Motor News

Mercedes-Benz has revealed a new lineup of V-class cargo and passenger vans.They feature fresh interior and exterior designs, with a redesigned instrument panel and an assortment of updated tech. The new V-class likely won’t come stateside since Mercedes has made plans to pull the Metris from the U.S. market following the 2023 model year.The Mercedes-Benz Metris is dead in the United States after 2023, as is the rest of the mid-size-van segment. Since they’re still desirable in other markets, Mercedes has revealed a new series of V-class cargo and passenger vans. The diverse lineup ranges from the standard version to the electric EQV to the campsite-exploring Marco Polo van. Revitalized V-ClassesThe updated vans have redesigned instrument clusters and the latest version of Mercedes’s MBUX infotainment system. The standard V-class, Marco Polo, and EQV come equipped with a pair of 12.3-inch displays and a new center console that features an optional wireless charger. Mercedes also turned up the luxe dial on the new vans, adding a remote-start function, heated steering wheel, dimmed rear lighting for night driving, and 64-color ambient interior lighting.Mercedes BenzThe V-class’s bodywork now looks sharper too. Select trims get an LED light band surrounding the grille, which is now bigger than before. The headlights and taillights are also revised, and, depending on the trim, adaptive LED headlights are standard or optional. Along with five new paint colors, there are newly designed 17-, 18- and 19-inch wheels. Our favorite is the monoblock wheels on the luxurious V-class Exclusive, which also has a sweet thee-pointed-star hood ornament.Mercedes BenzMercedes says the updates to the V-class serve as a bridge to an all-electric future. After all, VAN.EA—a new EV-specific platform—is planned for 2026 and onwards. Mercedes also expects its electric vans to make up more than 50 percent of sales in both private and commercial figures by the end of the decade. More Van NewsThis content is imported from poll. 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.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

Mini has already revealed its new round OLED touchscreen, but now it’s detailing the infotainment system’s features.Along with a new operating system, there are selectable user interfaces, enhanced voice commands, and improved navigation.Through the available Mini Connected Store, people can access apps for streaming video as well as playing video games. Mini is known for its quirky styling, which inside has always included a dashboard with a circular centerpiece. What was long the spot for a speedometer has more recently morphed into the housing for an infotainment system, and with a new generation of Minis on the way, the British brand has again reinvented the round element, turning it into a 9.4-inch OLED touchscreen. We’ve already seen the sizable display on the redesigned dash, but now we have more details about the infotainment system’s features.Customizable QuirkinessThe larger circular display has a super slim bezel. That means there’s a ton of screen space for the crisp-looking graphics and animated menus. It’s all powered by the same Android-based software BMW uses for its iDrive 9 system.MiniHere it’s called Mini Operating System 9, and swiping up or to the side lets people access different functions. The climate controls are permanently placed on the left and right sides of the screen, and there are static bars for important shortcuts on the lower part of the screen and for driving information like the speedometer on the upper part. In certain drive modes, tapping the speed turns the screen into a full-size speedo that can look like the classic design.Along with specific designs for the three standard drive modes (Core, Green, and Go-Kart), there are other selectable themed modes, including Balance, Timeless, and Vivid. Personal mode allows people to upload their own photos to use as a custom background. A neat touch is the ambient interior lighting that matches the color of the picture. A Trail mode with a digital compass and inclinometer is also included on Mini Countryman models.Mini CooperGaming In a MiniAs part of the Mini Connected Store, which is included with an optional package, there are myriad apps to choose from. Among them are popular music streaming platforms like Spotify as well as ways to stream video. Those who like the idea of playing video games in their car can do so with the introduction of AirConsole, which lets people download games and use their smartphone as a controller. Of course, this can only be done when the car isn’t moving.Mini CooperMini’s new infotainment system also comes with a host of improvements that include a more robust cloud-based navigation, with routes that are said to calculate quicker and be more accurate. The new voice-recognition software responds to “Hey, Mini” and offers a wider selection of controllable functions. The car’s artificial intelligence will even tell jokes and stories, which might only ever get used on lonely commutes.The Mini Operating System 9 includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As with most new infotainment systems, it allows over-the-air updates too. All of this new technology will debut on the 2025 Mini Cooper hatchback before proliferating to other new Mini models.More New Mini StoriesThis content is imported from poll. 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.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

