Hi, I'm John Davis and this is  MotorWeek  !
We're completing the circuit in the electric Porsche Taycan GTS... Before rolling into the "Your Drive" garage for a touch-up on paint problems... We'll get the details on what makes a clean car title... Just in time to get down and dirty in the Ford F-150 Raptor R...
So, come drive with us, next!
Closed Captioning provided by Maryland Public Television.
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JOHN: If you're a Porsche fan, when you see a GTS badge, you know that Porsche has worked their magic by taking a group of already available options and turned them into something bigger and better than the sum of those parts.
Well now, they've waived that engineering wand over the all-electric Taycan.
So, let's see what they've pulled out of the hat this time.
♪ ♪ Porsche's first full battery electric vehicle, the Taycan, wasn't a 911-style sport coupe or even an SUV, but a big luxurious high performance 4-door aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S. And after tearing up Roebling Road Raceway 3-years ago with the insanely fast Taycan Turbo S, we're back for further research with Porsche's latest offering, the Taycan GTS.
♪ ♪ This battery-powered beauty arrived showcasing Porsche's Chalk livery and was outfitted with SportDesign front fascia and GTS logoed side skirts, plus, glossy black trim.
Aero savvy satin black 20 wheels are standard; these 21 inch RS Spyder Design rims are an option.
Much like the Turbo S, for such a big heavy machine, it performs amazingly well at speed on a racetrack.
It is so fast, and power is delivered so suddenly; that it truly does take some time to fully wrap your head around pushing what is essentially a GT car this hard around a road course.
True to the GTS formula, the bulk of the suspension hardware trickles down from the Turbo, but tuning is recalibrated, along with the powertrain for a total package approach.
All-wheel drive is standard with both a front-mounted electric motor and a rear-mounted unit with an integrated 2-speed automatic transmission.
The total 590 horsepower output comes in 80 less than the Turbo's 670; torque rating is actually the same at 626 pound-feet.
And while, it won't get you to 60 in under 3.0 seconds like the Turbo S...it took us only 3.5 seconds, which is more than enough to satisfy most people's need for speed.
There's no real let up in power throughout the quarter-mile, but unlike most EVs, there is an additional punch from behind when the transmission shifts itself into high gear.
Still, it's a remarkably smooth experience that's over in just 11.6 seconds at 127 miles per hour.
So, while in straight line heroics, the GTS' weight largely disappears, around the rest of Roebling Road Raceway-- you can certainly feel it, but not in an awkward way-- more like a fleet-footed heavyweight with a genius suspension setup providing the footwork to make this car feel dialed in like an overgrown 911.
EVs certainly make for a quieter experience than most gasoline-engine track cars.
But this Taycan is far from silent; with plenty of unique high-powered electric motor sounds to accompany you around the track.
Likewise, the tires started squealing early, yet, maintained great grip; rear-axle steering is also available as is Porsche's Dynamic Chassis Control Sport.
Steering feel is classic Porsche, making for an incredibly fun and rewarding driving experience.
The GTS uses the Turbo's 93.4 kilowatt hour Performance Battery Plus, with 246 miles of range, but of course, it was much more fun being less concerned about range and discharging it as quickly as possible.
And with 800 volt architecture that allows for up to 270 kilowatt charging, you can be back making laps in only about 20 minutes time.
Inside, you'll find the Taycan's multi touchscreen dash and center console setup with build quality that Tesla can only dream of achieving.
Unique GTS elements include Race-Tex materials, black trim, and lots of logos.
An optional GTS Interior Package adds colored stitching and seatbelts, along with carbon fiber trim and dashtop Sport Chrono dial.
Sport seats offer the perfect amount of bolstering for track work, and more than enough comfort for daily use; consistent with the vibe of the entire car, as you can drive it around for months and unless you put the throttle to the floor, you'd have no way of knowing the fury of performance it can unleash.
At 41 kilowatt hours/100 miles the GTS has a fair efficiency rating, and is fittingly priced in between 4S and Turbo Taycan's, starting at $135,550.
For more of wicked wagon vibe, a Sport Turismo version is available as well.
While, not the fastest, when it comes to delivering the total package of performance with daily comfort, it's the GTS models that come out on top in the Porsche lineup, and now EV buyers can experience it too with the Porsche Taycan GTS.
And what's not to like about that.
♪ ♪ Every year, roughly three times as many used cars are sold here as new ones.
The main reasons?
Well, they're more affordable and often the smarter choice.
But before you take a plunge into a "previously owned" vehicle, you'll want to make sure it has what's called a "clean title."
