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Payne: That’s a Prius? Toyota hybrid goes from nerd to knockout
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 27, 2023
Holly Oaks — The hybrid Toyota Prius — Pious to its detractors — has always been designed to stand out. To be a statement. For its fifth generation, it’s chosen beauty.
Like the goth nerd who blossomed into the prom queen, the 2023 Prius has ditched its polarizing design to become one of the market’s best-looking compact hatchbacks. Green is chic, and Prius now dresses in fashionable, simple wardrobe like a Tesla or a Mercedes EQ sedan.
Pious? Call it Precious.
The beauty is hardly skin deep. The Toyota sits on a much firmer TNGA platform — light years from its original noodle-soft frame — for better handling. Its interior is more mature, too, adopting conventional tablet console screen and ditching the bathroom sink-white console trim.
Signature design cues like the dash-mounted shifter and split rear window are gone. Yes, there’s an instrument display at the base of the windshield, but this is more familiar to the electric bZ4X than to the old middle-mounted display. All this mainstreaming is a recognition that Prius is no longer a freak — it’s been joined by numerous other hybrids, including the Hyundai Elantra, Honda Civic and the Corolla and Corolla Cross Hybrid cousins.
With hatchback and sedan sales out of vogue, Prius takes its battery act upscale where the customers are. This Prius is a big step up on looks, handling and tech while not forgetting its calling card: efficiency.
The base Prius boasts an impressive 52 mpg — but it also comes with a more powerful plug-in option that claims 48 mpg and 44 miles of battery-only driving. My Prius Prime tester’s duality as a hybrid and EV was impressive.
As I eased it out of my driveway on a Saturday morning, the fully charged Prime defaulted to EV mode.
Like a Tesla, my Prius Prime quietly glided around town on electrons. Unlike my big battery, 80 kWh Tesla Model 3, however, the Prime’s 10.9 kWh battery has limited torque. You won’t be out-dragging Bimmers from stoplights.
If it’s acceleration you want, though, the Prime is a big upgrade over the pokey, Pokemon-lookalike model from 2022. Change the EV model selector to HYBRID, and the electric motor and 2.0-liter gas engine combine for an impressive 220 horsepower (100 more than last gen). It will scoot to 60 mph in 6.5 seconds — a serious improvement over the old model’s 10.3 seconds.
But I digress. I was determined to do my urban chores in full-EV mode. Prius accomplished this task with a faint whir of its front-wheel-drive electric motor and no regenerative breaking like most EVs. I eventually drained the battery to just four miles after a morning of errands.
I toggled the EV mode switch to RECHARGE. This mode effectively swapped electric power for gas engine power to recharge the nearly depleted battery — on the fly. So, rather than stop at a charger, I replenished the battery by continuing to drive to my next appointment. Slick.
I barked an order at Android Auto to take me to Holy Oaks, 43 miles up I-75 in north Oakland County (curiously, for such a high-tech tool, the Prius stull requires a wire to hook up Android Auto).
After the liquid-smooth experience of battery power, the Prius’s 2.0-liter gas engine sounded coarse, buzzing away at 80 mpg up I-75. But it did its job, adding 20 miles of battery charge during my 86-mile round trip. Had I continued north in hybrid mode, the Prius would have returned a whopping 550 miles of range. Try that in an EV at 80 mpg on a 50-degree day.
On the journey to Holly, I engaged adaptive cruise control — standard on the loaded Prime along with blind-spot assist, auto high-beams and a toaster oven (kidding about that last one) — which proved an excellent driver assist. While the system confidently navigated the interstate’s long curves, I was able to scarf down a few tenders from Uncle Joe’s Chicken for lunch.
At Holly, I met some Ford Bronco friends who were getting dirty at Bronco Fest. With its low profile 19-inch wheels (remember the days when the Prius had small, geeky 15-inchers for optimum mileage?) off-roading is not Prius’s forte. So it remained in the paddock and looked nice while mud-caked Broncos with 11-inch suspension lifts came and went.
Had I added any passengers for my trip back south, they would have noticed Precious’s compromised headroom thanks to its new, sleek design. The A-pillar is so raked it’s practically an extension of the hood line — meaning my 6’5” noggin was inches from the sunroof. Rear-seats passengers are similarly confined by the coupe-like roofline — though legroom is comfy for a compact.
All that battery and tech mean that the Prius is significantly more expensive than the previous generation, with the base model starting at $33K (a $4K increase) — with my XSE tester topping out at $38,299. That compares favorable to an equally stylish all-wheel-drive, loaded-with-standard-safety-features Mazda3 Turbo with 210 horsepower and a $39K sticker price — except the Toyota is FWD only.
As improved as its new chassis is, the Prius still can’t hold a candle to the Mazda’s nimble handling. Competition includes Toyota’s own RAV4 hybrid plug-in, which clocks in at $42K with similar drivetrain efficiencies plus the SUV utility folks crave these days.
But if it’s an attractive hatchback you want, Prius Prime is a looker.
The new recessed instrument panel essentially acts as a head-up display so you never have to take your eyes from the road. It required a lower steering wheel position, but I got comfortable with the arrangement over time. Other ergonomic details are less friendly.
My top-trim Prime XSE came equipped with a vertical phone charger slot that could not accommodate my oversized Samsung phone, wasting console space. Other manufacturers use the more flexible, horizontal flat space at the fore of the console for phone chargers. And the Prius’s steering wheel controls lacked raised surfaces like, say, Chevrolet’s clever controls, so I often had to take my eyes off the road to adjust adaptive cruise control.
Still, it’s a testimony to the new Prius’s handling that you want to keep your eyes on the road. Exiting Holly Oaks, I toggled SPORT mode — accessing all 220 horses hybrid horses — and launched into a 180-degree clover leaf.
Exiting on power, I merged with authority into traffic ahead of a Jeep Wrangler and BMW 3-series. Precious.
Next week: 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse
2023 Toyota Prius Prime
Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive, five-passenger hybrid hatchback
Price: $33,445 base, including $1,095 destination ($38,299 XSE as tested)
Power plant: 2.0-liter, inline-4 mated to electric motor and 13.6 kWh lithium-ion battery pack
Power: 220 horsepower
Transmission: Continuously variable
Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.5 seconds (Car and Driver est.); top speed, 112 mph
Weight: 3,516 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 50 mpg city/47 mpg highway/48 mpg combined; 39-44 miles pure-battery range
Report card
Highs: Stylish exterior; regenerated battery range on the fly
Lows: No wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay; clumsy switchgear
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Detroit auto show to include product reveals from GM, Ford, Stellantis
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 25, 2023
The Detroit auto show circus is back this September for its second annual fall exhibit under Huntington Place’s big tent, and Detroit automakers say they will be bringing big acts.
Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Stellantis NV confirmed this week they will each unveil new vehicles for a total of six reveals during the show’s Media and Technology Days Sept. 13-14 — to be followed by public viewing days through Sept. 24.
“We are thrilled by the tremendous support of our hometown Detroit Three in bringing these exciting reveals and their products and vehicle activations to the show,” said North American International Auto Show Chair Thad Szott, who runs Szott Auto Group. “We expect the momentum created by these unveilings to generate outstanding media and consumer attendance and interest.”
The reveals will join a floor-full of activations as the Detroit Automobile Dealers Association, which runs the show, showcases the latest tech and electric vehicle innovations. There will be an indoor track for EVs (dubbed the Powering Michigan EV Experience), indoor rides to experience Jeep, Fords, GMCs and other beasts, and outdoor street rides as well.
Auto shows have taken a hit in recent years as a changing media landscape allowed automakers to reveal new products at a variety of backdrops — rather than competing for media attention on a crowded auto show floor. New York, Chicago, Frankfurt and other auto shows have suffered — and Detroit is not alone. The pandemic didn’t help, pushing off NAIAS’s planned transition from a January show downtown to one later on the calendar from 2020 to 2022.
As a result, Detroit brands are key to the show as it becomes more regional in content. Ford’s reveal of the seventh-generation Mustang at last year’s show, for example, was a highlight as a “Stampede” of some 1,000 Mustangs drove in from Ford World Headquarters in Dearborn to Hart Plaza.
German brands (like BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Porsche) and Japanese automakers (Honda, Subaru, Mazda) have quit the show to find other venues to sell their wares in a state where buyers are heavily biased toward the Detroit Three both for employment reasons and for financial incentives to buy a car (think friend and family discounts).
While showgoers won’t be dazzled by the multimillion-dollar displays that lit up the floor at the event’s height a decade ago, Huntington Place is still an opportunity for Detroit dealers to hook customers shopping for a new car.
“It’s the Detroit show, which makes it especially exciting to offer consumers the opportunity to go for a ride in our Jeep and Ram vehicles on our specialized test tracks, as well as check out all the latest offerings from the rest of our North American brands,” said Rick Deneau, head of product and brand communications for Stellantis.
No word yet on whether the circus will include the 60-foot tall rubber duck — in honor of Jeep enthusiasts’ “ducking” tradition — that made an appearance last year.
Expect new reveals to go heavy on electrification as the industry has promised a wave of EVs in the next two years to comply with government rules. General Motors has a number of battery-powered models in the pipeline, including the Equinox, Blazer, and Silverado EVs. Notably absent, however, will be domestic electric startups like Rivian Automotive and Fisker Inc. and EV market leader Tesla Inc.
“The Detroit Auto Show is a longstanding tradition that brings the community, consumers, car enthusiasts and our employees together,” said Mark Truby, Ford chief communications officer. “We’re excited to return this September and look forward to making a splash with some of our most iconic and important new vehicles.”
With all the attention on EVs, however, the Detroit Three aren’t taking their foot off the gas pedal when it comes to internal combustion engines that are fueling their EV investments.
In an indication of the industry’s new venue opportunities, there will also be Jeep, Ford Bronco and Chevy truck displays at Detroit 4fest off-road event in Holly Oaks — just 50 miles up I-75 from Huntington Place — the weekend before NAIAS media days.
In addition to media reveals, the Detroit show will host a two-day Mobility Global Forum to spotlight leading mobility voices from industry and government. AutoMobili-D, the show’s technology showcase presented by the Michigan Economic Development Corp. and the Office of Future Mobility and Electrification, will feature startup high-tech companies and leading universities.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: At full gallop in the high-tech, high-performance 2024 Mustang
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 25, 2023
Los Angeles — Angeles Crest Highway north of LA is hardly angelic. This is California’s version of Michigan’s Hell.
Like the writhing byways of Hell north of Ann Arbor, Angeles Crest Highway — aka State Route 2 — is where Southern Cal motorheads escape to put their sports cars to the test. Diabolical switchbacks. Diving turns. A ribbon of road wrapped around sheer canyons. Push the limits and you’ll quickly learn your steed’s envelope. Once upon a time, this was harrowing territory in a Ford Mustang with its boat-anchor V-8 up front and inflexible, solid rear axle out back. No more.
WAAAUUUUURRGGHH! I stomped on the accelerator of the new 2024 Mustang GT at the apex of a blind left-hand turn. Nicely balanced, the coupe tracked out to the edge of the road as I set up for yet another lefthander rushing into view. Hands never leaving the wheel, I toggled TRACK mode with my left thumb for more stiffening from the magnetic shocks. Computer-game quality graphics projected a horizontal, race-style tachometer so I could more precisely shift the steering paddles. WAAAUUUUURRGGHH! Back on the gas.
I drive a lot of new cars every year and few generate lust. Ford’s pony is an exception. The seventh-generation Mustang is a must-have.
Viscerally appealing, wildly capable, high-tech, and (relatively) affordable, the 2024 is a home run — the culmination of 60 years of customer marketing wrapped in state-of-the-art engineering. It didn’t have to be. Ford could have just mailed it in.
In this era of off-road SUV-mania and stifling emissions regulations, the V8-powered muscle car segment is endangered. After the 2024 model year, only Mustang will be left standing, its primary Dodge Challenger/Charger and Chevy Camaro competitors retired to pasture for terrorizing too many polar bears.
But like the “Top Gun: Maverick” sequel, Mustang is a blockbuster with enough action to satisfy multiple demographics: young, old, female, male, motorhead, rent-a-car tourist.
Start with the interior — yes, I’m talking about the interior of a Mustang first. This used to be the last place ‘Stang would invest its budget with its slab dash, uncomfortable seats, hard plastics, and good ol’, retro, double instrument display. The heck with that.
Designer Chris Walter throws around the word “transformative,” and for good reason. This interior is more BMW than old-school Mustang. A 25.6-inch, driver-centric, hoodless screen dominates the cabin and houses twin digital displays. Sure, there are budget constraints — the screen doesn’t get the reflective coating of the $80,000 Bimmers I’ve recently wheeled. But even BMW enthusiasts will drool over the Unreal Engine graphical interface — yes, the same 3D Unreal Engine software that runs Epic Games’ titles like Rocket League and Fortnite — games my sons grew up with. The next-generation Mustang customer has been served.
Sports cars are big toys and Unreal Engine brings a new play set to the cabin to customize drive modes and instrument displays. Or you can just ogle 360-degree graphics of your car. Interior design complements the tech with simple lines, buttons, and wireless charger port for Android Auto/Apple CarPlay.
My favorite interior toy used to be the stick shift, and I’m thrilled the GT still comes standard with a six-speed (#SaveTheManual!), but the liquid-smooth, 10-speed automatic transmission comes with a growing list of benefits that make it the driver’s choice at $1,595. Chief among these is it pairs with the V-8, like Astaire and Rogers, for dancing through the twisties.
