Keeping your tank full can give your wheels better traction in the winter.Getty A driver at a B.C. gas station took off while still tethered the nozzle still in his car, the end of the hose tugged clear of the gas pump.He seems shocked when its pointed out to him, and who can blame him? A task we carry out hundreds of times without incident, until that one embarrassing time we dont.Unlike old movies would have you believe, gas pumps have for years now had a breakaway coupling where the hose is attached to the pump.The internet is littered with pictures of drivers obliviously driving with a hose dangling from their fuel tank, but there is little chance it caused any major damage.Richmond 5 and Bridgeport. @RichmondDrivers pic.twitter.com/dAuAymGUlz leaf nation (@SwaggaSingh) December 8, 2019That said, if you do it, you are responsible for any costs incurred if they manage to hunt you down. One exception is this fireball set off in New Jersey last year, though that state also has a law you cant pump your own gas.But wait! It could be worse! Check out this DIY-er from Kentucky!The clip shows a woman filling up a grocery bag with gas. Seems reasonable. I mean, who carries a jerry can with them on the regular?Always double bag your gas pic.twitter.com/gh10hyYI8V Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) December 11, 2019Things get a little sideways (surprise!) when she tries to lift it, so she does the only thing that makes any sense: she gets another bag to double-bag it. Like its a turkey or something. Oh, well. Running out of gas is never fun, so maybe we shouldnt judge. But wait. Shes in her car. At a gas stationWhat do you say, Judgy-Pantsers?Take Our Poll
Origin: Judgy-Pants: The Fill-‘Er-Up Edition
First Drive: 2020 Porsche Taycan 4S
2020 Porsche Taycan 4SHandout / Porsche LOS ANGELES Forget the Cybertruck, that pyramid-shaped testimony to the Scientology-like cultishness that is Tesla. Put aside even the Mustang Mach-E that was more memorable for Fords choice of appellation rather than technical innovation. Nope, this is the EV news that matters, a car that looks set to challenge the hegemony of everything electric that is Tesla. A car that is not only a fantastic electric vehicle, but more importantly, a good car.Im talking about the 2021 Porsche Taycan.Yes, I know we’ve covered the Taycan before. In the last couple of months, in fact. Rave reviews from both myself and resident EV specialist Andrew McCredie, as I recall. But that was the all-singing, all-dancing and incredibly expensive Turbo and Turbo S, both as apt to bruise your wallet as well as force you to re-evaluate your perception of electric cars.Instead, were talking the entry-level model called and stealing yet another trim designation from the companys 911 the 4S. Ill get in to the specifics in a minute, but the big news, in case you missed it in all the Cybertruck kerfuffle, is that the 4S costs only $119,400. Now, I realize to most of us, $120,000 is big money, more than most of us will ever dream of plunking down on a car. But in Porsche-land, well, thats just simply traditionally Teutonic pricing. Indeed, the parallels between the 911 and the Taycan are coming so clearly into focus now that the model nomenclature calling an electric vehicle Turbo and Turbo S when obviously, there were no turbochargers involved so ridiculed at the cars introduction, is actually starting to make sense. For one thing, the Taycan plainly looks very 911-like. I originally called it the four-door 911 the Panamera was always touted to be. For another, the pricing similarities are remarkable take a quick look at Porsche Canadas website, for instance, and youll find the 911 Turbo S, Turbo, and Carrera 4S cost $217,200, $184,200, and $127,900. Thats remarkably similar both in absolute numbers and spread to the MSRP the company is asking for the similarly monikered Taycan models: $213,900, $173,900 and $119,400, respectively.Thats not the half of it. The 911 Turbo S, with the Sport Chrono package, scoots from rest to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds. The Taycan Turbo S does it in 2.8 seconds. The base 911 Turbo this time without Sports Chrono package does the deed in a tad over three seconds. The Taycan Turbo? Three-point-two. And, likewise, the four-second-flat sprint Porsche claims for the all-electric Taycan 4S is again strikingly similar to the 911 Carrera 4S 4.2 seconds. All, by the way, are also all-wheel-drive in all their guises.That striking similarity remains when one exits the realm of the theoretical, and starts strafing real-world California canyons. The Turbo S is the ludicrous Taycan, all 750 horsepower of overboost silliness. Acceleration from a dead-stop is so