Cars – Page 9

Fair or fixed? Why Le Mans is all about “balance of performance” now.

24 hours of le mans, Cars, racing, World Endurance Championship / Beth Washington / June 12, 2025

Last year’s data plus plenty of simulation are meant to create a level playing field.

LE MANS, FRANCE – JUNE 10: The #35 Alpine Endurance Team Alpine A424 of Paul-Loup Chatin, Ferdinand Habsburg-Lothringen, and Charles Milesi sits among the 2025 Le Mans entry for a group picture on the main straight at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10, 2025 in Le Mans, France. Credit: Ker Robertson/Getty Images

This coming weekend will see the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans take place in France. In total, 62 cars will compete, split into three different classes. At the front of the field are the very fastest hypercars—wickedly fast prototypes that are also all hybrids, with the exception of the V12 Aston Martin Valkyries. In the middle are the pro-am LMP2s, followed by 24 GT3 cars—modified versions of performance cars that include everything from Ford Mustangs to McLaren 720s. It is racing nirvana. But with so many different makes and models of cars in the Hypercar class, some two-wheel drive, others with all-wheel drive, how do they ensure it’s a fair race?

Get ready for some acronyms

Sports car racing can be (needlessly) complicated at times. Take the Hypercar class at Le Mans. The 21 cars that will contest it are actually built to two separate rulebooks.

One, called LMH (for Le Mans Hypercar), was written by the organizers of Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship. These prototypes can be hybrids, with the electric motor on the front axle: Ferrari, Peugeot, and Toyota have all taken this route. But they don’t have to be; the Aston Martin Valkyrie already had to lose a lot of power to meet the rules, so it just relies on its big V12 to do all the work. Most of the cars are purpose-built for the race, but Aston Martin went the other route and converted a road car for racing.

The other is called LMDh (Le Mans Daytona hybrid) and hails from the US, in the rulebook written for the International Motor Sports Association’s GTP category. As the name suggests, these cars must be hybrids, and all must use the same specified motor, battery, and gearbox. LMDh cars also all need to start off using one of four approved carbon-fiber chassis (or spines), onto which automakers can style their own bodies and add their own engines. Alpine, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche all have LMDh cars entered in this year’s Le Mans.

Convergence

In a parallel universe, the result would be two competing series, neither with many cars on the grid. But the people at IMSA get on pretty well with the organizers of Le Mans (the Automobile Club de l’Ouest or ACO) and the World Endurance Championship (the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, or FIA), and they decided to create a way to allow everyone to play together in the same sandbox.

“2021 [was] the first year with LMH, and at that time, the only big manufacturer involved was Toyota; Glickenhaus was there at the time, but there were not many manufacturers, let’s say, interested in that kind of category,” said Thierry Bouvet, competition director at the ACO.

“So together with IMSA, while the world was [isolating] during the pandemic, we basically wrote a set of technical regulations, LMDh which was, on paper, a little bit of a different car [with] more focus on avoiding cost escalation. After a couple of years of writing those regulations, we had an interesting process of convergence, we call it, to be able to have the LMH and LMDh racing together,” he said.

It’s not the first time that different cars have competed against each other at Le Mans. Before Hypercar, the top category was called LMP1h (Le Mans Prototype 1 hybrids), which burned brightly for a few short years but collapsed under the weight of F1-level budgets that proved too much for both Audi and Porsche, leaving just Toyota and some privateers. LMP1h used a complicated “Equivalence of Technology,” but now the approach, first perfected with the slower GT3 cars, is called Balance of Performance, or BoP.

LE MANS, FRANCE - JUNE 10: The Penske Porsche, Ferrari AF-Corse, Toyota Gazoo Racing and Jota Cadillac sit on the front row as the 2025 Le Mans entry sits for a group picture on the main straight at the Circuit de la Sarthe on June 10, 2025 in Le Mans, France. — The race starts at 10 am ET on Saturday, June 14. Credit: Ker Robertson/Getty Images

Obviously, none of the automakers behind the LMDh teams would have entered the race if they thought only LMH cars had a chance of winning overall.

