Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, unrestored 1931 Auburn 8-98 A, Ford hydrogen engine: The Week In Reverse

We drove the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS, Ford patented a hydrogen combustion engine, and Jay Leno drove an unrestored 1931 Auburn 8-98 A. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

Porsche put us behind the wheel of the 718 Cayman GT4 RS on the Streets of Willow circuit in California, and we learned it’s a love letter to mid-engine design. The most extreme 718 to date provides feedback to go with its natural balance and grip. That makes it more approachable than the 911 GT3 and makes any driver better on a racetrack. 

Jay Leno drove a survivor, an unrestored 1931 Auburn 8-98 A sedan. Auburn was a lower-priced brand controlled by E.L. Cord, who also owned Cord and Duesenberg. This car is in original shape, though it may have had a single repaint. It features a 98-hp Lycoming straight-8 engine, and its carburetor required a 17-hour rebuild to get the car running again.

Ford filed a patent with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a hydrogen-powered internal combustion. The engine would run on liquid hydrogen instead of gasoline and produce zero emissions. However, the process to produce liquid hydrogen would create emissions, which may be why BMW didn’t pursue the technology with the 7-Series it introduced in the 2000s.

Chevrolet released a video that gave us a good view of its upcoming battery electric 2024 Equinox that was originally announced in January at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Due to hit the market in 2023, the crossover SUV will be based on GM’s Ultium platform and start around $30,000, making it quite affordable. 

A 1972 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 originally owned by actor Steve McQueen went up for sale on Bring A Trailer. McQueen owned the car from when new to his death in 1980. Powered by a 247-hp 6.3-liter V-8, the sedan was a muscle car of sorts in its day. The car was bid up to $164,000, but failed to sell.