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2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Cupholder Mega Test: Will the Nalgene bottle fit?

I absolutely adore the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and so was excited to spend a week with it when the EV landed in my driveway. When I first drove the Ioniq 5 in San Diego, though, I hadn't packed my favorite style water bottle: the big 32-ounce Nalgene. Despite it being the best, its sheer size makes it less ideal when trying to pack light for a short trip. It also means it doesn't fit in most cars' cupholders, but, without the bottle on hand, I'd have to wait until this new opportunity with the Ioniq 5 to find out if it passes the Nalgene check. So, let's get to it. Starting at pole position — the front cupholders — we find ourselves unlucky so far. It's not even close to fitting. Not unusual, but our first option for convenient access to megahydration is denied. In most instances, our next best bet is the molded pockets in the front door panels. Here we have success. It's quite a tight fit, so while our drink won't be knocking or rolling around, it's not as easy as it could be to retrieve while driving, and I'll probably eventually wear out the little plastic tether connecting the lid to the bottle, as that's the easiest thing to grab without looking. Still, I'll give these door holders a pass. How about the folks sitting in back? Where can they stash their Nalgenes? No surprise about it not fitting in the center armrest cupholders after our inauspicious start with the fronts. The fact that it won't fit in the door panels is disappointing. C'est la vie. But one more thing ... you might have noticed another potential stash up front in the storage cubby below the center stack. The Nalgene fits in there just fine, but a little bit of extra room means the bottle will be knocking around. It's actually a decent spot, and more accessible than the doors.

Greetings from Trollhattan. I'm Emily, but I'm not a Saab.

What’s Swedish for “never give up”? Saab, apparently. The fondly-remembered car company formerly called just that — and now named NEVS — is only a shell, employing just a limited crew in the land of trolls. But itÂ’s got something to sell, and that something seems like it's really something. ItÂ’s called Emily. The Emily GT exists as six prototype electric cars, according to NEVS, with a combined horsepower rating (per car) of 484 powered by an enormous 175-kilowatt lithium-ion battery thatÂ’s good for 600 miles of range. In development almost since Saab's demise — the company, once owned by General Motors, was closed down in 2010 — the Emily is a very real product and needs a real sponsor, according to NEVS CEO Nina Selander, speaking to Carup. “It is for sale, it is also a joy to be able to show it. It should be allowed to live on, itÂ’s too nice, too good and too modern a car for nothing to come of it. Interested parties are welcome,” she said. Photos of the car show a modern, forward-thrust profile with handsome lines, a look similar to the last Saab 9-5 and VolvoÂ’s S60 (must be a Swedish thing) and a fashionable, sci-fi-ish interior. A hopeful engineer on the project estimates that the car is less than two years away from some kind of series production, but according to the modest NEVS website, the company is currently in “hibernation” even as it continues to solicit buyers for the Emilys. Said Peter Dahl, the Emily project manager, “Many have asked us what we have been doing for 10 years. We have developed 13 different car projects, this is one of them.” Related video: Volvo Saab Automotive History Electric Future Vehicles Classics

Junkyard Gem: 1957 Opel Olympia Rekord P

Starting in the middle 1950s, General Motors made a real effort to sell Americans its vehicles built on the other side of the Atlantic. Pontiac dealers here got the British-built Vauxhall Victor, while Buick dealers sold the Victor's cousin, the German-built Opel Olympia. We saw a discarded '58 Victor Super Estate a few years back, and today's Junkyard Gem showed up recently at the very same car graveyard in northeastern Colorado. The Olympia name goes way back in Opel history, when the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games inspired its selection. You'd think that the notoriety of the 1936 Olympics as a Nazi Party propaganda festival might have encouraged Opel to change the car's name after World War II, but Olympia badges went on various Opels (with some pauses) through 1970. Just as the Malibu name began its life as a trim-level designation for the Chevelle, so did the Rekord name get appended onto the Olympia. The Rekord name eventually took over completely, with the last Rekords coming off the assembly line in 1986. The "P" in this car's name comes from the panoramic wraparound front and rear glass, a feature inspired by the gorgeous machinery coming from GM's Detroit car divisions at the time. Starting in 1959, this model became known as just the Opel Rekord. The influence from snouts seen on the 1955 Buick and 1955 Oldsmobile is unmistakable. There's a great deal of 1956 Chevrolet inspiration visible in the side view. The MSRP for this car in the United States was $1,995, which amounts to $21,818 in 2023 dollars. The similar 1957 Vauxhall Victor sedan cost $1,988 here ($21,741 in today's money). The cheapest possible 1957 Chevrolet four-door sedan (the One-Fifty with straight-six engine and three-on-the-tree manual transmission) cost $2,048 ($22,397 now). Of course, this Opel would have been in a showroom with far more upscale 1957 Buicks, which started at $2,660 ($29,090 after inflation) for a four-door. Still, this was a small car that got good fuel economy and was easy to park, yet boasted up-to-the-minute American styling. Buick dealers managed to move some of them here, though Opels became far more commonplace on our roads starting in the late 1960s. Yes, I bought this beautiful hood ornament; it now lives on my garage wall. The engine is a 1.5-liter overhead-valve straight-four, rated at 51.3 horsepower and 78.8 pound-feet. The ancestry of this engine goes all the way back to the 1937 Olympia.

GM raises 2023 guidance on strong sales, higher profits

General Motors beat first-quarter profit estimates and raised its full-year earnings and cash-flow guidance after vehicle demand at the start of the year surpassed expectations. Its shares rose in premarket trading. GM made $2.21 a share in adjusted profit in the first quarter, compared to a consensus forecast of $1.72 a share. Revenue rose 11% to $39.99 billion, it said Tuesday, which was more than the $39.24 billion analysts expected. The stronger results stem from rising sales in the US, even in the face of higher interest rates and inflation. GM executives said demand was strong enough to revise 2023 guidance upward, boosting profit estimates for the year by $500 million to between $11 billion and $13 billion. “We did it with strong production and inventory discipline and consistent pricing,” GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said on a call with journalists. “All in all, weÂ’re feeling confident about 2023.” The Detroit automaker raised per-share full-year guidance to between $6.35 and $7.35, up from $6 to $7 a share, and said free cash flow would also increase by $500 million to a range of $5.5 billion to $7.5 billion.  GMÂ’s shares pared a gain of as much as 4.4% before the start of regular trading Tuesday, rising 3.5% to $35.50 as of 6:55 a.m. in New York. The stock was up 1.9% for the year as of the close on Monday.  North American Strength The automakerÂ’s sales were particularly strong in North America, where first-quarter earnings rose before interest and taxes rose to $3.6 billion. Vehicle sales rose 18% to 707,000 in the region. Jacobson said the company originally expected to sell 15 million vehicles in the US this year, slightly less than the 15.5 million annualized rate automakers foresaw in the first quarter. North American demand was enough to offset a weak performance in China, GMÂ’s second-largest market. The automaker continues to struggle in the country, where its vehicle sales fell 25% to 462,000 vehicles in the quarter. Profits from its joint ventures in the market slumped 65% to $83 million.  The market has struggled overall in the wake of Covid-19 restrictions and foreign automakers have had to overcome a growing preference for Chinese brands by competing on price, squeezing profit margins. The situation in China probably wonÂ’t significantly improve until the second half of the year, according to Jacobson. GM remains on target to sell 150,000 electric vehicles this year, the CFO said.

