Motor News

Hyundai has revealed more specs for the redesigned 2024 Kona.It features carryover engines and offers a hybrid variant, which hasn’t yet been confirmed for the U.S.We expect the Kona to go on sale here later this year, although we’re still waiting on U.S. details.Hyundai’s new 2024 Kona looks a whole lot different than before but doesn’t appear to be as revolutionary underneath. Specs for the new model are out, and the subcompact SUV’s engine choices—a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four and a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four—carry over from the outgoing model. We’re still waiting on details for the U.S. model, which will confirm whether the Kona’s hybrid model will make its way to our shores.More on the KonaThe base engine will remain a 147-hp 2.0-liter inline-four paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission. A more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four will be available, likely on the sportier N Line model, and produces the same 195 horsepower and 195 pound-feet of torque as before. Hyundai has yet to confirm the transmission for this model, but it previously used a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. We’re hoping that the raucous 286-hp Kona N performance model will stick around, too, but we may have to wait a little longer for more information on that.There’s also a Kona hybrid, but we’re not sure if it’ll be sold in the U.S. or not. Its powertrain, which consists of a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and an electric motor and produces a total of 139 horsepower, appears to be the same as what’s offered in the Kia Niro. A Kona Electric model will also return, but specs aren’t yet available for that.In terms of size, the new 2024 Kona is bigger than before, with a 2.3-inch longer wheelbase and a 5.7-inch longer overall length. Hyundai says this improves rear-seat room and cargo space. A few additional photos of the interior show the dual 12.3-inch display screens that will be offered, likely only on higher trim levels.We’ll learn more about the 2024 Kona later this year as Hyundai divulges more information on the U.S.-spec version of the car. For now, peruse the photo gallery to see what the new generation of the small crossover looks like inside and out.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. More

In news from the state of North Carolina, which we might have to start referring to as “North North Florida,” a man on a John Deere tractor instigated a lengthy police chase that involved spike strips, the shooting of tires, and eventually a taser battle. We’re calling this incident “Hicks Gone Wild,” for an obvious reason: The guy on the tractor was named Ronnie Hicks. Oh, and this was a stolen tractor, just in case you had any doubt.It sounds like ol’ Ronnie is no stranger to the local constabulary, based on the summary of the chase posted by the Boone police department, where this all went down. The Facebook post begins, “So, many of you have heard, or have seen the videos, that we got in a pursuit with a tractor. The stolen tractor was being operated by a person who we are very familiar with, Mr. Ronnie Hicks.” It’s left to the reader to imagine why they might be familiar with this fellow, but the following account might provide some insight.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.According to the police, our GTA (Grand Theft Agriculture) adventure begins with the Deere pilot driving around town, swerving menacingly at pedestrians and crashing into stuff. In Boone, as in most towns, this will draw the attention of local law enforcement. Police chief Andy Le Beau maintains that Hicks “hit several vehicles, a dumpster, and a church,” adding that “We are still trying to sort it all out.” Indeed, as are we!Thus ensued an OJ-style low-speed chase in which the police learned that John Deere tractors are surprisingly resilient, if not quick. As speeds approached 20 mph, the cops tried throwing spike strips in its path. The tractor and its irascible helmsman continued, undaunted. Next up: bullets. And shooting at the tires did work, such that one of the front ones eventually peeled straight off the rim. But those big wheels kept on turnin’, and in the process tearing up the dang-nabbed road. But eventually, our ornery protagonist took a turn that led him to run out of road. At which point, he jumped off the tractor wielding a knife. You ever hear the expression, “Don’t bring a knife to a taser fight?” No? Well, we just made it up, based on what happened next. After which Mr. Hicks was taken into custody and charged with various things—whatever local statutes cover smashing into churches with stolen tractors and whatnot.This was the second police chase in Boone this week. So far.There Are No Words More

