The Best AWD Cars to Buy Before Winter 2021

by Gabrielle DeSantis

I know it’s only September, but the next time you blink you’ll be looking at a Starbucks ad with a pumpkin on it. Then, if you blink again, you’ll be shamefully eating the last of that pumpkin pie. Winter is coming, and you need a solid AWD ride to get through it. These are the best AWD cars to buy before everyone else tries to.

Is an Audi S4 a good car?

Static photo,
Colour: Turbo blue

RELATED: The 2022 Rivian R1T Is an Aquatic Animal

While the Audi S4 may not be one of the best AWD cars to buy, it’s certainly my choice. I’m a German car kid at heart, and the Audi S4 is a bucket list car for me. Current S4 models start at $50,500 but you can absolutely get a used one at any price point. However, reliability will drop the cheaper these cars get. Stay away from B7 generation S4 models unless they’ve had a timing chain replacement. You can even get an Audi S4 up to 2015 with a manual transmission.

That said, this is the AWD car you’ll need snow tires for the most. It’s not terribly low, but snow tires will help get you over things and through them. Hell, you ought to be putting snow tires on any of these vehicles. Seriously, all of these cars will need snow tires to be competent in the snow, and that goes for 4WD cars too.

The Toyota Highlander is one of the best AWD cars

A red Toyota Highlander hybrid drives down a country road in the fall

That said, if it’s ground clearance you want, the Toyota Highlander is the way to go. In that regard, it’s certainly one of the best AWD cars on the road today. I’ve had the pleasure of spending hundreds of miles in both hybrid and gas-powered Highlanders, and they are phenomenal. You seriously cannot pick a better mid-size vehicle for skiing. That third row is great for kids and putting on snow pants.

However, just like the Audi, new models can get pricey, especially with the chip shortage. New ones are supposed to start at $35,000 or so, but Limited trim models and Hybrid Toyota Highlanders can easily get up there. Thankfully, they’re still cheaper than the S4.

The Subaru Outback takes the crown

Doug likes the Outback, and so do I | Doug DeMuro

This is, of course, the best AWD car you can buy. The Subaru Outback packs wagon form factor onto a lifted SUV-esque body. What’s not to like? Again, I’ve had the pleasure of being in one of these for some time, and the interior easily rivals that of the Highlander and the S4. New models run right around $26,000 for starters, but prices can easily go up from there. It is objectively the best car here. You simply cannot go wrong.

However, if you want my opinion, a used Audi S4 will provide 95% of the practicality with 200% of the fun. I’m always more for driving dynamics than anything, but most will want a Subaru Outback. Heck, I kinda want a Subaru Outback. You should too.

RELATED: A 2022 Kia Telluride Is the Last Car You Should Buy Right Now

The post The Best AWD Cars to Buy Before Winter 2021 appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Thousands of Chipless Silverado Pickups Seen at Shuttered GM Chip Facility

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Four years ago GM shuttered its 2.6 million square foot chip manufacturing plant in Kokomo, Indiana. In hindsight, that might not have been such a good idea. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, GM contracted with Ventec to use the facility to manufacture ventilators. But all of that sprawling parking lot remained mostly empty. Chipless, parked Silverado pickups are now waiting for microchips to be installed.

GM doesn’t make Silverado trucks at Kokomo, why there?

GM’s former microchip plant in Kokomo, Indiana | GM

Why Kokomo? It is a GM property within proximity of the Fort Wayne, Indiana, truck manufacturing plant. Fort Wayne Assembly needed someplace to store what GM calls “build shy” pickups, and 80 miles away sat that parking lot. So now GM is hauling pickups down to Kokomo.

Why is GM doing this? Because it allows them to keep the assembly lines cranked up pumping out highly desirable Silverado pickups. They’re GM’s best-selling and most profitable products according to GM Authority. 

Now fenced off and filling up with pickup trucks, the Kokomo chip plant’s parking lot has a purpose. There is enough area for between 5,000-7,000 trucks. But there are many other spaces being utilized for the same thing.

Kokomo isn’t the only place GM is storing “build shy” Silverado pickup trucks

Sea of parked pickup trucks
Sea of pickup trucks waiting for microchips | Spencer Platt/Getty Images

GM is stockpiling vehicles at Michigan State University, Kentucky Speedway, and various spots in central Texas. Plants in Mexico, Missouri, and Illinois have also been packing empty lots and spaces with build shy vehicles. But the irony is that the very thing that all automakers are clamoring for was once made at this plant. And it’s the reason why trucks are now being stored there. 

A 2017 GM press release says the plant was shuttered because the “technical capabilities of the current equipment set does not allow the business to compete at a global level.” Currently, there is only one company in the US manufacturing microchips. And it is not set up to manufacture the latest evolution of the microchip. So keeping up with the industry is an ongoing problem.

