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Kia brought a display of lights and mirrors, but no actual cars, to the Milan Design Fair, where the focus was on design philosophy. We sat down with the brand’s Global Head of Design, Karim Habib, to learn more about the direction he has in mind for Kia design. Habib’s “Opposites United” philosophy, showcased at the fair, is an abstract look at his inspiration for the brand as it revamps its global image.Kia is in an interesting spot in the United States right now. The Korean manufacturer entered the U.S. in the early 1990s as a somewhat dull but cheap alternative to the bargain-priced Japanese and American cars of the day. Thirty years of focus on that side of the market has burned the “cheap car” reputation into the hippocampus of just about every American. But in the past few years the company has started to look upmarket. What started as a slight shift is becoming a full turn of the tides. At least, that’s Kia’s hope.Opposites UnitedWith its fully modern EV6 and Telluride already here and the recently revealed EV9 on the way, Kia is trying to warm customers to the idea of spending $40,000 or $50,000 or more for its products. At the Milan Design Fair, Car and Driver talked to Kia’s design chief, Karim Habib, about this revised design philosophy and the effort to build a new brand image. Habib brought the automaker’s “Opposites United” showcase to Milan to show people the inspiration behind new products like the EV6 and EV9. Kia and Habib didn’t bring any actual vehicles or concepts to the design fair, opting instead to focus entirely on design ideas. Kia’s “Opposites United” at the Milan Design Fair.Jack Fitzgerald|Car and DriverMore Kia/Hyundai DesignHabib, who previously spent nearly 20 years with BMW including as its design chief, told us that he enjoys the challenges posed by designing vehicles for a brand in the midst of a rebirth. “Different brands have different possibilities,” he said. “If you are a very traditional brand with a strong heritage, that bandwidth can or must be a little narrower, but for us it had to be wide.”That wide “bandwidth” for design language leads Habib to view his Opposites United model as a challenge to himself and his team that they should make the cars “more futuristic” and “more challenging.” He feels that he has a mandate to push the proverbial design envelope as far as he can. “At Kia, we are pretty fortunate as designers because there is a real desire to push forward and to look ahead.” Habib is confident that he’s taking the brand in the right direction, saying, “There are few moments where people say we are going too far.” A Stronger Look The company is no stranger to boxy styling: take the Soul, which has been around since 2008 and has always maintained its reputation for being a funky and fun vehicle. But looking ahead, Kia is embracing a stronger styling approach for its EVs. Spurred by the success of the Telluride, with its bold departure from the company’s usual look and feel, Habib and his team set to work on the EV5 concept and the EV9 three-row SUV destined for U.S. shores next year. KiaTalking about what we can expect to see from future design, Habib described the sort of vehicle that many enthusiasts dread. “We’re moving, generally in car design, from a cockpit to a moving living space,” explained Habib, who said team members are working on potential future products. “Can these become temporary dwellings where these vehicles become your living space?” We’ve heard of that sort of thing before. But we generally just call them RVs. Back in current reality, Kia’s new vehicles feature taller, squared-off front ends, contrasting against jagged strips of lighting. Thin light bars in and around headlights have become more popular in recent years and are hardly unique to Kia, but the automaker will use this and other small changes to build a recognizable style for the brand. We’re looking forward to it.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 Ford Mustang offers a feature that lets users remotely rev the engine using the car’s key fob.While Remote Rev is bound to entertain some people and annoy others, the new function is only the latest innovation in the Mustang’s key history.Ford lists the first double-sided key in 1967, the first optional key fob in 1994, and factory remote start in 2015 as other milestones.Whether you think it’s a cool feature or a dumb one—or both—the 2024 Ford Mustang is now available with a key fob that lets the user remotely rev the engine, thus the name: Remote Rev. We covered this feature when the seventh generation was revealed last year, but now Ford is bringing renewed attention to it now by releasing a video of it in action, along with a list of other key milestones the company thinks are significant. First, let’s see this thing in action. This content is imported from twitter. 