Prime Cush: Why 1970s American Luxury Cars Were Bursting With Velour

We thought we spotted a Ford Maverick Tremor prototype a few weeks ago. It turns out the more rugged-looking Maverick we spied was indeed a Tremor, making it the fourth truck to get the off-road Tremor trim level, joining the Ranger, F-150, and Super Duty. Welcome to the family, baby Tremor. It's a good look.Want a Maverick with the Tremor package? You'll need to spring for a Maverick XLT or Lariat model equipped with the available 250-hp, 277-lb-ft 2.0-liter EcoBoost I-4 engine. That means—for now—the front-wheel-drive-only standard hybrid powertrain and entry-level XL trim cannot be combined with the Tremor, which Ford describes as "an entry-level option for buyers seeking greater off-road capability and bold styling." It's kind of like a souped-up FX4 Off-Road Package already offered on all-wheel-drive Mavericks. So, it's mostly entry-level.Visually, the Maverick Tremor wears a healthy dose of signature Tremor Orange accents, reminiscent of its F-150 brethren. The orange hue coats the tow hooks, fender vents, grille, and wheels. And of course the Tremor bedside logo is in Tremor Orange.Tremor logos are stitched into the Black Onyx seatbacks, which fittingly also have Tremor Orange stitching. There's a dose of non-orange customization in the form of a unique grille finish and blacked-out Ford logos, headlights and taillights.There's also a separate Tremor Appearance Package that includes a Carbonized gray roof and mirror caps. It also includes black side graphics on the hood and lower body.The 17-inch dark gray aluminum wheels are wrapped in 235/65R17 Wildpeak all-terrain tires, though you'll probably only notice the Tremor Orange on the inside pocket of one of the spokes. The speckle of orange almost gives the appearance of orange brake calipers when in motion.The Maverick Tremor gets "off-road tuned suspension with increased ride height" in the form of a 1-inch lift, with claimed "unique front and rear springs and shocks." We're not sure if this includes any of the mechanically similar Bronco Sport SUV's Badlands HOSS (High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension) system, or if Ford came up with new bits for the Maverick. Either way, the visual effect is a tougher Maverick.Paring nicely with the upgraded suspension are a tapered front bumper (for an improved approach angle of 10 degrees over the front-wheel drive Maverick Hybrid) and steel skid plates for undercarriage protection. There's also a heavy-duty transmission cooler and upgraded half-shafts.The Maverick Tremor gets five selectable drive modes, but the real story is Trail Control and the upgraded all-wheel-drive system complete with a torque-vectoring rear differential (think Bronco Sport Badlands), both of which the Maverick FX4 does not have. Trail Control is like off-road cruise control, where the driver sets the speed and steers while the truck controls throttle and braking to maintain a (slow) velocity. The torque-vectoring, also new to Maverick, includes a twin-clutch rear-drive unit with a differential lock that allows virtually all rear axle torque to go to either wheel.The 3,807-pound Maverick Tremor is, naturally, the heaviest of the Maverick clan. It can tow 2,000 pounds (indicating it's not offered with the 4K Tow Package, which ups the truck's total to 4,000 lbs) and has a payload rating of 1,200 pounds, 300 pounds less than the other Mavericks.The 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor Off-Road Package comes with $2,995 price tag, and the Tremor Appearance Package is $1,495. Ordering is available in September, with production beginning in fall.

