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Car dealership in East Texas destroyed by tornado

Few things are as fundamentally and unconditionally destructive as a tornado. These cataclysmic phenomena pass through towns, leaving nothing in their wake but ruin and despair. According to an NBC affiliate in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, a car dealership in nearby Canton was hit by a tornado Saturday night. No employees were hurt. Four other people in the area weren't so lucky. Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Canton's new showroom and service center were pounded by the storm, leaving dozens of cars in various states of ruin. Some merely lost windows, while others were flipped and left on their sides or roofs. Photos show piles of cars stacked up like Hot Wheels dumped on the ground. According to a statement from the National Weather Service, winds reached speeds of up to 140 mph. Two other tornadoes were reported in the region. The area has been declared a disaster zone and first responders from up to 100 miles away have swarmed in to help out those in need. According to Reuters, the storms Saturday killed 11 people nationwide. Related Video: News Source: NBC DFW, National Weather Service, Reuters via Automotive NewsImage Credit: Reuters Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM tornado

CES 2022 was huge for EVs | Autoblog Podcast #711

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. CES took place this week, and there were some nice electric surprises from automakers, especially General Motors. John has been driving the Ram 1500 Power Wagon, as well as what seems to be its polar opposite, the electric Mini Cooper SE. Greg talks about the differences between the Acura TLX A-Spec long-termer (which is back in the shop) and the Type S loaner that's filling in for it. John's also got some interesting thoughts on leather interiors. Finally, the editors reach into the mailbag and help a repeat customer decide on a suitable replacement for a 2008 Lexus GX 470 in this week's Spend My Money segment. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #711 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown CES 2022 2024 Chevy Silverado EV revealed: 664 hp — and Midgate's back 2024 Chevy Silverado EV vs. 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning | How do they compare? Chevy Equinox EV and Blazer EV confirmed for production in 2023 Chrysler Airflow concept previews the brand's all-electric future Mercedes-Benz Vision EQXX shoots for 620-mile range Cadillac InnerSpace reimagines the personal luxury coupe What we're driving: 2022 Ram 1500 Power Wagon 2021 Acura TLX A-Spec and Type S long-termers 2022 Mini Cooper SE John's unpopular opinion: Let's do away with leather for good Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video:

Fiat Chrysler may build an AWD Pacifica minivan

Fiat Chrysler is reportedly considering building an all-wheel-drive variant of the Chrysler Pacifica as a salve for the minivan's flagging sales, especially in Canada, where it's built, and where the Dodge Grand Caravan is eating its lunch. Automotive News cites a ranking official with Unifor, Canada's autoworker union, and two anonymous sources familiar with the company's internal machinations. In addition, the outlet cites the CEO of AutoForecast Solutions, a consulting firm, who says his industry data show that FCA will begin production of an AWD Pacifica in the second quarter of 2020 at its plant in Windsor, Ontario. "It's going to help them with their leadership of the product," it quoted CEO Joe McCabe as saying. An FCA spokeswoman told Autoblog the company doesn't comment on speculation about future products. Pacifica sales have held relatively steady in the U.S. Full-year 2018 sales were a respectable 118,322, essentially flat with 2017, compared to 151,927 Grand Caravans, an increase of 21 percent. Sales through February of this year were down by 24 and 27 percent, respectively, but FCA says its share of the overall U.S. minivan market has nevertheless risen to 57.7 percent. But cross the Detroit River into Canada, FCA's second-largest market for minivans, and things don't look as rosy for the company's flagship minivan. There, the Grand Caravan in 2018 outsold the Pacifica by a 5-to-1 ratio, 32,253 to 5,999, which represented respective declines of 31 percent and 3 percent. Things haven't gotten any better in 2019, either, with Pacifica sales falling 55 percent through the first two months to 512 and Grand Caravan sales slipping 20 percent to 4,836. FCA's share of the Canadian minivan market was 59 percent at the end of 2018, the company says. Canada is known as the Great White North, after all, so it makes perfect sense that all-wheel drive is a popular sell there as a way to navigate the long, snowy winters. But there are questions about whether adding a rear driveshaft would affect the Pacifica's Stow 'n Go system, which allows users to fold the third-row seats into the floor to add cargo space. Chrysler in fact offered all-wheel drive versions of its minivans through 2004, when it first introduced the Stow 'n Go, AN reports.