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Veteran automotive writer and photographer Richard Prince has just released his latest book, Corvette 70 Years: The One and Only (Motorbooks/Quarto $60.00), and it is a lavish love letter to a model Prince has cherished since he was a boy. “My connection to Corvette goes back to early childhood,” he told Car and Driver, recalling the time he first saw a mid-year C2. “I was smitten because it was, in my opinion, among the most beautiful cars ever produced. It was the car I wanted when I got my license.”Related StoriesPrince’s infatuation has resulted not only in his having owned at least one Corvette consistently for the past 40 years, but in his founding, with his wife, a restoration shop specializing in Corvettes, his writing three previous books, and over 1500 articles on the model, and to his acting as official Corvette photographer for Chevrolet since the introduction of the C5.Pre-Order NowMotorbooks Corvette 70 Years: The One and OnlyPre-Order NowMotorbooks Corvette 70 Years: The One and OnlyThis inside connection proved invaluable in the creation of the book, in which over half of the often rare (or previously unseen) images came from GM’s internal archives. But it also made perusing these annals occasionally uncanny. “Because I’ve worked with GM for so many years, thousands of my own images are in the archive,” Prince said. “So it was a bit surreal to be doing research and frequently coming across my own work.” One would imagine that after telling the story of Chevy’s “Plastic Fantastic” sports car so often, there might be little else to discover. But Prince’s detailed approach to the subject yields fresh insights. He was particularly interested to ferret out new information on the origin of the Corvette in the early 1950s, at the dawn of America’s interest in sports cars. Zora Arkus-Duntov catches air in a pre-production Corvette.GM media archive”Perhaps the most surprising thing I found was an audio tape of a 1954 interview of GM styling vice president Harley Earl conducted by a Detroit-based journalist named Stanley Brams,” Prince said. In that interview, Earl states that the idea for creating Corvette came to him in September 1951 while he was at a sports car race in Watkins Glen, New York. “Mr. Earl was inspired by the huge crowds and intense enthusiasm he witnessed there in 1951,” he said. “Hearing directly from him in this taped interview answers the question definitively.” 1957 Corvette SSGM media archiveHe was also compelled to find that, despite the car’s iconic nature and marketplace success, its ongoing existence has often remained precarious. “It was surprising just how fragile Corvette’s survival has been over almost all of its history,” Prince said. “It is well known that many at GM wanted to abandon it early on when sales were dismal,” he said, noting that at the end of the 1954 model year, about one-third of production remained unsold. “It’s not well known, however, that the car came very close to an unceremonious death numerous times over its 70-year history, including in recent decades when GM faced intense financial difficulties that ultimately led to its bankruptcy reorganization.” The Corvette was saved from the gallows repeatedly by passionate, powerful people within GM, who believed in its mission and drove this passion forward.Corvette 4-Rotor prototypeGM media archivePrince believes in this mission as well, citing the compelling and unique nature of Corvette’s core equities: an intensely passionate enthusiast base, an unrivaled cost-to-performance ratio, high production numbers that fuel affordability on the new and used market, and the cars’ general durability and reliability. But he’s no purist, and thankfully foregoes rallying against arcane changes like the move from round to square taillights, from pop-up to fixed headlamps, or even from a front- to a mid-engine layout. “A lot of enthusiasts, particularly the more vocal ones, are fiercely loyal to their favorite era, and decry any deviations from tradition,” he said. “I take an entirely different approach. Evolution and advancement are essential if Corvette is to survive.”Design proposals for the C5 CorvetteGM media archiveThis makes his detailed and well-researched book more joyous to read (and look at), grounded as it is in the model’s lifelong and ongoing adaptation. With an all-electric Corvette confirmed and forthcoming, Prince’s perspective is at once timely and appreciated.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

