Motor News

Pricing has come out for the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X AEV, revealing a staggeringly high price of $90,440 after accounting for the $6895 price of the AEV package. The AEV version takes things up a notch from the standard AT4X by partnering with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) for a more capable version of the truck.The AEV treatment brings the AT4X more in line with the Chevy Silverado ZR2, by adding steel bumpers, stronger skid plates and larger tires, at a roughly $17,000 premium. It’s not news to anyone that trucks are an expensive commodity, especially trucks of the off-roading variety. But that didn’t stop our eyes from popping out of our heads like some sort of cartoon character when we saw the price of the GMC Sierra AT4X AEV. GMC’s off-roadiest pickup comes with a starting price of $90,440, making it a $6895 premium over the standard AT4X, and $17,045 over the Chevy Silverado ZR2. To put that in the context of similarly priced trucks, the Ford Raptor which comes equipped with 450 horsepower compared to the AT4X’s 420, starts at $78,385, while the 702 horsepower Ram TRX starts at $86,450. Anyone who’s in the market for a GMC off-roader who needs extra approach and departure angle—and has a spare $7000 burning a hole in their pocket—is in luck. While the standard Sierra 1500 AT4X shares equipment including Multimatic spool-valve dampers and locking front and rear differentials with its ZR2 silbling, it lacks some of the Chevy’s off-roading capabilities. Off-Road ThingsThe AEV package reverses the hierarchy, swapping the Sierra’s front bumper for a specially designed steel bumper that allows it to fit the 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory Mud-Terrain tires found on the ZR2. The approach angle also benefits from the new bumper, increasing to 32.5 degrees (compared to the ZR2’s 31.8), with the new steel bumper at the rear increasing departure angle by 0.4 degree, wile the ride height sees a 0.4-inch improvement, up to 11.2 inches. There are also five hot-stamped boron steel skid plates under the truck to keep vitals protected from below. Speaking with Car and Driver earlier in the year, a GMC spokesperson said the company plans to make AEV goodies standard on all 2023 AT4X trucks, but that won’t occur until later in the model year. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Our spy photographers caught the refreshed 2024 Buick Encore GX out testing without any camouflage.Its new face incorporates slim LED accent lights similar to the new Envista’s.This also appears to be the first production model to adopt Buick’s new logo.The new look of Buick will be propagating across the lineup soon, and these spy photos of the 2024 Encore GX crossover show our first glimpse of the new face on a U.S. production model. Caught without any camouflage, the updated Encore GX bears a clear resemblance to the new Envista crossover, and proudly displays the redesigned Buick logo and overall design language that first appeared on the Wildcat concept car earlier this year.Glenn Paulina|Car and DriverGlenn Paulina|Car and DriverThe Encore’s front end looks more distinctive than before thanks to the slim LED accent lights at the leading edge of the hood that also double as the turn signals. The actual headlights are discretely mounted lower on the front fascia. The updated logo, which is the first revision to the Buick tri-shield emblem since 1990, is displayed both on the hood and on the tailgate. Buick previously said that the logo would start appearing on various models in 2023, so it’s possible that the Encore GX will be the first to get it before the rest of the lineup switches over to the new design.More on BuickWe don’t expect any other significant changes to the Encore GX, as its mechanical components—a choice of turbocharged three-cylinder engines, paired with either front- or all-wheel drive—aren’t likely to change. Buick may fit a larger touchscreen infotainment system inside and will also likely change up the wheel designs, color offerings, and interior trims.Glenn Paulina|Car and DriverLook for more information to come soon on the 2024 Encore GX, which should debut early in 2023 before going on sale later in the year.