Kimera EVO37 Martini 7 celebrates Martini Racing's seven WRC trophies

Two years ago, Kimera launched its EVO37, a modern and thoroughly gorgeous tribute to the 1983 Lancia 037 World Rally Championship car. When Kimera put its EVO37 on the start line of the Sardinia Rally last year, the coupe wore the same Martini Racing Team colors used by the 1983 car. This year, Kimera is using a different Martini Racing livery to debut an evolution of the Kimera EVO37 that's even closer to the original and celebrates the seven Lancia-powered Martini Racing Team World Rally Championship titles. The 037 won a single title, the last two-wheel-drive WRC entry to do so. The Lancia Delta S4 and its variations won the remainder. Company boss Luca Betti again worked with Miki Biasion, who won back-to-back WRC Driver's Championships piloting the Lancia Delta, and Lancia engineers of the time to lighten and sharpen the EVO37 into the Martini 7. Starting with the performance mods, the supercharged and turbocharged 2.1-liter four-cylinder now makes 550 horsepower instead of 505 hp, and 406 pound-feet of torque. Power heads to the rear axle via a standard manual or optional sequential transmission, but the gears have shorter, more rally-like ratios. Gawkers are invited to further appreciate what lies behind the cockpit thanks to the new quick-release lower bumper as was found on the Lancia 037 Evo 2. Undoing the clips shows quad pipes in a white ceramic coating matching the new paintwork that runs all the way up the exhaust runners. The new carbon fiber aero package adds intakes behind the front doors, vents on the tops of the fenders, and additional descending steps in the engine cover surround. The new wheels recall the Delta Evoluzione, as does the passenger compartment, now made entirely from carbon fiber and getting the car down to about 2,425 pounds. The seats are inspired by those in the Delta S4, trimmed in blue perforated Alcantara with red stitching that matches accents on the door cards and ceiling. The gauges glow in fluorescent orange, the buttons and knobs laid out just as they were in the 1983 Lancia 037. The pearl effect white Martini Racing Livery with blue, light blue, and red strips comes most resembles that of the special edition Lancia Delta Martini 5 and Martini 6 cars, produced in the early 1990s to celebrate the Delta's fifth and sixth WRC trophies.

Hummer EV SUV official range announced: 3X truck tops 350 miles

The first run of GMC Hummer EVs were in one single specification: pickup truck in Edition 1 with all the off-road goodies. The most pertinent of those off-road upgrades to electric range being the 18-inch wheels with mud-terrain tires. And it was rated for 329 miles. But now, there are more Hummer variants. The pickup truck is now available with a 3X trim that comes standard with more efficient all-terrain tires wrapped around 22-inch wheels, and there's the SUV with both trims and both types of tires, not to mention a smaller battery pack. And now we have the official range estimates for them. We'll start with the Hummer EV SUV, since all of the official range ratings are new to us. The tires are the key factor, with the all-terrain equipped Edition 1 and 3X both managing 314 miles of range. Yes, this is less than even the mud-terrain-equipped truck, but that's mainly because the shorter length of the SUV means it has fewer battery cells and capacity. It has about 170 kWh of capacity versus the truck's 200+. Adding the Extreme Off-Road Package and its more aggressive tires drops range to 298 miles. The Four-Wheel-Steer system lets the 2022 GMC HUMMER EV Pickup m View 17 Photos As with the SUVs, the Hummer EV truck gets a solid range boost to 355 miles when it's not equipped with the off-road package. There's another benefit to the regular all-terrains on the Hummer EV truck: towing capacity. At 8,500 pounds, it can tow an extra 1,000 pounds over the models with the off-road package. GMC also notes that another potential benefit to the all-terrain-equipped trucks is a suspension tuned for better on-road handling. And our experience has shown that even Hummer with the off-road package isn't too shabby on pavement. Of course, skipping the off-road package will also save you some money, as will opting for the 3X trims. So unless you're really going off-road seriously, and would make regular use of the extra skid plates, under-truck camera and chunky tires, the standard suspension and tire setup really is the way to go. Related video:

Jaguar teases four-door EV grand tourer; electric Range Rover orders open this year

Jaguar just revealed a few vital details about a new EV it says will be revealed by the end of 2023, and Land Rover shared a little update about its upcoming electric Range Rover, too. Starting with the Jag, JLR — the new, official name for Jaguar Land Rover — announced that its next electric vehicle will be a four-door GT car. The image above is the teaser the company provided. Power output will be greater than any previous Jaguar, with the current record holder being the XE SV Project 8 at just over 590 horsepower. Range is claimed to be about 430 miles on a full charge (Jaguar doesn't specify the test cycle type), but that number could be different (and likely lower) here in the United States once EPA testing takes place. Jaguar says the grand tourer will debut its new in-house EV platform that is officially named JEA, which is unrelated to the electric XJ that was scrapped a couple years ago. And lastly, Jaguar says the vehicle will start at GBP100,000 in Great Britain. Pricing for the United States wasnÂ’t estimated, but a direct conversion at todayÂ’s rates puts it at about $124,000. Considering the price point, power level and range, this Jaguar is shaping up to be a potential Porsche Taycan competitor. The single teaser image at the top of this post suggests the same, as the photo shows a car with a fast-sloping roofline and wide, bulging fenders. ItÂ’s an exciting teaser, as it pretty much confirms that Jaguar will be coming in hot with a spicy-looking electric four-door. The last detail about this Jag confirmed today is its production site, as Jaguar says it will build the vehicle at its Solihull plant in the West Midlands, England. As for the Range Rover news, weÂ’ve known an electric Range Rover was on its way, now we know that the vehicle will launch in 2025. JLR says it will begin accepting orders for the electric Range Rover later this year, but didnÂ’t set an official date. The electric Range Rover will be built at JLRÂ’s Halewood plant in Merseyside, England. Those are all the details we know about today, but expect more teasers and information leading up to the reveal of these new EVs later in 2023. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Jaguar Land Rover is going to call itself 'JLR' and spin off brands

Embracing the current popular philosophy that less is more, the executives at Jaguar Land Rover plan to officially rename their company “JLR” and to create a new “house of brands” that will emphasize name equity and refocus its vehicle offerings. In simple terms, the British-based, India-owned company will split into four separate brands: Range Rover, Discovery, Defender and Jaguar. While this shift may appear to be essentially a function of marketing and dealership bookkeeping, the over-arching reason is to give some of the brands more visibility. Details of the plan, which would reconfigure showrooms in Britain into discrete brand footprints, were discussed this week at a presentation by JLR CEO Adrian Mardell. “The reality is Range Rover is a brand and so is Defender,’” said creative officer Gerry McGovern. “Customers say they own a Range Rover. In luxury, you need absolute clarity. Land Rover Range Rover SV Autobiography doesnÂ’t give it. We love Land Rover, but there isn't as much equity as Range Rover, and Defender is increasing massively.”  Underlying the effort is plans to reinvent Jaguar as an electric-only luxury brand, Mardell said that this was “unfinished business” for him since he joined Jaguar 32 years ago. “The Jaguar of 32 years ago is where weÂ’re going back to and the right place for us to be." He further acknowledged that JLR had been “quiet” recently in the face of semiconductor chip shortages, but allowed that that situation was easing at his company.

