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VinFast, Vietnam’s first car company, announced it has established U.S. headquarters and said that showrooms will open in California soon.The company plans to enter the U.S. market with two electric crossovers, the VFe35 and the VFe36, and is targeting to start sales in March 2022.VinFast has an 8.4 percent share of the market in Vietnam but said it will need to raise additional funds to finance its global expansion.VinFast became Vietnam’s first domestic carmaker in 2019, when it started selling two gasoline-powered vehicles, the Lux A2.0 sedan and the Lux SA2.0 crossover, in its home market. Now the fledgling company has announced plans to expand into North America and Europe, with the goal of starting sales in the United States in March 2022. The automaker’s global lineup will be centered around electric crossovers.

VinFast sold around 30,000 vehicles in Vietnam last year. The company has yet to make a profit but is quickly growing in Vietnam, becoming the fourth most popular car brand there this year, with an 8.3 percent share of the market. The company is part of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, known as Vingroup JSC. In a statement Monday, Vinfast said it has opened offices in North America and Europe, with aims to open showrooms in California soon. The company also added that Van Anh Nguyen, CEO of VinFast’s U.S. operation, recently moved from Vietnam to the U.S.

VinFast

VinFast has admitted that it needs more funding for its expansion plans, suggesting either an initial public offering on the U.S. stock market or a merger with a Special Purpose Acquisition Company (as EV startup Lucid Motors did this year) to raise those finances. VinFast was originally eying an offering in the second quarter of this year that would help raise $2 billion in funding, but Reuters reported that the offering was delayed.

Currently, VinFast builds five vehicles. The Lux A2.0 is based on the F10-generation BMW 5-series and the Lux SA2.0 is built on the bones of the F15 version of the BMW X5, with both cars penned by Italian design house Pininfarina. VinFast’s first EV is the VFe34, a subcompact crossover built on a VinFast-exclusive platform, and there is also the compact Fadil, a reskinned Opel Karl city car. VinFast also made a 500-unit run of the President, a version of the Lux SA2.0 packing a 420 hp 6.2-liter GM V-8. The Vietnamese brand’s entry to the U.S. market will be based around the upcoming VFe35 and VFe36, a compact and mid-size electric crossover, respectively. Details for the U.S.-specific models have not yet been announced. VinFast had originally targeted sales of 56,000 EVs in 2022, but the global semiconductor chip shortage has forced VinFast to reduce that goal to 15,000 units.
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Infiniti has released pricing for the new 2022 QX60, which starts at $47,875.Trim levels include Pure, Luxe, Sensory, and Autograph, with a fully loaded model commanding over $64,000.Infiniti is taking reservations now and deliveries will start later this year.Infiniti’s new 2022 QX60 looks a lot better than its predecessor inside and out, and you’ll pay more for the various improvements to its design, powertrain, and available features. The new model starts at $47,875, a $2500 increase over the 2020 QX60’s starting price (the QX60 skipped the 2021 model year).

All versions of the QX60 come standard with a 295-hp 3.5-liter V-6 engine, front-wheel drive, and a nine-speed automatic transmission that replaces the previous CVT. All-wheel drive is optional on all trim levels for between $2000 and $2900 extra.The base QX60 is called Pure, while the other trim levels include Luxe ($53,925), Sensory ($57,375), and Autograph ($61,375). The Luxe includes 20-inch wheels, driver-assistance features, navigation, and cooled front seats. The Sensory adds massaging seats, heated second-row seats, a wireless smartphone charger, among other features. The loaded Autograph has niceties such as plusher interior trim, second-row captain’s chairs, and a head-up display.
Options include various premium paint colors for between $695 and $900; a premium audio system for $900 on the Luxe model; a $1500 Vision package with the head-up display, upgraded headlights, and a digital rearview mirror for Luxe and Sensory models; and a $900 towing package for Sensory AWD models that increases towing capacity to 6000 pounds (the Autograph AWD comes standard with the towing package).Infiniti is now taking reservations for the 2022 QX60 on its website, and it will arrive at dealerships this fall.
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The 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz compact pickup starts at $25,175 for the base SE model.The top Limited version with its optional turbo engine starts at $40,455.The Santa Cruz has started production and goes on sale in late July.Hyundai has priced its new compact pickup competitively, but not as low as its chief rival the Ford Maverick. The new 2022 Santa Cruz starts at $25,175 compared with the Maverick’s base price of $21,490.

