Don't Bogart My Blog: Wheels: Everything You Thought You Knew About Driving on Snow Was Wrong

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Tuesday, January 15, 2019

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Everything You Thought You Knew About Driving on Snow Was Wrong

"We see a lot of people from all over the country who have grown up in the Snow Belt and have years and years of driving experience and in reality have just been lucky because their technique leaves a lot to be desired," said Mark Cox, the director of the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. Chuck Burton/Associated Press

By CHRISTOPHER JENSEN

The biggest problem is speed, and not knowing it will take much longer to stop, experts say.

Aston Martin

Vintage Cars With Electric-Heart Transplants

By ROBERT C. YEAGER

Aston Martin and Jaguar are retrofitting classic vehicles. "We'd hate for them all to just wind up gathering dust in museums," an Aston executive said.

Elliot Scheiner, a music producer and car audio specialist, with his son Matt. The high-end audio system bearing Elliot Scheiner's initials, the ELS Studio 3D, is available in the 2019 Acura RDX crossover.

Panasonic Automotive

Car Tuneups That Require Audio Engineers

By TOM VOELK

While carmakers and audio teams must battle over environment, budget, weight and space, owners simply want their vehicle to sound as if Ariana Grande were riding shotgun.

Vespa has stuck close to the aesthetic of its original 1946 debut, adding to its mystique.

Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters

A 72-Year-Old Italian Star Barely Showing Its Age

By ROY FURCHGOTT

With the exception of collectible vehicles, Vespa scooters hold their value better than anything else on the road.

Amber Kingaard-Hughes with her husband, Jesse, at King Size Bows in Costa Mesa, Calif. She runs the business, which shipped its last batch of custom bows this week.

Kendrick Brinson for The New York Times

When Santa Brings a Car, They'll Need a Bigger Tree

By BRIAN J. O'CONNOR

So many people give expensive cars as presents that gift sales can make up 10 percent or more of December sales for luxury auto dealers.

Electric Vehicles Are in the Spotlight at Detroit's 2019 Auto Show

Ken Westerman and his new Toyota Prius hybrid in his driveway in Ann Arbor, Mich. He considered buying a Tesla Model 3 instead, but the challenges of recharging dissuaded him. Gabriela Baginski for The New York Times

By NEAL E. BOUDETTE

Automakers are rolling out models meant to widen the appeal of electric cars. But making it easier and faster to charge them is a crucial challenge.

News

Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks on display in Morrow, Ga., in 2015. A settlement of lawsuits over Fiat Chrysler's emissions tests includes payments of up to $3,075 to owners of affected diesel vehicles, including the Ram.

Fiat Chrysler's Diesel Effort Produces a Costly Settlement

By NEAL E. BOUDETTE

The accord reached in lawsuits over false emissions readings could cost nearly $800 million, including penalties, fixes, warranties and compensation.

Carlos Ghosn, who led an alliance of Nissan, Renault and Mitsubishi, at a factory several days before his arrest in November. On Tuesday, he told a Tokyo court he was falsely accused.

Carlos Ghosn Emerges to Say He Was 'Wrongly Accused and Unfairly Detained'

By MOTOKO RICH

Mr. Ghosn, the ousted Nissan chief, made his first public appearance since his November arrest to defend himself in a Tokyo court against charges of financial wrongdoing.

A Ford Motor factory in Cologne, Germany. The company said on Thursday that it was considering closing factories in Europe.

Ford Plans to Cut Thousands of Jobs Across Europe

By AMIE TSANG

The automaker, which has 68,000 employees in the region, including through joint ventures, is also reviewing its factory operations there.

A Chevrolet dealership in Colma, Calif., near San Francisco. Although American auto sales have been on a record streak, General Motors announced recently that it would idle plants and cut its work force.

U.S. Auto Sales Put Up a Big Number, but Show Signs of Strain

By NEAL E. BOUDETTE

The industry sold more than 17 million vehicles for the fourth straight year. But it is relying more on fleet sales, and economic winds are not favorable.

A Tesla showroom in Los Angeles. The automaker reported record production of its electric vehicles in the fourth quarter, and announced a price cut.

Tesla Reports Record Output, but Cuts Prices, and Its Shares Plunge

By NEAL E. BOUDETTE

The automaker said sales of the Model 3 sedan increased 13 percent over the previous quarter, but the price cut could signal softening demand.

Britain Dispatch

Nissan Figaros on display at a Classic Car show in Surrey, near London.

This Quirky Car Is Japanese. But There's 'Something Very British' About It.

By RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA

The tiny Nissan Figaro, which can be spotted in Britain in the thousands, is an oddball little convertible with an ardent following and a back story that is even odder.