Author: Tabitha

Truth be told, The Sleuth was never a huge fan of Lincoln’s winged-grille styling that’s worn by its current model lineup. What looked quite advanced on the 1940-’41 Continental never seemed to translate well when designed for Lincoln models 70-plus years later. Lincoln’s new face can be seen on the stunning Continental sedan concept car that was introduced earlier this year, but since then Ford’s luxury division has unveiled the real-deal 2017 MKZ sedan that’s based on the Ford Fusion platform. To say that the mid-size MKZ looks considerably better from the front would be a gross understatement. The new…

The Chevrolet Colorado midsize pickup has been selected by the United States Army to undergo testing for hydrogen-fuel cell function in the field. Engineers from General Motors and the Army’s Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center in Michigan are modifying the truck for a 12-month test to evaluate the fuel cell’s performance under “punishing” military duty, reports industry journal Automotive News. Fuel-cell vehicles offer certain over internal combustion, such as developing strong low-speed torque and generating electricity in the field, while water from the tailpipe (the only emission) can be used in dry climates. Their near silent operation is…

Charging an electric car is already much cheaper than paying for gasoline, notes alternate vehicle webmag Green Car Reports, but free charging can be even more attractive. Ford is exploring that appeal in California and Maryland for buyers of its 2016 C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid. The company’s EV 1-2-3 Charge card grants free access to more than 500 public charging stations for three years after the date of purchase. Once activated, it can be used for charging the C-Max tall wagon at participating stations across California and Maryland. With an EPA-rated electric range of 20 miles, the C-Max Energi uses…

If you enjoyed the Formula One movie, “Rush” from 2014, or the 2010 documentary, “Senna”, you’ll probably want to see “1: Life on the Limit”. Director Paul Crowder’s focus is on the drivers from the sport’s earlier and far more dangerous eras. Back in the 1950s and through to the early 1980s, a significant number of Formula One pilots died behind the wheel, either while racing or in practice. Many others were badly injured or maimed. The fact that until quite recently Ayrton Senna was the last F1 driver to die in a race (actually Senna and driver Roland Ratzenberger…

Many of us carry a set of thick, bulky jumper cables or possibly one of those heavy battery booster packs in the trunk of our vehicles for recharging a dead starter battery. That might be no longer necessary if you own a JunoJumper. This handy little power source is about the size of a smart phone and weighs only seven ounces. It can juice up your phone or tablet and apparently jumpstart a 12-volt car battery in short order (with 300 amps of output it’s designed for four- and six-cylinder-powered vehicles only). JunoJumper charges via USB port or 12-volt lighter…

Ever the fringe player in the full-size, light-duty truck field, Nissan has decided to stay in the game with an all-new 2016 Titan pickup that is perhaps neither big nor small. The truck’s more modest proportions and cargo/towing capacities won’t allow it to go head to head with more muscular full-size competitors from GM, Ford, Chrysler and Toyota, which means that Nissan will instead promote the new Titan for in-between buyers who want something a bit larger than the mid-sizers like the Chevrolet Colorado or Toyota Tacoma. With an available 310-horsepower 5.0-liter turbo-diesel V8 engine that pushes up torque and…

At the rate Buick is going, more of its models will arrive from offshore plants than from manufacturing facilities here in North America. The Sleuth now confirms that the forthcoming 2017 Buick Envision compact tall wagon will actually originate from China, where it is currently being built. In a way, that makes sense since a majority of the car’s production will be sold in that country. The Envision will be sized between the smaller Korea-built Encore and full-size U.S.-made Enclave models. Power will be supplied by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which is part of parent General Motors’ “Ecotec” powerplant…

Mazda turned up the wick on its already well-received MX-5 two-seat sports car at the recent Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas, Nev., in early November, showing two new design concepts – a Spyder and a Speedster – each designed to take the MX-5’s lightweight and fun-to-drive mission “a step further” by reducing weight even more while accentuating open-air driving. Both models highlight “the core strengths” of the MX-5, in collaboration with various aftermarket parts suppliers and performance shops. “With the all-new 2016 MX-5, we have a clean sheet to show how the aftermarket can go wild…

Promising a technological powerhouse, Honda has released most of the details about its hybrid 2017 NSX sports car. The original NSX, released 25 years ago, was the world’s first all aluminum-bodied two-seat sports car. It was discontinued after the 2005 model year. Each new next-gen NSX will be effectively hand-built by a group of 70 technicians at a plant in Marysville, Ohio. The high strength, low weight body will deliver “unparalleled platform rigidity.” Total vehicle weight is 3,800 pounds, which is nearly 800 more than the original. The 2017 car’s twin-turbocharged V6 3.5-liter V6 engine with a nine-speed paddle-shift transmission,…

No, we don’t mean turning your car’s seats into sofas and armchairs (although that also might work). But the artisans at Weld House Metalworks repurpose old trunk lids, hoods and roofs from autopmobiles from the 1950s through to the 1980s. The result is a wide variety of unique home and office furniture and accessories. For example, the company’s line of coffee tables use steel tubing for the frames and legs that makes them virtually indestructible. Weld House doesn’t respray the tabletops, but the constructors do apply a clear coat to protect their original patina. The coffee tables start at $850,…