Granted, the Santa Cruz is better-equipped in its base form than the Maverick is. The SE comes standard with features such as 18-inch wheels, several driver-assistance features, and a remote-opening tailgate. It has a 2.5-liter inline-four engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and front-wheel drive.All-wheel drive is a $1500 option for all models equipped with the base 2.5L engine, which also includes the SEL, starting at $28,375. The SEL offers an Activity package for an extra $3270 for either FWD or AWD models, but Hyundai has yet to say exactly what’s included with that option.The optional turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four engine is available starting in the $36,856 SEL Premium model, which comes standard with all-wheel drive. The loaded Santa Cruz Limited also has the more powerful turbo engine and all-wheel drive; it starts at $40,455.Hyundai’s online configurator lists FWD SEL Premium and FWD Limited versions as well, but the company has yet to release pricing for those models.Expect to see 2022 Santa Cruz models rolling into Hyundai dealerships later this month, as the pickup has already started production at the company’s plant in Alabama.
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Hyundai has discontinued the standard Veloster for the 2022 model year, leaving only the high-performance N model. The Veloster N is powered by a 275-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder paired with either a six-speed manual or a newly available eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. Hyundai originally told Car and Driver that only some Veloster models would be discontinued, but now, due to market demand, it decided to kill them all except for the N.UPDATE 7/12/21: Hyundai has discontinued the Veloster’s 2.0, 2.0 Premium, R-Spec, Turbo and Ultimate models for the 2022 model year, leaving only the high-performance Veloster N. A Hyundai spokesperson told Car and Driver that when this story initially published, Hyundai was still evaluating by trim level, and now, due to market demand, it decided to only offer the N model for the 2022 model year.The standard Hyundai Veloster might be overlooked by the high-performance, 275-hp Veloster N, which just finished our 40,000-mile long-term test, but that doesn’t mean Hyundai isn’t committed to it. After news reports surfaced that the Korean automaker could be discontinuing Veloster models other than the N, a spokesperson confirmed to Car and Driver that the Veloster will live to see the 2022 model year.

Hyundai says that it will offer fewer trim levels for the 2022 model year, but wouldn’t specify which ones will go away. The Veloster, now in its second generation, is currently available as 2.0, 2.0 Premium, Turbo R-Spec, and Turbo models along with the high-performance N version. Veloster 2.0 models are powered by a 147-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a standard six-speed manual gearbox, with a six-speed automatic transmission optional. Turbo models are motivated by a 201-hp turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder with the manual or a dual-clutch automatic unit. When we tested the 2019 Veloster Turbo, we called it “a blaring deal compared with other sweet-driving compact hatchbacks such as the Mazda 3 and the Honda Civic Sport.” And we just said goodbye to our Performance Blue 2019 Veloster N with its 275-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and six-speed manual transmission. Numerous Car and Driver editors agreed that it was great but no Honda Civic Type R, its 306-hp competitor.The 2021 Veloster starts at $19,905 for the 2.0 equipped with the six-speed manual. The Turbo R-Spec starts at $24,445 and the Turbo at $26,755. The Veloster N starts at $33,255 for the manual and $34,755 with the new dual-clutch automatic transmission. This story was originally published April 7, 2021.
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Ford confirmed to Car and Driver that the F-150 will no longer be available with the Power Stroke 3.0-liter V-6 diesel due to the popularity of the other engines such as the EcoBoost V-6 options.Customers who want towing ability and efficiency should now go for the PowerBoost hybrid, Ford says, which makes more torque than the diesel while returning better fuel economy.The Power Stroke can be ordered on the F-150 until July 16, with deliveries occurring over the remainder of the year.Around a year after Ford introduced the 14th generation of the F-150, the company has announced that it is already discontinuing one of the engine choices. Initially reported by Ford Authority, Ford has confirmed to Car and Driver that it will no longer sell the F-150 pickup with the Power Stroke V-6 diesel option. A Ford representative explained that the decision to drop the diesel was made because “our customers overwhelmingly order our EcoBoost V-6 gasoline engines.” The Power Stroke 3.0-liter V-6 first appeared in the previous-generation F-150 in 2018 and was carried over unchanged into the new truck for 2021.

It is not especially surprising to see the Power Stroke fall by the wayside—it produced just 250 horsepower, which made it the least powerful engine in the lineup, easily surpassed by the 290-hp 3.3-liter V-6 and the 325-hp EcoBoost 2.7-liter V-6. The Power Stroke’s calling card as a diesel had been its 440 pound-feet of torque, making it a great option for those who wanted to tow. Ford told Car and Driver that “customers who need maximum towing torque” should now opt for the PowerBoost, with the 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid setup putting out 430 hp and 570 pound-feet, improvements over the Power Stroke on both measures.The hybrid is also better than the diesel in terms of fuel economy. The diesel variant had previously been the choice for those who wanted a fuel-sipping F-150, since its EPA combined rating of 24 mpg is the highest among all variants of the 2020 truck. However, for 2021, the diesel’s rating dropped by 1 mpg, while the new PowerBoost hybrid has an EPA rating of 24 mpg combined, making it the new efficiency king in the F-150 lineup.

Ford told Car and Driver that orders for the F-150 with the Power Stroke will remain open until July 16, with deliveries happening over the rest of the year.
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GMC is making a few changes to the Acadia lineup for 2022.The base SL model and its 2.5-liter inline-four are gone, and the SLE is now the base model.Prices start at $35,995 and range up to $47,795 for the Acadia Denali.GMC is rejiggering the 2022 Acadia lineup, dropping the base SL trim level and its 2.5-liter inline-four engine. This means that the starting price rises by $5000, as the $35,995 SLE now serves as the base Acadia. SLT, AT4, and Denali trim levels remain, and there are a few new standard features and a new extra-cost color called Light Stone metallic.

