Motor News

The 2023 Polestar 2 lineup will include a limited-production BST edition 270.Along with exclusive chassis modifications and 502 pound-feet of torque, it’s available with a choice of a matte-black stripe or a full-body wrap.The ’23 Polestar 2 BST is limited to 270 copies worldwide (up to 47 in the U.S.) and is priced at $76,900.Even when equipped with the optional Performance pack, the 2023 Polestar 2 hardly gives off race-car vibes. That changes with the introduction of the limited-production BST edition 270, which is available with a single matte-black stripe and the number “2” on the hood. It doesn’t get much racier than that. Well, actually it does.

The stripe is a $1000 option, allowing BST buyers to avoid the look if it’s too over the top. What’s unavoidable is the extensive list of modifications made to this special Polestar 2 that make it a better track ‘Star—see what we did there? Compared with non-BST versions, its dual electric motors are tuned to make an extra 15 pound-feet of torque (502 total); their combined 476-hp rating remains.
More notably, the Polestar 2 BST is chock-full of chassis mods. Its ride height is almost an inch lower than stock, its suspension springs are 20 percent stiffer, and a front strut bar has been added. Likewise, the manually adjustable Öhlins dampers that are normally included with the Performance pack are said to be specially tuned for the BST, and they’re supplemented by auxiliary adjustment chambers under the hood. They’re easy to spot because they’re gold. Finally, the BST rolls on a set of Polestar 1–inspired 21-inch wheels, which are matte black to match the stripe. The rims are shod with Pirelli P Zero rubber that Polestar says was specially designed for the BST.

Polestar

Polestar

Unfortunately, this racy Polestar 2 isn’t available with the snazzy goldish-gray Jupiter paint color that’s now offered on ’23 non-BST models. Instead, the only two paint options are Thunder or Snow. There’s also a $5000 full-body Battleship Gray satin wrap that’s exclusive to the BST. Inside, every version has Charcoal WeaveTech upholstery.As its name suggests, the 2023 Polestar BST edition 270 has a limited production of 270 examples worldwide, with as many as 47 planned for U.S. consumption. Interested parties will need to contact Polestar through its website where they’ll be put in touch with a specialist for a “personalized sales process.” The BST will have a starting price of $76,900, and deliveries start near the end of this year.
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The Buick Electra-X, designed at General Motors’ Shanghai studio in China, previews the future of the brand for the lucrative China market.Buick recently revealed that its upcoming EVs will fly under the Electra banner, so this concept may also suggest the design direction for the U.S.-bound SUVs.The concept rides on the Ultium platform, as will the production EV that will arrive in the U.S. for 2025 and will share bits with the Cadillac Lyriq.Buick has become a bit of an afterthought in the United States, with sales tapering off since the late 1990s. Meanwhile, the premium American brand has become a hit over in China. Over a million Buicks were sold in China as recently as 2018 (just over 200,000 Buicks found homes stateside that year), and Buick has registered more than 10 million sales there since its arrival in 1998. Given Buick’s significance in that market, the company has now previewed its electric future for China with the Electra-X concept, which may also hint at what’s coming for the recently announced Electra sub-brand in the U.S.

Buick

The Electra-X is an SUV with sleek bodywork and a sloping roofline. The design was produced by General Motors’ team in Shanghai, and the crossover is based on the Ultium platform that also underpins GM’s Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EVs. The slim headlights sit above a wide-mouth grille with intricate triangular elements, while the rear features a trendy full-width light bar. Buick’s new logo, which does away with the circle that traditionally surrounded the tri-shield design, adorns the nose, and the concept rides on 21-inch wheels.

