The 2021 Genesis GV80 Plays The Luxury SUV Game, But Starts Under $50,000

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March 5, 2020

Genesis’ new flagship SUV looks more ‘worth the wait’ by the day. It’s a new contender in the luxury crossover market, something to shake things up for the established players. On top of that, the company just announced Thursday that prices would start at just $49,925 for the base “Standard” model. That’s a rational place to start, as that’s where Genesis’ mainstream Hyundai and Kia siblings’ prices end, and it substantially undercuts the competition from BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, among others.

Depending on your budget, the 2021 Genesis GV80 range is split into two engine options. The 2.5-liter turbo four-cylinder engine kicks off the lineup, complete with “2.5T” badges on the rear. The “Standard” model comes with rear-wheel drive, while all-wheel drive is an option ranging between $5,750 and $6,350 on the smaller engine. Despite being the smaller powerplant, you still get 300 horsepower, while the larger and more expensive 3.5-liter unit kicks out 375 horsepower. All-wheel drive comes standard with the larger engine.

2021 Genesis GV80 trim levels

Even on the base model, the 2021 Genesis GV80 comes loaded with standard equipment. Power-adjustable leatherette seats, ten standard airbags, smart cruise control, dual-zone climate control, rain-sensing wipers, lane keep and lane follow assist, driver attention warning and a 14.5-inch infotainment display all come at the base price. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support also come as a standard feature on the base model.

The next level up from there is the Advanced trim, which adds more tech and luxury features. A panoramic sunroof, ventilated front seats, wireless phone charging, a heated steering wheel and a 21-speaker Lexicon premium audio system are the highlights of the top trim. It starts at $53,825 including destination for the rear-wheel drive version.

Step up to the Prestige, and the price goes up to $58,075 including Genesis’ $1,025 destination fee. Beyond the Standard’s features, you get genuine leather seats and 20-inch wheels. Remote smart parking assist, blind spot monitoring, three-zone climate control, and heated second row seats are some of the features you get beyond the base level GV80.

The 3.5-liter models largely bring the same options apart from the Advanced+ trim. That level adds power folding third-row seats. Pricing for the Advanced+ model starts at $65,075, which is $700 more than the two-row Advanced trim. No matter which model you buy, the 2021 Genesis GV80 comes with three years of scheduled maintenance and the Genesis Connected Services suite.

Here’s a complete pricing breakdown including the all-wheel drive variants:

Pricing by trim

Trim	Starting MSRP
2.5T RWD Standard	$49,025
2.5T RWD Advanced	$53,825
2.5T RWD Prestige	$58,075
2.5T AWD Standard	$55,675
2.5T AWD Advanced	$60,025
2.5T AWD Prestige	$64,425
3.5T AWD Standard	$60,175
3.5T AWD Advanced	$65,375
3.5T AWD Advanced+	$66,075
3.5T AWD Prestige	$71,975

Here’s Our First Look At The New Batmobile In “The Batman”, And It Looks Epic

By

Nathan Adlen

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March 5, 2020

Here's Our First Look At The New Batmobile In "The Batman", And It Looks Epic — Now THAT’S a Batmobile! The Batman is supposed to be an even more realistic perspective of the DC favorite. This Batmobile may be the coolest thing I’vs seen on screen in a long time. Looks like a muscle car that scares muscle cars in their sleep.
*[Photos: Warner Brothers*]

The Batmobile looks badass!

Details (and images) are limited, but here are some slightly enhanced images from the upcoming film, “The Batman.” The film is supposed to be focused around Batman as he’s beginning his crime-fighting career. The Riddler, The Penguin and Catwoman are supposed to be in this flick as well (along with others).

Yes, I covered the last Batmobile when Dawn of Justice came out. You can read about that one (here). Still, that was more comic-book-like and hard to believe existed. This new one looks mighty believable – as do other things…

Lets we forget – the Batbike is in this movie too!

Here’s the Batbike, or Batcycle… which looks like a heavily modified Harley-Davidson Fat Bob. That means it could have a 1,745cc Twin Cam 103 Harley engine and a six-speed transmission. I could be wrong about the bike – let us know what you think it is.

