The Japanese brand was late to the EV party but plans a dramatic expansion in models and innovative battery technology; it's planning to sell 3.5 million EVs annually across 30 different Toyota and Lexus model lines by 2030. Long-range battery packs will provide up to 500 miles of range by 2026 and 620 miles by 2027.Toyota is aiming to introduce solid-state batteries in 2027, which will be … [Read more...]
Take a Drive-Through Tour of San Diego
From the November 2023 issue of Car and Driver.Positioned between the Pacific Ocean and the Laguna Mountains, San Diego has a bustling downtown and a bevy of quality taco shops. The area also features loads of car-centric attractions, from weekend meet-ups to an antique-engine museum. Those in search of a drive will find plentiful sunshine and gorgeous, twisty roads. Sticking close to town is … [Read more...]
1996 Dodge Viper RT/10 Looks to the Future
From the December 1995 issue of Car and Driver.The Viper is the New Chrysler Corporation's attempt at atonement, at making up for the sins it committed against cars—all those bogus wire wheel covers and limp shock absorbers and padded-vinyl roofs—during the reign of Lee the Imperious. And by the precise calculations of our test department, each Viper built since the 1992 intro cancels out 817 … [Read more...]
2024 Alfa Romeo Tributo Italiano Editions Add Extra Italian Flair
Alfa Romeo is releasing Tributo Italiano Editions for each of its three models. The Giulia, the Stelvio, and the Tonale will all be available with the special edition.Offered in three colors (green, white, and red), the trio has Italian flags on the mirrors as well as leather seats with unique embroidered headrests.Just when you thought Alfa Romeo couldn't make its model lineup any more Italian, … [Read more...]
Immaculate 9000-Mile 2001 BMW Z8 is Today’s BaT Auction Highlight
This V-8-powered roadster combines a BMW M5 powertrain with a retro design inspired by the BMW 507.Its silver paint and black interior make it a double for James Bond's car in The World Is Not Enough. With only 9000 miles covered in 22 years, it's looking like a good prospect, and the online auction ends on Tuesday, November 28.Remember James Bond’s BMW period? That’s likely to be the first … [Read more...]
1998 Luxury Sedans Comparison Test: High-Altitude Cruisers
From the April 1998 issue of Car and Driver.Executive sedans at the $60,000-plus altitude cruise in rarefied atmosphere. Their owners are a demanding lot. They are obviously well-to-do, but value still figures prominently in their purchase decision. More opulent and expensive sedans boasting V-12 engines, flying-lady hood ornaments, and stratospheric prices exist for the money's-no-object status … [Read more...]
Auto-Racing Legend Phil Hill's Restoration Shop Has Tales to Tell
"Miles Davis wasn't the friendliest guy on earth," Raja Gargour tells me. Gargour says the jazz legend had an unfortunate habit of burning out the clutch in his yellow Ferrari 308GTB every 3000 miles or so, at which point he would tear into Gargour's Los Angeles restoration shop, Hill and Vaughn, blustering at the employees, who kept repairing it, while politely warning Davis to take it easier. … [Read more...]
2024 Lexus LC Impresses with Crisp New Screen, Fancy Bespoke Build Cabin
With its long hood, piercing headlights, and purposeful stance, the Lexus LC500 is undoubtedly a stunning premium sports sedan. Throw in a 5.0-liter V-8 channeling 471 horsepower to the rear wheels, and the package gets even sweeter. But slide into the Lexus's lush leather seats, and you'll find what was the LC500's greatest flaw: a clunky infotainment system centered around a tricky-to-use … [Read more...]
1994 25th Anniversary Pontiac Firebird Trans Am GT Demands Attention
From the August 1994 issue of Car and Driver.The year 1969 was a long time ago. How long ago was it? It was so long ago that most cars cost less in dollars than they weighed in pounds. Think about that as you tool around in your 2500-pound Neon, considered a good buy today at $13,000. But a few verities from that long-gone era remain. Among them is the fact that a bright-white, blue-striped … [Read more...]
Tested: 2024 Ford Mustang EcoBoost Revises the Four-mula
From the December 2023 issue of Car and Driver.Ever since a wheezy 88-hp 2.3-liter four-banger appeared under the hood of the much-maligned Mustang II, a Pavlovian recoil occurs whenever someone says "four-cylinder Mustang." But turbocharged 2.3-liter Mustangs are another matter—especially today. That formula got a rocky, carbureted 132-hp start in 1979, but things improved, and in 1986 the … [Read more...]
