Motor News

A new Mercedes-Benz EV prototype called the EQXX is coming soon and promises a driving range of over 620 miles per charge.It will use an energy-dense battery and should be highly aerodynamic to maximize efficiency.Mercedes says this technology will be used in a future production compact EV model.Mercedes-Benz is preparing to launch a new EV prototype called the EQXX to push the boundaries of EV driving range. The company claims that the EQXX will be able to go more than 620 miles on a single charge using new, more energy-dense battery technology and an aerodynamic shape to maximize efficiency. The company also stresses that it hasn’t simply increased the size of the battery pack in order to increase range, promising that the pack will be offered in a compact production model in the future.Efficiency is the ultimate goal of the EQXX, as Mercedes is aiming for it to achieve 6 miles per kWh at highway speeds, or somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 MPGe. At that rate of efficiency, the battery would still need to be larger than 100.0-kWh in order to achieve those big range numbers Benz is claiming. Preview images don’t show much, but we expect the EQXX to have a highly aerodynamic shape and be low to the ground.

Currently, Mercedes-Benz’s longest-range model is the EQS sedan, which claims a range of 435 miles on the European testing cycle from its 107.8-kWh battery. We don’t yet have a U.S.-specific EPA range rating for the EQS, but this model is scheduled to come to our shores soon. The Tesla Model S Long Range is rated at 405 miles by the EPA, and we achieved 320 miles in our 75-mph real-world highway test.Look for more information to come on the EQXX within the next few months as Mercedes reveals more about this experimental model.
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SSC has finally admitted that its Tuatara supercar did not reach the originally claimed speeds of 331 or 301 mph during its top-speed run in Nevada last year. In a post on Instagram, the company said that it will keep striving to officially break the 300-mph barrier. The Tuatara is powered by a 1750-hp twin-turbocharged 5.9-liter V-8 engine, and it averaged 282.9 mph in a subsequent run last year in Florida. Last year, Shelby Supercar’s (SSC) Tuatara, a 1750-hp twin-turbo V-8–powered supercar, claimed a world production-car speed record with an average speed of 316.11 mph. After controversy that the video of the record was false, and another failed attempt to reach those speeds, SSC is finally officially admitting that it did not hit those speeds in its initial run.
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“We would like to acknowledge officially that we did not reach the originally claimed speeds of 331 mph or even 301 mph in October of 2020,” the company said in a post to Instagram. “We were truly heartbroken as a company to learn that we did not reach this feat, and we are in an ongoing effort to break the 300 mph barrier transparently, officially, and undoubtedly.”

Shortly after the internet frenzy saying the video was false, SSC took another run at the Johnny Bohmer Proving Grounds at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There, the Tuatara averaged 282.9 mph on two runs, but it still didn’t approach 300 mph. The company wanted to take another attempt at the record in April, but the car was damaged after its carrier flipped. The Tuatara is powered by a twin-turbocharged 5.9-liter flat-plane-crank V-8 engine that produces 1750 horsepower and 1341 pound-feet of torque with E85 and revs to 8800 rpm. It uses a seven-speed robotic-controlled hydraulic, paddle-shifted manual transmission. SSC says that it isn’t done chasing the speed record, yet, and it wants to do it officially this time. We should be hearing about its next attempt at the title soon.
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Aston Martin announced changes to its 2022 lineup, including an extra 25 horsepower for the V-8–powered DB11, which now makes 528 hp.The V-12–powered DB11 AMR is now just called the DB11, and the DBS drops the “Superleggera” name to simplify the lineup.Aston Martin revealed these changes alongside a new configurator, based on the same platform as the video game Fornite.Aston Martin has announced several changes to its 2022 lineup, revealing these updates in conjunction with an new configurator for its website. The biggest tweaks are for the DB11 grand tourer, which features an extra 25 horsepower from the the AMG-sourced 4.0-liter V-8 that now produces 528 horsepower. This allows the DB11 to reach a new claimed top speed of 192 mph, a five-mph increase. Aston Martin will also now let you spec the DB11 with optional Sports Plus seats, which provide extra bolstering should you decide to test out the extra horsepower. You can still get a DB11 with Aston Martin’s twin-turbo 5.2-liter V-12, but it has dropped AMR (Aston Martin Racing( acronym from its name. The DBS flagship, which features a more powerful version of that V-12, also gets a name change, losing the Superleggera suffix to simply become the Aston Martin DBS, like the DB9-based model from 2008.