Then add launch control, paddle shifters, drifting and remote revving. The latter toys will wow your friends. Join a local drift club and learn the ropes. Remote-start the Mustang, then use the key fob to rev the engine. Dude.
The interior customization mirrors the exterior customization that Mustang customers have long enjoyed. Hmmm, shall I get Atlas Blue with white Shelby stripes or Oxford White with black stripes? The seventh-gen adds more goodies like 12 wheel options, colorful Brembo brake calipers and blacked-out roof.
All that bling would be wasted if the Mustang didn’t have curb appeal, and the ’24 delivers. This is Tom Cruise in a muscle shirt.
I liked the last-gen Mustang that expanded to 120-plus countries with a more European design. But the faithful (like my friend and ‘Stang GT350 owner Chris) protested it as the “Mustang Fusion.” The new-gen is edgier, more muscular with a wide mouth, brooding headlights and a rear fascia inspired by the ‘67 Fastback. Chris likes it.
Dress it in yellow, blue and red Skittle colors to show off the GT’s multiple tattoos: badging and multiple ducts to feed the beast within. The trusty, 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 has been redesigned with menacing, dual throttle bodies that will encourage open hoods at the Dream Cruise.
The hood itself is interrupted by a functional hood scoop that aids cooling and downforce. Developed in Ford’s state-of-the-art Dearborn wind tunnel, the added front downforce is part of a comprehensive effort to make ‘Stang more sports car than muscle car.
Once a Woodward dragster, the ‘15 Mustang’s independent rear suspension opened new horizons. This is now a true sports car and the ‘24 builds on that potential. Steering, shocks, aerodynamics — the parts have all been systematically upgraded to benefit the whole.
The result is a whole lot of joy in corners as well as in a straight line. My co-driver and fellow scribe Robin Warner — a former race driver and Mustang engineer — roared with delight every time he let loose the Coyote’s howl. But it’s the ability to stay in the throttle through the twisties that really thrills.
My yellow V-8 pony was easy to drive fast.
All these upgrades don’t come free, and Mustang gets a significant $3,500 price increase over the sixth-gen model. That means the 480-horsepower GT now stickers for well above $40,000 at a $43,090 starting price. That’s still $20K south of the 453-horse BMW M2 I just tested.
Ford expects the GT to soak up 55% of the sales volume. Coyote is addictive. But for those shopping on a sub-$40K budget, the entry-level, $32,515, 4-cylinder Mustang Ecoboost (ugh, that name) is no ordinary 4-banger.
This is a similar 2.3-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder used in Europe’s Focus RS hot hatch — and it has been thoroughly upgraded for 2024. “Base turbo-four engine fails to excite,” lamented our friends at Car and Driver about the last gen. Problem solved.
Other sports cars’ turbo-4s — the Porsche 718 comes to mind — have disappointed as they strive to satisfy mpg nannies. Mustang’s turbo-4 is Son of Coyote with its playful growl, 350-pound feet of torque (just 65 shy of big brother), and a lighter front end for better handling.
Go topless and that handling confidence goes away. Absent the roof, the ‘Stang is uncertain in fast switchbacks. But that’s not why you buy the convertible. You buy it to cruise the Woodward Dream Cruise, soak up sun, or enjoy a lake breeze in Traverse City.
Mustang has its demerits. You have to take your legs off to sit in the back seat (can we get a Mustang sedan to replace the Dodge Charger, please?), and a head-up display option would be nice. But with the 2024 model, Mustang has matured for a new era.
As the scion of a sub-brand that now includes the Mach-E SUV, ‘Stang is fun, high tech — and, like Tom Cruise, still hot.
2024 Ford Mustang
Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive, four-passenger sports car
Price: $32,515 base, including $1,595 destination ($53,635 Ecoboost Convertible and $60,840 GT as tested)
Power plant: 2.3-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder; 5.0-liter V-8
Power: 315 horsepower, 350 pound-feet of torque (Turbo-4); 480 horsepower, 415 pound-feet of torque (V-8)
Transmission: Six-speed manual (GT only); 10-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.9 seconds (Motor Trend est.)
Weight: 4,012 pounds (GT as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 22 mpg city/33 mpg highway/26 mpg combined (turbo-4): 14 mpg city/23 mpg highway/17 mpg combined (V-8)
Report card
Highs: Good engine lineup; transformed, high-tech interior
Lows: Cramped back seat; gets pricey with options
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: Flat out in the bonkers Toyota GR Corolla
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 21, 2023
Pontiac — You want a diverse, full-line model lineup?
This June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France, the 986-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Toyota GR (for Gazoo Racing) Hypercar battled the Ferrari 499F Hypercar tooth and nail for first place in the world’s most prestigious endurance race. The same week, I lapped the 300-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Toyota GR Corolla around M1 Concourse, Metro Detroit’s premier race track.
Yes, Toyota has gone bonkers.
Led by racing fanatic and Chairman Akio Toyoda, Toyota has emerged in recent years as one of the most dynamic brands in the industry as its lineup is now augmented by two sports cars — the Supra and 86 — and a raft of Gazoo Racing (GR) models inspired by the hypercar that won five Le Mans in a row and just missed out on No. 6 last month against competitors like Ferrari, Porsche and Cadillac.
Maybe the craziest experiment in the lab is the GR Corolla, which has transformed Toyota’s entry-level sedan appliance into a fire-breathing, steroid-fed hot hatch boasting 187 horsepower per liter from a turbocharged, 1.6-liter 3-cylinder engine blown out of its mind.
The GR-eatest of the batch is the limited-edition, track-focused Morizo model that I began my Monday with.
“I think that’s the fastest a Corolla has ever gone around this track,” smiled general manager Keith Bonn, after I cranked off laps quicker than the GR 86 sports cars that M1 has in its track fleet.
“It may be the only Corolla that’s ever gone around this track,” I replied.
The Morizo manages such track feats thanks to a boost in torque to 295 (from the standard GR Corolla’s healthy 275), light-weighted body, Brembo brakes and sticky Michelin Pilot Cup 2 tires. Mostly it’s the Cup 2 tires. These marvelous meatballs are the summit of production performance tires and are normally found on supercars like the Chevy Corvette Z06 or Porsche GT3.
They are on the Morizo because, according to Toyota, that’s how Akio Toyoda would outfit this pitbull if he were to take it on track. I’m not making this up. In addition to the tires and torque, the Morizo gets extra chassis stiffening like a fat steel bar that bisects the cargo area. And there’s no back seat. What the —-?
That’s right, to save weight (and open up room for Akio to throw in four spare tires for the track) the GR Corolla Morizo has four doors — but only two front seats. More weight savings comes from a carbon fiber roof and forged wheels. For all this muscle (and inconvenience in the case of no rear seats), you can have this one-of-200-imported-to-the-U.S. Morizo special editions for a stiff $50,000.
And that’s not the only special-edition model. The Circuit Edition — also exclusive to the 2023 launch year — boasts similar power numbers and body tattoos like GR-Four stamped side rockers, flat underfloor and rear lip spoiler.
That’s how determined Toyota is to change its image as a maker of vanilla cars — and to make its mark in a hot hatch market segment stuffed with outstanding athletes: Honda Civic Type R, Mazda3 Turbo, Subaru WRX, Golf GTI, Golf R.
Collectibles aside, you’ll be fine with the standard GR Corolla like the $38,600 blood-red demon I terrorized Washtenaw County with last year. It features the same 12.3-inch digital instrument display as the Morizo and Circuit Editions. Same tablet infotainment display. Same wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and Toyota Safety Sense 3.0 system surrounding you with useful safety tools like blind-spot assist. Just add the Performance Package so you get limited-slip differentials for maximum Rottweiler grip.
Don’t expect much legroom even with the rear seats intact — the GR’s biggest demerit when compared with roomier competitors like the Type R or WRX.
Unlike Subaru’s hellion, GR Corolla does not come by its all-wheel-drive character naturally. The Corolla was born a front-wheel driver. But like its hatch brethren, the GR Corolla is totally transformed from the base car into an exhilarating grocery cart that can also double as a track car on weekends.
I recently raced at Canadian Motorsports Park in Ontario in my Lola race car. Our weekend shared track time with production models like Mustangs, Camaros, Porsche Caymans — and hot hatches like the Fiat 500 Abarth and Honda Type R. The GR Corolla would have fit right in.
The 1.6-liter three is a remarkable piece of technology, and it has a stick shift (also not available in a base Corolla) to match. Notchy and easy to shift, it’s the perfect companion on track (or on country roads) with engine peak torque kicking in above 4,000 RPM. Pedal placement is excellent, too, for heel-and-toe downshifts — especially since the GR Corolla doesn’t offer rev-matching like some of its peers.
It’s nice to see Toyota in the pocket rocket game with GR. It’s the answer to the question no one was expecting: what would happen if the Le Mans GR Hypercar and a Corolla had a baby?
Next week: 2024 Ford Mustang
2023 Toyota GR Corolla
Vehicle type: Front-engine, all-wheel-drive four-passenger hot hatch
Price: $36,995 base, including $1,095 destination ($51,420 Morizo edition as tested)
Power plant: 1.6-liter, turbocharged 3-cylinder
Power: 300 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque (as tested)
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.9 seconds (Car and Driver)
Weight: 3,186 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 21 mpg city/28 mpg highway/24 mpg combined
Report card
Highs: All-wheel-drive grip; notchy stick shift
Lows: Cramped back seat; no rev-match
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Steppin’ out: 2024 Cadillac XT4 gets fancier duds, mammoth screen
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 21, 2023
It’s nice to have big sister hand-me-downs.
For 2024 Cadillac’s entry-level SUV, the XT4, adopts wardrobe upgrades made popular by more expensive siblings, Cadillac Escalade and Lyriq. The Caddy’s wee interior now features a huge, 33-inch wide screen that spans the dash — housing digital instrument and infotainment displays.
The premium look helps the Caddy keep up with blingtastic midsize competitors like the Mercedes GLB, Audi Q3 and BMW X1, which have also expanded their screen real estate. Outside, the Caddy updates its signature vertical light show with thinner, state-of-the-art LEDs. Cadillac’s fascia maintains its vertical “tear drop” running lights, but the headlights have been moved to the middle of the fascia in keeping with current fashion. LED “eyebrows” are at hood level.
The small Caddy’s siblings have a lot to thank XT4 for as well. After decades of entry-level sedans, the XT4 opened the door to a new generation of Cadillac SUVs that now include the XT5 and XT6, as well as the iconic Escalade
“The XT4 continues to be a top-selling vehicle in its class, year over year,” said Executive Vice President and President, GM North America Rory Harvey. “Now with enhancements including our 33-inch-diagonal display and new safety features, it will further demand a second look.”
The XT4 was the fourth best-selling vehicle in segment last year with 21,773 unit sales — trailing only the Lexus NX, Mercedes GLB and Audi Q3.
GM’s Buick brand was first to the subcompact SUV segment with the Encore in 2013, and the XT4 didn’t follow until 2018, catching up with German competitors. The Encore has been replaced by the Envision, and the Cadillac will likely start some $15,000 north of the Buick.
For that premium, Cadillac’s luxury brand brings all-wheel-drive married to a much more powerful drivetrain: A 235-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder compared to the Buick’s 137-horse, 1.2-liter turbo-3. Cadillac is determined to go cold turkey off internal combustion vehicles this decade, so the XT4 is not offered in a hybrid, gas-electric model like the Lexus NX. It does not yet offer an all-electric option like the Volvo XC40 Recharge.
The XT4 model walk feature a Y-lineup with a base, Luxury model that then splits into two choices: Sport and Premium Luxury, depending on your vibe. Sport offer a more aggressive, black-and-carbon-fiber-trimmed SUV while Premium Luxury is more buttoned-up with exclusive grille, wheels, fascia, roof rails, side body accents and wood accents inside.
“The 2024 XT4’s exterior styling — with signature vertical lighting cues and enhancement s— advances Cadillac’s design standard,” said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of Global Cadillac.
All three models come with the same drivetrain. Acceleration is brisk in the XT4 with 258 pound-feet of torque. The XT4 also boasts 3,500-pound towing capacity. Without a trailer out back, the XT4 is nimble for an SUV with dual-rear clutches that can throw 100% of rear torque to either side to prevent one wheel from spinning helplessly — in a Michigan snowstorm, for example — and get you moving again.
Inside, the XT4 translates its long, 109-inch wheelbase into one of the roomiest back seats in class. Rear occupants can also enjoy an optional moonroof. Other premium options include a 13-speaker, AKG Studio Audio System.
In addition to its big screen — now powered by Google Built-in, just like your phone’s navigation — XT4 offers the lates, standard safety and driver assistance tech, including blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic braking, 5G WiFi hotspot capability, and lane-keep assist. Though GM has been aggressive in offering its hands-free, semi-autonomous Super Cruise suite on multiple models, there is no word yet on whether the XT4 will option that feature.
A new lineup of 18-and 20-inch wheels is on tap and three new exterior colors: Emerald Lake Metallic, Midnight Sky Metallic and Deep Sea Metallic.
Assembled in Kansas at GM’s Fairfax Assembly facility, the 2024 XT4 goes on sale this summer.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: That’s a Buick? Envista’s entry-level luxury
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 21, 2023
Ann Arbor — The entry-level, subcompact Encore redefined the Buick brand. The Envista makes it a contender.
