AMC Fights Back: History of the Gremlin & Hornet — Ep.3: The Last Independent Automaker
The Truth About Cars’ documentary episode spotlights American Motors Corp.’s bold response to 1960s import competition, launching the quirky Gremlin subcompact built on the Hornet platform. It also chronicles AMC’s 1969 acquisition of Jeep, a move that opened the 4WD market despite internal doubts. The film highlights AMC’s innovative cost‑saving engineering, labor‑union collaborations, and the fuel‑efficiency surge after the 1973 oil embargo that drove record sales. The episode ends with the company’s ambitious Pacer project, setting the stage for its next chapter.
Fiat X1/25: The Electric City Car That About Forty Years Too Early
In 1972 Fiat unveiled the X1/23, a two‑seat electric city car that could hit 70 km/h and travel 70‑80 km on a charge. The prototype featured a 13‑14 kW motor, lead‑acid batteries, and an early regenerative‑braking system. Despite its forward‑looking design, the model...
Baby Escalade IQ! — 2026 Cadillac Vistiq Luxury 3-Row EV
Cadillac unveiled the 2026 Vistiq, a three‑row luxury electric SUV positioned as a smaller, more affordable counterpart to the Escalade IQ. The base Luxury trim starts at CAD $98,000 (≈USD $80,500) and offers dual‑motor all‑wheel drive, 615 hp, and a 0‑60 mph time of 3.7 seconds....
Tesla CEO Musk Expects Expansion of Self-Driving Cars Without Monitors in 2026
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said fully autonomous vehicles without safety monitors will see a dramatic increase on U.S. roads in the second half of 2026. The rollout follows a six‑month pilot in Austin, Dallas and Houston, and recent testing approval...
Building the Ultimate Honda CR-V: K-Swap Gets Complicated
Speed Academy tackled a 2000 Honda CR‑V that had logged 400,000 km and a failed automatic transmission by swapping in a 200‑horsepower Acura K24a2 engine and a manual AWD five‑speed transmission. The team installed a custom Coyo radiator, re‑routed cooling,...
The Beginning of American Motors Corporation: Ep1: The Last Independent Automaker
The documentary "The Last Independent Automaker" chronicles how Nash‑Kelvinator merged with Hudson in 1954 to form American Motors Corp., the biggest U.S. corporate merger of its era. George Romney, recruited from Packard, coined the term “compact car” and refocused AMC...
The Callaway C12: America’s Forgotten Supercar
The Callaway C12, unveiled in the late 1990s, was a purpose‑built supercar derived from the C5 Corvette but engineered to meet GT2 racing dimensions. It featured a carbon‑Kevlar body, a widened 1,998 mm track, and a tuned 5.7‑liter LS1 “Supernatural” engine...
The Ford Flex — The Last Ford Station Wagon
The Ford Flex, launched in 2009 from the 2005 Fairlane concept, was marketed as a versatile crossover‑wagon with three‑row seating and a boxy, Volvo‑inspired design. Ford initially projected up to 100,000 units a year, but sales peaked at 53,174 in...
Ford Follows Industry Lead as April New Car Sales Drop 14.4 Percent
Ford Motor Co. reported a 14.4% year‑over‑year drop in April new‑car sales, with hybrid volumes plunging 32.5%. Every model line fell compared with 2025, while SUVs slipped 16.6% and trucks 14.1%. The company’s bright spots were the Bronco (+18.8%), Mustang...
Gas Prices High. EV Sales Higher. Will the Trend Hold?
Rising gasoline prices are spurring a noticeable uptick in electric‑vehicle (EV) sales, with regions like California seeing the sharpest growth. The Urban EV Podcast highlights that while automakers are expanding fast‑charging networks, the real bottleneck remains home and multifamily charging...
Tales From the Beat Episode 122: Sam Locricchio
The latest episode of Tales from the Beat features Sam Locricchio, director of account services at Near Perfect Media, discussing high‑profile PR crises, the automotive industry’s EV communication missteps, and the enduring importance of human‑centric media relations. He breaks down...
Stellantis Reports Q1 Profits as Revival Plan Appears to Take Hold
Stellantis posted a Q1 2026 net profit of $440 million, a swing from a $455 million loss a year earlier. Revenue grew 6% and adjusted operating income reached $1.2 billion, reflecting stronger sales and cost‑discipline. Global shipments rose 12% and North American shipments...
Tales From the Beat Episode 137: Christopher Barger
In episode 137 of Tales from the Beat, host Ed Garsten talks with communications veteran Christopher Barger about the recent White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting and its implications for journalism. Barger outlines four angles the media must cover—security, political violence,...
Connie Peters Drives The 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor
Connie Peters test‑drives the 2026 Ford Explorer Tremor, a new trim that blends light‑off‑road styling with a more potent powertrain. The model is equipped with a 3.0‑liter twin‑turbo V6 delivering 400 hp, a 10‑speed automatic and all‑wheel drive, and it can...
Truck Sales Drive GM’s Q1 Profitability as Company Raises Earnings Guidance
General Motors posted a 21.9% jump in adjusted Q1 earnings, driven by a dominant 42% U.S. full‑size pickup market share. Revenue slipped 0.9% to $43.6 billion, while net income fell 5.7% to $2.6 billion after a $1.1 billion settlement with EV suppliers. Adjusted...