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Car and Driver• This Alfa Romeo is one of Trans-Am racing’s greatest heroes.• Repainted in its original 1971 livery, this GTV won its final race, only to be disqualified later.• The Bring a Trailer auction ends on February 3.Great racing stories are built on rivalries: Ford versus Ferrari, Hunt versus Lauda, Smokey Yunick versus the NASCAR rulebook. Up for sale right now on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is one half of a duel that defined compact-car racing in the early 1970s. The 1971 Alfa Romeo GTV 1750 battled against the Brock Racing Enterprises Datsun 510 to the bitter end, achieving a short-lived victory after a fuel capacity technicality reversed the Alfa’s fortune.The Sports Car Club of America’s 2.5 Challenge Series was exciting if you were a racer on a budget, unable to stretch to the likes of a V-8–powered Chevy Camaro, Ford Mustang, or AMC Javelin. The 2.5 Challenge cars were small and boxy–510s, Alfas, and BMWs–but the competition was just as fierce as in the ponycar field. If you liked small, lightweight road cars, the 2.5 Challenge was the place to be.Bring a TrailerBring a TrailerStaring down a factory-backed Alfa Romeo team, you might imagine Datsun as the scrappy underdog, but the BRE 510s had the development money behind them. With famed Nissan president Yutaka Katayama (a.k.a. Mr. K) cheering from the sidelines, and with Peter Brock’s team preparing the chassis and engines, the BRE 510s were difficult to beat.This Alfa Romeo GTV 1750 was the racing machine that Horst Kwech campaigned in the 1971 season. At the time, its 2.0-liter inline-four produced 205 horsepower. Series regulations meant the Alfa received a 200-pound penalty to bring it closer to the BRE 510, but Alfa’s team placed the ballast to achieve a nearly ideal 48/52 weight distribution.Bring a TrailerWearing 15-inch Minilite wheels wrapped in fat Hoosier tires, this classic little Alfa is immediately appealing. The cockpit is simple: three pedals, the necessary instrumentation, a five-speed manual transmission, and a well-worn leather-wrapped steering wheel.While it may be light on amenities, this car is full of stories. In 1971, Horst and his Alfa went back and forth with John Morton and his BRE 510, swapping wins like featherweight boxers exchange blows. The final race was held at Laguna Seca, with the national title on the line. The live-axle Alfa delivered a handful of oversteer followed by understeer, while the 510 was temperamental unless it was driven with reckless abandon. Despite rules trying to even the playing field, the vehicles couldn’t have driven more differently.Bring a TrailerBring a TrailerIn that final round, Horst’s Alfa emerged triumphant. However, suspicions were raised when the Datsun hit the pits while the Alfa stayed out. Scrutineers descended and found that the GTV’s fuel system held two gallons more than was legal, and the trophy was handed to the Datsun team.That season remains contentious with race fans even now, but more than that, it remains memorable. A car with this level of racing pedigree comes along very seldom. By itself, this Alfa is an interesting and valuable vintage racing machine. The story–and the rivalry–just add to the appeal. More

The Dutch EV startup Lightyear’s operating company, Atlas Technologies BV, enters bankruptcy days after production of its first EV was halted.The company initially announced suspended production of the Lightyear 0 to focus all energies on bringing the Lightyear 2 to market, starting in 2025.The EV startup’s first EV had a starting price of around $260,000 while offering a range of 388 miles, and was produced under contract by Valmet Automotive in Finland. Just days after Lightyear indicated it was halting production of its innovative and partially solar-powered Lightyear 0 sedan to focus on its next model, the company has entered bankruptcy. The Dutch startup, which was present at CES less than a month after production of its first model began, has now stopped payments to its operating company, Atlas Technologies BV, which contracted Valmet Automotive in Finland to produce the high-tech—and high-priced—electric sedan.To Infinity?The fate of the company’s second model, the Lightyear 2, is now uncertain as the company navigates bankruptcy. Lightyear aimed for a production start in 2025 for the Lightyear 2, as well as a starting price just below the $40,000 mark, promising a range of 500 miles between recharges thanks to solar panels and other technologies.”As announced on January 23, we had to submit the request for the opening of suspension of payment proceedings with respect to Atlas Technologies BV, our operating company responsible for the production of Lightyear,” the company said in a statement.The company’s request has been granted by a court in the Netherlands, which