Motor News

Chevrolet Racing will offer a Z06 GT3.R customer race car starting in 2024. It uses the same aluminum chassis as the C8 Z06 road car and a modified version of the 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8. Customers will be able to race in the IMSA WeatherTech Series and other GT3 racing series with the Z06 GT3.R. The Chevrolet C8.R race car’s 5.5-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 engine laid the groundwork for the engine used in the new C8 Corvette Z06, which returns to its purist heritage for 2023. And things are only heating up for Corvette racing because the C8.R will be replaced by this new Z06 GT3.R starting for the 2024 season, and a customer racing version will be available, too, just like BMW, Ferrari, McLaren, and Porsche, to name a few, have done for years.

Chevrolet

Chevrolet’s new customer race car uses the same aluminum chassis as the C8 Z06 road car, but it’s modified for track-only use. Chevy says it has a similar aerodynamic silhouette as the road car—other than the large GT3 wing and other additional aerodynamic elements for GT3 racing, of course. The road car has an available Z07 performance package that adds stickier tires, carbon wheels, and a larger wing. Chevrolet Racing has yet to announce details on the rest of the new race car’s components.

The naturally aspirated 5.5-liter V-8 is modified for use in the Z06 GT3.R, and due to series regulations, it will be limited to between 500 and 600 horsepower. The LT6 engine used in the production car, first used in the C8.R, is the most powerful naturally aspirated V-8 engine ever installed in a road car, making 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and it revs to 8600 rpm. A Chevrolet Racing spokesperson told us that the Z06 GT3.R is still undergoing testing and that final specs and details will likely be released next year along with pricing. The company hopes to start taking customer orders by the end of next year, too. Chevrolet also announced that it will enter in multiple endurance racing championships in the C8.R for the 2022 season including the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and the FIA World Endurance Championship. It’s planning a two-car team for the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June.
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Subaru has joined the EV market with a compact SUV called Solterra. The 2023 Solterra was developed in partnership with Toyota’s bZ4X. The Solterra comes with all-wheel drive and “Grip Control,” an off-road cruise control technology.Playing off its reputation for sensible, earth-friendly adventure vehicles, Subaru joins the EV marketplace with a small crossover designed around the outdoorsy activities Subaru owners are known for. The 2023 Solterra—whose name is a combination of the Latin words for “Sun” and “Earth,” is a small, AWD, two-motor electric SUV that’s closely related to Toyota’s bZ4X but is tweaked to appeal to the Subaru customer.

Photos of the Solterra show a long wheelbase with short overhangs at nose and tail. Subaru’s current design language of plastic-cladded sides extends beyond the wheel arches up the front fenders to flank a body-color hexagonal grille whose blocked-out design clearly defines the Solterra as an electric vehicle at first look. In the back are jutting awnings of rear roof spoiler over complicated multi-element taillights. A glass roof lights up the cabin over both front and rear seats. Inside, the seating position is almost van-like, with a low dash and instrument panel set above the steering wheel. The center console is divided into multiple smaller storage areas, including a wireless charging pad. The cabin looks bright and spacious, with textured material on the seats and along the dash. In the center of the dash sits a 12.3-inch screen with wireless smartphone connection.
Subaru’s AWD system in the Solterra is controlled by two electric motors mounted between the front and rear axles that produce a total of 215 horsepower. The Solterra comes with X-mode, which controls each wheel individually to provide better traction on uneven or slippery surfaces, and Subaru’s “Grip Control,” acts as a cruise control even in off-road situations. Three driving modes are available: Eco, Normal, and Power, and regenerative braking can be adjusted with the steering wheel paddles.Range and performance numbers are not yet released, but Subaru says the cruising range was designed with “the distances of daily use” in mind, and that the Solterra will be compatible with DC quick-charging. The battery should be the same size as the bZ4X’s, which provides roughly 64.0 kWh of capacity. We should get more detailed U.S. information on Subaru’s new EV when it debuts next week at the Los Angeles auto show.
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Ferrari has a new one-off creation, the V-12-powered BR20, based on the GTC4Lusso.The BR20 gets a sleek roofline, thanks to Ferrari removing the rear seats.The interior features two shades of rich brown leather and carbon-fiber accents.Nearly every year, Ferrari’s Special Projects division crafts an exquisite, limited-production model for a select group of extremely wealthy clientele. Last year it was the Omologata, a sleek one-off based on the 812 Superfast, while 2019 brought the bonkers P80/C, a unique track toy using the 488 GT3 as a starting point. As 2021 draws to a close, Ferrari’s Special Projects team has burst back on the scene with the BR20, a two-seat V-12 coupe developed from the GTC4Lusso shooting brake as an homage to the iconic Ferrari coupes of the ‘50s and ‘60s.While the GTC4Lusso is the most usable Ferrari (at least until the Purosangue SUV arrives next year) thanks to its hatchback and four seats, the BR20 ditches the rear chairs in favor of a rakish roofline, making it look like the 812 Superfast from some angles. Under the hood lies the GTC4Lusso’s 6.3-liter V-12, and Ferrari doesn’t mention any mechanical modifications, meaning the BR20 is good for the same 680 horsepower and 514 pound-feet of torque as the donor car.

