As If The C8 ZR1X's 1,250 Horsepower Isn't Enough, Chief Corvette Engineer Hints At An Even Wilder Model
In an interview with Top Gear, Roma said, "the ZR1X is not the end of the story, it's just the latest chapter." He goes on to say that the C8 Corvette's mid-engine platform is proving to be very capable, and that the engineering team is on board with pushing the Corvette's limits even further.
The ZR1X uses a twin-turbocharged version of the 5.5-liter LT7 V8 found in the already very powerful Corvette Z06 to drive the rear wheels, and a front axle–mounted electric motor sending power to the front wheels. Its electric motor is slightly more powerful than the front axle motor in the Corvette E-Ray, the other high-performance version of the C8.
Read more: These Are The Most Annoying Things About Your Cars
Ford and its bonkers Mustang GTD usurped the title of fastest American car around the Nürburgring from the 2017 Dodge Viper ACR last year, with a blistering 6:52.072 lap time, and Chevrolet is itching for its chance at that title. Roma said,
"Having the crazy lap times and ridiculous acceleration is part of what makes these cars what they are, so I think we are going to continue to make the car faster for those bragging rights, because our customers appreciate that. It's the same with any performance car manufacturer – we push each other with Nürburgring lap times for that reason.
We've done some testing, and all I can say is... stay tuned. We want to be the fastest American car - that's an accolade we'd love to have."
Whenever new mention is made about a more powerful Corvette, the internet sets ablaze with speculation that it might be the rumored Zora. Zora Arkus-Duntov was known as "The Father Of The Corvette" because he convinced Chevy that a proper performance car and halo car was a necessity for the brand in the sixties, and he championed a mid-engine design. The world has waited for an "ultimate Corvette" named after Zora for many years now, but such a model has yet to exist.
Before the ZR1X's name was announced but it was known that a new and more hardcore Corvette was in the works, it was assumed to be the Zora, but those hopes faded once the ZR1X's name was made official. It is possible, though, that this latest rumor could finally be the fabled Corvette Zora, so we certainly will stay tuned and keep our fingers crossed.
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Motor Trend
17 minutes ago
- Motor Trend
Alternative History: What if AMC Had Survived the '80s?
American Motors Corporation was an absolute mess by the mid-1980s, and its financial problems in the U.S. market were compounded by infighting at its European corporate parent, Renault, where executives went back and forth about how much money they were willing to pour into their trans-Atlantic subsidiary. Writer Benjamin Hunting imagines an alternate history where AMC survives the 1980s by leveraging government contracts, launching popular models like the "Space Van" and Grand Cherokee, and thriving under Renault's support—ultimately leading to huge industry shifts. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next The assassination of Renault's chairman in 1986 by French terrorists caused AMC to lose its most powerful supporter, and a hasty sale to Chrysler ultimately condemned it to the dustbin of automotive history. Chrysler hoovered up the tastiest bits of the American Motors portfolio—namely, Jeep—and slowly phased out the rest of the AMC's offerings over the course of the next decade. In retrospect, however, AMC was holding not one, not two, but three aces up its sleeve that could have seen it weather the financial storm throughout the '80s. It's entirely possible that had a few key moments in the company's timeline gone a different way, it would have been American Motors and not Chrysler enjoying the fruits of Jeep's mainstream renaissance in the early 1990s—a rebirth that AMC in fact already had in development when it was scooped up by the suits in Auburn Hills. How different would the car industry have looked at the turn of the millennium if AMC had never changed hands? It turns out that this ripple in the chronological pond had the potential to upset big chunks of established history, not just in America, but in nearly every corner of the established automotive hegemony. Here's our alternative timeline in which AMC not only survives but thrives—and what the resulting fallout would have likely meant for one of Detroit's longtime stalwarts. 1983 After intense lobbying by American Motors, the U.S. government carves out an exception to a law forbidding foreign ownership of defense contractors, contingent on Renault spinning off AM General (the builder of the Humvee owned at the time by AMC) as an independently managed concern under the AMC umbrella. The continued, steady flow of government contracts acts as a lifeline for American Motors, and it cancels plans to take out a significant loan from its corporate parent to fund operations. 