Citroen's most iconic machines run a thoroughly broad gamut from the humble 2CV to perhaps the most striking car it ever produced, the Maserati-powered personal luxury coupe called SM. It's this latter car being revisited by DS, the luxury brand spun off of Citroen with the name of the equally important mid-century Citroen DS. More specifically, it's being re-revisited, as the company revealed back in 2020 a bunch of renderings its designers put together imagining a modern version. According to the Design Director of DS, Thierry Metroz, the company received many comments on those designs and learned that people were "very attached to the iconic models from our heritage" and "they didn’t want the original design to be spoilt." So it took those comments into consideration, and kept playing with the idea until they reached the SM Tribute concept you see above. It's relatively close in size to the original in most respects. It's 1.2 inch longer, 0.8 inch taller, and has 1.4 inch less ground clearance. But it's far wider, gaining an extra 5.5 inches. It's crystal clear that most of its lines are pulled straight from the original, from the full-width headlight and daytime running light wedge at the front to the tapered kamm-style tail. The window openings are all shaped basically the same, including the wrap-around rear hatch glass. But there are updates found everywhere. Most notable are the reworked rear wheel spats that now have semi-circle cutouts to help highlight the 22-inch wheels. The ultra-thin taillights continue around the sides of the car over the top lines of those spats to emphasize the line. The car also features two-tone paint, with the black parts helping highlight the most classic lines of the car along the sides. It also helps hide the aerodynamic extensions and general heft of the SM Tribute's flanks compared to the original. The interior is arguably a bigger departure from the original than the exterior. There are still echoes of the original, such as with the shape of the dash top and concave instrument display, as well as the seats with horizontally stitched cushioning. The concept departs with its concave monolithic center screen, which also adopts a small puck for shifting instead of a chromed lever, and the instruments also are shown on a screen. The distinctive single spoke wheel of the original gives way to a rectangular yoke, and the door panels feature intricately detailed "laser-engraved" leather.
In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Road Test Editor Zac Palmer. Zac recently went down to Tennessee to drive a prototype of the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Sasquatch. Meanwhile the two also spent time in the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV, 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 and 2024 Lexus LS 500h out of the fleet in Michigan. In the news, Rivian deals with a fire at its Normal, Illinois plant, Formula 1 comes back strong, and Volkswagen prices the ID.Buzz. Lastly, the two debate what old, executive sedan you should buy in a Spend My Money segment. Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #846 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2025 Ford Bronco Sport Sasquatch 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 2024 Lexus LS 500h News Fire at the Rivian factory Formula 1 is back Volkswagen ID.Buzz gets a very high price Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related Video:  We check out the Rivian R1S and R1T along with 3 other surprises This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.
Lap times and top speed specs are big business in the hypercar world, even if the cars’ owners never push them to their full potential. Automakers arenÂ’t quite as shy with the machines, however, frequently wringing them out for bragging rights. Koenigsegg recently took its Jesko Attack to Laguna Seca for the first time and set a time of 1:24.86, edging out the Czinger 21C by just 0.58 second to set the production car lap record. It did that time with Koenigsegg development driver Markus Lundh behind the wheel, who, like the car, was tackling the track for the first time. Koenigsegg has set several other records with the car, including the best lap time at SwedenÂ’s Gotland Ring, where it set a time of 2:56.97, nearly eight seconds faster than the Porsche 911 GT3 RS MR. The car also holds the record for accelerating to 400 km/h (249 mph) and braking back to a stop in just 27.83 seconds, more than a second faster than the bonkers Rimac Nevera. That performance is thanks to the carÂ’s twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8, which makes 1,280 horsepower during regular operation. Pumping E85 pushes that output to 1,600 horsepower, and the car makes 1,106 pound-feet of torque. The Jesko Attack has a large rear wing and significantly more downforce than the standard Jesko. Koenigsegg claims an additional 1,764 pounds of downforce for the Attack at 155 mph, which increases to a massive 3,086 pounds at the carÂ’s top speed. The Jesko Absolut, which is designed for top speed runs, builds on the Attack with different bodywork that Koenigsegg says cuts downforce and improves stability at high speed. Its body is around three inches longer, and the automaker said the aero development process alone took 3,000 hours, with another 5,000 on engineering.
