Subaru was constantly messing with the EJ25 around this time and there are even differences between your ‘97 and this ‘99, namely crank, rods, and bell housing. Same pistons, though.

Not everyone will want such a compact coupe, and I’d be surprised if the M245i gets the e-boost system from the M440i. It will also probably have a detuned B58. Guessing 350 hp for the 245i and 420 hp for the new M2.

Probably the B58 out of the M340i, so about 382 hp. Rumor has it the name will be M245i

As of Dec. 2019 it was almost $39K!

This report from KBB might help, and you are right about there being a trough, but it’s based on manufacturer averages. Companies like Honda and Subaru come out to around $30K average, while companies like VW (which includes Audi and Porsche), GM (Cadillac, trucks) and Ford (Lincoln, trucks) are up at $45K. There’s a…

It’s possible he was referring to unibody SUVs. The Bronco and Blazer were body-on-frame. But he clearly forgot about the XJ or more likely didn’t know anything about it. And he also didn’t realize the Lexus RX predated the X5 by a couple of years.

Unibodies frames back then were very flimsy compared to today’s designs. The XJ would have flexed way too much off-road without the ladder frame integrated. As it is, wheelers have to often adding strengthening braces or a full cage. Paying the weight penalty was worth it.

Good call. Stock 240SX seats from that era should have a patterned inset on the seat cushion and back cushion. It probably had Recaros the owner is retaining.

Isn’t an L76 just an LS2 with different heads and intake (L92, LS3) and DOD/AFM system?

I think the kicker with this is that you get the upside of speed, a drivetrain and suspension that can handle it, and the bonus of storage and 6500 pounds worth of towing.

Right, and you also forgo the Torsen center diff, the 9.5-inch torque-vectoring rear diff and a suspension that is tuned for handling, not off-road duty. I’ve driven the 5.3i and the Aero, and the Aero is a hoot on the road. If you want a Corvette, great. But if you want performance and towing in one SUV, then it’s a…

Minis from this period can be hard to identify because Leyland was constantly shifting production and tooling around. It’s almost certainly an Aussie Mini (built in New Zealand) because the UK Clubman was, afaik, never built with external hinges and window vent wings.

Yeah, good point about the Siamesed bores, which really maximized the displacement-to-size advantage in addition to the reduced crankshaft bearing count. If not for that, I-8s might have continued in luxury cars for a few more years, as well as certain types of race cars.

That’s true! But there’s a good reason those engines found success; neither was a traditional straight-8. The Alfa was a pre-war design with power takeoff from the middle, which helps solve the crankshaft vibration issue. It was also an extremely short stroke engine that was supercharged to the moon and back. If F1…

You’re right! I saw the speculation about it, but the Porsche R&D chief did say it would be coming. Smaller battery, too.

You are right about the complexity of engine breathing for the inline-8, but the harmonic characteristics are good. In fact, an inline-8 runs more smoothly under load than an inline-6. What you might be thinking of is torsional vibration in the crankshaft, which is enough of a problem to require either a harmonic…

We might see a Taycan 4, but with the way this car is engineered probably not a RWD Taycan.

The Lagonda electronics saga is always worth highlighting. What’s less known is that Aston’s engineers had to jump through more hoops to get the drivetrain to work. They moved the engine as far back as they could, which forced them to install an inferior air intake. They then had to enlarge the valve openings to…

Oh, good point, the VR6 was always transverse. But the odd thing the VR5 was set up for longitudinal.

It’s economies of scale. Tesla’s massive demand for cylindrical cells and exclusive partnership with Panasonic has pushed the cost per kWh of 21700s well below that of pouch or prismatic, but even Tesla knows that prismatic or pouch cells are the future because they are lighter, more flexible, and will likely be even…