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Want a Fiat 500? You’ll be able to buy a brand-new 2024 Fiat 500e after November.But if you want an original, a company in Italy is doing restomods of the 1957–1975 classics.Builds start under $10,000—including the car—and Real Italian Cars is willing and able to ship completed cars anywhere in the United States.City-car fans, mark your calendars for November 2023. That’s when Fiat North America is unveiling the American version of the 2024 500e. But as exciting as that is for buyers of stylish EVs—as well as Fiat’s current U.S. lineup—it’s not the only Cinquecento resurrection. A new company in Italy is building classic 500 restomods, and unlike Singer’s 911s or Cyan Racing’s Volvo P1800s, buying one won’t require a second mortgage.It’s hard to find clearer, more apt names in the automotive business than Real Italian Cars. Firstly, the new shop is headquartered in the Tuscan city of Lucca in Italy. Secondly, the business’s focus is restoring an Italian automotive legend: the original Fiat Nuova 500. And thirdly, co-founders Amedeo Provenzali, Anthony Peacock, and Mattia Vita all have ties to Italian automotive culture. Vita, for example, is an active rally driver, and Peacock has consulted for Pirelli Media and written stories for numerous car publications.”We’ve been friends a long time,” Peacock recently told Car and Driver over the phone, and he expressed their fondness for vintage 500s. Yet while “millions and millions of these Fiats were produced, they’re a little bit of a dying breed,” he said. The trio wanted to keep the ones that remained around, “to preserve something for the future.” It started as a hobby, with the initial clients being mutual friends asking for repairs. But “without realizing it,” he said, “we were trying to set up a business, one that encourages more people, particularly future generations, to get into classic car ownership.”Regarding that business, Real Italian Cars takes on any 1957–1975 Fiat 500 model, from the base 500D all the way to the wonderfully wicker-seated open-air 500 Jolly. The shop’s services range from simple cosmetic corrections as well as interior and engine work all the way to a full restoration or custom overhaul. That includes sympathetic modern touches like an Apple CarPlay–equipped stereo. And before you ask, yes, the shop has already gotten requests for Abarth re-creations.If you don’t want to go full scorpion, you can also have Real Italian Cars swap the original air-cooled 499cc two-cylinder engine and crash gearbox for a Fiat 126 powertrain. That brings more grunt, courtesy of the bigger powerplant (594cc or 652cc, depending on the donor’s model year) and gear synchros. Peacock’s personal 500 has the 126 swap, and he attests, “The extra power and synchromesh really make a difference.” Considering a stock 1957 500 can’t even hit 60 mph and has a quarter-mile time longer than some YouTube ads, we’re inclined to believe him. Plus, thanks to the synchros, you don’t need to grind and double-clutch to drive your classic car around town. All the better and easier to enjoy your daily dose of vintage dolce vita.It might be getting even easier in the future. Peacock told us that Real Italian Cars is currently prototyping and testing an EV-swapped Nuova 500 build. “The only thing that’s been a headache so far are the brakes,” he said, owing to the extra weight of the batteries. But otherwise, the classic Fiats “are perfect, perfect cars to become EVs,” he claims, due to their simple mechanical nature. If all goes well, the EV conversion option might be available by the end of summer 2023. If that schedule holds, come November, there’ll be two electric Fiat 500 options to choose from in the U.S.You read that right: Real Italian Cars is taking orders from American clients and can even arrange shipping. Peacock said the company already has someone from Florida requesting a build, as well as a California resident who wants to take an Italian summer road trip in his new little Fiat. While the registration process for a restored 1957–1975 500 will vary from state to state, these cars are all good under the 25-year rule. So are all but the last of the 126s, while the earliest ones are exempt from California’s smog inspections. Basically, if you have the money, you shouldn’t have a problem driving one of these restomods in the U.S.Speaking of money, you won’t need crazy amounts of it. As was the case when the business was just a hobby for friends, you’re paying “mates’ rates” (Real Italian Cars has a base in London, we can use U.K. slang). The shop’s builds start at €9000; that’s about $9800 at today’s exchange rates. That includes the cost of the donor car. As with other restomod operations, the