Lexus Introduces IS 500 F Sport Performance for 2022

Rumours of the return of an F variant with the IS sedan were confirmed today as Lexus launched the IS 500 F Sport Performance. Interestingly, the IS 500 F Sport Performance becomes the first in a new line of models to be called F Sport Performance.

F names aren't new to Lexus; many will recall the brand’s previous F models, pure sports cars powered by a V8 engine. There's even still one to be found in the carmaker’s lineup, the RC.? There’s also the F Sport option package available with several Lexus models currently, but its don't necessarily deliver a much higher level of performance.

Now, Lexus announced the F Series will be renamed F Sport Performance, with the 2022 IS 500 leading the way. It comes equipped with a 5.0L V8 engine, and with 472 hp and 395 lb-ft of torque to its name, there's no doubt that performance will be at the heart of the driving experience. The mechanics of the model are the same as the RC F, right down to the power and torque figures.

Interestingly, the model is exclusive to the North American market.

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A First Recall for the Ford Bronco Sport

Up to now, the news has been more encouraging than not when it comes to the revived Bronco that Ford is launching this year. There’s been a ton of anticipation, a ton of pre-orders and much looking forward to seeing both the bigger Bronco and the smaller Bronco Sport on the road.

In the case of the Bronco Sport, which is essentially a more adventurous version of the Ford Escape, the first models are in fact on the road, while we still await big brother Bronco.

Unfortunately, the first roll-out of the Sport has now been followed by a first recall, which is obviously something Ford would rather not be doing right now. The automaker says that 1,666 units of the model in all are being recalled, this after an internal investigation revealed that some Bronco Sports left the factory loose or missing rear suspension bolts.

The rear suspension of the Bronco Sport is bolted to a subframe, and it’s there that there are pieces loose or missing. When this is so, the ride can be bouncy or nervous, to say the least. The problem also increases the risk of an accident and can compromise safety in the event of a rear-end collision.

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Fortunately, Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the problem. In total, 1,640 of the 1666 Bronco Sport units that are being recalled are on U.S. soil, while 24 are in Canada and two are in Mexico. The models thought to have the faulty suspension were assembled at the Hermosillo plant in Mexico between July 22 and November 24, 2020. These were the first vehicles to be built.

Ford has not indicated when it will officially launch the campaign to make the repairs. Once at the dealership, a technician will check that the bolts are present and tightened according to specifications. Replacement bolts will be installed, if necessary.

If you own a Bronco Sport, you can always have it checked at your dealership before receiving notification from Ford.

More-Powerful 2022 Subaru BRZ Makes its Big Entrance

Pandemic realities obliged Subaru to go online with the official presentation of its 2022 BRZ sports car today at high noon. On the one hand, we didn't learn much today that we didn't already know. On the other, there will be test drives in the near-future, at which time we’ll have a lot more to say about it.

That, unfortunately, may only happen in the fall, which is when the next generation of the model is expected. More on that further down.

Still the Toyota connection
First, we should mention that the model was once again developed in collaboration with Toyota. Moreover, the partnership between the two groups will give rise to other products, which is good news for the automakers and for consumers.

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Ram Dakota: Not Happening For Now

Since Ram ceased production of its Dakota midsize pickup in late 2011, Mopar product enthusiasts have had no other option than to fall back on the company's full-size model, the Ram. The Jeep Gladiator has been around since last year, but its odd vocation – and steep price tag – means it doesn’t attract many of those who would previously have been interested in a Dakota.

Over the past few years, rumours have bubbled up periodically regarding the return of the Dakota. Unfortunately, new reports indicate such a thing is not currently a priority for the Stellantis group, the new entity born from the merger of the FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) and PSA (Peugeot Société Anonyme) groups.

And yet, the midsize pickup truck market has been very popular for some time. The segment includes the Toyota Tacoma, Jeep Gladiator, Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon duo and Nissan Frontier, which is finally getting a complete overhaul this year. The Honda Ridgeline can be considered one as well, but there we're talking about a different pickup truck with a unibody construction.

