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    2024 Toyota Mirai FCEV Receives Updates, Including a New Badge

    Toyota has given the hydrogen-powered Mirai a few updates for 2024, most notably the new Beyond Zero badge first seen on the Prius.The Mirai had its best sales year in 2023, but Toyota still only moved 2737 examples of its fuel-cell sedan.While the Mirai handily outsells its only challenger, the Hyundai Nexo, it will soon be joined by a hydrogen version of Honda’s popular CR-V.Amidst Toyota’s broad lineup of mainstream cars and crossovers and enthusiast-focused sports cars and off-road SUVs, there’s one model that is often overlooked: the hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered Mirai. For 2024, Toyota is reminding us that it still builds this unconventional sedan, giving the Mirai a few upgrades before it prepares to face new competition in the minuscule hydrogen segment in the near future. ToyotaThe most noticeable change for 2024 is the addition of new Beyond Zero badging. First seen on the 2023 Prius, Toyota has been applying the small circular blue logo to its latest hybrid and electric vehicles, such as the Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. On the Mirai, it’s accompanied by “FCEV” lettering, for fuel-cell electric vehicle. Along with the new emblem, the Mirai is also now offered in a new color called Elemental Silver. The 2024 Mirai gains the full Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 suite, which includes driver-assistance features such as adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, and pre-collision emergency braking with pedestrian detection.Mechanically, the Mirai is unchanged. The hydrogen fuel cell powers an electric motor that sends 182 horsepower to the rear wheels. While the trip to 60 mph takes a sluggish 9.1 seconds, the base XLE model is able to travel 402 miles on a tank of hydrogen. Upgrading to the fancier Limited trim sees the range fall to 357 miles. Toyota also provides $15,000 worth of hydrogen for those who take the fuel-cell plunge with the Mirai. The base price rises slightly to $51,215, with the Limited coming in at $68,180.ToyotaAll told, the changes are minor. But the Mirai, which entered its second generation for 2021, doesn’t have to do much to capture the few buyers interested in experimenting with hydrogen. It is one of just two fuel-cell vehicles currently on sale in the United States. Like its only challenger, the Hyundai Nexo, the Mirai is exclusively offered in California. Last year, Toyota sold 2737 Mirais, and while that number may be small, it was the sedan’s best sales year ever and represented a 31 percent increase over 2022. The Nexo, meanwhile, found just 241 homes, a 41 percent drop versus 2022.Soon the Mirai will face new competition, with Honda set to launch a hydrogen-powered version of its popular CR-V crossover this year. The vehicle will be built at the Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio that formerly built the Acura NSX. Honda said last year that the new fuel-cell system is more durable and costs two-thirds less to build than the setup in its previous effort, the Clarity Fuel Cell. With the recent announcement that General Motors and Honda’s joint venture to build fuel-cell systems in Michigan is underway, the next hydrogen competitor to the Mirai is just around the corner. More on Hydrogen CarsCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

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    Mullin Automotive Museum to Close Its Doors Forever Feb. 10