shop the pirelli p zero AS Plus 3 at Tire RackPirelli has released a new all-season tire designed for high-performance cars, the P Zero AS Plus 3.More than 94 percent of tire customers buy all-season tires, Pirelli says, so this one is intended for vehicles such as the Ford Mustang, Genesis G80, BMW 3-series, and Mercedes-Benz C-class. The tires are on sale now starting under $200.Pirelli has launched a new tire in its all-season lineup exclusively for the North American market and geared toward high-performance cars.. New to the Pirelli Plus line, it joins the six other tires already in the lineup as the highest-performing of the bunch. After all, more and more sporty and even full-fledged sports cars are coming with all-season tires from the factory, such as the Chevrolet Corvette and Camaro, the Ford Mustang, the Subaru BRZ, and the Toyota GR86. While an all-season tire will never match a summer tire either in the dry or the wet, even sports-car owners are deciding that today’s near-1-g all-season tires offer sufficient dry-weather grip and longer life with the additional capability to deal with cold temperatures or even a dusting of snow.PirelliThe P Zero AS Plus 3 tire blends together the performance of Pirelli’s P Zero range with the rest of the Pirelli Plus lineup. It also features a new tread pattern, compound, and construction and comes with a 50,000-mile limited tread-wear warranty, which Pirelli touts as beating that of any summer-tire warranty. Pirelli also is using a new 3-D sipe horizontal interlocking system with increased tread pattern stiffness to improve snow performance and uses polymers in the compound that it says makes for more even and efficient wear. Pirelli claims that the tire will perform 99 percent as well as new in wet or snowy conditions when the tread is half worn, in part because the sipes open as the tread wears. Related StoriesIn the process of developing this new tire, Pirelli engineers emphasized improving the mileage through changes to the tread pattern and compounds used in the process. Pirelli claims that this new tire “is designed to deliver smooth wear, improved snow traction, excellent performance on wet, and a comfortable ride with reduced cabin noise.”PirelliThe P Zero AS Plus 3 is available in 31 sizes from 17 to 22 inches, making it available to a wide range of vehicles, but their key fitments for this tire include the Ford Mustang, Genesis G80, BMW 3-series, and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. find the size that fits your car at tire rackTaking Them Out for a Spin While in Las Vegas, Pirelli put this tire on various cars for us to drive in different conditions. We spun around a small road course with some SUVs and a drive out to the Valley of Fire on the Scorpion AS Plus 3 tires to experience both wet and dry conditions as well as normal on-road conditions. On the track, Pirelli featured the P Zero AS Plus 3 on Toyota Supras and put some P7 AS Plus 3 HP tires, which have a more balanced attribute most suitable for passenger cars, on some sedans that we took around the road course. As we went around the various tracks in different cars, these all-season tires felt better than expected and you could really feel them gripping to the road. When asked about why Pirelli chose to put which tires on which cars, they responded by saying that there are a few factors in how they make that choice. First, the vehicles chosen are popular and recognized vehicles that appeal to the broader audience, second, to demonstrate the various applications of the all-season tread patterns. A Pirelli representative also told us that the priority was on highlighting capability in “traction, handling, braking, and most importantly, comfort in various weather conditions.”PirelliWhile the North American market has long bought all-season tires in huge numbers—Pirelli says 94 percent of all tires sold today are all-seasons—more and more variants that skew toward high-performance are bringing sports-car drivers into the all-season fold. Buyers are choosing one tire that can be used all year round and can perform well in weather that’s hot, cold, and in between. The P Zero AS Plus 3 sets itself apart with a 50,000-mile warranty, and brings solid performance in both wet and dry conditions. As for us here at Car and Driver, we will still continue to swap back and forth between summer and winter tires to get the best performance we can out of each vehicle we drive, but it’s good