Motor News

Ford has teased a new electric-three row SUV with 350 miles of range and set to debut in 2025.Despite being likened to the Expedition on stage at a Capital Markets Day event, the upcoming model is more likely the Explorer-sized EV that Ford is planning to build.Ford declined to comment further on the vehicle when reach out to by Car and Driver. Ford continues to tease nuggets of information on an upcoming electric three-row SUV, the most recent of which came on Monday. An Automotive News staffer tweeted two photos from Ford’s Capital Markets Day, along with a report in which Ford’s chief officer of EVs confirms the vehicle will come in 2025 and have 350 miles of range. This content is imported from twitter. 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.Doug Field sharing some new details on Ford EVs. Says a 3-row family SUV is coming in 2025 with a 350-mile range. He likened it to an Expedition. pic.twitter.com/FixnHKIj2Y— Michael Martinez (@MikeMartinez_AN) May 22, 2023Some confusion emerged from both the event and the tweet as Field reportedly likened the vehicle to the full-sized Expedition SUV, when the vehicle appears to be sized much closer to the mid-size Explorer. Car and Driver reached out to Ford for clarification, but the manufacturer’s spokesperson declined to comment. FordThe addition of an Explorer-sized EV could generate huge sales for the company. It is a massively popular segment for internal-combustion vehicles, with competitors like the Chevrolet Traverse, Toyota Highlander, Kia Telluride, and of course, the Explorer. There is little competition right now in the larger-EV segment, although Kia recently revealed the EV9 SUV, which is to be released for 2024. The expectation of an electric Explorer is not a new one. Ford made an announcement confirming the electric Explorer in 2021. It also lines up with plans for Ford to begin building EVs at the Oakville, Ontario, plant for which it designated $1.5 billion to adapt from ICE production to EV production. More Ford and Lincoln ProductionSpeaking on the decision to go after larger vehicles, Ford CEO Jim Farley, speaking to a Yahoo Finance reporter, described the new seven-passenger SUV as “a personal bullet train.” He explained that Ford’s second-generation EVs are being designed in a completely different way to the first generation of Mach-Es and F-150 Lightnings. As things stand now, there are no firm details on the upcoming vehicle, though specifics such as size, power, range, and pricing are likely to start coming in as a reveal date draws closer. 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

Porsche is making the Manthey Performance kit available for 911 GT3s in the United States.The kit improves performance through a variety of changes to the GT3’s aero bits, braking system, suspension, and overall weight of the car.The Manthey kit costs $57,300, but opting for the lightweight forged wheels adds another $15,500.Porsche is officially bringing a Manthey Performance kit to the Land o’ the Free for the first time. The kit has been available in Europe for the better part of a year, but us Yanks have unfortunately been left out—until now, that is. American owners of the 992-generation 911 GT3 can now buy the performance kit developed by Manthey. On its own, the 911 GT3 is no slouch. Porsche claims it circled the Nürburgring Nordschleife in a touch under seven minutes. A very fast time to be sure—though not quite as fast as the Manthey equipped GT3, which managed to shave 4.19 seconds from the lap, with a time of 6:55.737. PorscheThose extra seconds don’t come free—or even cheap for that matter. Purchase and installation of the kit will run owners a cool $57,300. A set of forged wheels, which reduce unsprung weight by approximately 16 pounds, is available for an additional $15,500 (nearly $1000 per pound). Hyper-specific track times and reduced weight are one thing, but what else does nearly $60,000 buy? A larger spoiler lip and side flaps are fitted to the front of the car. They pair with modified aero elements underneath and increase downforce at the front axle. The swan-neck wing at the back of the car also grows and now features a Gurney flap to keep the rear end firmly planted on the tarmac. PorscheWith the Manthey kit, the GT3’s rear diffuser also gets bigger and is now made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. So are the “aerodiscs” on the rear wheels. The kit adds a four-way-adjustable coil-over suspension developed jointly between Porsche and Manthey. According to Porsche, the new setup increases spring rates by 10 percent on the front axle and 7 percent at the rear. The Manthey kit also adds braided steel brake lines, with the option to add racing brake pads as well. As with the normal GT3, Manthey models can be fitted with 20- or 21-inch forged wheels and can be had on Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R tires. The kit is available now through Manthey certified Porsche dealerships. As of June 2023, potential customers or general enthusiasts will be able to check out the difference between the standard GT3 and the Manthey equipped car. For $1675, drivers will have the opportunity to compare the two versions at the Porsche Experience Centers in Atlanta or Los Angeles. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Associate News EditorJack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf. More

