Chevrolet reveals the Corvette ZO6, says there’s more to come
In case you happened to miss the unveiling of the newest Corvette model, worry not. The brilliant 26-minute video is on YouTube.com for you to enjoy and The Sleuth really means “enjoy.”
You’ll get to see and hear the Z06 drive while the engineers explain what goes into the car, with emphasis on the 670-horsepower 5.5-litre naturally aspirated V-8 that revs to 8,600 RPM. Its flat-plane crankshaft architecture means a different firing order, so the Z06 has an entirely different sound than all Corvettes before it (think Ferrari).
Chevrolet claims an exotic-car experience and the Sleuth agrees. The body is wider than the standard Corvette, there are 20- and 21-inch wheels and distinctive three-pointed accents on the side intakes. The Z06 is also available as a convertible. As a 2023 model, don’t expect to see it on the street for a while, however. Regardless, Chevrolet reminds video viewers that “the Z06 is just the next chapter in a very long book.”
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Mazda is introducing a trio of new models
The automaker’s lineup expansion will begin before the end of the year with the launch of the CX-50. Built in Alabama, in a plant it shares with Toyota, the utility vehicle will be built on the same platform as the CX-3 and CX-30 tall hatchbacks and will be exclusively all-wheel-drive. The CX-50 will be similarly sized to the CX-5, which for 2022 will also be AWD only.
When the CX-50 arrives next year, it will come with the same powertrain options as the CX-5: A standard 2.5-litre engine or a turbocharged option mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.
Also arriving in 2022 (as 2023 models) are the CX-70 five-passenger and the CX-90 with three rows of seats. Both will use Mazda’s new turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine or an optional plug-in hybrid powertrain. The CX-70 will be an addition to the Mazda’s offerings while the CX-90 is the designated replacement for the CX-9.
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The next Tacoma to get new looks and more power
The automaker’s popular midsize pickup is being redesigned for 2023 and will likely resemble the full-size Tundra, which was redesigned for 2022.
Tundra changes included more rugged looks and a twin-turbocharged V-6 that replaced the non-turbo V-8. The new Tacoma will get a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which takes over from the non-turbo V-6. A hybrid system is expected to be available as an option. An independent coil-spring rear suspension will replace the current leaf-spring setup, which was also was done for the Tundra. Both extended- and crew-cab Tacomas will be available.
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The Silverado brand receives electrification for 2023
Much has been reported about the return of the Hummer name attached to a battery-electric pickup as part of GMC’s lineup. Not to be outdone, General Motors’ Chevrolet division will also have a battery-electric pickup arriving at about the same time and wearing a Silverado nameplate.
They’ll be built using the same platform, provide about the same 400-mile (640-kilometre) range and offer a four-wheel steering system that lets drivers “crab” around tight turns (useful for off-roading). The Silverado EV’s styling will be different than the Hummer’s, with a large fixed-glass roof as an option.
The official Silverado unveiling will occur in early 2022, just in time for it to compete against the Ford F-150 Lightning electric.
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The 2023 Honda Civic Type R; what we know so far
The hottest of Honda’s compact cars — one rung above the Si — is in the final sorting-out stage, but to date there’s no word as to what makes it go. The 2021 Type R hatchback used a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Power was shipped to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission.
There’s consensus that a version of the turbo 2.0 will show up in the 2023 Type R, but tweaked to produce a bit more horsepower and/or torque. The six-speed manual gearbox will once again be standard. Visually, the Type R’s rear wing will be less pronounced than before, possibly to provide improved vision in back. Expect the reveal in the first quarter of 2022.
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UPS AND DOWNS
UP: General Motors Ultra Cruise – The automaker’s Super Cruise system, which is available in some Cadillac models, provides hands-free driving assistance for about 200,000 miles (320,000 kilometres) of highways in the United States and Canada. The coming Ultra Cruise takes semi-autonomous driving to the next level. Using a combination of cameras and sensors, it will eventually be able to navigate 3.4 million miles (5.4 million kilometres) of paved roadways, including congested city streets.
UP: Formula One wants to become carbon-neutral by 2030 – Going forward, the open-wheel racing league intends to maintain internal-combustion engines for all its events, but hopes to go 100 per cent carbon-neutral by sourcing fuel that is 100 per cent sustainably produced. The first stage in the process begins next year with a switch to racing gasoline that’s 10 per cent ethanol. Synthetic racing fuels produced cleanly through carbon-capture processes are also being explored for future use.
– from Wheelbase Media
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