Random Thoughts Thread

[G. David Felt]

IAA Mobility 2023 International Motor Show in Munich, is going on in Germany and BMW and Mercedes launched their new EVs and so we start with BMW.

BMW reinvents itself: The BMW Vision Neue Klasse. (bmwgroup.com)

Have to say that I like the new BMW style, away from the HUGE KIDNEY grill approach.

Mercedes has launched their EQE SUV and Sedan special Edition.

ENGLISH: EQE Sedan and EQE SUV now available as Edition Special models with extensive equipment and attractive price advantage - Mercedes-Benz Media

Mercedes is saying they are the first in moving their next-generation MMA production to a Digital First production process.

Mercedes-Benz pioneers ‘Digital First’ production for next-generation MMA platform - Mercedes-Benz Media

• Production debut: Mercedes-Benz factories in Rastatt (Germany), Kecskemét (Hungary) and Beijing (China) to produce new MMA (Mercedes Modular Architecture) models from the middle of the decade. New production techniques created within the MO360 digital ecosystem
• Ramp-up accelerated: Virtual Ramp-Up of new halls and systems thanks to the use of digital twin of production developed with NVIDIA Omniverse
• Mercedes-Benz Operating System (MB.OS) in production: Continual updating of vehicle software during production via the Mercedes Intelligent Cloud – Rastatt serves as the blueprint
• Data democratization: Production employees use ChatGPT for data processing with the MO360 Data Platform
• Artificial intelligence (AI): Improves efficiency in paint shops: Rastatt plant achieves energy savings of 20 % in the energy-intensive topcoat process

[G. David Felt]

Very cool

C8 Corvette Z06 Drag Races Manual 1,000-HP Cadillac CT5-V Blacking, Someone Gets Schooled - autoevolution

 

[ccap41]

On 9/18/2023 at 8:12 AM, A Horse With No Name said:

For a guy who hated Ford 4 years ago, I have come a long way. 

 

Well, the idea is being executed in the Ranger. 28 miles of expected EV-only range seems pretty awesome. 

https://www.motortrend.com/news/global-phev-ford-ranger-photos-details/

 

[G. David Felt]

Gotta Love this.

Cadillac Buyers Are Getting Younger (gmauthority.com)

[trinacriabob]

Random pissed off thought:

I've seen this road maneuver a fair bit lately.

The traffic at an intersection will slow down and some people rightfully choose to go into the dedicated left turn pocket as they crawl up to it and the striping allows them to get in.

A few people who see this up ahead decide to get into the yellow zone between the broken yellow lines and make a beeline for the dedicated left turn pocket.  Some of them are cruising along at a higher rate of speed than the adjacent traffic that's crawling.  These people are big time a-holes.

So, then, if an incident were to occur, are both at fault because the driver who zoomed in through the broken yellow lines didn't follow the rules and the driver who got into the left turn pocket right where the striping allows it may not have been exercising enough vigilance?  A sad situation.  Keep your eyes peeled for these inconsiderate morons.

[oldshurst442]

6 hours ago, David said:

IAA Mobility 2023 International Motor Show in Munich, is going on in Germany and BMW and Mercedes launched their new EVs and so we start with BMW.

BMW reinvents itself: The BMW Vision Neue Klasse. (bmwgroup.com)

Have to say that I like the new BMW style, away from the HUGE KIDNEY grill approach.

 

BMW new styling?

 

I SWEARI have since that face before!!!

Oh yeah....    About a decade ago

 

Toyotas and BMWs

    

 

translation:

I am not a fan.   

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

18 hours ago, David said:

Gotta Love this.

Cadillac Buyers Are Getting Younger (gmauthority.com)

Corvette buyers also much younger and more affluent with C8 also.  And lots of older European sports cars getting traded in on C8's. GM is headed in the right direction. 

Neat GTO

 

 

Hydrogen

 

My favorite female athlete. She runs with so much heart!

 

 

Rational video on repairing damaged drag cars. While I will never seriously drag race, I am enjoying learning about how drag cars are built.

