Autos
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Ford Tourneo Connect and Transit Connect Active Try for a More Active Van Life
If you’re seeking a true Ford-based camper van, you’ll want to look at awesome conversions like the Transit Nugget and Big Nugget. However, European buyers content with a smaller, outdoor-living-ready van will have two new options later this year: the Tourneo Connect Active and the Transit Connect Active. Distinguishing themselves from their non-Active counterparts, these vans feature an optional mechanical limited-slip differential, which improves traction on gravel two-tracks, grassy campsites, or slippery roads. A bespoke Traction Control configuration matches the characteristics of the limited-slip differential. See all 14 photos The vans ride higher than their non-Active counterparts, too. The the lift is a modest 24 mm (about 1 inch) in the front and 9 mm (0.4 inch...
What Is Hill-Descent Control? How This “Downhill Cruise Control” Works
Imagine yourself perched atop a steep, snowy hill. If you’re rocking snow pants and a parka, and there’s a sled beneath your snow-insulated cheeks, you want to slide down that slope with as much speed and as little friction as possible. It’ll be fun! As fun as that might be, if you find yourself atop a hill in an SUV packed with three rows of beloved family members, you’ll likely have a different goal in mind. A slow, safe, controlled descent is what we’re after, which can be rather tricky and unnerving to accomplish with brake-pedal modulation alone. Hence, hill-descent control. How Does Hill-Descent Control Work? Land Rover introduced hill-descent control on the compact first-gen Freelander, which reached American dealers in late 2002. The Freelander didn...
Mercedes-Benz’s New T-Class Is a Compact Euro Van to a “T”
Mercedes-Benz Vans will introduce a new, smaller van aimed at private owners sometime soon. It’ll partially replace the current Citan, which is really a rebadged Renault Kangoo—very similar to the Ram ProMaster City or Ford Transit Connect we get on this side of the pond. These compact vanlets are quite popular overseas with business owners and families (or business owners with families). And many are the product of joint ventures, just like the Citan. There’s a new Kangoo on the horizon, so the timing of the T-Class announcement isn’t too surprising. It’ll carry on as a product of this partnership. And it’ll compliment the V-Class (known here as the Metris), slotting below it as a main pillar in the van division’s offerings to non-commercial buyers. Mor...
The Story of the Big, Four-Door Bronco That Presaged the Expedition
For years, the Ford Bronco was essentially the same vehicle: a stubby SUV with a removable roof. The early Broncos were smaller, and the rest (those without “II” in their names) adopted shortened full-size truck underpinnings, but the formula was otherwise basically recognizable. But even Ford was considering what a larger Bronco might look like before a fuel crisis scared them straight, though it took an aftermarket conversion by Centurion Vehicles to bring the four-door Bronco into reality. See all 5 photos Not that Centurion called it a Bronco. Instead, it was the “Centurion Classic,” built off a crew-cab version of the F-150 or F-350. The rear quarters and roof were sourced from a contemporary Bronco. The Michigan-based outfit built these conversions for ye...
With a Name Like Beast MODE 4×4, This Mercedes Camper Van Means Business
If you’re looking for a go-anywhere van to transform into a mobile cabin, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 4×4 is a great choice. It’s one of the most popular #vanlife choices around, with factory four-wheel drive and a number of body and wheelbase configurations. It’s basically a blank slate—something we have highlighted over and over. Some upfitters build relatively affordable Sprinter-based overland rigs and RVs, others pull out all the stops. The overall variety of Sprinter options is overwhelming. Add Storyteller to your list of Sprinter upfitters, near the top, preferably—because their MODE 4×4 series looks the business. The company has been in the upfitting business for a long time, its founder Jeffrey Hunter tells us, but only recently have they gotten into th...
2021 BMW 5-Series Performance Parts Add Some M-Flavored Spice
The list of possible modifications is extensive, too. If it’s just the performance look you’re after, you can spec more than a dozen M Performance parts just to the exterior to your humble little 530i. A carbon front splitter, an M Performance grille (available in either carbon or gloss black), and a carbon trunklid spoiler are just some of the exterior goodies on offer. If you guessed that there are a host of options for the interior of the 5-Series as well, you’d be right. BMW will sell you an M Performance steering wheel that can be trimmed in either leather or Alcantara, some carbon shift paddles, M Performance pedals finished in stainless steel, and an M Performance floor mat. We’re not sure that last one will have a profound effect on your driving experience, ...
