2017 NEW CAR PREVIEW: BMW to unveil lineup in Detroit

BMW will offer a varied new selection of vehicles, including the world debut of the 2017 5 Series sedan as well as the M Performance and plug-in hybrid electric iPerformance variants January 9 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The BMW X2 Concept, a compact Sports Activity Vehicle first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, will make its North American debut. With the introduction of the 530e iPerformance, BMW now offers a family of plug-in electric hybrid vehicles including the 330e iPerformance, the 740e xDrive iPerformance,  X5 xDrive40e iPerformance as well as the i3 and

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2017 Auto Trends: Driverless shuttle Olli, no more shifts

You’ve coordinated an outing with friends or a business meeting with colleagues at a restaurant. Parking options are limited. Perhaps alcohol will be served, and supplies or equipment are needed for the occasion. The best solution: Phone Olli. Call it an autonomous chartered shuttle, a friendly neighborhood mobility solution or forward-thinking transportation. The 12-passenger vehicle with the unusual nickname is at your disposal via a smartphone app. It will transport the group to its desired location and back — without human navigation Unveiled in June by Local Motors, an Arizona-based innovation company, the autonomous electric vehicle utilizes the integration of

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2017 Acura MDX: Enduring SUV gets a new look

It hardly seems like the Acura MDX has been around for 17 years. But while competition has increased with the ever-expanding popularity of sport utility vehicles, the mid-size luxury crossover has retained its strong pace among three-row SUV options. Honda, which manufacturers Acura via its luxury nameplate, states the MDX was the first and current best-selling three-row SUV in history. More than 700,000 had sold by the end of 2014. The 2017 Acura MDX faces strong competition from Lexus, the best-selling luxury crossover SUV, as well as Audi, BMW, Porsche, and Volvo. The Acura has the same platform as its

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VW pays more for pollution scandal (all cars listed here)

Another chapter in the long saga of Volkswagen and its scheme to hide emission levels in some of its vehicles has resulted in the manufacturer offering to buy back more tainted diesel cars and spend an additional $1 billion to settle the air pollution scandal. The German automaker agreed to buy back tainted 3.0-liter engine vehicles sold between 2009 and 2012. The company will fix newer 3.0-liter cars. Volkswagen will pay $225 million into a “national mitigation fund” to address air pollution effects from its tainted 3.0-liter engine vehicles. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) said $66 million would go

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2017 cheap cars abound, average new car price climbs

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The average price of a new vehicle in the United States has increased for several years. It’s now more than $31,000. But quality new cheap cars are readily available, too. Pushed by competition in the automotive industry, improved safety and technology innovation, there’s and abundance of new cars available for, most for about half the price of the average new car price. Personal preferences vary, of course. And recently a list compiled by Car and Driver details the diversity of the country’s 10 cheapest 2017 new cars. Here’s the list, cheapest to the most expensive among the cheapest. The prices

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Elio Motors Timeline, 2014-2016: Plans, Promises, No Cars

In early 2014, The Weekly Driver reported on the ambitious plans of Elio Motors to debut about a year later an unnamed three-wheel vehicle conceived by company founder Paul Elio. The attraction was startling: the futuristic-looking contraption was touted as costing $6,800, and it could achieve 84 mpg. Further, the company promoted the vehicle as featuring an eight-gallon gas tank with a 672-mile range and a top speed of more than 100 mph. The small front-mounted engine in the Elio was promoted as 1.0 liter, with three cylinders and 70 horsepower. It would feature two seats, with an optional fold-down

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EVgo expands profile with country’s fastest charging station

Construction of the first high-power public charging station in the United States has begun in Baker, California. It’s under the auspices of EVgo, the nation’s nation’s largest network of public electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging stations. The new station’s chargers will be capable of charging at a rate of up to 350kW. The rate is seven times faster than any fast chargers currently available and represents a new level of convenience for EV charging. When completed, EVgo’s High-Power charging station at the site of World’s Tallest Thermometer will link Southern California to Las Vegas, furthering EVgo’s position as the leading national

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Bugatti As Kinetic Art? Rare Pedal Cars Honor Iconic Brand

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Bugatti is often considered the world’s most prestigious automobile. The French car company was founded in 1909 by Ettore Bugatti. Throughout its more its now nearly 108-year history, the craftsmanship of its vehicles is unmatched. Despite the beauty and legend of Bugatti, the exclusive company has endured its pitfalls like nearly every other high-end manufacturer. Ettore Bugatti died in 1947 and was preceded in death by his son Jean. The elder’s passing marked the beginning of the demise of the original company. The company was in such financial disarray in the early 1960s, its inventory was sold for use as

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2017 Bentley Bentayga: Plush, Powerful, Fit For A Queen

Two friends recently joined me for a weekend morning drive to breakfast in a 2017 Bentley Bentayga. One buddy wore a fedora for the occasion, the other a touring cap. Another friend dressed up for a lunch meeting. It wasn’t for the restaurant’s stature, but for his passenger’s role in the plush sport utility vehicle. (All images © Michael Kahn, https://www.mklibrary.com) Bentley does that to people. It’s the manufacturer of cars for royalty, including the Queen of England’s 2002 limousine. It’s the original car author Ian Fleming selected for his James Bond character to drive while wearing his custom-tailored suits.