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

18 hours ago, David said:

Very cool

C8 Corvette Z06 Drag Races Manual 1,000-HP Cadillac CT5-V Blacking, Someone Gets Schooled - autoevolution

 

Hell yeah! My kind of content. 

18 hours ago, ccap41 said:

 

Well, the idea is being executed in the Ranger. 28 miles of expected EV-only range seems pretty awesome. 

https://www.motortrend.com/news/global-phev-ford-ranger-photos-details/

 

I could rock that. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Interesting 240 EV project...

 

 

At the other end of the spectrum:

 

 

[G. David Felt]

@oldshurst442

New BMW Style Concept

Current 2023 M3 Style

Current 2023 7 series

Which one you like better?

[Robert Hall]

The concept is definitely an improvement over the overwrought grilles.. not sure about the lighting..maybe quad round lights paired with the smaller grille would be better.. 

[A Horse With No Name]

This looks great in Yellow. Why can we not have colors on cars any more?

 

36 minutes ago, David said:

@oldshurst442

New BMW Style Concept

Current 2023 M3 Style

Current 2023 7 series

Which one you like better?

Could I please crawl buck naked through broken glass to avoid all three please?

Vintage Buick so I can refocus my mind after that horrible BMW

 

This just has the look...

 

68 Charger!

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Funky

 

 

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

 

Used car buyers pushed into older vehicles due to rising costs

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/used-car-buyers-pushed-older-170400050.html

[A Horse With No Name]

12 minutes ago, NINETY EIGHT REGENCY said:

 

Used car buyers pushed into older vehicles due to rising costs

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/used-car-buyers-pushed-older-170400050.html

Absolutely. And the market is getting more irrational all of the time. 

[oldshurst442]

9 hours ago, David said:

@oldshurst442

New BMW Style Concept

Current 2023 M3 Style

Current 2023 7 series

Which one you like better?

 

 

I kinda have seen that face too.  

 

Like Toyota sometimes, BMW also sometimes uses other brands' design language to  establish an image. 

 I understand that the twin kidney grill design language also belongs to BMW, but I find it quite ironic that BMW seems to get inspired by lowly Pontiac sometimes...     Plenty of occasions that last 15 years or so this has happened.    Also,  the new look kidneys take inspiration from the lowly-ier Fisker Karma.   Maybe it's an hommage to  Henrik Fisker.  He did design the Z8.  

But...the 1970 Catalina was also considered ugly back in the day.  Why did BMW think it would be a great idea to emulate that look 50 years later???   

I like the Pontiac huge twin grills.  I dont really mind the BMWs version quite honestly.   On the cars.  NOT on the CUVs.   

Which one I prefer you asked? 

 

THIS!!! 

 

I dont necessarily want BMW to go back to the small kidneys of decades prior.  I think this size is big enough and demands attention and respect BECAUSE one KNOWS its a BMW.  BMWs do have brand cachet.  No need to OVERexpose.   No need to overstyle and risk of taking a page out of somebody else's playbook.    Big grills are NOT what BMWs are all about.  Big grills only acknowledge the stereotype of BMW's douchbag drivers.  There are plenty of other aspects to BMWs than just shytty owners.   BMWs are supposed to be cars that dance around corners.  Big grills look like the car stumbles over its own feet.  Is it THAT image that BMWs want to shoot for?    Former Pontiac and current Dodge cars and their owners???!!!   

Edited September 21, 2023 by oldshurst442

[surreal1272]

Tesla fans: "Tesla will sell 20 million cars by "X" year because the make the best EVs and have the best battery tech."

 

Meanwhile at Tesla:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tesla-lands-hot-water-report-100000724.html

[ccap41]

2 hours ago, surreal1272 said:

Tesla fans: "Tesla will sell 20 million cars by "X" year because the make the best EVs and have the best battery tech."

 

Meanwhile at Tesla:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/tesla-lands-hot-water-report-100000724.html

The fact they created a "diversion team" for this is what sours me more than anything else. I get that there will be fluctuations and every manufacturer will push their advertised number as much as possible...for advertising... but creating a team to deliberately fck with people (basically) is what's infuriating here, IMO. It isn't as bad as what VW did but it feels pretty close. 

