Ford Mustang Mach-ENadine Filion News about Fords 2021 Mustang Mach-E electric SUV keeps breaking every day, pointing to ever-more ambitious plans for the model. After shipping it to dealers late 2020, the automaker plans to sell 50,000 examples globally through 2021, reports the Detroit News for context, Nissans Leaf managed 30,000 units in its best year. A performance-spec Shelby version is allegedly in the works, too.And Ford Europe design chief Murat Gueler admits some execs have even talked about building a family around the Mustang name. This is, of course, assuming Mustang enthusiasts, pitchforks and torches in hand, havent by then burned Dearborn to the ground for sticking the name of the iconic pony car on an electric SUV in the first place.Yes, the reaction to the Blue Oval calling the Mach-E a Mustang has been simply calamitous. Even with Ford bringing on the charismatic Idris Elba as a brand ambassador, the backlash has been unrelenting.No fewer than four petitions for the name to be changed have been launched; promises have hurriedly come down from Ford execs that youll be convinced once you drive it; and a survey of social media shows fans of rival muscle cars from General Motors and Mopar have even sympathetically relaxed or resisted their usual trolling of Mustang owners.There have been, arguably, early warnings Ford holds no name completely sacred. In 1967, the company turned its Thunderbird, once a two-seat roadster, into a marshmallow-y four-door luxury sedan; 10 years later the vaunted Mercury Cougar muscle car badge would show up on a station wagon.Then again, those marques didnt jump from gasoline to electric power, or from car to sport utility.‘Making the Mustang Mach-E’A few days after its launch, Ford released this video about the Mustang Mach-Es development, featuring several executives, engineers, designers and Mustang fans.The company doesnt hide that the group behind the vehicle, Team Edison, didnt start out with the intent to make their new EV product a Mustang, pinning the inspiration for bringing the haloed brand into it on Jim Farley, president of new business and technology.The video shows us, too, that Mach-Es being labelled Mustang faced plenty of scepticism from inside the company, even from executive chairman Bill Ford himself, who was absolutely adamant that it not be a Mustang.But, as you might expect of a piece of apologia like this, by the end of the 20-minute clip, all those Doubting Thomases have been convinced, turned onto the thought this noiseless four-door could be a Mustang after all.The film finishes with the fans take, sage words to the effect progress cant be stopped, and that itd be kind of neat to see Mustang on the flanks of a spaceship a hundred years from now.The argument against Mach-E — from a Ford insiderBut the argument doesnt stop there just because the credits roll; in fact, Driving.ca managed to tap for an exclusive interview a Mustang subject matter expert working for Ford who vows the Mach-E is not a Mustang. End of story. If you ask them, this is instead a marketing gimmick gone wrong.Mustang was used for publicity purposes; its as simple as that, writes our insider, whose identity were keeping hidden to save them from a possible reprisal by their employer. We can all see Ford did not have faith in the vehicle to live on its own. If they did, they would have given it a separate name. Mustang Family Photo, but one of these things is not like the others The Mustang enthusiast community, they suggest, is not opposed to progress, just what they take as a flagrant disregard for the Mustang brand. We are not upset about it being electric. Fact is, electric (power) gives us instantaneous torque, and that is pretty darn great. We are upset about it turning into a completely different vehicle segment within a brand that already has multiple SUVs.Porsche didnt slap a 911 on their SUV. Lamborghini didnt call their SUV a Murcilago. Was introducing an SUV within those brands polarizing? Absolutely. But, at least they didnt sacrifice a name that means so much to people.There are few counter-arguments our insider, a lifelong Mustang fan, cant refute. People have claimed Ford experimented with four-door and station wagon (Mustang) designs in the early 60s, they explain. Although this is true, (Ford) chose not to pursue these body styles because they claimed it went against Mustangs mission to be a sporty vehicle. When you have a product as enormously successful as Mustang, you invariably have to consider how to capitalize on the idea. While Mustang used the platform of the compact Falcon as its starting point, the four-door Mustang could have brought the idea full circle by adding two doors to the pony car. Fortunately for Mustang fans, cooler heads prevailed. Ford That feeling of a loss of identity may be the strongest argument against the pony badge being slapped onto the face of the Mach-E if not, the pony badge itself is. The