more you customize, the more you pay. And starting prices vary based on the specific 500 model. An original Jolly restoration, for example, starts at a little over $27K. But considering an original non-wicker Nuova 500 typically goes for $10,000 to $20,000 these days, these prices are surprisingly reasonable.We wonder how much re-creating Lupin III’s 500 will cost?Research EditorAfter discovering car magazines and Fast and Furious movies in high school, Matthew Skwarczek wanted to create cleaner fuels to keep automobiles around. But after a brief engineering career, the Chicagoland native realized he preferred researching and writing about the cars themselves. That’s how he found himself first at MotorBiscuit and then at C/D. Today, when he’s not reading, he’s daydreaming on Bring a Trailer, backpacking, or riding his motorcycle or bicycle. More

This prairie-sized Galaxie is particularly imposing in the rarely seen fastback body style.Underneath the acres of sheetmetal, this ’60s cruiser has been modernized with a reworked Hotchkis suspension and Wilwood brakes.Metallic blue paint, a subtle hood scoop, and black steelies with dog-dish hub caps complete the understated look. Car and DriverOne of the world’s most scenic roads, Canada’s Icefields Parkway runs north from Calgary up to the tourist town of Jasper. Sure, you could rent a Chevy Equinox to make the trip, but here’s a much more charismatic sled to haul you past the glaciers. Up for auction in Calgary is this 1968 Ford Galaxie 500 coupe, a prairie-sized cruiser with some very cool tricks hidden up its sleeve.Today’s pick from Bring A Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is the kind of carefully prepared vintage machine that provides 1960s nostalgia without the old-car dynamic drawbacks. This Galaxie is a true full-sizer, a big ol’ boat from the blue oval. It should be driven while wearing the full-denim Canadian tuxedo, singing along with Stompin’ Tom Connors as he belts out Bud the Spud. But tucked behind those 18-inch steel wheels are a host of parts from the likes of Wilwood and Hotchkis. It’s a boat all right—but a speedboat.Bring a TrailerThe Hotchkis sport suspension is the really tasty part of this build. When Jay Leno went looking for a way to improve the handling of the 1966 Ford Galaxie he built as a tribute to a beloved Leno family car, he had Hotchkis design a setup incorporating big anti-roll bars, Fox shock absorbers, uprated springs, and even reworked control arms. This ’68 Galaxie gets essentially the same treatment, and it should corner as flat as a Saskatchewan wheat field.Bring a TrailerUnder the USS Eisenhower–sized hood is a comprehensively rebuilt 390-cubic-inch V-8. Galaxies came with bigger powerplants, but this 6.4-liter makes all the right noises without any high-strung motor bad habits. It huffs out growly V-8 noises through Hooker long-tube headers like a big friendly mastiff.The transmission is a highway-friendly three-speed automatic, refreshed and rebuilt. A 9-inch rear end with an Eaton limited slip differential gets that V-8 power to the ground via 255-series Firestone Firehawk tires wrapping 18-inch steel wheels.Bring a TrailerWilwood six-piston front brakes connected to braided lines and an upgraded master cylinder should enable this big Ford to safely shed highway speeds. A three-core aluminum radiator with twin 11-inch fans keeps things cool in the summer.Bring a TrailerThrow in a laundry list of other driver-friendly tweaks—better seats and steering among them—and this Galaxie is an ideal retro road tripper. Cruise on up into the Rocky Mountains, make friends with the bighorn sheep, then thunder across the Plains on your way back home. Bidding at this writing is just under $10,000, and the auction runs through May 31.Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoContributing 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

For the past few years, new-car prices have obviously been climbing, so it’s nice to learn that there are some traditional Memorial Day deals out there this year.With the pandemic fading away and the related supply-chain problems sorting themselves out, we’re back to perks like low financing offers and factory discounts.The best deals available knock around 10 percent off the price of the car but don’t expect that sort of sale on everything on the lot.For years, Memorial Day has been in the rotation for holidays that often come with deals at local car dealerships. It’s the start of summer, after all, and that means hitting the open road to experience construction and traffic jams in new places. After years of a pandemic and related supply-chain problems, there’s reason to wonder if new-car shoppers can expect exceptional discounts