Motor News

Volkswagen showed off four ID.Buzz commercial vehicle concepts at the Frankfurt, Germany, commercial-vehicle show this week.Each van was made by a different specialist manufacturer and outfitted for tasks ranging from refrigeration to emergency response. The concept vans, labeled as “near production,” are intended for Europe, with Volkswagen planning to only bring the extended-wheelbase passenger version of the van to the U.S.We’re sure Volkswagen wasn’t intending to hurt us so much by unveiling four adorable ID.Buzz concepts at the Frankfurt commercial-vehicle show. Yet, somehow it hurts to know that these cute and seemingly practical compact cargo vans exist and we won’t get them. It’s not Volkswagen’s fault that Nissan stopped production of the NV200, or that Mercedes is dropping the Metris. Nor should we blame Volkswagen because Ram pulled the plug on the ProMaster City—or complain to Ford for flipping the off switch on the Transit Connect. Meanwhile, European commercial customers can look forward to a whole lineup of interesting, attractive, and practical ID.Buzz variants, so there’s that.VolkswagenThe flex-cab concept, adapted by the Dutch company Snoeks, features a configurable five-seater layout for passenger transportation needs. The seats can be electronically folded, allowing the van to transition from a people carrier to a goods transporter. The paramedic version of the ID.Buzz, built by Bösenberg, has room for three people. The cargo area has been converted to be modular, able to store medical equipment and serve as an emergency work space. According to Volkswagen, the incorporated emergency light system runs on a different battery system from the rest of the car, meaning it will not hamper range in emergency situations. VolkswagenThe most visually changed ID.Buzz is the box-body version. Veth Automotive dropped a large rectangular box on the back of the Buzz, bringing cargo space from 138 to 212 cubic feet. The sides and back of the box can both be equipped with hinged doors, sliding doors, or roll-up shutters. Of course, sharing aerodynamic qualities with a shed will bring down range, but the box body is being shown off as a “last mile” vehicle. The refrigerated ID.Buzz (top, center) is another “last mile” van, designed with city-center deliveries in mind. The 230V cooling system is mounted to roof with four 100-amp batteries and an inverter to convert from DC to AC voltage. The four-battery system is able to run independently of the van for six to eight hours. The refrigerated Buzz has a payload of 860 pounds, which converts to approximately 172 gallons of ice cream.VolkswagenVolkswagen also showed off a service van for the appliance company Miele. The Miele-specific van is outfitted with shelving in the back to store tools and materiel for the company’s customer service department. The center console of the van is equipped with a fold-out table to give the driver a workspace within the cabin. 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

