Hi, I'm John Davis and this is MotorWeek !

Join us when we shift through what's new with the Honda Passport TrailSport... Then, we'll fill in on auto body repair and restoration... We'll go "Over the Edge" with old school racing... Then, discharge at high speed in the top lux BMW iX M60...

So, come drive with us, next!

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JOHN: Owning a passport opens up a literal world of possibilities for the would-be traveler.

Owning a Honda Passport may not open quite as many doors, or should we say roads?

But, it can certainly be the gateway to many unforgettable adventures of a lifetime, especially if it's this new TrailSport.

♪ ♪ This 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport is the most off-road capable Passport ever, but that's been the case since the TrailSport joined the Passport lineup two years ago.

So, what has changed?

Well, in the two years since the Passport TrailSport debuted, Honda has been putting even more effort into their off-road inspired rides and has circled back to the Passport to bring it up to speed.

That primarily means an upgraded suspension with revised spring rates, retuned dampers and optimized stabilizer bars.

But perhaps our favorite update are some proper all-terrain tires, as the '22 was still sporting all-seasons that just looked a little more rugged.

Now in place are some real-deal 245/60/18 General Grabber A/T Sports on unique wheels.

Those A/Ts do add some road noise, and with the suspension changes, the TrailSport now rides more like a genuine truck.

While, all of that is very un-Honda-like, it's exactly what they were aiming for, as despite only being an option for two years, TrailSports have quickly become a third of all Passport sales.

Other things that make the TrailSport unique are a more rugged take for the rear bumper, wider track, different grille, lots of logos of course, and a special Diffused Sky-Blue Pearl paint option, though our tester was sporting a Sonic Gray Pearl livery available on any Passport.

All-wheel-drive is not exclusive to TrailSport.

All '24 Passports come with Honda's i-VTM4 torque-vectoring AWD setup, as well as the same 8.1 inches of ground clearance.

Nothing new to report from under the hood where Honda's long-running naturally aspirated 3.5 liter V6 engine resides, still cranking out 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque.

It works with a 9-speed automatic transmission; the combo rated for 5,000 pounds towing capacity.

Inside, the latest TrailSport gets an all-weather treatment, some stitched logos, orange ambient lighting, plus, unique steering wheel with orange stitching and textured leather.

All Passports upgrade to a new center console for '24 with more storage space, an integrated armrest, and better access for wireless phone charging, plus, plenty of places for making physical connections.

Second row passengers have ample legroom, with the 60/40 split seatbacks one-touch folding quickly expanding the 41.2 cubic-feet of cargo space to 77.7; no third row available.

For that see the Pilot.

And of course, up front in the Passport, there's great comfort, thoughtful storage, and easy to use tech.

Our Mason Dixon test track was getting a little maintenance work, so we couldn't run full quarter miles, but there was enough track space and enough power here in the TrailSport to get us to 60 in 6.6 seconds, a couple of tenths quicker than our last track outing, despite the knobbier tires.

It doesn't have the low-end torquey feel that off-roaders may prefer, but it likes to rev and builds power quickly.

Gear changing in the automatic happens very smoothly with minimal interruptions in power delivery.

The all-terrain tires were a non-issue in our handling course too, as the Passport still turns in nice and easily, and there wasn't any noticeable lack of grip or additional tire rollover.

The only thing that held us back was a significant amount of body roll, but steering was quick and precise, and there was good feedback all around making runs very predictable.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are unaffected by the A/Ts, coming in at the same 19 City, 24 Highway, and 21 Combined.

We averaged a good 23.8 miles per gallon of Regular.

That's a slightly worse than average Energy Impact Score consuming 14.2 Barrels of Oil Annually while emitting 6.9 Tons of CO2.

And to wrap up Passport news for '24, the top trim is no longer considered Elite.

They are now known as Black Editions starting at $49,365.

Just below is TrailSport at $45,895, with base EX-L at $43,295.

We already know a new 4th gen Passport is right around the corner, and judging by all the off-road testing pictures that Honda is putting out there, it looks like it will take the Passport to a whole new level of off-pavement performance.

But, in the meantime, making continuous improvements along the way is how Honda continues to deliver for their customers.

Capitalizing on the off-road appearance trend is a good idea.

Backing it up better than before, as in the 2024 Honda Passport TrailSport, an even better idea.

♪ ♪ The phrase "what's old is new again" applies to a lot of things.

Fashion, music, even car design.

But when it comes to competitive motorsports, old is old.

But that's a good thing, since vintage race cars never go out of style.