“So it went through a couple of long and very interesting—in terms of technique, technically speaking—simulation working groups, where we involved all the manufacturers from both categories, and we believe we achieved… a nice working point in the middle, which allows both cars to be competitive, through the different restrictions, through BoP and so on. Now we feel that we’ve got a really fair and equitable working point,” Bouvet said. As evidence, he pointed to the fact that last year Toyota took the World Endurance Championship for constructors, but Porsche’s drivers cemented the WEC driver’s title, with Ferrari winning Le Mans.

Imma hit you with the BoP gun

The rules limit both the amount of downforce and the amount of drag that the cars can generate from their bodywork, which have to be in the ratio of 4:1; this prevents any one manufacturer from having a massive advantage in terms of cornering grip or fuel efficiency. From there, the BoP gets more granular, setting maximum weight and power outputs (above and below 250 km/h), the maximum amount of energy allowed to be sent to the wheels between pit stops, as well as any extra time added to pit stops.

Weighing cars is easy, and timing them in pit stops is old hat, too. But the advance here is the torque sensors at each axle that feed back data to the race officials, letting them know exactly how much power each car is deploying to its wheels.

“We had to think of something which will work independently, whether it’s hybrid power or internal combustion engine power. Should we think about fuel only? That will only be concerning, obviously, the internal combustion engine and not do the job for the hybrid system. So, power at the wheel is a nice and elegant solution,” he said.

LE MANS, FRANCE - JUNE 8: The #007 Aston Martin Thor Team, Aston Martin Valkyrie of Harry Tincknell, Tom Gamble, and Ross Gunn in action during Test Day on June 8, 2025 in Le Mans, France. — The Aston Martin Valkyrie is the only road-going hypercar to be entered into the Hypercar category at Le Mans. Credit: ames Moy Photography/Getty Images

For the World Endurance Championship, BoP is calculated on a rolling average of the last three races, with some OEMs getting a little more weight or a little less power if necessary. While the 24 Hours of Le Mans counts as a round of the WEC, it’s open to other entrants as well, and BoP works a bit differently. Instead, Bouvet and his team based this year’s BoP on data from last year’s 24-hour race, plus the simulations he mentioned. This is done to prevent teams from sandbagging in the races that lead up to their most important race of the year

As the newest and least competitive car, the Valkyrie gets the biggest break, with a minimum weight of just 2,271 lbs (1,030 kg) and a maximum power of 697 hp (520 kW). The Toyota GR010—which won the race in 2021 and 2022—can also deploy 697 hp but at a minimum weight of 2,321 lbs (1,052 kg), more than any other car in the class.

No process is perfect, and there is little that racing fans like to complain about more than BoP, which some feel makes racing too artificial, or even fixed. You’re unlikely to hear complaints about it from competitors at Le Mans, though—criticizing BoP is not allowed in WEC, although both Porsche and Toyota have recently expressed their feelings about BoP within those strictures.

The first qualifying session for this weekend’s race took place earlier today, sorting out the 15 fastest Hypercars that will compete later this week to see who leads the pack to the start line on Saturday.

Jonathan is the Automotive Editor at Ars Technica. He has a BSc and PhD in Pharmacology. In 2014 he decided to indulge his lifelong passion for the car by leaving the National Human Genome Research Institute and launching Ars Technica’s automotive coverage. He lives in Washington, DC.

Fair or fixed? Why Le Mans is all about “balance of performance” now. Read More »

All-wheel drive EVs at 210 mph? Formula E’s next car gets massive upgrade.

Cars, Formula E, racing / Mike M. / June 11, 2025

The governing body for world motorsport met in Macau yesterday. Among the jobs for the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile was to sign off on various calendars for next season, which is why there’s now a clash between the F1 Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hours of Le Mans and also between the Indy 500 and F1’s annual visit to Canada. The Formula E calendar was also announced, although with a pair of blank TBCs in the middle, I’ll hold off calling it finalized.

The US round will now take place in late January, and it’s moving venues yet again. No longer will you need to drive an hour south of Miami; instead, the northern outskirts of the city will suffice. The infield at Homestead is no more, and the sport has negotiated a race at the Hard Rock Stadium, albeit on a different layout than the one used by F1. It seems that Formula E’s recent “Evo Sessions” race between influencers, which was held at the stadium, proved convincing.

The really interesting Formula E news from Macau won’t take effect until the 2026–2027 season, and that’s the arrival of the Gen4 car.

