Motor News

GMC has revealed the front end of the 2023 Sierra EV, an electric pickup truck.Like the gas-powered equivalents, the Sierra is likely to be mechanically identical to the upcoming Silverado EV.GMC will reveal the truck in full in 2022 and plans to build it in Michigan.GMC is looking to be the first automaker to sell not just one but two electric pickup trucks. The 2023 GMC Sierra EV is set to join the existing GMC Hummer EV soon, and we now know what its front end will look like thanks to this teaser photo. With a blocked-off grille and a futuristic lighting setup, the electric version of this pickup is likely to look far more futuristic than the gas-powered Sierra.

Like the Hummer EV and the closely related Chevy Silverado EV that’s also scheduled to debut in 2022, the electric Sierra will use GM’s Ultium battery packs that should provide up to 400 miles of range. Many of the tidbits about the Silverado EV that Chevy has shared—such as its fixed glass roof and rear-wheel-steering setup—should apply to the GMC model as well. Predictably enough, the GMC EV will offer a range-topping Denali trim level.We don’t have an exact reveal date for the Sierra EV yet, but look for it to debut within the first half of 2022. GMC plans to build it alongside the Hummer and Silverado at its Factory Zero plant in Michigan.
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The good news: The 2021 Ford Bronco four-door SUV achieved the top Good rating in five of the six crashworthiness tests administered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the group announced today.The less-good news: The Bronco didn’t do well enough to earn IIHS Top Safety Pick honors because it got a Marginal rating for headlights and was only rated Acceptable in the head restraint test. Its major competitor, the 2021 Jeep Wrangler, likewise has no Top Safety Pick designation, although for different reasons.The 2021 Ford Bronco four-door SUV has completed the full set of crash and safety testing from the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). While the new Bronco achieved the top Good rating in five of six crashworthiness tests, it fell short of earning Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ honors. Its smaller stablemate, the Bronco Sport, did make the Top Safety Pick+ list for 2021 with Good ratings in all six evaluations.

IIHS

The Bronco lost points for its head restraints, which were only rated Acceptable (possible ratings are Good, Acceptable, Marginal, and Poor). The IIHS measures the restraints based on an average male occupant’s height and the distance behind the person’s head, stating the restraint should be about 3.5 inches below the top of the person’s head and with as small a distance from the back of the head to the restraint as possible. In rear-end crash testing, the test dummy’s neck was “subject to moderate force” and the Bronco’s seat didn’t support the occupant’s head and neck well, indicating that occupants may not be protected well enough against whiplash injuries, the organization said in a statement.

IIHS

The Bronco is sold with a choice of two headlight systems, neither of which was rated above Marginal. The lights’ low-beams “do not illuminate the road to a far enough distance on curves,” says the IIHS. It’s worth noting that several automakers have upgraded their headlights—including Ford, on the F-150—since the 2020 model year, when the agency started including them as a criterion for Top Safety Pick.

The Bronco is not alone in the mid-size-SUV category without a Top Safety Pick rating. Its biggest competitor, the Jeep Wrangler, also did not achieve the honor. In the case of the Jeep, its head restraints were rated Good. But while the Bronco was rated Good in the driver’s-side small overlap crash test, the Jeep only got Marginal—”due to tipping onto its side” despite performing well otherwise, an IIHS spokesperson explained to Car and Driver. The Wrangler’s headlight choices were rated Marginal or Poor in the agency’s stringent evaluations, slightly worse than the Bronco’s Marginal ratings. The IIHS website states that only 29 percent of headlight systems tested on 2021 model vehicles achieved a Good rating, so these two SUVs are not alone. The Bronco also outdoes the Wrangler in crash-prevention equipment, the IIHS said. Both vehicle-to-vehicle and pedestrian front crash protection are standard equipment on the Bronco. On the Wrangler, there’s optional vehicle-to-vehicle front crash protection but no pedestrian protection technology available. On the IIHS’s mid-size-SUV list where the Wrangler and Bronco are placed, seven vehicles made the 2021 Top Safety Pick+ list: the Ford Explorer, Hyundai Palisade, Mazda CX-9, Nissan Murano, Subaru Ascent, Toyota Highlander, and Volkswagen ID.4. Another seven earned the 2021 Top Safety Pick designation: the Chevrolet Traverse, Ford Edge and Mustang, Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorento and Telluride, and Volkswagen Tiguan. (Check out the full list of 2021 Top Safety Pick winners on the IIHS website.)
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Honda’s Research Institute has started a pilot program to check for faded or missing highway lane markings, with the aim of making roads safer using its vehicles’ driver-assistance camera and GPS systems.The automaker will gather the information, analyze it, and pass it along to the state Department of Transportation to use in prioritizing road maintenance.The pilot program is currently operating only in Ohio with two Honda cars gathering information. They classify road markings on a scale that includes green (Ideal), yellow (Good), red (Needs Repair), and gray (no lane lines).Honda’s Research Institute USA has invented a system that uses Honda vehicles to evaluate the condition of roads they travel on. The system will monitor and grade lane markings on a scale from Ideal to Need Repair, using GPS coordinates and onboard cameras to collect information in real time. The two vehicles in the pilot program, initially only in the state of Ohio, will capture location coordinates (longitude and latitude), along with images and video clips of the roads. The system views and classifies lane lines to the left and right of the vehicle and color-codes them by condition: green (Ideal), yellow (Good), red (Needs Repair), and gray (no lane lines). The collected data will be anonymously sent to a secure platform where it can be analyzed and then shared with the state DOT.