1985 The Renault Espace arrives in AMC showrooms, where it is rebadged as the 'Space Van,' an Americanized take on the literal translation of the French vehicle's European identity. Surprisingly, the funky badge helps give the people-mover some personality, which, combined with its genuine practicality and roomier interior versus rivals from Ford (the Aerostar) and Chevrolet (the Astro), helps put it alongside the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager as a popular and affordable family ride. Following the introduction of the redesigned Jeep Cherokee the year before, this gives AMC a presence in two of the highest-growth segments in the American auto industry, and for the first time in years the company is cash-flow positive. This convinces American Motors to accelerate investment in a larger sport utility vehicle that would complement the Cherokee, called the Grand Cherokee, the design of which is already well underway. Renault chairman Georges Besse's chauffeur is surprised to see two armed women in front of the home of his boss while driving back from the office on a cold November evening. He immediately hits the gas, slamming the rear door shut before Besse can exit the vehicle, and the pair escapes with just a few bullet holes in the rear quarter panel. After surviving the assassination attempt, Besse is given carte blanche at Renault to move forward with his plans for focusing on Jeep as the automaker's piggybank to fund not only AMC, but to also further the expansion of the French brand onto American shores. 1987 Chrysler, on a brash spending spree that includes buying a controlling stake in Lamborghini and an expansion of its partnership with Mitsubishi to form Diamond Star Motors, sees exactly the same potential in Jeep as Georges Besse. An offer is made to Renault not just for the off-road brand but for all of AMC, with Chrysler trying to cloak its true intentions about what it considers the real prize of the transaction. Besse won't be bought, however, and Chrysler returns hat-in-hand to Auburn Hills. 1988 Ambitious planning begins for the upcoming decade in the American market. With Jeep as its crown jewel, both Eagle and AMC are slated for repositioning beneath Renault. The French badge is no longer interested in its role as an entry-level brand hawking low-spec Le Cars and lays the groundwork for leveraging existing dealerships to form a stronger toehold for the revitalized company. The Jeep Grand Cherokee breaks cover as a 'concept' at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The response from both the media and show attendees is overwhelmingly positive, leading to a brief spike in compact Cherokee sales from customers too impatient for what they assume will be a lengthy wait for the production version. No one realizes that Besse's pressure to keep pumping cash into Jeep has dramatically accelerated the Grand Cherokee's timeline. 1990 The Grand Cherokee makes its debut in showrooms to universal acclaim. On top of offering a choice of either AMC's old faithful inline six-cylinder engine or a newly developed, 5.9-liter fuel-injected V-8, it also provides a turbodiesel option borrowed from the Renault parts bin. The latter choice positions the Jeep in its higher trim levels as something more than an off-roader, pushing it onto the radar of Europhiles who have become used to parking Range Rovers in their driveways. This opens a second front of European sales for Jeep in the luxury sphere. 1991 The Ford Explorer joins the midsize SUV scene, splitting the difference between the Grand Cherokee's off-road chops and the practical character prized by family buyers now tempted to abandon their minivans. SUV sales are soaring, leaving General Motors and Chrysler playing catch-up. Chevrolet and GMC are at least able to soak up some sales thanks to the four-door compact Blazer/Jimmy and full-size four-door Suburbans sitting on full-size truck platforms, but the two-door Dodge Ramcharger remains in a distant fourth place as it plays out the string on a dated pickup chassis. 1992 Buoyed by strong Jeep sales, Renault launches the initial phase of its ambitious American strategy. First, it spins off AMC as a value-focused brand selling cars on a 'no-haggle' model: What you see advertised is what you pay at the dealership. Along with a redesigned Espace, an entirely new lineup of hatchbacks, small wagons, sedans, and budget coupes are gradually deployed over the course of the next few years, some sharing components with Renault's European offerings while others benefit from AMC's next-generation four-cylinder engine program. This puts AMC in direct competition with GM's Saturn brand, which arrived on the scene in mid-1990. Next, a revitalized Eagle steps out of the AMC shadow and becomes its own brand. The focus remains on what are now being called 'crossovers,' automobiles that sit between a wagon and a sport utility vehicle. Eagle also benefits from Renault's technical prowess in the form of unibody models that feature sophisticated all-wheel-drive systems in place of their earlier, low-range four-wheel drive setups. The new Eagles are an immediate hit in regions like Colorado and New England. 