The 2023 BMW Alpina XB7 gains the same front-end revisions as lesser X7s, while also boosting output from the twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 to 630 horsepower.BMW claims the XB7 can hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and a 180 mph top speed.The XB7 also gets an opulent interior with an illuminated gear selector and an Alpina steering wheel with blue and green stitching. The starting price is $145,995.A mid-cycle update for BMW’s largest SUV, the X7, earlier this year brought more powerful and efficient engines and a revised front end with squintier headlights sandwiching the vast front grille. Now BMW has revealed the most expensive and high-performance version of the X7, giving the 2023 Alpina XB7 the same visual upgrades and the most powerful engine in the X7 lineup.The XB7 continues to use a tuned version of the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 found in the X7 M60i, but while the pre-facelift XB7 made 612 horsepower, the new version boosts that to 630 ponies. Torque stays the same at 590 pound-feet—a 37 pound-foot advantage over the M60i—and BMW says the torque peak arrives 200 rpm earlier, at 1800 rpm, and lasts until 5600 rpm. The latest X7’s V-8 also includes 48-volt hybrid assistance that improves engine responsiveness and efficiency, and Alpina’s version of the 4.4-liter also gains a unique cooling system.The motor is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission which includes the 48-volt starter-generator, and the XB7 has all-wheel-drive with an electronic limited-slip differential on the rear axle. BMW claims the XB7 can reach 60 mph in 3.9 seconds and run the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds, impressive figures for a vehicle with a curb weight around 6000 pounds. Top speed is said to be 180 mph if the XB7 is outfitted with the performance tire package and 21-inch wheels, which can be added at no extra cost. The XB7 rides on an air suspension with unique Alpina dampers, and the SUV can raise its ride height by 1.6 inches below 19 mph. Putting the vehicle in Sport mode or driving over 100 mph lowers the XB7 by 0.8 inches, while Sport+ mode or breaking the 155 mph barrier lowers it by 1.6 inches, although we’re not sure where American Alpina owners would reach these speeds in their colossal SUV.BMW also says the Alpina gains reinforced torsion struts for increased rigidity, while stiffer rear-axle bushings and the M60i’s electromechanical anti-roll bars are said to reduce body roll. Rear-wheel steering, also found on the M60i, can move the rear wheels by up to 2.3 degrees in either direction. Braking power is provided by four-piston fixed Brembo calipers clamping onto 15.5-inch discs up front and floating calipers with 15.7-inch discs at the rear. The calipers are painted in blue with “Alpina” written in white. More on AlpinaThe XB7 is available with two wheel choices. 21-inch Dynamic wheels can be had with 285-width summer or all-season rubber at all four corners. The 20-spoke, 23-inch Classic wheels are standard and are wrapped in Pirelli summer tires, with a staggered setup of 285-width tires up front and 325-width at the rear. Other design changes for the XB7 include a new front bumper with chiseled air intakes and a body-colored rear bumper.Inside, the XB7 is decked out with a glass Alpina infotainment control dial, a blue illuminated gear selector, illuminated door sills, and a unique steering wheel finished in Lavalina leather with blue and green stitching. The gauge clusters are accented by Alpina blue, changing to Alpina green when in Sport or Sport+ modes, and there are three trim options—Myrtle Luxury wood, Piano lacquer, or Natural Walnut Anthracite.Pricing for the Alpina XB7 will start at $145,995, with deliveries set to begin in early 2023.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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported a plan to recall more than 200,000 Nissan Titan (above) and Frontier trucks to address a problem that could lead the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly when parked.The problem involves a defective parking pawl, which is supposed to hold the vehicle in park, Nissan said in documents filed with NHTSA.Owners will be notified starting November 1.Nissan will be recalling more than 200,000 of its 2020 through 2023 model Frontier and Titan pickups over a defect that could make the trucks roll away while parked. In documents filed with NHTSA, the automaker said the problem is “non-engagement of the parking pawl” on trucks from 2020 through 2023 model years, which have a nine-speed automatic transmission.Nissan spotted the problem at its Canton, Mississippi, plant and had it confirmed through testing by Jatco, the maker of the nine-speed transmission. The supplier said “insufficient lifting force of the parking pawl, due to friction” was believed to be the problem, according to NHTSA filings.2022 Nissan Frontier.NissanIncluded in the recall are trucks built between December 13, 2019, and June 14, 2022. There have been no reported accidents, the automaker said. Nissan said it will notify owners by November 1, and in the meantime owners are asked to use the parking brake every time they park the vehicles. In the meantime, owners can determine whether their vehicle is included in the recall by visiting the NHTSA recalls website.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

Uber’s Comfort Electric service, which lets customers request EVs, is expanding from operating solely in California to 25 cities throughout North America. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi reaffirmed in an interview with CBS News that he wants all Uber fleet vehicles to be electric by 2030.Drivers with gasoline-powered vehicles at that time will be forced to either switch to an electric vehicle or stop driving for the company. Uber has expanded its Comfort Electric service from operating solely in California to 24 cities throughout the United States and in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. The Comfort Electric service within the app allows users to specifically request electric vehicles over traditional gasoline-powered vehicles.The Comfort Electric service separates itself from Uber Green (another electrification effort) by requiring vehicles to be fully electric. Uber Green is less stringent, allowing both EVs and hybrids to qualify for the service. Uber specifically singles out Tesla, Polestar, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E as the “premium” electric vehicles available with Comfort Electric. We checked to see where Comfort Electric sits in the menu of price choices for Uber, using a weekday trip between two locations in central San Francisco. For this one example, the Comfort Electric choice was priced at $26.72, almost $10 more than the other EV choice, Uber Green, which cost $15.71. Opting for a standard UberX ride was $15.93, whereas an Uber Black SUV, the most expensive option, cost $48.95 for the same trip. More on UberThe company announced in 2020 it would commit $800 million in funding to help drivers make the transition to electrification by a fast-approaching 2025. The funding, along with the expansion of Uber Green and Comfort Electric services, is part of Uber’s goal of completely transitioning away from internal combustion by 2030. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi recently affirmed that goal in an interview with CBS News. According to Khosrowshahi, drivers who have not made the switch to an EV by 2030 will not be allowed to drive for the company. Drivers who do make the switch, and participate in the Comfort Electric service will earn an additional $1 per ride, a perk that cuts off at $4000 annually. The Comfort Electric service will now be available in the following places: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Connecticut, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New Jersey, NYC suburbs, Philadelphia, Portland, Sacramento, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Saint Louis, Vancouver (Canada), and Washington, D.C. 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

