Author: Tabitha

Where does the time go? The Sleuth finds it hard to believe that it has been a half century since the original 240Z arrived on our shores. He’s happy to report, however, that a new Z that was recently displayed in near-finished form called the Z Proto will arrive sometime next spring as a 2022 model. Likely to be labeled the 400Z, the hatchback coupe’s design is influenced by the original Z, especially from the front and sides, while the rear end appears inspired by the 300ZX from the 1990s. A twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 originally developed for the Infiniti Q50…

Fresh from announcing an electric-vehicle-development arrangement with Honda, General Motors and electric start-up electric truck maker Nicola are also forming a partnership. Specifically, GM will supply its Ultium-brand batteries plus fuel cells and will also build the hydrogen-electric Badger pickup for Nicola (one of a number of planned future models). In return, GM receives an astounding $2 billion worth of Nicola shares. The Badger, which is expected to launch in late 2022, is rated for 300 miles of electric-only range plus an additional 300 miles of range using hydrogen. A hydrogen-electric transport truck is also in the works. The Nicola…

It’s normal for most larger automakers to introduce two or three new or significantly updated models every year, but Nissan has the pedal to the metal with a host of recently refreshed designs plus couple of new brands, as follows: 2019 model year – Redesigned Altima sedan; redesigned Kicks compact utility vehicle. 2020 model year – Redesigned compact Sentra and sub-compact Versa sedans. 2021 model year – New Ariya electric hatchback plus a redesigned Frontier midsize pickup, Armada fullsize utility vehicle, Z sport coupe, Rogue midsize utility vehicle and Pathfinder seven-passenger utility vehicle. Only a handful of vehicles will be…

That’s the hot rumor after reports surfaced that VW has trademarked the name e-Thing in Europe. The automaker briefly sold an odd-looking Bug-based four-door soft-top called the Thing in North America more than four decades ago. There’s speculation that the e-Thing might approximate the four-passenger ID Buggy concept model that Volkswagen displayed in 2019. It came with a rear-mounted electric motor producing 201-horsepower and 228 pound-feet of torque. The mind boggles at the thought of the ID Buggy-based e-Thing entering production, but at this point it’s far from certain if VW will proceed. The Internet is alive with buzz about…

The Sleuth notes that the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) division will introduce a new top-of-the-line vehicle in mid-2021 using a name from the past. The original Grand Wagoneer was sold from 1984 until 1991 and had a 5.9-liter V-8 installed inside a body festooned with faux wood trim. The new Grand Wagoneer, which was recently shown in near-finished (concept) form won’t use that particular trim and it will have three rows of seats. There will also be a Wagoneer (no Grand) model, but there’s no word yet on the specific differences. The body-on-frame chassis is based on that of the…

Few people will likely notice the minor differences between the 2020 and 2021 versions of Porsche’s four-door hatchback, but there’s more power for at least two models. The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 in the Panamera Turbo S will deliver 620 horsepower and 605 pound-feet of torque, up from 550/568. According to Porsche, that means the 2021 Turbo S will hit 60 mph from rest in 2.9 seconds. Meanwhile, the plug-in 4S E-Hybrid model’s combination of a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 plus a 135-horsepower electric motor produces a combined 552 horsepower, which is a 90-horsepower increase. It can hit 60 from rest in…

The Sleuth hears that the automaker will take a page from Audi’s trail-capable Allroad as well as the similar Subaru Outback and Volvo V90 Cross Country wagons. The result is the E450-based All Terrain 4Matic (AWD). Replacing the standard E-Class wagon in North America for 2021 (except for the AMG E63 S), the All Terrain uses a modified air suspension that adds two more inches of ground clearance. Also included is protective cladding at both ends and around the fender openings. The All Terrain’s twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 makes 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque and operates through a nine-speed…

Among the list of a half-dozen or so startup-electric-truck makers is Michigan-based Bollinger with its squared-off, no-nonsense B1 utility-vehicle and B2 four-door pickup. (A two-door chassis-cab is also in the works that specifically designed for commercial applications.) Bollinger vehicles are the only electric workhorses with a Class 3 rating, which is given to vehicles that have a gross-vehicle weight of 10,000-14,000 pounds. Load capacity is pegged at 5,000 pounds, while tow rating maxes out at 7,500 pounds. The two electric motors (front and rear) deliver a combined 614 horsepower and 668 pound-feet of torque. The estimated range is 200 miles.…

Being a fan of James Bond films, The Sleuth is happy to report that the automaker (and vehicle supplier to numerous Bond films) will build 100 007 Edition Aston Martin Vantage models and 25 007 Edition DBS Superleggera models for worldwide consumption. The 2021-model-year examples, which are styled after the cars used in the latest “No Time to Die” Bond flick, will come with the same paint schemes as their movie counterparts, plus other identifiers such as 007 badges, plaques and seat coverings. Pricing hasn’t been announced, but for reference, the non-bond DBS Vantage coupe starts at about $156,000, while…

If you work on cars as a hobby or to pay the bills, you’ll appreciate a set of Zyklop ratchets from Wera. The unique design allows you to spin the socket up to three times more quickly (according to the manufacturer) than with a standard ratchet. Although tackling bolts is the Zyklop’s primary job, it can also work as a reversible screwdriver when fitted with one of a number of different bits. The pivoting ratchet design means it can be angled, which is handy in tight spaces. Wera sells various Zyklop packages, with example pricing of $122 for the 28-piece…