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Audi is out testing prototypes for an updated version of its Q8 mid-size SUV and the latest tester to be spotted is for the sporty SQ8 variant. The Q8 also comes in high-performance RS Q8 guise and an updated version of this flagship variant should also be in the works. The latest prototype sports a revised grille up front and new internals for the headlights. The front fascia is also a new design, featuring a more triangular shape for the side intakes compared to the current model. It isn’t clear what’s changes are present at the rear but a revised…

From the February/March 2023 issue of Car and Driver.Lap Time: 2:47.5Class: LL4 | Base: $140,895 | As-Tested: $145,395Power and Weight: 543 hp • 3580 lb • 6.6 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R; F: 275/35ZR-19 (100Y), R: 285/30ZR-20 (99Y)Judged by the numbers, the BMW M4 CSL’s 2:47.5 lap impresses. It is the quickest BMW we’ve tested at VIR, with the CSL outperforming the 627-hp BMW M5 CS and the track-focused M4 GTS that preceded it.The 543-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is a ripper in this lightened M4. Stripped of rear seats and sound-deadening materials, and with more braces than…

Toyota will use this week’s 2023 Chicago Auto Show to present the new Grand Highlander, a three-row SUV slotting between the mid-size Highlander and full-size Sequoia. Revealed on Wednesday, the Grand Highlander will start sales later this year as a 2024 model, offering buyers a third row that Toyota says is big enough to comfortably fit adults, along with three powertrain options, and plenty of standard features. The standard Highlander also has three rows of seats. The Grand Highlander rides on a stretched version of Toyota’s TNGA-K front-wheel-drive platform that’s also found in the Highlander. Buyers will be able to…

VerdictDespite the new car market’s push towards EVs, our preferred DS 3 still comes with a petrol engine. Representing far greater value for money, the punchy and relatively refined PureTech 130 continues to offer a unique take on the small SUV formula. A Ford Puma is better to drive, and a Peugeot 2008 more practical, but the DS 3 isn’t without charm. Just make sure to avoid the pricey range-toppers.Small crossovers are all the rage right now, and have been for while. In some cases, car makers have ditched entire product plans to focus on SUVs; a raised ride height…

Ford Motor Company is doling out more money to try to keep its chickens in the coop. Last August, when the automaker couldn’t fulfill every order for the 2022 F-150 Lightning electric pickup then levied price substantial price increases on the 2023 F-150 Lightning, the automaker created a “Transition Private Offer.” The program gave 2022 reservation holders without trucks a rebate to buy a 2023 Lightning that effectively nullified the price increase. Earlier this month, Ford did it again with the 2023 Bronco. The “2023-Model Bronco Cancel Order & Purchase Replacement Offer” dangled $2,500 to 2023 Bronco buyers without SUVs…

EV drivers of just a few models are getting a boost in their EV road-trip planning. A solar car has been crash-tested, and it’s blue skies ahead. And Lexus’ first U.S. EV has a price tag. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports.  Lexus has priced its first EV, the RZ 450e, which is arriving at U.S. dealerships soon, and while its $59,650 makes it no great value if range is your priority, it appears to load on the features and offer a lot of the luxury ambience those loyal to the brand see as a hallmark. What’s shaping up…

Matchbox is celebrating its 70th anniversary with a line of limited-edition toy cars due to hit stores throughout the year. The lineup boasts impressive variety, including classic race cars such as the Porsche 908 and Jaguar D-Type, modern vehicles such as the Chevrolet Corvette C8 and GMC Hummer EV pickup, plus fire trucks, a London double-decker bus, even a Boeing 747. Matchbox 70th anniversary cars Each toy car gets platinum elements in reference to Matchbox’s 70th anniversary (70 is the platinum anniversary), and many have moving parts, such as the engine cover on the C8 and the Hummer EV’s frunk.…

Prototypes for Porsche’s updated 2024 Cayenne are out testing, and it looks like the popular performance SUV is about to take on a whole new look. Porsche has also confirmed there will be powertrain, chassis, and interior tweaks to go with the new styling. The redesigned 2024 Ford Mustang finally reaches showrooms this summer and included in the range will be a new track-focused variant dubbed the Dark Horse. In addition to packing a 500-hp version of the Coyote 5.0-liter V-8, the Dark Horse will also come with a full range of customization options. The battery-electric version of the upcoming…

Quick Facts About AWD and 4WD Although sometimes the terms all-wheel drive (AWD) and 4-wheel drive (4WD) get used interchangeably, they are not the same. In fact, they have very little in common. To some extent, some automakers muddy the water even further by marketing a variety of AWD and 4WD systems with obscure names. For example, Mercedes-Benz uses 4MATIC, and BMW calls it xDrive. Why is any of this important? You probably have a good reason to buy a car, truck, or SUV with four drive wheels. Maybe it’s as simple as improving mobility in snow, gravel, and mud.…

Fast Facts 2022 Ford Maverick XLT/Lariat Fast Facts Powertrain 2.5-liter four-cylinder with electric traction motor (162 horsepower @ 5,600 RPM, 155 lb-ft @ 4,000 RPM; 191 total system horsepower); 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder (250 horsepower @ 5,500 RPM, 277 lb-ft @ 3,000 RPM) Transmission/Drive Wheels Continuously-variable automatic transmission, front-wheel drive; eight-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive Fuel Economy, U.S. 42 city / 33 highway / 37 combined (EPA Rating, MPG); 23 city / 30 highway / 26 combined (EPA Rating, MPG) Fuel Economy, Canada 5.6 city / 7.1 highway / 6.3 combined. (NRCan Rating, L/100km); N/A Base Price $24,925 (U.S.); $27,845 (U.S.)…