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Watch the 24 Hours of Le Mans EXCLUSIVELY on the MotorTrend App
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...
2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Plug-In Hybrid First Look: All Ate Up With Electrons (and Pounds)
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...
2020 Audi SQ7 First Test: Changing Perceptions
Three-row SUVs are known for their ample space, superb packaging, and settled rides. With space for seven or eight passengers, they’ve become the new minivans and are popular attendees at the stereotypical soccer practice or school pick-up/drop-off lines. Although some of these SUVs can be fun to drive, high performance and excellent driving dynamics are not their top priorities. The 2020 Audi SQ7, however, is trying to change that perception. With its 500-hp V-8 engine and ability to do 0-60 mph in about 4.0 seconds, moms and dads will rejoice. Based on the fantastic MLB platform, which is also shared among other VW Group stars such as the Porsche Cayenne, Bentley Bentayga and Lamborghini Urus, the SQ7 delivers the power, handling, and emotion that parents want while also meeting th...
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept First Look: Worth the Wait?
Pros: Jeep enters premium full-size three-row SUV space; plug-in hybrid; innovative passenger screen. Cons: Slightly underwhelming first impression after years of hype; not enough wood in modern interpretation. “It’s the boss’s car. We can’t mess it up.” That has been whispered in the halls of Fiat Chrysler’s headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where the return of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer has been underway for at least a dozen years. And for most of that waiting period, Mike Manley has been both head of Jeep and the GW’s longtime proponent. Today, Manley is the CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles—the boss. And the world is getting its first look at Jeep’s latest project, one that is probably second only to the Jeep Wrangler in importanc...
Oops, the Electric Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Dragster Makes 1,502 Wheel HP, Not 1,400
(As it turns out, you can see the Mustang Cobra Jet dragster in action on the show Hard Cell on the MotorTrend app. In the meantime, subscribers can check out other episodes of the performance-EV-focused program right here. ) The Mustang Mach-E is a clear indication Ford wants to make quick, powerful electric cars. Now the Blue Oval has prepared an even more potent pony: a Cobra Jet EV dragster with more than 1,500 horsepower. Like fossil-fuel-powered Cobra Jets, the Ford Mustang Cobra Jet 1400 prototype—so named, we suppose, for the 1,400 wheel horsepower it was originally thought to produce—looks a lot like a regular Mustang on steroids, with optimized bodywork and fat rubber signifying its quarter-mile purpose. For better or worse, though, this latest model sounds nothing...
New “No Time to Die” Trailer Shows off Bond’s Bullet-Riddled DB5
James Bond is the quintessential spy. The orphan turned assassin likes to work alone, but frequently shares the silver screen with some pretty hot sheet metal. The second trailer for the latest Bond film, No Time To Die, just dropped, and it gives us a more thorough look at the 25th Bond film that’s due to hit the big screen this November. Like the first one, the new trailer is packed with action. Once again, we see Bond’s Aston Martin DB5 with miniguns in its headlamps, as well as a number of Land Rover Defenders racing about off-road. This is the fifth and likely final James Bond film Daniel Craig will headline, and we decided to put together a list of the cars that have starred alongside the most recent incarnation of the legendary British spy. Check out the latest...
Here’s How Much the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Will Cost
First and foremost, the Grand Wagoneer will be available in two lengths, as will be a less grand, plain Wagoneer model; all four versions will feature three rows of seats. The base Wagoneer will point its seven-slat grille squarely at the Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon, and Chevy Tahoe and will start around $60,000. For reference, the 2021 Tahoe starts at $50,295. the 2021 Yukon at $51,995, and the 2020 Expedition at $54,505, so the Jeep will be a fair bit more expensive. A long-wheelbase 2022 Wagoneer will probably start somewhere under $65,000; its Chevy Suburban, Yukon XL, and Expedition Max competition all run roughly $2,000 more than their short-wheelbase brethren. We don’t know yet what sort of equipment will be offered on the regular Wagoneers, but we anticipate it will be pitched...
