Mercedes-Benz Mercedes is strongly considering making an about face on its decision to use an F1-derived four-cylinder hybrid in the upcoming AMG CLE63 in favor of a less powerful twin-turbo V8. It seems that no matter how many horses a hybrid engine can give, the allure of a big V8 and the image it bestows is more compelling than any argument AMG can make about performance. The decision to give the Mercedes-AMG CLE63 eight cylinders after all allegedly comes from on high. Autocar reports that senior officials at the company say the new coupe and cabriolet will boast V8 power due to a lack of ..read more

Ram Stellantis has spent the last decade wringing every cent it could out of thirsty Jeeps, V8 Rams, and its dual Dodge muscle cars. That came at the expense of its electrification efforts, which had the auto conglomerate buying up carbon credits galore until recently. Now, Stellantis doesn’t want to just play catch-up, but leapfrog the competition with its raft of PHEVs and—of all things—a reported hydrogen Ram HD pickup. Citing German outlet Welt am Sonntag, Wards Auto writes that Stellantis has commenced manufacture of a hydrogen fuel-cell Ram 5500 in Poland, where the truck is said to be ..read more

Porsche. Those looking to enhance the track prowess of their mid-engined track Porsche now have a new factory-backed option to consider. Manthey Racing has collabed with Porsche itself to develop a new kit for the heroic 718 Cayman GT4 RS, and it’s now available in the U.S. Further increasing the car’s ability to bully its way around a circuit, the kit includes aero bits that almost double the downforce at 124 mph (372 pounds versus the standard car’s 196); the necessary carbon fiber reinforcements in the engine cover to compensate; an extra rear wing position (four rather than the standard c ..read more

Mother’s Day snuck right up on you. Now, you’re panicking to find the perfect last-minute gift. Don’t worry. You don’t need to take advantage of Mom loving whatever you decide to give her and show up with some cheap flowers and lottery tickets. Especially not when I’ve taken the time to round up all of the best Mother’s Day deals running on Amazon for Moms who get out there and get after it.  The easiest way to win Mother’s Day is by hopping on the Dometic deal that’s headlining the article. At $971.68, it’s no small investment. However, a portable refrigerator like this will totally tra ..read more

I’ve brought up Barry Schwarz’s theory regarding the paradox of choice a couple of times in the past. In my two decades of reviewing products professionally, I can’t remember another category that represents this as well as dash cams. Looking on Amazon, a quick search returns over 2,000 choices, with this Viofo A229 Pro, being one of them. Although your choices come in every shape and size imaginable, most cameras use Sony STARVIS sensors. You might wonder how much difference there is between them. It turns out, there can be quite a bit. The A229 Pro is a 3-channel dash cam. It has a forward ..read more

Ford Ford Raptor models are so popular now that they can seem like everyday trucks. But just because you see more of them running around town than the desert doesn’t mean they aren’t capable. These rigs first made a name for themselves and continue to build their reputation by tackling the world’s toughest off-road races; think Baja in Mexico and Finke in Australia. Soon, a Ford Raptor will take on Dakar with some of the rally world’s most accomplished personnel behind the controls. The Blue Oval and its purpose-built race truck, which is teased in the photos and video clips attached here, wi ..read more

James Gilboy The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road and 2024 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X couldn’t be more different. One’s based on a new platform that fits hybrid power, the other’s a rehash of an old truck that’s the only six-cylinder holdout in class. By all measures, the newer Toyota should trounce the older Nissan. But it doesn’t, and in back-to-back off-road tests, the two performed more similarly than different. In the end, the choice between them comes down to a handful of areas that still aren’t quite decisive. I tested the two trucks together at a temporary off-road course at The Ridge Moto ..read more

Speed District / Bring a Trailer Volkswagen did something truly unhinged back in 2007 when it built the Golf GTI W12-650. Two months before Austria’s annual Wörthersee gathering of Vee-dub faithful, designers widened a Mk5 GTI and stuffed the W12 engine from a Bentley Continental GT in the trunk. Named for its engine type and power output, the result was incredible—and terrifying. With the front brakes from an Audi RS4, the rear axles and brakes from a Lamborghini Gallardo, and the gearbox from a VW Phaeton, the mid-engined freak accelerated from zero to 60 mph in under four seconds on its wa ..read more

Cameron Crawford, @__c.crawford__ on Instagram Among the most dangerous new kinds of bad drivers are those that think self-driving cars exist. They’ve been mostly confined to Teslas so far, but it seems the delusion is contagious. Take this Ford Super Duty driver, who has filmed himself chilling in the back seat as the truck rolls down the highway at 80-something mph with nobody in the driver’s seat, endangering everyone in the vicinity. The video in question (mirror) was uploaded by Instagram user @__c.crawford__. Cameron James (or Crawford) is depicted lying down in the back seat of his 202 ..read more

Bugatti. A couple of months ago, Bugatti revealed to the world that it’s dropping its legendary W16, in favor of an entirely new V16. However, the configuration—switching from a “W” to a “V”—isn’t the only thing that’s new. Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac recently spoke at the Future of the Car Summit, during which he dropped a couple of info nuggets about the new engine. Most importantly, it’s going to be naturally aspirated. Rimac didn’t dish out details on displacement or power figures, but he did say that Bugatti is dropping turbochargers in favor of natural aspiration, with a hybrid boost ..read more