The current machine is no slouch, not since they took some constraints off the Gen3 car this season. The addition of part-time all-wheel drive has improved what was already a very racey series, but for now, it’s only available for the final part of qualifying, the start of the race, and when using the mandatory Attack Mode that has added some interesting new strategy to the sport.

New tires, more aero, and way more power

From the start of the 2026–2027 season, all-wheel drive will finally be permanent for the single-seater EVs. It is long past time, given that virtually every high-performance EV on the road powers both its axles, and it marks the first time the FIA has approved a permanent AWD single-seater since the technology was outlawed from F1 decades ago.

All-wheel drive EVs at 210 mph? Formula E’s next car gets massive upgrade. Read More »

The new version of Audi’s best-selling Q5 SUV arrives in the US

Audi Q5, Audi SQ5, car review, Cars, First drive / Kelly Newman / June 11, 2025

The driving dynamics are improved, and there’s plenty of tech to play with.

This is the third-generation Audi Q5. Credit: Jonathan Gitlin

ASPEN, Colo.—There’s a lot riding on Audi’s next Q5. The model has been Audi’s bread and butter here since the model went on sale in the US in 2009, as tastes changed and sedans fell out of favor. The third-generation Q5 is built on an all-new platform and is one of a new generation of software-defined vehicles that’s meant to ditch a lot of legacy crud for a clean sheet approach. You would have known all of that from our look at the new Q5 in a studio last year, when Audi briefed us on its new platform. What you wouldn’t have known from that piece is how it drives, particularly on US roads. The answer is: surprisingly well.

PPC

Just a few years ago, the world’s big car brands were telling us that soon everyone would be driving electric cars, and that it would be wonderful. Things haven’t quite panned out the way people thought they might when prognosticating in 2018, though. Electric powertrains have yet to reach price parity, in many places infrastructure still lags, and so automakers are developing new combustion-powered vehicles, particularly for markets like the US, where adoption remains far behind Europe or China.

For Audi and the other premium brands within the Volkswagen Group empire, that’s a new platform called PPC, or Premium Platform Combustion. PPC will provide the bones for new vehicles in a range of sizes and shapes, the same way the MLB (and MLB Evo) platforms have done until now. In a week, you can read about the A5, for example, but as the sales figures show, SUVs are what people want, so the Q5 comes first.

And this is the third-generation Audi SQ5. Jonathan Gitlin

To begin with, the US will get just two choices of powertrain. The Q5, which starts at $52,200, is powered by a 2.0 L turbocharged, direct-injection four-cylinder engine, which generates 268 hp (200 kW) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm), which is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The SQ5 is the fancier, more powerful version. This starts at $64,800, and its 3.0 L turbocharged, direct-injection V6 provides 362 hp (270 kW) and 406 lb-ft (550 Nm), again to all four wheels via a seven-speed DCT.

At some point Audi will likely put a plug-in hybrid powertrain in the Q5, but there’s no guarantee it would come to the US, particularly if the US government remains hostile to both foreign trade and environmental protection. Audi sells a 48 V mild hybrid Q5—essentially a powerful starter motor—in Europe but currently has no plans to bring that version to the US. Happily for those looking for an entirely electric Audi midsize SUV, the Q6 e-tron is ready and waiting.

But you can get the Q5, and the SQ5, in a pair of different body styles. As before, Audi has a Sportback variant, which trades the upright rear hatch for a more sloping roofline. What the Sportback loses in rear headroom, it makes up for in style but should drive the exact same way. In Colorado, Audi only had the regular SUVs for us to test.

Software-defined vehicles

Although the Q5 and Q6 e-tron don’t share a common platform, they do share a common electronic architecture. Gone are the days of CANBUS and a hundred or more discrete black boxes and ECUs, each with a single function. Instead, it’s an entirely clean-sheet approach known as a software-defined vehicle, where a handful of powerful computers are each responsible for controlling a different domain, in this case vehicle dynamics, driver assists, infotainment, climate, and convenience, all tied together by Ethernet, with a backbone computer overseeing it all.

VW Group bit off a bit more than it could chew and tried simultaneously developing not one but two SDV architectures, before realizing no one wanted to work on the one the company actually needed sooner. That architecture is called E3 1.2, and with a bit of focus, VW Group’s software division has gotten it out the door.