Honda via YouTube

The automaker is collaborating with the Ohio Department of Transportation, using the anonymized data coming from the driver-assist systems of Honda vehicles that travel the roads there. The data will start being available in early 2022, Honda said, and will initially be used by the state of Ohio to improve its road maintenance. Later, Honda could use the data to adjust settings within Honda and Acura vehicles’ driver-assistance technology. For instance, in the future the vehicle could warn drivers in advance that there are faded lane markings or areas in need of repair on the road ahead.

Honda via YouTube

A Honda spokesperson told Car and Driver that although the program is small, with data coming from only two vehicles driven by research engineers, it is “the beginning of an effort to build out our road testing capabilities.” Later, the spokesperson said, they may expand the program with more vehicles. As for commercializing the technology, Honda is not yet disclosing any plans.
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Toyota unveiled the Sports EV concept, an athletic-looking electric sports car with mid-engined proportions.No specifications were given for the Sports EV concept, but given the instant torque from the electric powertrain, the concept should be fairly quick.There have previously been rumors of an electric MR2 revival, and the Sports EV could end up taking that direction if it ever reaches production.Toyota has shown a proficiency for sports cars in recent years. The resurrected Supra won two 10Best awards, and the redesigned version of the more affordable GR 86 earned a spot on this year’s list. Now the Japanese automaker is showing off an electric sports car concept that previews the future of fun, fast Toyotas.

Toyota

No specifications were provided for the Sports EV concept, but we could imagine it using an electric powertrain similar to that of the electric Lexus supercar also unveiled today. Toyota claims that the Lexus can dash to 60 mph in just over two seconds and can travel 435 miles on a charge, although the Toyota Sports EV would likely be dialed back a bit for the sake of usability and cost.

Visually, the Sports EV takes on mid-engined proportions and looks fairly compact, with short front and rear overhangs. C-shaped LED headlights dominate the front end, and the concept appears to have a removable roof section. There’s no word on whether the Sports EV is destined for production or when it could arrive, but there has been speculation in the past of electric rebirth for the iconic MR2. If the Sports EV does make it onto public roads, don’t expect to see it for a few years at least.
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Toyota showed off the Compact Cruiser EV concept today, which channels the essence of the Land Cruiser into a smaller package.Toyota didn’t reveal any specifications about the electric powertrain, but the Compact Cruiser looks properly prepared for the outdoors.There’s no word on when, or if, the Compact Cruiser EV will reach production, but Toyota has teased a compact off-roader in the past with the FT-4X concept. The Toyota Land Cruiser may have departed the U.S. market (unless you count its Lexus sibling), but it appears that Toyota is looking to bring back its ethos in the form of a small EV crossover. This Compact Cruiser EV concept car revealed during Toyota’s presentation about its future EV plans looks like the Land Cruiser’s mini-me and appears to capture a similar vibe as the popular Ford Bronco Sport.

Toyota

We don’t have any concrete information on the Compact Cruiser’s powertrain or platform, but its design speaks wonders. With four doors, a tall and boxy body, short front and rear overhangs, and big fender flares, the Compact Cruiser looks off-road-ready and adventurous. It reminds us of Toyota’s boxy FT4X concept from several years ago, but with even more FJ Cruiser–esque retro charm thrown into the mix.

