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Stellantis Tipped Off Ford About A Dealer, And Both Found The Same 81 Vehicles Financed Twice

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Seventy-six employees have been made redundant from an Iowa dealership. Layoffs come days after both Stellantis and Ford filed multi-million dollar lawsuits. The dealership is accused of floorplan fraud and selling vehicles out of trust. An Iowa dealership is being accused of double-dipping and fraud as it’s being hit with two lawsuits, one from Stellantis Financial and another from Ford Credit. The group, Sky Auto Mall, has allegedly been selling vehicles out of trust and committing floorplan fraud. The company operates franchises for Chevrolet , Ford, and Stellantis’ Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram brands. In total, 76 employees have been laid off, just days after the suits were filed. The fillings claim that over $1.4 million is owed to Stellantis Financial, while $1.2 million remains outstanding to Ford Credit. Claims Of Double Financing And Concealed Records Stellantis filed its lawsuit on March 2 in the Linn County District Court, where it claimed a total of over...
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Rivian Owners Facing Warranty Pushback May Want To Know How This One Ended

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An R1T owner was quoted $1,395.50 for a steering repair deemed non-warranty. The issue was traced to a loose fuse box rubbing against the steering column. Service center claimed the cause was unclear and initially denied coverage. Update: Rivian contacted the owner the day after this story was first reported and confirmed the repair will be covered under warranty. The original article is preserved below. Cars break. It’s a simple fact that all of us who drive run into from time to time. With some vehicles, more often than others. For those who buy new cars, warranty coverage is supposed to offer a layer of support for those moments . According to one Rivian owner, his coverage provided no such assistance for a recent issue. After rolling into the service center with a strange noise coming from his steering wheel, he was told that it wasn’t covered because there was no way to be sure it wasn’t his fault. According to a post on Reddit , the owner brought their Rivian R...
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The Manual Gearbox Didn’t Just Decline, It Nearly Halved In Five Years

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Manual gearboxes now available on fewer than a quarter of new cars in UK. Researchers found only 67 manual models in market once dominated by them. Used market still offers enthusiasts plenty of engaging three-pedal options. If you love to row your own gears, it might be time to start hoarding. Manuals are disappearing fast , and we’re not just talking about from US showrooms. In the UK, where more than 80 percent of new cars used to have three pedals, the third one is rapidly headed for retirement. According to new data from CarGurus, just 67 models from the UK’s top manufacturers still offer a manual gearbox in 2026, down from 82 models last year. That’s a huge drop compared to a decade ago, and even down noticeably from last year. In fact, manuals now make up less than a quarter of all new cars on sale. Related: Porsche Has A Crazy Idea To Keep The Manual Alive, But It’s Not That Simple Meanwhile, automatics are having a real moment. Out of nearly 300 models st...
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If You’ve Been Squinting Through Oncoming Traffic At Night, You’re Not Imagining It

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Six in ten drivers say modern headlights create excessive glare at night. AAA links brighter tech and taller vehicles to worsening visibility issues.. IIHS says glare is irritating, but crash rates have not increased overall. Most of us who drive at night have noticed a big change on the roads. Headlights are brighter than ever before . Now, new data is backing up that anecdotal experience. AAA says that six in ten drivers report that headlight glare is creating a problem on the roads they drive. At the same time, that glare doesn’t appear to be causing any more accidents than in the past. AAA says the issue is likely tied to changes in vehicle design and lighting technology. LED and HID headlights are now common across the industry , and newer vehicles, especially trucks and SUVs, tend to sit higher off the ground, which can put their beams directly into the eyes of oncoming drivers. This isn’t surprising given the trend we’ve seen of cars, SUVs, and trucks getting bigg...
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Manhart Found 180 HP BMW Left Sitting In The M5 Touring’s Engine Bay

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Visually, the 900E is nearly indistinguishable from the MH5 800E it replaces. Suspension options include H&R lowering springs or KW adjustable coilovers. Despite the power increase, Manhart made no changes to the braking system. Sometimes, the numbers alone don’t tell the full story. Yes, the BMW M5 Touring is undeniably hefty, but it backs that weight up with serious firepower, churning out 717 hp and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. About 18 months ago, Manhart Performance pushed things further with upgraded versions of the super estate making as much as 789 hp. Now, it’s raised the bar again with the MH5 900E package. Read: Manhart’s Next-Gen BMW M5 To Put Almost 800 HP Into Hunting Supercars BMW clearly left plenty of power on the table with the new M5’s 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8. In fact, the old M5 CS delivered 627 hp, and without electrical assistance, the current car’s V8 is rated at 577 hp in pre-2026 form. But rather than simply tuning the current car’s V8 ...
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Kia’s $30K EV3 Keeps Creeping Closer To America Without Anyone Saying It’s Coming

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Kia once targeted a late 2025 U.S. launch, but that window has now fully passed. Built on E-GMP, it offers up to 372 miles of WLTP-rated range on a full charge. Small crossover could become the brand’s most affordable EV in North America. Kia is one of the fastest-moving brands in the business. Now, a keen-eyed reader believes they’ve spotted something new, a model we’ve already seen overseas showing up much closer to home. The Korean automaker has brought an EV3 prototype across the Atlantic for testing in Mexico . It’s unclear why Kia would still wrap it in camouflage given that it’s already made its global launch, but the move could point to plans for bringing the sub-compact electric crossover to North America. Kia EV3 Review: Everything We Love About The EV9 Made More Affordable  Despite the thick camouflage covering nearly every body panel, it’s easy to match the EV3 that’s already on sale elsewhere, including Europe. The short overhangs, upright stance, and...
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