Everyone by now is familiar with the Radwood formula: Gather a bunch of 1980s and 1990s cars in one place, invite enthusiastic nostalgists who pine for those cars to a location local to them, and encourage attendees to dress in period-inspired outfits. Rinse, repeat. Our latest visit to a Radwood show, at Laguna Seca raceway in California, provided a welcome respite from the Monterey Car Weekend usual. You know, exotics, supercars, and eye-wateringly expensive classics mingling among the idle rich.That's great eye candy for sure, but all the revving V-12s and flashy new metal can be a little exhausting. If ever you could be reminded in real time, over and over again, that you're relatively poor, Monterey Car Week doles out such lessons incessantly. So Radwood and its motley collection of fellow car enthusiasts' more attainable rides—though there are some near-priceless vehicles that qualify for entrance—offer up a dose of pleasant reality. These cars are excellent, obscure, or survivors (sometimes all three), all representative of the '90s and '80s.We walked the show this year, which was hosted by Hagerty in the paddock of Laguna Seca, and snapped photos of some of the highlights for those of you who couldn't make it out to NorCal for the event.
It holds the "holy grail" designation by most every import enthusiast's wish list and even raises the eyebrow of a substantial number of those that don't usually dabble in Japanese cars. Serving as the most popular model of the legendary Nissan Skyline family, this 2001 V-Spec II takes the drool-factor up quite a few notches and is being made available through Mecum Auto Auctions' Monterey visit from August 18-20.The Paul Walker/Fast & Furious ConnectionIf this R34 looks familiar with its gold and black decals and matte bronze TE37, Mecum states that this vehicle was used as a demo car to promote various Fast and Furious movies and was in the care of the late Paul Walker for an extended amount of time. The late actor reportedly racked up around 18,000 miles on the car. In addition, it was also used in BF Goodrich ads around the same time.Wait just a minute; a 2001 Skyline is too young to meet the federal government's 25-year import law, which forbids any Japanese (or other foreign market) vehicle manufactured less than two and a half decades ago to legally hit U.S. streets, right? That's what makes this example so unique. Given a pardon by the U.S. Government, its lucky new owner can take pride in the fact that their street legal R34 is able to hit their local freeways about four years earlier than the 2026 import law target date.Shady TimesRegistered as a 1999 model, its pardon is a bit of a shock given the cars burry past. A deep dive by the EPA and Los Angeles Sheriff's office zeroed in on importer Motorex, which was importing Nissan Skylines for eager customers in the 2000s. The service included sourcing the vehicle from overseas, physically importing it, taking care of the paperwork, and using an experienced third party to help meet crash and emissions guidelines to legalize a number of vehicles.Those guidelines included lowering the crash bars inside the Skyline's doors, adding multiple catalytic converters, and even more to satisfy the Department of Transportation's specifications. A multi-faceted series of events, the process was both lengthy and costly and took its toll on the business, as the owner was importing cars and collecting customer money much faster than the vehicles were being cleared and delivered to their new owners.A snowball effect resulted, exacerbated by what employees would refer to as excessive partying and a lavish lifestyle that left many without the car's they paid for. Add to that a theft report filed by Motorex that claimed multiple vehicles (for some reason left outside overnight) has been mysteriously stolen, and authorities began taking a closer look.What was uncovered included critical legal processes being skipped entirely and even in the face of speculation, undocumented Skylines steadily increased. That is, until the D.O.T. put a stop to importing pre-and-post 1996-99 Nissan Skylines entirely, while Motorex had its importer status pulled. A series of events, including physical assault, court hearings, jail time, the federal impounding of illegal vehicles, and so much more added to the tangled story of the Motorex fallout.Miraculously, a handful of R34 Skyline GT-R that Motorex had imported actually received the Governments pardon and were granted bond release on the condition that they were made NHTSA and D.O.T. compliant - like this one now being offered by Mecum.Mildly UpgradedThis is number 672 of 1,855 V-Spec IIs ever produced, and aside from its time in the spotlight with Paul Walker and appearing in print ads, it also has some choice modifications on board. The original 2.6L I-6 and 6-speed transmission remain inside the Bayside Blue model, updated with Nismo carbon fiber intakes, a GReddy intake manifold, radiator, and Trust exhaust. GReddy also gave the car a once-over, performing a complete tune up recently.Along with the 2000s-era graphics, the R34 was lowered with Tein coilovers complete with adjustable EDFC and TE37 Saga wheels were added. The cabin remains almost entirely original, the only notable additions being an ancient Momo Apache steering wheel and Sparco harnesses. Meticulously maintained, the car is in incredible condition both inside and out and estimated to fetch somewhere in the neighborhood of $750,000-$850,000 during Mecum Auctions' Monterey visit later this week.Given its history and exclusive status, it's probably worth every penny.
