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Ford’s latest iteration of the F-150 arrives with a new version of the classic Blue Oval logo adorning its grille.The logo now features white accents in place of chrome, and the inner oval border is gone, allowing the “Ford” script to be enlarged.The F-150 is the first vehicle to sport the new emblem, which should roll out across the lineup over the next couple of years.Ford just unveiled a refreshed version of its popular F-150 pickup for the 2024 model year. Among the changes, Ford subtly introduced a redesigned version of the iconic Blue Oval logo on the restyled truck.All the Details and SpecsThe new emblem is simpler than before, with Ford removing the thin silver oval outline that sat inside the badge. The “Ford” script has now grown bigger to fill the space. The chrome border around the outside and the script are now finished in white, giving a slightly retro appearance. The updated logo also looks more two-dimensional than before.FordStrangely, Ford didn’t mention the new logo anywhere in its press materials for the new F-150, and we aren’t aware of the revised Blue Oval appearing on any previous Ford models. At a media event for the 2024 F-150, Ford’s senior designer for colors and materials, Rob Brancheau, confirmed to Car and Driver that the logo is in fact new. We’re not sure exactly when the new logo will make its appearance across the rest of the Ford lineup, but we imagine it will arrive as other models undergo facelifts or generation change-overs.More Updated LogosAlong with the new badge, the 2024 F-150 wears revised styling, features two standard 12-inch screens and an optional head-up display inside, and comes loaded with new tech features, from the upgraded BlueCruise hands-free driving system to a new tailgate with an independently opening central door. Sales kick off early next year.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 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

The United Auto Workers union is poised to go on strike against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis—the traditional “Big Three”—later this week.The strike deadline is 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 14.The first impact on consumers could be an end to incentives, with inventory shortages and rising used-car prices following soon after.It’s been four years almost to the day since the last United Auto Workers strike, when nearly 50,000 General Motors workers walked out for a period of six weeks. Today another impasse is looming, one that’s shaping up to be broader in scope and lengthier in duration.The UAW’s current contract with Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis expires on September 14. The UAW has demanded numerous changes, including a 40-plus-percent wage hike over the next four years and a shortened, 32-hour work week. Ford, GM, and Stellantis have made counteroffers, but in an online broadcast, UAW president Shawn Fain characterized all three as literal garbage.”There is almost a certainty that a strike will occur at this point,” Ambrose Conroy said. He’s an auto supply chain expert and founder of Seraph Consulting. “The big questions are which OEMs will be impacted, and will it be a limited tactical strike to extend the UAW strike fund.”Brandon Bell|Getty ImagesConroy says that the UAW’s $825 million strike fund could last approximately 90 days. However, if the UAW takes the “tactical” approach, only closing key factories like those that build engines and transmissions, a strike could extend far longer. This potential action comes at a time when manufacturers are just beginning to get momentum around dealer inventory and production. Though some supply-chain issues linger, used-car prices are returning to normal and new-car incentives have begun to reappear. “With increased inventory we are seeing the increase in incentives: 5.2 percent of MSRP in August,” says Alex Yurchenko, senior vice president and chief data science officer at industry analyst Black Book, which focuses its research heavily on used-car prices. “It is still way below pre-pandemic levels (about 10.5 percent of MSRP) but much higher than last year (about 2.5 percent of MSRP).”According to Cox Automotive’s most recent new-vehicle inventory findings, the average supply of new, unsold vehicles in dealer inventory currently sits at 58 days. That’s 46 percent higher than a year ago. How Are Automakers Preparing?Stellantis and Ford declined to provide any context around dealer inventories and whether they’ve been actively stocking up to fend off the risk of a strike. However, GM’s director of finance and sales communications, David Caldwell, called GM’s U.S. inventory “consistent,” only up about 4 percent compared to the first quarter. Regarding the Cox data, Caldwell said: “That comparison industry-wide is off an historically low level, based on the supply-chain disruptions in recent years. This year, those conditions are improved, meaning higher production and better availability for customers compared to the past couple of years.”Steve Koss/FordWhile current inventory levels may temper a strike’s impact on new-vehicle sales, parts shortages could be more pressing. An August Detroit Free Press report indicates that Ford hopes to staff its parts depots with salaried workers, plans put in motion as early as July.Efforts like this could help keep more current cars on the road, but this move in particular wasn’t well received by the UAW.”I saw reports of Ford taking out big loans and prepping scabs to work if we go on strike,” UAW’s Shawn Fain said on Friday. “They’re getting ready. So we’re getting ready.”Earlier in 2023 . . .What Will Happen to Incentives?The UAW declined to comment on the likelihood of a strike or indeed whether it would be broad or targeted. Regardless, Seraph’s Ambrose Conroy believes the impacts to buyers could be near-immediate. “Incentives will disappear very soon after a strike is called, so consumers looking for a deal should buy now. Choices will become limited as automakers will again focus production on the highest-profit vehicles they can make, and the on-hand inventory will likely sell quickly,” he said.When that runs dry, shortages will again impact the rest of the market. “A strike that lasts beyond 30 days will likely drive used-car prices higher,” Conroy said.In other words: If a strike runs long, get ready for secondhand price insanity all over again. More

