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Porsche has revealed the new Manthey Kit for the 718 Cayman GT4 RS.A Manthey Kit equipped GT4 RS recorded a time of 7:03.121 at the Nordschleife, a 6.179 second improvement over the stock car.Porsche hasn’t announced pricing or when the kit will be available, but it promises to sell the kit to the U.S. market. Improvements at the race track are often measured in decimals. Shaving a tenth of second off here, or a few thousands off there can add up over time. The Manthey Kit Porsche just announced for the 718 GT4 RS spits in the face of those decimals and takes full seconds away from the stock car’s Nürburgring Nordschleife time, 6.179 seconds to be exact. PorscheThe new kit adds flaps and air curtains along with a wheel arch Gurney flap at the front. A new carbon underbody complete with diffusers help improve downforce at the front of the car. The rear wing at the back of the car is 3.4 inches wider than the standard version, and features larger side blades to increased downforce at the back of the car. It also adds a fourth position for more variability. With the rear wing set to the performance position intended for the track, downforce is nearly doubled at 124 mph, from 196 to 372 pounds. The increase in downforce is enough to warrant a carbon weave for reinforcement over the engine cover. Extra AdjustmentPorsche and Manthey jointly developed a new coil-over suspension for the car, with spring struts that can be adjusted to four positions and rebound and compression stages that can be adjusted without the need for tools. Spring rates on the front suspension have been increased by 20 percent. The Manthey kit also adds braided steel brake lines, with the option to add racing brake pads as well.PorscheMore PorscheAccording to Porsche, the kit will be distributed to the U.S. market, though timing of the availability and pricing haven’t been released yet. Importantly, the manufacturer’s warranty for the car isn’t affected by the addition of the kit. 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 INEOS Grenadier Quartermaster is a pickup-truck rendition of the company’s old-school SUV, with the same tough ladder-frame chassis and 282-hp BMW inline-six.It’s unclear if the Quartermaster is heading to the U.S. market, but the truck will start at the equivalent of $86,797 in the United Kingdom.INEOS also showed off a hydrogen fuel-cell prototype version of its Grenadier SUV, with the powertrain sourced from BMW.British chemical company INEOS hopes to keep the rugged, workhorse spirit of the original Land Rover Defender alive with the Grenadier 4×4, its first foray into the automotive world. Now the company is taking its emulation of the Defender one step further, revealing a new pickup-truck version called the Grenadier Quartermaster at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. IneosWhile the double-cab truck is based on the same bones as the SUV, the Quartermaster’s ladder-frame chassis measures 12.0 inches longer, with that extra space allowing for the 61.6-by-63.7-inch bed. Designed to easily fit a standard European pallet, the Quartermaster’s bed is nearly as long as the Chevy Colorado’s cargo box but around 5.0 inches wider.Under the hood is the same BMW-sourced turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine lineup as the SUV, offered in Europe as a diesel alongside the 282-hp gas-burning unit. Power is routed through a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and a standard center locking differential and two-speed transfer case. Electronically locking front and rear differentials can be added for an extra cost, and the old-school solid axles are supported by a multi-link suspension.IneosThe Quartermaster equals the SUV on towing capacity at 7716 pounds and has a payload of 1676 pounds, with four tie-down hooks and a 400W power takeoff in the bed. With 10.4 inches of ground clearance and a 31.5-inch wading depth, the Quartermaster should be able to handle some pretty serious terrain. An array of accessories will be offered, from a waterproof canvas canopy to a roof rack and a lockable tonneau cover.The Grenadier Quartermaster will be offered in the same three trim levels as the SUV: a stripped-down base model, an off-road-focused Trialmaster, and a fully loaded luxe Fieldmaster. Orders have opened in the United Kingdom and Ireland, with prices starting at the equivalent of $86,797 at current exchange rates. INEOS hasn’t said if the Quartermaster will be offered in the U.S., with deliveries of the Grenadier 4×4 expected to start by the end of 2023.IneosPowered by HydrogenINEOS also used the Goodwood Festival of Speed to show off a hydrogen-powered Grenadier prototype. INEOS said its uses BMW’s latest hydrogen fuel-cell system, which we imagine is the 395-hp powertrain from the iX5 that allows for around 300 miles of range on a tank. The hydrogen Grenadier