The 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale small SUV is the company’s first plug-in hybrid. Pricing starts at $44,590 for the entry-level Tonale Sprint, while the fully loaded version starts at $49,090. The mid-level Ti trim and top Veloce are available for preorder today, with the Sprint ready later this spring.Every Tonale comes with a plug-in-hybrid powertrain that uses a turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-four engine and produces 285 horsepower. All-wheel drive is also standard.The Italian-built 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale is coming to shake some Italian seasoning on the subcompact luxury crossover segment that’s filled largely with German offerings such as the Audi Q3, the BMW X1, and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-class. Available today for preorder, we now know pricing for the new Alfa SUV, but its entry-level trim won’t become available until sometime this spring. Tonale of Tomorrow:The Tonale is Alfa Romeo’s first plug-in hybrid and is a small SUV that slots in below the Stelvio. It shares its platform with the Jeep Compass but is more closely related to the upcoming Dodge Hornet that also goes on sale later this year. While every Tonale gets the same 285-hp turbocharged 1.3-liter inline-four plug-in-hybrid powertrain with a nine-speed automatic and all-wheel drive, the crossover’s options are split among three trim levels. Only the top two trims, Veloce and Ti, are available for preorder today. The Tonale is currently eligible for the $7,500 federal EV tax credit.Tonale Sprint starts at $44,590 and serves as the entry point for the mini Alfa Romeo. It comes with an impressive list of standard equipment such as silver 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and ignition, remote start, heated cloth seats, and a heated steering wheel. A 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto are also standard. There’s even wireless smartphone charging.The Tonale Ti pricing starts at $46,590, only a few thousand bucks more than the entry trim, and adds subtle appearance changes like black wheels and other exterior accents but also includes a power liftgate and ambient lighting. At the top of the Tonale food chain is the Veloce at $49,090. While the trim level means Italian for fast, it doesn’t actually have an advantage in power. But it should feel livelier thanks to its larger 19-inch wheels, Brembo brake calipers, and a sporty adaptive suspension. The Veloce has the nicest interior of the bunch, with perforated leather seats and synthetic suede upholstery, and it’s the only way to get paddle shifters.While its commanding starting price does give it a bigger price tag than other plug-in hybrids such as the Ford Escape PHEV, Toyota RAV4 Prime, and Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV, it has more horsepower than other gas-only crossovers its size. Alfa hopes that its beautiful Italian design and richly equipped standard features will win hearts.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. More

Mercedes revealed the 2024 CLA lineup, previewing newly styled front and rear ends, restyled headlights, and new wheel options.Peak output stays at 221 horsepower, but a newly electrified powertrain adds 13 horsepower to bring peak power lower in the range.There’s no word on official pricing yet, but Mercedes expects the new CLA to start arriving at dealerships later in 2023.Mercedes isn’t quite ready to give the CLA a full redesign but instead is offering a slight facelift to please fans of the compact four-door. Along with it comes a newly electrified powertrain. The 2024 model gains a 48-volt hybrid system to help with acceleration. In the low end of the rev range, it adds a power boost of 13 extra horsepower. During braking and acceleration, the starter-generator recuperates energy, which it then uses to supply the 12-volt onboard network and the 48-volt hybrid system with electrical energy. The system appears to work similarly to the hybrid system in the Mercedes-AMG SL43, which utilizes a belt-driven starter-generator to boost horsepower at lower rpm. More on the CLAThe CLA’s looks are updated at both front and rear, although changes are minimal. The front fascia gets new shaping, and the grille swaps its old speckled-dot design for one spangled by the Mercedes star. The biggest visual changes are redesigned headlights and taillights, which drop the lower portion of the daytime running lights. There are two new color