Motor News

• A 2008 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, powered by the wondrous M156 6.2-liter V-8, is our Bring a Trailer pick of the day with an online auction that ends on Saturday, March 26.• This was the first AMG engine designed from the ground up by the automaker’s go-fast division, and this era of AMG also represented a renewed focus on handling.• With V-8s on the continual decline among new cars, now’s the time to hang on to one of the greats.Seeing this third-generation W204 C63 AMG on BaT instantly transported me back to the fall of 2007 where I was terrorizing the roads of southern Germany in one of these as part of a very fast comparison test against the BMW M3 and Audi RS4. There was one out-of-the-way spot on an unlimited section of autobahn where the photographer wanted to do high-speed panning shots (or maybe just wanted to give us lifelong memories, because as I’m flipping back through the story now, I see none of those were used). We indulged with pass after pass, accelerating up to 150-plus mph then going down to the next exit, looping around, and repeating at least a half-dozen times. Even when not driving the Mercedes, I clearly remember how the sound of the AMG’s wailing V-8 could still hijack the cabin of the Audi or BMW.

The M156 engine is a monster of a naturally aspirated 6.2-liter V-8, the first engine developed from the ground up by the AMG division and not adapted from a lesser Mercedes powerplant; it appeared throughout the AMG lineup of the 2000s. At 3.9 seconds to 60 mph and 12.3 seconds in the quarter-mile, that 451-hp C63 was the quickest of the group by a significant margin. Even more than a decade later, it’s only a couple tenths off the pace of the most recent twin-turbo-V-8 C63, and it beats it in the rolling-start, 5-to-60-mph metric. Although it finished second to the monumental E90 M3, I’ve wanted to own an AMG with the 6.2-liter V-8 ever since.

The M156-powered AMGs have been quite affordable, too, with this particular car a low-mile example that appears to have been extremely well cared for. Bidding is currently at $34,000 with two days to go and, based on past results, might not get to $40K. Try to find an E90 M3 in equivalent condition for that price.

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But as overwhelmingly awesome as the 6.2-liter is, one of the best things about this era of AMG was a return to handling prowess in addition to straight-line speed. The C63 had a reworked front suspension with a 1.4-inch-wider track that helped it handle almost as well as it accelerated, although the downside was the worst ride quality of the group. It also could be had only with a seven-speed automatic, although it was so responsive to paddle inputs and shifted so quickly we called it “the world’s best automatic” in that comparison test.The fact that naturally aspirated V-8s, and V-8s in general, are headed for extinction make hanging on to one that much more desirable. This is a lot of car—and a lot of engine—for the money.

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A new electric startup from Austria, Deus Automobiles, will unveil its first car, the Vayanne supercar, at the New York auto show next month.Deus provided some dark teaser shots showing a low-slung car with mid-engine proportions.The Vayanne will have “technical support” from Italdesign and Williams Advanced Engineering. There’s a new electric startup in town. Yes, we know a new automaker seems to crop up nearly every week, showing off fantastical renderings of sleek EVs and touting supercar performance figures before slowly fading into obscurity when the hype dies down and the cash dries up. But the latest entrant, Deus Automobiles, which will reveal its first car next month at the New York auto show, might find more success thanks to two experienced partners, Italdesign and Williams Advanced Engineering.

Deus Automobiles

Deus Automobiles, based in Austria, has released teaser images for its first vehicle, the Vayanne, which the company says is named for Austria’s capital, Vienna. The dark images don’t reveal much, but we can clearly see a low-slung, mid-engine shape, large intakes in the front bumper, and slim LED headlights. The curve of the front end and the vertical headlights give it a whiff of Hennessey Venom F5, but we will have to wait for the full reveal to truly judge the Vayanne’s design.

