From the June 2023 issue of Car and Driver.When Maserati unveiled its handsome second-generation GranTurismo coupe, our initial response was a bit muted, even muddled. “Is that new?” we asked of the lovely but familiar design. This sense of confoundment grew when we discovered that the automaker would offer this exact vehicle—a long-hood, short-deck GT with a conventional profile—in two disparate powertrain configurations. Buyers can tour grandly in a coupe with a twin-turbo V-6 internal-combustion engine or in a battery-electric vehicle, but you might not guess from the outside that the insides are different.Get Your OwnMaserati design head Klaus Busse says a desire to maintain the traditional design and dynamic sensibilities for which the trident brand is known dictated this move. “We can keep the low silhouette of the car because we’re not putting anything under the front seats,” he says of the decision regarding placement of electric components. Unlike many competitors that incorporate a height-raising battery pack in the floor, Maserati’s uniquely shaped pack occupies the engine compartment, the transmission tunnel, and some space behind the rear seats. The arrangement isn’t just for aesthetics. “When you have the batteries underneath the seats all the way outboard, then the car tends to understeer because you have all these gravitational forces of the batteries,” Busse says. “By keeping the batteries central, you avoid these gravitational forces, and you avoid understeer.” Assembly lines are in a time of flux. The future looks electric, but companies are easing the transition by building both internal-combustion machines and EVs.BMWThough the brand plans to go all-electric by 2030 and will eventually introduce BEV-only designs, the dual powertrain offerings will continue through this decade. Maserati will electrify its Grecale SUV in the same fashion.Multiple Powertrains, One Vehicle Maserati isn’t alone in this strategy. After introducing the wildly styled i3 for 2014 and seemingly planning a rollout of separate electric vehicles from its i subbrand, BMW has shifted course. While it still reserves the right to release the occasional one-off dedicated battery-electric model, like the radically styled and bedazzled iX, its core plan is to continue to create vehicles—such as the 4-series Gran Coupe and the 7-series luxury sedan [see “Green Is Good,” page 48]—that can accommodate a battery-electric, a plug-in-hybrid, or an internal-combustion powertrain.”The transformation to electrification, we believe, doesn’t go from one day to the other,” says Domagoj Dukec, BMW’s head of design. The brand wants to be sure customers are satisfied with both ICE and BEV offerings, he adds.”For us, the one promise is that BMW driving character will always be highly dynamic,” Dukec says. “It doesn’t matter if it’s diesel or gas; it doesn’t matter if it’s a plug-in hybrid—it will be dynamic. And if it’s electric, it will also be dynamic.” This flexible strategy allows BMW to respond to shifting market needs and regulations by producing more or fewer of any powertrain according to demand. “The winner will probably be the one who can adapt to this unpredictability,” he says. Mercedes-BenzLand Rover seems to be following a similar path. When it revealed the current-gen Range Rover for 2022, the company announced that this luxurious off-roader—along with five other members of the Land Rover family—would be offered with a traditional combustion engine, as a plug-in hybrid, or with an EV powertrain, though not all the electrified options have appeared in the U.S. yet.Automakers Making Full Shift to ElectricLand Rover stablemate Jaguar, an early adopter of BEV technology with the 2019 I-Pace, is taking a different tack. It plans to transition to a fully electric lineup this decade, introducing a range of all-new electric products, beginning with upscale SUVs.Volvo, too, is going all in. The brand has ceased development of new internal-combustion powertrains and is committed to full electrification by 2030, replacing its existing models with battery-electric versions. This process begins with the electric 2024 EX90, which will eventually replace the XC90. “Volvo has never been a manufacturer known predominantly for engines,” says Owen Ready, the company’s head of strategic and brand design. “This positions us well for this transition.” Perhaps more surprising, Cadillac is also taking this route. It announced that the recently revised Escalade is its last ICE vehicle line—and has just revealed the EV successor, the 2025 Escalade IQ. Moving forward, all future Caddys will be electric, like the just-released Lyriq SUV and Celestiq flagship sedan.VolvoMercedes Following Separate PathsLuxury juggernaut Mercedes is taking a different road during this transitional decade—or rather, two roads. Alongside its extensive range of ICE models, Benz is developing a full lineup of parallel BEVs. The S-class and E-class sedans have electric doppelgängers in the EQS and EQE sedans, but those are built on their own platform. “Purpose architecture deserves a purpose,” says Robert Lesnik, the brand’s head of exterior design, speaking of the differentiation between the traditional three-box configuration of Benz’s traditional cars and the arcing bow shape of its electric ones. “That means from the outside, you’re able to see that this is not just a conventional or known car.”Mass-market brands such as Honda and Kia are following a similar tactic. Honda plans for its electrified mid-size Prologue SUV and small affordable EVs (all jointly developed with GM) to coexist with the Pilot and Civic. Kia introduced the electric two-row EV6 and three-row EV9 alongside the similar Seltos and Telluride. Both brands may continue producing vehicles with tailpipes beyond 2030.For Mercedes, the parallel track will last only through the 2020s, or one vehicle generation, after which the brand plans to shift to an entirely electric lineup. “Like a zipper on your jacket. When you open it up, the two sides spread,” Lesnik explains. “And by the end of the decade—the life cycle of one car—everything will be electric, and the zipper comes together again.”Contributing EditorBrett Berk (he/him) is a former preschool teacher and early childhood center director who spent a decade as a youth and family researcher and now covers the topics of kids and the auto industry for publications including CNN, the New York Times, Popular Mechanics and more. He has published a parenting book, The Gay Uncle’s Guide to Parenting, and since 2008 has driven and reviewed thousands of cars for Car and Driver and Road & Track, where he is contributing editor. He has also written for Architectural Digest, Billboard, ELLE Decor, Esquire, GQ, Travel + Leisure and Vanity Fair.    More

