Motor News

Following up on 278 complaints from consumers, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating the automated emergency braking systems in Honda’s Accord and CR-V.The investigation covers the 2017–2019 CR-V and the 2018–2019 Accord.The NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation will look into what it describes as “inadvertent activation of the collision mitigation braking system” in the two models.Honda has been working toward the goal of having its Honda Sensing driver-assist safety technology as standard on every vehicle, and that package includes automated emergency braking (AEB). Already in 2018, a million Honda vehicles were so equipped. Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced it’s launching an investigation into the system, after 278 complaints that the braking can happen unnecessarily when there is no obstacle in the vehicle’s path. Of the complaints, 107 involved 2018 or 2019 Accord sedans, and 171 involved the 2017–2019 CR-V crossover. NHTSA said in its initial document that six of these cases involved collisions and minor injuries. Honda calls its AEB system the “collision mitigation braking system” (CMBS).

Tesla has also come under NHTSA investigation this month over “phantom braking” in its 2021 and 2022 Tesla Model 3 and Model Y electric vehicles, also involving an automated emergency braking system.

2017 Honda CR-V.
Honda

Honda was one of 20 automakers that agreed to a plan to make AEB standard on at least 95 percent of its vehicles by 2022, saying it intended to meet that goal two years ahead of schedule. Earlier this month Honda released a statement saying its full safety suite, Honda Sensing, “is now standard or available on all new Honda models, found on nearly five million Honda vehicles on U.S. roads today.” It is unclear whether the problem reported on the 2017–2019 CR-V and 2018–2019 Accord could affect other Honda vehicles or newer models of those two vehicles, but at this time those are the only ones that are part of the NHTSA probe.When asked about that, a Honda spokesperson told Car and Driver, “Each model’s ADAS [Advanced Driver Assistance System] setup is slightly different based on the inherent vehicle differences, and with each generation change, programming evolves.” The automaker also issued a statement saying: “Honda will cooperate with NHTSA through the investigation process, and we will continue our own internal review of the available information.”

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U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Perhaps trying to compete with Tesla’s Dog mode, Ford has filed a patent application for something called Pet mode, which would allow drivers to remotely control things including windows and temperature.If your dog is the kind of spoiled furry friend who has its own masseuse, Ford has also considered implementing a way for the car to play “relaxing music for the pet’s enjoyment.”Tesla started offering its Dog mode feature around four years ago as a way for drivers to make sure any animals left inside of one of the company’s EVs don’t get too hot or cold, and that passersby would see a notification that lets them know the car is comfortable for the pet.Automakers haven’t shied away from making their vehicles more pet friendly in recent years, from the Subaru Loves Pets campaign to Tesla’s Dog mode. Ford might someday join the pet party thanks to a new patent that describes a way to remotely create a pet-friendly automotive environment whether you’re leaving your dog in a parked car or just trying to make them happier onboard.

Ford’s patent application, which was filed in 2018 and published this past week, talks about ways to use the key fob or a smartphone app to make a parked vehicle more comfortable for a pet by, for example, lowering one or more windows, adjusting the temperature level, opening the sunroof or the trunk lift gate, and maybe tilting or folding some seatbacks down to give a pet more space. The pet button on a future fob could also be used to open doors and allow your pet to hop in the car. For the truly pampered animal companion, the system would also allow the car to play “relaxing music for the pet’s enjoyment.”

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Ford also throws a bit of shade against the old-school ways of driving with pets onboard. “Although some pet owners simply put their pet in a cage in the back of a vehicle,” the patent application says, “others wish to provide better conditions.” The problem, as Ford sees it, is that “the process of creating such an environment (e.g., lowering windows, manually tilting back seats) can be cumbersome.”As a patent application, the filing doesn’t get into every possible feature of some future Ford Pet mode option or exactly how the company might implement this kind of technology. Even so, we can learn about some of the things Ford is thinking about as it might try to make its vehicles more pet friendly. For one thing, the system might have an RFID sensor that tries to communicate with an RFID tag attached to a pet or it might use infrared sensors or a probabilistic model to determine if there is a pet inside the vehicle.The patent was first published by Ford Authority, which suspects that Ford is thinking of adding this technology to its electric vehicles. Tesla Dog mode operates in a manner similar to what Ford is proposing here, while being a bit more advanced. Dog mode uses the inherent benefit of having an electric vehicle with a large battery to basically operate as a little climate-controlled cabin for any waiting animals inside the vehicle. Anyone who has to leave a pet in the car can simply turn on the Keep Climate On setting on the car’s climate controls and, when selecting dog mode, a message is displayed on the large screen that reads: “My owner will be back soon. Don’t worry! The heater [or A/C] is on and it’s XX degrees.” If the car’s battery runs low, the driver will get a push notification on their phone to come and check on the pet.
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The Morgan Super 3, the replacement for the iconic 3 Wheeler, switches to a Ford 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine.The new car also features Morgan’s first monocoque structure.The Super 3 is on sale in the U.S. now, with first deliveries expected before the end of the year.While we loved the quirky Morgan 3 Wheeler, we always knew that it wouldn’t get to grow nearly as old as the English sports-car maker’s other long-lived models. That was because the S&S flat-twin engine that powered it, which defined both its frontal appearance and its driving behavior, was barely able to pass stringent European emissions standards back when the car was new in 2013. By the time it retired in 2020, its air-cooled engine had been strangled like a malaise-era V-8, its output cut to just 82 horsepower—early ones had made 116 hp—while the rising cost of the U.S.-made powerplant had pushed the 3 Wheeler’s price up to a hefty $59,000.

