Autoblog Podcast #648: Driving The Ford Mustang Shelby Gt350, Previewing Next-gen Honda Ridgeline And Subaru Brz

Autoblog Podcast #648: Driving the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350, previewing next-gen Honda Ridgeline and Subaru BRZ

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. This week's news includes Subaru teasing the next-generation Subaru BRZ, the Jaguar XE departing and the XF getting an update, Honda unveiling the new Ridgeline pickup and the Acura NSX suffering from slow sales. This week they talk about driving two vehicles on opposite ends of the spectrum: the Ford Mustang Shelby GT350 and the Volkswagen Atlas.

Analyst Believes Sony's Ps5 Will Win The Next-gen Console War

Analyst Believes Sony's PS5 Will Win The Next-Gen Console War

Neither the Sony PS5 nor Microsoft’s Xbox Series X have been released, but it seems that some analysts are already predicting that Sony will be winning the next-gen console war like they did with the PS4. This is according to Ampere Analysis who predicts that Sony will sell as many as 4.6 million units of the PS5 by the end of 2020, while Microsoft’s Xbox Series X will only manage 3.3 million units in the same period.

They even go one step further by predicting sales for the next four years, where they estimate that Sony’s lead over Microsoft will widen by the end of 2024, where the PS5 would have sold 66 million units versus the Xbox Series X’s 37 million units. Of course, these are just predictions and they might not necessarily come true, so it remains to be seen.

Nissan Previews Next-gen Frontier Pickup In First Official Images

Nissan previews next-gen Frontier pickup in first official images

Nissan released a video today previewing and confirming the next-gen Z car. We got to see a shadowy silhouette of Nissan's upcoming sports car — find all the details on that here — but we also got a preview of many other future Nissan products. Most notable among the line of products rolling by us was the first look at Nissan's next-gen Frontier pickup.

We've heard scads of information about this truck coming our way, but this is the first time Nissan has shown what it's going to look like. The differences are clear as day. The front nose no longer slopes downward when viewed in profile, appearing like most upright truck faces do these days. Two proud twin strips of LED lighting bring it up to date with a signature look, and the hood features multiple muscular lines. Viewed from the side like this, we're getting Toyota Tacoma vibes from its blocky shape and brawny lines.

2022 Honda Civic Next-gen Type R Caught In Spy Photos

2022 Honda Civic next-gen Type R caught in spy photos

Last year, we learned that Honda would be wrapping up production of the Honda Civic hatchback in the U.K. in 2021, and production would move to North America for the next generation. This meant that we were probably only a couple of years away from a new model being revealed. That seems even more likely now that a next-generation 2022 Honda Civic Type R has been caught by one of our spy photographers.

It maintains a number of Type R basics from the current model. It has very wide bodywork, a black mesh grille, aggressive front fascia, and of course a gigantic rear wing. But there are some major changes, too. The body looks to be lower and longer. The hatch has a gentler descent to the stubby deck, and it loses the split rear window. All of these cues give it a bit of a coupe-like appearance. The car's surfacing is cleaner, too, and the rear bumper looks pretty much devoid of fake vents, though there is a provision for a center exhaust tip. Returning to the front, the headlights look lower and not as swept back, but they still have an LED array similar to the current car.

Next-gen Nissan Z To Feature Heritage-inspired Design, Sources Say

Next-gen Nissan Z to feature heritage-inspired design, sources say

Nissan is reportedly hard at work on the next-generation of its legendary Z car (although the company won't explicitly confirm), and we're hearing it will have a familiar look. Sources who have seen the upcoming sports car at dealer meetings told us it will feature heritage-inspired design. "They're going back to the roots of the car," one source told us.  The silhouette and general shape is similar to the current Z, but the design is all new. The front end mimics that of a 240Z with a square mouth and near-round headlights. Its rear taillights are meant to follow that of the 300ZX from the 1990s. On the inside, Nissan is finally going to move the Z into the new age. The 370Z doesn't even have a modern infotainment system today — where one might expect a screen, Nissan instead has a storage cubby. The next-gen Z will get an interior design similar to other new Nissans like the redesigned Altima and Sentra. Finally, it will get a real infotainment system. From a powertrain perspective, we're told that a version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 from the Infiniti Q50/Q60 400 Red Sport will be pulled for duty. That engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission only right now, but we're told a manual transmission will be offered alongside the automatic. As a reminder, Nissan did pair the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 with a manual in a 370Z SEMA show car previously, but it still hasn't seen a production application. As for a possible Nismo variant in the future, one of our sources also tells us it's likely that we'll see this version join the next-generation Z car eventually. Close to 500 horsepower is rumored for this specific flavor of Z. The 370Z, which is still a wonderfully fun car to drive, is fairly long in the tooth at this point. It's been on sale since 2009, and it's hard to tell the difference between one of those first models and a brand-new 2020 370Z. That's when you know it's time for a change. Stephanie Brinley, IHS Markit principal automotive analyst thinks Nissan needs to move along, too. "It's getting old. I think that some direction in the next couple years would be good. I think it'll get to the point that safety compliance issues will need to be addressed," Brinley told us. Nissan seems to want a change, too. We've seen spy shots of what could be a mule on the Nurburgring, and a previous Motor Trend report has essentially confirmed that the car is in the works and on the way. There's no hard date for a reveal at this point, but it's rumored to be a year and a half to two years out still. Nissan has given us a steadfast no comment on everything, but that's the usual for matters like this. We were told that Nissan has plans to introduce 12 new products in the next 20 months. There's a chance this is one of them, but we wouldn't doubt it if a low-profit sports car were delayed. As it gets closer to a final reveal, we'll be on the hunt for spy photos and every scrap of detail we can find on the next-gen Z. It'll be an exciting road, as this sports car is essential to the automaker's lineup. "It's part of Nissan's reputation. It's part of what makes Nissan, Nissan," Brinley says. We agree.