Origin: Ford insiders make the case for – and against – the Mach-E being named ‘Mustang’
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Man tired of being low-balled by buyers crushes classic Dodge Charger
Video of the owner of a classic Dodge Charger willfully crushing his car to send a message to prospective buyers that instead have just jerked (him) around is blowing up across Mopar pages and muscle car enthusiast groups on Facebook.1970 Charger 500 Im bringing to the scrap yard today because Im tired of being jerked around, the owner posted October 28 in one group, with a photo of a worn-but-solid-looking black Dodge with a white drivers side door.The man was allegedly asking for US$10,000 for the car, reports TireMeetsRoad.com in a post in one group, he says he was actually asking US$8,500 before lowering it to US$5,000 but instead of offers for around that price, he was, apparently, low-balled, visited by tire-kickers not interested in paying that much for the car, or, mostly, contacted by prospective buyers who just simply not show up. Insurance company Hagerty values a daily-driver condition 1970 Dodge Charger 500 with a 318 V8 at US$27,000 on average. To the dismay of Mopar enthusiasts everywhere, the owner followed up on his threat and had the car crushed at a wrecking yard while a friend filmed it. Beautiful! Thats what you guys f**kin get! the cameraman can be heard shouting as the forks of the tractor first come down on top of the Chargers roof. Everybody wants to be a car guy until its time to do car guy shit!As TireMeetsRoad.com notes, in the video, the engine can be seen still in the car, suggesting the owner hadnt really attempted parting out the Charger. Its not certain if the car still ran or not.The reaction on Facebook was mostly one of disgust over someone putting to waste a classic car or, at the very least, a classic set of fenders, glass, and other good parts because they were obstinate about getting their asking price. However, many also defended the owners actions, saying he is free to do with his property as he sees fit.At the end of the video, the owner dispels any speculation about his motives for crushing the Dodge Charger. He insists he doesnt use drugs, and is not doing it for moneyits strictly to send a message.He even seems to revel in the cars destruction as the tractors forks pierce through the sheet metal: Im gonna sleep good
Origin: Man tired of being low-balled by buyers crushes classic Dodge Charger
Lawsuit against Kia alleges Canadian owners being misled about maintenance
2020 Kia TellurideNick Tragianis / Driving A group of Canadian Kia owners are filing a class-action lawsuit against the automaker, claiming theyre being misled about how often their vehicles need to be serviced.According to the owners manual in most Kia vehicles, routine service should be performed every 12,000 km. Thats what Thrse Martel read in the booklet when she purchased her new Rio in 2012, hoping for a vehicle thatd require less maintenance due to her long commute.However, when she brought her car in for its first service, reports the CBC, she was told the 12,000-kilometre interval indicated in the owners manual didnt apply to vehicles sold in Quebec.Kia says most of Canada falls under what is considered a severe usage schedule for maintenance, which means vehicles must in fact be serviced every 6,000 km, twice as often as the manual states, if owners want to maintain their warranty coverage.Martel is seeking $985 in damages, the amount she claims she lost due to the extra service shes had to book. If the lawsuit is successful, it could apply to other owners as well.In a statement to the CBC, parent company Hyundai Canada remarked all of Canada is considered a severe usage area due to the harsh weather.Across the automotive industry, harsh weather/temperature is one of the most important considerations for vehicle maintenance, the automaker wrote. Canadas weather is largely considered to be severe due to our harsh winters and vehicle maintenance should reflect
Origin: Lawsuit against Kia alleges Canadian owners being misled about maintenance
Bizarre video shows Toronto-area motorcyclist being attacked by turkey
