Motor News

The Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat will once again be available with a six-speed manual transmission for 2023.Dodge quietly (and temporarily) dropped the manual option at some point last year.The 2023 model year will be the last for the Challenger and Charger.Just about a year ago, Dodge ruined everyone’s holidays by announcing that the Tremec six-speed manual transmission was no longer available on the Challenger SRT Hellcat. The six-speed remained the default transmission for the naturally aspirated 5.7-liter R/T and 6.4-liter R/T Scat Pack models, but drivers looking to dump the clutch on 717 supercharged horsepower were cruelly abandoned. It was, in the immortal words of Counting Crows, a long December.However, thanks to our diligent investigative reporting (screwing around on the Dodge media site to see what kind of ludicrous retina-melting colors are available on the 2023 Challenger) we discovered that the manual Hellcat is back. And Dodge confirmed as much, telling us to pass the word that everyone and their favorite grandma should order a 2023 Challenger with a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 and a six-speed stick. It’ll catch rubber in second gear. And third. And possibly the rest of the gears too. More on the Challenger HellcatDodge always maintained that the manual’s absence was temporary and had something to do with powertrain calibrations, but we’ve heard that sort of thing before. Temporary cancellations have a way of becoming indefinite, but true to its word, Dodge brought back the third pedal for the Hellcat. Which makes sense, since Dodge told us in 2018 that 35 percent of Challenger Hellcat buyers opt for the stick.The sad state of the 2022 Challenger Hellcat configurator, soon to be rectified.DodgeIn our most recent test of a manual Challenger Hellcat, it hit 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 12.4 seconds at 120 mph. Those numbers are well in arrears of the automatic car, but who cares? For 2022, the eight-speed automatic was a mandatory $2995 option, so presumably the manual 2023 model will save you some money to put toward premium unleaded and a few racks of rear tires. Oh, and about those colors: Plum Crazy is back for 2023 too. It would look great on a manual Challenger Hellcat. Truly, this is a December to remember. 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

This is what we’ve waited for. From the moment Ford announced the Raptor R—its 700-hp hypertruck and direct competitor to the 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX—our inner ear bristled with excitement to see how the two would stack up. The Ford’s 3.6-second romp to 60 mph makes it the quickest gasoline-fueled truck we’ve strapped our test gear on. So is the 12.0-second trip through the quarter-mile trap at 112 mph, which bests the quickest TRX we’ve seen and takes back the title of the quickest F-150 from the electric Lightning. (The Rivian R1T remains the quickest-accelerating pickup ever, with a 60-mph dash in 3.0 seconds and an 11.5-second quarter-mile.) But the Raptor R’s record-setting run doesn’t quite tell the entire story. Related StoriesTypically, when launching these high-powered behemoths, a big brake torque to build up boost and revs is the quickest way off the line. Unlike the TRX, the Raptor R isn’t equipped with an adjustable launch-control system or any launch assistance for that matter. If there’s any amount of brake pressure detected, the computers tell the engine to stand down and reduce the amount of torque delivered through the driveline. Ford says this is to prevent the engine from overwhelming the brakes. If and when you take delivery of a Raptor R, follow these two easy steps to achieve maximum acceleration: Select Sport mode (this automatically puts the transfer case into 4Auto) and turn on the Auto-Hold function for the brake system. Stand on the throttle and you’re off. Simply flat-footing it from rest without using Auto Hold is a tenth slower. But that’s right, the Raptor R runs to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds from idle at the line. Car and DriverGiven its massive 700-pound weight advantage, we expected the 6077-pound Raptor R’s advantage to surpass the 0.2-second gap it puts on the TRX in the quarter-mile. The blame lies with the 37-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2s and their 112-mph speed rating, which don’t allow Ford to unleash the supercharged 5.2-liter V-8’s true potential. From 100 to 110 mph, each mile per hour clicks by in roughly 0.2 second. The Raptor R reaches 110 mph in 11.1 seconds and then power is pulled as the truck approaches the 114-mph speed limiter. It takes another 0.9 second to reach 112 mph and the quarter-mile, when it should take half as much time. If the Raptor R