A tractor-trailer leaking sewage onto a portion of I-95 in Connecticut resulted in numerous crashes and some impromptu off-roading this week. Vehicular casualties included a couple of totaled police vehicles that found themselves at the mercy of a truck sliding through human waste. 

While the situation certainly stinks for those involved, it’s okay to laugh. No injuries were reported and the fact that the suspect was charged with having an “unsecured load” is pretty funny.

As if tagging drivers in a questionable speed trap wasn’t enough, it is being alleged troopers in the Nutmeg State have falsified thousands of traffic tickets.

Copyright laws in other countries often aren’t as robust as they are here, which is how we ended up with several Chinese vehicles that look exactly like American and European models. Indian automaker Mahindra has long sold the Roxor, a surprisingly strong lookalike of the Jeep Wrangler, but it has faced a legal challenge from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Jeep’s parent company. The battle recently ended and didn’t go FCA’s way.

Owners of late model Wranglers and Gladiators can now jack their rides skyward courtesy of a new kit from the official Jeep Performance Parts catalog.

Hey, it beats sketchy wooden logs and some hockey pucks.

As the automotive world moves closer to semi-autonomous and someday, autonomous driving functions, vehicles will need more sensors and advanced tools to “feel” their way through the surrounding environment. Volvo plans to do that with the upcoming EX90 EV, but it appears the advanced sensor array could be causing delays.

Mini has released interior images of its next-generation Cooper hatchback. While the model is technically called the “Mini Hatch,” with variations of Cooper denoting the trim, the new car will do away with all that and get back to basics.

Everything else is throwing the model well into the future with one important caveat. Tomorrow’s Cooper will boast the brand’s latest technology and a dashboard that’s supposed to draw inspiration from the 1959 original with all the hallmarks of the digital era.

It’s no secret that the Dodge Challenger and Charger as we know them are going away, but learning that production is ending at the end of July really brings the point home. So, if you’re on the hunt for a new Dodge muscle car, you’ve only got ten days left to act. 

Volkswagen’s head of design is on a mission to normalize EV styling. Speaking with MotorTrend, Andreas Mindt said the company’s current EV offerings are styled to appeal to early adopters, and he acknowledged that the automaker has work to do to regain confidence in its designs.

The Buick Regal may have been removed from our market. However, the model persists in China and has recently undergone a refresh that includes the updated tri-shield emblem.

Despite U.S. sales volumes having been lackluster, with the Regal failing to break 20,000 annual units after 2014, the model offered functionality, all-wheel drive, and even a couple of desirable powertrains. There was even a TourX wagon variant that arguably mixed some of the vehicle’s best qualities in an ultra-practical package and the performance-slanted GS that offered a 3.6-liter V6 that developed 310 horsepower. It could have been more focused and aspects of the interior should have been better. But one cannot help but feel like the Regal failed to get the attention it deserved.

If you’ve been in a recent model-year vehicle, the number of screens and digital displays can be overwhelming. While they’re becoming prevalent, big screens aren’t for everyone, nor are they for every automaker. Alfa Romeo boss Jean-Philippe Imparato recently told Autocar that his brand’s customers don’t want giant displays and don’t care about all the digital assistance features many new cars come with.

It’s only a matter of time before nearly every major EV manufacturer hawking cars in this country moves to the so-called North American Charging Standard.

With all the odd press it’s gotten over the last year, it’s easy to assume VinFast is looking to roll up the carpet and head back home. That’s not what’s happening, however, as the automaker recently announced a groundbreaking date for its new manufacturing facility in North Carolina.

Last week, General Motors published an advertisement for its Cruise autonomous vehicle company in The New York Times. The marketing effort makes the claim that “humans are terrible drivers” and has subsequently been chided by former NHTSA administrator and safety advocate Joan Claybrook.

The ad in question states that human drivers cause millions of accidents each year and asserts that “Cruise driverless cars are designed to save lives.” But Claybrook and the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety are accusing GM of being overzealous with an untested product in addition to exercising some bad taste with its marketing materials. 

With the rate of fatal automotive accidents having spiked dramatically in recent years, just about everyone has been theorizing why. While there still seems to be a level of willful ignorance surrounding how modern infotainment systems and driving aids create more opportunities to be distracted behind the wheel, most outlets tracking safety seem to have come to the realization that size disparities between vehicles play an important factor in crash survivability.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) recently published a list of the models with the highest death rate per million vehicles registered. Its takeaway seems to be that the uptick in fatalities could be attributed to smaller vehicles and powerful models that encourage aggressive driving.

Mercedes-AMG’s SUV offerings have ranged from odd to mind-blowingly powerful and quick. There has never been a performance hybrid model in AMG’s catalog until now, however, but that’s changing with the 2024 AMG GLC 43 and the 2025 GLC 63 S E Performance.