I feel like Audi has taken a step back in terms of HMI for this latest generation of user interfaces. And why can’t I put a map display here? Audi

The practical upshot of SDVs, unlike older cars with their single-function black boxes, is that everything on an SDV should be updatable. The flip side is the potential for more bugs, although I can report that the Q5s and SQ5s we encountered in Colorado felt much more mature, software-wise, than the somewhat buggy preproduction cars using E3 1.2 that we drove in mid-2024.

As for VW’s future SDV architecture, it might well come from Rivian instead of its in-house division. Last summer, VW Group invested $5 billion in Rivian to gain access to the startup’s SDV technology.

As part of E3 1.2, the Q5 gets the latest version of Audi’s MMI infotainment, which now uses Android Automotive OS. There’s a more powerful voice assistant, triggered by “Hey, Audi,” that uses natural language processing that’s able to easily understand me, and which I think provides a good alternative to using a touchscreen while driving. I lament the lack of customizability, particularly in the main driver display and the fact that you can no longer display a map there, despite that being a feature Audi pioneered.

You can also add a second infotainment screen for the passenger, although only by ticking the box for the Prestige trim, which adds $8,400 to the price of a Q5, or $6,400 to the price of an SQ5. More on this later.

The driving experience: Q5

We began our day in the Q5, albeit one fitted with the optional air suspension and 20-inch wheels (18-inch wheels are standard, and 19-inch wheels are also available). Despite the altitude, there was more than sufficient power and torque to move the Q5’s 4,244 lb (1,925 kg) curb weight—forced induction providing the same benefit here as it did for piston-engined aircraft a century ago or more. At sea level, you could expect to reach 60 mph in 5.8 seconds, or 100 km/h in 6.2 seconds, according to Audi.

There’s plenty of storage places, and all the bits you touch feel pleasant under hand. Audi

There’s a new drive mode called Balanced, which fits between Comfort and Dynamic; on the road this mode is well-named as it indeed provides a good balance between ride comfort and responsiveness, with just enough but not too much weight to the steering. There’s also an individual mode that lets you pick and choose your own suspension, transmission, and steering settings, plus off-road and off-road plus modes, which we’ll encounter again later.

In fact, for a midsize crossover, the Q5 proved quite engaging from behind the wheel. It doesn’t lean too much when cornering, although if you plan to negotiate a sequence of twisty tarmac, the lower ride height in Dynamic mode, plus the firmer air springs, is definitely the way to go. When you’re not in a hurry or grinding along the highway, the ride is comfortable, and up front, there is little road noise thanks to some acoustic glass. I would like to try a car fitted with the conventional steel springs, however.

The cockpit layout is similar to the electric Q6 e-tron, with the same “digital stage” that includes a second infotainment screen for the passenger. But the materials here feel of a higher quality—my guess is that weight saving was much less of a concern for the gasoline-powered Q5 than the battery-carrying Q6. There is plenty of cargo room in the back, and perhaps a little more rear legroom than the photo would suggest—38 inches (965 mm), according to the spec sheet.

The driving experience: SQ5

The SQ5 can be specced with Nappa leather. Audi

The second half of our day was spent in the SQ5, most of it above 10,000 feet (3 km). Even in the thin air, the car was responsive, with the extra power and torque over the Q5 quite apparent. Audi was evidently confident in the SQ5, since our drive route included more than an hour on unpaved roads. None of the cars, all equipped with 21-inch wheels and lower-profile tires, had any trouble with punctures, and the off-road plus mode, which raises up the suspension, changes the throttle mapping, and disables the stability control, coped perfectly well over stretches of road that few luxury SUVs will ever face. I can report that as occupants, we weren’t even particularly jostled.

I liked the way the SQ5 sounded, particularly in Dynamic, and it’s engaging enough to drive that you’d take the long way home in it, despite being an SUV. However, it’s also deceptively quick, in part thanks to being quiet and refined inside. There’s a lack of intrusion from the outside environment that removes the noise and vibrations associated with speed, so you can look at the dash or heads-up display and see you’re 20 mph faster than you thought. That’s not great when mountain roads with no guard rails trigger your fear of heights, but the fact that I’m writing this means it ended OK.

