Motor News

• When it comes to the question of lightweight, slick-shifting rear-drive roadsters with four-wheel independent suspension, the answer is always Miata.• The Bring a Trailer auction site has listed this one, with a mid-1991 VIN number that falls on the right side of a major crankshaft redesign.• Bidding is open on this 1991 Miata until Sunday, March 6, with current bidding at a mere $9750.Those who know me understand why I’m keeping an eye on this car, my choice as Auction Pick of the Day on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. I have a soft spot for the 1.6-liter Miata because back in the day I managed to get my hands on one of the three original prototypes that were unveiled at the 1989 Chicago auto show. The red and blue ones went into the press fleet, but the white car, VIN 000017, ended up in my lap after a stint at the Mazda Service Training center, where it was taken apart and reassembled by countless mechanics. A group of us added a roll cage and got it an SCCA logbook because we were going to take it endurance racing, but that project was stillborn and I ended up with the car because, quite simply, it was being stored in my enclosed trailer.

Bring a Trailer

Bring a Trailer

I could only ever race that car because it could not be registered for the street, but I was immediately smitten by its sophisticated rear-drive chassis with independent double-wishbone suspension at each end. The 1.6-liter four-banger only made 116 hp at 6500 rpm, but that was enough to make it a Showroom Stock C (SSC) terror because its approximate 2150-pound race weight and well-balanced chassis made it the ultimate momentum car. The factory brakes were more than up for track duty, and the fact that the shift lever jutted directly out of the transmission made it one of the best-shifting manuals I can name. It was extremely easy to work on, too.At one point I bought a red 1991 Miata very much like the one in the BaT listing, including the desirable A package that included cruise control and power windows. I bought mine for $850 from a California Highway Patrol officer because it had high mileage and a blown-out ring and pinion. I plopped in the engine from the now-retired race car and installed a spare diff I had laying around, and I finally had a street-drivable Miata. Soon after, however, I was encouraged to restore the old race car, so the engine came out and went back into old #17. My red Miata sits engineless in my garage to this day.

Bring a Trailer

The Miata that is the subject of this auction benefits from the same advantage I found in the red car I bought: it’s a mid-1991 build that has the desirable “big nose” crankshaft that was installed starting at VIN 209447. All 1990 and early 1991 Miatas were built with short-nose cranks with a fragile keyway where the lower timing belt sprocket was indexed. The keyway was prone to breakage if the key was installed improperly or if the bolt was not torqued just so, which made it necessary to replace the entire crankshaft. Current advice for those changing a timing belt on the affected early cars is to not remove the lower timing belt sprocket if the front crank seal isn’t weeping. Some even go so far as to advise that you roll the car in fifth gear instead of turning the crank with a wrench when aligning the timing marks. But old motors eventually need to be rebuilt, so having the “big nose” crankshaft avoids a lot of hand wringing.

Bring a Trailer

It’s not clear if the Miata in this auction has ever had its timing belt replaced. On mileage alone, it’s not necessary. But this car was built 31 years ago, and I’d want to confirm the age of the timing belt and plan on replacing it if it turns out to be original. The rest of the car looks very original, too. There’s a bit of wear, but only enough to perhaps keep it from going for top dollar. The headlight doors line up nicely with the hood, and there’s not much rust underneath, both of which suggest it has been treated nicely and stored inside in winter. The tires are the wrong size, but that’s understandable because 185/60R-14 tires are hard to find unless you’re looking for high-performance autocross rubber, which is very much available in that size. This car shows only 17,000 miles and is currently in North Carolina, with bidding set to end on Sunday, March 6. It’d be a shame to see this car continue to sit mostly undriven, but I guess I have to come to grips with the fact that early Miatas might have become a classic when I wasn’t looking.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Ford announced today a major restructuring, with two new divisions, Ford Model e and Ford Blue, joining the existing commercial arm, Ford Pro.Ford Model e will center around developing technologies for Ford’s future EVs as well as software and vehicle connectivity.Ford Blue will streamline the internal-combustion business and strengthen existing subbrands including the Bronco, F-series, and Mustang with new models and accompanying “brand experiences.”Jim Farley, who has been praised for his leadership since taking over as Ford president and CEO in October 2020, continues to shake things up at the long-lived American automaker. The company announced today that it will form two separate but interdependent businesses under the Ford banner—Ford Model e, which will focus on electric vehicles and connectivity, and Ford Blue, which will be dedicated to the company’s traditional internal-combustion-engine business. The division is part of Farley’s Ford+ plan introduced last year, and the two new branches join Ford Pro, the company’s commercial vehicle department.

