Motor News

We knew the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 would be special. But even living with a “regular” C8 Corvette for a year and a little over 40,000 miles didn’t adequately prepare us for how special. We learned that after spending a day at Grattan Raceway and testing both a convertible Z06 and a coupe Z06 equipped with the Z07 package for this video.What’s it like driving a Z06 on track? As it turns out, you spend quite a bit of time with your mouth hanging open as that 5.5-liter V-8 spins toward 8600 rpm, making 670 horsepower and that intoxicating flat-plane-crank howl. It’s a good thing the car handles so well, too, because you want to get back to the front straight quickly if only so you can hear it again and again.We tested both a convertible Z06 and a coupe equipped with the high-performance Z07 package. You’ve likely already read those test results. If you haven’t, go click the related links below. We’ll wait. Required ReadingThis video shows the differences between the two vehicles, though scheduling conflicts and limited access to the coupe prevented us from filming that car on track. We also provide added explanation as to why we couldn’t match Chevy’s skidpad lateral-g claim on our skidpad. That answer involves diving into the owner’s manual, which actually has instructions on how owners can prepare their Z06s for tracks like Virginia International Raceway and the Nürburgring, going as far as to recommend different tire pressure and aerodynamic configurations. Like we said: Hard to believe. 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

Ford has issued a recall of more than half a million Bronco Sport and Escape SUVs to fix a faulty fuel injector.The problem affects the 2020 through 2023 Escape and 2021 through 2023 Bronco Sport vehicles that have the 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine.In its filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Ford said a fuel injector could crack, increasing the risk of an underhood fire.Ford will recall 333,342 Escape and 188,436 Bronco Sport SUVs from the 2020 through 2023 model years over a risk of engine fire. The recall is related to a fuel injector that could crack, causing a potential fuel or fuel vapor leak that could lead to an underhood fire, Ford said. In filings with NHTSA, Ford said the driver should be attentive to notice any possible fuel smell “both outside and inside the vehicle” and, in case of a fire, could “notice smoke or flames” from the engine compartment or under the car.2020 Ford Escape.Michael Simari|Car and DriverThe recall affects vehicles with the base models’ 181-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine. Overall, according to Automotive News, there have been reports of 54 underhood fires, of which four are believed related to the current recall.Ford will install updated engine control software to provide a message on the car’s instrument panel if there is a drop in pressure in the fuel rail. Also as part of the recall, Ford said it will install a drain tube to let any leaked fuel drain from the cylinder head and avoid the fire risk. Owners will be notified of the recall in mid-December. In the meantime, they can check the NHTSA recalls site for information about the recall and to see if their vehicle is affected. Ford has also published owner information on its website about the issue.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

For the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, gas stations on the east and west coasts temporarily offered free fuel to some drivers.A station in Massachusetts gave away 50,000 gallons before the holiday driving rush started, and Honda dealers in Southern California are popping up at random places to give away free tankfuls this weekend.Nationwide, gas prices are falling and will continue to fall, according to Gas Buddy.As long as the world relies on gasoline, people will be thankful for free fuel. That’s the spirit this holiday in at least two parts of the U.S. where drivers could score some no-cost gasoline for their Thanksgiving travels. In Massachusetts, business owner Ernie Boch, Jr. decided to give away 50,000 gallons of gasoline at his gas station in Norwood. The announcement came in the form of a Tweet with a video that shows the digital prices on the station sign slowly rolling down to $0.00, even for diesel. The one caveat? There’s a $75 limit on free gas per customer, so don’t be rolling up with your own tanker truck.Earlier this year, according to local media, Boch gave away 7000 gallons of free gas on April 1, which prompted some people to wait in line for over nine hours. The plan then, similar to the Thanksgiving deal, was simply “to give people a break and put a smile on their face,” for April Fools’ Day, a Boch spokesperson told CBS Boston at the time.Free Gas Courtesy of Honda DealersMeanwhile, a group of Southern California Honda dealers sponsored free tankfuls of gasoline for some random drivers in the area. The free fuel was available to lucky Honda drivers who happened to be at the chosen locations in San Dimas and Pomona when the blue-shirted Honda workers were there. Some non-Honda drivers were also able to score free gas, according to local media outlet KTLA, and the dealers will be giving away free gas in the South Bay area through Friday.