Motor News

GM has filed a patent with the USPTO for a self-cleaning touchscreen, as first reported by autoevolution.com.The patent for the self-cleaning display describes the use of a photocatalytic coating and violet light to remove blemishes.Neither the coating nor the light are visible to the human eye, so drivers could amaze their passengers with the “magic” glass.General Motors could have good news for greasy-fingered drivers. The automaker is developing a touchscreen that cleans itself, according to a patent GM filed last week with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).Fingerprint RemoverThe patent for the self-cleaning display was discovered by autoevolution.com. The system described in the patent uses a photocatalytic coating and violet light to remove oil residue, fingerprints, and other debris. As anyone with a touchscreen in their car knows all too well, these type of blemishes can quickly accumulate, resulting in a smudge-riddled surface.A closer reading of the patent explains that touchscreens with LED displays emit visible red, green, and blue light. The violet light in the proposed self-cleaning unit constitutes an invisible fourth LED. It reacts to the photocatalyst in the transparent coating on the touchscreen along with moisture in the air to clean the glass surface. GM’s patent states this process can be manually turned on or automatically activated based on the amount of sunlight exposure or under various other circumstances.The Cadillac Escalade’s huge screen has lots of real estate for fingerprints.Car and Driver”Magic” GlassWith the touchscreens in GM’s newest models getting bigger and bigger, it makes sense to devise an effortless way of keeping their expansive glass clean. Currently, the job requires a clean cloth and some elbow grease. In the future, it could be as easy as pushing a button. We think such a feature could be used to amaze passengers too, as neither the photocatalytic coating nor the violet light used to clean the screen are visible to our human eyes. We’d cosplay as our favorite Harry Potter character and call it “magic” glass. Of course, it still remains to be seen whether GM takes its proposed self-cleaning display from patent to production. Until then, storing some napkins in the glovebox is the simplest way to keep greasy fingerprints at bay. Other GM PatentsThis 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

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.Dodge revealed an updated version of its simulated exhaust sound for EVs earlier this month at the Chicago auto show, giving potential buyers an idea of what to expect on the finished product once the company’s all-electric muscle cars go on sale in 2024. Called the Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust, the purely electric external sound system uses an amplifier near the rear of the car to produce a 126-decibel “exhaust” noise. It was first shown to the public in August 2022 to mixed reactions. “Did we crack the code on wide-open motors? Not yet. But we’ve got two years,” CEO Tim Kuniskis said in an interview following the event. “We have changed the sound of that car 1000 times and we will continue to.”Meanwhile . . .The video above is the latest iteration, then, and while we aren’t given any proper revs, we do get a good sense of what the “idle” will sound like while the car trundles around at a slow pace. It sounds way more like an actual V-8 than before, which we think is a step in the right direction. We won’t get a real sense of whether it’s worthy of replacing Dodge’s actual V-8s until we hear it in person, however. 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.Road & Track staff writer with a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing. More

Subaru has announced pricing for the redesigned 2024 Impreza hatchback.It starts at $24,085 for the base model and ranges up to $28,975 for the new RS trim with a more powerful engine.Subaru says the new Impreza will arrive at U.S. dealerships starting this summer.The new 2024 Impreza is still the cheapest Subaru you can buy, but it’s not as cheap as it was. That’s because Subaru has eliminated both the sedan body style and the standard manual transmission, meaning its new starting price of $24,085 is $3270 higher than the cheapest version of last year’s Impreza. Even when comparing apples to apples, the 2024 Impreza hatchback with an automatic transmission costs $1470 more than the equivalent 2023 model.A healthy dose of extra standard equipment helps soften the sticker shock, as even the base model now has automatic climate control, LED headlights, and an upgraded set of driver-assistance features, which Subaru brands as EyeSight. The 2024 Impreza Sport starts at $26,085, which is slightly cheaper than last year’s Impreza Sport hatch. It adds 18-inch wheels, different suspension tuning, a larger 11.6-inch vertically oriented touchscreen, pushbutton start, and fog lights.More on Subaru ModelsBoth the base and Sport models have a carryover 152-hp 2.0-liter flat-four engine and a continuously variable automatic transmission. All-wheel drive is standard, naturally.The RS model, starting at $28,975, is new to the lineup and includes a more powerful 182-hp 2.5-liter flat-four engine. Other than its badges and black and carbon-fiber trim pieces, additional equipment also includes a leather-wrapped steering wheel, aluminum pedals, an All-Weather package, and extra driver-assistance features such as blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert.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 Editor  Despite 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

