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New Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 Priced From £155k In The UK, Nearly £16k More Than 751HP Taycan Turbo S

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Two months ago, Mercedes unveiled the AMG EQS 53 at the Munich Motor Show as the first electric vehicle to wear the AMG badge. Now, the German automaker has released pricing for it, and it’s about what you’d expect for a range-topping high-performance EV sedan.

The EQS 53 will start at £154,995 (equal to around $208,000 at current exchange rates) in the UK, or 55% more than the base EQS 450’s starting price of £99,995. It’s also more expensive than the current flagship Porsche Taycan Turbo S that’s rated for 761PS / 751HP and kicks off from £139,280 (about $186,900).

For that money, you get a dual-motor AWD drivetrain producing 649 hp (658 PS / 484 kW) and 701 lb-ft (950 Nm) of instant electric torque. Upgrade to the AMG Performance Package with the Night Edition that pushes the starting price to £163,900 (around $220,000) though, and that same drivetrain produces 751 hp (761 PS / 560 kW) and 752 lb-ft (1020 Nm) of torque.

Read More: Electrifying 751-HP Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 Is Benz’s New Performance Flagship Limo

The former enables a 3.8-second sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) with a top speed of 137 mph (220 km/h), while the latter allows for 3.4 seconds to 62 mph with a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h). The range is the same for both, with a WLTP-estimated 358 miles (576 km) on tap from the car’s 107.8 kWh battery.

Standard features on all variants include the 56-inch Hyperscreen, an AR heads-up display, Nappa leather upholstery, a Burmester® surround sound system, a Parking package with Active Parking Assist, and 360° camera, Driving Assistance Package Plus, AMG sound programs, AMG-specific bodywork, and an AMG steering wheel.

Included with the Night Edition are 21-inch AMG alloy wheels, a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel, and sport pedals. Upgrading to the £8,995 AMG Performance Package (which is only available with the Night Edition) gets you carbon-ceramic brakes, AMG Dynamic Plus boost for Race Start, the AMG Sound Experience, the AMG Driver’s Package with increased top speed, AMG TRACK PACE, and AMG carbon-fiber interior trim.

Related: 2023 Mercedes-AMG EQE 53 Spied Almost Undisguised With Different Wheel Designs

Finally, serving as a counterpart to the bold Night Edition is the more subtle Touring specification, which comes with 22-inch AMG multi-spoke alloy wheels and elegant ambient lighting in the cabin. On top of that, you can opt for the £2,995 Rear Luxury Lounge package (only available with the Touring), which outfits the multi-contour rear seats with black Exclusive Nappa leather upholstery, power reclining, luxury headrests, neck and shoulder heating, comfort armrests, separate climate controls, an MBUX tablet, wireless charging, and additional USB ports.

The 2022 Mercedes-AMG EQS 53 4MATIC+ is currently on sale now, with the first UK deliveries expected to arrive in April 2022.

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Subaru Previews Fully Electric STI E-RA And Three More STI Performance Concepts For Tokyo Auto Salon

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Subaru will join the Tokyo Auto Salon 2022 with a bunch of interesting concept cars that were previewed today in a press release. The most important launch will be the STI E-RA Concept signalling the electric era of the performance brand, but we are also going to see “STI Performance” variants of the WRX S4, Levorg, and BRZ in concept form.

The STI E-RA Concept is described as a “study model of motorsport vehicles for the carbon-neutral era,” so don’t get your hopes up for a production vehicle anytime soon since this is probably a racing car prototype. However, as suggested by the teaser, the model will introduce new design elements that could be used in future Subaru vehicles like the C-shaped LED headlights mounted on the fenders, the double vented bonnet, the red illuminated STI badge on the low nose, and the front bumper with a prominent splitter. Subaru didn’t give us details on the powertrain, other than it will be fully electric.

