Car Blog Writers

Jeep Car Sharing Program Being Tested

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Jeep wants to reach some customers from the younger generation that wouldn’t be able to afford a new car. To accomplish this, they launched the new Jeep car sharing program options for beta testing.

Jeep car sharing program
FCA

Several Options for a Jeep Car Sharing Program

Because the Jeep executives want to find out what works in this economy, they are trying out several things to reach out to younger customers. In fact, reports suggest that there will be three pilot programs.

The first one is three months long and is with Turo, a startup company. “Peer-to-Peer” or maybe even “Jeep Freedom,” might be the new name; we just aren’t sure yet. The testing program started last week in Boston. It allows Jeep owners to rent out their vehicles while not in use. This not only offsets the cost for owners, but it might even help them gain a small profit.

The most common subscription service is a three-month trial program that allows owners to trade in their Jeep and swap it for something else. This could be a Ram 1500 or even the Dodge Challenger. Avis provides the inventory and the company allows up to six swaps for three months. While there is no name yet, it is being tested in Boston, just like the first option. The company only allows 100 people to sign up with this program.

Believe it or not, Boston is the location of the third program as well. The name is “Car Borrowing” and provides owners with Jeep Coins. This allows them to swap in their 4×4 for other FCA vehicles. They get six coins for the year, but the trade-in only lasts for a day at a time. The driver chooses whether the car is delivered or picked up. Inventory for this program is also supplied through Avis.

Future of Jeep

It’s unclear what this means for Motor Trend’s SUV of the Year. Until the results are in, we won’t know if the testing was profitable or not. Up until now, Jeep owners have always been a select group of clientele that are proud of their vehicles, so we find it hard to believe they would want to swap. We will report back in spring and let you know how the pilot testing went.

Best Luxury Car of 2018 – The Numbers are In

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Does it surprise anyone to know that Mercedes-Benz was once again the best luxury car of 2018 in the United States? The numbers are out and they effectively sold more than their biggest rivals Audi and BMW for the year.

luxury car of 2018
Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz: The Luxury Car of 2018

During 2018, Mercedes-Benz was able to sell 315,959 cars and SUVs. This put it just above BMW, but not by much. In fact, BMW managed to sell 311,014 vehicles during the same time. While Mercedes-Benz was able to hold their title, they faced their own set of challenges. Their sales dropped 6.3% from 2017 numbers. While they dropped in total sales, BMW went up 1.7%.

Following these two German automakers was Lexus, who clinched third place for 2018. They sold 298,310 vehicles with a 2.2% decrease over 2017. Audi retained their fourth place position with 223,323 cars sold. Finally, Acura landed in fifth among the luxury car sales with 158,934 cars and SUVs. This put them higher than Cadillac with 154,702 deliveries.

2019 Luxury Cars

In total, the luxury car sales in the United States went down 0.3% from 2017. That equaled a total of 2,027,312 vehicles. So what’s forecasted for 2019. We have a lot to look forward to this year, according to KBB. These are some of the cars they listed as the top-rated.

  • Audi Q5
  • Volvo XC60
  • BMW X6
  • Land Rover Discovery
  • BMW i8
  • Jaguar I-Pace
  • BMW M6
  • Volvo S90
  • Lincoln Continental
  • Genesis G90
  • Porsche Panamera

What we do know for 2019 is that there will continue to be a shift from passenger cars to SUVs. This will be the case with luxury cars as well. More people are turning to the larger design of SUVs for their families while others like the fuel economy of the smaller crossover models.

Of course, that isn’t stopping the luxury automakers from producing some high-powered sports cars for enthusiasts. On top of that, we should also see a shift with more electric models coming to market. The 2019 luxury cars sales are something we will be monitoring closely. Let’s see if they change much from the best luxury car of 2018.

2018 Car Sales Report: Better than Expected

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It’s time for automakers to start announcing their 2018 car sales report and some of the results from last year might surprise you. We expect to see sales hit over 17 million vehicles once all the numbers are tallied. This would be directly in line with the totals from 2017. It would also be the fourth straight year of more than 17 million sales, which is promising news.

