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The W204-generation C63 AMG was the last iteration of Mercedes’s compact AMG C63 sedan to offer a naturally aspirated V-8 engine.This 2011 C63 AMG includes the P31 AMG Development package, which nets 481 horsepower—30 more than the standard 2011 C63 AMG.Bidding for this car closes on May 24, 2022.We like Mercedes-AMG’s twin-turbo V-8 as much as the next car enthusiast. Even so, we still hold a spot in our hearts for the brand’s naturally aspirated eight-cylinder engines of yore. Specifically, the 6.2-liter unit AMG installed in the likes of the SLS supercar and W204 generation of the C-class sedan.

From model years 2008 to 2014 (and 2015 if you include the C’s two-door coupe body style), the AMG arm of Mercedes-Benz fit a 451-hp variant of its burly V-8 under the hood of the three-pointed star’s small four-door—with enough grunt to push a 4034-pound example of the model to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds in our testing.

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In 2010, Mercedes answered the call for even more power by way of the optional P31 AMG Development package. Thanks to a new tune to the engine management system and connecting rods, pistons, and a crankshaft cribbed from the SLS, the engine’s stable added 30 horses to the mix, bringing output up to 481 horsepower. Not quite the more than 500-hp the big bent-eight produced in other AMG models of the time, but still plenty for a car of this size. In fact, the P31 package’s additional power wasn’t very useful at less than three-digit speeds, as the rear-drive sedan was no quicker to 60 mph with it installed (it was quicker to 100 and 150 mph, though, by 0.1 and 1.1 seconds, respectively). The package’s other features failed to sway us, as well, and we ultimately wrote that we would “forgo” the P31 package when we reviewed a so-equipped C63 AMG in 2010.

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We’re starting to think a bit differently about it in 2022, though. Yes, we stand by the fact that the P31 package’s performance upgrades fail to notably improve the dynamics of the C63 sedan, but we also think there’s a value to the kit from a collector’s standpoint. After all, for a brief period of time, the P31 package marked the peak of C63 AMG performance. That’s why we’re drawn to this 2011 example. Sure, a C63 AMG with the P31 package is not quite the gem of the later Edition 507 (or the coupe-only Black Series), but it still seems just a wee bit more special than your average W204-generation C63 AMG. It certainly helps that this approximately 35,000-mile example’s Quartz Blue paint and 18-inch wheels provide the wide-fendered C63 AMG with a low-key look that fails to call attention to itself while simultaneously enhancing the sedan’s menacing, AMG-specific styling. Though this C63 AMG may do without Mercedes’s latest technology, its naturally aspirated V-8 provides a far different experience from the outgoing W205-generation C63 sedan’s forced-induction unit. The chasm will only grow once Mercedes-AMG unveils the next-generation C63 sedan, which will reportedly adopt a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain centered around a four-cylinder engine.
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A sketch provides our first look at the styling of the 2024 Honda Prologue, an upcoming electric SUV.Honda says the Prologue’s clean design will include a long wheelbase, short overhangs, and “capable tires.”The Prologue was developed in partnership with GM, which is providing Honda with powertrains and battery packs.Judging by a sketch released today by Honda, the company’s upcoming electric SUV won’t have a wild design. Instead, the 2024 Honda Prologue looks to have smooth surfaces with subtle notes of ruggedness.

The sketch represents our first glimpse at what the Prologue might look like, even if some parts are clearly exaggerated for dramatic effect. The color illustration gives off heavy anime vibes. Still, our eyes are drawn to the thin element that spans the top half of the front end and surrounds the slim lighting elements. The chunky grille on the front bumper along with the fog lights, lower cladding, and noticeable roof rails wouldn’t look out of place on a Subaru or really any modern crossover with adventurous aspirations.

Honda

Honda says the Prologue’s design will incorporate a long wheelbase between short overhangs. The company also says the EV SUV will be fitted with a “capable tire.” While a set of Firestone Destination LE 2 all-season tires—like those found on the Honda Passport TrailSport we tested—look aggressive, they definitely don’t have the same low rolling resistance as the rubber on most electric vehicles. Perhaps to offset this, Honda also says it focused on aerodynamics with the Prologue’s styling, with the obvious goal of maximizing efficiency but also reducing interior sound levels, which can be more noticeable when there’s no combustion engine making noise.For anyone who forgot or wasn’t already aware, the 2024 Prologue is part of Honda’s joint venture with General Motors. GM will share its Ultium battery platform, which underpins upcoming models including the Cadillac Lyriq and GMC Hummer EV. Honda will then design the bodies and interiors on vehicles like the Prologue; Acura will also have its own more luxurious version, which has not yet been publicly named.

