William Maley

The only way you can purchase a Honda Civic Type R is the fully loaded Touring trim with adaptive dampers, navigation, LED headlights, etc. Possibly, you might have to pay a 'market adjustment' price - i.e. a dealer adding a few grand to the price to make a quick buck. But 2018 could see Honda introduce a base version of the Type R. The Truth About Cars uncovered NHTSA certification papers filed by American Honda for the 2018 model year. The papers reveal two Civic Type R models, 'Type R' and 'Touring'. Both models have the same engine code - K20C1 which corresponds to the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder. As we reported back in June, Honda is considering adding more Civic Type R variants to "broaden the audience and keep sales fresh." One way to that is to introduce a lower-cost model. Honda already sells one in other markets that lose out on the navigation system, parking sensors, and LED lighting. Source: The Truth About Cars View full article

Last week, Ford CEO Jim Hackett unveiled his plans for the company. One key part of his plan is moving $7 billion from the development of cars to trucks. What does this entail? Car and Driver have done a bit of digging and has brought forth some answers. Jim Farley, Ford’s president of global markets tells the magazine the company will focus on its regional strengths for future products. For the U.S., this means developing “authentic, off-road capable” vehicles according to him. That includes the upcoming EcoSport crossover, Ranger pickup, and Bronco SUV. Ford is planning to focus on utility vehicles in other markets as well as they have found success with “styled, on-road performance" crossovers. Europe will begin seeing models that are “urban-utility products.” For Asia (in particular China), Ford will focus on the "C-plus" larger midsize segment and three-row SUVs. As for cars, Farley said Ford will be repositioning products in certain markets to "lower-volume, higher-revenue sub-segments." For example, the Fiesta and Focus will become more upmarket. Source: Car and Driver View full article

The news isn't getting any better at General Motors' CAMI plant where workers have been on strike for a month after the automaker and Canadian union Unifor were unable to reach an agreement. Already, the strike has caused GM to make adjustments and idle some of their plants in North America, and there are concerns about the shrinking stock of Chevrolet Equinoxes. But now the stakes have been raised. According to Reuters and Automotive News, General Motors issued a warning to leaders at Unifor that it will start winding down production of the Equinox at CAMI unless the strike is called off. Unifor leader Jerry Dias was told by GM officials that the automaker would begin ramping up Equinox production at the San Luis Potosi and Ramos Arizpe, Mexico plants if the strike was not called off. "GM just told us today that they are going to ramp up production in Mexico. They have declared war on Canada," Diaz told Reuters. GM had no immediate comment on Dias' statement when reached by Reuters. According to a source at GM, the discussions between them and Unifor have been going nowhere and there is "a high degree of frustration." Because of this, GM is planning to study how quickly key suppliers for the Equinox could move their operations down to Mexico. No final decision on CAMI's fate has been decided according to the source, but the time frame for getting a deal done is narrowing. Mexico has been the dividing point between GM and Unifor. The union objected to GM's decision to lay off 600 workers at CAMI when it moved production of the GMC Terrain to Mexico. Unifor wants CAMI to be the lead plant for Equinox production by "giving it more production if Equinox sales rise and making it the last to scale back production if sales fall." But GM has invested $800 million into the plant for retooling to build the new Equinox. The automaker believes this should be enough commitment and putting it into writing isn't necessary. According to the source, there is no such language in any of the other union contracts. The strike has gotten so bad that the Government of Ontario has stepped in, urging both groups to resolve this rift. “I feel like we’re engaged in a poker game, but the interests of Ontario are sitting on the table right now,” said Brad Duguid, Ontario's Economic Development Minister. “It’s an uncomfortable place to be, obviously, and we’d really like to urge the parties to find a resolution to this as quickly as possible before permanent damage is done.” Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Reuters View full article

