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The 2023 Audi RS e-tron GT project_513/2 is a limited-production version of Audi’s 637-hp EV sedan, with only 75 units headed exclusively to the U.S. market.The project_513/2 is decked out in a special livery that mimics the look worn by test cars, with a dazzling array of lines and lowercase e’s printed on the muscular bodywork.At $181,990, the project_513/2 costs over $36,000 more than the standard RS e-tron GT.Some owners like to debadge their cars for a subtle look, but others want to turn as many heads as possible. With the new limited-edition 2023 Audi RS e-tron GT project_513/2, attention-seekers are in luck. The project_513/2 is exclusive to the United States market and sees Audi’s 637-hp flagship EV wrapped in graphics meant to resemble the camouflage used on prototypes when testing on public roads. The project_513/2—using the original internal code name—is the first Audi to offer a wrap with a graphic package from the factory. The gray livery is applied directly to Mythos Black metallic paint and is accented by splashes of red, including the Audi logos on the front and rear, and the black 21-inch wheels cloak red brake pads. The dazzling wrap is covered in stripes and stylized lowercase e’s, with “project_513/2” etched into the rear quarter glass. The eye-catching graphics carry over into the cabin, with red decorating the air vents, floor mats, steering wheel, and Nappa leather seats. The dashboard features carbon fiber with a gray “e” design like the exterior, and the center armrest features an embossed “project_513/2” logo. Even the display on the 10.1-inch infotainment screen receives a logo as a reminder that this is not your ordinary RS e-tron GT.More Electric AudisOnly 75 examples of the RS e-tron GT will receive the project_513/2 treatment, and the special EV carries a hefty premium over the normal RS e-tron GT’s $145,395 starting price at a whopping $181,990. Sales of the flashy limited edition will kick off this spring.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

These are the first photos and video of the production 2024 Kia EV9, an electric three-row SUV.Its bluff and blocky looks stay true to the EV9 concept from 2021.Although we sat in each of the EV9’s three spacious rows, Kia won’t yet confirm any details on its powertrain, battery pack, range, or even dimensions. We expect those details to be announced at the EV9’s official debut in early April.In both size and mission, you can think of the 2024 Kia EV9 as an electric Telluride, and we’re sure Kia would love for its latest EV to have the breakout success of that gas-powered SUV. The EV9’s debut is an especially big deal because it’s the first electric entry in the popular mid-size, three-row SUV segment, where vehicles such as the Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Toyota Highlander, and, of course, Kia Telluride sell by the hundreds of thousands a year in the U.S. Sure, there are a couple three-row EVs available, such as the Rivian R1S or the Tesla Model X, but both of those are way more expensive. And the Model Y can be had with an optional third row, but it’s tiny. These first photos of the production EV9, one of 15 EVs Kia has promised by 2027, show that it adheres pretty closely to the concept that was shown at the Los Angeles show back in 2021. The Kia design team, led by Karim Habib, describes the EV9’s exterior as “refined boxiness,” a mix of sharp edges—such as the triangle shapes that jut out from the rear doors, a less dramatic version than was on the concept—but also many rounded forms. It has presence, with high shoulders but a low beltline for good visibility. Expect to see these vertical head- and taillight designs on future Kias. This early build prototype is wearing 21-inch wheels, but 19s and 20s also will be offered. The wheel inserts are also very sharp edged, with both square and triangle options on display at the event we attended in Seoul to get up close with the EV9.Everything’s Big but the FrunkKia has yet to confirm the EV9’s powertrain, battery capacity, range, or even dimensions, but we can say from standing next to it that it adheres closely to the dimensions of the EV9 concept, which are similar to those of the Telluride but with an eight-inch wheelbase stretch. This is no teardrop-shaped EV, and the tall and flat roofline makes for excellent headroom in the second and third rows, even for extremely tall adults. The only thing small about the EV9 is its tiny frunk. But of course aerodynamics are especially important on EVs, and small details such as the rear spoiler that extends from the roofline is alone responsible for a considerable improvement—0.006 to 0.007 according to Habib—to the EV9’s coefficient of drag. Again, Kia isn’t talking dimensions yet, but compared with the Telluride, the second row is at least as spacious—with generous fore-aft adjustability—and the third row has more legroom and especially headroom. Second-row seats also swivel to face the rear—remember Chrysler’s Swivel ‘n Go launched on its 2008 minivan?—but the space remaining between them in this configuration is tight. The EV9 will come in either six- or seven-passenger variants, depending on whether the second row has buckets or a bench. In uplevel models, the third row is power folding.A Spacious Interior with Details That Make it Feel Even More SoIn addition to actual spaciousness, Jochen Paesen, the VP of interior design, describes the deliberate choices to make the EV9’s interior feel even airier than it is. For example, they chose not to do a dash design that wraps around into the doors, as that can lead to an impression of feeling closed in. For the same reason, the headrests on the front seats are mesh so rear passengers can see past them. The dash is horizontal and minimalist, and what looks like one giant screen protruding from it is two 12.3-inch screens—one for the gauge cluster and a second for infotainment—with a dedicated HVAC readout between them. Physical knobs and buttons are reduced compared to Kia’s current lineup, with just a few key HVAC controls and a volume knob remaining, along with touch-sensitive controls embedded in the dash to jump to different menus. This is an entirely new generation of infotainment, but Kia isn’t yet talking details or features of this new system just yet. Based on information from a survey Kia ran, we expect the EV9 to come with either a single rear motor or one at each axle for all-wheel drive and to be priced in the $50,000 to $70,000 neighborhood. The EV9 concept claimed 300 miles of range, and that jibes with the readout in the display of this early prototype, which showed 91 percent battery and 436 km (271 miles) to empty. The concept also promises even faster charging than the EV6, which is already one of the quickest we’ve tested.We expect many of these questions to be answered very soon at the EV9’s official debut in late March, and Kia says it will be on sale by the very end of 2023 or early 2024.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

