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Longtime Tesla rival Henrik Fisker exits Twitter after Musk reaches deal to buy platform

Electric vehicle pioneer and Tesla competitor Henrik Fisker exited Twitter this week after his old rival Elon Musk reached an agreement to buy the social media platform for $44 billion. Fisker, who oversees electric vehicle maker Fisker Inc., wrote on Instagram Tuesday: “I believe 100% in free speech. But I do not want my free speech to be actively managed or controlled by a competitor. And I do not want a competitor to determine how my followers experience Fisker as we grow our company.” FiskerÂ’s Twitter handle no longer exists, though his companyÂ’s Twitter feed remained active as of Tuesday with a post of Henrik Fisker test driving a vehicle. Musk did not appear to directly react to FiskerÂ’s move on Tuesday, tweeting two general messages about free speech. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Fisker and Musk have long been adversaries. Tesla sued Fisker in 2008 alleging his design company stole Tesla technology and used it to develop his own vehicle. An arbitrator ruled in favor of Fisker. Henrik Fisker did design work on the Tesla Model S sedan before the car launched, when the project was known by the codename WhiteStar. In the early 2010s, FiskerÂ’s first carmaker, Fisker Automotive, was a rival to Tesla and, for a while, they were on nearly equal footing as Fisker promised to bring his attractive sedan called the Karma to market followed up by a string of sleek cars and crossovers. The company, however, had issues with its battery packs and was hit with a string of bad luck, including losing a shipment of vehicles due to fires and floods related to Hurricane Sandy in 2012. It went bankrupt in 2013. The EV landscape has changed dramatically since then, with most major automakers investing heavily in the technology and newcomers like Lucid and Rivian joining the fray. Tesla, meanwhile, took off and catapulted Musk to even greater international fame, along with his PayPal and SpaceX ventures. Henrik Fisker regrouped and founded Fisker Inc. in 2016. It went public in 2020 and is planning to launch the Ocean SUV this year. Before founding EV startups, Fisker was known as a noted sports-car designer who counts the 2005 Aston Martin V8 Vantage and 1999 BMW Z8 among his highlights. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Fisker Tesla Electric Elon Musk Twitter Henrik Fisker

Genesis G90 gets supercharged, hybrid, 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6

There's more good news for the 2023 Genesis G90 — at least, for those who believe more power is always more better. The South Korean brand is sending our market the standard-wheelbase flagship sedan, which was announced with a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6, an upgrade from the 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 in the current sedan. The 3.5 makes 375 horsepower and 391 pound-feet of torque in the G80 sedan, numbers providing an improvement of at least 10 ponies and 15 pound-feet. In its home market, Genesis sells a long-wheelbase G90 bearing an added 7.5 inches of length, and available with a version of the 3.5-liter that's also supercharged and fitted with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. Car and Driver reports this engine is on its way here, too. According to the Genesis South Korea site, that engine produces 409 hp and 405 pound-feet of torque in that market. However, documents Genesis filed with the U.S. EPA show horsepower listed at 420 hp for a trim that's called the G90 MHEV. The horse number is probably no accident, since it matches the output of the 5.0-liter V8 optionally available in the 2022 G90. Torque from the supercharged 3.5-liter twin-turbo outshines the 5.0-liter by about 20 pound-feet.   Despite the power disparities between the 2022 G90's 3.3-liter and 5.0-liter and the 2023 G90's two 3.5-liter variants, there isn't much in it for fuel economy differences when comparing AWD trims, since that's the only drivetrain the G90 MHEV will offer. The EPA lists the 3.3-liter as getting 17 miles per gallon in the city, 24 on the highway, and 20 combined. The 5.0-liter is rated at 16 city, 23 highway, 18 combined. The mild hybrid 3.5-liter is more frugal with its gas than the 5.0-liter, being rated at 17 city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. To close the circle, the 2023 G90 with the non-hybrid 3.5-liter V6 puts in a slightly better showing than the supercharged mild-hybrid with 18 city, 26 highway, 21 combined. The sedan is scheduled to reach dealers later this year and there's still quite a bit to find out. Those details, including pricing, should trickle out over the next few months. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut gets its first prototype

If there is a Koenigsegg that will break through the 300-mph barrier, this is it. If there is a Koenigsegg that will be the fastest car the Swedish automaker builds, this is also it. Not long after watching the bewinged Jesko Attack dash through the snow, Koenigsegg has shown that car's brother, the wingless and ultimately refined Absolut. Created to go as fast as possible, company boss Christian von Koenigsegg said: "We spent thousands of hours in CFD calculations. We’ve streamlined this car from not just an aerodynamic and design perspective, but also from a high-speed stability perspective. As a result, the Jesko Absolut has a phenomenally low drag of only 0.278 Cd." The development model is done up in Graphite Grey with Tang Orange stripes. Remind us to ask Christian one day if that color really refers to the chemical concoction relentlessly advertised to kids decades ago as the favorite beverage of astronauts.  To be fair to aerodynamicists around the world, we should clarify that it's a "phenomenally" low drag figure on a relative scale. After all, cars looking to stretch gallons or kWhs of fuel do better; the Lucid Air claims a drag coefficient of 0.21 Cd, the current Mercedes-Benz S-Class a 0.24. But compared to other hypercars, the Koenigsegg is well ahead. Hennessey says its Venom F5 comes in with a drag coefficient of 0.39, the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ in Top Speed mode is 0.33 — 0.02 better than the standard Chiron — and SSC cites a figure of 0.279 for the Tuatara. If these numbers are accurate, Koenigsegg has claimed the hypercar aero crown from SSC by 0.001. Probably just a coincidence. The Absolut's internals almost entirely mimic those of the Attack, with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 1,600 hp and 1,107 lb-ft. Weight savings from changes like the lack of that rear wing mean the Absolut weighs 3,064 pounds compared to the Attack's 3,131 pounds. Koenigsegg hasn't given a timeline for when customer units will be ready, but it shouldn't be long. The Attack is expected to start reaching customers this quarter. Related Video: Featured Gallery Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut Prototype Koenigsegg Coupe Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars

European dealer working with Koenigsegg on a CC12 secret project

We tuned into James Walker's latest episode on YouTube because The Supercar Blog reported there's a special Koenigsegg on the way called the CC12. There isn't much known about the coming coupe, just that was supposedly commissioned by a European dealer in ultraluxurious things called Carage. Upon tuning in to the 51-minute video, we discovered that Walker talks about the CC12 for maybe ten seconds (38:47) — he doesn't even call it by the name written on the wall next to it, and the project is so secret that his host won't say a word about it. Here's the thing: The episode is called "The Best Garage in the World?", and the answer might be "Hell yes." We showed up for one car, we stayed because of all the amazing car stuff. We'd never heard of Carage before, a dealer with showrooms in Lucerne, Switzerland and Marbella, Spain that specializes in "modern hypercars [and] unusually sporty vintage cars." If a line could win an award for Swiss understatement, this is it. Walker tours just some of the Swiss facility, which is five floors and nearly 54,000 feet of luxury architectural space housing many millions of dollars in cars. The Koenigsegg room is designed to create Swedish vibes. The five cars parked inside it include CC8S Chassis #002, the first customer car of the first model Koenigsegg built, one of two Trevita's with white carbon and clearcoat with diamond dust, and the Agera Prototype Chassis #077 that was not only the development vehicle for every evolution of the Agera, it was customized with a trunk.    There's are a few rooms with Aston Martins (12:50) including James Bond's DB10 (25:15), another with Ferraris, a modern Iso Rivolta (11:30), and the most magnificent tool and replacement parts sets we have ever seen (32:05) created for the Aston Martin DB4GT Continuation. Then there's the garage, with the obligatory lifts and clean-room appearance. The garage also contains an indoor wash bay, because Carage washes every vehicle before working on it; there's an exhaust vent on a rail that can be fitted to any vehicle in the garage; there are tire fitting and alignment machines in custom colors to match the garage; and a pump system to send used oil into a large containment tank beneath the garage. Plus the on-site carbon production and CNC machines. And other things. Carage is spectacular. Back to that Koenigsegg CC12, though.

Hot Wheels' 2022 Green Speed cars bring EVs to small scale

With more and more EVs hitting the market, it was only a matter of time before the new breed of cars would find representation in diecast form. For 2022, Hot Wheels is coming out with a new Green Speed series that puts the spotlight on a diverse lineup of electric cars. The five-car series features a fun mix of EVs from different manufacturers and in a wide range of styles. Some are completely bone stock. For a traditional luxury sedan, there's a Lucid Air in silver, complete with glass (or in this case, clear plastic) canopy. For fans of Teutonic 4-door "coupes" there's the Audi RS e-Tron GT in Daytona Gray. Ticking the truck box is a Hummer EV in a yellow that can only be described as a throwback to the H3. But because this is Hot Wheels, there are "hot-rodded" variants in the lineup as well. Rather than just a regular Nissan Leaf, they've elected to cast the carbon fiber-bodied NISMO RC 2.0 race car. Likewise with Ford, instead of the standard Mustang Mach-E, they've gone with the Mustang Mach-E 1400 drift car. This isn't the first time Hot Wheels has put out a Green Speed series. The line debuted in 2016 but reflected the limited EV choices in the real car market at the time. The only non-fantasy cars in the series were a first-gen Tesla Roadster, a Tesla Model S, and Chevy Volt. Hot Wheels revisited the line again in 2019, this time adding a Tesla Model 3 and a Porsche Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid Sport Turismo. Hot Wheels also makes other mini EVs that don't fall into this specific line of models. If you want to collect 'em all, there's the second-generation Tesla Roadster concept, Cybertruck, Jaguar I-Pace, Pininfarina Battista, Porsche Taycan, and a Volkswagen ID R. Similarly, Matchbox has released a version of the Tesla Roadster with sustainable packaging to boot. If you must have an old school gasoline burner, Hot Wheels has plenty of options for you too, like, say, this snazzy FJ60 Toyota Land Cruiser. The 2022 Hot Wheels Green Speed series should be on shelves at your local retailers now. Related Video:

Citroen draws the curtain on 30 years of minivans and MPVs

Citroen announced on Thursday the end of its Grand C4 SpaceTourer model, a four-door minivan-like MPV, drawing a line under 30 years of small people haulers that embodied the brand's family image now overshadowed by SUVs. "Because customers' aspirations have evolved, expression of modernity and enhancement is today carried by other shapes (and) the way of thinking mobility is changing, Grand C4 SpaceTourer is now bowing out", the brand said in a statement. In France, minivan and MPV sales fell almost to zero in the first quarter as SUVs claimed the lion's share at 46% of new car registrations, racing with traditional sedans which bring in 47% of sales. In the U.S., SUVs have become a highly dominant body style, but minivans still sell. Among Stellantis brands in the U.S., the Chrysler Pacifica is the fourth best-selling model, though that number likely contains both consumer and fleet sales. Production of the Grand C4 SpaceTourer at the plant located in Vigo, Spain, will stop at the beginning of July after current orders are delivered, Stellantis added in a press release. Citroen, which retains two models of electric minivans in its catalog, plans to focus on its C5 Aircross SUV and its large C5X sedan. In 30 years, the brand sold nearly 4.5 million minivans worldwide, fuelled by the Evasion from 1994, the C8 from 2002 and, most importantly, the Xsara and C4 Picasso after 1998, whose rounded silhouettes and family-friendly designs found favor with customers. Related Video: Citroen Minivan/Van

Mind-boggling 2012 Smart ForTwo off-roader listed on Cars & Bids

Smart recently marched into the crossover segment by releasing the #1, but the electric four-seater doesn't look like something you'd want to take off-road. If you're in the market for a go-anywhere Smart, there's a second-generation ForTwo that features an astonishingly long list of off-road-focused modifications (including an eight-inch suspension lift!) currently live on enthusiast auction site Cars & Bids with no reserve. California-based Gotham Garage reportedly built this ForTwo for a show called Car Masters: Rust to Riches that aired on Netflix, and it looks like nothing was deemed off-limits to give the cheeky city car the kind of off-road prowess you'd normally find in a Jeep Wrangler. Riding on 30-inch tires, the ForTwo features a suspension system that's taller and a lot wider than stock, an exoskeleton-type roll cage, a front skid plate, and a 4,000-pound winch, among many other modifications. There is space on the roll cage to mount a gas can and a spare wheel. The end result is a ForTwo that looks like nothing else on the road — and like nothing else off the road, too. Imagine the look on a Ford Bronco driver's face when you zip by in a Smart on the Rubicon Trail. Inside, the little two-seater is surprisingly stock: the only modification is a nine-inch touchscreen. It doesn't sound like the drivetrain was touched, meaning that power comes from a rear-mounted, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine rated at 70 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque. It spins the rear wheels via a five-speed automatic transmission. As of writing, bidding stands at $8,333 with three days left to go; the auction ends on April 25 at 10:30 a.m. California time, which is 1:38 p.m in New York. And, because this is a no-reserve auction, the winning bidder will be the one that takes this one-of-a-kind ForTwo home. There is another ForTwo currently live on Cars & Bids, and this one is pegged on the other end of the Smart spectrum. It's a limited-edition Crossblade, which was a concept car-like evolution of the original ForTwo that was exclusively sold in Europe. It has no doors, no roof, and a wind deflector instead of a windshield, and the example being auctioned has been displayed in the Petersen Automotive Museum.  Related Video

