Autos

If you were disappointed when Ram announced its blacked-out Night Edition package would only be available on Big Horn and Laramie trim levels, fear not. Ram has heard your pleas and will offer the Night Edition on the luxurious Limited trim for the 1500, 2500, and 3500. Like the Night Edition trucks before it, the 2021 Ram 1500 and Heavy Duty Limited Night Editions receive dark-colored exterior accents including black wheels, grilles, exhaust tips, headlight and taillight bezels, mirror caps, and badges. Ram 1500 Limited Night Editions can be had with either 20- or 22-inch wheels, while Ram HD Limited Night Editions receive 20s with single rear wheels or 17s in dually form. Inside, you’ll find all the luxurious appointments of the Limited trim, including leather upholstery and a stan...

Fiat Chrysler has a few fun things in store for the 2021 Dodge Challenger. Along with boasting a new Mopar Drag Pak, the updated Challenger spreads the Widebody love previously reserved for higher-performance trims to new models in the lineup. That’s good news for drivers who want to skim a few seconds off their lap times—or, more accurately, appear to be able to do so—with their new R/T Scat Pack Widebody with the Shaker package and the R/T Scat Pack with the T/A 392 package Challengers, which arrive in dealerships next year. Previously, the Widebody treatment was limited to the R/T Scat Pack (sans Shaker option), as well as the SRT Hellcat and SRT Hellcat Redeye models. See all 25 photos As its name suggests, the R/T Scat Pack Shaker Widebody combines the brand’s signature ho...

Jeep apologizes for not bringing back the Grand Wagoneer sooner, but the team at Fiat Chrysler (FCA) probably would not have been able to do the premium three-row SUV justice if it had come out a decade ago, at least according to the automaker’s head of design, Ralph Gilles. “The times were not quite right at the time,” says Mr. Gilles, in an interview following the global reveal of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept that is a precursor to the short wheelbase version of the top-end SUV which goes on sale next summer for the 2022 model year. There will also be a long-wheelbase version, and it will be part of a larger Wagoneer family with two sizes of a more affordable, mainstream three-row, as well. “Had this vehicle been born 10 years ago, I don’t think we would ...

You’re looking at the Aston Martin Victor, a brand-new design inspired by the classic V-8 Vantage from the company’s Q customization shop; it’s built atop a One-77 chassis using some Vulcan bits as well. That entire sentence is very exciting if you’re into Aston Martins at all, and there’s a lot more to unpack. The real gasoline on this red-hot fire, though, is this: The Victor packs an honest-to-goodness manual transmission and a 7.3-liter V-12 that makes a healthy 847 horsepower. See all 26 photos Of course, this particular fire won’t warm you. The Victor is a one-off constructed for a customer who by all reports was hoping his new creation would remain rather low-key. Sorry to whoever the lucky owner is, but the Victor is incredible and we had to shar...

When it comes to camper vans, bigger isn’t always better, especially when you’re always on the move and passing through tight cities. In Europe, Volkswagen is launching the Caddy-based California compact camper, which makes clever use of its space and offers a fold-out tent extending the living area even further. The focal point of the cabin is a 6.5-by-3.5-foot bed that sits above the folded seats. When not in use, the bed folds into the cargo bay. A panoramic roof provides the feeling of sleeping under the stars, and dimmable LED lights contribute to the ambiance. Privacy curtains cover the windows, secured by magnets built into the fabric. On the rear side windows, there are storage bags for lightweight items. Opening the rear hatch reveals a kitchen under the bed area. A pu...

In 2014, the MotorTrend Group helped turn the Woodward Dream Cruise into a multi-event happening by organizing Roadkill Nights, powered by Dodge—a street legal drag racing program that lets car enthusiasts “run what they brung” right on Woodward Avenue in front of M1 Concourse in Pontiac. For 2021, that 87-acre venue, which ranks as the world’s largest garage-condo/motorsports complex, will add a 28,500-square-foot event center and restaurant facility that will serve as the epicenter for two more big events, both organized in conjunction with Pontiac Motorsports Exposition, the Woodward Dream Show and the American Festival of Speed. Here’s a primer on both: See all 12 photos The Woodward Dream Show Scheduled: August 19-21, 2021 Envisioned as a three-day event that z...

A few months ago, we got a glimpse at the Volkswagen ID4 EV’s somewhat vanilla exterior. Well, it looks like the new electric car’s interior follows the same simple-is-better philosophy. In fact, we rather like the clean, uncluttered look, which reminds us of the Tesla Model 3’s pared-back cabin. Like the most modern cars, the ID4 keeps the number of physical buttons at a minimum through a reliance on digital touchscreen displays. Both the instrument display—the ID4’s key difference from the Model 3 and Model Y, which lack a formal gauge cluster ahead of the driver—and the larger central touchscreen sit above the dashboard. The steering wheel, display housings, and control panels in the doors can be had in Piano Black or Electric White, depending on the buyer’...

See all 35 photos These renderings of what the new Grand Wagoneer might look like with old-school woodgrain siding won’t help. Designer Abimelec Arellano put them together and, well, they look incredible. The illustrations generated so much buzz, in fact, that Ralph Gilles himself even weighed in on them on his Instagram account, tantalizingly noting that even though FCA isn’t “putting a fake wood wrap on the #Wagoneer anytime soon . . . let’s just say we left a little room on the canvas.” Look, we get there are a host of good reasons why Jeep felt skipping the old Wagoneer’s kitschy woody accents would be good for its new luxury flagship. But you have to admit Abimelec’s renderings reveal just how distinguished such siding would be. Combined with ...

It’s been an unprecedented year of upheaval across the globe, one that has dramatically impacted all manner of sporting competition, with the 88th 24 Hours of Le Mans being no exception. The world’s oldest active sports-car race was forced to move from its customary June start date to September 19 and 20, and for the first time ever, there will be no spectators at the track during the race. But there will be millions of viewers tuning in when the green flag finally drops and the cars begin roaring around the Circuit de la Sarthe, and the MotorTrend App is the EXCLUSIVE SPOT IN THE U.S. where fans will be able to see the full 24 Hours of Le Mans in its entirety. As the official presenter of the 2020 Le Mans race, MotorTrend is able to bring fans unprecedented access to the entir...

Jeep continues to expand its Wrangler SUV’s powertrain lineup with the arrival of a plug-in gasoline-electric hybrid option for 2021. Dubbed the 4xe (that’s pronounced “four-by-E”), the Wrangler’s latest powerplant joins the model’s 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6, 270-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, and 260-hp turbo-diesel 3.0-liter V-6. As with the latter engine, Jeep limits the 4xe kit strictly to four-door Wrangler models. 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe: Plug It in Before Going Out Thanks to the combined effects of its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine and two electric motors, (one 44-hp starter-generator in the engine bay—dubbed eTorque by Jeep—and a second 134-hp unit integrated within the eight-sp...