Toyota is preparing to end production of the current-generation Prius plug-in hybrid.
The last of the 2015 plug-in models will roll off the assembly line sometime next month, as the company prepares to introduce the next-generation Prius.

“We are hard at work developing the next generation Prius Plug-in Hybrid and we are looking forward to sharing more details with you as we approach our launch date,” Toyota marketing representative Nathan Kokes said in PriusChat forum thread spotted by InsideEVs.

The report estimates that approximately 1,100 Prius PHVs are sitting in dealer inventory across the country. The company sold 428 units in April, down by more than 75 percent compared to the same month last year, suggesting the existing stock could be depleted by late summer.

The company has not publicly pinned down a launch window for the next-generation Prius, or the plug-in variant, and Kokes further added that production plans are not aligned with availability of government incentives, competing products or the Mirai launch.

“As mentioned, we are stopping production in June but will have plenty of Prius Plug-in Hybrids to sell long after that,” he said.

The inventory may not be large enough to stretch all the way to the launch of the new Prius PHV, which is not expected to arrive on the market until the fall of 2016. The basic Prius will arrive sooner, likely by the end of the current year unless the project hits any additional snags.

Acura announced Friday that its range-topping RLX sedan received a five-star overall crash test rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
This rating rounds out the RLX’s U.S. safety figures, the large sedan having already received a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

“The 2016 Acura RLX exemplifies how the brand is creating new value for luxury customers with the addition of advanced safety technologies,” said Michael Accavitti, senior vice president and general manager, Acura Division, in the announcement. “Luxury customers expect the latest in technology and Acura delivers with safety and driver assistive technologies available across the lineup.”

Acura revised its flagship for the new model year. The most notable change for the 2016 RLX is the addition of Acura’s AcuraWatch safety suite. Depending on trim level, AcuraWatch provides drivers with the added safety of Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow, Collision Mitigation Braking, Forward Collision Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Road Departure Mitigation, Blind Spot Information and Cross Traffic Monitor.

2016 Acura RLX models equipped with the Advance package also boasts Acura’s latest Surround View Camera3. Similar to Infiniti’s Around View Monitor, Surround View uses four cameras to provide a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. The technology is ideally suited for navigating tight parking spots.

Aston Martin has teamed with Ally Financial to launch a leasing program in the US market.
Available for all Aston Martin models, the leases are designed to accommodate customers who want a new luxury sports car to put in their garage, but without the expense and commitment of an outright purchase.

“Alongside our globally coveted product range and a well-established dealership network, this new finance agreement broadens our customer offering and accessibility to the Aston Martin brand, supporting our ongoing growth in this region,” said Aston Martin The Americas president Julian Jenkins.

Example packages include the $182,395 V12 Vantage S, on lease for as $1,900 per month. The V8 Vantage, which normally sells for $123,695, is the entry-level model available for $1,400 per month. The company’s four-door grand tourer, the Rapide S, can be obtained for $2,300 per month.

The program is set to launch across Aston Martin’s entire 37-dealership US sales network starting in May 2015.

Porsche has continued to advance its ‘InnoDrive’ cruise-control system, which promises to cruise through corners at up to 0.70g of lateral acceleration.
While other automakers focus on implementing self-driving technology, Porsche’s speed-control technology does not take over steering control. Increasing cornering forces is viewed as a way to maximize both excitement and efficiency, reducing unnecessary braking that consequently increases fuel consumption.

Previewed several years ago, InnoDrive is now said to be undergoing testing on two-lane roads near Weissach, Germany, according to a Car and Driver report. The system is programmed to consider the radius of an upcoming turn and the road grade, enabling the car to complete the corner at the specified g level.

Users can configure how much lateral acceleration to reach through corners, with 0.50g as the standard setting and 0.70g at the highest level.

The company claims InnoDrive can slash fuel consumption by 10 percent, while shortening drive time by two percent, though both figures are highly variable depending on the particular road.

Aside from reducing braking, the computer is also programmed to optimize throttle during acceleration to further reduce fuel consumption. An engine’s highest power efficiency, in terms of brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), is achieved within the peak torque range at or near wide-open throttle, typically between the low and middle rpm range. Porsche’s tech presumably keeps the throttle open and manages the gear choices to get back up to target speed using the least amount of fuel.

The company has not yet announced which production models, if any, will be outfitted with InnoDrive.

Ford has quickly expanded its door-latch recall, adding 156,000 vehicles to the campaign that was detailed earlier in the week.
The revision includes additional model years and affects vehicles built at factories in both Mexico and the US. The list now includes the 2011-2014 Fiesta, 2013-2014 Fusion, and the 2013-2014 Lincoln MKZ. The recall is limited to certain production date ranges at the various plants.

The campaign is focused on a defective pawl spring tab within the door-latch assembly. The tab is prone to failure, which typically prevents the door from latching. Safety concerns are primarily related to doors opening while underway, but the company also reports a few claims of minor injuries from doors bouncing back after being closed.

“Ford is aware of a total two allegations of soreness resulting from an unlatched door bouncing back when the customer attempted to close it, and one accident allegation when an unlatched door swung open and struck the adjacent vehicle as the driver was pulling into a parking space,” the company said in a statement.

Ford reportedly planned to implement a limited campaign on a regional basis, however the scope was broadened after company officials met with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head Mark Rosekind, according to The Detroit News.

The program now affects a total of nearly 546,000 vehicles in the US market.