Motor News

If you, like many of us, have a dog who goes berserk at the sound of a delivery van, you may soon be in luck. That’s because Mercedes plans to join Ford, Rivian, and GM in the quest to silence our vans and our dogs by making them electric. The vans, not the dogs. Although Ford’s been looking into that, too.
That’s according to a report in Automotive News. Benz told Automobilwoche, AN’s German-language counterpart, that it will offer an electric Sprinter by 2023. The platform will be new, rather than retrofitted, with a front module, rear module, and underbody battery tray module providing flexibility in both body sizes and battery capacity. The idea of an electric Sprinter seems inevitable—with Ford announcing an electric Transit on the way, the pressure is on Mercedes-Benz to offer an electrified Sprinter alternative.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes already makes an eSprinter for Europe, and Amazon ordered 1800 of Benz’s electric vans (about 600 of the smaller Vitos and 1200 Sprinters) this year. That’s far shy of the 20,000 internal-combustion Sprinters that Amazon ordered for the U.S., never mind the 100,000 vans they ordered from Rivian. In the parlance of the biz, Benz better get with some next-day delivery, because in seven to 10 days the competition will have taken over.

2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van Adds Diesel Engine

2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: Building a Better Box

And electric delivery vans are uniquely suited for their mission, even with relatively modest batteries. For instance, the Ford E-Transit will have 126 miles of range from a 67.0-kWh pack, which is smaller than the standard 75.6-kWh pack in the Mustang Mach-E. They’re great for the “last mile” deliveries—not the long-haul stuff, but that ultimate destination on the tracking slip, the local warehouse or distribution center. Those places are naturally suited for setting up charging infrastructure (they already have parking for lots of vans), and each day’s route is a known quantity. This is not for the DHL driver heading for Glasgow, Montana, America’s Most Isolated Town.

Mercedes-Benz

Unlike the internal-combustion models, Benz’s Europe-market electric Sprinters are front-wheel drive, with 114 horsepower and 218 pound-feet of torque. A 55.0-kWh battery mounted under the floor delivers 104 miles of range on the European cycle. Max payload is 1964 pounds, which means the eSprinter could haul more than 1500 Bob Ross Chia Pets. (And yes, with 11 cubic meters of cargo capacity, they’d all fit, with room to spare.) Of course, you know, they could also fit a bigger battery, or dual motors for all-wheel drive. And they should, because 114 horsepower makes the Ram ProMaster look like the Renault Espace F1.
Plus, think about the possibilities for the nomadic van denizens. When you’re driving around atop a huge battery, van glamping could get even more comfortable. You might not need shore power or a generator if you’ve got 100 kilowatt-hours under the floorboards. Just throwing that number out there. Because once we have enough battery, then we can add bigger motors. And then, finally, the Sprinter might really live up to its name.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Acura has revealed the production version of the 2022 MDX SUV, which was previously shown in prototype form.
The redesigned MDX starts at $47,925 and ranges up to $61,675 for a loaded version.
The 2022 MDX will go on sale in the U.S. February 2.
Acura showed the redesigned 2022 MDX in prototype form in October, and now we know all about the real deal, the production version of the new three-row SUV that will go on sale in the U.S. early in 2021. Pricing, dimensions, and full specifications show that the new model is larger, better-equipped, and a few thousand dollars more expensive than its predecessor. The standard model is offered with A-Spec, Technology, and Advance packages, and a more powerful Type S variant will arrive a few months later.

View Photos

Acura

The 2022 Acura MDX starts at $47,925, a $2400 uptick from the old model’s base price. It’s powered by the same 3.5-liter V-6 engine with 290 horsepower and 267 lb-ft of torque, but a ten-speed automatic transmission replaces the old nine-speed. Front-wheel drive is standard and SH-AWD is a $2000 option on the base version and models equipped with the Technology package. SH-AWD comes standard on the A-Spec, starting at $58,125, and the loaded model with the Advance package, starting at $61,725.
You’ll pay more for the new MDX, but you’ll also get more car. The new model is longer and wider than before and has a 2.8-inch longer wheelbase. This makes for more interior space, with third-row legroom growing by 1 inch and cargo space behind the third row growing by 2 cubic feet, to 18 cubic feet. All 2022 MDX models have a second-row seat with a removable center section that can either be configured for separate captain’s chairs or a three-passenger bench; total seating capacity is six passengers with the section removed or seven passengers with it installed.

