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Porsche once used Volkswagen vans to support to its race teams, and now the automaker is continuing that tradition with a re-branded version of VW ID.Buzz electric van. An ID.Buzz wearing the classic Porsche Renndienst (German for “race service”) livery will appear at eight dealerships in the Netherlands alongside a matching Taycan Sport Turismo starting this month as part of Porsche’s 75th anniversary celebrations, according to the automaker’s Netherlands media website (via Google Translate). Volkswagen ID.Buzz Porsche Renndienst tributeVolkswagen ID.Buzz Porsche Renndienst tributeVolkswagen ID.Buzz Porsche Renndienst tribute The original Porsche Renndienst vans were used to transport cars, parts, and crews…
Kia is close to revealing an electric SUV with rugged looks and third-row seats. The vehicle is the production version of the EV9 concept unveiled at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show, and new teaser videos suggest it will be similar in design to the striking show car. Another vehicle due to be revealed soon is the redesigned Mini Countryman, which will offer buyers the choice of gas or electric powertrains. Mini has confirmed the new Countryman will enter production late this year at a plant in Leipzig, Germany, which will make the subcompact crossover the first Mini to be…
A redesigned Mini Countryman is coming for the 2024 model year, and it will be introduced later this year. Prototypes have been testing around Europe for the past couple of years and this week Mini confirmed production will start late this year, but at a plant in Germany and not the Dutch plant of contract manufacturer VDL Nedcar, where the current Countryman is built. The redesigned Countryman will be built at a BMW plant in Leipzig, which will make it the first Mini to be built in Germany. The plant is where BMW builds the latest 1-Series, 2-Series Active Tourer,…
Tesla opens up 10 Supercharger locations to CCS charging. The USPS buys Ford E-Transits. And bidirectional charging is coming to Tesla models. This and more, here at DriftBreath Reports. At Wednesday’s Investor Day, Tesla revealed that it will be rolling out bidirectional charging capability to its vehicles over the next two years. The tech will be part of a retool of the company’s power electronics. That said, CEO Elon Musk is still not convinced that EVs with bidirectional charging would be good for home backup and pointed to Tesla’s Powerwall for that. Tesla also confirmed Wednesday that it’s opened “select”…
The Austrian village of Reifnitz, located on the shores of Lake Wörthersee and forming part of the municipality of Maria Wörth, has played host to an annual meet for Volkswagen GTI fans going all the way back to 1982. VW itself has joined the fun and used the event to introduce new models and concepts in the past. The event hasn’t run since 2019 due to pandemic, and now the municipality of Maria Wörth has decided to cancel it due to the sustainability concerns of locals. In a statement issued in February, the municipality said the huge growth of the…
The 2023 Cadillac Escalade-V is the luxury muscle SUV to rule them all. Handling? What handling? This is a freakin’ Escalade. Noise? Oh, this entire review could exclusively consist of noise impressions, and there would still be more to say. Luxury? You bet. Nothing about the Escalade-V’s pursuit of performance interferes with its traditional role of being a driving barcalounger, which is as it should be. Unlike other performance-focused SUVs, Cadillac simply said no to worrying about things like skidpad figures, high-bolstered seats and a boy-racer appearance makeover. Frankly, it’s refreshing that a new “performance” SUV isn’t pretending to be…
Maserati’s redesigned GranTurismo goes on sale this spring, initially as a coupe. However, a new generation of the GranTurismo Convertible, this time branded a GranCabrio (the name the previous car used overseas), is coming, and soon. Our latest spy shots show a prototype for the new GranCabrio in Folgore electric guise. Folgore, the Italian word for “lightning,” is the designation Maserati uses for its electric cars. The Folgore version of the GranCabrio can be identified by its sealed-off grille and lack of exhaust tips. The GranTurismo Folgore has already been revealed, and this GranCabrio Folgore should have the same or…
Tesla is now letting EVs from other brands charge at some U.S. Supercharger sites, while offering a Combined Charging Standard (CCS) retrofit for its own vehicles. “Select” Superchargers are now open to other EVs, according to a video posted to Twitter. Drivers can find these sites using the Tesla app, which is also needed to start a charging session. Select Superchargers in the US are now open to other EVs → https://t.co/zObpFM4li1 pic.twitter.com/wQW0KGvlpw — Tesla Charging (@TeslaCharging) February 28, 2023 As part of Tesla’s presentation at its Investor Day Wednesday, the company said that this currently includes 10 Supercharger sites—so…
Oh, the possibilities! The array of buttons on the steering wheel of the 2023 Porsche 911 GT3 RS boggles the mind with visions of finding the perfect tune for the perfect lap. From the tiller, I can not only pick the drive mode, but also adjust both the compression and rebound of the front and rear dampers through eight settings each, chose the locking percentage of the electronic limited-slip rear differential both on and off throttle, manually adjust a Formula 1-style Drag Reduction System (DRS), and pick from eight settings for the traction and stability control. It’s heady stuff: confusing,…
Kia’s big, boxy electric SUV is almost here. The automaker will reveal the 2024 EV9 on March 15 and will follow up with full details later in the month. A pair of teaser videos released this week hint at what’s to come. They reveal the light signatures planned for the vehicle, as well as its sculpted, almost Range Rover-esque side profile. The EV9 is the production version of a concept of the same name that debuted at the 2021 Los Angeles auto show. Judging by the teaser footage, as well as spy shots of prototypes, the production version will closely…