gut-wrenching that passengers will complain of, well, gut-wrenching. I know this because, despite years of high-horsepower motoring and not to mention, a few taxi rides in mondo-powered race cars my first ride in a Taycan Turbo S was in the passenger seat, and my stomach spent most of its time doing double back flips.The problem with gut-wrenching acceleration is that said nausea may be entertaining behind the wheel, but its hardly the thing thats going to endear you to family and friends. When former motorcycle racers that would be me are asking you to slow things down a little, you know that youre way past the norm for the heartiest of kidlets in the back seat. Thats why along with the price the 4S would be my Taycan of choice. Four seconds from zero to 100 km/h isnt exactly slow; Ive met very few 911 4S owners who rag on their 911s lack of speed. That comparison even extends to the sensation of speed, the 4S versions of Taycan and 911 feeling remarkably similar in both outright velocity and the way speed builds up.Unlike the Turbo again, both 911 and Taycan that respond to punches of throttle like punches to stomach, the Taycan 4S generates seemingly relentless but well-manageable bursts of speed. One always gets from corner to corner we were playing on Californias Angeles Crest Highway with amazing alacrity, but its never alarming. The Taycan 4S feels like yet another quick German touring sedan, albeit (mostly) silent and emissions-free.The same very much applies to the to-and-fro that is hustling a 2,295-kilogram, 4,963-millimetre-long four-door sedan around California hairpins. Exactly as one would expect from a Porsche though, not this time, exactly like a 911 4S the Taycan 4S unwinds twisty roads with amazing efficiency. Indeed, if theres a reason to switch from Tesla to Porsche, besides far superior build quality and an interior that doesnt look like it was put together with duct tape, its that the Taycan holds a road as well as one expects from a Porsche, electrified or
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Porsche Taycan 4S
Porsche Taycan price covers three years of charging in Canada
2020 Porsche Taycan 4SHandout / Porsche Canadian Porsche Taycan customers will be happy to hear that when their super-EV arrives on their doorstep, theyll be getting aside from the blistering speed and the sleek styling three years of charging, already included in the purchase price.Yes, the price tag ($119,400 for the base 4S) will cover 36 months of charging at Volkswagen-owned Electrify Canada public charging stations.Electrify Canada’s highway and metro stations offer 350-kW DC fast-charging as do many Porsche dealers which means the Taycan, which runs on 800-volt tech and uses a combined charging system (CCS) plug to charge at a max 270 kW, can be juiced up from five- to 80-per-cent charge in only 22 minutes and 30 seconds.(Fine print: your complimentary charge runs out after 30 minutes, and while the 32 Electrify Canada stations set to open across the country by 2020 will have an average four charging dispensers, only a minimum one of those will be guaranteed to be a 350-kW charger.)Still, that would be great news if the vehicles range was anywhere close to what Porsche claimed it was. According to new numbers just released by the EPA, it might not be. Porsche claims the Taycan can nail 300 miles (482 kilometres) of driving range with a fully charged battery, and the European WLTP testing standard showed it could indeed net up to 280 miles (450 kilometres) of range in the real world.The U.S.-based EPA tests delivered a bombshell mid-December, however, showing the Taycan could realistically only manage 201 miles (323 kilometres) of range in its tests.To combat the poor rating, Porsche has already hired an independent testing firm to put the Taycan through its electric paces. The numbers that third party delivered were much more favourable 269 miles (433 kilometres) highway, and 283 (455 kilometres) city.Whatever the Taycans real-world numbers end up looking like, range anxiety aint stopping people from wanting to drive it. In Europe, there have already been 30,000 customers whove put down money to get the Taycan in their garage. Some 20,000 Taycans are expected to be delivered to Europeans in 2020.LISTEN: What do you get when you combine a cross-country electric vehicle road trip with a poignant love story? Mary Ann’s Electric Drive, that’s what. In this week’s episode of Plugged In, we chat with Harvey Soicher, a Vancouver man who tragically lost his soul mate 18 months ago but found some semblance of healing by embracing what he calls a ‘pioneer spirit’ to drive his Audi e-tron from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and back.