[G. David Felt]

Very interesting read.

https://www.topspeed.com/chevy-equinox-ev-vs-toyota-bz4x/

[A Horse With No Name]

The old days before CGI were so much better. 

 

I like the 70's Pontiacs infinitely better than the modern BMW's. 

[oldshurst442]

On 9/22/2023 at 1:21 PM, ccap41 said:

The fact they created a "diversion team" for this is what sours me more than anything else. I get that there will be fluctuations and every manufacturer will push their advertised number as much as possible...for advertising... but creating a team to deliberately fck with people (basically) is what's infuriating here, IMO. It isn't as bad as what VW did but it feels pretty close. 

Its just as bad as VW with their diesel scandal.  What makes the VW thing a tad less sinful is that several automakers cheated with clean diesel.  Doesnt make VW or any other less culpable, its just that it was a wde spread cheating scandal amongst many.  And everybody knew that diesels would NEVER EVER pass those emissions ratings unless software tweaking was involved. 

Tesla may be the only one to cheat with this in the EV world.  Not more culpable, but if Tesla is the only one, this scandal adds to desperation as well...    As in when VW was passing emissions tests when they were not supposed to, Mercedes and others knew EXACTLY the reasons why these tests were in the clear as they were doing the same type of cheating...   In Tesla's case, especially when all other OEM EVs dont match Tesla's ratings, it seems to me that they are legit readings.  Tesla cheated to oversell their technology and are probably a but frazzled right now when GM's and Hyundai''s current tech and Lucid and Rivian are actually legit and perhaps surpassing their numbers... 

Edited September 26, 2023 by oldshurst442

[oldshurst442]

1 hour ago, A Horse With No Name said:

The old days before CGI were so much better. 

 

I like the 70's Pontiacs infinitely better than the modern BMW's. 

 

I prefer  Daniel Craig as James Bond.  I prefer his movies over the others too.  Timothy Dalton comes in at #2 as James Bond, but his movies are just as corny as the Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies but the Connery and Moore Bond movies ARE fantastically fabulously great.  Love them.  Just prefer the Daniel Craig era of James Bond movie telling.  Dalton Bond movies are #3 position.    Sean Connery as James Bond is #3 and Moore #4.  

Never liked Pierce Brosnan as James Bond nor the movies.  I like Pierce Brosnan as an actor but at least for me, I dont view him as a suave spy guy.   He doesnt sell it well enough.  

I like Dalton because as I sees it, Timothy Daton's Bond was at the start of trying to get the character as close to the novels as possible.  The precursor to the eventual Daniel Craig Bond.   But then again, it was probably the director's fault for misdirecting Brosnan and Dalton to look and act so wooden.  I guess they wanted to evetually go the Daniel Craig way but didnt know how to ease into it.  

 

As far as CGI goes.  It depends how one uses CGI.  Jurassic Park from the 1990s was greatly done.   Heck, Terminator 2 looks fantastic today as well.  Still hold ups.  But over the top scenes with over the top CGI to go with it with all things living or non-living being CGI other than an actor or two in front of a green screen does suck big time.  

 

Without professing my love for Pontiac, let me remind people yet again that I HATE BMW.  More NOW than ever because now, they produce CUVs. TONS of them. Makes me miss the shytty econobox E30.  Makes me want to create a shrine for said E30.  Which would be the last phoquing thing I ever want to do. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Bad luck...

 

 

Thoughtful video on dating single moms...could I be any more random today?

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

I love splitting wood with an axe and working with an axe. 

 

Good basic video on the Axe.

 

 

High speed rail IS the future of transport. 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

Oops.

 

 

 

[A Horse With No Name]

The trans am literally had pizza boxes backing bondo in the quarter panels. It was a rusted out mess. 

[A Horse With No Name]

Last thing for today. A feel good video. 

 

 

[G. David Felt]

2 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Last thing for today. A feel good video. 

 

 

The lady in the blue shorts and sports bra is really getting into it.