TOPANGA, Calif. – Give the people what they want, right? Especially if they're extremely wealthy. And possibly famous. Apparently, the requests for a convertible Maybach from existing owners and/or celebrities were so frequent and insistent that the uber-luxury offshoot of Mercedes-Benz finally decided to give them just that. The 2025 Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series answers the call. While all other Maybachs are based on a Mercedes-Benz, this is the first Maybach to be based on a car developed by AMG: the current-generation SL 55 and SL 63. This presented a greater challenge to engineers than past efforts. Although a sportier Maybach was intended (as opposed to modern Maybach's first drop-top effort, the Maybach S 650 Cabriolet), the SL 680 is, not surprisingly, seeking a much different dynamic end goal than its AMG-only cousins. According to Maybach product manager Hannes Meyer, the far shorter wheelbase than the Maybach norm was a particular challenge in making sure that its convertible offering maintained "the same ease and nearly floating driving experience" expected of the brand. To that end, the Maybach SL shares the SL 63's air suspension and trick AMG Active Control interconnected hydraulically controlled dampers, but the tuning is changed, especially with the rear air springs as the driver sits closer to those. Meyer says the damper valves in particular have a greater range between sportiness and comfort than the SL 63. The steering system is totally Maybach-specific, including a different ratio and more upright front camber, resulting in what Meyer described as a more stable and less aggressive setup than what you'd find in the SL 63. Before you start looking for a 6.8-liter engine in the Mercedes arsenal, remember that those numbers don't really mean anything anymore. The Maybach SL 680 has exactly the same 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 as the SL 63 good for 577 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. The nine-speed AMG transmission is the same in terms of hardware, but it has totally different software. In particular, the 2-3 and 3-4 shifts are most different in order to provide a smoother, more Maybach acceleration experience. The 4Matic+ all-wheel-drive system is also shared, but is programmed to have a more balanced front-to-rear power split than the rear-biased AMG. Finally, the exhaust has been retuned. Meyer said that up to 2,800 rpm, the exhaust isn't quieter than what you'd experience in the AMGs, it just has a different tone.
If you have even a passing interest in cars, there's little doubt you know a thing or two about Porsche, whether the topic centers around a classic name like 911 or the more mainstream Cayenne and Macan crossovers. Bugatti? Sure, most people know about the historic French builder of world-class, record-setting automobiles, though admittedly the EB110 we're about to show you probably wouldn't be the first to come to mind. Fewer are likely familiar with the likes of Vector Aeromotive, a tiny American company with history that dates back to the 1980s. And we'd wager that most have never even heard of the likes of Isdera and Cizeta. Brush up on your history, (super wealthy car collecting) folks. RM Sotheby's has an exciting array of cars coming up for auction during the Monterey Car Week festivities on California. Among all the expected Ferrari, Lamborghini and Shelby classics potential buyers can wade through, the so-called Turbollection collection features much rarer oddities.
Texas filed a lawsuit Tuesday against GM over years of alleged abuse of customers' data and trust. New car owners were presented with a "confusing and highly misleading" process that was implied to be for their safety, but "was no more than a deceptively designed sales flow" that surrendered their data for GM to sell. The suit contends that at no point was selling driving data ever even suggested as a possibility, putting GM in violation of the state's consumer protection laws. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking a jury trial and at least $10,000 per offense (every GM car sold in the state since 2015) and a hefty add-on of $250,000 in cases where the victim was over 65. Texas seems to be flying high after a recent $1.4 billion settlement from Meta over other privacy concerns. This may well be a way to solve any pending budgetary issues in the Lone Star State.
 Stellantis has no intention of selling its luxury vehicle business Maserati or aggregating the unit with other Italian luxury groups, the Jeep maker said on Tuesday. "Stellantis restates unwavering commitment to Maserati's bright future as the unique luxury brand of the 14 Stellantis brands," the carmaker said in a statement, while also reaffirming commitment to its entire portfolio. Carlos Tavares, the Netherlands-based automaker's chief, warned last week that if the company's loss-making brands "don't make money, we'll shut them down". The comments came after Stellantis delivered worse-than-expected results for the first half. The Chrysler-parent does not release figures for individual brands, except for Maserati, which reported an adjusted operating loss of 82 million euros for the first half of the year. Some analysts had previously noted that Maserati could possibly be a target for a sale by Stellantis, which the company's chief financial officer did not rule out, while other brands such as Lancia or DS might be at risk of being scrapped, given their marginal contribution to the group's overall sales.
In a joint statement, Stellantis and Maserati have refuted reports that the Italian brand could be sold: Stellantis has no intention of selling the Trident brand, just as there is no intention of aggregating Maserati within other Italian luxury groups. Stellantis restates its unwavering commitment to Maserati’s bright future as the unique luxury brand within the 14 Stellantis brands. Maserati is in a transition period toward electrification with its Folgore BEV program: today the Trident offers GranTurismo and GranCabrio in ICE and BEV versions, Grecale in ICE, mild-hybrid and BEV versions, while we confirm that successors of the Quattroporte and Levante are also in preparation. Maserati's mission is to write the future of mobility through the best performance in the luxury segment, focusing on the desires of its customers. To achieve its goals, the brand precisely targets a highly specific audience. Maserati is therefore setting up a series of initiatives to expand its presence in the global market, to strengthen its brand image and to underline the uniqueness of its products. Maserati is facing a major challenge and must remain focused on its objectives in the coming months. Stellantis reaffirms its commitment to its entire portfolio of 14 iconic brands and recalls that each of them has a 10-year horizon to build a profitable and sustainable business, while recognizing that market volatility and temporary situations may cause fluctuations. The original story continues: Maserati posted disappointing sales and revenue figures shortly after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares warned that the group can't afford to have brands that don't make money. While nothing is set in stone, one of the group's executives said that selling the brand isn't off the table. Industry trade journal Automotive News Europe (subscription required) learned that Maserati sold approximately 6,500 cars globally between January and June 2024, down from around 15,300 units during the same time period in 2023. It posted an adjusted operating loss of ˆ82 million (about $88.7 million) during the first six months of the year, compared to a profit of ˆ121 million (about $130 million) in 2023. "The first half has been disappointing," admitted Natalie Knight, the chief financial officer at Stellantis, on a call with journalists.