to see that the all-season tire continues to elevate its game.PIRELLI P ZERO AS PLUS 3PIRELLI P ZERO AS PLUS 3Credit: Tire RackRoad Test EditorBecca was introduced to Car and Driver magazine at the age of four. She began working for 10Best Cars when she was 16, and then on and off for 10 years. A degree in social work and a brief time in that line of work led Becca back to Car and Driver and eventually on to the fleet side of things, where she produced large-scale automotive launches and events. Becca left the auto industry in 2013 when she went on to become a yoga therapist with a certification from Loyola Marymount University and a then was a Reiki practitioner for six years. A move back from Los Angeles to Michigan brought Becca back to Car and Driver and to her love of cars. More

It is not hyperbolic to state that Tesla is the most influential and important automobile company of the 21st century so far. It deserves credit for innovations and products that have shaped the industry and its future. But its influence—and that of its autocratic leader, Elon Musk—has come at a cost.The latest season of Vox Media’s tech podcast “Land of the Giants”—which has previously looked at such brands as Amazon, Google, Netflix, Facebook/Meta, and Apple—now dives into the EV car company. Through dogged reporting, veteran car journalists Tamara Warren (The Verge, the New York Times) and Patrick George (Jalopnik, The Drive) weave together—at least in the two episodes we’ve had the privilege of hearing so far—a history of this EV juggernaut and its impact on the car industry, government, and the larger global context.Aren’t We Tired of Tesla by Now?But, as one of the most covered companies and people in the media landscape, we have to ask, why does the world need any further reporting on the subjects? “It’s easy to get caught up in the daily news about Tesla because there’s just so much,” says Warren, who has been writing about the company since its launch. “But when I joined this podcast, I was struck by how interesting it was to look back on the history, and retrace what’s happened, and then do a serious evaluation of how that impacts the market today and where it’s going tomorrow.”More TeslaIn its headstrong rush toward a future it is helping to define, Tesla and Musk have certainly disrupted our notion of what a car can and will be, along with things like the direction of our transportation policy, how we live, how we buy cars, and how we produce them. The podcast explores all of this. But its real strength is in describing the impact of this breakneck transformation on the lives of the actual people involved. There is no doubt their existences were disrupted too.picture alliance Via GettyFor Good or Ill, It Was Life-Altering to Work There”I think generally I would characterize for them that this was a life-altering experience. Whether that experience was positive or negative varied depending on who I spoke with and what their role was,” Warren says. Many reveal that they had a really difficult time working at a company where there wasn’t a lot of work-life balance, where the protective structures that exist in a traditional industry intentionally didn’t exist, and where people—even at the highest levels—were seen as expendable. Many were betrayed by the company, or by Musk personally, who comes across as capricious, vituperative, and vindictive and, as one of richest people in the world, able and very willing to enforce the silencing of dissent with the threat of ruinous burial in legal action. “I think over the course of this series you can see how the workers often get forgotten at Tesla at all levels, because their voices have really been stifled,” Warren says. “And I think when you hear the trepidation in their voices, it comes from working at a company where the motto was success at any cost. And it asks the question, what is the cost of a human contribution to that?”The Cult of PersonalityThe series also excels at studying the psychological roots of the cult of personality that surrounds Musk and, by extension, Tesla. “The passion that exists around this brand is unparalleled. It’s nothing compared to the Ferrari boys who put posters on their walls. It’s a whole other level of enthusiasm, and it’s often not rooted in positivity,” Warren says. But this does not deter her and George from an honest analysis. “As a woman who has covered the auto industry for a long time, I’ve seen and have experienced some of that Tesla backlash or criticism. So I kind of anticipate that’s just part of it,” she says.Given all of this, we wondered if she had come away from the creation of this narrative with greater understanding of Musk. She had, and it wasn’t particularly favorable. “I think he seems like a bad person to me,” she said. “And I think that’s something you hear a lot too now, people really struggling about how they feel about owning this car, be it current owners or [those considering] whether or not to buy one, because of its association