AD #2287 – Jaguar Reproduces Iconic Sports Car, Why Autonomy Won’t Get Rid of Humans, Fiat Updates The 500

On today’s show…the Volkswagen Arteon makes its U.S. debut…Hyundai reveals the specs for the hybrid and plug-in Sonata…and why some autonomous cars will still need humans in the car. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.

This is Autoline Daily the show for enthusiasts of the automotive industry.

FIAT UPDATES THE 500
Fiat made a few updates to the 500. All models are now standard with a 1.4L MutliAir turbo engine, which puts out 135 horsepower, 34 more than last year’s model. It’s mated to a five-speed manual with the option for a six-speed automatic. The performance Abarth model comes with a more powerful version of the 1.4L turbo, it cranks out 160 horsepower and 183 lb.-ft. of torque. Other updates include a performance braking system and suspension, sport spoiler and standard 16-inch aluminum wheels. The new 500 hits dealerships in the second quarter of the year.

HYUNDAI REVEALS SONATA HYBRID & PLUG-IN
Hyundai just introduced the hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of the Sonata. The hybrid is powered by a 2.0L four-cylinder engine that’s matched to a six-speed automatic along with a 38kW electric motor. Its estimated fuel economy is 39 MPG in the city, 45 MPG on the highway and 42 MPG combined. The plug-in uses the same engine and transmission but it gets a 50-kW electric motor and a 9.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Its fuel economy numbers were not revealed but its all electric range is estimated at 27 miles. Both vehicles will be built in Korea, the hybrid goes on sale in the next month or so, while the plug-in will be available in the second quarter.

VOLKSWAGEN ARTEON MAKES U.S. DEBUT
Volkswagen is showing off the successor to the CC at the Chicago auto show. The all-new Arteon is based on the automaker’s MQB modular platform and is longer, wider and has more interior space than the outgoing CC. Power for the U.S. comes from a turbocharged 2.0L 4-cylinder engine that makes nearly 270-horsepower. It’s paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission and optional all-wheel drive. An 8-inch infotainment screen is standard and customers can also choose to upgrade to the Digital Cockpit. The all-new Arteon is expect to arrive at U.S. dealerships in the third quarter of this year.

Still to come…Jaguar reproduces an iconic sports car.

FAST AND FURIOUS WILL MAKE YOU SPEED
The Fast and Furious movie franchise has grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide and it looks like police departments are reaping the benefits too. The New York Times analyzed traffic violation data, in particular the average speed over the posted limit, from a large county in Maryland from 2012 to 2017. It found that speed increased 20% for drivers who received speeding tickets on the weekends after Fast and Furious movie releases. It also uncovered that the percentage of drivers going more than 40 MPH over the speed limit nearly doubled and the speeding was concentrated to areas around movie theaters. So, if you plan to go see the next F&F movie in a couple years, leave your lead foot at home.

JAGUAR REPRODUCES ICONIC SPORTS CAR
You may remember a few years back when Jaguar started reproducing the iconic XKSS from the 1950’s, which was a road-going version of the legendary D-type race car. The automaker had planned on building 100 examples of the race car, but only completed 75. It will now make the other 25 models. The all-new D-types will be hand-built to authentic, original specifications, including the 6-cylinder XK engine. The lucky 25 clients will be able to choose from 1955-specification Shortnose or 1956-spec Longnose bodywork.

KONA EV BEATS BOLT EV IN RANGE
The electric version of Hyundai’s Kona crossover will be pretty impressive. Word is starting to trickle out the EV will have two powertrain options with a range of up to about 290-miles. That’s only slightly behind the long-range Tesla Model 3 and easily beats out Chevy’s Bolt EV. The Kona EV will be unveiled next month at the Geneva motor show.

Coming up next, why some autonomous ride-sharing services will still need a human in the car.

WHY AUTONOMY WON’T GET RID OF HUMANS
It’s often assumed that once autonomous cars are ready for the public, that ride-sharing services will get rid of the human in the car. But on Autoline This Week, Marcy Klevorn, the President of Mobility at Ford, explains why there may be some instances when a person is still needed in a self-driving car.

(The ATW preview is only available in the video version of today’s show.)

For more about Ford’s mobility strategy, you can watch that entire discussion right now on Autoline.tv or you can find it on our YouTube channel.

But that’s it for today, thanks for watching and have a great weekend.