Riddle me this – what is going on back here? Is it a mid-engine or a second engine? I don’t care – it looks friggin’ cool.

The new film stars Robert Pattinson, Zoë Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Joe Manganiello, Jeremy Irons, Jeffrey Wrightand and is directed by Matt Reeves. The film is expected (but not confirmed) to drop on June 25, 2021.

You get a better idea of what I was talking about in regards to its muscle car organs. The shape looks like a cross between a Mustang and a Challenger – right?

I’m pretty excited about this film. It’s looking better and better as time goes on.

What do you guys think?

C8 Corvette Update: The First Cars Are On Their Way To Dealers

By

Zach Butler

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March 5, 2020

2020 Chevy Corvette C8 Stingray Chevrolet

Good news, C8 Corvette fans — according to footage shared by CorvetteBlogger, the first production examples destined for dealers are leaving the Bowling Green, Kentucky plant. It’s welcome news, considering GM delayed production until early February due to last year’s union strike. The first example already sold for an eye-watering $3 million, but this is the first chance we mortals will have to actually buy, drive and see the C8 Corvette on the open road.

According to the post, the trucks started leaving the plant at 8:35 CST (Central Standard Time) on Thursday, March 4. The footage in their post came from one of the exterior webcams posted outside the National Corvette Museum, just across from the Bowling Green plant. What’s more, CorvetteBlogger‘s Jeremy Welborn noted that, “The 2020 Corvette I have on order had the shipping destination status showing as “Null” until today. This afternoon it was updated to Bowling Green KY National Corvette Museum!” A later update shows the transports in the daylight, and more importantly you can see the C8 Corvettes leaving the plant on I-65.

Report: 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8 Production Delayed Until February

As it turns out, the 2020 C8 Corvette Stingray promises an awesome performance car for the price. That said, I’d totally expect dealer markups on examples that weren’t ordered directly by customers, as we see with many other hot car launches. The MSRP starts at $59,995, and for that (plus whatever the dealer charges) you get a 6.2-liter V8 with 495 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. Chevy claims a 0-60 time under 3 seconds and a top speed of 194 mph. That power now comes from a mid-mounted engine, through an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission to the rear wheels.

Want The Longest-Lasting Car That Lasts More Than 200,000 Miles? You Should Buy One Of These!

By

Zach Butler

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March 4, 2020

If you ask our own Tommy Mica which vehicle you should buy if you wanted to keep it forever, he’d tell you to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser. There’s plenty of anecdotal evidence to back up the iconic SUV’s legendary reliability, but now iSeeCars.com published some new data to back that up. In their analysis, they looked at 15.8 million vehicles sold in 2019 to determine which are the most likely to make it beyond 200,000 miles.

Before getting into that, you may argue (and you’d be correct) that every modern car has the chance to make 200,000 miles. Modern vehicles are lasting longer than they used to, and proper maintenance can see you through many trouble-free years with most of them. On average, about 1 percent of a given model makes the milestone. However, these are the cars that go way beyond that, with some of them in double digits for beating the 200,000-mile mark.

The vehicles below are laid out by size and segment, such as compact SUVs or sports cars. The amount of particular vehicle models over 200,000 miles are compared to other models in their own segment, rather than against the entire pool of 15.8 million vehicles.

Top Hybrids: Toyota Prius / Toyota Highlander

Apart from their relatively bulletproof SUVs, another feather in Toyota’s cap is its refined hybrid technology. “Toyota is known for building reliable long-lasting vehicles with below-average ownership costs, which explaints why it is so well represented on the list across all vehicle types,” iSeeCars CEO Phong Ly points out. The Prius is Toyota’s most universally known hybrid, but it’s being usurped by the RAV4 Hybrid and indeed the Highlander Hybrid, since Americans are so crazy about SUVs.

Because the Prius is so fuel efficient, it makes sense that folks hang onto them for awhile. In fact, 2 percent of Prius models have over 200,000 miles. The Highlander Hybrid is more impressive, with 4.2 percent of models running past that milestone. Both models more or less doubled the average

Top Sedans: Honda Civic / Honda Accord / Toyota Avalon

Sedans aren’t nearly as popular as they used to be, but that doesn’t mean they no longer have a place in the automotive landscape. They’re often much cheaper than crossovers, they’re better to drive, and these sedans are more fuel efficient. On the smaller side, 2.3 percent of all Honda Civics made it past 200,000 miles. Stepping up to a midsize, the Honda Accord stood at 1.8 percent of examples beyond that point. For the larger sedans, the 2.6 percent of all Toyota Avalons made it past 200,000 miles.

