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I can't wait for the refresh into something palletable.

It'll last at least through the end of the next generation. Trucks in this class are not held to the same emissions and efficiency standards. But this new plant is just one of three that will be producing Super Duties; the others aren't yet set up for hybrid production. I expect any hybrid-powered Super Duties will be a small sliver of production for a while.

Today spotting---my '87 Mustang GT. Got it out this morning and took it for a spin on my birthday. I still enjoy driving it, doesn't quite feel the same as it did when I was 20, though. But for better or for worse, I'm not the same as I was at 20...

Sorry, I just do not get these jokes. ?

Yep. they're just awful all-around. It isn't like the sedans who just have a nasty grille section. These are more of a mess from bumper to bumper, IMO. Nobody with a plug-in hybrid really cares about charging speeds. They're only using this because it's free to them. Level 2 is more than enough for any plug-in hybrid (well, the Ram REV or whatever may be a different story, but it's not out yet). 30 miles of range is plenty. Realistically, anything more than that has too heavy of a battery and may as well just be a full EV as you lose efficiency with either wasted battery weight or wasted engine/transmission weight.

Rivian and Volkswagen have announced a joint venture initially worth $ 1 billion to create the next generation of software-defined vehicles for both companies. Future investments and loans adding up to an additional $4 billion will occur in 2025 and 2026. The venture will be equally owned and controlled by both companies to lower the cost per vehicle of both companies' vehicles. Rivian will contribute its electrical propulsion and battery expertise and license its software to the joint venture. The move gives Volkswagen access to Rivian's current EV propulsion designs to accelerate the rollout of VW Group vehicles. Rivian points out that this agreement does not cover areas such as chassis or non-propulsion-related component design. This means that the VW group's upcoming Scout brand will not feature badge-engineered Rivians. The investment will provide Rivian with some much-needed cash as it builds a new production facility in Georgia and gears up for the production of the Rivian R2 and Rivian R3. View full article

Perhaps Ford is too beholden on the stock market and investors and analysts expecting a huge ROI in a quarter...incapable of thinking long term for investments...

Ford sold out of most of their shares after the share value plummeted while Rivian was losing piles of cash. Ford had to write off a $5.4 billion loss on their books because of some accounting things I don't understand. They only put in $500 million.

GM's take on this has been better though. The 2.5 Turbo-4s have better horsepower, significantly better torque, and better fuel economy than the V6 they replace. The Infiniti 2.0T does not. I'm betting that this engine will net worse fuel economy in the real world because you need to be deep into the boost all the time to get underway, all for a measly extra 16 lb-ft of torque.

Everyone loves cash.

Went to the beach today and on the way home saw a Cybertruck for the first time in traffic...Ohio plate 'CYBRTRCK'. Hilarious looking, like a rolling dumpster from behind. Also saw a sharp clean black w/ red interior '87-90 Mustang GT convertible rolling top down. Saw a bright orange C8 Z-06 parked at a restaurant. At the beach I saw a modded, beat up early 90s Firebird w/ hole in the hood, chrome air cleaner sticking through, big wheels and tires.

Bummer to hear you did not get it, but I do believe the right job will find you and life will be even better for you because of it. All the best in your job search.

Clean ones are soooo hard to find. The only few clean ones are 4 hours away. I need to find a way to at least drive one somewhere around me before committing to a trip like that to buy one. Yeah, it just sucks that just finding them are extremely difficult. It seems like half of the ones on FB Marketplace have issues and the ones that don't have over 150-200k miles on them. I know I'd be buying something with quite a few miles on it already, but I don't exactly want to start over 150k. Wireless CarPlay would be perfect in something like this, because I could keep the radio hidden away and it would just always have that clean look to it, because the radio hides away.

I'm feeling the same way about the second. third, or fourth gen Lexus LS lately. There's so much noise in the world, and I just want to shut it all out. I don't want excitement, I want peace.

Ya know what I've been wanting recently? I have been wanting an 03-05 Lincoln Aviator. I want the size, I want a V8, I LOVE the sound of the Ford modular 4.6L V8. I love that there are a few touches of modern luxury still like cooled seats... and I can't think of what else, but I thought there were a couple things that were neat. It has the split opening rear hatch, so the glass just opens to throw smaller things in the back. The DOHC 4.6 is the version from the Mach 1(with a slightly different tune), as opposed to the 4.6 that's in the Explorer and F150. It's 302hp and 300tq compared to the Navigator's 5.4V8 making 300hp and 355tq. interesting outputs between the two vehicles. I really like how they look still, but finding one that's not in scrapyard condition is proving pretty much impossible. they only made the dang thing for 3 years

I stumbled upon a small meetup this weekend. There's a new custom/restoration shop about two blocks from my home and I was walking to a Casey's to grab a cake donut for my wife (hahaha) and this is right next to the Casey's. This grey Chevelle was perfect, absolutely perfect. The plate is the name of the shop, Xtreme (restoration, bodywork, modification). I'm sure this is their show piece, and what a piece of work/art it is! I believe the van is theirs as well. Later that day we ran to Aldi and came across the International Scout. it was far from mint condition, but it was "pretty good" but even cooler to see it just out and about.

My vacation this past week didn’t pan out as planned, had to take an abbreviated trip closer to home. Spent the last 3 nights in Marietta, Ohio down on the Ohio River. Took the scenic route today up Ohio Rte 7 to my childhood hometown of Steubenville and out Rte 22 to 250 around Tappan Lake to I-77 then back home to the CLE area. Took a couple scenic drives around Appalachian Ohio back roads Fri and Sat, my CT6 performed great on windy, hilly roads for such a big car. It’s really a great road trip car. Averaged 27.7 mpg over almost 600 miles. Saw some interesting cars on the trip—an orange 70 Mustang coupe and a clean black ‘71 Chevelle. Saw many dead and dying old cars in the backwoods fields and hollers. Near my hotel, saw this red Thunderbird, orange MGB, red 1st gen Honda Insight (haven’t seen one of those forever), and a white C8. Also saw sternwheelers and barges on the river. Fun, restful little getaway.

ESL-isms as jokes Q: How did Staten Island get its name? A: On sailing into the Narrows into uncharted territory, one Dutch explorer pointed to the left and asked, "Ees dat an island?" Q: How did Van Nuys of the San Fernando Valley get its name? A: A realtor was accompanying an Italian immigrant who farmed to look for land to purchase. Standing on a ridge overlooking a mostly vacant San Fernando Valley, the Italian man pointed to roughly the middle of the valley and said, "Dat area down dere ... veh nice, veh nice!"