AUTOS
– In an industry rapidly pivoting toward downsized engines in both cylinder count and displacement—but not power—the Land Rover LR4 stands out as one of the less successful experiments. Last year, the LR4 was stripped of its 375-hp 5.0-liter V-8 and six-speed automatic transmission; fitted in their stead was a 340-hp supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 and an eight-speed automatic. You’ll note that 340 horsepower is significantly less than 375, and the
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– Well, that only took 10 years. In an interview with Automotive News, a Ford top executive has acknowledged that Lincoln’s MK-based naming structure is confusing and that the overwhelmingly positive reaction to the Continental name’s revival may have the company rethinking its naming policy. From our point of view, MKC, MKT, MKZ, MKS, and MKX are tough to tell apart, and we’d welcome the shift. It’s also quite noteworthy, because the industry as
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-VW always seems to be a bit late to the game. Next year, the German carmaker will bring the Alltrack model we’ve just driven to the U.S.; it’s a jacked-up Golf SportWagen fitted with all-wheel drive and off-road styling affectations. This comes almost two decades after the segment’s role models, the Volvo XC70 and the Subaru Outback, first appeared. What most Americans don’t know is that VW has been selling
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– Mercedes-Benz is recalling 5058 Smart Fortwo models in the U.S. for poorly made bolts that could loosen the steering over time, according to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. – – On 2014–2015 Fortwo Coupe and Convertible models, along with the 2014 Fortwo Electric Coupe and Convertible, some bolts that attach the steering gear to the front crossmember may have been improperly manufactured and could break apart
– BMW is expanding an airbag-sensor recall for the third time to include older Mini Cooper models that may disable the passenger-side frontal airbag. – – According to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, BMW is recalling 91,800 cars, specifically the 2005–2006 Cooper and Cooper S hardtops, plus convertible models from 2005–2008. The weight sensor in the front passenger seat that determines whether to deactivate the airbag when a
Honda is a notoriously secretive company, so fans and media must resort to steps like scouring patent office files—as CivicX.com did recently to acquire these and many other images—to bring you good stuff like this: official drawings of the all-new Civic coupe and sedan. – And what the drawings reveal is a Civic design that is—hallelujah!—interesting. That’s right, after more than a decade of shovel-nosed yawnmobiles—the current-generation model landed with a thud not only with
