Motor News

The cover for the new Forza Horizon 5 features the 1000-plus-hp Mercedes-AMG One and the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands.Devs told us the handling physics in Forza Horizon 5 have been improved to better handle the open-world map based in Mexico. Forza Horizon 5 will be available as early as November 5 on Xbox and on PC for preorder buyers. The cover for Playground Games’ new Forza Horizon 5 game on Xbox and PC has been revealed. With it will come eight minutes of gameplay from the next-generation racing game, including action from the 1000-plus-hp Mercedes-AMG One and the highly anticipated Ford Bronco Badlands.

Car and Driver talked to Mike Brown, the creative director for Forza Horizon 5. He told us that the driving physics in Forza Horizon 5 will be more fun than ever: “When you make a racing game behave more like a simulation, sometimes people think it makes it more difficult to play. But now the suspension behaves like it would on a real car, and the braking is more gradual—the simulation is not only more accurate, but the experience becomes more accessible as well.”Brown told us that Forza Horizon 5 uses an improved physics engine from previous Forza games, to accommodate the title’s new environment in Mexico. The environment will host all sorts of different terrain, including pavement, sand, dirt, swamps, rivers, lakes, plus some serious adverse weather conditions like dust and tropical storms on top of that.Not only is the Ford Bronco featured on the cover, it’s the opening act for Forza Horizon 5, the first vehicle you’ll drive through an exciting first look at the game’s new features and stunning detail. The design team with Forza go to great lengths to ensure that vehicles in their game are close to the real thing, taking more than 2000 photos of each model. The details are all there, from the knurling on the climate-control knobs to the reflection of textures inside taillight housings. Each vehicle is created from a combination of these reference photos and computer-aided-design models to make sure manufacturer specs like ground clearance (or lack of it, in the AMG One’s case) are realistic.

In the game the cars quickly end up jumping, rocking, flipping, and rolling while they pursue their adventures through Mexico, so we had to ask Paul Wraith, the chief designer of the Ford Bronco, if it made his heart ache watching his off-roader getting virtually scratched up in video games. “I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time playing games like Forza and Gran Turismo. I’ve grown up with this stuff. When we go for realism, damage is a part of it. And it teaches you to do a better job in the game. Plus, you can switch it off.”Forza Horizon 5’s entire car list isn’t public yet, but if you look closely at these screenshots, we know that the Ford Ranger Raptor and the first-generation Bronco are back. It also looks like the Pagani Zonda R and Koenigsegg Jesko are hiding behind the Mercedes-AMG One in photos.

Forza Horizon 5 is set to release on November 9 for Xbox Series X and S and Xbox One consoles, and for PC on Windows 10 and Steam. It will also be included in the Xbox Game Pass subscription on launch. People who preorder the game get early access November 5.
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We’re excited to announce the beginning of an epic lineup of rallies added to the Road & Track Experiences roster. Our first rally of 2021, Road to Motor Bella, is a day-long drive through Michigan’s freshwater lake region ending at Motor Bella, M1 Concourse’s inaugural, experiential car show on September 22, 2021. The Road to Motor Bella experience offers enthusiasts unprecedented access to curated drives, with all roads leading to the innovative vehicle debuts and focus on next-generation mobility at Motor Bella. This event is expected to house and display over 600 cars, trucks, and utility vehicles across M1’s 87-acre property in Pontiac, MI. And now, you can tour it all alongside Road & Track and Car and Driver editors. With over 150,000 attendees expected throughout the span of six days, Motor Bella will be packed with new experiences — even offering Road & Track members exclusive opportunities during their first-ever press day. Interest piqued? Here’s what to expect:Road to Motor Bella will commence at Marsh Bank Park, where enthusiasts will gather for a quick breakfast and meet-and-greet before a scenic morning drive. Expect beautiful, twisting roads as you travel through Oakland County lake region, a coastal route curated by Road & Track and Car and Driver editors.Enter the show grounds, consisting of 87 acres and a 1-mile-long test track for an afternoon filled with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Hit Champion Motor Speedway’s track to spend time with pro drivers during a series of hot laps in high-performance vehicles — an opportunity available to the Track Club community. Not a member yet? Sign up here. Enjoy a food truck lunch, mingle with editors one-on-one, and travel through the grounds alongside a community of like-minded enthusiasts during this first-ever mobility-filled event. PLUS, Track Club Founders are invited to stick around an extra day to hang with Car and Driver as they test their 2022 10Best contenders at North Star Reach Camp. Want in? APPLY TO JOINNot a member? Learn more about the Track Club to receive exclusive invitations to the industry’s hottest ticketed events.LEARN MOREThis content was provided by the Road & Track marketing team.