Tesla drivers abusing Autopilot and the company’s “full self-driving” tech have almost become a meme at this point, but there are very real consequences when things go wrong. A California man was behind the wheel of a Tesla Model S in 2019 when it collided with another car, killing the two people inside. The Tesla was using Autopilot at the time, and the driver recently pleaded no contest to two counts of vehicular manslaughter.

It's been a long time since your author has seen a redesign as radical as what Hyundai is promising with the new Santa Fe. Quite frankly, it's a bit refreshing to see an automaker make a change this major -- though there are exceptions, redesigns lately seem to be more often about evolution than revolution. I applaud the strategy regardless of what I think of the execution.

The Chevrolet Traverse has, for most of its life, had styling that was mostly "urban" in theme.

Not anymore.

The Tesla Cybertruck has finally made it to production, but hopeful buyers shouldn’t be jumping for joy just yet. The company has already confirmed that volume production won’t start until 2024, and if a new Twitter rumor is correct, the truck will only be available in one battery variant at launch.

Ford made big news when it announced the F-150 Lightning Pro and its sub-$40,000 price tag, but the automaker didn’t leave its entry-level electric truck at that price for long. Inventory and supply chain shortages and production delays caused it to raise the truck's price almost immediately, and it has been selling for top dollar since. That recently changed, however, as Ford slashed F-150 Lightning prices by up to $10,000 in some cases.

We’ve been hearing for years that auto shows are a thing of the past and that the internet has killed the personal touches we all loved about the industry. But while it might be true that auto shows aren’t the extravaganzas they once were, it can also be true that there’s still life in the industry and a reason to attend. 

Nissan is issuing a global recall on roughly 1.4 million vehicles over a handful of reasons pertaining to acceleration. Based on early reports, owners are either getting a sudden increase in throttle after shutting off cruise control or a short that kills the motor while driving. The cars in question include models like the Note, Kicks, Leaf, and Serena. 

The Ford Mustang Mach-E is many things, but its crossover body has meant that it isn’t the performance stalwart that its namesake gas counterpart has been for decades. The Mach-E GT took a significant step in the right direction, and Ford recently showed off another performance variant at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. 

A new study from the American Automobile Association (AAA) has suggested that raising vehicle speed limits offers negligible benefits to drivers while decreasing overall safety for all travelers.

“Our study analyzed before-and-after data on a dozen roadways that raised or lowered posted speed limits and found no one-size-fits-all answer regarding the impact of these changes,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation. “However, it is critical to consider the safety implications when local transportation authorities contemplate making changes with posted speed limits.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposed a new national program to update the regulations surrounding autonomous vehicles this week. Updated rules would presumably allow automakers to field more self-driving test vehicles on public roads than we’ve seen thus far in exchange for those companies sharing the data those cars collect with the government.

Due to the fact that any autonomous vehicle lacking human controls (e.g. steering wheels and pedals) have to be given exceptions from the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to legally operate in populated areas, NHTSA leadership believes that having access to the data they’ve collected will be useful in informing decisions on how the rules could be changed. The claim is that the resulting information will help regulators update safety standards to incorporate self-driving vehicles. But it’s also going to be a privacy issue, as citizens have already expressed their dismay with automakers even considering sharing AV data with local authorities.

The Hyundai Ioniq 5 is one of the more compelling and attractive EVs on sale today, but the automaker isn’t resting on its early successes. After a few teases and months of speculation, Hyundai took the wraps off of the performance-oriented Ioniq 5 N at the Goodwood Festival of Speed today, showing a vehicle that should rival the impressive Kia EV6 GT’s performance.

The Subaru BRZ and Toyota GR86 recently got makeovers that finally gave them more power and the spirited driving dynamics they needed. New rumors point to the Toyota half of the duo getting even more power in the future via the GR Corolla’s turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder.

The United Auto Workers (UAW) is commencing contract negotiations with General Motors, Stellantis, and the Ford Motor Company this week. Members of the union’s executive board, along with UAW President Shawn Fain, appeared outside Stellantis' Sterling Heights Assembly Plant early Wednesday morning to draw attention to the talks.

The plan is to see each manufacturer as a preamble to the formal negotiations, which technically begin on Friday. But the union is also desperate to show itself in a better light after expansive corruption scandals implicated some of its now-ousted top brass. For most people living in North America, wages haven’t kept pace with the cost of living and inflationary pressures are exacerbating the issue. If there was ever a time to get the American public back on the side of unions, it’s now.

We’ve been hearing about the rise of electric vehicles for years, but while they are growing rapidly in number, there’s still a disconnect between an auto industry hell-bent on electrification and the desires of the people they rely on to buy new cars. Axios recently highlighted the issue and found that dealers have EV inventory sitting on their lots for extended periods, suggesting that supply is significantly outpacing demand.

