Motor News

The 2023 Subaru Ascent receives a facelift that brings a new grille design and revised lighting elements.The three-row SUV now comes standard with an 11.6-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Subaru also improves its EyeSight driver-assistance tech, which includes a new automated evasive steering feature. The Subaru Ascent is a member of the hotly contested segment of mid-size crossovers and SUVs. As such, Subaru is giving the three-row ute a slew of updates for the 2023 model year that are aimed at keeping up appearances and maintaining competitiveness.

The 2023 Ascent’s curb appeal is refreshed thanks to a newly styled mug. Its grille grows larger with a more pronounced design, the headlights are reshaped for a more assertive look, and the front bumper has been updated to accommodate air ducts that Subaru says improve aerodynamics underneath the SUV. The rear adopts taillights that are now shaped like the letter C.
Although the Ascent’s revised styling elements help separate it from prior model years, its most notable updates are arguably the influx of infotainment features and enhanced driver-assistance technology. Every Ascent now comes standard with a vertically oriented 11.6-inch touchscreen that supplants the previously standard 6.5-inch and optional 8.0-inch displays. The new interface does replace most of the physical switchgear with touch functions, but it also brings wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.Subaru has always provided the Ascent with a comprehensive roster of driver assists. However, that roster is improved on 2023 models thanks to the addition of the company’s latest technology, which it calls EyeSight. The enhancements to existing features, such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist, are said to make them operate more smoothly and under a wider spectrum of conditions. Subaru says this is accomplished by new control software, a wider field of view for the camera system, and the addition of an electric brake booster.
With the improved driver assists, Subaru says the Ascent can recognize cyclists and pedestrians sooner at low speeds, alerting the driver and braking if necessary. Likewise, models equipped with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert benefit from the introduction of what Subaru calls Automatic Emergency Steering, which is said to help steer the Ascent away from a collision at speeds below 50 mph.Other revisions for the Ascent lineup include the addition of an optional 360-degree camera system (previously only a 180-degree view was offered) and a feature called Cabin Connect that’s essentially a PA system where front-seat passengers can amplify their voices to third-row occupants via speakers back there. The black-trimmed Onyx Edition also adds green contrast stitching inside, a newly standard panoramic sunroof, and additional drive modes with hill-descent control. The latter is now standard on the top-tier Limited and Touring trims, too.Subaru hasn’t released pricing for the 2023 Ascent family, which last year ranged from the $33,970 base model to the $46,570 Touring. We expect prices for the new model year to be announced sometime before they reach dealers this fall.
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Carmakers grapple with conflicting goals in designing electric-car batteries. They want high energy density for long range, but they also want to reduce the costly metals that provide that capacity.Michigan battery startup Our Next Energy (ONE) claims to have a better way to optimize across all these factors. Now, BMW will fit an early prototype of ONE’s Gemini “Dual-Chemistry” battery into a test version of its iX EV luxury SUV to see if the claims—a heady 600 miles of range, nearly double the stock iX xDrive50’s EPA range estimates—are borne out in a variety of real-world uses. The test iX will be on the road by the end of this year, both companies say.BMW is the logical vehicle partner to test ONE’s technology, because its investment arm—BMW i Ventures—was one of several backers in a $25 million round of financing for the battery startup last October. Traction + Long RangeThe Dual-Chemistry label on ONE’s Gemini battery refers to the pairing of two different types of battery cells, each with a different purpose. The “Traction” portion has cells that use a lithium iron-phosphate (LFP) cathode, known to have a lower energy density than chemistries based on cobalt, nickel, manganese, or aluminum. LFP batteries are rare in North America, but common in Chinese EVs. Their use of cheap and easily available iron in the cathode leads battery analysts to suggest LFP cells will surge in popularity as their energy density rises, even though it remains below that of advanced cobalt-nickel cells.