Nissan North America U.S. Headquarters - Tennesse
Nissan

2018 Car Sales Expected Soon

Despite the encouraging news, many auto executives are still concerned about a market slowdown. They blame rising interest rates and the higher new-vehicle MSRPs than previous years. These two aspects combined make it harder than ever for Americans to buy a new set of wheels.

GM reported fourth-quarter sales of 785,229 vehicles which was down 2.7%. Ford had sales dropped another 8.8% in December down to just 219,632 cars. Toyota, on the other hand, posted fairly flat sales at 220,910 vehicles.

Other companies that didn’t change much for December included FCA with 196,520 vehicles and Nissan with 148,720. These two companies posted some of the highest sales gains for the year. FCA went up 9% with Nissan rising another 6%.

What’s To Come in 2019?

Unfortunately, most of the automakers don’t think the 2018 car sales report is a reflection of what’s to come for 2019. Analysts foresee a decline coming in sales for 2019. In fact, estimates show less than 17 million vehicle sales for this year.

Not only are rates and prices rising, but the dealers are offering less leasing deals. This makes it tough for the average consumer to afford the monthly payments. That’s why more people are turning to used car sales instead.

On top of that, GM recently announced they would close several factories in North America and lay off up to 14,000 workers. That’s on top of many American automakers getting rid of their car lineup for 2019. Instead, they are shifting their focus toward trucks and SUVs in an effort to increase moneymaking potential.

Despite the outlook, the economy continues to show signs of improvement. The unemployment rate is down and consumer confidence is high. Even the gas prices continue to remain low for the time being. This will only fuel more sales of the larger pickups and SUVs. (Get it – fuel!)

The reality is – only time will tell what 2019 holds for car sales. We will be sure to report on any news as it becomes available.

10 Best Supercars of 2019

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Even though none of us could ever afford one of these supercars, it’s still quite fun to dream. It’s actually one of the things we look forward to doing each and every year. To kick January right, let’s run down the best supercars of 2019. Here are all of our favorite models and what we currently know about them.

best supercars of 2019
Aston Martin

1. 2019 Aston Martin Valkyrie

We first got wind of the project between Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing back in 2016, but nothing has been produced yet. We hope that they will stop teasing and show us more details of the Formula One-inspired hypercar. The automaker claims we can expect to see deliveries begin towards the end of 2019.

Until then, we do know that the plans are to create a car featuring a 6.5-liter V12 engine that produces 1,000 horsepower. It will also have a carbon fiber body and suspension that was inspired by the Formula One teams. As of now, they only planned 150 for production at the cost of $3.2 million each.

2019 Lamborghini LB48H - right front view
Lambocars

2. 2019 Lamborghini LB48H

We don’t yet know the name of the new Lamborghini, but it might debut during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. It will feature hybrid technology and a naturally aspirated V12 engine that produces 789 horsepower.

2019 Mercedes-AMG ONE - right side view
Mercedes

3. 2019 Mercedes-AMG ONE

Initially, we weren’t going to see this car until at least 2020, but it appears the automaker is going to exceed expectations. Now, projections hint at a release during the second quarter of the year. This supercar features a 1,000 horsepower combustion 1.6-liter turbocharged V6, but it’s also electrified.

The bad news is only 275 units are scheduled for production and they’ve all been sold. Of course, the price was $2.72 million each, so it was probably out of your budget anyway.

2019 Porsche Taycan - overhead view
Porsche

4. 2019 Porsche Taycan

Just the other day, we told you about the Porsche Taycan in our 2019 Electric Vehicle Lineup. The funny thing about this car is that people are already on the waiting list for it despite the fact that we don’t have any official details on it. In fact, we won’t see it probably until the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show.

What we do know is that the Taycan is going to give the Tesla Model S a run for its money. It’s a crossover from the Mission E Cross Turismo concept and it offers zero emissions.

