Aurelia Butler

Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe hinted at the future expansion of the EV lineup into R2 and R3 vehicles.He suggested that future Rivians will be smaller and cheaper, but he claims they’ll stay true to what he called Rivian’s “adventure” essence.The new info came from an interview on the WVFRM YouTube podcast hosted by Marques Brownlee.This content is imported from youTube. 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.Rivian CEO, RJ Scaringe, talks R1S and the Future of RivianWatch onYouTube IconYouTube IconSeeing any Rivian out in the wild is still a rare thing in most communities, but despite not yet achieving mass proliferation of its R1T and R1S EVs, the company is already looking ahead to future products. Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe recently sat down with YouTube personality Marques Brownlee on his WVFRM podcast to talk about Rivian’s current lineup and potential future products. The conversation started with Brownlee asking Scaringe for some background on the EV startup. Scaringe revealed that when Rivian was first created (13 years ago), it was largely focused on creating a sports car. Sound familiar to any Tesla fans? Setting a Course for Adventure Eventually, of course, the company switched its perspective and began targeting a different kind of sporting EV buyer with the R1T pickup and R1S SUV. According to Scaringe, the core idea was to build a brand that enables and inspires adventure. “We identified the flagship products to do that, with R1S and R1T intended to be truly a flagship,” said Scaringe. “Following those, we have a smaller set of products creatively we call R2, R3, but they move in different form factors and obviously different sizes.” If the R1S and R1T are the flagship models for the brand, it follows that any vehicles in the R2 lineup can be expected to be priced lower. Scaringe confirmed that, explaining how different development of a vehicle with a target price is than development of flagship models. “For the R2 product lineup, we have less dollars to spend, and so things that we didn’t have to debate as much on a flagship product we really are debating heavily,” Scaringe said. RivianScaringe noted that the company is deep in debate about which aspects of the R2 are vital and core to the identity of the brand, and which aspects are more frivolous. How capable does it have to be off-road while maintaining on-road driving dynamics? What about Easter-egg items like the Bluetooth speaker and the flashlight in the door? They’re the sort of questions that century old manufacturers have nailed down, while younger companies like Rivian are still finding a brand identity. “The goal with these is to continue to take the essence of what we’ve done here, but in different packages and smaller form factors,” Scaringe said.Smaller-Picture ItemsScaringe also focused in on some nearer-term information that Rivian watchers want to hear about: for instance, software and the lack of Apple CarPlay support in the R1S and R1T. On this topic, Scaringer compared in-house control of the software to fine cuisine:”A lot of the things we do, whether it’s music or mapping, we have to make sure we integrate with the best-in-class platforms, but controlling the systems just allows us to be the arbiter . . . or the head chef of the experience you get.” Sounds as though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support won’t be coming to the Rivian lineup any time soon. RivianBut Scaringe did reveal two new options on the way: one being a small storage container in place of the Bluetooth speaker that lives beneath the front seats. It will use the same latch as the speaker to keep it from the danger of becoming a projectile in a moving vehicle. He also said an updated version of the camp kitchen is in development for the gear tunnel. The discontinued version of the camp kitchen took up practically the entire gear tunnel, but Scaringe promises the updated version will be a more reasonable size.This content is imported from youTube. 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.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

This 1991 BMW 325i convertible includes the rare Sport Appearance package.It’s currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer with no reserve.Bidding ends early on Friday, April 14.If you were a yuppie attempting to survive in the decade of M.C. Hammer time, then you likely yearned for an E30 BMW 3-series convertible like this 1991 example currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. Related StoriesIt’s a 325i, which means its original owner shelled out the extra coin to skip over the entry-level 318i’s wheezy four-cylinder in order to enjoy the smooth operation of BMW’s legendary inline-six engine. It’s also equipped with the Special Appearance package, which combined the racy M3-inspired looks of the M-Technic package but kept the tamer suspension and smaller wheel and tire package of the standard 325i convertible. In other words, Special