Acura is no stranger to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, as the automaker has been participating in the annual event for the past 12 years. This year marks its 13th consecutive entry, and the new high-performance 2024 Acura Integra Type S will get the chance to race to the clouds along with three other models from the brand’s portfolio.Integra Type S RacerA race-prepped version of the Integra Type S will compete in the Exhibition division. The hot hatch is equipped with a unique hood, front splitter, and swan-neck rear wing. A Borla exhaust and 19-inch Titan wheels wrapped with Yokohama Advan A005 tires are among the other upgrades. The Honda Performance Development (HPD) Integra Type S will be driven by Loni Unser and features a livery inspired by the anime racing show Chiaki’s Journey.AcuraIntegra RacerThe regular Acura Integra hatchback will also compete. The Pikes Peak entry was built by Honda of America Racing Team (HART) and will be driven by Acura engineer Paul Hubers. The car’s suspension is enhanced with a kit from HPD as well as Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs. A Borla exhaust, Cusco Racing limited-slip differential, and HPD billet engine mounts are also part of the upgrades, as are forged 18-inch HRE wheels with Yokohama Advan A005 rubber.AcuraTLX Type S RacerPikes Peak will see another HART-built Acura in the form of a TLX Type S driven by Jordan Guitar, another one of the automaker’s engineers. Along with myriad aero bits, the hi-po sedan’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 is upgraded with a larger turbo and improved cooling. It also pairs with retuned versions of the 10-speed automatic transmission and super-handling all-wheel-drive system (SH-AWD). The suspension has been lowered 1 inch, race-compound brake pads have been added, and Acura says 600 pounds have also been shaved off the car’s curb weight. A set of forged 19-inch HRE wheels and Yokohama Advan A005 tires are also part of the setup.AcuraAn NSX Named “Yamabiko”While Acura no longer builds the NSX supercar, a skunkworks division of HART called Crazy New is using a 2022 NSX Type S as a canvas for a special project. It revolves around max aerodynamic performance, with the supercar donning custom carbon-fiber bodywork that’s designed to maintain downforce and reduce drag. It’s also fitted with a special rear wing that actively adjusts itself for reduced drag at higher speeds or to create an air brake to help slow the car down. This modified NSX is nicknamed “Yamabiko,” which is said to be a mythical mountain god in Japanese folklore. Driven by Honda engineer James Robinson, Yamabiko will compete in the Time Attack 1 division.AcuraThe 101st running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will take place on June 25, 2023. An Acura TLX Type S PMC Edition will serve as the pace car for this year’s event, and it’ll be driven by IndyCar driver David Malukas.Acura and Pikes PeakThis content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

The 2023 American motorsports season kicks off this weekend with the 24 Hours of Daytona, the opening round of the IMSA SportsCar Championship schedule and the premier endurance racing event this side of the Atlantic. The grueling race will see Acura, Cadillac, Porsche, and BMW battling in the top class for overall victory, with around 50 other cars competing among four lower classes for their own shot at a trophy. Along with the action on track, several automakers are here in Daytona Beach, Florida, showing off their latest sports cars. We’ve rounded up all of the must-see vehicles at this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona below.A New Corvette Race CarElana Scherr|Car and DriverThe Chevrolet Corvette is already competing in this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona in the form of the Corvette C8.R GTD, but the bow-tie brand is also using the event to show off an updated version of the race car. Called the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and first revealed in 2021, the new track missile conforms to the FIA’s GT3 technical regulations and will make its debut at next year’s 24 Hours of Daytona. Power comes from a flat-plane-crank DOHC 5.5-liter V-8 that shares over 70 percent of its components with the engine in the road-legal Z06, originating on the same production line in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Z06 GT3.R also gains a stronger crash structure and revised cooling, aerodynamics, and suspension. The race car’s bodywork also mimics that of the standard Z06. Acura Integra Type SWe already drove a prototype version of the 2024 Acura Integra Type S last year in Japan, but the high-performance Acura will make its North American debut at the 24 Hours of Daytona. While it will still be wearing a dazzling camouflage wrap, the Type S will serve as the lead vehicle at the start of the race, along with behind displayed in the paddock at Daytona International Speedway. The Integra Type S will be officially unveiled this summer, but we already know that it will use a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with over 300 horsepower, mated to a six-speed manual transmission and routing the power through a limited-slip differential.BMW M3 CSThis content is imported from Tiktok. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.BMW just revealed the M3 CS, a more hardcore version of the venerable sports sedan, earlier this week. Now the M3 CS is making its first public appearance at the 24 Hours of Daytona, where BMW is competing in the top GTP class with the M Hybrid V8 and in the lower GTD with the M4 GT3. The M3 CS brings an extra 40 horsepower over the 503 ponies in the M3 Competition while also shedding about 75 pounds. Other highlights of the limited-production M3 include Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 high-performance tires, a no-cost option, and the lurid Signal Green paint.The Race, of Course!The biggest attraction of all is the race itself. The 2023 season sees new regulations for the top class of race cars, which is renamed GTP. Acura and Cadillac return, while BMW and Porsche have now developed their own entries, and nine GTP cars will challenge for top honors. Behind them are four more classes: LMP2 and LMP3 use prototype race cars while GTD Pro and GTD use touring cars. The race field also features several big names in the world of motorsports, from six-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon and two-time champ Josef Newgarden to former F1 driver Romain Grosjean and reigning Daytona 500 winner Austin Cindric. The race kicks off at 1:40 p.m. ET tomorrow and ends at the same time on Sunday, with coverage on NBC and USA Network and streaming on Peacock. More

Powerwall owners can now set a state-of-charge threshold to determine when a Tesla is charged during blackouts. The Powerwall update also will adjust the amount of energy shared with the Tesla based on demand from the house. It only works with the Model 3 and Model Y in North America right now; Model S and […] More

Rivian has made a big deal out of the “tank turn” capability of its electric vehicles. The four motors, one powering each wheel, can basically spin the EV around in place by spinning the wheels on either side of the vehicle in opposite directions. But on soft surfaces, a tank turn brings with it the chance to get stuck, so the company is also trying to patent a “K-turn.”Using the same ability to control each wheel individually, the K-turn will hold one of the inside rear wheels and allow the vehicle to pivot around it, dramatically reducing its turning radius.For a certain subset of Star Wars nerds, a K-turn (aka a Koiogran turn) is a tricky way to escape a pursuing craft during a dogfight. But in the automobile world, “K-turn” could soon be associated with Rivian, which filed a newly published patent application outlining a method for the company’s electric vehicles to offer drivers a much tighter turn radius than other vehicles offer.

Whether or not this K-turn will make an appearance on Rivian’s upcoming R1T and R1S EVs is not directly specified in the patent application, but Rivian has already promoted a different unusual turning method for these vehicles. Called the “tank turn,” this tech uses the EV’s four motors (one connected to each wheel) to rotate the wheels on either side of the EV in opposite directions, kind of like moving the treads on a tank against each other, to basically spin the vehicle in place. It’s a neat party trick, but it can’t be used everywhere. As Rivian notes in its patent application: “Such a [tank] turn when employed on soft surfaces can cause the wheels to dig into the ground and sink rather than turning the vehicle.”Rivian’s K-turn builds off the tank turn, deploying its separate propulsion source at each of the four wheels in a slightly different way. Instead of putting the center of the turning circle at the midpoint between all four wheels, a K-turn would instead happen only when there’s substantial steering angle. Forward torque is applied to those angled front wheels, while the inner back wheel is more or less held in place. This wheel then forms a pivot point for the car to turn left or right. Think of it like an old-fashioned pencil compass, where the metal point represents the stationary rear wheel and the pencil side is the front of the car. The end result? “K-turn mode [allows] the vehicle to achieve a significantly reduced turn radius (e.g., the vehicle may pivot around a point under the chassis of the vehicle),” according to the patent application. This is similar to the Ford Bronco’s trail-turn assist, where, at low speeds, it locks the inside rear wheel to pivot around it, shortening the turning radius by as much as 40 percent.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Other parts of the patent filing talk about slightly different modes where the rear wheels would instead be spinning in reverse rather than the inside rear wheel held in place. Rivian makes it sound like actually making one of its vehicles perform a K-turn will be a fairly simple process. The patent application mentions that “processing circuitry” could engage K-turn mode if the steering wheel is asking for the wheels to rotate beyond the standard turn threshold.Just because an automaker files a patent does not guarantee that the technology will ever make it to a production vehicle, but this is one that we expect to see on future Rivian models. It uses the same components as the tank turn, something Rivian has been happy to promote, and it provides a benefit in some situations where a tank turn would cause problems.Rivian filed the patent application on December 31, 2019.
