When it comes to box access, Chrysler’s Ram brand is no stranger to innovation. The marque’s Ram Box already makes use of   the oddly shaped spaces around the wheel wells in the truck…

Multifunctional split tailgate in the cards for next Ram 1500?

When it comes to box access, Chrysler's Ram brand is no stranger to innovation. The marque's Ram Box already makes use of the oddly shaped spaces around the wheel wells in the truck bed to provide lockable, weatherproof storage.

Now Chrysler has filed patents for an innovative "Multi-functional" split tailgate that can provide easier loading access to the truck's box in a variety of situations. Each half of the spilt tailgate can be individually opened either downward like a typical truck tailgate, or outward like a barn door.

The innovative tailgate design could prove handy for owners who need to stand at the back of the truck and reach into the box (since the tailgate would swing out of the way), or carry long loads on one side while leaving the other side up to restrain additional cargo.

The Multifunctional Tailgate, according to the patent application, uses individual tailgate halves that are "coupled to the respective frames to selectively pivot around Read Full Story
Introduced for the 2011 model year, Volvo’s second-generation S60 is an often-overlooked and underrated entry in the compact Photo: Simon Hill, Canadian Auto Press  executive sedan market.…

2015 Volvo S60 T6 AWD Road Test Review

Introduced for the 2011 model year, Volvo's second-generation S60 is an often-overlooked and underrated entry in the compact executive sedan market. But that doesn't mean it isn't worthy: For those who want something a little different from the hordes of BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C Class sedans out there, Volvo's contender has a lot to offer.

For the 2015 model year the S60 has been refreshed with a new front fascia and grille, new hood and fenders, new headlights, and new integrated exhaust pipes at the back. Interior changes include a new adaptive TFT instrument display in some models, new paddle shifters in the T6 AWD and R-Design models (also available optionally on the T5), upgraded transmission programming with Advanced Quick Shift in Sport mode, and a bevy of new available technology features including pedestrian and cyclist detection with full auto braking.

The new front end styling takes a conservative approach, looking less insect-like than before Read Full Story
Until now, adaptive steering is a technology that’s been restricted to luxury performance vehicles from premium brands such Photo: Ford as Audi, BMW and Infiniti, but Ford is about to change this…

Ford reveals innovative new adaptive steering system

Until now, adaptive steering is a technology that's been restricted to luxury performance vehicles from premium brands such as Audi, BMW and Infiniti, but Ford is about to change this with a newly developed adaptive steering system that can be fitted to any vehicle in the company's lineup.

The advantage of adaptive steering is that it can make driving easier and more engaging. Ford's system, for instance, reduces both the steering effort required and the number of turns needed for lock-to-lock steering when the vehicle is moving at low speeds. This makes parking much easier.

At medium speeds the system firms up the steering effort and provides good on-centre tracking, while still reducing the number of turns needed to make substantial changes of direction. In demonstration slalom runs, a Ford Fusion with adaptive steering required far less movement of the steering wheel to successfully negotiate the slalom course than the same car without adaptive steering.

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Premium compact crossovers have become big news lately, a fast-growing segment dominated by players such as the Acura   RDX, Audi Q5 and BMW X3. Now Lincoln is set to make a splash in the segment…

Lincoln launches all-new MKC compact crossover

Premium compact crossovers have become big news lately, a fast-growing segment dominated by players such as the Acura RDX, Audi Q5 and BMW X3. Now Lincoln is set to make a splash in the segment with the launch of its all-new MKC.

The MKC is the first Lincoln designed from the ground up in the dedicated Lincoln Design Studio, and the luxury automaker has high expectations for the new crossover.

The sculpted bodywork features a high beltline and low shoulders, giving the MKC a muscular, athletic presence. At the front the MKC gets Lincoln's distinctive split-wing grille, flanked by swept-back HID headlights. At the back, a unique wrap-around tailgate creates a clean look while also allowing easy access to the luggage compartment.