Appearance package-equipped 325i convertibles were for those who favored form over function. It’s why we actually dig the fact this example is not one of the rarer five-speed models. Sure, BMW’s four-speed automatic neuters the 168-hp 2.5-liter six-cylinder’s straight-line acceleration, but it also completely jives with this car’s ethos of strictly looking sportier than the average 325i ’vert.Bring a TrailerYes, the run-of-the-mill 325i convertible was also available with a five-speed manual, but if you’re a yuppie trying to make it in the ’90s, then you need your right hand free to hold your built-in car phone. Manually swapping cogs just isn’t in the cards.These 325i convertibles with the Special Appearance package are a rare breed. BMW reportedly produced fewer than 1000 examples of its compact convertible with this option. All wore either white or black paint.Bring a TrailerAlthough this E30 droptop’s relative rarity adds value, it’s still no E30 M3. Whereas solid examples of E30 M3s typically sell for north of $50,000, the last 325i convertible with the Special Appearance package to cross Bring a Trailer’s virtual auction block sold for $23,100 in October of last year. That prior car also showed nearly 30,000 fewer miles on its odometer and didn’t appear to suffer from any notable rust, unlike this 325i, which reportedly has rust in its left door jamb. A number of repainted areas, a top that’s slow to close, and wear on the seats are other issues that affect this 3-series.Bring a TrailerStill, this car still seems to be in good shape for its age, even if it’s not exactly in concours condition. Plus, the seller includes plenty of service documentation, indicating this 3-series was mechanically well-cared for. E30 325i convertibles with the Special Appearance package may not be the most sought-after variants of that 3-series. However, if you’re looking to cosplay as a yuppie in a low-mileage, ready-to-drive late-1980s or early-1990s BMW 3-series, then this rare example is likely an affordable and interesting way to do so.Senior EditorDespite their shared last name, Greg Fink is not related to Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s infamous Rat Fink. Both Finks, however, are known for their love of cars, car culture, and—strangely—monogrammed one-piece bathing suits. Greg’s career in the media industry goes back more than a decade. His previous experience includes stints as an editor at publications such as U.S. News & World Report, The Huffington Post, Motor1.com, and MotorTrend. More

From the May 2023 Issue of Car and Driver.When the eighth-generation Corvette Stingray arrived for the 2020 model year with its engine behind the passengers and the proportions of a mid-engine Ferrari, a host of rumors rumbled down the road behind it. The Stingray, we heard, would ultimately go for the throat of Lamborghinis, McLarens, or anything with the word “hypercar” or “exotic” in its dating profile. Those whispers will become a reality in the next couple of years with the arrival of two ultra-high-performance Corvettes: the ZR-1 and the Zora.The foundational elements of both cars are currently hiding in plain sight in the 2023 Z06 and the upcoming 2024 E-Ray hybrid. The ZR-1 and Zora both use much of the brilliant Z06 as a starting point, including a majority of its structure and its flatplane-crank V-8, wider body, huge tires, and carbon-ceramic brakes. Beyond that, though, the powertrains, performance, and purpose of the ZR-1 and Zora diverge.The ZR-1The ZR-1, which we expect to see as a ’25 model, takes those basics and adds firepower in the form of a twin-turbo version of the Z06’s 5.5-liter V-8, supposedly a stonker that belts out well over 800 horsepower.Much More CorvetteLike the Z06, the ZR-1 will remain a rear-driver. It will probably incorporate active aerodynamic elements, such as a rear wing and a front splitter, and offer a Z07-style track package. Though its weight will presumably rise by about 200 pounds over a Z06 due to its new turbo componentry and greater powertrain-cooling requirements, we predict that the additional sting in its tail will enable it to lunge to 60 mph in about 2.5 seconds or less. It will be the quickest Corvette around a racetrack while remaining as comfortable on the street as a Z06. Its performance will put it in contention with everything from the McLaren 750S to the Porsche 911 Turbo S. But its base price—we estimate it at $150,000—will undercut competitors by tens or even hundreds of thousands.The New Top DogFittingly, Chevy will name its new top-dog Corvette the Zora, after its most famous chief engineer, Zora Arkus-Duntov. He was pivotal in dragging the Corvette out of the dark ages in the ’50s by blending high-tech features of the day—disc brakes, fuel injection, an independent rear suspension—with red-blooded American V-8 power. That’s exactly what the Zora will do.The all-wheel-drive Zora targets acceleration records.Illustration By BradBuilds|Car and DriverToday’s new tech is electrification, and the Zora is a mashup