G. David Felt

WTF, who made this? Is that a Buick badge on the back, the picture is not clear enough to tell. Interesting as a concept, but I cannot imagine it was a good idea to actually go into production. The Riviera was a way better way to go IMHO. I agree, I also hate that people especially Prius drivers think it is the right thing to do in getting into the far left lane and drive 20 mph under and then when flashed they sit there not moving over to the right. Driving is a privilege earned, not a right. Cannot read, write or speak English, you do not get to take a driving test in another language and drive. Hello, while we have never as a country in the U.S.A made English our official language, it should be done and driving should only be allowed for those that can read, write and speak English. After all it is important to speak with Law, Medical and Fire if in an accident, not to mention just basic reading of road signs and basic comprehension of state driving laws.

I am liking this rendition of a Modern Day Syclone! https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmPXIs7gOY4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link The Return Of The GMC Syclone Puts Modern American Pickups To Shame (msn.com)

Seems Tesla is in deep trouble with it's shareholders, Musk sold more stock to fund Twitter and the stock is off 61% from the start of January. Top 3 major shareholders want a full time CEO to take over Tesla. Now Tesla has lost the speed Crown to Lucid Sapphire.

This late fall as we get close to the first day of winter has brought out all the crazy cooks as Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Mitsubishi drivers seem to not like turning on their lights in late day fading daylight driving and worse yet, the lack of turn signal usage. I have yet to figure out what makes a person think you can read their mind when making a left turn without any signal on. I have also replaced the BMW jerks as being upped one by Tesla Drivers. Nissan Leaf and Toyota Prius are the 20 mph below posted speed in the far-left lane and now Tesla drivers have replaced the jerk BMW drivers for their aggressive driving and using the HOL lane to pass others in.

? The stickers on this Mercedes are so contradictory! Yes, I did notice that. Figure it must be an older guy, bit also wondered why no handicap tag.

Running to Costco and saw this rate ride.

Ran to Fred Meyers to get some eggs and other stuff. Walking up saw this beauty, shifter on the dashboard.

Good News - Welcome back @knightfan26917 you are missed Bad News - Briefly, REALLY??????????? ?

Schmooze

WOW, and people complained about American autos in the 90's that had 30,000-mile maintenance that had to be done. Yet here Honda in the 2000's has the same crap. WOW.

1967 was a magical year for Ford Motor Co and their desire to dominate the 24hrs Lemans. Fords desire to dominate the 24 after being snubbed by Ferrari led to the ultimate auto competition. One that has gone down in history as the biggest loss for Ferrari, the biggest win for Ford Motor Co. From the onset, the attention to detail was exceptional for Team Ford. All this work ended up in producing a race car that has stuck in the dreams of many gearheads. The Ford GT Mk IV race car. Today we introduce you to the 2023 Ford GT Mk IV track-only model. Ford GT's highest-level of performance, handling and advanced technology due to the unique custom engine, transmission, aerodynamic design and chassis with longer wheelbase. Ford has learned so much since 1967 and with that, this 2023 Ford GT Mk IV features a specially engineered twin-turbo EcoBoost engine targeting more than 800 horsepower, race transmission, carbon fiber "long tail" body, plus Multimatic's Adaptive Spool Valve (ASV) suspension. This race car is now available to order, production will be limited to 67 hand-built supercars, a number to honor the original 1967 GT Mk IV race car. To quote the Ford Press Release: The new Ford GT Mk IV nods to the year that the original Mk IV won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, with just 67 of the hand-built supercars to be produced at Multimatic’s facility in Markham, Ontario. A new client application process (https://www.ford.com/performance/gt/mk-iv/) will begin for this $1.7M supercar (starting MSRP), with client selections confirmed in the first-quarter of 2023. Deliveries will begin in late spring 2023. As a race car that was built to dominate the global endurance race circuit of 1967, todays 2023 version is built to do the same. To quote Mark Ruchbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports: “The original GT Mk IV held nothing back for max track performance, and the new Ford GT Mk IV brings it in the same way,” “With an even higher-level of motorsport engineering and performance, plus a completely new carbon fiber body that is functional and striking, the Mk IV is the ultimate sendoff of the third-generation supercar.” View full article

OUCH, talk about a big mess for these auto companies. U.S. agency opens safety probes into Honda, Jeep, Ram vehicles | Reuters QUOTE: The largest probe covers reports alleging a loss of power for more than 1.7 million U.S. 2018-2022 model year Honda CR-V and HR-V vehicles. Those reports said some drivers lost power at highway speeds without warning and some reported differential seal leaks resulting in rear differential lock-up as the cause. Some reports allege the rear lock-up caused the driveshaft to fracture while the vehicle was in motion resulting in the vehicle being towed.

