Byton concept set to challenge Tesla but with China debut

Byton, the much-touted electric concept SUV and sedan with Chinese financing and projected as a challenger to Tesla, is getting closer to its production launch. Company representatives showcased the M-Byte crossover and K-Byte sedan and spoke about the company’s plan at AutoMobility LA, the precursor days of the LA Auto Show, Nov. 30-Dec. 9. The M-Byte will be on display throughout the show. If projections materialize, the vehicle will be available in China at the end of 2019 and six months later will be available in the U.S. market. With an advertised base price of $45,000, the Byton is marketed

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2019 Genesis G70 debuts with Car of the Year honors

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The 2019 Genesis G70, the entry-level compact luxury sport sedan new to the two-year manufacturer morphed from Hyundai, has been named Car of the Year by MotorTrend. Held in conjunction with the opening of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the award is presented annually by the esteemed publication. The Genesis G70 competed against more 19 vehicles in the publication’s determination of the most competent, desirable and capable vehicle to debut for the 2019 model year. MotorTrend editors examine each contending vehicle in street and track testing. Genesis to date in 2018 has won highest-ranked brand in the automotive industry awards

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GM shocker: Here are the plants, cars destined for demise

It didn’t take long after GM announced its massive downsizing and demise of several vehicles to provide specific details of plant closings and the dates for production stoppages. The Chevrolet Volt, Chevrolet Cruze and Buick LaCrosse will stop being produced in March 2019. The Cadillac CT6 will end its production June 1, 2019, followed by the Chevy Impala and Cadillac XTS in the fourth quarter of 2019 — at least in the United States. GM announced November 26 its severe layoffs and its plans to close five North American manufacturing facilities. According to a report by Jalopnik, the global fate of the Cruze, CT6 and LaCrosse

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#60, Bay Area tow truck driver videos interstate idiots

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 26:36 — 36.5MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreRay Elliott of Los Gatos, California has been a tow truck driver in the Silicon Valley for more 20 years. He witnesses stupidity on the freeway daily. Elliott has arrived on the scene of every kind of accident imaginable, sometimes before law enforcement personnel or first responders. He has seen fender benders and death. As a former paramedic, Elliott has helped saved lives at accidents. He’s seen so much go wrong, he decided years ago to document much of his daily work life on

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2019 BMW 3 Series gets 330e

The 2019 BMW 3 Series, the perennially top-ranked sedan, recently had its global unveiling at the Paris Auto Show. It will be available to the public in the summer of 2019. The car’s seventh generation will feature a new plug-in hybrid 330e. The PHEV includes BMW’s latest eDrive Technology to enhance efficiency and performance. A vital component of the new BMW 330e plug-in is the addition of XtraBoost, a system that allows the sedan to increase system output temporary by up to 41 horsepower (30 kW). It will increase the 330e’s 252 horsepower (185 kW) output up to 293 hp

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PREVIEW: 2019 Toyota RAV4 debuts new design, features

The Toyota RAV4 debuted 22 years ago. The new fifth-generation 2019 edition of the sport utility vehicle will debut in dealerships in December in gas models and in hybrid models in March 2019. Gas models will be offered in five grades: LE, XLE, XLE Premium, Adventure and Limited. RAV4 HV will be offered in four grades: LE HV, XLE HV, XSE HV and Limited HV. Following the guiding themes from Toyota trucks, the new RAV4 has a revised front end and grille design to create a wider stance. With their polygonal motifs, the wheel arches appear to hold the tires

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Celebrities, test drives, rare cars set for LA Auto Show

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Celebrity interaction, more test-drive availability, increased mobility solutions, custom cars and a host of world vehicle debuts are set for the LA Auto Show. The annual 10-day extravaganza of all things automotive will be held Nov. 30-Dec. 9 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. And there will be something for everyone, whether you’re an avid car enthusiast or a first-time visitor to the more than 100-year-old show. Consider a few highlights: * Amazon Gaming Lounge: Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, and James May are bringing high-jinks and hot laps to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in The Grand Tour Game, an episodic racing game based on

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Underdog 2019 Kia K900 joins luxury sedan elites

Introduced four years ago, the Kia K900 is the South Korean manufacturer’s flagship luxury sedan. The vehicle had an unheralded debut and newly designed 2019 edition remains under-appreciated. But perhaps not for long. Hyundai owns about one-third of Kia and the two manufacturers, despite independent vehicles, share much. The new K900 is based on the Genesis G90, the luxury sedan now on its own as a brand from its original mothership, Hyundai. Like the Genesis G90, which has steadily built an audience, the Kia K900 has a well-heeled list of respected rivals. The BMW 7 Series, Lexus LS and Mercedes-Benz

