Florida Could Suspend Carvana’s Dealer License For Not Submitting Title Applications

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Florida could suspend Carvana’s dealer license after it has failed to transfer the titles of some vehicles sold.

Carvana was reportedly notified of the issues in an email sent by Florida authorities last week. This email is said to have included a spreadsheet that showed 300 Carvana vehicle sales dating back to 2019 that had not had their titles transferred. More than 100 of these vehicle sales occurred in Florida.

Read Also: Carvana Banned From Selling Used Cars In North Carolina Area Until 2022

State law in Florida requires retailers to apply for a title within 30 days of completing a sale. Speaking with Auto News, a spokesperson for the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles said Carvana has until January 31 to submit title applications for all the vehicles it sold in 2021 before December 1.

“The department has been proactively working with Carvana to identify and assist Florida customers who have not received their title in a timely manner, and in accordance with state law,” the spokesperson added. “Florida law allows for the suspension of the dealer’s license if they fail to apply for a transfer of title in a timely manner.”

This isn’t the first time Carvana has been scrutinized for not delivering titles in time. Earlier this year it settled with Florida regulators and agreed to pay $500 each to 12 customers who had to wait three to eight months to receive titles on vehicles they purchased. In August, Carvana had its dealer license suspended for 180 days in Wake County, North Carolina for not producing titles fast enough, among other issues.

Carvana sold 244,111 vehicles in the U.S. last year, making it the country’s second-largest retailer of used vehicles. A spokeswoman from the company says Carvana has applied for around 23,500 titles in Florida over the past 12 months.

2022 Toyota Avalon Drops AWD And TRD, Starts From $36,375 For Its Final Year

The fifth-generation Avalon might have been introduced in 2018, but Toyota has confirmed that 2022 will mark the end of its production. Today, the automaker announced pricing for the 2022 MY alongside a few changes in the lineup.

The 2022 Toyota Avalon starts from $36,375 (excluding the $1,025 fee), making it $250 more expensive than last year’s model.

The full-size sedan is not available in AWD variants anymore, while the sporty TRD trim was also dropped from the range. The good news for prospective buyers is the addition of new safety features as standard, including the upgraded Toyota Safety Sense 2.5+ package (dynamic radar cruise control, lane tracing assist, blind-spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert, etc), and the addition of a rear-seat reminder system.

Read Also: The Toyota Avalon TRD Has Plenty Of Comfort, But Not Enough Sportiness

Just like last year, the Avalon is available with gas and hybrid powertrains. The 3.5-liter V6 produces 301 hp (224 kW / 305 PS) and 267 lb-ft (362 Nm) of torque, mated to an eight-speed Direct Shift automatic gearbox that sends power to the front axle. The hybrid combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors producing a combined 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS) and comes with a fuel economy rating of 44 mpg combined.

The 2022 lineup includes six trim levels, including the XSE Nightshade Edition that is visually differentiated from the glossy black accents, the 19-inch wheels, and the rear diffuser. Inside, variants are differentiated with the base XLE featuring SofTex upholstery and “engineered wood” trim, the Limited coming with perforated leather and genuine wood sourced from Yamaha, and the Touring with perforated SofTex / Ultrasuede and aluminum trim.

Read Also: Toyota Adds New Colors, Nightshade Edition To 2022 Camry

In terms of equipment, the Limited and Touring come standard with a premium 14-speaker JBL Audio system, a 10-inch Head-up display, a 9-inch infotainment touchscreen (Apple CarPlay / Android Auto / Amazon Alexa), a wireless charging pad, and a moonroof (also standard on the Nightshade, optional in XLE, XLE hybrid). The Touring is the sportiest of the bunch equipped with the electronically controlled Adaptive Variable Suspension system, and an extra driving mode (eco, normal, sport, sport+, custom)

2022 Toyota Avalon Pricing

  • Avalon XLE 3.5-liter V6 8-speed Auto: $36,375
  • Avalon XLE Hybrid 2.5-liter ECVT: $37,350
  • Avalon Limited 3.5-liter V6 8-speed Auto: $42,675
  • Avalon Limited Hybrid 2.5-liter ECVT: $43,650
  • Avalon XSE Hybrid Nightshade 2.5-liter ECVT: $40,700
  • Avalon Touring 3.5-liter V6 8-speed Auto: $43,075

*MSRP prices excluding delivery processing and handling fee of $1,025

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Scooter Rider Leads Police Chase Down Wrong Way Of Interstate Highway

A police chase ended miraculously well after a scooter rider behaving erratically led police on a multi-city chase starting in Danvers, Massachusetts, and ending in Medford just north of Boston.

CBS News followed the chase from its helicopter as the scooter was ridden down Insterstate 93 going the wrong way and weaving through oncoming traffic.

What started the chase is unclear, but the police say they chose to follow the scooter rider from afar in an attempt not to escalate the situation with the rider, who they believed to be suicidal.

Read Also: Scooter Rider Triggers Pile-Up While Trying To Flee From The Police

Police apprehended the rider on Mystic Avenue in Medford and CBS reports that EMS was there to attend to him shortly after the chase ended.

Of course, not only is the rider lucky to be alive, but everyone driving down the highway this morning was lucky, too as the rider’s erratic driving could easily have triggered an accident that could have been very dangerous for other motorists.

The chase ended at 11:00 am local time and the suspect is now in police custody.