New rumors suggest that the Clubman will end production in 2024, and our automotive Magic 8 Ball says that all signs point to yes.Clubman sales have plummeted from 12,204 units in 2016 to just 2469 last year, becoming the worst-selling model in Mini’s lineup.The electric Aceman concept is expected to go into production to fill the void left by the Clubman, with the Countryman growing for its next generation.A new generation of the Mini Cooper is just around the corner, scheduled to make its debut this year with both electric and gas powertrains, but the iconic hatchback likely won’t spawn a fresh version of the Clubman wagon. A Mini enthusiast website called MotoringFile claims that the production of the Clubman will end in the first quarter of 2024, and while there is no official confirmation of this rumor, there is a lot of evidence pointing to its veracity.Car and Driver contacted a Mini spokesperson, who would not comment on what they called “highly speculative” reports in other media but also stopped short of a denial, saying that “the company has not confirmed anything at this point.”MiniWe know for certain the the Cooper hatchback will receive a major update for 2025—in late 2021, Mini teased a camouflaged two-door Cooper and a two-door prototype was spied completely undisguised in China. But there has been no indication of a revised Clubman model in the way of spy shots, and while Mini made a splash by bringing the manual transmission back to the Cooper lineup, the Clubman was left out of the fun.Clubman sales have been on the decline since the model’s peak in 2016, when the second generation was introduced and 12,204 units found homes, making it the second most popular Mini that year behind only the Countryman. Mini sales have decreased across the board since, but the Clubman has suffered worse than the four-door hatch. Last year, 2469 Clubmans were sold versus 4115 four-door Cooper hatches. The Clubman was the brand’s worst-selling vehicle, behind even the Cooper Convertible. While no four-door prototypes of the next-generation Cooper have been spied yet, that model will probably live on and partially succeed the Clubman. The Mini Aceman concept.MiniMini is also expected to put its Aceman concept into production, which would serve as a more direct Clubman replacement. The electric crossover will slot in below the Countryman, which is rumored to grow in size for its next generation. While the Aceman is rumored to be shorter than the Clubman, the taller body and the benefits of an EV skateboard platform could provide similar amounts of interior room. The Clubman’s wagon shape will also be abandoned for more rugged and SUV-like styling, and, given current market trends, that appears to be a well-advised move by Mini.More Mini NewsEven if production of the Clubman extends beyond the first quarter of 2024, that will likely be the last model year for the Mini wagon. The first-generation Clubman was truly quirky, with suicide rear doors and barn doors instead of a traditional hatch. But the second generation became more conventional, and the rise of the crossover saw the Clubman superseded by the Countryman as the practical model in the lineup, spelling the end for one of the few wagons left in the United States.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

Toyota will keep the GR Corolla’s Circuit Edition trim around for another model year.Originally, the 2024 lineup was limited to just the base Core and the hopped-up Morizo editions.It’s unclear if the Circuit will continue into 2025.Originally, the Toyota GR Corolla’s mid-tier Circuit Edition was supposed to exist for the hatchback’s inaugural model year alone. But now, buyers will continue to choose between three possible trims for at least one more trip around the sun.Toyota has announced that it will bring the GR Corolla Circuit Edition back for the 2024 model year. Only 1500 examples of this trim were made available in 2023, and according to a brief press release, Toyota says customer demand shifted the company’s strategy. “When Toyota GR fans speak, we listen, and our plans are to increase GR Corolla volume and continue offering the Circuit Edition as part of the GR Corolla lineup in 2024,” a Toyota spokesperson said in a release.Small Cars, Big CharacterEvery corner of the GR Corolla lineup is an absolute hoot, but the Circuit Edition really hit the sweet spot for us. It rings in some $7000 above the base model, but it’s also $7000 cheaper than the hardcore Morizo edition. The Circuit variant lacks the tighter gearing and additional torque of the Morizo, but it still carries plenty of driver-focused goodies, like a pair of Torsen limited-slip differentials, a carbon-fiber roof, and heated sport seats wrapped in suede and leather. No matter the trim, the GR Corolla’s 1.3-liter inline-three makes a stout 300 horsepower.Car and DriverThanks to a raft of changes under the skin, the GR Corolla feels better than a simple sum of parts. During our testing, we gushed over its chassis balance, which reminded us of ’90s BMWs. Whether slow or fast, there’s always plenty of fun to be had in this hot hatch.However, it’s unclear what changes Toyota has planned for 2024. In the release, it mentions that the 2024 Circuit Edition “will carry over some of the standard features of the 2023 model,” but it declined to get specific at this time, saying only that we’ll get more information later this year. Don’t take the Circuit Edition’s existence as a permanent guarantee, either; Toyota said 2025 model-year production is “still under consideration.”Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoSenior 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

