Alexis Georgeson demonstrates how to charge a Tesla model S electric car during a ribbon-cutting for Teslas first Ontario supercharger stations in Toronto , Ontario, Thursday,September 4, 2014.Postmedia Sales of electric vehicles in Ontario have plummeted since the Progressive Conservative government cancelled a rebate last year, hampering progress toward a national target.In the first six months of this year, sales in Ontario were down more than 55 per cent from the same period in 2018, according to data from Electric Mobility Canada.In the second quarter of this year 2,933 electric vehicles were sold in the province, down from 7,110 in the same period last year.Ontario is the only province not seeing increases in sales, year over year.Quebec and British Columbia, which have their own provincial rebates, have long been leading in total sales. Ontarios figures had been increasing on par with theirs until the provinces financial incentive disappeared.Under the previous Liberal government, Ontario had offered up to $14,000 back for buyers of electric vehicles, but Premier Doug Fords government cancelled it after winning the June 2018 election, saying it was going to people who could already afford expensive cars.Shortly after that, Ontarios sales sharply dropped and national sales did, too.They rebounded after the introduction this spring of a $5,000 federal rebate, but national sales of electric vehicles are still only at 3.5 per cent, which is a far cry from the federal governments target of 10 per cent in 2025. Its going to be challenging for the federal government to meet that target then even more by 2030 (when Ottawa hopes the number rises to 30 per cent), said Al Cormier of Electric Mobility Canada.If Ontario was in the game again it would make the whole thing a lot easier.B.C. is now at 10 per cent of sales, with Quebec close behind at seven per cent. In Ontario, electric vehicles made up around three per cent of total passenger vehicle sales at its highest point, then dropped to below one per cent after the cancellation of the provincial rebate, then climbed to sit under two per cent after the introduction of the federal rebate.Experts say rebates are key because the up-front cost of an electric vehicle can be anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000 more than a similar gas-powered car. Rebates take away some of that initial price shock, said Cara Clairman, the CEO of Plugn Drive, a not-for-profit devoted to electric vehicles.The total cost of ownership, when you take into account that youre not going to be paying for gas and theres less maintenance, she said. The total cost of ownership today is actually lower for an EV than for most gas cars.Transportation Minister Caroline Mulroneys office refused to make her available for an interview.A spokesman for Environment Minister Jeff Yurek later said the auto industry is giving people more options on electric vehicles than ever before.People have an individual choice and responsibility when they are purchasing their next vehicle and as charging infrastructure expands, we are confident there will be an increase in the uptake of electric vehicles, Andrew Buttigieg wrote in a statement.Clairman said a 2017 survey of about 1,200 drivers in the Greater Toronto Area found that price was a larger barrier to people purchasing electric vehicles than range anxiety peoples worry their electric vehicle will run out of power before reaching their destination.It helps that vehicle manufacturers are now coming out with models with a battery range of 400 kilometres, Clairman said, but more public charging infrastructure is still needed.In Ontario, the former government had put $20 million toward installing a network of 500 charging stations across the province. Nearly 350 of them were ultimately put into service, and the current government has not built any more. Metrolinx, the provincial transit agency, actually removed some earlier this year.Private companies such as Petro-Canada are stepping in to build charging stations and there are now roughly 1,400 public chargers in Ontario, according to federal and provincial data. Experts say more are needed.It would help, Cormier said, if the government put in place requirements for charging stations in new public buildings and garages. Earlier this year, the Ontario government removed a requirement for new homes to include the wiring for potential electric vehicle charging stations.Its not just that they havent supported building these things up, theyve actually got in the way of what we were already doing, said Dianne Saxe, Ontarios former environmental commissioner whose job was axed by the Ford government.Building denser communities that reduce the need for vehicle travel is the best bang for the buck, Saxe said, followed by public transit, followed by electric vehicles for transportation needs that cant be met the first two ways.Clairman believes the pace of electric vehicle sales will one day pick up in
Origin: Despite federal rebate, Ontario’s electric car sales still haven’t recovered
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Lexus chops top off LC, still looks gorgeous
