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Playboy reveals its 2013 Cars of the Year

Vaunted men's magazine Playboy knows that its readers are nearly as interested in cars as they are in the female anatomy... sorry, we thought we could write that with a straight face. Anyway, the buff-book does occasionally fill some of its spreads with sexy metal, to accent all the rest of the sexiness.
To wit, the magazine has unveiled its feature on the 2013 Cars of the Year. Without giving us much in the way of criteria for the awards, nor a clear framing of the categories ("Responsible Ride" is a particularly challenging concept, especially when you consider that the Mazdaspeed3 was the winner), Playboy has nevertheless highlighted what we assume to be it's favorite 12 or 13 (depending on how you count) cars from the 2013 model year.
Headlining the class is the Porsche 911, which Playboy writers single out for having "remarkable electronic voodoo." BMW M5 is named "Slickest Sports Sedan" though the Cadillac ATS then follows on because "we couldn't resist giving the new Caddy a shout-out." The rest of the picks are pretty conventional (save, perhaps, the Honda Fit EV as "Ace Electric"), even if the categories and methodology are fairly wonky. Cruise through or gallery for a taste or check out the full list, here. The site is safe for work, and you can legitimately (this time) say that you were reading it for the articles.

Cadillac Lyriq EV debut delayed by Covid-19 virus

The, coronavirus, otherwise dubbed Covid-19, has claimed another large gathering. General Motors canceled the public debut of its coming Cadillac Lyriq crossover, planned for April 2 in Los Angeles, due to fears over the continued spread of the virus. With more than 14 confirmed cases of residents with Covid-19, Los Angeles declared a state of emergency last week. Michael Albano, a communications director at GM, said in an e-mail to The Verge that "Our top priority is the safety of our media guests and employees." At the time of writing there's no word on a potential new date for the reveal for the highly anticipated crossover that GM just announced last week at a private event in Warren, Michigan. However, the automaker provided Autoblog with a statement that read, in part, "Please know we are working to reschedule the reveal as soon as possible." What we know about the Lyriq is just as compelling as what we don't know. There XT5-sized people hauler will be out to dazzle in every way, with a ton of weight on its shoulders — many will be judging GM's and Cadillac's past and claimed preparedness for the future based on this one offering. The Lyriq will be the first GM EV to sit on a new EV architecture the engineers call BEV3 and the marketers call Ultium, with battery capacities up to 200 kWh and a potential range of 400 miles. Speaking of which, GM just applied to trademark the term Tecra with the US Patent and Trademark Office, so we could be in for more information on innovative battery systems in the not-too-distant future. The automaker could forgo a public debut for the time being and opt to livestream the event. Or, who knows, it's possible the Detroit Auto Show just garnered itself a whopping debut for the show's debut event in June; the first rendering of the Lyriq aired at last year's Detroit show. Related Video:

2015 Cadillac Escalade gets 8-speed auto, range-topping Platinum Collection trim

The redesigned 2015 Cadillac Escalade is still quite fresh on the market, but the luxury brand has a host of mid-model-year updates for its massive luxury SUV that should make it an even better driver. The range-topping Platinum Collection (pictured above) is also all set to ensconce drivers in leather when it hits the road in the fourth quarter of 2014.
The entire Escalade range now gets an eight-speed automatic to replace the previous six-speed, and four-wheel drive models also get a two-speed transfer case to go along with it. New standard features include a Surround View camera system, 4G LTE connectivity, and the electric tailgate also now closes hands-free, in addition to opening that way.
To make riding in the Escalade an even more luxurious experience, Cadillac is adding a Platinum trim. Exterior changes add even more shine to the behemoth SUV with a grille wearing the redesigned brand crest, additional chrome trim, 22-inch wheels and Platinum badges. However, the interior is where things really get plush. The first and second row of seats are wrapped in Nappa, semi-aniline leather in a choice of either beige or gray. The dashboard, upper door panels and center console also get hand-stitched and wrapped leather, plus a suede microfiber headliner. Both front seats are heated and cooled with 18-way power adjustments, and the driver even gets a massaging function. Rear passengers are hardly left out, either, with 7-inch LCD screens in the headrests and a 9-inch screen in the center.