California electric luxury vehicle manufacturer Lucid is launching a new performance subbrand called Sapphire. This might seem like an odd, even unnecessary move from a company that currently sells the Air Grand Touring Performance, a 1,050-hp sedan that runs the quarter mile in 10 seconds flat. But here we are. The first vehicle to fall under the Sapphire umbrella has three motors and will be known as—big surprise—the Air Sapphire.Lucid is being tight-lipped about the actual numbers, and things will undoubtedly change before the first Sapphire is delivered about 10 months from now, but here's what's being claimed: more than 1,200 horsepower, 0-60 mph in less than 2 seconds, 0-100 mph in less than 4 seconds, a sub-9-second quarter mile, and a top speed in excess of 200 mph. You read all that right. Gulp.How much above 1,200 horsepower are we talking? Seeing as how Lucid's already sold customers the 1,111-hp Air Dream Edition P, and the Sapphire has an extra motor, we're thinking much more than 1,200 horsepower. As stated, Lucid wouldn't give an exact figure; when pressed, chief engineer Eric Bach said the limiting factor in terms of output is the battery. After all, we know a single Lucid motor can produce up to 670 hp, and 670 times 3 is 2,010. However, even though the Air Sapphire has an "evolved" version of the brand's battery management software, it still cannot supply that much peak power. Bach also pointed out it's likely the number will continue to rise before the Air Sapphire is locked for production. If we had to guess the final number, 1,350 has a nice ring to it and makes some sense in the context of the performance claims. Alas, it's just a guess. Time will tell.Big Power—With Big RangeTime will also reveal what the Air Sapphire's range is. Lucid says it will still be "more than 400 miles" but less than the 446-mile range delivered by the Air Grand Touring Performance. Knowing the Tesla Model S Long Range is rated for 405 miles on a single charge, and knowing Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson the way we do, we can all but guarantee the Air Sapphire will beat the best Tesla has to offer. If Lucid's Sapphire claims are true, this thing would beat the Plaid in a straight line, too. In this case, 425 miles feels like a safe bet for range.Also, and although they're probably not to everyone's liking, the Air Sapphire comes with easy-to-install aero discs. These are wheel coverings—quite like what you see on the front wheels of the McLaren Speedtail—and vice president of design Derek Jenkins says they "add tens of miles of range." The idea is that you install them at your home, drive to the track, remove them, and then go tear up some pavement. We don't know whether the aero discs will be factored into the EPA's range rating.Adding a third motor obviously increases weight, although not as much as it could seeing as how a single motor weighs 163 pounds. However, the sapphire-blue-colored Megawatt Drive Unit (as Lucid is calling the dual-motor assembly that fits between the rear half shafts) weighs less than two motors on their own. The car's larger tires also add weight, as does the girthier body—the Air Sapphire's track grows by nearly an inch up front and almost 2 inches at the rear. That said, the wheels and carbon-ceramic brake calipers do shed a little. We'd guess, all in, the Air Sapphire will be 200 pounds heavier than a standard Air. (The Grand Touring Performance weighed 5,256 pounds on our scales.)Stopping PowerIf your head is still spinning from the claimed acceleration and top speed numbers, know that the brakes on the Air Sapphire are pretty special. Up front you'll find massive, 16.5-inch Lucid-branded and Akebono-developed carbon-ceramic rotors gripped by 10-piston calipers. The rears measure 15.4 inches in diameter and utilize four-piston calipers. Also, the brake rotors "use a woven continuous carbon fiber rather than the discontinuous [chopped] carbon fiber" featured on most carbon braked road cars. The major benefit of a continuous carbon-fiber weave is three times more heat conductivity. Which, for a 2.5-plus-ton car capable of cresting 200 mph, is critical.Lucid maintains that the Air Sapphire, as well as future Sapphire products, will be more than just a straight-line juggernaut. Rather, Sapphire vehicles will be fully developed performance cars. First and foremost, as the two motors that make up the Megawatt Drive aren't mechanically linked, the car has the capability to spin one motor (on the outside wheel) forward, while the other (inside wheel) begins regenerative braking. That latter part means the wheel effectively tries to spin backward, i.e., torque vectoring. Also, this next part is a little tricky, but let's say each rear motor makes on the order of 400 horsepower (to be clear, that's just a random figure, not an actual specification). When one motor goes into regen, the energy it was using is now free to flow into the forward-spinning motor, creating as much as 670 hp. Nuts, huh? Lucid claims this sort of two-motor torque vectoring is both quicker and more effective than rear-wheel steering.Special Rubber, Special SuspensionThe Air Sapphire comes on special Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires stamped with LM1 to signify Lucid Motors. Bach claims the unique compound is a special mix of low-rolling-resistance rubber and Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber. Sounds too good to be true, but here we are. The tires grow in width compared to those found on the GTP: 265/35-ZR20 front, and 295/30-ZR21 rear.The Air Sapphire's suspension is completely reworked, as well. Stiffer springs, stiffer bushings, new dampers, recalibrated anti-roll bars, reprogrammed stability and traction control, new power steering control, and new ABS logic are all part of the program. Sprint mode has been replaced with Sapphire mode, Lucid's equivalent of, say, Porsche's Sport Plus. Within Sapphire mode, there will be additional features such as a launch mode, a track mode, and maybe a time attack mode. The submodes are similar to how Rivian has different options within its Off-Road menu: All-Terrain, Rock Crawl, Drift, etc.Why Sapphire? Lucid explains that first and foremost it's a luxury brand. Sapphires are precious. Second, per international racing tradition, American cars are blue. (Think the Cobra Daytona Coupes at Le Mans in 1964.) Third, Lucid is a California car company, and the official state gem of California is … benitoite! Which would be a terrible name for anything. As it happens, people initially thought benitoite gems were sapphires because they are visually almost identical. So, Sapphire it is.As it happens, the Air Sapphire will only be available in Sapphire Blue. For now. We think. The car features a few more aerodynamic tricks than the standard Air, but it's hard to tell what they are from looking, especially as the Sapphire comes complete with Lucid's new Stealth treatment. The interior is basically the same, with added Sapphire Blue contrast stitching, as well as Alcantara-wrapped seats and steering wheel.How Much Is the Lucid Air Sapphire?How much is one of these? $249,000, says Lucid, about $70K more than an Air Grand Touring Performance. A small price to pay for the most powerful sedan in the world, no? Consider perhaps that a Bentley Flying Spur Mulliner W12 stickers for $309,000 and only makes a paltry 626 horsepower. When will you be able to purchase an Air Sapphire? Lucid says within days of reading this story and adds that deliveries are slated to start during the first half of 2023. When is MotorTrend going to test one? A little bit before that. Stay tuned.
