Motor News

Montana-based GFC is the first to market with a camper for the upcoming 2024 Toyota Tacoma.Available in five- and six-foot sizes, these new wedge-shaped platform campers will fit all versions of the 2024 Tacoma.The starting price is $7700 and the camper is available to order now. GoFastCampers (GFC) is a platform camper company that was founded in Montana in 2017, and its first campers were built around the Toyota Tacoma mid-size pickup truck. With a new 2024 Tacoma on the way, you’d better believe that GFC is ready for it.Available in versions to fit both five- and six-foot bed lengths, GFC’s new platform camper will fit all versions of the new Tacoma, including the burly TRD Pro and new Trailhunter versions. The opening wedge tent creates a huge eight-foot vaulted ceiling, easily allowing occupants to stand up in the bed, there’s a 50-by-90-inch sleeping area with a three-inch-thick foam mattress inside. Platform CamperPlatform CamperCredit: GFCClosed, the tent only adds 6.8 inches to the Tacoma’s overall height, and it clocks in at a feathery 266 pounds in five-foot length or 278 pounds in six-foot length. That is, of course, before you add gear—the roof load capacity is 500 pounds. GFC uses its own aluminum space frame and a honeycomb composite roof to keep weight down, part of why these campers are so popular in the Tacoma community.GFCIn the Tacoma community, GFC already has a solid reputation for building tough, durable, serviceable platform campers and providing white-glove customer service. If you’re a real fan, the move is making the drive out to Bozeman to personally take delivery of your new GFC camper, then go adventuring around Montana.If you’ve got a 2024 Tacoma on order, GFC is now taking preorders for the new camper. With a 10–12 week lead time, that’ll get you a place in the queue until your Tacoma build spec is confirmed, and then GFC will build your camper to order. The starting price is $7700, which seems reasonable for a camper that is built to last just as long as your outdoor exploration rig—even if that rig is a Tacoma.More on CampersContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

Based on Korean specs, it looks like the 2024 Genesis G70 sedan will have a new base engine.The old 2.0-liter turbo-four is out, and the more powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter engine is in.Genesis hasn’t yet confirmed this new powertrain for the U.S., but we expect to get more info soon.More horsepower is generally a good recipe for success, and the Genesis G70 sports sedan appears to be hewing to this mindset for the 2024 model year. Specs are out for the Korea-market version of Genesis’ entry-level model, and they show that it adopts the more powerful turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four as its base engine, replacing the outgoing model’s turbo 2.0-liter unit.While we don’t yet have confirmation from Genesis about the U.S.-spec 2024 G70, we expect this engine to make its way stateside soon. It offers 300 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque, useful increases of 48 hp and 51 pound-feet over the 2.0L engine. (This engine is already offered in other Genesis models including the GV70, G80, and GV80.) It still uses an eight-speed automatic transmission and is offered with either rear- or all-wheel drive. The upgrade engine remains a twin-turbo 3.3-liter V-6 with 365 horsepower (or 368 hp if you opt for the upgraded exhaust).The Korea-market car also now offers a Sport package for the 2.5T car that includes a limited-slip differential, summer tires, and Brembo brakes. It also gets a slight power boost like the V-6 model, as its dual exhaust bumps power up to 303 hp. We’re hoping that Genesis will offer this setup in the U.S., too.GenesisBased on what we can see of the Korean car’s interior, we expect to see some changes to the dashboard as well. The climate controls appear to switch to a touch-sensitive arrangement, and there’s a redesigned row of buttons just under the air vents. The G70 was last updated for 2022 with a larger touchscreen and a new front-end design.Look for more information to come soon on the U.S.-spec 2024 Genesis G70, which should go on sale by the end of this year.More on the G70Senior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

