News

The Lotus Esprit is one of the longest-running and most recognizable sports car nameplates to come out of England. Thanks to one seller on Hemmings, a lucky enthusiast now has the chance to purchase what could be the world’s nicest Esprit Turbo, which has turned just 167 miles since new. More on Lotus EspritThe minty car in question is a 1988 Lotus Esprit Turbo Commemorative Edition. Only 88 of these commemorative cars were built in 1988 to celebrate 40 years of Lotus being incorporated. The 1988 model year also saw the introduction of the new bodywork penned by Peter Stevens, kicking off what is often referred to as the X180 generation of the Esprit. This particular Commemorative Edition model is number 68 of the run and wears the obligatory Pearlescent White exterior paintwork shared by all Commemorative Edition models. Inside you’ll find a tri-tone Blue interior which looks fantastic in an era of monotone offerings. Under the hood, there’s a Bosch KE-Jetronic fuel-injected and turbocharged 2.2-liter four-cylinder, which provides 215 horsepower and 192 lb-ft of torque in U.S.-spec. That power is sent to the rear wheels by way of a five-speed manual transaxle. HemmingsThis low-mile survivor was delivered new to Robert’s Lotus in Meriden, Connecticut in 1988 carrying an MSRP of $70,645. In the decades that have passed since, not much has changed for the sports coupe. The seller claims that the car has spent its entire life in a climate-controlled garage and remains entirely the same as it arrived back in 1988. In fact, the car has never been registered and retains its original Manufacturer’s Statement of Origin. The seller claims this is the only Esprit to retain those honors anywhere in the world. The Esprit is even still wearing the same Goodyear NCT tires that it left the factory with. The seller claims that the car runs and drives just as well as you’d expect from a brand-new car, though we wager a fresh head gasket and timing belt are likely in order. However, it seems unlikely that whoever buys this thing will ever add any miles to the odometer. If you’re interested in the chance to own the nicest Lotus Esprit in the world, you’re going to need $146,000. While you could easily get a new Lotus Emira for that sort of cash, that is a real bargain as far as survivor sports cars are concerned. Unfortunately, it seems as if this particular car is destined for a life of sitting in yet another garage. That’s a shame, but a bit more understandable in this case than most.HemmingsThis 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

Subaru has revealed the modified vehicles it will bring to the 2023 Tokyo Auto Salon: the Levorg STI Sport # prototype and the Crosstrek Boost Gear concept.The Levorg STI Sport # prototype brings handling improvements to the WRX-engined wagon, and will be sold in limited quantities in Japan.The Crosstrek Boost Gear concept is decked out with tons of off-road accessories, including a roof-mounted tent and plenty of black plastic cladding.The Tokyo Auto Salon—the Japanese equivalent of the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas—opens on January 13 and will bring a flood of wacky tuner vehicles that will push the boundaries of taste. Now Subaru has revealed the first images of the modified cars that it will be showing at the event, the Levorg STI Sport # prototype and the Crosstrek Boost Gear concept.The Levorg STI Sport #—yes, that’s a hashtag in the name—is certainly a looker. While the base model in Japan is fitted with a puny 174-hp 1.8-liter flat-four, the Tokyo show car is based around the Levorg STI R EX model, which packs the WRX’s 271-hp 2.4-liter boxer four. More Subaru NewsSold in Australia as the WRX Sportswagon, the Levorg unfortunately only offers that motor paired with a continuously variable transmission, but the handsome bodywork is enough to have us pining for a long-roof WRX, even if we’d have to sacrifice the six-speed manual. The prototype is said to have “enhanced stable handling and premium drive feel,” rides on unique wheels, and will be offered—presumably only in Japan—in limited numbers.SubaruThe Crosstrek Boost Gear concept, meanwhile, tacks on a plethora of off-road goodies to the recently revealed third-generation of the Impreza-based crossover. A LED light bar and a roof-mounted tent now reside atop the Crosstrek, while the doors and side sills gain chunky black plastic cladding. Steps hang below each of the doors to ease ingress, since the beefy off-road tires appear to have raised the crossover’s ride height. Other minor trim changes in the grille, front bumper, and wheel arches as well as turquoise accents help differentiate the Boost Gear from standard Crosstreks. It’s unclear what Subaru plans for the Boost Gear, but the concept could preview future accessories for Crosstrek’s owners who want to explore a little further off the beaten path.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

The Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES, returns for 2023, and the automakers are planning plenty of exciting announcements. Though it’s known as a broader tech show, CES has become a big deal for the automotive industry, with many reveals happening here in recent years. CES 2023, which will take place January 5–8 in Las Vegas, will include announcements from Ram, Volkswagen, and many others. We’ve rounded up the big news we know about and will continue updating this post as more info becomes available.Ram RevolutionStellantis|Car and DriverRam will show a concept version of its upcoming electric pickup at CES this year. Called the Ram 1500 Revolution BEV concept, this will preview Ram’s upcoming EV that has been teased already and should hit the market soon. While we’re not sure how indicative this concept will be of the eventual production version, we do expect Ram to provide some big claims in terms of horsepower, driving range, and hauling capability.More on the Ram EVStellantis, Ram’s parent company, will also show a Peugeot concept called the Inception. Peugeot is a French brand that isn’t likely to come to the U.S., but it may feature interesting styling or technology features that could propagate to other Stellantis models on our shores.VW ID ConceptVolkswagenVW says it is showing a new ID concept car, and we think it will be a version of the ID.Aero electric sedan it showed a few months ago. This new addition to the ID lineup emphasizes its aerodynamic nature in the interest of driving range and efficiency, and should slot in above the ID.4 in terms of price. VW says it will be displayed in camouflage, which means it’ll likely be close to the production model.More on the ID SedanSony/Honda MobilitySonySony and Honda are partnering to build electric vehicles, and the two companies will be making some sort of announcement at CES this year. While we don’t know if this means a new car or not, but we’re hoping this announcement makes as big of a splash as Sony’s last concept car, the Vision S prototype shown at CES in 2021.More on Sony and HondaVolvo EX90VolvoRevealed in Sweden in November, Volvo’s new electric SUV will be making its North American debut at CES. It’s scheduled to go on sale in the U.S. in early 2024 and promises 496 horsepower, 300 miles of range, and a starting price of around $80,000.More on the EX90Other AutomakersAudi will be showcasing a new “virtual-reality experience platform” that allows for new gaming possibilities for rear-seat passengers.BMW will reveal something that it describes as “the ultimate digital driving machine.” CEO Oliver Zipse will be making a keynote address.Mercedes-Benz says it will be making announcements about future electrification plans, driver-assistance technologies, and in-car entertainment features. It will also reveal a collaboration with some sort of entertainment brand. Canoo, a startup automaker that plans to build EV pickups and vans, will be displaying some of its vehicles at CES. Vinfast, a Vietnamese automaker with plans to enter the U.S. market, will be displaying four electric SUV models and electric bikes. The company will be offering rides in the VF8 electric SUV, and the other three models will include the VF6, VF.7, and VF.9.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

We have seen quite a lot of the upcoming Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray this past month, including what looked like a completely undisguised prototype just last week. While we do not yet have a reveal date for the actual car, and with it any specific information about its hybrid components, we do know that the version we have seen in a recent configurator leak should bear the E-Ray name and a wide body familiar to anyone who has seen the C8 Z06. We do not know where exactly the electric power is being sent just yet, but the latest leaked video gives some hope that, as we heard all the way back in 2020, the power may be going to the front wheels.We’ve Been Talking about This for a WhileThe video, uploaded by Corvette Nut on YouTube with the conspicuous title “°•“°☆°•~♤°|♧°•`~°■•,” looks a lot like a leak of an official GM clip. It features a “professional driver, closed course” caption in fine print at the bottom and ends with a Corvette logo, but Corvette Blogger notes that this is actually the older C7-generation variant of the logo. Whether or not the clip is official, the important thing is what it shows: a wide-bodied, camouflaged Corvette drifting through light snow.Does this mean the E-Ray will be getting that rumored all-wheel drive? If you were hoping to show the winter prowess of an all-wheel-drive Corvette, there would be no better way to do it. We still have to wait to see the final car for any real answers, but the sheer number of new looks at the car this week seem to indicate that a finished product could be imminent. 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