2019 Toyota Supra - left front view
Balise Toyota

5. 2019 Toyota Supra

The new 2019 Toyota Supra is a model we don’t need to wait too long to see. It’s supposed to be unveiled for us during the Detroit Motor Show this month and is part of the company’s collaboration with BMW.

2019 Corvette C8 - right front view
Corvette Forum

6. 2019 Corvette C8

American muscle car fans should brace themselves for the C8 Corvette. Initially, we were told that it would appear during the Detroit Auto Show, but now we found out it could take a little longer. Hopefully, by summer the covers will be taken off and we can get a better look at the newest in the Corvette lineup.

We do know that this car is set to have a V8 engine and is hoping to go up against the Porsche 911 Turbo.

2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4
Hennessy Porsche

7. 2019 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4

Porsche is awfully busy getting new vehicles to us in 2019. The latest GT4 features the 911 power plant with a manual gearbox that pumps out 430 horsepower. Hopefully, they follow through on plans to show it during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show.

2019 Ferrari 488 Successor - left front view
Enzari

8. 2019 Ferrari 488 Successor

Another vehicle we’ve seen tested is the Ferrari 488 Successor. Again, it’s believed that it will be shown off during the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, but hopefully, we receive more information before then. All we know right now is that it should have a traditional V8 Ferrari engine that puts out about 700 horsepower.

2019 McLaren Sport Series - right front view
Motor1

9. 2019 McLaren Sport Series

There’s no question that McLaren’s Sport Series is going to be desirable in 2019. The new lineup comes with autonomous and hybrid technology, making them a leader in the electric supercar industry. We expect to see the 570S replacement later in the year, so stay tuned for more.

2019 BMW M8 - left front view
The Drive

10. 2019 BMW M8

The last car to top our best supercars of 2019 list is the highly anticipated BMW M8. We first heard about the 8 Series two years ago and have been sitting on the edge of our seats ever since. We expect the M8 with a more massive lip spoiler than the Coupe along with new bumpers and quad exhaust tailpipes. It will be powered by a 4.4-liter V8 engine and we should get to see it in Geneva.

Best Supercars of 2019 – What Do You Think?

What are some of the best supercars of 2019 in your opinion? We would love to hear about them.

Discontinued Cars for 2019 – Complete List

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Because Americans have shifted over to crossovers, SUVs and trucks, we plan to say goodbye to a full list of cars for 2019. In fact, automakers decided to kill off their car lineups at astounding rates. As part of the Edmunds 2019 Forecast and Trends Report, half of the vehicles sold in 2019 will be a crossover or SUV. So let’s take a look at the 15 discontinued cars for 2019.

Hint – Chevy, Cadillac and Ford all dominate the list this year.

Discontinued Cars for 2019

We do see some hybrids leaving the market this upcoming year. It’s no surprise as gasoline has dropped so low, consumers aren’t as concerned about driving fuel-efficient vehicles.

Just remember, goodbye isn’t necessarily forever. To illustrate that, just look at the Ford Ranger, Toyota Supra and Honda Passport rejoining us after a sabbatical.

As we say hello to some new models, we have to say goodbye to these favorites for the new model year.

discontinued cars for 2019
Ford

Ford Taurus

You would be right if you said this wasn’t the first time we said goodbye to the Taurus, but we might not ever do it again. Large sedans are no longer a popular choice with American drivers, so its service is no longer needed.

2018 Ford Focus - left rear view
Ford

Ford Focus

As we continue on with Ford, we also have to say goodbye to the Focus. As of the beginning of December, we heard they only had 12,000 left, so we imagine they are all gone by now.

2017 Ford C-Max Energi - left side view
Ford

Ford C-Max

Our first hybrid on the discontinued cars for 2019 list is the C-Max. It came as both a plug-in or hybrid and was popular at first. Then, it did what the rest of the hybrids are doing and died out.