They make you pay

I enjoyed driving both the Q5 and SQ5, but as is always the case on first drives for the media, we were presented with very well-equipped examples to test. For example, the great ride I experienced with the Q5 requires the $8,400 Prestige pack, which also adds the acoustic glass that made it so quiet inside. That’s also the only way to get heated rear seats and ventilated front seats, the clever OLED tail lights, or the second display for the passenger. (On the SQ5 the Prestige pack is only $6,400, since air suspension is standard on all SQ5s, and adds Nappa leather as well.)

A pair of Audi Q5s parked by some mountain scenery — With scenery like this, who needs to look at cars? Credit: Jonathan Gitlin

Some other features that I expected would be standard were instead behind the Premium Plus pack—$4,500 for the Q5 and $3,500 for the SQ5. I would expect the high-resolution, full-color heads-up display to be an extra, but you also have to tick this option if you want USB-C ports (2 x 60 W in the front, 2 x 100 W in the rear) in the car. And you probably do.

The new version of Audi’s best-selling Q5 SUV arrives in the US Read More »

Mercedes’ next electric GLC rides great—we’ve driven the prototype

Cars, Mercedes GLC with EQ Technology, prototype drive / Kelly Newman / June 10, 2025

The Sport setting is good, with ride comfort controlled and comfortable while still being firm. If you’re bombing down a back road, I can see being entertained by the setting, though it’s no AMG sports car. It’s also not as firm as something like a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N.

With good range, great fast charging, and a wonderful ride, the GLC with EQ Technology should be a success. Credit: Mercedes-Benz

The Comfort setting, however, is excellent. As part of the program, we were invited to drive all the generations of Mercedes S-Class vehicles, and I had just climbed out of a current W223-generation car before my prototype drive. The GLC wafts along the highway in much the same way the S-Class does. It features the air suspension from the S-Class, but having the same hardware doesn’t mean it’s tuned the same way.

It’s almost uncanny how the heavy crossover cruises along with nearly the same comfort level as the suspension in the Mercedes-Benz flagship. While I like the Cadillac Lyriq a lot, when it comes to ride comfort in the posh setting, the GLC with EQ Technology is the clear winner.

It’s hard to find any gripes, though my time behind the wheel was limited. Still, it was good to experience the prototype GLC on a variety of different road surfaces in a short period; that’s what makes test facilities awesome. But it wasn’t enough time to live with the vehicle, find all its foibles, and render a solid final verdict.

That said, my initial impressions are solid. If Mercedes engineers can deliver on the charging performance and get close to its range estimates, it should have a solid EV on its hands. If the final version is as comfortable to drive—and sporty when it needs to be—while being able to haul kids, groceries, and gear like a family car should, the GLC with EQ Technology should find favor.

Mercedes’ next electric GLC rides great—we’ve driven the prototype Read More »

Protesters summon, burn Waymo robotaxis in Los Angeles after ICE raids

Cars, Trump, waymo / Mike M. / June 9, 2025

The robotaxi company Waymo has suspended service in some parts of Los Angeles after some of its vehicles were summoned and then vandalized by protesters angry with ongoing raids by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Five of Waymo’s autonomous Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles were summoned downtown to the site of anti-ICE protests, at which point they were vandalized with slashed tires and spray-painted messages. Three were set on fire.

The Los Angeles Police Department warned people to avoid the area due to risks from toxic gases given off by burning EVs. And Waymo told Ars that it is “in touch with law enforcement” regarding the matter.

The protesters in Los Angeles were outraged after ICE, using brutal tactics, began detaining people in raids across the city. Thousands of Angelenos took to the streets over the weekend to confront the masked federal enforcers and, in some cases, forced them away.

In response, the Trump administration mobilized more than 300 National Guard soldiers without consulting with or being requested to do so by the California governor.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has promised to sue the administration. “Donald Trump has created the conditions you see on your TV tonight. He’s exacerbated the conditions. He’s, you know, lit the proverbial match. He’s putting fuel on this fire, ever since he announced he was taking over the National Guard—an illegal act, an immoral act, an unconstitutional act,” Newsom said in an interview.