GM said it was  “cost prohibitive to invest in new equipment to produce semiconductors in GM Kokomo due to the available capacity and capability of existing suppliers to meet the demand for semiconductors,” at the time of the closing. Yikes! That speculation has now come back to bite GM hard. 

This plant had its semiconductor equipment removed

The 2021 Chevy Silverado Realtree Edition in the woods
2021 Chevy Silverado Realtree Edition | Chevrolet

All of the microchip manufacturing equipment was cleared out years ago according to Inside Indiana Business. So there is no way to flip back on the switch. If only GM could turn back time, would they have kept the plant running just as a backup? 

Nobody could have predicted the pandemic hitting in 2020, and the repercussions for decisions related to it. But you can bet that this symbol of what might have been is gnawing at GM executives every day.

RELATED: Thousands of 2021 Ford Super Duty Trucks Waiting for Chips Can Be Seen From Space

The post Thousands of Chipless Silverado Pickups Seen at Shuttered GM Chip Facility appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Airline Delays and Prices Expected to Soar (in a Bad Way) Due to Climate Change

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The coronavirus (COVID-19) spread still has a firm grip on the nation, with no signs of letting go anytime soon. As travelers attempt to return to normal, the airline industry struggles to get back to a pre-pandemic world, getting grounded airplanes back in the air. Furthermore, now the travel industry will have to prepare and deal with climate change effects.

For the past 18 months, the coronavirus has disrupted all forms of transportation. Motorcycles, cars, airplanes, and trains are not exempt from ongoing issues. Labor shortages, unexpected disruptions in operations, and accidents are significant problems airline carriers face. Now, unprecedented weather conditions are also becoming a serious concern, as prices for domestic travel continue to soar. As delays become more common, climate change will likely further affect the transportation industry in the future.

How climate change will affect traveling

Long lines at an airport check-in | Horacio Villalobos#Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images

Unlike any other time in history, travel came to a standstill in 2020. Airlines are now working tirelessly to adjust to a new normal, but poor weather conditions add to the challenge. Excessive heat, violent thunderstorms, and an increase in strong winds are wreaking havoc on an already volatile industry. Unstable weather patterns are raising concerns about how climate change will affect future travel. As temperatures continue to rise around the globe, airlines are trying to adjust to the changing demands brought on by climate change.

Time reported, “the effects of climate change might make air travel more challenging – both in terms of industry economics and the travel experience – in the coming decades.” Elsewhere, from JSTOR, the Carbon & Climate Law Review claims delays will become more frequent with increased precipitation. Extreme heat can damage runways and lead to flight cancellations. Storm surges can destroy the infrastructure at more than 25 percent of the airports in America. The study found “every sector of the air transport industry will be affected.”

The skyrocketing prices of air travel

Airport Technology reported the airline industry is at risk of becoming increasingly vulnerable to the “existential threat of climate change.” As airlines focus their attention on the coronavirus pandemic, the threat of global warming is getting pushed to the back burner. Airports will need to adapt to an increase in delayed and canceled flights due to changing weather patterns. Flights scheduled to depart at the hottest part of the day may have to start imposing weight restrictions in the coming years.

Jalopnik explained, “unprecedented weather has been the culprit of delays all year long as air travel recovers from its post-COVID slump.” Flights are being canceled more frequently than in the past due to wildfires, extreme heat, and rising sea levels.

With delays and cancellations on the rise and business and international travel at an all-time low, the cost of traveling by airplanes is skyrocketing. Compounding the problem is increased fuel prices and unexpected labor shortages that are causing major airlines to trim flight schedules across the country.

Alternatives for cross-country travel

As airline prices continue to soar due to climate change, travelers are wise to seek alternative options for cross-country travel. Driving is an obvious choice, but train travel is also worth considering. According to the New York Times, “The Bureau of Transportation Statistics found that Amtrak uses 27 percent less fuel than domestic flights per passenger-mile travel in 2017.”  Not only is train travel “cheaper 80 percent of the time,” but The United States Department of Energy also determined “intercity trains get nearly 57 passenger miles per gallon versus cars at about 40.”

The transportation industry relies heavily on fossil fuels, so electric vehicles and train travel may bring necessary relief. The U.S. government is committed to an infrastructure plan that intends to expand the railway system and increase the use of electric vehicles, hopefully relieving the stress on a heavily burdened airline industry.

RELATED:  Do Planes Pollute More Than Cars?