ONE

The “Long Range” portion of ONE’s Gemini battery, on the other hand, uses a higher energy-density chemistry based on a proprietary material rich in manganese, with only minimal cobalt and nickel. During the current R&D phase, ONE founder and CEO Mujeeb Ijaz told Car and Driver, the company is still experimenting with blends of the three metals to enhance performance. Unusually, it has only a bare copper current collector—rather than separate anode material—a design known in academic circles as “anode-free.”The LFP “Traction” cells will provide close to 99 percent of the vehicle’s overall miles, Ijaz said, while the “Long Range” cells kick in for the 1 percent of usage that requires extreme power, reducing stress on and deterioration of the LFP cells. ONE says it can thus provide a battery with energy density that’s claimed to be double that of those in today’s EVs, while focusing on “safer” and “sustainable” battery chemistries created via a “conflict-free supply chain” that includes appropriately sourced and inexpensive manganese.Lab Tests, Meet Real WorldHundreds of battery chemistries show at least some promise in lab tests, but far fewer make it into production—or even extended testing. The Gemini-powered BMW iX prototype will hit the road by the end of this year. It will be used as a demonstrator first, to prove the Gemini battery concept can store and deliver energy. After that, BMW and ONE will work together on further testing. As Ijaz notes, ONE needs to “work with BMW to understand their requirements” for his company to become a long-term supplier. That’s an arduous path, but one every battery startup needs to travel before its products find a market.

The ONE-powered BMW iX will mark a new milestone for the company: Powering an actual vehicle, rather than simply showing bench-test results. The actual cells that will go into this early prototype pack will be fabricated by one or more of four separate supplier partners, both in Asia and North America, that are working with ONE on prototyping and production scale-up of its new cells.When the iX is shown to run, charge, and cover the promised distances, ONE will have moved a large step away from its press stunt last December. In that effort, which ONE called a proof of concept, it stuffed cells with twice the energy capacity as a standard Tesla Model S into that car’s pack and ran it for more than 750 miles—or twice the usual range.But those weren’t Gemini cells, whereas the BMW iX coming by the end of the year is expected to use very early and experimental versions of ONE’s new cells. This will count as definite progress, presuming it happens on schedule. Stay tuned.

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The 2023 Bentley Flying Spur lineup is adding a new S model that aims to prioritize driving pleasure.Its exterior is distinguished by gloss-black trim, and its two-tone interior includes S-specific touches.The Flying Spur S comes with a 542-hp twin-turbo V-8 or a 536-hp plug-in-hybrid powertrain.For Bentley customers who don’t just want to ride in the back seat, the newly introduced 2023 Flying Spur S will be right up their alley. Its available 542-hp twin-turbo V-8 and 536-hp plug-in-hybrid powertrains are the same as those found on other Flying Spurs, and this marks the first time an S-badged Bentley is offered as a hybrid.

The Flying Spur S can be identified by the absence of exterior chrome. Instead, its big body boasts lots of gloss black on the grille, lower front fascia, mirror caps, and window trim. The headlights and taillights also receive dark tints that contribute to the sinister style. The only chrome bits that remain are the Bentley badge and lettering on the trunk lid.
The Flying Spur S can be fitted with several different wheels, all unique to this model. The choices include a set of tri-spoke 21-inch wheels with gloss-black and machined surfaces. There’s also a set of 22-inchers that can be had in gloss black (pictured here) or in Pale Brodgar satin. Regardless of rim type, every version has red-painted brake calipers. Plus, the Flying Spur S comes standard with rear-wheel steering and active anti-roll bars, also known as Bentley Dynamic Ride.Inside, the Flying Spur S is available in two-tone color schemes that combine leather and a faux-suede material. Its seats can be optioned with quilting, and the standard “S” embroidery on the headrests can be replaced with Bentley’s winged logo at no extra cost. Other S-specific touches that appear throughout the cabin include special illuminated sill plates, a metal “S” badge on the dash panel, and digital gauges that share a motorsport-inspired look that’s also seen on the Bentley Continental GT Speed.
For those who want the quickest version of the Flying Spur S, the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 with 542 horsepower and 569 pound-feet of torque is the ideal engine. It comes standard with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive, and a 2021 Flying Spur we tested hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. Bentley also says the V-8 model has a top speed of 198 mph. As part of the S treatment, it features a different exhaust system for a sportier soundtrack than drivers will otherwise find. Bentley’s 626-hp W-12 engine is not available in the S model won’t find.Although it doesn’t sound as intimidating as the V-8, and its top speed is limited to 177 mph, the plug-in-hybrid variant’s 536 horsepower and 553 pound-feet are properly prodigious. Unlike the V-8, it’ll provide an estimated 21 miles of electric-only range. Bentley says the PHEV S also has “ingenious sound enhancements” under the hood that are intended to stimulate the driver when Sport mode is engaged but still keep things quieter in the back seat.The 2023 Bentley Flying Spur S with the V-8 is expected to have a price tag in the neighborhood of $245,000. We expect the plug-in-hybrid version to start at about $243k.
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Chevrolet has released an official image showing the 2024 Blazer EV SS in full.It will use GM’s Ultium battery packs, like the Equinox EV and many other upcoming GM EVs.This mid-size electric SUV will go on sale in spring 2023 and more details are coming July 18.The Blazer nameplate has adorned many different sizes and shapes of Chevy SUVs over the decades, and now we know what the latest version—the 2024 Blazer EV—will look like. It appears to be a futuristic take on the current gas-powered Blazer, a somewhat aggressively styled mid-size crossover, with quite a different stance thanks to its large wheels, long wheelbase, and short front and rear overhangs. What you see here is the SS version, which presumably means it will offer a higher level of performance compared with the lesser trim levels.