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.The average gas price in California Wednesday was $5.15. Drivers could beat that price at a Chevron station in La Mesa, where the owner was selling regular fuel for $3.99 a gallon as a holiday gesture. The sale cost store owner David Hallak between $5000 and $7000 a day, he told the Times of San Diego, but it’s worth it. “We are giving back to our customers,” he told the Times. “We are in the spirit of Thanksgiving—giving back. And that makes us feel good.”Gas Prices Should Stay Down This WeekendThese free and lower-cost gas offers come at a time when gas prices are falling, moderately, across the country. The prices are relatively low compared to recent spikes and should stay that way throughout the busy travel weekend, according to Gas Buddy’s Patrick De Haan. De Haan said on Twitter that holiday gasoline demand doesn’t impact gas prices much because an increase is expected ahead of the holiday and offsets a drop on other days. Also, the higher demand “isn’t sustained long enough to make a difference,” he wrote.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 electric version of the Genesis GV70, called the Electrified GV70, will start production soon.It will be built at Hyundai’s plant in Montgomery, Alabama, starting in December.Pricing isn’t available yet, but we know the Electrified GV70 will be sold only in eight states at first.After announcing an electric version of the GV70 crossover in late 2021, Genesis has now detailed plans for the U.S. launch of this new EV. Set to be built in Montgomery, Alabama, the North American version of the 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70 will start production in December. The U.S.-spec car, pictured here, was first shown at the L.A. auto show recently.GenesisGenesisLike its sibling, the Electrified G80 sedan, the Electrified GV70 looks nearly identical to its gasoline-powered equivalent but features an entirely different powertrain underneath. Front and rear electric motors combine to produce 429 horsepower in the Performance configuration, or up to 483 hp in a special boost mode that operates for 10 seconds at a time. A less powerful base powertrain may be offered as well. Genesis has yet to release battery capacity or range figures but does say it will be capable of DC fast-charging at up to 350 kilowatts.More on Genesis EVsPricing isn’t yet available, but Genesis does say that it will be sold in eight states at first: Arizona, California, Connecticut, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Utah, and Washington. More states may be added later, as the Electrified G80 sedan is now sold in 12 states after Genesis added Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Virginia to the list.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

Audi has confirmed that 2023 will be the last model year for the R8 supercar.The GT model will serve as a sendoff for the V-10–powered coupe and convertible.Rumors suggest that an electric replacement may arrive at some point, but the timeline is not clear.The Audi R8 supercar will soon reach the end of the line, Audi recently confirmed to C/D during a drive of the new GT model. The 2023 model year will be the last for the R8 in the U.S., and this new trim joins the lineup to serve as a sendoff for the mid-engined coupe and convertible as they sunset. The 2023 R8 is currently offered in 562-hp RWD form and 602-hp Quattro form, plus the GT which is a 602-hp RWD model with other modifications.2023 Audi R8 GTAudi|Car and DriverThe R8 first arrived for the 2008 model year, and the first-generation model offered both a 4.2-liter V-8 engine and a 5.2-liter V-10. The R8’s second generation went V-10 only and has been around since the 2017 model year in the U.S. Audi only sells several hundred R8s each year, but it has served as an important halo model for the brand’s RS performance cars.More on the R8’s FarewellIt’s unclear what’s coming down the pipe to replace the R8 as Audi’s flagship sports car. Rumors suggest that an electric supercar called the RNext is in the works, but these plans are uncertain and an Audi spokesperson denied these rumors to C/D. Even if it did materialize, such a vehicle likely wouldn’t arrive until 2029 at the earliest.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

