HIGHS Blazing acceleration, daily-commutable, long live the manual transmission. LOWS We want more steering feedback, dizzyingly complicated drive-mode settings, digital tach is hard to read at-a-glance. VERDICT The M4 is a soul-satisfying high-power thrill ride no matter how it’s ordered, but it’s still a few details short of the perfect M car. Overview As the two-door version of the M3 sedan, the M4 has high levels of comfort, luxury, and daily usability—and a reasonably roomy rear seat should you need them. Power and grip are two areas where the BMW M4 shines. The standard M4 comes with rear-wheel drive, a six-speed manual transmission, and a fiery 473-hp twin-turbo inline-six engine; M4 Competition models have 503 horsepower. Both models can be had with an optional eight-speed automatic, the only transmission sold with the optional xDrive all-wheel-drive system. There’s even a new track-attack version, the 543-hp M4 CSL that deletes the rear seat for weight savings. An overwhelming number of driving modes that control powertrain-and-chassis configurability complicate finding a setup you’re happy with. That complaint aside, the M4 is one special automobile. Lots of power, tons of torque, and an available manual transmission remind us of what made M cars so damn good a long time ago. Engine, Transmission, and Performance The M4 is motivated by a brilliant twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six that comes in three potencies. The standard version makes 473 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. It pairs with rear-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission. In our testing, this setup shot to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 12.0 ticks at 121 mph. With 503 horses and 479 pound-feet, the Competition model is even quicker, but the lone transmission choice is an eight-speed automatic. To offset the lack of a stick-shift option, only the M4 Competition can be equipped with a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system. So equipped, the all-wheel drive M4 Competition shaved a full second off the standard car's 60 mph time at our test track with a 2.8-second result. Finally, the M4 CSL, which is limited to just 1000 units, makes 543 horsepower and uses the eight-speed automatic with rear-wheel drive. Every M4 comes with adaptive dampers, adjustable brake-pedal feel, and an electronically controlled exhaust system that gets louder in Sport and Sport Plus drive modes. The loudness can also be turned down at any time by pushing the M Sound button. BMW also provides an excessive amount of adjustable drive-mode settings that we think can dilute the driving experience that BMW's engineers envisioned. Thankfully, our time behind the thick-rimmed wheel of the M4 Competition showcased its tenacious acceleration, incredible cornering grip, and resolute stability. We're also happy to report that BMW has improved the coupe's steering feel, though don't expect it to offer the feedback of any two-door Porsche. The regular M4 rides on 18-inch front wheels and 19-inchers in the back while the M4 Competition and CSL models roll on a staggered set of 19s in front and 20s in back. The M4 features a carbon-fiber roof that reduces its center of gravity, and it can be equipped with a set of fade-resistant carbon-ceramic brakes. https://www.caranddriver.com/bmw/m4-2023 ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mt3esGJtPB8

The Audi Skysphere, a rear-wheel-drive electric convertible concept, is the first of a trio of Audi concepts in the coming months, all with a -sphere name. As Audi Design Studio chief Gael Buzyn told Car and Driver, one of its attributes is the ability to extend or shorten its wheelbase by 9.8 inches. It's intended as both a semi-autonomous grand tourer—it has Level 4 self-driving capability—and a driver-centric sports roadster. The Audi Skysphere concept is the latest elaboration on the theme of the long, low hood and rear-set cabin that has intrigued automotive enthusiasts for a century or more. This one is filtered through Audi's technological worldview with a touch of emotion. With the press of a virtual button and the aid of electric motors and telescoping structural elements, the Skysphere's entire front end can extend or contract, changing from an autonomous, long-wheelbase, stable grand tourer to a 9.8-inch-shorter and 0.4-inch-lower driver-centric roadster. Even the interior transforms, the steering wheel and pedals coming out of the bulkhead as the passenger seat moves rearward and the driver's portion of the dash comes forward to serve as an instrument panel. Yes, it's an actual transformer. Design Studio in Malibu conceived and designed the Skysphere concept, drawing inspiration from the proportions and purpose of the 1931 Horch 853, an Audi predecessor that was a long, luxurious roadster with a compact cabin. Both cars also drive the rear wheels, but unlike the straight-eight-powered Horch, the Skysphere concept packs a 623-hp electric motor and a battery pack, 30 percent of which lies between the passengers with the other 70 percent behind the rear bulkhead, yielding a front-to-rear weight balance of 40:60. With a single speed and 553 pound-feet of torque, Audi says, there's enough theoretical propulsion to send the Skysphere to 62 mph in 4.0 seconds. Buzyn pointed out the active aerodynamics at the front and rear of the car, which remain closed in GT mode but open in Sport mode. Though they weren’t yet active on the concept car, they can create a path for air to travel under the car and out the diffuser at the rear, effectively creating a venturi tunnel for downforce. Despite the sportiness of the silhouette and lack of apparent cargo area, there’s actually space for a custom luggage set, under glass and just above the rear drivetrain assembly, and space for two custom golf bags under the long hood, too. Buzyn says the interior pays subtle homage to Art Deco architecture, but the Skysphere also has a full dashboard screen, which splits and recedes or draws near the driver depending on the use mode, plus large touchscreens for armrests. The otherwise gorgeously minimalist interior is focused equally on semi-autonomous commute comfort and sporty-driving support. The underlying theme is a continuation of Audi’s tech-forward nature into the ever more technological future, but with a mind toward preserving the sensual, visceral joy of a good car. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a37268975/audi-skysphere-concept-revealed/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fbaR0r9NHs