Ford

Ford says that Ford Model e and Ford Blue “will be run as distinct businesses, but also support each other”—for instance, Ford Blue will make use of the software developed by Ford Model e—and both will also serve Lincoln. Ford Model e will center around future technology, developing things like electric platforms, batteries, e-motors, and recycling capabilities for Ford’s next generation of EVs. Ford Model e will also focus on the software and vehicle architectures that future Fords will run on, as well as the future of the car shopping, buying, and ownership experiences. Farley will add the role of president of Ford Model e to his list of duties.

Ford Blue, on the other hand, will “strengthen the iconic Ford vehicles” via investments in new models and related experiences and services having to do with the F-series, Ranger, Maverick, Bronco, Explorer, and Mustang. Ford says these brand experiences will range “from off-roading to performance to family activities,” particularly for “situations when ICE capabilities are required.” The Ford Blue division also intends to decrease waste and production costs as ways to streamline the internal-combustion business. Blue will support Ford Model e and Ford Pro through the global engineering, manufacturing, and testing systems that Ford already has. Kumar Galhotra, previously president of Ford North America, will become president of Ford Blue. Whatever this means for EV development, it seems clear that the traditional gas-powered Ford vehicles that buyers clearly still want are still getting Ford’s attention, not moving to any kind of back burner.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The Polestar O2 concept is a two-door, hardtop electric roadster riding on the bespoke aluminum platform set to underpin the 2024 Polestar 5.The design is similar to the Precept concept, with sharp, minimalist lines.A drone can be deployed and autonomously follow the car at up to 56 mph, filming content that can be edited and shared directly from the car.Polestar already confirmed that the stunning Precept concept from 2020 will reach production in 2024 as the Polestar 5 riding on a bespoke bonded aluminum chassis. Now Polestar is showing more of what can be done with the 5’s new platform with the O2 concept, a sharp two-door electric roadster.
The O2 (which Polestar stylizes as O₂ like the molecular formula for oxygen) features front and rear lights similar to those on the original Precept concept but with a cleaner, sleeker front bumper. The proportions are balanced, with the cabin sitting perfectly in the center of the car. There’s a blacked-out A-pillar, giving off a hint of the new Nissan Z when the hard top is up. Polestar says that the bonded aluminum chassis will increase rigidity and improve body control while also keeping weight down. No specifics about the electric powertrain were revealed.

Aerodynamics play a big role on the O2. Ducts that exit behind the front wheels help smooth airflow over the side, and Polestar says the thin taillight acts as “air blades” to quell turbulence off the rear of the roadster. There is also aerofoil behind the rear seats that extends to create a “calm area of negative pressure”—crucial for the O2’s pièce de résistance, a drone, to take off. The autonomous drone can follow the car at up to 56 mph, with the driver able to select whether they want the drone to film an “atmospheric sequence” or an “action-filled sequence.” The video can then be edited and shared directly from the 15-inch center screen when the O2 is parked. Inside, the O2 features a recycled polyester for the soft-touch areas as well as lots of aluminum. There are currently no plans to put the Polestar O2 concept into production, but since it rides on the same platform as the upcoming 5, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

When the original Gran Turismo launched on the first Sony PlayStation in 1997, each vehicle was built from 300 polygons. Today, more than 500,000 tiny triangular shapes create the cars in the latest racing simulator, Gran Turismo 7. The result of 25 years of research, processing power, and improvements is simply breathtaking.

Among the wealth of polygons are smaller details that make GT7 more beautiful than past Gran Turismo titles and, arguably, any other video game before it. It’s the static chassis slouch in photo mode from the car parked with its front wheels angled. Getting pulled off course from standing water on the racing surface. And, after an event, the audible metallic clinking from steamy brakes fresh off the circuit. That barely scratches the surface of what Gran Turismo is today, but when game studio Polyphony Digital’s CEO, Kazunori Yamauchi, said this is the most complete Gran Turismo game ever, he wasn’t playing.The Realest Driving SimulatorToday’s gaming hardware highlights some of our favorite features about GT7. Sure, it’s available on PS4, but the more powerful PS5 console connected to a 4K television is truly the best way to experience everything GT7 wants to show you. The HDR visuals during normal gameplay, and ray-tracing technology that’s only available during replay, photo, and demo modes, had us window shopping the car dealership menus just to admire the visuals.

