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Honda’s stalwart family sedan will soon debut a new look for the 2023 model year.The Japanese automaker released three teaser images of the 2023 Accord mid-size car, and from what we can see so far it’ll sport a slick design.In the third image, the new car’s infotainment display shows a graphic calling attention to the hybrid powertrain.A redesigned Honda Accord will launch for the 2023 model year, marking the 11th generation for the popular nameplate, which has been in production continuously since 1976. From teaser photos shown here, we can see that the new Accord will wear a smoother design that fits right in among Honda’s newer offerings such as the Civic compact car and the upcoming Prologue electric SUV.HondaBright LED lighting elements highlight the new design’s sleek lines while an elongated hexagonal grille wears a handsome triangle-motif insert. At the back, the Accord’s taillights stretch nearly the entirety of the width of the car, save for a small interruption in the middle of the trunk lid to make room for a small Honda logo.HondaOn the 12.3-inch infotainment display is a graphic showing the 2023 Accord’s hybrid powertrain in action. We previously reported that Honda has stated its intention to grow the Accord hybrid’s sales numbers, so we’re not surprised that we’re seeing the electrified powertrain promoted in these teaser images. HondaHonda hasn’t released any details about the Accord’s powertrains yet, and while it’s clear that the company is pushing the hybrid to center stage, we still expect a nonhybrid powertrain to be the base offering. That may turn out to be the same turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder as the current model or it could be the more powerful turbo 2.0-liter from the current Accord Sport. The current Accord Hybrid is powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and two electric motors that combine for 181 horsepower but this time around it could get the hybrid system from the 2023 CR-V SUV that uses a turbocharged engine and makes 204 horsepower. More Future HondasIt’s no secret that the Accord is regularly among our favorite cars, as the nameplate has won our annual 10Best award 36 times throughout the years. It’s the Accord’s balanced driving demeanor combined with stellar value and excellent build quality that have impressed our editors in the past.Needless to say, we have high expectations for the 2023 model and we’re eager to learn more about the new generation. But we’ll have to wait with everyone else until the rest of the car is unveiled in November 2022.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 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

Lotus has revealed more information and specs about its upcoming Eletre electric SUV, at least for the Europe market.There will be three trim levels, all with the same 112.0-kWh battery pack and all-wheel drive via twin motors and making 603 or 905 hp, depending on model.There’s no U.S. pricing for the 2024 Lotus Eletre electric SUV yet, but the range for Europe is the equivalent of $84,500 to $113,000.When Lotus first showed its forthcoming electric SUV, the Eletre, earlier this year, its official announcement raised as many questions as it provided answers. But now we have more details, including performance details and European pricing, alongside images of the finished version.This content is imported from youTube. 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.Eletre: Unleash the Future – UK & Rest of the WorldWatch onMore DetailsLotus has confirmed there will be three versions of the Eletre, with S and R versions positioned above the base car. All will use a 112.0-kWh battery pack and feature all-wheel drive through twin motors. The entry-level and S models will have a total system output of 602 horsepower and 523 pound-feet from a pair of equally powered motors, one at each end. The R swaps out the rear 301-hp motor for a much more potent 603-hp unit featuring a two-speed gearbox similar in principle to the one in the Porsche Taycan 4S and Turbo. The R’s peak output is 905 horsepower accompanied by 726 pound-feet, which Lotus claims will make it the fastest dual-motor EV SUV in the world.None will be slow. The less powerful driveline has a claimed zero-to-62-mph time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 160 mph. The R drops that 62-mph figure to just 2.9 seconds and increases the top speed to 165 mph, although experiencing that even briefly will doubtless have a detrimental effect on range.Range Estimate: Up to 373 Miles On Europe’s generally optimistic WLTP protocol, Lotus says that the less powerful Eletre can go up to 373 miles on a full charge when running on optional 20-inch wheels; 22-inchers will actually be the standard specification in Europe. The R’s additional performance comes at the cost of a substantially worse 304-mile WLTP rating. We’ve previously been told that the Eletre will support fast charging at rates of up to 350kW.The Eletre will be produced in Wuhan, China, with much of the development work taking place at Raunheim in Germany. All versions will have adaptive dampers and air-sprung suspension able to vary ride height, with the Eletre R adding an active anti-roll system. Carbon-ceramic brakes will also be offered on at least some versions. There is still no official word on on weight, although Lotus has confirmed to C/D that earlier reports it was chasing a “sub-two-ton [4400-pound]” curb weight were some way off from reality. We’re sticking with our prediction that it will come in around the 5500-pound mark. Lotus has also dropped more details about the Eletre’s UI system. Like fellow Geely Group brand Smart—whose Euro-market #1 we drove last month—the Lotus will use Geely’s ECARX core architecture with mapping using data from HERE. This will use a punchy processor featuring twin Qualcomm 8155 “system on” chips and driving a high-definition 15.1-inch OLED touchscreen. We were disappointed by the unintuitive and poorly finished Smart OS system in the #1, so we hope Lotus’s take will be more successful; happily, the firm has already confirmed that the Eletre will include the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration the Smart lacks.Autonomously around the Nürburgring?The Eletre will also have lidar sensors as standard, with the company promising increasing levels of assisted driving and then higher-level autonomy “when individual market regulations allow.” The company is also promising it will ultimately be possible to “drive the Nürburgring circuit autonomously” in the Eletre, a claim we find it hard not to treat with a high level of skepticism given the corporate legal risks implicit in such a thrill ride. When it’s ready, though, sign us up!We will have to wait longer for U.S. pricing, but Lotus has confirmed figures for major European markets. In the U.K. the range will start at the equivalent of $84,500 for the base car, rise to $98,500 for the S, and top out at $113,000 for the R. It will be interesting to see how close to that U.S. pricing ends up when the first cars reach here in 2024. 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

