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Detroit Grand Prix crowns poster contest winner for race’s return to downtown
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 19, 2023
Detroit — The 2023 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix Presented by Lear is back downtown in new digs, and it has a new poster to commemorate the move.
Adrian Keeler, a junior at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, won the Grand Prix Official Poster competition this week with a stunning design.
Framed by a winner’s laurel wreath, the vertical poster features an IndyCar racing across a Renaissance Center backdrop. The wreath is beautifully rendered with flowers in a rainbow of colors.
“I took a lot of inspiration from the art nouveau era, which incorporates a lot of structural line work with floral embellishments,” said Keeler about his winning entry. “The sunflowers in the design represent loyalty — I was thinking that fans love this event that’s been going on in Detroit for years. The amaryllis flowers represent determination, which is for the racers competing on track. And the orange salmon roses represent enthusiasm, which the Grand Prix brings to Detroit every year.”
Dating back to the first, 1982 Formula One race in Motown’s streets, the Detroit GP has produced memorable poster designs to honor each year’s event. For the last 11 races, the poster has been designed by a CCS student in the school’s art department.
The department winnows student designs to five finalists, whose entries are then judged by a panel of judges representing the local art community, media and the Grand Prix.
“The winning design was a departure from what we normally see, which made this design stand out,” said judge Antone Amye, senior design editor for The Detroit News. “Not only is the design beautiful, it has great symbolism that represents the rebirth of Detroit, inclusivity and new beginnings for the GP once again racing on downtown streets.”
Judges were amazed by Keeler’s presentation, technical skills and message. The work of all five entries contained winning elements. Runner-up went to Qianhua Bower, a sophomore at CCS. Third place went to sophomore Megan O’Kane, while Julia Shuler, a senior, and sophomore Spencer Elter took home honorable mentions.
Keeler’s artwork will be refined over the next few weeks for publication — and then produced in a limited run of official 2023 posters. They will be available in May for purchase online via the event’s official website, www.DetroitGP.com.
“I just recently moved to the Detroit area, so I’ve never been to the Grand Prix before but I’ve always heard about the event and I can’t wait to go this year,” said Keener, who calls Dearborn home.
The June 2-4 event, the seventh on the NTT IndyCar Series calendar, follows the Indy 500 on Memorial Day weekend. It promises to be a memorable race as it moves from its home of the last three decades, Belle Isle, to a 1.7-mile, 10-turn street circuit that encircles the Renaissance Center. The new course features crowd draws like a 180-mph straightaway down Jefferson Avenue and the sport’s only dual-pit lane running north along Franklin Street.
More than half of the event’s footprint along Jefferson Avenue and the Detroit riverfront will be open free to the public. That includes complimentary access to fan activation areas at Spirit Plaza, Hart Plaza as well as the Riverwalk. In addition to the feature IndyCar race, fans will get a dose of IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and Trans Am Presented by Pirelli.
“As someone who is really not into cars, I think the Grand Prix is just a great event for coming together with family and friends,” Keener said. “I wanted my design to show how the event is accessible to everyone and not just people who love cars.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Lexus RZ is a stylish, familiar, electric RX alternative
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 17, 2023
Encinitas, California — My Florida friends call the Lexus RX SUV their official state vehicle because so many retirees drive them around the streets of Naples, Tampa, Orlando and so on. That could be fertile ground for Lexus’s first electric vehicle, the RZ.
Virtually identical to the RX in size and operation, the battery-driven RZ would make a smooth commuter in the metro confines where EVs excel.
And the RZ would get noticed even in the sea of Florida RXs. The Lexus’s L-shaped headlamps, scalloped body panels and horizontal taillight signature are unmistakably Lexus, but RZ design differs in one important way from its RX (and smaller NX) siblings: the giant grille is gone.
Darth Vader mask, bug zapper, spindle grille, hourglass. Lexus’s signature mouth goes by many nicknames, but it’s unnecessary without an air-hungry gas-engine behind it to feed. So Lexus has cleverly painted the nose, giving it a friendlier, anamorphic look — think raccoon eyes on the base $59,650 Premium model, and an optional German Shepherd look on the $65,150 Luxury trim.
It’s very effective, at once making the nose less severe but also instantly recognizable as an EV. The car got noticed here in California, where Silicon Valley-birthed Tesla dominates the electric car segment. The blunt noses of Model Y and Model 3 EVs are a common sight in tony suburbs like Encinitas north of San Diego.
Indeed, the Tesla twins were the best-selling vehicles in California last year, staking out the moral green high ground that the Toyota Prius occupied 20 years ago.
The Prius — aka Pious — was the first vehicle to mine upscale greens’ desire for battery-powered vehicles. All the cool kids had them, and Leo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz drove them to the Oscars. Since then, hybrids have become more mainstream (today, the Toyota RAV4 hybrid outsells the Prius) and Tesla is the new darling of the chic crowd.
Unlike Prius (and the RX hybrid that soon followed in 2003), Lexus-Toyota has been less aggressive about entering the EV market. EVs are a very different animal from hybrids, which simply extend the range of gas-engines using the same, ubiquitous gas infrastructure.
Unlike Prius, Toyota-Lexus (and its brand competitors) sees EVs as a luxury purchase. A second or third car in the household used for local commutes. RZ is built on the same battery platform as the Toyota bZ4x and Subaru Solterra — and like those carriages, Lexus believes the RZ will appeal to green hybrid customers already loyal to the brand and willing to pay a few bucks more for the latest green fashion. The same goes for Toyota’s hybrid buyers and for Subaru’s environmentally-conscious base.
I like the RZ’s chances.
Whereas the Toyota (which I tested on the same roads here last fall) and the Subie are significantly different than their family lineup in operation and price, RZ is a natural extension of the brand’s popular RX and NX gas SUVs.
And RZ has an electronic yoke steering wheel. Ooooh.
While inferior to their gas counterparts in utility, EVs in the luxe class have proved alluring when they have paired innovation with electric power. Much of my Tesla Model 3’s range shortcomings are made up for by its innovation: over-the-air updates, automated driving, big touchscreen, voice commands, Summon, self-park and so on. Other EVs have followed.
Innovation makes the 10-grand price premium and range anxiety easier to swallow. RZ and Model Y competitors in the $60K range like the Cadillac Lyriq (jumbotron screen & light show), Genesis GV60 (Summon-like, remote self-park), Kia EV6 GT (gobsmacking acceleration) and Ford F-150 Lightning (mega-frunk) have all wowed with their own gizmos.
The yoke steering wheel is hardly new to the segment (see Tesla), but Lexus advances the idea in RZ by making it electric. Where conventional steering wheels (including Tesla’s yoke) require 540-degree rotation to maneuver a car, RZ’s e-steering does the trick with 140 degrees.
This is a variable steering wheel that adapts to your speed. I maneuvered through a Carlsbad parking lot with smaller inputs than a regular wheel. No arm-crossing, no muscle required. At speed over SoCal’s twisty secondary byways, the wheel required familiar inputs while giving me an unobstructed view of the instrument display and road beyond.
Lexus hasn’t put a date to when the yoke will go on sale, but journalist guinea pigs got extensive time with the system here. Like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, I’d recommend it to the adventurous.
The Lexus also has a sense of humor like Tesla (whoopie cushions, Plaid mode, etc.). “Hey, Lexus, tell me a joke,” I said to the SUV as if talking to a buddy in the locker room.
“Why can’t you trust trees?” said a voice from the screen. “Because they are shady.”
New toys and nose aside, RZ is similar to the RX, adapting the latter’s latest (and much improved) touchscreen and climate knobs. There are standard features galore. Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, interior mood lighting, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, all-wheel drive, panoramic roof, the works. Step up to the Luxury trim and the pano roof goes opaque with the touch of a button. Alas, no frunk or glovebox for added storage. And no wood or leather so as not to offend green morals.
To let you know it’s a Lexus, RZ gets a rotary shifter and a bigger front motor than its Toyota sibling. It makes for brisk acceleration, if not the face-flattening torque of a Mercedes EQE or Tesla.
Perhaps most impressive, my RZ tester promises better range than advertised. Most EVs disappoint their owners by getting (I’ll use my Tesla as an example) 80% of range unless driven in perfect, 55-mph conditions. I flogged RZ around SoCal for 27 miles and took just 19 miles off the battery in 50-degree temps.
That made for a potential 250 miles of range rather than the advertised 196. That’s still a shadow of the RX Hybrid’s 600-mile capability, but it’s Lexus’s way of saying: electric vehicles are for plugging in at your house and driving locally.
If you’re one of the 25% of Lexus RX buyers who choose a hybrid and drive to Florida every winter in your RX, you might stick with the gas model. But if you fly back and forth and keep a car at your second home for trips to Naples beaches, consider an RZ.
Install a charger, charge at night, glide along the Tamiami strip. And when your lease is up? Trade it in for the yoke steering wheel.
Next week: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
2023 Lexus RZ
Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel-drive five-passenger SUV
Price: $59,650, including $1,150 destination fee ($63,415 Premium and $67,300 Luxury models as tested)
Powerplant: 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery with dual electric-motors
Power: 309 horsepower, 435 pound-feet torque
Transmission: Single-speed direct drive
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.1 seconds (mfr. est.); top speed, 99 mph
Weight: 4,662 pounds (Luxury model as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA MPGe NA; range, 220 miles (18-inch wheels), 196 miles (20-inch wheels as tested)
Report card
Highs: More pleasing Lexus styling; standard tech features galore
Lows: No date on yoke steering wheel yet; lacks faster-charging capability of competitors
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: Riding the Mustang Dark Horse through Manhattan
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 16, 2023
New York — In the opening scene of the classic 1976 car movie, “Gumball Rally,” a fleet of muscle cars explodes from a midtown Manhattan garage and storms up Gotham’s wide avenues as the sun rises, their high-horsepower engines echoing off the steel canyons. Each beast carries two passengers — a driver and a navigator — as they begin their cross-country race to California.
Riding shotgun in the menacing new, 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, I had similar visions.
Pulling out of Pier 78 next to Javits Center (which is hosting the New York International Auto Show this week) on New York’s west side, Mustang Vehicle Dynamics engineer and ace driver Adam Brecher selected SPORT mode. The V-8 gurgled menacingly. Brecher stabbed the gas peal. VROOOM!
And then we stopped, stuck in 2:30 p.m. city traffic.
It’s tough to race through Manhattan without a movie permit. But that didn’t diminish my first ride in Dark Horse, the first new Mustang performance bloodline since the Bullitt badge debuted in 2001. Dark Horse is due in dealerships this summer alongside familiar, base Ecoboost and GT models. Like the Bullitt — and the outgoing Mach 1 — the Dark Horse is a track-focused version of the V8-powered GT. Mustang’s forthcoming GT3 race car shares its name.
Dark Horse boasts 500 horsepower — 20 more than the GT — and the most of any normally-aspirated, non-Shelby, 5.0-liter V8 Mustang ever, says Ford. But that’s not the reason we were getting repeated stares from passersby as we rolled (slowly) through mid-day traffic.
The ferocious Dark Horse looks like a possessed pony that burst through the gates of Hell. Long snout. Masked face. Swollen nostrils feeding air to the huge, twin throttle-body lungs under the blackened hood. Muscled haunches engorged with 11-inch, rear Pirelli hoofs pawing at the pavement. Tail punctuated by a black wing with Dark Horse logo stamped on the trunk below. We looked fast standing still.
My pilot acknowledged the stares with a wave, shoved the manual shifter into gear and cruised with traffic, occasionally executing a downshift with electronic rev match. BRAP! But even at a crawl there was plenty to keep us occupied inside the cabin. This is a Mustang interior unlike any before.
The Dark Horse features new, hoodless, 12.4-inch and 13.2-inch digital twin displays that stretch across the dash. It’s a modern take on a sportscar cockpit just as the Corvette C8 brought Chevy’s muscle car into the 21st century.
Run by Epic Games’ Unreal Engine software, the graphics pop — and the touchscreen responded quickly to inputs as Brecher ran though, say, various exhaust mode options: Stealth, Sport, Screaming Like a Pony Outta’ Hell (actually that last one is called Track).
With fine grain plastics and a crisp, console switch deck for features like traction control, Stop-Start, and emergency flashers, the tidy cabin complements the sophisticated screens. That’s a good thing as the Dark Horse’s starting price is a premium $59,565.
For all its refinement, though, this is a car that tempts hooliganism.
In addition to the manual shifter capped by a blue Titanium ball, drivers have an old school handbrake at their disposal — complete with drift mode. Drifting ain’t easy, so drift mode makes it easier to misbehave like pro drift champ Vaughn Gittin Jr. who helped develop the feature. For a teaser of Dark Horse’s capabilities, check out the production Mustang drifting next to Gittin’s race at Virginia International Raceway online.
We could only dream of drifting as we exited the Hudson Parkway and circled back towards Javits on 11th Avenue. At another stoplight, Brecher pointed out how drivers can chose their digital cockpit — his preference being a throwback tachometer from the 1979-1993 Fox Mustang. His favorite part? It glows green at night (or in New York tunnels).
I’ve had some uncomfortable rides in Mustang seats, but Dark Horse’s blue-leather-with-suede-inserts Recaros fit like a glove. Scanning the cabin, the rear seats looked typically tight but visibility was excellent — an ergonomic feature that helped give ‘Stang a leg up over the pillbox-visibility of the outgoing Camaro.
At an 11th Avenue stoplight, the road cleared ahead, and Dark Horse pawed at the ground. BRAPPA BRAPPA. Brecher popped the clutch and the pony galloped forward, the 5.0-liter V8 free for the first time in our drive. There is lot more where that came from.
We rolled back into the gated confines of the Classic Car Club that occupies Pier 78. Who knows — maybe Hollywood could use the Club’s garage to film a remake of the Gumball Rally someday. It would be fun to clear the Hudson Parkway of traffic . . . and unleash all of Dark Horse’s 500 ponies.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Lexus RZ is a stylish, familiar, electric RX alternative
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 16, 2023
Encinitas, California — My Florida friends call the Lexus RX SUV their official state vehicle because so many retirees drive them around the streets of Naples, Tampa, Orlando and so on. That could be fertile ground for Lexus’s first electric vehicle, the RZ.
