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    2024 Chevy Traverse Brings Adventurous Spirit with New Z71 Model

    The 2024 Chevy Traverse arrives with a bolder exterior design and a classy cabin featuring a huge 17.7-inch infotainment display as standard.The V-6 engine has been swapped out for a new turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four producing 315 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque.Chevy has added an off-road-oriented Z71 trim which features a unique all-wheel-drive system, Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires, and a redesigned front bumper.Three-row SUVs have become the vehicle of choice for the suburban American family, and Chevrolet expects the segment to get even more popular in the next five years. Hoping to capitalize on that growth, Chevy has revealed the new 2024 Traverse with an in-your-face design, a more potent powertrain, and an expanded lineup that now includes an off-road-focused Z71 model.Fresh Looks, Bigger ScreensThe 2024 Traverse’s design isn’t a huge departure from the outgoing crossover, retaining the boxy profile, high-mounted LED running lights (with the main headlamps below), and a squared-off grille. But the 2024 model looks more assertive thanks to a more athletic stance and a larger grille, and the LED taillights mimic the L-shaped units on the 2024 Trax. Chevy didn’t provide specific dimensions but told Car and Driver that the 120.9-inch wheelbase remains the same.The cabin has been fully revamped with a clean, cohesive design centered around a new standard 17.7-inch touchscreen, a huge upgrade over the 7.0- and 8.0-inch units in the previous Traverse. Luckily, the Traverse still has physical controls for volume and the climate-control system. An 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster and six USB ports are standard while a WiFi hotspot and wireless phone charger are also available. A pass-through under the center console opens up extra storage space.The base LS trim comes standard in eight-passenger configuration, also offered on the LT. The Z71 and top-of-the-line RS are exclusively seven-seaters due to the second-row captain’s chairs. Heated front seats, second-row outboard seats, steering wheel, and sideview mirror are all available, while a power-folding second row that moves at the press of a button for easy access to the third row is exclusive to the RS. The LT and Z71 can be spec’d with General Motors’ Evotex faux-leather upholstery, while the RS wraps the first two rows in leather.The RS model also brings black 22-inch wheels, blacked-out exterior trim, a three-spoke flat-bottom steering wheel, and red accents on the black interior for a flashier look. The RS’s suspension receives a sportier tune and a lighting animation plays as owners approach the vehicle with the key. A panoramic sunroof with a power sunshade is offered on the LT and Z71 and is standard on the RS.More Power and More CapabilityUnder the hood, the 2024 Traverse ditches the naturally aspirated 3.6-liter V-6 for a new turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder. The inline-four pumps out a healthy 315 horsepower, up by five over the V-6, while torque is up a substantial 51 pound-feet for a total of 317. The motor links to an eight-speed automatic transmission in place of the old nine-speed unit, and the Traverse comes in either front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Chevy claims the new engine returns better fuel economy, with the outgoing V-6 rated at a combined 21 mpg with front-wheel drive. Depending on the configuration, the Traverse can tow up to 5000 pounds.For the first time, Chevy is offering the Traverse in a more adventurous Z71 model. The Z71 rides about one inch higher with a slightly wider track, which Chevy says improves stability and handling. The front end wears a beefier bumper with an aluminum skid plate and red tow hooks, and Chevy says the Z71 has a better approach angle than other Traverses. The Z71 also features a unique twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system designed specifically for off-roading, as well as special dampers with hydraulic rebound control that should help smooth out the ride over rough terrain. The Z71 rides on tough-looking 18-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires and includes a dedicated Terrain mode, hill descent control, and a standard trailering package.Safety FirstOf course, the Traverse is fitted with a host of driver assistance technologies to keep the whole family safe, including standard lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and forward-collision warning. The Traverse can also be fitted with adaptive cruise control, traffic sign recognition, reverse automatic braking, and a suite of parking cameras and sensors. Every Traverse gets a new “Buckle to Drive” system which requires the front occupants to strap in before getting underway, while a rear seatbelt reminder prompts occupants in the back to do the same.The Traverse will also be offered with the latest version of Super Cruise, GM’s hands-free driver assistance system that takes over steering, acceleration, and braking duties on divided highways. The system now automatically executes lane changes and still works when towing a trailer.Sales of the 2024 Traverse will begin early next year, with production taking place at GM’s Lansing Delta Township plant in Michigan. Pricing will be announced closer to the start of production, and we expect a slight increase over the outgoing model, with prices starting around $39,000. While the range currently tops out with the RS, a luxe High Country trim might join the lineup in the near future.More New ChevroletsThis 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

