Mercedes-EQS All-Electric Luxury Sedan

Mercedes-EQ introduces its first all-electric luxury sedan with ranges up to 478 miles. The first models to the U.S. market, close relatives of the new S-Class, will be the 329 horsepower EQS 450+ and the 516 horsepower EQS 580 4MATIC. A performance version with up to 630 horsepower is being planned. All EQS models have an electric powertrain at the rear axle, while the versions with 4MATIC also have an eATS at the front axle. The EQS can be charged with up to 200 kW at fast charging stations with direct current. Power for up to another 186 miles is recharged in just 15 minutes. The larger of the two batteries has a usable energy content of 107.8 kWh. Inside, the MBUX Hyperscreen is a large, curved screen unit sweeps almost from A-pillar to A-pillar with three screens that appear to merge into one as they sit under a single glass cover. The 12.3-inch OLED display for the front passenger gives them their own display and control area.

2022 Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron Coming By Yearend

The 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron represent the fourth and fifth fully electric additions to Audi’s U.S. portfolio and contribute toward the brand’s goal of achieving a 30% electrified model portfolio globally by 2025, including fully electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. The entry Q4 40 e-tron has an estimated output of 150 kW with a preliminary manufacturer’s estimated range of aproximately 250 miles based on approximation of EPA test cycles for a full charge, while the top-of-the-range Q4 50 e-tron quattro and Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro offer two electric motors with all-wheel drive delivering a maximum estimated output of 220 kW. The 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron are expected to arrive in the U.S. toward the end of 2021. Further details will be provided for pricing of trim level-specific packages closer to on-sale timing. Pricing for the Q4 e-tron model line is planned to start under $45,000 and it is anticipated that it may qualify for up to $7,500 in federal tax incentives as well as possible local and state tax incentives, depending on the owner’s municipality.

Nissan GT-R NISMO Special Edition Coming This Fall

Nissan GT-R NISMO Special Edition, powered by a 600 horsepower 3.8-liter twin turbo V6, features a stealth gray exterior, 20-inch RAYS forged aluminum-alloy wheels with red accents, and a clear-coated carbon fiber hood. A very limited number of the new model will be available in North America this Fall. Pricing for the GT-R NISMO Special Edition will be announced at a later date.

Mazda MX-30 EV Coming This Fall

The all-new Mazda MX-30, the brand’s first battery-electric vehicle with a 144 horsepower front-wheel drive electric motor, will come to the US market beginning in Fall 2021 with California dealerships. The 35.5 kWh battery can be charged to 80% within approximately 36 minutes using DC fast charging. Additional details on this partnership will be shared closer to the vehicles arriving in dealerships.

2022 INFINITI QX55 Arrives This Month

All-new 2022 INFINITI QX55, in LUXE, ESSENTIAL and SENSORY trim levels, is powered by a 268-horsepower VC-Turbo engine paired to a Continuously Variable Transmission with steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters and manual mode and comes with standard Intelligent All-Wheel Drive, 20-inch wheels, wireless Apple CarPlay compatibility. 2022 INFINITI QX55 will start at $47,525 (including $1,025 destination and handling charge) when it arrives in U.S. and Canadian showrooms in coming weeks.

2022 Lexus LS 500h Coming This Fall

The 2022 Lexus LS 500h flagship luxury hybrid sedan will be equipped with Lexus Teammate on the LS 500h with AWD. The all-new partial hands-free functions include Advanced Drive designed to accurately detect driving conditions to plan and execute acceleration, braking, and steering commands to maintain the vehicle within the lane, follow other vehicles, change lanes, navigate certain interchanges and traffic jams and overtake slower vehicles and Advanced Park that assists the operations necessary for hands-free safe and parking by automatically controlling steering, acceleration, braking, and gear changes when parallel parking or backing into a parking space. The 2022 LS 500h AWD with Lexus Teammate and LS 500 are expected to arrive in dealerships later this Fall.

