Motor News

Mazda’s European branch announced this morning that the rotary engine will return on the 2023 MX-30 R-EV, set to be revealed on Friday, January 13.The company also unveiled a new logo featuring a lowercase “e” inside a triangle that mimics the shape of a rotary engine.The new powertrain should bring added utility to the MX-30, previously sold as an EV in the U.S. with a disappointing 100 miles of EPA-estimated range.Despite a stylish exterior and Mazda’s typical athletic handling, the company’s first electric vehicle, the 2022 MX-30, fell short on the key attributes of a successful EV. The $34,000 crossover returned a mere 100 miles of EPA range and an even more paltry 70 miles on our highway range test, and trudged to 60 mph in a 8.7 seconds. But the MX-30 will soon be rejuvenated, becoming a plug-in hybrid as the rotary engine returns to Mazda’s lineup for the first time since 2012. MazdaDetails are still scarce, but Mazda in Europe announced this morning that the updated crossover, set to be called the MX-30 R-EV, will be revealed in full on January 13. The automaker also showed off a new logo that will presumably adorn the plug-in hybrid, featuring a lowercase “e” inside a triangle that represents the shape of a rotary engine.More Mazda NewsComing to U.S.?While the MX-30 had been sold in the United States purely as an EV, a mild hybrid version with Mazda’s Skyactiv-G 2.0-liter inline-four was offered in Japan, Australia, and New Zealand. Mazda’s U.S. division has yet to mention the MX-30 R-EV, but we expect the plug-in hybrid version to arrive in the United States for the 2023 model year and sales will likely expand beyond California, where the all-electric MX-30 had been limited to. More details on U.S. availability should arrive after the rotary-engined crossover is revealed this Friday. 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.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

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.Hennessey is releasing a lighter, track-focused version of its hypercar that is still road legal. Power is unchanged at 1817 horsepower from the twin-turbo 6.6-liter V-8.The Revolution will be priced from $2.7 million, and just 24 will be built.While the Hennessey Venom F5 has yet to deliver on John Hennessey’s promise it will prove itself the fastest production car in the world, that hasn’t stopped the Texas company from creating an even harder-core version. According to Hennessey, the F5 Venom is more track focused than the regular version, but it will still be street legal. Texas-Size AmbitionsAlthough Hennessey hasn’t made any top-speed claims for the Revolution, it will almost certainly be slower than the existing F5, which John Hennessey previously told C/D is targeting a top speed of over 311 mph (that’s 500 km/h in metric). That’s because the Revolution is carrying substantial aerodynamic modifications, with these claimed to substantially increase its peak downforce abilities. The new adjustable rear wing, with patriotic stars-and-stripes endplates, is claimed to be capable of making more than 800 pounds of positive aero assistance at 186 mph, and over 1400 pounds at 249 mph. When Hennessey first showed the F5 in 2020, it promised a track pack with a raised rear wing would follow, and the Revolution seems to be that. Although the company hasn’t released any claims for total downforce, the fact that the Revolution has substantially large diffusers front and rear suggests the combined figure will be even more impressive. There are also dive-plane elements on the front bumper to help move the aerodynamic balance forward, which sounds exciting.Power hasn’t increased over the regular F5 Venom coupe or the Roadster version that was announced last year. But it probably doesn’t need to; a peak 1817 hp sounds like plenty, even in these inflated times. The Revolution will use the same mid-mounted 6.6-liter twin-turbocharged pushrod V-8 as other F5s, with the engine making its power peak at 8200 rpm and accompanying it with a maximum 1193 pound-feet of torque at 5500 rpm. Power will reach the rear wheels through an automated single-clutch transmission and a limited-slip differential.Mass has been trimmed from the other side of the scale, with the F5 Revolution’s carbon structure claimed to be lighter than the already svelte F5. Hennessey promises that it will weigh less than 3000 pounds, 50 pounds less than it claims for the existing car. That’s despite the arrival of a new high-level engine air intake that sits above the roof. Suspension settings are also promised to be more aggressive and designed for hard track use.Just 24 of the F5 Revolution will be produced, with prices running from $2.7 million. That’s a figure that will likely make anybody who paid the $2.1 million that was asked for the regular F5 Venom feel like they nabbed a bargain. Or possibly that they should have waited a little longer for one of these. 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. More

