GMC has decided it can make a case for an even more expensive Yukon Denali, so today they’ve introduced the 2023 Yukon Denali Ultimate. Closing the gap in price with the platform-mate Cadillac Escalade, the Denali Ultimate ups the luxury ante with Super Cruise, a more immersive audio system, fancier leather seats, bespoke wood trim, and more. Under the hood, the same 6.2L V8 and 3.0L Duramax diesel will be offered, with 4WD, Magnetic Ride Control and Air Ride Adaptive Suspension being standard. More on this here.
The 2023 Honda Civic Type R will be making its U.S. debut on July 1st at the IndyCar round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Unfortunately, it will still be covered in the obnoxious camouflage seen in the photo above, but it will be participating in hot laps and will serve as the lead car for the race on July 3rd. The full reveal is still happening this calendar year, but exactly when is still a mystery. More on this development here.
More spy shots were shared today of the second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC thanks to Carscoops. Still looking like the EQC, still looking like a decent update to the brand’s most popular model and 2017 MotorTrend SUV of the Year. With much more impressive tech inside and efficient 4-cylinder engines under the hood, it will likely turn out to be another winner.
As EVs become automakers’ bread and butter, internal-combustion vehicle development will take a back seat or end altogether, depending on which company you’re talking about. Mercedes-Benz says that going forward, new platforms will be designed with EV architectures in mind first and foremost, while gas engine variants will be based on those platforms. This is an inversion from what has typically been the order of operations in an ICE-dominated world. Vice President of Development for Electric Drive, Christoph Starzynski, told Motor1 that Mercedes’ upcoming MMA electric platform is designed exclusively for electric vehicles but will be adapted for gas and diesel powertrains. This will allow markets that aren’t prepared to fully embrace EVs to still offer Mercedes’ products in the traditional format. See the Motor1 interview here.