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Rolls-Royce unveiled its latest coachbuilt automobile, the Droptail, during Monterey Car Week.A total of four Droptails will be built, each highly personalized.The first Droptail is named La Rose Noire and is said to be inspired by the Black Baccara rose varietal.Rolls-Royce has long indulged requests from its clients seeking special design elements, be they an embroidered falcon in the headliner or a baby’s footprints in the dash trim. But recently, the company has taken this effort up a notch, from a “bespoke” level of specialness to a new level: “coachbuild.” The first product from Crewe to flex those muscles was the Sweptail, back in 2017, a two-door fastback that looked much like the Wraith but was based on the Phantom. Next came the Boat Tail, a nearly roofless tapered-bodied coupe with butterfly doors covered in Caleidolegno-wood veneer over the luggage compartment, from which a sun parasol could be deployed. The tale of custom ‘tails now continues with the Droptail, which is again an open coupe but this time with seating for just two.This project was more extensive than the previous efforts. The Droptail’s architecture is described as a monocoque made from steel, aluminum, and carbon fiber. The car is some 10 inches shorter than a Ghost, and the body is a combination of steel (doors, front fenders) and carbon fiber (rear quarter-panels, trunklid). The 6.7-liter V-12 here got a 30-hp bump over the standard Phantom spec to 593 horsepower, and torque is increased to 620 pound-feet.The first of the four Droptail efforts makes its debut at The Quail during Car Week. Dubbed La Rose Noire, it takes inspiration from a type of rose that the commissioning owners have a particular penchant for. The Baccara Rose informs the exterior colors, which appear to be red and black, but the latter has dark red highlights. The brightwork also wears a unique dark finish. The upright elements in the Rolls grille are angled, for the first time, and the lower air intake features 202 individual rectangular projects, a three-dimensional twist on mesh.Inside, 1603 pieces of black sycamore wood trim veneer are used to create a design that suggests rose petals scattered in the wind. An (also custom-designed) Audemars Piguet watch is mounted into the dash but also can be removed and worn. And there’s a special champagne storage compartment that stores (at the correct temperature) champagne from the clients’ own vineyard. Three other Droptail commissions are still to come, each with its own specific detailing.Related StoriesUnsurprisingly, there was no Monroney price sticker stuck on the window of the Droptail, and it seemed gauche to ask the price. But if you’re considering having Rolls build one for you, know that the previous commission, the Boat Tail, is rumored to have cost around $28 million, so we’d guess the Droptail is in the same neighborhood. Deputy Editor, Reviews and FeaturesJoe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar. More

Northern Californian company Aska showed this prototype of a flying car during Monterey Car Week that it hopes to produce within two to three years.The Aska A5 flying vehicle can take off both vertically and horizontally, an improvement on the “flying car” idea.The plan is to use these planes as rentals or taxis, priced at around $800,000, and 100 prospective buyers have already placed reservations, a spokesman told Car and Driver.Flying cars have been teased as a someday technology for decades, long before self-driving cars became the just-around-the-corner technology to chase. A few, such as Terrafugia, made real strides but, ultimately never made it to market. Now there’s a new player promising to land the dream in two or three years’ time.Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying MachinesAska, a company located in Northern California, has been engineering a solution with a team of about 50 for the past six years, and we got a quick (land-bound) ride in its first prototype during the Monterey Car Week happenings. It’s still very early, and rough, but Aska has a further innovation on the flying-car concept, as it can take off vertically as well as horizontally like a typical plane. That means it could get in and out of much smaller spaces. In fact, CEO and co-founder Guy Kaplinsky has grand visions of converting gas stations, many of which he sees going out of business with the transition to electric cars, into landing pads for his creation.Dave VanderWerp|Car and DriverThe Aska A5 will seat four, and is propelled through the air by six propellers, four of which can rotate from a vertical to horizontal orientation to facilitate the transition from takeoff to flight. The Aska can