Motor News

The global debut of the VW Amarok reveals a mid-size pickup closely related to the next-gen Ford Ranger.It’s not destined for the U.S., with most sales expected in Australia, Europe, and Africa.It will offer a range of diesel engines including a V-6, plus a 298-hp gasoline turbo.The thinking behind automotive product strategies often seems like a mystery to those on the outside looking in, and we’ve certainly never understood why Volkswagen chose not to bring the Amarok pickup to the market that buys more pickups than anywhere else in the world—the U.S.

Now Volkswagen is revealing a new second-generation Amarok, one that also seems set to be denied to us, despite the fact it shares its underpinnings with the Ford Ranger and was developed alongside it by teams working in Germany and Australia. The finished truck is set to be produced in South Africa, with Volkswagen saying it will be sold “in Australia and New Zealand, numerous countries of Africa, the Middle East, and Europe.” You’ll notice that no part of the Americas is on that list, despite the previous version having been offered in some Central American and South American markets.

Volkswagen

So what are we missing out on? Although larger than its predecessor, the new Amarok would be regarded as a mid-size pickup if it were to reach the U.S. Overall length of 210.6 inches is 3.8 inches longer than the old Amarok but 0.8 inch shorter than the 2023 Ford Ranger. The new truck’s 128.7-inch wheelbase is, unsurprisingly, identical to that of the Ford. Both single- and double-cab versions will be offered, with the two-door having a cargo bed 90.7 inches long and the four-door having a 60.8-inch bed. Maximum width between wheel arches is 47.5 inches. Volkswagen says it will be able to carry up to 2550 pounds, depending on specification, and to tow up to 7700 pounds.It should be pretty decent off-road, too. Shortened overhangs compared to the old Amarok have improved its ability to tackle a modest level of wilderness, with a 29-degree approach angle, 21-degree departure angle, and 21 degree ramp-over angle. Volkswagen also says it can safely pass through up to 31.5 inches of water—the same figure claim Ford makes for the next Ranger.Powertrain Choices Mainly DieselVolkswagen is planning to offer a multitude of powertrain options. A basic rear-wheel-drive version combining a 147-hp 2.0-liter diesel engine and a five-speed manual gearbox will be offered in certain African markets, with a more powerful 167-hp version of the same engine being sold elsewhere with the choice of a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, together with either rear-wheel drive or selectable four-wheel drive. Beyond that, a twin-turbocharged diesel will make 200 horsepower and drive though what Volkswagen says is a permanent all-wheel-drive system—although with the ability to disconnect drive to the front for improved economy—while working with either the six-speed auto or a 10-speed auto that is the Ford/GM gearbox. In other countries a slightly more powerful 203-hp version of this engine will get selectable four-wheel drive and the 10-speed gearbox.Beyond this, Volkswagen will continue to offer the option of its long-serving 3.0-liter V-6 diesel. That’s a developed version of the one fitted to the previous-generation Amarok we drove in Europe in 2018. This makes 246 hp and 440 pound-feet of torque and gets the 10-speed auto and AWD as standard. Volkswagen will also offer a gasoline engine in some markets, although non-diesel pickups are still a rarity in Europe. It’s seemingly Ford’s 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder making 298 hp and 333 pound-feet, and again shipping with the 10-speed and permanent AWD.

Volkswagen

Volkswagen will sell the Amarok in a wide variety of grades reflecting its use as both a utility and a lifestyle truck. Even the most basic versions will have digital instruments, a 10-inch portrait-oriented touchscreen, LED headlights, and adaptive cruise control. At the top of the range, the much plusher PanAmericana and Aventura will add such luxuries as a bigger 12-inch display screen, Harman/Kardon audio systems, soft-touch cabin materials (described as “leather look” rather than leather), and even 21-inch alloy wheels.While the Ranger and Amarok have many shared components, including column stalks, the autobox gear selector, and various bits of minor switchgear, there are substantive changes, too, such as different dashboards. The Amarok follows the example of other recent Volkswagens by having temperature and climate control through its touchscreen; the Ranger keeps physical function buttons.Why will we be denied it? Beyond the difficulty faced by automakers outside the big three selling trucks in the U.S., pricing seems to be the big issue: the previous Amarok started at the equivalent of over $40,000 in Europe. Yet the fact the closely related fifth-generation Ford Ranger is set to be sold here does leave the door open. We still love the idea of a Volkswagen Truck.
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This 1960 Pontiac Catalina Safari is up for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site, with bidding currently at $17,000 with five days left on the auction.This Safari can seat nine people and features a 6.4-liter V-8 driving the rear wheels through a four-speed Hydra-matic automatic transmission.The Copper Metallic paint job combines with the oodles of chrome trim and white wall tires to create a beautiful flashback to a bygone era of automative design. I grew up in the back seat of a station wagon, traversing national parks on monthlong cross-country treks, hauling catcher’s gear to travel baseball games in the spacious trunk, and learning to drive the nimble longroof on the chaotic streets of New York. But while I loved my parents’ 2003 Volkswagen Passat, it can’t measure up to the decadent style of this 1960 Pontiac Catalina Safari currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