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For 2022, every full-size Ram ProMaster van comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission, upgraded infotainment features, and myriad driver-assistance tech.The ProMaster can now be fitted with a 10.0-inch Uconnect5 touchscreen and driver assists such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist.Ram also says it’ll introduce an all-electric ProMaster in 2023. The 2022 Ram ProMaster commercial van boasts a host of new driver-assistance technology, improved infotainment features, and some notable mechanical upgrades.
While the ProMaster’s outward appearance is unchanged, its dashboard undergoes a big transformation. The van’s center stack has been drastically redesigned, with a newly standard 7.0-inch touchscreen supplanting the old 5.0-inch unit. An even larger 10.0-inch touchscreen is now available, too. Both upgraded systems feature Uconnect5 software, which enables over-the-air updates and includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa voice assistant, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Plus, there are now more charging ports, including two USB and two USB Type-C ports. A 115-volt outlet and a wireless device charger are also available.

Along with the new infotainment interfaces, the center stack welcomes revised HVAC controls that look sleeker than the old rotary knobs. Below that is a new panel of switches for the hazard lights, traction-control system, and more. To the left, there’s now a snazzier and more pronounced shift lever. Additionally, there’s a new steering wheel adorned with more physical controls, and the driver now faces a modernized instrument panel with either a 3.5- or 7.0-inch digital display. An electronic parking brake, push-button start, and keyless entry for all doors are all new additions. Plus, there’s a new Crew Van package that includes a second row of seats for up to three passengers, but it’s only available on the cargo van.
In terms of driver-assistance technology, the 2022 ProMaster adds an array of new ones. While last year’s models introduced a handful of active safety equipment, such as automated emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring, the roster of available tech has substantially grown. It now includes a 360-degree camera, automatic high-beam headlights, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, front parking sensors, and more. Thanks to the switch from a hydraulic steering system to an electronically assisted one, lane-keeping assist is also newly available.As before, the 2022 ProMaster is available in myriad configurations that include two roof heights and three wheelbase lengths. However, availability varies between 1500, 2500, and 3500 versions of the cargo van, window van, chassis cab, and cutaway. Every ProMaster is still powered by a transverse-mounted 3.6-liter V-6 making 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, but it now feeds the front wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission versus a six-speed unit. Ram says the new automatic helps improve fuel efficiency and deliver smoother gearchanges. The nine-speed also has a higher final-drive ratio (4.08) than its six-speed predecessor (3.86). The ’22 ProMaster has a max tow rating of 6910 pounds and a max payload rating of 4680 pounds.
Ram hasn’t yet announced pricing for the 2022 ProMaster commercial lineup, but we don’t think prices will rise much compared with the previous model year when they go on sale in the fourth quarter of this year. Ram has also revealed that it’ll introduce a fully electric variant of the ProMaster in 2023. It’ll face-off against Ford’s forthcoming e-Transit, which is expected to have a range of up to 126 miles.
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The 2022 Mazda MX-30 electric SUV will start at $34,645.Mazda says it will offer an EPA-estimated 100 miles of range on a single charge.The MX-30 goes on sale in California in October.Mazda’s first attempt at an electric vehicle is a quirky small SUV with RX-8–style doors, and we now know how much it will cost. Starting at $34,645, the 2022 MX-30 is slated to go on sale in California starting in October. At first, it’ll be available with a 143-hp electric motor powering the front wheels and a small battery pack—we estimate a net capacity of around 32.0 kWh—that Mazda says will provide a paltry 100 miles of EPA-estimated range. A plug-in-hybrid version with a rotary gas engine is coming later.

