Facts

2019 brought more than a hundred new vehicle into dealerships, but it was also the final year for quite a few models.

Whether really old platforms or slow sellers, some important nameplates went into the history books and won’t be available for purchase in 2020. Here’s a list of the 13 cars that you will no longer find in dealerships in 2020.

2019 was a great year for the auto industry. We’re seen hundreds of debuts that included awesome supercars, cool sports cars, roomy SUVs, and innovative electric vehicles.

Several iconic nameplates, including the Volkswagen Golf, Porsche 911, and Toyota Supra, spawned new generations, while crazy-looking models like the Tesla Cybertruck made their global debuts. But the industry also had its share of not-so-spectacular debuts and we’re here to discuss just that in a list that features the worst debuts of 2019.

BMW is one of the longest-serving companies in the world, known first and foremost for the sporty nature of the vehicles it has been building throughout the decades. What’s more, the company also made a name for itself in various motorsport competitions such as Formula One, Formula Two, DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters), Le Mans, Dakar Rally, and various other endurance racing series.

The brand’s history hasn’t been a smooth one, as BMW had to build airplane engines to stay afloat as well as frying pans at some of its lowest career moments. The company traces its roots back to 1916, when Karl Rapp and Gustav Otto merged their companies in what would become the BMW we know today. The official founding date of BMW is March, 7, 1916.

Established in 1963, Lamborghini remained under the ownership of its founder, Ferruccio Lamborghini, until 1974. Following several successful years, the company’s sales plunged in the wake of the 1973 financial downturn and oil crisis, so Ferruccio decided to retire and sold the company to George-Henri Rossetti and Rene Leimer in 1974. Lamborghini eventually went bankrupt in 1978 and two years later was placed in the receivership of brothers Jean-Claude and Patrick Mimran. The Mimrans purchased the automaker in 1984 but sold it to Chrysler in 1987. The American group held onto the brand until 1994, when it sold it to Malaysian investment group Mycom Setdco and Indonesian group V’Power Corporation. In 1998, Lamborghini was again sold to the Volkswagen Group, where it was placed under the control of the Audi division.

The Genesis GV80 is destined to be a Christmas present to the world with its debut scheduled for the first quarter of 2020. There are still many unknowns about Genesis’ first SUV, but we’ve seen prototypes testing on a number of occasions, and now we have some leaked images available as well. Will the Genesis GV80 borrow design and tech from the 2017 GV80 Concept or will it change dramatically before it reaches production? Will it borrow DNA from Genesis sedan models, like the G80? Will it be a worthy contender to the BMW X5 and Mercedes GLE Class? Well, let’s take a look at what we know and what we think we know about the all-new Genesis GV80.

Until recently, BMW didn’t offer a righteous rival for the S-Class Coupe. Subsequently, the Mercedes-AMG S63 was ruling the realm without a competitor in sight, but that changed when the M8 was born.

Although the S-Class Coupe/AMG S63 is a shorter, two-door version of the larger S-Class sedan and the M8 was designed as fully-blown coupe right off the bat, it fits nicely into the same ballpark as the juiced-up Mercedes-AMG S63. So in our quest to see which is better, we’re taking a good close look at what they have to offer on paper.

Driving without auto insurance or other proof of financial responsibility is actually a big deal, but the penalties for doing so vary by state. In some states, it’s actually a felony to drive without auto insurance. In others, you get off rather easy with little more than a fine and a harsh warning for your first offense – unless you’re in an accident, in which case, you could find yourself in a real jam. What is California’s law on auto insurance? Well, here’s what you need to know.

An FS-1 document is, essentially, proof of insurance the serves as proof of financial responsibility. It’s similar to the SR-22 document required in some states for those convicted of a DUI or DWI, or the Proof of Insurance that drivers are required to carry in other states. North Carolina, however, is the only state that uses an FS-1 document.

The latest segment to be hit by the electrification bug is pickup trucks. Although some electric firms - Tesla and Rivian - have been into electrification for years, mainstream automakers have also decided to jump in before it gets too late. The Tesla and Rivian war has been on since the two decided to enter the electric pickup truck foray. The two have been approaching the segment differently and have kind of eased into their spaces. Now that Ford is developing an electric powertrain of its own for the F-150, things could get even more exciting. I’ve listed out five possible scenarios that may or may not be hypothetical.

