Consumer Reports has regularly praised the Tesla Model S, however the magazine is now reporting one big problem with its latest test vehicle.
A brand-new range-topping P85D model, accumulating just over 2,300 miles in less than a month of ownership, was rendered effectively “undriveable” after the driver-side retractable door handle failed to deploy.

The handle is designed to fit flush when not in use, automatically extending whenever the driver approaches the vehicle.

“Except this time the one on the driver’s door of our P85D didn’t pop out, leaving us no way to open the door from the outside,” CR reported. “And significantly, with the car sensing a problem, wouldn’t drive.”

The driver was able to move the car a short distance and unlock the doors via a smartphone app, crawling over from the passenger side to get behind the wheel. The problem appears to be common, accounting for the majority of owner complaints logged in CR surveys.

“The good news: Getting our Tesla fixed could hardly have been more convenient,” the report added.

Rather than sending a truck to haul the Model S to a service center 60 miles away, the company simply sent a repair technician who arrived the following morning to fix the problem. The Model S received a new door-handle control module, installed in approximately two hours.

The magazine previously reported a long list of relatively minor problems with an older Model S that accumulated more than 15,000 miles. The issues included intermittent problems with the door handles, a frozen infotainment system, broken buckles, creaks and an unresponsive trunk release.

A fresh round of spy shots reveals that Ford’s hotly anticipated GT supercar will stay true to the design concept that debuted at the 2015 Detroit auto show. The car’s interior, however, is a different story at this point.
Most of the exterior styling cues seen on the GT show car look to be good to go for production, including flying rear buttresses and center-mounted dual exhaust outlets. Coolers located just below those flying buttresses were covered by grilles on the show car, but are in clear view on this prototype.

The rear lights on this GT appear to be from a random parts bin, but we fully expect to see the cool hollowed out lamps from the concept car to make production.

The interior of the GT is far more cobbled together at this point, with all dials located directly in front of the passenger’s seat. The Ford GT will likely employ a digital gauge binnacle in its final form, but that unit obviously isn’t ready for real world testing at this point. The lack of a gauge pod does, however, give us a better look at the GT’s carbon fiber construction.

Steering wheel mounted paddle shifters are clearly visible, but our man on the ground noticed the driver operating what could be a three-pedal setup. Whether Ford is planning to offer the GT with a proper manual remains unknown at this point, but there is still a slim possibility.

The 3.5L EcoBoost powering the GT is said to be straight out of Ford’s 2013 Daytona Prototype, and the number of kill switches in this prototype’s cabin seems to confirm the use of that experimental engine. While most prototypes use just one kill button, this car has at least three.

Ford says the GT will arrive with at least 600 horsepower, but don’t be shocked to see a final figure that is closer to 700.

If everything goes as planned, the 2017 Ford GT will go on sale late next year.

Lotus has announced pricing and availability details for its new range-topping coupe, the Evora 400.
Introduced a few months ago in Geneva, the Evora 400 will fetch $89,900 in the US market, a relative bargain compared to its £72,000 (~$112,700 USD) price tag at home in the UK. Buyers in Japan and China will pay the equivalent of $212,500 USD.

The 400 brings a wide range of improvements to the basic Evora coupe, starting with more power. As the name implies, its supercharged 3.5-liter V6 engine produces 400 horsepower and 302 lb-ft of torque.

The extra engine output brings a similar increase in performance, propelling the car to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds with a top speed of 186 mph. The company claims the 400 is six seconds faster around its Hethel test track.

Aside from the engine tweaks, the 400 also features a retuned aluminum chassis that sheds nearly 50 pounds. A revised carbon-fiber body features a new front fascia with an enlarged air dam and LED daytime running lights, while the interior brings a new infotainment system and front seats.

US buyers will have a chance to pick up an Evora 400 when it arrives in North American showrooms this December for the 2016 model year.

Image by Ronan Glon.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has issued a minor recall for the 2014-2015 Ram 4500/5500 Chassis Cabs equipped with 6.4-liter HEMI V8 engines.
The duallie pickups were shipped with an electronic speed limiter set to 106 mph, however the company warns that triple-digit speeds are well beyond the recommended operating specifications for their factory-equipped tires. The limiter is consequently being reprogrammed to top out at 87 mph.

“While FCA believes it is unlikely that these trucks are operated at such speeds, and that doing so would exceed posted speed limits in nearly every applicable jurisdiction, the Company is acting out of an abundance of caution,” FCA said in a statement.

The company claims to be unaware of any accidents, injuries or customer complaints related to the issue, which was discovered during an internal specification review.

The campaign affects 1,771 units sold in the US market.

A report coming out of England finds Peugeot will take on the Volkswagen CC and entry-level versions of the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class with its first-ever four-door coupe.
Tentatively called 408 GT, the coupe will resemble the Exalt concept (pictured) that was presented to the public for the first time at last year’s Beijing Motor Show. The GT will likely be a little smaller than the Exalt and its design will be a lot less futuristic, but its overall lines will make the transition from concept to production with only small changes.