The average new-vehicle loan term in March was 70.6 months, the longest ever, according to a new research report. Loan lengths have been steadily climbing in recent years alongside the price of new vehicles. Average monthly payments also rose, hitting $573. In March 2019, average monthly payments were $553. Loan lengths for new-car purchases have […] More

Subaru’s new upmarket Forester Wilderness joins the 2022 Forester lineup, with drivetrain and suspension mods to improve off-road capability and bringing the total to six Forester models.The Forester Wilderness doubles the crossover’s tow load limit to 3000 pounds, while the roof rack’s static load limit is upped to better accommodate rooftop tents.The Wilderness is distinctive because of its raised height, exclusive Geyser Blue paint option, anodized copper trim, optional skid plates, raised-white-letter tires, and copious model logos.There’s only one way to go in the car business if things are going well, and that’s up. So enter the 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness, which follows the successful Outback variant of the same name. The special edition features useful revisions that make the strong-selling Forester an even more potent tool for dedicated back-to-nature types, with an upgraded drivetrain, a raised suspension, and a higher price, starting at $33,945 versus the base model’s $26,320 sticker. But there are still two models above the Wilderness in price, with the top-end trim, the Touring, priced at $36,420 for the 2022 model year.
Viewed from the outside, the Forester Wilderness stands 1.4 inches taller, with an additional half-inch of ground clearance added to the standard Forester’s already excellent figure, for a total of 9.2 inches. In turn, this increases angle of approach (from 20.0 degrees to 23.5 degrees) and departure (from 24.6 to 25.4 degrees), while improving ramp breakover angle (19.6 to 21.0 degrees), helping to make the Wilderness the most capable Forester off-road. Longer travel and dampening compression strokes for its bespoke shock absorbers improve ride quality on the rugged stuff.

In the engine room, the Wilderness edition forges ahead with revised final-drive (4.11:1 in place of the Forester’s standard 3.70:1) and modified gearbox ratios for the continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) to effectively increase low-end torque. Its 182-hp 2.5-liter direct injection boxer-four pumps out 176 pound-feet, allowing it to better dispatch hills and muddy trails. The model’s standard Lineartronic CVT, here with eight-speed manual mode function, paddle shifters,and the aforementioned ratio revision, ups the Wilderness model’s game when climbing and descending. Subaru’s driver-selectable X-Mode offers snow/dirt and deep snow/mud modes, trimming torque and adjusting CVT ratios as needed. X-Mode will detect steep inclines and automatically enable the Wilderness’s low-speed/low-ratio gradient control. It will shift the CVT to its lowest ratio, creating a sort of low range for climbing. Standard Hill Descent Control automatically engages braking when the Forester heads down steep hills.
An air-cooled oil cooler for the engine and a rear differential temperature sensor further indicate the new model’s serious off-road intent. And speaking of tents, a revised fixed-ladder-type roof rack increases dynamic load capacity to 220 pounds from 176 pounds, while static load limit rises by 100 pounds to 800 pounds, making the use of larger rooftop tents more viable, while also rolling out the welcome mat for heftier campers. The fourth generaiton of Subaru’s EyeSight driver-assist technology, an on-road safety boon, comes standard and features pre-collision braking and automatic emergency steering.
Visually, the Forester Wilderness will stand out not just for its high-riding ways but also for its black pillars and copper-colored roof rack posts, matte black 17-inch alloy wheels, and Yokohama Geolandar tires with raised white lettering. Geyser Blue paint is a striking new Wilderness-specific color option, while water-repellent seating is embossed with the Wilderness logo, as are floor mats and even the side of the car, a vaguely garish touch that recalls the increasingly huge badges seen on many Ferraris these days. Aluminum or steel skid plates to protect the engine and differential are separately available as options, the former also making the car stand out along with the overly large badges, so you can truly see this Forester through the trees.
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Former Porsche race car engineer who worked more recently with the Apple self-driving group, is heading up the VW Group’s Project Artemis.
Alexander Hitzinger and Project Artemis are tasked with taking on Tesla.
The group will reportedly build an electric SUV from the ground up that is set to be produced in 2024.
Alexander Hitzinger helped develop the hybrid Porsche 919 race car that dominated Le Mans in 2015, 2016, and 2017, and then headed to Apple to help it work on its self-driving-car ambitions. Back with the VW Group, he and the Project Artemis team are going to build a new electric vehicle, and Reuters reports that the team’s goal is to take on Tesla.

