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When you find yourself with a craving for something, maybe a favorite junk food or movie, only that specific thing will do the trick. No remake, update or substitute will do. It has to be that thing. And it’s for that reason that the Mercedes-Benz G-Class exists and continues to thrive. There’s literally nothing else that comes close. Mercedes itself knew that when it did its first ground-up redesign of the SUV for the 2019 model year, making sure that quintessential G-Class things were maintained, from the overall brick-like design to the old door latches that clacked. Without them, it…
With Audi set to launch its final gas-powered car in 2026, most models in the automaker’s lineup in the coming years will transition to electric power, including those from the Audi Sport division. Audi Sport is responsible for S- and RS-badged Audis (as well as the R8 supercar), and there are already electric models carrying both badges in the form of the E-Tron S and RS E-Tron GT. Our latest spy shots show what’s thought to be another electric RS model, an RS 6 E-Tron based on the upcoming A6 E-Tron. The prototype may look like some of the testers…
Tesla will have to open its Supercharger network to EVs from other brands in order to qualify for federal funding, Reuters reported Friday. The Department of Transportation this week is expected to detail standards for EV charging infrastructure to qualify for $7.5 billion set aside in the Biden administration’s infrastructure law, which aims to create a national network of 500,000 chargers. Tesla charging (Courtesy of Tesla, Inc.) The government is expected to require that charging sites getting a federal subsidy have Combined Charging Standard (CCS) connectors. That would force Tesla to augment its proprietary connectors to access that funding. Other…
Tesla has come under fire again for its controversially named Full Self-Driving driver-assist feature, this time in an ad that aired on Sunday in Washington, D.C., as well as in a number of state capitals during Super Bowl LVII. The spot shows a number of situations where a Tesla allegedly operating in FSD mode fails, with examples including cars crossing into oncoming lanes and running over mannequins simulating children crossing the road. The ad was produced by The Dawn Project, an organization which aims to ensure the safety of software in critical situations. The ad was also posted on Saturday by…
Ford announced on Monday that it’s planning the installation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries into its Mustang Mach-E starting later in calendar year 2023 and its F-150 Lightning in calendar year 2024. The shift will potentially bring lower EV prices, although that will “depend on what happens with the market,” according to Ford Model E chief customer officer Marin Gjaja. The executive added: “The whole intent here is to make these more affordable and accessible.” Mach-E Standard Range EVs will get LFP cells starting later this year; F-150 Standard Range trucks get them early next year—with the shift possibly…
Maserati is open to building one-off and low-volume cars based on existing platforms, a senior engineer at the automaker has revealed. In an interview with Top Gear published on Monday, Davide Danesin, who’s in charge of development for the GranTurismo and Quattroporte lines, said Maserati is open to accepting commissions for bespoke projects. Maserati already offers a personalization program known as Fuoriserie, which enables customers to add custom touches to Maserati’s regular production cars. However, the new program would be akin to programs like Ferrari’s Special Projects or the one at Rolls-Royce which resulted in 2017’s Sweptail. In his interview…
Ford has filed a patent application for solid axles with integrated hub motors, hinting at a very different kind of EV powertrain from the Blue Oval. Instead of allowing wheels to move up and down individually, as in independent suspension systems, solid axles pivot when moving over uneven surfaces. That means they’ve been primarily relegated to pickup trucks, but Ford’s patent application, filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Feb. 9, shows how they might stick around in the EV era. Ford patent image showing a solid axle with EV hub motors The document details adding hub-motor…
Tesla passed Honda and GM in California sales. A DOE loan will help Redwood Materials ramp up. Ford is expected to announce LFP battery production in Michigan. And the first Ram electric truck won’t look as revolutionary as teased. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports Leading into a Super Bowl ad yesterday about “premature electrification,” Ram showed the production version of its 1500 REV electric truck, emphasizing that it’s nothing close to the design revolution shown by the brand’s recent Ram 1500 Revolution BEV Concept. According to a report summing up California sales, Tesla took 11% of the market…
The latest Mercedes-Benz S-Class has spawned a plug-in hybrid option. It’s known as the S 580e, and Mercedes on Monday announced that the electrified luxury sedan reaches dealerships in the first half of 2023, as a 2023 model. Order books are already open, and pricing is confirmed to start at $123,700, including a $1,150 destination charge. The S 580e’s powertrain consists of a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 combined with a single electric motor, and its drive goes to all four wheels. Combined output is a healthy 510 hp, or enough for 0-60 mph acceleration in 5.1 seconds and a governed top…
The one and only Bugatti Chiron Profilée has become the most expensive new car ever sold at an auction. RM Sotheby’s sold it in Paris for precisely €9,792,500 including the buyer’s premium, a sum that represents approximately $10.8 million at the current conversion rate. For context, the Profilée makes the standard Chiron (which is sold-out) look like a bargain. Bugatti charged about $3 million for it, meaning the anonymous collector who took home the one-off car could have bought three regular Chiron models instead. With that said, we’re not 100% surprised by the result: in addition to being a unique…