options: Hyper Blue, which is exclusive to CLA models, and Starling Blue. Three new wheel designs also join the lineup. The AMG wing cooked up its own series of revisions and upgrades for the AMG CLA35 and CLA45 models, which sport a new AMG-specific front end. Opting for the AMG Aerodynamics Package Plus adds a fixed rear spoiler. Output in the AMG CLA35 stays put at 302 horsepower, though it receives the same 13-hp boost as the non-AMG variants. The AMG CLA45S is a different story, with power increasing by 34 horsepower to an impressive total of 416. According to Mercedes, the AMG CLA45S can sprint to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Inside the CLA, the standard display has grown, with a 10.3-inch instrument cluster and a 10.3-inch touchscreen, both running the newest MBUX infotainment system. One of the features is a choice of three display styles: the fully informative Classic, a Sporty version with a dynamic tachometer, and the minimalist Discreet setting. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto have both been added, and there are new trim levels, with a choice of carbon, open-pore wood, or and an AMG-exclusive brown microfiber option. Stepping up to the AMG line brings the number of interior upholstery options from three, to five, adding two-tone color schemes into the mix. Standard safety systems have been updated as well, providing customers with parking assist and a mirror package. Mercedes has not offered any word on pricing yet but said it expects to have CLA models arriving at U.S. dealerships later in 2023. 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. More

After showing off the e-RV concept last year, Winnebago has honed its electric RV into the eRV2 prototype unveiled today at the Florida RV Super Show.The underpinnings from a Ford E-Transit provide 266 horsepower and 108 miles of range, less than the 125 miles the company claimed for the e-RV’s powertrain from Lightning eMotors.A new 48-volt house battery powers the eRV2’s amenities and the interior is lined with plant-based materials and fabrics made from recycled bottles.The camper-van connoisseurs at Winnebago showed their first foray into electric power a year ago with the reveal of the e-RV concept. The electric RV then embarked on a road trip from Washington, D.C., to the company’s Minnesota headquarters, stopping in Detroit along the way to give us a closer look. Now Winnebago has debuted an updated prototype called the eRV2 at the Florida RV Super Show in Tampa as the electric camper inches closer to production. WinnebagoThe eRV2—which Winnebago describes as a “fully-operational prototype”—is built on a Ford E-Transit chassis, with the stock 68.0-kWh battery returning a claimed 108-mile range in the high-roof configuration. This actually gives the eRV2 a lower range estimate than the e-RV, which extracted an estimated 125 miles from an 86.0-kWh battery built by Lightning eMotors. Winnebago told Car and Driver that it typically traveled 70 to 90 miles at a time on its interstate journey with the e-RV, so the eRV2 might still be able to traverse similar distances between charges. Winnebago acknowledges, however, that the eRV2’s range is less than ideal, promising improvements for the production version. The company is aiming for the ability to comfortably drive for three hours before a recharge. The current E-Transit platform allows for DC fast charging to 80 percent in around 45 minutes. The switch to a standard E-Transit powertrain also increased horsepower from 215 to 266 ponies, but torque drops from the previously claimed 733 pound-feet to the Ford’s stock 317 pound-feet.WinnebagoThe eRV2’s second battery, a 15.0-kWh unit developed with Lithionics Battery, powers amenities like the refrigerator and the new 48-volt A/C system, which Winnebago says is 30 percent more efficient than traditional units. Other interior equipment includes a portable induction cooktop, a sink, and a bathroom with a shower and removable cassette toilet. There’s also a WiFi router. Winnebago claims the eRV2 allows for up to seven days of boondocking, which is when you camp in an RV off the grid, without hookups to electricity, water, or sewage. While the 900-watt solar panels on the roof—up from 200 watts on the E-RV—help preserve energy, the fine print also reveals that this claim is based on the assumption that the two travelers don’t need to turn on the A/C or the heat. WinnebagoWinnebagoAlong with ditching gas for electrons, the eRV2’s focus on sustainability brings the extensive use of recycled materials in the cabin. The lounge spaces feature Repreve fabric made from plastic bottles while the front