Author: News Room
Lexus used this week’s 2023 SEMA show in Las Vegas to present concept versions of its latest SUVs designed to demonstrate their active lifestyle potential. The star is the redesigned GX that arrived for the 2024 model year. Its concept version was developed with overlanding in mind and features a range of upgrades, some of which may be offered through Lexus’ Associated Accessory Product (AAP) program. The concept is based on the GX 550 Overtrail+, which is the new GX’s most capable grade. It comes with 18-inch wheels, 33-inch Toyo Open Country All-Terrain tires, and an aluminum skid plate all…
Hands-Free Active Driver Assist works mostly as advertised The system’s successor has already been announced Stellantis isn’t promoting the system It’s alright to be fashionably late, but you better arrive put together or with a heck of a story. In the case of Stellantis’ Hands-Free Active Driver Assist system, it’s neither. Quietly launched in 2023 with no fanfare on certain Jeep Grand Cherokee models, and in February on the refreshed 2025 Ram 1500, the system is now in the hands of consumers. After two weeks and more than 1,700 miles of testing, I’m here to report Hands-Free Active Driver Assist…
As the automotive industry goes through one of its largest transformations in history, so too is the annual SEMA show. An industry trade show for vendors, resalers, and the aftermarket known for booths full of turbochargers, exhaust systems, and wild over-the-top builds, SEMA is evolving and expanding. If all goes well and SEMA president and CEO Mike Spagnola can pull it off, the show will morph into a two-week festival of everything automotive. The vision is an automotive South by Southwest-like event. Nissan Safari Rally Z Tribute SEMA typically spans three convention center halls in Las Vegas with well over…
Polestar’s next new vehicle will be the 5 electric sedan Polestar has the Model S in its sights—and also, the Lucid Air Engineered in the U.K., the 5 has a bonded-aluminum body like those from Jaguar “We’re 80 percent done, but there’s more to do,” said Polestar’s Chris Baguley as he tossed a Polestar 5 development prototype through a set of cones at rising speeds. Baguley, the principal engineer for vehicle dynamics, spends many hours each week thrashing prototypes of the electric performance sedan around test tracks. The goal is to dial in the suspension tuning that separates a desirable…
Toyota’s ready to expand the Crown lineup in the U.S. market as it has in Japan. On Tuesday, the 2025 Toyota Crown Signia debuted with a hybrid powertrain, seating for five, and a premium interior. When the Crown Signia arrives in the summer of 2024 it will be sold in XLE and Limited trims. Every Crown Signia will be powered by a 2.5-liter inline-4 paired with two electric motor generators for a combined output of 243 hp. Toyota hasn’t said how much torque the system has, yet. All-wheel drive will be standard. Under normal conditions the system will send 100%…
The 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 63 S E Performance puts power above all else The plug-in hybrid has 805 hp and 1,047 lb-ft, but it’s heavy Pricing hasn’t been released, but expect a bill for over $200,000 Between two farms outside of Mercedes’ proving grounds in Immendingen, Germany, I pull the 2025 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 63 S E Performance to the side of an open country road. With my foot on the brake, I turn the steering wheel dial to Race mode, then floor it. The 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster flashes “Race Start Ready,” and I let go of the brake.…
Lucid is shifting focus to a larger segment of the market: luxury crossover SUVs. On Wednesday, the Lucid Gravity three-row electric crossover SUV debuted at the 2023 LA auto show. When it arrives late in 2024 the Gravity, Lucid said, will have over 440 miles of driving range in its most efficient versions, and will cost less than $80,000, though those two numbers won’t be for the same vehicle. Lucid Gravity The Gravity rides on a new platform, uses a battery pack with similar capacity to that of the Air (over 100 kwh), and uses the automaker’s fast 900-volt electrical architecture.…
The 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten is the S-Class of pickup trucks Its high-output turbo-6 is exceedingly powerful The 2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten carries a luxury price at $89,070 Anyone looking for the nicest full-size pickup truck money can buy should just head to their local Ram showroom. The 2025 Ram 1500 sports a redesign that sees the return of the range-topping Tungsten trim. And it didn’t take nearly all of the two weeks and nearly 1,700 miles of life spent with it to have no doubt this is the cream of the crop. With a leather- and speaker-lined cabin, all…
Kia on Thursday revealed its updated 2024 Sorento at the 2023 Los Angeles auto show. The popular three-row midsize SUV has taken on a new look clearly inspired by Kia’s larger Telluride, and for the first time buyers will be able to choose a rugged X-Pro variant. Sales start in the first quarter of 2024, but only gas powertrains will be available initially. The current Sorento will stick around in hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) guises, and the updated Sorento with the electrified powertrains will arrive later in 2024 to replace it. The updated Sorento HEV and Sorento PHEV…
There’s a monster in the back of the Mattel design center in Los Angeles. It’s a two-foot-tall lizard that eats Hot Wheels while rolling around, storing them in its belly. When it stands upright, the monster roars like Godzilla, transforming into a ramp from which you can launch your favorite 1:64 automotive icons. It is a toy of epic proportions, light years more advanced than the Hot Wheels playsets I had as a kid. It’s called the Hot Wheels City Transforming T-Rex Ultimate Hauler, and Paul Schmid, Mattel’s key lead vehicle product designer, is clearly proud of its intricate design.…