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Category: Highlight

  • 2022 Toyota Tundra, 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning, 2021 Acura TLX Type S: The Week In Reverse

    The 2022 Toyota Tundra was teased, the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning broke cover, and we drove the 2021 Acura TLX Type S. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

    The 2022 Toyota Tundra was teased, and it looks large. The dark, shadowy image released by Toyota shows a front end with LED lighting and amber marker lights. Either the new Tundra’s going to be really wide—requiring extra marker lights—or the automaker’s making it look tougher than it is with some aftermarket design elements straight from the factory.

    The 2023 BMW 7-Series was spotted again, this time undergoing high-speed testing on the Nürburgring. The flagship luxury sedan prototype didn’t have production-ready lightning, but the headlights appear to be set lower in the bumper than the current model, and we can see lots of cameras for the various driver-assist systems.

    The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning debuted with up to 300 miles of range, 563 hp and 775 lb-ft of torque, four-wheel drive, and lots of smart worksite capability. Production of the electric F-150 Lightning is set to begin next summer, and a work truck version will cost $39,974 before tax incentives.

    Elon Musk tweeted that the first deliveries of the Tesla Model S Plaid models will take place on June 3 at an event at the automaker’s California plant. The Plaid model is said to capable of launching from 0-60 mph in less than 2.0 seconds. Surprisingly, it looks like the first deliveries will arrive ahead of the promised schedule of this fall.

    We drove the 2021 Acura TLX Type S and found it to be an overachiever on the street, but out of its comfort zone on the track at Laguna Seca. While the TLX Type S is a fun, sporty daily driver, it’s slower than and not as well balanced as the German competition. It also costs less than those competitors, and that makes it a value play.

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  • 2012 Lexus LFA for sale in boring color, but with low mileage

    The 2012 Lexus LFA was a high-water mark for Toyota’s luxury brand. The car never got a direct successor, but a practically untouched example with less than 500 miles is scheduled to cross the block at RM Sotheby’s Amelia Island auction on May 22.

    Finished in Steel Gray, this car isn’t as distinctive as the brown LFA that came up for sale earlier this year, but it’s still quite rare. Number 430 of 500 cars built, it’s one of only 11 finished in this particular hue, according to the listing.

    The LFA was meant as a halo car for Lexus, giving the brand more prestige and using some of parent Toyota’s Formula One experience to do it. It’s powered by a 5.2-liter V-10 that makes 552 hp and 334 lb-ft of torque, with a 9,000-rpm redline. The engine and the LFA’s carbon-fiber body still seem modern today, but the 6-speed single-clutch automated manual transmission gives away the car’s age.

    2012 Lexus LFA (Photo by RM Sotheby's)

    2012 Lexus LFA (Photo by RM Sotheby’s)

    Production of the LFA ended in December 2012, and the last car reached the U.S. in February 2013. The listing claims Lexus imported approximately 190 cars to the U.S., although other sources say 178 cars were imported.

    Either way, the LFA was a slow seller. Five new, unregistered cars remained up for grabs as of January 2020 likely due to the outlandish $375,000 starting price. Some dealerships held onto their LFAs as display pieces to drive showroom traffic.

    It’s unclear if this LFA will meet its pre-auction estimate of $425,000 to $500,000, which is a significant increase over the $388,300 the owner originally paid for it. However, that’s still a lot less than the aforementioned brown LFA, which was listed for sale through an exotic-car dealership earlier this year with a $680,000 asking price.

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  • VW ID.X concept teases an electric hot hatch

    Volkswagen has given us our best look yet at what an electric successor to the Golf R might be like.

    CEO Ralph Brandstaetter on Wednesday posted photos of an ID.X concept car to his personal LinkedIn page, together with some key specs.

    The ID.X concept is based on the ID.3 compact electric hatchback sold overseas. It was developed by VW engineers as an exploratory project, and could potentially be given the production green light. Brandstaetter said in his post that even if production doesn’t happen, “many ideas” could be adopted for other products.

    The ID.X features an 82-kilowatt-hour battery and dual-motor all-wheel-drive system. Peak output is 328 hp, which is 13 hp more than the latest Golf R and 26 hp more than the most potent ID electric vehicle to date, in this case the ID.4 AWD Pro.

    Volkswagen ID X concept

    Volkswagen ID X concept

    Alright, so it’s slightly more powerful than the Golf R, but what about the weight of the battery? To get around this, the engineers managed to strip out 441 pounds compared to the stock ID.3. Brandstaetter didn’t mention how this was achieved, but one measure is likely to have been the use of lighter materials in the cabin. You’ll also notice the cabin features sports seats lined in Alcantara.

    According to Brandstaetter, the concept will cover the 0-62 mph dash in just 5.3 seconds. There’s even a drift mode similar to what you find in the Golf R.

    Might we see production? Given VW’s success with hot hatches, the automaker would be silly to ignore the potential. Perhaps that’s why it teased an electric Golf R concept a year ago.

    There are other automakers willing to enter this space. Geely’s new premium EV brand Zeekr unveiled a 536-hp hot hatch in April, and Mini has confirmed it is developing electric John Cooper Works models. We’re sure VW won’t want to miss out.

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