Motor News

Ferrari has announced the KC23, a bespoke masterpiece from the company’s Special Projects team in Maranello, Italy. The KC23 blends inspiration from past Ferraris with the thunderous V-8 of a 488 GT3 Evo race car. Ferrari describes the car as being designed for non-competitive track use. It will make its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which runs from July 13–16.Ferrari has unveiled the KC23, a new, one-of-one bespoke car from the Special Projects program in Maranello, ahead of its global debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Based on the 488 GT3 Evo race car, with numerous styling cues inspired by past Ferraris, the one-off hints at the future of the prancing-horse brand.The KC23 follows in the wake of past Special Projects cars like the GTC4Lusso inspired BR20, the 812 GTS–inspired SP51, and last year’s F8 Tributo–based SP48 Unica. While each of those cars is road legal, the KC23 is a dedicated track machine.FerrariThe twin-turbo V-8 under the hood carries over from the 488 GT3 race car, but Ferrari hasn’t revealed the maximum output. In the 488 GT3, the FIA limits the car to a maximum of 591 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, but we know the engine is capable of much more than that. Ferrari said as much in its press release, stating, “From the beginning, the KC23 was destined to be radical and untethered from homologation constraints.”That desire to throw caution to the wind shows through with the blend of inspiration taken from Ferrari’s Vision Gran Turismo concept and its Le Mans–winning 499P. Any thought of homologation is completely forgotten with the inclusion of the electronically controlled movable panels along each flank, and huge motorsport-sized removable rear wing at the rear. A thin, low-slung wedge forms the front fascia and immediately breaks into a series of aero elements, including a huge diffuser at the rear of the car. There are two-piece center-lock wheels, and depending on rear wing/side air-vent position, the car’s appearance transforms from a gorgeous, sleek profile to a dominant, capable silhouette. FerrariFerrariThe inside of the KC23 is pulled straight from the 488 GT3 race car, which looks to have enough buttons to warrant a dedicated Crash Course series just to teach the lucky owner what each of them does. The interior looks totally dedicated to track performance, though has the notable inclusion of air conditioning vents to keep the driver cool while setting hot laps. We can also spot a roll cage for safety and a series of three screens in place of a traditional rearview mirror. More FerrariLike every other Special Projects car, the KC23 was purchased by a longtime Ferrari customer, and there’s no word on price. Unlike most other one-off Ferraris, this one has a pretty clear way for fans to see it up close. Ferrari confirmed the car will make a public appearance at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. from July 13–16, before going on display at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello from August 1 to October 2. 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

Koenigsegg revealed the official production specification for the four-seat Gemera, with deliveries scheduled for 2025.The Gemera will now be available with a V-8 hybrid powertrain, churning out 2269 hp and 2028 pound-feet of torque.Koenigsegg will still offer the unorthodox inline-three engine, and the company also designed a new electric motor for the Gemera’s hybrid component.Jaws dropped around the world when Koenigsegg first took the wraps off the Gemera in 2020, with the dramatic four-seat supercar packing 1677 horsepower and an innovative turbocharged three-cylinder engine that doesn’t feature camshafts. Now, three years later, Koenigsegg has unveiled the production specification for the Gemera, bringing major changes including an optional new powertrain that bumps the headlining figure to a mind-bending 2269 hp. KoenigseggMost of the changes for production are under the skin, with only minor tweaks to the front bumper. The Gemera still sports slippery, low-slung bodywork, which looks resplendent in this emerald green shade paired with gold wheels. The only other noticeable visual difference are the real sideview mirrors, which replace the futuristic cameras on the original show car.One of the most significant updates is the inclusion of the Light Speed Transmission (LST), first developed for the two-seater Jesko hypercar. The Gemera was originally designed with the single-speed direct-drive transmission that Koenigsegg pioneered on the Regera, but the Swedish automaker decided to incorporate the Jesko’s nine-speed automatic gearbox into the Gemera. Rechristened as the “Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission” (LSTT), referencing the mechanical precision of fancy Swiss watches, the transmission does away with the flywheel, with the input shaft directly linked to the engine’s crankshaft. This allows for extremely rapid shifts, and Koenigsegg claims it makes the Gemera even more engaging to drive.The 2020 Gemera show car paired that experimental 2.0-liter