2021 Lexus LC 500 Convertible Im already on record as saying that Lexuss LC 500 is the sexiest sports coupe of the last five years. Yes, even with that grille. Looking like a refugee from a Maserati design studio rather than anything Japanese, the fact that said flowing lines and wonderful proportions come from the usually awkward Lexus just makes the LC that much more stunning.It turns out it wasnt a fluke, the ragtop version of the big LC possibly even more alluring. More impressive perhaps for this is a rarity amongst drop tops is that the new LC Convertible looks equally enticing with toite in situ or retracted. The thing is so bloody sexy that one forgives the grille, which looks even more needlessly aggressive in a decapotable. Nonetheless, were going to have to get used to the fact that Lexus can pen tempting shapes. We already know they can build great cars, the company once again reigning in the reliability surveys, earning top honours in J.D. Power’s Vehicle Dependability Study and recapturing its spot as Consumer Reports’ most reliable brand this year. Whats more interesting is how committed they are to traditional sports car technology. Parent company Toyota, for instance, is leading the charge in keeping manual transmissions in their product mix. Lexus, meanwhile, steadfastly refuses to turbocharge its performance motors, the LC powered by a good old-fashioned naturally-aspirated 5.0-litre V8. Now the sacrifice here is that the LCs 471 peak horsepower cant compete with the 590 horses that Audi now ekes out of its twin-turbocharged V8. On the other hand, goose the big Lexus and the sound from its twin tailpipes is something no turbocharged engine can hope to emulate. With even Ferrari succumbing to turbo-friendly legislative pressures, its nice to see at least one manufacturer fighting the good fight. Bravo, Lexus.In converting from hard to soft top, Lexus did the usual frame bracing, with under-chassis structural enhancements and suspension tower bracing (this last in die-cast aluminum, says Lexus, to save weight). The company also reduced the Convertibles unsprung mass basically the tires and wheels and rejigged dampers to retain what Lexus claims is similar handling dynamics to the LC coupe. Part of that handling equation is sticking to a soft top rather than going with a heavier retractable hardtop. Nonetheless, to create hardtop-like flowing lines without visible frame supports, Lexus choses a semi-rigid four-layer material for its roof. One novelty for the topless version of the LC is the Lexus Climate Concierge, which adjusts HVAC system to provide upper body heat even when the top is down. The system automatically manages the air conditioner, seat heaters, neck heaters and even steering-wheel heater keep driver and passenger as cozy on a fall top-down ride as they would be in the middle of summer. Other interior upgrades are a full suite of Android Auto, Apple CarPlay and Lexus+Alexa infotainment apps. Lexus says Alexa even syncs to the navigation system to provide on-the-go recommendations.And finally, Lexus plans to auction off one of its limited edition Inspiration LC 500s Structural Blue paint, semi-aniline leather and custom 21-inch wheels at the Barrett-Jackson auction in January, all proceeds, of course, going to
Origin: Lexus chops top off LC, still looks gorgeous
Custom Dodge Challenger gets stolen, wrecked in police chase, still makes it to SEMA
A Dodge Challenger show car with 1,000 horsepower was stolen just before this years SEMA convention and crashed but still managed to make it to the show floor on time.The car was built by Quintin Brothers Auto and Performance in Vermont, who sent it to Las Vegas where the SEMA parts convention is held. The Challenger was reported stolen on October 30, when it was swiped from the overflow parking lot of the Main Street Station Casino.According to local news, Nevada Highway Patrol was at some point dispatched to the parking structure of the Rio Hotel and Casino, where they found the stolen vehicle. In an attempt to stop the thief from leaving, an officer parked in front of the car, but before he could leave his vehicle, the Challenger rammed into the side of his cruiser and proceeded to escape the parking complex.The vehicle was later abandoned at The Boulevard Mall and then given back to its owners to display at the show. We were in shock, we couldnt imagine that anything like this could ever happen, shop co-owner Cole Quintin said. It looks like they were living in the thing, but they only had it for about 11 hours.The front end was smashed in the hit-and-run police chase, making it look more like a drift missile than a straight-line star. Were sure that with 1,000 horsepower it would burn up the rear tires either way. Props to the builders on still showing the car, even though everyone wouldve completely understood if theyd decided not to. The 2020 Mopar Dodge Challenger Drag Pak, unveiled at the 2019 SEMA Show, delivers sportsman racers a new, turnkey package loaded with suspension and chassis upgrades and is certified for NHRA and NMCA competition. Production is limited to 50 serialized units. Mopar Speaking of Challengers, Mopar itself had a little debut at SEMA heralding the return of the Drag Pak after a five-year hiatus. The fourth generation of the special edition makes more power than the previous version, according to Mopar, and the previous version made 1,200 horsepower and ran mid-7-second quarter-miles, so hold onto your socks for the official numbers.That massive output comes courtesy of a supercharged 5.8-litre V8 coupled to a manually shifted three-speed automatic transmission. Mopar will build 50 of the
