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Category: Highlight

  • Ford Bronco Sport Easter eggs, 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport, Mercedes-Benz 500 E: The Week In Reverse

    We checked out the Ford Bronco Sport’s Easter eggs, the 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport debuted, and the Mercedes-Benz 500 E celebrated an anniversary. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

    We went Easter egg hunting in the Ford Bronco Sport. Some of the Easter eggs are useful and act as labels for a feature or where it’s located. Others are more fun, like the surfboard-toting outline of an SUV hidden on the underside of the tailgate glass.

    The one-of-one Bugatti La Voiture Noire was finally completed. Ready to be delivered to its as-yet unnamed owner, the car took two years to develop from low-powered electric design buck to fully functioning gas-powered hypercar. The La Voiture Noire is one of the most expensive new cars ever sold with a price of about $13.2 million based on current exchange rates.

    The 2022 Toyota 4Runner TRD Sport was revealed as a new model with on-road driving in mind. The Cross-Linked Relative Absorber System (X-REAS) suspension was cribbed from the 4Runner Limited’s parts bin to give the latest TRD-badged SUV adaptive dampers that help control pitch and yaw. It’s set to hit dealers later this year.

    We drove the 2021 Aston Martin DBX. The new crossover SUV is an economic reality for a small luxury automaker like Aston Martin to stay in business. That’s not a bad thing as we found it’s a brilliant all-around performer with a fantastic soundtrack from the sport exhaust.

    The Mercedes-Benz 500 E celebrated its 30th anniversary. If only we all aged with this much grace. Built with the help of Porsche, the 500 E was based on the W124 E-Class and ended up being a low-volume, high-performance model that gave Mercedes-Benz a powerful sport sedan at a time when the E34-generation BMW M5 was setting Nürburgring lap records.

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  • Jay Leno checks out the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4

    Jay Leno’s vehicular interests aren’t limited to cars. For this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage, he switches from four wheels to two, getting the details on the 2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 from Jason Chinnock, the company’s North American CEO.

    The Multistrada is designed as a multi-purpose bike (the name means “many roads” in Italian), so it’s proficient in off-roading, city riding, touring, and the sporty style of riding Ducati is known for, Chinnock said. Leno views it as the motorcycle equivalent of performance SUVs like the Aston Martin DBX. Programmable modes change the riding character; they consist of Urban, Sport, Touring, and Enduro. The bike’s suspension pre-load can also be adjusted to accommodate a passenger or baggage.

    Ducati launched the Multistrada in 2003 with a 2-cylinder engine, but the 2021 model sports a V-4 making 170 hp. The transverse-mounted engine has cylinder deactivation for the rear bank of cylinders, but for rider comfort not fuel economy. Shutting off two cylinders reduces heat, helping to keep riders from baking while sitting at stoplights. Winglets direct cooling air toward the rider while underway. The Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) allows clutchless shifts up and down despite the manual transmission.

    2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 on Jay Leno's Garage

    2021 Ducati Multistrada V4 on Jay Leno’s Garage

    The 2021 Multistrada is also the first production motorcycle with radar (the unit is located between the headlights), Chinnock says, which enables blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control. Those features are common in cars these days, but not as widespread in motorcycles.

    The bike’s various features are controlled through an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster. Creature comforts include a heated seat and heated handlebars.

    Ducati has been able to add more features to its newer bikes in part because it’s part of the Volkswagen Group, and can use the massive automaker’s engineering resources. VW was thought to have considered selling off Ducati (along with Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini) as it shifts focus to mass-market electric cars, but the automaker announced in December 2020 that it was keeping Ducati, along with Bentley and Lamborghini.

    Click on the video above for much more information on the Mulstistrada V4 and to see and hear Jay and Jason go for a ride.

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  • Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo school announced to teach owners off-roading skills

    Owners of the 2021 Ford Bronco or Bronco Sport looking to get the most out of their SUVs will soon be able to attend Ford-operated off-road schools. The first Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo opens June 28 near Austin, Texas, with three more locations scheduled to open in the coming months.

    Initial registration is open to all Bronco two-door and four-door order holders, as well as Bronco Sport Badlands and First Edition owners, Ford said Wednesday in a press release.

    Silly name aside, the Bronco Off-Roadeo should give owners plenty of off-roading experience. Each location features 50 miles of trails, designed with input from Vaughn Gittin, Jr. and Loren Healy, two drivers currently racing Broncos in the Ultra4 series.

    The day-and-a-half driving school is designed for both off-road novices and experts, according to Ford. It starts with a 90-minute tutorial explaining the Bronco’s various tech features, such as Trail Control, the G.O.A.T. driving modes, and the Terrain Management System.

    2021 Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo

    2021 Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo

    Other tutorials cover trail etiquette and recovery techniques, including use of recovery straps, winches, and high-lift jacks. Participants can then take two-hour or four-hour trail drives, or even ditch the Broncos and go kayaking, fly fishing, whitewater rafting, or mountain biking.

    The first Bronco Off-Roadeo is located in Horseshoe Bay, Texas, with additional locations planned for Mt. Potosi, Nevada, Moab, Utah, and an unspecified site in the Northeast. They’re scheduled to open in late summer or early fall, Ford said.

    Ford provides the vehicles, but attendees must cover travel and hotel costs. Ford plans to offer packages with nearby hotels and resorts, and the first reservation holders get a $250 credit that can be applied to optional extras during the trip, or the cost of bringing a guest.

    This will likely be many Bronco owners’ first time driving the SUV, as deliveries have been delayed due to pandemic-related supplier issues. The 2021 Bronco will be more powerful than originally stated, at least, so hopefully it will be worth the wait.

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