seats are upholstered in a renewable, plant-based fabric, and a biodegradable material is used for the acrylic countertops. The interior lights can also be switched from white to red, which Winnebago says decreases light pollution, reducing the impact of your adventure on the wildlife around you. It should also help your eyes to adjust to the dark when it’s time to do some stargazing. More Electric CampersWinnebago has also revised the control center for managing the eRV2’s systems, and has created an app that performs the same functions. The company also enlarged the freshwater tank by five gallons and increased the gray-water tank by seven gallons.Winnebago says it is conducting field testing with customers as it continues to hone the eRV2. We still don’t know when Winnebago’s electric RV will go on sale, but the company said the final chassis configuration will be announced later this year. The company also admitted that it will carry a price premium over gas-powered RVs, and the remaining development time will be crucial for ironing out the kinks and boosting the range.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. More

Travis Pastrana’s bucket list has a lot crossed off. He’s won championships on both two wheels and four, raced motocross, supercross, rally car, and off-road. He’s jumped cars with Ken Block and braved mountains at Pikes Peak. He isn’t even new to NASCAR, racing both the Craftsman truck series and the Xfinity series. But in all the flips, spins, and burnouts of Pastrana’s career, there’s one race he’s never had a chance to start: the Daytona 500.For the 2023 running, Pastrana, with help from 23XI Racing [That’s 23-eleven], Black Rifle Coffee, and Toyota, hopes to check a Cup car ride in NASCAR’s most famous speedway off the list and take the green flag in the number 67 Toyota Camry TRD. It’s not a done deal though; NASCAR fills out the four open spots in the Daytona field through a qualifying effort, and Pastrana will be up against racers including Jimmie Johnson fighting for a spot. In typical Pastrana fashion, he’s just thrilled for the chance to do something fun in a car. We caught up for a quick chat about going fast in a stock car. C/D: With everything you’ve done, what’s the draw of Daytona?TP: It’s the great American race. I think it’s every redneck American’s dream from the time they’re young to . . .[He pauses, clearly concerned about his wording]I use redneck with . . . I mean, I’m definitely a redneck.Used with love.Yeah! It was the one event that my whole family got together for. Friends, family, relatives, long-lost relatives. It’s always had a real special spot in my heart. Also, Daytona, that was my first win in Supercross, in that infield, so it’s a cool place and I’ve always wanted to be a part of it.Extra PastranaYou race a lot of kinds of motorsport. That was normal in the ’60s, but then racing became very segregated by specialty. Recently there’s been more swapover. For example, Tony Stewart going drag racing, Indy drivers looking at F1, stock car drivers at Indy, and so on. Are we going to see more people moving around from one kind of racing to another again?Unser and Andretti, racing it all. That is what racing was all about. It used to be you only had a couple of big events a year, in the NASCAR series or the Indy series, and drivers just wanted to drive. They loved driving. They had so much passion. But now, how many races do the NASCAR guys have in a year? I see it with motocross, they are working so hard and it costs so much and you have to do it all, be an amazing driver, speak very well, promote. By the time you get to the top, you burn out. But I think what we’re seeing is that the drivers who have established names, when they get toward the end of their career, they’re saying, “You know what? This has become a job. I really want to have fun. I’ve loved racing my whole life and I’m going to do it for the passion again.”I didn’t realize how many great drivers would be trying to qualify, but I want to earn my way in.Is that what racing the Daytona 500 is for you? Well, I was disappointed at the end of my first NASCAR season when we ended up crashing at Daytona. I was almost crying. My dad goes, “I’d give my left arm to have had the opportunity to do one lap around Daytona at 200 miles an hour. And sliding backwards through the infield, making it through that safe? I would’ve given my other arm, my right arm, to have been able to experience what that felt like.” Only he didn’t say “arm.” So, yeah, you know what? I’m almost 40 years old and I would rather not do well—I mean, I’d feel horrible if I do anything to make someone else’s race worse—but