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Audi had big plans for a Range Rover Evoque rival Q4, but now that's been tabled due to the diesel scandal that rocked all of Volkswagen AG late last year. 

The money that was set to be allocated for the design and production of the Q4, based on the same platform as the Q5, will now be going to support the companies new line of pure electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. This announcement came from Car & Driver magazine from a source close to the Audi AG board of directors. 

The electrification push is one that Volkswagen AG have been talking about ever since the company tried to steady its ship after the diesel crisis. They've attempted to realign the brand into a more acceptable, greener arena with several leadership changes and a reorganization of how they conduct business within each global region.


The e-tron Quattro, revealed at the 2015 Frankfurt Auto Show would be a vehicle to look out for in the future, but nothing has been confirmed as of now. What we do know is that Volkswagen AG plans to introduce close to 20 new models that will either be pure electrical vehicles or of the plug-in hybrid variety by 2020. 

For the first time, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has taken top spot in annual new vehicles sales in Canada. 

In a record year for vehicle sales in Canada that saw 1.898 million new vehicles sold, the FCA surged ahead of its main competitors at Ford and General Motors, mainly due to an increase in light truck sales that include trucks, SUVs and the ever-increasing in popularity crossovers. 

For the FCA brand, the main driving force for them was the Jeep Cherokee that saw an increase of 41 per cent from its 2014 sales. 

In total, the FCA sold 293,061 vehicles, followed by Ford Motor Company at 278,531 with General Motors taking third with 263,335. 

If you look at it from a specific best-selling brand, Ford maintained its top spot for a seventh consecutive year, largely due to the Ford F-Series that saw its trucks continue to be the best-selling vehicle for a sixth consecutive year and the best-selling pickup in Canada for an incredible 50th consecutive year. 

According to a statistical report from industry analyst DesRosiers, sales of light trucks rose 8.8 per cent, while the sales of cars saw a decline by 6.3 per cent. The decline is reflected in the sales of the Honda Civic that retained its spot as the best-selling Canadian car for an 18th consecutive year, but slipped in sales from its 2014 numbers by 1.7 per cent for a final total of 64,950 units.

It was a big week for engine announcements at Nissan and Infiniti. The Japanese brand wanted to jump the gun ahead of the 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, and revealed what would be under the hood of not only the Nissan Titan, but the Infiniti Q50 as well.

Let's start with the Nissan group and their long-awaited new Titan that previously only had the 5.0-litre Cummins turbo diesel V8 (310 hp and 555 lb.-ft. of torque). The Cummins will now be paired with a 5.6-litre gasoline V8 producing 390 hp and 401 lb.-ft. of torque that's matched to a seven-speed automatic transmission, a change from the diesel that gets the six-speed. This new engine is a significant improvement on the last generations 5.6-litre V8 due in large part to direct injection and a higher compression ratio. This new engine option becomes available in the spring.

The Nissan Titan sales start this month, and we expect to see pricing for this new engine come out shortly. Just keep in mind, that there will also be a third powertrain option, that has yet to be revealed.

As for Infiniti, they're getting set to bring in three new engine options for their best-selling vehicle, the Q50 sedan.

The biggest change would be the arrival of a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that will have 300 horses and set the highest standard horsepower in its class to go along with 295 lb.-ft. of torque.

Additionally, consumers will have the choice of a base 208-hp 2.0-litre turbo four or the frisky Red Sport edition that shoots up to 400 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque. All three options come standard with rear-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission.

The 3.5-litre hybrid version V6 with a 50-kWh electric motor will be the one mainstay, and offer a fourth choice for consumers.

According to Infiniti, the Q50 will possess a new Direct Adaptive Steering system, which can adjust instantly. On top of that, it will receive a new Dynamic Digital Suspension that can allow the driver to choose between firm, comfort, or sport mode.

The Q50 and QX60 crossover will have a much improved exterior and interior, but we will have to wait for Detroit to see their new looks, along with the all-new 2017 Q60 sport coupe reveal.

Regina, SK – With the Ford F-150 making waves for its alumium-body, it was time for the first major redesign of the F-Series Super Duty in 17 years.

To do this, we went to truck country and the largest livestock show in Canada – the Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, Saskatchewan. It's there where the all-new 2017 Ford Super Duty was unveiled to the public.

Yes, the Super Duty was uncovered a couple months earlier at the Texas State Fair, but this event was different, it was all-Canadian. Agribition is a tradeshow that lives and breathes agriculture and entertainment, and you have more truck owners walking these buildings that need this truck to pull their trailers and livestock more than any place in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. It was a chance not to just show it off to the journalists attending, but mainly to the consumers – the one's who've made the Ford F-Series the best-selling pickup in Canada for 49 years.

“We listened to our customers, and created a tougher, smarter and more capable truck,” said Bill Rowe, Product Marketing Director at Ford Canada in a discussion with television celebrity Ricky Forbes, the Tornado Hunter.

Set to go out at the end of 2016, this new Super Duty has a longer fully-boxed frame made up of 95 per cent high-strength steel. The use of aluminum in the body, and high-strength steel in the frame has combined to save up to 350 lbs., but also makes it 24 times stronger than the current model, and less resistant to dents and dings. According to Ford, that weight has been re-invested in larger axles and a larger driveline.

It's structure is not only longer, it sits higher, has expanded in width, and due to its added strength, it can handle heavier loads with its highest payload and the best towing of any Super Duty that came before. Unfortunately, these are all statements now, as Ford has not released any statistics that would include payload, towing capacity, not even horsepower or torque. We should expect those to come in with other announcements as we get closer to launch.

What we do know is that there will be three engine choices: a 6.7-litre turbo diesel, 6.2-litre V8 and a 6.8-litre V10. But as you already know, there's no horsepower or torque numbers attached yet to them.

The inside is where many of the new innovations have been made. The new and improved eight-inch Sync3 infotainment system is a welcomed addition to any Ford product. Furthermore, the Super Duty doubles its storage space with two glove compartments, a redesigned under-seat storage unit that locks, a plethora of outlets throughout and the auxiliary switches have been moved to the overhead console for easy access.

In total, there are seven cameras at your disposal. Some of these will be extremely helpful when towing with a rear view camera that zooms in when lining up your hitch, and one that mounts on the rear of the trailer. You will have the choice of a split-view screen with any of the 360-degree view points with one that focuses directly into the cargo bed.

The addition of more safety technology has made the Super Duty safer and smarter. The Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) has been installed to modify to the length of the truck's trailer. It also uses adaptive steering for the first time that understands when you're towing heavier loads and the need for less effort to steer at lower speeds.

Now that we've been teased with this new Super Duty, we will all have to wait until late 2016 to see how this mammoth truck drives.