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Showing posts from February, 2023

Ford Has Sold Its 50,000th Mustang Mach-E In Europe

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Hakan and Berrin Can of Warendorf, Germany, today took delivery of their shiny, new Ford Mustang Mach-E. But it wasn’t just any example, theirs was the 50,000th Mustang Mach-E ever delivered. The car was presented to the young couple at the Ford-Autohaus Ebbert GmbH dealership in Gütersloh, in the north-west of Germany. The couple say they transitioned to the new EV because of a new addition to their family. “My wife and I chose the Mustang Mach-E because we have needed a family-friendly car since the birth of our son Nesim,” said Hakan. “We were particularly impressed by the design, the generous space and the overall technical package. I am convinced that electric vehicles are the future.” Read: Ford Mustang Mach-E Powers Up With Cheaper, Faster-Charging LFP Batteries Clearly in a hurry to get their newborn to daycare, the couple didn’t opt for just any Mustang Mach-E, instead they went for the high-performance GT model . The EV delivers 480 hp (358 kW/487 PS) and 634 lb-ft (8

Digital Key Malfunction Leads To BMW Z4, 2-Series And 8-Series Recall

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Thousands of 2023 BMW 8-Series, 2-Series, and Z4 models have been recalled in the United States because of an issue related to the digital key function. A notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( NHTSA ) states that the software coding of the electronic control unit in charge of the digital key function means that even when the digital key is removed from the vehicle, it may still be possible to close the vehicle’s windows and roof systems. An investigation from BMW first uncovered an issue with the digital key system on January 18, 2023 and it was quickly concluded that certain aspects of the software may not have been coded as intended for the U.S. market. Read: BMW To Recall 15,000 iXs And X1s Over Airbag That May Deploy Incorrectly A total of 3,193 vehicles are involved in the recall. These consist of 414 BMW 8-Series models from the 2023 model year, namely 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, and M8 models, built between October 18, 2022 and Febru

Li-Cycle Gets $375 Million Government Loan As It Builds Battery Recycling Plant In New York

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The United States will become home to an expansive new battery recycling plant after prominent recycler Li-Cycle entered into a conditional commitment for a $375 million loan from the U.S. Department of Energy Loan Programs Office. Li-Cycle will open the doors to its $485 million processing facility in Rochester, New York later this year having already secured the necessary funds to do so. It will then use the loan to expand the company elsewhere. Li-Cycle confirmed in a press release that the loan has a 12-year term and an interest rate matching the 10-year U.S. Treasury rate. “$375 million will now supercharge Li-Cycle here in Rochester, with 270 good-paying jobs, to become one of America’s largest suppliers of recycled materials for batteries ,” Senator Charles Schumer said. “Last year, I stood alongside Li-Cycle’s powerhouse workforce and promised I would push to deliver federal funding to spark more growth, and now thanks to the investments I secured in the Inflation Reduction

Does Market Share Really Make Car Firms More Money?

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Wanna make more money for your car brand? Make (and sell) more cars. That seems pretty obvious advice, but it might not be the best advice. While some automakers clearly believe that growing market share really is the way to grow their bank balances, others take a different tack, focusing on making cars with big profit margins. That comparison is made by Brian Finkelmeyer, an industry analyst at Cox Automotive, who contrasts the fortunes of the Hyundai Group of companies with Stellantis, two organizations with opposing strategies. Finkelmeyer likens Hyundai (including Kia and Genesis) to GM in the 1960s when The General’s brands collectively held a 50 percent market share thanks to smart application of platform and engineering sharing principles. Obviously Hyundai doesn’t have close to that kind of market share, but it is growing its share and has posted an 11 percent sales increase since 2019. Prior to the pandemic Stellantis was outselling Hyundai Motor Group by more than 55,000

