Motor News

Mercedes will soon let owners of its electric EQ models unlock quicker acceleration as part of a $1200-plus annual subscription, as first reported by The Drive.Purchased through “Mercedes me connect” services, the subscription is said to drop zero-to-60-mph times by as much as a full second. The subscription also increases the max output from the electric motors by between 60 and 87 horsepower, depending on the model.Improved performance always has a price when it comes to new cars, whether it’s shelling out extra money for a mightier engine option or paying a yearly fee to hit 60 mph a second sooner. Wait, what? That’s right, Mercedes will soon offer an annual subscription to owners of its electric EQ models that lets them unlock additional power and quicker acceleration. It only costs $1200 plus tax. Every year. Welcome to the future.The practice of automakers instituting a subscription model for popular features has been a growing trend. It’s largely a byproduct of more and more new cars utilizing technology that allows over-the-air updates. Of course, charging consumers monthly or yearly subscription fees for content that is otherwise standard can tick people off, as BMW learned the hard way with its Apple CarPlay snafu. Still, these on-demand options don’t appear to be going away anytime soon, and everyone will likely have an opinion on Mercedes’s soon-to-be-released “Acceleration Increase,” which is currently listed on the company’s online store.So, what exactly does Mercedes’ $1200-plus-per-year performance upgrade get you? Depending on the model, it’s said to reduce the EV’s zero-to-60-mph time between 0.8 and 1.0 second. The only models the company lists are the all-wheel-drive EQE350 4Matic and EQS450 4Matic in both sedan and SUV configurations. Along with quicker acceleration, Mercedes says the Acceleration Increase package increases the maximum output of the electric motors. Along with more torque, the EQE350 models gain 60 horsepower (349 total), and EQS450 models add 87 horsepower (443 total). Mercedes EQ ReviewsIt’s currently not clear if the subscription-based performance upgrade is available on models other than the sedan and SUV versions of the EQE350 and EQS450. The Mercedes site also doesn’t state when the feature can be purchased and activated and whether or not it simply requires an over-the-air software update or something hardware-related that owners will need to have a dealer handle. We reached out to Mercedes directly for clarification, and we’ll update this story once we hear back. 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

Comedian and noted gearhead Jay Leno was released from a Los Angeles hospital Monday after suffering burns due to a car fire, the hospital said in a statement. Leno, 72, was admitted to the Grossman Burn Center in West Hills, California, earlier this month after suffering burns caused by a sudden car fire at his private storage facility. The former Tonight Show host experienced “serious” injuries to his face, chest, and hands, telling Variety he needed “a week or two” to get back on his feet following the incident. He spent a total of 10 days in the hospital.“I am pleased with Jay’s progress, and I am optimistic that he will make a full recovery,” Dr. Peter Grossman, Leno’s doctor, said in a statement released by the Burn Center. Leno will continue to receive follow-up care for his injuries at the Grossman Outpatient Burn Clinic going forward. The television host was working a 1907 White Model G steam car trying to unclog a fuel leak, causing some fuel to be sprayed onto the comedian’s face and hands, TMZ reports. A spark quickly ignited the fuel, causing the blaze to begin. “Jay would like to let everyone know how thankful he is for the care he received, and is very appreciative of all of the well wishes,” the hospital said in a statement. “He is looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with his family and friends and wishes everyone a wonderful holiday.” 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