Apple introduced its latest Watch this week, the Series 8, and there’s something there for drivers who don’t have a built-in automatic emergency service in their vehicle.The new Watch uses a new accelerometer and gyroscope, along with other data, to detect a crash, and it can then automatically tell emergency responders that you’ve had an incident and where you are.USAA has a similar feature in its SafePilot app, which has been quietly identifying crashes since being introduced last November.Today’s connected cars are already experts at contacting emergency services when a crash happens. But now you can get a similar service in an older vehicle or one that simply doesn’t have that tech onboard—as long as you are wearing the new Apple Watch.Apple’s new Watch debuted this week and, amid a slew of health updates, it introduced a new feature called Crash Detection. Crash Detection is similar to Fall Detection, which Apple Watches have had since Series 4, which can tell if you’ve fallen and automatically contact emergency services if you need help.The new Apple Watch uses a high-g-force accelerometer that can detect up to 256 g’s of impact. The Watch combines the data from this new accelerometer with information from a three-axis gyroscope, the microphone, a barometer, and GPS data. The data gets crunched by an algorithm that was trained by observing more than a million hours of real-world driving and crash data, Apple said, to figure out if you’ve been in a “severe crash.” The feature is available on the new Series 8 watch and even on the bargain-priced SE model.Since the watch is connected to the cellular network on its own or through your iPhone, it can also contact emergency services and tell them where you are, if you’re in an area with cellular coverage. Any emergency contacts in your phone can also be contacted. Insurer USAA Adds Crash DetectionA similar automatic crash detection service was announced last month for the USAA insurance company’s SafePilot app. Sensors in a phone are different from those in a smartwatch, and USAA said that its app requires the driver to verify that a crash has indeed happened. The auto insurer said in a statement that letting an app automatically detect a crash can simplify and expedite the claims process, and you can even file a claim on the spot, “via a streamlined process.” USAA said it quietly launched crash detection in the SafePilot app in November 2021 and the app has already made more than 36,000 crash notifications since that time.”The traditional claim process can be highly manual and involves a series of questions and answers to properly investigate the claim,” Luke Harris, USAA’s vice president of innovation, told Digital Insurance. “The availability of telematics data provides insights into accidents that can help reduce the number of questions and time involved in investigating the event, which allows our claims team to focus their time on addressing our members’ specific needs and streamlining the process of getting them back on the road.”Another automatic crash detection option comes from Verizon, which offers the service on its Smart Family app for parents to be alerted to possible accidents for children who are new drivers.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 revealed the ID. Xtreme concept today, based on a test mule that was used to develop the ID.4 GTX.The ID. Xtreme has 87 more horsepower than a standard all-wheel-drive ID.4 at 382 hp, and it rides on unique 18-inch wheels.Other modifications include wider wheel arches, an LED light bar, and a redesigned bumper with a bull bar and aluminum underbody cladding.Normally, when a new vehicle debuts, the test mules that helped develop the finished product are either crushed or tucked away in a warehouse like the Lost Ark in Indiana Jones. But Volkswagen took a different approach with one of its test vehicles for the ID.4. Instead, it was converted into the ID. Xtreme concept revealed today in Locarno, Switzerland, giving a taste of what an off-road version of Volkswagen’s electric crossover could look like.The concept is based on an ID.4 GTX, which is sold as the dual-motor, all-wheel-drive ID.4 in the United States sans the GTX badge. That means the ID. Xtreme sends power to all four wheels, and software changes to the drive control unit boost the output to 382 horsepower, 87 ponies more than the standard GTX.The ID. Xtreme also gets, well, more extreme looks thanks to a raised suspension, 18-inch off-road wheels, and approximately 2.0-inch-wider 3D-printed wheel arches. A butch bull bar also protrudes from a redesigned front bumper, while an LED light bar is perched atop the roof to illuminate rough terrain at night. A completely closed aluminum underbody has been installed to protect the battery from pesky rocks and other debris. More VW NewsThe snazzy livery on the outside is apparently mirrored by orange accents on the interior, although Volkswagen didn’t provide any photos of the cabin. Volkswagen also says there are redesigned seats and that many surfaces are wrapped in Alcantara. The ID. Xtreme has been fitted with a sound generator in the wheel well that projects some sort of driving noise created by Volkswagen’s design team, although without a recording, we can only guess at what it sounds like. We doubt anything like the ID. Xtreme will ever be offered by Volkswagen, although with Honda launching the TrailSport sub-brand, Subaru creating the Wilderness line, and Hyundai adding the XRT badge, off-road appearance packages have become a hot trend and Volkswagen might be inclined to join in. 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