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.A test mule for Lamborghini’s upcoming Safari-style Huracán Sterrato has been spotted for the first time leaving the company’s Sant’Agata factory in Italy. The high-riding prototype, spotted by Varryx on YouTube, gives us our first real look at the factory-safari’d supercar outside of the promotional material released by Lamborghini so far. In addition to the taller ride height, we can also see tweaked fascias, a roof scoop, and a couple of roof racks. Though it’s tough to tell from the exhaust sound captured in this clip, it’s very likely the Sterrato will use a version of the Huracán’s long-standing 5.2-liter naturally aspirated V-10 engine paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Whether it will have rear- or all-wheel drive has yet to be confirmed. The Huaracán Sterrato started off as a concept vehicle shown in 2019 before being greenlit for production, presumably thanks to the positive reaction and press generated by the car. Lamborghini released a short video in January showing a camouflaged prototype—likely the same car you see here today, drifting and sliding on dirt to drum up hype. Lamborghini is expected to show the production Huracán Sterrato in December. More Lamborghini DetailsThis 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

To celebrate 30 years of the Grand Cherokee, Jeep brought a new Anniversary edition to the Detroit auto show this year, complete with dark badging, 20-inch wheels, and ventilated black leather seats.The 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe is the new entry-level Wrangler, and it has all of the blue and “authentic retro cues” you would expect from a plug-in-hybrid powertrain in a old-school Willys Jeep.Also, there was a huge duck.Jeep celebrated an anniversary, more Willys from the past, and the appearance of a six-story-tall inflatable duck at the Detroit auto show this year. The world’s largest duck was on hand to attract social media attention, but the two new vehicle editions are the real draw here.StellantisUp first is the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 30th Anniversary edition, which gussies up the Grand Cherokee 4xe with a smattering of unique design elements, most notably a modified front fascia with signature blue tow hooks. The 20-inch wheels are new, and there are blacked-out exterior details and special-edition badging to be found around the vehicle, along with body-color bumpers and cladding. Inside, the 30th Anniversary Grand Cherokee 4xe comes with black Capri leather seats (ventilated in front), a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen that runs Uconnect 5 with navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.Underneath these distinctive design touches, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe retains the 25 miles of electric range and 56-MPGe efficiency rating. The SUV’s hybrid powertrain produces 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque and offers the ability to tow up to 6000 pounds. Jeep will start taking orders for the 2023 Grand Cherokee 4xe 30th Anniversary edition later this year. The limited-edition package will cost $4700, and the first deliveries will take place in early 2023.StellantisStellantisThe other new trim Jeep introduced at the show was the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe. The Wrangler Willys 4xe is now the entry-level Wrangler 4xe, coming in at $55,590 before incentives. That’s $600 less than the current lowest-price Wrangler 4xe, the Sahara trim. The Wrangler Willys 4xe keeps the same 49 MPGe as the other trims and offers 21 miles of all-electric range from its 17.0-kWh battery. That’s one less mile than the 2022 Wrangler four-door 4xe can handle. The new Wrangler Willys plug-in hybrid uses a 2.72:1 Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive system. It offers 30 inches of water fording and comes with a factory suspension lift that provides 10.1 inches of ground clearance.It shouldn’t be a surprise that Jeep is emphasizing the heritage aspect of its latest Willys model. Covering the advanced plug-in-hybrid powertrain—which offers 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque—is an exterior full of what Jeep calls “authentic retro cues.” These include a Willys decal on the hood along with Electric Blue accents on the badging, alerting those in the know that this belongs in Jeep’s electrified lineup. Jeep also offers a $3100 Sun and Screen package for the new Wrangler Willys 4xe with a power top and an 8.4-inch touchscreen with Uconnect 4C and navigation. The 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe can be ordered now, and deliveries should start in the fourth quarter of 2022.OK, here’s the duck.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