What appears to be the 2025 Toyota GRMN Supra has been spied testing at the Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.Wearing camouflage reserved for Gazoo Racing (GR) models, the Supra prototype has upgraded aero bits and beefier brakes versus regular models.Reports of a track-focused GRMN Supra date back to 2020, with more recent rumors suggesting it’ll adopt the BMW M4’s 473-hp twin-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six.It looks like Toyota is preparing to launch a new Supra variant that’s purpose-built to lap what’s arguably the world’s greatest racetrack as quickly as possible. Our spy photographer recently captured images of a partially camouflaged prototype racing around Germany’s legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife. We suspect it’s the 2025 Toyota GRMN Supra.GRMN?While most Supra fans are likely familiar with Toyota’s Gazoo Racing (GR) division, not everyone may have heard of GRMN. That acronym stands for “Gazoo Racing tuned by the Meister of the Nürburgring.” The latter is a nickname for Toyota’s late chief test driver, Hiromu Naruse.Brian Williams|Car and DriverWhile catching a Supra testing at the ‘Ring doesn’t mean it’s definitely a GRMN model, rumors dating back to 2020 have kept us on the lookout for such a machine. With the Supra adding a manual transmission for the 2023 model year—another rumor that turned out to be true—the next logical step in the A90-generation’s evolution is a track-focused version. GRMN Supra HardwareFrom what we can see, the Supra test mule features a revised front lip and canards. Out back, there’s a prominent rear wing. A cursory glance suggests it’s similar to the spoiler seen on the 2024 Supra 45th Anniversary Edition, however, a closer look reveals the one on the prototype has lightweight mounting brackets and different tips.Brian Williams|Car and DriverOther obvious details that reveal that the car at the Nürburgring isn’t a run-of-the-mill Supra are upgraded brakes and what appears to be a lowered ride height. The GRMN variant will likely have a revised suspension that’s lower and stiffer to help improve the coupe’s already sharp handling. Unlike the regular GR Supra, the prototype looks to have larger brake calipers too, along with what are clearly cross-drilled rotors. The spy photos also tell us to expect a set of lighter wheels mounted on ultra-grippy Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.Supra+M4 Engine=GRMN The biggest mystery about the GRMN Supra is what will be under the hood. Like the rest of the lineup, we know it’ll be a BMW-sourced engine. It’ll also likely be pulled from one of the Bavarian automaker’s M cars, perhaps the 473-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six that motivates the M3 and M4. There’s a good chance the Toyota winds up with a detuned version of that same mill, like the one that powers the 453-hp BMW M2. What do all of those engines have in common? They’re offered with a manual transmission. The same can’t be said of the 543-hp powerplant found on the bonkers M3 CS and M4 CSL, which we don’t think is a candidate for the GRMN Supra anyways. Of course, only time will tell. Extra Supra ReadingThis 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.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

A new electric vehicle called the Citroën ë-C3 has just hit the scene in Europe.It has a surprisingly low starting price of just €19,990.Citroën promises a range of around 124 miles for the base version and 199 miles for the more expensive configuration.The Nissan Leaf is currently the cheapest EV you can buy in America, coming in at just under $30,000, at $29,255. But in Europe, electric cars are getting even cheaper, as French automaker Citroën has just revealed a new EV called the ë-C3 that will start at less than €20,000, or just above $21,000 at current exchange rates.CitroënThe Citroën C3 fits within the European B-segment, which is roughly equivalent to the subcompact class in the U.S. The new ë-C3 is longer, wider, and taller than its predecessor and rides on a new platform that Citroën says was optimized for battery-powered vehicles. The more expensive version arrives first, starting at €23,300 (around $24,650); it has a 44.0-kWh battery pack and promises 199 miles of range on the WLTP cycle, while also offering 100-kW DC fast-charging capability.To get the more attractively priced €19,990 version, you’ll have to wait until 2025 and give up some capability. Citroën claims that the cheaper version will have a WLTP range of around 124 miles but hasn’t released its battery-pack capacity yet. And the ë-C3 isn’t quick, either, as it has a 113-hp electric motor and a claimed 62 mph acceleration time of 11.0 seconds.CitroënEven still, in the era of rising car prices, we like seeing this emphasis on value extend into the EV segment. U.S. shoppers aren’t likely to see any electric models sold in our market with a starting price quite this low, but there may be some sub-$30,000 EVs on their way in the near future, such as the next-generation Chevy Bolt EV that GM teased earlier this year. Before it was discontinued, the 2023 Bolt EV started at just $27,495, so we’re hoping the new model arrives at a similar price point.More on Cheap EVsThis 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.Senior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