We’ve known that the Blazer EV was coming for a while now, as it was announced alongside the upcoming Equinox EV as part of Chevy’s expanding electric lineup. But this is our best look yet at the Blazer ahead of its reveal that will take place on July 18, aside from a few teasers from a few months ago. The Blazer will be the first EV model to use Chevy’s “SS” performance moniker, which makes us wonder how much extra horsepower it will have. From what we can see in this image, the SS badge is visible on the front grille and it has large Continental tires wrapped around 12-spoke wheels.We know that the Blazer will use GM’s Ultium battery packs, but we don’t know what sizes will be offered. Expect both single- and dual-motor powertrains to be offered, with the SS coming standard with the most powerful AWD setup and the lower-priced models, possibly including LT, RS, and Premier trims, having less powerful single-motor configurations as standard.More Blazer EV specs will be released in July, including range estimates, horsepower and torque ratings, and possibly even pricing. Chevy says the Blazer EV will go on sale in Spring 2023, and we think the SS version will be available before other models.
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• This 1990 Honda CRX Si in Rio Red is our pick for today’s favorite Bring a Trailer auction.• The second-gen CRX Si’s fun-to-drive nature was a byproduct of its light curb weight, sophisticated suspension, and manual-only gearbox.• It’s currently bidding at $20,000 with three days left until the auction ends on Thursday, June 16.Full disclaimer: I love the Honda CRX Si. I’m also the proud owner of a less-than-pristine 1990 example in the infamous Y-49 (Barbados Yellow) paint code. Unfortunately, my CRX Si is currently out of commission, as several mechanical issues await my free time and attention, both of which are in short supply these days. While mine collects dust in the garage, it’s fun fantasizing that I could adopt this fresh-looking ’90 CRX Si. It’s currently up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

Bring a Trailer

While I’m not a big fan of the BaT version’s Rio Red (R-63 code) paint, it’s the CRX’s unique shape and clean design that I think looks good in any color. Honda’s designers brilliantly transformed the otherwise square Civic hatchback into a sexy coupelike hatch with a rear roofline that dives into a distinctive Kamm tail. Equally unique is the CRX’s translucent tail panel, which further contributes to the cabin’s airy vibe and excellent outward visibility. Inside, the sportiness continues with its exclusive two-seater configuration. A pair of nicely bolstered buckets with cloth upholstery and red-striped inserts provide support and a good amount of comfort. Back in 1990, the CRX Si didn’t have airbags, let alone touchscreens or digital frippery. Its dashboard is refreshingly simple, with clear analog gauges and a center stack slightly canted towards the driver. In typical Honda fashion, the flat surface on top of the dash was designed to incorporate functional storage space.

Bring a Trailer

At the heart of every ’90 CRX Si is a 105-hp 1.6-liter inline-four. That output is puny by modern standards, but with a curb weight that’s similarly low compared with contemporary sport compacts, its power-to-weight ratio helps it feel peppier than the numbers indicate. Plus, it only came with a five-speed manual gearbox, so swapping cogs to keep the fuel-injected 16-valve four-pot on boil continues to contribute to the fun factor.

Although it’s a front-wheel-drive car, the CRX Si has surprisingly neutral handling. For its second and final generation (1988–1991), the spunky two-door adopted a more sophisticated suspension setup that independently flexes at all four corners. Compared with regular CRX models of the same vintage, the Si has a thicker front anti-roll bar, a rear anti-roll bar, stiffer shocks, and wider tires mounted on 14-inch rims. In 1990, it also adopted standard four-wheel disc brakes as well as some other cosmetic updates.The version in this BaT listing shows 12,000 miles on the odometer, however, its Carfax report includes inconsistencies and there are other exemptions that mean its actual mileage is unknown. This and several minor scuff marks shown in the photos are the blemishes that accompany this 1990 CRX Si, which currently has a high bid of $20,000. The auction ends in three days on Thursday, June 16.

