New Tesla Registrations Rapidly Outpace Luxury-Leading BMW

acura nsx Full OverviewProsThe most satisfying modern NSX, Engine pulls hard, Strong lateral grip.  ConsIt's dying just as it gets good, Needs a price-appropriate interior, Lacks ultimate steering feel. For decades, General Motors was notorious among its own loyalists for underfunding and underdeveloping a promising new car, expressing shock when initial sales excitement evaporated, reluctantly spending the money it should have in the first place to make the car as good as it should have been from the start, wondering why sales didn't rebound despite the tarnished reputation, then canceling the car once that it was finally good (see: Pontiac Fiero). Acura's parent company, Honda, has collaborated with GM in the past and continues to collaborate with GM today, and this is one tradition it shouldn't adopt. Case in point: the 2022 Acura NSX Type S. Not to put too fine a point on it, but the Type S is what the NSX should've been from day one. The reborn NSX held such promise, and Acura engineers benchmarked the right cars. Their insistence in thinking like Honda engineers, though, and worrying about how practical their mid-engine supercar was and how it drove in Ohio winters, compromised its final form. They studied the Ferrari 458 Italia but built a car that didn't drive anywhere near as well or as viscerally.The limited-edition Type S makes great strides toward righting that wrong. It's far more engaging to drive than any NSX before it. Much of the feel and feedback missing from the standard car has finally broken through in the Type S.Test Numbers Trail Regular NSX'sUnfortunately, it seems to have come at the cost of some performance. Despite driving better than any other NSX we've tested, the Type S is also the slowest NSX we've ever tested. At 3.4 seconds to 60 mph, it's 0.4 second behind the quickest we've evaluated, and it doesn't get any better by the quarter-mile mark. To get there, the Type S needs 11.6 seconds, and it's traveling at 120.7 mph by the finish line, 0.4 second and 3.3 mph slower than the quickest one. It's not down to a bad launch, either, because the Type S is 0.2 second slower accelerating from 45 mph to 65 mph than the quickest NSX we've tested. This despite the Type S being the most powerful NSX ever at 600 hp and 492 lb-ft, 27 hp and 16 lb-ft more than any other.It's worth saying, though, that the NSX Type S experience is delightful. The engine revs very quickly and has a broad powerband thanks to the pancake electric motor mounted between the engine and transmission. It pulls hard all the way to redline, and the transmission, in Track mode, won't upshift until you've actually reached the redline, so you get every last pony. It's also happy to not upshift and let the engine wind back down if you lift off the throttle, helpful on a twisty road with short straights between tight corners. And despite all the electrification, the powertrain even manages to sound pretty good for a V-6. The engine noise is surprisingly melodious, and the turbo flutter is icing on the cake.Back to the instrumented testing results, it wasn't any better going the other way. Stopping the Type S from 60 mph required 103 feet, a massive 8 feet longer than the best one we've tested. On a mountain road, that translated to several instances of standing on the brakes and not getting the stopping power a 600-hp car ought to have. Making the experience somehow worse, the squishy, spongy brake pedal response provides no feedback. Better brakes would let this car go down the road considerably faster.There is a bright spot in the Type S' numbers, and it's shining on the handling results. Pulling 1.03 average lateral g on the skidpad ties it with the stickiest NSX, as does its 23.2-second figure-eight lap time, though the 0.89 average g it pulled on in the figure eight was 0.03 g off the leader.And you know what? We're OK with all of that. We're willing to give up a tenth here and two tenths there for a car that drives better. Still, this should've been the starting point six years ago, not the swan song.You do still have to drive it like an NSX, though. To get the most out of this powertrain, you need to treat it the way your high-performance driving instructor told you not to. Brake early, point it at the apex, and then get back on the power as soon as possible. Before the apex if you can. Normally, this delivers guaranteed understeer, but in the NSX, the front motors go to work, the nose bites, and it pulls you through the corner while accelerating hard. You can actually correct understeer by going to the