1955 Ford Thunderbird Base Convertible 2-door 292 V-8 on 2040-cars

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From CrabWalks at dawn to post-testing sushi: An inside look at Autoblog’s Tech of the Year Award

TROY, Mich. — On a chilly fall morning, Senior Editor John Snyder rolled into a sleepy suburban park tucked away next to a cemetery a few miles north of Detroit. Driving diagonally — CrabWalking — in the GMC Hummer EV, he made quite the entrance as he maneuvered across the parking lot to the bemusement of Autoblog editors and a few curious park-goers up for their early morning runs.  Snyder got everyoneÂ’s attention, and as we evaluate the latest wave of technologies transforming the automotive industry, pizazz matters. We added "wow factor" to our criteria for the 2022 Autoblog Technology of the Year Award, in keeping with the times. The HummerÂ’s CrabWalk feature might have won, had wowness been the only criteria, but we also scored the technologies on significance and how well they work.  As it was, the Hummer finished a competitive second this year, behind FordÂ’s Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch, which make towing and hauling easier for modern truck owners. The Genesis GV60Â’s Biometrics was within striking distance in third place, bringing the facial recognition and fingerprint tech commonly used in phones to your car. For more on FordÂ’s win — its second straight Autoblog Technology of the Year Award — read Road Test Editor Zac PalmerÂ’s complete recap. Many have asked: Why do Tech of the Year? For Autoblog, itÂ’s been a point of pride for nearly a decade. In the early days it was a way to differentiate ourselves from print magazines, some of which have been giving out car of the year awards since the early days of the Cold War. With Tech of the Year, we seek to highlight the ways experiencing a vehicle is changing. It was true in 2013 and resonates even more as we head into 2023. Cars and transportation have changed more in the past decade than in arguably the previous four. At its most basic experience, driving a 1985 Buick LeSabre with a decent radio and comfy interior was not all that different from driving a 2005 Buick Lacrosse. Just a few years later, many cars had touchscreens, the internet and some means of driver assistance. Ford joins Tesla as the only two-time winner of Tech of the Year. The Blue Oval captured the award last year for its Pro Power Onboard generator. Tesla won in 2014 for its Supercharger network, and the Model S won in 2016, when we briefly gave out a “technology car” of the year award, in addition to honoring a particular feature.

Shelby Super Snake returns with 750+ horsepower

If you've been waiting for the ne plus ultra of new Mustangs, we're glad to report that the wait is over, friend. Feast your eyes on the new Shelby Super Snake. Based on the 2015 Ford Mustang GT, the new Super Snake is being offered with over 750 horsepower thanks in no small part to a Ford Performance supercharger. That's even more than the 605 hp in the last Super Snake released in 2007, the new 627-hp Shelby GT, or the 500-plus-hp Shelby GT350 you can order from the factory. Shelby American's latest also packs upgraded Ford Performance suspension components, a Borla exhaust, 20-inch wheels from Weld Racing and coated in Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber, six-piston Wilwood brakes, and more. Differentiating it visually from lesser pony cars are a carbon-fiber hood and aero kit, blacked-out grille, racing stripes, and special badging inside and out. Inside you'll also find a short-throw shifter and three-gauge instrument pod. The upgrades will set you back $49,995 on top of the price of a donor Mustang GT, and only 300 examples will be built this year. For the first time the Super Snake will be available with either a manual or (heaven forbid) an automatic transmission. Related Video: SHELBY SUPER SNAKE RETURNS WITH 750+ HORSEPOWER MUSCLE CAR BASED ON 2015 FORD MUSTANG GT • The legendary Shelby Super Snake returns for the 2015 Ford Mustang model year • 750+ horsepower option combined with new independent suspension and braking system • The first Super Snake available with an automatic transmission • Production limited to 300 Shelby Super Snakes per model year LAS VEGAS – June 16, 2015 – Shelby American is launching the newest Shelby Mustang to wear the legendary Super Snake badge, which will be based on the 2015 model Ford Mustang GT. With the option of over 750 horsepower, as well as unmatched performance enhancements to the handling, braking and cooling of the Ford Mustang GT, the new Shelby Super Snake continues the lineage of the best-selling and most sought-after Shelby car. Additionally, it will be the first Shelby Super Snake also available with an automatic transmission. There will only be 300 total 2015 model year Shelby Super Snakes built. "When Shelby American introduced the 605 horsepower Super Snake in 2007, the car became an instant sensation," said Joe Conway, CEO of Shelby American and co-CEO of Carroll Shelby International.

Recharge Wrap-up: Tesla details factory expansion; Ford and SunPower raise money for Sierra Club

Tesla has revealed the details of the upgrade of its Fremont, CA factory. One major change is the addition of a dedicated production space for the dual-motor P85D version of the Model S. Robots will be doing the battery installation on the Model S to save some time, and new export docks allow Tesla to get the cars out the door and on the way to their new owners more quickly. The new robots that move the cars around the factory have been named after X-Men characters, which makes our inner geeks smile. Check out the factory upgrade in the time-lapse video below and read more at Teslarati or at the Tesla Motors Blog. A program in Beijing for privileged registrations for EVs hasn't had much success. Of the 1,424 lottery winners, only about 30 percent went on to register an electric car despite a two-month extension of the deadline to do so. Buyers are likely discouraged by the lack of charging infrastructure, which the city hopes to ameliorate with the addition of 1,000 new charging stations by the end of the year, and by requiring new and renovated developments to set aside parking specifically for EV charging. Read more at Green Car Reports. The UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies suggests that laws designed to protect dealers and consumers are stymieing the adoption of EVs. Laws like the ones certain states have in place that block or otherwise restrict Tesla's direct-to-consumer business model are not helpful for companies that want to introduce new products to the market. They prevent companies from passing on savings to customers for whom they would likely make the difference in a purchasing decision. One possible solution would be to allow exemptions to certain selling restrictions for a certain number of vehicles sold. "This could give automakers the degree of control needed to work out kinks with early customers, develop scalable processes for supporting PEVs, and ensure that effective dealer performance standards are in place before handing the reins over to wholly independent retailers," according to UC Davis ITS. Read more at the UC Davis website. Volkswagen says its environmental program, called "Think Blue. Factory," is meeting the automaker's own sustainability targets. The main purpose of the program is to move toward eco-friendlier carmaking at each of its plants worldwide.