The new brand, which is run by Russia’s Central Scientific Research Automobile and Automotive Engine Institute, known as NAMI, was developed under the instruction of Putin. He felt it was important that Russia made its own presidential vehicles. Both machines are built on a new Unified Modular Platform developed by Aurus and NAMI. The Senat Limousine uses a 4.4-litre V8 engine jointly developed by NAMI and Porsche, aided by a hybrid electric motor to offer 590bhp and can achieve 0-62mph in less than six seconds. The machine is powered by a nine-speed gearbox. Other engine options for the unarmored Senat will include a 6.6-litre V12 with 848bhp. The Rolls-Royce-rivalling standard Senat S600 is 5630mm long, with a 3300mm wheelbase, rising to 6630mm and 4300mm respectively on the limo variant. Both cars will be built on a unified modular platform. The Senat will be all-wheel drive and run on independent multi-link rear suspension, with gas-filled shock absorbers. The interior has been focused on rear passengers, with rear seats that recline to 45deg and are equipped with custom designer downy pillows. There is also a built-in refrigerator with Aurus-branded crystal glasses and fold-out tables with leather trim. Along with the two Senat models, Aurus is also planning to develop a minivan called Arensal and an SUV named Komendant. The model names are inspired by the Kremlin’s towers. Aurus models went on sale in Russia ilast month, and will eventually be offered in international markets. While Aurus is originally planning to produce 150 vehicles a year, a new production facility will expand capacity to 5000 by 2021, with the option to further increase volume to 10,000 vehicles if there is demand. https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor-shows-geneva-motor-show/aurus-senat-european-debut-russian-limousine ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgMR9yyK4a4

The 2025 Chevy Tahoe and Suburban are refreshed, with production beginning late next year. The full-size three-row SUVs sport a subtly tweaked exterior and a different dashboard with a standard 17.7-inch touchscreen. The 5.3- and 6.2-liter V-8s remain, while the diesel inline-six gets a major overhaul, with output rising to 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque. Chevrolet doesn't sell as many Tahoes and Suburbans as it does Silverado pickups or Equinox crossovers, but the company's full-size three-row SUVs are still moneymakers. Their combined sales sit third among Chevy's offerings, and the automaker says the two models hold a 40 percent market share. For 2025, the siblings receive a refresh that brings notable interior upgrades, a lightly revised exterior, and a revamped diesel powertrain. The same six trims will be offered: LS, LT, RST, Z71, Premier, and High Country. A Fresh Look Styling updates are subtle. The rearranged headlights see the main unit moved lower in the bumper and the top section now dedicated to sharp LED daytime running lights. Premier and High Country models play a lighting animation as the driver approaches and walks away from the SUV, and the taillights feature a more chiseled graphic. The grille designs are also tweaked, and two new colors are available: Cypress Gray and Lakeshore Blue metallic. The Z71 is differentiated by a beefier front bumper with an improved approach angle, skid plate, and red tow hooks, as well as Goodyear Territory all-terrain tires. The cabin is the real focus. The gear-selector switches move from a series of buttons on the dash to a column-mounted stalk. This frees up more space for the new standard 17.7-inch touchscreen, angled slightly towards the driver and similar to the screens on other new Chevrolets. This display is complemented by a standard 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster, and the whole instrument panel sits lower to improve outward visibility and create an airier feel. The crisp new screens also see the center stack reconfigured with sleeker air vents. While an array of buttons remain, they are consolidated into a neat row below the vents, sandwiched by climate-control dials. RST models gain Victory Red stitching, while Premier models receive a new Jet Black and Sky Cool Gray interior color combo. The High Country model brings new materials too, including leather seats and real wood trim—a first for the Tahoe and Suburban—as well as a unique Jet Black and Mocha look. More Power Under the hood, Chevy now offers a heavily revised version of the Duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six. Partnered with a 10-speed automatic gearbox, the six-cylinder now produces 305 horsepower and 495 pound-feet of torque, up from 277 ponies and 460 pound-feet in the outgoing Tahoe and Suburban. The diesel is available across the lineup, making its first appearance in the off-road-oriented Z71 for 2025. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a45972391/2025-chevy-tahoe-suburban-revealed/ ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap3zMd7BNyE