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    Join Car and Driver Editors at Virginia International Raceway to Experience Lightning Lap Testing for Yourself

    What’s the one objective attribute all cars can be measured by to separate the good vehicles from the great ones? Speed! At its core, a lap time encompasses more than just the ability to go fast. It also encapsulates a car’s cornering, braking, and accelerating ability and embodies a car performing at its peak limits—all bundled into one neat little metric. This is precisely how we evaluate Lightning Lap contenders each year to determine which vehicles rank ahead of the pack. As you may know, we divide the cars into five classes, LL1 through LL5, based on price to evaluate the vehicles in the fairest way possible. Then it’s time to hit the track.Most Recent ResultsComing October 19For the past 17 years, we have taken on the 4.1-mile, 24-turn Grand Course configuration at Virginia International Raceway, one of the U.S.’s most challenging tracks, to conduct this ultimate test of speed. This year, we’re offering our readers the opportunity to join us at VIR and see everything that goes into Lightning Lap testing firsthand. Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 19, because you won’t want to miss this! Car and DriverObserve editors trackside as they go for the best lap times, chat with editors about the testing process, get a close-up look at the Lightning Lap contender vehicles, enjoy lunch at the clubhouse, and race go-karts on VIR’s 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide paved kart circuit. For a taste of what to expect, take a look back on the results of every Lightning Lap testing since its inception in 2006. 2024 Lightning Lap results will be published in the February/March 2024 issue of Car and Driver, but attendees who join us at VIR will get a sneak peek at lap times months before the issue is published. Spots are limited for this exclusive editorial experience, so don’t wait to register. We hope to see you at the track this October.For more ways to experience Car and Driver editorial testing, check out our invitations to Car and Driver’s 10Best, plus Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year. REGISTER HERE More

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    1972 Lotus Elan Roadster Is Today’s Bring a Trailer Auction Pick

    The light and nimble Lotus Elan was the embodiment of founder Colin Chapman’s design philosophy. This refurbished 1972 example is powered by a 1.6-liter engine paired with a five-speed manual transmission.This Bring a Trailer online auction ends on Wednesday, July 19.Car and DriverNo company exemplifies a philosophy of Less Is More the way Lotus does. When its tiny Elan launched in 1962, it was Jaguar E-type money, for which you got a small-displacement four-cylinder engine and a featherweight chassis. But where the Jag was muscular and beautiful, the Lotus was mongoose-agile and hard to catch.Related StoriesUp for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a late-model example of that Lotus magic touch. It’s a 1972 Elan Sprint, fitted with a five-speed manual for a little more livability, and painted in colors that recall the Gold Leaf-sponsored Lotus F1 racing team of the late 1960s.Bring a TrailerThe 13-inch wheels are fitted with 185/70 Avon tires, and behind them lurk disc brakes at all four corners. A limited-slip differential helps get the power down out back, and the cabin has been cosmetically refreshed (despite the small size, the Elan is surprisingly roomy inside).The Elan wasn’t the first roadgoing Lotus, but it remains one of the best of the breed. Certainly, Mazda’s engineers thought so, as the original Miata is very nearly a modernized clone of an Elan.Bring a TrailerBut even a Miata looms over this Lotus. Measuring just under twelve feet long and with a curb weight of around 1500 pounds, the Elan is all about cutting every gram. For instance, the fiberglass hood doesn’t even have hinges, but rather just slots into place.Under that hood in this case is a 1.6-liter four-cylinder twin-cam engine good for a claimed 140 horsepower. When new, this engine was rated for 105 horsepower, and an Elan would sprint to 60 mph in a little over seven seconds, so this car should be very quick. The five-speed manual is from a later Elan 2+2 and should make highway cruising a little calmer.Bring a TrailerBut it won’t be boring. The light weight of an Elan means that it has hardly any inertia to overcome when accelerating, braking, or turning. It flits and flickers over a winding backroad with its buzzy four-cylinder engine on the boil, an internal-combustion hummingbird. The closest driving experience to it is its descendant, the Lotus Elise, which ceased production in 2021.The brand’s most recent product, the all-electric Eletre, has strayed far from this ethos. It’s as fast as you like with up to 905 hp, but it’s also the size of a Honda Pilot and tips the scales at 5500 pounds.Here’s your chance to rage against the dying of the lightweight. Per pound, the Elan may look fairly expensive when the dust settles. But as a prime example of Colin Chapman’s “Simplify, and add lightness” maxim, it’ll be worth every penny.Bring a TrailerContributing EditorBrendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver, B.C., Canada. He grew up splitting his knuckles on British automobiles, came of age in the golden era of Japanese sport-compact performance, and began writing about cars and people in 2008. His particular interest is the intersection between humanity and machinery, whether it is the racing career of Walter Cronkite or Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki’s half-century obsession with the Citroën 2CV. He has taught both of his young daughters how to shift a manual transmission and is grateful for the excuse they provide to be perpetually buying Hot Wheels. More