Buick

Buick

The interior is airy thanks to a glass roof and thin pillars, and the dashboard features hidden air vents and a 30-inch screen with up to 6K resolution. The Electra-X’s four seats are upholstered in a knit fabric made from recycled plastic bottles, and the voice control system can command nearly 50 different functions. The concept also features GM’s Super Cruise driver-assistance technology that is already found on EVs including the Hummer and gas-powered vehicles including the Escalade. There’s no word on how much of the Electra-X’s design will make it to the first U.S.-market Electra SUV. That vehicle will be unveiled for the U.S. in 2024 and will share a platform with the Lyriq, but between the Electra-X and the Wildcat concept, we are starting to get a pretty good sense of what Buick’s future will look like.
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The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) has published patent images of what appears to show the production Polestar 5.The electric sedan was previewed by the Polestar Precept concept.Look for the Polestar 5 to debut before year’s end.It’s no secret that the upcoming Polestar 5 electric sedan will share its basic style with the brand’s Precept concept from two years ago. Now, we have our best look yet at how the Precept’s slinky lines will translate to production, courtesy of the European Union Intellectual Property Office, which published patent images of a vehicle that’s almost certainly the forthcoming Polestar 5.

Though there’s no model name included within the design filing submitted by Polestar Performance AB to the EUIPO, it’s easy to see how the looks of this big sedan evolve the style of the Precept. Comparing it with the earlier concept, the vehicle in these images shares a fastback shape, split boomerang-shaped headlights, and a full-width taillamp. The Precept’s rear-opening back doors, however, appear to have fallen to the cutting-room floor.
Polestar’s new flagship is due to ride on a bespoke bonded-aluminum platform. Look for the model to feature standard all-wheel drive courtesy of at least two drive motors (one at each axle) and a driving range of more than 300 miles by way of a large battery pack with an energy capacity of greater than 100 kWh.Expect more information about the Polestar 5 to come to light in the coming weeks and months, as we wager this big EV is due to debut before the end of the year.
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The 2023 Chevy Bolt EV will start at $26,595, $5900 less than the 2022 model.The 2023 Chevy Bolt EUV will open at $28,195, a $6300 decline compared to 2022.The Bolt EV and EUV now cost less than the Nissan Leaf before federal tax credits, making them the cheapest EVs in the United States for 2023.The Chevrolet Bolt spawned a slightly larger variant for 2022 called the EUV, which does its best to cosplay as an SUV with more upright, boxier styling. Since going on sale for the 2017 model year, the Bolt’s base price sat around $37,000, but the 2022 facelift also brought a significant price cut to a $32,495 starting price, with the EUV arriving just above at $34,495. But now for 2023, the Bolt duo is getting an even more drastic price decrease, into the $20,000 range.

Chevrolet

The 2023 Bolt EV hatchback will start at $26,595 for the 1LT trim, with the 2LT trim coming in at $29,795. That represents a $5900 decline for each model versus 2022. The EUV, meanwhile, will start at $28,195 for the LT and $32,695 for the Premier—$6300 less than the previous year. There are only a few other changes for the 2023 Bolt EV and EUV: the addition of a new extra-cost paint color, Radiant Red Tintcoat, and a new Redline Edition appearance package for the EUV, seen in the top image.

This now makes the Bolt the cheapest EV in America, undercutting the 2023 Nissan Leaf, which starts at $28,425. The Leaf does still qualify for federal tax credits, which dramatically drops the price, but Nissan is expected to hit the 200,000-vehicle cap later this year that General Motors already has. Production of the 2023 Bolt EV and Bolt EUV will start this summer, with vehicles arriving at dealerships soon after.
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Behind similar styling, the new 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC is bigger than its predecessor.Mercedes says the new MBUX infotainment interface is quicker and smarter.A turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four with a 48-volt hybrid system will be the only U.S. powertrain option at first.Where the Mercedes C-class leads, the GLC crossover follows. Given the close relationship between the two cars, which sit on the same platform and share the same powertrain, it’s no surprise that the new GLC that you see here features most of the same technical innovations as its sedan sibling.Not that we were expecting anything radical. The previous-generation GLC sold well for most of its life thanks to its entirely predictable combination of the typical Benz virtues of handsome design and peppy performance. The styling of the all-new version has evolved so gently that we suspect many will struggle to spot the generational shift; reshaped headlights frame a single horizontal metal strip on the radiator grille, where the outgoing version had two, while the narrower taillights are the giveaway at the back.