[Robert Hall]

On 9/26/2023 at 2:31 PM, oldshurst442 said:

 

I prefer  Daniel Craig as James Bond.  I prefer his movies over the others too.  Timothy Dalton comes in at #2 as James Bond, but his movies are just as corny as the Sean Connery and Roger Moore movies but the Connery and Moore Bond movies ARE fantastically fabulously great.  Love them.  Just prefer the Daniel Craig era of James Bond movie telling.  Dalton Bond movies are #3 position.    Sean Connery as James Bond is #3 and Moore #4.  

Never liked Pierce Brosnan as James Bond nor the movies.  I like Pierce Brosnan as an actor but at least for me, I dont view him as a suave spy guy.   He doesnt sell it well enough.  

I like Dalton because as I sees it, Timothy Daton's Bond was at the start of trying to get the character as close to the novels as possible.  The precursor to the eventual Daniel Craig Bond.   But then again, it was probably the director's fault for misdirecting Brosnan and Dalton to look and act so wooden.  I guess they wanted to evetually go the Daniel Craig way but didnt know how to ease into it.  

As far as CGI goes.  It depends how one uses CGI.  Jurassic Park from the 1990s was greatly done.   Heck, Terminator 2 looks fantastic today as well.  Still hold ups.  But over the top scenes with over the top CGI to go with it with all things living or non-living being CGI other than an actor or two in front of a green screen does suck big time.  

 

I like the Brosnan movies... I like some of the Craig movies... the last one was weak and way too long, and didn't like the ending...Sceptre seemed a repeat of past formula.  Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Skyfall are all quite good, IMO.   I never really liked Craig in that role, rather taciturn and no wit or bit of humor that past Bond incarnations had.   For a modern Bond, I'd rather have seen Clive Owen, maybe James Purefoy or Dougray Scott (a Scotsman like Connery) in the role..    For modern Bond-ish films, I've really liked Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible films (even w/ their BMWs). 

I liked the first Timothy Dalton Bond movie over the 2nd one. 

George Lazenby was very wooden as a Bond (his first acting role, he had been a hand model in Australia), but his one outing was a fun movie w/ great Swiss Alps scenery, a gorgeous '69 Cougar convertible and Diana Rigg..I grew up on the Sean Connery and Roger Moore films, so love most of them (though Moonraker was too absurd).  

As far as CGI, CGI can't make up for a weak story..which seems to happen all too often today.  Terminator 2 holds up really well, IMO..it had a good story and great pacing, suspense and cinematography...still remember enjoying in the theatre back in the day. 

For good recent movies w/ little or no CGI, I watched a drama the other evening I hadn't heard of called 'City of Lies'... Johnny Depp and Laurence Fishburne were excellent, a drama about the aftermath of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur's murders and the LAPD investigation and Death Row records... interesting reality-based story..

[oldshurst442]

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

the last one was weak and way too long, and didn't like the ending

I havent seen the last one just yet.  My kids arent into James Bond so Im waiting for a day or night when Im alone to enjoy it.  Id rather watch or do something together that all of us could enjoy.  James Bond amongst some other movies of the like, Superbowls, Stanley Cup Finals and World Series is more of a solo thing for me.     

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

For a modern Bond, I'd rather have seen Clive Owen, maybe James Purefoy or Dougray Scott

 I could  see Clive Owen but especially Dougray Scott in that role now that you mentioned it. He was a baddie in one of the Mission Impossibl movies as well!    I havent seen James Purefoy.  I googled him for his movies and havent seen ANY.   Yeah...I wasnt into Knight's Tale back in the day.   Although I did see Churchill...

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

 For modern Bond-ish films, I've really liked Tom Cruise's Mission Impossible films

Me too.  Enjoy them immensley.   I havent seen the last Mission Impossible either.  For the same reasons as James Bond... 

 

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

(even w/ their BMWs). 

LOVE the sarcasm.   Pierce Brosnan also had Bimmers as his choice of ride.   LOVE the Z8!!!   HATED the 7 Series of that era.  HATE most generations of 7 Series.

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

George Lazenby was very wooden as a Bond

Never saw that one.  

