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VW has announced that it will brand the sportier, faster versions of its upcoming electric-vehicle lineup as “GTX.”The new branding starts with the all-wheel-drive ID.4 GTX, which has a second motor on the front axle.The official unveiling of the ID.4 GTX doesn’t come until April 28, but until then we can see the logo, at least.Volkswagen is set to officially unveil a faster all-wheel-drive version of the ID.4 later this month, one that will carry the new GTX branding the company says it will be using to indicate higher-performance versions of its pure electric models.
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In Europe, Volkswagen already uses GTI, GTD, and GTE branding – respectively for gasoline, diesel, and plug-in-hybrid models, with the badges applied variously to faster versions of the Golf, Polo, Passat, and even the baby Up! But on our side of the Atlantic, GTI is a model in its own right, and it’s also the only member of the eighth-generation Golf clan to be sold in the States. While GTX branding hasn’t been used in the States before, it has featured in other markets. The 1984 Jetta GLI was sold as a GTX in some territories, including Canada.The ID.4 GTX will be officially announced on April 28, but we’re told that the branding will also be used on other ID models. GTX versions will be distinguished by extra performance and, in the case of the ID.4, all-wheel drive through an additional motor on the front axle, which is the first time this will be offered on an ID model.

2021 Volkswagen ID.4.
Volkswagen

Volkswagen hasn’t officially confirmed power or performance, but Autocar in the U.K. has reported that the ID.4 GTX will have a combined output of 302 horsepower and 339 pound-feet of torque, giving a claimed 6.2-second zero-to-62-mph time under Europe’s generally conservative testing methodology. If so, that means the fastest of VW’s ID models will remain substantially slower than even the most leisurely Tesla.

We can safely expect the GTX to be distinguished from lesser versions of the ID.4 with visual tweaks and a more dynamically focused suspension. We’re also hoping that the tartan seats long associated with GTI models make the transition to the brave new world of electron-fueled performance derivatives. The GTX hasn’t been officially confirmed for the U.S., but we have been told that all-wheel-drive versions of the ID.4 will be offered starting next year, so it is entirely possible that this will be one of them.Volkswagen is already reporting strong demand for its ID models in Europe, announcing it is also set to double the capacity of the Braunschweig, Germany, factory that assembles battery packs for vehicles that sit on the group’s pure electric MEB platform, from 250,000 to 500,000 a year, alongside up to 300,000 smaller battery packs for plug-in-hybrid vehicles. In addition to the ID.3 and ID.4, the company has just unveiled the larger ID.6 crossover at the Shanghai auto show; we’re also expecting a coupe-SUV ID.5 later this year.
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Ready to take on the status quo?For the next episode of Inside Track, Road & Track’s virtual Q&A series, Car and Driver Editor-in-Chief Sharon Carty is taking over to chat with Girls Auto Clinic Founder Patrice Banks. GAC is a woman-owned-and-operated business that offers automotive buying and repair resources, products, and services based on trust, education, inclusion, and empowerment. It’s all happening on Thursday, April 22, at 12:00 p.m. ET (9:00 a.m. PT), and we’d love for you to join us.Register Here In this episode, Sharon will explore how Patrice continues to challenge the status quo after starting her business, as well as the impact she’s made on women in the auto industry. If you want to see it all go down, head on over to our sign-up page here.(Plus, check out Patrice’s “do-it-herself guide” to auto maintenance, roadside emergencies, and car services here.)Inside Track is one of the many offerings of our newly revamped magazine. We’re hosting live events, virtual experiences, and adventures around the globe. We’ll also be hosting driving rallies at race tracks and on the most epic roads, holding discussions and debates on cool topics with some of the most influential people in the car world, and giving you the white-glove treatment at concours and auto show events.Register Here If you want to get in on the fun, become a member of The Track Club. You’ll get every issue of the magazine, plus a whole lot more. Find more details on the membership tiers and exclusive discounts at roadandtrack.com/join, and check out our experiences lineup at experiences.roadandtrack.com.This content was provided by the Road & Track marketing team.

