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Only small changes are in store for the 2020 Colorado.

Students will learn the handling limits of their vehicle and how to better control it.

Will you help the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation reach its goal of raising $1 million for the third year in a row to help kids battling cancer?

It’s all part of the Foundation’s 2019 Corvette Program, Corvette for a Cure.

To raise funds for the Foundation, Gordon is again raffling off his personal Corvette, a loaded 2019 Grand Sport Coupe that listed for $80,305.

Continue reading Win Jeff Gordon’s 2019 Corvette and Help Pediatric Cancer Research at Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

Only one other model saw sales slip faster in the segment.

Not bad for a fat cat.

Cadillac Racing has a successful history at the Belle Isle GP.

We’ve been sharing these pics of Corvette Vanity Plates for well over 10 years now and I can’t remember another show that had a higher concentration of personalized plates than what we saw last month at the National Corvette Museum Bash.

Due to space considerations, we can only share about half of the photos taken.

Continue reading [PICS] Corvette Vanity Plates from the 2019 NCM Bash at Corvette: Sales, News & Lifestyle.

Making Zora Arkus-Duntov proud.

Over 115 years the auto industry in the east German town of Zwickau has lived through wrenching upheavals including World War II and the collapse of communism. Now the city’s 90,000 people are plunging headlong into another era of change: top employer Volkswagen’s total shift into electric cars at the local plant.

The world’s largest carmaker is creating its first all-electric plant and phasing out production of the internal combustion-engine cars built by generations of local workers.

The electric transformation raises questions about the long-term prospects of the auto industry, which employs 840,000 people in Germany and millions worldwide, as a source of jobs for communities like Zwickau, which gave the world both the luxury brand Audi and the communist-era Trabant “people’s car.”

Fewer workers will likely be needed, with different skills. And there is no mass market yet for battery-only cars. Volkswagen’s 1.2 billion euros ($1.35 billion) investment is taken as a sign of hope for the community. But the longer term trends for employment across the industry are less certain.

“We see dangers in this, but we see this really as a chance for Zwickau the manufacturing center to stand out,” the town’s mayor, Pia Findeiss, told The Associated Press.

Over her desk hangs an oil painting from the communist period in the 1980s that shows the belching smokestacks from two coke plants that used to foul the city’s air. Like the region’s coal mines and textiles, that was an industry that came and went as times changed.

Among the key concerns is that electric cars don’t need engines and transmissions with thousands of metal parts that need to be assembled. Where an internal combustion engine has 2,000 to 3,000 metal parts, an electric drivetrain has 150 to 250 parts. And the batteries that power it are produced through far different processes that are easy to hand over to robots.

The Frauenhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering in Stuttgart estimates that 23,000 to 97,000 German jobs could go missing in powertrain production by 2030. While that’s only a fraction of the 44 million employed in Germany, the losses are likely to be concentrated in certain communities and companies, including suppliers.

Engine parts maker UKM Fahrzeugteile, for example, does half of its business in classic drivetrains. It says it’s shifting its strategic focus toward trucks and motorcycles, as well as non-automotive fields like aviation.

“On a plant and regional basis, the effects can be serious,” said Oliver Riedel, the institute’s director. “Think about smaller businesses, for example, that are unable to make up for lost sales of components for internal combustion engines, or structurally weak regions where alternative employment is scarce.”

At Zwickau, one assembly hall continues to turn out Volkswagen Golf hatchbacks with traditional engines, which help generate the profits to invest in developing electrics.

In a nearby hall, workers are preparing the future: they are setting up 350 massive orange robots that will turn out the ID 3, the affordable battery-driven car to be launched next year.

The plant’s 8,000 workers are meanwhile being pushed through training in prefab classrooms. Some 1,500 will get special certification in how to deal with high voltage components, for instance.

Factory veteran Rainer Pilz, 59, is among those retraining the next generation of Volkswagen workers. While he retires next year, he has a personal stake in making Volkswagen’s move a success as his son and daughter, in their 30s, also work at the company.

“We have the chance to build something completely new here,” he says in a room where trainees don virtual reality goggles and learn to identify the correct electrical connector on an air conditioning compressor. “I think the future looks bright.”

Zwickau’s auto industry began in 1904, when August Horch founded a carmaker under his own name and then started Audi, now part of Volkswagen and headquartered in southern Germany. The manufacturers were taken over by the communist authorities after World War II and from the 1950s to the 1990s turned out the two-stroke, plastic-bodied Trabants. The exhaust-spewing Trabant passed into history after Germany was reunified in 1990, and so did the jobs making them.

