Gooooooooooood morning Vietnam, er, America. Welcome to your daily round-up of the most important motoring news stories from the last 24 hours, Cold Start. We've seen VW announcing a slew of updates for the 2023 model year and Polestar targeting the Porsche Cayenne with the electric Polestar 3. Aston Martin has teased a new era with a new track-only model, and Hyundai is planning an electric rival to the Ford Ranger Lightning. But the headlines came from big engines, big numbers, and the possible revival of one of the greatest partnerships in automotive history.
Ford revealed the supercharged F-150 Raptor R with 700 screaming horsepower, while Chevrolet revealed a 557-hp electric SUV in the form of the Blazer SS EV. Chevy's other electrified offering, the Corvette E-Ray, was spied at the Nurburgring. The US Postal Service is honoring the pony car, and BMW and McLaren could be in bed together for a new electric supercar. Let's get into the details:
Say Hello To The 700-HP Ford F-150 Raptor R
Ford told us a V8-powered F-150 Raptor was in the works as far back as 2020 but finally lifted the covers off the Raptor R yesterday morning. A 5.0-liter supercharged V8 from the Shelby GT500 gets a revised supercharger assembly to churn out 700 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque. Yes, that's less than TRX, by 2 hp, but the Raptor R weighs less. The suspension stays largely the same as a regular Raptor, but Ford is charging $109,145 including destination, with the Raptor R being fully loaded in every other way.
Get into all the details of the F-150 Raptor R here
Chevy Blazer SS EV Packs A 557-HP Electric Punch
Sticking with the high-horsepower theme, Ford's cross-town rivals released a high-voltage crossover SUV to battle the Mustang Mach-E GT. The Blazer EV was fully revealed to the world last night, packing FWD, RWD, and AWD options - yes, all three - with up to 320 miles of range and a base price of $44,995 when it arrives late in summer 2023. The Blazer EV range will be headlined by an SS variant with 557 hp and 648 lb-ft of torque and all-wheel drive, going toe-to-toe with the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT.
Click here to read all about Chevy's new electric crossover
BMW And McLaren Team Up For New Electric Supercar And SUV
The last time BMW and McLaren worked on anything together, we got the BMW V12-powered F1 supercar. Now, rumors have emerged out of the UK that the two brands are involved in talks that could see them collaborate on new EVs. McLaren has confirmed an EV will arrive around 2030 when battery technology improves, so BMW's advanced EV development would give the British brand a leg up in this regard, potentially with an electric SUV to earn some much-needed cash. BMW is rumored to benefit by means of a supercar developed in conjunction with McLaren, finally producing a successor to the original M1.
Click here to read about the revived BMW-McLaren partnership
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray Hits The Nurburgring
Chevrolet has confirmed that the C8 Corvette will be getting a hybrid variant, believed to be called the E-Ray. Development is now in full swing, as CarBuzz spies captured a fever of E-Rays (the collective noun for a group of stingrays, for all you nature nerds) at the Nurburgring clad in camo. The trio of hybrid sports cars had charge ports on the front fenders and were likely testing out the electric AWD system, which is rumored to put a pair of electric motors on the front axle to augment the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V8 amidship.
Click here to see the full gallery of E-Ray spy shots
US Postal Service Honors The Pony Car With New Stamp Collection
The world might be getting rid of gas-guzzling V8s, but the engine still holds a special place in the hearts of Americans, particularly in the pony car. The US Postal Service is now immortalizing the iconic pony car with a new limited edition stamp collection that will get philatelists all hot under the collar for sure. The five-strong collection features the 1969 Mustang Boss 302, 1970 Challenger R/T, 1969 AMC Javelin SST, 1969 Camaro Z/28, and 1967 Mercury Cougar XR-7 GT. These stamps are bound to be collector's items in the future.
Click here to read all about these pony car stamps