Stellantis suspends vehicle production in Russia

MILAN - Stellantis on Tuesday said it was suspending production at its Russian plant due to logistical difficulties and sanctions imposed on Moscow. The world's fourth-largest automaker, which produced and sold the Peugeot, Citro¸n, Opel, Jeep, and Fiat brands in Russia, has just 1% of the country's car market. It runs a van-making plant in Kaluga, around 125 miles (201 kilometres) southeast of Moscow, co-owned with Japanese carmaker Mitsubishi, which halted production at the facility earlier this month. "Given the rapid daily increase in cross sanctions and logistical difficulties, Stellantis has suspended its manufacturing operations in Kaluga to ensure full compliance with all cross sanctions and to protect its employees," Stellantis said in a statement. The plant employs 2,700 people. The company will continue to pay salaries through a local downtime scheme and by using anticipated vacation periods, Stellantis told Reuters. It said it did not know how long the stoppage would last, adding that its priority was its staff and the return of peace. Stellantis had already suspended all exports and imports of vehicles with Russia, following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, moving production to western Europe. It had also said it was freezing plans for more investments in the country. Van production in Kaluga had remained just for the local market. Scores of foreign companies have announced temporary shutdowns of stores and factories in Russia or said they were leaving the country for good since Russia began what it calls "a special military operation" in Ukraine on Feb. 24. Stellantis Chief Executive Carlos Tavares in late March said the group would have to close the Kaluga plant shortly as it was running out of parts. Separately on Tuesday, General Motors Co said it was extending its suspension of business in Russia due to the conflict and international sanctions. The U.S. automaker, which initially suspended imports into Russia and commercial activity on Feb. 28, said it was laying off most of its 66 employees and providing them with separation packages. GM does not have plants in Russia and only sold about 3,000 vehicles annually there prior to the suspension. (Additional reporting by Ben Klayman in Washington; Editing by Mark Potter and Mark Porter) Government/Legal Plants/Manufacturing Fiat Jeep Citroen Opel Peugeot

Koenigsegg Jesko gets its turn to throw snow

Yes, it's a tad bizarre to be posting winter testing videos in the middle of April, the same way it's a little strange for it to be 38 degrees in parts of the Midwest this week. We can do without the weather, but we'll take the videos, and here's another — a counterpoint to a vid from a week ago. Rimac provided our last trip to northern Sweden, the Croatian hypercar maker there to test the Nevera in temperatures well colder than 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Two hours east of that, turns out Swedish hypercar maker Koenigsegg was testing its Jesko in the frozen stuff. The Swedes called their video Egg Hunt for obvious reasons, but there wasn't much of a hunt, just a guy gathering giant neon eggs in the forest until the trail leads him to the Jesko. Seems the Swedish Easter Bunny might be way cooler than ours. What's cool about these two videos is they ask, "How do you like your ice dancing?" With four motors producing 1,914 horsepower and 1,741 pound-feet of torque to move 4,960 pounds, and emitting a gentle whine that can be barely heard above the soundtrack? Or with a 5.0-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 1,600 hp and 1,107 lb-ft to motivate 3,130 pounds and a Battlestar Galactica wing, emitting a roar that would have had the Easter Bunny apologizing to every hibernating bear and rethinking his egg hunt strategy? Take your time deciding, there's no wrong answer. By the way, that wing and the power figure mark this as the standard Jesko on E85. The Jesko on standard gasoline makes 'just' 1,200 horsepower.   The Jesko and Nevera should be finding their way to the first customers shortly. Maybe next time they both vacation in northern Sweden, they'll go together. That would be a video. Video Koenigsegg Coupe Luxury Special and Limited Editions Performance Supercars koenigsegg jesko

Lotus electric sedan due in 2023 to take on Porsche Taycan

Lotus took a massive step towards the mainstream when it released the Eletre (pictured above), an electric crossover developed with volume in mind. It will continue walking in this direction by launching its first sedan, and a recent report suggests the model will be aimed at the Porsche Taycan. Known as the Type 133 internally, and referred to as a four-door coupe, the sedan will join the firm's portfolio of so-called "lifestyle" EVs. It will borrow some styling cues from the Eletre (pictured above) but it won't be merely a scaled-down crossover. "There has to be some continuity and family identity," explained Peter Horbury, Lotus' senior vice president of design, in an interview with British magazine Autocar. "Families aren't made up entirely of triplets or quadruplets. Every member of a family can have their own character," he added. While the Type 133 — a name that won't make the leap to production; the Eletre was called Type 132 — won't be as basic as, say, an Elise, it will be positioned as a driver's car. Gavan Kershaw, Lotus' director of attributes and product integrity, told Autocar that the engineering team benchmarked the Porsche Taycan during the Eletre's development process and the lessons learned will be applied to the Type 133. Like its taller sibling, the sedan should feature a long list of technology features, including an air suspension system and rear-wheel steering. Powertrain specifications haven't been released yet, but the fact that the Eletre and the Type 133 will be closely related underneath the sheet metal gives us some idea of what to expect. Power for the first Lotus crossover comes from a pair of electric motors that zap the four wheels with around 600 horsepower. The battery pack's capacity checks in at over 100 kilowatt-hours, and an 800-volt electrical architecture enables fast-charging technology. Lotus pegs the Eletre's maximum driving range at 373 miles on the testing cycle used in Europe. It's reasonable to assume that the sedan, which should be lighter and more aerodynamic, should be capable of going further on a charge. Lotus is expected to unveil the Type 133 in 2023. The model will be built alongside the Eletre in Wuhan, China. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Macron and Le Pen decry 'shocking' Stellantis CEO pay

PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger in the French presidential vote, Marine Le Pen, on Friday both decried as “shocking” the multimillion euro payout to the CEO of carmaker Stellantis. Stellantis CEO Carlos TavaresÂ’ remuneration package of 19.15 million euros just a year after the company was formed became an issue as Macron and Le Pen campaigned ahead of the April 24 runoff vote. Polls show purchasing power and inflation are a top voter concern. Stellantis was formed last year through the merger of PSA Peugeot and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Centrist President Emmanuel Macron, perceived by many voters as being too pro-business, called the pay package “astronomical” and pushed for a Europe-wide effort to set ceilings on “abusive” executive pay. “ItÂ’s shocking, itÂ’s excessive,” he said Friday on broadcaster France-Info. “People canÂ’t have problems with purchasing power, difficulties, the anguish theyÂ’re living with, and see these sums. Otherwise, society will explode.” Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who enjoys support from many working-class voters, called for bringing in more workers as shareholders. “Of course itÂ’s shocking, and itÂ’s even more shocking when it is the CEOs who have pushed their society into difficulty,” she said Friday on BFM television. “One of the ways to diminish this pay, which is often out of proportion with economic life, is perhaps to allow workers in as shareholders.” Stellantis continued to back the package despite a 52.1% to 47.9% vote rejecting it at an annual shareholders' meeting chaired from the Netherlands, where the company is legally based, on Wednesday. The company, citing Dutch civil code, noted that the vote is advisory and not binding. The company later said in a statement that it took note of the vote, and will explain in an upcoming 2022 remuneration report “how this vote has been taken into account.” In the 2021 report, the company identified peer group companies that it used as a salary benchmark, including U.S. companies like Boeing, Exxon Mobile, General Electric as well as carmakers Ford and General Motors. Stellantis, whose brands include Peugeot, Fiat, Jeep, Opel and Maserati, reported net profits last year had tripled to 13.4 billion euros ($15.2 billion). The French government is the third-largest shareholder in Stellantis, with a 6.15% stake through the Bpifrance Participations S.A. French public investment bank.

Lotus Eletre configurator welcomes virtual tire kickers

The Lotus Eletre configurator is ready to be toyed with. There aren't that many customization options to play with, but the total experience is quite fun. The exterior palette consists of seven colors. The odd bit is that, try what browser we may, we couldn't get the names of those seven colors to appear anywhere. The menu looks like black, green, red, yellow, and three shades of silver, but clicking the latter three reveals what looks like a metallic silver, a flat gray, and a rose-tinted-something. Same with the interior, which comes in green, black, white, or beige. All but black result in a two-tone cabin. Things are much easier when it comes to wheels. The floral petal rims either come in all black or black with polished accents, the center caps are either Lotus yellow or black, and the calipers are either yellow, red, green, black, or charcoal.  For those of you unsure about the Eletre's looks, the well stocked Animations, Beautyshots, and Environments sections could get you on board with the styling — it did for us; a red Eletre under a cosmopolitan setting spoke to us in a way the yellow debut model did not. A couple of notes, though. Choose your colors in one of the Environments; the ambient lighting in the Beautyshots changes the vehicle lighting like in real life, turning the bright yellow calipers into a dusty gray in one instance, for example. The animations that show off features like the aero shutters in the grille and the active rear spoiler need a couple of clicks to perform. And again, just like in real life, the Eletre only does what you tell it; if you leave the hatch up in the Boot animation then click the Spoiler or Front Left Door, the boot stays up. Click to a city environment with the driver's door and hatch open and you'll be crystal clear as to what the Eletre looks at the end of a shopping run, a feature we've never seen in a configurator before. You have your mission and your cautions, now go play. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. 2017 Lotus Evora 400 Review | Autoblog

2022 New York Auto Show Roundup | All the reveals, reviews, pictures

NEW YORK — In case you missed it, the New York Auto Show took place this year after being canceled in both 2020 and 2021 due to Covid. A lot of manufacturers showed up in force, but not everybody did. No matter, we were there, and we brought you news, photos and scoops from the floor throughout the show. All of our New York-related stories can be found at our central hub here, but if youÂ’d rather just get a small taste of everything in a quick and digestible format, keep scrolling. 2023 Kia Telluride and its new X-Pro trim Kia revealed the TellurideÂ’s first major refresh at New York, and it makes the three-row crossover a little bit more desirable without screwing up what we liked about it before. ThereÂ’s a new X-Line and X-Pro trim for someone who might want a little more off-road capability, and a number of tech improvements. Most notably, a newly-designed dash features new and bigger screens. 2023 Hyundai Palisade The TellurideÂ’s sister car from Hyundai was treated to a similar refresh. Like the Telluride, Hyundai gave the Palisade a slightly revised look, a new off-road trim (called XRT in the PalisadeÂ’s case), more tech inside and a new dash design with full-width air vents. If we had to choose, weÂ’re a little more impressed with the TellurideÂ’s refresh, as a number of us on staff actually prefer the pre-refresh Palisade styling over the new one. 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L This one was inevitable. Jeep revealed the longer, roomier versions of its Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer in New York, and theyÂ’re designated with an “L” at the end of their names. Total length grows by a foot, and the wheelbase goes up by 7 inches versus the standard Wagoneer models. Jeep has essentially allocated all this extra room to the cargo area, as it now offers a staggering 44.2 cubic-feet of space behind the third row. Besides the L, Jeep announced that its new Hurricane inline-six engine would find its first home in the Wagoneer. Efficiency gets a small boost, and power is more than sufficient at either 420 horsepower (standard output) or 510 horsepower (high-output version) from the twin-turbo I-6. Chrysler Airflow Graphite Concept The Stellantis party continues with Chrysler and its slightly revised Airflow. Re-styled for the New York market after initially debuting at CES in Las Vegas, the Airflow Concept gets new paint, changed accent colors, a slightly changed interior design and a new interpretation of the Chrysler logo.

2022 New York Auto Show, and Subaru Solterra driven | Autoblog Podcast #725

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. This week was the return of the New York Auto Show, and it was a busy one. Our editors run down some of the reveals, including the updated Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade, the long-wheelbase Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer L, refreshed Subaru Outback, the gorgeous Genesis X Speedium Coupe concept EV, the 2,200-horsepower Deus Vayanne electric hypercar, a new generation of the Kia Niro family, and the updated Nissan Leaf and Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek. Then they discuss the news surrounding Elon Musk's offer to purchase Twitter before diving into reviews of the cars we've been driving, including the new Subaru Solterra, Subaru Forester Wilderness and our long-term BMW 330e xDrive and Hyundai Palisade. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #725 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown 2022 New York International Auto Show 2023 Kia Telluride revealed at NY Auto Show, adds X-Pro trim 2023 Hyundai Palisade revealed with new styling, features, trim level 2023 Jeep Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer gain L models, Hurricane I6 power 2023 Subaru Outback gets new cladding and lights, more tech Genesis X Speedium Coupe is an electric shooting brake Deus Vayanne EV hypercar reaches for 2,200 horsepower 2023 Kia Niro Hybrid, PHEV and EV debut 2023 Nissan Leaf debuts a mild refresh 2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek gets a lift and more power Elon Musk offers to buy Twitter for $43 billion Cars we're driving 2023 Subaru Solterra 2022 Subaru Forester Wilderness Long-term 2022 BMW 330e xDrive Long-term 2021 Hyundai Palisade Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video:

Genesis X Speedium Coupe is an electric shooting brake

NEW YORK — Last year, Genesis wowed us and the rest of the car world with the drop-dead gorgeous X concept. It was a long, wide and seriously slinky coupe that had us begging for a production model. Genesis hasn't given us one yet, but it's clearly still toying with this big coupe idea, as evidenced by the Genesis X Speedium Coupe concept. The name comes from a racetrack near Inje, South Korea, and the color is named Inje Green after the tree-covered mountain landscape around the course. And it's clearly related to the old X with its long, low hood, wide fenders and graceful roofline. But it has many changes. Starting from the front, the X Speedium no longer has a grille. Instead, the signature headlights span the full fascia, and split in the middle to suggest the shape of the corporate grille design. It's a clear nod to the car being electric. Moving rearward, we can see the roofline has been extended much farther back. It dips down and ends close to the tail, creating something between a fastback and shooting brake. The cheeky spoiler at the back also has a slick integrated brake light. It's certainly an attractive car, and we'd be happy to see this version make it to production, too. That being said, we're not sure it's quite as successful as its predecessor. The EV fascia makes sense, but the lengthened roof makes the back look a little bubbly and heavy. It just doesn't look quite as balanced or as lean as the original X. But this version is likely far more practical. Really, Genesis should just make both. The world needs more beautiful two-door cars anyway, so why limit the selection to one? Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Genesis trademarks 'X Speedium Coupe,' possibly for EV

NEW YORK — Genesis has built two eye-catching coupes for the auto show circuit in the past four years, and it strongly hinted that at least one is on its way to production. While nothing is official, a recent trademark filing suggests the two-door model could be named after a race track. Hyundai's luxury division trademarked the "X Speedium Coupe" nameplate in April 2022, according to website Carbuzz. X is seemingly a reference to the X concept (pictured) introduced in March 2021, while the Speedium part of the name comes from the Inje Speedium circuit located in South Korea. Several high-profile races have been held there, including World Touring Car and Ferrari Challenge events. As always, a trademark filing isn't a guarantee that the nameplate it details will see the light that awaits at the end of a production line. If that were the case, the Chevrolet Cheyenne and the Volkswagen Thing would have made a triumphant return to showrooms. But the idea of a Genesis coupe isn't new or far-fetched; keep in mind that most of the firm's closest competitors are present in the two-door segment. Genesis tellingly previewed the range of electric vehicles that it plans to release during the 2020s in September 2021, and the dark outline of a coupe stood out in a lineup made up mostly of sedans, crossovers, and SUVs. At the time, head designer Luc Donckerwolke appeared on video next to the X concept saying "we have to put it in production," though it's unclear if he was referring to the car or its paint color. Even more tellingly, the company asked its followers on Twitter if they would be interested in reserving an X with a $1,000 deposit. If launched, the X Concept will lean more towards the touring side of the coupe scale; it's relatively big, and it has four seats. Genesis also explored a sportier direction when it unveiled the Essentia concept in 2018. It doesn't sound like that one will reach production, however.  Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Smart #1 revealed as tiny EV with surprising amount of power

The Smart #1 electric crossover has officially been revealed, along with its specifications. In addition to looking extremely similar to the concept of the same name, it packs quite a bit of horsepower and can hold a lot of electric power. It's all wrapped in a package that we could see in America, but likely won't come to our shores. Visually, the Smart is virtually unchanged from the concept. It still has the floating roof, contrasting colors and curvy body. The only changes seem to be some extra little detailing in the front and rear bumpers and the addition of door handles, which are flush to the body. They pop out when someone needs to get in. The doors also have frameless glass. The whole car is still fairly small, but not quite as small as some past Smarts. Its 168-inch length makes it similar in size to the Nissan Kicks, Hyundai Kona and other subcompact crossovers. Even the interior looks basically the same with the accent lighting, flowing center stack and prominent center screen, which measures 12.8 inches. Added to the interior is a low and wide 9.2-inch instrument screen, and the car has an available 10-inch head-up display. Perhaps most interesting is the powertrain. This tiny car has an electric motor making 268 horsepower, enough to scare GTI owners. That motor is also mounted in the rear and powering the rear wheels. It's a tad heavy, though, at 4,012 pounds. That's partly because it has a battery with a 66-kWh capacity. On the WLTP test cycle, that's good for between 260 to 273 miles. The Smart also supports DC fast charging with a peak charging speed of 150 kW. From 10% to 80%, it should charge in less than 30 minutes. The Smart #1 is expected to go on sale later this year, and will be built in China. It's also a joint venture between Mercedes and Geely. Although it's the first Smart model we could see being a genuine success in the U.S., we're not expecting it to appear here. Not just because it would need to be homologated for our market, but the fact that the whole Smart brand left, along with the dealer network. Restarting all that would be a big investment for one car that may or may not be a success. Related Video:

GMC Hummer EV First Drive Review | True supertruck, for better and for worse

Right from the start, the 2022 GMC Hummer EV has been advertised with superlatives, mostly in reference to its specifications. GMC has even called it a "supertruck" in its own materials. And while we've received a taste of the truck before, only now have we finally got our hands on the production-spec model, and had the opportunity to drive it both off-road and on the street. What we've found is that the Hummer EV is undoubtedly a supertruck, much the same way that a Ferrari or a Lamborghini is a supercar. It totally delivers on its incredible capabilities, but there are compromises. And they're worth being aware of before plunking down the more than $100,000 a first-year Hummer will run you. That six-figure truck is the version we tested, the Edition 1, which actually rings in at $112,595. It's the only version in production for now, with lower trims coming in the next couple years. It's sold out, but many of the features will be available on the next highest trim level, the EV 3X. Among those features are the three motors, torque vectoring, “Watts To Freedom” launch mode, four-wheel steering, removable glass roof panels, 35-inch tires, Super Cruise, power rear window and MultiPro tailgate. In other words, although you can literally no longer order an Edition 1, you can still order a Hummer EV with nearly the same specification. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. We'll start where most owners probably will: mashing the throttle. No one can resist seeing what 1,000 horsepower and 1,200 pound-feet of torque will feel like. It's even a tad more torque in Watts To Freedom mode, which preemptively runs the cooling system to enable the additional twist. That mode allows the Hummer to hit 60 mph in 3 seconds, and the drama is dialed up with visual, audible and haptic cues. But even without engaging launch mode, the Hummer EV impresses and delights with its acceleration. In addition to pinning you to the seat, the entire truck squats in an exaggerated fashion. It's absurd, especially considering the truck's curb weight that surpasses a truly astounding 9,000 pounds. ThatÂ’s several hundred pounds more than the heaviest GMC Sierra HD 3500 diesel dually. Of course, that weight, as well as the nature of electric motors, means the party starts to calm down as the speed increases. The weight is noticeable in other areas, too.