Which is why you’re looking at a new and substantially different three-wheeler from Morgan: the new Super 3. The biggest change is obvious from the first glance: the loss of the motorcycle engine for a water-cooled powerplant in the form of a 1.5-liter Ford three-cylinder engine. But the rest of the car has been substantially modernized, too, and we’re promised that the version that will be reaching U.S. buyers later this year will be cheaper, faster, and better to drive than its characterful predecessor.
The new engine has dramatically altered the Super 3’s front-end appearance. The Super 3 now features a mesh grille covering the bulkier motor where the old car’s cylinder blocks were on proud display. Morgan’s designers have chosen a much squarer design to surround the bulkier new powerplant. It stands in contrast to the curved teardrop shape further back, with an exposed cast metal crossmember acting as both a mounting point for the front suspension and a design element. Europe-market Super 3s will have their headlights mounted farther out, as seen here, but U.S.-bound examples—which are legally regarded as motorcycles—must have theirs mounted closer to the centerline within the grille aperture.
The Ford engine produces peaks of 118 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque and will work against a claimed dry weight of just 1400 pounds. Morgan is anticipating a zero-to-62-mph time of around seven seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. As before, power is channeled through a five-speed manual gearbox from the Mazda Miata; a six-speed was considered, but the extra ratio was reckoned unnecessary. This drives a bevel box to turn a belt connected to the single rear wheel, the layout meaning there is no need for a differential. Nor is there any power steering or ABS for the braking system, so Morgan hasn’t become too modern. The offset design of the thin front wheels, which will be available in both 13- and 14-inch sizes, has tightened the turning circle compared to the old car. For brakes, Morgan continues to use discs at the front and a drum at the rear.
The Super 3’s structure is another significant innovation for this most traditional of car companies, marking the brand’s first use of monocoque construction. That also means, even more shockingly, that the Super 3 doesn’t have its bodywork mounted to a wooden substructure, a feature that has been common to every previous Morgan since the firm’s foundation. Instead, the whole body is made from superformed aluminum. As before, there are no doors or roof, with different sizes of plastic windscreens being offered as options. External accessory rails will allow bags, carriers, and even cameras to be clipped on; their design is protected by the first patent Morgan has ever registered.The minimalist cabin is designed to be entirely weatherproof; Morgan says it is possible to clean the interior with a jet wash. Switchgear and the twin round digital displays in the center of the dashboard all meet the international IP4 standard for dust and water resistance. Seats are fixed, but the pedal box moves for different-size drivers. Material choice will include vinyl, saddle leather, and tough “adventure spec” fabric. Buyers will be able to choose from a wide range of colors, and, as with the old 3 Wheeler, some visually striking graphics packs.We don’t have finalized pricing yet, but Morgan promises the Super 3 will be both cheaper and better equipped than the P101 runout edition of the old car. The first U.S. customers will be getting their cars before the end of the year.
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This adorable 1948 Crosley CC Four is our Bring a Trailer pick of the day.The CC Four stood out among the chrome-covered barges of post-war America, powered by a 0.7-liter inline-four. The blue-and-white Crosley was restored by the previous owner, including a fresh paint job.When you think of cars from the postwar era, you likely picture gigantic boats stretching nearly 20 feet long, bedazzled in chrome trim and sprouting jet-age fins from the rear fenders. But not every vehicle that emerged after the end of World War II was a portrait of American excess. One of the few companies not building lavish boulevard cruisers was Crosley, which focused instead on lightweight subcompacts. Its most popular model was the CC Four, and this station-wagon example is now for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos.

