Motor News

Honda will end production of the Clarity fuel-cell and plug-in-hybrid models in August 2021.The Clarity was initially available as an EV as well, but that model was dropped last year.Honda says the Clarity will still be available to lease through 2022.The Honda Clarity, initially available as a plug-in hybrid, a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle, and an EV, will end production in August 2021. The announcement was first reported by Nikkei and Honda confirmed the news to C/D. The EV version was dropped last year, and now the PHEV and hydrogen versions will soon disappear from the lineup as well.

So far in 2021, Honda has only sold 1896 examples of the Clarity, and full-year sales in 2020 totaled just 4215 units, down from 11,654 units in 2019. Honda does not break out sales of the hydrogen fuel-cell Clarity, which is available only for lease in certain states. The company does say that production through August of this year will allow for the Clarity to be available to lease through the 2022 calendar year. This will leave the Toyota Mirai and the Hyundai Nexo as the remaining hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles on sale in the U.S.We don’t think that there is be a direct replacement for the Clarity on the horizon, but Honda is planning several new electric vehicles. A new Honda EV SUV model using GM’s Ultium battery packs will arrive for the 2024 model year, and the company has set a goal to gradually increase its electric and hydrogen-powered vehicle offerings over the next two decades. By 2040, Honda says it will sell only battery-electric and hydrogen vehicles.
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Acura has confirmed specs for the 2022 MDX Type S three-row SUV.It has the same 355-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 as the TLX Type S sedan.The MDX Type S will go on sale later this year.The Acura TLX Type S sedan’s SUV stablemate, the 2022 MDX Type S, is on its way and will arrive at U.S. dealerships later this year. Before it goes on sale, Acura has confirmed more specs for the new performance version of the three-row SUV and released a few more photos of it in the eye-catching Tiger Eye Pearl exterior color.

With the same turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 as the TLX, the MDX Type S has 355 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, an increase of 65 hp and 87 pound-feet over the base MDX’s 3.5-liter V-6. As such, we expect it to be significantly quicker than the standard model, which got to 60 mph in 6.4 seconds in our testing. When equipped with an optional towing package, the MDX Type S is rated to tow up to 5000 pounds, matching the rating for the SH-AWD version of the base model.

Acura

A ten-speed automatic transmission and SH-AWD are standard on all Type S models. The front brakes are upgraded and feature Brembo calipers, and the Type S also features an extra driving mode called Sport+ that’s said to sharpen the steering and throttle response. Acura previously told us that it won’t offer a summer-tire option for the MDX Type S like it does for the TLX Type S, so we expect to see all-season tires as standard.We still don’t have pricing for the MDX Type S, but we anticipate it will start around $65,000. More info will come later this year.
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Volvo is recalling 85,550 U.S.-market vehicles from the 2019 and 2020 model years over an issue with the fuel pump that could lead to engine stallingThe report filed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the only 2019–2020 Volvo that is not included is the XC40.Volvo will notify owners starting August 1 and will swap out a fuse to a different one in dealerships at no charge. Volvo will recall 2019 and 2020 vehicles from nearly all of its model lines—with the XC40 the only excluded model in the lineup—to replace a fuse that could lead to fuel pump issues and possibly to engine stalling. That means that the S60, S90, V60, V60 Cross Country, V90, V90 Cross Country, XC60, and XC90 are all subject to the recall, adding up to 85,550 vehicles in the U.S. market.The report by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that this issue has actually happened in 46 vehicles. The agency said that drivers might experience the problem just after waking up the vehicle, as when unlocking it, opening the door, or pushing on the brake pedal before starting to drive, saying the fuse might blow when the engine control module “demands shut off of the Fuel Delivery Module (FDM) due to electrical current peaks.” If the fuse blows, the low-pressure fuel pump will obviously no longer function, which could prevent the engine from starting. However, plug-in-hybrid models could either stop safely or keep moving as long as the battery has charge. Volvo has received no reports of injuries or accidents related to the issue. Owners can check the NHTSA recalls website for more information and to see if their vehicle is included. They should begin getting notifications from Volvo on August 1.The fix? It’s what we’ve long been told not to do: Replace a fuse with a higher-capacity one. But that’s the remedy in this case, exchanging the 15-amp fuse for a 20-amp part, something that Volvo started doing on the production line at the tail end of 2019.