with the CEO.”TeslaShe cautions us to continue to monitor the company’s situation with trepidation. “Despite the behavior of the CEO, we’re in the midst right now of this massive shift where Tesla is essentially being charged with managing the infrastructure in the sense of operating our national charging network,” she says, referring to the current industry decision to contract with Musk’s Superchargers, which are currently the world’s only effective grid for fast-charging a rapidly increasing coterie of EVs. It’s possible that whatever your position on the company, Tesla may take a role as outsize, and potentially influential, as that of Big Oil. As Warren says, “You can’t count Tesla out.””Land of the Giants” is available on Apple and Spotify. Contributing EditorBrett Berk (he/him) is a former preschool teacher and early childhood center director who spent a decade as a youth and family researcher and now covers the topics of kids and the auto industry for publications including CNN, the New York Times, Popular Mechanics and more. He has published a parenting book, The Gay Uncle’s Guide to Parenting, and since 2008 has driven and reviewed thousands of cars for Car and Driver and Road & Track, where he is contributing editor. He has also written for Architectural Digest, Billboard, ELLE Decor, Esquire, GQ, Travel + Leisure and Vanity Fair.    More

Seven major automakers are combining forces to create a network of 30,000 new EV fast-charging stations across North America. The joint venture between BMW, General Motors, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Stellantis is aiming to open the first chargers in the U.S. in summer 2024, with chargers in Canada to follow.These chargers will be compatible with electric vehicles that use both the Combined Charging System (CCS) and Tesla’s proprietary North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors. Many automakers have already pledged to adopt these NACS connectors in the near future, including Mercedes-Benz and GM, which are part of this joint venture. Other charging networks such as the Volkswagen Group’s Electrify America subsidiary and ChargePoint have also said they would adopt NACS in the near future.We don’t yet know what the joint venture will be called or when the network of 30,000 chargers will be completed. The automakers do claim that the stations will be in urban areas and along highways, and that each station will have multiple DC fast-charging connectors. Some locations will be designated as “flagship stations” and will provide “additional amenities.” The automakers say that the charging network will integrate with the various manufacturers’ apps and navigation functions, allowing for route planning, integrated payment functions, and even charging reservations.More on EV ChargingSenior EditorDespite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.   More

Toyota announced the next-generation Land Cruiser will officially make its debut on August 1 at 9:20 p.m. ET. The announcement comes hand in hand with this new teaser image showcasing the boxy and vertical front end of the redesigned SUV.We can see the inspiration drawn from other recently redone Toyota models including the Tundra, Tacoma, and Sequoia. And just like that, we’re under a week out from seeing the full design of the returning Toyota Land Cruiser. The company announced with an Instagram post this morning that the next-generation Land Cruiser will officially debut on August 1 at 9:20 p.m. ET. Toyota was also kind enough to satiate at least some of our desire to see the new 4×4 in full, with the addition of a new teaser image showing a hulking front end. The vertical bumper shown in the new image further strengthens our conviction that the Toyota will be a very close sibling to the recently revealed 2024 Lexus GX. ToyotaThe teaser image shown earlier in the month (see above) shows that the two models have nearly identical profiles, with vertical bumpers and windshields, body lines that jump up at the rear window, and a squared-off rear windshield tilting slightly towards the front of the car. More on LC and GXHybrid V-6 Power?With all the visual similarities, it also stands to reason that the Land Cruiser will share the GX’s twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V-6 engine when it launches and an unspecified hybrid engine sometime down the line. We think the most likely hybrid setup is the 437-hp V-6 iForce MAX from the Tundra, but the smaller 2.4-liter four-cylinder hybrid available in the Tacoma could also make sense. As far as trim levels are concerned, we think the Land Cruiser could arrive with a bevy of options including off-road-inspired TRD and Trailhunter models. Toyota is sure to add more mainstream options like an SR5, Limited, or Platinum for shoppers less interested in a rugged 4×4. This content is imported from poll. 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.