1993 Chrysler, facing considerable financial strain as sales of the Grand Caravan and Voyager slow in the face of the SUV onslaught, are forced to sell Lamborghini to MegaTech, an Indonesian company owned by Tommy Suharto, the son of that country's president-for-life. The automaker takes a loss on the deal, but it helps stem some of the financial bleeding that's beginning to concern both executives and Wall Street alike. 1994 Dodge introduces a new Ram pickup that instantly makes it a player in the full-size segment after years of disappointing sales. Unfortunately, that same success doesn't translate to its revised version of the SUV, which updates the two-door Ramcharger with the new pickup's underpinnings. As the market continues to move toward family-friendly four-door haulers, many of them taking their cues from Eagle's crossovers, the Ramcharger is out of step with what customers are actually looking for in a sport utility. 1995 Renault implements the next stage of its U.S. transformation by introducing the second generation of what had originally been planned as the Eagle Premier sedan. Originally kept exclusive to the European market, where it was sold as the Medallion, the new Renault Premier pushes the automaker into a higher class than it had previously enjoyed among American buyers, leading some to compare the car to offerings from Oldsmobile and even Audi. 1996 After a fraught development process, the Dodge Viper concept car makes a late debut at the Detroit auto show. Although it was originally hoped that Lamborghini's engineers could be more involved in the design of the vehicle's drivetrain, the early sale forced Dodge to move on from its planned V-10 and instead supercharge the company's long-standing 5.9-liter V-8. Heart-stopping styling doesn't make up for the lack of an exotic engine, making it harder for the public to stomach the no windows/no roof inconveniences of its cabin. Production plans for the Viper are quietly scuttled. The Viper team is diverted to focus on the Dodge Durango, a four-door, Grand Cherokee–sized SUV that the company hopes will turn its fortunes around. 1997 Subaru, in the face of strong sales from Eagle eating into its core customer base, makes a product cancellation of its own. The Outback, a tall-riding version of its Legacy wagon, is deemed too derivative of the Eagle lineup to make a dent in the market, and its development is halted. Facing dwindling revenues, and unable to finance new product development, Subaru's leadership initiates back-channel talks with Toyota about a possible merger. 1998 Renault, emboldened by the money pouring into its coffers from the success of AMC, Jeep, and Eagle, makes the surprise move of purchasing Volvo, scooping Ford who had planned on making overtures for the Swedish brand to join its nascent Premier Automotive Group. After decades of working together on various shared projects, Renault hopes to leverage Volvo's dealer network and customer base to continue its colonization of the near-luxury space in the United States. Talks also begin with Nissan about a potential alliance. Two new premium models emerge on American roads bearing the Renault badge: the Megane sport hatch and the Laguna hatchback sedan, with the latter praised for its near-crossover utility and excellent handling. 1999 Concerned by Renault's burgeoning acquisition portfolio, Toyota signs a deal to bring Subaru in-house. At the same time, executives announce a new subbrand called Scion that's intended to take on both AMC and Saturn, which have split much of the entry-level market between them in the United States. Chrysler, looking for a savior of its own, begins talks with Daimler about a potential 'merger of equals.' The German automaker's boardroom doesn't see much of value in Chrysler's mishmash of cheap cars, fading minivans, and almost-luxury sedans, and while the Dodge Ram is appealing, it's too far outside the Daimler playbook to integrate properly into its American operations. Discussions never advance past the initial stages. 2000 Emboldened by its newfound partnership with Nissan (which involved a stock share and co-investment in each other's companies), Renault has the cash to add the missing piece to its U.S. portfolio: Dodge, which it plucks from a flailing Chrysler as part of a general takeover bid. While the Ram pickup fills an important void, the Ramcharger is quietly put out of its misery, along with any plans to bring the stillborn Durango to market. The Chrysler brand is relegated to special trim levels on several Renault models, specifically those sold to livery companies for use as limousines. The Walter P. 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Motor Trend
