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Ford has announced it will provide both traditional gasoline-powered and battery-electric powertrains for the new generation of U.S. Postal Service vehicles, known as the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle or NGDV.Oshkosh says it will build the new vehicles in Spartanburg, South Carolina.Defense contractor Oshkosh won the $6 billion contract to build the vehicles in February. While the contract said the USPS was interested in adding all-electric models to its fleet, it did not specify how many it would buy, and Oshkosh has admitted it is not exactly a leader in electric powertrains.The building blocks of the U.S. Postal Service’s upcoming Next Generation Delivery Vehicle (NGDV) are finally falling into place. While the company that will deliver the new delivery vans to the USPS is defense contractor Oshkosh, Ford will be the one actually building the engines, transmissions, and other components for the NGDV. Separately, Oshkosh announced this week that it will assemble the vehicles at a new, dedicated facility in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Oshkosh was the winner of a half-decade-long bidding process to get the postal service some new trucks. One of the other two companies trying to win the bid was Workhorse, which recently filed a lawsuit over the contract process. Workhorse, an electric-vehicle startup, has questioned how serious the USPS is about converting its fleet to electric vehicles, given that Postmaster General Louis DeJoy only committed to making 10 percent of the new fleet electric, at least at first. There has been talk about replacing the powertrains in the gas-powered NGDVs over time, but for now, the bulk of the initial orders will run on fossil fuels. According to Reuters, Ford said it could supply powertrain components for either gas or electric models. Neither Ford nor Oshkosh have released any financial details of their deal, but the USPS contract was reportedly worth $6 billion.The NGDV represents the first major fleet change for the USPS in about three decades. The current mail delivery vehicles, known as Grumman Long Life Vehicles, were built between 1987 and 1994 and were only meant to be on the road for a maximum of 24 years. The new contract says the USPS will purchase somewhere between 50,000 and 165,000 NGDVs over 10 years. Oshkosh said in a press release that it will be able to make any number of the new vehicles electric, but the contractor admitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission in November that it does not have much experience building electric-powered vehicles and that it may have to spend more money on research and development to actually build and deliver the plug-in NGDVs.Oshkosh said it will hire over 1000 people for the Spartanburg facility, not counting related supply-chain jobs that the new plant will require. The facility will repurpose what Oshkosh is calling an “expansive warehouse facility,” and NGDV production should start in the summer of 2023.

Electriphi fleet charging and energy management, demonstrated on a Ford E-Transit.
Ford

In mid-June, Ford announced it had acquired the EV charging managing company Electriphi as a way to simplify the charging process for its commercial fleet customers. FordPro, Ford’s new commercial vehicle business, said in a statement that it estimates depot charging, which is used by EV fleets, will grow to include more than 600,000 full-size trucks and vans by 2030.
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Bring a Trailer is auctioning the 2004 Ford GT Continuation Prototype 1, the first running GT, which was used for emissions testing.The GT still packs a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 but is limited to a top speed of 5 (yes, five) mph by a Ford-installed chip.The CP-1 has been autographed by Carroll Shelby and Bill Ford, among others, and has only traveled 1212 total miles.UPDATE 6/24/21, 3:25 p.m.: According to the racer355, who said on the Bring a Trailer site that he is the seller, the chip that limits the car to 5 mph can be removed. That would allow it to be driven like a normal Ford GT, utilizing all of 500 horsepower to shoot to 60 mph in a claimed 3.3 seconds. However, the owner cautions, “I wanted to remove the limiter and drive the car at speed with my dealer plate as it would be legal for road testing purposes, but self control got the better of me.”The first running and driving prototype of the first-generation Ford GT has come up for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site, providing a chance for some person (or museum) to own a unique piece of automotive history. The vehicle, referred to as Confirmation Prototype 1 (CP-1), is black with white graphics and was employed by Ford for emissions testing and making sure the car met road certification requirements.

Bring a Trailer

The 2004 Ford GT CP-1 derives its power from the same supercharged 5.4-liter V-8 as other Ford GTs, but this prototype’s top speed is restricted to just 5 mph due to a chip installed by Ford. Also, unfortunately, the prototype is not street legal. Although this effectively turns the CP-1 into a slowly rolling sculpture, protecting this GT is wise for historical value, and because it carries the signatures of those who helped develop it: Carroll Shelby, executive chairman Bill Ford, GT designer Camilo Pardo, and chief engineer Fred Goodnow. Other than the development team’s autographs, there are a few key differences between the CP-1 and a production GT. Bearing the serial number 00004, the CP-1 features a carbon-fiber rear clamshell, an aluminum headliner, and an exposed rear bumper. The exhaust pipes were designed for emissions experimentation, and there are nozzles on the sill on the passenger side for testing different grades of fuel. The number 5406 is painted on the front bumper. The CP-1 wears 18-inch BBS wheels up front and 19-inch wheels in the rear, shod in 235/45 and 315/40 Goodyear Eagle F1 tires.