The coupe will share its modular EMP2 platform with the second-gen Citroën C4 Picasso and the Golf-fighting 308 hatchback. Mechanically, the GT will be available with a long list of gasoline- and diesel-burning four-cylinder engines ranging from a 120-horsepower oil-burner to a range-topping gasoline-powered turbocharged mill rated at over 270 ponies. Interestingly, the GT could usher in Peugeot’s upcoming plug-in hybrid technology.

British magazine Auto Express believes the coupe stands a good chance of getting the green light for production, meaning it will be introduced at a major auto show in the next year or two. However, it will be primarily developed for the Chinese market and it might never make its way to the automaker’s European showrooms.

Renault has published a teaser sketch that previews the upcoming Kayou, a subcompact model that will be positioned at the very bottom of its lineup in select global markets.

The Kayou is expected to take the form of a roughly Chevrolet Spark-sized five-door hatchback whose front end will fall in line with Renault’s latest design language. The sketch reveals little, but Renault promises the Kayou will borrow a handful of styling cues from the world of crossovers.

Power for the Kayou will come from a gasoline-burning 0.8-liter three-cylinder engine sourced from the Renault parts bin. A five-speed manual transmission will come standard and, interestingly, IndianAutosBlog reports an automatic gearbox will be available at an extra cost.

Stay tuned, the Renault Kayou will be officially unveiled online next Wednesday. Built in Chennai, India, it will be sold in its home country as well as in a number of neighboring nations.

Europe-bound?

Rumors indicate the European-spec Kayou will make its global debut next fall at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Assembled in Tangiers, Morocco, the Euro-spec model will be sold under the Dacia brand and it will reportedly carry a base price of about €5,000, a sum that converts to roughly $5,700. If the rumors prove true, the Dacia Kayou will be the cheapest new car available in Europe by a long shot.

General Motors has revealed the all-new 2016 Chevrolet Camaro at a special media event at Detroit’s Belle Isle, showing off a slimmer, sleeker pony car with a whole host of chassis and powertrain improvements.
First and foremost, the 2016 Camaro is lighter. Underpinned by GM’s global Alpha platform, the new car is more than 200lbs lighter than its predecessor. Backing up that weight loss is a full suite of new and upgraded engines, topped off by a 455-horsepower, direct-injected, 6.2L LT1 V8.

Earlier reports were correct regarding the available engine configurations in the new Camaro, but weren’t quite there on the horsepower figures. The V8′s 455 horsepower is backed up by 455 lb-ft of torque. Next down the line from the V8 is a 3.6L V6 boasting 335 horsepower and 284 lb-ft of torque. The base engine is a two-liter, 275-horsepower, turbocharged four-cylinder.

For the first time, the Camaro SS will be available with GM’s Magnetic Ride Control active suspension, previously available only on the supercharged ZL1. Drivers can switch between three different programs that manage damper adjustments for various conditions or driving styles. Engineers have also improved the Camaro’s active exhaust system. Electronically-controlled valves can bypass the mufflers, improving performance and creating a louder sound. Alternatively, the valves can be set to a ‘stealth’ mode that is quieter than usual.

Also available on all Camaros will be a drive mode selector, allowing drivers to choose from modes that tailor multiple vehicle systems to varying conditions. Available modes will include “Snow/Ice,” “Tour,” and “Sport.” SS models will also feature a “Track” mode.

The new Camaro’s exterior styling is more evolutionary than revolutionary, carrying forward the vaguely retro-modern aethetic of the previous generation. Details here and there have been upgraded to accommodate new tech, including LED lighting.

The interior is all-new as well, featuring a “shifter-focused” center console, revised controls, and a flat-bottom steering wheel. GM promises higher quality materials throughout.

The engineering teams used structural modeling to improve stiffness by 28 percent compared to the current model, despite the chassis’ weight reduction. Steering and suspension components are said to have been engineered without as much need to compensate for chassis flex. With a curb-weight reduction of more than 200 pounds, engineers were able to reduce unsprung weight by scaling the wheels, tires and brakes for the lighter vehicle. 70% of the chassis architecture is unique to the Camaro.

Live images by Brian Williams.

BMW has announced the recently-introduced 2016 M6 will usher in an upgraded Competition Package that will bring more power and a few additional tech features.
Offered on all versions of the M6, the Competition Package bumps the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8′s power output to 600 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of torque from 1,500 all the way to 6,000 rpm. As a result, the 6 can sprint from zero to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds (4 seconds flat for the convertible), from zero to 124 mph in 11.8 seconds and it can reach a top speed of 189 mph when ordered with the optional M Driver’s Package.

The Package also adds a sportier suspension system with stiffer springs and roll bars, a sport exhaust system, an Active M Differential that improves traction, a more direct power steering and a less intrusive stability control system.

Visually, 6s ordered with the Competition Package are instantly recognizable thanks to 20-inch double-spoke light-alloy M wheels and four exhaust tips finished in black chrome.

The new Competition Package is scheduled to go on sale across the nation in July. We’ll have to wait until then to find out how much of a premium it will carry over last year’s package and whether the M5 will benefit from similar upgrades.