News

Maserati is returning to grand tourer racing with the GT2, a modified version of the MC20 supercar.The same twin-turbocharged V-6 sits behind the race driver, but it’ll likely make more than the road-legal car’s 621 hp.The GT2-spec MC20 features adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars as well as a huge rear wing to go with plenty of carbon fiber.Maserati will enter the GT2 European Series with a track-ready version of its MC20 supercar. The automaker today revealed the first images of the race car, simply dubbed GT2; a full reveal will take place in June at the 24 Hours of Spa. The GT2 class, confusingly, slots between the GT4 and GT3 cars in terms of performance, and other homologated GT2 cars include versions of the Mercedes-AMG GT, KTM X-Bow, and Brabham BT63. MaseratiThe GT2-spec MC20 will share the Nettuno twin-turbocharged V-6 engine with the road-going version. In the production MC20, the engine pumps out 621 horsepower and 538 pound-feet of torque, but Maserati says the race car takes it “to a higher level.” Maserati also highlights the carbon-fiber central monocoque and lightweight, full-composite bodywork, which has quick-release panels in case they need replacing mid-race.MaseratiThe MC20’s suspension has also been revised for GT2 competition, with adjustable dampers and anti-roll bars front and rear. The GT2 receives electric power steering and a six-speed sequential paddle-shift gearbox, while the extreme aerodynamic package includes dive planes on the front bumper and a gigantic rear wing. Inside, the carbon-fiber dashboard has an integrated 10-inch display but is otherwise fairly bare bones.More New MaseratisThe arrival of the MC20-based GT2 continues Maserati’s return to motorsports, which started with the brand’s entry into Formula E this year. So far, the Maserati Formula E team has scored three points and suffered four retirements over the first five rounds.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

BMW is updating the M4 and 4-series lineups for 2024 with new infotainment and a few other changes.These coupes and convertibles, plus the four-door Gran Coupe, now have the same curved display screens that their 3-series and M3 sedan stablemates added for 2023.The 2024 M4 and 4-series will start arriving in the U.S. this month.BMW is porting over the same new screens from many of its latest models into the M4 and 4-series range for 2024. The 4-series coupe, convertible, and Gran Coupe, plus the M4 coupe and convertible, now come standard with the “curved display” setup that’s also found in the 3-series sedan and many other new BMWs.2024 BMW M4 coupeBMWThis consists of a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch screen in the middle of the dashboard, both of which are housed under a single curved piece of glass. This also means that the 4-series and M4 now run the latest iDrive 8 software, which has updated graphics and menu structures, plus an upgraded BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant voice-command function.More on BMWBMW hasn’t released many photos of the 2024 models at this point, but we’ve included images of the M4 coupe and the 4-series Gran Coupe cabins with this new layout. The 4-series also has a different gear shifter that’s a small toggle on the center console. There are trim differences, too, including standard black trim on the window surround for the M440i and different aluminum trim called Rhombicle.2024 BMW 4-series Gran CoupeBMWBMW says that the 2024 models will start arriving this month. Pricing isn’t out yet for the 2024 4-series, but the 2024 M4 starts at $77,995 for the coupe, $81,935 for the 503-hp Competition coupe, and $92,935 for the convertible.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 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