But Volkswagen came in and invested heavily from 1990, turning out Golfs and Passats and keeping the region of Saxony in the auto game. Today there is a large network of suppliers and service providers connected to the industry; some 20,000 work for automakers in Saxony, and 75,000 at suppliers.

For now, Volkswagen has pledged no compulsory layoffs in Zwickau before 2025, under a deal struck with its powerful labor representatives. The company’s electric pivot is part of its effort to leave behind the scandal in which the company admitted to cheating on diesel engine emissions tests.

European Union requirements to cut average carbon dioxide emissions from 2021, following on from the 2016 Paris climate agreement, are pushing automakers to quickly build and sell more battery-powered vehicles. Electric cars remain a tiny part of the market as higher prices and lack of places to charge put off consumers — only 1.6 percent in Germany, 1.2 percent in the United States.

Volkswagen is betting that by pricing the ID 3 at under 30,000 euros ($33,500) for the base version, it can make E-cars a mass phenomenon, taking aim at Tesla, which says it is now selling the long-promised $35,000 version of its compact Model 3.

From 2021, the Zwickau plant will have the capacity to turn out 330,000 cars a year across six models. The company touts the ID 3 as a worthy successor to the historic Beetle compact and to its current mass-market mainstay, the Golf.

In some ways the push into electric cars is already leading to some job cuts, analysts say, as companies seek to improve profits, without which they can’t invest in new technology. General Motors will shut four U.S. factories and one in Canada. About 5,900 workers will lose their jobs, as well as another 8,000 white-collar workers. Ford said this week it will cut about 7,000 white-collar jobs. Volkswagen itself has said it will reduce administrative staff at headquarters by 5,000-7,000.

“It is reasonable to expect we will see some reduction in employment,” said Sam Abduelsamid, an analyst at Navigant Research.

The post Threat or Promise? E-Auto Boom Could Cost Industry Jobs appeared first on Motortrend.

Before the big reveal, we take a look back to find out how well we predicted future production speculation of the C8 Corvette.

The lucrative incentives for 2018 models are no longer available.

Well this looks amazing.

The Silverado RST and Trail Boss can now be equipped with the 6.2L V8.

Like the 7 Series, the new BMW X7 is big. Certainly too big to ever get the full M treatment. But even though it outperformed most of its competitors in our figure eight test, one thing still wasn’t clear: Was it too big to justify an M Performance version of the X7 xDrive50i? Today, BMW answered that question when it announced the 2020 X7 M50i.

Under the hood, the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 gets a number of performance upgrades that BMW calls the M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology package. The result is an engine that makes 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, an improvement of 67 hp and 74 lb-ft. Peak horsepower arrives between 5,500 and 6,000 rpm, while peak torque is available from 1,800 rpm all the way up to 4,600 rpm. With the eight-speed automatic sending that power to the ground via a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, BMW claims that’s enough to give the X7 M50i a 0–60 mph time of 4.5 seconds. For comparison, we clocked an X7 xDrive40i at 5.4 seconds, and BMW estimates the XDrive50i can hit 60 in 5.2 seconds.

You also get an M Sport exhaust for better sound and a freer-breathing engine. Top speed is electronically limited to 130 mph.

The transmission itself has been re-tuned for smarter shifts while in automatic mode, with paddles available for manual shifting and launch control for all the drag racing that X7 M50i drivers will be doing. To improve handling, the all-wheel-drive system is able to send 100 percent of available torque to the rear wheels when all-wheel traction isn’t needed. BMW also fitted the X7 M50i with an electronically controlled M Sport differential to more effectively shift power left and right.

The two-axle air suspension can lower 0.8 inch while in sport mode, and BMW says its engineers have tuned the bushings, spring, and damper settings for more responsive, agile handling. The X7 M50i also gets M Sport brakes, 22-inch wheels, and staggered 275/40 front and 315/35 rear performance tires. It’s important to note, though, that the tires are still run-flats.

A sportier appearance package helps the X7 M50i stand out from the non-M version, but it also improves airflow and cooling. Inside, M logos abound, from the door sill plates to the steering wheel, and the shift knob. Finally, the seats are covered in perforated premium leather with contrast stitching.