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.As shown in the video above, Remote Rev works by first remotely starting the engine when the holder presses the lock button on the Mustang’s key fob once and then presses the remote start button twice. Activating the rev function requires pressing the unlock button and the lock button in that order. Repeating that step fully engages the feature so revs spike at 3000, 4000, and 5000 rpm. What the video doesn’t show is a Cars & Coffee crowd cheering or annoyed neighbors shaking their fists.Mustang Key MilestonesLong before anyone dreamed of revving their Mustang using a key fob (or even knew what the heck a key fob was), Ford wanted to give the original pony car a little extra flair, so in 1965 the company released a key for the coupe model with a pony on it. A couple years later, in 1967, Ford introduced double-sided keys that could be inserted into the tumbler either way. At the time, these key innovations were at the cutting edge, but it would be almost three decades before any other key changes.Ford Motor CompanyFast-forward to 1994 and for the first time people could option a Mustang with a key fob. Ford followed that up by introducing a passive anti-theft system called PATS that was linked to a transponder in the key. The next notable milestone waited until 2012, when the Mustang Boss 302 became available with a TracKey that loaded software into the car’s PCM to improve performance. The first model with factory remote start arrived in 2015, and the following year saw the introduction of FordPass, which is an app that lets people control vehicle functions from their smartphone. In 2018, a pulsating light was added to the Mustang’s push-button start in attempt to look like a beating heart. Besides the recent debut of Remote Rev, the Mustang’s last key-related milestone was the phone-as-a-key that was introduced on the electric Mach-E. Will everyone agree that every branch of Ford’s key family tree is notable? Probably not, since people don’t agree on anything nowadays, but a revving 5.0-liter V-8 is music to our ears whether its done by fob or foot.This content is imported from twitter. 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 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

Jaguar is preparing to launch three new models, the first of which will be an electric “four-door GT.”This model will ride on a new electric architecture called JEA and claims a range of 430 miles.Jaguar claims a price of around $124,000 and the new model will debut later this year with deliveries starting in 2025.It’s been a while since we last heard about a new Jaguar, but we finally have some news on what’s coming down the pipe from the British luxury brand. A new electric sedan, which Jaguar refers to as a “four-door GT,” will debut later this year before deliveries start in 2025. The company has released a teaser image and some preliminary specs, which include details about its new platform, its power output, and its range estimates.We can’t see much from the teaser, but the view appears to be of the car’s wide rear haunches, and the roofline looks swoopy. We’re thinking that this Jaguar might be intended as a competitor to the Porsche Taycan sedan, which would be a pivot from the British marque’s previously planned electric XJ full-size luxury sedan that was scrapped a few years ago.More on JaguarPerformance will have to be brisk if the Jag wants to keep up with the Taycan, and the company does claim that this model will be more powerful than any other Jaguar ever. With today’s most powerful Jags offering 575 hp from a supercharged V-8 gas engine, we expect the new EV model to have at least 600 horsepower. Its new platform is called JEA, and this will likely underpin two other forthcoming Jaguar models that will debut after the GT. The initial range claim of 430 miles, which is no doubt on the WLTP cycle, could translate to somewhere in the 300-mile EPA range territory if the Jaguar EV comes to the U.S.Jaguar claims “indicative pricing” of around £100,000, which translates to $124,000 at today’s exchange rates. That may change by the time the company starts taking orders for this new model in 2024, and deliveries won’t start until 2025. The GT will be built at Jaguar Land Rover’s Solihull factory in the U.K. and is scheduled to debut later this year.This new model comes as part of a £15 billion investment from Jaguar Land Rover in electrification over the next five years. The company is transforming many of its manufacturing facilities and also plans to launch a range of Land Rover and Range Rover mid-size luxury SUVs on a new electric-only platform called Electric Modular Architecture (EMA).More JLR ProductsThis 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 EditorDespite 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

