The redesigned compact crossover sports more aggressive styling and should offer new features as well. Source: Motor – aranddriver.com More

Jay Leno drove the Cybertruck in Southern California with Tesla CEO Elon Musk sitting shotgun for his TV show. Musk noted that before the truck goes into production, it’ll have to shrink by 5 percent and visibility will need to be improved. The pair then took the Cybertruck for its maiden voyage down the Boring […] More

The Ford Bronco and its smaller Bronco Sport sibling have captured a massive fan base since their market debut. Of course now that we are starting to see these things around regularly, owners are embracing the accessory market. In fact, customers of the full-size Bronco are reportedly spending an average of $1700 on official Ford parts, with more than one million accessories sold between the two models. According to an Automotive News report, Ford executives say that the Bronco is currently the most customized product in the automaker’s portfolio. The Bronco Sport isn’t far behind, as its customers spend an average of $800 on parts from Ford’s own catalog. That figure puts the Bronco Sport right in line with the all-mighty F-150 as far as customization dollars are concerned. Warn, Yakima, Others Supplying the Goodies It can’t hurt that Ford has tailored a massive collection of parts for the Bronco and Bronco Sport with help from some of the biggest names in the automotive aftermarket. The automaker knew how important modifications are to the off-road community, and it worked with well-known companies like Warn and Yakima to create these components before the trucks even debuted. Customers can even spec the accessories they’d like to have on their truck right from the dealer before the truck arrives. This has created something of a lucrative business model for certain dealerships. Take Steve Olliges’s Team Ford dealership in Las Vegas, for example. Customers at this dealership spend an average of $4000 to $5000 on Bronco accessories with every purchase. The most popular parts that customers order across the board are the modular front bumper, winches, and off-road lighting elements. FordTested by C/D”It’s core to the success of Bronco,” Ford consumer marketing manager Mark Grueber told AN. “For dealers it’s a great opportunity not only from a profit standpoint but also long-term engagement with customers. It’s a great proof point of what Ford can do and how big this opportunity is going forward.”The success of the Bronco accessories program is multifaceted. First, the SUV was designed to enter a segment rife with customization needs and featured its own parts development cycle running concurrently with vehicle development. Second, Ford reworked its entire accessories distribution network to better serve dealer needs. By changing up the companies involved in the distribution, Ford has been able to cut back on wait times and improve inventory content. With more Bronco models continuing to roll out, one can expect the parts catalog to continue to grow as well. Not that anyone seems to be complaining about the current offerings. FordThis content is imported from OpenWeb. 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. More

Mazda’s four-rotor sports prototypes of the late Eighties and early Nineties are legends, thanks in large part to their extraordinary sound. Perhaps the least well known of this group is the RX-792P, of which just three were built for IMSA GTP racing in 1992 before Mazda canceled the four-rotor program, as the engine could no longer be raced in Europe.

But the RX-792P is a glorious thing nevertheless. Mazda North America still has one and brought it out for the historic races at Long Beach earlier this month. Road & Track contributor Marshall Pruett was there and managed to capture video, and perhaps more importantly, audio of the car. The noise is, as ever, scintillating.Around the three-minute mark, driver Tom Long really gets on it, and the sound plus the Long Beach scenery whizzing by will give you goosebumps. Next time around, the car fully warmed up, and he spends a few seconds buzzing the rev limiter in fifth. You’ll want to replay that over and over.The first Mazda four-rotor racing engine was the 13J, which debuted in the 1988 767. It evolved into the stronger, more powerful, yet more efficient R26B, which made its debut in the 1990 787. The 787B in 1991 got a unique variable-length intake system and made 690 horsepower at 9000 rpm. Unfortunately, the FIA banned rotary engines for the 1992 season, leaving America as the only place to run an R26B.Which Mazda did for 1992. As to be expected, the RX-792P—which shared little with the 787B—had a number of first-year teething problems and only managed two podium finishes over the 1992 season. Mazda North America planned to race the car in 1993, but with Mazda Japan canceling the four-rotor program entirely, it had no engine. Thankfully, we have historic racing, and the RX-792P can still be raced today.

