Autos

Cost-cutting is crappy business—but typically, that’s because it involves laying off workers, closing factories, killing off fun car lines, and so on. Right now in Italy, however, Stellantis is implementing a series of cost-cutting measures at several Fiat factories—including the one that builds the new 500—has workers and the unions representing them red-faced and clammy. Stellantis, you see, is a new automotive conglomerate born from Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group’s recent merger, and it is working to reduce labor costs at Fiat plants in Italy, an effort that’s close to clogging up as worker opposition piles up. And it’s not because those workers are losing their jobs, which Stellantis has promised to keep. But the company is looking to save nearly $6 billion annuall...

A few years back, Jeep produced a Jeepster Concept for the 2018 Easter Safari, and it was a subtle nod to the Jeepsters of yore. This latest take on the concept is, well, less subtle: the Jeepster Beach concept is basically a modified C-101 Kaiser Jeepster Commando body dropped on top of modern 2020 Wrangler Rubicon mechanicals. It’s a restomod, sure, but it’s done with the sort of craftsmanship you can only get from a factory outfit. And the mashup works better than you’d think … a careful use of color and texture, for example, lessens the juxtaposition of the vintage door cards with the modern dash and controls. The vintage Jeep logo on the steering wheel helps sell the whole thing, as does the bold red-and-white two-tone scheme and the low-back seats. Too bad a thinner...

Magna is ready and willing to build a vehicle for Apple (or anyone else) and add a manufacturing plant in North America if contracts warrant the investment. So says Swamy Kotagiri, the former chief technology officer who took over as Magna CEO on Jan. 1, moving from a role in developing products and strategy to one putting him in charge of the Canadian auto supplier’s 158,000 employees worldwide. It is a humbling responsibility, he said at a Society of Automotive Analysts virtual event. As an automotive supplier, Magna continues to augment its portfolio of components, systems, engineering, and assembly of vehicles with electrified powertrains and autonomous vehicle technology. But Magna is an especially intriguing supplier because it also assembles vehicles for others. The Magna...

Bondurant High Performance Driving School is no more. But this is happy news, believe it or not, because the newly revitalized Radford Coachbuilders and Dodge have completely rebuilt and renewed the hallowed high-performance driving school to form Radford Racing School. But with a Formula 1 world champion on the roster, they can’t just toss a bucket of paint and slap on some chrome and call their cars custom. “The racetrack is the perfect environment for building and testing Radford-built cars,” says Ant Anstead, and that’s where Bondurant comes in. Founded in 1968 by Bob Bondurant, Radford Racing School is a purpose-built driver training facility for performance enthusiasts and the largest driver training center of its kind. Located in Chandler, Arizona, Radford...

The primary difference between the silver Z car in the photos and the show car is the addition of regulation-satisfying side-marker lights on the quarter panels and inside the headlight housing. This gray Z has a deck-lid spoiler that isn’t present on the concept, and the silver highlights on the grille are more prominent. See all 9 photos Oddly enough, one thing we don’t see is a “400Z” label—though the badges on the exterior are taped over, it’s pretty obvious these are the same Nissan and Z emblems that adorn the concept. Today’s Z is labeled a 370Z, on account of its 3.7-liter V-6 engine; the 400Z moniker is expected, given the 400-hp-ish twin-turbo V-6 under the Z Proto’s hood that we anticipate will carry over to the production model. The lea...

The 2021 Easter Jeep Safari (yes, it’s ON!), held March 27 to April 4, invites thousands of off-roaders, rock crawlers, and adventurers to enjoy the rugged trails and obstacles of Moab, Utah. It’s a time of camaraderie, encouragement, and accomplishment. Each year, the Jeep brand and Jeep Performance Parts (JPP) create custom-built concept vehicles to show off what’s new and possible in the Jeep world. Not just merely for show, these Jeeps are running, driving, and wheel-able during the week. Featured this time is Red Bare. See all 4 photos With its Fire Cracker Red exterior paint, there’s no losing this Jeep Gladiator Rubicon concept on the trail. The hot rod-esque hue is subdued by matte black graphics, a matte black grille insert, and 17-inch matte black wheels f...

We all know the current JL-generation Jeep Wrangler is a supremely capable off-roader, especially in hardcore Rubicon guise. But one of the best things about the Wrangler is that it’s more than a 4×4—it’s a blank canvas for you to paint your Jeep fantasies on. Thanks to Mopar’s exceptionally deep catalogue of Jeep parts and accessories, the possibilities are essentially endless, and all without needing to roam off to the aftermarket. These are mods you can buy through your local Jeep dealer! So, what if you wanted to take your Wrangler to the next level using only Mopar hop-up bits? Well, the Orange Peelz Jeep concept headed to this year’s Easter Jeep Safari in Moab serves as a handy guide. One could even say it peelz back the curtain on the perfect blueprint f...

The recent hoopla surrounding Honda Performance Development’s Civic Type R crate engine and controls package is certainly warranted. If you’re not in the know, cross-platform engine swapping in the Honda aftermarket community is as common as blinker-less BMWs. Honda’s modular powerplants have been plucked and repurposed in home garages around the globe since the late ’80s, but having the ability to order a crispy new K20C1 Civic Type R turbocharged engine (which puts down 306 hp in the stock Civic Type R) right from the manufacturer is something fairly new. See all 13 photos Unboxing the Potent New Engine for Something Old The Type R crate engine program was actually introduced a few years ago during the massive SEMA gathering, but at that time it was only available...