The engine may be unchanged, the but bodywork certainly isn’t. The BR20 is three inches longer than the GTC4Lusso and the elegant roofline calls to mind classics like the 500 Superfast. An aerodynamic channel in the rear pillar creates a flying buttress, while the roof is painted black. The BR20 retains the dual taillight look from the GTC4Lusso but pairs it with a more chiseled rear bumper with a diffuser that works in conjunction with active flaps on the underbody. Dual exhaust tips poke out from either side of the bumper. Up front, the wide-mouthed grille features a thin carbon fiber mustache with chrome inserts, while the headlights are lower and smaller than those on the GTC4Lusso.

The cabin appears very similar in design to the donor car but is swathed in two shades of brown leather and decorated with carbon fiber. The seats are wrapped in dark brown Heritage Testa di Moro leather with silver cross-stitching, while the rear bench and luggage compartment are decked out in oak trim with carbon fiber accents. Ferrari says the BR20 was developed for a long-standing customer, and while there is no word on what it costs, the graceful one-off was probably a sizable sum more than the GTC4Lusso’s $303,750 starting price.
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At the United Nations Climate Change Conference, six automakers and 30 countries signed a pledge to end sales of gas and diesel-powered cars worldwide by 2040.The agreement also includes phasing out sales of those vehicles by 2035 in “leading markets.”Ford, General Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, and Chinese automaker BYD all signed, as did two dozen fleet operators including Uber.World leaders are currently meeting at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, also known as COP26, in Glasgow, Scotland to review the progress that has been made since the 2015 Paris Climate Accords and negotiate new, more ambitious goals for the future. On Wednesday, six major automakers—including Ford, General Motors, and Mercedes-Benz—and 30 national governments signed a pledge to stop sales of new gas and diesel vehicles by 2040 globally, and by 2035 in “leading markets.” However, the governments of three of the most significant car markets—the United States, China, and Japan—refrained from joining the pledge, as did major automakers such as Toyota, Volkswagen, and Nissan-Renault.

The pledge, which is not legally binding, is an agreement to “work toward reaching 100 percent zero-emission new car and van sales in leading markets by 2035 or earlier,” which could include sales of both traditional electric vehicles or hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles. Along with the three aforementioned automakers, Volvo, Jaguar Land Rover, and Chinese automaker BYD also joined the pledge. The group of manufacturers who signed on made up around one-quarter of global sales in 2019, and two dozen fleet operators, including Uber, also promised to use only zero-emissions vehicles in their fleets by 2030. Among the 30 counties that joined the agreement were European nations—including Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom—where EV sales have already begun to take off. India, the world’s fourth-largest car market, was a crucial addition. The nation was among several, such as Turkey and Rwanda, that hadn’t already committed to a date to end gas and diesel car sales. California and Washington state also gave their signatures.

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Rivian made its debut today on the U.S. stock market, offering 153 million shares at $78 per share, a figure higher than initially expected.Rivian’s IPO is the largest globally this year, and the estimated $11.9 billion raised makes it the largest IPO for an American company since Facebook.This is despite a recent wrongful-dismissal lawsuit in which a former Rivian executive raised concerns about Rivian’s ability to meet sales goals and make money based on its current pricing structure.Electric upstart Rivian recently began deliveries of its first production vehicle, the R1T, beating to market the long-delayed Tesla Cybertruck and pickups from legacy automakers such as Ford and General Motors. With the R1T now rolling off the line, Rivian made its much-hyped debut on the U.S. stock market, pricing its upsized initial public offering of 153 million shares at $78 per share.

Prototype of electric delivery van that Rivian plans to build for Amazon
Rivian/Amazon

Rivian, backed by giants including Amazon and Ford, was initially expected to price its stocks between $57 and $62 before increasing that range last week to between $72 and $74 per share. The new $78 figure helped Rivian raise an estimated $11.9 billion, making it the biggest IPO for an American firm since Facebook earned $16 billion when it went public in 2012. Rivian’s IPO is the largest worldwide this year and the 12th largest of all time, as reported by CNN Business. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rivian will have an initial valuation upwards of $77 billion, making it almost worth as much as one of its major backers, Ford.

