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The new Super Sport version of the Bugatti Chiron has 1577 horsepower and reaches a claimed 273 mph.It’s similar to the Super Sport 300 car that was created to commemorate the record-breaking 300-mph Chiron.The Chiron Super Sport costs around $3.9 million, and deliveries will start in 2022.Two years after it produced 30 roadgoing Super Sport 300 versions of the record-setting 300-mph Chiron, Bugatti is now launching another iteration of what is pretty much the same car. This one is simply dubbed the Chiron Super Sport, and although it shares almost all of the bodywork of the 300 version, we’re told that it is intended to be more comfortable and usable in everyday use. It also has a speed limiter, one that will prevent it from going beyond 273 mph even in its Top Speed mode. We’re imagining this won’t be too much of an issue for most potential buyers, and it still allows owners to feel superior to buyers of the Chiron Sport, whose cars are limited to a mere 261 mph.

Like both the record-setting car and the 300, the Super Sport has revised bodywork designed to help it at high speeds. This package was designed in conjunction with Dallara, the famous race-car chassis builder, and features a rear deck that is around 10 inches longer to help hold laminar airflow to the body for as long as possible to reduce drag. Exhaust pipes have also been relocated from their central position on the regular Chiron to split pairs on either side of the larger rear diffuser. And there are nine holes at the top of each fender to help release pressure from the front wheel wells.
While the regular Chiron and Chiron Sport make do with 1479 horsepower, the Super Sport has been upgraded to a brawnier version of the company’s 8.0-liter quad-turbocharged W-16 engine, using new turbochargers and a revised cylinder head to increase output to 1577 hp. This version has a redline of 7100 rpm. Peak torque of 1180 pound-feet is unchanged from the lesser cars, but is accessible over a broader spread from 2000 rpm to 7000 rpm.Bugatti doesn’t make any official claims for 60 mph times—these are regarded as a little passé these days by hypercar makers—but says the Super Sport can blast its way to 124 mph in 5.8-seconds and to 186 mph in just 12.1 seconds. For reference, when we tested the Chiron Sport earlier this year, we confirmed it to be the quickest road car we have ever tested, with a 4.4-second sprint to 100 mph and a 15.7-second run to 200 mph time. And this one should be even quicker.
Bugatti says the Super Sport is designed to deliver high-speed stability and refinement when being operated at the sorts of speeds other supercars can only dream about achieving. Opportunities to experience it unleashed will likely be limited for most owners, certainly those far away from the German autobahn network. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth traveling to try to experience such forces.The Chiron Super Sport will cost around $3.91 million, with customer deliveries beginning in early 2022. Tempted?
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Kia has revealed the design of the new Sportage, and it has an interesting look.The new model will likely share engines and mechanical components with the related Hyundai Tucson.We expect the new Sportage to arrive in the U.S. in early 2022 as a 2023 model.Hyundai-Kia is continuing to push the design envelope in the compact-SUV class with the new Sportage. Although it looks completely different from its sibling, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson, both of these crossovers feature a bold appearance with interesting details and side surfacing.
The global version of the Sportage seen here features an unconventional front-end lighting setup with low-mounted headlights and prominent boomerang-shaped LED lighting accents. In the rear, the taillights look similar to the new Kia EV6 electric car. The greenhouse subtly slopes down toward the D-pillar and the beltline rises, creating a the impression of a somewhat rakish silhouette without an actual coupe-like tapered roofline as seen on some luxury SUV models.Inside, the Sportage looks far more upscale than its predecessor. A digital instrument cluster and large widescreen infotainment system look to be mounted under a single piece of glass. This large fixture is flanked by shapely air vents on either side. A rotary shifter is visible on the center stack along with an array of various buttons.

Kia has still not released mechanical details about the new Sportage, but we have an idea of what to expect from the U.S. version. The powertrain lineup is likely to mirror the Tucson’s, meaning a 2.5-liter inline-four will serve as the base engine with possible hybrid and plug-in-hybrid derivatives to follow. We hope Kia will install the more powerful turbo 2.5-liter four as well as an optional upgrade.Look for more information about the U.S. model to come later this year, as the Sportage is likely to arrive on our shores in early 2022 as a 2023 model.
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Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced late Sunday the Model S Plaid+, the most potent version of the car’s upcoming performance-oriented tri-motor “Plaid” variant, will not make it to production.
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In a series of tweets, Musk announced the Model S Plaid+ had been canceled because there’s “no need” for it in the lineup, claiming the regular Plaid model is “just so good.” The Model S Plaid+ was set to be the most capable car from Tesla yet. The company never released exact specifications, but said it would have over 1100 horsepower, be quicker than the regular Plaid model, and have more range—520 miles on a single charge versus just 390 miles for the standard Plaid model.

Musk sent a follow-up tweet promising the regular Plaid model will still do zero t0 60 in under two seconds (Tesla’s site claims an exact 0-60 of 1.99 seconds). Horsepower is set at 1020, and the quarter-mile comes in a claimed 9.23 seconds at 155 mph. So while it won’t have the range, the standard Plaid should still be a rocket ship. Tesla originally priced the Model S Plaid+ at $139,990 before hiking it up to $149,990 in March. Pricing for the regular Plaid model will start at $119,900 before any EV incentives or options. According to Tesla’s configurator, deliveries should start sometime in June.

