You can trade your art collection for an electric car, you can have a 1,020-horsepower electric car, but you can’t trade your art collection for a 1,020-horsepower electric car.
1. Tesla Model S Plaid Arrives with 1,020 Horsepower, 390-Mile Range
When Tesla does a halo car, they do it with style. The electric car builder rolled out its new, top-of-the-line Model S Plaid with a reveal party and some stunning performance figures (if the name makes no sense to you, watch the movie Spaceballs. Or just ask someone who was a child in the ‘80s). The Plaid uses three electric motors – one on the front axle, one for each rear wheel – to allow torque-vectoring for high-speed cornering. It seats five and boasts numbers that would make most 2-seat sports cars bow their hoods in shame.
Why it matters: Not many people will buy a $129,990 Model S Plaid. But, as the flagship of the Tesla line, it’s crucial to the company’s image.
Tesla makes some bold claims about what the Model S Plaid can do, though we should caution that no one outside the company has tested them yet. They include:
- A “sub two-second” 0-60 mph time, though the company’s clam of 1.99 seconds seems like splitting a micron-thin hair.
- A 9.2-second quarter mile time at 155 mph – something that would have been impossible in exotic cars just a few years ago.
- The numbers, the company says, require a special tire package not yet available — an asterisk that skeptics will probably latch onto.
Bottom line: Electric cars raise performance possibilities that simply reframe what’s possible. A sedan, big enough to carry a family, that could out-drag most Ferraris? It’s a new automotive world.
2. Lexus Unveils Totally Redesigned NX SUV
Quick, name the second best-selling Lexus.
Not even a guess? We’re not surprised. There are a LOT of compact luxury SUVs. It’s hard to stand out in a crowd that big. The Lexus NX has always been a solid choice. But memorable? Not so much.
The 2022 edition is here, though, and it might actually turn your head in traffic. The new NX has sharp looks, a new, crisp-handling platform, and a performance-themed F Sport trim.
Why it matters: The NX wasn’t hurting for sales, but sportier character could bump it up your test-drive list.
- The new F sport model adds a firmer adaptive suspension and performance shock absorbers to go with its all-wheel-drive grip.
- A new plug-in hybrid drivetrain gets you 36 miles of pure electric range – enough to function as an EV most days, but offer the range of a gasoline-powered car for road trips.
Bottom line: Lexus hasn’t announced pricing yet, but the company rarely surprises us with a big price bump. As long as this stays in range of competitors, it could beat out a lot of German luxury crossovers.
3. Inventory of Some New Cars Hits Stunning Lows
Car companies measure their supply of cars in a unit they call “days of inventory” – how long it would take them to sell out of cars at the current sales rate if they stopped building them now. Late this spring, the nationwide average hit what the big automakers consider to be an exceptionally low number: 44. Today, there are just nine days of some popular SUVs left.
Why it matters: Demand, meet almost no supply. Prices are high and headed higher.
- A new car today contains dozens of microchips. There’s a worldwide shortage of those, which has slowed production of many popular models.
- Americans, many newly vaccinated and believing in an economic recovery, are car shopping in record numbers.
Bottom line: Don’t sell your current car until you have a good handle on the vehicles and terms available for your next one.
4. Audi Reveals All-New A3 and S3 Sedans
The smallest Audi sedan may now be the best-looking Audi sedan. The German company just took the wraps off its updated A3 sedan, and its high-performance S3 counterpart. They feature chiseled good looks outside, gorgeous, quilted upholstery inside, and a choice of turbocharged engines.
Why it matters: Buyers may be more interested in SUVs, but the three big German luxury automakers still fight to one-up each other with taut-handling sport sedans. The newest Audi is a surprising jab to BMW and Mercedes.
- The A3 is now cheaper than its BMW 2 Series and Mercedes-Benz CLA counterparts…and might outclass them, too.
Bottom line: If your budget has you shopping in the mid $30,000 range, this balance of fun and practicality may be worth exploring.
5. Polestar: We’ll Trade You a Sports Coupe for Your Art Collection
We’ve seen some strange promotions (two for one cars, anyone?). We’ve even seen, briefly, cars sold for Bitcoin. But a 600-plus horsepower sports coupe traded for a…it says here…an oil painting and a mixed media wall hanging? Swedish automaker Polestar has announced that it will let you pay for a quick, luxurious Polestar 1 hybrid sports coupe with art.
Why it matters: It’s mostly just a curiosity, unless you have a collection of fine art and a hankering for Scandinavian speed.
- Famed auction houses Sotheby’s and Phillips will evaluate your trade offer.
Bottom line: The Polestar 1 has a limited-production run, and there aren’t many left to sell. So we don’t expect this to be much more than an attention-getting stunt. But we’re still watching to see if they get any good charcoal studies from the later abstract expressionists.
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