December 2018

Hyundai delivers first 2019 NEXO fuel cell SUV in California

(December 31, 2018) VAN NUYS, Calif. — Hyundai has delivered its first NEXO fuel cell SUV to a former scientist eager to add the benefits of this zero-emissions vehicle to his environmentally friendly lifestyle. Customer Todd Hochrad of Ventura, Calif., picked up his new SUV at Keyes Hyundai in Van Nuys to become the first U.S. customer to drive off in the new NEXO, the only mass-produced fuel cell SUV for the U.S. market, boasting a range up to 380 miles.

Volkswagen to begin testing portable EV charging stations

(December 30, 2018) Creating a new era of mobile charging, Volkswagen has just announced its intentions to bring to market a "power bank," a standalone independent power source with up to 360 kWh of total battery storage capacity. Volkswagen likens the concept to the "power banks" used to charge phones and smart devices on the go — just on a much larger scale. 

According to VW, the boxes are based on the battery pack from the company's Modular Electric Toolkit (MEB). Because of this, the boxes can easily be scaled up or down and can reuse old batteries from EVs that are no longer functioning up to par.

Family reunites father with beloved Porsche 914 as Christmas gift

(December 29, 2018) The family of an Illinois man has reunited him with his beloved 1976 Porsche 914 that he sold more than two decades ago. Richard Lotesta originally bought the car in 1978. He enjoyed it so much that he joined the Porsche Club of America and became an avid amateur racer.

He sold the car in 1992 to help his second wife, Brenda, start a marketing business that has since blossomed into a national firm with 800 employees, reports the Daily Herald, a suburban Chicago newspaper.

2019 Porsche Macon S launches with new 348-HP turbocharged V6

(December 29, 2018) ATLANTA —  The 2019 Porsche Macan S is the next model to join the refreshed compact SUV range and features a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine generating 348 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. The new and more powerful engine marks an increase in both horsepower and torque over the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 Porsche used in preceding versions of the Macan S.

Latest safety tech protecting pedestrians to be evaluated

(December 28, 2018) ARLINGTON, Va. — The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is launching a test program for automatic emergency braking systems on vehicles that can detect and brake for pedestrians. In November, IIHS shared with auto manufacturers the protocol engineers will use in preparation for the early 2019 release of the first IIHS ratings of this feature.

The pedestrian autobrake test is the fourth crash avoidance evaluation in the Institute's battery of safety tests, alongside ratings of front crash prevention, rear crash prevention and headlights.

All-new Land Rover Defender to be sold in U.S., Canada in 2020

(December 28, 2018) MAHWAH, N.J. — Land Rover North America today announced something to celebrate in the New Year, the next-generation Land Rover Defender will be offered for sale in both the U.S. and Canada, starting in 2020. Testing of the new vehicle is underway around the world with the first development mules and prototypes reaching North American shores earlier this month.

'Hippie' Mercury in Utah



Mercury, designed to bridge the price gap between Ford and Lincoln, was redesigned for 1952 and became essentially two vehicles — the base Custom and the higher-priced Monterey. The Mercury continued to be powered by Ford's flathead V-8 in 1952 and 53. This "hippie" copy of a 1952/53 Mercury was found near Hanksville, Utah.
(Photo by Jim Meachen)


World's largest collector car auction returns to Kissimmee Jan. 3-13

(December 27, 2018) WALWORTH, Wis. — Now spanning 11 days and boasting an estimated 3,500 classic and collector cars slated to cross the auction block, Mecum’s Kissimmee, Fla., auction will again take the title of the world’s largest when it returns to Osceola Heritage Park Jan. 3-13. The massive event will cover more than 60 acres and feature at least two dozen private collections, 3,000 items of Road Art, the Mecum Midway of food, exhibitors and various live entertainment acts on the Midway stage, the Dodge Thrill Ride, and, of course, the ceaseless high-energy Mecum auction action.

Daimler Trucks delivers its first battery-electric commercial truck to Penske

(December 27, 2018) LOS ANGELES — Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) has delivered the first vehicle in its Freightliner Electric Innovation Fleet — a Freightliner eM2 — to Penske Truck Leasing, fulfilling its promise to put an electric commercial truck in customer hands in 2018. The delivery marks a key milestone in the real-world application of battery-electric commercial vehicles, as well as an important step towards emissions-free mobility.