rolled on the 35-inch tires and had the same 120-mph speed limiter as the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter version, it would deliver to the TRX the biggest beatdown Detroit has seen since the 2012 World Series. Still, the Raptor takes the quarter-mile win by 0.3 second, and the F-150’s svelteness shows up in the rolling-start 5-to-60 mph acceleration test, where it betters the Ram by 0.5 second.Braking, as expected, isn’t a strong point for desert-ready trucks running their tires with big, squishy tread blocks. The Raptor R stopped from 70 mph in 205 feet and stretched that distance to 430 feet from 100 mph, trailing the best TRX numbers we’ve seen by 16 and 12 feet, respectively. The Raptor R circled the skidpad at 0.71 g, a hardly impressive number, but slightly better than the TRX. Seven hundred horses tend to be thirsty. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy loop, the Raptor R returned 14 mpg, missing the EPA’s highway estimate by 1 mpg. It is, however, better than the 13 mpg we observed in our long-term Ram 1500 TRX. But is anyone buying a $100,000 truck concerned about fuel economy? Our guess is no. Of course, there’s an inevitable head-to-head comparison test brewing to get these factory-built monster trucks out in their natural habitat to sort out who’s who. But for now, Ford’s Raptor R is the performance king. SpecificationsSpecifications
2023 Ford F-150 Raptor RVehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $109,145/$111,935Options: moonroof and power tailgate, $2195; spray-in bedliner, $595; graphics delete, $0
ENGINE
supercharged and intercooled DOHC 32-valve V-8, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injectionDisplacement: 315 in3, 5163 cm3Power: 700 hp @ 6650 rpmTorque: 640 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm
TRANSMISSION
10-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axleBrakes, F/R: 13.8-in vented disc/13.2-in vented discTires: BF Goodrich All-Terrain T/A KO237x12.5R-17LT 116S M+S 3PMSF FP
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 145.4 inLength: 232.6 inWidth: 87.0 inHeight: 80.6 inPassenger Volume: 136 ft3Curb Weight: 6077 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
60 mph: 3.6 sec100 mph: 9.1 sec1/4-Mile: 12.0 sec @ 112 mphResults above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.Rolling Start, 5–60 mph: 4.1 secTop Gear, 30–50 mph: 2.2 secTop Gear, 50–70 mph: 2.7 secTop Speed (gov ltd): 114 mphBraking, 70–0 mph: 205 ftBraking, 100–0 mph: 430 ftRoadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.71 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 10 mpg75-mph Highway Driving: 14 mpg75-mph Highway Range: 500 mi
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 12/10/15 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINEDThis 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

Audi is recalling 50,883 A6 and A7 cars because a gateway control module could shut down and cut engine power unexpectedly.The problem appears to be caused by liquid spilled in the car’s rear seating area.Audi plans to install a protective cover over the area affected and will notify owners in January to bring their vehicles in for the fix. Audi has announced the recall of more than 50,000 vehicles over a risk that liquid spilled in the rear seat area could cause a gateway control module to shut off, reducing engine power unexpectedly. The automaker’s report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that the affected vehicles were produced without a protective cover over this module.The recall includes the 2019–2022 A6 and A7; the 2020–2022 A6 Allroad, S6, and S7; and the 2021–2022 RS6 and RS7 (pictured above). The A6 makes up most (32,585) of the affected vehicles. According to the report, the module is located under the rear middle seat, and if water or other liquids get into that area, a short circuit could cause the gateway to switch off, putting the vehicle into limp-home mode. In this situation, there will be warning messages. The vehicle will still be steerable and the brakes will operate but power will be reduced, the report explains. There were 46 reported cases in the U.S. by October, but no injuries or crashes as a result, Audi said.Back seat of 2021 Audi RS7.Michael Simari|Car and DriverOwners will be notified by January 20, 2023, to bring in their Audi for a protective cover to be installed. In the meantime, they can check the NHTSA recalls site for information about the recall and to see if their vehicle is affected. 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

