Motor News

The 2024 Maserati GranTurismo returns for a new generation, bringing a prettier body that has to be seen to be appreciated.The GT also has radically different powertrains, trading its old naturally aspirated V-8 for a new twin-turbo V-6 and adding an EV variant.Maserati bestows the new GranTurismo with a beautifully appointed interior and lots of modern-day tech features.It’s been a minute since we’ve seen a new Maserati GranTurismo. Not just because the Italian 2+2 grand tourer has been on hiatus since 2019, but also because the last version had bones that dated back to the George W. Bush administration. That changes with the debut of the 2024 GranTurismo, which rides on an entirely new platform and shares nary a body panel with its predecessor. And if you haven’t heard, the redesigned GT is also a vessel for Maserati’s first-ever all-electric model, dubbed the Folgore.A Subtly Sexier Beast A passing glance at the redesigned GranTurismo reveals sexy styling that’s reminiscent of the model it replaces. Sure, the new car doesn’t look radically different in pictures, but we had the opportunity to see the coupe up close and personal at Maserati’s studio in Turin, Italy, where its evolutionary makeover made more of an impact. Believe us when we say its redrawn body lines, shapelier curves, and longer and wider proportions are positively drool-worthy, especially when they’re coated in a sparkling red paint called Rosso GranTurismo. The Folgore was also present, with its aero-optimized lower front fascia and specially designed wheels separating it from its gas-fed counterpart.The GT’s headlights are the most noticeable new visual detail, as they sit vertically versus horizontally. It’s the same look worn by the Maserati MC20 supercar, which also appears to have inspired the smoother, rounder shape of the GranTurismo’s grille with its new 3D-printed Trident logo. Opposite the restyled taillights out back, the hood has recessed creases running from the car’s snout towards its cowl. The hood also converges with the front fenders, creating a clamshell design. Note the three portholes on the GT’s front flanks are smaller and appear to sit higher than before, too. On the Folgore, the upper trim on the portholes is illuminated. Radically Different beneath the SkinMaserati might not have strayed very far from the last GT’s design language, but it has made radical changes elsewhere. Unlike its rear-wheel-drive-only predecessor, every GranTurismo has an all-wheel-drive system with an electronic locking rear diff. The old Ferrari-built naturally aspirated 4.7-liter V-8—with its 454 horsepower—is also gone. It’s been replaced by Maserati’s own twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, known as Nettuno, which debuted on the MC20. However, the GT version has been detuned, features cylinder deactivation, and uses a wet-sump oil system rather than a more exotic dry-sump setup.The GranTurismo’s engine pairs with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and is rated at 483 horsepower on the entry-level Modena and 542 hp on the higher-performance Trofeo. How quick are they? Well, Maserati estimates the Modena will hit 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and the Trofeo will do the deed in 3.5 ticks. That’s about a full second quicker than before. The two also have claimed top speeds of 188 and 199 mph, respectively.Every Maserati GranTurismo has a double-wishbone front suspension with a multilink rear setup. Air springs and adaptive dampers are also standard. The suspenders buoy 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels, with a staggered set of tires that measure 265/30 up front and 295/30 in back. Stopping power is provided by Brembo, with six-piston fixed front calipers and four-pot fixed rear clampers.Folgore AheadThanks to its new modular platform, the GranTurismo has been designed from the start to be an EV. The Folgore features an 800-volt electrical architecture, and it’s said to allow DC fast-charging speeds of up to 270 kW. The electrified grand tourer has a T-shaped battery pack that was designed in-house, doesn’t impact the car’s packaging, and has a usable capacity of 83.0 kWh. We don’t yet know its estimated range, but Maserati claims it’ll go over 250 miles per charge. Since that figure is based on the European WLTP test cycle, we’re guessing its actual EPA range will be in the neighborhood of 210 miles.MaseratiMaseratiThe Folgore features three electric motors; one powers the front axle and the other two are decoupled, meaning they individually power each rear wheel. Together the trio generates a combined 750 horsepower. There’s also a selectable drive mode that sends power solely to the rear rollers. Electric donuts, anyone? Maserati estimates the Folgore will accelerate from zero to 62 mph in 2.7 seconds and from zero to 124 mph in 8.8 ticks. We’re told this performance is repeatable and that the EV has a top speed of 199 mph.Get inside the GTUnfortunately, Maserati isn’t ready to show the world what the inside of the new GranTurismo looks like, so you’ll have to use your imagination until it’s revealed. We’re told the design is inspired by the MC20 and newly introduced Maserati Grecale compact SUV. With that said, it’s pretty easy to imagine the GT having a similar aesthetic as those models. Expect extravagant materials and impeccable craftsmanship too. Adults