Lamborghini announces a new, hybridized 6.5-liter V-12 powertrain that makes up to 1001 horsepower.It features three electric motors, two up front and one integrated to a new, Lamborghini-designed, eight-speed double-clutch transmission.The full car will be shown—and its name revealed—at the end of the month.We can’t show you what the replacement for the Lamborghini Aventador looks like yet, or even tell you its name—the company refers to it exclusively by the internal code, LB744. But we can share details on its extraordinary new plug-in-hybrid powertrain.The good news is the continued existence of a naturally aspirated V-12 engine, one that has been core to the appeal of the company’s more expensive models since its foundation. The new 6.5-liter L545 engine is effectively a heavy development of the one that powered the Aventador, but with more power, more revs, less weight, and a compression ratio raised to 12.6:1. Lamborghini says the new engine’s mass of 481 pounds makes it 37 pounds lighter than the Aventador’s V-12, while its power output has increased to 814 horsepower delivered at a searing 9250 rpm—with the limiter not calling time until 9500 rpm. It also makes a peak of 535 pound-feet of torque at 6750 rpm. But while the Aventador’s V-12 sent power forward to a single-clutch gearbox positioned ahead of it, the new engine has been flipped by 180 degrees, with power going through a new, Lamborghini-designed eight-speed dual-clutch transmission mounted transversely behind it.LamborghiniBut this V-12 is only one part of the new powertrain, being assisted by no fewer than three electric motors. At the front, a pair of axial-flux motors power each wheel separately, allowing torque vectoring. There is no mechanical link from the engine to the front axle; the LB744’s all-wheel-drive system is always part electric.At the back, a third motor is incorporated into the transmission, which due to a clever clutching mechanism can switch between acting as starter motor and generator or adding power to the rear axle. Each motor can deliver up to 148 horsepower, although the combined peak is always less than three times that due to the current flow supported by the battery. The maximum combined output is quoted as an impressively potent 1001 horsepower—slightly more than the Ferrari SF90 Stradale. Latest LamborghinisElectrical charge is stored in a compact 3.8-kWh battery pack that sits in what would previously have been considered the transmission tunnel within the cabin, allowing a low seating position on either side of it. Lamborghini hasn’t released a weight claim for the battery, but for reference the claimed capacity is far less than the corresponding figures for the Ferrari 296GTB and SF90, and also the McLaren Artura, suggesting the Lambo’s should be lighter and provide fewer electric miles. We do have weight figures for the front motors—41 pounds—and the double-clutch transmission, which is 425 pounds including the weight of the integral electric motor. LamborghiniWhen depleted, the battery can be recharged from a socket, via regenerative braking using the front motors, or with the V-12 acting as a generator. The latter is claimed to completely replenish the pack in just six minutes. Therefore, it should be possible to be quickly brought back to full strength when driven on track. Lamborghini also says the new DCT gearbox will support a “continuous downshifting” function, holding the left paddle while decelerating progressively and selecting the lowest possible gear as speed falls. Lamborghini promises to release more technical details of the new car before the finished version is formally unveiled at the end of the month. We’ll keep you posted. Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoEuropean EditorMike Duff has been writing about the auto industry for two decades and calls the UK home, although he normally lives life on the road. He loves old cars and adventure in unlikely places, with career highlights including driving to Chernobyl in a Lada. More

The new 2024 Hyundai Kona is larger and more luxurious than its predecessor.Its spectacular “seamless horizon” front light bar will be standard. Gasoline and EV versions will reach the U.S. by the end of the year.Owners of the previous-generation Hyundai Kona only had two substantive complaints according to the company’s vice president of design Sangyup Lee. That was a lack of space in the subcompact SUV’s rear seats and also its limited cargo volume. You will be unsurprised that both these areas have been addressed with the new version.This is a gentle evolution of a successful formula rather than a radical transformation. The new 2024 Kona is up to 6.9 inches longer than the outgoing version and sits on a wheelbase that has been stretched by 2.4 inches. Inside it features a new design of slimmed-down front seats which are claimed to offer both the same level of comfort and support as the old car but, being 30 percent slimmer, also improve rear legroom. Having sat in an early version of the 2024 car we can confirm it does feel much roomier in back. On Hyundai’s numbers trunk capacity has risen from 13 cubic feet to 17 cubic feet with the rear seats in place.More on the New KonaIntergalactic New FaceThe most obvious design difference for the new generation is the arrival of a single full-width light bar at the front of the car—Hyundai calls this the “seamless horizon”—and a similar red taillight graphic at the rear. Sangyup Lee said that this new element was the single most complex feature on the car. It certainly gives the front a very futuristic look, one we feel we’ve seen on a character in at least one Star Wars movie. The actual headlights are much smaller units lower down and mounted on each side of the bumper. As before, both gas and electric Kona versions will be offered. Other parts of the world will also get a hybrid, but we’re told that there is no chance of that version making it to the United States. The most obvious visual distinction between the EV and the regular combustion version will be that the gas cars get gray body cladding while the Kona Electric’s is body colored. That rule isn’t hard and fast, though: the range-topping N Line, which is a trim level rather than a scintillating performance derivative, will also get body-color protection as well as a cute (but faintly preposterous) two-piece rear spoiler and a more sizable opening in its front bumper.Nicer InteriorInterior design also feels substantially upgraded over the outgoing car. The new Kona gets dual 12.3-inch display screens, the one ahead of the driver displaying instrumentation and the central touchscreen handling infotainment functions. Despite that, Hyundai hasn’t followed the herd into digital-only control architecture, with the Kona keeping both a row of function shortcut buttons and physical climate controls below these. We’re told the company isn’t planning to replace conventional buttons in any of its forthcoming models, either, which is a plus in our book. The Kona Electric also benefits from a flat floor in the cabin, although the combustion versions continue to have a compact tunnel.We don’t have finalized U.S. specifications yet, but anticipate lots of optional equipment in the pricier versions. The European-spec cars we saw had power front seats with both heating and cooling plus a 360-degree camera system. All versions will support over-the-air software updates, and Hyundai is also planning to allow it to be locked and unlocked through the NFC Near Field Communication function on smartphones and smart watches. All versions of the new Kona get a compact gearshift selector on the side of the steering column, with steering wheel paddles to allow gear selection in combustion versions, and varying regeneration levels in the EV.Kona was keener to talk about the new Kona Electric than its gasoline sisters. That’s because the combustion versions are going to be substantially similar to the outgoing version, with the choice of a basic 2.0-liter engine and a more powerful turbocharged 1.6-liter above this. Both front-drive and all-wheel drive will continue to be offered, but we will need to wait until close to the car’s formal unveiling at the New York auto show in April for finalized performance figures.Details on the Kona EVWe do have more numbers for the Kona Electric, though. In some markets Hyundai plans to offer two different versions of the EV, but we’re told to expect that only the more potent version will reach the U.S. with its 65.4-kWh battery pack and a single front motor that produces 214 horsepower. In Europe, Hyundai is targeting a WLTP range of more than 305 miles—that would likely translate to an EPA rating of somewhere closer to 260 miles (the current car has a slightly smaller battery and is rated at 258 miles on the EPA’s test). The Electric’s charging port is at the front and, although it won’t be able to replenish as quickly as the ultra-fast 800-volt architecture of the Ioniq 5, Hyundai says it will be possible to go from 10 percent to 80 percent charge in 41 minutes at the highest rate. That equates to a peak rate of around 77 kW from a DC charger. The Kona Electric will also support “vehicle-to-load” charging, basically allowing it to serve as a giant power pack.While there are no immediate plans to directly replace the Kona N, Hyundai admits that it may produce a more powerful EV version with all-wheel drive from a second motor at the rear. The company’s engineers admit that this car would seem ideally suited to carry N branding. Here’s hoping that happens, as the prospect of a 430-hp Kona is an intriguing one.The new Kona will be launched in the U.S. in the third quarter of the year, with pricing details to follow.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.Car and driverCar and driver Lettermark logoEuropean EditorMike Duff has been writing about the auto industry for two decades and calls the UK home, although he normally lives life on the road. He loves old cars and adventure in unlikely places, with career highlights including driving to Chernobyl in a Lada. More