cadillac ct4 Full OverviewWhen the Cadillac ATS-V first hit the streets in 2016, we immediately threw it into comparison tests with the heavyweights: the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, BMW M3, and Mercedes-AMG C63. The ATS-V came close, but it never won any of those comparisons. The new 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing—the CT4 is essentially a heavily updated ATS—attempts to right the wrongs of the older car.The CT4-V Blackwing should be immediately familiar to ATS-V drivers, despite the new name, face-lift, and extra 4 inches in length. Under the skin, the CT4-V Blackwing (not to be confused with the CT4-V, which is more of an interim performance model than full-blown V) features a carryover 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6. Although the engine is upcycled, thanks to intake and tuning changes, it makes eight more horsepower now; output now totals 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options include a Tremec-sourced six-speed manual or a new 10-speed auto like the one on our test car. The latter replaces the old eight-speed unit, and it's quicker-shifting.Unlike some of its German rivals, rear-wheel drive is the only drivetrain option for this Cadillac. Other performance-minded changes include the adoption of Delphi's fourth-generation MagneRide shocks, the latest iteration of GM's Performance Traction Management (PTM) system, and two optional carbon fiber packs, which combine for a claimed 214 percent reduction in lift. Prices for the CT4-V Blackwing begin at $59,800, and our near-loaded car stickered for $80,235.The Performance NumbersDespite its eight horsepower and two-gear advantage over   (we also tested the ATS-V in coupe form), the new CT4-V Blackwing is pokier at the test track than the ATS-V it replaces. The Blackwing accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and through the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds at 114.0 mph; its best 60-0 stop was 106 feet. An automatic-equipped 2016 ATS-V sedan, for comparison, ran from 0 to 60 in 3.7 and through the quarter in 12.1 at 116.2 mph. Despite the Blackwing's more modern hard and software, it's the same story around the figure eight; its best lap was 23.8 seconds at a 0.84 g average, while the ATS-V did it in 23.7 seconds at 0.88 g. We suspect the new car's 100-pound weight disadvantage is to blame for the disparity.Although the CT4-V Blackwing doesn't offer up objective performance advantages over the car it replaces, it is significantly quicker than the CT4-V. Powered by a 2.7-liter turbocharged I-4 good for 325 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque and mated to a 10-speed auto, the non-Blackwing accelerates to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and through the quarter in 14.2 seconds at 95.2 mph, and it stops from 60 mph in 110 feet. The CT4-V's best figure-eight lap was 25.4 seconds at 0.73 g.The DrivingOn the road, the CT4-V Blackwing driver is phenomenal—light on its feet, buttoned down, and practically telepathic. Few cars on sale today can match the CT4-V Blackwing in terms of pure feel and connection with its driver on a good, twisty bit of pavement. The Cadillac's PTM system deserves special praise, as it allows for tail-out antics while maintaining its undetectable leash on the rear end (and keeping you on the road).We wish we were as in love with the CT4-V Blackwing's powertrain. It's not that there's anything outright wrong with the V-6/automatic combo; it's punchy and powerful, and the transmission does its damnedest to convince you it's Porsche's PDK in terms of quick and precognitioned shifts. It's just that it's … boring, and this lack of character is perhaps the biggest sin you can make in creating a performance car. If those complaints sound familiar, it's because they are. We said the same thing five years ago when we first drove the ATS-V, suggesting that Cadillac fit the Chevrolet Camaro's (its platform mate) naturally aspirated V-8 into its sport sedan. Cadillac still hasn't done so, and given its promise that the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing are its last two gas-powered V cars, it likely never will.The Rest of the StoryInside, the CT4-V Blackwing's interior takes a noticeable step up from that of the ATS-V's. The older car had a bit of a "low-spec German rental car" vibe inside, but the new CT4 bursts with quality and craftsmanship, even if there's still room for improvement. We really liked the redesigned dash the most. It features Cadillac's latest CUE infotainment system and a fully digital dash. We also took a shine to the redesigned steering wheel, which now prominently features a PTM switch at the 5 o'clock position—an infinitely better solution than burying the feature in traction control menus as in past products. We were also fans of the thickly bolstered, leather-wrapped bucket seats and carbon-fiber trim, though we found the armrests to be hard and the car rather cramped in general.Although the 2021 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing isn't quicker than the ATS-V or the V-8-powered small Cadillac sport sedan of our dreams, it nevertheless is one of the most enjoyable and fun luxury performance cars on the road. As for how it stands up to the latest and greatest competition? Well, we already staged round one.As far as I can find, we never wrote anything about the sedan despite testing it. The previous link went to the coupe, which we tested on the same day.It's in MT Numbers and also the first link in the opening grafBlanked on my end there. Meant I couldn't find a stand-alone first test.Looks good! More details?2022 Cadilac CT4 V Blackwing Specifications BASE PRICE $59,900 PRICE AS TESTED $80,235 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.6L Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6 POWER (SAE NET) 472 hp @ 5,750 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 445 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,888 lb (53/47%) WHEELBASE 109.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 187.6 x 71.4 x 56.0 in 0-60 MPH 4.0 sec QUARTER MILE 12.4 sec @ 114.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 106 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.05 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.8 sec @ 0.84 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 16/24/19 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 331 miles ON SALE Now Show All

Ever since Michelin revealed the Tweel airless tire  in 2004, it has been on the radar for anyone looking to reduce the need for monitoring tire pressures for optimum fuel efficiency and tire safety—at least for applications like ride-on lawnmowers and ATVs. Looks like Hankook is the next to get in on the act with its i-Flex concept that debuted on the Hyundai Plug-n-Drive module concept at CES 2022.What Makes The i-Flex Different?Compared to Michelin X Tweel, the Hankook i-Flex is far more organic in its design—and that's by design. The tire's structure was inspired by "the cellular structure of living organisms." According to Hankook, this allows for "better shock absorption while allowing hexagonal and tetragonal cell structures of different rigidity join together for more stable load support."Made For An Autonomous TableFor now, the tire design is just a concept limited to a 10-inch outer diameter, which was perfect for the Hyundai Plug-n-Drive (PnD) module that also debuted at CES. You can almost think of it as a rolling, self-driven table. "The PnD modular platform is an all-in-one mobility solution that combines intelligent steering, braking, in-wheel electric drive and suspension hardware. The single wheel unit uses a steering actuator for infinite wheel rotation." In other words, it can turn around itself like that Lazy Susan on your table—except it's the whole table and it can drive around. With LiDAR and camera sensors, a PnD-enabled object can move autonomously, and the PnD modules can be attached to virtually anything that needs additional mobility.When's It Coming?The i-Flex has been in the works from Hankook since 2010, but a production version still isn't in sight. There are no explicit plans for building something larger than these small concept tires, but we have to imagine that Hankook is considering scaling up the concept for cars. We just don't know how far in the future that'll be.