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Nissan U.K. has modified a 1986 Bluebird (we know it as the Sentra) and made it into an electric car.The electrifying parts are added from Nissan’s Leaf EV.Fortunately, changes to the exterior were very minor, and the 1980s-vintage graphics remain.The trend of automakers putting modern electric powertrains into their vintage vehicles continues, this time with Nissan. The Japanese automaker’s British arm has performed the swap on a 1986 Bluebird (our Nissan Sentra) to commemorate 35 years of U.K. auto production. Just as Nissan established a U.S. factory in Smyrna, Tennessee, in the 1980s, the company also set up a U.K. assembly plant at Sunderland, which began churning out Bluebirds in 1986. Today, Sunderland builds the Nissan Leaf, so a Bluebird/Leaf mashup neatly bookends the factory’s history.

david shepherd, Nissan

The repowered Bluebird hatchback uses a Leaf motor and 40.0-kWh battery pack, with the cells divided between the cargo area and under the hood. Additional modifications extended to the car’s HVAC, brakes, suspension, power steering, and lighting. The charging port is located behind the original fuel-filler flap, and the stock fuel gauge shows the battery’s state of charge. The exterior is largely unchanged other than LED taillights, LED backlighting for the Nissan badge, and a set of unmistakably ’80s graphics.

david shepherd, Nissan

The Nissan Newbird joins a parade of vintage cars that have been restored and converted to battery propulsion by their makers. They include Hyundai’s 1970s Pony and the follow-up ’80s Grandeur, the Opel Manta GSe, the Ford F-100 Eluminator pickup, and Chevy’s K5 Blazer, the latter two being SEMA builds that showcased an EV crate motor. While Nissan’s Newbird EV may not be an original idea, it’s fun to see another addition to a neat trend.
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Ford has confirmed the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup’s usable battery capacities to Car and Driver. There are two options: a 98.0-kWh Standard Range battery pack targeting up to 230 miles of range, and a 131.0-kWh Extended Range pack that Ford claims will offer up to 300 miles. Orders will open next month, and the trucks will arrive in the spring.Ford often leaves out important specifications when it launches a new vehicle, such as an engine’s power output, detailed pricing, or with the new F-150 Lightning electric pickup, battery capacity. We estimated that based on initial charging duration claims, but a Ford spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver the usable sizes of both available battery packs. The upcoming electric pickup will offer two lithium-ion batteries: a 98.0-kWh Standard Range pack and a 131.0-kWh Extended Range pack.

Here at C/D, we report on usable (or net) capacity since that’s the amount of energy an EV can actually draw from the battery to propel itself. Automakers routinely release gross numbers, the amount the pack can technically hold, and if they won’t spill the beans on the pack’s net size, we’ll estimate it based on a few factors. You can read more about net vs. gross sizes here.Ford claims that the F-150 Lightning will offer up to 300 miles of range with the Extended Range battery and 230 miles on the Standard Range pack. Additionally, a post on the F-150 Gen 14 forum found that a stakeholder’s livestream allegedly stated that certain Platinum model trucks would offer 280 miles of range. However, the Ford spokesperson declined to confirm that range estimate. That top-of-the-line model is expected to start around $70,000. Ford also offers standard and extended-range battery configurations in its Mustang Mach-E electric crossover, our inaugural EV of the Year, and its net sizes are 66.0 kWh and 88.0 kWh. When the F-150 Lightning arrives next year, it will compete against the GMC Hummer EV pickup, which uses a 200.0-kWh Ultium battery and boasts up to 350 miles of range, and the Rivian R1T that’s EPA estimated at 314 miles.Orders are scheduled to open next month, and Ford says that reservation holders will receive emails inviting them to place orders. More details on the F-150 Lightning will come next month as well, which should include full pricing details—it’s likely to start around $42,000.

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The 2022 Acura MDX Type S will arrive at dealerships starting next week with a starting price of $67,745. An Advanced Package is available for an additional $5,350 and adds several interior niceties. It’s powered by the same 355-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 as the TLX Type S sedan. Acura recently resurrected the Type S badge and has already added it to three models in its lineup: the NSX supercar, the TLX sedan, and the MDX three-row SUV. The TLX Type S is on sale now, 300 NSX Type S cars will arrive in the U.S. soon, and now the MDX Type S will arrive at dealerships next week starting at $67,745.
That hefty price gets you the same turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 as the TLX, but with a nearly $15,000 premium—and a third row of seats. That engine makes 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, increases of 65 horsepower and 87 pound-feet over the standard MDX’s 3.5-liter V-6. It’s paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and Acura’s SH-AWD system, and Type S models also come with adaptive dampers, air springs, and Brembo brakes. An Advanced Package is available on the MDX Type S for an additional $5,350. It includes a head-up display, 25-speaker sound system, massaging, 16-way power front seats, wood trim, and other interior niceties.