Bring a Trailer

The interior is a bit scraped together. The leather steering wheel houses an airbag from the Mustang of the time and is attached to a steering column from the Ford Windstar minivan. There is a CD player installed, so you can jam out while cruising up and down your driveway at 5 mph, and you can find handwritten instructions and details from when the vehicle was being tested. Also, minor point: the front spoiler is currently “secured with zip ties,” according to the BaT listing.

The CP-1 was bought directly from Ford by a collector in 2008 before moving on to the selling dealer around five years ago, who reportedly replaced the battery and the mass airflow sensor. The odometer reads 1212 miles, and an hour meter shows just 217 hours of engine operation. Currently, bidding on the 2004 Ford GT CP-1 sits at $200,000, but there are still several days remaining on the auction, which ends on June 30. If you want a GT you can actually drive on the road, there’s also a 3600-mile 2005 Ford GT for sale on Bring a Trailer right now, but you will also need a deep wallet to nab this example, with bidding already up to $315,000 on an auction that ends June 27.
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Nissan has released illustrations of a Rally Tribute concept that turn the second-generation Juke into an off-road warrior.The livery matches the one found on the 1971 240Z piloted to victory by Edgar Herrmann at the East African Safari Rally.The concept features larger tires, wheel-arch extensions, two spare tires, redesigned bumpers, and plenty of auxiliary lighting—but it may never see actual production.You probably remember the original Nissan Juke. Introduced back in 2010, it featured a polarizing yet trendsetting design, splitting the headlights in two with thin daytime running lights up top and the main units lower down on the fascia. It ended up looking like the face you make when you bite into something sour, and sales had tailed off by 2017. However, Europe received a second-generation Juke in 2019; Nissan straightened out the styling and turned it into a sharp little crossover. Now Nissan’s European branch has turned the wick up on the Juke to create an epic performance-oriented concept, the Juke Rally Tribute.Nissan cooked up these wild images to commemorate the start of the Safari Rally Kenya, which is returning to the World Rally Championship schedule for the first time in 19 years. The Juke has been fully prepared to launch an attack down a rally stage, sporting beefy off-road tires under wide wheel-arch extensions. A light bar with rectangular LEDs is integrated into the roof rack, and Nissan also added circular lamps on the hood for that classic rally look. Other visual alterations include a brawnier skid plate, a redesigned rear bumper and exhaust, and two spare tires jutting out of the trunk where the rear windshield should be.

Nissan

The Juke Rally Tribute pays homage to a 1971 240Z that won the East African Safari Rally that year thanks to driver Edgar Herrmann and navigator Hans Schüller. The Juke is adorned in an identical livery to that 240Z, from the huge number 11 to the retro Shell branding, and mirrors the 240Z’s black hood and wheels.

Since the concept only exists in illustration form, Nissan simply says that the Rally Tribute would feature a hybrid powertrain. For 2022, Nissan is bringing Europe a version of Qashqai crossover featuring the e-Power hybrid powertrain, which uses a 1.5-liter gas engine to charge the battery, which then powers the wheels through an electric motor. However, the combined power output of that setup is just 190 horsepower, so we’d hope the theoretical rally powertrain would gain some extra horses.

Nissan

Unfortunately, the Rally Tribute will probably never see production, much less be built in the real world. Nissan did once construct the Juke-R, a limited-run version of the frumpy first generation propelled by the 545-hp turbocharged V-6 from the GT-R, so maybe there is still hope for the Rally Tribute. The Juke Rally Tribute was displayed alongside the rally-winning 240Z, which underwent a full restoration in 2013 and lives in Nissan’s heritage collection in Zama, Japan.
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The 296GTB is an all-new entry in Ferrari’s lineup and packs a turbocharged V-6 plug-in-hybrid system good for 818 combined horsepower.Ferrari claims a time of 2.9 seconds from zero to 62 mph and a top speed of 205 mph.European deliveries will get underway in the first quarter of 2022, with prices starting at the equivalent of $321,000. Sales in other parts of the world are coming later.Ferrari revealed its 296GTB today, claiming it as the first ever Ferrari-badged road car powered by a six-cylinder engine. We must point out that, although they never wore a Prancing Horse badge, the Dino 206 and 246 from the late 1960s and early 1970s featured a Ferrari-developed V-6. Still, the new V-6–powered Ferrari represents a big change fo rthe current lineup. The 296 continues Ferrari’s expansion into the world of hybrids, with the V-6 paired to an electric motor to maximize performance and efficiency. The mid-engine 296GTB does not replace any model in the range.