Aston Martin

The DBS, along with the 2022 Vantage, gains new 21-inch wheel designs, while the DBX SUV adds optional 23-inch wheels, Sports Plus seats, and wireless charging. Aston Martin is also debuting a series of interior trim “environments” across its model range. Dubbed Create, Accelerate, Impulse, and Inspire, each setup includes a combination of materials, colors, and features centered around a specific design theme.

All of these updates to the Aston Martin lineup can be found on the company’s new configurator, which is built on the Unreal Engine designed by Epic Games, which also underpins Fornite. The new configurator aims to simplify the customization process while providing even more ways for customers to visualize their design. Click here if you want to lose hours configuring your dream Aston Martin.
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Toyota has released a new version of the Aqua hybrid hatchback, previously called the Prius C in the U.S.The Prius C was discontinued in America a few years ago and is unlikely to return.The new Japan-market Aqua offers all-wheel drive and a single-pedal function that uses the regenerative brakes to slow the car to a stop like many EVs do.Toyota’s Prius lineup in the U.S. used to include several distinct models but has now shrunk to include just the standard Prius and the Prius Prime plug-in-hybrid. But while the larger Prius V and the smaller Prius C disappeared from our shores years ago, the Prius C has continued on elsewhere in the world. It’s especially popular in Japan, where it’s known as the Aqua, and a redesigned version is set to go on sale in Toyota’s home market soon.

Toyota

The new Aqua looks far more modern than before both inside and out and rides on a new platform with a 2.0-inch longer wheelbase. Its gas-electric powertrain uses a 1.5-liter inline-four gasoline engine combined with electric motor-generators, and it’s available with either front- or all-wheel drive. A new system called Comfort Pedal is able to use the regenerative braking system to similar effect as found in many EVs; lifting off the gas pedal activates the regen to slow the car, meaning drivers won’t need to use the brake pedal as often.

Toyota

Toyota

We don’t expect to see the Prius C nameplate return to the U.S. market anytime soon, meaning the Aqua will remain a JDM-only oddity for the time being. But we may see the Comfort Pedal system or some of its styling elements on future U.S. models.
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Ford, in partnership with Argo AI and Lyft, will add semi-autonomous Escape SUVs as a choice for users of Lyft’s ride-sharing service. The service will launch in Miami later this year and Austin, Texas, in 2022. Ford says it wants over 1000 cars in the fleet in the next five years. There will be safety drivers behind the wheel, and customers have the choice when using the Lyft app whether to select an autonomous ride from Ford. Lyft will soon offer semi-autonomous rides in select cities through a partnership with Ford and autonomous vehicle tech company Argo AI. The rides will be available first in Miami, Florida, starting later in 2021. Lyft users can choose whether or not they want a semi-autonomous ride when they use the ride-sharing service’s app. The point of this exercise is to begin commercially deploying autonomous vehicles on what will eventually be a large scale.

Ford

These still aren’t self-driving cars, though, as Ford says there will be safety drivers behind the wheel of these Escape crossovers equipped with Argo AI’s Self-Driving System (SDS) 360-degree lidar. The semi-autonomous rides will be offered in Austin, Texas, starting next year, and Ford says it hopes to have more than 1000 of these cars in the Lyft fleet over the next five years.

Ford and Volkswagen jointly invested billions of dollars in Argo AI in 2019 to develop autonomous driving systems for their vehicles. Volkswagen plans to have Level 4 autonomy on its electric ID.Buzz van for commercial use by 2025. In addition, Toyota recently invested $400 million into Chinese autonomous vehicle tech company Pony.ai.

Ford

Ford retains ownership of the vehicles, while Argo AI supplies the technology and the safety drivers. As part of the deal, Argo AI will use data from Lyft to further develop its technologies, and Lyft will receive 2.5 percent of the common equity of Argo AI. Lyft recently sold its autonomous driving division to a subsidiary of Toyota. The company also has a partnership with autonomous company Motional and Hyundai to have fully autonomous cars on the Lyft network by 2023.
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Volkswagen’s Herbert Diess has confirmed that VW will roll out an ID.8 electric SUV.The VW ID.8 will be comparable to the mid-size VW Atlas. Details are minimal, but it’s expected to ride on the scalable MEB platform that underpins the rest of the Volkswagen EV lineup.During a presentation on future plans, Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess confirmed that Volkswagen will introduce an Atlas-sized electric crossover under the ID banner. It was expected that Volkswagen would eventually release a mid-size crossover with a battery-electric powertrain, a move that will help further flesh out the Volkswagen battery-electric portfolio.