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Even after being on the show before, for reasons known only to him, Matt Farah of the Smoking Tire podcast found time in his busy schedule to face this week’s Window Shop challenge: Find the best $100,000 used car.In addition to producing a podcast, posting videos to his YouTube channel, and contributing to Road & Track, Farah owns and operates Westside Collector Car Storage, a purpose-built facility in California that regularly houses this caliber of car, so we’re glad to have him on the panel for this challenge. Contributor John Pearley Huffman gets us started with an intriguing pick. His 1966 Ford Galaxie has a 7.0-liter V-8, its top goes down, and it looks pristine. The WS crew likes this big, beautiful Ford, but given its similarity to Galaxies that cost $25K, we’re not sure it looks like 100,000 bucks. In contrast, Farah hits shoppers with a Porsche 911T that looks as expensive as it is. We all remember the 911T and the way it drives. We can’t deny the performance of his pick, but some of us feel it’s a little too obvious a choice.Contributor Jonathon Ramsey lends weight to that argument when he shows off his find: a 2014 911 GT3. Like so many 2014 GT3s, this one had to have its engine replaced due to teething problems and a risk of fire. But at least the new engine has a 10-year warranty.Deputy testing director K.C. Colwell goes in another direction, selecting an E34 BMW M5 Touring. For those who don’t speak BMW, Touring means wagon. This rare longroof Bimmer features a high-revving 3.8-liter inline-six and a stick shift. Barely sneaking in under the price cap is deputy editor Tony Quiroga’s exotic Ferrari 360 Modena. The car features a manual transmission with the classic gated shifter and promises not to be as expensive to maintain as other Ferraris.

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Kia is preparing some visual updates to its compact sedan for 2022.We expect the U.S. model to look just like this Korea-market version, called the K3.The Forte may also be renamed K3 in the U.S., as Kia has already filed for a trademark for that name.

Kia’s compact sedan is about to get a new outlook on life—and possibly a new name to go along with it. The Korea-market K3 has been revealed with updated styling inside and out, and we think that the U.S. version, currently called Forte, will adopt its global name like its big sibling did when it was renamed from Optima to K5. Kia has already filed for a trademark for the K3 name in the U.S.; a Kia spokesperson told C/D that the company does not comment on future product.

Kia

The refreshed 2022 Kia K3/Forte benefits from attractive new headlights, slightly different taillights, and a new wheel design. Kia’s new logo is on board, too. Inside, it appears to have a larger touchscreen infotainment system and a digital gauge cluster.We don’t expect any significant mechanical changes to the Forte/K3 for the U.S. market. It will likely keep its 2.0-liter inline-four base engine, although it may drop the base model’s manual transmission and offer only a CVT automatic like its sibling, the Hyundai Elantra. The higher-performance GT model should continue with its more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four, and we hope it will still offer a manual like the current GT, which has a six-speed manual as standard and a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic as an option.Look for Kia to announce more information about the U.S.-market Forte/K3 later this year. It should go on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2021.

Kia

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Subaru of America will recall 466,205 vehicles to fix a potential problem with the ignition coils, which could degrade and lead to “starting or stalling issues.” The vehicles being recalled are the 2017–2019 Impreza and 2018–2019 Crosstrek.A second recall, issued at the same time, is to tighten bolts on the rear stabilizer bracket. This recall includes 405,000 2019 Crosstrek and Forester models.Subaru says there have been no accidents or injuries reported from either issue.Subaru of America has announced that it will recall nearly half a million Crosstrek and Impreza vehicles from the 2017 through 2019 model years over a problem with ignition coils that could degrade and cause stalling. The automaker says that reports of this occurrence are “extremely low” and no accidents or injuries have been reported. The recall includes 466,205 2017–2019 Impreza and 2018–2019 Crosstrek vehicles. Subaru said it will notify affected owners by mid-June; dealers will check and update the engine control module programming and replace ignition coils.