declared bankruptcy for Atlas Technologies BV. However, the bankruptcy only concerns the manufacturing arm of the company, even though the prospects of the whole venture, and the jobs of more than 500 employees, are now in doubt.The company revealed just a couple of months ago that it had raised $80 million ahead of the start of Lightyear 0 production in Finland. Earlier this month the company had opened a waiting list for the Lightyear 2, which would have incorporated many technologies from the company’s first model, just a few of which are believed to have been produced since early December.”In the coming period the trustee will focus on the position of the employees and creditors as well as assessing how the Lightyear concept can be continued,” the company added.Lightyear saw solar technology as the key to overcoming range anxiety as well as charging expenses, engineering its first model over the course of six years, to generate up to 43 miles of range per day. The sleek sedan, with a drag coefficient of 0.175 Cd, featured a relatively modest 61.2-kWh battery, though promised an overall range of 388 miles in the WLTP cycle.It remains to be seen whether the company, which had raised quite a bit of cash just before the production start of the $260,000 sedan, will be able to reorganize and attract more investment for its second model, or if another automaker will be willing to come to the rescue.Cloudy Horizon More

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE-class gets updated with fresh looks and a 48-volt hybrid system.A new plug-in-hybrid GLE400e also joins the lineup; it makes a combined 381 hp and 479 pound-feet of torque.The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLE-class sees similar changes, including updated styling and newly available features.For 2024, the Mercedes-Benz GLE-class and AMG GLE lineups gear up for a mid-cycle update, with significant revisions to the powertrain and a new hybrid member of the family. Mercedes also updates their interior and exterior styling, plus adds new standard features and options for the AMG-tuned versions.The whole lineup is now electrified, with most models gaining a 48-volt hybrid system and integrated starter-generator. Peak output remains unchanged, with the V-8 AMG GLE63 S producing the highest output at 603 horsepower, and the four-cylinder GLE350 making the least, at 255. The AMG GLE53 also benefits from a larger turbocharger and updated software that increases peak torque from the previous 384 to 413 pound-feet, which is said to shave a few tenths off of its 60-mph time (a ’21 GLE53 coupe we tested hit that mark in 4.7 seconds). The standard GLE-class adds the GLE400e 4Matic plug-in hybrid, which incorporates a 134-hp electric motor that pairs with the standard turbo-four gas engine to produce a combined 381 horses. The all-wheel-drive GLE400e has a standard 11.0-kW onboard charger and a 60.0-kW fast-charger is optional.More Mercedes NewsVisual changes are kept to a minimum for the new model. Chrome inserts were added in a few places up front to try and increase road presence, while both the headlights and taillights were restyled. The front fascia on the AMG GLE53 is redesigned with shaplier side air intakes with a “jet-wing design,” according to Mercedes. The AMG badge is displayed in place of the standard Benz logo that normally adorns the hood. Paint options expand to include Twilight Blue metallic and Manufaktur Alpine Grey, with the AMG lineup adding new upholstery options too. The GLE63 S also comes with newly designed 22-inch forged wheels; they’re standard on the coupe and optional on the squareback body style.The AMG variants also receive updated standard features. The AMG Performance exhaust system, MBUX Augmented Reality for Navigation, memory package, parking assistance package, heated and ventilated front seats, and AMG Performance Steering wheel are all newly standard for 2024.In an attempt to lean in to the off-road capability of the GLE, the GLE580 is getting a new off-road package. The kit includes protection for the underbelly of the SUV and adds 1.2 inches of ground clearance over the standard model. A new “Off-Road” mode is added to the interface, giving access to a virtual view under the front of the vehicle, including the front wheels and steering position. New trailer technology is also being added, allowing drivers to input and save trailer dimensions to the system. A new trailer assistant regulates steering angle and speed to help drivers reverse up to 90 degrees with a trailer attached. While Mercedes hasn’t yet announced pricing, we expect those details to come out before 2024 versions of the Benz-branded GLE-class and its AMG counterparts reach dealerships sometime in 2023. 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