 

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

As far as CGI, CGI can't make up for a weak story..which seems to happen all too often today.

100%

39 minutes ago, Robert Hall said:

For good recent movies w/ little or no CGI, I watched a drama the other evening I hadn't heard of called 'City of Lies'... Johnny Depp and Laurence Fishburne were excellent, a drama about the aftermath of Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur's murders and the LAPD investigation and Death Row records... interesting reality-based story..

+1

Edited September 27, 2023 by oldshurst442

[trinacriabob]

The 007 discussion should all go back to "the industry" trying to figure out how Ian Fleming envisioned the James Bond character.  There has been way too much variability in who they've cast to play 007.

Sean Connery (RIP) seemed to own the franchise and every subsequent actor was compared to him for a long while.  

To me, Lazenby wasn't that much more wooden than the others that played the part.  I once read that he became high maintenance (it went to his head) and they did not cast him again.  @Robert Hall mentions some of the interesting aspects of OHMSS, but let's not forget to add Irma Bunt, one of the funniest villain(esse)s in a 007 flick, though she was probably not funny to those in her context.  To North American audiences, she was a hoot.   I believe this was the first major motion picture she did in English.  

Roger Moore delivered on the sarcasm and sense of humor, but the movies he was in were hit and miss.  Thumbs up to "Live and Let Die,""For Your Eyes Only," and "A View to a Kill" ... and thumbs down to "Moonraker" and "Octopussy."  What an introduction in "Live and Let Die," where he goes to New York, hails a cab, and tells the driver, "Uptown, please," to which the driver says, "Uptown?  We headed into Harlem, man!"  My friends and I knew a lot of lines from these movies.  

I'm going to say okay to Dalton and Brosnan.  I liked the opening chase sequence on the Thames in London in "The World is Not Enough" a lot.  I just checked Wiki and Daniel Craig has had the role in the films released between 2006 and 2021.  They're getting stupid with the political correctness in who they should be casting for the next movie.  K.I.S.S. (keep it simple, stupid) and figure out who Ian Fleming was writing about.

[trinacriabob]

My real random thought:

Here's one where you learn something new every day.  I learned this yesterday.  Long Island, NY contains 7 million residents.  Long Island is almost as long as the distance between Los Angeles and San Diego.  With 7 million residents, it holds about 1/3 of the population of the entire state of New York.

This requires dismantling these numbers a little bit.  Brooklyn and Queens are technically on the western edge of Long Island, but are never considered Long Island by people because they are across the river from Manhattan and the Bronx, are boroughs of NYC, and, together, they have 4 million inhabitants.  Once you cross the line from Queens into Nassau County, you are into what is meant by Long Island.  Nassau and Suffolk Counties are huge, have a lot of breathing room, and, across almost 100 miles, only have a population of 3 million.  

Capisce?

- - - - -

A sad homepage statistic read within the last hour or so:

California holds about 1/3 of the homeless population in the U.S.

- - - - -

BTW, greetings from Long Island, NY

 

[oldshurst442]

33 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

California holds about 1/3 of the homeless population in the U.S.

If I was homeless and not living in California, Id find myself a way to GET to California.  No better place, weather wise, to be homeless than in California.  Make the best out of a very dire situation.  Need to take a bath?  The Pacific is just right there.  Salt water is better than no water.  Need to go to the bathroom?  The Pacific is just right there. Salt water is better than no toilet paper  And the benefit with that is that salt water actually cleanses the pee pee and the bum bum just right. 

 No need to worry about inclimate weather in the extreme cold category.  The sun during the summer might be unbearable, but there are trees around for shade I presume.  During the rainy season, THAT would be not good, and in some parts of LA there are mud slides, so there is that.  But places like Mawn-treeawl or Deee-troy-it, rain and mud is infinitely better than frost bitten winds and snow and ice for half a year. 

I have compiled lots of words to say so little about a very sad reality.  Not funny, but I am being serious.  

48 minutes ago, trinacriabob said:

BTW, greetings from Long Island, NY

Greetings from Montreal, just a few miles away to the North.  

Cheers to ya with a Long Island iced Tea! 

