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The 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron’s interior debuts with screens galore and an available head-up display that augments reality.Predictably, the inside of Audi’s upcoming EV SUV also heavily features sustainable materials.The Q6 e-tron boasts 19 cubic feet of cargo room behind the rear seats; that space expands to 54 cubes with the second row stowed.Audi has revealed the inside of the 2025 Q6 e-tron, the brand’s first EV that will be built on its new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture. Essentially, it’s the model that sets the tone for Audi’s future, and that future looks to feature a dashboard dedicated to displays, among other tech-centric content.First Look InsideAnyone who had hoped screen-packed interiors were merely a fad should probably put that dream to bed. The Q6 e-tron is the latest example of where new-car cabins are heading, with not one, not two, but three screens facing its occupants. The OLED gauge cluster and infotainment touchscreen measure 11.9- and 14.5-inches, respectively, and both reside under a single curved bezel that’s underlined by ambient lighting. Another 10.9-inch touchscreen is dedicated to the front-seat passenger, and it has a way of blocking the driver’s view of its contents, per safety regulations.AudiWith the Q6 e-tron, Audi introduces new Android-based infotainment software, which brings what the company calls a “self-learning voice assistant.” Much like with Mercedes’s MBUX system, Q6 users can summon the artificial intelligence by saying, “Hey, Audi.” The full extent of the voice assistant’s skillset is unknown, but Audi claims it can do everything from learn a driver’s preferences and make suggestions. How long will it take the AI to learn that we like the climate set to 69 degrees, the ventilated seats activated, and the heated steering wheel on? We’re interested to find out.Taking Audi’s in-car technology further is an optional head-up display with augmented reality. When the SUV’s speed, navigation directions, or traffic signs are reflected onto the windshield, their images are tilted forward to create the impression they’re floating in front of the vehicle. Audi claims this helps reduce distractions, particularly in low-visibility situations. However, that’ll be for individual drivers to decide.Ambient lighting is another polarizing interior feature that’s proliferating among new cars (personally, this author loves the theatrics). The Q6 e-tron, of course, offers customizable colors, but it also has interactive lighting elements such as a welcome action and the ability to notify people when the vehicle is locked and unlocked. Other neat tricks include mimicking the turn signals and visualizing the EV’s charging levels. Neat, right?Q6 Vs. Q5 Cargo Space The 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron’s exterior dimensions are said to be similar to the gas-powered Q5 SUV. We drove a prototype in the mystical land known as the Faroe Islands where that size comparison felt appropriate. While Audi hasn’t yet released the Q6’s full interior measurements, it did reveal the EV’s cargo space. There’s 19 cubic feet behind the second row; fold those seats flat and that area grows to 54 cubes. Compared with the Q5, the latter figure is identical to the max cargo capacity, while the former is 7 cubic feet smaller. At least the e-tron’s front truck contributes a separate 2 cubes. It’s possible the difference is also made up with more overall passenger space in the Q6.AudiGiving the Q6 e-tron’s interior a closer look will reveal its squared-off steering wheel, which is flat on the top and bottom and hosts a bunch of touch-sensitive controls. While we appreciate the physical volume knob, we’re less thrilled about the lack of real buttons and switches elsewhere. For example, the door panels have a plasticky panel of capacitive controls for the locks, lights, mirrors, and memory seat settings. Thanks, but no thanks.Some people will be able to look past those details and others will be disappointed. Final judgements can be made once the Audi Q6 e-tron and the higher-performance SQ6 variant hit the streets sometime next year.Tracking the Q6 e-tronThis 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 VW ID.GTI concept comes ahead of a fully electric, front-wheel-drive GTI that will be going on sale in Europe, likely not before 2027—but is as yet unconfirmed for the U.S. Retro details on the ID.GTI include the ability to replicate the original Golf GTI soundtrack. The “I” in GTI now stands for Intelligence rather than Injection, says VW.We have already seen GTX branding used on the sportier versions of the ID.4 and ID.5 EVs, but now Volkswagen is set to take the next step with the creation of a fully electric car that will wear the GTI name. The ID.GTI unveiled at the