MotorWeek

Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

In this episode, we're off to a Le Mans start in the Porsche 911 GT3... Then, we'll slow down for a school zone that runs on electricity... We'll blast some media your way about media blasting on "Your Drive."

Ending with a lone-wolf street-truck, the Ford Maverick Lobo... So, come drive with us, next!

Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.

ANNOUNCER: MotorWeek : 45 years, steering you in the right direction!

MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, a nationwide network of stores and shops providing major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast, and in your local community.

Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

We're Tire Rack.

We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over a million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

JOHN: If you follow racing or, better yet, have experience building your own race car, you know that it's the attention to details, and constantly making minor improvements, that are the differences between winning and losing.

The perfect example of that is this Porsche 911 GT3.

It's demonstrated its winning ways on tracks all over the world, and it's ready to hit the track here and rock our world once again!

Like, moth to flame, so goes a MotorWeek staffer towards any Porsche GT car that even remotely appears on our radar.

This week, it's specifically the latest Porsche 911 GT3 that has us mesmerized as we lap around Savannah, Georgia's Roebling Road Raceway.

This is the 992.2 version of the GT3, and it's still working with a naturally aspirated 4.0 liter flat-6, one of the best engines to ever come out of Germany, or anywhere else for that matter.

It has been tweaked to pass stiffer Euro regulations, resulting in less torque, 331 pound-feet down from 346; but horsepower remains the same at 502, and always engineering their way on top of things, Porsche adjusted the final drive ratio to keep you from noticing the torque deficit.

You still can't see the rear-mounted engine, but if we're limited to one sense, at least it's hearing, as we never want to stop experiencing this car echoing its awesomeness around a racetrack.

As with every other GT3 we've driven, it becomes apparent right away this car was designed to be driven on track.

There's really not much you can do to upset this car, it's going to knife through corners as fast as possible, almost regardless of your driving abilities.

Your only part of the process seems to be not holding things back by making the timely inputs that the car is already expecting you to make, thus carrying them out immediately.

Trickle down Porschenomics means the latest standard GT3 now gets suspension pieces from the RS, mainly the aerodynamically- enhanced front trailing arms that not only stiffen things up, but reduce dive under hard breaking and filter more cooling air to the brake rotors.

Adaptive damping gets retuned appropriately.

A side effect is even more aggressive turn in, easily handled by the Michelin PS Cup 2s on staggered forged magnesium center-lock 20 and 21 inch wheels, the rears wearing 315/30s.

Having never actually been shot out of a cannon, we can only imagine the propulsion experience is similar to what we felt here in the GT3.

Sure, there are EVs that are faster, some of which Porsche makes, but the experience is far better here, hearing that engine roar and feeling the extreme punch of the gear changes in the PDK transmission, which provided flawless launches as always.

We hit 60 in 2.9 seconds and cleared the quarter-mile in 11.0 seconds flat at 127 miles per hour.

That PDK worked impeccably out on track too, no need to work the paddles at all, as even mid-corner downshifts are done without any drama.

You can still get a 6-speed manual, if you feel the need.

Braking performance was incredibly solid, as you'd expect, with $10,000 worth of upgraded Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes.

Porsche recently celebrated the 25 year anniversary of the 911 GT3, a homologation model required for European GT class racing.

And while, it didn't officially arrive stateside until 2004, we didn't wait around until then, getting our hands on an actual GT3 race car in 2002 to test alongside a GT2 here at Roebling.

The biggest difference we noted was the absolute pounding we took inside the GT3 due to its ultra-stiff suspension.

Hey, we like our comfort around here too.

When the '04s arrived, we were back on track praising the GT3's connected feel, minimal electronic intrusions and overall precision.

For spotting '25 and newer GT3s at "cars and whatever" gatherings, look for sharper aero treatments up front, HD-Matrix Design LED headlamps, and subtle changes to the rear diffuser, wing, and decklid.

There are many reasons why you don't see a lot of GT3s on the road, but pricing is certainly at the top of the list, as you'll have to shell out $239,850 at a minimum; with options, our tester came in over $300,000.

Wow!

But, numbers often don't matter when it comes to Porsche, and by that we mean Porsche engineering seems to make them, and even basic physics at times, irrelevant.

We know this era of naturally- aspirated rear-engine glory will come to an end at some point, but we're certainly along for the ride in the 911 GT3 as long as it lasts.

JOHN: Every day, in every city and neighborhood across America, thousands of ubiquitous yellow buses serve a critical role: Transporting our nation's students to and from school.

For one Oklahoma town, a power shift towards electric is showing how these yellow heroes can serve their communities in a different and unexpected way.

The Shawnee, Oklahoma, school district runs just 16 buses on a typical day.