Bring a Trailer

The Catalina name first appeared in 1950 and became a standalone model line in 1959. It received a slight refresh the following year, trading a split-grille design for the cleaner, one-piece look seen here and toning down the rear fins after the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz took that design trend to the extreme. Safari was the moniker given to Pontiac’s station wagons at the time, and this example was fitted with nine seats thanks to a first-row bench and a rear-facing third row. Along with being capacious, this Safari is a stunning vehicle, with handsome, horizontal character lines stretching the length of the car, a wrap-around windshield providing an airy cabin, and plenty of brightwork to accentuate the Catalina’s distinguished appearance.

Bring a Trailer

This Catalina Safari is painted in a pleasing Copper Metallic hue, with the interior decked out in a Fawn vinyl upholstery. This example is fitted with luxuries (for the time) like dual sideview mirrors, a power rear window, power-assisted steering and brakes, and a “Super Deluxe” AM radio. The interior also includes contrasting brown carpeting, a heater, and the latest in safety equipment: lap seatbelts.

Power comes from a 6.4-liter (389 cubic inch) V-8 engine and is sent to the rear wheels via a four-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. The listing does not specify which version of the 389 V-8 this vehicle comes with, but on this generation of Catalina, the V-8 could make anywhere between 215 and 345 horsepower. The Safari rides on 14-inch steel wheels with chrome covers, shod in period-appropriate American Classic whitewall tires. The listing notes a few chips and scratches, but you can’t expect a 62-year-old car to be pristine. The five-digit odometer reads 12,000 miles, although the true mileage is lost to time. Regardless, this 1960 Pontiac Catalina Safari is a beautiful vehicle and makes us long for the days when station wagons were the choice of family car instead of the now ubiquitous crossover. Bidding currently sits at $17,000, and the auction ends on Monday, July 11.

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Ferrari is set to make its return to top-flight endurance racing next year, and today, we’re getting our first look at its challenger. The automaker released a teaser photo of the car Wednesday, and images from the car’s first shakedown test at Ferrari’s Fiorano circuit have also surfaced online.

This car is built to Le Mans Hypercar (LMH) regulations, which, unlike LMDh rules, offer a great deal of technical freedom. The chassis will be made in-house by Ferrari, rather than a specified partner, and the car will have an electrified front axle. Based on spy photos, it appears Ferrari is taking a fairly radical approach with the car’s rear aerodynamics. There are three huge fins, one in the center, the others on the sides, and they’re connected by a multi-piece wing that sits a few inches from the top. There also appears to be an additional wing below the fin. Unfortunately, and no doubt by design, you can’t see any of these details in the official Ferrari teaser.

Ferrari LMH on track at Fiorano, Italy.
Ferrari

The LMH ruleset is fairly prescriptive with overbody aerodynamics, and it seems Ferrari is taking a similar approach as Peugeot in emphasizing underbody aerodynamics and an unorthodox setup at the rear. (The Peugeot notably has no rear wing whatsoever.)Unsurprisingly, Ferrari hasn’t yet released any further technical details, though it did confirm to Autosport that factory driver Alessandro Pier Guidi was the one at the wheel today, and the test was just a simple shakedown with the car running a handful of in and out laps. Autosport additionally reports that Ferrari will conduct a more comprehensive test later this month at an outside circuit.Ferrari will join the aforementioned Peugeot, along with Toyota, Glickenhaus, and possibly privateer ByKolles in fielding LMH cars in next year’s World Endurance Championship. LMH cars will compete next year in the WEC with LMDh cars, with European entrants expected from Cadillac and Porsche. (Acura and BMW only have plans to run the IMSA WeatherTech series for 2023, though BMW should make an appearance at Le Mans.) Joining the LMDh ranks in 2024 are Alpine and, most notably, Ferrari’s longtime rival Lamborghini.Ferrari hasn’t announced plans to run its LMH car in the U.S., though it has the option to do so starting next year in IMSA’s new GTP class, which is open to both LMH and LMDh cars.

