Automakers Want To Make Cheap Cars For Us Poors, Everyone Wants A Four-Door Suzuki Jimny And More Musk In This Week's News Roundup

Automakers may have finally realized that we're all out of money, so they're now apparently planning on bringing back cheaper cars. The plan is to do this through lower-end trims, value-focused special editions and even reviving cheap dead vehicles from their pasts. It's welcome news for folks who see the average price of a new car – $49,740 – and shudder. – Andy Kalmowitz Read More

As Tesla CEO Elon Musk continues his illegal and unconstitutional takeover of the U.S. federal government, he's taken a special interest in destroying the United States Agency for International Development, Reuters reports. Cutting off foreign aid that specifically saves lives and improves health outcomes around the world may seem like the kind of thing that's going to get people killed, but nevertheless, Musk says he's "feeding USAID into the wood chipper." As a result, at least 300 babies that wouldn't have had HIV now do, Wired reports. – Collin Woodard Read More

The rugged little Suzuki Jimny, briefly sold in the U.S. as the Suzuki Samurai, was strictly offered as a two door since its introduction in 1970. Suzuki introduced a four-door in some markets like India, South Africa, and Australia in 2023, and Suzuki finally opened the order books for Japanese-market four-door Jimnys on January 30. It was an instant hit, and the company received so many orders that it had to suspend all further orders after being open for just four days. There were around 50,000 orders placed, but the sole manufacturing plant that produces four-door Jimnys can only produce 1,200 units per month so those 50,000 orders back up production for the next 3.5 years. – Logan Carter Read More

Not every idea is a winner, and that's exactly what Audi realized with its last naming scheme. EVs were represented by even numbers and everything else got an odd number. It confused people and nobody wants to be more confused than they already are. That's why the automaker has thankfully decided to dump the whole idea and go back to the way things were. – Andy Kalmowitz Read More

The Tesla Cybertruck has a serious demand issue, and as more and more of these stainless steel monoliths to MAGA pile up on dealer lots, Tesla is making moves to get them out the door. The automaker just dropped lease prices for the cheapest Cybertruck, and all-wheel drive versions are getting more incentives like free charging and a Full Self-Driving (Supervised) subscription. – Andy Kalmowitz Read More

By the late 1990s, Ford Motor Company had grown to include a number of other brands the automaker had purchased over the years. In addition to longtime Ford stablemates Lincoln and Mercury, the Blue Oval owned Volvo, Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. Those premium brands were placed under a single umbrella called the Premier Automotive Group in 1999, but by the end of 2010 nearly every one of those brands had been sold off. Jaguar and Land Rover were some of the last marques to be sold, the result of the brand needing some quick cash and a refocusing of its efforts. – Lawrence Hodge Read More

Germany has apparently seen the writing on the wall for what Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, represent, and in turn, sales plummeted 59 percent in January. It comes as Musk further inserts himself into both the U.S. government and Germany's politics. – Andy Kalmowitz Read More

Shockingly, especially considering its ties to Toyota, until this year Subaru has only produced one hybrid model: the ill-fated plug-in-hybrid Crosstrek. That's quickly changing though, as a few weeks ago Subaru debuted the 2025 Crosstrek Hybrid, and today at the Chicago Auto Show it unveiled the 2025 Forester Hybrid, which was first promised in 2023 when the latest generation debuted. With improved fuel economy and a much longer cruising range, it should be an easy choice for buyers. – Logan Carter Read More

If you're a slow driver in Arizona, you may want to look out — or at least consider driving faster or getting out of the left lane. Lawmakers in the state are putting forth a new bill that, if passed, would fine drivers for going too slow in the fast lane on highways. – Lawrence Hodge Read More

A sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department was arrested by his coworkers last week after showing up to work just hours after allegedly hitting and killed a pedestrian while driving under the influence. – Lawrence Hodge Read More