Canada’s Stephen Beatty tells Plugged In host Andrew McCredie, is now all-in on EVs, particularly fuel cell vehicles. The company’s vice president also has some interesting things to say about some provinces’ push to create electric vehicle sales quotas for 2030, and tells us about Toyota’s fascinating, and potentially game-changing, work with Quebec to produce green hydrogen. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: News Roundup: Consumer Reports’ most and least reliable, Honda’s many CR-V options and police pull over the weirdest cars
New VW Golf launched with two PHEV options
New VW Golf launched with two PHEV options The new Golf features more tech and improved efficiency Volkswagen has launched its new Golf, the eighth generation of the best-selling hatchback. The new line-up will feature five electrified powertrains, though no pure-electric e-Golf, as VW promises a model bristling with tech. The reason for no e-Golf replacement is the launch of the ID.3. The EV kick-starts VW’s all-electric sub-brand, and is Golf sized itself. Having two models of a similar size, target market, and cost would be rather redundant. Instead, for the Golf, VW is pushing ahead with other forms of electrification. Three 48-volt will feature as VW launches the eTSI badge. This sees a beefed-up starter motor support a petrol unit producing either 110hp, 130hp, or 150hp. Efficiency is improved by around 10% claims VW, and responsiveness is improved. More crucially to VW’s electrified aspirations are the plug-in hybrid Golfs due. The Golf GTE badge returns, but as a sportier model – a true alternative to the famous Golf GTI. Producing 245hp, the Golf GTE is complemented by a cheaper, less powerful model, for those prioritising efficiency over sportiness. This ‘normal’ PHEV will produce 204hp, and both plug-in hybrid Golfs are backed by a 13 kWh battery, enabling an electric-only range of 37 miles on a single charge. The rest of the range is made up of conventional petrol and diesel engines, outputs ranging from 90hp to 150hp initially. No doubt there will be additional GTI, GTD, and R models further down the line. TGI natural gas will be made available in certain markets, though the UK is expected not to be one of them. Volkswagen is launching its We Connect and We Connect Plus functions on the Golf range, allowing it to be the first VW model to offer V2X connectivity. This vehicle-to-infrastructure connectivity means traffic signals and information from vehicles up to 800 meters away are displayed to the driver. Benefits include improved efficiency, traffic flow, and safety warnings. The cabin is far more digital than before, and represents a significant step forward for the Golf – impressive considering the previous version wasn’t at all bad. Behind the steering wheel are three panels that focus on the driver. This incorporate lighting controls on the smallest panel closest to the door, a large and comprehensively customisable digital instrument display, and a new infotainment system. For automatic models, a small digital gear selector replaces the previously conventional stick, and the dashboard is far more stylish than the outgoing model’s efficient yet slightly dull affair. Particular attention has been made to making the digital controls easier to use on the move. With more than 35 million sales over the years, the Golf is expected to continue its huge success story. However, it will have greater competition than ever before, not least from VW itself with the ID.3.
Origin: New VW Golf launched with two PHEV options
Ram trucks add new options and packages for 2020
2020 Ram 1500 Night EditionRam Ram truck fans will have a few more choices for 2020, as the company has announced its bringing Night Edition and Rebel Black trims to the 1500, and offering new options and colours on the 1500 and Heavy Duty models.The Night Edition, available on the Laramie, includes a monochromatic design with 22-inch black wheels, black grille and badges, black exhaust tips and dark bezels on the headlamps and taillights.The Ram Rebel Black Appearance returns for 2020, adding Diamond Black Crystal Pearl Coat paint, 18-inch black wheels and black front spoiler, skid plate, badges, tow hooks and exhaust. LED headlamps with black bezels are standard, as is an all-black interior, with a black-and-red interior available as an option. Also available on the Rebel is a new safety package that adds adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and hold, emergency front braking, lane-departure warning and automatic high-beam headlamps.Other new options include a comfort package of power tailgate release, wireless phone charging, rear heated seats and 12-way power drivers seat on the Sport and Rebel; blind-spot monitoring on the Tradesman; new graphics on the Rebel; and available 22-inch two-tone wheels on the Longhorn. The 2020 Ram Heavy Duty now offers lane-keeping assist and adaptive steering on all trim levels; blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage as an option; optional trailer tire pressure monitoring system; connected service on all radio options; dual auxiliary camera capability; and Olive Green and Hydro Blue exterior paint, while the Ram Power Wagon comes with a black wheel option.Ram has already announced the return of the 3.0-L V6 EcoDiesel in the 1500, a third-generation version making 480 lb.-ft. of torque and with a top towing capacity of 12,560 lbs (5,697 kg). Its starting price is $49,395.In the Ram 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty models, the optional Cummins inline-six turbodiesel engine makes up to 1,000 lb.-ft. of torque, currently the highest in the