Honda announced plans for a fuel-cell version of the CR-V.This hydrogen-powered version of the compact SUV will be built in the U.S. starting in 2024.It will likely look similar to the standard CR-V, but with a few visual tweaks.Honda is giving the hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle another try with a new version of the popular CR-V crossover that will be built in Ohio starting in 2024. It will serve as a replacement for the Clarity Fuel Cell, a hydrogen-powered sedan offered in California from 2017 to 2020. Interestingly, this new model will also offer plug-in capability for its battery pack to allow it to offer a small amount of electric-only range without having to rely on its hydrogen supply.This fuel-cell vehicle will look just like the standard CR-V inside and out, save for a few small visual differences such as badging, trim, and possibly different headlights and taillights. Details are slim on the new powertrain, but we know that it will use a new power unit that’s a collaboration with General Motors. This fuel-cell unit, which essentially turns the liquid hydrogen into electricity to power the electric motor, is said to improve upon the old Clarity’s powertrain and also uses 80 percent less platinum than before.More Hydrogen CarsLike in the Clarity, the power unit fits entirely under the hood, and the CR-V’s boxier SUV shape should help with interior packaging as well, meaning the gas model’s roomy five-seat interior layout should be preserved. The hydrogen tank will be mounted in the rear, however, which could compromise cargo space somewhat.The concept of a plug-in hydrogen vehicle is a new one, and Honda says that this will allow owners to charge the CR-V just like a plug-in hybrid or an EV to replenish the car’s battery pack. This likely won’t allow for much driving range, as fuel-cell vehicles only have small battery packs, but it could offer a bit more flexibility, at least around town, if you need a bit of extra range in a pinch or to get to a fueling station.The fuel-cell CR-V will join the Toyota Mirai and Hyundai Nexo as the sole hydrogen vehicles sold in the States. Honda will likely release more information and specifications over the course of the next year as it prepares to start production of this new model in 2024.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 off-road version of the Lamborghini Huracán delivers on the promise of its 2019 concept.It’s got less power than the regular car and a lower top speed, but it adds a raised ride height and a Rally mode. Customer deliveries start next year for the Sterrato, which will be the last Huracán variant.We first told you about Lamborghini’s plans to create a rally-raid-inspired version of the Huracán supercar back in 2019. Four years later, you’re looking at the production version. A limited run of 900 of the Huracán Sterrato will be produced for all markets, with deliveries starting next year. It will also be the last variant of the Huracán model line, and the last Lamborghini to be powered by the Italian company’s hugely charismatic naturally aspirated V-10 engine.While the finished version looks very close to the original concept, much has been tweaked and tucked in the move to production. The biggest change is the arrival of a high-level central air intake for the engine at the back of the roof, coming as a result of feedback from the engineering team while the prototype was being tested in desert conditions. “It was eating too much dust,” Mitja Borkert, Lamborghini’s design director, admitted when C/D spoke to him about the car, “or rather the filters were getting blocked much too quickly.” The raised periscope will be able to sit in cleaner air and deliver it to the engine; both of the regular Huracán’s side intakes are now blanked out. All-wheel drive will be standard, and the Sterrato does without the active rear-steering system of faster road-biased Huracáns.More Details and ActionThe new intake system means a slight reduction in power output for the Sterrato’s V-10. It now makes 601 horsepower, a 30-hp loss over the regular Huracán, although peak torque of 413 pound-feet is unchanged. It is hard to imagine the lesser figure will be a dealbreaker. Lamborghini claims a 3.4-second time to 62 mph, which sounds unexceptional for a Huracán—we blasted the rear-driven STO to 60 mph in just 2.6 seconds last year. But bear in mind that the Sterrato must dispatch the benchmark while wearing Bridgestone Dueler All Terrain tires as standard. The off-road rubber is also why it has a 160-mph speed limiter, which will make it the slowest production Lamborghini since the monstrous LM002 SUV went off-sale.Suspension changes include a 1.7-inch increase in ride height and consequent improvement in ground clearance. Beneath the carbon-fiber arch extensions, the track has also increased by 1.2 inches at the front and 1.4 inches at the back. Lamborghini CTO Rouven Mohr says that suspension settings are significantly softer than in any other Huracán, although with switchable