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and while most people havent even cracked open the cranberry sauce yet, one motorcyclist is getting a taste of turkey a little early.This one wasnt on a plate, though, it was in the middle of the road.And rabidly attacking him just because.According to BlogTO, the incident happened in Whitby, Ontario, about an hour away from Toronto, and involved a motorcycle rider who bit off a little more than he could chew when a rogue turkey attacked him at an intersection. The altercation was captured on video from the vehicle behind him in traffic.The driver who captured the footage describes what happens in the moments leading up to the attack; they say they saw the bird standing in the middle of the intersection of Thickson and Wentworth.Unsure of what to do, I moved my car slightly to the left and waited to see if hed move before the light changed. A motorcycle then passed me and passed the turkey and then the turkey charged at him. The turkey circled his motorcycle about three times before going in for the attack.The turkey launches itself at the rider, which takes him off guard. The biker manages to keep the bird at bay by blocking with his boot.Its possible that the attack was part of a personal vendetta against humans for the brothers the turkeys lost in the past, or a battle in a turf war between itself and what it can only perceive as a huge black bird.Whether or not the delinquent turkey will end up covered in bacon and stuffed with bread crumbs remains to be seen, but perhaps well prepare a vegan dinner this October, just to be
Origin: Bizarre video shows Toronto-area motorcyclist being attacked by turkey
Mesmerizing time-lapse shows the Ferrari F8 Tributo engine being built
Behind-the-scenes footage of an assembly line in action might not sound like the most compelling television ever, but when that assembly line is in the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy, it suddenly becomes a lot more watchable.The video above, sent to Driving by Ferrari, shows one of the most glorious engines ever designed coming together on the highly efficient and surprisingly photogenic line.The engine being lifted and flipped about in the clip is the F154 V8 from the Ferrari F8 Tributo, which debuted at Geneva earlier this year.Its mostly machines that bring the V8 together at first, with twists and turns from human hands here and there. But as the engine grows, Ferraris meccanici play a more involved role, adding the final pieces before the engine is taken away and fit into the F8.The twice-turbocharged V8 makes 710 horsepower for the Tributo, which means tribute in Italian. The supercar uses it to race up to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds; and 200 km/h in 7.8 seconds, making it faster than Ferraris 488, and, in the opinion of David Booth, who got to take the first drive of the F8, superior in most
Origin: Mesmerizing time-lapse shows the Ferrari F8 Tributo engine being built
Lawsuit claims older Tesla’s battery capacities are being artificially lowered
You wouldnt know by looking at it, but this Tesla Model S P80D can drive itself A lawsuit recently filed by the owner of a Tesla Model S alleges the California EV manufacturer is artificially limiting the capacity of older Tesla models so it would avoid having to replace defective batteries, Reuters reports.Under the guise of safety and increasing the longevity of the batteries of the Class Vehicles, Tesla fraudulently manipulated its software with the intent to avoid its duties and legal obligations to customers to fix, repair, or replace the batteries of the Class Vehicles, all of which Tesla knew were defective, yet failed to inform its customers of the defects, the lawsuit alleges.It goes on to say that potentially thousands of owners of older Tesla models have had their battery driving ranges lowered by as many as 64 kilometres following a recent over-the-air software update. Plaintiff David Rasmussens 2014 Model S 85 says his battery capacity fell by about 8 kWh, but that he was told by Tesla the degradation was normal. Other owners have said their cars no longer charge to 100 per cent.The automakers defense notes the software update was made after a Model S caught fire in Hong Kong; the incident prompted Tesla to revise its charging and thermal management settings to help further protect the battery and improve battery longevity. The lawsuit counters that Tesla chose to go behind the backs of its customers and use software updates and throttling of the battery to avoid liability in the wake of these vehicle fires involving the overcharging of lithium batteries.Owners have also alleged the reduction in battery capacity has lowered the value of their
Origin: Lawsuit claims older Tesla’s battery capacities are being artificially lowered
Tires, headlights, seats — every part of the car is being reinvented to be autonomous
