Motor News

Monterey Car Week recently concluded with its traditional finale, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. If vintage cars were Greek gods, Pebble Beach would be Mt. Olympus but even more exclusive. This week’s challenge was to find a car made in the past ten years that could earn a spot on the Pebble lawn 50 years from now. The budget: $150,000.Fresh off a win last week, Road & Track senior editor John Pearley Huffman wanted to make it two on the trot. Instead, he pulled up way short of the west coast green—like, in Bowling Green, Kentucky—in a Chevrolet Corvette Z06. The American coupe wore a magnetic red hue, but Pearley had a lot of convincing to do to make the car itself anywhere near as attractive. Contributor Jonathon Ramsey chose a first-gen, special-edition Porsche Boxster Spyder. He argued its connection to the vintage Porsche 550 Spyder—a shoo-in for Pebble Beach—would make the Spyder a lock for the lawn in five decades. The judges cross-examined his arguments with questions about the Spyder’s fiddly manual roof, loud exhaust, and a driver’s seat that might have been trampled by elephants.Senior editor Elana Scherr tried to turn the judges green with envy or British Racing fever with a Lotus Evora 400. Calling out the English coachwork wrapped around a Toyota engine, she drew a line from her Lotus back to 1960s Italian coachbuilt cars like the Iso Grifo, another Pebble favorite. The Evora is a wonderful car to drive, the question is whether Lotus tuned it to conquer Window Shop as easily as it conquers B-roads.Deputy testing director K.C. Colwell followed Ramsey over from Germany, carrying the keys to a first-generation Audi R8 V-8. Colwell tried to sell the R8’s timeless design and marvelous powertrain in the kind of sports car we’ll never see again. But the R8 is a bit more common than the typical Pebble Beach showstopper—not hard to do with all the one-offs on the lawn, admittedly—and it’s a shame about that understeer. . .Deputy editor Tony Quiroga surprised everyone, rolling silently through the back gate with a Cadillac ELR. Pitching the electric car’s concept looks and, well, not much else—something about the leather, maybe?—the ELR struggled as much here as it did on the showroom floor. Tune in for talk of judges, Maaco, Earl Scheib, seersucker suits, iron lungs, and Pearley’s warm goodbye to the best dog ever, Alabama.

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The 2022 Ford Explorer lineup is changing a bit for 2022.An ST-Line appearance package is new, as is a rear-wheel-drive ST.The 2022 Explorer will be reaching dealerships by the end of the year.Ford is making some changes to the Explorer SUV’s lineup for 2022, with a particular emphasis on the sporty ST treatment. An ST-Line appearance package is new for the base four-cylinder model, while the V-6–powered, full-bore ST is now available with rear-wheel drive. The ST-Line starts at $45,845 while the RWD ST starts at $48,420, $2000 lower than the AWD model.

Like the similar package available on the Edge, the ST-Line is meant to look like the 400-hp ST, but comes with the same 300-hp turbo 2.3-liter four and standard suspension setup as other base Explorers. It has 20-inch wheels, a black grille, different badges, and dual exhaust tips outside, and red stitching and some other trim changes inside.
The Explorer King Ranch and Platinum models get the ST’s uprated twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 with 400 horsepower; they previously had a version of this engine with 365 hp. Two new colors join the lineup—Stone Blue and Burgundy Velvet—and there are some other minor equipment changes.The base price for the 2022 Ford Explorer sits at $34,345; in addition to the aformentioned trim levels, the XLT, Limited, and off-road-oriented Timberline models continue for the new model year. Ford says the 2022 Explorer will be reaching dealerships by the end of the year.
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Ford is adding an Ice White Edition appearance package to the Mustang and Mustang Mach-E for the 2022 model year.The package brings white exterior paint, unique wheels with white-painted inserts, and white and gray trim to the interiors.Both special editions will arrive early next year, limited to the Premium model on the Mach-E and the EcoBoost and GT Premium coupes for the Mustang.The Ford Mustang Mach-E is a hot commodity. The electric crossover, which we named our 2021 EV of the Year, has sold nearly 16,000 units through July of this year, easily beating other new electric vehicles from legacy automakers like the Volkswagen ID.4. Now Ford is seeking to capitalize on the Mach-E’s success with a new special edition, the Ice White Edition appearance package. Ford will also give the same makeover to the Mustang sports car, which has so far not been able to match its 2020 sales figures.