worst-case scenario, I tried. And I feel like for me to go down there and try to be part of this race is so much more important for me than to hold on to my reputation and one day say, “I was really good over here doing this, but I never gave that a shot.”Okay, so you have a healthy attitude toward this, but you still have to qualify. Are you worried about it? That’s scary. I didn’t realize how many great drivers and how many great cars were going to be trying to qualify in this year, but I want to earn my way in.What’s really tough is that my first time ever in a Cup car at Daytona—at least, my first time in a Cup car outside of second gear, I did pit practice the other day—will be my qualifying run. It’s all down to how well you get through those gears and how smoothly you run those two laps. Any movement in the wheel, it drops you 10 spots in qualifying. It’s going to be extremely difficult for me having never driven that car. It’s extremely difficult for anybody anyway. But hey, my first race there, in the lower class [Xfinity series] I finished backwards, but I still finished in the top 10. Is driving a stock car radically different from driving a rally car, or racing a bike?In motocross, they say, “When in doubt, throttle out.” Same thing with all-wheel drive. When things get too sideways, you aim and that right foot just goes to the floor. So whenever I got nervous in NASCAR, I had a tendency to want to give it more gas to solve the problem, and that is not what works on pavement, it’s not what works on rear-wheel drive, and, honestly, it’s not what works at 190 miles an hour. Things happen too quick. Things step out fast.When I raced stock cars before, I struggled with rear-wheel drive, with aerodynamics, understanding the draft, and with pavement. I’ve had a lot more experience on pavement the last 10 years. I’ve been really successful in Rallycross. Scott Speed being on my team, with F1 experience, helped me understand how I needed to think differently to be competitive. I’ll never have a career in NASCAR, but I believe that I can drive well enough, and I’m with a really solid team. Tell us about 23XI. What attracted you to them, or them to you?It’s a team that really wants me to do well, that’s going to give me the best possible way to go forward. Denny Hamlin has won three Daytona 500s. He is probably the most successful restrictor plate racer out there. He has so much knowledge to give and it’s a new team that’s still looking to build their brand. This is an opportunity. It’s a team that’s not going to fall back on hierarchy, not going to say, “You’re our fourth driver, you get the fourth-best motor and the fourth-best of whatever.” I came in and they said, “We have the same crew chief that’s going over everything. We’re going to start all the cars the same. Whatever Bubba [Wallace] gets, you get.” For a driver to know that you have equal equipment and that it’s on you to prove yourself, that means a lot. I think this is where I can put my best foot forward. What else is on the list? Do you have a bucket list of different driving you want to do and this was on there?There were only two things on my list that didn’t have the word “win” before them. One was driving a Top Fuel dragster, and I was able to check that off the list with Scott Palmer [in 2022]. This was the other one, race the Daytona 500. I’d love to win the Baja 1000 in a trophy truck. I think that’s something that’s attainable that might happen down the road. But as far as my bucket list of things I want to be a part of, maybe Dakar is the only other race that I haven’t done that I truly think would be an amazing experience. But to have the opportunity this year at Daytona to try to be a part of it is a dream come true.Well, you’re somewhat famous for making it all look like a lot of fun.Because it is a lot of fun. More

Aston Martin is retiring the current-gen DBS with a bang, revealing the DBS 770 Ultimate in a limited edition of 499.Aston calls this its most powerful production car ever, thanks to a 759-hp 5.2-liter V-12. The special car, which is already sold out, is part of the company’s celebration of 110 years since it was founded on January 15, 1913.Update 1/18/23: Added acceleration figures.If this is your first time hearing about the Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate, you’re already too late. To celebrate the end of the current-generation DBS, Gaydon has whipped up quite the barnstormer, only 499 of which will be built, and all of which are already reserved. You snooze, you lose.It’s one hell of a swan song too; in fact, Aston Martin says, the DBS 770 Ultimate is the most powerful production