The 2016 Kia Optima has earned the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s highest rating of Top Safety Pick Plus. The Kia Optima was totally redesigned for the 2016 model year.

The Optima snagged “good” ratings in all five of the IIHS’ crashworthiness tests, plus the “superior” rating for frontal crash avoidance. As a result, the Optima earned the institute’s top overall rating of TSP+.

“The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety sets some of the highest standards of crashworthiness, and the Top Safety Pick Plus designation is a significant achievement for the Kia brand and for our best-selling vehicle,” said Orth Hedrick, vice president, product planning, KMA. “We are pleased that the all-new Optima received strong ratings across the range of rigorous tests set forth by IIHS. This rating validates the efforts of our engineers and the priority we place on safety for our consumers.”

Although the 2016 Optima scored well in the IIHS’ crashworthiness test, the mid-size sedan flunked the institute’s recent headlight test. The Optima, along with several other vehicles, mustered the worst rating of “poor” in the new headlight test, meaning you might really need its safety systems on a dark patch of backroad.

Images by Drew Johnson.

Tesla’s Model 3 sedan may be capable of driving for more than 300 miles and accelerating nearly as quickly as a Model S P90D.

The company has kept official information tightly under wraps, however an unnamed source has told Electrek a few alleged specs. The base model promises to deliver at least 250 miles of range, suggesting the leaked information, if true, points to a range-topping package.

The mass-market sedan is said to be capable of launching to 60 mph in less than four seconds, not far behind the P90D’s claimed 3.1-second sprint. The benchmark is presumably tied to a dual-motor variant that sends available power to all four wheels.

The source describes the Model 3 exterior design as a blend between the Model S and Model X, but shorter and narrower than either existing model. Previous reports suggest it will be roughly the same size as a BMW 3-Series.

The entry-level Model 3 promises to carry a $35,000 price tag, before government incentives. Top trim levels are expected to fetch up to $60,000, bridging the gap beneath the basic Model S.

Full details will be disclosed at Tesla’s official unveiling event on Thursday.

Porsche has released a promotional video highlighting the Mission E‘s design process.

The Porsche Design Studio borrowed design cues from a wide range of existing models, spanning from 1950s classics to the modern 919 Hybrid endurance race car.

The front-end is unhindered by an engine, allowing the Mission E to keep a low nose consistent with Porsche’s rear-engine models. Its futuristic intakes route flow around the wheels, rather than providing intake charge for an internal combustion engine.

“First of all the vehicle is clearly recognizable as a Porsche, but we designers wanted to go a step further and see how the Porsche design language, and especially a Porsche electric design language, might be developed further,” said Porsche exterior design director Mitja Borkert.

The company recently promised the Mission E’s production counterpart will be “very similar” to the concept in terms of external design. The electric four-seater will be built upon an entirely new platform, delivering an estimated 311 miles of range and a driving experience on par with the 918 Spyder operated in EV mode.

Live images by Ronan Glon.

Renault has revealed the Kaptur, a small crossover geared specifically for the Russian market.

The Kaptur is essentially an adaptation of the Euro-spec Captur, outfitted with a all-wheel-drive system, locking center differential, elevated ride height and heavier-duty suspension.

Other market-specific provisions include remote start, heated front seats and a heated windshield to help deal with cold winters in Russia and other Eurasian Customs Union countries.

The Kaptur features a more aggressive styling than the Captur, consistent with Renault’s latest design language. Its wider upper grille brings a new honeycomb mesh pattern, while the hood and door inserts have been sculpted for a stronger appearance.

Manufactured at Renault’s Moscow factory, the Kaptur is slated to arrive in showrooms this summer. The Russian automotive market continues to experience trouble this year, however automakers are still vying for market-share gains in the country. The new crossover represents one of 10 new models that Renault hopes will drive global expansion.

Tesla is preparing to file a federal suit if it’s unable to secure the right to sell its electric vehicles directly to customers in six states, a new report finds.

For years Tesla has been fighting decades-old franchise laws throughout the United States that bar manufacturers from selling directly to consumers. Six states in particular — Arizona, Michigan, Texas, Connecticut, Utah and West Virginia — have proven difficult for Tesla to crack. The electric automaker is currently waiting on new legislation and dealer applications in those states to begin direct sales, but if those measures fail, Tesla could take its fight to federal courts.

Somewhat strangely, Tesla’s legal hopes could be pinned on a 2013 suit that was filed by St. Joseph Abbey in New Orleans to sell monk-made caskets directly to consumers. The abbey discovered after Hurricane Katrina that state laws restricted coffin sales to those licensed by the Louisiana Board of Funeral Directors. The abbey argued that there was no reason for the casket law other than to protect existing businesses from new competition, and the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ultimately agreed.

