Plymouth was killed off as a brand in 2001 by parent company Chrysler; a move met with dismay by many fans of the brand whose roots could be traced back to 1928. But if Plymouth were still around today, it would most likely have offered a modern, reimagined version of its Barracuda pony car that it sold from 1964 to 1974.

Kia has been one of the top automakers to adopt electrification in its portfolio. At a point where other manufacturers would probably focus on stabilizing the sales of their present electrified models, Kia is relentlessly working towards increasing its fleet of plug-in hybrid models to counter CO2 emission regulations all across the globe. This is what commitment looks like: competition!

When driving the latest BMW M550d xDrive you don’t really feel that what it needs is extra power and torque, but that has never stopped tuners from turning things up to eleven. German tuner mcchip-dkr has unlocked more of everything from the quad-turbo 3.0-liter straight-six, and it now offers two stages of power.

Talk of a making mid-engined Corvette has been constant since the 1970s, but the idea never really fully materialized and if you want to know why GM only is just now testing one with plans to release in 2020, then do read on.

You don’t want to mess with the Hennessy-tuned Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, not when it has 1,200 horsepower to throw at you. If there are some brave souls who are willing to try to take down this Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, let this video of the SUV getting tested by the folks at Hennessey serve as a warning on what you’re getting yourselves into. Despite weighing 5,300 pounds, this 1,200-horsepower Grand Cherokee Trackhawk is capable of sprinting from 0 to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds on its way to posting a quarter-mile time of 9.66 seconds at 145.9 mph. Still think you can this beast on? You’re more than welcome to try.

Continental AG invited me to spend three days in Nice, France, drive really nice cars, experience its #blackchili driving experience and gorge on vine and fish of all kinds prepared by some of the best chefs around.

I said yes.

This is what I saw, drove and experienced there.

1,780 horsepower worth of cars were parked down the alley of a hotel with a golf course. All of them were white, all of them had OEM Continental tires on them. UUHP tires, mind you. That is short for Ultra Ultra High Performance and all of them had striking, yet subtle Continental decals. Right from the get-go, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a classic journalist driving event. It was more of a celebration and a party. I liked it.

The weather was at nice 78 degrees Fahrenheit, without a single cloud on the perfectly blue sky over the Cote d’Azur. Down at that parking - 10 cars - two Mercedes-AMG C43 Cabrios, two BMW M240i xDrive Convertibles, two Porsche 718 Boxsters, two Tesla Model Ss, and two Audi RS3 Sportbacks.

FYI, the Porsche was the least powerful one there. And when the Porsche is the least powerful at a car event, things are off to a good start.

After revealing the pre-production model at the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, Mercedes has finally revealed all the details of the GLC F-Cell’s production versions before it starts handing out deliveries. The GLC F-Cell uses a unique plug-in hybrid setup combined with fuel-cell technology. As a result of this, the GLC F-Cell can run on both, electricity and hydrogen.

Rolls-Royce does not want to discontinue the V-12, and I will tell you why. Leasing a car is improvisation. Buying a house and putting it under a mortgage is improvisation. Taking a bank loan to finish school is improvisation. Taking a cab is improvisation. Melding your own broken TV remote is improvisation. Having a dinner in an expensive restaurant to impress a girl is improvisation. Driving a hybrid is improvisation.

Rolls-Royce isn’t about improvisation. It is about the exact opposite - about genuinity. Something only a handful can experience, acquire, and actually live. Like it always was.

And for those select few, the world of regulations, melting ice caps, water supply problems in equatorial countries, and possible fuel shortages aren’t really that big of a deal. Rolls-Royce deals with those kinds of people. Exclusively! Those kinds of people want and need a V-12. They will have it - for as long as the ICE is a big deal. When it stops being a big deal, Rolls-Royce will do what is only logical - switch to electricity.

Mercedes-AMG has admitted that the launch of the One hypercar has been delayed by almost a year. Initially scheduled to launch in 2019, Mercedes-AMG chief Tobias Moers now estimates the launch to take place sometime in mid-to-late 2020, owing to delays tied into the development of the hypercar’s Formula One-derived engine. Mercedes-AMG is currently working with its High-Performance Powertrains (HPP) division to address the issues.

Ford’s not messing around with the list of accessories available to the upcoming 2019 Ford Ranger. Leaked documents shown via the Ranger5G forum reveal an extensive list of accessories that includes bull bars, racks, carriers, tow hooks, cup holders, and different versions of roadside assistance kits. The list of accessories points to one inevitable conclusion: you’re going to have to drop a serious amount of money to get what you want.