Waymo began offering rides in Los Angeles last November, and by January, the company said it had driven almost 2 million miles in the city. But there is some animosity toward robotaxis and food delivery robots, which are now being used by the Los Angeles Police Department as sources of surveillance footage. In April, the LAPD published footage obtained from a Waymo that it used to investigate a hit-and-run.

Protesters summon, burn Waymo robotaxis in Los Angeles after ICE raids Read More »

GOP intensifies war against EVs and efficient cars

Cars, corporate average fuel efficiency, fuel efficiency, IRS clean vehicle tax credit, used EV tax credit / Beth Washington / June 6, 2025

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is on record as supporting the repeal of the EV tax credit, as it would hurt his rivals more than Tesla. But yesterday, Musk decried the fact that the spending bill does not cut subsidies for oil and gas, just EVs and solar.

No fines for you

Yesterday in the Senate, Republicans proposed another new measure that can only be seen as pro-pollution. Should it pass, the EPA would no longer be able to levy fines against carmakers that exceed fleet averages set out in the CAFE regulations. OEMs have paid the government hundreds of millions of dollars in these fines over the past decade. (Note that these fines are different from those imposed on Volkswagen and other automakers for circumventing efficiency standards.)

This would allow OEMs to save money by removing emissions equipment from their products, and it could potentially bring back older powertrains that would otherwise be prohibited on the roads. Tesla may well be the biggest loser here, as the bill removes incentives for other automakers to purchase carbon credits. The GOP is also attacking California’s ability to set its own emissions standards. That would remove another major source of emissions credits for Tesla, which are, again, increasingly important in keeping the company’s books out of the red.

Over at the Department of Transportation, similar efforts are underway. Secretary Sean Duffy’s first action as the head of DOT was to begin reviewing Biden-era fuel efficiency regulations, and today, the department decided that it makes no sense to include EVs as part of its CAFE rules.

At this rate, it’s a wonder they’re not trying to mandate coal-fired steam engines as an alternative.

GOP intensifies war against EVs and efficient cars Read More »

2025 Acura ADX review: A crossover that balances budget with spirit

Acura ADX, car review, Cars / 9u50fv / June 6, 2025

As you might imagine, a steady stream of cars to review comes and goes from my parking spot. Some weeks, they stand out, like the bright green Aston Martin, the murdered-out Bentley, or the VW ID. Buzz you can read about soon; these cars usually spark conversations with neighbors, particularly those who don’t know why there’s a different vehicle in that spot each week.

At other times, the vehicles are more anonymous, and I’m not sure this ADX sparked any community discussions. Compact crossovers are a popular breed and blend into the background—particularly when they’re painted an unobtrusive shade.

Which is not to say the ADX is not handsome; the Urban Gray Pearl paint looked good even in the near-constant rain (which explains the Acura-supplied images rather than my own) that coincided with our time with the tester. And from the driver’s seat, the view down the hood, along those creases, is a lot more interesting than most comparable crossovers, considering the ADX’s $35,000 starting price.

It’s built in Mexico alongside the Honda HR-V and shares a platform with the Acura Integra and Honda Civic. Like the HR-V, there’s no hybrid option, just a 1.5 L turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 190 hp (142 kW) and 179 lb-ft (243 Nm). There’s also only one choice of transmission—a continuously variable transmission.

This has preprogrammed “shift points” that simulate the gears of a more conventional transmission. Acura says it has been programmed for performance, and you can use the steering wheel’s paddles to change up or down a virtual gear. The turbocharged engine starts making all its torque from 1,700 rpm, but if you’re in a hurry, you’ll first hear the revs rise out of proportion to the initial increase in speed, and full power doesn’t arrive until 6,000 rpm, with the redline 500 rpm further north. It’s not the best-sounding engine in the world when it’s revved up, either.

As standard, the ADX is just front-wheel drive, but all-wheel drive is available for an additional $2,000. This can send up to half the engine’s available torque to the rear wheels, but expect it to be front-biased in day-to-day driving conditions.

Acura ADX hood — I love the view from the driver’s seat down the spine of the hood. Credit: Acura

Fuel efficiency is not remarkable, but here it’s about average for the class. With all-wheel drive, as tested, the EPA estimates 27 mpg combined (8.7 L/100 km); I actually returned a slightly better 28 mpg (8.4 L/100 km) across the week.

