Let’s be honest, it typically takes a hell of a lot more than a watch to stand out within the many high-zoot corners of the sprawling and stunning Monterey Car Week. The sea spray–soaked peninsula is virtually under siege during the days leading up to the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, invaded by some of the rarest, most valuable, and prettiest cars known to man.

But if you are the type that fancies a glance at the surrounding wrists as much as examining the competitive motoring machinery, events like Pebble and the Quail are worth the price of admission, as well. White-dial Rolex Daytonas flash in the afternoon sun with a frequency that staggers the imagination when one considers their post-retail pricing, and you can’t throw a stone without risking it tapping the gracefully curved crystal of some six-figure AP, Patek, or honking Hublot.

Considering that lofty context, I was pretty amazed when the Hodinkee nerds (said with love!) were, well, nerding out over the edition number of the Porsche Design Chronograph 1 911 S/T that I’ve borrowed from the brand for the weekend.

As you may have read, Porsche Design is limiting the chronograph to just 1963 examples, to match the 1963 examples of the 911 S/T automobile that Porsche will sell globally – you can’t buy the watch without buying the car. Knowing this, the sharp-eyed dudes from Hodinkee (who’d set up a rad collection of watches at the Range Rover House activation in Carmel Highlands) spotted that my watch wore the 0000/1963 edition number. It’s the prototype.

High-end watches, much like vintage vehicles, live and die on the smallest of details. Something like those four zeroes would make for a stunning collector's piece, naturally, but there’s plenty to dig into wherever one looks on this watch.

Perhaps the biggest surprise is how great the dial looks in natural light, relative to what I expected based on the photographs. The matte black face plays the perfect backdrop for the S/T’s signature green and red accents, which, in concert with the stark white and lumed hands and indices, make this piece recognizable from across the room.

The surprising bit is that, in the original marketing photos, the dial seemed overly busy. And the truth is there’s a lot packed on there. The 911 S/T logo and gear shift graphic have been stuffed onto a dial that already needs room for the three registers for small seconds, minutes, and hours, in addition to the day and date wheel, standard PD logo, and “Chronometer Certified” text. Under a loupe, it’s a lot to take in. But from the vantage point of my wrist, the strength of the white/green/red colorway largely overcomes the busyness of the rest.

I have exactly zero quibbles with the look, feel, and execution of the glass bead-blasted titanium case here, however. Many who’ve owned or seen a classic PD Chronograph 1 in the past will think of this model as an all-black-coated watch. The satiny and warm finish created with this raw titanium arrangement gives a totally different vibe: technical and the smallest bit flashy, with an undeniably high-end appearance.

This is a thick watch at just over 15 millimeters, with the PD caliber Werk 01.240 movement visible behind a custom rotor (shaped to look exactly like your own 911’s wheel… I don’t love it) by way of a sapphire caseback. But the overall case diameter of 41 mm, the feather light titanium construction, and the flat front crystal all make it sit quite comfortably on my 7.5-inch wrist.

Luxe Up Your Life:

I wore the piece all weekend – including with a cuffed shirt that didn’t hang up at all despite the watch’s thickness – on the cognac brown rally-style leather strap. If this were my watch to keep I’d likely opt for the full titanium bracelet most of the time, but I’ve got to say the leather was a killer look. The strap, made from the same materials and stitched with the same thread as you’ll find on your Porsche’s driver seat, was buttery soft, comfortable, and easy to slip on and off by way of an elegant titanium deployant clasp.

Better yet, the Porsche Design quick-release system for its straps and bracelets is utterly brilliant. I’m told this design made its debut back in 2019 on the PD Chronograph 911 Turbo S Exclusive, and I found it far and away the easiest system of its kind I’ve yet encountered. The big central release switch pulls the retaining pins in with a press of a button and snaps into place with a reassuring click after your change.

Similarly, the watch has amazing tactility in use. Those big pushers start, stop, and reset the chronograph with a satisfyinginly mechanical “thunk” and kind of make you feel like you’re getting your money’s worth – you’ll catch yourself using them superfluously just for the feel. The crown is easy to grab, with chunky, saw-like teeth around its perimeter, and it screws out and back down with just a few full rotations.

All of that detailing, and so much more, still wouldn’t entirely justify the retail price of $13,500. At least not in a fair fight. There are any number of stunning mechanical chronographs from Swiss brands of impeccable provenance that would give this PD1 a run for its money. But the point is moot, since the Chronography 1 911 S/T has a baked-in and no doubt enthusiastic audience in those that are buying the automobile. If you’re lucky enough to to get the call from your Porsche dealer to plunk down your $290,000 (base!) on an S/T, you’d be a fool to not toss in an extra thirteen grand for this lovely, numbers-matching timepiece.

After all, what’ll you wear to the Rennsport Reunion if you don’t grab the watch?

It's time for another episode of Rambling About Cars. There's a motor show happening this week in Germany that you may have heard about, chock-a-block full of electric concepts. Not to be outdone, Toyota is making motoring waves of its own with the first-ever Century SUV. In short, there's much to discuss.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Pacific), and you can join us on Motor1.com's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels to chat in real-time.

Be Part Of The Conversation Here:

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As always, if you can't be with us live, you can always watch the recordings on YouTube at the end of each show. For our friends who prefer audio, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

Wherever you get your Rambling About Cars fix, please comment, like, subscribe, share... all the good social stuff so we can keep rambling for your (and our) entertainment. And we always welcome emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

Our top story this week is the Toyota Century SUV, debuting just hours before our podcast. Known for being arguably the greatest Japanese luxury model of them all, this marks the first time the Century badge has graced an SUV. As with the Century sedan, it will be built in very limited numbers for the Japanese market but that doesn't stop us from learning all about this Rolls-Royce Cullinan competitor.

Speaking of competitors, German brands are swinging hard to capture attention at IAA Mobility 2023. Formerly the Frankfurt Motor Show, the action now takes place in Munich and this year's show is all about electric power. Mercedes-Benz debuted the Concept CLA-Class, the first vehicle to utilize the MMA bones that will support future models. It doesn't look too far from production, but the BMW Vision Neue Klasse concept is a bit more abstract. That said, it previews a production model slated for 2025, and the minimalistic look is quite different from current models in BMW showrooms.

Volkswagen also captured attention with its electric ID. GTI concept. Basically a sporty version of the ID. 2all that debuted earlier this year, it previews the future hot hatch in a fusion of advanced tech and retro styling cues. It's not an all-electric affair, however. Amid the EV concepts we have the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain wagon, riding a bit taller and ready to woo buyers in North America, where it will be offered.

Previously On Rambling About Cars:

Be sure to jump onto Motor1's socials at 7:30 PM EDT and comment with us in real time on all the latest automotive news. We will see you online.

Thursdays at Motor1.com mean the Test Car Happy Hour happens at 2:30 PM Eastern (11:30 AM Pacific). We have editors living across the United States, and they all love talking about what we're driving. This show allows us to have a face-to-face digital car meetup every week. Plus, you can be our guest by chatting on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Youtube. Please, come and comment because we love hearing your thoughts.

If you're reading this after the stream, the audio version is available on all of the major podcast platforms, like Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more. 

This week, the hosts of The Test Car Happy Hour are Motor1.com Editor-in-Chief Seyth Miersma and Managing Editor Jeff Perez.

The Subaru WRX is the vehicle in our podcast cover image this week. Miersma is driving it. The current model uses a turbocharged 2.4-liter flat four-cylinder engine that makes 271 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Buyers can select a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT that the brand calls the Subaru Performance Transmission. The starting price for the 2023 model is $31,625.

Miersma is also driving the Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid. This model has an electrically assisted 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a total system output of 245 horsepower and hooks up to a CVT. The model offers three rows of seating, which should be helpful of Miersma because he has children. The cabin comes standard with a 12.3-inch infotainment screen.

Perez has been driving two very different SUVs. The Land Rover Range Rover Sport is one of them. This model occupies a rung below the regular Range Rover in the automaker's lineup. It combines performance, luxury, and off-road capability into a potent package.

At the other end of the automotive spectrum, he's also driving the Chevrolet Trax. It just received updates for the 2024 model year and prices start as low as $21,495. A $650 Driver Confidence Package adds adaptive cruise control, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change alert with blind-zone assistance.

We hope you join the conversation and share your thoughts about these models. And be ready to ask lots of questions to our hosts. 

If You Missed Them, Check Out These Previous Happy Hours:

Welcome back to another week of Rambling About Cars. This week we're leading with the newly unveiled Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale supercar. But, there's plenty more to talk about.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Pacific). If you can't be with us live, you can always watch the recordings on YouTube at the end of each show.