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger get matching Mopar special editions that bring unique exterior and interior bits.Called the ’23 Mopar Special Edition package, it’s reserved for widebody R/T Scat Pack models and costs $3995 apiece.Mopar will sell 200 Challengers and 200 Chargers in the U.S. with the package, and orders will open in September.The 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger might be heading down the road to nowhere, what with production of both muscle cars set to expire by year’s end, but Mopar—Dodge’s factory-backed parts supplier and servicer—will bid farewell to each with matching special-edition packages.Mopar TwinsiesCalled the ’23 Mopar Special Edition package, it’ll be available on new Challengers and Chargers with the widebody R/T Scat Pack configuration. While the Mopar treatment won’t change any of the car’s mechanical bits, meaning their 485-hp 6.4-liter Hemi V-8s will be unchanged, it will customize their looks. Along with Pitch Black paint and black 20-inch wheels, the special-edition Challenger and Chargers both receive matte-black body graphics and Mopar Blue accents seen on the front and rear brake calipers, hood, roof, and trunklid. The latter will be made of carbon fiber, which isn’t offered on any production model.MoparInside, the ’23 Mopar Special Editions come with shiny door sills as well as mats on the floor and in the trunk that feature Mopar logos. Each model also comes with an exclusive Mopar owner’s kit that includes a metal certificate of authenticity. It includes a serialized vehicle-build number along with rendering of the car courtesy of Mopar’s design team.Limited ProductionMopar will only build 440 total special editions. With 40 allocated to Canada, that leaves 200 Challengers and 200 Chargers for U.S. customers who will each have to pay an extra $3995 on top of the car’s base prices, which are $55,855 and $57,920, respectively. Orders have to be made through individual Dodge dealerships, with production set to start in September and deliveries slated for the following month.The Last of ThemThis content is imported from poll. 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.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More

The 2024 Ford Bronco Sport arrives with a new Free Wheeling special edition that gives off ’70s vibes.The Free Wheeling model features sunset-like graphics inside and out along with funky red-accented wheels.For 2024, the Bronco Sport also gains a Black Appearance package that, you guessed it, dresses the compact SUV with dark details.Remember the 1970s? Whether you do or don’t, the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport will give people a little taste of the vibes in those days with the introduction of the new Free Wheeling special edition. Not only is it inspired by Ford off-roaders from the ’70s, but the compact SUV’s brightly colored graphics and funky red-accented wheels are sure to attract the attention of boomers and millennials alike.’70s ThrowbackThe special-edition Bronco Sport is a modern take on Ford’s Free Wheeling décor package that was launched in 1977. Available on the Bronco, F-series trucks, and even vans of the day, the kit had black bumpers, white wagon wheels, and tri-color body decals.Ford Motor CompanyWhile the 2024 Bronco Sport Free Wheeling lacks black steel bumpers and white steel wheels, its hood, sides, and rear liftgate are emblazoned with reflective colorful stripes similar to those seen on its ancestors. Along with a black-painted roof, there’s a silver grille with contrasting Bronco script. The 17-inch wheels have red pockets that some will likely appreciate, while other will probably hate. We dig ’em.Inside, the Free Wheeling edition gets a similar sunset-like treatment that brings eye-popping striping on the seatbacks and redish accents on the center stack and upper door panels. The trim on the center console also includes a little plaque that identifies each Bronco Sport as a Free Wheeling edition—as if that wasn’t already obvious. Ford Motor CompanyBlack Appearance PackOn the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport is also now available with a Black Appearance package that gives off moody vibes. With this option, the compact SUV’s grille and its Bronco lettering are completely blacked out. There are also matte black decals on the hood to match the 17-inch wheels. The roof and exterior badges are also black, and the interior gets a new bucking bronco badge that’s bright yellow. Just kidding, it’s black.Ford Motor CompanyLike the Black Appearance package, the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling is only offered on Big Bend models. Other changes to the 2024 Bronco Sport lineup are new Azure Gray and Desert Sand paint colors, which can’t be paired with the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling edition, for those who were wondering.This content is imported from poll. 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.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si. More