2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz get a Refresh

Cool that Hyundai came in 1st and 2nd place at Daytona, but I wonder how long the sport will survive when I see so few people in the stands. Hyundai Wins at Daytona for the First Time in IMSA TCR History - Hyundai Newsroom

Its tastefully done visually on the outside.  My fear was all for nothing as I was envisioning aggressive spoilers and aero body kits.  Although the Lyriq V does have different  body work making it look like its slightly lower to the ground than the standard Lyriq and that extra body work is more sporty in nature, its not aggressive at all.  And the extra body work is very minimal. In fact, nobody would notice the design cues as a sport oriented model let alone a V model.  The V Lyriq just looks like a refreshed model for the new year.  And that is how I prefer the Lyriq V to be styled.   In my neighborhood, Chevrolet Equinox EVs and Lyriqs are ubiquitous.   The Blazer EV slightly less so.  Its too expensive.  The Equinox EV hits the spot at the cheaper end of the Ultium platfrom spectrum while the Lyriq hits the spot and the higher priced spectrum of this platform.   I saw up close and personal at the Montreal auto show, the Optiq, and the Optiq renders the Blazer EV uselessly obsolete. The Optiq has the same shape and silhouette as the Blazer, the interior is more luxurious as its a Cadillac all the while being slightly more expensive than the Blazer rendering the Blazer unneccesary.  I predict the Optiq will also be a sales success going forward while the Blazer not so much.     

This is an intriguing future that KIA is envisioning with the different modules that they propose their PBV vans  be capable of transforming into and modules that be offered to be used.  Pretty impressive thought process and engineering.   I visited the Montreal auto show 2 weekends ago and saw Chevy's Bright Drop and was quite impressed with that family of EV vans, but if KIA succeeds with this idea and gives us this future, Id say this would be a far better design. I also saw VW's ID Buzz up close as well. Sat in the driver's seat, passenger seat up front and back. And although the discussion between a constant whining poster and David was that the VW's ID Buzz's exterior design is cuter, to which Id agree, and the interior is quite nicely done as well, the over all vision is bested by KIA.   VW is relying on nostalgia to succeed. Like how it was discussed byn this very whiny poster.  But...with a subpar EV powertrain to even GM's comparison of let alone Tesla,  and although w Tesla has failed to advance its superiority in EV technology over its competiton, KIA,  if they bring this future to reality, Id say KIA is killing it.  KIA is looking to the future not only to survive, but to take no prisoners and rule the EV world.   Id take future progress over nostalgic mediocrity any day of the week.   And athough Id buy an ID Buzz and proudly drive it even with the subpar EV powertrain as compared to its competiton, because the ID Buzz is that cute and fun to be seen in, its KIA that really desereves my tip of the hat with this concept. Well done KIA!!! 

I didn't know I had this on my computer.  I thought I'd share it. They're all models of the retired QE2.  The order is actually bottom up instead of top down: 1.  As inaugurated, with an open passenger space or sun deck up top behind the mast. 2.  Still wearing its wartime gray, given that the ship was dispatched to the Falklands for the short-lived 1982 war between the UK and Argentina over the islands; also, the open passenger space or sun deck became the first block of 2-story penthouse suites, right behind the bridge. 3.  Returned to its true Cunard scheme, with the black hull, but now additional 2-story penthouse suites have been placed behind the initial ones and practically extending to the funnel; also, the funnel is a lot thicker since the ship was converted to run on diesel-electric power during a major overhaul.  This ship didn't get older ... it got better, and it hardly looked like a 39 year-old vessel at the end of its service life. They didn't have to max out the cabins for sharp pencils in that day, so this is 963 feet (longer than 3 football fields) of ocean liner with sleek yacht-like looks.  This ship was born beautiful.  If life ever takes me to Dubai, I will stay in the harborside hotel into which this ship was converted.  

Very cool that Pizza Bank continues.  When the Seattle Link train finally crosses the lake, I may visit, ride on it, and might check their pizza, which was top notch, as was Pegasus's on the waterfront in Alki. - - - - - I am thoroughly disgusted.  Google Maps plans to relabel the Gulf of Mexico.  Much like Chicago's Sears Tower is still the Sears Tower to me and like Houston's Transco Tower is still the Transco Tower to me, the Gulf of Mexico will continue to be the Gulf of Mexico to me since this is about elitism and imperialism.  A certain individual cannot contain his hatred for that country.  Mexico may not be on my bucket list, but why take away this name, as if they gain that much from it to begin with?  I believe it was once the Gulf of New Spain, which would be okay since it's the gulf for many Spains, in a way.