GM Authority reports that while there’s no obvious reason why Stellantis is setting aside the idea of bringing the Dakota back, it’s likely that that the presence of the Gladiator has something to do with it. Thay may or may not be so, but one thing is certain: there is room for a Dakota. With the price of the Gladiator being such a steep hill to climb, a more "affordable" option like a revived Dakota could really be successful.

The mothballing of the Dakota project is certainly not good news for the fans of the nameplate, but tomorrow’s another day as they say. The project is said to be dead for now, but a lot can happen over the next few years.

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Mitsubishi Finally Unveils its 2022 Outlander

For the first time in many moons, the Mitsubishi Outlander SUV is getting a big makeover. The model has just been unveiled on the new Amazon Live platform - a novel way to launch a new product while our normal way of doing things in the trade remains anything but normal, thanks of course to the coronavirus.

Not that we were deprived of information regarding the next-gen Outlander. Bits and pieces have been filtering out since last summer, plus the obligatory spy images have given us a fairly good idea of what the model now looks like.

We also knew that this renewal was made possible in part thanks to the alliance between Renault, Nissan and the Mitsubishi group. The result is that the new Outlander coming to dealers soon has a bit of a Nissan taste to it, more specifically a Rogue taste, seeing as how the two SUVs share a structure, mechanics and several other elements.

Here are the relevant points then. We keep it short because in exactly six weeks I'll have the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the vehicle. At that time, it will be easier and more appropriate to delve more deeply into the next Outlander.

40 Vehicles Recovered from the Bottoms of Nashville Waterways

Have you ever wondered, when going by or crossing a body of water, if there might not be some foreign objects at the bottom of them? Big foreign objects? Like cars, for instance? Residents of Nashville recently got to find out, as some 40 vehicles were removed from different bodies of water in the area as part of a clean-up operation.

The salvage expedition actually took place in the Cumberland River and the Percy Priest Reservoir, and was carried out by a team the mandate of which is to exploring the river and lake bottoms for a good cause: finding missing people, boats or cars.

The photos published on Twitter by Nashville mayor John Cooper show a row of rusty carcasses. There’s? a YJ-generation Jeep that appears original with its 15-inch steel wheels, a ninth-generation Ford Thunderbird, a more-recent Ford Focus, as well as a late-generation Pontiac Le Mans. No, not the mythical 1960s model, but rather the car Pontiac tried to pass off as an American model even though it was just a Korean sedan at a time when South Korea was still cutting its teeth in the industry.

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Ford Recalls 154,000 Vehicles, Once Again Over Takata Airbags

The Takata airbag saga is seeing yet another chapter added to its history. A new recall has been issued in connection to the faulty component, this time because Ford has lost track of some old airbags installed during repairs over the years. Recall that the faulty Takata airbags can explode and send shrapnel into the faces and upper bodies of vehicle occupants.

Since the scandal erupted several years ago, some 67 million airbags have been recalled across the industry, affecting 19 manufacturers. In total, 27 people have died and around 400 have been injured.

Ford is now recalling more than 154,000 vehicles across North America for testing. In fact, two recalls are taking place. The largest one involves some 153,000 vehicles being recalled because Ford has lost track of 45 old airbags that are believed to have been installed on old Ranger pickup trucks. Ford says the airbags were never removed from its parts inventory and might have been used to repair damaged vehicles.

The affected models belong to the 2004-2006 model-years.

A much-smaller second recall involves around 1,100 vehicles that may also have been equipped with obsolete Takata cushions during accident repairs. Here, several models are affected; they include? the Ranger pickup (2004-2011), Mustang (2005-2014), Ford GT (2006), Fusion (2008-2012) and Edge SUV (2007-2010), as well as the Lincoln MKZ (2010-2012) and MKX (2007-2010).

Ford says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this particular issue. The company states that it is checking the vehicles at the request of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. equivalent of Transport Canada.

Dealers will inspect the front seat airbags and replace them if necessary. Owners will be notified beginning the week of March 8.

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A Defender Pickup? It Might Happen Yet

Skittering along in the wake of the Land Rover Defender’s return, speculation about a possible pickup version has refused to die. And while at one point the notion had been nixed by the automaker, now the door seems to be opening again.