Blowing up bad guys from a comfy couch is about to get a little more horsepower, thanks to the upcoming introduction of the GMC Hummer EV to the Call of Duty video-game series.The Hummer will be available as a playable vehicle in Modern Warfare II (starting October 28) and Warzone 2.0 (later this fall).The popular games have previously included digital Humvees and Jeep vehicles. Jeep even produced a small number of Call of Duty–branded special editions a decade ago.The U.S. military uses more than 100 million barrels of oil each year, making it one of the biggest consumers of petroleum in the world. The military has also spent millions over the past decade or more transitioning some of its vehicles to electric power. These feel like important details to know before we get to the news that the GMC Hummer EV will soon be available as a playable vehicle in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II and Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0 video games.More on the HummerGMC said this week that a digitized version of the Hummer EV will bring its estimated 1000 horsepower and 3.3-second zero-to-60-mph time to the Activision video games before the end of the year. The massive EV will be available in Modern Warfare II on October 28 and in Warzone 2.0 sometime later this fall.Other real-world vehicles have appeared in Call of Duty games before. The Jeep Wrangler has made multiple appearances, for example, as has the original Humvee. Jeep even built small numbers of Call of Duty–branded vehicles around a decade ago, including a Black Ops Edition and a Modern Warfare 3 Edition.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.GMC HUMMER EV Pickup | “Reporting for Call of Duty” | GMCWatch onGM Defense president David Albritton told GM Authority in 2020 that the Hummer EV “could provide a great base platform for an electric vehicle to be used in the military context.” GM has a long history of building vehicles for the U.S. military. Last year, GM Defense made a one-off concept vehicle based on its Infantry Squad Vehicle (ISV) but with a zero-emission powertrain. The All Electric Concept Vehicle was meant to show what’s possible with military electric vehicles and what could one day replace the combustion-powered ISV for the U.S. Army.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

Next year will mark 75 years since the first Land Rover, the Series I, was shown to the public at the 1948 Amsterdam Motor Show.The commemorative Defender, known as the 75th Limited Edition, will be available in two- and four-door configurations but will only come with the 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine.Standard features include a folding fabric roof and an 11.4-inch touchscreen, but the signature feature is the Grasmere Green paint exclusive to this model.Launched to a motoring public used to post–World War II austerity, the original Land Rover blended the ride quality of a tractor with the creature comforts of a tin garden shed. It was a sort of Wellington boot on wheels, capable of everything from farm labor to pan-global exploration. Every single early Land Rover exudes a deep sense of British pluck. And probably a minor oil slick.To celebrate the lasting charm of the original effort, Jaguar Land Rover has launched a commemorative edition of the current Defender. A modern Land Rover is an entirely different beast than its agricultural ancestor, like a high-rise apartment at London’s opulent One Hyde Park compared to a thatched shepherd’s cottage. Nevertheless, the new Defender is still charming in its way, and here’s a special one.The 75thLimited Edition will be available in either 90 or 110 trims, Land Rover’s terms for the short-wheelbase two-door and the longer four-door version. Regardless of the door count, every one will be powered by the P400 class 3.0-liter inline-six. A turbocharged and supercharged hybrid, this engine is good for 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard, as is—of course—on-demand four-wheel drive.C/D TestingThe standard interior features on the Defender 75th Limited Edition are a blend of luxury and off-road intent. There’s a retractable folding fabric roof to let in the great outdoors, and the center console is trimmed in material designed to take abuse. At the same time, the 75th gets heated seats and steering wheel, a head-up display, an upgraded stereo, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen to handle infotainment duties.Land RoverThe real story is the paint, dubbed Grasmere Green. We last saw this shade on the Heritage Edition Defenders, and it’s a direct link to the early Land Rovers. The sort of semi-institutional color you might see in a 1950s British hospital, it’s quite a bit lighter and less metallic than greens found elsewhere in the automotive landscape.Heritage Edition Land Rover Defenders.Richard Pardon/Land RoverLand RoverFor the 75thLimited Edition, the green extends to painted wheels and interior accents as well. It’s still a Wellie on wheels. But a really very nice one. Pricing is expected to be announced shortly. Meet the FamilyThis 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