Best and Worst GM Cars

Oh yes, because we just love receiving angry letters from devoted Pontiac Grand Am enthusiasts, we have decided to go there. Based on a heated group Slack conversation, the topic came up about the best and worst GM cars. First of all time, and then those currently on sale, and then just mostly a rambling discussion of Oldsmobiles our parents and grandparents owned (or engineered). Eventually, three of us made the video above. Like it? Maybe we can make more. Many awesome GM cars are definitely going unmentioned here, so please let us know your bests and worsts in the comments below. Mostly, it's important to note that this post largely exists as a vehicle for delivering the above video that dives far deeper into GM's greatest hits and biggest flops, specifically those from the 1980s and 1990s. What you'll find below is a collection of our editors identifying a best current and best-of-all-time choice, plus a worst current and worst-of-all-time choice. Comprehensive it is not, but again, comments. -Senior Editor James Riswick Best Current GM Vehicle Chevrolet Corvette We were flying by the seats of our pants a bit in this first outing and my notes were similarly extemporaneous. When it came time to tie it all together on camera, I failed spectacularly. Thank the maker for text, because this gives me the opportunity to perhaps slightly better explain my convoluted reasoning. I chose the C8 Corvette because it's simply overwhelmingly good, and it's merely the baseline from which this generation of Corvette will be expanded.  While the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing (more on that in a minute) is an amazing snapshot of GM's current performance standing and its little sibling so enraptured me that I went out and bought one, their existence is fleeting. Corvette will live on; forced-induction Cadillac sport sedans, not so much. So while all three are amazing machines when viewed in a vacuum, the Corvette stands above them as both a reflection of GM's current performance credentials and a signpost of what is to come. So, given the choice between the C8 and the 5V-Blackwing right now, I'd choose the C8. In 10 years, when the Blackwing is no longer in production and Corvette is in its 9th generation? Well, that might be a different story. Now, just pretend I said something even remotely that coherent when we get to the part of the video where I try to make an argument for the 5-V Blackwing as best GM car I've ever driven. Or just laugh at me while I ramble incoherently.

Editors' Picks March 2022 | Acura RDX, VW GLI and a Rolls-Royce

This month's Editors' Picks offer a little something at every budget. We call out a performance car as cheap as the Volkswagen GLI, but the Rolls-Royce Ghost also manages to make its way on to the list. Of course, very few folks can afford a Ghost, but that doesn't change the fact that it's an engineering master class. In addition to these options, we also dive into the compact luxury SUV market, one that is bursting with choices. In case you missed our previous Editors' Picks posts, here’s a quick refresher on whatÂ’s going on here. We rate all the new cars we drive with a 1-10 score. Cars that are exemplary in their respective segments get EditorsÂ’ Pick status. Those are the ones weÂ’d recommend to our friends, family and anybody whoÂ’s curious and asks the question. The list that youÂ’ll find below consists of every car we rated in March that earned an EditorsÂ’ Pick. 2022 Acura RDX Quick take: The RDX ticks a lot of boxes for a great price. It drives better than expected, offers excellent tech, has plenty of room and even looks the part. Score: 7.0 What it competes with: Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class, BMW X3, Volvo XC60, Audi Q5, Lexus NX, Infiniti QX50, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Genesis GV70, Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, Lincoln Corsair Pros: Value, driving dynamics, space Cons: Infotainment is polarizing, midgrade interior From the editors Road Test Editor Zac Palmer — "The RDX is a bit of a sleeper in this segment. It drives far better than many of its competitors, and it doesn't let you down in any particular area. If you were thinking of buying an entry-level option from one of the Germans, make sure you take the RDX into account, because you'll likely end up with more tech and features for an even lower price. News Editor Joel Stocksdale — "The Acura RDX is an impressive value in the small luxury SUV segment. It starts in the low $40,000 price range, and provides loads of standard convenience and safety features. Everything is packaged in a sharp and surprisingly spacious package, too. It's also nimble and has a punchy engine that makes it fun to drive. You may find some competitors that surpass it in some areas, but the Acura offers about the most for the money of anything in the segment." In-depth analysis: 2022 Acura RDX Review | Value-packed and surprisingly sporty   2022 Volkswagen Jetta GLI Quick take: The GLI offers excellent driving dynamics and great styling for someone who doesn't want a hatchback. It's pricey, but it's worth it.

2023 Mercedes-Maybach S 680 by Virgil Abloh is maximum fashion with a V12

If the Mercedes-Maybach S 680 wasn’t already exclusive enough for you, listen up. This is the limited-edition Maybach by Virgil Abloh version of the Mercedes-Maybach S 680, and there will only be 150 of them built for the world. The vehicle is the result of a collaboration between Virgil Abloh and Mercedes chief designer Gordon Wagener. Mercedes says the design was finalized prior to AblohÂ’s passing in November 2021. In case youÂ’re unfamiliar with Abloh, know that he was many things throughout his life. HeÂ’s known best for being a fashion designer and entrepreneur, but he was also an artist, philanthropist and architect. As for the car itself, the exterior uses a two-tone paint combo that you might recall from the Project Maybach electric off-road coupe. The bottom half is meant to make you think of sand, while the top half contrasts that in a glossy Obsidian Black finish. The window frames lose their bright look and are painted black to make it as monolithic as possible from the side. Even the forged wheels are painted in the sandy hue. The same theme continues for the interior. ItÂ’s a black and tan two-tone throughout, and MercedesÂ’ Nappa Leather is used to cover surfaces. A unique Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo is inscribed on the center console to denote this carÂ’s special-edition status. YouÂ’ll see the same logo on rear cushions, headrests and door sills. Mercedes even went so far as to modify the infotainment system and its controls for this special edition. The “home” button gets a sandy Abloh theme, and so do the selectable apps on screen. TheyÂ’re decorated with fashion accessories, and theyÂ’re hopefully still as easy to depict and use as MercedesÂ’ standard MBUX icons. As for extras beyond the car itself, every one of these special-edition models comes with a wooden box emblazoned with the Mercedes-Maybach and Virgil Abloh logo. Inside the box, youÂ’ll find a 1:18 replica of the car, a carabiner hook and your two keys. YouÂ’re also going to get a car cover featuring the Virgil Abloh logo with the car, but this one doesnÂ’t fit in the box. If you really want to look the part next to your car, there is a whole line of clothing designed by Virgil Abloh that is launching today, too. It comprises clothing done in shades and hues similar to the car, so you can truly look the part hopping out of your Virgil Abloh Mercedes-Maybach.

