The Volkswagen ID.5 Is Just an ID.4 With a Slightly Smaller Cargo Space

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Like many other automakers, Volkswagen is steadily driving toward the future as it expands its lineup of electric cars. One of the latest EVs in VW’s lineup is the ID.5, but unfortunately, it has far too much in common with the ID.4. Here’s a look at the upcoming Volkswagen ID.5 and all of its similarities to the ID.4.

A recap of Volkswagen’s ID. series

The front end of the 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 EV SUV | Volkswagen of America, Inc. Newspress Limited

Currently, Volkswagen’s goal is to have 70% of its production cars be EVs by 2030. As such, VW is starting to design and sell a long list of electric vehicles. All of these EVs will be part of the ID. series, but unfortunately, they don’t have great names. Meanwhile, the concept versions of Volkswagen’s EVs have more traditional names, such as the ID. Buzz and the ID. Crozz. 

However, if and when those concept cars become production models, Volkswagen will give them their official name. Right now, the official name for production ID. series cars are just numbers. More confusingly, for some reason, the first production EV from the ID. series isn’t called the ID.1. Instead, the ID.3 was the first car in the series to be sold to the public. 

The ID.3 isn’t available in the U.S., but the second car in the series, the ID.4, is. Lastly, the most recent car in the series is the ID.6. However, like the ID.3, the ID.6 also isn’t available in America. The ID.5 will be the next car in the series, but, as Jalopnik reports, it’s pretty much just the ID.4.

The Volkswagen ID.5 is very similar to the ID.4

To be fair to Volkswagen, the similarities between the two cars are somewhat intentional. Like Jalopnik said, the ID.5 was built using VW’s MEB platform, the same platform used for the other cars in the series. That said, Jalopnik wrote that Volkswagen uses “a similar design aesthetic” for all of its EVs. Therefore, it may be tough for a regular person to tell the ID.4 and the ID.5 apart.

However, there is a small difference between the two cars. According to Jalopnik, the ID.5 has a different rear-window angle than the ID.4. This may end up giving the ID.5 less cargo space than the ID.4, but it’s not confirmed yet by any hard numbers. Regardless, other than this small difference, the two cars are practically identical.

Jalopnik said they both probably have the same battery, the same dual-motor design, and the same 300-mile range. However, since Volkswagen hasn’t released many details about the ID.5, that’s all speculation for now. The ID.5 may be more unique, especially on the inside, than the ID.4. Yet, from the outside, it doesn’t look that way.

Upcoming Volkswagen ID. series cars

While the ID.5 is the closest to hitting dealerships, VW has quite a few more cars in the ID. series coming up. One of the bigger ones is the VW ID.8, and it’s supposed to be a midsize crossover similar to the Atlas. That said, once again, not many details are known about the ID.8 so far, but it should at least be noticeably bigger than the ID.4 and ID.5. 

Additionally, when it comes to concept cars in the ID. series, Volkswagen has quite a few, too. While some of these concept cars never see the light of day, it’s also very possible that VW makes a production version of a few of them. For example, the ID. Space Vizzion wagon and the ID. Buzz bus may get production models soon.

RELATED: The Volkswagen ID. R Electric Race Car Broke Multiple World Records and Then Retired

The post The Volkswagen ID.5 Is Just an ID.4 With a Slightly Smaller Cargo Space appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Ford Debuts 2022 Lincoln Navigator with Lincoln ActiveGlide

by Gabrielle DeSantis

The Navigator is an important vehicle for Lincoln: 33% of Lincoln customers who are shopping multiple brands buy a Navigator. You could call it the gateway Lincoln. Laura Clark, Navigator brand manager specified, “Navigator is our flagship for Lincoln…we are really extremely proud of this vehicle.” The 2021 model even won “Best 8-Passenger SUV.” As a result, Navigator sales rose 33% in 2021. But without a redesign since 2018, the SUV needed a refresh. 

Recently, Ford Motor Company unveiled the 2022 Navigator’s mid-cycle redesign. Lincoln engineered a suite of state-of-the-art technologies–including ActiveGlide–to transform the 2022 Lincoln Navigator into a “sanctuary” inspired by nature.

The 2022 Lincoln Navigator Offers ActiveGlide Advanced Driver Assist

2022 Lincoln Navigator | Lincoln

Many of Ford’s upgrades to the 2022 Navigator are high-tech features. For example, the Navigator now offers more driver-assist technologies–in both the categories of standard technologies and available technologies–than any SUV in its class. 

New for 2022, available ActiveGlide technology allows the driver to operate the Navigator on divided highways, hands-free. ActiveGlide is Lincoln’s brand name for Ford’s advanced driver-assistance system. However, the blue oval parent company specifies that the new Navigator is not technically self-driving; ActiveGlide only works when the vehicle is on approved hands-free roads and senses the driver is paying attention.

The Traditional Lincoln Logo | Photo by Christopher Evans/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images

Standard technologies include active parking assist, automatic high/low beams, automatic wipers, and adaptive headlamps.