Origin: Porsche Taycan price covers three years of charging in Canada
Ferrari confirms it’ll build an electric car, but not until after 2025
Ferraris chief executive confirmed mid-December that an electric vehicle will wear the brands Prancing Horse, but only after 2025, when itll slot into the GT lineup alongside the companys V12s.My sense is the electric will come out after 2025. The battery technology is not where it should be yet, said CEO Louis Camilleri during an embargoed lunch this week in the Centro Stile at Ferraris Maranello factory.The car would become part of the GT lineup of vehicles, rather than attempt to slot into the performance lineup populated by mid-engined supercars. Since a GT car must go long distances at high speed, electric vehicle technology still has some catching up to do in order to appease Maranello.There are still significant issues in terms of autonomy, in terms of speed of recharging. So eventually we will come out with one. But its post-2025. Not in the short term, said Camilleri. The fully electric vehicle will be a major departure for Ferrari, which has wn multiple awards for its internal-combustion engine designs. Founder Enzo Ferrari was from the start very proud of his companys powerplants, saying aerodynamics are for those who cant build engines.But it seems that times are changing, and so must the most stubborn brand in history. Luckily, we still have five-plus more years of solid Ferrari V12s before the EV trend threatens their security.LISTEN: What do you get when you combine a cross-country electric vehicle road trip with a poignant love story? Mary Ann’s Electric Drive, that’s what. In this week’s episode of Plugged In, we chat with Harvey Soicher, a Vancouver man who tragically lost his soul mate 18 months ago but found some semblance of healing by embracing what he calls a ‘pioneer spirit’ to drive his Audi e-tron from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and back.
Origin: Ferrari confirms it’ll build an electric car, but not until after 2025
New Mazda 2: prices and specs revealed for redesigned supermini
The Mazda 2 is being updated for 2020 to bring it into line with newer rivals, and it’s available to order now with the first examples landing in dealers. The entry level SE-L model will cost £15,795, and includes rear parking sensors, 15in alloy wheels and climate control. As well a more powerful engine, SE-L Nav models and above gain the Mazda Connect navigation system, which is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and driver assistance features including brake assist and lane-keeping assist. SE-L Nav models start from £16,610. For £17,310, Sport Nav models add 16in alloy wheels, a gloss black grille, rear privacy glass, chrome exhausts and keyless entry. The top-rung GT Sport Nav models feature a reversing camera, leather seats, a head-up display, and heated front seats and steering wheel. Such models start from £18,110 for manual models, and £19,370 with an automatic gearbox. The Japanese firm’s Ford Fiesta and Hyundai i20 rival will retain the 1.5-litre Skyactiv-G petrol engine, but is now boosted by a belt-integrated starter/generator on all manual models. It will be offered in two stages of tune, with a 74bhp version on entry level SE-L models, and a 89bhp powertrain for SE-L Nav, Sport Nav and GT Sport Nav trims. The manual versions produce 94-95g/km of CO2, depending on trim level, with a WLTP-certified combined fuel economy of 53.4mpg. Mazda cites a number of tweaks to improve the handling of its supermini, including a new urethane top mount in the rear dampers, revised power steering and the introduction of a G-Vectoring Control Plus system, which subtly uses the brakes to aid cornering stability and smoothen your chosen line. The design changes include a revised grille with a new design closer to the Mazda 3, a wider wing, new bumper and revised LED headlights. Inside, the dashboard trim, air vents and other features have been tweaked, with new-shape seats designed to offer more comfort. Mazda also claims the use of new damping materials and the reduction in the gap around the B-pillar reduce noise and improve refinement for those
Origin: New Mazda 2: prices and specs revealed for redesigned supermini
Vauxhall begins testing Corsa-e electric cutomer rally car
Vauxhall has begun testing a rally variant of the new Corsa-e electric hatchback, making it the first manufacturer to offer customers an electric rally car. Called the Corsa-e Rally, the model will be available to buy from sister-brand Opel’s motorsport division, with the German manufacturer claiming a sub-£46,000 price tag. The cost represents a near-£20,000 increase over the £26,490 starting price of the standard Corsa-e, with the rally model retaining the 50kWh battery and 134bhp, 192lb ft electric motor of the production variant. “We have two objectives”, said Opel Motorsport Director, Jörg Schrott. “Both cars are covering as many miles as possible, in order to gather the maximum amount of data at an early stage. There is no experience of an electric rally car that we could turn to, so initially we had to rely on calculations and simulations. “These are being gradually replaced with real data. Other focuses are on loads and temperature management of the battery, as well as adapting the software. I am pleased to report that our programme is going smoothly.” Rally-spec suspension has been fitted and the body made slightly wider and higher, with a 2mm-longer wheelbase. Few technical details have been revealed, but it’s also expected to be significantly lighter than the standard car. In terms of design, the Corsa-e Rally bears a strong resemblance to its production counterpart, differentiated only by FIA-mandated towing straps, lightweight performance alloy wheels and a prominent decal package. The Corsa-e Rally will compete in the 2020 ADAC Opel e-Rally Cup, a one-make electric race series that will host 15 young rally