    The world-renowned Mullin Automotive Museum in Oxnard, California, has announced it will close its doors for good on February 10.The museum opened in 2010 and housed the greatest collection of French cars of the 1930s ever assembled, rivaled only by the Schlumpf Collection in Molsheim, France. Peter Mullin passed away last year at age 82. While four cars will go to the Petersen Automotive Museum, there is no word yet on what will happen to the rest of the automobiles and to all of the art. It was great while it lasted.The Mullin Automotive Museum, a bastion of great French cars of the 1930s, as well as art, furniture, and even fashion of the Art Deco movement, will close its doors for good on February 10.The museum is located in Oxnard, California. It was founded by Peter Mullin and his wife, Merle, as a place to gather their unsurpassed collection of Bugattis, Delages, Delahayes, Voisins, and other sculptured French cars, as well as furniture and objets d’art from a time that many consider the epitome of car design and artistic expression.”Peter and Merle Mullin founded the Oxnard-based museum in 2010 to educate guests about 20th-century French automotive styling and design by showcasing the finest vehicles, sculptures, and artifacts from the most esteemed French master coachbuilders,” read a statement from the museum released today.Click for articlePebble Beach ConcoursPeter and Merle Mullin after their Voisin C-25 Aérodyne won Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours.Peter Mullin passed away on September 20, 2023, after a long illness. Merle continued to show cars from the collection at gatherings such as Pebble Beach, Villa d’Este, and Amelia Island, often winning Best of Show honors. The Mullins won Best of Show at Pebble Beach in 2011 for their uniquely inspiring 1934 Voisin C-25 Aérodyne and took top honors at Amelia as well as awards at Chantilly and Villa d’Este, among many other shows. Mullin rose from humble beginnings in Southern California to found a financial empire that allowed him to pursue his artistic enthusiasms, particularly with French cars. Mullin started out in college at UC Santa Barbara as an art major but came to a realization early on that made him change his major to economics.”A friend and I were working for an artist, a man of considerable talent, but there came a point where he couldn’t afford to pay us,” Mullin once told Autoweek. “I realized that something was wrong—here was this guy who had all this artistic talent, but who couldn’t make a living at it. So I went into business instead.”He founded Mullin Consulting in Los Angeles when he was just 28 and co-founded M Financial Group 10 years later. His businesses were successful enough to allow him to pursue his first passion, French cars of the 1930s.The Mullins supported many charities throughout the years, among them the Music Center of Los Angeles, St. John’s Hospital and Health Center in Santa Monica, Occidental College in Eagle Rock, and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. Most recently, the Mullins made a $15 million donation to fund the Art Center’s South Campus.The Mullin Museum has nearly 47,000 square feet of exhibit space, with a main floor filled with cars surrounded by galleries above that showcase the furniture and other Art Deco items. The museum includes a rooftop garden, theater, gift shop, and archival storage.Four of the Mullin Museum’s most iconic vehicles have been donated to the Petersen Automotive Museum, of which Peter Mullin had served as chairman: the 1937 Talbot-Lago T150 CS “Teardrop,” the 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6B Dubonnet Xenia, the 1939 Delahaye 165, and the 1938 Delahaye 145 will all become part of the Petersen Automotive Museum, an institution that Peter Mullin also helped transform into a world-class museum.There is no word yet on what will happen to the rest of the collection.”Sharing these ‘rolling sculptures’ and beautiful art with others was Peter’s truest passion, and the museum helped bring that vision to life,” said Merle Mullin. “We are deeply indebted to our staff, docents, volunteers, visitors and supporters who have dedicated their time and passion over the past 13 years. I hope past and first-time visitors will have a chance to say goodbye before we close.”Mark Vaughn grew up in a Ford family and spent many hours holding a trouble light over a straight-six miraculously fed by a single-barrel carburetor while his father cursed Ford, all its products and everyone who ever worked there. This was his introduction to objective automotive criticism. He started writing for City News Service in Los Angeles, then moved to Europe and became editor of a car magazine called, creatively, Auto. He decided Auto should cover Formula 1, sports prototypes and touring cars—no one stopped him! From there he interviewed with Autoweek at the 1989 Frankfurt motor show and has been with us ever since. More

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    2025 Wagoneer S, Jeep’s First U.S. EV, Goes on Sale This Fall

    Jeep has confirmed the arrival of its first EV for the United States, with the 2025 Wagoneer S set to hit the road in the fall of 2024.A teaser image shows an identical front end to the original Wagoneer S concept shown in 2022.Jeep also touted the same 600-hp output and claimed 3.5-second 60-mph time as it first did in 2022.Jeep has finally confirmed the arrival of its first electric vehicle, the Wagoneer S, which will go on sale in the fall of this year. Jeep first showed images of a concept version of the Wagoneer S in 2022, along with a boxy EV SUV called the Recon. At the time, Jeep had referred to the “Wagoneer S” moniker as a codename, but it now appears that Jeep is committed to that title for its first EV.JeepThe original Wagoneer S concept from 2022.Although its name is shared with the gargantuan gas-powered Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the Wagoneer S is smaller, with Jeep referring to it as a mid-size model. The latest image Jeep shared of the front end shrouded in darkness appears to show all of the same design cues as the original concept images, including the illuminated grille.Jeep also reiterated the same specifications originally announced, with the Wagoneer S targeting a 60-mph time of 3.5 seconds thanks to a 600-horsepower powertrain. Interestingly, the 400-mile range that Jeep originally claimed in 2022 was absent from the most recent announcement.More Jeep NewsSales will start in the U.S. in the fall of 2024, and official information should come soon. Jeep is referring to the Wagoneer S as its first global EV, suggesting that the Recon, which was also due in 2024, may be delayed. Jeep already sells the tiny Avenger with an electric powertrain in Europe. Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, has been slow in transitioning to electric vehicles, and none of the automaker’s brands currently sells an EV in the United States. That is set to change in 2024 with the arrival of the Ram 1500 REV and ProMaster EV. Fiat will also add an electric 500 hatchback to its U.S. fleet, while Dodge recently teased the upcoming electric Charger. Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