17 minutes ago
- Motor Trend
Destination Dawn: An All-Night Patrol in the Rolls-Royce Spectre Black Badge
How best to evaluate the Black Badge Spectre, the most powerful Rolls-Royce motorcar ever built? This was our conundrum when the sleek, 659-hp electric coupe glided into MotorTrend HQ. Our usual modus operandi is to flee Los Angeles for the curvy canyons of Malibu, but for a Rolls, that feels a bit undignified, like King Charles having to plunge his own toilet. Best to leave such blatant vehicular aggression to the commoners in their Bentleys. A nighttime drive in L.A. with the 659-hp Rolls-Royce Black Badge Spectre showcases its power and luxury. The silent, electric coupe offers a unique experience through empty streets and landmarks, highlighting its refined capabilities and nighttime appeal. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Perhaps the answer lies not in space but in time. New York may be the city that never sleeps, but L.A. is the land of sunshine, and when the sun disappears, so do her denizens. Every weekday night, her traffic-clogged streets empty out like an elevator after a particularly noxious fart. With Angelenos tucked snugly into their beds, the Black Badge Spectre could roam this massive city like a panther on patrol, free to make use of all the power her software-enhanced motors could deliver. I called Billy Rehbock, MT Buyer's Guide staffer, night owl, and ever-ready candidate for my misadventures, and asked if he'd like to spend the night with me in a Rolls-Royce. 'I'll pick you up at midnight,' I told Billy. 'We'll drive until 6 a.m., come what may.' Silent Gateway to Another World It took me 15 minutes to drive the 10 miles from my home in the San Fernando Valley to Billy's place in Mar Vista, which in and of itself is an L.A. miracle. That's a half-hour trip in daylight and half a day at rush hour. Billy, groggy from an afternoon nap, dropped into the Rolls, his eyes rolling to take in the Spectre's interior. The color, I gleefully informed him, is called Peony Pink, perfect for a couple of peons like us. 'We've got five hours and 58 minutes,' I said. 'Where to?' Billy didn't hesitate: 'The 110 freeway up to Pasadena. It's going to be epic at this time of night.' Off we wafted, next stop downtown L.A., via streets I'm used to seeing clogged with daytime traffic. Now they weren't just empty but desolate, like veins devoid of blood. It was an otherworldly experience, but then again, so is driving the Spectre, a car so quiet its occupants can practically hear themselves breathing at highway speeds. Seeing the slumbering city through the Spectre's acoustic glass was like watching a postapocalyptic movie with the volume muted. We've grown used to the smooth power of electric vehicles, but the Spectre is in another realm. Billy daily drives our long-term Blazer EV, and even he was taken aback. 'It's shocking how much more refined this powertrain is,' he said. 'Check this out,' I said, pressing the button on the shifter that engages the one-pedal driving mode. I lifted off the accelerator, and the Spectre did its limo-stop party trick, bringing itself to a halt so delicately that it was nearly impossible to detect the instant its motion ceased. Token Rebellion Minutes later we were in the heart of Los Angeles. That it was nearly devoid of moving vehicles wasn't all that shocking; like most downtowns, L.A.'s is hardly a hub of activity. We sped through the 2nd Street tunnel (you've seen it a billion times in movies) and concluded it was a lot less thrilling without a volley of exhaust echoing off its glazed tile walls. We stopped for a quick driver change; the 110 was Billy's idea, and I figured he should have the helm. Opened in 1940, the Arroyo Seco Parkway was L.A.'s first freeway, a job for which it is now delightfully inadequate. It's narrow, twisty, and huge fun, and driving it always fills me with the childlike delight of token rebellion. We weren't really breaking the law—65 in a 55, no big sin—but it sure felt fine, particularly as Billy scooted past a homeward-bound Pasadenan on the right, approaching cautiously to make sure the big Roller would fit through the gap and then letting loose with a 792-lb-ft sucker punch. We darted through a deserted Pasadena and parked in front of its deliciously over-the-top city hall. Stop here by day, and you can count the seconds until you catch a cop's attention, but now we were able to take our time, posing the Rolls in the middle of the street with not another living thing in sight. The whoosh of nearby freeways that is Los Angeles' daytime bassline was absent, and the idling Rolls was, of course, completely silent. The only sound was our own jubilant voices. For the first time, we felt it: Los Angeles was ours and ours alone. 