also take off conventionally, in which case its acceleration is boosted by an electric motor at each rear wheel. Power for the 5000-to-6000-pound craft—Kaplinsky promises the production version will be lighter—comes from a roughly 100.0-kWh battery pack, with a gas-powered range extender to make more electricity when needed. Flying range is a claimed 250 mph with a 150-mph cruising speed. Dave VanderWerp|Car and DriverTo convert to driving configuration, the front and rear wings fold over the fuselage, which takes about a minute, and the wings have to be secured to keep them from bouncing around with road impacts. This is currently a manual process, but an auto-locking mechanism is right around the corner, according to Kaplinsky. Really, a more accurate name is a “driving plane” rather than a “flying car,” however, as the Aska won’t meet all of the regulatory requirements to be fully street legal. Instead, it will be registered as a neighborhood electric vehicle. Dave VanderWerp|Car and DriverKaplinsky envisions that the driving part would be typically fewer than 10 miles, just to get to an appropriate takeoff location, and that the A5 would typically be operated as a rental or taxi. He says he already has 100 reservations for his craft, which will cost just $800,000. The company has recently begun unmanned hovering as they go down the path of FAA approval. We hope the flying car really makes it this time.Director, Vehicle TestingDave VanderWerp has spent more than 20 years in the automotive industry, in varied roles from engineering to product consulting, and now leading Car and Driver’s vehicle-testing efforts. Dave got his very lucky start at C/D by happening to submit an unsolicited resume at just the right time to land a part-time road warrior job when he was a student at the University of Michigan, where he immediately became enthralled with the world of automotive journalism. More

Currently awaiting U.S. Senate approval, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act seeks to make AM radio a mandated requirement of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).Lawmakers point out that AM radio is still useful in emergencies; manufacturers argue that it’s old tech.Various manufacturers have been dropping AM radio as a feature, particularly in EVs. A bipartisan bill currently before the U.S. Senate, the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act, aims to regulate exactly what you think it does. It has already passed the Senate Commerce Committee, and it seems likely that legislation will soon be passed to keep AM radio in new vehicles. The act is waiting for full Senate approval, which won’t happen until at least after the August recess.[When] the internet gets cut off or the TV doesn’t work because of no power to your house, you can still turn on your [car’s] AM radio.”—Rep. Josh Gottheimer On one hand, the politicians behind the AM Act make some good points. Manufacturers including Ford, Volkswagen, and Tesla have quietly removed AM radio functionality from some of their new products, although Ford later changed course and announced that its 2024 models will still have AM capability. Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey said in a press release, “The importance of AM radio during large-scale emergencies cannot be underestimated, and it has, without a doubt and without interruption, saved lives and kept our communities informed. When the cellphone runs out, the internet gets cut off, or the television doesn’t work because of no electricity or power to your house, you can still turn on your [car’s] AM radio.”Why Not Just Use Smartphones?Pushback coming from manufacturer trade associations points out that cellphones are much better at broadcasting emergency alerts and can include hyperlinks with directions and information. The vast majority of cellphone users in the U.S. own smartphones, and the new iPhone 14 even has satellite link capability for emergency services. Commercial AM radio audiences have shrunk, and streaming audio is far more common. Maybe it’s time to move on.AM radio is the longest-running form of in-car audio, unless you count singing when behind the wheel. The very first aftermarket radios began showing up in the 1920s and 1930s, though they were expensive and very bulky. An early Blaupunkt car radio, for instance, cost a third the price of a new car and was the size of a suitcase.Sound EffectsAnd the kind of radio you could pick up on in those early days is absolutely mind-boggling. In 1932, when you could get a Motorola radio for your Ford Model A, the 300-foot towers at XER in Mexico were cranked up to one million watts. The broadcasting range reportedly stretched to Mexico, but accounts at the