Ford may have created a monster. We’re not scaremongers when it comes to technology, but Ford’s latest announcement chills us to the bone. Such are the humanity-altering ramifications of its deployment. Check out some of the phrasing in this announcement, which pertains to three- or four-ton hunks of steel and aluminum autonomously roaming the earth. Ford cites “60 new patents,” “computer vision,” “artificial intelligence,” a “neural network,” and “machine learning,” just to name five things that should rightly cause you permanent insomnia. These groundbreaking dystopian horrors will commandeer the controls of your 2023 Ford truck—F-150 or Super Duty—and relegate you to the role of useless meat cargo as your truck hurtles backward, on its own recognizance, on a mission from which it won’t be dissuaded: lining up your hitch with a trailer.Bringing It with YouThat’s right. No longer will trailer-hooking-up be subject to the vagaries of human frailty, those pathetic faults of depth perception or glare or distraction. No longer will we back up, get out, realize we need to back up another three inches, get back in, back up six inches, get out, realize we backed up too far and turn our faces to the sky to plead with the heavens for some eternal recourse from this Sisyphean ordeal. No—now we will push a button and let the computer handle this, while the computer silently chortles its binary mockery.It’s like if a drone deposited you 10 feet from the summit of Mount Everest and then flew away.Simply put, Ford’s system uses cameras to identify a trailer and, within about 20 feet or so, reverse the truck such that the hitch ball is beneath the trailer coupler, typically within one inch of precision. Ford calls the system Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, as benign a misnomer as “Cyberdyne Skynet.” Make no mistake, Pro Trailer Hitch Assist must never infiltrate our networks. But should that ever happen, let us go on the record that we love Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and will always help it accomplish its aims, whatever those may be!Yes, push the button. Relax. Let the truck handle this. Based on your maxed-out air conditioning and ventilated seat settings, you are stressed, human.Ford Motor CompanySome might say that Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is dumb unless it automatically applies the parking brake so your truck doesn’t lurch forward when you step off the brake, thus putting your hitch ball a few inches forward of its ideal position. Well, guess what? Ford thought of that. Or maybe Pro Trailer Hitch Assist itself thought of that. But either way, once it gets lined up, it’s throwing on that parking brake to hold your position. Such a smart system! We love it.Now sure, there are already backup cameras that pretty much literally draw a path from your hitch to the trailer, so all you need to do is follow the breadcrumbs to line up the hitch ball. And one might say that if you need that much help mating truck with trailer, maybe you shouldn’t be towing anything anywhere, because towing a trailer is a lot harder than hooking one up. It’s kind of like if a drone were programmed to deposit you 10 feet from the summit of Mount Everest and then fly away. On one hand, you’re about to accomplish something. But on the other, you might be in very serious trouble! And there’s no Tenzing Norgay of towing. If there were, you wouldn’t see so many trailers with dented fenders.Ford hasn’t released pricing for Pro Trailer Hitch Assist—we’ll update this story when it’s available—but, assuredly, it will be measured in far more than dollars. Pro Trailer Hitch Assist is available on the 2023 F-150, F-150 Lightning, and Super Duty trucks.Collect the Full SetSenior EditorEzra Dyer is a Car and Driver senior editor and columnist. He’s now based in North Carolina but still remembers how to turn right. He owns a 2009 GEM e4 and once drove 206 mph. Those facts are mutually exclusive. More

This 2003 Honda S2000, currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, shows less than 15,000 miles on its odometer.A 2003 Honda S2000 took first place in a five-car comparison test we published in August 2003.Bidding for this S2000 closes on Sunday, June 19, and as of Friday was up to $34,000.If at first you don’t succeed, try again. This is seemingly the motto of Bring a Trailer user danjordanhockey, who’s putting this 2003 Honda S2000 back on the auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—after the car failed to sell in October 2021. In its first go-around on BaT, this low-mileage S2000 mustered a top bid of $30,000.

Things are already looking up for danjordanhockey this time, though, as the S2000 this individual has owned since 2005 already has a bid of $34,000 as of this writing. And there are still many days left to go until bidding for this car closes on the afternoon of June 19.