Separately, Subaru is also recalling 405,000 2019 Crosstrek and Forester vehicles to check and re-torque rear stabilizer bracket bolts that could come loose and cause damage. The automaker says that in this case, too, there have been very few reports and no accidents or injuries.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not yet listed these two recalls on its recalls website, but owners can check there to find out if their vehicle is involved in the recall.

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You know how when there’s a live car chase on TV, helicopter following overhead, the would-be escapee is never driving a fast car? It’s always a clapped-out Grand Caravan or an old Ford Aspire that’s already on a space-saver spare. Well, it seems that when you decide to jump a drawbridge, the same rules apply: If you’re the type of person to smash through a barrier arm and try to make it to the opposite side of a drawbridge, you probably don’t have the impulse control and life skills that would lead to Ram TRX ownership. But like they say, you jump the bridge with the car you have, not the car you want. And, in the case of the Main Street bridge in Daytona Beach, Florida, that car is a old Hyundai Santa Fe. This particular bridge seems to be a hot spot for would-be Jakes and Elwoods to try their luck, since last month a motorcyclist did the same thing during Bike Week. (With a passenger, it seems, who might’ve been a little surprised at that turn of events, given the healthy bounce upon landing.)
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The latest flying leap occurred Monday morning, when the Santa Fe crashed through the barrier arm and caught air with all four wheels as it sailed over the gap. Of the second-gen Santa Fe, we opined that “the soft-riding suspension absorbs bumps well,” and good thing for that.Main Street Bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge that spans the Halifax River, roughly 20 feet below. So you wouldn’t want to come up short. Our Daytona Beach Travis Pastrana does an on-the-spot assessment of the relevant Newtonian physics and errs on the side of more throttle, sending the Hyundai airborne even though at that point the bridge has just begun to open. We don’t see brake lights until touchdown. The footage ends shortly thereafter, but we trust that the opposite barrier arm got the same treatment on the way out.
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What was the motivation here? We can only speculate, but mere impatience seems insufficient. More likely, the Santa Fe driver’s brother just got out of prison and was making derisive comments toward the sensible crossover in which he was picked up. That Santa Fe, if it had the 242-hp 3.3-liter V-6, ran zero to 60 in 8.0 seconds (per our 2007 test). And by the time it got to the opposite side of the Main Street Bridge, he’d probably begrudgingly admit that it has pretty good pickup.
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Lamborghini unveiled the Miura SV on its Geneva auto show stand in March 1971. The SV, the sensational-looking car that Autoweek called “the world’s first supercar” and C/D described as “the supercar that started it all,” was the last evolution of the successful project code-named P400. Indeed, over on Bertone’s stand was none other than a Countach LP 500, defined as “a concept car for future production.”

The Miura SV (V stands for “veloce,” or super fast) was meant to accompany the S, but was so popular the SV ended up replacing it. Lamborghini says the Miura SV is now the most sought after of its production cars and says it is the “highest expression of the supercar concept of its time and the best of all the Miura versions produced.”Giampaolo Dallara and Paolo Stanzani, Lamborghini’s chief engineers at the time and the Miura and Miura S creators, said the SV benefited from the experience gained during the first five years of Miura production. Well known racer Bob Wallace, a New Zealander, did much of the development driving.

Just 150 SVs were built.
REMI DARGEGEN

The SV’s engine delivered more power, 385 horsepower at 7850 rpm, and above all was more drivable thanks to its smooth torque curve and revised setting on the four Weber triple-barrel carbs (type 40IDL3C, for those taking notes). A separate lubrication system between the engine and gearbox was introduced when the SV was already in production—a modification that wasn’t externally visible but was a huge technical improvement, Lamborghini says. The Miura SV’s official top speed was over 180 mph, and from a standing start the car could cover one kilometer in a bit less than 24 seconds—record performance results back then.The SV’s interior was also upgraded over the S’s, with a more modern look, higher-quality materials, and more leather and chrome.