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#59, Technology, Chinese influence on tap for LA Auto Show

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Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 35:58 — 49.4MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThe LA Auto Show began more 100 years ago and it’s always changed with trends in the automotive industry — pick-up trucks to alternative fuel vehicles. This year’s show, scheduled Nov. 29-Dec. 10 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, will be no different. More than 60 vehicles are confirmed to make their North American or global debuts. Lefteris “Lefty” Tsironis, the show’s marketing and communications director, is our guest on episode #59 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Tsironis takes co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James

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NEW CAR PREVIEW: 2019 Mazda CX-5 (Signature)

The new, top-line trim of the 2019 Mazda CX-5, the carmaker’s compact crossover SUV and its best-selling vehicle, was unveiled at the recent Seattle Auto Show. The new Signature SUV includes the turbocharged SKYACTIV-2.5T engine and new G-Vectoring Control Plus. It incorporates premium materials, such as Caturra Brown Nappa leather and genuine layered wood trim. Other features in the 2019 Mazda CX-5: Apple CarPlayTMand Android AutoTM compatibility, a reconfigurable 7.0-TFT gauge display, heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, heated steering wheel, a BOSE 10-speaker premium sound system, windshield-projected Active Driving Display head-up unit and a 360°View Monitor with

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VW plans electric car to compete with Tesla Model 3

Volkswagen may be giving up on the Beetle, but its continuing its quest to regain public trust and modernize its offerings with a new all-electric mid-sized sedan for $23,000. The German automaker cheated for years on its diesel emission tests, but its pending electric sedan has the name I.D. Aero. According to a Reuters report, it will cost nearly $12,00 less than the basic price of a Tesla Model 3. Reuters’ sources also reported VW will convert three of its factories in Germany to produce its Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB) entry. The carmaker’s goal will to manufacture 200,000 vehicles

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2019 Lexus ES 350 luxury sedan improves but not enough

Now beginning its seventh generation, the Lexus ES 350 is the upscale Toyota nameplate’s midsize luxury sedan. For 2019, it’s available in four trims, including the new F Sport. As its designation implies, it has a sporty look and feel. Nearly every major manufacturer has a midsize luxury sedan. Lexus received top honors in Consumer Reports’ yearly most reliable brand survey for 2018. But the previous generation of the ES 350 had its time and other manufacturers, including Hyundai, Genesis and Kia, now all offer legitimate competition. Audi and BMW have a long-standing rivalry with Lexus. The new ES 350

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#58 Consumer Reports’ expert discusses reliability survey

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 33:31 — 46.0MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreMike Quincy is an expert among car experts. For nearly 20 years, he’s purchased, driven and evaluated cars for Consumer Reports. The well-respected magazine and website has tested vehicles for decades, and it’s considered the automotive industry’s most objective resource. Mike is our guest on episode #58 of The Weekly Driver podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Mike the publication’s recently released Most Reliable and Least Reliable vehicle lists for 2018. As Mike details, Consumer Reports purchases all of its test

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BMW, electric start-ups set for big presence at LA Auto Show

Much like the unusual circumstance of new vehicles debuting throughout the calendar year, the global auto show circuit begins at the end of the year at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The show, preceded since 2016 by press and trade days and a connected car expo, AutoMobility LA, doesn’t bill itself by age. It’s had several hiatus years. But since its debut in 1907 when 99 vehicles were showcased on a skating rink, the LA Auto Show has become a go-to event for automakers to unveil new models and concept vehicles. The tradition will continue this year, beginning Nov. 26

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#57, Jeep gets depreciation honors, Nissan Leaf falls

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:29 — 25.2MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreDepreciation isn’t often the top priority for car buyers, but it’s particularly important for consumers who keep their cars for many years. The online automotive search engine iSeeCars.com recently released its survey of vehicles with the most and least depreciation. The site analyzed more than 4.3 million new and used vehicles to identify models with the lowest and highest depreciation after five years. Julie Blackley, communications manager for iSeecars.com, is our guest on episode #57 of TheWeeklyDriver podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia

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2019 Toyota Corolla hatchback redefines nameplate

The automotive industry is ripe with contradiction. Who could imagine a four-door sports car or a sub-compact also defined in the sports realm? Porsche may have its old-guard enthusiasts who still don’t consider the four-door Panamera a sports car, but it is. The Toyota Corolla is at the opposite end of the car-buying spectrum. Once firmly positioned in the entry-level malaise of boxiness and boredom, the Corolla is now offered in a hatchback with hard-to-hide sports car tendencies. It’s available with a more expensive continuously variable transmission, but the smooth-shifting six-speed manual is the way to go. The base level

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