AUTOMOBILE101 BLOG

BERLIN/FRANKFURT — A report that U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to pursue German carmakers until there are no Mercedes-Benz rolling down New York's Fifth Avenue dented shares in the luxury car manufacturers on Thursday. An excerpt from German magazine Wirtschaftswoche's article, which cited several unnamed European and U.S. diplomats but did not include any direct quotes, could not be independently verified, while a U.S. Embassy spokesman in Berlin referred questions to Washington. The news and current affairs magazine said Trump had told French President Emmanuel Macron in April that he aimed to push German carmakers out of the United States altogether. Macron's administration in Paris declined to comment on the report. The Trump administration last week opened a so-called Section 232 trade investigation into vehicle imports, which could result in a 25 percent tariff on cars on the same "national security" grounds Washington used to impose met...

Acura returns to its roots to find a winning compact crossover formula. Things have come full circle for the Acura R DX. The compact crossover launched in 2007 with an all-new turbocharged four-cylinder engine and an all-wheel-drive system that was sophisticated enough for the brand to affix the Super Handling designation to it. It was a fun, sporty vehicle in a sea of boring competitors, and we liked it enough to write a eulogy of sorts when the second-generation RDX ditched the fun turbo engine in favor of a V6, and dumbed down its optional all-wheel system so much that they dropped the Super Handling name. Acura's mainstreaming of the RDX for its second generation turned out to be a smart play. Sales jumped 94 percent in 2012, the first year that the redesigned RDX went on sale, leapt another 50 percent the following year, and have stayed over the 50,000 mark for the past three years. It may sound surprising, then, that Acura is flipping the playbook back a few page...

Buying replacement parts for your car; Everything you need to know. Your car suddenly developed a fault and its from a is a single known spoilt part. If this is your first time to shop for a new replacement parts, whatever part it is, there’s a possibility that you may feel somehow intimidated. After all, this is your car! Something you rely on every. A guide below to help you make the right choice and avoid being fooled. ** Should I really go second-hand, or would new be better? The truth is Second hand parts as with second hand vehicles are usually cheaper.  What’s more, you can also usually track down the part specific to your car, even if it’s an older model.  If you’ve got an older vehicle, it may be that your manufacturer won’t have new compatible parts in stock, but this will depend on how rare your car is. The Fact is With new parts, you’ll likely pay more, then you’re to get a bit of additional security. For some owners, that’s worth the extra cost. **How d...

Powered by a 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel engine capable of 190kW/550Nm and mated to a 7G-Tronic PLUS automatic transmission. The top X-Class bakkie sprints from 0 to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds. The V6 has permanent all-wheel drive with drive select.

Honda is adding a bit more sport to the Civic Si with a new Honda Factory Performance package that adds a body kit, sports suspension, and new track-day ready performance tires. Adding some HFP to the Civic is nothing new for Honda. The automaker has released body kits, performance suspension parts, and bigger wheels for the Civic for at least a decade using that banner, as well as for the Fit. This latest Civic HFP gets its own trim level. Delivered from the factory to be what Honda calls capable of tracking on the weekends. And, at least for now, it's Canada-only.

NBC Nightly News recently carried the above segment on a video showing a  2012 Kia Sorento  spewing flames as its driver travels at highway speed on Interstate 4 in Orlando. Another motorist, Meredith Olinger, drives alongside, shooting the video while trying to warn the driver to pull over. She does, just in time. Seconds later, the  Kia is cooked. The driver, Susan King, says, "I got out, and suddenly the car was engulfed in flames. (Olinger) saved my life. I'm incredibly grateful, and she was my angel that day. It was surreal." NBC did a nice job of using the video to highlight a serious issue. The SUV's owner was not King but her friend Tyla Kennedy, and though the Kia was part of a recall of 2012-14  Sorentos  having to do with an engine defect, Kennedy says she never received a recall notice. That's because she was not the car's original owner. And as anyone who has received a recall notice for a long-sold car knows, automakers send the notices to ...

After years in development, California is finally rolling out its digital license plate pilot program. Drivers can purchase and install plates that uses the same E Ink screen technology as an Amazon Kindle or various wearables. The new digital display was developed by Reviver Auto and replaces a traditional stamped plate. It's available for both consumer and commercial vehicles, though at a considerable cost. According to  The Sacramento Bee , dealerships are expected to offer the plate for $699. That price doesn't include installation, the $7 monthly service charge or the actual cost of registering a vehicle. Customers that purchase the plate can register their cars online rather than going to the DMV in person. Yearly registration will also be handled electronically so no need for annual year stickers.  When the vehicle is stopped, digital plate owners can also display custom messages, branding and advertisements, or information like Amber alerts or road closures. Th...