The SV interior got more chrome and leather.
Lamborghini

The Miura SV was taken out of production in early 1973 after just 150 were built, although two years later a final car was built for Formula 1 team owner Walter Wolf. That car now rests at Mudetec, Lamborghini’s museum in Sant’Agata Bolognese.

Lamborghini sums up the Miura SV nicely: “It was truly the end of an era in which speed and sinuous lines predominated, and in which a small group of young men, driven by an innate passion and blessed with great technical skills, were able to create what for many was, and still remains, the most beautiful car ever produced in series.”We couldn’t agree more.

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The EQS is Mercedes-Benz’s first dedicated EV and a new member of the S-class family. Single-motor (rear-wheel-drive) and dual-motor (all-wheel-drive) variants are available, ranging from 329 to 516 horsepower.The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS goes on sale this fall. The 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS is the marque’s first dedicated electric vehicle and the first of Mercedes’s EQ brand to reach the U.S. market. Sporting what the automaker claims is the world’s lowest drag coefficient (0.20) and the world’s largest in-car screen (56 inches), and making as much as 516 horsepower, the EQS, inspired by the F015 concept, aims to put the Mercedes stamp on the electric-vehicle segment by starting at the top.

The EQS will be available in two versions. The EQS450+ is rear-wheel drive and makes 329 horsepower, and the EQS580 4Matic is dual-motor all-wheel drive, with 516 horsepower. Both go on sale this fall. Both models offer adaptive air suspension and four-wheel steering as well as Mercedes’s full driver-assistance package, a panoramic sunroof, and a host of techno-goodies including the latest MBUX infotainment system, Burmester 3D sound, wireless smartphone connectivity and charging, and six USB-C ports.

The star of the EQS’s interior show, however, is the optional Hyperscreen. “What’s really revolutionary is it’s the first time the whole instrument panel is a screen. We literally dematerialized [the hardware],” said Mercedes-Benz design chief Gorden Wagener. “Nobody else has done it, and I think, talking about screen sizes before, it makes everything else look old.”

Mercedes-Benz

Coated in a single piece of Gorilla Glass, the Hyperscreen spans the entire dashboard, incorporating three displays within. The instrument panel display is a standard LCD display, while the center and passenger displays are OLED, for greater brightness and contrast. The new screen combines with a new “Zero Layer” layout for the MBUX user interface, layering machine-learning-powered widgets over a 3D map of the area around the car. The widgets, which can control anything from the HVAC to the stereo to your phone (and more), learn from the driver’s behavior, eventually anticipating needs and surfacing information based on usage patterns. If you don’t tick the Hyperscreen option box, you’ll get a 12.8-inch portrait-orientation single display, mounted tablet-style in front of the dash. The EQS’s 400-volt powertrain is fed by a low-cobalt (about 10 percent) battery pack with 107.8 kWh of usable energy, developed in-house, which enables a WLTP range rating of 478 miles, although no EPA range estimate has been announced. A crash structure in the underbody protects the battery, and the car can automatically shut off the high-voltage system in case of emergency.Mercedes says the EQS’s slippery 0.20 coefficient of drag (Cd) is the lowest of any production car ever, enabled in part by the One-Bow exterior design but also by extensive attention to detail throughout the exterior, including special effort to smooth the underbody, as well as an optimized rear-end design and spoiler and special arrow-shaped front and rear wheel spoilers.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes also understands the EQS’s customers may be concerned with more than their personal luxury and comfort. Accordingly, 176 pounds of the EQS’s curb weight is composed of resource-saving materials like recycled plastic, recycled yarn, and sustainably produced aluminum. The EQS is built at Mercedes-Benz’s Factory 56 in Sindelfingen, Germany, which offers carbon-neutral production thanks to its solar power array and also features rainwater recycling, planted roofs, and recycled concrete in the building’s facade.Look for official pricing info to be released closer to the vehicle’s launch in fall 2021.
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