2019 Chevrolet Cruze - hatchback and sedan
Chevrolet

Chevrolet Cruze

GM went hard and heavy on this compact sedan for awhile and the consumers bought it. Since then, sales have declined when SUVs became so popular. This discontinued car also caused the Lordstown, Ohio plant to sit in the danger zone of closure.

2019 Chevrolet Impala - left front view
Chevrolet

Chevrolet Impala

Just like Ford’s Taurus, this larger sedan won’t cut it anymore. Even though GM attempted to woo consumers with a redesign, it didn’t’ work and we have to say goodbye.

2019 Chevrolet Volt - left side view
Chevrolet

Chevrolet Volt

Ask anyone what one of the first plug-in hybrids was and you’ll likely hear about the Volt. It was critically acclaimed at one time and even had a loyal following. Sales never hit the expectations the company had for it. This led to GM focusing heavily on battery-powered cars instead.

2017 Hyundai Azera - left rear view
Hyundai

Hyundai Azera

Even though Hyundai attempted to market this luxury sedan, the Korean automaker failed. It did, however, help them to launch the Genesis brand, but that too is failing to gain any traction.

2019 Volkswagen Beetle - right side view
Volkswagen

Volkswagen Beetle

We won’t get to see any new Bugs on the road starting in 2019. This iconic two-door car just doesn’t appeal to the modern driver. Even still, reporting that is one of the saddest moments of our discontinued cars for 2019 list.

2017 Volkswagen Touareg - left side view
Volkswagen

Volkswagen Touareg

The Touareg continues to live on in other markets, just not the United States anymore. Volkswagen has shifted their focus towards the larger Atlas SUV and Tiguan crossover instead. They also plan to release some more models in the future.

2016 Honda CR-Z - left side view
Honda

Honda CR-Z

This compact hybrid came onto the scene just as the hybrid craze was ending. A little too late.

2019 Toyota Prius - left front view
Toyota

Toyota Prius

The larger Prius hybrid hasn’t officially been sold since the 2017 models, but there are still new sales being reported. Either way, it’s officially gone now.

2017 Nissan JUKE - Black Pearl Edition
Nissan

Nissan Juke

This subcompact crossover is making room for the Nissan Kicks.

2019 Cadillac ATS-V - Pedestal Edition
Cadillac

Cadillac ATS

As a compact luxury sedan, the ATS is quite attractive, but it doesn’t compare to the BMW 3-Series. The truth is, it didn’t stand a chance and no one wanted to put out the money to drive one.

2019 Cadillac CT6 - left front view
Cadillac

Cadillac CT6

This upscale sedan is too large for the American public. What once was popular is no more.

2019 Cadillac XTS - left side view
Cadillac

Cadillac XTS

If a consumer wants to spend this kind of money today, they’ll go with a luxury SUV instead. It provides more space and fits in with what the Joneses are driving.

2019 Outlook

We agree with Edmunds that there’s a huge shift happening towards SUVs and crossovers. We also see many more trucks on the road than ever before. It seems the American consumer is shifting toward space and utility over fuel-efficiency. With that said, it should be interesting to see what happens if and when gas prices start to rise again.

Is the Ford Mach-E the Brand’s New Electric Crossover?

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Ford just filed a new trademark under the name “Mach E.” Is the Ford Mach-E going to be the company’s new electric crossover? We just don’t know yet, but there’s plenty to speculate about.

Ford Mach-E
Ford

Ford Mach-E

Earlier in the year, Ford announced that they would create an electric crossover styled after the Mustang. When they referenced calling it the Mach 1, enthusiasts weren’t thrilled. No one wanted Ford using the name of a classic car to market their new line of electric crossovers.

We can’t blame them. The classic Mustangs remind us of big, V8 powered monsters and look nothing like an electric crossover. So, Ford dropped the conversation in response to the backlash.

That didn’t stop them from moving forward on creating a new electric crossover design. Plus, it continued to take some styling cues from the Mustang.  It does look, however, that the name will change to something more tolerable by Mustang fans.

