Aurelia Butler

Volkswagen announced that the short-lived Arteon is heading for the chopping block as the company realigns its focus on higher-volume models.Sales figures for the Arteon have been on a downward trend in recent years, with Volkswagen selling 5537 in 2021 and only 1742 in 2022.The manufacturer confirmed to Car and Driver that 2024 will be the final model year for the Arteon. Volkswagen will soon be short one large hatchback. The manufacturer announced today that the short-lived Arteon four-door is scheduled for a visit to the gallows, and confirmed to Car and Driver that 2024 will be the final model year.The announcement comes in conjunction with Volkswagen’s Accelerate Forward program, which sees the company refocusing its efforts on becoming a more efficient and more profitable company. According to Volkswagen CEO Thomas Schäfer, that means focusing on a smaller number of high-volume vehicles, while removing low-volume vehicles such as the Arteon.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverDebuting in the U.S. in 2019, the Arteon has never enjoyed big sales figures in our market. A general lack of enthusiasm by American shoppers has all but killed the full-size sedan segment domestically, with only a few competitors remaining. According to sales figures from VW, the Arteon has been on steep downward spiral for the last two years. The manufacturer sold just 5537 Arteons in 2021 and only 1742 in 2022. Compare those figures to the over 375,000 and 300,000 total vehicles sold by Volkswagen in the U.S. for each respective year, and the decision to discontinue the model becomes crystal clear.More on the ArteonAt this point, Volkswagen hasn’t announced any direct replacement for the Arteon. We know the electric ID.7 is headed for the U.S., and that could be viewed as a sort of replacement for both the Arteon and the discontinued Passat mid-size sedan. Despite its high sticker price, we’ve always held the Arteon in good light. On top of that, we’ll simply be sad to see the full-size sedan market shrink even further. 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.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

The 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport receives updates for the new model year.The Discovery Sport’s interior is the biggest beneficiary, adding a curved 11.4-inch touchscreen and other newly standard features.Subtle changes freshen up the Disco Sport’s exterior, including a new gloss-black grille as well as different 19- and 21-inch wheels.It’s easy to forget about the Land Rover Discovery Sport, but the luxury off-roader gets a few updates for the 2024 model year that help bring attention to the SUV. While there are some light styling changes, the most notable updates occur in the cabin, where a curved 11.4-inch touchscreen now serves as the centerpiece.A Big New ScreenThe new infotainment screen runs the latest version of the company’s Pivi Pro software. For those who aren’t familiar with the setup, there are static bars on both sides of the screen that always allow users to instantly access certain menus and functions. The large floating glass display also includes standard Amazon Alexa voice compatibility along with wireless Apple CarPlay; Android Auto is also part of the deal. The 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport receives a revised center console and center stack too. A stubby shifter replaces the old tall, narrow lever, and it’s surrounded by a smoother and more attractive surface. Below the Pivi Pro screen is extra storage space instead of the HVAC control panel with its physical knobs. There’s a newly standard wireless charging pad and two USB-C ports. The SUV adds a new three-spoke steering wheel with rearranged controls and shift paddles, and every ’24 Discovery Sport comes standard with a fully digital gauge cluster.Fresher Styling, Higher PriceThe Disco Sport’s exterior updates aren’t significant enough to be noticed by most people. However, Land Rover says the base S trim adds a new gloss-black grille, color-matching rocker panels, and silver skid plates. The Dynamic variant features a gloss-black roof and other matching exterior details. It also has three strakes on the front bumper’s air inlets for a more distinctive look. Varesine Blue is a new paint color, and customers can chose from newly designed 19- and 21-inch wheels.The 2024 Land Rover Discovery Sport is currently on sale in America, with a starting price of $50,075. That’s for the base S trim, and it’s a sizable $5600 more than the 2023 model. Of course, the SUV does add a host of new standard features. The Dynamic SE starts at $54,275—$4600 more than before. Every model still features all-wheel drive and the P250 powertrain, which is a 246-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission.Past Disco Sport StoriesThis 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 Z11 option package was a one-year-only offering that brought aluminum body panels and other weight-saving features.It’s believed that 57 full-size ’63 Chevys were so equipped.This example was originally campaigned by drag racer Terry Prince.Car and DriverThis 1963 Impala is one of the most muscular full-size Chevys ever made, rare and bristling with aggression. In period, it rolled up to the Christmas tree and then blitzed down the dragstrip, angry dinosaur noises roaring out of its 427-cubic-inch big-block V-8. Now, this rare Impala is up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. Bring a TrailerMore Impala goodnessThe early 1960s were a golden age for drag racing, and Chevrolet’s executives wanted to beat Ford. For 1963, they introduced a special-order option package, Regular Production Order (RPO) code Z11, which bestowed Chevrolet’s full-size Impala with something very special. It was an astronomically expensive option—at $1240, it added almost a third to the price of the car—and buyers got less for their money. Specifically, the radio, heater, and front sway bar were deleted. Many steel parts were replaced with aluminum, for a total weight savings of around 300 pounds.Bring a TrailerChevy had introduced the Super Sport (SS) option in 1961, with a 409-cubic-inch V-8 good for around 360 horsepower. For the Z11, that engine was punched up to 427 cubic inches, fitted with 13.5:1 compression pistons, and crowned with a high-rise intake and twin four-barrel carbs. The factory rating was 430 horsepower and 575 pound-feet of torque. The manual transmission was a four-speed BorgWarner T-10. Power is sent rearward to a 4.11:1 Positraction rear axle.Bring a TrailerThis example was bought new by Terry Prince, whose name it wears on its flanks. Prince ran the performance shop at Service Chevrolet in Pasadena, California, and ordered it specially. He competed in the 1963 NHRA Winternationals, and through the rest of the year. The car is accompanied by photos of the Impala in competition, as well as the original purchase order for $4102.32. The car was restored from a dissembled state in the late 1990s.Get your footwork right and this big red sled would scoot to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and flash through the quarter-mile traps at over 120 mph. A ferocious beast from a long-ago age, this Chevy has no seatbelts, drum brakes, and firepower like the USS Missouri. It’s a holy grail for Impala enthusiasts. The auction runs through June 17.Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

