Tag Archives: Design

What Does Santa Drive?

Santa Claus after a night of hard work.

Sure, you might think that dear old Santa Claus is just some jolly gift giver. But look closer, and it’s hard not to be impressed.

This is a guy who runs a major distribution operation at the North Pole, a privately held enterprise that procures goods year ‘round, listens to customers and fulfills their requests in one short night. And you thought Amazon Prime was quick? Yeah, right.

And just try parallel parking eight reindeer and a sleigh without any automated driver assist systems. Good luck. 

But it begs the question, what does this much beloved, highly placed, international executive drive? No one really knows, but here are some possibilities.

Jeep Grand Wagoneer - by castle

The new Grand Wagoneer is powered by a 6.4-liter V-8 putting out 471 horsepower, making it a great daily driver

Jeep Grand Wagoneer: Given Santa’s advancing years, his comfort is a priority. But there’s work to be done, so ol’ Saint Nick needs a lot of utility and the ability to go anywhere at any time no matter what the weather. Few vehicles do it as well as the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, especially on unimproved roads.

Santa values the Grand Wagoneer’s Quadra-Drive II with active low range, rear electronic limited slip differential, terrain management system, its 48:1 crawl ratio, and ability to ford up to 24 inches of water yet tow 10,000 pounds. Yet its cabin possesses artisan-levels of craftsmanship, something unexpected yet welcome.

But it’s more than capability or its opulent interior. This is one high-tech sled, with a full 45 inches of video screens on the instrument panel. And having such a large vehicle at the North Pole is comforting when driving in bleak weather and Rudolph is playing reindeer games.

Ford F-150 hybrid powering Texas home 2020

The Ford F-150 Hybrid is good source of power should it go out at the North Pole.

Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid: Eight reindeer eating lots of Reindeer Chow leads to a lot of — ahem — mess to clean up. A pickup makes for the perfect polar workhorse, especially the 2021 Ford F-150 Hybrid.

Its twin-turbocharged and intercooled 3.5-liter overhead-cam V-6 mated to an electric motor that generates 430 horsepower and 570 pound-feet of torque and returns an EPA-rated of 24 mpg. And it can tow 12,700 pounds, enough to haul a trailer with all eight reindeer and their chow. It also boasts an integrated generator, with 7.2 kilowatts of power, enough to help power key appliances when the power goes out.

And when Santa needs his truck to be his office, there’s a 400-watt outlet for running office equipment, and a center armrest that converts to a flat work surface, with a storage bin beneath it large to hang file folders. And the front seats fold flat to create a bed that’s perfect for the quick nap away from Mrs. Claus. Ho, ho, ho. 

The new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid can travel up to 30 miles in electric-only mode, and carry a whole pack of elves.

Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid: When you need to move a mess of elves, few vehicles can handle it with the aplomb of the 2022 Chrysler. Sure, Santa needs a minivan to schlep his staff, and the Pacifica proves the ideal solution. There’s more legroom than many full-size SUVs, and abundant cargo space.

To keep them all occupied, there’s Amazon Alexa, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and for 2022, Amazon Fire TV streaming for rear-seat passengers. Powering the Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid is the corporate 3.6-liter double-overhead cam V-6, albeit modified for hybrid duties, working in concert with two electric motors to deliver 260 horsepower to the front wheels.

It run 33 miles solely on electric power, enough to quickly pop across town. And the EPA says that you can save $800 annually in fuel costs compared to the standard Pacifica minivan.

Mrs. Claus loves the Genesis GV80’s understated opulence

Genesis GV80: The lavish GV80 is an all-new model for Genesis, one that guarantees Santa’s other half will be wearing the latest in bold automotive fashion, and enjoy the latest in seamless technology including all-wheel drive.

Mrs. Claus loves the extensive suite of driver-assistance safety features and helpful technology such as the head-up display and a huge 14.5-inch touchscreen. The quilted leather upholstery, and rear seats that adjust with heated and cooled cushions seem positively lavish.