We had high hopes for the Hyundai Tucson when we did a first drive back in August 2015. But when we did our full review last April, we ended it by saying the model wasn’t “the slam dunk we thought it was.” This was due to some key issues such as a small cargo area, a tough value argument and a dual-clutch transmission having some hesitating issues. A year later, we find ourselves revisiting the Tucson. There has been a software update to the transmission, along with some minor changes to the infotainment system and interior. A quick refresher on the Tucson’s powertrain lineup: A 2.0L four-cylinder producing 164 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque is used on the base SE and SE Plus. The rest of the Tucson lineup features a turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder with 175 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic comes standard on the 2.0L, while the turbo 1.6 gets a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The engine does show some turbo lag when leaving a stop, but it will soon pick up steam and move the Tucson at a pretty decent rate. The engine doesn’t feel overtaxed when you need to make a pass. The seven-speed dual-clutch transmission still has issues. While Hyundai has reduced some of the hesitation issues we experienced in the last Tucson via a software update, there is still a fair amount of this when leaving from a dead stop. We also noticed some rough upshifts during our week. At least the ride and handling characteristics have not changed since our last test. The Tucson still provides one of the smoothest rides in the class, even with the Limited’s 19-inch wheels. It doesn’t flinch when going around a corner as body motions are kept in check. A Mazda CX-5 would be more fun to drive as it is quicker when transitioning from one corner to another and the steering has the right amount of weight and feel. Road and wind noise are kept to very acceptable levels. The interior remains mostly unchanged except for a couple of minor things. The 8-inch touchscreen system now features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. We’re impressed with how fast the system was able to find the iPhone and bring up the CarPlay interface. The other change deals with more soft-touch materials being added to various parts of the interior. There is still a fair amount of hard plastics, even on the high-end Limited model which is very disappointing. There is still a lot to like about the Tucson’s interior. Space is plentiful for those sitting in the front or rear seats, even with the optional panoramic sunroof. The list of standard equipment is quite extensive as well. Limited models get automatic headlights, power and heated front seats, an 8-speaker Infinity sound system, dual-zone automatic climate control, proximity key with push-button start, and blind-spot monitoring. Cargo space still trails competitors with only 31 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 61.9 cubic feet when folded. The CR-V offers 35.2 and 70.9 cubic feet respectively. The Limited seen here came with a $35,210 as-tested price, which is about average for a fully-loaded crossover in this class. But the Tucson becomes a bit of a tough sell when dropping to the lower trims as you cannot get certain features. As we noted in our full review last year, “if you want navigation or dual-zone climate control on the Sport, you’re out of luck.” Despite some of the changes made for 2017, our verdict is much the same as the 2016 Tucson. There is a lot to like about the Tucson, but there are still some issues the company needs to address - smoothing out the dual-clutch and trying to make the model a better value. Disclaimer: Hyundai Provided the Tucson, Insurance, and One Tank of Gas Year: 2017 Make: Hyundai Model: Tucson Trim: Limited AWD Engine: Turbocharged 1.6L GDI Four-Cylinder Driveline: Seven-Speed Dual-Clutch Automatic, All-Wheel Drive Horsepower @ RPM: 175 @ 5,500 Torque @ RPM: 195 @ 1,500-4,500 Fuel Economy: City/Highway/Combined - 24/28/25 Curb Weight: 3,686 lbs Location of Manufacture: Ulsan, South Korea Base Price: $31,175 As Tested Price: $35,201 (Includes $895.00 Destination Charge) Options: Ultimate Package - $2,750.00 Cargo Cover - $190.00 Reversible Cargo Tray - $100.00 Rear Bumper Applique - $70.00 First Aid Kit - $30.00 View full article

We've seen spy shots of the mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette in the snow and at GM's proving grounds. Now, we have a set of spy shots of a mid-engine Corvette at a McDonalds' drive-thru. The pictures were captured by a Motor Trend reader in Cadillac, Michigan (northwest of Detroit). The test mule was undergoing some public road testing and it appears there was a current Corvette and what appears to be a Porsche 911. Despite the heavy amount of camouflage, you can make out some Corvette cues such as similar front-end styling as the current model and hood cutout. The double-bubble roof is present as is a set of new wheels that are presumed to be production ones. We'll find out what Chevrolet has in store sometime next year. Source: Motor Trend View full article

If you happened to be perusing the Monterey, CA Craigslist this morning, you might have come across an interesting ad. Someone had posted an ad for a Tesla Model 3. The vehicle allegedly has about 2,000 miles on the odometer. Like many of Model 3s currently rolling off the production line, this is the long-range variant with a 310-mile range. Other features include a panoramic glass roof, upgraded sound system, and "Aero" wheels. The price? $150,000. Our favorite part of the ad is the last line; "THIS IS REAL." Red flag anyone? The ad has been taken down since various outlets started reporting on it. There is an interesting reason as to why. If you look at the ad, you'll notice a VIN number of 209. As Electrek notes, Tesla employees and company insiders are the only people getting Model 3s at this time. Customer deliveries are expected to begin this month. If you are a Tesla employee, there is language in the Model 3 ordering agreement that states you cannot sell a Model 3 more than the original price that you bought it for. Electrek was able to confirm this Model 3 is owned by an employee of a Tesla store in Monterey. Source: Electrek, Monterey Craigslist via Internet Archive View full article