2019 Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Review: A Toxic Relationship
I still remember how I felt the first time I saw a Maserati GranTurismo. I was wandering through a Maserati dealership while my dad got his Jaguar XJ8 serviced on the adjacent lot. It was then, at the ripe young age of 15, that I first laid eyes on what is still—in my humble opinion—one of the most beautiful automobiles of the last 20 years, perhaps ever. After circling it a few times, I let myself inside; the dealer had, perhaps unwisely, left the showroom model unlocked. That Alcantara-clad bucket seat, the fine leather almost everywhere, and the expansive view over a never-ending hood swept me off my size-9 slip-on Vans. It was love at first sight, and I silently swore to myself one day I would, at the very least, drive this very Maserati. At the time, the goal seemed rather lofty. I wa...
Jaguar Land Rover Develops a No-Touch Touchscreen—No Joke!
Many people are wary of touchscreens nowadays, and Jaguar Land Rover has a solution we hope we’ll see sooner rather than later in the company’s sedans and SUVs. In partnership with the University of Cambridge, the automaker has developed a contactless touchscreen, which aims to reduce the spread of viruses and minimize driver distraction. The technology, which is now patented, uses artificial intelligence and sensors to predict a user’s target on the touchscreen, eliminating the need to physically touch the screen. Sensors can track gestures and eye gaze to find out what a user is looking for, speeding up the interaction. The automaker envisions predictive touch controlling everything from temperature to entertainment settings and navigation. Driving over bumpy roads can ...
Tesla’s Latest Software Update Just Made Autopilot Even Better
Tesla’s Autopilot, as well as other driver-assist tech from competing automakers, tends to divide the automotive-minded. Folks either view it as a feature that lulls drivers into a false sense of security or as the best thing since the dawn of the car. We, however, feel there’s a middle-ground that both acknowledges some drivers’ overreliance on such technologies while also acknowledging these features make the act of driving on freeways, and other boring stretches of road, a lot more palatable. That’s why we welcome and also note the potential shortcomings of Tesla’s latest update to Autopilot’s beta- phase Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control feature in its v10.2 (2020.24.6.9) software update. As of now, Teslas running this software “no longe...
The Old Ram 1500 “Classic” Beats the Reaper Again, Lives for 2021
Going on two years since Ram introduced its latest 1500 pickup, the truckmaker will continue to offer the old 1500 to customers alongside the more modern one, according to Cars Direct. The Ram 1500 Classic will live to see the 2021 model year, when it will once again serve as the Ram’s low-cost model and erstwhile competitor (at least in terms of price) to the midsize pickups sold by Chevy, Ford, and Toyota. The previous-generation 1500 Classic does more than just fill in for the midsize truck Ram doesn’t sell, however. It’s the only current Ram pickup variant offered with a regular cab—the new 1500 is only available in four-door Quad and larger Crew Cab arrangements—and therefore also doubles as the 1500 family’s low-cost, commercial-grade option in base Tradesman ...
2021 Kia K5 First Drive—Making Some Buzz
Kia is on a roll. It was just last year the automaker launched the all-new Telluride and a new Soul. This year, the all-new Seltos arrived in February, and now the K5 is landing in America. But these are not just any launches; the superior design, quality, and attention to detail in these new Kias stand out. The Telluride became the first Korean crossover to win MotorTrend‘s SUV of the Year, and the charming Soul went pretty far in our Car of the Year evaluations, getting a respectable third place behind the Chevrolet Corvette and Tesla Model 3. The 2021 Kia K5 is hoping to get the same kind of attention, and with its aggressive styling, two powertrain offerings, and the latest technology, it’s making some buzz. The K5 replaces the Optima as Kia’s midsize sedan. Executive...
Cadillac’s Push for New Naming System May Be an “-IQ” Test for Buyers
While General Motors has yet to announce what other “-iq” names it has in store for Cadillac, the company recently registered the Optiq and Symboliq (as well as Cadillac Optiq and Cadillac Symboliq) marks with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property. Admittedly, it’s possible General Motors merely applied for these trademarks to ensure no other company did, and the American automaker has no actual plans to apply the names to future Cadillac models. See all 35 photos Given Cadillac’s claimed commitment to its new naming structure, though, it’s far more likely the Optiq and Symboliq marks will adorn forthcoming vehicles from the brand. If the Lyriq and Celestiq are any indication of what’s to come from Cadillac, then the Optiq and Symboliq may...