forced to sit in the rear seats will have a bit more legroom than before, with Maserati saying it added about 1.8 inches of legroom back there. The GranTurismo enters the digital era with a configurable 12.2-inch digital gauge cluster. The trademark timepiece that traditionally sits at the center of the dash remains, except now it’s digital and features interchangeable faces. There’s an Android-based infotainment system that runs through a 12.3-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard; Amazon Alexa voice controls are also part of the package. Along with the main display, there’s a separate 8.8-inch touchscreen that likely provides controls for the climate system and such, as in the Grecale. Audiophiles should appreciate the Sonus Faber stereo, which includes a standard 14-speaker, 860-watt configuration or a 19-speaker, 1195-watt setup. The new GranTurismo has a host of driver assists, such as a 360-degree camera system, automated emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and lane-keeping assist.Modern Maserati ReviewsHow Much Will It Cost?As before, the 2024 Maserati GranTurismo will be available in two body styles: coupe and convertible (a.k.a. GranCabrio). While droptop versions of both the gas and electric variants will be offered, neither will be available when the car launches, and they might not arrive until the 2025 model year. Maserati is expected to announce official pricing closer to the car’s U.S. launch in the second quarter of next year. The Modena’s base price will likely start just under $200,000. The Trofeo will obviously be more expensive, as will the electric Folgore, which will arrive sometime after the two gas-powered versions go on sale.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 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

Hundreds of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have been stolen this year due to popular social media videos showing how easy it is to commandeer certain models that use a traditional key and do not have an engine immobilizer.The new security kit will be available starting today for $170. It’s expected Hyundai owners will be expected to pay for installation too, which could cost up to $500. Kia is not offering a similar security kit but is offering free steering wheel locks.Multiple class action lawsuits have been filed about the issue, which started gaining popularity in Milwaukee late last year.Hyundai has developed a $170 solution for anyone who hasn’t had their vehicle stolen. Hyundai and Kia vehicles have been targets of car thieves in recent months because it’s incredibly easy to do so, and thieves are sharing how-to videos on social media. The raft of thefts is so bad that an average of six Hyundai vehicles are stolen each day just in Milwaukee, according to local news station WTMJ.More about the ProblemThe nationwide rash of thefts has gotten so bad that Hyundai has finally come up with a solution. A new anti-theft security kit Hyundai developed in partnership with Compustar is now available. The kit includes both a kill switch and an alarm. Hyundai told Automotive News that the kit will be available at all of its 820 dealers in the U.S. and will take around two and a half hours to install. Hyundai is also working on a software fix for this issue.Software Update Is in the Works TooHyundai spokesperson Ira Gabriel described the system as a “glass break sensor security kit that targets the method of entry used by thieves to break into these vehicles.” He said customers can get them at Hyundai dealerships or at Compustar’s authorized installers in the U.S. He also said Hyundai’s update to software “to further secure these targeted vehicles” should be available for some Hyundai vehicles in the first half of 2023 with others to follow later. Vehicle owners will be expected to pay for the installation of the kit, which could cost up to $500, according to a lawyer working on one of many class action lawsuits against Hyundai over the issue. Automotive News said 15 different suits have been filed in 14 states. The lawsuits ask for monetary damages and for Hyundai to recall the affected models because the automaker did not install engine immobilizers as standard equipment until November 2021. For the past decade, Hyundai has offered stolen vehicle services for cars equipped with Bluelink. The connected technology can locate, slow down, or immobilize a stolen vehicle, but it does not make the vehicle less easy to steal in the first place.Huge Spikes in Car TheftsThe trend of stealing Kias and Hyundais started in Milwaukee in December 2021 but has spread across the country. One law firm working on one of the class action suits is MLG, which said that there has been a 346 percent increase in thefts of both brands in Charlotte, North Carolina, and that, according to the police in Saint Petersburg, Florida,more than 40 percent of all car thefts there have been Kia and Hyundai models. All 2011 to 2021 Kia vehicles and 2015 to 2021 Hyundai vehicles (like the 2016 Accent pictured at top) equipped with standard key ignitions that lack an engine immobilizer are vulnerable to theft. Vehicles with a push-button start are not affected.Kia is not yet offering an anti-theft kit but is giving out free steering wheel locks to owners. Hyundai is also handing out some free locks. Owners who want to buy the new system should be able to get it via dealerships after today (October 1) or, Hyundai says, they can contact Hyundai’s Consumer Assistance line at 800–633–5151.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 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