2022 Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 4MATIC Arrives in Early 2022

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 4MATIC is powered by a 362 horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder gasoline engine with an integrated second-generation starter-generator and 48-volt electrical system with an output of up to 21 hp and up to 184 lb-ft electric boost. As standard, the CLS has two large 12.3-inch screens arranged side by side for a widescreen look. The CLS features Active Brake Assist as standard, which can prevent a collision or reduce its severity in many situations with autonomous braking. Included with the available Driver Assistance Package is Active Speed Limit Assist, which reacts to speed limit changes using map data as well as input from Traffic Sign Assist and Active Stop-and-Go Assist can take over the task of keeping the vehicle in the lane and maintaining distance. Active Parking Assist with PARKTRONIC and a 360° camera makes it possible to enter and leave parking spaces automatically. The 2022 Mercedes-Benz CLS 450 4MATIC will arrive in U.S. dealerships in early 2022.

All-New 2022 Toyota GR 86 and Subaru BRZ Debut

Toyota's new GR 86 and Subaru's new BRZ, almost identical dimensions to the previous model, were jointly developed with the GR 86 powered by a new 232 horsepower 2.4L horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or 6-speed automatic transmission achieving 0-62 mph acceleration in 6.3 seconds, down from the 7.4 seconds of the outgoing model. The new GR 86 is scheduled to launch in Japan this Fall.

The all-new 2022 Subaru BRZ with an all-new 228 horsepower 2.4-Liter Direct-Injection SUBARU BOXER Engine paired with a  6-speed manual shifter in the 2022 BRZ Limited or a  6-Speed Manual or Automatic with Paddle Shifters. The chassis and body of the BRZ have been reengineered for lighter weight, an even lower center of gravity, 50% increased torsional rigidity, and 60% increased front lateral rigidity. The 2022 BRZ now offers EyeSight® Driver Assist Technology with automatic Pre-Collision Braking and Adaptive Cruise Control for extra peace of mind and daily driving convenience. SUBARU STARLINK® Safety and Security features an array of services that can keep you and your BRZ connected to help, like Enhanced Roadside Assistance and Automatic Collision Notification. The BRZ now features a configurable, fully digital instrument cluster with a central tachometer and integrated g-force meter plus adaptive Sport and Track modes.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Starts At $162,350 This Fall

The 2022 Porsche 911 GT3, powered by a 502 horsepower naturally aspirated 4.0-liter, six-cylinder boxer engine mated to a seven-speed Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) transmission which is included as standard equipment, with an available a six-speed manual transmission, is now available for U.S. customers to configure and order for a starting MSRP of $162,350 (including a $1,350 delivery, processing and handling fee). The Porsche 911 GT3 is expected to arrive in the U.S. as part of the 2022 model year, reaching dealers by Fall 2021. 

Genesis X Concept

The Genesis X Concept, an EV-based GT (Gran Turismo) concept car.

2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness™ Coming Later This Year

The new 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness™, with elevated 9.5-inch ground clearance, is powered by a 260 horsepower 2.4-liter turbocharged BOXER engine rated at 22 city/26 highway with a 3,500-lb. towing capacity. A revised rear differential with a final drive ratio of 4.44:1 was fitted, and the Lineartronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission) was modified to achieve an equivalent final drive ratio at the front wheels to improve available low-end torque at the wheels to climb grades up to 40 percent on a gravel surface. Standard dual-function X-MODE includes Snow/Dirt and Deep Snow/Mud modes. Exclusive to Outback Wilderness, a new advanced feature for X-MODE allows the vehicle to switch automatically from low speed managed driving to speeds over 25 mph without interruption of power or performance. Pricing for the 2022 Outback Wilderness will be announced later this year.

Kia EV6 Fully Electric Vehicle

The new Kia EV6, the first BEV built on new dedicated EV platform, is powered a choice of multiple fully-electric, zero-emission powertrain configurations, including long-range (77.4 kWh) and standard-range (58.0 kWh) high-voltage battery packs. EV6 GT-line (pictured above) is available with both long-range and standard-range battery packs. The 2WD 77.4 kWh EV6 can travel over 316 miles on a single charge on the WLTP combined cycle. The 77.4 kWh battery pack is paired with a 226 horsepower electric motor powering the rear wheels, and for AWD models a 320 horsepower electric motor powers the front and rear wheels.

