Stiffer springs and revised dampers count as “extra performance” in my book. Performance is more than just power.

It’s also complete bullshit. A check of the inventory of my local Stellantis dealership shows plenty of ICE only models. It’s not CARB’s fault that they’re still sitting on 2022 inventory because apparently those things just don’t sell: https://www.hbchryslerdodgejeepram.com/new-inventory/index.htm

“The vents and scoops are all real and work to give this big-ass SUV a super-slippery 0.26 drag coefficient. For comparison’s sake, that’s just 0.1 cD more than a first-generation Honda Insight and 0.3 cD better than a Ford Mustang Mach-E.”

I’m not really an engine guy, but to me the best argument for EVs being “soulless” comes from my daughter. She’s not quite 2, but she loves riding in the Tacoma and Transit that we have much more than the Volvo. Every morning she asks for the Tacoma. The reason? As she says, the Taco goes “vroom vroom.”

Thanks for helping me get my Tacoma a couple years back. We really enjoy it, although both my wife and I wish the seats were more comfortable (I think the leather seats are harder than the cloth seats). It’s been the most conversation starting vehicle I’ve ever owned, and I own a red Lotus Elise, but that’s probably…

Utah is definitely a sneaky great driving state.  In a lot of ways, California’s real edge over Utah are the racetracks.

People love to bitch about California traffic, but that’s only a feature of the city. And if you’re trying to get driving pleasure from driving the 405, you’re really doing it wrong. Angeles Crest Highway has a lot of traffic, but that’s because it is either the first or second most famous canyon road in the country.…

Apex seals were not an issue on the 13B-MSP of the RX-8s (the side seals were the main issue). In terms of oil usage, rotary usage of oil was fairly nonlinear across the rev range. Operating the motor at only one rpm will really minimize it.

Those 70-0 braking distances are actually pretty good.  A decade ago, 160 feet 70-0 was only achievable by high performance vehicles.

Reporting from other sources stated that a fully loaded A-Spec should be right around $35k.

$50k and pay an extra $10k $12k on top of that for the privilege of being a beta tester.

They look horrible, but I bet they’re somebody’s jam. That somebody being the person that wants a $75k luxury pick up.

Yeah you’re right.  It doesn’t even meet the definition of a beta.

Small point, but calling it beta is an irresponsible cop out and I can’t believe the broader public let Elon get away with this shit. This isn’t some game that you’re trying out on your home PC, where if it blue screens, the worst you do is a force restart. This is a 6,000 pound car on public roads, with other…

When you’re emotionally over it. I’m doing a chassis swap on my Lotus right now. It makes no financial sense, but I also know I’m never selling the car.

There is one argument that it makes things worse, which is a really heavy vehicle tears up the trails. But honestly, I feel like the Earthcruisers tend to be driven fairly sedately, so they don’t result in much damage.

The main point of these regulations was to decrease dirty air.  So now we’re using some comments about a driver saying the cars aren’t necessarily slower as proof that the new regulations don’t work?  Based on his work in a simulator in which his comments seem to suggest that he didn’t even try to follow another car?

Like being a management consultant.

2 Fast 2 Furious?

Wife told me she thought it was hilarious that my dating profile included a picture of me in front of my Subaru Forester, because most guys post pictures of fancy cars instead. On a later date, after feeling comfortable, I took my 997 Turbo because the Subaru was in the shop, and that elicited a “what the hell is…