on a new set of wheels this weekend. The good news for buyers is that there are a few signs that things are getting back to normal. How normal? A joint forecast from J.D. Power and LMC Automotive projects that new-vehicle retail sales for May 2023 will be 9.6 percent higher than May 2022, with almost 1.1 million sales predicted.Shopping ListDiscounts and Lower Interest Rates?This year, the best Memorial Day deals take the form of up-front discounts and lowered finance rates. That’s good, but let’s not forget that the average new car price in the U.S. was just over $48,000 last month. That’s a lot, but it represented a bit of a plateau after almost two years of upward movement. It was the first time in 20 months that the average price of a new car once again dropped below the sticker price. As the world figures out its post-pandemic reality, including normalizing supply chains again, we find ourselves in a short moment of price stability, and dealers aren’t making as much per car as they were before.”The improved supply of vehicles vs. a year ago has resulted in a decline in dealer profits. However, dealer profits remain well above pre-pandemic levels,” J.D. Power analyst Thomas King said in a statement. “The primary reason for the decline in profit is that fewer vehicles are being sold for prices higher than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP). This month, only 31 percent of new vehicles are projected to be sold above MSRP, which is down from a high of 49 percent in July 2022.”The somewhat stable prices and improved supply of new vehicles mean shoppers can indeed find deals this weekend. While not all of these are specific Memorial Day promotions, they’re all available until at least the end of the month. With all of this in mind, here’s an overview of some of this weekend’s best new-car deals.Check Your Dealer, but Discounts Are Out ThereConsumer Reports found that the best deals available this weekend could drop the price of a new car by between 6 and 10 percent off the original MSRP. At the top of CR’s list is the 2023 Chevrolet Equinox, which can be had for a 10 percent discount. Other Big Three models are also discounted: the 2023 Dodge Charger and 2023 Ford Edge are both seven percent off right now.Related StoryPlenty of models—including the Hyundai Santa Cruz, Honda Passport, and Subaru Outback—currently come with some sort of discounted lease deal. According to U.S. News, for example, the Outback can be had for $345 per month if you sign a three-year lease and bring $3545 to the signing.There are Memorial Day sales offers and substantial factory discounts on some new Jeep models. Until the end of May, the Compass can be had with up to $3500 off—that price is for returning lessees, however—while there are discounts up to $2000 available for the Wrangler. Overall, these discounts are good for between 3 and 10 percent off. There are other deals to be found, and availability varies by location and other factors, but the good news is that car shoppers might just get lucky this weekend.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

The Volkswagen ID.Buzz that’s coming to the U.S. is teased ahead of next week’s debut on Friday, June 2.VW today released a teaser image of the van’s front end shrouded in darkness.With the ID.Buzz making its global reveal last March, we’ve seen what it looks like and know many details about the upcoming American version.The original Volkswagen Type 2 Microbus is a cultural icon, and that’s helped fuel interest in the modern interpretation, which was finally revealed to the world back in March 2022. Called the ID.Buzz, the fully electric van is already on sale in other markets, but the version that’s coming to the U.S. has yet to make its debut. VW today released a teaser image of the 2025 ID.Buzz’s shrouded front end, with the American model scheduled to be revealed via livestream on Friday, June 2.Normally teaser photos are an attempt to build anticipation of a newly designed vehicle, but in this case, most of the buzz around the ID.Buzz’s looks has subsided since pictures of its retro-styled exterior and spacious, versatile interior have been visible online for over a year. Still, today’s tease is another reminder that the Microbus’s successor is that much closer to hitting U.S. roads.VolkswagenWhile the teaser doesn’t tell us anything new about the American ID.Buzz, here’s what we know so far. It will have a stretched wheelbase and three rows of flexible seating for seven. Its EPA-estimated driving range is currently unknown, but the van is expected to travel around 260 miles per charge. Customers will have the option to choose between a single-motor, rear-drive powertrain or a more powerful dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup.Since the ID.Buzz rides on the same Modular Electric Drive (MEB) platform as the VW ID.4 SUV, its likely the van will also share electric motors, meaning the rear-drive model could have 201 horsepower and the all-wheel-drive variant could have 295 horses. Pricing for the U.S. is another question mark, but we think the ID.Buzz will start somewhere in the neighborhood of $40K.VW Microbus Must-ReadsThis 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 Meyers Manx is the OG fiberglass dune buggy and inspired legions of copycats and competitors.This well-presented example is based on a shortened ’55 Volkswagen chassis.The Bring a Trailer auction runs through May 30. Car and DriverIf there were an official car of the Endless Summer, it would be the Meyers Manx dune buggy. Not just any dune buggy, but a Meyers Manx, the very vehicle king-of-cool bookends Steve McQueen and Elvis chose for on-screen and personal duty. If you’ve ever wanted to get in on that mojo, now’s your chance with this green metalflake Meyers Manx, up for auction on Bring a Trailer, which like Car and Driver is part of Hearst Autos. Though the current BaT headline eschews a specific model year, this Manx was labeled a 1968 model in a previous auction held elsewhere in March of 2021. Its omission here is largely irrelevant, as the Manx, much like the California Dream it embodies, is timeless. It exists in a different realm entirely, one where it’s always 72 degrees and sunny, and the occupants are perpetually young. It is, however, accompanied by a certificate of authenticity signed by Bruce Meyers validating the serial number—the serial plate appears to be original—and its registry ID number, granting it an unassailable pedigree. That said, the seller indicates the fiberglass Manx tub rides on a shortened 1955 Volkswagen pan and is registered accordingly. More Meyers Manx ManiaThe green metalflake paint and fiberglass body appear to be in excellent condition, free of spiderweb cracks and damage. Although these cars are often subjected to dubious customizations, this Manx takes the high road with a classic chrome rollbar, the politely titled “nudge” bar, a chromed windshield support, and chrome headlamp buckets. Turn indicators ride discretely atop the front suspension mounting points below the front fenders. The chrome Cragar S/S wheels were arguably the most popular aftermarket wheel in the late ’60s and look right at home here, though we wouldn’t argue with a set of deep-dish steelies with purpose-built tires for serious beach duty. Likewise, we might ditch the black “Manx” lettering on the side panels. Bring a TrailerInterior upholstery is basic black vinyl, so we’d recommend keeping a few light-colored beach towels on hand lest you torch your buns, back, and thighs after leaving this dune buggy parked in the sun. The black floormats and interior tub finish add to the solar gain. The Wolfsburg-branded lap belts and front disc brakes add a welcome measure of safety. Bring a TrailerPower is supplied by a 1.6-liter flat-four Volkswagen air-cooled engine with the appropriate mods, including dual Solex H40/44EIS carburetors and a Scintilla magneto. (Though the original carbs are no longer manufactured by the former French Solex company, a large, international aftermarket, licensing, and enthusiast support network ensures their viability for decades.) A Hurst “trigger” shifter selects from four gears, and a roller accelerator pedal provides for smooth throttle inputs. A degree pulley makes for improved visibility when dialing tuning. (Don’t forget to adjust your valves regularly, and keep an eye on that pesky #3 exhaust valve.) Chrome engine tins and pulleys add to the shine, as does a ceramic-coated Tri-Mil dual exhaust system.Bring a TrailerThough the metal-bodied EMPI Sportster buggy was incubating around the same time, and several other long-forgotten pioneers were on the same track, it’s the Meyers Manx that typically comes to mind with the phrase “dune buggy.” (EMPI would later make a fiberglass Manx clone called the IMP.) Meyers helped cement its title as the modern dune buggy of record with his “Old Red” prototype that he and Ted Mangels piloted to a record-setting run in the 1967 Baja 1000. Bring a TrailerThe “production” Manx—Meyer sold them primarily in kit form for a number of reasons—like the one in this auction, benefitted from a certain level of, um, “refinement,” without diluting the core vision. That type of single-minded purpose is a rarity, more so when an idea comes to fruition in an actual physical product that reflects the mood of a generation. And that guarantees it a spot in the annals of pop culture for eternity. The car is listed by a private owner, is located in Danville, California, and is accompanied by a copy of Manx Mania magazine in which we assume it appears, and a clean California title in the seller’s name, listing it as a 1955 Volkswagen.Online EditorAndrew Wendler brings decades of wrenching, writing, and editorial experience with numerous outlets to Car and Driver. A rust-belt native and tireless promoter of the region, he once won a $5 bet by walking the entire length of the elevated People Mover track that encircles downtown Detroit. More