And when it comes to indulgence, the same can be said of its performance, thanks to its 375-hp twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6. It’s a sweet ride for the missus.

Mercedes-Maybach S 680: A night on the town calls for a righteous ride, one that’s appropriate of Santa’s station. Is there another executive shuttle to match the technology, ability and finely crafted interior of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class? The Maybach trim level turns up the luxury to 11, while retaining the sort of convenience features essential to older drivers.

When all the gifts have been delivered, and every stocking stuffed, Santa enjoys a good rip behind the wheel of the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

One such feature, Night View Assist Plus, ensures the driver doesn’t hit any wildlife. ANd its quilted leather and hushed ambience, makes every ride a special occasion. And let’s not forget its 6.0-liter twin-turbo V-12; it propels this massive Merc to 60 in just 4.4 seconds. And considering how much Santa has given others, this bit of indulgence is worth it.

Mazda MX-5 Miata: The stockings are stuffed, the presents placed under the tree, and now it’s Miller time. Even Santa needs to let his hair down to enjoy a few ho, ho, hos in warm weather.

You can almost see him zipping around Palm Springs in the Mazda MX-5 Miata. It’s a modern-day classic with great looks, light weight and crisp handling.

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First Look: 2022 Rolls Royce Ghost Black Badge

Who would have thought you could make the Rolls-Royce Ghost look so sinister?

Rolls-Royce revealed a new addition to the Rolls-Royce Ghost line-up in Miami Thursday — the Black Badge — during a North America dealer meeting that saw about 100 retailers meet with the automaker’s top executives. 

The automaker revealed the new model to dealers at the Mad nightclub in the hip and trendy Wynnewood section of Miami, and will do the same for customers later this week.

“We just felt this was very Black Badge,” said Richard Carter, director of communications for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. “It’s very, noir; It’s very alternative; and that’s the essence of Black Badge.”

The Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge expands a line-up that began with the Wraith coupe, followed by the Phantom sedan in 2016, the Dawn cabriolet in 2017 and the Cullinan SUV in 2019. The murdered-out Black Badge models now account for more than 27% of Rolls-Royce sales worldwide, including 40% of Cullinan sales.

The darker side of opulence

To realize the Ghost Black Badge’s menacing demeanor, the company uses 100 pounds of the industry’s darkest black paint. The Spirit of Ecstasy and Pantheon Grille are darkened using a chrome electrolyte applied during chrome plating. The new model wears exclusive 21-inch wheels with as many as 44 layers of carbon fiber.

The 2022 Rolls-Royce Ghost Black Badge can be had in more that 44,000 different hues, although most Black Badge customers choose black.

As you’d expect, interior components are darkened including air vents and the wood veneer, along with Black Badge badging and other unique interior touches, although clients are free to specify any number of colors and trim to be used on the car’s interior.

Engineers also contributed, fitting larger air springs to alleviate body roll during assertive cornering. There’s also roughly 29 additional horsepower and a revised transmission to make the Black Badge a bit more athletic. They also reduced brake pedal travel.

A quick turn behind the wheel of pre-production prototypes revealed a car that can be driven more aggressively than your average Ghost. Grip is impressive while cornering, staying firmly planted despite some noticeable body roll. Body motions never become excessive, and rebound over bumps is very well controlled. Yet its agility doesn’t come at the expense of the brand’s legendary comfort.

An idea born in Beverly Hills

The idea of Black Badge occurred in 2014 in Beverly Hills.

“This whole notion of the alter ego of Rolls Royce, the slightly noir, naughty, edgy side of Rolls Royce is something that we were thinking about. We were looking at ways and means of lowering the age profile of our brand,” Carter said.

The Pantheon Grille and Spirit of Ecstasy also receive the Black Badge treatment.

At the time, the brand had one model, the Phantom, and an average buyer’s age of 57. “We were selling one model to a dying set of customers, and there was no future in that,” he said.