When GT7 teased its adaptive trigger and haptic feedback functionality for Sony’s PlayStation 5 DualSense controller, racing fans rejoiced—those without an amateur NASA spaceship simulator in their living rooms, anyway. Although the adaptive triggers do deliver a sense of electronically assisted accelerator or brake like you’d find on most cars today, it’s no replacement for an actual direct-drive steering wheel and pedals. However, the resistance in both triggers does make for the most dynamic sense of driving we’ve experienced from a controller. The trigger for acceleration feels different than the trigger for braking, just like real foot pedals. Rather than shaking like an angry rattlesnake, the haptic feedback accurately adds vibration to specific parts of the controller. Put the right side of the car onto curbing, and only the right side of the controller rumbles. It’s not as impressive as the adaptive triggers, but feeling even the most subtle feedback in your hands from drivetrain or tire movement is worth the extra battery consumption.

There’s a noticeable difference between the driving physics in Gran Turismo 7 and the series’ last installment, Gran Turismo Sport. It really comes down to a better depiction of suspension travel and car control. It doesn’t seem like cars are clinging to a horizontal plane atop a flat surface anymore. The chassis twists and bends independently from the tires. This is especially obvious in the cockpit camera: as your driver saws at the wheel, there’s head bobble and shake. Wet surfaces also highlight this. The racetrack’s best line will begin to dry after lapping, returning grip and different driving characteristics to that area of the track. During a race at the Tokyo Expressway, it was raining harder in some corners than others.The 3D spatial audio was a little harder to perceive. This might be because early into our review time we opted to fully crank the engine noise, a setting in the various menu options. Players can also adjust the volume for tire squeal, transmission, and opponent’s car sound. There were no deep burbles or dramatic backfires in any of the cars we sampled from GT7, but overall the improved directional audio, surface, and wind noise helped simulate something real. The 3D audio is easier to notice in replays, as the camera pans across multiple vehicles, all shifting and accelerating at different points. It doesn’t just sound less like a herd of cars, but more like different cars at different speeds in different parts of the track. Picture ThisThe Gran Turismo photo mode, Scapes, has received more configurability options. Extra details like brake dust, tire dirt, and damage can be added to cars in Scapes mode, adding to the realism of photographing a car on snow or dirt. Now, with ray-tracing, the images created can be difficult to discern from reality. Scapes uses more than 2500 locations in over 40 countries. We found a few familiar Detroit streets (not too far from Car and Driver headquarters), parking garages, and buildings from our own photo shoots in this mode.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Replay cameras deserve a mention, too. The positions and panning during replays are the best they’ve ever been. And unlike a huge moment during a Formula 1 race, the folks in the booth seem to know when not to cut away from the action. It’s a small detail, but that’s why this series is so significant. Everything matters, down to the final 500,000th polygon.Yes, We’re OpenThe new Café location is the most guided single-player Gran Turismo experience of any title in the series. This area, along with the Licensing Center, is really where the first few hours of gameplay take place. It’s a clever way to introduce new players to the game, but people familiar with Gran Turismo are going to try to bust through the initial championships as quickly as possible. Not every location on the map is immediately available, so this is required driving and reading for every player to unlock online play, the tuning shop, and even photo mode. The Café is the inner hub of the world map. It gives objectives, pointing you where to race next and which cars to collect, but it also gives players brief historic information on each car they’ve collected. It also acts as a trophy cabinet for awards you’ve earned from winning championships.

In an effort to educate new and returning car enthusiasts, GT7 goes further than introducing cars with basic stats and specs. Historical context is given in brief excerpts throughout. The groups of cars you collect are meaningful and have things in common, sometimes showing a line of progression in either a brand or vehicle segment. Rather than make you Google car names, GT7 puts up a solid effort to provide important context for everything you unlock. Dude, Where’s My Car(s)?At launch, GT7 will carry more than 420 different cars, which is less than the number in Gran Turismo 2 back in 1999. The 420-car start is a big improvement from Gran Turismo Sport’s 168-car launch in 2017 that would later grow with free updates beyond 330 cars today. Sony says more cars and tracks will be added but hasn’t officially announced when or how many.