power. Once you figure this out, the car becomes far more impressive than it is when driving it like a typical all-wheel-drive car.Tips For the Next One (Which Isn't Coming)Were this car to get the next generation it deserves, there are a few other components that could be further improved, as well. Body control, for one. The Type S is stiff, which is fine, but it lacks compliance. It's bouncing around way too much on bumpy pavement, making you constantly chase it with the steering or back out of throttle. It's especially bad in big brake zones where the car starts shimmying around in its lane. It's all manageable, but it shouldn't have to be managed. Tie it down, and, again, the car could go down the road noticeably faster.The steering is better than before, but it could be even better still. In this case, it's not so much holding the car back as it isn't making it better. It's very precise, but it lacks feel. Other companies have figured out how to get steering feel out of a car with electric motors powering the front axle, and Acura could, too.Then, of course, there's the interior. It was never up to snuff, and it still isn't because it hasn't changed. It looks like an Acura interior, and Acura doesn't make $200,000 interiors. A next-generation car would need a complete interior redo with much less plastic, a much more expressive design, and for the love of all that's holy, a modern infotainment system with a volume knob. You can't put Civic parts or even TLX parts in a car priced nearly on par with an entry-level Ferrari.Hopefully, Acura will get all those details right when the NSX returns as an EV in the future—as it's promised to, after a hiatus—but this still feels like a missed opportunity for the high-performance hybrid iteration of the car. The Type S proves the current NSX formula wasn't fundamentally flawed—it was just unfinished. It's a shame this car missed the mark so widely that its sales can't support a second generation of this model to finish the job. If the NSX Type S is any indication, it could've been great. Instead, Acura is pulling a GM and canceling it just as it started to get right. Everyone loses.Looks good! More details?2022 Acura NSX Type S Specifications BASE PRICE $171,495 PRICE AS TESTED $185,995 VEHICLE LAYOUT Mid-engine, 2 front and 1 rear motors, AWD, 2-pass, 2-door hatchback ENGINE, MOTOR Twin-turbo port- and direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6, plus 3 permanent-magnet electric motors POWER (SAE NET) 520 hp @ 6,500 rpm (gas), 72 hp (comb front elec), 47 hp (rear elec); 600 hp (comb) TORQUE (SAE NET) 443 lb-ft @ 2,300 rpm (gas), 108 lb-ft (comb front elec), 109 lb-ft (rear elec); 492 lb-ft (comb) TRANSMISSIONS 1-speed auto (fr), 9-speed twin-clutch auto (rr) CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,903 lb (42/58%) WHEELBASE 103.5 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 178.5 x 76.3 x 47.8 in 0-60 MPH 3.4 sec QUARTER MILE 11.6 sec @ 120.7 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 103 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.03 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.2 sec @ 0.89 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 21/22/21 mpg EPA RANGE, COMB 328 miles ON SALE Now Show All

Update March 3, 2022: After just of a day of angry tweets, irate Reddit threads, and order cancellations stemming from price hikes on the original quad-motor Rivian R1S and R1Ts,  electric vehicle startup Rivian is reportedly backing off on increasing the price of its electric pickup and SUV for existing reservation holders. "Earlier this week, we announced pricing increases that broke the trust we have worked to build with you," Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said in a letter to reservation holders and shared with the media, "We wrongly decided to make these changes apply to all future deliveries, including pre-existing configured preorders. We failed to appreciate how you viewed your configuration as price locked. "For anyone with a Rivian preorder as of the March 1 pricing announcement, your original configured price will be honored. If you canceled your preorder on or after March 1 and would like to reinstate it, we will restore your original configuration, pricing and delivery timing. Our team will be sending an email in the next few days with more details"For those who haven't yet plunked down a refundable $1,000 deposit on a Rivian R1S or R1T, the new pricing structure for dual- and quad-motor R1s detailed below applies. If you're one of the thousands who've pre-ordered or are interested in purchasing the 2022 MotorTrend