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David lives in an adjacent HoloDeck to RobertHall, where he dresses like George Jetson and has a robot maid.

whoosh. - - - - -

Care to actually put quotes from these OEMs? Porsche brought back manual because customers demanded it, Subaru just unveiled 2022 BRZ, so definitely not going to disappear by 2025. Nissan showed 400Z prototype and also said it will have manual. 2022 Civic type R will have manual as well. Next gen Mustang and Camaro is unknown. Also Ford added manual to top level Bronco because of the customer's demand.

Add Bronco and Wrangler to the list as well.

People keep saying that manual transmission is dead yet new Subaru BRZ/Toyota 86, Miata, Porsche 911, Honda Civic Type R, Mustang and Camaro are still coming with manuals. All true enthusiast cars. Still plenty of people left who appreciate the experience.

If I ever spend time on my family farm again, I'd love to have an old truck there...a '73 Ford F100 w/ 6 would be neat.

a telling 2020 snapshot : My auto insurer is privately owned, and gives policy holders a dividend check every year. Normally it's around $125, but this year's check was $354. A LOT less driving / accidents in 2020...

Right, and the Free market is saying it wants electric products...which is why they are starting to show up in all sorts of interesting places.

^ It'd make an interesting project for a crate 6.2L retro-fit.

So you're finally admitting EV are a hopeless, regional dream not shared with the VAST majority of consumers?

I think you are over estimating how much electrics will take over the market.

Just saying- it’s all fun & games looking at million dollar plus homes online, but you can’t force everyone to buy one. And putting $100/SF granite countertops in a $50K apartment likewise, makes no sense (on a grand scale or individual). I think it’s fine for an individual to do what he wants automotively, but the ‘Jehovah’s Witness door-to-door hard sell’ that this is for everyone is fantasy.

I look at it this way, buy a new Suburban spending $80K or convert the one I have which is in excellent shape and I love for half that price. I will take the conversion route as a fun project for me to do. Gonna wait and see what GM wants for the AWD Connect and Cruise EV kit.

October 2020 EV West conversion cost: $50,000. I wonder how many folk will ultimately be willing to put 50 grand into a 5 grand car. And we thought putting 2 grand of rims on a 2 grand car was nuts.

You are not their target client

Fresh off the news that mercedes had to up their near-future employee firings by 50% by the year 2022 (from 10,000 to 15,000 employees)... Daimler announced today their US truck [ class 8 ] orders fell 51% in 2019, with a 20% decline in Q4 2019 alone. Overall, Daimler AG's 2019 sales were flat vs. 2018. Revenue edged up 3%, but profits plummeted from 7.6 billion in '18 to 2.7 billion in '19. Daimler cited increased expenses relating to the diesel emissions cheating scandal settlement and restructuring costs as contributing factors.

Americans have been coached by the other side using that same premise for decades. Why does Big Oil think they know better than the public? See how that works or do you live in a world where one side is always right and the other side is always wrong? Maybe you should take some notes.

I think it is just bad it general! David is not that far off....granted - this is going to damage EV development as well. People who can barely afford regular cars are really going to struggle trying to change over to EV type stuff. The longer our government sits and fights over stuff, the more damage that happens to the economy. I have friends at both GM, Ford, TRW, and even Rocket Loans waiting for a pink slip...... Spending is going to end....very soon......

2025 is only about 4 years away and you genuinely believe there will be zero manual transmission on the market by then? That's some absurd thinking, IMO. There are also Tacomas and Wranglers with manual transmissions chugging alone quite nicely.

Not at all my friend. When you look at human patterns, Most humans are lazy and shifting gears is becoming a smaller and smaller pool of desire. With the cost of Auto's today, we also do not seem to have the interest from Millennials that the generation before them had in auto's. College Debt Auto Cost Family Cost Housing Cost Changing interest PANDEMIC Unemployment The list can go on, but I do not see as many enthusiast in 2025 as there is now or how many were just 5 years ago. Auto's have moved into an appliance for most and they just want to get from A to B and Back and not have to think about things like Shifting gears. I honestly would say that by the 3rd full year of Bronco sales that I would not be surprised to see FORD kill the Manual for ICE auto's. Countries around the world including the US are near bankruptcy, Personal Debt is at all time highs. Things will go away based on the lack of consumer interest and Manual Transmissions is one of them. IMHO GM has stated they currently have planned to have Cadillac a pure EV brand starting in 2025 which would imply the 2026 model year. If that holds true, then there you have 6 or 7 auto replacements.

