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The new Toyota Prius is one of the most transformational redesigns in recent automotive history. In one year, it’s gone from one of the ugliest cars on sale to one of the slickest-looking Toyotas ever. The stunning new model is also more efficient, an order of magnitude better to drive, a stunning value, and already fetching interest from a younger, broader crowd. Dealers are already talking about five-figure markups. Toyota, though, still doesn’t expect much sales growth.Everything about the New PriusToyota U.S. Vice President of Marketing Lisa Materazzo told Road & Track that the company is expecting annual sales of around 35,000 units for the non-Prime, standard Prius. That’s an improvement over the last full-year figure, but only barely. Toyota sold 33,968 Prius hybrids in 2021, despite the product’s age and Toyota’s considerable supply-chain constraints. With long-term gas price concerns at an all-time high, recession fears in the water, and a far more compelling product, the time seems right for a Prius resurgence. A 1000-unit improvement over one of the marque’s worst years in history sounds remarkably conservative. That’s especially true when you look at the Prius’s two best years, 2012 and 2013, which both saw sales top 230,000 units. “There could definitely be an upside on that 35,000 estimate that we have, and we will make all that we can if the demand is there,” Materazzo told R&T. That figure, then, isn’t the result of expected supply issues so much as a real look at the market. “We don’t have a crystal ball, so it’s hard to say what supply chain interruptions we could have in the short term . . . We’ve been dealing with that for a while and we’ll continue to manage through that. I do think it’s reasonable that there could be upside potential, but ultimately the market will decide that.”Even in the best-case scenario, though, Toyota doesn’t expect to ever come close to the high-water mark for Prius sales. While stronger-than-predicted demand could materialize—and reported dealer markups for first allocations suggest it may—the six-figure sales volumes of 2005–2017 era are likely gone for good. “I do think it’s important to keep in mind that we have more hybrids and more electrified vehicles across our lineup. So there are simply more options for buyers than there were back in 2011, associated with that sales plan,” Materazzo said. Back then, customers looking for a fuel-efficient hybrid were mostly stuck with the Camry or Prius. Today, they can get a RAV4 Hybrid, RAV4 Prime, Prius Prime, hybrid Tundra, or an all-electric BZ4x. A pie cut into that many pieces leaves little room for such a sales standout. Add in the stunning number of hybrid, plug-in, and battery-electric options from rivals—almost none of which existed in 2012—and it’s hard to see how any hybrid could recapture the second- and third-generation Prius’s chart-topping success. A fantastic design and a newfound focus on performance are both huge improvements, but even Toyota knows they won’t be enough to change the way the wind is blowing. This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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

Ford has announced official power figures for the new 2024 Mustang.The base 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder makes 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.The optional 5.0-liter V-8 ranges from 480 hp in the base GT up to 500 hp in the Dark Horse performance model.Ford is turning up the wick on the Coyote V-8 in the new 2024 Mustang, with the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter engine set to produce between 480 hp and 500 hp in the redesigned pony car. The 500-hp figure is for the top Dark Horse performance model, but even the base 480-hp 2024 Mustang GT will make more power than the previous Mach 1, which was rated at 470 hp for 2023 (it was initially rated at 480 hp for 2021).View PhotosMustang Dark HorseRoy Ritchie|Car and DriverThe revised V-8 makes 480 horsepower and 415 pound-feet in the base Mustang GT, a healthy upgrade compared with 450 hp for the previous base GT. Adding the optional performance exhaust increases those figures to 486 hp and 418 pound-feet. The V-8 in the Dark Horse benefits from a different crankshaft and forged piston connecting rods, and its output sits at 500 hp and 418 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission will be standard on the GT, with a ten-speed automatic optional.More on the MustangMeanwhile, the base EcoBoost four-cylinder engine doesn’t change much from before. It now produces 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That’s 5 hp more than the previous base Mustang, but less power than the previous EcoBoost Performance Package’s 330 hp. Disappointingly, the EcoBoost Mustang also won’t be available with a manual transmission, meaning the four-cylinder car will come only with the ten-speed auto.We still don’t yet know pricing for the 2024 Mustang, but production for both coupe and convertible models will start in the summer of 2023.This content is imported from OpenWeb. 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

It’s been a long time coming, but Tesla has finally made good on its promise to make Steam video games playable on some of its vehicles. The addition of Steam, which is an online store and library consisting of thousands of games, is part of Tesla’s “Holiday Update.” It also includes Apple Music, a new in-cabin camera view, updated light-show features, and more.Tesla recently announced on Twitter details of the update, specifying that owners of “new” Model S and Model X vehicles will now be able to play thousands of games through Steam. The company wasn’t exactly clear on what “new” means, but it likely refers to Plaid models released last year, which utilize AMD RDNA 2 GPUs in their infotainment systems. The hardware is powerful enough to run taxing games like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, two games the company has mentioned in the past. This content is imported from twitter. 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.Tesla’s system is also compatible with wireless controllers, allowing owners to use the Bluetooth controllers from their home systems in their vehicles. Having the ability to boot up your favorite PC games in your Tesla will likely help negate some possible boredom during longer charging stints at public chargers. Certainly loading up Forza Motorsport is more fun than people watching in the grocery store parking lot. TeslaTesla wasn’t entirely clear in its Twitter thread about the boundaries surrounding when owners can actually play video games in their vehicles, but we expect they’ll only be operable while the vehicle is parked. Still, the company came under fire last year for allowing games to be played in moving vehicles. Eventually, Tesla issued an over-the-air update to lock the function. Presumably, that lockout remains in place, keeping drivers and passengers alike from engaging in distracted driving habits while their vehicle is moving. This content is imported from twitter. 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.This content is imported from twitter. 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

There’s a good chance Chevy will slap a Camaro badge on an electric SUV within the next few years. We’re not just pulling that out of our you-know-whats, either. Following reports of an upcoming Chevy Corvette subbrand, we’ve heard that GM is planning other spinoffs of popular nameplates in its sizable portfolio, including Chevrolet’s iconic pony car, the Camaro.If you’re upset the Camaro is likely taking the same route the Mustang took with the Mach-E, we’re sorry. Please direct your outrage to the comment section below or send angry letters to our editor. However, if the thought of a Camaro EV SUV—possibly called E/28?—excites you, our rendering predicts what that machine might look like. Unlike the Mustang Mach-E, the lifted electric Camaro in our illustration doesn’t have many obvious ties to the current coupe and convertible. Arguably the biggest similarity is its two-door body style, which an inside source at GM told us is definitely under consideration for a possible crossover model, along with a more traditional four-door configuration. The two-door version in our rendering also shares a rear quarter window that kicks up just like on the regular Camaro, and their shoulder lines are similar, too. The side surfacing also looks a lot cleaner than the Blazer’s busy bodywork. A set of massive 10-spoke rims mounted on Continental tires nicely fill out the ute’s wheel arches, and the whole aesthetic combines for a sporty stance. Meanwhile, the hypothetical Camaro’s mug draws heavily from the design of the upcoming Chevy Blazer EV. The elements around the headlights do draw comparisons with the LED accents around the current-gen Camaro, but the rest of its face is considerably different.Regular Ol’ Camaro ReviewsFor those who hate the idea of a Chevy Camaro EV SUV (those who are still reading, anyway), don’t think that this means the end of the Camaro as you know it. Our GM source told us the future plans for an eventual subbrand include a 2+2 coupe and convertible. However, these are said to be fully electric. In that case, you may return to your regularly scheduled tirade.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.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