Lexus Knows it Needs to Improve its Sedans or Prepare Them for a Merciful Death

With crossovers on the rise, and more car-like than ever, Toyota'a global branding chief Tokuo Fukuichi knows that Lexus sedans need to offer more to customers or prepare to join the Tyrannosaurus rex in extinction. Lexus has shifted to become SUV-inclusive, but sedans still comprise a large portion of its lineup. Lexus' strategy is to improve the driving dynamics […] The post Lexus Knows it Needs to Improve its Sedans or Prepare Them for a Merciful Death appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Nissan to Expand NISMO Performance Lineup Across the Globe by Twofold, New Models Could Include Trucks and Minivans

Nissan is about to embark on a global expansion that would double the number of models wearing the NISMO performance badge. The brand says that it is aware that enthusiasts only make up a small fraction of prospective buyers, but it doesn't want to ignore them — especially in segments where NISMO hasn't left much of an […] The post Nissan to Expand NISMO Performance Lineup Across the Globe by Twofold, New Models Could Include Trucks and Minivans appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Tesla Teases a Big Rig; Musk Wants Your Car to Go Sledding

Break out the acai berry juice — there's another futuristic transportation vision emerging from the fevered mind of Tesla CEO Elon Musk. During a TED talk in Vancouver on Friday, Musk teased an image of his company's upcoming electric big rig. The vehicle, scheduled for a September reveal, isn't the only truck bound for Tesla showrooms — […] The post Tesla Teases a Big Rig; Musk Wants Your Car to Go Sledding appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Kia Quietly Kills Off a Model You’ve Already Forgotten About

We're not talking about the K900 flagship sedan, as Kia's luxo barge actually gets people talking — mainly due to its slow sales and LeBron James connection. No, the model lying in the casket this morning bowed out of people's minds long before it vanished from Kia's product cycle. The Forte Koup. Kia has confirmed […] The post Kia Quietly Kills Off a Model You've Already Forgotten About appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Automakers Want Higher Octane Gas and Are Starting to Do Something About It

Higher-octane fuel holds more energy than bargain basement gasoline, giving it the potential to generate more horsepower and deliver highly marketable fuel economy figures to automakers. It should be at the top of every car manufacturer's wish list. But, because an extra-high octane rating would warrant an extra-large bill at the pump, muscle car owners […] The post Automakers Want Higher Octane Gas and Are Starting to Do Something About It appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Uber Demotes Employee at the Core of Self-Driving Technology Lawsuit

Anthony Levandowski, the man at the nucleus of Alphabet Inc.'s intellectual property lawsuit against Uber Technologies, has abandoned his position as the team lead for the firm's autonomous vehicle development. Uber explained that Levandowski's new role is less critical and has no authority over the company's LIDAR technology, which he is accused of stealing from Alphabet's Waymo when it was […] The post Uber Demotes Employee at the Core of Self-Driving Technology Lawsuit appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Volkswagen to Take Chainsaw to Engine Lineup in Modernization Push

Volkswagen Group is about to drop gas and diesel engines like names at a swank party. The automaker's CEO has announced a multi-billion push to prepare the company for a much more stringent marketplace, part of which includes giving its internal combustion engine lineup a haircut. Speaking at an auto industry conference in Vienna, Matthias […] The post Volkswagen to Take Chainsaw to Engine Lineup in Modernization Push appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Vellequette Cops to Automotive News Demon-Ban Piece, Proves You Can Be Right and Wrong at the Same Time

After the reveal of Fiat Chrysler Automobile's Dodge Demon at the New York Auto Show, I thought all the hooplah would be over. We all did. Little did I know Automotive News' editorial board would pen a screed calling for the Demon's banishment from American roads, which then caused others to cry foul at the bylineless editorial, and […] The post Vellequette Cops to Automotive News Demon-Ban Piece, Proves You Can Be Right and Wrong at the Same Time appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

QOTD: The Greatest Killer of All Time?

Earlier this week, I told you about the fellow who was convinced that the Dodge Demon was unsafe at any speed. I did not agree, of course; the Demon has been carefully designed to present considerably less risk to its occupants than, say, a swing-axle Beetle in high-wind conditions. Which leads to a question: if […] The post QOTD: The Greatest Killer of All Time? appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Toyota Recalls 228,000 Tacomas in U.S. Over Potential Rear-wheel Lockup

Toyota of North America is recalling 228,000 Tacoma midsize pickups from the 2016 and 2017 model years. The affected vehicles may be leaking oil from their rear differentials. If left unchecked, the affected component could eventually seize — opening the driver up to a sudden flurry of new problems, like losing control of the vehicle moments before a horrific crash. However, these […] The post Toyota Recalls 228,000 Tacomas in U.S. Over Potential Rear-wheel Lockup appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Detroit Money City: GM Leads the Pack as Ford Profit Sinks

What a difference a few (hundred thousand) recalls make. In a sales market best described as stagnant, a widespread vehicle glitch can dog an automaker's balance sheet. That seems to be the case at Ford Motor Company, which saw its first-quarter profit fall 35 percent on a combination of factors — not the least of which […] The post Detroit Money City: GM Leads the Pack as Ford Profit Sinks appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

The Little Kona Crossover is the Future Face of Hyundai’s SUVs

Hyundai has teased its entry into the subcompact crossover segment in the past but only acknowledged that it would have at least one thin LED headlamp, be called the Kona, and finally serve round out the company's SUV lineup. On Friday, the company released another teaser to give us a better sense of what the […] The post The Little Kona Crossover is the Future Face of Hyundai's SUVs appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA

Sub-Sub-Sub-Compact: The First International Nanocar Race Starts Today

Tata's Nano is a very small car, but it's more than brobdingnagian compared to the vehicles racing this weekend in Toulouse, France. The first international nanocar race — organized by the materials scientists at Centre Nationnal de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and its Centre d'Elaboration de Matériaux et d'Etudes Structurales (CEMES) — brings motorsports down to […] The post Sub-Sub-Sub-Compact: The First International Nanocar Race Starts Today appeared first on The Truth About Cars. from The Truth About Cars http://ift.tt/Jh8LjA