WOW, Toyota is being avoided by their own public in Japan on EVs as unreliable. Deals are being made to just try and move what they are making now after the recall and Toyota is thinking of rebooting again their EV program. Writing is on the wall, Toyota will burn through cash to catch up to Tesla, and even then, I doubt they will be a leader as others are so far ahead of them now. Toyota slashes leasing fee for troubled EV to boost orders | The Japan Times

I am totally on board with this as I want to test drive and test fit myself in the auto and then without any pressure go home, review my choices and order up when I am ready. I see no problem with waiting to get my new auto and then trading in or selling myself my old one.

Be interesting to see what Boeing replaces the 747 with as their new focused freight plane.

Very cool, 2/3rds of Ford Dealerships want set pricing and have signed to invest the million dollars plus investment to be an EV dealership with demo auto's but everything built to order. Very different than current Ford ICE sales. Ford CEO wants to end haggling for electric cars — and two-thirds of dealers agree (msn.com)

Seems leading up to the big RAM EV Reveal at CES 2023.

I really like this electric station wagon. Hopefully Dodge does get it.

Seems Lordstown got a lifeline in the form of $170 Million to fund ongoing work plus build a new EV for FoxConn. Lordstown Motors and Foxconn Broaden Strategic Partnership | Lordstown Motors Corp.

@oldshurst442 @ccap41 Thought you guys would enjoy this. I am sadly not able to get the full press release from the GM China site, but have this on the first all-electric car for Chevrolet that will be out in 2025 for China. Chevy FNR-XE electric sedan concept takes Ultium to cars (greencarreports.com) General Motors Accelerates Rollout of Electric and Intelligent Connected Vehicles in China (gm.com) GM China Tech Day 2022 last week showed off the near production ready Chevrolet FNR-XE electric sedan built on the Ultium platform. I think it would sell well here in North America too.

Shorter length of the truck itself. No difference in hauling, but in America truckers do not seem to like tilting the cab forward to access the engine and work on it. This is why the Conventional is so popular here compared to the cab overs. The TV show BJ and the Bear was a Cabover Kenworth.

I found AGM batteries especially in cold weather to be superior for starting capabilities. I have them in all my auto's and love the added performance. AGM batteries are different from traditional, flooded lead-acid batteries. The batteries in a car need to provide powerful bursts of starting amps when the ignition switch is turned on. AGM batteries can provide high energy output and maintain that output for a longer period of time. They can be used to power electronics for an extended period of time, unlike the traditional flooded lead-acid battery that provides a short burst of energy. They are maintenance-free, they last longer, they provide more power, and they are safer. There are many factors to consider when choosing between lead-acid and AGM batteries. AGM batteries The batteries that you see in your car are called AGM batteries. They are absorbent glass mat (AGM) batteries. AGM batteries were invented in the 1950s by a Japanese inventor named Masaru Ibuki. He had developed a battery that was very different from traditional flooded batteries. AGM batteries are also known as sealed-lead batteries. These batteries were safer, more powerful, and they did not require constant maintenance. Now, these batteries are in demand around the world. AGM batteries are now found in many vehicles, such as motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts, boats, and even spacecraft. For starters, AGM batteries are easy to charge and maintain, as they don’t require any maintenance. There are two types of AGM batteries: AGM batteries with Lithium-ion cells, and AGM batteries with Nickel Metal Hydride cells. Advantages of AGM battery If you are looking for an alternative to standard 12-volt batteries, then you should buy AGM batteries. There are many advantages of using AGM batteries: They are maintenance-free. You won’t have to worry about charging or replacing your battery. You can keep your car or truck running all the time. You will be able to save money. It is cheaper to buy AGM batteries than to purchase conventional batteries. AGM batteries will not harm the environment. They do not pollute the air. AGM batteries can be used for longer periods of time. You can keep your car or truck running for hours on end. You may want to use them to start your car. You can make it easy to charge your AGM batteries. There are many battery chargers that you can use to recharge quickly. AGM batteries are more reliable than conventional batteries. They don’t need regular maintenance, and they will work just as well when you need them. They can withstand extreme temperatures. AGM batteries are environmentally friendly. You can dispose of them without harming the environment. AGM batteries also have an excellent deep cycle rating. This means you can use them over and over again. More details at the link below. Which Is Better For DC Power Source? AGM Battery vs Lead Acid (dcreservoir.com)

? Built to be Bad Ass on Road and Off!

As I posted, the Lyriq is sexy as hell in person. Cadillac has a hit on their hands, and I am excited to see additional models added. Last week GM and LG quietly let out this press release: Ultium Cells LLC Announces Plans to Pr... | Ultium Cells LLC GM is investing an additional $275 million to expand their Spring Hill battery plant to go from the current 35 GWh of battery production to 50 GWh of battery production by the end of next year to support the growing demand for EVs. This also will add 400 new jobs to the plant for a total of 1,700 employees building batteries. This expansion along with the other plants coming online will have GM producing 130 GWh plus of batteries for EVs. To quote Tesla: Tesla’s Gigafactory makes around 38 gigawatt-hours of batteries a year, and more than 400 gigawatt-hours of capacity is under construction in the U.S. Tesla expects to have all their battery production online by 2027. GM has also just announced additional capacity, nothing yet from Ford, but clearly the future is Electric.