News

The 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger get matching Mopar special editions that bring unique exterior and interior bits.Called the ’23 Mopar Special Edition package, it’s reserved for widebody R/T Scat Pack models and costs $3995 apiece.Mopar will sell 200 Challengers and 200 Chargers in the U.S. with the package, and orders will open in September.The 2023 Dodge Challenger and Charger might be heading down the road to nowhere, what with production of both muscle cars set to expire by year’s end, but Mopar—Dodge’s factory-backed parts supplier and servicer—will bid farewell to each with matching special-edition packages.Mopar TwinsiesCalled the ’23 Mopar Special Edition package, it’ll be available on new Challengers and Chargers with the widebody R/T Scat Pack configuration. While the Mopar treatment won’t change any of the car’s mechanical bits, meaning their 485-hp 6.4-liter Hemi V-8s will be unchanged, it will customize their looks. Along with Pitch Black paint and black 20-inch wheels, the special-edition Challenger and Chargers both receive matte-black body graphics and Mopar Blue accents seen on the front and rear brake calipers, hood, roof, and trunklid. The latter will be made of carbon fiber, which isn’t offered on any production model.MoparInside, the ’23 Mopar Special Editions come with shiny door sills as well as mats on the floor and in the trunk that feature Mopar logos. Each model also comes with an exclusive Mopar owner’s kit that includes a metal certificate of authenticity. It includes a serialized vehicle-build number along with rendering of the car courtesy of Mopar’s design team.Limited ProductionMopar will only build 440 total special editions. With 40 allocated to Canada, that leaves 200 Challengers and 200 Chargers for U.S. customers who will each have to pay an extra $3995 on top of the car’s base prices, which are $55,855 and $57,920, respectively. Orders have to be made through individual Dodge dealerships, with production set to start in September and deliveries slated for the following month.The Last of ThemThis 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 2024 Ford Bronco Sport arrives with a new Free Wheeling special edition that gives off ’70s vibes.The Free Wheeling model features sunset-like graphics inside and out along with funky red-accented wheels.For 2024, the Bronco Sport also gains a Black Appearance package that, you guessed it, dresses the compact SUV with dark details.Remember the 1970s? Whether you do or don’t, the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport will give people a little taste of the vibes in those days with the introduction of the new Free Wheeling special edition. Not only is it inspired by Ford off-roaders from the ’70s, but the compact SUV’s brightly colored graphics and funky red-accented wheels are sure to attract the attention of boomers and millennials alike.’70s ThrowbackThe special-edition Bronco Sport is a modern take on Ford’s Free Wheeling décor package that was launched in 1977. Available on the Bronco, F-series trucks, and even vans of the day, the kit had black bumpers, white wagon wheels, and tri-color body decals.Ford Motor CompanyWhile the 2024 Bronco Sport Free Wheeling lacks black steel bumpers and white steel wheels, its hood, sides, and rear liftgate are emblazoned with reflective colorful stripes similar to those seen on its ancestors. Along with a black-painted roof, there’s a silver grille with contrasting Bronco script. The 17-inch wheels have red pockets that some will likely appreciate, while other will probably hate. We dig ’em.Inside, the Free Wheeling edition gets a similar sunset-like treatment that brings eye-popping striping on the seatbacks and redish accents on the center stack and upper door panels. The trim on the center console also includes a little plaque that identifies each Bronco Sport as a Free Wheeling edition—as if that wasn’t already obvious. Ford Motor CompanyBlack Appearance PackOn the complete opposite end of the spectrum, the 2024 Ford Bronco Sport is also now available with a Black Appearance package that gives off moody vibes. With this option, the compact SUV’s grille and its Bronco lettering are completely blacked out. There are also matte black decals on the hood to match the 17-inch wheels. The roof and exterior badges are also black, and the interior gets a new bucking bronco badge that’s bright yellow. Just kidding, it’s black.Ford Motor CompanyLike the Black Appearance package, the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling is only offered on Big Bend models. Other changes to the 2024 Bronco Sport lineup are new Azure Gray and Desert Sand paint colors, which can’t be paired with the Bronco Sport Free Wheeling edition, for those who were wondering.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 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