The Atlas made its debut only a few short years ago, in 2017, in an effort to capitalize on the growing demand for crossovers in the United States and abroad. That formula has easily translated to the growing battery-electric market, as buyers are gravitating toward crossovers even in the EV space. Volkswagen has been aggressively expanding its EV representation with new products across segments.

Right now, there’s nothing concrete released about the ID.8. It will more than likely ride on the Volkswagen MEB platform that underpins other electric VW products. And though nothing is known yet about expected range or output, a look at the production-ready ID.4 gives a sense of what Volkswagen is trying to do with its EV models. While considerably smaller, the ID.4 sports 250 miles of range and 201 horsepower.VW also has yet to reveal a timeline for the ID.8’s debut—or confirm that the ID.8 will even be available in North America. With the continued demand for three-row crossovers in the U.S., it seems like an obvious move, though.

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GMC confirmed it will build a second full-size electric pickup truck.We think it will be closely related to the upcoming Chevy Silverado EV.It will likely be cheaper and less powerful than the GMC Hummer EV.Chevy recently announced an electric version of the Silverado pickup truck, so we should’ve known that a GMC version wasn’t too far behind. GMC vice president Duncan Aldred confirmed yesterday on a conference call that this is indeed the case, sharing that GMC will launch a second full-size electric pickup truck as a follow-up to the Hummer EV.

While the Hummer is an expensive, powerful, off-road-capable halo model, we get the impression that the second GMC electric truck will be closer in scope to the more mainstream Sierra 1500 gas trucks. It’s likely to share many components with the Silverado EV, with styling being the major differentiator between the two trucks.GM’s Ultium battery packs will be found underneath, with powertrain configurations possibly including one-, two-, or three-motor options. Chevy has claimed a driving range of up to 400 miles for the electric Silverado, and we can expect similar claims for the GMC truck.GMC didn’t share any information on pricing, but we have to assume that this unnamed pickup will be significantly less expensive than the Hummer, which starts at $79,995 for the least expensive version set to arrive in 2024. The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning is set to offer multiple variants starting under $60,000 and we can assume that GM will follow that lead with the Silverado EV and the GMC pickup in order to be competitive.Timing for this GMC electric truck is unclear at this point, but we think it will arrive in either 2023 or 2024, around the same time as the Silverado EV. We should learn more in the near-term before the full truck is revealed, including the GMC model’s nameplate.
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New York International Auto Show

For our second stop on our 2021 auto show tour, we’re excited to be a part of the 120th-anniversary celebration of one of the longest-running auto shows in America: the New York International Auto Show. Now taking place in the long, hot days of August, the NYIAS is the most important event on the East Coast for automakers to show off their latest products and most exciting concept cars. And you can join us there.Got your ticket for this year’s show? Here’s how Car and Driver—and our colleagues at Road & Track—can make your visit even better, plus the exclusive perks you can enjoy as a member of the Track Club. JOIN USHit the show floor with Road & Track, Car and Driver, R&T Crew, and more at these select activations:Stop by Road & Track’s booth on the show floor to stock up on limited-edition items and gear you’ll only find at the Road & Track Shop. Enjoy exclusive perks and giveaways, including our special edition of Road & Track magazine, curated especially for the 2021 New York International Auto Show. Plus, you’ll have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win a year-long top-tier Founders membership to the Track Club.Hit the show’s cutting-edge EV Test Track and stop by to see Car and Driver at the State of Charge booth, and check out the debut of our EV-focused newsletter, which makes its public debut at NYIAS.And car-loving kids will get the chance to join a show-wide scavenger hunt hosted by our kids’ club, R&T Crew. They’ll get to explore the entire auto show searching for automotive clues to win epic prizes and giveaways.

New York International Auto Show

And the coolest part of all?Our friends at the New York International Auto Show are giving Track Club members the ultimate show tour experience. Members can sign up to join in-depth walking tours of the auto show hosted by Road & Track staff members—an opportunity that’s only available to Track Club members.We’re just getting started. Sign up and receive members-only access to exclusive opportunities at the hottest events in the automotive world. JOIN THE CLUB

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