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67 years making the SL, they have a new SL for 2022 that shares no components with the current SL or current AMG GT. So that’s how committed Mercedes is to sports cars, clean sheet design from ground up. There will be a 2nd generation AMG GT, that is already in the works and it is hard top only. Sure the 911 GT2 took the Nurburgring record back but the AMG One will slaughter it. But this is good, Mercedes and Porsche compete with each other and push each other. If not for Porsche then Mercedes would just build luxury barges. Now I love me a big luxo cruiser, but I am glad Mercedes can make an S-class and and AMG GT and not have to pick one or the other. And Diamler has made $9.5 billion in profits the last 6 months, there isn’t a money problem funding any new cars.

My dad's first car was a near identical twin to the red one...hell...it might even be the same car.

Interesting to see the 2022 Buick Enclave and how much LED lighting is changing the look of Auto's. Introducing the New 2022 Buick Enclave & Enclave Avenir | SUV

Let get to the meat and potatoes of this big day and post in their bullet list of what Stellantis is going to do: Plans to invest more than €30 billion through 2025 in electrification and software, while continuing to be the automotive efficiency frontrunner, with investment efficiency 30 percent better than industry average Targeting over 70 percent of sales in Europe and over 40 percent in the United States to be low emission vehicle (LEV) by 2030 All 14 brands committed to offering best-in-class fully electrified solutions Delivering BEVs that meet demands of customers, with ranges of 500-800 km/300-500 miles and class-leading fast charging capability of 32 km/20 miles per minute Four flexible BEV-by-design platforms, scalable family of three electric drive modules and standardized battery packs to cover all brands and segments Platforms designed for long life via software and hardware upgrades Global EV battery sourcing strategy of over 260GWh by 2030, supported by five “gigafactories” between Europe and North America Plans include dual battery chemistries: a high energy-density option and a nickel cobalt-free alternative by 2024 Solid state battery technology introduction planned in 2026 This game plan is having Stellantis targeting what they believe is an achievable, double-digit Adjusted Operating Income margins in the mid-term of 2026 for profitability selling globally a mixture of BEV, PHEV or what they are calling (LEV) Low Emission Vehicles along with ICE auto's and an OPEN end date in regards to totally retiring ICE auto's except where mandated by country. Stellantis is targeting to have the 70 percent LEV for Europe and 40 percent LEV for the US market by 2030 by introducing exciting and desirable LEV auto's. Stellantis believes that once especially in the US market the LEV Trucks and Cars that they are planning to introduce that this will drive the switch from ICE to BEV or LEV. This will come via their plan at sourcing 130 gigawatts of battery capacity by 2025 with more than 260 GWh of battery by 2030. The EV battery component needs will be accomplished via a total of five gigafactories in Europe and North America with additional supply contracts / partnerships to support total global demand. Stellantis has signed two Lithium partners to ensure sustainable supply of Lithium for North America and Europe. Stellantis believes they can reduce 2021 costs of batteries by 40% by 2025 via their synergies in manufacturing and an additional 20 percent reduction in cost by 2030 over todays costs. All aspects of the battery pack will be optimized to reduce costs. Battery life cycle for repair, remanufacturing, second-life use and recycling as a complete sustainable system will be implemented to address concerns by customers and partners. Stellantis believes they will have total cost of ownership of EV's to be equivalent to ICE by the start of 2026. Stellantis 14 iconic brands are all committed to offering best-in-class electrified solutions that enhances the DNA of each brand. The following is the statements expressing each brands electrification approach: ● Abarth – “Heating Up People, But Not the Planet” ● Alfa Romeo – “From 2024, Alfa Romeo Becomes Alfa e-Romeo” ● Chrysler – “Clean Technology for a New Generation of Families” ● Citroën – “Citroën Electric: Well-Being for All!” ● Dodge – “Tear Up the Streets… Not the Planet” ● DS Automobiles – “The Art of Travel, Magnified” ● Fiat – “It’s Only Green When It’s Green for All” ● Jeep® – “Zero Emission Freedom” ● Lancia – “The Most Elegant Way to Protect the Planet” ● Maserati – “The Best in Performance Luxury, Electrified” ● Opel/Vauxhall – “Green is the New Cool” ● Peugeot – “Turning Sustainable Mobility into Quality Time” ● Ram – “Built to Serve a Sustainable Planet” ● Commercial Vehicles – “The