Deus Automobiles

Deus hasn’t mentioned any performance specifications just yet, but the company has said that the Vayanne gains “technical support” from Italdesign, the famed design house started by Giorgetto Giugiaro, and Williams Advanced Engineering, an offshoot of the Williams Formula 1 team that has provided batteries for Formula E and Extreme E. The extent of the support from these two iconic brands is unclear, and Deus Automobiles could certainly end up being yet another electric pipe dream, but the involvement of those design and engineering powerhouses make us excited for the Vayanne’s reveal at the New York auto snow on April 13.
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This year marks the 55th anniversary of Hans Werner Aufrecht and Erhard Melcher founding a little company called AMG. Over the last half-century and change, that Affalterbach-based company has come to represent some of the most extreme sports cars on the road and the racetrack. Not one to let a milestone anniversary pass without some fanfare, Mercedes-AMG has just unveiled its most powerful customer car yet: the Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series.

Not to be confused with the former Black Series model, the Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series is a track-only weapon not suitable for road use. The car is based on last year’s roadgoing Black Series, though the team at AMG no longer had to be concerned with such trivial things as government regulations. Instead, the automaker utilized its knowledge from GT3 and GT4 racing to push the already crazy machine to its most extreme form. Under the hood still sits AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, retaining the flat-plane crankshaft of the roadgoing model. Thanks to the addition of some custom motorsports injectors and a new tune, the V-8 now cranks out 734 horsepower and 627 pound-feet of torque. Those figures represent gains of 14 hp and 37 pound-feet, respectively.

Mercedes-AMG

That power is now fed to the rear wheels via a sequential Hewland HLS six-speed racing transaxle. An adjustable racing differential is in place to help keep things orderly around the track. Mercedes-AMG has also fitted a set of four-way adjustable Bilstein dampers, complete with individually adjustable high and low-speed settings for rebound and compression. Putting that suspension to the ground is a set of 18-inch wheels, chosen due to the availability of competition tires in that size. Behind those wheels sits a set of motorsports-grade steel brakes, which feature adjustable brake balance like a proper racing car. Speaking of adjustability, the Track Series also comes equipped with 12-mode racing traction control and ABS setup. The aerodynamics package from the Black Series has also been upgraded for this track-only variant, including a higher-downforce front splitter and a revised rear wing. Even more carbon fiber has been used in the car’s Hightech Silver Magno bodywork, which helps to drop the curb weight to just 3086 pounds. That’s pretty impressive when you consider Mercedes-AMG stuck the full suite of motorsports safety equipment into the GT Track Series, including an integrated roll cage, a fire suppression system, and even an extrication hatch in the roof. That all combines to ensure the driver safety cell in the Track Series “meets the latest FIA standards,” Mercedes says.

Mercedes-AMG

The stripped interior looks ready for a proper racer, donning a steering wheel designed in collaboration with Cube Control, as well as a Bosch DDU 11 Driver Display Unit. The bucket seats look incredibly cool, and Mercedes-AMG says they provide higher levels of safety than standard FIA-approved buckets. Here’s hoping no one ever has to test that claim. Mercedes-AMG will only build 55 examples of the GT Track Series, with each example carrying an MSRP of $405,575. Customers will have to deal with Mercedes-AMG directly if they’d like to purchase one, as the Track Series is being sold directly to consumers. That does come with some benefits, as the purchase includes technical training prior to delivery, engineer support for track days or club events, a race weekend support line, and access to a supply of spares. The Mercedes-AMG GT Track Series takes an already ludicrously capable car and turns the knob up to 15. For that reason alone this thing will certainly be remembered as a high point of this era for AMG, even if the owners simply squirrel these things away. I hope that doesn’t happen, because the world deserves to see these special cars flexing their might.

