Author: Sofia
A recent patent filing indicates that Ford might follow General Motors and Ram with a midgate for pickup trucks, but the automaker has another trick up its sleeve as well. Published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Jan. 31, 2023, the patent application is titled “Pivotable Sill for a Vehicle.” It describes a movable section of a pickup cab wall that could open to allow direct access from the bed to the cab. Unlike other midgate designs, however, Ford’s proposed version would pivot up, like a rear hatch, rather than folding down. This would, among other things,…
From the February/March issue of Car and Driver.Lap Time: 2:58.8Class: LL2 | Base Price: $46,170 | As-Tested: $46,625Power and Weight: 315 hp • 3174 lb • 10.1 lb/hp Tires: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup; 2 265/30ZR-19 (93Y)Here’s one for the impatient. The Honda Civic Type R is the perfect track car for line jumpers, nail biters, and folks who just don’t want to spend life waiting. First corner: the long right-hander that calls for a slow roll into the throttle on exit. Most powerful front- drivers like the Type R easily overwhelm their front tires and dart wide if you’re on…
BMW’s X5 mid-size SUV and its coupe-like X6 sibling have been thoroughly updated for the 2024 model year. Revealed late on Tuesday, the updated SUVs benefit from new styling, new powertrains, and an overhauled cabin loaded with BMW’s latest technology. They go into production in April at BMW’s plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Sales should commence shortly thereafter and BMW has confirmed pricing will start at $66,195 for the 2024 X5 and $74,895 for the 2026 X6. Both figures include a $995 destination charge. 2024 BMW X5 New headlights with a slimmer design feature on both SUVs, while the X5…
The Genesis X Concept 2+2 grand tourer that debuted in March 2021 began as an internal design exercise. We said then that Genesis needs to build it. Over the next 18 months, we were treated to follow-ups in the X Speedium Coupe Concept, a shooting brake with more accommodations made for back-seaters, and the X Convertible Concept shown at last year’s L.A. Auto Show. Seeing the droptop variant was like finding a gorgeous new example of a species going extinct, the Genesis (conceptually) replenishing an ecosystem that once included the Mercedes-Benz S-Class convertible and Jaguar XK but is now down to…
Porsche is working on a mid-cycle update for its Taycan electric sedan and wagon, and the latest prototype to be spotted is for the Taycan Cross Turismo soft-roader. While the updates will be mild, there are rumors of a new performance flagship coming to take on the Tesla Model S Plaid. Mercedes-Benz has revealed a redesigned eSprinter electric van. The previous eSprinter was never sold in the U.S. but the new one will reach local showrooms later this year. It will also be built locally, in this case at the Sprinter plant in Charleston, South Carolina. Hennessey has come out…
Snow Tires Quick Tips The rubber for snow tires remains flexible in freezing temperatures, enabling them to maintain firm contact with the road. Snow tires are more common than studded tires today because of tire technology advancements. A front-wheel drive vehicle with snow tires can grip a snowy road better than an all-wheel-drive car with all-season tires. A typical set of snow tires costs up to $800. Budget the expense of a tire shop installing them in winter and putting all-season tires back on for warmer seasons. The phrase “where the rubber meets the road” describes the moment you put…
Standing around outside the Las Vegas Motor Speedway last week, I noticed a bunch of fighter jets taking off and landing from the nearby Nellis Air Force base. It must be unbelievable to feel the G forces when those things accelerate, I thought to myself.Allow me, then, to make a perhaps-too-easy comparison to the 2023 Kia EV6 GT I was in town to test. While the Kia will obviously never approach fighter-jet level Gs, its own ability to pin you to your seatback under acceleration is quite impressive. So much so that my drive partner and I kept launching away…
A California bill would offer residents a rebate of up to $2,000 to convert an existing internal-combustion car or truck to an EV. Spotted by DriftBreath Congress, California Senate Bill 301 would establish a Zero-Emission Aftermarket Conversion Project (ZACP) with up to $2 million in annual funding for EV conversion rebates to supplement California’s existing rebates for new EV purchases and leases. To qualify, converted EVs would need a range of at least 100 miles. The bill is sponsored by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA), the automotive aftermarket trade group best known for its massive annual trade show in…
Travis Pastrana, fresh from filming “Gymkhana 2022,” took to social media on Monday to announce his exit from the American Rally Association National Championship. Despite his multiple successes in the series, including taking home the title in 2017, Pastrana said he won’t return in 2023 due mainly to his desire to dial down his motorsports participation to spend more time with family, while still being able to focus on his own Nitro Rallycross series. He also said he will step back from his participation in offshore powerboat racing. Pastrana also made reference to a BASE jump accident during filming of…
Southern California might be known for its sunshine and warmth, but it gets rain and, in the mountains, snow. It wasn’t enough to deter the redesigned 2023 Honda Accord Hybrid from climbing more than 5,000 feet to Palomar Mountain, from the hallmark coastal sunshine to unusual bluebird snow. The curving ascent showed off the impressive handling of the 11th-generation Accord. Honda ditched the available adaptive dampers that were the secret sauce for an ideal ride-and-handling balance in outgoing top Touring trims, while it made the body of the new version stiffer with brace bars, stiffer brackets, and thicker plates. Honda…