The 2024 BMW i4 xDrive40 joins the lineup with a 396-hp, all-wheel-drive powertrain and a $62,595 starting price.The 2024 BMW 7-series also adds the 750e plug-in hybrid, which starts at $107,995 and has an estimated electric-only driving range of over 35 miles.The 2024 BMW i7 lineup is joined by the rear-drive eDrive50 that starts at $106,695.BMW dealerships are expected to be buzzing starting this summer, with the luxury brand today announcing plans to add several new models to the i4, i7, and 7-series lineups for the 2024 model year.2024 i4 xDrive40Slated to join the i4 family sometime in the third quarter of this year, the new 2024 BMW i4 xDrive40 is basically the all-wheel-drive version of the rear-drive eDrive40. Thanks to an electric motor powering the front axle, the i4 xDrive40 provides extra traction and an additional 61 horsepower (396 total).BMWAlong with its 443 pound-feet of torque, BMW claims the i4 xDrive40 accelerates to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. It uses an 80.7-kWh battery pack, with the company estimating it’s good for 307 miles per charge. The latter estimate is on the standard 18-inch wheels; opting for the 19-inchers is expected to drop the range to 282 miles. However, neither figure has yet been certified by the EPA. The i4 xDrive40’s starting price is $62,595.2024 7-Series UpdatesA year after receiving a complete redesign, the gas-burning 7-series lineup is joined by a plug-in-hybrid variant called the 750e. The new model pairs a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with an electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the automatic transmission. The culmination is a combined 483 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque.BMWThe 2024 BMW 750e xDrive features all-wheel drive and is said to offer an all-electric driving range of over 35 miles. When it goes on sale this fall, the PHEV sedan will start at $107,995. For those who don’t want to deal with a plug, BMW also adds an all-wheel-drive option for the 375-hp 740i, which will hit dealerships sometime in the third quarter of this year with a starting price of $100,395.2024 i7 eDrive50When the fully electric BMW i7 debuted last year, it was only offered as the 536-hp, all-wheel-drive xDrive60. For 2024, it’ll be bookended by two new models: the 650-hp, all-wheel-drive i7 M70 and the rear-drive eDrive50.The latter model features a single electric motor making 449 horsepower. BMW currently doesn’t list its estimated range or performance figures, both of which the company says will be announced before it hits the market this fall. The 2024 i7 eDrive50 will have a starting price of $106,695.BMW Sedans Tested!This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.Senior EditorEric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a 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 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T SE “Black Ghost” sold for $975,000 at the Mecum sale in Indianapolis—$1,072,500 after fees.The Black Ghost has joined the National Historic Vehicle Association registry, along with the likes of the Ford Mustang from Bullitt.This special Mopar inspired one of the final editions of the current Dodge Challenger.The highly anticipated day has finally come for the legendary 1970 Dodge Challenger dubbed Black Ghost. This legendary Mopar car was street-raced in its day and flexed its Hemi around Detroit’s streets. Though, after being stored away by Godfrey Qualls, this potent Mopar became a sought-after myth among collectors and muscle car enthusiasts alike. Since its return to the public eye, this Challenger has been enshrined in the National Historic Vehicle Association, won awards at concours around the country, and, now, has a new owner.Dodge Challengers New and OldBefore his death, Godfrey Qualls passed along this piece of muscle-car history to his son, Gregory, who went on a mission to get this Challenger back on the road and share his father’s prized Mopar with the world. This oddly ordered Mopar became a hit at concourses and muscle-car enthusiast shows after its minor mechanical restoration, but now it’s time for a new life.For those out of the loop, the Black Ghost Challenger commands such lore because of how it was built, and what it did under Godfrey’s stewardship. Already rare, this 426-Hemi-powered Challenger is backed by a sought-after four-speed manual transmission. Ordered as an R/T SE, this Challenger was optioned with the luxury appointments you’d find with a special edition and the hi-po parts for the R/T. Topping off the mix, the gator-grain vinyl roof was a factory accident but adds to the car’s lore.After leaving the factory, Godfrey used the Challenger as you’d expect: he enjoyed it. This muscle machine did double duty as regular transportation and helped Godfrey haul his Norton motorcycles, while flexing its muscles on the Detroit streets.The heart of the Black Ghost is a 426-cubic-inch Hemi V-8.Photos Courtesy of Mecum Auctions, Inc.If you’re wondering if Gregory will miss the car, well, that’s obvious. “I will miss the car, but I realize I don’t need the car,” Gregory says. “At some point in time, when I first got the car out of the garage, I really needed the car. After losing my dad, you know—it was a thing for me to do to remember him. But then, as people started hearing the stories and I started learning things about the stories and about the car, I realized my dad’s always with me. I don’t necessarily need the car anymore—I can finally let it go. That’s where I’m at with it now.”While the Black Ghost might be moving underneath a new roof, the Qualls family will always be attached to the car. Gregory says, “The car will always be known, and my dad’s story will always be told. I think, for me, that’s the biggest honor of the things that could happen with this car story, is that the car story will live forever.”The latest chapter in this legend’s story happened at the Mecum Spring Classic, where it hammered for $975,000. It’s hard to predict the future, but we think this piece of history will be celebrated for a long time.Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between. Wesley is the current steward of a 1954 Ford Crestline Victoria, a 1975 Harley-Davidson FXE and a 1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie. Oh yeah, and a 2005 Kia Sedona. More