There will be a second-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV, General Motors CEO Mary Barra confirmed today during an earnings conference call.Earlier this year, General Motors had proclaimed the Bolt dead as it prepared the hatchback’s factory for a transition to assembling electric pickups. But the Bolt is not dead and is in fact getting better, with Barra revealing that the second-gen Bolt will use GM’s newer Ultium battery technology.The Chevrolet Bolt nameplate will live on, General Motors CEO Mary Barra announced today during an earnings conference call. This contradicts earlier reports that the Bolt was dead after 2023, with GM stating in April that the Orion Assembly plant in Michigan where the Bolt is built was transitioning to building electric trucks like the Silverado EV next year.Marc Urbano|Car and DriverNow we know that the Bolt will receive a second generation, and Chevrolet is promising that the electric hatchback will continue to pack modern tech and a solid electric range into an affordable package. Although the Bolt was always among the cheapest EVs, price cuts for 2023 saw the MSRP drop to $27,495. Sales rebounded from a controversial battery recall in 2021, with 38,120 units finding homes in 2022 for the Bolt’s best sales year yet. So far, 2023 is going strong, with 33,659 Bolts delivered through the first half. The current Bolt, first launched in 2017, is built on the BEV2 platform, developed with a helping hand from LG, which also manufactured the Bolt’s battery pack. Since then, GM and LG Energy Solution have collaborated on a new battery platform, Ultium, that is already found in the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV and will also underpin the Silverado EV. More on Chevy EVsBarra confirmed that the next-generation Bolt will utilize the Ultium platform, which the company says should help the Bolt badge return to market “on an accelerated timeline,” although the specific timing won’t be announced until later. We expect the second-gen Bolt to arrive for the 2025 model year, and while Chevy didn’t specify whether the slightly bigger Bolt EUV will be back, it mostly likely will if crossover sales continue to dominate the market.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

Kia has revealed the facelifted version of the Sorento mid-size SUV.It also has a revised interior with a larger infotainment screen.We expect to see the updated Sorento arrive in the U.S. for the 2025 model year.The fourth generation of Kia’s mid-size Sorento SUV still seems pretty fresh, but it’s already time for a mid-cycle update. This refresh brings revised styling for the front and rear ends, along with an interior upgrade that brings new screens. Kia told C/D that the 2024 Sorento would be a carryover model, so we expect to see this new Sorento to arrive in the U.S. for the 2025 model year.Up front, the 2025 Sorento features a completely different grille shape and interesting new headlights. The LED accent strips are reminiscent of the new Kia EV9’s lighting signature. In the rear, the taillights are slightly revised and add a new design element that connects the two light bars on each side. We can also spot new wheel designs and what looks like a new beige color, at least for the Korea-market model that’s been shown so far. Kia Inside, the biggest change is a new set of screens for the digital gauge cluster and the central infotainment system. The center screen appears to be running Kia’s newer infotainment software, and the digital gauge cluster looks larger than the unit that’s currently available on the Sorento’s higher trim levels. There’s also a touchbar lower down on the dash that looks similar to the one in the Sportage and the EV6 that can switch between HVAC and navigation controls.KiaWe don’t expect any major changes to the Sorento’s powertrains, which include a 2.5-liter gasoline engine in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms, a 227-hp hybrid setup, and a 261-hp plug-in-hybrid option with an EPA-estimated 32 miles of electric range. The LX, EX, SX, and X Line trim levels should also stick around.We’re not sure about timing for the 2025 Sorento yet, as it will likely go on sale in Korea first and reach the U.S. market later on. Kia has yet to release 2024 model-year information yet, so it seems that the 2024 Sorento will have a short run before the updated 2025 model starts to arrive in showrooms.More on the SorentoThis 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

Kia has revealed the facelifted version of the Sorento mid-size SUV.It also has a revised interior with a larger infotainment screen.We expect to see the updated Sorento arrive in the U.S. for the 2024 model year.CLARIFICATION 7/27/23: We now expect the updated Sorento to arrive in the U.S. as a 2024 model, not 2025 as previously stated.The fourth generation of Kia’s mid-size Sorento SUV still seems pretty fresh, but it’s already time for a mid-cycle update. This refresh brings revised styling for the front and rear ends, along with an interior upgrade that brings new screens. We expect to see this new Sorento to arrive in the U.S. for the 2024 model year.Up front, the 2024 Sorento features a completely different grille shape and interesting new headlights. The LED accent strips are reminiscent of the new Kia EV9’s lighting signature. In the rear, the taillights are slightly revised and add a new design element that connects the two light bars on each side. We can also spot new wheel designs and what looks like a new beige color, at least for the Korea-market model that’s been shown so far. Kia Inside, the biggest change is a new set of screens