2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R First Look: Who’s the Predator Now?

The third-generation Ford Everest has made its global debut. If you've never heard of this three-row SUV—and you are scratching your head trying to figure out what it is—that's because it has never been offered in the United States, and it never will be. The Everest is sold in places like Australia, South Africa, the Philippines, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. Lament as you may from the highest mountaintops, but we won't be getting this mighty handsome, muscularly modern seven-seater. Add it to the list of forbidden fruit, alongside the Toyota Land Cruiser—the key difference being that the Land Cruiser was offered here, until recently.The third-generation 2023 Ford Everest is basically a global-market midsize 2023 Ranger pickup clad in SUV skin. Ever wonder what an SUV Ranger would look like? Look at the Everest. Ranger in the front, with a closed-in body (not bed) in the back. Recall that the Ranger's redesign for 2023 gives it a totally different look than the current Ranger, and the Everest adopts these same blocky new design cues. In addition to sharing the upgraded Ford T-6 platform, the Fords share a lot when it comes to the front fascia, including the C-clamp headlights and grille design.The next-gen Ford Everest will be offered with a trio of turbodiesel engines or a gasoline-fed 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4, with availability depending on the market. The diesel engines include the 3.0-liter Power Stroke V-6 (a variant of what was offered in the F-150), a single-turbo 2.0-liter I-4, and a bi-turbo 2.0-liter I-4. These engines will be mated to six- or ten-speed automatic transmissions. Max towing is an impressive 7,716 pounds. At launch, it'll be available in Sport, Titanium+, and Platinum trims.Ford likens the improved interior of the Ford Everest to a "sanctuary," a quiet place where occupants from all rows can talk to each other without yelling. If that's what the new Ranger is like inside, great, because this Everest seems to share much with that pickup's interior. Like the Ranger, the Everest gets a portrait-oriented 10.1- or 12.0-inch vertical center stack touchscreen equipped with SYNC 4A. This screen displays a 360-degree camera view with a split-view display, making parking or negotiating tight spaces easier. Behind the steering wheel resides an 8.0- or 12.4-inch digital instrument panel, replacing analogue clusters.When it comes to off-road capability, the Everest is exploration ready. Its wider track, longer wheelbase, and tweaks to the damper settings help keep the SUV planted. Although some markets will have an available two-wheel drive offering, the Everest will mostly get one of two four-wheel drive systems (part-time and permanent). The Everest can ford through over 2.5 feet of water, just a few inches less than the Bronco. It has underbody protection, selectable off-road drive modes, a rear locking differential, two front tow hooks, engine bay space for a second battery, and upfitter accessory switches. There's an off-road screen display that shows pertinent vehicle information, a front camera view, predictive overlay guidelines, and more. Owners trying to set up camp in the dark can control the new exterior zone lighting system via the FordPass App.Is it selfish to lust after unobtainable factory vehicles like the Ford Everest and wish their presence in our stateside lineup? No. It would be awesome to have here. So why don't we get the Ford Everest? Because we get the Ford Bronco, which may be considered too similar and (probably) more popular. The Bronco and Everest would be in the same midsize SUV category, creating too much overlap. The Bronco is basically our Ranger-based SUV, meaning the Everest would be...another Ranger-based SUV. However, the Bronco is a beast of its own and is so fundamentally different than the Ranger—different suspension, different body—that one could argue there is room for the Everest, an actual Ranger-looking Ranger-based SUV.Going a step further, there would be utmost demand for an Everest Raptor in the U.S. After all, there is a Ranger Raptor that's already paved the way, and there's a Bronco Raptor. We're happy for the parts of the world that will get the the new SUV, but the real mountaintop high would be news of an Everest to call our own.