The surprise announcement late Thursday that Ford will offer present and future owners of its electric vehicles access to more than 12,000 stations in the Tesla Supercharger network came as a shock to most of the auto industry. Tesla has notoriously gone its own way, and the unpredictable and increasingly political behavior of its CEO has certainly been in the news, to say the least.Setting all that aside, the two companies’ CEOs jointly announced that future Ford EVs will incorporate the Tesla connector from 2025, and current Ford EV owners will have access to Superchargers starting in spring 2024 via a CCS-to-Tesla connector. (Tesla refers to its plug and connector design as the North American Charging Standard or NACS, although many engineers have objected to that usage since Tesla has not followed the process by which a technical standard is traditionally developed.)Brilliant Move for FordSpeaking personally, I think the deal is a brilliant move on Ford’s part, for several reasons. First, it will give Ford a huge marketing advantage over every other maker of EVs that isn’t Tesla. Second, it puts extreme and public pressure on existing fast-charging networks—Electrify America, EVgo, and others—to up their game substantially in the area of reliability. Finally, it remains unclear whether Ford will replace the existing CCS/J-1722 connector altogether in its future EVs or simply add the Tesla connector alongside it.Tesla, in return, will get significant revenue out of the deal, perhaps offsetting the many billions of dollars it has spent setting it up over 11 years (costs that have never been broken out on its balance sheets). That income will help its plan to expand its network of Superchargers (and lower-speed Destination Chargers) significantly by December 2024. Perhaps it can also point to Ford’s signing up as evidence that its connector should be a “standard.”Ford has long recognized that public fast-charging is a mess. Its very first Mustang Mach-E in late 2020 included the Plug and Charge protocol, allowing a user to plug in and have all the validation and billing happen on the back end. In October 2021, it established a fleet of “Charge Angels” who drove Ford EVs to different public charging stations to test whether they could actually charge . . . which was often enough not the case to prove the need. Ford has also played hardball with charging networks, threatening to remove sites or parts of entire networks from its aggregated BlueOval Charge Network of charging sites if they weren’t fixed, pronto. Now, with this one move, it has doubled the number of fast-charging sites available to Ford EV drivers, and given them access to what is unquestionably the most reliable EV fast-charging network in North America.The Marketing AdvantageUntil you drive an EV, you don’t necessarily appreciate the importance of ubiquitous, reliable, tightly integrated public fast-charging to making it practical for road trips. Tesla did, and because its Model S was the sole EV in 2012 with range of more than 200 miles, it knew it had to have a reliable network—so it built one, tightly integrating the charging, the navigation, and the billing. In that respect, it’s like Apple: It controls the entire ecosystem.Now Ford will become the sole carmaker aside from Tesla itself able to tell buyers, “You can charge your EV at any charging site in the U.S.” Owners of current Ford EV models will receive a Tesla-designed adapter, which I trust the two makers have agreed to produce in sufficient volume. Owners of Ford’s next generation of EVs will have the Tesla port built right in; they can presumably pull up to a Supercharger and just plug in. More DetailsThat’s a huge advantage over Tesla’s current model of enabling a limited number of Supercharger cables to charge CCS-equipped cars via its Magic Dock automatic connector. That connector is automatically enabled when the non-Tesla CCS driver uses the Tesla app to reserve a Magic Dock–equipped pedestal at one of the few Supercharger sites that has one.The Heat Is Now on Electrify AmericaMuch has been written about the unpredictability of non-Tesla public charging sites. Reliability, as well as comfort at least on a par with a gas station, hardly seems like a