Its $67,745 starting price makes it cheaper than fully loaded versions of the Genesis GV80, a previous Car and Driver 10Best winner that offers a bit more power from its optional twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6. While the TLX Type S sedan’s specs put it in contention with the Audi S4 and BMW M340i, the MDX lines up more closely to non-performance versions of its German three-row SUV rivals, including the $62,695, 335-hp BMW X5 xDrive40i and the $63,195, 335-hp Audi Q7 55. Notably, the Acura is even more expensive than a 375-hp Porsche Macan S.
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Lexus has fully revealed the 2023 RZ450e, sharing new photos and confirming its official name.We can clearly see a “Direct4” badge on the back, which is Lexus’ new AWD electric drivetrain.The RZ will likely go on sale in the U.S. in mid-2022.Lexus is continuing the steady trickle of information about its new electric model, the 2023 RZ. We now have confirmation that it will be called the RZ450e and that it will offer the company’s new Direct4 all-wheel-drive dual-motor powertrain setup. These additional photos also show the RZ’s exterior design in full, although we still haven’t seen the interior.

What we know so far about the Direct4 drivetrain, as designated by a badge on the rear of the RZ, is that it will use front and rear electric motors that provide 200 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque each. The company hasn’t shared a total output figure, but this combination in the RZ should provide plenty more power than the Toyota bZ4X’s dual-motor powertrain with two 107-hp electric motors that makes just 215 horsepower in total.
The RZ450e otherwise looks to have a similar shape as the bZ4X and its sibling, the Subaru Solterra. Lexus will surely spruce up the interior to match its luxury billing with nicer materials, but it will otherwise be similarly sized inside and offer five seats. Competitors will include the Audi Q4 e-tron, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Nissan Ariya, and Tesla Model Y.We’re estimating the RZ450e’s base price at around $50,000, and it will arrive in the U.S. sometime in 2022. Look for more information to come early next year as we learn more about the RZ’s official specs, interior trimmings, EPA driving range, and price.
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Land Rover has shared more information about the 2023 Range Rover SV, which will sit at the top of the new model’s lineup.All SV models come with a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 engine with 523 horsepower.It will be available in short- and long-wheelbase configurations and orders open in early 2022.In case you’re worried about your new Range Rover resembling your neighbor’s too closely, the range-topping SV trim level arriving for 2023 should alleviate your fears. It will offer numerous customization possibilities for the exterior and interior, so much so that Land Rover claims 1.6 million different configurations are possible. Available in short- and long-wheelbase forms, the 2023 Range Rover SV will be available to order starting in early 2022, and you’ll have plenty of choices for how to make it your own.

For starters, the SV has a different front grille and bumpers compared with the SE, HSE, and Autobiography models, plus a distinctive ceramic SV badge. It offers seven different wheel options and 14 colors in addition to the standard palette. You can even do a custom paint-to-sample of just about any hue imaginable for an extra charge.

Land Rover

Inside, you’ll have your choice of several different leather upholsteries along with a special fabric option. The shifter and many other knobs inside the cabin are ceramic, while a variety of wood veneers are also available. Two different interior “themes” include either Serenity or Intrepid. And the long-wheelbase model will offer an optional four-seat setup with a fold-down table and refrigerator. Now that’s decadence.The SV comes standard with the optional 523-hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8 engine that’s sourced from BMW. Range Rover hasn’t yet announced a price for the SV, but we think it could have a starting price approaching $200,000—and that’s before you start customizing it to fit your own tastes. It will be available to order starting in early 2022.
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Mazda dropped the automatic transmission from two of the Miata’s trim levels for the 2022 model year. The six-speed automatic is now only available on the top Grand Touring model. The Miata is powered by a 181-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and pricing starts at $28,315.Mazda is showing that it’s on the enthusiast’s side by dropping the automatic transmission from two of the MX-5 Miata’s three trim levels for the 2022 model year. This is a big deal because it’s usually the other way around with new performance cars; the Chevy Corvette, for instance, recently dropped the manual gearbox altogether. Mazda continues to #SavetheManuals, and we appreciate it.

Mazda

Previously available on all trims, the six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters is now only available on the top-of-the-line Grand Touring model, which gets dark silver 17-inch wheels and newly available Terracotta leather seats. The Sport and Club models can only be equipped with the six-speed manual, which is the way you should buy a Miata anyway. And the Club model can be equipped with a Brembo BBS Recaro package that adds Brembo brakes, 17-inch forged BBS wheels, and heated Recaro seats for $4,500.