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Crosley launched its first car in 1939, a tiny two-door that competed with the American Bantam. The company continued building road cars into 1942, with wartime fuel rations making the efficient little runabouts an attractive choice. In 1946, civilian production resumed with the new CC Four, which was offered in a plethora of body styles: sedan, two-door convertible, station wagon, panel van, pickup, and even a convertible wagon called the Sport Utility. The CC helped Crosley reach new heights, more than tripling sales to over 20,000 units in both 1947 and 1948, but reliability woes hurt the brand’s reputation. Crosley launched a miniature sports car called the Hotshot and an off-roader called the Farm-O-Road, but sales plummeted and the company ceased production in 1952.

Bring a Trailer

Bring a Trailer

This blue-and-white 1948 Crosley CC Four station wagon represents the most common Crosley, but the little long-roof is a fairly rare find today. Powered by a 0.7-liter inline-four mated to a three-speed manual transmission, the rear-wheel-drive CC is not a fast car, and it would probably struggle to reach the 70-mph limit shown on the speedometer. You probably wouldn’t want to get going that fast anyway, since stopping power is provided by drum brakes at each wheel.

The tiny red-painted 12-inch wheels are wrapped in 155/80 Kumho Power Star 750 tires, and the car comes with a matching spare. Inside, the two front seats and narrow rear bench are cloaked in a brown vinyl, with olive door panels topped off with faux-wood trim. The CC Four won’t win you any light-to-light drag races, but the cheerful little Crosley would certainly stand out in traffic and it represents an unusual piece of automotive history. This is one of the cleaner Crosleys to crop up on Bring a Trailer, with the previous owner having bought it as a running project car and refurbishing it, including a fresh layer of paint. Bidding is already past the $10,000 mark with five days to go.

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Ford is adding a HOSS 3.0 suspension package to the Bronco Wildtrak that includes Fox 2.5 dampers. The package also includes a front bumper with tow hooks and integrated fog lights.It costs an extra $2505 and is exclusive to reservation holders and order holders with unscheduled build dates. Ford’s Raptor lineup is now pretty stacked with the new Ranger Raptor revealed yesterday, and Raptor-specific equipment is trickling down into the mainstream lineup. The Bronco Wildtrak, which was previously was the most off-road-ready Bronco from the factory, will be available with a new HOSS 3.0 (High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension) package for the 2022 model year that includes Fox internal-bypass dampers.

Ford

Unlike the Bronco Raptor, which uses 3.1-inch diameter adaptive dampers from Fox, the Bronco Wildtrak uses 2.5-inch units that are also found on the new Ranger Raptor. These dampers are designed for high-speed off-roading and are meant to hold up better over time, as their aluminum bodies shed heat more effectively compared to the standard Wildtrak model’s Bilstein dampers that are included in the Sasquatch package. The Bronco Wildtrak rides on 35-inch all-terrain tires compared to the standard 37s on the Raptor.

Wildtrak models with the HOSS 3.0 package also get the Bronco Raptor’s steering rack, which is derived from the F-150 Raptor’s, and stronger inner and outer tie rods. The package also includes a rear stabilizer bar. A powder-coated front bumper hides tow hooks and fog lights, and there’s added protection with steel skid plates. The Bronco Wildtrak’s HOSS 3.0 package is exclusive to reservation holders and unscheduled order holders, and models so equipped are scheduled to arrive this summer. It’s available on both two- and four-door models and costs $2505 on top of the Wildtrak’s $49,275 starting price.
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The Ford Bronco didn’t just create a stir when it was first revealed in summer 2020. The conversation has continued nonstop since then, whether we’re talking about exciting new variants such as the Everglades and Raptor or the unfortunate chip-shortage-related delays that have left throngs of SUVs sitting in snowy parking lots awaiting certain parts. While many would-be owners are still waiting for their Broncos to arrive, we decided to play around on the 2022 Bronco’s online configurator to see if our own preferences have changed since we last built our ideal 2021 Bronco specs. As predicted, we have our eyes on the 400-hp Raptor and snorkel-ified Everglades.