For now, the MX-30’s specs are a bit perplexing when compared against other affordable EVs. Despite its tiny battery and short driving range, it’s several thousand dollars more expensive than other EVs with considerably more range. The 2022 Chevy Bolt EV, for instance, starts at $31,995 and offers more than double the Mazda’s range—259 miles according to the EPA. And the 2022 Nissan Leaf, which just received a price cut, starts well under $30,000 and offers an estimated 149 miles of range in its base form.
Mazda will offer the MX-30 in two trim levels, with the better-equipped Premium Plus model starting at $37,655. It adds features such as a 360-degree camera system and a premium audio system. Other options include premium paint colors, which cost between $495 and $995.To incentivize EV ownership—and help make up for the car’s limited range—Mazda is including a loaner program for MX-30 buyers that allows them to borrow a gas-powered Mazda from a dealership for up to 10 days per year for the first three years you own the car. Buyers also get a $500 charging credit for ChargePoint that can be used either for public charging stations or to install a home charging station.Before the MX-30 arrives at California dealerships this October, reservations are open now with a deposit at the phone number 833–469–6930.
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Acura Vice President and Brand Officer Jon Ikeda said that “[t]here’s gonna be another one” in an interview with The Drive about the NSX sports car.Ikeda explained that Acura builds “an NSX when there’s something we want to say,” pointing out that the first generation was gas-powered while the second generation transitioned to hybrid propulsion.The next logical step would be an electric NSX, but Ikeda refused to comment on whether it would be an EV, simply responding with a smile.The NSX Type S, a higher-performance version of the mid-engined sports car with 27 additional horsepower and optional carbon-ceramic brakes, serves as a final act for the second-generation NSX. The 2022 Type S will be the only NSX on offer next year, with just 300 units available in the United States before production ends. But now an interview with Acura Vice President and Brand Officer Jon Ikeda in The Drive has revealed that the NSX will have a future beyond 2022, and that the iconic nameplate will likely return on an electric vehicle.

Acura already hinted that the sports car could get a successor in the press release for the Type S, stating that the company was “already exploring what the next generation of sports cars should be in the coming electrified era.” But the recent comments from Ikeda provide more clarity on the future of the NSX. Speaking with The Drive at Monterey Car Week, Ikeda explained, “If you notice, we make an NSX when there’s something we want to say. The first-gen was gas. Second-gen was a hybrid. There’s gonna be another one.” When asked whether a third-generation NSX would be an all-electric sports car, Ikeda smiled and refused to comment, The Drive reports. Given the car market’s general trend towards battery-electric powertrains, it would make sense that the next NSX would eschew a gas engine for a battery pack and electric motors. Ikeda did not reveal any sort of timeline for an NSX successor, but we would expect it to be at least a few years away.
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Instead of building 900,000 vehicles in September, Toyota said this week it will make around 540,000. It’s the first massive drop for the automaker, which so far has been weathering the pandemic storm relatively well.In North America, production in August and September will drop by up to 170,000 vehicles.There is one North American plant that will keep running at full steam, and that’s the one that will build the new Tundra, which is finally being updated with a new generation after well over a decade.Until this point in the pandemic, and despite the troubles other automakers faced with a lack of components, especially semiconductor chips, Toyota has managed to keep its production plants running relatively smoothly. One big reason for this was a strategic shift the automaker made following the Fukushima earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The updated plan relied less on the “just in time” component delivery system Toyota had used for decades and more on stockpiling components for use in emergencies.

As Automotive News wrote in 2016, Toyota’s updated system included a database called Rescue that “stores information about thousands of parts stored at 650,000 supplier sites, helping the automaker bypass bottlenecks when one supplier gets knocked out of commission.” It’s a system that works well until many suppliers, not just one, get knocked out. Which is why Toyota announced this week that it will dramatically reduce output at its plants around the world, cutting September’s planned production of around 900,000 cars down to 540,000. Speaking on Bloomberg Television this week, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) executive vice-president of sales Bob Carter said the production issues are not limited to just microchips, even though they’re a big part of the problem. Some production changes will start in August, and Toyota’s North American facilities will build between 140,000 and 170,000 fewer vehicles in these two months. TMNA sent Car and Driver a statement about the situation: “Due to COVID-19 and unexpected events with our supply chain, Toyota is experiencing additional shortages that will affect production at most of our North American plants. While the situation remains fluid and complex, our manufacturing and supply chain teams have worked diligently to develop countermeasures to minimize the impact on production. In North America, we are projecting a reduction of approximately 60,000 to 90,000 vehicles in August. As for September, we are projecting a reduction of 80,000 vehicles, but the situation remains very fluid. We do not anticipate any impact to employment at this time.”