2020 BMW X5 M50i

BMW also announced the X5 M50i today, which will slot between the current xDrive50i and the mighty X5 M. It gets the same 523-hp, 553-lb-ft twin-turbo V-8 and sport exhaust found in the X7 M50i, but due to its lighter weight, BMW says the X5 M50i can run from 0–60 mph in 4.1 seconds. And although the X7’s air suspension is an option on the X5, it comes standard with an Adaptive M suspension. The standard wheels are 20-inch alloys wrapped in 275/45 all-season run-flats.

Pricing for the X5 M50i starts at $83,145 including destination, while the X7 M50i comes in at $100,595. Production kicks off in August for both models.

The post 2020 BMW X7 M50i First Look: Now With 523 HP appeared first on Motortrend.

Various packs cater to different buyers.

The engine will not be available for 2019 Silverado or Sierra pickups as once imagined.

Buyers can choose a regular cab based on the Elevation and AT4 trims.

Because it’s a three-day weekend that falls at the end of the month, and it’s the biggest holiday before the start of summer, Memorial Day is a perfect storm for new car deals. We’ve given you a rundown of the best car deals overall this Memorial Day and highlighted some of the best deals on small SUVs. Today, it’s all about midsize and large SUVs. The incentive data comes from our colleagues at IntelliChoice, and covers national offers on 2019 models. It’s important to note that some restrictions may apply, and the coveted 0 percent financing deal is typically reserved for customers with outstanding credit scores. With all that in mind, let’s take a look at the best Memorial Day deals on midsize and large SUVs, all of which run through May 31 of this year.

2019 Audi Q7

With its high-end interior, slick tech features, and impressive handling, the Audi Q7 is a great choice if you’re in the market for a luxury crossover with seating for seven. To sweeten the deal, Audi has added a $3,000 incentive if you currently own a competing brand and buy a Q7 before the end of the month.

2019 Audi Q8

We didn’t expect Audi to start offering incentives on the stylish Q8 so quickly, but we certainly won’t complain about a discount. Like the Q7, Audi has a $3,000 Memorial Day “Competitive Conquest” incentive on the Q8 that expires at the end of May.

2019 Buick Enclave

Despite its attempts to reinvent itself, Buick hasn’t quite managed to shake its reputation as a brand for the elderly. But if image doesn’t matter to you, the Enclave may win you over with its refined ride and better-than-expected handling. For Memorial Day, Buick is offering a $4,500 discount on its three-row crossover.

2019 Cadillac Escalade

Ever since Lincoln released the redesigned Navigator, it’s been hard to justify paying similar money for an Escalade. Cadillac seems to have realized that, too, because it has been offering some big discounts on its full-size luxury SUV. For example, if you buy an Escalade before May 31, you can get a full $5,000 off.

2019 Chevrolet Blazer

We knew the Blazer’s styling was a little controversial, as was Chevrolet’s decision to bring back the Blazer name on a sporty, front-drive crossover. But it’s still new enough that we didn’t expect to see incentives so quickly. But if you buy a Blazer this weekend, Chevrolet will give you $2,000 off.

2019 GMC Acadia

It’s not always easy to figure out where GMC fits in the car world, but the Acadia is a surprisingly competitive three-row crossover. And if you don’t need seating for seven, we especially like the spacious two-row Acadia All Terrain. As with other GM products on this list, up to 72 months of 0 percent financing may be available. As for the Memorial Day discount, that’s a nice, even $4,000.

2019 GMC Yukon

If the Cadillac Escalade is a bit too expensive for your budget, the GMC Yukon Denali offers a lot of what you get from the Caddy for a good bit less money. This Memorial Day weekend, GMC is placing $2,500 on the hood of a Yukon

2019 Infiniti QX80

Infiniti’s largest SUV recently got a face-lift and tech update to help it compete against some of its more modern luxury rivals. Now, the QX80 can be financed for up to 72 months at 0 percent interest.

2019 Land Rover Discovery

The Discovery’s design is pretty much the definition of polarizing, and as we found out recently, you really need to upgrade the tires if you want to go off-roading in one. But if you like the look of Land Rover’s most affordable seven-seater, you can get it at a $2,000 discount over Memorial Day weekend.

2019 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The Range Rover Velar is a sleek-looking sport ute that’s also luxurious on the inside and decently capable when the pavement ends. If you want one for Memorial Day, there’s a $2,000 discount to be had.

