Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC 3rd Gen Plug-in Hybrid Coming Next Year

Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e 4MATIC EQ Power mid-size SUV with 315 system horsepower combining a 208 horsepower in-line 4 cylinder gas engine with Mercedes-Benz third-generation plug-in hybrid technology producing an increased all-electric range (NEDC electric range approx. 28-30 miles; EPA electric range TBA). The new on-board charger more than doubles the charging capacity from 3.6 kW to 7.4 kW. The redesigned Mercedes-Benz GLC 350e will go on sale in the U.S. in the first half of 2020. By the end of 2019, Mercedes-Benz will have more than ten plug-in hybrids available globally with an aim of over 20 model variants in 2020.

Porsche Taycan Fully-Electric Sedan Coming Soon

The Porsche Taycan fully-electric four-door sports sedan will roll out as the Taycan Turbo S and Taycan Turbo with the flagship Turbo S version able to generate up to 750 horsepower in combination with Launch Control and overboost for a zero to 60 mph of 2.6 seconds, while the Taycan Turbo can produce up to 670 horsepower for a 3.0 second zero to 60 time to a top speed of 161 mph. The EPA range estimate for North American market is pending for both vehicles. Driving modes available include “Normal”, “Sport”, “Sport Plus”, and “Range” and individual systems can be configured as required in the “Individual” mode. The Taycan is the first production vehicle with a system voltage of 800 volts instead of the commonly used 400 volts for electric cars. Less powerful variants of these all-wheel drive vehicles will follow this year, and the first derivative to be added will be the Taycan Cross Turismo at the end of next year. The Taycan was shown as the Mission E concept and discussed last Fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

2020 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid Gets 28 MPG

2020 Ford Explorer Limited Hybrid is powered by a 3.3-liter hybrid engine mated to an all-new 10-speed modular hybrid transmission with up to 5,000 pound towing capacity. With an 18-gallon fuel tank the rear-wheel drive model has EPA-estimated range of over 500 miles with ratings of 27 mpg city/29 mpg highway/28 mpg combined and the four-wheel drive-equipped vehicle has a range of over 450 miles with ratings of 23 mpg city/26 mpg highway/25 mpg combined.

2020 Porsche Macan Turbo Starts At $84,950 In 4th Quarter

The 2020 Porsche Macan Turbo is now powered by a 434 horsepower 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine mated to a seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission and Porsche Traction Management all-wheel drive that boosts acceleration by 0.3-second versus the predecessor model enabling a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds to a top track speed of 167 mph, an increase of 3 mph. The same engine is also used in the Cayenne and Panamera model lines and replaces the 3.6-liter twin-turbo V6 used in the previous Macan Turbo. Standard equipment now includes Porsche Surface Coated Brakes, which offer an improvement in both stopping power and aesthetics over the brakes of the preceding model. Porsche Active Suspension Management dampers are also standard equipment. Optional height-adjustable air suspension with optimized rolling pistons and new shock absorber hydraulics, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus and the Porsche Ceramic Composite Brake are available as extra-cost options. The 2020 Macan Turbo is expected to reach U.S. dealerships in the fourth quarter of 2019. The starting MSRP will be $84,950 (including $1,350 for processing, delivery and handling).

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe

The new 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLE 53 Coupe, with a 2.4 in shorter wheelbase than its SUV sibling, is powered by a 429 horsepower 3.0- liter six-cylinder in-line engine with 48-volt technology, variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ all- wheel drive mated to a AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9-speed automatic transmission. The GLE 53 Coupe has "Slippery", "Comfort", "Sport", "Sport+" and "Individual" drive programs and "Trail" and "Sand" off-road-specific settings.

2021 Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 Coming Late Next Year

The new 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 is powered by a 302 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to the AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT 8-speed transmission feeding the variable AMG Performance 4MATIC all-wheel drive. Acceleration from 0-60 mph takes 5.1 seconds with a top speed of 155 mph. The standard RACE START function remains active while the accelerator is kept fully depressed. The Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+ and Individual AMG DYNAMIC SELECT drive programs enable a variety of driving experiences. The 2021 AMG GLB 35 will celebrate its World Premiere at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month, and will go on sale in the U.S. by late 2020.

Volkswagen Automotive Legend Ferdinand Piëch Passes Away

Austrian engineer and automotive executive Ferdinand Karl Piëch, grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, former head of Audi, chairman of the executive board (1993-2002) and chairman of the supervisory board (2002-2015) of Volkswagen Group, passed away August 25th at the age of 82 (pictured left in 2009). Piëch gained notoriety for the development of many vehicles including the Porsche 911, Audi Quattro and Bugatti Veyron. Piëch was named the Car Executive of the Century in 1999, was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2014, and in his personal life fathered 12 children with four different women. It was an honor meeting such a car legend at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show.

2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV Goes Further On A Charge

The 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV will now offer an EPA-estimated 259 miles of range on a full charge, a 21-mile increase over previous model years. Actual range will vary based on several factors, including temperature, terrain, battery age and vehicle use and maintenance. The 2020 Bolt EV will arrive in dealerships later this year with a starting MSRP of $37,495 (including destination and freight charges, excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees).

2020 Honda Civic Si Arrives Next Month

The 2020 Honda Civic Si Sedan and Si Coupe (above), powered by a 205-horsepower 1.5-liter, direct injected and turbocharged in-line 4-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, get front and rear styling updates, new more refined LED headlight designs, and a revised final-drive ratio for more responsive acceleration. Honda Sensing®, now standard equipment on Civic Si Sedan and Coupe, includes Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Mitigation Braking System™ incorporating Forward Collision Warning, Lane Keeping Assist System and Road Departure Mitigation incorporating Lane Departure Warning.  The 2020 Honda Civic Si Sedan and Si Coupe arrive to dealers September 6th with a starting $25,930 MSRP (including $930 destination charge).

