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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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Ford Performance Parts will soon offer a supercharger kit for the F-150’s 5.0-liter V-8. The twin-screw supercharger ups the V-8’s output to 700 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. It will be available starting early next year, and it’s legal in all 50 states. In case you haven’t heard, Ford will soon debut a 700-plus-hp F-150 Raptor R that’ll take on the 702-hp Ram 1500 TRX. But if you’re impatient (or if you want to create your own custom build), Ford Performance Parts will soon offer a supercharger kit for F-150s equipped with the 5.0-liter V-8 that provides 700 horsepower.

The 2021 F-150’s naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V-8 produces 400 horsepower at 6000 rpm and 410 pound-feet of torque at 4250 rpm from the factory. The Whipple twin-screw supercharger makes the 5.0 pump out 700 ponies at 6500 rpm and 590 pound-feet at 5000 rpm, and Ford says it’ll allow the full-size truck to reach 60 mph in less than 5.0 seconds. That’s quicker than the Raptor, which needed 5.2 seconds to hit that mark in our testing. We expect the F-150 Raptor R will make over 700 horsepower from its supercharged 5.2-liter Predator V-8 from the Mustang Shelby GT500. The kit includes the supercharger and necessary hardware as well as a dual-pass intercooler system. Ford says it was tested with its 100,000-mile standards, similar to production engines. And it’s protected by a three-year/30,000-mile warranty if installed by a Ford dealer, Ford Authority reports. Ford Performance Parts’ supercharger kit for the F-150’s 5.0-liter V-8 will be available starting early next year, and it’s legal in all 50 states. We don’t know yet how much the supercharger kit costs, but pricing for the 2021 F-150 with the 5.0-liter starts at $33,330 on the XL model.
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The new 2023 Mazda CX-50 SUV will debut November 15.A blurry teaser photo gives a glimpse at the new mid-size crossover model.Production of the CX-50 will start in January 2022.Mazda is nearly ready to unveil the first of several new SUV models, as the 2023 CX-50 will make its debut November 15. The company released a teaser video showing a vague glimpse at the SUV driving through a forest while also confirming some details about this new model that will slot in above the CX-5 in the lineup.
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Mazda says the CX-50 will use the same platform as the current Mazda3 and CX-30. Presumably it will be a larger version of this transverse architecture, as the company also says it will be a mid-size crossover. As are many new SUV models these days, the CX-50 is being pitched as an active-lifestyle vehicle with “enhanced all-wheel-drive capabilities.”

Production of the 2023 Mazda CX-50 will start in January 2022 at Mazda’s new plant in Alabama that’s shared with Toyota. The Toyota Corolla Cross is also built in this facility, and it’s possible that the CX-50 will share some smaller components with that model even though the Mazda features its own platform and will likely use the same Skyactiv 2.5-liter and turbo 2.5-liter inline-four engines as other Mazda models. Mazda’s new longitudinal platform and inline-six engine won’t arrive until later in the forthcoming CX-70 and CX-90 SUV models, both of which are slated to go on sale by 2023.More details on the CX-50 are coming November 15, so check back then to see this new model in full.
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Ford has shared the first official images of the 2023 Bronco Raptor, as exclusively captured by Bronco Nation. These photos show the Bronco Raptor’s wide stance, available 37-inch tires, and other exterior details. Ford says the Bronco Raptor will arrive next year, and it’ll join the F-150 Raptor that’s on sale now. Ford Bronco enthusiast website, Bronco Nation, is lucky enough to have gotten an official sneak peak at the upcoming Bronco Raptor, which will arrive next year and join the F-150 Raptor in Ford’s new high-performance off-road lineup. We’ve seen spy photos of the Bronco Raptor before, but these lightly camouflaged images show its assertive stance, burly rubber, and aggressive looks.

The Ford Bronco Raptor will be equipped with Fox’s Live Wire twin-tube bypass dampers (also used on the F-150 Raptor), making it ride much higher than the standard SUV. It’ll be available with 37-inch BFGoodrich K02 all-terrain tires (also a newly available option on the F-150 Raptor), though a set of smaller 35-inch tires should be standard. Tying all these aggressive elements together will be a significantly wider stance, as clearly seen here, with bulging fender flares. It also has a “Ford” script grille like the F-150 Raptor, amber headlights and marker lights, meaning it’ll be more than 80 inches wide, skid plates, and darker, unique taillights.

Ford has yet to reveal any details on what will power the Bronco Raptor, but rumor has it that it’ll use a significantly more powerful EcoBoost V-6. Currently, the Bronco’s most powerful engine is a 330-hp twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6 that helped propel the two-door Bronco First Edition to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds in our testing. The Bronco Raptor’s output should be much higher and could even be around 450 horsepower, close to the new Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392’s 470-hp V-8. Look for more information, including powertrain specs, on the 2023 Ford Bronco Raptor as the automaker releases more information closer to its arrival next year. For now, we’ll drool over these images thanks to Bronco Nation.
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