Ford recently filed for the name “Mach E” through the US Patent and Trademark Office. Whether or not this means we should soon see a Ford Mach E is something we have to wait to find out. Of course, one could speculate that all signs point to a model name.

Endless Possibilities

Just because Ford trademarked the name doesn’t mean they will ever use it. We’ve seen many automakers trademark or patent something and then never follow through.

What we do know is that Ford is taking the electric vehicle creation seriously. By 2020, they plan to have 16 full electric vehicles and 45 by 2025. One of these will likely be the Ford Mach E. We’ve already seen Ford hop onboard the electric scooter market.

We have seen a teaser of the crossover’s backend from the company. It is undoubtedly Mustang inspired, especially when it comes to the tail lighting. Overall, it looks like an inflated Mustang since it is much taller.

As we learn more information, we will surely pass it on to you.

GM Ending Production of Six Cars

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It looks like General Motors is the latest automaker to cut passenger car production. News hit that GM is ending production of six of their cars. GM ending production of vehicles such as the Chevrolet Cruze and Volt might help them to revive sales; only time will tell.

GM ending production
Chevrolet

GM Ending Production

This move was part of a plan to cut costs and revealed by the company just this past Monday. As Americans flock to pickups, SUVs and crossovers, it makes complete sense that GM ends production of certain vehicles.

In North America, they are discontinuing the Volt and Cruze starting in March 2019. They will also end the Impala production in March.

Furthermore, the Cadillac XTS and Buick LaCross will stop being produced at the same time in the United States. Then, the Cadillac CT6 will see its final run in mid-2019, though these will continue to be sold in China.

GM Closing Plants

If that news wasn’t enough, they are also closing three of their assembly plants. The Ontario, Ohio and Michigan plants will shut down before 2019 ends.

All these moves combined should save the company $6 billion, especially since they plan to cut 15% of the workforce.

GM Sales

During the first nine months of 2018, Chevy Volt sales fell 15.9% in the United States when compared to the previous year. In that same period:

  • sales of the Cruze fell 26.5%
  • Impala purchases declined 13.4%
  • XTS sales jumped 15.9%
  • CT6 sales decreased 10.6%
  • LaCross sales dropped 14.2%

In total, the first nine months of this year shows sales of almost 200,000 vehicles that are set to be discontinued. That’s a large chunk of the pie. In fact, it’s a little less than half of the Chevy Silverado sales, which is the company’s most popular model.

What does this mean for the future of GM? Clearly, the company will continue to focus on the Chevrolet Colorado, Silverado and SUVs, but will this be enough to pull them through?

Ford Trademarked Puma: Is it the Baby Bronco?

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We just received word that Ford trademarked Puma. One has to wonder if they did this for their new Baby Bronco. Of course, we reported last week that new Ford SUV photos emerged, but we didn’t think it was the Baby Bronco at the time. Now we see the new trademarked named Puma going to the Ford company and have to wonder what’s going on.

Ford trademarked Puma
Ford

Ford Trademarked Puma – What Does it Mean?

Some of you might remember the Ford Puma, but probably only if you were in Germany from 1997 through 2002. During those years, Ford produced the Puma. This was a compact sports car and based on the fourth-generation Fiesta. It was tiny, to say the least, and came with a 1.7-liter engine that was produced with the help of Yamaha. It only produced 153 horsepower plus 119 pound-feet of torque.

We hope that the fact Ford trademarked Puma once again doesn’t mean they plan to relaunch this car. They only sold it in Europe and it didn’t even sell well there. Plus, they said they weren’t interested in making cars, other than maybe a four-door Mustang.

Beyond that, the trademark information clearly stated that it was for a “four-wheel drive vehicle and SUVs.” That pretty much assures we are looking at the name of a new SUV in the lineup.

Does That Mean It’s The Baby Bronco?

Just because Ford trademarked Puma doesn’t mean it’s automatically the new name of the SUV we are all waiting to see. With that said, they did announce they plan to bring a compact SUV to the market that will please off-road enthusiasts. They also say it looks like a Bronco.