On the GM front, found even more details in the MarketWatch report on GM's increased investment in EVs. from $20 billion to $27 billion by 2025. They also have announced they will have 30 rather than 20 various EVs on sale by 2025. To quote what GM announced today: key elements of GM's plan, including: By 2025, GM will launch 30 EVs around the world, and more than two-thirds will be available in North America. Cadillac, GMC, Chevrolet and Buick will all be represented, with EVs at all price points for work, adventure, performance and family use. Engineering advances have increased the previously stated GM-estimated maximum range of Ultium-based vehicles from 400. GM's Ultium-based EVs, when produced, will be capable of driving ranges up to 450 miles on a full charge1. GM's versatile Ultium platform provides the building blocks for everything, from mass market to high performance vehicles – all from a single, common cell in most markets and a set of interchangeable propulsion components. More than half of GM's capital spending and product development team will be devoted to electric and electric-autonomous vehicle programs. GM's second-generation Ultium chemistry is projected to deliver twice the energy density at less than half the cost of today's chemistry. GM is already prototype testing this next-generation technology, which is expected to be available mid-decade. Ultium technology, supported by hundreds of granted patents and pending patent applications, is expected to bring EVs closer to price parity with gas-powered vehicles. Both the GMC HUMMER EV and Cadillac LYRIQ programs were accelerated, along with other vehicles to be revealed at a later date. GM is hiring 3,000 electrical system, infotainment software and controls engineers, plus developers for Java, Android, iOS and other platforms. GM continues to explore third-party licensing for its Ultium EV architecture, batteries and propulsion systems, along with its Hydrotec fuel cell technology developed with Honda. GM, in collaboration with its dealers, will leverage its sales and service capabilities and software-powered innovations to deliver an exceptional customer experience for EV loyalists and new EV customers alike. These second-generation cells will get closer to cost parity with gas-powered engines due to: Cell design that enables higher energy density and uses less non-active material, making more room for the part of the battery that produces energy. Manufacturing efficiencies through GM's Ultium Cells LLC joint venture with LG Chem. Better integration between vehicles and their battery packs, enabling fewer cells and modules. Less expensive cathodes, reduced active material, novel electrolytes and the first use of lithium metal anodes in a GM battery. GM speeds its EV rollout and pace of innovation The modular and highly flexible qualities of the Ultium system, along with engineering advances in battery technology, the use of virtual development tools and lessons learned during the HUMMER EV development process, have enabled GM to bring EVs to market much faster than originally planned. The 2022 GMC HUMMER EV's development time of 26 months – down from about 50 months – is now the benchmark. The development schedules for 12 vehicle programs have been moved up, including: GMC HUMMER EV Three other GMC Ultium variants, including an EV pickup Four Chevrolet EVs, including a pickup and compact crossover Four Cadillacs In addition, Buick's EV lineup will include two Ultium-based EVs. After the GMC HUMMER EV, the next EV to launch will be the LYRIQ, Cadillac's first all-electric vehicle, which will arrive in the first quarter of 2022, nine months ahead of schedule. Much more in the release below. https://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/home.detail.html/Pages/news/us/en/2020/nov/1119-electric-portfolio.html https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/gm-boosts-investment-grows-electric-portfolio-to-lead-in-ev-race-301177462.html https://www.marketwatch.com/press-release/gm-boosts-investment-grows-electric-portfolio-to-lead-in-ev-race-2020-11-19

My buddy in AZ w/ the FJ 60 and FJ 40 was looking at something like that, he and his wife go camping in the FJ 60...

Best owner review I have ever seen in terms of people who have owned a Tesla long term.

Of course, we won't throw ICE out of the garage, this is cool also.

Not impressed.

Wow, Idiot driver, smoked pot, drove his Tesla 3 at 100 mph and destroys the auto by breaking a power pole and trees, but runs away from the scene and is caught 3 blocks away and arrested. Surviving shows Tesla did a good job engineering the car to survive. Battery pack did get scattered all over and into surrounding homes as the battery pack got ripped apart in the crash. https://www.autoblog.com/2020/11/19/tesla-crash-100-mph-scatters-burning-batteries/

Wedding reception

OEMs certainly can bring out all sorts of electric vehicles... but you can't FORCE a consumer to buy them; that has to come organically. They are the newbie that has to compete for the consumer's wallet by being competitive to the established market. Perhaps one day it will be a sweeping tide, and I expect it to increase substantially over time... but there's no way you can mandate it by decree in 9 years. All realistic future projections have to be based largely on present & past plots.

^ Re-read the article; the Silverado wasn't anywhere near $60K. The problem most reviewers AND consumers have that only take a passing glance at trucks is; they're not REMOTELY set-up like a sedan is. The variations of trims, body configurations, powertrains & options is staggering in comparison. When the Ram came out, it seemed the press fleet was only stocked with Limited models, because the Ram Tradesman interior is also full of black hard plastics / no luxury. This article tested a Silverado Custom, the lower tier of trims. Go all the way up to a High Country and then you'll be around $60K. I for one don't want 'luxury' leather-wrapped dashboards with hand-stitched stitches. Like a fake hood scoop, it has no purpose AND it's not as durable as a hard surface. That's why the Silverado comes in like EIGHT trims, so anyone can find one that suits them / their budget. What a concept. So to try and paint the entire line by looking at one trim is like painting an entire brand by looking at one model.

That is where China can replace the poor leadership currently in the US by moving tech in Auto ahead showing the world leadership that is missing here. Sadly the US has lost their leadership in the automotive industry with rare leading by Tesla. The next decade is going to really show who is the leaders in the auto industry as we evolve beyond the ICE era.