Virtually identical to the RX in size and operation, the battery-driven RZ would make a smooth commuter in the metro confines where EVs excel.
And the RZ would get noticed even in the sea of Florida RXs. The Lexus’s L-shaped headlamps, scalloped body panels and horizontal taillight signature are unmistakably Lexus, but RZ design differs in one important way from its RX (and smaller NX) siblings: the giant grille is gone.
Darth Vader mask, bug zapper, spindle grille, hourglass. Lexus’s signature mouth goes by many nicknames, but it’s unnecessary without an air-hungry gas-engine behind it to feed. So Lexus has cleverly painted the nose, giving it a friendlier, anamorphic look — think raccoon eyes on the base $59,650 Premium model, and an optional German Shepherd look on the $65,150 Luxury trim.
It’s very effective, at once making the nose less severe but also instantly recognizable as an EV. The car got noticed here in California, where Silicon Valley-birthed Tesla dominates the electric car segment. The blunt noses of Model Y and Model 3 EVs are a common sight in tony suburbs like Encinitas north of San Diego.
Indeed, the Tesla twins were the best-selling vehicles in California last year, staking out the moral green high ground that the Toyota Prius occupied 20 years ago.
The Prius — aka Pious — was the first vehicle to mine upscale greens’ desire for battery-powered vehicles. All the cool kids had them, and Leo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz drove them to the Oscars. Since then, hybrids have become more mainstream (today, the Toyota RAV4 hybrid outsells the Prius) and Tesla is the new darling of the chic crowd.
Unlike Prius (and the RX hybrid that soon followed in 2003), Lexus-Toyota has been less aggressive about entering the EV market. EVs are a very different animal from hybrids, which simply extend the range of gas-engines using the same, ubiquitous gas infrastructure.
Unlike Prius, Toyota-Lexus (and its brand competitors) sees EVs as a luxury purchase. A second or third car in the household used for local commutes. RZ is built on the same battery platform as the Toyota bZ4x and Subaru Solterra — and like those carriages, Lexus believes the RZ will appeal to green hybrid customers already loyal to the brand and willing to pay a few bucks more for the latest green fashion. The same goes for Toyota’s hybrid buyers and for Subaru’s environmentally-conscious base.
I like the RZ’s chances.
Whereas the Toyota (which I tested on the same roads here last fall) and the Subie are significantly different than their family lineup in operation and price, RZ is a natural extension of the brand’s popular RX and NX gas SUVs.
And RZ has an electronic yoke steering wheel. Ooooh.
While inferior to their gas counterparts in utility, EVs in the luxe class have proved alluring when they have paired innovation with electric power. Much of my Tesla Model 3’s range shortcomings are made up for by its innovation: over-the-air updates, automated driving, big touchscreen, voice commands, Summon, self-park and so on. Other EVs have followed.
Innovation makes the 10-grand price premium and range anxiety easier to swallow. RZ and Model Y competitors in the $60K range like the Cadillac Lyriq (jumbotron screen & light show), Genesis GV60 (Summon-like, remote self-park), Kia EV6 GT (gobsmacking acceleration) and Ford F-150 Lightning (mega-frunk) have all wowed with their own gizmos.
The yoke steering wheel is hardly new to the segment (see Tesla), but Lexus advances the idea in RZ by making it electric. Where conventional steering wheels (including Tesla’s yoke) require 540-degree rotation to maneuver a car, RZ’s e-steering does the trick with 140 degrees.
This is a variable steering wheel that adapts to your speed. I maneuvered through a Carlsbad parking lot with smaller inputs than a regular wheel. No arm-crossing, no muscle required. At speed over SoCal’s twisty secondary byways, the wheel required familiar inputs while giving me an unobstructed view of the instrument display and road beyond.
Lexus hasn’t put a date to when the yoke will go on sale, but journalist guinea pigs got extensive time with the system here. Like Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system, I’d recommend it to the adventurous.
The Lexus also has a sense of humor like Tesla (whoopie cushions, Plaid mode, etc.). “Hey, Lexus, tell me a joke,” I said to the SUV as if talking to a buddy in the locker room.
“Why can’t you trust trees?” said a voice from the screen. “Because they are shady.”
New toys and nose aside, RZ is similar to the RX, adapting the latter’s latest (and much improved) touchscreen and climate knobs. There are standard features galore. Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, wireless charging, interior mood lighting, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot assist, all-wheel drive, panoramic roof, the works. Step up to the Luxury trim and the pano roof goes opaque with the touch of a button. Alas, no frunk or glovebox for added storage. And no wood or leather so as not to offend green morals.
To let you know it’s a Lexus, RZ gets a rotary shifter and a bigger front motor than its Toyota sibling. It makes for brisk acceleration, if not the face-flattening torque of a Mercedes EQE or Tesla.
Perhaps most impressive, my RZ tester promises better range than advertised. Most EVs disappoint their owners by getting (I’ll use my Tesla as an example) 80% of range unless driven in perfect, 55-mph conditions. I flogged RZ around SoCal for 27 miles and took just 19 miles off the battery in 50-degree temps.
That made for a potential 250 miles of range rather than the advertised 196. That’s still a shadow of the RX Hybrid’s 600-mile capability, but it’s Lexus’s way of saying: electric vehicles are for plugging in at your house and driving locally.
If you’re one of the 25% of Lexus RX buyers who choose a hybrid and drive to Florida every winter in your RX, you might stick with the gas model. But if you fly back and forth and keep a car at your second home for trips to Naples beaches, consider an RZ.
Install a charger, charge at night, glide along the Tamiami strip. And when your lease is up? Trade it in for the yoke steering wheel.
Next week: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
2023 Lexus RZ
Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel-drive five-passenger SUV
Price: $59,650, including $1,150 destination fee ($63,415 Premium and $67,300 Luxury models as tested)
Powerplant: 71.4 kWh lithium-ion battery with dual electric-motors
Power: 309 horsepower, 435 pound-feet torque
Transmission: Single-speed direct drive
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.1 seconds (mfr. est.); top speed, 99 mph
Weight: 4,662 pounds (Luxury model as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA MPGe NA; range, 220 miles (18-inch wheels), 196 miles (20-inch wheels as tested)
Report card
Highs: More pleasing Lexus styling; standard tech features galore
Lows: No date on yoke steering wheel yet; lacks faster-charging capability of competitors
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne
Payne: Touting NYC Auto Show’s 10 Best
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 16, 2023
New York — The New York International Auto Show is a shadow of its former self with reduced exhibitors and fewer new car reveals. But it is still a fun candy store.
The technology and raw power in new vehicles is amazing today as an electronics and battery revolution is reshaping the industry. From the most affordable Subaru to the most exotic Corvette, interiors are littered with big screens and driver assist technologies that would have wowed sci-fi movie audiences a generation ago.
While showgoers in Javits Center’s reduced footprint (like Detroit, Chicago, and LA) have fewer brands to ogle, they have more opportunities than ever to actually ride in vehicles as multiple companies have set up test tracks on — and outside — the exhibition floor.
Here’s a look at the Top 10 new vehicles at NYIAS. . . .
Ram 1500 REV. The EV truck wars are on. Based on an all-new battery skateboard and electronics “Atlantis” architecture, the REV joins the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevy Silverado EV as the first electric pickups from Motown. And in true warrior tradition, Ram wasted no time advertising its superiority to competitors. Best-in-class frunk (front trunk), best-in-class towing (14,00 pounds).
Like Lightning, however, REV is not a radical design departure from the existing Ram model lineup in order to send a revolutionary message like, say, the sci-fi Tesla Cybertruck. Ram sees its market in local construction bosses (batteries won’t go far towing 14k lbs) and they don’t want to show up at the worksite in a steed that shames their workers’ trucks.
Kia EV9. Kia doesn’t make pickups, but they electrified the next biggest thing: a three-row SUV. The EV9 joins three-row e-SUVs from Mercedes-Benz, Rivian, and Tesla but at likely (when we see the price later this year) half the sticker. The Kia’s just as distinctive as those all-wheel-drivers with its moon rover wheels, chunky styling, front light show, and high-tech cabin.
Even with a fast-charging, 800-volt architecture, family trips will take longer in the EV9. But Kia figures you’re stopping every two hours for 20 minutes to change-diapers/go-to-the-loo/get-food anyway.
Chevy Corvette E-Ray. Shown for the first time at an auto show, E-Ray fits the e-trend. But it uses its battery for raw, 655-horsepower performance. With an electric motor turning the front wheels, Chevy’s iconic sportscar gets AWD for the first time so you can drive your sportscar in all seasons.
The battery fills in low-end torque on acceleration — as if the 6.2-liter V8 didn’t have enough twist to begin with.
Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Since 2015, the GT supercar has been the Ford stand’s Simba. This year there’s a new lion king and it’s called Dark Horse. With its brooding front grille, black hood, and muscular haunches, Mustang’s latest performance model looks every bit the 500-horspower track slayer that its spec sheet advertises.
Be sure and duck inside, though, where the Mustang sports a hi-tech, horizontal, integrated instrument-and-infotainment display to match the Kia EV9.
Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Banshee. Mustang is the last Detroit muscle car standing as government’s climate crusade has made it harder to build V8-powered hellions. Camaro is bowing out of the market as is Dodge’s best-selling Challenger and Charger. In their place (and racking up electric credits so the V8s can return one day) is the gorgeous Daytona SRT Banshee shown for the first time in the Big Apple.
For all its 21st-century battery-powered wizardry, the Banshee goes back to the 1960s well for its design cues. Its R-wing front end uses aero technology inspired by the 1960s, NASCAR-winning Daytona.
VW ID.Buzz. Another ‘60s throwback, ID.Buzz updates the microbus reborn for the EV age. Its design is nicely evolved — as are its safety features as the ol’ microbus was a front-end collision disaster waiting to happen. Check out the table trays behind the seats just like an airliner.
ID.Buzz lacks the OG’s affordability, however — it’ll likely cost about twice as much in today’s dollars — another example of the soaring costs of new cars.
Dodge Hornet. Cue the more affordable $31k Hornet making its auto show debut. It’s Dodge’s first compact SUV since the 2012 Caliber. Unlike Caliber, the 268-horse Hornet is a hoot to drive and comes loaded with standard features, best-in-class horsepower, and a terrific ad campaign called “The Swarm.”
Lamborghini Huracan Stellato. There’s the electrification trend and then there’s the off-road craze. How nuts are customers for off-roading? The V10-powered Lambo Sterrato — found in NYIAS’s signature exotics cars pen — follows the Porsche 911 Dakar as an off-road capable production supercar. With all-wheel-drive, all-terrain tires, 1.7-inch suspension lift, underbody protection, Subaru-like fender cladding, and nose-mounted rally lights, the 610-horsepower Sterrato is ready for Baja.
Hyundai Kona. If Hyundai Motor Group’s Kia brand is determined to bring EVs to three-row SUVs, then the Kona offers an electric in the subcompact SUV segment. Though its drivetrains are largely unchanged from the last gen, the EV gains range (to 260 miles) and the N performance model offers a frisky, 1.6-liter turbo. The real new here is the upgraded, digital interior and the styling: the wee ute looks like the Kona EV and Hyundai Elantra sedan had a love child with its spare face and carved sides.
Jeep Wrangler. Wrangler is refreshed for 2024 with new style and tech. All our trim favorites are back from the go-anywhere-Rubicon to the pedal-to-the-metal 392. The interior gains a big, 12-inch screen (natch) and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The signature, seven-slot grille is back — but this time it’s back in black.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: 5 things about changed NYC Auto Show stood out
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 6, 2023
New York — The auto industry is being whipsawed by consumer, government and technological trends. Consumers want SUVs that take the kids to school Friday and climb Mt. Rushmore on Saturday. Government wants electric vehicles tomorrow. And Gen Y would just as soon let their phones drive anyway.
Throw all this into a blender and you have the New York International Auto Show.
It’s a showcase for the industry’s latest and greatest … at last among manufacturers who still think shows are relevant (yet another trend). Doors open to the public April 7-16 and showgoers will find a different Javits Convention Center landscape than just five years ago. And fans of the hometown Detroit auto show might find some familiar trends. Five things of note …
You don’t have to go inside
Walk along 11th Avenue in the shadow of Hudson Yard’s towering skyscrapers and you’ll know there’s an auto show on before you ever set foot inside. Jeep Wranglers and Grand Cherokees scale a sort of automotive roller-coaster, giving show attendees a ride. Toyota is also on 11th with rides in multiple vehicles.
Hang around Javits on media day and you never know what you might see. With thousands of journalists inside, Ford couldn’t resist setting up shop at Pier 78 on Javits’ Hudson River flank to give rides to media in its sinister-looking, new Mustang Dark Horse coupe — not due in showrooms until this summer.
Heads swiveled as a Ford engineer and I took the winged beast down 11th — its V8 echoing off skyscrapers’ canyon walls. WAAAUURRRGH! New Yorkers know their muscle cars and stopped in their tracks.
The incredible shrinking auto show
Detroit isn’t the only auto show that has changed. Once a sprawling consumer showcase stuffing three exhibition halls, New York’s show is now contained in a single hall on Level 3. Luxury makers — Audi, Mercedes, BMW — have vacated their once huge stages. They’ve been replaced by mainstream brands and yards and yards of carpet.
Indeed, NYIAS looks like a regional car show with cars arranged around a central brand stand. Open spaces would be more noticeable were it not for creative use of space like Toyota’s exhibit in the middle of Level 3 that celebrates its sponsorship of paraplegic athletes.
Showgoers can play basketball, hockey and curling on the Toyota Sports Festival courts. Honda, which once occupied Toyota’s space, has been shoved to the northeast corner of the hall. Even New York’s signature exotic car display has been scaled back with a Lamborghini, Lotus, Rolls Royce, Bentley, Rimac, and others neatly arranged on the carpet.