Origin: Custom Dodge Challenger gets stolen, wrecked in police chase, still makes it to SEMA
Tentative contract shows U.S. union still has power, but members ready to work
Striking United Auto Workers members picket at the General Motors Lansing Parts and Warehouse for the fifth week of the strike on October 16, 2019 in Lansing, Michigan.Bill Pugliano / Getty On the picket lines at a General Motors transmission plant in Toledo, Ohio, passing cars honked and striking workers celebrated a tentative contract deal by munching on 10 pizzas dropped off by a supporter.They had carried signs for 31 days and demonstrated the muscle the United Auto Workers union still has over Detroits three manufacturers.Details of the four-year pact werent released, but GMs latest offer to end the monthlong strike included wage increases and lump-sum payments, top-notch health insurance at little cost to workers, promises of new products for many U.S. factories and a path to full-time work for temporary workers.Thats a big difference from what GM wanted going into the talks: to slash total labour costs at its factories, which are about US$13 per hour higher than at foreign automakers in the U.S.Terry Dittes, the UAWs chief bargainer with GM, said the deal offers major gains for 49,000 union workers who have been walking picket lines since Sept. 16. Theyll stay off work for at least a couple more days while union committees decide if they will bless the deal. Then workers will have to vote on it. The deal shows that the union, with less than one-third of the 1.5 million members it had at its peak in 1979, still has a lot of clout with GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler.I think economically the UAW will do just fine in this agreement, said Art Schwartz, a former GM negotiator who now is a labour consultant in Michigan. The union certainly still has power in this industry.President Donald Trump called UAW President Gary Jones on Wednesday night, but union spokesperson Brian Rothenberg said he did not know what the men discussed.The strike immediately brought GMs U.S. factories to a halt, and within a week, started to hamper production in Mexico and Canada. Analysts estimated the stoppage cut GM vehicle production by 250,000 to 300,000 vehicles, and the costs to GM will hit around US$2 billion.Workers, on the other hand, lost north of $3,000 each on average, the difference between their base wages and $250 per week in strike pay from the union.Its nice to see theres a deal, but without knowing the details Im a little skeptical because we dont know the highlights or the lowlights, said worker Nick Kuhlman, who was among the strikers huddled around a burn barrel on a blustery, gray Toledo afternoon.I just hope it gets done, said Toledo worker Mark Nichols, who thought the strike would last only a week or two and was ready to get back to work because his savings are running low. Striking United Auto Workers members picket at the General Motors Lansing Parts and Warehouse for the fifth week of the strike on October 16, 2019 in Lansing, Michigan. Bill Pugliano / Getty GM apparently was able to close three of four factories that it wanted to shutter to get rid of excess capacity in slow-selling cars and components. The Detroit-Hamtramck plant will get a new electric pickup truck and stay open, but factories in Lordstown, Ohio; Warren, Michigan; and near Baltimore are to be closed. The Lordstown area will get an electric vehicle battery factory, but it wont have nearly as many workers as the assembly plant that for years made compact GM cars.The deal now will be used as a template for talks with GMs crosstown rivals, Ford and Fiat Chrysler. Normally the major provisions carry over to the other two companies and cover about 140,000 auto workers nationwide. It wasnt clear which company the union would bargain with next, or whether there would be another strike.The strike had shut down 33 GM manufacturing plants in nine states across the U.S., and also took down factories in Canada and Mexico. It was the first national strike by the union since a two-day walkout in 2007, and the longest since a 54-day strike in Flint, Michigan in 1998 that also halted most of GMs
Origin: Tentative contract shows U.S. union still has power, but members ready to work
Troubleshooter: Yes, electric vehicles still need maintenance