The Volkswagen Golf is arguably one of the most recognizable models in Volkswagen’s lineup. That stature comes with the pressure of standing out in a sea of hatchbacks looking to take some shine away from the famous nameplate. Now that the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf (Mk8) is here, it looks like the competition will have its hands full trying to catch up with the Golf Mk8. See, there are a lot of things to like about the Golf Mk8, but arguably the most important of these things is the incredible amount of new technologies Volkswagen was able to pack into the hatchback. Believe me when I tell you, the eighth-generation Volkswagen Golf is so tricked out in new technology, it’s hard to imagine how Volkswagen managed to fit all of them into the hatchback.

Porsche is known for continuously bringing race-bred technology into its road cars. The Stuttgart-based manufacturer that has been perfecting the rear-engine formula for over five decades now is also famous for its homologation specials, road-worthy counterparts built by Porsche to race thoroughbred competition machinery in production-based classes of sports car racing. 20 years ago, Porsche introduced the latest model that would spawn a myriad of racing versions: the Porsche 911 GT3, a track-oriented 911 that could be used as a daily driver (if you dared). It came at the same time as the not-for-the-purist 996 generation but, in spite of this, can you now imagine a world without the 911 GT3 in it?

Where were you in 1999 when Porsche unveiled the 996.1-generation Porsche 911 GT3? Well, you probably weren’t at the Geneva Auto Show where Porsche took the wraps of what was, in essence, the road-legal version of the newest Porsche 911 Cup car that would compete in the Porsche Carrera Cup Germany and later in the Porsche Supercup sharing the bill with the Formula 1 World Championship. The first 911 GT3 looked a bit tame but, as years rolled by, it evolved, growing bigger, more aggressive, and more insane and overshadowed with ease the 911 GT2, a model we originally thought it’d replace before Porsche decided to continue making GT2 models, somewhat as even more extreme versions of the 911. This is the story of the GT3, a model more famous than all of the track-focused 911s that have come before it, even the Carrera RS 2.7 of 1973.

We’ve all heard by now that Aston Martin will build an SUV. In fact, the upcoming DBX - that’s the name Gaydon chose for its first-ever high-riding vehicle - has revealed some of its intricacies, but even so, there’s still more of what we don’t know than what we actually know about it.

The DBX comes as a surprise move from Aston Martin and although you might not see it like that since every carmaker is churning out high-riding vehicles these days, the company’s CEO was very adamant that the company won’t build such a car because SUVs are boxes and boxes aren’t beautiful. The statement dates back to 2015 when Andy Palmer seemed to wage a war on SUVs, saying that “our [Aston Martin’s] DNA doesn’t allow us to go there” and “you cannot make a beautiful SUV, it’s impossible.” Oh, well, little did we know.

Off-roading is no easy job. Let’s get that straight right off the bat. But since practice makes perfect, we though we’d give you a head start with a handful of expert-provided tips and tricks that will keep you on top of your game off the beaten path.

It doesn’t even matter what kind of off-roader you’re taking on your weekend adventures. It doesn’t have to be a Jeep and it can certainly be your vintage Land Rover Defender that your father used to take for the occasional mud bath. But if you want to make the best out of your weekend into the wild and avoid nasty situations as well as keep your vehicle in tip-top shape, then these tips and tricks are worth remembering and applying.

Although somewhat overshadowed by the reveal of the last front-engined V-12 Ferrari convertible - the 812 GTS - the new Ferrari F8 Spider still enchanted the right people. Largely favorable reactions to its exterior appearance demonstrate that Ferrari Design Studio knows a thing or two about design even without the help from Pininfarina. Interestingly enough, neither the 812 nor the F8 Spider wore the trademark Rosso Corsa color at their reveal, but they have still picked up a lot of publicity.

The F8 Spider, despite gorgeous, isn’t exactly a lot different compared to the F8 Tributo. The only notable change is, of course, the removable hardtop that stows under the rear tonneau cover in 14 seconds. It needs the same time to fold like the one in the Ferrari 812 GTS.

Just a day after the first Ferrari F1 Scuderia win at Monza since 2010, the Maranello-based car producer revealed two astonishing open-top cars. The elite of the world got a chance to buy, or the hope they’ll be able to buy the V-12 powered 812 GTS and the F8 Spider. Interestingly enough, the F8, as a mid-engine, V-8 powered Spider captures the essence of Ferrari’s future.

On the other hand, the 812 GTS, as the first production V-12 powered, front-engined open-top Ferrari in almost fifty years, is the one that wholeheartedly captures the essence of the brand. With an overpowered V-12 that develops 790 horsepower, rear-wheel drive, and a roof that opens in 14 seconds, the 812 GTS is a swan song. The Ferrari 812 GTS may well be the last new V-12 powered open-top car we ever see. This alone makes it far more appealing than any other open-top car on the market.