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The 2023 Toyota Crown will debut July 15, and it appears to be a lifted sedan.Patent images show the overall shape, which is of a four-door sedan with body cladding and a raised ride height.We expect the Crown to come standard with a hybrid drivetrain.We first heard about a new SUV version of the Toyota Crown a few months ago, but the actual vehicle, set to debut July 15, will be a bit more interesting than that. Based on leaked patent images and Toyota’s website that asks, “Sedan? SUV?” it appears that the 2023 Crown will be a four-door sedan with SUV styling cues and a raised ride height—much in the vein of Subaru’s long dead Outback sedan, or SUS (Sport Utility Sedan).

Japan Patent Office

The Crown looks larger than the Camry mid-size sedan, which suggests that it could serve as a replacement for the recently discontinued Avalon. Because of its crossover-esque appearance, we assume it will come standard with all-wheel drive. A hybrid drivetrain is a sure bet, although we’re not sure if it will use the setup found in many other Toyota hybrid that uses a 2.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine, or a more powerful hybrid setup such as the new Lexus RX’s top 367-hp configuration that has a turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four plus electric motors.We also expect the Crown to be more expensive than the Camry, and for it to have a plusher interior. This segment-busting vehicle will likely compete with the few remaining large sedans on the market—the Nissan Maxima, Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, and VW Arteon—along with mid-size SUVs such as the Nissan Murano, Chevy Blazer, and Ford Edge.We’ll learn more about the Crown soon, as the official reveal will take place next week, on July 15.
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For the 50th anniversary of the Renault 5, which is one of the company’s all-time bestsellers, Renault and French interior designer Pierre Gonalons created the 5 Diamant, an electrified restomod.The 5 Diamant features simplified bodywork, jewel-like lights, and a beautiful pink paint job with gold accents.The unorthodox steering wheel has a marbled finish, standing out in an otherwise minimalist interior.Restomods are all the rage right now, especially when it comes to converting classics into electric vehicles. Ford created the 480-hp F-100 Eluminator truck for last year’s SEMA show, while Hyundai has given some of its earliest models, the Pony and Grandeur, an electric refresh. Now Renault is joining the party with the Renault 5 Diamant, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of one of its bestsellers, with the Renault 5 shifting more than five million units between 1972 and 1984.
The 5 Diamant is a collaboration between Renault and French interior and product designer Pierre Gonalons, and the revised icon takes on an electric powertrain, although no specifics about the motors or battery were provided. The focus is instead on the styling, and Renault says that Gonalons took inspiration from fine jewelry when reimagining the 5.
The bodywork has been smoothed and simplified and the paint job features three layers of paint, with golden hues on top of a pink base covered in what Renault calls a “frosted varnish.” Paired with a gold grille and bumpers, the paint job gives the 5 Diamant a graceful, delicate appearance. The headlights and taillights wear exquisite diamond-like faces, and white wheels, based on those from the sportier Renault 5 Alpine, feature an intricate sun logo in the center.
The snazziest design element comes inside, where the marbled, loop-de-loop steering wheel swirls outward from a polished gold center displaying a complex logo that merges the Renault diamond symbol with Gonalons’s initials. The rest of the interior is minimalist, with three circular dials on the dashboard and a cradle for the driver’s smartphone, which acts as a de facto infotainment system. The 5 Diamant also uses a fingerprint scanner for unlocking the doors.

While the Renault 5 Diamant will unfortunately remain an ornate one-off concept, Renault is reviving the legendary 5 nameplate as a new electric hatchback for 2024. A sharp-looking concept was revealed last year, and there is even talk of a high-performance Alpine version. As with all modern Renaults, however, the new 5 will not make it stateside.
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Called Musou Black, this paint is said to be the darkest water based acrylic paint in the world. This custom Porsche 911 was painted by Pit One Customs garage in Japan.A 100 ml bottle of the paint will run you a little over $18, so painting a full car will cost a pretty penny.Ever looked at the factory black paint on a car and thought it was too reflective? The team over at Pit One Customs in Japan had that thought . . . and found a solution. For those who want the darkest black paint imaginable, KoPro’s Musou Black paint is said to absorb 99.6% of inbound light.

Pit One Customs

Starting with a regular black Porsche 911, Pit One transformed it into the sleek and shapeless shadow you see here. As cool as this is, it isn’t the first example of an ultra-black, light-absorbing menace of a car. BMW deployed Vantablack coating on an X6 for the 2020 Frankfurt auto show, with similar results.Vantablack is slightly different than this current Musou Black for a few reasons. First, it’s technically a coating designed for components to help absorb heat and protect the integrity of camera lenses attempting to capture images in space (Vanta stands for Vertically Aligned Nano Tube Array). Musou Black, on the other hand, is a water-based acrylic paint.

