Motor News

• This 2003 Mitsubishi Montero is our Bring a Trailer auction pick of the day.• It has 35,000 miles and is a Limited model finished in dark blue.• The Montero was Mitsubishi’s top SUV offering at the time, and it included four-wheel drive, a third row of seats, and lots of options.The Mitsubishi Montero doesn’t enjoy nearly the same reputation as the Toyota Land Cruiser—or even the 4Runner, for that matter—and its name has been absent for decades now. This example with just 35,000 miles on the odometer is up for auction now on the auction website Bring a Trailer, which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. The 2003 Montero you see here represents the last generation of Montero that was sold in the U.S. (it lived on as the Pajero elsewhere) and makes us think that Mitsubishi could benefit from something like this in their lineup once again.

Bring a Trailer

At this point, the Montero was powered by a 215-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine and a five-speed automatic transmission, and its four-wheel-drive system featured a transfer case with a low range. Finished in Memphis Blue Pearl with a grey interior, this particular Montero is the loaded Limited trim level with leather seats, automatic climate control, a CD changer, and a sunroof.

Bring a Trailer

When we pitted the Montero against the Toyota 4Runner, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and several other 4x4s in a 2005 comparison test, it finished in a respectable third place. We even dubbed it the “poor man’s Land Cruiser.” We’re not sure exactly how rich this particular Montero’s eventual sale price will be, but it’s listed at no reserve and the bidding sits at $8000 as of this writing with 6 days left until the auction closes.

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The 2023 Land Rover Defender will offer a 30th Anniversary Edition model.It comes only in white and has steel wheels as an homage to the 1993 Defender First Edition that was sold in the U.S. in limited quantities.500 units will be available, and it costs $76,350.Land Rover will offer a 500-unit run of 2023 Defender 30th Anniversary Editions to commemorate the limited run of 1993 Defender First Edition models it sold in the U.S. back in the day. Its appearance is meant to evoke the look of the original, with Fuji white exterior paint, white 18-inch steel wheels, and a serialized badge on the rear showing which number it is in the series.

Land Rover

The special edition is based on the four-door 110 S model with the Defender’s base engine, a 296-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. It comes equipped with options including the Cold Climate package, the Tow package, the Off-Road package, and the Black exterior appearance package. Mud flaps, a ladder, side steps, wheel-arch extensions, a roof rack, and rubber floor mats are also included.The 30th Anniversary Defender costs $76,350, which is several thousand dollars more than a comparably equipped Defender 110 S with similar options added. If you’re willing to pay extra for the badge and the exclusivity, Land Rover says the Anniversary Edition is available now at certain detailers.
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At an event on Monday, Volkswagen Group CEO Herbet Diess said that both Audi and Porsche will join Formula 1 in the near future, as reported by Reuters.Audi and Porsche will likely join in 2026 when new technical regulations focused around a sustainable synthetic fuel are introduced, with Porsche already invested in the technology.Diess did not specify how the brands would enter the sport, but Audi is expected to buy an existing team while Porsche will become an engine supplier, possibly for Red Bull Racing.For years, Audi and Porsche have hinted at their desire to join Formula 1. Over the past year, the rumors have continued to build, and now it appears it might finally be happening. At an event in Wolfsburg, Germany on Monday, Volkswagen Group chief executive officer Herbert Diess confirmed that both Audi and Porsche had received approval for the Volkswagen Group to enter Formula 1, according to a report by Reuters.

The 2022 McLaren MCL36
Formula 1

Diess explained that discussions among the brands’ board of directors regarding the sport had caused some rifts to form, but ultimately Audi and Porsche were able to assure their parent company that joining Formula 1 would be a net more money than it would cost. Diess did not detail how the two brands will enter the sport, but rumors have pointed to Audi attempting to purchase an existing team—either McLaren or Sauber—while Porsche aims to enter as an engine manufacturer, with Red Bull named as a possible partner.

