Neat. The X-Type’s one of those cars that I don’t think got quite the respect it deserved. Yours AWD, too? 

I used to daily an olden Holden (well, Pontiac GTO) until this year. (Some twit smushed it.) Winter tires vastly improve things but I’ve been a convert for some flavor of AWD in the white stuff for a while.

Late-GenX, mid-level engineer here, too. I was actually pondering the notion of building what I called the “TrollStang”: find a Fox-body GT and ditch the 5.slo and stick axle in favor of the old turbo-four and a Cobra’s IRS. Then Ford had to ruin my fun by essentially building that car new. It’s kinda two extremes but…

I’d be slightly terrified of this as a daily. Awesome weekender, yes but operational and maintenance costs could be brutal. . . I mean, I could be completely wrong as I’ve little feel for modern Jag expenses but. . . Hoofah.

Think you might’ve been in the Chevy dealership.

Mustangs around here seem to be driven by middle-level management and late-boomer/early-GenX senior technical staff. Or their wives.

Not to be that guy, especially as I think on the basic level we’re both preaching to the choir, but don’t you mean “aren’t”? Mutual exclusivity is about two things that can’t functionally exist together, like a screendoor on a spaceship or an underwater open-air sundeck.

Here’s a hybrid and a manual, living together in…

Shhhh. . . I still hafta due that.

Truth be told, I kinda prefer the “warm” tone of the original halogen bulbs (on my E90) but the LED ones do a better job of illuminating the entire ring. Ironically, when the bulbs due finally die I will probably order yellow/orange LED replacements, which I guess puts me somewhere…

Halos, aka “Angel Eyes”, aka “Corona Rings” using BMW’s own terminology first showed up on the E39 in 2000/2001. They were originally fed via lightpipes and separate halogen bulb. There’s a reason they’re synonymous with the make.

Now, who did LEDs first, I dunno. But at the end of the day, they (Audi and, well, now…

I understand the layout. I guess it’s more that a hybrid being paired to a manual transmission is so unusual that the concept seems almost mutually exclusive. The only production implementation of such a setup (that I’m aware of) was the CR-Z. Even in cases where Honda reused the exact same components (eg the Civic…

Just wanted to confirm that, like the CR-Z, you would have your hybrid and row it, too.

Nice write up of what’s pretty slick about this system.

Now, what I was was asking about was the “manual” in that quote, to confirm that it’s apparently compatible with us Luddites who like our cars with three pedals. This is super cool. I imagine with some creative programming and an OBD-II scan tool, you could add…

Whoops, apologies for the tardiness. They can fit this beastie to cars with the manual trans as well? Just wanted to confirm.  I think you’ll need to borrow their three pedal prototype for a follow up story. . .

I’d probably guesstimate $500-1000 depending on the type of bike, so I guess split the difference and say $750 as a general rule.

This time with the current model’s sandwiched motor, which replaces the car’s flywheel in both manual and PDK applications.

The nose gives me a kind of Halo Warthog meet TGE Shuttlecraft vibe. I actually like it. It’s just everything from the B pillar back that makes me ask questions.

Also, not liking that you’re looking at 70 large for the “truckiest” model. I’m pondering a tow vehicle (as the specs on the Renegade are conflicting…

I learned to drive in its “downmarket” Chebby sister.  You don’t parallel park, you dock.

Seriously. From the description it sounds like an ersatz copy of the Renegade.

True, the high-level concept would be a total tear down and rebuild but let’s be honest: unless you’re Icon or Singer and only work with desirable classics, that’s not going to fly as a viable business model. I think a more modest goal, something like refreshed suspension, driveline, interior and exterior is a more…

I’d be lying if the 3x0Z and GT-R didn’t cross my mind.

Oooooooorrrrr you could pay 100% of the new car price. “Lulz.” Or in my own case, go rummaging through various online sites and hope I find a decent-kept example, as BMW no longer makes a car in my current one’s configuration, and barely made them when they did. Same with my Jeep, for that matter. I would’ve kept and…

Easy.

The Model S. There’s no plan to redesign the car: Tesla’s plate is too full with the pickup and Y so they won’t be getting to it for a loooong time. The early owners would probably be willing to drop the coin on having Tesla install the MCUv2 (especially given the bricking issue) and the newer drive motors on…