Aurelia Butler

Mercedes is introducing a new special-edition version of the G-wagen called the Edition 550.It comes in either red, grey, or white and has black bumpers and fender flares, along with a special badge.The interior has fancier leather and carbon-fiber trim.The G-wagen briefly exited Mercedes-Benz’s lineup along with most of the automaker’s other V-8–powered models, but now it’s back and has added an exclusive special edition. 200 units of the G-class Edition 550 will make their way to the U.S. and feature a few appearance tweaks inside and out along with special badging.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

The Edition 550 models are based on the non-AMG G550 model with a 416-hp twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, rather than the more powerful 577-hp AMG G63. It will be offered in either Jupiter Red, Arabian Grey, or a new hue called Moonlight White. Rather than the standard model’s body-color bumpers and fender flares, the Edition 550 has black lower trim. The wheels appear to be the same black 20-inch AMG 14-spoke wheels that are available as an option on the standard model.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

The interior has two-tone Nappa leather upholstery, carbon-fiber trim, and options including massaging front seats. There’s also a badge on the passenger’s side grab handle denoting the special-edition as 1 of 200, and a similar emblem on the front fenders with a cool graphic of a G-wagen climbing a mountain.Mercedes has not yet released a price for the Edition 550, but we reckon it will be at least $150,000 given the price of an equivalent G550 with these appearance upgrades.
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• When it comes to the question of lightweight, slick-shifting rear-drive roadsters with four-wheel independent suspension, the answer is always Miata.• The Bring a Trailer auction site has listed this one, with a mid-1991 VIN number that falls on the right side of a major crankshaft redesign.• Bidding is open on this 1991 Miata until Sunday, March 6, with current bidding at a mere $9750.Those who know me understand why I’m keeping an eye on this car, my choice as Auction Pick of the Day on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. I have a soft spot for the 1.6-liter Miata because back in the day I managed to get my hands on one of the three original prototypes that were unveiled at the 1989 Chicago auto show. The red and blue ones went into the press fleet, but the white car, VIN 000017, ended up in my lap after a stint at the Mazda Service Training center, where it was taken apart and reassembled by countless mechanics. A group of us added a roll cage and got it an SCCA logbook because we were going to take it endurance racing, but that project was stillborn and I ended up with the car because, quite simply, it was being stored in my enclosed trailer.

Bring a Trailer

Bring a Trailer

I could only ever race that car because it could not be registered for the street, but I was immediately smitten by its sophisticated rear-drive chassis with independent double-wishbone suspension at each end. The 1.6-liter four-banger only made 116 hp at 6500 rpm, but that was enough to make it a Showroom Stock C (SSC) terror because its approximate 2150-pound race weight and well-balanced chassis made it the ultimate momentum car. The factory brakes were more than up for track duty, and the fact that the shift lever jutted directly out of the transmission made it one of the best-shifting manuals I can name. It was extremely easy to work on, too.At one point I bought a red 1991 Miata very much like the one in the BaT listing, including the desirable A package that included cruise control and power windows. I bought mine for $850 from a California Highway Patrol officer because it had high mileage and a blown-out ring and pinion. I plopped in the engine from the now-retired race car and installed a spare diff I had laying around, and I finally had a street-drivable Miata. Soon after, however, I was encouraged to restore the old race car, so the engine came out and went back into old #17. My red Miata sits engineless in my garage to this day.

Bring a Trailer

The Miata that is the subject of this auction benefits from the same advantage I found in the red car I bought: it’s a mid-1991 build that has the desirable “big nose” crankshaft that was installed starting at VIN 209447. All 1990 and early 1991 Miatas were built with short-nose cranks with a fragile keyway where the lower timing belt sprocket was indexed. The keyway was prone to breakage if the key was installed improperly or if the bolt was not torqued just so, which made it necessary to replace the entire crankshaft. Current advice for those changing a timing belt on the affected early cars is to not remove the lower timing belt sprocket if the front crank seal isn’t weeping. Some even go so far as to advise that you roll the car in fifth gear instead of turning the crank with a wrench when aligning the timing marks. But old motors eventually need to be rebuilt, so having the “big nose” crankshaft avoids a lot of hand wringing.