The entire world is seeking ways to mitigate climate change, but big changes don’t always slide by without some pushback from the public. Some European capitals will ban certain types of vehicles, and others have devised taxes and fees to incentivize driving less. Paris sees tens of thousands of cars on its roads each day, and city leaders recently approved a plan to increase parking fees.

In a move that will surprise absolutely no one, Ford is making a more rugged off-road version of the Mustang Mach-E and teased the vehicle on YouTube. The now well-worn path has been traveled by Porsche, Lamborghini, and countless homebrew mechanics, so it was only a matter of time before we started seeing more mainstream brands getting in on the action. 

A handful of Honda models, and one from Acura, are under recall over a defect that could limit braking functionality. Impacted vehicles include the 2020-2021 Honda Civic, 2021-2023 Honda Passport, 2021-2022 Honda Pilot, 2020-2023 Honda Ridgeline, and 2020 Acura MDX. 

Tesla appears to finally be ready to start deliveries of the Cybertruck, nearly four years after its reveal event. Despite the delays surrounding the truck and the elusive Roadster, Tesla has a number of side projects going on, including an electric minibus.

While certain other companies (ahem, General Motors, ahem) are busy and inexplicably running away from Apple CarPlay, brands like Porsche are making a concerted effort to further integrate the tool into their vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is launching an investigation into the Kia EV6 after 11 complaints were filed regarding sudden power losses. 

If you’ve been an automotive enthusiast since childhood, there’s an extremely good chance that a portion of your early life was dedicated to building Tamiya models. You may even have owned some of their RC cars, perhaps assembling or modifying one with your own children years later.

For many, Tamiya kits served as a precursor to full-size vehicle projects that would be attempted in adulthood. But things have come full circle now that The Little Car Company has built a version of the 1985 Tamiya Wild One RC off-roader capable of holding two grown adults.

“We don’t need jobs,” said Fred Chapman, a 62-year-old toolmaker, when interviewed by Reuters about a new battery factory Ford wants to build near Marshall, Michigan. “I know what lithium is – it’s a very volatile element,” added Glenn Kowalske, a retired engineer who, according to LinkedIn, earned his degree in the 1970s.

Sit down, buckle up, and be quiet. I heard those words many times from my parents and have likely said them countless times to my own kids, but a recent patent from Ford may change how people ride in their vehicles – at least off-road.

People buying in-demand cars and flipping them for profit have become a significant issue in the enthusiast car world, as it’s nearly impossible to buy some models without paying someone a premium for the privilege of owning one. Automakers have been resistant to stepping in, as dealer laws in the U.S. prevent them from interfering with pricing to a large degree. Rolls-Royce isn’t having any of that, and its CEO vowed to blacklist anyone caught flipping one of the brand’s new electric coupes, the Spectre.

Ford has invested billions in its electrification efforts, but the automaker might not see a return on that money for quite some time. Though it reported a significant jump in sales in the second quarter of this year, the company’s EV sales have fallen slightly.

San Francisco has become a hub for companies wanting to test autonomous vehicles thanks to its progressive leadership and proximity to Silicon Valley. But local residents have slowly been losing patience with the vehicles themselves as they’ve grown in number. While malfunctioning AVs are never popular with other drivers, allowing them to operate without a human safety driver has resulted in rolling reports of vehicles clogging up traffic.

Self-driving test mules are programmed to exercise the maximum amount of caution whenever they’re uncertain of how to progress. This has resulted in traffic jams that are infuriating the locals. But it has also made them incredibly easy to defeat, with activist groups leveraging their circumspect behavior to disable them by placing a traffic cone on the hood.

Set to jump on board the bandwagon made popular by quasi-rugged trims at other brands like X-Line and TrailSport, Hyundai is adding an XRT trim to the Santa Cruz.

President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, Kjell Gruner, has left the company. The former Porsche AG chief marketing officer took the wheel to oversee our region less than three years ago and has reportedly made an abrupt exodus. 

It’s a great time to be fans of burly midsize trucks: the simultaneous existence of Ranger Raptor, Tacoma TRD Pro (plus Trailhunter), and the ZR2/AT4X duo at The General means there is ample choice on the market for shoppers in this segment.

Chevy went one step further by ‘roiding their already ‘roided Colorado ZR2 and creating the ZR2 Bison. Now, GMC dealers get a variant of their own in the new Canyon AT4X AEV Edition.

Mitsubishi is still around and kicking, and its 2024 lineup is getting a few updates to help it stay afloat among a sea of better-known rivals. The automaker recently announced the updates for the new model year, and while none are earth-shattering, there’s reason to be hopeful for the brand and its future.