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The 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is basically an EQS sedan with a raised ride height and an available third row.We rode shotgun in a dual-motor prototype that went up and down steep grades and slithered between trees.Mercedes-Benz will officially reveal the EQS SUV to the world on April 19.Don’t be fooled by the press photos of a camouflaged 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV playing in the sand. While the majority of our recent ride-along in a pre-production model was indeed spent off-road, the environment we experienced wasn’t something out of Lawrence of Arabia—instead, it consisted of steep grades and tight trails at a designated course located on the grounds of Mercedes’s assembly plant in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The factory was recently retooled to accommodate both traditional Mercedes SUVs–such as the GLE- and GLS-class–as well as the upcoming EQE and EQS electric SUVs, the latter of which is slated to start production within the next few months. Both models will receive lithium-ion battery packs produced at the company’s new battery plant located in nearby Bibb County. The EV SUVs will also set the stage for a slew of new all-electric models bearing Mercedes EQ branding, including the EQB SUV and EQE sedan.

Mercedes-Benz

While the company chose to stay silent on a variety of specific details about the new EQS SUV during our brief drive, we did get to see it perform on the aforementioned off-road course. We also got our first up-close-and-personal look at its undisguised interior, from the front passenger seat, at least. Our first impressions were pretty limited, and we wondered why Mercedes chose to conduct the ride almost exclusively off-road given that this vehicle will likely see trails as often as Jeep Wranglers see autocross courses, but we came away impressed nonetheless.

The EQS SUV shares a platform, wheelbase, and battery pack with the EQS sedan. That means it’s the second EQ model and first SUV built on the company’s modular EVO 2 platform. It measures 126.4 inches between its axles and draws power from a 107.8-kWh battery. The version we rode in featured an all-wheel-drive, dual-motor configuration with undisclosed output. However, we’d wager that its final figures will be similar to the EQS 580 sedan’s powertrain, which is rated at 516 horsepower and 631 pound-feet of torque.

Mercedes-Benz

Unfortunately, we weren’t treated to any launches or high-speed runs in the prototype EQS SUV. Instead, we had a couple of short runs over a nicely paved test track, noting its whisper-quiet cabin and ultra-smooth ride, aided by the standard air suspension. Our sample chariot was also fitted with 21-inch wheels wearing 275/45 front and 285/45 rear Pirelli Sottozero all-season tires. Despite the oversized rims, the tires’ thick sidewalls provided plenty of cushion without any noticeable effect on handling. Then again, our ride never got much more intense than someone racing for an open parking spot at Target.When the EQS SUV we rode in first left the asphalt for an undulating two-track dirt road, we thought maybe it was time for an explainer on its dazzling 56-inch Hyperscreen, which is optional, not standard. It’s a showpiece, no doubt, but it’s similar to the EQS sedan’s, except the passenger display can play live video. The sound only plays through a headset, and if the driver looks over at the screen, a monitoring system detects it and shuts off the screen to comply with safety regulations. Oddly, though, our driver was able to reach over and interact with other menus on the passenger display while driving without issue.

Mercedes-Benz

Instead of a rundown on the infotainment system, we watched our test driver set the EQS SUV to the Off-Road drive mode (a setting not found on the EQS sedan) and learned that it raises the suspension to its maximum ride height (another specific detail we’ll have to wait for) while also changing characteristics of the powertrain and stability-control system. We then proceeded over the rough terrain until we reached a steep bank leading down to some shallow standing water. The EQS slowly descended the hill and crossed the water hazard before easily ascending a 42-degree incline–as indicated by the in-dash inclinometer–without any wheelspin or drama whatsoever. Perhaps the most amazing feat was its agility on the tight, winding trail that we were told was as narrow as 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in some spots. The massive machine’s maneuverability was aided by its standard rear-axle steering, which turns the rear wheels up to 10 degrees.The prototype EQS SUV we rode in had a fully undisguised interior, the first time Mercedes has shown the space. The design looks almost identical to the inside of the EQS sedan, but Mercedes says there’s more headroom. Unlike its sedan sibling, the SUV version also offers a third row with seating for up to seven. The cabin’s fit and finish looked ready for production, and we’re big fans of the useful storage solutions throughout the cockpit. However, we’re less enthused by the near-total lack of physical switchgear. Almost every control inside the EQS SUV is touch-sensitive, and it makes us yearn for the knobs and buttons that once provided separation of function.

Mercedes-Benz

We’ll learn more when Mercedes officially reveals the 2023 EQS SUV on April 19. We expect it to be even more popular than its sedan counterpart, especially since its current competition is pretty much limited to the BMW iX and the Tesla Model X. We also expect it to spawn an AMG-tuned version and an ultra-luxurious Maybach model if the concept is any indication.
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