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If you live in New York and drive a loud car, you could receive a notice from the city’s Department of Environmental Protection telling you your car is too loud. Not because a police officer caught your noisy car, but because a computer did.
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A photo of an official order from the New York City DEP was published to Facebook by a page called Lowered Congress on Monday, directed at a BMW M3 that may have been a bit too loud. The notice reads as follows:I am writing to you because your vehicle has been identified as having a muffler that is not in compliance with Section 386 of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, which prohibits excessive noise from motor vehicles. Your vehicle was recorded by a camera that takes a pictures of the vehicle and the license plate. In addition, a sound meter records the decibel level as the vehicle approaches and passes the camera. The order goes on to tell the owner to bring their car to a location specified by the DEP—a sewage treatment plant, to be precise—for inspection. Show up, and you’ll have the opportunity to get the car fixed to avoid a fine—much like California’s “fix-it” ticket system. The document also informs the owner that if they fail to show up, they could face a maximum fine of $875, plus additional fines for continuing to ignore the summons.

A New York City DEP spokesman confirmed to Road & Track via email the system is part of a small pilot program that’s been running since September 2021. From the description above, it sounds like it works much like a speed camera that automatically records a violation and sends it to you in the mail by reading your license plate. Instead of a speed gun, this new system uses a strategically placed sound meter to record decibel levels on the road, matching it to a license plate using a camera.The DEP tells us this new program is unrelated to Governor Kathy Hochul’s recent initiative to curb noise pollution in New York. In September 2021 she signed the SLEEP bill into law, raising fines for exhaust noise violation in the state from $150 to $1000—currently the highest in the nation. The program will be reevaluated on June 30, according to the DEP. From there it’ll likely either be expanded or taken out of commission. We’ll be sure to follow up then to find out. Aaron Brown contributed to this report.

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The 2023 Porsche Macan T sits between the base model and Macan S and adds performance features including launch control and Active Suspension Management as standard.The Macan T uses the same 261-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four as the base Macan, mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.The Macan T will go on sale in the spring, and we expect it start around $62,000.Porsche consolidated the Macan lineup for 2022, replacing the Turbo with an upgraded GTS featuring the previous Turbo’s 434-horsepower twin-turbo V-6. But for 2023 Porsche is expanding the Macan arsenal again, introducing a new Macan T that will slot between the base model and the Macan S. The Macan T, like the T versions of the 718 and 911 models, aims to provide a sharper driving experience thanks to its standard performance equipment.
The 2023 Macan T—which stands for “Touring”—will be powered by the same turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four found in the base model, good for 261 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. The engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and is 129 pounds lighter than the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 found in the S and GTS models, which Porsche says will result in more nimble handling and better cornering. As with all Macans, the Macan T will be all-wheel-drive.

The Sport Chrono package will come standard on the Macan T, adding a driving mode switch on the steering wheel, launch control, and an analog and digital stopwatch. Porsche Active Suspension Management is also standard, and the all-wheel-drive system is tweaked for more rear-biased power delivery. Models equipped with the optional air suspension also get stiffer anti-roll bars, and the optional torque-vectoring system has also been retuned. Porsche says the Macan T will hit 60 mph in 5.8 seconds en route to a 144 mph top speed, matching the performance claims for the base model.
The Macan T is visually distinguished by exterior trim painted in Agate Grey Metallic, a black Macan T logo on the side blades, and black exhaust pipes and side window surrounds. Instead of the base Macan’s 19-inch wheels, the T rides on 20-inch Macan S wheels. Inside, the Macan T features eight-way power heated sports seats wrapped in a unique upholstery with a Porsche crest embossed in the headrest. The seats and steering wheel feature contrasting silver stitching, while the heated GT sport steering wheel is standard.The Macan T will be available starting in early spring. Pricing won’t be announced until closer to the on-sale date, but we expect it to start around $62,000.
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The 8 x Jeff Koons is a limited-edition 2023 BMW M850i Gran Coupe designed by artist Jeff Koons.Its colorful paint job evokes comic-book themes and is said to take 285 hours per car to complete.BMW will only sell 99 copies of the car worldwide, with U.S. versions priced at $350,995.American artist Jeff Koons and BMW have teamed up once again, this time using a 2023 BMW M850i Gran Coupe as the canvas. The result is a colorful rolling art piece that’s been dubbed the 8 x Jeff Koons and will be limited to just 99 copies worldwide. Models allocated for the U.S. market will each cost $350,995 and pre-orders are available now.

While that price tag is roughly a quarter-million dollars more than you’ll pay for an un-optioned 2023 M850i Gran Coupe, which we expect to start around $100,000, the 8 x Jeff Koons is considered more of a collectible than a daily driver. Of course, if owners do choose to get behind the wheel, it has a 523-hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system on offer.
The paint job alone on the 8 x Jeff Koons is 99-of-a-kind and labor-intensive. BMW says that it requires 11 different stages and takes 285 hours per car to apply. The undertaking is said to be among the company’s “most extensive custom factory production processes ever.” The result is that only two cars will be produced every week. Included in every purchase is a unique VIN number and a certificate of authenticity signed by Koons and BMW CEO Oliver Zipse.The vivid coloring isn’t limited to the exterior, either, with Koons’ customization continuing inside the M850i. The blinding red and blue seats are said to evoke both BMW’s M performance division and comic-book superheroes. Indeed, the upholstery looks like it could be repurposed for a Spider-Man suit. Also, on the retractable cover located at the front of the center console, there’s a badge that reads “The 8 x Jeff Koons” along with the artist’s signature.
BMW and Koons previously collaborated on a 2010 M3 GT2 art car that was somehow even more colorful than this new M850i. The E92 M3 even raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The 8 x Jeff Koons isn’t expected to participate in any sanctioned races, but following its digital debut today at the Frieze Los Angeles art show, it’ll be displayed at Rockefeller Plaza in New York from April 1 to 4. On that final day, one car will be auctioned off by Christie’s, with all proceeds going to charity.
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