I mean, just look at the thing. A lot of folks did as I flogged my Ocean Blue Metallic tester across the winding roads of Livingston County. Taking design cues from the elegant Buick Wildcat concept, this SUV enters the highway with a bullet-train nose framed by stylish peepers — then leaves you with a fastback view that’ll have you pedaling to catch up so you can remember her name.
Elle? Electra? Ember? Envista.
OK, got it. Why Buick didn’t stick with Encore is surprising since rebuilding badge equity in a competitive market is a daunting task. But Buick marketing chief Sam Russell said that the Envista’s dramatic evolution from the Encore necessitated a new name. Hard to argue.
Not only does Envista’s design put it in league with premium subcompacts like the BMW X1, Mercedes GLA and Cadillac XT4, but it does so for a startling $15,000 less. Like the original Encore that invented the subcompact SUV segment, Envista has found its sweet spot with a $26K subcompact SUV.
There is no Acura in the segment. No Infiniti. No Lincoln. That leaves still formidable competition from upwardly-mobile models like the Mazda CX-30 and VW Taos, which will test the Buick’s premium aspirations — especially as they offer an all-wheel-drive option. But they can’t match the Buick’s style and interior room.
Rather than equip Envista with AWD, Buick has paired the front-wheel-drive Envista with the all-wheel-drive Encore GX that also sports Buick’s new face. The Encore and Encore GX were similarly paired in the last generation. Curiously, though, Encore GX remains on the old cramped 102-inch wheelbase while Envista gets the new 106-inch wheelbase shared with the Chevy Trax, which has become a mainstream class contender in its own right.
Think of the Buick siblings the way BMW pairs its X1 and X2 coupe designs. But save for the AWD option, Envista is superior in every way to its more expensive stablemate. Despite its coupe-like roof, Envista still managed to fit my giraffe neck comfortably in the rear seat.
Rear legroom is palatial — nearly three inches more than GX and just half-an-inch less than the compact-class Buick Envision that starts — ahem — at $15,000 more than Envista. Maybe they should have called Envista the Envalue.
In due course for Buick, Envista comes with an upscale leather-bound Avenir model starting at $29,695, and a mid-level ST version at $25,195. I’d recommend the base Preferred model.
All trims come standard with state-of-the-art, eight-inch instrument and 11-inch infotainment displays sharing a lovely 19-inch curved dash screen. It’s paired with wireless Android Auto (and Apple CarPlay) that I used to navigate across the winding, hilly roads of southeast Michigan.
But the part I appreciated most was that my jumbo Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra smartphone — sheathed in a ZeroLemon battery case — fit easily onto the console’s fore charging cubby. Subcompact ute consoles are inherently compact, but Buick engineers have taken the time to make sure that any phone could fit the space so that it wouldn’t run out of charge while navigating. Take a bow, engineers.
This ergonomic attention to detail is impressive — and expected as the Buick uses the same parts bin as Cadillacs, GMC Sierras and other GM products.
That means my hands didn’t need to leave the wheel during my day’s drive. I managed adaptive cruise control with my left thumb (dancing across a pad of keys on the left steering wheel). I adjusted radio volume with my right forefingers (using twin pads on the right backside of the steering wheel). And for my favorite radio stations? I used my left forefingers to toggle the UP/DOWN tabs on the steering wheel’s left backside.
Envista sits confidently on the same chassis that undergirds the new Trax. In addition to the expanded wheelbase, the Envista grows in length by 14 inches over Encore and adds two cubic feet of cargo space. That package comes with the Envista’s greatest limitation: the drivetrain.
The Bimmers, Audi and Merc are more expensive in part because they provide substantially more power than Envista. A BMW X1 packs 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque from its perky, 2.0-liter turbo-four while the Buick uses the same 1.2-liter turbo-3 cylinder as the Chevy for, um, just 137 horses and 162 torque. Even the Mazda CX-30 buries the Buick with 186 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque from its 2.5-liter 4-banger. Upgrade to the Mazda’s 250-horse, 320-torque Turbo model and it’ll leave a Bimmer in its tracks with 5.4 second 0-60 run and nimble handling.
Buick figures its customers care more about fuel economy (30 mpg compared to the BMW’s 24) and a handsome dashboard than a 60-mph dash. “Quiet tuning” is the brand’s new mantra.
But with its compact size, Envista is hardly a wet noodle in the twisties. As I pushed hard across Livingston County, Envista proved tidy and its low-end torque adequate for jumping off corners — or merging into traffic on I-94. Where the three-banger gets winded is in the higher-rev ranges and its pokey, 8.8-second 0-60 mph time.
I’ve touted the $36K Mazda CX-30 Turbo as the best all-around SUV in the subcompact class for its combination of affordability, style and performance. But if the latter is not a priority, then my Envista Preferred weighs in at $26,295 — 10 grand below the Mazda while sporting comfortable power cloth/leatherette seats and all of Mrs. Payne’s must-have goodies: heated seats, heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, wireless smartphone.
And all-wheel drive, hon. It’s gotta have all-wheel drive for Michigan winters.
Oh, right. In that case, the smaller, $29,350 Encore GX would be your choice for northern climates. My guess is that the Encore GX will adopt the Envista’s longer wheelbase in a couple of years, offering a more complete package. And who knows, maybe Buick will get a performance engine option — that 2.7-liter turbo-four in the GMC Canyon looks tempting — to rival the Bimmer and Mazda.
If Buick can be remade as an SUV brand, a performance model isn’t too much to ask, is it?
Next week: 2023 Toyota GR Corolla
2024 Buick Envista
Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive five-passenger SUV
Price: $23,495 base, including $1,095 destination ($26,295 Preferred as tested)
Power plant: 1.2-liter turbocharged inline-3 cylinder
Power: 137 horsepower and 162 lb.-ft. of torque
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 8.8 seconds (est.)
Weight: 3,030 pounds (Preferred) as tested
Fuel economy: est. 28 mpg city/32 mpg highway/30 mpg combined
Report card
Highs: Saks Fifth Avenue looks, Target price; superb interior ergonomics
Lows: Engine doesn’t match its looks; no AWD option
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Ambitious, SUV-focused Buick is not your grandma’s doddering sedan brand anymore
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 12, 2023
Ann Arbor — As the poster child for General Motors Co.’s radical transition to an all-electric vehicle manufacturer by 2035, Cadillac will be all-EV by 2030. To that end, Caddy has redesigned its logo, updated its design language, unveiled the sport-utility Lyriq EV, and introduced a halo, custom-built, $300,000 Celestiq electric sedan to compete with Rolls Royce. Whew.
But another GM premium brand is undergoing a transformation that is just as ambitious.
While Cadillac still churns out sedans in an SUV-obsessed marketplace, Buick has remade itself as an all-SUV brand, one of the first premium marques to do so. On top of that, Buick has also reskinned its logo and design language in anticipation of going all-electric by 2030. But wait, there’s more.
With the stylish 2024 Envista, Buick is positioning itself as a value brand, conquesting entry-level buyers with a subcompact SUV that begins at just $23,495 — a staggering $18,000 below an entry-level BMW X1.
“Back in 2019, just under 50% of the market was vehicles priced under $30,000. Fast forward to 2022 and that number was 15%,” said Buick marketing chief Sam Russell at the Envista’s media test drive here. “In our estimation, you’ve left an enormous amount of orphans in the marketplace looking for great product. (Envista) not only meets their technology, styling, and quality demands, but also at a price point they can afford.”
The strategy gives Buick a white space opportunity as industry pricing has accelerated out of reach of many buyers. The industry has flooded the market with pricey EVs (including the $60k Lyriq) to meet government regulations — and expensive trucks and SUVs to pay for them.
“Buick is in a good price position right now as pricing becomes more of an issue in a slowing economy,” said Stephanie Brinley, associate director for S&P Global Mobility.
That’s a lot to put on the plate of a Buick brand that was gasping for air just 15 years ago as GM slipped under the waves of bankruptcy. The brand was saved — not by its domestic offerings — by the Chinese market, where Buick was a Top 5 seller in the 2000s. Buick’s U.S. push comes as its Chinese sales were off 18.2% last year to 677,938 units (though in a sign of Chinese taste for SUVs, Envision SUV sales topped 100,000). The brand’s U.S. sales, by comparison, slid 42.4% to 103,519.
On the positive side, Buick sales surged 48% in the second quarter of this year.
To meet its ambitions, Buick brought over Cadillac designer Bob Boniface and went back to a mid-20th century playbook when it was a cutting-edge brand.
“Buick was the first GM brand to build a concept car when Harley Earl introduced the 1938 Y-Job Concept. That was followed by a series of Wildcat concepts starting in 1953,” said Boniface. “For this new generation of Buick, we designed another Wildcat, which takes design cutes from the original Wildcat concept: low grille, high lamps, tusk-like accents. The Envista is the first full expression of the modern Wildcat.”
Boniface circled the Envista, his head sweeping over the attractive, coupe-like hatchback. Simple but elegant, the roofline, said the designer, was a signature of the 2022 Wildcat concept. Including the 19-inch screen that stretches across the interior dash, the sum total is a Buick that is instantly different from its predecessors, yet as affordable as a Subaru Crosstrek.
Russell acknowledged that Envista could have been an opportunity to introduce Buick customers to an affordable, $20,000-something EV in a market where the average electric vehicle retails for three times that. But with so much on the brand’s plate, he said it’s important that the brand set priorities.
“You will find people who only think we build sedans. That transformation (to SUVs) is already hard to follow,” he said. “We’re making sure we’re introducing the brand to people at all pricing levels, and right now an EV would not have been something we would have been able to accomplish.”
There are only two EVs sold under $30k in today’s market — the Nissan Leaf and retiring Chevy Bolt — and neither is from a premium brand. Defying industry predictions that lithium-ion prices would plummet, the average battery pack increased by 7% this year — to $151/kwh.
With internal combustion engine premium subcompacts priced at about $40k (the best-selling German subcompact, Audi Q3, is $37,995), Russell’s team saw the opportunity for a $23k Envista.
It continues Buick’s trend as a segment-buster.
In 2013, Buick introduced the Encore, a tiny SUV so adorable and affordable it maintained a Top 3 sales position even as mainstream brands like Toyota, Honda and Chevrolet entered the segment. Combined with the Enclave in the large three-row segment, the Encore remade the octogenarian sedan brand as an SUV maker. The subcompact Encore GX — similarly-sized to Envista but with all-wheel-drive for northern climates — and compact Envision SUVs filled out the revamped lineup as Buick sedan staples like the Regal were put out to pasture.
The strategy has borne fruit with GM’s Global Brand Tracking Study, which showed just 7% of consumers in 2014 were considering Buick for their next vehicle. That figure improved to 11% in 2022.
“It has been a journey for the brand beginning in 2013 with Encore,” said Russell. “We saw the transition going on in the industry, and we were ahead of the curve” in going all-SUV.
We’ve become the first exclusive premium SUV brand in the market since 2021.”
Getting that message across to shoppers (trading in, say, a Regal sedan) is key in a landscape transformed — not just by SUVs — but by technology like big screens and electronics.
“The Envista is super attractive,” said auto analyst Brinley. “Its objective is to sell to SUV buyers and sedan buyers coming back into the market. It’s a blend of sedan and SUV.”
Built on the same chassis as the Chevy Trax — also remade for ‘24 with striking design — the vehicles share interior switchgear and drivetrains. But while Chevy kept the Trax name, Buick decided to give its entry-level ute a new name, Envista.
“This vehicle is such as departure from what the Encore was, that ultimately it deserved a new name,” Russell said. “A lot of equity of the Encore (badge) translates to Encore GX — naming (the Envista) the Encore would have undervalued its uniqueness. We much preferred that the customer would come in with a blank slate.”
Transitioning to an all-EV brand in just six years will bring more challenges.
General Motors, like other automakers, faces hundreds of millions of dollars in fines if it doesn’t hit government sales targets for EVs. Yet, Buick clearly sees the Envista’s market as ICE, and changing it to battery power in just six years would be a massive marketing and logistical undertaking.
“Consumers aren’t ready for the market to go all-electric,” said Brinley, noting that EV sales have stalled this year at about 7% market share, while EV inventories have stacked up on dealer lots. “Driving an EV requires a level of flexibly from customers, including having a house in which to charge. That’s why premium brands are going EV first because their customers are better able to absorb the cost.”
Buick customers, however, have an eye for luxury — but at an affordable price. Brinley said that means Envista and three-row Enclave buyers need the dexterity of gas-powered vehicles.
Buick’s first electric vehicle, the Electra — due for the 2025 model year — is an aspirational vehicle likely to be priced over $50,000. For now, Buick wants to fill showrooms with SUV buyers who may one day buy an EV.
“The Envista shows what we can offer at 23 grand and will keep customers in the brand as they go through different life stages,” said Russell. “So you can move up to an all-wheel-drive GX, larger Envision, or maybe your family got real big overnight and you need an Enclave.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Bronco vs. Wrangler: Mud wrestlers replace road racers in the car wars
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 12, 2023
The sun is setting on Detroit’s Camaro vs. Challenger vs. Mustang muscle-car war. Say hello to the new enthusiast battleground: Bronco vs. Wrangler.
Following Ford Motor Co.’s challenge to America’s perennial off-road king with the 2021 Bronco, Stellantis NV’s iconic off-road brand Jeep has responded for the 2024 model year with an array of updated Wranglers. Bigger screen, available winch, expansion of its class-exclusive plug-in hybrid model. Game on. The two brands are hard at it with Wrangler still dominant, but Bronco already selling a healthy 100,000-plus units a year.
