Autos
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The 2021 Toyota Mirai Might Turn Out Pretty Enough to Make You Forget the Old One
The Toyota Mirai is one of the most polarizing cars on sale, and that fact it’s a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) has surprisingly little to do with that. Call us shallow, but just look at the thing. Even though the word “mirai” means “the future” in Japanese, the current ‘Yota FCV looks like it was inspired by some kind of prehistoric fish monster and then partially chewed up by that very same creature. Luckily, Toyota is giving the futuristic, hydrogen-fueled car a full clean-sheet redesign, as previewed by the Lexus-like 2021 Mirai concept—and we’ve now gathered proof that the production model will hew closely to that show car’s knockout styling. MotorTrend features editor Scott Evans was driving through downtown Los Angele...
2021 Mercedes-AMG GLB 45 Likely Revealed In Patent Images
Admittedly, it’s possible that these images show the already revealed GLB 35. A handful of distinct cues, however, give us reason to believe that’s not the case. Go on, give the illustrations a look and see if you spot the telltale signs of a 45-badged Mercedes-AMG model. See it? Those four exhaust pipes poking out of the rear bumper are a detail missing from the GLB 35, which features just two exhaust tips. Furthermore, the front bumper includes slight alterations to the lower fascia, including additional detail work within the stylized cooling ducts at the left and right corners of the crossover. Yes, the changes are subtle, but is that really surprising? Consider the GLA 35 and GLA 45 look largely the same, save for the models’ mildly massaged front fascias, different ...
What’s the Difference Between a Ford F-150 and F-250, Anyway?
It’s a question that doesn’t bear asking if you really know your trucks, but for the masses, it’s one that comes up all the time: What’s the difference between the Ford F-150 and F-250 pickup? At the core the difference is simple, the F-150 is a light-duty, half-ton class truck while the Ford F-250 is a three-quarter ton, heavy-duty truck. More specifically, the F-250 has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 8,500 pounds, while the F-150 is under that government-specified threshold. Digging deeper, the differences are many. The Ford F-150 is a light-duty truck built primarily to haul lighter loads and cruise effortlessly on the highway. Its engines are more efficient, and its cabin is designed to be quiet at speed. The F-250 by contrast is built for wor...
Dyno Tuning an LS1-Swap 1981 Malibu Wagon for 700 HP
This Malibu wagon’s goal was to create a tire-ripping, fun-time-having street car—a vehicle to fill with friends to rip burnouts around town and destroy cones on the autocross. After a year of trial and error, the LS1-swapped 1981 Malibu finally got on the chassis dyno; through 28 dyno pulls, the Malibu wagon was fine-tuned with Vortech’s standard, generic LS-swap kit and V1-Ti supercharger, picking up an additional 280 hp and 220 lb-ft. Building the LS1… A quick refresh on the project: It’s a gutted 1998 Trans Am Formula for its Gen-III LS1, then Pro Motor Engines in Mooresville, North Carolina, took a break from building wild NASCAR engines to help build the LS1-based 383ci stroker with a K1 crank, K1 rods, Wiseco dished pistons, and upgraded wrist pins. The LS1 383 c.i...
2022 BMW M4 Shows Off its 4 Series–Like GrilleFace Early
Domagoj Dukec, head of BMW design, recently assured us the BMW 4 Series coupe’s tall and narrow grille will not serve as the new face of all upcoming BMW models. Still, Dukec noted that BMW has no immediate plans to ditch the 4’s massive maw, either. In fact, it’s due to spread to other 4 Series models, including the forthcoming i4 battery-electric vehicle and the M4 sports coupe. Just see for yourself—that photo above shows the high-performance M4, caught undisguised well ahead of its official debut. Posted to Reddit, the image reveals that, much like the mugs of the 430i and M440i coupes, the M4’s face stands out for its massive nostrils. (Or buck teeth, if you prefer.) Although it’s far from beautiful, the M4 arguably pulls off the design detail better than...
The 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Is Trekking Into View Soon, Bringing More Heat
We’ve always liked the plucky Subaru Crosstrek. The lifted, all-wheel-drive hatchback a great mix of utility, off-roadability, and relative space and fuel efficiency. But there is one thing we’ve always wanted from it: More power. Thankfully, that’s finally happening. Officially. Subaru is dangling the 2021 Subaru Crosstrek Sport in front of our noses, promising more information to come next week. Best of all, the 2.5-liter’s fuel economy numbers would be just as good as the smaller 2.0-liter engine’s figures. The new engine choice will return 27 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined per the EPA. We also know that the 2.5-liter will only be offered with Subaru’s CVT automatic. We have our fingers crossed that the base six-speed man...