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Hertz has agreed to pay out $168 million in hundreds of customer settlements, following years of unfounded accusations of theft by the rental giant.The company claims that a faulty inventory system is to blame for rental vehicles being reported as stolen, which has led to customers being falsely arrested, detained, and even facing felony charges.Following its Chapter 11 insolvency in 2020, Hertz claims the problem was fixed and that the instances were an isolated event, though a lawsuit filed in Delaware as recently as September shows otherwise.Renting a car should be an easy task, save for the busy airport lines, but it’s become a more costly and involved process. Making sure the tank is full and the interior is clean is part of the agreement between the renter and driver—an agreement that is generally fair for both parties, as long as you don’t have to pay an inflated refueling fee. What most consumers don’t expect out of their rental, however, is being arrested because of claims that the car was stolen.Crazy Times in the Car-Rental IndustryUnfortunately, that’s exactly what has happened to hundreds of Hertz customers since 2015. According to lawsuits filed across the nation, customers were held at gunpoint, arrested, and even held in jail for days as a result of Hertz reporting rental models as stolen. Now, Hertz says it will compensate these customers to the tune of $168 million total, resolving claims for more than 95% of the wrongfully accused.The company claims this issue was a result of a faulty theft reporting system, a system the company alleges was fixed following its 2020 bankruptcy. However, a lawsuit filed in Delaware earlier this year shows that the practice was still in effect following the company’s Chapter 11 proceedings. Hertz previously denied all claims of the false theft reports until this April, when the newly minted CEO, Stephen Scherr, admitted that some customers had been affected by the “glitch”.HertzThe company says that it runs over 25 million rental transactions per year and that at least 3365 theft reports are made annually, accounting for 0.014 percent of its rentals. Additionally, a spokesperson for the company said that most of these cases involve renters who were many weeks or even months overdue, in a statement to CBS News.Despite this, some of the accused hadn’t even rented from Hertz previously. Other victims include NASA employees operating government-rented vehicles and customers with cars rented by their insurance companies following accidents. Customers who returned vehicles on time later received correspondence from the company that it had reported the vehicle as stolen and that an arrest warrant had been issued.Spencer Platt|Getty ImagesThe hundreds of millions in payments will be finalized by the end of this year, and statements in recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings show that the company isn’t worried about this affecting its financial standing. Additionally, Hertz plans to recoup the majority of this expense from its commercial liability insurance policies, though the company has had to file lawsuits against its insurers to this effect.Emerging from bankruptcy in 2021 and recently reporting a return to profitability, the settlement payments may not damage Hertz’s bottom line but its reputation among consumers very well could. With new leadership at the helm and continuing strong travel demand, the true outcome of a rocky few years for Hertz has yet to be seen. Despite this, company executives claim to see a future of improved customer relations. “As I have said since joining Hertz earlier this year, my intention is to lead a company that puts the customer first,” said Scherr, CEO of Hertz.”In resolving these claims, we are holding ourselves to that objective.”From: AutoweekThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.The manual transmission is almost gone. Even if you ignore that manual-transmission cars account for less than 2 percent of the auto market today, you have to accept that the transition to EVs will likely spell the end of shifting yourself. Toyota wants to change that, which is why the company is showing off a prototype EV with a faux manual shifter. The company has spent the last couple of days showing European journalists a special version of the Lexus UX 300e. The small electric crossover isn’t sold in the U.S. and isn’t particularly exciting in its normal form, but this version has a simulated shifter and clutch to provide a taste of old-school engagement. The driver can shift between different gears when they get to the far end of the fake tachometer and, if they blow a shift, can even stall the electric car. The driving video from EVO is certainly worth a watch. Electric vehicles rarely have more than one or two forward gears, so it is unlikely that this is going to be a useful technology for future mainstream EVs. But Lexus says it is developing the concept to make more engaging EVs, and may actually use the system on a production BEV if the development work is promising. We’re not sure a simulated shifter could ever scratch our itch, but we’re certainly interested in trying it out. This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Ford Fiesta and Focus owners are expressing how frustrated they are about long wait times for transmission repairs, via a report in the Detroit Free Press today (subscription required). Problems with Ford’s faulty PowerShift