Could Norwegian milk trucks point to the best next step in vehicle electrification?

Photo: Semcon

Don’t get me wrong. As much as any car enthusiast, I love the explosiveness, sound, and feel of raw power under the hood that you get from a strong internal combustion engine. And on a certain level, it’s hard to imagine the idea of a motoring life without those dynamics.

But I also think that the benefits of electric powertrains, like the power of immediate torque at the wheels and the downforce benefits of a chassis-length, bottom-mounted battery—even if we leave aside for the moment any remaining debate about the net economic and environmental impacts— cannot be dismissed.

‘All I want for Christmas is a… Hellcrate HEMI crate engine?’ Mopar offers holiday gift ideas for gearheads

Photo: FCA US media website.

The idea of a 707-horsepower, 6.2-liter supercharged HEMI engine under the Christmas tree might be a bit much for some folks. But if you have a gearhead on your holiday shopping list—and $20,020 to spend—then why not?

BMW Group talks trade with Trump administration, claims status as ‘largest vehicle exporter from the US’

Photo: BMW PressClub USA.

Who is the largest exporter of motor vehicles from the U.S.?

In a statement issued yesterday after joining other German automakers for “a constructive working meeting” with Trump administration officials, the BMW Group said that their company is “is the largest vehicle exporter from the US in terms of value.”

Turning over a new LEAF: Meet the Nissan NISMO electric race car that approaches the torque of Volkswagen’s record-shattering I.D.R. Pikes Peak

Photo: Nissan Media Newsroom.

2018 has been landmark year for the ascendancy of electric vehicles in the motorsports world, especially with Volkswagen’s triumph in shattering, in an electric race car, the previous all-time record in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Now, as we look ahead to a new year of motorsports, Nissan is reasserting its presence with the debut last week, at Nissan Crossing in Tokyo’s Ginza district, of the new all-electric Nissan LEAF NISMO RC, a product of the automaker’s racing arm.

There’s still time to get that full federal electric vehicle tax credit, Tesla reminds prospective buyers

A Tesla Model S, customized by Creative Bespoke, on display at SEMA 2018. Photo by Bill Hayward.

Maybe, on the day after Black Friday 2018, they were trying to stir up a bit of Cyber Monday mojo to score a few online orders for their vehicles before the end of the month. In a message sent yesterday afternoon to their email newsletter subscriber list, Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA), reminded prospective buyers that there is still time to take advantage of the full $7,500 U.S. federal tax credit on electric vehicle purchases.

The Black Friday through Cyber Monday window—and beyond—could present bargain opportunities for new-car shoppers too

Whether they’re seeking sports cars, sedans, trucks, crossovers, or SUVs, consumers may find that retail stores aren’t the only businesses offering bargains, with many car dealerships running promotions during the Black Friday through Cyber Monday window—and maybe even further into the holiday shopping season. Photos: Chevrolet Pressroom.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2018 are upon us. And if you’re like the more than 164 million consumers in the U.S. who plan to shop over the five-day period between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, maybe you’re already pouring through websites, newspaper inserts, and other promotional outlets looking for bargains.

But what if you’re in the market for a new car as 2018 comes to a close? Will the Black Friday through Cyber Monday timespan be an opportune time to get great deals at car dealerships as well?

“Runs good, some rust, RECARO seats, needs bodywork”: As the taste of car enthusiasts evolves, a legendary seating brand endures—and looks ahead to our driving future

RECARO Automotive Seating CEO Martin Klein at SEMA 2018.
Photo by Bill Hayward

By Bill Hayward

Quick, how many brands of automotive seats can you think of, off the top of your head?

Don’t cheat. No Googling allowed.

Chances are, unless you’re highly steeped in automotive-industry minutiae, the list of seating brands you can think of is very short, with only one entry: RECARO.

Maybe you haven’t thought about spark plugs much lately, but NGK’s SEMA announcements show the technology continues to drive ahead

Drag-racing driver Megan Meyer, sponsored by NGK Spark Plugs,
greets automotive-industry attendees of the 2018 SEMA Show
at the NGK booth.

By Bill Hayward

If you don’t spend much time thinking about automotive spark plugs these days, don’t feel guilty. You’re in good company. Thinking about spark plugs a lot less often is something that has been to some extent encouraged since, say, the 1980s.

That said, some of us are old enough to still remember a time when folk wisdom, perhaps with a push from the auto repair industry, held that an “annual tune up” that included changing ignition parts like plugs, points, and ignition wires, was an essential element of automotive maintenance.

‘This Hellephant is a beast:’ FCA unveils 1,000-horsepower 426 Hemi engine at SEMA 2018. World so not shocked. World thinks it’s awesome anyway. World right.

Photo by Bill Hayward.

You’ve got to give FCA credit: they sure know how to put on one Hellephant of a show at a tradeshow.

A ginormous crowd was gathered at the FCA booth on the lower level South Hall at the Las Vegas convention center, well ahead of the traditional 4:26 p.m. start time, commemorating the 426-cubic-inch displacement of the original Mopar hemi engine.