Connor Hoffman’s $74,475 Bronco Raptor

Ford

Ford

Have you seen the Bronco Raptor’s fender flares? They’re huge, so I’d get a “Braptor” in Shadow Black to help hide them and delete the Raptor graphic on the rear fender since I think it looks out of place not as a bedside graphic. The wide stance looks better this way, although there are some other great color choices such as Eruption Green. I prefer the cheaper of the two 17-inch beadlock-capable wheel options ($1695), and I’d get wheel locks for $90. I’d keep the vinyl seats because I’ll be getting the interior muddy on a regular basis, and I’d opt for the adaptive cruise control and a wireless charging pad included in the Lux package. This build sums up to $74,475, which is $1685 less expensive than my preferred spec of the F-150 Raptor (my truck of choice). Now I’m just left waiting for the F-150 Raptor R. –Connor HoffmanDavid Beard’s $55,665 Bronco Everglades

Ford

Ford

The essential tool is one that is used the right way. As intriguing as the high-flying, desert-pounding Bronco Raptor might be, it’s overkill for most midwestern flatlanders. The Bronco Everglades better suites my two-tracking, mud-slinging ways. The push bumper will come in handy when there’s a tree to push over and the standard Warn winch is there to lend a hand when the sludge gets too deep. And of course, there’s the snorkel when it’s time to take a bath in up to 36.4 inches of water. The $54,495 Everglades is essentially fully loaded both inside and out, including all the off-road goodies of the Sasquatch package. I’d select the rubber floor ($160) and cargo area protector ($120) because this thing will get dirty. The $295 Desert Sand paint should provide excellent camouflage as to where I’ve been and the $595 Towing package uncorks the ability to tug up to 3500 pounds of stuff, so why not. All in, I’m at $55,665 for an extremely capable off-road rig. See ya in the bog. –David BeardAustin Irwin’s $72,195 Bronco Raptor

Ford

Ford

I typically spec vehicles the most frugal way. But when it comes to the Ford Bronco, to hell with all that. My Code Orange Bronco Raptor is like a supercharged Atomic Orange first-generation Nissan Xterra on booger sugar. The Bronco Raptor build-and-price tool doesn’t offer much configurability but allowed a little room for personality. I stuck with the hardtop and opted for the free and optional roof sound deadener. The optional black 17-inch wheels ($1695) were the best-looking of what was available, but arguably not as stylish as a set of steel Cragars. I added the keyless entry pad ($110) because everyone driving their grandma’s Grand Marquis raves about it. For no extra cost, Ford will spare you the silly Raptor graphics, which is good, because the only stickers that belong on this thing start with a “O” and end in “RV.” I stuck with the standard black vinyl seats and didn’t upgrade to the optional Lux package because it included adaptive cruise control. More driver-assistance features? Sorry, we don’t let the computers drive our cars in this family. We drive to Bass Pro Shop with the traction control off like our Founding Fathers intended. The Raptor’s humongous tires, giraffe-like suspension travel, and intimidating plastic fender flares make it look like an American Unimog. Oh, and I made sure to add the Code Orange accent seatbelts ($395), because I’m sure thin orange lines will have a political affiliation eventually, and after listening to those 37-inch rubbers howl across I-94 at 80 mph for a week, I’ll be willing to pander to whoever I can before the end of my lease. –Austin IrwinGreg Fink’s $55,210 Bronco Everglades

Ford

Ford

It seems you can take the man out of Florida, but you can’t take Florida out of the man, because this born-and-raised Floridian who now calls the Midwest home absolutely adores the Ford Bronco Everglades. It’s for all the wrong reasons, too. Sure, the Everglades packs some added goodies, such as its front-mounted winch and snorkel air intake, the latter of which helps it ford up to 36.4 inches of water, but the SUV’s real pièce de résistance is its basic appearance. That’s right, I’m picking a Bronco Everglades over a Bronco Raptor for purely superficial reasons—it’s the Florida way. As such, I’m opting to lean further into the superficial by dropping $295 on a coat of trim-exclusive Desert Sand paint (I love the way it contrasts with the Everglades’s model-specific 17-inch wheels, which come wrapped in meaty Goodyear mud-terrain tires). Add in convenience features such as a $110 keyless entry pad and a $310 tailgate table, and “my” Bronco Everglades leaves the line with a sticker price of $55,210. Yes, a base 330-hp Bronco Wildtrak four-door costs $2490 less than this 300-hp Everglades, but the V-6 variant nevertheless lacks the style of Ford’s newly introduced four-cylinder trim. And in Florida, style tends to trump substance. –Greg Fink

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Polestar is partnering with major automotive suppliers, targeting to create a car using zero carbon emissions by 2030.As part of the Polestar 0 Project, the supply partners include Autoliv, maker of safety equipment, and ZF, which builds electric powertrains.As Volvo’s all-electric arm, Polestar’s lineup includes the four-door 2 hatchback and the upcoming 3 SUV. Polestar wants to develop a car by using zero carbon emissions, and it’s partnering with major suppliers in the automotive industry in an attempt to do so. The company committed to creating a carbon-neutral car last year, naming the initiative the Polestar 0 Project.