OUCH, Come on Chevrolet, get your act together for a so/so full size pickup. Reviews of the current full size Chevrolet pickup all highlight the power train options. Yet the interior of sparse, blah cheap plastic on a $60K truck makes this last in comparison to the Luxury and much cheaper RAM or as this one review says is a Greying F-150 pickup both of which for less money has a more luxury interior. This problem has been around for both GMC and Chevrolet trucks. GM really needs to get their act together in regards to interior quality of their Trucks. To quote the review: This Silverado Custom Trail Boss' dynamics are surprisingly friendly and its powertrain is amongst the best you'll find in any half-ton pickup. A highly versatile bed and snappy infotainment system are welcome advantages as well, but that dearth of features and unspectacular interior make it a bit tough to recommend. I still think the Ram 1500 provides a more comfortable, premium experience and even the gray-haired F-150 still has a leg up over this Silverado. https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/reviews/2020-chevrolet-silverado-1500-review/

As Rivian moves closer to full scale production of their R1T and R1S for the North American market, CEO R.J. has stated that they will begin taking orders for their full size truck and SUV in Europe (2022) and Asia (2023). Yet the real growth will come from building smaller size EV's that more than meet the roads and cities of Europe and Asia. Medium and small size EVs are on Rivian's road map along with production in those two areas. https://www.autonews.com/china/rivian-ceo-eyes-smaller-electric-vehicles-china-europe Video of the CEO comments on Europe and Asia for EV sales. https://www.autonews.com/video/first-shift-rivian-plans-smaller-evs-europe-china

Yeah, although the body and Chassis on Teslas is breakdown prone enough to make up for a good bit of that. I have high hopes for Rivian and VW in their electric endeavors. They have much more experience building cars than Tesla does. But the number of older Teslas on the road proves the viability of electric technology.

The benefit of having an auto with much less complexity is the much less maintenance cost.

So true that Tesla is going to feel the heat as other manufactures come online with product to sell.

Lastly...would love to own a travel trailer. This one is cool and appeals to me aesthetically. Needs to be a more masculine color, but I kind of like the retro vibe.

Ford wouldn't be investing this kind of money if it didn't see this as the wave of the future... https://fordauthority.com/2020/11/ford-makes-significant-investments-hires-hundreds-to-produce-electric-vehicles/ The future is here, no matter how much people in smaller Pennsylvania towns hold their beath, watch their faces turn red in the mirror, and collapse on the floor asphyxiated in a fit of rage. Get over it and grow up. Seriously. Apparently people in Indiana are holding their breath in fits of rage also... https://www.thestarpress.com/story/news/crime/2020/11/17/modoc-man-charged-shooting-wind-turbine-workers/6321921002/?fbclid=IwAR0zySQLhtirUe6m6lLBzZOSQEyIhRXHf4BnNyR3j-636vtEdNDCB6rEqYo WINCHESTER, Ind. — A Randolph County man is accused of firing gunshots in a bid to frighten workers installing wind turbines near his home. David E. Oakerson, 45, of rural Modoc, was charged last week in Randolph Superior Court with criminal recklessness, a Level 6 felony carrying up to 30 months in prison, and two misdemeanor counts of intimidation.

Neat Technology

Love the exhaust note on this modified Caprice PPV, at around 9:35 min mark and again around 11:08 and onward..

I think one of the issues is also long term contracts. Businesses are looking at bonus payments to executives / mgmt. and as such squeeze every penny for profit versus looking at the long term of pay out the cancellation fee to the supplier and change to a better technology faster. I honestly think the auto industry could improve auto's faster if they did not look at 5 to 10 year contracts. The more often changes happening in the last few years is making me think even the OEMs have finally woke up to the fact they have to change at a faster pace like the tech industry. While the tech industry is focused on new tech every 90 to 180 days of which I do not think the auto industry needs to change that fast, they should be looking at no more than 2 years before updating to newer tech from lights to interior materials, etc. Change has to happen faster than having an auto go 10 years of the same tech. Honestly I am surprised some products like Toyota Tundra have gone on so long or the Nissan pickup truck. Stagnant auto tech will be the death of an auto company as we move forward. They have to change faster.

S10 Keeping up with big iron....neat... Blazer getting it on, also...

At least the last 3 were parted out about as much as they could be from the looks of it.

Known with affection in the V8 Buick world as... "The Beater" :

Maybe they need to turbocharge their supercharged engines, or supercharge their turbocharged engines...like Volvo does.

For a '60s rear end, this has to take the cake :: Look at the bumper fitment & contours vs. Ford's. Plus you have the trick invisible taillights. RE the Galaxie's tail end, I'd have to endorse the '61-63 Thunderbird's take over the Galaxie's.

The Imperial has a nice rear end...from the Random Thoughts Thread... But my utmost favorite rear end of all time on a car is... And the front of the car aint too shabby either.

OH COME ON!!!!

'41 Chrysler Thunderbolt coupe ::