Author: Tabitha
Ford Motor Company says it will deliver a Level-4 self-driving car by 2021, meaning it will be able to drive itself in more or less ideal road conditions. A more capable Level-5 car that can completely replace a human driver (even in severe weather) will follow in four years’ time, in 2025, the company said in late December. Ford will continue tests it has been conducting since 2013, using mid-size ‘next-generation’ Fusion Hybrid-based prototypes equipped with the company’s newest autonomous technologies. Electrical controls are closer to production-ready, Ford said, but it concedes that its Virtual Driver System isn’t quite there…
The Spymaster’s sources hear that the futuristic minivan concept Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) recently unveiled at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Nev., could be headed for production by the end of this decade or early in the next. The Chrysler Portal is an all-electric six-passenger lightweight van that can be adapted for commercial use by removing the second- and third-row seats. Equipped with a 100-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, the Portal has a claimed range of up to 250 miles on a single charge. Initially, it will also offer limited autonomous-driving capability, but will eventually be upgraded to a…
The Sleuth likes what Ford is doing with its iconic pony car, although he wonders why it wasn’t revealed during the two press days preceding the official opening of the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Mich. Instead, Ford staged a surprise unveiling during the public show days in Detroit (along with simultaneous reveals in New York City and Los Angeles, Calif.), long after about 5,000 traditional news and social-media attendees from around the world had departed. Along with interior, exterior and suspension adjustments, the base 300-horsepower V-6 will be replaced by the previously optional turbocharged 310-horsepower 2.3-liter…
A car sponsored by Spanish infrastructure and renewable energy multinational, Acciona, has become the first all-electric entry to complete the grueling Dakar Rally, now in its 39th year. Staged this year in South America, the Acciona entry is the only one of the more than 18,000 vehicles that have completed the rally over the years to do so without consuming a drop of fuel or emitting a single molecule of carbon dioxide. The goal going in, the company said in a statement, was to prove that renewable energy vehicles can compete in every arena (even the world’s most arduous motor…
General Motors’ ride-sharing partner Lyft undertook a major expansion at the end of January when it expanded into 40 new American cities, with the goal to open in a further 100 markets by the end of 2017. The expansion comes after a ‘strong’ 2016 for the service in which Lyft provided 162.5 million rides, three times the number it conducted 2015. Additional cities will be announced as 2017 progresses, a spokesperson said. This is just the first wave of the Lyft expansion, she said, adding that by the end of the year Lyft will be in 300 U.S. cities with…
The Sleuth’s operatives are reporting that Volkswagen’s new seven-passenger Atlas utility vehicle will be joined later in 2017 by the 2018-model-year Tiguan Allspace. This compact model will also have available seven-passenger capacity, although it could be a tight squeeze for anyone seated in the third row. Compared to the current Tiguan, the Allspace is eight inches longer and provides an extra four inches between the front and rear wheels. The base engine will likely be a turbocharged 220-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder, but word is that a plug-in-hybrid option will be available sometime in 2018. The Allspace will join the Nissan Rogue…
The Sleuth’s sources are reporting back that Ford has patented something called “heat-transmission graphics”. When a painted body panel is warmed up by means of a heating element, a graphic (such as a logo, stripes, etc.) appears on the surface. In the company’s patent filing, the vehicle rendering used to describe the process is a Ford Mustang, which displays the car’s iconic pony appearing on the hood. Heat-generated graphics could conceivably be made to appear anywhere, including fenders, rear deck or even on the roof. Whether the process will become the next Big Thing or it’s used as a marketing…
The AirMan Air Gun from Active Tools can keep all your inflatables (footballs, basketballs, air mattresses, beach toys, etc.) pumped up. It will also inflate your car, motorcycle and bicycle tires. The tool comes with its own lithium-ion battery with AC charger plus a 12-volt DC cord that you can alternatively plug into your car’s power socket. A pre-set pressure gauge with auto stop function, various inflatable adapters and a built-in LED light are also included. The 4.25-pound AirMan is available for about $70 through www.amazon.com and other online resellers.
Dedicated gearheads will love showering behind one of these curtains. Fine Art America has an extensive variety of shower curtains for sale, all imprinted with classics automotive imagery (black and white and color art work). Some vehicle examples include Pontiac GTO, Porsche Speedster, Chevrolet Corvette, Ford Mustang and Shelby Cobra, to name just a few. All of the 71-inch-wide by 74-inch-tall curtains are made from 100 percent polyester and have 12 perforations for attaching your curtain rings. Make your selection and purchase for $125 at www.fineartamerica.com.
What was once speculation is now fact. The all-wheel-drive Dodge Challenger GT is expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2017, but before all you performance fans start celebrating, the GT will only be available with the basic 3.6-liter V-6, just as it is with the four-door Dodge Charger (both cars share the same basic architecture). Still, with 305 horsepower, the V-6 is no slouch, even though it will have to contend with about 4,400 pounds of vehicle weight. On the other hand, Challenger GT buyers in snowbound winter regions who can afford the $34,500 base price can more…