Why Maserati won't share the Nettuno V6 with its siblings

Maserati spent a great deal of time and resources developing a twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 called Nettuno. It made its debut in 2020 in the MC20, and it will be available in the Grecale Trofeo in 2022, but Autoblog learned that the six won't travel outside of the trident family. "We want to keep the Nettuno engine as a signature for the brand. It was developed with the aim of being uniquely associated with the Maserati brand, so it was designed and engineered specifically for Maserati. It's technically feasible to apply it to other cars [in the Stellantis group], but we want to keep it proprietary. We have it in the MC20 and now in the Grecale; there will be other uses for it in the future, but always in Maserati cars," Federico De Medio, Maserati's head of vehicle validation, told Autoblog on the sidelines of the Grecale launch. While he stopped short of providing details about the other uses, De Medio hinted that Nettuno will gradually replace the Ferrari-derived V8 that Maserati has used for many years. He explained that the project's goal was to design a six-cylinder engine with V8-like power. Does that mean that a V8 with V10-like power is on its way? Nope, it sounds like the eight-cylinder's days are numbered in the Maserati line-up. Asked how long the V8 had left to live, De Medio replied that "it depends on the life of the product itself, so the response will be provided by the market and by regulations." And, how about a new V8 designed in-house? "Never say never, but for now we just launched Nettuno so let's enjoy the V6," he answered. What's certain is that the Levante and the Quattroporte won't need a V8 for much longer: they're going electric in the coming years. We know the Ghibli is on its way out, so that leaves the next-generation Gran Turismo as the only candidate for a V8. Nothing is official, but our crystal ball tells us it's more realistic to expect that the coupe will make its debut with a V6 than with a V8. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and a Final Four of automakers | Autoblog Podcast #723

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski. We start out with news on the Lotus Eletre and Ferrari Purosangue. These two high-end crossovers are followed by discussions about the new inline-six engines from Stellantis and an overabundance of Hummer EV orders. Next we try something we've never tried before: ranking automaker blue bloods. We took inspiration from the current NCAA tournament, which features Duke, North Carolina, Villanova and Kansas — very much traditional blue-blood basketball programs — to name our Final Four automakers. Let us know if you agree or disagree with our picks and what your definition of a blue blood car brand is. We wrap up with a discussion about the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk that Jeremy's been driving all week. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #723 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Lotus Eletre Ferrari Purosangue Stellantis inline-six Hummer EV orders Cars we're driving Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Podcasts Ferrari Hummer Jeep Lotus Crossover SUV Electric Luxury Off-Road Vehicles Performance

VW recalls 220,000 Atlases, Atlas Cross Sports for airbag defect [Updated]

[Update: Audi of America has confirmed that no U.S. models are among the recall population for plug-in hybrid fire issue.] Volkswagen has issued yet another recall for its Atlas SUV, this time for side airbags that may not deploy correctly in an accident due to a problematic connection in one of the vehicle's wiring harnesses. The campaign covers 222,892 Atlas and Atlas Cross Sport models built for the 2019-2023 model years.  The issue stems from a connection with the wiring harness that runs from the A-pillar into the door. VW says that harnesses produced by one of its suppliers were not built with additional measures to prevent movement at the connection point. Small movements can cause abrasion of the metal contacts which could lead to a whole host of electronic misadventures, including the potential for airbag deployment to be delayed in a crash.  "Micro-movement of the wire harness (terminal A-Pillar to front door) can result in damage to the wire terminal surface. Damage to the surface can [result] in fretting corrosion which may cause sporadic interruption in the electrical connection to the components of the front door," VW said in its defect notice. "The airbag warning light may illuminate if a malfunction is detected. Other symptoms of a sporadic interruption of the affected electrical connection can be: inadvertent rolling down windows, inadvertent park brake engagement at low speeds (below approx. 3km/h or 1.8mph), warning regarding faulty door sensor," VW said.  Not every model built within the range defined above is subject to the recall; terminals from other suppliers were manufactured with the necessary safeguards in place. If you own a 2019-2023 Atlas or Atlas Cross Sport, keep your eyes peeled for a notification from VW regarding the campaign, likely some time in early-mid May.  PHEV problems Across the Atlantic, the VW Group mothership confirmed that it will recall more than 100,000 plug-in hybrid models worldwide to address a fire risk. The recall was launched in response to 16 reported incidents of fires stemming from insufficient insulation of the PHEV battery pack that allows the engine cover to make contact if it is not completely secure. If that happens, the heat from the battery can ignite the engine cover. The recall will cover PHEVs build by VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda, Reuters reports, including the VW Passat, Golf, Tiguan and Arteon — plug-in variants of which are not sold in the United States.

Lotus Eletre opens a new front in electric SUVs

Ladies and gentlemen, the new era of Lotus as an EV maker begins with this, the Eletre. It takes elements we've seen on the Evija battery-electric hypercar and Emira ICE sports car, wraps them in a larger package, jacks them up, and throws in a lot of new tech for the brand and the market. Let's start with size, which is the easy bit. The Eletre is 201 inches long on a 118.9-inch wheelbase, about 79 inches wide, and 64 inches high. Every one of those dimensions puts the Lotus within a couple of inches of the Aston Martin DBX: the EV being a little longer, with a slightly shorter wheelbase, a little wider, and a roof a couple of inches lower. For us, the side view most closely represents the form we had in mind based on recent spy shots. The front is intense, the yellow of the hero car making the greatest contrast with the polygonal void below. The lights above the leading edge are DRLs and turn signals, the main beams are recessed into that void, hugging the upper edge. The rear, with its Lotus script and full-width light bar fading into triangular intakes along the sides, clearly comes from the sports cars. It can glow in four colors depending on what it needs to communicate, and forms a connection with the light bar across the instrument panel. The SUV proportions and black roof are still playing tricks with our eyes, though; we can't help feeling the Eletre carries its bulk up high. The wheels are an optional set of 23-inchers that hide optional 10-piston (ten!) calipers gripping ceramic composite rotors. Lotus isn't ready to divulge specific battery capacity and motor outputs between those wheels. All we're told is the pack is more than 100 kWh and output starts at 600 horsepower. Every Eletre is all-wheel-drive, with a motor on each axle. The 800-volt electrical architecture can handle up to 350-kW fast-charging, 20 minutes at a station at that charge rate restoring 248 WLTP miles of the Eletre's estimated 373-mile range in WLTP testing. EPA numbers will come eventually. Lotus says the hauler will get to 62 miles per hour in under 3 seconds and hit a top speed of 161 mph. The electronic side mirror housings each contain three cameras, one camera for the rear views, one to help stitch a 360-degree overhead view, and one to help enable self-driving. The charge port is on the front left fender, but keen eyes might notice more shutlines atop the front wheel arches.