Audi RS 6 Avant Arrives Next Year

The Audi RS 6 Avant, powered by a 591 horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine mated to a standard eight-speed Tiptronic® transmission with optimized shift times and new launch control function, is coming to the U.S. market. The standard Audi drive select system offers comfort, auto, dynamic, efficiency and the individually configurable RS-specific RS1 and RS2 drive modes, which can be activated directly using the “RS MODE” steering wheel button. The Audi drive select setting influences the engine and transmission management, the power steering, the suspension, the dynamic all-wheel steering, the quattro® sport differential and the engine sound. The Audi RS 6 Avant will arrive in the U.S. in 2020.

Bugatti Centodieci

The new special-edition Bugatti Centodieci (Italian for 110) features a 1,600 horsepower 8.0-liter W16 engine which takes it from 0 to 62 mph in 2.4 seconds, to 124 mph in 6.1 seconds and to 186 mph in 13.1 seconds to an electronically cut off top speed of 236 mph.

2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel Arrives in 4th Quarter

The 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, powered by the new third generation 260 horsepower 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel engine, starts at $38,585 (including $1,695 destination charge) with a towing capability of 12,560 pounds and goes on sale early in the fourth quarter of this year. The 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is available across all models and configurations, including a first-time offering in the Ram Rebel. The 2020 Ram 1500 is backed with a five-year /100,000-mile Powertrain Limited Warranty.

Audi R8 LMS GT2 For $375,000 By Year End

The Audi R8 LMS GT2, now available for customer orders, powered by a 640 horsepower naturally aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine mated to a seven-speed S-tronic® dual-clutch transmission, accelerates from a standstill to 60 mph in 3.3 seconds and reaches a top track speed of 204 mph. The new race car is priced between Audi Sport’s GT4 and GT3 models at $375,000 (338,000 euros) and can now be ordered. Audi Sport will deliver the first race cars before the end of 2019.

2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Starts At $59,995

The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray a starting price of $59,995 (including $1,095 Destination Freight Charge), the 2LT trim package will start at $67,295 and the top-level 3LT trim package on the 2020 Corvette Stingray will start at $71,945. The 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray goes into production at GM’s Bowling Green Assembly in late this year.

Dodge Charger Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition Coming in 2020

The new Dodge Charger Daytona 50th Anniversary Edition, 3.5 inches wider due to wider wheels and tires, is powered by a 717 horsepower supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® Hellcat V-8 engine with production limited to 501 units, mirroring the 1969 production total, Vehicles will start to arrive in early 2020.

Acura Type S Concept

The Acura Type S Concept sets the stage for re-introducing Type S performance variants to the Acura line-up after a decade hiatus, and will heavily influence the character of the upcoming, second-generation TLX Type S.

2020 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Starts At $163,250

The new 2020 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid and Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe are powered by a 541 horsepower 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine combined with a 134-horsepower electric motor to generate a total system output of 670 horsepower with the electric motor sitting between the gasoline engine and the eight-speed Tiptronic S automatic transmission, and delivering 0-60 mph acceleration in 3.6 seconds, to a top track speed of 183 mph. A 7.2 kW onboard charger is standard equipment and Sport Exhaust and Rear Axle Steering are both available as options. The upgraded charger enables a complete recharge of the 14.1 kWh battery in as little as 2.4 hours when using a 240-volt connection with a 50-amp circuit.

The (non-S model) 2020 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe combines the same 3.0-liter single-turbo V6 and electric motor as the standard Cayenne E-Hybrid, producing total system output is 455 horsepower. The standard Sport Chrono Package, delivers 0-60 mph in 4.7 seconds to a top track speed of 157 mph.

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid will start at $163,250 (including $1,350 for processing, delivery and handling), the Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid Coupe at $165,750 and Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe at $87,750 when they reach U.S. Porsche dealerships in the first quarter of 2020. 

2020 Nissan Maxima Starts At $35,145 Now

The 2020 Nissan Maxima, now on sale in S, SV, SL, SR and Platinum models, is powered by a 300-horsepower 3.5-liter VQ-series V6 engine mated to an Xtronic transmission and starts at $35,145 (including $895 destination and handling charge). Nissan Safety Shield 360 includes Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Lane Departure Warning, High Beam Assist and Rear Automatic Braking. Maxima also offers available Intelligent Cruise Control, and Traffic Sign Recognition. Maxima’s Intelligent Driver Alertness technology is standard on all grade levels.

Karma SC1 Vision Concept

The Karma SC1 Vision Concept integrates a new infotainment architecture with 5G connectivity and a humanized communication system with touch, voice, eye and graphical interfaces. With eight radars, six Lidar sensors, and half dozen external cameras, the SC1 Vision Concept is ready for autonomous driving.

2020 Nissan Versa Starts At $15,625 Now

The all-new 2020 Nissan Versa compact sedan, in its third generation and now on sale, powered by the next-generation 122 horsepower 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine starts at $15,625 (including $895 destination and handling charge). The 2020 Versa, lower, wider and longer, is offered in S (5-speed manual or Xtronic transmissions), SV (Xtronic) and sporty SR (Xtronic) models. Fuel economy is rated at 32 mpg city, 40 mpg highway, 35 mpg combined (Xtronic models).