See Also: 2023 Subaru Solterra Arrives In America With 220+ Mile Range And Standard AWD

Besides the motorsport concept for the new era, Subaru will also showcase three “STI Performance” concepts of the WRX S4, the Levorg, and the BRZ. The first one was previewed in an official picture showing additional aero components, which will likely be the case with the other two as well.

Compared to the WRX S4 STI Sport R that is already on sale in Japan and served as a base for the concept, the new aero includes a splitter, side sills and rear bumper extensions painted in pink, matching mirror caps and STI emblem, plus a large carbon-fiber rear spoiler. The bumpers seem to be slightly redesigned for a sportier look while there is a new set of black rims shod in performance tires. We are not sure if there will be any mechanical upgrades over the production model but Subaru also mentioned a performance muffler.

See Also: Subaru Unveils WRX S4 In Japan With STI Sport R Flagship Trim Level

Similarly, the Levorg STI Performance concept will be based on the recently announced Levorg STI Sport R trim. It will feature cherry red accents on the additional aero components, a performance muffler, plus items “that will improve the usability” of the performance-oriented wagon. As for the BRZ STI Performance concept, it will add performance parts to the BRZ S grade painted in the same cherry red shade.

Lastly, the BRZ GT300 2021 racing car that won the class victory this year will be also exhibited at the Subaru booth, where the automaker will make announcements for the 2022 motorsport team. A lucky visitor of the Tokyo Auto Salon 2022 will drive away in a brand new WRX STI Sport R EX that will be this years’ questionnaire prize.

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Can The Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Keep Up With The Mustang Shelby GT500?

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It is a well-known fact that electric vehicles and their wealth of instant torque are powerful weapons in drag races. But can Ford’s fastest EV take on its most powerful V8?

Edmunds decided to find out by pitting the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 against the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance. The two performance-focused cars with the Mustang name at the height of modern technology are actually closer on paper than you might imagine.

In Edmunds testing, the Shelby is only 0.1 seconds faster to 60 mph (96 km/h) than the Mach-E, with the former reaching highway speed in 3.7 seconds and the latter in 3.8 seconds.

Read Also: The 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Limits… Performance After 80mph

Since the ICE-powered Mustang Shelby GT500 has to funnel all of its power to the rear wheels, it’s a handful to launch, especially when you’re on an unprepared surface, as the hosts find in this video. That means that the AWD Mustang Mach-E GT Performance actually gets off the line much faster than its competitor.

As others have also discovered, though, what the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance gains off the line, it loses a little farther down the track. Edmunds’ Ryan Zummallen complains that, with only five seconds at full power, the EV tops out much faster than V8-powered Shelby.

As they cross the line in the first race, the GT500 manages to tap into its high-end power and just beat the Mustang Mach-E GT Performance, which leads Zummallen to try and race more tactically.

“You know, I guess getting five seconds of full power only, I guess I could try to game it a little bit, maybe go a little bit lighter right off the line because I’m gonna get a gap either way and then try and hit it,” he said.

This proves not to be wise and in the second race, the GT500 beats the Mustang Mach-E GT handily.

Still, the initial result is an impressive one for the Mach-E, which proves itself to be almost as fast as a Shelby GT500 in a drag race. That’s not a result I would have likely believed without witnessing it, but as is often the case with EVs, seeing is believing.

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Mary Barra Says GM Can Catch Tesla In EV Sales By 2025

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General Motors chief executive Mary Barra says the car manufacturer can catch Tesla in U.S. sales of electric vehicles by 2025.

GM intends on launching no less than 30 electric vehicles by 2025 and while recently speaking during CNBC’s Squawk Box, Barra expressed confidence in her belief that the company will establish itself as the EV leader.

Read Also: GM To Install Up To 40,000 New Chargers In The U.S. And Canada

“I am very comfortable, because when people get into these vehicles, they are just wowed,” she said. “So we will be rolling them out and we’re going to just keep working until we have No. 1 market share in EVs.”