The Michelin Vision concept tire uses 3-D printing to create a honeycomb texture, with the tread printed onto the edge. The car industry is reinventing the wheel to prepare for autonomous vehicles.Japans Sumitomo Rubber Industries Ltd., whose roots stretch back to when Henry Ford was building his Model T, is developing a smart tire that can monitor its own air pressure and temperature, and eventually respond by itself to changes in road conditions.Yet its more than just tires that are being changed. Koito Manufacturing Co., AGC Inc. and Lear Corp. are putting semiconductors and sensors inside headlights, glass and seats to make them as intelligent as the cars driving themselves.Alphabet Inc.s Waymo LLC, Intel Corp.s Mobileye NV and Baidu Inc. dominate the core technology for autonomous driving, yet suppliers still count on finding their own space in the business. Parts for advanced driver-assistance systems and autonomous driving are expected to become a US$57-billion market within a decade, according to BIS Research, and old-school companies born during the early days of the automobile know they must either adapt or risk extinction.Though the deployment of highly autonomous commercial fleets isnt expected to begin until at least 2022, the looming threat is that the increasingly sophisticated designs of those cars will render some ordinary parts and their suppliers unnecessary.For example, why would a self-driving vehicle that uses cameras, lasers and sensors to get around need headlights or mirrors? An artist’s rendering of a “smart headlight” Koito Manufacturing The response from century-old Koito Manufacturing is to reinvent the headlight. The Tokyo-based company, which traces its roots to making lenses for railway signal lamps in 1912, is adding sensors and artificial-intelligence chips to lamps it plans to introduce by about 2025.Positioned on the four edges of the vehicle, the lamps will be able to process information and react, such as by illuminating poorly lit crossings, signaling pedestrians that its safe to cross and raising an alarm to surrounding drivers by flashing a specific color.The companys current customers include Toyota, Volkswagen AG and General Motors Co., according to data compiled by Bloomberg.Autonomous driving will change the role of lamps, said Yuji Yokoya, who recently retired as executive vice president of the Tokyo-based company. We see them not just as lamps, but more as corner modules.An overarching challenge is to convince carmakers that the smarter and more expensive components make economic sense. Not all parts manufacturers need a radical transformation to keep up with autonomous and electric vehicles since theyve been evolving gradually as the industry takes shape, said Deepesh Rathore, an independent automobile analyst based in Bengaluru.A car is a car, and the shape of the tire doesnt change, Rathore said. I can imagine some of those companies having to reinvent everything especially those working with engines and gearbox technologies. Even components that arent facing an immediate existential threat are evolving. Sumitomo Rubber is researching tires that can transmit data about road conditions to the car as well as to other vehicles.The next step will be a tire that automatically adapts to road conditions. When the tire detects water, it will change the structure of its surface into one that is optimal for wet roads, said Kozaburo Nakaseko, an official in the research and development division of Sumitomo.Tires need to become smarter, Nakaseko said. We cannot move into an autonomous car society without information about the roads we drive on.The innovations arent just limited to Japan. In the U.S., Lear Corp. is equipping its car seats with biometric sensors to detect stress, drowsiness and changes in heart rate, and then activate treatments in response. The seats also can transmit data to a doctor or family member if necessary, the company said.Other functions include controls that let users create individual micro-climates where they are sitting, and noise-canceling features in the headrests, the Southfield, Michigan-based company said.All the mechanical stuff will just slowly go away, and there is a lot of electronics coming in instead, said Egil Juliussen, principal auto analyst with IHS Markit. You have to change in order to
Origin: Tires, headlights, seats — every part of the car is being reinvented to be autonomous
1969 Plymouth GTX thought abandoned being auctioned against owner’s wishes