Truck of the Year (not to mention the only electric vehicle to cross the Trans-America Trail), the Rivian R1T pickup, and its SUV sibling, the R1S, we have some mixed news. The good news is that the company is expanding its R1T and R1S lineup, now offering dual-motor variants and a new battery pack. The bad news is that it's going to cost more for less Rivian, as quad-motor prices rise to make room for the new two-motor versions of the R1T and R1S, which will cost the same as the entry-level quad-motors did before—at least for those who lack an existing reservation, per the update above.New Homebuilt MotorsAs we long suspected, Rivian-built dual-motor variants are now slated to join the R1 lineup. Available starting in 2024, these new Rivian designed, engineered, and built motors (one installed at each axle) are said to be good for over 600 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, and Rivian promises a 4.0-second 0-60 mph time, making the dual motor R1T about a second slower to 60 mph than the quickest four-motor R1T we've tested. Current quad-motor Rivians produce 835 hp and 908 lb-ft of torque.Rivian also says that its new motors are simpler, lighter, and cheaper to build than the supplier-sourced motors on today's R1S and R1T.The California-based automaker isn't publicly committing to utilizing its new motors on the quad-motor R1S and R1T, but sources at the company have told us that Rivian is currently hard at work on a quad-motor R1X super SUV that makes 1,200 hp and 1,200 lb-ft. We're not math experts, but we're fairly certain that if you put four of Rivian's new motors together, the output would add up to 1,200 ponies and pound-feet.We suspect that in addition to the R1X, a detuned quad-motor R1S and R1T featuring the new motors is in the cards given CEO RJ Scaringe's desire to bring core competencies in-house.Rivian's new battery packIn addition to the new twin-motor models, Rivian today announced its new Standard battery pack will go on sale in 2024. Available only on dual-motor R1S' and R1Ts, the Standard pack joins the Large pack (on-sale now), and Max pack (slated for 2023). Dual motor R1s will be able to travel about 260 miles on a charge with the Standard pack, 320 miles with the Large pack, and over 400 miles with the Max pack, all pending EPA certification.Quad-motor R1Ts will continue to be available with only the Large and Max packs. The Large pack is the only one currently available; it nets the R1S an EPA-estimated range of 316 miles and R1T 314 miles.Price increases for the R1Although Rivian is keen to point out that base prices for the R1T and R1S remain unchanged at $68,575 and $73,575, respectively, that's a bit disingenuous, as the dual motor, standard pack is the new base configuration for the R1 line. Previously, those prices applied to quad-motor, Large pack models.Those quad-motor prices rise from $68,575 for a Large pack R1T Explore model to $80,575, and from $73,575 for a Large pack R1S Explore to $85,575. Max pack prices rise as well. The cheapest quad-motor R1T Max pack is now $90,315. The R1S, which has a shorter wheelbase than the pickup (and therefore less underbody space for batteries), is unavailable with the Max pack.Dual-motor Large pack R1Ts will begin at $74,575, and R1S' will begin at $79,575. Prices for the dual-motor R1T Max Pack start at $84,575.What does this mean for current Rivian reservation holders?Rivian chief growth officer Jiten Behl points to global supply chain shortages, increasing component parts, inflation, and semiconductor delays as the primary reason for the price changes. "This rise in cost and complexity due to these challenging circumstances necessitate an increase to the prices of the R1T and R1S models we offer today — prices which were originally set in 2018. This decision will allow us to continue to offer competitive products that maintain the high standard of quality, performance, and capabilities that our customers expect and deserve from Rivian," he said in a statement issued to the media.A source at the company initially told us that customers who are already in the final steps of completing their R1T orders won't be affected, and at the time of the March 1 announcement, unfortunately for the vast majority of existing Rivian reservation holders, the price increases were going to apply. However, given how those price changes (understandably) did not sit well with existing R1 customers and reservation holders, Rivian has made right and announced it will honor the original prices, and no doubt hopes that the new two-motor variants will cushion the blow for everyone else.

