Honda’s worst-kept secret, the new CR-V, made an unofficial debut back in February when fully revealing patent images of the exterior showed the SUV’s evolutionary styling. These matched what we had seen in spy shots on a couple of occasions last year when camouflaged prototypes were caught testing. The sixth-gen model is now making the headlines, and once again, we’re taking a closer look ahead of its official premiere.

The revamped model has been homologated in China by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. As part of the process, images of upcoming models are published on the MIIT site, so they’re as legit as possible. While these photos depict the version that will be sold in the world’s most populous country, the global model should be virtually identical. It’s certainly not the most exciting design out there, but it does look more modern than the aging fifth-generation model on sale since 2016.

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We also have some specs to go along with these images. The 2023 CR-V from the local Dongfeng Honda joint venture stretches at 4,703 millimeters (185.1 inches) long, 1,866 mm (73.4 in) wide, and 1,690 mm (66.5 in) tall. While it may seem that you’re looking at the same car, there are two different vehicles depicted in the adjacent photo gallery. The one featuring all-wheel drive is a five-seater model while the one without the AWD badge on the tailgate accommodates up to seven people.

If you’re wondering about weight, both tip the scales at around 1,685 kilograms (3,714 pounds) and have a wheelbase measuring 2,700 mm (106.2 in). Power is provided by a turbocharged 1.5-liter gasoline engine rated at 190 hp (142 kW) sent to the road via CVT. This hardware setup is good for a top speed of 117 mph (188 km/h). The CR-Vs shown here have different wheels as the FWD model sits on 17-inch alloys while the AWD version has a larger 18-inch set.

An official reveal is likely scheduled to take place in the coming months, but as you can see, the cat is (mostly) out of the bag already.

Christmas comes early this year for Corvette fans as Chevrolet has inadvertently revealed the E-Ray on its website where a visualizer went live way too early. A member of the MidEngineCorvetteForum made the discovery while playing with the configurator when he stumbled upon the 2024MY, complete with the new electrified version. Right off the bat, we should point out there are no specs available, but the quad exhausts confirm it’s a hybrid.

Look at the bottom-right corner of most screenshots and you’ll see Chevy intends to have the car on sale next summer. That tells us an official reveal could take place in the first months of 2023, possibly during the spring. When it debuts, the E-Ray will have three new paints to show off: Cacti, Riptide Blue Metallic, and Sea-Wolf Gray Tri-Coat. That striking green shade can already be had on the Trax, which adds to the credibility of this massive leak.

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It’s safe to assume this isn’t just an elaborate fakery as Chevy indirectly confirmed the 2024 E-Ray is very much real. Contacted by Corvette Blogger, a company representative said: “Looks like the holidays came early for a few astute Corvette fans. Stay tuned for more.” Needless to say, the visualizer has already been taken down, but not before quick thinkers rushed over to snap screenshots. It’s easy to notice it has the Z06’s wider hips, but everything is painted the same color as the body.

It’s not just the body that has been carried over from the Z06 as the E-Ray seems to be getting all the goodies, with the obvious exception of the flat-plane LT6. It is missing the centrally mounted exhaust tips of the spicy version, but other than that, it’s pretty much the same. The absence of a charging port shows it won’t be a plug-in hybrid.

A button mounted on the left side of the center console shows what appears to turn on/off the regenerative braking system. In hybrids and EVs, it harvests the energy that would otherwise be lost while braking and puts it back into the battery. The button sitting next to it is for start/stop to improve the efficiency of the naturally aspirated LT2 engine.

The 2024 Corvette E-Ray is believed to have all-wheel drive, with the V8 powering the rear wheels and an electric motor(s) at the front. It’s said to serve as a substitute for the Grand Sport and will be followed later this decade by an already confirmed purely electric model.

Note: The white car depicted in the gallery has an unusually fussy design and might be the result of a glitch in the visualizer.

The long-awaited successor to the Aventador will finally debut in March but Lamborghini’s next V12 machine is making an early debut on the WIPO website. If the acronym doesn’t ring a bell, it stands for World Intellectual Property Organization. The adjacent official sketches are undoubtedly the real deal since the owner is written in black and white: “Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A.” Interestingly, the patent was filed with the North Macedonian bureau.