A 2022 Toyota GR86 owner is apparently being punished for posting a photo of their car drifting at a testing and tuning event. The GR86 suffered an engine failure, allegedly due to oil starvation—a relatively common and known issue on this model—but the owner was rejected under the Toyota warranty after the photo of the car drifting turned up in the automaker's investigation. Evidently, Toyota initially rejected the warranty claim because of evidence the car was driven at an off-street event, which seems ridiculous considering the encouraging nature of the model's marketing materials.The story comes from Blake Alvarado on Facebook posting to the SCCA Official Members group, whose GR86 suffered its engine failure after just 13,770 miles on the road and two oil changes. Alvarado says a post-failure engine teardown revealed grey sealant material in the oil pickup, an issue that is now being tracked in a spreadsheet by GR86.org, which currently lists five suspected instances of the issue causing engine failure, not including similar claims dating back all the way to 2013, as Alvarado says.But, Toyota wouldn't know firsthand about the cause of Alvarado's engine failure, as he says the assigned field technician never checked the engine in determining his warranty claim. Here's what happened, according to the Facebook post: "Instead either he or someone at the dealer looked me up on social media. They showed me a photo of me taken at a local Test & Tune event (untimed, non-competition) in late March (I was testing different setups and playing around with tire pressures. This was the only time the car was driven in the way the photo shows). They also showed me an onboard video of me driving in someone else's white GR86 (mine is Black)."Based on this "evidence," his warranty claim was denied and Alvarado was instead quoted an $11,000 repair estimate, or told he had to remove his car from the dealership. His attempt to negotiate with the dealer's service manager was denied, so Alvarado had the car towed to a Subaru specialty shop where he was quoted $7,000 for a low-mileage engine replacement.The real kicker in this situation is Toyota's own marketing materials. As Alvarado points out, Toyota's marketing frequently mentions the GR86 being "track tested," and even let new owners sign up for a complimentary NASA track day as a promotion, which is used for the Toyota Supra, as well. MotorTrend reached out to Toyota, and a spokesperson provided the following response:"Toyota takes its customer concerns seriously.  We work hard to deliver a rewarding ownership experience, and we stand behind the quality of our products. A vehicle's warranty excludes damages from activities such as misuse, improper maintenance, or modifications. Toyota is currently looking into the case you referenced and will continue to work with the customer directly on this issue. As always, we encourage customers who experience any issues with their vehicle to contact their authorized Toyota dealer or call the Toyota Brand Engagement Center (1-800-331-4331) when a dealer is not able to resolve a matter."Alvarado urges other enthusiasts to be wary about posting photos and videos of their warranty-covered cars out of extra precaution, as you never know how an automaker is going to respond to vehicles being driven in any manner other than daily duty.But Wait, There's More!Update, August 4, 2022: Speaking to The Drive, Alvarado has confirmed that Toyota's executive office reached out to him after all of the social media coverage of his blown engine and has ultimately decided to cover the issue under warranty. The Drive reports a Toyota representative said Alvarado and others should be able "to use the vehicle at future autocross and track day events without putting [the] warranty in jeopardy.

We're at the end of an era for luxury sport compact sedans. The segment that BMW invented with the 1986 M3 has long embraced change. The little four-cylinder homologation specials that matured the segment beyond icons such as the 2002 eventually became V-8-powered cruise missiles in the early '00s. The engines have since downsized to forced-induction sixes as times changed, and with nearly every automaker now promising to electrify their lineups in the near future, we're witnessing yet another transition. But thanks to cars such as the new 2022 BMW M3 Competition and 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing, the internal combustion luxury sport compact sedan is going out with a bang.Spec RundownPitting the M3 Competition (the top dog of the M3/M4 lineup) against the CT4-V Blackwing (effectively a reskinned ATS-V) may seem like a mismatch, but there's a method to our madness. The ATS-V, despite never winning a comparison test, had always been one of our favorite vehicles in the segment. The new CT4-V Blackwing, simply put, makes the ATS-V better. Its 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6 gets a small output boost, now churning out 