The 2024 Lexus LM debuts as the latest version of the brand’s luxury van, but it’s only sold overseas.The new LM wears snazzier sheetmetal, features a stiffer structure, and boasts an even ritzier interior.Inside, the LM offers seating for up to seven, but the four-seat option includes lounge-like chairs facing a 48-inch screen.Imagine it’s late and you’ve had one too many adult beverages. So you open the Uber app, summon a ride, and soon after a 2024 Lexus LM luxury van rolls up outside the Taco Bell where you just crushed an entire taco party pack. The LM’s sliding side door opens to reveal a palatial interior complete with a pair of lounge-like chairs facing a 48-inch screen on a partition that separates passengers in the back from those in the front. All you have to do is raise the privacy glass, sink into the comfy-looking seats with their body-temperature-sensing tech, raise the ottoman that’s been redesigned for more range, and likely fall asleep as the new van’s quieter cabin cocoons you from the outside world.Not Coming to AmericaUnfortunately, for those of us who live in America, luxuriating in the new second-generation Lexus LM that debuted at the Shanghai auto show can only be done in our imagination. While the U.S. has ultra-luxurious sedans like the Mercedes-Benz S-class and extravagant SUVs such as the Bentley Bentayga, in this country we don’t have their van equivalents like the LM.Lexus is even expanding availability of the new LM by launching it in over 60 countries, which for the first time includes Europe and Japan. Those lucky folks can enjoy the myriad improvements that accompany the van’s second generation, including a structure that’s said to be 50 percent stiffer and a new suspension designed to make the ride more comfortable and reduce vibrations. There’s also a new drive mode dedicated to rear-seat comfort by altering the dampening forces and limiting sensations caused by accelerating and braking.To help keep the LM’s cabin as serene as possible, Lexus says it prioritized quietness by reducing various noise sources—namely those caused by the road and the wind. Along with beefing up the sound deadening, the available engines and their mounts were tuned to limit noise and vibrations. Those engines are both hybrids, with one using a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and the other presumably offering more power thanks to its 2.4-liter turbo-four gas engine.Unlike Any Influencer’s VanThere’s no mistaking the LM for anything but a Lexus. The company made sure of that with what looks like one of the wildest interpretations yet of its spindle grille. Instead of outlining the shape with a defined border, Lexus lets the body color spill into the grille while also reducing the gaps between different elements. Overall, the LM measures 201.8 inches long, 74.4 inches wide, and about 77 inches high. While all of those dimensions are bigger than before, the wheelbase remains 118.1 inches.No one has to bust out the tape measure to see that the Lexus LM is a big van, and that size contributes to a similarly large interior, with considerably more space for activities than any Mercedes or Bentley. While business executives and other rich types who like to be chauffeured will want the four-seat option, the LM also offers seating for six to seven passengers.Whether basking in the glow of the van’s myriad ambient lighting themes or manipulating the climate and sunshades with one of the two available touchscreen controllers, the 2024 Lexus LM looks to provide an experience Americans won’t get to enjoy and something this country’s obnoxious influencers can’t replicate with an obligatory #vanlife. Instead, we’ll just have to settle for fantasizing about the luxurious van and its potential to be the ultimate Uber.Read About Other Forbidden VansThis 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 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

MG has revealed a new electric roadster called the Cyberster that will hit the streets of Europe in the summer of 2024.The Cyberster’s curvy design is fairly similar to that of the eponymous 2021 concept car, even keeping the wild scissor doors.Leaked Chinese government documents revealed that the Cyberster is a bit larger than a BMW Z4, and will have a top speed of 124 mph.The octagonal MG badge used to be synonymous with small, grin-inducing roadsters, from the T-Type of the ’30s and ’40s to the MGB of the ’60s and ’70s and even into the ’90s with the MG F. Now the brand—under the control of Chinese state-owned automaker SAIC since 2007—is looking to return to its roots with the new Cyberster, an electric roadster that goes on sale in Europe next summer.MGFirst previewed by a concept in 2021, the production Cyberster revealed this week at the Shanghai auto show hews closely to the concept’s design, albeit with toned-down proportions. The bodywork is sleek, with a sharply sloped front end and crisp creases that run into squared-off taillights with arrow-shaped LED elements pointing outwards. The power-folding soft-top covers a stylish interior swathed in red leather, and the production roadster retains the fantastical scissor doors from the concept.MG hasn’t officially shared detailed specifications on the Cyberster, but some information was uncovered in a filing with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology last week. The document listed the Cyberster as measuring 178.5 inches long, 75.3 inches wide, and 52.3 inches tall, which is about 8.0 inches longer than a BMW Z4, nearly 2.0 inches wider, and almost one inch taller. The electric powertrain, however, results in a hefty 4376-pound curb weight, versus the 3535 pounds for the gas-powered BMW. MGMore Sporty Two-Door CarsThe Cyberster will feature two electric motors, with a peak output of 201 hp from the front motor and 335 hp from the rear unit. The document also listed the top speed at 124 mph. No other performance metrics were available, but we expect a pretty quick sprint to 60 mph given the Cyberster’s power output. More details about the electric roadster will come before its launch in 2024, but unfortunately there is virtually zero chance that the Cyberster ever reaches American shores.