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    Subaru E-RA EV Concept Revealed, Will Attempt Nürburgring Lap Record

    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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    Best Local Used Cars: Window Shop with Car and Driver

    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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    2022 Lexus LX600 Pricing Ranges from $88,245 to $127,345

    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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    2023 Nissan Z Customized Proto Elevates the Retro Vibe

    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 Yaris, bZ4X, GT3 Racing High-Performance Concepts Unveiled in Tokyo

    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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    Bollinger Suspends Plans for Electric B1 SUV and B2 Pickup

    Electric startup Bollinger Motors announced today that it will be focusing on commercial vehicles, putting its consumer EVs on the back burner.The B1 SUV and B2 pickup truck were supposed to reach production by the end of last year but now may never see the light of day.Bollinger will instead work on bringing its Deliver-E electric van to production. Way back in 2017, a startup called Bollinger Motors showed off an electric SUV called the B1 that looked like it was designed using Legos. It was soon joined by a pickup truck version, the B2, and the off-roaders were due to go on sale in 2019. But the small company failed to find a production partner in time, and Bollinger pushed the B1 and B2’s launch date back to late 2021. Today, Bollinger Motors announced that it will be postponing the start of its consumer-truck business, instead choosing to focus on supplying the commercial market with electric vehicles.

    Bollinger

    As a result, Bollinger will shift its attention to the Deliver-E van concept that it unveiled in 2020. Bollinger says the van will come with multiple wheelbase options and will be available with batteries ranging from a 70.0-kWh unit to a massive 210.0-kWh battery. The Deliver-E was originally supposed to go into production in 2022 with an unnamed manufacturing partner, but given that its already 2022 and no partner has been revealed, it’s likely the Deliver-E won’t be until the end of the year at the earliest.
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    The Bollinger B1 and B2 were supposed to reach production with a 120.0-kWh battery pack, which Bollinger claimed provided 200 miles of range. The all-terrain EVs were going to cost $125,000 and would have had a 5000-pound payload capacity and 15 inches of ground clearance. With the change in plans, Bollinger said that it will refund deposits that had been made for the B1 and B2, suggesting that if the boxy off-roaders ever do reach production, it won’t be for at least several years.
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    See the 2022 Honda Civic Type R Rip on the Track

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    Honda shared a video of the 2022 Civic Type R testing at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. It’s expected to use a more powerful turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, and now you can hear its improved soundtrack. The new Civic Type R will arrive by the end of the year and make its debut soon. Honda’s new Civic Type R hot hatch is almost here, and now you can see the 11th-generation car in action in this teaser video of a prototype testing at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan. Not only will the new car have a simpler and more mature look compared to the old car, it’ll also have a better soundtrack, something many drivers complained about during our 40,000-mile test of a 2019 example.

    Honda

    Honda still hasn’t shared many details on the new car’s powertrain, though we’ll get more information soon. We expect the same turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with tweaks that will help it produce slightly more than the current 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The best news is that Honda confirmed that a six-speed manual will remain standard (#SavetheManuals). A dual-clutch automatic transmission, a first for the Type R, could also be offered.

    Honda

    At the 57-second mark, an uncamouflaged metallic green car flashes by (pictured), and we’re curious if this color will be offered on the production car. It could be a flashy launch color or just the uniquely camouflaged prototype Honda plans to show at the Tokyo Auto Salon. Other than that, the quick look of the car is the closest we’ve gotten to an uncovered look at the hot hatch.

    While the current-gen car comes equipped with Continental SportContact 6 tires, the new car will wear Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber on new black 10-spoke wheels. Brembo brakes are also visible, and the large rear wing is subtler. Three exhaust tips continue to stick out the middle of the rear diffuser.The 2022 Honda Civic Type R is set to go on sale by the end of the year, so its full debut should be right around the corner. Check back here for all the details and specs soon.
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    The W-16–Powered Bugatti Chiron and Bolide Are Sold Out

    Bugatti revealed that all 500 units of the Chiron and all 40 units of the Bolide have sold.The final units of the Chiron and Bolide could be the last Bugattis powered by the massive 8.0-liter W-16 motor. Future Bugattis will use electric powertrains developed with Croatian automaker Rimac, which merged with Bugatti last summer.With Batmobile-esque styling and an 1825-hp quad-turbo 8.0-liter W-16, Bugatti’s Bolide concept merely seemed like a flight of fancy, but Bugatti shocked the world last summer by announcing that it would go into production as a track-only hypercar with a still-bonkers 1578 horses. Now Bugatti has revealed that all 40 Bolides have been sold out, with each customer spending around $4.8 million for the privilege of owning one of Bugatti’s most radical models.

    Bugatti

    Bugatti also reported that the remainder of the Chiron’s production run is sold out, with 110 wealthy customers putting in orders for the street-legal hypercar. The Chiron was first unveiled in 2016 as the successor to the Veyron and has since spawned several special editions, including the Super Sport 300+, which topped 300 mph on the Ehra-Lessien test track in 2019. Only 500 Chirons will be built in total, and as of last fall 300 units had already been produced.

    Bugatti says that of the 150 customers who ordered a Bugatti in 2021, 60 percent were new to the brand. With the Chiron and Bolide now sold out, Bugatti will turn its attention to an electrified future. Last year, Bugatti merged with Croatian electric supercar maker Rimac and announced that future Bugattis will employ Rimac’s high-performance electric drivetrains. It shouldn’t be too long before we see the first product of this budding new partnership, but we wouldn’t be surprised it this marks the end of the line for Bugatti’s epic W-16 engine.
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