The Koenigsegg CC850's remarkable gearbox is a cleverly evolved version of the nine-speed automated manual Light Speed Transmission (LST) fitted to the Koenigsegg Jesko. The technology is emblematic not just of Christian von Koenigsegg's knack for catchy product names, but, more important, of his irrepressibly left-field approach to hypercar engineering.In the Jesko, you select the LST's gear ratios via paddles. The new iteration in the CC850 has no paddles. Instead, It's controlled via a shifter that sprouts from a classic slotted metal gate, and there's a clutch pedal on the left, too. But neither are connected to the physical transmission, and no clutch or flywheel are mated to the engine's crankshaft, either.It's the world's first shift-by-wire manual transmission.In manual mode, you select from six of the nine forward ratios; move the lever all the way to the right and pull backward, and the transmission operates as an automatic, shifting for itself and using all nine gears to funnel the CC850's massive 1,385 hpr (on E85 fuel) to the road.Dual-clutch automatic transmissions used in most cars (hyper or otherwise) are programmed to essentially assume which gear the driver will want to select next. When the appropriate shift paddle is clicked or the computer determines it's time to shift, it simultaneously releases the clutch driving the gear you're shifting from while engaging the second clutch for the gear you're shifting to. It then moves the gearset to prepare what it thinks will be the next ratio needed.Inside the Koenigsegg LST, however, no gearsets move. Instead, there are three shafts with two gears each, and they are all permanently engaged. Which combination of gears sends drive to the wheels is determined by opening and closing seven very compact clutches within the transmission.Unlike in conventional dual-clutch transmissions, it's possible to go directly from, say, ninth to fifth without shuffling down through eighth, seventh, and sixth to get there. All the LST transmission does is open and close the relevant clutches, and bingo—you're instantly in the gear you want.How does it work? We'll let the man himself explain. "It's a clutch-by-wire," von Koenigsegg said, "but you feel the pressure of the clutch through the pedal the same as with a traditional one. It's just electronically connected. You can go in and out of the point [where the clutch bites]. You can launch with revs. You can step off the pedal too quickly and stall the car. It feels no different than a normal clutch."The shifter was a bit more challenging because we don't have forks or synchros or anything in our LST transmission. All gears are always engaged. We're only clutching."Force-feedback mechanisms link the shifter to the clutch movement. If you want to pull out of a gear, you can't do that until you have a certain movement on your clutch pedal, like in a traditional car. If you want to shift into a gear that's too low, you can't get the shifter into the gate. If the gear is only a little bit too low, you feel a little resistance, like you would get from synchros."We still are in the process of developing it, but it's already crazy good. When we are done with it, I don't think anyone will be able to tell it apart from a traditional manual. That's the objective. It should feel like a mix between a Mazda Miata and a Ferrari gated shifter. The best of the two worlds."
This is it. The end of an era. The 2024 Bugatti Mistral will be the last car the storied hypercar maker will ever build with the mighty quad-turbo, 8.0-liter, W-16 engine. Just 99 will be built, and despite a $5.1-million price tag, all are sold.The Mistral is powered by the same 1600-hp version of the W-16 that propels the record-breaking Chiron Super Sport 300+, making it the most potent open-top internal combustion engine production car ever built. Bugatti's previous roadster, the 1,200-hp Veyron Grand Sport Vitesse, set an open-top production car speed record of 254.04 mph in 2013. Bugatti design director Achim Anscheidt says the company is planning to top 260 mph in the Mistral.It's More Than What's UnderneathThe Mistral is basically a Chiron Super Sport under the skin. But it's more than just a Chiron Super Sport with the roof removed. "You can't just cut open a Chiron," says Anscheidt, not the least, he points out, because that would compromise the sweeping arc that starts at the A-pillar and loops around the side of the car. "It would look terrible."The Mistral's tauter surfaces and crisper lines are more than just a solution to an existing design challenge. They hint at the styling direction for the next-generation plug-in hybrid Bugatti currently under development in a new design and engineering hub in Berlin, Germany, and in Zagreb, Croatia, site of the global headquarters of the Bugatti Rimac Group headed by Mate Rimac. There are elements of the Bugatti Divo in the Mistral's overall form, though it's nowhere near as extreme in terms of its detailing. "Divo was quite aggressive," concedes Anscheidt. "This car simplifies that quite a bit. Bugatti has a strong graphic DNA, and the stronger the graphic DNA, the calmer the rest of the car can be."The famous horseshoe grille is the widest yet seen on a modern Bugatti and is framed by large cooling vents, vertically stacked headlights, and ducts that create air curtains along either side of the car to improve aerodynamic efficiency. The dramatic rear taillight graphic is derived from that of the track-only Bugatti Bolide. "That car had such a strong identity," Anschedt said. "We wanted to transfer that to a production car."Whereas the Chiron's looping body-side signature hides engine air and oil cooler intakes, in the Mistral these have been visually separated. The side vents are for the oil coolers only, while hot air exits at the rear of the car between the diagonal elements of the rear lights.Lots of Engine, No RoofThe Mistral's mighty W-16 gulps almost 2,500 cubic feet of air per minute at full throttle through two giant scoops mounted behind the seats. The intake openings are slightly larger than those of the Chiron Super Sport, but they have been engineered so the airflow is the same. The scoops funnel to a new airbox with a new filter setup and are strong enough to take the 4,400-plus-pound weight of the car in the event of a roll over.A bridge between the two scoops hides a small glass panel designed to prevent hot air from the engine compartment from washing into the open cockpit. There is no roof, and none is planned other than a small emergency cover. Bugatti roadster owners don't drive in the rain.The Mistral's steeply raked A-pillars and side windows echo those of the one-of-a-kind, $18.9-million Bugatti La Voiture Noire. The updated A-pillars, which can also support the weight of the car in a rollover, required a major rework of the top part of the Chiron tub. Strengthening elements have also been laid into the sills and the central tunnel of the tub to compensate for the lack of a roof. As a result, the Mistral weighs about the same as a Chiron Super Sport and has very similar suspension settings."The target was for the car to drive like a Super Sport," Bugatti deputy design director Frank Heyl said. The Mistral doesn't have the extended tail and larger rear wing of the Super Sport, however; instead, additional downforce is provided by a redesigned rear diffuser, which—as in all Chirons—is blown over by two of the six exhaust outlets. The Mistral's other four exhausts exit through a single central outlet.Opulence, It Has ItThe Mistral's opulently trimmed cabin features leather on the doors and seats hand-woven by workers in the Bugatti design department. The shifter on the center console is machined from a solid block of aluminum but includes a wood insert and, set in amber, a bronze miniature of Rembrandt Bugatti's famous dancing elephant sculpture, originally used as the hood ornament on the extravagant Type 41 built between 1927 and 1933.The amber, as well as the yellow-and-black color combination, recall colors and materials favored by the Bugatti family. If they choose, instead of a dancing elephant miniature, Mistral owners can opt to have their own special keepsakes encased in the shifter.The Mistral is also the first Volkswagen Group Bugatti not to carry a name from the marque's past—Veyron and Chiron were the names of Bugatti racing drivers from the 1930s. When asked what Mistral means, Aschim Anscheidt jokes: "It means that Maserati [which built a car called the Mistral between 1963 and 1970] didn't renew the trademark."More seriously, the name, which comes from a strong wind that blows down the Rhône Valley and through southern France, is meant to reinforce Bugatti's credentials as a French brand, despite its Croatian and German owners. That's also the reason for the red-white-and-blue tricolor band near the front wheels.The Bugatti Mistral has been designed to send off the W-16 in grand style, to celebrate the unique sound and titanic thrust of one of the most extraordinary engines ever put in a production car. And if the Grand Sport Vitesse roadster, a car we said offered the Bugatti Veyron experience in shattering 7.1 surround sound, is any guide, driving the Mistral will indeed be a spectacular experience.