Bradley Cooper has signed a deal to play Frank Bullitt in a reboot of the 1968 film Bullitt, as reported by Deadline.The original movie features a renowned car chase between a Ford Mustang and a Dodge Charger, with the muscle cars jumping through the undulating streets of San Francisco.The new Bullitt film will be co-produced by Cooper and Steven Spielberg, with a script by Oscar winner Josh Singer, but the movie is still likely a few years away.Screeching tires, roaring V-8s, muscle cars leaping over San Francisco’s hilly streets, and Steve McQueen’s chiseled action-star features. These ingredients make the car chase in the 1968 film Bullitt one of the most iconic movie pursuits of all time, as police officer Frank Bullitt, played by McQueen, tears after a Dodge Charger carrying two hit men in his green Ford Mustang. The “Bullitt” moniker has persevered thanks to several special-edition Mustangs over the years, but now the name will return to the silver screen, with Deadline reporting that Bradley Cooper will star in a new Bullitt film produced by Steven Spielberg. 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.[HD] Greatest Hollywood Car Chase of All Time – Bullitt (1968)Watch onCooper, who recently signed a contract with Warner Bros., will also co-produce the film, along with Spielberg’s producing partner Kristie Macosko Krieger. It will be difficult for Cooper to live up to McQueen’s performance, but Cooper has proved himself to be a versatile actor, with leading roles in everything from The Hangover to American Sniper and A Star is Born, as well as starring in The Elephant Man on Broadway in 2015.Steve McQueen’s son, Chad, and granddaughter Molly McQueen will serve as executive producers, while Josh Singer has been chosen to write the screenplay. Singer co-wrote and won an Oscar for the 2015 movie Spotlight and also penned 2017’s The Post and the upcoming film Maestro, which Cooper stars in, directed, co-wrote, and co-produced alongside Spielberg.More on the Mustang BullittThe Bullitt reboot will apparently not be a remake of the 1968 thriller, but instead will feature a new story involving the same Frank Bullitt character. No details are known about the plot, but given the legendary status of the original film’s car chase, the new Bullitt will almost certain see some epic automotive action. We would be surprised if a Mustang is not chosen as the protagonist’s ride. While it’s possible that Cooper’s Bullitt could drive the 2020 Mustang Bullitt, Ford may instead revive the special edition for its recently revealed seventh-generation Mustang to cash in on the film’s debut. With the movie still in development and Cooper just recently signed to a deal, it will probably be a few more years before the Bullitt revival sees the light of day, but we can’t wait to see what Cooper and Spielberg have cooked up.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.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

Hyundai has released more U.S. details about the 2023 Ioniq 6 electric sedan.The automaker claims a range of 340 miles for the U.S. version, although this isn’t yet an official EPA estimate.The Ioniq 6 will go on sale in America in spring 2023, and pricing is not yet announced.Hyundai showed the new 2023 Ioniq 6 at last week’s L.A. auto show and announced a few more enticing details about the U.S. version of this electric sedan. The biggest deal is the claimed 340 mile range for the single-motor version, which beats its Ioniq 5 sibling by a considerate amount; that model is rated at up to to 303 miles.A 77.4-kWh battery pack is standard on the Ioniq 6, and the version with the longest range is the 225-hp single-motor rear-wheel-drive configuration. The optional 320-hp dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup drops the estimated range to 310 miles. The Ioniq 6 rides on the same E-GMP platform as other Hyundai and Kia EV models but its low 0.22 drag coefficient helps its efficiency and thus its estimated range. Hyundai says it is still waiting for full EPA certification, but these estimates are U.S.-specific so the final numbers aren’t likely to vary much. We look forward to testing the Ioniq 6 on our 75-mph highway range test to see what it can do in the real world.More on the Ioniq 6We don’t yet know trim levels or pricing details on the Ioniq 6, as those should come closer to its U.S. on-sale date in spring 2023. But Hyundai did release the colors options that will be available: for the exterior, the choices include a matte-finish Gravity Gold, Onyx Black Pearl, Serenity White Pearl, Curated Silver metallic, Transmission Blue Pearl, Ultimate Red metallic, and Digital Green Pearl; for the interior, the three options include black, gray, and a two-tone dark green and gray combo.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

