Porsche Secures Trademark for GT5 Name, Model Unknown

Until recently, Porsche’s GT variants have stayed within the 911 family, specifically the 911 GT3, 911 GT2, and the incredibly rare 911 GT1 homologation special. That, of course, changed with the new Cayman GT4, the most track-focused and powerful Cayman yet. Now, it looks like another Porsche model is in line to receive the GT treatment, as the automaker has been actively securing trademarks for the “GT5” name. More on Motortrend.com:2015 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS First Drive

Read more »

Chevrolet Sidelines Plans for Compact Sporty Model

With the hype surrounding the sixth-generation 2016 Chevrolet Camaro, you might think the time is ripe for a performance-oriented small car follow-up. Not so fast, says GM's Mark Reuss, who asserts that a business case has yet to be worked out. Though a production version of the Code 130R Coupe concept the debuted at the 2012 Detroit auto show may be out of sight, it’s definitely not out of mind. More on Motortrend.com:2016 Chevrolet Camaro First Look
“For now, there isn’t a business case for a baby Camaro,” he said, pointing out that the sales volume for sporty compacts like the Subaru BRZ normally take a dive soon after launch. “On those cars, the price point begins to approach the segment of the next car up. We would spend a lot of money and resources, and what are we really doing?" Nissan recently found this out with the IDx compact rear-drive sports coupe, forcing a production model based on the concept to be put on hold. More on Automobilemag.com:2015 Chevrolet Camaro SS with Chevy Performance Parts: Quick Drive

Read more »

Consumer Reports sours on Tesla Model S for faulty door handles

Consumer Reports sours on Tesla Model S for faulty door handlesEV Maker Gets High Marks For Service Responsiveness, ThoughImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew PhillipsImage Credit: Drew Phillips2015 Model SMSRP$69,900ShopReviewsMore PhotosLarte's Tesla Model S aftermarket kitTesla Model S Software Update 6.2Unplugged Performance Tesla Model S: SEMA 2014Saleen FourSixteen Model S: Monterey 2014Saleen Tesla Model SNewport Convertible Enterprises Tesla Model S ConvertibleDanny King

Tesla Motors needs to get a handle on those door handles. That's what Consumer Reports is saying after it effectively got locked out of the Tesla Model S P85D that it was testing out. $127,000 doesn't buy what it used to, in some cases.

The popular electric vehicle features retractable door handles that are supposed to pop out when the driver arrives. It's a cool feature, when it works. After less than a month of driving its vehicle, though, CR said the driver's side door handle stopped popping out, rendering the car undrivable. The upside is that a Tesla technician made a next-day house call and quickly repaired the problem, so the California-based automaker gets points for being as responsive as its super-quick sedans.

"Model S's connectivity paired with over-the-air software updates allow Tesla to diagnose and fix most problems in Model S without the owner ever coming in for service. In instances when hardware, like the door handle, need to be replaced, we strive to make it painless for a customer to get their Model S serviced," Tesla spokeswoman Alexis Georgeson wrote in an e-mail to AutoblogGreen. "Every fix is an opportunity for us to learn and apply towards making owning a Model S a great experience."

Last fall, Consumer Reports gave the Model S an "average" reliability rating after factoring in responses from 1,300 Tesla owners as well as its own experience driving the car for about 16,000 miles. The most-prominent issues at the time were creaky windshields and, yes, faulty door handles. CR was more charitable with its May 2013 assessment of the Model S, which it gave a score of 99 out of 100 and called the vehicle the most practical electric car it had ever tested.Featured Gallery2015 Tesla Model S P85D: Detroit 2015

Read more »