'Hey, can we run an errand?' I said. 'At one o'clock in the morning?' 'Someone left a book for me at the model train club,' I said. 'I can't think of a better time to go get it.' I'd been putting off this task because I couldn't justify the 80-minute round trip from home, but now El Sereno was just 6 miles away, and 15 minutes later I had my borrowed copy of Vanishing Markers in hand. After a pit stop (night driving rule No. 1: never pass an available bathroom without using it) and Billy having a gawk at our 5,000-square-foot HO scale layout, we were back in the Spectre, wandering aimlessly toward the San Fernando Valley and the promise of a burger at Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, though neither Billy nor I could remember if it was a 24-hour joint. Cruising through the beautiful old neighborhood of Lincoln Heights, I had to brake hard as a pit bull mix darted across the street. Whoa! How was this going to go? Assuming he came to me, didn't bite my face off, and had a tag, I'd be calling a random stranger in the middle of the night then returning their dog in a $556,000 Rolls-Royce. (Plus, I'd have to explain the dog hair to the Rolls-Royce people.) But the pooch was only crossing the road to join his owner, who must have presumed he could walk his dog in the witching hour without having to dodge silent luxury EV coupes. Well, buddy, L.A. is full of surprises. Invaders in His World We poked the big nose of the Rolls into Griffith Park then wandered past Forest Lawn cemetery, where Hollywood's Golden Age stars have an eternal hillside view of the Warner Brothers lot just across the concrete-lined L.A. River. Yeah, yeah, I know—the whole idea of roaming L.A. at night was to make good use of the extra 82 hp and 128 lb-ft that separates the Black Badge from Silver Badge Spectres, engaged by an infinity-logo button on the steering wheel. We'd already had the big leather-lined momma at the test track, where it whisked its way to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds, 0.1 second faster than the Silver Badge car. But now, gliding in silence just felt like the right thing to do, speaking softly while wheeling one huge-ass stick. Even the Black Badge's firmer ride—a software change that cannot be switched off—did not bother me like it did in the Black Badge Ghost. It made the Spectre feel more earthy, more in touch with the ground beneath it. Unrefined? Please, don't be crass. No such word exists in the Spectre's world, 23-inch rims and low-profile tires notwithstanding. Not that I was going slow, mind you. As we surged silently up Barham Boulevard behind Universal Studios, I regaled Billy with the tale of the time I zoomed up this very same hill in a 25-hp 1949 Volkswagen, ecstatic that I made it to third gear and 40 mph. Billy had driven the same car, and we discussed the finer points of a non-synchronized transmission. It's not about the double-clutching, it's about patience and not rushing the upshifts. Stopping at Universal Studios City Walk for a driver change, we found a gardener watering its giant planters, dragging a hose behind the Spectre's rear wheels as if a Roller showing up at 2:15 in the morning was completely routine. 'That guy does not give two shits that we're here,' Billy observed. 'We are invaders in his world.' Criminal Contemplations As Billy settled into the driver's seat, I kicked off my shoes and oozed my toes into the Spectre's lush lambswool floormats (an $1,800 option, and any buyer who does not opt for them does not deserve to own a Rolls-Royce). It had finally occurred to us that our phones were 24-hour devices, and we confirmed that Bob's had closed just as we started our adventure. Norm's in Hollywood, then; afterward we could head down to San Pedro and get back to the Valley for a good hard run on Mulholland Drive before the sun came up. Now, you must understand that to an Angelino, the idea that one might leave the Valley with plans of returning within the hour is madness. (Actually, to most Angelinos, the idea that one might voluntarily return to the Valley at all is madness.) A same-day diversion to San Pedro, the southernmost point of the city, borders on criminal negligence. But night was on our side, we had a ridiculously fast Rolls, and we were going to try it. We stopped by the Hollywood Bowl, because why not? They don't bother to chain the parking lot, though we figured a walk into the band shell might result in us spending the rest of the night with local constabulary. We drove along the Walk of Fame then took advantage of the Spectre's rear-wheel steering to pull a sharp U-turn on Hollywood Boulevard and pose the Spectre in front of the brilliantly lit El Capitan theater. No traffic, no cops, not even a wandering junkie; Hollywood was as deserted as Billy and I had ever seen it. Dude, Are You in a Band? Back behind the wheel, I cruised the Sunset Strip, which must see a hundred Rolls-Royces a day but only one at night. I wanted to point out the Viper Room, but Billy had no idea who River Phoenix was (damn kids!), so I veered left down an eerily deserted La Cienega Boulevard. Norm's is, to quote one of my favorite Ani DiFranco songs, a safe haven of the sleepless where the deep fryer's always on, and by day you can count on lousy parking and a healthy line. At night, the kooky Googie structure hosted just a handful of insomniacs and a lone waitress who absently motioned us to sit wherever we liked. 