Motor News

Marriages, like engines, need consistent TLC to run smoothly. Letting either one of them languish is a recipe for sputtering, backfires, and name calling. It’s the same with Window Shop, which, after two weeks off, is trying to clear its pipes with champagne and cheuginess. Viewer Ace Fighterpilot provided this week’s challenge: find a car to drive away in on one’s wedding day. The budget was $30,000, which could have bought a lot of cake or a lot of couples’ therapy, both of which might go down easier than the selections.Loving Santa Barbara husband John Pearley Huffman got the bells pealing with a two-horsepower Citroën. These were alarm bells, and no, not that Citroën. This one’s smaller and extremely red inside. Pearley reasoned the French connection would make for great photos, although his point got lost in a discussion about how tiny a couple would need to be to fit inside the car. Vegas-nuptial veteran Elana Scherr pulled up in a wedding-standard Rolls-Royce. On the outside, the tired but game Roller said come hither. Then she opened the doors on an interior that said to the groom, “Circus Circus did me a solid; prove you love me and get in.”Kentucky bachelor Jonathon Ramsey went for a Jaguar convertible. This one’s relentless mechanical needs would remind the couple to relentlessly love one each other as well. Yes, his choice was also voted “Most Likely to Be Driven to the Divorce,” but this episode ends after the reception, making such hypotheticals irrelevant. The espoused K.C. Colwell kept his choice as simple as his wedding venue, dipping into the Buick archives for classic Midwest Americana. The giant grille and Peggy Sue Got Married vibe was accused of being festooned with cheuginess instead of cans and streamers. Neither Wikipedia nor debate could help us make sense of the term—or the car. Man-about-Utah Tony Quiroga shacked up at a Love’s truck stop in the desert state for this episode. Doing his best impression of a Kentucky bachelor, his chosen butter-yellow Cadillac was perhaps the best Rorschach test for catching the woman of your life who is also a freak, and maybe a trucker.If you see these vehicles at a wedding, could be best to live it up at the reception and make some time in your calendar to attend a second marriage. Or make an offer for something well under $30,000.

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The 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 with the Manthey Performance Kit is 4.19 seconds quicker around the Nürburgring than the normal GT3, according to Porsche.The Porsche-backed, dealer-installed Manthey kit includes a host of aerodynamic and chassis upgrades.Unfortunately, the Manthey kit is currently only available in Europe, but it’s possible it will come stateside in the future.The Porsche 911 GT3 is a phenomenal track car. In stock form, Porsche says it lapped the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife (a.k.a. the North Loop) in just under seven minutes. Fitted with the new factory-backed Manthey Performance kit, the company says, the GT3 went around the ‘Ring 4.19 seconds quicker, posting a 6:55.7 lap time. That’s awesome. Less awesome is that the kit is currently only sold in Europe.

A Porsche spokesperson told us the company is still considering making the Manthey setup available in the U.S., but a final decision is still up in the air. Meanwhile, lucky European customers who can afford a new 911 GT3 can expect to spend the equivalent of $48,000 U.S. on the dealer-installed setup. What performance upgrade does that money buy? We’ll tell you.
The Manthey Performance kit was co-developed by Porsche engineers in Weissach and Manthey’s Nordschleife specialists. The kit primarily focuses on the GT3’s aerodynamics and chassis components, preserving the coupe’s naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six. The U.S.-spec engine produces 502 horsepower at 8400 rpm and 346 pound-feet of torque at 6100 rpm. Equipped with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the GT3 we tested hit 60 mph in 2.7 seconds, stopped from 70 mph in 133 feet, and generated 1.11 g of cornering grip.
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Those test figures might change after the Manthey transformation, but, unfortunately, we won’t know unless it comes to our shores. What we do know is that the kit increases downforce with aero alterations on the front, back, side, and even underneath of the car. The GT3’s defining feature is arguably its manually adjustable carbon-fiber rear wing, which has a distinct swan-neck design. After the Manthey conversion, it grows wider and adds a Gurney flap. The other updates include a redesigned rear diffuser and “aerodiscs” on the rear wheels, all made of carbon fiber.
Manthey-equipped models feature a specially developed suspension with four-way-adjustable coil-over shocks. The GT3’s springs are also said to be 10 percent stiffer up front and 7 percent stiffer in the back. The Manthey kit even offers upgraded brake pads. Steel-braided brake lines and a towing loop, in the event an overzealous driver accidentally leaves the racetrack, are both standard. As with the normal GT3, Manthey models can be fitted with 20- or 21-inch forged wheels. A set of ultra-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires are also optional, and they were worn by the car that set the GT3 lap record at the ‘Ring. The Manthey Performance kit is currently available to order in Europe, and Porsche says deliveries will begin this fall.
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Schedoni is a 142-year-old leather maker in Modena, Italy, that supplies custom factory luggage for the hottest supercars. This three-piece set originally came with a new Ferrari F50. It’s available on the Bring a Trailer auction site for a small fraction of a F50’s $3 million-plus present value. But hurry: the auction ends on June 4.Second only to cold-starting a 12-cylinder Ferrari is sinking into the driver’s seat and taking a long, deep inhale, preferably before any unburned gas enters the cabin. It’s the leather. Rich, aromatic, and impossibly supple, Italian leather is as intoxicating as the country’s fashion, design, art, and food. Of course, it’s expensive as hell.