There is one North American facility that Toyota is not tampering with during this round of production cuts, though, and that’s the San Antonio plant that currently makes the Tacoma and is about to start building the highly anticipated 2022 Tundra. “In order to meet our production timeline and schedule for the new Tundra, we have to finish up current model production by a certain timeline,” Toyota spokeswoman Melissa Sparks told the San Antonio Express News. “If we’re delayed because of chip shortages, we can’t meet those milestones. So that’s the reason we’re prioritizing chips” for the San Antonio plant.
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Ford teased its upcoming Eluminator electric-vehicle crate motor ahead of its official debut at this year’s SEMA show.This follows Chevrolet’s electric crate motor conversion that debuted in 2018 and could see vendors this year.These crate-motor solutions should be less invasive to classic cars than more involved EV conversions. For fans of vintage American iron, the looming transition to electric motivation might strike fear into your heart: your nostalgia express might be rendered inoperable. Well, there’s some good news for those that are interested in modifying your classic: EV crate conversions. While this technology is still in its relative infancy, it does seem to be gaining some traction. Ford is teasing an electric crate powertrain solution that is slated for a debut at the SEMA show, scheduled to take place in early November.Now, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen something like this. Chevrolet introduced a similar system back in 2018. That system has since evolved into the eCrate system, which Chevrolet said would be hitting the market sometime this year. Some solutions aren’t exactly bolt-in, which have been becoming more popular, and powerful, as these electric technologies have advanced.
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Ford jumped to Twitter to tease its upcoming Eluminator powertrain. This name is an obvious play on its Aluminator crate engine, and it will likely start a whole series of electric powertrain solutions for project cars. Details are still light on Ford’s plan for EV crate powertrains, but we’re sure that the company looked at its crosstown rival’s bolt-in-friendly approach and considered the problems of replacing an internal-combustion engine with an electric motor.

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Ford also neglected to mention the battery options, thermal management solutions, or battery controllers in this teaser tweet. We imagine all of this information and more will be revealed at this year’s SEMA show. We’re expecting the specs to be at least on par with Chevrolet’s Connect and Cruise system, which features a 200-hp electric motor and a 60.0-kWh battery. The kit also includes inverters, converters, and a wiring harness to make it all work.We doubt that anyone will knock on your door and demand you yank out the aging Ford Y-block under the hood of your ’61 F-100, but this could be a good solution for folks who want to enjoy their classic cars if fuel becomes too costly, or if regulations put a clamp on internal-combustion enjoyment.