View Photos

Acura

2022 Acura MDX Will Have More Luxury and Style

Tested: Acura TLX Shows Signs of Greatness

Acura has yet to release pricing for the Type S model, which will have standard SH-AWD, a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine with 355 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque, and upgraded tires and brakes. It will also come standard with equipment such as an ELS premium audio system and will offer unique colors and interior trim options.
Acura says the standard 2022 MDX will go on sale starting February 2, 2021, with the Type S set to follow in late summer of 2021.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

Ken Block has defined the stunt series Gymkhana for over a decade, dazzling the world with insane jumps and inch-precision drifts. But 2020 is a year of changes, so this year’s installment features Travis Pastrana in an 862-hp Subaru tearing through Annapolis, Maryland, and the surrounding area.
This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

For those unfamiliar, Gymkhana is a YouTube series wherein Ken Block—or Pastrana, this time—pushes the limits of automotive stunts, stringing drifts together in tight complexes or jumping over low-flying aircraft. Each one expands on the insanity, with 12 years of one-upmanship leading to some truly spectacular scenes. The 2020 installment carries the torch, this time with Block rival Travis Pastrana taking the spotlight.

Hoonigan

It starts in Annapolis with a high-flying jump over a speedboat cutting down the river. Due to this and the part later in the video where Pastrana dips a wheel off a dock and dangles above the water, you can see supplemental oxygen mounted in the door panel of the Subaru. Even the best get it wrong sometimes. The rest of the video follows him through crowded city streets, into a tandem drift with the 2022 Subaru BRZ by the docks, and through a 150-mph jump outside Pastrana’s childhood home.

Subaru Shows Custom WRX STI for Travis Pastrana

Archive: 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX Brings Rally Home

All of this is accomplished in an 862-hp turbocharged 2.3-liter Subaru WRX STI rally car making 664 pound-feet of torque. It takes 50 psi of boost to get those numbers out of a 2.3, but the engine still revs to 8000 rpm. That’d make it a rocketship regardless, but for good measure, Subaru also fitted it with a carbon-fiber body, active aero, and upgraded tires. This allows for some of the best four-wheel slides you’ll ever see, making the video well worth the watch.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

GMC has shared photos of a prototype Hummer EV testing at its Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan.
The Hummer is scheduled to go into production in the fall of 2021.
The first batch of 2022 Hummer EV models will be the Edition 1, starting at $112,595.
General Motors says it is working on an accelerated timeline to get the new 2022 GMC Hummer EV into production and delivered to customers by late 2021. Now the company is sharing some photos from the development and engineering process that show prototypes of the new electric pickup undergoing testing.
As you’d expect, the Hummer prototypes in these pictures look rougher than the polished show truck GMC revealed last month. The front end features lots of black trim and rudimentary placeholder headlights, taillights, and turn signals that look decidedly less high-tech than the LED units that will eventually make their way onto the production truck. The Hummer’s imposing shape remains the same, and the bodywork doesn’t look any different than what we saw initially.