Mercedes-Benz

Dimensions have expanded slightly. The new GLC is now 185.7 inches long, making it 2.4 inches longer than its predecessor. The wheelbase has also expanded by 0.6 inch to 113.7 inches. Passenger accommodation is barely changed, with Mercedes claiming that rear legroom has increased by 0.1 inch. The most obvious result of the growth is a useful increase in luggage capacity, with the new car’s 22 cubic feet being 3 cubic feet more than the last one.

The new GLC300 that will be offered in the U.S. initially will have a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine working in conjunction with a 48-volt hybrid system through an integrated starter-generator. Similar to the C300 sedan, this engine delivers peaks of 258 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque and drives a standard nine-speed automatic gearbox. The only significant driveline choice that buyers of the new car will need to make is whether or not to go for the 4Matic all-wheel-drive system; by Mercedes’s claims, both versions are capable of identical 6.2-second sprints to 60 mph (we ran the previous-generation AWD GLC300 through the benchmark in a more impressive 5.4 seconds). Future versions will likely include both AMG 53 and 63 variants, although both of these will use hybridized four-cylinder engines. Mercedes confirms a plug-in-hybrid powertrain will also be offered in the U.S. eventually.

Mercedes-Benz

More substantive changes are found inside the cabin, with the new GLC moving to Mercedes’s new MBUX infotainment system. This uses twin digital displays, an 11.9-inch portrait-oriented central touchscreen (angled slightly toward the driver) and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. MBUX supports high-level voice inputs plus the option of an augmented-reality navigation system that superimposes instructions on a live video feed to show you exactly where to go. We are mildly disappointed, although not surprised, that the GLC will follow the S-class and C-class in ditching both physical HVAC controls for touch-sensitive panels and that it also lacks a physical volume knob. Other high-tech functions include a Mercedes’s Level 2 Drive Pilot driver-assistance system, standard LED headlights, and a 360-degree camera system that includes what is described as a “transparent hood,” using cameras to deliver a view under the front of the vehicle to help with maneuvering of the sort of mild off-roading a GLC300 might encounter. There is no word on pricing yet, but we anticipate the new GLC’s increase in standard equipment will be reflected by an increase over the old car. It will begin reaching the U.S. in 2023.
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The Toyota GR86 is the designated race car of the newly formed single-make racing series.The series (called the GR Cup) was formed by Toyota Gazoo Racing North America and features homologated GR86 Cup cars.The GR Cup’s first season includes 14 events, with track locations and GR86 Cup car pricing coming this summer.It’s no secret that the Toyota GR86 is one helluva sports car, and now it’s set to become the star of a newly formed single-make racing series. Known as the GR Cup, the nationwide competition was announced earlier this year by Gazoo Racing North America (Toyota’s motorsport division), with the 2023 season said to be sanctioned by SRO America.
As with any single-make racing series, all the competing cars are from the same automaker. They’re also all homologated with the same parts so that they’re identical. To make the stock GR86 meet these requirements, Toyota transforms each model into race-ready form at its new Toyota Racing Development (TRD) facility in Mooresville, North Carolina.

The GR86 Cup car is born from a roster of upgrades from various aftermarket suppliers. It has an engine management system from Bosch, a Borla exhaust, Alcon brakes, JRI adjustable shocks, and a six-speed sequential transmission from SADEV. The track-built GR86 has extensive safety equipment that includes a roll cage and a 22-gallon fuel cell. In addition to custom bodywork and a carbon-fiber rear wing, Gazoo Racing provides specially designed parts including MacPherson struts and a splitter.
Toyota says the GR Cup provides “affordable competition,” and it’ll also have a total purse and prizes of $1 million. The company also says the 2023 season will consist of 14 events over seven U.S. circuits. However, it hasn’t yet announced the specific track locations. That information, as well as pricing for the GR86 Cup car, will be released this summer.
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The 2023 Toyota Corolla adds new hybrid trim levels with optional all-wheel drive. The 139-hp 1.8-liter engine is no longer offered, making the 169-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine the only choice for nonhybrid Corollas. New Corollas also receive subtle visual updates like redesigned LED headlights, slightly changed front and rear fascias, and a redesigned 8.0-inch infotainment screen. Toyota’s popular Corolla turns 54 (in the U.S.) this year, and even though the current 12th-generation car is just two years into its life cycle, for 2023 the Corolla receives significant equipment and powertrain changes.