Inside, the MKC was designed to create a calm, uncluttered environment. Design details include a full-width instrument panel, pushbutton shifter, and one-piece centre stack. Rich materials are specified throughout, and for those seeking Read Full Story
Is it remarkable that the first four-cylinder production engine offered by AMG would also be the most powerful production four-cylinder   engine ever offered en masse-period? After all, AMG is known…

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG 4Matic Road Test Review

Is it remarkable that the first four-cylinder production engine offered by AMG would also be the most powerful production four-cylinder engine ever offered en masse-period? After all, AMG is known for turning each Mercedes product it gets its hands on up to 11 on a scale of 10, so why expect anything less?

Hand built, the 355 horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder installed in the 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 45 AMG 4Matic does indeed boast the distinction of being the most powerful production four-cylinder engine ever offered for mainstream public consumption. Generating 332 ft-lbs of torque, the engine is teamed with a seven-speed dual clutch gearbox and all-wheel drive.

To get the 2.0-litre mill to pump power so prodigiously, the speed-crazed engineering team at AMG prescribed a twin-scroll turbocharger producing some 26-psi of boost-along with direct fuel injection and variable valve timing. Optimal density of the intake charge is ensured with a water to air intercooler, Read Full Story
A few short months after debuting its slightly enlarged new third-generation Cooper Hardtop, Mini has gone whole hog and introduced   a five-door variation, officially dubbed the Cooper 5-Door. It’s…

Mini reveals more practical Cooper 5-Door

A few short months after debuting its slightly enlarged new third-generation Cooper Hardtop, Mini has gone whole hog and introduced a five-door variation, officially dubbed the Cooper 5-Door. It's a model that has long been rumoured, slotting in between the sporty but slightly impractical Cooper Hardtop and the much bigger Countryman crossover.

The new passenger-friendly Mini 5-Door is 161 mm (about 6 inches) longer than the three-door Hardtop, riding on a wheelbase that's been stretched by 72 mm (about 3 inches). The extra length has been divvied up between the rear passenger area and cargo compartment, so the 5-Door provides both a little more rear legroom and a bit more luggage space than the Hardtop.

It also gets a third rear seatbelt, making it officially a five-passenger car (the Hardtop is only a four-passenger car). That said, three across in the back seat will be a tight fit, despite Mini carving out 61 mm of extra elbowroom thanks to carefully designed interior Read Full Story
While we’ve had the Mercedes-Benz B-Class here in Canada for quite some time, this marks the first year of the Electric Drive   version of the car. With a powertrain developed and produced…

2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive Road Test Review

While we've had the Mercedes-Benz B-Class here in Canada for quite some time, this marks the first year of the Electric Drive version of the car. With a powertrain developed and produced by Tesla Motors down in California, probably the most remarkable aspect of the B-Class Electric Drive Mercedes-Benz is the fact it is wholly unremarkable.

Sit behind the wheel, very little tells you this is the electric version of the automobile. The only immediate visual cue is the replacement of the tachometer with an analog power usage gauge. In other words, if you've been in any Mercedes-Benz product built during the past five to seven years, you'll feel right at home in the B-Class Electric Drive. You won't encounter any flashy "electric" graphics. There is no futuristic "whooshing" sound when you turn the key to the run position. Nothing overtly screams "electric car" here.

Of course, if you've been paying attention to the approach Mercedes-Benz has been taking with its alternatively-fueled Read Full Story
Hardly any sports cars offer the versatility, style, heritage, desirability, and overall cachet of the Mercedes-Benz SL 550. In fact,   we dare say no other sports car can deliver all of those qualities…

2014 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 Road Test Review

Hardly any sports cars offer the versatility, style, heritage, desirability, and overall cachet of the Mercedes-Benz SL 550. In fact, we dare say no other sports car can deliver all of those qualities in a manner commensurate to that of the Mercedes-Benz two-seater. Interestingly, back when the model was conceived, the letters "S" and "L" in its nomenclature represented the words Sports and Light; as the original SL cars were both sporty and lightweight. Over the years, this changed.

As the cars became increasingly more luxurious, their weight factor steadily crept up. Eventually, the L better stood for "Laden" rather than "Light". However, with the introduction of the current version of the Mercedes-Benz SL (referred to internally by Mercedes-Benz as the R231) lightness once again applies (sort of), as this is the first mainstream SL model to be crafted primarily of aluminum.

Looking back over the history of the SL, we've noted an interesting pattern. Every other version Read Full Story