If you’re interested in how a mid-size luxury SUV like the Porsche Cayenne harnesses so much performance, this video should clear it all up for you.Car and Driver suspension expert Dan Edmunds explains the details, from the front wing to the details of the rear suspension and steering.You may think, “There’s nothing the Cayenne Coupe Turbo GT can’t do,” but in our testing, we did find one thing. Watch the video to see it happen.The 2024 Porsche Cayenne Coupe Turbo GT takes the kitchen-sink approach with performance: How about everything? This two-row SUV with 22-inch wheels boasts 60-mph acceleration of 3.0 seconds and a 189-mph top speed. It also packs carbon-ceramic brakes and an all-wheel-drive system complete with rear-axle steering and torque vectoring. But how does the suspension make all that performance happen? That’s what Car and Driver’s resident suspension guru, Dan Edmunds, explains in this video.More Details and SpecsStarting at the front, we learn why the suspension is considered a multi-link and what a virtual pivot point means. We look at the airflow from the front wing to the braking system, which consists of enormous carbon-ceramic rotors with 10-piston calipers. We also learn why there’s a steel mass damper there as well. Out back, Dan explains how the rear suspension is laid out and how the rear steering system works. After getting weights for the front and rear wheels and tires, Dan attempts to run the Cayenne Turbo GT up our steel ramp to score its suspension flex. Even with the air springs set to their tallest ride height setting, the Cayenne proves unable to climb the ramp without damaging a piece of rubber forward of the front wheel. So maybe that’s one thing this Cayenne can’t do. Deputy Editor, VideoFrom selling them to testing them, Carlos Lago has spent his entire adult life consumed by cars. He currently drives the creative behind Car and Driver video. More

Volkswagen filed a voluntary recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) affecting 47,651 2019 and 2020 Jetta sedans.The problem affects vehicles with a traditional ignition switch, where the polyfuse may fail, furthering the risk of a crash. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be mailed out October 27, and dealers will replace affected fuses for free.Volkswagen is recalling 47,651 Jetta sedans from the 2019 and 2020 model years to solve a problem with the ignition in vehicles with a traditional ignition switch. According to a filing with NHTSA, the switch’s polyfuse can fail, potentially leading to the vehicle’s electrical system shutting down and causing the engine to stall while driving. Marc Urbano|Car and DriverAccording to the documents filed with NHTSA, drivers will see two warnings displayed on the dash if the problem occurs: “Ignition switch off, safely stop the vehicle,” followed by “Starter system faulty, please service vehicle.” Recent RecallsThe issue appears to be more prevalent when the car is operated in high-temperature areas, though the root cause of the issue is still being investigated. Owner notification letters are scheduled to be sent to Jetta owners on October 27. Owners with an affected Jetta will be able to bring their vehicle to local dealers who will replace the ignition switch for free. In the meantime, owners can find out if their vehicle is included in the recall by checking the NHTSA recalls 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