The SLE and SLT ($40,295) trims come with a 228-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four, and now have additional driver-assistance features as standard equipment. The 18-inch and 20-inch wheel designs are new. A 310-hp 3.6-liter V-6 is optional on the SLT for $495, and all-wheel drive is a $2000–$2300 option.
The off-road-oriented AT4 trim level starts at $42,595 and comes standard with the V-6 and all-wheel drive. The Denali, which has a slightly more luxurious interior and more chrome trim, starts at $47,795 with front-wheel drive and the 2.0-liter engine. A fully loaded Denali with all-wheel drive, the V-6 engine, and all the options tops out at around $55,000.
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Rivian has made a big deal out of the “tank turn” capability of its electric vehicles. The four motors, one powering each wheel, can basically spin the EV around in place by spinning the wheels on either side of the vehicle in opposite directions. But on soft surfaces, a tank turn brings with it the chance to get stuck, so the company is also trying to patent a “K-turn.”Using the same ability to control each wheel individually, the K-turn will hold one of the inside rear wheels and allow the vehicle to pivot around it, dramatically reducing its turning radius.For a certain subset of Star Wars nerds, a K-turn (aka a Koiogran turn) is a tricky way to escape a pursuing craft during a dogfight. But in the automobile world, “K-turn” could soon be associated with Rivian, which filed a newly published patent application outlining a method for the company’s electric vehicles to offer drivers a much tighter turn radius than other vehicles offer.

Whether or not this K-turn will make an appearance on Rivian’s upcoming R1T and R1S EVs is not directly specified in the patent application, but Rivian has already promoted a different unusual turning method for these vehicles. Called the “tank turn,” this tech uses the EV’s four motors (one connected to each wheel) to rotate the wheels on either side of the EV in opposite directions, kind of like moving the treads on a tank against each other, to basically spin the vehicle in place. It’s a neat party trick, but it can’t be used everywhere. As Rivian notes in its patent application: “Such a [tank] turn when employed on soft surfaces can cause the wheels to dig into the ground and sink rather than turning the vehicle.”Rivian’s K-turn builds off the tank turn, deploying its separate propulsion source at each of the four wheels in a slightly different way. Instead of putting the center of the turning circle at the midpoint between all four wheels, a K-turn would instead happen only when there’s substantial steering angle. Forward torque is applied to those angled front wheels, while the inner back wheel is more or less held in place. This wheel then forms a pivot point for the car to turn left or right. Think of it like an old-fashioned pencil compass, where the metal point represents the stationary rear wheel and the pencil side is the front of the car. The end result? “K-turn mode [allows] the vehicle to achieve a significantly reduced turn radius (e.g., the vehicle may pivot around a point under the chassis of the vehicle),” according to the patent application. This is similar to the Ford Bronco’s trail-turn assist, where, at low speeds, it locks the inside rear wheel to pivot around it, shortening the turning radius by as much as 40 percent.

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

Other parts of the patent filing talk about slightly different modes where the rear wheels would instead be spinning in reverse rather than the inside rear wheel held in place. Rivian makes it sound like actually making one of its vehicles perform a K-turn will be a fairly simple process. The patent application mentions that “processing circuitry” could engage K-turn mode if the steering wheel is asking for the wheels to rotate beyond the standard turn threshold.Just because an automaker files a patent does not guarantee that the technology will ever make it to a production vehicle, but this is one that we expect to see on future Rivian models. It uses the same components as the tank turn, something Rivian has been happy to promote, and it provides a benefit in some situations where a tank turn would cause problems.Rivian filed the patent application on December 31, 2019.
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Buyers of Big Horn or Lone Star trims of the 2022 Ram 1500 will now be able to add the BackCountry Edition package to add an off-road look to their truck.The package includes an off-road suspension system, all-terrain tires, skid plates, an electronic rear differential, and hill-descent control. The BackCountry Edition also includes useful utility features such as a bed extender, a spray-in bedliner, and adjustable bed tie-down hooks.As if the Ram 1500 wasn’t rugged enough, a new BackCountry Edition package will soon be available for buyers of the value-oriented Big Horn and Lone Star models. Intended to go up against rivals such as the Chevrolet Silverado Trailboss and FX4 versions of the Ford F-150, the Ram 1500 BackCountry Edition adds basic equipment one might need for wilderness adventures.
The package includes front skid plates, an electronic locking rear differential, off-road shock absorbers, all-terrain tires, and a hill-descent control feature. Going with the BackCountry Edition also adds several upgrades to the truck’s bed, including adjustable tie-down hooks, a deployable bed step, a spray-in bed liner, and a bed extender.

Buyers can choose from an extended-cab or crew-cab body style and the BackCountry is powered by the 5.7-liter V-8 engine, but can be equipped with or without Ram’s eTorque hybrid system. Black interior upholstery is the only option but it combines faux leather with cloth for a handsome look; all-season floor mats are also standard.
It might not have as much off-road capability as the more expensive Rebel model, but with a starting price of $41,780, the BackCountry Edition strikes us as a fairly good deal. The 2022 Ram 1500, including the new BackCountry Edition, is expected to arrive at dealerships later this summer.
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