inline-three with a trio of electric motors, but for the production-spec car, Koenigsegg has simplified the powertrain. This is the result of a new electric motor developed by the Swedish performance experts. Dubbed the “Dark Matter,” the new “Raxial Flux” (a combination of radial and axial flux) motor produces 789 hp and 922 pound-feet of torque. This potent output means the Gemera now packs just the one e-motor, reducing weight and saving space versus the previous setup. KoenigseggThe Gemera is still all-wheel drive with four-wheel torque vectoring, and can power the wheels with the e-motor, the gas engine, or a combination of both. All told, the powertrain spits out 1381 horsepower and 1364 pound-feet of torque—less than originally touted in 2020 but still a mighty figure. Koenigsegg claims acceleration and other performance figures improved due to the weight savings and new transmission, but didn’t offer concrete numbers. For owners disappointed by the three-cylinder-hybrid’s drop in power, Koenigsegg is offering a very enticing upgrade. Along with the inline-three, the Gemera will also be available with the twin-turbo 5.0-liter V-8 from the Jesko. This 1479-hp eight-cylinder beast is still mated to a 789-hp Dark Matter e-motor, sending output for the the Gemera HV8 (meaning Hot V8) skyrocketing to 2269 hp and 2028 pound-feet of torque. Koenigsegg claims this makes the Gemera the most powerful production car.KoenigseggKoenigsegg was only able to offer the V-8 because of the adoption of the LSTT, which freed up enough space to squeeze in the V-8 amidships while still providing adequate room for all four seats. The V-8 also had to be reconfigured from the setup in the Jesko, with Koenigsegg moving the exhaust exits to the top center of the engine, hence the name “Hot V8.” Koenigsegg also opened a new facility at its headquarters in Ängelholm, Sweden yesterday, where it will further develop and later assemble the Gemera. Production is set to kick off at the end of 2024, with deliveries beginning in 2025. There is still no word on price or how much extra the HV8 model will run, but all Gemeras will presumably cost multiple millions of dollars. More Crazy KoenigseggsThis 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 EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

Aston Martin has revealed a limited-edition car called the Valour.It’s meant to celebrate the automaker’s 110th anniversary, and only 110 units will be produced.The Valour has a 705-hp twin-turbo V-12 engine and a six-speed manual transmission.Discretion is definitely not the better part of this Valour. Aston Martin’s latest special is a limited edition to celebrate the British sports-car maker’s 110th anniversary, and it draws plenty of inspiration from the brand’s past. But while the Valour looks spectacular in these first official pictures, it definitely isn’t subtle thanks to the combination of macho styling and V-12 performance. Another welcome retro detail: it has a manual gearbox.The Valour’s spectacular styling is the work of a team led by Miles Nurnberger, Aston’s director of design and the man who also created the very different CC100 which Aston created to celebrate its 100th anniversary. While the CC100 was a barely-there speedster, the Valour is a muscular coupe, one with a design that draws obvious influence from the square-rigged V8 Vantage that Aston produced between 1977 and 1989. It also bears a striking resemblance to the one-off Victor that Aston Martin’s Q division created in 2020, which was based on the track-only One-77.The heritage inspiration is obvious in both the car’s muscular stance and proportions, but also details such as the shape of the headlights and taillights—now modern LED units—and the twin NACA ducts on the bonnet. At the rear, the car’s trunklid rises into a steeply raked integral ski-ramp Kamm tail and it also has what initially looks to be that most Seventies of styling details, a louvered rear screen. It isn’t exactly that, however, as there are no gaps and no glazing. Instead, rear vision is handled by a camera system. Exterior bodywork is made entirely from carbon fiber.Power comes from a version of the 5.2-liter V-12 from the outgoing DBS Superleggera. This makes 705 horsepower and 555 pound-feet of torque, numbers which look relatively modest compared with the DBS 770 Ultimate’s version of this engine that was rated at 759 hp and 654 pound-feet. That’s because of the arrival of the new six-speed manual gearbox, a serious technical challenge. Like all larger Aston GTs, the Valour uses a rear-mounted transmission. By our reckoning, this is the first time Aston has given a stick shift to one of its “torque tube” models since the manual option was dropped on the DB9 for the 2013 model year.We don’t have any performance numbers or a weight figure yet, but the Valour seems likely to post similar numbers to the DBS Superleggera that lurks underneath. That would mean a 60 mph run in the mid-3.0-second range and a top speed north of 200 mph.The new gearbox is controlled by a beautiful new wood and metal selector that sits within a carbon-fiber surround in