Brace yourself. The Lincoln concept debuting at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance is a massive take on a future luxury electric car with a giant 14-foot reverse-hinged door—longer than some entire vehicles—and even features its own red carpet for a dramatic, royal arrival wherever it goes. Ford's luxury brand makes a grand statement with the Lincoln Model L100 Concept. The name is in celebration of Lincoln's 100th anniversary and pays homage to the automaker's first luxury vehicle, the 1922 Model L.While the name is a nod to the past, the car is very much the future of Lincoln. The brand has promised a full electric vehicle lineup, with three new EVs by 2025, a fourth in 2026, and a fully electrified portfolio by 2030. For a glimpse into what the near-term EVs will look like, Ford's luxury brand first showed us the Lincoln Star concept, an electric streamlined SUV with dynamic lighting, transparent frunk, and coach doors. The Lincoln Model L100 is the long-range preview of a world where autonomous vehicles share the road with EVs driven manually.Designing the Lincoln L100 From the Inside OutDesigners and modelers worked furiously to pull a show car together to toast the past and future simultaneously with a debut during the country's most ostentatious car event: Monterey Car Week. The five-passenger concept was designed digitally first and a foam model of the massive car grew from that. A version in sheetmetal, with the help of 3D printing, was being pulled together right up to the reveal deadline.The final show car is imposing. It is longer than a Lincoln Navigator L; the long-wheelbase SUV is 18.5 feet long. The L100 dwarfs it at more than 20 feet long and 6 ½ feet wide with more than 16 feet of interior space. Lincoln Global Design Director Kemal Curic said they built the interior first and it is the largest that Lincoln has ever created. Then came the exterior, resplendent in metallic paint paired with frosted acrylic in lieu of chrome to create a soft white that transitions to blue.In a nod to the past: the concept was designed so it can still be driven. In a nod to the future: the driver can decide to lean back, stretch out, and let the car drive completely autonomously, in theory.Step Inside and Stretch OutThe 14-foot door is a piece of art with the most complex rear hinge the automaker, or maybe any automaker, has ever attempted. Once open you can remain upright as you enter the cabin—no yoga moves required to reach the queen and king seats in the back, which can be set to lounge mode with legs out and heads resting against the huge singular headrest that spans the cavernous interior. In autonomous mode, the dash disappears under the instrument panel and occupants have an unobstructed view of what is ahead.The seating layout is designed to be social. Passengers can all face forward, or front passengers can swivel to face their rear companions. The digital floor can create a mood or experience, such as projecting the image of flying above the clouds in an attempt to take passengers back to the time of romance and travel.The car plays up all the senses in a minimalist interior. Screens are not overpowering, there is no steering wheel or column. The animal-free materials in the cabin include a recycled suede-like fabric with amethyst accents.Tap Into Your Inner Child and Steer Like A Toy CarTo steer, there is a center console chessboard with a crystal chess piece controller that replaces a traditional steering wheel. Think of how a child plays with a toy car, grabbing its sides and sliding it forward or twisting it to turn. The same motions with the chess piece direct the car. An adult from any seat can assume control—there is no set driver or passenger seat since there is no restrictive steering column to work around.The lighting projects a red carpet onto the ground, but the concept also goes beyond puddle lighting. Tracking lighting detects you and follows you, 360 degrees, as you walk around the vehicle—an artificial intelligence feature designed to make you feel both safe and special, as if it knows you.The frunk was designed to be a jewelry box and there is a heritage jewel inside: a crystal greyhound ornament under the transparent hood that harkens back to the hood ornament originally selected by Edsel Ford in the 1920s to symbolize the grace and elegance of the Lincoln brand, which the Ford Motor Company had purchased.The L100 has a modern take on the Lincoln star logo on the front of the car. It is simple and backlit, like the apple on a MacBook. This is the first use of this new adaptation and could become a signature on future models.It is only a concept, so powertrain can be fictional. Lincoln officials say the L100 would use a solid-state battery to provide greater range at less cost. The teardrop shape and long tail give it the aerodynamics needed for greater efficiency, along with closed-off wheels and air flow through the bottom of the grille.At first glance the car appears to have an extremely long hood, but it actually starts almost in front of the front wheel with a cut line rear of the hood. The rear is sliced off, with a sharp angle like the back of a super yacht. The glass roof seamlessly melds into the body at the rear.LED Lights are the New ChromeLike most EVs, the concept plays up lighting as a new brand signature. LEDs are the new chrome, Curic says. The spinning wheels have smart covers that use sensors and lighting. The digital look makes it look like the car is gliding along the road. The glowing wheels also indicate the car's rate of charge, like giant analog dials.The L100 sets the pace for the future, says Lincoln Global Product Director John Jraiche. "A lot of the form language and strategy will be in future Lincolns." He says Lincoln is not beholden to its past and is creating a new identify in the EV age. Some aspects are pure concept -the massive door won't make it to production—but the idea behind it, of the car welcoming and hugging its occupants, is an idea that will be taken forward to production models. Some of the lighting and the face of the L100 could be in the first Lincoln EVs to hit the market, Curic says.The L100 project started before the Lincoln Star concept and the two proceeded in parallel, as two takes on the future of Lincoln from different time points, with brand signifiers in both vehicles. The team does not rule out a smaller version of the L100 for production. "Lincoln has always been special to me and my family, especially my father and my grandfather. If there is one secret to Lincoln's longevity, it is the brand's ability to balance its core values with a desire to innovate and create the future," said Ford executive chair Bill Ford in a statement. "Lincoln has been one of the most enduring and stylish automotive brands in the world and in many ways, it is perfectly positioned for a second century defined by great design, zero-emissions and technology-led experiences."
