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The 2023 BMW XM Label Red is now registered for an exhibition run at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.Matt Mullins, chief driving instructor at BMW’s Performance Driving School, is set to drive the mighty XM.Starting at $185,995, the XM Label Red is a 735-hp plug-in-hybrid SUV that’s slated to go on sale later this year. The 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is still several months away, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get a little excited about it. The 101st running of the event will take place on June 25, and the organizers have released a preliminary list of 74 entries. While the final roster of competitors won’t be finalized until closer to the event, one entry in particular caught our eye among the already exciting list: The 735-hp BMW XM Label Red.BMWTwitterThat’s right. BMW has made preliminary plans for the mightiest version of its upcoming plug-in-hybrid SUV to perform an exhibition run this year at Pikes Peak. Matt Mullins will drive the Label Red, marking his first Pikes Peak. Mullins currently serves as the chief driving instructor for the BMW Performance Driving School. He’s set to wear number 735, likely a nod to the Label Red’s power figures. Unfortunately, it looks like the XM won’t be partaking in a gung-ho time-attack—that’d surely be exciting to see. A PHEV for Pikes PeakNormally, a plug-in-hybrid SUV isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of exciting hill-climb vehicles. However, the XM is a more performance-minded machine than its body style and powertrain might suggest. The standard XM produces 644 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Those figures certainly befit an M-badged BMW, and that’s not even the mightiest version. That title goes to the limited-edition Label Red, which has 735 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque. That will make it the most powerful BMW when it goes into production.When the regular 2023 XM goes on sale this spring, and the Label Red follows later this year, the former will start at $159,995 and the latter will start at $185,995.More on the BMW XM SUVA Preliminary EntryThe few images BMW has already released of the XM have received a polarizing reception. Our staff here at Car and Driver is also split on the looks, though the majority seems to agree it’s not a pretty thing. On the Label Red, the regular model’s gold trim is replaced with red trim. The result sort of resembles a lipstick-on-a-pig situation. When we asked about the decision to bring the XM Label Red to Pikes Peak, a BMW spokesperson confirmed that the company submitted a preliminary entry in anticipation of the approaching registration deadline. However, we were also told it has not yet made a final decision on whether or not the XM will participate. 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. More

In the coming years, Mercedes-Benz will drastically reshape its portfolio.A number of two-door coupes, wagons, and SUV coupes are destined for discontinuation.Going forward, expect a greater focus on top-end variants from AMG and Maybach, as well as super-exclusive Mythos models.In May 2022, Mercedes-Benz outlined its latest long-term strategic plan, which involves drastically resizing and reshaping its massive product portfolio to move even further upmarket and become even more profitable. At the time, the automaker did not give a full explanation of how it plans to do so, but now we have a much clearer idea of what’s destined for the guillotine and what new models we can expect. Only 14 of 33 Body Styles Will SurviveWe talked to several top managers in Untertürkheim and Sindelfingen to find out exactly why they believe that wagons, coupes, and convertibles have an uncertain future—or no future at all. Apparently, it has to do with the brand’s new understanding of luxury. Mercedes intends to tailor its future products to prepare them for extended personalized mobility services, ease the pressure on the driver, and redefine creature comfort as a key brand value. The new model mix may boost profits, but it contains fewer emotional products. Based on what we’ve seen, of the 33 body styles Mercedes currently offers between Europe and the U.S., only 14 will survive.Car and Driver”At the end of the day, we simply don’t need estate cars [wagons] or underperforming two-door offerings to boost volumes,” a senior member of Mercedes-Benz’s strategy team told Car and Driver. “The most essential elements of sustainable contemporary luxury cars are space and time . . . That’s our number one priority—not another fancy body style, a model that only works in Europe, or one last stab at a dying segment.” The C-class and E-class coupes and convertibles will cease to exist sometime between 2023 and 2024, to be replaced by a pair of two-door CLE-class models. Current coupe-like SUVs and sedans aren’t long for this world, either. The CLS-class will depart in 2024, and the sharper AMG GT 4 Door will follow along in 2024 or 2025. New generations of GLE and GLC Coupes will debut in the coming years, but after that, their lineages will also end.Related StoriesGoodbye to the Shooting Brake Things are more dire for fans of wagons and shooting brakes in Europe. The Europe-market C-class wagon will be gone after 2028. Later this year, we’ll see the next-generation E-class, which will spawn the automaker’s last wagon, bidding farewell at the end of its production run in 2030. The next-gen