After first revealing the Mercedes-AMG SL43 last year, the German brand has now decided to bring the four-cylinder variant of its grand tourer to the United States.The SL43 uses the same innovative setup as the AMG C43 sedan, with an electric motor integrated into the turbocharger, reducing lag.The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL43 will cost $111,050 when it goes on sale this summer.The Mercedes-AMG SL43 debuted for Europe last year, sporting a 375-hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electrical assistance and technology borrowed from Formula 1 racing. At the time, Mercedes was still weighing whether it would bring the SL43 stateside, but now the German automaker has confirmed that the SL43 will reach the American market as a 2023 model, with sales set to kick off this summer. The SL43 serves as the entry-level model for the SL lineup, with four fewer cylinders under the hood than its V-8–powered SL55 and SL63 siblings. Although the SL43 can’t match the potent outputs of the V-8 models, the M139 inline-four—the same engine found in the CLA45 and GLA45 AMG—still churns out an impressive 354 pound-feet of torque to go along with the 375 ponies.Mercedes-BenzThe SL43 makes that power in an unusual way. The turbocharger strapped to the 2.0-liter engine includes an electric motor along with the usual exhaust-gas plumbing. The motor—a 1.6-inch-wide unit slotted onto the shaft between the turbine and compressor wheel—can spin the compressor wheel before the exhaust gases do. This promises to minimize turbo lag, and the e-motor can also maintain boost pressure under braking or when the car is coasting so the turbo is always ready to go when the driver gets back on the throttle. The Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 team uses the same technology in its turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 hybrid race cars, and the C43 AMG sedan that debuted last spring features the same powertrain with an extra 27 horsepower.The 48-volt belt-driven starter-generator that powers the turbocharger’s e-motor can also provide an extra 13 hp in brief spurts. Mercedes says this jolt of power occurs at lower rpm and doesn’t increase the overall 375-hp peak output. The 48-volt tech also allows the start-stop system to work more smoothly and can regenerate energy under deceleration. Mercedes-BenzThe longitudinally mounted engine is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission that uses AMG’s usual wet clutch pack instead of a torque converter. Mercedes claims the rear-wheel-drive SL43 will hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and will max out at an electronically limited 170 mph. The visual changes for the SL43 are minimal, with simpler styling for the front and rear bumpers and round tailpipes instead of the squared-off outlets on the eight-cylinder SLs. The standard wheels are 19 inches, but the SL43 can also be ordered with 20- or 21-inch wheels. The opulent cabin is unchanged for the entry-level model, and power-adjustable heated and cooled nappa leather seats come standard. The 2023 Mercedes-AMG SL43 will start at $111,050, undercutting the V-8 SL55 by nearly $30,000.More on MercedesThis 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

Cadillac’s biggest SUV—and biggest moneymaker—is getting the electric treatment, and the company has now confirmed what it will be called. The Escalade IQ will be the first EV version of the luxury brand’s grandest SUV.Along with confirming the name, which had been rumored since GM trademarked the name Escalade IQ and Escalade IQL back in 2021, Cadillac released a teaser image that shows a close-up of the electric model’s badge.CadillacOther than that, we’re still waiting on more details about it, including an official reveal date. The rendering at the top of this story at least provides an idea of what the Escalade EV might look like.Earlier this year, Cadillac Vice President Rory Harvey confirmed that three new electric models will debut in 2023, and it’s expected the Escalade IQ will be one of them. That also suggests it will be a 2024 model, since a Cadillac spokesperson previously confirmed to Car and Driver that all three new EVs would arrive for the same model year.Despite the current lack of information, there’s no doubt the 2024 Cadillac Escalade IQ will use GM’s Ultium battery technology. If it’s anything like the GMC Hummer EV SUV, the Caddy could have a roughly 177-kWh battery capacity and three electric motors making 830 horsepower or more. Of course, it will also almost surely weigh over four tons.Cadillac is expected to reveal the Escalade IQ sometime later this year. Stay tuned.More Cadillac EV ReadingThis 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 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