It was already one of the most desirable Alfa Romeos, but this GTV 2000 has also received a full overhaul from U.K. specialist Alfaholics.Its fuel-injected engine produces 230 horsepower, paired with a five-speed manual transmission, lightweight suspension and bodywork, and upgraded brakes.Nearly $240,000 was spent by the previous owner to create one of the best driving restomods out there, and some lucky bidder can get it on auction from Bring a Trailer.In the old days, the stopwatch made the rules: whichever sports car was fastest to 60 mph or around a circuit was the best. QED. Yet, even in that time, many enthusiasts waxed romantic about the appeal of an Alfa Romeo, not just performance but an experience. In an age when dollars equals speed, that appeal hasn’t gone away. If anything, as in the case of this special little Alfa, the romance is even more concentrated.Up for auction on the website Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is this gorgeous confection of motoring con brio. Based on a 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000, one of the prettiest coupes to issue from a Milanese factory, this one has been treated to a full workup from U.K.-based firm Alfaholics. With a week left to go until the auction ends on Wednesday, November 30, bidding sits at $110,000. Bring a TrailerIf paying new 911 money for an old Alfa sounds crazy, it’s not.First, take the GTV 2000 itself. 1974 was the last year of these cars for the U.S. market, and they had everything necessary to provide a special driving feel. With a frothy 130-hp twin-cam engine, a nimble chassis tipping the scales at just over 2200 pounds, and gorgeous styling, the Gran Turismo Veloce was everything that Alfisti could want. If the internal combustion wasn’t always internal, that was just some added Alfa zest. A life without even a little drama is not worth living, right?Bring a TrailerIn 1977, Richard Banks bought the first Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2.0L GTV in the U.K., for competition in the British Production Saloon Car Championship. The car was very competitive. As a sideline to help pay for the racing, he bought and refreshed a secondhand 2000 GTV. It sold the same day his ad ran in the local paper.Bring a TrailerArt and ScienceMore than four decades later, Banks and his two sons—both trained as lawyers, but also involved in racing—run a family firm dedicated to creating the finest Alfa Romeos around. There’s a temptation here to compare Alfaholics to California-based Singer and that company’s reimagined 911s, but there are differences. Much of Singer’s work is pure artistry, but the cars that emerge from the Alfaholics workshop are more an organic result of one family’s Alfa racing obsession.However, a 911 restored by Singer and an Alfaholics-fettled machine are both idealized experiences of what you hope either a Porsche or Alfa Romeo will be. They are both a sort of cask-strength distillation of the essence of the brand, the meet-your-heroes moment that doesn’t disappoint.This 1974 GTV2000 was purchased through Bring a Trailer two years ago and promptly sent to Somerset for the full Alfaholics treatment with the company’s GTA-R Upgraded package. The list of modifications is too exhaustive to relay in its entirety, but highlights include a handbuilt 2.1L twin-cam four-cylinder engine good for roughly 230 hp, a close-ratio five-speed manual transmission, comprehensive lightweighting from lighter glass to carbon-fiber bodywork, six-piston front brakes, and a suspension that contains more titanium than your average space rocket.If You Remember the ’70s You Weren’t ThereAnd, because this car was bound for Texas, it also has air conditioning. While born from lessons learned on the racing circuit, this GTV is meant for drivers. Indeed, close-up inspection of the undercarriage shows some oxidation of the titanium pieces, and the paintwork on the undercarriage has a blemish or two.All of which underlines the emphasis that this is a car to be driven. Whatever the final hammer price happens to be, it will likely be enough to buy a seat in some pretty high-test modern machinery, but that’s not the point. An Alfaholics GTA-R provides the sort of drive that transcends the stopwatch and the skidpad. For one very lucky bidder, it’s a bucket-list driving experience. 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 performance version of the Fiat 500e has been revealed, with the Abarth model going electric for the first time.153 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque are fed to the front wheels, shooting the tiny hatch to 62 mph in 7.0 seconds.The Abarth 500e also comes with a Sound Generator that produces fake engine noises, but the electric hatchback likely won’t be sold in the United States.At the Los Angeles auto show earlier this month, Fiat announced that it will finally bring the electric 500e, which has been on sale in Europe since 2020, to the United States for 2024. In fact, Fiat CEO Olivier François told Car and Driver that the automaker’s U.S. lineup will consist solely of the 500e, with the 500X SUV not receiving a new generation. Now parent company Stellantis has revealed a new Abarth 500e, bringing zippy performance to the tiny city car, although its unclear if the Abarth version will ever reach American shores.AbarthA single electric motor powers the front wheels of the Abarth 500e, producing 153 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque. That’s a decent increase over the standard 500e, which emits 117 horsepower and, in the U.S.