Tesla currently dominates the electric vehicle space in the United States. In fact, the automaker accounted for 79 percent of all EVs sold in the U.S. throughout 2020. However, research and forecasting company HIS Markit says Tesla’s U.S. share of EV sales will drop to 56 percent throughout 2021 and fall to approximately 20 percent in 2025.

Speaking with CNBC, LMC Automotive added that sales of EVs, including plug-in hybrids, will account for less than 4 percent of vehicle sales across the country this year. The research firm suggests that EVs will make up 34.2 percent of new U.S. vehicle sales by 2030, with 4.1 percent of those sales being for plug-in hybrids.

A key pillar in GM’s EV expansion goals is their plans to install up to 40,000 Level 2 EV chargers across the United States and Canada as part of a $750 million investment.

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Tesla Model S Plaid Annihilates A Model Y Performance On The Drag Strip

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Before it was launched, Tesla made some very bold claims about the Model S Plaid. Since it came out, there’s been no shortage of proof that it is insanely quick.

That’s not a new feeling for Tesla, though, as its EVs have already made a name for themselves when it comes to their performance. To demonstrate the Model S Plaid’s pace, Edmunds took it onto the track with another Tesla that has no shortage of evidence supporting its claim to being extremely quick.

Although it looks like a practical, almost dull, crossover, the Model Y Performance is, in fact, very fast. In Edmund’s testing, it has beaten the likes of the Ford Shelby Mustang GT500, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, the Porsche Taycan, and more.

Read Also: Tesla Model S Plaid Smashes Production EV Nurburgring Record

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So what does it fare against the Model S Plaid? To put it mildly, not very well. With quarter-mile times in the nines, the sedan is about two seconds faster down the quarter-mile than its stablemate. And two seconds feels like a very long time through the quarter-mile.

Even while cheating, the Model Y Performance is easily beaten by the Model S Plaid, which powers past the crossover with ease. The difference is such that with a two-second headstart, the Model S can zoom past the Model Y before the finish line.

“I think that we should’ve given you maybe another second there,” video host Carlos Lago tells the driver in the Model Y Performance. “I passed you like you were standing still.”

Hyundai Teases The Fully Electric Ioniq 7 Large SUV

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Shortly after Hyundai announced their carbon-neutrality goals at the 2021 IAA Motor Show, the company dropped an offifical teaser of the fully electric Ioniq range, including a large SUV concept which previews the upcoming Ioniq 7.

The Ioniq 7 is expected to arrive in the US in 2024, joining the already available Ioniq 5 hatchback and the upcoming Ioniq 6 sedan which will premiere in 2022. The teaser includes the 2020 Prophecy concept which is a preview of the aforementioned Ioniq 6 and this large SUV.

See Also: Hyundai Confirms Specs For Ioniq 6 Sedan And Ioniq 7 SUV

Despite its imposing dimensions, the Ioniq 7 appears to have an aerodynamic silhouette thanks to the high ranked windscreen and the sloping roofline, while surfacing is on par with Hyundai’s latest design language. The model gets a grille-less look with a full-width horizontal LED bar and vertical LED units on the bumper. The squared wheelarches are filled with futuristic large-diameter rims that are probably going to be replaced by a more conventional wheel\tire combination in the production model.

See Also: Hyundai Wants Zero Emission Vehicles To Account For 80% Of Global Sales By 2040, Carbon Neutral By 2045

All of Hyundai’s Ioniq vehicles will ride on the dedicated E-GMP platform. A stretched version will appear on the Ioniq 7 allowing for three rows of seats inside the cabin, with six or seven seats. The long wheelbase also means there is room for a large battery pack. Indeed, Hyundai has confirmed that their large electric SUV will use the new SK Innovation batteries with a capacity of 100 kWh and 800-volt technology, offering a range of more than 483 km (300 miles). The company also revealed that the AWD version of the Ioniq 7 will use a dual-motor setup with a combined output of 308 hp (230 kW / 313 PS).