EV rides
All that extra space means more room for automakers to give rides. And tailpipe-less EVs are the perfect cars to run around inside. Which is a good thing, because dealers are eager to get customers into EVs as governments like New York look to ban internal-combustion engines — the core of their business — over the next decade.
On Level 1, which the Detroit Three once stuffed with truck exhibits, NYIAS has set up a sprawling test track. I jumped into the right-hand seat of a VW ID.4 — now in production in Chattanooga to take advantage of the federal government’s EV tax break — and took a spin with test driver Jackie. She didn’t waste any time snapping my neck back with instant acceleration, reaching 40 mph before a 90-degree turn.
The ID.4 is one of multiple EVs here that customers can choose to drive in including the Chevy Bolt, BMW i4, Kia EV6, and Nissan Ariya.
Earth first
Behind the shiny new EV introductions is an inescapable sense of urgency from corporate executives here to save the earth. Every media introduction emphasizes environmental action.
“The clock is ticking for the planet,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares in a media roundtable of a fundamental industrial shift taking place to rid the world of fossil fuels. “The transformation is a transformation. It’s a transformation, which means some jobs are going to disappear, some others are going to be created.”
But Tavares noted the shift is already impacting jobs as Stellantis, for example, is winding down engine production at a French facility — and preparing to transfer workers to a new battery plant under construction right across the street. Tavares said a 20-year, government-led strategic transition is underway — but the strategy is backward since it will take 20 years to build wind and solar power to fuel electric charging infrastructure. Then 10 years to develop a charging network; then five to transform autos to plug into the remade grid.
“Twenty years for the clean energy, 10 years for infrastructure, five years for (automobiles),” he commented. “So how did we start? By telling carmakers you’re making EVs.”
Where are the EV startups?
The historic opportunity to build EVs in this regulatory climate has spurred a capital gold rush to new startups like Rivian, Fisker, Lordstown, Tesla and more. But none of them are here. Even the low-rent hallways outside of the Exhibit Halls that once featured small performance makers displays are empty.
Into this void has stepped the Hyundai Motor Group and its three brands: Hyundai, Kia and Genesis. While other legacy brands are focusing their EVs on volume segments like compact SUVs (VW ID.4, Toyota bz4X, Nissan Ariya, Cadillac Lyriq) or pickups trucks (Ram 1500 REV, Ford Lightning, Chevy Silverado EV), Kia is blanketing all segments with electrics.
Along with Ram’s first EV, the REV pickup, the Kia EV9 has received the most buzz here as the first three-row SUV from a mainstream automaker. Hyundai also introduced a subcompact Kona EV Wednesday.
The Ioniq 6, a sleek EV sedan, won World Car of the Year, while the Kia EV6 GT — a crossover muscle car — won World Performance Car of the Year. The EV6 and Genesis GV60 compact SUVs were both finalists for North American Car of the Year.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Mazda CX-90 is a 3-row, 6-cylinder SUV with the soul of a Miata
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 6, 2023
onoma, California — If the BMW X7 and Mazda Miata had a baby they’d call it the Mazda CX-90.
Growling 340-horsepower turbocharged, inline-six cylinder engine, sleek bod draped over a rear-wheel-drive-based chassis and sumptuous three-row interior controlled by a rotary console dial like Papa Bimmer. Nimble handling, double-wishbone front suspension, jack o’ lantern grille and affordable sticker price like Mama Miata.
Of course, there is no corporate partnership between the German and Japanese brands (unlike, say, BMW and Toyota on the Z4/Supra sports car), but Mazda’s new flagship CX-90 has managed the impressive feat of making a $52K three-row SUV with the sex appeal of an $80K German wunderwagen.
Credit the brand’s other flagship, the MX-5 Miata sportscar, whose DNA runs deep in its Mazda SUV offspring.
“The CX-90 is the second-best drive experience for an eight-passenger vehicle. The best will always be four Miatas,” smiled Mazda Dynamics Engineer and Miata racer Dave Coleman as I saddled up the CX-90 for a day of travel over the soggy, grassy knolls and redwood forests of Marin County.
I didn’t carry seven passengers with me, but if I had, they would have had grins as wide as the CX-90’s front grille. The three-rower is the biggest vehicle Mazda has made, yet it felt like the smaller CX-5 — the compact segment’s best-handling ute — as I flogged it through Lucas Valley Road’s writhing twists and turns.
The roller-coaster ride was enhanced by a glorious 6-cylinder soundtrack. A six-pack, you say? No one makes sixes anymore, do they? Well, no one makes affordable sportscars anymore, either. Except Mazda.
Cutting against the grain is the Mazda way. At a time when automakers are under the glare of government emissions nannies to limit consumer choices to four-bangers (even the three-row Toyota Highlander has ditched its V-6 for a turbo-4) and electric vehicles, the CX-90 is a bold statement that enthusiasts’ voices are being heard, and they don’t want cookie-cutter transportation.
CX-90 is a rolling buffet of choice with 11 trims spread across three drivetrains — turbo-6, turbo-6 on steroids and plugin-hybrid — and a $40,000-$65,000 price spread.
At its heart is an all-new, liquid-smooth 3.3-liter inline-6 from the gods. The base, 280-horse mill — mated to a 48-volt battery and eight-speed automatic transmission — replaces the 256-horse turbo-4 and 6-speed in the current CX-9 three-row (indeed, the CX-90 replaces the CX-9 in the Mazda lineup) for the same price as the outgoing model. Get it.
Typical of Mazda value, that price comes with a laundry list of standard features including all-wheel drive, heated seats, blind-spot assist, adaptive cruise control, emergency rear cross-traffic braking, lane-keep assist and free tickets to a Taylor Swift concert (kidding about that last one).
A significant upgrade over CX-9 — already the best-handling ute in class — the CX-90 flips the I-6 longitudinally so the AWD system is rear-drive-based like a Bimmer for better traction. That architecture comes naturally to Mazda, of course, since the wee MX-5 Miata (at 22,500 pounds, half the weight of the CX-90) is also RWD-based. The siblings share all the benefits of that RWD architecture including double-wishbone front suspension, electric steering rack, eight-inch tighter turning radius and Kinetic Posture Control — Mazdaspeak for braking the inside rear wheel to reduce body roll in corners.
The result is a three-row SUV driving experience unrivaled by any mainstream automaker shy of the (also RWD-based) Ford Explorer ST. But CX-90 is much more than a performance engineering exercise.
Adding two cylinders and a longitudinal drivetrain not only stretches the hood but also extends the wheelbase by seven inches. Some of that added length goes into enlarging the interior as well, the chief criticism of the outgoing CX-9 where you had to remove your legs to fit in the third row. I could sit behind myself sitting behind myself in the third row, and rear passengers benefit from an optional panoramic roof that was unavailable on CX-9.
Cargo space behind the third-row gains 1.6 cubic feet, and headroom increased 1.5 inches. The added space holds a comprehensive upgrade in cabin materials.
CX-9 already sported a superior interior, and CX-90 ups the game with deft touches like piano-key-like climate controls, stitched leather and pleasing screen graphics. Step up to the Premium trim in any drivetrain and buyers gain a 12.5-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display and wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. For those who prefer that your smartphone is mirrored in the console screen, the latter gains touch control to complement the BMW-like rotary dial. Amidst the tech-tastic scenery is a notable standout: automatic driver recognition. Activate the feature and it will automatically adjust your seat, steering heel and mirrors according to your height — then save the settings under your name along with interior preferences like cabin temp.
You can see the white space Mazda is gunning for — the valuable real estate between mainstream, practical three-row SUVs and pricey luxury utes.
To add to the premium recipe (and gain credits to satiate the nannies), Mazda dangles the plug-in option: a healthy 17.8 kWh battery paired to a 2.5-cylinder 4-banger similar to hybrids found in, say, the compact Honda CR-V and Ford Escape I recently tested.
Except this is a three-row ute. With a plug.
Plug into your 110-volt garage wall socket for eight hours and you’ll get 25 miles of battery-only range. Fully charged, I grunted around San Francisco and Berkeley like the suburban dad I used to be. At a gas station I picked up groceries — but not fuel. As I headed out of town to the hills of Marin, the battery ran out of juice, handing duties over to the gas engine which (while, ahem, lacking the visceral thrill of the turbo-6) teamed up with the electric motor for similar performance to the top-dog turbo-6.
That’s the best of both worlds for those who want the convenience of home charging and road-trip gas infrastructure. Drive on battery around town, switch to gas for family trips.
I’d still take the inline-6, thank you (and the Turbo S model gets an extra 60 ponies). It offers its own duality: a three-row grocery cart that I can also row hard in the twisties.
There are some misses among the CX-90’s hits. The monostable shifter (more BMW inspiration) is mush — a surprise for a vehicle with such sharp handling. And the puke green and white cloth trimmed interior wardrobe is, um, ambitious.
But there are plenty of interior choices and paint colors to complement the Mazda’s toned bod. So when the household expands and you have to upgrade from the Miata to CX-90, you’ll gain the best-looking SUV in the neighborhood — without sacrificing the thrill of driving.
Vehicle type: Front engine, all-wheel-drive, six- to-eight-passenger SUV
Price: $40,970, including $1,375 destination ($61,920 Turbo S Premium Plus and $61,920 plug-in Premium Plus as tested)
Powerplant: Turbocharged 3.3-liter, inline-6 cylinder; 2.5-liter inline-4 cylinder mated to 17.8 kWh lithium ion battery and rear electric motor
Power: 280 horsepower, 332 pound-feet of torque (turbo-6); 340 horsepower, 369 pound-feet of torque (turbo-6 S); 323 horsepower, 369 pound-feet of torque (plug-in)
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.4 seconds (2.0L, mfr.) and 5.6 seconds (hybrid, mfr.); top speed, 140 mph (2.0L) and 125 mph (hybrid)
Weight: 4,899 pounds (turbo-6 S as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 21 mpg city/29 highway/24 combined (GT)
Report card
Highs: Premium driving experience; loaded with standard goodies for $40K
Lows: Mushy shifter; beware the green-and-white interior
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Big reveals, big crowds, big EV push on tap for New York Auto Show
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 6, 2023
New York — Political junkies are abuzz about President Trump’s arraignment here in a Manhattan courtroom this week, but, if you’re a car consumer, there’s another big event in town.
The auto show circus rolls into the Big Apple Wednesday and it’s got a lot of new acts.
Auto shows are returning to their roots as consumer showcases after three decades of glitzy media reveals on giant, multi-million-dollar vehicle displays. Manufacturer presence in New York will be lighter this year as shows compete with the other hip venues for new vehicle reveals like the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas or a wine orchard in Napa. The media spotlight will shine on important new reveals from Ram, Jeep, and Kia on April 6 ahead of one of the show circuit’s biggest public weeks, April 7-14.
Hosted by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, Gotham’s consumer focus is key to retailers as their brands introduce a flood of new EV product. Automakers and their government regulators are juiced about battery-power and dealers are keen to get the word out. A substantial portion of Javits Convention Center’s floor space will be dedicated to EV ride-and-drives.
With New York state mandating the end of internal combustion-engine sales by 2035 — and New York City requiring the massive fleets of Uber and Lyft to be all-electric by 2030 — dealers are pressing to get customers into cars that are only a fraction of current sales.
“We’ve grown our indoor test track for electric vehicles,” said Mark Shienberg, president of the GNYADA. “Last year … we had a multi-brand track and a total of about 80,000 people who experienced an EV ride and drive during the show. So it really helps people understand where the technology is going and where the future is going to be.”
Ironically, Tesla — which dominates EV sales with three of the top five best-selling EVs — won’t be present in New York. Neither will a stream of EV startups that it has inspired: Rivian, Fisker, Lucid, Vinfast, or Lordstown. But EV government mandates are universal and brands want to prime the consumer pump. Plus Tesla’s success has made EVs trendy and the public is intrigued by their smooth operation and instant torque.
“We’re in the honeymoon stage right now with electric vehicles,” said Brian Moody, executive editor of Kelley Blue Book. “People love the feel of a $45,000 electric Kia, but aren’t asking about charging networks or whether batteries are good for the environment yet. Europe thought diesels were the future 25 years ago and how did that work out?”
There will be lots of ways to get into EVs with Ford and Hyundai also offering EV test tracks as part of their floor displays.
Manufacturers like Kia also see batteries as a chance to recharge their brands. South Korea-maker Kia has been undergoing a total makeover with sports sedans like the Stinger and electric bullets like the EV6 GT. It will drop the production-ready, three-wire family EV9 electric SUV on Gotham, and it is sure to be one of the most buzzed about vehicles in show.
“I think they are trying to use the EV9 to break through the barriers,” said Karl Brauer, auto analyst with iSeeCars. “The EV9 feels like a concept car and promises range, driving assist, and acceleration performance you wouldn’t expect from a three-row EV.”
New York boasts the country’s oldest auto show dating back to 1900 — a run that continued uninterrupted until COVID shut it down in 2020 and 2021 before coming back last year.
“Hundreds of thousands come to (the) show every year. Last year 72% of people who came to the auto show shopping for a car added — or subtracted — a brand from their consideration,” said Shienberg. “This year we’re looking for over 100,000 people to do the electric test drives.”
Kelley Blue Book’s Moody said that the show is making good use of real estate once occupied by static displays: “An indoor test track is the perfect place to test EVs. No emissions, no engine noise, and an opportunity to get people inside for the first time and see what it feels like.”
After the CES debut of Ram’s first EV, the Revolution concept, in January, expect a production version in New York. Genesis is expected to showcase a new EV as well. And there will be plenty of popular gas-powered vehicles, including the first time New Yorkers have seen the mighty Corvette E-Ray hybrid.