The post The 10 Best Midsize and Large SUV Deals for Memorial Day 2019 appeared first on Motortrend.

Sport sedan lovers, your time is now. Although crossover SUVs have invaded the market like a herd of stampeding cattle, there are still plenty of options for those who prefer a lower center of gravity in a traditional three-box shape. As you’re reading this, no fewer than 12 automakers offer a spirited, premium, well-equipped four-door in the $50,000 range—from Acura to Volvo. The luxury sport sedan segment might be down, but it is definitely not out.

In our latest comparison test, we focus on the standouts in the class—three shining stars that each bring something class-leading and unique to the table. There’s the sport-sedan legend, an award-winning newcomer, and, finally, a disruptive upstart. Which one has what it takes to wear the crown?

The 2019 BMW 330i brings seven generations of legacy and, with it, some ridiculously high expectations. Perhaps sensing the formidable task at hand, BMW supplied us with an example that carried nearly $7,500 worth of performance-enhancing goodies alone. A further healthy sampling of options raised its as-tested price to an eye-popping $59,920. That’s considerably north of our price target, especially when a bare-bones base model is $41,245, but that’s BMW for you.

The 2019 Genesis G70 pulled off a remarkable upset when it won the MotorTrend Car of the Year award, fending off luxury stalwarts Audi and Volvo for the win. One of the G70’s biggest strengths is its exceptional value play. It starts at $35,895, which is the lowest base price here. Our Dynamic trim example adds 19-inch Michelin PS4 tires and a limited-slip differential. Even loaded up further with the aptly named Elite and Prestige packages, at $44,895, the as-tested price is only $3,650 more than the 3 Series’ base price.

With the Model 3, Tesla is hell-bent on proving that the electric car is ready to go mainstream. Of course, Tesla has been making a lot of promises lately, and the Model 3 hasn’t exactly had the smoothest launch. But it’s improved significantly in the short time it’s been on the market, thanks mostly to myriad firmware and software updates. With a sticker price of $54,100, our Long Range Dual Motor version boasts a battery range of 310 miles—even with all-wheel drive.

So, who brings the best combination of performance, luxury, and value among these three?

3rd Place: BMW 330i

Once the undisputed king of the sport sedan segment, the BMW 3 Series now seems to be at a crossroads. No longer cohesive and confident, this 330i is saddled by indecision. It’s so eager to correct its predecessor’s wrongs (especially its numb handling), it overcompensates in the process.

The lack of cohesion is evident starting with the exterior. By now, the iconic BMW design language has been stretched across every shape imaginable, and here it’s hampered by a clear lack of direction. Heritage or evolution? The twin kidney grille continues to grow like kudzu, invading all the breathing space between it and the round(-ish) headlight clusters, while the smoked hockey-stick brake lights feel squinty and derivative rather than standard-setting. If you’re looking for the legendary Hofmeister kink in the C-pillar, squint and you’ll see the vestiges of it in the form of a tacked-on plastic trim piece behind the rear door.

The interior continues on this discordant theme. “Do you think 19 controls on the steering wheel is too many?” groused road test editor Chris Walton. There seems to be a setting to adjust pretty much every aspect of the car’s behavior, though few directly contribute to the driving experience. Ironically, the digital instrument panel is the least configurable, and it pales in comparison to Audi’s class-leading Virtual Cockpit. MotorTrend en Español managing editor Miguel Cortina was underwhelmed by the interior materials. “I don’t feel like I’m sitting inside a $60,000 sport sedan.”

Disappointing, yes, but the 330i still gets a lot right, sometimes brilliantly. Despite having nearly the same weight-to- power  ratio as the G70, the 330i is both quicker and more fuel-efficient. The 0–60 run takes a fleet 5.4 seconds, and the quarter mile goes by in 14 seconds flat at 98.1 mph. The 330i is rated 26/36/30 city/highway/combined—a not-insignificant 5 mpg better than the G70. Brakes are also the best of the bunch. Firm, confidence-inspiring, with a strong initial bite and progressive pedal feel. Its 60–0 test was equally impressive, with the 330i needing only a scant 103 feet to come to a stop. Credit the beefy brakes, which are part of the $2,450 Track Handling package.