Bring a Trailer offers more than (sometimes unusual) used cars, and we’ve rounded up a few interesting examples of things that you don’t actually need a trailer for. Maybe.Nonfunctioning Ferrari display engines, a toy version of a 1958 Series II Land Rover, and some classic Ferrari service manuals can all be had on the site.There are also vehicles that kind of defy trailering, at least under normal circumstances, like the old U.S. military Unimog (pictured above), complete with a hydraulic front-end loader.Vehicle auction site Bring a Trailer sold more than 24,000 vehicles last year, but not everything on the site really needs a trailer. Sure, some of the vehicles for sale do need to be towed to a repair shop before they can move, but there are items available on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—that would fit into your pocket. They’re mainly items from across the broader automotive world, though, and we chose some of our favorites currently available on BaT, like these non-cars currently being auctioned off.Bring a TrailerBring a Trailer We’ll start with some pocketable items: four printed Ferrari manuals and catalogs from the mid-1960s. These now classic printed items relate to the beloved Ferrari 275 grand tourer, specifically the 275GTB, 275GTB4, and 275GTS versions. There’s an operation and service manual, two spare parts catalogs, and a 275GTS sales brochure. Printed in Italian, English, and French, these old manuals come with a fabric-covered pouch featuring the prancing-horse logo and a leather closure tab if you don’t want to actually put these pieces of automotive history in your pocket. The current bid is $275, with seven days left in the auction.Bring a TrailerMoving on to larger items, we’ve got a gorgeous 3.6-liter F131 V-8 engine, the kind used in another Ferrari, the 360 Modena. But this engine hasn’t yet powered any car. It can’t, actually, since it’s a display piece without any internal parts, the kind Ferrari must have used at some sort of promotional event. The display engine is fitted with red Ferrari-branded intakes, a non-functioning intake manifold and cylinder heads, and other components. Whether a trailer is required for this piece depends on the size of your vehicle, but it does come with a pedestal-style display stand when it comes time to show off your new purchase. With a week left until the auction ends on January 15, bidding currently stands at $1500.Bring a TrailerMoving away from things Italian, we also found this pint-sized 1958 Series II Land Rover toy replica that was made in 2020. The Toylander Series II kart actually moves thanks to two 24-volt electric motors on the rear axle with a direct-drive transmission. While commenters on BaT bemoan the lack of authentic details like an oil leak, the toy car does come with eight-inch steel wheels and working headlights, taillights, and turn signals. The fiberglass body is about 63 inches long and 29 inches wide, big enough for one adult and two children, the manufacturer said. The Toylander Series II has a top speed of just 5 mph. The current bid is $1200, and while there’s some room for higher bids, new Toylanders like this can be had for around $2000.Bring a TrailerFinally, in our non-car BaT roundup, we’ve got something from the other end of the size spectrum: a Freightliner Unimog workhorse with a detachable hydraulically operated front-end loader. Originally a U.S. military vehicle—it’s still painted in camouflage—this Unimog was overhauled in 2005 and had some maintenance done in 2022, including replacing a hydraulic boom cylinder. Work tools including a hydraulic chain saw, hammer drill, and pavement breaker are included in storage lockers on the right side of the vehicle. We’ll see where this one ends on January 15, but the current bid is $10,666.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.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

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced Friday it is retiring the number 43 from the World Rally Championship in 2023 as a tribute to Ken Block, who was killed in a snowmobiling accident on Monday. Block used #43 throughout his racing career, which spanned the WRC, rallycross events, and stage rally in America. The Hoonigan co-founder also wore the number in his numerous Gymkhana appearances. The Legend”Given the enormous contribution our great friend Ken Block made to motorsport and the fact that he was held in such high regard by people the world over, it is entirely appropriate that his #43 will be withdrawn from use during the 2023 WRC season,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a statement. Block’s death has prompted a huge outpouring of emotion from the car community, with several big-name figures speaking out on what he meant to the world of motorsports, entertainment, and beyond. “While it’s a small gesture, we hope that it is one that will bring some comfort to his family and friends at this time,” Sulayem added. “Ken was a true legend and the memory of this true legend will live with us forever.”This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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