Kia Pays Tribute To The Stinger As All-Electric EV6 GT Takes Its Place

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Since 2017, the Kia Stinger has been the brand’s flagship performance model but with the South Korean car manufacturer now embarking on an electric future, it’s time to bid farewell to the Stinger. To pay tribute to the car, Kia has produced an entertaining video that shows the Stinger in all its glory alongside the EV6 GT which, according to Kia, will continue the Stinger’s legacy and act as the brand’s new range-topping performance model. The video starts off by showing a Stinger and an EV6 GT parked while overlooking the ocean. They are shown communicating with each other, boasting of their performance attributes and explaining all of the prestigious awards that they have won. Read: Kia Ending Production Of The Stinger With Limited Tribute Edition The duo then head out and take to a circuit. Both the Stinger and EV6 GT are shown being pushed to their limits, drifting around corners and switching positions along the track’s main straight. They end their on-track dance with

VW Steps In To Save Axed Wörthersee GTI Festival

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Volkswagen fans from around the world were left distraught earlier this month when the legendary Wörthersee GTI festival was cancelled with little prospect of it make a comeback. The celebration of all things GTI had been held at Austria’s Lake Wörthersee since 1982, but the borough of Maria Wörth recently announced that it wouldn’t be staging the show in future because it wanted to safeguard the local ecosystem and recognize the damaging effects of climate change. But now Volkswagen , the company responsible for creating the GTI, and the show’s sponsor since 2006, has stepped in to save the day, and it’s come up with the perfect venue: its own Wolfsburg HQ. “Our GTI fans are of great importance to Volkswagen,” said VW board member, Imelda Labbé. “For this reason, after the GTI Meeting at Lake Wörthersee was unfortunately cancelled, we decided pretty quickly to offer the GTI fan community in Wolfsburg a new home for the event.” Related: VW Golf And GTI Will Live On As EVs, Next-

Facelifted Kia Picanto Spied With Telluride-Like Accents

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Hyundai unveiled the facelifted i10 earlier today and it appears the Kia Picanto will also benefit from a freshening. Spied undergoing testing in Europe, the facelifted Picanto is heavily disguised but will feature an updated front end.  Details are hard to make out, but we can see ‘stacked’ headlights and daytime running lights that recall the pre-facelift Telluride. We can also expect a redesigned grille as well as an updated front bumper.  The latter is peeking through the camouflage and we can see a modified intake as well as what appears to be slimmer air curtains. Driven: The Kia Picanto GT Line Is Quite A Little Charmer The styling changes continue further back with updated wheels and a revised rear end.  The latter is heavily camouflaged, but we can get a glimpse of new LED taillights that feature a pixel-like design.  They should be joined by a new bumper and an updated hatch. Spy photographers didn’t snap interior pictures, but changes could echo those found on the

A New Porsche 911 Speedster Could Debut This Year

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It’s been less than four years since the 991-generation Porsche 911 Speedster hit the market and the car manufacturer is apparently going to unveil the 992 version at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. A report from Car Magazine claims that the new 911 Speedster will follow the same philosophy as its predecessor. That means it will come with a more steeply raked windshield than the standard 911 Cabriolet while also sporting the same attractive buttresses on the rear decklid. It’s also claimed that Porsche will fit the new 911 Speedster with small cameras on these buttresses that send live images through to the cabin in a bid to prevent the large blind spots that the previous 911 Speedster had. Watch: Is The Porsche 911 GT3 Really Faster With A PDK Than A Manual? In terms of power, Porsche should follow the same recipe as the old model. That means the 992 Speedster will receive the same 4.0-liter naturally-aspirated six-cylinder as the 911 GT3, pumping out 503 hp at 8,400

Fernando Alonso Tests The Limits Of The Aston Martin DBX 707

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Fernando Alonso shocked the Formula 1 paddock when he announced his departure from the Alpine team after being poached by Aston Martin . Now, a couple of months after joining his new team, Alonso was tasked with helping to promote the DBX 707. There’s no denying that the Aston Martin DBX 707 is one of the craziest SUVs currently on sale and even though very few owners will ever be brave enough to drive on a circuit, this video shows the V8-powered SUV at a circuit in pursuit of ‘The Perfect Lap.’ The description of the video reveals that the DBX 707 used is owned by Alonso himself and clearly, he isn’t afraid of pushing it to its absolute limits. Throughout, he pushes the SUV down the straight and through corners, using every inch of the track in pursuit of the perfect lap which, the Spaniard says, is always just out of reach. Watch: Chris “I Don’t Like SUVs” Harris Drives The Bonkers Aston Martin DBX 707 Aston Martin unveiled the DBX 707 last year as the ultimate version of the