Not a large fleet by any measure, but one with big ambitions nonetheless.

A few years ago, a federal grant afforded them the opportunity to replace half of their diesel buses with battery-electric ones.

That's a decision they haven't regretted for a second.

As many fleets have discovered, switching to electric buses has helped the bottom line in terms of maintenance.

Those costs are an eighth of what a typical diesel bus requires for fluid changes, filters and brake repairs, but the benefits haven't stopped there.

JOHN WILES: So, it's a tremendous thing for the kids, just for, uh, less pollutants, better on their allergies, better on their asthma, uh, and other things that kids face today.

You get on the diesel bus, it's loud, they can't hear, they're already yelling at each other, so their behavior is escalated.

But with the electric buses, we've found behavior issues have gone down significantly.

JOHN: Buses that make kids behave better?

You can't argue with that!

Now, a pilot program is under way to explore using the electrical energy stored in these bus batteries to reduce strain on the electrical grid and help power the community in times of need.

JOHN W: Our building, our city was struck by a tornado, uh, April 19th of 2023, and it destroyed our transportation building.

We had several of our large freezers that were days without electricity.

So, with the concept that we might be able to take a bus, plug in and run a freezer, and save our food, that was a great thing.

It's something we hope to do in the future, but right now we're looking at vehicle-to-grid, which allows our buses to put electricity back into the grid on demand as needed.

JOHN: School buses are ideally suited for this kind of use.

They run the same routes at the same times every day, and mostly sit idle overnight and on weekends.

Not to mention, when school is out for the summer, the buses will be ready and waiting when they may be needed the most.

JOHN W: So, with them just sitting there, and there's a big demand on the load, on the grid, from air conditioners and that kind of stuff that goes on, we would be able to supply electricity back into the grid and then purchase it back later when it's at a lower, cheaper rate.

JOHN: That math works out to a net profit for the school district.

The energy from one 200 kilowatt-hour bus battery can run a large walk-in freezer for several days, or provide temporary power to emergency shelters during a natural disaster.

That's a win-win for Shawnee, and the utility provider, Oklahoma Gas and Electric, which originally suggested the electric buses to the school district.

DAVID FRICK: One big thing with this project is how great the partners have been, that have come together and collaborated.

That's not typical for every project.

And so...between...um, the utility...OG+E...um, having Shawnee Public Schools be so willing to do a project like this.

Typically, their main goal is to move students safely, uh, to and from school, and so adding a project of this scale is a big ask, um, so we're very thankful that they were willing to do that.

JOHN: This kind of cooperation and energy resiliency makes small communities, like Shawnee, stronger when times get tough.

And shows other cities the good that can come from a little EV give and take.

JOHN W: As time's gone on, the community has begun to endorse the electric buses, and I think they're excited that they are a part of what Shawnee does and where we're at.

JOHN: You already know, we're in the business of automotive media, and so is Dan Maffett.

Only difference, his media doesn't detail cars, it strips them and their parts of paint and powder coats.

And he stopped by to give us a demo on MotorWeek's "Your Drive."

(car starting up) DAN MAFFETT: If you're getting serious about coatings in your shop, whether it's powder coating or paint, you're going to eventually need to upgrade to a tool like this.

This is a media blasting cabinet, and what this does is it takes sand media or metal oxide media, and it sprays it out at a high psi, so that you can strip parts like this and get them to look like this.

Now, it's going to prep that surface, clean it, remove all the rust from all the pits and all the grooves, so that your paint can stick.

Now, there are some things you have to do for this device to make it work optimally.

You're going to need clean and dry air in and out, so you want to have filters and driers on your lines going in, and make sure that your air going out has a place to go-- a good shop vac.

If you don't clean your lines before you use it, and you don't have a water separator, you could get stuff like this through the lines.

This was drained from our compressor just today.

That can build up very quick, and really ruin the entire batch of media down there, and it's not... it's not cost-effective to replace that every time you spray.

Now, some things to think about when you select your blasting cabinet: I like to make sure that it's serviceable, that I can upgrade it, that I can maintenance it.

This window up here, you want to make sure that you can replace that.

If you can't and you're stuck with what they put there, eventually it's going to mar, it's going to grey, and you won't be able to see through it.

Visibility is one of the most important things here, so also, in addition to the window, you want to make sure you have a nice bright LED light inside.

Um, if you don't have the visibility, it's going to be really hard to know if you clean the part.

You're going to have to keep opening it, check it, close it, and it's just going to take a lot more time than it needs to.

Now, we're talking about opening it: I like to have a top-loader.

That way, I can tuck it somewhere on the side of my shop against the wall, and not have to worry about opening the sides.

I can just flip the top open and go to work.

