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Bernard is a big guy with an aging 2004 Yukon Denali. He needs something with comfort and luxury but doesn’t want to be averaging 14 mpg. He would also like something a bit flashy so what car should he buy?

(Welcome back to What Car Should You Buy? Where we give real people real advice about buying cars. )

Here is the scenario –

Howdy, I am a bigger guy so I need a bigger car( my Instagram name is FatBlackAndAwesome). I currently drive in Seattle in a 2004 Yukon Denali that has seen better days. I need to get a much newer car that can handle a commute from Seattle to Portland twice a month and not destroy my wallet with fuel costs. I am ok not getting another SUV. A luxury sedan would be fantastic, previous car was a Chrysler 300( FANTASTIC Car!) or something that will fit my personality( Loud, no teslas- too many of them out there- electric is fine with 250 range). Great value pick! Find me that 5th round sleeper pick, please!

Here is what I am after -Big interior, decent gas mileage( currently averaging 14.2 can we get it to the mid 20s to 30s on highway), luxury interior, bluetooth, android auto/apple car play, head turning. Stupid colors encouraged

My budget is up to $50,000

Quick Facts:

Budget: up to $50,000

Daily Driver: Yes

Location: Seattle, WA

Wants: Big, good MPG, flashy

Doesn’t want: A Tesla

Expert 1: Tom McParland – Luxury and Tech

Bernard, with a desire to shift towards electric you are hitting the market where there will be some good things on the horizon, but not yet available. It would seem that the upcoming Chevy Blazer EV would fit the bill nicely, but that won’t be hitting showrooms until next summer. I suggest you get something nice that will hold you over until the EV market offers something more ideal.

You were really fond of your Chrysler 300 so another big, comfy, American sedan could be the ticket. The Cadillac CT6 is an underrated gem if you prefer an old-school executive sedan over an SUV. These came packed with really nice features that will make your long drives a bit more enjoyable. And because the CT6 wasn’t super popular as a new car, it’s one of the few used cars where you can actually take advantage of some depreciation. The V6 motor was able to achieve up to 27 mpg on the highway, or you can find the four-cylinder turbo could get up to 30 mpg. Personally, I would sacrifice the extra miles to get a bit more passing power. Here is a local example in red for well under your target budget

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Expert 2: Andy Kalmowitz – Get ‘Em While You Still Can

You, my friend, need deserve a Dodge Charger 392 Scat Pack. It’s exactly what you’re looking for. It’s big, it’s loud, it’s comfy, it’s fast and it wont kill you on gas. On top of all that you’ll feel right at home since you’ve already had a 300C.

Is the gas mileage technically the best? No, but it’s still rated at 24 mpg on the highway. That isn’t toooooo bad.

Inside it’s got all the niceties you could ever want, and it’ll be reliable to boot! Outside though, that’s where the magic happens. Just look at it. I deeply want it. Pretty soon, these guys will all be relics of the past, so you best get one while they’re still around.

That V8 power, that noise and that comfort will be absolutely too intoxicating for you to pass up on. 392 cubic inches and over 460 American horsepower. How could you say no to this? This example I’ve picked for you is pretty near the top of your budget, but don’t worry. There are plenty of others well within what you’re looking for price wise.

So, Bernard, go with God. Go with Dodge.

Expert 3: Steve DaSilva – Why Settle For Less?

Bernard, you want the finer things in life. You want smoothness, opulence, something bright and flashy, and interesting. What I’m wondering is, why are you looking at anything less than the best? It’s what you want, and it’s what you deserve.

The best, for highway-hauling luxury sedans, is the S-Class. Long, low, and perfect for you. Sure, this one’s in boring old white, but that’s why god made bright-colored vinyl — slap a Midnight Purple wrap on it (the superior car color), and call it a day.

This S550e is even a hybrid model, to help you out on the fuel economy front. Don’t question it, just buy the best. You deserve it.

Expert 4: José Rodríguez Jr. – Oh, The Legend

Bernard, the easy answer to a high-tech, fuel-efficient, head-turning car is easy: it’s the new Toyota Crown, which is rumored to start in the low $40,000 range. A new Crown with a Hybrid Max engine would come with two-tone paint, would go 0-60 mph in under six seconds and still get 28 miles per gallon on the highway. But a high-spec Crown might break the budget, and you’ll have to wait until later this year to buy it.

Instead of waiting for a new Crown you could always go for an old Legend. As in the venerable Honda Legend, which we knew in the U.S. as the Acura RLX. Here’s a 2019 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid with low miles, bold red paint and all the bells and whistles. It’s expensive, but you can find cheaper models easily.

You wanted a head-turner, Bernard. Maybe it’s just me, but every time I see an RLX on the road I’m hypnotized; I just can’t look away from the big handsome sedan, which never caught on in the U.S. despite drawing from the Acura NSX with a late cycle refresh that added three electric motors to its glorious V6 engine. The RLX Sport Hybrid had AWD, made a total of 377 horsepower and still got 28 mpg on the highway and the city! I’m partial to the older RLX from before the refresh, but either version is beautiful and imposing.