While the images are far from being of the highest quality, they do give us an accurate understanding of Sant’Agata Bolognese’s upcoming flagship. In most cases, design patents don’t do the cars any justice as the sketches typically make them look dull. However, that’s not the case here as even these low-resolution photos make us giddy with excitement. It would be virtually impossible to mistake it for something other than a Lamborghini.

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The angry front fascia makes us think of the Sián FKP 37 while the top-mounted exhaust tips illustrate the hexagons remain a recurring theme. That massive diffuser sends Centenario vibes, and we also get a top-down view of the engine bay where the all-new twelve-cylinder engine calls home. The ICE won’t be all alone as the Italian company has repeatedly said the supercar will adopt a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Not even Lamborghini is immune to stringent emissions regulations, so we should see the glass half full and be happy the V12 is still around.

Naturally, the design patent echoes the numerous spy shots we’ve been posting of camouflaged prototypes in recent months. The “Y” motif of the headlights and taillights is clearly visible here, as are the generously sized air intakes to cool down the mighty engine. Although the images do not provide a peek inside, car paparazzi did photograph a test vehicle’s interior back in November to show a City driving mode, an 8,500 rpm redline, and dual screens on the center console.

The Aventador replacement will be followed by a Huracan successor, which will be a hybrid as well. In addition, the Urus was spied earlier today testing a PHEV setup as Lamborghini intends to partially electrify all three cars by 2024. A purely electric model is scheduled to arrive in the latter half of the decade.

Shoichiro Toyoda, Toyota Motor Corporation’s honorary chairmain, has died at the age of 97. Toyoda started his career with the automaker in 1952, focusing much of his experience on quality control and technology. He also earned a doctorate in engineering, writing his thesis on fuel injection.

Toyoda worked in various capacities for the automaker. He ascended to managing director in 1961, then senior managing director in 1967 and executive vice president in 1972. He was named Toyota sales operation president in 1981. When the company’s sales and production organizations merged in 1982, the automaker appointed him president of the newly formed Toyota Motor Corporation. Toyoda served as chairman of the board of directors from 1992 to 1999. He was on the board for another decade, and in 2009 stepped down to become the honorary chairman of the automotive giant.

Toyoda was also an honorary chairman for Kaiyo Academy and the Japan Business Federation, and he was an honorary advisor for the Automobile Business Association of Japan starting in 2017. He received a variety of international commendations, including the Deming Prize in 1980 for achievements in total quality management and the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit from the Federal Republic of Germany in 2001.

Toyoda received four medals of honor from Japan in the 1970s and 1980s for his contributions to the country’s well-being. Japan also officially decorated him with the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure in 1995, the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun in 2002, and the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers in 2007 – some of the highest honors the country can give.

Toyoda was the son of company founder Kiichiro Toyoda. He is also the father of current CEO and President Akio Toyoda, who will step down from his role on April 1 to become chairman of the board. Current Lexus President Koji Sato is taking over as Toyota Motor Corporation’s president and CEO.

Mercedes-Benz has applied to receive certification from the Environmental Protection Agency for its 2024MY lineup in the United States and the paperwork includes some interesting details. Found by our colleagues at Car and Driver, the 86-page document (see link at the bottom) shows the E-Class All-Terrain is coming as an E450. Sadly, the regular E-Class Wagon is nowhere to be found, so Americans will only get the rugged high-riding body style.

Elsewhere, those rumors about a new CLE model are seemingly confirmed. Carrying the “C236” codename, it’s a two-door model meant to replace both the C-Class Coupe and E-Class Convertible. Similarly, the “A236” is also listed as a convertible to supersede the soft-top C-Class and E-Class. Mercedes is bringing the CLE Coupe and CLE Convertible in Benz-branded four-cylinder 300 4Matic and six-cylinder 450 4Matic flavors, plus the AMG 53 performance version.

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Naturally, the E-Class Coupe and E-Class Convertible are not listed in the document since the CLE models will be taking their place in Mercedes’ vast lineup. A closer look reveals the next-generation GLC 63 S is also listed in there, and we know for a fact it’s the future model because it’s described as a plug-in hybrid with “E Performance” branding. The lesser GLC 43 appears as well in all its four-cylinder glory, much like the SL43 roadster.

