2016 Nissan Leaf, 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In, CA 'Green Stickers' Gone: Today's Car News

Today, we drive the 107-mile 2016 Nissan Leaf electric car, the 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid U.S. launch is delayed, and California runs out of carpool-lane "green stickers" for plug-in hybrids. All this and more on Green Car Reports.

California runs out of carpool-lane "green stickers" for plug-in hybrids.

Environmental groups respond to Silicon Valley executives' proposal that Volkswagen be forced to build more electric cars, rather than fix its "cheater" diesels. The affected cars must be addressed, they say.

The 2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid will now go on sale in late summer 2016, the company says.

Ford wants to develop its own battery chemistries for hybrid and electric cars, but why?

We drive the 107-mile 2016 Nissan Leaf.

Honda adds 127,000 vehicles to its Takata airbag recall, bringing the total to 3.4 million vehicles in the U.S.

Finally, one company hopes to sell classic Ford Mustangs rebuilt with modern EcoBoost engines.

Barrett-Jackson to Sell Three Rare Porsche Convertibles

The famed Barrett-Jackson auction house will host its 45th Anniversary Scottsdale Auction in January 2016.

During the event held from January 23-31, 2016, the company will put under the hammer five Porsche models that will attract collectors. Three of those are convertible Porsche models from three different eras, and each of them is expected to fetch an impressive sum. The auction will feature the first Porsche 918 Spyder offered by Barrett-Jackson, a Porsche 911 Speedster, a Porsche 356SC Cabriolet, and two other vintage Porsche cars - a 930 Porsche Turbo and a Porsche 356 Super 90 Cabriolet.

The Barrett-Jackson officials insisted on the fact that Porsche cars are becoming particularly “hot collectibles” and this trend has been maintained in the past 18 months. The specialized auction company prides itself on having a whole array of Porsche cars available at their 45th Anniversary auction in Scottsdale, and each car is special in its own way.

So, let’s get on with showcasing the three Porsche convertibles that will go under the hammer in January.

Out of respect for the elders, we’ll start with LOT #1385, a 1965 Porsche 356SC Cabriolet. The starting prices aren't available online without a bidder’s account, but we know the car bears no reserve price. The vehicle is painted in a classic “Champagne Yellow” and features a green interior. Moreover, it underwent a comprehensive restoration process by a specialized Porsche-centered facility.

The second Porsche convertible for sale at Barrett-Jackson’s 2016 Scottsdale Auction is a black-on-black 1989 Porsche 911 Speedster. The vehicle is in pristine condition, just like its older sibling, and it also doesn’t bear a reserve price. This car is one of only 814 made for the United States market and features its own Certificate of Authenticity from Porsche to ensure the future owner of its provenance. Only 2,200 Porsche 911 Speedsters of this generation were built, and this car should fetch more than a typical example thanks to its 12,627 miles.

The newest Porsche for sale at next year’s Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction is a 918 Spyder with the Weissach package. The e-hybrid sports car only features 595 miles from new and is a one-owner car. It’s in like-new condition thanks to a careful owner, who will also provide the car’s complete books, extra key, dedicated battery charging station, and even the factory car cover.

Dakar 2016: El Nino Puts the First Stage at Risk

Less than a week before the start of the 2016 Dakar Rally, bad news looms over the competition. And if Dakar moved from Africa because of armed threats and war, the South American ground also has something to make this grueling rally even harder, but this time it's El Nino.

The El Nino phenomenon threatens the first stage of the 2016 Dakar. Heavy rains are falling in the Rosario area, the place where the competition is supposed to start.

On January 2, the Prolog held near the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires will establish the starting order for the bikes. The riders will race north towards Rosario and then spend their first night in the bivouac, preparing for Stage 1 that starts at Villa Carlos Paz.

The city of Rosario is on the banks of the Parana river, and meteorologists say that the water has already risen to alert levels. In Argentina, the floods have already caused three deaths and led to the evacuation of more than 20,000 people in certain areas.

Bolivia is also in trouble because of El Nino

The inclement weather may affect the Dakar rally to a level that is yet impossible to predict. The area where the route is supposed to cross the border to Bolivia is also confronting severe meteorological phenomena. The Dakar organizers are keeping an eye on the forecasts and are constantly evaluating the chances the teams have of meeting the timetables and the established locations.

This year, the forecast for El Nino was gloomy, as the phenomenon was said to be more violent than before. Chile was crossed off the Dakar hosts lists because of massive floods and mudslides in the northern regions of the country.

Peru was then chosen as a replacement, with the capital Lima intended as the starting point of the race. Still, the negative forecast caused the Peruvian authorities to withdraw from the Dakar, opting for being able to provide a quick response in helping the population if needed.

Stay tuned for more updates on the 2016 Dakar these days.

Watching a Tesla Model X Towing a Boat Is Oddly Satisfying

While we can't put our finger on what exactly makes watching a Tesla Model X towing a boat a satisfying experience, we can't deny this effect. Now that Model X deliveries have commenced, we've come across the pair of Model X workhorse clips below and wanted to share these with you.