This content is imported from youTube. 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 youTube. 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.Ken Block’s ELECTRIKHANA: High Stakes Playground; Las Vegas, in the Audi S1 HOONITRONWatch onKen Block, the mad scientist behind Hoonigan and Gymkhana, is back again with his first electric drift machine, the Audi S1 Hoonitron.The S1 Hoonitron is a bespoke electric drift car designed and built by Audi specifically for Block’s new Electrikhana video.The Las Vegas Strip was shut down for the making of this video, which is now live on Block’s YouTube channel. It features Block destroying vast amounts of Toyo tires with the new Hoonitron under the famous neon lights of Sin City.Ken Block needs no introduction to Car and Driver readers: He’s the mastermind behind the Hoonigan brand and the driver behind the otherworldly Gymkhana videos. Historically, his Gymkhana videos include at least one brutish and boisterous creation like this 1400-hp Mustang from 2016. He left Ford in 2021 after 11 years with Ford Performance, and now he’s in a new partnership with Audi. That partnership is now taking shape with the Audi S1 Hoonitron and the newest Gymkhana installment: Electrikhana.More on GymkhanaThe S1 Hoonitron is a one-of-one bespoke creation built by Audi as the first electric Gymkhana car specifically for Electrikhana. It also serves as the only factory-built Gymkhana vehicle. The looks of the Hoonitron are based on the Pikes Peak–dominating Audi Sport Quattro S1 of the 1980s, and the resemblance is striking. According to a recent video posted on the Hoonigan YouTube channel, creating the new S1 Hoonitron cost Audi somewhere from $10 million to $12 million. HoonitronThe current film was a natural evolution, Block explained. “Over the past decade, we have continually pushed to do something new and different with my Gymkhana series,” he said. “While I may love the sound of a turbo engine, or the grunt of a V-8, we have done that all before.” Making the switch to an all-electric platform allowed Block and Hoonigan to try new things. Four-wheel launches filled with tire smoke, reverse entries, and high-speed 360s were all in play with the new platform. The e-tron performance was designed for Formula E racing, and the all-wheel-drive bi-motor setup creates roughly 4400 pound-feet of torque. According to Hoonigan, all that torque resulted in the car destroying three times the tires it normally requires for filming. Taking place under the famous neon lights of Las Vegas and—if the teaser clip from YouTube is to be believed—within a casino, Electrikhana looks to maintain the same spirit that catapulted Block and Gymkhana to fame. Even so, we are going to miss the snargling V-8 and flame-spitting exhaust. 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 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 given the Escape SUV a handsome makeover for 2023 which includes a new hood, grille, headlamps, and wheel designs.Gone are the familiar S, SE, SEL, and Titanium trims as the Escape’s lineup has been adjusted to include base, Active, Platinum, and PHEV trims as well as a sporty-looking ST-Line model.Sync 4 is now standard and the Escape can be had with larger display screens for the gauges and the infotainment system.After just three model years on the market, the Ford Escape is getting an attractive front-end redesign that removes its smiley fascia in favor of a more upscale-looking one. The compact SUV’s front fascia has been reworked with new lighting elements, a revised hood, and an updated front bumper design. The 2023 Escape’s grille stretches wider across the front end than the one on the 2022 model and now wears the Ford oval emblem that used to be placed on the SUV’s hood. Higher-end models come with a light bar that connects the headlamps by running across the top of the grille.Latest News from the Blue OvalTo accompany its handsome new look, the Escape lineup has been tweaked to include base, Active, Platinum, PHEV, and new ST-Line trim levels. The ST-Line is a sporty-looking offering that swaps the Escape’s black plastic lower-body cladding for body-colored alternatives, giving it a more hunkered-down appearance. The ST-Line also wears unique 18- or 19-inch wheels and can be had with black faux-leather upholstery with red contrast stitching. Same PowertrainsThe Escape’s four powertrain options carry over from before, starting with the 180-hp turbocharged 1.5-liter three-cylinder. An optional turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder brings the heat with 250 ponies and two different hybrids are available if you’re looking to preserve fuel. The first hybrid is a traditional setup that uses a 2.5-liter Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder and an electric motor; a plug-in-hybrid option adds an 11.2-kWh battery pack that is said to hold enough juice to power the Escape for up to 37 miles on electric power. Both hybrids make 210 horsepower, an 11-hp drop from last year’s PHEV model.Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system makes its way to the Escape this year too. The system, which is capable of over-the-air updates, features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, displayed on a large 13.2-inch infotainment display on all but the base model. The screen is 8.0 inches on the base trim, which also comes with an 8.0-inch digital gauge display; a larger 12.3-inch gauge display is optional starting on the Active trim. A host of new features are now available on the Escape, including more advanced driver-assistance tech such as an evasive-steering assist system, a wireless smartphone charging pad, and a 360-degree exterior camera. Modest Price IncreasePricing for the Escape is up over the 2022 model as a result, but not by much. The base Escape will retail for $28,995, an increase of just $335 over last year, while the Active starts at $30,340, the ST-Line at $31,335, the Platinum at $37,460, and the PHEV at $39,995. Order books have opened for the 2023 Escape already, and Ford says the updated SUV should arrive in dealers in early 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.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