Top SUVs: Honda CR-V / Toyota 4Runner/ Toyota Land Cruiser

Crossovers and SUVs are the most popular vehicles around, and Japanese automakers dominate across size segments. That said, when it comes to compact crossovers the Honda CR-V actually beat out the Toyota RAV4 in this study. According to iSeeCars’ findings, 1.1 percent of Honda CR-Vs among those analyzed made it past 200,000 miles. That’s 2.8 times higher than the average in the compact segment, since many owners trade in their small crossovers fairly often compared to more traditional SUVs.

Getting into those SUVs, though, is where Toyota handily smashes the rest of the competition. Despite their age, the 4Runner and Land Cruiser both stick with their owners for long periods and several hundred thousand miles. For its part, 3.9 percent of 4Runners in the study make it over 200,000 miles, or 3.9 times the segment average of 1 percent. The Land Cruiser blows other full-size SUVs out of the water, with a staggering 15.7 percent making it past that milestone. Most people tend to keep full-size SUVs longer, with the segment as a whole averaging 3.7 percent. Still, the Land Cruiser smashed that figure, but when you spend $85,000 on an SUV it makes good sense to keep it for a long time.

Top Luxury SUVs: BMW X3 / Acura MDX / Lincoln Navigator

If you drop the sort of money it takes to buy a luxury SUV, and you’ll probably want to stick with it for awhile. While a substantial portion of those shopping in the luxury segment lease their cars rather than buy, those who do buy the cars hang onto these three much longer than others.

The BMW X3 has the best representation at the compact end of the market. It’s a small margin, but it manages twice the average with 0.2 percent of models over 200,000 miles. The Acura MDX also tends to stay in owners’ hands longer, with 1.6 percent of examples making it past the threshold. Most significant of all, though, is the Lincoln Navigator. 2.6 percent of examples for that model rolled over 200,000 miles, or double the average compared to SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade and GMC Yukon.

Top Sports Car: Audi TT

It’s particularly strange to see any sports car crest 200,000 miles. However, the Audi TT seems most likely to do it according to iSeeCars’ data. It’s worth noting that the 4.1 percent figure they published is based on cars that made it to 150,000 miles. That’s still a remarkable distance for the small coupe, and iSeeCars pins that result on the TT’s robust, well-rounded nature. “The Audi TT is praised for its performance and fuel economy, which may encourage drivers to keep it on the road for longer,” said Ly.

Speaking of sports cars, the BMW M5, Ford Mustang and Mazda MX-5 Miata also beat the curve for cars that are likely to reach over 200,000 miles.

Top Minivan: Honda Odyssey

Like sedans, minivans have largely fallen out of favor as the larger market favors crossovers. However, they’re still the Swiss army knife many families actually buy, and Honda brings its A game with the Odyssey. It packs a good amount of space and functionality into its footprint, and it has a wide range of standard safety equipment. All in all, 2.7 percent of Honda Odysseys passed 200,000 miles, according to the data.

The 1,700 Horsepower Koenigsegg Gemera Is The Perfect Car To Scratch That Hypercar Itch – And Terrify Your Kids

By

Nathan Adlen

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March 4, 2020

No, it’s Gemera – not “Gamera.”

Not to be confused with the Kaiju (monster) character Gamera, a giant flying turtle that spits flame, the Koenigsegg Gemera is a different kind of monster. A 1,700 hp beast that can go over 248 mph. By itself, it’s another hypercar…but this one has four seats.

In a nutshell, the Koenigsegg Gemera is a four-passenger hybrid sports car with a three-cylinder engine. Yep, a bit like a BMW i8. It also has two additional electric motors and all-wheel drive (AWD). You can read about its faster cousin, the Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut here.