In features and mission, the dueling gladiators are similar: soft-top roofs, massive all-terrain tires, removable doors and top-trim models so capable they might climb the face of Mt. Rushmore. But their differences — and brand loyalty — inspire a passion from their tribes that is expanding the segment.
“I definitely wanted a Wrangler,” said Sam Taylor, 34, of Sterling Heights who bought her first Jeep in April, a pre-owned 2018 Sport model with big, 33-inch, all-terrain tires. “The Bronco is trying too much to be like Wrangler. I think Jeeps are more fun, more reliable — and the community is a great group of people.”
Andrea Dunn, on the other hand, saw the Bronco as the more reliable choice after owning a Ford F-150 Raptor performance pickup. “I never owned a Wrangler, but the Bronco is more capable and has a better suspension,” she said of her new Bronco Raptor. “The Ford is more capable of high-speed off-roading.”
The epic showdown between the industry’s two most capable, ladder-frame mid-size SUVs (General Motors Co. does not have a horse in the race) comes as America’s pony-car conflict shrivels — a victim of declining sales and green government rules that punish low mpg, V8-powered cars. After taking a hit of $711 million in federal fines, Dodge is leaving the segment after the 2024 model year and Chevy’s Camaro is following suit as GM focuses on an electric future. With an all-new, seventh-generation model for 2024, Ford’s Mustang is the last pony standing.
Brian Salkowski once coveted muscle cars; now he wants Broncos.
“Go back to our high school days and everyone dreamed about two-door sports cars,” said the 51-year-old Birmingham resident. “Now the Bronco is cool like a sports car, but it’s way more practical.”
Veteran auto analyst and muscle-car-owner Karl Brauer of iSeeCars concurs. “You were the cool kid in high school if you drove up in a Mustang GT — probably subsidized by your parents,” he said. “Today a Wrangler or Bronco with (big tires) is the cool car to have.”
Salkowski previously owned a Jaguar XF sports sedan and Ford Explorer ST (the high horsepower, twin-turbo V-6 version of the three-row SUV) before he bought his Bronco Badlands model complete with macho, 35-inch-tire Sasquatch package.
“I just love the look,” smiled Salkowski. “When I saw it, I had to have it.”
Lots of customers have had to have the Bronco. Despite initial quality issues, the Ford SUV’s sales have been red hot — reaching 117,057 units in 2022, its first full year of production. That is nearly on par with the rugged Toyota 4Runner (a third, less-capable competitor in the midsize, off-road SUV segment) though well-shy of King Wrangler’s 181,409 sales.
While Bronco has pirated sales from its competitors — Wrangler was down 11% in 2022 from the year before, and 4-Runner was down 16% to 121,023 units — analysts say the net effect is that Bronco is growing the segment by satisfying customer demand. Year-over-year, the segment of three grew from 384,329 units in 2021 to 419,489 in 2022.
Andrea and Dan Dunn of Flushing fit the description of class newcomers. Loyal Ford owners with a taste for dirt, they weren’t interested in purchasing a Jeep. But when Ford introduced the similar Bronco, they pounced.
“I was raised on Fords. I used to own a Ford F-150 Raptor, and the Raptor has proven capabilities,” said Andrea of the couple’s Bronco Raptor — the ute’s most muscular trim with 418-horsepower from a twin-turbo V-6. “The Bronco has better comfort, better suspension — and it’s much more capable at high speed.”
She and husband Dan, both 51, travel the country in their Bronco Raptor — just as they did in the F-150 Raptor — to extreme environments like the Baja Peninsula, where they provide drone support for off-road racing teams.
“Jeeps are more for low-speed rock crawling, but we need the Bronco Raptor for high speed, too. Its Fox shocks are capable for everything,” said Dan Dunn. Closer to home, they work with Midwest Off-Road Expeditions to take groups of enthusiasts on Michigan trail tours such as “Coast to Coast” from Oscoda to Silver Lake. Participants include owners of Broncos, Wranglers and trail-focused pickups.
This overlanding phenomenon — turbocharged by the COVID pandemic — helped boost the popularity of off-road vehicles. A cottage industry has blossomed around overlanding, including Midwest Off-Road Expedition tours, popular Overland International off-road personality Scott Brady, and new publications like OVR magazine.
Sterling Heights’ Taylor is a member of the Michigan chapter of Jeep Babes — 4,000-strong in-state with 20,000 members nationally — that meets regularly. She previously owned a Chevrolet Trax, and the Wrangler has opened her to a whole new world. She’s enjoyed events like Jeep-the-Mac (a Jeep parade that drives across the Mackinac Bridge to Drummond Island in the Upper Peninsula) and The Great Smoky Mountain Jeep Club Invasion in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
“Jeep Babes is a strong group of independent women who work on our own Jeeps,” said the mother of three, who modified her Wrangler with a 1.5-inch suspension lift. She’s taken off-road classes at Holly Oaks ORV Park, where her 13-year-old daughter and two 7-year old boys like to ride shotgun.
Conspicuously missing from the segment are General Motors’ Chevy and GMC brands. Though the SUV/truck brands don’t have legacy badges to match Jeep (with roots in World War II) or Bronco (debuted in 1966), GM has a capable, mid-size ladder frame platform used by the rugged Chevy Colorado ZR2 and GMC Canyon AT4X pickups.
“The Trailblazer was a missed opportunity,” said analyst Brauer of the subcompact, unibody-based SUV that Chevy debuted in 2021. “They should have put that on the Colorado truck chassis, and it probably would be selling in big numbers by now.”
Brauer said GM’s obsession with an all-electric future is consuming most of its capital.
“If ever there was a time to jump into the off-road segment, now would be the time,” said the iSeeCars analyst, noting that the mid-size, off-road SUV segment is a profit machine with Jeep, for example, spanning Wrangler trims from the $34,000 Sport to the $96,000 Rubicon 392. “The public appetite for off-roading has been revealed with the success of Wrangler and Bronco — even 4Runner does well despite … its aging, 2009 chassis. Chevy could have drawn from its own massive base of enthusiasts.”
Ex-Chevy Trax owner Taylor’s enthusiasm has been so infectious that her husband, Ryan Wheater, also bought a Wrangler. His old wheels? You guessed it, a muscle car.
“He’s transformed into a Jeep fan too,” said Taylor. “So he sold his Mustang and bought a 2009 Wrangler 2-door with 35s.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Muscle Truck Wars: GMC Canyon AT4X AEV is latest entry as performance pickups displace muscle cars
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 6, 2023
The golden age of the muscle car may be ending, but the golden age of the performance pickup is just gaining steam.
GMC introduced the 2024 Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Thursday, adding more muscle to the midsize truck class that includes the Ford Ranger Raptor, Jeep Gladiator Mojave/Rubicon, Toyota Tacoma TRD, and sister Chevrolet Colorado ZR2.
Like the waning muscle car segment (Camaro and Challenger are headed out the door at the end of this year), these midsize trucks inject $30,000 vehicles with legal steroids to create performance beasts pushing $60,000. While the price of the premium GMC brand’s AEV Edition won’t be released until later this year, expect a sticker in the $70,000 neighborhood. That’s a spread on par with the Camaro ZL1’s $75,000 price tag but with much greater sales volumes as GMC expects AT4-variation trucks to reach 40% of sales.
“We expect the majority of Canyon sales to be AT4 and AT4X sales as we push further into the performance segment,” said GMC Trucks Senior Marketing Manager Patrick Finnegan at the AEV Edition’s media reveal. “And the AEV is the most capable Canyon we’ve ever produced from the factory.”
Th off-road weapon is armed to the teeth with state-of-the-art features.
Following in the footsteps of its similarly-equipped big brothers, AT4X AEV Sierra and Sierra HD, the Canyon AEV wears a suit of Boron steel body armor with five plates protecting its underbelly from the elements. The 10-millimeter-thick, heat-treated, hot-stamped steel plates protect the front nose, steering arms, transfer case, fuel tank, and rear differential from off-road obstacles.
In addition, the front and rear bumpers are steel to protect against severe impacts—and to allow for increased 38.2-degree approach and 26.9-degree departure angles. The front bumper is winch capable, a feature that can be ordered straight from the factory. The rear bumper features heavy-duty-capable tow hooks and removable corners for easy removal before hitting the trails.
More elevation is provided by huge, 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires (wrapped around AEV beadlock-capable Salta wheels) that give the Canyon best-in-class, 12.2 inches of ground clearance (a 1.5-inch increase over the already capable AT4X that was first introduced for the 2023 model year) and 26-degree breakover angle.
Paired with locking front/rear differentials, Multimatic shocks, and the Canyon’s 310 horsepower/430 pound-feet of torque turbo-4 mill and the AT4X AEV is primed to make performance shoppers forget about muscle cars.
Indeed, there is evidence that muscle car owners are opting for muscle trucks. Both segments are dominated by American icons, both tend to be discretionary buys. That is, customers don’t need the vehicles for daily utility, they want them.
“The pony cars… a lot of them got traded in (for Jeeps). Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, and even our Dodge Challenger,” Jeep marketing guru Scott Tallon told Muscle Cars & Trucks.
The muscle-car-for-muscle-truck/SUV has also played out in SUVs like the 707-horsepower Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. “You saw other performance cars come into play… early on the Nissan GT-R popped really high on the list for competitive trades,” Tallon told the publication.
As if to drive home the point, 2024 AT4X models boast launch control just like a muscle car. Flatten the brake and accelerator pedals at the same time, release the brake pedal, and all four wheels will launch out of a Woodward stoplight.
The macho AEV editions—now available on all GMC truck offerings—have come quickly to a brand previously know for its posh Denali sub-brand.
“The GMC Canyon AT4X is an incredibly formidable platform when it comes to on- and off-road performance and capability,” said AEV CEO and founder Dave Harriton. “This truck checks a lot of boxes for any discerning overland enthusiast looking for luxury, technology and capability.”
In addition to the added muscle, the AEV Edition gains a new fascia, AEV branding on the seats and all-weather floor liners, and GM’s latest, so-called Ultifi software platform.
AEV marketing chief Matt Felderman said the GMC/EV partnership makes a powerful team that will be a formidable competitor against other mid-size trucks.
“The Canyon AT4X AEV is designed by enthusiasts for enthusiasts,” he said of his off-road-focused company. “The upgrades here are essential for a technical off-road truck. Details like the 35-inch tire — which are a big deal for a factory truck — have been integrated into the drive experience to offer quiet as well as trail capability.”
The Canyon is assembled at GM’s Wentzville, Missouri plant, and the AT4X AEV Edition is expected to be available for customer orders later this year. The Camaro may be headed out the back door, but the General’s midsize trucks are kicking in the front door.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: M2 or M23? Bimmer’s supercar siblings face off
Posted by Talbot Payne on July 6, 2023
Pontiac, Michigan — The BMW M3 and M2 are not just the brand’s performance halos, they are the latest inductees to the supercar club. With 450-plus horsepower and handling from the gods (not to mention entries from Rahal Letterman Racing in the IMSA Weathertech Sportscar Championship GT class), they deserve consideration alongside rear-engine coupes like the Corvette C8 and Porsche 911.
But how different are the Bimmer siblings from one another?
For 2024, compact-class M3 (and its M4 coupe twin) vs. subcompact-class M2 are instantly distinguishable by their radically different design experiments. But under the skin, they appear separated at birth. Same manual/automatic gearbox options, similar twin-turbo inline-6 engines, same mono-pane dash display, same Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires.
Is the smaller M2 still the better driver’s car? I took an automatic, all-wheel-drive 502-horse M3 Competition and manual, rear-wheel-drive 453-horse M2 to Hell and back (and to M1 Concourse’s Champion Raceway and back) for a taste test of these meaty dishes.
Both M3 and M2 have spent a lot of time at the dinner table, bucking up to nearly two tons. Yes, the M2, too.
Enthusiasts lamented that the G80 generation M3 not only gained front kidneys the size of Tweedledum and Tweedledee — but the girth to match. The M3 tipped the scales 230 pounds more than its predecessor. For 2024 M2 designers resisted the big kidneys for a chiseled, square look, but it, too, has porked up by 250 pounds over the last-gen coupe to 3,814 pounds—just 70 shy of big brother. Oof.
Credit bigger dimensions, bigger screen, bigger everything (except, lamentably the miniature backseat). Happily, the latest-gen cars have spent a lot of time in the gym to maintain their coordination. Supercar coordination.
Over the daunting, undulating roads of Hell, Michigan, in Sports Plus mode, the M pair were stupid quick. Gulping ribbons of asphalt, they stuck to the road like black on asphalt. Lack of body roll at (speed deleted to keep my license) recalled the precision of a Corvette C8 — if not quite the Porsche 911’s poise.
A big asset of the M3/M2 is M MODE, which turned the head-up display into a horizontal, digital engine tachometer. Every performance car should have this feature to keep your eyes on the road when using a stick-or-paddle-shift at speed. Add optional all-wheel drive and 503 horsepower for the M3 Competition trim and it delivered impressive acceleration numbers.
Engage launch control and the sedan explodes out of the blocks to 60 mph in just 2.8 seconds — a comparable number to the 911 and ‘Vette. The M3 Comp’s sticker price is a lofty $83,595 with all-wheel drive (the first-ever M3 so offered) — nearly double the price of the standard $45K 3-series. But as a supercar, that it is a bargain on par with the Corvette C8 ZR2, and $20K cheaper than a 911.
