Author: Sofia
A few months ago, we wrote that the final production units of the Lamborghini Aventador Ultimae represented the end of the reign of the naturally aspirated V12 in Sant’Agata Bolognese, and the last Aventador Ultimae meant the end of an NA V12 Aventador. Seems we were mistaken. Lamborghini now tells us these two one-offs are the proper and (maybe) final end of the NA V12. Created for a customer who worked with Lamborghini Centro Stile from inception, the duo are the Invencible (the Spanish spelling of “Invincible”) coupe and Auténtica roadster. They’re not only farewells, they are greatest-hits compilations said…
Nine million EVs and hybrids are potentially under scrutiny because of one petition questioning their safety. A group of automakers stands by California and its EV mandate in court. And New Jersey is the latest state to sign on to these tighter rules. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports. On Wednesday, the U.S. DOT and the Biden administration laid out requirements for the hardware, and charging network interfaces, for companies looking to claim federal funds on the buildout of the $7.5 billion federal EV charging network. Among many key contributing pieces: Tesla will open up some of its network—for…
Recent actions in two states have solidified a bloc of EV support throughout most of the East Coast. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy on Wednesday announced plans to adopt California’s 2035 end date for new internal-combustion cars aside from plug-in hybrids. This was codified in one of three executive orders signed by Murphy Wednesday, which outline policies that include 100% clean-energy use by 2035, and greater energy efficiency in the state’s building sector. “These bold targets and carefully crafted initiatives signal our unequivocal commitment to swift and concrete climate action today,” Murphy said in a statement. 2023 Jaguar I-Pace The…
BMW and French automotive supplier Valeo are expanding their partnership in the area of self-driving technology to cover automated parking systems that can be used in both private and public parking garages. The two companies already entered into an agreement last summer to use some of Valeo’s self-driving technology on BMW’s upcoming Neue Klasse family of electric vehicles, including a central computer, sensors, and software for automated low-speed maneuvering. The two companies this week said they will also work together to develop an automated parking system ranked at Level 4 on the SAE scale of self-driving technology. Level 4 means…
Seven automakers on Monday filed a brief in a federal court case challenging California’s ability to set tougher emissions standards—siding with California. The case—Ohio v. EPA—is pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington. It was brought by 17 Republican-led states looking to revoke California’s Clean Air Act waiver, which allows the state to set emissions standards higher than federal standards for itself and any states wishing to adopt them. Petitioners now opposing California rules are the states of Ohio, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia.…
Hyundai appears to be readying a radical redesign for the Santa Fe, as evidenced by a prototype recently spotted in the wild. The Santa Fe is Hyundai’s oldest SUV nameplate and the current fourth-generation model is a top seller for the brand, with almost 120,000 sold in the U.S. alone in 2022. The prototype points to a much boxier design for the new generation of the five-seat mid-size SUV, which should arrive later this year as a 2024 model. The new Santa Fe is expected to be more of a heavy update of the outgoing model than a ground-up redesign.…
Quick Facts About Mufflers Many drivers like cars with big engines that make a lot of noise when accelerating. However, sometimes your vehicle being loud can be a problem, meaning something is wrong with the muffler. If your car is louder than usual or you hear weird sounds coming from beneath your vehicle, you will need to get your muffler checked. Keep reading to know when you have a muffler problem and what to do about it. What Is a Muffler? A muffler is a metal canister, usually oval or cylindrical in shape, under your vehicle near the rear. Connecting…
Lamborghini turns 60 in 2023 and has a number of events planned to celebrate the milestone. To kick things off, the company has released a video that reminds us that it created the recipe for the modern supercar when it launched the Miura in 1966. Hyundai has been spotted testing a prototype for a redesigned Santa Fe. Judging by the tester, the next generation of the popular mid-size SUV will take on a much boxier design. A prototype for an updated version of the related Kia Sorento has also been spotted. Cadillac has confirmed plans to launch three EVs in…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is considering whether to apply a recently implemented rule to millions of older vehicles. The rule requires EVs and hybrids to have noisemakers to alert pedestrians. Passed in 2018, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 requires EV and hybrid passenger cars manufactured on or after March 1, 2021, to emit noises at speeds below 19 mph to alert pedestrians to their presence. These vehicles were deemed too quiet otherwise because of their lack of engine sounds. 2014 Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive In July 2022 the NHTSA received a petition (first spotted by…
It was back in 1963 that Ferruccio Lamborghini, the then owner of a tractor company, decided to start building his own range of high-performance cars. His car company, Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., turns 60 this year, and to celebrate the company has released a video reminding us that it was the creator of the modern supercar. Lamborghini’s first model, the 350 GT, was a grand tourer with its V-12 engine mounted up front. However, Lamborghini flipped the script just a few years later when it rolled out the bare Miura chassis at the 1965 Turin auto show. The Marcello Gandini-styled body…