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Ford builds the Mustang at two plants, with the gas model being made in Michigan and the electric Mach-E coming from Mexico.So far in 2021, the production numbers are clear: 27,816 Mach-Es and 26,089 gas-powered Mustangs.The ICE Mustang still outsells the Mach-E by around 3 to 1 in the U.S., but that’s not the case in EV-forward places like Norway. If you’re looking for yet one more sign that the automotive industry is making a shift to electric vehicles, look no further than Ford’s 2021 production numbers. So far this year, Ford has built more electric Mustang Mach-E crossovers than gas-powered Mustang coupe and convertible models.Ford builds vehicles with the Mustang name in two locations. Gas-powered Mustang two-doors are made at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan. The electric Mustang Mach-E crossover is built at the Cuautitlan Stamping and Assembly Plant in Mexico. As first reported by Bloomberg, through the end of May, Ford built 27,816 Mach-Es and 26,089 standard Mustangs. The Mach-E was introduced last year, so this is the first time Ford has made more electric than gas ones.

These are global production figures, not sales numbers, of course. But Ford is seeing strong Mach-E sales in other countries, especially Norway, which has long been a leader in EV sales thanks to strong government incentives. Those incentives helped the Mach-E become the best-selling vehicle in Norway May, which was the first full month the EV was available there. The Mach-E sold 1384 units in Norway last month, about 10 percent of all vehicles sold there. Second and third place were held by plug-in vehicles as well, with the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and the Skoda Enyaq taking second and third place, respectively.In the U.S., Ford sold 1945 electrified Mustangs and 4436 gas-powered ones in May. For the first five months of 2020, Ford sold 10,510 Mach-Es and 29,710 gas-powered Mustangs. In California, which has the strongest EV support laws in the U.S., one out of every four Mustangs sold last month was a Mach-E. No matter where the Mach-E is being offered, Ford said the Mustang Mach-E “is essentially selling as soon as it hits dealer showrooms,” given the short, 10-day average turn time.”We are really excited about the success that we are having with our launch of the all-new Mustang Mach-E, not just here in America, but globally too,” a Ford sales analyst, Erich Merkle, told Bloomberg in an emailed statement. “To be fair, please keep in mind that Mustang and Flat Rock have been impacted by outside factors, which has been the semiconductor chip shortage.”Whatever the causes are for Ford to build more plug-in Mustangs than gas-powered ponies, this likely won’t be the last time this happens. Ford has made strong claims about it electrified future, and plans to offer 40 electrified vehicles globally by 2022, with 16 of those fully electric and the other 24 being plug-in hybrids. Ford’s EV plans are strong in Europe, where Ford expects all of its passenger vehicles to be all-electric by 2030.
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The 2022 Ford Maverick will debut tomorrow at 6 a.m. ET on Ford’s YouTube channel and social media outlets. The Maverick is a new small pickup truck that will slot in below the mid-size Ranger in Ford’s lineup. It will go on sale in the fall, and we expect it to be priced well below the Ranger.Ford is unveiling its new compact pickup truck tomorrow, Tuesday, June 8, at 6 a.m. ET, and it will go on sale in the fall. You’ll be able to watch the debut live on Ford’s YouTube channel or its social media outlets in the morning.

Ford released a teaser video for the new pickup last week, and we spotted a hybrid badge on the tailgate. We also expect the Escape’s 250-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder to be an option, since the Maverick will share a platform with it and the new Bronco Sport crossover. It’ll have a unibody construction rather than the Ranger’s body-on-frame structure and compete with the Honda Ridgeline and upcoming Hyundai Santa Cruz.

The new truck will be built alongside the Bronco Sport at Ford’s plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, and arrive in the fall.We’ll know more early tomorrow morning, but if you’re not an early riser, check back here for all the details on the 2022 Ford Maverick.
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Depending on how you calculate used-car prices, values have gone up 30 percent from a year ago, or 17 percent just since January, according to figures collected by the website CarGurus.Eleven brands are up more than 30 percent year over year, including Ram, Aston Martin, and Ford.Electric vehicles have also seen rapid increases so far in 2021, and that’s before the Tesla Model 3 really hits the used market, according to used EV sales tracker Recurrent.If you pay any attention to used-car discussions on social media these days, it will be no surprise to you that prices have been climbing precipitously. According to numbers collected by CarGurus, the price for the average used car is up almost 30 percent today compared to where it was last year. That’s even higher than the number calculated by iSeeCars in April, which showed that used-car prices increased 16.8 percent that month compared to April 2020. CBS reported a 17 percent increase in used car prices since January.