The post Airline Delays and Prices Expected to Soar (in a Bad Way) Due to Climate Change appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Electric G Wagon Specs: The Mercedes EQG Concept Explained

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Mercedes G-Class is a powerful force in the automotive world. Mercedes-Benz unleashed the first Gelandewagen in 1979. It was a fearsome, off-road-ready 4×4. Though the overall shape of its boxy body is the same, the G Wagon is now only available in the US as a six-figure luxury car. Some call it a classic, others call it dated. But that is all about to change with the incredible electric G Wagon specs. At the International Mobility Show in Munich the world first saw the Mercedes-Benz Concept EQG. We examined the near-production prototype, its competitors, and Mercedes’ other electric vehicles to dive into possible specs of the upcoming electric G Wagon.

Mercedes’ G Wagon EV Is Retro-Futuristic

The Mercedes G-Class is a decades-old midsize SUV. For this reason, Mercedes leaned into the retro-futuristic vibe with the EGQ launch. The G-Class debuted in 1979, so Mercedes filmed a 1979-themed SciFi to introduce this “near-production concept” of its electric SUV–the EQG concept.

The Mercedes-Benz EQG will join the EQ family. Existing EQs include three crossovers: the EQA, EQB, and EQC. The EQ family also features the EQV van and two sedan/SUV chassis: the EQS and EQE. In addition, the company announced plans for an entry-level EQG and an AMG-tuned version; Mercedes has trademarked EQG 560 and EQG 580.

The concept car looks very much like a production G-Class, including the interior and infotainment system of a 2021 model. Mercedes finished the electric G Wagon in a Maybach-inspired two-tone paint job. In addition, they replaced the rubber rail running the length of the G-Class with an LED light bar. This SUV wears another lightbar on its roof, reminiscent of off-roading trail lights.

The most striking feature of the EQG concept is its front fascia: Mercedes has replaced the G-Class’s grill with a solid front piece and a dramatic, light-up logo.

Electric G Wagon Power and Weight Specs

Mercedes-Benz EQG concept car | Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Images

Most electric vehicles are heavier than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. However, they wear their weight well: Frame-mounted batteries and low motors keep their center of gravity down. In addition, regenerative braking extends these heavy vehicles’ range.

Mercedes-Benz assures us the EQG will be a full-frame SUV. The 2021 G Wagon weighs in at a hefty 5554 pounds. We can expect an even higher curb weight in the electric G Wagon’s specs.

The current ICE Mercedes G 550 features a 416 horsepower “Biturbo” V8. The AMG G63 enjoys a 577 horsepower engine. Existing Mercedes EQ electric motors produce between 200 and 288 horsepower–and the G-Wagen will have four engines. As a result, the upcoming electric G Wagon’s specs should reveal one of the highest horsepower models in the Gelandewagen’s history.

Electric G Wagon Features

One unique feature of the electric G-Wagen concept is a two-speed transmission. Many electric vehicles do not have a transmission; Mercedes’ choice may confuse some buyers. But while building its new Model S Plaid, Tesla found the engines’ top speed limited the car; Tesla engineered carbon-fiber sleeves to bump the engines’ top speed higher. In the near-future, Mercedes’s two-speed transmission solution may become standard for high-speed EVs.

Markus Schäfer, Mercedes’ Chief Operating Officer, revealed the EQG will not use the motors and batteries from the existing EQS. Instead, what the EQG may share is the EQS’s advanced charging system. 

Mercedes’ EQ platform leverages an advanced 200kW rapid charging system: Mercedes claims the EQS sedan will charge from 10-80% in just 31 minutes or top off 174-186 miles of range in just 15 minutes. A novel detail of the EQG concept is a square box holding its charging cables in place of the rear-door spare tire holder.

Mercedes’ Quad-Motor-Drive EGQ

Electric 4x4s will be better off-road than traditional SUVs. The new G Wagon may be the best off-road yet. Mercedes’ decision to endow the electric G-Class with four separate engines will make it one of the only 4x4s on the market boasting quad-motor drive.

Schäfer hinted that the EQG can ‘turn on the spot,’ thanks to this drivtrain. Rivian released a video of its quad-motor truck completing “tank turns” by putting two of its four motors into reverse. Such a capability could be invaluable off-road, and we can expect it from the new G-Wagen.

Quad-motor drivetrains also excel at torque-vectoring. Motor Trend reviewed Rivian R1T, with its the quad-motor drive. The team concluded that the truck could handle S-curves better than most sports sedans. The reviewers turned the truck sharply while cornering and slammed the throttle and were shocked by its response. The team felt the outside rear wheel accelerate, pulling the nose around and blasting the truck through the curve. They concluded that few cars could offer this sensation, and no truck could match it. 

We can expect the quad-motor EQG to be a beast off-road and deliver surprising agility on the pavement. We will have to wait for Mercedes to drop the new electric G Wagon’s specs to find out exactly how well it will perform.

RELATED: 5 Best Electric SUVs for 2021 According to TrueCar

The post Electric G Wagon Specs: The Mercedes EQG Concept Explained appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by