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The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Haute Voiture is a special edition that’s inspired by high fashion. Along with exclusive two-tone paint, the Haute Voiture has a uniquely appointed interior with bouclé fabric and other intricate details. The 2023 S680 Haute Voiture will be limited to 150 examples when it goes on sale early next year. For rich folks who fancy themselves fashionistas, the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Haute Voiture is a fashion-show-inspired variant of the already ultra-classy Maybach S-class.After teasing the Haute Voiture concept earlier this year, Mercedes today announced plans to put the “drivable art piece” into production. The new limited edition was revealed in its full glory following a fashion show in Dubai.Even More Fashionable than Before To ensure the Haute Voiture isn’t confused with any other Maybach S680, it wears an exclusive two-tone paint job that features metallic nautical blue on top and rose gold below. Its large monoblock wheels are painted to match the blue hue of the body. While this author finds the color combination quite fetching, it’s the type of look that’ll likely divide people. You know, like fashion.Obviously, the S680 special edition is adorned with chrome exterior trim and a prominent Mercedes-Benz hood ornament same as the regular Maybach-branded S-class. However, the Haute Voiture also comes with extra baggage—literally. That’s because along with the car Maybach is releasing a bag collection that’ll be made of the same materials used on the interior. The bags will also be sold in limited numbers. MercedesMercedesA Bougie Bouclé-Trimmed CabinInside, the Haute Voiture has the same layout as the Maybach S680, meaning a massive MBUX infotainment screen up front and two-passenger lounge seating in the back. For the occasion, Mercedes upgrades the MBUX system with Haute Voiture-specific visuals, such as rose gold accents and “sparkling glitter clouds” (yes, really). Users can also choose from 12 different avatars wearing fashion accessories and fancy clothes.Bouclé is a type of fabric that’s woven from yarn. It has a very distinctive look, and it’s featured throughout the Haute Voiture’s cabin, with the material seen on the door panels and the seats. The pattern uses a mix of blue, beige, rose gold, and other gold shades. The headliner also features a neat pattern that wouldn’t look out of place on a high-dollar handbag. The car’s cabin comes with a set of floor mats made of linen and mohair, which is yarn made from goat hair, and there’s a set of rose gold-colored champagne flutes.High Fashion, High Power, High PriceAs with regular Maybach S680 models, the Haute Voiture features all-wheel drive and a 621-hp twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12. Considering the 496-hp V-8-powered Mercedes-Maybach S580 we tested sped to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, the even mightier V-12 version should easily hit the same mark in under 4 ticks. Acceleration times aside, true fashion isn’t concerned with how quickly models reach the end of the catwalk, it’s about how they look doing it.More on the Maybach S-ClassLike most things that qualify as high fashion (a.k.a. haute couture), the S680 Haute Voiture that will go on sale in early 2023 will have a limited production run of just 150 copies. While Mercedes hasn’t divulged how much this special Maybach will cost, we expect a sizable premium to be attached to the standard S680’s price tag, which starts at $230,050.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

Last year, GM announced plans to install up to 40,000 Level 2 charging stations for any and all EVs in underserved communities across the U.S. and Canada. This week, the automaker said the first stations had been installed in Wisconsin and Michigan and that many more are on the way.While GM dealers (Chevy only until 2023) are involved with this program, it is not meant to only install units at dealerships. Instead, the plan calls for EV chargers to be installed at commonly used public locations.GM also said it would partner with FLO, which will supply future units and build them in Auburn Hills, Michigan.Electric vehicles need places to charge, and it doesn’t hurt if the company that makes the EVs also provides charging options. Just ask anyone who’s used a Tesla Supercharger. Last year, GM announced it would install a new network of up to 40,000 Level 2 stations as part of a “community charging program” in the U.S. and Canada. This week, GM said that around 1000 GM dealers have enrolled in the program and that local dealerships in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and Owosso, Michigan, helped determine where the first of these stations were installed in their local communities.Currently, only Chevrolet dealerships have been invited to join the program, but other GM brands—Buick, GMC and Cadillac—can sign up starting in January 2023. Dealers in the Dealer Community Charging Program can get up to 10 19.2-kilowatt charging stations, and then GM will direct dealers to installation providers to get these stations up and working at “key community locations.” These Level 2 stations are open to any EV driver and are meant as a next-step solution in so-called “charging deserts,” where public EV charging infrastructure is rare or just doesn’t exist there yet. Level 2 isn’t the game changer that DC fast-chargers would be in these places, but they will be welcomed in the “underserved rural and urban areas” that GM is targeting with the program.GM also announced it had selected EV charging company FLO to be its charging station provider in this project. FLO will build future charging stations for GM at its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan.Charging at HomeWhen GM announced the Dealer Community Charging Program in 2021, it said that the project would bring EV stations to places like “workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues, and college and universities, among others.” GM said that the next batch of states to get stations installed will be Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, and Washington State.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