looks nearly identical to the standard combustion versions, save for the sizable hood bulge needed to fit the fuel cell. INEOS says this unsightly protrusion wouldn’t make it into a production model.INEOS appears committed to the alternate fuel source. The company already plans to launch an all-electric model in 2026, and CEO Lynn Calder points to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles as being well-suited for longer excursions. INEOS may also have a leg up since the company already produces over 400,000 tons of hydrogen each year. “Our demonstrator proves that the technology is capable, but what we need now is support from policy makers to help provide the infrastructure for the next generation of hydrogen vehicles,” Calder explained. No timeline was given on when INEOS hopes to sell hydrogen-powered vehicles.More Cool Off-RoadersThis 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

Hyundai’s hot-rotor Ioniq 5 N will produce 601 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque. With N Grin Boost activated, the output leaps to 641 hp. The Ioniq 5 N is the first electric vehicle to simulate an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which Hyundai calls N e-shift. Revised battery chemistry increases the usable capacity to 84.0 kWh from 77.4 using the same battery pack.The Hyundai Ioniq 5 has already won us over, claiming Car and Driver’s EV of the Year title two years ago. From a performance standpoint, Kia’s EV6 GT paved the way as to what the Korean brands are capable of. Throw those two platform-sharing vehicles, big tires and brakes, some out-of-the-box thinking, and more than 6000 miles of development around the treacherous 12.9-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife into a performance-spectrum blender, and out comes the delicious 2024 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. Let’s start by removing any misconceptions that the Ioniq 5 is simply a rebodied Kia EV6 GT. The Hyundai takes things to the next level. It features its own specific suspension calibrations, including bushing tolerances, three-position electronically controlled dampers, and spring tuning. Also, an aluminum two-piece lower control arm is added to the standard Ioniq 5s stamped steel unit. For a stronger structure, there’s 42 additional welding points and more structural adhesive. To improve lateral rigidity, the motor and battery mounting points have been reinforced, and subframes have been beefed up.Soundtrack of ChoiceLike other electrified vehicles, the Ioniq 5 N offers user-selectable synthesized soundtracks. With N Active Sound+, there are three available sound profiles, and their volume can be adjusted from distant to in-your-face: Evolution is the spacey noise we’ve grown to dislike in many EVs, Supersonic emulates a fighter jet, but the most engaging profile will be Ignition. Through the eight internal and two external speakers, Hyundai set out for Ignition to emulate the sound of a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four found in the Elantra N or the Kona N. To date, the Ioniq 5 N is the most powerful Hyundai to reach customers. Its two motors—one at each axle—spin up to 21,000 rpm and combine to produce 601 horsepower and 545 pound-feet of torque during normal operation. With N Grin Boost activated, 641 ponies are in the stable. With the Boost mode engaged, Hyundai claims a 3.4-second sprint to 60 mph is in the cards. By our measuring stick, that’s a conservative number considering the 576-hp Kia EV6 GT did the deed in 3.1. Hyundai also claims top speed is limited to 161 mph, a number we’ve already verified on Germany’s autobahn. “To date, the Ioniq 5 N is the most powerful Hyundai to reach customers.”Simulated GearshiftsThe Ioniq 5 N e-Shift programing unleashes something that changes the game of how the brain processes EVs: simulated gearshifts. By briefly interrupting the motors’ torque delivery, N e-Shift mimics an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. The 5 N will jolt on upshifts. Downshifts are rev matched and accompanied by pops and bangs from the speakers during deceleration when Ignition sound mode is active, just like the internal-combustion N cars. Hyundai is completely transparent that interrupting torque delivery with N e-Shift isn’t the quickest way around a track, but by only a slim margin. If you take manual control with the shift paddles and miss a shift, you’ll hit a virtual fuel cutoff. Get caught out in too high a gear, and the Ioniq 5 will even lug the powertrain by limiting the power delivery. Yes, it’s totally fake and unrelated to the mechanicals, but it’s a degree of engagement that until now has been lost in the electrified world.Slowing things down are the biggest brakes ever fitted to a Hyundai. Up front, four-piston fixed calipers squeeze 15.7-inch rotors (0.7 inch larger than the EV6 GT’s), while a single-piston slider pinches a 