Subaru has teased its rugged Wilderness package on the Crosstrek SUV. Jeep promises a big announcement and visitors to Javits will be welcomed by the brand’s signature off-road, outdoors Wrangler test track. Hyundai might reveal a refreshed Sonata sedan with a cleaner exterior look. None of these vehicles is expected to upgrade its powertrain or chassis.
“The EVs are all about breaking barriers, but the internal combustion cars are getting the least investment,” said iSeeCars Brauer. “All the money is going into new EV platforms.”
New York’s wealth is expressed in skyscraper penthouses and lavish luxury autos, but premium brands like Audi, Cadillac, Jaguar, and Volvo will be absent this year. Others like Mercedes-Benz and BMW will have diminished floor space. For all the emphasis on EVs, analysts said Manhattan is not terribly EV friendly given its concentration of apartment dwellers. EVs sell best to households with garages where EVs can be charged overnight.
“Manhattan is not the biggest EV market in the area,” said Schienberg. “Clearly the outer counties — Long Island, Bergen County, New Jersey, Fairfield County, Connecticut — are really, really big markets.”
Analysts said that EVs are the latest fad — and that manufacturers must be attentive to government mandates — but they are unlikely to appeal to everyone. In the meantime, said Moody, manufacturers like Ford benefit from offering customers an array of choice from gas-powered F-150s to diesel-powered pickups to electric Lightnings.
“Vehicle fashion goes in cycles,” he said. “Back in the 1970s, Cadillac said that the convertible was going the way of the rumble seat and the running board. Within five years, GM was selling convertibles again.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: The Hummer EV SUV is a crabwalking, neck-snapping, off-roading, mobile charging station
Posted by Talbot Payne on April 6, 2023
San Francisco — Once upon time, Detroit automakers debuted crazy concept vehicles for auto shows like the six-wheeled Chrysler Voyager III and the V10-powered Tomahawk motorcycle and the 16-cylinder Cadillac Sixteen coupe.
Now, crazy gets put into production.
Behold the all-electric, 8,800-pound 2023 GMC Hummer SUV circus act in my hands. Four-wheel steer! 830 horsepower! Thirteen-inch suspension travel! Super Cruise drive assist! Zero-60 mph in a neck-snapping, Watts-to-Freedom-mode 3.5 seconds!
If you can afford this $105,000 calliope, you should park it in the neighborhood square like a playground attraction and schedule regular hours to show it off. Kids will love it.
With a looooooong press of the rotary mode selector in the console, I activated Crab Walk mode. Using the 4 Wheel Steer function (4WS) that turns the wheels in sequence, I glided from side-to-side down the road at 20 mph like an Olympic distance skater.
A great party trick, but its real purpose is to demonstrate the dexterity of 4WS which is useful in numerous ways. On San Francisco’s storied Lombard Street, I negotiated the tight brick ess-turns with ease. In the middle of cramped Dixon Street, I did a U-turn using Hummer’s ridiculous 35.4-inch turning radius (similar to a subcompact Chevy Bolt). And in the hills of Napa Valley north of Frisco, the big ute danced through tight radius turns. Try that in other mega-utes.
AWS comes in handy off-road, too, which is the Hummer’s natural habitat going all the way back to the badge’s origins as an Army troop carrier. Together with the electric Hummer pickup introduced in 2022, the ‘23 Hummer SUV was green-lighted for production to announce General Motors’ historic mission to go all-electric in the next 10 years.
GM calls that risky journey a moonshot, and the Hummer twins are decorated with moon references — tiny astronaut footprints on the dashboard, rubber mats etched with the Sea of Tranquility — to drive home the point.
Created in just 18 months, the Hummer pickup was fast-tracked to market and GMC is paying the price in hiccups, like a recall of all 2022 models to replace its enormous 200-kWh battery at a reported cost of $60,000 per truck. Fingers crossed the ‘23 Hummer SUV, which GMC expects to be the bigger seller, avoids those teething pains.
With its square jaw, broad shoulders, three amber lights (required for vehicles wider than 80 inches) and 35-inch tires, Hummer’s as hard to miss as a full moon. Californians gaped wherever I drove.
The SUV is little changed from the pickup. The interiors are identical, as are body panels from the rear doors forward. The few changes are significant.
The narrow greenhouse hatchback not only looks awesome, but allows Hummer to hang a full spare off the swing gate for easy access (the pickup spare is tied down in the bed, compromising cargo). And let’s face it, rear spares are fashionable in this Wrangler v. Bronco age. Who knows (nudge, nudge) maybe GMC will make a compact Hummer 2 to take on that terrific twosome. A word on the swing gate. It’s huge and would smack you like a flyswatter were it not for electronic sensors.
Hummer SUV’s wheelbase is a significant nine inches shorter than the pickup, giving the ute more maneuverability (see that turning radius above) and even crazier approach (49.6 inches) and departure (49 inches) angles. The last figure benefits from the lack of a bed hanging out back.
I look forward to taking Hummer off-roading in Michigan, as Napa Valley was under water after days of rain. Mud begged the question of weight. Though the SUV’s off-road specs are impressive — and magnified further by optional 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain tires (which you can air down in the console screen) — its 8,800 pounds give pause. To wit: if you get stuck, what will pull you out? Make sure there’s a Caterpillar front loader nearby.
Weight concerns aside, Hummer has more off-road tricks. I recently high-sided a Ford Lightning — 8.4 inches of ride height standard — at Holly Oaks. Hummer has an answer for that, and it’s not just its 10.9 inches of ride height. The EV comes equipped with Extract Mode, which raises its skirts to 16 inches off the ground.
Hummer SUV also differs from the pickup by offering less range. The shortened wheelbase comes at the expense of fewer battery cells. And while the First Edition Hummer I tested still had three electric motors, its Watts-to-Freedom mode is slightly slower.
Watts to Freedom? Yes, Hummer SUV launches from 0-60 mph in “only” 3.5 seconds, shy of the pickup’s 3.OMG. To give you a sense of how incredible 3.5 still is, it’s the same as a Porsche 911 S. Really.
Pile the kids into the roomy back seat (it’ll hold a first grade class) and give them the full Watts-to-Freedom show. It takes a few moments, but it’s worth watching the cool Unreal Engine graphics walk you through the process: 1) Double-tap the traction control switch, 2) wait for the Hummer to crouch to just seven inches off the ground like a steel cheetah, 3) flatten the brake and accelerator pedals, 4) release the brake.
5) To the moon, Alice.
Oh, the kids will howl with delight. But once back to earth, you’ll appreciate the most practical update for Hummer SUV over pickup: an onboard generator.
EVs are notorious for underestimating battery range, and Hummer is no different. I got about 80% of expected range during my Bay Area drive. Watts to Freedom, 75 mph speeds on interstates and 50-degree weather will do that.
But if you come across another prone EV, you can charge them up thanks to a 19.2 kWh, on-board charger and plug accessory. How? 1) Plug the charge chord into the prone EV, 2) plug the accessory plug into the other end of the cable, 3) plug into your Hummer’s charge port. The recharge rate is about as quick as a 240-volt Level 2 wall outlet — or about 24 miles in an hour.
It’s not as sexy as Watts to Freedom, but it should be enough to get an EV to the next charging station.
Next week: 2024 Subaru Crosstrek
2023 GMC Hummer EV SUV
Vehicle type: Battery-powered, all-wheel-drive four-door SUV
Price: $79,995, including $1,995 destination charge ($106,645 First Edition as tested)
Powerplant: 177.3-kWh (est.) lithium-ion battery driving two or three electric motors
Power: 830 horsepower, 1,200 pound-feet of torque (First Edition)
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.5 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 124 mph
Weight: 8,800 pounds
Fuel economy: Est. range, 250-280 miles
Report card
Highs: A rolling tech exhibition; mobile charger
Lows: 8,800 pounds; heavy sticker, too
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: How different brands are navigating to an EV-mandated future
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 24, 2023
San Diego — From LED light bulbs and water-efficient washing machines to electric vehicles, government regulators are directing manufacturers on the products they must build.
In a U.S. auto market where more than 90% of new car sales are vehicles powered by an internal combustion engine, different legacy brands are taking different routes toward a government-mandated, all-electric future in 2035. Large automakers like General Motors Co. are all in on EVs — shifting its brands to a single, Ultium battery platform and charging Cadillac, for example, with selling only battery-powered models by 2030. Smaller brands like Honda, Subaru and Dodge, however, are taking more cautious, incremental approaches given the soft customer demand for EVs.
The price of not electrifying their fleets is steep as Dodge’s whopping $711 million fine for missing emissions targets in 2022 proved, though consumers are largely unaware of the pressures the industry is under. And in the world’s most diverse auto market, manufacturers must find the electrification strategy that best squares the circle between government demands and their customers’ needs.
“The pressure is on manufacturers as governments force them to electrification, but it’s a three-leg stool: governments, automakers, consumers,” said Matt DeLorenzo, a veteran industry analyst and author of “How to Buy an Affordable EV.” “And if the consumer isn’t there, then the stool isn’t going to stand.”
Honda and other automakers were the beneficiaries of the last of government fuel regulations in the 1970s that penalized Detroit Three automakers in particular for selling big cars. Japanese-made compact imports from Honda and Toyota gave those automakers a foothold in the market that has expanded ever since.
But new government mandates forcing EVs, insiders say, favor the Detroit Three, whose huge pickup truck fleets are often used in short-haul, high-torque situations where EVs excel.
“It’s going to be different because this time everyone is on the same footing. The question is: where is the market going to go next? Are people going to still want trucks? I think they are,” DeLorenzo said. “That favors the domestics.”
EVs make less sense to the single-car households and apartment dwellers that buy, say, Honda Accords and Civics and CR-V SUVs. So Honda sees hybridization as its bridge to electric cars.
The all-new Accord, for example, will offer only a hybrid, battery-gas powertrain option in addition to its base internal combustion engine — shelving a higher-horsepower, 2.0-liter turbo-4. The turbo-4 and hybrid each accounted for about 10% of Accord sales, but to avoid massive EPA fines in 2026, Honda is hoping that 50% of buyers will choose the hybrid option.
“It fits where we’re going to electrification. As great as the turbo-4 engine was — as far as managing restrictions and government regulations, it doesn’t fall in line to where we’re going,” Accord product manager Dan Calhoun said at the 2024 model’s media test here in southern California. “This is a bridge towards electrification. We see that coming, so we (offer) four hybrid trims: Sport, EX-L, Sport-L and Touring.”
Honda’s approach takes a step further as Calhoun and his team have engineered the hybrids to behave like pure EVs. They can run on battery power alone up to 25 mph and then drivers can use regen paddles to brake the car with the electric motor, just like a Tesla.
GM is putting all its electric eggs in the Ultium EV platform, but even the General is hedging its bets by committing to a new generation of V-8-powered vehicles.
“GM says they are going all-EV, but the fact that they are investing $1 billion in a new generation V-8 engine shows that trucks will be a big part of their sales plan,” said analyst DeLorenzo. “They need ICEs to deliver the money they need to stay in business.”
Trucks are key to the automaker’s EV transition as they account for the bulk of the company’s profits. Like crosstown rival Ford Motor Co., GM can also use EV sales credits to balance its popular ICE vehicles.
“GM is trying to appease the government. They need to generate EV credits in order to offset whatever fines they would get for not meeting 2026 (emissions targets),” DeLorenzo said. “I think that’s the thing that is often overlooked. If you generate credits from EVs, that can help you continue to sell trucks and Corvettes.”
Ford was first to benefit from EV versions of popular ICE nameplates. The company says sales of its electric Mustang Mach-E SUV and F-150 Lightning allowed it to introduce a new generation of V-8-powered Mustangs as well as a V8-powered F-150 Raptor that customers have been pining for.
By contrast, Stellantis NV’s Dodge performance brand was late to the EV credits game. Dodge’s V-8-powered Hellcat Challengers and Chargers may have broken the Internet, wowed buyers and displaced the iconic Mustang as America’s best-selling sports car — but they also cost the company millions in government fines.
In their place comes the 2023 Hornet, the brand’s first SUV since 2012 — and the first electrified Dodge.
Dodge threw in the towel on its popular Challenger/Charger line, which will cease production later this year. “It’s time for a transition,” Dodge sales chief Matt MacAleer said at the Hornet’s media debut in Asheville, North Carolina. “Our transition to electrification has begun.”
Dodge predicts the $41K plug-in hybrid R/T will split Hornet sales 50/50 with the standard $31K gas-powered GT model. Together with the brand’s upcoming first EV, the Charger Daytona SRT Banshee, Dodge hopes it will be able to meet government standards.
“Our customers want the flexibility of a battery and gas engine as we transition to electric vehicles,” said Hornet product manager Fernando Fernandez.
Says analyst DeLorenzo: “Dodge is buying time with EVs. They are pursuing technology that might improve fuel economy where they might be able to reintroduce a V-8 at some point. I think that what threw them for a loop is that, during the Trump administration, they got some breathing room on emissions and all that breathing room has been taken away.”
Where Dodge faces an uphill battle convincing its ICE enthusiasts to go electric, Subaru would seem to have the perfect customer base for EVs.
Environmentally conscious and active outdoors, the typical Subaru buyer fits the profile of an EV tree-hugger. Yet the brand has struggled to make sense of costly, range-challenged EVs — contrary to the brand’s reputation for affordable vehicles that can hike anywhere.
“We have a lot of customers who want 500 miles of range, which is why we give them a big (16.6-gallon) fuel tank,” Garrick Goh, car line manager for the subcompact SUV segment’s best-selling Crosstrek, said in Palm Springs. “They go places where there are not just no EV chargers, but no gas stations.”
Goh acknowledged the difficulty of meeting 2026 federal regs, but said Subaru’s larger concern is so-called Section 177 states that have adopted California’s draconian emissions mandates — states like Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington, where Subarus sell well.
The Japanese maker has one battery-powered vehicle in its lineup, the Solterra SUV, which starts at $45K, and one hybrid, the low-volume $38K Crosstrek plug-in, priced well above its $26K gas counterpart. When Crosstrek was remade this year, there were few changes to its four-cylinder ICE drivetrains.