The 2024 Genesis GV60 lineup adds a new rear-wheel-drive base model that starts at $53,195.Genesis claims the rear-drive GV60 can travel up to 294 miles per charge, which is 30 more than the rangiest all-wheel-drive model.For 2024, the dual-motor GV60 Advanced and Performance start at $61,745 and $70,745, respectively.When the quirky Genesis GV60 debuted last year, it was only offered with a single electric powertrain and a base price above $60K. To make its electric compact SUV more accessible, Genesis adds a rear-wheel-drive configuration. Not only does it cost $8550 less than the existing all-wheel-drive setup, but it also provides significantly more estimated driving range.GV60 Price DropFor the 2024 model year, the Genesis GV60 lineup expands with a rear-drive Standard trim level that starts at $53,195. It features an 225-hp electric motor feeding the rear axle, and it’s fed by a 77.4-kWh battery pack that Genesis claims provides up to 294 miles of range. Compare that with the 315-hp dual-motor Advanced and 429-hp Performance models, which top out at 264 and 235 miles, respectively, of estimated range.Folks who want the most affordable GV60 won’t have to settle for a stripped-down model, either. The Standard trim’s most notable standard features include 19-inch wheels, a head-up display, a power-operated driver’s seat with a deployable leg rest, a slew of driver assists, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Every GV60 now also has 10 airbags as well as upgraded seatbelt safety features.The new 2024 Genesis GV60 Standard is currently on sale at select dealerships in 23 states, along with the Advanced trim that starts at $61,745. The automaker says that availability of the more powerful Performance variant, which has a $70,745 base price, will be announced at a later date.Extra GV60 ReadingThis 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.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

Toyota brings the Hilux Revo BEV electric pickup concept to Australia for testing, ahead of a possible market launch in the future.The Hilux Revo BEV Concept was built by engineers at Toyota Thailand, where the gas- and diesel-powered Hilux trucks are produced, as a one-off using Toyota EV components. The automaker previewed an electric Tacoma in 2021, but has not indicated when North America could see such a model arrive in production form.All eyes this fall are on the Cybertruck, as Tesla prepares to start production of its long-delayed electric pickup. But Toyota isn’t ignoring this segment either, even if remains a bit of an EV skeptic.Earlier this month the Japanese automaker commenced testing of the Hilux BEV Revo in Australia, after the concept’s debut in December 2022. The latest round of trials with industry partners and local engineers could be a method of testing the waters with dealers and fleets, ahead of production launch of a similar model down the road.The Hilux BEV Revo Concept itself is based on the version of the truck produced in Thailand for the Australia and Oceania markets, and it was built as a one-off. It maintains the looks of the production model, which comes with either a gas or a diesel engine, though it sports a closed-off grille and a charging port on the front left fender. The truck itself is more of a ute than anything else (in keeping with the original Australian definition), with Toyota noting that Thailand is the “ute capital of the world,” with 145,000 Hilux sales in that country in 2022 alone. Australia is a bit further back with 64,000 sales last year—but that’s still enough to make the Hilux Australia’s best-selling vehicle.”Our evaluation engineers and industry partners have confirmed that this city-focused HiLux BEV—while very much a concept vehicle—looks, feels and drives like a production model,” said Sean Hanley, Toyota Australia vice president of sales, marketing & franchise operations.Could such a model be offered in the U.S. at some point?The Hilux, equipped with gas and diesel engines, is produced in Thailand.ToyotaThe Chicken Tax would certainly require that any electric truck model for the U.S. be produced here as well, so a Hilux probably isn’t in the cards. And if industry trends are any indication, a Tacoma or another model with a battery-electric drivetrain is something that would have to be engineered alongside the gasoline model, rather than being retrofitted with an EV drivetrain deep into a production cycle. So if Toyota were to offer a mid-size electric pickup in the U.S., it would have to be closely synced up with the debut of a next-gen truck model. Toyota already revealed a Tacoma EV pickup concept in 2021, while also indicating that such a model was in development, but did not offer timelines or specifics at the time. But even during the Hilux REVO concept’s debut last year, Toyota president Akio Toyoda poured plenty of cold water on the chance of an immediate debut of an electric pickup from the automaker.”I believe we need to be realistic about when society will be able to fully adopt battery-electric vehicles and when our infrastructure can support them at scale,” Toyoda said in 2022. “Because just like the fully autonomous cars that we were all supposed to be driving by now, I think BEVs are just going to take longer to become mainstream than the media would like us to believe. And frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals.” Toyota has previewed what an electric Tacoma could look like, but has not laid out a timeline for its commercial launch in North America.ToyotaIf there is any cause for optimism, it’s the fact that the Tacoma is new for 2024, which suggests we could see an EV version of it relatively soon, certainly within this product cycle rather than the next. The electric Tacoma is also likely to be based solely on the four-door version of the pickup, paired with a short bed, in keeping with industry trends. More on Toyota PickupsWhether we’ll see it as soon as late 2024 or early 2025 remains to be seen. But it’s worth noting that Toyota has committed to releasing 10 new EVs by 2026. So at least one of those models, we anticipate, could be a pickup truck.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.Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum. Despite being followed around by French cars for the past decade, he has somehow been able to avoid Citroën ownership, judging them too commonplace, and is currently looking at cars from the former Czechoslovakia. Jay has been with Autoweek since 2013.  More