Mercedes-Benz has officially announced its replacement for the discontinued E and C-Class coupes. The 2024 CLE will serve as the successor to both models by adopting what the manufacturer assumes its customers like about both and trying to bridge the gap between them. 

With the popularity of coupes dwindling, it presumably makes sense for Mercedes to consolidate its two-door products. But it would be unwise to totally shut the door on a vehicle segment that has historically been important to the brand. Some of the most beloved Mercedes models have been coupes. Though the most iconic also have a tendency to include the letters SL in their name. 

The automotive world recently lost a giant of design. Peter Horbury, the man credited with pushing Volvo from the brick-making OEM to one building flowing, curvy vehicles, has died. He passed away, aged 73, on a recent trip to China while visiting colleagues from his more recent employer, Lotus.

It’s an open secret that the Big T is on the cusp of returning this storied nameplate to North American showrooms, meaning the release of a shadowy teaser image isn’t a huge surprise. Still, it’s neat to see what’s in the hopper for this off-road brute.

Alfa Romeo confirmed that its next halo model will debut at the end of August. CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato confirmed the debut during a Chinese event for the updated Giulia and Stelvio. 

"This project is a dream come true, inspired by a daring team that wanted to achieve something unique,” said the executive. 

It’s been coming for years and is rumored to turn the automotive world upside down. But the all-electric Apple Car has failed to manifest. We’ve covered the many hardships endured by the code-named Project Titan, which supposedly employed 5,000 people and was rumored to have roped in Volkswagen. But that was in 2018, years after the vehicle’s development cycle had begun and allegedly changed from a pod-like autonomous car built by Magna International to a corporate shuttle based on the VW Transporter.

The story of Apple’s EV has changed so many times over the years that it’s getting hard to believe that we will ever see it. But the latest from the corporate press suggests that it’s still coming.

The very Italian marque Fiat continues to roll out new products – in markets not named North America, of course. This time, we learn it is launching the all-electric 600e, sized larger than the 500e since it is intended to play in the B-segment. 

And by “very Italian”, we, of course, mean its newest vehicle shares structure with a Jeep.

Collabs between car companies and the movie industry are nearly as old as the automobile itself; witness the innumerable tie-ups which have zipped their way across the silver screen. This year, Fiat is drumming up interest in its new Abarth 500e by attaching itself to the Mission: Impossible franchise.

This one hardly comes as a surprise, given Mazda is in the throes of completely revamping its lineup – complete with straight-six engines and extra zeroes in its model names.

Shane van Gisbergen may not have much NASCAR experience -- he was making his first-ever start on Sunday in Chicago at the Grant Park 220 -- but he has plenty of street-race experience. And it showed.

Showed in a big way, as the New Zealand native took home the trophy in the first-ever NASCAR race on the streets of Chicago, which was also the first-ever NASCAR street race.

Canadian dealers of Mercedes-Benz vehicles are reporting that the automaker is considering revising its strategy for North America.

The dealers attended a market-wide retailers meeting in Vancouver held in May and noted that the automaker was fretting about consumer hesitancy over expensive electric vehicles. Concerns centered around the ailing economy, which has been undermined by higher interest rates and ongoing inflation.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (AAI) is reportedly prepared to tell the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that its proposal to significantly reduce vehicle emissions through the 2032 model year is wildly unrealistic. The lobbying group believes that the government’s proposed targets are “neither reasonable nor achievable in the timeframe provided."

An internal memo was released on Wednesday, stating that the regulations introduced by the U.S. government earlier this year were so stringent that they were "a de facto battery-electric vehicle mandate.”

Sometimes, the new model year of a stalwart model brings the slightest of changes. For 2024, the top-selling sedan in today’s Lexus lineup gets a few blink-and-you’ll-miss-‘em tweaks.

Buying an electric vehicle is a great step toward cutting your driving emissions, but you’ll want to install a home charger to make owning one much less annoying. General Motors recently announced new home charging offerings for its EV customers, including solutions that enable vehicle-to-home (V2H) functionality. 

Looking at the news, it’d be easy to think that catalytic converter theft is carried out by a wily group of bandits under cover of night, but that’s not always the case. A Philadelphia-based towing company is in hot water after almost a dozen people ran a theft ring that racked up millions in stolen catalytic converters. 

With the Lordstown Motors Corp. bankruptcy now official, everyone is trying to figure out what exactly happened. This includes CEO Ed Hightower, who is now claiming that the executive leadership at Foxtron — a subsidiary of Foxconn Technology Group focused on electric vehicles — refused to meet with him in 2022.

Frankly, it seems like everyone is playing the blame game right now. Lordstown is keen to place some heat on the Taiwanese partner it sold its factory to and Foxconn isn’t interested in taking the fall. But let’s see what can be gleaned from Hightower’s interview.