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    Yellow Cars Paint a Bright Depreciation Picture, but Don’t Get a Gold One

    If you’re buying a car with resale value in mind, a bright color might be the way to go. According to some number-crunching by iSeeCars, three-year-old used cars depreciate the least if they’re yellow. Gold, though, depreciates the most.Those are the results for the used-car market as a whole. When you look at segments, different colors depreciate the least. Beige pickups, for example, hold their value the best.The most common vehicle colors—white, black, silver—depreciate at an average rate because they’re considered a safe choice. There’s a world of difference between yellow and gold. In the world of used-car sales, a vehicle’s color plays a noticeable role in determining the resale value. It turns out that yellow cars suffer the least depreciation, while gold vehicles sink like bullion in the sea. According to research by iSeeCars of the entire three-year-old used-car market, a used vehicle with yellow paint has a 13.5 percent depreciation rate, the best of all the colors. Yellow is followed by beige (17.8 percent) and orange (18.4). The overall average depreciation rate is 22.5 percent, but at the bottom of the list we find gold, with a 25.9 percent depreciation rate after three years.2018 Toyota Tacoma.Toyota/Michael Engelmeyer Common vehicle colors depreciate roughly the same as the market average. White used cars lost 21.9 percent, while silver and black both lost around 23 percent, just right to put them at 10th and 11th place, respectively, on iSeeCars’ 13-color ranking. “Notice how two of the most popular colors, silver and black, rank near the bottom of the list,” iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer said in a statement. “Many consumers and dealers likely consider these colors ‘safe’ in terms of widespread acceptance, but they’re too common to help a car hold its value.”2023 Jeep Gladiator in High Velocity green.StellantisTwo-Tone, Bright Colors on the ReboundWhite and silver have been at or near the top of the color popularity list for what feels like forever. Back in 2009, PPG, a global paint and coating supplier, noted that silver was the most popular car color globally. White took over by 2011 and remained on top in 2014. In 2021, PPG’s Automotive Color Popularity Report found that two-tone finishes are making a comeback, and personalized colors are becoming more popular. PPG said that it found grays, blues, greens, and violets are popular colors today. Even so, white and black will continue to be the most popular colors for new vehicles worldwide. In 2021, 35 percent of all new cars were white, and 18 percent were black. Roy Ritchie|Car and DriverHyundaiTo determine the depreciation rates mentioned above, iSeeCars.com analyzed more than 1.6 million model year 2020 used cars, adjusted for inflation and then aggregated by color and body style. Not all colors depreciate at the same rate across vehicle segments, iSeeCars found. For example, the truck color with the lowest depreciation rate is beige, followed by orange and green. For sedans, brown models have the lowest depreciation. For minivans, it’s green. But this is obviously only one of the ways in which your new vehicle will depreciate and we have to put in our vote for getting whatever color you like best, even if (as is likely) it’s not beige.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.Contributing EditorSebastian Blanco has been writing about electric vehicles, hybrids, and hydrogen cars since 2006. His articles and car reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Automotive News, Reuters, SAE, Autoblog, InsideEVs, Trucks.com, Car Talk, and other outlets. His first green-car media event was the launch of the Tesla Roadster, and since then he has been tracking the shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles and discovering the new technology’s importance not just for the auto industry, but for the world as a whole. Throw in the recent shift to autonomous vehicles, and there are more interesting changes happening now than most people can wrap their heads around. You can find him on Twitter or, on good days, behind the wheel of a new EV.  More