Be Part Of The Conversation Here:

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For our friends who prefer audio, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

We always love to get emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

The new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is a modern take on the original. It is limited to 33 units, versus 18 examples of the earlier model. Power comes from a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 engine producing over 620 horsepower. There's also an EV variant with over 750 hp.

The Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid features a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with an electric motor making a total of 729 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. The battery pack has a 25.9 kilowatt-hout capacity. It can hit 60 mph in 3.5 seconds. HD-Matrix Design LED headlights now come standard. In the US, prices start at $148,550 for the standard model and $153,050 for the Coupe body style.

Earthcruiser is a top name in building overlanders. It just created a GMC Hummer with lots of camping equipment, including a pop-up roof sleeping area and a 13.5-gallon fresh water tank.

According to a rumor, the new Dodge Charger will be available with a twin-turbocharged inline-six engine, in addition to the previously announced EV.

We'll also do a twist on our cheap car challenge. This time we have to find a camper for $10,000. Let's see what we can find for that price.

Be sure to jump onto Motor1's socials at 7:30 PM EDT and comment with us in real-time. We will see you online.

If You Missed Them, Check Out These Previous Rambles:

Lotus only sold 576 cars in all of 2022 – not great, Jim. But already this year the company is showing huge improvements with pre-orders of the Emira sports car and Eletre SUV swelling to 17,000 in just the first six months of 2023.

Next year could be even more fruitful with the arrival of Lotus' yet-to-be-named electric sedan. Using the same architecture as the Eletre and boasting most of the same specs, the Lotus Type 133 – as it's currently known internally – could be another sales boon for the British brand on the rebound.

What Will It Be Called?

As mentioned, the Lotus sedan currently has no name. But the company is likely to follow the Eletre, Emira, and Evija (and Esprit and Elise and Eclat and Elan and Europa) with another "E" nomenclature. There's still no confirmation on exactly what "E" name the sedan could don, but initial trademark filings revealed possibilities like Envya, which Lotus has since shot down, and Etude, which the company has neither confirmed nor denied.

One long-shot option is Cortina, named after the Ford Cortina Lotus from the early 1960s like the one pictured above. Car And Driver suggests that Lotus could ditch the "E" naming convention altogether and use the throwback nomenclature instead, but we're not so sure.

What Will It Look Like?

There have been a number of revealing spy photos and videos showing the Lotus sedan undergoing validation, and from what we can see underneath the camouflage, the Type 133 will have a relatively sleek four-door design. It won't be as low-slung as the Porsche Taycan or Audi E-Tron GT, granted, instead more in line with something like the Tesla Model S.

Elsewhere, the Lotus sedan shares design cues with the larger Eletre, most notably its ultra-slim split headlight fixtures and rear light bar. But the high-spoke snowflake wheels pictured on nearly all the prototypes we've seen thus far are unique to the sedan, though they do bear some resemblance to the Emira’s shoes. The Type 133 will also boast lots of flow-through aero features like rear-wheel diffusers and buttressed front fenders to reduce wind resistance.

Our artist took a crack at rendering the Lotus Type 133 using the many spy photos provided, and the concept pictured here gives us a solid idea as to what the final production version could look like.

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What Kind Of Specs Will It Have?

With the Emira sports car being the brand’s last gas vehicle, the Lotus Type 133 sedan will be completely electric and the third Lotus EV after the Evija supercar and Eletre SUV. It will use the same Electric Premium Architecture (EPA) as the Eletre, most likely with a matching 112.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack good for up to 400 miles of range and 10-80 percent, 420-kilowatt fast charging in just 20 minutes.

A range-topping performance version of the Type 133 could pack north of 900 horsepower, which would put it up against other powerful EVs like the Porsche Taycan Turbo S and Tesla Model S Plaid. Look for the base model to still have two motors, all-wheel drive, and somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 hp.

The Type 133 sedan will also have fancy suspension tech – again, mimicking the Eletre – to make it a more dynamic performer. That will include an air suspension, rear-wheel steering, active roll control, and active aerodynamics, with Commercial Vice President Mike Johnstone saying the overall performance will be comparable to the Taycan.

When Will We See It?

Lotus has confirmed that the four-door will be revealed before the end of the year and it’s likely to go on sale sometime in the summer of 2024.

How Much Will It Cost?

The Type 133 should be more affordable than the larger Eletre, which starts at around $115,000 in the US. Our best guess is a base MSRP of just under $90,000 with the top-end, Taycan Turbo–rivaling version costing nearly $150,000. The 2023 Taycan Turbo, for reference, costs $162,450 with destination and the Taycan Turbo S is $196,550.

Thursdays at Motor1.com mean the Test Car Happy Hour happens at 2:30 PM Eastern (11:30 AM Pacific). We have editors living across the United States, and they all love talking about what we're driving. This show allows us to have a face-to-face digital car meetup every week. Plus, you can be our guest by chatting on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Youtube. Please, come and comment because we love hearing your thoughts.

If you're reading this after the stream, the audio version is available on all of the major podcast platforms, like Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more. 

This week, the guests on The Test Car Happy Hour are Motor1.com Editor-in-Chief Seyth Miersma and Senior Editor Brett T. Evans.

The Toyota 4Runner 40th Anniversary Edition is the vehicle featured in our podcast cover photo this week. As the name implies, it celebrates four decades since this nameplate's launch. The SUV features yellow/orange/red body graphics that evoke the 1980s, and buyers can select the body colors Midnight Black, Barcelona Red, or White. The wheels are bronze-colored and measure 17 inches in diameter. This trim is limited to 4,040 units.

The Acura Integra Type S is the sporty version of the brand's entry-level sedan. It packs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 320 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 310 pound-feet of torque available between 2,600 and 4,000 revs. The only gearbox available is a six-speed manual. There are also adaptive dampers. Prices start at $51,995 after the destination fee.

The Land Rover Range Rover Velar just received a refresh for the 2024 model year. The styling only receives minor tweaks like updated headlights and an updated lower bumper. The bigger revisions are in the cabin where the SUV gains an 11.4-inch curved glass touchscreen infotainment. The base trim uses a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine making 247 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque. There's also a mild-hybrid turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six offering 395 hp and 405 lb-ft. 

We hope you join the conversation and share your thoughts about these models. And be ready to ask lots of questions to our hosts.

If You Missed These Previous Happy Hours, Check Them Out:

It's time for another episode of Rambling About Cars. Smith is back from vacation, and Motor1.com Editor-In-Chief Seyth Miersma joins the program to share his experiences from Monterey Car Week. Yes, there was a small gathering of neato cars last week in California, and we have much to discuss.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Pacific), and you can join us on Motor1.com's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels to chat in real-time.

Be Part Of The Conversation Here:

Motor1com on Facebook
Motor1com on Twitter
Motor1 on YouTube

As always, if you can't be with us live, you can always watch the recordings on YouTube at the end of each show. For our friends who prefer audio, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

Wherever you get your Rambling About Cars fix, please comment, like, subscribe, share... all the good social stuff so we can keep rambling for your (and our) entertainment. And we always welcome emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

You know it's a good show when the opening act is a bonkers Ford Mustang with over 800 horsepower and a $300,000 price tag. The GTD is essentially a street-legal GT3, which means it's a completely different car under the skin.

Meanwhile in the world of electric performance, we finally have the long-awaited Lamborghini four-seater EV ... in concept form anyway. The Lamborghini Lanzador boasts 1,341 hp in a sleek two-door crossover body, and yes, it will eventually see production. That won't happen until 2028, so there's plenty of time for Lamborghini to mix up the formula versus what we see now.

The Acura ZDX will arrive much sooner. Debuting to the crowds in Monterey, the electric SUV will eventually offer a 500-horsepower Type S model and sales start next year. Also arriving next year is something a tad less practical, and not just because it's a Maserati. The MCXtrema was announced in 2022 as Project24, and now we have full disclosure on this hardcore, track-only take on the MC20.

Previously On Rambling About Cars:

Smith has some stories from his time off, and Seyth has much to share about his Pebble Beach adventures, including some quality time with the Maserati team and a final dance with the Audi R8 at Laguna Seca. Be sure to jump onto Motor1's socials at 7:30 PM EDT and comment with us in real-time. We will see you online.

Welcome back to another week of Rambling About Cars. Brett T. Evans is our co-host this week because Chris Smith is on vacation. There's still plenty to talk about, though. Monterey Car Week is about to kick off, and there are some surprise debuts.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Pacific). If you can't be with us live, you can always watch the recordings on YouTube at the end of each show.