Bring a Trailer

It’s not clear if the Miata in this auction has ever had its timing belt replaced. On mileage alone, it’s not necessary. But this car was built 31 years ago, and I’d want to confirm the age of the timing belt and plan on replacing it if it turns out to be original. The rest of the car looks very original, too. There’s a bit of wear, but only enough to perhaps keep it from going for top dollar. The headlight doors line up nicely with the hood, and there’s not much rust underneath, both of which suggest it has been treated nicely and stored inside in winter. The tires are the wrong size, but that’s understandable because 185/60R-14 tires are hard to find unless you’re looking for high-performance autocross rubber, which is very much available in that size. This car shows only 17,000 miles and is currently in North Carolina, with bidding set to end on Sunday, March 6. It’d be a shame to see this car continue to sit mostly undriven, but I guess I have to come to grips with the fact that early Miatas might have become a classic when I wasn’t looking.

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Ford announced today a major restructuring, with two new divisions, Ford Model e and Ford Blue, joining the existing commercial arm, Ford Pro.Ford Model e will center around developing technologies for Ford’s future EVs as well as software and vehicle connectivity.Ford Blue will streamline the internal-combustion business and strengthen existing subbrands including the Bronco, F-series, and Mustang with new models and accompanying “brand experiences.”Jim Farley, who has been praised for his leadership since taking over as Ford president and CEO in October 2020, continues to shake things up at the long-lived American automaker. The company announced today that it will form two separate but interdependent businesses under the Ford banner—Ford Model e, which will focus on electric vehicles and connectivity, and Ford Blue, which will be dedicated to the company’s traditional internal-combustion-engine business. The division is part of Farley’s Ford+ plan introduced last year, and the two new branches join Ford Pro, the company’s commercial vehicle department.

Ford

Ford says that Ford Model e and Ford Blue “will be run as distinct businesses, but also support each other”—for instance, Ford Blue will make use of the software developed by Ford Model e—and both will also serve Lincoln. Ford Model e will center around future technology, developing things like electric platforms, batteries, e-motors, and recycling capabilities for Ford’s next generation of EVs. Ford Model e will also focus on the software and vehicle architectures that future Fords will run on, as well as the future of the car shopping, buying, and ownership experiences. Farley will add the role of president of Ford Model e to his list of duties.

Ford Blue, on the other hand, will “strengthen the iconic Ford vehicles” via investments in new models and related experiences and services having to do with the F-series, Ranger, Maverick, Bronco, Explorer, and Mustang. Ford says these brand experiences will range “from off-roading to performance to family activities,” particularly for “situations when ICE capabilities are required.” The Ford Blue division also intends to decrease waste and production costs as ways to streamline the internal-combustion business. Blue will support Ford Model e and Ford Pro through the global engineering, manufacturing, and testing systems that Ford already has. Kumar Galhotra, previously president of Ford North America, will become president of Ford Blue. Whatever this means for EV development, it seems clear that the traditional gas-powered Ford vehicles that buyers clearly still want are still getting Ford’s attention, not moving to any kind of back burner.
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The Polestar O2 concept is a two-door, hardtop electric roadster riding on the bespoke aluminum platform set to underpin the 2024 Polestar 5.The design is similar to the Precept concept, with sharp, minimalist lines.A drone can be deployed and autonomously follow the car at up to 56 mph, filming content that can be edited and shared directly from the car.Polestar already confirmed that the stunning Precept concept from 2020 will reach production in 2024 as the Polestar 5 riding on a bespoke bonded aluminum chassis. Now Polestar is showing more of what can be done with the 5’s new platform with the O2 concept, a sharp two-door electric roadster.
The O2 (which Polestar stylizes as O₂ like the molecular formula for oxygen) features front and rear lights similar to those on the original Precept concept but with a cleaner, sleeker front bumper. The proportions are balanced, with the cabin sitting perfectly in the center of the car. There’s a blacked-out A-pillar, giving off a hint of the new Nissan Z when the hard top is up. Polestar says that the bonded aluminum chassis will increase rigidity and improve body control while also keeping weight down. No specifics about the electric powertrain were revealed.

