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With the revival of the Ford Bronco, the Jeep Wrangler is faced with a genuine hometown rival for the first time in more than a quarter-century. And while plenty of folks are happy to debate the merit of the two SUVs’ off-road capabilities, a recent upload to the YouCar YouTube channel might help you decide which truck belongs in your garage. That’s because we now have a chance to better see how the two off-roaders compare when faced with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s most difficult crash test: the small overlap front impact. Spoiler alert: Things don’t look great for the old seven-bar grille. The small overlap front impact test is the most brutal task that a car undertakes during crash testing. It consists of accelerating a vehicle up to 40 mph before smashing at least 25 percent of the frontal area into a five-foot-tall barrier. The area that makes impact must be biased toward the driver’s side, which helps simulate hitting another vehicle or an object such as a telephone pole. As the IIHS has previously reported, the Ford Bronco received a Good rating for its efforts in this area, whereas the Wrangler pulled away with only a Marginal score. (See the IIHS full set of ratings and test results for the 2021 Ford Bronco.) And while that might not seem like a tremendous difference, the footage speaks for itself.
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Upon smashing into the barrier, the Bronco’s front fender immediately collapses, while the front wheel is smashed up into the fender well. It isn’t a pretty thing to watch, as is made evident by the SUV’s Marginal score in the lower leg/foot evaluation. That said, the results don’t look that much better for the Wrangler. Like with the Ford, the Wrangler’s crash structure immediately begins to deform on impact. Furthermore, the front wheel once again finds itself shoved back towards the cabin. Unlike the Ford however, the Jeep scores a better Good rating in the lower leg/foot evaluation. This action nonetheless appears more violent on the Jeep, as it appears to help the Wrangler flip onto its side. According to the IIHS, this happened during both tests of this nature. (See the IIHS full set of ratings and test results for the 2019 Jeep Wrangler.) The Institute had the following to say about the Wrangler’s performance: In both of the Institute’s tests, the vehicle tipped onto its passenger side after striking the barrier. The partial rollover presents an additional injury risk beyond what the standard criteria are intended to measure in small overlap frontal crash tests. A vehicle tipping onto its side is not an acceptable outcome for a frontal crash and, as a result, the Wrangler’s overall rating was downgraded to Marginal.

YouCar

It is important to note that this Jeep footage is from the 2019 model year, though the scores have not changed in the subsequent years. So while there might be arguments to be made for the Jeep’s capability, it’s clearly not quite on the same level as the Ford in terms of outright safety. Whether or not that is a good enough reason to change allegiances will be a personal decision, but I know which SUV I’d rather have a bad day in.

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There’s a rarely seen first-gen Toyota Corona for sale on the auction site Bring a Trailer. The aqua 1966 sedan comes complete with 13-inch wheels and a two-speed automatic transmission.The Corona model was the predecessor to the Camry. The no-reserve auction ends on Wednesday, January 19, with bidding as of Saturday at $3000 but sure to go up.”From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come),” Bruce Springsteen once sang. The Boss probably wasn’t referencing the first-gen Toyota Corona, but he could have been. This humble sedan—Toyota’s second try at selling a passenger car in the U.S. market after the disaster of the Toyopet—is the model to which today’s Toyota Camry can draw its lineage. And while the long-serving, bestselling Camry is a big deal, the Corona from which it sprung is indeed pretty small. It’s also pretty obscure, which makes this highly original 1966 example, for sale right now on Bring a Trailer (our fellow Hearst Autos website), all the more significant.

Bring a Trailer

Bring a Trailer

We’ll grant that the Camry nameplate dates back only to 1983, when Toyota retired the Corona moniker and switched the car from rear- to front-wheel drive. The Corona, though, was the progenitor. Launched in 1965, it was the first Toyota designed for the U.S. market and had such necessities as an automatic transmission and air conditioning. It was offered as a sedan or a hardtop coupe. Selling alongside the Land Cruiser, the Corona helped Toyota triple its U.S. sales to 20,000 units in 1966.