Ahead of the IPO, Amazon—along with the investment firms T. Rowe Price and Franklin Templeton—were listed as part of a group of “anchor investors” expected to purchase up to $5 billion worth of shares. Rivian’s IPO is being underwritten by Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs, and J.P. Morgan, and the electric truck manufacturer will be listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker “RIVN.” Rivian’s S-1 filing made in advance of its stock market debut stated that the company plans to deliver 1000 vehicles before the end of 2021, although in a recent wrongful-dismissal lawsuit, a former employee alleged that the company is not likely to make that number. In that same legal complaint, the executive, vice president of sales and marketing Laura Schwab, raised concerns that Rivian’s pricing wasn’t high enough and that the company would lose money on every vehicle sold. Her superiors allegedly said they would raise prices after the IPO. Currently, the R1T starts at $68,145.

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Volkswagen’s Golf GTI is a perennial 10Best winner because of its affordability, performance, practicality, and standard manual transmission (#SavetheManuals). So, naturally, when a new model comes out we get excited. For 2022, the GTI gets a 241-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine (up 13 horsepower over the Mk 7 model), new styling, and an updated interior. We’ve already driven VW’s latest hot hatch, but now the configurator is live, and we can build the versions we’d buy. With a starting price of $30,540, they even might be within reach. Joey Capparella’s $30,935 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI S

Volkswagen

Volkswagen

The Golf GTI has gotten expensive over the years, so I’m sticking with the base S model that features the quintessential plaid seats. It has almost all of the same performance goodies as the higher trims, with the main sacrifice being that the 18-inch wheels on the S and SE come only with Pirelli P Zero all-season tires; you unfortunately have to upgrade to the Autobahn’s 19-inch setup in order to get the grippier Hankook Ventus or Bridgestone Potenza summer tire fitments. The 241-hp turbo 2.0-liter inline-four engine, limited-slip differential, and standard six-speed manual transmission are otherwise the same as in the more expensive GTI models. I also like the base GTI’s interior setup, as its smaller touchscreen infotainment system appears to have physical knobs (I have yet to sit in one to see how they work) as opposed to the optional larger screen’s touch-only interface. I chose the subdued Moonstone Grey exterior color for an extra $395 because I think the current trend of flat greys looks sharp. My GTI stickers for just above the car’s base price, at $30,935. Drew Dorian’s $35,290 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI SE

Volkswagen

Volkswagen

Of the three GTI trims available, the mid-range SE checks all the boxes for me without entering into luxury territory. While the base S is fairly well equipped, the SE comes with niceties such as a panoramic sunroof, the larger 10.0-inch infotainment display, in-dash navigation, a Harmon/Kardon stereo system, wireless smartphone charging, and adaptive headlamps. Although the eight-speed dual-clutch automatic is a good one, I’d stick with the standard six-speed manual. I recently had a chance to take a manual GTI on a test drive through the mountains in North Carolina and totally fell in love. As for colors, I’ll say that I wish VW offered a better palette of choices here, and the GTI deserves something more exciting than white, black, silver, or gray. I guess I’ll choose Atlantic Blue Metallic, but it’s not my favorite. The SE is offered with two option packages—one that swaps in black-painted wheels and one that trades the plaid upholstery for leather—but I’d skip both. My GTI SE rings in at an entirely reasonable $35,290.Connor Hoffman’s $40,054 2022 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn

Volkswagen

Volkswagen

I’m going for peak performance with my GTI because I’ll be taking it to open track days. That means, of course, keeping the manual transmission and opting for the top Autobahn trim for its 19-inch wheels, summer tires, and adaptive dampers. Luckily, since I got an Autobahn model, I can get the bright Pomelo Yellow, too, a $395 option. Unfortunately, though, I can’t get the plaid seats, but instead only have the choice of Titan Black seats, which do contrast well with the red detailing. I’m also adding carrier bars for $299 and a bike holder for $180 so I can haul my mountain bike. Add floor liners for $190 so my interior stays clean during Michigan’s salt season. All in, I’m at $40,054, which is approaching Golf R territory.

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Hyundai has created another EV restomod using a model from its past.This version is based on the first-generation Hyundai Grandeur sedan from the 1980s.It has a reworked exterior, an entirely new interior, and an electric drivetrain to replace the gasoline engine.One of the coolest cars we have seen this year was the Hyundai Pony Heritage Series, a thoroughly reworked and upgraded first-generation Pony from the 1970s fitted with an EV powertrain, ultra-modern LED lighting units, and a nixie-tube dashboard. The Pony was created for an internal design lounge in 2020, and now it has happened again: A similarly restomodded Hyundai Grandeur sedan has appeared in the same showroom, right next to the iconic Pony.
The Grandeur is an interesting choice to receive this treatment. U.S. customers received later iterations of this large sedan, first as the XG300 and later as the Azera, but the first-generation Grandeur is more obscure. Developed together with Mitsubishi, it was also called the Mitsubishi Debonair in Japan. In Korea, it was intended to take on Daewoo’s top models and to provide aspiring Hyundai with a flagship model.While the Grandeur failed to distinguish itself from its competitors back in its day, its rebirth in Hyundai’s showroom in 2021 shows us how timeless the clean lines of the 1980s feel today. The car appeals not just to those that remember the first-generation Grandeur, but also to those spellbound by retro-futuristic style.