Goh said the company sees the electrification opportunity not in hybrids, but in pure EVs that gain more credits for the brand.
“EVs gain six times more credits in 177 states than plug-in hybrids,” he said. “So we’re focusing on EVs like the Solterra. EV is the end game because eventually we’re all going EV.”
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Affordable Hornet GT brings Dodge sting to compact SUVs
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 23, 2023
Asheville, N.C. — You know it as soon as you grip the steering wheel on the Dodge Hornet. This SUV wants to play.
Direct, weighted and rooted to the road, Hornet’s steering was a carving tool in my hands as I rushed the twisties up the Blue Ridge Parkway southeast of Asheville. The scenery was stunning, but the compact SUV offered no time to drink it in as I surged from corner to corner with 295-pound-feet of torque on offer to my lead right foot. Oh joy, another affordable hot hatch has joined the SUV segment.
As readers of this column know, the Mazda CX-5/CX-50 Turbo is my favorite mainstream compact SUV with its standard all-wheel drive, sharp handling, terrific torque and attainable pricing. It’s been a segment of one. Until now.
For just $31,590 — a whopping $6,500 less than the CX-5 Turbo — the AWD 295-torque, 2.0-liter turbo-4-powered Hornet GT (yes, GT is the entry-level model) nearly matches the Mazda’s 310-pound feet of torque while besting it in horsepower, 268 to 253. I’m not making this up.
Hornet marks the return of a storied badge that dates to the beloved 1951 Hudson Hornet — and of Dodge to the compact SUV segment for the first time since the unloved 2012 Caliber. But this is a different Dodge. Where Caliber was a cheap version of the Jeep Compass, Hornet shares a platform with the Alfa Romeo Tonale, for goodness’ sake. The new ute’s playfulness took some of the sadness away from the death-by-government-regulation this week of the Challenger — the Hornet’s performance godfather — as Dodge announced the V-8 era’s end with a 1,025-horsepower SRT Demon 170.
The Hornet GT and CX-5 Turbo play in the huge, multi-million-sales volume, compact-SUV segment, but what makes them special is they boast luxury-level performance at mainstream prices.
And if it’s luxury-level prices you want, the Hornet offers a top-trim 288-horse, 386-torque R/T monster for a BMW X1-like $41,590 sticker. Load the blood-red Hornet R/T I also tested with Blacktop, Tech and Track packages and it’ll cost you $52,405. That is (ahem) $9,000 more than a V8-powered Dodge Charger R/T, and over three grand more than the most expensive $49,195 BMW X1 offered. I’m still not making this up.
Welcome to the electrified era and its shocking price inflation.
And its cool new features. The 15.5-kWh battery under the rear seat is largely responsible for the R/T’s 10 grand premium over the standard GT. And largely responsible for the R/T’s expanded tool kit. Expect similar goodies from the Alfa Tonale, which comes out of the same Naples, Italy plant and will cost Lord knows what.
Buzzing through the spaghetti curves of Route 276 behind traffic, I get a brief dotted line along a straight stretch. Alert PowerShot, an over-boost feature like Grin Shift found on Hyundai N hellions. I armed the system with SPORT mode, pulled back on the steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles, then floored the throttle.
Accessing an extra 30 horsepower (for a total of 288), the Hornet R/T jumped into the left lane and obliterated the two cars in front of me. Impressive as that horsepower figure may sound, the R/T’s torque — 383, just 7 shy of the 5.7-liter hemi V-8 in big brother Durango — is the real story here. The 1.3-liter inline-4’s turbo provides the high-rpm horsepower, while the battery fills in low-end torque. The result is instant, electric vehicle-like grunt courtesy of the rear electric motor.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because I first experienced this front-engine/rear-motor arrangement in the 2020 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid, itself derived from the Acura NSX supercar. Dodge’s elves are having fun.
All this muscle is wrapped in a surprisingly stealthy package. Unlike the wicked-looking V8-powered Charger R/T that you can hear coming from a mile away, Hornet R/T makes only muffled, four-cylinder sounds when I give it the whip. Part of “the bridge to electrification,” no doubt, as government nannies force everything to be the same. But how does that square with Dodge’s rebel brand?
That rebel spirit is on display in the Hornet’s exterior styling: domed hood, twin-functional heat extractors, raccoon grille. Though it softens with a profile that could be any SUV (what, no Charger-like boomerang body stamping?) and a generic rear horizontal taillight, you’ll know the R/T by the dual tailpipes out the back, but otherwise R/T is little different from GT.
If you’ve got $52K burning a hole in your pocket, you might opt for the more visually distinctive Alfa. But oooooh, I like the affordable GT.
It’s not as elegant looking as the Mazda CX-5, but dress it in the Blacktop package ($1,995) and Acapulco Gold ($500) and it’s a bargain at $34,085. Especially since Dodge’s electronics leapfrog Mazda. In addition to standard adaptive cruise control, blind-spot-assist, auto headlights, auto braking and a partridge in a pear tree, the GT offers a big 12.3-inch configurable display behind the steering wheel. The console is anchored by a 10-inch touchscreen powered by the best-in-class Uconnect system.
We motorheads like to headline performance numbers, but a new generation of smartphone-raised buyers demand easy-to-use electronics. Tech ‘n’ ergonomics have always been a Dodge strength. With wireless Android Auto (also standard) at my disposal, I easily navigated Metro Asheville with voice commands. The console was rich in clever details like an upright storage cubby so I could see my phone’s screen, and a fat button on the steering wheel to access SPORT mode.
Hornet is at the smallish end of the compact segment with interior proportions closer to CX-5 than Nissan Rogue. But this tall guy had plenty of headroom in front and legroom in back. Clever details extend to sub-floor storage in back (except in R/T, where the space is consumed by the electric motor).
Around town in the R/T, I ran on battery power alone thanks to the e-SAVE feature, which stored 30 miles of range. The GT is easy ‘round town, too, and its AWD will be appreciated by Michiganians in March snowstorms. Put your boot in it, though, and GT’s nine-speed gearbox isn’t nearly as smooth as the Mazda’s velvety six-speed.
I’ll stick to sedan-based pocket rockets like the VW Golf GTI or AWD Mazda3 Turbo or Hyundai Elantra N — the latter with similar price/power to the Hornet GT. But for those who want an SUV hot hatch, the Dodge is a welcome segment addition.
And if you want more visceral thrills, you can always dive into Dodge’s Direct Connection bag of tricks to outfit your Hornet with, say, an exhaust sound enhancer. Hornets were meant to buzz.
Next week: 2024 Hummer SUV
2023 Dodge Hornet
Vehicle type: Front engine, all-wheel-drive five-passenger SUV
Price: $31,590, including $1,595 destination ($33,585 GT and $52,305 R/T as tested)
Powerplant: Turbocharged 2.0-liter Hurricane inline-4 cylinder; 1.3-liter turbo-4 cylinder mated to 15.5 kWh lithium ion battery and rear electric motor
Power: 268 horsepower, 295 pound-feet of torque (2.0L); 288 horsepower, 383 pound-feet of torque (hybrid)
Transmission: 9-speed automatic (2.0L); 6-speed automatic (hybrid)
Performance: 0-60 mph, 6.4 seconds (2.0L, mfr.) and 5.6 seconds (hybrid, mfr.); top speed, 140 mph (2.0L) and 125 mph (hybrid)
Weight: 3,715 pounds (2.0L) and 4,140 (hybrid)
Fuel economy: EPA 21 mpg city/29 highway/24 combined (GT); gas range, 324 miles; R/T electric-only range, 30 miles
Report card
Highs: GT is affordable, SUV hot hatch; state-of-the-art electronics
Lows: R/T gets pricey; lacks Dodge emotion
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Chevy Camaro RIP, but a successor may be in the works
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 23, 2023
And then there was one.
Detroit’s muscle car lineup shrank to the Ford Mustang on Wednesday as Chevrolet announced the end of Camaro production after the 2024 model year. The Camaro’s demise follows the discontinuation of Dodge’s popular Challenger coupe at the end of this year. V8-powered cars like the Camaro are under intense regulatory pressure amid a government-led transition to electric vehicles, but — unlike the best-selling Challenger — Camaro had fallen on hard sales times since its sixth-generation remake in 2016.
“As we prepare to say goodbye to the current generation Camaro, it is difficult to overstate our gratitude to every Camaro customer, Camaro assembly line employee and race fan,” said Chevy Vice President Scott Bell. “While we are not announcing an immediate successor today, rest assured, this is not the end of Camaro’s story.”
The end may be a new beginning. Car and Driver reports that General Motors Co. is moving towards a sub-brand strategy focused on Camaro, Corvette and Escalade as the company remakes its portfolio. The enthusiast magazine reports that a Camaro SUV will be introduced in 2025 on GM’s Ultium battery platform just as a Corvette sub-brand unveils an Ultium-based SUV and sedan to complement its V8-powered sports car.
Ford pioneered the muscle-car sub-brand idea in 2021 with the electric Mustang Mach-E and Ford credits its success in racking up emissions credits for the continuation of the V8-powered Mustang.
“We’re not saying anything specific right now,” Chevrolet spokesman Trevor Thompkins told the Associated Press about Camaro’s future.
The Camaro debuted in 1967 in the wake of the wildly successful Mustang pony car. Though shy of Mustang’s massive 470,000-plus sales, the Camaro sold an impressive 220,906 units in its inaugural year and continued strong sales into the 1970s as the muscle car segment grew to include such Woodward Dream Cruise classics as its sister Pontiac Firebird, Dodge Challenger, AMC Javelin and Plymouth Barracuda. By its fourth generation in 2002, sales of the Camaro had dropped to just over 40,000 units a year and the model was discounted.
Camaro rose from the ashes in 2010 with a fifth-generation coupe that was part of a rebirth of the American muscle car segment. It outsold both the Mustang (which has been sold continuously since 1964) and the Challenger (reborn in 2008) for five straight years, hitting nearly 90,000 units annually on the strength of its edgy retro styling and RS, SS and Z/28 performance models.
A controversial sixth-generation redesign in 2016 ended the Camaro’s reign at No. 1. Sharing the same athletic platform as the Cadillac ATS, the Camaro won huzzahs for its performance — embodied by the 650-horsepower ZL1 1LE, the fastest Camaro ever around GM’s Milford Proving Grounds.
But buyers and media reviews complained the sports car was hard to see out of and was ergonomically inefficient inside. Sales sank to 24,652 last year — a distant third to its Mustang and Challenger competitors.
Challenger will also cease production after the 2024 model year as Dodge has racked up heavy federal emissions fines. Dodge has introduced an all-new, battery-powered Charger Daytona Banshee to replace it.
Camaro is synonymous with Chevy NASCAR racing and the badge will continue competing in the series as well as in IMSA, SRO, NHRA and the Supercars Championship.
“Chevrolet’s products and our relationship with our customers benefit from motorsports,” said Chevy Motorsports boss Jim Campbell. “Our plan is to continue to compete and win.”
As Camaro production draws to a close at GM’s Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant in January 2024, Chevrolet said it will honor its final run with a Collector’s Edition package on the RS, SS and ZL1 models. The Collector’s Edition pays homage to the first generation program’s initial code name: Panther.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Go Like Hell: Dodge unleashes loaded Hornet R/T GLH Concept
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 23, 2023
Asheville, North Carolina — The Dodge Challenger and Charger are being put out to pasture, but their muscle car DNA lives on.
With half the cylinders.
Dodge on Wednesday unveiled a lower, louder, and bolder R/T GLH Concept version of the plug-in hybrid Hornet compact SUV — GLH for “Go Like Hell.” Loaded to the gills with all of Dodge’s Direct Connection goodies — including lowered suspension, black hood, dual racing stripes, Track Pack, exhaust amplification, electronic control unit upgrades and more — the R/T GLH gives a glimpse at a fully-modified Hornet just like its gas-powered GT GLH Concept sibling, which was unveiled at M1 Concourse last August at the Hornet’s debut.
Similar to aftermarket parts but installed by approved Dodge Power Broker dealers, the Direct Connection features are covered by the factory’s three-year/36,000-mile vehicle warranty. Direct Connection offers the only factory-backed performance upgrades in the compact SUV segment.
The $41k Hornet R/T is already a hatchback hellion without the available Halloween wardrobe. Featuring Dodge’s first plug-in hybrid powertrain, R/T marries an electric motor turning the rear wheels with a turbocharged, 1.3-liter four-cylinder engine driving the fronts to produce a gob-smacking 383 pound feet of torque — just shy of the 5.7-liter, V8-fired Dodge Charger R/T’s 395 pound-feet of torque.
Starting at 10 grand below the R/T, the base Hornet GT is stuffed with a 295-torque turbo-4 producing 268 horsepower. That’s best-in-class for a gas engine. Best-in-class is just the starting point for the Brotherhood of Muscle brand. Dodge pioneered the concept of direct dealer parts to modify its vehicles in the 1970s, and Hornets can be upgraded feature-by-feature or in the Full Monty GLH package.
The GLH pays homage to the high-performance, mid-1980s Dodge Omni GLH developed with racing legend Caroll Shelby. Expect both GLH models to enter the lineup soon. Fully outfitted, the R/T and GT GLH Concepts boast:
1) A lowering kit for better handling that drops the Hornet to six inches off the ground with new front and rear springs.
2) Direction Connection-branded GLH 20-inch machine-faced wheels
3) Unique GLH stripes, logo and red Hornet badging
4) The GT gains a dual exhaust (already standard on the R/T), but both badges gain a black-chrome-tipped, less restrictive pipe with a more macho performance note.
The Hornet GT arrives in dealer lots this spring with the R/T due by early summer. Direct Connection parts are available for online purchase through dealers and at DCPerformance.com.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: The N-spired Hyundai Elantra N is a tattooed terror
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 20, 2023
Hell, Michigan — Hell has frozen over, but the roads are clear.