Central to the new 296GTB is a new V-6 plug-in-hybrid architecture dubbed F163. The 3.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine produces 654 horsepower and is linked to an MGU-K (Motor Generator Unit, Kinetic) inspired by Ferrari’s Formula 1 unit, which delivers an additional 164 hp. The MGU-K is connected to a 7.45-kWh battery, stored under the floor to keep the center of gravity low, and is bolted to the same eight-speed DCT gearbox that is found in the SF90 Stradale, Roma, and Portofino M.With the internal-combustion engine and electric motor working in harmony, the system churns out 818 horsepower. Ferrari claims that 62 mph arrives in just 2.9 seconds en route to a 205-mph top speed. Ferrari also says that the 296GTB reaches 124 mph in 7.3 seconds and laps the automaker’s Fiorano test track in one minute, 21 seconds, quicker than cars like the F8 Tributo and only two seconds down on its hybrid big brother, the SF90 Stradale.
Using the eManettino, drivers can select four different modes for the powertrain: eDrive, Hybrid, Performance, and Qualify. eDrive, as the name suggests, powers the car solely by electricity, creating a RWD EV capable of going 16 miles at up to 84 mph. Hybrid, the default mode, mixes the gasoline engine and electric motors to maximize efficiency, while the Performance mode keeps the internal-combustion engine on at all times and utilizes the battery and electric motor for maximum power. Qualify mode focuses even more on maximizing performance at the cost of lower battery recharging.Ferrari’s V-6 architecture mimics McLaren’s new V-6 entry in the Artura with a 120-degree vee angle, significantly wider than a traditional 90-degree angle. This allowed Ferrari to create a “hot vee” in which the turbocharger is positioned between the two cylinder banks, creating a lighter, more compact design with better weight distribution. The aluminum engine block and cylinder heads are all new, and the powertrain pumps out 218 hp per liter, which Ferrari claims makes it the most power-dense engine ever built for a production car. Ferrari also poured development hours into the monoscroll turbochargers, which were redesigned with high-tech alloys to increase the maximum revs to 180,000 rpm, with boost efficiency up by a claimed 24 percent.Ferrari promises glorious sounds from the new V-6, disclosing that the 3.0-liter was nicknamed as the piccolo V-12, or little V-12, during the development phase thanks to the sonorous notes. Although turbochargers often suck the soul out of great-sounding engines (see the transition from the nat-asp 458 to turbo’d 488), Ferrari says the new V-6 overcomes that thanks to its wide angle and redesigned exhaust system. The bodywork features active aerodynamics, including a a rear spoiler inspired by the LaFerrari that can develiver up to 794 pounds of downforce at 155 mph in its most extreme setting. The brake cooling system has been integrated into the headlight design, with intakes under the daytime running light channeling cool air into the wheel wells. There is also the “tea tray” front end, which funnels air underneath the car to suck the 296 to the ground and boost downforce on the front axle.
The 296GTB has a wheelbase around two inches shorter than Ferrari’s other mid-engine sports cars, which Ferrari claims will make it agile to drive. It also contributes to the squat, forward-leaning look. The 296GTB takes some design cues from past special editions like the J50 and P80/C, although the stance and side intake are reminiscent of the Alfa Romeo 4C. The rear end continues the rectangular taillight look started by the SF90 Stradale. Ferrari says the dry weight is 3241 pounds, with the V-6 coming in at 66 pounds lighter than Ferrari’s V-8s. The interior is clean and classic Ferrari, and features entirely digital displays for both the driver and passenger. The 296GTB will also be available with a high-performance Assetto Fiorano package, which decorates the car in carbon fiber and features redesigned structures such as the door panels for weight-savings of around 26 pounds. The package also adds a Lexan rear windscreen and adjustable Multimatic shock absorbers.The 296GTB will be delivered in left-hand-drive to European customers starting in the first quarter of 2022 before spreading to other markets. European customers will pay the equivalent of $321,000 at current conversion rates, or $360,000 with the Assetto Fiorano package.
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Nissan is recalling nearly 139,000 Sentra sedans because of bent inner tie rods, which could make it difficult to steer the vehicle. The recall includes model years 2020 to 2021, and Nissan says they are still under warranty. Nissan will notify owners during the first week of August and dealers will replace the tie rods if they are bent. Nissan is recalling 138,736 Sentra sedans because their left, right, or both inner tie rods might be bent and could cause partial inability to steer the vehicle. The recall affects the recently redesigned Sentra of the 2020 and 2021 model years. Inner and outer tie rods connect a vehicle’s steering system to the front wheels. According to a report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Nissan has identified its manufacturing processes that led to this issue. Other Nissan models are not affected. If a tie rod is bent, drivers could notice vibration in steering or the steering wheel being off center. If the tie rod breaks, steering would become difficult and could result in a crash, NHTSA says. Sentra owners will be notified of the recall starting on August 5, and dealers will fix the issue by inspecting both sides of the vehicles and replace either if they are bent. Nissan says that the included vehicles are still under warranty. Meanwhile, owners can check the NHTSA recalls site to find out if their vehicle is involved and to stay informed.

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Hyundai has begun production of the 2022 Santa Cruz compact pickup.It’s built on the same line as the Santa Fe, Tucson, Sonata, and Elantra.The Santa Cruz should be reaching dealerships within the next few months.The Ford Maverick may have stolen the Hyundai Santa Cruz’s thunder as the newest compact pickup truck on the block, but now the race is on to see which can get to customers’ hands first. Hyundai has officially started production of the Santa Cruz at its factory in Alabama, and the company says it will start reaching dealerships within the next few months.The Santa Cruz is being built on the same assembly line as the Santa Fe SUV, the Sonata and Elantra sedans, and the Tucson SUV with which it shares many components. It offers the same base engine as the Tucson, a 2.5-liter inline-four, and also the turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four that’s available in the Santa Fe.

We don’t have pricing yet for the Santa Cruz, but we expect it to start around $25,000. We also know it will be available with either front- or all-wheel drive and in SE, SEL, SEL Premium, and Limited trim levels. Shorter in length than the Maverick, the Santa Cruz has a 4.3-foot bed to the Ford’s 4.5-foot bed. The base front-wheel-drive Santa Cruz is rated to tow 3500 pounds, while the turbo model is expected to have a tow rating of 5000 pounds.
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The 2022 Infiniti QX60 is redesigned with many luxury details, inside and out, intended to make the mid-size SUV more enjoyable to live with.It keeps the same 3.5-liter V-6 as the outgoing model but swaps out the CVT for a nine-speed automatic transmission.Pricing is not yet available, but the new model is expected out by the end of the summer.Infiniti has been teasing out the launch of the redesigned 2022 QX60 for more than six months with peeks at a fashionable leather interior, promises of a geared transmission to replace the CVT, and an elegant concept build—the QX60 Monograph—that made it clear the incoming QX60 would be wider and more imposing than the outgoing model. The tease continues, as we still haven’t driven Infiniti’s mid-size family hauler, but now that we’ve seen it in the sheetmetal, we can report that fans of the previous QX60 will find the new version more comfortable and more stylish, with lots of clever details, both aesthetic and useful.
If you liked the tall, square looks of the Monograph and its floating two-tone roof, you’re in luck, because the high fenders, large grille, slim lights, and blacked-out roof supports all make an appearance in the 2022 QX60, even though only the top Autograph trim will get the two-tone paint.

The exterior rewards an attentive walkaround. There are some neat little details, from the twists in the grille to the hatched silver trim plate inside the headlights. The production QX60 doesn’t get the flush door handles of the concept, but it does have the taillights with individual LEDs in a thin band that give the back of the SUV the look of a quickly departing spaceship. The only misstep we see in the exterior is the chrome faux exhaust tips at the bottom of the rear fascia. They don’t do anything, and why are they so shiny? Ah well, subjective. What isn’t subjective is that the 2022 QX60 doesn’t just look like it has a more aggressive stance; it’s measurable. The tires, 255/50-20 Bridgestones, are wider by 0.8 inch than before. The QX60’s track width measures 66.9 inches, 1.2 inches wider, and the overall height also gains 1.1 inches while losing 1.4 inches in length, resulting in a broad-shouldered machine that will still fit in a small garage. Under the big hood is the same naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 from the previous QX60, making 295 horsepower. Only now, instead of a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), it’s backed by a nine-speed automatic transmission. Tim Franklin, director of product planning for Infiniti Americas, says the move to a geared transmission reflects customer feedback, but also Infiniti’s goals of reaching a broader audience with the new QX60. “It’s a luxury vehicle, and people expect certain things,” he said, adding that the change also means that a properly equipped AWD QX60 is now rated to tow up to 6000 pounds, an increase of 1000 pounds over the last version. The QX60 is still built on a front-wheel-drive platform, but all-wheel drive that can automatically send up to half the power to the rear wheels will be available on every trim level.
The exterior is dramatically new design for Infiniti, but the real changes come when you step inside. There might be one person who thinks the new interior isn’t an improvement over the old one, but we’d bet there aren’t two. Everything, from the shape of the dash with its sweeping, integrated console to the contrast piping around the seats, is more attractive and more comfortable. The available digital dash is clear and customizable. A 12.3-inch touchscreen sits surrounded by quilted leather, ready to display all your nav and infotainment needs, including Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay capability. And, as is sensible when offering wireless connectivity, there’s an optional wireless charging pad. Below the touchscreen, climate controls and massaging seat options are controlled through a backlit capacitive touchscreen, with hard knobs for power and temperature. If you don’t feel like cleaning smudges off the glossy displays, there are redundant physical button and rotary knob controls next to the cupholders, in front of a thick, padded armrest.

Infiniti

The second row offers an option of bench seat, making the QX60 a seven-passenger hauler, or captain’s chairs with a removable center console. Both versions feature one-touch buttons to tilt and slide the seats forward so third-row passengers can get in or out easily, even if there are child-safety seats in the second row. The seats fold quickly, and entrance to the third row requires no gymnastics, although the uncovered rails of the second row make third-row foot space uneven and messy. Visibility from the third row is good because of the QX60’s stepped-up seating design, which raises each row slightly above the one before it. The standard moonroof makes for even lighting throughout the cabin, but even though it isn’t a dreary back seat, it’s a cramped ride back there, best left to the small and flexible. If you’re carrying cargo that can’t complain, both rows fold nearly flat, offering 41.6 cubic feet of storage. There’s also a large underfloor cargo area, occupying space that was formerly taken up by subwoofers—which are now in the rear panels. The QX60, sibling to the Nissan Pathfinder, has been a popular vehicle for Infiniti. This redesign addresses criticisms of the dull interior and transmission which, if the price is right, should put it back in competition in the mid-size SUV segment where it squares off the Genesis GV80, BMW X5, and Volvo XC90, among others. The most recent QX60 was the 2020 model, which currently starts in the $45,000-to-$50,000 range, albeit with fewer trim levels. For the 2022 models, Infiniti has yet to release details of available trims, pricing, or EPA ratings, all of which are expected by the end of summer 2021. We hope by then we’ll be driving one.
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The EPA released range estimates for the Mustang Mach-E GT and GT Performance Edition—the former goes 270 miles on a charge while the latter can travel 260 miles.The GT and GT Performance Edition both have 480 horsepower and all-wheel drive.Deliveries of the GT and GT Performance begin in the fall, with prices for the GT starting at $61,000.With 480 horsepower and all-wheel drive, the top-of-the-line Mustang Mach-E GT claims to have the performance to live up to its iconic namesake. And now that the EPA has released estimates for both the GT and the GT Performance Edition models, we know that the higher-performance electric SUV’s range does not suffer massively compared to the Mustang Mach-E’s less powerful variants.
The EPA estimates the range of the GT at 270 miles, while the GT Performance Edition, which has an extra 34 pound-feet of torque for a total of 634 pound-feet, will go 260 miles on a charge. The GT and GT Performance Edition are only available with the 88.0-kWh Extended Range (ER) battery and both have two electric motors, one on each axle, providing all-wheel drive.These estimates are on the higher end among Mach-E trim levels, with the GT’s 270 miles matching the range of the Premium ER AWD. Although the sporty Mach-E models can’t compete with the 305-mile range of the California Route 1 (which uses the ER RWD setup), both the GT and Performance Edition can travel significantly further than any Mach-E equipped with the 68.0-kWh Standard Range battery, which is good for 211 miles of range with AWD and 230 miles of range with RWD.

The Mach-E’s closest rival is the Tesla Model Y Performance, which also utilizes a dual-motor AWD arrangement. The Model Y Performance’s motors make around 470 hp combined, shooting the egg-shaped crossover to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds in Car and Driver testing. The Model Y Performance also goes further on a charge than the Mach-E, with an EPA-rated 303 miles of range.The Mustang Mach-E GT starts at $61,000, about $1000 less than the Model Y Performance, and the GT Performance Edition costs an additional $5,000. Deliveries begin in the fall, and Ford says that more than half of the orders for the Mach-E GT so far have been for the Performance Edition.
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