Lucid Air Sapphire Hot Lap: Can a Luxury EV Super Sedan Survive the Racetrack?MotorTrendMotorTrend

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Lucid Air Sapphire Hot Lap: Can a Luxury EV Super Sedan Survive the Racetrack?

The Lucid Air Sapphire packs 1,234 horsepower, 1,430 lb-ft of torque, a luxurious interior, and more than 400 miles of range—but can a nearly 5,400-pound luxury sedan actually perform on a race track? We hand the keys to racing legend Andy Pilgrim to find out. Despite its weight, the Sapphire shocks everyone by reaching 136 mph on the front straight and hanging surprisingly close to America's top supercars. Is this the future of electric performance?

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Al Oppenheiser, Chief Engineer behind both the Hummer EV and the Cadillac Escalade IQ, sits down to discuss his journey from muscle cars to leading the charge in General Motors’ electric future. As the only engineer to develop both a Car of the Year and SUV of the Year winner, Oppenheiser shares how his team approached EV design like a startup—pushing speed, innovation, and collaboration to deliver world-class luxury performance. From rethinking aerodynamics to reinventing what luxury means in an electric world, this conversation offers a rare inside look at how iconic American nameplates are being reborn for the EV era.

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Elon Musk released the Cybertruck in December 2023 with an incredible claim: The 845-hp Tesla Cybertruck Beast can tow a Porsche 911 down the drag strip quicker than a 911 alone can make the run. The video was a brilliant stunt to showcase the Cybertruck’s awesome power, but it wasn’t long before people started to question its legitimacy. When Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained figured out that Tesla never ran the quarter mile, we took it on ourselves to find the truth. Borrowing a Cybertruck from Out Of Spec, enlisting the help of Jason, and drawing on MotorTrend's 75 years of automotive testing experience, we staged the race exactly as Tesla presented it, only this time we ran all the way out to 1,320 feet. Can the Tesla Cybertruck really beat a Porsche 911 over the quarter mile? Watch along to find out.

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MotorTrend gathered 8,302 horsepower worth of American performance cars and trucks on an Air Force runway. See how these domestic dynamos performed in the ultimate drag race.

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Choosing between the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4 is like choosing between pho and ramen—both amazing, but totally different flavors. In this deep-dive comparison, we put these two hybrid SUVs head-to-head to find out which one truly deserves the title of best compact SUV of 2026. From driving dynamics to comfort, tech, and design, we test everything that makes these two the gold standard in their class. Can the CR-V’s balanced handling and smooth hybrid powertrain outshine the all-new RAV4’s rugged look and stronger performance numbers?

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While you may have seen the Model S Plaid and Air Sapphire drag racing before, we guarantee you haven’t seen these two supersedans—all 2284 horses' worth—through a full half-mile. We also performed full instrumented testing on both cars, measuring their 0–60, 0–100, 1/4 mile, and 1/2 mile times. We also took the Tesla and the Lucid to the streets to find out if either of these electron-powered rockets are any good to drive.

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We take a closer look at the Mercedes-Maybach SL680 Monogram Edition, the first two-seat roadster from Maybach since before The War.

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Chevy has transformed America's sports car into a world-class supercar with a 5.5-liter twin-turbo V-8 that makes an incredible 1,064 horsepower. Take a look at what makes the ZR1 the ultimate Corvette. "

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The keyboard warriors said it wasn’t a “real truck” and they were wrong. Meet the 2026 MotorTrend Truck of the Year: the Ford Maverick, a compact pickup that just outperformed bigger, more powerful, and far more expensive competitors. After two weeks of intense testing, including highway drives, city commuting, off-roading, towing, payload hauling, and deep dives into technology and safety, the Maverick proved why it deserves the crown. Whether you're here for the specs, the design, or to see why this compact pickup is shaking up the entire truck segment, this deep dive explains exactly how the Maverick earned its title.

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The Compact Truck That Beat Them All. MotorTrend's 2026 Truck of the Year: The Ford Maverick.

The 2025 Ford Mustang GTD is stunningly easy to drive fast, a true cheat code for both road and racetrack. At 4,386 pounds, it outweighs the Mustang Dark Horse and Porsche 911 GT3 RS, yet feels planted, stable, and shockingly quick from behind the wheel. With 815 horsepower, 664 lb-ft of torque, custom Michelin Pilot Cup 2 R tires, and Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, the GTD delivers relentless grip, massive stopping power, and confidence through every corner. It matches the GT3 RS on high-speed downforce turns and outperforms it in tight, low-speed corners thanks to its wide tires and advanced rear suspension. On the street, the GTD remains forgiving and composed, with adjustable suspension and active aerodynamics that make it livable. Inside, though, the $325,000 Mustang shows its weak spot — an interior closer to a $40,000 car. Still, Ford has already received far more applications than available build slots for this limited-production machine. Ford calls it “a supercar with the soul of a Mustang,” and the GTD proves it on track and on the road.

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