of the ZR-1’s mechanicals and the 160-hp electric motor snuggled under the E-Ray’s nose. Add the E-Ray’s electric power to the ZR-1 engine’s output, and the Zora will be flirting with 1000 horsepower. It could weigh 4200 pounds, but with all-wheel drive aiding the launch, it’ll be the Top Fuel dragster of the Corvette lineup; we expect it to hit 60 mph in about 1.9 seconds and blaze through the quarter-mile in under 10 seconds at about 150 mph.The Zora won’t be aimed at tearing around road courses, though; it’ll be a smartly dressed speed demon with a full complement of luxury features and a ride comfy enough for cross-country treks. It’ll deliver typical-for-Corvette value, starting at around $200,000. Its power and performance, however, will have it soaring in the hypercar stratosphere with more expensive hybrid rockets like the forthcoming electrified Lamborghini Aventador replacement and the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. A fine way to honor the real Zora’s legacy.The LegendGetty ImagesZora Arkus-Duntov is often credited with making the Corvette a world-class sports car. In his 22 years with GM, he worked almost exclusively on the Corvette, becoming the car’s chief engineer in 1967. Arkus-Duntov brought the independent rear suspension, disc brakes, and limited-slip differential to the Corvette. An avid racer, Arkus-Duntov won his class at Le Mans in 1954 and ’55 and set a Pikes Peak record that stood for 13 years in a pre-production ’56 Chevy four-door hardtop.Director, Buyer’s GuideRich Ceppos has evaluated automobiles and automotive technology during a career that has encompassed 10 years at General Motors, two stints at Car and Driver totaling 19 years, and thousands of miles logged in racing cars. He was in music school when he realized what he really wanted to do in life and, somehow, it’s worked out. In between his two C/D postings he served as executive editor of Automobile Magazine; was an executive vice president at Campbell Marketing & Communications; worked in GM’s product-development area; and became publisher of Autoweek. He has raced continuously since college, held SCCA and IMSA pro racing licenses, and has competed in the 24 Hours of Daytona. He currently ministers to a 1999 Miata and a 1965 Corvette convertible and appreciates that none of his younger colleagues have yet uttered “Okay, Boomer” when he tells one of his stories about the crazy old days at C/D. More

From the May 2023 issue of Car and Driver.After decades of epic sports-car battles between Chevrolet Corvettes and Porsche 911s, Chevy is queuing up a new rivalry against Stuttgart’s highest-performing SUVs. Rather than expend resources to designate a new lineup of high-test sport-utility vehicles, Chevrolet will call its subbrand a name synonymous with performance: Corvette. It’s shocking General Motors took this long to add a true performance SUV to one of its model lines. After all, Porsche’s high-roof five-seaters—the Macan and Cayenne—continue to be its bestsellers year after year. Their high profit margins fund insanity such as the 718 GT4 RS and the 911 GT3 RS.General Motors designed its Alpha platform to underpin the best driving machines around. To date, the only model of the five built on it not to make our 10Best list at least once is the Cadillac ATS.Remove any previous expectations that the Corvette SUV will be electrified, at least not at first. The SUV will be built on the celebrated Alpha platform that underpins the Camaro and the spectacular Cadillac CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwings. The platform alone suggests the Corvette SUV will be both entertaining to drive and potentially sold in two sizes. Again, think Macan and Cayenne. The Alpha platform allows access to GM’s vast powertrain catalog. If Chevy builds a Macan competitor, we’d expect a 300-plus-hp turbo four to serve as the base engine and a twin-turbo V-6 with 400 or so horsepower at the top. To challenge the Cayenne, the larger SUV will get that twin-turbo V-6, while the nearly 500-hp 6.2-liter V-8 will belt out its American song in the higher trims. Expect the Vette SUV to come standard with all-wheel drive and a 10-speed automatic across the board, with magnetorheological dampers an optional extra.Illustration By BradBuilds|Car and DriverAt the top of the Corvette SUV lineup is where things should get very interesting. After the initial launch, and to no one’s surprise, the SUV will receive the Z0-something treatment to put the most exotic utility vehicles directly in Chevrolet’s crosshairs. The Cadillac Escalade V’s supercharged 682-hp 6.2-liter V-8 should do it, along with carbon-ceramic brakes and tires as wide as the Mississippi. All of this while still undercutting the competition by tens of thousands of dollars.We expect Chevy to reveal the Corvette SUV later this year and for it to arrive at dealerships in the latter half of 2024 with a starting price of around $60,000.To the FutureSenior Testing EditorDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More