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    Experience 10Best Testing Like an Editor

    Have you ever wondered how editors conduct testing for Car and Driver’s 10Best? This year, for the first time, we are offering the public a chance to get the insider story and experience 10Best testing like an editor. Will you come along for the ride? Coming on September 8On Friday, September 8, 2023, we’re heading to North Star Reach camp in Pinckney, Michigan, to test a noteworthy crop of new vehicles, as we’ve done for the past 40 years. For some background, we will be evaluating cars plus trucks and SUVs, with the editors’ scores deciding which will make our 10Best list for 2024. To qualify as a 10Best contender, each vehicle must be on sale by January 31, 2024, have a base price of no more than $110,000, and be either new or significantly updated—with the exception of our inviting back the prior year’s winners to defend their spots on the list. We’re evaluating based on value, mission fulfillment, and how fun each vehicle is to drive. 10Best attendees will get a chance to get an up-close-and-personal look at the contender vehicles, learn about the 10Best evaluation process, and engage in one-on-one conversations with editors. Then, they’ll buckle up for ride-alongs on the test route and experience the cars in action as they zip through the back roads of Pinckney. Afterward, they’ll swap notes with editors and fellow enthusiasts and cast their votes for the Car and Driver 10Best Reader’s Choice Award. We’ll also have fun offerings along the way, including a lunch from local favorite Zingerman’s Delicatessen at the Car and Driver base camp and gift bags filled with Car and Driver gear. 2024 10Best Cars results will be published in the January 2024 issue of Car and Driver and 10Best Trucks results will be published in the February/March 2024 issue, but attendees who join us will get a preview of the vehicle lineup months before the story is live. Spots are limited for this exclusive editorial experience, so don’t wait to register. We hope to see you there in September.For another chance to experience Car and Driver editorial testing, you can also attend Car and Driver’s Lightning Lap, plus Road & Track’s Performance Car of the Year. REGISTER HERE More

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    Corvette Legend Reeves Callaway Dead at 75

    Reeves Callaway, founder of Callaway Cars and a legend in the Corvette world, has died. Callaway Cars confirmed in an email that he passed on Tuesday after injuries sustained in a fall in his Newport Beach, California, home. He was 75.Ely “Reeves” Callaway III was born in November 1947 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, and raised in Darien, Connecticut. His father, Ely Callaway, founded the Callaway golf company, one of the world’s premier manufacturers of golf clubs. He raced go-karts as a kid and, in 1973, won the SCCA Formula Vee championship. By 1976 he was an instructor at the Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving.After his professional racing career didn’t pan out, he turned his attention to modifying cars. His first product, a turbocharger kit for the E21-generation BMW 320i, generated enough interest to lead Callaway to start Callaway Cars from his garage in Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1977. Soon he began offering performance kits for other cars.Callaway Cars”We don’t call ourselves a tuner,” Callaway told Road & Track in a 2017 interview. “A tuner takes an aggregate of parts that already exists, bolts them on the automobile, and calls it a customization. Everything we make is made specifically for the car. And we manufacture it ourselves.”Callaway ArchivesQuickly, his work attracted attention from major automakers. Alfa Romeo was the first, commissioning a turbocharger kit for the GTV6 that debuted in 1983, then it was GM. Callaway developed a twin-turbo kit for the Chevrolet Corvette, which became available through Chevy dealerships in 1987. At the time, a standard Corvette offered 240 horsepower; Callaway’s twin-turbo Corvette upped that to 382 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful cars on sale at the time.The 254.76-mph Callaway SledgehammerCallaway CarsEver faster Corvettes followed, perhaps the most famous being the Sledgehammer, a C4 Corvette with low-drag aerodynamic bodywork and an 898-hp twin-turbo V-8. The Sledgehammer hit a top speed of 254.76 mph and forever linked Reeves Callaway and the Chevrolet Corvette. DW BurnettWhile Callaway Cars worked with many other automakers, Aston Martin and Land Rover among them, its strongest association was with the Corvette. Callaway also built Corvette race cars, starting with the SuperNatural that made appearances at Le Mans in 1994 and 1995, finishing 2nd and 3rd in that year’s GT2 field, and culminating in a GT3 racing version of the C7 Corvette that still races globally to this day. A notable recent highlight was the C7 Corvette AeroWagen, which featured a body kit that turned the coupe into a stylish shooting brake. Today, Callaway Cars’ offerings consist of upgrade packages for a variety of GM vehicles, including a supercharger kit for the new C8 Corvette.Callaway Cars”Thanks to Reeves’s visionary entrepreneurial spirit, Callaway Cars will continue to innovate and grow in the 21st century, inspired by his unique, extraordinary vision and by his personal example of integrity, resourcefulness, and leadership as our founder,” said his son Peter Callaway, Callaway Cars president, in a statement. “Dad’s passion for making beautifully designed and crafted machines can be seen in each and every project, and we remain devoted to executing to the highest standards, in true Callaway fashion. He was rarely found doing anything other than working towards the next milestone for the company. He was a charismatic leader with a sense of humor that we will all remember through various ‘Reeves-isms.’ I feel fortunate to have grown up working with him and the company.”He is survived by four children and two grandchildren. Senior ReporterA car enthusiast since childhood, Chris Perkins is Road & Track’s engineering nerd and Porsche apologist. He joined the staff in 2016 and no one has figured out a way to fire him since. He street-parks a Porsche Boxster in Brooklyn, New York, much to the horror of everyone who sees the car, not least the author himself. He also insists he’s not a convertible person, despite owning three. More