Be Part Of The Conversation Here:

For our friends who prefer audio, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

We always love to get emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

Our episode image this week shows the newly debuted Zenvo Aurora. There are two versions. The Agil is a rear-wheel-drive track-focused model that makes 1,450 horsepower and 1,033 pound-feet from a quad-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 and an electric motor. The Tur adds two more motors for turning the front wheels and produces 1,850 hp and 1,254 lb-ft. The base price is an eye-watering $2.8 million.

The Fisker Ronin debuted late last week. It's a four-seat electric convertible with a folding hard top. The powertrain has over 1,000 hp providing acceleration to 60 mph in about 2.0 seconds. Fisker is building 999 of them, and the starting price is $385,000.

The Toyota Rangga concept just premiered at the Indonesia International Auto Show. No technical specs are available, but it's an adorable little commercial vehicle. Toyota even has a contest for people to customize the vehicle digitally.

The Aston Martin DB12 Volante adds open-air driving to the brand's grand tourer. The soft top has eight layers of insulation and folds in 14 seconds. Buyers can select the roof to be black, red, blue, or a mix of black and silver. Power comes from a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 with 671 hp and 590 lb-ft.

If there's time, we want to cover a few other vehicle debuts. The Mercedes-AMG SL63 Big Sur wears a California-inspired custom orange body. There's a new teaser for the Lamborghini concept debuting in Monterey. We discussed the teaser last week, but the Bugatti Chiron Golden Era actually debuted. Bugatti also built a matching Mistral.

Be sure to jump onto Motor1's socials at 7:30 PM EDT and comment with us in real-time. We will see you online.

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It's been a long time coming, much longer than I'd ever thought, but it's finally here. My dream Subaru, a 1998 Impreza WRX STI Type R Version 4 Spec V-Limited, is not only in the country, it's in my garage. Better yet, it's road legal!

It was supposed to be here in March and I was supposed to spend the summer months driving in style in my right-hand-drive STI. But, as so often happens when awaiting a shipment from overseas, things didn't quite go according to plan.

If you haven't been following along, way back in November of last year I wrote Part 1 of this series, in which I detailed how I found, bought at auction, and stored my car until it had reached the age of 25, as mandated by US federal law. That milestone passed in March of 2023.

In Part 2, being of an impatient sort, I headed to Japan to inspect and drive the car in its element, taking it for a spin around Nagano and, for the first time, coming face-to-face with what it is that I'd purchased.

At the time, I was assured the Impreza would be on a boat before long and would be timed to land in the States right when it turned 25. In reality, the car didn't get to my home until June 6, and even that wasn't the end of the waiting.

The Supply Chain Blues

On the initial shipping delay, I was told that, with the easing of supply chain restrictions, Japanese production and exporting was picking up. And so, real cars destined for real people were filling up the cargo ships, leaving my little toy sitting at port.

Once the Subaru did finally arrive, it came in through the west coast. Seattle, to be specific. That's where my importer, Import Guys, is based, and I opted to let them handle the paperwork and the pick-up.

I could have had the car shipped into New Jersey and picked it up myself, but after reading a few horror stories about people spending multiple days at the ports with fists full of forms waiting their turns, I opted to let the professionals handle it.

Anyway, the car was stuck in the Seattle port for a few weeks, then shipping to New York took a few weeks, and then waiting on the Washington State title took another two full months. I finally got all the paperwork on August 1 and promptly made a DMV appointment for the morning of August 2.

License Plates In Sight, DMV Delight

I don't like DMV visits in general – I always feel like something will go horribly wrong, so I spend hours the day before making sure I have all possible paperwork ready, held neatly in a fresh folder. Given the weight of this situation, I was a bit more nervous than usual.

Upon arriving at the DMV, I was immediately told I'd brought the wrong paperwork. Perplexed, I started frantically filling out what sure looked to me like a copy of exactly the same form I'd filled out the day before. And indeed it was, it's just that the New York State DMV website's flavor of MV-82 was a few months out of date.

Heavens.

New form filled out, I handed this now-taller stack of papers to a kind woman at the DMV office, who this time gave a satisfactory nod. She started typing and typing, then typing some more. Eventually, she pulled out a set of plates and set them on the desk.

I confess to getting a little excited at this point. Remember, I purchased this car in May of 2021. For more than two years I've been waiting to put some plates on this thing and take it for a drive. And that time was about to be here.

Except that it wasn't. She tilted her head and looked confused at her terminal, then got up and walked to her manager's desk. Soon she was joined by another colleague, and then another. Four people were all engaged in stern discourse around my paperwork.

She came back over.

"So, why doesn't your car have a 17-digit VIN?" she asked.

"It's a Japanese car. I just imported it," I said.

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She nodded, walked away, then came back a few moments later.

"But even Japanese cars have 17-digit VINs," she said.

"Sorry, I mean it's a car that I imported from Japan,” I replied. “It's a car for the Japanese market.”

"Okay," she said, and went back to the power-huddle.

She returned with a phone number written on a Post-it note. "Operations," it said.

She called and explained the situation and was given another number. She called that one, pausing mid-way through the conversation to ask: "Is this a mini-truck?"

"No, it's a coupe. A car," I said.

The conversations continued, then she was passed along to a third mystery caller somewhere within the New York DMV deep state.

"And this isn't a mini-truck?" she asked me, again.

"No, here, I'll show you," I said, and pulled up a picture on my phone, holding it forward as if this little picture of a blue car with gold wheels held even a single iota of legal significance.

She spent a few more minutes conferring while I stood there, gazing at the pair of freshly minted license plates that were just on the other side of a plexiglass divider. As close as I'd ever get to them, I figured.

It was done. I was legal. More accurately, my dream Subaru WRX STI was legal.

"So it's okay to do it?" she asked the person on the phone.

Affirmative received, she hung up and started typing again.

"I think we're done," she said to me, clicking away again on her keyboard. My heart soared. Then fell.

"No!" she shouted. A modal dialog had appeared on her terminal and was preventing her from continuing. She walked off to the manager's desk again, who came to the rescue, typed in an override code, and we were through.

It was done. I was legal. More accurately, my dream Subaru WRX STI was legal.

I was so elated that I didn't even cringe when I handed over payment for the eight-percent sales tax to my DMV angel. And she genuinely was an angel. The whole process took nearly an hour and, had I been assigned a representative with less patience, I'm sure I'd have been sent home empty-handed.

New Stickers And New Shoes

I wasn't totally done, as I still had to pass a New York State inspection, but thankfully that went by without a hitch. Since the car is more than 25 years old, the lack of an OBDII port didn't cause it any problems. The only patently illegal thing on the car as it arrived was the tires. The JDM tires did not meet DOT regulations. So, a set of Pilot Sport 4 tires, kindly provided by Michelin, solved that issue – and improved the handling and ride quality immensely over the decades-old rubber it came on.

Now that I have a road-legal, Japanese-market car, do I have regrets? A few. It's the most drawn-out buying process of my entire life, long enough that I went through three full phases of buyer's remorse, each more nauseating than the previous.

But, I'm thrilled to have the car now. Giving it a first bath in the driveway was a real treat. I still have a lot of work left to get the Subaru where I want it, but at least now I can finally stop worrying about whether I'd ever get the thing on the road and can move on to worrying about all the fun things that come along with operating a 25-year-old Subaru.

JDM Importing Pro-Tips:

Thursdays at Motor1.com mean the Test Car Happy Hour happens at 2:30 PM Eastern (11:30 AM Pacific). We have editors living across the United States, and they all love talking about what we're driving. This show allows us to have a face-to-face digital car meetup every week. Plus, you can be our guest by chatting on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), or Youtube. Your comments automatically go into our streaming feed, where we can see, share, and respond to them.

If you're reading this after the stream, the audio version is available on all of the major podcast platforms, like Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more. 

This week, the guests on The Test Car Happy Hour are Motor1.com Editor-in-Chief Seyth Miersma, Senior Editor Brett T. Evans, and Senior Editor Jeff Perez.

The Toyota GR Corolla is the vehicle in our feature photo this week, and Evans is the person driving it. The car is a quintessential hot hatch. A turbocharged 1.6-liter three-cylinder. makes 300 horsepower and 272 pound-feet of torque in the Core and Circuit models. The Morizo version pushes the output to 300 hp and 295 lb-ft.

Evans also published a First Drive of the Lucid Air Sapphire this week. He'll tell us all about what it's like to drive the 1,234-hp electric sedan.

