Motor News

The 2022 Audi Q4 e-tron is a new electric SUV model that slots in between the gasoline-powered Q3 and Q5.It will be available in both standard and swoopier Sportback body styles.Audi says the rear-wheel-drive base model will start at around $45,000 and will go on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2021.Audi’s newest electric model is its most mainstream yet. The Q4 e-tron and its Sportback stablemate are smaller and more affordable than the e-tron SUV and e-tron GT sedan, being based on the same MEB platform as the VW ID.4 electric crossover. Audi says the Q4 e-tron will start at around $45,000 when it goes on sale in the U.S. by the end of 2021.

The Q4 designation suggests that this new EV will slot in between the Q3 and Q5 crossovers, and indeed, it’s 180.7 inches long, neatly fitting in between the two in terms of its exterior footprint. Audi says that the Q4’s long wheelbase and floor-mounted battery pack allows for a similar amount of rear-seat space inside as the Q5. The Q4 e-tron Sportback will compromise some cargo space for its more rakish silhouette, although it’s also more aerodynamic than the squareback version.

Q4 e-tron Sportback
Audi

Like the ID.4, the standard configuration comes with a single 201-hp electric motor on the rear axle, which will be called the 40. A 77.0-kWh battery pack is standard, and Audi expects an EPA-estimated driving range of 250 miles for this lower-powered version, which it claims will get to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds. The more powerful Q4 e-tron 50 Quattro incorporates an all-wheel-drive setup with front and rear electric motors that provide a total output of 295 hp and 339 pound-feet of torque. It will likely have a lower range number than the 40, and Audi claims a zero to 62 mph time of 6.2 seconds.The Q4 e-tron will allow for fast-charging capability of up to 125 kilowatts, and Audi says it expects to offer some amount of free charging at the VW Group’s Electrify America charging stations. Paddles on the steering wheel will allow the driver to adjust the level of regenerative braking that kicks in when you let off the gas pedal.
A 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment display is standard, as is a 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster screen. There’s also an augmented-reality head-up display available that projects moving icons for navigation onto the windshield. A conventional round steering wheel is standard, and a more squared-off wheel with a flat top and bottom is optional.The Q4 e-tron is shaping up to be an appealing alternative to the ID.4, especially considering that the more downmarket VW’s starting price is only a few thousand dollars less. Expect the Sportback version to command a slight price premium, as is the case with the larger e-tron and e-tron Sportback.
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Honda has shared the first official photo of the 2022 Civic sedan.The production model looks similar to the prototype shown last year, albeit with smaller wheels and a tamer paint color.The 2022 Civic sedan will go on sale this summer in the U.S., with the hatchback coming a few months later.The long lead-up to the arrival of the 11th-gen Honda Civic continues with the first official photo of the sedan in its final production form. With essentially the same styling as the Civic prototype shown last year except for a few minor changes, the new model looks far better than its predecessor.

We still have yet to see what the 2022 Civic’s interior looks like, apart from a teaser sketch. Honda says that full specs and more photos will be shared on April 28. We expect the new model to feature carryover engines, meaning a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter inline-four as the base engine and a more powerful turbocharged 1.5-liter inline-four as an option. A manual transmission isn’t likely to reappear in the standard Civic but will be offered in the higher-performance Si and Type R models.The 2022 Civic sedan will go on sale this summer, and the hatchback version of the Civic will follow the sedan’s arrival by a few months. We’ve spied prototypes of that body style testing as well. The Civic coupe won’t return for this new generation.When it starts arriving at U.S. dealerships a few months from now, the Civic will likely carry a starting price slightly higher than the 2021 model’s $22,245 base price. The familiar LX, EX, Sport, and Touring trim levels should remain.
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The 2022 Mazda MX-30 is a new electric vehicle that will go on sale in California this fall.It will be initially available only in battery-electric form, with a plug-in-hybrid model coming later.The MX-30’s small battery pack means it likely won’t offer much more than 100 miles of range on a single charge.Mazda’s first electric vehicle will finally arrive in the United States later this year, starting in California this fall. The 2022 MX-30 will initially be available only as a battery-powered EV, while a plug-in-hybrid version with a rotary gasoline engine will arrive later on, likely sometime next year.The fully electric version features a single electric motor powering the front wheels. Power output is 144 horsepower and 200 pound-feet of torque, making it significantly less powerful than many other affordable EVs.