Acura has many great names in its arsenal, both used and unused. It recently brought back the iconic Integra nameplate, for example, and its history kicked off with the, um, legendary Legend. For the name of its upcoming electric SUV, its first-ever all-electric product, Acura is mining its past—but is digging up a weird fossil indeed: ZDX.What Is an Acura ZDX?The ZDX name is somewhat cool-sounding—at least amongst Acura's "_DX" SUV monikers, including the RDX and MDX—that was previously applied to a single-generation flop, a fastback-styled SUV introduced for 2010 that sold so poorly it lasted only through the 2013 model year.Now, depending on your point of view, the ZDX was either severely misunderstood and unfairly maligned for its beaky schnoz (Acura's grille de jour in the naughts), or it deserved to be killed with fire. Proving that not much in life is fair, the original ZDX largely mimicked the coupe-SUV format laid down by the BMW X6 that had arrived two years prior.Like that Bimmer, the Acura was based on a conventional SUV (an X5 in that case, and the Acura MDX family hauler here) but sported a lower, more hunched profile for some extra visual pizazz and less cargo space. It also came with Acura's torque-vectoring Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD), though only a middling V-6 engine. BMW's X6, which could be had with powerful V-8 engines, survived and thrived, even spawning a smaller X4 variant and similar competitors from Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and Infiniti. The ZDX did not.The ZDX Is BackAcura's ZDX is now being given a second lease on life, with the name officially destined for the brand's new electric SUV. In announcing the name, Acura referred to the upcoming EV SUV as a "performance" model, and added that it will incorporate styling from from the Precision EV concept. While the Precision EV concept connection doesn't specifically rule out a fastback roofline, we should point out that that show car has a fairly normal overall shape; it similarly eschews any funky detailing like the old ZDX's pointy grille, though it is festooned with LED lights.Even greater performance will be available via a promised Type S variant, which in Acura-speak is the name applied to the highest-performance version of a given model. There are TLX and MDX Type S versions available today, and the sold-out, now-discontinued NSX supercar capped its run with a Type S variant.We also know the ZDX will be a 2024 model, set to debut either sometime next year or early in '24 in full production guise. It will borrow GM's Ultium motor and battery technology at first—just like the mechanically related Honda Prologue due around the same time—with subsequent electric Acura's utilizing a new global e:Architecture that also will see collaboration with General Motors.Ironically, the original ZDX was fairly wild-looking, though one of its biggest letdowns was its lackluster powertrain. If Acura were to translate the old ZDX's visual drama into this decade while delivering satisfying electric punch and appropriate dynamic zest, we think the ZDX name could stick this time around.
No Acura today is electric, though a few are electrified—namely the NSX hybrid supercar, which is on its way out the door. It will most likely be replaced by an all-electric sports car in the future, but what might that car and every other electric Acura look like? The new Acura Precision EV concept SUV is the closest thing to a preview, at least until concepts previewing individual electric Acuras begin cropping up in the coming years.It Kinda, Sorta Previews the GM-Based Acura EV SUVWhile it'd be easy to jump to the conclusion that this Precision EV concept will become the promised electric Acura SUV that'll share its GM-sourced Ultium architecture with the forthcoming Honda Prologue, not so fast. Honda is known for showing "concepts" that are nearly production-ready examples of upcoming models; this isn't quite one of those direct snapshots. Inasmuch the Precision EV previews that model, it does so tangentially, just as it previews all future Acura EVs. Per the automaker, "The Acura Precision EV Concept is a design study that will shape the direction of future Acura products in the electrified era including our first all-electric SUV in 2024." What Acura is showing here instead is, in a nutshell, how it plans to tackle "the grille issue" that's common among established automakers attempting to adapt their current design languages to electric cars. For the past century or so, car designers have leveraged grille shapes, slats, and the like (along with other key components such as headlights) to create the literal faces of different car brands. Every car with an engine requires an opening somewhere to shovel air over and into said engine, after all. Electric cars, meanwhile, still need cooling airflow over components, but that air needn't enter explicitly through the vehicle's nose. A more closed-off schnoz, of course, aids range-conscious engineers in their quest for slipperier aerodynamics, while erasing a styling focal point from designers' arsenal.Acura Makes Light Work of the GrilleThe solution Acura's designers have come up with for that pesky grille issue? Lights! The Precision EV concept generally hews to Acura's current design theme, with slim headlights, clean surfacing, and a sporty stance—but where the pentagonal grille on today's Integra, MDX, RDX, and TLX lives there is… a pentagonal area. (Those vehicles, by the way, were all previewed by the last Precision concept from 2016.) This familiar outline is closed off, though—and rather than utilizing a black-plastic dummy grille like BMW employs on its iX SUV and i4 hatchback, Acura stuffs the Precision EV's pentagonal snoot with LEDs. Acura dubs it a "theatrical lighting approach" using "particle glitch" styled lighting.Essentially, color-shifting fragments form the general shape of Acura's diamond pentagonal grille, as well as the broad-strokes outlines of various internal-combustion-vehicle-standard addenda such as bumper intakes and other styling cues. It's an interesting way of delineating that this smooth-surfaced, squinty eyed SUV is, in fact, an Acura. After all, the overall profile of the vehicle is otherwise fairly standard stuff; heck, this could be the next-generation MDX family SUV, so conventional is its shape. The 23-inch wheels might be a stretch, though the eventual production Acura EV SUV does share its Ultium platform with GM, which offers its similarly sized products with fairly huge rims, so don't count those out.The RestAcura isn't talking much about the concept's powertrain—other than to say it is, theoretically, electric—but again, that's not really the point of this styling exercise. In keeping with the general theme of previewing the interactive and visual aspects of future Acuras, the automaker does outline two drive modes of sorts: Instinctive Drive and Spiritual Lounge. The former bathes the cabin with red ambient lighting, sportier instrumentation on the dashboard, and, presumably, primes the electric powertrain for maximum attack. The Spiritual Lounge deal aims for a calming vibe, delivering "soothing scents and restful 'under water' animated projection." The cabin is fanciful enough to support those mood-like modes, what with its steering yoke, floating central display, and copious ambient lighting. Overall the Precision EV concept's precise lighting blends well with Acura's athletic styling, which bodes well for the brand's evolution to an electrified future lineup. Unlike the steering yoke and translucent screens inside, the exterior lighting array looks vaguely production-feasible. Just takes some precision manufacturing, of course…