The M2’s stick shift (also available in the M3) gave me more control, if less raw acceleration. The visceral thrill of rowing the 2’s box to redline was complemented by a much-improved, notchier shifter than previous generations. At $20K less than an M3, advantage to M2.
But with four doors and more rear legroom over the tight M2, the M3 is a supercar you can pack the family in. Advantage M3.
After a day in Hell, the M killer whales had outgrown their rural pond. I would routinely flirt with triple-digit speeds before backing off to avoid attracting attention. Like their supercar peers, there is more performance here that can only be explored on a race track.
On M1 Concourse in Pontiac, the Bimmers were nimble despite their girth. The chassis have multiple cross braces to add rigidity while suspension tuning keeps the cars hunkered down in high-speed turns. Accelerating out of M1’s Turn 6 hairpin in second gear in the M3, the aforementioned head-up tach flashed yellow lights when it was time to shift at 7,200 RPM. BRAP! I upshifted into third with the right, steering-wheel-mounted paddle. BRAP! Into fourth. Beautiful.
Though BMW uses a single-clutch transmission, it’s as buttery smooth as Porsche’s famed dual-clutch boxes. I hit 120 mph at the end of the straight in the M3 — 114 mph in the M2 — before giant 15-inch brakes brought the missiles back to earth. My M3 tester had ceramic brakes optioned for $8,500 (cough), but steelies will do just fine.
Don’t get the $4,500 carbon-fiber competition seats either. They are the most uncomfortable I’ve sat in. They keep you planted on track, sure — but so do plastic go-kart seats. After my 3-hour round trip to Hell and back, my back was barking so loud I had to lay down. Stick with the standard bolstered leather thrones.
Onlookers lamented the mild external sound of the Ms at speed, but inside they’re satisfying. The twin-turbo inline-6’s acceleration is ballistic, exploding from its 2,750 torque peak all the way to redline (thus the importance of that head-up tac). Upshifts crackle, downshifts burp like Godzilla enjoying a good meal. Standard are the Sport 4S tires, but super-sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber (or slicks) are preferred for track days.
Interiors use identical tech with a lovely curved screen encompassing a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch infotainment screen. Voice commands are inconsistent.
“Go to Hell, Michigan,” I said. The BMW routed me to Hillman, MI. Sigh. I switched to Android Auto.
Other tech upgrades hit their mark. The M3’s automatic mono-shifter (also available in the M2) was tight, intuitive. The touchscreen meant I never had to fool with the rotary iDrive. And I could scroll through radio stations on the head-up display using steering-wheel controls so my eyes never left the road.
Styling is subjective, but I think the M3’s big maw will wear better than M3’s Lego blocks — as will its four-door utility. Um, assuming you have a extra 20 grand in your pocket. Which M to recommend? Let me tease a third option.
At 3,489 pounds, the last-gen 445-horsepower M2 CS is the best handling BMW driver’s car I’ve piloted. With a better power-to-weight ratio and armed with a stick, it’s more tossable than the heavy 2024 model. The stick shift is rubbery but time behind the wheel begats familiarity.
Styling is timeless — no trendy, art school design experiments here. Wide kidneys and a sleek, muscular body. The trick is to find one since the 2020 CS was only built for one model year. See you in Hell.2023 BMW M2
Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive four-passenger sports coupe
Price: $62,200 base, including $995 destination charge ($75,345 as tested)
Power plant: 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged, inline 6-cylinder
Power: 453 horsepower, 406 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: Six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.8 seconds (Car & Driver, manual as tested)
Weight: 3,814 pounds (manual)
Fuel economy: EPA 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway/19 mpg combined (manual); EPA 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway/19 mpg combined (automatic)
Report card
Highs: Improved six-speed manual shifter; M MODE head-up display
Lows: Overweight; polarizing design
Overall: 3 stars
2023 BMW M3
Vehicle type: Front-engine, rear and all-wheel-drive five-passenger sports sedan
Price: $75,295 base, including $995 destination ($109,695 Competition as tested)
Power plant: 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged inline 6-cylinder
Power: 503 horsepower, 479 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: Six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic (only auto in Competition model)
Performance: 0-60 mph, 2.8 seconds (Competition model, Car and Driver)
Weight: 3,929 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway/18 mpg combined
Report card
Highs: Explosive all-wheel-drive acceleration; roomier second-row than M2
Lows: Gets pricey; polarizing grille
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: Mighty Jeep Wrangler army fights Bronco with more tech, huge tires
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 29, 2023
St. George, Utah — When I was a kid in West Virginia, my friends and I would play in a sandbox with Tonka trucks and Matchbox cars. Six decades later, not much has changed.
But the toys are better.
Bouncing through the red sand of Sand Hollow State Park in Utah, I floored the 470-horsepower V-8 in the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 392 Rubicon and the rear-end sluiced right, my passenger hanging on to the “Oh, crap!” bar on the front console for dear life. WAUUURRGGHHH! went the V-8. HAHAHAHA! went my media colleague. Jeep knows where our inner children live.
The off-road sandbox has become more crowded in the last few years as Americans have gone bonkers for SUVs, trucks and their performance counterparts. Chevrolet has introduced more ZR2 off-road trucks, GMC its AT4 brutes and Toyota its TRD models, but the marquee matchup — the toys all the cool kids want — are the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, which have locked horns in a death match that is better than Holyfield vs. Tyson. I’m pretty sure ears will be bitten off.
With the muscle-car segment shriveling between the approaching walls of low consumer demand and government emissions edicts, Wrangler vs. Bronco has replaced Camaro vs. Mustang as the new American toy war.
Ripping its shirt — er, doors — off just like Wrangler, the muscular upstart Bronco has revealed innovative class features like a rotary transfer-case dial, independent front suspension, dash-mounted controls and 37-inch all-terrain tires. It’s awesome. King Jeep hasn’t taken the competition lying down.
For 2024, the off-road world’s pioneer has responded with an army of updated, high-tech assault Wranglers that would send shivers down a foreign army’s spine.
From the two-door, $33,690, manual Sport to the athletic Willys, the posh Sahara, plug-in hybrid 4xe and my loaded $96K 392 Rubicon, the Wrangler lineup spans a luxury vehicle-like $65,000 price-spread that sweeps up customers from Moab marauders to green geeks.
Like muscle cars, Jeeps don’t come cheap, especially as you load these bots with the latest off-road weaponry to conquer sand, mud, rocks, boulders, streams and — um — Utah obstacles like Hot Tub on Hell’s Revenge (jeez, all we track guys gotta deal with is asphalt).
So allow me to recommend one of the more affordable mutts of the litter: the two-door Willys. My tester was $47K, but ditch the auto tranny and Safety Pack option — who needs blind-spot/park monitoring off-road? — and it’s yours for under $40K.
Call ‘em mutts because all Wranglers are mixed, retro/modern breeds. True to its name, my Willys tester traces its roots to the original Willys WWII Jeeps with two doors, stick shift, “Sarge” green military paint and drop-down front windshield. What, no machine gun in back? But my modern Willys would run circles around the ol’ man with its armored underbody plating, locking rear differential and yuuuuge all-terrain 33-inch BF Goodrich KO2 tires.
Add a bullmastiff-like charcoal face (exclusive to Willys) and my mutt was cute as a puppy and as playful to boot. With the soft roof peeled back, we flopped around town, my cap blowing off somewhere along State Route 7. Willys looks tough with its outsized 33s, but its short, two-door configuration meant it was easy to park while still offering a healthy back seat for friends.
More mutt? Like every 2024 model beginning with the Sport and Sport S models below Willys, mine came equipped with a handsome horizontal dash housing a 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen right out of a top-breed Wagoneer. Wranglers equipped with navigation get an “Adventure Guide” so you find long trails and navigate them with your screen. Man, these off-roaders are getting’ fancy. Next, they’ll have showers.
Along the north rim of Sand Hollow, I grunted across trails and scrub before coming upon a gaggle of ATVs plowing through sand to a rocky plateau.
Easy, Payne. Your knobby tires are still aired up to 40 PSI.
To go deeper into Mother Nature with more cargo room, air your 33s down to 20 PSI. Or get a four-door, four-wheel-drive Rubicon with twin-locking differentials and detachable front rollbar like my High Velocity White $60,350 tester (delete the WARN winch and steely bumpers and the sticker drops to $55K). With traction at all four corners, 11-inch ground clearance, and 44-degree approach angle, this beast can climb Devils Tower.
Shift into neutral, yank the T-case shifter back to four-wheel-low, detach the sway-bar on the lower console and you’re ready to go. Bronco drivers will recoil at this antique dance, which the Ford has updated with a console dial and high-dash buttons. Wrangler prides itself on old-school controls — including its signature solid front axle. Want some ear biting? Get Wrangler and Bronco dudes to debate axles.
On our media test trip, Rubicons crawled all over the landscape at impossible angles (aided by forward-facing cameras). But where the trail ends and the asphalt begins, my Rubicon soft top is more civil than its forebear. Connected to the car by Bluetooth, I called Mrs. Payne 2,000 miles away in Michigan and she came through as clear as if she were sitting next to me. Credit laminated glass and interior insulation — plus a seven-microphone array — that’s lowered interior noise by 15 decibels.
Will it work with the top down and doors off? No, silly. Neither is Wrangler as smooth on road as the independent-front-suspension Bronco.
Where Wrangler got smoother was in the $76,000 4xe plug-in model — which reaches out to green buyers who will find Jeep’s growly, gas-fed V-6 immoral, yet still need a gas engine to get them to the remote havens of Utah or Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. With 21 miles of battery range on tap, I drove silently around St. George — the electric motor even regenerating extra miles when the range hit zero.
The 4xe will also regenerate $7,500 of the 4xe’s $10,000 premium back to your wallet if you lease the 4xe — no matter the price tag, no matter your income. Call it green for greenies.
I doubt 4xe and 392 owners will go to the same cocktail parties. But they may wind up at the same off-road parks like, say, the white sand of Silver Lake on Michigan’s west side. Imagine a 392 — WAUUURRGGHHH! — slinging sand past a silent 4xe — SSSHHHHH!
That’s my kind of sandbox.
Next week: BMW showdown – M3 or M2?
2024 Jeep Wrangler
Vehicle type: Front-engine, ladder-frame chassis, four-wheel-drive four-passenger SUV
Price: $33,690 base, including $1,795 destination ($47,675 Willys, $60,350 Rubicon, $67,935 Rubicon X 4xe and $95,945 Rubicon 392 as tested)
Power plant: 3.6-liter V-6, 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 cylinder, 2.0-liter turbocharged plug-in hybrid with turbo-4 mated to 14 kWh battery and electric motor, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8
Power: 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque (V-6), 270 horsepower and 295 pund-feet of torque (turbo-4), 375 horsepower, 470 pound-feet of torque (hybrid), 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque (V-8)
Transmission: Six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.0 seconds (Rubicon 392, Car and Driver); 5,000-pound tow capacity (turbo-4 and V-6)
Weight: 4,044 pounds (Willys) and 5,268 (392) as tested
Fuel economy: EPA est. 20 mpg city/21 mpg highway/21 mpg combined (turbo-4 2-door); 13 mpg city/16 mpg highway/14 mpg combined (6.4L V-8); 49 MPGe, 20 combined (4xe); 3.6L V-6 NA
Report card
Highs: Broad lineup of drivetrains, body styles, features, tires; upgraded tech
Lows: T-case takes some muscle; gets pricey
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: Revology Mustang startup goes back to the future
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 24, 2023
Ann Arbor — Auto startups are all the rage this decade as entrepreneurs see a historic shift to electrified and autonomous vehicles. On the electric front, companies like Rivian, Fisker, Lightning eMotors, Lordstown and Vinfast aim to recreate the magic that made Tesla the industry’s highest-valued automaker. Tesla, meanwhile, dreams of a self-driving jackpot alongside startups Cruise, Waymo and Zooks, which are flooding select cities with the latest self-driving bots.
But while these automakers chase huge market caps for a new world order, other startups are going back to the future.
Startups like Revology, which is manufacturing a stable-full of classic 1960s Mustangs upgraded with state-of-the-art tech. If more startups follow (Los Angeles-based Singer Design does resto-mod Porsche 911s), it echoes the automotive future predicted by industry icon and ex-GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz in 2019.
“We are approaching the end of the line for the automobile because travel will be in . . . fully autonomous modules. You will call for it, input your destination and go to the freeway,” wrote Lutz in a much-buzzed-about Automotive News op-ed. “Like racehorse breeders, there will be manufacturers of race cars and sports cars and off-road vehicles. But it will be a cottage industry.”
Perhaps like the 51,000-square-foot Orlando “cottage” where Revology churns out its ponies. Now in its sixth year of production, Revology is growing with eight models to choose from, including best-sellers the1966 GT convertible and 1967 Shelby GT500 that I tested here. While the company has a sliver of the production orders from massive startups like California-based Rivian (not to mention market cap) it has moved production in-house and is nearly doubling output to 64 vehicles this year.
“Our customers want V-8 engines,” smiled CEO and founder Tom Scarpello from the right seat before I drowned him out by flattening the throttle and letting loose 710 horses down Huron River Drive.
With disposable income to buy Revology’s $200k-plus cars, Scarpello’s customers look a lot like Lutz’s “well-to-do (drivers who), to the amazement of all their friends, still know how to drive.”