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As far as S2000s are concerned, the 2002–2003 models are arguably among the best of the lot. They combine the car’s original high-revving 2.0-liter four-cylinder with the likes of a glass rear window (earlier S2000s have plastic units), improvements to the six-speed manual transmission, and various interior upgrades. Later 2004–2009 S2000s, better known as the AP2 to the 2000–2003 models’ AP1, benefit from additional low-end torque by way of a bigger 2.2-liter engine, but these cars also forgo the 2.0-liter unit’s screaming near-9000-rpm redline for an 8000-rpm setup.With just 14,430 miles on its odometer, this nearly 20-year-old Honda has seen 62 miles added to it since it was last listed in October. It also wears the same 17-inch wheels from an AP2 S2000 that it sported in the earlier listing. Frankly, we think the standard 16-inch wheels make for a better look on these earlier S2000s. Fortunately, swapping out these wheels for the correct units ought to be a pretty inexpensive affair.

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Regardless, these later AP1 S2000s are an absolute riot to drive. In fact, an ’03 S2000 took the top spot in a five-way comparison test we conducted in 2003. In that droptop comparo, the S2000 beat out the Nissan 350Z, the Porsche Boxster, the BMW Z4, and the Audi TT.We summed up the S2000 then as a “four-wheeler with crotch-rocket DNA.” Even today, this verdict holds true. The S2000 offers a visceral, rev-happy driving experience unlike just about anything currently sold. Perhaps that’s why prices for used S2000s continue to rise. Bidding on this one ends on Sunday, June 19.
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Bring a Trailer offers more than (sometimes unusual) used cars, and we’ve rounded up a few interesting examples of things that you don’t actually need a trailer for. Maybe.Nonfunctioning Ferrari display engines, a toy version of a 1958 Series II Land Rover, and some classic Ferrari service manuals can all be had on the site.There are also vehicles that kind of defy trailering, at least under normal circumstances, like the old U.S. military Unimog (pictured above), complete with a hydraulic front-end loader.Vehicle auction site Bring a Trailer sold more than 24,000 vehicles last year, but not everything on the site really needs a trailer. Sure, some of the vehicles for sale do need to be towed to a repair shop before they can move, but there are items available on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—that would fit into your pocket. They’re mainly items from across the broader automotive world, though, and we chose some of our favorites currently available on BaT, like these non-cars currently being auctioned off.Bring a TrailerBring a Trailer We’ll start with some pocketable items: four printed Ferrari manuals and catalogs from the mid-1960s. These now classic printed items relate to the beloved Ferrari 275 grand tourer, specifically the 275GTB, 275GTB4, and 275GTS versions. There’s an operation and service manual, two spare parts catalogs, and a 275GTS sales brochure. Printed in Italian, English, and French, these old manuals come with a fabric-covered pouch featuring the prancing-horse logo and a leather closure tab if you don’t want to actually put these pieces of automotive history in your pocket. The current bid is $275, with seven days left in the auction.Bring a TrailerMoving on to larger items, we’ve got a gorgeous 3.6-liter F131 V-8 engine, the kind used in another Ferrari, the 360 Modena. But this engine hasn’t yet powered any car. It can’t, actually, since it’s a display piece without any internal parts, the kind Ferrari must have used at some sort of promotional event. The display engine is fitted with red Ferrari-branded intakes, a non-functioning intake manifold and cylinder heads, and other components. Whether a trailer is required for this piece depends on the size of your vehicle, but it does come with a pedestal-style display stand when it comes time to show off your new purchase. With a week left until the auction ends on January 15, bidding currently stands at $1500.Bring a TrailerMoving away from things Italian, we also found this pint-sized 1958 Series II Land Rover toy replica that was made in 2020. The Toylander Series II kart actually moves thanks to two 24-volt electric motors on the rear axle with a direct-drive transmission. While commenters on BaT bemoan the lack of authentic details like an oil leak, the toy car does come with eight-inch steel wheels and working headlights, taillights, and turn signals. The fiberglass body is about 63 inches long and 29 inches wide, big enough for one adult and two children, the manufacturer said. The Toylander Series II has a top speed of just 5 mph. The current bid is $1200, and while there’s some room for higher bids, new Toylanders like this can be had for around $2000.Bring a TrailerFinally, in our non-car BaT roundup, we’ve got something from the other end of the size spectrum: a Freightliner Unimog workhorse with a detachable hydraulically operated front-end loader. Originally a U.S. military vehicle—it’s still painted in camouflage—this Unimog was overhauled in 2005 and had some maintenance done in 2022, including replacing a hydraulic boom cylinder. Work tools including a hydraulic chain saw, hammer drill, and pavement breaker are included in storage lockers on the right side of the vehicle. We’ll see where this one ends on January 15, but the current bid is $10,666.This 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.This 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. More