The idea that a concept vehicle is a wild interpretation of a production car is really starting to fade. Especially thanks to the proliferation of electric vehicles, cars like the Cadillac Celestiq look closer to their concepts than ever before. Cadillac revealed that they have begun road testing a pre-production version of Cadillac's very expensive, very boutique EV out in the wild and near the General Motors Technical Center in Warren, Michigan. While it's covered in camouflage and wheel covers, it does reveal a lot about the car itself.The overall shape is a match to what we've seen from the show car version of the 2024 Celestiq and you can even see the "hockey sticks" that are a defining feature of the rear quarter of the car. They are also potentially glowing under the camouflage, but the rear lighting is different on the pre-production car. Instead of the long, vertical brake light bar, we see three round lights on each side of the car, but are oriented vertically.This likely has more to do with the car's pre-production status; automakers often install basic lighting in unusual spots so the cars are road-legal without needing to rely on the production version's lighting designs. Consider it misdirection—these stand-in pieces won't give away the true light shapes.The front treatment definitely lines up with the show car save for the angled trim that flank the vertical headlights. Though, this could be due to the camo or it's a trim piece that will be added during production. You can clearly see the cooling vents located in the lower portion of the bumper as well as where the sensors and cameras are positioned for its ADAS systems.It's really fun to see the station wagon-like Celestiq hatchback come to life as we're currently being downed by SUVs and crossovers in the EV market right now. While it's a high-end production vehicle, hopefully this will bring about a trend of cool looking super-hatchbacks for the market—a rarity at the Celestiq's targeted $300,000 ultra-luxury vehicle market.
Muscle car aficionados take heart: the future of electric cars from Dodge is mean, menacing, and loud. Proof: The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept which teases the production electric muscle car coming in 2024 amid promises it will beat all the performance metrics Dodge has laid down to date.Yes, the Dodge Charger Daytona SRT is powered by batteries and electric motors, but air still swooshes through chambers and pipes for a rumble very similar to the roar of a Hemi Hellcat V-8 in today's Dodge Chargers and Challengers. It is only when the electric Charger is being turned off that the final whirr reminds you it is a battery-electric car. And no melted jellybean shape here—the car is sleek, powerful, and true to Dodge muscle car DNA.The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept has been imbued with the looks and sounds that should appeal to the muscle car brotherhood customer base. The concept is Dodge's vision of its replacement for the internal combustion engine muscle cars that will soon go out of production. The last Dodge Chargers and Dodge Challengers will roll off the line at the Brampton, Ontario, plant in December 2023. Here's what it sounds like, from the live reveal on YouTube:Dodge brand CEO Tim Kuniskis says Dodge needed its own unique pathway to the EV age; the small brand would get lost if it tried to do things the same way as bigger players. To stand out and hold its own, Dodge needed to show electrification can still shock people.The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept is designed to impress and appease its loyal customer base, many of whom are fundamentally opposed to EVs and all they stand for. So, Dodge created an e-muscle car that looks mean and roars as loud as the Hellcats with supercharged Hemi V-8s that it will replace. "We believe we need the sound and experience," says Kuniskis. That is why the car has a multispeed transmission and an exhaust note, so the driver can feel and hear the crack of the exhaust while shifting.Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept is a True CoupeThe Dodge Charger Daytona SRT is a large car, and yes, this Charger is a true coupe with only two doors but with a hatch for greater utility. The concept, in Greys of Thunder dark glossy paint, has a clean design right down to the flush door handles and absence of a rear spoiler. It is muscle without being a caricature, bold yet subtle. Head of Dodge Exterior Design Scott Krugger says his team started by designing a muscle car, not an EV, with a signature face, swept profile, and turbine-style 21-inch wheels.It is also pure EV without a melted front for aerodynamics. Instead, true to the Daytona name, it has a nose cone built into it, a patented R-Wing which allows air to pass through the front of the hood and enhance downforce while keeping a blunt Dodge profile that all but hides the headlights. There are carbon fiber intakes on both sides of the front and rear fascias for an air curtain to further improve aerodynamics. The front end is patented, as is the sound, which means these are intended for production."We found a way to make a muscle car slippery," Kuniskis says.What about the Fratzog logo Dodge has been teasing us with? The triangular badge adorned Dodge muscle cars from 1962-1976 and stood for nothing in particular. It now has a purpose as the new symbol for Dodge electrification—and there are Fratzog badges all over the concept. It glows white in the center of the cross-car light bar across the front grille, red in the rear taillight, and on the center locks of the wheels.Sounds Like a Hellcat?Back to the sound. This is the industry's first exhaust system for an electric vehicle, producing a similar 126-decibel sound as the one coming from the today's Hellcat engine. Dodge calls it "Fratzonic Chambered Exhaust." When the Daytona converts electricity to power, air flows through the exhaust system and the sound produced goes through an amplifier and tuning chamber at the rear of the vehicle. You can see and feel the pressure from the exhaust coming out the back.Dodge Charger Daytona SRT's Electric BitsDodge is not revealing full specs and details yet, but we do know the high-performance SRT trim will be powered by a new 800-volt Banshee propulsion system. Lower trim models will have a 400-volt system. The screaming Banshee badge is on both sides of the car where Dodge previously put Hellcat and Demon logos on its internal combustion-powered vehicles. The Banshee name and badge will be used only for the top-performing EVs. Kuniskis refers to the concept as the Daytona Banshee.The concept has standard all-wheel drive so we know there are at least two motors, one up front and one in the back. AWD is also key to making the Daytona SRT quicker than the Hellcats that precede it, Dodge executives say.The Daytona Banshee has a multi-speed transmission with electro-mechanical shifting. Dubbed eRupt, the transmission does not deliver more power, but allows the driver to feel each shift point, Kuniskis says. The brand chief won't reveal the number of gears or provide any performance figures yet. What we do know is there will be three power levels available and customers can go to Direct Connection authorized dealers who will offer six more levels, all covered under factory warranty. All nine power levels were designed in advance, with the hardware in place for additional upgrades at the time of purchase or later.Do a PowerShotAnd all nine levels come with a new adrenaline