It’s a battery-electric vehicle that will likely ride on one of Toyota’s new EV architectures, but we don’t know when—or if—it will reach production. Look for more information to come as Toyota continues to flesh out its EV product plan within the next year or so.
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Lexus has revealed an electric supercar concept that it says will carry on the spirit of the legendary V-10–powered LFA.Lexus hasn’t given the concept a name, but the company did say that it will reach 60 mph in the “low 2 second range.”The EV supercar has a theoretical range of 435 miles, and Lexus says it will use solid-state batteries. The legendary Lexus LFA will be a difficult model to follow up, but Lexus says that this upcoming EV sports car will inherit the “secret sauce” from that V-10–powered supercar. That’s a heady claim, but the preliminary performance numbers that Lexus has shared are impressive: it claims this model will get to 60 mph in the “low 2 second range” and that it will use solid-state batteries to provide a driving range of around 435 miles.

Lexus

We don’t yet have a name for this new model other than “Electrified Sport,” and these images show just a concept version of its design, but it looks to be fairly close to production. Interestingly there’s no spindle grille to be seen, and the low-slung silhouette is reminiscent of the Toyota FT-1 concept that ultimately previewed the Supra.

This information about Lexus’s EV supercar was shared during Toyota’s presentation detailing its future EV plans. We don’t know anything about a possible timeline for the arrival of this Lexus sports car, but we do know Lexus is planning to launch its first EV, called the RZ, sometime in 2022. Stay tuned for more information on these developments as we find out more about Lexus EVs.
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Toyota revealed a concept for an electric pickup truck with a four-door crew cab setup and a what appears to be a fairly short bed.Toyota didn’t provide many details on the truck, but it appears to be in between the mid-size Tacoma and full-size Tundra in terms of dimensions. With several electric trucks due to hit the market soon, we expect the Toyota EV truck to be revealed within the next year or so. Toyota has stated previously that it plans to eventually build an electric pickup truck, and now we have further proof that this model could soon become reality. This concept car, revealed during Toyota’s presentation about its future EV plans, looks remarkably close to production and is exactly what you would imagine a Toyota EV truck to look like.

Toyota

While we have very little information at this point—Toyota has not stated a name or any specifications for this truck—its appearance alone gives us a fair amount of information. It’s a four-door crew-cab configuration with what looks like a short bed, and it has chunky off-road tires that suggest it could be some sort of TRD Pro model. The styling is similar to what we’ve seen on the new Tundra, except for the blocked-off grille that is typical of EV front ends.

It’s also difficult to tell the size of this truck from these images, but it may fit in between the mid-size Tacoma and full-size Tundra in the lineup. That said, we wouldn’t be surprised if this truck is actually a preview of the next Tacoma, albeit in EV form. We’ll have to wait and see when Toyota decides to release more info on this future model, which could be within the next year or so.
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Genesis has released lots more information about the new 2023 G90 flagship sedan.It will be powered by a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 and will use an eight-speed automatic transmission.Available features will include an air suspension, massaging seats, and a fingerprint scanner.Genesis made a splash when it first revealed the bold look of the redesigned 2023 G90 sedan, and now we’re learning a lot more about this new flagship. The luxury brand has shared details about the G90’s powertrain, suspension, interior, and the many available niceties that will be offered when this new model arrives in the U.S. in 2022.

The G90’s sole engine option will be a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 with an eight-speed automatic transmission. We expect this engine to make around the same 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque as it does in the G80 sedan, and it will likely offer either rear- or all-wheel drive. An EV version. which could be called Electrified G90, may join the lineup later on but Genesis hasn’t confirmed that model’s existence yet.An available air suspension will be able to lower the car at higher speeds for better aerodynamics or raise the car for rough terrain. The G90 will also offer a rear-wheel steering system that can turn the rear wheels up to four degrees for better maneuverability. There will be adjustable settings for the brake tuning, which Genesis calls “Chauffeur” that we assume will make the brake pedal either more or less sensitive.
This also marks the first time we’ve seen the G90’s interior, and it looks sumptuous. A large display screen—Genesis doesn’t say exactly how big—dominates the dashboard and two rotary knobs, one for the transmission and one for the infotainment, sit on the center console. All the hedonistic pleasures you’d expect from a luxury sedan will be on offer, including a fragrance system, massaging seats, and a 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. The G90 will also be capable of downloading over-the-air updates, and drivers will be able to set up a fingerprint scanner to grant access to the car instead of a key.All this makes us think that the new G90 is likely to be significantly more expensive than the outgoing model, which starts at $74,995. But it will still surely cost several thousand dollars less than the German competition including the Mercedes S-class and BMW 7-series. We’ll learn more about this new Genesis model soon enough, as it’s expected to reach U.S. dealerships sometime in 2022.
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