There was speculation that Nissan might electrify its sports cars with their upcoming generations, and now a company official has dropped some bombs on the whole issue. By 2022, 40-percent of Nissan’s vehicles will be electrified, and that includes the Nissan Z and Nissan GT-R as well.

ABT Sportsline is dialing up its aftermarket upgrade for theAudi RS5 by offering an engine upgrade program that was previously exclusive only to the limited edition RS5-R package. The new power upgrade is part of a comprehensive tuning kit that also includes changes to the RS5’s aesthetics and suspension. The result is a high-performance coupé rocking carbon fiber bits with a new 2.9-liter bi-turbo V-6 engine that now produces 510 horsepower and an improved suspension that paves the way for optimized driving dynamics.

Leave it to Tesla CEO Elon Musk to turn seemingly harmless jokes and pranks and make something out of them. The under-fire CEO took a break from all his legal problems to show a “visual approximation” of Teslaquila, the company’s new tequila product. It’s unclear if Teslaquila is actually a real thing — it stemmed from an April Fool’s joke earlier this year — but considering that Musk once signed off on a flamethrower — that product netted Tesla $5 million pre-orders, by the way — it’s not unlikely that Teslaquila will be sold in liquor stores and groceries in the not-too-distant future.

The next-gen Porsche 911 will bring in a plethora of models when it launches for 2019. The 911 turbo and 911 GT3 have already been spied testing, and now the automaker has confirmed that the Carrera T badge will return as well.

With the M2, BMW most certainly proved it is still hard into developing epic driving machines. The M2 Competition, which is like the M2 doubled, was the next step into the direction any BMW enthusiast imagined. Now, seemingly, BMW is traveling even further into the extremes with the M2. Spy photographers (guys who probably camp at the ‘Ring waiting for their next braking pep) caught yet another M2 prototype. Some say it is the 2021 BMW M2 CS - the next hardcore version scheduled to shake and stir the whole goddamn small sports car market. The one to properly tackle the likes of the Cayman, some versions of the F-Type, and the like. I am still fresh from my driving stint in the M240i, and I can’t even imagine how cool a car like the M2 CS will be.

BMW makes and sells many diesel engines in Europe and other parts of the world that are not North America, and it doesn’t plan on stopping anytime in the near future. This point was confirmed on the sidelines of the Paris motor show by a high-ranking company official who also believes that generally speaking “the discussion about electro-mobility is a little bit irrational” in the current context.

Are you the kind of person who wants to live the Bugatti lifestyle, but don’t wanna drop the millions needed to get a gently-used Veyron? Then renting might be the better option for you. However, don’t think it’s gonna come cheap…

When shopping for an SUV, there is usually a checklist involved before making a purchase. Is it spacious? Check. Does it have good power? Check. Is it well-built with quality materials? Check. Does it handle well? Check. Is it reliable? Check. Is there room for the in-laws? Check. The 2019 Acura MDX checks all those boxes and more all while providing subtle hints to let you know that you are in Honda’s premium brand.

The first-ever BMW X7 is now official, slotting in above the BMW X5 in terms of size and appointment. Outside, this massive machine rocks 21-inch alloy wheels as standard, plus the largest kidney grille ever designed for a production BMW. There’s LED lighting in the rear, plus a full set of adaptive LED headlights up front, both as standard.

You’ll also notice longer rear doors, which allow for easier access to the extra bench in back. That’s critical, as the X7 comes with three-row, seven-passenger seating as standard, plus the option for second-row captain’s chairs if desired. Cargo space is ample, with 48.6 cubic feet on offer with the rear benches up, and 90.4 cubic feet with them down. Additionally, BMW is tossing in a raft of cutting-edge driver assistance tech, such as standards like Lane Departure Warning, Speed Limit Information, and Frontal Collision Warning. Meanwhile, electroplated interior accents and standard four-zone climate control keep it classy and comfortable.

In terms of motivation, the X7 comes with a pair of turbocharged engine options, including a 4.4-liter V-8 and a 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder. The former makes 456 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, enabling a run to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, while the latter makes 335 horsepower and 330 pound-feet of torque, enabling a run to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds. An eight-speed automatic transmission is shared between both powerplants, routing muscle to an xDrive AWD system. A standard two-axle air suspension setup keeps it shiny side up, and there’s an optional M Sport differential offered with both the Dynamic Handling Package and the Off-Road Package.

BMW is opening up online preorders for the 2019 X7 later this month, with customers encouraged to pay their deposits via their smartphone or home computer for priority in the vehicle production queue. Pricing starts at $73,900 for the xDrive 40i and $92,600 for the xDrive 50i.