In Photos: Porsche Races to the Clouds and the Podium at Pikes Peak 2020
Porsche has a long history of winning at Pikes Peak. Before this weekend, its trophy count stood at 27. Now make it 29, as two entrants in the Race to the Clouds snagged division trophies this weekend. In fact, the fastest car took third overall—a Porsche 911 GT2 RS—just behind two open-wheeled hillclimb specials. Three cars based on the GT2 RS, and four Cayman GT4 Clubsports, competed for the prize. The best result came from David Donner in a 911 GT2 RS Clubsport, taking the Time Attack 1 Division win with a 9:36.6—good enough for third overall. Blake “Bilko” Williams also took a class win in the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama class with a 10:52.6 (he also nabbed 16th place overall). Two other 911 GT2 RS-based cars competed: a 935-19 piloted by veteran Je...
2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class First Look: The Luxury-Sedan Benchmark Again Moves the Goalposts
2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class offered in S 500 4Matic and S 580 4Matic trims with standard all-wheel drive at launch. 3-D instrumentation, active ambient lighting, haptic feedback—including seat shakers that amplify the effect of audio bass—and more all aim to provide a rich sensory experience. The new Mercedes S-Class goes on sale in the first half of 2021 in the United States at prices yet to be announced. Certain cars are so important to the auto industry as a whole that they generate their own gravity. These models, when redesigned, can suck all the air out of competing automakers’ boardrooms, design studios, and engineering labs. The Mercedes-Benz S-Class is one of those cars. Sedans as a vehicle type may be in general decline, but the S-Class remains the king of the format globall...
What If the Ram 1500 TRX Had 1,200 HP, Six Wheels, and Cost Half a Million Dollars?
If you somehow don’t think the 702-hp 2021 Ram TRX is potent enough for your needs, Hennessey Performance has a truck for you. The high-performance tuner has upgraded the TRX pickup’s 702-hp 6.2-liter supercharged Hemi, enlarging it to an insane 7.0-liter displacement and extracting more than 1,200 horsepower from the result. Meet the Hennessey Mammoth 6×6. Following in the footsteps of the VelociRaptor 6×6 and Goliath 6×6, this special TRX has six wheels. But the Mammoth almost puts these decidedly not “weak” trucks to shame with how much power it has. Hennessey says the TRX-based Mammoth is the biggest and most powerful truck it has made in its 29-year history—even among all those wacky 6x6s. See all 51 photos 2021 Ram 1500 TRX front 3/4 In addition...
We Drove a 2019 Volvo S60 for a Year. Here’s How It Did
Despite the fact that it competes in the sport sedan segment, the Volvo S60 values comfort and convenience over a spirited and punchy drive. After 12 months with us, the S60 delivered exactly that, and although its 316-hp T6 engine still feels energetic, it’s tailored to deliver a peaceful experience. From the beginning, when the S60 was delivered to our Detroit office last summer, associate road test editor Erick Ayapana bought a one-way ticket to the Motor City and set out on a six-day road trip back to the Golden State. I’d be lying if I said he didn’t enjoy the trip. Between that trip and others, the S60 visited Chicago, Denver, Colorado Springs, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and San Francisco, and was always enjoyable to drive for long periods of time. Although they lack fa...
Sub-10-Second Lucid Air Stomps Tesla Model S in the Quarter-Mile
After we rode in the Lucid Air prototype electric vehicle last month, we learned the upcoming sedan almost assuredly has Tesla beat in the driving range game. Now, Lucid has released details on the Air’s drivetrain, and we have even more reason to be excited about the forthcoming EV ahead of the production model’s debut on September 9. See all 14 photos The Air’s in-house-developed permanent magnet electric motor drive units are also lighter and more compact than those of its closest competitor, according to Lucid. Presumably, that’s a jab at the Tesla Model S. The drive units combine an electric motor, inverter, transmission, and differential into a package that can reportedly fit inside of a carry-on roller bag. See all 14 photos Each drive unit weighs 163 pounds,...