According to Diess, Porsche’s plan to join Formula 1 is a bit more solidified than Audi’s at the moment. As Motor1 reported, Diess is eyeing the rule changes planned for 2026—which will bring new cars and engines that will run on a fully sustainable synthetic fuel—as the optimal time for the two brands to enter the ring. Porsche has been investing heavily in synthetic fuels in a bid to promote the longevity of its internal-combustion road cars such as the 911, and Formula 1 will give Porsche a chance to develop the technology through motorsport while tying the road cars to the team. The rule changes will also mean that all teams are starting from the same position, giving Porsche and Audi a better shot at being competitive right off the bat. Diess has clearly noticed Formula 1’s rapid growth in the United States and around the world in the wake of the “Drive to Survive” Netflix show and the increased social media presence since Liberty Media’s takeover of the series in 2017. The executive cited Formula 1’s strength as an advertising platform, and said that Porsche will shift away from other motorsports to focus on Formula 1. We wouldn’t be surprised to see Porsche’s Formula E team fall by the wayside, since Porsche seems committed to the GT racing. While Diess’ statements were not paired with an official confirmation from Formula 1 that Audi and Porsche will be joining the grid, it is the closest thing yet in a long line of growing rumors, and a full announcement is expected to come later this year.
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Volta’s raised around $316 million in funding and will start testing its first model—a 16-ton delivery vehicle—with customers later this year. Volta announced it is adding two smaller options—a 7.5-ton and a 12-ton model—to its line-up of battery-electric delivery trucks.The new, smaller Volta Zero trucks are supposed to start production in 2025.Volta is growing its line-up of Zero electric delivery trucks by adding 7.5-ton and 12-ton models to the mix. The new trucks are designed with maneuverability in mind, with both options aiming to make it easier for drivers to maneuver these commercial vehicles in more dense urban areas.

With these new options, Volta’s Zero line includes a total of four models—all of which are designed for urban freight movement. The original model is a 16-ton truck that uses either a standard—150-kWh—or high-capacity—225-kWh—battery pack (we suspect both figures reflect the packs’ maximum, rather than useable, capacity) to achieve a manufacturer-estimated driving range of 90 or 125 miles, respectively. Customers are due to start testing the 16-ton electric vehicle later this year. Volta also previously announced an 18-ton model that’s due to start production sometime in the middle of 2023.Volta is a Swedish company with a focus on the European market, a region with consumers who are interested in more compact commercial EV options. The Zero 7.5- and 12-ton trucks ought to appeal to such buyers. Customer trials for the newly announced models are set to kick off in 2024, with full-line production planned for early 2025.

Volta

Volta notes the new 7.5- and 12-ton trucks share a “close but evolutionary visual relationship” with the brand’s larger 16- and 18-ton models. Like those electric trucks, the smaller Volta Zero EVs feature airy, glasshouse-style cabs and a seating position that’s lower than comparable trucks with internal combustion engines. The original Zero truck was designed to make the driver’s perspective more street-level, with an eyesight level of around under six feet. To further help the driver better see the road around them, Volta fits its Zero trucks with cameras in place of side mirrors, while the glass-heavy cab offers the driver a forward field of view of 220 degrees. Arguably the most noticeable difference between these smaller Zero trucks and their larger kin is the fact the new models do without a third axle.In February, Volta announced it raised $260 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its total funding to around $316 million. Volta said it has already received customer orders for more than 6,000 vehicles, including “Europe’s largest purchase of full-electric trucks”, thanks to an order of 1,470 vehicles by DB Schenker. Petit Forestier has also ordered 1,000 Volta Zeros. Volta plans to build 5,000 trucks per year starting in 2023 at a plant in Steyr, Austria. By 2025, Volta’s annual production capacity is due to increase to 27,000 vehicles.
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Ultium energy recovery captures heat generated as an electric vehicle moves—from the motor or the battery or even from the people in the car—and uses it as a heat source elsewhere.General Motors developed the system to improve efficiency—and it does, by up to 10 percent, according to the company. GM claims the setup even contributes to the GMC Hummer EV’s hair-raising acceleration performance.Eking out every last bit of energy from an electric vehicle’s battery pack is an important engineering task. General Motors’s latest trick to make the most of a battery-electric vehicle’s energy comes courtesy of a new kind of heat pump that recovers excess heat energy—from the battery, the powertrain, or even the people in the car—and uses it to warm the cabin and extend the vehicle’s driving range.

