Autos
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Toyota and Lexus Join Tesla and GM in Level 2 Semi-Autonomous Driving Fray
See all 7 photos The new tech is available exclusively in Japan for the moment, but a form of this new system will arrive on U.S.-market, all-wheel-drive Lexus LS sedans this fall under the “Lexus Teammate” label. Here, Teammate-equipped LSs will feature an advanced form of lane keep assist, along with hands-off acceleration, braking, and steering in the right conditions. Depending on what settings inputs from the driver, the LS will follow the vehicle ahead in the lane, navigate interchanges, traffic jams, and change lanes. There are little functions built-in aimed at increasing trust and comfort of the driver, like moving the car slightly to the outside of a lane when bordered by a passing semi-truck, or consideration for merging vehicles. Toyota is quick to express that this...
A High-Performance Genesis? It Might Just Happen
Genesis is making headlines recently. From the unfortunate crash that Tiger Woods suffered in a GV80 to the new GV70 compact crossover and X coupe concept, the Korean luxury brand seemingly can’t avoid the spotlight. And there’s more coming, too. Rumor has it that an electric GV70 is right around the corner (likely dubbed eGV70). There’s also the possibility of a performance-oriented model joining the lineup in the future. We had a chance to talk with Ricky Lao, the brand’s new product planning director, who gave us some details about the upcoming 2022 GV70 and hinted at where the brand might expand in the future. A Performance-Oriented Genesis? With Hyundai’s N division doing wonders across its lineup, and with competitors of Genesis continuing to p...
From the Archives: 1972 Mercedes-Benz 450SL First Drive
We’ve been told that our cars must change, that they pollute and maim … and this can no longer be; Congress and DOT have decreed it. Some believe that this is only a phase we’re going through, that it, like all things, must pass. In our hearts, though, we know that it’s true and it really will happen. Still, those of us who love cars hope and work toward the end that there will somehow remain some trace of the excitement that we cherish in the breed of antiseptic transport modules that is to follow—vehicles conceived without emotion like test-tube babies in sterile laboratories. The Safety Cars are coming; we’ve already seen their ESV vanguard. Padding, periscopes, and airbags: the wave of the Future. “The present-day concept of the automobile is outmode...
Success of Mustang and Bronco Sub-Brands Means More Spin-Offs to Come
Ford CEO Jim Farley was a champion of the idea of creating sub-brands around iconic Blue Oval nameplates, starting with Mustang and Bronco. With those models’ early success seeing their names spread beyond their core original Mustang and Bronco models, Farley thinks there is room to expand the concept to more nameplates. “We have so much opportunity,” Farley tells MotorTrend in an interview. “We have such a plethora of ideas and passion brands in the company. So many in Europe and in the U.S. We run deep. So, I don’t think we’re going to stop there.” The sub-brand idea goes back to the naming of Ford’s first performance all-electric, battery-powered SUV, the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The move rankled some purists who felt that all the Mu...
Military Vehicles Prepare to Invade the 2021 Mint 400 Off-Road Race
There’s a new competition class in the works for the 2021 Mint 400 off-road desert race, and it’s dedicated exclusively to military vehicles. The class will allow manufacturers and owners of historic and modern mil-spec vehicles to race against one another—a uniquely unusual type of convoy for combat-ready vehicles. This news comes on the heels of the race’s recently announced electric vehicle competition class. See all 6 photos What’s the rationale for a racing class dedicated to military vehicles? Machines from U.S. military vehicle makers, including those of GM Defense, Flyer Defense, Oshkosh, AM General, and Polaris Defense, are more than capable of tackling the rugged off-road desert terrain of the Mint 400. In addition to it being a great proving ground for mi...
How Fast Was Tiger Woods Driving Before His Crash?
The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department held a news conference today with updates on star golfer Tiger Woods’ single-vehicle crash on February 23 and revealed his Genesis GV80 SUV hit a top speed of 87 mph during the incident. The department blamed pedal misapplication (pressing the gas instead of the brake in a moment of panic), unsafe speed, and an inability to negotiate the curve in the road. The posted speed limit is 45 mph. Woods was driving northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard in the city of Rolling Hills Estates in a Genesis GV80 luxury SUV at the time of the crash. This section of road is a steep downhill that sheriff’s representatives called out as having an abnormally high number of crashes due to speeding. See all 19 photos The Crash Itself: A Recap According to Capt...
