Motor News

Stellantis is recalling 16,741 of its Pacifica Hybrid plug-in-hybrid minivans from the 2017 and 2018 model years over a risk of fire.In a Safety Recall Report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the automaker says it does not know what the source of the problem is.Owners are being told not to park near a home or in a garage, to keep them away from other vehicles, and not to charge the vehicles.Stellantis will recall 16,741 of its Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid plug-in-hybrid minivans over a problem with potential fires. It’s possible for a fire to happen even when the ignition is off, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The documents did not give details about where the fire might be located but did say Stellantis repurchased two vehicles last fall to investigate fires and that the company is aware of 10 additional fires in the minivans. The recall only affects hybrid versions of the minivan.

FCA US

The automaker said the “root cause is unknown” and the “remedy is under development.” The Safety Recall Report also says the issue can arise without any warning. However, there have been no reports of accidents or injuries, the report said.Owners will be notified starting April 2 of arrangements for the recall. In the meantime, NHTSA advises that owners should not charge the vehicles or park them in a garage, near a home, or near other vehicles. Owners of potentially affected Pacifica minivans can check the NHTSA recalls site for more details.

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The Polestar 5, a production version of the gorgeous Precept concept, will feature a newly created platform.The platform will be made from bonded aluminum to maximize lightness and rigidity.The automaker bills the Polestar 5 as a “performance four-door GT.” It will arrive in 2024.Last fall, Swedish electric-car maker Polestar revealed that the stunning Precept concept, first unveiled in early 2020, would reach production in 2024 and carry the name Polestar 5. Now Polestar has announced that the 5, which will serve as the brand’s flagship model, will ride on a brand-new bespoke platform.

The original 2020 Precept concept.
Polestar

This platform will be made from bonded aluminum, which should make it lightweight and, Polestar says, provide “torsional rigidity superior to that of a traditional two-seat sports- or supercar.” Polestar says that building bonded aluminum chassis has proven labor-intensive and difficult for mass production in the past, but the company says it has created a new manufacturing process that is faster and “develops both body and platform in unison.”

While the Precept concept had a 122.4-inch wheelbase (slightly shorter than that of an Audi A8), Polestar claims that the platform and body combined will “weigh less than that of cars in smaller segments.” If Polestar’s lightweight projections come true, the 5 could end up with exceptional efficiency, range, and handling for a large EV. The Polestar 5 is being developed by the firm’s U.K-based engineering team, which will add more than 200 employees this year to reach 500 engineers total. Very little is known about the powertrain of the 5, which Polestar calls a “performance 4-door GT,” but expect more information to trickle out as Polestar continues its prolonged tease of the production Precept on YouTube.
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This 2010 Honda Element EX, always a practical (and pet-friendly) choice, includes washable floorboards, moisture-resistant seating fabric, and a low and flat load floor that provides vanlike utility.The Honda Element was sold from 2003 to 2011 and shared its basic underpinnings with the second-generation CR-V.Bidding on this low-mileage, one-owner Element with no reserve ends on February 17.We love an underdog, which is why we continue to have a soft spot for Honda’s slow-selling Element. Sharing its basic underpinnings with the second-generation Honda CR-V, the Element’s bold and boxy, though not particularly pretty, design helped it stand in stark contrast to its more mundane compact-SUV kin. If you missed the chance to get one, the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—has a 45,000-mile Element from late in the SUV’s run, in an online auction that ends Thursday, February 17.

The Element’s brash looks failed to translate to any sort of sales success, with Honda moving a peak of 67,478 Elements in 2003—less than half the number of CR-Vs it sold in the same year. It’s not as though Honda left the Element out to dry, either. Sure, the brand could have done more to correct the SUV’s course, but it nonetheless continued to tweak the Element throughout the vehicle’s nine model years.