GMC

Get a First Look at the 2023 GMC Hummer EV SUV

10 Coolest Easter Eggs in the 2022 GMC Hummer EV

Hummer EV Starts at $112K, Cheaper Models to Come

The first batch of Hummer EV models that will arrive for the 2022 model year will all be the fully loaded Edition 1 special edition, which starts at $112,595. Less expensive variants will arrive later in the production cycle, as will an SUV version that GM teased during a presentation about future EV models. Production is scheduled to start in the fall, and the initial production run of Edition 1 trucks is sold out. Customers can either sign up for the Edition 1 waitlist or reserve a different version of the truck that will arrive later, likely sometime in 2022.
GMC says it will share more details about the Hummer’s development as the prototypes go to northern Michigan for winter testing in the coming months.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The 2021 Nissan Kicks, the brand’s entry-level subcompact crossover, gets Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability standard.
Nissan took aim at the young, first time owners with the Nissan Kicks when it arrived in the United States in 2018.
The 2021 Kicks will go on sale in February 2021, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.
Nissan clearly knows the market it’s selling to with the 2021 Kicks. The vehicle now comes with standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, along with a 7.0-inch display, while the upper SV and SR trim levels have an optional 8.0-inch display. Three USB ports (two in the back) are now standard, and a USB-C port is available on the SV and SR. Young buyers are digital natives, so charging and using their phones as navigation devices while accessing text messages via voice is likely very important.

2021 Nissan Kicks Update Previewed by Global Model

Why Buy the Nissan Kicks? Here Are 10 Reasons

Exterior-wise, while the design changes are subtle, the 2021 Kicks does get an updated front end and bumper that give it a slightly more aggressive look in line with the rest of Nissan’s SUV lineup.
The interior offers up upgraded door and seat trims on the SR and SV versions of the crossover, which include a center armrest. The seats in models equipped with the SR Premium Package now have a more saturated color for their three-tone design.
Under the hood, the Kicks hasn’t changed. It’s still powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four pumping out 122 horsepower and 114 pound-feet of torque. It comes only with front-wheel drive vehicle and uses Nissan’s Xtronic CVT. The rear wheels now get the extra stopping power of disc brakes on the SR and SV trim levels.

View Photos

Nissan

To further appeal to the young demographic, Nissan says that the Kicks is available in many color combinations that include five two-tone paint combinations and seven regular exterior colors including Electric Blue metallic and Scarlet Ember Tintcoat.
Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 is standard and includes rear automatic braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane departure warning. The 2021 Kicks is expected in showrooms in February of 2021. Nissan hasn’t announced pricing but said it’ll share that info closer to the on-sale date. But if the Kicks follows the current price point, we expect it to start at around $20,165.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The 2021 Nissan Armada is getting a thorough refresh, including new front- and rear-end designs and updated technology.
The Armada now has a 12.3-inch infotainment screen along with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay.
The 2021 Armada is slated to reach dealers by the end of January 2021, and pricing will be released closer to that on-sale date.
With an updated look and new technology, the Nissan Armada arrives for 2021 ready to take on its newer full-size SUV competitors from GM and Ford. Both the front and rear ends of the 2021 Armada are redesigned, and the interior gets a broad update including a newly standard 12.3-inch infotainment screen.

Every Full-Size SUV Ranked from Worst to Best

Tested: 2021 Infiniti QX80 Remains Relevant

We Choose and Spec Our Favorite GM Full-Size SUVs

The Armada remains based on the global Nissan Patrol SUV, but its updated front end diverges from its international sibling. The grille appears more upright and taller than the outgoing model, and the 2021 Armada now sports the new Nissan logo, making it the first Nissan vehicle in the U.S. with this emblem. The updated headlights are framed by sharp lines and hard angles, giving the Armada a more aggressive appearance. In the rear, the Armada name now stretches across the tailgate just below the rear window, connecting the reshaped taillights with a black accent.
Inside, the Armada gets a big bump in screen real estate and connectivity options. The new standard infotainment screen is a sizable 12.3 inches, up from 8.0 inches in the outgoing model. It comes standard with Android Auto and wireless Apple CarPlay capability as well as a Wi-Fi hotspot. There are fewer buttons on the center stack below that new infotainment screen, and the overall effect looks considerably more modern. Between the tachometer and speedometer is a new, 7.0-inch display screen.