Lexus LF-Z Electrified Concept

The Lexus LF-Z Electrified, a BEV Concept, is envisioned for realization by 2025 when Lexus plans to introduce 20 new or improved models, including more than 10 electrified models. The new four-wheel drive force control technology, DIRECT4, is controlled according to human senses and inputs. Artificial Intelligence learns the driver’s preferences and behavioral characteristics and the voice recognition system uses the latest AI to recognize, learn, and adapt to a driver’s habits and preferences, supporting with tasks such as determining driving routes and making restaurant reservations.  

Video: Throwback Thursday - FNN AutoTrends

Financial News Network's AutoTrends program was a highly-rated weekly program hosted by Richard Saxton from 1989-1991 that covered new and collector cars as well as automotive personalities. Here are a few clips.

Hyundai STARIA Debuts In First Half Of 2021

The Hyundai STARIA multi-purpose vehicle offers a number of seating arrangements, from 2-seater to 11-seater, making it suitable for both families and business use. Inspired by the lounge of a cruise ship, the 9-seater STARIA Premium has second-row seats with the added ability to swivel 180 degrees to face passengers in the third row. The 11-seater STARIA Premium will only be available in Korea. STARIA, will have a digital world premiere slated for the first half of 2021.

BMW i4 Coming This Year

The BMW i4, a fully electric 4 door Gran Coupé with a power output of up to 530 horsepower, will be available in different versions covering ranges of up to 300 miles. The BMW i4 will enter the market during the course of 2021, including a BMW M Performance model. 

2021 Acura TLX Type S Starts In The Low $50,000s In May

The 2021 Acura TLX Type S, powered by an all-new 355 horsepower 3.0-liter Type S Turbo V6 engine mated to a Sport Tuned 10-speed AT, is equpped with a sport-tuned chassis with double wishbone front suspension and Brembo® brakes. When it arrives at showrooms in late May, the well-equipped 2021 Acura TLX Type S will carry a Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price starting in the low $50,000s.

2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line Coming This Spring

The 2022 Kia Stinger GT-Line is powered by a 300 horsepower 2.5-liter turbo-four-cylinder engine mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters or a 368 horsepower 3.3-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine also paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. Kia’s latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, including Auto Emergency Braking Technology, Blind Spot Collision Avoidance, and Lane Keeping Assist are now all standard. The 2022 Kia Stinger will arrive this Spring and be available in GT-Line, GT1, and GT2 trims, with a special edition Scorpion model released at a later date. 

2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid

The new 2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-in Hybrid model features an estimated 261 horsepower, 1.6-liter turbocharged, direct-injected hybrid powertrain coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission. The Plug-in Hybrid battery is larger than the hybrid battery, with 13.8 kWh of power, yielding an estimated all-electric range of 32 miles and estimated fuel economy of 70 MPGe. Plug-in Hybrid Level-II charging capability is well under two hours to recharge the system using a 7.2kW on-board charger. The Plug-in Hybrid powerplant delivers an estimated combined fuel economy rating of 30 mpg with all-wheel drive and offers a tow rating of 2,000 lbs.

Volkswagen ID.4 Arriving This Month

The Volkswagen ID.4 long-range electric SUV, after more than two years of preparation, is arriving in dealers across America this month through a network of more than 600 dealers. The ID.4, Volkswagen’s first all-electric SUV, will be offered in four trims with an 82kWh (gross) battery and a rear-mounted AC permanent-magnet synchronous motor with 201 horsepower, 229 pound-feet of torque and an EPA-estimated 250 miles of range for the ID.4 Pro S and 1st Edition models. Pricing starts at an MSRP of $39,995, and offers a potential Federal tax credit of up to $7,500. Starting later in 2021, the ID.4 AWD Pro will be available with an MSRP of $43,675.