We get it. You think if you scrape a porthole in the mass of snow on your car’s windshield, you think you’ll be able to reach your destination safely. Maybe you will, maybe you won’t. But people can be killed if you decide to take that chance.There are laws on the books in some states requiring drivers to keep the snow off their car windows and roof, but even in places without such rules, police can still issue unsafe driving tickets or something similar.There are at least two states with laws named after someone who was killed in a crash caused by falling ice. Don’t be the driver who sets another such chain of events in motion.We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, don’t drive with too much snow covering your car. Perhaps you remember the New Hampshire driver who got the Internet’s attention two years ago when they were charged with vehicular assault, reckless conduct, and negligent driving for the unusual situation where snow and ice flew off the roof of the box truck they were driving that injured the driver of the following car when it broke their windshield.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.#KitsapCounty: A trooper stopped this driver on SR 16 after the vehicle was observed to be completely covered in snow. The driver received a $553 ticket for negligent driving in the 2nd degree.Please take the time to remove all snow from your vehicle before you leave the house. pic.twitter.com/pRHAbdxc8p— Trooper Katherine Weatherwax (@wspd8pio) December 4, 2022 Seattle Timesget a $553 ticket from the Washington State PatrolThis past week, another driver was ticketed for unsafe winter driving in Washington State. No one was injured this time, according to the, but a driver did because their windshield was almost completely covered in snow. The picture posted by a State Patrol trooper (above) shows the driver didn’t seem to try very hard to clear more than a periscope view through the snow. The person apparently drove more than five miles with this limited view, which got the police involved. As you can see, driving in the winter without cleaning any snow from your vehicle can have negative effects, either on your wallet or on nearby people. While only a handful of states have actual laws against driving without clearing off ice and snow, you can still be stopped in other states if law enforcement believes that the white stuff preventing you from seeing where you’re going falls into.Winter Is ComingSome States Have Cracked DownOne of the strictest state snow removal laws is in effect in New Hampshire. Known as Jessica’s Law after the woman (Jessica Smith) who was killed when falling ice caused a multi-vehicle crash, this 2001 law charges first-time offenders with a minimum fine of at least $250. The second offense comes with a potential $1000 fine, and after that—for whatever kind of driver needs a third strike here—a driver may face points on their license or a short-term loss of license. A Pennsylvania law, known as Christine’s Law, for a similar unfortunate case of yet another innocent road user who was killed by ice falling from another vehicle, took effect earlier this year. This new law requires drivers to clean snow and ice off their vehicles at least 24 hours after heavy snowfall. Fines start at $50 (but can reach $1500).LWA/Dann Tardif|Getty ImagesGiven the repeated deaths from people not scraping their cars clean in the winter, it’s obvious people need help keeping themselves and others safe. Even if you don’t consider a monetary fine a good enough reason to scrape your car, listen to Linda Smith, who spoke with media in 2015 after the death of her daughter, Jessica.”It takes not even five minutes to clean off your car,” she told WMUR at the time. “It can take three seconds to kill somebody.”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.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. More

GM president Mark Reuss recently revealed that an electric Chevy sedan is being developed for China, as first reported by GM Authority.Ruess said the new Ultium-based EV is still early in development and suggested it might make it to the U.S. as a Malibu replacement.With the Chinese debut of the Chevy FNR-XE sedan concept (shown here), we think its design could preview a Malibu EV.As SUVs and crossovers have surged in popularity over the past decade, Chevrolet’s previously healthy sedan lineup has dwindled down to a single vehicle, the Malibu. The mid-size sedan is growing long in the tooth, having been on sale since 2016 with a light refresh in 2019. However, now there’s hope for the Malibu’s future, with General Motors president Mark Reuss revealing during a recent Investor Day presentation in China that Chevy is working on a “low-roof” EV that will feature sedan-like proportions, according to a report by GM Authority.GMThe upcoming electric sedan is just entering the early stages of development, but Reuss called the design “pretty dramatic” and said the EV will occupy the same mid-size segment as the current Malibu. This possible replacement has already been confirmed for the Chinese market, where sedans are still in high demand, but Chevy may eventually offer the EV in the United States. Reuss appeared to leave the door open for U.S. availability, saying at the event, “… we’ll see the desirability as we clinic this.” Chevy recently debuted an electric sedan concept in China called the FNR-XE (pictured above). Its design could