Now, here’s the reality: this is a ridiculously fast and powerful hypercar, despite the two extra seats. That three-cylinder engine, known as the “Tiny Friendly Giant” (TFG) engine, can put out 600 horsepower and over 440 lb-ft of torque. That’s before adding the power of the two electric motors (one at the crank, one powering the rear wheels). Do that, and you get a grand total of 1,700 horsepower and 2,581 lb-ft of total torque.

That sort of power catapults the Koenigsegg Gemera from 0 to 60 mph in 1.9 seconds. From there, it will go on to 400 km/h (248 mph) in under 20 seconds, according to Koenigsegg. Remember, this is what the company considers a four-passenger grand tourer. With four-wheel torque vectoring, four wheel steering and AWD, its handling should match its power.

The Gemera has a 800V charging system and 15 kWh battery onboard. It can travel up to 50 miles solely on EV power or, up to 1,000 km (620 miles) on combined power. That’s all with a power source that, when the right fuel is used, is among the cleanest available.

For more on Koenigsegg products and other vehicles that were supposed to debut at the cancelled Geneva Auto Show, check out this video below:

GM Debuts New Battery Technology With Up to 200 kWh Capacity — Twice What Tesla Currently Offers

By

Nathan Adlen

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March 4, 2020

‘Ultium’ batteries: a game changer?

In 2019, Tesla sold 223,000 electric vehicles in the United States. General Motors, for its part, sold 16,400 Chevrolet Bolt EVs in the United States. That’s it. Currently, Tesla’s market cap is about three times GM’s. Not only that, but its models’ range figures are also substantially beyond the Bolt’s reach. Considering GM’s size as one of the largest volume automakers, the numbers are troubling to investors.

This is where the company hopes its ‘Ultium’ battery changes the playing field. The battery will have a higher capacity, fast charging capabilities and be less expensive to build. GM says the will use Ultium’s 400-volt battery packs in cars, and 800-volt batteries for their trucks (like the upcoming GMC Hummer EV). The technology aims to reduce manufacturing costs below $100 per kilowatt-hour capacity. By doing so, Reuters mentions experts who say they could reduce the Bolt’s cost by up to 45 percent.

GM hasn’t jumped into EVs with both feet yet, but the company plans to launch several models over the next few years.

(Some) Batteries manufactured in the USA

Set to begin construction near GM’s former plant in Lordstown, Ohio, the company is partnering with Korean battery maker LG Chem to build a $2.3 billion facility. General Motors has also been working with Honda on developing new battery tech.

According to GM Chief Executive Officer Mary Barra and company president Mark Reuss, GM is hoping to benefit from upcoming EVs as early as 2021. Every brand will have EVs including Cadillac, GMC and Chevrolet. What’s unknown is exactly which vehicles will be replaced or revamped with EV products.

This specific project has been part of a three-year process. However, it’s worth noting that the company’s investment in electric vehicles stems back to the 1990s, with the original EV1. GM is now investing heavily in EV development to take on companies like Tesla, which currently dominate teh market when it comes to range. The question is: will GM’s new technology be enough to take the fight to Tesla? Time will tell.

While GM’s electric cars aren’t here yet, we have been familiar with Tesla’s offerings. Here’s the six-month update with our Model X:

2021 Audi RS 7 Turns Up The Power, But Not The Price

By

Zach Butler

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March 4, 2020

What you’re looking at above is the 2021 Audi RS 7. At a glance, it may not look too different from the previous generation, but there have been quite a few changes under the skin. To start, it’s the most powerful variant yet, pushing its 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 up to 591 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Audi pegs its 0-60 time at 3.5 seconds (down from 3.9 seconds in the old model), and touts optimizations to the eight-speed automatic transmission and quattro all-wheel drive system.

In short, the 2021 Audi RS 7 is more powerful and quicker than ever before. It’s not just about power, though, as the RS 7 also comes with specific tuning for its adaptive air suspension. Beyond that, it’s also available without the air suspension, using a Dynamic Ride Control system with steel springs and three-way adjustable dampers to minimize bode roll without resorting to electronics. The 2021 Audi RS 7 in any setting sits 0.4 inches lower than the standard A7. At speeds over 75 mph, however, the air suspension-equipped models will lower another 0.4 inches when in dynamic mode to reach its 190 mph top speed.