But that same package also contributed to the 330i’s third-place finish, thanks to an adaptive suspension that’s obnoxiously brittle—even in its softest setting. Testing director Kim Reynolds probably put it best when he said “it finds annoying bumps without the commensurate handling composure payoff.” Walton couldn’t wait to get out of the car. “Sure, it was very confidence-inspiring in the canyon, but unless you live in a canyon, pass.”

Afterwards, we deliberated whether the 330i would have placed higher without the Track Handling package (we even asked BMW for a more traditional version, but this is what they had available). Although the ride would have improved, there’s still that fundamental issue of an identity crisis. The unmistakable touches of brilliance are undermined by overthinking. Instead of sticking to what it does best, the latest 3 Series attempts to be all things to all people and loses itself in the process. As Cortina so aptly put it, “The Ultimate Driving Machine needs to do more work.”

2nd Place: Genesis G70

When we declared the G70 our 2019 Car of the Year winner, we were confident that Genesis had “built a better 3 Series.” And, as it turns out, it did. While BMW was busy rewriting entire passages of its own playbook, Genesis adhered to its mission with clear, crystalline focus and created a killer sport sedan on the very first try.

Confident is the word that comes to mind when discussing the G70’s looks. Lean, lithe, and muscular, the G70’s exterior carries just the right amount of sophisticated swagger. “It’s got a hint of old-school (Zagato?) and a modern class without being derivative of anything else,” said Walton.

The G70 might be brand-new to the scene, but it already feels like an old friend. Get behind the wheel and everything falls instantly to hand. You’re greeted by a cockpit that’s not only refreshingly straightforward, but also feels special in all the right places. Walton appreciated the attention to detail: “I love the quilted leather and the chromey, knurled knobs you’d expect to find in a Range Rover or Bentley.” The combination of black and burgundy throughout the interior was a knockout.

Familiarity can have its drawbacks, as well: The infotainment system was called out for being identical to one seen in any Hyundai or Kia. Scratch that—the 2020 Kia Soul features a bigger, sharper screen. “Graphics look like they’re a decade old,” said Cortina. “It’s missing authenticity.” While this is a curse that befalls many premium automakers who share components with lesser marques, some hide their origins better than others. Genesis might look to Lincoln for some inspiration here.

But focus on the road in front of you instead, and suddenly it’s obvious why the G70 deserves all of the accolades. Here’s the magical ride/handling balance that makes driving a sport sedan so rewarding. The steering has just the right amount of heft, tracing through corners with a playful precision. The chassis is firm yet supple. Walton feels that the suspension tuning leans more toward the luxury part of the equation than the sport side, but only just so. Of the three cars here, the G70 is the one that’s ideally suited for a highly gratifying long-distance drive, straight out of the box.

Out on the test track, the G70 nearly matches the BMW on the figure eight and lateral acceleration—a testament to its extensive chassis development and tuning. It’s only when you give it the boot that the G70 trails behind the rest of the pack. A fair amount of turbo lag from the 2.0-liter hampers off-the-line acceleration, and keeping it on boost requires judicious timing with the paddle shifters. Diving hot into a corner revealed more sloths in the powertrain. Despite multiple stabs to the shift paddle, the G70 sometimes refused our downshift requests during rapid deceleration in figure-eight testing. Stops from 60 mph required 106 feet, roughly splitting the difference between the BMW and Tesla.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t at least mention that the G70 is the only one left in its segment to offer a six-speed manual. And therein lies the irony with this stellar, award-winning sport sedan. It makes all the right moves and ticks all the right boxes. Through no fault of its own, the G70 represents the pinnacle of a segment … just as that segment is poised to charge in a completely new and uncharted direction.

1st Place: Tesla Model 3

Unlike the G70, which got nearly everything right its first time out, the Model 3 represents a much more ambitious and polarizing effort. Nicknamed “a spaceship on wheels” by Reynolds, the Model 3’s boundary-pushing technology was to be expected. But it was the revolutionary driving experience that pushed it over the top.

But first, there’s the issue of styling. The Model 3 looks as if it were designed from the rear going forward and the designers ran out of time before getting to the front. “It looks like a freakish duck straight-on,” mused Walton. Even more polarizing was the interior, which was a love-it-or-hate-it affair amongst our group.  Adornments are limited to a strip of open-pore wood across the top of the dashboard. Walton shrugged: “If this is ‘Premium,’ I’d hate to see the standard interior.” Cortina was more enthusiastic, calling it a “clean and tidy design that makes it look elegant.” Curiously, the Model 3 is the only one in this group without a wireless charging pad.