[Robert Hall]

15 hours ago, trinacriabob said:

 

- - - - -

BTW, greetings from Long Island, NY

 

I've never been to Long Island (except in JFK airport changing planes when crossing the pond), but my maternal grandmother (who was estranged from my mother) lived in Port Washington, NY on Long Island the last 30 or so years of her life (she passed in 1980).  And coincidentally, my family farm was outside of Port Washington, Ohio.. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Robert Hall

[G. David Felt]

This is too funny, never seen a Mach-e Hearst till now and that is crazy looking, reminds me of the Munsters.

Photo of ‘menacingly’ unusual car at charging station sparks debate online: ‘I wouldn't be caught dead in that!’ (thecooldown.com)

[A Horse With No Name]

Does anyone else think "Corn Stars" is an odd name for a female wrestling team from the midwest...?

 

On the other hand, these kids get into it. 

 

From Corn to Korn, another amazing young lady. 

 

 

[oldshurst442]

@ccap41

 

 

 

[oldshurst442]

9 hours ago, A Horse With No Name said:

Does anyone else think "Corn Stars" is an odd name for a female wrestling team from the midwest...?

 

On the other hand, these kids get into it. 

 

meh...

Ive heard that wrastlin' is fake...

 

 

 

[oldshurst442]

10 hours ago, David said:

This is too funny, never seen a Mach-e Hearst till now and that is crazy looking, reminds me of the Munsters.

Photo of ‘menacingly’ unusual car at charging station sparks debate online: ‘I wouldn't be caught dead in that!’ (thecooldown.com)

 

I aint  brand snob or anything, but for MY final ride only Lincoln or Cadillac will do.   

[ccap41]

On 9/29/2023 at 11:39 PM, oldshurst442 said:

@ccap41

 

 

 

Thanks, Olds! 

[G. David Felt]

1 hour ago, ccap41 said:

Thanks, Olds! 

Belated Happy Birthday CCAP41! I hope you had a great day.

[ccap41]

26 minutes ago, David said:

Belated Happy Birthday CCAP41! I hope you had a great day.

Thanks! 

it was a good one. My uncle, aunt, and cousin were in town from LA because my cousin may be attending a university in the area and he had a shooting competition at the school. So, I got to see some family that I don't get to see too often, so that was pretty cool .

[G. David Felt]

See more and more stories on the upcoming Chevrolet EV Pickup, I hope @Drew Dowdell can get his hands on a week testing of the truck for a full review. That would be so cool.

Here's Why The Chevrolet Silverado EV Is A Gamechanger (topspeed.com)

[ccap41]

@oldshurst442, They did it! Andretti got approval from the FIA for their F1 GM/Cadillac team. 

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/38548308/andretti-wins-fia-approval-bid-enter-f1-11th-team

As I've mentioned before, I'm not stoked AT ALL about them using a Nissan power unit but, if that's what's necessary to get their foot in the door, then so be it. 

[oldshurst442]

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

@oldshurst442, They did it! Andretti got approval from the FIA for their F1 GM/Cadillac team. 

https://www.espn.com/f1/story/_/id/38548308/andretti-wins-fia-approval-bid-enter-f1-11th-team

As I've mentioned before, I'm not stoked AT ALL about them using a Nissan power unit but, if that's what's necessary to get their foot in the door, then so be it. 

 

We have discussed this on the power units and we both have the same sentiment about Cadillac using Alpine engines.  We differ on what auto group to call them.  Nissan...   I wont go Nissan.  I barely want to go Renault.  Id rather use Apine.   Yeah...Alpine sounds better.   And this would be the main reason why it sucks for Cadillac to be using a power unit OTHER than their own...

But yeah.  They are IN!!!   2 years, right?  On using Alpine units.   Hopefully Cadillac and Andretti dont fudge that up and learn the ins and outs of F1 racing and when the Alpine deal is done, they DOMINATE from the get go.  Because I WILL be holding the Andretti/Cadillac team to HIGHER standards JUST because they would prefer to use  another engine builder's units...  Id be willing to cut them some slack if they used their own.  NOT this way.   Just to be clear though, if the Andretti/cadillac team loses because of driving talent rather than power unit failure, I will be more forgiving.  BUT...if after the 2 years is up and the Andretti/Cadillac cars lack in performance and reliability, I WILL call then out on it. 