Global Leader in e-Commercial Vehicles” Stellantis has stated that the driving range and rapid recharge are key to widespread consumer acceptance of BEVs. This will be achieved by delivering BEVs that have a range of 500-800 km/300-500 miles and with class-leading fast charging of 32 km/20 miles per minute. Stellantis will have four BEV-centric platforms as the backbone of their global strategy for all 14 brands. The platforms are designed with a high level of flexibiliity (Length and Width) along with component sharing, delivering economies of scale globally while supporting two million units per year to begin. The four platforms are as follows: STLA Small - range up to 500 km/300 miles STLA Medium - range up to 700 km/440 miles STLA Large - range up to 800 km/500 miles STLA Frame - range up to 800 km/500 miles The power train systems will cover FWD, RWD, AWD and 4xe using three electric drive modules that combine the motor, gearbox and inverter. These EDMs (electric drive modules) when combined with high energy density battery packs will deliver best in class performance, efficiency, range and recharging per Stellantis. Hardware upgrades and over-the-air software updates will extend the life of the platforms well into the next decade. Stellantis states they will deliver software and controls in-house that maintain the characteristics unique to each brand. To quote Carlos Tavares: “Our electrification journey is quite possibly the most important brick to lay as we start to reveal the future of Stellantis just six months after its birth, and now the entire company is in full execution mode to exceed every customer’s expectations and accelerate our role in redefining the way the world moves,” More details on Stellantis EV Day 2021 can be reviewed here: Stellantis EV Day 2021 | Stellantis Stellantis has been busy as they have also announced plans with major partners such as Foxconn who will help deliver class leading digital cockpits with personalized connected services for Stellantis 14 brands globally. This joint venture will be focused on infotainment, telematics, cloud service, software innovations incorporating A.I., 5G communication, over-the-air services, e-commerce and smart cockpit integrations. Ram and Dodge both had major presentations showing off their future roadmap of BEVs for North America. Dodge has introduced the American eMuscle with the promise to "Tear up the Streets, not the Planet!" Watch the video as they show the 100 years plus of auto's at the Historic Dodge family home. Very cool! We then move onto RAM and their plans for the electric pickup by 2024. Pretty much they are going to start with a 1500 EV crewcab pickup with 500 miles of range out by 2024 for the masses and will like FORD offer it in a series of package versions to entice people to change over to RWD/AWD BEV trucks. Ram's pickup like Ford and what we can assume GM's Chevrolet and GMC EV pickups will stick to the traditional style that allows them to sell millions a year with style adjustments due to the efficiency of the EV powertrain over ICE in needs of air flow for cooling. Jeep then comes front and center, YES BEV will end up in Jeeps lineup, but Hybrid is the focus first for Jeep starting with the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. Jeep seems to be on track to deliver that freedom while being greener and keeping the JEEP DNA in-tack. As one who has questioned why Fiat even thought of coming back to America let alone it's purpose in the global market, seems Stellantis is taking a page from Daimler in that the FIAT brand will be converted immediately to an all BEV brand including an Abarth EV Performance version. The one thing I did notice about Stellantis EV Day is a clear absence of Chrysler from the EV plan. If anyone does spot it in any of the links, please post about it below to share as I do wonder about the brand's future as the only thing I could find was their logo in this screen capture from the presentation. For those that are interested in the Financials, they have the following video to watch: Conclusion to their EV Day 2021 by CEO Carlos Tavares: Stellantis starts the new week with a Spotlight on the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Stellantis Intensifies Electrification While Targeting Sustainable Double-Digit Adjusted Operating Income Margins in the Mid-term | Stellantis Mobile Drive Joint Venture | Stellantis EV Day 2021 Presentation Slides (stellantis.com) Stellantis Media - Stellantis Intensifies Electrification While Targeting Sustainable Double-digit Adjusted Operating Income Margins in the Mid-term (stellantisnorthamerica.com) Stellantis Media - Stellantis Spotlight Wraps the Week (stellantisnorthamerica.com) Stellantis Media - Jeep® Brand Reveals First Images of All-new Electrified 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (stellantisnorthamerica.com) View full article

