Jaguar Land Rover is reportedly working on an extreme off-road version of the next-generation Land Rover Discovery.
Likely known as the Discovery SVX, the model would serve as a high-performance rugged counterpart to the street-focused SVR builds, with both developed by JLR’s Special Vehicle Operations division.

The company is expected to introduce its next-generation Discovery sometime next year, while the SVX off-roader will land a year or more later, according to an Autocar report.

“There is a market for more off-road capability, so of course we’re looking at it,” SVO head John Edwards said, without divulging any details surrounding specific models.

Engineers are said to be focused on developing new technical solutions to off-roading challenges, rather than simply lifting the vehicle a bit higher and adding knobby tires. The company has already previewed ‘virtual’ pillars that eliminate blind spots, while a ‘transparent’ hood projects a view from a camera onto the windshield via HUD.

Edwards previously hinted that an SVX Defender is in the works, taking inspiration from vehicles that drive in off-road competitions such as the Camel Trophy and Dakar Rally.

A production version of the Discovery Vision concept could bow later this year in Paris, though the company has not yet pinned down a specific unveiling date.

Honda has announced that its Takata recall campaign has been expanded to include approximately 350,000 more vehicles.
The additional vehicles will receive new passenger-side airbag inflators, which are prone to rupture and potentially cause shrapnel injuries. The company suggests any driver-side components have already been replaced in previous campaigns.

The revised list of all models affected by one or more airbag recalls includes the Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, Element, Odyssey, Pilot, and Ridgeline, along with the Acura MDX, TL, CL and RL. Model years go as far back as 2001 and no later than 2011.

“The vast majority of Honda and Acura vehicles impacted by last week’s announcement were already covered by past recalls or safety improvement campaigns,” said Honda America service VP Bruce Smith. “In fact, many of these vehicles have already been repaired – we’ve replaced nearly two-million inflators since 2013, most of those in the last nine months alone.”

The company is receiving replacement parts from four different suppliers, averaging more than 50,000 repairs per week. The total number of backordered parts is said to have been cut in half.

Approximately 6.28 million Honda vehicles have been affected by the defect so far.

After shipping the first batch of vehicles from a China factory to the US market, Volvo has announced that it has formally signed an agreement to build its first American plant in South Carolina.
The Swedish brand will now move forward toward ground breaking by fall, with production slated for late 2018. The plant will eventually be capable of producing up to 100,000 vehicles annually, requiring 2,000 workers over the next decade and as many as 4,000 employees further down the road.

The company has committed to preserving 1,500 acres of wetlands, helping form a “green belt” around the greater Charleston region. The factory will also be powered by renewable energy, while storm water will be rerouted to form ponds that simulate wildlife habitats.

“Today we formalize an important milestone in Volvo Cars’ global transformation in the United States,” says Volvo Cars North America chief Lex Kerssemakers. “Our planned American factory demonstrates our commitment to the United States and our desire to be a truly global automaker.”

The company is attempting to boost sales to 800,000 units by the end of the decade, nearly doubling the current numbers. The company will revamp its entire lineup in the next few years as it works toward the lofty goal.

The Ford Focus has failed the “moose test” performed by Swedish magazine Teknikens Varld.
The test simulates what might happen when a large animal appears in the middle of an undivided road, requiring a quick swerve into oncoming traffic and then another quick correction to get back into the proper lane.

The magazine suggests the Focus behaves “downright dangerous” when fully laden with passengers and cargo, within Ford’s own specifications and Sweden’s Transport Agency guidelines. The driver failed to reach the expected benchmark of 70 kmh (43 mph), as the suspension bottomed out and the chassis skidded into several cones.

After removing 287 lbs, the driver was able to reach 47 mph and reported that it handled “like a dream.” Two competing vehicles, the Seat Toledo and Nissan Pulsar, also performed well in the test.

The same test previously raised concerns over the stability control system of the Porsche Macan and the rollover potential for the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has expanded its Takata recall campaign to include more than four million vehicles sold in the US market.
Following Takata’s acknowledgement of a safety defect in approximately 34 million vehicles from various automakers, FCA has issued a fresh campaign to install a new dual-stage airbag inflator in a handful of models. The issue is being handled as a nationwide recall, rather than focusing on regions with high absolute humidity.

The defective component, known as the PSDI-4, can be found in various Ram trucks from the 2004 through 2010 model years, along with the 2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen; the 2005-2010 Chrysler 300, 300C, SRT8, Dodge Charger and Magnum; the 2005-2011 Dodge Dakota; and the 2006-2010 Mitsubishi Raider.

“In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the driver or other occupants,” the recall documents note.

The company cites at least one failure in the field, which led to “non-life threatening injuries,” and one failure from an inflator that was pulled from a Florida vehicle and subjected to lab tests.

An Apple executive has fanned the flames of speculation surrounding the company’s rumored car project.
Responding to a question about Apple’s potential foray into the automotive industry, senior VP Jeff Williams told Re/code conference attendees that “the car is the ultimate mobile device.”

The executive added that Apple is currently focused on CarPlay integration, but is “exploring a lot of different markets” and could choose to expand its reach if it can make “a huge amount of difference” in the particular field.

Various reports suggest CarPlay is barely scratching the surface, and many recruits from an alleged hiring spree are said to be working on a complete automobile rather than simply improving iPhone integration for existing vehicles from established automakers.

Hundreds of workers are said to be involved in the initiative, referred to as Project Titan. The allegations appeared to spill into the limelight when auto battery maker A123 Systems filed a lawsuit accusing Apple of poaching top engineers, including its chief technology officer. The Cupertino-based company is also said to have snagged at least 150 staff from Tesla Motors’ ranks.

Mobile devices have been particularly profitable for Apple, with the iPhone now accounting for more than half of overall revenue. Some analysts suggest smartphone market saturation is quickly approaching in developed markets, however, and Apple likely views the automotive industry as ripe for disruption.

Not to be outdone by Hyundai, Chevrolet has announced that it will offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility in 14 vehicle for the 2016 model year. Chevy’s announcement comes just one day after Hyundai became to first automaker to offer a production vehicle with Android Auto.
However, unlike Hyundai’s system, Chevy owners will be able to use either an Android or iOS-powered device to connect to their vehicle’s infotainment system. Depending on your operating system of choice, features like Google Now or Siri will be available right through the vehicle’s infotainment screen.

“For most of us, our smartphones are essential,” said Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors. “Partnering with Apple and Google to offer CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility across the widest range of models in the industry is a great example of how Chevrolet continues to democratize technology that’s important to our customers.”

Chevy didn’t provide a comprehensive list of the 14 vehicles that would offer Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for 2016. However, Chevrolet did say that the all-new Cruze, due out on June 24th, would come equipped with the new system.

Look for Chevy’s Android and iOS-ready cars to begin hitting showrooms during the second half of the year.