for the digital gauge cluster and the central infotainment system. The center screen appears to be running Kia’s newer infotainment software, and the digital gauge cluster looks larger than the unit that’s currently available on the Sorento’s higher trim levels. There’s also a touchbar lower down on the dash that looks similar to the one in the Sportage and the EV6 that can switch between HVAC and navigation controls.KiaWe don’t expect any major changes to the Sorento’s powertrains, which include a 2.5-liter gasoline engine in both naturally aspirated and turbocharged forms, a 227-hp hybrid setup, and a 261-hp plug-in-hybrid option with an EPA-estimated 32 miles of electric range. The LX, EX, SX, and X Line trim levels should also stick around.We’re not sure about timing for the 2024 Sorento yet, as it will likely go on sale in Korea first and reach the U.S. market later on. Look for Kia to release U.S. details on the updated model soon before it reaches showrooms, likely before the end of the year.More on the SorentoThis 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 Venturi 400 Trophy was created for an early-1990s single-marque racing series in France.It features Kevlar composite bodywork and a mid-mounted 3.0-liter V-6 engine. This example has been modified for the street and is up for auction in Florida where, with a week to go before the August 1 auction end date, bidding is at $101,000.The Ferrari F40 has never been within reach of the ordinary collector, but over the past few years values have come on boost and surged into multimillion-dollar territory. As an alternative, are you looking for a race-bred, twin-turbo, mid-engined exotic with carbon-Kevlar bodywork, but with a budget that doesn’t stretch to seven figures? Here’s an unusual but compelling blend of French racing élan and golden-age Japanese performance tuning.Car and DriverToday’s pick at Bring a Trailer (which, along with Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos) is a heavily modified example of a Venturi 400 Trophy. Much explanation about what exactly a Venturi is will be required shortly, but first, just drink in the details. Outrageous composite bodywork. Performance parts from BBS, Brembo, Ohlins, HKS, and Recaro. A rear clamshell hood that opens to reveal a twin-turbo V-6 good for 408 horsepower in factory trim and more like 500 horsepower here. Next, you may notice the sliding Lexan windows and a dashboard full of exposed fuses. This car is far more obscure than Ferrari’s 40th birthday present to itself, but it is every inch the exotic.Venturi was founded in the mid-1980s by two French engineers, former employees of the Heuliez coachworks. For road cars, Venturi’s peak was the 400 GT, an extremely limited-production sports car that might be almost unknown by the larger public had it not appeared digitally in the racing game Gran Turismo 2.Bring a TrailerThe 400 GT was a roadgoing version of a race car: the 400 Trophy. One of the earliest successes of French racing promoter Stéphane Ratel—instrumental in the creation of GT2 and GT3 racing—the 400 Trophy was a gentleman-racer series intended to be a French twist on similar one-make racing series fielded by Porsche or Ferrari. Just over 70 cars were built, but the series was a success, running over four seasons.More from (and about) BaTThis example is chassis number 50, though it has come a long way from the days of Trophy racing. It raced in the 1992 and 1993 seasons but was then shipped to Japan and converted for road use. The process did not involve toning down the performance of the racing chassis but rather extracting even more out of it.Bring a TrailerA Feast for the ImaginationThe car was sent to Tokyo to be tuned, with HKS GT-SS turbochargers and MoTec engine management. Japan’s capital is of course a supercar haven, with Yokohama’s Daikoku Parking Area becoming a church of speed on Sunday morning. This example, however, was built for early-morning weekend running of the tunnels and canyons of Hiroshima, hurtling through those relatively empty roads at speed. No radio, no distractions, just the almighty hiss of the twin turbochargers and the surprising aggression of a well-tuned 3.0L PRV V-6 snarling towards redline.The roadgoing 400 GT is as rare as you’d like, with just 15 examples made. The driving experience of those cars is not supposed to be the best, with questionable boutique supercar company build quality and snatchy carbon brakes.Bring a TrailerBy comparison, this 400 Trophy was at first shaken down and reworked by a racing team over several seasons, then built up as a street car by a Tokyo tuning specialist during the time when the elusive Mid Night Racing Team was in their heyday. It’s a blend of two seemingly disparate worlds of automotive enthusiasm, but combines the best of both of them.Catching sight of an F40 in traffic is a bucket-list spot, but Ferrari did build more than 1300 of them. There are only a handful of Venturis in the U.S. at present, and probably only one of them like this. With eight days to go, the high bid is at $101,000. Maybe don’t think of this 400 Trophy as the poor man’s F40, but as something even rarer and more special to own and drive than the ultimate Ferrari. 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