Citroën has refreshed its famous double-chevron badge for just the 10th time in 103 years, moving away from its current free-standing silver chevrons after 13 years and one major refresh. The new badge sets the chevrons inside a circle, just as company founder André Citroën did in 1919. The company’s topically named Global Brand Designer, Alexandre Revert, calls it a return to the founder’s original vision, “the genuine promise of affordable and innovative mobility for all.”Citroën Citroën is also introducing a new “corporate brand identity program” called “Nothing Moves Us Like Citroën.” That’s unrelated to the company’s part in the wave of Stellantis-wide electrification slogans introduced last year, “Citroën Electric: Well-Being for All.” However, the new “brand signature” has the same basic goal: Introduce the company’s push toward electrification with a new tone. Like all Stellantis brands, Citroën will be focusing on electrification in the immediate future. That electrified future is not expected to include the United States market any time soon, but drivers who absolutely need to get their hands on an electrified Citroën can rent the Ami city car in a third-party, Washington D.C.-only ride share program announced last year.The brand says the new logo will debut on a “significant” concept later this month, marking this next era of Citroëns with unique and distinctive new branding. Given that there are just four days left in the month, that concept should be coming very soon.A Taste of FranceThis 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 State of New York adopted a plan to phase out sales of gas- and diesel-engined cars and light trucks by 2035, following efforts by California and Washington.New York is implementing interim targets to reach goal of ZEV-only sales, with a 35 percent target by 2026.EV adoption rates in many states, especially between the two coasts, currently lag behind the announced targets, and could create vastly different car sales environments in different neighboring states. The State of New York has joined Washington and California in introducing efforts that will phase out the sale of new gas and diesel-engined cars and light trucks in the coming years. New York Governor Kathy Hochul directed the State Department of Environmental Conservation to take steps that will gradually phase out the sale of new internal combustion engine vehicles by the year 2035, with a number of interim targets between now and the target year.The governor’s initiative essentially directs a state administrative agency to adopt rules through rulemaking procedures, similar to an effort first announced by California Governor Gavin Newsom two years ago. However, it was California’s adoption of Advanced Clean Cars II last month that has opened the door to New York state to adopt the same goal.According to the plan, the rules will require that 35% of light vehicle sales in the state be of zero-emission vehicles by 2026—identical to California’s interim targets promulgated by CARB—moving up to 68 percent by 2030. By 2035, all 100% of light vehicle sales will be mandated to be ZEV.Some critics of California’s efforts in this regard argue that the plans don’t actually go far enough, neglecting to add more stringent requirements to internal combustion vehicles.”Both the Advanced Clean Trucks and Advanced Clean Cars II rules would provide the needed regulatory certainty to support a stable market for long-term vehicle purchasing decisions and the development of ZEV charging infrastructure,” the governor’s office said in a statement.Meanwhile in CaliforniaBy 2026, the state is investing over $1 billion in zero emissions vehicles, which includes various purchase rebate programs, including a point-of-sale rebate that could take up to $2000 off the purchase price of a zero-emission vehicle by private buyers within the state, adding to the revamped federal rebate program. “New York is a national climate leader and an economic powerhouse, and we’re using our strength to help spur innovation and implementation of zero-emission vehicles on a grand scale,” Governor Hochul said in announcing the plan.Still, New York’s plan is more conservative than that of the state of Washington, which is working toward a phase-out of the sales of internal combustion engine cars and light trucks by 2030 according to legislation that was signed into law by Governor Jay Inslee earlier this year. Washington has a head start on many other US states for a number of reasons, including current EV adoption rates, but will still have to take significant steps to bring about a 2030 ICE vehicle sales ban.While New York state’s planned 2035 phase-out may appear distant enough to be plausible, the interim 35% ZEV target by 2026 perhaps appears less so. It would require nearly double-digit EV sales growth, on average, every year between now and the end of 2026. It is also worth noting that many automakers themselves are not forecasting such growth for EVs in the US by the start of 2026, and a few have indicated that 30% would be optimistic by the year 2030. “With sustained state and federal investments, our actions are incentivizing New Yorkers, local governments, and businesses to make the transition to electric vehicles,” Governor Hochul added. “We’re driving New York’s transition to clean transportation forward, and today’s announcement will benefit our climate and the health of our communities for generations to come.” 