car the automaker has ever produced. Under that long hood is a 5.2-liter V-12 engine producing 759 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque, which is delivered to the rear wheels through a ZF-built eight-speed automatic transmission and a standard mechanical limited-slip differential. Aston Martin claims all this power is good for a 3.2-second hustle to 60 mph, although the convertible takes an extra 0.2 to reach the same speed. Top speed is a suitable 211 mph.Aston Martin didn’t just jack up the boost pressure and call it a day. While it does use the same carbon-ceramic brakes as the standard DBS, a whole raft of updates under the skin should boost its handling prowess, as well. A beefier front crossmember and rear undertray boost overall torsional stiffness by 3 percent, while front end lateral stiffness is up by 25 percent. A new solid-mounted steering column should bestow the driver with some additional feel, and the adaptive dampers carry unique tuning, too.Much More AstonIf the FOMO hasn’t already crept in, it will as soon as you see a DBS 770 Ultimate roll by. It is handily the sharpest DBS variant on the block. Tweaks to the bumpers bring an angrier look alongside additional airflow, and that focus on aerodynamics continues by way of a massive horseshoe-shaped vent on the clamshell hood. There’s also a flashy new set of 21-inch wheels, available in three finishes and wrapped in Pirelli P Zero performance summer tires.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.The DBS’s interior was already pretty radical, but Aston Martin has kicked things up a notch for this final edition. Standard sport seats include semi-aniline leather and uniquely quilted Alcantara. The center armrest gets a cute little leather strap with a laser-etched badge carrying the DBS 770 Ultimate logo. The model designation can also be found on the doorsill plaques. Of course, any owner can go above and beyond what’s seen here, thanks to Aston Martin’s Q bespoke services, which can add all manner of clever graphics and paint colors into the build.The 2023 Aston Martin DBS 770 Ultimate will be limited to 499 units, split between 300 coupes and 199 convertibles, with production starting in the first quarter of this year and deliveries happening in the third. Unless you’re waiting for one to pop up on Bring a Trailer, you’re out of luck, because the order books are already closed. More

Mazda has revealed output figures for its new 3.3-liter inline-six engine.At 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet, it’s the brawniest engine Mazda offers.The CX-90 will have it; that SUV gets a full reveal on January 31.While much of the ballyhoo around the upcoming Mazda CX-90 three-row SUV focuses on its plug-in-hybrid powertrain, there’s an inline-six engine in the future lineup that deserves some attention, too. The CX-90 debuts on January 31, but ahead of that, Mazda saw fit to throw out a few more details about its latest gas burner. Illustration by Ben Summerelle-Youde/Fox Syndication|Car and DriverAccording to Mazda, the CX-90’s turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six will be the most powerful mass-production gas engine the automaker has ever devised. The I-6 will produce 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque with premium fuel, which the automaker recommends; as with other engines on the market, using gasoline other than premium will incur a horsepower penalty, although the automaker did not divulge the output on good ol’ 89 octane.CXs of Today and TomorrowThis new inline-six is also technically a hybrid, just not one you’ll be able to drive on electricity alone. Instead, the 3.3-liter mates up with a 48-volt hybrid system. While we’re not yet sure how Mazda will utilize it, similar 48-volt setups exist across the automotive industry. They can extend stop-start usage in traffic and allow the engine to shut off under coasting or braking, all for the sake of better fuel economy.Mazda claims that this inline-six was developed specifically for the CX-90’s new longitudinal-engine platform. It’s likely that we will see this engine crop up again on the CX-90’s smaller two-row sibling, the CX-70, which shares a platform and will have a separate debut later in 2023.There’s another interesting tidbit in Mazda’s press release, too. The automaker said that its Kinematic Posture Control will come standard on all CX-90 variants. Debuting on the MX-5 Miata, Kinematic Posture Control claims to improve cornering stability by ever so slightly braking the inside rear wheel during a turn. As if we needed more excuses to chuck this thing around once it reaches our office. More