Perez spent the week with the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid. In 2021, the model won Motor1.com's Star Award for Best Value Vehicle. We look forward to finding out if the latest model is still worthy of that honor.

Finally, Miersma has been driving the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV. The Environmental Protection Agency rates it at 29 miles per gallon combined and a total range of 360 miles from both the fuel tank and battery.

He planned to discuss the best supercars for dads last week, but that didn't really happen. Instead, he plans to have that discussion this week. Miersma has two young kids so he has the experience to give a proper answer to this topic.

We hope you join the conversation and share your thoughts about these models. And be ready to ask lots of questions to our hosts.

If You Missed Them, Enjoy These Previous Happy Hours:

Welcome back to another week of Rambling About Cars, and we have quite a variety of topics for discussion. By that we mean everything from big electric SUVs to JDM sports sedans, supercars, hypercars, and more.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Pacific), and you can join us on Motor1.com's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels to chat in real time.

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As always, if you can't be with us live, you can always watch the recordings on YouTube at the end of each show. For our friends who prefer audio, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

Wherever you get your Rambling About Cars fix, please comment, like, subscribe, share... all the good social stuff so we can keep rambling for your (and our) entertainment. And we always welcome emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

What's shaking for new vehicle debuts? The big tamale this week is the Cadillac Escalade IQ, where IQ really means EV. Yup, this sucker is electrical, and with a starting price of $130,000, it could shock a few bank accounts before all is said and done. It may also shock a few muscle car drivers, as there's 750 horsepower driving the Ultium platform beneath this Caddy's body.

Meanwhile in Japan, there will soon be another Nismo prowling the streets. Fresh after the Z Nismo debut in North America, Japanese buyers get a Skyline Nismo sedan with a bit more power, a bit more aero, and a bit more exclusivity. Only 1,000 will be made, and they're only available for the Japanese market.

And then we have Monterey Car Week. As we move into the waning days of summer, the glitzy California peninsula will soon become a rolling car show of immense proportions. It's also become a popular venue for posh automakers to unveil new models, and 2023 is no exception. We've already seen the $3 million Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Roadster (which we'll talk about in the podcast) but there are several notable debuts to keep an eye on. We'll have a preview of what to expect when the action begins next week.

Be sure to jump onto Motor1's socials at 7:30 PM EDT and comment with us in real time. We will see you online.

Previously On Rambling About Cars:

Ah, Monterey Car Week is upon us yet again. In just a few days we'll see classic cars ripping around Laguna Seca as part of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion and supercars on the lawn of The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering. It all culminates with the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance on Sunday, where some of the rarest and most valuable cars on the planet gather.

This year is already shaping up to be one of the biggest – and busiest – Monterey Cars Weeks in recent history. The highest of high-end brands like Aston Martin, Bugatti, and Pininfarina have big plans for Monterey, while Acura has a new EV, and Maserati is showing its newest race car.

We'll be there live, soaking up the sun and all the supercars Monterey has to offer. In the meantime, here's a quick list of some of the early debuts you can expect to see during Car Week – don't worry, we'll keep updating this story as we know more.

Acura ZDX

The ZDX is Acura's first electric vehicle and it packs a 102.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack with up to 500 hp on the most powerful Type S model. The maximum driving range for the single-motor ZDX is 325 miles and all versions comes with 190-kilowatt DC fast charging. The base ZDX starts at $60,000 and the ZDX Type S costs $70,000.

The New Acura ZDX:

Aston Martin DB12 Volante

The Aston Martin DB12 is dropping its top and soaking up the Monterey sun with the arrival of the Volante convertible model. It has the same twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 as the coupe, producing 671 hp, and even the same 202-mph top speed.

BAC Supercar

BAC – also known as the Briggs Automotive Company – in its first attendance at Monterey is debuting a new single-seat supercar during Car Week. It will sit alongside the hardcore Mono R in the current lineup, and "add a new dimension to the company's current product offering."

Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era

The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport Golden Era car is a piece of artwork. It features hand-drawn sketches on either side of the bodywork depicting icons throughout Bugatti history. Even the interior features hand-painted historical models on either of the door panels. This car was commissioned by an unnamed Bugatti collector with a deep appreciation for the automaker's 100-plus years of history and will be on display on Monterey.

Gordon Murray Automotive T.33 Spider / T.50s

The lovely Gordon Murray T.33 Spider and T.50s models will make their American debut during Car Week. The former T.33 has 6079 hp from a 3.9-liter Cosworth V12 engine, while the track-only T.50s has 661 hp and a screaming 12,100 rpm redline.

Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution Roadster

As if the track-focused Hennessey Venom F5 Revolution wasn’t hardcore enough, a Revolution Roadster will make its debut during Car Week. Packing 1,817 horsepower from the same twin-turbocharged 6.6-liter V8 engine, the Revolution Roadster has a quick-release carbon fiber roof that weighs just 17 pounds.

More From Hennessey:

Infiniti QX Monograph Concept

Infiniti will offer a preview of its future design language during Car Week with the QX Monograph concept. Boasting "bold proportions" and "striking design elements," the QX Monograph debuts officially on August 17.

Jaguar C-Type And D-Type Revival

Jaguar is bringing two of its most iconic race cars to Car Week – but modernized in the form of two Continuation models. These Continuation cars take over 3,000 man-hours to complete by hand at Jaguar’s Coventry, UK, Classics Facility. Interested buyers will have to plunk down at least $1.9 million if they want one.

Kia EV6 Limited Edition

Kia hasn’t said much about what the EV6 Limited Edition could be, but the automaker promises a new version of its beloved electric crossover will be on display during The Quail on Friday, August 18.

Lamborghini Electric Concept

Lamborghini will introduce its first production EV in 2028. But next week, we’ll see only the second all-electric concept car making its debut at Monterey Car Week. The details are still unclear, but Lamborghini does promise that this prototype will preview a series production model.

Maserati MCXtrema

Previously codenamed Project24, the Maserati MCXtrema is an MC20-based race car with extreme looks – as its name suggests. Making its debut officially on August 18 at The Quail, the Maserati MCXtrema boasts 730 hp and just 62 examples will be built.

Mercedes-AMG GT

Mercedes-Benz provided a preview of the new GT during the Goodwood Festival Of Speed, but the automaker is officially unwrapping its new sports car during Monterey Car Week. It debuts on August 18, and it will be shown alongside a special edition Mercedes-AMG SL.

The New Mercedes-AMG GT:

Mercedes-AMG SL63 Manufaktur Big Sur

The Mercedes-AMG SL63 is getting a Manufaktur makeover for Monterey with the arrival of the new Big Sur trim. The upgraded SL wears a beautiful Orange Flame paint job with hand-stitched Mystic Red and Black Nappa leather inside. Per usual, the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 powering the SL63 produces 557 hp.

Pininfarina B95

The new Pininfarina B95 will be shown alongside the Pura Vision concept and the Battista Edizione Nino Farina. The lone teaser image shows a low-slung sports car with a thin LED lighting element extending across the front fascia. But that’s all we know about the vehicle thus far.

Pininfarina Pura Vision SUV Concept

The Pininfarina Pura Vision is the Italian automaker’s first SUV – or "LUV," according to Pininfarina. The sleek concept previews the future design direction for the EV brand, with design features like a low hood and high fenders inspired by the iconic 1947 Cisitalia.

More From Pininfarina:

Zenvo Aurora

Zenvo is making a statement in Monterey with the powerful and pricey new Aurora hypercar. With a quad-turbocharged 6.6-liter V12 engine underhood, the Aurora has up to 1,850 hp and a proposed top speed of 280 mph. The price for all that performance is a cool $2.8 million.

FAQs

What Date Is Monterey Car Week 2023?

Monterey Car Week officially starts on August 11 with the Monterey Car Week Kick-Off and runs for 10 days. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance is the final event of the week, taking place on Sunday, August 20.

Is Monterey Car Week Worth It?

From our standpoint: it is absolutely worth it. The 10-day event consists of multiple car shows ranging from the rarest classics to the priciest hypercars, and everything in-between.

Is Monterey Car Week Every Year?

Yes, Monterey Car Week takes place every year in Monterey, California, with the biggest events of the week being the Rolex Motorsports Reunion, The Quail, and the Concours d’Elegance.