But who needs a phone when a bright, beautiful touchscreen dominates the center console? Creatures of tactile habit will wonder where all the buttons have gone. Our takeaway: The learning curve is actually pretty intuitive, and adjusting the various controls via touchscreen soon becomes second nature. But as captivating as that screen can be, the Model 3’s real strength is its drivetrain.

To no one’s surprise, the Model 3 absolutely crushed it in straight-line acceleration: 0–60 whooshed by in only 4.0 seconds, and the quarter mile fell in 12.5 seconds at a speed of 113.1 mph. Proving it wasn’t a one-trick electric pony, the Model 3 also bested the BMW on our figure-eight loop, despite wearing all-season tires.

That electric drivetrain also provides the framework for the rest of this paradigm shift. The near-silent, rocket-like acceleration is only the first step. On our test runs out in the real world, one-pedal driving quickly became a matter of course. Lift off the accelerator, and regen instantly begins to slow the car. Time it right, and you can navigate through even heavy traffic with only an occasional feathering of the brake pedal. Walton was smitten. “Driving feels new and novel again. The way it re-introduces driving enthusiasm to a driving enthusiast is remarkable.”

While both the BMW and Genesis also offer adaptive cruise control, the Tesla’s version was a revelation. The drivetrain’s instant power and regen meant the Model 3 had no problem maintaining a consistent distance, making micro-fast adjustments on the fly as the speed of traffic ebbed and flowed. This precision was in stark contrast to the response of the turbo-fours in both the 330i and G70, whose slow reaction times routinely left plenty of room for another car to jump in.

The Tesla Model 3 wins this competition because it has thoroughly rewritten the rules of what a compact sport sedan can be. As it turns out, the number 3 is still the benchmark number for this segment. It just now happens to be a different type of 3.

