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Flex Automotive launched its first American dealership in San Diego in 2022, and it now has a U.S.-specific model with the Windansea pickup truck.Based on the third-generation Toyota Tacoma, the Windansea sports a boxier front end with circular headlights and steel bumpers.The Windansea starts at $52,800, but the price ultimately depends on the cost of the donor truck. If you have a nostalgic streak but don’t consider yourself a Luddite, the Flex Renoca Windansea may be the pickup truck for you. In 2022, Japan-based Flex Automotive announced plans to open its first U.S. showroom in San Diego, selling 1990s and 2000s Toyota Land Cruisers with a redesigned front clip that mimics the classic FJ60-series Land Cruiser from the 1980s. The firm also hinted it was planning a Tacoma-based model exclusively for the United States. Flex finally pulled the wraps off this retro-styled truck, which it calls the Windansea.Flex AutomotiveBuilt off of the third-generation Toyota Tacoma—launched for 2016 and ending with the 2023 model year due to the release of the redesigned 2024 Tacoma—the Windansea features a boxier front end that integrates a rectangular grille replete with Toyota’s classic font. A pair of squared-off headlight housings each contain a circular headlamp and a rectangular turn-signal lens. The steel bumper protrudes from the bodywork, and the Windansea rides on simple steel wheels. Flex AutomotiveFlex Automotive listed the powertrain for the Windnsea as the Tacoma’s optional 278-hp 3.5-liter V-6 and six-speed automatic transmission, but the company notes that exact specifications depend on the individual donor vehicle. We imagine Flex Automotive won’t turn down a check for someone looking to give their four-cylinder or stick-shift Tacoma the Windansea treatment. There’s no evidence Flex Automotive’s touch extends past the bodywork.More Modern Throwback TrucksBuyers can choose from an array of options to spice up their Windansea. This includes items such as lift kits, bed racks, fog lights, and reupholstered seat options, as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible head units for Windanseas based on older Tacomas without this tech. Other extras include side steps, an upgraded sound system, and WeatherTech floor mats. Flex says that the Windansea starts at $52,800, but the final price of this classic-looking modern pickup ultimately depends on the price paid for the donor vehicle and the extent of the truck’s customization.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

Porsche and Tag Heuer created a pair of bespoke 718 Cayman GT4 RS models to honor the Carrera Panamericana rally race in Mexico.The pairing is part of Porsche’s Sonderwunsch program—which means special request in German—which allows customers to create things like the recent Pixar-inspired Porsche Sally special based on the 911 Carrera GTS. The cars are intended to invoke design elements from the Porsche 550 Coupe, which two customer teams raced in the 1953 running of the Carrera Panamericana rally. When you have a stable full of historical racing cars as big as Porsche’s, you’re sure to have customers who want a modern take on classical favorites. The manufacturer’s newest examples are a pair of custom-made 718 Cayman GT4 RS models produced in conjunction with Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer. The pair is part of Porsche’s Sonderwunsch “special request” customization program and were built to commemorate the 70 years since two customer teams took part in the Carrera Panamericana rally in Mexico. PorscheThe cars are painted in Le Mans Silver Metallic, a special color in the Porsche history books, which was created for the 911 Carrera GTS Le Mans Centenaire Edition, and references the paint on the 1951 Le Mans winning 356 SL Coupe. The cars are distinguished from one another with the racing numbers 152 and 154 painted onto the doors and roofs of the respective models. Inside the special editions, the seats and door pulls are finished in Guards Red, while stitching on the steering wheel and dashboard is done in the signature red, white, and green colors of the Mexican flag. The door guards and the cup-holder panel are milled with a special “GT4 RS Panamericana Special” insignia, and the floormats proudly announce that each car is a product of the Sonderwunsch program. In addition to the hood and rear wing side plates, the Tag Heuer logo is embossed on the center armrest to mark the partnership. Car and DriverPerhaps the coolest addition to the Panamericana Special is the Tag Heuer stopwatch module in the center console of the 154 car. The clocks were designed and made by Tag Heuer exclusively for this project and are not available otherwise. According to Porsche, the left clock that displays the time has the typical Heuer Carrera Design, while the piece on the right is a stopwatch with a scale that helps the driver maintain the average speed during rallies. More on the 718 Cayman GT4 RSCar 154 will be driven in the first and second stages of this year’s Carrera Panamericana by actor Patrick Dempsey, while car 152 is slated to be auctioned for charity in early 2024. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2024 Lexus TX350 starts at $55,050, and the TX500h hybrid starts at $69,350.The TX550h+ plug-in hybrid will likely be even more expensive.Lexus says the TX350 and TX500h are on sale now and the plug-in hybrid will arrive in early 2024.Lexus has announced ambitious pricing for the new 2024 TX, as the three-row SUV will start at $55,000 for the TX350 and ranges up to over $76,000 for a loaded TX500h F Sport Performance hybrid model. That’s considerably more than the previous RX L, and thousands more than the starting prices of rival mid-size luxury SUVs such as the Infiniti QX60 and Cadillac XT6. We don’t even yet know pricing for the eventual TX550h+ plug-in hybrid, but that might top $80,000 given that it’s the most powerful version in the lineup.The front-wheel-drive TX350 model, which has a 275-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four, carries a base price of $55,050 and gets more expensive as you opt for the better-equipped Premium ($58,450) and Luxury ($60,950) trim levels. All-wheel drive costs $1600 extra.More on New Lexus ModelsPony up to the $69,350 TX500h and you get standard all-wheel drive thanks to a hybrid setup that includes the same turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four plus electric motors. It produces 366 horsepower in total and essentially the same setup found in the related Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid Max. The TX500h comes standard with F Sport Performance upgrades including adaptive dampers and several appearance tweaks. It also offers a more expensive trim level with extra kit, the $72,650 TX500h F Sport Performance Luxury (say that two times fast).Lexus says the TX350 and TX500h models are reaching dealerships already, while the TX550h+ will go on sale in early 2024. Pricing for that model will be announced later on.Senior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

The Mullen GT is an electric sports car from a startup with roots in China.It claims a 60 mph time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 125 mph.The price is $150,000 and deliveries are said to start in 2025 or 2026.Deep in Citi Field Lot E is an unidentifiable coupe under a green tent. Its low-slung body, cloaked in flat gray with a large black swoosh, is more concealing with every closing step. There’s a dragonfly emblem on the nose. A side swoosh is finished in exposed carbon and channels air to a pair of heat exchangers. The tail says Mullen. It’s the Mullen GT, an electric sports car from a startup that plans to start delivering cars in the U.S. in 2025 or 2026.Like many automotive startups, Mullen’s backstory is complicated. It starts with the 2015 Shanghai debut of the Qiantu K50, an electric sports car that parent company Great Wall Huaguan would sell in China from 2018 until 2020. Later, at the 2019 New York Auto Show, a California company called Mullen Automotive pledged to import kits and sell finished, fully-certified examples in 2020. We’ve tracked many EV brands that have yet to sell a single car in the U.S., such as Bollinger, of which Mullen now owns a 60 percent stake. Mullen’s Nasdaq IPO was in November 2021 and it had a second reveal weeks later at the Los Angeles Auto Show, an SUV coupe called the Mullen Five. Now, at this parking lot in Queens, we’re devoting an afternoon to Mullen’s elusive two-seater, the rebadged EV that Qiantu quit building three years ago. While Mullen was also prepping to build rebadged Chinese cargo vans and trucksin Mississippi, the K50 was using at least four names. Until last March, it was the Dragonfly K50, Mullen K50, Qiantu K50 by Mullen, or Mullen Dragonfly. Next to us is Mitchell Dyche, an engineer whose six-foot-five frame comfortably fits in the cozy cabin. He says he specified the 19-inch center-lock wheels, Brembo brakes, and the Pirelli P Zero tires. The rest is Qiantu’s original vision, right down to the manufacturer etchings on the glass. Up close, it looks good. Inside and out, the Mullen GT has the proportions and dimensions of a mid-engine car. It has about the same footprint as an Acura NSX. The body gaps could be tighter, but the GT is not the scrappy prototype we expected. There’s a large portrait touchscreen canted toward the driver that’s still under development, a digital instrument panel, and a large curved shifter. Unlike countless Chinese cars, the GT doesn’t overtly copy the design of any established brands. And while it’s a demonstrator, there’s noticeable polish.MullenThe dual-motor setup is silent and devoid of whine, the regen is smooth, body motions are controlled, and the steering is pleasantly weighted. The specs are reasonable for a performance EV: About 400 horsepower packed into an aluminum frame with carbon body panels, all-wheel drive with torque vectoring, a 78.0-kWh T-shaped lithium-ion battery with the bulk of its cells behind the driver, and a claimed 230 miles of range. In Sport mode, the GT gets a little perkier, though in our three short laps we didn’t feel either motor shifting torque. Grip and stopping power are expectedly high.But Mullen has downgraded the GT’s performance since March, when it More