General Motors

After the Prologue and its Acura counterpart hit the market, Honda will introduce new models based on the company’s own electric platform, which is called e:Architecture. These are slated to start production in 2026. In 2027, Honda and GM will team up again to build and sell a “new series” of affordable, electric compact crossovers. All of it culminates in Honda’s goal of selling 500,000 EVs in North America by 2030 as well as fulfilling its commitment to selling only EVs and fuel-cell vehicles by 2040.
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The 2023 Lexus RX’s front end is teased ahead of the new generation’s debut later this month.Lexus today announced the new RX will debut at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 31.We speculate that the ’23 RX will introduce a plug-in-hybrid model, possibly called RX500h+. The world will get its first look at the 2023 Lexus RX at the end of the month. Lexus today posted a teaser image of its most popular model and announced that the new generation of the SUV will debut at 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday, May 31.

The image released by Lexus provides an up-close look at the new RX’s front end. The brand’s spindle grille is still alive and well, with the latest rendition mixing a mostly black mesh design with a partly-blocked-off white panel at the very top. The reshaped headlights feature a familiar check-mark lighting signature, but the headlights themselves are shrouded in darkness. The prominent intake vent on the edge of the front bumper suggests this teaser image could be of an F Sport variant.

Lexus

Lexus

Since Lexus only released this one photo, we’re left in the dark about what the rest of the next-gen RX will look like as well as what features and powertrains will be offered. Still, we can make some educated guesses about the latter two. The ’23 will surely be offered with the huge 14.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system that debuted on the 2022 Lexus NX and will be available on the upcoming electric Lexus RZ. While the current generation of the RX is available with two or three rows of seats, we’re not sure whether or not its replacement will also offer both configurations.As for what’s under the hood, we expect the entry-level RX350 model to have the turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four that also powers the NX350. In that application, the engine is rated at 275 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque and pairs with an eight-speed automatic transmission. We also expect a hybrid variant wearing the RX450h moniker. Finally, we think the RX lineup will welcome a plug-in hybrid. Toyota applied for the RX500h trademark about two years ago, and since Lexus’ PHEV models are denoted with a “+” at the end, we think the plug-in variant could be called RX500h+.
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Ken Block has raced just about everywhere you can take a high-powered all-wheel-drive car. He’s even run the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb once, all the way back in 2005 in a Group N rally car. But he’s never fought for the overall title, the single most prestigious win in American point-to-point racing. He intends to change that this year, and, being Ken Block, he intends to do it in a car built for the occasion.

This is the Hoonipigasus, the dream creation of Hoonigan Racing Division and BBi Autosports. Like the other cars BBi has raced at Pikes Peak in the past, it’s a Porsche. Unlike those modified modern cars, however, this one is a ground-up creation resembling a vintage 911. It’s in the style of an early 911, yes, but it’s a mid-engine AWD car boasting some 1400 horsepower from a 4.0-liter flat-six. If all of that is somehow underwhelming, it also weighs just 2200 pounds.

Hoonigan

Hoonipigasus gets some of its wordplay from the livery. Street artist “Trouble” Trevor Andrew designed the scheme, a tribute to the 1971 917/20 known as the Pink Pig. The rest comes from a partnership with Mobil 1, which lends oil expertise and a Pegasus logo in its traditional place on the side of a vintage Porsche body.LOVE RALLY? SIGN UP FOR THE UPCOMING ROAD & TRACK EXPERIENCE, RALLY-ULast year, the overall win at Pikes Peak went to a Wolf GB08 prototype by a margin of over 30 seconds on a shortened course. Block will also be chasing the all-time course record, 7:57.148 in the all-electric Volkswagen ID. R, but that run was so quick that it may be safe for another year.The 2022 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be held on June 26. Block and the Hoonipigasus will be among the favorites for the overall win.

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The new Car Show! podcast hosted by longtime Car and Driver editor Eddie Alterman debuts today.The podcast features stories about vital cars and how they changed how we drive and live.New episodes arrive every Wednesday and are available wherever you get your podcasts.Eddie Alterman, our former editor-in-chief here at Car and Driver and the current Hearst Autos Chief Brand Officer, has had an illustrious career as an automotive journalist. Now, Alterman is taking his years of industry experience and love of cars to the airwaves as the host of his new Car Show! podcast, which today debuted its first two episodes.

Car Show! features stories about some pretty epic cars. Of course, the stories aren’t just about automobiles with huge horsepower figures or impressive miles per gallon. Instead, the stories highlight the transcendent vehicles that changed how we drive and live. Launched in tandem, the first episode focuses on Jeep and how the brand’s vehicular anachronisms remain so popular, while the follow-up episode tells the tale of the iconic E39 M5.

Eddie Alterman.

A self-proclaimed car freak, Alterman believes all cars are great, even the not-so-great ones. He also believes that cars sit at the middle of everything, from design and engineering to manufacturing and marketing. “But when you get right down to it, the most fascinating thing about cars is what they say about us, what they say about our culture,” Alterman says in a short audio introduction to his podcast. “Cars are rolling anthropology.”Along with being a longtime editor at Car and Driver, including a decade spent between 2009 and 2019 as the magazine’s fearless leader, Alterman’s voice and opinion on cars have appeared in GQ, Men’s Journal, and the New York Times. Car Show! is a weekly podcast from Pushkin Industries with new episodes available every Wednesday wherever you get your podcasts.
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