Rumorpile: Mazda's HCCI Engine To Be Detailed Later This Month, Debut In 2019 Mazda3

Ahead of the New York International Auto Show next week, Nissan dropped the details on the refreshed 2027 Z set to debut there, and there are some genuinely good updates in here for enthusiasts. The prime headline: The Z NISMO is finally getting a six-speed manual. Nissan didn't just bolt in an existing unit, either. The transmission was specifically engineered for the NISMO grade with an upgraded clutch and a shorter shift stroke for quicker, more satisfying gear changes. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 got manual-specific tuning for throttle and ignition timing too, so it should feel properly dialed in rather than like an afterthought. The NISMO also gets GT-R-derived two-piece iron-aluminum front brake rotors that Nissan says reduce brake pad temps significantly during track use while also shedding 19 pounds off the nose. The suspension was retuned to account for that weight loss, and there are steering rack revisions that reportedly cut internal friction by 20% for a cleaner, more natural steering feel. Sport and Performance grades get a front-end refresh with a new bumper and grille design inspired by classic Nissan sports cars, plus a "Z" badge on the nose instead of the Nissan logo. Performance adds new forged 19-inch wheels and a tan interior option. All models get an improved fuel tank design to keep fuel delivery consistent during high-G cornering, and Performance gets larger-diameter monotube shocks for better ride quality and handling predictability. See all photos in the 2027 Nissan Z NISMO photo gallery. There's also a new color: Shinkai Green Pearl Metallic, paired with a Super Black roof. It's a modern take on the green from the classic S30 Z, and it looks sharp. We'll get you pictures live from the show next week. The 2027 Z hits dealerships this summer. Pricing hasn't been announced yet. View full article

Sorta true sorta not.  It implies that Tesla had some sort of magic but what it really was was funding from the legacies. For many of the early years of Tesla, the only way they made money was buy selling clean energy credits to the legacy makers. Big gas trucks literally funded Tesla's growth. The legacies didn't get tax dollars for EVs until later. The Bolt was developed with GM knowing it would lose money on it because GM would never be able to sell the clean energy credits like Tesla did.  The big tax incentives same later after 2020 during the Biden administration and it was the only way the legacies didn't lose their shirt on EVs. But if you think about it. Ford, GM, Chrysler, Nissan, Volkswagen, and Subaru can't even make a profitable mid-size sedan right now, much less make money on EVs.

The auto industry also has the ability to just "do the right thing" on their own, right? i get that the president is a POS and he makes bad decision after bad decision, but this also needs to be put onto the auto manufacturers. They had 15 years to get to the point of building affordable BEVs with adequate range, but they sat on their hands until like 2019 or so, while getting our tax dollars. Now that they aren't getting our extra tax dollars they just decide to cancel them? That sounds exactly like the "corporate greed" that all of us regular people are sick and tired of.  The fact that it is something oh so earily broken. They're unnecessarily funky to operate. Oh, and we get ice here in the Midwest and I can guarantee they are, at the very least, finicky when it's 0 degrees F and there's ice on the vehicle.  The fact that there's even discussions on a door handle and how it operates, means it's been over-thought. These stupid flush door handles very likely would not stop me from buying something with them, but that doesn't mean I have to like that function. 

Things not looking good on the world stage.