Motor News

Volkswagen revealed the ID. Xtreme concept today, based on a test mule that was used to develop the ID.4 GTX.The ID. Xtreme has 87 more horsepower than a standard all-wheel-drive ID.4 at 382 hp, and it rides on unique 18-inch wheels.Other modifications include wider wheel arches, an LED light bar, and a redesigned bumper with a bull bar and aluminum underbody cladding.Normally, when a new vehicle debuts, the test mules that helped develop the finished product are either crushed or tucked away in a warehouse like the Lost Ark in Indiana Jones. But Volkswagen took a different approach with one of its test vehicles for the ID.4. Instead, it was converted into the ID. Xtreme concept revealed today in Locarno, Switzerland, giving a taste of what an off-road version of Volkswagen’s electric crossover could look like.The concept is based on an ID.4 GTX, which is sold as the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive ID.4 in the United States sans the GTX badge. That means the ID. Xtreme sends power to all four wheels, and software changes to the drive control unit boost the output to 382 horsepower, 87 ponies more than the standard GTX.The ID. Xtreme also gets, well, more extreme looks thanks to a raised suspension, 18-inch off-road wheels, and approximately 2.0-inch-wider 3D-printed wheel arches. A butch bull bar also protrudes from a redesigned front bumper, while an LED light bar is perched atop the roof to illuminate rough terrain at night. A completely closed aluminum underbody has been installed to protect the battery from pesky rocks and other debris. More VW NewsThe snazzy livery on the outside is apparently mirrored by orange accents on the interior, although Volkswagen didn’t provide any photos of the cabin. Volkswagen also says there are redesigned seats and that many surfaces are wrapped in Alcantara. The ID. Xtreme has been fitted with a sound generator in the wheel well that projects some sort of driving noise created by Volkswagen’s design team, although without a recording, we can only guess at what it sounds like. We doubt anything like the ID. Xtreme will ever be offered by Volkswagen, although with Honda launching the TrailSport sub-brand, Subaru creating the Wilderness line, and Hyundai adding the XRT badge, off-road appearance packages have become a hot trend and Volkswagen might be inclined to join in. 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 KTM X-Bow GT-XR is meant to be a road-going equivalent of the company’s X-Bow GT2 track weapon.The GT-XR uses an Audi-sourced 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine tuned to produce 493 horsepower at 6350 rpm.Production is limited to a maximum of 100 per year.The Austrian firm KTM, primarily known in the U.S. as a motorcycle manufacturer, has a new road-going X-Bow model called the GT-XR. KTM has been making the X-Bow (i.e. crossbow) since 2008. The GT-XR is the street version of the X-Bow GT2, with air conditioning, Bluetooth, and an optional (!) rear-view mirror. In lieu of doors, KTM went more Star Wars X Wing with a jet fighter canopy.We’ve been seriously impressed by the KTM performance in the past. The original X-Bow lapped VIR at 2:52.3 in our annual Lightning Lap testing. Our editor-in-chief deemed the 2019 X-Bow Comp R “properly capable” after driving it at Sonoma Raceway in California. Kernasenko J.With a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine sourced from the Audi RS3, the GT-XR packs 493 horsepower. Not record-setting, but in KTM fashion, the car is incredibly light. The GT-XR tips the scales at a claimed 2491 pounds. That’s only 300 pounds more than a first-gen Mazda Miata. The carbon monocoque weighing in at 196 pounds is lighter than the average American man. The combination of high power and low weight is said to rocket the KTM to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds. Kernasenko J.KTM forwent a manual gearbox for the GT-XR, opting instead for a seven-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG). The steering wheel is removable and features an integrated display with shift indicators. The forged aluminum wheels are made by OZ Racing. KTM added a 25-gallon fuel tank allowing for more than 600 miles of range between fill-ups.The GT-XR is available to order in Europe, where the KTM notes that the car is approved for street use. Pricing is just over $286,000 based on current exchange rates. A maximum of 100 will be made per year. U.S. buyers may be out of luck, however, as KTM does not mention U.S. availability. 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