[oldshurst442]

8 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Thanks! 

it was a good one. My uncle, aunt, and cousin were in town from LA because my cousin may be attending a university in the area and he had a shooting competition at the school. So, I got to see some family that I don't get to see too often, so that was pretty cool .

That was a nice gift. Family is always good to see.    

Hopefully the wifey got you something (click sound) real niiice that you'll remember.  Wink Wink

[ccap41]

13 hours ago, oldshurst442 said:

 

We have discussed this on the power units and we both have the same sentiment about Cadillac using Alpine engines.  We differ on what auto group to call them.  Nissan...   I wont go Nissan.  I barely want to go Renault.  Id rather use Apine.   Yeah...Alpine sounds better.   And this would be the main reason why it sucks for Cadillac to be using a power unit OTHER than their own...

But yeah.  They are IN!!!   2 years, right?  On using Alpine units.   Hopefully Cadillac and Andretti dont fudge that up and learn the ins and outs of F1 racing and when the Alpine deal is done, they DOMINATE from the get go.  Because I WILL be holding the Andretti/Cadillac team to HIGHER standards JUST because they would prefer to use  another engine builder's units...  Id be willing to cut them some slack if they used their own.  NOT this way.   Just to be clear though, if the Andretti/cadillac team loses because of driving talent rather than power unit failure, I will be more forgiving.  BUT...if after the 2 years is up and the Andretti/Cadillac cars lack in performance and reliability, I WILL call then out on it. 

Haha I just like to say Nissan because... I hate Nissan... Haha

I would wager good money that they're using Alpine as a supplier because they're so far behind on the new 2026 power units. It's 2026, by the way, when they'll enter F1. It's 2026 because there are all new power unit regulations and a lot more electrification, along with a lower money spending cap, so it's more financially feasible for new/smaller teams to compete with the Mercedes, Red Bulls, and Ferraris of the sport. 

Here's a little list of the power unit changes;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.more-efficient-less-fuel-and-carbon-net-zero-7-things-you-need-to-know-about.ZhtzvU3cPCv8QO7jtFxQR.html

 

There's also more news on Audi joining F1. They'll be a power unit supplier for Sauber(who's currently running as Alfa Romeo). This will also be a 2026 change and it sounds like the same thing Ford will be doing for Red Bull Racing. 

So in 2026 we will see Ford, Cadillac, and Audi all enter F1 and I'm freakin stoked about that! 

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-sauber-to-become-audi-works-f1-team-from-2026.6EMJQ2LlvshgpCXdCR9xJl.html

 

Oh, I also think it's really cool that Cadillac has made it a requirement to have at least one American driver. That was part of them getting allowed into F1. I assume it's to help continue their US expansion and ratings. 

[G. David Felt]

@oldshurst442 @ccap41 Lets just call them Datsun!  

2 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Haha I just like to say Nissan because... I hate Nissan... Haha

I would wager good money that they're using Alpine as a supplier because they're so far behind on the new 2026 power units. It's 2026, by the way, when they'll enter F1. It's 2026 because there are all new power unit regulations and a lot more electrification, along with a lower money spending cap, so it's more financially feasible for new/smaller teams to compete with the Mercedes, Red Bulls, and Ferraris of the sport. 

Here's a little list of the power unit changes;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.more-efficient-less-fuel-and-carbon-net-zero-7-things-you-need-to-know-about.ZhtzvU3cPCv8QO7jtFxQR.html

 

There's also more news on Audi joining F1. They'll be a power unit supplier for Sauber(who's currently running as Alfa Romeo). This will also be a 2026 change and it sounds like the same thing Ford will be doing for Red Bull Racing. 

So in 2026 we will see Ford, Cadillac, and Audi all enter F1 and I'm freakin stoked about that! 

