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Category: Highlight

  • 2021 Polestar 2, BMW M3 Touring wagon, “The Batman”: The Week In Reverse

    We took a spin in the 2021 Polestar 2,; the BMW M3 Touring wagon was teased again; and “The Batman” trailer gave us a better look at the upcoming Batmobile. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

    We slid behind the wheel of the 2021 Polestar 2 and found it hits squarely on the brand’s core traits of sustainability, power, performance, and style. It falls short of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y due to its range and the limitations of its traditional internal combustion engine-based platform, but it’s a great first step in the brand’s move to electric vehicles.

    The 2022 Mercedes-AMG GT 63e 4-Door Coupe was spied undergoing testing on public roads with barely any camouflage. A concealed flap on the production-ready prototype’s rear fascia just below the right taillight was likely a charging point for the plug-in hybrid’s battery pack. Expect the electrified fastback to arrive in dealers next year as a 2022 model with as much as 805 hp.

    BMW released a video of the M3 Touring wagon leaving the M division’s headquarters for testing on public roads. The camouflaged prototype featured the trademark quad exhaust setup out back and tall kidney grilles up front, both of which will be featured on the upcoming M3 and M4.

    We laid out a step-by-step guide on how to correct a vehicle’s paint and then protect it. From claying to buffing to waxing, this guide will teach you how to make your car’s paint look like new again.

    A trailer for “The Batman” was released and it gave our first look at what the new Batmobile will look like on the big screen. Spoiler: It’s part muscle car and part supercar with a rear-engine layout and rad lighting. This sleeker car certainly isn’t the brawny Tumbler.

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  • 1989 Nissan 300ZX race car is a throwback to the automaker’s glory days

    Nissan went all-in on IMSA sports car racing in the late 1980s and early ’90s, competing in the top GTP class for prototypes and campaigning the Z31-generation 300ZX in the GTO class. The 300ZX started racing in 1989, and one of the cars from that first season is for sale through Stratas Auctions.

    Between 1989 and ’95 Clayton Cunningham Racing built and raced seven factory-supported Nissan 300ZX GTO race cars, according to the listing. This car—chassis 002—was raced in the 1989 season by Clayton Cunningham and John Morton, garnering seven top-five finishes, with a best finish of third at Mid-Ohio.

    Chassis 002 is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6, which was rumored to have made about 700 horsepower in race trim. That power is sent to the rear wheels through a 5-speed manual transmission and quick-change rear end. Later cars had transaxles, according to the listing.

    The 1989 season exposed some issues, including instability at high speeds, and insufficient brake cooling. So for the 1990 season, chassis 002 was rebuilt as a 2+2; the accompanying wheelbase extension provided more stability. The race team also added a water-cooled brake system.

    1989 Nissan 300ZX IMSA GTO race car for sale by Stratas Auctions

    1989 Nissan 300ZX IMSA GTO race car for sale by Stratas Auctions

    With the upgrades, chassis 002 scored four wins between 1990 and 1992 with drivers Steve Millen and Jeremy Dale, as well as 16 top-three finishes. The car was retired from competition after the 1992 season, and fitted with a passenger seat so it could give rides. It was later sold and used in historic racing.

    That active retirement means the car is no longer in 100% original condition, but it’s ready for track use. The car was repainted in its original red, white, and blue racing livery in 2008, and various parts have been replaced as the originals wore out, according to the listing.

    Head gaskets were replaced, a downtube was added to the frame near the A-pillars for safety reasons, and the original Garrett turbochargers were replaced with modern versions, according to the listing. The original turbos are included with the sale, along with a spare engine. The seller will also assist the buyer with setup and maintenance procedures.

    Nissan teased a new Z sports car in May, and it’s expected to arrive as a 2022 model. It’s unclear if Nissan plans to race this car, which will be the first new Z in over a decade, or if the automaker would bring back the IMSA 300ZX’s classic livery if it did.

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  • Porsche Drive subscription program expands with more affordable single-vehicle option

    Want to impress that Tinder date but you don’t really have the big bucks to buy or lease a luxury car? Porsche may have the answer.

    Beginning Sept. 25, Porsche will kick off a one-vehicle version of the Porsche Drive subscription program. Customers in Los Angeles, Atlanta, Phoenix, and San Diego will soon be able to subscribe to a single Porsche vehicle for one to three months for a one-time all-inclusive price. Porsche Drive was previously available for multiple vehicles and for short-term rentals for a few hours up to a couple of weeks.

    Prices range from $1,500 and $2,600 per month for the one-vehicle monthly option, plus a $595 registration fee. A Macan costs $1,500 per month, a 718 Cayman $1,800, a 718 Boxster or Cayenne $1,950, a Panamera $2,450, and a 911 $2,600.

    Those prices represent a savings versus the multi-vehicle version of Porsche Drive, which is offered in two tiers in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Sand Diego, and now Los Angeles. The program starts at $2,100 a month for all 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster S and below models, the Macan and Macan S, the base Cayenne and Cayenne coupe, and the Panamera and Panamera 4.

    2021 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

    2021 Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

    For $3,100 per month, customers can choose any of the models in the base tier or move up to a variety of 911 models in S trim or below; the GTS versions of the Boxster, Cayman, and Macan; the Cayenne S, Cayenne E-Hybrid Coupe, and Cayenne S Coupe; and the Panamera 4 E-Hybrid and Panamera 4S. Porsche previously said that members switch vehicles an average of 2.5 times per month.

    The prices include delivery, insurance, maintenance, roadside assistance, and concierge service.

    The short-term rental version of the program lets customers choose a model for one-to-three days or four or more days, with some discounts for four-day and longer rentals. Loans as short as four hours are no longer available. Mileage is capped at 200 miles per day, and the price starts at $245 per day for a Macan and ranges up to $395 per day for a 911.

    Those interested in any of the rental or subscription options can sign up through the Porsche Drive app.

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