A small lithium-ion battery pack provides just 35.5 kWh of total capacity—Mazda isn’t providing a usable-capacity number yet, but we’d estimate it at around 32.0 kWh. This means that the MX-30 isn’t likely to offer much more than 100 miles of range on a single charge on the EPA cycle. (Official ratings aren’t yet available, but the MX-30 is rated at 124 miles on the more optimistic WLTP cycle.) Mazda hasn’t released specs for the range-extender hybrid version, but its gasoline engine and fuel tank will likely provide significantly more driving range. DC fast-charging capability is standard, with Mazda claiming that the MX-30 can charge to 80 percent full in 36 minutes.
Within the current context of EV offerings, the MX-30 is more of a competitor to the Mini Electric, which has similar power and range numbers, than it is an alternative to longer-range affordable options such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV. And like the Mini, the MX-30 has distinctive styling inside and out, with RX-8–inspired rear half doors and interesting materials such as cork found on the dashboard.While pricing is not yet available, we think the MX-30 will need an appealingly low starting price to overcome its low range and power numbers. The Mini Electric starts at just over $30,000, so Mazda would do well to try to match or undercut that with the MX-30’s base price.
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Nissan is building a limited number of this GT-R NISMO Special Edition for the United States, with orders opening in the fall. The NISMO Special Edition is finished in Stealth Gray and features an exposed carbon-fiber hood and 20-inch wheels with red trim. It’s also the first GT-R to wear Nissan’s new logo. This special GT-R has all-wheel drive and is powered by a 600-hp twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-6. Nissan continues to tinker with the R35-generation GT-R even though it’s getting close to retirement. This new GT-R NISMO Special Edition, which goes on sale in the U.S. this fall, will be extremely limited, though Nissan didn’t share production numbers. And, no, it doesn’t have any more power than the track-focused GT-R NISMO.
The special-edition cars get a blueprinted version—meaning it’s built to tight specifications—of the NISMO’s twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6, still equipped with the same turbochargers used on Nissan’s GT-R GT3-class race car. It produces 600 horsepower and 481 pound-feet of torque (standard GT-Rs make 565 horsepower), sent to all four wheels through a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. In our 2014 test of a GT-R NISMO, it launched to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds on its way to a 10.9-second quarter-mile at 128 mph.

GT-R NISMO (for Nissan Motorsport) cars are distinguished by a more aggressive aero kit with a large rear wing and red trim. The Special Edition cars are finished in a handsome exclusive Stealth Gray with an exposed carbon-fiber hood (non–Special Edition NISMOs also have carbon hoods). The cars also feature a set of 20-inch forged aluminum alloy wheels with a red rim and NISMO logo and are the first GT-Rs to wear the new Nissan logo, which is on the trunk and center caps. They also get a unique plaque with red script on their hand-built engines. Nissan hasn’t released pricing for the 2022 GT-R NISMO Special Edition, but we expect it to cost just over the standard NISMO’s $212,535 starting price when orders open this fall.
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The 2022 Polestar 2 will come in two new versions and offer more options for its second model year: a new single-motor option with a claimed 260 miles of range, and a simplified version of the dual-motor Polestar 2.Both new versions have an optional heat pump that is claimed to increase range by as much as 10 percent. The new variants, Polestar says, will be available by the end of the year. The fully loaded, dual-motor Launch Edition is available now. The 2022 Polestar 2, now heading into its sophomore year, is receiving more options to boost its appeal, starting with a single-motor, front-wheel-drive variant. In addition, Polestar is offering the all-wheel-drive Polestar 2 in a more simplified configuration, allowing customers more power to customize their electric hatchback. Although the Volvo affiliate didn’t disclose U.S. pricing, it said the new variants will have lower base pricing compared with the Launch Edition that’s currently on sale.

The single-motor Polestar 2 has the same 78.0-kWh battery that’s found in the dual-motor configuration. In this version, its total power is 231 hp compared with 204 hp on each axle of the dual-motor Polestar 2. Polestar estimates that with the single motor, the Polestar will achieve a range of up to 260 miles, besting the EPA-estimated 230 miles on the dual-motor (C/D testing found the dual-motor had a range of 190 miles).The Polestar 2 Launch Edition rolls over for 2022, but those who choose the newly announced dual-motor version of the Polestar 2 will be able to specify a simpler (and likely less expensive) configuration. Options are divided into Plus, Pilot, and Performance packages, any of which can be omitted.