As Stephanie Hart explains, problems can pile up when you buy a used car, especially from an individual, with a title that's less than pristine.
♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: You really need to be cautious, if you're shopping for a used car online from a third-party like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace because in the end it could be hard to get a license plate.
But there are resources that can help you before you sign on that dotted line.
Beth Caro owns Auto Tag Connect in Annapolis, Maryland.
Her company is acts as an extension of the Maryland State Department of Motor Vehicles.
She says tons of people come into her office everyday with the same story: they bought a used car from a third party, never asked about its title beforehand, and come to find out, it has a salvage branded title which, more often than not, causes big, expensive problems for them.
BETH CARO: A salvage title is basically, when a vehicle has gone through a total loss accident and an auto insurance company has determined that vehicle a total loss.
And most states across the US that's determined at 60-to-100 percent.
STEPHANIE: A salvage title means, the automobile can't be driven, sold, or registered in its current condition, which makes getting insurance a big challenge.
BETH: They might not even be able to get approved to have an active insurance policy on that car with that branding.
So, it's really important to think about what you're going to be doing with that vehicle.
Are you going to be reselling it in a year?
Because that value on a salvage vehicle is significantly lower and sometimes may not even have a resale value.
STEPHANIE: By law, if you're buying a used vehicle that has been in an accident and has a salvage title, the third-party seller or the dealership must disclose that to you; but, that doesn't always happen, especially when dealing with private sellers.
So, what can you do to protect yourself?
CHRIS BROWN: There's a lot of things as a consumer, not being an expert, that you can look for on your own to see if a car has been in an accident.
All these stickers here are from the factory.
Usually, when a car has been in an accident these do not get replaced.
They'll replace the piece under it, but not these here.
The bolts here-to put things together-- if they're different and they don't match they're def- definitely was not done at the factory or a professional shop.
STEPHANIE: And consumers should always check the VIN plate... CHRIS: Yes.
They should always check the VIN plate and also make sure it aligns with their title.
In the VIN plate on most cars, if you look carefully, there's a hologram.
It can't be counterfeited with the hologram.
Make sure the VIN number is either riveted or there's no screws in it.
If someone's tampered with it there's going to be screws, it's not gonna look factory.
STEPHANIE: And consumers always want to check the door jamb for a matching VIN number.
CHRIS: Yes, and this VIN number should also match what is on the title and obviously what's up on the dashboard there.
STEPHANIE: Next, use that VIN number to run the vehicle's national car history report to find out, if their car you want to buy has a clean title.
The National Motor Vehicle Title Information is an association that oversees the DMVs and is a great resource.
So are title search firm, like CarFax.
A car's history report also reveals, if it's been in a flood.
If so, it's considered a salvage vehicle.
Caro recommends steering away from flood vehicles even if it seems like a good deal.
BETH: Let me tell you: that mold and mildew does not go away.
The electrical sans do not like that and what's going to happen is an electrical demon in your car.
STEPHANIE: In addition to looking over the car's history report to check for a clean title, it's smart to have a mechanic check out the vehicle to make sure it's 100 percent safe to drive.
JOHN: A good paint job can be a big selling point; maybe even the reason you buy the car in the first place.
But over time, it can start to wear.
Well, Dan Maffett shows us how to deal with some common paint problems in this week's "Your Drive."
♪ ♪ DAN MAFFETT: Paint correction is one of those things that intimidates most people, but if you know what to look for and you know what tools to use, it's really quite simple.
First thing, you want to do is assess your surface.
Make sure you know what kind of paint you're dealing with, and what kind of imperfections are in the paint.
Or, what kind of contaminants are on top.
First thing, I like to do is the fingernail test.
I like to find a scratch and dig my nail across it.
If your nail hangs on it, it can't be fixed with just buffing or any kind of chemicals.
The scratch is through the surface of the clearcoat and it's into the primer or even the basecoat.
So, once you find that, you gotten move on past that, but you can bring back the paint to a certain extent with something like this: a clay bar.
You can use a clay bar and a little bit of spray wax for lubricant, you can spray your surface and work this clay bar across the surface.
As you go across the surface, you're going to feel it get smoother and smoother, and anytime it snags, it's picking up contaminants.
It'll actually change the color to a nice brown.
That's how you know it's picking up all the contaminants that are in that paint.
Once, you've got that, you just clean it off and make it nice and smooth again, and with this surface that's kind of neglected for a while, so you want to go ahead and use a compound, something like this with a color-matching pad will allow you to put a nice buff across the surface, and it'll just level out.
