On today’s show… Ford takes us on a virtual trip to Le Mans, Volvo teams up with Uber on autonomy and we take a look at Infiniti’s all-new compact SUV. All that and more coming right up on Autoline Daily.

This is Autoline Daily for August 18th, 2016.

FORD LAUNCHES VR APP
I think every die-hard race fan has “Go to Le Mans” on their bucket list, but for those of us who have never been, Ford may have the next best solution. The automaker just released a virtual reality app detailing this year’s class victory at the historic race. I got a chance to check out the app last night and for my first go at virtual reality, I’ve got to say it was really cool. The 360-degree experience puts you right in the action. You’re right there in the car, you’re right in the pits and all around the track. The sights and sounds are fantastic, especially with a good set of headphones on. Like I said, this was my first time trying out a virtual reality app, but my brother-in-law, who’s not a race fan at all and has experienced other VR apps, thought it was really cool and better than most of the other ones he’s tried out. So, if you’re a race fan, I’d recommend it. I think you’ll appreciate it. Just look for FordVR in the app or play store.

2017 KIA CADENZA
New product is what drives customers to the showroom floor and the all-new 2017 Kia Cadenza is ready for its spot under the lights. We highlighted the new design last year, which was done at Kia’s California design studio, so let’s take a look at what else is new. The car’s body structure is stronger, lighter and more rigid than the outgoing model. Kia more than doubled the amount of Advanced High Strength Steel used in the car. Under the hood is a revised 3.3L V6 engine that’s mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission, which marks the first time a Kia with front-wheel drive has featured an 8-speed tranny. Inside, customers will notice a wraparound dashboard with higher quality materials and the latest generation UVO infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The car also gets a head-up display for the first time. Look for the 2017 Cadenza to start hitting showrooms later this year.

Still to come… Volvo partners with Uber and Bosch gets dragged into the VW diesel scandal.

VOLVO TEAMS WITH UBER
It seems like we say this everyday but it’s true. Every time you turn around another automaker is jumping into mobility services. Yesterday Ford said it will have fully autonomous vehicles for ride sharing on the road by 2021. And now Volvo is partnering with Uber on a $300 million project to develop autonomous cars. The two companies will share a base vehicle built on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture, which currently underpins its XC90 SUV, S90 sedan and V90 wagon. Volvo will build the cars and Uber will buy the vehicles from the Swedish automaker. Both companies will then equip the base vehicle with their own autonomous technology, so each can follow their own autonomous car strategy. Unlike Ford, Volvo and Uber didn’t announce when we’ll see these cars on the road.

BOSCH DRAGGED INTO VW SCANDAL
It’s been a bad week for Volkswagen. The Department of Justice announced it’s launching a criminal investigation into the company. And yesterday prosecutors in South Korea announced indictments and travel bans for several executives. And now one of its top suppliers is being dragged into its diesel emission cheating scandal. VW owners in the U.S. filed a lawsuit against Bosch, alleging it played a key role in the cheating. The owners say they have evidence that Bosch developed the systems and helped cover up the cheating. Bosch hasn’t been charged with anything yet and it declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Say you’re not going to want to miss Autoline After Hours this afternoon. We’re going to have the owner of the first Camaro ever made in the studio. So this ought to be a fun show. That’s Autoline After Hours today starting live at 3 pm eastern time on our website, autoline.tv.

Coming up next, a look at Infiniti’s brand new compact crossover, the QX30.

FIRST LOOK: INFINITI QX30
When Nissan’s premium brand decided it was time to take on the BMW X1, Audi’s Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA250 with its own luxury compact CUV, instead of starting from scratch it turned to both Japan and… Stuttgart? Here’s Autoline’s Katie Gritzinger with the story.

“A few years ago Nissan-Renault and Mercedes-Benz struck a deal. In exchange for some low-cost engines from the Dacia brand, Stuttgart gave Infiniti the guts for its new QX30 crossover.

To look at it, this compact CUV is pure Infiniti with its design language integrated throughout the exterior. From the double-arch grille… to the sculpted body line… to the low-sling roof line, if architect Frank Geary designed an existing car brand it would be Infiniti.

A quick look around the interior and you recognize many Infiniti features, including the center stack equipped with the Navigation Infotainment system as well as the swooping trim which can be found in its bigger brothers like the QX70. However, if you’re wondering where the Mercedes influence is, take a closer look at the cockpit: the door locks… seat adjustment… steering wheel and I.P. itself, are straight out of the GLA. In fact the vehicle is built on Mercedes’ architecture and powered by the German OEM’s 2-liter turbocharged inline 4 with 208 horsepower along with a 7-speed automatic. And though Daimler provided the suspension for the crossover, it was tuned by Infiniti engineers.

There are four Front-Wheel Drive models starting with the QX30 base, Luxury and Premium trim lines as well as a Sport. Meanwhile, the QX30 Luxury and Premium both come with an All-Wheel Drive option which gives you an inch or so lift from the front-wheel vehicles. And if you’re looking for an even more unique package, the Premium offers a Gallery White or Teak option.”

To get into this growing segment, the brand admits it’s being very sensitive to price. The base will start under $30,000, with the All-Wheel option — which they see as half of the take rate — under $35,000, and the Sport under $40,000. The vehicle is assembled in its Sunderland UK plant and should be available in dealers this month.

But that wraps up today’s show, thanks for watching and join us again tomorrow for the latest news in the global automotive industry.