GMC has received 65,000 Hummer EV orders so far

The GMC Hummer pickup truck only just went on sale, and already there's word from company brass that demand is higher than expected. According to a report from CNBC, Duncan Aldred, global vice president of GMC, said the automaker has received more than 65,000 combined orders for the current electric truck and upcoming SUV. What's more, the number of customers converting reservations into orders is humming along at 95%, which is also higher than the company projected. "Production’s actually slightly ahead of plan and weÂ’re putting things in place now to actually expedite that as well, so we can deliver these reservations quicker than we originally thought," Aldred said, adding that new orders placed today probably won't result in a delivered vehicle until 2024. "WeÂ’re doing all the studies on that and weÂ’re confident we can go a lot quicker than we originally thought," Aldred said, "But it still means a reservation now probably means delivering in Â’24." The version of the Hummer pickup that's currently being built is the highest-spec Edition 1 model. That truck ran at least $110,295, but since it's already sold out, new customers will be looking at Hummer EV 3X that starts right around the $100,000 mark before any optional equipment is added (and assuming you can find a dealer that won't try to jack up the price). At some unspecified point in the next year or so, GMC will start building a lower-cost Hummer 2X for $89,995. A year or so later, the  $79,995 Hummer EV 2 will make its debut. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Rolls-Royce Wraith and Dawn order books closed globally

Rolls-Royce closed order books for the Wraith coupe and Dawn convertible at the end of last year in the U.S. Brand chief Torsten Muller-Otvos told Autocar that both have since been removed from every market. Final orders are still being produced at the Goodwood factory, so the last Wraith and Dawn won't likely leave the line until early next year. But with the taps turned off and nothing to replace them yet, Rolls-Royce will soon be two-thirds of the way done with what has been a very successful chapter in its history. Those two offerings, as well as the Ghost sedan, are based on the architecture BMW created for the 2008 7 Series. Now only the Ghost remains of the trio, at this point planned for production until 2030 when Rolls-Royce will convert being to an electric-only automaker. More modern products like the Phantom II sedan and the Cullinan crossover ride on the company's Architecture of Luxury. That structure will also support the Spectre battery-electric coupe meant to go on sale at the end of 2023. Spectre spy shots reveal a body that looks much like the Wraith; however, Autocar says, "Rolls instead views the Spectre as a belated successor to the coupe version of the seventh-generation Rolls-Royce Phantom, with the pair sharing a similar footprint and the Spectre therefore having its own distinct positioning within the Rolls range." The erstwhile Phantom Coupe's length and wheelbase were about 20 inches longer than those of a Wraith. The Phantom II sedan is but a couple of inches longer than the previous two-door. Point being, the Spectre might be silent, but it won't be small. There will still be some BMW in it, however, like Rolls-Royce's version of the stacked headlights BMW is about to debut on the i7 and X7, and there's speculation the top-dog BMW iX M60i powertrain will cross the Channel to enter Goodwood's service. Peak output for the BMW reaches 610 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, which sound like fine numbers for wafting.

Lotus Eletre electric SUV reveal: Tune in today at 2:30 p.m Eastern

The upcoming electric Lotus SUV formerly known as the Type 132 officially has a name. It will be called the Lotus Eletre, and the vehicle’s full reveal is today, Tuesday, March 29. For those curious, Lotus says that Eletre means “coming to life” in some Eastern European languages. If you want to pronounce it properly, Lotus provides the phonetic spelling: “El-etra.” Basically, the "e" at the end is to be pronounced as an "a." Beyond the name announcement, Lotus doesnÂ’t have anything extra to share with us today. The name itself was revealed in a dramatic fashion, as a specially-made yellow cube containing the car was piloted up and down the River Thames in central London. Boats and cars being in the same news story as of late havenÂ’t always been for good reasons, but thankfully, this one seems to have gone just fine. If you want to watch the reveal live, make sure to tune in here at 2:30 p.m. ET Tuesday. WeÂ’ll have the live stream in this post waiting to start, so you can check back in right here at reveal time.

Junkyard Gem: 2004 Saturn Vue with manual transmission

GM's Saturn Division has been gone since the final 2010 Auras, Outlooks, Skies, and Vues slunk apologetically out of the showrooms, and I'm doing my best to document the more interesting models from The General's once-revolutionary brand. Some of the later Saturns began life as Opel designs, but the Vue actually was the first vehicle to go on the all-new GM Theta platform; the Opel Antara was thus a Saturn copy, a fact that Saturn fans no doubt trot out when they get shamed by Opel zealots over the Astra. Today's Junkyard Gem is a most unusual Vue, in the sense that its original purchaser was fine with both the base manual transmission and the leather-upholstery upgrade. Sure, the cheapest way to buy a new Vue— which was sold here for the 2002-2007 model years— was to get it with the base transmission: a five-speed manual. You can still buy a new car with a five-on-the-floor manual right now, but only in a handful of cheapmobiles; by the middle 2000s, a tiny-and-ever-shrinking subset of American car shoppers would even consider a three-pedal commuter vehicle. Really, there were only two reasons an American new-car buyer would have considered a non-enthusiast vehicle with a manual transmission in 2004: either an eccentric preference for the good ol' stickshift or just plain penny-pinching. The cheapest possible '04 Vue was the version with four-cylinder 2.2-liter engine, front-wheel-drive, and five-speed manual transmission, and it started at $17,025 (about $26,080 in 2022 dollars). That's what we're looking at here. The optional CVT automatic transmission cost an additional $2,095 ($3,210 today), so it made sense to get the manual if you wanted to save serious money on your Vue. However, this car is loaded to the gunwales with nice equipment upgrades, to the tune of at least the Leather Appointments Package ($755) and the Sports Plus II Package ($1,300) and probably a lot more.  So, a buyer who didn't care about power (so no V6 engine), didn't want all-wheel-drive, liked driving a manual transmission Â… but insisted on power everything and a full-zoot comfy leather interior Â… in a cheap small SUV sold by a fast-fading brand. The conversations with the Saturn salesmen about this thing must have been interesting. Built in Tennessee, sold new in Denver, will be crushed near Pikes Peak.

Driving a 1988 BMW M5 and the 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge | Autoblog Podcast #722

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. Some cars old and new here, with reviews of the 1988 BMW M5, 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge and 2021 Hyundai Palisade. In the news, Maserati revealed the 2023 Grecale SUV with a 523-hp twin-turbo V6. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #722 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 1988 BMW M5 2022 Volvo C40 Recharge Long-term 2021 Hyundai Palisade 2023 Maserati Grecale revealed Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Volvo introduces 2022 C40 Recharge crossover