gearboxes, found in its 2011—2016 small cars, began a decade ago and led to a 2020 settlement of more than $30 million.Ford told the Free Press that service and repair delays are due to a shortage of transmission control modules, but this problem predates the supply-chain issues, making some customers express the belief that the company is indifferent.Trouble over Ford’s infamous PowerShift transmission continues to haunt the automaker. As the Detroit Free Press reported this week, many current owners of 2011–2016 Fiesta and 2012–2016 Focus models still afflicted by problems are furious. Their frustration over delays in getting a fix for their cars is understandable, given that several told the Free Press they’ve waited multiple months for their gearboxes to get fixed.2016 Ford Focus.Highlighting more than two dozen experiences, the newspaper cites months-long wait times and claims that Ford is ignoring customers seeking updates on the status of their repairs. Back in 2019, the paper also reported claims that some Ford dealerships were declining to repair their defective transmissions. A Decade-Old DebacleFord’s faulty PowerShift dual-clutch automatic transmissions gained notoriety almost as soon as they went into production in 2011, with the first lawsuit filed against the company just one year later in 2012. The transmissions were prone to rough shifts and required frequent repairs, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) never reported evidence that they posed a safety risk.Ford’s PowerShift ProblemsIn 2019, an investigative piece by the Detroit Free Press revealed Ford knew about the problems with the PowerShift transmissions during development and decided to continue with production anyway. The rest is history, including the company extending the powertrain warranty on affected models from five years or 60,000 miles to seven years or 100,000 miles. Ford also eventually agreed to a settlement in 2020 that required it to buy back defective Fiesta and Focus models as well as pay out at least $30 million in cash.Ford Says: Call Our Help LineWhile it makes sense that supply issues play a part in the long wait times currently facing Fiesta and Focus owners, as the Free Press points out, the problems with Ford’s PowerShift transmissions predate the scarcity of semiconductors. Combine that with owners’ personal stories of hardship, and it is not surprising that customers who are receiving poor service might start to believe the company is indifferent.The current situation, Ford says, is due to a shortage of the transmission control modules that are necessary for the fix. Speaking to the Free Press, Ford spokesman Said Deep said the company is aware of the delays and is “trying desperately” to acquire the modules. He also encouraged people who need help while their car is in for service to call Ford’s customer support line at 800–392–3673. Car and Driver reached out to Deep for more comment on this story, but we haven’t yet gotten a response. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Jeep has issued a recall of 62,909 Wrangler 4xe SUVs due to the possible unexpected loss of engine power. The root cause of the issue is not clear, but the problem can be fixed with an updated software calibration for the transmission control module and auxiliary hybrid control processor. NHTSA suggests that 100 percent of the vehicles recalled could have the issue; Jeep is aware of two accidents and one injury that could be related to the defect. Jeep is recalling just under 63,000 Wrangler 4xe SUVs due to an issue that has the potential to unexpectedly shut off the engine while driving, which could lead to a crash. The defect affects some 2021–2023 4xe models and looks to be associated with the plug-in-hybrid powertrain. However, according to documents filed by Jeep with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 100 percent of the 62,909 vehicles involved are defective. Jeep is still investigating the root cause of the problem which appears to stem from somewhere in the transmission control module and the auxiliary hybrid control processor. A fix is said to be available with a software update to both systems. According to paperwork filed on Nov. 3, 2022, Jeep is aware of two accidents and one injury that are potentially related to the 4xe’s defect. At that point in time, Jeep knew of 112 customer-assistance records, 196 warranty claims, and 65 field reports potentially linked to this issue over a two-year period between Dec. 17, 2020 and Oct. 26, 2022. As of the most recent NHTSA filing, Jeep hasn’t announced a “Stop Drive” order. The company plans to begin notifying dealers and owners on Jan. 12, 2023. Before then, owners are able to check the NHTSA recalls site for more information about the recall, and to plug in their VIN to see if their vehicle is affected. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Lego released a preview of a R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec slated to join its Speed Champions lineup next year. The R34 Skyline and accompanying Brian O’Conner miniature figurine (or “minifig”) are inspired by the 2003 movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, complete with Toyo Tires badge and accurate Florida license plate.Lego hasn’t given specifics yet, but assuming it follows the blueprint of other Speed Champions sets, it will include 300 to 500 pieces and be priced between $20 and $40. In other news, Lego is adding a 905-piece, $49.99 Technic version of the Bugatti Bolide starting January 1. Lego Speed Champions is adding one of the most iconic cars from the early days of the Fast and Furious franchise. The newest kit will include a figurine of Paul Walker’s character, Brian O’Conner, and a rolling representation of his famous R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R V-Spec. Through nine films, O’Conner’s R34 from 2 Fast 2 Furious is perhaps overshadowed by only the infamous A80 Supra from the first movie. LegoLego ManiaThankfully, the kit looks to honor the source material, and the famous blue-striped livery is immediately recognizable to fans of the franchise. Despite the small size of the Speed Champions builds, Lego didn’t skip out on some of the other recognizable themes from the car. The massive blue rear wing is fixed to the back, with a blue Toyo Tires sticker found stuck above the movie-correct Florida license plate. While You’re Waiting . . . LEGO LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger While You’re Waiting . . . LEGO LEGO Technic Dom’s Dodge Charger Now 20% OffIn addition to the smaller and cheaper R34 kit, Lego is planning to add a Technic kit of the 1578-hp Bugatti Bolide, minus the horsepower of course. That kit will go on sale the first of the year and will include 905 pieces for $49.99. It stands at three inches high, 12 inches in length, and five inches in width. The Technic kits are meant to help introduce kids to the world of engineering, but beyond that, they are plain cool. LegoLegoBugatti only made 40 versions of the track-only Bolide, with each costing roughly $5 million. Plus, Bugatti sold out of the Bolide and Chiron at the start of the year. Assuming you didn’t star in the Fast and Furious franchise and therefore cannot afford a sold-out $5 million car, $50 for a foot-long example complete with moving pistons seems about as close as the rest of us will ever get to owning a Bolide. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

GM plans to expand the Escalade and Camaro names into subbrands, like the planned Corvette range of EV models.The other Escalade models could include a smaller three-row crossover and a more carlike crossover.Future Camaros could comprise a crossover, additional coupe and convertible models, and a sports car related to the Corvette.Now that we know more about Chevrolet’s plans to turn Corvette into a whole range of models, the focus turns to other high-value nameplates within the GM portfolio. The next two subbrands appear to center around the Cadillac Escalade and the Chevrolet Camaro.Escalade ExpansionAccording to our source inside GM, the automaker has looked long and hard at reinventing the Cadillac brand one more time, but management apparently came to the conclusion that it makes more sense to use the Escalade—the quintessential Cadillac—as a peg for the second Corvette-style subbrand, which stands proud in the cycle plan.More on the EscaladeA smaller version of the Escalade is a no-brainer and could take shape as a seven-seat crossover along the lines of the upcoming Porsche three-row SUV, codenamed K1. This would presumably sell well in key markets such as the U.S. and China. There is also talk of a more carlike modern-luxury segment-fusing all-terrain Escalade. Option number four is a high-end MPV that may initially only be sold in China, where the Toyota Alphard and other luxury minivans are a runaway success.Camaro SUV PossibleThe third potential GM subbrand under evaluation is Camaro. “We did look at other successful standalone products like Silverado and Suburban but found them unsuitable for various different reasons. In our view, an additional independent lineup must be compiled from three or more distinctly different offerings under the same brand umbrella.”More on the CamaroIn the case of the Camaro, these models have been provisionally defined as a fully electric 2+2-seater coupe and convertible, a decidedly sporty crossover offered in two-door and four-door body styles, and a mid-price flagship sports car loosely linked to the C9 Corvette in content but not in appearance. Substantial in-house synergies should make the all-electric Camaros a solid business case with global appeal.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More