2022 North American International Auto Show
After a two-year hiatus, the North American International Auto Show has made its way back to Detroit, and with it some once in a generation reveals.
Make that the 7th generation of America’s original pony car as the 2024 Mustang was publicly unveiled in Detroit’s Hart Plaza. Good news for fans, Mustang continues the V8 legacy by offering the most powerful 5.0-liter GT yet, still with a manual transmission standard, as well as a stronger EcoBoost turbo four-cylinder. Aside from the new looks inside, the cabin has also been revamped; big screens, tech-savvy and with enhanced materials throughout.
The 2024 Mustang is expected to go on sale Summer 2023.
Jeep introduced two new 2023 models, each pulling from the automaker’s rich heritage.
The Grand Cherokee 4xe 30th Anniversary Edition and the Wrangler 4xe Willys silently crawled up onto the Jeep stage. As the names suggest, both utilize the brand’s plug-in hybrid system along with special appearance accents. The Grand Cherokee will arrive in dealers early 2023 in limited quantities, whereas the Willys will arrive late 2022.
Chevrolet charged forward with an electrified showcase and one showing internal combustion is far from history.
That reveal was the 2023 Tahoe RST Performance Edition. Its 6.2-liter V8 rates 433 horsepower and 467 lb-ft of torque; a slight increase over the regular RST. Other components were taken by the pursuit-rated police Tahoe.
Alongside it the Equinox EV, with its recently confirmed starting price of “around thirty-thousand dollars” and a standard range of 250 miles. The upcoming Blazer EV and Silverado EV were also on display.
And that does it for this week’s MotorNews!
8th-Gen Dodge Charger, Rivian R2 & R3, and Maserati GranCabrio Reveals
March 22, 2024 The Dodge brand has surprised everyone, unveiling the next-generation Charger with both electric and gas powertrains.
The EV-only 2024 Daytona R/T and Daytona Scat Pack will be available at launch, both using a 93.9 kWh battery pack. The more powerful Scat Pack is capable of 670 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque.
As for gas power, while Charger’s HEMI V8 is out, the Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six is in. Available in standard- and high-output versions, the latter reaches 550 horsepower.
The first two-door Daytona EVs begin production mid-2024, arriving for this model year. They’ll be followed by the internal-combustion Charger and all four-door models in 2025.
Electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian debuted not one, but two smaller, cheaper utilities, the R2 and R3. Both are built on a new midsize platform, with the R2 about 15-inches shorter than the current R1S. The R3 is also a four-door five-seater, but it does so in a slightly more compact, hatchback-like package. It’s joined by the R3X, geared more towards off-road performance.
Exact powertrain details are unconfirmed, but Rivian is aiming for at least 300 miles of range with the larger of two battery options. There will be single-, dual- and tri-motor powertrains. Arriving in 2026, the R2 is expected to start around $45,000, with the R3 undercutting that.
Back on the ICE front, Italian sport luxury maker Maserati showed off the new GranCabrio, a convertible variant of the GranTurismo sports car.
Beautifully sculpted, the GranCabrio is 100 percent made in Italy. Under the hood is a 542-horsepower, twin-turbo V6; a detuned engine from their MC20 super car.
Expect a price tag around $200,000.
And that’s the latest on this week’s Motor News!