So I took my 2023 Hyundai Elantra N tester out for exercise on my favorite Michigan curves. On summer tires. In the middle of February. Hyundai’s hellion is more proof that pocket rockets are the best all-around cars in autodom. Though I may, ahem, put all-seasons on the N were this my own car — and save the terrific soft-rubber, barely-treaded Michelin Pilot Sport 4S’s for summer autocrosses. February blue skies don’t last long.
The N is the latest tattooed terror from the Korean brand — replacing the gonzo three-door Veloster N. It brings big personality to the pocket rocket segment as well as a lot bigger backseat than Veloster offered.
Like a Corvette Z06 wannabe, the N’s steering wheel bristles with features to encourage performance bedlam: Drive Mode paddle, N-Mode paddle and a sort of nuclear red button for stick-shift rev-matching. Yes, unlike the ‘Vette, the Elantra N comes standard with a glorious short-throw, six-speed manual so you can row the sedan’s gearbox to your heart’s content.
After a pleasant, smooth ride west to Hell on I-96, I poked the N-mode paddle to awaken the beast within. The engine’s voice got deeper, the steering wheel firmed and the compact chassis noticeably stiffened, its suspension following the asphalt’s every contour.
C’mon , Payne, what are you waiting for?
The roads were empty on a college basketball Saturday afternoon, and the N was eager to show me its own open-court athleticism. Hustling west on Doyle Road, I flung the N into a 90-degree left onto Unadilla, the chassis flat as a pancake. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires scrambled for grip across the cold asphalt, but grip they did. Visions came to mind of King Civic, Honda’s handling benchmark for the sedan segment. Unlike Elantra Sport pocket-rocket pretenders of the past, the N is fully engineered for back-roads mayhem with limited-slip differential and sticky tires.
And it has plenty of grunt to back it up. While Civic Si has resolutely stuck to its 200-horsepower formula for the last two decades, N comes with a major upgrade over Elantra’s standard equipment with a punchy 276-horse, 289-torque turbo-4. Where the Si leaves you yearning for more, N delivers with a wave of torque.
Heading south, Unadilla turns into Hadley Road, opening up into fast, undulating sweepers like the epic Nurburgring race track from which the N takes its name. Though the four-banger has half the cylinders of ferocious Corvettes and Mustang GT350s that I’ve tested in these hills, I still ran out of road before I ran out of power. Learning from those V-8 monsters, Elantra N-mode delivers a soundtrack for its action sequences (it’s not AC/DC’s “Hells Bells,” but it’s pretty good).
In N mode, the digital instrument display placed the tachometer at the center of my vision. The turbo-4 is free-revving, and the tac’s rim illuminated in orange — then red — as I approached redline so that I didn’t need to take my eye off the road. Like the dash of a modern race car, the colored lights — not a harder-to-read RPM number — told me it was time to shift. I recommend the stick, but buyers who prefer the dual-clutch automatic (a $1,500 upcharge) also get a cool toy: Hyundai’s Grin Shift feature, which, like a Porsche sports car, will give you 20 seconds of engine over-boost to, say, blow by slower traffic on Hadley Road.
All this swagger is wrapped in an equally outgoing wardrobe.
Unlike sleeper rockets Mazda3 Turbo and Civic Si, my Elantra wears an eye-searing dress right out of the Lamborghini catalog: knife-edge body stamping, shard-like headlights, low-profile 19-inch spider-web wheels, silver-tipped dual exhaust pipes the size of cannons. To add to the menace, the face is masked black and a 360-degree, blood-red line traces the body’s hem.
From the Ioniq 5 to the Sportage to the Elantra, Hyundai has some of the most distinctive designs in the market, and N is another standout in the portfolio.
But while the wardrobe can’t be turned off, N drivers don’t always have to drive in full N-uke mode. N offered a serene setting for the long highway ride back from Hell. Beyond the stylish N-badged black Alcantara sports seats, my $33,745 Elantra sported a similar digital interior as the $21,000 base car I raved about in the warmer temps of Naples, Florida, last year.
High-mounted dash screen, generous console room, intuitive control knobs. The Elantra N upgrades these features with a fully-digital instrument display (for that cool N Mode), a 10.3-inch infotainment screen (up from the standard 8-inch model) and one downgrade: the larger screen isn’t compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Weird.
This meant that, on my return journey home, my Dairy Queen onion rings container had to share the console cubby with my Android phone cord (whereas in the standard Elantra, I could just keep my phone in a pocket).
Also lacking is adaptive cruise control, which comes standard on N competitors like the Civic Si, Mazda3 Turbo and VW GTI. Again, it’s an odd oversight on a car equipped with state-of-the-art safety systems like lane-keep assist and redundant blind-spot assists in both the instrument display and mirror.
On I-96, I dialed the N’s drive mode to whisper-quiet ECO and made some phone calls over my Bluetooth-connected phone.
Readers of this column know I prize hot hatches, a body style with which Elantra N is not offered. Nor does it come equipped with all-wheel drive like the comparably-priced, 310-torque Mazda3 Turbo hot hatch.
But no warrior in the pocket rocket colosseum has everything. My favorite — and longtime-class-standard-bearer Volkswagen Golf GTI — comes at a premium $37K sticker price. The Mazda3 Turbo is a more reasonable $34K (loaded with tech and winter-taunting AWD) but has compromised rear seat room and doesn’t offer a manual. The Subaru WRX beast is a $32K bargain with AWD, a great manual and plenty of interior room — but is less engaging with no rev-match and no SPORT mode. King Civic? A $30K bargain with room, style, crisp handling, crisp manual — but noticeably down on power compared to its 250 horsepower-plus competitors.
So shop them all, then pick the one that makes your heart beat the fastest. The talented Elantra N is hard to miss with outsized styling, performance toys and power. Hell, yeah!
Next week: 2024 Dodge Hornet
2023 Hyundai Elantra N
Vehicle type: Front-wheel-drive, five-passenger performance sedan
Price: $33,745, including $1,095 destination charge (manual as tested)
Powerplant: Turbocharged 2.0-liter, inline-4 cylinder
Power: 276 horsepower, 289 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 6-speed manual; 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.8 seconds (Car and Driver est.); top speed, 155 mph
Weight: 3,186 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 22 mpg city/31 highway/25 combined (manual); 20 mpg city/30 highway/23 combined (automatic)
Report card
Highs: All-around talent; stick shift standard
Lows: Polarizing face; adaptive cruise control and wireless Android Auto, please
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Flying low around Thermal Raceway in the winged Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 9, 2023
Palm Springs, California — The quiet desert around this small, California resort town would seem an unlikely place to showcase the ferocious cutting edge of automotive performance. In early February, I was an hour north of Palm Springs at the King of the Hammers off-road festival testing something entirely novel: a competition-focused, sand-slinging Ford Bronco DR.
A week later, I was an hour southeast of Palm Springs on Thermal Raceway. But this time, I was testing a familiar formula: the latest Porsche 911 GT3 RS. While the Bronco DR is intent on conquering a new desert frontier, the GT3 RS is already the supercar standard for on-track performance.
With its 2023 model, Porsche has raised the bar again.
Incorporating state-of-the-art aerodynamics and digital wizardry, the GT3 RS is a significant leap from the last-gen car that I tested at Road America three years ago. While the $225K cyborg will be enjoyed by a few (some of whom came out to watch our test with mouths agape) at exclusive tracks like Thermal, its technology will ultimately trickle down to more affordable performance cars. Consider the 911-inspired, push-to-pass button on the steering wheel of the $33K Hyundai Elantra N that I tested recently.
For this generation, Porsche has innovated the ability for drivers to adjust suspension settings on the fly with four “satellite buttons” on the steering wheel. Kinda like my own Lola race car.
I dialed in shock rebound on my yellow GT3 RS tester to allow for more feedback on Thermal’s fast, flat North-Desert Circuit, and dove into a 19-turn lap.
The GT3 RS is instantly familiar as a 911. Neutral and easy to drive, its predictability allows you to focus on learning the track. I was up to speed quickly — chasing Porsche endurance ace and RS development driver Jorg Bergmeister lap after lap.
But where the ‘23 RS transcends its predecessor is in prodigious downforce. With a gobsmacking 1,897 pounds of maximum downforce — double that of the 2019 model and nearly 50% of what a modern IndyCar possesses — the GT3 offers neck-straining capability at high speeds. At 135 mph into a sharp 90-degree Turn 4, I left my braking waaaay later than in a standard 911 — my eyeballs bouncing off the front windshield — before rotating into the corner apex.
Credit massive 16-inch front brake rotors — and a dual-element, swan-neck rear wing the size of a Boeing 737 that snaps shut under braking, effectively throwing a parachute behind the car.
Through high-speed sections, the wing works in tandem with a rear diffuser, nose cavity, sub-nose winglets and an array of wheel-well barge boards — the RS looks like a 911 and a Formula One car had a baby — to suck the car to the pavement.
That’s where the massive 12-inch-side rear and 10.8-inch front Michelin Sport Cup 2 gummies can really do their work. Through the Turn 12-13 esses, the RS changes direction as if on rails. Yet all this fighter-jet tech doesn’t compromise the Porsche’s solidity, and I flatten curbs like balloons at 105 mph. It wasn’t long ago that I was on Thermal in the 2017 Ford GT, which sported the supercar segment’s most-advanced chassis with carbon-fiber tub and F1-inspired keel-wing nose. Yet that car generates just 450 pound-feet of downforce compared to the RS’s Herculean 1,897 pounds.
Between sessions, we rolled back into the pits to awestruck Thermal race club members who own prior-gen RSs that are already the alpha males of a club awash in McLarens and Lambos.
“These cars are really desirable out here,” said Don Cusick, 66, who tracks a pair of previous-gen RSs and covets the ‘23 model. “This generation’s changes are significant. The Porsches are fast, easy to maintain, bulletproof.”
A big part of that reliability is the tried-and-true 4.0-liter flat-6 out back that is little changed (518 horses) over the 503-horse GT3 that I tested at Road Atlanta in April. As I dealt with the relentless G-forces and curb-jumping heroics of the aero-package, the engine was almost an afterthought — even at a stratospheric 9,000 rpm redline — so instant is the throttle response, so quick is the 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Unlike the GT3, the GT3 RS is not offered in a manual since the latter would slow a beast optimized for lap times.
It’s still important to note that, unlike that Bronco DR I flogged in the desert, this thoroughbred is street-legal. Track it Sunday, drive it to work Monday.
In contrast to the 9,000-rpm Porsche sports cars I’ve raced, the 911 GT3 RS didn’t require I wear plugs (lest my ears be shattered), stuff my knees into the dash or brace my back for a washboard ride. The RS cockpit is equipped with interior sound-deadening, Alcantara-wrapped luxury seats and exhaust mufflers that isolate the shrieking flat-6 behind me.
And you don’t need a race track to feel its thrust. Porsche says it will go 0-60 mph out of a stoplight in just 3 seconds. Zero-100 blows by in 10.9 seconds.
Still, this is a track-focused car. Rear seats are deleted whether you opt for a rollbar or not, the frunk has been replaced by a huge radiator (replacing three units in the GT3 model) that sucks air through the nose then spits it out over the fenders and greenhouse for maximum downforce. Needless to say, there is no adaptive cruise control.
The stereo? I never touched it. Like the Bronco DR’s V-8, the best soundtrack is that glorious Porsche flat-6.
The 2023 GT3 RS’s dramatic evolution is necessary to stay in front of the supercar segment’s relentless competition. The aforementioned Ford GT got a Mk II upgrade in 2019 with similar swan-neck, big-wing aero improvements for 1,900 pounds of downforce. Cost? $1.3 million. The GT3 RS delivers the same capability for a quarter of the price.
For half the price of the Porsche, here comes the mid-engine, 670-horse, 8,700-rpm Chevy Corvette Z06 that just shredded the last-gen GT3 RS’s Car and Driver Lightning Lap record for a normally-aspirated car at Virginia International Raceway by, ahem, three seconds.
Your turn, RS. Bergmeister has already shattered the normally-aspirated record at Germany’s legendary Nurbugring race track with a 6:49 minute lap — seven seconds under the last-gen RS.
Said Bergmeister afterward: “In the fast sections in particular, the 911 GT3 RS is in a league of its own.”
High wing, high bar.
Next week: 2023 Hyundai Elantra N
2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
Vehicle type: Rear-wheel-drive, two-passenger supercar
Price: $225,250, including $1,450 destination charge ($274,890 as tested)
Powerplant: 4.0-liter flat-6 cylinder
Power: 518 horsepower, 342 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 7-speed, dual-clutch automatic (PDK)
Performance: 0-60 mph, 3.0 seconds (mfr.); top speed, 184 mph
Weight: 3,268 pounds
Fuel economy: EPA 14 city/18 highway/16 combined
Report card
Highs: Tenacious handling, flat-6 from the gods
Lows: No backseat, no frunk; a track toy, mostly
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Six-shooter: Mazda CX-90 goes upscale with silky inline-6 engine
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 3, 2023
Premium electric vehicles are all the rage these days as manufacturers rush to duplicate Tesla’s sales success as well as meet stringent government regulations. Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Kia, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Genesis and others have introduced new, upscale EVs.
But Mazda has never been one to go with the flow.
Taking a page out of BMW’s book, the Zoom Zoom brand is upgrading its three-row Mazda SUV with a rear-wheel-drive-based, silky-smooth, turbocharged, inline-6 engine. The CX-90 expands on Mazda’s successful, turbo-4-powered CX-9 formula by adding extra width, length, features and two more cylinders. The result is a stylish three-row ute that is $25,000 less than a similarly-proportioned, inline-6-powered BMW X7 X-Drive while delivering similar performance dynamics.
In upper S trims beginning at $53,125, the Mazda’s 340-horsepower, inline-6 cylinder (the $78,845 BMW X7 makes 375 horses) offering is the headliner as the brand seeks to take its brand upscale with a new flagship. Also on offer is an entry-level, $40,970, 280-horse version of the turbo-6 plus Mazda’s first plug-in offering starting at $54,295.