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    Alfa Romeo Slashes 2024 Giulia and Stelvio Prices by $1800

    Alfa Romeo has released U.S. specs and pricing for the updated 2024 Giulia and Stelvio.They both benefit from new headlights and a digital gauge cluster inside.Prices are down by $1800 across the lineup.Alfa Romeo sales are down through the first half of the year, but perhaps a price cut will help pick things up for the 2024 Giulia and Stelvio. Alfa’s sporty sedan and SUV models benefit from styling and technology updates for the new model year but cost $1800 less than the 2023 models.The 2024 Giulia now starts at $44,075 for the base rear-wheel-drive trim with a 280-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. The Stelvio starts at $46,370 for the rear-wheel-drive Sprint trim. The two Alfas are also available in Ti, Veloce, and Competizione trim levels. All-wheel drive is a $2000 option on the Giulia and the base Sprint version of the Stelvio, but comes standard on all other versions of the Stelvio.Both models receive new cool-looking LED matrix headlights with a “3+3” arrangement, along with revised LED taillights. Inside, a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster is new and standard across the board.Giulia and Stelvio QuadrifoglioThe high-performance Quadrifoglio versions don’t benefit from the same price cut, as they carry the same starting prices as 2023. That means $81,855 for the Giulia QF and $87,770 for the Stelvio QF.The only update is a newly available 100th Anniversary package that brings special styling touches. For $5400 extra on the Giulia and $7000 extra on the Stelvio, this appearance upgrade includes special logos, gold accent stitching, different graphics for the screens, carbon-fiber trim pieces, and gold brake calipers. It’s available in red, green, or black.More on Alfa RomeoSenior 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

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    2024 GMC Hummer EV SUT Gains More Range with 381-Mile Estimate

    The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUT will provide up to 381 miles of range, per GM’s estimate.That estimated range is for the electric truck’s 3X trim with the biggest battery, which previously was rated at 355 miles—a 26-mile increase.Equipped with the Extreme Off-Road package, the ’24 Hummer EV SUT will go 30 miles more than before at an estimated 359 miles per charge.GMC claims the 2024 Hummer EV SUT will be able to go farther on a single charge. Whereas the previous model year had an estimated cap of 355 miles, the new model year gains an extra 26 miles, with the electric pickup truck now topping out at a claimed 381 miles of range on a full charge.In order to take advantage of the increased distance, customers must opt for the EV3X trim level with the bigger 24-module battery pack (GMC doesn’t list its net capacity). That estimated range drops to 359 miles when the Hummer EV SUT is outfitted with the Extreme Off-Road package that includes 18-inch wheels on 35-inch tires, extra skid plates, and other off-road-oriented upgrades. While that’s 22 miles lower than the truck without the kit, GMC says it’s 30 miles more than the previous model year.GMC will also offer the cargo-bed-toting Hummer EV3X with a smaller 20-module battery as standard. However, that pack’s range estimate is currently unknown. That figure and more should be revealed before the 2024 Hummer EV SUT goes on sale this fall to current reservation holders. Final pricing remains to be seen, but the top-level 3X trim will start around $108K.Other Hummer EV 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