Interesting take. Another interesting take. Riviera over Thunderbird. Any day of the week ... and twice on Sundays. Much nicer and more interesting silhouette and interior. The front might be a little potent (probably better than being im-potent) but the side silhouette may have inspired the late '67-ish Skylark, LeMans, and Cutlass coupes with this sort of proportioning, although these newer cars had "finned" rear windows. While most consumers can't verbalize what it is specifically that they like about a car's design, they still zero in on good or interesting design and vote with their dollars - examples: this, the pony cars, the colonnade coupes, Olds' last hurrah in its Intrigue, etc.

The ‘63 Riviera was GM’s real response to the Thunderbird by being a unique model like the Thunderbird, IMO. The Starfire and GP were based on existing models (88, Catalina). The Starfire and GP were GMs entrants into the sporty full size bucket seat coupe niche, like the Ford Galaxie XL and Mercury S-55. A non-GM competitor to the Thunderbird was the Studebaker Hawk. Chrysler Corp didn’t really have a unique Thunderbirdish PLC until the Cordoba

For the VAST portion of the SL's existence, it's been miles away from being a sports car. The parallels are so interesting; • mercedes & Chevrolet both bring out a sports car in 1953. • both are powered by inline 6s. • MB has a hardtop, Chevy has a convertible. • 3 years in: Chevrolet considers dropping the car, but insteads adds a V8 and a hardtop. ª 3 years in: mercedes kills off their hardtop, kills off the 6-cyl and focuses on an anemic 4-banger to save money. I've never inspected a '53-55 up close, but I got a good look at a partially-disassembled '59 and it was cheap crap in every way. If this was a halo car, it's no wonder it took MB 35 years to gain any market traction.

Ahhhh; dog owners! For some reason I couldn't figure out what the marketing target was; I find any anthropomorphic animal commercial dumb. I like animals just fine, was repeatedly petting a customer's cat ('Houdini') & dog ('River') just this afternoon... and there's 3 cats here inside (plus one outside), but I have never found the animal advertising relevant or effective.

The '62 Grand Prix was the answer to the Thunderbird. I'd say the '61 Starfire, but it doesn't quite feel 'special' enough IMO.

I remember Subarus being very popular in Colorado, esp. the Outbacks. I do like some of their commercials, esp. those w/ the dogs...the one with the dog where the ad starts w/ a puppy and ends w/ a senior dog is a tear jerker. I think for a 4x4 wagon, though, I'd be more inclined to look at a Volvo Cross Country (V90 CC). I still think it would be cool if there was a modern Jeep Eagle 4x4 wagon based on the Charger/300 platform...

If the AMG One ever gets produced and if it actually survives the company focus on change that is happening, I agree with @surreal1272 it better damn well beat everything. Yet the news is showing that mercedes is changing their roadmap fast and killing off the hybrid / ICE world fast.

Went to my office yesterday to meet my team after almost 6 months of working remote...it's a 40 min drive, so I won't be going in often, but maybe once a month or so as needed. The office is downtown Cuyahoga Falls along the river, lots of nice restaurants and brewpubs nearby. While walking to lunch, went past the Clifford Mini Auto Museum--going to have to check it out when I have more time. It's an old gas station and garage that's been made into an automobila museum w/ an Oldsmobile focus--saw a yellow '56 2dr ht and a tan '60 4dr sedan in the bays with the roll up doors open (beautiful summer afternoon). Saw a sharp aqua '67 GTO roll by... also saw a yellow early 50s MG TC being driven. Museum: https://cuyahogafallshistory.com/2013/06/cliffords-mini-auto-museum/

I’m guessing you are figuring if you mention it enough times, they’ll actually produce the damn thing? Oh and for $2.7 million, it better the fastest on the ring. God forbid a just over $100K Vette (from an economy car company, according to you) make it sweat lol.

Seems this is starting to hit home as a reviewer for UK that was invited to test drive the Ioniq 5 from Korea is saying hold off on ordering the Tesla 3 till you test drive the Ioniq 5. Tesla Y is not available in the UK as to why the person compares it to the Tesla 3, but clearly it is equal on price, but gives so much more.

I don't know how I feel about this vehicle, since I'm having trouble with the change in the Envision's dash ... and removal of the NA engine as a base engine. I will say that the new fascia is a little nicer. These are way too expensive. Very interesting image above. As for the photo above, that's just marketing. And it would imply it's either departing from Newark or flying into LaGuardia. These units used JFK, way out at the edge of Queens by the Atlantic, so never near Manhattan. What few people realize is how incredibly cool the layout of NYC is. That's just Manhattan, and it's a tiny part of the whole scheme. Four of the five boroughs of NYC are on islands and single family homes are more common than people would think. New Yorkers don't need to toot their horn. They know they're the Big Apple. But I sure met of a lot of Chicago folks at U of I who were pretty full of themselves as far as their city went. Does your city look anything like this? No. And, when your city thins out, is it pancake flat corn fields for miles and miles? Yes. Pan Am was the launch customer for the 747. Their latest 747 livery is up front. Their traditional livery is shown beyond, taking off. Don't get me started on 747s.

U'm correct me please if I am wrong in my ASSumption, but I thought Mercedes also offers dealer installed aero packages. ? So this just makes it the same from either company imho.