Aerodynamics play a big role on the O2. Ducts that exit behind the front wheels help smooth airflow over the side, and Polestar says the thin taillight acts as “air blades” to quell turbulence off the rear of the roadster. There is also aerofoil behind the rear seats that extends to create a “calm area of negative pressure”—crucial for the O2’s pièce de résistance, a drone, to take off. The autonomous drone can follow the car at up to 56 mph, with the driver able to select whether they want the drone to film an “atmospheric sequence” or an “action-filled sequence.” The video can then be edited and shared directly from the 15-inch center screen when the O2 is parked. Inside, the O2 features a recycled polyester for the soft-touch areas as well as lots of aluminum. There are currently no plans to put the Polestar O2 concept into production, but since it rides on the same platform as the upcoming 5, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
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When the original Gran Turismo launched on the first Sony PlayStation in 1997, each vehicle was built from 300 polygons. Today, more than 500,000 tiny triangular shapes create the cars in the latest racing simulator, Gran Turismo 7. The result of 25 years of research, processing power, and improvements is simply breathtaking.

Among the wealth of polygons are smaller details that make GT7 more beautiful than past Gran Turismo titles and, arguably, any other video game before it. It’s the static chassis slouch in photo mode from the car parked with its front wheels angled. Getting pulled off course from standing water on the racing surface. And, after an event, the audible metallic clinking from steamy brakes fresh off the circuit. That barely scratches the surface of what Gran Turismo is today, but when game studio Polyphony Digital’s CEO, Kazunori Yamauchi, said this is the most complete Gran Turismo game ever, he wasn’t playing.The Realest Driving SimulatorToday’s gaming hardware highlights some of our favorite features about GT7. Sure, it’s available on PS4, but the more powerful PS5 console connected to a 4K television is truly the best way to experience everything GT7 wants to show you. The HDR visuals during normal gameplay, and ray-tracing technology that’s only available during replay, photo, and demo modes, had us window shopping the car dealership menus just to admire the visuals.

When GT7 teased its adaptive trigger and haptic feedback functionality for Sony’s PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, racing fans rejoiced—those without an amateur NASA spaceship simulator in their living rooms, anyway. Although the adaptive triggers do deliver a sense of electronically assisted accelerator or brake like you’d find on most cars today, it’s no replacement for an actual direct-drive steering wheel and pedals. However, the resistance in both triggers does make for the most dynamic sense of driving we’ve experienced from a controller. The trigger for acceleration feels different than the trigger for braking, just like real foot pedals. Rather than shaking like an angry rattlesnake, the haptic feedback accurately adds vibration to specific parts of the controller. Put the right side of the car onto curbing, and only the right side of the controller rumbles. It’s not as impressive as the adaptive triggers, but feeling even the most subtle feedback in your hands from drivetrain or tire movement is worth the extra battery consumption.