Mercedes-AMG

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This 1996 Suzuki X-90 4×4 is up for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site, with bidding currently at $5000 in an auction that ends on Sunday, March 27.The X-90 has a measly 95 horsepower from its 1.6-liter inline-four, but four-wheel drive, a two-speed transfer case, and almost seven inches of ground clearance made it a capable mini off-roader.Just over 7000 were sold in the United States over a three-year production run, far below Suzuki’s targets at the time.On our May 1995 issue’s cover, we boldly proclaimed that mini-utes like the Suzuki X-90 would be “the next big thing.” Nearly 30 years later, it’s safe to say we were wrong. The subcompact crossover class may now be one of the most crowded automotive segments, but the car-based blobs on offer today could hardly be considered utes, and none of the entrants quite capture the aura of the diminutive but capable X-90. If you agree, you’ll be interested to learn that this 1996 Suzuki X-90 4×4 is up for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

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Related to the Suzuki Sidekick (known abroad as the Vitara), the X-90 was launched in 1995, with Suzuki telling Car and Driver at the time that it needed to sell 12,000 units per year in the United States in order to turn a profit. But the quirky X-90 failed to catch on, shifting just 7000 units in the U.S. over a brief three-year production run. In hindsight, the X-90’s failure isn’t surprising—starting at $15,389, the X-90 had two fewer seats than the similarly priced three-door Toyota RAV4 and less storage space thanks to the sedanlike three-box design. When new, the 1.6-liter inline-four produced 95 horsepower and 98 pound-feet of torque. Although offered with rear-wheel drive, this example features four-wheel drive, routing its power through a five-speed manual transmission and a two-speed transfer case. Nearly seven inches of ground clearance and high approach and departure angles meant the X-90 was actually decent at scampering over rough terrain—our 1996 review described it as “nimble and surefooted.” But the X-90 certainly wasn’t quick—in that test, the X-90 trudged to 60 mph in 10.8 seconds on its way to a drag-limited 94-mph top speed.

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The two-seat X-90 comes with a T-top with removable glass roof panels, and it rides on 15-inch aluminum wheels. Inside are gray cloth seats with unmistakably 1990s multicolor inserts, and the same dated pattern crops up on the door panels. This X-90 includes a factory cassette stereo, power-operated windows and locks, cruise control, and dual front airbags.The X-90 may not be the greatest car, but it certainly is unusual. As we wrote in 1995, “It says ‘different’ just as surely and eloquently as wearing your pants on your head.” The odd looks and limited interior space likely led to the X-90’s demise as it challenged the first-generation Toyota RAV4 and lost. Yet, while the puny X-90 was a sales flop, it still has a certain charm and is an interesting piece of automotive history. Bidding on this example is currently at $5000 with four days remaining.

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After providing sketches earlier this year, Honda has teased the U.S.-market Honda HR-V subcompact crossover.Judging by the image of the taillight, the HR-V will have a distinct design compared to the Europe-spec HR-V.The 2023 Honda HR-V will be revealed on April 4. Last year, Honda gave Europe an all-new generation of the HR-V subcompact crossover with a standard hybrid powertrain, but in the United States, the same HR-V that first went on sale for the 2015 model year soldiered on into 2022. Now Honda is finally prepared to give Americans a fresh take on its smallest SUV, releasing a new teaser image and confirming that the 2023 HR-V will be revealed on April 4.

The Europe-spec HR-V.
Honda

The 2023 HR-V was first previewed earlier this year in a pair of stylized sketches, but the new teaser shows what appears to be a production-ready body. Honda wouldn’t comment on differences between the Euro-spec and U.S.-market HR-Vs, but the image shows a distinct taillight design. Instead of the trendy full-width taillight seen on the European HR-V, the U.S. model appears to have sharp, separated units with a LED accent reminiscent of the lightning signature on the taillights of the current BMW 4-series. The bodywork also appears more sculpted than that of the European HR-V.

