Author: Tabitha
The Sleuth reports that Ford is on the horns of a dilemma regarding its plans for the Taurus in North America. On one hand, the next-generation full-size sedan, which was revealed in China (where sales are strong) last April and goes on sale there this fall. On the other, it might not make it to North America where the mid-size Ford Fusion outsells the Taurus by a factor of better than six to one. Even then, 20 percent of Taurus production (about 9,000 cars a year) ends up going to police departments. Whatever the outcome, it seems clear that the…
The current-generation Genesis luxury sedan has been on the road for barely a year and Hyundai is well into developing a major refresh for release in 2017 for the 2018 model year. Along with the usual revised nose and trim bits for this most exceptional sedan, The Sleuth is led to believe that a twin-turbocharged 3.3-liter V6 producing something on the order of 390 horsepower will either be added to the powertrain roster, or might even replace the existing 420-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 option. Apparently the twin-turbo is also being considered for duty in the even more luxurious Equus sedan as…
Designed from the ground up to be an electric vehicle, Audi’s E-tron Concept follows the brand’s “Aerosthetics” concept, using technical advances for cutting aerodynamic drag. Movable aerodynamic elements at the front, on the sides and at the rear improve the airflow around the car, appropriate to the speeds being traveled. The underbody is completely closed; with a drag coefficient of 0.25, it sets a new record for tall-wagon slipperiness and contributes “considerably” to the concept’s 310-mile range per full charge. Audi’s experience with the all-electric R8 E-tron sports car provided inspiration for the E-tron Quattro Concept’s drive system. Three electric…
Using an internal combustion vehicle as the pace car for a global electric car racing series would be a non-starter, so BMW has stepped up with a new track-ready – and visually stunning – version of its flagship electric i8 sports car to lead the 2015/16 FIA Formula E race cars in each of the season’s 11 meetings in 10 countries. The futuristic i8, delivering the equivalent of 112 miles per US gallon when driven at less-than-racing speeds, returns as pace car for the series’ second season. The Bavarian automaker, in its capacity as Formula E’s vehicle partner, has also…
Most of us have used a cheapie keychain flashlight that conked out after a few weeks or days of use. At the other end of the scale, the Titan Plus is claimed to be virtually indestructible by virtue of its nickel-plated brass construction that resists scratches and corrosion. The Titan Plus also features a three-position LED beam level that allows you to extend the life of the single AAA rechargeable battery when full power isn’t needed (expected battery life on the lowest setting is seven hours). The $100 purchase price includes a stainless-steel ring for attaching the flashlight to your…
There are car models and then there are serious representations of world famous automobiles. If your tastes fall into the latter category, Bentley has just the model for you, Sold through the automaker’s online gifts and accessories shop is this 1:8-scale Bentley Blower (#BL1165), so named for its front-mounted supercharger that boosted the car’s 4.4-liter four-cylinder engine’s output to 240 horsepower from 110 for non-supercharged versions. The Bentley Blower competed in several races, including the French 24 hours of Le Mans from 1929 -’31. Although it never won, its 137-mph top speed was impressive for the day. The model is…
The auto industry generally is about to experience a “powertrain tech boom” that buyers might be “nowhere close to ready for,” says industry news and data purveyor, Ward’s Auto. The company’s analysts suggest it could be a challenge to convince the public to pay more for increased fuel efficiency and lower greenhouse-gas emissions, especially in the near term while gasoline prices remain low. People generally know little about diesel, hybrid and plug-in electric powertrains and what they can do, said Bryan Krulikowski of Morpace Market Research and Consulting. Automakers have generally failed to educate the public about alternative powertrains, he…
Having eliminated the phenomenon of range anxiety over plug-in electric cars with its original Chevrolet Volt sedan, General Motors has greatly increased the second-generation Volt’s electric-only range, upping it to 53 miles from the original model’s 35. Chevrolet estimates the new car’s electric-only range will be enough to cover 90 percent of most buyers’ daily driving needs, reports auto news Web mag, Motor Authority. “That means even less fuel (consumed) for the already tee totaling Volt.” Once the car’s electric range is depleted, the small on-board gasoline engine kicks in to work in tandem with the electric drive system, adding…
This fall, the latest version of Lexus’s highly successful RX luxury tall wagon goes on sale. But The Sleuth is also entertaining rumors that a longer version with three rows of seats will follow in about a year’s time. That move sounded a bit unusual until The Spy Guy realized that family-oriented Lexus customers had to step all the way up to the pricey GX tall wagon or very pricey LX to seat themselves and six friends and/or family members in the lap of luxury. Meanwhile the Infiniti QX60, Acura MDX, Lincoln MKT and others have for years been cashing…
Affordable sports cars can actually cost a small fortune to develop, relative to their modest sales volumes and low profit margins, but that hasn’t dissuaded Kia from sticking a toe into the sporty-car waters. The Sleuth has it on good authority that the on-again, off-again plan to build a production version of the GT-4 Stinger concept is now back on the front burner. The rear-wheel-drive show-mobile featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine rated at 315 horsepower. That would make the Stinger king of the hill when compared with the 200-horse BRZ and FR-S twins. More news regarding the Stinger’s future…