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Category: Highlight

  • Why Ken Block’s Projekt E Series electric rallycross car blew his mind

    The FIA World Rallycross Championship’s Projekt E series is built around electric cars, and Ken Block is one of the drivers making the switch away from internal-combustion power. In this video, Block puts his Ford Fiesta ERX electric rallycross car through its paces at a circuit in Höljes, Sweden.

    “It’s starting from scratch. It’s a whole new way to race a vehicle,” Block says in the video. He’s sampled a couple of electric cars recently, including the Extreme E series’ off-road racer and the Ford Mustang Mach-E 1400, but the Fiesta is the first electric car Block will race competitively.

    Announced last year, Projekt E will act as a support series to the main World Rallycross Championship, which will continue to use gasoline-powered cars for the time being. The FIA sanctioning body originally wanted to add an EV class to the main series, but that was vetoed by automakers. That means separate events for electric and gasoline cars will be held over a given race weekend.

    Ken Block Projekt E Ford Fiesta electric rallycross car

    Ken Block Projekt E Ford Fiesta electric rallycross car

    Block’s car uses the body from an eighth-generation Fiesta ST (which isn’t sold in the United States), but the road-going version of that car isn’t available with an electric powertrain. However, Ford doesn’t have a suitably sized EV in its lineup right now, and the Fiesta has been the automaker’s go-to rally car for several years now.

    Built by Austrian firm STARD, the car boasts three electric motors, producing about 600 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque combined. It can do zero 60 mph in about 1.8 seconds, according to the race team, with a top speed of 150 mph. Each axle gets its own 2-speed transmission, although only one gear is used in races.

    Block says the car feels heavier, though its weight is lower and its balance is better than a car with a combustion engine to give it a more planted, more solid feel. He also says its actually better than a gas car for his signature “hooning” because the one gear allows the wheels to spin faster.

    Watch the full video for more of Block’s impressions on his new, all-electric ride, and for plenty of tire destruction.

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  • New Mercedes-AMG S63e and S73e reportedly coming with up to 805 horsepower

    A new generation of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class was revealed on Wednesday, but the version most Motor Authority readers will be interested in, the Mercedes-AMG S63, was notably missing.

    That’s because AMG has some major changes pegged for its full-size super sedan, development of which isn’t complete.

    According to Autocar, the S63 will become a plug-in hybrid badged the S63e, and be joined by a new S73e replacing the V-12-powered S65. Crucially, both variants will feature a V-8 under the hood. Recall, AMG gave a sendoff for the V-12 last year with the S65 Final Edition.

    And a similar powertrain setup will reportedly be fitted to both fast sedans, specifically a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 paired with a single electric motor and drive sent to all four wheels. Such a setup was previewed in 2017’s GT concept, which generated 805 horsepower.

    2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

    2021 Mercedes-Benz S-Class

    The S63e will reportedly have around 700 hp, with 134 hp coming from the electric motor. The S73e will reportedly have the full 805 hp, with its electric motor generating 201 hp.

    The current S63 has 603 hp while the last S65 came with 621 hp, so we should be looking at a huge step in performance. A small electric range will also be possible with the new setup.

    Note, the high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain is expected to debut shortly in a new GT 4-Door Coupe variant. The S-Class will likely be the next recipient, after which we will likely see the powertrain in a variant of the next-generation SL-Class.

    While AMG will no longer offer a V-12, S-Class buyers seeking the big engine will be able to opt for it in the Mercedes-Maybach S-Class. The Maybach-enhanced S-Class will debut at Auto Guangzhou 2020 in China this November, according to Autocar.

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  • 2022 Hyundai Tucson teased, debut set for September 14

    The 2022 Hyundai Tucson is ready to be unveiled and it’s going to be wild.

    On Wednesday, the South Korean automaker released some teaser images and a video of the 2022 Tucson and confirmed it will debut on Sept. 14 at 8:30 pm ET.

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    We have a good idea of what the 2022 Tucson will look like thanks to the Vision T Concept shown at the 2019 Los Angeles auto show. The teasers, and spy shots, show a wild design that features lights embedded in and hidden by the grille, a coupe-like profile with a fast roofline, sharp body lines down the sides that flow into bulging rear fenders, and a rear end with vertical LED taillights and a horizontal light spanning that spans the width of the tail.

    2022 Hyundai Tucson teasers

    2022 Hyundai Tucson teasers

    The Vision T concept featured active grille shutters that were individually controlled to optimize and maximize air flow. These are expected to make it into production.

    Hyundai confirmed on Wednesday that the 2022 Tucson will be larger than the current model with a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs.

    2022 Hyundai Tucson teasers

    2022 Hyundai Tucson teasers

    Inside, the 2022 Tucson will feature a low, horizontal dashboard design with an embedded digital gauge cluster. The entire center console appears to be a large touchscreen with no real buttons and a pushbutton gear selector. The four-spoke steering wheel has only a few buttons, which also contributes to a rather sparse look.

    Powertrain specifics haven’t been detailed yet, but expect an inline-4, a turbo-4, and eventually a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Hotter N or N-Line models with as much as 340 horsepower are likely in the mail, though unlikely to be available or announced right away.

    Stay tuned for more updates regarding the 2022 Hyundai Tucson.

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