Jaguar enticing younger buyers with 2017 F-Pace SUV

The automotive industry’s sport utility vehicle segment continues to contradict the move toward more efficient vehicles, particularly with new legislation on the horizon requiring better gas mileage. Jaguar has never manufactured a compact SUV, but it’s now joining the movement as more buyers are opting for the versatility of the style. Like other high-end manufacturers, Jaguar, and its new F-Pace are now part of a recent sub-set, which not too many years ago, was an automotive oxymoron — luxury SUV. The F-Pace, combined with its second updated vehicle, the Jaguar XE, defines the British carmaker’s objective toward a younger audience.

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Car title loans an option for auto consumers

When banks and credit car companies aren’t a viable choice for financing the purchase of a vehicle, there’s another lending option — Car title loans. Simply defined, a car title loan is a short-term loan in which the borrower’s car title is used as collateral. The borrower must be the lien holder (i.e. own the car outright). Loans are usually for less than 30 days. If the loan is not repaid, the lender can take ownership of the car and sell it to recoup the loan amount. A good-quality short-term loan comes with an affordable monthly payment and shows a

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2016 Lexus IS200: New luxury sedan gives BMW pause

The 2016 Lexus IS200 is a new vehicle, replacing the IS 250 as the upscale brand’s entry level luxury sedan. It features three models, including a more fuel-efficient 2.0-liter, four-cylinder, turbo-charged engine with 241 horsepower. The Weekly Driver Test Drive My weekly driver test drive was the Lexus IS200t with the F Sport Package. Lexus is known for its generous list of standard features, among other qualities. The new IS lineup in no exception. Standard equipment across the line includes: 17-inch wheels (18-inchers on the IS 350), xenon headlights, LED running lights/foglights/taillights, heated exterior mirrors, a sunroof, keyless entry and

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2016 Lexus GS-F Review – Tech and Software

Lexus is manufacturing only 2,000 units of the 2016 Lexus GS-F. It’s a luxury sports sedan for a niche market. Still, I was curious about its the software and technology. Is it it any different from the standard Lexus Enform suite of apps? How does it stack up for ease of use and phone integration? Taking the vehicle through the proverbial tracks, I video’d the different features and processes to give a better picture of how it all works. Sure, the vehicle is fast, turns quickly, has some sort of horse powering the engine. But what about Bluetooth and navigation?

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Takata airbag recall explodes, 70 million cars now at risk

The seemingly never-ending safety concerns of the automotive industry have been further complicated by the vastly expanded airbag recall involving parts made by Takata. At risk, according the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, are now as many as nearly 70 million vehicles from nearly every major and some niche manufacturers. The expansion primarily affects passenger-side inflators not covered by previous recalls. It will also cover inflators in vehicles made by Jaguar-Land Rover, Tesla Motors and Fisker Automotive for the first time. Fourteen other auto companies, including American Honda, Ford, Toyota, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, General Motors, Nissan and Fiat-Chrysler already are affected

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Recall madness: Nissan, GM, Ford, millions of fixes for all

The auto industry is on pace for another banner year, for all the wrong reasons — recalls. After dubious yearly records of 50.99 recalls in 2014 and 51.22 million recalls in 2015, recent recalls by Nissan, Ford and Fiat Chrysler, among other automakers, are rapidly boosting this year’s totals. Nissan recently announced the biggest of the latest recalls worldwide. It’s recalling 3.53 million vehicles equipped with passenger-side airbags may not work properly because vehicle sensors may malfunction. The recall includes the 2013-2017 Nissan Altima, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder, Sentra, Rogue, NV200, NV Taxi, Infiniti JX35/QX60, and Q50. It also includes

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2016 Lexus GS-F: Luxury sedan, sports car attitude

The 2016 Lexus GS-F is a new vehicle. It joined the upscale carmaker’s lineup as a luxury sedan hopeful of providing competition for well-entrenched, performance-oriented stalwarts like the Mercedes-Benz AMG, BMW “M” division and Audi RS models. Marketed as four-door, five-seat sedan, the new Lexus leans more toward an awkward term (at least for purists) of four-door sports car. It’s designed and performs like a roadster, but it’s a luxury sedan and it’s all that defines the segment — a plush, well-designed interior and a refined, handsome exterior. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As a five-passenger sedan offered only with

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Win a free Ford Mustang, Ford Raptor in sweepstakes

AmericanMuscle.com, a premier aftermarket supplier, has announced a sweepstakes to celebrate 10 years of providing parts to Ford Mustang and For F-150 owners. It’s giving away $100,000 in prizes, including a 2017 Ford Raptor, a 2015 (850-plus  horsepower) S550 Mustang GT fand a stocked custom race trailer. An 850+ HP Mustang built by the AmericanMuscle crew is impressive with $30,000 in custom modifications: a Whipple Supercharger, full MMD styling package, all wrapped in an eye popping Tangerine Orange paint job, an ode to a factory color only ever used on 829 Mustangs. The yet-to-be-released 2017 Ford Raptor is an attention