At the time, the company was about to release the first-generation Ghost, followed by its two-door spinoff, the Wraith, both of which would attract younger buyers. But the company needed more. They were searching for an idea, but hadn’t settled on anything yet.

Torsten Müller-Ötvös, chief executive officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, was waiting for a car to pick him up at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills when a murdered-out Phantom Coupe pulled up. Ötvös was stunned, and asked the owner why he modified his Phantom.

“He told me over the weekend, that he wants to be a different kind of character,” Ötvös said. “For some of the week, he is friendly and nice. But over the weekend, he wants to be something different. He enjoyed playing a different role; how he was dressed, looked and talked.” 

A couple weeks later, Ötvös had similar experiences particularly in the United States, particularly in California. This led to the creation of Black Badge at a time where murdered-out cars weren’t mainstream.

A surprising success

The Ghost Black Badge is revealed for the first time at the Mad nightclub in Miami.

Initially, executives expected Black Badge models to have a 10%-15% take rate. But they were mistaken. It turned out to be a stunning success, with a far higher take rate. Currently, Black Badge represents 40% of Cullinan sales. Black Badge, along with new models like Ghost, Wraith and Cullinan, have brought the average Rolls-Royce buyer’s age down to 43, quite a large drop in a little less than a decade. 

“We are even younger than Mini as a brand in the BMW Group,” Ötvös said, who then explained that the type of wealthy car buyer has changed. 

“When you look into ultra-high net worth individuals, those people who are our target group worldwide, they became younger and younger over time because the way to generate wealth is very, very different from what it used to be 15-to-20 years ago.”

Rolls-Royce sees its Black Badge line as one that appeals to iconoclasts, a type of buyer that the brand has always attracted, particularly during the pre-World War II years, when all coachwork was custom built.

“Black Badge was the most instrumental piece we had in an all-new brand strategy to massively decrease the average age and illuminate the brand in a significant way,” Ötvös said. 

Mission accomplished.

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First Look: 2023 Kia Sportage

Kia pulled the wraps off the 2023 Sportage Wednesday. More precisely, it lifted the covers off the U.S. version of its popular subcompact crossover — and it revealed relatively few changes from the South Korean version of the Sportage introduced earlier this year.

2023 Kia Sportage - driving
Kia carries over its “Opposites United” design language for the 2023 Sportage.

And that means the American crossover will retain the distinctive new “Opposites United” design language which takes the 2023 Kia Sportage in a very different visual direction from the outgoing model.

The new model is larger than the old SUV, features a tauter, more sporty look, with a broader “Tiger Nose” grille and new boomerang-shaped running lights, to start with. It also picks up some of the design cues found in the carmaker’s new EV6 battery-electric vehicle, most notably the rear liftgate.

More trim levels for 2023

If anything, even more versions of the Sportage will be available in 2023, from the base LX to the Sporty X-Line and upscale SX-Prestige. Kia is adding all-new, “off-road ready” Sportage X-Pro and X-Pro Prestige trims, and a GT-Line is expected. There will be a hybrid version, as well, though Kia said details won’t be released until “a later date.”

2023 Kia Sportage - driving side

Kia expanded the Sportage line-up for the new model year to six trim levels.

“While Kia moves purposefully toward electrification, we are further strengthening the Sportage line-up by adding a variety of options suited for all different kinds of customers,” said Sean Yoon, president and CEO, Kia America, Kia North America. “The tremendous success formula of our current stable of SUVs has been infused into every ounce of the new Sportage, transforming it into a leader of the pack with its cutting-edge design, adventurous capability and desirable in-car technology.”

The latest-generation Sportage shifts to the same N3 platform as the bigger Sorento, and grows a full 7.1 inches in overall length, even though the wheelbase has been stretched just 3.4 inches. Kia claims the ute now offers segment-leading rear cargo space and best-in-class rear cargo capacity of 39.6 cubic feet. The 2023 Sportage also adopts a dual-level rear cargo floor.

