Ford's Shelby GT350 Mustang gets Sync 3, standard Track Package

By Stephen Edelstein April 7, 2016

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2017 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

2017 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

2017 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang

Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang

Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang

Ford Shelby GT350R Mustang

The Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang debuted last year with plenty of attitude, and the on-track aptitude to back it up. The hottest Mustang returns for 2017 with some minor changes, so if you missed out the first time around, start saving now.

The biggest change for the GT350’s sophomore year is a longer list of features, both standard and optional. The Track Package that was optional last year is now standard, adding an aluminum tower-to-tower brace, deckled spoiler, engine, oil, and transmission coolers, and Ford’s MagneRide magnetic adjustable suspension system. Most of these features are standard on the track-focused GT350R, but cost $6,500 extra on the GT350 in 2016.

The GT350 also gets a bigger dose of technology with two new option packages. The Electronics Package adds Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, voice activated navigation, and a nine-speaker audio system. The Convenience Package includes those features, and also replaces the standard manual-adjust Recaro sport seats with power-adjustable leather seats.

Some new colors round out the changes. For 2017, Ruby Red Metallic, Lightning Blue, and Grabber Blue are in, while 2016’s Deep Impact Blue and Competition Orange are out.

There are no mechanical changes, so buyers still get a 5.2-liter V8 that sends 526 horsepower and 429 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels. This engine remains a novelty because of its lack of turbochargers or superchargers, and its flat-plane crank design. Unlike the previous Shelby GT500, the GT350 is more focused on handling, hence features like the MagneRide suspension and the cool carbon fiber wheels available on the GT350R.

Ford’s thoroughbred certainly gallops into 2017 with more equipment, but we’ll have to wait until the Blue Oval releases pricing information to see if that translates into good value. For reference, the 2016 GT350 started at $48,695 (including destination). The 2017 GT350 goes on sale in June.

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We need more 7-passenger EVs, but the 2023 Mercedes EQS SUV has room to improve

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV.

Mercedes-Benz is continuing to expand its EV lineup, this time with a model aimed at (wealthy) families.
As the name states, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV is an SUV derivative of the EQS sedan. With the EQS sedan positioned as the electric analog to the Mercedes S-Class, the EQS SUV is the electric version of the GLS-Class. And like that vehicle, the EQS SUV is available with up to seven seats across three rows.
That makes the EQS SUV an important vehicle not just for Mercedes, but for the cause of EV adoption in general. While the Tesla Model X and Rivian R1S also offer three rows for family-hauling duty, there’s a lot more room in the market for another entry. Given the popularity of equivalent gasoline luxury SUVs like the GLS, Land Rover Range Rover, and Cadillac Escalade, the EQS SUV arrives not a moment too soon.
The EQS SUV is scheduled to reach U.S. dealerships this fall in three guises. The base rear-wheel-drive EQS 450+ starts at $105,550 with destination, while the all-wheel drive EQS 450 4Matic and EQS 580 4Matic start at $108,550 and $127,100, respectively. Although it will be built in Alabama, the EQS SUV won’t qualify for the revised federal EV tax credit because it exceeds the $80,000 price cap for SUVs.

Design and interior
A defining feature of Mercedes’ EQ lineup is aerodynamic bodywork aimed at maximizing range. The typical SUV is not aerodynamically ideal, but Mercedes managed to achieve an impressively low drag coefficient for an SUV — at 0.26, it’s close to the Toyota Prius. But function clearly took precedence over form. Mercedes deserves credit for not going in the polarizing direction BMW did with its two-row iX SUV, but the EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.
More disappointing is the third row, which should be the EQS SUV’s defining feature, but seems more like a useless afterthought. Adults will find it difficult to insert themselves into the third-row seats, let alone tolerate riding in them. As in most three-row vehicles, the rear seats also pretty much eliminate cargo space. And if you want to fold them down to create more cargo room, you’ll have to do it manually as Mercedes didn’t include a power-folding system — a bit disappointing for a six-figure car. The EQS SUV also lacks a frunk; like the EQS sedan, the hood is sealed.
The EQS SUV looks like a melting scoop of ice cream.

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2023 Audi Q4 E-Tron first drive: the predictable and traditional EV SUV we need

Audi Q4 E-Tron SUV in blue.

Audi, like so much of the car industry, dipped its toe into EV production starting with splashy, aspirational models. The E-Tron SUV and E-Tron GT sport sedan are stunning and powerful, but even the more mainstream of the two starts at $71,000. With sights set on shifting a large portion of its production to EVs, it's this car, the 2023 Q4 E-Tron, that is Audi's most significant EV yet.

Starting under $50,000, this EV-only comfortably sized 5-seat SUV is the new entry point for electric Audis. But the fact that it's electric actually isn't particularly interesting, and that's by design.

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Lux and refreshingly livable, Mercedes’ EQE moves EVs mainstream

Front three quarter view of the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan.

Mercedes-Benz wants its EQ sub-brand to be an all-electric counterpart to its current lineup of gasoline luxury cars, and it’s working toward that goal by starting at opposite ends of the price spectrum and working toward the middle.
Where the EQS sedan and SUV are the flagships of the lineup, and the EQB serves as an entry-level offering, the 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan aims for the middle of the market. It’s pitched as an electric equivalent of the Mercedes E-Class, one of the automaker’s bread-and-butter models. And like the E-Class, the EQE will compete against sedans from Mercedes’ German rivals, such as the Audi e-tron GT, BMW i4, and Porsche Taycan. It will likely be cross-shopped against the Genesis Electrified G80, Lucid Air, and Tesla Model S as well.
The EQE sedan arrives at U.S. dealerships in late 2022 in four guises: base rear-wheel drive EQE 350+, all-wheel drive EQE 350 4Matic and EQE 500 4Matic, and an AMG EQE performance version. Mercedes hasn’t disclosed pricing for any of these models, but the EQE 350 4Matic we tested for this first drive will likely be a mid-tier trim level. Like its EQS sibling, the EQE will also get an SUV variant, which will launch sometime after the sedan version.

Design and interior
The EQE has the same lozenge-like shape as the EQS sedan, which is dictated by aerodynamics. The appeal of the design is up for debate, but the smooth shape reduces aerodynamic drag, which helps improve efficiency and range. Under the skin, the EQE is also based on the same EVA2 architecture as the EQS sedan.
But while the two EQ sedans look similar at first glance, the EQE is a bit smaller than its sibling. It’s 10.6 inches shorter than the EQS sedan, with a 3.5-inch shorter wheelbase. Rear-seat passengers might notice the difference, but like its gasoline E-Class counterpart, the EQE is aimed more at drivers than passengers. Its tidier proportions were also a bit more pleasing to our eyes, making the EQE look sleeker than its sibling.
The interior design is minimalist while still maintaining functionality.