• Great Scott! It’s the other iconic vehicle from the Back to the Future movies, currently listed for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site.• Durable Toyota underpinnings make this pickup truck the kind of icon you can drive as much as you like.• It comes with a variety of BTTF memorabilia, including a (nonfunctional) hoverboard, and bidding ends on Tuesday, September 13.The trouble with movie magic is that it isn’t actually real. If you grew up as a fan of the Back to the Future movies, it might turn out to be a bit of a letdown to actually drive a DeLorean DMC-12. The sleek stainless-steel wedge certainly looks cool, but it takes its sweet time hitting 88 mph. Marty’s other vehicle, on the other hand? No behind-the-scenes trickery. All Toyota. Bring a TrailerCurrently up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is another custom four-by-four from Statler Toyota. Well actually, Statler Toyota was the fictional dealership in the movie: this Toyota is a 1985 SR5 extended cab, dressed up to look McFly by a Chattanooga-based BTTF specialist. With five days left to go, bidding sits at $13,000.Classic C/D Toyota StoriesKnown as the Hilux in overseas markets, the simple Toyota pickup of the 1980s became an icon of unkillability. They rusted, sure, but the rugged four-cylinder powertrain kept humming along as the miles crept upward. Rather famously, the show Top Gear went to great lengths in trying to destroy a Toyota pickup, up to and including putting it on the roof of a building that was then leveled with a controlled demolition. Didn’t matter; the truck still ran. So durable were these Toyotas that there is even a war named after them: the Harb Tūyūtā, in which a bunch of Chadian troops in ragtag Hiluxes and 4Runners threw the better-equipped Libyan invaders out on their ear.In California, the Toyota pickup was less about desert warfare and more about sand, sun, or driving up to the lake to sleep out under the stars. It was a poster car for the outdoorsy life, camping, surfing, and just general good-time vibes.Bring a TrailerIn the fictional everytown of Hill Valley, a black Toyota 4×4 with all the goodies was the ultimate reward for Marty McFly’s time-traveling adventures. Here, that reward is within your grasp: no Hollywood trickery, all Toyota.Fitted out with Smittylite bumpers and roll bar and a total of six KC HiLites auxiliary lights, this truck is all dressed up like the movies. But underneath, it’s running a 2.4-liter 22RE four-cylinder engine, with a five-speed manual gearbox and a two-speed transfer case. A set of 31-inch Goodyear tires on 15-inch wheels provide grip, with the suspension getting a mild lift for off-road duties.Bring a TrailerThe odometer shows 127,000 miles, but actual mileage is stated as unknown. Further, there are a few blemishes around the body and some swirl marks in the black paint. If anything, these factors are pluses rather than minuses, because you don’t have to treat this truck like a garage queen. Biff doesn’t need to keep it waxed and indoors if it might rain. You can actually get out and drive this truck around.It’s the perfect way to indulge in some popcorn-scented nostalgia. Just slide a Huey Lewis disc into the Jensen CD player, crank up “The Power of Love,” and cruise on down that sun-dappled California road. The auction ends next Tuesday, September 13, and as of the preceding Friday, bidding had reached $15,000.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

Rivian and Mercedes-Benz Vans have signed a memorandum of understanding to create a new joint venture for building electric vans.The joint venture will lead to a new factory in Europe that will assemble two new electric vans.One will be based on the Mercedes’s VAN.EA platform, while the other will ride on the second generation of the Rivian Light Van platform.EV startup Rivian is already working with Amazon to build a 100,000-unit fleet of its goofy-looking EDV (Electric Delivery Van) by 2030, but now the California-based automaker is poised to enter another partnership. Mercedes-Benz Vans and Rivian announced today that the two companies have signed a memorandum of understanding to begin a “strategic partnership,” which, if all goes well with regulatory processes, will lead to the creation of a new joint venture for electric van production.Rivian EDVRivian/AmazonThis joint venture would see the construction of a new electric-only factory in central or eastern Europe, “leveraging an existing Mercedes-Benz site.” This production facility will focus on building large electric vans for both Rivian and Mercedes-Benz, with two already planned. One will be based on VAN.EA, the Mercedes electric van architecture, while the other will be underpinned by the second-generation Rivian Light Van (RLV) platform. It’s unclear how these vans will be badged and sold, but we are guessing one will carry the three-pointed star while the other will feature a Rivian logo. The companies said that “further options for increased synergies” are being investigated, so the joint venture won’t necessarily be limited to these two vans. The partnership aims to boost production and cost efficiency to make the vans more affordable.More EV Van NewsMercedes is currently working on electrifying its van lineup, with an electric version of its Sprinter van—the eSprinter—set to arrive for 2023. In the European market, the eSprinter joins the EQV and eVito, electric versions of the van known stateside as the Metris, as well as the compact eCitan. Rivian, meanwhile, is ramping up production of its EDV as Amazon begins rolling out the delivery vans in cities across the United States. Starting in 2025, new mid-size and large Mercedes vans will all ride on VAN.EA and be powered by electrons, and the newly announced joint venture should be up and running by that point.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