Do you want us to help you find a car? Submit your story on our form.

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Aston Martin is preparing to usher in the final era for its Vantage sports car with a V12-powered monster. But the V12 Vantage coupe won’t be alone when it starts tearing up the streets, as Aston Martin has just revealed this wonderful drop-top version as well. Say hello to the V12 Vantage Roadster.

This special edition will be limited to just 249 units worldwide. Each will feature the same 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 engine found in the coupe, which kicks out 690 hp. That, Aston Martin is keen to point out, makes this the most powerful Vantage roadster ever.

Top speed on the new car is 200 mph, and zero to 60 is dealt with in a spritely 3.5 seconds.

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Roberto Fedeli, Aston Martin’s chief technical officer, said in a press release, “We have worked extremely hard to ensure the V12 Vantage Roadster possesses the same potency and dynamism that characterizes the V12 Vantage Coupe, while surpassing it in terms of raw sensory excitement that you only achieve with roof down driving. This is a breathtaking machine created for our most enthusiastic customers.”

But, there’s more to this new Aston Martin than just its impressive engine. Coupled to that power plant is an eight-speed automatic transmission and a mechanical limited-slip differential. There is also the very same suspension hardware you’ll find in its roofed sibling.

At each corner, you’ll find a carbon ceramic disc brake. Up front, there are two 410 mm rotors paired with six-piston calipers, while the rear houses a set of 360 mm rotors with four-piston calipers. So you shouldn’t have to worry too much about your stopping power when you stomp on the gas and make that motor sing.

All this mechanical might is paired with an updated aerodynamic pack that reflects the styling you’ll find on the coupe.

The front bumper, fenders and hood have all been tweaked from the standard Vantage, and are now made from carbon fiber. The rear bumper is also made from composites to save weight across the Roadster.

These tweaks, coupled with the car’s new “widebody” stance mean that this is probably the best looking Vantage since 1987. I mean, the color choice in these press shots is particularly pretty, but just look at it!

The designers at Aston Martin have even managed to make that 25-percent-larger grille look like it belongs here, swooping around the front end as it curves across. Wonderful stuff.

The cost of all this loveliness is expected to be around $350,000 here in the U.S.

Production of the V12 Vantage Roadster will begin later this year, with deliveries expected before the end of 2022. If you see one out on the road after that, please snap a picture and let us know!

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Aug 14, 2022Chad Reynolds1320 Tech Story, Apex Tech Stories, ENGINE, ENGINES, TECH, Tech Stories, Videos, XL Tech Stories, XL Videos

BMW M Motorsport is making a winning race car available to a private buyer, BMW’s racing arm introduced on Tuesday.

The number 24 BMW M8 GTE that won the GTLM class at the 2020 Rolex 24 At Daytona is currently available to any individual that has the money and the wish to possess an item of BMW competing background. Motorists John Edwards, Augusto Farfus, Jesse Krohn, as well as Chas Mostert piloted the vehicle to triumph because race, which noted the automobile’s debut.

The car, framework number 1809, is one of eight M8 GTE autos constructed and campaigned in the IMSA SportsCar Championship from 2018 through 2020. It’s one of the most successful cars and truck among the team as it went on to upload a total of 6 platform surfaces as BMW M Team RLL won the Michelin Endurance Cup and completed second in the GTLM class Driver, Team, and Manufacturer points standings. The vehicle even ran the Rolex 24 once more in 2021 and ended up third.

Number 24 BMW M8 GTE 2020 Rolex 24 winner “The BMW M8 GTE represented a money-is-no-object factory GT race cars and truck. It is truly an engineering masterpiece. The brand-new proprietor of BMW M8 GTE No. 1809 will certainly be the guardian of a very important piece of BMW history in America and can depend on support from BMW in the years to find to ensure its problem and worth are preserved at the highest level,”said Tom Plucinsky, BMW USA Classic Manager. BMW USA Classic states it will certainly maintain 2 running examples of the 8 cars, as well as the components to sustain the automobiles. Framework 1809 is among 3 other running autos that exists. The two others may be offered in the future.

Framework 1809 was most just recently evaluated this past February at Palm Beach International Raceway with kept in mind BMW race driver Bill Auberlen at the wheel. BMW ran the cars and truck via a series of examinations as well as updated its programming for much easier usage by a client. The sale will certainly feature design notes, press and also advertising materials, the 2020 Rolex 24 trophy, special devices needed to operate the car, and also a spares bundle with an additional car and many items consumed throughout a race. BMW M Motorsport will certainly be available to sustain the cars and truck’s operation as well as supply components for any kind of racing the ultimate owner intends to do.