CLA-class, which will ride on the MMA electric platform and is due to debut in 2025, will be the brand’s last shooting brake (in Europe).There are still some interesting vehicles on the horizon, though. Later this year, Mercedes-AMG will launch the new GT coupe; it will be based on the current SL roadster, which will also expand its lineup with a new Maybach offering. In 2026, we will see a new four-door coupe, as well as a next-generation SL with more cargo and rear-seat space, and a new AMG GT coupe, all of which will be electric. And speaking of EVs, the MMA platform will also serve as the backbone for a chunky GLG-class SUV in 2026.Car and DriverAs this new group steps into the spotlight, we can expect to see more capacious batteries (up to 150.0 kWh), power outputs approaching quadruple digits, and maximum ranges pushing toward the 500-mile mark on the European WLTP cycle. Maximum charging speeds should expand to 270 kilowatts, too, thanks to a greater reliance on 800-volt electrical systems.AMG Getting More AttentionSince Mercedes-Benz’s more exclusive corners will be prioritized going forward, we can expect to see a greater focus on AMG models, as well as Maybach—in fact, there is even talk of an ultra-ritzy V-class van. The wildest creations, though, will come from the OEM’s new Mythos series of hyper-expensive collectibles. There are some very intriguing propositions here, including a Gullwing reincarnation, a four-door G-class pickup truck, and a racy speedster based on the SL. More

Since the start of the Super Trofeo series in 2009, Lamborghini has become increasingly involved in motorsports, and next year will enter the top class of endurance racing.That hybrid LMDh (which stands for Le Mans Daytona hybrid) car will pair a twin-turbo V-8 with an electric powertrain, with development occurring alongside the company’s upcoming roadgoing hybrid supercars.Racing has also been key for Lamborghini when tuning the handling of its lineup, and it has helped expand the reach of the brand and solidify its reputation for honed track machines.Among the 61 race cars rocketing past the green flag to start the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona last Saturday were five Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 cars. Over the day-long competition, six Lamborghini factory drivers slotted behind the wheel, with the automaker’s Squadra Corse motorsport division providing trackside support. Racing wasn’t always Lamborghini’s realm. When Ferruccio Lamborghini founded his namesake company in 1963, he focused solely on road cars. He had found Ferraris of the era rough and unrefined, labeling them glorified track cars, and he vowed to build the best roadgoing sports cars. So while Ferrari’s journey started with motorsports—with Enzo Ferrari only developing road cars to fund his racing efforts—Lamborghini eschewed the track in his pursuit of on-road driving manners and interior quality.The ensuing decades saw Lamborghini occasionally dabble in racing; there was a failed venture as a Formula 1 engine supplier in the early ’90s and limited involvement in GT racing with the Diablo and Murciélago. But since launching the one-make Super Trofeo series in 2009, Lamborghini has caught the racing bug, and next year the company will join the top class of endurance racing with an LMDh prototype designed to conquer both Daytona and Le Mans. At a media roundtable at this year’s 24 Hours of Daytona, we spoke with CEO Stephan Winkelmann and chief technical officer Rouven Mohr about Lamborghini’s increased passion for motorsports and how it benefits the brand. A teaser for the 2024 Lamborghini LMDh racer.LamborghiniPlug-In Hybrid Coming”We think that times have changed,” explained Winkelmann, when asked about the expansion into prototype endurance racing. “For us, [LDMh] is the best opportunity to test materials, and the fact that it’s a hybrid is fitting perfectly in our strategy.”Lamborghini is set to reveal its first plug-in hybrid this year as a successor to the Aventador. The new supercar will retain a V-12 engine, with Mohr emphatically declaring, “We are not following the downsizing trend.” A plug-in follow-up to the Huracán and an electrified Urus are also expected in the near future. Meanwhile, the LMDh race car that will take on the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and IMSA SportsCar Championship in 2024 will pair a twin-turbo V-8 with an electric powertrain. While the LMDh setup is designed specifically for competition, knowledge from running the hybrid race car will eventually transfer back into roadgoing Lamborghinis. “But at the moment, it’s the opposite way around,” revealed Mohr. “We learned already a lot about the energy management for the street cars; we are not starting from zero in the LMDh.” Regardless of which direction the technology is flowing, the timing of the LMDh entry and Lamborghini’s push towards electrification is no coincidence and demonstrates the brand’s commitment to a transition to hybrids.Caleb Miller|Car and DriverAlong with developing emerging tech, racing has been crucial for tuning the suspension and steering of the road-legal supercars. “If you want to improve the handling and the behavior of the car, motorsport is the perfect field to train,” Mohr said. He also explained that the motorsport department, Squadra Corse, and the company’s R&D division are closely linked, with employees switching between the two branches. This influence has led to more track-focused street cars, like