ccap41

Kind of in the same manner say, you or Balth, wouldn't be caught dead in a European car...or anything that isn't GM?

Yeah, it would be nice to still have OEMs make niche ICE vehicles XX years from now, even if the fuel prices are pretty nuts, just a nice option.

It peaks torque from 3000rpm to 5500rpm and redline is at 6500rpm. It isn't some crazy, high RPM, screaming engine. The engine in the Yaris is making 20psi and I doubt this is much off of that, and that's not some crazy boost pressure. The ATS-V and it's turbo charged engine is at 18psi from the factory.

This seems to be potentially awesome. It's quite a ways away from making it to personal vehicles but if all goes well, including the scaling up, this would be a great alternative to crude oil-based gasoline. https://www.motortrend.com/features/porsche-supercup-efuel-direct-air-carbon-capture/ "In the Magallanes region of Chile, strong williwaw winds power extreme low-pressure systems created by the meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The wind power consistently available there is roughly four times greater than any place on the European continent, which is one reason the plant is in Chile and not in Europe. The project is a joint effort between HIF (Highly Innovative Fuels), Siemens Energy, ExxonMobil, and the Chilean oil and gas companies ENAP and Empresas Gasco. Once it reaches full commercial capacity in 2026, the plant will be able to produce 1 million tons of green methanol per year, of which a portion will be upconverted to 145 million gallons of gasoline. In the first year, a 3.4-megawatt Siemens Gamesa wind turbine will power a Siemens Silyzer 200 proton-exchange membrane to produce green hydrogen from water via electrolysis at 65 percent efficiency. Commercialization will up the wind power to 2.5 gigawatts (scaling up the electrolysis accordingly), and further efficiency improvements are expected within the next five years. A Global Thermostats system extracts CO2 from the air using an amine-based sorbent coating on a porous ceramic honeycomb matrix. CO2 is periodically "washed off" by low-temperature steam to yield 98 percent pure CO2. Green methanol is then formed by running the hydrogen and CO2 through a Johnson Matthey copper-zinc catalyst. Finally, the methanol is vaporized, superheated, and fed to a fluid-bed reactor where an ExxonMobil catalyst helps convert it to gasoline, with water as a byproduct. (This system seems simpler than the one in my October 2018 column.) The additives and blending required to ensure eFuel can serve as a "drop-in" replacement for crude-based gasoline lowers its carbon intensity figure to around 10, not zero. That still means burning it results in 90 percent less net carbon than standard gasoline, with identical performance properties. What does it cost? Porsche pegs the initial price at 10 euros per liter ($44.73 per gallon as of this writing!) but expects efficiencies of scale and technology to reduce that to $7.57/gallon by 2026. The automaker initially plans to run its race cars on eFuel in the Mobil 1 Porsche Supercup F1 support series but may eventually use it to fill new road cars at the factory as well as the vehicles used at Porsche Experience Centers. The eMethanol produced in the same plant might someday power the ships that deliver new Porsches. But the end game is to ensure there's a carbon-neutral fuel that can power the 70 percent of all Porsches ever built that are still on the road long after the new-car fleet is fully electrified."

I have little to no faith there will be a new DeLorean outside of maybe a few hundred built.

Not saying it's never happened but, when was the last time Toyota had issues with an engine failing consistently?

To go back to the original question, and I don't know what my original opinion was, but, I don't think competition will destroy Tesla. I believe they are very well established at this point, their sales are pretty great, they have great technology, and people love them. I believe they are too well established to fail, unless they make multiple major mistakes, which DOES happen. I also believe they will need to start to get out all-new vehicles out. I don't necessarily think they need a larger portfolio, but I think an all-new Model S should be a thing relatively shortly(1-2 years) with the rest of the lineup following suit. I don't think a truck was a bad idea but I think their design language choice for it may hold it back after the initial WOW-factor purchases.

Good lord that's an ugly automobile...

Sounds like everything else is selling quite well then... If there's a geographical area that EVs don't sell well, it would be the Midwest. You probably see way more electric vehicles than I do here. Everything is for sale, not sure what you mean by "nothing that seems available to sell."

My mistake, I missed the 2024 part of that, wasn't intentional. Also, ease up on the salt this morning... It's too early for that, lol.

I should also note the new G Wagen is head and shoulders nicer than the one pervious generation. Yeah, they look the same on the outside but the interior is sooooo much nicer. The one I sat in was a dark metallic green with dark brown leather... beautiful color combo. They also had a GLS in the same color combo. I'm a sucker for dark green with brown leather.

