Counterpoint: imagine a VoodooBoost. The flat-plane 5.2 V8 with a pair of turbos strapped on. In addition to the crazy power, it would complement the rev-happy screamer with low-end torque.

With government spending about 40% of total economic output, I’d love to hear what definition of “limited by funding” is being used. I assume anything short of one regulator overseeing each taxpayer is considered inadequate.

I don't know if Matlab "developers" are a real thing. Most of what I see is quant types who learn Matlab to do their quant stuff, but it's more for data analysis outside of actual production processes. They get the numbers they need, put it in a database somewhere, then a Java or C application runs.

I want something that at least pretends to care about driving experience. Dropping about 800 pounds and replacing the pillows with an actual suspension would be a start.

45 million on subsidized food? Not just a big deal, but a morbidly obese one.

That’s not a Toyota car. It’s a Lexus car and a half.

Because Toyota doesn’t sell a car with a driveshaft. Or a V8. And manual probably won’t be much longer...what’s left, the base Corolla? No the Subaru-Scion doesn’t count.

I knew VWs had electrical problems, but not so bad that even their diesels need ignition coils replaced...

This is hands down the best article I’ve read on Jalopnik. Not just one but ten wildly different and awesome entries, only a few of which I’ve seen or heard of.

I don’t think they’re choosing status over time. I think they like the car, and have the resources to let someone else take care of it. They own them when they’re new, and 105 issues per 100 vehicles (vs. 95 in the Lexus) might mean an extra service a year, while the dealer gives them an equally nice loaner.

The time argument applies to enthusiast buyers who trade newness/reliability to jump several classes above what they can afford new. 8 year old AMG vs. new Accord implies you’re willing to gamble on expensive repairs, accept downtime when they happen, and scrounge for parts or do your own work.

This article gave me whatever the hyperbole-overdose equivalent of diabetes is. However, #9’s chase-drone video service is becoming more feasible, and could definitely fit into the car’s price bracket. I bet lesser cars with track cameras start offering constant HD recording that just rolls the last half hour so you…

Why wouldn’t you have answered the “you’re on the wrong side” and “these are for racing right?” lines with “I’m an automotive journalist, you should see what else I’ve been stuck in”?

I have a completely analog (no anything) 90s RWD coupe, around 250hp and <3200 pounds. Manual makes it quick 0-40 but power needs increase dramatically with speed. Getting in a 300+ car makes the 30-60 range more fun, but it takes more like 400 to really feel fast because I don’t do all my driving from a dig, and like…

Staying in the Dodge vein, I think the Dodge Viper was a pretty quintessentially 90s car, and of course the Dodge Ram redesign with the lights sticking out:

I guess everyone’s calibrated differently, but 300hp really doesn’t seem like much, while 464 is impressive in all but the heaviest boats. 464hp is as far from 300 as 300hp is from 194!

The answer for the car companies is that as long as people are paying (financing) that much, they’ll happily sell for that much. The answer for the average person is that it’s not tenable, they’re just leveraging themselves on easy credit.

Please tell me where I can get a steady 8% return, or even 5%. Equities are flat for the year, and Treasuries yielding 2% or less. The whole “borrow at 3-4% because you can make double that guaranteed” was only true for a brief period a decade ago, which is what made it a bubble.

No, the model of the gun will tell you that.

It’s true that a turbo lets a smaller engine use less gas by making less power, and then kinda-sorta hit the peak number of a bigger engine (typically with response suffering), but larger engines can also do a decent job of stretching the miles at lower output.