For the Mustang Mach-E, the Ice White Edition appearance package will only be available on the Premium model, and it brings a Star White Metallic Tri-Coat paint finish along with matching mirror caps and wheel arch moldings. The pony badges, which have given the electric crossover instant brand recognition, are painted Oxford White, as are pockets of the unique 19-inch aluminum wheels. Inside, the seats, center console, and door-panel armrests are all finished in Light Space Gray, while there is Bright Silver on the dashboard and another Oxford White Mustang badge on the steering wheel.
The Mustang sports car, meanwhile, has a history with white-on-white packages. In 1993, Ford built 1500 Triple White feature Mustang convertibles, but the 2022 Ice White Edition represents the first time a coupe is getting the white-on-white treatment. The appearance package will come on EcoBoost and GT Premium coupe models and adds Oxford White bodywork along with special 19-inch wheels with Oxford White-painted sections. The Mustang logos and fender badges are also Oxford White, and Ford says the taillights are “iced out” as well. The interior continues the theme with Oxford White leather seat inserts and door panels, while aluminum trim adorns the center console, door panels, and headrests.
Both the Mustang Mach-E and Mustang coupe will arrive at dealerships with the Ice White Edition package early next year, with order books for the Mach-E Ice White Edition opening in the fall. Ford didn’t specify whether orders for the white-on-white Mustang coupe will open in advance of sales, and no pricing information was revealed.
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The Kia Sorento lineup will add a plug-in-hybrid model, the Sorento PHEV, this fall.Kia estimates the PHEV will have 32 miles of electric driving range and 460 miles of combined driving range.Kia hasn’t announced a price for the PHEV but has said it will be eligible for a $6587 federal tax credit (about $1000 shy of the maximum tax credit for a plug-in vehicle).The Kia Sorento family is growing by one this fall to include a plug-in hybrid, as Kia works to implement its Plan S electrification strategy. The Sorento PHEV will share its looks and its platform with the gas-powered Sorento, which got a bold-looking redesign for 2021. The Sorento plug-in looks to be closely related to the Hyundai Santa Fe plug-in hybrid, which is expected to go on sale this summer.

The Sorento PHEV will be powered by an electric motor and a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline engine, which will combine to make 261 hp. The Sorento plug-in will use a six-speed automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters. The EPA hasn’t made official estimates on the range or fuel economy of the Sorento PHEV yet, but Kia says the new plug-in will get 32 miles of electric driving range from its 13.8-kWh battery. Kia doesn’t share usable battery capacity, our preferred metric, but we expect it’ll track with the Santa Fe plug-in’s 12.4 kWh of usable battery space. With the help of the gas engine, Kia estimates the Sorento will have 460 miles of range.
Outside, the Sorento PHEV will be distinguishable from the gas Sorento by the extra rear port for its plug and the model-specific rear badging. The PHEV will also come standard with 19-inch wheels. Inside, there are second-row captain’s chairs and a third-row bench. Synthetic leather upholstery is standard, but real leather seats are available. The plug-in is scheduled to hit dealer showrooms this fall. Kia hasn’t announced pricing for the new car yet, but our money says it’ll start in the ballpark of $40,000. Based on the size of its battery, the Sorento plug-in buyers will be eligible for a $6587 federal tax credit—about $1000 less than the maximum federal tax credit—but whether they’ll qualify to take advantage of the full amount will depend on individual tax liabilities.
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Infiniti is updating the QX80 for 2022 with a new infotainment system.A 12.3-inch touchscreen is newly standard, replacing the old model’s dated two-screen setup.The center stack is also new and a wireless smartphone charging pad is newly available.The Infiniti QX80 is getting a significantly updated interior for 2022, just like its downmarket sibling the Nissan Armada received last year. The biggest change is to the infotainment system, which swaps out the dated two-screen setup for a new, far more modern touchscreen. The center stack design is also new and features new climate controls and a wireless smartphone charging pad.

Infiniti

The new display measures 12.3 inches and can be controlled by either the touchscreen or a controller knob on the center console. It features Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone-mirroring functions, with the Apple function newly able to connect wirelessly. Navigation is standard, along with Infiniti’s InTouch connectivity services.There aren’t any changes to the QX80’s exterior or its mechanicals. It’s still powered by a 5.6-liter V-8 engine with 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, with rear-wheel drive standard and all-wheel drive optional. A seven-speed automatic is the sole transmission choice.

Infiniti has yet to release pricing for the 2022 QX80, but we expect it to start slightly higher than the outgoing model’s $70,545 starting price. That’s around $20,000 more expensive than the similar Nissan Armada, which starts at $50,395. The Infiniti will likely be available in the same Luxe, Premium Select, and Sensory trim levels, the latter of which should go well above $80,000 when fully loaded.
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Genesis has revealed the GV60, a new electric vehicle.It rides on the same E-GMP platform as the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6.U.S. deliveries will begin sometime in 2022.Genesis has established itself as a bona fide luxury automaker by introducing models that don’t share much with downmarket Hyundai models, but the new GV60 electric car is a departure from that. Based on these first official images, the GV60 appears to be closely related to the recently revealed Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6 and rides on the same E-GMP underpinnings as those two electric models.