Toyota is teasing two electric concept cars for the Tokyo auto show: the FT-Se sports car and the FT-3e SUV.The FT-Se has our attention thanks to its low-slung, wide shape and two-seat cockpit.Both will debut later this month, and we expect them to turn into production models eventually.We’ve been talking about the idea of an electric Toyota sports car for years now, and it looks to be getting closer to reality. A new concept car called the FT-Se will debut at the Tokyo auto show later this month, and it looks to be exactly the kind of low-slung EV performance coupe we’ve been waiting for.More on Toyota EV Sports CarsThe two teaser images show that the FT-Se has an aggressive stance with wide front and rear tracks and interesting-looking taillights culminating in fins that may help with aerodynamics. The GR logo, for Gazoo Racing, is prominently displayed on the rear ducktail spoiler. Inside, we can see that the dashboard incorporates several different display screens, and the steering wheel looks to be a yoke-style controller similar to what’s available in the Lexus RZ.ToyotaToyotaWe don’t know anything about what will underpin this new sports car, but Toyota suggests that it shares many components with the other concept car that will debut soon, a compact SUV called the FT-3e. This means that the company is likely to introduce a new EV platform that will serve several different future electric models.ToyotaToyotaThe FT-3e, though less exciting than the sports car, is still relevant, as Toyota currently only offers one EV model in the U.S., the bZ4X. Based on what we can see in the images, we’d guess that the FT-3e is similarly sized, meaning it could serve as a replacement for the bZ4X. Toyota hasn’t divulged much information yet, other than the fact that it has digital displays on the exterior doors that show information including battery charge and onboard temperature as you approach the car.We’ll find out a lot more about these two Toyota concept cars soon, as they’ll both debut at the Tokyo auto show later this month.Senior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

Ford is recalling 238,364 Explorer SUVs from the 2020–2022 model years over a defect that could allow the vehicle to lose power and/or roll away.The problem is with the subframe bushing and a rear axle bolt that can fracture, according to documents filed with NHTSA.Owners of affected vehicles will be notified starting November 6, 2023.Ford will recall 238,364 Explorer SUVs to fix a problem that could cause the vehicle to lose power and potentially roll away if the parking brake is not applied. The problem affects 2022 through 2022 model year Explorers and, Ford says, is caused by a defective subframe bushing and rear axle bolt. If the bolt fails, according to the Safety Recall Report filed with NHTSA, the axle housing will move out of position, and the driver will hear “loud grinding, binding, or clunking noises.” There will also be a loss of transmission torque to the rear wheels, which could let the vehicle roll out of park if the parking brake has not been applied.Ford previously addressed this issue in 2022 by updating the vehicles’ powertrain control module software so it would engage the electronic parking brake whenever the vehicle was put in park. As of late September 2023, Ford told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a chronology of the problem, the company had received 396 reports of rear axle bolt failures in these vehicles. Of these, “less than 5 percent” had led to “a roll-in-park or loss of motive power condition,” Ford said.Owners of the affected Explorer SUVs will receive notifications of the recall starting November 6. In the meantime, Explorer owners can check the NHTSA recalls site to see if their vehicle is included in the recall. Other Recent RecallsDigital DirectorLaura Sky Brown has been involved in automotive media for a very long time, and she sees it as her calling to guard the legacy and help ensure the continued high quality of Car and Driver. She was one of the first staffers at Automobile Magazine in the ’80s and has worked for many other car magazines and websites as a writer, editor, and copy editor ever since. It has been her privilege to edit many of the greats of automotive journalism over the years, including the ones who currently write for C/D. More