The Navigator’s standard driver-assist technologies fall under Lincoln’s new Co-Pilot360 2.0 suite. The suite of driver aids includes a lane-keeping system, pre-collisions assist with automatic braking, blind-spot detection, and post-collision braking to lessen a secondary impact if the driver is incapacitated. Driver aids also include intelligent adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology, auto-hold hill start assist, pedestrian detection, and the brand new intersection assist. Co-Pilot360 even offers the driver a standard 360-degree camera.

Buyers can expand Co-Pilot360 with Towing, including Trailer Reverse Guidance, Trailer Backup Assist, and Pro-Trailer Hitch Assist 2.0. Finally, buyers can opt for the new ActiveGlide feature.

For 2022, the Navigator also gains standard adaptive suspension with road preview: a technology to evaluate the upcoming road and prepare the suspension for any bumps. The new Navigator upgrades to the SYNC 4 system, allowing occupants to speak with Amazon’s Alexa and control vehicle and smartphone apps to adjust audio or even order takeout food–all hands-free.

The Navigator Offers A ‘Sanctuary’ of Luxury Options 

White leather interior of a pre-production model of the 2022 Lincoln Navigator with ActiveGlide Advanced Driver Assistance System
2022 Lincoln Navigator | Lincoln

MotorTrend reviewers named the 2021 Navigator the “pinnacle of American luxury.” The marque seeks to outdo itself with its 2022 Navigator redesign.

The previous Navigator offered 30-way front seats with a massaging option. The 2022 Navigator is the first vehicle in its class to offer massage capability in its second-row seats. Buyers can also opt for Lincoln Play entertainment centers–with Amazon Fire TV–for the second-row passengers. Lincoln also offers a second-row console with digital display and touch-screen controls for the rear seats and climate.

The interior of the new Navigator benefits from Active Noise Control, acoustic laminate glass, and a re-engineered cabin to better mitigate noise, vibration, and harshness.

The Black Label Difference

This is the green leather and wood interior of a pre-production 2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label edition
2022 Lincoln Navigator Black Label | Lincoln

The top-trim Navigator is Lincoln’s storied “Black Label” edition. Black Label Navigators boast themed interiors with colored leather, several available matching exterior colors, and high-end materials. Lincoln even alludes to other exclusive Black Label “benefits.” Black Label Navigators come standard with the stretched wheelbase and rear seat infotainment systems that are merely options for lesser trim levels.

Lincoln produced 2021 Navigators with one of three Black Label themes:

  1. “Chalet” offering a two-tone white “alpine” and brown “espresso” Venetian leather interior with Silverwood accents.
  2. “Destination” with a “Mahogany” red Venetian leather interior and Khaya accents.
  3. “Yacht Club” featuring a two-tone “Blue Bay” and “Alpine” Venetian leather interior with whitewashed Teak accents.

For 2022, Lincoln will keep these three Black Label themes while adding two more. The new themes are “Invitation” and “Central Park.” Some of Lincoln’s press release photos feature one of o the new Black Label Navigator themes.

The 2022 Lincoln Navigator Will Be Even More Opulent

Gray pre-production model of the 2022 Lincoln Navigator with ActiveGlide Advanced Driver Assistance System
2022 Lincoln Navigator | Lincoln

With its new, taller grill, the 2022 Navigator will be easy to spot. But check it out while you can, because with its 3.4L EcoBoost engine–borrowed from the Ford F-150 Raptor–it may disappear down the road in a flash. 

The Navigator has always represented American opulence, and the 2022 redesign pushes the pinnacle of luxury further still.

Sources: CNBC, AutoBlog

RELATED: 2021 Lincoln Navigator Reserve vs. Navigator Reserve L: Is 1 Worth $3,000 More Than the Other?

The post Ford Debuts 2022 Lincoln Navigator with Lincoln ActiveGlide appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Lamborghini Ferrari Crash: “Fast and Furious” Illegal Supercar Race

by Gabrielle DeSantis

It sounds like a Fast and Furious movie plot, but this Lamborghini Ferrari crash was real. In central Beijing, police jailed two drivers after a massive crash that injured one woman. This green Lamborghini and red Ferrari crash left one person injured but took both supercars out of commission for good.

A Lamborghini Ferrari crash after a supcar race through Beijing

Lamborghini Ferrari Crash: Fast and Furious Illegal Supercar Race | STR/AFP via Getty Images

According to BBC News, the bright green Lamborghini Aventador and Ferrari 458 Italia ripped through a tunnel one night. The Datun Road Tunnel is only about 60 feet across and less than a mile long, but it attracts racing. The Lamborghini and Ferrari were racing through the tunnel at more than 100 miles per hour when the supercars lost control.

According to the drivers, the green Aventador attempted to pass the red 458 Italia when it lost control. The Lamborghini hit the side of the wall and tore off paneling before slamming into a divider. After the Ferrari crashed, authorities noted the damage on the side and rear of the car. The Lamborghini was destroyed after hitting the guardrail. The Lamborghini crash injured one passenger.

At the time of the Ferrari crash, the newest The Fast and the Furious movie had just premiered in Beijing. According to the local news, the two drivers were a part of the same car club. There were no skid marks noted on the scene that would indicate either vehicle tried to brake and avoid this accident. Witnesses said a group of seven or eight young men crowded around the cars after impact.