time said people were picking up the station on their telephones, bedsprings, fillings, and even barbed wire fences.AM Radio’s Wild PastThe man behind the XER “border blaster” (it was situated just across the border from Del Rio, Texas) was one of America’s most bizarre quacks and charlatans. John R. Brinkley made his fortune as the goat gland doctor, performing thousands of operations where he claimed to insert goat testicles in people to cure impotence. His radio station broadcast all sorts of highly questionable medical advice, advertised miracle cures, and to fill time he hosted up-and-coming musicians. Brinkley launched the career of the likes of Gene Autry, and deserves at least partial credit for the popular spread of country music. He earned millions yet died penniless, though don’t shed too many tears as in the latter part of his life he became a really big fan of Adolf Hitler.Later in AM radio’s Wild West period, a New Yorker named Robert Smith showed up in Del Rio, lured after having heard Hank Williams and Johnny Cash on the XERF radio station. He changed his name to Wolfman Jack and ended up spreading blues, jazz, and rock music all across a fairly repressed America. Kids in jalopies cruised at night, listening to Mexican pirate radio. The Wolfman was a sufficient icon of the time to show up later in American Graffiti.Later you had Art Bell’s Coast to Coast AM, beaming out discussions of the paranormal in the wee hours of the morning. Sports radio. Talk radio. Call in shows. Hit shows about fictional stations like WKRP (in Cincinnati) or KACL (Go ahead, Seattle, Dr. Frasier Crane is listening). AM radio outlived the eight-track, the cassette tape, and is currently watching the CD player being phased out.Can’t Beat the PriceAccording to a Nielsen survey done in the fall of last year, more than 82 million Americans still tune into AM radio on a monthly basis. It’s still a great go-to for traffic alerts and sports, and whether this legislation is government overreach is exactly the kind of thing that gets hotly debated on AM talk radio shows.Keeping AM radio in cars is, at worst, a small added expense for manufacturers that they’ll have to pass on. But as more and more entertainment options and even features embrace the subscription model, AM radio is still free. That might be an outdated idea these days, but it’s one worth keeping around. 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

The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GT coupe will go on sale early next year in two trim levels: the 469-hp GT55 and the 577-hp GT63. The new GT shares much of its mechanicals and technology with the latest SL roadster. For the first time, the GT features standard all-wheel drive and available rear seats. Over the years, two-door Mercedes-AMG sports cars—from the SLS Gullwing to the first-generation GT, and even the Benz-branded SLR McLaren before them—all have mixed flamboyance and performance to hedonistic degrees. But the company’s go-fast wizards seem to have taken a broader approach with the redesigned 2024 GT coupe, which in borrowing heavily from the latest SL roadster, embraces more of the grand-touring side of the spectrum. Better Looks, Improved Aerodynamics Elegantly sculpted with a plunging snout and bulging haunches, the new C192-series GT still looks the part of a six-figure rocket yet is easier on the eyes than before. Its structure is composed of an aluminum space frame with steel, magnesium, and carbon-fiber elements, and overall dimensions have increased slightly over its predecessor. It’s now 7.1 inches longer, 1.6 inches wider, and carries an additional 2.8 inches between its axles. Active aerodynamic systems can be found in the front underbody as well as with the active rear spoiler; an optional Aerodynamics package will bring additional front air deflectors, a more pronounced rear diffuser, and a fixed rear wing. AMG says the overriding mission of the GT’s redesign is to satisfy existing customers who’ve asked for greater practicality without a drop in performance. To that end, the outgoing car’s rear-wheel-drive layout is gone, replaced by a standard variable all-wheel-drive system that can route up to 50 percent of the engine’s torque to the front wheels or 100 percent to the rear axle. That engine is AMG’s familiar twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8, which will pump out 469 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque in the GT55 model and 577 horses and 590 pound-feet in the GT63. However, the new car’s transmission—a nine-speed automatic with a clutch pack in place of a torque converter—is situated directly behind the engine, rather than positioned in back as with the previous GT’s rear-mounted