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Movie adaptations of video games aren’t always the most well-received at the box office, but the popularity of recent films may change that. The Super Mario Brothers movie just hit $1 billion in ticket sales, so it’s not surprising to see another beloved video game franchise headed to the big screen. A new trailer for the Gran Turismo movie just dropped, giving a glimpse before its August release.

While some may be perturbed by the premise that Toyota is adding complexity to the next-generation Tacoma via hybridization, the current model has been around since 2015 and is arguably due for an update. To pave the way for the new truck, the manufacturer recently sought to assuage fears that there will be no manual option by issuing a press release vowing be-clutched variants would remain available.

If you’ve taken a car to the dealer for repairs, you’re probably aware that costs can add up fast. Independent shops are a great way to save money on car repairs, but a new J.D. Power study found that owners are less satisfied with aftermarket service providers than in years past. 

Cheap speed is almost always welcome, even if there are sacrifices made.

Such is the case with the 2022 Toyota GR86 – it’s a blast to drive, but you make sacrifices for the sake of fun.

Like a petulant child who won’t share their toys, Ford has released a handy smartphone app filled with crowd-sourced and professionally curated tools such as trail maps for off-road journeys – but the only ones who can use it are Bronco owners.

Talk about walling off your garden. Or off-road trail, in this case

Lordstown Motors is back in the headlines with news that it could end up in bankruptcy if it can’t negotiate a dispute with Foxconn. The Taiwanese giant threatened to withhold funding, which could have a dire impact on Lordstown’s ability to operate.

We know that local news loves to do service journalism, and last month, KSAT in San Antonio published a piece about five ways to save on car insurance.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Kallenius has told the German media that the brand has no intention of cutting ties with China, saying such a move would be unwise for the whole of Germany industry. 

"The major players in the global economy, Europe, the U.S. and China, are so closely intertwined that decoupling from China makes no sense," he was quoted as saying in Bild am Sonntag.

Anyone blessed with the gift of reading comprehension has noticed an influx of stories about Ford and its recent quality control issues. Top brass Jim Farley is on record lamenting the problems and pledging to turn things around in this area. One of the first out of the gate with a quality control (QC) overhaul? The brand’s important (and profitable) new Super Duty.

Though it’s long been known for building sensible, reliable cars, Toyota has emerged as an enthusiasts’ ally in recent years. The brand created the GR Yaris for other countries, but here in the States, we’ve got the GR 86, GR Corolla, and GR Supra, making Toyota one of our more performance-forward automakers. That could continue, as incoming CEO Koji Sato recently said the company’s former CEO and well-known gearhead might have more time to develop fast cars. 

Following new rules approved by local regulators on Friday, the State of California has inched closer to banning diesel semi trucks. The California Air Resource Board (CARB) board unanimously voted on a plan that would seek to phase out sales of medium and heavy-duty vehicles that are powered by diesel fuel by 2036.

People use pickup trucks as everyday vehicles, even heavy-duty models, so it’s not surprising to see automakers adding more luxury and capability to their most work-ready models. Rugged, off-road-read heavy-duty trucks are nothing new, but GMC’s taking it to the next level with the new Sierra HD AT4X and Extreme AEV Edition trucks. The pair comes with a slew of upgrades to improve their off-road capability while maintaining the workhorse attitude that people expect from heavy-duty trucks.

General Motors built cars on the N Platform and its derivatives from the 1985 through 2005 model years, and five-speed manual transmissions were available on various N-based machines throughout that time. Very few American buyers of these cars were willing to operate three pedals by the dawn of the 21st century, but I have managed to find a five-speed-equipped Olds Alero in a Denver self-service car graveyard.

Years ago, teenage me was leafing through an issue of Car and Driver that was already a bit old when I happened upon one of those rare magazine/newspaper columns that changes your life, or at least how you see things.

Today's reading is an interesting feature from a few years back on who meet in the car-dealership business.

I spent 33 years in the automobile business, the equivalent of 96 human years. Having worked for car dealerships, manufacturers, an auction house, and an auto finance company, I’m convinced there is no other industry that attracts such a diverse cast of characters. Many of them defied stereotypes: I met car sales people who were honest, ethical and hardworking. I also worked with senior executives of well-respected automobile companies who were total sleazebags.

Throughout the years, I kept meeting the same set of six people over and over. These are their stories. Their names have been changed to protect the guilty.