The implications after the Lamborghini Ferrari crash

Lamborghini Ferrari Crash | Feature China / Barcroft Media via Getty Images

Police jailed both drivers for four and five months as punishment for the incident. The police also fined both drivers around $3,000 for the Lamborghini-Ferrari crash. The passenger in the Lamborghini Aventador ended up suffering from a fractured spine. According to a later article from BBC, the men were remorseful about the crash. “I made a mistake, had a bad influence on society, and hurt my family and friends,” Tang Wentian, 21, was quoted.

When the vehicles lost control, the court confirmed the cars were traveling around 111 mph. The police commented that the drivers were “in their 20s and unemployed, prompting speculation that they were the offspring of wealthy officials or business people,’ BBC noted. Tang’s family said he purchased the supercar himself after finding success in the stock market in a turn of events. Yu Muchun, 20, reportedly borrowed the Ferrari 458 Italia. The Ferrari crash caused traffic during the busy night.

Inspired by the “Fast and the Furious” movies

Ironically, the Fast and Furious movies usually have multiple cars on set that get wrecked for each shot. Paul Walker’s “10-Second” Toyota Supra sold recently for $550,000. Walker actually used this car in the movies, which increased the value of the vehicle at auction. This particular Supra was the Stunt 1 car, the stunt car producers used in the movie. Production listed the Supra as car number nine in the film. The Supra appeared as car number 22 in 2 Fast 2 Furious, the second film in the franchise.

In conclusion, the movies are much different than real life. This Lamborghini-Ferrari crash was relatively tame for the amount of damage that could have occurred. What is the lesson here? If you borrow a Ferrari from someone, it’s probably a good idea not to race it.

RELATED: Lamborghini Countach: Someone Already Curbed the New $3M Supercar Wheels

The post Lamborghini Ferrari Crash: “Fast and Furious” Illegal Supercar Race appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by

Does Dodge’s New Electric Muscle Car Mean the Death of the Charger and Challenger?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

It’s one of the greatest fears of muscle car enthusiasts; will the advent (or expansion) of electric vehicles threaten the fast and flashy cars that people have loved for decades? The good news, according to Dodge at least, is that this isn’t the case. Dodge will be releasing its first electric muscle car in 2024, and it plans to position it alongside the Challenger and Charger – and not to replace it. 

Dodge’s Fratzog symbol | Dodge

What will Dodge’s new electric muscle car entail?

Car and Driver says that the new Dodge muscle car will be an eMuscle car, and will be built on a Stellantis platform capable of 500 miles of range. This would definitely help ease range anxiety in those who aren’t comfortable with the necessary charging of an electric vehicle. 

When it’s first introduced, it will be positioned alongside the Dodge Challenger and Charger, Dodge’s two beloved muscle cars. Car and Driver

also point out that in pictures released to tease Dodge’s new electric muscle car, Dodge has used a Fratzog logo, a logo used by Dodge from 1962 through 1976.

Can an electric muscle car be as good as a combustion engine?

Muscle Cars & Trucks had this same question, so they talked to Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis. According to Kuniskis, what we think of as a muscle car doesn’t have to be set in stone. He says that it’s important to not think of a muscle car as only including the traditional setup and technology that we’re used to. “When we talk about Redeyes, Hellcats, Super Stocks and Demons… we do that to sell down the range… the same thing will apply if I can get you great performance.”

It isn’t inconceivable that electric muscle cars could be as good as a traditional internal combustion engine. After all, Formula E in Europe is an all-electric racing series, and it’s pretty popular. In fact, there are currently 12 teams in Formula E compared to just 10 teams in Formula One.

Are traditional muscle cars on their way out?

Kuniskis said, “The new car comes in 2024. We didn’t say that the current cars are going to die in 2024. There might be a little overlap, but you’re not going to have years and years and years of the classic and the new one at the same time.”

According to Muscle Cars & Trucks, the reception to Dodge’s new electric muscle car hasn’t been all good. In fact, they point out that there have been some pretty vocal opponents, and some social media channels have even had to turn off comments. 

Yet it isn’t just Dodge that’s making a move toward electric vehicles. All of the car manufacturers are committed to going green, in part because of government incentives, and in part because the demand for electric is headed in that direction. With major car companies like Ford announcing new electric vehicle platforms, and luxury car makers like Porsche turning out electric sports cars, it’s inevitable that other types of cars will make the electric conversion. Even pickup trucks are going electric, with the Ford Maverick and Tesla Cybertruck among the first. 

Does that mean that there’s no room for combustion engine muscle cars? Not yet at least. Tony Stewart believes that while electric vehicles have a place in racing, they won’t replace traditional race cars, and it’s likely that mentality will apply to other types of cars as well. Yet the more car manufacturers turn out excellent electric vehicles that make people forget what they’re missing in a combustion engine, the more likely the transition to electric cars will be smooth.

RELATED: The Future Is Electric: Ford to Announce Two New EV Platforms

The post Does Dodge’s New Electric Muscle Car Mean the Death of the Charger and Challenger? appeared first on MotorBiscuit.

/by