The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
{also piping hot}
• More passenger space for the RX: The Sleuth’s intel gatherers are revealing that Lexus’s popular fivepassenger tall wagon is about to get an optional extra collapsible bench seat, possibly as soon as next year. However, instead of extending the distance between the front and rear wheels to make room, the designers who toil at Toyota’s upscale division will apparently extend the body of the RX by several inches behind the rear axle and square off the roofline to hold two extra bodies. The resulting RX L will be sold alongside the standardlength RX and will presumably use the same 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 as well as the optional 308-horsepower gasoline-electric hybrid system. The RX L is expected to debut this fall at the 2017 Tokyo (Japan) Motor Show and will likely be available in North America by the first quarter of 2018.
• Hyundai paves the way for a new Santa Fe: The Sleuth’s sources are reporting that the Korea-based automaker will make a bold move with its nextgeneration (2019-model-year) tall wagon. Word is that, size-wise, the seven-passenger Santa Fe (not to be confused with the five-seat Santa Fe Sport) will grow to match the capacity of vehicles such as the Ford Explorer and Honda Pilot, along with newcomers Volkswagen Atlas and Subaru Ascent. The Santa Fe’s overall looks will have nothing in common with the current model. There’s even talk that Hyundai will revive the long-dormant Veracruz name and use the appellation for a top-of-the-line luxury model. Both I-4 and V-6 versions will be offered, along with a probable hybrid-powertrain option.
The Mustang gets a makeover for 2018: Fans of the fabled pony car will see minor styling and content revisions when Ford reveals all later this year. According to The Spymaster’s sources, some increases in output are in store for the Mustang GT’s 5.0-liter V-8 and turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder that currently produce 435 and 310 horsepower, respectively. No changes are expected for the 300-horsepower 3.7-liter V-6. The GT’s content is also expected to include new 19-inch wheels, a sportier suspension and revised driver-controlled settings for the shock absorbers as well as the steering and exhaust systems. No major adjustments will be made to the hot-handling Shelby GT350, although rumors persist that a supercharged version of the Shelby’s 5.2-liter V8 will be installed in a to-be-announced GT500.
Will the Audi R8 sports car be phased out? That’s the scuttlebutt coming from The Trenchcoated One’s operatives, who claim that higher-ups in Audi’s management food chain are making noises about axing the halo model. Apparently the entire Volkswagen Group’s increasing focus on electrification in the coming decade means that some low-volume models, such as the Audi R8 — that have only minimal global appeal — could become extinct. However, Audi’s commitment to performance models and to its motorsport programs means that derivatives of the company’s coupes and sedans with higher-output powerplants will likely take up any slack from the R8’s departure.