Nissan’s EVs Won’t Qualify For Full U.S. Tax Credits Until 2026

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Nissan is speeding up the rollout of its next generation of electrified vehicles, but even under the new plan the firm’s EVs won’t qualify for full U.S. tax credits until 2026. America’s recently introduce Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has thrown up complications for various carmakers who no longer have to worry about making too many EVs and losing their credit allocation, but instead are fretting about where those EVs – and their batteries and battery components – are built. Now Nissan says its U.S. manufacturing program will be fully compliant with the IRA’s supply chain stipulations by 2026, at which point customers will be eligible for the full $7,500 tax credit. “The IRA is giving us the opportunity to speed up electrification in the United States,” Nissan COO Ashwani Gupta said in a briefing reported by Bloomberg . “We have completed the path to comply with the IRA.” Completing the path is one thing, but moving down it is another. Nissan will build powertrains in the U.S.,

Porsche And Cadillac Announce Three-Car Efforts For 100th Running Of 24 Of Le Mans

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Porsche today announced that it will field three factory-backed cars at the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race this year, with a fourth 963 being entered by privateer squad, Hertz Team JOTA. Cadillac, meanwhile, announced that the three cars it raced at the Daytona 24 are headed for Europe this summer. Although it normally runs just two cars in World Endurance Championship (WEC) events (the series whose calendar Le Mans is officially a part of), Porsche says it decided to run three factory-backed cars at the endurance race, because winning in France was always the main focus of the 963 program. “ Le Mans is the highlight of every endurance season—even more so this year in light of the 100th anniversary of the 24-hour race,” said Thomas Laudenbach, the VP of Porsche Motorsport. “For us, it’s all about maximizing our chances of scoring our 20th overall victory at Le Mans on the 75th anniversary of the Porsche brand.” Read: Le Mans-Bound NASCAR Camaro Found To Lap Daytona As Quick A

Nickel-Plated Tesla Model X Is Worth Every Cent

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Despite its gullwing rear doors and impressive performance, the Tesla Model X was not flashy enough for an owner in Utah, who opted to cover the entire bodywork in nickels. The shiny coins create an unconventional wrap that is hard to ignore on the streets, adding weight and value to the fully electric SUV. The nickel-covered Tesla was spotted in Utah, and went viral on Reddit by user Pacexmaker. Thankfully the collective mind of the Internet gave us all the answers we need. Reddit user Machidalgo was kind enough to do the math for us, calculating the number of nickels and the added weight to the EV. According to his estimates, the Model X needs around 63 square feet of vinyl wrap to cover its bodywork, which translates to anywhere between 14,112-14,238 nickels. Read: Why Is This Mazda CX-30 Wearing A Tesla Face, Wheels, And Taillights? After tallying the weight of the coins and the glue or epoxy required to secure them, the user calculated that the additional weight of the nick

2026 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Estate Is The Perfect BMW M3 Touring Rival

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This story includes independent illustrations by Sugar Design who is not related to or endorsed by Alfa Romeo. We happen to think that the recently facelifted Alfa Romeo Giulia is one of the best-looking sedans on the market but that hasn’t stopped Sugar Design from imagining a next-generation model in estate guise. We’ve featured a handful of 2026 Giulia renderings from Sugar Design over the month or so. These renderings have shown it in sedan, coupe, and estate guises and while the model you see before you is also an estate, it’s special because it is a Quadrifoglio variant. Read: 2026 Alfa Romeo Giulia Looks Amazing Rendered As A Coupe In modifying the Giulia into a model fitting of Alfa Romeo’s Four Leaf Clover badge, the talented designer has made the front end a touch more aggressive with a striking new splitter that adds to its stance.  There is also a black grille and grille surround as well as black air intakes. Next, the overall ride height of the estate has been dr