A spy photographer has shared with us these images of a couple of camouflaged Mazda CX-90 prototypes testing at high elevations in Colorado.Judging by the third row and large dimensions, we’re confident the disguised mules are the CX-90 and not the two-row Mazda CX-70.The CX-90 prototypes appear to be plug-in hybrids, which should be an option along with a new inline-six engine.It’s no secret that Mazda is almost ready to introduce the CX-90, a new three-row SUV that’s destined to supplant the current CX-9. Not only have we heard that the 2023 Mazda CX-90 will go into production by the end of this year, but we also recently spied two camouflaged prototypes testing at high elevations in Colorado.Cory WolfeTwo-Row CX-70 or Three-Row CX-90?How do we know the disguised mules in the pictures aren’t the two-row CX-70 model that has also been confirmed for the U.S. market? Well, it’s because if you squint really hard or put your cheaters on you can see that they have a third row. Our spy photographer also pointed out that the camoed SUVs were longer than the published images of the Mazda CX-60, a new two-row model that’s only sold overseas.Mazda’s New SUVsWhile the CX-60 isn’t coming to America, it has Mazda’s new longitudinal-engine layout that will underpin the CX-70 and CX-90, too. Along with sharing a platform, the CX-60 we drove in Europe featured a plug-in-hybrid powertrain that’s expected to be available in both U.S.-bound SUVs. Plus, we already know that the CX-70 and CX-90 will have Mazda’s new straight-six engine.This CX-90 Is Probably a Plug-In Hybrid Judging by the separate fuel doors on both sides, the CX-90 prototypes we spied are plug-in models, meaning they probably have a 2.5-liter four-cylinder paired with an electric motor between the engine and eight-speed transmission. A 17.8-kWh battery pack is found on the CX-60. We can’t say for sure, but the CX-90 PHEV’s combined output should be around 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque.Cory WolfeReady For the CX-90 Reveal Sure, the camouflaged CX-90s don’t really tell us anything we didn’t already know, but they do provide our first real-world glimpse of the mid-size SUV in motion. Obviously, the camo does a good job of disguising its design details, but we think it’ll look like an oversize CX-50, which is a good thing. Now we just have to wait until Mazda reveals the real deal in the coming months.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

Ford will launch version 1.2 of its hands-free driving system this fall. It will first appear on the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E before rolling out to other models. The system—called BlueCruise on Ford models and ActiveGlide on Lincolns—gains lane-changing assist, predictive speed assist, and in-lane repositioning features.Ford says the newly added features won’t be available to older vehicles via an over-the-air update, at least not yet.Ford’s hands-free cruise control technology is set to take a step forward this fall when the company adds three new features to its roster. Set to launch first on the 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV this fall, version 1.2 of the system brings three new features, including one that aids in lane change maneuvers. Called BlueCruise on Ford models and Active Glide on Lincoln ones, the system relies on cameras, sensors, and software and allows the driver to remove their hands from the wheel while the system handles physical piloting duties. Like other hands-free driving systems available from rivals such as General Motors and BMW, the system isn’t entirely self-driving as it requires the driver to remain alert and ready to take control of the vehicle. FordThe more advanced features included in version 1.2 will require the driver to take over less often though. For example, using the new lane-change assist feature allows the driver to remain in hands-free mode by having the car maneuver to an adjacent lane simply by tapping the turn signal stalk. Ford claims the vehicle will even suggest a lane change to the driver if it detects that traffic in an adjacent lane is moving quicker than the one it’s in.The other two features are designed with driver comfort in mind. Predictive-speed assist will automatically slow the vehicle’s speed when encountering a sharp turn on the highway similar to how a human driver might and an in-lane repositioning feature tells the system to move the vehicle from the center of the lane to closer to the outside edge of the lane when passing a semi-truck.Hands-Free Ford and Lincoln ReviewsBlueCruise and ActiveGlide have worked fairly well on the few occasions we’ve sampled them, but their driving nature doesn’t feel as natural as the GM Super Cruise system. Ford says other enhancements to the system in version 1.2 have been made to improve the driver and passenger experience, and we’re looking forward to evaluating how BlueCruise has evolved. The software still only works on pre-qualified roads and highways, but Ford says over 130,000 miles of roadway in North America have now been mapped thanks to the 75,000 Ford and Lincoln owners who have been using the system since its launch. Those current owners, however, will have to wait for version 1.2. A Ford spokesman told Car and Driver that the updated features will not be pushed to older vehicles via an over-the-air update just yet. 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