Sometimes you walk past a classic van on the street and immediately buy it. Well, you sometimes do that if you founded Legacy Classic Trucks, anyway.That’s what happened with this 1977 Dodge B100 Tradesman, which has been restored and updated so it is now “exclusively made for partying.”A rebuilt 5.2-liter Chrysler 318 V-8 engine helps make the van road-trip worthy, while a large lithium battery can power the TV/VHS player and AC units for days. Today’s popular music festivals don’t shy away from a 1970s vibe when it comes to tunes and clothes. If you want your wheels to feel right at home in that sort of environment, Legacy Classic Trucks might have you covered.Legacy, a longtime vehicle restorer, often modifies old Dodge Power Wagons and Jeep Scramblers and works on national park buses. For this much hipper restomod endeavor, Legacy started with two things: a 1977 Dodge B100 Tradesman donor van and the idea that Coachella can be a verb.The van came to Legacy Classic Trucks’ founder Winslow Bent when he happened upon it on his wedding day. The van was parked on a street in Chicago. Given the collection of old VHS tapes and an outlaw country music cassette in the tape deck, Bent purchased the van “on the spot,” Legacy said, with dreams of restoring it in time for him to drive it the 930 miles from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where his shop is located, to California for the music festival.A Van Made for Partying”There are few things cooler than a super clean, well-restored van,” Bent said in a statement. “Our new Legacy Tradesman van restoration is exclusively made for partying.”That attitude explains the mix of new and old technology inside the van. The exterior has the same classic paint scheme but added a pair of moonlight windows in the back. Inside classic touches include a vintage TV/VHS player, disco ball, lava lamp, and orange shag carpet. From the modern era, there’s a lithium battery with enough energy capacity to power the TV, a beer cooler, an 18-speaker sound system, and a pair of air conditioning units for up to two days on a single charge, the company claims.Motive power for the B100 comes from a rebuilt 5.2-liter Chrysler 318 V-8 engine that produces up to 450 pound-feet of torque. Bent and his team also replaced the brakes and suspension.With this year’s Coachella festival and Legacy’s Tradesman restoration both complete, Legacy has now added Tradesman vans to its list of old things that can be made fresh again. Legacy’s Tradesman commissions start at $45,000.For more dope vans from the 1970s, check out this list or head on over to Bring a Trailer, which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos, to search for your own donor model. Or maybe you’ll find a ready-to-go option, like the custom 1973 Dodge Tradesman B100 that sold this past week for $24,000.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.Old and NewContributing 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

• Created at a staggering loss, the Rune was Honda flexing its creative muscle.• Using the Valkyrie as its base, the Rune had a radical design and numerous custom chrome elements.• This example has approximately 6000 miles.Car and DriverHonda isn’t known for flights of fancy, but the motorcycle you see here is one instance where Honda went completely berserk. A single-minded pursuit of design above all else meant that the big H lost an eye-watering amount on the NRX1800 Rune. The development cost was rumored to be $225 million, and yet the production run was extremely limited.This low-mileage 2004 Rune, resplendent in burgundy paint, is up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of the Hearst Autos Group. It’s rolling sculpture, a concept bike brought to life, yet it’s also as tractable and easy to ride as any Honda product.Bring a TrailerIn 2000, Honda showed off a trio of concept bikes at the Cycle World show in Long Beach, California. One concept, the T2, got all the attention. Attending Honda employees were bowled over by the adoring crowds, but there was a rather large catch. T2 didn’t actually run, it was merely a design experiment.Bring a TrailerYet Honda decided to build a production version anyway. To illustrate just how difficult a task the engineers were given, the silencers are cast using a lost-wax method. The concept’s beautiful radiator slits were only theoretically capable of handling the cooling duties for a 20-30 hp engine, but the production Rune’s 1832cc flat-six makes 118 hp, so Honda had to use ultra-conductive alloy to make the radiator shed enough heat.Bring a TrailerFactoring in profitability and performance, building the Rune was an impossibility. So, Honda simply threw those considerations away. As a halo bike, a production Rune would elevate both the related Gold Wing and Valkyrie motorcycles. It’s estimated that each Rune cost Honda in the neighborhood of $150,000 to build. When new each bike sold for $25,000.This 2004 model represents an opportunity to own a truly cost-no-object machine, one with a wonderfully eye-catching design. With all that chrome and ultra-low ride height, the Rune looks like the hero vehicle from an action movie. It’s like a cross between Akira and Duke Nukem.Bring a TrailerAnd, because it’s a Honda, it’s also very rideable, with a torque-rich powerband sufficiently grunty to pull away from a stop in top gear. The clutch is light, the trick trailing front suspension makes for a surprisingly small turning circle, and the low seat height makes it comfortable in traffic.The Rune is madness to look at, but marvelous to experience—as the top bidder will discover. The auction runs through May 22.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