November 2016

Ford's Le Mans victories depicted in Lego bricks

(November 30, 2016) COLOGNE, Germany — It’s a gift 50 years in the making that could set your child on the path to becoming a racing legend. The iconic Ford GT40 and new Ford GT that won Le Mans 24 Hours in 1966 and 2016 are being brought to life in LEGO bricks.

The new LEGO Speed Champions set will include both cars as well as racing driver mini figures, a checkered flag and even a trophy to make it easy to recreate those history-making victories.

Mazda starts production of all-new CX-5 crossover

(November 30, 2016) HIROSHIMA, Japan — Mazda started production of the all-new Mazda CX-5 crossover SUV this week at Ujina Plant No. 2 near the company’s global headquarters in Hiroshima. The model will go on sale in Japan in February before being rolled out to global markets.

BMW, Daimler, Ford and Volkswagen plan joint ultra-fast charging

(November 29, 2016) COLOGNE, Germany — BMW Group, Daimler AG, Ford and Volkswagen Group with Audi and Porsche have signed a memorandum of understanding to create the highest-powered charging network in Europe. The goal is the quick buildup of a sizable number of stations to enable long-range travel for battery electric vehicle drivers.

This is an important step toward facilitating mass-market battery electric vehicle adoption.

VW previews possible successor to CC in teaser sketch

(November 29, 2016) German automaker Volkswagen Group on Monday teased an elongated new four-door sedan that provides clues on the company's style evolution in a bid to inject fresh design into its aging portfolio. VW said it will show off the Arteon for the first time at the Geneva Motor Show in March. It's expected to hit the U.S. market in 2018.

Inaugural Classic Auto Show drives into L.A. Jan. 27-29

(November 28, 2016) LOS ANGELES — Angelenos have long demonstrated an appreciation for the finer side of the world of automotive beauty and innovation, and now one of the UK’s most successful classic car shows is gearing up to take Los Angeles on the ultimate trip down automotive memory lane at the Classic Auto Show, Jan. 27-29 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

2017 Alfa Romeo Stelvio —Adding a race mode and 505 horsepower

By Christopher A. Sawyer
The Virtual Driver

(November 28, 2016) Alfa Romeo’s new Stelvio is a high-performance crossover focused more on-road performance than off-road capability; kicking to the curb the notion that vehicles like this are something more than easy entry, high-riding station wagons.

Honda celebrates start of production of all-new CR-V in Ohio

(November 26, 2016) EAST LIBERTY, Ohio — Honda is celebrating the global start of mass production for the all-new 2017 Honda CR-V at the East Liberty Auto Plant (ELP) in East Liberty, Ohio. Slated to go on sale at dealerships across North America this winter, the redesigned and reengineered 2017 CR-V is the fifth generation of Honda's popular five-passenger compact SUV.

Lotus Exige Sport 380: Supercar killer

(November 27, 2016) High powered, highly evolved, and ferociously fast, the Lotus Exige Sport 380 is the most aggressive iteration yet for the Exige model line up. Taking the fight straight to six-figure supercars, this new, top-of-the-range model carries over the lessons learned in the development of the acclaimed Exige Sport 350, launched last year, but with significant revisions including lowering weight, boosting power and enhancing aerodynamics.

Corvair looking good in the weeds



Jim Prueter discovered this 1961 Chevy Corvair two-door coupe ready to hook up with the same period travel trailer in Winterset, Iowa. The small air-cooled rear-engine Corvair was a hit in its first six years of existence selling about 200,000 copies a year.