The project’s stated goal is to eliminate carbon emissions from the supply chain, essentially changing how vehicles are made. When it was first announced last year, Polestar’s plan included creating the carbon-neutral car by 2030 and for the whole company to be fully carbon-neutral by 2040. The latest step toward making those goals a reality is today’s news that Polestar has signed letters of intent to collaborate with several important suppliers in the industry.

Polestar

These suppliers will specialize in producing zero-carbon everything, from aluminum parts to steel to electrical components. Among the most notable suppliers are Autoliv and ZF. The former is focusing on safety equipment like airbags and seatbelts, while the latter is handling electric powertrains and how they can contribute to eliminating carbon emissions.Polestar also says it isn’t finished fishing for partners to help efforts for complete carbon neutrality. The Swedish company says it’s looking for additional collaborators beyond the automotive sector, with invitations to be extended over the next four weeks to researchers and organizations around the globe.For those unfamiliar with Polestar, it more recently morphed from Volvo’s performance subbrand into its own all-electric brand. After the limited-production Polestar 1 coupe’s end of production last year, the lineup currently consists of just the Polestar 2, a four-door hatchback-sedan creation. However, the Polestar 3 SUV and Polestar 5 sedan will come to market over the next couple of years and likely help grow the company’s cachet.
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This Intermeccanica Italia Spyder is a genuine work of art from the 1960s, easier to afford than a Ferrari of the era and yet redolent of its own glorious history.Plus, just look at it.The car is up for auction on Bring a Trailer, and bidding is at $100,000 with six days to go. The auction ends on Monday, February 28.This is no Faux-rari. The Intermeccanica Italia Spyder is original 1960s artwork that rarely comes up for sale and yet is many lifetimes more attainable than the museum pieces from Maranello, Italy. Put your fingerprints over this fast and confusing convertible if you can check your ego and memorize a script. Every stop in this red sports car will provoke a lengthy conversation, so the next owner who buys this 1969 model on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—needs to be extra patient.

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Intermeccanica was founded in 1959 by a Canadian couple who, like anyone who visits Italy for the first time, fell madly in love with the country. Frank and Paula Reisner were beatnik 20-somethings, originally from Hungary and Czechoslovakia, buzzing around in a Fiat 500 and camping in the woods. Italmeccanica was a supplier to Fiat. Frank liked the name, changed it to Intermeccanica, and apparently without any trademark complaints, the couple started an aftermarket parts company in Turin. Building carburetors and exhausts ignited a deeper passion to craft custom bodies on a supplied chassis—a true carrozzeria or coachbuilding company like a Bertone or Pininfarina. After their modified Puch 500 beat an Abarth in a race, Abarth himself got so angry he demanded Fiat revoke Puch’s contract with Intermeccanica. The company had made its mark.

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The Italia was a follow-up to the Apollo, a gorgeous coupe with a Buick V-8. Intermeccanica teamed with Robert Cumberford, a former General Motors designer and a respected automotive journalist, who penned a hardtop version called the Griffith at the behest of Jack Griffith, a TVR dealer in Long Island, New York. When that venture failed, the Griffith was renamed Omega, then Torino, and finally Italia after trademark protests from General Motors and Ford and a lawsuit between Cumberford and Griffith. With all that drama, it’s no wonder those cars are rarer than the Italia, which sold roughly 400 copies between 1967 and 1973.

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With a 351-cubic-inch Ford Cleveland V-8 and a four-speed manual transmission, this lightweight two-seater is a steal next to other period Italian-American mashups like the Vignale-bodied, Chrysler-powered Cunningham. This same Italia with 34,000 miles sold at the 2018 Amelia Island auction for $147,840. At the time, Bonhams reported a $10,000 restoration. A year later according to BaT, the owner paid to rebuild the engine (which makes an impressive 319 horsepower on the dyno).

Bring a Trailer

Intermeccanica still exists in Vancouver and churns out Porsche 356 replicas under Frank’s son Henry. Their badge includes the original Prancing Bull that’s now behind a British Union Jack in the shape of a Porsche crest. It’s all one hell of a roundabout story that deserves to be told at the new owner’s next car show.

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