As the flagship of the Ioniq range, equipment is expected to include all of Hyundai’s latest ADAS systems including the Highway Driving Pilot which offers Level 3 autonomy. Given its size and market placement, the SUV could also get the air suspension and four-wheel steering from the upcoming 2022 Genesis G90, as reported by The Korean Blog, together with features like mirror-replacing cameras and a solar roof.

We expect to learn more information on Hyundai’s fully electric 7-seater SUV in the coming months with the reveal of the concept car that will closely preview the production version which will arrive in 2024.

Manhart Is Offering A Tuned Tesla Model 3 Performance With 543 HP And A Grille Decal For $90k

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German tuner Manhart is known for tuning performance models most often from BMW and MINI, occasionally from Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, or Lamborghini, and more rarely from Land Rover and Toyota. However, they recently decided it was time to move on to the electric era by tuning a Tesla Model 3. Besides the visual modifications, the fully electric sedan got a lowered suspension and a soft power boost. The tuned car is offered by Manhart for €74,900 which, at current exchange rates, translates to $88,768.

Manhart chose the flagship Tesla Model 3 Performance as a base for their tuning package. The German tuner added a set of red and grey stripe decals on the bonnet, trunk, and above the side sills, with matching red accents on the mirrors. While those look sporty enough, Manhart added another one on the front bumper with a honeycomb pattern resembling a grille.

See Also: Manhart’s MH3 600 Is A BMW M3 Competition With A Lick Of Gold And 626 HP

At the front, there is also a bumper extension made of carbon fiber. Thankfully Manhart didn’t complete the look with fake exhaust pipes like other tuners have done in the past. Finally, the windows are tinted for extra privacy and to hide the completely stock and minimalist Tesla interior, although Manhart is offering tuning options for those who are interested.

The TM3 700, as they call it, is also fitted with 21-inch Baracuda wheels finished in platinum grey, shod in 235/30 R21 tires. The wheels give the Model 3 a powerful stance, especially when combined with the lowered suspension, courtesy of H&R springs for improved handling.

See Also: This Tesla Model 3 Is So Good At Faking It, Sounds Like A V12 Lamborghini

Manhart also developed the MHTronik Powerbox that extracts more juice from the dual motors of the already quite powerful Tesla Model 3 Performance. As a result, the electric powertrain produces a combined 543 hp (405 kW / 550 PS) and 720 Nm (531 lb-ft) of torque transmitted to all four wheels. This is a healthy hp 37 hp (27 kW / 37 PS) and 60 Nm (44 lb-ft) boost over the stock model and we guess the effects in performance would be noticeable. As for the battery, the TME 720 uses the stock 82 kWh lithium-ion unit.

See Also: Manhart Gives New VW Golf GTI 286 HP And A Rolls-Royce-Like Starry Sky Headliner

Given that the stock Tesla Model 3 Performance costs €54,990 ($65,162) in Europe, the €74,900 ($88,768) Manhart is asking for the TM3 700 represents a €20k premium, which is quite a lot for the extent of the upgrades. However, the rarity of the vehicle might be attractive to those who want to stand out from the crowd.

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Opel Rocks-e Is A Rebadged Version Of The Tiny Citroën Ami EV

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Say hello to the Opel Rocks-e, a rebadged version of the Citroën Ami that in the European Union is classified as a quadricycle rather than a car.

The tiny four-wheeler is powered by a 5.5-kWh battery pack and has a single electric motor pumping out a mere 8 hp. Obviously, it isn’t fast but as it cannot weigh more than 425 kg (937 lbs) excluding its batteries under EU rules, the tiny electric motor is enough to propel it to 28 mph (45 km/h), enough for some inner-city driving. It also has a respectable WLTP range of 47 miles (75 km).