While Europe’s HR-V is hybrid only, the U.S. market is expected to receive pure internal-combustion versions. The engine lineup will likely mirror that of the Civic which offers the choice of a 158-hp naturally aspirated 2.0-liter or a 180-hp turbo 1.5-liter inline-four, but a hybrid also seems like a strong possibility. The HR-V was Honda’s third most popular SUV last year, shifting just over 137,000 units, behind the CR-V (which sold more than 360,000 in 2021) and the Pilot. As Honda readies the HR-V for the U.S. market, its European arm also announced plans for three new electrified SUVs, including the next-generation CR-V with hybrid or plug-in-hybrid options. Like the HR-V, the next CR-V is likely to have a pure gasoline powertrain option in the U.S. when it goes on sale for the 2023 model year.
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The 2023 Chevy Corvette Stingray starts at $63,195, which is $1050 more than last year’s model.Chevy also adds new 20-spoke wheel designs, optional black exhaust tips, and new color and trim options inside.The 70th Anniversary Edition package ($5995) is also new for ’23, and it can be paired with $995 stripes.For the 2023 model year, Chevy inflates the Corvette’s starting price by $1050 to $63,195. That’s for the standard-issue Stingray coupe in its base-level 1LT trim. We’re still waiting for the bow-tie brand to announce pricing for the 2LT and 3LT trim levels, the convertible lineup, and the hotly anticipated Z06 model, which was revealed late last year and is slated to arrive early this year.

While we wait and fantasize about uncorking the Z06’s glorious flat-plane-crank V-8, Chevy attempts to satiate us by releasing a shortlist of what’s new for the ’23 Corvette Stingray. It includes a selection of new 20-spoke wheel designs. These intricately styled rims can be had in gloss black for $995, in satin black with a red stripe for $1495, or in ultra-bright machined for $1995. Tech Bronze is another new color choice, but Chevy says it’s a dealer-installed accessory. Another new exterior detail applies to the optional performance exhaust system, which is now available with black tailpipes for an extra $200.Inside, the 2023 Corvette is the same as it ever was. However, there’s a new trim option called Stealth Aluminum. Folks who choose the 3LT trim level can now select an Adrenaline Red Dipped interior color scheme, which is a no-cost option. Unlike the combination of Adrenaline Red and Jet Black seats that are currently offered, the “dipped” treatment covers nearly all of the surfaces in the selected shade.

Chevrolet

Also new for ’23 is the $5995 70th Anniversary Edition package, which we’ve previously written about. The special edition commemorates the birth of the original C1 Corvette back in 1953. It comes with an exclusive black or white paint job and unique badging as well as red accents inside and out, and the option to add racing stripes for an additional $995. Chevy also says that all 2023 Corvettes, even those not optioned with the anniversary package, will feature callouts to the nameplate’s 70th birthday via interior plaques on the center speaker grille and lower rear window.
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• This 1966 Ford Mustang High Country special-edition coupe is up for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site. It’s one of 333 built from the model year to be exclusively sold by Colorado-area dealers. With three days to go, bidding currently stands at $16,750.• Though the Timberline Green paint caught my eye, the iconic coupe body reminded me I started restoring one of these in 1998.• Yes, started restoring in 1998. The internet is full of wormholes to waste endless hours. But for the automotive enthusiast, Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a great place to tune out news or the grind of the daily life and search for the vehicle you’ve always wanted. Or remind yourself of a project you started 24 years ago and have yet to complete. This 1966 Ford Mustang High Country did exactly that for me.

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During my high-school years, my father and I were looking for a restoration project. Well before things like BaT existed, we’d scour the weekly periodicals searching for the right candidate. My old man was a 20-year seasoned mechanic at the local Ford dealer, so naturally a Mustang felt right. We bought our 1966 coupe for a few thousand dollars and limped it home with the intention of having it done in two years in time for my senior prom. Oh, the joys of wishful thinking.

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Just like this High Country Special—a trim reserved for Colorado-area dealers that featured unique paint options and fender badges—our Coupe was powered by a 210-hp 289-cubic-inch V-8 backed by a three-speed automatic transmission. “Was” being the key word, because the following day ours was stripped nearly to its shell that, unlike this 74,000-mile example, featured a structure that was Swiss-cheesed with Midwest rot. The Fred Flintstone floorboards would need to be cut out, and the front subframe would require a weekend’s worth of time and countless spot-weld drill bits to free it from its original mounting position.