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 EditorCaleb 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

Lincoln has released pricing for the redesigned 2024 Nautilus mid-size luxury SUV.It starts at $51,810 for the Premiere, and a loaded Black Label can reach over $80,000 with options.The 2024 Nautilus will go on sale in the U.S. in early 2024.The new 2024 Lincoln Nautilus looks a lot better than its predecessor inside and out, but how much is that worth to you? Its pricing rises considerably compared with the old model, with the base Premiere trim starting at $51,810, a $5590 increase over the cheapest 2023 Nautilus. The top 2024 Nautilus Black Label model with all the extras costs over $80,000, well into the territory of the larger three-row Aviator and even the full-size Navigator.Nautilus New and OldOf course, you get more for your money with the new model, so it’s not exactly an apples to apples comparison. For instance, all-wheel drive is now standard equipment, which puts the price different between equivalent 2023 and 2024 base models at a slightly more reasonable $3090. The base powertrain remains a 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, and there’s a new hybrid option that costs an extra $1500. At 310 hp, the hybrid is not quite as powerful as the old 335-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 engine, which was previously a $2700 option.The 2024 Nautilus’ trim levels start with the base Premiere, rise to the $56,145 Reserve, and top off with the $75,860 Black Label. The base 2.0-liter and hybrid powertrains are available on each trim level, and other notable options include a $3000 Jet Appearance package, 22-inch wheels, and a 28-speaker Revel audio system that is offered as part of various option packages on the Premiere and Reserve and comes standard on the Black Label.Lincoln says that the 2024 Nautilus will start arriving at U.S. dealerships in early 2024, so stay tuned for more details on this new crossover including EPA fuel-economy ratings for the hybrid. There’s already a configurator tool on the Lincoln website so you can check out the pricing for yourself.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.Senior EditorDespite 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

Hyundai has revealed the first photos of the refreshed 2024 Elantra N.It features the same new front end as the standard Elantra, but with some unique flourishes.We expect the updated Elantra to arrive in the U.S. later this year.It was only a matter of time before the 2024 Hyundai Elantra’s new look ported over to the sporty N model, and now we have the first official photos of the performance-oriented Elantra with its refreshed front end. We’re still waiting on mechanical details, but we’re thinking the Elantra N will keep its powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and hopefully its choice between a manual and a dual-clutch automatic transmission.HyundaiThe new look features the same slimmer headlight shape and revised grille up front, with the N-specific red trim and larger air intakes enhancing the aggressive stance. The “H” logo on the hood is now black, and there are two new 19-inch wheel options shown in these images: one black 10-spoke design and another silver five-spoke set with a circular motif. Hyundai hasn’t released any photos of the interior, but the Elantra N may offer some infotainment upgrades and new trim options.More on the ElantraThe current Elantra N is powered by a 276-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four, and we don’t think that engine will change much for 2024. We’re hoping it’ll still offer a six-speed manual transmission as standard, with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic sticking around as an option.HyundaiHyundaiStay tuned for Hyundai to release more details on the 2024 Elantra N’s U.S. details and specs. It’ll likely go on sale on our shores later this year with a starting price a bit higher than the current model’s $34,015 entry fee.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.Senior EditorDespite 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