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Pirelli announces new plant in Mexico, production soars

Mexico has gone to tires — and that’s good news for both the economy of the country and the expanding needs of Pirelli. The Italian manufacturer is well positioned in Mexico already. It manufactured an estimated 3 million tires in Silao, in the state of Guanajuato in 2015, according to the tire maker’s press release. But Pirelli is now set to build another car tire place in Mexico. The new facility will cost an estimated $200 million and will have the capability of manufacturing 2.5 million tires a year by 2019. The new plant, also located in Silao, will push

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Mercedes-Benz debuts AA battery-powered sedan (video)

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The ever-evolving electric car industry is ripe with impressive innovative. Tesla is leading the way with its industry-changing sports cars and Elon Musk’s imagination and bravado. The recently announced reservation plan for Tesla’s $35,000 new model, envisioned for delivery in late 2017, has nearly one-half million reservation deposits of $1,000 each. The new Tesla, if delivered to the public at large, could change the automotive industry. Mercedes-Benz charges industry The Toyota Prius family is the most successful “green” vehicle to date since its debut in the United States in 2000. But its plug-in electric option is far from a big

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2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport: Improved underdog

It’s been 13 years since the Mitsubishi Outlander joined the sport utility vehicle segment. Different trims joined the lineup in three generations, but nothing has drastically changed, including in the 2016 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport. Tte Outlander replaced the Montero and the former has improved with each generation and trim. Mitsubishi has diligently attempted to penetrate the stronghold Honda, Mazda, Toyota and Ford have in the segment. But the Outlander, despite some good features, remains an underdog. The Weekly Driver Test Drive It’s been two years since I last drove a Mitsubishi Outlander and now I’ve driven two within a few

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VW, EPA reach deal but emissions scandal looms

After months of offers, counter offers and legal maneuvering, Volkswagen has reached an agreement with U.S. authorities to offer nearly 500,000 owners of 2.0-liter diesel VW and Audi vehicles in the United States viable options to address the the company’s admitted wrongdoing to mask excess emissions. The agreed upon deal includes offering affected Volkswagen owners several options — a buyback, lease cancellation and — pending additional government testing and approval — the option to have their vehicles modified. The deal will also include “substantial compensation” for the affected owners, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer said in a report in the

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2017 Kia Sportage: New SUV design stuns, shines

After years of acceptance as an unheralded compact sport utility vehicle against the monoliths in the segment, the 2017 Kia Sportage has emerged as a worthy competitor. It’s been boldly redesigned inside and outside for the debut of its fourth generation. The Weekly Driver Test Drive In addition to a new exterior design Kia says was inspired by modern fighter jets (Doesn’t Saab say the same thing?), the 2017 Kia Sportage is offered in new trims. My test vehicle was SX Turbo model with front-wheel drive. Like the base model LX and EX modeles, the SX model has a long

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2016 Honda Pilot: New inside, out for top-level SUV

Now in its 14th year, the Honda Pilot has finally come of age. It’s always been Honda’s largest sport utility vehicle, with the word utility translating into big, boxy and boring. With Toyota, Hyundai and others offering increasingly strong competition, the 2016 Honda Pilot is in the first year of its third generation. It’s sleeker, lighter, more attractive inside and outside and has an array of new standard and optional features. The Weekly Driver Test Drive As a three-row SUV, the 2016 Honda Pilot is available in five trims, including my weekly driver, the top-line Elite. It’s the only trim

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2016 Toyota Highlander (Hybrid) poised, pricey

The Toyota Highlander hybrid debuted in the United States in 2005, five years after the gas model. The idea was to help ease a major concern among potential sport utility vehicle owners — lousy gas mileage. It worked. As a holdover from last year’s top-rated offering, the 2016 Toyota Highlander hybrid is a three-row, midsize SUV. It’s powered by a 3.5-liter V6 and three electric motors that combine for 280 horsepower. It features a continuously variable transmission and is standard with all-wheel drive. Seven-passenger seating is standard, too, with two captain’s chairs in the second row and a 60/40-split bench

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Tesla Model 3 unveiling, reservations streamed live

The Tesla Model 3, the first “green car” that will make a substantial impact on the automotive industry’s interest in a cleaner environment, will be available to reserve live at 7:30 p.m. PT on March 31. The live streaming of the unveiling will begin at 8:30 p.m. The reservation process and debut of the vehicle, anticipated for months, will be available HERE. Tesla suggests trying to log-in at least 15 before the debut time. A reservation can be made online for $1,000. It can be refunded in the event of cancellation — or applied instead to the purchase of a

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