This week our Greg Carloss goes "Over the Edge" for a long-running grass roots race where old is still way cool.

♪ ♪ GREG CARLOSS: Looking at photos of vintage race cars is fun.

Seeing them at a car show?

That's cool.

But watching them go wheel to wheel at a racetrack, now that's more my speed.

(cars roaring around track) I don't care who you are.

The roar of 40 vintage race cars blowing by a wide open throttle has to put a smile on your face.

And here at Summit Point Motorsports Park, the Jefferson 500 has generated grins for three decades and now serves as the marquee event for the Vintage Racer Group.

JIM KARAMANIS: The Vintage Racer group is a group of vintage racing enthusiasts who has been putting on vintage race events for 20 years.

So, we have about 250 vintage race drivers.

Uh, we probably have upwards of 5 to 600 people here, which includes crew.

Um, we normally get a few thousand spectators at the event.

GREG HAAS: Well, this is a legacy event that has been here for quite a few years, and it really involves a lot of people having fun with old cars.

- I am Tom Cotter.

I live in Davidson, North Carolina.

And my business card says Certified Car Geek.

GREG: You may recognize Tom as the host of Hagerty's "Barn Find Hunter" YouTube series, so he knows an old car when he sees one.

But at the Jefferson 500, "vintage" is the preferred nomenclature.

TOM: Vintage racing used to be sports cars that were 25 years old or older, and they were...they could be prepared up to 1972 specs.

There are cars here that are newer than 25 years; but still, the preparation should be of the period of that car.

So, you...you shouldn't come in here with the most modern Brembo brakes and the stickiest tires or whatever.

GREG H.: What's exciting about this is it's a very interesting combination of competition and rolling museum.

Um, I can't think of any other event where you can go through the paddock and you seem to spend most of the time looking at these jaw-droppingly beautiful cars.

GREG: While, the car spotting in the paddock is primo, it's best to get out around the track and see these things in action.

And with multiple classes racing from Friday to Sunday, there's no shortage of it.

JIM: So, we have a number of groups that are all fairly large.

We have almost 40 to 45 cars in all seven groups.

We have Formula Fords and Sports 2000s like you see behind me.

We have BMW 2002s, Alfa Romeo GTVs, Chevrolet Camaros, Ford Mustangs.

Lots of MGs, Triumphs and things of that nature.

(sound car roaring by) GREG: Having driven this track in modern cars, I can't help but wonder what it feels like to blast down this high-speed section known as "The Chute" in cars twice my age while being flanked by two others.

Obviously, vintage racing requires equal parts courage and cash, but getting involved may not be as difficult as you think.

JIM: Essentially, you have to be healthy.

So, you have to be able to obtain a medical.

You have to be able to get through our racing school.

But you can do that with your own race car if you like.

But there are a lot of rental companies that come out here and they rent cars.

TOM: What do I like most about vintage racing?

It's...it's the people.

The...the cars are second.

People are first, the cars are second, and the racing's third.

It's clean racing.

It's door handle to door handle.

It's tight.

It's...it's...it's...it's close racing.

But you never touch another person...it's, it's just terrific.

GREG: While, it may not have the speeds of the Daytona 500 or the history of the Indianapolis 500, the Jefferson 500 still offers plenty of both.

It's also, a good reminder that vintage is always in style.

JOHN: We're back under the lights at Giuseppe's garage.

This time, our young blood car tech is relaying his training in the art of proper body repair and restoration on MotorWeek's "Your Drive!"

♪ ♪ GIUSEPPE IATAROLA: One of the first skills I learned in my dad's shop was how to apply body filler.

Today, I'm going to show you the different types of filler and how it has changed over the years.

When a car has damaged body parts, it's hard to get it perfect just by pulling the dent or straightening the metal, so filler is used to level up any low spots and smooth out the surface before the part is repainted.

In 1955, polyester resin body filler was introduced, and it's still used today.

Some types are reinforced with metal or fiberglass, and there's even fillers made to use on plastic parts.

Most are a two-stage product, meaning that you have to mix together a hardener liquid with the base filler to make a putty.

This gets spread on to the car and hardens after a few minutes, then it can be sanded smooth.

Body filler sometimes has a bad reputation for being shoddy workmanship, but that's from lazy people who use it to cut corners.

Fillers are only meant to be a quarter-inch or less deep, just to level the surface, not to fill a huge dent!

It's important to make sure the repair area is free of rust.

You can't just shove body filler in a rusty hole and expect it to last.