POWERTRAIN/CHASSIS 2018 Tesla Model 3 Dual Motor Long Range 2019 BMW 330i 2019 Genesis G70 2.0T DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front & rear-motor, AWD Front-engine, RWD Front-engine, RWD ENGINE TYPE Front & rear: 3-phase internal permanent-magnet electric motors Turbocharged I-4, alum block/head Turbocharged I-4, alum block/head VALVETRAIN — DOHC, 4 valves/cyl DOHC, 4 valves/cyl DISPLACEMENT — 121.9 cu in/1,998 cc 121.9 cu in/1,998 cc COMPRESSION RATIO — 10.2:1 10.0:1 POWER (SAE NET) 346 hp (front + rear comb) 255 hp @ 5,000 rpm 252 hp @ 6,200 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 376 lb-ft (front + rear comb) 295 lb-ft @ 1,550 rpm 260 lb-ft @ 1,400 rpm REDLINE — 6,500 rpm 7,000 rpm WEIGHT TO POWER 11.7 lb/hp 14.3 lb/hp 14.5 lb/hp TRANSMISSION 1-speed automatic 8-speed automatic 8-speed automatic AXLE/FINAL-DRIVE RATIO 9.0:1/9.0:1 2.81:1/1.80:1 3.73:1/2.11:1 SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Multilink coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar Struts, coil springs, anti-roll bar; multilink, coil springs, anti-roll bar STEERING RATIO 10.3:1 13.2:1 12.5:1 TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.0 2.2 2.5 BRAKES, F; R 12.6-in vented disc; 13.2-in vented disc, ABS 13.7-in 2-pc vented disc; 13.6-in 2-pc vented disc, ABS 12.6-in vented disc; 12.4-in vented disc, ABS WHEELS, F;R 8.5 x 19-in flow-formed aluminum 8.0 x 19-in; 8.5 x 19-in, cast aluminum 8.0 x 19-in; 8.5 x 19-in cast aluminum TIRES, F;R 235/40R19 96W (M+S) Continental ProContact RX 225/40R19 93Y; 255/35R19 96Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 225/40R19 93Y; 255/35R19 96Y Michelin Pilot Sport 4 DIMENSIONS WHEELBASE 113.2 in 112.2 in 111.6 in TRACK, F/R 62.2/62.2 in 62.3/62.9 in 62.8/63.1 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 184.8 x 72.8 x 56.8 in 185.7 x 71.9 x 56.4 in 184.5 x 72.8 x 55.1 in TURNING CIRCLE 38.1 ft 37.4 ft 36.1 ft CURB WEIGHT 4,062 lb 3,646 lb 3,659 lb WEIGHT DIST, F/R 51/49% 51/49% 51/49% SEATING CAPACITY 5 5 5 HEADROOM, F/R 40.3/37.7 in 38.7/37.6 in 39.7/36.9 in LEGROOM, F/R 42.7/35.2 in 42.0/35.2 in 42.6/34.8 in SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 56.3/54.0 in 56.0/54.6 in 56.3/54.6 in CARGO VOLUME 14.6 cu ft 17.0 cu ft 10.5 cu ft TEST DATA ACCELERATION TO MPH 0-30 1.8 sec 1.9 sec 2.2 sec 0-40 2.5 2.8 3.2 0-50 3.2 4.0 4.5 0-60 4.0 5.4 6.2 0-70 5.1 7.0 8.1 0-80 6.3 9.1 10.4 0-90 7.8 11.6 13.4 0-100 9.5 14.6 16.9 0-100-0 14.0 15.6 14.4 PASSING, 45-65 MPH 1.7 2.8 3.3 QUARTER MILE 12.5 sec @ 113.1 mph 14.0 sec @ 98.1 mph 14.7 sec @ 93.9 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 113 ft 103 ft 106 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.90 g (avg) 0.95 g (avg) 0.94 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 24.9 sec @ 0.78 g (avg) 25.2 sec @ 0.73 g (avg) 25.2 sec @ 0.72 g (avg) TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 6,920 rpm 1,300 rpm 1,700 rpm CONSUMER INFO BASE PRICE $50,700 * $41,245 $35,895 PRICE AS TESTED $54,100 * $59,920 $44,895 STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL Yes/Yes Yes/Yes Yes/Yes AIRBAGS 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee 8: Dual front, front side, f/r curtain, front knee 9: Dual front, f/r side, f/r curtain, driver knee BASIC WARRANTY 4 yrs/50,000 miles 4 yrs/50,000 miles 5 yrs/60,000 miles POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 8 years/120,000 mi (Long Range Battery) 4 yrs/50,000 miles 10 yrs/100,000 miles ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 4 yrs/50,000 miles 4 yrs/Unlimited miles 5 yrs/Unlimited miles FUEL CAPACITY 75 kW-hr lithium-ion battery pack 15.6 gal 15.8 gal EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 120/112/116 MPGe 26/36/30 mpg 22/30/25 mpg ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 28/30 kWh/100 miles 130/94 kW-hrs/100 miles 153/112 kW-hrs/100 miles CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.00 lb/mile (at vehicle) 0.65 lb/mile 0.78 lb/mile RECOMMENDED FUEL 110-volt, 220-volt electricity Unleaded premium Unleaded premium * Before applicable tax credits

The post Tesla Model 3 vs. BMW 330i vs. Genesis G70 Comparison: Who Builds the Best Compact Luxury Sedan? appeared first on Motortrend.

Before photographer Robin Trajano daily-drove the MotorTrend BMW X3 M40i, he owned an E46 BMW M3 — and a Honda Civic Del Sol before that. Later shortened to just Del Sol, the distinctive Honda only lasted one generation in the 1990s. So how much do you really know about this long-gone Civic variant? Keep reading for the full story.

100 Horsepower Per Liter: The V-TEC Model

It featured an optional 1.6-liter DOHC VTEC motor, codenamed b16A3, that produced 160 horsepower and redlined at an impressive 8,200 rpm. Specific output equates to 100 horsepower per liter, which was impressive for a naturally aspirated motor in 1995. For comparison, a 1995 Mustang GT 5.0 only achieved 43 horsepower per liter.

Comfy Seats

The factory bucket seats were some of the most comfortable seats I’ve ever sat in. The red stripe down the middle made the seats look aftermarket.

S, Si, and V-TEC

Other Del Sols also used a 1.6-liter engine, which was offered in a 106 hp/103 lb-ft and 127 hp/107 lb-ft forms. Both the S and Si offered a four-speed auto and a five-speed manual. The more powerful V-TEC model was only offered with a five-speed manual.

Targa Top!

The car had a removable targa top that can be stored in the trunk. It locks into place on a rack built into the trunk that opens up to allow access to the cargo area even while the top is stored.

Cool Tech

A power “TransTop” was available in European and Asian markets. The feature was an automated system that automatically stored the targa top into the trunk.

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