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Payne: Toyota Taco’s tasty new recipe
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 30, 2023
Los Angeles — Like LeBron James in the National Basketball Association, the Toyota Tacoma has been the premier player in its arena — the mid-size pickup segment — for the last two decades. Whether in sport or autos, that’s a long time in a ferociously competitive environment. James has competed against champions like Tayshaun Prince, Paul Pierce, Kawhi Leonard and Kevin Durant. Tacoma has outsold the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger and Nissan Frontier.
But you don’t stay on top by sitting on your laurels.
For 2024, the Taco is all-new with major upgrades to keep up with the competition while maintaining its core off-road and reliability talents. The changes are immediately apparent on road. With good off-road instincts courtesy of high approach angle, detachable front sway-bar and tough ladder frame — Tacoma first topped the sales charts in 2005. But it was less sure-footed on-road.
Sitting on an aging 2009 chassis, the Toyota was loud ‘n’ loose on asphalt in contrast to the remade GM twins and Frontier. For ‘24, Taco has risen to the challenge by adopting a multi-link, coil-over-shock rear suspension on up-trim TRD models — a trick inspired by big brother Tundra (and the OG Ram 1500).
I flogged a Tacoma TRD Sport over north LA’s twisted Mulholland Drive — behavior that would have sent me flying into the Pacific Ocean on the last-gen truck. I missed the bass of Taco’s ol’ V-6 engine — a casualty of emissions regulations forcing automakers toward electric vehicles. Toyota’s answer is not electric (a liability in affordable trucks tasked with towing and off-roading) but a 2.4-liter turbo-4 with three power variants to choose from, belting out between 228 and 278 horsepower with an electronically-enhanced bark.
“Customers like the authority of V-8s and V-6s, but as we reduce cylinder size, it gets tougher to do with four cylinders,” smiled engineer Sheldon Brown, Taco’s chief chef.
The growl works, and my right foot kept mashing the pedal for more. Taco has also upgraded its automatic transmission from six to eight speeds for better fuel economy and added a front apron for better aerodynamics. Multi-speed boxes can annoy by hunting for gears, but — even as I repeatedly gave it the gas — the Taco responded with crisp, authoritative shifts. As for the skirt, take it off to take advantage of the truck’s 34.4-degree off-road approach angle.
The turbo-4’s macho voice is only available in sporty TRD models like the $40,000-plus TRD XtraCab PreRunner and Double Cab that I test drove. It’s worth the cash if you have it. So is the smaller two-door XtraCab. Indeed, despite deep-sixing the V-6, Taco is LeBron-like in its dexterity — preserving customer choice by offering two cabs, two bed options (5-foot and 6-foot), rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and automatic/manual transmissions.
“We wanted to aggressively defend our entry point,” said Brown.
Most Tacos will sell as Double Cabs, but the two-door has features the four-door can’t match. The front passenger seat folds flat (shades of the defunct Honda Fit and 2013 Chevy Trax/Buick Encore) so that you can easily access the cargo space in back that includes … a tool pegboard. Dude.
It’s hidden behind a key-locked, mid-gate entry door (to keep tools from flopping about), that folds down. The flattened front seat, of course, makes it easy to bring along a dog, bag, toolbox, etc.
The Double Cab offers more conventional seating and mid-gate (there’s a cubby behind the rear seats), and every truck comes standard with Toyota Safety Sense 3.0, which includes adaptive cruise control, pedestrian detection and auto high beams.
Want more standard stuff? Twin front digital screens with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Only blind-spot assist is missing from my list of standard must-haves.
To complement the tech, engineers tilted the front console so you can more easily see your phone screen. The pad secures your phone so it doesn’t fly out whenever the driver, um, gets aggressive. Modern Taco at your service.
Front quarters are comfortable for bony-legged giants like me — but put LeBron in the back seat and he’ll be cramped. I could barely sit behind myself at 6’5”. I don’t get it.
Lack of rear seat room is a malady that plagues most mid-size pickups, yet trucks are often purchased by big, burly people (tool guys like those referenced earlier). There has to be a happy medium between the palatial rear couches of full-size trucks and mid-size pickups’ tight squeeze.
Naturally, all this tech means the base price of the Taco climbs to $33K, a leap from $28K just two years ago. I miss sub-$30K vehicles (much less $20K). Seems like room for a Corolla-based, Ford Maverick-fighting $20K entry-level pickup to me. Hint hint.
Tacoma offers plenty of choice above $30K with eight trims, including the SR5 Double Cab with extended six-foot bed that I drove at length in LA.
Like all Tacos it comes with new sheet metal and interior that gives it a bold, Tonka truck-like presence. Toyota debuted this chunky design on Tundra pickups in 2022, and they still turn my head. So will the Tacoma. The grille is familiar, but the truck’s flanks are more muscular with bold fender flares, chiseled doors and vertical taillights.
The Alpha Male of the lineup is the TRD Pro which looks like Dwayne Johnson emerging from the ocean surf. I’ll get a chance to drive it (and its hybrid powertrain) early next year, but for now the TRD model offers plenty of beefcake.
The interior is just as muscular with a shifter the size of Thor’s Hammer (we truck guys are just big kids) and added cubby space in the doors and dash.
Crawling over dirty off-road trails, ditches and rocky beds, the TRD proved the new multi-link suspension hasn’t made Taco go soft. Just beware of the lower-hanging connection point for the multi-link suspension (shared with traditional leaf springs on lower trims) just ahead of the rear tire.
As the terrain grew more pleasant, I electronically disconnected the front sway bar (shades of Ford Bronco) with the touch of a console button. The Tacoma happily grunted along on grippy Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tires as I alternatively toggled the fat MODE button between LOW and HIGH gears.
Like LeBron, Tacoma’s home has moved around over the years from California to Mexican assembly plants. Sitting on a tougher “boxed” TNGA-F frame, the Taco should please the faithful with its old-school reliability while impressing new-gen technoids.
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
Next week: 2024 Acura MDX
2024 Toyota Tacoma
Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear- and four-wheel-drive, two- and four-door pickup
Price: $32,895, including $1,495 destination charge ($44,000 SR5, $41,000 TRD PreRunner, and $42,500 TRD Sport, $43,500 TRD Off Road — est. as tested)
Powerplant: 2.4-liter turbocharged, inline-4 cylinder
Power: 228 horsepower, 243 pound-feet-torque; 278 horsepower, 317 pound-feet-torque; 270 horsepower, 310 pound-feet-torque (manual)
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic; six-speed manual
Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.5-8 seconds (Car and Driver est.); payload, 1,405-1,705 pounds; towing, 6,500 pounds
Weight: 4,145-4,720 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA est. mpg 21 city/26 highway/23 combined (SR5); 21 city/26 highway/23 combined (SR5); 20 city/24 highway/22 combined (TRD PreRunner); 20 city/24 highway/22 combined (TRD Sport); 18 city/23 highway/20 combined (TRD Off-Road, manual)
Report card
Highs: Looks great inside and out; on-road manners to match off-road capability
Lows: Tight backseat; big price jump
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Chevy Tahoe/Suburban: More tech, more screen, more engine choices
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 30, 2023
Warren — For its 12th generation in 2021, the Chevy Suburban (and sister Tahoe) mega-SUV went to the gym. In a complete body makeover, the pickup truck-based twins shed 300 pounds, gained 10 inches of length, an off-road Z71 model, and acres of interior room thanks to a space-saving independent rear suspension.
For their mid-product cycle update for 2025, the buff SUVs have loaded up on tech.
Slip into the Suburban/Tahoe and the driver’s cabin has been transformed with big, double instrument and infotainment screens stretching across the dash similar to their Silverado and Silverado EV stablemates. The infotainment screen is angled towards the driver (shades of the mid-engine Corvette) for better access to Google Built-In, an elegant interface similar to your smartphone. Icons can be moved around the screen, and the navigation app is familiar to anyone with a phone.
The longest-running badge in the industry (since 1935), the Suburban — along with shorter-wheelbase Tahoe — has long dominated the large-ute segment along with its GMC Yukon and Cadillac Escalade siblings. But this decade has brought competition beyond its traditional Ford Expedition rival. The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer cannonballed into the SUV pool in 2023 and Toyota has also upgraded its Sequoia offering based on an all-new Tundra pickup foundation.
Despite those new entries, Tahoe/Suburban own 40% of segment sales, but the pressure to maintain that lead — especially in a profit-rich segment at a time when electric vehicle investment is sucking cash — is urgent.
Thanks to its sheer size and crucial 2021 IRS update, Suburban’s cargo space is massive, with a 20-cubic-foot advantage over the Wagoneer with their third rows folded. But the Chevy interior upgrades will address criticism that the models lagged behind. “The interior styling and materials are ho-hum,” shrugged Car and Driver of the outgoing Tahoe/Suburban. No more.
The tech-tastic Suburban-Tahoe upgrades also shore up the SUVs’ standard safety systems, long a soft spot in GM’s lineup. Where the last-gen mega-utes didn’t make adaptive cruise control standard until its top-rung High Country model, ACC and blind-spot assist are now part of a suite of standard safety offerings including emergency braking, interior occupant detection and rear camera alert. Optional goodies include a 15-inch head-up display and auto, hands-free power liftgate that activates when you round the rear corner.
With the increased standard features, expect the starting price of the $56k Tahoe and $59k Suburban to rise for ‘25. Pricing will be announced when they hit dealerships late next year.
GM has been a leader in semi-autonomous transit with its hands-free Super Cruise driver-assist feature. The 2025 Tahoe and Suburban option it beginning with the LT trim so you can relax during long trips on divided highways.
New electronic goodies include a Connected Camera feature so you can monitor the vehicle for security breaches and an internal radar that tracks if anyone has been left in the car. Some three-row vehicles like Hyundai’s Palisade connect their third row to the front passengers with a microphone, but the Chevy twins do not offer that feature.
Ergonomically, Chevrolets receive high marks and third-row access is easy with collapsing second-row seats. The middle row also benefits from a sliding center console that brings, say, cupholders closer to rear-seat passengers.
The 2025 refresh also gains from Chevy’s experience with its off-road Z71 trim, which — following market trends — outdoors-focused consumers snapped up in large numbers.
Some 20% of Tahoe/Suburban buyers opt for the Z71 package with its standard all-wheel-drive, rugged looks, raises height, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and underbody skidplates. Chevy rewards those customers with another engine option for 2025 in addition to the 6.2-liter V-8 — a stump-pulling, 3.0-liter, inline-6 cylinder diesel with 460 pound-feet of torque and a sippy 24 mpg to assist buyers who want to load 8,000-plus pounds of, say, all-terrain vehicles on a trailer.
The diesel is part of a robust lineup of gas engines that carries over from 2024 models and includes a base 5.3-liter V-8 making 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque and the aforementioned 6.2-liter boasting 420 horsepower/460 torque. All engines are operated via a 10-speed automatic transmission.
High Country models come with more blingtastic options like 24-inch wheels, air-suspension (so that the big elephant will kneel to help you gain entry) and magnetic ride shocks. The latter trickles down to the RST and ZR71 models.
You’ll know the new Tahoe/Suburban by its mid-fascia-mounted headlights, a design detail increasingly common in the industry. The new headlight position allows for less glare when the elephant stomps into the rear-view mirror of a smaller car — but also more flexibility for designers on surrounding LED running lights. All six Tahoe/Suburban trims — LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier and High Country — get their own unique fascia.
The mega-utes are built at GM’s Arlington Assembly plant in Texas.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Hammer down in the Chinese-made, all-electric Mullen GT sportscar
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 27, 2023
Pasadena, Calif. — The electric Qiantu K50 lives.
In the parking lot of Santa Anita Park horse track. On an autocross course. On a Tuesday afternoon. Like a thoroughbred from a starting gate, I exploded out from under a pop-up tent into a tunnel of pylons. ZOT! I was in top of the first turn in an instant.
Boy, wish I had this kind of torque when I autocrossed go-karts in West Virginia parking lots as an 11-year-old.
The last time I saw the Qiantu (pronounced Shan-too) was in the lobby of the 2019 New York Auto Show. Heady times. The electric supercar was one of a wave of Chinese autos that were due to the U.S. market in 2020, including the BYD shown at that year’s Detroit auto show and the Byton M-Byte displayed at the Los Angeles show. None of them made it.
But the Qiantu was striking, turning heads in the Big Apple with its sleek lines, unique black lamb chops, and low nose. Mullen Automotive, the car’s U.S. distributor, still believes and has rebadged it the Mullen GT — a halo car for its electric stable of EVs that includes the Bollinger B1 pickup and B2 pickup, Mullen One (rebadged Class One cargo van made by China’s Wuling Motors), Mullen Three (rebadged Class 3 vehicle made by China’s largest automaker, SAIC Motor), and the home-brewed Mullen 5 and 5RS SUVs. Think of Mullen as the Island of Misfit Electric Toys.
Gathering the explosive GT up like a wild stallion, I pulled the reins back (the steering wheel still bears the Qiantu dragonfly logo) and brushed the brakes into a looong carousel turn on the makeshift parking lot course. At around 180 degrees in radius, carousels are half-skid pads that are wonderful tests of a car’s balance. The Mullen pushed off the entry to the turn, but a brief lift transferred weight to the front and brought the rear end around. Back on throttle, I felt the all-wheel-drive system’s tenacious grip as I exited the corner and immediately entered a long right hander.
