Car and Driver July/August 2021

You know, I knew it was BS that your caption about the new Aston Martin DBX suggested I scratch the paper to smell the interior [“Iceberg, Right Ahead!” April 2021]. And yet I could not help myself. And the funny thing is, I didn’t even feel stupid doing it! —Aladino DebertLos Angeles, CA The Aston Martin DBX’s interior smells like a magazine page. Not sure about “rich,” but it’s not a bad smell. —J. BednarzMiddlesex County, NJ On page 33, there was a shot of the interior of the new Aston Martin SUV with an invitation to scratch the photo to see how it smells. I scratched it. The interior of the Aston Martin SUV smells like paper and ink. —Russell MyersGrants Pass, OR Y’all ever see a Russ Meyer film?—Ed. Bet I’m not the only moron…

WINGED Regarding “The Last Shift” [April 2021]: What a shift indeed! You say the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing is “a veritable four-door Corvette.” I say nay, nay. The Caddies can be equipped with six-speed manuals, while the new C8 is automatic only. The world has shifted indeed. —Kevin ParsonsMeridian, ID I love driving a manual, but the Cadillac Blackwing story refuses to accept that automatics have gotten so good that one should not feel ashamed of getting an automatic in a car like that. A reasonable case could be made that this is too much car for a manual. The manuals’ only hope is in fun little cars—which also are dropping like flies (no more Fiesta ST)—and maybe the Wrangler. The Miata is likely going to be the Alamo for the manual, so if…

1 A good story always comes with a hefty dose of tension. Like a romance set on the decks of a cruise ship that everyone knows is about to sink. Or a superhero movie twisting time and space to keep you wondering whether the good guys will get hold of the gems before the bad guy wins (again). Last fall, when we were brainstorming stories for 2021, the idea of sending most of the staff on a long road rally in electric cars seemed perfect. Inject a little range anxiety into a trip and you have the makings of a fun tale. Turns out, our timing was pretty good. Ever since we started plotting the rally, automakers have unveiled more and more plans for more and more EVs of all shapes…

IT’S BEEN MORE THAN A DECADE SINCE THE FIRST MODERN mass-market electric vehicle went on sale. EVs have come a long way, but they make up less than 2 percent of the U.S. vehicle market. That could change with the F-150 Lightning, the EV version of Ford’s half-ton pickup. If even 1 percent of F-150 buyers went electric, sales would surpass 2020 numbers for the Audi e-tron, Kia Niro EV, and Porsche Taycan, among others. In the United States, F-series models have topped the bestselling-vehicle list for 39 consecutive years, raking in mountains of cash for Ford and filling parking lots with blue ovals. If Ford were to spin off the F-series, the resulting brand would pull in $42 billion annually—more revenue than Nike, Coca-Cola, and Netflix. This is the third time…

GMC Hummer EV Arriving this fall with 1000 horsepower and a curb weight exceeding 9000 pounds, the $112,595 Hummer EV Edition 1 is the Hummer of EVs. Also, it has T-tops. Chevrolet Silverado EV GM will build the electric Silverado on the same Ultium platform that underpins the Hummer EV—meaning it’s not an adapted internal-combustion truck but a total rethink. Range is expected to be over 400 miles. No word yet on when it’ll reach production. Rivian R1T Quad motors deliver a claimed 60-mph time of 3.0 seconds; a fullwidth compartment between the cab and bed can house gear. The (sold-out) Launch Edition arrives this year. Tesla Cybertruck Tesla says its pickup will have up to 500 miles of range and a 60-mph time as low as 2.9 seconds. It’s slated to arrive later this year, but…

Battery-electric vehicles don’t scale well. Large EVs weigh a lot and punch big holes in the air, which means they need a lot of power to move, which requires a large battery, which adds more weight, which requires more power, which requires a bigger battery. It’s a vicious cycle that will end only with a battery-technology breakthrough. Although the same laws of physics apply to both electric and combustion-engine trucks, today’s EV tech means swapping 200 pounds of fuel for an 1800-pound battery. And by the way, that battery holds a fraction of the energy that’s in a full fuel tank. It’s a problem of road load and the power required to overcome those forces acting against a vehicle as it maintains a given speed. The Tesla Model S needs 24…