One reason buyers may want the luxury-filled Plus package, however, is that it newly includes a heat pump, which Polestar says can boost range by up to 10 percent on the hatchback. The heat pump captures heat generated by the drivetrain, thus reducing reliance on the battery to heat the interior of the car. Polestar says that in temperature ranges between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, up to a 10 percent range boost can be achieved.Polestar didn’t release the price for the new options for the Polestar 2 but did say that the single-motor variant will go on sale by the end of this year. The Polestar 2 Launch Edition is available now.

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Hyundai has released more details of its new Staria van, which can seat anywhere from two to 11 people, depending on configuration. The Staria will be available in standard and Premium versions. Engine choices are either a diesel four-cylinder with a manual transmission or automatic or a 3.5-liter V-6 with an automatic. The Hyundai Staria will go on sale, sadly outside the U.S. only, starting in the second half of this year. Hyundai has released more information about its new Staria van, which won’t be sold in the U.S., through a digital premiere yesterday, and now we wish we could get the van with space vibes here even more. It’ll go on sale in other markets later this year as Staria and Staria Premium models.
Starias are available with seating for two, seven, nine, or 11. The Premium models get brass chrome trim, smart power sliding doors, relaxation seats on the seven-seat model, interior ambient lighting, and a Bose sound system. There’s also a Staria Premium limousine that has a high roof with starlights (think Rolls-Royce), a 25-inch overhead monitor, and a movable folding island.

The Staria is about the same size as the new Kia Carnival, which just went on sale in the U.S., but 9.8 inches taller. Cargo volume varies depending on the seating configuration, but the two- and three-seater models, which should be used more as cargo vans, boast 176.6 cubic feet of storage, 31.5 cubes more than the Carnival’s max cargo capacity. Starias will have the choice of two engines, although Hyundai says “eco-friendly” models are coming soon. The 175-hp 2.2-liter diesel four-cylinder can be had with a six-speed manual (#SavetheManuals) or an eight-speed automatic transmission. A 3.5-liter V-6 with 268 horsepower is also available solely with the automatic.
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The Hyundai Staria will go on sale outside the U.S. later this year in eight exterior color choices including Dynamic Yellow and Gaia Brown Pearl. Additional variants such as ambulances, camping vans, and limousines will be available in the future.
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The new high-performance Speed version of the Bentley Continental GT is here, and as of April 13, it comes in a convertible version as well.It has a twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12 engine with 650 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque.Bentley says it will go from zero to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds (3.6 seconds for the convertible) and has a top speed of 208 mph.UPDATE 4/13/21: Bentley released details on the convertible version of the Continental GT Speed, which comes with a choice of seven roof coolors—including tweed—and eight interior roof liner finishes. The roof system, which opens or closes in 19 seconds at speeds up to 30 mph, uses a Z-fold structure for better noise reduction, and the seats have an integrated neck warmer.

Continental GT Speed convertible.
Bentley

No Bentley is short of speed, but the British luxury maker reserves use of its Speed branding to its highest performance derivatives. The Continental GT Coupe has now been granted membership to this club, and the new 2022 GT Speed certainly looks suitably fast and imposing in these first official pictures.