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Forza Motorsport comes to Xbox Series consoles and PC, it was announced at the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase 2022 on Sunday.The new Forza Motorsport features new tracks such as the South African Kyalami Grand Prix circuit and a fictional Japanese high-speed course called Circuit Hakone. Fuel and tire management and increased car customization options are said to make this Forza the most in-depth and realistic experience yet. It’s expected out next spring.It’s been five years since the last iteration of Turn 10 Studio’s Forza Motorsport 7 launched, and that game was released a full gaming-console generation ago on Windows 10 and Xbox One. Time flies when you’re playing video games, and after watching the ray-traced gameplay of the new Forza Motorsport coming to Xbox Series consoles and PC—announced over the weekend—we kind of wish we could fast-forward to its launch next spring.

Players will be able to experience racing in extremely detailed 4K resolution. It’s not just the stones and cracked tarmac that add to the immersion; the trailer also showed insanely realistic-looking engine bays in amazing detail with heat wrap, carbon fiber, buckles, bolts, and linkages, even down to the backshells on the MIL-spec wire harness fittings. It looks great, but Turn 10 Studios promises the largest changes will be felt on the racetrack.

Turn 10 Studios

An updated damage engine allows cars to trade paint and wear battle wounds with added realism. Although it doesn’t look like you’ll be able to make bumpers tear away or convert DPi Prototypes into convertibles, the scratches and bruises appear far more in-depth in this new title than ever before.
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There’s also an overhauled driving physics engine. The new feel of Forza Motorsport should highlight added features such as fuel management and tire changes, as well as the ability to finally choose different tire compounds. Ambient temperature will also affect track surface temperatures, and Turn 10 Studios says that as more rubber is laid down, the car’s behavior will change.To add realism to its virtual stage, Forza Motorsport used photogrammetry and 3D material scans to render grass, rocks, weeds, and clouds into the game. While games like Gran Turismo 7 only offer the visual enhancement of ray-tracing during replays and in specific photo modes, Forza Motorsport can do it all the time—even when you’re using the car ahead of you as a brake in Turn 1.Forza Motorsport launched on Xbox Series consoles and PC sometime in spring 2023. Pricing and preorder bundles haven’t been announced yet, but it’s included with Xbox GamePass subscription and playable on launch.
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The 2023 Porsche 911 GTS cabriolet is available as a limited-production, specially designed America Edition.Its unique styling is highlighted by Azure Blue 356 paint, a black windshield surround, and Porsche’s first tri-finish wheels.Along with being limited to North America, all 115 copies are rear-drive, stick-shift convertibles—just like the original 356 America roadster.Back in the early ’50s, Max Hoffman was the first to import Porsches to the United States, and his success helped convince the German automaker to specially build a less expensive and lighter version of the 356 that was only for U.S. customers. It became the roofless, stripped-down 1953 Porsche 356 America roadster featuring a 70-hp flat-four engine. Only 16 examples were ever built, but it inspired the iconic 356 Speedster, and now—70 years later—its U.S.-bred formula was the inspiration for the 2023 Porsche 911 GTS cabriolet America Edition.
The America roadster model reemerged in 1992 and 1993 as a member of the 964 generation. It was a Carrera 2 cabriolet with the wider body, brakes, suspension, and 17-inch Porsche Cup wheels from the Turbo of the same vintage. Like the 964 America roadster, the ’23 911 GTS cabriolet America Edition shares some parts with the contemporary 911 Turbo. Its twin-turbo 3.0-liter flat-six is also the same heart as the Carrera S’s, except with 30 more horsepower (473 total) and an extra 30 pound-feet of torque (420 total).