There’s a noticeable difference between the driving physics in Gran Turismo 7 and the series’ last installment, Gran Turismo Sport. It really comes down to a better depiction of suspension travel and car control. It doesn’t seem like cars are clinging to a horizontal plane atop a flat surface anymore. The chassis twists and bends independently from the tires. This is especially obvious in the cockpit camera: as your driver saws at the wheel, there’s head bobble and shake. Wet surfaces also highlight this. The racetrack’s best line will begin to dry after lapping, returning grip and different driving characteristics to that area of the track. During a race at the Tokyo Expressway, it was raining harder in some corners than others.The 3D spatial audio was a little harder to perceive. This might be because early into our review time we opted to fully crank the engine noise, a setting in the various menu options. Players can also adjust the volume for tire squeal, transmission, and opponent’s car sound. There were no deep burbles or dramatic backfires in any of the cars we sampled from GT7, but overall the improved directional audio, surface, and wind noise helped simulate something real. The 3D audio is easier to notice in replays, as the camera pans across multiple vehicles, all shifting and accelerating at different points. It doesn’t just sound less like a herd of cars, but more like different cars at different speeds in different parts of the track. Picture ThisThe Gran Turismo photo mode, Scapes, has received more configurability options. Extra details like brake dust, tire dirt, and damage can be added to cars in Scapes mode, adding to the realism of photographing a car on snow or dirt. Now, with ray-tracing, the images created can be difficult to discern from reality. Scapes uses more than 2500 locations in over 40 countries. We found a few familiar Detroit streets (not too far from Car and Driver headquarters), parking garages, and buildings from our own photo shoots in this mode.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Replay cameras deserve a mention, too. The positions and panning during replays are the best they’ve ever been. And unlike a huge moment during a Formula 1 race, the folks in the booth seem to know when not to cut away from the action. It’s a small detail, but that’s why this series is so significant. Everything matters, down to the final 500,000th polygon.Yes, We’re OpenThe new Café location is the most guided single-player Gran Turismo experience of any title in the series. This area, along with the Licensing Center, is really where the first few hours of gameplay take place. It’s a clever way to introduce new players to the game, but people familiar with Gran Turismo are going to try to bust through the initial championships as quickly as possible. Not every location on the map is immediately available, so this is required driving and reading for every player to unlock online play, the tuning shop, and even photo mode. The Café is the inner hub of the world map. It gives objectives, pointing you where to race next and which cars to collect, but it also gives players brief historic information on each car they’ve collected. It also acts as a trophy cabinet for awards you’ve earned from winning championships.

In an effort to educate new and returning car enthusiasts, GT7 goes further than introducing cars with basic stats and specs. Historical context is given in brief excerpts throughout. The groups of cars you collect are meaningful and have things in common, sometimes showing a line of progression in either a brand or vehicle segment. Rather than make you Google car names, GT7 puts up a solid effort to provide important context for everything you unlock. Dude, Where’s My Car(s)?At launch, GT7 will carry more than 420 different cars, which is less than the number in Gran Turismo 2 back in 1999. The 420-car start is a big improvement from Gran Turismo Sport’s 168-car launch in 2017 that would later grow with free updates beyond 330 cars today. Sony says more cars and tracks will be added but hasn’t officially announced when or how many.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

So, we the public want more cars and tracks. GT7’s spectacularly detailed re-creation of everything from a 2014 Honda Fit hybrid to BMW M3 GT2 race car only strengthens this desire. There have been some exciting newer cars added to the dealerships, including the Nissan Z, the 10Best-winning Toyota GR86 from Gran Turismo Sport, and every insane Gran Turismo Vision concept. GT7 even provides your choice of either the 335-hp 2019 Toyota Supra, or the 382-hp 2020 Supra. But why is the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor still the freshest Ford pickup in the game? Where’s the new Raptor, or better yet, where’s the 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX?One More LapWe expect the single-player progression and achievement element in GT7 to easily turn this video game into an unhealthy obsession. We spent roughly an hour or two redoing our licensing tests to beat our colleagues’ time over at Road & Track. Our favorite aspect of Gran Turismo Sport was the highly competitive online racing. GT7 has that too, and this is the title that will ultimately get people more motivated to experience the Easter Egg hunt that is finding a PlayStation 5.

Gran Turismo 7 25th Anniversary Edition – PS5 Disc & PS4 Entitlement

PlayStation
amazon.com

$89.99

Gran Turismo 7 launches March 4th. Standard Editions are available for pre-order on PlayStation 4 for $59.99 and PlayStation 5 for $69.99. Preorder bonuses include extra in-game credits, a free car pack that includes the Mazda RX-Vision GT3 concept, the Porsche 917 Living Legend concept, and the Japanese Grand Touring Championship Castrol Tom’s Toyota Supra GT500 race car. An $89.99 Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for preorder and includes extra in-game credits, PS4 and PS5 dual entitlement, and a special Toyota GR Yaris painted in your country’s special livery, as well as the game’s official soundtrack.
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