Back in the old days, hot lead or lead mixed with tin was the only way to go to repair metal.

This is my favorite method because I fix so many classic car projects, and for me, nothing is better than fixing metal with metal.

(sound of sanding) Lead has a low melting point, it's very strong, and is great for fixing body seams and welded joints.

But not many shops use this technique anymore because it can be time-consuming and the fumes and dust can be very dangerous to your skin, eyes, and lungs.

(welding torch blowing) Plastic body fillers are quicker, cheaper, and easier to work with than lead, but it doesn't hold up to heat as well, and can crack over time.

(welding torch blowing) More recently, a UV-cured filler has been developed.

These use a special light to help the filler cure or dry completely.

This can get the job done faster, but you have to be very careful to use the light for the required time or else you may have adhesion problems.

(UV light clicking) Well, you gotta make sure your UV light is completely charged, otherwise the speediness of your repair is lost.

If you have any questions or comments, reach out to us here at MotorWeek .

JOHN: With more and more cars on the road, it will likely take the latest in cutting-edge technology to keep driving safely.

We recently found a Maryland-based global technology company that is paving the way in making roads smarter and safer.

And we asked FYI reporter Stephanie Hart to seek out Rekor AI and see how mining traffic data can save lives.

♪ ♪ STEPHANIE HART: Vehicles have evolved to become very smart today, essentially rolling data centers with thousands of sensors.

But our roadways have not kept pace.

Now, Rekor AI is bridging the gap, putting a digital layer over top of our roadways, essentially increasing the roadways DNA substantially, so cars and roads can talk to one another.

And that's a game changer.

DAVID DESHARNAIS: Roadways have not really fundamentally changed since the Eisenhower administration early in the '50s, and...and we joke about it, but it's true.

And today, if you were to do a report card, and the government does this, it's rated at a C-minus.

and that is the report card of roadways today, so there's a problem.

STEPHANIE: The problem starts with our current traffic data collection method.

It's about 75 years old.

Rubber tubes that cross the road still collect data and it's basically obsolete today.

Using artificial intelligence, Rekor AI is transforming this antiquated data collection system and driving it into the future.

DAVID: You don't need those things on the roadway anymore.

You can do all of that through digitization and AI, and frankly the smart nodes that we put on roadways does data collection in a fundamentally different way.

It's safer, it's faster, it doesn't put roadworkers in harm's way, which is very, very common in old methods.

STEPHANIE: This is what a Rekor roadway sensor looks like.

As you can see, it's about the size of a shoe box and sits on top of a large pole.

The sensors are very powerful and can make 21 trillion calculations per second; and magically, they're also able to predict things that can happen like accidents.

DAVID: We've been conditioned since we were children to know what a cat looks like and what a car looks like.

A computer doesn't, so what we do is we train our artificial intelligence, or AI, to be able to understand what it's seeing.

And so, through that we can identify makes, models, colors, speeds, weights, air quality, a number of different dimensions of vehicles and the interactions between vehicles on roadways.

We see about 70 percent more incidences that happen on roadways that would never, ever be surfaced by a 911 call.

STEPHANIE: Here's how it works: Once a Rekor sensor identifies an incident, it's passed along to a traffic management center like the one here behind me.

They immediately know the what, when, where, and how it happened.

Then, they can send the right response team to the incident.

Essentially, demystifying the 911 call resulting in a 23-minute faster response time-- in some cases the difference between life and death.

Rekor AI was founded in 2017 to assist with public safety missions.

Over time, its evolved more broadly into transportation and how roadways are managed overall, with artificial intelligence and sensors at the heart of the company.

This is the laboratory where all of the parts for the sensors are assembled.

From here they're shipped all over the country and eventually end up covering hundreds of thousands of miles of roadway.

DAVID: Congestion happens because something happened, and in order to understand what happened, uh, you need to respond to that, you need to be able to get it out of the way, so you can get back to where you are trying to get to, and that's really the evolution of our company.

STEPHANIE: At this point, Rekor AI can even track air quality, providing intelligence and recommendations on how it can be improved.

DAVID: We're able to identify make, model, color, speed, weight, everything, including the amount of emissions that a vehicle is...is putting out there.

STEPHANIE: Rekor AI's sophisticated system has been on the fast track since 2021 thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which made billions of dollars available to fund the modernization of roadways.

Its future mission is creating an operating system for roadways, ultimately redefining travel as we know it, and in the end keeping all of us safer on the streets.

DAVID: Much like you would think of a network and the Internet, right?