Perhaps the interesting aspect is that people didn't kick off the Youtube offensive by making 0-to-60 videos. While the appreciate the Ludicrous sprinting abilities of the Model S, we've probably seen one too many acceleration clips involving the electric sedan. So yes, it's pleasing to see Tesla's SUV being put to work, even if just for a few moments.

Since Tesla has only accepted orders for the $132,000 (starting price) range-topping P90D Signature Series, this is the kind of Model X we're looking at here.

The SUV, which tips the scales at 5,441 lbs (that's 2,468 kg for all you Tesla fans across the pond), comes with a towing capacity of 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg).

While the range sits at 250 miles (402.5 km), the Ludicrous mode 0 to 60 mph sprint takes 3.2 seconds (3.8 seconds without the L mode). This is achieved with a dual-motor scheme, as a 503 hp motor powers the rear axle and a 259 hp motor feeds the rear wheels.

In mid-2016, we'll get a P90D Founder Edition, a version that is set to offer a range of 257 miles (414 km).

Still, the line-up starts with the $80,000 (once again, this is the MSRP) 70D, which offers a range of 220 miles, covers the 0 to 60 run in 6 seconds and has a top speed of 140 mph. Deliveries for this will start late next year.

However, you should brace yourselves, as we feel the Model X acceleration videos are set to land soon. And you should also be prepared for the wave of street racing action that will most likely follow.

Ducati Starts the Multistrada 1200 Enduro Video Odyssey

Ducati has posted the first episode in a video odyssey comprised of six parts that describe the features and functionality of the company's all-new enduro-adventure bike, the Multistrada 1200 Enduro.

The Italian maker decided to take a bold step this year with the new Multistrada version, and added true off-road features and parts that changed the vibe and behavior of the machine to a great extent.

Even though the Multistrada 1200 was marketed as an adventure bike, adv riders would not be fooled. Ducati knew that certain changes had to be implemented in order to deliver a bike that rightfully slots in the same category with the BMW R1200GS, KTM 1190 Adventure, Triumph Tiger Explorer, Yamaha XZT1200Z, and more.

The name fo the series is "The Wild Side of Ducati," and each episode will detail different aspects that make the Enduro version of the Multistrada 1200 a dream bike. Episode 1 is "Enjoying off-road adventures" and presents the generic attributes of this motorcycle.

Electronics ahoy, again

Now, certain adventure enthusiasts will say that this machine has too many electronic systems that can potentially break down and cause a lot of troubles. This might be true, but before we pass judgment, we'll have to wait until a number big enough of the Multistrada 1200 Enduro make it out in the wild and is put through its paces.

As far as electronic systems go, the Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro is on par with the competition. The flagship enduro-travel bikes from KTM, Yamaha or BMW, are loaded with tons of complex electronics that seem to hold on pretty decently even under abuse.

New episodes will be posted online every two weeks, so stay put as we'll be hunting them and bring them to you. We can almost vouch that these videos will cause a lot of unrest to people considering getting a new enduro-travel bike in the spring...

And make sure you check our Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro live photos from EICMA 2015.

2016 Peugeot New Cars

Details of the new and updated Peugeot models launching in Australia in 2016.

Peugeot 308 GTi – Q1

The hottest Peugeot 308 to date, the 2016 Peugeot 308 GTi, will launch locally in the first quarter of the year.

There will be two versions of the French hot hatch sold in Australia, but both will come powered by a pumped-up 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, and the choice of a six-speed manual gearbox only.

The range will open with the Peugeot 308 GTi 250 (that number is a reference to the metric horsepower output – we’ll call it 184kW and 330Nm) at $44,990, while the more powerful 308 GTi 270 (200kW/330Nm) is a $49,990 proposition.

The 308 GTi 270 is set apart from its sibling by the addition of a Torsen limited-slip front differential, along with larger 380/268mm brake discs, 38mm/41mm four-piston callipers, 19-inch ‘Carbone’ wheels and 235/35 Michelin Super Sport.

The 250 gets 18-inch ‘Diamant’ wheels and 225/40 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 rubber.

Read our review of the Peugeot 308 GTi.

2016 Nissan New Cars

Nissan Australia’s communications team says there are “no new or updated models currently scheduled for release” in 2016.

That doesn’t mean that the new year is going to be barren for the Japanese manufacturer, however, and could indeed be quite the opposite if things go its way.

While the timing is still to be finalised, the long-awaited Nismo sub-division appears likely to launch in Australia during 2016. Nissan Australia has already confirmed it plans to offer the GT-R Nismo, 370Z Nismo and Juke Nismo RS to local customers, but which model we get first and when is anyone’s guess.

CarAdvice’s spy photographers also snapped lightly camouflaged images of a facelifted version of the Pathfinder SUV in December, suggesting an update is just around the corner. The local team says it doesn’t have any information about this update, though it too would appear a chance to reach our shores before the end of the year.