Autos

BMW’s 8 Series Gran Coupe is a large vehicle that makes a suitably large impression. And despite its mass, it’s a performer, even in base 840i guise. More than that, it feels special and momentous in a way unlike that of many modern BMWs. The M8 takes this fundamental goodness and stretches it in the performance direction, and now the 2022 Alpina B8 Gran Coupe adds an extra dose of specialness and craftsmanship to the mix. See all 28 photos Consumer in the United States already enjoys a couple of Alpina models at the moment. Specifically, the XB7 and B7 (there are other offerings abroad that we don’t get, too). For the Alpinista looking for a more stylish, more sporting way to get that special Alpina feeling, the B8 Gran Coupe might just be the ticket. The first...

In the run-up to the launch of the all-new 2022 Hyundai Tucson this summer, we’re getting more details about how the new SUV stacks up—and from a fuel economy perspective, things are looking good. Available for the first time as a hybrid and plug-in hybrid, the fourth-generation Tucson not only looks spectacular but also promises improved fuel economy in its non-hybrid guise. Sporting a striking outward appearance, the gas-only version of the revamped Tucson has better fuel economy ratings than the previous generation. The base model SE with front-wheel-drive starts at $26,135 and comes powered by a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated I-4. Its EPA fuel economy estimates are 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined. Compare those numbers to the outgoing 2.0-liter Tucson FWD, ra...

Not only that, but Bentley’s parent company, Volkswagen, recently announced that it has stopped the development of all internal combustion engines. Audi has done the same. So that got us thinking, is the 2022 Bentley Continental GT Speed the last time we’ll see a new iteration of Bentley’s now-legendary 6.0-liter, twin-turbo W-12? According to Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark, that’s certainly not the case. During the live unveiling of the new Speed—which was held over Zoom, in case you’re wondering—we had the chance to bounce a few questions off of Hallmark in a roundtable-style interview. When we asked if the Speed was the W-12’s swan song, we were met with an emphatic no. “I wouldn’t call it the swan song just yet. There’s life in what is...

Although last year we got a sneak peek of the new GMC Terrain AT4, the coronavirus pandemic forced GM to delay its official launch. But it looks like things have now been ironed out for the brand, as the new 2022 GMC Terrain AT4 officially becomes the last (and latest) model in GMC’s lineup to get the off-road-oriented package. Besides the new variant, the Terrain is getting a midcycle update across its four trims—SLE, SLT, AT4 and Denali, adding a refreshed look and more technology. Fulfilling GMC’s promise of expanding the AT4 badge across its lineup, the Terrain AT4 has the rugged looks that the rest of the variants lack. But that’s about it, as the only hardware it adds is a front steel skid plate. From our preview last year, we also noted knobbier tires, which make s...

Remember the good old days? You know, the time when putting your automatic car into gear meant positioning a lever so that it lined up with the letters D or R? Oh, the automakers tried to complicate our lives by using D for “drive” instead of F for “forward” (after all, “forward” is the opposite of “reverse”, right?), and putting R toward the top of the lever’s options and D toward the back. Still, though this seemingly foolproof design has led to the demise of many, many garage doors over the decades, generally even the most dim-witted or mildly inebriated among us could generally figure out how to get their cars going in the desired direction. See all 12 photos Since the arrival of the 2002 BMW 7 Series, it seems automakers are on a m...

What can we expect? The teaser image shows black alloy wheels wrapped in meaty Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015s. These are somewhat chunky all-terrain tires that straddle the line between daily-driver comfort and moderate dry off-road capability—better than a typical stock crossover tire, sure, but no BFGoodrich KO2s. The tires seemingly set the tone for what to expect from the Outback Wilderness overall. In other words, this Outback model ought to prove perfect for someone with outdoor recreation in mind as opposed to hardcore trail work. See all 24 photos This seems about right for a Subaru (it’s also a lot like how we’ve treated our long-term Outback Oynx). It also squares with the ever-popular trend of fitting out modern Subarus with moderate lift kits and knobbier tires. ...

Over the weekend the EPA quietly updated its website with the latest mpg figures for the much-anticipated plug-in hybrid electric 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. When Jeep introduced the hybrid Wrangler in late 2020, it estimated that the SUV would be able to drive up to 25 miles on electricity alone. We now know that Jeep was a tad optimistic (almost 20 percent, actually) in that figure, as the official EPA estimate for the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe‘s pure-electric range comes in at 21 miles. That’s 4 miles fewer than originally estimated, for those keeping score at home. It also is several fewer miles than Stellantis’s only other plug-in hybrid, the older Chrysler Pacifica minivan, achieves using a larger V-6 gas engine and a smaller 16-kWh battery (32 miles of EV-only o...

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...