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.Attention, gamers: The release date for the new Forza Motorsport is October 10, with an opportunity to preorder special editions and get five days of early access ahead of launch. Forza Motorsport is available for Xbox Series S, Series X, and PC. The game is also included as part of the Xbox Game Pass subscription service. This newest iteration of Forza will launch with more than 500 cars, 20 tracks, and a fancy new physics and graphics system that allows for gameplay at 4K resolution at 60 frames per second on Xbox Series X and PCs with suitable hardware. The 100th Le Mans, a new Detroit Grand Prix city circuit, and the upcoming Formula 1 race down the Las Vegas Strip have all contributed to an especially exciting year of motorsport spectatorship—and Turn 10 Studio’s all-new Forza Motorsport promises to keep the party going. Stuffed within the two-hour-long Xbox Games Showcase was this Forza Motorsport official trailer that highlighted new cars, tracks, and Xbox’s highly anticipated next-generation answer to Sony’s exclusive Gran Turismo 7. Pre-orders are open now, but the new Forza Motorsport has been confirmed as included in Xbox Game Pass when it launches on October 10. Get your game onThe DetailsHere’s what we know so far: Forza Motorsport is bringing more than 500 cars with it on launch day. There are 20 tracks that each have numerous layouts, and five of those tracks are brand new to the series. Every track in the game will have a range of times of day and a choice of different weather environments, with the ability for the track surface to collect rubber and varying grip levels dependent on surface temperature. Some of our own favorites, such as Virginia International Raceway and the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, make their return in more detail than ever before. TURN 10 STUDIOSMore Powertrain Swapping, More ChallengesPart of Forza’s long-standing charm has been the ability to swap powertrains and drivetrains to create some wild automotive cocktails. That’s back, and so are 800 other performance upgrades for its swath of vehicles to challenge the imagination. A single-player campaign mode, Builders Cup Career mode, and online multiplayer all return to the stage this year, each with its own challenges and progression system that are designed to keep you in the driver’s seat. Turn 10 says the AI has been revamped to add a smarter and more competitive level of difficulty, and if that’s not enough for ya, they’ve thrown tire and fuel strategy into the mix.Forza Motorsport Standard EditionForza Motorsport Standard EditionForza fans can preorder to get early access to Forza Motorsport, beginning October 5, and play either on Xbox Series X, Series S, or PC. PC gamers who prefer Steam to the Xbox store can wish-list the new Forza to be notified when it’s available for preorder on that platform. There are also multiple special editions that have come with their own perks for an extra cost. The Premium Edition ($99) brings five days of early access, a Race Day Car Pack, a Car Pass (one new car awarded weekly for 30 weeks), VIP membership, and a welcome pack. The Deluxe Edition ($89) gets everything the Premium Edition includes, short of the early access. The Standard Edition ($69) is the cheapest way to purchase the new Forza Motorsport, but if you’re already subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, you’ll be able to play on launch day. 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.Associate EditorYes, he’s still working on the 1986 Nissan 300ZX Turbo project car he started in high school, and no, it’s not for sale yet. Austin Irwin was born and raised in Michigan, and, despite getting shelled by hockey pucks during a not-so-successful goaltending career through high school and college, still has all of his teeth. He loves cars from the 1980s and Bleu, his Great Pyrenees, and is an active member of the Buffalo Wild Wings community. When Austin isn’t working on his own cars, he’s likely on the side of the highway helping someone else fix theirs. More