Autos

The Tesla Cybertruck broke the internet in 2019 with its radical and futuristic design, taking the world by storm and launching an endless supply of memes. Inspired by the Lotus Esprit S from the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, Tesla’s all-new pickup appeared ready for an apocalypse and generated 250,000 orders within days of debuting. Just the year before, another California-based EV startup backed by Amazon, Rivian, introduced the beautifully designed R1T electric pickup truck. And in 2020, General Motors revived the Hummer nameplate and unveiled the 2022 GMC Hummer EV, a dominant-looking full-size electric pickup. Flying under the radar in the EV truck segment until now, Ford recently pulled the wraps off the mighty Ford F-150 Lightning all-electric pickup. Resurrecting a per...

The electric vehicles launching between now and 2030 will be built on two new dedicated electric vehicle platforms. For context, every vehicle Ford makes today comes from one of five architectures. Ford expects 40 percent of its vehicles sold globally by 2030 will be battery-electric, so a single EV platform is not enough to handle it all, Ford CEO Jim Farley said. Two New Dedicated EV Platforms for Ford One of the architectures is a rear-wheel and all-wheel-drive platform for mid-size “lifestyle” and commercial vehicles, Hau Thai-Tang, chief product platform and operations officer, said. This is the one that would handle two- and three-row SUVs, including a fully electric Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator, which the company confirmed today. It would also underpin vehicles like...

This Memorial Day, MotorTrend wants to say thank you to the proud service members of the United States Military by offering a 40 percent discount on a one-year subscription to the MotorTrend App. In partnership with ID.me, any active service member, veteran, or dependent can enjoy MotorTrend’s first military discount when they sign up with a new account. With 8,000+ episodes of car shows to choose from—including MotorTrend App exclusives like Roadkill, Faster With Finnegan, Top Gear America, Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew, and so much more—we have something for every kind of car enthusiast on the planet. Don’t like cars that much? How about humor, camaraderie, touching anecdotes, history, and adults acting like children simply because it’s fun to watch? Great! Because...

Toyota is introducing a Bronze Edition of the Highlander Hybrid for 2022. The Bronze Edition treatment spruces up the somewhat dowdy family SUV by way of radiant bronze-colored wheels and a handful of interior enhancements. See all 24 photos The Bronze Edition is exclusive to the gasoline-electric Highlander Hybrid and comes painted in one of two colors: Cement (a Bronze Edition exclusive) or Wind Chill Pearl. The Wind Chill Pearl paint is new for the fourth-generation Toyota Highlander. Available in front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive forms, the Highlander Hybrid Bronze Edition’s most distinct feature is arguably its bronze-colored 18-inch wheels. These rims certainly push the envelope—and may even push some buttons. See all 24 photos Meanwhile, the Highlander Hybrid Bron...

Just because a truck is aimed at commercial fleet buyers doesn’t necessarily mean you must be a commercial fleet buyer to nab one. No, you won’t need to purchase five (or more) F-150 Lightning Pros—unless, of course, you want a dozen or so of the all-electric work trucks. That said, the F-150 Lightning Pro will benefit from a gaggle of fleet-focused data and software services aimed at limiting vehicle downtime and juggling charging needs. These likely subscription-based offerings are critical to commercial customers, regardless of powertrain. Because time where a work truck spends, um, not working, is money left on the table for a fleet operator. Non-commercial customers might balk at the Lightning Pro’s standard equipment, which includes vinyl seats and a smaller 12.0-in...

No, it’s not the Derek Zoolander Center For Kids Who Can’t Read Good And Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too, but like the children’s school founded by the male model of Blue Steel fame, this 1978 Porsche 911 SC is a passion project with ties to the fashion industry. Credit Porsche’s relationship with the New York-based fashion brand Aimé Leon Dore (ALD). With the aid of ALD’s founder and creative director, Teddy Santis, the two companies worked together to bring this classic 911 to its current understated but chic state. See all 22 photos Combining a sense of adventure with an innate elegance, this more than 30-year-old Porsche coupe looks equally ready to drive across the country or take the lead spot at the local valet stand. Thank the car’s g...

A newly proposed New York bill would mandate that SUVs and trucks be given a pedestrian and cyclist safety rating. Should the bill be signed into law, it would be the first of its kind in the U.S., and unique from the existing safety ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which largely focus on occupant safety. Using a one-to-five star rating system similar to the NHTSA’s, New York’s pedestrian safety ratings would be partly based on the rate and the severity of accidents and injuries in collisions with pedestrians and cyclists for a given truck and SUV model compared to the number of vehicle registrations in the state. The proposed rating system would also take into account the safety featu...

The second-generation Buick Envision enters its sophomore model year with minor changes to its optional Sport Touring package. Notably, the compact SUV’s sportier getup sees the addition of aluminum accelerator and brake pedals, as well as additional “ST” (for Sport Touring) logos throughout the interior. Specifically, those extra STs appear on the floor mats and front headrests.  Does this make the Sport Touring option, which Buick limits to Preferred and Essence trims (the latter of which now includes red seat stitching in ST guise, too), any better than before? Arguably not, but it is nice to see the American pseudo-luxury brand put a little extra effort into this optional appearance package. Still, we wish the kit also improved the performance of the Buick SUV, w...

It’s about that time for various 2022 model year updates, refreshes, and changes to start circulating. Add the 2022 Chevrolet Blazer to the list. It’s a Chevy-giveth-and-Chevy-taketh-away sort of affair, with some colors departing, some appearing, and some alterations to packages and equipment. But the headliner is the departure of an engine option: Once available with three engines, the 2022 Blazer will now only offer two. The powerful V-6 is safe—whew!—and instead it is the base engine—a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter I-4—that didn’t make the cut this year. See all 4 photos No loss, that. While dropping the entry level engine likely will increase the starting price of the Blazer, the dearly departed 2.5L was a lackluster engine that actually trailed the more powerful 2.0...

If you’re like us, you’re probably not too happy with the Godzilla-size kidney grille that the BMW M3 and M4 Competition wear. However, look at the 2022 BMW M4 Competition Convertible xDrive and your opinions might change. The grille is growing on us, and the topless profile certainly helps the two-door achieve a sportier, more appealing look. See all 41 photos Like the regular BMW 4 Series Convertible, the Competition gets a soft top that’s said to be 40 percent lighter than its predecessor’s retractable hardtop. The new roof lowers the center of gravity and improves its agility, according to BMW. The automaker also says the soft top is made with acoustic and thermal elements to make the ride more enjoyable should you drive with the top on. Available in black or Mo...