2025 Acura ADX review: A crossover that balances budget with spirit Read More »

Tesla shows no sign of improvement in May sales data

Cars, tesla sales / Kelly Newman / June 4, 2025

Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s big government adventure appears to be at an end. As promised in April, Musk has returned his attention to his car company, which is facing serious headwinds. In the first quarter of the year, Tesla sold tens of thousands fewer electric vehicles than it did the year before, despite a rise in worldwide EV sales. Data from April looked even worse, with substantial sales declines in Europe and China. May’s numbers don’t look much better.

Although Tesla only publishes its global production and sales numbers—and only at the end of each quarter—some countries provide monthly new car registration information, making it possible to track sales on a national level. And according to Germany’s KBA, in May, Tesla sales fell by just over 36 percent year over year, even as overall EV registrations increased by 45 percent. At least that’s a few hundred more cars than it managed in April.

Similar trends were seen in the UK and Italy. In the UK, Tesla sales decreased by 45 percent, even as overall EV sales increased by 28 percent. In Italy, EV sales increased by almost 41 percent, but Tesla’s deliveries dropped by 20 percent.

The slide isn’t quite as bad in China, where Tesla faces stiff competition from local brands that undercut it with low prices while providing a wealth of features that are either unavailable in Teslas or cost extra. According to Reuters, Tesla’s Shanghai factory delivered 15 percent fewer vehicles in May than it did last year, a number that includes both exports to Europe and local sales.

Tesla shows no sign of improvement in May sales data Read More »

F1 in Spain: Now that was a lapse in judgment

Cars, F1, Formula 1, Spanish Grand Prix / Kelly Newman / June 2, 2025

Russell was next, at turn 1, giving Verstappen what looked like a dose of his own medicine. The Red Bull was forced to use the escape road and maintained his position before being told by his team to give the place back. Already on the back foot, this was too much, he told his race engineer. “But that’s the rules,” replied the laconic Gianpiero Lambiase.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 31: Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing prepares to drive in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Spain at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on May 31, 2025 in Barcelona, Spain. — Verstappen was tight-lipped about the incident following the race but has since said it was “a move that was not right and shouldn’t have happened.” Credit: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Verstappen slowed to let Russell through, then sped up into turn 4, opening up his steering and colliding with the Mercedes. Call it petulance or frustration; it was an inexcusable lapse of judgment from a driver. Using one’s car as a weapon against another competitor on track is unacceptable, and the 10-second penalty that Verstappen earned as a result dropped him to 10th place at the end, ruining his own race more than anyone else’s.

We all have days we’re not proud of, when we don’t control our worst emotions. And I think that when he looks back on Sunday, it won’t be a Grand Prix that Max Verstappen is proud of.

The post-mortem would have been quite fast, as this year, the teams all have access to a new content delivery system from Globant that provides onboard video, audio, and some telemetry. That means you can really see both sides of an argument to get a little perspective, all through an iOS-like interface. On that note, the Globant team is keen to talk, so if you have any technical questions about how they provide all that data to the teams at the track, please drop them in the comments, and we’ll address them in a separate article.

Sadly, Verstappen is not the only multiple-time world champion to succumb to such behavior. Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, and Sebastian Vettel have 14 championships between them, and each blotted their copybooks on more than one occasion. Don’t think it’s required to get to the top, though; I’ve never once seen Lewis Hamilton lose it like that, and it will be a while before anyone has as many wins as Sir Lewis.

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Google Maps can’t explain why it falsely labeled German autobahns as closed

autobahns, Cars, germany, Google, google maps, GPS, Policy / Beth Washington / May 30, 2025

On Thursday, a Google Maps glitch accidentally made it appear that the most desirable routes on German autobahns and highways were shut down, The Guardian reported.

It remains unclear what unleashed a flood of stop signs on Google Maps in the area just ahead of a four-day holiday break when many drivers had travel plans. Maps of roadways in Belgium and the Netherlands were also affected.

If drivers had stopped to check alternative apps, they would have learned that traffic was flowing normally and may have avoided clogging traffic on alternative routes or wasting time speculating about what could have happened to close so many major roads. Apple Maps and Waze accurately charted traffic patterns, and only Google Maps appeared to be affected.