Outside, the Grandeur’s conventional lights make way for multi-pixel LED lights, which illuminate in different patterns up front and in the rear. The grille has been redesigned and loses the hood ornament that graced some versions of the original Grandeur. The wheels, mirrors, and moldings were also reimagined in a futuristic style.While the exterior has been upgraded and modernized, the interior is entirely redesigned but still uses styling cues and materials reminiscent of the 1980s. There is a single-spoke steering wheel with additional knobs on the left and right; the upper dashboard is an entirely new, horizontal screen; and the infotainment system features a vertical display on the center console.
The four lounge chairs are clad in velvet, a material that has long gone out of fashion but one that could soon make a comeback in luxury cars. The seatbacks are covered in leather. Storage spaces are designed with the look of expensive hand bags, and the audio system, co-developed with Korea’s leading instrument maker Samick, sports 18 speakers and two subwoofers. Also, the audio display resembles a piano.Hyundai has taken great care to create a unique lighting experience inside: Two light rays, emitting from both sides of the dashboard, highlight the B-pillars and illuminate the entire interior. Infinity mirrors add a further elegant and unique accent. And the bronze illumination is supposed to evoke the look of vintage hi-fi systems.For good measure, the original gasoline drivetrain has been entirely replaced by an EV powertrain. No wonder the team, led by Sang-ah Ko, Lee Dong-won and Woo-soon Choi, invested a full eight months to complete the impressive project.The Pony and Grandeur projects highlight a shift in Hyundai’s strategy, initiated by chief designer Luc Donckerwolke. While Korean carmakers have traditionally focused on future models, they are now, for the first time, looking back at and celebrating their own history. While we are curious which further cars will get the Heritage treatment, we are even more interested in a practical question: When can we order this Grandeur EV from Hyundai?
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The next-generation Nissan GT-R has been rumored since at least 2013, but a new report reveals potential details about the future sports car’s powertrain.Speaking with Autocar, Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida said the company is assessing ways to electrify the GT-R.Hybridization could help the GT-R improve its acceleration times while also enhancing fuel efficiency.It feels like an eternity since the current generation Nissan GT-R first went on sale—back in 2008, Barack Obama was elected, the first “Twilight” movie premiered, and T-Pain and Flo Rida’s “Low” dominated the airwaves. And for nearly ten years, rumors have swirled regarding the successor to the R35 GT-R. Nissan provided a glimpse at what a future GT-R could look like with the 2020 Vision Gran Turismo concept in 2014, and back in 2013, Nissan said to expect some form of hybridization on the next generation. Now, a decade later it appears that plan is still on track, according to a recent report from Autocar stating that the next GT-R will feature a hybrid powertrain using a V-6 gasoline engine. Autocar spoke with Nissan CEO Makoto Uchida, who said, “We are looking at how we can do it electrified.” Currently, the GT-R is powered by a twin-turbocharged V-6 with up to 600 horsepower, good for a sub-three second sprint to 60 mph. And while the GT-R is on the more fuel-efficient end of the sports-car spectrum, returning an EPA estimate of 18 mpg combined, emissions regulations mean that adding electrification could become necessary to keep the GT-R compliant. Along with boosting the fuel efficiency, the addition of electric motors could help with acceleration, as their instantaneous torque could sharpen the GT-R’s tire-squealing launches.

What’s not yet clear is if the next GT-R will be built on a new platform. Back in 2018, Nissan design chief Alfonso Albaisa told Autocar “we’re definitely making a new platform,” but GT-R sales have tailed off sharply since then and the global pandemic and resulting semiconductor chip shortage may have shifted priorities. Nissan launched a new generation of the Z car earlier this year, which, while heavily restyled, sits on the same FM platform as its 370Z predecessor. The GT-R could take a similar path, with all-new styling and an updated powertrain but riding on the same bones as the R35.Albaisa had also previously described how he likes the GT-R’s status as “The world’s fastest brick,” so we don’t think the next-gen model’s styling will be as dramatic as the Gran Turismo concept. It’s likely to retain an upright and muscular stance rather than going for the low-slung, sinewy supercar look. We may also see some inspiration drawn from Italidesign’s take on the current GT-R, pictured here.There’s no word yet on when to expect the next generation GT-R, but hopefully we won’t still be reporting on rumors about it in 2031.
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