electromagnetic shock absorbers still allowing variable damping forces. “It was very challenging from a tire point of view to have a setup that was also stable at high speed,” he says, “but although the limits are obviously lower the car is also fun to drive on road, it is very progressive.”Although it carries underbody protection and has reinforced sill covers, the Sterrato is designed for dusty and sandy conditions rather than rock scrambling. Like the Urus Performante it features a new dynamic setting called Rally, with Mohr saying that this will slacken stability control intervention to allow big drift angles on loose surfaces, while still stepping in if the car threatens to spin. Lamborghini hasn’t released any images of the Sterrato’s interior yet, but we’re told that it will feature the new option of Sterrato Green microfiber trim as well as new infotainment functions including an inclinometer, a pitch and roll indicator, a compass, and a steering angle repeater. It will also come with a data recording system which, in its next iteration, will allow Apple Watch users to synchronize their heart rate with the telemetry.Two of the Sterrato’s most distinctive features posed significant challenges for the engineering team, but were judged critical to delivering on the promise of the concept. The front auxiliary lights needed to be capable of passing tough pedestrian impact standards, and the roof rails required the car to carry loads where it was never designed to. Although loads will be limited to a modest 66 pounds—meaning no roof tents—Lamborghini predicts that buyers will opt to carry skis or lightweight bicycles. The original idea for the Sterrato came when Mohr and Borkert, both then new arrivals at Lamborghini, were discussing their key automotive influences and agreed on the Lancia Stratos. That led to Mohr,who was then head of vehicle engineering, turning a durability-test Huracán into the original concept. As built, it was finished something very similar to the white, green, and red Alitalia livery the Stratos wore in competition, with the colors (but not the pattern) changed for the public images.Both Borkert and Mohr agree that Lamborghini boss Stefan Winkelmann was critical to the creation of the production version, greenlighting the project almost as soon as he returned to the CEO role in 2020. The Sterrato will be sold alongside the existing Huracán range until the car goes off sale. We don’t have U.S. pricing yet, but in Europe the Sterrato will cost the equivalent of $270,000 at current exchange rates. We can expect to pay a supplement on that.Will any Sterrato buyers actually use them in their intended environment? Mitja Borkert hopes so. “It is going to look better when it is dirty, or when it has some wear on it,” he says. Here’s hoping that happens. 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

Lewis Hamilton shared a clip last week of himself driving an R34 Nissan GT-R hard around a city. It is an instant classic video, a rare example of F1’s most successful driver ever just having fun in a cool car, but not everyone is happy about it. Chief among the unhappy parties is, apparently, the company that actually owns the car.CarBuzz reports the car is owned by the Japanese company Omoshiro Rent-a-Car, which rented the Nissan out to either Hamilton or an associate during the Japanese Grand Prix weekend. The video was filmed shortly afterward, but Hamilton’s outright hooning was in apparent violation of the company’s policies. In a tweet attributed to the company, the brand simply says that “such driving is prohibited.” While the brand confirmed the rental to Hamilton to CarBuzz, an Omoshiro Rent-a-Car representative added that “Under the guidance of our attorneys, [Omoshiro is] unable to disclose any further information.” It is unclear if this is an active legal matter. 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.こちらはおもしろレンタカーの車ですが、これは弊社が許可をして撮影されたものではありません。このような走行は一切禁止しております。 https://t.co/5Ud0stH44t— おもしろレンタカー　中のひと (@info82262789) November 24, 2022No matter what happens next, though, the conclusion is the same. If you are going to take a rental car out to do things the agreement expressly forbids, do not post a video online unless you are prepared for the rental company to find it. Even seven-time world champions and 103-time Grand Prix winners are not immune to the rules of rental agreements.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

