Larry P. Vellequette

For the first time since 2007, the brand will field a redesigned pickup in a bid to grab a piece of the full-size segment dominated by the Detroit 3.

Images posted on the brand's website show part of the new battery-electric crossover.

With a slightly larger 1.5-litre engine, the updated 2022 Jetta will have better low-end torque and is expected to see a fuel economy improvement over the existing sedan. The Jetta will continue to be the brand's entry point for new buyers.

The automaker, which has largely avoided assembly disruptions this year during the global semiconductor shortage, this month will suspend output at all but one plant in North America as well as factories elsewhere — putting more pressure on dealers with historically low inventories.

Automobili Lamborghini says it will sell 112 copies of a resurrected Countach supercar, this time with a hybrid V-12 powertrain that makes 825 hp and will accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.8 seconds. The price tag will be US$2.6 million.

A spokesman for VW confirmed that its dealers have been issued stop-sale orders for all-wheel-drive versions of its just-launched Taos compact crossover because an unidentified issue may cause engines to stop while the car is in use.

VW said ending the Passat will allow its Chattanooga plant flexibility to boost sales of its other products, the Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport crossovers, as well as the launch of the ID4 EV there next year.

Developed in-house by Toyota Connected, Lexus Interface ditches the joysticks and touchpads that cost it sales in favor of a more intuitive system.

Toyota revealed several changes to its 2022 lineup, including a re-engineered GR 86.

The Japanese automaker is betting there is room between its current C-HR hatchback and its popular RAV4 compact crossover. The Corolla Cross is slated to begin production this fall.

Toyota's newest crossover, a subcompact, will slot between the C-HR and RAV4 and is expected to go on sale by year-end.

The performance brand plans its first full EV in the latter half of the decade and will hybridize its lineup by the start of 2025. But between now and then, it will be "celebrating the combustion engine."

The freshened compact crossover arrives in dealerships later this year with updated styling and upgraded interior and safety gear.

The 2022 VW Taos goes on sale in July and will carry a base price of $28,645, including delivery.

The 2022 Subaru Outback Wilderness is expected in Canadian dealerships in late spring and aims for off-road street cred with more ground clearance, a more robust suspension and an enhanced crawl ratio to accompany its new look.