the Huracán STO, basically a GT3 race car for the road, with wings and fins sprouting from its chiseled carbon-fiber bodywork. More track editions will evolve out of the upcoming hybrids, but Winkelmann wouldn’t divulge any details just yet.Brand BuildingRacing is about more than just boosting the performance of the Lamborghini lineup. As indicated by the hundreds of logos plastered across every race car on the Daytona grid, motorsport is just as much about marketing as it is about competition, and Lamborghini’s motorsports push has helped shift the brand’s image over the past decade.”We started officially in motorsport with Super Trofeo because we thought we have to build a connection between us and our customers,” said Winkelmann. Super Trofeo, like the Ferrari Challenge series, is for so-called “gentleman drivers”—basically the ultra-wealthy who have some extra pocket change and want to live out their racing dreams. The series allows Lamborghini owners to experience the Huracán, and before it the Gallardo, in an environment where they could push the supercar to its limits and experience the extremes of its performance capability.Caleb Miller|Car and DriverIn a way, the series serves as a way of training the company’s customers. “We use this also as a boost for the capability of our drivers,” Winkelmann said. Teaching Lamborghini owners how to handle such powerful machines through Super Trofeo extends beyond the track. “Most of them use Lamborghini cars every day.” More Lamborghini NewsSuper Trofeo has also increased awareness for the brand, expanding Lamborghini’s reputation beyond the company’s historically flashy design to solidify it as a maker of highly capable corner carvers. “We have so many followers, not only for the brand Lamborghini but also for Squadra Corse,” Winkelmann said. The Super Trofeo program also led Lamborghini to enter GT3 racing, the FIA-homologated class that races in WEC and IMSA. The Evo 2s taking part in the 2023 24 Hours of Daytona are the third generation of GT3 race cars that share a silhouette with license-plate-wearing Lamborghinis, furthering establishing the link between the brand’s products and track performance. While some purists may be put off by the idea of Lamborghini shifting into hybrids, Lamborghini promises that the electrified supercars—and eventually the brand’s full EVs—will still bring the emotional connection that’s expected from a Lamborghini, the charisma that has been encapsulated by their designs and engines for decades. And we have a strong feeling that the automaker’s continued passion for motorsports and its new entry into LMDh will help ensure that the soul of Lamborghini remains alive and well in the electric age. More

Range Rover is updating the Velar for 2024 with new headlights and taillights and a revised interior.The dashboard is now dominated by an 11.4-inch touchscreen that replaces the previous two-screen setup.The 2024 Velar starts at $62,775 and ranges up to $79,675 for the Dynamic HSE P400 model.Land Rover’s compact Range Rover Velar SUV is getting a little long in the tooth, having been around since the 2018 model year, but you wouldn’t know by looking at it. Range Rover has updated this model numerous times over the years and is keeping its styling fresh for 2024 with new headlights and taillights and a comprehensive interior redesign.Land RoverThe exterior changes aren’t immediately obvious but include new lights front and rear, a restyled grille, and a new rear bumper. There are also two new color options called Metallic Varesine Blue and Premium Metallic Zadar Gray.More on the VelarYou’ll notice more of a difference inside, where the previous two-screen setup gives way to a new “floating” 11.4-inch curved glass touchscreen display in the middle of the dash. This screen runs the latest version of Land Rover’s Pivi Pro software and gives the cabin a cleaner look. There are three new leather colors available, including Cloud, Raven Blue, and Deep Garnet, and you’ll see additional chrome trim on the steering wheel, air vents, and center console.Land RoverThere aren’t any changes to the two available powertrains, a 247-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four in the P250 models and a 395-hp turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with a 48-volt hybrid system in the P400. Prices are up across the board, with the S P250 starting at $62,775, the Dynamic SE P250 at $64,875, the Dynamic SE P400 at $71,875, and the Dynamic HSE P400 at $79,675. Land Rover says the 2024 model is available to order now. More

Car and DriverBack before performance-oriented SUVs were even a thing, General Motors busted out its crystal ball in the early ’90s with the original hi-po ute, the GMC Typhoon. There’s currently a 1993 model listed on the Bring a Trailer auction site—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos. While the Typhoon in question is not museum quality, it is a piece of history I could thrash without feeling guilty.The first thing I noticed about the ’93 Typhoon on BaT was its 16-inch C4 Corvette wheels. Personally, I love the look of the turbine-style wheels, which are also known as “salad shooters” by some. Call it blasphemous, but the SUV’s stock 16-inchers never really appealed to me. Plus, I like that the Vette-sourced setup is period correct.The GMC Typhoon’s performance magic comes from its turbocharged 4.3-liter V-6 and traction-optimizing all-wheel-drive system. From the factory, the engine was good for 280 horsepower and a