More technology

2023 Kia Sportage - interior

The SUV now offers a panoramic curved display that pairs a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system.

The new Sportage design is more muscular outside, and more upscale inside. The SUV now offers a panoramic curved display that pairs a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system. Angular air vents add to the technical feel of the instrument panel. The asymmetric center console places buttons closer to the driver and now features a new rotary e-shifter.

Other technical upgrades includes a first-time WiFi hotspot that can connect to as many as five devices simultaneously, and a navigation system that, depending upon model, can keep maps up-to-date using over-the-air updates. The cloud-based system is able to revise routing on the fly, as well. The infotainment system now can be programmed by voice, touch or with a new touchpad. And it features both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The seats now feature real stitching and, for higher grades, adopt vegan “leather” surfaces.

Bigger, more fuel-efficient engine

Under the hood, the 2023 Kia Sorento gains a new 2.5-liter inline-4 powertrain. It’s tentatively rated at 187 horsepower. It will be available in either front- or all-wheel drive the AWD models gaining 1.5 inches of ground clearance. Despite the increase in the overall size of the 2023 Sportage and the boost in engine output, Kia said it is anticipating an 8% increase in EPA-rated mileage. It currently gets up to 26 mpg Combined.

2023 Kia Sportage - driving rear 3-4

Under the hood, the 2023 Kia Sorento gains a new 2.5-liter inline-4 powertrain.

“The available Active AWD system uses electro-hydraulic coupling with center-locking differential to actively distribute power between front and rear wheels depending on road and driving conditions,” Kia noted in a release.

The X-Line and X-Pro add off-road-oriented details, including larger wheels, unique bumpers, a roof rack and on the Pro, LED foglamps and an optional two-tone roof.

Increased safety tech

The new Sportage will add several advanced driver assistance systems, including optional features such as 360-degree Surround View Monitor with 3D View and live feed Blind-Spot View Monitor.

Most versions of the new 2023 Kia Sportage will be assembled at the automaker’s plant in West Point, Georgia.

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New IIHS Study Confirms Brighter Headlights Reduce Number of Nighttime Crashes

To the surprise of no one, a new study completed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety confirmed brighter headlights help reduce vehicle collisions.

Audi R8
In 2016, Audi’s new laser headlamps were brighter than conventional lights so the maker adjusted the lights to shine low and wide.

The organization noted the number of nighttime vehicle accidents are nearly 20% lower for vehicles with headlights earning a “good” rating in IIHS evaluation, compared with those with “poor” rated headlights. Vehicles IIHS rates as having “acceptable” or “marginal” headlights crash rates are 10% to 15% lower than for those with poor ratings.

“Driving at night is three times as risky as driving during the day,” said IIHS Senior Research Engineer Matthew Brumbelow, who conducted the study. “This is the first study to document how much headlights that provide better illumination can help.”

An evolving light 

Until recently, there was little need to evaluate headlights, as all cars used sealed beam headlights, a technology that became an industry standard by the 1940s. Like the lights in your home, sealed-beam and halogen headlights are incandescent. They use electricity to heat a bulb’s filament, which in turn produces light.

The addition of halogen gas in the 1960s allowed the headlight’s tungsten filament to generate a brighter light that lasted longer. In 1983, the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard was revised, allowing for all composite headlight assemblies to have replacement bulbs. Yet overall, headlights had changed little since electric headlights first appeared on cars in 1898.

IIHS headlight crash reduction chart

That changed with the introduction of high-intensity discharge headlights, or HIDs. These are arc lamps, much like a neon sign, which produce light by the sparking an electrical arc between two conducting electrodes inside the bulb. Far more efficient than halogen lamps, they not only produce more light, but also use less energy and last far longer. 