A Tesla Model S in a service garage bay.Tesla No doubt one of the big selling points of EVs (electric vehicles) is their reduced maintenance requirements. Of course, thats seldom what you hear on the showroom floor. Instead, that might get exaggerated so you hear no maintenance needed! from some less-than-stellar sales reps.But while its true EVs dont require oil or coolant changes or spark plug replacements, they do have systems that need to be inspected and maintained on a regular basis.And, yes, the costs of operation (including electricity rates) are a fraction of a traditional combustion engine vehicles.Nissan recommends a 12,000-km service interval with two basic menus for its all-electric Leaf. At the first 12,000-km mark (and for every 24,000 km after that) its simply a tire rotation and visual inspection of axles, suspension components, brakes and steering mechanisms. The idea here is theres no mandatory replacement of anything, its all based on the cars condition. This way, someone whos relatively easy on their ride will pay less than someone who drives it like its a rental. As many EVs serve as second household vehicles and dont necessarily accumulate a lot of mileage, having an annual check-up (even though less than 12,000 km may have been travelled) is a wise idea. This service at a dealership should cost less than $100, but prices may vary, as they say.At the 24,000-km mark, Nissan lists the same tire rotation and inspection but also includes brake fluid replacement, EV battery usage report, cabin filter replacement and a check on reduction gear oil level and condition. Dealership service departments will charge on average between $150 and $250 for this checkup.The Tesla programTesla is a little more lenient in its maintenance requirements, with tire inspections every 16,000 km to 20,000 km and rotations or alignments based on tire wear and condition. Cabin filters are to be replaced every two years, and HEPA filters every three years. Air filter replacement needs are dictated solely by the environment you drive in. If you regularly use unpaved roads, or are stuck driving through construction zones, the dust thats kicked up may require more frequent filter replacement. In these cases youd be wise to familiarize yourself with how to access and check these items.For those vehicles running in cold weather conditions, like say, Canada, Tesla recommends annual brake inspections with cleaning and lubricant services. As the braking systems on EVs (and hybrids, too) incorporate electrical generators, keeping them in tip-top condition is important. A Tesla car arrives at a service center in Los Angeles, California on March 4, 2019. Mark Ralston / Getty via AP As with Nissan, Tesla recommends inspecting brake fluid for contamination every two years but only replacing it if needed. Condensation is the culprit theyre looking for, and left unchecked it can cause corrosion on metal components of the brakes hydraulic system. One unique kink to Teslas maintenance guide is the requirement to replace a desiccant unit in the vehicles air conditioning system. Also known as a receiver-drier, it helps to remove condensation from the system, keeping valves moving.When you go through these lists, youll notice many of the items are relatively easy DIY affairs for even the most technically challenged. Do a few of these yourself, and you can really earn bragging rights at the water-cooler who-has-the-lowest-auto-costs
Origin: Troubleshooter: Yes, electric vehicles still need maintenance
2020 Subaru Impreza to still start at $20k despite added features
The 2020 Subaru Impreza will cost the same in Canada as last year, despite the fact it will arrive with much more value than previously offered.The base price remains $19,995 (or $20,995 for the hatchback) but theres a lot more standard features than on the 2019. Obviously you get all-wheel-drive standard, a long-standing feature of all Subaru models that make them the most affordable AWDs on the market.Subarus EyeSight driver-assist system is now standard on all Impreza models when equipped with the CVT gearbox; CVT models also gain a driver-selectable SI-Drive engine management system with either Sport or Intelligent mode. On top of that, theyll see standard adaptive cruise control, pre-collision braking and lane departure and sway warning, as well as lane-keep assist.As for tech, a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto now comes included on all Imprezas, as does cruise control, air conditioning, automatic door lock/unlock, power windows, 60/40-split fold-down rear seats and power side mirrors. Standard on most models is Subaru Starlink Connected Services, which uses the nationwide 4G LTE cellular network to enable Advanced Automatic Collision Notification in the event of a collision, SOS Emergency Assistance, Enhanced Roadside Assistance and Concierge Service.The looks have also changed slightly, with a revised front fascia and 16-inch alloy wheels on Touring trims. A set of 17-inch alloy wheels are available on the Sport trim, and 18-inch wheels are available on the Sport-tech trim.Touring with EyeSight and a CVT rings in at $24,695 for the sedan and $25,595 for the hatch to start, while Sport wth EyeSight and CVT is $27,895 sedan, $28,795 hatch. The top-of-the-line Sport-tech trim with a CVT comes in at $30,795 sedan, $31,695
Origin: 2020 Subaru Impreza to still start at $20k despite added features
Is a supercar still fun to drive in traffic?