boost: the PowerShot push-to-pass feature. Push a button on the steering wheel for an instantaneous discharge of power, delivering an extra 25 horsepower on demand, for a few seconds, enough time to blow by the car in front of you.Drivers can choose Auto, Sport, Track, and Drag drive modes which change the driving dynamics and corresponding displays, sound, and interior lighting.Dodge officials are not yet providing range figures, but Kuniskis argues Hellcat buyers don't care about fuel economy. He says both the 400- and 800-volt models will provide the range needed to be competitive. The car will use the new STLA Large platform developed by Stellantis which is capable of up to 500 miles of range, but Kuniskis says the muscle cars will not hit that figure because of the elements that have been added to it, despite the use of carbon fiber and other efforts to reduce weight. Battery sizes for vehicles using STLA Large are expected to range from 101-118 kilowatt hours.Step Inside If Your DareThe dark sinister theme continues inside the vehicle, says Jeff Gale, Dodge's chief interior designer.The most striking feature is the multicolored lighting that stretches across the dash and through the doors, which have raised gray slats that strake diagonally for a unique look, which is not easy to do. In red, the light glows like lava flowing through troughs. There are circuit-like graphics on the carbon fiber floor that work their way up the vehicle, surrounding the passengers, flowing under the seats and up to the center console and slim instrument panel.The three-spoke performance steering wheel with flat top and bottom is also illuminated with a red SRT logo in the center, paddle shifters, and the PowerShot button on one side and drive mode controls on the other. The Daytona has a pistol-grip shifter and glowing red start button hidden under a jet-fighter-inspired cap that you flip up to engage.The driver-centric cockpit has another Fratzog as the background to the 16-inch curved screen driver display. The 12.3-inch center screen is large by Dodge standards.The concept has four slim, lightweight, race-inspired bolstered seats with a perforated Fratzog pattern. Between the seats is a floating, open flow-through storage area, all lit up. The console runs to the back to serve all four passengers.The Daytona has a panoramic liftgate-style hatch and the seats fold flat to give the car more utility—you can stuff a snowboard in this muscle car.Dodge promised it would be true to its muscle car roots when it embraced the electric car age, starting in 2024. The Dodge Charger Daytona SRT Concept, which looks production ready and has patents on its key features, appears to keep that promise.
With so many wings 'n things, the newest Porsche 911 GT3 RS looks like it could fly. Before you even think about this über-911-GT3 taking flight, let us assure you, all of those spats, spoilers, flaps, louvers, and so on are there precisely so that this sports car stays firmly planted on planet Earth. They have the added side effect of signaling to the world that you didn't settle—if that's the right word—for the already excellent 911 GT3, itself a track-ready missile that so impressed us we awarded it our 2022 Performance Vehicle of the Year award.Aero, DynamicsIn what could be the most Germanic understatement of the year, Porsche says "The purposeful look of the new 911 GT3 RS is characterized by the large number of functional aerodynamic elements." Yes, the "purposeful look" Porsche refers to is the eye-popping array of body add-ons that regular GT3s lack and the tallest rear wing ever fitted to a production Porsche vehicle. Like on the base GT3, the RS's rear wing is of the swan-neck variety, in which the supports stretch up and over the plane of the wing, mounting to the horizontal surface from above. Unlike the regular GT3, the RS's wing is taller than the roof, with a hydraulically adjustable upper section.That adjustable piece works in concert with a race-inspired drag reduction system (DRS), which at the press of a button moves the wings to a lower-drag position to achieve higher straight-line speeds. Conversely, under hard braking, the rear wing can flip up into an air brake position. Porsche has made the various splitters and canards on the nose similarly adjustable, a move made possible by sacrificing the front trunk entirely to a lay-down radiator. Air exits that radiator via a pair of huge holes in the hood, flows over the roof, and is directed to the sides so that the engine air intakes in the rear—remember, 911s are rear-engined!—ingest cooler air.Along with a larger rear diffuser, those meaty louvers atop each front fender (for evacuating wheel-well pressure), and reworked rear fenders for improved airflow, the 911 GT3 RS is altogether more focused than the already sharp GT3. Downforce in the RS is up big time as a result, three times more than what a "normal" GT3 produces at 124 mph (for a total of over 900 lbs). At 177 mph, the GT3 RS generates 1,895 lbs of downforce.The Mechanical StuffPorsche takes so seriously the GT3 RS's aerodynamics, that it didn't stop at adding those wings all over the body. Its engineers turned their attention to the RS's mechanicals, too, reshaping the suspension links with airfoil-shaped profiles, a move that is said to contribute 88 lbs of downforce at "top track speed" at the front axle alone. According to Porsche, these new links increase the GT3's track width by a mighty 1.14 inches in front.To help overcome some of that extra aero, the 4.0-liter flat-six engine retains the same one-throttle-body-per-cylinder layout as the non-RS GT3 but receives new camshafts and sees peak horsepower rise from 502 hp to 518. It comes mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with a shorter final-drive ratio than the non-RS GT3 and little air intakes under the body that help cool it. Porsche, always conservative, estimates the GT3 RS is 0.2 second quicker to 60 mph than a 911 GT3; given how we recorded a 2.7-second rip in dual-clutch 911 GT3 last year, figure on the RS being mind-bending. Top speed is said to be 184 mph.Huge brakes help slow things down, with the front caliper pistons growing a few mm larger in diameter than those on the GT3. The front rotors thicken by 2 mm to 36 mm; step up to the carbon-ceramic brakes, and the rotors grow by 2 mm in diameter up front (410 mm) and 10 mm in back (390 mm). Also, as on the GT3, the RS gets a rear-wheel-steering system, albeit tuned along with the rest of the suspension for sharper response, and drivers can independently adjust the compression and rebound settings for the front and rear via buttons on the dashboard. There also is a rotary drive mode dial for selecting Normal, Sport, and Track modes (with the DRS button in the middle) on the steering wheel.What a Lightweight!Porsche says the GT3 RS weighs just 3,268 pounds, thanks mostly to the carbon-fiber door skins, front fenders, roof, hood, and seat shells. Want some of that carbon fiber on fuller display? The available Weissach performance package leaves the carbon naked on the roof, hood, rear wing, and door mirrors; the kit also includes forged magnesium wheels that shave 17.6 pounds of unsprung weight from the car.Also lightweight? Your wallet, after you buy a 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS. The car starts at $225,250 (about $60,000 more than a normal GT3) and goes on sale early in 2023. Deliveries begin in the spring, and those with reservations can also choose to pay even more and get a Porsche Design Chronograph watch that incorporates titanium and various nods to the RS's styling.