Acura is making an additional 50 TLX Type Ss in a 2023 TLX Type S PMC Edition.The limited-run PMC Editions are mechanically identical to the standard TLX Type S, but these will be finished in a limited-run color, Gotham Gray.The Gotham Gray versions will run at a hefty premium over the standard TLX Type S, starting at $66,995. Acura allowed barely enough time for the red, white, and blue paint to dry on the TLX Type S PMC Edition, which was limited to 300 copies, before announcing an additional 50 in Gotham Gray. PMC stands for Performance Manufacturing Center, the same facility that built the NSX Type S supercar and will now build the special edition TLX Type S PMC Edition. We thought the price of the red, white, and blue PMC Edition was steep when we saw the $7550 premium over the mechanically identical TLX Type S. We still think that—but now Acura is charging an additional $3000 for the honor of owning one of 50 PMC Editions in Gotham Gray. Like the other three PMC Editions, Acura pulled this color from the NSX, this time from the now out of production NSX Type S, where the matte gray paint is a $6000 add-on and is limited to 70 cars. Mechanically, all that extra cash doesn’t do a whole lot for you. Mostly it gives you the peace of mind that your TLX is one of 50 in Gotham Gray. Underneath the bodywork, the components are the same as what you’ll find in the standard TLX Type S. That means a turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 engine with 355 horsepower, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and Acura’s SH-AWD system with torque vectoring. Limited Edition, Hand-AssembledAll PMC Editions are hand-assembled at the eponymous Performance Manufacturing Center in Ohio. The limited-edition PMC car does get a handful of visual tweaks from black wheels, badging and door handles to a carbon-fiber decklid lip spoiler and rear diffuser. Inside, the PMC Edition has a red leather interior with black contrast stitching, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and a host of carbon-fiber trim pieces. After production, each PMC Edition goes through the same quality control process the NSX did, including a dyno check, paint inspection, and rough-road simulation. Each of the limited-run cars comes with a unique PMC Edition serial plaque and a special shipping process that includes a cover to protect the paint and delivery to dealerships in an enclosed single-car carrier.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

Looking for the fastest way to haul several cases of tasty salad dressing or spaghetti sauce home from the grocery store? Consider this 1988 Volvo 740 wagon.Formerly owned by Paul Newman, this brick-shaped Volvo packs a surprise under the hood: a turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6 from a Buick Grand National. This 740 is one of a series of modified Volvo wagons the legendary actor and racer owned, and it’s now for sale.Car and DriverWickedly fast at the wheel of a racing car and possessed of an effortless cool, Paul Newman was basically Steve McQueen without the unpleasant personal baggage. To most people, he was the star of films like Cool Hand Luke or Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, but Newman was more Lime Rock than Hollywood. A favorite son of Westport, Connecticut, and a family man with a marriage that lasted half a century (until his death in 2008), he had a penchant for Volvo station wagons. Newman, though, liked his Swedish iron extra-spicy underneath, as shown by his 1988 Volvo 740 wagon, up for auction on Bring a Trailer (which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos).Related StoriesA copy of the title indicates that Newman purchased this 740 in July 1988, and it’s thought to be the first Volvo he had modified to his specifications. Those extended to the fitment of a turbocharged 3.8-liter V-6 out of a Buick Grand National hooked to a five-speed manual transmission sourced from a Pontiac Firebird. Bring a TrailerBring a TrailerIn 1988, a factory-spec Volvo 740 Turbo wagon came with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder good for roughly 150 horsepower. Newman’s swap more than doubled the available power to approximately 320 horses (thanks in part to a chipped ECU).Bring a TrailerSubtle bodywork is complemented by a mild lowering on Bilstein dampers and springs and anti-roll bars from Volvo specialist IPD. The five-spoke 16-inch wheels are classic 1980s Volvo and wear BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S tires. Despite these clues, any bystander would think they were looking at an ordinary old boxy Volvo, right up until this thing smoked its rear tires and hammered off toward the horizon.Bring a TrailerBring a TrailerNewman, who reportedly got his first taste of racing while filming the Indy 500–themed 1969 film Winning, went on to own Volvo 960 wagons with V-8 transplants. He turned his Connecticut neighbor David Letterman on to them, too, and Jerry Seinfeld would drive one of those for an episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.Besides movies and racing, Newman’s philanthropic work is what really puts the final gloss on his legend. His Newman’s Own brand has contributed some $600 million toward charitable causes since its founding in 1982. In 1988, the year this Volvo was delivered, he founded the Hole in the Wall Gang camp, a place where children dealing with serious illness could enjoy the freedom of summer camp. As a nod to this charitable spirit, the seller of this ex-Newman Volvo will donate a portion of the proceeds of the sale to the Hole in the Wall Gang camp. If a Grand National–powered sleeper wagon with celebrity provenance wasn’t enough, casting the winning bid on this Volvo will do a little good in the world. It’s doubtless what Newman himself would have wanted. Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoContributing 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