It's a little aggressive... level out the top of that paint.
And then, you can clean that off and then go with a compound wax, that's made for a rotary buffer.
And what that does is activated it by heat and pressure, and speed.
So, with a buffer like this spinning at a certain RPM, it's going to activate that wax and smooth it across the surface.
How do you know you have enough pressure or speed?
Take an ordinary buffer like this, sharpie like this, and you do a line at twelve and six.
And, when you put those lines on there, when you have the proper speed, and you're looking down at it as it spins, that space should be about a quarter-inch apart.
You don't want any more or any less.
Once, you get the wax on, finish it out with a spray wax, wipe it down, and you're all done.
Have any questions or comments?
Hit us up here at  MotorWeek  .
JOHN: The open road is calling.
Well, let's answer with another QuickSpin!
♪ ♪ JESSICA RAY: The mid-size Honda Accord is one of the brand's most successful vehicles.
And while, other brands are killing off their family sedans, for 2023, Honda is celebrating the arrival of the 11th generation Accord.
A carryover 1.5 liter turbocharged I4 is standard, and once again a gas-electric hybrid powertrain is available.
However, it is a revamped hybrid system, akin to the CR-V hybrid, that pairs a 2.0 liter I4 with two-electric motors for a total output of 204 horsepower and 247 pound-feet of torque.
Our Touring model tester rates 44 MPG combined.
So, not only is it efficient, this hybrid is fun to drive.
ALEXANDER KELLUM: I think a good way to summarize driving the new Accord, or at least the Accord Hybrid, is satisfying.
It has enough power to do what you need it to do, and to do so comfortably.
And, speaking of, it is a comfortable ride without being too "floaty."
Actually, I'd say that this handles exceptionally well for a sedan of this size-- it's not quite as darty as the latest Civic, for example, but still well-balanced and receptive to my modest commuter inputs.
JESSICA: Improved handling is aided by a more rigid chassis and tweaked suspension, all encased by a bolder exterior more in line with Honda's SUVs.
Inside, the biggest "growths" are tech-related.
All hybrids come with a 12.3 inch infotainment screen, the largest mounted in a Honda thus far.
It's sharp and colorful, and features another Honda-first: built-in Google Assistant, a Touring exclusive.
The 2023 Honda Accord starts around $28,000, with the hybrid just under $33,000.
Our range topping Touring Hybrid approaches $39K.
The Accord is still built in Marysville, Ohio after four decades, and it's available now.
We'll share our final verdict on an upcoming Road Test, and we'll have more QuickSpins, soon!
GREG CARLOSS: We're 9-months into our yearlong parade of practicality with this 2022 Kia Carnival, and it's been everyone's first choice for road trips regardless of family size; thanks to its great comfort, flexibility, and even style.
It's not the first minivan to attempt bringing SUV design elements to the segment, but easily the most successful.
And it feels powerful like an SUV too, thanks to the torquey nature of the 290 horsepower 3.5 liter V6 that has us chirping the tires off the line often.
The Carnival is a thoroughly modern minivan, but its naturally aspirated V6 is a bit of a throwback in this era of turbo 4-cylinders.
We suspect Kia kept it to give the Carnival its 3,500 pound tow rating and that's fine by us.
Cruising on the highway in 8th gear does put the engine speed quite a bit below peak torque range, so passing can require a few downshifts.
Luckily, they're quick and smooth.
Fuel economy is holding steady at 22.8 miles per gallon, and we're looking forward to getting in a few more road trips this spring before our time with the Carnival comes to an end.
We'll plug into what's new with our Kia EV6 on the next  MotorWeek Long-Term Road Test Update!
JOHN: While, no one has ever questioned the off-road chops of the Ford F-150 Raptor, quite a few fans were not happy when the 2nd generation arrived with a turbo-6 under the hood instead of a V8.
Well, it's taken Ford until now to finally address that situation, and boy did they ever!
♪ ♪ While, the benefits of turbocharging are well-proven, for many truck fans, only a V8 will do.
Combine that conviction with the arrival of Ram's 702 horsepower TRX pickup, and for the last few years, some have viewed Ford's Raptor as more of a pretender than a contender.
Well, the 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R not only sets things right with a V8, but does it with a high-output supercharged powerplant packing 700 horsepower.
This overhead cam 5.2 liter V8 is mostly the same as the Shelby GT500's, but the supercharger was recalibrated and features a different pulley setup to optimize the low-end of its 640 pound-feet of torque.