Then, in 2004, the first LED headlights appear on the Audi A8. An LED a semiconductor that emits light when a current is passed through it, using far less energy than other types of bulbs. This led to the creation of LED Matrix headlights, which uses LEDs, sensors and cameras to light the road depending on road conditions. Now, automakers are starting to employ laser lighting, affording 1.25 miles of visibility.

Testing counteracts an outdated federal standard

Given evolving lighting technology, IIHS began evaluating headlight effectiveness in 2016 to counteract the federal government’s outdate lighting standard, one that considered all headlight types equal. The problem is, they’re not. Five years later, IIHS has rated approximately 1,000 different headlights, bestowing them with the same good, acceptable, marginal and poor ratings used for the crash test evaluations.

The IIHS’s new study shows that good-rated reduces driver injuries in crashes by 29% and the rates of tow-away crashes and pedestrian crashes by about 25%.

“Better scores in our headlight tests translate into safer nighttime driving on the road,” said IIHS’s Brumbelow. 

Despite the changes in headlight technology, the Federal standard for automotive lighting hasn’t changed significantly since 1968. What’s worse, the standard specifies minimum and maximum brightness for headlights without taking into account how well it is installed. The standard also lacks any regulations for newer technology, such as curve-adaptive headlights. 

To address such failings, the IIHS’s evaluation of vehicle lighting are done while driven on a test track. Performance varies considerably; current low beam headlights illuminate anywhere from 125 feet to 460 feet. That’s a difference of as much as 6 seconds when driving at 50 mph. The tests have compelled OEMs to improve the quality of their lighting, IIHS says. 

“Our awards have been a huge motivator for automakers to improve their headlights,” Brumbelow says. “Now, with our new study, we have confirmation that these improvements are saving lives.”

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Opinion: How Hyundai and Kia Have Made Design a Strength

Kia

I got my first, in-person taste of the upcoming Kia EV6 this past weekend in Irvine, California. It was a beautiful 77-degree day spent amid rolling hills under blue, sunny skies – even the people I met were wonderful. They were tanned, attractive, “California” people who were cheerful and engaging. No matter what California sent to distract me, though, my eyes kept turning back to the EV6.

There’s simply no escaping it. The Kia EV6, especially in the matte metallic gray finish, is an incredibly good-looking car.

Not too far away, another Korean car caught my eye. This time it was the Hyundai Ioniq 5, which I was also experiencing in production form for the first time. From a few yards away, the Ioniq 5 looks for all the world like a retro-futuristic hot hatch, low and squat and ready in the way that old rally cars seem to want to pounce off the line, and barrel towards the next curve. Then the door opens, someone steps out of the car, and your brain has to recalibrate.

It’s not a hot hatch at all. The Ioniq 5 is a medium-ish, five-passenger crossover with 21-inch wheels and high-end LED lighting. It was all a trick of the light.

“How—” I begin to ask, genuinely surprised at how small the Ioniq looks compared to how big it actually is. “How did you guys do this?”

“We hired the best people in the world,” was James Bell’s simple, straightforward response.

James Bell is Kia’s head of corporate communications and was kind enough to spend some time with me last Saturday during the Electrify Expo e-mobility festival in Irvine and help me wrap my brain around just how far Kia has come in the last two decades. Which, if you weren’t around in the 90s, let me tell you: Kia has come a long, long way.

“The company decided it was going to hire the best people it could find,” said James (I’m paraphrasing a bit here). “Not just good people, but the best people – even if that meant we had to look outside of Korea to find them.”

The team that Hyundai and Kia have put together to develop their new Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) reads like an automotive take on the Traveling Willburys.

Bell starts with Albert Biermann, who was originally hired as a chassis and suspension engineer at BMW in 1983, and who worked on every classic BMW you want while working his way up to the role of Vice President Engineering BMW M Automobiles and BMW Individual in 2008. Hyundai hired him away from BMW in 2015, specifically to ensure that the new Hyundai and Kia models built on the E-GMP platform were as good, from a dynamic perspective, as anything else.