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    1973 AMC Hornet X Gucci Sportabout Is Today’s Find on Bring a Trailer

    The AMC Hornet supplanted the long-serving Rambler at the start of the 1970s.The Sportabout was the wagon version, which offered a dose of extra practicality.This example, however, also adds a measure of Italian design-house chic with its Gucci decor package, a rare option. It’s up for auction until Wednesday, January 17.Plucky little American Motors Corporation never had the R&D money of the big three domestic automakers, so it was forced to be innovative. One avenue it explored was fashion-themed cars, such as the Pierre Cardin Javelin and the Levi’s Gremlin. For its thrifty compact Hornet, there was a tie-up with one of the most noble Italian design houses, the pride of Florence: Gucci. Bring a TrailerThis 1973 Hornet Sportabout wagon is a result of that mashup, andit’s up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. The Hornet was AMC’s mainstay, and but just because it was a workaday model didn’t mean it had to be boring. This one wasn’t, with its V-8 engine (originally a 304-cubic-inch, since replaced with a 360), white body-side stripes, and slotted mag wheels.Bring a TrailerThe good stuff, however, is on the inside, which features Gucci’s tri-color perforated vinyl seats and double-G headliner. Back in 1973, this option package would have tacked on nearly $150 to a car that stickered at $2500. Gucci had made its name selling scarves and bags to the likes of Grace Kelly and other swells, and while it’s doubtful the Princess of Monaco ever cruised the corniches above the Côte d’Azur in a Sportabout, the unlikeliness of the mashup is part of the charm here.Bring a TrailerThe green paint shows well, though there are a few cosmetic issues, the most serious being holes in the plastic filler panel between the rear bumper and body. This would take a bit of fiddly work to repair but is certainly doable, and it sounds like there might be a spare out there that’ll fit. The current owner has replaced the battery, alternator, voltage regulator, rear main seal, oil-pan gasket, timing cover gasket, and dipstick tube.Bring a TrailerThis car was previously sold on Bring a Trailer for $22,000, which is far beyond what a standard Hornet might bring. We’ll see whether buyers this time are as willing to open their wallets (Gucci or otherwise). Despite the Gucci tie-up, this unusual Sportabout is a totally unpretentious way to stand out at your local cars and coffee event. This no-reserve auction ends on January 17.Related StoriesBrendan 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

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    BMW’s iDrive 9 Lets You Play Video Games with a PlayStation Controller