View Photos

Nissan

The Armada is still powered by the 5.6-liter V-8 engine seen in the outgoing model, but it does get a slight power bump to 400 horsepower, from 390 hp. The seven-speed transmission remains the only option. The SUV is still offered in both rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations, with the latter being offered with Auto/4HI/4LO modes.
The 2021 Armada is adding a new trim level, S, as its entry-level option. This comes in addition to the SV, SL, and Platinum trims which roll over from the previous year. There’s also a Midnight Edition package—available on the SL trim—which is blacked-out version of the Armada, including black rearview mirrors, black painted roof rails, black front and rear skid plates, a blacked-out grille, black exterior logos, along with a black interior.
The list of standard safety features gets longer for 2021, now including forward-collision warning, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot intervention, and driver attention alert. The previously standard Safety Shield 360 system also includes features such as blind-spot detection, automated emergency braking, high-beam assist, and rear automated braking.
The 2021 Armada is slated to reach dealers by late January, and pricing will be announced closer to the on-sale date.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More

The F-150 Tremor is powered by a 400-hp 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 and also includes an upgraded suspension and front and rear locking differentials. More

We now have full details on the 2022 Genesis GV70, including its powertrain options and time of U.S. arrival, which is set for 2021.
The GV70 is getting the same two engine options as the GV80: a 300-hp turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four and a 375-hp twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6.
The GV70 fits into the compact-crossover segment, which has been ballooning in popularity.
Genesis has released full details of the 2022 GV70, including its engine options and technologies—and has divulged that it will be arriving in the U.S. sometime in 2021. The GV70 slates in just below the GV80, Genesis’s first SUV. This sleek two-row compact crossover is entering the marketplace at a time when demand for this category of vehicles is surging.

2022 Genesis GV70 Revealed, and It’s a Big Deal

2021 Genesis GV80: Car and Driver 10Best

Tested: Genesis GV80 Brings Guilt-Free Opulence

The GV70’s sporty proportions will be complemented by engine options coming from the GV80, including a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four and a more powerful twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6. The former is good for 300 horsepower in the GV80, while the latter puts out a considerable 375 horsepower and brought the GV80 to 60 mph in 5.3 seconds in our testing. Given the smaller proportions of the GV70, we expect the GV70 to best the GV80 in its sprint to 60 mph.

View Photos

Genesis

An available Sport package accentuates the GV70’s athletic design cues. The package includes large, circular exhaust tips, a three-dimensional dark chrome pattern on the grille, and an exclusive bumper and wheels. Inside there’s carbon-fiber trim and a unique steering wheel. The GV70 comes standard with four driving modes: Eco, Comfort, Sport, and Custom. A fifth mode, Sport Plus, is added with the Sport package.
The GV70 will have a fingerprint authentication system, but Genesis is holding off on revealing any of that system’s functions for now. Nonetheless, it has been reported that this system will allow drivers to use Genesis CarPay, which can be used to pay for gas and parking from inside the car. The fingerprint authentication system can also be used to start the car and also identify the driver, at that point the vehicle will then adjust settings such as seating position based on who is driving.
The Genesis GV70 will also have Advanced Rear Occupant Alert, a radar-based system that can detect a rear occupant’s breathing so a driver can be notified when a child or infant has been left in the back of the vehicle.
The advanced driver assist system will change lanes at the flick of the turn signal, a system seen on Cadillac and Mercedes vehicles. The GV70 will also offer an adaptive cruise control system with traffic sign recognition, driver attention warnings, and blind-spot warning. Details on which features will be standard or optional will come closer to the vehicle’s on-sale date.
When this compact crossover arrives in the U.S., it’ll be aimed squarely at European luxury vehicles already bidding for their portion of this market, including the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC. If the GV70 is anything like the GV80—and we have little reason to expect otherwise—it will be a strong contender in this market. The GV80 claimed a 10Best spot this year, and gained this remark from one Car and Driver editor, “Its beautifully executed interior is indisputable evidence that Genesis understands the not-so-secret handshake of luxury—something that several aspiring premium-car brands have yet to learn.”
Granted, part of the charm of the GV80 is its low price, and we don’t yet know the pricing of the GV70; that’ll come closer to its on-sale date.
This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io More