If all these models are earmarked for the 2024MY, it can only mean the cars will be officially revealed in the coming months. Europeans should get them all, plus the standard E-Class Wagon. It’s too soon to talk about the E63 since the standard W214 just debuted, but we’ll likely see the AMG derivatives (53 and 63) sometime next year in both sedan and wagon formats.

Much like the AMG C-Class has been bitten by the downsizing bug, reports state its bigger brother will also lose some cylinders although not as many. The flagship E63 is supposedly getting a hybrid six-cylinder, but nothing is official yet.

In case you haven’t noticed, Mercedes has gradually reduced the number of models still offered with the classic hood ornament. Depending on where you live, the three-pointed star is still available on some vehicles, including the S-Class and its Maybach sibling. Speaking of extra-long sedans, the new E-Class L will be keeping the prestigious badge based on images that have emerged ahead of the model’s official debut.

Much like the C-Class L launched a couple of years ago in China, its bigger brother is going to get a classic grille design and a hood ornament. Revealing photos have been published on the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s website as part of the vehicle’s homologation process. Mercedes didn’t introduce the E-Class L at last month’s Auto Shanghai 2023, so the local premiere is likely to take place in the coming months.

The MIIT document reveals China’s 2024 E-Class L measures a generous 5092 millimeters (200.4 inches) in length, which makes it 143 mm (5.6 in) longer than the global version. Its wheelbase has been stretched by 133 mm (5.2 in) to a massive 3094 mm (121.8 in). It tips the scales at 1,940 kilograms (4,276 pounds).

As for power, Mercedes will sell the more spacious E-Class as an E 260 L with 201 hp (150 kW) along with an E 300 L rated at 255 hp (190 kW). Both have a turbocharged 2.0-liter gasoline engine. The base version will top out at 146 mph (235 km/h) whereas the more potent variant will reach 152 mph (245 km/h).

The E-Class L will go up against other luxury saloons that have had their wheelbases stretched for greater rear legroom: Jaguar XFL, BMW 5 Series Li, Audi A6L, and the oddball A7L sedan.

Each car that goes on sale in China must get the stamp of approval from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. As part of a future model’s homologation process, images are published on the MIIT website before the market launch. In some situations, the vehicle’s design is shown weeks ahead of the actual debut. Such is the case with the EM90, Volvo’s very first minivan, featured in a couple of images showing the exterior in full.

As suspected, it’s easy to realize the electric minivan appears to be based on the Zeekr 009 (pictured lower on the page) since all the pillars seem to be identical. We can say the same about the placement of the side mirrors, door handles, and fender-mounted cameras. However, the EM90 has a redesigned front fascia with different headlights to bring the styling in line with other Volvos. It also eschews the glitzy grille of the donor car in favor of a body-colored panel with small cutouts that presumably light up.

The rear has also been modified to better fit Volvo’s image, but you can tell it’s the same minivan by the outline of the tailgate and the position of the camera below the license plate. The EM90 looks less striking than the 009, which we’d argue is for the better, but to each his own. Since this is the Swedish brand’s first foray into the minivan segment, the box on wheels is a significant departure from the traditional crop of SUVs, sedans, and wagons.

There are some initial technical specifications to go along with these images. According to the information published on the MIIT website, the 2024 Volvo EM90 is 5206 millimeters (205 inches) long, 2024 mm (79.6 in) wide, and 1859 mm (73.1 in) tall. It’s going to be offered with 19- and 20-inch wheels for a six-seat electric family hauler that will tip the scales at a hefty 2,763 kilograms (6,091 pounds).

The wheelbase matches that of the Zeekr 009, which measures 3205 mm (126 in) between the front and rear axles. Geely’s premium brand founded in 2021 also sells its minivan with a fancier 2+2 layout but we’ll have to wait and see whether Volvo also intends to roll out a more luxurious derivative. It could happen considering the Buick GL8 and Lexus LM can also be had with only two rear seats.

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While those two rivals have combustion engines, the EM90 is listed on the MIIT website as having a rear-mounted electric motor with 200 kilowatts, which works out to 268 horsepower.  However, we should mention the Zeekr 009 also comes with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup with 536 hp. This potent variant will do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in only four and a half seconds.

While the battery isn’t mentioned, the Zeekr 009 has a lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt pack from CATL. The 140-kWh battery is good for 511 miles (822 kilometers) based on the local China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle (CLTC). There’s also a smaller 116-kWh pack with 436 miles (702 km).