Origin: Ram trucks add new options and packages for 2020
Kia adds new PHEV options to Ceed SW and XCeed
Kia adds new PHEV options to Ceed SW and XCeed Both estate and crossover will get a new Kia electric powertrain Kia has revealed two new plug-in hybrid models to join the company’s electric line-up – the Ceed Sportswagon and XCeed crossover. Both models will get a new powertrain, which features an 8.9 kWh battery, good for an electric-only range of around 37 miles on a charge. It powers a 44.5 kW electric motor, which works with a 1.6 litre petrol engine for a combined output of 139 bhp and 265 Nm of torque. In terms of performance, the Ceed Sportswagon covers 0-62mph in 10.8 seconds, while the XCeed takes 0.2 seconds longer. Both see power transferred to to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. Both models will be offered with a Towing Pack, which is unusual for plug-in vehicles, and will appeal to a number of buyers, and they get Kia’s seven-year, 100,000 mile warranty. According to the company, one in seven new Kia cars sold in Europe in the first half of 2019 was electrified, and the new models will only add to that number. The Ceed SW and XCeed plug-in hybrids will go on sale across Europe in early 2020, with a UK on-sale date and specifications due to be confirmed closer to launch.
Origin: Kia adds new PHEV options to Ceed SW and XCeed
BMW confirms smaller M cars will still get manual and RWD options
The BMW M4 comes equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox — one of the few new models in North America to offer a manual drive.Handout It sometimes feels like the act of driving is under attack. As we cruise toward total automation with adaptive cruise control activated and AppleCarplay streaming an algorithm-generated playlist of songs we’re sure to love straight into our ears, brands continue to pull away from what used to be the pillars of motoring. Such old-school features like manual gearboxes and rear-wheel-drive are being ditched for the safer and more efficient automatic and all-wheel-drive options. This is progress—for most, but not all. BMW’s M, for one, is staying the course, according to an interview BMW M chairman Markus Flasch recently gave GoAuto. The Motorsport division’s smaller passenger vehicles, including (hallelujah!) the M3, will still come with a stick shift and RWD as an optional combo. “With the M3, we were able to take over the entire drivetrain concept that we offer in the M5, and we were able to do a rear-wheel-drive version as well, plus manual transmission,” Flasch said in the interview. “I won’t disclose today how we configure those opportunities, but we can do whatever the markets globally demand. I can’t confirm, but I’ve driven the cars.” The brand chairman explained that because cars like the M4, M3 and M2 are less frequently used as daily drivers than the larger X5 M, M5 or M8, and are more frequently operated as second or third vehicles, the brand is able to justify retaining the more sporty configuration. In other words, it knows what its M drivers want from the smaller, more corner-capable offerings. Flasch also gave some clues to the fate of the CS and GTS monikers, explaining that we will see more limited editions, especially like the CS and, I can imagine, the CSL,” he said, going on to allude they don’t have to stick to coupes. As for the GTS— “We won’t see the GTS sub-brand in the future,” said Flasch. “There will be CS and maybe CSL. There won’t be a GTS in parallel with
Origin: BMW confirms smaller M cars will still get manual and RWD options
GMC’s 2020 Sierra 1500 gets a new diesel engine, plus other options
2020 GMC Sierra Denali CarbonPro Edition GMC spilled the details on its 2020 Sierra 1500 late May, noting the truck will offer such new features as a diesel engine and a camera view that can make a trailer “disappear.” The updated truck adds features to the all-new 2019 Sierra, which introduced the available six-function MultiPro tailgate. For 2020, the Sierra can be ordered with a 3.0-litre Duramax turbodiesel engine and ten-speed automatic. That transmission will also be standard or available on specific trim levels with the 5.3-litre V8 engine; it was previously mated only to the 6.2-litre V8. Other available features include a “transparent trailer view,” introduced on the 2019 Sierra HD, with a total of 15 camera views that combine to give a view of what’s behind the trailer, as if it isn’t there; adaptive cruise control that uses a windshield-mounted camera and can bring the truck to a complete stop; and stand-alone optional trailer tow mirrors. 2020 GMC Sierra Available Transparent Trailer Rear Camera View A new trailering app lets drivers create and edit trailer profiles on a mobile device. Depending on the trailer’s configuration, owners could remotely turn on an RV’s air conditioning or water heater, check the water and holding tank levels, or monitor on-board generator fuel supplies from a phone. The app will also send trailer maintenance reminders to the driver. The CarbonPro carbon-fibre pickup box, introduced for 2019, is available on specific models. The company said it increases durability with dent, scratch and corrosion resistance. While the Sierra is sold on both sides of the border, it’s a far more important truck for Canada than for the U.S., where truck buyers overwhelmingly prefer Chevy. In 2018, Americans bought 585,581 Chevrolet Silverados to 219,554 GMC Sierras; but in Canada, the Sierra outsold its Silverado sibling by more than 1,100