-spec car, 162 pound-feet of torque. Abarth claims the hot hatch can reach 62 mph in 7.0 seconds, and Abarth says the electric car was 1.0 second quicker around the Misto Alfa test track at Balocco than the gas-powered Abarth 695 based on the previous 500. The Abarth uses the same lithium-ion battery as the standard 500e, which has a usable capacity of 37.3 kWh, and while no range figure was quoted, the Abarth likely can’t travel as far as its less powerful counterpart. AbarthThe Abarth 500e has three drive modes—Turismo, Scorpion Street, and Scorpion Track. Turismo smooths out power delivery and limits output to 134 hp and 162 pound-feet of torque, while the Scorpion modes unlock the full power and escalate the 500e’s performance. One-pedal driving is available in Turismo and Scorpion Street, and Abarth says that with a maximum charging rate of 85 kW, the 500e can reach 80 percent in 35 minutes. Abarth also touts an “immersive sound experience” for the electric hatch—turning the car on produces a simulated guitar sound, and when you go over 12 mph for the first time after startup, a “strumming guitar” plays. A Sound Generator can also be turned on to reproduce the noise of an Abarth gas engine. AbarthStylistically, not much has changed compared to the standard 500e, with the 500 badging swapped out for a bold “Abarth” font and the scorpion-bearing badge on the nose. The front and rear bumpers have undergone minor revisions, a new “electrified” scorpion logo sits behind the doors, and there is a new wheel design. The version seen here is the fully loaded Scorpionissima launch edition, which will be limited to 1949 units and comes in either Acid Green or Poison Blue. It brings unique side graphics and 18-inch diamond-cut wheels as well as embossed seats, unique steel pedals, and an Alcantara dashboard. More about AbarthWhile Fiat is bringing the 500 back to the United States for the 2024 model year, we don’t expect the Abarth model to return, at least not initially. Fiat has announced that full details of the U.S.-spec 500e will be revealed at the 2023 Los Angeles auto show. 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 reincarnated Lamborghini Countach was recalled last week for an issue relating to the vehicle’s glass engine cover, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing said.Lamborghini received a field notice from an owner in Qatar on October 10, which noted that one of the Countach’s four glass engine cover panels had separated from the supercar while it was on the move, an NHTSA filing said. Those glass panels sit above an electronically assisted 6.5-liter V-12 engine, which provides a total powertrain output of 803 horsepower and 557 pound-feet of torque.This incident prompted Lamborghini to open an investigation, which ultimately determined that an issue with the part’s supplier was to blame. More specifically, Lamborghini concluded that the fault stems from an issue with the supplier’s bonding of the glass panels, which could result in the panels detaching and leaving the car.LamborghiniThe 2022 Lamborghini Countach is capable of reaching 62 mph from a standstill in just 2.8 seconds, before stretching its legs all the way up to 221 mph. Not exactly the sort of speeds you want involved when ill-affixed bodywork is at play.Lamborghini was unable to determine whether or not other Countach examples would suffer from the same production fault during its initial investigation. On November 10, Lamborghini’s Product Safety Committee voted to launch a proactive recall for the Countach in every global market. That recall impacts nine owners here in the United States, with dealers expected to receive the recall details on January 9, 2023. Customers will receive a notice from Lamborghini later that week. Customer cars will be inspected after that, with replacement glass panels being made available if they are required. Every Countach built during October 2022 will already have the issue addressed in Sant’Agata Bolognese. Owning an exclusive supercar can come with some unique challenges. Thankfully for the Lamborghini faithful, this particular fix should be a straightforward job. If you happen to own one of these, it’s probably a good idea to leave it in the garage for the time being. Not that you were going to pour on the miles, anyway. LamborghiniThis 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