the center of the cabin. But the switchgear around this makes clear that the Valour uses Aston’s existing cabin architecture rather than its spiffy new one. The buttons on the console come from the soon-to-retire Vantage, as do the heating and ventilation dials. That also means the Valour will be the last Aston Martin product launched without a touchscreen interface. Instead, the center screen is controlled by an old-fashioned turn-and-click controller.There are plenty of other exquisite details to like in the cabin, especially the show car’s handsome tweed fabric. The material choice is apparently inspired by the one used in the 1959 DBR1 race car that won the Le Mans 24 Hours race. Buyers will be able to choose between 21 standard exterior colors, but if none appeal then Aston’s Q Division will be happy to create a one-off shade in exchange for a substantial uplift in price.Not that any Valour will be cheap. Aston says that pricing starts at £830,000 before taxes—over $1 million at current exchange rates—but a high level of the bespoke optioning the car has been designed to encourage will drive that up substantially. Only 110 will be produced for all global markets, with the entire run already allocated to customers. Aston says that cars coming to the U.S. will have full federal homologation. Customer deliveries will start in the final quarter of this year.Senior European CorrespondentMike Duff has been writing about the auto industry for two decades and calls the UK home, although he normally lives life on the road. He loves old cars and adventure in unlikely places, with career highlights including driving to Chernobyl in a Lada. More

Pininfarina has revealed a special limited-edition variant of its wild all-electric Battista hypercar called the Edizione Nino Farina. Limited to just five examples, it’s a tribute to the very first Formula 1 world champion, Giuseppe “Nino” Farina.Nino Farina, nephew of Pininfarina founder Battista “Pinin” Farina, took the inaugural Formula 1 title in 1950 behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo. The five cars dedicated to his legacy pay tribute to an achievement in Farina’s career through specific doorsill plates and sport a unique design making them easily identifiable.All about the BattistaOutside you’ll find a Rosso Nino paint job, with touches of black, white, and blue scattered throughout. There are also gold wheels and “01” decals on either side of the car. In the cabin there are contrasting seats made from “sustainable” leather, black for the driver and beige for the passenger. The seats also get Alcantara trim and “Nino Farina” inscriptions. The Edizione Nino Farina’s powertrain is unchanged from the normal Battista, meaning four independent electric motors—one for each wheel—powered by a T-shaped battery pack mounted centrally between and behind the driver compartment. Combined, the motors make a staggering 1900 hp and 1725 lb-ft of torque, enough for a claimed 60-mph time of 1.79 seconds and a top speed of 217 mph. The Battista can rip the quarter-mile in just 8.55 seconds, quick enough to hold the world record until Rimac’s Nevera took that crown back in May. The Battista Edizione Nino Farina will make its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, happening July 13–16. It will be driven up the hill by former F1 driver and former Goodwood Hill-Climb champion Nick Heidfeld. Road & Track staff writer with a taste for high-mileage, rusted-out projects and amateur endurance racing. More

Audi is honoring 150 years since manufacturing began in Neckarsulm, which has gone from building knitting machines to hosting the assembly of the Audi A4, among other models.For the anniversary, Audi had its trainees turn a 1971 NSU Prinz 4 into an electric sports car, widening the square body and adding modern touches like LED lighting.In place of the two-cylinder engine, the apprentices fitted a 240-hp electric motor from an Audi e-tron, hooked up to the battery from a plug-in-hybrid Q7 SUV.If you have fond memories of nerdy school science projects like we do, then just wait until you see the awesome project recently given to 12 Audi apprentices. A set of trainees were tasked with creating an electric restomod to honor the 150th anniversary of Audi’s factory site in Neckarsulm, Germany, which originally produced knitting machines in 1873. The eye-catching result, the Audi EP4 concept, was revealed this past weekend.AudiThe project began in January with a 1971 NSU Prinz 4 that had been sitting, neglected, for decades. NSU was a German automaker subsumed by Volkswagen in 1969 before being merged with Auto Union to create the Audi brand we know today. The Prinz was assembled in Neckarsulm from 1961 until 1973, making it the perfect canvas for the celebratory reinterpretation. While the boxy shape and strong beltline of the original Prinz remains, the details have been thoroughly reworked. The circular headlights were swapped for oval LED units, while the front bumper gained a splitter and a large intake feeding air through a vent in the hood. Signal Yellow accents pop against the Suzuka Grey paint, and the rear wing