Instead, Google Maps loyalists learned the hard way that Google doesn’t know everything, as the misinformation reportedly caused traffic jams rather than helping drivers avoid them. Some drivers trusted Google so much that they filed reports with police to investigate the issue, with some worrying that a terrorist attack or government hack may have occurred.

On social media, others vented about what they assumed was correct information about supposed closures, The Guardian reported, with one person fuming, “They can’t have closed ALL the motorways!” Another joked that the Google Maps glitch made it look like the autobahn system was suffering “an acne outbreak.”

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2025 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 first drive: Engineered for insane speed

car review, Cars, Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, First drive / Mike M. / May 30, 2025

Cooling for the ZR1 became an even higher priority, because the LT6 and LT7 employ extremely tight tolerances between the crankshaft and connecting rods, which mandates keeping the 5W-50 oil below 120° C (248° F) at all times. And the system simply works, as even on a hot and humid Texas day, I only noticed oil temperatures cresting above 104° C (220° F) occasionally.

The interior is better than any prior generation of Corvette, but it feels prosaic compared to the cockpits of its more exotic mid-engined rivals. Michael Teo Van Runkle

The hardtop convertible ZR1 lacks the split-engine venting and shoulder intakes, while cutting into headroom so much that I skipped out while wearing a helmet. Other journalists noticed a drop-off in performance for the convertibles, and probably more so than the mild weight gains of just about 100 lbs (45 kg) might suggest. Instead, temperatures probably came into play, as the ECU drew back timing and instead allowed mild overboost of 24–25 psi to compensate for the Texas day. Even so, an engineer admitted he thought the engine was probably down 5–10 percent on power.

The fact that I hit my highest-ever top speed despite the ZR1 potentially giving up somewhere between 53 to 106 hp (40–80 kW) only makes this Corvettes sound even more insane. But I essentially wound up driving the turbos, since the DCT’s gear ratios carry over from the Stingray and therefore drop out of peak power when shifting from second to third and third to fourth.

I suspect nothing short of an F1 racecar feels this fast on a circuit of this size. A track designed for corner exit speeds double my pace in the ZR1 helps explain why Chevrolet declined to set us loose on public roads behind the wheel.

A Corvette ZR1 parked by turn 1 at COTA. — We drove it on track—will owners cope with this much power on the street? Credit: Michael Teo Van Runkle

That’s a concern for potential buyers, though, and why the ZR1’s electronics undoubtedly ratchet back the insanity. Chevy still uses Bosch’s ninth-generation traction control, which debuted on C7 and operates on a 10-millisecond loop, even if the ABS runs at 5 milliseconds—while the ESC is at 20 milliseconds. I suspect this computerized nannying slowed me down a fair amount, in addition to the torque-by-gear restrictions in first and second that purposefully protect driveline components.

We’ve probably reached peak internal-combustion Corvette, which is something of a hint about the all-too-real question of where Chevy can go from here. If so, this car reaches a new level of unfathomable American ingenuity, combined with a newfound level of refinement and traction management that attempts to belie the undeniable absurdity to a minimal, arguably necessary, extent.

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Amazon and Stellantis abandon project to create a digital “SmartCockpit”

Amazon, Cars, Stellantis / Kelly Newman / May 29, 2025

Automaker Stellantis and retail and web services behemoth Amazon have decided to put an end to a collaboration on new in-car software. The partnership dates back to 2022, part of a wide-ranging agreement that also saw Stellantis pick Amazon Web Services as its cloud platform for new vehicles and Amazon sign on as the first customer for Ram’s fully electric ProMaster EV van.

A key aspect of the Amazon-Stellantis partnership was to be a software platform for new Stellantis vehicles called STLA SmartCockpit. Meant to debut last year, SmartCockpit was supposed to “seamlessly integrate with customers’ digital lives to create personalized, intuitive in-vehicle experiences,” using Alexa and other AI agents to provide better in-car entertainment but also navigation, vehicle maintenance, and in-car payments as well.

But 2024 came and went without the launch of SmartCockpit, and now the joint work has wound down, according to Reuters, although not for any particular reason the news organization could discern. Rather, the companies said in a statement that they “will allow each team to focus on solutions that provide value to our shared customers and better align with our evolving strategies.”

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