Random Car News Thread

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

EU mandating speed control on all new cars

Manufacturers can choose to implement one to four modes, with user overide.

No, Europe Didn't Just Force Automakers to Install "Speed Limiters"​

Despite what you've heard about Europe's new law, "Intelligent Speed Assistance" isn't a speed limiter, and it won't stop you from driving as fast as you want.​

Jalopnik.com​

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[Donalex]

No, Europe Didn't Just Force Automakers to Install "Speed Limiters"​

Despite what you've heard about Europe's new law, "Intelligent Speed Assistance" isn't a speed limiter, and it won't stop you from driving as fast as you want.​

Jalopnik.com​

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That's right. I wrote it can be overridden (meaning you can go as fast as you want). But, that software does initially control speed in progressive rates, 1 through 4 - whatever level the manufacturer chooses.

 

[2JZ-No-Sh*t]

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Stats for the 2022 Corvette sales ...

• Chevy produced 25,831 Corvettes for the 2022 model year. Of those cars, 52.1 per cent were coupes and 47.9 per cent were convertibles.
• Breakdown of 12 color choices:
  • Torch Red: 4,147
  • Arctic White: 3,603
  • Hypersonic Gray: 3,291
  • Red Mist: 3,274
  • Black: 2,766
  • Rapid Blue: 2,261
  • Elkhart Lake Blue: 1,412
  • Amplify Orange: 1,375
  • Ceramic Matrix Gray: 1,202
  • Accelerate Yellow: 1,193
  • Silver Flare: 922
  • Caffeine: 385
• 68.6 per cent of buyers opted for the Z51 Performance Package.
• 58.8 per cent of buyers opted for the nose lift.
• 86.9 per cent of buyers opted for the performance exhaust.
• 1,542 buyers sprung for the Carbon Flash stripe option on the outside.
• Only 27 buyers chose the Full Edge Orange exterior Stripes/Graphics package.
• 442 Corvettes produced were right hand drive - 212 for Australia and New Zealand
• 693 Corvettes were sent to Europe.

Plus, according to Jalopnik ...

Interestingly, all 25,831 Corvettes were selected with the “huge ass” package that makes the rear of the car look far too big for the rest of it. Strange.

 

[V35]

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a40669316/ford-layoffs-to-fund-evs/

Ford to Fund Its EV Efforts in Part by Laying Off 8000 Workers

The cuts seem to be part of a plan, announced earlier in the year by Ford CEO Jim Farley, to cut $3 billion in operational costs from business operations related to internal-combustion products.

• An anonymous source told Bloomberg on Wednesday that Ford is planning to cut as many as 8000 jobs from its Ford Blue division.
• Ford Blue produces the company's ICE vehicles, and Ford is looking to cut $3 billion in operational costs from its gas-powered business to invest more money into EV development.
• Bloomberg reports that the plan is not yet finalized, and a Ford spokesperson told Car and Driver that the company declines comment.

Up to 8000 Ford employees could be hit by job cuts, according to a Wednesday report from Bloomberg. The move could be part of a plan to cut $3 billion in operational costs from the company's gasoline-powered business operations in order to boost profit and invest more into Ford's electric-vehicle endeavors.

The cuts will reportedly come in the Ford Blue division, which handles production of Ford's internal-combustion-engine vehicles, and primarily come from salaried positions. There are approximately 31,000 salaried workers at Ford currently.

Ford CEO Jim Farley announced in March a radical restructuring of Ford called the Ford+ plan, creating the Ford Blue division and the Model e division, which handles electric vehicles. As part of the plan, he also boosted spending on EVs to $50 billion, which he said in an interview with Bloomberg Television was "based on our core automotive operations."

Farley also added that "We need [Ford Blue] to be more profitable to fund this."

Previously, in February at a Wolfe Research conference appearance in reference to Ford's ICE operations, Farley said, "We have too many people, we have too much investment, we have too much complexity, and we don't have expertise in transitioning our assets."

Big Losses in Early 2022
Ford lost $3.1 billion in the first quarter of 2022, although much of that was driven by a sharp value decline in its stake in EV startup Rivian. Operating profit, meanwhile, was at $2.3 billion, down from $3.9 billion in the first quarter of 2021.

Car and Driver reached out to Ford for comment and received the following response from T.R. Reid, Director of Corporate and Public Policy Communications.

"We are not commenting on speculation about our business. As we've said lots of times, to deliver our Ford+ transformation and lead an exciting and disruptive new era of electric and connected vehicles, we’re reshaping our work and modernizing our organization across all of the automotive business units and the entire company. We’ve laid out clear targets for our cost structure so that we're lean and fully competitive with the best in the industry."

 

[therumblewagon]

For Sale: A Datsun 260Z Powered By A 400+ HP Corvette LS6 V8

What looks like boulder gray, bronze/copper wheels, and a louver?! My legs are weak

(BaT link here)

 

[Haste]

Another CR

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2009-honda-s2000-cr-8/

 

[TiresAlwaysFlat]

Another CR

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2009-honda-s2000-cr-8/

Had an opportunity to purchase a blue CR 5 yrs ago.. still kicking myself about it to this day. Selling for $36 000 (cad), only had 33 000km, all stock and original, no accidents, paint was excellent, no rips or creases in the interior.. it was perfect.

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Jalopnik's latest reader-produced list, despite the fact that the "21st Century" isn't even one-quarter the way through yet. (Note: "Most Important" doesn't necessarily mean "is good", but simply caused some good change in the car industry).

Here Are the Most Important Cars of the 21st Century
From electric vehicles to utility trucks, these are the 21st century cars you think are the most important.

• Tesla Roadster
• Nissan Leaf
• VW Jetta
• Ford Explorer
• Pontiac Aztek
• Dodge Challenger Hellcat
• Ford F-150 Lightning
• Toyota Prius
• Ferrari P4/5
• Chevrolet Volt
• Ford F-150 Raptor
• Tesla Model 3
• Fisker Karma
• Porsche Cayenne
• Bugatti Veyron
• Mercedes S Class
• Volkswagen MQB architecture
• Ford Ambulances

Jalopnik.com

 

[therumblewagon]

@LeatherWings in case you’re looking for a project this weekend - https://www.thedrive.com/news/miata-with-a-wii-steering-wheel-is-amusing-and-dangerous

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

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[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Review: Mazda MX-30​

The cute exterior hides an ultra-short range, poor infotainment system, and substandard driving experience.​

Rating: 4/10​

Wired.com​

 

[therumblewagon]

Takes a lot for me to be speechless. This left me speechless.

 

[jdm-rhd]

Takes a lot for me to be speechless. This left me speechless.

wow...just wow.

i know it's not the same thing, but a fellow member on another forum who was in the military was moving back to the states. he had a very similar, clean sapphire j spec mkiv he was selling for $40,000.

i know it would not have gone for the same amount this usdm would, but it would still be at least half or more in today's market. i remember being on the fence about it at the time, but kicking myself now.

i ended up getting my wife a new trd tacoma instead. plus i already had an 88 supra and my current 95 mkiv.

 

[Denver the Last Dinosaur]

Students Build a Car That Removes Carbon From the Air as It Drives​

The ZEM is a prototype electric car that uses special filters to clean the CO2 left by dirtier cars.​

Jalopnik.com​