IAA auto show in Munich is a concept car, but a production version is set to follow in Europe—and we’re told this is also under consideration for sale in the United States.Entry-Level EV for EuropeThe ID.GTI is effectively a hopped-up version of the regular ID.2 that Volkswagen previewed with the ID.2all concept earlier this year. This is set to be VW’s entry-level EV in Europe, positioned below the ID.3 (which isn’t sold in the States). The ID.GTI shares the same base bodywork as the vanilla ID.2 and sits on the company’s new MEB Entry platform, a smaller and simpler version of its existing MEB architecture, one which uses front- rather than rear-wheel drive. VW says its simulated sound system can replicate historic GTIs including the original 1976 Mk 1 and the 1986 Mk 2 16-valve version. Volkswagen hasn’t released any power figures for the ID.GTI, but we can safely assume it will have at least as much as the 223 horsepower that has been promised for the top-spec ID.2. Like the current gasoline-fired GTI, the ID.GTI will get an electronically controlled limited-slip differential to help it find traction and help alter its behavior in switchable dynamic modes. It also has a simulated sound system, which the company says can replicate historic GTIs, including the original 1976 Mk 1 and the 1986 Mk 2 16-valve version.We will have to wait for other mechanical details, although we predict that the production ID.GTI will use the larger of the two ID.2 battery packs, which stores 56.0 kWh rather than the entry-level 38.0 kWh. Volkswagen has previously said that the larger pack will support DC fast-charging at speeds of up to 125 kW and that it will have a range of up to 280 miles under Europe’s optimistic WLTP testing protocol. One interesting question is whether the ID.GTI will have a speed limiter; Volkswagen restricts the ID.3 to 99 mph in Europe and has said it will do the same with the regular ID.2. As a performance variant, will the GTI be allowed to go faster? Closer in Size to Polo Than GolfThe ID.GTI will be smaller than the existing GTI; at 161.6 inches in length and sitting on a 102.4-inch wheelbase, it is closer in size to the European Polo rather than the current-generation Golf. But Volkswagen promises that short overhangs and the lack of a combustion motor up front mean it will offer comparable passenger space to the gasoline-fired GTI. We can’t show you a finished interior yet. The IAA concept is an external styling model, but VW has released renderings of the cabin showing a squared-off steering wheel and a red color scheme, plus “Stop” and “Fast Forward” logos on the brake and accelerator pedals (the ID.2all was shown with “Pause” and “Play”). The renderings also show a minimalist plaid pattern on the seat trim, another GTI cue. Another neat detail is the ability to transform the display of the 10.9-inch digital instrument display to a rendered version of the Mk 2 Golf GTI’s instrument pack. A larger 12.9-inch display sits in the center of the dashboard, and as with the face-lifted versions of the larger ID models, Volkswagen is bringing back separate temperature and volume controls rather than integrating them into the bottom of the touchscreen. The concept also has a head-up display for both the driver and front-seat passenger, which is shown projecting performance data high onto the full height of the screen and allowing the passenger to see “lap times that have been completed.” That is a distraction that is hard to imagine making it to a road-legal version. Volkswagen design boss Andreas Mindt admits that he was already thinking of the design of the ID.GTI when he began work on the ID.2all, and the muscular front and rear bumpers make that obvious. So do plenty of details that reference earlier GTI variants, such as the black rear wing integrated into the top of the tailgate and the eight-spoke 20-inch wheels. It certainly looks more purposeful than the ID.2all concept did. It is still a way off being on sale. The production version of the regular ID.2 is set to go on sale in Europe in 2026, with the GTI following the following year. Both will be built in Spain alongside models from Škoda and Seat that are built on the same MEB Entry platform. We hope to be able to tell you that it will come to the U.S. at some point afterward.Deep Dive into VW’s MEB ArchitectureThis 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 European CorrespondentOur man on the other side of the pond, Mike Duff lives in Britain but reports from across Europe, sometimes beyond. He has previously held staff roles on UK titles including CAR, Autocar and evo, but his own automotive tastes tend towards the Germanic, owning both a troublesome 987-generation Porsche Cayman S and a Mercedes 190E 2.5-16. More