As reported by the Autocar website, Jaguar Land Rover program director Nick Collins acknowledged that “there is customer demand” and that “there were no structural limitations” that could prevent building such a variant. “We've always said the Defender would be a family of products," he explained, suggesting further that we should all “watch what happens next” to find out more about the possible future pickup version.

At the time the idea was shelved, a source said the company did not see the relevance of such a model, considering that the current Defender offers the capabilities of a pickup truck, but with a roof. The company simply did not see the financial relevance of creating a pickup variant.

However, Land Rover also made it clear that it was indeed possible to use the Defender's D7x platform to create a pickup truck. The only important thing to note is that the Defender does not benefit from a ladder chassis, like the majority of pickup trucks on the market. Which leads to the likelihood of a vehicle tailored more on the Honda Ridgeline format. The upcoming Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz models will also adopt this form, proving the growing popularity of this type of pickup.

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In terms of capacity, the Ridgeline model doesn’t deliver quite as much, but it's enough for the majority of towing needs.

In any case, buyers of traditional pickup trucks and those of an eventual Land Rover pickup are not the same.

Mechanically, a Defender equipped with a bed could receive the same powertrains as the regular model, so either a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder or a 3.0L turbocharged inline-6 for our market. What's more, Land Rover is working on a V8 engine option for the Defender, which would offer another interesting option.

Stay tuned.

Honda Introduces Next-Gen Honda HR-V in Japan

The next-generation Honda HR-V has been unveiled in Japan – under the name Vezel, as its known in its home market - and it has rather different styling from the current edition of the small SUV. The lines are more harmonious than prior, though its signature remains familiar, as does its position within the lineup.

The next HR-V looks quite a bit like a coupe-style SUV, with the overall presentation getting a sportier touch. The wider headlights and more upright muzzle contribute to the vehicle's larger stature. The grille has slats that seem to blend well with the body and the HR-V's signature feature of rear door handles integrated into the door frame is still present. All in all, we have a model with cleaner lines.

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Consumer Reports Picks Top Car Brand for 2021: Congrats to Mazda

Consumer Reports has published its annual report card rating automotive brands and their lineups, and the winner this year is Mazda.

In ranking brand performance, the magazine’s experts looked at a number of factors, including road-test performance, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, safety and environmental friendliness. CR points out that this year there was substantial reshuffling in the rankings in comparison with last year, and attributes a large part of that to fluctuations in predicted reliability, which can be pretty wild.

Honda and BMW were notable gainers this year, with Honda jumping up 10 position to take 5th spot overall, and BMW climbing from 8th to the second position. Chrysler and Buick also made the climb into the top 10. Going in the other direction were Genesis and Lincoln, again mostly because of poor scores in the predicted reliability data; Genesis finished in 15th spot with an overall score of 66 (identical to Tesla, for those who are curious about how Elon Musk’s creations fared), while Lincoln (53) plummeted to 28th spot.

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Nissan Presents its New 2022 Qashqai for Europe

A few weeks ago, Nissan showed us some early images of the new next-generation 2022 Qashqai. Today, the automaker put on the virtual unveiling of the model destined for the European market. It’s the latest in a slew of model revisions for a suddenly very, very busy car manufacturer.

With new Rogue, Pathfinder, Frontier and Qashqai models here or on the way, Nissan dealerships are prepping for a hectic year, to say the least.

The unveiled Qashqai introduced today is in reality the third generation of the model, though as far as North America is concerned, it’s actually the second, since the Qashqai made its debut in 2006 before being introduced in 2017. Designed and built in the United Kingdom, the SUV will once again launch first in Europe before crossing the Atlantic. We’re guesstimating it will be presented for our market somewhere later this year and debut at the end of 2021 or early in 2022.

The proportions of the Qashqai, which sits between the Kicks and the Rogue in the Nissan lineup, remain unchanged, but the styling has gotten more aggressive. There’s an unmistakable kinship with the larger Rogue, especially at the front, which borrows the same visual signature. The front grille is more massive, which we also saw with the other new Nissan products recently unveiled. Clearly, the company wants to reinforce the image of its models, as well as their presence on the road.

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2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge First Drive: A Good Transition

Auto123 gets in a first drive of the 2021 Volvo XC40 Recharge.