The era of the Internet changed the world for us.

Roadways are kind of like the same thing.

What we're doing; these are routes to somewhere, uh, and we are digitizing them.

We're basically creating nodes of computer on the roadways and connecting them together to create really an Internet for roadways.

JOHN: At first glance most battery electric BMW's are hard to distinguish from their internal combustion counterparts, however when it comes to their iX utility vehicle, well, clearly it is quite a unique animal, especially when it comes to this 610 horsepower M60.

And now, we get a chance to see if we can tame it.

♪ ♪ High-performance SUVs are nothing new to BMW, so when their all-electric iX utility debuted for 2022, it didn't take long for them to inject a little M performance into it.

And while we did get some early seat time in the iX M60, this 2024 version is the first time we've been able to give it a complete test.

A refresher on the details, the M60 uses a dual motor arrangement; the front motor putting out 255 horsepower, the rear motor almost twice as much.

Combined, they whip up 610 horsepower and 811 pound-feet of torque, which we couldn't wait to exploit at our test track.

Both Sport Mode and Launch Control need to be engaged to get max acceleration; fortunately, both are easy to do, and we'd call 3.5 seconds to 60 max indeed.

That's almost a full second quicker than we got in the standard xDrive50.

Heaps of instant power off the line, delivered time after time, with some interesting sounds and shakes in the cabin to heighten the experience.

BMW's electric motors are built in-house, and are unique from most as they use electric pulses to trigger the rotors instead of magnets.

This comes into play most obviously in the rear motor where its immediate power delivery somehow seems even more immediate than most.

Absolutely, zero drop-off in power throughout the quarter-mile, with our best time an 11.7 at 119 miles per hour.

While, handling is BMW's forte regardless of powertrain or vehicle segment, we could feel a little more weight transfer here in the M60, compared to the xDrive50.

That's despite the four-corner air suspension with automatic level control getting some M-spec tuning.

We really had to keep inputs smooth to avoid a full shutdown from the stability system; there was also noticeable lag time between when we initiated turn-ins and when those commands were actually carried out.

All of this made more difficult by the iX's goofy-shaped steering wheel and front seats that feel more like a recliners than sport seats.

Brakes felt mostly the same as in the xDrive50: Very little nose dive, good feedback, and consistent drama-free stops from 60 in just 102 feet.

So, while it's still a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to driving on the track, on the street, it feels incredibly fast, bordering on outrageously quick.

Meaning, you better be prepared for the fury that's about to be unleashed if you go full in on the accelerator.

And even with all of the performance, and using the same 111.5 kilowatt hour battery, the M60 still delivers great range of 296 miles, just 11 fewer than xDrive50.

Max charging rate of 250 kilowatt will get you to 80 percent in 35 minutes.

Whether, it's that steering wheel, the minimal dash with the sweeping digital cockpit display, the center console's wood and glass controls, heating elements in the armrests, gesture control, or the Panoramic Sky Lounge LED sunroof that frosts over at the touch of a button, it's all kind of a "far out" experience in the cabin.

But also, a very roomy one with almost an open floor plan up front, and lots of space and features for rear seat passengers.

Capacity in the cargo area is 35.5 cubic-feet; folding seatbacks can expand the space to 77.9 cubic-feet.

Similar in size to the X5, the iX is built on a unique spaceframe architecture made up of a combination of carbon-fiber, high-strength steel and aluminum, an evolution of what they started back in 2014 with the i3, their first EV.

Unique elements for the M60 include blue brake calipers, adaptive LED laserlight headlights, and 21 inch wheels which can be upgraded to these 22 inch M two-tone alloys.

It's not the most beautiful BMW we've seen lately, but it sure is unique, and everyone will know it's not your typical BMW.

Using 42 kilowatt hour of energy per 100 miles, the M60 earns a fair efficiency rating.

Considering base pricing for the xDrive50 starts at $88,095, the step up to the M60 is a significant one at $112,495.

Admittedly, we weren't completely enamored with the original iX; great EV, it was just a little too much off-brand for us.

It still has its quirks; but after injecting a whole lot more BMW into this 2024 BMW iX M60, now that seems much more like it!

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 for trail-rated HEMI muscle, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, followed by the all-new and ever-practical Subaru Forester!

Until then, I'm John Davis.

We'll see you right here on MotorWeek !

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Learn more at AutoValue.Com and BumperToBumper.Com.

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We test tires, then share our results.

We stock over one million tires.

We offer multiple installation options.

We do this because we believe tires matter.

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