Following in the footsteps of the CX-50—which is a CX-5 with a chunkier, more rugged vibe—Mazda has just unveiled the CX-90. But things are more than a little different this time around. Instead of leaning heavily on its three-row sibling, the CX-9, the 2024 Mazda CX-90 charts new territory, thanks to a raft of changes that may not be apparent at first glance. Let’s look at what CX-90 specifications Mazda has divulged thus far and see how they stack up against the CX-9. MazdaMazdaChassisThe CX-90 differs greatly from the CX-9 before you’ve even walked from the bumper to the A-pillars. The CX-90’s chassis features a longitudinal engine layout, a 90-degree shift from the CX-9’s transverse setup. Mazda claims this new arrangement will give the CX-90 additional handling chops.Before you go wondering about a rear-wheel-drive CX-90, allow us to burst your bubble. While a longitudinal-engine layout could permit such a setup, the CX-90 will come with standard all-wheel drive, just like the CX-9. Mazda has also borrowed a bit of the MX-5 Miata’s chassis technology for its latest SUV. The CX-90 will come standard with Kinematic Posture Control, which claims to improve mid-corner stability by applying a bit of braking to the inside rear wheel.More on Mazda SUVsPowertrainsThe Mazda CX-9 utilizes a single engine for the entire lineup, a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four making 250 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque on premium fuel—output drops by 23 horsepower and 10 pound-feet if you opt for the cheap stuff. All-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission are standard.Meanwhile, the CX-90 will offer two powertrains with varying degrees of electrification. The much-ballyhooed turbocharged 3.3-liter inline-six is Mazda’s strongest engine to date, producing 340 horsepower and 369 pound-feet on premium fuel and mating to a 48-volt hybrid system. Those seeking extra electrons can opt for the plug-in-hybrid CX-90, which joins a 2.5-liter inline-four and a single electric motor to make 323 horsepower and 369 pound-feet—again, on premium gas. With a 17.8-kilowatt-hour battery in tow, we expect the CX-90 PHEV’s electric range to be somewhere below 39 miles, since that’s what the smaller, Europe-only CX-60 PHEV can manage on the European WLTP cycle.Both CX-90 variants will pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s quite the unique slushbox, too, with a multi-plate wet clutch in place of a torque converter, and it was developed entirely in-house.ExteriorMazda won’t be giving out actual dimensions yet, but we know that the CX-90 is longer and wider than the CX-9.When it comes to design, the CX-90 keeps it subtle, ditching the CX-9’s sharp character lines on the side and replacing them with smoother angles. The CX-90’s front fascia looks a little more vertical than the CX-9’s, which has a sharper grille angle that looks more beak-ish. The CX-90’s headlights aren’t as slim as the CX-9’s, but out back, the newer SUV has sharper, thinner taillights. MazdaMazdaInterior and Cabin TechThe CX-90 will gain a skosh of interior versatility over the CX-9. While Mazda’s current three-row SUV can be arranged to seat either six or seven, the CX-90 will add the option to accommodate eight. Mazda has not yet published actual interior measurements, but the automaker told us the CX-90 will offer more interior space than the CX-9. We’d hope so, if Mazda’s trying to jam another whole human in there.It shouldn’t come as a surprise that, because it’s so much newer, the CX-90’s interior is easier on the eyes than the CX-9’s. The CX-9 still relies on older hardware, like a taller gear lever, as well as last-generation steering wheel and infotainment controls. The CX-90 ditches climate-control dials for toggles, and the new gear lever is more compact. The steering wheel looks a bit more elegant too. And is that fabric we spy on the CX-90’s dashboard? You bet your bottom dollar it is.Every CX-9 comes standard with a 10.3-inch infotainment display rising from the dashboard, while the gauge cluster comes with either a 4.6-inch or a 7.0-inch LCD screen, depending on trim. The CX-90 brings that tech a little closer to the present day, with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen that we expect to be standard across the lineup. There’s a similarly sized digital gauge display in the binnacle, but that’s likely reserved for fancier variants.PriceWould you believe us if we said Mazda won’t talk about the CX-90’s price yet? That said, the automaker did tell us to look at the difference in price between the CX-50 and the CX-5 and extrapolate from there. The CX-50 is nearly the same price as the CX-5 at the base level, and that delta rises to nearly $2,000 on the top trim. So it’s fair to assume the CX-90 will start in the low-$40,000 range, with top trims eclipsing the $50,000 mark easily. 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