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 Chevrolet Corvair is known mainly for getting the attention of safety advocate Ralph Nader, but it also represents GM’s nascent attempt to fight the rising tide of small imported cars to the U.S.• This rear-engined Corvair Monza Spyder has a 2.4-liter turbo flat-six engine and a four-speed manual transmission, not to mention red vinyl upholstery.• The online auction goes until Monday, October 3.I’m not a Boomer, and I’ve never fallen for air-cooled cars in the past, so I’m not certain to what I should credit my emergent fascination with Corvairs. But, like many forms of uncanny automotive affection, the first step is in admitting that we are powerless against them. That’s why this 1963 Corvair Monza Spyder was my choice for pick of the day on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.Perhaps I love Corvairs because they represent, in actuality, a multiversal path General Motors could have (and kind of did) take toward modernization and future-proofing, at a pivot point within the industry. In response to the rising popularity of the first imported vehicle to gain traction in the United States—the VW Beetle—GM put its engineering and design know-how into practice to create this small(ish), rear-engined, air-cooled, independently suspended, distinctly European-styled vehicle. From the C/D ArchiveThe Corvair was a hit, eventually spawning an entire family of models including a coupe, sedan, wagon, van, pickup, and—like this one—convertible. This top-performing Monza Spyder sported one of the first industry applications of turbocharging. Forced induction increased the power and torque of the Corvair’s flat-six by more than 50 percent, making the car a respectable performer. This particular model sports some interesting period-correct accessories, like a front stone guard and spoiler and 13-inch Halibrand wheels with three-bar centers. And while I’m not usually one for white exteriors, or red interiors, it all works perfectly on this example. Bring a TrailerRalph Nader’s Unsafe at any Speed gets called out for destroying the Corvair program, but this ignores both the context of the industry at the time and the specific institutional behavior of GM. Nader’s book certainly used the Corvair as an example, perhaps even as a bit of a straw man, but its impact resulted from the way in which it took on the industry for intentionally privileging profit over any consideration of safety and doggedly fighting necessary regulation.Bring a TrailerMoreover, Ford’s blistering success with the more traditional (and more profitable) Mustang—derived from an existing car platform, unlike the Corvair’s custom one—fostered the GM brass’s pre-existing predilection for pushing cheap, unsophisticated pushrod V-8s. As with many products, the company improved the Corvair until it was approaching greatness, then pulled the plug, claiming futility, to focus on simple, stylish muscle cars: Camaros, Chevelles, Novas.This behavior, and the endemic hubris underpinning it, caused GM to ignore the surging consumer preference for imports from Europe and Japan until it was already too late. The Big Three spent decades trying to catch up on engineering and styling techniques it could have fostered intrinsically if it had stuck to the template offered up here. If that isn’t reason enough to buy, I don’t know what is.The Corvair’s online auction goes until Monday, October 3, and with four days left between now and then, bidding is only at $3255, so a bargain could be in the making.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 revealed the 2024 Mustang at the Detroit auto show this month. The seventh-generation Mustang continues to offer a turbo 2.3-liter four and the 5.0-liter V-8, and more power from both is expected. While the four is automatic only, a manual is available with V-8.Otherwise, the most exciting news at Ford is the F-150 Raptor R’s engine, the same Predator supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 that’s in the Shelby GT500. In the pickup, it pumps out 700 ponies and 640 pound-feet.Ford’s baby pickup, the Maverick, adds off-road cred with the new Tremor package. The Maverick Tremor receives a revised all-wheel-drive system, a beefier suspension, and a one-inch lift to allow it to go a little further off-road. It also has a steel skid plate and tow hooks. The XLT and Lariat trim levels offer the $2995 package, which pairs exclusively with the 250-hp turbo 2.0-liter four.More on Ford TrucksWe should see Ford’s all-new Ranger in 2023, although U.S. specifics are TBD. Expect a 270-hp turbo 2.3-liter four mated to a 10-speed automatic. Crew-and extended-cab body styles will feature a more modern interior with a standard 10.1-inch touch-screen and an optional 12.1-inch display. A Ranger Raptor is also in the works. We’re expecting it to have a 392-hp twin-turbo V-6 and the Bronco Raptor’s suspension upgrades.Three years in, the Escape receives an aesthetic facelift, and high demand for the electric F-150 Lightning emboldened Ford to raise prices by $6000 to $8500. Mustang Mach-E prices rise too. No word on a Mach-E de Sade package, but we’re hopeful. The Super Duty also gets an update with a tougher look and new engine choices. The rest of the lineup—Expedition, Explorer, Bronco, Edge, and Transit—continues with minor changes. Ford hasn’t confirmed, but we expect the Transit Connect and EcoSport to die, and 2022 was the GT’s last year.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

