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  • Jay Leno looks at a hybrid from 1916

    The Toyota Prius may have popularized the concept, but hybrid cars existed long before the now-ubiquitous Toyota hatchback. The Owen Magnetic featured on this episode of Jay Leno’s Garage dates to 1916—about 80 years before the Prius launched.

    It’s important to remember that, at the turn of the 20th century, battery-electric cars were quite common. But just like today, they were limited by range and charging infrastructure. The Owen Magnetic was pitched as an electric car with a range-extending gasoline generator—not unlike the former Chevrolet Volt or the BMW i3 REx.

    The car is a series hybrid, with the internal-combustion engine acting exclusively as a generator for an electric motor, which actually drives the wheels, rather than a parallel hybrid, like most modern hybrid cars.

    1916 Owen Magnetic on Jay Leno's Garage

    1916 Owen Magnetic on Jay Leno’s Garage

    The Buda inline-6 engine isn’t physically connected to the drivetrain. A horseshoe magnet is attached to the end of the crankshaft, which spins around an armature attached to an electric motor, which in turn drives the rear wheels. In 1916, an advantage of this setup was that it did away with a conventional transmission, making the Owen Magnetic accessible to people who couldn’t drive stick, Leno noted. It also enables regenerative braking, just like modern hybrids and electric cars.

    Leno has had this car for about 30 years, and it was not in good condition when he got it, as it had sat exposed to the elements for decades in Norway. With no reproduction parts available for this exceedingly rare car, Leno’s shop had to fabricate nearly everything. The distinctive angled valve cover with “Owen Magnetic” lettering was replicated using 3D printing. Leno also installed modern Optima batteries.

    Watch the full video to see this piece of hybrid history cruising around the streets surrounding Leno’s famous garage.

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  • 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1, 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35, 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV: This Week’s Top Photos

    Ford may have just launched an electric Mustang crossover but old-school muscle car fans have their own Mustang model to look forward to in 2021, and it’s wearing the Mach 1 badge. The car is a fantastic mash-up of GT350 and Bullitt parts, and we’ve got a full review up.

    2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35

    2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35

    Another vehicle we tested this week was the 2021 Mercedes-Benz AMG GLB35. This compact crossover has 302 hp, third-row seats, and loads of tech, and it’s quite reasonably priced at about $50,000.

    2022 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

    2022 Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class

    Another Mercedes in the headlines this week was the updated 2022 CLS-Class. The latest updates bring revised styling inside and out, plus some new technology, but sadly there’s no longer an AMG option for U.S. customers.

    Pagani Zonda Revolucion road-car conversion - Photo credit: @tfjj/Lanzante

    Pagani Zonda Revolucion road-car conversion – Photo credit: @tfjj/Lanzante

    Pagani built just five examples of its Zonda Revolucion track special early last decade, and this week we learned that one of them has been made legal on the street. The conversion to a road car was handled by the folks at Lanzante, which has performed similar conversions in the past for track cars like the McLaren P1 GTR.

    2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV

    2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV

    For fans of electric vehicles, GMC unveiled the 2024 Hummer EV SUV. The SUV shares its platform and powertrain with the Hummer EV pickup truck, but the wheelbase is shorter and the design has some strong H3 vibes. While the pickup starts production this fall, the SUV won’t show up until spring 2023.

    2022 Toyota GR 86 and 2022 Subaru BRZ

    2022 Toyota GR 86 and 2022 Subaru BRZ

    Another new vehicle that made its debut this week was the 2022 Toyota 86. The second-generation sports coupe is once again a twin with the Subaru BRZ, and like the BRZ it gets a 2.4-liter flat-4, rear-wheel drive, and a choice of manual or automatic transmissions.

    2021 Ford Explorer Enthusiast ST

    2021 Ford Explorer Enthusiast ST

    You can now get the looks and performance of Ford’s Explorer ST for about $4,000 less. The Blue Oval this week revealed a new Explorer Enthusiast ST for the 2021 model year with the same 400-hp powertrain as the regular Explorer ST but minus some of the vehicle’s luxury items.

    2022 Porsche Macan facelift spy shots - Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

    2022 Porsche Macan facelift spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien

    Porsche will keep the current Macan on sale when a new battery-electric version of the crossover arrives in 2022, but there will be some updates made to it. As our latest spy shots reveal, the current Macan will receive a few tweaks that will likely align its styling and tech with the forthcoming electric Macan.

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  • 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1, 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV, Kia Stinger Convertible: The Week In Reverse

    We drove the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1, the 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV broke cover, and there’s now a Kia Stinger convertible. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

    We had our first seat time in the 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 on the track at Willow Springs Raceway and the surrounding streets. The Mach 1’s return is exciting enough that it nearly makes up for the death of the Bullitt, GT350/GT350R, and Performance Level 2 package. Nearly. With parts from all of those cars as well as the GT500 and GT Performance Package, the Mach 1 might just be the sweet spot in the Mustang performance lineup.

    The 2022 Audi A8 was caught undergoing cold-weather testing with minimal camouflage. The flagship luxury sedan is set to receive a mild facelift to bring its front and rear design more in line with the latest Q7 and Q8 crossover SUVs. The interior will be upgraded with the German automaker’s latest technology, while the powertrain options will likely carry over.

    The 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV was unveiled with up to 850 hp, 11,500 lb-ft of torque (when multiplied at the wheels), more than 300 miles of range, and a six-figure price tag for initial models. Those first models will arrive in early 2023 and feature all the same tricks as the Hummer EV pickup truck, including rear-wheel steering, Crab Walk, and Extract Mode.

    The 2021 Mercede-Benz AMG GLB35 finally found its way into one of our driveways. The turbo-4 lacks the wallop of larger AMG engines, but the small AMG crossover SUV scoots to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds. It delivers all the upgrades one would want over the GLB250 with a performance edge for about $10,000 more.

    A Florida Kia dealership owner commissioned a Stinger convertible. The gray car features more than just a chopped top, with a full body kit, more than 500 hp from the modified twin-turbo V-6, and a three-layer power-operated soft-top. All four doors still open, and the entire conversion only added about 70 lbs.

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