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, and it's paired with an optional quick-shifting 10-speed automatic (a six-speed manual is standard). It's also crucially fit with the latest generation of MagneRide dampers, and well, that's really about it. Prices start at $59,900, but the CT4-V Blackwing you see here stickers for $80,235.With 473 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque spilling forth from its 3.0-liter turbocharged I-6, the standard M3 seems to be an even matchup for the Cadillac. Except when we drove the latest manual-equipped M4 (the two-door version of the M3) back to back with the CT4, it was no competition—the Caddy was just plain better to drive. More fun, more planted, and more capable, it made the M4 feel like a midgrade M440i. So, with an M3 Competition on hand and in the interest of making things, well, interesting, we decided the M3 Competition would take the M4's place.The Competition turns the wick up a bit on the basic M3/M4 formula. Thanks to more boost and upgraded cooling, output rises to 503 hp and 479 lb-ft of twist. To make the most of the newfound power, BMW equips the Competition with an eight-speed automatic, and on our test car, defeatable all-wheel drive (meaning you can force it into a rear-drive-only mode). Prices for the M3 start at $70,895, while the all-wheel-drive M3 Competition xDrive starts at $77,895. A good chunk of our M3 Competition xDrive's $108,545 sticker is eaten up by optional M carbon-ceramic brakes ($8,150) and the dividing (literally) M Carbon bucket seats ($3,800), though the vast majority of the options on our test car are inconsequential cosmetic and luxury options.Hitting the RoadAlthough the outright performance of both the CT4-V Blackwing and M3 Competition is what will get buyers into showrooms, how they drive in the real world is what will sell them. So let's ignore the numbers, shall we? May the most fun-to-drive car win—because after all, "fun" is what this segment is all about.Riding on GM's rear-drive Alpha platform, the Cadillac is, as senior features editor Jonny Lieberman puts it, "a stud." Aided in part by the latest MagneRide dampers and more accessible Performance Traction Management (PTM) modes (now handily operable via a switch on the steering wheel instead of buried in fiddly menus), the CT4-V Blackwing shines on a good back road. Steering is quick and communicative; the chassis feels light, poised, and well balanced; and the car is damn near impossible to upset. The Cadillac's brakes are worthy of praise, too. Despite lacking fancy (read: expensive) carbon-ceramic brake rotors, we are enamored by the steel rotors' stopping power and the CT4's brake tuning. "Makes the M3 Competition feel like it has 320i brakes," features editor Scott Evans said. "Immediate bite, perfect modulation, and it stops so much harder than the BMW."If the Cadillac has a weak spot, its low-revving V-6 is a good candidate. We weren't taken with this engine back when it first appeared under the hood of the ATS-V, and the addition of 8 extra horsepower hasn't made it any better. That's not to say the CT4-V's powertrain is bad. The twin-turbo V-6 is punchy and delivers a broad torque curve, while the 10-speed auto is among GM's best performance automatics yet, with quick, decisive up- and downshifts, and bang-on tuning for hard driving. It's just so … incredibly uninspiring, with a dull, flat exhaust note and a relatively low 6,500-rpm redline. A naturally aspirated V-8—like the one currently available in the CT4's Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE platform mate—would do much to wake the CT4-V Blackwing up.The M3 Competition, on the other hand, feels as if its "engine runs on Tannerite," as deputy editor Alex Stoklosa puts it. The Bimmer is explosively powerful and gloriously unhinged. Capable of revving to 7,200 rpm, the M3's inline-six feels like a Minuteman missile on a hair trigger, throwing its power down so violently that we question its 503 horsepower rating.But the M3 is more than just an underrated engine. In a welcome change of pace from modern BMWs, steering is quick, and feel is light but direct. The all-wheel-drive system is impressively neutral, too, helping tame the manic engine without negatively impacting steering feel. "The chassis feels very balanced front to rear," Stoklosa said, "and I found it very easy to transition between over/understeer. It's supremely easy and satisfying to meter out just enough throttle to tuck the nose in or kick the M3 into a controllable, easily placed slide."Still, it's not all roses for the BMW. For starters, there are way too many adjustable settings in the M3 and no easy way to cycle through them while on the move; it is much easier to find your Goldilocks setting in the Cadillac. Some editors found the BMW's carbon-ceramic brakes difficult to modulate smoothly when driving hard, though we were all impressed by their stopping power.Do Numbers Even Matter?With any