The 2024 Porsche Cayenne is much changed from last year’s model, even though this is nominally only a mid-cycle refresh. Among the changes are upgraded screens and the addition of the Porsche Driver Experience, which optimizes the driver’s control of frequently used functions. The engine lineup is fresh, too, including a turbo V-8 in the midlevel Cayenne S and a new 174-hp electric motor in the E-Hybrid that increases total power to 463 hp.The 2024 Cayenne will start arriving at U.S. dealerships this summer.Some mid-cycle refreshes arrive with a whimper instead of a bang, throwing new paint colors or wheel designs into the mix but generally avoiding alterations to the core formula. The 2024 Porsche Cayenne does not fall into this class. In this case, Porsche saw fit to throw everything but the kitchen sink at its mid-size SUV’s update, and the result is mighty compelling.Fresh to Death, Inside and OutThe Cayenne’s cabin receives quite the raft of changes for 2024. The old dashboard layout has been swapped out in favor of a slicker, more screen-heavy arrangement, like what’s in the Taycan. The gear selector has been moved up to the dashboard itself, giving the physical climate controls atop the transmission tunnel a little more breathing room. Ceci n’est pas une PorscheThe semi-analog gauge cluster is now a fully digital, 12.6-inch affair, and a head-up display is optional. A 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is standard, running the latest version of the automaker’s Porsche Communication Management software, which includes built-in Spotify and Apple Music connectivity. An optional 10.9-inch touchscreen gives the passenger their own special place to leave fingerprint smudges; it can stream video while in motion, but according to Porsche, a special layer on the display prevents the driver from taking a peek.The 2024 Cayenne’s exterior tweaks aren’t as dramatic. Up front, a new hood runs between redesigned headlights, all of which rests atop a revised bumper with more dramatic air inlets. The front fenders are a little angrier now, too. Out back, the longroof gets a revised rear fascia that places the license plate lower, better aligning it with the coupe variant. Both models pick up mildly revised taillights, as well. Three new paint colors round out the tweaks: Algarve Blue Metallic, Montego Blue Metallic, and Arctic Grey.PorschePeppier PowertrainsAs we mentioned in our January prototype drive, the 2024 Cayenne’s powertrains receive a whole lot of massaging. The base Cayenne’s turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 now makes 348 horsepower and 368 pound-feet, a 13-hp and 36-lb-ft improvement over last year. The midlevel Cayenne S ditches the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 in favor of a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 producing 468 horses and 442 pound-feet; with the optional Sport Chrono package, that’s enough for a Porsche-estimated 4.4-second blast to 60 mph. A twin-turbo V-8 also forms the basis for the coupe-only Cayenne Turbo GT, which sees a 19-hp bump for 2024, settling in at a meaty 650 horsepower and only asking 3.1 seconds to reach 60 mph. As before, an eight-speed automatic transmission remains standard fare.For those thinking greener, the Cayenne E-Hybrid plug-in wasn’t spared a revision either. The electric motor now provides 174 horsepower, versus the outgoing model’s 134. The battery has grown from roughly 14.3 kWh of usable capacity to an estimated 20.6 kWh. This should give the current model’s EPA-estimated 17-mile EV range a solid boost, but the feds’ 2024 figures have yet to be announced. A new 11.0-kW onboard charger will be a welcome change over the sad 3.6-kW unit that’s standard on 2023 models. Overall, the E-Hybrid’s net output rises from 455 to 464 horsepower.Chassis TweaksBut wait, there’s more! The Cayenne’s base wheels grow from 19 inches in diameter to 20, increasing the contact patch and thus boosting mechanical grip. “The prototypes stuck like Velcro yet largely filtered out the worst [road] textures,” we noted in our January spin. Porsche’s PASM adaptive dampers are now standard on the base Cayenne, too, featuring specific valves for both rebound and compression. Adaptive air suspension is optional, but standard on the Turbo GT. Porsche also adjusted the rear-axle steering and rear torque-vectoring systems to further improve handling.PorschePricing and Release DateThe 2024 Porsche Cayenne will be available in both coupe and longroof variants when it goes on sale this summer, but order books are open now if you enjoy a head start. Stick with the traditional body style, and you can expect to spend $80,850 for the base Cayenne, $93,350 for the Cayenne E-Hybrid, and $97,350 for the Cayenne S. For coupe variants, the base Cayenne starts at $85,950, rising to $97,350 for the E-Hybrid, and settling at $103,750 for the Cayenne S. The coupe-only Cayenne Turbo GT is priced a bit dearer at $197,950.Senior EditorCars are Andrew Krok’s jam, along with boysenberry. After graduating with a degree in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2009, Andrew cut his teeth writing freelance magazine features, and now he has a decade of full-time review experience under his belt. A Chicagoan by birth, he has been a Detroit resident since 2015. Maybe one day he’ll do something about that half-finished engineering degree. More