Oh, man, this sports car is heavy.
The quick change in direction challenged the supercar’s balance and exposed the biggest issue facing electric performance cars: battery mass. EVs like the Mullen GT are rocket ships in a straight line — a Tesla P90 briefly made me dizzy the first time I tested it 2.3-second 0-60 mph hole shot — but the same battery mass that spins electric motors to crazy torque numbers is the enemy at high g-loads.
It’s why Formula E has struggled to match the dynamism of gas-powered series like IndyCar and why race series owners like Roger Penske have written off electrics as feasible race series (not to mention the other battery bug-a-boo of range-sucking speed).
Even with an aluminum chassis and carbon-fiber skin, the AWD Mullen GT tips the scales at 4,300 pounds — or a bit more than my Tesla Model 3 Performance sedan. Oof. It’s also why few established supercar manufacturers have gone all-electric, choosing hybrid formats instead where smaller battery packs complement the gas engine with low-end torque like a supercharger. Think the Corvette E-Ray.
While rumors exist of a Chevy Corvette EV, the $150,000 Mullen EV’s peers are largely exotic, multimillion-dollar machines like the $2.1 million, 258-mph Rimac Revera or $2.5 million, 1.7-second 0-60 (ow, my brain hurts) Pininfarina Battista.
The GT initially promised numbers to rival those cyborgs — sub-2 second 0-60 mph time, 200-mph top speed — but Mullen has backed off those ambitious numbers. Now its claimed 4.2-seconds 0-60 and 125-mph top speed are nowhere near the top of the class, but neither is its sticker price.
The world of technology is moving fast and the Qiantu — er Mullen — now trails the sleek, four-door, 2023 Kia EV6 GT which runs to 60 mph nearly a second faster and costs less than half as much. It’ll run rings around the Kia, though.
After a quick right-left chicane, I was back on the throttle downhill and under a bridge (Santa Anita has a BIG parking lot) into a hairpin turn where the brakes gripped like a Rottweiler on a postman’s keg. Impressive. Especially as the Mullen doesn’t appear to make much use of its regenerative braking.
Mullen’s interior design is four years old, but the cockpit is still a modern place to be with its twin digital screens — the dash display a big, 15.6-inch, Model S-like vertical design. There’s also an integrated, roof-top solar panel that powers the 12-volt battery. But for 150 grand, the GT’s graphics are dated and it lacks features like a camera mirror (which would be nice since it has rear blind-spots the size of Rhode Island).
Throttle to the floor, I drifted beautifully with my electric dance partners across a wide, 90-degree lefthander on my way back to the makeshift paddock. The Pirelli P Zero rubber can’t quite stick the Mullen’s 4,300 pounds, but the T-shaped, lithium-ion battery is anchored low in the chassis for good center-of-gravity.
Taking over from Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Huaguan (some 1,000 have been built in China), Mullen planned in 2020 to build the car in a California plant that hasn’t materialized. Mullen has production plants in Indiana and Mississippi. If the GT gets the green light for production in 2025-26 (Mullen is asking for a $1,000 deposit upon ordering) it’s a nice flip on the usual script of an American-made product being produced in China.
As I rolled to a stop back at the tented paddock, I popped open the GT’s twin charging ports — like Mickey Mouse ears — located aft of the B-pillars. The left port for a 240-volt home charger, the right for a Level 3 DC fast charger. Range is estimated at 230 miles on a single charge with a sticker price to match the now-defunct BMW i8 plugin hybrid sports car.
White space sales opportunity — except the electric Porsche 718 sports car is due on the same 2025 timeline.
Next week: 2024 Toyota Tacoma
Mullen GT prototype
Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel-drive, two-passenger supercar
Price: $150,000
Powerplant: 78-kWh lithium-ion battery with twin electric motors
Power: 430 horsepower
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.2 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 125 mph
Weight: 4,300 pounds (est.)
Fuel economy: EPA est. NA; range, 230 miles
Report card
Highs: Unique looks; rare, all-electric sports car
Lows: Uncompetitive performance specs; due at same time as 2025 Porsche 718 EV
Overall: 2 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch his “Car Radio” reports on 910 AM Superstation.
Off-road Hell: Ford dominates grueling Baja 1000 in Raptor R, Bronco, Raptor Trophy Truck
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 27, 2023
Ford Motor Co. put an exclamation point on its “Built Ford Tough” truck tagline last week, winning three classes at the grueling, 56th running of the Baja 100 off-road race.
A factory-sponsored, Ford Performance V-8 powered F-150 Raptor R took Stock Full class honors and a factory Ford Bronco Raptor won the Stock Mid-Size division. To complete the hat trick, a heavily modified, 1,000-horsepower, private-entry Ford Raptor won overall in the Trophy Truck class on a typically tortuous course made more difficult by torrential rain conditions on Mexico’s Baja Peninsula.
The SCORE Baja 1000 Presented by K&N has long been a manufacturer proving-ground for off-road performance, and Ford’s history runs back to 1969 when a Bronco (piloted by off-road legend Rod Hall) won overall — the only production truck to win the whole enchilada in a multi-class race that includes motorcycles and purpose-built trucks. The win helped make Bronco a legend — a feat that continues to buoy the badge today as it takes on showroom competitors like the Jeep Wrangler and Toyota 4Runner which also have Baja 1000 history.
The Bronco Raptor’s win this year in the mid-size class followed a factory-team Ranger Raptor pickup’s class win in 2022. The race vehicles were stock builds but for safety additions like roll cages and light bars. The F-150 and Bronco Raptors are on sale in U.S. showrooms, while the Ranger Raptor is due for the 2025 model year. Bronco Raptor even outpaced big brother Raptor R, crossing the finish line an hour ahead after more than 40 hours in the desert.
“Ford is a family company with not only a goal to win, but to also further develop our street Raptors for customers around the world to enjoy,” said Ford Performance Motorsports chief Mark Rushbrook. “The Baja 1000 not only served as a testament to all the hard work from people on the ground and in Dearborn, but this event also emphasizes our continued global commitment to the sport and making better products for our customers.”
As part of its icons marketing strategy which features the F-150, Bronco and Mustang models, Ford is leaning hard into motorsports with its Ford Performance division and a significant commitment to win high profile races. In addition to NASCAR and NHRA drag racing, Ford has also targeted endurance race series.
On track the Blue Oval is focused next year on winning the world’s most prestigious endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, in a GT-class Mustang GT3 Dark Horse.
Baja is the jewel of the off-road endurance world, the crowning race in the four-race SCORE series. This year’s win was significant for Ford as it has gone all-in on performance halo off-roaders across a model lineup that includes the Maverick, Ranger, and F-Series pickups as well as the Bronco SUV.
Endurance racing is an integral part of performance manufacturers’ production development. Running flat out in harsh conditions not only puts drivetrains, suspensions, and tires to the ultimate test, but attracts top-drawer engineers to company programs. Ford has made endurance racing a particular focus with factory-backed teams competing in major races.
“The Baja 1000 is the ultimate test of manufacturers’ machinery,” said Tom Zielinski, CEO of Detroit 4Fest, Michigan’s premier off-road event in Holly. “It’s also a great marketing tool. ‘Ironman’ Ivan Stewart proved Toyota capability in pickups by running Baja. Trucks are the profit center for brands today and Baja is how you prove credibility.”
Beyond factory team efforts, vehicles and parts from Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota, Jeep, and other brands are entered by private teams in multiple 4×4 classes. In Baja history, Ford engines have produced 15 overall winners, with Chevy, 12, VW, 12; and Toyota, two. Ford also leads the way in chassis winners with 19 overall trophies followed by Chevy with 12.
Underlining its commitment to the sport, Ford expanded to a two-truck program this year which — despite the Baja 1000 title — actually ran a 1,200-mile course from La Paz to Ensenada. Wearing BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires and off-road Fox shocks, the Raptors navigated everything from sandy Pacific coastlines to thick silt beds and rugged rock sections.
The Bronco Raptor was powered by its stock, 418-horsepower, 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 engine, while the Raptor R was stuffed with its standard, 700-plus horsepower, 5.2-liter, supercharged V-8. The Bronco Raptor finishing with an unofficial time of 40:37:47 hours and the F-150 Raptor R 41:44:46 hours.
By comparison the overall-winning, purpose-built Red Bull Ford Raptor SCORE Trophy Truck covered the course in a staggering 22.35.33 hours at an average speed of 58 mpg. With tough frames, 25 to 36 inches of suspension travel, and 1,000 horsepower from their mighty V-8 engines they are kings of a race that saw heavy attrition from the 335-entry field from 20 countries in classes covering cars, trucks, UTVs and motorcycles.
Just 178 entries finished due to a rash of accidents, broken parts and mechanical failures
“We are so proud to be able to get these trucks across the finish line,” said Brian Novak, Ford Performance off-road racing supervisor. “Baja is one of the most difficult races in the world, and that is why we use it as a proving ground for our technology. The team is proud to show again this year how capable the Raptors really are.”
Driver Loren Healy, one of off-road racing’s top names, brought home the F-150 Raptor R to victory.
“Winning the Baja 1000 in the Raptor R will go down as one of my favorite victories in my racing career,” Healy said. “The amount of work that went into the race efforts for both the truck and the Bronco Raptor are absolutely mind blowing. Somewhere around 100 people came together as a family and made magic, getting both these stock production vehicles to win their classes in the second longest Baja 1000 ever. It truly is an honor to be a small part of this epic, history-making team.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne. Catch his “Car Radio” reports on 910 AM Superstation.
Payne: Truck tailgates are the rage. A brief history
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 21, 2023
Trucks are Swiss Army Knives on wheels, with a variety of tools for every occasion. Four-wheel-drive, towing, bed storage. The tailgate tool has been a particular focus of late as manufacturers have debuted soft-drop tailgates, remote-drop tailgates, tailgates with steps, and multi-purpose tailgates.
Jaws dropped (literally, the theme of an ad campaign) as General Motors Co. debuted the six-way GMC MultiPro Tailgate and Chevy Multi-Flex tailgates. Stellantis NV’s Ram took a different approach with the Multi Function Tailgate that opened as 60-40 split cabinet doors. Even the midsize Honda Ridgeline gets into the act with a side-hinged tailgate that can both drop down — or open like door.
Ford Motor Co., a pickup maker before pickups were cool, brings the newest entrant to the pickup party with its Pro Access Tailgate on the 2024 Ford F-150. The Pro Access allows owners to access the bed via a swinging door within the tailgate.
All this technology, of course, is meant to compliment long, grueling hours on the work site where pickup trucks are expected to do everything from tow heavy objects, haul lumber, haul electric generators, even be stand-up desks for architects.
But the tailgate also is also synonymous with recreation in the United States. Pickups — and their SUV brethren — are expected to house picnics, big screen televisions, and barbecue grills.
Tailgating is synonymous with football, but the practice pre-dates the pigskin, historian Tonya Williams Bradford, a University of California Irvine marketing professor, told Popular Mechanics: “Tailgating. . . didn’t necessarily start with sports. If you go all the way back to the Civil War when people knew where skirmishes would be, they’d pack up food and sit on the sidelines and watch.”
At the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861, nearby residents got word of a battle, loaded up their horse and carts with pies and other goodies, then trotted out to the Virginia countryside to watch. Fast forward to the post-war era in 1869 and the first college football game between Rutgers and Princeton universities. New Jersey newspapers reported on spectators tailgating.
By the 1920s, football stadiums were growing across the country, their crush of fans overwhelming the ability of local restaurants’ ability to feed them. Tailgating became a tradition that has only become more elaborate — and more demanding of vehicles — over time.
In celebration of a century of Ford pickups, here’s a look back at the Blue Oval’s tailgate evolution from station wagons to SUVs to trucks.
1925
Beginning in late 1924 Ford introduced the first factory-assembled pickup, the 1925 model Model TT, featuring a cargo box and (natch) adjustable tailgate.
1929
The first station wagon — and no, National Lampoon Vacation fans, it wasn’t called the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. The Model A debuted Ford’s first family wagon showcasing a tailgate and, um, no rear window.
1948
The first F-Series pickup marked a divergence of Ford car and truck design, with the latter developed specifically for tough truck use. The F-Series introduced a tapered, tooled-edge tailgate with anti-rattle drop chains holding the tailgate flush with floor.
1959
With safer night-time operation in mind, a reflector was added to the right side of the F-Series tailgate.
1960
Back to the car side of the business and the Falcon wagon became the first Ford with a single-piece, drop-down tailgate and retractable rear window
1961-69
The ‘60s were a golden age of automobile innovation from race cars to station wagons to pickup trucks. Steel chains disappeared from Ford tailgates, replaced by instant-lock latches. Ford marketed the innovation as “grain-tight,” and the tailgate also grew by a whopping 13 inches.
In 1964, the pickup grew to 128-inches long — longer than most luxury cars — with a tailgate that could hold 2,000 pounds. The tailgate also featured support straps made of steel that folded into tailgate. The so-called Magic Doorgate took a bow in 1966 on Ford, Fairlane, and Falcon wagons. It opened like a tailgate or like a door. Come ‘69, it could be opened as a door with the window up or down.
