Bengt Halvorson, Senior Editor
Articles
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First drive review: 2022 Lucid Air entices with the numbers, charms with the driving experience Bengt HalvorsonAs some traditional luxury automakers release electric vehicles amid promises that range, charging, and performance will all improve in a few years, Lucid is launching its brand and already beating...
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Audi Grandsphere concept EV rethinks sedans from the inside outThe Audi Grandsphere imagines future interiors from the brand with a first-class experience enabled by autonomous driving.
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GMC Hummer EV chief engineer talks motor torque, wheelies, and Watts To FreedomEngineer Al Oppenheiser says the GMC Hummer EV's supertruck performance includes a bit of theater, wheelies for the prototype, and 1,100 lb-ft of torque.
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Lucid Air electric luxury sedan: Debut Dream Edition starts at $169,000The Lucid Air electric car offers a range of up to 517 miles, Lucid anticipates, and a top speed of 168 mph. But it won't be cheap.
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Hyundai creates Ioniq EV brand: Crossover, sedan, and SUV all coming by 2024Three new dedicated EV models are planned within the next four years—including production versions of the 45 and Prophecy concepts.
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From analog to digital: Audi prepares to connect the engine bay with steering and suspensionIn future Audis, chassis and powertrain systems will be controlled by a single computer.
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As Audi rolls out electric vehicles to cover much of its model line and fill the gaps between its existing models, it’s preparing to offer just as much flexibility in body styles as...
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Cruise Origin previews a future that takes the driver out of electric ride hailingSan Francisco-based Cruise has revealed the electric vehicle that completely removes the driver from a connected, shared experience.
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First drive review: 2020 Porsche Taycan 4S drifts into a thrilling futureFrom LA hills to a Scandinavian flick, I sample the most affordable electric car from Porsche and don’t want to give it back.
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First drive review: 2020 Audi A8 plug-in hybrid reflects new prioritiesAudi’s new family of plug-in hybrids supports today’s push toward fully electric E-tron models, with more than 20 miles of electric range and strong electric motors.
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2020 Porsche Taycan electric car: 6 more tech tidbitsPorsche's new electric car marks a go-it-alone philosophy in so many ways. We take a look at a few of the interesting details, including some obscure ones.
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2020 Porsche Taycan first ride: High-voltage power lineOne wild first ride in the fully electric Porsche Taycan Turbo S reveals that it’s more than Ludicrous.
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Preview drive: 2020 Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid is a stealth fighter for the family Bengt HalvorsonThe Porsche Cayenne I’d cozied into had bright-green brake calipers, hard-to-miss green e-hybrid badges along both sides, and a charging-port door just ahead of the driver’s door. I made...
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First drive review: 2020 Ford Explorer ST dances with the family, and it's a ballThe 2020 Ford Explorer lineup has been completely redesigned and gains a 400-hp, performance-oriented ST model. We tested it out.
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Why Mazda is purging touchscreens from its vehiclesTablet-like touchscreens have become the ubiquitous interfaces of choice, and they’re seemingly everywhere in daily life, on everything from thermostats to coffee makers and refrigerators. But Mazda really doesn’t think they belong in cars—or at least anywhere near the...
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If track day is important, Byton wants you to buy a different electric carTesla vehicles have earned a reputation, boosted by YouTube reaction videos, for their blistering, dragstrip-worthy, straight-line acceleration. Porsche is getting into the electric performance game with even more fervor. The German luxury marque aims for the pedigree of Nürburgring times and...
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2019 Audi e-tron quattro first drive review: A new normal for electric luxuryThe Audi e-tron SUV that goes on sale next spring in the U.S. isn’t just Audi’s first fully electric vehicle. It’s the luxury brand’s way of showing how an increasingly inevitable part of the future can fit right in and be a part of four-ring identity. In our first drive...
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4 features in the 2017 Volvo S90/V90 that could make you a safer driverVolvo’s all-new 2017 S90 sedan and upcoming 2018 V90 wagon, like the XC90 crossover introduced this past year, are packed with safety technology. If you’re familiar with Volvo’s reputation, that’s probably no surprise. Volvo has been at the forefront in occupant safety for...
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Wagons have been staged for a comeback for more than a decade. Yet time after time, seemingly splendid, sporty wagons have fizzled in the American market.
Is Volvo being hopelessly optimistic in...
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2017 Volvo S90 first drive reviewWith Volvo’s most recent products, including the 2017 Volvo S90 sedan and upcoming 2018 V90 wagon, the Swedish automaker is wholly embracing its Scandinavian roots. From the upright concave grille, the prominent brand ironmark, and the elongated hood in front, to the name proudly spelled out...
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2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e first drive reviewThe 2016 BMW X5 xDrive40e—that’s the new plug-in hybrid version of the X5 sport-utility vehicle—is going to draw you in with its numbers: 0-60 mph in 6.5 seconds; 14 miles in all-electric mode; 24 mpg combined. The numbers add up to an alluring (and image-greening) idea: that you...
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Parking via smartphones and tablets: technology is ready, regulations aren'tIt’s been nearly ten years since Lexus introduced to the U.S. market a system through which its big luxury sedan, the LS, could park itself. Since then there have been many luxury models, and even some relatively inexpensive mainstream models, to adopt versions of such a system, which sizes...
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2016 BMW X1 first drive reviewThe new 2016 BMW X1 is, for the most part, a very good car. Yet there’s a big asterisk to this: It just doesn’t feel much like a BMW. In this age when executives and product planners wax poetic about preserving the “brand DNA”—seemingly to no end—this feels like...
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2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC first drive reviewRoadsters like the 2017 Mercedes-Benz SLC aren’t exactly in vogue right now. The Honda S2000 faded away a few years ago. BMW Z4 sales have fizzled to levels far below those of the more expensive 6-Series Convertible. Porsche’s pushed the Boxster upmarket. And the only bright spot on the...
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