Motor News

Kia Motors America is recalling 294,756 U.S.-market vehicles over the potential for an engine-compartment fire.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says in its recall report that the cause of the problem is “undetermined” but that dealers will look for fuel and/or engine oil leaks and may replace engines if necessary.
Vehicles included are the 2011–2013 Optima Hybrid, 2012 Sportage, 2012–2013 Sorento, 2012–2015 Forte and Forte Koup, and 2014–2015 Soul.
Kia Motors America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have announced the recall of nearly 295,000 vehicles over a problem that could lead to engine-compartment fires. NHTSA’s recall report states that owners of potentially affected Kia models should be alert for “engine noise, illumination of check-engine light [or] low-oil light, fuel smell, burning smell, oil leaking, smoke.” However, NHTSA said, there has been no manufacturing or design defect identified yet, and Kia is recalling the vehicles as a “preventative measure to mitigate any unreasonable fire risk.”

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Vehicles listed in the NHTSA Safety Recall Report are the 2011–2013 Optima Hybrid, 2012 Sportage, 2012–2013 Sorento, and 2012–2013 Forte and Forte Koup with the 2.4-liter Theta II engine; and the 2014–2015 Forte, Forte Koup, and Soul with the 2.0-liter Nu engine.
Kia will notify owners starting on January 27, 2021. Dealers will inspect the engine compartments of affected vehicles, make repairs, and potentially replace engines. Kia also intends to carry out a software update to add a Knock Sensor Detection System as soon as possible, and the NHTSA report states that Kia will provide 15-year/150,000-mile warranty coverage for engine repairs needed “due to connecting-rod bearing damage.” Kia will also reimburse owners for any repair expenses already incurred related to the problem, NHTSA’s report says.
Owners of potentially affected Kia models can check the NHTSA recalls website or Kia’s owner website for more details.
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The details of the FIA investigation into Romain Grosjean’s fiery F1 crash in Bahrain show how racing miracles happen. More

Bad News FirstFord announced late Friday that the Bronco SUV will not launch next Spring, as promised, but will be delayed until Summer 2021 due to issues related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The Sasquatch manual-transmission edition won’t be available until the 2022 model year. It’s not surprising that pandemic-related delays are slowing a vehicle launch, but this delay is particularly tough for Ford given the importance of the Bronco brand and the fact that the bungled launch of the 2019 Explorer is still fresh in our minds.

Ford

This Week in Sheetmetal
Ford gave us new details about the GT Performance Edition of the Ford Mach-E. The company confirmed that the sportiest Mach-E (so far) will have 480 horsepower, 21 more than they initially estimated, and will reach 60 mph in less than four seconds. Look for the Mach-E in dealerships next summer.
If that’s still not enough horsepower for you, perhaps Audi’s limited-run R8 Panther Edition (532 horsepower) or the 720-hp Nürburgring production car lap record holder Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series will suit.
Power, of course, is nothing without torque. For that, look to the new Ram 3500 with the 6.7-liter inline-six diesel engine. It has 1075 lb-ft of torque and can tow up to 37,100 pounds when properly outfitted.

Toyota

Toyota has been late to the EV game, choosing instead to goose its corporate average fuel economy ratings with a succession of hybrids. But now they’re playing along, sort of, with the 2021 Mirai fuel cell car, which will be 20 percent cheaper than the outgoing model and boasts 404 miles of range. All of which you’ll use up in your search for a hydrogen fuel station.
The Mazda CX-30 will have a new 250-hp 2.5-liter turbocharged engine for the 2021 model year, which you’ll be able to spec in place of the standard 186-hp naturally aspirated engine by the end of this year. Coincidentally, we introduced a 2021 CX-30 to our long-term fleet. We didn’t get the turbo.

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First Come, First Served
While we wait to see if and when a coronavirus vaccine will be approved, Uber is already making plans to get its hands on one. The company asked the Centers for Disease Control to designate its drivers as essential workers, arguing that they help health care workers get to and from jobs, and that their delivery work allows others to stay isolated at home. If this pitch works it could mend fences between the company and its drivers after a bruising and expensive fight over a successful ballot initiative that exempts ride-share companies from classifying its workers as employees.
Sales Report
The November car sales numbers are in, and they look pretty bad at first glance, with a 14.6 percent year-over-year decrease. J.D. Power says things aren’t quite as dire as they seem, because this November had three fewer selling days than last year. Adjusted to account for that, J.D. Power puts sales down just 3.5 percent.
We’ll be keeping an eye on F-150 sales, which were down 45.9 percent compared to last year. Ford says low inventory and the shift to selling the new generation is to blame, but it’s crucial for the company that it gets this rollout right, especially given news of the Bronco’s delay.