The world is full of undiscovered treasures. Some people use metal detectors to dig up lost wonders, and others hunt garage sales for that pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow. Gearheads, however, search the classifieds for their automotive lost treasure. This is that story, but this time around it wasn't the high-tech interwebs, it was a printed ad in a small-time newspaper. Yep, those still exist.As Todd Evans explained, "I was browsing a little-known local newspaper that serves the High Desert areas of California and the Lake Havasu, Arizona, area on a Sunday evening when I ran across the ad. 'CAR COLLECTION FOR SALE: 1963 Corvette cpe, 4 sp, SCCA race car w/spares.' That was it, a small text ad with no pictures in a little newspaper. The ad had a few other cars listed, a trailer, and two motorhomes that I didn't even pay attention to. However, it did have a phone number, which, in today's online advertising world, where people refuse to even talk to you unless it is via text or email, was like gold to me. Unfortunately, the ad said not to call after 9 p.m. It was 9:30, but there was no chance I could wait until morning. I would have gone clinically insane."Evans continued: "I called, and a great old guy named John Lloyd answered, laughing after I apologized at least five times for calling past his 9 p.m. deadline. John began to tell me the story of his Corvette that he had purchased as a stock split-window back in 1968, before turning it into his dream racecar in the early 1970s. Honestly, I'm not even entirely sure I heard what he said during most of the conversation. My mind was racing so fast it kind of reminded me of having a chat with Charlie Brown's teacher. He said it had big flares, big turbine wheels, big-block hood, side pipes, and a 'cage. He knew a lot of people wouldn't like all of those things, but I assured him, in the calmest voice that I could muster, that I loved all of them. He's telling me all of this and I still haven't even seen a picture of it yet! I was crushed when he proceeded to tell me he already had a deposit on the car!""John had raced it extensively throughout California in the '70s, and Riverside Raceway was his home track. He owned Rialto Wheel & Tire at the time and was a weekend warrior, as opposed to being a big-dollar, sponsored racer. He had some success, won some races, and had a blast with all of his buddies, racing every chance that he got. He finally retired the car in 1978 and switched to a much lighter tube-chassis Camaro, along with taking care of his now growing family. He parked the car in his friend's yard outside his garage after the last race that day and it never moved again for 44 years," recalled Evans."Back to the phone conversation—it was now about 10:30 at night and I offered to come out immediately. I would bring cash and a trailer, but it would have put me in Riverside around midnight. I didn't care. I wanted it. After much convincing (also known as begging), John said I could come out first thing in the morning to look at the car in case the guy that had put a deposit on the car backed out. No problem. I'll be there. Remember waiting on Christmas morning as a kid before you got to open your presents? That's what the rest of my Sunday night and Monday morning turned out to be.""My good buddy Ken from Moreland Choppers and Hot Rods and I loaded up the trailer while it was still dark the next morning and met John at a coffee shop in Temecula. He wanted to sit down and find out who I was before we would even go see the car, which I completely understood. After shooting the breeze for about an hour, my Christmas came even earlier than I expected. John said the guy that supposedly had given him a deposit was a friend of a friend of an acquaintance, who knew about the car from years ago. Turns out, he had been saying he would send a deposit for over a month and hadn't done anything. John was ready to move on and I was even more ready!"Evans recalled to HOT ROD, "We arrived to see the car out in Riverside, and the Corvette was so much cooler than we ever could have imagined. Aside from fading on some of the paint, it was just as it had been that day when he parked it almost 50 years ago. The interior, while obviously dirty, was like a time capsule, right down to the melt-in-the-sun, annoyingly sticky early-'70s SS steering wheel. I didn't want to negotiate. I didn't want to haggle. I had already told John numerous times that I would pay more than his asking price if he just let me buy the Corvette. John isn't that guy, and said if I wanted the car, I could have it for the original asking price.After digging the Corvette out from its resting place and finding, surprisingly, that the Firestones all held air, we winched it up onto the trailer with huge smiles on our faces. I think the common phrases on the drive home consisted of a lot of 'I can't believe that just happened.' We were given a bunch of old pictures of the car back in its heyday, even some in its former red-white-and-blue paint scheme. John being the guy that he is, he even threw in the rat poop, mice nests, and raccoon skulls for free!"So, what's next for this rescued vintage racer? Well, cleaning will be kept to a minimum, but Evans will be removing the critters, rat droppings, and bones from the interior and engine bay. As for the rest Evans told us, "I've never done much road course racing, so I would leave it just like it sits and make a nasty street car out of it. It still has the original VIN and title so it could be registered. We have a Hilborn-injected small-block sitting here in the shop begging to be put in something anyhow. It would be impossible to not love a streetcar that looks like it belongs in one of the best movies of all time, The Gumball Rally." Sounds like a solid plan to us, and we asked him to let us know when the vintage Corvette racer is back on the road! -Photos By Todd Evans