The Mercedes-Benz E-class All-Terrain station wagon follows the lead of its sedan sibling into a new generation for the 2024 model year. The new All-Terrain arrives with tons of new tech and debuts with the E450 sedan’s hybrid inline-six powertrain. Passenger legroom has grown for the new generation, with the All-Terrain growing 1.1 inches wider and 0.9 inch longer for the new generation. Despite many North American customers spurning the very idea of a station wagon, Mercedes-Benz is bringing the E-class All-Terrain back for a new generation. The E450 All-Terrain returns for 2024 following the footsteps of the E-class sedan with a technologically sophisticated design and a hybrid powertrain.Tech-Centric InteriorJust as with the 2024 E-class sedan, the wagon’s new-generation model will be extremely focused on technology. Also like the sedan, the wagon will come standard with two displays, though the high-tech interior can also be optioned with the passenger Superscreen that extends in front of the passenger. The setup integrates a 12.3-inch instrument cluster with available 3-D graphics, a 14.4-inch touchscreen, and the optional 12.3-inch passenger display. Properly set up, the new E-class All-Terrain will allow the passenger to stream videos and games even with the car in motion. The central display has several third-party apps, including TikTok and Angry Birds, and the driver can use video conferencing tools like Zoom while the car is parked.The rest of the cabin is finished with rich-looking leather and metal switchgear, with ambient lighting wrapping the dashboard. An option package allows the ambient lighting to pulse with the beat of whatever music is playing on the Burmester surround-sound system. Rear passengers also benefit for the new generation because the 2024 All-Terrain is 1.1 inches wider, and 0.9 inch longer than the previous generation. Hybrid Inline-Six-Cylinder PowerSince the All-Terrain is only offered in the E450 trim, the hybrid four-cylinder option from the E350 sedan is out. That leaves the E450’s turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, which in the sedan at least remains a wonderful tool for the E-class’s mission. Aided by the extra 23 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque from the electric motor, the six-cylinder provides smooth acceleration and stays impressively quiet at speed. Total output climbs to 375 horses (a 13-hp increase from before) and 369 pound-feet of torque.Air Suspension as StandardThe optional air suspension from the sedan comes standard on the wagon. This provides more ground clearance and continuously adjustable damping for the compression and rebound stages of the shock absorbers. With the car set to comfort mode, the vehicle is automatically lowered by 0.6 inch at speeds above 75 mph to reduce wind resistance and improve fuel efficiency.More E-Class NewsMercedes has not revealed pricing information for the new All-Terrain, but we expect the new model will start around $78,000 when it begins arriving at U.S. dealerships in 2024. 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 Concept CLA-Class EV is an electric-first clean-sheet design that’s about the same length as the current CLA sedan. Its rear-mounted motor, two-speed transmission, and 800-volt architecture should deliver better efficiency than current EVs, enabling some 400 miles of range. Many trickle-down features from the Vision EQXX concept are present, including the cabin-spanning MBUX Superscreen.Mercedes-Benz took the wraps off the Concept CLA-Class electric vehicle in Munich today. The existing product nomenclature and remarks characterizing it as “close to production” suggest that elements seen here will appear in the upcoming full redesign of the CLA. Production of the new electric luxury car will commence in late 2024, according to representatives, which suggests the final product will be the 2025 Mercedes-Benz CLA in the U.S. market. Three other spinoffs will follow: a wagon variant we likely won’t get, and a pair of SUVs that may become the GLA and GLB replacements.Full Details and SpecsThe concept is an “electric first” clean-sheet design utilizing the new Mercedes-Benz Modular Architecture (MMA) that was conceived to support entry-level EVs, and it does appear exactly as you might expect a next-generation CLA-class to look, albeit with numerous concept-car flourishes. Its approximate 185-inch length (no specific dimensions were given, but the designer admitted to that much) is about the same as the current CLA, which measures 184.6 inches. The concept features a broad stance and six-spoke 21-inch wheels, shod with 255/35R-21 front and 285/30R-21 rear tires. Design highlights include a beautifully sculpted shark nose with a prominent undercut, and smooth flanks with a flowing Coke-bottle shape. Its hood is also quite long for an EV, and that’s because they plan to offer ICE engines, too.Power DetailsThe EV will be offered in single-motor