Further Reading
Mary Barra was the guest of honor on the Freakonomics podcast this week. Barra talks about the company’s electric future, about being a woman in leadership, and about her time on President Trump’s economic advisory council. We also learned once and for all: it’s Bar-uh, not Bear-uh.
If, in these dark times, you find that you need a reminder of the joys and misadventures of youth, spare some time for our own Rich Ceppos and this love (?) letter to his old hand-built Myers Manx dunebuggy.
And for the #oddlysatisfying crowd, we offer this 20-minute detailing of a neglected two-door manual XJ Jeep Cherokee. Watch it instead of doing your chores, you won’t regret it.
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On this electric car, they say, solar panels can generate 40 miles of range per day. Which means that next year, you might be able to buy a plug-in that doesn’t need to be plugged in. More

It’s because of coronavirus-related supplier issues, and the Sasquatch off-road package with the manual transmission won’t arrive until 2022. More

Volvo Trucks’ new electric semi truck will offer 150 miles of range on a charge, compared with the claimed 300 to 500 miles of range targeted by the upcoming Tesla Semi and the future Nikola Two with its 500-to-750-mile target.
The regional hauler will have a 264.0-kWh battery pack and 4051 pound-feet of torque.
The VNR Electric truck will go into production in 2021 for Canada and the United States.

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While it’s easy to imagine every semi truck traveling through a city is on its way to or from some far-away place and maybe the song “Convoy” creeps into your skull as you imagine trucks stops, CB radio conversations lasting hours, and that weird time in the late ’70s when being a trucker was like being a modern-day cowboy. The reality is, a lot of those big trucks are actually just moving items from shipping ports to warehouses or even between warehouses within a metropolitan area.
That’s where the Volvo Trucks (a separate company from Volvo Cars) Class 8 Volvo VNR Electric truck comes in. The regional-haul vehicle has a limited range, up to 150 miles, along with a huge 265.1-kWh battery pack. Volvo Trucks says that the battery can be charged to 80 percent within 70 minutes. The company also says that due to regenerative braking, the vehicle can reclaim up to 15 percent back to the battery during certain duty cycles.
The truck has 455 horsepower and 4051 pound-feet of torque and can be configured with a gross vehicle weight rating of 82,000 pounds, so it shouldn’t have any issues hauling most of what a company can throw at it.
Other automakers are also working on alternative energy systems for regional hauling vehicles. Toyota has been investigating and deploying hydrogen fuel cell trucks while Daimler has been developing electric trucks that are already being trialed by customers. Plus, there are electric semis coming from Tesla and Nikola in the near future.
The Volvo VNR Electric truck will go into production in 2021 and will include telematics, remote diagnosis, and real-time battery monitoring services. While it’s unlikely these will be seen out on the interstate between cities, they might soon end up next to you in the future while driving through a metropolitan area.
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Managing editor Mike Fazioli is in charge of C/D’s money. He manages our budget, approves our expense reports, and pays our contributors. So when he came to us with a car-shopping request, the Window Shop crew sprung into action.
Faz—we call him Faz and you can, too—needs a car for his three kids to share. His youngest is still in high school, and the other two are home from college for the foreseeable future due to COVID-19. And being the great father and generous soul that he is, he’d like to buy a vehicle for them to drive to school, work, and maybe even socially distanced keg parties. Faz set the budget at $4000 and asked for something safe, reliable, and near his home in Michigan. He also requested all-wheel drive since the dirt roads around his house aren’t plowed in the winter, but it’s not a deal breaker.Our choices run the gamut from truly boring to weird and boring. Contributor Jonathon Ramsey chooses a leather-lined first-gen Audi Allroad that appears to be well maintained, but reliability fears sideline it. Deputy testing director K.C. Colwell digs up an all-wheel-drive Passat wagon that looks good but may have too much horsepower for senior editor Joey Capparella to accept. Watch all the way to the end—or skip ahead to the last few minutes—and you’ll see what may very well be the nicest Ford Aerostar in existence plus a commercial that you won’t be able to get out of your head.
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The next episode of Inside Track, Road & Track’s virtual Q&A series, is coming soon, and we’re excited to announce that the guest for Episode 7 is Nissan’s senior vice-president of global design, Alfonso Albaisa. It’s all happening on Thursday, December 10, at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Register Here
Responsible for bringing automotive visions to life, Albaisa is the lead designer for all Nissan Motor brands worldwide, including Nissan, Infiniti, and Datsun. Global Nissan Design members are tasked with developing an ever-evolving design language, shaping Nissan Intelligent Mobility technologies and projecting them to customers worldwide.
In this episode of Inside Track, Road & Track editor-in-chief Mike Guy will be speaking with Albaisa about the headline-grabbing, retro-inspired Nissan Z Proto and the future of automotive design. If you want to see it all go down, head to Road & Track’s dedicated sign-up page.
Inside Track is one of the many offerings of the newly revamped magazine that’s our fellow Hearst Autos publication. They’re also hosting live events, virtual experiences, and adventures around the globe. The Tokyo Road adventure, for example, includes exclusive access to automotive landmarks like the Nissan Factory—Albaisa’s home base—as well as legendary experiences including the Japanese Grand Prix. R&T will host driving rallies at racetracks and on the most epic roads, hold discussions and debates on cool topics with some of the most influential people in the car world, and give participants the white-glove treatment at concours and auto show events.
Register Here
If you want to get in on the fun, become a member of Road & Track’s Track Club. You’ll get every issue of their magazine, plus a whole lot more. Find more details on the membership tiers and exclusive discounts at roadandtrack.com/join, and check out the full experiences lineup at experiences.roadandtrack.com.

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