Bring a Trailer

Bring a Trailer

This 1966 model is powered by a 1.9-liter four-cylinder paired with a column-shifted two-speed Toyoglide transmission. The bench seats, chrome wheel covers, and horizontal-band speedometer give it the vibe of a shrunken American sedan. It’s said to have been found in a barn near Seminole, Oklahoma, not far from where it was sold new in Tulsa. The seller has brought the car back to running condition, and the dry climate has preserved the body, but the overall presentation is that of an unrestored 55-year-old car.Surely there are hardcore Camry fans who have collected one from every generation of Toyota’s popular mid-sizer. But we ask: Is your collection truly complete unless you have the car that started it all?
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Ford has announced new colors for the 2022 Ranger’s Splash Limited Edition packages.Joining the previously announced Snow Edition are the Forest Edition and the Sand Edition.As with the regular orange-and-black Splash package, the limited-edition colors cost $1495.Last year, Ford announced the revival of the Ranger’s retro-inspired Splash package and said a select number of 2022 models would also be available in other unique colors that would be announced every few months. At the time, the first of these one-time-only Splash Limited Edition colors to be revealed was the Snow Edition. Now, Ford has released additional images and further details about the new Forest Edition and Sand Edition.

Ford

The Snow Edition’s exclusive paint color is called Avalanche—because snow, get it?—and along with covering most of the mid-size truck’s bodywork it also tints the grille nostrils. Inside, the Lariat trim level brings black leather upholstery with Ash Gray contrast stitching that’s offset by carbon-fiber-esque stripes on the seats. Ford says it plans to offer around 750 Snow Editions, with availability expected to start this spring.

Ford

As its name implies, the 2022 Ford Ranger Sand Edition is the color of beaches, dunes, and deserts. In fact, the paint color is literally called Desert Sand. Unlike the Snow Edition, its grille nostrils are painted red, which provides a nice pop of color to the otherwise understated hue. It’s mostly the same inside, except the XLT trim level means the leather is replaced by black cloth. Still, the contrast stitching and carbon-fiber-like design elements remain. Ford is reserving fewer Rangers with the Sand Edition, as it says only about 500 copies will be offered when orders open this summer.

Ford

The Forest Edition is our favorite of these new special editions. Wearing a gorgeous shade called Forged Green, we think it gives the truck its most rich and rugged appearance. It also pairs nicely with the 18-inch black wheels and red grille nostrils. The XLT trim level again includes black cloth upholstery with the aforementioned interior accents. The Forest Edition will see a limited run of approximately 500 examples when it becomes available this summer.All three of the Splash Limited Editions will cost an extra $1495. That’s the same price as the regular Splash appearance package, which features orange paint, black body-side graphics, and unique interior appointments. Unlike the Limited Editions, the orange Splash package will be available throughout the 2022 model year on both XLT and Lariat models.
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Subaru unveiled the STI E-RA concept at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon. It produces 1073 horsepower and features torque-vectoring all-wheel drive.The Solterra STI concept previews a potential sporty variant of Subaru’s electric crossover, adding a rear wing and a red-accented front splitter. Subaru also showed a WRX and a BRZ with STI performance parts such as a carbon-fiber rear wing.Subaru brought two electric concept cars to the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, and both are the product of the Japanese brand’s Subaru Tecnica International motorsport subsidiary. The STI E-RA concept is an electric race car that STI will use to attempt a Nürburgring lap record, while the Solterra STI concept shows what a high-performance variant of Subaru’s electric crossover could look like.

Subaru

The STI E-RA is a low-slung, bewinged track car with 1073 horsepower pumping out of four electric motors, one at each wheel. This allows the E-RA to have a torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system, and the motors feed off a 60.0-kWh lithium-ion battery. The all-wheel-drive setup has been built in accordance with the FIA’s E-GT motorsport regulations which will form the basis of an electric sports car racing championship starting in 2023. Subaru also says that starting in 2023, the STI E-RA will attempt to set a six-minute, 40-second lap around the Nürburgring track in Germany.