Plymouth GTXDan Wells / Edmonton Sun A 1969 Plymouth GTX thought to be abandoned and offered up at auction might still be sold to the highest bidder even though its owner has now been located. Classic car insurance company Hagerty broke the news when it heard about the car, which’d been left in a storage facility in Michigan. Storage fees were piling up and the facility’s owner, who no longer knew the owner’s name, called the Leelanau County Sheriff. Neither the sheriff nor the Michigan Secretary of State could find any record of the car’s owner, even with a VIN check, and the police took possession of the car with the intent of selling it to recoup the fees. Since it’s a convertible with a 440-cubic-inch V8, one of 700 built and with such rare options as air conditioning, power windows and power top, it quickly drew attention. (Our photo up top is not of the car in question, but a similar example.) A Hagerty representative found a replacement carpet kit in the trunk, complete with a shipping label from 2002 that had been mailed to a Craig McIntosh in Traverse City, Michigan. A specialist with Hagerty estimated the car, which has had body work and paint done to it, at US$30,000 to $40,000 as-is. Not long after Hagerty posted Craig McIntosh’s name, he called the company. It turned out the car belonged to a friend of his, who was “dealing with some personal stuff back then.” McIntosh tried to help him by looking after the car and putting it into storage, but thought the car “was gone a long time ago.” McIntosh said he’d been contacted years ago by the police about the car and offered to pay the outstanding fees at that time, but since he didn’t have the ownership or proof that he’d been asked to look after the car, it couldn’t be released to him. He said he tried to contact his friend at the time, but didn’t get a response. They talk to each other now, and the car’s owner has since contacted the sheriff’s office to claim the Plymouth, but the online auction, which went live on June 6, 2019, is still on and will wrap up on June 18. Currently, the highest bid is US$58,600. The problem is that, even though the owner has identified himself to the sheriff’s office, the car will be sold unless he can prove it’s his, and he files a legal motion to stop the auction. Otherwise, someone else will be the new owner of this one-of-a-kind barn
Origin: 1969 Plymouth GTX thought abandoned being auctioned against owner’s wishes
Medical student’s car vandalized for being bright orange
A medical student living in Philadelphia has been facing harassment over the colour of his car. Allegedly, one nosy neighbour of his not only doesn’t appreciate him parking around the corner from his house, but also hates the bright orange the car is painted. According to The Philly Voice, Korey, the 25-year-old medical student whose last name he preferred remained anonymous, received a snarky note on his vehicle after parking it near his apartment. “MOVE YOUR CAR!” it read. “No one wants to see your bright orange car every time they look out their window. Park on another street. You have no right to park here.” But he did have every right to park there; when he moved into the building, he got a parking permit that says exactly that. The street his apartment is on doesn’t allow on-street parking, so he instead parks his 2007 VW GTI, a special Fahrenheit edition painted Fahrenheit Orange, around the corner. He remarks that soon after he found the note, he had a bizarre encounter with a woman with a small dog: It seemed she didn’t like the color of my car, he says. She seemed to already know where I lived, which I thought was strange.” It’s now escalated beyond poorly-handwritten notes, into straight-up vandalism. Korey found his vehicle keyed and his licence plate spray-painted white. Soon after, he found a handwritten parking violation ticket that reads Parking on a street you don’t live on. Korey has now given the names of the people he expects to be the perpetrators to authorities and hopes the police can help him. Hell is truly other
Origin: Medical student’s car vandalized for being bright orange
Put on Your Judgy-Pants: Unexpected reaction to being rear-ended
A classic Plymouth involved in a rear-end collision in Saskatchewan, caused by the 69-year-old drivers collapse.Wayne Duquesne / CBC Saskatoon Is this a perfect example of when you should suspend your Judgy Pants? A Saskatchewan couple were on their way to a family dinner when they were suddenly rear-ended by a mid-’60s Plymouth. Contrary to most first reactions, driver Wayne Duquesne realized the driver who had struck his vehicle had slumped over, in the throes of a medical emergency. Duquesne jumped into action, telling his wife to call 911. A former lifeguard, he removed the 69-year-old man from his vehicle and began performing CPR. A woman witnessing the event ran to a nearby gym, and the owner also sprang into action with aspirin and a defibrillator. Between them, the two men kept the older man alive until emergency services arrived. We usually pivot to anger, especially when we’re surprised by something like a collision. Full marks to Duquesne for instead doing what we all should do: make sure everybody is okay, and assess property damage second. But that doesn’t mean we can’t look for takeaways from this event. Take Our
Origin: Put on Your Judgy-Pants: Unexpected reaction to being rear-ended
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