Kia Stinger GT vs. Genesis G70 3.3T: Is Luxury Worth It?
They used to rule the road, these nimble, compact rear-drive sedans, ready to shred Angeles Crest upon request and zip across states with swift composure. But with SUVs now the first choice of the majority of Americans, a shrinking number of these performance-minded sedans reside in showrooms in hopes that someone might be smitten with a design that is more sleek than chunky. Comparing similar mainstream and luxury cars can’t get much closer than this. Kia and Genesis are both part of the Hyundai Motor Group. The two cars are built on the same platform. They share the same engines and transmissions and countless other bits and bobbles. In the industry’s distant past, lazy, cynical product planning would mean they’d be literally the same car with different badges. Today, t...
Don’t Even Look at This Über-Hot Volkswagen Arteon Wagon You Can’t Have
You’ll be forgiven for having forgotten about the Volkswagen Arteon. The sleek-looking sports sedan ended up being less dynamic and more expensive than we were expecting, and we were left unimpressed with said dynamics and pricing (given its humble VW roots). However, just over a year after it went on sale in the U.S., the Arteon is getting a makeover we’ll see fully unveiled on June 24. Volkswagen teased us with artwork that previews some of the design changes to the Arteon yesterday, and we like what we’re seeing. The handsome sportback looks like it’s getting a brand-new front end with a LED light bar that stretches the full width of the front bumper. We assume there will also be changes to the rest of the exterior, as well, albeit limited to the usual mid-cycle ...
The Baddest Ferrari Testarossa on Earth Is in Japan
I really never watched Miami Vice as a kid (probably because my parents wouldn’t let me), but one thing I do know about the hit 1980s TV show was its hero car—a white Ferrari Testarossa. Visions of the Testarossa would continue to be fed into my brain at an early age, from playing the arcade game OutRun to hearing my brother blasting Sir Mix-A-Lot’s Mack Daddy album, which contained a hit song called—you guessed it— “Testarossa. “ Of course, I really didn’t know the difference between a V-12 and a four-cylinder back then, but suffice it to say Ferrari was already up high on a pedestal. I dreamt that one day, when I made it on Robin Leach’s Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous, I would buy my very own mid-engine Testarossa. Thirty years later, I’ve com...
2021 Toyota Corolla Hatch Special Edition: Boring Name, Hot Paint
The current Toyota Corolla hasn’t been with us for very long. The aggressive-looking five-door hatchback model first made its debut in the middle of 2018, and has since been joined by a similarly wide-mouthed four-door sedan variant. Despite its relative youth and visual edge, Toyota has decided to make the new Corolla a little spicier still with a new special-edition hatchback for 2021. The automaker has gone the literal route naming the car, too, dubbing it the Toyota Corolla Special Edition. You could fit your many better name ideas in the Corolla’s spacious cargo area, but we digress. At least the paint job is sweet—both in name and appearance. Every 2021 Toyota Corolla hatchback Special Edition will wear Supersonic Red paint, which in these photos resembles Mazda’s g...
2020 Ford Explorer vs. 2020 Lincoln Aviator: Which Should You Buy?
Today’s customers expect vehicles to offer confident performance and a spacious and comfortable interior with the latest technologies, no matter whether it’s a mainstream or luxury car. Ford and Lincoln have brought the goods to their respective three-row SUVs debuting for 2020. But is the Lincoln Aviator really worth the big price premium over its mainstream sibling, the Ford Explorer? Find out how the two vehicles stack up in our 2020 Ford Explorer vs. 2020 Lincoln Aviator comparison. Which Has More Interior Space? See all 58 photos Overall, both SUVs are spacious. Accessing the third row is easy since the seats in the second row move forward with the push of a button. Once you’ve reached the back row, space is rather tight, but that’s a typical complaint for the ...
Dream 4x4s We’d Own If We Could
If you’ve never had a chance to rip, crawl, or haul around in a 4×4 truck or SUV on an off-road route, then you really need to get it on your automotive enthusiast bucket list. There’s a magic about it, the adventure of it, that you really need to experience. Ah, but what 4×4 to do it in. The possibilities, like the trails, are virtually endless. To get a feel for what 4x4s would be high on the fun meter, we asked the experts over at Four Wheeler and the Truck Trend Network what they have at the top of their 4×4 dream machine list, and the results may surprise you. Check them out and see what you think. And for those of you out there who love the off-road life, we bet there’s a 4×4 you’ve always wanted to own but never have because it’s too...