Sony Interactive Entertainment

So, we the public want more cars and tracks. GT7’s spectacularly detailed re-creation of everything from a 2014 Honda Fit hybrid to BMW M3 GT2 race car only strengthens this desire. There have been some exciting newer cars added to the dealerships, including the Nissan Z, the 10Best-winning Toyota GR86 from Gran Turismo Sport, and every insane Gran Turismo Vision concept. GT7 even provides your choice of either the 335-hp 2019 Toyota Supra, or the 382-hp 2020 Supra. But why is the 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor still the freshest Ford pickup in the game? Where’s the new Raptor, or better yet, where’s the 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX?One More LapWe expect the single-player progression and achievement element in GT7 to easily turn this video game into an unhealthy obsession. We spent roughly an hour or two redoing our licensing tests to beat our colleagues’ time over at Road & Track. Our favorite aspect of Gran Turismo Sport was the highly competitive online racing. GT7 has that too, and this is the title that will ultimately get people more motivated to experience the Easter Egg hunt that is finding a PlayStation 5.

Gran Turismo 7 25th Anniversary Edition – PS5 Disc & PS4 Entitlement

PlayStation
amazon.com

$89.99

Gran Turismo 7 launches March 4th. Standard Editions are available for pre-order on PlayStation 4 for $59.99 and PlayStation 5 for $69.99. Preorder bonuses include extra in-game credits, a free car pack that includes the Mazda RX-Vision GT3 concept, the Porsche 917 Living Legend concept, and the Japanese Grand Touring Championship Castrol Tom’s Toyota Supra GT500 race car. An $89.99 Digital Deluxe Edition is also available for preorder and includes extra in-game credits, PS4 and PS5 dual entitlement, and a special Toyota GR Yaris painted in your country’s special livery, as well as the game’s official soundtrack.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

If you go to the online configurator for the 2022 Dodge Challenger, you can spec all kinds of crazy combinations for paint color, stripe packages, interior trims, wheels, spoilers, hood scoops, the works. You can pick an engine ranging from a 303-hp 3.6-liter V-6 to an 807-hp SRT Super Stock. But if you want a 2022 model with the 6.2-liter Hellcat supercharged V-8, you can’t choose a six-speed manual.While I only noticed this issue today, Challenger enthusiast forums have been talking about it since 2021. I asked Dodge what’s up with the stick-shift Hellcat, and a spokesperson explained that the six-speed manual was removed from the configurator late in the 2021 model year. The spokesperson described it as a temporary situation and said that a revised calibration for this powertrain combo will be coming that will allow the stick-shift Hellcat to go on sale again. The spokesperson was not able to say when ordering will reopen for the manual Challenger Hellcat but specified that production of stick-shift models was suspended in November 2021.It’s a disappointment, for sure, because the manual Hellcat was a charming mix of modern performance and retro engagement. But fear not: Challenger R/T models with the 375-hp 5.7-liter V-8 and Scat Packs with the 485-hp 6.4-liter V-8 are both still available with a six-speed manual.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

About one in six Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 orders each year choose to pay an extra $10,000 for optional stripes, Ford tells Car and Driver.There are $1000 vinyl stripes on the options list, but the more expensive choice is a hand-painted application.The Shelby GT500’s $10K stripes are available in Absolute Black, Kona Blue, and Oxford White.In 2020, when Ford announced that the new Mustang Shelby GT500 would be offered with hand-painted racing stripes that cost an extra $10,000, we questioned how many people would actually buy the pricey option. However, it sounds like the hand-painted stripes are more popular than we imagined. We checked in with a Ford spokesperson, who told us that every year since the start of production, about one in six Shelby GT500s is ordered with the hand-painted stripes.

The 2022 Shelby GT500 carries an MSRP of $78,350, so checking the box for the expensive stripes adds nearly 13 percent to the car’s starting price. They come in three paint colors: Absolute Black, Kona Blue, and Oxford White. For shoppers who crave the striped look but want to save $9000, a set of $1000 vinyl stripes in similar shades is also available.

Ford

We were surprised to learn that approximately 17 percent of people who purchase a GT500 pay for the painted-on stripes. We were also surprised when Ford told us that overall sales of the stripes exceed those of the $10,000 Carbon Fiber Handling package, which included upgrades such as aerodynamic add-ons, adjustable strut top mounts, and 20-inch carbon-fiber wheels. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, though, since the $10K carbon-fiber kit was only offered for one year. Ford says it doesn’t track specific production numbers by packages or models, so we obviously can’t say for sure whether the stripes or the handling package was more popular for the 2021 model year, but it sounds like sales were closer than we’d have expected.

