Our automotive community of certified oddballs with an unhealthy relationship to moving things on wheels are all aware of the big car movies: "The Italian Job," the Fast & Furious franchise, "Bullitt," "Rush," and the list goes on. Unless you're Jalopnik's Amber DaSilva, who admitted last week in our Slack chat that she hadn't seen "Rush" before. Do with that information what you will. But everyone knows about these movies (except Amber), and we all reference them maybe too much.
Speed limits exist for a reason, but the European Union is taking it a step beyond signs and ticketed enforcement, attempting to force cars to adhere to the limits regardless of the driver's commands. According to the Daily Mail, the European Commission is proposing that new cars in the EU should be electronically limited to the posted speed limit, based on GPS location, map data, and cameras.
There are things family SUVs need to do well and others that aren't as important. One might say they should have a smooth, fuel-efficient engine, a relaxing and quiet driver/passenger experience, and the sole purpose of safely transporting two or three rows of your closest friends or family. But in America, we have desires that can override even the hardest-headed car planners. We sometimes like to take well-thought-out concepts and bastardize them at their very core, creating oxymoronic vehicles that are, frankly, cool as hell.
One of the many joys of owning an EV is its maintenance-free plug-and-drive ecosystem. At least, that's what the marketing spiel says. In truth, EV ownership isn't everything it's cracked up to be – though there is some truth to the claim. An electric motor usually only has one moving part inside, compared to the hundreds inside a typical V8 engine, so it requires much less maintenance than internal combustion alternatives. However, there are other parts of your EV you need to take care of for trouble-free miles. These parts include your vehicle's cooling system, brake components and fluids, tires, the primary and secondary batteries, the reduction gearbox, electrical subsystems, the A/C, and air-purifier systems.
It's easy to love your car when you first get it. There's a sense of newness and buzzy excitement around a new car. Presumably you spent a lot of money on it, and you want to justify it to yourself and others how great an idea it was and worth every penny to boot. But after you've had your car for a few years and the new and special has worn off, what keeps you coming back to it? Do you still love your car in the same way you did when you bought it, or are you kind of ready to move on to something else? Do you still have (and love) your first car?
Sensational English drummer Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker, of supergroup Cream fame, was known for his psychedelic styling, aggressive mannerisms, and African-influenced percussive timing. The band burned hot and fast, making four iconic albums in under three years before breaking up in 1968. After bouncing around in a few other bands, including Blind Faith, Baker decided to follow his passions and open a recording studio in Nigeria.
The Volkswagen Group says its "model lineup will be gradually streamlined by up to 50 percent," as the company aims to reduce complexity to focus on the most profitable segments.
We don't think this will lead to huge changes in the U.S. market, where VW's lineup is largely already centered around popular SUV segments.
Bigger changes are likely to happen in Europe and China, where several overlapping models compete within the same territory.
Big changes are coming to the Volkswagen Group. The automotive conglomerate, which includes Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, and Volkswagen—along with Seat, Cupra, Skoda, and the nascent Scout Motors—produces dozens of different models across its vast portfolio. Now, it appears that the sprawling lineup is set to shrink, with the VW Group announcing plans to greatly reduce the number of different models it offers in the coming years.
Meredith Conrow just bought a new Hyundai Elantra. More important is what she traded in: a well-worn Honda Odyssey minivan, showing more than 150,000 miles on the odometer.
Make no mistake, those miles did not accumulate solely from Conrow and her husband ferrying their four kids to school, sports, and social activities, though there has been plenty of that. No, this family likes to road trip.
McLaren has unveiled the 788HS, a high-performance version of the 750S that will be limited to just 200 units.
The twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 now produces 777 horsepower (37 more than the 750S).
The 788HS also produces 10 percent more downforce than the 765LT, with a new S-duct hood, front splitter, F1-inspired diffuser, and a raised active rear wing.
McLaren has revealed the 788HS, the latest in a lineage of mid-engine V-8-powered supercars stretching back to the 720S that arrived in 2017. If McLaren's alphanumeric names leave you confused, allow us to explain: the 720S spawned the high-performance 765LT in 2021, before being succeeded by the 750S. Now, it's time for the 750S to receive its own hardcore upgrade, and the new limited-production 788HS takes the formula to the extreme with more power and track-ready aerodynamics.
The electric CLA45 will be sold in both sedan and Shooting Brake forms and replaces the now-dead second-generation internal-combustion CLA45.
Unfortunately, a representative for Mercedes confirmed that the new CLA45 EV will not be sold in the United States, so we'll have to admire this one from afar.
Last year's Mercedes-AMG CLA45 S Final Edition marked the end of the luxury sport compact sedan's second generation. The send-off model was made in limited numbers, bore special graphics, and produced 416 horsepower. Roughly a year later, the AMG CLA45 has returned, this time as an EV with a trio of axial-flux motors in the place of the old turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