rear-drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive variants, but Mercedes was not ready to tell us if the ICE cars will be front-drivers like the current CLA or use rear drive like the EV concept. In the Concept CLA Class that was shown, power comes from a single rear-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor that makes 235-hp, using MB.EDU (Mercedes-Benz Electric Drive Unit) technology from the Vision EQXX concept that requires “close to zero percent” rare-earth materials. Eschewing the usual direct-drive setup, its output flows through a two-speed transmission that enables better efficiency over a wider range of speeds. The motor and battery also employ 800-volt architecture in another major nod toward efficiency. The concept also features a next-generation heat pump that not only conveys powertrain heat to the cabin, it also extracts heat from the outside air like a household heat-pump, even in winter.Impressive-Seeming RangeThe few performance specs that were revealed underscore the payoff: an estimated range of 750 km and consumption pegged at an ultra-low 12 kWh per 100 kilometers on Europe’s WLTP test cycle. In more familiar EPA terms, our translation suggests 400 miles of range and efficiency approaching 150 MPGe. What’s more, the 800-volt architecture allows DC fast-charging at 250 kW, which could allow some 200 miles of range (in U.S. reckoning) to be added in 15 minutes. Mercedes did not share the battery size, but the same calculations used to make the above estimates suggest that 90.0 kWh of usable capacity is likely. The tracks with the car’s proportions, which features a wide stance, a longer wheelbase, and shorter overhangs than the current CLA but is still a compact machine compared to, say, a Lucid Air.As it turns out, two different lithium-ion battery chemistries will be offered. The pricier option, which no doubt produces the long range of the concept, features anodes with silicon-oxide content that improve energy density. The entry-level version will use lithium-iron phosphate, a less costly option that will likely result in a battery with a lower kWh rating and less range. Still, with some 400 miles at the top end, it’s likely to be a compelling number.That SuperscreenAn EQXX-inspired MBUX Superscreen dominates the interior because it is the de facto dashboard that spans the entire cabin. The instruments and infotainment sub-screens occupy their usual places, but the panel continues uninterrupted to the passenger side, where your companion can theoretically (specific US features aren’t yet clear) watch movies, control the audio system, export navigation routes to the driver, and more. It’s powered by MB.OS chip-to-cloud architecture that knits all of the electronic features of the car together, creating what Mercedes says will be a unique user interface and user experience. We’re dubious, because the concept had few physical controls and the system only operated in a demo mode that made it impossible to evaluate. But there’s no avoiding the MB.OS chip itself, because it is housed on the floor beneath the Superscreen in a luminous water-cooled housing that looks like a Flux Capacitor from Back to the Future. Yeah, that probably won’t happen.Dan Edmunds|Car and DriverDan Edmunds|Car and DriverOther interior features of the concept are also unlikely to see the light of day, such as the starry-night roof that’s engraved with hundreds of three-pointed stars. That roof also lacks any kind of obvious tint, and there’s no structural crossmember aft of the windshield header. The one-piece four-place bucket seats are also unlikely, and there’s more silver-hued leather on the floor (and firewall!) than we’ve seen in our entire lives. But it’s easy to see past all that and imagine a more production-ready configuration, with a tinted glass roof bolstered by an additional crossmember, along with conventional-looking seats and trim. More physical switchgear would be appreciated, too.That may be why we especially like the large protruding rotary climate dials near either end of the Superscreen, which you grasp and rotate to adjust the temperature, with the readout embedded in their centers. But the air doesn’t emerge from them; it passes out through slots embedded in a secondary dash behind the floating screen. Those vents are slotted to mimic the lamella structures on the undersides of mushrooms, and that design theme permeates the interior. Lamella-inspired ribbing makes up the speaker grilles, the cupholder lining, the horn button detailing, and the anti-skid basement floor below the floating console.Level 3 Automation Ready?There is one other unique design feature that has a strong chance of making it to production, and that is the subtle transverse blister atop the roof just above the windshield. This rounded hump houses sensors that Mercedes says will enable Level 3 automated driving at some point