Next, he mentions Luc Donckerwolke, a superstar car designer whose portfolio includes the all-conquering Audi R8 LeMans racer, the Lamborghini Murcielago and Gallardo, and both the 2013 Bentley Flying Spur and the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept. This guy can draw cars, in other words, and he’s proved that again and again since joining Hyundai with the 2018 Palisade, 2020 Sonata, 2021 Elantra, and G/GV80 Genesis models. He oversees the look and feel of the cars.

Finally, we get to Karim Habib, another BMW alum who penned both the BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe (swoon!) and the EV6 that’s in front of us.

“I love this car,” I tell James. “I just wrote an article about it, actually. I said it looked like a Lancia Stratos.”

“That’s a good thing to look like,” he says. “There might be some Lotus, too.”

We talked a bit about some of the other players in the EV space who have – let’s say, “struggled” with translating some traditional styling cues into a modern, crossover-y electric vehicle design language, and whether those styling cues were doing more to hurt or help those brands as they transition to EV.

“Do you think that Kia, because it’s kind of a younger brand with maybe less of a legacy, has more freedom to make really bold design choices?”

“Yeah,” James says, thoughtfully. “Yeah, I think so. The design language that Kia has is really forward-looking. When I was at GM, there were a lot of ‘competing interests’, shall we say?”

We joke a bit about Fiero/Corvette conspiracy theories and a “You can’t have a coupe; Buick just got a coupe!” mentality.

“At Kia,” he says, “there’s none of that.”

It’s clear just from the EV6 that Karim Habib is making the most of his opportunity to lead a design department that isn’t beholden to the past.

“EV6, as the first dedicated Kia EV, is a showcase of human-centered, progressive design and electrified power,” Habib said, in Kia’s official statement on its new, “Opposites United” design philosophy. “The philosophy is based on five key design pillars,” the statement continues. “‘Bold for Nature’, ‘Joy for Reason’, ‘Power to Progress’, ‘Technology for Life’, and ‘Tension for Serenity’.”

Which, I mean – that’s some pretty dense PR-speak that I really want to take issue with … but I can’t. The EV6 really does look bold, and I want to put some aggressively knobbed tires on it and take it out into nature. It looks joyful in the way that sportscars look fun and thrilling, but it’s a four-door crossover that I can make a logical case for. As for power – well, Kia did debut the 576 horsepower EV6 GT by lining it up alongside a Lamborghini, an AMG, a McLaren, a Ferrari, and a Porsche for an airstrip drag race.

The Kia didn’t win that race (the McLaren won), but it wasn’t last. Not by a long shot – and that says a lot about what Kia seems to have figured out about the car business: People build cars. And, if you hire the best people to build your cars, it makes sense that you’re probably going to end up building the best cars. Or some very good ones, at least.

With handling by the guy who made BMW M into the BMW M, a forward-looking design language, and the guy who brought Lamborghini and Bentley into the modern era keeping an eye on things, it’s hard to imagine Hyundai and Kia doing anything else.

James was a very good sport and spent a lot of time talking cars and Kia with me at the Electrify Expo. I wanted to return the favor, so I asked him if there was any point or message about Kia that he’d like to add to the article. After a bit of a pause, he hit me with the following: “We believe the launch of the EV6 will be long remembered as a pivotal moment in the history of Kia here in the US.  It will be our proverbial ‘vehicle of change’ as you will never forget the first time you see one on the road, and therefore is a perfect representation of Kia’s new Opposites United design theme.”

“I love it!” I said with a chuckle.

“Hopefully you can sense that I LOVE the car biz!” he added.

I do get that sense. I love it, too.

[Images: Kia, Hyundai]

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2022 BMW 2 Series Coupes Coming Soon

BMW 2 Series coupes

The 2022 BMW 2 Series coupes are on their way. Dynamic testing, drivetrain, and suspension tuning on the two-door compact are nearing conclusion. Production begins in the late summer of 2021.