Lancia Pu+Ra HPE concept combines the next 10 years of design and tech

The teaser campaign that started with a stylized sculpture last November culminates in this, the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE concept. This represents the long awaited — and perhaps overdue — reboot of a storied brand's design and tech vision for the next ten years. As such, designers packed so much of the past and the future that it's better to see the Pu+Ra as a combination of elements and philosophies coming to future Lancias instead of as a 1:1 template for how Lancias will look. There's also the matter of Lancia's sole market being Italy and tempered expansion from there taking place over a few years. That means a lot of what's here speaks loudest to the single market, which also happens to be the home market.  The HPE looks back to the 1970 Beta HPE shooting brake, when HPE stood for High Performance Estate. After Pu+Ra which mean Pure + Radical, those letters now stand for High Performance Electric and some impressive tech targets. Lancia wants a range of more than 435 miles on the WLTP cycle, battery efficiency of less than 10-kWh per 62 miles, and battery recharging times from 10% to 80% in ten minutes.   The big design strokes are simple geometric shapes, the light signature grille that doubles as a battery level readout, hollow round taillights a la the Stratos, the new Lancia logotype, and the new Lancia badge.     Inside, Lancia plans to create a "home feeling," similar to the 'living room space' characterization that often comes up in relation to autonomous vehicles. Lancia's called the tech component of this concept S.A.L.A., initials for Sound, Air, Light, and Augmentation that happen to spell the Italian word for living room, sala. No swiveling seats here, though. Interior designers worked with Italian furniture maker Cassina on fabrics and textures, resulting in a pair of deep bucket armchairs in wool cloth that look procured from a villa in Via Reggio. They're separated by an armrest that ends in a freestanding table. Elsewhere around the cockpit can be found sustainable wool, velvet, wood marquetry, door panels fabricated from marble dust, and nubuck leather produced without chrome tanning.  S.A.L.A.

Junkyard Gem: 2008 Pontiac G5 Coupe

In the grim early days of the Great Recession, the situation at GM's Pontiac Division didn't feel so great but there was some cause for optimism. The Solstice still had a certain glow, the Holden Commodore-based G8 had just arrived, and vehicle shoppers could stride into their local Pontiac showrooms and choose from eight different models bearing the iconic arrowhead badge. Yes, there were still new Torrents and Grand Prix and Vibes for sale in 2008, and of course the Cavalier-twin Sunfire had been replaced by the Cobalt-twin G5 by that time. Here's one of those G5s, found in a Colorado Springs car graveyard. It wasn't long after this car was built that everything went to hell for Pontiac. In April of 2009, GM announced that the Pontiac Division would be "phased out" over the next few years. Just to drive home the point, GM itself filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy five weeks later. GM had already offed Oldsmobile—a marque dating back to 1897, making it nearly 30 years Pontiac's senior—five years earlier, so everybody knew there would be no reprieve in this case. Just to confuse everybody, Pontiac dealers offered a G3-badged Chevy Aveo (aka Daewoo Kalos) to sell alongside the G5 for 2009, but by 2010 there were just two new Pontiac models still standing in the United States: the G6 and the Vibe. Just over 70,000 G5s were sold in the United States during the 2007-2009 model years, making these cars fairly rare. The Cobalt/G5 ignition-switch fiasco of the mid-2010s really hammered their resale value at the time. Sometimes the definition of "Gem" refers to historical value, not the happier kind. Speaking of ignition switches, the key is still in this one. That generally means that a junkyard vehicle is a dealership trade-in or insurance total that couldn't sell at auction. This one is a base model, which listed at $15,675 (about $22,040 in 2023 dollars). The snazzier G5 GT started at $19,850 ($27,911 now) that year. The engine in this car is a 2.2-liter Ecotec four-banger rated at 148 horsepower and 152 pound-feet (the GT got a 2.4 with 171 hp/167 lb-ft). A five-speed manual was standard equipment, but the buyer of this car paid extra for the automatic. GM stuck these little "Mark of Excellence" badges on the fenders of its vehicles starting in 2005, then ditched the idea in 2009. I have vivid memories of this logo from the seatbelt buttons in my parents' 1973 Sportvan Beauville.

Lancia teases battery-electric Stratos that will begin brand reset

Last November, Lancia teased its "Emozione Pu+Ra" concept. Drawn by lead designer Jean-Pierre Ploue, the showcase looked more like sculpture or a car from 2523 instead of vehicular inspiration for production models that will begin arriving this year. We simply didn't know how to read the abstractions. Lancia teased another concept earlier this month, this one leading to an eventual battery-electric rebirth of the Lancia Stratos — we made clear connections between the Pur+Ra and what's ahead. Italy's given us another taste of what's to come, this time an overhead shot of the Stratos concept we're going to see on April 15. The circle in the roof signifies at least three things. It recalls Stratos themes evident elsewhere in the dual round taillights and the curved lines on the concept that stand in for the vintage car's louvers. It also represents part of Ploue's plan for Lancia design, the creative officer saying, "Our designs will be built with iconic shapes like the circle, square and triangle." Lastly, it signifies what will be a clear panel in the roof, Lancia saying a round aperture lets in more light than a square one. We imagine there will be a few questions about that when the reveal happens. Automaker CEO Luca Napolitano told media the Emozione Pu+Ra concept embodies the next century of Lancia looks. The Stratos concept aims more near-term. It "will be very close to the production car," and the bold strokes of the design will guide coming products. That's not just about sheetmetal, either; the feature set will encompass the path forward for "sustainability, technology and electrification" as well. The first model to take the revolution to European car buyers will be a new, all-electric generation of the Ypsilon expected later this year. The supermini hatch is the only car Lancia has sold since 2015, the car's market reduced to just Italy in 2017. According to Wikipedia, the Ypsilon is still the second-most-popular car on sale in that country. It's thought the coming version will be a sibling of the electric Fiat 500.  After that, a sedan is due in 2026, and two years later, the production version of the reborn Delta. At the moment, these remain Euro-only prospects. The automaker plans to grow an online retail operation to go with sales in initial markets of Italy, France, Germany, and the UK. If all goes perfectly over the next five years, who knows how far afield a Delta EV could end up.