Over the decades, Jeep has sold its venerable Wrangler in umpteen different badged combinations of thrift, style, capability, and opulence, so nobody begrudges Ford for playing catch-up and releasing a new Bronco variant seemingly every month. One meaningful difference here is that Ford seems to be releasing new variants in part to distract or appease hand-raisers and deposit-placers whose Broncos have yet to be built. To wit: The 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is being made available exclusively to existing reservation holders. "Wow, lucky us, Marge, we don't yet know when our Black Diamond Sasquatch will get built, but for just $4,765 more, we can convert our Bronco order to this new Everglades model and drive through water that's 2.9 inches deeper!"What Is the Everglades and What Makes It Everglades-Ready?Yet another unique collection of Ford options and accessories aimed at creating "an SUV born to breathe when the air gets thick and designed to press on when the trail turns others around" Presumably it is water features that Ford reckons this Bronco will trudge through while other SUVs chicken out. As the name suggests, the Everglades model is optimized for deeper water running. This kid brother of the Raptor could therefore be nicknamed Swampter.The functional foundation of the 2022 Ford Bronco Everglades is a four-door Black Diamond model outfitted with the Mid Package trim content, the off-road Sasquatch Package, a molded-in-color hardtop with roof rack and crossbars, and with the turbocharged 2.3-liter EcoBoost I-4 with a ten-speed automatic. To this ($49,730) foundational Bronco, Ford adds the following to transform it into an Everglades:A heavy-duty modular Ford Performance bumper outfitted with a Zeon 10-S Warn winch and protective safari barRaised air-vent plumbing for the front and rear axles, transfer case, and transmission to increase the safe wading depth from 33.5 to 36.4 inchesAn air snorkel to help exclude dust, snow, and water from the engine intakeAbout That Air Snorkel…Ford's first factory-installed engine intake snorkel snakes its way out of the engine compartment, over the side-view mirror mounts and up the passenger-side A-pillar to inhale clean air when traveling in convoy on a dusty road. Its party trick is an open vent piece and blanking plate that can mount interchangeably to the front or rear of the unit by removing three Bronco wordmark bolts on each. So when it's raining or snowing hard, the engine can inhale from the back side, otherwise air can rush in from the front. Note that, as with other such devices, this is not an underwater breathing apparatus for the engine, which is why the fording depth is listed as 36.4 inches—not 70, roughly the height of the snorkel's opening.10,000 Pounds of Winching CapabilityLike the Ford Performance winch ($3,500 via the Ford Performance catalog), the Everglades' factory-installed winch comes with a 100-foot synthetic line. Its mounting system was designed in from the inception of the Bronco program, the mount exceeds the manufacturer's strength requirements, and it has even been crash tested.The winch features a large-diameter aluminum drum to reduce strain on the rope, its internal mechanism is waterproofed, and it features a three-stage planetary geartrain that can reel in the line at 33 feet per minute when there's no load (27 percent faster than on other Warn winches).How to Spot the Bronco EvergladesThere will be no mistaking the Bronco Everglades, even from vantage points that obscure the winch and snorkel. Just look for any of these features:Unique front and rear fenders with squared off wheel openings reminiscent of the original Bronco's and flares that match those of the Sasquatch package for width (easily accomplished with the Bronco's bolt-on front and rear fenders)17-inch painted alloy wheels unique to the Everglades modelA carbonized gray grille with gloss-black Bronco letteringDesert Sand paint color exclusive to Everglades (the other four available colors are Eruption Green, Area 51, Shadow Black and Cactus Gray)Everglades topographical map graphics on the front fenders (complete with an image of Sasquatch wading through thigh-deep water!)Swamp-Ready Interior UpgradesEnsuring easy cleanup after a satisfying swamp run are marine-grade vinyl seats in two-tone light and dark gray, plus rubberized washout floor covers. The interior door grab handles and air register vents are accented in Urban Green, and the 12-inch Sync 4 infotainment screen is prepped for off-road trail maps.Price and Availability of the 2022 Ford Bronco EvergladesThe Bronco Everglades starts at $54,495. That's just $1,515 more than a Badlands 2.3-liter automatic model with the same Sasquatch/Mid-Pack/hardtop/roof-rails combo, which seems a pretty fair deal for the winch and snorkel, given that Ford Performance charges $3,500 for the winch, which is otherwise incompatible with the Black Diamond model. Reservation holders will be able to convert to Everglades models beginning in March for deliveries…later. Perhaps after another compelling model or two come out enticing reservation holders to switch their orders again. 2022 Bronco Everglades Specifications BASE PRICE $54,495 LAYOUT Front-engine, 4WD, 50-pass, 4-door SUV ENGINE 2.3L/300-hp/325-lb-ft turbo direct-injected, port-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4 TRANSMISSION 10-speed auto CURB WEIGHT 5,200 lb (mfr) WHEELBASE 116.4 in L x W x H 198.9 x 79.4 x 75.3 in 0-60 MPH 7.5 sec (MT est) EPA FUEL ECON (CITY/HWY/COMB) 18/17/18 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 374 miles ON SALE March, 2022 Show All