The KTM X-Bow GT-XR is meant to be a road-going equivalent of the company’s X-Bow GT2 track weapon.The GT-XR uses an Audi-sourced 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine tuned to produce 493 horsepower at 6350 rpm.Production is limited to a maximum of 100 per year.The Austrian firm KTM, primarily known in the U.S. as a motorcycle manufacturer, has a new road-going X-Bow model called the GT-XR. KTM has been making the X-Bow (i.e. crossbow) since 2008. The GT-XR is the street version of the X-Bow GT2, with air conditioning, Bluetooth, and an optional (!) rear-view mirror. In lieu of doors, KTM went more Star Wars X Wing with a jet fighter canopy.We’ve been seriously impressed by the KTM performance in the past. The original X-Bow lapped VIR at 2:52.3 in our annual Lightning Lap testing. Our editor-in-chief deemed the 2019 X-Bow Comp R “properly capable” after driving it at Sonoma Raceway in California. Kernasenko J.With a turbocharged 2.5-liter engine sourced from the Audi RS3, the GT-XR packs 493 horsepower. Not record-setting, but in KTM fashion, the car is incredibly light. The GT-XR tips the scales at a claimed 2491 pounds. That’s only 300 pounds more than a first-gen Mazda Miata. The carbon monocoque weighing in at 196 pounds is lighter than the average American man. The combination of high power and low weight is said to rocket the KTM to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds. Kernasenko J.KTM forwent a manual gearbox for the GT-XR, opting instead for a seven-speed direct-shift gearbox (DSG). The steering wheel is removable and features an integrated display with shift indicators. The forged aluminum wheels are made by OZ Racing. KTM added a 25-gallon fuel tank allowing for more than 600 miles of range between fill-ups.The GT-XR is available to order in Europe, where the KTM notes that the car is approved for street use. Pricing is just over $286,000 based on current exchange rates. A maximum of 100 will be made per year. U.S. buyers may be out of luck, however, as KTM does not mention U.S. availability. 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

• Great Scott! It’s the other iconic vehicle from the Back to the Future movies, currently listed for sale on the Bring a Trailer auction site.• Durable Toyota underpinnings make this pickup truck the kind of icon you can drive as much as you like.• It comes with a variety of BTTF memorabilia, including a (nonfunctional) hoverboard, and bidding ends on Tuesday, September 13.The trouble with movie magic is that it isn’t actually real. If you grew up as a fan of the Back to the Future movies, it might turn out to be a bit of a letdown to actually drive a DeLorean DMC-12. The sleek stainless-steel wedge certainly looks cool, but it takes its sweet time hitting 88 mph. Marty’s other vehicle, on the other hand? No behind-the-scenes trickery. All Toyota. Bring a TrailerCurrently up for auction on Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is another custom four-by-four from Statler Toyota. Well actually, Statler Toyota was the fictional dealership in the movie: this Toyota is a 1985 SR5 extended cab, dressed up to look McFly by a Chattanooga-based BTTF specialist. With five days left to go, bidding sits at $13,000.Classic C/D Toyota StoriesKnown as the Hilux in overseas markets, the simple Toyota pickup of the 1980s became an icon of unkillability. They rusted, sure, but the rugged four-cylinder powertrain kept humming along as the miles crept upward. Rather famously, the show Top Gear went to great lengths in trying to destroy a Toyota pickup, up to and including putting it on the roof of a building that was then leveled with a controlled demolition. Didn’t matter; the truck still ran. So durable were these Toyotas that there is even a war named after them: the Harb Tūyūtā, in which a bunch of Chadian troops in ragtag Hiluxes and 4Runners threw the better-equipped Libyan invaders out on their ear.In California, the Toyota pickup was less about desert warfare and more about sand, sun, or driving up to the lake to sleep out under the stars. It was a poster car for the outdoorsy life, camping, surfing, and just general good-time vibes.Bring a TrailerIn the fictional everytown of Hill Valley, a black Toyota 4×4 with all the goodies was the ultimate reward for Marty McFly’s time-traveling adventures. Here, that reward is within your grasp: no Hollywood trickery, all Toyota.Fitted out with Smittylite bumpers and roll bar and a total of six KC HiLites auxiliary lights, this truck is all dressed up like the movies. But underneath, it’s running a 2.4-liter 22RE four-cylinder engine, with a five-speed manual gearbox and a two-speed transfer case. A set of 31-inch Goodyear tires on 15-inch wheels provide grip, with the suspension getting a mild lift for off-road duties.Bring a TrailerThe odometer shows 127,000 miles, but actual mileage is stated as unknown. Further, there are a few blemishes around the body and some swirl marks in the black paint. If anything, these factors are pluses rather than minuses, because you don’t have to treat this truck like a garage queen. Biff doesn’t need to keep it waxed and indoors if it might rain. You can actually get out and drive this truck around.It’s the perfect way to indulge in some popcorn-scented nostalgia. Just slide a Huey Lewis disc into the Jensen CD player, crank up “The Power of Love,” and cruise on down that sun-dappled California road. The auction ends next Tuesday, September 13, and as of the preceding Friday, bidding had reached $15,000.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