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article.breaking-sauber-to-become-audi-works-f1-team-from-2026.6EMJQ2LlvshgpCXdCR9xJl.html

 

Oh, I also think it's really cool that Cadillac has made it a requirement to have at least one American driver. That was part of them getting allowed into F1. I assume it's to help continue their US expansion and ratings. 

Thank you for posting this, great info on the engine. Interesting about the freedom to develop the electrical system. In this regard, I wonder how much of the Ultium electrical system might make it into the Cadillac racing auto since they have the freedom if I am understanding it to use their engineering knowledge to power the team to wins. 

This will favor those companies who are ahead on the EV front in applying it to Hybrid applications.

[ccap41]

6 minutes ago, David said:

@oldshurst442 @ccap41 Lets just call them Datsun!  

Thank you for posting this, great info on the engine. Interesting about the freedom to develop the electrical system. In this regard, I wonder how much of the Ultium electrical system might make it into the Cadillac racing auto since they have the freedom if I am understanding it to use their engineering knowledge to power the team to wins. 

This will favor those companies who are ahead on the EV front in applying it to Hybrid applications.

Hahaha Datsun works!

Uhhhh I'd say none of it at first, Ultium. Until they take over the power unit from Alpine(Datsun!), there won't be any Ultium in there. Once, or if, they take the power unit control in-house, then it'd be an Ultium powered unit. 

The reason, at least how I see it, is because Alpine will still making their own power unit for their own cars. They won't want one power unit they're producing to have their electrical system and then one to have a GM electrical system. That would add unnecessary complexity to the R&D of the all-new power unit and it would likely make both units worse because there is a cost cap for the teams and this would, undoubtedly, increase the spending. 

After trying to look into the cost cap regulations, the engine cost cap are different and I can't find the specific regulations regarding how the engines cost against the cap.

"

What comes under the F1 cost cap?

Any expenditure related to car – but not engines – performance is relevant for the cost cap. This includes:

• All parts on the car (from the steering wheel to the wheel nuts)
• All the elements needed to run the car
• Most of the team personnel
• Garage equipment
• Spares
• Transport costs
• Everything in between

The biggest area of focus is car development costs, with teams having a weigh up what is developed, how much is spent on each part which is manufactured and how many of the parts are needed and can be afforded without overspending.

What doesn’t come under the F1 cost cap?

There are several big-ticket things that aren’t covered by the cost cap, including:

• Driver salaries
• The wages of the three highest-paid staff members
• Travel costs
• Marketing spend
• Property and legal costs
• Entry and licence fees
• Any non-F1 or road car activities
• Parental and sick leave payments
• Employee bonuses and staff medical benefits

Engines – which are more complex because some teams make their own while others buy them – are covered by their own set of cost regulations."

https://us.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-cost-cap-what-is-it-how-it-works/10379800/

 

[oldshurst442]

12 hours ago, ccap41 said:

So in 2026 we will see Ford, Cadillac, and Audi all enter F1 and I'm freakin stoked about that! 

Me too.  Especially for GM and Ford. 

 

12 hours ago, ccap41 said:

Oh, I also think it's really cool that Cadillac has made it a requirement to have at least one American driver. That was part of them getting allowed into F1. I assume it's to help continue their US expansion and ratings. 

 I think its a 'no shyte Sherlock' decision to have an Amercian driver.  I am expecting American drivers.  Im also wanting them to be beasts and therefore  worlds best to kick some Eurotrash ass.   And If you look at Corvette Racing, there was always at least one American driver on the team so not only feasible to have a world beater American driver, but expected as the Corvette Team HAS had MANY Americans driving and winning.  OK...quickly on top of my head, Garcia, Gavin and Magnussen were NOT American, and Fellows as a Canadian,  WERE the cream of the top and gave Corvettes the checkered flag, but with the same breath,  O'Connel, Taylor and Milner, 'Mericans, were just as great as the other guys I mentioned.    So yeah...COOL.  

Too bad Jacques Villeneuve maybe to old to drive for Cadillac.   Then I would have REALLY been excited.  

Im sure Andretti Racing will assemble a great racing team regarding pilots. American or otherwise.