1980
What if you didn’t want a tailgate at all? Ford debuted a removable tailgate that was offered on both the F-Series and smaller Ranger trucks.
1997
A standard locking tailgate debuted on F-150. The tailgate could be unlocked using the same key as on the cab doors.
2003
Innovation really accelerated with the turn of the century. Luxurious Lincoln Navigator SUVs offered an optional power liftgate. Come 2004, Ford built a torsion bar into the tailgate to bear much of the tailgate’s weight for easier operation. The Excursion ute in 2006 got fancy with a Tri-Panel door system with rear cargo door and a lower French doors for cargo access.
A 2007 Ford concept introduced a tailgate elevator that would drop the entire tailgate to the ground for a lift up. Alas, it wasn’t produced. In ‘06 Ford brought to market a mid-gate step that dropped down for easy bed access (complete with a pole so you could haul yourself up).
2011
The compact Escape SUV got in on the electronics revolution with the Hands-Free Liftgate that opened with a kick of the foot under the bumper. Multiple brands copied the idea.
2021
The F-150 offered construction workers a power tailgate complete with a multi-function work surface. The tailgate included tie-down hooks that doubled as bottle openers.
2023
To take on Ram and GM trucks, the Pro Access tailgate innovated a door within the tailgate. Opening from the driver side, its especially useful for bed access when towing — complete with mid-bumper step so you can jump through the door. Of, course, the tailgate also comes with the usual drop-down functionality.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Best of the 2023 LA Auto Show
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Los Angeles — Nowhere are the auto industry’s various transformations more apparent than in California.
Automakers are transitioning to electric vehicles under government pressure, autos are becoming smartphones on wheels, and car shows are shrinking in importance. The Golden State may be the United States’ biggest market, but brands have fled the Los Angeles Auto Show, just as they have Detroit, New York and Chicago. The LA Convention Center this year is empty of crowd pleasers like Porsche, Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar and Audi — as well as the entire Stellantis stable due to the UAW strike. Big auto displays have been replaced by acres of EV test tracks.
Where the LA Show was once packed with two days of automaker news conferences, this year there were just five. Still, shows have the ability to wow as Lucid Motors CEO Peter Rawlinson’s impassioned, packed introduction of the Lucid Gravity showed.
Here are the coolest vehicles of the 2024 LA Auto Show.
Lucid Gravity
Car of show. Lucid’s much-anticipated SUV sequel to the stunning Air sedan (arguably the most beautiful vehicle in autodom) did not disappoint. CEO Rawlinson has a flair for the dramatic and he rolled out the electric ute proclaiming it an “unprecedented combination of the impossible,” slamming competitor EVs for their “dumb range” and sitting in the front trunk of his SUV “just for the frunk of it.” With its efficient electric motors and battery, the Lucid defies gravity with 112 cubic feet of storage space (with rear seats flattened), glass console, seating for seven, 440-mile range, 800 horsepower, 3.6 second 0-60 mph shot, 6,000-pound towing, and a curved, 34-inch OLED screen. Starting price? Under $80k to grab that federal $7,500 EV tax credit.
Honda Prelude Concept
Surprise, the Prelude is back! Honda snuck its famous performance badge into the show as a fetching, two-door concept. A favorite of Honda enthusiasts, Prelude hasn’t been seen on U.S. shores since 2001. Expect a quick coupe (filling a void where the Civic Si coupe use to be) built on the Civic platform powered by a hybrid powerplant.
Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai opened with news that it will be the first brand available to buy on Amazon’s new online auto store (one of the few products left that can’t be bought there already). Then it made more news by making the Korean brand’s staid, three-row family crossover a fashion plate. The Made-in-‘Bama SUV gets striking, bold, LEGO-block styling with the Hyundai “H” providing inspiration for lighting and interior dash details. Packed inside this shoebox are twin gloveboxes, twin wireless phone chargers, and a double-hinged center console accessible to rear passengers as well as those up front. An off-road-focused XRT model gets a chassis lift and 30-inch all-terrain tires.
Hyunda Ioniq 5 N
Hyundai’s electric hot hatch. Like BMW’s M division and Ford’s ST, N means fun for Hyundai enthusiasts. The brand takes its electric Ioniq 5 hatchback and turns it into a fire-breathing track monster with supercar-like 641 horsepower (nearly double that of the regular Ioniq 5) from twin electric motors. Like its sibling, gas-fired Elantra N, the 5 N dons a black face mask and aggressive rear spoiler. Other goodies include massive, 15.8-inch brakes and “e-shift” that simulates the feel of an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission in a gas vehicle — complete with angry engine sounds.
Subaru Forester
Amidst the blizzard of expensive electric toys, Subaru introduced its latest, affordable, $29k compact SUV. A companion compact ute to the chunky, tennis-show-design-inspired Crosstrek, Forster is much more conservative with its upright grille and tidy lines. If you want some spice in your white bread, opt for the Sport edition and its 19-inch gold wheels. Inside, Forester adopts the big, 11.6-inch touchscreen found on other ‘Rus. All-wheel-drive, IIHS Top Safety Pick, best-in-class residuals come standard. A hybrid model will follow in a year.
Toyota Camry
Americas’ best-selling sedan gets a new wardrobe, adopting the brand’s signature hammerhead fascia (see the handsome Prius) and better driver visibility out of its expanded greenhouse. Under the skin, the Camry will now be available only as a hybrid to satisfy government nannies, while offering all-wheel-drive on all model trims to help with traction in Michigan winters.
Ford wheelchair
The Bronco of wheelchairs. In the middle of a Ford display packed with greyhounds like the Mustang GTD and blue-trimmed California Special sits a beast for the mobility impaired. Thanks to a portion of Bronco SUV sales going to the Bronco Wild Fund, 18 state parks around the country will harbor a wheelchair equipped with tank tracks so those with mobility issues can hit the trails in style. The wheelchairs are powered by twin 12-volt batteries, and the driver gets four cupholders. Participating parks near Michigan include Indiana’s Potato Creek State Park, Buckhorn State Park in Wisconsin, and Pipestem Resort State Park in West Virginia.
Dodge Challenger ‘Bane’
A Ferrari 812 Competizione sits in the middle of popular comedian Kevin Hart’s car collection at the LA Show. But the revelation is that the “Jumanji” star has a taste for modified, V8-powerd Detroit muscle and movie bad guys. So he has given his creations names like the 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner “Michael Myers,” and 1970 Dodge Charger “Hellraiser.” My favorite is a sinister, black 1970 Dodge Challenger “Bane” — named after Batman’s nemesis — stuffed with a 7.0-liter, supercharged V-8 Hellephant Hemi making 1,000 horsepower.
Long live the V-8.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
NACTOY finalists: EVs dominate nominees, Detroit makers shut out except for trucks Henry Payne The Detroit News
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Los Angeles, California — And then there were nine.
The Los Angeles Auto Show opened Thursday with The North American Car, Truck, and Utility of the Year awards announcing their finalists for the 2024 prize. The finalists track industry trends as five of the finalists are all-electric and two are gas-electric hybrids. Governments led by California are ratcheting up fines on automakers beginning in 2026 to produce only EVs by 2035.
Detroit brands dominated the truck category but were shut out of the car and SUV nominees with only one EV, the Chevy Silverado EV Work Truck, making the list.
The NACTOY awards are one of the industry’s most prestigious, with an independent jury of 50 journalists from North America judging the results. “We come from diverse media backgrounds, and we come together to establish a consensus. That is the strength of this award,” said NACTOY President Jeff Gilbert of WWJ radio (950 AM) in Detroit.
Electric SUVs headlined the utility finalists: the $68,000 Genesis Electrified GV70, $56k Kia EV9 and $35k Volvo EX 30. As an affordable, luxury EV priced under $40,000, the Volvo will be the favorite.
Notable vehicles that did not make the cut were the affordable, gas-powered SUVs like the Dodge Hornet and three-row Mazda CX-90 and Hyundai Kona. Gas-powered vehicles make up over 90% of consumer sales, but jurors were keen to showcase the wave of EVs coming to showrooms as automakers phase out petrol-powered options.
At a starting price north of $70,000, the Chevy Silverado V Work Truck is nearly twice the price of a comparable gas WT, and it is only available to fleet customers unlike other finalists. But its driving dynamics and tech impressed jurors. The more affordable, turbo-4 cylinder Chevy Colorado mid-size truck may be the favorite here, with the Ford F-250 Super Duty also in the running.
One of the year’s most anticipated trucks, the Tesla Cybertruck, did not make the cut since the Texas-based company has not made the pickup available for media testing. Two midsize trucks that might have given the Colorado a run for its money — the 2024 Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger were not available for juror testing and will be contestants for the 2025 award.
“Ford is a perpetual favorite for truck of the year given their trucks’ market popularity,” said Gilbert. “It’s a shame we had to park the Ranger and Tacoma for this year since they are strong pickups.”
A couple of hybrids, the Honda Accord and Toyota Prius, lead the car category. Both have won NACTOY honors in the past. But the beautiful, upstart Hyundai Ioniq 6 EV may steal their thunder. Car demand has diminished in recent years as Americans have embraced SUVs, but sedans and sports cars remain the industry style leaders.
In a surprise, the seventh-generation Ford Mustang did not make the final cut despite being the last muscle car left standing in the U.S. as the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger were sacrificed to satisfy emissions regulations. The Chevy Corvette E-Ray, the first electrified, all-wheel-drive ‘Vette, also was passed over for higher-volume sedans.
Expect the Prius to be a favorite in class as the original, ugly-duckling hybrid has been transformed into a swan — without sacrificing fuel economy.
Over the last 30 years, NACTOY has honored automakers who have made substantial innovations in design, performance, technology, driver satisfaction and value. Winners will be announced in January in Detroit.
NACTOY finalists
Car of the YearHonda AccordToyota Prius/Prius PrimeHyundai Ioniq 6
Truck of the YearElectric Chevy SilveradoChevy ColoradoFord Super Duty
Utility of the YearGenesis Electrified GV70Kia EV9Volvo EX 30
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: The End. Muscular, V8-powered, 2024 F-Type is the last gas-fed Jaguar
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Oakland County — The V-8 roar of the industry’s big cats are being silenced as brands transition to an uncertain, all-electric future. Dodge Challenger/Charger Hellcats, Cadillac CT5 Blackwing, Audi R8, Chevy Camaro SS.
And then there is the most famous cat of them all, Jaguar.
ROOOOOOAAAR! I buried the throttle in the 575-horsepower 2024 F-Type R75 coupe through the Huntington Place tunnel. ROOOOOOAAR! The sound of the big cat’s quad pipes echoed off the Lodge Freeway’s walls as we shot out of the tunnel onto M-10 like an uncaged, well, Jaguar. ROOOOOAAR! The beast’s fury enveloped my open, convertible cockpit as I clicked off shifts at the 7,000 RPM redline. Oh, joy.
And oy vey as the Jaguar V-8 has become an endangered species, threatened by government nannies. Like the big cats on an expensive African safari, Jaguar sportscars have always been a fascination of enthusiasts with financial means. The looooong-nosed E-Type of the 1960s is automotive legend and coveted by collectors. Now its F-Type offspring is ending its run, and customers will want to run, not walk, to their local dealer to snap up this final edition.
While it doesn’t possess the ‘60s classic E-Type’s majestic snout (the victim of more nanny edicts), F-Type is still achingly gorgeous. “I want it,” said my entrepreneur friend Mike — the owner of an XKE sportscar among other Jags — in a typical, Pavlovian response. Some gotta have a Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette C8, a Jaguar. It’s an emotional thing, I get it. I see an Alfa 4C and my heart skips a beat.
Purists will be most attracted to the F-Type coupe with its sweeping roof line nestling like a Jaguar’s spine between giant rear haunches. But riding the Jag topless ain’t bad, either.
On a crisp October day, I rolled out of a Southfield parking lot and held down the console roof tab. The cloth top retreated into the trunk behind me in a mere 12 seconds as long as I kept my speed under 30 mph. Another toggle switch on the console selected DYNAMIC mode and I cleared the cat’s throat with a quick stab of the throttle onto Telegraph Road — ROOOOOAR!
Try that in a Hellcat or CT5-V and you’ll have a moment as the rear end tries to swap places with front, but F-Type R models come standard with all-wheel-drive and the grip from the wide Pirelli P-Zero tires was tenacious despite Telegraph’s chilly concrete surface. A standard, rear-wheel-drive, so-called P450 model is also offered with the same supercharged V-8 mill — just detuned to 448 ponies.
Despite the open air, the cabin wasn’t chilly thanks to the big, fat climate knobs that I’ve cranked up to HIGH to keep warm air circulating. I could crank up the radio, too, but I preferred the V-8’s roar. The cabin’s appointments are typically lush in an understated British way. No huge screens or gaudy light shows, just lovely leather and lines.
The sportscar has nicely integrated the latest tech like wireless Android Auto and digital screens — though it could make use of a head-up display like other vehicles in its class.
Put the top up and the convertible also has a useful trunk for weekend travel. The cargo space swallowed a carry-on bag and small duffel bag — and I fit in my fat laptop briefcase in the sub-floor storage bay. It’s not as roomy as a 911’s rear seat/frunk combo (or Corvette’s rear cargo area), but it’s a fair shade better than the cargo-starved Alfa 4C.
