Author: Tabitha
Swiss timepiece maker Breitling has released a special chronograph series that celebrates three North American automotive marques from the 1960s: the Chevrolet Corvette; the Ford Mustang; and the Shelby Cobra. The three watches display each car’s logo and, as a stopwatch/chronograph, there’s a 15-minute counter, six-hour counter and a dial for seconds elapsed. The Corvette- and Mustang-themed faces are 42 millimetres in diameter, while the Cobra watch is slightly smaller at 40 millimetres. A racing-themed calfskin leather strap is included. Purchase for $5,500 each from www.breitling.com.
Toyota is expanding its mission to move away from V-8 powertrains, starting with the full-size Tundra pickup and the equally large Lexus LX600. It uses the same body-on-frame construction as the Tundra, which is also new (and considerably lighter and more rigid) for 2022. The LX600’s body varies only slightly in size and styling from the previous LX570, but the new vehicle does offer fancier trim inside and out. The replacement twin-turbocharged V-6 makes 409 horsepower and 441 pound-feet of torque, which bests the outgoing V-8 by 26 horses and 38 pound-feet. A 10-speed automatic transmission also supplants the previous…
Originally, the automaker intended to launch the compact EQC hatchback as its first electric model for North America. A change of plans now sees that Merc offered to European clientele only. The revised schedule makes two other EVs available here: The full-size EQS sedan; and the midsize EQE utility vehicle. Both are expected by mid- to late-2022 as 2023 models. The EQS will be offered in ultra-luxury Maybach and performance-oriented (751-horsepower) EQS53 AMG varieties. The EQE’s single rear-mounted motor will deliver an estimated 288 horsepower, while a two-motor all-wheel-drive version is expected to produce close to 400 horsepower. Both models…
In case you happened to miss the unveiling of the newest Corvette model on Oct. 26, worry not. The brilliant 26-minute video is on YouTube.com for you to enjoy and The Sleuth really means “enjoy.” You’ll get to see and hear the Z06 drive while the engineers explain what goes into the car, with emphasis on the 670-horsepower 5.5-liter naturally aspirated V-8 that revs to 8,600 RPM. Its flat-plane crankshaft architecture means a different firing order, so the Z06 has an entirely different sound than all Corvettes before it (think Ferrari). Chevrolet claims an exotic-car experience and the Sleuth agrees.…
The automaker’s lineup expansion will begin before the end of the year with the launch of the CX-50. The Alabama-built (in a plant it shares with Toyota) utility vehicle will be built on the same platform as the CX-3 and CX-30 tall hatchbacks and will be exclusively all-wheel-drive. The CX-50 will be similarly sized to the CX-5, which for 2022 will also be AWD only. At this point, details regarding the CX-50’s powertrain(s) aren’t known. Also arriving in 2022 (as 2023 models) are the CX-70 five-passenger and the CX-90 with three rows of seats. Both will use Mazda’s new turbocharged…
If interior space is an issue, a roof-mounted container is often the way to go. The SkyBox 16 Carbonite from Yakima is so named for its 16 cubic feet of stowage space, which is greater volume than many sedan trunks. The company claims that the product’s aerodynamic shape creates minimal drag (which helps reduce fuel consumption) and produces minimal wind noise when driving at highway speeds. The 47-pound Skybox 16, which measures 81 by 36 inches, can be opened from either side and is claimed by the company to easily latch and unlatch from the vehicle’s roof rack. The Skybox…
Prepping for driving following a dusting of snow and/or ice is no fun without the right tool. At such times the Hopkins SubZero 80037 pivoting snow broom might come in handy. At one end, the product’s ice scraper/chopper is designed to remove frozen sleet from windshields and windows. At the opposite end, the extra-wide brush/squeegee combo helps remove the snowfall. The pole can be extended from 39 inches to 60 inches for cleaning up big and tall trucks and utility vehicles. Purchase the Hopkins SubZero for $35 from www.amazon.com.
The base Venza LE comes with a decent degree of content, such as a power driver’s seat, interior ambient lighting, wireless phone charging, hands-free power liftgate and a six-speaker audio system. You also get most of Toyota’s active-safety technology and driver-assist features.
The XLE adds roof rails, front- and rear-parking assist, heated and ventilated power front seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror and fancier interior/exterior trim.
The fifth generation of the brand’s venerable wagon arrived for 2021 with three rows of seats (called the Grand Cherokee L). For 2022, the five-passenger Grand Cherokee joins in. Other than being nearly a foot shorter than the three-row version — with a wheelbase that’s five inches less — the five-passenger model looks fairly similar to the L. Both also get a 293-horsepower 3.6-liter V-6 or an optional 357-horsepower 5.7-liter V-8. Also available for 2022 is the 4xe plug-in hybrid model, which has a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder plus an electric motor. It’s good for 470 pound-feet of torque (80 pound-feet…
Honda’s premium division introduced the Integra line of sedans and coupes for 1986. The nameplate was replaced by the RSX hatchback that was sold from model years 2002 through 2006. It’s now known that Acura will reintroduce the Integra as a four-door hatchback and will build it using the Honda Civic platform. Rumor has it that the Civic’s available 192-horsepower turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder will serve as the Integra’s base engine, while something more potent — likely a turbo 2.0-liter producing 252 horsepower — will be found in the Integra R model. Whatever the final powertrain concoctions, the 2023 Integra is…