–Ketchum, Idaho

Uh oh, asterisk. Don’t tell me this guy didn’t actually hit 200 miles per hour…

Okay, yes, this story starts with a technicality. According to the digital gauge cluster inside the McLaren 765LT I drove, I hit 203 mph. However, the GPS tracker suctioned to the windshield only recorded a top speed of 196 mph. Believe whichever number helps you sleep at night. Either way, it was f**king fast.

It’s also par for the course at the Sun Valley Tour de Force. Now in its sixth year, this fundraising event allows speed freaks to drive their cars as fast as they want down Phantom Hill, a three-mile section of Highway 75 north of Ketchum, Idaho. It sounds like some kind of grassroots, cannonball-style event, but it’s actually very well organized. Cops close the road, spotters watch for obstacles (you do not want to hit a deer at 200 mph), and for $2,950, you can take a run down the hill – plus attend a number of other neat automotive events throughout the weekend.

All the proceeds go to benefit Idaho’s Hunger Coalition food pantry, and in 2022, the Tour de Force raised $600,000. This year, event organizers say they surpassed that number. McLaren sponsored this year’s event, and the company used it to run a prototype of the new 750S supercar with retired Formula 1 driver and 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Stefan Johansson behind the wheel. (Incredibly nice guy, by the way – we watched the IndyCar race on his iPhone at the airport.) McLaren also invited a few schmucks like me to come test our lead feet, bringing along the greatest hits of its recent arsenal: the 720S, 765LT, and Artura.

200 MPH? No Pressure…

All the participants were really there to have a good time, sipping coffee and talking about old rich person things in between runs down Phantom Hill. But there’s a special level of recognition for people who break the 200-mph barrier, which is exactly what I aimed to do.

Weirdly, despite having the most power and downforce (and a documented history of exceeding the two-century mark), the 765LT was not the best car for the job. Both it and the Artura have top speeds of 205 mph, while the 720S can hit 212 mph. Why? The 720S might have less downforce than the 765LT, but its body is more aerodynamic. Its twin-turbo V8 engine is also geared differently, making it easier to reach and exceed 200 mph.

At this point, I really need to stress the fact that Phantom Hill is a public stretch of road that anyone can drive at any time. That means it’s not a smooth, wide strip of tarmac like an airport runway. This is a bumpy-ass two-lane road up the side of a mountain in rural Idaho. There are cracks and frost heaves. When I drove up Phantom Hill the day before the event to get the lay of the land, I was like, there’s no way it’s this road. Oh, and there’s a slight turn. And a small crest. A blind, sweeping turn with a crest. For a 200-mph speed run. What the...

That means hitting 200 mph isn’t just as simple as flooring it in a straight line. Folks who previously ran the event cautioned me to stay to the right as I came into the turn, as the southbound lane of Highway 75 was slightly smoother, and then move toward the middle and straddle the double-yellow line before cresting the hill. I was told that if you can exit the turn doing about 170 mph, reaching 200 mph shouldn’t be a problem. In theory.

When you’re sitting in your car in the staging area at the top of the hill, you’ve got about 10 minutes of alone time with just your thoughts swirling around in your helmet. That’s when the whole gravity of the event made me sink into my seat. At 200 mph, if anything went wrong, that was it. I’m toast. All of a sudden I recalled the parts of the registration form where I needed to list two emergency contacts and provide my blood type – you know, just in case.

But it’s not like I was driving some rickety old shitbox trying to set a land speed record. The 765LT’s 205-mph v-max isn’t some kind of “if you dare!” challenge. This car was engineered so that anyone who can afford one can realistically exceed 200 mph. It’s literally what the 765LT was made for.

Fast Doesn’t Begin To Describe It

One by one, I watched the cars in front of me take off down Phantom Hill. Each car completed a full run and crossed the finish line before the next vehicle was cleared to go. As I inched up to the start line, I tried to decide if the sweat on my brow was from nerves or the fact that it was sunny and 90-something degrees, and that I was wearing a full-face helmet. The call came over the radio. The starter gave me the thumbs-up. Time to go.

I shot away quickly and made sure the tires had traction before really pressing harder, and I kept my eyes up towards the long left-hander ahead. I followed the advice I received earlier that day, staying to the right, letting the car move around a little bit, not keeping my hands too tight on the wheel. Through the turn, I moved toward the center of the road, and the car started to feel lighter as I got toward the crest of the hill. After that, it was a straight shot down to the finish, the wide open expanse of Idaho’s Sun Valley on full display. I kept my eyes focused way, way down the road to avoid the warped sensation of high-speed tunnel vision. All I could do was keep my right foot floored – and breathe.

It’s not easy for a car to reach 200 mph. It’s fighting the grip of the tires on broken pavement, a headwind, and the sheer thickness of the hot air. McLaren’s engineers said the 765LT had a better chance of hitting its top speed in sixth gear, not seventh, simply because of the way it's geared. (Seventh is basically an overdrive.) “Floor it in sixth and just bang against the rev limiter,” one guy suggested. Okay, sure thing.

It’s not easy for a human to reach 200 mph, either. You are putting a ton of trust in a machine to do something your brain knows is inherently not okay. It takes a lot of concentration to actually keep your right foot all the way down and to trust the little jolts you feel through the steering wheel. It’s also loud. It’s so loud. The engine noise, wind noise, road noise… not to mention the voice in your head wondering what the hell do you think you’re doing?

High-Speed Hijinks:

But then it’s over. Taking my foot off the gas, I let out one of those awkward sigh-laughs as I slowly applied the brakes. I got one mile of braking zone before I had to pull into the pit area, and while that might seem excessive, slowing down from 200 mph took a sec. There’s a weird speed disconnect, where you slow down to what you perceive as a crawl, but then you look at the speedometer and you’re still doing triple digits. I pulled into the pits, grabbed a cold bottle of water, and then stood around the leaderboard with the other participants to watch the speeds roll in.

No matter if you use my 196-mph recorded speed or 203-mph observed speed, I was not the fastest person that day. Several people crested 200 mph, with top honors going to the driver of a tuned McLaren 720S who hit 219 mph. Johansson in the 750S prototype saw an even 200 mph, though he told me earlier that day he wasn’t going to push it too hard because – no offense, McLaren – British car prototype.

Tour de Force creator Dave Stone said the event was born out of his long-time desire to drive a car as fast as he could down Phantom Hill. And as the head honcho, Stone completed the first run of the day. But he didn’t do it in an Audi, McLaren, Ferrari, or Porsche. Stone sped down Phantom Hill in a modified 1981 Volkswagen Caddy pickup. His top speed? 112 mph. The Tour de Force is all about thrill, no matter the car.

Thursday at Motor1.com means The Test Car Happy Hour is at 2:30 PM Eastern (11:30 AM Pacific). We have editors living across the United States, and they all love talking about what we're driving. This show allows us to have a face-to-face digital car meetup every week. Plus, you can be our guest by chatting on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube. Your comments automatically go into our streaming feed, where we can see, share, and respond to them.

If you're reading this after the stream, the audio version is available on all of the major podcast platforms, like Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more. 

This week, the guests on The Test Car Happy Hour are Motor1.com Editor-in-Chief Seyth Miersma, Senior Editor Brett T. Evans, and Senior Editor Jeff Perez.

This week's vehicle on our feature image is the Ford Mustang Dark Horse. Perez drove it and wrote an extensive First Drive Review. It packs a 5.0-liter V8 pumping out 500 horsepower and 418 pound-feet.

We should have an interesting conversation because Evans recently drove the new Mustang GT. They should have a lot to talk about comparing them.

Miersma has two topics this week. First, he's driving a BMW M3 Edition 50 Jahre. As the name implies, the model celebrates 50 years of the M division. This one features loads of M Performance parts, edition-exclusive forged wheels, and a carbon-fiber front splitter. The model is available in colors from previous M3s, and Miersma's is Technoviolet from the E36 generation.

He'll also go over the best supercars for dads. Miersma has two children, and he's a car enthusiast. It can be a challenge to combine driving excitement while being practical enough for kids.

Finally, Evans is driving the Chrysler 300C. It's the last hurrah for the brand's muscle sedan with a 6.4-liter V8 rated at 485 hp and 475 lb-ft. These sedans are limited to just 2,000 units, with prices starting at $55,000. It also has red four-piston Brembo brake calipers and active dampers for the suspension.

We hope you join the conversation and share your thoughts about these models. And be ready to ask lots of questions to our hosts.

If You Missed Them, Enjoy These Previous Happy Hours:

The Bronco resurrection is complete and its apostles worship at the altar of off-roading bliss, devotedly kitting out their SUVs with accessories by the dozen. Ford spared no expense, building up the dramatic reveal in 2020 after years of teased glimpses and hopeful anticipation. This was one remake that would not disappoint, unlike so many at the box office (Footloose 2011, we’re looking at you).