high bar, but it’s simply not there. Carmakers’ frustration by now is “off the charts,” said one source—who, like the other five interviewed for this piece, insisted on anonymity to preserve industry confidentiality. The Ford/Tesla deal is “a major shot across the bow” for Electrify America and the other networks, he said.Today, no existing fast-charging network is making money. They are in a land-grab phase, trying to get as many stations in the ground as fast as possible to lock up desirable sites—and, in the case of Electrify America, to comply with a 10-year consent order with the EPA resulting from VW Group’s culpability for the Dieselgate scandal as well.The Trouble with Current ChargingThat means any missed revenue from the customer who drove an EV to a charger only to find it broken is irrelevant. And very few incentives exist to keep stations in working order. So Ford’s deal with Tesla immediately puts huge pressure on Electrify America, EVgo, ChargePoint, and smaller networks that offer public charging. In effect, Ford can say, “If you don’t bring your network up to Tesla standards, we can always direct our customers to Tesla—which we know works properly. And you know that too, don’t you?”Ford’s electric F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E.Ford Motor CompanyWill Ford Dump CCS?While Ford CEO Jim Farley talked about the deal as a “breakthrough agreement” that would be “great for customers,” the language in the official announcement discussed “access” to Tesla charging. It specifically did not say Ford will abandon the existing CCS connector in its future cars. Nor was that directly stated in a Twitter chat between the two companies’ CEOs. When questioned on this point, multiple Ford reps responded with versions of, “More details to come, stay tuned.” It’s far from certain that Ford will drop the combined J1772 and CCS connector. And because the Tesla connector is so compact, adding it will take up less real estate than the reverse. Some European and Asian cars are now sold with rectangular fuel filler doors, to allow the same body stampings to be used for diesel models sold outside North America that have a second filler for Diesel Emission Fluid. That same form factor might easily allow a Tesla port to be added next to the CCS port.Dropping J-1722, the Level 2 charging connector now used by every EV sold in the U.S. except Tesla—which even provides a J-1722 adapter to its customers—would mean owners of future Ford EVs would have to use an adapter for every one of the Level 2 public charging cables in existence today. That’s not customer-friendly.And dropping the CCS connector would mean using a separate, much larger adapter to charge at any of the tens of thousands of charging stations using it, including those to be paid for by $5 billion of National Electric Vehicle Initiative funds the federal government is distributing through all 50 states. Would Ford really walk away from all those new fast-charging stations—requiring owners to use a cumbersome adapter rather than simply plugging in as they do now? Finally, Ford was surprised at the public fascination with the idea that an F-150 Lightning could power a house for up to three days (with several asterisks). That’s known as vehicle-to-home, or V2H. It’s the last step before vehicle-to-grid, or V2G, in which the vehicle can support electric grid stability via two-way charging. The Tesla connector is resolutely one-way, and it has no current provision even for using a Tesla as home-backup power. Again, hardly customer-friendly. I suspect that at least initially, Ford will add the Tesla connector alongside CCS/J-1772 in its new generation of EVs. That would allow it to say, “Not only can you charge your EV at any charging site in the U.S., but . . . you can do it without carrying a single adapter.”That’s something not even Tesla can claim. While there are many reasons why Ford may choose not to build two different DC fast-charging connectors into their future EVs, I believe—and sources suggest—there are multiple reasons that’s exactly what’ll happen.Who Will Own EV Charging in 2030?Despite modern EVs being on sale for 12 years now, we’re still in the early days of figuring out how to cover the big, sprawling U.S. with sufficient numbers of DC fast-charging stations to enable the EV transition that’ll take place over the next 30 years. But then, early gasoline drivers had their own version of range anxiety too. It remains unclear whether the existing networks will even be around in 2030. Smaller networks will likely be rolled up into bigger ones, but other players are equally likely to provide EV charging over the long haul: electric utilities (which buy or produce the power regardless), convenience-store