The camper versions of Volkswagen’s iconic Microbus may be great to camp in, but they’re not so great to drive. This build solves that problem.Created (mostly) from a 1974 VW Type 2, this VW is sure to be the only one of its kind at Burning Man.This is one Bring a Trailer auction where you’ll instead want to bring a tow vehicle.Volkswagen Microbus campers are undeniably cool. They’re also undeniably slow. Attaching a cart to a team of sloths is probably a faster way to get around. And maybe it isn’t the greatest idea to drive around in modern traffic in a vehicle where the front crash protection is basically just your legs. But what if you could have all the fun of a pop-top vintage VW, without the downsides? Have we got the camper for you.Car and DriverToday’s pick at auction site Bring A Trailer (or in this case, maybe Bring a Trailer Hitch?)—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a 1974 Volkswagen Type 2 Westfalia… trailer. It’s a wacky but well-executed idea that gets rid of the slow vintage-vehicle part of Westfalia ownership but lets you keep the quirky camper fun.Bring a TrailerThe builder took a 1974 VW Type 2, repaired all the rust, then welded up the front doors and wheel wells and jettisoned the front axle and steering gear. A new tube-frame chassis underneath provides structural strength, and the removal of the engine creates more storage than you’d get in a powered Westy. The interior is finished in nicely contrasting bamboo and tweed, and foam insulation keeps the cold at bay. A pop-top camper top from a 1972 Wesfalia completes the makeover.Bring a TrailerWith a stated total weight of 2360 pounds and a tongue weight of 250 pounds, this Westfalia trailer can be towed by a broad range of vehicles. Embrace an environmentally friendly attitude, as befits a 1970s Westfalia, and hook it up behind your EV and go enjoy nature. Or strap this thing behind a Ram TRX and beat everyone else to the psychedelic rock festival. Bring a TrailerOf course, the real power move would be to tow this trailer with another Westfalia, although it would have to be one of those resto-modded ones done up with a Subaru engine and upgraded brakes. Imagine the double-takes you’d get when cruising down the highway.Related StoriesIn any event, this fun little VW bus-trailer is going to be headed out on new adventures soon. The no-reserve auction ends October 5.Contributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

In the 1980s, Honda packaged a folding scooter with its City subcompact car. Now, here’s that same concept updated for the EV era.Both vehicles are proof-of-concept for a new easily recyclable acrylic construction.Details on power and range are thin, but the want factor is high.Honda’s Motocompo was a folding scooter designed to fit in the trunk of the company’s City subcompact car. It’s such a fun and quirky machine that it’s become highly collectible, and Hot Wheels even made a scale-sized City Turbo II with a couple of plastic Motocompos tucked in back. Now Honda is teasing an all-electric return of this well-loved accessory.Honda has shared images of a new small EV concept for the 2023 Tokyo auto show, and the electric scooter that goes with it. (Honda also plans to show off a new EV sports car, perhaps a potential replacement for the NSX, but that won’t be revealed for a few more weeks.)First, the car, which is called the SUSTAINA-C. Built from an acrylic that’s designed to be easily recycled, it’s a fun and friendly looking little two-door hatchback. While this is only a concept, it’s hard not to wish for roads full of happy little cars like this rather than the modern sea of angry-looking crossovers.HondaThe scooter is even better, and we especially love the name. It’s called the Honda Pocket, and it’s likewise made out of the same recyclable acrylic. There are no details on powertrains for either vehicle, but the thought of parking a zippy little Honda hatchback, popping a scooter out of the trunk, and zipping off to your favorite urban ramen joint is an appealing one. Obviously this combo would work better in parking-starved Tokyo than Los Angeles, but as urban centers get denser, the idea of onboard last-mile mobility makes more sense.HondaHonda is also showing a scooter that is much more pragmatic: the SC e concept. This fairly conventional-looking scooter is fitted with two of Honda’s swappable Mobile Power Packs, and it would be a game-changer for Tokyo traffic. Scooters are already a popular mass mobility option, and the ability to swap batteries at a charging station would open up EV ownership for apartment dwellers.Look for more information still to come within the next few weeks about Honda’s reveals for the Tokyo auto show.More on the City and MotocompoContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