'I think those guys are in a band,' Billy said as we picked at our oversized breakfasts. 'Wait, I bet those people are in a band, too.' 'Billy, it's 3:30 on a Wednesday morning,' I said. 'My guess is that anyone up this late looks like they're in a band. Hell, they probably think we're in a band.' 'Dressed like that?' Billy said, gesturing to my $11.99 polo shirt with a Tater Tot. 'What kind of band are you in? A Neil Diamond tribute act?' 'I don't understand how you can know who Neil Diamond is but not River Phoenix. Besides, we have a Rolls. If your band is Rolls-successful, you're not gigging in Hollywood on a Tuesday night.' 'My band is, because we haven't forgotten our roots,' Billy said. 'Your band is gigging at the Old Actor's Home on Sunday afternoon. Be careful they don't spit their orange Jell-O on you when they start singing along.' 'Your turn to pay,' I said and walked out to the Rolls. Hunted By the Daylighters We drove through an empty Hollywood to the 405 freeway, which to our surprise had picked up quite a bit of traffic, including a half-full Flyaway bus taking early-morning travelers to LAX. 'It's starting,' Billy said. 'Or maybe it's ending. It's 4 a.m., and the night people are handing off to the early birds.' I had wanted to hit a charging station, figuring this might be the one time we could hook up to a 350-kilowatt juicer without having to wait in line, but our nighttime travels hadn't come even close to depleting the Spectre's 102-kWh battery. We'd previously run the car through our Road-Trip Range test, and the Black Badge pulled 287 miles before its battery hit 5 percent, 36 miles better than the EPA range and, funnily enough, 12 more miles than the less powerful Silver Badge Spectre we tested. By 4:30, we were poking around the Port of Los Angeles, an old favorite of our photography team. It was here I felt the first wave of fatigue just as Billy, behind the wheel once again, showed the first sign: He stopped for a green light, then made a right turn when it turned red. 'If we're going to hit Mulholland before the sun comes up,' I said, 'we should probably head back.' Billy agreed, but he insisted that I have the honor of driving the Rolls over the Vincent Thomas, a green suspension bridge that, like a Hollywood movie set, looks way, way bigger than it actually is. As we crossed to Terminal Island and back, Billy programmed Waze for the border of the San Fernando Valley. ETA: 45 minutes. Harry Potter couldn't Apparate there any quicker. I set the Spectre's cruise control and lane centering, and in less time than it used to take me to get my kids to school and return home, we were on the opposite side of the city, ceding the 405 to the poor saps trying to beat the rush hour. Chased Home by the Sun Mulholland Drive forms the spine of the hill that separates the 818 from the rest of Los Angeles, and it's a terrific driving road if you can catch it empty, as we had. I cranked up my speed, and the Black Badge Spectre telegraphed a sort of unapproachable capability. The one-finger-light steering barely loaded up in the curves, and while a quick jerk of the wheel revealed that I wasn't even in the same county as the Spectre's limits of grip, some invisible hand seemed to keep me from pressing further, as if understeer in a Rolls-Royce could cause a rip in the time-space continuum. Driving the Black Badge Spectre fast in the curves was like marital sex among the aristocracy: It can be done, it must be done, but please, let's not talk about it. By now the little hand on the Spectre's dash clock was getting perilously close to the bottom of the dial, and it was time to get Billy home. Daylight took hold just as we passed through Bel Air, an ultra-exclusive neighborhood home to a measurable percentage of the world's Rolls-Royce motorcars. It was as if the universe had returned the Spectre to her spiritual center. I pulled up to Billy's apartment exactly six hours after picking him up. We'd had such a great time that we hadn't even bothered to engage the Spectre's $11,425 sound system. Night was gone, day was here; I would return the Roller to the office, and Billy and I would return to our mundane cars and our traffic-choked lives. But for six magical nighttime hours, Los Angeles bared her soul to us—and so did the Black Badge Spectre.