Once the new Bronco was unveiled after a 25-year hiatus and sales opened up, fans went nuts. By June 2021, nearly 200,000 customers reserved a Bronco. Soon outlets were reporting that the SUV was essentially sold out for two years and if you could get your hands on one, it was going to be marked up to high heaven. Some people were so eager to get their hands on one they paid six figures in cash. Only Swifties’ current zeal for concert tickets can relate.

That’s the kind of buzz you can’t buy. While Ford had an inkling that the Bronco wouldn’t fail, the brand couldn’t predict exactly how explosive the growth would be. So the Blue Oval prepared for the best-case scenario with a stable of 200+ factory-backed accessories and four Bronco Off-Roadeo locations for new owners to get to know their new SUV.

It’s paying off. Sales are rising, and Ford spokesman Said Deep told the Detroit Free Press this February that approximately 60% of Bronco customers came from outside Ford. Primarily, Deep said, from Jeep.

Fanatical Ford Family

A short drive from the neon lights of the Las Vegas strip, the Nevada Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo is designed to show off the prowess of the mega-hit SUV. One of four Off-Roadeo locations across the country – including Horseshoe Bay, Texas (near Austin); Moab, Utah; and Gilford, New Hampshire – this off-roading practice facility in Mt. Potosi takes it a step beyond with the Bronco Off-Roadeo Raptor Experience.

Designed to help Raptor owners understand the SUV’s capabilities, this subcamp of the Nevada facility gives drivers a chance to go beyond the trail running on the basic course. Traversing the Ultra4 Racing–inspired desert running course and rock-crawling obstacles at the Raptor Experience keeps the pace high; no one has time to get bored here. Catching air on the tabletop jump is one of our favorite parts.

Inside Bronco Nation, a loosely organized online group of Bronco owners, enthusiasts are already talking about the brand-new playground for their Raptors, which just opened July 14. On opening day, drift king Vaugn Gittin, Jr slid sideways into the pits “in a cloud of dust-filled glory” to high-five and bump knuckles with new Raptor initiates, whipping up the elation and sending Raptor owners home with stars in their eyes.

Ford knows that level of excitement translates to a tighter community. It builds fiercely loyal and enthusiastically-evangelical fans of the family of two-door and four-door SUVs, including the smaller Bronco Sport. Owners waited a long time for Bronco’s return, and they’re embracing its rebirth with something akin to rock star worship.

The Bronco was going to sell out even without throwing in a full-day experience with professional instructors on site. Clearly, Ford didn’t have to build the Off-Roadeo sites, so why bother?

According to the Blue Oval’s research through surveys, most Bronco owners are new to off-roading. The company wants to whet their appetite for the Bronco lifestyle, and Ford is thinking bigger than the vehicles themselves. The company is creating a legion of fans, and it’s betting on long-lasting appeal that will resonate for generations.

Been There, Bought The T-Shirt

The purpose of the Off-Roadeo course, on the surface, is to give Bronco owners more confidence. But it’s also like a concert venue: the Bronco is the star, and after the show the attendees want tee shirts, hats, keychains, and more. In fact, Ford’s Kelsey Gerken says Bronco Off-Roadeo locations have generated merchandise sales exceeding $2.5 million since the first location opened in July 2021.

Post-event surveys are showing that 98 percent say the experience exceeded their expectations. And when people are happy, they’re more willing to part with their money.
Once they finish the course and can see how everything works together, Bronco owners are likely to buy a lot of accessories – to the tune of about $1,700 per customer, on average. More than 200 factory-warrantied accessories are available online, like Yakima roof racks, recovery boards, first aid kits, light bars, lockable storage drawers and more. Once owners start meeting other Bronco enthusiasts and see how their SUVs are accessorized, it inspires them to personalize theirs as well.

The Capable Ford Bronco:

That scenario may feel familiar to Jeep owners, who have been accessorizing their rigs for decades. In 2019, Automotive News reported "Mopar said [Jeep] Gladiator buyers spend an average of around $1,000 per vehicle on accessories, topping Wrangler purchasers, who shell out about $800," mostly off-road tools like lift kits and protective rock rails.

Four years later, Jeep representatives say that while they’re not able to share specific dollar amounts, they can say that the Jeep Wrangler is the most accessorized vehicle in the brand’s lineup. Possibly, the Wrangler 4xe and 392 variants breathed new life into the Wrangler, inspiring Jeepers get excited about it again.

Worth The Money And Effort

Ford may have learned from Jeep, which made 90 percent of its Mopar accessories available from the day Gladiator sales opened. When the Bronco launched, Ford was ready with 200+ factory-backed accessories, the largest number ever launched with a Ford vehicle. At the Off-Roadeo locations, owners are encouraged to check out Broncos already fitted with any number of add-ons, and orders pour in.

Bob Burns, who designed all four Off-Roadeo courses and has built up countless sites for Land Rover, says that dealerships can display every trim and color, but it can’t show a vehicle with off-roading accessories tackling tough challenges in real time.

"If you want to see how accessories perform on the trail, come to Off-Roadeo," Burns says.

When asked if the Off-Roadeo sites are worthwhile, Bronco brand manager Matt Winter doesn’t skip a beat. "We know it's worth it," he says. "A lot of people come here and they've already heard the hype about it and they know it's going to be awesome, and they walk away with a smile on their face."

Winter says seeing how many people are joining the Bronco community, joining Bronco Nation at base camps, joining cleanups with Bronco Wild Fund (a nonprofit aimed at supporting outdoors-focused organizations), and accumulating accessories shows proof of the long-term loyalty and emotional tie to Ford and the Bronco brand. Now with Las Vegas’ Raptor Valley, Bronco fans have another outlet for their off-roading aspirations.

As Ford considers opening up opportunities for additional classes (for a fee) and even events for non-Bronco owners, it has set its sights on drawing more fans to the campfire. The Bronco builder is making the right moves, and as truck and SUV sales continue to rise it seems the church of Bronco is collecting more eager parishioners.

Welcome back to another week of Rambling About Cars, and the 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser is the big debut. We have several things to discuss, including the diesel-powered European model. Plus, Toyota revealed the updated 70 Series Land Cruiser. The brand might have teased a new FJ Cruiser, too.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 PM Pacific), and you can join us.

Be Part Of The Conversation Here:

For our friends who prefer to listen to the show, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

We always love to get emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

The new Land Cruiser features retro-tinged styling that evokes the 80 Series models. The overall aesthetic is big, chunky, and chiseled. Power comes from a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder with hybrid assistance. The total output is 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. The output reaches the wheels through a full-time four-wheel-drive system and a two-speed transfer case. So far, Toyota only says the price starts in the mid-$50,000 range.

European buyers get a 2.8-liter turbodiesel making 201 hp and 369 lb-ft. Version with a 48V mild-hybrid powertrain arrives there in early 2025. In the Middle East, the Land Cruiser has a turbocharged 2.4-liter gasoline engine making 278 hp and 316 lb-ft. Buyers in Eastern Europe and Japan have the choice of a naturally aspirated 2.7-liter gas-fueled powerplant rated at 161 hp and 181 lb-ft.

The new Land Cruiser goes by the internal designation J250, but the brand updated the J70 model at the same time as launching the latest one. The J70 debuted in 1984 and has kept a spot in the automaker's range in some markets. 

The 2024 Land Cruiser 70 in Japan comes with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel making 201 hp and 369 lb-ft. In Australia, it has a 4.5-liter V8 diesel producing 202 hp and 316 b-ft in addition to the 2.8-liter engine.

Finally, Toyota might have teased a new FJ Cruiser. During the J250 Land Cruiser's debut, the brand showed silhouettes of two unknown SUVs. The one on the left might be a revived FJ Cruiser that might be an EV.  The other vehicle is larger but has a lower ground clearance.

Beyond the Land Cruiser, Porsche came out with the 911 S/T this week (above). It blends elements from the GT3 Touring and GT3 RS to create a lightweight, road-focused model. Production is limited to 1,963 examples for $291,650 in the US. Deliveries begin in spring 2024. The engine is the RS' 4.0-liter flat-six engine making 518 horsepower but with a new lightweight clutch for the six-speed manual.

Finally, the Nissan Z Nismo debuted with a more powerful version of the model's existing twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. Additional boost increases the output to 420 hp and 384 lb-ft, which are gains of 20 hp and 34 lb-ft. It hooks up to a nine-speed automatic gearbox.