offer a preview of the EV referenced by Reuss, and the concept is based on the Ultium battery platform. The overall shape is similar to the Honda e:N2 concept revealed for China in November, and Honda and GM are already collaborating on electric crossovers, with the Chevy Blazer EV and Honda Prologue sharing the same platform.GMThe Malibu’s potential all-electric replacement will debut for the Chinese market at the end of 2024, so U.S. sales—if GM decides to bring it here—likely wouldn’t start until at least 2025. More Chevy EVsAlthough many customers have gravitated towards SUVs in recent years, the Malibu still represents a decent chunk of sales for Chevy. After a massive decline in 2021, dropping from 102,651 units sold in 2020 to just 39,376 units, the Malibu has rebounded in 2022, with nearly 80,000 units sold through the third quarter. There is still a market for sedans in America, so an electric Malibu may end up making sense for Chevrolet to bring to our shores as the company pivots away from gas-powered vehicles.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

Stellantis will indefinitely idle its plant in Belvidere, Illinois, where the Jeep Cherokee is built, as first reported by Automotive News.The company cites several reasons for the plant closure, including the COVID-19 pandemic and related supply-chain shortages.There will be a short run of 2023 Cherokees, but the move suggests the SUV’s place in the Jeep lineup could be vacant for 2024.A longtime Chrysler-FCA-Stellantis assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, will be indefinitely shut down as the company pursues options to “optimize operations,” according to a report today by Automotive News. The Belvidere plant is currently the only manufacturing facility responsible for the production of the Jeep Cherokee SUV, which calls into question the crossover’s future. A representative from Jeep told Car and Driver when the plant is closed, the Cherokee will remain in production through the end of February 2023, and the models being produced now are 2023 models. “The segment is very important to us and we plan to stay committed to it long-term,” a Jeep spokesperson said when pressed on future plans for the Cherokee nameplate. Demand for the Cherokee has fallen sharply over the past few years. In 2019, 191,397 copies found homes, while in 2020, only 135,855 were sold; in 2021, sales dwindled to 89,126. Meanwhile, Jeep dealers moved just 30,852 Cherokees in the first nine months of 2022, a fraction of the 189,727 Grand Cherokees—a more expensive and likely more profitable model—sold in the same time period. Jeep’s Electric FutureThe next compact Jeep SUV may be an EV. Jeep has detailed plans to shift to electric vehicles in recent months, including an Avenger EV for European and other global markets and a Wrangler-inspired Recon EV for North America. Time will tell, but the iconic, albeit problematic, nameplate could find itself emblazoned on the liftgate of an electric off-roader.The plant closure will impact the nearly 1300 employees, many of which are UAW union members, when the facility is idled on February 28, 2023. According to the AN report, layoffs are likely, although reassignment to other manufacturing facilities may be a possibility for some of the plant’s workforce. 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 Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray configurator was leaked online Thursday night, before being quickly taken down. The sleuths over at Mid-Engine Corvette Forum and Corvette Blogger spotted the configurator before it got taken down, and were able to grab an assortment of screenshots. The leaked images give us an early glimpse at what we can expect the E-Ray hybrid to look like when it comes to market next summer. Those eagerly anticipating the hybridized version of the Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray are in luck. Images from the Corvette hybrid configurator website leaked Thursday evening, confirming the E-Ray’s existence and giving us our first look at the design of the next iteration of the C8 Corvette. The internet sleuths at Mid-Engine Corvette Forum and Corvette Blogger were quick enough to grab a handful of screenshots before the configurator was taken down. Chevy neglected to give outright confirmation to the legitimacy of the configurator, but in a statement to Corvette Blogger said, “Looks like the holidays came early for a few astute Corvette fans. Stay tuned for more.” More on CorvetteBased on the renderings in the leak, the E-Ray looks to use the same widened body and front end as the Corvette Z06, though with body-color trim in lieu of some black pieces found on the Z06. The rear-quarter panel badge houses a new “ERAY” badge, which can be spotted directly behind the car’s side blades. There still aren’t any details on specifications for the E-Ray, but there are a few other juicy clues that hint at the hybrid’s mechanicals. A new “Regen on Demand” button can be seen in the cabin, suggesting that the E-Ray will have adjustable levels of regenerative braking.We still don’t know what configuration to expect for the electric motors or the number of electric motors for that matter. Previous rumors suggested that the E-Ray would be all-wheel drive, with the LT2 V-8 powering the rear wheels and an electric motor powering the fronts. This would likely mean a significant boost in horsepower compared with the Stingray model’s 490–495 hp.According to the configurator, we only have to wait until summer 2023 for the answers to these unknowns. 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.We don’t measure reliability for sleighs yet. However, the odds suggest that one of these years, Santa’s going to walk out one Christmas Eve to a sleigh and reindeer team that won’t start. A clairvoyant Window Shop viewer asked the crew to come up with replacement rides for Santa’s 23-hour trip around the world. Kris Kringle’s on a budget this year (who isn’t?), so he has just $30,000 to spend. Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman’s Toyota Tundra fixation finally found its outlet. The shiny burgundy pickup’s cloth interior turned into a brief discussion about whether Santa prefers textiles to leather, but there were no questions about toy-carrying capability. Best of all, if Santa delivered to Pearley’s house last, he could leave the Tundra under Pearley’s tree.Video mastermind Carlos Lago began his presentation with Santa’s favorite Christmas treat: an Excel spreadsheet. After doing the math to figure out how efficient Saint Nicholas needs to be to complete his appointed rounds—something something speed of light magic!—he chose a convertible Mustang SVT Cobra with a manual transmission. Because trunk space. And magic.Senior editor Joey Capparella stuck with muscle and the manual but flipped to the Mopar side. Inspired by one of Dodge’s responses to the same quandary, Capparella chose a red Dodge Challenger, a car nearly as old as Santa’s sleigh and just as cool.We’d describe senior editor Elana Scherr’s car advice this week as, “What would I like?” She chose a red vintage Dodge W150 pickup, perhaps pulled from her own Mopar collection. Santa’s budget was too low for a suitable Lil Red Express, but the marvelous red interior in the W150 might make up for that.Speaking of fixations, contributor Jonathon Ramsey’s ardor for Class 8 trucks finally found its outlet, too. He crossed the border to Canada to find a 1995 Peterbilt. Problem is, he also unwittingly and egregiously crossed the budget border as well. And that’s all there is to say about that.Executive editor K.C. Colwell joined Pearley and Scherr kicking tires in the pickup lot. His Rudolph-nose-red Ford F-450 dually with tan leather could have been nicknamed the Big Red Express. The only thing it was missing was a bumper sticker telling everyone at the North Pole, “We don’t need no stinkin’ reindeer.”Editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga grew up with the slickest, snazziest Santa on the planet. Only a Cadillac Eldorado would do for a superstar probably called Kris “Primetime” Kringle, the ginormous coupe done up in red with a white roof, a herringbone interior, and some suss door pulls for the rear occupants. Let’s hope the sleigh and reindeer team work as intended this year. Or else Santa’s got a hard choice to make, one of which could be going on strike.More Window ShoppingThis 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

The rumored Apple car has been delayed yet again, with Bloomberg reporting that the electric vehicle will go on sale in 2026.Apple has also scaled back its self-driving plans, with the car including traditional driving controls and only planned to be capable of autonomous driving on highways.The target is to sell the Apple car for less than $100,000, and Apple is still searching for a partner to provide an electric skateboard platform to build the vehicle on. Apple has been rumored to be developing an electric car, code-named Titan, since 2014, and the tech giant has faced numerous setbacks in its quest to expand into the automotive realm. Massive layoffs in 2019 sparked talk that the project had been canceled, while a deal to partner with Hyundai fell through in 2021. Now a report from Bloomberg says that the Apple car has been delayed by a year, with the launch now scheduled for 2026, and that Apple has abandoned plans to make the vehicle capable of full self-driving. Bloomberg cites unnamed sources close to the project claiming Apple has come to the realization that its initial goals of a Level 5 fully autonomous vehicle are impossible with current technology. Apple had envisioned a lounge-like vehicle without a specific driver’s seat, steering wheel, or pedals, but the company is now backtracking on that fantasy. When the Apple car arrives in 2026, it will include driver’s controls and will only be capable of full autonomous driving on the highway. Still Looking to Free Drivers from DrivingStill, Apple’s plans for highway autonomy seem ambitious. Unlike systems like General Motors’ Super Cruise that require the driver to keep their eyes on the road, Apple’s goal is to allow drivers the freedom to take their attention away from the road to do things like watch a movie or play a game. The driver will be warned “with ample time” if they need to take over when exiting the highway or approaching stormy weather.The Apple car will be centered around a powerful onboard computer, internally referred to as Denali, which has processing power equivalent to around four top-end Mac chips. The vehicle’s chip, which is paired with lidar and radar sensors along with cameras, is reportedly almost production ready. Tesla’s Autopilot system, meanwhile, relies solely on cameras. Apple had originally anticipated the car starting at over $120,000 but is now hoping to get the price under $100,000, according to the Bloomberg story. The design has yet to be finalized but Apple seems to have ditched its original plans for a pod-like vehicle—similar to the Canoo Lifestyle Vehicle—in favor of a more traditional car shape. It appears Apple intends to finalize the design next year and lock in the features by the end of 2024 before embarking on a testing program in 2025. Apple is also still said to be looking for a partner that will supply an electric skateboard platform. Around 1000 employees are focused on the Apple car, with Apple investing around $1 billion into the project each year. Still, Apple has encountered myriad challenges in the eight years that it has been working on Titan, and it still has a long way to go before the Apple car becomes a reality. 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