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Lyft offers one-day tip bonus to drivers, debuts sweet film

About a year ago, I used the Lyft platform for the first time on a business trip to Long Beach. I relied on the service five times in three days, including on two occasions in which the drivers told me they’d left their jobs to take care of their aging fathers. They’d become Lyft drivers part-time while becoming full-time caregivers. One driver said his father was on the mend, but he preferred driving the Lyft rather than returning to his corporate job. The other driver said his father had died, but he remained a Lyft and Uber driver because he

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If Elio Motors fails, Canadian EV start-up will honor deposits

As Elio Motors continues its fledgling future, another start-up is seeking the opportunity to capitalize — if the long-promised but undelivered three-wheel fails. Elio Motors’ website lists more than 62,000 reservations for the futuristic-looking 3-cylinder vehicle its founder Paul Elio claims will get as much as 84 mpg. But a recent report on the website Gas 2.0 details Elio Motors loss of more than $123 million in its filing with the Security Exchange Commission (SEC). In the filing, Elio further reports its future is in jeopardy without additional fundings. In reaction to the most recent post on TheWeeklyDriver.com (we’ve written

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2017 Volvo S90: New luxury sedan trumps German rivals

Imagine a Swedish-built sedan trying to infiltrate the luxury market dominated by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi? Welcome the 2017 Volvo S90. The new flagship replaces the Volvo S80 as a slightly wider and longer offering. Its sleek exterior design features take Volvo further past its former reputation. It’s no longer a manufacturer of sturdy but stodgy vehicles only at their best Scandinavian winters. Offered with a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine, the Volvo S90 is offered in T5 and T6 models. The latter was my weekly driver, and it’s the more powerful with 316 horsepower while utilizing the turbocharger and supercharger.

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Elio Motors: So long, farewell to your three-wheel hype

The fate of the much-hyped, low-cost, high gas mileage, three-wheel vehicle manufactured by Elio Motors may end before it starts. A report on the website Gas 2.0 details the company’s massive spending, substantial debt, and severe concerns it will continue. Elio Motors, which has touted its predicted 84 mpg futuristic vehicles for several years, has missed many deadlines for the vehicle’s debut. It has produced five three-wheel prototypes, but its prediction of creating 1,500 jobs at its Louisiana plant has never materialized. In a partial description of the company’s Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) filing on the Gas 2.0 site, Paul

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2016 Fiat 500X: Little SUV has faults, but rules the road

Four years after the Italian carmaker return to the United States, the 2016 Fiat 500X joins the little car family as its first subcompact crossover. It combines the traits of its motoring siblings, the 500 and 500L, with an elevated driving position and several upgrades. Like some of its siblings, the Fiat 500X is also among an increasing number of vehicles with more interior space than it appears from the outside of the car. It’s a subcompact SUV, surprisingly spacious and possessing a spunky personality. The Weekly Driver Test Drive The Fiat 500X is available in five trims, including my

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2018 Toyota Camry: Watch the debut live from Detroit

When you sell more than 400,000 units of a car in a year, you get to have bravado. That’s how and why the 2018 Toyota Camry is just a tease — for now. The carmaker has announced the new edition of the best-selling car in the United States for many years will be unveiled in January at the 2017 North American International Auto Show, often called the Detroit Auto Show. Toyota’s only preview image of the new Camry is a close-cropped, three-quarter low-angle rear view. Sure, it’s a partial view. But it appears the usually conservatively styled sedan has been

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2017 Kia Sorento: Underdog SUV warrants bigger market

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While vying for a market share against the well-touted Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Highlander, the unheralded 2017 Kia Sorento counters with equally high overall marks. It has an extraordinary list of standard features and industry-best safety ratings. The Sorento was redesigned in 2016, so this year’s model is largely a continuation of the new generation except for a few technology tweaks. The midsize SUV is available in L, LX, EX, SX and SX Limited (SXL) trims. The SX and SXL include the other trims’ features and several upgrades: The SX features heated seats and steering wheel, push-button start and

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