If you had asked 13-year-old me if I wanted to drive a supercar everywhere, I would have said absolutely. My younger self would say I would drive it to the grocery store; I would drive it to the movie theatre; and that of course I would drive it to work every day, likely at 200 mph the entire way there. Well, 13-year-old me didnt think about speed limits, speed bumps and speed cameras, all of which are facets of the real world in which even the most dreamy of supercars must exist. And its hard to think of one dreamier than this.The 2020 McLaren 720S Spider is the latest carbon-fibre missile from McLarens Super series of cars. The numbers surrounding this car are easy to find and staggering. You can Google up the Wikipedia list of fastest-accelerating production cars and find it there just behind the LaFerrari and ahead of a slower car called the Bugatti Veyron.It has doors that go up, electric tangerine paint (McLaren calls it Papaya); carbon-fibre aero bits everywhere you look; and, of course, a 710-hp V8 flanked by a pair of gnarly turbochargers. Given a long enough stretch of open pavement, it will do 217 mph (349 km/h) flat out. But were not going to find a stretch of road like that. No, were going to find out what its like to commute to work, in the real world, in a supercar. Now you can call this a waste of such high-calibre machinery and youd be right we are using a thoroughbred to pull a plow, as it were. If you want to know what the 720S is like on a racetrack, you can read our track test here; and if youd like to know what its like on winding backroads, check our first drive of the 720S Spider here. No, for our third drive of the spectacular 720S, we decided to use it like regular car. Which it absolutely isnt.Usually I try to avoid traffic, but for this test I threw myself straight into the wood chipper to slog it out with all the other 9 AM commuters. Immediately after setting off, the first thing you realize is how stiff the McLaren is over crumbling pavement. Of course it is. Its meant to feel grounded and stable at 200 mph. You feel every single imperfection in the road, and in Toronto, there are many to be felt. The seats are supportive, though not incredibly so, and the seating position, while natural, is almost normal. Whats not normal is the feeling of your butt skimming over the pavement with maybe three to four inches of carbon-fibre tub separating you from the ground.Even at low speeds, its obvious that this is no regular car. There is zero latency in the steering and directional changes happen right now. Mid-throttle driving will make the turbo blow-off valve whistle amusingly. You also just feel special sitting around in an alcantara-lined super-space pod like the McLaren. But in the same way that a Corolla isnt built for the race track, the McLaren wasnt designed for street driving. I can only imagine what it would be like if snow or ice was added to the mix. Dont get me wrong, its not that its too fragile for street work. Even on the hottest of days, the 4.0-litre V8 stayed cool, and thanks to superb air-conditioning, I stayed cool as well! But the McLaren is very low. Youll fret every raised manhole cover and every pothole in this car. I found myself on a one-lane construction zone where they were grading the road. I was confronted with a raised manhole cover and had to move construction cones while blocking traffic in my orange supercar to go around it. Not subtle.The McLaren simply isnt built for commuting. Its built for something more. You can commute in a McLaren in the same way you can track a Corolla: Itll do it but it wont be happy about it. Will you be happy commuting in a supercar? Fleeting moments of joy are possible when supercar commuting, but the opportunities you have to actually use the power are few and far between. Sorry, 13-year-old me, the future just isnt the way you imagined
Origin: Is a supercar still fun to drive in traffic?