Customers like Edsel Ford and Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford who — while touting an all-EV Ford future — makes no secret about his love for classic ponies. Bill Ford has a 1966 Revology GT Convertible on order.
“The V-8 engines are part of the experience. You just feel it,” said Scarpello after I brought the GT500 back to earth at a dull roar. “We talk to our customers about making EVs with classic Mustang bodies, but they don’t want electrification.”
What they want is that timeless Mustang style — our growling, ’67 GT500 stopped people in their tracks as we cruised through Ann Arbor — but without the hassle of owning an aging classic with 55-year-old wiring. They also want the latest amenities like a touchscreen, backup camera, Apple CarPlay, push-button start, and — well, Roush power.
Sourced from Roush in Livonia, the supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote V-8 under the hood puts out an astonishing 710 horsepower compared to the original’s 335.
The first company to license Ford and Shelby heritage models and refresh them with modern know-how, Revology offers these models for order on its website, just like a big automaker:
-1966 GT Convertible ($255,700)-1966 GT 2+2 Fastback ($263, 470)-1966 Shelby GT350 ($283,660)-1967 GT 2+2 Fastback ($249,855)-1967 Shelby GT350 ($271,950)-1967 Shelby GT500 ($320,600)-1968 GT 2+2 Fastback (248,345)-1968 GT500 KR ($320,600)
Scarpello knows muscle. He started in manufacturing with Ford in 1988 before going back to school for degrees in finance and marketing. Working for Ford’s SVT performance division from 1998-2004 — which inspired vehicles like the Ford GT — inspired Revology’s mission.
“That was a great time,” said Scarpello. “We worked at a company within a company. A lot of that philosophy I’ve adopted with Revology. We’re taking an existing (Mustang) design and modifying it to make the cars more fun to drive. We want to keep their style and character and make them modern in the way they function.”
He has slowly built his business — first sourcing bodies from Dynacorn in which to stuff the Herculean engines from Roush. But over time, he has learned manufacturing integration, and now his ponies are made in house on a single chassis to better fine-tune the product. That has led to changes like a new 8.8-inch rear axle.
“We are able to control the packaging. WE need to have the dimensions exactly right,” said the Revology chief. “We are loading so much more power into the body than the original design.”
It’s a fine balance. At the reins of the GT500 (car #163 that Revology has built), I found the beast remarkably poised like a modern Mustang GT even as I gripped a wood steering wheel right out of the ‘60s. In addition to the old school six-speed manual, about 50% of customers opt for Ford’s state-of-the-art, 10-speed transmission. I could even Bluetooth my phone — if you can hear it ring.
Revology has added minimal sound-deadening material to keep the V-8’s raw emotion. Other throwbacks include high beams that are still activated by your foot toggling a floorboard button.
Part of what’s driving the industry to electrification is prohibitive, mutli-million-dollar fines to discourage V-8 engines. But Scarpello’s cottage flies under those regulations as long as he makes fewer than 325 vehicles a year with industry-proven engines and chassis equipment..
He’s a long way from 325. But as he ramps up production — his cottage now employs 92 elves — other manufacturers are eager for him to maintain the Detroit legacy.
“Chevrolet and Dodge have both expressed interest in doing similar, classic Camaro and Challenger models,” he smiled. “Though they haven’t said if they’d provide the capital.” Scarpello financed the company himself, and he has been careful not to get ahead of his skis.
“Very few costumer products have had the life cycle that Mustang has had, and that really resonates with people,” he said. Indeed, Ford is just rolling out its latest, seventh-generation pony on a global scale, which in turn complements Revology’s classics. “It’s a global phenomenon — we have customers in 15 countries.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: Acura Integra Type S is AWD short of 10
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 24, 2023
Ojai, California — The 2024 Acura Integra Type S is two driven wheels shy of perfect.
Acura’s hatchback icon is back after 22 years in the wilderness and it’s a delicious addition to my favorite menu: compact hot hatches. With sportscar handling, hatchback utility, all-season usability and a price tag under $55K, premium hatches like the Type S and VW Golf R flirt with nirvana. Save for its stubborn lack of all-wheel drive, the Integra Type S is as good as it gets.
Building on Acura’s successful, entry-level Integra — which returned as the segment’s runaway best-seller last year — Type S is a steroid-fed lab monster like Honda’s Civic Type R icon. The Made-in-Marysville Integra immediately separates itself from the conservatively styled Honda with a wardrobe that would make a Rottweiler whimper.
Type S looks like an Acura and Dodge Charger Widebody had a love child (with the Acura NSX and Chevy Corvette as godparents). This Integra is S-pecial. Measuring 3.5 inches wider across the front track than the standard Integra, Type S grows big blistered fenders to hold 10.5-inch-wide rubber at all four corners. Indeed, all sheet metal fore of the A-pillar has been remade, including functional hood scoop and wider grille to feed the 320-horse turbocharged beast within.
Massive, NSX-like corner brake ducts cool the 13.8-inch Brembo brakes needed to bring Type S back to earth after flying low across twisted country roads. The drama continues out back under massive glutes, where three, center-mounted tailpipes (the ‘Vette Z06 has four) exhale with a snap, crackle ‘n’ pop.
Come upon one of these Tasmanian devils in the wild and you’ll recognize it (especially if dressed in exclusive Tiger Eye Pearl). But you won’t see it for long.
Luffing through the twisties of California State Route 150 west of Malibu, I saw a sport bike fill my mirrors looking for a fight. Packing its 310-pound feet of torque lower in the torque band than Type R, my S was able to hold off the bike’s inherent advantage in acceleration through a fast downhill stretch as I rowed the sensational short-throw manual box. #SaveTheManual.
Then we hit a series of S-turns. Goodbye.
Stiff as an ironing board through heaving turns in Sport Plus mode, the Acura disappeared from the two-wheeler, its sophisticated, dual-strut front suspension rotating the front-wheel driver without a hint of understeer.
But to achieve perfection, Type S should have added all-wheel drive to the two-wheel-drive Civic formula. Not for grip (Lord knows the Type S has gobs of it), but for customers paying the $7,000 premium for an all-season Acura.
AWD is an Acura lineup signature, from the TLX sedan to the RDX SUV to the NSX supercar. Elsewhere along CA-150, I encountered a flat-black NSX Type S — menacing and well driven. We danced through the twisties, the nimble 3,280-pound sedan shadowing the 3,898-pound supercar’s every move (that is, until the NSX applied its 600 horses down a straightaway).
Honda’s front suspension engineering is dazzling for motorheads like me who take the Civic Type R and Type S to the track. But by Acura’s own admission, Type S’s target audience is not the track rats who covet the Civic model. Which is why the Type S doesn’t feature a big wing out back or the $1,780 option of track-focused Michelin Cup 2 tires like Type R.
Acura says Integra is the “Ultimate Street Performer” aimed at an older, saner demographic. Its $50,000 competitive set is made up of all-wheel drivers: Audi S3, BMW M235i XDrive, Mercedes CLA AMG 35 and the slightly more affordable $46K VW Golf R.
The Seattle and Detroit Payne families own hatchback compacts and AWD is important for their all-season climates. Front-wheel drivers struggle to scale my driveway in the snow. When my snowboarding, speed-freak Seattle son shopped for a hatchback recently, only AWD models made his list (the attractive Mazda Turbo3 — its 310 pound-feet of torque on par with Type S — got the nod). That all-season, all-wheel-drive goodness is why the Golf R hatch is my segment benchmark.
Sure, AWD would add weight to the 3,850-pound Integra — but at 3,415 pounds, Golf R is hardly Porky Pig. Integra may lose those AWD customers, but the lines to buy this multi-talented athlete will still stretch out the door.
While Golf R comes up shy of perfection due to its tight rear legroom, Integra shines with 2.5 more inches and nearly 5 cubic feet more cargo space. Those best-in-class numbers make Civic — um, Integra — #1 in utility.
The Type S cabin is barely disguised Civic, but the 11th-gen Honda is borderline premium to begin with, sporting wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, honeycomb dash and digital gauges. Then Acura slaters on the icing: Head-up display, premium ELS Studio audio, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist and auto-high beams are all standard. My leather-wrapped tester’s seats were dipped in red with matching dash trim.
The seats not only held me in place at play — they were so comfortable I could have driven cross-country to Detroit. Contrast that with the BMW M2 sport seats I recently tested that had my back screaming in agony after an afternoon’s drive.
At the Integra’s core is its silver shift knob — operating the best gearbox this side of a Porsche 911.
Cruising along a crowded, stop-and-go California urban stretch in COMFORT mode, I activated adaptive cruise to keep a distance from the vehicles in front of me — the system only cutting off below 25 mph when the engine bogged. As traffic thinned on rural roads, Type S begged to be manhandled in SPORT PLUS mode, and the manual’s short throws never failed me. Never delivering a box of neutrals. Never accidentally finding 4th instead of 2nd.
The predictable box mirrors the brand’s reputation for reliability — a key attribute in any premium vehicle that begs to be pushed. Just as Porsches are the go-to track supercar because they can hammer apexes all day long without flinching, so too does Honda-Acura quality give you confidence to take the 7,200-rpm, 2.0-liter engine to the limit. Expect to leave the Acura service center with receipts for hundreds of dollars — not thousands.
The Integra Type S may find its limits in snow quicker than its AWD competitors, but after the plows come, the Acura lives up to its forefathers as one of the most satisfying rides in the market. As for my quest for the perfect car, it’s getting closer.
Next week: 2024 Jeep Wrangler
2024 Acura Integra Type S
Vehicle type: Front-engine, front-wheel-drive five-passenger performance sedan
Price: $51,995, including $1,995 destination fee
Powerplant: 2.0-liter turbo-4 cylinder
Power: 320 horsepower, 310 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.0 seconds (Car and Driver). Top speed, 167 mph
Weight: 3,280 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA, 21 mpg city/28 highway/24 combined (19 mpg observed under the cane)
Report card
Highs: Sportscar handling, hatchback utility; aggressive styling
Lows: Infotainment system can be laggy; all-wheel drive, please
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Inside Titan with my friend, OceanGate pioneer Tock Rush
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 23, 2023
OceanGate brought its Titan submersible to Oakland County Airport on Nov. 6, 2021, looking to sell $250,000 tickets for a seat to the Titanic shipwreck 13,000 feet below the Atlantic Ocean’s surface off Newfoundland.
I was invited, though I didn’t have the financial means — or the claustrophobic tolerance — to join the expedition in the cramped, single-porthole vessel. But I did have a keen interest in the pilot, my friend and former classmate Stockton “Tock” Rush.
From test pilot Chuck Yeager to Mount Everest explorer Sir Edmund Hillary, risk-takers are a special breed. OceanGate CEO Tock was one of them. Unlike the astronauts and explorers who lived to reach the summit of mountains and outer space, however, Tock was fascinated by going to the bottom of the ocean. Since he founded OceanGate in 2009, I followed his progress — occasionally visiting his headquarters in Everett, Washington, north of his Seattle home.
Tragically, Tock died this week — along with four other adventure seekers — aboard the Titan when the craft imploded, according to the U.S. Coast Guard, at the bottom of the Atlantic, just 1,600 feet from the Titanic’s bow. It was the Titan’s fourth trip to the 111-year-old shipwreck since 2021.
Ask anyone in my Princeton University Class of 1984 which one of us would be brave enough to dare such a mission, and Tock would be at the top of the list. Coming from a family of car racers, I have a need for speed that has taken me to some of America’s greatest race tracks, and Tock took great interest in my motorsports adventures.
But he had much bigger boundaries to explore.
When we were 19 years old, he became the world’s youngest commercial airline pilot, commanding Saudi Airlines planes during our college summers. After graduating with an engineering degree in 1984, he went to work as an aerospace engineer for McDonnell Douglas in California, but he chafed at working in the bureaucratic corporate world funded by government tax dollars.
In the summer of 1985 — during one of McDonnell Douglas’s frequent military project shutdowns while they waited for Congress to pass defense appropriation monies — my wife, Talbot, and I met up with him outside St. Louis (my wife’s hometown) in order to help him get an Ultralight airplane off the ground. A plane that Tock had built himself.
With a parachute strapped to his back and the Ultralight’s single propeller whirring away, he skimmed west St. Louis county cornfields while we chased him in our car. He eventually landed his maiden flight — on target — in a farm field he had designated miles away.
Like many pioneers, Tock came from a family of means. He was an heir to the Standard Oil fortune by virtue of his grandfather, director Ralph Davies. His namesakes — Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton — were signers of the Declaration of Independence, and their portraits hang in the foyer of his Seattle home.
Like those American pioneers, he was determined to explore new frontiers, and the ocean floor became his obsession. On a visit to Everett last decade, we boarded the first prototype sub that Tock and his engineering team had developed to test the lightweight construction that could transport a crew to the Titanic. Determined to explore the secrets of the world’s vast oceans, Tock saw the Titanic fascination — and the adventure-tourist revenue it could produce — as key to financing multiple adventures.
The project was laborious in financing, building and transporting the vessel to the Bahamas and other deep-sea locations to test. On a trip to Newfoundland in 2018 to test a new GMC Sierra truck, I learned that Tock was nearby as construction on the Titan was completed, and he had turned his focus to the big prize: taking passengers to the Titanic.
The vessel would make some 50 deep Atlantic simulation dives before completing its first Titanic trip in 2021. Shortly thereafter, the OceanGate team towed the Titan to a hangar in Oakland County Airport before a small audience of thrill seekers to sell the experience. The team included Tock’s wife (and Talbot’s college roommate), Wendy, a mission specialist whose great-grandparents had, coincidentally, perished aboard the Titanic.