GM plans to expand the Escalade and Camaro names into subbrands, like the planned Corvette range of EV models.The other Escalade models could include a smaller three-row crossover and a more carlike crossover.Future Camaros could comprise a crossover, additional coupe and convertible models, and a sports car related to the Corvette.Now that we know more about Chevrolet’s plans to turn Corvette into a whole range of models, the focus turns to other high-value nameplates within the GM portfolio. The next two subbrands appear to center around the Cadillac Escalade and the Chevrolet Camaro.Escalade ExpansionAccording to our source inside GM, the automaker has looked long and hard at reinventing the Cadillac brand one more time, but management apparently came to the conclusion that it makes more sense to use the Escalade—the quintessential Cadillac—as a peg for the second Corvette-style subbrand, which stands proud in the cycle plan.More on the EscaladeA smaller version of the Escalade is a no-brainer and could take shape as a seven-seat crossover along the lines of the upcoming Porsche three-row SUV, codenamed K1. This would presumably sell well in key markets such as the U.S. and China. There is also talk of a more carlike modern-luxury segment-fusing all-terrain Escalade. Option number four is a high-end MPV that may initially only be sold in China, where the Toyota Alphard and other luxury minivans are a runaway success.Camaro SUV PossibleThe third potential GM subbrand under evaluation is Camaro. “We did look at other successful standalone products like Silverado and Suburban but found them unsuitable for various different reasons. In our view, an additional independent lineup must be compiled from three or more distinctly different offerings under the same brand umbrella.”More on the CamaroIn the case of the Camaro, these models have been provisionally defined as a fully electric 2+2-seater coupe and convertible, a decidedly sporty crossover offered in two-door and four-door body styles, and a mid-price flagship sports car loosely linked to the C9 Corvette in content but not in appearance. Substantial in-house synergies should make the all-electric Camaros a solid business case with global appeal.This 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.This 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. More

This Jeep Wrangler Overlook concept for SEMA has an added third row of seats.It’s a foot longer than a standard Wrangler four-door and the roof is five inches higher.The Overlook also has other Jeep accessories including upgraded shocks and fancier leather upholstery.Jeep is taking a page from the Land Rover Defender’s book by creating a special stretched version of the Wrangler with an additional row of seats and a stepped roofline. This concept is called the Wrangler Overlook and is headed for the SEMA aftermarket show in Las Vegas next week.The Overlook is based on a four-door Wrangler Sahara and features a body that’s lengthened by a foot and a raised roof at the rear that’s five inches taller than normal. This provides enough room for a third row of seats. The roof extension also includes extra windows to see the world outside from the second and third rows, while the roof remains removable and a flip-up sunroof sits over the front seats.

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The interior features black Katzkin leather with bronze accents, while embroidered Jeep logos, a leather-wrapped dashboard, and suede trim class up the vibe. The Overlook’s exterior is finished in Sahara Bronze and it has a two-inch lift kit with fox shocks. Special 20-inch wheels are wrapped in 37-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tires and there are extra off-road lights mounted up front.While we don’t expect to see Jeep put this one-off vehicle into production anytime soon, we do think there’d be a market for a three-row Wrangler if the company decided to build one. So only time will tell if this is simply a fun idea or something that may come to fruition in the near future.

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