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First run in 1923, the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans in France is the world’s greatest sports-car race. On the famous Mulsanne straight, the fastest cars top 200 mph.In 2021, the race takes place August 21–22. Sixty-two cars started the race on Saturday, August 21, at 3 p.m. local time (9 a.m. Eastern time, for U.S. viewers), with fans in attendance limited to 50,000 instead of the usual quarter-million.The 24 Hours of Le Mans is auto racing’s Boston Marathon, a brutal test of endurance where competitors race stunningly fast cars for 24 straight hours at speeds that can exceed 200 mph on the fastest section of the incredibly long 8.5-mile Circuit de la Sarthe road course. The race is a punishing test that pushes driver and machine to their limits—and sometimes beyond. Here’s everything you need to know to make sense of the race, which takes the green flag on Saturday, August 21.What is it? The 89th running of the world’s most prestigious sports-car race, which lasts (as its name makes clear) for 24 hours.When is the 2021 24 Hours of Le Mans? August 21–22, starting at 9 a.m. Eastern time.How to watch? Live online at the Motor Trend on-demand website (paywall) or the Motor Trend cable-TV channel; excerpts on the Automobile Club de l’Ouest (ACO) YouTube channel. Or watch a live feed from inside one of the participating cars, including the Glickenhaus entry in the new Hypercar class, on YouTube.Or follow the live blog covering all the action from our friends at Road & Track.
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Where is the 24 Hours of Le Mans held? Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France.What time does it start? Coverage begins at 8:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern time, with the race starting at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time (3:00 p.m. local time).History, hellish events, and high speeds are the key ingredients that make the 24 Hours of Le Mans the world’s greatest sports-car race. It is both famous and infamous for the triumphs and tragedies that have occurred there. Started in 1923 as a showcase for car manufacturers to prove the durability of their vehicles in competition, it has evolved into a high-speed chess match among top professional racing teams where strategy, teamwork, and great driving skill are as important as a car’s reliability and technological edge.The race is staged annually, normally in mid-June (but these are not normal times), by the French sanctioning organization Automobile Club de l’Ouest. Four classes of cars compete side by side, which can make the racing confusing, but a team of knowledgeable TV commentators keeps the action sorted out for you. Le Mans is part of the FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes long-distance races in nine countries. Through the years, automobile manufacturers including Porsche, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Toyota, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Jaguar, and Chevrolet have invested tens of millions in their race teams with the hope of taking the winner’s laurels and basking in the marketing glory a win confers.The top two classes, LMP1 and LMP2, are made up of purpose-built race cars that can cost millions and are supported by large crews of engineers and technicians. The cars look like four-wheeled fighter jets and employ advanced aerodynamics to suck them to the track, which enables astounding speed in the corners. The current rules encourage teams to race gasoline-electric hybrids, and last year’s winning car, Toyota’s TS050 LMP1, utilized that technology to make a claimed 986 horsepower. LMP2 cars are similar but less complex, are powered by conventional gasoline engines, and are not quite as fast as the LMP1s.About two-thirds of the field is composed of the other two classes competing in the race, the GT, or grand touring, cars: GTE-Pro and GTE-Am. These classes are based on highly modified versions of production-line sports cars with recognizable names and shapes from makers such as Ferrari, Porsche, Chevrolet, Ford, and Audi. They have about 500 horsepower, and the infighting is fierce as these cars battle for position and class wins while trying to stay out of the way of the flying prototypes. As their names imply, GTE-Pro is for full-time professional drivers and manufacturer teams, while GTE-Am is for amateur drivers and private teams. This year’s new Hypercar class promises to add interest and could make some fresh history.All teams must rotate three drivers through the car during the race, with no one driver behind the wheel for more than a total of 14 hours. Driver changes happen in conjunction with pit stops for fuel and fresh tires.History runs deep at the Circuit de la Sarthe, the name of the 8.5-mile temporary course that roars to life in the sleepy French countryside every June. The original race was run entirely on local roads, but for reasons of safety it now combines sections of public road knitted together with stretches of purpose-built racetrack. The famous Mulsanne straight, part of the original track, is still in use. One of the world’s longest racing straightaways at 3.7 miles, it’s actually a public road, French route départementale D338, except for those few days each year when it is closed down for the 24-hour event. Another tradition: the race cars undergo one of their several technical inspections in the Le Mans town square, where they can be viewed up close by the general public. And the spraying of champagne after a race win? That was started at Le Mans as well, by American Dan Gurney after winning the 1967 race.Racing dynasties have flourished and faded across the 86 years the event has run—it was canceled for 10 years during World War II and in 1936 because of strikes across France. Bentley and Alfa Romeo both made their early reputations with four consecutive wins each in the 1930s. Jaguar and Ferrari dominated the 1950s and 1960s. Henry Ford II’s personal rivalry with Enzo Ferrari resulted in his company deciding to build the Ford GT40, which defeated Ferrari in four straight Le Mans races from 1966 through 1969. Porsche was the dominant force in the 1980s, and Audi prototypes notched an amazing 13 wins between 2000 and 2014.Along with racing triumphs, the race has been the scene of tragedies. The worst of them occurred during the 1955 event, when a Mercedes 300SLR race car crashed at high speed on the front straight, launching flaming parts into the crowd and killing 83 spectators. It remains the worst auto-racing accident in history. As a result, automobile racing was temporarily banned in several European countries. Major safety improvements were made to the Circuit de la Sarthe in the wake of the 1955 event; numerous safety upgrades for both spectators and the racers have been implemented in the decades since. Race cars were already reaching speeds in excess of 225 mph on the Mulsanne by the early 1970s, so a pair of tight zigzag chicanes were added partway down the straight to bring speeds down. Despite the changes, the fastest of today’s race cars will still top 200 mph on the Mulsanne. And that can still mean trouble, as when driver Peter Dumbreck’s Mercedes race car flipped into the trees in 1999; he somehow escaped without major injury.The danger and excitement of 1970s-era Le Mans competition was captured for the silver screen by racer/actor Steve McQueen in his movie Le Mans. And a recent tribute video of the Le Mans event brings McQueen’s spare depiction up to date by evoking the romance that is the Le Mans 24 Hours. Here’s a preview of what you’ll see in the 2021 race.
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type=’text’ question=’Are you planning to follow the 24 Hours of Le Mans?’ answer1=’I’ll be in front of the TV with snacks and drinks all night.’ answer2=’Not my cup of tea.’][/poll]

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