dual-clutch transaxle. As a result, the blown V-8 now sits atop the front axle line, rather than behind it—a compromise that benefits interior space at the likely expense of front-to-rear weight distribution. Additional mechanical highlights include rear-wheel steering, an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential, an optional nose-lift system that can raise the front end 1.2 inches, and a semi-active hydraulically linked suspension with adaptive dampers. As you’d expect, AMG’s Dynamic Select system offers a variety of drive modes, as well as a Race Start launch-control program. Though curb weights likely will increase beyond the two-ton mark, the GT63 should be able to hit 60 mph in around three seconds. Conventional cast-iron brake rotors will be standard, while carbon-ceramic units spanning 16.5 inches up front will be optional. The example we saw sat on Michelin Pilot Sport S5 summer tires mounted on 21-inch forged aluminum wheels (20s are standard). While the model range will initially encompass the GT55 and GT63, the high-load HL rating of the new car’s rear tires, combined with sightings of development mules with charging ports, indicate that a more-powerful plug-in hybrid model will be added down the road. Compared to the old GT, the new car’s cabin is more luxurious, spacious, and easier to see out of, especially with the optional panoramic glass roof. From its turbine-like circular air vents to its 11.9-inch center touchscreen interface, the interior is an attractively high-tech setting that will be immediately familiar to anyone who’s peered inside a new SL. Enveloping sport seats with an available massage function will be standard and can be upgraded to more aggressively bolstered performance seats. Significantly, additional room behind the front seats makes for handy space to stash stuff, or the fitment of optional fold-down rear seats for two extra passengers—provided they lack heads. Additional convenience can be found around back, with the hands-free power-actuated rear hatch opening to reveal a generous cargo area that should accommodate two golf bags. And you’ll want to opt for the collapsible rear jump seats if you plan to maximize the GT’s cargo capacity, as models without them get a fixed bulkhead behind the passenger compartment.More on two-door AMGsWith all-wheel drive, additional feature content, and a greater focus on overall usability, the new GT appears squarely focused on competing with today’s quintessential everyday supercar, the Porsche 911 Turbo. Though traditionalists may lament AMG’s decision to steer the GT away from pure sports-car territory, we’ll soon have a better idea of its tradeoffs once we get behind the wheel. Pricing has yet to be announced, but we expect it to fall relatively close to the current SL55 and SL63’s entry points—$142,350 and $184,050, respectively—when it goes on sale in the first half of 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.Technical EditorMike Sutton is an editor, writer, test driver, and general car nerd who has contributed to Car and Driver’s reverent and irreverent passion for the automobile since 2008. A native Michigander from suburban Detroit, he enjoys the outdoors and complaining about the weather, has an affection for off-road vehicles, and believes in federal protection for naturally aspirated engines. More

Kia has revealed a Limited Edition version of the 2023 EV6 electric SUV with special green paint.It celebrates the model winning the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award.1000 units will be produced for the U.S.Who doesn’t love a green-over-tan color scheme? Kia is introducing a particularly nice color combo for the EV6 in the form of this new Limited Edition model meant to commemorate the model winning the North American Utility Vehicle of the Year award. (The EV6 also won our 10Best Trucks and SUVs award for 2023, just saying.)1000 units will be produced in total for the U.s., and the Limited Edition has an attractive shade of paint called Deep Forest Green. The paint is exclusive to this special edition and it contrasts beautifully with the Desert Beige leather interior. The Limited Edition also has the same black wheel-well and fascia trim from the EV6’s Wind trim level, plus the GT Line’s 20-inch wheels and extra equipment. There’s also a special trim piece by the gear selector with the award’s logo and a silhouette of the EV6.All models will be equipped with the EV6’s 320-hp dual-motor AWD configuration and use the 77.4-kWh battery pack. Kia hasn’t released pricing yet but says that more info will be available before the Limited Edition goes on sale later this year.More on the EV6This 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