New technology on tap

It’s not just a matter of power, speed and handling with the 2021 Audi RS 7. There’s also new technology on tap, including Audi’s dual MMI infotainment system. A 10.1-inch upper display joins an 8.6-inch lower unit to handle media and climate controls, respectively. A second-generation, 12.3-inch Audi Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster also comes standard on the RS 7.

On the styling and comfort front, the new RS 7 only shares four components with the standard A7. Audi says only the hood, roof, front doors and tailgate are identical, while all the other parts have changed. Up front, you get an RS-specific honeycomb Singleframe grille. The lip spoiler is also unique to the RS 7, as are the 21-inch wheels (22s are optional) and the exhaust outlets. Black Optic and Carbon Optic packages add more black and carbon fiber appearance trim to make the car look much more sinister.

It’s still expensive, but not more than it was

Whenever automakers bring a new model along, it has a tendency to get much more expensive. Not so with the 2021 Audi RS 7, which keeps its price around $114,000 to start. Tempting if you have the money, given the fresh looks and the extra power.

Of course, if you want a bit more practicality, the equally powerful RS6 Avant is reason to celebrate. As it turns out, this is a great time to be into fast Audis.

It’s not just wagons and fastback sedans, either:

Fiat Chrysler Sales Chief Reid Bigland Will Depart In April After Suing The Company Last Year

By

Zach Butler

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March 4, 2020

Fiat Chrysler Sales Chief Reid Bigland Will Depart In April After Suing The Company Last Year — FCA sales chief Reid Bigland started with FCA under DaimlerChrysler in 1999. *[Photo: FCA]*

After 22 years with Fiat Chrysler, sales chief Reid Bigland said Wednesday he will leave the company in April to pursue other interests. It’s the latest episode in a saga of leadership shakeups that are going on across the industry, especially with the Big Three automakers.

Normally, Bigland’s departure wouldn’t draw too much attention outside the industry, but he notably sued his employer last year. In that whistleblower lawsuit, Bigland claimed FCA withheld 90 percent of his 2018 compensation after he cooperated with a federal probe into the company’s sales practices between 2012 and 2016. Reuters points out that FCA was forced to pay $40 million in September 2019 to resolve the probe by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fraudulent practice involved falsely reporting an uninterrupted “streak” of sales growth, when it fact that streak ended in 2013.

For its part, Fiat Chrysler submitted revised sales figures reflecting its new reporting method in July 2016. At that point, the U.S. Justice Department had also been investigating the company’s practices.

As fraught as the working relationship between Bigland and his employer was, FCA did put out a short statement on his departure. While Bigland isn’t set to officially leave until April 3, vice president of U.S. sales operations Jeff Komor will take over as head of U.S. sales effective immediately. CEO Mike Manley commented on Bigland’s departure, “I would like to thank Reid for his years of tireless leadership and many valued contributions to the company. We all wish him every success in his future endeavors.”

FCA plans to merge with French Peugeot SA as part of an ongoing 50-50 merger agreement.

Preparing for FCA-Peugeot Group merger

The timing of Bigland’s departure is also notable, as Fiat Chrysler prepares its merger of equals with the French Peugeot Group over the coming months. When it’s complete, the combined entity, based in the Netherlands, will create the world’s fourth-largest automaker. The recent shakeup amidst the recent talks looks like it will help shore up FCA’s end to ensure the merger happens without issue.

2021 Genesis GV80 trim levels

Pricing by trim

The Batmobile looks badass!

Lets we forget – the Batbike is in this movie too!

Top Hybrids: Toyota Prius / Toyota Highlander

Top Sedans: Honda Civic / Honda Accord / Toyota Avalon

Top SUVs: Honda CR-V / Toyota 4Runner/ Toyota Land Cruiser

Top Luxury SUVs: BMW X3 / Acura MDX / Lincoln Navigator

Top Sports Car: Audi TT

Top Minivan: Honda Odyssey

No, it’s Gemera – not “Gamera.”

‘Ultium’ batteries: a game changer?

(Some) Batteries manufactured in the USA

New technology on tap

It’s still expensive, but not more than it was

Preparing for FCA-Peugeot Group merger

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