The problem with small craft beer companies isn’t about the quality of their products or the innovation behind it. It is about the scale. When the demand picks up, they cannot deliver - the quality goes down, and waiting time goes up. That is why not many alcohol drink representatives want to work with small scale craft beer producers. I am telling you this because we have something similar in the car world as well. When the demand picked up for the Tesla-produced cars, the company could not meet the expectations. No matter what it did. So, when a car like the Porsche Taycan comes to the market, it is a whole different story. It has Porsche and the entire Volkswagen Group behind it. These people do meet expectations, and these are all the quirks and features you need to know about the Taycan to believe it.

When BMW rolled the 2002 Turbo towards the tail end of 1973, in the middle of the fuel crisis, everybody viewed it as insanity. Still, as years rolled by, the classic adage that said ’there’s no replacement for displacement’ seemed to hold true for at least some manufacturers. However, ever stringent pollution regulations and the need for increased efficiency pushed carmakers to embrace forced induction more broadly and strangled naturally aspirated engines one by one. Nowadays, big players such as BMW don’t even offer a naturally aspirated engine across their entire lineups and even Ferrari is all but ditching the engines that made the Prancing Horse legendary through their expertly honed soundtrack.

It’s not necessarily that naturally aspirated engines are going to go extinct in a matter of a handful of years but it’s clear that the performance levels achieved by turbocharged or supercharged units simply can’t be matched by a naturally aspirated engine. On top of that, an engine that uses forced induction is more economical due to its smaller capacity and friendlier with the environment which - in the eyes of everyone but some purists - is a win-win situation. While we love turbochargers and superchargers, we thought we’d take a look at some of the history’s best naturally aspirated engines at a time when fewer and fewer manufacturers still offer them - at least in performance cars. We assure you they are proper bangers!

After the no-compromise racing machine called Divo and the ultimate expression of exclusivity known as the La Voiture Noire, Bugatti revealed yet another special vehicle - the Centodieci. Crafted to catch the imagination of the most enthusiastic Bugatti connoisseur, the Centodieci comes to match the uncompromised performance of the Divo, with style reminiscent of the well-known Bugatti from the nineties - the EB110. Not only did Bugatti imagine the car to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the company, but it also walked a path that honors a supercar that was at the pinnacle of car design in the nineties. These are cool facts and features you simply have to know about the Bugatti Centodieci.

Let’s be honest here; the Tesla Model 3’s interior isn’t exactly rich and well defined. It is sparsely equipped with one massive screen that hosts virtual buttons for all functions. In higher grade trims, Tesla did manage to offer nice upholstery on the seats and more expensive materials on the doors. It does give a bit of style and pizzazz to the Tesla Model 3, but nowhere near enough to match the lavish of the Lexus IS, 3 Series, or, the Mercedes-Benz C-class. The problem is that even the most expensive Model 3’s interior cannot hold a candle to the interiors of even less expensive cars. And now, we have a stripped-down Model 3. What could Tesla possibly delete from the Model 3 to lower its price to $35,000? Well, here’s a list of everything you don’t get with the entry-level Tesla Model 3.

On the River Thames, in the heart of London, and on the deck of a 105-meter ship known as St. Helena, Alejandro Agag, Formula E Founder and CEO, announced a new electric SUV race series called the Extreme E. This is a whole new motorsport project that will take electric race cars to the most remote places on Earth. Continental Tires, the Founding Partner of Extreme E, provides full support to the project and it will, naturally, supply tires for the electric race SUVs. The outline of the Extreme E race event includes up to 12 teams, with super powerful electric off-roaders that will travel the world on a former Royal Mail ship and race at the most lonesome and secluded destinations.

It is an epic global mission that will showcase electric SUVs and their off-road proves in racing format, and, even more importantly, raise awareness of climate change with equal gist. The transport ship St. Helena will be home to electric SUVs that are at the very frontier of what the automotive world can achieve. Apart from cars and tech, St. Helena’s quarters will host teams, engineers, and crew involved with the Extreme E project. This ship will basically transport racing enthusiasts and their beloved SUVs to the most awesome racing venues where they’ll have a ton of fun. Let that sink in a bit. No pun intended.

For that fact alone, I can only say that this is, ladies and gentlemen, “the biggest adventure of our time.” Those are the same exact words that Agag proudly chanted during the Extreme E introduction.

All of this is so overwhelming that I am left speechless. And, as if this weren’t enough, the experience will be available via digital streaming service. I mean. Perfect! This is #cargasm in making.