Maxxd.com

Category: Highlight

  • 2021 BMW M3, 2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder, VW Group solid-state battery plans: The Week In Reverse

    We drove the 2021 BMW M3, the 2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder broke cover, and VW Group detailed its solid-state battery plans. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

    We slid behind the wheel of the 2021 BMW M3 Competition and found it’s worth looking beyond the aggressive front grille. The chassis, engine, and suspension are all a return to form for the German legend, while the interior is a bit chintzy.

    Shelby American announced the 2021 Ford Shelby Super Snake Speedster with up to 825 hp and a manual transmission. Based on the current Mustang, the Speedster is a two-seater with a custom tonneau cover over the rear. A wide-body kit can be added for a meaner appearance.

    The 2021 Ford F-150 Police Responder made its debut with a top speed of 120 mph, an upgraded infotainment system, over-the-air update capability, and a new four-wheel-drive system. A hybrid powertrain isn’t in the mix, for now, but with 400 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque, this police truck has plenty of grunt.

    The 2022 Ford Maverick pickup truck was spotted testing on public roads in production form. The compact pickup is based on the bones of the Bronco Sport crossover SUV and will feature turbocharged engines, front- or all-wheel drive, and around eight inches of ground clearance.

    The Volkswagen Group detailed its electric car battery plans through 2030. The German automaker plans further development of solid-state batteries, with the new technology possibly hitting the road in 2025. A company executive said solid-state batteries will have the ability to charge to 80% capacity in as little as 12 minutes.

    Source

  • Dodge finally makes Gold Rush heritage hue available on Charger

    To celebrate 50 years since the launch of the original Challenger muscle car in 1969, Dodge a couple of years back introduced a special 50th anniversary version of the modern Challenger that was offered in a handful of retro colors, one of which was an exclusive hue called Gold Rush.

    Last year the color was made available on more Challenger variants and now Charger fans get to join in on the fun, too.

    Dodge this week announced that buyers of the 2021 Charger can order their cars in Gold Rush, but only on the R/T, R/T Scat Pack, R/T Scat Pack Widebody, SRT Hellcat and SRT Hellcat Redeye variants. The cars also need to be equipped with the Charger’s Satin Black hand-painted hood, roof and trunk lid.

    Gold Rush is one of seven retro colors now offered on the Charger. The others include Frostbite, Hellraisin, Sinamon Stick, TorRed, F8 Green and Go Mango.

    2021 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody in Gold Rush paint

    2021 Dodge Charger Scat Pack Widebody in Gold Rush paint

    The 2021 model year also saw the Charger made available in the 797-hp SRT Hellcat Redeye grade. The super muscle sedan will run the quarter-mile in 10.6 seconds and top out at 203 mph.

    Other changes for 2021 are minor. They include the addition of 20-inch wheels as standard on the GT AWD and SXT AWD, as well as SRT branding on the Brembo brakes of some of the high-end models.

    As for the future of the Charger, we’ll have to keep waiting for a redesign. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now Stellantis) made it known last year that more derivatives of the current Charger, as well as the related Challenger and Chrysler 300, are coming in the years ahead. This will buy time until successor models can be developed, likely without V-8 engines.

    Source

  • Bright yellow Mil-Spec M1-R is an 800-hp go-anywhere, look-at-me off-road Hummer H1

    Michigan-based off-road monster specialist Mil-Spec Automotive has unveiled what it calls its most ambitious build to date. The Mil-Spec M1-R is a heavily modified Hummer H1 with a $412,000 price tag.

    The M1-R kicks off a new M1 series of Hummer builds that Mil-Spec calls its second generation, after the Launch Edition model that first appeared in 2018. The upgrades start in the engine bay, where Mil-Spec installed a balanced-and-blueprinted Duramax LBZ 6.6-liter diesel V-8, which drives all four wheels through an Allison 1000 T6 automatic transmission.

    The General Motors-sourced diesel engine produces 500 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque in the standard M1, according to Mil-Spec’s website, but the M1-R boasts 800 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. To handle that power, Mil-Spec gave the M1-R Wilwood brakes with 6-piston calipers, an air-locking differential, and Rod Hall long-travel racing suspension.

    Mil-Spec Automotive M1-R Hummer H1

    Mil-Spec Automotive M1-R Hummer H1

    As if a stock Hummer H1 didn’t attract enough attention, Mil-Spec sprayed the M1-R in custom yellow paint inspired by the factory H1 Competition Yellow, but with a bit of metalflake thrown in. Based on the H1 soft-top body style, the truck also gets a large spare-tire carrier that takes up most of the bed, and elaborate front armor.

    Mil-Spec said it eliminated all plastic from the interior. The switchgear is metal, while nearly everything else is covered in nappa leather in a shade that matches the exterior. A pushbutton gear selector replaces the stock shift lever.

    While the M1-R was a one-off commissioned build, Mil-Spec is taking orders for the standard M1, which has a (slightly) less shocking $299,500 price (including the cost of a donor vehicle).

    Source