When you have $110K in spare change in your packet, there are a lot of choices, and Jag faces formidable sportscar competition.
The Porsche 911 S is simply the best-handling sportscar on the planet. Imbued with a telepathic sense for apexes, it sets the standard for precision and flat-six-cylinder performance. The Audi R8 (in its last year of production) and Mercedes GT AMG are also rocket ships with the latest cabin tech. Over at the Chevy shop, Corvette has not one, but two, V-8-powered, $110K hellions in the track-focused Z06 and all-season, all-wheel-drive E-Ray.
It’s remarkable how brands can evoke emotion from sheet metal, and the F-Type separates itself from the crowd the old-fashioned way: looks and power.
Porsche’s familiar shape is timeless, but the Jag is gorgeous. At my doctor’s office, my athletic club — even service stations — the F-Type stopped people in their tracks. “I’ll trade you rides,” smiled an Audi driver at the next pump.
Interestingly, F-Type’s appeal is more muscular than its famous forebear, the E-Type of the 1960s and ’70s. E’s famously elegant nose is no longer repeatable as government nannies now regulate front-end length. The F-Type is more compact, defined by powerful hips and a menacing fascia. Jaguar, indeed.
It’s leaner than its Mercedes peer, and a different aesthetic from Corvette with its angular, deep body stampings. Jaguar is feline, Corvette techno.
Both feature ballistic V-8s, but the 5.0-liter eight in the F-Type has a fat torque band thanks to its supercharger and the 516-pound feet of torque coming on strong at 2,500 RPM. The screaming, normally-aspirated, 5.5-liter ‘Vette Z06, by contrast, doesn’t hit peak torque until 6,300 RPM, where the bird really starts to sing. The AWD E-Ray, meanwhile, uses its electric motor as “torque fill” to complement its pushrod V-8 engine.
All encourage different driving habits. All will give you goosebumps. Long live the V-8.
Which begs the question of how Jaguar lives on after the F-Type. The big cat’s identity — its voice — is historically synonymous with throaty engines. Notably, the last gas-powered Jags are only equipped with V-8 engines and not the turbo-4 and supercharged V-6 options of previous years.
An all-electric Jaguar sports car would seem a different animal, and the poor sales of the electric i-Pace SUV are concerning. A new chapter awaits, but the last gas-fueled beast gives us plenty to sink our teeth into.
Next week: 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe
2024 Jaguar F-Type
Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear- and all-wheel drive, two-passenger sportscar
Price: $79,175 including $1,275 destination ($119,875 R75 as tested)
Powerplant: 5.0-liter supercharged V-8
Power: 448 horsepower, 428 pound-feet of torque RWD (P450 model); 575 horsepower, 516 pound-feet of torque AWD (R P575 model as tested)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.5 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 186 mph
Weight: NA
Fuel economy: EPA 17 mpg city/24 highway/19 combined (P450); 16 mpg city/24 highway/18 combined (R575)
Report card
Highs: Jaguar swagger; V-8 music
Lows: Not as quick as competitive set
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
LA Auto Show: Toyota debuts stylish, hybrid-only Camry sedan and Crown Signia SUV
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Los Angeles — Toyota is bringing something old, something new, something borrowed and something green to the LA Auto Show this year.
Japan’s biggest auto manufacturer is also California’s biggest selling automaker and it is one of a handful of automakers making a splash with vehicle debuts this year. Ahead of Media Day on Thursday, Toyota unveiled the latest version of an old favorite, the 2025 Camry sedan, while also introducing the all-new 2025 Crown Signia SUV.
Though the sedan and SUV are dramatically different in overall design, they both borrow the so-called Hammerhead fascia design made popular by the 2024 Toyota Prius. Camry and Crown SUV also will be powered exclusively by hybrid engines in a nod to green fashion in California and harsh mandates in Sacramento and Washington, DC.
America’s perennially best-selling sedan, the Camry for its ninth generation shares the TNGA platform of other Toyota models, making for roomy interior and firm handling. The sedan’s dimensions are similar to the outgoing model, but Toyota’s California design team penned a more conservative look this go ‘round with sleeker, simpler design cues. Chief among those is a simplified facia similar to the Prius (and Crown models).
Significantly, Camry bucks the trend of narrow greenhouses, opening up window space for better driver visibility. The mirrors are located on the doors and the glass around the A-pillar curves down — think Ford F-150 — for better outward visibility.
In a nod to green fashion, the Camry ditches its V-6 engine and options only a gas-electric hybrid powered by a 2.5-liter four-banger that promises a whopping 50-plus mpg. The drivetrain can be had in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive in all trims.
Following the exterior’s lead, the interior eschews the Z-shaped console of the eighth-generation model for a simpler, more linear design — though customers can jazz it up with red leather. The 12.3-inch digital display (shared with Signia) contains the latest wireless charging and smartphone connectivity, and the Toyota is loaded with standard features like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist and auto high beams.
The Crown Signia joins the Crown sedan as a stylish Toyota sub-brand in the United States. Crown is an iconic model in Japan that finally made its way to the U.S. to replace the Venza crossover and add an upscale look to the mainstream brand. It comes with luxury options like a panoramic roof and rear camera mirror made popular by Cadillac. Given Americans’ obsession with SUVs, it’s hard to see a path where Crown SUV doesn’t steal sales from Crown sedan’s already modest numbers.
The Crown Signia has useful SUV features like a 6.5-foot-long cargo bed with the rear seats folded, elevated ride height, and standard AWD.
The two-row Crown SUV appears to go after more premium mainstream vehicles like the Nissan Murano and Ford Edge as well as more upscale models like the Acura RDX. Its interior is sumptuous with plenty of legroom for passengers.
While Crown customers will welcome the SUV entry, Toyota is determined to continue its sedan offerings. Though its sales have declined, the Camry provides a stylish alternative to upright SUVs and dominates a market segment with other Asian brands that Detroit automakers have largely abandoned in the U.S.
The Camry is also the brand’s official entry in NASCAR. The made-in-the-USA Camry goes on sale in the spring of 2024 with the Japan-sourced Crown Signia coming later in the year.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
LA Auto Show preview: EVs, Asian debuts, and celebs
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Los Angeles — As automakers in the new media age have staged exclusive vehicle premieres and remote media launches, auto shows have taken a back seat. From New York to Detroit to Los Angeles, shows are focusing on their core, regional audiences and ramping up the non-automaker entertainment.
For this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show, that means a focus on electric cars and celebrities.
Set in America’s biggest auto market with California regulators mandating EV sales over the next decade (with federal mandates not far behind), the state’s biggest show is also the most significant on the U.S. automotive calendar. This year’s auto-palooza kicks off with Thursday’s Media Day before opening to the public Nov. 17-26. Attendees will have the chance to test over a dozen EVs, and the show will — for the first time — feature an EV on the stand of every automaker.
To plug consumers in to the growing list of EVs on offer, both April’s New York International Auto Show and Detroit’s event in September dedicated significant floor space to EV rides. LA’s Electric Avenue boasts the show circuit’s biggest EV track — and, unlike its peers, will allow consumers to get behind the wheel.
“This is the country’s volume electric vehicle market,” said David Fortin, vice president of marketing for the LA show, which is put on by Ansa Productions. “California is the state leading the way with regulations pushing an electric future.”
The EV push comes as consumer interest has lagged and even the California market — home to 40% of America’s EV sales — has been resistant to battery-powered vehicles not named Tesla.
“The LA auto show has historically served as fertile ground for electrified vehicle introductions, but this year’s show comes at a complex time for EVs,” said Edmunds’ auto analyst Jessica Caldwell. “While all-electric market share has risen from 6.0% to 7.5% year-over-year, it has remained relatively stagnant for the past five months due to high interest rates, high prices and lagging interest from consumers.”
Just as the Detroit show has tried to fill the void where glitzy brand sets used to be with flying airplanes and truck towing, the LA show wants to add a dose of celebrity. “We understand that we can bring uniqueness to the LA Show by adding some Hollywood flavor,” said Fortin
There will be Robert Downey Jr. — aka, Tony Stark in the hit Marvel movie franchise “Iron Man” — and his eco-modified RDJ Dream Cars collection, six classic cars that have been converted to alternative fuels and battery power that will be on exhibit in the South Hall. The cars’ transformations were documented on a MAX TV series and each will be given away as part of a public sweepstakes. The models include a 1965 Chevrolet Corvette, 1966 Buick Riviera, 1969 Mercedes-Benz 280SE, 1972 Chevrolet K10 pickup, 1972 Volkswagen Bus and 1985 Chevy El Camino.
Popular comedian Kevin Hart will showcase nine custom-built cars from his collection, including a ‘59 Corvette “Mint Condition,” 1969 Chevy Camaro “Bad News,” 1969 Plymouth Roadrunner “Michael Myers,” 1970 Dodge Charger “Hellraiser” and 2023 Ferrari 812 Competizione. Other attractions include the Galpin Hall of Customs featuring customer supercars from Lamborghinis to Ford Raptors, and a promotion for the movie “Ferrari,” coming this Christmas to theaters.
Hart’s collection will fill the West Hall space where Porsche has traditionally set up in the sprawling, 1-million-square-foot LA Convention Center. Porsche did not commit to the show this year — citing its huge Rennsport reunion that took place in Monterey this fall — joining other luxury European makes like Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Alfa Romeo on the sidelines.
The West Hall vacancy is a victim of Stellantis’s late pullout due to the prolonged UAW contract negotiations. That has left a big hole in the West Hall — where Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Chrysler traditionally display — that Fortin said the show has been creative in filling. Part of that Jeep experience will be plugged by the Overland Outpost, presented by enthusiast magazine OVR, which will showcase over 30 off-road vehicles.
Two of Detroit’s other major brands, Chevrolet and Ford, will have a large floor presence, including Ford’s Off-Rodeo display where consumers can take Bronco rides. Ford is also expected to show off the 2024 Mustang GT California Special for the first time in public.
Both Chevy (#5) and Ford (#3) are in the Top Ten best-selling brands in the Golden State, but six of the top sellers are Asian brands and they will make the bulk of the product news here (Tesla and Mercedes are ranked #2 and #7, respectively in California sales, but neither do auto shows any more).
Toyota is expected to make a big splash with a new Camry sedan and Crown SUV. The Crown sedan debuted in the U.S. market for the 2023 model year, and the SUV broadens the sub-brand’s portfolio.
Other notables to look for include Hyundai’s radically-redesigned Santa Fe SUV — the latest in a series of head-turning vehicles from the ambitious Korean brand — and a redesigned Subaru and Nissan Rogue.Ironically, all these debuts are gas-powered in a show that will otherwise be green-focused. Lucid is expected to carry the EV headlines with the introduction of its Gravity SUV, the second vehicle in the brand’s portfolio after the sleek Air sedan. There will also be debuts from non-traditional manufacturers like hydrogen fuel cell truck-maker Nikola, electric superbike builder Verge and Pebble EV travel trailers.
In addition to EVs on stands, the convention center’s lots will be transformed into the mile-long Electric Avenue loops circling the center’s South Hall.
Combine the inside activations and the test track outside, and electric models available for rides include the Chevy Blazer EV, Chevy Silverado EV pickup, Kia EV6, Ford F-150 Lightning, Ford Mustang Mach-E, Mazda MX-30, Polestar 2, Volkswagen ID.4, Volvo XC40 Recharge, Porsche Taycan, Lucid Air and Cadillac Lyriq.
“The biggest barrier to entry in electric vehicles is experience behind the wheel,” sad Fortin. Complementing the rides, Fortin and his team have constructed the EV Discovery Center, where bilingual EV ambassadors are on hand to educate consumers.
“We understand where the passions of our California customers are,” said Fortin “Their passions are in green tech, off-road, on the beaches, and on the race track.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: GM’s billion-dollar Vegas bet on Formula One power unit
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
General Motors Co.’s announcement Tuesday that it has registered with Formula One racing to develop a gas-electric hybrid powerplant for its Andretti Cadillac F1 team by 2028 marks a major commitment by the Detroit automaker to the world’s biggest motorsport — and to a battery-powered future.
The commitment puts GM in elite company with Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull Ford at the top of the sport in developing a “power unit” (F1 speak for a hybrid drivetrain) and comes as Andretti Cadillac enters a critical period in convincing the Formula One Management group to allow them entry into the sport. GM’s top brass and Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Motorsports, are expected to be at the Las Vegas Formula One race this weekend to make their case.
By making its commitment as the seventh company to develop an F1 power unit, GM hopes approval is now irresistible. Call it the General’s billion-dollar Vegas bet.
“Getting a place on the Formula 1 grid has been a box-ticking exercise for Andretti Cadillac, and every time they think they’ve checked the final one — another pops up,” said Charles Bradley, editor-in-chief of Motosport.com, the globe’s largest racing site. “One of the major criticisms, aired by Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, was that Andretti has to have GM-Cadillac as more than a name to put on its car — but a manufacturer that would build an engine. So it’s vital that the project checks this box.”