If You Missed These Previous Rambles, Check Them Out:

With summer in full swing, more and more automakers are rolling out their new vehicles for the 2024 model year. Some have already hit the market while others are scheduled to head to dealerships over the next few months. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up 25 new cars, trucks, SUVs, and EVs that you’ll be able to get your hands on relatively soon.

Big-name brands like BMW, Chevrolet, and Ford are well-represented on this list with fresh products on the way for 2024. More EVs will make their way to the market, as well, and even a few brand-new sports cars are coming soon.

2024 Acura ZDX

On-Sale Date: Early 2024
Price: $60,000 (est.)

Acura is reviving the ZDX nameplate in the form of its first-ever electric SUV. Scheduled to debut early in 2024, the new Acura ZDX will have a more traditional shape than its wacky predecessor, as well as a Google-based infotainment system, and a Type S model that promises to be the brand's "most powerful and quickest accelerating SUV" ever. Early estimates put the pricing near the $60,000 mark.

2024 Aston Martin DB12

On-Sale Date: Fall 2023
Price: $250,000 (est.)

The new Aston Martin DB12’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine gives it a whopping 671 horsepower and a 0-60 time of just 3.5 seconds, while its new adaptive suspension and lavish interior help settle down the ride for cruising around town. The DB12 is an excellent GT car – but it won’t be cheap. Pricing estimates put the DB12 at around $250,000.

2024 Audi RS6 Avant / RS7 Performance

On-Sale Date: Fall 2023
Price: $126,895 / $127,800

The Audi RS6 Avant Performance and RS7 Performance bring, well, more performance to the table for 2024. Both of these cars use a twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 engine good for 621 horsepower and 625 pound-feet, helping rocket them to 60 miles per hour in just 3.3 seconds. The RS6 is actually the more affordable of the two, asking $126,895 with the destination fee included, while the RS7 costs $127,800. Both of these cars go on sale this fall.

2024 BMW i5 / 5 Series

On-Sale Date: Fall 2023
Price: $66,800 / $57,900

The new BMW 5 Series is joined by an all-electric i5 for the first time. These two luxury sedans boast bold new exterior designs complete with a dramatic front fascia, lots of gloss black plastic, and a sharp new body profile. For now, the 540i is the most powerful gas model, boasting 375 hp, while the electric i5 delivers up to 590 hp with the i5 M60. Both of these sedans go on sale this fall, with the standard 5 Series asking $57,900 and the i5 EV costing $66,800.

2024 Buick Envision

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $38,000 (est.)

The Buick Envision received a bold redesign for the 2024 model year, complete with a more upscale Avenir trim and, for the first time, Super Cruise hands-free driver assist. There’s still plenty we don’t know about the updated Envision, but Buick promises full details before the luxury SUV goes on sale sometime before the end of the year.

2024 Cadillac Celestiq

On-Sale Date: Late 2023 / Early 2024
Price: $340,000

The stunning Cadillac Celestiq will hit the road officially in 2024. With a higher-than-expected price of $345,000, the luxury EV should make around 600 hp with a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive setup, giving it an estimated 0-60 time of 3.8 seconds. Expect the total driving range to be just over 300 miles.

2024 Chevrolet Traverse

On-Sale Date: Early 2024
Price: $36,000 (est.)

The Traverse got a major glow-up for the 2024 model year. The updated SUV boasts a handsome exterior design with a rugged new Z71 trim designed for (light) off-roading and a more premium interior complete with a sizeable 17.7-inch infotainment touchscreen. Pricing details won’t be available until later in the year, but the 2024 Traverse goes on sale early in 2024.

2024 Ford Mustang / GT

On-Sale Date: Summer 2023
Price: $32,515 / $44,090

Ford updated its entire Mustang lineup for 2024 The base Mustang keeps its turbocharged 2.3-liter engine and the GT still uses a 5.0-liter V8, though both engines are technically new and have more power than before. The base Mustang is $32,515 with the destination fee included, while the GT costs $44,090.

2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse

On-Sale Date: Summer 2023
Price: $60,850

A powerful new trim joins the Ford Mustang lineup for 2024: Dark Horse. This pony car packs a 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine good for 500 hp and features a few exterior design tweaks as well as major upgrades inside. You can take one home this summer for just over $60,000.

2024 Honda Prologue

On-Sale Date: Early 2024
Price: $45,000 (est.)

Honda will bring its first electric SUV to the US in the form of the Prologue. Sharing an Ultium platform with GM, the new Prologue could have north of 300 miles of range (depending on the spec), with an estimated starting price of around $45,000. Expect to see it on sale by early next year.

2024 Hyundai Santa Fe

On-Sale Date: Late 2023 / Early 2024
Price: $30,000 (est.)

Hyundai just pulled the wrap off the 2024 Sante Fe, which trades the current vehicle's generic crossover look for a more rugged Land Rover vibe. No details on drivetrains or pricing are available yet, but Hyundai is planning a full launch party in August.

Check Out These Lists:

2024 Kia Telluride

On-Sale Date: Now
Price: $37,335 / $54,550

For 2024 the Kia Telluride receives minor styling changes that give the SUV a more rugged look. These tweaks include amber daytime running lights on all models and a switch from dark metallic trim to black gloss. But perhaps the biggest change is the slight price increase across its trims. The entry-level, front-wheel-drive LX starts at $37,355 while the top-tier SX-Prestige X-Pro trim starts at $54,550.

2024 Lexus GX

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $60,000 (est.)

The Lexus GX was long overdue for a makeover. The 2024 model arrives with an excellent boxy design and new features that make it even more capable off-road. It comes with a twin-turbo V6 engine with 349 hp, an electronically controlled two-speed transfer case, and a locking rear differential on certain trims. The Lexus GX doesn’t go on sale until later in the year, and Lexus should release pricing closer to that on-sale date.

2024 Lotus Eletra

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $100,000 (est.)

The Lotus Eletre may share a brand name with some of the most iconic British sports cars of all time, but the electric SUV is a far cry from its distant relatives. With 603 hp courtesy of a 112.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack and two electric motors, the Eletra can hit 60 in 4.5 seconds and offers an estimated 310 miles of range. But this EV isn’t cheap; estimates suggest it could cost nearly $100,000 when it goes on sale later this year.

2024 Lexus TX

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $55,000 (est.)

With the death of the RX L comes the new and much improved Lexus TX three-row SUV. Based on the Toyota Grand Highlander, the TX comes with a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine making 275 hp or a plug-in powertrain at the top of the lineup good for 406 hp and 33 miles of electric range. No pricing for the new Lexus TX yet, but the three-row goes on sale later this year.

2024 Mercedes-Benz CLE Coupe

On-Sale Date: Early 2024
Price: $55,000 (est.)

Rather than having a C-Class Coupe and E-Class Coupe together in the same lineup, Mercedes combined the pair into one big-ish two-door dubbed the CLE. It comes with a twin-turbo inline-six good for 375 hp on the top trim, as well as a handsome 12.3-inch touchscreen with MBUX software inside. You’ll have to wait until early 2024 to get your hands on this one, with a pricing announcement expected closer to the end of the year.

2024 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $60,000 (est.)

The Mercedes-Benz E-Class is all new for 2024, boasting an EQ-inspired exterior design, a cabin flush with lavish materials, and a massive center display. The base model gets a turbocharged 2.0-liter engine with 255 hp while the optional inline-six offers up 375 hp. The new E-Class is expected to go on sale later this year, but no pricing details have been released yet.

2024 McLaren 750S

On-Sale Date: Now
Price: $324,000

The McLaren 750S may not look all that different from the outgoing 720S, but this new supercar packs 740 hp thanks to an updated twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 engine. That means it can hit 60 in just 2.7 seconds and a top speed of 206 mph. You can order one right now, but it ain't cheap – the 720S costs $324,000 in the US. 

2024 Nissan Sentra

On-Sale Date: Fall 2023
Price: $23,000 (est.)

The compact Nissan Sentra was updated for the 2024 model year with a new grille design, fresh wheel options, and a new SV Premium package that adds an eight-speaker Bose sound system, integrated side-mirror turn signals, and Nissan’s Intelligent Around View Monitor. The new Sentra still doesn’t have a price or an on-sale date, but expect both in the next few months.

2024 Nissan Z Nismo

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $65,000 (est.)

Nissan quietly debuted the Z Nismo in a quick 44-second teaser video back in July that showed the sports car drifting around the desert. Now we have all the details – including the fact that it will be an automatic-only affair. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 makes 420 hp, with other performance tweaks that make this car track-capable. The Nissan Z Nismo is expected to go on sale later this year.