sprouting from the back edge of the roof is mounted not to the body but to the roll cage itself, with the wing supports passing through the rear window.AudiAlong with fixing rust spots in the body and solidifying the 50-year-old chassis, the trainees also tore out the original 30-hp two-cylinder gasoline engine from the rear compartment and replaced it with a 240-hp electric motor from a 2020 Audi e-tron. While the weight of the motor rests in the rear of the car, the battery balances it out by residing under the hood where the fuel tank originally lived. The apprentices took the 17.9-kWh battery from a plug-in-hybrid Audi Q7 SUV. All of this extra power required some structural modifications. The floor plan, including the brakes and axles, were borrowed from an Audi A1, and the wider fenders were 3D-printed to house the old-school white wheels and sticky performance rubber. The trunk can also be set to a half-open position to allow cool air to enter while also serving to show off the electric powertrain. The EP4 concept has no bearing on any future Audis, but the neat project car shows the promise of the next generation of Audi designers and engineers.More Electric RestomodsThis 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 EditorCaleb Miller began blogging about cars at 13 years old, and he realized his dream of writing for a car magazine after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the Car and Driver team. He loves quirky and obscure autos, aiming to one day own something bizarre like a Nissan S-Cargo, and is an avid motorsports fan. More

Porsche has updated its Apple CarPlay support, integrating My Porsche features directly into the Apple software.Users can now change features including sound profiles, climate control, and ambient lighting with the Porsche app while using Apple CarPlay.The updated software is available now in the Porsche Cayenne, with plans to roll the changes out to other models soon.Apple CarPlay just got a little more useful for Porsche owners. Underscoring further just how much owners prefer third-party software like CarPlay over the native manufacturer systems, Porsche has updated its My Porsche app software, allowing for further support within Apple CarPlay. Users can now make changes to things that would otherwise only be controlled by the manufacturer software. That means things like cabin sound profiles, climate control, and ambient lighting in the cabin can now be changed directly from Apple CarPlay menus.The new functions can also be added to new “wellness modes” like Relax, Warmup, and Refresh, all using CarPlay. Possibly the most exciting part of the update comes from the ability to use voice activation and Siri for things like changing climate control or radio settings.PorscheThe added level of integration comes on the heels of a similar update Porsche launched in May. In that update, Porsche added support for finding EV chargers in the native Apple Maps software for the Taycan. The updated system allows users to view things like the vehicle’s state of charge (SOC), expected traffic conditions, and average speed, in Apple Maps, rather than the built-in Porsche version. Owners can activate the new feature with a QR code in the PCM (Porsche Communication Manager). The updated software is free and available now for the new Cayenne SUV. Porsche promises to roll the new version to more models in the future. More Porsche NewsAssociate 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 Little Car Company in the U.K. is building a full-size version of the 1:10-scale Tamiya Wild One RC car.Its eight swappable battery packs will offer a claimed 124 miles of range.The Wild One will make its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed next weekend and will be priced at the equivalent of around $45,000.Many kids wish their remote control cars could become real, and now a British company has managed that magical transformation. Yes, this is indeed a fully drivable adult-size version of the rugged 1:10 Tamiya Wild One RC off-roader that was a smash hit when it was launched in 1985. It has a top speed of 62 mph and will be street legal in Europe, although not, sadly, in the U.S.Related StoriesThe Wild One Max is set to meet the public for the first time at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed. Behind the Tamiya branding, it is the work of The Little Car Company in England, the same outfit that has made tiny, beautiful, and very expensive EV versions of classic cars, like the Bugatti Baby II that we sampled in 2020. While LCC’s earlier products have been downsized, this one is substantially larger—both when compared to the original RC car that inspired it and against LCC’s original proposal.The Little Car CompanyThe Little Car CompanyThat one was announced in 2021 as a single-seater without a windscreen, powered by a 5.5-hp electric motor that was supplied from a tiny 2.0-kWh battery pack. LCC said it was targeting a range of 25 miles, and performance was more mild than wild: a top speed of just 30 mph. It was also going to be sold as a build-it-yourself kit (like the original Wild One RC car) with