“It is widely accepted that laws that have a protectionist motivation or effect are not proper,” Todd Maron, the auto maker’s chief counsel, told The Wall Street Journal. “Tesla is committed to not being foreclosed from operating in the states it desires to operate in, and all options are on the table.”

Tesla is hoping its direct sales battle won’t come to a federal suit, but it’s prepared to dig its heels in on the matter. That fight would likely come next year, around the time the company plans to start sales of its $35,000 Model 3 sedan.

General Motors has reportedly backtracked on apparent plans to bring the Opel Adam into the US market, rebadged as a Buick.

Incoming Buick brand boss Duncan Aldred a year ago suggested the Adam would “make a great Buick.” He even claimed to be considering “fast tracking” a US launch.

The company has since changed its mind, as the mini-car segment struggles and crossovers continue to surge. The Adam would have been positioned as a rival to the Fiat 500L and MINI’s offerings. Fiat sales were down by nearly 15 percent for the first two months of the year, while MINI slid by more than 12 percent.

Aldred now claims to be satisfied with Buick’s current US lineup, without adding the Adam, according to an interview with Automotive News.

“I very much did feel when I came over that [an Adam for the US] could really help accelerate the Buick brand story,” he said. “Whether the market shifted or the fashion nature of those cars has changed, I don’t know. But I wouldn’t be looking for a small, B-segment car today.”

By the end of the year, Buick’s US showrooms will have three sedans, a convertible and three crossovers. The brand’s US sales were down by 2.6 percent in 2015, however 2016 numbers are currently up by more than 20 percent.

Jaguar has canceled plans for a larger coupe that would have filled the spiritual shoes of the XK.

Shortly before the XK was officially put out to pasture it was reported that Jaguar was working on a coupe version of its XJ sedan to fill its place. However, Jaguar has apparently had a change of heart, with that project moved to the back burner indefinitely.

The news was handed down to Car and Driver by Jaguar Land Rover North America CEO Joe Eberhardt. According to Eberhardt, there simply isn’t enough room within the Jaguar lineup for the F-Type SVR and another halo coupe. Eberhardt also noted that the heart of the luxury market is in the $35,000-$125,000 range, so launching something above that upper-end wouldn’t do much for the Jaguar brand in terms of sales.

The boom of the SUV segment probably played into Jaguar’s decision as well. Jaguar is currently preparing to launch its first-ever utility vehicle, the F-Pace, with the company reportedly already working on a second SUV model to tackle the BMW X3. We wouldn’t be surprised if Jaguar attempted a three-row SUV like the Audi Q7, either.

The Jaguar XJ Coupe was originally scheduled to launch sometime in 2017.

Kia is celebrating the two millionth vehicle produced at its US manufacturing facility in West Point, Georgia.

The milestone was reached in less than seven years since Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG) began mass production late in 2009, following a $1.1 billion investment to build the factory.

A white 2016 Sorento SXL was the two millionth vehicle to roll off the assembly line. The crossover is built alongside the Optima sedan. Both models are off to a soft start this year, with sales down by 7.9 percent and 14 percent, respectively, in the first two months of the year.

The KMMG facility is claimed to be responsible for more than 15,000 jobs in West Point and the surrounding region, including Kia staff and workers employed by local suppliers.

The Korean automaker late last year finished building its first production plant in Mexico. The plant will have an annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles, most of which will be headed to US showrooms.

The Federal Trade Commission has filed a lawsuit against Volkswagen, accusing the company of deceiving customers with its ‘Clean Diesel’ marketing.

The agency is seeking compensation for consumers who bought or leased vehicles affected by the diesel emissions scandal. The fiasco remains unresolved in the US, as VW has not yet outlined a refit plan to bring vehicles into compliance.

“For years Volkswagen’s ads touted the company’s ‘Clean Diesel’ cars even though it now appears Volkswagen rigged the cars with devices designed to defeat emissions tests,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “Our lawsuit seeks compensation for the consumers who bought affected cars based on Volkswagen’s deceptive and unfair practices.”

VW allegedly claimed its Clean Diesel vehicles reduced nitrogen oxides by up to 90 percent, however independent tests measured real-world NOx emissions up to 4,000 times the legal limit. The company is also accused of telling customers the diesel vehicles were “50-state compliant” and would retain a high resale value.

The FTC has not publicly disclosed a specific dollar figure that will be sought from VW. The agency claims the deception involves more than 550,000 diesel vehicles, with an average selling price of approximately $28,000.