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Category: Highlight

Ferrari Portofino M, Nissan Z Proto, Engler FF: This Week’s Top Photos

Ferrari’s Portofino was transformed into the Portofino M this week. The transformation included the addition of an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission and some extra horsepower, with the new mechanicals basically lifted out of the Roma.

2022 BMW iNext spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

BMW is working on a Tesla Model X rival that will offer more than 400 miles of range. The vehicle is code-named the iNext, and the latest prototypes are the most revealing yet.

2021 Porsche 911 GT3 spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

Another upcoming vehicle spotted testing was the next 911 GT3 based on the 992 generation of Porsche’s sports car icon. The latest shots show the new GT3 testing alongside its predecessor, providing an excellent contrast between the two designs.

Nissan Z Proto

Nissan is working on a redesign for its Z sports car, the long-awaited Z35 generation. It’s expected to arrive in 2022 as a 2023 model and Nissan gaven us a preview this week with the Z Proto.

Engler FF

A company in the United Kingdom unveiled a quad bike powered by a 1,100-horsepower V-10. If you’re brave enough to push it to the limit, you’ll be able to rocket to 62 mph from rest in 2.5 seconds and keep accelerating until you reach over 217 mph.

McLaren Senna GTR LM

A vehicle with similar performance to the Engler is McLaren’s Senna GTR. Five lucky customers will soon take delivery of an extra-special version packing more power and a bespoke, hand-painted livery. The individual liveries each pay homage to one of the five F1 GTR race cars that competed at the 1995 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished the race.

2021 Jaguar F-Pace

Jaguar’s F-Pace has always been a looker but the small crossover SUV’s interior has always been wanting. Jaguar finally addressed the issue this week with an updated 2021 F-Pace that boasts an even more handsome look and revamped cabin.

2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge

And finally, we took a spin in the 2020 Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge. Compared to the already impressive standard Dawn, the Black Badge version features a power boost and a darkened treatment with an aero cowling to stand out even more in its rarefied class.

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September 19, 2020
Cadillac Super Cruise users are about to get a $25 per month surprise: 3-year trial expiring

Always read the fine print. That’s the lesson Cadillac Super Cruise users are about to learn.

First reported by Motor Trend in September, Cadillac’s Super Cruise hands-free driver assist system—a Level 2 system—comes with a three-year trial before requiring a subscription for continued use.

For the earliest adopters, that trial is about to end. Super Cruise was first offered on the 2018 Cadillac CT6 (it was standard on the Platinum trim and part of a $5,000 package on Premium Luxury models), with vehicles arriving in showrooms in September of 2017.

Cadillac spokesman Stefan Cross confirmed to Motor Authority the original trials are about to end and owners are being notified on 30 days before the three-year trial expires.

Cross told Motor Authority that 2018 CT6 Super Cruise owners will get an extra year on the initial three-year trial.

“Looking at the original disclosure and current disclosure, both say owners will need an active Super Cruise subscription and OnStar plan,” said Cross. And it was displayed on the window sticker under the Cadillac Owner Benefits section.

Super Cruise is more than the hardware embedded into the vehicle. “Super Cruise requires both OnStar and connectivity to operate,” Cross said. The mapping data and updates all require a connected service plan.

Cross said customers can purchase a stand alone Super Cruise plan for $25 per month or add Super Cruise to certain OnStar bundles for $15 per month.

“At this point customers will have the option to renew to keep Super Cruise working properly or let it lapse,” Cross notes, with different pricing options for customers, including a standalone subscription option. “It won’t be a one-size fits all.”

Super Cruise received a large update in 2019 that allowed it to work on 200,000 miles of highway in the U.S. and Canada. The update added 70,000 miles of map data to the CT6 sedans that featured Super Cruise.

When the system arrives on the 2021 CT4 and CT5, along with the 2021 Escalade, it will gain the ability to change lanes with the tap of a turn-signal stalk.

Update: This article has been updated with Super Cruise subscription pricing.

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September 18, 2020
Lewis Hamilton no longer drives supercar collection because it hurts the planet

Six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has a collection of supercars that he no longer drives out of concern for the environment, he said last week during a press conference for the Formula One Tuscan Grand Prix (which he ended up winning).

Hamilton said the only road cars he currently drives are the battery-electric Mercedes-Benz EQC and Smart EQ ForTwo.

Hamilton also said he requests to be picked up from airports in electric vehicles wherever possible, and that he no longer flies on his own private jet to help reduce his carbon footprint. He actually got rid of the jet last year.

The reigning F1 champion previously had quite a car collecting habit. In a 2018 interview, Hamilton said he owned two Shelby Cobras, a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 recreation, a Ferrari 599 SA Aperta, a LaFerrari and LaFerrari Aperta, a McLaren P1, and a Pagani Zonda. At the time, he said the cars were split between Los Angeles and Monaco.

Lewis Hamilton introduces the Mercedes-AMG Project One at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show

In 2015, Hamilton entered the Gumball 3000 Rally, driving a Koenigsegg Agera S.

Hamilton has also been involved in the development of the Mercedes-AMG One hypercar, which uses the actual engine from Mercedes’ championship-winning F1 cars. That development work is taking longer than expected, delaying the start of deliveries to 2021.

Hamilton recently announced that he is forming a team for the Extreme E electric off-road racing series, which he sees an opportunity to promote greater environmental awareness.

In January, organizers released a provisional five-race 2021 calendar with races in remote locations like Greenland and Dakar, Senegal. Races will be held without spectators onsite, which should ensure minimal disturbance to the natural environment, and means Extreme E could launch on schedule despite the coronavirus pandemic.

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September 17, 2020