Tesla has again issued significant markdowns, this time cutting prices of the 2023 Model S and ’23 Model X by about $5000 and $10,000, respectively. The Model X now starts at $101,380, and the Model S starts at $91,380; Plaid versions of each now start at $111,380. Earlier this year, Tesla slashed U.S. prices for the Model Y SUV—the Model S and X received markdowns too.If yesterday you bought either a Tesla Model S or Model X at full price, you might not be too happy to read this: Tesla has once again introduced significant price cuts. The latest move sees the starting prices of the 2023 Model S and ’23 Model X drop by roughly $5000 and $10,000, respectively. Model S and X MarkdownsThe Model S now starts at $91,380—down from $96,630. The Model X now starts at $101,380—down from $111,630. The high-performance Plaid versions of each now start at $111,380. Previously, they started at $116,630 (Model S) and $121,630 (Model X).That brings the price of the Model S down by around 4 percent; the Model X’s price is down by about 9 percent. Even with the most recent price cuts, the Model S and Model X are Tesla’s two most expensive vehicles by a considerable margin.TeslaThis marks the second time this year Tesla has implemented large markdowns for its most expensive models, with both the Model S and Model X having their prices dropped by roughly $10,000 in January.Frequent Price FluctuationsThe latest price changes also represent Tesla’s fifth adjustment since the start of the year, as reported by Reuters. The largest reduction came in January when the company reduced the price of the Model Y SUV by $13,000 in order to bring it below the $55,000 maximum price allowed under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), helping it qualify for the federal tax credit.The constant price changes and updates are enough to confuse even the most clued-in customers. Earlier this year, when surprise price cuts hit China, customers who recently purchased a new Tesla were angered by the devaluation of their vehicles. Hundreds of protesters gathered at Tesla stores and chanted, “Return the money, refund our cars,” in a video that was also reported by Reuters. There are currently no reports of Tesla offering refunds following the January price cuts. That suggests it’s unlikely Tesla will offer any for owners who recently purchased either vehicle affected by the latest markdowns.Tesla Price Changes In 2023This 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