The Tesla Model S and Model X are once again available with a regular steering wheel.A yoke is still offered, but a steering wheel (pictured above)—now with capacitive buttons versus stalks—returns as a no-cost option. Already yoked Model S or X EVs can have a steering wheel retrofitted for $700, but the Tesla service isn’t available until March.The tried-and-true steering wheel returns to the Tesla Model S and Model X. While the steering yoke that has been mandatory since the cars’ 2021 redesign is still offered, people who order a new S or X can once again drive with a normal wheel at no extra cost.Unlike before, the new steering wheel in the Model S and Model X doesn’t have stalks that control the blinkers, windshield wipers, or gear selection. Instead, all of those functions are now handled through capacitive buttons and controller balls, just like those found on the yoke.One of these is not like the other.TeslaTeslaWhat about all the folks who bought a Tesla Model S or X with the yoke-style setup and are unhappy with it? Well, Tesla is letting those customers swap it out for a real wheel with a retrofit option through its online store. It won’t be available until March, and it costs $700, which is said to include installation through Tesla service.The return of a regular steering wheel to the Model S and Model X represents a symbolic U-turn by Tesla—and, more specifically, by CEO Elon Musk. Back in 2021, in the months after the company stirred up controversy by only offering both models with a yoke, Musk tweeted that there was no chance a traditional steering wheel would return, even as an option. The irony is that eggs have a yoke, and Musk may have a little on his face.Tesla In the NewsWhile Tesla’s yoke-style tiller has its fair share of detractors (including us), it’s still better than a steering wheel that flies off in your hand while you’re driving. 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.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

A new set of data shows what we’ve been seeing over several months: monthly payments on new-car loans are hitting and exceeding four figures at a distressingly high rate.One reason is rising interest rates, which in turn are affected by supply-chain issues and inflation.Another reason: a growing number of customers tend to owe more on the vehicle they’re trading in than it’s worth, tempting them to roll the negative equity into the next purchase.The share of new-car loans with a monthly payment above $1000 hit a record high last year, new data from Edmunds shows. The company says 15.7 percent of buyers who financed a new car in the fourth quarter of 2022 signed on for four-figure monthly payments.That’s up from 10.5 percent in 2021, a nearly 50 percent increase in the overall share. Supply constraints and inflation put upward pressure on prices, while that same inflationary crisis led to much higher interest rates. Consumers attempted to account for rising prices by spending more money upfront, bringing the average down payment up to $6780. Markups—which usually cannot be financed as easily as money toward a vehicle’s MSRP—likely contributed to that rising average down payment. How to Pick OneBeing Upside Down Makes It WorseEdmunds also sees rising car payments and an inflated market as a potentially dangerous combination. In the fourth quarter of 2022, 17.4 percent of new car purchases with a trade-in had negative equity rolled into the new loan. That means they still owed more than the car they traded in was worth, forcing them to roll the owed money into the new purchase. In the event of a market collapse, if a higher percentage of owners owe more than their vehicles are worth, that could at worst, cause a crisis. At best, the market would likely see a slowdown in new-car purchases. “Vehicle equity is really a tale of two gears for consumers over the past few years,” said Ivan Drury, Edmunds director of insights. “At the onset of the pandemic, consumers benefited from low-interest rates and elevated trade-in values, helping shield even the more questionable financing decisions from resulting in negative equity. This unique confluence of market forces resulted in some vehicle owners being able to take advantage of positive equity on their loans and even their leases. But as we shifted toward an environment with diminished used-car values and rising interest rates over the past few months, consumers have become less insulated from those riskier loan decisions, and we are only seeing the tip of the negative-equity iceberg.”This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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