Number 24 BMW M8 GTE 2020 Rolex 24 champion Exactly how the purchaser will use the automobile will certainly affect its price.”The price is dependent on what the potential customer wishes to finish with the cars and truck (fixed display screen vs. vintage auto racing etc.) and what tech assistance they currently have. Because of this, we are not openly pricing estimate a price. However, if you were to approximate a cost for a cars and truck of this historical worth and technological innovation, you would not be wrong to approximate a price north of $1M,” Plucinsky informed Motor Authority when requested for remark.

Those interested can see the car in person at following week’s Monterey Car Week. It will certainly be displayed in the BMWUSA Classic garage throughout the Rolex Monterey Motorsport Reunion at Laguna Seca from Aug. 17 to 20.

For even more coverage from Monterey Car Week, look into our devoted hub.

Ferrari Is Recalling Seventeen Years Worth Of Cars

August 8, 2022 in Uncategorized | Permalink

There are, broadly, a few attributes that distinguish a Ferrari from the general rabble out on the roads. Ferraris are fast, loud, and most of all red. But now, it seems the company has found another unifying thread to weave between its models: Potential brake failure.

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For the past seventeen years, nearly every Ferrari model has apparently shared that single fatal flaw. Now, the company is taking action — recalling over 23,000 vehicles to ensure the wide pedal actually does its job. That’s more than twice as many cars as it sold in 2021, a year that set sales records for the company.

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As you’d expect for a recall that spans seventeen years, the list of affected vehicles is exhaustive. NHTSA lists the following models on its recall acknowledgement:

• 2005-2009 Ferrari 430
• 2019-2020 Ferrari 488 Pista

• 2010-2011 Ferrari 612
• 2005-2011 Ferrari 612 Scaglietti
• 2018-2022 Ferrari 812
• 2009-2017 Ferrari California
• 2015-2017 Ferrari California T
• 2013-2017 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta
• 2017 Ferrari F12 TDF
• 2016 Ferrari F60 America
• 2020-2022 Ferrari F8 Spider
• 2020-2022 Ferrari F8 Tributo
• 2012-2016 Ferrari FF
• 2017-2020 Ferrari GTC4Lusso
• 2018-2020 Ferrari GTC4Lusso T
• 2013-2015 Ferrari LaFerrari
• 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta
• 2019-2022 Ferrari Portofino
• 2021-2022 Ferrari Roma

Yet for all those years of issues, all those models, the fix is shockingly simple: A new brake fluid reservoir cap and an ECU update. Apparently, the stock cap simply doesn’t vent well enough, and can create a vacuum inside the fluid reservoir.

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If you own an affected model, run your VIN through NHTSA’s recall site to see if your individual car needs to be fixed. Ferrari estimates that only one percent of the 23,555 listed cars will need repair, but it’s better to be safe than sorry — you’re going to need brakes to tame that much speed, noise, and red.

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BMW’s Enormous New Theater Screen Blocks Your Rear View

August 5, 2022 in Uncategorized | Permalink

BMW is preparing to launch its next generation 7 Series sedan and, as you’d expect, it’s packed full of fancy technology. One of the standout new features is an expansive 31-inch screen in the back that folds down from the ceiling. But BMW admits that, when in use, the screen blocks the driver’s view.

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The 31-inch Theater Screen was one of the big talking points on the interior of the new 7 Series, which was unveiled earlier this year. It forms a big chunk of the 70-inches worth of screen you’ll find throughout the car, which our own Lawrence Hodge, warned risks being too much of a good thing.

When the screen is stowed away, it sits flush to the roof of the luxurious sedan and is hardly noticeable. But, once in use, it sticks down so far that it could get in the way of your rear view. And this is something BMW has acknowledged could be an issue with the new car.

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A spokesperson from the brand told us that “it is true that the Theater Screen, when in use, impacts rearward visibility directly behind the vehicle.” However, as with everything else in the new sedan, BMW has over-engineered a solution for the problem it finds itself with.

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According to the company, the first remedy is to just fold the screen away whenever you need to look over your shoulder. The driver has control over when the screen is and isn’t deployed. So, if you want to look behind you, all you need to do is flick a switch and stow the screen back in the car’s roof.

But, if you’re the kind of person that is shelling out six-figures for a luxury sedan, you don’t want that extra faff, do you?

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In that case, you’ll want to lean on the new 7 Series’ extensive array of driver assist features to replace your rear visibility.

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The 7 Series is equipped with systems such as active blind spot detection, side-collision prevention and active park distance control, amongst other things. This, BMW says, “supplements” the driver’s awareness of traffic and objects around the vehicle. So, I guess you might not even need to look behind you anymore.

And anyway, as the automaker points out, many vehicles have even worse rear visibility than the new 7 Series could have.

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Limousines, cargo vans and some low-slung supercars come with even less view out the back window and way less driver assistance systems than the 7 Series. So maybe, looking back is overrated anyway?

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Indiana Batmobile Builder Raided By Northern California Sheriff as ‘Favor’ to Buyer Friend

August 2, 2022 in Uncategorized | Permalink