2024 Subaru Crosstrek / Wilderness

On-Sale Date: Now
Price: $26,290 / $33,290

The new Subaru Crosstrek may not look all that different, but the 2024 model has a few significant upgrades. The base model has an adequate 152 hp from its 2.0-liter engine while the Sport trim has a more robust 182 hp courtesy of a 2.5-liter unit. At the top of the range, buyers can now select the Wilderness model, complete with 9.3 inches of ground clearance and a handful of other rugged upgrades that make the compact crossover even more capable.

2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

On-Sale Date: Early 2024
Price: $55,000 (est.)

The Toyota Land Cruiser is back in the US. The retro-tinged off-roader packs a turbocharged and hybridized 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with 326 hp, plus 8.7 inches of ground clearance, and up to a 31-degree approach angle. Toyota says the new Land Cruiser will cost somewhere in the mid-$50,000 range when it goes on sale early next year.

2024 Toyota Tacoma

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $30,000 (est.)

The Toyota Tacoma was one of the most anticipated debuts of 2023 (so far). With a bold new look that makes the compact truck even more rugged, an interior heavy with tech, and a 326-hp hybrid powertrain, this new Taco could be the best one yet. There are still no details on pricing, but the truck should go on sale before the end of the year.

2024 Volvo EX30

On-Sale Date: Late 2023
Price: $34,950

Volvo’s smallest and most affordable model is the all-electric EX30. At just $34,950, the base EX30 has 268 hp from a single rear-mounted electric motor and an estimated 275 miles of range with the Extended Range option. The more powerful version has 422 hp and can hit 60 in just 3.4 seconds, making this Volvo's fastest-accelerating production car ever. You can reserve an EX30 now, but it officially goes on sale in the US later this year.

2024 / 2025 Volkswagen ID. Buzz LWB

On-Sale Date: Summer 2024
Price: $55,000 (est.)

The ID. Buzz is finally making its way stateside with the long-wheelbase model – the only trim that will be available in the US for now. Slated to go on sale summer of 2024 (either as a late 2024 or early 2025 model year vehicle), the ID. Buzz LWB has up to 282 hp. Details like price, range, and availability are still unknown but expect the ID. Buzz to be available between early next year and summer.

FAQs

What Month Do 2024 Cars Come Out?

Automakers typically begin rolling out their 2024 model year vehicles in the summer of the previous – or sometimes earlier. There are a number of 2024 model year vehicles that have already been released halfway through 2023.

What Car Companies Are Releasing New Cars Soon?

Some of the biggest brands in the industry are releasing new cars for 2024, including big names like BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, Hyundai, Nissan, and many more.

The muscle car era spawned several icons, but few models were as legendary as the Pontiac GTO. It had tremendous power and great styling, making it a sought-after classic for decades to come and one you have a chance to win with the latest Dream Giveaway. This low-mile, restored 1968 Pontiac GTO Convertible could be yours if you enter now!

This GTO has just 32,000 miles on the odometer and has undergone a frame-off restoration. It’s one of only 3,116 1968 GTO Convertibles with the 400-cubic-inch V8 engine and the four-speed manual transmission combination, as verified by the Pontiac Historic Services, making it a rare example you shouldn’t pass up a chance to own.

Motor1.com readers get a special treat if they donate $25 or more, receiving double the entry tickets for the Pontiac.

Pontiac finished the GTO’s exterior in Cameo Ivory paint, pairing it with a black interior and a black convertible top. It came from the factory with hideaway headlamps, upgraded gauges, Rally II wheels, a center console, a heavy-duty clutch and fan, front disc brakes, a ride and handling package, an AM radio, and a Saf-T-Track limited-slip differential. 

Included with the GTO is a binder detailing the previous owners and the car’s history. The car was built in Maryland in 1968 before arriving at a dealership in Pennsylvania. It would end up in Texas. A copy of the car’s original window sticker shows it retailed for just $4,053.60 in 1968.

All you have to do to enter for your chance to win this rare Pontiac GTO Convertible donate to Dream Giveaway’s favored veterans’ and children’s charities. Motor1.com readers get a special treat if they donate $25 or more, receiving double the entry tickets for the Pontiac. This sweet ride won’t be around forever, so enter now for your chance to own this classic convertible muscle car. It’ll look great in your driveway!

It's Thursday at Motor1.com, meaning The Test Car Happy Hour is happening at 2:30 PM Eastern (11:30 AM Pacific). We have editors living across the United States, and they all love talking about what we're driving. This show allows us to have a face-to-face digital car meetup every week. Plus, you can be our guest by chatting on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube. Your comments automatically go into our streaming feed, where we can see, share, and respond to them.

If you're reading this after the stream, the audio version is available every Monday morning on all of the major podcast platforms. You can find us on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more. 

This week we have Motor1.com Editor-in-Chief Seyth Miersma and Senior Editor Jeff Perez. They have quite a few vehicles to discuss.

Miersma has been behind the wheel of the new Dodge Hornet crossover. The model is available with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder making 265 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. There's also a plug-in hybrid using a turbocharged 1.3-liter four-cylinder, making a total of 285 hp and 383 lb-ft and using a 15.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery.

He has also been riding the Haoqi Cheetah e-bike. It has a 48-volt, 25-amp-hour battery that provides up to 85 miles of range. The 750-watt motor provides 66.4 pound-feet (90 Newton-meters) of torque.

For something completely different, he's been driving a GMC Sierra Denali 2500, too. The big pickup combines a premium interior with lots of hauling ability.

Perez has two very different vehicles to discuss. One of them is the Toyota Highlander. The latest generation of the SUV debuted last year, packing a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder making 265 hp and 309 lb-ft.

He also drove the Audi S6 sport sedan. The model packs a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 making 444 hp and 442 lb-ft.

We hope you join the conversation and share your thoughts about these models. And, be ready to ask lots of questions to our hosts.

If You Missed Them, Enjoy These Previous Happy Hours:

Welcome back to another week of Rambling About Cars, and we have a very wide variety of topics to cover. Modern muscle cars? Got it. Pickup trucks? Yup. Off-roading SUVs? You bet. Toss in some rumors and a million-dollar "cheap" car challenge, and you get an episode packed with automotive goodness. There's so much to discuss, we even have Motor1 Senior Editor Brett Evans along for the ride.

We go live at 7:30 PM Eastern (4:30 Pacific), and you can join us on Motor1.com's Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube channels to chat in real time.

Be Part Of The Conversation Here:

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As always, if you can't be with us live, you can always watch the recordings on YouTube at the end of each show. For our friends who prefer audio, Rambling About Cars posts every Friday on all major streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple, iHeartRadio, Amazon, Deezer, and many more.

Wherever you get your Rambling About Cars fix, please comment, like, subscribe, share... all the good social stuff so we can keep rambling for your (and our) entertainment. And we always welcome emails from all you Ramblers out there! Send us your thoughts, opinions, and extraordinary car stories to podcast@motor1.com.

The 2024 Ford Mustang debuted nearly a year ago, but at long last we've finally had a go behind the wheel. Actually, Senior Editor Brett Evans did, and he has plenty to say about the seventh-generation pony car. Is it better than before? Worse? You'll get the scoop right here.

In the off-roading world, few vehicles are as iconic as the Toyota Land Cruiser and a new, smaller version is coming to North America. We received some significant teasers today, and we happened to catch a few extra features that many folks missed. You can bet we'll take a deeper dive into the Land Cruiser's imminent debut armed with this fresh information.

As for new vehicle debuts, we have the new Mitsubishi L200/Triton pickup truck. Regardless of what you call it, you won't find it sold in North America but it's a big deal in other parts of the world. That makes it a big deal for Bruce and Smith, and we will go over the basics on both the truck you can buy, and the rally version that Mitsubishi will race.

From there, we'll stick with Japanese brands and discuss fresh Honda S2000 rumors about an electric version coming soon. Does the S2000 still make sense without a high-revving, naturally aspirated engine?

Previously On Rambling About Cars:

And if you're a fan of Rambling About Cars cheap car challenge, we have a new one and it's like nothing we've done before. In the fantastic world of affluent car collectors, $1 million is cheap so we're going to peruse upcoming auctions taking place next month in California and make a single purchase. How far does $1 million go during Monterey Car Week? We're going to find out.

Be sure to jump onto Motor1's socials at 7:30 PM EDT and comment with us in real time. We will see you online.