Recently, we attended a presentation that shed more light on what the Volvo XC40 compact crossover’s switch to electric “Recharge” form meant, and we were intrigued. After all, it’s not every day that a manufacturer takes not just a platform but a whole vehicle and changes it from an internal-combustion vehicle to a fully battery-electric vehicle, but here we are.

The XC40 Recharge is essentially the fully electrified version of Volvo’s popular compact crossover, but aside from the lack of a front grille, some unique wheels and a few badges, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell from looking at it. Still has the great two-tone paintjob, the tall roof and Thor’s Hammer DRLs; all the hallmarks of Volvo’s current design signature are present, and that’s a very good thing.

Toyota Suspends Some Operations in Japan in Wake of Earthquake

Toyota announced that it is suspending production at nine plants in Japan for several days due to supply disruptions caused by the earthquake that shook the northeast part of the country last weekend.

The world's largest car manufacturer said the interruption is necessary because several suppliers were affected by Saturday night's quake. Toyota said it would not disclose the affected parts or suppliers.

The affected parts are not semiconductors, however, said spokesperson Shiori Hashimoto. The clarification is relevant, given that the global industry is facing a shortage of electronic chips and that a major semiconductor plant has also been forced to cut production as a result of the earthquake.

Toyota also declined to specify by how many units production would be reduced. The production shutdown begins today in some plants and will continue until Saturday, February 20. The company has not yet determined precisely when the return to normal will take place.

Toyota said supply problems are not expected to affect production outside Japan.

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In total, the shutdown affects 14 of the manufacturer's 28 production lines in Japan and impacts Toyota's RAV4, C-HR and Harrier models, as well as several Lexus models such as the LS and IS sedans, RC and LC coupes, and LX, NX, UX and RX SUVs.

Renesas Electronics, a major supplier of semiconductors for the automotive industry, said on Monday it resumed wafer production at a plant that was closed for security reasons after the earthquake. However, the plant won't be at 100-percent capacity until next week.

The earthquake, measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale, struck off the northeast coast of Japan, near the epicenter of the devastating Tohoku earthquake that struck 10 years earlier, killing more than 16,000 people. That quake triggered a massive tsunami that resulted in devastating damage to the Fukushima nuclear power plant. Saturday’s earthquake injured some 160 people and caused power outages in nearly one million homes.

AJAC 2021 Canadian Vehicles of the Year Category Winners Announced

The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) has announced its members’ choices for the best vehicles in 2021 in each of eight different cars, SUV and pickup truck categories. This of course brings us one step closer to knowing the big winners of the 2021 Canadian Car of the Year and 2021 Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year awards.

Kia and Genesis lead the way with two models each being rewarded, including the Kia Telluride that wins as Best Large Utility model for the second year running. Mazda, Subaru, Nissan, and Ram each take one home best-in-class trophy; in the case of the Mazda3, the car also takes home a trophy for the second straight year.

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2022 Hyundai Kona to Get New Transmission, More Turbo Power

Hyundai has shared further details regarding the revised 2022 Kona coming in the next few months. If we hadn’t already known a Kona N performance version was on the way, that would be the big news today. But we do, so that leaves the boost in power of the available 1.6L turbo engine as the most exciting “new” news for fans of the model.

The base engine of the 2022 Kona will be the same 2.0L naturally aspirated unit the SUV already had; it’s good for 147 hp and 132 lb-ft of torque. But on the higher trims (including the Kona N Line) the turbocharged 1.6L engine now delivers 195 hp instead of 175 (torque remains unchanged at 195 lb-ft).

Hyundai has also switched out the base powertrain’s 6-speed automatic transmission by a Smartstream continually variable unit that will, the company promises, reduce fuel consumption. Meanwhile, the 7-speed EcoShift transmission that goes with the turbo engine has been modified to deliver improved performance, again as promised by the folks at Hyundai.

For the rest, we reported previously on the other changes being brought to the regular and electric versions as well as the details to do with the new N Line edition. And of course, there’s the true N performance version coming a little later in 2021.

Stay tuned.

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BMW X7: 10 Things Worth Knowing

Auto123 finds 10 things about the big new BMW X7 that are relevant to anyone considering forking over the truckload of money required to get in their driveway.