Pit One Customs

Since the paint is so dark and essentially absorbs all reflections, it’s tough to see the shape of the car it’s applied to. Looking at the 911, the car looks like a shadow of itself, with no distinct curves or edges. The only shapes that are easy to make out are the headlights, which look like Gollum’s bulbous eyes peering out in the dark.
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Nissan has issued a recall on 180,176 of its Frontier and Titan pickups because they could roll while in Park without warning.The issue affects 2020 through 2022 models, which have a standard nine-speed automatic transmission. Nissan says customers should engage the parking brake when their vehicle is stationary while waiting for a fix.More than 180,000 Nissan Frontier and Titan pickups from the 2020 through 2022 model years are being recalled over the potential they could roll away while in Park. In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Nissan says the problem affects only these pickups and not other vehicles. Both have a Jatco nine-speed automatic transmission, which was new for the 2020 model year.

The vehicles included in the recall are all from the 2020 through 2022 model years and include 123,987 Frontier and 56,189 Nissan Titan pickups. The automaker blames “dimensional variation during the manufacturing process” for causing the parking pawl to fail to engage as intended. This in turn could cause the vehicle to move although the shifter is in Park. However, Nissan estimates only 0.03 percent of vehicles recalled are expected to have the problem. There have been four reports claiming minor injuries, according to documents Nissan filed with NHTSA. Nissan will notify owners beginning July 20, although its plan to fix the problem is still in progress. In the meantime, Frontier and Titan owners can check the NHTSA recalls website for updates and to see if their vehicle is included in the recall.

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Ziggy is a robotic EV charging station that’s designed to live in parking areas, where drivers can summon it through an app to come charge their vehicle.Charging startup EV Safe Charge has been developing the robots since 2019 and aims to have Ziggys shipped by 2024.Roughly the size of a refrigerator, Ziggy is a battery on wheels that will be able to autonomously navigate parking areas to reserve drivers’ spots and charge their cars. And of course, it’s got ads on it.If you’ve driven an electric vehicle, you know the struggle of arriving at a parking lot only to find the sparse EV charging spots all filled up. Worse yet, one of the cars hooked up to the charging port is fully charged with no owner in sight! Oh, the horror of underdeveloped EV infrastructure. A Los Angeles startup named EV Safe Charge thinks it has a solution: Ziggy, the EV-charging robot. Ziggy is intended to be a solution for parking areas looking to implement EV charging but struggling to overcome the limitations of stationary charging systems. The way it works is this: Drivers enter the parking area and reserve a numbered parking spot through an app. When they arrive at their spot, Ziggy is there, ready to charge their car.

EV Safe Charge

The robot is essentially a refrigerator-sized battery with four independently driven wheels and cameras on all sides, allowing it to autonomously navigate from its home base to parking spaces at speeds slower than a walking pace. Though it can’t plug in and unplug your car for you, the usage cost of Ziggy can be based on time to discourage people from monopolizing the robots. Alternatively, parking areas can provide Ziggy’s services for free. It also has two screens with optional touchscreen capacity on the long sides that can display advertisements or parking structure maps.
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Parking areas will be able to lease Ziggys, so maintenance is taken care of by EV Safe Charge, and fleets of the robots can be deployed temporarily for events. While a Ziggy charging station will need to be installed, the system is supposed to eliminate some of the hassle of stationary chargers for both drivers and property owners. Production to Start in 2024EV Safe Charge began developing Ziggy in 2019, working with San Francisco design firm Box Clever to make Ziggy welcoming and intuitive, factors that are important for the integration of autonomous robots into human spaces. The company hopes to start shipping the mobile charging systems by 2024 after starting production in 2023, and it has recently begun taking reservations for Ziggys. It seems like a great idea: EV Safe Charge advertises Ziggy as immediately deployable and easily scalable, things EV charging systems haven’t yet become, really. Anyway, robots are already serving your food at IHOP and fetching packages at warehouses. Deploying to charge your EV at your chosen spot in a parking garage is just another way robots can be helpful. However, there are still some questions surrounding the system. Will some poor Ziggy fall victim to distracted driving? In a tight, one-way parking garage, will drivers get stuck behind the slow rollers? How many Ziggys does a parking area need to meet demand, and how much will the service cost relative to stationary chargers? There’s plenty of time to figure out the answers to those questions, though, so for now, think of Ziggy as a window into some of the unexpected ways EVs will shape the future.
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