BMW 2 Series coupesThe new BMW 2 Series is being described as more nimble, agile, and powerful than previous models.

Tuning and testing at Nurburgring’s Nordschleife and on public roads around Munich, the new 2’s drivability is key.

BMW 2 Series coupes

The 230i and M240i AWD will be the first out of the gate, with the 230i xDrive and M240i to follow.

The M240i xDrive has a 3.0 liter, inline 6-cylinder TwinPower turbo under hood, producing 382 horsepower. Backed up by a standard 8-speed sport Steptronic automatic, alas there’s no mention of a manual transmission option.

xDrive AWD systems have an M sport rear differential to add traction and stability while accelerating, according to BMW.

BMW 2 Series coupes

There’s a front lip spoiler, splitter, air curtains, deflectors, and underfloor covers for the fuel tank and rear differential. BMW attributes a 50-percent reduction in front-end lift to the aerodynamic package.

Twelve percent more torsionally rigid than its predecessor, BMW has also increased front and rear tracks to add rigidity.

BMW 2 Series coupes

New shocks enhance ride comfort, while better responding to road conditions. The optional Adaptive M suspension adds electronically-controlled shocks with settings that are more dynamic or comfort-oriented.

Improved road feel comes from new, stiffer front axle support bearings. Another option, variable sports steering, reduces steering effort while improving driving feel.

Meanwhile, the 2 Series is out there killing cones in pursuit of fine-tuning the suspension. We’ve not yet reached the point of cone conservation.

[Images: BMW]

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Toyota’s 2021 GR Supra Sport Top Unveiled

GR Supra

Toyota’s 2021 GR Supra Sport Top unveiling, a part of their SEMA custom vehicle builds, ensures that Toyota’s performance concepts continue to catch the attention of fans of the brand, along with the automotive aftermarket.

Toyota‘s two-wave release plan began with four builds revealed in its SEMA360 Showcase in November. SEMA360 was the Specialty Equipment Market Association’s (SEMA) online virtual trade show, a means of connecting the automotive aftermarket industry during the pandemic, which made the traditional SEMA trade show held each year in Las Vegas impossible.

“Wave one whetted Toyota fans’ appetite with four creations – a bold, hand-painted GR Supra, two GR Supra drift cars, and an overland-ready Tacoma pickup,” said Ed Laukes, group vice president – Toyota Division Marketing. “But we saved the best for last, and we’re proud to show off our latest creation, the 2021 GR Supra Sport Top, with some additional content.”

GR Supra

The new 2021 GR Supra Sport Top concept is a follow up to the 2020 GR Supra Heritage Edition that debuted at Toyota’s 2019 SEMA Show display, exciting Supra fans with its visual and performance upgrades that harkened back to the Mark IV Supra of the late ‘90s.

GR SupraInspired by the response to last year’s GR Supra Heritage Edition, Toyota decided to build a companion. Removing part of the GR Supra’s structure and the roof to create a tribute to removable-top Supras of the past, the team had to reinforce the frame’s structural rigidity. The now-removable roof is comprised of two composite panels that can be stored in the trunk. However, unlike a T-top car, there’s no center bar. As a sibling to the GR Supra Heritage Edition, the Sport Top delivers styling cues like the Mark IV-inspired wing and round taillights.  At the same time, it has a profile all its own.

GR Supra

Making an encore appearance as an inspiration for this year’s GR Supra Sport Top, the 2020 GR Supra Heritage Edition returns in time for the second wave of content. The 500-plus horsepower sports car is painted in Re-Entry Red, with retro-inspired custom headlights, taillights, and a Mark IV-style rear wing. Upgrades such as bigger brakes, tuned engine, turbocharger, and ECU, and its custom front and rear suspension ensure its performance equals that of its appearance.

It’s good to see that at Toyota going places fast still counts.

[Images: Toyota]