Read Also: Citroen’s My Ami Cargo Could Be The Cutest Electric Delivery Vehicle

The Opel Rocks-e is just 2.41 meters (7.9 feet) long and retains pretty much all of the same body parts as the Ami, meaning it looks exactly the same, except for the badges. As such, it features large headlights and secondary lights just below the windshield. It also sits on compact 14-inch wheels and has been presented here in a two-tone shade of silver and black.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the Rocks-e, as well as the Citroën Ami, is the fact that the doors open in opposite directions. It also has interchangeable body panels.

The interior is largely identical to the Ami and includes a tiny digital instrument cluster, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, climate control, a USB port, a cupholder, some storage cubbies, and two simple seats. It’s not what you’d call luxurious and could be better described as ‘fit-for-purpose’.

European sales of the Opel Rocks-e will initially kick off in Germany this fall, where it will be offered in base, Klub, and TeKno trim levels, before it arrives in other markets next year.

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QOTD: With Which Brand Should Jaguar Work With For Its Next-Gen Electric Cars?

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Like many automakers, Jaguar’s plans for the future include a move to pure electric propulsion. The company has said, though, it’s looking for partners to help it in its shift from gas to electric. So, we ask what company’s EV platform would make the best platform for Jag’s upcoming EVs?

The good news for the British brand is that there’s no shortage of luxury automakers investing heavily in new electric platforms for it to partner with. Given the expense of designing and making a whole new electric platform, there will undoubtedly be plenty looking to sell their platform to other automakers to make a quick buck.

The Volkswagen Group has already started sharing its electric platform with Ford and Jaguar specifically name-checked Bentley and Porsche when it outlined its new plan, both of which are heavily invested in going electric.

Read Also: Jaguar’s Reinvention As A Super Luxury EV Brand Will Bring Bentley And Porsche Price Levels

Both BMW and Mercedes are also in the midst of unveiling new all-electric vehicles, making them an attractive option worthy of Jaguar’s ambitions.

If the brand is willing to take a gamble on the platform, it could tie itself to Stellantis, which just announced to release eight new models on its STLA platform by 2026 (that’s not quite Jag’s timeline, but indulge me). The owner of a few Italian luxury brands, the platform should be capable of providing Jag with the luxury it’s looking for along with a dynamic flair that it’s known for.

Richard Truett, over at Automotive News, meanwhile, argued that Cadillac would be a perfect brand to buy a platform from. Indeed, the Celestiq and the Lyriq do look like they will be stunners.

Who do you think the brand should partner with to make its credible EVs?

Is Audi’s RS e-tron GT Any Different To Drive Than Porsche’s Taycan?

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The Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT share a lot of their technologies with the Porsche Taycan, but does that mean they drive just like their cousin from Zuffenhausen?

To find out, Matt Farah from The Smoking Tire jumped behind the wheel of both the standard e-tron GT and the flagship RS e-tron GT. Most of this review is focused on the RS model, which will probably be favored among shoppers looking for the most performance, but according to Farah, it doesn’t really feel all that different to drive compared to the standard model.

Watch Also: Porsche Taycan Turbo Vs. Audi RS e-tron GT – Which Of The German EVs Is Supreme?

The RS e-tron GT is paired by a pair of electric motors that combine to pump out 590 hp and 612 lb-ft (830 Nm) of torque, but with an Overboost function enabled off the line, that increases to 637 hp. That is a serious amount of grunt and allows the EV to hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in just 3.1 seconds while powering through to a 155 mph (250 km/h) top speed, although Farah’s co-host says that the extraordinary pace does begin to taper off beyond 90 mph (145 km/h).

Farah notes that the lack of noticeable differences between the standard e-tron GT and the RS is a side effect of its electric powertrain. Whereas Audi’s lower-tier ICE models have four-cylinder engines, its most potent RS models have twin-turbocharged V8s, meaning they feel vastly different. By comparison, both the e-tron GT and the RS e-tron GT have a very similar electric powertrain and in everyday driving, feel very similar, despite their power and performance discrepancies.

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