Even With A New Pick-Up, Renault Won't Be Returning To The States

Shame, as this truck looks pretty good.

With Renault enjoying quite a solid patch, it's of no surprise that we really wish the US had access to its various cars. Even without factoring in the range of terrific hot hatchbacks it produces, Renault currently makes a load of interesting and, crucially, competitive cars, ranging from the zesty Clio supermini to the huge Talisman that we feel could be one of the prettiest sedans on sale today. Now though, Renault's taunting us even more by announcing a model that would be a surefire success in the States: a pick-up truck.

The truck in question is called the Alaskan, which we feel is quite ironic considering Renault's absence from the United States marketplace means the pick-up won't actually be sold in Alaska. Nevertheless, the Renault Alaskan is quite an important vehicle for Renault. On top of being the firm's first ever one-ton pick-up, the Alaskan is also the first Renault commercial vehicle to be designed with a global mindset. As a result, this Renault flat loader will be available in pretty much every country in the world bar the USA; introducing the French market to buyers and territories it hasn't really experienced before. There's an awful lot riding on this pick-up being a success.

Given its focus on markets outside of the US, the engines we're accustomed to seeing in our Ram Rebels and Ford Raptors aren't present in the Renault Alaskan. Heck, buyers in the United Kingdom don't even get a gasoline engine to play with, as the only motor being offered in that territory is a 2.3-liter four-cylinder diesel engine that anyone jumping over from a more recent Renault panel van should be well accustomed to. Having that engine does mean the Alaskan has what Renault claims to be best-in-class fuel economy, and there's allegedly a fair bit of off-road ability on hand in the Alaskan as well. Whisper this quietly, but we think the Renault Alaskan would do rather well here in the United States.

1983 Ferrari 440i Estimated To Go For Just Over $40,000

Today's hot hatches have topped performance of older supercars, but even so, few can withstand the lust of sitting inside a Maranello-made exotic estimated to go for less than a brand new BMW M2.
Splitting the running costs between this 1983 Ferrari 440i and the newer high-performance compact will tilt the balance in favor of the Bimmer, but the coolness factor is probably what will help the GT sell.
Estimated to go for anywhere between £30,000 and £35,000 ($43,455-$50,700) at the SilverstoneAuction's event scheduled for July 30-31, the 440i is said to be in "excellent" condition, despite its odometer reads just over 58,000 miles (~93,300 km), which is quite a lot for a Ferrari.
It was originally delivered on February 1, 1983, only to change hands two years later. In 1993, it was sold once again and it eventually arrived in the possession of Andrew Ridgeley, from Wham, in '97, who had it stripped, repainted and re-trimmed in cream leather, with green piping and carpets. The celebrity drove it until 2012, when it ended up in a private collection, where it remains up to date.
Part of the 1982 batch, it boasts a revised interior and it's powered by a 4.8-liter V12 engine, rated at 310 HP, coupled to a 3-speed automatic transmission. Just 883 examples of the 400i automatic were produced between 1979 and 1985. Even so, it's not a favorite among Ferrari lovers, thus the asking price; but in any case, it's still a Prancing Horse...

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Honda May Finally Be Ready To Kill Off One Of Its Biggest Mistakes In Recent Years

Remember this car? It was the CRX successor that wasn't.

The Honda CR-Z has been a pretty big failure to both the automaker and enthusiasts. The hybrid hatchback is in no way the spiritual successor to the CRX despite the similarities the two share, and its sales numbers are atrocious. In May 2016 the CR-Z moved only 234 units in the US. That looks even worse when you realize Honda sold 133,547 cars in May alone. So, yeah, it’s not looking so hot. While the end hasn’t been officially announced it looks to be close with the reveal of the CR-Z Final Label in Japan.

The special edition has a new set of 17-inch alloy wheels, bits and bobs from higher trims and the requisite “Final Edition” badging and stitching on the seats. Overall the CR-Z Final Edition looks a lot like any other CR-Z. While this looks to be the last gasp for the hatchback in Japan it’s worth noting that Honda hasn’t said anything about the car’s fate in the US. About a year ago there was a rumor that a refreshed version could “make a big comeback in 2017.” The plan was to make the second-gen on a shortened version of the Civic’s platform and to drop the hybrid setup in favor of a de-tuned version of the Civic Type R’s 2.0-liter turbo-four.

That would knock power up considerably from the CR-Z's current output of 140 hp and 127 lb-ft of torque. While that sounds like a cool car on paper we have a hard time believing the big wigs at Honda would approve of it. Adding further fuel to the “CR-Z is dead” fire is the fact that Honda told us the less-than-hot hatch is no longer in its press fleet. This could be for a variety of reasons…or it could be because it’s for journalists to review a car that’s going to be axed.

Official: 2017 Mercedes E-Class Wagon

Much to the delight of well-off soccer moms everywhere, Mercedes-Benz announced the launch of the wagon (estate, T-modell) variant of the new E-Class in a few months. Massive space, elegant design, and intelligent engineering are the main highlights of the 2017 Mercedes E-Class Wagon.

Set for debut during MercedesCup tennis tournament in Stuttgart, the sixth-generation Mercedes E-Class Wagon is the most spacious yet, offering cargo volume of up to 1820 litres. What’s more, the car can be specified with a third, folding bench seat for children, so there really is no excuse for buying a large SUV if you live in town.

Engine-wise, and depending on the market, 2017 Mercedes E-Class Wagon will be available with as E 220 d (194 hp) diesel, E 350 d (258 hp) diesel, E400 4MATIC (329 hp) and E43 AMG 4MATC (401 hp). The latter will be have a more exclusive market, going up against the likes of Audi RS4, giving BMW another reason to come up with a wagon version of the M3.

The technology and convenience highlights of the new E-Class Wagon (standard and optional) include EASY-PACK tailgate with load-securing kit, KEYLESS-GO with HANDS-FREE ACCESS, AIR BODY CONTROL all-round air suspension, ESP trailer stabilisation and Crosswind Assist, Active Brake Assist and Remote Parking Pilot and  DRIVE PILOT semi-autonomous system.

Well-Specced Fiat 500S Launches in the UK

Fiat announced the launch of yet another new edition of the 500 in the British market, but this time it is one worth considering. The 2017 Fiat 500S comes with a range of new options and features that make its £12,950 starting price seem like real good value.

The first thing you notice about the new Fiat 500S is its sporty exterior featuring revised front and rear bumpers, special side skirts and a rear spoiler, and Satin Graphite door handles, tailgate, the 500 “moustache” grille, mirror caps and 15-inch alloy wheels. You also get chrome-finish tailpipe, black-grained front air intakes, and honeycomb grille as standard, but 16-inch matte black wheels are optional extra.

The list of standard equipment on Fiat 500S is very impressive and include items like seven-inch HD LIVE touchscreen Uconnect, adjustable and heated door mirrors, air con, start&stop, seven airbags, ABS with EBD (Electronic Brake Distribution), ESC (Electronic Stability Control) system with ASR (Anti Slip Regulation), Hill Holder and HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assistance). But there are also a number of options you cannot ignore, such as TomTom 3D navigation (£250), Beats by Dr Dre audio system (£300), and leather interior (£850).

Engine-wise, the 500S can be ordered with a wide range of powertrains, beginning with 1.2-litre 69hp petrol (£12,950), 85hp TwinAir (£14,250), TwinAir 105hp (£14,730), and 1.3 MultiJet II 95hp (£15,350).