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Category: Highlight

  • This Week’s Top Photos: 2021 Shanghai auto show edition

    This week’s Auto Shanghai 2021 was the first major auto show to be held since the pandemic hit, and it didn’t disappoint. But it wasn’t the established automakers that stormed the show. Rather, it was China’s domestic brands which put their mark on their home show for the first time.

    Case in point was a new hypercar from luxury brand Hongqi. The hypercar is called the S9, and it features a V-8-based plug-in hybrid powertrain good for 1,400 hp. Just 99 examples are expected to be built.

    Hongqi L-Concept - 2021 Shanghai auto show

    Hongqi L-Concept – 2021 Shanghai auto show

    Hongqi also used the Shanghai auto show to present a flagship concept. Called the Hongqi L-Concept, the show car is a striking sedan with a fastback profile, suicide-style doors, and we’re told even hanging mood lighting with crystal elements.

    2021 Zeekr 001 - 2021 Shanghai auto show

    2021 Zeekr 001 – 2021 Shanghai auto show

    Zeekr (Ji Ke in China), Geely’s new brand designed to target Tesla with sporty cars packed with the latest in vehicle technology, showed its first product. That first product was a handsome hot hatch with over 500 hp on tap.

    2022 Xpeng P5 - 2021 Shanghai auto show

    2022 Xpeng P5 – 2021 Shanghai auto show

    Xpeng presented the P5 in Shanghai, a small electric sedan with world-first self-driving technology. The P5 is the first production vehicle fitted with lidar, a technology that enables it to sense a much wider environment than if it relied on radar and camera systems alone.

    Hengchi 1 - 2021 Shanghai auto show

    Hengchi 1 – 2021 Shanghai auto show

    A cashed-up electric-vehicle startup by the name of Hengchi unveiled a total of nine vehicles, one of which was a Tesla Model S rival. Hengchi, which plans to start production of its first model in 2022, is the parent company of NEVS, the company that tried to save Saab.

    MG Cyberster concept - 2021 Shanghai auto show

    MG Cyberster concept – 2021 Shanghai auto show

    MG isn’t a Chinese brand, but its parent company, SAIC, is one of the country’s biggest automakers. In Shanghai, MG unveiled a striking concept that teases a rival to electric sports cars like the Tesla Roadster.

    Audi A6 E-Tron concept

    Audi A6 E-Tron concept

    But what about non-Chinese automakers? Audi surprised everyone with its stunning A6 E-Tron Concept. The stunning electric sedan is one of 20 EVs Audi plans to have in its lineup by 2025, and we should see it on sale in 2023.

    Toyota BZ4X concept - 2021 Shanghai auto show

    Toyota BZ4X concept – 2021 Shanghai auto show

    And finally, Toyota used the show to preview its first volume EV, also with a thinly veiled concept. It’s called the BZ4X, and its production counterpart should be at dealerships in 2022.

    There was much more in Shanghai. As always, you’ll find our complete coverage over at our dedicated hub.

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  • Prince’s car collection, Lincoln Zephyr Reflection, 2022 Porsche 911 GT3: The Week In Reverse

    We looked at Prince’s car collection, Lincoln previewed its future, and we drove the 2022 Porsche 911 GT3. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

    This week marked the fifth anniversary of pop star Prince’s death. When the artist died at the age of 57 his garage contained 18 vehicles. This week we took a look at the ones that either stood out or were the most surprising.

    The Lincoln Zephyr Reflection was unveiled at Auto Shanghai 2021. While the gorgeous sedan won’t come to the U.S., its design gives a good indication of where the brand is headed designwise. The Zephyr Reflection previews a production model bound for the Chinese market later this year.

    The 2022 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT 73 4-Door Coupe was spied wearing minimal camouflage. The 800-plus-hp super hatch will be a plug-in hybrid serving as a range-topper in the GT 4-Door Coupe lineup. Expect it to debut officially later this year.

    Cadillac’s done with gas-powered cars. The brand’s North American boss, Rory Harvey, said every new vehicle the luxury automaker introduces going forward will be electric, and that will start with the 2023 Lyriq.

    We drove the 2022 Porsche 911 GT3 and found it’s the best 911 yet. The new front suspension has done wonders for the car’s power delivery, especially when exiting a corner, and the steering feel is spot on.

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  • 1999 Chevrolet Corvette on Jay Leno’s Garage

    Neither classic nor brand new, the C5 Corvette can be easily overlooked. But this generation has a lot to offer, Jay Leno explains in a rundown of his 1999 Chevrolet Corvette on his Jay Leno’s Garage YouTube show.

    Launched for the 1997 model year, the C5 was a pivotal moment for the Corvette. General Motors had let the sports car languish, keeping the aging C4 Corvette in production as rivals surpassed it. As documented in the book “All Corvettes Are Red,” the Detroit giant even considered killing off the Corvette, rather than spending money on development of a C4 replacement.

    The C5 did get the green light, and it introduced several key engineering features. It kept the fiberglass bodywork of previous generations, but added a stiffer chassis made with hydroformed rails, as well as a rear-mounted transaxle to improve weight distribution. That basic layout would carry over to the following C6 and C7 generations, only changing for the mid-engine C8 Corvette in 2020.

    1999 Chevrolet Corvette on Jay Leno's Garage

    1999 Chevrolet Corvette on Jay Leno’s Garage

    This generation also introduced the LS1 V-8, which made 345 horsepower initially. A Z06 performance model was introduced in 2001, with a more powerful version of the V-8 dubbed LS6. It made 385 hp at first, but was later upgraded to 405 hp.

    The C5 kept the pop-up headlights and general proportions of the C4 generation, but with smoother surfaces that gave the C5 a more modern look. The C5 launched as a fastback coupe with removable large roof panels; convertible and notchback coupe body styles were added to the lineup later.

    Leno, who got his C5 in exchange for driving the Indianapolis 500 pace car, seemed most impressed that Chevy could offer a car like this at a (relatively) affordable price, without pushing into the six-figure range. That’s still the case with the current Corvette Stingray, which offers 3.0-second 0-60 mph acceleration for around $60,000.

    Click on the video above for more on the C5 Corvette’s history and engineering, and to see Jay drive the car on the streets of Los Angeles. As always, it’s a pleasure to hear the growl of the LS1 V-8.

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