Author: Tabitha
The Gosafe 268 from Papago is a combination rearview mirror and built-in dash cam that mounts over your existing mirror. It records high-resolution video of a 135-degree swath in front of your vehicle. The built-in two-inch LCD screen shows what’s being recorded (up to eight hours on a continuous loop) onto the included eight-gigabyte SD card. There’s also a built-in motion detector and parking surveillance modes (records a 10-second video burst if your vehicle is bumped into when unattended). The Gosafe 268 begins recording automatically and includes a built-in battery backup in the event that your vehicle loses power. Pick…
Washing your vehicle isn’t just a soap-and-water exercise, as evidenced by the color-coded Dual-Bucket Washing System by Grit Guard. The red bucket is for rinsing dirt and grime from your brush or washcloth, while the blue bucket that contains only the clean wash solution. Both feature Grit Guard’s removable inserts that keep the washed-off crud at the bottom of the bucket, reducing the possibility of paint scratches or swirls. Each bucket sits in its own dolly with casters, comes with individual lids and can be linked using a connector plate. A seat cushion that’s included with the kit converts one…
Insurance companies in the United Kingdom say the auto industry needs to make a clear and fundamental distinction between ‘Assisted’ and ‘Automated’ autonomous driving systems. The industry is on a path to building vehicles that increasingly will drive themselves but aren’t there yet, requiring drivers to periodically retake vehicle control. The Association of British Insurers, saying it supports the move to autonomy, warned in a document meant for international regulators against ‘autonomous ambiguity.’ Thatcham Research CEO Peter Shaw, a participant in the paper, said driver-assist and autonomous vehicles are fast emerging “and unless clearly regulated, could convince drivers that their…
General Motors’ next electric car will be a Buick tall wagon based on the platform that underpins the Chevrolet Bolt EV, according to Web magazine InsideEVs. The news follows GM CEO Mary Barra’s remarks earlier this year that the Bolt was never intended to be a standalone offering. “The Bolt is our platform that we’re going to continue [working] on and have a huge range of vehicles [based on],” she said. The future Buick EV (no timeline was given for its introduction) will come with unique standard features to set it apart from its Chevrolet sibling: “all the features you…
There are aftermarket floor matts and then there are matts from AutoPreme. The company specializes in manufacturing custom products that specifically cater to the premium end of the market, where looking good and protecting your investment is of utmost importance. AutoPreme’s diamond-stitched leather coverings are designed to maintain their shape and are molded to fit each specific vehicle. In addition, the heel grips are made of metal (or optional carbon fiber) and not rubber or plastic. Prices start at about $900 for a set of front and rear mats. Full details and ordering info are at www.autopreme.com.
When your car’s air conditioning fails, it will make you a little hot under the collar. Now there’s a do-it-yourself fix on the market. AC Pro, made by IDQ inc., can actually stop up the leak in your car’s air conditioning and replenish the system with refrigerant, all from a single can. In addition, the manufacturer claims AC Pro’s special formula contains the most effective coolant on the market. Each can of AC Pro includes a built-in pressure gauge, extra-long hose and special ‘snap lock’ coupler. AC Pro retails for about $30-$35 and is available from a number of auto…
Audi will be the first Germany-based automaker to race in the all-electric Formula E championship, and will be followed in the global series a year later by a BMW-sponsored campaign in conjunction with United States-based Andretti Racing. Audi is taking over ABT Sportsline’s place on the grid; the team has competed in the series since its inception three years ago when electric formula-style racing became a real thing. Audi is developing a new battery-electric powertrain for the car, to be fielded next season. The fourth Formula E season begins Dec. 2 in a Hong Kong, moving to other cities around…
The company says that every vehicle it launches from 2019 on will have an electric motor, making it the first global automaker to offer its full range of vehicles with more than internal combustion for motivation. Volvo is placing electrification ‘at the core of its future business,’ and that it’s paving the way for a new chapter in automotive history, said Hakan Samuelsson, Volvo Cars CEO. ‘This is about the consumer,’ he said. Volvo Cars will introduce a portfolio of electrified cars across its model range, ’embracing fully electric cars, plug-in hybrid cars and mild-hybrid cars.’ Five fully electric cars…
What a difference a couple of years can make for Buick as by 2018 the lineup will be significantly different that it was in 2015. Model-year 2016 saw the arrival of the new Cascada convertible and mid-size Envision tall wagon. They were followed by a redesigned LaCrosse full-size sedan and the revised Encore compact wagon for 2017. For this coming model year, there will be a redesigned full-size Enclave wagon, a new Regal Sportback hatchback, Regal TourX wagon and a redesigned Regal GS sedan. The GS’s arrival is surprising since it was assumed that Buick was shifting away from sedans,…
The Sleuth notes that the biggest/largest model in the Blue Oval automaker’s lineup is being replaced for the 2018 model year. Available in both regular- and extended-length versions, the Expedition gets a new grille and sheetmetal plus major interior changes aimed at the upscale end of the spectrum. In fact, a fully loaded 2018 Expedition Platinum will actually cost much more than a starting-point Lincoln Navigator that the ‘Ex’ is based on. Lower-level models will get a 375-horsepower twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6, while a 400-horsepower version will be installed in upper-end Expeditions. Both engines will be mated to 10-speed automatic transmissions…