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Autoblog Podcast #384

Episode #384 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Steven Ewing and Chris Paukert talk about rumors that the Subaru WRX Concept styling may influence the next production model, the 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, and Chris' time with the 2015 Lincoln MKC. We start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Check out the new rundown below with times for topics, and you can follow along down below with our Q&A. Thanks for listening! Autoblog Podcast #384: Topics: Long-term 2015 Subaru WRX introduction Subaru WRX Concept styling may see production 2015 Lincoln MKC 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 In the Autoblog Garage: 2014 Mercedes-Benz E550 Cabriolet 2014 Volkswagen Jetta SEL 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Hosts: Dan Roth, Steven Ewing, Chris Paukert Runtime: 01:34:21 Rundown: Intro and Garage - 00:00 Long-term WRX intro - 27:20 WRX Concept - 37:10 Lincoln MKC - 47:49 Corvette Z06 - 01:07:18 Q&A - 01:16:18 Get the podcast: [UStream] Listen live on Mondays at 10 PM Eastern at UStream [iTunes] Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes [RSS] Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator [MP3] Download the MP3 directly Feedback: Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show in iTunes Podcasts Rumormill Chevrolet Lincoln Mercedes-Benz Subaru subaru wrx concept

Opel CEO talks new EV, will likely be fresh face for Chevy, too

The rumored demise of the Opel Ampera has been confirmed, but there's good news, too. Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann has been busy Tweeting information about the brand's next plug-in vehicle, admitting that the Ampera is on the way out but that plug-in vehicles are here to stay. His Tweets, in full, read: After the eventual run-out of the current generation Ampera, we'll introduce a successor product in the electric vehicle segment. Our next electric vehicle will be part of our massive product offensive – with 27 new vehicles in the 2014-2018 time frame. We see eMobility as important part of the mobility of tomorrow and we will continue to drive down costs & deliver affordability. As we learned earlier this week, the Ampera will not be refreshed when the current Chevy Volt is updated, most likely because of slow sales. Opel sold just 332 Amperas in the first five months of 2014. For now, General Motors is still building Amperas in Michigan for export to Europe. So, what might this new EV mean for the General Motors plug-in fleet? Official spokespeople are being quiet, but we think it's safe to say the new EV Neumann is talking about is not simply a rebadged Chevy Spark EV. This is the first official word about an entirely new EV, and we expect it will come to both the Chevrolet and Opel brands.

Recharge Wrap-up: Chevy Spark EV in Canada, Audi to use Valeo electric supercharger

The Chevrolet Spark EV will become available to retail customers in Canada. "We're expanding our electric vehicle offerings to our customers by offering the 2016 Spark EV for retail sales in the growing EV markets here in Quebec as well as in Ontario and BC," says Chevrolet's Chris Hay. Chevrolet has not yet released pricing for the Spark EV in Canada. In the US, the Spark EV is available in California, Oregon and Maryland. Read more at Hybrid Cars. Four recreational vehicle companies in Texas have settled with the EPA over illegal import and sale of off-road vehicles. The 4,000-plus Hammerhead brand vehicles in question were imported without the proper certification, a violation of the Clean Air Act. Some vehicles lacked proper emission control equipment or were manufactured by a company not listed on the certificate application. The settlement totals $560,000 in civil penalties for the companies involved. Read more from the EPA. The Iowa Supreme Court has upheld the state's natural gas tax, which was challenged by the ethanol industry. Ethanol producers, which use natural gas to make ethanol, argued the complicated tax was unconstitutional, as it forced certain plants to pay more than their competitors. Taxes vary by location, and some plants have to tap into interstate pipelines at much higher tax rates rather than get it from a local utility. Now, ethanol producers will work to change the law. "My hope is that people understand that, something may be constitutional but that doesn't make it good public policy," says Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw. Read more at Manufacturing.Net. Audi will use Valeo's electric superchargers to improve fuel economy and acceleration. Valeo says Audi will launch a vehicle using its electric supercharger next year, with other reports suggesting that car will be the Audi Q7. The company says other unspecified automakers will also use the technology in their vehicles. While the electric supercharger adds to the vehicle's cost and electric energy use, it can improve fuel economy by as much as 20 percent. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Featured Gallery Chevrolet Spark EV View 13 Photos Related Gallery 2016 Audi Q7: Detroit 2015 View 15 Photos News Source: Hybrid Cars, EPA, Manufacturing.Net, Automotive News EuropeImage Credit: Chevrolet Government/Legal Green Audi Chevrolet Alternative Fuels Emissions Ethanol Fuel Efficiency Electric Off-Road Vehicles recharge wrapup