James Ruppert: why cash still reigns supreme
Well, here’s a surprise: paying up front for a car is increasingly falling out of favour with UK drivers, according to research from Close Brothers Motor Finance. Apparently, the proportion of drivers saying they will opt for finance, leasing or renting for their next car has increased by 6% (from 37% of total buyers in the car market in 2018 to 43% now). This trend is driven by the young, 60% of whom will borrow, lease or rent to acquire their cars, with the majority saying this was for lifestyle reasons rather than financial ones. Although paying for a car up front is the most common way of purchasing a car, the proportion planning to do this for their next car fell from 63% in 2018 to 57% this year. So, yes, paying with cash is going out of fashion and that is very understandable for those who want a simple, uncomplicated and rather more expensive life. At our end of things, rather than stumping up an initial deposit and then finding the easy monthly payments, you know what to do. Buy affordably used. And £5000 always seems to me like a sensibly solid budget to play with. The first thing I see is a Land Rover Freelander, which is becoming something of an obsession. To me, it is an alt-Defender, at least until we become either happy or sad about the new one. So £5000 for a 2008 2.2 TD4 SE with a panoramic roof, leather and Bluetooth seems very reasonable, even with 106,000 miles. Probably the most sensible family hatch of all would be a 2011 Ford Focus 1.6 TDCi Zetec with just 57,000 miles. It has a full-up Ford service history and you will pay just £20 road tax. It may be evil diesel but officially you’ll get 67.3mpg, although anything near 60 is great going. This is a real no-brainer to buy. Actually, if you need a cheeky little hatch that’s more recent, I’d steer in the direction of a 2015 Fiat 500 1.2 – a Pop Star model with 26,000 miles. Finished in white with air-con and service history, this is a pretty little thing to use on your daily commute. If you just want to look dead smart, how about a 2012 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI BlueMotion Tech Sport? That’s another 60mpg motor right there and all that sophistication for £5000, plus it looked as clean as a whistle and don’t worry about the verified 112,000 miles. Why bother going down the PCP route when there are beauties like this? Paying for cash may be going out of fashion, but at least our old banger won’t depreciate or get repossessed. What we almost bought this week Chrysler Neon 2.0 LX: ‘Over-sold and over here’ was a typical put-down for the Chrysler Neon, but there’s no denying it made an interesting alternative to a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra. The second-generation model (2000-2005) was much improved, at least in Chrysler’s terms, and LX trim brought air-con, electric folding mirrors and leather trim. This 2004 example has done 44,000 miles and is up for £990. Tales from Ruppert’s garage For the past 40 years, my Mini Cooper has managed without a cigarette lighter. Just as well as I don’t smoke. But a 12V output might be useful in the modern world. I have never used a satnav in it (relied on maps for my last 200-mile-plus journey) and I often forget my mobile phone so don’t feel the need to charge it. Anyway, I thought I would install one that I bought for a tenner. It took me a while to sort out because I am no electrician but, hey, we have some power. Not sure what I am going to do with it. The suspension is still broken. Reader’s ride James McKinney is a regular on this page and here is something special. “Our fun car for high days and Sundays is an 11-reg Saab 9-3 convertible,” he says. “It has a 2.0 turbo petrol engine and auto ’box. We bought it in July 2016 with only 7000 miles up by one previous owner and with a full Saab service history. It currently has less than 20,000 miles on the clock. “It is a lovely car to drive and has all of Saab’s renowned safety features. It exhibits virtually no scuttle shake and the build quality is very impressive. Not surprising given Saab’s avowed intention was to produce a convertible that was better than its BMW or Mercedes equivalent. In my view, having owned both of the German marques, it definitely is superior.” Readers’ questions Question: I’m tempted by a new-model BMW 320d Touring but would a nearly new, old-shape one be a more sensible purchase? Gary White, Southampton Answer: We know you just want permission to have the new-shape model. And why not? We tested the saloon and gave it five stars. BMW promises the new Touring will “handle even better” than the old one. Add in its three-year warranty, tempting finance deals… It’s a no-brainer, except that we found an old-shape 2019/68-reg 320d M Sport Shadow Edition auto Touring with 1800 miles for £24,889, compared with £38,955 when new and £39,825 for a new-shape 320d M Sport Touring auto. A saving of £15,000 sounds pretty sensible to us. John Evans Question: I’ve seen a 2015/15-
Origin: James Ruppert: why cash still reigns supreme
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
Genesis still offers a manual G70 because enthusiasts still want one
2019 Genesis G70 2.0T SportChris Balcerak / Driving Genesis is proving manual transmissions still matter by keeping the three-pedal option around in its G70 sport sedan. According to Carbuzz, in the United States, just four per cent of buyers have chosen the G70’s manual transmission option to date. In Canada, the take rate also hovers around four per cent, working out to about 1,300 cars to date since the option was introduced late last year. But for Genesis, that’s completely OK. That’s because Genesis knew the take-rate would be low for the three-pedal option, but still chose to include it anyway, because the G70’s performance and position in the market warrants it. The car itself already punches above its weight class, taking on Germany’s Big Three — notably the BMW 3 Series, which no longer offers a manual. Evidently, Genesis offering a manual G70 has won over enthusiasts. For 2019, the Genesis G70 can be optioned with a six-speed manual transmission paired to a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The engine itself produces a healthy 255 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque; opting for the manual in the G70 also adds a limited-slip differential, Brembo brakes, and dedicated performance tires. To say the least, it’s an excellent performance package — and economical, too. The G70 2.0T Sport alleviates a mere $45,500 from your
Origin: Genesis still offers a manual G70 because enthusiasts still want one
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