Say it ain’t so. The base Volkswagen Golf is reportedly exiting the U.S. market after the current generation calls it quits next year. According to a report by Motor 1, the standard version of the upcoming eighth-generation Golf—as well as the SportWagen variant—will not be available here. However, there is some good news, as the GTI and the Golf R will still need their passports when the new models finally roll out. Speaking to Motor Authority, VW spokesman Mark Gillies added, “The Golf R and GTI are confirmed, but other Golf models are under consideration for the North American region.”
The Mk 8 Golf was originally scheduled to make its debut in September at the Frankfurt motor show, but VW confirmed to us in March that it will be revealed later at the end of the year. The all-new Golf is expected to ride on a lighter version of the MQB platform. There’s no word on whether the Alltrack—a lifted, plastic-cladded version of the SportWagen—will get the axe, too. The E-Golf also isn’t likely to return in any market, as VW’s ID models will pick up where that electric hatch left off. The first U.S.-market EV from VW will arrive in the U.S. in 2020.
Way before the Ford Model T crawled out of the primordial ooze—and way, way before Ford’s Raptor churned that ooze into paste—and even before Benz had a Mercedes, Benz & Company introduced the world’s first mass-produced car: the Benz Motor Velocipede, which debuted 125 years ago in April 1894. By the time it was discontinued just after the dawn of the 20th century, some 1,200 Benz Velos were puttering around Germany, England, and France.
At launch, the Velocipede weighed approximately 617 pounds, was powered by a single-cylinder engine making 1.5 horsepower, and had a top speed of 12 mph. A two-stage belt transmission allowed it to cruise up small grades of up to 10 percent. These days, an electric Bird scooter could easily smoke it in a race.
The four-wheeled vehicle had a lantern to light the way and featured a double-pivot steering system developed by Karl Benz. Later, a Comfortable model was introduced with a 2.75-hp engine that was made optional on the basic Velo. In 1899, both were marketed with a 3-hp powerplant, and the car’s final year in 1902 saw the Comfortable become the only model. By then it made 4.5 horsepower and offered a top speed of 22 mph (about even race with that Bird scooter). Additional extra-cost features included a sun guard/umbrella, an upholstered bench seat, and a child seat for adventurous families like the Benzes shown above.
One of the big reveals at the 2019 New York auto show was the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, the brand’s largest utility vehicle. The redesigned model sports an evolutionary design, featuring softer lines and more rounded corners than its predecessor. Although its overall profile hasn’t changed much, the 2020 GLS-Class features enough updates that you won’t need a magnifying glass to see what’s different. The softer lines also don’t take away from its imposing looks.
The first thing you’ll notice looking at the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class is its massive grille that juts out and dons a large three-pointed star. In certain configurations, the openings in the lower front fascia are thinner, further drawing your eye to the oversize grille and logo. The rounded headlights feature a cool pattern and appear narrower compared to the old car’s more angular ones that flank a smaller, shield-shaped radiator grille.
From the side, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the 2020 GLS-Class for the outgoing vehicle thanks to a similarly upright greenhouse. But take a closer look and you’ll notice the lack of character lines and the disappearance of the upward kink on the rearmost side windows. Like the outgoing model, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class looks like a stretched GLE-Class when viewed from the side, hinting at the shared underpinnings between the two vehicles. Out back, the similarities with the outgoing GLS continue with the slab-sided look. Only the taillights and exhausts are different, with the new one sporting thinner ones and squared off exhaust tips.
Move inside and you’ll immediately see the model has a new screen layout for the MBUX interface. The new model also ditches its predecessor’s vertical layout in favor of a horizontal one with flowing lines, fewer buttons, and a cleaner look. You still get slabs of wood and/or metal trim all over the cabin along with lovely mood lighting to make the cabin feel a little more special. Unlike the outgoing generation, the 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class also gets optional second-row captain’s chairs, reducing capacity to six passengers.
When it goes on sale by the end of the year, the new GLS will come with mild hybrid powertrains in the GLS 450 and GLS 580. Mercedes’ new E-Active Body Control, which first debuted on the 2020 GLE Class, will also be available. An AMG and Maybach-badged model should follow, likely powered by the now ubiquitous 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8 that’s found in everything from the C 63 to the AMG GT sports car.