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The premium vehicle Hitzinger and the team are working on is set to go into production in 2024 and will take the form of Audi, Bentley, and Porsche EVs based on the group’s PPE (Premium Platform Electric) underpinnings.
Audi, which is tasked with leading research and development, including the PPE EV platform and autonomous-driving technology, will also take the lead in this effort. Those are areas where Tesla leads because of its practice of working in-house. Tesla has a history of developing and fine-tuning its own components from the software that runs the vehicles to the motors and battery pack. This control has allowed it to continue to push its range beyond EV offerings from traditional automakers. It seems that Hitzinger wants to do the same thing at Volkswagen. “At Porsche, I always thought of a vehicle as a comprehensive system. This is a very important point. It is what Tesla does well,” Hitzinger told Reuters.
The Project Artemis name came up in an earlier report by German publication Handelsblatt, which said the high-end electric vehicle Audi and the VW Group is working on is code-named Landjet. It’s unknown if this truly is the internal name of the upcoming vehicle. Besides, it’s very unlikely that the automaker would comment on the report at this early stage.
Of course, it’s not just electrification that sets Tesla apart. Its Autopilot system is an integral part of the vehicles—not to mention a source of additional income, with Tesla owners paying upward of $10,000 for the yet-to-be-released Full Self-Driving feature that CEO Elon Musk says will bring actual autonomous driving to Tesla’s vehicles. That system would also power a fleet of robo taxis that Tesla is expected to put on the roads once it perfects the autonomous-driving setup.
Back in January, Hitzinger announced that VW Autonomy would show off autonomous buses at the World Cup in 2022 as part of a pilot program. It is also aiming for 2025 to have a Level 4 autonomous system (a vehicle with controls for drivers, but able to drive itself in most situations without the need for a human to pay attention or take over). This would be used first for robotaxis and cargo delivery, then likely in the I.D. Buzz Microbus due to its size.
Volkswagen may be investing heavily in electrification with its MEB and PPE platforms, but an EV that also drives itself and is highly efficient thanks to Hitzinger’s experience would help VW take on Tesla not just in this one vehicle but in technology generally.

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About one in six Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 orders each year choose to pay an extra $10,000 for optional stripes, Ford tells Car and Driver.There are $1000 vinyl stripes on the options list, but the more expensive choice is a hand-painted application.The Shelby GT500’s $10K stripes are available in Absolute Black, Kona Blue, and Oxford White.In 2020, when Ford announced that the new Mustang Shelby GT500 would be offered with hand-painted racing stripes that cost an extra $10,000, we questioned how many people would actually buy the pricey option. However, it sounds like the hand-painted stripes are more popular than we imagined. We checked in with a Ford spokesperson, who told us that every year since the start of production, about one in six Shelby GT500s is ordered with the hand-painted stripes.

The 2022 Shelby GT500 carries an MSRP of $78,350, so checking the box for the expensive stripes adds nearly 13 percent to the car’s starting price. They come in three paint colors: Absolute Black, Kona Blue, and Oxford White. For shoppers who crave the striped look but want to save $9000, a set of $1000 vinyl stripes in similar shades is also available.

Ford

We were surprised to learn that approximately 17 percent of people who purchase a GT500 pay for the painted-on stripes. We were also surprised when Ford told us that overall sales of the stripes exceed those of the $10,000 Carbon Fiber Handling package, which included upgrades such as aerodynamic add-ons, adjustable strut top mounts, and 20-inch carbon-fiber wheels. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, though, since the $10K carbon-fiber kit was only offered for one year. Ford says it doesn’t track specific production numbers by packages or models, so we obviously can’t say for sure whether the stripes or the handling package was more popular for the 2021 model year, but it sounds like sales were closer than we’d have expected.

Ford

Every new Ford Mustang–including the GT500–is built at the company’s assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. However, Shelby models optioned with the painted stripes have them applied after the cars leave the assembly line; it’s part of a partnership with Penske. We’ve been told the process involves hand-prepping, painting, and then clear-coating. Initially, that detailed process meant limited availability, but Ford says it has since improved production and has been able to meet customer demand.Considering the $10,000 stripes are surprisingly popular on the GT500, we asked the folks on Ford’s PR team if there are any plans to offer them on more mainstream Mustang models. They declined to comment on future products. After all, it’s hard to imagine a future when someone would pay $10K to paint stripes on a $30,000 to $40,000 pony car. Then again, we’ve clearly been surprised by Mustang shoppers’ appetite for pricey stripes before.
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