After seeing their teaser image of a new SUV, we can’t help but think that vehicle looks more like the Jeep Renegade. This just further confuses us. Maybe that’s what Ford is attempting to do – who knows?

What is interesting is that the Puma trademark doesn’t exist in Australia. This means it might be possible for Ford to name their Baby Bronco by different things depending on the location. We also saw them trademark “Maverick” earlier in the year. Even still, we think that might just be a newer trim level.

Now that we heard the leak, we look forward to Ford’s response. Until then, we’ll keep you informed with any news we receive. Of course, lots more will be revealed to us at the 2018 LA Auto Show.

October 2018 Auto Sales Highlights

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Despite what we figured would occur in October, the auto sales made their way up slightly. Let’s take a look at a few October 2018 auto sales highlights to see what’s going on.

October 2018 Auto Sales
Audi

Car Sales Continue to Drop

If you’ve been around the auto industry at all recently, you know that car sales are dying out at a rapid rate. Light trucks and SUVs are taking over the sedan market. In fact, during October, new sedan sales dropped to 31%. The only reason it’s still as high as it is right now has a lot to do with the 18,000 Tesla Model 3s that were sold during the month.

Lack of Incentives

During the model-year changeovers, the automakers offered fewer discounts. According to J.D. Power, they only spent $3,742 per vehicle halfway through the month. This makes October the fourth consecutive month full of decline.

SAAR Soars

Everyone expected the Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate to take a turn south, but it didn’t. Light vehicle deliveries went up another 0.4% thanks in part to an additional selling day.

Audi Loses Their Streak

The saddest newest for the month was the end of Audi’s 107-month growth streak. In fact, last month, they reported a 17% decline. Lamborghini and Ferrari are still neck in neck with their longest sales-gain streaks, currently at 94 months.

Right behind them is Subaru at 83, so it should be interesting to see what happens next.

October 2018 Auto Sales

Among all the manufacturers, FCA US had the largest gains, mainly because of a strong performance from Jeep. In addition, Volkswagen and Hyundai also posted some gains.

GM lost a small part of the market share as well as Nissan and Ford. Honda and Toyota didn’t change much over the previous month.

Part of the reason sales seems to be down right now has to do with the affordability of new vehicles. In addition, high-interest rates and all the off-lease cars hitting dealer lots play their part.

What’s the Name of the New GM eBike?

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General Motors wants to reshape the future and has committed resources to create all-electric technology. Their development team recently put together a brand new eBike, but they are struggling to find a name for it. Instead, they’ve reached out to customers to discover the name of the new GM eBike.

GM eBike
GM

Will You Name the GM eBike?

There’s actually two different GM eBikes created: a folding version and a compact type. Both of these are currently brandless. With complete innovation, connection and integration, the GM eBike is ahead of its time, but they still don’t have a name.

GM wants customers to get involved, so they’ve reached out to enthusiasts from around the world to name the eBike. If you’re going to name the GM eBike, all you have to do is head to www.eBikeBrandChallenge.com to get started.

If they choose your name, you’ll win a $10,000 prize. The other nine participants selected as a runner-up receive a $1,000 award. Submissions are accepted through 10 am EST on November 26th.

GM is asking that submissions include:

  • Bold, smart and simple names that help to bring the brand to life.
  • Fun, playful ideas that anyone around the world would understand.

GM plans to announce the winners early on in 2019, so get ready to hear all the fun, creative ideas users come up with.

The New GM eBike

GM eBike
GM

Aside from naming the GM eBike, why not consider owning one in the future? It’s an excellent option for any urban commuter and avid cyclist. Furthermore, the company effectively blended engineering innovation with talented design ability and automotive-grade testing to create this new line of eBikes. It’s beyond what a consumer expects from the GM brand, and that’s exactly what they wanted.

Get your ideas together and go win that prize. We look forward to finding out who the winner is next year.

Don’t forget to check out the new 2019 Chevrolet Colorado Special Editions.

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