GMC and EarthCruiser to collaborate on Hummer EV Pickup overlander project

GMC just announced a collaboration with overlanding vehicle builder EarthCruiser, and the end result is going to provide us with a co-developed Hummer EV Pickup. The photo you’re looking at above is the first teaser for whatÂ’s to come of the partnership. The Hummer team will be working with EarthCruiserÂ’s research and design division to develop an overland upfit solution for EVs that it says will initially be integrated into the Hummer EV Pickup. In case you werenÂ’t familiar with EarthCruiser, theyÂ’re the people that have made utterly wild overlanding vehicles like the Terranova, FX and EXP. Needless to say, EarthCruiser makes some pretty rad stuff, and none of it is cheap. GMC says this collaboration will look to use EarthCruiserÂ’s expertise gained from developing its vehicles to create an overlanding solution for the Hummer. We should expect to see EarthCruiserÂ’s engineering technologies integrated into the vehicle, which will allow the Hummer to go even further off-road and provide the ability for owners to live with their trucks in the wilderness.  The one snag with overlanding in EVs is the typically long journeys away from civilization. As an example, the EarthCruiser XP and EXP feature 60-gallon fuel tanks to ensure you can get to where you need to go and power the living situation for a long time once youÂ’re there. WeÂ’ll be interested to hear what GMC and EarthCruiser have to say about the challenges presented by overlanding in an EV. Already visible in the teaser image is what looks like a solar panel-filled roof and rear side pods for supplies. The concept truck will be presented in late summer 2023, and while no date for a production vehicle was provided, itÂ’s likely that the final truck will come soon after. Related video:

GMC Hummer EV SUV first drive, RIP Camaro, Ferrari Roma Spider | Autoblog Podcast # 773

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by News Editor Joel Stocksdale. They start off with one of the week's biggest official news items — the impending death of the sixth-gen Chevrolet Camaro. On the subject of powerful American cars, they pivot to a teaser from Stellantis execs that there are big things ahead for its Dodge Charger SRT Daytona Banshee concept. From there, they look at Ferrari's new topless Roma and then get into Ford's multi-billion-dollar electric vehicle pivot. Speaking of expensive EVs, Joel just got back from driving the new GMC Hummer SUV. He also had the new F-150 Lightning Pro in his driveway, and that's followed by Greg's update on Autoblog's long-term Toyota Sienna.  Autoblog Podcast # 773 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown News Chevrolet Camaro production will officially end after 2024 model year Dodge CEO teases more to come from Charger SRT Daytona Banshee Ferrari Roma Spider returns a front-engined soft top to the lineup Ford Model e losing billions as it says EV unit should be seen as startup What we're driving Ford F-150 Lightning Pro 2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV 2023 Toyota Sienna Platinum AWD Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: How to activate Crab Walk on the GMC Hummer EV

Could this Isuzu Mysterious be an affordable 90s gem?

The Isuzu Rodeo holds a special place in rad car fans’ hearts, as it was the basis for another beloved off-roader, the original Honda Passport. The five-door Isuzu SUV lasted here for several years before being discontinued in the early 2000s, but the automaker sold funky two-door body styles in other markets, and one of the now-legal imports has made its way to Cars & Bids. Though our version had the somewhat mundane “Rodeo” title, the SUV was known as the “MU” or Mysterious Utility. This Japanese-market version comes with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel and a five-speed manual transmission. This one has around 121,000 miles and looks in decent shape. Interestingly, the two-door MU almost has a Mitsubishi Pajero Evo vibe, with its beefy fender flares and cropped, lifted body. Amazingly, the auctionÂ’s statement that the SUV is barely modified is accurate, as its only upgrades include a new stereo and those funky gold wheels. The Mysterious has drawn several comments, mainly from curious observers asking questions about a vehicle theyÂ’ve never seen. One wondered whether the MysteriousÂ’ top is removable, which unfortunately is not the case. Some versions, including the Isuzu Amigo, which we got, came with a removable soft top. One commenter noted that the tops donÂ’t age well, so the hardtop is likely the best choice for a 31-year-old imported SUV.   Though many JDM vehicles from this era are sometimes exceedingly difficult to import and equally expensive, the Mysterious sits at just $3,500 halfway through its auction. ItÂ’s got all the hallmarks to be a Radwood-ready bargain, too. The bright red paint and gold accents give it just enough flash, and versions of the diesel engine are still in production in China, so it might be somewhat reasonable to find parts. Related Video Isuzu Auctions Used Car Buying SUV

Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Arrow marks end of V12 coupe era

Rolls-Royce is offering luxury car fans one last taste of the velvet hammer. In marking the end of the line for the Wraith coupe and its sumptuous V-12 engine, Rolls Royce announced an extremely limited model: the Black Badge Wraith Black Arrow edition. In keeping with it being the last V-12 coupe, Rolls-Royce is only making 12 of the cars — which are already subscribed to clients in other parts of the world, since Rolls delivered its last North American Wraith a little over a year ago. “As the last examples of this landmark motor car get ready to leave Goodwood, we commemorate WraithÂ’s status as the last series V12 coupe we will ever make,” Rolls-Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos said in a statement. “This magnificent final V12 coupe Collection captures both the significance and spirit of Wraith through the marqueÂ’s hallmark and peerless Bespoke capabilities.” The Wraith debuted back in 2013 and was a big hit for Rolls-Royce fans looking for a modern interpretation of a Rolls-Royce coupe. The British automaker says it brought in a new, younger generation of buyers for the brand - with the coupe featured in popular movies and music. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. In keep with RollsÂ’ bespoke capabilities as Muller-Otvos mentioned, the Black Arrow edition will use special open-pore Black Wood veneer for its internal panels, including a rear “waterfall” panel that separates the rear seats. The seats, door details, and lower dashboard panel will be lined with special new “club leather” materials, that feature enhanced color contrast and more natural leather markings. Rolls says this is to give drivers a more “club-armchair type of driving seat.” Of course the most important feature of this special edition is its V-12 engine. Here the 12-cylinder thatÂ’s so smooth one can barely hear it displaces 6.6 liters and outputs 624 horsepower and 605 lb-ft of torque. Yahoo Finance reviewed the standard Dawn Black Badge (the WraithÂ’s convertible sibling) and it was a smooth, powerful, and rather unique driving experience. Now this amount of luxury and exclusivity does not come cheap. While pricing was not released for this special edition Black Arrow, the standard Wraith coupe starts around $350,000.

Lotus Emira delayed for the U.S. while allocation amount and prices rise

It's Lotus' turn to catch the production and pricing virus, an ailment that's caused almost every automaker to lag on delivery timetables while increasing prices for reservation holders. Last October, Lotus Emiras intended for the UK home market were already trailing delivery estimates by six months. Early last year, Lotus expected to get Emiras tagged with U.S. plates as soon as fall of 2022. Now, CarBuzz reports that Emira V6 First Edition units destined for the U.S. will land on our soil this summer but won't be released to customers until between mid-October and mid-December. According to a letter sent by Gator Motorsports' franchise Indy Lotus in Indianapolis, Indiana, the holdup is U.S. certification.    On top of the delay, prices are going up for all U.S. and Canadian reservation holders except those who have completed paperwork for the initial North American V6 First Edition allocation. Lotus said the various troubles and quagmires around the world have increased the Emira's unit cost by around $14,400. Folding that into the MSRP would make the price $108,300 before destination. We say "initial" about that allocation because Lotus has upped the North American allotment by 600 units, making 1,300 in total to come to come to NA, the U.S.-specific number slightly smaller. When the second tranche becomes open for reservations, they will cost $105,400 in the U.S., that price already on the U.S. retail site configurator. Anyone who reserved the AMG-powered four-cylinder Emira I4 First Edition is going to see their cost rise from the $85,900 announced before. The new price MSRP be revealed until later this year, deliveries not scheduled to commence until Q2 of 2024. Of course, we should expect the cost of the regular series production cars to rise as well. The situation varies by market, so anyone on any of Lotus' lists should check with their Lotus dealer. A lively thread on Emira Forum that started in February is up to 26 pages as global Emira buyers try to figure out who needs to confront what increase. Part of the ire comes from Lotus having promised none of the pricing challenges would be passed on to reservation holders, saying, "The price you're being quoted is the price you'll pay for your Emira."     Ready for the good news? There will be more options to spend your money on.