    BMW’s new iDrive 9 infotainment system is adding more third-party apps, including video games that can be played with traditional Bluetooth controllers.The automaker also showed off its developmental remote-controlled valet parking at this year’s CES.BMW previewed other potential future technology too, including augmented-reality glasses.Most people who have played video games on a console in the past 25 years have done so with a full-size controller. Later this year, they’ll be able to do the same in new BMW models with the iDrive 9 infotainment system. We had the opportunity to test that experience at this year’s CES, where BMW had live demonstrations of the soon-to-be-available feature as well as developmental tech that someday might become reality.In-Car Video GamesIt’s currently possible to play video games in several new BMW models with the AirConsole app that was introduced earlier this year. It lets people download games and use their smartphone as a controller—only when the car isn’t moving, of course. Before the end of 2024, BMWs with iDrive 9 will be able to play other video games with full-size controllers, including Bluetooth-enabled PlayStation and Xbox gamepads.We had the chance to play Beach Buggy Racing 2 using a PlayStation 5 controller. While we only spent a few minutes playing during the demo, it was immediately clear that it was just as fun factor as playing on a normal device. The new BMW X1 we were in also had the benefit of an excellent audio system that made the sound experience extra enjoyable. The game can even be played in split-screen mode with a second controller.BMWBMW says the in-car gaming will be available through its ConnectedDrive Store along with a slew of other new third-party apps that are made possible by the Android-based software that’s baked into iDrive 9. Access requires paying for the BMW Digital Premium option, though. New models that aren’t initially available with the controller connection will be able to add it via an over-the-air update.Remote-Controlled Valet ParkingMuch stranger than playing a video game in a car is remotely controlling a real-life car using a driving simulator. That’s what we did at BMW’s outdoor exhibit at CES where we piloted an electric iX SUV through a parking lot course while seated about 100 feet away. BMWFacing a multiplex of screens and seated in a racing chair, we grabbed the steering wheel and placed our feet on the pedals. A video feed from the forward-facing camera was our primary view, but it didn’t provide a sense of spatial awareness. A secondary screen to our right showed an overhead view that helped us navigate between the cones and the gates that served as checkpoints.We’re not strangers to driving simulators, but remotely driving the iX with one was a much different experience due to the delays between our inputs and the actual acceleration and braking. Getting the EV SUV to go required flattening the accelerator pedal and waiting a few seconds before the vehicle started to move. Even then, its top speed was limited to 15 mph, which is also the posted speed limit for most parking lots and parking garages.Just like a production model, our iX RC car is able to park itself in certain situations. BMW—which developed the remote-controlled valet with the help of Valeo, a mobility-focused tech company—said the idea is for drivers to leave their vehicle at a designated dropoff spot and then for it to automatically search for an open spot and return to the pickup point when summoned. Of course, the Level 4 automated parking system can also be remotely controlled in the way that we experienced. Someday, this technology could be used for events big and small as well as by logistics companies.AR In a CarWhile we didn’t have time to experience them, BMW also held live demonstrations of its augmented-reality glasses. Called “XREAL Air 2,” the AR lenses are designed to provide the driver and passengers with information that’s supplementary to the vehicle’s standard displays.BMWThe demonstration is described as a trip through Las Vegas where navigation, hazard information, points of interest, and entertainment content are shown via the AR glasses. BMW believes this technology will become more common in the coming years, and it has been following the development as far back as 2008. In 2015, the company previewed an augmented-reality system with the Mini Augmented Vision project. More recently, this author drove a real-life BMW M2 around a racetrack wearing a virtual-reality headset. Clearly, BMW is invested in this tech, which suggests it might be closer to reality than fantasy.The Future of BMWEric 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

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    Hertz Wants to Sell 20,000 EVs amid Low Rental Demand, High Repair Prices

    Just over two years after announcing plans to purchase 100,000 Teslas and another 65,000 electric cars from Polestar for its rental fleets, Hertz is planning to sell off 20,000 of its EVs, according to a federal regulatory filing posted Thursday. The rental company noted the high cost of collision repairs and lower demand from consumers as the primary drivers for the EV divestment. Hertz, in turn, plans to use some of the income from those sales to purchase more new gas-powered vehicles. The electric-car rental demand issue may have less to do with the cars themselves and more to do with the unique traits of EVs. An average renter is looking for a car that will get them around over the course of a trip rather than a compelling experience in that car. For those customers, the complexities of an EV may prove to be more of a frustration than a charm. Smart ShoppersRenting a Tesla Model 3, for instance, comes with all the frustrations of the screen-heavy Tesla user interface without any of the time to get used to those adjustments that a buyer would have. Charging is an even bigger issue: Not only do consumers without EV experience who rent a Polestar 2 or a Tesla Model 3 have to figure out how to charge a car while on the road, they also have to figure out two completely different charging ecosystems depending on which car they get. Even though Hertz plans to offload much of its electric fleet, the company says it “will continue to execute its strategy around EV mobility and offer customers a wide selection of vehicles,” according to the filing. Hertz says it will grow its charging infrastructure, work closer with electric car manufacturers to lower parts and labor costs, and continue to help educate customers about EVs.Hertz currently lists 548 Tesla Model 3s and zero Polestar models on its direct sales website. The most affordable Teslas are currently selling for just over $20,000, but screenshots shared by Electrek on Wednesday suggest that other Model 3s have previously been listed for as low as $17,700 before a potential tax credit for used EVs. More

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    Sony and Honda’s 2026 Afeela EV Sedan Wears Updated Styling at CES

