November 2020

Just what does a bumper do, anyway?

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DRIVER'S SIDE DIATRIBE
By Al Vinikour   

Being the hopeless romantic I am, I took my wife to the new iHOP the other day at what used to be a truck stop diner. As I left, my appetite sated from a Seniors Sampler, I happened to notice a Freightliner leaving the facility. The sun was setting in the west (or wherever it goes) and the rays were shining on the truck’s chrome bumper. I was awed by the size of the thing. It looked like it could stop a…a truck! Then I noticed the bumpers on the passenger cars parked around the lot. Other than beginning and ending points to measure overall length, what good are they?

Volvo cars help warn drivers of slippery roads and hazards



(November 20, 2020) MAHWAH, N.J.  —Volvo Cars is making its connected safety technology available to U.S. drivers as another step in its ambitions to improve traffic safety. A new partnership with Waycare Technologies, will enable data from Volvo’s Hazard Light Alert and Slippery Road Alert to be anonymously shared with transportation municipalities and the popular Waze navigation app.

GM boosts its investment in electric vehicles



(November 20, 2020) DETROIT — General Motors Chairman and CEO Mary Barra revealed that the company will offer 30 all-electric models globally by mid-decade. Forty percent of the company’s U.S. entries will be battery electric vehicles by the end of 2025. Barra also announced an increase in GM’s financial commitment to EVs and AVs today to $27 billion through 2025 — up from the $20 billion planned before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

General Motors to debut OnStar Insurance



(November 19, 2020) DETROIT — For more than 20 years, General Motors’ OnStar brand has empowered customers to drive with confidence, offering services that provide added peace of mind on the road. GM announced today it will take its relentless focus on safety and delivering a world-class customer experience one step further with OnStar Insurance. GM’s new insurance agency, OnStar Insurance Services, will be the exclusive agent for OnStar Insurance.



Racetrack to road — The new Lamborghini Huracan STO



(November 19, 2020) Automobili Lamborghini presents the Lamborghini Huracán STO - Super Trofeo Omologata  — a road-homologated super sports car inspired by the racing heritage of Lamborghini Squadra Corse’s one-make race series with Huracán Super Trofeo EVO, as well as its three-time 24 Hours of Daytona-winning, and two-time 12 Hours of Sebring-winning Huracán GT3 EVO.

Highlighting the design transformation of the Acura MDX



(November 19, 2020) TORRANCE, Calif. — After more than two decades and one million units sold since the debut of the first-generation MDX in 2000, the new MDX Prototype previews the nameplate’s most ambitious redesign yet. Utilizing a clean sheet design and clear focus on delivering Precision Crafted Performance, the fourth-generation MDX reimagines the three-row SUV’s proven formula with a more emotional, exciting and premium design.

A North Carolina Hudson



In 1948 Hudson launched its "step-down" bodies, which lasted through the 1954 model year. The term step-down referred to Hudson's placement of the passenger compartment down inside the perimeter of the frame; riders stepped down into a floor that was surrounded by the perimeter of the car's frame. This "ready for restoration" 1948-1950 Hudson was found in eastern North Carolina.
(Photo by Jim Meachen)

Mini Vision Urbanaut a new interpretation of a vision of space



(November 18, 2020) MUNICH, Germany — The Mini brand is using #NEXTGen to present, in a world exclusive, the Mini Vision Urbanaut — an all-new interpretation of a vision of space. This digital vision vehicle offers more interior space and versatility than ever before, but still on a Minimal footprint.

Infiniti debuts all-new SUV — The QX55



(November 18, 2020) FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Lights up, cameras on, and sound rolling, Infiniti has launched the all-new QX55 SUV via a one-of-a-kind streaming concert experience from Los Angeles. The Infiniti QX55 is the spiritual successor to another one-of-a-kind moment: the Infiniti FX. Like its predecessor, the QX55's daring roofline and provocative shape are in tune with equally bold buyers; the QX55 doesn't have something for all people — it aims to be everything to some people.