Lancia teases new concept inspired by the legendary Stratos HF

The once-storied Italian marque Lancia currently sells only one car, an underwhelming hatchback called the Ypsilon that was launched way back in 2011. However, there are signs of life at the Stellantis-owned brand. They've teased a new concept, and from what we can see it looks to be inspired by the legendary Lancia Stratos HF. So far all we have is a name, the Emozione Pu+Ra. However, the rendering that came with the announcement shows the back half of the concept with some unmistakable Stratos cues – dual round taillights, the flat and wide black spoiler, rear glass with striped shading that evokes the original's rear window louvers.  Some of those cues, like the suspended taillight rings, stem from the Pu+Ra concept unveiled at November's Lancia Design Day conference. There, the company laid out its broad plans to restore the moribund brand to its former glory with — you guessed it — a full EV lineup. It unveiled the Pu+Ra Zero concept that was more sculpture than car, lacking what some would argue to be critical components such as doors, windows, and wheels.  Lancia said the Pu+Ra name was an abbreviation of "pure" and "radical" (not plutonium and radium), and the Zero is a callback to the 1970 Stratos Zero concept. That particular Marcello Gandini wedge made a splash at the Turin Motor Show and remains to this day the most extreme of the many doorstop-shaped cars from the era.  So if the speed form is analogous to the Stratos Zero, then this next evolution in the teaser should be analogous to the Stratos HF production car. Built for Lancia's rally efforts, the singular design won three consecutive World Rally Championships from 1974-76. Obviously the mid-engined layout of the Stratos HF is irrelevant to an EV, but Gandini's brutal blade was as unprecedented as the Miura he had designed for Lamborghini. In other words, the Emozione Pu+Ra should be a distilled and purposeful looker. Lancia CEO Luca Napolitano calls the upcoming concept the company's "brand manifesto for the next 10 years." We shall see what that looks like when it's unveiled on April 15.

Citroen Ami flips at Grand Hotel Hairpin corner in Monaco

Monaco is known for a few things: casinos, rich people, yachts. But it's known among car people for its famed Formula 1 street circuit. If you visit, you can retrace that circuit, right down to its astoundingly tight Grand Hotel Hairpin. But think twice, or thrice, about what car you take on your tribute "lap," or you may end up like the overambitious driver of this Citroen Ami. Multiple people were recording when this Citroen Ami was ripping around the Grand Hotel corner, and a couple of those angles were shared on Twitter by user World Bollard Association. When the driver decided to come down the hill to the corner at what was likely the top speed or more of the tiny Citroen, it winds up on its side, sailing into one of the bollards on the sidewalk, preventing pedestrians from becoming bowling pins. pic.twitter.com/3IkvJidSsh — World Bollard Association™ (@WorldBollard) March 12, 2023 There are a number of factors that came together for this dramatic wreck. One of the foremost is the fact that the Ami was being pushed well beyond its limits. The electric car tops out at 28 mph from the factory, as it's meant to be a low-speed city car. It actually has a special classification in France that allows people to drive it without a license, making it more like a golf cart or scooter. It's designed around that idea of a slow commuter for tight city streets, too, being extremely narrow, but still fairly tall. It's not exactly meant to be taking corners quickly. As some have pointed out, British automotive TV show Fifth Gear demonstrated the car's lack of cornering stability, nearly rolling the car on a level turn. Then there's the corner itself. The Ami was being driven in the same direction as the Formula 1 race, which heads downhill into the hairpin. It's quite possible it was at or even beyond that 28-mph speed limit thanks to gravity. This also means that as the tipsy little car started turning in, it was already going to be leaning even a little further over than in most city corners. So with extra speed and an off-camber turn, the results were practically inevitable. If you find yourself looking to cruise around Monaco, remember that a glorified golf cart can't perform like a proper car. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly named the corner where the Citroen rolled. The name has been corrected to Grand Hotel Hairpin. Related video: Green Motorsports Weird Car News Citroen

Junkyard Gem: 1997 Pontiac Sunfire SE Convertible

For the entire 24-year production run of the GM J platform (best known for the Chevrolet Cavalier), the Pontiac Division offered new J-Body cars for sale in the United States. First there was the J2000, followed in quick succession by the 2000, 2000 Sunbird and Sunbird. The Sunbird stuck around until the Cavalier got a major redesign for the 1995 model year, at which point Pontiac changed the car's name to Sunfire. Today's Junkyard Gem is one of those early Sunfires, a top-of-the-line SE convertible with the optional big engine and manual transmission. The Sunfire was an extremely close sibling to the same-year Cavalier (by the late 1980s, all the other US-market GM divisions had dropped their J-cars, which meant no more Skyhawks, Cimarrons or Firenzas), quite difficult to distinguish from its near-twin at a glance. The base engine for the 1997 Sunfire convertible was the pushrod 2.2-liter straight-four that powered so many J-bodies of the 1990s. That engine produced just 120 gnashing, valve-floating horsepower, not much by late-1990s standards. For a mere 450 additional dollars, however, the 2.4-liter Twin Cam engine and its high-revving 150 horses could be had by '97 Sunfire buyers. That's what's in this car. This is one of the members of the Oldsmobile Quad 4 family, though some fanatics will yell at you if you apply that name to the versions that don't have big QUAD 4 lettering cast into the valve cover. This is the most powerful engine ever used in production Sunfires. For 1997, Pontiac offered a four-speed automatic transmission for no extra cost in the Sunfire convertible. Buyers of all other Sunfire models that year had to shell out either $550 or $810 ($1,026 or $1,511 in 2023 dollars) for a two-pedal rig. That means that the buyer of this car really wanted the five-speed manual transmission (or just hungered for the $810 credit offered in the fine print for takers of the manual). Plenty of free-breathing engine power, five-on-the-floor driving enjoyment and the open skies above. What a fun car! This one made it to nearly 180,000 miles. For this car with the Quad 4 under the hood and a clutch pedal on the floor, the MSRP was $18,539 (about $34,584 today). Its Cavalier LS convertible twin with the same engine/transmission setup cost $17,365 ($32,394 now). This car has a bunch of options, including the 15" Rally aluminum wheels, so the out-the-door price would have been higher. The last year for the Sunfire was 2005, same as the Cavalier.