Exhaust manifolds are upgraded, and oil system revised with deeper oil pan, plus, different cooler and filter setups.
Finally, air volume was increased by 66 percent with a much larger intake.
The complete driveline, including the 10-speed automatic transmission, has been upgraded to handle the increased power, featuring a different torque converter and whole new front axle.
In order to make best use of all of that, Ford has also upgraded the suspension with a retuning of the springs and active Fox Live Valve shocks, and made 37 inch tires standard with the R; providing 13.1 inches of ground clearance, about an inch over the standard Raptor.
Rear suspension is the same 5-link coil spring setup of other Raptors.
While, designed primarily with high-speed desert runs in mind, these updates certainly improve the experience on any surface that's not smoothly paved.
That was mostly mud in our case, and nothing we came across in our off-road course presented any real challenge to the R, which will probably be the case for every Raptor R that does indeed venture off pavement.
On pavement, it was impressively comfortable, and as maneuverable as any lesser F-150.
Now, just to set it apart from lesser Raptors, R's get a taller power dome on the hood, R badges, and blacked out bumpers, grille, and fender flares; plus, "desert-inspired" graphics that we could probably do without.
The dark theme is applied liberally inside as well, broken up with splashes of real carbon fiber and Code Orange R accents.
Ford has kept capability intact, as the 1,400 pound payload limit remains the same, but with a tow rating of 8,700 pounds, the R can even pull 500 pounds more, thanks to structural enhancements to the frame.
And it truly does haul, as we found out at our Mason Dixon test track... Where the Raptor R ripped off 0-60s of just 3.7 seconds, a tenth quicker than we saw in the TRX, and between the raucous exhaust note and supercharger whine, boy does this thing sound terrific.
That, more than anything, is indeed what the V6 Raptor was missing.
All that rubber digging into the pavement makes for an extremely aggressive launch, with a big time squat of the rear before it explodes off the line.
It quickly levels off and starts rapid fire shifting through gears as you glide through the quarter-mile in just 12.1 seconds.
But before we got there, we were clearly bumping up against some type of limiter, as power started falling just shy of tripping the lights at an indicated 113 miles per hour.
Whipping in and out of cone courses is not this rig's forte, so most buyers will be willing to accept the excessive body roll, heavy steering, and appreciable understeer.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are a very low 10-City, 15-Highway, and 12-Combined.
We averaged just 12.4 miles per gallon of Regular.
Now, don't get us wrong here, we love all that power and the roaring chorus the Raptor R makes, and upping off-road chops is something we can all appreciate.
But at the end of the day, one must make a hard decision as to whether adding the R to the Raptor is worth it for the way most of us drive.
Standard Raptor pricing starts at $78,670; already not a small sum.
Then tack on another $30,575 to get to the Raptor R's base of $109,245.
Pickup trucks may have started out as simple tools to get jobs done, but they've become much more than that to many people.
They are now status symbols.
The 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R is indeed the closest thing you can get to owning an actual Trophy Truck, ready to conquer both Baja and Suburbia.
And, the fact that it's now singing in the key of V8, means all the world to the F-Series faithful.
Well, that's our show, I hope you enjoyed it.
Now, for more  MotorWeek  , including daily news updates, podcasts, and even complete episodes, cruise on over to PBS.ORG/MOTORWEEK.
And I hope you'll join us next time, when we heat up the circuit in Toyota's GR Corolla hot hatch.
Then, it's on-and-off-road in the new Honda Pilot TrailSport.
Until then, I'm John Davis.
We'll see you right here on  MotorWeek  !
ANNOUNCER: To learn more about  MotorWeek  ... Television's original automotive magazine, visit... To order a DVD of this program, call...  MotorWeek  has been brought to you by... ANNOUNCER: For more than 30 years Lucas Oil products has helped people tackle mechanical problems in the automotive, marine, and industrial fields.
From our original four core products... Lucas Oil has developed over 400 custom products to help both professionals and do it yourselfers.
To learn more visit Lucasoil.com.
Lucas oil, keep that engine alive!
MotorWeek  is proudly sponsored by Auto Value and Bumper To Bumper, featuring major brand auto and truck parts, and service from coast to coast.
Learn more at AutoValue.com and BumperToBumper.com.
TireRack.Com is proud to support  MotorWeek  .
First, there was the wheel.
Then, the tire.
"We'll call it Tire Rack."
Forty years later, we're not slowing down.
♪ ♪ This program was produced by Maryland Public Television, which is solely responsible for its content.
(car engine revving) ♪ ♪ You're watching PBS.