Motor Trend
18 minutes ago
- Motor Trend
Is Mazda's $120 Per-Year Phone App Worth It? We Use Our CX-70 To Find Out
With smartphones already an integral part of our daily lives, automakers have developed their own mobile apps to help customers stay connected to their vehicles. This isn't a new concept, but it adds a layer of convenience that buyers might find appealing. Mazda introduced the MyMazda mobile app in 2020 for select vehicles equipped with Mazda Connected Services, offering it complimentary for a trial period. That period lasts one year for all 2025 and newer models—except the 2025 CX-70, which gets three years—and three years for vehicles from the 2019 to 2024 model years. After the trial ends, access to the app costs $10 per month. The MyMazda app offers remote vehicle access and notifications but lacks features like a digital key and voice commands. While convenient during the free trial, the app's provides basic but useful features for Mazda CX-70 users during the trial period. This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next We've been using the app on our yearlong review 2025 Mazda CX-70 for the past six months, and although there isn't anything groundbreaking or completely new, we like having it ready to be used. What You Can Do With the App Once you create an account and link your vehicle to the app, you'll gain access to information like the vehicle's location and its current status—including whether it's locked or unlocked. You can also use the app to turn the headlights and hazard lights on or off. One especially convenient feature is the ability to remotely start or stop the engine, something the key fob itself doesn't offer. After starting the CX-70 remotely through the app, the engine shuts off as soon as the door is opened, requiring the driver to manually restart the vehicle before driving off. It's not the most seamless experience, but it's certainly better than not having remote start at all. Because this feature isn't available on the key fob, the extra steps involved in using the app are a small trade-off, and the process is straightforward. While these features aren't groundbreaking, it's reassuring to have access to them. In one instance, for example, we forgot to lock the car before hopping into an Uber. A push notification from the app alerted us that the doors were still unlocked. Just a couple of taps later, we locked the CX-70 remotely. The app also turns your vehicle into a mobile locker. If a friend or family member needs to drop something off or pick something up while you're away, you can simply leave the item in the car and unlock it remotely once they've arrived. The CX-70 typically receives the app's command in about 15 seconds, making the whole process quick and hassle-free. Mazda's mobile app also provides useful vehicle information, including the current fuel level, tire pressures, and odometer reading. You'll receive push notifications if something goes wrong—though not all alerts are perfect. In our case, we received multiple warnings about a headlight system malfunction even though the headlights were functioning normally. The app also allows you to schedule service appointments and sends reminders when it's time for maintenance. What We Wished the App Included Some automakers, like Hyundai, have taken things a step further by offering digital keys on select models, allowing owners to leave the physical key at home. These digital keys use your phone's or smartwatch's near-field communication (NFC) to lock, unlock, and start the car. Even if your device runs out of battery, the system can still function. Mazda, however, doesn't offer this technology on any of its vehicles, so even if you have the app installed, you'll still need to carry the physical key with you to drive. We also wish the app integrated with Siri for voice command. Imagine being able to say, 'Hey Siri, start my car,' without ever opening the app. Unfortunately, that capability isn't supported. Voice control would streamline the process—letting you start the car while you're grabbing your things before heading out, or even from the checkout line at the grocery store. Bottom Line While the app is far from the best in the business, it's better than having no connectivity at all. The convenience features are solid, and overall, the app gets the job done. We just wish it included shortcuts and voice commands for faster access, as well as a digital key option—so we could leave the physical key at home. Although our CX-70 will be leaving our long-term fleet before the three-year trial period ends, we wouldn't recommend paying $10 per month for Mazda Connected Services, as we don't believe it offers enough value. That still won't stop us from making full use of the Mazda app during the free trial. More On Our Long-Term Mazda CX-70: 2025 Mazda CX-70 Long-Term Arrival: A Better Five-Seater Turbo? Going Cross Country in Comfort and Style in Our 2025 Mazda CX-70 Our Long-Term 2025 Mazda CX-70 Has Been Great. Except For This. 2025 Mazda CX-70 Interior Pros and Cons Is Our Yearlong 2025 Mazda CX-70 Actually Luxurious?