Junkyard Gem: 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix LJ

A couple of years before John DeLorean and his team at the Pontiac Division created the GTO by pasting a big engine and some gingerbread on the LeMans, they created a rakish, powerful coupe based on the staid full-size Catalina. This was the 1962 Pontiac Grand Prix, which sold like crazy and escalated the personal luxury coupe war already brewing in Detroit. Starting with the 1969 model year, the Grand Prix switched to a smaller chassis (shared the following year with the new Chevrolet Monte Carlo), and all subsequent rear-wheel-drive Grand Prix (that is, through 1987) remained siblings of the Monte. Today's Junkyard Gem is a rare 1980 Grand Prix LJ, found in a self-service yard near Reno, Nevada. Sure, a fresh round of Middle East conflict had put a kink in America's fuel hose in 1979, leading to gas lines and a general sense of malaise, but at least the new Grand Prix looked extra sharp for 1980. The LJ package came with all sorts of appearance and comfort goodies, including these "luxury seats with loose-pillow design in New Florentine Cloth." A Pontiac Phoenix LJ was available as well. These seats must have been very comfortable when new. Who needed a Cadillac when Pontiac would sell you this car at a base MSRP of just $7,000 (about $26,704 in 2023 dollars)? That price was what you paid if you were willing to get the base 3.8-liter Buick V6, though. To get a V8 engine with four-barrel carburetor, you had to pay extra. If you did pay the extra for a V8, which one you got depended on which state you lived in; in California, you got this 305-cubic-inch (5.0-liter Chevrolet small-block), and in the other 49 states you got a 301-cubic-inch (4.9-liter) Pontiac. The 305 was rated at 150 horsepower with 230 pound-feet; the 301 made 140hp and 240 lb-ft. This car was originally bought in California (the state line is about ten miles away from its final parking spot), so it has the Chevy engine. The V8 added $195 (plus $250 for the California-only emissions system) to the out-the-door price of the car, or about $1,316 in 2023 dollars. Outside of California, a 4.3-liter Chevy V6 was available for just 80 additional bucks ($305 now). All 1980 Grand Prix got a three-speed automatic transmission as standard equipment, with no manual available from the factory. This car has the optional air conditioning, which cost $601 ($2,293 after inflation). This is the "Custom Sport" steering wheel, which was standard on the LJ. The tilt option cost $81 ($309 today).

Autoblog Electric launches; we talk EV news, VW ID.4 and Kia EV6 | Autoblog Podcast #770

In this episode of the Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. In company news, we launched the Autoblog Electric hub this week, and as such, we spend a lot of this episode talking about EVs. WE start by talking about some electric pickups on the way, EV charging and U.S. infrastructure plans, states banning ICE sales, the happiest EV owners, thoughts on the viability of smaller electric automakers and Formula 1's renewed stance against goinf electric. We also share notes on the Volkswagen ID.4 and Kia EV6 we've been driving, as well as other memorable EVs we've driven in the past year. Finally, we reach into the mailbag for a Spend My Money update before talking about late winter/spring beverages.  Send us your questions for the Mailbag and Spend My Money at: Podcast@Autoblog.com. Autoblog Podcast #770 Get The Podcast Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Autoblog launches Autoblog Electric Electric pickup trucks available in 2023 and beyond The current and future state of EV charging New Jersey is the next state to ban light-duty ICE vehicle sales by 2035 Rivian R1T, Mini Cooper Electric owners happiest with their EVs Thoughts on smaller electric automaker firms F1 CEO vows there will never be an electric car on the grid Cars we're driving Long-term 2022 Kia EV6 2023 VW ID.4 Other memorable EVs Spend My Money update: Replacing an Alfa Romeo Giulia with a BMW i4 Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives. Related video: Government/Legal Green Motorsports Podcasts Kia Lotus Volkswagen Green Automakers Green Culture Green Driving Truck Crossover SUV Electric Racing Vehicles Infrastructure Lucid

Lucky Australians get super-limited Suzuki Jimny Heritage Edition

Every time the Suzuki Jimny comes up, people in the U.S. throw around phrases like “forbidden fruit” and words like “unobtanium.” Still, the automakerÂ’s newest off-roader may be impossible to get, even for people in markets where itÂ’s sold. The new Jimny Heritage Edition will soon be available in Australia, but its super-limited numbers will make it one of the rarest pint-sized off-roaders yet. Suzuki said it would only build 300 of the retro-inspired Jimnys. The companyÂ’s Australian website shows four colorways, including green, white, grey, and black, each accented by red and orange graphics and red mudflaps. Heritage decals and a unique cargo tray round out the look. The Heritage Edition gets the same 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that the standard Jimny and Jimny Lite get, which produces around 100 horsepower and 96 pound-feet of torque. Suzuki offers a four-speed automatic transmission in other variants, but the Heritage comes exclusively with a five-speed manual gearbox. The JimnyÂ’s ultra-compact size, short wheelbase, and almost nonexistent front and rear overhangs make it a surprisingly capable off-roader. Utility vehicles have ballooned in size here in the States, and while we never got the Jimny, we did get oddities like the Geo/Chevy Tracker before the market went wild on luxo-barge SUVs. The Heritage Edition builds on the GLX trim, the most “luxurious” variant, if you can call it that. The trim gets a seven-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, LED headlights, a rearview camera, fog lights, and even some advanced driver aids. Though small and somewhat basic, the Jimny Heritage Edition can be upgraded with several options and accessories. Suzuki offers skid plates, cargo accessories, premium speakers, and even an $1,800 (AUD) 15-inch wheel kit. Pricing starts at AUD 33,490, or $22,591, a few thousand more than the base Jimny. White is the only standard paint color, however, so lucky buyers will have to shell out an additional $695 for one of the other hues. Related Video

Junkyard Gem: 1994 Isuzu Rodeo 4WD

After a decade in which Isuzu-built Chevrolet LUV pickups, Isuzu-engined Chevrolet Chevettes and Isuzu Geminis with confusing "Opel by Isuzu" or "Buick/Opel Isuzu" badges, Isuzu finally began selling Americans its vehicles with Isuzu badging in the early 1980s. There were Isuzu cars, sure, but the P'up pickup and (starting in 1984) the Trooper SUV showed that Isuzu was likely to rake in the most yen by selling trucks on this side of the Pacific. The three-door convertible Amigo appeared here in 1989, but it was a little too small and silly to sell much among the suburban-commuter set. For the 1991 model year, a five-door Amigo sibling showed up: the Rodeo. The early Rodeo is getting quite rare today, but I was able to find this fairly clean '94 in a Denver-area self-service yard a few months back. These trucks, which were based on the same chassis as the P'up (known as the Isuzu Pickup after 1987) sold well in Colorado. You could get the first-generation Rodeo with rear-wheel-drive, but the four-wheel-drive version made more sense if you wanted to slog through snow and mud in the Rockies (or just feel safe when crossing a parking lot dusted with the white stuff). This truck has true four-wheel-drive, not what eventually became known as all-wheel-drive, but at least the higher trim levels had automatic locking hubs instead of the manual sort that forced you to stop and kneel in the mud to switch. Americans loved automatic transmissions nearly as much in 1994 as we do today, but they cost a lot more relative to manuals back then. This truck has a five-speed manual. The MSRP on this truck was $19,249, or about $39,075 in 2022 dollars. If you wanted it with an automatic transmission, the price went up to $20,349 ($41,310 today). The air conditioning in this one cost an additional 850 bucks (1,725 bucks now). The engine is an Isuzu 3.2-liter V6, rated at 175 horsepower. This truck was built at Subaru-Isuzu Automotive in Indiana; Subaru eventually bought out Isuzu's share of the joint venture and now only Subaru models are built there. Just to add another manufacturer to the mix, Honda sold rebadged Rodeos with Passport badges (and rebadged Troopers as Acura SLXs). This one was well-cared-for, looking clean for a machine with close to 200,000 miles on the clock. We can assume that some costly mechanical ailment finally sent it to this, its final parking place.