the anticipated retail price being $8250. The Little Car CompanyBigger, Brawnier, PricierMuch has changed in two years. The finished Wild One Max is bigger, brawnier, and far more expensive than the original proposal. It is both longer and wider, the cockpit now broad enough to allow two occupants, with an overall length of 141.7 inches. It also gets a revised front suspension, with double wishbones replacing trailing arms and long-travel Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers at each corner.The Little Car CompanyPerformance has been increased substantially as well. The finished car uses a single motor capable of delivering a 37-hp peak, and with a 19-hp “continuous” rating, now powered by an intriguing-sounding battery system incorporating eight individually swappable packs with a total capacity of 14.4 kWh. LCC says it is enough for up to 124 miles of range, although that is a prediction rather than a validated number. The total weight is a claimed 1100 pounds.Can Be Used on the Road in the U.K.Buyers in Europe will be able to specify an optional Road Pack that adds a windscreen and a dinky little pair of “handclap” wipers, plus mirrors, mudguards, and light—the ones at the front seeming to be rally-style spots under covers. Selecting this means that the car will qualify as a “quadricycle,” allowing it to be registered for road use, although not to be operated on higher-speed highways. (In some European countries it also means that 14-year-olds will be able to drive it.) Sadly, it won’t pass U.S. federal standards to allow the same legality in the States, although it may qualify for neighborhood-only use in some areas.The Little Car CompanyThere are plenty of other neat details; we love the fact the Wild One Max’s decals will arrive on a huge sticker sheet like the original kit. The cabin also gets an instrument display screen and a rugged set of waterproof switches for both direction selection and various functions. The limited-to-100 Launch Edition will also have carbon-fiber trim.Should Be Fun Off-RoadLike its inspiration, the Wild One Max should be pretty talented in the dirt thanks to 10.6 inches of ground clearance, a 34.1-degree approach angle, and a 50.8-degree departure. The 14-inch wheels wear road-spec tires up front but aggressive Maxxis Bighorn off-road rubber at the rear. It looks like it would be a blast to throw it around in the dirt, although—unlike the RC version—it isn’t going to be easy to turn over by hand if over-exuberance leads to a roll.But the many upgrades from LCC’s original proposal have come at a hefty price. In the U.K. the Tamiya Wild One Max will start at around $45,000 at current exchange rates. That’s serious money for a toy, but then, this does look to be a very serious toy. Senior European CorrespondentMike Duff has been writing about the auto industry for two decades and calls the UK home, although he normally lives life on the road. He loves old cars and adventure in unlikely places, with career highlights including driving to Chernobyl in a Lada. More

Four Honda models and one Acura are being recalled over a brake problem that is blamed on cylinder separation and could cause the brakes to fail. Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) state that as many as 124,077 vehicles could be affected. Owners will be notified by August 7, 2023.Honda and Acura have announced a recall affecting several models due to a brake issue that could compromise the strength or full use of the brakes. The recall encompasses the Honda Civic (2020–2021), Passport (2021–2023), Pilot (2021–2022), and Ridgeline (2020–2023) and a single Acura model, the MDX (2020). According to the official recall report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem stems from improper assembly of the tie rod fastener that connects the brake master cylinder and the brake booster. When the brake is applied, the documents explain, the tie rod studs may break, causing the master cylinder to separate from the brake booster. This manufacturing problem could cause the brakes to weaken or fail altogether, increasing the risk of a crash. Honda says it has received two warranty claims related to the problem but has received no notice of any accidents or injuries. Owners can consult the NHTSA recalls website to learn if their vehicle is included in the recall, and Honda will send recall notices in August. Other Recent RecallsSummer Editorial InternAlessandra Kaestner, a Chicago native, has always been interested in journalism. She remembers listening to NPR every day before school with her parents and trying to race her dad to get the New York Times from the front door. Alessandra continued her passion for journalism by working at her university’s newspaper during her first year and into her sophomore year: the Cornell Daily Sun. She is majoring in psychology and philosophy and wants to explore law and journalism. Although she does not have a lot of background in the world of cars, Alessandra is interested in expanding her knowledge and gaining experience. She could not be more excited to work with so many talented people at Car and Driver. More