Bring a Trailer

Due to this, the 2010 Element is arguably among the model’s best vintages, as it marks the final year the vehicle was available in racy-looking SC trim or with an optional in-dash navigation system (2010 also saw the debut of the quirky $995 Dog Friendly package that included items such as a ramp, a cargo-area-mounted kennel and bed, a water bowl, and a small electric fan to keep Fido cool in warmer weather), all while benefiting from the powertrain and styling improvements introduced for the 2007 and 2009 model years, respectively. In the case of the former, this meant the car’s 2.4-liter inline-four produced 166 horsepower—up from the engine’s prior 160-hp rating—and the automatic transmission included five gears, as opposed to the 2003–2006 Element’s four. Although we still prefer the five-speed manual transmission offered in 2003–2009 Elements, we think this Element’s automatic transmission is far from a deal breaker. After all, with a curb weight of 3648 pounds, this navigation-equipped all-wheel-drive Element lacks the tossable dynamics to truly take advantage of the visceral thrill of manually swapping cogs.

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When we tested an all-wheel-drive 2010 Element EX more than a decade ago, we noted that the square-shaped SUV failed to accelerate with much gusto, suffered from a high center of gravity, and its slab sides made it susceptible to crosswinds. In other words, the Element’s dynamic competence is far from its biggest selling point. Arguably this SUV’s draw is its funky looks and versatile cabin. With its split tailgate, lack of B-pillars due to its rear-hinged back doors, and aforementioned flat load floor, the Element’s insides are essentially a blank slate. Need a reliable and reasonably fuel-efficient cargo hauler, or a camping vehicle with the chops to handle the occasional gravel or snow-covered trail? Look no further than the Element.

Bring a Trailer

The fact that this silver Element is a well-maintained one-owner vehicle with less than 45,000 miles on its odometer practically ensures this little SUV is truly in its element when partaking in such tasks. Even better, this Element’s an EX model, which means it packs the likes of trim-specific 16-inch wheels, a center console replete with a removable cooler, and the previously noted in-dash navigation system, which also brought along kit such as a backup camera and a dedicated USB port. Admittedly, you probably won’t want to rely exclusively on the navigation system’s outdated maps for directions. That said, it’s still nice to have the setup on-board in the off chance your smartphone gives up the ghost in a foreign locale.

Bring a Trailer

Yet, the real feather in the Element’s proverbial cap may be its relatively strong aftermarket support—particularly in the camping community. Want to really take advantage of the Element’s flexible and easy-to-clean interior? Then save up a few grand to fit the SUV with a pop-up camper, in the manner of classic Volkswagen vans of yore.

Although it went largely unappreciated when new, Honda’s Element is no longer the underdog it once was; many of today’s consumers seem to treasure the funky compact SUV. The last one up for BaT auction was a 55,000-mile 2010 Element EX with all-wheel drive and two prior owners. Based on the $21,300 final bid that one fetched, this one-owner model with fewer miles, offered with no reserve, is sure to break the $20,000 mark by the time this auction ends later this week.
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Porsche released a lighthearted video today in honor of Valentine’s Day, but really as a way to show the automaker’s love for the V-8 engine.Porsche introduced a V-8 in the 928 in 1977. Back then, the engine produced 240 horsepower. The V-8 in the 2021 Panamera Turbo spits out up to 620 hp.It may be Valentine’s Day, but apparently Porsche is not expressing its feelings for all-electric powertrains or V-6s. Nope, today Porsche is in love with V-8 engines. And to prove it, the company has released a short video gushing over its own special history with V-8 engines. Just wait until Porsche learns that the V-8 doesn’t have any monogamous feelings toward Porsche.
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The video explains how Porsche has been using V-8 engines for 45 years, starting with the 928 in 1977. “Eight cylinders, 90 degrees from one another in the form of a V,” the video says. “It was love at first sight.” The video then runs through a bit of Porsche V-8 history, from the Cayenne to the Panamera to racing on the Nürburgring to that time the V-8 went to college and experimented with electric power in the 918 Spyder. That vehicle “made us fall in love all over again,” the narrator says. “Now, on to a new challenge and a new era combining ideas old and new as our hybrid V-8s take to the track.”