Formula One is at the peak of the world’s automotive development in chassis, suspension, tire and drivetrain technology. As global governments from China to the United States to Europe force automakers to go all-electric, the global Formula One circus has made a commitment to go all-electric as well — beginning with its 2026-2030 power unit regulations that prescribe engines be powered 50/50 by batteries and V-6 engines gassed with synthetic fuel.
“We are thrilled that our new Andretti Cadillac F1 entry will be powered by a GM power unit,” said GM President Mark Reuss, a passionate voice for motorsports within the company. “With our deep engineering and racing expertise, we’re confident we’ll develop a successful power unit for the series, and position Andretti Cadillac as a true works team.”
Formula One power units are a billion-dollar development commitment, with each engine costing upwards of $10 million. While that is a rich number for even mega-manufacturers like GM, it is part of a multi-billion company strategy to go all-electric by 2035, with the automaker already investing billions in its Ultium battery platform and plants. The company sees motorsport as an opportunity, not just to market its technological prowess, but to accelerate technology transfer between racing and production applications in batteries, fuels, engines, and software system
“The initial outlay on a new Formula 1 engine is likely a nine-figure sum, which will be offset by GM already having a highly-developed R&D powertrain team that will be familiar with the demands of electrical hybrids,” said Bradley.
Ford has also made a commitment to F1, partnering with Red Bull — which has dominated the sport this year behind ace driver Max Verstappen — to set up a delicious Motown rivalry at the top of global racing. Ford’s financial commitment, however, is not nearly as expansive as GM’s, as the Blue Oval will supply battery expertise while Red Bull engineers the full drivetrain.
“The power unit is at the forefront of technological innovation, making the future of Formula 1 more sustainable while maintaining the spectacular racing,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.
In addition to Red Bull Ford, Ferrari and Mercedes, other manufacturers that have committed to F1’s 2026 power unit are Alpine Racing, Audi and Honda.
GM’s global Cadillac luxury brand has taken the lead in GM’s transformation and is a natural fit for Formula One with its massive, 450-million global television audience and suites and paddocks filled with upper-class customers who have been the most willing to buy electric cars.
“What GM needs is specialist Formula 1 knowledge, and that will be thin on the ground with all the other F1 manufacturers geared up for the new 2026 power units,” said Bradley. “If GM is in F1 for the long haul, then the development and manufacturing costs could top $1 billion. (That’s) a significant outlay, and it can’t afford to undercook this.”
GM said that development and testing of its F1 power unit is already underway. But Andretti Cadillac is also committed to getting its feet wet in the sport ahead of 2028 with a 2025 entry using the sport’s existing hybrid tech. Alpine is rumored to be its choice of engine partner if Andretti Cadillac gets the green light as the 11th team on the F1 grid.
That green light is hardly assured despite the high profile that the Andretti and Cadillac names bring in the United States, F1’s fastest-growing market with three grand prix in ‘23.
FOM is made up of the sport’s racing teams and they have been resistant to sharing the sport’s wealth with another team. Ferrari, for example, ahs been downright dismissive of the idea, but the FIA’s approval in October of Andretti Cadillac was seen as a crucial push to get a deal done. Michael Andretti has rubbed some FOM members the wrong way with his blunt manner, but Reuss has been steadfast that Cadillac’s involvement is contingent on Andretti managing the team.
England-based Williams F1 team boss James Vowles recently weighed in in support of GM and the value it would bring as a major production-car manufacturer. Insiders also say that an American team backed by an American manufacturer (Andretti also promises American drivers) is crucial for the sport’s long-term U.S. health — not to mention the huge sums a battery-powered sport will require.
Cadillac and Ford have long played in motorsport from sportscars (Cadillac won the North American IMSA championship this year) to NASCAR (2023 champ Ryan Blaney drove a Ford) to IndyCar (2023 Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden was Chevy-powered). But those tightly regulated series pale in comparison to the financial commitment — and global reach — of F1. Beyond the 10-figure cost of drivetrain development, F1 teams typically burn a half a billion dollars annually.
As GM makes a historic transition to battery power, F1 is a powerful statement of that commitment.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Charging ahead: China’s Geely targets US with upcoming, upscale Polestar EVs
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 17, 2023
Santa Monica, California — Riding into electric vehicle sales headwinds, EV startup Polestar announced its full model lineup for the U.S. market on Polestar Day here. The Gothenburg, Sweden-based brand is one of a handful of startups who see a generational opportunity to bring EVs to market, joining other startups like Rivian Automotive Inc., Lucid Motors and Fisker Inc. in trying to replicate the success of Tesla Inc.
The premium luxury brand also signals a milestone for Chinese auto conglomerate Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Polestar is the Geely group’s luxury performance brand in the United States, a major development as China takes advantage of global government EV mandates to gain a foothold in foreign markets.
Like French-based Stellantis NV and Germany’s Volkswagen Group, Geely’s portfolio is global, including brands like Swedish-based Polestar and Volvo, England’s Lotus, and China-based Geely Auto and Zeekr. Zeekr is planning an initial public offering in the U.S. with a target of $1 billion.
Like Maserati and Alfa Romeo under the Stellantis umbrella — or Porsche and Audi in the VW portfolios — Polestar is a premium brand positioned above the more family-focused Volvo luxury badge. While Volvo is transitioning to an all-EV lineup, Polestar’s lineup is exclusively battery-powered to go head-to-head against other EV brands like Tesla, Cadillac, and Jaguar.
“Today is a glimpse into our future, the near future,” said Polestar CEO Tomas Ingenlath inside the historic Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport, where Hollywood celebrities have been known to keep private planes. “Our customers have big expectations of our cars and their performance. They combine the thrill of driving, technology and sustainability.”
Polestar began as a Volvo racing team before being bought by the Swedish automaker and its name integrated into the company as a performance badge. It launched as a stand-alone, performance-focused electric brand in the Geely family in 2021. Like its sister Gothenburg company, Volvo, Polestar is design-focused (CEO Ingenlath came from the design side of the business) with a Scandinavian focus on simple lines and environmentally-fashionable materials.
Like Volvo, it is leveraging Geely financing, platforms and battery production — in addition to signature Scandinavian style — to give it resiliency in an uncertain U.S. market. Polestar entered the American market in 2020 with the 2 sedan, a Tesla Model 3 rival. Sales have been modest as the brand harnessed resources for its full model lineup announced last week at Polestar Day.
Its aggressive strategy includes four new models by 2026.
True to its racing origins, Polestar’s presentation was heavy on performance with the sleek 5 sedan promising a whopping 884 horsepower from its twin motors and a Lotus-derived aluminum chassis in 2025. But Polestar’s presentation also filled the cathedral-sized hangar with a political message about creating “a sense of urgency to act on the climate crisis.” Volvo has long been a socially-conscious and Polestar is aimed at an upscale, green demographic.
Polestar Day attracted customers like Gray Uhl, 70, and his wife, Arlene, 69, from San Diego who were smitten by the vehicles’ design — in particular the two-door Polestar 6 Roadster due in 2026.
“You can tell how much design drives this company,” said Gray Uhl, himself a home products designer. “We want a convertible EV and this is the only one made with good interior room and a back seat.”
Arlene Gray also had an eye on California’s regulatory future. “Our next car is an EV. In California it has to be because they are eliminating gas cars,” she said referring to the state’s ban on gas car sales that takes effect 2035.
For all the power and panache of the 5 and 6, Polestar’s flagships are the volume-focused 3 SUV and its sister 4 SUV coupe. The 3 is a mid-size, two-row ute that will be built alongside the three-row Volvo EX-90 electric SUV in South Carolina beginning next summer on Volvo’s dedicated SPA2 electric architecture. Ingenlath said the plant employs non-union labor.
The Polestars enter the EV market at a time when consumer enthusiasm has cooled and electrics are sitting on vehicle lots on average for twice as long as gas cars. Valuations for EV startups like Rivian and Lucid have plummeted, with the latter losing $227,802 on each car it builds. While Tesla still dominates the market, it has slashed prices and 50% of non-Tesla buyers are trading their EVs for ICEs according to S&P Global.
Polestar is one more brand in a crowded, niche EV market. However, the Swedish brand sees that market expanding as governments like California 1) force EV sales over the next few years with fines, and 2) as EV-only brands benefit from legacy gas-powered manufacturers paying them with EV credits to avoid those fines. Upscale buyers are Polestar’s core customer and Experian’s Automotive Consumer Trends Report finds 85% of EV consumers own another, gas-powered car.
Volvo and Polestar have also benefited by leveraging parent company Geely’s multiple electric platforms. The Polestar 4, for example, shares its SEA electric platform with Zeekr, a Chinese brand that has made inroads in the Chinese and European markets. The Polestar 2 shares its gas-electric CMA platform with the Volvo XC40, and Geely is developing future Lotus and Polestars on the aforementioned, lightweight SEA architecture.
Auto analyst Sam Abuelsamid of Guidhouse Insights said Geely has also benefited from its European brand acquisitions. “Geely has really learned how to engineer and design first-rate vehicles like the Volvos and Polestars,” he said at Barker Hangar. “The Chinese just didn’t have that kind of product sophistication before.”
In a media drive around Santa Monica Airport, pre-production versions of the Polestar 3 and 4 were as easy to ride in as they were on the eyes. The cabins were quiet, and the twin tablet screens — one on the dash, the other behind the steering wheel — were complemented by handsome materials. The Polestar 3 joins the 2 sedan in the U.S. lineup next year, and it will initially carry Chinese-made CATL batteries in its belly. Upon its manufacture in South Carolina, it will adopt U.S.-assembled Korean batteries and will become eligible for a federal $7,500 tax subsidy when purchased.
You’ll know the Polestar family members by their distinctive, twin-blade headlights — and by their unusual design innovations. The 3, or example, boasts an aerodynamic blade poised over the front fascia to reduce drag.
The 4 eliminated its rear window to accentuate its long, coupe-like roof line. Instead of a rear window, a long, panoramic roof extends beyond the rear seats to provide better lighting for those sitting in the back. How does the driver see out back? With a camera mirror.
Future innovations include a partnership with Mobileye and lidar-maker Luminar to bring hands-free driving to the Polestar 4. And Polestar is partnering with StoreDot on a so-called “silicon battery” that accelerates fast-charging to add 100 miles of range in five minutes — quicker than today’s market-leading, 800-volt Hyundai/Kia models at 100 miles in 10 minutes.
“Charging and range anxiety are the greatest barriers to EV adoption,” said Engenlath.
For all of the challenges batteries bring to operation, electric architecture is an inspiration to designers. “It allowed us to start with a completely clean sheet of paper,” designer Nahum Escobedo said with a smile as he walked past his new creations. “And the Polestar brand means we are free to create something different.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.
California dreamin’: Ford drops Mustang California Special
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 9, 2023
Ford has added another ground-pawing pony to its seventh-generation Mustang stable.
The Mustang California Special pays homage to the 1968 OG that became a hot property more than 50 years ago as the Mustang craze swept America (over 317,000 units were sold in that year alone) and privateers customized their steeds.
Like the ’68 car, the 2024 model bears striking exterior accents like Rave Blue grille nostrils, Rave Blue wheels, and side stripes. Unlike its forebear, the CS does not share Shelby GT500-inspired performance mods like a big engine and fiberglass panels since, well, there isn’t a Shelby GT500 version of the seventh-gen Mustang yet.
Neither will the California Special feature the performance upgrades of the track-focused, 2024 Mustang Dark Horse which also debuted this year alongside Ecoboost and GT models. The California Special will be available as a $1,995 upgrade on the Mustang GT Premium — available as a coupe (starting at $47,015) or convertible ($52,515) and with 6-speed manual or 10-speed automatic transmissions.
“The original California Special package was geared toward California’s optimistic and carefree driving culture,” said Mustang Brand Manager Joe Bellino in a statement. “We’re refocusing on those elements for the 2024 Mustang GT California Special, which brings vibrant style that looks as at home on Colorado Boulevard as it does on the Pacific Coast Highway.”
In the pony car’s early days, some 20% of sales were in the Golden State alone. Owners’ clubs coveted the latest mods and regional dealers created their own personalized designs to stand out from the herd. The ’68 California Special was inspired by the Carroll Shelby-modified, 1967 Shelby GT notchback coupe prototype and would be coveted by collectors.
Subsequent generations of the CS — 2007, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2023 (for Europe) — paid homage to the original. The OG featured a blacked-out grille, fog lights, side racing stripes, and rear spoiler. Most were powered by 4.7-liter (289 cubic inch) V-8 engines with the most desirable sporting big block 6.4-liter (390 cube) and 7-liter (428) V-8 earth-shakers.
For the 2024 edition, the California Special will be stuffed with the same rib-rattling, 480-horse, 5.0-liter (305 cubic inch) V-8 found in the GT.
You’ll know by its striking appearance.
At the end of the Mustang’s long, menacing hood, Rave Blue nostrils bracket the horizontal-slat grille. Headlights are surrounded by black bezels and California Special graphics in Rave Blue and black are emblazoned on the side rocker panels.
The 19-inch wheels also stand out in Rave Blue with either a CS logo on Carbonized Gray wheels or a Performance Pack wheel with bright Rave Blue pockets. A GT/CS badge in the grille is also finished in Rave Blue.