This new concept car from Volkswagen shows what a sportier version of the ID.7 electric sedan could look like.It’s called the ID.X Performance concept and it features a 551-hp dual-motor electric powertrain.We don’t think this concept will become a production car, but a dual-motor version of the ID.7 is likely coming soon.Volkswagen’s new ID.7 sedan isn’t the most exciting new electric car slated to hit the market soon, but this new concept version created for an EV festival in Switzerland certainly attracts attention. It’s called the ID.X Performance concept and it ramps up the ID.7’s fun factor thanks to a more powerful drivetrain, a modified suspension, and all sorts of visual add-ons.VolkswagenThe standard ID.7 has a 282-horsepower electric motor powering the rear wheels, but the ID.X has a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup with front and rear electric motors producing a whopping 551 hp. There’s also a locking differential for the rear. The suspension is lowered by 2.3 inches, and cool-looking 10-spoke bronze wheels are wrapped in aggressive Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires.Volkswagen also fitted a body kit including a front splitter and a rear diffuser, and mounted a giant wing on the rear decklid. The taillights are also darkened. Inside, there are red accents and aggressively bolstered front seats.VolkswagenWe don’t think anything like this concept will reach production, but Volkswagen has hinted at sportier ID-badged EVs such as the ID.GTI concept shown recently at the Munich auto show. A more powerful dual-motor, all-wheel-drive version of the ID.7 is also slated to join the lineup later on.More on the ID.7This 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 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

The boxily pragmatic little Fiat Panda arguably reflects the true modern Italy more than a Fiat 500 or any Ferrari you could name.This example is a limited-edition 4×4 model from the final year of the first generation.With a rugged Steyr-Puch 4×4 driveline, it’s the Aspromonte Goat of cars.The Panda is such a cultural phenomenon in Italy that Fiat once released a documentary about an island where Pandas outnumber the human population. The boxy original was penned by designer Giorgetto Giugiaro in 1979, and so many of them were sold over the years that you still find them cluttering back alleys in Rome or parked in a dusty yard in the countryside. Car and DriverIf you’ve ever been to Italy, you’ve seen Pandas all over the place. Now, here’s a chance to bring home this piece of Italianata.This 1985 Fiat Panda 4×4 Edizione Limitata is up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. For the original Panda, 1985 was the final year of production, and this one was refurbished in Bologna, Italy, before being shipped across the Atlantic to Connecticut. Bring a TrailerModern HistoryThe 4×4 version of the Panda, which launched in 1983, is an incredibly scrappy little off-roader despite modest horsepower. It came with a slightly reinforced body shell, to which was fitted an entire four-wheel-drive driveline from Austrian specialist Steyr-Puch. Yes, the same Steyr-Puch that built the original Mercedes-Benz G-wagen.Bring a TrailerPop open this Panda’s stubby hood and you’ll find—oh hey, there’s the spare tire. But nestled under it is a 965cc four-cylinder engine that was rebuilt as part of the refurbishment process. It made 48 horsepower when new, and while that might not sound like a great deal, those are Italian horsepowers. They don’t actually go any faster, but you get to flap your hands around and make a lot more noise when exercising them.Bring a TrailerAnd you did catch the part about the G-wagen, right? This little car might be the size of Danny DeVito, but it is as ruggedly off-road capable as Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime. This is 1988’s Twins in car form.Bring a TrailerThe odometer shows just 38,000 miles (in the kilometer equivalent), but what really seals the deal here is the comprehensive refurbishment. Were you to flip this Panda on its roof—not a physical impossibility given the feathery curb weight—you could eat right off its underside. It is clean and tidy, and ready to get some mud on its fenders.Never mind lusting after some Ferrari hypercar that never gets driven. A boxy Fiat with goat-like off-road ability? Now that’s a proper paisan of an Italian car.This auction ends Thursday, September 14.Recent Bring a Trailer AuctionsContributing 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