Drew Dowdell

Honda is continuing its global pull back of production by announcing it will cease automotive manufacturing operations in Argentina next year. This is after announcing the closure of its Swindon UK plant and the pull back of production in the U.S., mainly of the Civic and Accord. Honda is in the midst of consolidating production to fewer facilities and using fewer platforms to produce their vehicles. Honda said it's plant in Campana, which produces the HR-V will focus solely on manufacturing motorcycles. Honda is in talks with the local union to potentially offer buyouts to those who will be affected by the cessation of automotive production. The total plant population is over 1,000 workers. Honda has been building motorcycles in Argentina since 2006 and automobiles since 2011. View full article

I don't hate it... but why so weak on the power? The thing has got to be heavy for its size.

I have 14 years to go, but 15 year mortgages have much lower interest rates than I'm paying right now, so I'm getting tempted.

There's also the glut of used cars on the market at the moment. GM could bring the Cruze back in an instant. It's still in production in South America. Just load them on a boat and ship them north. Sonic and Spark are still in production for now. Sonic is not officially on the death list yet and its plant is not listed in the list of 5 plants that GM is closing.

*steers the topic away from guns*

Volkswagen has taken the wraps off the 2020 T-Roc Cabriolet ahead of the Frankfurt International Auto Show in September. Volkswagen says the T-Roc Cabriolet offers just the right combination of SUV flexibility and the open air experience of a convertible. The soft top opens in just 9 seconds, can open or close while the car is in motion up to 18.6 mph (30 km/h), and locks or unlocks electrically. On the safety front, the T-Roc Cabrio has roll-over protection. The system can detect a roll-over and the system springs upwards just behind the rear headrests. The windshield frame is also reinforced. It comes with an optional digital cockpit that has an "Always-On" connectivity to the internet and Volkswagen services. Two engines are available, a 1.0 three-cylinder engine with 113 horsepower or a 148 horsepower 1.5 liter four-cylinder. A 6-speed manual is standard on both engines while the more powerful engine also has a 7-speed DCT available as an option. Launching in Spring of 2020, the T-Roc Cabriolet remains Forbidden Fruit in the U.S. like its hard top brother. Volkswagen calls the vehicle in the pictures a "near-production" concept car, so expect some changes between now and launch. Related: Volkswagen: No T-Roc For America, But We're Working On Something View full article