There’s been a ton of buzz about the Kia Carnival since it hit the market, with many — including myself — considering it the best minivan available, surpassing such heavyweights as the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna and Chrysler Pacifica.

But what’s all the fuss about?

I’ll break it down with 5 key facts you need to know about this headline-stealing new vehicle, which is a major upgrade from the previous Sedona minivan offered by Kia.

The 2022 Toyota Tundra has been completely revamped. Mike Sweers, the executive chief engineer of trucks for Toyota Motor North America (TMNA), takes drivers through the top 10 things they need to know about the automaker’s newest pickup to hit the road.

1. Global F-Platform: The Tundra now shares the same Toyota New Global Architecture platform as the Land Cruiser, Lexus LX and Toyota compact vehicles.
   
   
2. Towing Capability: A premium towing machine is about more than capacity. Drivers behind the wheel of the new Tundra will feel unparalleled confidence in their tow
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3. Extensive Testing: The new Tundra was tested in a variety of extreme conditions: low altitude, high altitude, heavy snow and more.
   
   
4. Incredible Power Train: Toyota went above and beyond to deliver the most power and performance possible —like adding a drivetrain 140% the size of competitors’ trucks.
   
   
5. More Power + More Torque = More MPG: By supercharging the new Tundra with best-ever torque output, Toyota delivers maximum fuel economy along with the muscle drivers crave.
   
   
6. Exterior Styling: Embracing the spirit of previous Tundra models, designers took the bits of Toyota DNA truck owners love and dialed them up to 11.
   
   
7. Luxury Inspired: By benchmarking against premium luxury vehicles, Toyota embodies the same high level of quality in every new Tundra model.
   
   
8. Innovative Aerodynamics: With the truck having an active air dam that tucks in and out as needed, drivers reap the benefits of better aerodynamics when they need them and elevated off-road capability when they don’t.
   
   
9. Military-Grade Protection: With the skid plate made from ballistic nylon, it can’t be ripped off the truck or dented into the oil pan even if Tundra owners wanted to.
   
   
10. Composite Deck: No denting, no rusting and easy to repair when damaged, the new composite deck makes for a smarter choice than the old steel bed.
    
    To see a video on the 2022 Tundra, visit Youtube or watch below.

— Press release courtesy of Toyota

BMW recently announced the BMW Concept XM, a new vehicle concept that looks ahead to the most powerful BMW M car ever to go into series production, which is set to begin at the end of 2022. Electrification underpins a driving experience which allows the driver to both glide along in near silence and enjoy the engaging pleasure of high performance driving, M-style. The BMW Concept XM provides a preview of the new front end design for BMW’s forthcoming luxury-class models. It also introduces a highly progressive and distinctive take on BMW X model design, and an all-new form of luxury and sense of space for the interior.
 
The series-production model – the BMW XM – will begin production at the end of 2022 at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg in South Carolina. BMW M will be introducing its first standalone vehicle since the legendary BMW M1 in the year it celebrates its 50th anniversary.  The BMW XM will be available only as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and exclusively as an M model. 
 
The exterior styling of the BMW Concept XM reflects the vehicle’s exceptional performance attributes: power, agility, and precision, plus an all-electric range of up to 80 km (WLTP) and up to 30 miles (preliminary estimate, not an official EPA value). The newly developed M Hybrid drive system in the BMW Concept XM brings together a V8 engine and a high-performance electric motor to develop a maximum output of 740 hp and peak torque of 738 lb-ft. The first electrified vehicle from BMW M GmbH in the high-performance segment is emphatically pointing the way forward for the future of the brand.
 
“The BMW Concept XM represents a complete re-imagining of the high-performance vehicle segment,” says Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH. “It underlines the ability of BMW M GmbH to break with established conventions and push boundaries in order to offer fans of the brand the ultimate driving experience. The series-production vehicle – the first pure BMW M model since the legendary BMW M1 – also shows how we are approaching the step-by-step electrification of our brand.” 

“The design of the BMW Concept XM is an extravagant statement by BMW M in the heart of the luxury segment,” says Domagoj Dukec, Vice President BMW Design. “It has a resolutely standalone identity and embodies an expressive lifestyle like no other model in the BMW line-up.”