When you combine the federal government’s stimulus checks with the end of the pandemic coming into view and a distinct lack of new cars on the marketplace, these numbers sure start to make sense. But not every brand’s used-car prices are climbing at the same rate, and it’s notable that no one is doing better than a brand that hasn’t sold a new car since 2010. If you just look at the past 90 days, Saturn has seen its price values climb up 25.95 percent, as The Drive also noted. That puts the defunct GM brand at the top of that particular chart, followed by the other big climbers, which are Smart (up 22.2 percent in the past three months), Ford (20.6), Hyundai (20.5) and Kia (20.1). The rise in Saturn and Smart prices can partly be explained by their low starting points, but it’s nonetheless worth noting as just one more weird impact of the times we’re living in.

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There are 11 brands in CarGurus’ data set that have seen used car prices go up more than 30 percent, year over year. The list is led by Ram (up 40.5 percent), followed by Aston Martin (38.1), Ford (38.7), GMC (37.9), Chevrolet (37.3), Dodge (36.4), VW (35.1), Lincoln (32.9), Toyota (30.5), and Hyundai and Kia (both 30.1). The CarGurus tool also lets you see how much the particular model you want has increased in price. So, for instance, the average price of a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas is up 14 percent, while the average price of a 2018 Ford Escape is up 24 percent year over year.Used-EV Sales Have Their Own RhythmThe brand with the lowest year-over-year price increase is Tesla, at just under 6 percent. But that doesn’t mean used-EV sales aren’t doing well. Recurrent, which tracks EV prices, found that they have been rising and rising over the past 90 days. Month-over-month increases were 1.1 percent in March, 2.6 percent in April, and 5.1 percent in May.”Used-EV prices are increasing at an accelerating rate over the past 90 days,” Recurrent CEO Scott Case told Car and Driver. “We believe that this represents a shift in consumer preferences on top of inflation, driven by greater comfort with EV technology.”Case also made a prediction about where used EV prices go from here, which is that Tesla is about to make a big move.”This is the last time the Model 3 won’t be in the top used seller position for years to come,” he said. “The Model 3 is about to turn three and start coming off lease in droves.”
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Looking to make some early summer plans? R&T Crew, the kids club by Road & Track, is teaming up with Crayola Experience for the month of June to offer exciting new attractions at their five locations throughout the country including: Chandler, AZEaston, PA Mall of America, MN Orlando, FLPlano TXBring your family and friends to any Crayola Experience location and take part in race-themed crafts like designing your ultimate dream car, testing your car trivia knowledge, taking photo ops at a race-themed photo-booth, and so much more. Plus, all month long, Crayola Experience is offering the Road & Track community 20 percent off admission tickets using the discount code: RTCREW. PURCHASE TICKETS Not near a Crayola Experience location? No problem. Crayola Experience Home Adventure kits ship hands-on fun straight to your doorstep. Each kit is filled with Crayola supplies with easy-to-follow instructions. For the month of June, Crayola Experience will also be offering the Road & Track community 20 percent off Home Adventure kits using the same code: RTCREW. LEARN MOREStock up on activities and experiences to prepare for a jam-packed summer. The fun doesn’t stop with a kid-friendly duo like R&T Crew and Crayola Experience—be sure to sign your little ones up for R&T Crew, geared towards kids who love cars OR anything that moves, and get first-to-know updates on exciting collaborations like this in the future!JOIN THE CLUB This content was provided by the Road & Track marketing team.

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The 1970s brought us platform shoes, Swedish supergroup ABBA, and, worst of all, emission-choked vehicles with barely any horsepower. Given the suspect reliability, indifferent construction, and giant 5-mph bumpers that cars of this era had, it’s not surprising that the automotive world has since dubbed this period the malaise era. But we’re here to prove that it wasn’t all bad. Armed with a $45,000 budget, the Window Shop folks set out to find the best of that decade. Spoiler alert: If you’re hoping to see opera windows, you may be disappointed.Contributor Jonathon Ramsey selects an elegant and early Datsun 240Z that sends a few of us swooning. Light, fun to drive, and relatively reliable for the period, this Datsun is the great-grandfather of the 370Z. No less popular is senior editor Elana Scherr’s 1978 Ford F-150. While it’s festooned with period accessories, including racy mud flaps and a CB radio, the mechanical bits are sound. The emissions equipment is intact, too, with one device that looks like a can of beans. The shag-like carpet protecting the bed gives us the heebie-jeebies—not to be confused with the Bee Gees—but we’re more concerned by the Playboy bunny gunsights on the hood.John Pearley Huffman, now a Road & Track staffer, makes a choice similar to Scherr’s. His ’78 F-250—which rides on a massive 155-inch wheelbase—is so good, that Pearley freezes up in response to the love thrown his way. Deputy testing director K.C. Colwell finds one of the most beautiful cars to come out of the ’70s: the Alfa Romeo GTV. His candidate loses points when we discover that it has a salvage title. The crew also brings up that the car’s design dates to the ’60s, so can you really call it a car of the ’70s? Deputy editor and host Tony Quiroga finds a manual BMW 528i from 1979 that costs a mere $14,900 and hits 60 in 8.3 seconds, but no one seems to be on board with his pick. Their loss.

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