The next move for GM with its valued Corvette nameplate will be to launch a Corvette subbrand.It will include a four-door “coupe” and a sporty high-performance crossover to partner the upcoming two-seater Corvette EV.The new Corvette lineup will be positioned well above its rivals, such as a future trio of electric Mustangs. What’s in a name? When you are a carmaker, the answer is: everything. Arguably, people buy a BMW or a Benz at least as much for the name as for the car itself, and the same goes for Corvette. In terms of brand value, Corvette is among the auto industry’s most heralded and valued nameplates, and yet it currently only pulls a small percentage of the potentially huge profit. But according to those in the know, this is going to change. We have already seen the new Z06, and there are several more versions of the C8 still to come, including a possible E-Ray hybrid, the revived ZR1 and the even more extreme Zora hybrid named after Zora Arkus-Duntov, father of the original C1. There’s also a Corvette EV on the horizon slated to use GM’s Ultium architecture.Step two of GM’s Corvette brand strategy is even more ambitious and far-reaching. Starting in 2025, GM plans to launch a Corvette brand that will also include a sleek four-door coupe and a brawny crossover. Both of these future new Vettes will be EVs.Sports cars are useful image builders, but their contribution to the bottom line is—at least in the case of GM—negligible. Played intelligently and with authenticity, however, the name Corvette should be a license to print money. At a point in time when Ferrari and Maserati and Porsche are all offering one or more SUVs—the antithesis to the hard-core sports cars that put them on the map in the first place—why shouldn’t Corvette also consider building sedans, crossovers or, heaven forbid, even pickups? More on the CorvetteOf course, these new age products can’t be a half-hearted attempt like the Cadillac Cimarron or the Ford Contour-derived Jaguar X-Type. Instead, the pivotal starting point is a redefined unique DNA that shouts “Corvette” in terms of design and driving dynamics. The switch to the Ultium battery platform allows the keepers of the brand to reimagine the proportions, stance, and engineering—or to adhere to the trademark elements which shaped the American sports car icon from the ’50s to the present day. A source who has seen the first proposals describes them as “copies of nothing” and as “encapsulated emotional purity.” Waxing lyrical may do justice to the styling themes, but what about the bespoke content? The mechanical package apparently includes battery packs with high energy density, superfast software, a patented cooling concept, staggered Lego-like topographic packaging, miniaturized componentry, ultra-efficient inverters, high-revving electric motors, an 800-volt electrical system that provides up to 350 kW of charging power, a two-speed transmission, brake-by-wire, multi-mode four-wheel steering, and torque vectoring.Corvette EV prototypeGMAccording to our friend from within the GM Tech Center: “Corvette is not just a brand. It’s a constantly evolving system paired with a dramatically different user experience.” The four-door coupe (think of it as more of a liftback) and the crossover add two new values to the marque: mainstream exclusivity and overt luxury. Thanks to a delicate balance of functionality and fashion, stats and style, and limited availability fueling high desirability, all three pillars are prepared for pragmatic evolution and subsequent proliferation.”The aim is not to beat Taycan and Cayenne at their own game but to create three American legends capable of breaking new ground by making the essence of Corvette scalable. To do so, that essence must at all times be in a state of progressive flux,” our source comments. Hear, hear.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.On the cheap end, production bikes are faster than production cars. With a $10,000 budget you’d have no problem getting a bike that could run away from any internal-combustion car that costs five times as much. But when you get to the ridiculous, over-the-top end of the performance spectrum and add in electric motors, cars are hard to beat.Proof comes in the form of this new video from CarWow, which pits the Ferrari SF90 up against the BMW M1000 RR. The bike is BMW’s fastest, a special edition with M branding and 212 horsepower on tap from a 999-cubic-centimeter inline-four engine. That’s quite a bit for a package that weighs just over 400 pounds unloaded. Ferrari vs. the World, Then and NowBut it doesn’t matter. The Ferrari, with its half-million-dollar price tag and sophisticated hybrid system, is too quick. The gas-sucking V-8 makes 769 hp all on its own, but with the three onboard electric motors, total system output is 986 hp. That powertrain drives all four wheels, giving the 3500-pound Ferrari a lot of traction with which to unleash its 590 pound-feet of torque. The result is a browbeating for the bike. An all-wheel-drive, 986-hp hypercar is just too much to handle. But we’d bet the BMW rider had more fun. From 2020: First DriveThis 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