    Sony and Honda’s joint venture, Afeela, has revealed an updated version of its electric sedan concept at CES 2024.The revised Afeela features production-ready cues like traditional sideview mirrors instead of cameras and more substantial headlights.Afeela also released specifications, with the sedan packing a 241-hp electric motor on each axle and DC charging at speeds up to 150 kW.At CES 2023 last year, Sony and Honda surprised the automotive world with a new EV brand called Afeela, the product of a joint venture called Sony Honda Mobility that will unleash an electric sedan on American roads in 2026. Now Afeela is showing an updated version of its prototype at CES 2024, with the four-door EV looking far more production ready, and has released a slew of new powertrain information.Sony Honda MobilityListed at 193.5 inches long, the latest Afeela prototype is about two inches shy of a 2024 Honda Accord, but with a nearly seven-inch-longer wheelbase. Compared with the original prototype shown last year, there are some noticeable changes. The thin cameras sprouting from the A-pillar have been replaced by traditional side-view mirrors, and the headlights and grille trim piece are also thicker than before. The charging port door on the front fender has grown in size, and the indentation along the rocker panels and the rear bumper have also been restyled.The cabin appears largely the same as the original prototype, but the center console is a bit larger and the steering wheel and rearview mirror have been slightly redesigned. There are also two wireless phone chargers and what appears to be an inward-facing camera perched atop the full-width screen. Sony Honda MobilityAfeela has also published drivetrain specifications for the sedan, which were absent from the reveal last year. The Afeela will be all-wheel drive, with permanent-magnet synchronous motors at the front and rear. Each is rated at 241 horsepower, but Afeela doesn’t provide a combined horsepower rating, and calculating total output typically isn’t as simple as adding the horsepower from each motor together. Range? Not YetThe lithium-ion battery has a listed capacity of 91.0 kWh, but Afeela has yet to publish range figures. Afeela says the sedan is capable of DC charging at up to 150 kW, with AC charging maxing out at 11 kW. The air suspension is supported by unequal-length control arms up front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The front tires measure 245/40 and the rear rubber is listed at 275/35, with the Afeela riding on 21-inch wheels all around. Sony Honda MobilityOrders for the Afeela sedan, which has yet to be given a specific model name, will open in 2025, with U.S. sales set to begin in 2026. Little else is known about the company’s plans, but we expect the Afeela to start around $45,000. The sedan is also set to be added to the Gran Turismo 7 video game later this year, allowing anyone to drive it virtually two years before the Afeela hits the road. More from CES 2024Caleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

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    2025 VW Golf GTI Will Have More Tech, New Looks, Sadly No Manual

    VW revealed a camouflaged version of the updated Golf GTI hatchback.We spotted different headlights and taillights, plus a larger screen inside.We expect this to arrive in the U.S. for the 2025 model year. Sadly, there will be no manual transmission offered, as VW confirmed 2024 would be the last year for the three-pedal GTI.An updated version of the Volkswagen Golf GTI is coming soon, as indicated by this camouflaged prototype revealed as part of CES 2024. Several changes are coming to the hot hatchback for the 2025 model year, including revised headlights and taillights and a significantly larger touchscreen infotainment system inside that offers updated software that uses a ChatGPT-powered voice assistant.One change we’re not so pleased about is the discontinuation of the six-speed manual transmission. VW already confirmed that the 2024 Golf GTI 380 special edition would commemorate the last year of production for the stick-shift versions of the Golf GTI and Golf R. That means the 2025 GTI will likely only offer the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with the turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four; perhaps VW will offer a bit more horsepower than the current GTI’s 241-hp output to soften the blow a bit.While the eye-catching camouflage on this prototype obscures the new front and rear-end designs, we think the updated GTI will look a bit more modern than before. That carries on inside, as it features a significantly larger touchscreen; it looks like the 15.0-inch screen found in the new ID.7, which would offer many more pixels than the current GTI’s optional 10.0-inch screen. We also spotted new steering-wheel controls that do away with the frustrating touch-capacitive sliders in favor of real buttons, which is a nice upgrade.We’re expecting similar changes to come to the more powerful Golf R hot hatchback as well. These two variants are the only Golf models sold in the U.S. since VW dropped the standard Golf hatchbacks from its North American lineup when the Mk 8 model first arrived here for the 2022 model year. Look for more information to come on the 2025 Golf GTI and Golf R models within the next few months.More on the GolfDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More