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General Motors Announces $40 Million Investment In Pontiac Stamping Plant

GM is hoping to make custom, precise stamping easier with a new $40 million investment in its Pontiac Stamping Plant.

The money will go to renovating the facility as well as installing new, highly flexible fabrication machinery and presses. These will help support future production of EVs and will allow the plant to serve a range of product applications, the company said in a statement.

Renovation work is beginning immediately and GM says it anticipates that the UAW-represented plant will gain 20 new positions as a result of the investment. The 1.25 million sq ft facility currently has 191 hourly employees and 31 salaried staff.

Read Also: GM Is Asking Biden For Electric Vehicle Tax Incentives Again

The new machinery being installed will feature “Flex Fab” metal fabrication technology. That, GM says, allows for custom stamping, which reduces costs for low-volume applications. It also means that the machines can switch to producing new products without requiring any additional investment in new stampings.

“This investment will bring the latest in flexible sheet metal fabrication technology to the Pontiac team,” said Phil Kienle, GM vice president of North America Manufacturing and Labor Relations. “Our manufacturing capabilities create a competitive advantage for GM, and I am confident the team at Pontiac Stamping will continue delivering excellence in all areas of the business as they deploy this new equipment.”

The plant has been in use since 1926 as part of the Oakland Motor Car Company before being bought by Pontiac in 1932 and currently produces parts for the Bolt EV, the Bolt EUV, the Hummer EV, and GM’s full-size SUV line.

Its most recent investment came in 2015 when $124 million was invested in tooling and equipment to enhance its manufacturing capabilities.

For GREAT deals on a new or used Toyota check out South Bay Toyota TODAY!

Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat Is Officially Sold Out After Less Than 3 Months On The Market

Dodge has officially allocated the entire production of the 2021 Durango SRT Hellcat, so if you were thinking about buying one new, sadly you can’t.

Following the opening of the order books on November 5, 2020, Dodge has announced that they are closing new customer orders for the Durango SRT Hellcat. Not all hope is gone though, as a limited number of dealer-allocated examples will still be available for a limited time.

Read More: Dodge To End Durango SRT Hellcat Production In June

The Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat was always going to be offered for the 2021 model year, with the carmaker to build a total of 2,000 examples.

“The 2021 Durango Hellcat is only a single model-year run, ensuring that it will be a very special, sought-after performance SUV for years to come,” said Tim Kuniskis, Dodge Brand, and Interim Chrysler Brand Chief Executive Officer – Stellantis. “Based on anticipated demand, all dealer allocations have already been reserved, but there is still some time to secure an unsold dealer order.”

Marketed as the “most powerful SUV ever”, the 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat is powered by the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine producing 710 HP and 645 lb-ft of torque and paired to an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. The result is a frankly hilarious 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds, with the quarter-mile dealt in 11.5 seconds and the top speed set at 180 mph. In a three-row SUV.

In addition, both the Hellcat and the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 variants of the 2021 Dodge Durango offer best-in-class towing capacity, at 8,700 lbs.

The 2021 Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat came with an MSRP of $82,490, including a $1,495 destination fee, but now that the order books are closed, expect to see the last few dealer-allocated examples offered with a significant markup.

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For GREAT deals on a new or used Nissan check out Mossy Nissan Poway TODAY!

Kia Soul EV Will Not Come to US Market After All

Today we’ve heard reports that the Kia Soul EV will not be launched in the US market after all.

The new Soul EV has been shown at US auto shows for the past two years, was present at the national media introduction in early 2019, and was featured on the Kia website under the “Upcoming Vehicles” section. At first, it was set to launch a few months after the gas-powered 2020 Kia Soul. Then, Kia announced a delay of the EV version until the 2021 model year, citing a battery shortage and a decision to prioritize the Niro EV first and the Soul EV second. Now, it appears to have been cancelled for the US market altogether.

As of today, the Kia website no longer lists the 2021 Soul EV under “Upcoming Vehicles,” although Kia reps have not yet officially announced the cancellation.

Kia has committed to bring more electric vehicles to market, and we’ve seen spy shots of an upcoming electric crossover testing alongside a Tesla Model 3.

Perhaps Kia wants to focus all attention on this future EV, especially since the buzz around the new Soul has died down now and the launch of the Soul EV may be anticlimactic.

We’ve also heard that the Soul EV is much more expensive to build than the normal gas-powered Soul, which would reduce profit margins and market appeal for the vehicle.

In other world markets such as the UK, Kia ONLY offers the Soul in its EV form with 243 mile range, but it seems like the current-generation Soul EV will not see American shores after all. If you want a Kia electric crossover for now, you will unfortunately have to opt for the Niro EV, which is a more traditional style versus the unique looks of the Soul.

However, the Soul EV will live on in other markets around the world.

Sources: CNET

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Conversation with Derek Joyce – Hyundai Motor America

We had the opportunity to talk to Derek Joyce, Hyundai Motors North America Product and Advanced Powertrain PR.

Derek explain us and to all our followers some of the step Hyundai Motors America has taken to help their costumer feel more safe from purchasing a Hyundai to servicing your brand car.

Hyundai has also created programs to help those who are currently have lost their jobs. These are programs Hyundai created and we hope some of you might be able to request those assistance if you are in need.

Additionally we asked some of your questions for current product as well as future products they are realising.

Check out the video we made during our phone conversation with Derek Joyce.

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Stay tuned for more video conversations.

For GREAT deals on a new or used Chevrolet, Buick or GMC check out Bosak Chevrolet Buick GMC TODAY!