SUVs are proliferating at an incredible rate in the marketplace, and at both extremities of the automotive spectrum. Thus we have gaggles of very small SUVs appearing just as a number of huge mastodons lumber their way onto the scene.

Case in point, BMW; it introduced the X7 SUV a little over a year ago. What should you know about this model that looks like nothing so much as an X5 that’s’ been stung by a wasp? Here are 10 things.

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1 – Expensive. Very

The base price of the X5 is about $75,000; the X7 rises far beyond that at over $95,000. That's a lot to pay, even though you do enjoy a third bench seat and more cargo space. More luxury too.? But the fact is that with the X5, you're well served from the start as well. The second X7 variant in the catalog is priced at $117,500, and an Alpina B7 variant is even available for over $165,000.

Clearly, X7 buyers are more concerned about Covid-19 than about making ends meet at the end of the month.

2021 Mercedes-Benz A35 AMG Hatch Review: Reasonably Priced AMG Goodness

Auto123 reviews the 2021 Mercedes-Benz A 35 AMG 5-door.

Mercedes, synonymous with expensive cars? Yes, of course. And yet, it’s possible to get a Silver Star-badged car that is well designed and well equipped for less than $40,000. The little A-Class can be yours for $37,800 in the 4-door version or $39,900 in the 5-door version. Both are available with a 4-cylinder engine delivering 188 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, or in a beefier AMG version delivering 302 hp. This is the model we had occasion to test-drive for a week.

In fact, we had already had the opportunity to drive the 4-door version; this time, it was the turn of the 5-door variant. The latter is powered by the smallest AMG engine in the group, a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder developing 302 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. With this cavalry at its disposal, combined with its weight of only 1,555 kg, the little AMG A 35 guns you from 0-100 km/h in just 4.7 seconds. That's not bad for a small car that sells for $49,800.

The 4- and 5-door versions – which are priced the same by the way – represent the portal into the world of AMG models at Mercedes. But, cheaper doesn't mean cut-rate sportiness. We've had the chance to drive several AMGs, from the A 35 to the volcanic C 63s, and the A 35 and A 45 are our favorite cars, quite frankly.

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Ford's Big Boss Would Like to See the Puma ST in North America

Ford, as we know, has left the car market in North America. Apart from the Mustang, the manufacturer's lineup here is all about SUVs and pickups. Of course, this means that there’s room for other models within the family and one of them, if it was up to Ford boss Jim Farley, would be the European-market Puma ST.

Jim Farley has the reputation of being a genuine car guy, and he gave further proof of this by sending out a tweet about the Puma ST. In it he directly expressed his wish to see the Puma ST make it to the U.S. market.

In the tweet he also shared a 15-second video announcing the recent launch of the Puma ST by Ford's British division.

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Consumer Reports Picks its Top 10 Cars for 2021

Consumer Reports has shared its latest ranking of the best choices for automotive consumers. The magazine’s Top 10 Picks for 2021 were chosen for their ability to impress in terms of performance, safety, reliability and more. The annual report card also reveals the best car brand in 2021, according to CR: Mazda.

In ranking each model’s performance, the magazine’s experts looked at a number of factors, including road-test performance, predicted reliability, owner satisfaction, safety and environmental friendliness.

We take a quick a look at which models could make your short list this winter and spring.

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Small Car – Toyota Corolla

Texans Use Their F-150 Hybrid Trucks to Power Their Homes

If you've been following the news at all these past few days, you know that Texas is in the grip of a historic cold snap. The state is in a crisis situation as major power outages and frozen and broken water pipes are leaving millions without heat and running water.

Of course, homes and infrastructure in the state are not designed to withstand the cold; snow remains a rare event. But right now, temperatures have remained below the freezing mark for days. The death toll has climbed steadily this week, and for many residents the situation remains dire. Fortunately, forecast call for warming temperatures starting on Sunday.

In the meantime, people are getting by as best they can, and as always happens in these situations, proving to be devilishly ingenious. One story that caught our eye involves the new Ford F-150 Hybrid model. Some owners have been using the truck’s integrated power supply system is, which is powered by batteries and the vehicle’s gasoline engine to power essential elements of their home.

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