Detroit is not the only venue that sees significant automotive announcements in January. Increasingly, automakers are using the global audiences at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas to debut not only the latest in technology but the future of transportation as well. Case in point is Toyota’s FCV (Fuel Cell Vehicle) concept and prototype hydrogen test vehicle.
Another day at the CES show in Las Vegas and another round of announcements from automakers concerning the newest technology they are employing in current and future vehicles. AT&T has announced an agreement with Tesla, an all-electric vehicle manufacturer, to enable current and future models with high speed wireless connectivity in the form of 4G LTE.
At CES in Las Vegas today, Ford Motors announced four new apps for SYNC’s AppLink. Now, you’ll be able to order Dominos, monitor on your home’s security system with ADT, play music automatically based on your mood with HABU, or find the nearest parking spot with Parkopedia and pay for it with Parkmobile. Click each link to find out more. Ford also announced that they will be hosting a developers conference in June, 2014 to focus on bringing new apps into your car. It sounds like Ford is making a push to drastically improve their in-car SYNC interface and bring…
It has been no secret that in recent years, Volvo has become a favorite brand of mine and the S60 sedan has been a car I have really enjoyed driving. To be fair, Volvo has usually delivered something in an R-Design package but recently I was able to test the entry midsize offering and was not disappointed.
General Motors is announcing technology news at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. Select 2015 Chevrolet models will be rolling out with 4G LTE connectivity speeds via the vehicle’s OnStar system and, taking advantage of this new technology, infotainment personalization is being enhanced with the new Chevrolet AppShop accessible from the vehicle’s MyLink screen.
I recently reviewed (and was blown away by) the Escort Passport Max. This next-gen radar detector cuts down on false alerts and helps keep me safe while driving. Now Escort has introduced limited edition versions in awesome new colors and designs; Judie has the wood-burl design coming for use with her Denali. For now, click through for a quick look.
One of the things I am most looking forward to at CES is the Revolutionary transportation company Elio Motors “technologically friendly $6,800, 84 mpg, three-wheel vehicle, which will be introduced to the U.S. car market in the first quarter of 2015.” This two-seater three-wheeler holds 8 gallons of gas and can travel 670 miles or more without a fill-up!
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: “Last but not least,” or “We’ve saved the best for last.” Too late, I’m gonna tell you anyway. My last automotive review of calendar year 2013 was perhaps the most anticipated by not only myself but much of the world as well – the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Coupe.
In the last month or so I’ve been using a great service here in Columbus that will appeal to city dwellers as well as downtown commuters; the service is called car2go. Car2go is a car rental service that rents Smartcars by the minute. The service is great for that one time you need a car.
Earlier this year, the “hot rodders” over at the Street and Racing Technology group of Chrysler expanded its “Core SRT” strategy to Dodge Challenger and Chrysler 300 models. The Core program adds exclusive content to the performance versions of these vehicles, designed and built with the “back-to-basics” performance driving enthusiast in mind. Recently we tested the 300 SRT8 Core model.
The Buick Regal is the “fun-to-drive” sedan from the once-stoic automaker. Re-released for the 2011 model year, Regal has taken on a totally new persona with this iteration, one that harkens back to the mid-80s when a younger (in body and spirit) and more enthusiastic driver discovered just how well the words “Buick” and “Turbo” go together.
For nearly 75 years, Jeep has been not only one of the most capable vehicles in the world, it’s most recognized as well. The Jeep Wrangler is also one of the most-honored vehicles in the off-road spectrum, so what better way to spend nearly a week of icy winter weather than behind the wheel of the 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.
Ford marks the next chapter in the iconic Mustang story as the all-new 2015 Pony car makes its debut today. The new car marks 50 years of Mustang madness that has seen more than 9 million cars sold and thousands of appearances in film, television, music and video games and, according to Ford, the most-liked vehicle on Facebook.
Unlike my wife and father-in-law, I’m not a particularly fast driver, but I still appreciate knowing when there is a speed trap looking to snare unsuspecting drivers. For the last two years, I’ve used an iOS-enabled unit. When I started reviewing the PASSPORT Max, a next-gen detector, last week I suddenly realized just how many false positives I was getting.
Many of the reviews written around stately, premium sedans these days at one point or another use a reference to Buick including my review of the Hyundai Azera where I accused that Korean sedan of being so “Buicky.” Well, let’s take a look at the latest large car from General Motors’ premium brand in the form of the 2014 LaCrosse.
I had a chance to see the new Passport MAX from Escort last night. It is a huge leap forward in radar detector technologies. It is so advanced that it just one “Best New Product” at SEMA. With scanning technologies that separates real threats from RF interference, the MAX “sees what others can’t”. We will have much more soon.
Kia continues to surprise me with just how much better its vehicles have become these days. I remember back to some real “econobox” models last decade that looked and felt as cheap as they come, but over the last few years the automaker has truly come into its own, and the 2014 Kia Forte is no exception to this rule.
Almost as if they were in the witness protection program, all model year 2014 Infiniti cars and crossovers have received new names. Coupes, convertibles and sedans will begin with the letter “Q” and all CUVs and SUVs will use the prefix “QX.” Recently Infiniti sent us the 2014 Q60S Convertible (formerly known as the G37 Convertible) for review.
Over the past couple of years there has been a great deal of news coming from the Toyota/Lexus camp, but one headline that may have gone unnoticed was the complete makeover of the flagship sedan Avalon. Not only is this the best (and most “American”) Avalon to date, but Toyota now offers a hybrid variant to consumers as well.
Habitat for Humanity‘s vision is “a world where everyone has a decent place to live”, and in one Detroit neighborhood, they have really made a difference. Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine and I recently test drove a 2014 Ford F-150 while delivering wood to be used on the 100th Habitat home being built in one Detroit neighborhood. That’s community in action!
According to Jeep, the Grand Cherokee premium sport utility is the most awarded SUV…ever. Those are some pretty big bragging rights, but after driving the new Grand Cherokee it is easy to see why this model is second to none in a category transitioning from rural bumpkin to metropolitan mainstay as automakers retool the segment for more urban adventures.