Mustang’s modern, digital interior is trimmed with more blue accents including Navy Pier upholstery and Ebony Black leather seats. Raptor Blue and Metal Gray contrast stitching extends to the dash and doors.
“Mustang has a rich well of special edition models to draw from, and we’ll continue to reinvent them for a new audience,” Bellino said, referring to Mustang archives that include legendary badges like Bullitt and Mach 1. “The new Mustang GT California Special is a perfect example of our drive to build a Mustang for every customer.”
The ‘24 Mustang GT California Special will make its public debut at the LA Auto Show Nov. 16. It’s available for order now at Ford.com.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: The techy, pricey Chevy Silverado EV goes to work
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 9, 2023
Ann Arbor — Chevrolet is introducing its first, electric Silverado as a work truck. Fleet owners might, um, want to put a speed limiter on it.
With 515 horsepower (more than a Corvette C8), 600 pound-feet of torque (more than a Camaro SS), and Chevy’s rock-solid Ultium chassis, the Silverado EV is a rocket ship out of stoplights. ZOT! I challenged Challengers, BMWs — even a ‘Vette C6 — all over Ann Arbor on my brief test-drive of the 8,000-pound-plus pickup.
If I were, say, a DTE utility worker, I’d have my eight-hour rounds done by noon.
The Work Truck (available as a Crew Cab only with a 5-foot-11-inch box) comes with a price tag as stratospheric as its power numbers. The 393-mile-range 3 Work Truck starts at $74,800 and — with 450 miles of range — my 4WT nearly hits the 80-grand marker with a $79,800 sticker. Oof.
That’s reflective of the cost of lithium-ion batteries as the all-wheel-drive EV Work Truck tries to match the range of a rear-wheel-drive, 504-mile, gas-range, 310-horsepower Work Truck Crew Cab costing half as much.
But, like the gas Silverado WT, the electric Silverado WT only loses about 50% of range when towing, according to our friends at TFL Trucks, which recently put the pickup through the paces in its mountainous Colorado backyard. That translates to 250 miles of range, which is workable on a trip to, say, Traverse City where chargers are spaced about 120 miles apart.
The Chevy’s chief electric competitor, the Ford F-150 Lightning, suffered 70% degradation when towing, according to TFL. That means less than 100 miles of towing on the Ford’s 320-mile range battery — which won’t get you between Michigan charging stations (much less make sense if you have to stop every 90 minutes for a 120-minute charge, according to Motor Trend testing).
Still, Silverado EV has similar fast-charging challenges. A gas WT takes 5 minutes to refill, the Chevy 90 minutes on, say, an Electrify America DC fast charger. And that’s not including the time to unhook your trailer and belly up to fast charger stalls not designed (like, say, a Marathon gas truck stop) to handle long tow vehicles. EVs have a looooong way to go.
Which is why initial sales of the Silverado EV are for fleet-focused shooooort hauls.
But for those rockin’ dual motors in its belly, my WT was bare bones. Black interior, 18-inch wheels, all-season tires. No fancy Super Cruise like the $106K RST truck that will debut next spring for well-heeled retail customers. No fancy 24-inch wheels. No Flex-Midgate between the C-pillars that drops to extend the bed (just as an SUV can extend cargo by flattening its rear seats). Bare bones.
But it has a sleek design signature that is more Chevy Traverse than macho, gas Silverado. Check out the flying buttress C-pillar and spare fascia. Inside is one of the best infotainment systems in the industry. Twin, iPad-like, digital instrument and dash screens are standard and run by Google Built-in — a system that will feel familiar to anyone who has used a smartphone.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, but if you’re heading out on the road, let me recommend Google Built-in’s navi system.
It’s made strides in its ability to navigate an EV to its destination. Where most systems leave it to the driver to do their homework and find their own charge stations (ugh, imagine expecting a gas driver to do that), Google Built-in charts your course — chargers and all. Similar to how Tesla integrates travel with its proprietary charging network.
In a mock trip that I made in Google Built-in from Ann Arbor, the system prioritized fast charging stations for my journey to Washington, D.C. The trip would take 10 hours and 7 minutes, including two stops at fast chargers for a total of 1 hour and 50 minutes. Useful so you can make plans while you wait. Not so useful if you don’t like waiting.
That’s the fundamental challenges to EVs, which are inferior to their gas peers on long-distance runs. At least the Silverado will get you there assuming you, ahem, drive below 70 mph in moderate weather conditions.
Try the trip in the cold — or traveling at higher speeds — and expect serious range degradation. Also expect logistical challenges at fast chargers if you plan on towing. They simply aren’t designed for large rigs. I look forward to the chance to test Silverado EV on a real-world towing trip sometime soon.
What the Silverado EV is designed for is ease of use.
Access the rear bed with a corner bumper step — a feature every pickup should have. The bed takes advantage of the 4WT’s massive, estimated 215 kWh battery with five outlets for tool support: four 110-volt and one 240. If you’re a small businessperson and the truck doubles as a recreation vehicle, the plugs will come in handy for tailgate parties.
The hole under the hood where the engine used to be? Chevy has made it into an e-frunk (a nifty feature pioneered by mid-engine sportscars, then popularized for EVs by Tesla) just like Lightning. There’s another pair of 110-volt plugs up there. It allows the practicality of a hatchback SUV with the hauling ability of a pickup.
But hauling that sticker price around is a challenge.
To properly use the e-truck, businesses (or individuals) will need to add expensive 240-volt chargers so the trucks can recharge up to 12 hours overnight for their duties next day. Home charging is cheaper to operate at 15 cents per kWh overnight, but plug in at, say, Electrify America’s Pittsburgh fast charger and you’re looking at an expensive 48 cents per kWh — meaning costlier trip refuels than a 29-mpg, gas-fired Silverado Work Truck if gas is under $4 a gallon.
The e-Silverado is too expensive to qualify for the $7,500 federal EV tax break, but the usual business tax incentives apply to help get them into employees’ hands. They will find a brawny truck with good specs like 1,440-pound payload and 10,000-pound towing.
And standard all-wheel-drive so you can really put that 600 pound-feet of torque to the ground at a Woodward stoplight. Just don’t let the boss catch you.
2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV Work Truck
Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel drive, five-passenger pickup
Price: $74,800, including $1,895 destination ($79,800 4WT as tested)
Powerplant: Twin-motor, 215 kWh battery pack
Power: 515 horsepower, 600 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.4 seconds (Car and Driver, 4WT); towing, 10,000 pounds, 1,440-pound payload
Weight: 8,500 pounds
Fuel economy: 450-mile range (4WT as tested)
Report card
Highs: High-tech with Google Built-in navigation, fun to drive, capable towing
Lows: Charging stable logistics, 50% costlier than comparable gas work truck
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Chevy’s future recipe: $35k Equinox EV, new slogan and lots of ICE-ing
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 9, 2023
Amidst heated UAW strikes and cool EV demand, it’s been a tumultuous autumn for the Detroit auto industry. But with plans measured in decades, not months, Chevrolet is staying the course towards an all-electric future. Chevy executives laid out the ingredients of that future as 2023 draws to a close with a new brand slogan, a $35k Equinox EV, and more electric models in high-volume segments than any other automaker.
And in a nod towards market reality, Chevy is baking its EV cake with a lot of ICE-ing.
ICE as in internal combustion engine vehicles. In addition to its ambitious EV agenda, Chevy’s entry-level, gas-fueled, $21k Trax SUV has debuted to strong customer demand and 198% sales growth year-over-year through the third quarter, according to Chevy parent General Motors Co. Its stylish design and utility is a gateway drug to the brand’s big moneymakers: gas-fed pickup trucks and large SUVs. And the sweetest ICE-ing on the cake, the V8-powered Corvette C8, has more models in the works and is expanding its global racing footprint.
“These are transformational times we’re going through” said Vice President for Global Chevrolet Scott Bell. “The next few years are important to our long-term future.”
That electric future will march under a new slogan, “Together Let’s Drive,” which replaces the “Find New Roads” flag that has waved since 2013. It debuts alongside the Equinox EV, Chevy’s first electric vehicle in the country’s largest segment, compact SUVs.
Following Chevy’s promise that a battery-powered Equinox would debut around $30k and with over 250 miles of range, the EV delivers with a $34,995 starting price (before destination fee) and 319-mile range. That’s above the $26,600, gas-powered Equinox (even if the customer qualifies for the full, $7,500 federal EV tax credit), which has 447 miles of gas range.
Such shortcomings compared to their gas peers is one of the reason why EV sales have disappointed. And why GM is pushing back production of the Chevy Silverado EV pickup at Orion Assembly until late 2025.
Even when Chevy EVs and ICEs have comparable pricing, they attract different customers. Thanks to big price cuts and the $7,500 subsidy, the 259-mile range Bolt EV is available at $19,995 — goosing a sales increase of 55% this year (including its sister, the slightly larger Bolt EUV). That price is competitive with the entry-level, $21,495, 422-mile range Trax.
But Chevy marketing guru Steve Majoros says they still appeal to different customers. “There is not a strong cross-shop between the two, Trax and Bolt EV are a different customer base,” he said. “Bolt tends to be shopped by coastal buyers from a higher-income demographic looking for an EV, the Trax buyer is more interested in affordability. The Trax has been doing what we want it to do: get people into the brand.”
Media buzz for Chevy EVs continues to be strong with the 324-mile range Blazer EV winning Motor Trend’s 2024 SUV of the Year award. The publication also crowned the Bolt EV 2017 Car of the Year though the huzzahs did not translate into strong sales, with Tesla’s Model 3 outselling it by 6:1.
“We’re still very bullish on the EV market and very bullish about our position in that market, having a vehicle with Ultium in the three biggest segments in the industry,” Bell said, citing the Equinox EV, midsize Blazer EV, and Silverado EV, which are built on GM’s Ultium battery platform.
Failure to sell EVs will result in billions in fines from California regulators and the federal EPA if targets aren’t met beginning with the 2026 model year. To encourage customer EV acceptance, Chevrolet is leaning on a fleet-heavy sales strategy for its SUVs and trucks. Fleet strategies have been criticized in the past as dumping grounds to boost sales numbers.
But GM’s volume brand sees fleets as crucial to getting a foothold in the market. Corporations like utilities have internal sustainability goals to meet, and the $77,905 Silverado EV Work Truck (nearly twice the cost of a gas WT) is being sold exclusively to fleets. Rental companies like Hertz have been incentivized by the federal government with $7,500 subsidies per EV purchase.
“The EV market is going to be fleet-focused initially because that is where the demand is,” said Bell. “We see it as an opportunity to do volume sales, and we can use fleet markets to expose customers to EVs.”
Fleet sales aside, Chevrolet sees retail demand from high-income customers so Equinox EV will debut early next year with launch editions priced at $48,895 (front-wheel-drive) and $52,395 (AWD). The $35k Equinox EV will come later in 2024. The Silverado EV will also open for retail customers with an upscale RST model at $106,895.
EV market uncertainty means Chevy will continue to lean on its gas truck and SUV lineup to generate profits.
Through September, Silverado sales were up 8% over 2022 and second only to perennial sales champ Ford F-Series. Last year, pickup trucks accounted for 20.5% of new U.S. vehicle sales, up from 16.8% in 2016. Chevrolet’s overall sales volume is up 18% this year.
ICE icon Corvette, a $70k supercar, has already sold over 25,000 units this year as it has added high-horsepower Z06 and E-Ray models. Like Ford’s V8-powered Mustang and Porsche’s flat-6 911, GM intends to continue to use its gasoline sportscar as a brand halo.
That halo will be a missionary all over the world in 2024 as Corvette expands its racing program for the first time to the customer market with a GT3-class model competing against Mustang, Porsche and Mercedes. Like the retail market, endurance racing has been resistant to EVs given their range and cost liabilities.
“Range is a big differentiator for customers looking to buys EVs,” said Bell. “We’re pleased the Equinox has over-delivered in the sense of range.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Alfa Giulia is still a classic Italian dish
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 9, 2023
Pontiac — Alfa Romeo is going through some big changes these days with its second SUV, the Tonale plug-in hybrid, and a barnful of pure electric vehicles planned by 2027. EVs, SUVs, yada yada — they’re all the rage. But for you purists out there, you should know the Italian brand is still stamping out a terrific gas-powered sedan.
There are few cars that will put a bigger smile on your face than a 2024 Giulia.
Grip the fat leather steering wheel, rotate the Drive Mode selector to D (Dynamic), and Giulia wants to play like a puppy copped up on a leash in the garage all night. Where to play in Oakland County? Any twisty road will do, as the Alfa turns on a dime.
The Italian brand has been doing this a looooong time and the rear-wheel-drive Giulia is one of the sharpest tools in the luxe shed along with the Cadillac CT4 and BMW 2-series coupe. The 2 has a Gran Coupe sedan version but its, um, Mini-based front-wheel-drive platform isn’t in the same league as the others. Giulia is athletic and utilitarian, though six-footers should beware of the cramped back seat (I could barely sit behind myself). I love my Model 3 for its innovation, but Tesla has a ways to go to catch up with its luxury peers on handling.
The smiles begin long before you touch that D dial. The Alfa is one of the sexiest sedans on the road, its sculpted flanks, wide stance and signature tri-lobo grille instantly recognizable as not-that-Audi-or-BMW-like-all-your-neighbors-have. For 2024, Giulia has updated its lighting signature to match the new Tonale.