GM calls this new technology Ultium energy recovery, and as its name suggests, the tech applies to the company’s line of Ultium-based battery-electric vehicles. This list currently includes the GMC Hummer EV, with the Chevrolet Silverado EV and Cadillac Lyriq due soon. Other Ultium vehicles are in the works, too, including the Cadillac Celestiq sedan, and GM notes the Ultium energy recovery system will come standard on every one of its current and future Ultium-based EVs.

GMC

The heat sources the Ultium energy recovery system draws from include the battery itself, various power electronics, some propulsion components, and—most interestingly—the body heat of the people within the cabin, as well as humidity in and outside of the vehicle. The Ultium energy recovery system then uses this captured heat to warm the cabin. GM estimates this heating solution can extend the range of an EV by as much as 10 percent. Additionally, GM claims the Ultium energy recovery system can warm the cabin of its EVs in less time than “comparable systems” of vehicles with internal combustion engines. The setup also offers potential performance enhancements. For instance, Ultium energy recovery helps cool the Hummer EV’s propulsion system when the vehicle’s placed in its Watts to Freedom mode. As such, the big pickup’s powertrain can be pushed harder without overheating, thus resulting in the Hummer EV’s 60-mph time of around three seconds.
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The Loki Basecamp XL Coach Series is based on the Prevost X3-45 VIP.Loki Basecamp calls the model the “ultimate motorhome for active adventurers.”Motivation comes courtesy of a Volvo-sourced D13 six-cylinder engine with 1850 pound-feet of torque.In 1973, Led Zeppelin and Elton John each started world tours. Each band calculated that it was more cost-effective to rent a jumbo jet with a fireplace, a bed covered in fur, an electric organ, and a stocked bar topped with cocaine mirrors than flying, taking a bus, and booking hotels. Maybe, in fact, the “Starship One” was cheaper.

It’s also arguably better to camp in a 45-foot coach bus with a deployable outdoor grill and 203 gallons of diesel than sleep on top of a Subaru Outback. Let’s face it, sometimes the numbers don’t have to add up. This converted Prevost X3-45 VIP—itself a tour bus used by the likes of musicians—is one of the ultimate rigs for recreational vehicle enthusiasts.

Loki Basecamp

Modified by Loki Basecamp, a Québécois outfitter of pickup truck campers, the XL Coach Series is the “ultimate motorhome for active adventurers.” Hence, there’s a rooftop light bar blasting 76,000 lumens to help the adventurer avoid tree limbs and bridges. The bus is nearly 12 feet high, after all. When parked, the real woodsy people can pitch a tent on the roof deck next to a 2.0-kilowatt solar array—assuming the two queen beds and double bunks within the bus are already occupied. The interior design is either disappointingly sordid—almost as if it were a college dorm suite—or minimalist chic. We’ve tested RVs and little Airstream trailers with insides that look more luxurious, though admittedly none of the offered a rainfall shower inside a full-sized bathroom, had a washer/dryer combo, or heated floors.