14.2-inch rotor in the back. Hyundai engineers also fitted the Ioniq 5 N with brake-specific brake cooling ducts to feed the binders a steady flow of cool air. The 5 N’s N Brake Regen operates in the background, and Hyundai claims it will deliver 0.6 g of decelerative force to remove some strain from the friction brakes.The forces transmitted between the ground and the Ioniq 5 N are sent through forged 21-inch wheels wrapped in Hyundai-spec Pirelli P Zero Elect 275/35ZR-21 tires, the largest assemblies ever fitted to a Hyundai. To manage the inherent loads of more grip, the 5 N features a new steering rack and a strengthened steering column to help transmit what’s going on with the tires to the driver.More IoniqStoring and providing energy for the motors is the fourth-generation battery pack, now with a revised chemistry that enables 84.0 kWh of usable energy from the same pack that previously stored 77.4 kWh. Range estimates will be available closer to launch, but we aren’t expecting them to be groundbreaking. Call it around 220 miles. Hyundai is serious about the 5 N’s service life on track. The goal is for the Ioniq to be able to complete two laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife with little performance degradation. To accomplish that, Hyundai has optimized the 5 N’s cooling package, with more air entering the nose through vertical slots in the upper bumper cover. A more efficient radiator package comes from stacking the radiators on top of each other rather than stacked like a deli cold cut. The benefit of this is that hot air from one isn’t pushed into another. There’s also an improved oil cooler and an upgraded battery chiller. Drive ModesLike the gas-powered N cars, the Ioniq 5 is replete with drive modes. N Race offers a Sprint mode to maximize performance and use all the available power. Endurance mode is set to help with the two-lap mission by managing the battery, motor output, and regeneration strategies for extended time spent on track. According to Hyundai, the N Drift Optimizer can simulate the clutch kick action of a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. There are also two battery preconditioning modes to optimize its performance, one for the track and another for drag racing.The interior features the N treatments we love about the internal-combustion cars. The familiar N bucket seats will offer the same support and comfort levels as the gasser, and there are microsuede coverings throughout the cabin. Unlike the open front floor layout of the lesser Ioniq 5, the N features a full-length center console with a knee pad to brace against during extreme lateral loads. A new steering wheel with configurable buttons will likely be Hyundai’s most complicated tiller to date.When the Ioniq 5 N arrives early in 2024, it will be offered in 10 colors, including the N-specific Performance Blue, in both gloss and for the first time, matte. We expect the price to be announced closer to launch, but expect something in the $70,000 range. Senior Testing EditorDavid Beard studies and reviews automotive related things and pushes fossil-fuel and electric-powered stuff to their limits. His passion for the Ford Pinto began at his conception, which took place in a Pinto. More

The Porsche Vision 357 Speedster concept, an homage to the manufacturer’s first sports car, is the sister model to the 357 concept revealed in January. The chassis of the Vision 357 Speedster comes from the 718 GT4 Clubsport, while the electric motors and battery technology are borrowed from the 718 GT4 e-performance and Mission R.Much like the initial Vision 357 concept, the Speedster is jam-packed with special details and styling, hearkening back to the original 356.Porsche is continuing its celebration of 75 years since the launch of its first sports car, the iconic 356. In January, the automaker revealed the Porsche Vision 357, a beautiful homage to that first Porsche sports car. The birthday celebrations haven’t stopped, with Porsche announcing a new Vision 357 Speedster concept overnight. PorscheMore PorscheWe were shocked (and thrilled) to learn that the initial Vision 357 concept was built on the bones of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS, including the 4.0-liter flat-six engine in the middle—it is 2023 after all, and every new concept is electric. Unfortunately the Vision 357 Speedster is more in keeping with the trends in 2023 and does not share that powertrain. It instead borrows the chassis from the race-ready 718 GT4 Clubsport, while taking its electric motors and battery technology from the 718 GT4 e-performance and Mission R.PorscheJust like in the 718 GT4 e-performance—which also shares a chassis with the 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport—the Vision 357 Speedster features an electric motor on each axle providing all-wheel drive. The ePerformance motors produce a whopping 1073 horsepower in