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Curiosity Rover: A Decade of Mars Exploration and Discovery
NASA’s Curiosity rover landed on Mars back in 2012 and since then it’s been put to work exploring the surface of the Red Planet. In the process, it’s traversed more than 20 miles of the lunar surface, which hasn’t been too kind on its little roving wheels.
The Last V10: Exploring the Thrills of the E60 BMW M5
This was the last hot 5 Series to be powered by a normally aspirated engine – a manic 500bhp 5.0-litre V10
The E60-generation BMW M5 may well be a car that you buy for the engine and nothing else – and for good reason.The Formula 1-inspired, naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V10 makes an enormous 500bhp at a euphoric 7750rpm – a rev figure that might sound more likely for 1990s Honda Type R screamer than an 1830kg executive saloon (and indeed one that's often seen in black, looking more like a bank manager’s 520d than a supercar-scaring monster). This particular 5 Series isn't a car that you buy because of its ability to get to 62mph in 4.1sec – a frankly ridiculous figure for the time, but because of how it gets there. The intoxicating noise will encourage a heavy right foot and a delve into the iDrive system to find a route with more tunnels. The earliest cars are from 2005, and at £61,750 17 years ago, they came with almost all the bells and whistles possible: 19in alloy wheels (you can get those on a Volkswagen Golf these days...), head-up display and sat-nav, 11 shift modes for the SMG gearbox and even launch control. In 2007, the M5 was facelifted, and the easiest way to tell is by the LED running lights and tail-lights (but beware that some early cars have had them fitted retrospectively).These are probably the ones you want, thanks to the uprated gearbox with upgraded pumps and hardware. Also note that the facelift was released in batches, so there could very well be pre-facelift cars registered late into 2007.Alternatively, the easiest way to tell if the one you’re looking at is a facelifted car could be to look at the boot, as BMW didn't release the E61-generation M5 Touring until 2007. From the factory, the M5 was fitted with what at the time we called “The Gimmick of 2004”. When you initially start it, the ECU reverts to a 400bhp default setting, and to access all 500bhp, you must press a button marked ‘Power’ on the steering wheel.BMW said this was to “help in wet conditions”, but in practice it’s the ultimate show-off function for the delectation of your mates. Or children. Or dog.Because, of course, the M5 Touring has 500 litres of boot space to match its 500bhp and, in this guise, is one of only two such cars ever fitted with a 10-cylinder engine (the C6-generation Audi RS6 Avant is the other). Only 222 right-hand drive M5 Tourings were made over just three years.Sure, there's now a new M5 Touring to make this one seem less exclusive, but if you’re not bowled over by the asking price (likely to be over £100,000), this one can be had from around £30,000.You may need another £30k for repair bills, because the high-revving V10 has plenty of documented issues. But generally speaking, if you avoid buying a car that has been run on a tight budget, you should end up with something more dependable than you might think.Behind the wheel, the M5's balance and accessible performance helped to earn it a five-star Autocar road test verdict, and with the dampers set to soft, it has ample compliance to ride expansion joints pretty well.In line with the supple ride, the cabin exudes 2000s German super-exec in being almost completely bereft of anything overtly sporty.The only clues to the car’s potential are some strategically placed M badges, the shifters for the automated manual seven-speed SMG gearbox, body-hugging sports seats and a speedo that doesn’t stop until 200mph.Running costs are, as you can imagine for a F1-derived V10, astronomically hiigh. A gentle cruise yields around 22mpg, but push it hard and expect the read out to be no higher than 10mpg. The small fuel tank doesn't help matters. But this isn't a car you buy for economy. With regulations, taxation, small-capacity engines and electric motors strangling enthusiasts’ efforts to buy cars of this ilk, now is a perfect time to buy an a used M5, whether it's a saloon or an estate. Evaluating the Value of a No-Frills F-150 Work Truck
Today’s Nice Price or No Dice F-150 is a bare-bones stake bed work truck. That makes it perfect for farm duty or scrounging the neighborhood on trash day. Let’s see if this utilitarian truck’s price works for us.
Renault Unveils Revamped 4 Electric Crossover Ahead of Paris Motor Show
Round lights and boxy lines from the 4Ever concept remain on the production carMore versatile sibling of the new Renault 5 electric hatchback will be unveiled at the Paris motor show
Renault has revealed the first images of the revived 4 ahead of its unveiling at the Paris motor show later this month.
The teaser pictures confirm the electric crossover will keep much of the styling cues previewed on the 4Ever Trophy concept in 2022, including its striking light-up oblong grille and three-part tail-lights.
The new images also confirm the 4 will be offered with an optional retractable fabric roof, and it will also be the first Renault to feature a backlit front emblem.
Nods to its 1961 namesake include a roof-mounted mini spoiler, trapezoidal quarter rear windows, vertical overriders on the bumper and three lines sculpted along the door sills.
This 4 follows the smaller and technically identical Renault 5, which was revealed in production guise at the Geneva motor show earlier this year with a design that remained faithful to the 5 concept of 2021.
Renault has positioned the 4 as a taller and wider alternative to the 5, in the hopes of capturing a share of the ever-popular compact crossover market. At 4.14 metres long, it's a similar size to the Vauxhall Mokka.
Late prototypes spotted testing on public roads (pictured below) show the production 4 also keeps the 4Ever Trophy concept’s boxy dimensions.
Notably, the prototypes appear to represent the bookends of the 4 line-up. One is a basic hatchback riding on steel wheels, while the other is a higher-riding crossover fitted with alloys, roof rails and prominent U-shaped body cladding along its flanks.
It’s possible that the more aggressive car is a special edition inspired by the 4Ever, which itself drew on the modified 4s that compete in the annual 4L Trophy rally.
The 4 will share the Renault Group’s Ampr Small EV platform with the 5. The two EVs are even set to have the same 2.54m wheelbase.
It's expected to offer the 5’s three single-motor, front-wheel-drive powertrains with outputs of 94bhp, 121bhp and 148bhp, as well as its 40kWh and 52kWh battery packs.
As previously reported by Autocar, however, the Ampr Small platform’s multi-link rear axle can accommodate a second motor, paving the way for a four-wheel-drive variant of the 4.
Vittorio d’Arienzo, chief engineer of the Renault Group’s small EVs, told Autocar that the 4 would also be tuned to have a distinct character from the 5.
It will trade a tad more body roll for a more compliant ride, he said, although the “funny French” wheel travel offered by the original 4 won’t be present.
Images of previous prototypes reveal that the 4’s interior will feature the same dual-screen infotainment set-up as the 5, but it’s likely to receive a different dashboard design, taking inspiration from its forebear.
Production of the 4 is expected to start next summer at Renault’s ElectriCity hub in northern France, following the start of customer deliveries of the 5.
Thereafter, Renault will work on its next retro revival: the new Twingo, a sub-£17,000 EV due in 2026.
Governor Newsom Vetoes Speed Assistance Bill for California Vehicles
California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed SB-961 on Saturday. If the bill had been signed into law, it would have required every vehicle built, sold, or leased in the state to be equipped with a passive intelligent speed assistance system by the 2030 model year. The bill defined such systems as a warning if a driver…