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Polestar has confirmed that its next model will be the Polestar 3, an electric SUV.Production will start sometime in 2022 at Volvo’s plant in South Carolina.A teaser photo shows the Polestar 3’s silhouette, and it will ride on a new EV platform.Polestar will further expand its lineup next year with a new model called the Polestar 3. The company describes it as an “aerodynamic performance electric SUV,” which makes us think it will be styled like SUV “coupes” such as the BMW X4 or Mercedes GLC Coupe. It will ride on a new Volvo EV platform, and a teaser photo gives a hint at its silhouette.Notably, the Polestar 3 will be the EV subbrand’s first model to be built in the U.S. Production is scheduled to start sometime in 2022 at Volvo’s new plant in South Carolina, which currently builds the S60 sedan and will soon start building the next-generation XC90 SUV.

The 3 will follow the Polestar 1, a plug-in-hybrid coupe that recently ended production, and the Polestar 2, an electric hatchback currently on sale that starts at $61,200. Polestar has also said it plans to build a production version of the Precept concept, a larger flagship sedan with advanced driver-assistance features.Look for more information on the Polestar 3 to come later this year. It will likely go on sale in the U.S. in late 2022 as a 2023 model.
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The Bolide is the most extreme Bugatti ever built. A one-off project introduced in October 2020, it’s a lightweight track-only missile on wheels with an 1850-horsepower version of the company’s widely used quad-turbo W-16 engine. In person, it sounds absolutely maniacal.

The NM2255 YouTube channel got the chance to inspect the Bolide up close during this year’s Milano Monza Motor Show, giving us our first real-life look at the lightweight hypercar. The Bolide’s insane proportions and ultra-aggressive aero are even more pronounced when seen through the lens of a normal camera. And that wild X-shaped taillight configuration is just the coolest. The most interesting part of this video isn’t how the Bolide looks, though. It’s how the car sounds. Because the car doesn’t have to conform to any emissions or sound regulations, Bugatti didn’t bother to put any sort of obstructions or muffling in the exhaust. The result, as you’ve probably guessed, is a very loud vehicle, even at idle. When Bugatti employees go to start the car up, it makes a loud bark, startling onlookers. We can only imagine how it would sound at wide-open throttle on a race track.

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Lincoln announced it will transition to an all-electric lineup of luxury vehicles by 2030, starting with a new EV SUV that will debut in 2022. With similar styling as the Zephyr Reflection concept car shown earlier this year, the new EV SUV will feature the next iteration of the brand’s “Quiet Flight” design language.A Lincoln equipped with a hands-free driving mode is in the works and the company also intends to double down on concierge-style servicing and will launch a new smartphone app.Starting with a new SUV that is scheduled to debut next year, Lincoln will move toward a fully electric lineup of luxury vehicles over the next decade. This isn’t the first we’ve heard of a Lincoln electric SUV—we speculated it could be called Mark E—as it was first planned as a part of a partnership with Rivian before Lincoln later clarified it would use its own platform. With a design inspired by the Zephyr Reflection concept car, the future Lincoln SUV is said to represent the brand’s new design language.

Lincoln

The new model will be roughly the size of the current Aviator but will have a distinct design to distinguish it from its gas-powered stablemate. An LED lighting setup stretches across the SUV’s grille and extends into the headlamps; inside, a large digital display stretches the entirety of the vehicle’s dashboard. From a sketch of the cabin, we can see a flat floor that should help create an open and airy feel.

