- Polestar unveils its first-ever SUV, the Polestar 3
- Incredible single-owner supercar collection going up for auction
- 2023 Toyota Tundra priced just over $47,000, 2023 Tacoma receives mild refresh
- A Hellephant-powered vintage Charger named Dumbo heads to auction
- More auction action: 1-of-50 Nissan GT-R50
Welcome to our roundup of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.
Here’s what you missed while you were away.
Polestar unveils its first-ever SUV, the Polestar 3
2024 Polestar 3 Photo by Polestar
Swedish brand Polestar officially stepped into the world’s hottest segment this week with the debut of the Polestar 3, the maker’s third vehicle and first-ever SUV. Externally, it’s a handsome if typical SUV, but what made our Coles Notes was its 111-kWh battery that can power it for around 480 km and provide 517 hp and 671 lb-ft of torque for front and rear motors, making it AWD.
It’s a weighty vehicle, mind you — you can’t spell ‘heavy’ without ‘EV’ — so don’t expect it to run with the Model S, but do expect sub-five-second zero to 100 km/h acceleration times. On the plus side, when you’re not worried about weight, throw in all the tech! The Polestar 3 gets five radar modules, twelve external ultrasonic sensors, five external cameras, and two driver-facing cams with eye-tracking.
Production is to begin next year at Volvo Cars’ facility in Chengdu, China, and then transfer to Ridgeville, South Carolina in 2024.
Incredible single-owner supercar collection going up for auction
A snapshot of the Gran Turismo Collection headed for auction, via RM Sotheby’s Photo by Simon Clay /RM Sotheby’s
This person owned some cars. The cars were very, very nice. Now they are selling them. Sorry, my brains went offline there for a minute contemplating this list of supercars going up for auction soon. The collector had quite the appetite, and quite the taste. A Ferrari ‘Big Five’ complete with the 288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo, and LaFerrari might be the main course, but if you’re looking for an appetizer, there’s a pair of rare 1990s Jaguar supercars, the Jaguar XJ220 S and Jaguar XJR-15, in addition to two rare Lambos for dessert. Plus a whole smorgasbord of other other Bugattis, rally cars, and rarities on the side just because. It’s a feast, OK?
Don’t be surprised if nine figures have changed hands by the time the gavel comes down for the final time at RM Sotheby’s London, U.K. auction on November 5.
2023 Toyota Tundra priced just over $47,000, 2023 Tacoma receives mild refresh
2023 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro Photo by Toyota
Toyota’s trucks are on the move again. The full-size 2023 Tundra is entering its second year since being completely redone and will cover a lot of ground in terms of options, starting at $47,050 but not quitting with the trim options until the $86,190 Capstone model. At the entry end, there’s the SR Double Cab with a 6.5-foot bed, eight-inch infotainment, and LED lamps. Useful for some, but more North Americans will likely opt for the CrewMax 4×4 SR5, which runs $56,410 with the same-size bed, better seats, 18-inch alloy wheels, leather trimmings, and dual-zone climate. All the way at the top is the Capstone with the biggest infotainment screens and gauge clusters, 22-inch alloys, semi-Aniline leather interior and backlit badging.
The cost of ownership for the 2023 Toyota Tacoma is slightly less, beginning at $40,690 for the Double Cab SR and rising to the $60,430 TRD Pro with nine trim levels in between. All models use the 3.5L V6 paired to either a six-speed automatic or (in some trims) six-speed manual transmission. There’s also a new package called Nightshade that adds a JBL audio system, LED lighting and fog lamps, a moonroof, and black leather interior to the $53,690 Double Cab with five-foot box. The 2023 Toyota Tacoma is available for purchase at Toyota dealers across Canada now.
A Hellephant-powered vintage Charger named Dumbo heads to auction
“Dumbo” the Hellephant-powered 1968 Dodge Charger restomod Photo by Mecum Auctions
It’s a beastly 1968 Dodge Charger with a 1,000-hp 7.0L supercharged Hellephant V8 and a grey paint job, but you can just call it Dumbo. You can own Dumbo, too, put him right in your circus of freak restomods, if you pay the right price at Mecum’s upcoming Las Vegas auction. The Hellephant crate engine itself can fetch as much as US$53,000, so just add in the cost of a well-restored ’68 Charger and you should be good.
There’s not much detail included in the online auction listing, but Dumbo is definitely rear-wheel-drive and stick-shift, and comes with Magnum Force suspension and Viking Coilovers, a Strange S60 rear end with 4.10 gearing, Rushforth wheels and Wilwood brakes, plus LED lighting units, a TTi exhaust, and billet door handles from Ringbrothers. The Mecum auction will take place in Las Vegas from Nov 10-12.
More auction action: 1-of-50 Nissan GT-R50
A 1-of-50 Nissan GT-R50 is being auctioned off in Canada by Legendary Motorcar Photo by Legendary Motorcar
Is it just me, or is it really auction-y in this roundup right now? Anyway, Ontario’s Legendary Motorcar is helping find a new owner for a rare Nissan GT-R50, which was born in 2019 as a collaboration/50-year anniversary celebration between Italian coachbuilder ItalDesign and Nissan. The 1-of-50 car is designed in the image of some of the brand’s heritage models, featuring a sculpted hood, lowered roof, and optional adjustable rear wing, which this Liquid Silver metallic model has. Power comes from the GT-R GT3 car’s 3.8L V6 engine, but fitted with larger turbos, superior pistons, and modified camshaft profiles to boost horsepower to 710 from 565, and torque to 585 lb-ft.
Considering that all 50 of the cars have been spoken for — and not all even made yet — this Canadian based one could fetch a pretty penny. Check out the full details here and sound off in the comments on what you’d pay for it.
Keyword: News Roundup: Polestar reveals first SUV, Toyota prices the Tacoma and Tundra, and more