With the Solterra STI concept, Subaru gave its new electric crossover a performance makeover. The STI concept includes a roof-mounted spoiler and a red front splitter. Red accents also pop up on the side skirts, rear bumper, and one spoke of the five-spoke wheels. Subaru didn’t mention any technical details for the Solterra STI. Given that Toyota also revealed a performance version of the Solterra’s sister car, the Toyota bZ4X, production versions of both could be possible.

Along with the two EVs, Subaru showed off two gas-powered models, the new WRX and BRZ, modified with STI performance parts. The WRX S4 STI performance concept gains a carbon-fiber rear wing and a red front splitter and side skirts, potentially previewing what the WRX STI will look like when arrives in the near future. The BRZ STI performance also comes with a high-rise rear wing and a more aggressive front splitter, although it is unlikely that Subaru will build a full-fledged STI version of the BRZ.
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It can be fun to conduct a multi-state search for a used car and embark on a road trip to pick up your prized purchase, but it’s not always the most practical approach. Sometimes you just need a car quickly, so we went hyper-local for this week’s episode of Window Shopping.The challenge was to find the best car within 10 miles, sticking to a budget of $20,000. With two of our participants in Michigan, two in California, and one in Kentucky, we each entered our zip codes and set our search parameters close by to see what we could find.Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman always weasels in mention of his beloved hamlet of Santa Barbara, California even when the challenge isn’t location-based, and this week he found a distinctive Subaru in town. Huffman even went the extra mile and drove to see the car in person, and the video footage he shared is something to behold. Contributor Jonathan Ramsey went next, complaining that he could only find “ancient Toyotas” nearby; his pick was indeed an ancient Toyota, but not one you’d expect.Senior editor Joey Capparella and deputy testing director K.C. Colwell both bemoaned the lack of desirable used cars for sale in Michigan. Both ended up with decent but not stellar finds and there was much discussion of rust and general Midwestern malaise. And finally, L.A.-based cars director Tony Quiroga presented an interesting BMW M car with a questionable Craigslist ad possibly featuring photos taken on multiple bridges.

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Lexus has announced pricing for the new 2022 LX600, starting at $88,245.The lineup includes base, Premium, F Sport, Luxury, and Ultra Luxury trim levels.The Ultra Luxury trim has a special four-seat interior layout with lots of rear-seat amenities.Given that the 2022 Lexus LX600 is the only version of the Toyota Land Cruiser that Americans can buy now, it’s a good thing that its price isn’t too much higher than the old Land Cruiser’s. The LX600 starts at $88,245, which is just $1215 more than the 2021 Land Cruiser’s base price (and $405 less than the 2021 LX570). The wide range of LX models available includes Premium and Luxury trim levels, along with an F Sport model and a flagship Ultra Luxury trim that features a plush four-seat setup.

The base LX600 comes with two rows of seats, providing five-passenger capacity, while the $96,345 LX600 Premium adds a third row of seats and holds seven people. The F Sport starts at $102,345 and features a different front grille, 22-inch wheels, a limited-slip differential, adaptive dampers, and special bits of interior trim. The Luxury model is $104,345 and includes mostly interior upgrades including nicer leather and an upgraded audio system.And finally, the $127,345 Ultra Luxury costs significantly more owing to its decked-out cabin. It swaps out the seven-seat, three-row setup for a pair of rear captain’s chairs that have massage and a recliner function for the passenger-side seat with a sliding ottoman.