McLaren this week threw cold water on the idea that sportscars will be going all-electric anytime soon due to the inherent challenges of EVs trying to pack 300 miles of range and reduce weight for performance. An all-wheel-drive Giulia weighs a significant 600 pounds less than an AWD Tesla.
Inside, you’ll grin at the ON button located on the steering wheel’s left spoke. Like Porsche’s left-console key location (a throwback to running Le Mans race starts when drivers would jump in and turn the key at the same time), Alfa wants you to know it’s serious about this performance business.
Drive Mode dial, shift paddles, binocular cockpit. Everything about the interior communicates performance. The ‘24 model has also upgraded interior tech with all-digital instrument display. But dig deeper and the Giorgio platform, introduced in 2016, shows its age.
The 2024 Honda Accord in my driveway at the same time I was testing Giulia has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charge pad, and a head-up display. Giulia lacks these modern amenities, which are expected in most new mainstream cars, much less luxe models.
The lack of head-up display is a particular miss in a performance car. Bimmer puts its head-up displays to good use with a racecar-like, horizonal tachometer so the driver never has to take their eyes off the road when paddle shifting. The Alfa is every bit as engaging, and would benefit from similar tech on road.
Or on track.
For a healthy $25K premium, the Giulia Quadrifoglio is also on offer for 2024. The QV (as Alfa likes to call it) loves to be pushed to its limits on tracks like M1 Concourse in Pontiac. I was happy to oblige. The sedan’s 111-inch wheelbase is playful, and its Pirelli P-Zero Corsa tires provide excellent stick.
The 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 sings a lovely aria complete with trombone shift accompaniment — BLAT! BLAT! BLAT! — from the quad pipes as I upshifted through the 8-speed automatic transmission. The automatic’s shifts are much quicker than a manual can manage — but again it would benefit if you could shift the steering wheel paddles by using a head-up tachometer.
Unless you plan regular track days, the more affordable, still-sensual Alfa Veloce is plenty of car. Veloce possesses the same inherent goodies as its steroid-fed brother — Brembo brakes, magnetic shocks, limited-slip differential. And its 280-horse turbocharged engine is one of the most satisfying 4-bangers in the business.
Still, as I grinned my way across Oakland County, that $55K sticker made me pause. There is plenty of good hardware in the compact car segment for less than $50K, beginning with my favorite hot hatch class.
Drop $45K on a VW Golf R and you get similar turbo-4 performance — plus all-wheel-drive, modern tech, better rear seat space, and better hatchback utility. What you don’t get is a century of Italian heritage.
My friend Mehul bought a Giulia because he had coveted an Alfa sedan from the days his father owned a Giulia GTA. It had left a mark. Unforgettable style, fun-to-drive, Rosso.
Rosso means red in Italian, but it also references the blood that makes your heart beat a little faster. It’s a rare yearning that the Italian brand still manages to evoke from sheetmetal. It’s a quality that, I’m afraid to say, eludes the newly introduced Tonale SUV, as competent and stylish though it is.
Which is why I was pleased to see the Giulia back for ‘24. The other emotion Alfa has provoked over the years is less flattering: anger at its lack of reliability. After a blizzard of electronics failures, Car and Driver wrote off its long-term 2018 Quadrifoglio tester with the headline: “After 40,000 miles with the Alfa Giulia, our heart is broken.” Ouch.
Under the leadership of CEO Jean Philippe Imparato and North American boss Larry Dominique, the brand aims to change that. “If you don’t have quality, you don’t have a premium brand,” Dominique likes to say.
From a basement dweller in J.D. Power’s Sales Satisfaction Index in 2018, Alfa leap-frogged the field last year to No. 1. This March, it also took the top spot for J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study (tracking the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles over the first 90 days of ownership). That’s a good start, and key to Alfa’s renaissance in the U.S. market.
Giulia is already tops in the Initial Grins Study.
2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia
Vehicle type: Front engine, rear- and all-wheel drive, five-passenger sedan
Price: $44,670 including $1,595 destination ($55,140 RWD I-4 Veloce and $81,855 V-6 Quadrifoglio as tested)
Powerplant: 2.0-liter, turbocharged inline-4 cylinder; 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6
Power: 280 horsepower, 306 pound-feet of torque (I-4); 505 horsepower, 443 pound-feet of torque (V-6)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.6 seconds (I-4, Car and Driver); 3.6 seconds (V-6, Car and Driver); top speed, 193 mph (V-6)
Weight: 3,522 pounds (I-4 RWD); 3,820 pounds (V-6)
Fuel economy: EPA 24 mpg city/33 highway/27 combined (I-4 RWD); 23 mpg city/31 highway/26 combined (I-4 AWD); 17 mpg city/25 highway/20 combined (V-6 RWD)
Report card
Highs: Italian style; athletic swagger
Lows: Tight rear seat; lacks latest luxury tech
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Honda’s Motocompacto is an e-scooter in a box
Posted by Talbot Payne on November 9, 2023
Pontiac — If the Tesla Model 3 is like riding a smartphone on four wheels, then the Honda Motocompacto is like riding a briefcase on two wheels.
The scooter is a clever reboot of the company’s famed, compact Motocompo bike of the early 1980s. Updated for the trendy electric age, Motocompacto is e-motor driven compared to its two-cycle-engine-powered forefather.
It’s aimed at “last milers” — urban dwellers with a short commute to work in bike lanes; Europeans whose gas cars have been banned from the inner city and need transport from parking lot-to-office; small town/college residents for daily rounds, and so on. At 29” long x 21” tall x 4” wide, the foldable, suitcase-sized scooter can be plugged into your car lighter for a full range of 12 miles.
Naturally, Honda larded Moto’s rollout with green-speak. “The zero-emissions Motocompacto . . . greatly reduces (riders’) carbon footprint while offering great convenience,” preached press materials. That sermon is hard to square with Motocompacto’s assembly at a Chinese factory burning coal from plants owned by the Chinese Communist Party.
Better to just tout Motocompacto’s affordability thanks to Chinese sourcing. The e-scooter costs a very approachable $995 ($1,500 less than the original when adjusted for inflation) and weighs 40 pounds. However, the dealer destination fee is $149.25 which makes the real price 1,144.25. Want it shipped to your home? That’ll set you back another $250 or so.
Put it under the Christmas tree for your college student for the same price as a laptop. They can’t ride a laptop around campus. Some assembly required:
1) Set Motocompacto kickstand.
2) Press the rear button and the stem and handlebars swing upwards out of the case. Lock the stem in place.
3) Swivel the handlebars into riding position. Lock in place.
4) Extract seat from suitcase. Lock and secure in place.
5) Unlock the rear wheel with a side latch. Secure latch. Swivel out the foot pegs.
6) Strap on your bike helmet and you’re ready to riiiide.
A 6’5” giraffe like me asks ergonomic questions right away. Questions like: Can the seat be raised like a bicycle? Unfortunately, that answer is no, and so I folded myself onto the low throne with knees and elbows akimbo.
Operation is similar to a motorbike with a right-handle accelerator lever and left-handle brake. I poked the ON button, selected Mode 2 for drive, thumbed the accelerator, and I was off around M1 Concourse’s parking lot. The electric acceleration is typically brisk, but the top speed is a manageable 15 mph. Despite my size, Motocompacto was balanced, smooth and simple to brake to a stop.
My size was an advantage in carrying Motocompacto around after I folded it up to briefcase size. Forty pounds is heavy — just 10 pounds shy of the max carry-on for an airplane — which suited my giant levers. Indeed, the Honda’s 265-pound weight limit means it can be ridden by big human beings. Wee Mrs. Payne, at 5’5”, is the perfect size to fit on the scooter, but would struggle hauling it up to an office in, say, downtown Detroit. Happily, she can push it around upright on two wheels like a bicycle by extending the stem. Who knows? Maybe an after-market shop will come up with a clever strap ‘n’ rollers so you can drag it around on its side like a suitcase.
Speaking of carry-ons, don’t plan on checking Motocompacto onto an airplane since it contains lithium-ion batteries. Store your necessities into a backpack, and the e-Honda is excellent urban transit.
Its size is ideal for an office cubicle where you fill it to full charge in 3.5 hours on a 110-volt wall outlet. Use its side panels to advertise your company (a Detroit News wrap would look nice) or just put a name tag on it. Unlike a Lime scooter, you can take it into the office with you (also unlike a Lime scooter, I could actually pilot Mototcaompacto without killing myself).
The e-Honda easily fits into the back of an SUV (bonus if the ute/truck has a rear power outlet). Its price is more attainable than e-bikes that can cost $1,500-$4,000. It’s worth noting, however, that the Honda is well shy of the range and speed of those bikes.
Then there’s my favorite mode of urban transport — a good ol’, bargain, $350 Schwinn pedal bicycle. Same speed, no tailpipe, no charging, fits in your office elevator. The best part? It’s great exercise.
For Honda fans who wanted the new, new thing, Motocampacto can be found exclusively at Honda or Acura dealers and Motocompacto.honda.com.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: 700-hp Aston Martin DBX 707 is fit for Bond
Posted by Talbot Payne on October 26, 2023
Gaylord — Aston Martin calls the performance version of its DBX SUV the 707 on account that it makes 707 horsepower on the European metric scale (PS stands for PferdStarke, of course). By U.S. standards, that’s 697 horsepower.
To avoid confusion and establish a universal naming convention, may I suggest the badge be changed to DBX 007?
Everyone knows Aston Martin as the official vehicle of the James Bond movie franchise, and the DBX’s performance model deserves nothing less than a starring role in the next 007 epic. This is, after all, the world’s most-powerful, luxury super-ute — a 193-mph rocket that elbows past the 657-horse Lamborghini Urus Performante, 631-horsepower Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT and 617-horse BMW X6 M.
It’s a sports car in a 5,000-pound SUV body. Put it in a Bond chase scene and it will obliterate the obligatory pack of villain cars. Zero-60 mph? 3.1 seconds. SPORT PLUS track mode? Check. Off-road Terrain mode? Check. Gorgeous bod? Check. I got a taste of this Double-OMG-Seven sensation over rural M-32 in north Michigan — twisties I usually reserve for testing sports cars.
Rotating the meaty rotary drive mode dial to SPORT PLUS, the suspension noticeably stiffened and I laid waste to a series of downhill S-turns. But the cherry on top was this rhino-in-tennis-shoes’ performance between turns. SPORT PLUS shortened the gear ratios for the nine-speed gearbox so that — upon corner exit — I had titanic torque on tap. I buried my right foot and the super-ute charged forward without hesitation. WHUMP! WHUMP! went the upshifts as the digital speedometer registered obscene speeds.
Lots of performance cars — the DBX 007 included — sport electronically-stimulated shocks that perform miracles in reducing body roll. But few possess a drivetrain like the Mercedes-sourced 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8 under the Aston’s vented hood.
This is a drivetrain from the gods. Surely it was crafted by Q for James himself.
I gulped real estate at speeds normally reserved for much smaller, much lighter vehicles. So confident is the chassis, so addictive is the V8-’s howl, that I wanted the road to go on forever. No tire shredders popped out from the wheel hubs. No machine guns burst from the grille. But the engine’s song, crackling upshifts and burbling downshifts would make a bloody good Hollywood soundtrack.
Allow me the usual caveats for when I review a supercar affordable to a few. For the Aston’s $280K sticker, you could buy 10 Chevy Trax RS models. The fun of vehicles like the Aston is to explore the industry’s envelope — not just in performance, but in technology.
Take the Aston’s infotainment suite. It may be 10x the cost of a Trax, but it does not have 10x better tech. Electronic gains have eliminated much of the gap between luxe and mainstream cars.
The Aston’s infotainment system offers wireless Apple CarPlay — but not wireless Android Auto. Consistent with its Mercedes sourcing, the Aston features last-gen Merc infotainment tech anchored by a smallish screen and mouse pad controller.
I normally run screaming from mouse pad controllers (looking at you, Lexus), but the Aston’s pad was competent. My fingers glided over its surface, which accurately selected radio stations on the screen. Good thing, because voice recognition was lousy. Maybe Aston is programmed to understand the Queen’s English coming out of Bond’s mouth as opposed to my West Virginia twang.
DBX 707 is meant to evoke awe for its driving manners, machismo and style — not nerd quotient. The smell of fine leather filled my nostrils when I entered the cabin (even the lower doors are wrapped with red stitching). The seatbacks were sheathed in carbon fiber. The console stuffed with buttons.
Buttons for shifting: P, R, N, D. Button for louder exhaust. Button for raising/lowering. Button for shaking, not stirring, your martini (kidding about that last one).
The big question about DBX707 is where it belongs.
With its tight handling, I wanted to track it. But we’re talking about a 5,000-pound ute. Its weight and high center of gravity would be inherent handicaps on the fast switchbacks of, say, Pontiac’s M1 Concourse.
And then there’s the raw power. Good Lord. The 667 pound-feet-of-torque comes on like a tidal wave at low revs, demanding respect out of corners. I tested a 460-torque Corvette Z06 right after the Aston and the Chevy felt tame by comparison, thanks to a normally-aspirated, high-revving V-8 that built torque to its 8,600 RPM redline. If you want to track an Aston, buy a $170K Vantage F1 Edition sportscar with the same insane engine (and save yourself 70 grand).