operators, fossil-fuel companies, perhaps even carmakers themselves.But in one fell swoop, Ford’s action put all the existing charge networks on notice that what they’ve offered isn’t nearly good enough. It covers all the charging bases. Most of all, it’ll reduce the anxiety of driving an EV long distances. At least, if it’s a Ford or Lincoln EV.Tesla may well do other similar deals. But Ford has gotten there first, and all EV drivers are likely to benefit in the long term. Contributing EditorJohn Voelcker edited Green Car Reports for nine years, publishing more than 12,000 articles on hybrids, electric cars, and other low- and zero-emission vehicles and the energy ecosystem around them. He now covers advanced auto technologies and energy policy as a reporter and analyst. His work has appeared in print, online, and radio outlets that include Wired, Popular Science, Tech Review, IEEE Spectrum, and NPR’s “All Things Considered.” He splits his time between the Catskill Mountains and New York City and still has hopes of one day becoming an international man of mystery. More

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.NBC is launching a prime-time TV show in which teams compete to build the best full-size Hot Wheels–style car, with the winner destined to be die-cast as an actual Hot Wheels model.The show premieres on NBC TV on Tuesday, May 30, at 10 p.m. ET and will be available to stream on Peacock the next day.We don’t have full details about the creations that host Rutledge Wood and guest stars will be judging, but it’s certain there will be plenty of wild ideas brought to life.Fans of the wacky and wild in automobilia have a reason to celebrate. If you’ve been forlornly staring at the Mitsubishi Mirage in your driveway, bemoaning its lack of fish tank, or thinking your Ferrari 308 would be better if it could make spaghetti, we’ve got good news for you. There’s a new show on the horizon that shares a love of silliness and ingenious fabrications with those old classics like Pimp My Ride and Monster Garage but adds in more game-show elements and prizes. Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge is going prime time on NBC with a new car-customizing show that promises goofy themes and spark-filled grinding along with some genuine car-enthusiast emotions.NBCNBCRutledge Wood (Top Gear US, Floor Is Lava, NBC NASCAR reporter) is the lead host, joined by a panel of judges and celebrity guests. Contestants will get the chance to transform a car that’s important to them into a cartoony, full-size Hot Wheels car, and at the end of the season, the winning car will go into production as an official Hot Wheels die-cast. The audience can follow along on the design, fabrication, and presentation of each contestant’s wild ride. NBCJoining Wood is Ford designer Dalal Elsheikh and Hoonigan drifter Hertrech “Hert” Eugene Jr. Guest stars include Jay Leno—whom you probably expected—and actor Terry Crews—whom you may not have. We chatted with Wood and Elsheikh during the filming of the first season about the show, their own dream cars, and what fabrication skills most impressed them on set. Hot Wheels LoreWood started out teary-eyed remembering his first car, an ’81 Volkswagen Rabbit pickup. ” I always dreamed about making that thing cool. An engine swap, or the European wheels. None of that ever happened. But it’s still one that I dream about. So in this show, we reunite people with a vehicle from their past and give them the opportunity to redo the car they way they always wanted. Like for example, we filmed one episode where this guy does a Charger—that was his first car, a primer black ’70 Charger—and now he can put the Hemi in, make it do wheelies. We’re giving people a chance to be a kid again.”NBCNBCWatch Fabricators at WorkEach episode features two teams, building on opposite sides of the Hot Wheels garage set, which in teasers, looks something like a mix between a toy box and the inside of a pinball machine. Contestants get professional assistance from welders, fiberglass artists, and painters, as they attempt to make their monster truck and wheelie dreams into reality. There are twists, says Wood, challenges and interruptions that the teams have to incorporate into their designs before they are judged at the end of their episode. “It is so hard,” says Wood. “Sometimes you’re looking at these incredibly finite details and you’re thinking, man, the difference between a car moving forward to the finale or not could be something like, did they take the time to tuck the bumpers? Did they look at how this body line would change when they cut the roof off? If they said, ‘I’m going to make it look like a monster come to life,’ what if it doesn’t? People have put their