Kia absolutely crushes it at SEMA with stunning DUB custom Stinger, K900

2019 DUB Kia Stinger custom build at SEMA 2018.
Photo by Bill Hayward

At their opening-day press conferences at SEMA 2018 yesterday, some of the other major automakers drew bigger crowds than Kia did, and had more to boast about in terms of new developments like performance upgrades.

But Kia stole the show when it comes to customizations that can surprise and delight a crowd by bringing out hidden potential, provoking a fresh reassessment of strengths in their production lineup that could be easy to overlook.

This was especially true of two of Kia’s eight reveals at SEMA: a 2019 Kia Stinger and a 2019 Kia K900, both reinterpreted by DUB, the southern-California-based magazine publisher and customizer.

Nexen Tire announces more booths at SEMA, salutes injured veterans with hot Dodge Challenger build

Photo: Nexen Tire America

Nexen Tire America announced yesterday that they are expanding their booth locations for the 2018 SEMA Show (Las Vegas, October 30–November 1), where they will showcase five custom builds, including the Custom Nexen Tire Purple Heart Dodge Challenger R/T, on display in Booth #61012 along with Nexen’s other show vehicles.

Yes, young people are interested in driving and accessorizing cars, SEMA research finds

Photo: Ford Media Center

Whether your business is cars or automotive accessories, if you’re a smart business operator you know that a thorough, data-enriched understanding of demographics is critical to your success—at least in the long run.

See you at SEMA 2018?

Photo: SEMA.

Yes, it’s official. Auto Enthusiasts Newsblaster will indeed be represented at SEMA 2018 (October 30-November 2 in Las Vegas) this year, by yours truly.

I will of course want to check out the many cool builds scheduled to be on display, like the Maxlider Brothers/Union Pacific Industries 1966 Ford Bronco resto-mod and the Prestone Javelin AMX by Ringbrothers. Watch for photos of goodies like these to show up on our website and social media.  I plan to be posting throughout the show to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you’re shopping for a $450,000 car, here’s some good news: Ford will make an extra 350 Ford GT supercars

Photo: Ford Media Center

Apparently, there are more people around with an extra $450,000 burning holes in their pockets, because Ford announced on Thursday that they will increase production of the current-generation Ford GT to 1,350, up from the 1,000 they had originally planned.

Eat your heart out, Tesla—check out this cool electric car that a Nissan predecessor company built over 70 years ago.

Photo: Nissan Official Media Newsroom.

OK. So it’s not quite as sleek and sexy as a Tesla Roadster.

But this vintage 1947 Tama electric vehicle built by Tokyo Electro Automobile Co., Ltd., has a funky charm of its own. And for Japanese car enthusiasts, it might be pretty cool to think that a company that is part of Nissan’s history was thinking this early about the benefits of electrification, in response to an energy crisis of its time.

Chevrolet set to show off new crate engines in delicious vintage Chevy builds at SEMA 2018

Photo: Chevrolet Pressroom.

If the term “crate engine” makes you think only of the “Put a 350 in it, man!” crowd, it might be time for you to take a fresh look.

While it may be true that, as Matt Farah observed during a chat with Jalopnik’s Kurt Bradley on The Smoking Tire podcast this week, a lot more people are talking on the Interwebs about doing crazy LS swaps these days than actually doing them, the Chevrolet crate engine lineup offers a considerable depth and breadth of swap-friendly options, with nearly 50 motors to choose from.

GM says optional extended ‘bumper-to-bumper’ warranty ‘breaks new ground’

Photo: GM Corporate Newsroom.

Coming off a rough third quarter that saw an 11 percent sales drop, GM now seems to be betting that an option announced today to purchase a “no questions asked” limited warranty offering an extended period of “bumper-to-bumper” coverage will be enough to entice more consumers to buy a new Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, or Cadillac vehicle.

If you’re interested in automotive industry jobs, FCA might make you very happy, survey says

Recruiters greet candidates at an FCA job fair.
Photo: FCA USMedia Website

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) stated this week that they have scored among the top companies in the United States—not just in the car business, but overall—in providing a positive, transparent, and insightful experience for career seekers.

The automaker’s performance as a prospective employer was good enough this year to earn them a 2018 North American Candidate Experience Award (CandE Award), in a competition organized each year by Talent Board, a nonprofit that conducts research on the quality of the job candidate experience.

Well, son of a DAT: Here’s one vintage Datsun/Nissan product that you probably won’t find a tuner chip for

Photo: Nissan USA Official Media Newsroom

My weekly travels often involve a stop at a strip shopping center where there is both an e-cig store and a Domino’s pizza location. No, I’m not patronizing either of those establishments—my weekly visits have an entirely different purpose that there’s no real need to go into.

Apparently, having both a vaping store and a mostly-delivery pizza joint in the neighborhood is the perfect formula for making a parking lot look like there’s a cars and coffee for the tuner-dudes crowd going on, even when there is not a planned car-guys event taking place.

Dammerman car collection helps drive Saratoga Auto Auction to nearly $6 million in sales

Photo: Saratoga Automobile Museum.

The Saratoga Automobile Museum has credited the 44-vehicle Dennis Dammerman car collection, consigned by the estate of the late GE Vice Chairman Dennis Dammerman, with an important role in propelling sales to nearly $6 million in the second annual Saratoga Auto Auction on September 21 and 22 in Saratoga Springs, New York.