For 2023, Toyota puts the kibosh on the base Corolla L and ditches the 139-hp 1.8-liter engine, leaving the preferred 169-hp 2.0-liter to support its five gas-only trim levels. The Corolla hybrid’s 1.8-liter is sticking around on the fuel-burning side of the business, gaining additional SE and XLE trim levels and optional all-wheel drive for hybrid SE and LE models.
Toyota says the additional rear-mounted motor for all-wheel-drive Corollas will increase horsepower output but hasn’t said by how much. The current front-drive Corolla produces 121 horsepower from its 1.8-liter engine and 71-hp motor, matching the total output of the e-AWD Toyota Prius. Both front- and all-wheel-drive hybrids will use a 1.8-liter engine, so it’s unlikely the improved system will match the all-wheel-drive Corolla Cross hybrid’s claimed output of 194 horsepower because the crossover will use a larger 2.0-liter engine. The Corolla Cross hybrid is expected to achieve 37 mpg combined, while the 2022 Corolla hybrid currently gets a combined EPA-estimated 52 mpg with front-wheel drive.Both the sedan and hatchback get subtle visual tweaks, including redesigned grilles and refreshed rear bumpers with new chrome accents. A new set of optional 18-inch Graphite-colored wheels have also been added, and SE and XSE trims get a rear diffuser to emphasize a sporty appearance.New paint is available for both body styles. Sedans get Underground and Midnight Black metallic, which replace 2022’s dark Black Sand Pearl. The hatchback gets a new Inferno color, and it’s also now available in the previously sedan-exclusive metallic Blue Crush.Every Corolla now comes with a redesigned 8.0-inch infotainment screen, and Toyota has updated its digital gauge cluster display with new graphics on all models. Corolla XSE and XLE’s larger 7.0-inch instrument cluster is also revised.The 2023 Corolla uses an updated version of Toyota Safety Sense, enhancing an already impressive slew of standard drivers-assist features such as forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, plus optional adaptive headlights and front and rear parking assist. More information about pricing, fuel economy, and hybrid horsepower is expected later this summer before updated Corollas go on sale.
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The Toyota GR86 adds a Special Edition model for 2023.Toyota intends to limit production of the GR86 Special Edition to 860 units.The Special Edition maintains the same 228-hp boxer-four as its lesser kin.Toyota’s bringing a GR86 fit for David S. Pumpkins to its model line for 2023. Dubbed the Special Edition, this low-volume GR86 model—just 860 are earmarked for production—wears a coat of orange paint (or Solar Shift in Toyota parlance) that’s complemented by black decor on its C-pillars, a black trunk-mounted lip spoiler, and a set of matte black 18-inch wheels.

Toyota bases the GR86 Special Edition on the coupe’s high-end Premium trim, which includes the likes of sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber, heated front seats, and an eight-speaker audio system. This is on top of items such as a dual-zone automatic climate control system and 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment setup that come standard across the GR86 model line.
Alas, the GR86 Special Edition brings no additional performance to the 228-hp 2.4-liter flat-four of its lesser siblings. That said, Toyota sees fit to equip this orange two-door with a cat-back exhaust system—replete with black chrome tips—that ought to improve the sound coming from this GR86’s tailpipes. Though Toyota’s yet to release pricing for the 2023 GR86 Special Edition, the automaker’s likely to charge a few thousand dollars more for this model relative to its Premium counterpart, which currently stickers for $31,325. Any questions?
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