Porsche has expressed its love for the V-8 before, like five years ago for the 40th anniversary. Then, the company explained how this first V-8, part of the 4.5-liter lightweight alloy engine in the 928, was not the first Porsche to use eight cylinders, but it was the first to arrange the cylinders in a new shape. A heart-like V, of course. Porsche said that engine had a “conspicuously low compression ratio of 8.5:1” and could use 91-octane gasoline.Porsche’s original V-8 engine produced 240 horsepower at 5500 rpm, while the second version—found in the 928S in 1979—displaced 4.7 liters and produced 300 hp. Things have come a little way since then. The V-8 in the 2021 Panamera Turbo S produces a maximum of 620 horsepower.Someday, Porsche may be over the V-8. But not today.

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Lego has released other McLaren models and some F1 cars, but this will be the first time we get an official Lego Technic version of a Formula 1 car.Decked out in McLaren’s 2021 livery, the new 1432-piece model features the kinds of Technic touches builders appreciate, like moving pistons in the engine, a working steering wheel, and F1’s DRS spoiler.The new set goes on sale next month at a price of $180.Just in time for McLaren’s reveal of the actual new MCL36 F1 race car with 2022 colors, which happened this week, Lego has taken the wraps off a large new Technic set that showcases the team’s 2021 livery (although the box confusingly calls it McLaren’s 2022 F1 car) while still able to fit on your display shelf.

Lego

McLaren’s drivers for the new MCL36 will be Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo in the upcoming season. The MCL36 is powered by a Mercedes-AMG F1 M13 E Performance engine while the Lego version uses ABS plastic to create details like moving pistons in the V6 engine as well as wheels that can be steered from the cockpit. The 1432-piece model is over five inches tall, 25.5 inches long, and 10.5 inches wide and comes with a sheet of sponsor stickers to complete the authentic feeling. Detailed Lego fans will recognize the F1 car’s massive tires from the official set for Batman’s Tumbler vehicle.

Lego

Lego and McLaren released a short video showing Norris and Ricciardo appreciating the plastic model’s active suspension and the inclusion of the Drag Reduction System spoiler. DRS was introduced in 2011 to make F1 races more exciting by allowing drivers a bit of a speed boost under certain circumstances. Ricciardo also playfully jokes that the toy model is just about the right size for Norris. “I would say everything would fit but your head,” Ricciardo said. Riccirado also said that, while he doesn’t want to brag, he could probably build the model in about six weeks.
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Lego has released at least seven other sets based on McLaren cars, according to fan site Brickset. These have included the Elva, 720S, and Senna as Speed Champion (i.e., smaller, more kid-friendly sets) as well as a more complicated Technic set for the Senna GTR that was released in 2021. Lego has also released over two dozen non-Technic sets based on F1 vehicles, many wearing Ferrari colors or Lego’s fictional Octan company.

LEGO Technic McLaren Senna GTR 42123 Toy Car Model Building Kit; Build and Display an Authentic McLaren Supercar, New 2021 (830 Pieces)

LEGO
amazon.com

$60.93

The McLaren is the first Lego Technic version of a Formula 1 car, but given the work that went into the new set, we expect Lego F1 fans to build their own models based on this design before too long. The new McLaren F1 Lego set will be available March 1 and will cost $179.99 in the U.S.
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Over the past few years, some people who rented cars from Hertz found themselves arrested when the company told police they had stolen the cars even though they claim they were legitimate renters and returned the vehicles on time.It seems now that these cases were mostly mistakes created by Hertz’s computer system when it couldn’t physically locate a car or maybe even if someone’s payment didn’t go through.Thanks in part to a CBS News investigation, a Delaware bankruptcy court judge ruled this week that Hertz will have to make thousands of pages of documents in the case public.File this bit of news under “We’ll learn more soon.” A Delaware bankruptcy court judge ruled this week that Hertz will have to back up, publicly, its claims that as many as thousands of people rented its cars and then stole them.The judge was ruling in a case brought by 230 customers who said they were wrongly arrested after Hertz told police they had stolen the vehicles—even though they claim they correctly returned them. Attorneys in the case say the 230 people involved in the case represent a larger group of about 8000 people whom Hertz accused of stealing its cars. Hertz itself pegs the number of thefts each year somewhere in the middle.