qualifying mode and 604 ponies for up to 30 minutes in race mode. According to Porsche, the e-performance car matches the current 911 GT3 Cup car when it comes to lap times and a top speed around 186 mph.Design FocusBut as impressive as the performance figures are, the real draw of the Vision 357 Speedster is the design. In typical speedster fashion, Porsche shortened the windshield on the car. A cloth tonneau cover spans the right side of the cockpit, lending to a driver-centric experience. The ultra-smooth bodywork carries over from the sister concept, as do the nearly hidden headlights and taillights. According to Porsche, the two-tone Marble Grey and Gravel Grey Metallic were inspired by historic vehicles in motorsport, as well as to contrast the Miami Blue accents found throughout the car. PorscheJust like on the coupe version, the speedster features large “75” logos, as well as “1948” and “2023,” though the speedster logos are finished in a Miami Blue accent. The speedster rides on 20-inch magnesium wheels equipped with carbon-fiber hubcaps and center locks, while also visually representing the large rims from the 356. Following an appearance at this weekend’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, Porsche plans to bring the car to the U.S. where it will be showcased at the Porsche Rennsport Reunion in September. 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

Maserati is transitioning away from V-8 engines, celebrating the powertrain with two final special editions fitted with the twin-turbo 3.8-liter unit.The Ghibli 334 Ultima unlocks a new top speed of 208 mph, wears more serious performance tires, and comes in a vibrant shade of turquoise.The Levante V8 Ultima features lots of carbon-fiber accents and special badges denoting its limited production status, with only 103 of each being built.When Maserati revealed a new generation of its slinky GranTurismo coupe last fall, the sports car was missing the roaring V-8 that made previous iterations so memorable, instead offering either a twin-turbo V-6 or an all-electric powertrain. That move hinted at a broader demise for the eight-cylinder engine, and now Maserati has announced two special editions—the Ghibli 334 Ultima and Levante V8 Ultima—at the Goodwood Festival of Speed that mark the end of the line for the V-8.MaseratiWill Ghibli Ultima Be the World’s Fastest Sedan?The 2024 Ghibli 334 Ultima takes the brand’s smallest sedan—set to be phased out in the coming years—to the limit. No details on the V-8 were provided, but we presume the Ultima packs the twin-turbocharged 3.8-liter unit from the Trofeo model, rated at 572 horsepower. The “334” in the name references the top speed in kilometers per hour, with Maserati raising the Vmax from 203 to 208 mph for the special edition. Maserati claims this makes the Ghibli the fastest sedan in the world, putting it just beyond the 207-mph Bentley Flying Spur Speed.Maserati also says weight savings and new tires helped cut the zero-to-62-mph time from 4.3 to 3.9 seconds but didn’t specify what rubber the 334 Ultima rolls on, only calling it “new performance tires created using a special compound.” A carbon-fiber rear spoiler and 21-inch wheels are said to improve aerodynamics.The vivid blue paint—dubbed Scià di Persia—recalls the first roadgoing Maserati fitted with a V-8: a 1959 5000 GT painted Blu Sera for the Shah of Persia. The 334 Ultima wears carbon fiber on the front bumper, side-view mirrors, window pillars, and door handles, while “334” is painted in a red shade called Rubino on the front fender. The cabin is decked out in Pale Terracotta leather with Maserati’s Trident logo and “334” stitched into the headrest. MaseratiAll about the Levante V8 UltimaThe 2024 Levante V8 Ultima packs the same 572-hp twin-turbo V-8 as the special-edition Ghibli and also comes dressed to the nines in carbon fiber, with the exotic material adorning the front and rear bumpers and side skirts. The Levante will be offered in two shades, Nero Assoluto (black) and Blu Royale, with “V8 Ultima” painted in Rubino on the front fender. The V-8-powered SUV rides on 22-inch wheels, and the interior mirrors the Ghibli with Pale Terracotta leather on the seats and the “V8 Ultima” logo embroidered into the headrest. Both special editions also wear an “una di 103” badge on the transmission tunnel between the seats that notes their limited production status.MaseratiMaserati will build just 103 examples of the Ghibli and 206 examples of the Levante, with 103 units in each color. There’s no word on pricing, but we bet the Ultima editions will cost a decent chunk more than the Ghibli Trofeo’s $125,195 and the Levante Trofeo’s $168,495 base price. Maserati has not yet released photos of the full cars, but we’re expecting to get a better look at the Ultima editions before they go on sale in the fourth quarter of this 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