car—but especially performance cars—it's really tempting to get bogged down in the numbers. Surely, they must tell us something, right? Honestly, though, they really don't in this particular case. There will always be cars that are quicker or faster than a BMW M3 Competition and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing. These cars—among the last of their kind as we approach widespread electrification—are about the way they feel, the way they drive. The emotional response rises above other considerations.You're more than welcome to geek out over performance numbers by scrolling down to the chart at the bottom of the page, but spoiler alert: The more expensive, more powerful, grippier M3 comes out ahead in all of our instrumented tests. But again, in this particular case, so what?Which Car Is Best?When it comes to picking the winner, ignoring everything but the way these vehicles make us feel when unleashed on our favorite roads, the BMW M3 Competition earns the victory. The Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing is a fantastic riding and handling car that's ultimately held back by an uninspiring engine and a general lack of fireworks. The M3 Competition, on the other hand, is everything we're going to miss about internal combustion—loud and unapologetic but also an absolute joy to drive. It's an engaging and organic powder keg and a return to form for BMW. Just a shame about that nose, no?2nd Place: 2022 Cadillac CT4-V BlackwingPros: Well-balanced chassis with great handlingSuperb brakesRelatively cheapCons: Uninspiring engineCould handle more powerBoring exhaust note1st Place: 2022 BMW M3 CompetitionPros: Unhinged engineTransparent all-wheel-drive systemExceptional steeringCons: PriceyCarbon-ceramic brakes aren't worth the upgradeIt's quite rough to look atPOWERTRAIN/CHASSIS 2022 BMW M3 Competition (xDrive) Specifications 2022 Cadilac CT4 V Blackwing Specifications DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD Front-engine, RWD ENGINE TYPE Turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve I-6, alum block/head Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, alum block/heads DISPLACEMENT 2,993 cc/182.6 cu in 3,564 cc/217.5 cu in COMPRESSION RATIO 9.3:1 10.2:1 POWER (SAE NET) 503 hp @ 6,250 rpm 472 hp @ 5,750 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 479 lb-ft @ 2,750 rpm 445 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm REDLINE 7,200 rpm 6,500 rpm WEIGHT TO POWER 7.8 lb/hp 8.2 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic 10-speed automatic AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 3.15:1/2.02:1 2.85:1/1.82:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar Struts, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, adj shocks, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 15.0:1 11.6-15.5:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.0 2.2 BRAKES, F; R 15.7-in vented, drilled, carbon-ceramic disc; 15.0-in vented, drilled, carbon-ceramic disc 15.0-in vented disc; 13.4-in vented disc WHEELS, F;R 9.5 x 19-in; 10.5 x 20-in, forged aluminum 9.0 x 18-in; 9.5 x 18-in cast aluminum TIRES, F;R 275/35R19 100Y; 285/30R20 99Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 255/35R18 94Y; 275/35R18 99Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 112.5 in 109.3 TRACK, F/R 63.7/63.2 in 60.5/60.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 189.1 x 74.3 x 56.4 in 187.6 x 71.4 x 56.0 in TURNING CIRCLE 41.4 ft 38.8 ft CURB WEIGHT (DIST F/R) 3,899 lb (54/46%) 3,888 lb (53/47%) SEATING CAPACITY 5 5 HEADROOM, F/R 40.6/37.8 in 38.3/36.5 in LEGROOM, F/R 41.6/35.6 in 42.4/33.4 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 56.0/54.6 in 55.2/53.9 in CARGO VOLUME 13.0 cu ft 10.7 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.0 sec 1.5 sec 0-40 1.7 2.2 0-50 2.3 3.0 0-60 3.0 4.0 0-70 3.8 5.1 0-80 4.8 6.4 0-90 5.9 7.7 0-100 7.2 9.4 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.5 1.9 QUARTER MILE 11.1 sec @ 124.7 mph 12.4 sec @ 114.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 105 ft 106 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.03 g (avg) 1.05 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.3 sec @ 0.89 g (avg) 23.8 sec @ 0.84 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm 1,500 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $77,895 $59,900 PRICE AS TESTED $108,545 $80,235 AIRBAGS 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee BASIC WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 4 yrs/50,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 6 yrs/70,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 4 yrs/Unlimited miles 6 yrs/70,000 miles FUEL CAPACITY 15.6 gal 17.4 gal EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 16/22/18 mpg 16/24/19 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 281 miles 331 miles RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium Unleaded premium ON SALE Now Now Show All