Honda and Sony, under the joint venture Sony Honda Mobility, are planning to go into the electric-vehicle business together.Sony Honda Mobility president Izumi Kawanishi made it clear in an interview with the U.K. business paper Financial Times that it is looking to use the Sony entertainment element to fight Tesla in the EV marketplace.Sony’s catalog of content, services and tech will become part of a future EV that’s planned for a 2025 launch, leaving the door open for a PS5-capable car in only a few years. It feels like just two weeks ago that Car and Driver’s Ezra Dyer was suggesting that car companies spice up their electric-car offerings and make things a bit weirder. After all, power and acceleration are easy to come by in the world of EVs, leaving key personality traits as a tempting growth area. Now, Sony Honda Mobility, the joint-venture agreement between the auto manufacturer and tech giant, is talking about opportunities to include Sony’s tech into the company’s vehicles.In an interview with the Financial Times, Sony Honda Mobility president Izumi Kawanishi said: “Sony has content, services and entertainment technologies that move people. We are adapting these assets to mobility, and this is our strength against Tesla.” He also said the company plans to adjust the way the upcoming EV is build and will “develop a car as hardware that will cater to the entertainment and network we would like to offer.” So, no PS5 console on the dashboard, but perhaps PS5 capability, which Kawanishi said is “technologically possible.”Kawanishi took a mild swipe at Tesla, telling the Financial Times that the EV maker “is not providing any content services” when it comes to entertainment.Related StoriesSony is known for producing a wide range of technology, including speakers and displays, making us hopeful for a top-notch infotainment system in future products from the new brand. At the CES technology show in January 2022, Sony showed off its Vision-S 02 concept. The Vision-S 02 is a seven-passenger crossover, sized similarly to the Tesla Model Y, and it allows rear-seat passengers to play PlayStation games through a remote connection with a console at home. If a version of that concept makes it to production as Sony Honda Mobility’s first production car, based on the CEO’s statements it’s certainly possible the company will keep the feature, giving rear passengers access to PS5 games on the road. This wouldn’t be the first time a company has made video games available in its cars. Tesla and Mercedes-Benz have already done that, with both companies eventually choosing to remove the functionality from vehicles while they’re in motion. 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

Lyft Pink is a $100-a-year service for ride-share users who might also need some assistance with their own vehicle if it is stopped along the side of the road.Similar to AAA, Lyft Pink can now offer you a tow or a little bit of gasoline or change your tire anywhere in the U.S. (well, except Nevada).If you’re in a pinch and need help now, Lyft does offer a free one-month trial, and new users are allowed to request a service call as soon as they sign up. Hailing a Lyft is about to mean something new. The ride-hailing company has announced an expansion of its extra-cost Lyft Pink service to include roadside assistance perks like getting a jump-start or some gas delivery. Users who are familiar with the way a ride-share vehicle can be seen approaching on your phone’s map will feel right at home as they watch a tow truck arrive. The new roadside assistance services are built into the standard Lyft app.Calling for HelpLyft is expanding its services in part to compete with AAA. Lyft notes that anyone signing up for Lyft Pink can take advantage of the assistance right away without the waiting period that AAA requires. Lyft Pink customers are limited to four free service “events” a year, but note that two things being taken care of on one trip—gas and a tire change—will count as two events. After the first four events, or to people who aren’t Lyft Pink members, Lyft also offers these services for $71 each. Lyft does not offer its roadside assistance services in Nevada.Both Lyft and AAA offer similar assistance services aside from those mentioned above, including changing tires, providing access to your locked car, and off-road rescue. Of course, since Lyft still operates its ride-hailing business, it can offer its Lyft Pink customers priority pickups and discounts on some rides. Lyft’s expansion into services that help people with their personal vehicles stands a bit at odds with the company’s founding message that ride-sharing would lead to reduced personal vehicle ownership. In 2017, a study conducted at the University of Michigan found that in places where on-demand ride services were available, people were more likely to buy fewer cars and take fewer trips. But that doesn’t mean we’re all just riders in someone else’s car these days, and sometimes we still get stranded. Lyft Pink costs $9.99 a month or $99 for a year. A higher-level tier, Lyft Pink All Access, costs $199 a year and adds bike and scooter offers to the plan. You can also sign up for Lyft Pink for a free one-month trial in case you’ve got any road trips coming up.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 Jeep Compass will get a new engine for 2023, a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four to replace the old 2.4-liter four-cylinder.It makes 270 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque, a big boost compared with the old engine’s 177 hp.The 2023 Compass starts at $31,590 for the Sport and ranges up to $40,340 for the High Altitude.Jeep is preparing to bump the Compass SUV’s power output with a new engine for 2023. According to a document we found on the EPA’s website, the 2023 Compass will have the same 270-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four found in the upcoming 2023 Dodge Hornet. (This engine was also slated to be in the Alfa Romeo Tonale, but now that model will reportedly be offered only with a plug-in-hybrid setup in the U.S.)The 2.0-liter’s 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque are a huge bump over the Compass’ previous engine, a naturally aspirated 2.4-liter inline-four with 177 horsepower and 172 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard, and the previous front-wheel-drive model has been dropped.More on the CompassPricing for the 2023 Compass starts at $31,590, which is just $1210 more than the equivalent 2022 model—not a bad deal considering the new powertrain. The off-road-oriented Trailhawk model starts at $37,340 and the loaded High Altitude is $40,340.Jeep has yet to release official details about the 2023 Compass, so we don’t know if there are any other significant changes in store. It did receive a facelift for 2022 that included refreshed styling and a new infotainment screen. We’ve reached out to Jeep for comment and will update this post as more info becomes available.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