BMW’s Z3 roadster appeared in 1996 as a sort of German-accented Miata.The arrival of the six-cylinder engine added greatly to the Z3’s appeal.This Z3 2.8 with just 28K miles is up for auction at no reserve.Car and DriverThe roaring success of the Mazda Miata touched off a roadster mania in the 1990s, with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche all fielding attainable (if not quite Miata-level affordable) two-seaters. BMW’s Z3 arrived in 1996 with a 138-hp 1.9-liter four-cylinder engine under its classically-inspired long hood. It only took a year for the Z3 to more fully reach its potential, with the arrival of a 2.8-liter inline-six bringing an additional 51 horsepower concurrent with a limited-slip rear differential. Swollen rear fenders, necessary to clear a 2.5-inch wider track, nicely balanced the styling.Bring a TrailerThis crisp-looking example currently on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is powered by that desirable six, paired, crucially, with BMW’s ultra-slick five-speed manual.Bring a TrailerIn an in-period road test, we clocked a ’97 Z3 2.8 at 6.3 seconds to 60 mph, a result that’s still credible today. For 1999, the 2.8-liter engine saw output nudged to 193 horsepower. This 2000 model also benefits from other running changes including the fitment of side airbags, rollover hoops, and a slightly nicer interior. This car also boasts a power top, heated seats, and leather trim. Bring a TrailerRecent service includes the replacement of the drive belt, a new transmission selector seal, and new rear dampers (last year). The plastic rear window for the top has also been replaced. While there are a few minor paint chips and underbody scuffs noted, but the car overall appears to be in very tidy condition as befits its odometer reading of just 28,000 miles.Bring a TrailerThis car is located in Newburgh, New York, and can’t you just picture flying out and driving it home, flogging it down twisty roads with a contrail of foliage behind you? With New York State’s leaves already changing to an autumnal palette of red and gold, now’s the time to enjoy a classic roadster. Related StoriesAct fast, however, as this no-reserve auction ends October 1.Contributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

BMW is preparing a second-generation X2, after discontinuing the sleeker alternative to the X1 after the 2023 model year.The teaser shows an angular grille lined with LEDs and a more sharply sloping roofline than the previous X2.The 2025 X2 should use the same four-cylinder engines as the X1, with a 241-hp base model and a 312-hp M35i performance variant.BMW pioneered the oxymoronic “SUV coupe” segment when it launched the sloped-back X6 in 2008 as a sportier-looking alternative to the X5 crossover. A slinkier X2 joined the lineup as a counterpart to the subcompact X1 in 2018, but underwent minimal changes before fizzling out after 2023. But BMW is readying a replacement, teasing a second-generation X2 in a recent video. The X2 is shrouded in darkness in the video, but a shot of the silhouette reveals a roofline that dives downward in a more dramatic fashion than the previous X2, capped off by a small lip spoiler. We also catch a glimpse of the front end’s bold LED lighting, which outlines the octagonal kidney grille, mimicking the the look seen on the XM performance SUV. The headlights feature two vertical LED elements with a slight kink in the middle, similar to the refreshed 2024 X5.More BMW NewsBMW didn’t provide any other hints about the next generation X2 but the crossover is expected to ride on the same platform as the latest X1, which debuted for 2023. The X2 should use the same engines as its more practical sibling, with a 241-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four in the base model. The M35i performance model that joins the X1 lineup for 2024 should also make an appearance, with the turbo 2.0-liter tuned to produce 312 hp. BMW is expected to also reveal an electric iX2, but its unclear if this will be offered in the United States since the iX1 has remained an Europe-only affair. The second generation X2 should debut before the end of the year and arrive in the U.S. as a 2025 model.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More