Unlike a regular 2023 GTS, the America Edition is only offered as a cabriolet with rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission. Those three ingredients have been at the core of every America roadster, from the 356 to the 964, and now with the America Edition of the 992 generation. While Porsche built 250 copies of the America-themed 964, the company says it will only build 115 of the 2023 iteration, with 100 allocated for the U.S. and the other 15 destined for Canada. Thanks to a unique appearance and special interior appointments, it should be easy to identify the new one.
The 2023 911 America was specially designed by Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur. It honors the original with Azure Blue 356 paint, which is reserved for this car for the 2023 model year. Accenting the exclusive hue are side decals in red and white with “America” written on them. On its butt is “911 Carrera” in white and “GTS” in red. Porsche says this is the first time it has used different-colored badges. It’s also the first time the windshield frame on the cabriolet has been wrapped in black, a design choice that was made to evoke the thin pillars on the original. Arguably the most striking detail on the new America Edition is its tri-finished wheels, another first for Porsche. While the regular GTS cabriolet can also be fitted with 20-inch front and 21-inch rear rims with the same RS Spyder design, they only come in satin black. The America Edition’s rollers feature white spokes with a silver face and a red pinstripe around the outer lip. It really helps the special car look, well, special. Porsche says it wanted the look of the America Edition to land somewhere between invisible and loud. And the company nailed it.
A similar aesthetic philosophy appears inside the car, with black leather as its foundation. The only pops of color come from the red-and-white contrast stitching on the upper dash and door panels. The same stitching appears on the armrest on the center console; “America” is also embossed in the leather. Finally, the doorsills feature an illuminated plate that commemorates the 70th anniversary of the 356 America roadster.

Porsche

Porsche

For an extra $7510, there’s an extended interior package that adds a lot more red accents. These extend to the 12-o’clock hash mark on the steering wheel as well as red-and-white stitching on the inside of the steering wheel, the floor mats, the shift boot, and parts of the seats. The gear pattern on the shift knob also turns red, as do the leather loops on the front seats that allow access to the rears. Plus, the key fob is painted to match the car and comes with a stitched and embossed leather pouch.When the 2023 Porsche 911 GTS cabriolet America Edition reaches U.S. dealers near the end of this year, it’ll carry a starting price of $186,370.
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Digital license plates offer a few benefits, like being able to track a vehicle if it gets stolen and the ability to display warnings such as Amber Alerts.Reviver, which has gotten approval to sell its high-tech plates in Arizona and California, can now add Michigan to its list and claims to have more than 10 states lined up to be next.Reviver’s digital plates have a subscription fee of between $20 and $25 a month to keep them connected, and dealers who sell them are promised “substantial revenue share opportunities” each time they sell a digital plate.It took a little longer than expected, but Michigan is now the third state where drivers can order a digital license plate for their cars. The digital plates, which are legal to use in all 50 states as well as Canada and Mexico, come with a monthly subscription fee of between $20 and $25, depending on the model.

Reviver

Reviver, the company behind these connected, electronic replacements for a simple piece of metal, touts a number of benefits of digital plates. Reviver calls them RPlates, and the digital plates make it possible to track the car if it gets stolen. The company also says it’s easier to renew and register a digital plate than it is to get a new sticker for your current plate. In fact, digital plates don’t display any registration expiration information since, when the registration expires, the plate simply reads “invalid” until the plate has been renewed. Thanks to their cellular data connection, digital plates can also be used to display warning messages, like Amber Alerts.

Reviver

Reviver

Choices: Hard Wired or Battery Powered A new-plate fee for a standard Michigan plate is currently as low as $5, but to offer these features, Reviver charges a monthly subscription of $19.95 a month for a battery-powered model that includes a replaceable battery that should last for five years or $24.95 a month for the professionally installed, hard-wired model. These are updated prices from when we spoke with Reviver founder Neville Boston in November 2020.

The Michigan Secretary of State has not yet updated its website to take digital license plates into account, but Arizona, where digital plates have been legal since January 2019, makes it clear that the state does not get any extra revenue from the sale of these plates. In March, Reviver announced that more than 100 car dealers had joined its Auto Dealership Partner Program, making it easier for car buyers at these locations to get digital license plates for their new cars. Reviver pitches the program to auto dealers with an opportunity for “substantial revenue share opportunities from each plate sale.”

Reviver

Reviver has been working on digital license plates since 2009, which are also available in California. In late 2020, the company said it would bring the new plates to Michigan in 2021, with Georgia and Texas up next. That timeline obviously shifted, but today Reviver says that there are “more than 10 additional U.S. states” in “various stages of adoption.” The state of Florida, for example, filed legislation to authorize Reviver’s plates in early 2021, and the Colorado House of Representatives is also working on approving the plates. Looking further ahead to a time when these kinds of plates can be used in every state and country, one could imagine a future use case where vehicle designers integrate the license plate into the vehicle itself.
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