Jeep’s own website has essentially confirmed the upcoming twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder Tornado engine as an option on the Grand Wagoneer. The engine appears on the model’s configurator as a $2000 upgrade on all trim levels. Only a picture is provided, no details on output or displacement are present. The picture shows the “twin turbo” branding on the engine cover, however. A leaked patent in 2019 revealed max horsepower for the powertrain would be a lofty 500 horsepower, making it a perfect fit for the giant Grand Wagoneer. The powertrain is expected to debut at the New York Auto Show in April. More details on the leak here.
Not to alarm any EV6 owners, but reports of a high frequency noise emitted at low speeds have begun to emerge. Kia is aware of the issue and is swiftly investigating, according to The Korean Car Blog. The reports have only come from Korean market vehicles, and apparently the noise is more of a beep than a ringing sound. It occurs when slowing to a complete stop. This is not a major issue, but one that should definitely be ironed out by Kia as soon as possible before too many more get sent to customers.
One final time before its debut on March 29th, Lotus has released a teaser video for their first crossover, the Type 132. In the video, Clive Chapman, Managing Director of the Classic Team Lotus, discusses his father’s history of designing Lotus race cars. Colin Chapman, founder of Lotus in 1952, would have loved the opportunity to design an SUV, according to his son. The time wasn’t right while he was still around, but thing have changed. See the video here.
The BMW X7 is the brand’s largest SUV and is generally well-received for its interior packaging and driving dynamics. A facelift has been spied testing for months now, but we now have a major leak exposing the exterior. Thanks to a chain of Instagram shares that originated from user @vladimirpotanin, these leaked promotional photos were released yesterday showing a front end that adopts the upcoming new design language for BMW’s SUVs. No interior photos were provided, but not much is expected to change in that area. Head to user @wilcoblok for the photos!