Like the Hyundai and the Kia, the Genesis GV60’s proportions are decidedly hatchback-esque. It features similar headlight and taillight designs as other Genesis models, and its interior—pictured here with distinctive blue upholstery—looks somewhat more upscale than the Ioniq 5 and EV6’s cabins.

Genesis

Genesis is yet to release any mechanical details for the GV60, but we can expect it to be nearly identical to the Ioniq 5 and EV6. These models both offer multiple motor and battery configurations ranging from less powerful RWD single-motor versions all the way up to the 576-hp AWD dual-motor EV6. Due to its upscale positioning, the base GV60 will likely come with a more powerful AWD dual-motor setup and a larger battery.The GV60 will be Genesis’ second electric model, following the Electrified G80, and the company says it will go on sale in the U.S. at some point next year. We don’t know how much it will cost to start, but it will likely compete with vehicles such as the Tesla Model Y and Audi Q4 e-tron.
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Mercedes-Benz AG – Global Communications Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans

Mercedes-Benz has released photos of an All-Terrain version of its C-class wagon. The car is scheduled to officially debut at the international auto show (IAA) in Munich this September.Mercedes says the C-class All-Terrain, modeled after the successful E-class All-Terrain, will strike a balance between the carlike handling of a wagon and the tall stance of an SUV. This All-Terrain will not be available in the U.S. market.Mercedes has released photos of its new off-road-friendly C-class All Terrain. The new wagon is based on the already successful E-class All-Terrain, which is essentially a regular E-wagon with a slight lift, plastic cladding, and some other cosmetic changes. Unlike the E-class version, the C-based All-Terrain won’t come to the U.S.—wagons traditionally haven’t been hot sellers here. But when it goes on sale in Europe this fall, it’ll offer customers there a slightly more rugged take on a compact wagon.

The new All-Terrain is scheduled to make its official debut at Munich’s International Motor Show (IAA) in September, but Mercedes has released some pictures of the car in its element. One shot shows the C-class with its two front wheels in the air as it crests a hill in what appears to be a quarry. That’s probably about as much as customers can expect from the All Terrain, which Mercedes specifies in a press release will easily dispatch only “light terrain.”The C-class All-Terrain will have 1.6 inches more ground clearance compared to the C-class wagon, and it’ll be 0.2 inch longer and 0.8 inch wider than the regular wagon (the extra width is thanks to the new plastic wheel arch covers). With the rear seats up, the All-Terrain will have a not entirely impressive 17 cubic feet of cargo space. With the rear seats folded, there will be space for 53 cubic feet of stuff. The All-Terrain will be available with a choice of two turbocharged four-cylinder engines, one powered by gas, the other by diesel. Both engines will use a 48-volt starter-generator system to improve fuel economy.
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The 2022 Lincoln Navigator is updated with a new look and added features.Lincoln’s version of Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free system, called ActiveGlide, debuts on this full-size luxury SUV.The 2022 Navigator will go on sale early next year.Lincoln is freshening up its biggest SUV, the Navigator. The 2022 model gets a visual update, new interior trim choices, and several new features including a hands-free highway driver-assistance system. These changes apply to both the standard Navigator and the long-wheelbase Navigator L, which has a more spacious third-row seat and cargo area.The exterior changes apply to the front and rear ends, with the grille getting a new texture and shape and the headlights gaining new pixel projector lighting elements. At the rear, the LED taillights now feature an animation sequence that fades out from the center when you walk up to the car and in the opposite direction when you exit the car.
The Navigator’s palatial interior now features a 13.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system that uses Ford’s Sync 4 software, plus new graphics for the digital gauge cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard. The Navigator will offer over-the-air updates for the first time, and Lincoln says this will be able to add features such as additional drive modes. The second-row seats benefit from a new option for massage, along with heating and cooling.

For the Black Label model, Lincoln is introducing two new interior “themes,” one called Central Park and another called Invitation, that feature special bits of trim and upholstery. There’s also a new Black Label–exclusive exterior color called Manhattan Green.Lincoln’s version of Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free highway driver-assist system will be called ActiveGlide and will debut on this big SUV. It’ll function similarly to Cadillac’s Super Cruise, available on the Navigator’s chief rival the Escalade, allowing the driver to take his hands off the wheel in certain circumstances on highways that the system has mapped. A camera is mounted in the gauge cluster to check that the driver is paying attention to the road. ActiveGlide will be optional on the Reserve and Black Label models, and it will come with a three-year free trial before the customer is asked to pay a subscription fee.
Updates to the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6’s compression ratio means it will produce slightly less horsepower than before, at 440 hp compared with last year’s 450 hp. It still has the same 510 pound-feet of torque, uses a 10-speed automatic transmission, and will come with either rear- or four-wheel drive.Lincoln has yet to release pricing for the 2022 Navigator, but we expect it to start slightly higher than the outgoing model’s $78,000 base price. It will go on sale early in 2022.
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