Mazda gave the Miata a revised 2.0-liter inline-four engine for 2019 that gave it 181 horsepower and helped the manual-equipped car zip to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds in our testing. In that test of the new car in 2019, we said that the six-speed manual, which was also tweaked for that model year, moved “through the H-pattern with a bit more finesse than before.” Available at dealerships in the coming months, the 2022 MX-5 Miata starts at $28,315 for the Sport and $31,815 for the Club, and we suggest you buy one of those models.
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Drift star Ken Block has teamed up with Audi to create the S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron, an all-electric bruiser that will feature in his next video.The Hoonitron is built on a carbon-fiber chassis and features two electric motors for all-wheel drive.Block began a partnership with Audi in September to focus on electric mobility.Ken Block has competed in more than 80 rallies and over 60 rallycross events, but he is best known for his viral Gymkhana Youtube series where he performs ludicrous driving stunts involving jumps, donuts, and drifts. Block parted ways with longtime partner Ford earlier this year—an alliance that helped create beasts like this 1400-hp Mustang—and announced in September that he will begin working with Audi “in the field of electric mobility.” While that phrase may call to mind e-scooters and robotaxis, Block and Audi’s first collaboration couldn’t be more different: The Audi S1 e-tron Quattro Hoonitron is a muscular, bewinged electric coupe that promises plenty of tire smoke.
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The Hoonitron draws inspiration from the Audi Sport Quattro S1, which conquered the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in the 1980s. Block’s newest ride features a long hood, chunky wheel arches, plenty of vents carved into the bodywork, and towering wings at the front and rear, just as on the original S1. Audi’s design team in Ingolstadt reportedly took the Hoonitron from initial sketches to final design in just four weeks, and development was conducted by Audi Sport at Neckarsulm, where the R8 and e-tron GT are produced.

Audi

Not many specifics were given about the Hoonitron’s powertrain, but Audi says the two electric motors provide “power galore” to all four wheels. The car is built around a carbon-fiber chassis and is constructed to the safety standards of the FIA, which governs Formula 1 and the World Rally Championship. The Hoonitron will appear in Block’s next video, titled Elektrikhana, which will be released within the next few months.
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Over 900 horsepower, lots of carbon fiber, and an extremely limited edition. Say hello to the new Ford Shelby GT500KR, nicknamed the King of the Road.Shelby will only built 180 GT500KRs—60 each from 2020, 2021, and 2022—as well as 45 for the international market. This is well below the two previous editions, which were built in 1968 and 2008–2009.Shelby will start building the new GT500KR in early 2022, with the first public unveiling scheduled for the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction in January.Shelby American is returning to the past for its latest street-legal, limited-run Mustang special edition: an updated version of the Ford Shelby GT500KR. The new GT500KR is part of Shelby American’s 60th-anniversary celebration, which takes place in 2022. Every 2022 model that Shelby will make next year will come with a 60th-anniversary badge, starting with the Shelby GT500KR, also known as the King of the Road.

Ford fanatics won’t need to see the badge to know what they’re looking at when they see the new GT500KR. This will only be the third time Shelby will release a King of the Road GT500—the others were in 1968 and 2008—and it will stand out thanks to a carbon-fiber hood as well as a carbon-fiber front splitter and rear diffuser. New performance-spec tires will ride on one-piece 6061-T6 forged aluminum wheels (20 x 11.0 front and 20 x 11.5 rear). Shelby rocker stripes and badges, a Shelby hood strut system, and leather seat re-covers are all part of the standard upgrade.

Shelby American

All of the GT500KR’s visual cues are backed up by an upgraded 5.2-liter V-8 powertrain that will offer more than 900 horsepower when using 93-octane fuel, thanks to a 3.8-liter supercharger with a high-volume intercooler and heat exchanger. The MagneRide suspension has been recalibrated, and there are Shelby adjustable front and rear springs, along with Ford Performance front and rear sway bars.On top of all of those standard features, optional components include a Shelby widebody kit, a polished supercharger, painted stripes, rear-seat delete with harness bar, and Le Mans–style over-the-top stripes. Shelby said it will only make 225 units of the 2020–2022 model year GT500KR, well below the numbers it made in previous years. Shelby said that 1570 units of the first GT500KR models were sold in 1968: 1053 fastbacks and 517 convertibles. Those models used a 428 Cobra Jet V-8 that was rated at 335 horsepower. When Shelby and Ford brought the GT500KR name back in 2008 and 2009—this time with 540 horsepower—it first made 1000 units, but then decided to make 712 more due to high demand, despite our 2008 assessment that the $80,000 vehicle was the “Most Ridiculously Overpriced Mustang Ever.” The price for the new edition? $127,895, or just $54,995 for the KR package if you bring your own 2020–2022 Shelby GT500 (only 60 packages will be available). The starting price for a 2022 Shelby GT500 is $72,900.Shelby will make 180 GT500KRs, 60 for each model year, to be sold in the U.S. That leaves 45 for overseas buyers. Production will start in the first quarter of 2022, but the new Shelby GT500KR will be revealed to the public at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale event in January, with the first production car being auctioned there January 29 to benefit charity.
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