Now, air in, you want to be, for this particular unit, around 90 psi.

Now, depending on the size of the unit and your compressor, you just want to make sure you have enough air feed going in, to match its description.

And it's not tailored just for automotive parts.

You can do tools, you can even do some wood and natural materials, if you get with a softer media.

No matter what your style of media coating is, whether, it's powder coating or it's paint, this is the tool to get that job done right, and to make it last.

And if you have any questions or comments, hit us up right here, at MotorWeek .

JOHN: Not every car needs a full Road Test.

Whether, it's small updates or just a refresher course, some cars just need a QuickSpin.

JESSICA RAY: If Internet trends are to be given any credence, people are hyped on 2016s nostalgia right now.

Ten years ago, The Chainsmokers' "Closer" was on every frequency, "Stranger Things" turned the TV world upside down, and the Honda HR-V made its U.S.

debut.

Well, our 45th season has us a bit nostalgic too, so we brought in this mildly refreshed 2026 Honda HR-V for a QuickSpin.

Most of the changes are inside.

A standard wireless charging pad goes great with the wireless smartphone projection, now displayed on this larger 9.0 inch touchscreen found in all HR-Vs.

Fortunately, the majority of switchgear remains physical, and we still commend Honda for their tactile feel.

We appreciate the additional USB-C outlets, and rear seat passengers aboard any HR-V trim can chillax behind privacy glass.

Outside, while our tester didn't come in either the new Solar Reflection Metallic or Boost Blue Pearl paints, this returning Nordic Forest Pearl shows off the new 18 inch wheels this EX-L rides on, an inch larger in diameter.

Unchanged is the 158 horsepower 2.0 liter inline-4 which powers the HR-V, power delivered to either all four corners or just the front two through a CVT automatic.

This latest Honda HR-V is still a perfectly pleasant commuter.

Is it very powerful?

No.

But in daily commuting, you don't need a lot of that power like here on some back roads.

But it's nice and comfortable.

Whether, you're on the back road, you're not getting a lot of noise from the wheels, you're not getting a lot of noise from the powertrain; but even on the highway, I was surprised even going over imperfections in the road, how comfortable and how stable this HR-V continued to feel.

The 2026 Honda HR-V is perhaps most understandable as an option for those wanting a Civic with a higher seating position, and fortunately that doesn't come at a much higher price, starting around $28,000, up to $33,000.

And we'll have more QuickSpins...soon!

JOHN: Let's head inside to Stephanie Hart and this week's MotorNews!

STEPHANIE HART: It's been a while since Rivian announced the R2.

Finally, we have details on this midsize SUV.

The Rivian R2 is about 15 inches shorter than the R1S.

Most trims use an 88 kilowatt hour battery for at least 300 miles of range.

An entry-level model will rate at least 265 miles.

Arriving next year, the entry-spec will start in the mid-40s.

The top Performance grade will cost closer to $60,000, arriving this Spring and shortly followed by less expensive trims.

After a brief return, the Voyager name is disappearing from Chrysler lots.

In its place, the reworked 2027 Pacifica minivan.

It will offer an entry-level trim aimed largely at fleets.

The LX will cost just $100 more than the outgoing Voyager.

While, the LX appears unchanged, higher Pacifica grades receive a mild refresh with vertical LED elements, a new Chrysler wing badge and interior accents.

Another likely reason Voyager is leaving is that the Ram ProMaster City commercial van is returning.

Arriving early in 2027, the ProMaster City is larger than its compact 2022 predecessor.

Now midsize, it has a rear load floor over 9.0 feet long.

Also available in 5- or 8-seat Passenger configurations, this Class 2 van is targeting a sub-$40,000 starting price.

Honda is making an interesting move, exporting two U.S.-made vehicles to Japan.

From Honda proper, the Passport TailSport SUV, and from Acura, the Integra Type S, making it the first Acura-badged vehicle to be sold there.

Both will be built to U.S.

specs, including a left-hand-drive setup.

And that's it for this week's MotorNews!

JOHN: If you've come from the era of slammed trucks with sporty intentions, boy have we got a ride for you.

Well...actually...Ford does, it's their compact Maverick Lobo.

And while, we were at first a bit skeptical of Ford's next-gen street truck, it only took a bit of seat time to turn us into believers of Ford's new top gun!

ALEXANDER KELLUM: Over the last decade or so, just about every truck and crossover has added some type of off-road package, and even Ford has spread the rugged love to their Escape-based pickup with the Maverick Tremor.

This Ford Maverick Lobo however, is a tuned-up truck with a different mission.

Here at MotorWeek , we take our jobs very seriously.

Whether that's high-performance track driving, heavy duty towing or packing people into minivans, we know a thing or two about getting down to business.