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Over the next few years, the structure would regain a floor and a frame, and the underbody would be ground to bare metal to be primed and finished with a rubberized undercoating. Its sheetmetal’s 30 years of dings and dents were smoothed out with body filler and countless layers of buildable primer. The beauty of restoring an old Mustang is that every single nut, bolt, and screw is available. Heck, you can even order an entire body if you want to start fresh. With new suspension hung, the transmission rebuilt, a disc brake conversion mounted, and a limited-slip differential bolted into the rear-axle, it hasn’t been touched in 22 years. I like to tell people we’re letting the primer cure.

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If you want a project, seek one out. But if you’re in the market for something turnkey like this somewhat rare 1966 Ford Mustang High Country Special, keep an eye on Bring a Trailer and do some digital tire-kicking like we do.

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The 2023 Maserati Grecale is a new crossover model that’s smaller than the Levante.It will come with either a turbo four-cylinder, a twin-turbo V-6, or an electric powertrain.The Grecale will go on sale in the U.S. this summer, with the electric Folgore model following a year later.By now we’ve all gotten used to the idea that Maserati sells sedans and SUVs, but how about a Maserati compact crossover with a four-cylinder engine? The new 2023 Grecale brings the Maserati lineup even further downmarket into the luxury SUV sphere currently occupied by models such as the Porsche Macan and Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Given that the mid-size Levante SUV makes up nearly 60 percent of Maserati sales globally, a smaller sibling was all but inevitable.
At 190.8 inches long with a 114.2-inch wheelbase, the Grecale is a bit larger than the Stelvio and Macan but has similar proportions, with a rounded greenhouse and a relatively low nose. Its grille shape and vertically oriented headlights reference the mid-engine MC20 supercar’s and represent Maserati’s latest design language that’s distinct from what we see on the older Levante, Ghibli, and Quattroporte models.

The Grecale lineup will include three gas-powered offerings at first, along with an electric variant called the Folgore coming next year that we’ve covered separately. The base GT spec comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four and a 48-volt hybrid system that makes 296 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. The Modena has a slightly more powerful version of this engine with 325 horsepower. And the top-dog Trofeo has a detuned version of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 from the MC20 that features the same pre-chamber ignition system. In this application, it makes 523 horsepower and 457 pound-feet of torque, versus the MC20’s 621 hp and 538 pound-feet.Maserati claims the four-cylinder models will get to 60 mph in the low-5.0-second range, while the Trofeo is clearly aiming for the Porsche Macan GTS, BMW X3 M, and other performance SUVs with its claimed run to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and top speed of 177 mph. An eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are standard across the board. An air suspension and adaptive dampers are optional on the four-cylinder variants and standard on the Trofeo. The performance model also gets 21-inch wheels and upgraded brakes, and both the Modena and Trofeo’s rear tires are wider than their fronts.
The Grecale’s interior is more screen-heavy than any Maserati we’ve seen before. Both the digital gauge cluster and central infotainment screens measure 12.3 inches, and there’s also a smaller 8.8-inch touchscreen lower on the dash that controls various climate and vehicle functions. Even the clock on top of the dash is digital, although its display mimics an analog watch face. Various interior trim options include open-pore wood, gloss-black inserts, and contrasting stitching, while the Trofeo has carbon-fiber trim and a different pattern for the leather upholstery.Maserati has priced the Grecale ambitiously, as it starts at $64,995 for the base GT model, significantly more than the $56,250 base Macan. A Modena Limited Edition will be available for reservations first, starting at $78,895. Pricing for the Trofeo is not yet available but it will likely start above $80,000. The Grecale will go on sale in the U.S. this summer.
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