2022 Integra flaunts five doors, Rolls-Royce’s first EV noses into view, monster 4×4 on BaT
Acura’s 2022 Integra flaunts five-door design
Intake: We knew a reincarnated Integra was on the way, but all we had seen of the car itself was a drone-lit silhouette and a headlamp—until now. Those looking for a reincarnated DC2 will be a little disappointed as, along with its original buyers, the Integra appears to have grown up. Acura’s teaser shows a five-door fastback with very little in common with its daddy other than the name stamped on the rear bumper. From what we can see of the silhouette, it appears to be a little Audi-like, and if Acura is aiming for a more mature buyer then that’s probably no bad thing. Those boomerang tail lights do look pretty cool—even if eerily similar to those of a G82 M4 or 2010 Genesis Coupe—and we’re hoping that rear lip spoiler extends at speed. Will it pack a VTEC four, a V-6, hybrid, or EV power? Acura could build the next Integra on a shrunken version of the TLX platform or tap the family tree for a Civic-based architecture, while rummaging in that model’s Type R parts bin … but for now, we must simply wait and see.
Exhaust: The Integra nameplate is second only to the NSX in Acura legend. The company did a decent job of reinventing its mid-engined supercar—though in tech-heavy, rather bionic form—and promises the new Integra will offer the “same fun-to-drive” personality as its hallowed predecessor. Can Acura showcase 2022-worthy tech without sacrificing the pure pleasure of the original? It’s a tall order.
Rolls-Royce’s first EV, the Spectre, noses into view with 2023 due date
Intake: Contrary to our previous suspicions, Rolls-Royce’s first EV won’t be called the Silent Shadow but, instead, the Spectre. Rolls had promised a BEV model before 2030 and the camouflaged coupe before you makes good on that commitment: It’s a real-life, rubber-and-metal prototype that’s due to begin over 1.5 million miles of on-road testing ahead of the production model’s arrival in late 2023. As expected, the Spectre rides on a version of Rolls-Royce’s existing space-frame architecture, albeit modified to fit an electric powertrain. By 2030, it will be the eldest sibling of an entirely battery-powered family of Rolls-Royces. This EV has been a long time coming for Rolls, which showed a Phantom-based electric concept, the 102EX, a decade ago. As a two-door design, however, the Spectre is more aligned with the later 103EX concept … though the production version is sure to tone down the crazy.
Exhaust: So far we have no specifics on the Spectre’s powertrain, but the BMW iX’s setup could provide some hints. The iX promises two all-wheel-drive specs: a dual-motor version with a combined 516 hp and a high-performance, 600-hp model. We won’t be surprised if the lower-slung, more aerodynamic Rolls sedan uses a longer wheelbase to store more batteries, however, and improve on the iX’s 300-mile range. Whatever the final numbers, the Spectre is a logical, “waftable” next step for Rolls, and it puts the ball in Maybach and Bentley’s court to deliver truly monumental electric two-doors.
Monster overland 4×4 hits Bring a Trailer
Intake: This 2012 Titan XD truck was turned into an off-road motor home with the addition of an Action Mobil camper cabin. It’s powered by a 6.7-liter Cummins turbodiesel and seven-speed Allison transmission and comes with a 480-watt solar panel system and an external lift to pack a motorcycle on your adventures, along with all the creature comfort afforded by the expanding cabin. The current bid on Bring a Trailer, with six days remaining, is $130,000.
Exhaust: This self-contained adventure rig brings a ton of utility and off-road prowess to the party. We poked around it briefly at Overland Expo West, and similar vehicles came with asking prices around $300,000. The burly diesel drivetrain has just 1000 miles on the odometer, so while it’s already not cheap, this could be a bargain for a well-heeled overlander to jump into #vanlife in a big way.
Totem Automobili slips a V-6 into its GTA restomod
View this post on Instagram
Intake: Totem Automobili certainly caused a kerfuffle among the Alfisti when it served up a classic GTA with an all-electric powertrain. Now the Italian restomod-maker is proposing a major crowd-pleaser by trading its EV powertrain for the 2.9-liter V-6 from the Alfa Giulia GTA. In its ultimate tune, the twin-turbo engine will deliver 620 hp, which is some 86 hp more than Alfa offers. Totem says it will only build 20 of these GT Supers, just like its GTElectric, and that the ICE car is over 300 pounds lighter than the EV. The price is heftier, however, with a build costing almost $540,000. The GT Super can be ordered now but is at least a year from production, and you’ll need to supply a period Alfa GT donor car.
Exhaust: Totem’s take on the Alfa GT was an interesting one, an EV that offered synthesized sounds and gearshifts to appeal to the enthusiast not quite willing to give up on the joys of internal combustion. The Super GT is the real deal and may well prove to be faster out of the factory as well as on the road.
BrightDrop’s completed EV600 gains a little brother with a Verizon contract
Intake: BrightDrop, the electric commercial delivery brainchild of General Motors, is already making waves in company record books by creating the EV600 in record time. Upon completion of its first production models, GM announced the EV600 was the quickest vehicle under its tent to go from concept to commercialization at just 20 months. This accomplishment owes much to the pre-existing Ultium platform that the EV600 utilizes. The full-sized eLCV (electric light commercial vehicle) will arrive just in time for the holiday season, when FedEx plans to make good use of the model. However, it won’t be the only mega partner for long. Mobile giant Verizon has first dibs on the EV600’s recently announced little brother, the EV410, due in 2023. This midsize eLCV carries a lesser cargo volume (400 cubic feet, rather than 600) and rides on a shorter wheelbase to accommodate standard parking spaces, but it still retains the EV600’s most attractive features, including 250 miles of range.
Exhaust: Last-mile deliveries are in full overhaul, and massive corporations are racing to adopt all-electric solutions. In the midst of it all, GM’s off to about as good of a start as anyone could hope. Stout contracts with FedEx Express, Merchant’s Fleet, and Verizon all signal strength to other prospects that are hastening to meet similar green emissions goals.
