Author: Tabitha
The turbocharged four-cylinder engine set to power some 2019 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks will run on all four cylinders or on as few as one, depending on driving demands. The 2.7-liter turbocharged engine can deliver full power – 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque – to accelerate or haul loads, but can run on just one cylinder under low-load, steady-state cruising, coasting, and on downhill grades. General Motors will continue to offer Silverados equipped with six- and eight-cylinder engines. Fuel efficiency, towing and payload numbers have not yet been released. Pricing, fuel economy and other statistics…
Apple, once intent on developing its own self-driving car, has signed a deal with Volkswagen to develop an autonomous shuttle for use by Apple employees on its California campuses, reports the New York Times. The self-driving T6 Transporter vans aren’t expected to hit the roads until next year, by which time they’ll be retrofitted with Apple’s own self-driving technology and interiors designed by the company. According to the newspaper, Apple had originally intended to build its own car, but the cost and complexity of building and developing vehicles became an issue. The New York Times reported that Apple turned to…
The company’s Traffic Light Information system (TLI), now operative in 10 United States cities, marks the official start of what’s to come, digitally, for automobiles and their connected future. As a precursor to the integrated technologies, this one shows the potential of vehicle-to-infrastructure communications. Select 2017-’18 Audi vehicles can now use the system at 2,250 intersections in cities across the United States. Launched in Las Vegas in 2017, TLI reads real-time data from traffic signals to tell drivers by way of a countdown timer when the lights will change. Future applications of the technology could work with vehicle start/stop systems,…
On the heels of announcing it won U.S. certification in May, Electra Meccanica Vehicles Corp. of Vancouver, Canada, delivered its first Solo single-passenger electric commuter vehicle to an unidentified customer in Los Angeles, Calif. Legally regarded as a motorcycle, the fully enclosed three-wheeled Solo has a 100-mile range between charges and sells for about US $15,500, reports Automotive News Canada. Until now, Electra Meccanica’s Solo sales were restricted to the province of British Columbia — home to Vancouver — as it awaited wider Canadian and U.S. certification for road use. “To be federally certified in the United States now opens…
The Sleuth was not the only one caught completely off guard with the news that the 2019 Nissan Altima sedan will offer all-wheel-drive. He casually mentioned the news to a senior executive of a competing brand whose jaw then proceeded to literally drop. None of the Altima’s immediate competitors have all-wheel-drive. Said exec immediately reached for his phone and began furiously texting the details, presumably to his associates. Given the recent falloff in sedan sales, any real or perceived advantage by a rival is always cause for concern. Kudos to Nissan for one-upping the competition and being able to keep…
It sure looks that way after the automaker rolled out a fully finished pickup concept at the New York International Auto Show in March. The four-door Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak (based on the Atlas utility-vehicle platform) was shown alongside the stylish five-passenger Atlas Cross Sport concept, which is a virtual lock for the 2019 model year. With the apparent resurgence of midsize pickup trucks in North America, the Tanoak makes sense, even if it’s just a concept at this point. Along with the current seven-passenger Atlas, adding the Cross Sport and Tanoak to the lineup would indicate that VW is forming…
People who spend considerable time in their late-model Ford F-150, Super Duty, Flex or their Ram pickups can now give their elbows a break with the SnapRest by Redline Automotive Accessories. In fact, as many drivers and their passengers will attest, the product is practically a necessity on long trips. The padded cushion pops onto the door-panels above the existing armrests without tools or adhesives and can be easily moved to other vehicles. The basic SnapRest that’s covered in simulated leather sells for $50, while the leather versions, available in a number of different shades, costs $90. Order from www.snaprest.com.
All-Fit Automotive sells an inexpensive universal material to create front and rear lower lips as well as side skirts. The flexible product comes in various lengths and in 1.5-, 2.5- and 3.5-inch widths in black, silver, pink, red, dark gray and white. Installation involves using 3M’s peel-and-stick Heat Bonded Tape along with screws and washers that attach to the lower bodywork at 12-inch intervals for a snug fit that conforms to the curves and undulations. Pricing starts at $120 for 30 feet of the 1.5-inch-width material in black (some colors cost slightly more). View the installation video and select sizes…
It was assumed that the 370Z sports car was headed for retirement, and without a replacement. But the Sleuth’s trusty sources are hearing that a new 400Z is in the works for the 2020 model year. That name seems appropriate since the car will run with a 400-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 culled from Nissan’s Infiniti division. The 400Z will also use a modified platform that was developed for the Infiniti Q60 coupe. Rumor has it that the new Z will break cover at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show toward the end of the year, and will be available for…
The Sleuth can’t help but be impressed with the brand’s performance efforts over the past few years. The latest (and hottest) version of Caddy’s V-Sport nomenclature will be attached to the full-size 2019 CT6 sedan. The executive chariot will have a new twin-turbocharged 4.2-liter V-8 (the first General Motors vehicle to get it) with 550 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. A 10-speed automatic transmission will direct torque to all four wheels. It’s too early to talk price, but Your Obedient Sneakster is guessing it will undercut similar heavy hardware from Germany, England and Japan by at least a few…