One of the eight Aston Martin DB5 stunt cars built for the 2021 James Bond film No Time to Die sold on September 28 for more than $3 million. The sale headlined a Christie’s charity auction held in honor of 60 years of James Bond films.The proceeds of the DB5 sale go to the Prince’s Trust and the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund’s support of charities in the U.K.It may have taken the bank account of a Bond villain, but every penny of the the $3,209,773.17 spent on this Aston Martin DB5 prop car is going to charity. Aston Martin built eight prop versions of the DB5 for the 2021 Bond film No Time to Die, with each serving a specific purpose in bringing the film to life. Each prop car is uniquely modified, with this particular car featuring rotating license plates, retractable headlights, pop-out machine guns, and firing prop bomblets. Aston MartinWe had the chance to drive some of the No Time to Die stunt cars around Britain’s famous Silverstone Circuit before the movie was released. The conclusion? Like most illegal things, non-regulated movie prop cars are joyous fun as well as being fantastic to drive—even if they aren’t street legal. All proceeds from the DB5 sale were donated to the Prince’s Trust charity, which helps young people in Britain between the ages of 11 and 30, as well as the Prince of Wales Charitable Fund to support of former employees of British Intelligence Agencies and Special Forces.The DB5 may have fetched the highest bid of the evening, but it was not the only Bond car sold. A total of three Astons were sold at auction, all having been used in No Time to Die. Also sold was Timothy Dalton’s 007 car of choice: a 1981 Aston Martin V8 Vantage much like the car used in the 1987 Bond film The Living Daylights was brought back in Vantage form in the newest film and brought $692,046 at auction. The money generated from the V8;s auction was donated to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). Aston MartinThe third Aston sold was one of 25 DBS Superleggera 007 Editions, created by Aston to celebrate the inclusion of the Superleggera into the iconic franchise. The DBS features a plaque complete with etched signatures from actress Lashana Lynch who drove the car in the film, as well as from producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. The DBS Superleggera 007 edition sold for $442,909 with all proceeds going to the Royal Foundation of the Prince and Princess of Wales.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 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

After revealing the Urus Performante earlier this year, Lamborghini has now shown the new S model.While the S is the entry-level Urus, it still makes 657 hp from its 4.0-liter V-8, the same amount as the track-focused Performante.The S also rides on an air suspension, instead of the steel springs fitted to the Performante.Lamborghini is turning the Urus SUV up to eleven for 2023 with the new Performante model, which debuted last month sporting aggressive styling and packing a more powerful V-8 engine and revised suspension. Now Lamborghini has revealed the 2023 Urus S, which replaces the standard Urus but arrives with the same 657 horsepower as the more dialed-in Performante.That represents a 16 horsepower boost over the outgoing base Urus, and the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 also spits out 627 pound-feet of torque. Lamborghini says the Urus S will hit 62 mph in 3.5 seconds, 0.2 second behind its claim for the lighter Performante. 124 mph is said to arrive in 12.5 seconds, one second adrift of the Performante but still blisteringly quick for a vehicle weighing nearly 5000 pounds. Top speed is a claimed 190 mph, and Lamborghini says the Urus S can brake from 62 mph down to a stop in around 110 feet. While the Performante rides on steel springs, the Urus S uses an air suspension, which can be set to street, track, and off-road modes. The Urus S gets a revised front bumper with horizontal grille elements replacing the hexagonal design of the outgoing model, and a new matte-black stainless steel skidplate protects the underside of the car. The hood is made from carbon fiber and features the same thin air vents as the Performante, which can be optioned in gloss black, body color, or carbon fiber. The Urus can also be specced with a carbon fiber roof, and the rear bumper adopts the sharper styling seen on the Performante, although the S lacks the small rear spoiler. More Lamborghini NewsLamborghini says the exhaust has been retuned, and the standard 21-inch wheels are joined by 22-inch and 23-inch options. The cabin also gets new color and trim options. While pricing for the U.S. market has yet to be announced, we expect the updated 2023 Urus to be a bit more expensive than the outgoing model, which starts at $229,495, when it goes on sale stateside.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 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