Ford

Every new Ford Mustang–including the GT500–is built at the company’s assembly plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. However, Shelby models optioned with the painted stripes have them applied after the cars leave the assembly line; it’s part of a partnership with Penske. We’ve been told the process involves hand-prepping, painting, and then clear-coating. Initially, that detailed process meant limited availability, but Ford says it has since improved production and has been able to meet customer demand.Considering the $10,000 stripes are surprisingly popular on the GT500, we asked the folks on Ford’s PR team if there are any plans to offer them on more mainstream Mustang models. They declined to comment on future products. After all, it’s hard to imagine a future when someone would pay $10K to paint stripes on a $30,000 to $40,000 pony car. Then again, we’ve clearly been surprised by Mustang shoppers’ appetite for pricey stripes before.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Ford has debuted a new generation of the Everest, a body-on-frame SUV based on the Ranger pickup.The Everest uses the same series of turbo-diesel engines as the global Ranger, as well as the gas-powered 2.3-liter EcoBoost expected to motivate the U.S.-market Ranger.The interior is very similar to that of its truck sibling, with a massive vertical touchscreen in the center console and a new digital gauge cluster behind the steering wheel.The next-generation Ford Ranger, already revealed for global markets, will hit our shores by 2023 and will bring with it a hard-core Raptor variant sporting nearly 400 horsepower, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and Fox shocks. But the U.S. will miss out on the Ranger’s SUV sibling, the Everest, with Ford revealing the next-generation body-on-frame SUV today for the rest of the world.

Ford

Ford

The Everest shares its C-shaped LED headlights and grille with the Ranger but trades the truck’s chunky front bumper for a more refined look. There is, of course, a cabin instead of a bed, as well as longer rear doors for easier access to the backseat. Horizontal taillights are connected by an Everest-branded trim piece. The interior also closely mirrors that of the Ranger, with a vertical 10.1-or 12.0-inch touchscreen in the center console and an 8.0- or 12.4-inch digital instrument cluster behind the wheel. A 360-degree camera linked to the screen helps with parking and traversing rough terrain.

Powering the Everest are a mix of turbo-diesel engines not likely to be offered on the Ranger we will receive in the United States, with a 3.0-liter V-6 positioned above single- and twin-turbocharged versions of a 2.0-liter inline-four. The gas-powered 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder expected to power the U.S.-market Ranger will become available in 2023. A six-speed automatic and 10-speed automatic transmission are available depending on trim and engine. Two four-wheel-drive systems will be offered, and certain markets will also get a rear-wheel-drive Everest. While the United States does already get a Ranger-related off-road SUV in the form of the Bronco, that won’t stop us from daydreaming about tackling dirt roads in the more subtle-looking Everest.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. 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.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

• Our Bring a Trailer pick of the day is this refurbished and upgraded 1975 Chevrolet K5 Blazer four-speed 4×4. • This model year was the last for the Blazer’s iconic removable roof.• Bidding is open on this 1975 model until Monday, March 7, with current bidding at $20,000. The 2023 Chevrolet Blazer may be a stylish crossover with pleasing road manners for the daily commute, but there’s little of it that resembles its more rugged ancestry. Fortunately, examples of that history remain available. Take for example this 1975 Chevrolet K5 Blazer 4×4, which is open for bidding until March 7 on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. Originally developed as an answer to the Ford Bronco and the International Harvester Scout, the original 1969 Blazer was essentially an SUV version of Chevy’s C- and K-series pickup trucks. The Blazer featured in this listing is from the second generation, which started in 1973 and lasted for nearly two decades. Pre-1976 models, like the one from today’s listing, featured completely removable roofs, giving them an unmistakable look on the road.

Bring a Trailer

According to the listing, this Blazer was a former forestry service truck that has since been repainted in an appropriately ’70s black-and-red motif. The 350-cubic-inch V-8 has the requisite upgrades: new cam, intake manifold, carburetor, and so on. The engine is connected to a four-speed manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case. Additional off-road improvements include a 4.0-inch lift, locking front hubs, and 33-inch tires. While a five-digit odometer means the true mileage is unknown, the listing says rust repairs were made to the floor and that the frame was sandblasted and repainted. It’s easy to appreciate the attention to detail evident in the badging and painted bowties on the quarter-panels.

Bring a Trailer

One hopes that the success of the new Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport might inspire Chevy to make a spiritual successor to the early Blazer (don’t hold your breath for a new International Scout). If not, there will surely be more examples like this one, which currently has a high bid of $20,000 in an auction set to end on Monday, March 7. If I didn’t already own a 1972 Chevy C10, I’d be tempted to place a bid.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More