WOW, This is freaky close for the person following the jeep GC that got struck. Hope everyone was OK inside. Then found this on The Drive of a lighting strike on a Ford Pickup and how it melted the interior. WOW Lightning Strike Melted This Ford Super Duty’s Interior | The Drive @balthazar should really enjoy this and the fact that it is now on the National Register as a historical place and has a dedicated museum now and money to maintain this living advertisement. 8,000 trees were used by Studebaker to make an advertisement to people who fly into the airport. 80 years later, it is still advertising the now dead company. Studebaker Still Advertises Its Defunct Company with 8,000-Tree Monument (thedrive.com) Lovely Car I would say today, it needs a bit of pruning. To quote the story: Fans of the brand are keeping the Studebaker name alive. In 2004, the monument was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and after an ice storm damaged several trees that year, a grant was awarded for its long-term management and preservation. In 2005, the Studebaker National Museum opened its doors (don't miss its Concours d'Elegance each July). And in 2015, new saplings were planted in the monument after dead and diseased trees were removed.

Have to say the Jeep Wagoner is looking Awesome! https://www.jeep.com/wagoneer.html

@David Thank you from the bottom of my heart for hailing from the Seattle area and acknowledging the ridiculousness of the herd mentality toward Subarus. When I was younger, I had neutral thoughts toward Subarus. Earlier on, the Olympian skier twins - Steve and Phil Mahre - were Subaru's spokespeople. Only recently did I learn they hail from Yakima, WA, in the central part of the state. That was probably a good idea - two Olympian skiers who were ordinary Joes selling North America on the AWD characteristic of this Japanese car with less market share than Toyota and Datsun (Nissan) that got them up to and back from the slopes. Now, this brand courts smug NPR listening liberals who have to advertise whatever alternative and counterculture pursuit they're invested in via covering their P.O.S. car in stickers and decals. Idiots.

Interesting take on why this is. Lesbians and Subarus: Why do lesbians love Outbacks and Foresters? (slate.com) Who knew that SAAB, Subaru and another I forget. Since you guys brought up Subaru, thought I would see what was out there. LOL Q: What's the difference between a Subaru and the principal's office? A: It's less embarrassing if your friends see you leaving the principal's office. Q: Why do they put sidewalks beside most streets and highways? A: So Subaru owners have a safe place to walk home. Q: What's the difference between a Subaru and a Porcupine? A: When it comes to a Subaru, the prick is on the inside. Q: Why do they fit ABS braking systems to the latest Subarus? A: So the driver can stop quicker to pick up the fallen off parts. Q: How do you make a Subaru go faster downhill? A: Turn off the engine. Q: What is the difference between a Subaru and a shopping trolley? A: A shopping trolley is much easier to push. Q: Why are the latest Subarus so aerodynamically designed? A: It improves the Chevy tow truck's fuel consumption. Q: What is the aim of a Subaru project car? A: An attempt to keep their car running. Q: What is the difference between a Subaru and a tampon? A: A tampon comes with it's own tow rope. Q: Why are Subaru dealers giving away a dog with each Subaru sold? A: So the owner has a companion to walk home with. Q: How do you double the value of a Subaru Icon? A: Full the tank with petrol. Q: What did the Toyota say to the Subaru? A: Would you like a tow home? Q: Why did the cat sleep under the Subaru? A: Because he wanted to wake up oily. Q: What do you call a Subaru at the top of a Hill? A: A Miracle. Q: What did the BMW say to the Subaru on the side of the road? A: Rust-in-peace. Q: What do you call two Subarus at the top of a hill? A: A mirage. Q: What's the difference between a golfball and a Subaru? A: A golf ball can be driven 300 yards. Q: What do you call a Subaru with dual exhausts? A: A wheelbarrow Q: What is the Subaru owner's most ardent wish? A: To buy a car. Q: What do you call a Subaru with a seat belt? A: A rucksack. Want to hear a car joke? Subaru Outback. What should you do if you find three Subaru owners buried up to their neck in cement? Get more cement. What's the difference between a Subaru owner and a carp? One is a bottom-feeding, scum sucker, and the other is a fish. According to a new poll 91 percent of people are satisfied with their lives. The other 9 percent own a Subaru.

I once found this on line. And, what, someone has a problem with stereotypes? Colorado ... Minnesota ... the license plate on the right says "XENA LVR" (or Xena lover). Classic. Let's also add Oregon, Washington, Northern California, and northern New England states such as Vermont and Maine to the mix. - - - - - They once took a survey and found that 77% of the Americans they polled had a negative opinion of Los Angeles. I didn't bookmark it, but one study indicated that a fairly high percentage of people sampled didn't have a good impression of Subaru owners.

My last "archiving" of spotting photos into their proper month ... this was on June 30th 1. As it approaches, it steals attention from the 2 Subarus in this parking lot in a Reno NV suburb ... as if the Subarus even got any attention from me, except maybe negative attention 2. The driver sees his nifty T-Bird is being checked out and gives a "thumbs up" in acknowledgment 3. And he's off (shown from inside a merchant's store, hence the dirty glass)