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler offers two new factory-installed options: washout floors and weatherproof seats.The heavy-duty flooring ($995) and heavy-duty seats ($1695) are now available to order on certain four-door Wranglers.Jeep appears to be responding to similar features already available on the Ford Bronco.Jeep fans might want to start appreciating the Ford Bronco a little more. After all, it appears the Wrangler’s biggest rival is influencing the brand to introduce noteworthy features, such as the washout floors and weatherproof seats that are now available as factory options on certain four-door models.Weatherproofing the Wrangler When the Bronco debuted a couple years ago, it could be outfitted with factory-installed rubberized hose-it-out flooring and marine-grade vinyl upholstery—unlike its competitor. Fast forward to 2023, the Jeep Wrangler can now be ordered with similar add-ons designed to help its interior better withstand the elements and make it easier to clean. The newly optional heavy-duty flooring costs $995 and the heavy-duty seats add $1695.StellantisWhen the Wrangler’s top is off and the doors are removed, the cabin is obviously extra exposed. That’s where the optional vinyl seats come in handy, thanks to added protection against water, mildew, tears, and more. Jeep’s weatherproof seats come in any color you want as long as it’s black. They also feature Light Tungsten stitching and an adorable Wrangler grille embroidered on the seatbacks. Replacing the Wrangler’s standard flooring for the washout option does exactly what you’d expect: It makes cleaning the surface even easier and includes integrated floor drains. Along with its improved ability to get hosed out, the black heavy-duty floor has multiple layers that are said to also provide sound deadening and thermal protection.Unfortunately, these two new Jeep options aren’t compatible with every Wrangler. All the plug-in-hybrid 4xe trims and any two-door configuration are specifically excluded from the weatherproofing fun. The 470-hp Rubicon 392 is also left out.Keeping Up with the BroncosThis isn’t the first time Jeep appears to have taken a leaf out of Ford’s book. Not long after the Bronco was revealed with exterior mirrors mounted to the base of the A pillars rather than on the removable doors—like the Wrangler had always done—Jeep introduced an optional doors-off mirror kit installed by the factory.Jeep Wrangler with Xtreme Recon package.Car and DriverThe Wrangler Rubicon Xtreme Recon package that followed a year later also looked like a direct response to the Bronco’s available Sasquatch package, which notably included 35-inch-tall tires and other hardware that until then wasn’t offered on the Jeep.Read Our Wrangler ReviewsThis 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

Mercedes-Benz has announced it’s got a new operating system, MB.OS, that will start appearing on new vehicles underpinned by the company’s new MMA platform.Owners will see safety features such as road-scanning lidar thanks to the new operating system, and games like Angry Birds and social media such as TikTok will be available on the cabin-dominating screens.A long-term partnership with Google is said to add the latest data and navigation features such as Place Details.The old tech mantra of “move fast and break things” has been as present as a meme while we’ve lived through an era of rapid innovation in almost every aspect of our lives. There’s one place it doesn’t quite work: when it comes to safety and trust. In the automotive space, sometimes slow and steady is the right move, and as one of the oldest car companies, Mercedes-Benz has had plenty of time to evolve and develop.Today in Sunnyvale, California, Mercedes-Benz gave us a glimpse of its future, plotting its course through the next round of innovation. This naturally includes features for electric vehicles and automated driving, but also entertainment, productivity, and well-being. And it includes some wildly lit screens.Mercedes Moves ForwardMore to Do and See on Screen(s)Up first is the introduction of MB.OS, Mercedes’s new operating system that promises advancement in infotainment, safety, and the next generation of automated driving. It will debut in a few years on the first vehicle to use the new electric Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA) platform. NVIDIA will supply the software, data, and AI expertise, as well as chips that can process 254 trillion operations per second for automated driving.Other partnerships for other features include road-scanning lidar from Luminar, while Google will contribute to in-car data and more accurate mapping and navigation. Mercedes will also open its system to other partners to integrate entertainment options. These include TikTok, Zoom, a Vivaldi web browser, and even Angry Birds. Of course MB.OS will have over-the-air update capabilities to keep your system current and also to activate future features.Assisted Driving AdvancesThere’s also plenty of hardware to support all of this software, and going forward, all Mercedes-Benz vehicles will come with the equipment needed for Level 2 automated driving. That’s similar to what we have today, with a combination of adaptive cruise control and lane-centering to relieve a hands-on driver from some of the driving burdens. Customers will be able to order their higher-end Mercedes with Level 3 automation called Drive Pilot.Drive Pilot will be available on the 2024 EQS and S-class sedans and could be the first level 3 system offered in the U.S. It will operate on highways at speeds up to 40 mph, at least initially. The goal is to extend that to 80 mph. Unlike systems from GM and Ford, Drive Pilot will allow the driver to look away from the road, but they’ll still have to be prepared to take over driving duties at a moment’s notice. More significantly, Mercedes will assume liability for the vehicle when in Drive Pilot mode, which is a testament to their confidence in the system.Innovation is nothing new to Mercedes-Benz, and these latest advancements are proof that they’re pushing toward the vision of the future that’s been the stuff of fiction a decade or two ago. (Whether this is the kind of fiction you would like to come true is up to you, of course.)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.Contributing EditorWith a background in design and open-wheel racing, Mark Takahashi got his foot in the door as an art director on car and motorcycle magazines. He parlayed that into a career as an automotive journalist and has reviewed thousands of vehicles over the past few decades. More