2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross First Drive: Improved but not Better Than the Competition
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Full Overview Mitsubishi is picking up speed. Not dramatically—think a brisk walk compared to its prior shamble—but the Japanese automaker is on a bit of a roll with its new products. We were duly impressed with the all-new, ground-up redesign of the 2022 Outlander, a three-row SUV that bodes well for the company’s direction. Conversely, the Outlander drive program also slotted us behind the wheel of the refreshed 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross, a compact SUV that reminds us the brand still has work to do. That’s not to say the 2022 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross is a bad compact crossover. But the old—and new—Eclipse Cross isn’t at the top of our list of favorite small SUVs. The refreshed model somewhat relegates the old version to memory, but it’...
Oversteer Explorer: Ford’s 3-Row SUV Adds RWD Enthusiast ST and Platinum Trims
The gatekeepers at the Ford Motor Company have graciously decided to lower the barrier of entry to performance-oriented 2021 Explorer ST with a new model. Dubbed the Ford Explorer Enthusiast ST, the trim delivers the same underhood goods as the regular ST in a cheaper, rear-drive package. (The regular ST has AWD standard.) It sounds like a win to us, even if Ford’s decision to forgo the EnthusiaST name is an SUV-sized missed opportunity. Punny naming schemes aside, the Explorer Enthusiast ST is a solid value, at least on paper. The standard Explorer ST starts at $54,075, and the Enthusiast ST knocks more than $4,000 off that number, with a starting sum of $49,995. That price includes the same turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 from the regular Explorer ST, which continues to p...
2021 Volvo V90 R-Design First Test: This Swede Indulges Our Big Wagon Love
Volvo V90 Full Overview As unabashed station wagon fans, we were pleased to learn that the Volvo V90 has proved to be more popular than Volvo anticipated. When Volvo introduced the V90 for the 2018 model year, it intended it as a special-order item, anticipating that North American buyers would prefer the plastic-clad Cross Country version or the big XC90 SUV instead. But demand for the S90 variant was higher than expected, and V90s are now regularly built for dealer stock. When Volvo announced an updated version for 2021, it seemed like a perfectly plausible excuse to get this old favorite in for testing. The Volvo V90 wagon is not an entirely unfamiliar face at MotorTrend. Our sister publication Automobile had a 2019 V90 Inscription in its long-term fleet, and we’d be lying if we s...
A Modern Chevy Silverado 454 SS? Here’s What It Would Look Like
We love the classic Chevrolet 454 SS, but even the staunchest fans will admit that the other muscle trucks of the day—Ford’s F-150 Lightning, the smaller but wilder GMC Syclone—had it beat on actual muscle. Sure, biggest engine in the lightest body style is a time-honored formula, but the torquey 454 truck motor wasn’t as special as its rivals. For cool factor, though, the 454 SS packed plenty, and a bit of mystique, too. After all, Chevy hasn’t built a follow-up, a true muscle truck—although the 2003 Chevy Silverado SS came close. So, what would a modern 454 SS look like? We asked talented artist Abimelec Arellano imagine just that, and to hew as close as possible to the original design in doing so. Single-cab pickups are a nonstarter in today’s truck market, but t...
2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 PDK First Test: Sharp Numbers, Sharper Experience
Porsche 718 Cayman Full Overview Perked up yet, Porsche purists? It’s another game of PDK versus manual, with the former now offered in the 2021 Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder for the first time. Pick one, pick both—you’re a winner either way. But how much of a winner are you? Let’s run down just how much quicker the dual-clutch is compared to the stick. Oops, spoiler alert. Well, both come with a rear spoiler, but that’s not important. As we said, the 718 Cayman GT4 and Boxster Spyder now get Porsche’s wicked-smaht and laser-quick seven-speed PDK dual-clutch transmission as a $3,210 option over the standard six-speed manual transmission. For the those unfamiliar with the GT4 and its lineage, this new optional gearbox is a bigger deal than it might ...
The Cyberlandr Is the Tesla Cybertruck’s Funky-Rad In-Bed Camper
Hate it or love it, the controversial Tesla Cybertruck will begin production later this year, and Tesla is currently taking reservations that require a $100 down payment. (That is, Tesla’s says the Cybertruck is coming—but maybe don’t hold it to 2021—what with the company’s history of missing big new model introduction timelines.) Either way, the Cybertruck is nigh, and with the growing hunger for the great outdoors we are witnessing, it was only a matter of time before someone designed a camper for Tesla’s Blade Runner-inspired electric pickup truck. We present to you the electric CyberLandr, a retractable camper that provides future Cybertruck owners all things essential to life on the go. This futuristic in-bed camper comes equipped with a kitchen, bath...