My wife and I ascended the steps onto the Titan’s platform and ducked our heads into the low-lit passenger compartment behind the single, bow-mounted porthole. Inside, Tock gave us a tour of the controls and safety procedures. I can only remember thinking how my claustrophobia — not to mention my 6-foot-5 size — would be a problem for the 2.5-hour dive down to the Titanic.
Never mind bobbing on the surface for days in the Titan’s mothership — the Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince — patiently waiting for the weather to clear for the dive.
The presentation included thrilling pictures from previous expeditions, but Tock and his team were blunt about the risks. Like the Apollo 1 crew fatalities or the multiple fatalities of explorers who have tried climbing Everest — the risk of death would always shadow you when pushing the envelope of the exploration.
Tock lived to conquer those risks. He — and his fellow passengers — died doing what they loved.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Hyundai brings Ioniq 6-appeal to EV space
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 21, 2023
Chelsea — Sleek, simple and sophisticated, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 takes direct aim at the Tesla Model 3.
And that’s rare for an industry that has answered Tesla’s stunning one-two punch of the Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV with … a single SUV jab. Think about it. Ford Mustang Mach-E, Volkswagen ID.4, Cadillac Lyriq, Chevy Blazer EV, Toyota bZ4X, Subaru Solterra, Nissan Ariya, Mazda MX-30, Audi Q4 e-tron, Genesis GV60, Fisker Ocean, Lexus RX, Kia EV6 — automakers have entered the EV segment by taking on the Model Y while largely ignoring the compact $41,880 sedan that changed the EV game.
Yeah, yeah, I know, the sedan is kaput. Finished. Soooo 15 minutes ago. Which is why manufacturers rushed to fill the most popular segment in autodom — the compact SUV — with their first EVs. But being a low-slung sedan didn’t deter the Model 3 from selling like hotcakes.
So, determined to make its mark in the electric world, Hyundai has followed the master: it has (like everyone else) created an Ioniq 5 SUV to take on the Model Y, and an Ioniq 6 to chase the Model 3.
I flogged the sexy 6’s top-trim, $58K all-wheel-drive Limited model over the twisty country roads of Washtenaw County. It follows the Model 3 formula but with significant differences.
Bury the throttle out of a corner and 6 surges forward, its front and rear electric motors offering instant thrust. But it’s not as eager as the — ZOT! — all-wheel-drive Model 3 (a fact borne out by an all-wheel-drive Model 3’s 0-60 mph time, which is a full second quicker than my AWD Ioniq 6 tester) due to carrying another 600 pounds over the 4,086-pound Tesla.
That extra weight comes with benefits. Ioniq 6 feels more substantial than the Tesla’s tinnier construction quality. The Hyundai is heavy, like it’s been carved from oak, and doors close with a satisfying THUNK. Ioniq 6’s wheelbase is also three inches longer than Model 3, which translates into a significant four more inches of rear legroom — and six more cubic feet of interior space.
When I wasn’t enjoying the Hyundai’s smooth ride behind the wheel I was sprawling comfortably in the back seat. All that interior space, however, steals from cargo room, which is just 11 cubic feet compared to the Tesla’s 19 — a subtraction exacerbated by Hyundai declining to offer a frunk (front trunk) as Tesla does.
Consistent with Tesla, Ioniq 6’s cockpit is dominated by a big horizontal screen — though the Hyundai’s screen sprawls across the dash, splitting in two to offer an instrument display behind the steering wheel and infotainment display over the console. Tesla, of course, stuffs all its controls into a single 15-inch tablet. Both Hyundai and Tesla further unclutter the cabin by placing gear shifters on the steering column.
Like its Silicon Valley foe, Hyundai delights in wowing with new digital toys.
Ioniq 6 boasts multi-step regenerative braking (to my preferred one-pedal driving), multiple drive modes including SPORT, artificial propulsion sounds, self-parking — even the ability to remote park the Hyundai from outside the car. These features are also available on Hyundai’s similar luxury Genesis GV60 model, which begs the question: why would you pay 10 grand more for the Genesis than the Hyundai? Or pay more for a BMW i4 EV sedan, which has specs very similar to the Ioniq 6? Indeed, if you close your eyes (please don’t if driving), these EVs all are virtually identical in feel.
The answer, of course, is brand. Who’s going to pay nearly 60 large for a Ioniq 6 when you can have a $60K Genesis GV60 or BMW i4? Or a $60K Tesla? The Ioniq 6 is priced right on top of Tesla’s icon with a $42,715 entry-level, rear-wheel-drive model all the way up to a $56K AWD model (Tesla’s Performance model is $55,630).
Hyundai’s answer is style, something that has benefited Tesla all these years. The Ioniq has undeniable 6-appeal.
Its design language is simple like the Model 3, but with more flair. I particularly like the signature black mustache that underlines the headlights — and hides irregularities like the sonar sensors (for self-parking, etc.). It’s a feature that Tesla could learn from. My friend Anne loves her Model Y — but for its spooky black, Voldemort face.
The elegance continues with a beautiful, uninterrupted arc under the greenhouse to the boot, which tapers into a swan tail. It’s a fuselage that reminds of a Mercedes S-class or CLA. Not bad design company to be in. And it’s why you do an EV sedan. It gets noticed. As utilitarian as the Model Y is, it can’t match the Model 3’s racier shape.
That shape is what distinguishes the Ioniq 6 from the Ioniq 5, too. But unlike Tesla — the Model Y is essentially a jacked-up Model 3 hatchback — Hyundai has chosen an entirely different shape for its Ioniq 5 SUV. The 5 is angular, retro. It matches the brand’s “chess piece” philosophy that every model should look different even as the pieces conform to the Hyundai philosophy (the twin Ioniqs have nearly identical interiors, screens, features, price).
So Ioniq 6 stands apart from 5, and from its Tesla EV peer. The larger question is: does it make a case for EV adoption? Here, my Ioniq 6 struggles against another familiar sedan competitor: the gas-powered Hyundai Sonata.
For $20,000 less, a loaded $37K Sonata Limited is also an attractive chess piece. Stunning fascia, sleek lines, distinctive tail. Similar dual-screen interior, tech features, self-park assist. For 2024, the Sonata Limited model reportedly even receives the same remote self-park assist the Ioniq 6 boasts.
The Sonata also more than doubles Ioniq 6’s range — to 588 miles — while not requiring you to install an expensive 240-volt charger in your home. Ioniq’s stiff price premium and charging demands mean EVs are a niche segment — even with a $7,500 tax credit, which the Ioniq models don’t quality for since they are made in Korea,
The Tesla twins quality for the federal largesse, making it tougher for the Hyundai twosome to compete against America’s most successful domestic EV maker. But if you’re an EV buyer and you want something different than the same ol’ Model 3 your green pals drive, then Hyundai has a sedan for you. It’s different, and the same.
Next week: 2024 Acura Integra Type S
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
Vehicle type: Battery-powered, rear- and all-wheel-drive five-passenger sedan
Price: $41,715, including $1,115 destination fee ($57,425 long-range, AWD Limited as tested)
Powerplant: 53-77.4 kWh lithium-ion battery with single or dual electric-motors; 800-volt charging, 10-80% fast charge in 18 minutes (mfr.)
Power: 149 horsepower, 258 pound-feet torque (standard range, RWD); 225 horsepower, 258 pound-feet torque (long range, RWD); 320 horsepower, 446 pound-feet torque (long range, AWD)
Transmission: Single-speed direct drive
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.1 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 116 mph
Weight: 3,935-4,616 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA MPGe 103 (as tested); range, 240-361 miles (RWD), 305-316 miles (AWD)
Report card
Highs: Sleek styling; roomy cabin
Lows: Limited cargo room compared to Model 3; more expensive/less range than Sonata sedan
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
World first: How the 200 mph Rolling Road Wind Tunnel helped develop the Mustang Dark Horse
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 13, 2023
In a long white and blue building behind I-94’s 80-foot-tall Uniroyal tire landmark in Allen Park, cars are traveling at speeds up to 200 mph.
While stationary.
Ford’s Vehicle Performance and Electrification Center houses the world’s first 200 mph aerodynamic wind tunnel. The state-of-the-art Rolling Road Wind Tunnel—fed by a 26-foot tall, 7,000-horsepower wind turbine—is part of the development of a new generation of Ford vehicles, including the 2024 Mustang.
The industrial facility is long way from the simple aerodynamic tricks featured in the hit Ford v. Ferrari movie in which engineers attached flags to cars on test tracks to examine air flow. RRWT brings the track to the car by constructing an enormous donut with a wind turbine on one side and test vehicles strapped down in a test bay on the other. Secured by four, sturdy floor struts that double as data collectors, cars then run on four separate belts under each wheel – or an interchangeable fifth center belt—capable of 200 mph speeds. Aerodynamicists like Gesert then monitor the data on multiple computer screens in a glass-encased control room—hopping back and forth to the wind tunnel to test different aerodynamic features. The Mustang team, for example, developed a Handling Package for Dark Horse that includes multiple aero mods including a rear wing, rear-wing Gurney flap (named after driver/engineer Dan Gurney who co-drove the legendary Ford Mk IV to victory at the 1967 Le Mans), and underbody strakes that help suck the pony to the ground. Combined with a remade front air spoiler and splitter, the features create downforce so the pony car can corner faster. Wind tunnels came into common use in the mid-1960s on race cars like Porsches as engineers applied Bernoulli’s principle of fluid dynamics used to lift airplanes off the ground—except in reverse. The RRWT is an advance on the last wind tunnel Ford built in 1999 and improves on the 2008-vintage Windshear facility—a 180 mph-capable tunnel in Concord, North Carolina—that has been used to develop NASCAR and IndyCar racers. Gesek said the Mustang uses a wind tunnel perhaps three times more often than a typical sedan. But as Ford develops more electric vehicles, aerodynamics are also key to low wind resistance to deliver better energy efficiency.“We’re using the wind tunnel quite a bit on our commercial vehicles as well as performance cars,” said John Toth, Ford’s North America Wind Tunnels Engineering Supervisor. “The amount of air moved by our wind tunnel is enough to fill a K-Class blimp in just over 5 seconds.” Toth said the expense of constructing higher speed tunnels is always a deterrent, but that computer simulators can only go so far. “Computer simulators will get you 90% of the way there,” he said standing between the blades of the enormous turbine during a rare media tour of the facility. A key benefit of RRWT is it its ability to give more accurate data compared to earlier wind tunnel designs – key factors when optimizing for range and efficiency. The turbine was constructed by TLT Turbo in Germany and is driven by a 5.4 megawatt motor. “The closer we can get to reality in the lab, the better and faster we can create more energy efficient vehicles with great on-road and track stability,” said Toth. Tailored aerodynamics are applied across Ford’s 60 vehicle lineup. For passenger vehicles, the goal is low drag. Performance weapons like Dark Horse, however, balance low drag with increased downforce for high speeds in sweeping corners. The physical forces in the wind tunnel demand high precision and the facility is constructed with that in mind. The nickel-coated turntable, for example, is separated by just 1.5 millimeters from the surrounding floor. The estimated $200 million facility broke ground in 2017, and has been in operation since January, 2022. Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne Posted by Talbot Payne on June 13, 2023 France had a decidedly American accent last weekend. Detroit brands descended on the world’s most famous endurance race, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with Corvette dominating the GT class, Cadillac taking third place overall, and a special Camaro NASCAR bringing V-8 thunder to 325,000 fans at the bucolic French circuit 130 miles west of Paris. The race was not as kind to Bloomfield Hills-based Team Penske as its trio of Porsche hypercars struggled with mechanical difficulties. Auto racing is an international currency trading in excellence, and motorsports has taken on a high profile as performance brands compete in global markets. On Le Mans’ 100th anniversary, Detroit automakers were front and center selling everything from Cadillac elegance to NASCAR muscle. Hypercar-class racers’ complicated hybrid-electric systems proved problematic across multiple teams with even the winning Ferrari having a nerve-racking moment at its last pit stop when the car wouldn’t start. On to the 2024 Le Mans, when Detroit’s presence will grow again. Ford unveiled a Mustang that will compete in the 2024 GT class to try to dethrone crosstown rival Corvette. Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne Posted by Talbot Payne on June 9, 2023 Corvette, Cadillac, Porsche, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Toyota GR. The world’s top performance brands have converged on France this weekend to compete for auto racing’s premier endurance title, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Next year a pony will join them. Ford unveiled the Mustang GT3 race car Friday for the 2024 race season ahead of the 100th running of Le Mans. Following in the footsteps of Ford’s legendary 1966 GT40 and 2016 GT racers, the GT3 will compete against the world’s top production-based sports-cars at Le Mans next year as well as in other global series. The GT3 represents a triumph of Ford’s product strategy as the Mustang — a key pillar of the Blue Oval’s icon brand strategy along with the F-150 truck and Bronco SUV — has weathered government emissions regulations that have contributed to the demise of muscle car competitors Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger. The seventh-generation, 2024 Mustang is due to hit showrooms this fall. “Ford and Le Mans are bound together by history. And now we’re coming back to the most important race in the world,” said Ford CEO Jim Farley, a skilled race driver himself. “It is not Ford versus Ferrari anymore. It is Ford versus everyone. Going back to Le Mans is the beginning of building a global motorsports business with Mustang, just like we are doing with Bronco and Raptor off-road.”