Family SUVs demand gas engines for long road trips, yet the CX-90 is still “electrified” — to use that hip term — as the inline-6 offerings are paired with a 48-volt battery. The so-called mild-hybrid system — placed between the engine and transmission — complements the inline-6’s smooth power delivery while adding efficiency and helping power a cabin-full of electronic content. To optimize the new engine’s 369 pound-feet of torque for better grip and acceleration, all CX-90 models come standard with i-Activ all-wheel drive.
The CX-9 starts at a similar $40k, but does not have the range of models like the CX-90. The CX-9 comes with one powertrain and five trim levels, while the CX-90 has three engine options and 11 trim options — the top S Premium Plus model topping out above $60,000. It even expands on the CX-9’s six-passenger capacity with room for eight.
“CX-90 offers powerful and responsive performance, alluring design and intuitive technology,” said Mazda CEO of North American Operations Jeff Guyton. “We think this is a breakthrough vehicle in its segment.”
Mazda has also dabbled in EVs with the compact MX-30 SUV. But that vehicle offers just 100 miles of range and is only sold in California to help the brand meet emissions standards. The striking CX-90, on the other hand, is a statement that smooth, powerful inline-6 engines are not just the exclusive domain of German luxury cars.
Where elite luxury is synonymous with a la carte technology packages, the CX-90 maintains Mazda’s mass-market appeal with a laundry list of standard features including automatic braking, blind-spot assist and adaptive cruise control.
The CX-9, introduced in 2007, has gained a reputation as one of the best-handling three-row SUVs on the market, but the CX-90 is a more ambitious vehicle. Its nomenclature follows that of the mid-size Mazda CX-50, which brought more rugged looks and suspension to Mazda’s best-selling CX-5 crossover. But the CX-90 goes beyond cosmetic tweaks to the CX-9 by introducing an all-new large platform that adopts a longitudinal (not transverse) engine layout to increase rear-drive-based performance.
That CX-90 upgrade also reaches into the iconic MX-5 Miata sports car’s bag of tricks, using so-called Kinematic Posture Control to suppress body lift on tight corners while allowing occupants to maintain a natural posture. Also benefiting from the brand’s sports car DNA, the big CX-90 increases chassis rigidity for better maneuverability.
From the entry-level Mazda3 Turbo to the CX-50, the brand’s lineup has benefited from an optional, high-torque, 2.5-liter, 250-horsepower inline, turbocharged 4-cylinder mated to a silky 6-speed automatic transmission. The CX-90 flagship takes that know-how and applies it to the turbocharged inline-6 drivetrain mated to a new eight-speed gearbox.
The 3.3-liter six-cylinder boasts the highest horsepower and torque output of any mass production gas mill developed by Mazda.
While the CX-50 complements the CX-5, the CX-90 feels like it will ultimately replace the CX-9. The CX-90 eschews the CX-50’s off-road-inspired body cladding and maintains its CX-9 sibling’s elegant, spare design. Also introduced with CX-90 is a new Artisan Red paint option.
The simple elegance continues inside where the Mazda is trimmed with premium materials like Napa leather, wood and stitched fabrics. The horizontal cabin design gains a bigger, remote-dial-controlled, 12.3-inch dashboard display. Technology upgrades include a “see-through-view” monitor to help with parking and third-row USB-C charging ports. The Mazda can tow 5,000 pounds, which is in line with a class that includes the Kia Telluride and Ford Explorer.
In introducing its first plug-in hybrid model, the Mazda falls back on the familiar hybrid formula (used by other automakers from Ford to Honda to Toyota) of a 2.5-liter four-banger married to an electric motor and 17.8 kWh battery. Unlike other hybrid applications, the Mazda plug-in uses the same eight-speed automatic transmission that powers its gas engines.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Groovy, baby! Ford Bronco Sport Heritage is rockin’ retro Bronco wannabe
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 3, 2023
Johnson Valley, California — The Ford Bronco is awesome. It features retro-cool styling like a Mustang, useful two- and four-door variants, easy-to-use rotary controls, and doors that come off for when the sun shines. If you have the urge to go deeper into nature, it sits on a tough ladder frame and 37-inch Sasquatch tire package. And for the really ambitious, there’s the 418-horsepower Raptor that will bounce around Silver Lake’s sand dunes like a golden retriever off the leash.
But the best thing about this bad boy may be its Mini Me.
Mini Me, aka Son of Bronco, aka Ford Bronco Sport. Bronco Sport is the love child of Bronco and Ford Escape. The Sport is built on the same bones as Escape, but its spirit comes from Papa Bronco. The result is a handsome, affordable SUV starting at 30 grand but that still has an instinct for off-roading.
And while Mini Me — er, Bronco Sport — doesn’t have a Raptor variant (yet), it shares with Bronco a new Heritage model for 2023 celebrating the iconic look of original 1960s Broncs.
On a visit to the King of the Hammers races in Johnson Valley this February, I got a chance to test the full Bronco family, from the race-prepared, V8-powered Bronco DR (DR for Desert Racer) to the twin-turbo V-6 Bronco Raptor to the 2.0-liter turbo-4 Bronco Sport Heritage Limited. The DR and Raptor are some of the most ferocious SUVs the Blue Oval has ever made, but it was remarkable how naturally Bronco Sport fit in.
The Mojave Desert north of Palm Springs demands respect with its endless washboard terrain, deep sand dunes and rocky trails. Off-road driver Melissa Clark is a veteran of the Jeep Easter Safari in Moab and has raced the all-female Rebelle Rally since 2015. She has won the event twice in the X-Cross (unibody SUV) class in a Bronco Sport and has enormous respect for Junior’s capabilities.
“We raced a stock SUV across 1,500 miles of desert,” she said standing next to her 2022 class-winning Bronco Sport, “and this thing is amazing.”
To prove the point, we retraced some of Johnson Valley’s formidable terrain — some of the same terrain that she’d navigated in the ’22 rally. Her winning red-and-black Bronco Sport Badlands was still decked out in race livery complete with sponsor decals and #200 sign boards.
But my yellow ’23 Mini Me was a fashion plate.
Decked out in Oxford White steely wheels with Oxford White fascia and roof, the Heritage model looked like it had just stepped out of a 1966 Bronco catalog. Except … with its digital screens, Apple Car Play and Android Auto app compatibility, four doors, leather seats and eager 250-horse turbo-4 engine, this car is light years beyond the OG in amenities and comfort.
True to the original, my Sport could fling some sand. The steelies were wrapped in all-terrain tires, and I chased Clark across the desert, charged up sandy hills, crawled over rocks.
Most impressive was the Sport’s performance over the Mojave’s high dunes. Imitating Papa Bronco, I put Mini Me in SAND mode using the G.O.A.T. mode dial — a big, meaty Go-Over-Any-Terrain dial in the center of the console that adjusts for a variety of surfaces.
SAND mode increased throttle response, loosened traction control and threw more power to the rear wheels, which is where my model’s secret sauce was kept. The Heritage Limited’s 2.0-liter turbo-4 gets a twin-clutch pack out back capable of slinging torque to either rear wheel depending which needs it most. That is to say: real torque-vectoring. My favorite Ford Focus RS (alas, RIP in the U.S.) track rat used the same equipment for high-speed cornering.
The Bronco Sport uses it off-road and I slid Sport this way and that over the dunes with ease. Key to sand-driving is to, ahem, keep moving lest you sink, but that’s actually easier to do in the 3,700-pound Mini Me compared with the 5,700-pound Bronco Raptor.
The sand was also easier on the Bronco Sport than the stone-choked sand pits of Holly Oaks back home where I had learned (the hard way) that too much aggression can suck rocks into the wheels and pull the tire beads right off the rim (so that’s what bead locks are for). So I resisted the urge to get too aggressive in the middle of the Mojave.
I could not resist, however, the urge to pose the fashionable Sport on top of dunes like a Star Wars movie shoot. Most Heritage model owners won’t have the chance to take their four-wheeler to the top of a dune, but its timeless design will turn heads anywhere.
Also head-turning is the Heritage Limited model’s price. It’s a stiff $46,895.
That’s the same price as the standard Bronco Heritage, which boasts a 300-horsepower 2.4-liter turbo-4 and meaty, 37-inch Sasquatch all-terrain tire package. Oh. Mini Me at the same price as Bronco Sr.?
For those who want something more affordable, Bronco Sport comes in a base 181-horse, 1.5-liter three-banger Heritage edition that lacks the Heritage Limited model’s grunt, all-terrain tires, and twin-clutch rear clutch packs — but still comes loaded with standard features like AWD, upgraded suspension, blind-spot assist, and adaptive cruise control. All that, 3 mpg better fuel economy, and a more appropriate Mini Me $35,485 sticker price.
Melissa also helpfully pointed out that overlanding isn’t just about flinging sand in the sandbox. Under its fashionable wardrobe, the Sport features practical SUV goodies like rear floodlights to illuminate your campsite, spare tire, rear carabiner hooks to anchor gear and a square cargo roof so that you can store two bicycles — upright! — back there. The front quarters may be tech savvy but they are also equipped with lots of storage bins and cargo nets.
Take a bow, Mini Me. Papa Bronco would be proud.
Next week: 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS
2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Edition
Vehicle type: All-wheel-drive, four-door, five-passenger SUV
Price: $34,890, including $1,595 destination charge ($46,895 Heritage Limited model as tested)
Powerplant: 1.5-liter turbocharged 3-cylinder; 2.0-liter turbo-4
Power: 181 horsepower, 190 pound-feet of torque (1.5 liter); 250 horsepower, 277 pound-feet of torque (2.0 liter)
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 5.8 seconds (Car and Driver est. for 2.0 liter); towing, 2,200 pounds
Weight: 3,713 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 25 mpg city/28 highway/26 combined (1.5 liter); 21 mpg city/26 highway/23 combined (2.0 liter)
Report card
Highs: Retro good looks; off-road capability
Lows: Heritage Limited gets pricey
Overall: 4 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Cadillac, Corvette, Camaro bring V-8 thunder to 2023 Le Mans
Posted by Talbot Payne on March 1, 2023
France’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world’s most prestigious sportscar endurance race, will have a decided American accent this June.
Cadillac announced Monday that three of its thunderous, V-8-powered Cadillacs will join the largest prototype field at Le Mans in more than a decade.
The Caddy squadron, coming off a successful 3rd-4th-5th place finish at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, will take on the world’s elite sports-car makers June 10-11 — including Ferrari and Porsche, the latter managed by Bloomfield Hills’ legendary Team Penske that will also field three cars. And that’s just the tip of the spear. The General Motors Co. juggernaut will include entries from Corvette (in the GT class) as well as a special Chevy Camaro ZL1 NASCAR in the special Garage 56 class.
When the flag drops on the 24-hour race at 3 p.m. local time June 10, the packed grandstands will shake with the bass of American V-8s mixed with the high-pitched tenor turbo-V-8s and V-6s from Europe and Japan.
“The European fans will just love to hear all that GM V-8 hardware echoing around the one of the world’s most famous road-racing venues,” said Charles Bradley, editor of Motorsport.com, a popular international racing publication.
The formidable entry is not just about raising goosebumps, but also about raising GM brand awareness. The General is undergoing a historic brand transition to all-electric cars in the next decade as well as extending its Cadillac-Corvette marketing to international markets as never before. The company sees motorsports as key to that effort, and Caddy even has its eyes on the world’s premier open-wheel series, Formula One, partnering with Indianapolis-based Andretti Autosport.
“Le Mans is another step towards GM’s globalization plan, which includes F1 down the line,” said Bradley. “It’s going to be a huge step.”
Leading the charge is sports car endurance racing.
“We are thrilled to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans with the full Cadillac Racing team,” said Rory Harvey, global vice president of Cadillac. “Over the last 20 years, Cadillac Racing has built a legacy of winning on the track, and we feel very privileged to return to Le Mans during this exciting, new, electrified era in racing.”
That new era comes compliments of a historic agreement between race sanctioning bodies — International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) in North America and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) globally — to synchronize class regulations. The rule alignment has attracted manufacturers interested not only in racing before a wider audience, but also in developing battery-powered powertrain solutions that dovetail with the industry’s ambitious move toward production EVs. The result? The biggest prototype field at Le Mans in years.
“The lure of Le Mans is a powerful one for all manufacturers as it’s sports cars’ ultimate test of speed versus reliability around one of the world’s fastest racetracks,” said Bradley. “In this centenary edition, this is going to be one race victory you could boast about for a long time.”
But don’t be fooled by the electrification moniker. Endurance racing at 200 mph on the high banks of Daytona and the epic, 3.7-mile-long Le Mans Mulsanne straight requires state-of-the-art internal combustion engines. Batteries would quickly drain at such speeds, and so small battery packs are used to complement ICE powertrains with acceleration and better fuel economy.
An aerodynamic tour de force, the Cadillac prototype looks like a fighter jet on wheels — a sail even extends from cockpit to rear wing — yet manages to include distinctive Cadillac design elements like vertical lighting. At its heart is a 680-horsepower, 5.5-liter, dual-overhead-cam V-8 engine developed in Pontiac and mated to a common hybrid-electric unit used by all teams.
The only difference between the Cadillacs running in the IMSA and WEC series is cosmetic: The so-called Caddy V-LMDh competes in the GTP class here, while in France the Cadillac V-Series.R will compete in the Hypercar class.
The complex, new, GTP-class powertrain made its debut last month at IMSA’s Daytona and, though it encountered teething issues, the hybrid unit provided thrilling racing with the Cadillac, Penske Porsche and Acura entries fighting it out until the checkered flag.
Le Mans promises similar thrills, though significantly, the Daytona-winning Acura GTP racer will not be present in France. Even as star driver Helio Castroneves got down on one knee at the post-race press conference to beg team owner Michael Shank to go to Le Mans, manufacturer Acura/Honda has not committed to the June event.