Lincoln

This new Lincoln will ride on a new battery-electric architecture that can accommodate both rear- and all-wheel-drive arrangements. The company hasn’t released any details about horsepower or range, but we expect Lincoln’s first EV to deliver between 300 and 400 miles per charge as well as enough power to complete with other electric luxury SUVs, such as the Audi e-tron, the Jaguar I-Pace, and the Tesla Model X.Lincoln Active Glide, a semi-autonomous driving mode with hands-free capability, will launch soon as well. The system will take on Cadillac’s Super Cruise and Tesla’s Autopilot, but, like those driving modes, Active Glide is not fully autonomous as it requires the driver to still pay attention to the road and prepare to take over should the car need human intervention. The company says that a full third of all new Lincoln purchases happened remotely in 2020 and claims that additional steps are being taken to foster a digital sales experience that allows shoppers to skip the dealership. Buyers will be able to select a new Lincoln and complete a transaction online, including financing and vehicle trade-in. An upgraded smartphone app is also on the way and should provide more options for owners to schedule concierge-style maintenance and detailing services.
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The wingless 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring will arrive in the U.S. early next year. It replaces the standard GT3’s swan-neck wing for an automatically adjustable rear spoiler. Orders are open now starting at $163,450, the same as the standard GT3. Porsche’s 911 GT3 will again, for the second time, add a Touring package that deletes the rear wing to look more incognito while ripping toward its 9000-rpm redline. It’ll still be offered as a no-cost option on the new 992-generation model, and it will start arriving in the States early next year.
The standard GT3’s wing hangs from swan-neck pylons creating up to 150 percent more downforce than its predecessor. The Touring package equips an automatically deployed rear spoiler that can also be raised and lowered using a button in the infotainment screen. The rest of the car is unchanged. Porsche says the Touring’s curb weight is 3164 pounds, the same as the standard GT3. On our scales, it weighed 3222 pounds. Both GT3s use an unequal-length control-arm front suspension inspired by the 911 RSR race car—a first for the 911—and also new adaptive dampers.

And they’re powered by the same naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six that produces 502 horsepower and 346 pound-feet of torque with a 9000-rpm rev limiter. A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is standard, carried over from the previous GT3, but a six-speed manual is available at no extra charge. However, on both GT3s, the do-it-yourself gearbox isn’t available in California because of sound restrictions. In our test, the automatic-equipped GT3 reached 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. Top speed is the same at 199 mph for manual-equipped cars and 197 mph with the automatic. Other visual tweaks with the Touring package include silver trim outlining the windows, and the front end’s color matches the body (the standard GT3’s is blacked out). A “GT3 Touring” badge rests on the rear grille, and the sport exhaust tips are finished in silver but can be ordered in black. Their interior features more leather, including Touring-specific embossed surfaces, and fabric seat inserts.The 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring is available to order now and will arrive in the U.S. early next year starting at $163,450, the same price as the standard GT3.
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Porsche can’t sell the 2022 911 GT3 with the manual transmission in California because it’s too loud, exceeding vehicle noise limits in the state’s Code of Regulations.The 992-generation 911 GT3 is powered by a 502-hp naturally aspirated flat-six that revs to 9000 rpm. Those in California who ordered the 911 GT3 with the optional six-speed manual will have the option to switch to the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Those in California who want to buy—or have ordered—a 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 with the optional six-speed manual transmission are out of luck. Porsche informed us that, due to the state’s sound regulations, it can’t sell the manual-equipped cars there, only the ones with the standard seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.

2022 Porsche 911 GT3 Touring.
Porsche

The German automaker said that it was just informed of the issue, which includes both the bewinged standard GT3 and the recently announced Touring package cars. Those in California who ordered the 992-generation 911 GT3 with the manual transmission will be contacted by dealers individually and be given the opportunity to switch to the standard PDK dual-clutch automatic.

Porsche tells us that California’s Code of Regulations (CCR) 1046 references the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) test procedure J1470 for its exterior-noise criteria, which was last revised in 1998. There’s a newer SAE standard for pass-by noise, J2805, which presumably the GT3 was designed to and meets, and Porsche expected California to update its regs to this latest standard before the GT3 went on sale. But, for now, the GT3 is stuck in limbo awaiting that change. Porsche says that it’s working with California State Highway Patrol to come to a solution but has no estimated timeline of when that might happen. Somewhere in the details of those two SAE testing procedures is why the manual fails one but not the other; we’re digging into those specifics and will update this story when we have a more complete explanation.The 911 GT3 is powered by a 502-hp naturally aspirated 4.0-liter flat-six, and it redlines at 9000 rpm. In our test, an example equipped with the standard dual-clutch automatic, which will be available in California, reached 60 mph in 2.7 seconds. Even though California won’t help us #SavetheManuals, at least the GT3 isn’t banned altogether.
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