Fisker earnings call touts the Ocean's arrival, teases the Pear

Henrik Fisker's on his third go as head of an independent carmaker. It started with Fisker Coachbuild, putting new bodies on German sports cars to create the Tramonto and Latigo. His dreams soon went electric with Fisker Automotive and the Karma. The latest dream revision birthed Fiker Inc, the company behind the Ocean. Based on details provided during the company's Q4 and full-year 2022 results call with analysts, the third time could well and truly be the charm. The bullet points are a startup's dream. There are 56 Ocean prototypes on the roads, 15 of them in partner Magna Steyr's fleet for daily testing and validation. Fisker Inc spent less money than expected in 2022 ($702 million) and has more cash on hand than expected. And if things go smoothly in 2023, the predicted spend and gross margin could leave Fisker Inc with "potentially positive EBITDA [Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization] for 2023." Huge if it happens. If there's slightly mixed news, it's with the Q1 2023 timeline. The good bit is that Fisker says homologation programs in the U.S. and seven European countries are "progressing well," the processes expected to conclude in March. After that, the company needs to secure final regulatory approvals from the U.S. EPA, California's Air Resources Board, and the seven international regions. Fisker touted the broad market strategy as lowering risk since getting approved in multiple markets would give the company the option to go where demand is greatest. The target has been to get the first 300 Ocean units delivered by the end of March, Fisker saying the company secured supplier commitments for the quarterly and annual build schedules. With the amount of paperwork yet to be done, though, hitting the March deadline could be close. After that, according to the CEO, it's back to uncut good news. Those homologation programs have apparently shown ranges better than expected for the Ocean. Instead of the 350-mile range predicted on the U.S. regime, Fisker thinks "it's going to be closer to 360 [miles]." Instead of the Europe's WLTP prediction of 630 kilometers, he said, "I think this will be closer to 700."  As of the end of February, the company is sitting on roughly 65,000 reservations or orders for the Ocean. The goal is to manufacture 42,000 units this year, the ramp-up going from 300 in Q1 to 8,000 in Q2, more than 15,000 in Q3, and at least 19,000 in Q4.

Lotus Type 133 / Envya spy photos show it in thin camouflage

Lotus's upcoming electric sedan, codenamed Type 133 and potentially named Envya, has been caught in spy photos once again, and this time we get an impressively clear look thanks to thin, branded camouflage. It looks as long and slinky as ever, and design elements from the Lotus Eletre electric SUV are obvious. It also looks as though it's closely related to the Polestar 5 sedan. The nose of the Type 133 is a near note-for-note remake of the Eletre's, but significantly lower and flatter. Frankly, it's a much better execution of the design to these eyes. It has the split headlights and the hexagonal active grille shutters like the SUV, too. Close examination also shows that the upper headlights consist of two scowling lenses on each side, with the upper ones obscured by vinyl camoflage. The low nose rises quickly over a short hood into the long, raked roofline that continues right through to the tail. The Type 133 is absolutely a modern fastback-type sedan, and likely features a hatchback. At the leading edge of the roof, there's a sensor that's presumably for advanced driver aids, and is one of the signs that this car likely is closely related to the Polestar 5, which was previewed with a similar sensor. Around at the back, the Type 133's details are harder to see due to the final taillights not being installed. But it does appear to be getting full-width units, and there are some diffuser-like details in the rear bumper. Besides that aforementioned sensor, the whole car's shape, size and proportions look extremely close to the Polestar 5's and those of the Precept concept that previewed the Polestar. The low nose, long roof, roof sensor, flush door handles, they're all very similar. And with Geely owning both brands, it's not really a surprise. The same electric platform from the Eletre is likely powering the Type 133, and power could range from 595 to 893 horsepower. Battery packs could range from 92- to 120-kWh. With how finished and thinly disguised this prototype is, we think the Type 133 could be revealed sometime this year, possibly going on sale next year.  Related Video:

2024 GMC Hummer EV SUV Edition 1 back on the market after charity auction

The charity auctions at this year's Barrett-Jackson event in Arizona pulled in the usual millions for good causes. Nevertheless, there were no shocking result among the sales like the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette VIN 001 that hammered for $3.7 million in 2022 or the 2022 GMC Hummer EV pickup VIN 001 that hammered for $2.5 million in 2021. In fact, the best result for hammer prices this year was a GMC Hummer EV SUV VIN001 that brought in $500,000, quite a ways down on its bedded sibling. Seems the purchaser decided a little bit of battery-electric arbitrage might be the play, because the SUV is going back up for sale. As caught by CarBuzz, a new member to the Hummer Chat forum started a thread, "Barrett Jackson VIN #1 SUV available." According to the poster who calls himself Bill, "Tread Lightly, the charity organization that the funds went to, aligns well with our company and we were excited to participate with them, however, the Hummer should go to a true enthusiast or collector." The post says Barrett-Jackson "is interested in" putting the Hummer in front of audiences at the Palm Beach auction event April 13-15 or at the Vegas event June 22-24. The vehicle's apparently been built and will be titled in Arizona. It's a loaded Edition 1 in Moonshot Green Matte with a Lunar Shadow interior and three motors making roughly 830 horsepower. There are transparent sky panels that open to create the open-air "Infinity Roof," 14-speaker Bose audio, Super Cruise, Crab Walk and Watts to Freedom mode. Naturally, the seller is willing to part with this bit of history before April and at first said he is ready to "consider a reasonable offer for the vehicle." We're not sure if that means more than $500,000. If so, and without the charity component — the reason these vehicles bring in so much money so often — we suspect such an asking price would be a tough draw. A look at Cars & Bids results for GMC Hummer EV pickups in Edition 1 trim shows prices that regularly surpassed $200,000 last summer are now down to around $160,000. However, two posts later, Bill says his company is "open to all offers."  The Hummer EV SUV Edition 1 retail version will reach begin reaching owners by the end of Q1 this year, which isn't far away. It cost $105,595 when it could be reserved.