Origin: GMC’s 2020 Sierra 1500 gets a new diesel engine, plus other options
2022 Porsche Boxster and Cayman to get hybrid and EV options
Porsche is developing a fully electric 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman that will be launched by 2022 – and is considering offering them alongside mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the current cars. The next generations of the two-door roadster and coupé sports cars have for some time been thought to be among a range of future pure-electric models set to be spearheaded by the upcoming four-door Taycan and the Taycan Sports Turismo. However, Porsche chairman Oliver Blume has indicated that hybrid powertrains are also being considered. “We have prototypes of the 718 running in electric now, and a hybrid prototype is being built,” he said. “If you look to the next generation of those cars it is possible, although it is not yet clear whether it would be plug-in hybrid or hybrid.” The decision to pursue both hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman alongside the forthcoming electric models is understood to have been taken after an internal engineering study revealed that lithium ion battery technology is not yet sufficiently advanced to enable pure-electric versions to offer more than 186 miles of range without significant changes to the existing mid-engine platform architecture. Porsche is now pursuing a plan that could see pure-electric Boxster and Cayman variants using the company’s new PPE architecture offered alongside updated versions of today’s models featuring hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains. The plan would mirror the move taken by Porsche with the next-generation Macan, which will continue to be produced on its existing MLB platform with new hybrid drivetrains while offering the choice of a pure-electric variant based on the PPE architecture. Speaking about Porsche’s plan for the second-generation Macan, Blume said: “For at least two to three years we will have both. At that point, we can decide whether to upgrade the combustion engines to the new Euro 7 standard or go full electric. The pace that countries are changing is different – China wants electric now, Russia is in less of a hurry, for instance.” The new mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains intended for the 718 models are developments of those already engineered for the larger 911, according to sources. The electrification measures are among changes designed to allow Porsche’s existing combustion engines to meet the upcoming EU7 emissions standards. However, while the hybrid systems scheduled to appear on the facelifted version of the eighth-generation 911 early next decade are based around Porsche’s horizontally opposed six-cylinder petrol engine, those being earmarked for the new 718 Boxster and Cayman are set to use the smaller-capacity flat four engine introduced by Porsche in 2016. Both units feature a 48V electrical system and disc-shaped electric motor integrated into a modified version of the existing Boxster and Cayman’s seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. The mild-hybrid system has been conceived to provide an electric boost to the petrol engine for added performance potential and increased efficiency, albeit without the ability to provide an electric-only driving mode. The plug-in hybrid also provides electric boosting but has been built around a battery of sufficient capacity to offer extended pure-electric running. Porsche’s plan to give the 718 Boxster and its fixed-roof Cayman sibling electric power originated from the 2011 Boxster E project. That machine featured a 121bhp electric motor with a range of 106 miles, although EV technology has moved on substantially since then. More recently in 2017, Porsche developed the one-off Cayman e-volution. It had a claimed 0-62mph acceleration time of 3.3sec, a 120mph top speed and a range of 120 miles on a 38kWh lithium ion battery. Despite the impressive performance credentials of the Cayman e-volution, concerns about its limited range led Porsche to pursue the development of solid-state batteries – both for future pure-electric versions of the 718 Boxster and Cayman as well as for an electric hypercar that is expected to appear in 2025 as a spiritual successor to the 918 Spyder. Porsche insiders citing studies carried out by parent company Volkswagen say they anticipate a rapid evolution of lithium ion cells for an improved energy-to-weight ratio in the next generation of batteries. Estimates are that cell energy density both by volume and weight will increase by 25% from 2019 to 2025. By 2025 they also expect the adoption of solid-state batteries to bring a further increase of 25%. This would allow Porsche to pack more energy in the same space with no additional weight penalty. A £76 million investment by Volkswagen in QuantumScape has given Porsche access to the latest developments in solid-state battery
Origin: 2022 Porsche Boxster and Cayman to get hybrid and EV options
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