That is an opening for Cadillac and Porsche Penske teams that lacked — respectively — speed and reliability against the Acuras that finished 1-2 in Florida. The #2 Cadillac V-Series.R, which finished fourth overall at Daytona, will get its first taste of international competition March 8 at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in Florida. Entered by Ganassi Racing and piloted by Earl Bamber, Alex Lynn and Richard Westbrook, it will compete in the full WEC schedule, including stops in Portugal, Italy, Belgium, Japan and Bahrain in addition to Florida and Le Mans.
Toyota has dominated international sports car racing the last four seasons with its hybrid Hypercars.
“Going up against the Toyota, Ferrari and Peugeot at Le Mans will make it a far tougher test, and we’ll get a litmus test at Sebring next month when they all go toe-to-toe,” said Bradley. “But what you can expect from Cadillac is excellent reliability; it really outlasted Porsche at Daytona.”
Come June, the #2 car will be joined at Le Mans by its sister #3 Cadillac piloted by Sébastien Bourdais, Renger van der Zande and IndyCar superstar Scott Dixon from New Zealand. The Kiwi iron man will somehow compete in the June 10-11 marathon a week after the June 4th Detroit GP and the Indy 500 May 27th.
A third Le Mans entry, the #311 Cadillac (fifth at Daytona), will be entered by Whelen Engineering with Pipo Derani, Alexander Sims and Jack Aitken sharing driver duties.
“We’re proud to be representing the U.S., and the Cadillac V-Series.R is a great continuation of our racing heritage,” said GM sports car racing program manager Laura Wontrop Klauser, referencing previous Caddy Le Mans appearances in 1950 and in 2000-2002.
That GM racing heritage extends beyond Cadillac. Chevy’s Corvette has been a fixture in international GT racing for the last three decades, racking up 117 wins and eight Le Mans class victories. Corvette Racing will be back at Le Mans this June with its mid-engined C8.R competing in the GTE Am class against Porsche 911s, Ferrari 488s and Aston Martin Vantages.
The Corvette effort has its eye on 2024, when the badge will introduce for international racing its first, turn-key GT3 car for sale to consumer racing teams, an expansion of ‘Vette’s business model.
While the Cadillac and Corvette Le Mans entries feature GM’s latest dual-overhead-cam V-8 mills, they will be joined by a good ol’ small-block Chevy V-8 powering a NASCAR Camaro ZL1. Yes, NASCAR.
Entered in Le Mans’ special, so-called Garage 56 class that showcases a unique entry, the Hendrick Motorsports Camaro will be driven by an electric team of ex-Formula One great Jenson Button, ex-NASCAR champ Jimmie Johnson and European sports car racer Mike Rockenfeller, winner of the 2010 Le Mans for Audi.
“I can’t wait to see a souped-up NASCAR Camaro zooming along the Mulsanne straight!” said Moorsport.com’s Bradley.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Autorama: Kiwis, Rat Fink, Black Ghost, and hot rods galore
Posted by Talbot Payne on February 24, 2023
ny that built Army Jeeps during World War II — Willys pre-war coupes were popular dragsters for their light weight and affordable sticker price) barely got completed in time to make this weekend’s show. “My friends thought I was crazy,” he smiles. “But it was always my dream to enter a car in the Ridler.”
Celebrating its 70th year, Meguiar’s Detroit Autorama Presented by O’Reilly Auto Parts has brought Haliday, 15 more Ridler entries, the Batmobile, Black Ghost, Rat Fink, Flavor Flav and The Fonz under one roof Friday through Sunday. All told, the mega-show has stuffed the convention center with more than 800 insane, slammed, chopped, channeled, dumped, and decked cars and motorcycles.
The show debuted in 1953 at the University of Detroit Field House as a fundraiser for the Motor City Dragway. Over the years, it moved to the Michigan State Fairgrounds and then the Detroit Artillery Armory before taking up permanent residence at the convention center in 1961.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating the 70th Anniversary of Detroit Autorama this year,” said Autorama President Peter Toundas, whose Championship Auto Shows Inc. produces the three-day extravaganza. “Detroit’s Autorama was the first and most-revered hot rod show in the country. It attracts national attention and spotlights the important historic role Detroit has played in the world of custom cars.”
The Ridler is hot rodding’s Oscar and has been awarded for 60 years to the most outstanding new custom car (though never to a Kiwi). The field will be pared to the BASF Great 8 over the weekend, with the winner taking home the coveted trophy, $10,000 and Ridler jacket. The bauble honors Don Ridler, an early Autorama promotor.
Last year’s winner was a ’31 Chevrolet coupe — nicknamed ShoBir — that was screwed together by Pennsylvania-based Pro Comp Customs and built from a $300 car shell into a chopped, twin-turbocharged, 8.3-liter V-8 beauty.
But you don’t have to spend mega-bucks on a Ridler entry to win a prize. Summit Racing Equipment Show Car Series will award trophies to other custom builds in numerous classes. Like the 4100 Pre-1935 Alternate Street Class that Milford’s Jim Moule has entered with his 1930 Ford Model A.
“A friend of mine found it in the Upper Peninsula with a tree growing through it, said Moule. “I put $18,000 into it and rebuilt it with Firebird fenders, rear taillights from an ’87 Cadillac, a 350-cube Chevy V-8, and my own hand-crafted wood interior.”
Still fresh after 70 years, Autorama continues to innovate with new and outrageous displays that attract over 100,000 people to the three-day event. Other headliners for 2023’s mod-palooza include an homage to everyone’s favorite T-shirt hot rods, the Rat Fink cars. Five of legendary custom designer Ed “Big Daddy” Roth most iconic Rat Finks will be on display, restored by Galpin Motors in Los Angeles: Mysterion, Orbitron, Tweedy Pie, Fink Surfboard and Big Daddy’s unique Honda Civic.
The long-lost Obitron was rediscovered by Galpin after someone spotted it outside a Mexican brothel where it was being used as a dumpster. You can’t make this stuff up.
The famous Black Ghost makes an appearance. The black 1970s Dodge Challenger became legend in Detroit for showing up for street races, blowing away everything on the lot, then disappearing into the night. Turned out it was driven by a cop, Godfrey Qualls, whose son Gregory still exhibits the car.
Check out some of George “The King of the Kustomizers” Barris’s Hollywood collaborations, including the ‘60s Batmobile of TV fame. The show also celebrates the Alexander Brothers, local builders whose futuristic customs (including a 1965 Ridler winner) gained international recognition. Exclusive to the 70th anniversary show is a Sunday sneak preview of “Detroit, The City of Hot Rods and Muscle Cars,” a new documentary from Emmy-winning filmmaker Keith Famie.
But wait, there’s more.
Complimenting the chromed cars will be a coiffed celebrity lineup led by Henry Winkler reprising his role as The Fonz from TV’s “Happy Days.” Hip-hop star Flavor Flav will be in the house Saturday following the Friday appearance of Dave Kindig from TV’s “Bitchin’ Rides.”
Additional car exhibits include: Cavalcade of Customs, a 10-car exhibit of specially-invited customs; a re-creation of Connie Kalitta’s 1964 “Bounty Hunter” dragster which won the 2023 Preservation Award; and some 200 car-body pinstripers will do demonstrations, with all proceeds going to Leader Dogs for the Blind. In Huntington’s basement will be the 18th annual “Autorama Extreme” — a show within a show featuring regular sets from rockabilly bands — which brings 200 1950s-inspired customs, rods and bikes.
Admission for Autorama is $25 for adults and $10 for kids 6-12 years. Children under 5 are free.
Autorama schedule
Friday, Feb. 24, Noon-10 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 25, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 26, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Celebrity appearance schedule
Friday through Sunday: Henry Winkler, “The Fonz” from Happy Days
Friday: Dave Kindig, “Bitchin’ Rides” TV show, 6-9 p.m.
Saturday: Flavor Flav, 5-8 p.m.
Film screening
Sunday at 1 p.m: “Detroit, The City of Hot Rods and Muscle Cars.” The film will be introduced by “Counting Cars” TV host Danny Koker.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.
Payne: Genesis G80, you’ve come a long way, baby!
Posted by Talbot Payne on February 23, 2023
Oakland County — I’m old enough to remember the Hyundai Genesis.
Introduced in 2008, the first-generation sedan was the seedling for Hyundai’s eventual luxury brand. Like early Lexus models, the Genesis was a derivative value play. A Rolex knockoff. With midsize proportions at a compact luxe sedan price, the attractive 2015 model borrowed heavily from German styling (Audi and BMW) to gain market credibility. Stuffed with the latest tech — including then state-of-the-art adaptive cruise control — the sedan topped customer loyalty charts for its Lexus-like quality and handsome looks. A star was born, and in 2017, it was renamed the G80 as Hyundai launched Genesis as a separate premium brand.
Fast forward to 2023, and this week’s tester is a Genesis G80 Sport. You’ve come a long way, baby.
“Whoa, that is a good-looking car,” said businessman friend Mike after I parked the G80 in front of his restaurant.
No one mistakes the G80 for an Audi anymore. With the help of former Lamborghini designer Luc Donckervolke, the midsize Genesis is one of the most distinctive luxe designs on the road today with sleek lines, goatee grille and split head-and-taillights. My tester’s flat Makalu Grey paint scheme helps, too.
This sedan has swagger, a trait shared by its lookalike G90 and G70 siblings. “That GV80 SUV is a knockout, too,” said Mike of the brand’s best-seller. A longtime Jaguar owner, he likes the G80’s unique looks — and bargain price. While its sticker has inched up over the years — the base $50,595 G80 is still $5,000 shy of a BMW 5-Series.
And the G80 you want to get if you have $72,595 in the bank — my Sport model tester upgraded from the standard turbo-4 with a 375-horse, 3.5-liter twin-turbo V-6 — is a healthy 10 grand shy of a comparable, inline-6-powered BMW 540i.
You’ll love the Sport’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality.
In COMFORT mode, the G8 is a sweetheart: quiet, smooth. Select SPORT or SPORT PLUS (an add-on with Sport Prestige package) and the sedan’s personality changes dramatically. I fingered SPORT and the seat bolsters tightened in anticipation of the fun ahead.
The adaptive shocks firmed, and the 8-speed transmission selected a lower gear for more torque. I four-wheel-drifted through a 90-degree right-hander onto Inkster Road and squeezed the gas. VROOOOOOM! The heretofore sleepy Genesis reared back its head and let out a roar.
The nannies are coming for multi-cylinder engines, and the V-8 that once motivated the top trim G80 has been put out to pasture, but the turbo-6 has plenty of emotion. The Genesis gulped asphalt, its firm steering instilling confidence.
The G80’s new chassis shed 163 pounds from the last-gen, but the sedan’s 4,495-pound girth must still be respected. It’s fun to drive fast, but not nearly as nimble as its smaller G70 sibling.
Most of the day, the G80’s duties are as a passenger car. As in commuting down the Southfield Freeway to pick up Mrs. Payne at the airport.
I toggled Adaptive Cruise Control on the steering wheel, set the speed to 75 mph, and the G80 virtually drove itself. A luxury feature? Hardly. When the Genesis debuted in 2015, this feature was state-of-the-art tech, but today it’s common on mainstream Hyundai models too. Indeed, it is standard on the $27,745 Hyundai Tucson SUV, the Korean brand’s best-seller.
I’ve tested the Tucson for miles on I-75 hands-free, and the G80 was just as effortless — centering in the lane, slowing for slower cars up ahead. The Genesis system is not completely hands-free like Cadillac’s Super Cruise, nor does it automatically change lanes like Tesla’s Autopilot. Determined to build a safety cocoon around me, G80 has multiple ways to let me know cars are sharing my space: red ripples in the head-up display indicating a vehicle in my blind spot; blind-spot indicator in my mirror; or a side-mirror camera that relays video of my blind spot in the instrument display when I activate the turn signal. Dude, you have no excuse if you cut someone off.
The blind-spot video innovation is so clever (first seen on the mainstream Hyundai Sonata) that my Tesla Model 3 received the feature via an over-the-air update last year.
With all this attention to tech, it’s curious when the Hyundai lags. For example, the G80 lacks wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto even as they are standard on a $21K Hyundai Elantra compact car. Or the G80’s voice command system that struggles with voice navigation (Android Auto is much superior).
Interior materials, however, are first-class. My Sport tester was dressed in stunning red leather with a handsome carbon-fiber weave on the console. At the airport, Mrs. Payne slipped into the rear seat and immediately adjusted the seat warmer. To stretch her legs, she toggled a switch on the side of the front seat that automatically moved the seat forward. Console design is elegant — witness the recessed infotainment screen or bejeweled rotary dial controller.
Alas, the controller’s looks are more inviting than its clunky operation.
Such shortcomings are not found in the German competition — think BMW’s exquisite iDrive. Happily, G80 gives you options just like its multi-way blind-spot features. Don’t like the rotary controller? Lean forward and use the touchscreen. A multi-page menu is easy to swipe through whether you need radio channels or system settings.
The G80 Sport, in other words, was never a dull date.
With its myriad control and safety options, it invited interaction as I learned what best suited my driving style. When traffic cleared out and I was alone in the twisties, G80 was an eager dance partner. And I never tire of the G80’s lean silhouette, long hood and unique eyes. Eight years after it wandered uncertainly into the luxury club, the Genesis is a timid newcomer no more.
The G80 belongs.
Next week: 2023 Ford Bronco Sport Heritage Edition
2023 Genesis G80 Sport
Vehicle type: All-wheel-drive, five-passenger luxury sedan
Price: $50,595, including $1,095 destination charge ($72,595 Sport Prestige as tested)
Powerplant: 3.5-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6
Power: 375 horsepower, 391 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Performance: 0-60 mph, 4.7 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed, 155 mph
Weight: 4,495 pounds (as tested)
Fuel economy: EPA 17 mpg city/26 highway/20 combined
Report card
Highs: Head-turning wardrobe, throaty V-6
Lows: Clunky rotary controller; wireless Android Auto, please
Overall: 3 stars
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne.