How Opel’s CD Concept Became The Bitter CD
In the late 1960s Opel, a profitable GM European division, unveiled the futuristic CD concept at the 1969 Frankfurt Motor Show, featuring a sleek fiberglass body, a single‑piece glass canopy and a Chevrolet‑derived 5.4‑liter V8. Italian coachbuilder Pietro Frua later re‑engineered the design for production, but GM declined to fund it. Entrepreneur Erich Bitter licensed the project, partnering with Baur to launch the Bitter CD grand‑tourer in 1973, pricing it at 58,000 DM (≈$23,000). The oil crisis and high price limited production to 395 units before the line closed in 1979.
1960 & 1961 Ford Starliner & Sunliner - Where Ford Muscle Began
The 1960‑61 Ford Starliner and Sunliner, two‑door Galaxie Special variants, marked Ford’s first foray into factory‑backed high‑performance cars. Equipped with the new Thunderbird V8 family, the 1960 model offered a 360‑hp 352 ci engine—the first Ford engine to exceed one horsepower...
VW Halting U.S. Production of ID.4, Shifting to More SUVs
Volkswagen of America will cease production of the ID.4 electric SUV at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant later this month, repurposing the line for higher‑volume models. The shift centers on the upcoming second‑generation 2027 Atlas, VW’s flagship SUV in the U.S....
Everything Old Is New Again: GM Bringing Back Chevy Camaro in 2027
General Motors announced that the Chevrolet Camaro will be revived, slated for a 2027 launch as a 2028 model year. The new pony car will return with a traditional internal‑combustion powertrain, dismissing expectations of an all‑electric version. It will be...
Connie Peters Drives The Improved 2026 BMW iX xDrive60
The 2026 BMW iX xDrive60 receives a modest exterior refresh but major upgrades in power and efficiency, now delivering 536 horsepower and a claimed 366‑mile (600 km) range. Battery consumption is low, dropping only 15% on a 60 km commute, and charging...
Wiper Arm Issue Forces Ford to Recalls 422,613 Full-Size SUVs, Super Dutys
Ford announced a recall of 422,613 2021‑2023 Lincoln Navigators, Expeditions and 2022‑2023 Super Duty pickups due to a defective wiper‑arm assembly that can strip splines and detach the arm. The flaw traces to an incorrectly installed latch‑retention plate supplied to...
Subaru Electrifies New York with 2027 Forester Wilderness Hybrid, Getaway EV Debut
Subaru unveiled its 2027 lineup in New York, introducing the Forester Wilderness Hybrid and the all‑new Getaway EV. The Forester Hybrid delivers a 25% fuel‑economy boost and 194 hp using an optimized 2.5‑liter Boxer engine paired with a lithium‑ion battery. The...
Kia Unveils Bigger, Roomier Seltos at New York Auto Show
At the New York Auto Show, Kia unveiled the 2027 Seltos, a larger, wider version of its compact SUV that shares design cues with the Telluride and Sorento. The model introduces a new hybrid powertrain exclusive to the X‑Line trim,...
The Bianco S: Brazil’s Beetle Bred Sports Car
The Bianco S was a Brazilian sports car built in the late 1970s using the Volkswagen Beetle platform, unveiled at the 1976 São Paulo Motor Show. Designed by Italian‑born Otacílio Bianco, it featured a lightweight fiberglass body, a 1.6‑liter air‑cooled engine...
Report: Auto Finance Departments Worried About Losing Billions On Used EVs
Automakers' finance arms are confronting a looming multi‑billion‑dollar hit as a wave of leased electric vehicles returns to the market with resale values far below expectations. Analysts estimate EVs lose about 60% of their value in the first five years,...
The Ford Fusion - The Best Value In The Used Car Market?
The first‑generation Ford Fusion (2006‑2012) was built on a Mazda‑derived CD3 platform and positioned between the Focus and Five Hundred to challenge the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. Over its run the model saw steady sales—averaging roughly 180,000 units per...
I Found My People -- 1970 MG Midget "Kimbo"
During Michigan’s 2020 lockdown, Jim bought a 1970 MG Midget for $10 and set out to restore it. After months of hands‑on work with friends, he revived the car, naming it Kimbo, and began driving it regularly. A chance encounter...
GM Increasing Heavy Truck Production Despite Rising Fuel Prices
General Motors is expanding heavy‑duty truck production at its Flint, Michigan plant, moving from three shifts to up to six days a week to meet soaring demand for Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra HD models. The plant already builds about...
Tales From The Beat Episode 135: Auto Journalist Gerry Conover
Gerry Conover, a former Ford product‑planning executive and 45‑year veteran journalist, appears on TTAC’s "Tales From the Beat" episode 135. He shares insights from his newsletter Cars Smart News, covering oil market volatility, the $50,000 average new‑car price, and the practical limits...
Tales From the Beat Episode 130: Competitive Paranoia
In episode 130 of *Tales from the Beat*, veteran journalist Ed Garsten revisits a 1986 CNN assignment where a senior editor forced him to replicate a New York Times story about the Tennessee‑Tombigbee Waterway. Garsten’s crew filmed in freezing December...
Cowgirl Style In The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban High Country
The 2025 Chevrolet Suburban High Country receives a modest refresh, adding sharper front‑and‑rear styling and a revamped infotainment system with Google integration. Powered by a 6.2‑liter V8 delivering 420 hp and 460 lb‑ft of torque, the model offers an optional air‑ride suspension...
Volkswagen ID.4 Battery Recalls Explained
Volkswagen announced two EV battery recalls for the ID.4 in February 2026. Recall V028 affects 670 U.S. and Canadian vehicles equipped with SK On batteries, requiring immediate battery module replacement due to a fire‑risk cathode misalignment. Recall V030 covers 43,881 additional...
Minnesota Considers Requiring Driver’s Ed For Everyone Under 21
Minnesota legislators have introduced bill HF3998 to raise the mandatory driver‑education age from 18 to 21, extending the current 30‑hour classroom and 50‑hour supervised‑driving requirements that apply only to teens. The proposal cites data showing drivers aged 18‑20 who skip...
The Mercury Bobcat - Why It's Not As Bad As It's Reputation
The Mercury Bobcat was Mercury’s first North‑American subcompact, essentially a rebadged Ford Pinto offering low price and strong fuel economy. Launched in 1974‑75 amid the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s investigation of rear‑impact fires in the Pinto, the Bobcat inherited...
Abarth 1600: The Forgotten Italian Sports Coupe
The Abarth 1600 Coupé was a 1969 prototype styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro that represented the tuning house’s final independent effort before Fiat’s full acquisition. Built on a Fiat‑derived platform with a 1.6‑liter engine delivering roughly 100‑120 hp, the 2+2 coupe blended...
Infiniti Preps for 2027 QX65 Fastback SUV’s March 26 Reveal
Infiniti will unveil its 2027 QX65 fastback SUV on March 26 at 7 p.m. EDT, marking the brand’s first all‑new model since 2021. The two‑row, coupe‑style SUV slots between the midsize QX60 and full‑size QX80, both of which received recent updates....
2026 Nissan Sentra SR Review -- Bold
The 2026 Nissan Sentra SR receives a visual overhaul with new LED headlights, a reshaped grille, and a sportier fastback silhouette. Powertrain fundamentals stay the same—a 149‑horsepower engine paired with a refined CVT that cuts noise and smooths acceleration. Inside,...
The Concept C Gears Audi up for a Big Brand Reset
Audi unveiled the Concept C, an all‑electric two‑door sports car that signals a major design shift for the brand. The vehicle blends a retro‑inspired front fascia—echoing the 1936 Type C Grand Prix car—with modern cues from the TT, A6 and...
The Wedge Shaped Porsche That Never Was
The Porsche Tapiro was a 1970 concept supercar designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and built on a Porsche 914/6 chassis. Its radical wedge shape, gull‑wing doors and 2.4‑liter flat‑six engine produced about 220 hp and a claimed 152 mph top speed. Debuting at...
Did Tyler Reddick Go Faster With A Missing Fender At Atlanta?
Tyler Reddick captured the Autotrader 400 at Atlanta despite losing his right‑front fender in a late‑race crash. Technical analyst Bozi Tatarevic evaluated the aerodynamic impact, concluding that the missing panel added front downforce and drag, creating modest turbulence but no...
1969 - 70 Mercury Marauder: BIG Brute Muscle?
The 1969‑70 Mercury Marauder was revived as a full‑size personal luxury coupe, featuring a 429‑cubic‑inch V8 delivering up to 360 horsepower. While the X‑100 trim added sportier styling and optional performance equipment, the car’s 0‑60 time of 7.8 seconds and...
Ford Sales Drop in February, Volvo Down During Last Three Months
Ford reported a 5.5% decline in February new‑vehicle sales, led by a 9.4% drop in its truck lineup and a 71.2% plunge in the Escape as it phases out for 2026. The F‑Series full‑size pickup fell 16.2%, while the Ranger...
Video Review: 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 63 Coupe
The 2024 Mercedes‑Benz AMG GT 63 Coupe showcases a hand‑built twin‑turbo V8 delivering 577 hp and 590 lb‑ft of torque, propelling the all‑wheel‑drive sedan from 0‑60 mph in under three seconds. A suite of carbon‑fiber exterior and interior packages, 21‑inch wheels, and optional carbon‑ceramic...
Honda Flips Script by Exporting Two Vehicles to Japan
Honda Motor Co. will begin exporting two U.S.-built models—the Acura Integra Type S and the Honda Passport TrailSport Elite—to Japan in the second half of the year. The move follows a new U.S.-Japan trade accord that streamlines safety inspections and reduces...
2026 Toyota Prius Prime + EV Hover
Toyota has refreshed its plug‑in hybrid Prius for 2026, shedding the “Prime” badge and simplifying the name to Prius Plug‑in Hybrid. The top‑of‑the‑line XSE Nightshade trim features an all‑black exterior package, a 2.0‑liter engine paired with two electric motors delivering...
Rebuilding A Dream -- 1973 BMW Bavaria
Dan Cole rebuilt his 1973 BMW Bavaria after a head‑on crash that totaled his first car, reusing roughly 40% of the original parts. He upgraded the suspension with Bilstein components, installed E9 brakes, and plans an M30B35 engine swap to...