LX600 Ultra Luxury
Lexus

All LX600 models have a twin-turbo 3.4-liter V-6 engine with 409 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. A ten-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive are standard across the board.
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Nissan showed a 2023 Fairlady Z Customized Proto at the Tokyo Auto Salon. In Japan, the Z uses the Fairlady name, but it’s no different from the 400-hp twin-turbocharged V-6 car that’ll be sold here in the spring. When the Z does arrive, it’ll start at around $40,000 and have an available six-speed manual. Nissan is showcasing the 2023 Fairlady Z at the Tokyo Auto Salon (yes, the Japan-market Z has a much better name than ours), and alongside it is this bright-orange customized prototype. It’s the same new turbocharged coupe that’ll be sold in the States, but this show car takes the new Z’s retro looks to the next level, not to mention the “Fairlady” badges all over it.

Nissan

Nissan will offer 240 examples of the new Z in a Proto spec that’s finished in yellow with a black roof, bronze-colored wheels, and yellow brake calipers, just like the Z Proto concept car. Japan will also receive 240 of these special-edition cars, and this orange Customized Proto is parked next to one of them. But it has a split grille, black eight-spoke wheels, and a black graphics package with black stripes. The fender flares and carbon fiber splitter and side skirts also show what owners can do with accessories. Nissan says that the car was made to honor the Z’s heritage and to “gauge customer and fan interest for potential future accessory offerings”.

The new Z is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that produces 400 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 350 pound-feet of torque all the way from 1600 to 5200 rpm. Both a six-speed manual (#SavetheManuals) transmission and a nine-speed automatic with launch control are available, and other than the Proto spec two models are offered: Sport and Performance. The 2023 Nissan Z will be on sale in the U.S. starting this spring, and pricing starts at around $40,000. This Customized Proto should give some future owners some inspiration.
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Toyota unveiled three cars at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, including a special edition GRMN Yaris for the Japan market.The striking GR GT3 concept (above) hints at a future GT3 racing program for Toyota, and a working prototype will arrive by the end of the year.The bZ4X GR Sport shows what Toyota’s new electric crossover could look like with a sportier design. Toyota has built its reputation on cars that are reliable and competent, but not particularly exciting. The Japanese automaker has spent the past several years injecting fun into its lineup with a series of sports cars—the affordable, lightweight GR86, the more powerful Supra, and the overseas-only, all-wheel-drive rally-car-for-the-road GR Yaris. Now, at the 2022 Tokyo Auto Salon, Toyota has unveiled three vehicles that preview the future of sporty Toyotas, from the world of motorsports to rapid family transport.

Toyota GR GT3 concept.
Toyota

The dramatically styled GR GT3 concept previews the future of Toyota’s motorsports arm, Toyota Gazoo Racing. Currently Toyota offers a Supra in GT4 specification, but this sharp-looking concept suggests that a full-fledged GT3 racing program could be on the horizon. Toyota offered no information on what motivates the GR GT3, but GR president Koji Sato confirmed that a prototype will be running by the end of 2022. The concept features a long hood, a towering rear wing, a massive rear diffuser, and plenty of creases and vents covering the body. We also spy an exhaust pipe poking out behind the front wheels, so the GR GT3 will presumably stick with internal combustion.

Toyota GRMN Yaris.
Toyota

Toyota also revealed the GRMN Yaris, with 500 units of this upgraded rally hatch destined only for Japan. The GRMN version is ever so slightly wider and lower, and Toyota shaved off around 44 pounds by removing the rear bench seats. The seats are replaced by a crossbrace to boost rigidity, and Toyota also added a mechanical limited-slip differential and a revised close-ratio gearbox. The driver now sits in track-ready Recaro bucket seats, and a large wing perches off the rear edge of the roof.

Toyota bZ4X GR Sport concept.
Toyota

Lastly, Toyota took the wraps off the bZ4X GR Sport concept, which envisions a potential performance variant of Toyota’s new electric crossover. The concept rides on larger wheels and features blacked-out trim and sport seats, but Toyota again has revealed no technical information on the car. While the GRMN Yaris will remain forbidden fruit, the bZ4X GR Sport could end up spawning a production variant, but we’re more looking forward to seeing the GR GT3 prototype hit the track later this year.
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