VinFast, a Vietnamese startup automaker, announced it will start taking orders for its VF6 and VF7 electric SUVs starting in March. The company had previously announced it would start delivering its larger VF8 to the U.S., but customers have not received them as of the beginning of January.The subcompact VF6 is expected to have a WLTP range of up to 248 miles, which could translate to a 200-mile EPA rating.The compact VF7’s WLTP range is estimated to top out at 280 miles, or as much as 224 EPA-rated miles.Following up on the reveal of the VF6 and VF7 electric SUVs at the 2022 Los Angeles auto show, Vietnamese automaker VinFast said it will open the reservation process for these two models in March. Speaking at the 2022 CES show in Las Vegas, VinFast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy said that deliveries are expected to begin at the end of the year and into early 2024. More Details and SpecsVinFast also updated the specifications for each SUV with an estimated range. The 174-horsepower Eco version of the subcompact VF6 is expected to go 248 miles on the WLTP test cycle, while the 201-hp Plus trim is slightly lower at 237 miles. As a rough estimate, that converts to somewhere between 190 and 200 miles on the EPA test cycle, but the final numbers might be lower. The VF8 goes 293 miles on the same test but will initially have an EPA-rated estimated range of 179 miles. A VinFast representative claimed that the VF8’s range is expected to increase following an upcoming over-the-air update, and the official rating will be revised after recertification. VinFast had promised delivery in late 2022 to U.S. customers but most recently has said its first customers in California will start receiving this model this month,The compact VF7 is targeted to go 280 miles on the WLTP test in 201-hp Eco trim, and the 348-hp, two-motor AWD Plus version will go 268 miles. That translates to somewhere between 170 and 224 miles of EPA-rated maximum range. The company did not mention the overall battery capacity for the VF6 or VF7.How Much?Pricing for both models will be announced sometime in the next month or so. The VF6 is estimated to start around $30,000, while the VF7’s estimated base price is under $40,000. Reserving the VF8 and VF9 requires a $200 deposit on the VinFast website, so customers should be able to claim a place in line for the same amount when the VF6 and VF7 reservation system opens.Also speaking at VinFast’s CES press conference, Gareth Dunsmore, Deputy CEO for sales and marketing, said that the first reservation holders for the VF6 and VF7 will have “additional rewards with meaningful benefit” with details to follow. The “VinFirst” program for the VF8 and VF9 included an NFT allowing special access to the Vingroup Metaverse, along with discounts of $3000 and $5000, respectively. VinFast had initially promised U.S. deliveries of its larger VF8 before the end of 2022, and while a ship carrying the electric crossovers arrived in the United States in late December, those planned deliveries did not happen before the new year.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.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

UPDATE 1/5/23: Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares confirmed the range-extender powertrain option for the upcoming Ram 1500 EV during a roundtable interview at CES 2023. While the Ram Revolution BEV concept is battery-powered EV, there will also be a version of this pickup offered with a gasoline engine that can recharge the battery.More on Ram EVBy the time the Ram 1500 EV hits the market in 2024, it’ll be a couple of years late to the all-electric-pickup-truck party that’s already getting started. However, it could arrive with an available range extender, which is not currently an option on rivals such as the F-150 Lightning, the GMC Hummer EV, or the Rivan R1T.Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. first mentioned that the upcoming Ram 1500 EV will be offered with a range extender in an interview with EV Pulse. Powering a generator that can recharge the truck’s battery pack, it might help alleviate concerns some people have about driving range. It’s perhaps a hedge for buyers of electric trucks who plan on using them to tow, as it significantly affects efficiency and range. We’ve seen the Rivian R1T’s range shrink to just 110 miles when towing a modest load just half of the truck’s 11,000-pound maximum.Stellantis|Car and DriverOf course, a Ram 1500 EV with a range extender is no longer an EV, but a plug-in hybrid. Then again, Ram hasn’t had an issue with calling its V-8 a Hemi despite not having hemispherical combustion chambers, so maybe it will still label its electrified 1500 an EV. While we haven’t heard of any other new electric trucks that’ll offer a range extender, it’s unlikely that Ram would be the only company to have one if it’s an effective solution. In fact, Ford in 2018 filed a patent for a bed-mounted range extender for what we now know is the F-150 Lightning. However, Ford’s patent was for a modular unit versus one that’s built-in like the one used on BMW’s now-defunct i3 hatch. The i3’s two-cylinder engine was a pure range extender, used only to recharge the battery, but there’s a host of plug-in hybrids with lesser electric range where the gas engine also provides propulsion, such as the Chevy Volt or any number of today’s plug-in hybrids. Koval didn’t say what type of range extender would be used or when it might be available. Extra Ram EV ReadingThe news about the Ram 1500 EV’s range extender comes after the brand recently announced an initiative to gather input from real people regarding the development of its electric trucks and commercial vans via RamRevolution.com and a yearlong series of events called the Ram Real Talk Tour.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.This story was originally published February 10, 2022.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