It's been more than four years since Koenigsegg debuted the Jesko and Gemera just ahead of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. The Gemera was the first home for a few of Koenigsegg's pet projects, a hybrid powertrain based around a twin-turbocharged 2.0-liter three-cylinder dubbed the Tiny Friendly Giant (TFG). The engine featured cam-less Freevalve technology and was assisted by three electric motors. The Swedes claimed a combined 1,676 horsepower and 2,581 pound-feet of torque — 592 horses and 443 twists from the TFG — and a zero-to-62-mph sprint in 1.9 seconds. Those three e-motors, one on the crankshaft and two at the rear, helped deliver all-wheel drive, all-wheel torque vectoring, and all-wheel steering. And it's all gone. Not the Gemera, but the Tiny Friendly Giant. Two years after the Gemera appeared, Christian announced that the automaker found a way to fit the Jesko's twin-turbocharged 5.0-liter V8 into the Gemera's tighter bay. Once that happened, Koenigsegg said most customers switched to the V8 — reportedly a $400,000 option. "There were so few left that asked for a three-cylinder," he said, "we managed to convince almost all of them [to go for the V8 instead]. So for the time being, it [the Gemera] is V8 only. We could frame this as conservative buyers rejecting ingenious novelty, but that wouldn't be true. This is buyers giving up one ingenious novelty for another ingenious novelty with more familiar bragging rights. See, to get the Jesko's V8 to work, Koenigsegg engineers redesigned the castings, heads, intake, exhaust, and sump. They shelved the direct-drive transmission from the Regera they'd originally fitted, and created what they call the Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission (LSTT). This was an evolution of the nine-speed direct-drive Light Speed Transmission developed for the Jesko, but smaller, lighter, better. Then the whitecoats created a new six-phase e-motor to replace the original trio of three-phase Quark e-motors that had been paired with the TFG. This one motor to rule them all is called Dark Matter, designed as a blend of radial flux and axial flux topologies called "raxial." In the original powertrain, two of the Quark motors on the rear axle could each make a maximum 500 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, the third Quark on the crankshaft made 400 hp and 369 lb-ft. Their combined output when working together rang in at 1,100 hp. The Dark Matter makes 800 hp and 922 lb-ft.
Beginning in the late 1950s, General Motors made a serious push to sell cars made by its European subsidiaries in the United States. American Pontiac dealers got the Vauxhall Victor from the United Kingdom, while Buick dealers received the Opel Olympia from West Germany. Opel sales here became reasonably strong during the 1960s, and one of the most interesting Opels of all showed up in the United States as a 1969 model: the GT two-seat sports car. Here's a faded but still recognizable red GT found in a Northern California car graveyard recently. The Opel GT came out of a period of inspired GM designs that led to the Pontiac XP-833 Banshee and C3 Chevrolet Corvette; its most important styling influence was the Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT prototype of 1962. It was sold here for the 1969 through 1969 model years and was considered something of a mini-Corvette, sold alongside the mini-Camaro Opel Manta. The GT looked radical, but it shared its chassis design and running gear with the Opel Kadett (albeit with the engine moved nearly 16" to the rear). The Kadett connection made it cheap to build, and the MSRP for the 1971 GT was $3,339 (about $26,358 in 2024 dollars). The GT was powered by a cam-in-head 1.9-liter straight-four engine, rated at 90 horsepower and 111 pound-feet. The cam-in-head design was something of a mashup between an overhead-valve rig (with the camshaft in the engine block and actuating the valves via pushrods up into the cylinder head) and an overhead-cam design (with the camshaft in the cylinder head and directly actuating the valves). As this photograph shows with great clarity, the camshaft in a cam-in-head engine lives in the cylinder head but off to the side of the valves, actuating them with lifters shoving directly against good old pushrod-style rocker arms. The cam-in-head engine proved to be something of an evolutionary dead end, although Ford used its cam-in-head CVH straight-four in the U.S.-market Focus all the way through 2004. A four-speed manual transmission was standard equipment. A three-speed automatic was available as a $196 option ($1,547 after inflation). The GT had no decklid, which proved annoying in the real world. There was a carpeted area for cargo behind the rear seats. The hidden headlights didn't pop up, instead rotating 180° into position via a handle under the dash. The interior in this one is largely missing, and the body is in rough shape after decades of outdoor storage.
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