Our latest auction pick on Bring a Trailer (which like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is this original factory luggage set for a Ferrari F50. For only thousands of dollars, you could own a few pieces from one of the rarest Ferrari supercars—and, we imagine, not do anything so brash as to use them for travel.

Bring a Trailer

A couple dozen Ferrari luggage sets have already sold for thousands on Bring a Trailer, and it’s not just the Ferrari name behind the money. The bags come from Ferrari’s Modenese neighbor Schedoni, a 142-year-old leather maker that began making shoes and now exclusively crafts luggage to hug every last curve of a supercar’s tight trunk. Schedoni, interviewed in 2021 by StirWorld, said he started working with Ferrari in 1977 and has since made luggage sets for every Ferrari since the 308GTB. Even Ferrari Formula 1 drivers get Schedoni suede on their backsides. Lamborghini, Pagani, and Bugatti run with Schedoni luggage, as do the British—Aston Martin, Bentley, McLaren, and Rolls-Royce.

Bring a Trailer

This three-piece F50 set includes a suitcase, garment bag, and duffel to match the same black leather and fiery red ribbed suede as the car’s seats. Everything, from the black nylon liner with prancing horses to the buckles, has the exacting detail and quality that cannot be copied by machines or knockoffs. President Simone Schedoni still uses his great-grandfather’s sewing machine to finish the last stitches.The F50 bags look remarkably unworn and come with yellow storage bags (yes, a fine bag needs its own bag) plus the original luggage tags, straps, and locking keys. After handling these bags, you may not miss the actual car. Who are we kidding? But still, these are worth bidding on. With two days to go before the auction is set to end on Saturday, June 4, the top bid is at $9000.

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The Mercedes-Benz EQB300—which features a single, front-mounted 225-hp electric motor—will start at $56,800.The dual-motor, all-wheel-drive 288-hp EQB350 will start at $60,350.The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQB will go on sale this summer.Last year, Mercedes unveiled the EQB, an electric crossover derived from the boxy, compact GLB. The EQB shares much of its chassis with its gasoline-powered brother but trades the four-cylinder engine for a 66.5-kWh battery and either a single or dual-motor setup. Now Mercedes-Benz has revealed pricing information for the 2022 EQB before it goes on sale later this year.

Mercedes-Benz

The EQB will come with two powertrain options, with each offering two trim levels. The EQB300 features front-wheel drive and an electric motoring producing 225 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque. The entry-level EQB300 Exclusive will start at $56,800, while stepping up to the EQB300 Pinnacle will cost you $59,350.

To get all-wheel drive, buyers will need to upgrade to the EQB350, which includes two electric motors good for a combined 288 horsepower and 324 pound-feet. In Exclusive guise, the EQB350 will start at $60,350, while the Pinnacle will go for $61,400. In both the EQB300 and EQB350, opting for the Pinnacle will add features such as a Burmester surround-sound system, a panoramic sunroof, and a surround-view camera. The EPA hasn’t released range figures for the EQB, but on the more generous European WLTP test cycle, the dual-motor EQB achieved a 260-mile rating. Mercedes says that the EQB will go on sale in the United States this summer.
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The Ford brand will transition to exclusively online, fixed-price, delivered-to-your-door sales for EVs, CEO Jim Farley said, in a statement reported by USA Today.”We’ve got to go to non-negotiated price. We’ve got to go 100 percent online. There’s no inventory [at dealerships]; it goes directly to the customer. And 100 percent remote pick up and delivery,” he said during Bernstein’s Annual Strategic Decisions Conference, the paper reported.It’s unclear if Ford also plans to implement this sales strategy shift for its non-EV products. Farley went on to say that he sees the physical locations of dealers as a huge opportunity to push an edge over competitors, but that the current stores will have to radically evolve. Dealers can do it, he said, “but the standards are going to be brutal.”

The fixed-price model has been tried by countless new car dealerships, used-car chains, and even manufacturers like Saturn. Yet it was Tesla that showed that a successful automaker could fully rely on fixed-price sales. The EV juggernaut also pioneered an online ordering system that so-called legacy automakers have been struggling to replicate. If Ford wants to be a huge player in this and take advantage of what Farley sees as a historically significant market-share land grab, the company has to adapt to give the customers what they want. Right now, as USA Today notes, Ford estimates that it spends $2000 more than Tesla per car on distribution.The company also intends to massively scale back advertising for its EVs, another way it has to adapt. “If you ever see Ford Motor Co. doing a Super Bowl ad on our electric vehicles, sell the stock,” he said. For the full breakdown of Farley’s remarks, check out the USA Today story which explores post-sales service, the role of the Super Duty and other gas guzzlers, EV profitability, custom cars for Uber and Lyft, Chinese EVs, and “very large consolidation.”Road & Track has reached out to Ford for additional comment on Farley’s statements.

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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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