2024 Porsche Panamera Debuts with More Tech and Up to 670 HP
The 2024 Porsche Panamera debuts with more power, revised styling, an updated cabin, and improved entertainment and safety technology. Entry-level Panameras feature a 348-hp turbocharged V-6, while the 670-hp Turbo E-Hybrid sports a twin-turbo V-8, a more powerful electric motor, and a larger battery pack. Optional on the Turbo E-Hybrid is an active suspension that … [Read more...]
1994 Land Rover 90 V-8 Is Today’s BaT Auction Highlight
The North America–spec Land Rover Defender sport-utility vehicle came to the U.S. between 1994 and 1997. This yellow softtop, up for auction at Bring a Trailer, is one of only 7000 official imports during that period.Its 3.9-liter V-8 makes 182 horsepower and works with a five-speed manual gearbox and twin-speed transfer case. We love the current Land Rover Defender, but it will always be a … [Read more...]
Callum Reveals an Electric 'Activity Vehicle' Named Skye
Auto startup Callum has revealed images and specs of an electric off-roader named the Skye.The Skye will weigh around 2600 pounds, built on a space-frame chassis with 13.7 inches of ground clearance, and offer about 170 miles of range between charges.The company says it will have "curated variants" ready for Europe in spring 2024. Whether it comes to the U.S. is still an open question. Ian Callum … [Read more...]
Thanksgiving Gas Prices at Three-Year Low Just When Drivers Are Out in Force
AAA says the national average gas price is $3.29, but the "most common" price, is actually closer to $2.95, according to President Biden’s energy advisor, Amos Hochstein.AAA said it expects 55.4 million people to travel for the holiday weekend, the third-highest number in any year since 2000.We’ll still be checking in on gas prices on Thanksgivings to come, but advisor Hochstein said the pieces … [Read more...]
Winter Tires Now Eligible for New Ice Rating Certification
The three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) has been a badge of achievement since its development in 1999. Tires wearing the symbol signified the completion of acceleration testing in medium-packed snow, where the 3PMSF tire is verified to accelerate with at least 110 percent of the traction of an all-season reference tire. Now there's a braking test to acknowledge a winter tire's ice performance … [Read more...]
UAW Ratifies New Contracts, with New-Car Prices Predicted to Rise
After two brutal months of posturing, negotiations, and work stoppages designed to inflict maximum pain, the 2023 United Auto Workers (UAW) strike against Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis has finally ended. UAW president Shawn Fain first announced a tentative agreement with Ford on October 25. Stellantis followed suit a few days later, followed finally by General Motors on October 30. With UAW … [Read more...]
2023 Toyota GR Corolla Morizo Is a True Pocket Rocket
From the December 2023 issue of Car and Driver.The Toyota GR Corolla's assertive styling and trick all-wheel-drive system draw inspiration from rally cars, and the track-focused Morizo Edition, named for the pseudonym Akio Toyoda assumes when racing cars, commits to the motorsports bit. The rear jettisons some nonessentials: The seats, window motors, door speakers, and wiper all go (weirdly, the … [Read more...]
What to Buy: 1992-1994 Mercedes-Benz 500E/E500
From the November 2023 issue of Car and Driver.Years before absorbing AMG, Mercedes-Benz decided to take a swing at the BMW M5. For 1992, Mercedes developed the 322-hp 500E and contracted Porsche to build the V-8-powered monster. Porsche modified the W124-generation E-class at its factory to accept the 500SL's 5.0-liter V-8. It also fitted fatter fenders before sending the car back to Mercedes for … [Read more...]
1994 Porsche RSR 3.8: Ready, Set, Race
From the August 1994 issue of Car and Driver.The ground crew for the Goodyear blimp Stars and Stripes was nervous. A windstorm had earlier sucked the letter "G" in their logo clean off the side of the blimp's immense hangar. The "G" happened to be the size of my garage. Then it rained for ten hours. Then C/D showed up at the Pompano Beach Airport, in Florida, with a banana-yellow Porsche RSR 3.8. … [Read more...]
2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N Is a Legitimate Track-Day Thriller
The all-electric Hyundai Ioniq 5 is already a favorite, earning a spot on our 10Best Trucks and SUVs list. With strong range figures, sharp styling, and accessible pricing, it's easy to see why. If you were looking for something with more inspiring performance, however, you'd have to look to the related Kia EV6 GT, but that all changes with the new 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, which should be arriving … [Read more...]