Dodge announced today that it is bringing out a set of Charger and Challenger limited-edition cars with the “Swinger” name.Like the Shakedown and Super Bee limited editions announced earlier, the Swingers will be Scat Pack versions of the cars with special-edition liveries and options.All Scat Pack Swingers will come in the Widebody style and can be had in F8 Green, Sublime Green, or White Knuckle exterior paint. It is likely no longer news to you that the current-generation Challenger and Charger are coming to an end. Dodge is going out with a bang with seven “Last Call” special editions of the vehicles. The 2023 Swinger Challenger and Swinger Charger are the third and fourth announced, following the previously announced Challenger Shakedown and Charger Super Bee models. The Swinger name dates all the way back to the 1969 Dodge Dart. Both Swinger models will come in the Widebody variant and with Dodge’s Scat Pack, which features a 485-hp 6.4-liter V-8. Only 1000 of each will be made. StellantisFrom Here to EternityBut this is primarily an appearance package. Much of the charm of these models comes from the 1970s-era design touches, including green-on-green exterior colors with gold accents and green stitching on the seats, dash, center console, and steering wheel. Exterior paint options are F8 Green, Sublime Green, or White Knuckle, and special “Gold School” badging will feature on the exterior along with a retro graphic on the rear fender. The Challenger Swinger gets a gold-painted Shaker intake hood.StellantisFor those wanting to see the complete set, the fifth and sixth special editions are slated to be announced September 14 and 21 respectively. The seventh and final “Last Call” edition will be announced during the SEMA show in November, Stellantis said today.Dodge has not announced pricing on any of the special editions yet, but the company announced it would release dealership allocation information along with pricing this fall, when orders open for the Scat Pack Swingers and the rest of the Last Call cars.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

Chevy says the entry-level Equinox EV will start at “around” $30,000 and have an estimated 250 miles of range.Other trim levels will offer 280 to 300 miles of range and hands-free driver assistance.The Equinox EV goes on sale in fall 2023.Following the Silverado EV and Blazer EV, the 2024 Chevrolet Equinox EV continues to fill out the automaker’s ranks with all-electric alternatives. For the Equinox EV, that means a compact SUV that Chevy says will be priced starting at around $30,000. More expensive trim levels offer GM’s Super Cruise hands-free driving, 300 miles of range, and a 19.2-kW onboard charger. The Equinox EV offers two battery sizes. Chevy hasn’t said the capacity of either, but only the entry-level 1LT trim comes with the small battery, hence its estimated range of 250 miles. Chevy estimates the large battery that powers all other trim levels to offer 300 miles of range for front-drive Equinox EVs and 280 miles when equipped with all-wheel drive. Front-drive models have 210 horsepower and 242 pound-feet of torque, while all-wheel drive versions offer 290 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque. The Equinox EV is built on a similar platform as the Chevrolet Blazer EV and Cadillac Lyriq, though the Equinox EV is smaller than those vehicles. Versus the gas-powered Equinox, the EV has a longer wheelbase and overall length. Its wheels are pushed close to the front and rear bumpers, creating shorter overhangs that generally make for generous interior space and more attractive exteriors. Alas, the only Equinox EV’s lower roofline impacts cargo volume. At 57 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, it has a little less space on paper than its gasoline counterpart, though we look forward to loading it with our standard size carry-ons to see if the difference is meaningful. One highlight is that the cargo floor has two height settings, like the Honda CR-V. Unlike some other electric vehicles, the Equinox EV does not have a storage area under the hood. Chevy reps said frunks are both costly to implement and don’t test well with its focus groups. Inside, all Equinox EVs come with an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster, and an impressive 17.7-inch center touchscreen is available on most trim levels. It’s the same screen as you’ll see in the Blazer EV and Silverado EV, and while the screens in the car we sat in weren’t interactive, the graphics appeared crisp and easily readable. Interior storage options appear to be numerous and well thought out. The center console has a generously sized opening under the cupholders and the tray where you set your phone, proving enough room for a large handbag. All manner of Chevy driving assistance will be available, from adaptive cruise control to a head-up display to a rear-view camera, and so on. Most impressive though is GM’s hands-free Super Cruise system, which is available on all trim levels except for the base. As for charging, most Equinox EV models have an 11.5-kW Level 2 onboard charger, which Chevy estimates can add 34 miles of range per hour. The priciest RS trim level offers a 19.2-kW charger, increasing Chevy’s estimate to 51 miles of range per hour. All Equinox EVs support 150-kW DC fast-charging. The Equinox EV goes on sale in the fall of 2023. 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