during the car’s production life. That capability won’t be introduced at launch, but the presence of the sensors and the OTA updatability of the MB.OS-powered control software make it likely that the next CLA will be, as one representative put it, “Level 3-ready.” More details pertaining to the actual CLA production car will arrive in the coming months, but if you subtract the most fanciful design details, you’re still left with a stunning-looking CLA concept with impressive mechanicals that enable stellar consumption, range, and charging capabilities. What do you lose with the entry-level battery? How much power will the AWD version make? What about the gas engine versions? More to the point: what will it cost? That information is months away, but the CLA class does occupy the lower rungs of Mercedes-Benz’s price ladder. Mercedes is moving their EV offerings into much-appreciated territory.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.Technical EditorDan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department. More

The vintage-look Atari 2600 Plus is a throwback to the golden age of video gaming.The console comes bundled with 10 games, but it is backward compatible with hundreds of Atari system titles.Our best pick: Travel back in time to a simpler age of racing games with a vintage copy of Pole Position.With the film Gran Turismo in theaters, and blockbuster racing sims hugely popular at present, digital racing has never been hotter. There are online racing leagues and in-person tournaments for very real cash prizes. Even the pros use racing sims to hone their skills. But sometimes you want to leave all that complexity behind, and go back to the wood-paneled basement of your youth, when your worries were as limited as the pixels on your screen. Thanks to Atari, you kind of can. Preorder NowDeep Silver Atari 2600+Preorder NowDeep Silver Atari 2600+Just released and shipping in November, the Atari 2600 Plus aims to take console gaming back to basics. It comes preloaded with 10 classic games, but that’s not the good part—the 2600+ is backward compatible with nearly all 2600 and 7800 Atari cartridge games. Quick! Scurry up to your attic and dig through those old cardboard boxes to find your old games. It’s time for some Pole Position.The BackstoryPole Position is the great-grandfather of the Gran Turismo series of games. In arcade cabinet form, it raked in a total of $9.5 million in quarters every week of 1983, from gamers racing a tiny digital F1 car around a simple model of Fuji raceway. The Atari cartridge version sold in the hundreds of thousands, and if you don’t happen to have one squirreled away, you can likely find one on eBay.Pole Position was developed by Namco, an early Japanese distributor for California-based Atari. The game was launched just two years after Namco’s iconic video game hit, 1980’s Pac-Man, and it’s considered one of (if not the) most influential racing game ever made. It wasn’t the first, but Pole Position was the one that set the foundations for all subsequent racing video games. Its impact continues to echo down the years. For a brief period, you could even play Pole Position on the screen of your Tesla. That Easter Egg was rolled out in a software update in August of 2018. Unfortunately, the rights to the classic game were not properly secured. If a video game company goes out of business, some old games can become what’s called “abandonware,” in which case they’re fair game. Namco is still around as a software company, though heavily restructured, and thus Pole Position was not up for grabs.Atari ManiaBut you can still get your mitts on it. The 2600+ costs a reasonable $129.99 and comes with a free-of-charge dose of nostalgia. The retro-look switchgear and wood trim is pure early 1980s, but the console can hook up to nearly any modern TV, with widescreen modes and HDMI and USB-C connection ports.Related StoriesNext, Find the GameIf you snap one up, then you’re really going to want to look for—in that dusty cardboard box or on eBay—Pole Position II. A nearly identical sequel to the original released just one year later, Pole Position II is essentially the same basic game as its predecessor, but it offers three additional circuits to race on. As an Atari 7800 cartridge, it has been third-party tested and confirmed to work on the 2600+. The original Pole Position has also been confirmed to work, but you might as well have a few more tracks to drive.Atari ManiaPreorders for the 2600+ are open now, and the consoles will start shipping in November. If you need to take a break from the overwhelming complexity of modern racing games, or just want to relive part of your childhood, then you better snap one up fast. You’re going to want to take pole position on this one.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 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