blood, sweat, and tears into this thing and it’s so much more intense than I thought it would be to pick a winner.”Fire Trucks and a Cadillac Skate Park?For Elsheikh, seeing the professional fabricators work with the contestants has inspired her to learn a few fab skills as well. “There’s an interior guy named Slick on the show, and boy does he live up to that name. Some great fiberglass sculptors too, but in design school, I had a lot of experience carving things out of high density foam, so if I could have any one of the team’s skills, I’d probably go with welding. We have some incredible welders.”Wood and Elsheikh couldn’t give too many hints about the cars we’d see on the show, so as not to ruin the surprise, but we can expect fire trucks, Cadillac skate parks, and possibly a car that looks like a piano? “I think the variety of cars on this show is going to keep car people intrigued, and people that don’t know anything about cars will be able to follow and really, really enjoy it,” says Wood. “We want to bring people into this hobby and this lifestyle that we love, and Hot Wheels is a great way to do it.”Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge premieres Tuesday, May 30, at 10:00 p.m. ET on NBC, and episodes will be available to stream the following day on Peacock. Senior Editor, FeaturesLike a sleeper agent activated late in the game, Elana Scherr didn’t know her calling at a young age. Like many girls, she planned to be a vet-astronaut-artist, and came closest to that last one by attending UCLA art school. She painted images of cars, but did not own one. Elana reluctantly got a driver’s license at age 21 and discovered that she not only loved cars and wanted to drive them, but that other people loved cars and wanted to read about them, which meant somebody had to write about them. Since receiving activation codes, Elana has written for numerous car magazines and websites, covering classics, car culture, technology, motorsports, and new-car reviews.     More

Toyota is working on a redesigned version of the Camry sedan, as evidenced by these spy photos.The prototype is heavily camouflaged but we can tell that it will have a new look, even if its shape is familiar.We think Toyota will offer a few new powertrains, including a possible AWD hybrid configuration.A new Honda Accord has just hit the scene and the current Toyota Camry has been around since the 2018 model year, so it’s high time for a new version of the perennially bestselling mid-size sedan. These spy photos of a 2025 Toyota Camry prototype prove that a new model is just around the corner. While it doesn’t look like a radical redesign in terms of its three-box sedan shape, we’re thinking that the updated Camry will feature a significantly improved interior plus some new engine options to keep it competitive in the family-sedan segment.With the overall proportions looking similar to the current car, this new ninth-generation Camry will likely be more like a heavy refresh rather than a ground-up redux. It’ll ride on the same TNGA-K platform but should feature more modern-looking front- and rear-end styling that could borrow headlight and taillight designs from the Toyota Crown.KGP Photography|Car and DriverWe can also look to the Crown for an idea of what powertrain upgrades might be in store for the Camry. It’s likely that the larger sedan’s 236-hp all-wheel-drive hybrid setup will make its way into the new Camry, as even the smaller Corolla now offers an AWD hybrid model. Unless Toyota decides to go hybrid-only with the Camry, the base 203-hp 2.5-liter inline-four may carry over for lower trim levels, and the 265-hp turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four also seen in the Highlander could replace the 3.5-liter V-6 that Toyota has been phasing out across its lineup lately.KGP Photography|Car and DriverThe Camry is overdue for an interior update, too, and we’re sure that Toyota’s latest infotainment software will be standard equipment. That means that its screen size will increase, as the current Camry offers a 7.0-inch screen in lower trims and an optional 9.0-inch screen; newer Toyota models offer a 12.3-inch screen, so we think we’ll see that setup available in the Camry as well.Expect the familiar LE, SE, XSE, and XLE trim levels to stick around, along with Nightshade appearance packages and a possible TRD performance model. We’re thinking the base price will rise somewhat from the current model’s $27,415 starting cost. Timing for the new Camry’s arrival is still unclear, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see it make its debut in late 2023 before going on sale sometime in 2024 as a 2025 model.More on the CamrySenior 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