EU Parliament allows low-volume automakers to sell ICE cars after 2035

Bloomberg recently ran a piece about how new cars are "just for the rich" thanks to constraints — real and artificial — that have boosted prices and profits. It's possible internal combustion engines will end up behind the same paywall. The European Parliament has been laying out the regulations that will guide the transport industry to and beyond 2035, when the EU will forbid sales of new ICE-powered passenger cars and vans. The latest step in the process was to approve a carveout for automakers that register fewer than 1,000 cars per year. Basically, every independent hypercar maker on The Continent plus Bugatti would be allowed to sell 1,000 units annually. The vote was probably closer than some expected, with 340 votes in favor, 279 against, and 21 abstentions, meaning just 40 parliamentarians made the provision possible. We're sure we haven't heard the end of it, either. Italy and its super sports car makers have publicly stated their desires for an exception to the ban. Never mind that outfits like Pagani, Bugatti, and Koenigsegg have barely made 1,000 cars apiece throughout their lifespans, if the rules would allow 1,000 new Jeskos on the road every year, why not allow 1,000 ICE Lamborghinis out of Sant'Agata's total annual production?   As Autocar noted, the carveout doesn't apply to the UK, the island nation also banning new ICE sales in 2035. Autocar reports that government officials there are considering such a measure. It would be vastly more important in the UK where cottage industry carmaking — Ariel, BAC, Ginetta, Morgan, and so on — is a national point of pride.  For the rest of the enthusiast public, carbon-neutral synthetic fuels or Toyota's hydrogen-fueled ICE efforts might be the best currently known bets to save the ICE soundtrack. 2035 is around the corner from a development standpoint but ages away from a tech standpoint, so who knows what kind of world we'll be looking at on the other side. It's still going to sound like hypercars, though. Government/Legal Bugatti Koenigsegg Pagani

Stellantis earnings rise along with EV sales

AMSTERDAM — Automaker Stellantis on Wednesday reported its earnings grew in 2022 from a year earlier and said its push into electric vehicles led to a jump in sales even as it faces growing competition from an industrywide shift to more climate-friendly offerings. Stellantis, formed in 2021 from the merger of Fiat Chrysler and FranceÂ’s PSA Peugeot, said net revenue of 179.6 billion euros ($191 billion) was up 18% from 2021, citing strong pricing and its mix of vehicles. It reported net profit of 16.8 billion euros, up 26% from 2021. Stellantis plans to convert all of its European sales and half of its U.S. sales to battery-electric vehicles by 2030. It said the strategy led to a 41% increase in battery EV sales in 2022, to 288,000 vehicles, compared with the year earlier. The company has “demonstrated the effectiveness of our electrification strategy in Europe,” CEO Carlos Tavares said in a statement. “We now have the technology, the products, the raw materials and the full battery ecosystem to lead that same transformative journey in North America, starting with our first fully electric Ram vehicles from 2023 and Jeep from 2024.” The automaker is competing in an increasingly crowded field for a share of the electric vehicle market. Companies are scrambling to roll out environmentally friendly models as they look to hit goals of cutting climate-changing emissions, driven by government pressure. The transformation has gotten a boost from a U.S. law that is rolling out big subsidies for clean technology like EVs but has European governments calling out the harm that they say the funding poses to homegrown industry across the Atlantic. Stellantis' Jeep brand will start selling two fully electric SUVs in North America and another one in Europe over the next two years. It says its Ram brand will roll out an electric pickup truck this year, joining a rush of EV competitors looking to claim a piece of the full-size truck market. The company plans to bring 25 battery-electric models to the U.S. by 2030. As part of that push, it has said it would build two EV battery factories in North America. A $2.5 billion joint venture with Samsung will bring one of those facilities to Indiana, which is expected to employ up to 1,400 workers. The other factory will be in Windsor, Ontario, a collaboration with South KoreaÂ’s LG Energy Solution that aims to create about 2,500 jobs. The EV push comes amid a slowdown in U.S.

Big electric trucks won't save the planet, says the NYT

When The New York Times decides that an issue is an issue, be prepared to read about it at length. Rarely will a week passes these days when the esteemed news organization doesn’t examine the realities, myths and alleged benefits and drawbacks of electric vehicles, and even The Atlantic joins in sometimes. That revolution, marked by changes in manufacturing, consumer habits and social “consciousness,” may in fact be upon us. Or it may not. Nonetheless, the newspaper appears committed to presenting to the public these pros and cons. In this recently published article titled, “Just How Good for the Planet Is That Big Electric Pickup Truck?”—wow, thatÂ’s a mouthful — the Times focuses on the “bigness” of the current and pending crop of EVs, and how that impacts or will impact the environment and road safety. This is not what news organizations these days are fond of calling “breaking news.” In October, we pointed to an essay in The Atlantic that covered pretty much the same ground, and focused on the Hummer as one particular villain, In the paper and online on Feb. 18, the Times' Elana Shao observes how “swapping a gas pickup truck for a similar electric one can produce significant emissions savings.” She goes on: “Take the Ford F-150 pickup truck compared with the electric F-150 Lightning. The electric versions are responsible for up to 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions per mile.” But she right away flips the argument, noting the heavier electric pickup trucks “often require bigger batteries and more electricity to charge, so they end up being responsible for more emissions than other smaller EVs. Taking into consideration the life cycle emissions per mile, they end up just as polluting as some smaller gas-burning cars.” Certainly, itÂ’s been drummed into our heads that electric cars donÂ’t run on air and water but on electricity that costs money, and that the public will be dealing with “the shift toward electric SUVs, pickup trucks and crossover vehicles, with some analysts estimating that SUVs, pickup trucks and vans could make up 78 percent of vehicle sales by 2025." No-brainer alert: Big vehicles cost more to charge. And then thereÂ’s the safety question, which was cogently addressed in the Atlantic story. Here Shao reiterates data documenting the increased risks of injuries and deaths caused by larger, heavier vehicles.

For EV drivers, realities may dampen the electric elation

The Atlantic, a decades-old monthly journal well-regarded for its intelligent essays on international news, American politics and cultural happenings, recently turned its attention to the car world. A piece that ran in The Atlantic in October examined the excesses of the GMC Hummer EV for compromising safety. And now in its latest edition, the magazine ran a compelling story about the challenges of driving an electric vehicle and how those experiences “mythologize the car as the great equalizer.” Titled “The Inconvenient Truth About Electric Vehicles,” the story addresses the economics of EVs, the stresses related to range anxiety, the social effects of owning an electric car — as in, affording one — and the overarching need for places to recharge that car. Basically, author Andrew Moseman says that EV life isn't so rosy: “On the eve of the long-promised electric-vehicle revolution, the myth is due for an update. Americans who take the plunge and buy their first EV will find a lot to love Â… they may also find that electric-vehicle ownership upends notions about driving, cost, and freedom, including how much car your money can buy. "No one spends an extra $5,000 to get a bigger gas tank in a Honda Civic, but with an EV, economic status is suddenly more connected to how much of the world you get to see — and how stressed out or annoyed youÂ’ll feel along the way.” Moseman charts how a basic Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck might start at $55,000, but an extended-range battery, which stretches the distance on a charge from 230 miles to 320, “raises the cost to at least $80,000. The trend holds true with all-electric brands such as Tesla, Rivian, and Lucid, and for many electric offerings from legacy automakers. The bigger battery option can add a four- or five-figure bump to an already accelerating sticker price.” As for the charging issue, the author details his anxiety driving a Telsa in Death Valley, with no charging stations in sight. “For those who never leave the comfort of the city, these concerns sound negligible," he says. "But so many of us want our cars to do everything, go everywhere, ferry us to the boundless life we imagine (or the one weÂ’re promised in car commercials),” he writes. His conclusions may raise some hackles among those of us who value automotive independence — not to mention fun — over practicalities.