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Weekly Recap: 2016 CTS-V gives Cadillac new momentum for the new year

It's been a rough year for Cadillac. The historic luxury carmaker been in the news for all of the wrong reasons: Declining sales, ditching its advertising agency and the relocation of its headquarters from Detroit to New York. But in late December, Cadillac reminded everyone what it does best: Build some of the rawest and most compelling luxury sedans in the world, as evidenced by the 2016 CTS-V. This monster churns out 640 horsepower from a supercharged 6.2-liter V8. Sound familiar? That's the Corvette Z06 engine, and it makes this CTS the most powerful production Cadillac ever. It also puts the sporting divisions of the Germans on notice. The new CTS-V easily overpowers the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG S 4Matic and its 5.5-liter biturbo V8 rated at 577 hp, and the BMW M5 (with the competition pack) and its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that pushes out 575 hp. The rear-wheel drive Cadillac can sprint to 60 miles per hour in 3.7 seconds, which is close to the 3.5-second time turned in by the 4Matic-driven E63 S, and a bit quicker than the 4.1 seconds posted by the M5. With Magnetic Ride Control, General Motors' stout eight-speed automatic transmission (also used in the Corvette), Brembo brakes and a carbon-fiber option package that pretty much builds your car out of carbon fiber – it's clear this Cadillac means business. Truth be told, we expected this CTS-V to deliver. It's been a serious sports sedan for a decade, and the recent generation and its 556-hp arrogance have been particularly memorable. But notice what we're doing here? We're talking about product. Not who makes Cadillac's ads, or if the brand's headquarters has a mailing address in NYC. Like the 2016 ATS-V that's due in the spring, the debut of the 2016 CTS-V (on sale in late summer) is a shot in the arm for Cadillac, and its arrival comes during time of transition. The brand is trying to reinvent itself as a modern luxury maker. It wants new customers, a different image and obviously more sales. Those things are going to take time, but with a 640-hp sledgehammer of a sports sedan on tap for next year, Cadillac can still maintain some of its swagger through all of the change. Other News And Views 1984 Audi Sport Quattro heads for the auction block If you're into '80s rally cars, you're really a car person. But if you're into that stuff – and we are – this 1984 Audi Sport Quattro is sure to get your blood flowing.

Ford Green Zone works magic with GPS to make your drive smarter, cleaner

For the most part, plug-in hybrids rely on the power stored in the battery until that charge is depleted. Unless the switch can be changed manually, it's only then that the cars fire up the internal combustion engine and begin using the fossil fuels on board. This is ideal, of course, when one's drive isn't long enough that the car needs to start sipping gasoline at all. On longer commutes, when it's certain that the route is longer than the car's all-electric range, this isn't necessarily the most efficient use of energy. Ford's Green Zone system is designed to save some of that juice for the parts of the drive that require slower speeds. Ford is working on a smart system, based on Nokia mapping technology, that uses GPS data to use both the electricity and conventional fuel more efficiently. Since battery power is less efficient at highway speeds, Ford's Green Zone system is designed to save some of that juice for the parts of the drive that require slower speeds, rather than just using up all the electrons right at the beginning of the drive. Using a website or the in-car navigation system, the driver can pinpoint the parts of the route, highlighted in green, where using battery power would be more effective, and set the car to automatically switch to electricity for those sections. Depending on the route, the car could automatically switch back and forth between the two power sources multiple times, particularly if the drive is a mix between city and highway driving. Of course, Green Zone will be go beyond that. The program is being developed to take traffic and road grade into account, details that allow the car to be make even smarter choices to improve efficiency. Ford even hopes to have Green Zone learn driver habits, and respond accordingly depending on who is driving the car. The system could control other features as well, such as anticipating corners and shifting the headlights to better illuminate the road ahead. Green Zone could also potentially use information from vehicle-to-vehicle networking to control functions in the car. The Green Zone system still has a few years before it will be ready to be put into production vehicles, but Ford is confident it will make its way onto the road eventually. As with other innovations that improve efficiency and make our vehicles smarter, we can expect to see similar technology from other manufacturers, until it becomes a regular part of driving in the future.

Ford Mustang, F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator recalled

The Basics: Ford will recall 201,900 examples of the 2011-2012 F-150, 2012 Expedition, 2012 Mustang, and 2012 Lincoln Navigator. The affected vehicles have the 6R80 transmission. Of the total, there are 84,000 of them in the United States and 17,900 in Canada. The Problem: The output speed sensor on the vehicle's transmission lead frame can force the gearbox to downshift into first gear. If this happens at high speed, it could cause the rear tires to slide or lock up. Injuries/Deaths: There are no reported injuries, but Ford know of three accidents related to this problem. The Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to eliminate the problem, and they'll also replace the transmission lead frame. If You Own One: Ford will begin notifying affected customers by mail on May 23. Related Video: FORD MOTOR COMPANY ISSUES THREE SAFETY RECALLS AND TWO SAFETY COMPLIANCE RECALLS IN NORTH AMERICA DEARBORN, Mich., April 27, 2016 – Ford Motor Company is issuing three safety recalls and two safety compliance recalls in North America. Details are as follows: Ford issues safety recall and customer satisfaction program for certain 2011-2012 Ford F-150, and 2012 Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles in North America to update powertrain control module software and inspect for certain diagnostic trouble codes Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 202,000 2011-2012 Ford F-150, and 2012 Ford Expedition, Ford Mustang and Lincoln Navigator vehicles for a potential issue with the output speed sensor on the vehicle's transmission lead frame. Under certain conditions, the transmission controls could force a temporary downshift into first gear. Depending on the speed of the vehicle at the time of the downshift, the driver could experience an abrupt speed reduction that could cause the rear tires to slide or lock up. This condition could result in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash. Ford is aware of three reports of accidents and no injuries related to this condition. Affected vehicles are equipped with a 6R80 transmission and include certain 2011-2012 Ford F-150 vehicles built at Dearborn Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through March 9, 2012; 2012 Ford Expedition vehicles built at Kentucky Truck Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through Dec. 19, 2011; Ford Mustang vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Aug. 19, 2011 through Feb.