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eBay Find of the Day: 1987 Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe is showroom fresh

There's an ultra-rare Ford Thunderbird for sale on eBay, although it's not quite the T-Bird you're probably thinking. This is a 1987 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe, complete with a five-speed manual transmission and just a shade over 13,000 miles on the clock. The condition is said to be mint, and judging by the interior and exterior pictures, we're inclined to believe the seller. The paint is glossy and the interior looks showroom new, while the underbody is stunningly clean for a 36-year-old car.
Underhood sits a 2.3-liter, intercooled and turbocharged four-cylinder (also found in the Mustang SVO) that was producing 190 horsepower when it left the factory. Inside, the five-speed manual transmission adds to the car's rarity. The vehicle's sole owner has been as immaculate with the paperwork as he has with the rest of the car - it's all there, including brochures and other product material.
The eBay auction ends tomorrow at midnight (9:00 PM if you're on America's west coast). Bidding has reached $10,200, and there's still plenty of time to get in on this future classic. The vehicle is located in Millstone Township, NJ.

Gas-electric hybrid vehicles are getting a boost from Ford, others

DETROIT — Hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles may not be dying as fast as some predicted in the auto sectorÂ’s rush to develop all-electric models. Ford Motor is the latest of several top automakers, including Toyota and Stellantis, planning to build and sell hundreds of thousands of hybrid vehicles in the U.S. over the next five years, industry forecasters told Reuters. The companies are pitching hybrids as an alternative for retail and commercial customers who are seeking more sustainable transportation, but may not be ready to make the leap to a full electric vehicle. "Hybrids really serve a lot of America," said Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at New York-based investment manager Ingalls & Snyder. "Hybrid is a great alternative to a pure electric vehicle; it's an easier sell to a lot of customers." Interest in hybrids is rebounding as consumer demand for pure electrics has not accelerated as quickly as expected. Surveys cite a variety of reasons for tepid EV demand, from high initial cost and concerns about range to lengthy charging times and a shortage of public charging stations. “With the tightening of emissions requirements, hybrids provide a cleaner fleet without requiring buyers to take the leap into pure electrics,” said Sam Fiorani, vice president at AutoForecast Solutions. S&P Global Mobility estimates hybrids will more than triple over the next five years, accounting for 24% of U.S. new vehicle sales in 2028. Sales of pure electrics will claim about 37%, leaving combustion vehicles — including so-called “mild” hybrids — with a nearly 40% share. S&P estimates hybrids will account for just 7% of U.S. sales this year, and pure electrics 9%, with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles taking more than 80%. Historically, hybrids have accounted for less than 10% of total U.S. sales, with ToyotaÂ’s long-running Prius among the most popular models. The Japanese automaker has consistently said hybrids will play a key role in the company's long-range electrification plans as it slowly ramps up investment in pure EVs. Ford is the latest to roll out more aggressive hybrid plans. On its second-quarter earnings call in late July, Chief Executive Jim Farley surprised analysts, saying Ford expects to quadruple its hybrid sales over the next five years after earlier promising an aggressive push into all-electric vehicles. “This transition to EVs will be dynamic,” Farley told analysts.

Project CARS 2 is coming

It's barely been a month since we released our review on Project CARS, and already, developers Slightly Mad Studios is preparing a sequel. It'll use the same crowd-funding formula that put together such a successful game this time around. The sequel was announced on the World of Mass Development portal, the same source of crowdfunding for the first Project CARS. Among the enhancements Slightly Mad is planning, there's the usual promise of more tracks and cars, but what we're really looking forward to is the news hidden in that promise. Project CARS 2 will boast bigger, more exciting forms of racing, including rallycross. In total, there will be over "50 unique locations and 200+ courses," "8 different disciplines," and "200+ cars from over 40 different vehicle classes including never-before-seen Concepts and Banned Race Cars." Yes, this all sounds very good. Project CARS 2 will also add a new customizable test track feature, and there will be an increased emphasis on both co-op and social gameplay and "skill and behavioral-based matchmaking" in online play. The crowdfunding campaign for the new title is currently underway, although it's unclear when we'll get a planned release date. As for our own wish list, it's remarkably short. We'd like a more fully fleshed out career mode, actual vehicle upgrades and customization options, and a genuine economy would be welcomed additions. Part of the fun of racing titles is working up the coin to acquire new and exciting cars. It's not that we mind full access to the game's entire roster of vehicles, we just wish that in the career mode, there was a bit more planning and challenge to getting ahold of new racers. In short, we want the best parts of Forza Motorsport with combined with the best parts of Project CARS. Oh, and if the frame-rate issues we experienced on the Xbox One could be sorted out too. What would you like to see included in Project CARS 2? Perhaps cleaner menus? A better soundtrack? Have your say down in Comments. Until then, check out the launch announcement over at WMD. Related Video: Featured Gallery Project CARS 2 News Source: World of Mass Development via Kotaku Toys/Games Ford Racing Vehicles video games xbox one playstation 4 project cars slightly mad studios