The EM90 will be officially revealed on November 12 when preorders will start in China where the minivan touted as a “Scandinavian living room on the move” is going to be manufactured.

The United Auto Workers union has reached a tentative agreement with Ford to end the Stand Up Strike that began on September 15. If a final deal is signed, the strike will end at Ford plants following the automaker’s decision to raise wages 25 percent over the next four years, with an immediate 11 percent raise UAW employees return to work. Announcing the tentative deal, union President Shawn Fain called it a “historic agreement.”

“Our union has united in a way we haven’t seen in years,” said Vice President Chuck Browning. “From the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, our members came together to tell the Big Three, with one voice, that record profits mean a record contract.”

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The tentative Ford contract will go till 2027 and adds up to a greater compensation package for UAW members than the past 22 years combined. Within the 25 percent wage increase are starting salaries that go up 68 percent, as well as highest-tier raises that amount to 33 percent. What’s more, over the life of the contract, current temporary employees at Ford will get a 150-percent raise, easing what Browning called temp abuse and exploitation at Big Three facilities.

The compensation package also includes a better cost of living allowance (also known as a COLA) and adds to a pension multiplier, providing more money for current retirees and workers with both pensions and 401k retirement plans.

The UAW National Ford Council will go to Detroit on Sunday, October 29, to vote on whether or not to send the tentative agreement to union members. If the Council approves the deal, the UAW will host a Facebook Live event that evening to discuss next steps, including highlight and change pages to the agreement. Then, local UAW leaders will hold informational meetings with members to discuss and ratify the Ford deal, at which point the strike will end at Blue Oval facilities.

If that happens, pressure will likely mount on General Motors and Stellantis to reach a deal with striking workers at their factories. If Ford is able to resume production of profitable models like the Bronco and F-Series Super Duty before their key rivals, GM and Stellantis will be leaving big money on the table. 

The strike began nearly six weeks ago at three facilities – those that build the Bronco, Jeep Wrangler, and Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – before expanding to eight assembly plants and dozens more parts distributors. The most recent additions to the UAW strike were a Stellantis factory in Sterling Heights, Michigan, which produces the Ram 1500, and the GM facility in Arlington, Texas, where the Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, GMC Yukon and Yukon XL, and Cadillac Escalade are built.

Other factories affected by the strikes include Ford Chicago Assembly, which builds the Explorer and its Lincoln Aviator cousin, as well as GM’s Lansing Township plant that builds the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. The UAW action attracted national attention, even prompting United States President Joe Biden to appear on a picket line with striking workers.

The newly revived Prelude is one of the coolest cars to come from Honda in a long time. Revealed in October at the Tokyo Auto Show, it’s a two-door coupe with a hybrid powertrain confirmed for eventual production. But Honda says it hasn’t decided whether to bring it to the United States market just yet.

The Prelude made a surprise appearance at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, where a Honda representative told Motor1 the car’s marketing plan has yet to be finalized, meaning it’s not clear where exactly it’s going to be sold or produced. 

“That’s why it’s here, to gauge consumer interest,” a Honda spokesperson said.

The representative went onto say that while former Honda coupe buyers have been able to adopt to the Civic hatchback, there might be some pent-up demand for a true two-door vehicle in the next few years. The Prelude’s debut was met with much fanfare, with the internet set ablaze with hopes Honda would finally have a true, ground-up coupe in its lineup once again.

Upon its reveal, many believed the new Prelude to be a fully electric vehicle, though it was later revealed to be using a hybrid powertrain. Honda chief engineer Tomoyuki Yamagami said in an interview that the Prelude is meant to be a “prelude for all of the electric vehicles that Honda is going to be launching.” 

Yamagami also said both left- and right-hand drive versions of the Prelude are in the pipeline, quelling any worries the car might be a Japan-only affair, a-la the lovely mid-engine S660. On the flip side, he also mentioned the Prelude isn’t going to be the “sportiest, zippiest car that’s going to be tossed into the circuits,” but rather a sporty coupe meant more for on-road usage.

If you live in the U.S. and have your sights set on the Prelude, our suggestion would be to reach out to Honda on your favorite social media platform and let them know. We bet registering your interest at your nearest dealership wouldn’t hurt either.