Origin: Vauxhall begins testing Corsa-e electric cutomer rally car
VW proactively preps the Atlas for a 2021 styling update
Volkswagens new Atlas has been selling very well for the brand, and the large three-row SUV also wins points for being an unapologetically boxy truck, which we like.However, despite the fact it hasnt been on the market very long, the automakers preemptively planning a mild facelift for the thing for 2021, adding more sporty elements to the family-hauler.The front end treatment takes the traditional square styling of the Atlas, and injects it with some cues from the Jetta that is to say, it gets slimmer headlights and a wider, more triangular grille.The rear end remains almost exactly the same, save for the internals of the taillights. The boxy flares are, thankfully, still present, helping retain the Atlas signature look.Currently, the Atlas is powered by either a 2.0-lire turbocharged four-cylinder or a 3.6-liter V-6. The engines make 235 and 276 horsepower, respectively, and are both sent to the wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.It isnt clear whether or not VW would change, or add any other powerplants for the 2021 model year. The interior is also an unknown at this point, but thats one element were sure will be updated when the time comes. The automaker has said that new electronic driver-assistance features will be added, so well keep an eye out for those.The 2021 Atlas could debut at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show in February, but its also possible that it
Origin: VW proactively preps the Atlas for a 2021 styling update
This French garagiste flees the police at 240 km/h in a Mercedes-AMG C63… only to run out of gas
A couple of days after police in Marseilles, southern France pulled over a microcar with a pony riding shotgun, authorities near Lyon had to deal with another kind of horsecrap a hot-rodder who thought he could evade the law via raw horsepower, but who also forgot to top off his gas tank.The citys Gendarmes de la Drôme explained via Facebook that it was prepared to hand out a red card to the driver of a Mercedes-AMG C63 in the late evening November 30 after clocking him doing 206 km/h in an already generous 130-km/h zone.“(The Valence motorway’s squad) caught up with said vehicle five kilometers (from the Pont de l’Isère on the A7) in a 90 km/h-limit zone where the vehicle was now clocked driving at 240 km/h. The Mercedes’ driver then used all the performance of his automobile to outrun patrolmen, but the latter did not give up,” reads the post, translated here into English.“The car is spotted 60 kilometers further, still traveling at crazy speeds. He will finally be found, stopped on the emergency shoulder, out of fuel because of its very high (fuel) consumption.”Indeed, despite the navy blue two-door coups sleek aerodynamics, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8 must have sipped all 66 liters in its tank much faster than its driver planned.Finding the powerful car out of gas, sitting by the curb side after such a folle course-poursuite, would have been enough for the officers to impound this aspiring-Alain-Prost driver and his bolide.Thats when the offenders doubled down on their trouble. Sitting in the back seat, they told police the front passenger and driver had already fled on foot, leaving them behind. Nice try.“On December 4, after investigations that determined the role of each, the driver, a 32-year-old owner of a Saint-Etienne mechanic’s garage, is placed in custody for three crimes: Repeated excessive speeding (since he was already convicted for a more-than-50-km/h offense); refusal to comply with police orders, and so endangering others; and tampering with the vehicle anti-pollution device.” The police investigation also found the C63 unfit for public roads the cars engine control unit had been opened illegally, the exhaust system modified and a replacement alternator improperly installed. The Gendarmes figured the car was making well above its stock 503 horsepower, and thanks to its wonky alternator, was liable to have burst into flames at any point.The drivers will face a total five infractions when he appears in Criminal Court in June. Until then, hes banned from driving for six months. Authorities still have his AMG at the impound lot, too, according to the post, leading one commenter to suggest the police keep the car anyway, it is the right color just add flashing lights. And a larger fuel
Origin: This French garagiste flees the police at 240 km/h in a Mercedes-AMG C63… only to run out of gas
Plugged In: Coast-to-coast and back in an Audi e-tron
Harvey Soicher pictured with his then brand new Audi e-tron a couple of days before embarking on Mary Anns Electric Drive.Andrew McCredie What do you get when you combine a cross-country electric vehicle road trip with a poignant love story? Mary Anns Electric Drive, thats what. In this weeks episode of Plugged In, we chat with Harvey Soicher, a Vancouver man who tragically lost his soul mate 18 months ago but found some semblance of healing by embracing what he calls a pioneer spirit to drive his Audi e-tron from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and back. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: Plugged In: Coast-to-coast and back in an Audi e-tron
First Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB
2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB 250Costa Mouzouris / Driving MALAGA, Spain Theres a subtle push by automakers to get you out of your car and into an SUV. Well, for a couple of American manufacturers the push is not so subtle, since theyve all but abandoned sedans and coupes. But at Mercedes-Benz, its more of a gentle nudge. That nudge comes in the wording used in the marketing literature of the all-new Mercedes-Benz GLB, which often refers to the new SUV as a compact car, and even refers to the rear cargo area as a trunk. Compact car was also mentioned throughout most of the technical presentation at the GLBs press introduction in Spain, with SUV being blurted only a couple of times near the end, almost as a Freudian slip. However, look at the GLB from any angle and its all SUV sure, its based on the front-drive A-Class platform, but its silhouette fits the SUV template.Now, Ive often used the term car in a general sense when talking about SUVs, but Mercedes takes it one step further by grouping the GLB with A-Class cars, the CLA, and the GLA in press literature, and claiming it has the longest wheelbase of its compacts at 2,829 millimetres, which is 100 more than the A-Class on which its based. Despite the ambiguously worded marketing lingo, Mercedes has a potential winner on its hands.Two variations will come to Canada: The 2020 GLB 250 4Matic, and the higher-spec Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4Matic. Pricing has yet to be announced, but the Mexican-made GLB falls between the GLA and GLC in the companys lineup. The German automaker has done a fine job with the styling, especially with the more aggressively styled AMG, though Im not keen on the AMGs 21-inch wheels and low-profile tires versus 19-inchers on the 250 which could really use more sidewall. Proportions are just right, and the GLB has a traditional, muscular SUV silhouette. Its not too big on the outside, yet has ample interior room to accommodate a small family, and up to 1,805 litres of cargo capacity behind the front seats. Seating for five is standard, and each row of seats can fit two full-sized adults without issue. If you feel the need to carry up to seven passengers, two smaller humans can squeeze into optional third-row seat. Im not sure I get this new trend of squeezing a third row of seats into a compact SUV (Land Rover also does it with the Discovery Sport), because if you do have a substantially sized family, you could avoid sibling rivalry by getting a full-size seven seater.The base engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four that claims a respectable 221 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of peak torque. The engine mates to an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic. The GLB 35 gets a boost in performance, its 2.0-litre four claiming 302 horsepower and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, dropping the zero to 100 km/h time to 5.2 seconds from the 250s 6.9. All-wheel drive is standard on both models. The standard instrumentation includes a pair of seven-inch colour TFT screens, one ahead of the driver that displays driving info, and a central touchscreen for the entertainment system, navigation and vehicle settings. Our test vehicles are equipped with the optional 10.25-inch screens, as well as an optional heads-up display, which is large and easy to read. Climate controls are arranged in a neat row below a trio of round air vents in the centre stack.Mercedes-Benz User Experience (MBUX) is standard, and it underpins the driver interface system. It uses the central touchscreen, the console-mounted touchpad, steering-wheel controls, and the spoken voice to enable the various vehicle controls and functions. Simply calling out Mercedes prompts the voice commands, followed by whatever it is you want to control. As long as you have a good cell signal that allows the system to perform searches, its remarkably effective. Its rather annoying, however, to be constantly asked what youd like to do every time you mention the word Mercedes in a conversation, which happens often at a Mercedes press event. The prompting command can be changed to something else, and Id suggest choosing a word thats not used often in casual conversation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity is standard.I begin in the GLB 35, which among other things has additional chassis bracing and firmer adaptive suspension than the GLB 250 and of course, more power. Along Andalusias serpentine roads, it returns a taut and communicative ride with minimal body roll worthy of a sporty sedan. It has five drive modes (Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport Plus and Individual), selectable by a cute little dial mounted below the right-hand steering-wheel spoke. Comfort mode provides a compliant ride that feels composed yet not cushy, and the speed-sensitive steering is modestly light. Steering firms up noticeably in Sport Plus, though effort remains linear and artificial. The transmission is almost silky smooth in Comfort mode, and in Sport Plus it changes gears with a bit more authority and
Origin: First Drive: 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLB
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