substantial 350 pound-feet of torque. In 1993, the Typhoon’s force-fed V-6 was mightier than the Chevy Camaro’s naturally aspirated LT1 V-8. Think of GMC’s SUV as a forebear to the Hellcat-powered Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.Anyone familiar with the souped-up two-door S-15 Jimmy surely recognizes its cargo-bed-toting twin, the mechanically identical GMC Syclone. The latter’s claim to fame came when we pitted a 1991 example against a ’91 Ferrari 348ts—the pickup truck blew the Italian exotic’s side-straked doors off. Not only did the Syclone’s 5.3-second zero-to-60-mph time beat the Ferrari’s by seven-tenths, but it also won the drag race. The GMC went 1320 feet in 14.1 seconds at 93 mph, while the 348ts took 14.5 ticks at 99 mph. The transitive property suggests the Typhoon would’ve done the same, as the one we tested in 1992 had virtually identical results (its trap speed was actually 2 mph faster).Even by today’s standards, the GMC Typhoon’s test numbers hold up. In fact, its 30-to-50-mph time of 2.9 seconds is a mere 0.2 behind a 2022 Porsche Macan S. For comparison, the Porsche SUV has a 375-hp twin-turbo V-6 (it’s also 500 pounds heavier). The only test results that haven’t aged well for the Typhoon are its lowly cornering grip (0.79 g) and longish 70-mph-to-zero stopping distance (185 feet). However, both those figures would likely improve if it were tested on modern-day summer tires versus the original Firestone Firehawk SVX rubber that’s long been obsolete.Typhoon Tested!It’s hard to say how well the Typhoon that’s up for auction would hold up to track testing. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a little rough around the edges. Although it shows a reasonable 85,000 miles on the clock, it also has some cracked and loose-fitting body cladding, and there appear to be some rust spots underneath. Still, its leather seats aren’t ripped or terribly worn, and, unlike the Syclone, the Typhoon has a back seat so I’d be able to take three friends on the obligatory hell ride.The ’93 Typhoon on Bring a Trailer has a high bid of $11,750, as of this writing, with the no-reserve auction set to end on Thursday. If I had the disposable income (I don’t) and the final bid doesn’t go much higher, I’d be happy to add GMC’s cult classic on C4 Corvette wheels to my collection.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. More

The 16th running of our annual Lightning Lap is coming to an internet near you on February 7.This year we ran 17 different vehicles, including one convertible, one minivan, plus even one of our fleet-footed editors. Want to set your own times? Join us as we host a Lightning Lap–inspired track event on May 10 at Virginia International Raceway.For 16 years, we’ve used Virginia International Raceway’s demanding 4.1-mile Grand Course loop as a rubric for measuring the overall performance of cars. In that time we’ve tested more than 300 vehicles; some of the highlights include the third Lexus LFA ever built, a chart-topping Mosler MT900S, and even a handful of police cruisers. This year’s group answers some important questions. Curious how the new 670-hp Chevy Corvette Z06 or Honda Civic Type R fared? We’ve got answers. For those wondering how fast “regular” vehicles can lap, we ran our long-term Kia Carnival minivan. We even sent out one of our former track-star editors to see how long it takes to lap VIR on foot. There are plenty more questions answered—and video footage—when we post the full Lightning Lap package on February 7. If you got here via a QR-code link from the print issue, we’re sorry that we’re a little tardy getting the videos up, but those links will be restored when everything publishes on the 7th.Like Thunder, Like Lightning:Your patience will be rewarded with onboard videos of the fastest lap times from each of this year’s 17 entrants. Those videos will also be made available on the Car and Driver YouTube channel and will include commentary by the editors who wrestled at the wheel to achieve the fastest laps. If you think you can do better, we suggest joining us on May 10 at VIR to compete for your own Lightning Lap glory. Without giving away too much, we will say there were a few surprises. A compact performance SUV beat the times of some of our favorite hot hatches of the past. A new EV contender beat the last Tesla time by a landslide. Plus, the Z06 ended up in company with the quickest McLarens and Porsches we’ve ever run. And, uh, were you paying attention earlier when we mentioned we set a time in a minivan? Michael Simari and Marc Urbano|Car and DriverFor the sake of drama, we’ve included a list of every car at this year’s running. If you follow us on Instagram, you’ve likely already spied on what we strapped the Racelogic timing gear onto back in October.2022 Volkswagen GTI2022 Subaru WRX2023 Hyundai Kona N2023 BMW i42023 Audi RS32022 Hyundai Elantra N2023 Honda Civic Type R2022 BMW M240i2023 Toyota GR Supra2023 Toyota GR Corolla2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z062022 Kia Carnival2023 BMW M4 CSL2023 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing2022 Mercedes-AMG SL632023 Lamborghini Huracan Tecnica2022 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RSMeanwhile, last year’s Lightning Lap is worth checking out. The five classes (sorted by vehicles’ prices with options) have made for especially good banter among weekend warriors and professional armchair analysts alike. 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. More