And usually, the business of pickup trucks means talking tow ratings, payloads, and of course, powertrains... and then... ...there's the Lobo.

(tires screeching) GREG CARLOSS: Ripping around the skidpad here at Summit Point Motorsports Park, this truck feels right at home, honestly.

Yeah, it sits up a little bit higher, but there's nothing wrong with that.

And I don't mind a little bit of body roll every now and then.

I do wish the tires had a little bit more grip, but one thing's for sure: I normally don't have this much fun in a pickup truck.

(tires screeching) Making all this happen is a reworked suspension, featuring upgraded shocks that lower the ride height by half an inch up front and more than an inch in back.

And instead of re-inventing the wheel, Ford smartly used readily available pieces from the European ST shop.

All-wheel-drive is standard, and perhaps the real magic happens inside the Lobo's new torque-vectoring twin-clutch rear differential.

Shuffling the power from side to side in the rear not only puts the most power to the ground while cutting down on understeer.

It allows you to be more stable if you want that or loose, if you want that.

(tires screeching) The fun stuff gets unlocked by the Lobo Drive mode, which also cranks up the enhanced exhaust sounds a bit while dialing back stability control.

Ford claims it's for track use only, but during our closed-course shenanigans we still noticed a fair amount of computer intervention.

As for sporting intentions when the light goes green, the Lobo gets Ford's 2.0 liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder; no added power, so it's working with the same 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque as other non-hybrid Mavericks.

And despite being away from the prepped surface of Mason-Dixon Dragway, we ripped to 60 in 6.8 seconds.

Launching is pretty straightforward: Power-brake, don't let the revs level off, let go of the brake.

Good grip off the line.

Nice quick, firm shifts.

Turns out it's pretty fun in a straight line too.

In theory, the Lobo is working with a new 7-speed Quick Shift Transmission, but in reality, it's actually the same 8-speed programmed to eliminate second gear, so I guess you could think of it as carrying an extra gear around with you as a back-up.

And when it comes time to slow things down, the Lobo's front brakes are borrowed from the Focus ST, which proved adept at handling the demands of an autocross course as well as our favorite Maryland back roads.

Chances are you'll be spending most of your drive time in this street truck on the street, and the experience is pleasant, if a bit rough around the edges when it comes to suspension.

But it is a pickup truck, and a compact at that.

Now, you don't have to go full Lobo mode to have some fun.

Sport mode does a nice job sharpening the throttle and there's a lot of turbo noise.

And that's cool!

(engine revving) ALEXANDER KELLUM: Ford's outside of the truck box thinking has them going pure street-style with this Lobo.

That means a low, wide stance aided by some really cool ground effects.

Now, these wheels are actually considered an option, though we think the stock 19 inch turbofan-style wheels are the real upgrade.

Thankfully, there are more interesting colors available than this white.

Same 4.5 foot bed as other Mavericks, but the Lobo does include an aero body kit, unique grille, black roof, and body-color bumpers.

The wolf's den also receives some special appointments.

From the driver's seat you can spot all the unique displays on the 8.0 inch digital gauge panel.

And, of course, you can use paddle shifters, which remain exclusive to the Lobo for the time being.

Throughout the cabin you can trace this dual-tone accent stitching and you can spot some Lobo logos like those embossed on the seats.

Now, getting stuck in the back seats sort of feels well...like, getting stuck in the back seats.

But, truthfully, it's not that bad, even for someone that's over 6.0 feet tall.

And it's certainly more hospitable than those jump seats found in Rangers of old.

And in the same vein of making the most with what you got, the under-seat storage is a nifty solution.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 21 city, 30 highway, and 24 combined.

We averaged 24.5 miles per gallon in our test flight.

Considering the average transaction price for a pickup truck in America these days is well over $60,000, dropping $37,775 on this Lobo doesn't seem that bad at all.

Short of shoving a Coyote V8 into the engine bay, this is the coolest thing that could happen to the Maverick.

You can blame Ford for starting the off-road truck craze with the Raptor back in 2010.

Now, let's see if others will follow this Maverick Lobo down the street truck alley.

Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.

Now, for more MotorWeek , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.

And I hope you'll join us next time for a grade-A Road Test of the Acura Integra A-Spec and another look at the charming 2-Door MINI Cooper S. Until next time, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

ANNOUNCER: To learn more about MotorWeek , Television's Original Automotive Magazine, visit... The MotorWeek App which includes our latest reviews and feature stories is now available for mobile devices.

MotorWeek is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper to Bumper, a nationwide network of stores and shops providing major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast, and in your local community.

Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

We're Tire Rack.

We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over a million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

This program was produced by Maryland Public Television, which is solely responsible for its content.

(engine revving) You're watching PBS.