Despite its name, the Continental GT Speed is not substantially quicker than the car it is based on—at least not in a straight line. Power comes from Bentley’s long-serving twin-turbo 6.0-liter W-12, tuned to deliver 650 horsepower in this application. That’s 24 hp more than the regular Conti GT W-12, but both cars share the same torque figure of 664 pound-feet. Bentley claims a zero-to-6o-mph time of just 3.5 seconds, one-tenth quicker than the corresponding figure for the standard W-12. The Speed’s top speed is 208 mph, a 1-mph improvement.
Yet the Speed is about more than just raw speed, with Bentley promising it will be considerably more agile than the existing car. It is the first Continental coupe to get rear-wheel steering. This is a development of the system fitted to the longer Flying Spur sedan, and it’s said to both improve maneuverability and sharpen the car’s reactions. The Speed also gets a new electronically controlled torque-vectoring differential at the rear. A rearward power bias from the all-wheel-drive system and more permissive stability control will enable drivers to experience the Speed’s more playful side, and with ESC deactivated the company says it will even be possible to persuade it into oversteer.The Speed gets air springs, adaptive dampers, and Bentley’s Dynamic Ride system, which utilizes active anti-roll bars. Buyers will be able to choose the option of carbon-ceramic brakes for the first time on this generation of Continental, which are said to save 72 pounds of weight compared to the regular cast-iron discs. Twenty-two-inch wheels will be standard. Bentley has also sharpened the responses of the Speed’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which is able to change gear up to 100 percent faster, as the overlap time between the clutches disengaging and engaging has been reduced to zero. The difference varies depending on mode and the ratios involved, but as an example Bentley says that the shift from third to fourth in the Speed’s Sport mode takes between 150 and 170 milliseconds, compared to 300 to 320 milliseconds in the regular GT.
The Speed’s design has also been turned up to indicate its presence at the top of the Continental range. It gets a dark-tinted grille and lower front bumper intake as standard, heavily scalloped finishers for the side sills, and discreet “Speed” badging in addition to the “12” logos on the front fender vents that indicate the presence of the W-12 engine. The cabin gets more microfiber, optional carbon-fiber dashboard finishers, and a standard diamond-quilted seat pattern.We don’t have pricing details yet, but can safely predict the Speed will carry a sizable supplement over the $224,225 Continental GT coupe. Bentley says deliveries will begin in the third quarter of the year.
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Spotify has released the Car Thing, a compact smart player that acts as a remote for streaming Spotify content from a smartphone while in the car.The Car Thing is intended to be a streaming solution for cars that lack robust infotainment systems and can be operated with knobs, touchscreen, or voice controls.The Car Thing is becoming available in limited release; Spotify premium users will be invited to receive. Those who do will only pay for shipping.Spotify today introduced the Car Thing, giving the streaming service its own hardware for the first time. The Car Thing—which, in essence, aptly describes what it is—acts as a sort of remote for the Spotify app while your phone streams Spotify content to your car. Cars with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto capability don’t need this, but people whose vehicles don’t have a robust infotainment system will appreciate it.

In order to use the Car Thing, you need two things: a connection from your phone to your car’s audio system, such as with a Bluetooth or an auxiliary cord, and a data connection for your phone. Once your phone is connected to the audio system, the Car Thing takes it from there, controlling what Spotify content you stream to your car from your phone. While using Spotify, the Car Thing displays what you’re listening to and lets you choose other content available on the platform through a streamlined interface intended to be used in a car.The Car Thing is fairly simple: an oversize knob allows a user to scroll through content and select songs, while a single button below it acts as a back button. Four buttons sit on the top of the Car Thing, which are shortcuts to pre-saved favorites for easy access to playlists, podcasts, or other content available on Spotify. It can also be controlled via your voice: a simply “Hey Spotify” lets users skip songs, go to new playlists, search podcasts, and so on.

Spotify

Spotify sends users multiple car mounts for the Car Thing, including one which can just stick onto a dashboard, or others that use vents or a CD slot, to make the screen viewable to the driver. A phone with a mobile data connection is needed in order to operate the Car Thing, but the interface allows users to see which content has been downloaded, in case users want to conserve data use. It is intended as an alternative to a phone as the Car Thing’s interface is “more optimized for the car,” Andreas Cedborg, the head of hardware products at Spotify, said in a call with media. And while at launch the Car Thing is only enabled to control Spotify, Cedborg did say that it will be regularly updated, and in response to whether functionality like Waze will be added, he said the company is “pretty aware of what people want to have in a car, so let’s see what the future gives us.”The Car Thing will start with a limited release, which means that only a select Spotify premium users will be invited to receive one. Users can add themselves to a waitlist, and if selected, they’ll only be charged for shipping. Later, if Spotify determines that it wants to fully release the Car Thing, the streaming service indicated it will charge about $80 for it.

Spotify

Spotify sent advance copies of the Car Thing to members of media. After a few days of use, it proved to be more convenient than a smartphone to use for music streaming while driving. In particular, the large knob and accessibility of the unit, when compared with a smartphone, were much less distracting. It was also a nice change of pace to continuously see which song was being played.Yes, a phone does everything the Car Thing does, but as Cedborg noted, is certainly less streamlined. Integrating other apps such as Waze into the Car Thing would allow it to nearly replace the need for using one’s phone while driving and could make it a significantly cheaper alternative to the traditional after-market infotainment units available now.

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