There’s no national law against idling a vehicle, but even if it’s not illegal where you live, it just doesn’t make sense to leave your car running if you’re not in it.With the cold weather, it might be tempting to warm up your vehicle, but with modern cars, it’s faster and more efficient to just start moving.Local laws vary, and you’re unlikely to get a ticket for idling, but it has happened. And unless you’re still driving something with a carburetor, you’re not getting much benefit from the idle, anyway.Idling cars are an illegal plaything. At least, they are in some states. As the weather gets colder across the U.S., more people are likely letting their car “warm up” for a few minutes before they get in and drive. It doesn’t make sense from a technological standpoint, and it may be illegal where you live.The general rule—as has been true for years—is that there’s little real benefit to letting your car warm up before you start driving. We’ve been struggling to learn this lesson. In 2014, the Washington Post cited a 2009 study that found that the average American thought a car should idle for at least five minutes when it’s below freezing out. There was a time, when carburetors ruled the earth, that idling a cold car was a useful idea, but this is not true today. A modern car heats up in about 30 seconds once you start moving, making a five-minute warmup really just an exercise in wasting emissions.Check Your Local RulesMost laws about idling refer to commercial, diesel-powered vehicles, and many rules were implemented to prevent semis from running their engines while parked in busy areas. The American Transportation Research Institute provides truck drivers with an up-to-date list of local rules, which can change when crossing city or county lines, but drivers of passenger cars don’t have as easy a source of information. In general, though, the places where it’s illegal to idle a vehicle only come into effect after around five minutes. One exception is New York City, where the limit is three minutes.The EPA Weighs InSince idling rules vary so much between jurisdictions, we can’t say with certainty that you’ll get a ticket for idling your vehicle the way a Michigan man did in 2017. Michigan’s quirky idling law states that leaving the keys in with the car running is illegal because someone could steal the car, but it is okay to use a remote starter because then the key isn’t in the car. The last official and comprehensive guide we could find is the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) “Compilation of State, County, and Local Anti-Idling Regulations,” but that came out in 2006. Speaking of the EPA, the Agency doesn’t say one way or the other if states should regulate vehicle idling, but it does offer a draft anti-idling law for states to use if they want to—and a “toolkit” to mount an anti-idling campaign at your kids’ school. As the joke goes, idling gets you nowhere.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