Loki Basecamp

Power shades and thick R16-rated insulation keep the party sealed (there’s a thumping Paradigm stereo and three televisions, too). Loki Basecamp reserves the Prevost’s underfloor storage for the slide-out grille and mountain bike racks. There are more L-Track rails inside the bus to hold gear.As for off-road performance, there’s no treading lightly with a 31,000-pound curb weight. The front overhang is six feet long, so Prevost hides any mention of approach and departure angles. However, the vehicle’s 11.0 inches of ground clearance bests that of a standard Ford Bronco, and the Volvo-sourced D13 six-cylinder engine belts out 1850 pound-feet of torque at 1050 rpm. The price is undisclosed.According to Loki Basecamp, when a customer asked for the company’s biggest and best camper, “we simply could not resist.” Who could?
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Depending on where you are in the country, spring might be in bloom, or it might be in hiding. We expect Earth’s fickle climate will have to set Persephone and her sunny bounty free at some point, hence this week’s challenge: convertibles for under $30,000.Our Window Shop panelists almost never make the obvious choice, and this week’s challenge resulted in the expected tossed salad of picks. Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman reached back to 1985 for a maximally expensive, minimally sporty, not-quite-factory droptop. The cohort thought he might have channeled Hall & Oates’ biggest hit of that same year: “Out of Touch.”There’s nothing obvious about deputy editor Carlos Lago’s ragtop choice. He admits to skipping right over the the Mazda Miata because it would be too easy and instead wanders deep into Chrysler’s left field. His find meets the challenge, but while everyone wanted to talk about its unique design and engineering, no one wanted to drive or own it. Not even Lago. Kentucky resident and contributor Jonathon Ramsey selected a two-seat convertible made in the Bluegrass State, but it’s not the fiberglass Chevy you’re thinking of. The last time Ramsey drove a car like the Cadillac he chose, a bartender who surveyed declared it hot enough to shed undergarments for. The crew points out that each taillight costs $3000, but the real takeaway here is getting to hear Pearley say “Drop trou” twice.Deputy testing director K.C. Colwell preferred the springtime sun in southern Germany in his also-not-exactly-factory ragtop. He landed on derExplosionsfußpunkt, which is German Ground Zero for one of the 1990’s best convertibles for a mid-life crisis. Finally, editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga went to England for drophead that comes with a sweet engine, horrible infotainment, gorgeous lines, and free a colonoscopy. Insert joke about sunshine and where the sun don’t shine.Voting is compulsory in Window Shop, so someone had to win. Like all but one of the choices, victory wasn’t pretty, but this episode was all about the bad takes and the surprise tangents we made along the way.

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Mercedes-Benz has launched the new T-class van for Europe. It’s a passenger version of its compact Citan cargo van.The most powerful engine option is a turbocharged gas inline-four with 129 horsepower, and there are also two diesels available.The interior features faux leather, LED lighting, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, and smartphone integration.American consumers in search of a van with a prestigious badge can shell out for the full-size Mercedes-Benz Sprinter or the mid-size Mercedes-Benz Metris. In Europe, van shoppers also have a smaller offering, the Citan, which received a redesign in August of 2021. Based on the bones of the Renault Kangoo, the second-generation Citan has now morphed into a family-oriented passenger van bearing the T-class moniker, which Mercedes says is “bringing comfort into the private small van segment.”

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz

Measuring 177.1 inches long and 71.3 inches tall, the T-class has room for five passengers, although Mercedes says a long-wheelbase version with seven seats is on its way. Power comes from a range of inline-four engines, with two 1.5-liter diesel offerings and two turbocharged 1.3-liter gas options. The most powerful gas engine puts out just 129 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard, while the two diesels and more powerful gas engine can be had with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Inside, every T-class comes fitted with a 7.0-inch touchscreen, smartphone integration, keyless start, a 5.5-inch digital display in the instrument cluster, and LED interior lightning. Much of the cabin is decked out in faux leathers, while the dashboard is decked out in gloss black trim. The rear bench seat can fold flat to allow for more luggage space, and Mercedes touts the wide sliding door openings and low rear sill for added practicality. Buyers can opt for the Style or Progressive Line packages for even fancier interior and exterior trim. The T-class will start just under 30,000 euros, about $31,500 at current exchange rates—but we don’t anticipate Mercedes will bring this vehicle Stateside anytime soon.
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