Electric vehicles are not new at SEMA, but for the show this year, organizers are expanding Electrified Hall to allow for more EVs and related technologies.Given SEMA’s classic-car focus, multiple vendors offering EV conversion kits will be at the show, including APP EV Systems and Electric GT.The aftermarket is adapting to electric propulsion technology, and SEMA said electric conversions allow classic-car lovers to keep their vehicles on the road even as original parts become harder to get.Electric vehicles are back at SEMA in a bigger, better way. For 2022, the show has increased its focus on EVs and expanded its Electrified Hall to feature more plug-in vehicles and EV technologies. From a 2500-square-foot display in 2019, SEMA’s EV section has now grown to 21,000 square feet.Go with the CurrentShow organizers are embracing the shift to plug-ins, including by showcasing multiple EV conversion solutions this year. SEMA vice president of events, Tom Gattuso, said this year’s Electrified Hall will teach visitors how today’s EV scene for older cars is different. “The EV aftermarket is evolving quickly and continues to change,” he said. “We’re curating a unique collection of the latest products related to electric vehicles and the aftermarket.”Educating EV Builders, Modifying Great ICE ClassicsSome of the EV-centered exhibitors at SEMA this year include the Switch Lab EV Program, which uses a reusable EV Ki to teach students how to build their own electric vehicle, and App EV Systems, which will launch an EV conversion system and EV battery packs at the show. App EV has an unusual take on classic cars compared to traditional SEMA exhibitors. Instead of bemoaning the lack or expense of old car parts, App EV wants to help car enthusiasts “evolve” their classic cars with an electric powertrain that “extends their useful lives, improves their environmental credibility, and reduces operating and maintenance cost and hassle.” APP EV SystemsFor instance, the company is hard at work on the 1973 Porsche 911SC EV conversion shown here, which will be revealed on the SEMA show stand. The car will retain its five-speed transmission and have “comparable performance” to the internal-combustion-engined original, App EV president Jeremy Barras told Car and Driver. He called the 911SC “the most difficult to package, as the smallest! All other applications will be easier.”1973 Porsche 911SC in process of conversion to EV.Car and DriverA similar view is presented by Electric GT, which will be at the show with its own line of EV conversion kits. This content is imported from Tiktok. 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.Those last two exhibitors fit well with SEMA’s reasons for its growing focus on EV technology. New SEMA market research data found that EV technology could be where the money is. Or, as SEMA said in a press release, it offers “several areas of opportunity for the aftermarket.” Everything from a race car to a barn find classic can be converted from an internal-combustion-engine vehicle to a zero-emission electric car, and SEMA said it is “dedicated to helping its member companies identify [electric powertrain] opportunities and adapt to the growing segment of the industry.”The 2022 SEMA show will take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 1–4. The Electrified Hall portion of the show will be located in the center’s North Hall. 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 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

Volkswagen is replacing its touch-sensitive (haptic) steering-wheel control panel in favor of more user-friendly physical buttons. The news comes via LinkedIn post from CEO Thomas Schäfer who said the switch is happening following customer feedback and requests to revert to the old format. We reached out to Volkswagen and are waiting to find out which car is getting the new steering-wheel controls first, and when customers can expect the change.Volkswagen is listening to its customers’ complaints and, more important (we’re kidding), to ours, about haptic controls. Thomas Schäfer, the CEO of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, took to Linked In to make the announcement last week. “We are sharpening our portfolio and our design, plus creating a new simplicity in operating our vehicles,” said Schäfer. “For example, we are bringing back the push-button steering wheel! That’s what customers want from VW.” Finally. Something as small as steering-wheel controls may seem mundane, but the return to physical wheel controls is very welcome. We’ve long complained about ease-of-use issues with the haptic system. Case in point, editor-in-chief Tony Quiroga wrote in his review of the 2022 GTI about accidentally activating the heated steering wheel: “Start hustling the car and you’ll find your hands sweating, not because of the work, but because your palm accidentally switched on the heated steering wheel.” Ideally, reverting to physical buttons will allow spirited driving sans petri dish hands. Related StoriesAs of now, the $25,000 Taos is the only vehicle in Volkswagen’s North American lineup with physical buttons on the steering wheel. We have asked VW when customers should expect to start seeing physical buttons on the steering wheel again, and on which cars. We’ll let you know when we find out.Now if only Volkswagen will do something about the lack of volume knob and real climate controls . . . 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 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