In my time with DBX 707, it was happiest in the north state countryside where it could bound across the lightly-populated roads like a bull on ‘roids. If I had the means (or was the Duke of Charlevoix County), I’d keep it in a car stable up north with other gems.
I’d pity the DBX 707 were it kept in Metro Detroit — or at M1 Concourse — where it could never properly exercise its legs. Doomed to a live life as a caged animal.
So call it the DBX 007 and put it in a Bond film. Heck, set it in Michigan.
Have Bond pick up Ana de Armas at the McNamara Terminal. He’d pop the boot — er, hatchback — to easily store all their luggage. She’d round the front — her slit dress grazing the classic Aston grille (made 27% larger than the standard DBX to feed the twin turbos) — then slip into the monogrammed passenger seat under a panoramic roof. She and James would banter about eccentric features like the hood opener on the right side of the glovebox — because the Aston is also made with right-hand drive for England.
Cruising west on I-94, Bond would notice a fleet of sinister black sedans in the mirror, then exit into the streets of Ann Arbor. He’d storm up State Street, past slack-jawed students as they emerged from their studies in the Law Triangle, then turn under the M-14 overpass onto the twisted, East Huron River Road two-lane.
Bond selects SPORT PLUS mode. Ana grips the door handle. He takes a hard right, the cannon-sized quad tailpipes let out a roar and he disappears across the Foster Bridge as his pursuers plunge into the frigid waters of the Huron River.
Long live 007. Long live the V-8.
Next week: 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia
2023 Aston Martin DBX 707
Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel drive, five-passenger SUV
Price: $236,000, including $3,086 destination ($287,520 as tested)
Powerplant: 4.0-liter, twin-turbo V-8
Power: 697 horsepower, 663 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.1 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 193 mph
Weight: 5,128 lbs.
Fuel economy: EPA 15 mpg city/20 highway/17 combined
Report card
Highs: V-8 from the gods; curb appeal
Lows: Mediocre tech; where to exercise it?
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Rust in Peace: These 2023 models are headed for the automotive graveyard
Posted by Talbot Payne on October 26, 2023
A walk through the Halloween graveyard reveals a number of new automobile headstones. As the industry transitions to electric platforms under strict government EV regulations, a number of models are getting the ax in 2023.
Among the deceased are familiar nameplates like the Dodge Challenger and Nissan Maxima as well as exotics like Audi R8 and Ferrari Portofino. Fear not, however, many of these badges are sure to return. So long and Rust in Peace.
Dodge Challenger/Charger
Dodge’s popular, gas-fueled Challenger coupe and Charger sedan — powered by their 700-plus horsepower Hellcat models — roared to the top of the muscle car sales charts in recent years with the Challenger even dethroning the iconic Mustang. Federal emissions fines, however, have doomed them to an early grave. Dodge honored the last year of production with a variety of Last Call special models, including the $100k, 1,025-horse Demon 170 that can rocket to 60 mph in just 1.7 seconds. The Charger badge will live on as the battery-powered Daytona SRT EV. Expect Challenger to return soon, sans Hellcat V-8, with a turbocharged inline-6 engine
Chrysler 300
Based on the same platform as the Charger, the 300 ends its 18-year run with a limited run of V-8 and V6-powered units. The 300S was the personal wheels of stylin’ 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama — another satisfied customer of the “affordable Rolls Royce” and its slab sides, big grille and big V-8 power.
Chevrolet Bolt EV/EUV
Chevy is killing off its first volume electric car. The Bolt hatchback was introduced to much fanfare in 2016 with over 200 miles of range, beating the Tesla Model 3 to market amid hopes it would be the Silicon Valley sedan’s match. Bolt sales never approached those of the Model 3 — even with the introduction of the larger EUV variant in 2022 — as customers shied from its plastic interior and slow charging rate. In its final year, Bolt has become one of the market’s best EV values as Chevy slashed its price under $30k and the feds restored its $7,500 tax subsidy. Look for Bolt to be reborn soon on GM’s new Ultium battery platform.
Chevrolet Camaro Turbo
The end of this year marks the beginning of the end of the Camaro coupe as the bow-tie brand nixes entry-level LS models equipped with the 275-horse turbo-4 engine. For its final 2024 year of production, Camaro will start at $32k with a 3.6-liter V-6. The latest ‘Maro wowed enthusiasts with its handling when it was introduced in 2016 — but sales fell off a cliff as customers defected to Mustang and Challenger.
Audi R8
Audi’s mid-engine supercar comes to the end of the road after 16 seasons and two generations. The first model, introduced in 2006, bore a “sideburn” decoration behind the B-pillar to compensate for the car’s awkward proportions This was fixed for Gen 2 and — combined with an optional V10 engine — the R8 was one of the most distinctive designs on the market.
Ferrari Portofino M
Exotics fans covet Ferrari for its track-eating, mid-engine hellions, but the front-engine Portofino M was cut from different cloth. Fun to drive topless with a glorious, 4.3-liter, flat-plane crank V-8, it was most at home cruising down big boulevards. It will be mourned, but Portofino fans will welcome the more powerful, 612-horse, twin-turbocharged, 3.9-liter V-8 Roma Spider in its place. Roma will sport a traditional cloth roof as opposed to the Portofino’s hardtop convertible.
Kia Stinger
The sexy Stinger redefined the econobox Korean brand when it debuted in 2018. With sleek hatchback styling and a throaty, 368-horse, twin-turbo V-6 under the hood, the Stinger GT was an Audi A7 for 25 grand less. With an entry-level turbo-4, the roomy hatch can be had for a mere $37k. Stinger has been replaced by the equally ambitious, $15k-more-expensive, battery-powered EV6 with a GT model that can hit 60 mph in a scorching 3.2 seconds
Mazda CX-9
Mazda is replacing one three-row SUV with another. The stylish, quick CX-9 is giving way to the quicker, roomier (and still stylish) CX-90. While praised for its wardrobe and nimble handling, CX-90 lacked punch and segment staples like a panoramic roof. The CX-90 fixes that with a glass roof, silky inline-6 cylinder engine — and a trendy, plug-in hybrid option to capture greens and government credits.
Mazda MX-30
The quirky ute was the brand’s first toe in the EV waters. It sported clever features like cabinet-style doors, but its mere 100-mile range and $35k price tag guaranteed a short lifespan.
Mercedes
The German luxury brand is paring its model lineup as it pours money into parallel electric and gas model lines. The A-Class went away last year and the fastback, four-door CLS follows this year. C-Class and E-Class customers will also have less choice as the convertible and coupe models disappear. Only sedan versions survive. Don’t be too glum, however, as an all-new convertible/coupe CLE debuts for 2024 to replace all four models.
Nissan Maxima
Large sedans not named Dodge Charger have struggled in the Age of Ute, and the long-running Maxima will turn off its lights after 2023. The Maxima badge still carries a lot of weight for its stylish performance, so expect it to be resurrected as — what else? — an EV.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Porsche and IMSA racing work on game-changing, zero-carbon synthetic fuel
Posted by Talbot Payne on October 19, 2023
Braselton, Georgia — Porsche Penske didn’t emerge the champion of the 2023 IMSA Weathertech sportscar series after a hard-fought finale at Road Atlanta, but the German brand is developing what it hopes is a winning fuel formula that may satisfy government regulations for decades to come.
Porsche is working on a synthetic, zero-carbon dioxide emitting fuel with the intent of using it in motorsport, the most demanding internal combustion engine environment in the world.
Governments from Washington to China over the next decade are forcing auto companies to abandon internal combustion engines for only battery-powered vehicles, but the mandate is running into multiple complications. Materials are heavily concentrated in China, customers have been resistant to electric vehicles given their high cost and range limitations, and those range limitations make them unworkable in endurance racing.
So while the current generation of IMSA prototype racers have adopted hybrid powertrains with battery assist, Porsche and Exxon are working on a synthetic fuel solution that would satisfy zero-carbon regulations but also maintain motorsports competition. The big bonus? It could be used in the vehicles of hundreds of millions of owners around the world that would otherwise see their residual values crater as governments ban gas engines.
“In the regulatory move from ICEs to EVs, manufactures saw hybrids as a middle step,” said IMSA President John Doonan in an interview. “But the next step is fuel. Our fuel partner, VP, is currently providing us with 80% renewable fuel made from plant waste. But in the future, a 100% renewable fuel could be in our playbook.”
That playbook is largely being written by Porsche, which has teamed with Exxon to develop a synthetic fuel — producing minimal carbon dioxide emissions — in Chile.
E-fuel, or synthetic fuels, recapture atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions during the production process, offsetting the emissions released when the fuel is burned by a vehicle to allow for close to net-zero emissions. That is, no new carbon-based fuel is dug up from the ground. The Chilean plant makes e-fuel by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen and releasing the latter into the atmosphere. The hydrogen is then combined with CO₂ (that would otherwise be in the atmosphere) to create methanol. A final process then converts methanol into gasoline.
“Every indication, from price to profitability to functionality, suggests EVs have a long way to go before they can realistically replace traditional cars,” said veteran iSeeCars auto analyst and performance car enthusiast Karl Brauer. “If what’s driving the push toward EVs is exhaust emissions, and that problem can be solved through synthetic fuels, it seems like a far simpler, easier and less-expensive route.”
Automakers — and by extension the motorsports that they underwrite — are under the most extreme U.S. government regulation since mpg laws were introduced in the early 1970s. At that time, government warned that world was running out of oil as OPEC nations restricted exports to western nations.
Government threatened to shut down NASCAR unless the stock car series used less fuel, and endurance races like the 24 Hours of Daytona were canceled in 1973.
Today, politicians fear auto emissions are threatening human existence. “Climate change is an existential threat. It actually threatens and is capable of wiping out all human life on earth,” said Biden administration official John Kirby, the National Security Council coordinator for strategic communications, this October. The EPA warns “the health effects of climate change include respiratory and heart diseases, water-and food-related illnesses, and injuries and deaths” and has targeted the auto industry for billions of fines unless it switches to EVs.
Against this backdrop, Doonan says motorsports has anticipated regulations by working with Washington, D.C., regulatory agencies rather than getting blind-sided as in the 1970s.
“IMSA has a partnership with the Society of Automotive Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Department of Energy,” said Doonan. ‘We’ve developed green racing protocols, and are working in connection with them.”Roger Penske, whose Team Penske partners with Porsche in the IMSA GTP class and also owns the IndyCar series, has been dismissive of the viability of EVs in motorsport. “We didn’t buy the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to run around there with electric cars,” he told The Detroit News in 2021. The iconic Indianapolis 500 attracts 300,000 fans every Memorial Day weekend, while the electric Formula E race series has struggled to gain traction.
Penske also owns more than 200 auto dealerships, and dealers have struggled to move EVs. “I don’t think you’re going to see the world go all-electric,” said the soft-spoken 86-year-old, whose corporate headquarters are just up the road in Bloomfield Hills. “I think you’ll see hybrid solutions in all kinds of transportation sectors.”
Porsche is targeting 80% of its vehicle sales to be electric by 2035 and meet global government edicts, but the brand’s performance DNA is built around the shrieking, gas-powered flat-6 cylinder engines of its 911 supercar. Chevrolet’s V8-powered Corvette and Ford’s Mustang coupe carry similar emotional weight in their brands.
And all three vehicles play a key role in the future of IMSA — and its international partner, the World Endurance Championship — with multiple entries aimed at fans who crave the melody of high-revving V-8 and V-6 engines.
The intent of IMSA, Porsche and their fuel partners is to show that synthetic fuels can take the stresses of auto racing. Pass that test, and they feel consumers will adopt synthetic fuels for their own internal combustion engine cars.
There are 1.3 billion ICEs on the road in the world today.
Porsche showed off the fuel at the brand’s Rennsport Reunion 7 at Laguna Seca Raceway in California this fall. The brand used synthetic fuel in all its vehicles at the event — both in race cars on the track and in support vehicles like Cayenne SUV media shuttles. The e-fuel was even pumped it into a 1950s-vintage Porsche 356 to show that any gas engine can run on it as efficiently as current fuels.
“Racing has always been used as a test bed for manufacturers, and (electrification) is a new technology out there, so that’s why there’s all this interest from all the manufacturers to get involved,” Michael Andretti, CEO of Andretti Autosport, told The Detroit News.
Insiders along the IMSA paddock say the development of e-fuels may be one of the most important roles racing has ever played in the industry. With the coming bans on gasoline-fired engines, governments are transforming automakers into public utilities similar to electric companies. The intent is a closed loop of zero-emission transportation with batteries produced from windmills and hydro power.
Porsche’s Hanu Oni plant in Chile seeks a similar closed production loop. The plant’s fuel is created using energy generated from Punta Arenas wind power, a geographic location where wind turbines run at peak efficiency some four times greater than Germany’s windiest spots.
Porsche admits that the alternative fuels processes — like batteries — aren’t cheap with the company investing $100 million in synthetic fuel research. But the alternative — lackluster endurance EV racing or an outright government ban — would be even more costly for the multibillion-dollar world of motorsport.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.