Mercedes-Benz has revealed the interior of the upcoming 2024 E-class sedan.It features a gigantic Hyperscreen and many new technology options.The 2024 E-class will go on sale in the U.S. later this year.In advance of the unveiling of the new sixth-generation 2024 E-class, Mercedes-Benz gave us a preview of what to expect—at least from the interior. The cockpit appears to be an evolution of the striking Hyperscreen found in the EQS sedan, with the digital instrument panel protruding above. It’s accentuated by colored ambient lighting strips that encircle the dash and doors to reinforce the futuristic styling.Lurking underneath all of it is an abundance of new technology intended to enhance comfort, entertainment, and productivity. The new E-class uses the latest third-generation MBUX infotainment system, which could be thought of as a precursor to the MB.OS architecture that is due in a few years. As is the case with the EQS, the E-class dash can be optioned with an additional display for the front passenger. This allows the passenger to enjoy streaming content and games without distracting the driver. Cameras track the driver’s eye movements and if they drift over to the passenger screen, the content is obscured. Mercedes calls it image filtering.More on Mercedes’ FutureMercedes-BenzEntertainment and AudioWhen parked, the driver can make use of the many entertainment options. These include games such as Angry Birds, social media on TikTok, and a Vivaldi web browser. If you’re more about productivity, you can use Zoom to join meetings and there’s a built-in video and selfie camera atop the dash. Data transfer will also be helped by 5G connectivity.On the audio front, if you opt for the top Burmester premium audio, the interior ambient lighting can put on a light show for you. You’ll get either pulsing illumination that matches with the beat or smoother color transitions for more low-key music. We think it’s a fun novelty, but it may get tiring at night.Car and DriverSit Back and RelaxIn regards to relaxation, the existing Energizing Comfort system gets a clever addition. The system combines seat-massage functions with climate control, interior fragrances, music, and on-screen graphics to set specific moods. A new feature will pair the system with wearable monitors to detect stress levels and can activate relaxation and breath coaching to get you back to a more blissful state.Another new feature is something Mercedes calls routines. Users can select from several templates that can automatically activate seat heaters at a certain temperature along with the interior lighting. There’s even a Date Night routine that will set the mood with rose-colored lighting and your favorite slow jams. You also have the ability to create your own routines. In the future, Mercedes plans to include AI-generated routines based on your particular habits.Mercedes-BenzCombined with the long list of tech features that already exist, these new features increase the wow factor, but don’t represent the kind of transformation we expect from the forthcoming MB.OS system. It should nonetheless delight owners and passengers with its newest comfort and entertainment options.Mercedes says that the 2024 E-class will go on sale in the U.S. later this year, so we expect to see more of the new sedan revealed within the next few months.Our illustration of what the 2024 E-class could look like.Illustration by Christian Schulte|Car and DriverContributing EditorWith a background in design and open-wheel racing, Mark Takahashi got his foot in the door as an art director on car and motorcycle magazines. He parlayed that into a career as an automotive journalist and has reviewed thousands of vehicles over the past few decades. More