Category: Speed

Mazda has issued a recall of its current-generation MX-5 Miata because of airbags that may be deployed with excessive force during a crash. The recall affects all MX-5 Miatas built from the 2016-2023 model years, of which 77,670 examples are in the U.S. According to the recall notice published by the NHTSA on Sept. 18 (recall campaign number…

Ford has reduced subscription pricing for BlueCruise automated driver-assist system BlueCruise still comes with 90-day complimentary trial period Ford offering customers a one-time purchase option for BlueCruise for the first time Ford is making it easier to access BlueCruise, by slashing pricing for the hands-free driving system for highways…

Rolls-Royce has been spotted testing a prototype for an updated Ghost sedan. The updates will likely constitute a mid-cycle refresh for the current Ghost, which arrived on the market for the 2021 model year. Expect the updated version, which Rolls-Royce typically refers to as Series II cars, to arrive as a 2026 model in the U.S. That means a debut…

Stellantis is recalling 194,000 Jeep 4xe plug-in hybrid SUVs globally after 13 reports of battery fires, and is telling owners to park outside and away from structures, as well as avoid charging, until a fix is implemented. Stellantis confirmed that 154,032 U.S.-market vehicles are affected, as well as 14,038 in Canada, 673 in Mexico, and 25,502…

Motor Authority’s email newsletter will shift to a new afternoon delivery schedule, while we add coverage in the mornings. To bring you more timely news at more convenient times Motor Authority’s daily email newsletter will be split into two starting next week. Today’s daily headlines newsletter that ships to your email inbox at 12:05 pm ET will…

More than 90,000 Mazda MX-5 Miata and Fiat 124 convertible roadsters have been recalled for front airbags that can deploy with excessive force, putting front seat occupants in a kind of danger airbags are designed to prevent. Front-seat occupants are the only possible occupants in the two-seat convertibles. The recall covers 77,670 current…

Renault will no longer build F1 power units after 2025 F1 power unit staff to focus on EV technology, including Alpine supercar Alpine supercar due by 2030, possibly with solid-state batteries A major shakeup is underway at the Viry-Châtillon motorsports skunkworks located south of Paris, which serves both Renault and its Alpine performance…

The fourth-generation Continental GT Speed and GTC convertible tap into plug-in hybrid power The GT Speed First Edition as tested costs $302,100 The GTC Speed First Edition convertible as tested cost $332,200 The Swiss Alps are objectively beautiful. With their ragged glacier peaks coursing with waterfalls like veins into verdant valleys clanging…

Chevy dropped the price and increased the range and power of the 2025 Blazer EV, Chevrolet revealed on Friday. A new front-wheel-drive model is the new base model with a price of $45,995, including a $1,395 destination fee. Additionally, every 2025 Blazer EV qualifies for a $7,500 tax credit at the point of purchase. That model had been promised…

Lucid may be out to break the electric vehicle lap record for the Nurburgring Nordschleife, which was set by the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT in March of this year. An Air Sapphire prototype was recently spotted doing laps of the ‘Ring, covered by a light camouflage wrap and sporting racing seats.

CarSpyMedia posted a video of the Air Sapphire, which starts by showing the driver swerving at the start of the lap to put heat into the tires to get them to provide maximum grip. This is a strong indication that they may have been preparing the car for a hot lap, as is the aggressive cornering shown throughout the video.

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Lucid will have a tough time taking the record from the Taycan Turbo GT, whose two motors deliver a 1,019 horsepower burst of power for 10 seconds that allows the car to sprint to sixty in 2.2 seconds with launch control. It’s not quite as quick in a straight line as the Air Sapphire, whose claimed sprint time dips under the 2-second mark thanks to 1,234 hp from its three electric motors.

However, you can get the Taycan Turbo GT with the Weissach package, which adds additional aero components that improve downforce, Attack Mode, which unleashes the full potential of the motors and makes the power delivery more aggressive, as well as removing the rear seat and replacing some of the steel panels in the back with lightweight carbon fiber. The Weissach package makes the Turbo GT 165 pounds lighter, bringing the car to 4,894 lbs.

The Air Sapphire is over 440 pounds heavier and it has narrower rear tires. It’s not going to be as quick through the corners as the Turbo GT Weissach, but its superior power and torque should make up some of the difference on the straights. The current Nurburgring Nordschleife EV lap record stands at 7:07.55, which is on par with a track-honed 911 GT3 RS, and with its extra weight, the Air Sapphire stands little chance of challenging it.

It should have no problem posting a quicker lap time than the Tesla Model S Plaid, whose quickest-ever lap time was 7:25.231. It will be interesting to see if Lucid explains why it took an Air Sapphire to the Nurburgring, whether it was looking to break records or just test its hottest model on one of the world’s most challenging drives.