“Of the more than 25 million rental transactions by Hertz in the United States per year, 0.014 percent fall into the rare situation where vehicles are reported to the authorities after exhaustive attempts to reach the customer,” Hertz said in a statement provided to CBS News, which did the math to translate that to an average of 3500 customers stealing Hertz vehicles each year.”The vast majority of these cases involve renters who were many weeks or even months overdue returning vehicles and who stopped communicating with us well beyond the scheduled due date,” the company said in a statement to the Washington Post. Everyone seems to agree that there aren’t actually thousands of people stealing Hertz rental cars each year. The problems are more bureaucratic, such as when Hertz doesn’t know where a particular car physically is and so thinks it is missing. These kinds of problems can pop up if renters switch cars during a rental, or if they extend their rental period. The Post said that even problems with credit or debit cards can generate a theft report in Hertz’s system, which then are sent over to local law enforcement.”We’re having police act as a strong arm for private corporations and private vehicles, when this is not what taxpayer dollars are supposed to be used for.” Francis Alexander Malofiy, one of the lawyers representing the plaintiffs, told the Post.

So, soon, the public will get to see some of these reports and other data. Hertz, which emerged from its 2020 bankruptcy filing last year, had provided the information to the court under seal. The judge ruled this week that this information will now be released, in part because CBS News filed an objection to keeping this information from the public. CBS reported that within these reports lie the number of “theft” reports that the company admits were mistakes.
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The sight of a BMW police car in the U.K. is not unusual at all: 3-series, 5-series, and X5 SUVs are all relatively commonplace.However, you won’t see them doing the high-speed pursuit work they were intended for, now that a series of engine fires have happened.One town has resorted to Peugeots with 1.2-liter engines to take their place. We feel sure that will be only temporary.American gearheads visiting Europe are often quick to notice the radically different police vehicles working on the other side of the Atlantic. Plenty of police interceptors come from mainstream automakers, but European forces also often use upmarket brands, especially for high-speed duties. In the U.K. these are often BMWs, with 3-series, 5-series and X5 vehicles regularly seen patroling Britain’s motorway network in police livery.

BMW 530d Police Interceptor.
BMW U.K.

But now some have been restricted to light duties following a recent history of catastrophic fires that have affected BMWs fitted with the company’s N57 3.0-liter straight-six diesel engine. Some police forces, including Durham in the northeast of England, have reportedly ordered N57-equipped cars not to be used for high-speed pursuits. As BMWs are primarily used as interceptors and to transport firearms officers—keep in mind, police in Britain are not routinely armed—the enforced light duties mean that less appropriate cars are now being used instead. According to one media report, in Durham that means Peugeots equipped with 1.2-liter turbocharged engines are being used by traffic cops. Some other British police services have apparently chosen to dispose of N57-equipped BMWs in their fleets early.The hiatus is understandable after a series of fires involving police BMWs. While we don’t know if the N57 was a common factor to all, media reports in the U.K. have documented numerous infernos in recent years (in Kent in 2016, Liverpool in 2019, southeast London in 2019, and Swindon in 2021 for example). The most serious fire happened in December 2020 when a police officer in Cumbria, Nick Dumphries, died after the BMW he was driving caught fire as he responded to an emergency call. BMW hasn’t confirmed the exact nature of the issue but has said it won’t affect the many privately owned cars fitted with the N57 engine.

“This issue is associated with the particular way in which the police operate these high-performance vehicles. This unique usage profile puts extra strain on some components and therefore BMW has specified a special servicing program for these vehicles,” the company said in a statement. “There is no need for action on any civilian vehicles.”BMW was first named as a “key supplier” to police forces in the U.K. in 2010 by the National Policing Improvement Agency. The 330d Saloon Interceptor pictured above was particularly selected as a “high-performance pursuit vehicle” at the time. The N57 engine has been superseded by the newer B57, meaning the newest at-risk car is now more than three years old, and volumes will diminish as police fleets replace older models. Many constabularies are choosing to move away from BMW altogether, and these days police-liveried Volvos an increasingly common sight on Britain’s roads. And, yes, the Swedish company does indeed remove the 112-mph speed limiter that is fitted to all the cars it sells to civilians.

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