“We spent approximately 250 hours in the wind tunnel developing the new Mustang,” said Mustang and Bronco aerodynamicist Jonathan Gesek. “The aerodynamics of the Mustang Dark Horse have created the most track-capable 5.0-liter Mustang to date.”
From Corvette to Cadillac to Penske, Motown flags flew high at the 24 Hours of Le Mans
Unveiled: Mustang GT3 will race for 2024 Le Mans glory
“This is a really special time in racing. We have so many manufacturers with this new hybrid platform (that) are going to be able to race together,” said General Motors Co. vice president for performance and motorsports Jim Campbell, referencing new regulations that allow North American and European race cars to compete in the same so-called “hypercar” class for the first time in decades. “We have, I think, 14 different manufacturers racing together. The crowds that came out are incredible.”
Ford is partnering with race chassis manufacturer Multimatic to produce its race car. Multimatic built the Ford GT that won the Le Mans GT class in 2016 on its first try. The Toronto-based race shop also builds the Porsche 963 prototype race car that Bloomfield Hills-based Team Penske has entered this weekend as Chairman Roger Penske tries to add Le Mans to his trophy case filled with 19 Indy 500 wins.
Renowned motorsports designer Troy Lee is also a Ford partner, designing the livery for the GT3 debut. Inspired by the new Dark Horse performance model that will debut on the seventh-generation muscle car alongside the traditional Ecoboost and GT models, the Mustang GT3 will carry a ferocious V-8 under the hood.
V-8s have been under attack by global emissions regulators, but eight-holers are dominant at Le Mans, powering everything from the Mustang to Penske’s Porsche to the Corvette that took GT-class pole for Saturday’s race start. M-Sport will assemble the race car’s 5.4-liter, so-called Coyote V-8.
“For a project like the Mustang GT3, we turned to our most trusted partners in the motorsports world to help bring this vehicle together,” said Ford Performance Motorsports Global Director Mark Rushbrook.
The race car bears the signature long hood and fastback of the production car, but is otherwise radically upgraded for the demands of high-speed, high-downforce endurance racing. The carbon-fiber-skinned race car has grown a big wing and diffuser out back, while the front fenders ripple with air vents for aerodynamic downforce. The menacing front end looks like something out of “Mad Max: Fury Road.”
The Mustang GT3 represents Ford’s ambitious goal to sell race cars to customers across the world as Porsche has done for years — promising income to a Ford Performance unit that traditionally has been essential to engineering and marketing, not a profit center. The same goes for Chevrolet, which introduced its own, remade Corvette GT3 car at the 24 Hours of Daytona earlier this year with global sales in mind.
The Mustang GT3’s first customer is Germany-based Proton Competition, which will campaign a pair of ponies in the 2024 FIA World Endurance Championship. Stateside, Ford Performance will field a two-car factory team in IMSA’s 2024 GTD Pro class.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: These small victories made the Detroit Grand Prix’s downtown return memorable
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 9, 2023
Detroit — The Detroit Grand Prix returned downtown with a bang as IndyCar superstars Alex Palou and Will Power put on a show for the TV cameras. The series champions from the last two years (Palou 2021, Power 2022) going wheel-to-wheel for the win. Representing IndyCar’s two powerhouse teams (Palou from Ganassi Racing, Power with Team Penske). Spaniard versus Aussie. Honda power versus Chevrolet power.
All with the Made-for-TV backdrop of General Motors Co.’s global headquarters in perfect, 80-degree Michigan summer weather. There were also small victories that made the weekend memorable.
Reuss redeemed
The GP’s return downtown was sweet redemption for Mark Reuss. The GM president’s 2018 pace-car crash in a Corvette ZR1 was one of the Belle Isle era’s most infamous moments. And it was especially cruel given Reuss’s reputation as one of the industry’s most accomplished executive drivers. He is a licensed race driver with countless hours at GM’s Milford test facility as well as Germany’s formidable Nürburgring. Mistakes happen (especially on cold tires).
So you knew Reuss relished the chance to get the monkey off his back and Sunday’s race was his time. A red, mid-engine Chevrolet Corvette Z06 convertible — at 670-horses, the most-powerful, normally-aspirated V8-powered supercar ever made — was a prominent presence at the Grand Prix all weekend. But it was a mystery who the IndyCar pace driver would be.
As the ‘Vette led the 27-car IndyCar field on its pace laps, onlookers noted how strongly it came onto the pit straight. Reuss confirmed afterwards he had jumped back in the saddle.
“My favorite part of the track was coming off Turn 4 facing the Detroit River,” said Reuss, “then going down the back straight next to the RenCen towards the pits.”
Go-karting
Belle Isle Turn 2 where Reuss went into the wall was the track’s signature turn. An off-camber, high speed S-turn, it claimed many victims over the years. There was nothing like it on the new downtown course since the 1.7-mile track had to follow the city grid of 90-degree turns.
“I was a big fan of Belle Isle, it had more fast corners,” said McLaren driver Pato O’Ward after Friday’s practice session. “You don’t have a lot of space to work with (downtown). It’s very challenging.”
His McLaren teammate, Felix Rosenqvist, said the track reminded him of go-kart racing. “It’s a very mechanical grip track. The wings don’t have a chance to work because you’re in first gear for all the corners.”
Early concerns were that the course would be too tight to pass, producing a parade. It was anything but. As Sunday unfolded, the race got wild, like, well, go-karting.
Rosenqvist and Alexander Rossi had an epic battle, banging wheels in the Turn 4-5 complex.
“I think the track really came alive during the race,” said Rosenqvist. “Even on full tanks, we were doing, like, qualifying lap times. Bouncing between the walls, it’s insane how much effort goes into it mentally to do a hundred laps out there, especially when you have to race other guys around you.”
Palou and Power swapped and re-swapped first place, the latter giving an outside fake at the end of the 190-mph Jefferson Avenue straightaway, then diving inside for the pass. Contact was the rule, not the exception.
Even Palou, an early skeptic of the track, came around to its race-ability.
“The track kept evolving with our sessions and with other series. It was a lot better than I expected. Hopefully we can tweak some stuff and make it even better for next year. I cannot wait (to return).”
Tweaks? Expect the Jefferson straight to be smoothed to make drafting easier. And a redesigned Turn 1 entry to better accommodate cars exiting the pits.
Racin’ in the streets
Part of the track’s challenge was its small size because Penske Entertainment Corp. organizers wanted to make it easy for spectators to get back and forth between downtown restaurants, Cadillac Square business activations, Hart Plaza and the RenCen. Sitting in the Turn 3 hairpin grandstands Friday night after practice, I watched a construction crew check that manhole covers (185 of them on Jefferson alone) were secured with blowtorches. Then I strolled three blocks to Woodward with my wife to a choice of restaurants including Shake Shack, Townhouse and BESA.
Then there was the logistical headache of keeping a major international border functioning in the middle of an IndyCar race.
Improbably, the track and city functioned in parallel. Literally, in the case of Jefferson Avenue, where Windsor Tunnel traffic from Canada went east on Jefferson to I-375 at 25 mph — while IndyCars zipped by at 190 mph down the westbound lanes.
Legally, of course.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Buick Encore GX is a big style statement in a small package
Posted by Talbot Payne on June 9, 2023
Charlevoix — The new 2024 Buick Encore GX may be petite. But it has presence.
Parked in the middle of downtown Charlevoix over a busy Memorial Day weekend, the premium brand’s entry-level compact SUV turned heads. “Never seen that before. What is it?” said one passerby. “That’s a Buick?” said another, echoing the brand’s catchy ad campaign.
Buick has come back from the dead thanks to an SUV model-line makeover — and the entry-level Encore and three-row Enclave in particular. The 2024 models continue the momentum with all-new designs inspired by the Wildcat electric coupe concept. Encore and Enclave are not electric, which is a good thing since EVs are not ready for prime time (will they ever be?) when it comes to road trips.
I left Oakland County with a full tank of gas and 370 miles of range, enough to get me nonstop to Charlevoix with fuel to spare. And that was a good thing since I hit a traffic-choked I-75 at 3 p.m. Friday headed north. Normally, a 3 ½-hour journey, it would take us five hours in traffic, and my wife and I were in no mood to spend more time sitting at electric chargers for another 35-60 minutes refueling the battery as we would in, say, a similarly-sized Chevy Bolt EUV. And that’s assuming no wait lines on a busy holiday weekend.
Like the Wildcat (and recently redesigned Enclave), GX sports thin cat’s-eyes running lights at the top of the front fascia and a low grille across the chin. The effect is a futuristic Transformer robot face — echoed by the rear lights and diffuser — with nicely scalloped sheetmetal in between. Headlights are almost unnoticeable — the small mid-mounted beams are like dimples on either side of the wide-mouth grille.
In keeping with this spare new design (look, gramps, no more portholes on the side of the hood!), the Encore GX is badged with the new, simplified three-shield Buick logo that was first seen on the Wildcat. The cabin’s lines are also easy on the eyes with a sculpted 19-inch display engorged with an 8-inch gauge cluster and 11-inch infotainment touchscreen display.
Driving the Encore GX is as serene an experience as viewing its lovely aesthetics.
GX purred along I-75 headed north with a quiet cabin insulated from the 1.3-liter three-banger up front. When needed to merge into traffic or make a quick passing maneuver, the turbocharged mill provided a healthy 174 torque managed by a liquid-smooth nine-speed automatic transmission.
This is no BMW X1 or Mazda CX-30 Sport, however — your lead-foot reviewer’s preferred vehicles in class — but the Buick brand is not seeking motorheads. It wants customers longing for style and comfort — not G-forces and stoplight launches.
Indeed, underneath its new wardrobe the standard GX is basically a last-gen Chevy Trax. Same 102-inch wheelbase, same 1.2-liter or 1.3-liter 3-banger, same front-wheel-drive-based platform, same cramped rear seats. For the same price, you could get the new, handsome Chevy Trax Activ — on an updated chassis — that adds four more inches of wheelbase and two more inches of rear legroom. Ooooo, I like that new Chevy.
Which is why you should start your Encore GX shopping with the all-wheel-drive version — a $1,500 option (available on all three trims: Preferred, Sport, Avenir) that’s unavailable on Trax.
Starting at $29,350 on the base Preferred trim, the GX AWD will allow you to navigate Michigan’s endless winters with confidence. Just don’t go drag-racing any BMW X1s out of stoplights. Bimmer earns its $8K premium over the Encore by throwing mud on you with its 295 pound-feet of torque.
If that doesn’t concern you, then my top-trim Avenir tester suits Buick’s country-club vibe just fine. Load its comfy interior with leather seats, auto windshield wipers and cell-phone charger, and it’ll ring the register at $39K. That’s in the affordable premium luxe sweet spot — eight grand south of a comparable BMW X1 and 12 grand north of a Chevy Trax Activ.
Despite giving up legroom and cargo space to the remade Trax, the Encore GX has a neat trick that Trax lacks: A forward-folding front seat.
In downtown Charlevoix, my wife spied a big, wide rug she wanted to take home. No problem.
I flattened the front passenger seat, flattened the second-row, 60-40 split seat, then opened the hatch and shoved the rug all the way through the cabin to the front dash. Mrs. Payne sat in the left rear seat for the ride home next to the rug. That magic front seat can also be used as an ottoman for, say, a leg that’s been operated on. Like when I had a knee replacement a few years back and my wife drove me home — my stiff right leg laying over the flattened front seat.
Such attention to cabin detail is typical of GM products, and the Buick shares the intuitive steering wheel controls found in other vehicles from the automaker. Those ergonomics extend to the back side of the wheel, where you can adjust radio volume with your right hand — and scroll stations with your left.
Alas, that ergonomic attention is missing when it comes to rear visibility, and the Encore has one of the worst C-pillar blind-spots of any compact vehicle I’ve driven. A standard 360-degree view would be a nice solution to this problem — especially given the Buick’s premium luxe market.
Alas, GM (and Buick) are stingy when it comes to tech. The 360-degree camera will set you back an additional $1,095 as part of an advanced technology package that also includes adaptive cruise control. For a company trying to lead the industry into a self-driving future with its Cruise and Super Cruise technologies, the lack of standard ACC is another, ahem, blind spot. Especially when you consider that ACC comes standard on a Mazda CX-30 for just $24K.
With the demise of the base Encore, Encore GX is Buick’s entry-level offering. For now. That will soon change with the introduction of the fastback Envista compact SUV starting just below $24K.
But Envista will be FWD only. If it’s an entry-level premium compact you’re looking for with AWD below $40K, then Buick is a compelling choice. Especially if your hubby is planning knee surgery.
Next week: 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6
2024 Buick Encore GX
Vehicle type: Front-engine, front- and all-wheel-drive five-passenger SUV
Price: $26,895, including $1,295 destination fee ($38,980 Avenir model as tested)
Powerplant: 1.2-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder; 1.3-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder
Power: 137 horsepower, 162 pound-feet of torque (1.2L); 155 horsepower, 174 pound-feet of torque (1.3L)
Transmission: Continuously variable (1.2L FWD); nine-speed automatic (1.3L AWD)
Performance: 0-60 mph, 9.3 seconds (Car and Driver)
Weight: 3,273 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA, 30 mpg city/31 highway/30 combined (1.2L FWD); 26 mpg city/29 highway/27 combined
Report card
Highs: Attractive new styling; fold-flat front seat
Lows: More standard tech, please; blind spot the size of Rhode Island
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
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