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Overshadowed by its Geo Storm sibling and undermined by Isuzu’s focus on SUVs, the second-generation Impulse is a forgotten gem, and the all-wheel-drive RS Turbo is the fastest, rarest version.A high-tech pocket rocket, this Impulse also features a Lotus-tuned suspension, passive rear-wheel steering, anti-lock brakes, and a functional hood scoop.With just 27,000 miles on the clock, this is one of the nicest remaining examples of a fun, obscure, and very collectible car.For a car that struggled to get noticed when it was new, the second-generation Isuzu Impulse RS Turbo isn’t shy. It’s loud, raw, and quick, and if you’re behind one at a stoplight, it advertises its “all wheel drive/intercooled turbo” status right on the back in all-caps decals. There are also “Handling by Lotus” and “DOHC” badges on the sides. If Isuzu had added decals or plaques for all of this punchy pocket rocket’s laundry list of tech, it might have ended up looking like a Winston Cup car. Despite all those features, sporty looks, and an available shooting-brake body style, Isuzu sold fewer than 10,000 second-gen Impulses in the U.S. before it axed its car line in 1993. Despite that ignominious end, the Impulse went out with a bang. This 27,000-mile 1991 Impulse RS Turbo AWD for sale on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is the ne plus ultra of Impulses. With 160 horsepower and moves to rival Integra GS-Rs and 240SXs, this unsung hero is one of just 600 U.S.-market turbos.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerThe Impulse’s problem was that its main adversary wasn’t the Integra or 240SX but the Geo Storm, its GM sibling from the start of development in 1985. GM owned 35 percent of Isuzu then, and the Storm would theoretically boost production and profits for Isuzu’s tiny car division, make replacing the aging first-generation Impulse easier, and provide Chevy with a fun, high-quality small coupe.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerIn reality, while the Geo didn’t get the Impulse’s best performance bits, it was cheaper, obviously related, and enjoyed a bigger dealer network and much more marketing budget. Geo sold 280,000 Storms while Impulses gathered dust. By 1991, Americans also thought of Isuzu as an SUV brand. They flocked to showrooms for the Amigo, Rodeo, and Trooper, not its cars. Meanwhile, Japan’s souring economy also meant poor sales at home, which led to the company’s 1992 decision to cancel its U.S. car line and ultimately stop building cars altogether.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerStill, Isuzu swung for the fences with the Impulse and Storm designs. The spaceship-like coupes were created under the eye of Isuzu’s Takao Honda, and the wagonback was sketched by one of Isuzu’s first female designers, Masayo Nagata. They had advice from high up, too, with GM design VP Chuck Jordan consulting on the designs at the firm’s Fujisawa studios. The Impulse looks more menacing, and those “eyebrow” lights resemble the Lamborghini Jarama’s.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerMechanically, they were just as bold, incorporating a Lotus-tuned suspension, Isuzu’s own Nishiboric passive rear-wheel steering, all-wheel drive with a 43:57 front-to-rear torque split, optional anti-lock brakes, and punchy twin-cam, 16-valve engines, including the optional 1.6-liter, 160-horse turbo. Lotus, also owned by GM back then, borrowed Isuzu’s turbo four and five-speed gearbox for the Elan M100 roadster.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerDelayed by labor shortages in Japan, the Impulse was introduced in 1989 but it didn’t arrive until the spring of 1990. That year, it came only as the XS coupe, with a 130-hp 1.6-liter twin-cam four, the Storm’s more powerful optional engine, and a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual. In 1991, Isuzu added the wagonback XS and the all-wheel-drive RS Turbo coupe, which would be the two rarest versions, but the RS, while included in the 1992 brochure, lasted just that one year and only 600 were shipped over, all manuals.Courtesy: Bring a TrailerSprightly and grippy, the all-wheel-drive turbo was a genuinely entertaining car, as we discovered in an April 1992 comparo. It was noisy and unrefined, probably thanks to attempts to keep the price down, but it could certainly keep up with other rad-era rivals like the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Integra GS-R, and Honda Prelude. It’s still a fun ride with a devoted cult following today.The tribe of classic Isuzu owners is tight-knit, active, and inclusive, with a lively Facebook group (Isuzone) and regular drives. This car has been offered for sale in that group before and is considered to be one of the nicest, lowest-mileage RSs in existence. It rides on non-original wheels (the originals are included) and has lost its rear windshield wiper, but it’s otherwise a minter and ready to roll. Best of all, Impulses (and Storms) are hardy cars; they’re easy to live with, though their rarity makes some parts hard to get. If you’re ready to be Radwood royalty and enter the Isuzone, the auction ends on August 14. More