This week was slow in terms of automotive news. Still, Volkswagen revealed the details of its new 2022 Golf R. We also defined what range anxiety is and how to combat it, offered a checklist of things to keep in your car, and summarized the vehicles with the best resale values according to J.D. Power.
But that’s not everything that was happening in the automotive space.
The Subaru BRZ (and its twin, the Toyota 86) has always been a bit of an oddity in relationship to the rest of the Subaru family. It lacks all-wheel drive, and its two-plus-two seating and tiny trunk are the antitheses of utility. Nevertheless, the BRZ attracts new customers to Subaru showrooms in great enough numbers that the car is getting a second go ‘round.
On November 18th, 2020, the second-generation 2022 Subaru BRZ debuts. Subaru is tight-lipped about details, but we’re confident it’ll retain the light, tossable nature that made it so enjoyable to drive, and which makes it a natural competitor to vehicles like the Mazda MX-5 Miata. A 205-horsepower 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine in classic Subaru boxer layout powers the current BRZ. No doubt, a similar engine will power the new version, and a manual transmission is a good bet. Otherwise, fans might mutiny.
Make Room for GM Trucks, Our Canadian Friends
Big, American-made trucks are intertwined with the identities of many U.S. residents. Some are made in Mexico, too, and now Canada joins the country-of-origin list. General Motors says that it will build the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra full-size pickups in its Oshawa, Ontario plant due to high customer demand for trucks. The automaker’s Ft. Wayne, Indiana factory will also continue to build the models.
Despite the strange times in which we live, GM posted healthy profits in the third quarter, raking in $4 billion. That’s because the automaker’s truck and SUV sales are robust, and that profit will fuel the company’s transition to electric vehicles such as the 2022 GMC Hummer pickup.
H-E-Double Hockey Stick Your Way to the Dealer for the Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat - Find the best Dodge deals!
Have you been itching to get your hands on the most powerful SUV in the world, ever? You’d better act fast because people thinking the same can now order the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat at their local dealership.
What’s the rush? This high-performance Durango is available for one model year only, and the production run will last just six months.
The 710-horsepower Durango SRT Hellcat boasts of a top speed of 180 mph, a towing capacity of 8,700 pounds, and a zero-to-60 acceleration time of 3.5 seconds, thanks to its supercharged 6.2-liter Hemi V-8. It’s pretty much a supercar with 85.1 cu.-ft. of cargo space.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the wildly exuberant and expensive new Durango Hellcat, we’ve got news about used Hondas, which are just about the smartest financial move you can make when it comes to getting a car. And to make the proposition even easier on the wallet, Honda is partnering with Fair.com to offer short- and long-term leases of its certified pre-owned (CPO) vehicles.
For a six-month practice run, Honda will offer its CPO vehicles through six Honda dealerships in Southern California and 13 Honda and Acura dealerships in Florida. Customers can lease for a month at a time or for a specific, fixed term. However, because a down payment is required, the longer the lease term, the better financial sense the offer makes.
The monthly payment includes routine maintenance and roadside assistance. Fair.com will take care of the paperwork online and deliver the vehicle to the customer, making the transaction as easy as ordering pizza, if not as affordable.
Love the latest and greatest 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, but feel like you need to tweak them a bit to amp up the performance? Chevy has released a handful of dealer-installed performance accessories for the two full-size SUVs.
With High Country trim, owners can opt for an Air Intake Upgrade System ($625) that reduces intake pressure for both the 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter V-8 engines. Three versions of cat-back exhaust systems reduce backpressure to slightly increase performance, from 4 to 11 horsepower and 2 to 6 lb.-ft. of torque, depending on the engine and your choice of the single-exit system ($1,645) or dual-exit system ($2,145).
Finally, Chevrolet offers red Brembo front brake upgrades for $2,895, while rear units go for $575.
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