I understand what you're saying but I don't see how the 2 FWD(GLA & GLB - Am I forgetting another one or two?) "compliance" vehicles should take away from the rest of the lineup that is the nearly the definition of luxury vehicles to then say the entire brand is just a compliance auto company. Also, the GLB and GLC are way too close in size to both be produced, imo. We've had a loaner of each and the interiors are VERY similar and the size is also VERY similar. I'm not really sure what the point of having both is. The only thing I could think of is one being RWD based give the potential for the AMG version to be more gnarly but that doesn't really make enough sense to me. Doing some typing and research at the same time... I forgot about the GLA and A Class(I no clue how different it is from the CLA but whatever). The GLB starts about 5k cheaper than the GLC. The GLB seems priced to go against the Corsair and the likes of those. Not arguing that BUT, they had the vehicles I listed and if they were selling THAT fast, they wouldn't have been there. But the point was just that it is selling versus the statement of, "languishing on dealership floors". Nobody called that comment out?

Are everything selling that fast over 100k? I mean they had all of those vehicles I mentioned above that are well above 100k in the showroom so they're not selling THAT fast. fun fact, the salesman we were talking to recently bought a 4Xe Wrangler and he absolutely LOVES it. He says he fills up once a week out of habit and puts between 3-4 gallons in, the rest of his drives are electric. He only gets about 15 miles of all electric range but he charges at the dealership and at home. This is his 5th or 6th Wrangler and couldn't be happier with the hybrid powertrain.

How many years did it take Mercedes to reach that number then? There's always a sharp spike as they hit their stride and released new vehicles. Now they're not releasing anything new anytime soon, I don't think anybody here thinks the CyberTruck is close to production, right? Now everything they have is fairly old at this point and I don't think there's anything new in the pipeline so I don't see them continuing that kind of growth. I think they'll plateau around 1m units. Doubling THAT will take a lot more products and fresh products, and also the ability to produce that many vehicles.

I was at a Benz dealership this weekend. They can't keep EQS on the floor. They're moving as soon as they get them in. I asked because I wanted to see one. I think they're hideous and couldn't imagine driving one myself, but they're being sold as soon as they're being produced. I could care less if they also produce vans and commercial vehicles. That doesn't mean the cars and SUVs aren't luxurious. Compliance autos? What is even meant by that?

You may not like Mercedes but walk into a Mercedes dealership and stroll through a few vehicles and then do the same at Ford, Chevy, Toyota, etc. They're a luxury automaker with a couple lower end vehicles. I sat in a 2021 S580, 2022 GLS63, and 2021 G550 this weekend and there is not a thing from the "standard" automakers that is as nice AND gnarly as those.

Yeah, there will not be mass produced automobiles with solid state batteries in 2024. There may be a vehicle or two with low production numbers to get the technology out there but I'd be willing to bet there will not be a Ford or GM product built in 2024 with a solid state battery. Ten years-ish out still seems pretty accurate to me.

GM marketing is so bad that they'd name it CorvEttE

Lower weight is only relative to current battery packs. They'll still weigh A LOT more than the current Vette.

We're currently passing Third Winter. I think yesterday was the last day of 30's and it should be 50's-60's going forward!

My in-laws just picked up a 2017 GL550 for 60k, 36 or 37,000 miles on it. 5 years old and it lost, what, 40-50%? That resale doesn't sound any better than Lincoln's, excluding the Navigator which holds its value extremely well, like all BOF SUVs.

That garbage list has the Rolls and Bentley in 11th and 12th places and lists the sub models separately. G550 and G63? GLS Maybach, GLS63, and GLS580? Give me a break. That's no true comparison test and a trash listing, and you know it.

Yeah, like I've already said, it takes a long time to dig ones' self out of where they were. Also, like has been said, it's to be replaced with an EV.

BUT THE INTERIORS ON THE EUROPEANS!! ...wait... ?

I'll link it one more time to show you the Navigator topped the GLS and X7. https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/2020-bmw-x7-2021-cadillac-escalade-lincoln-navigator-mercedes-benz-gls-class-3-row-luxury-suv-comparison-test-review/ "Despite some positives, the BMW X7 just doesn't outride, outdrive, or out-luxe the established players in this segment. It's a good first effort but unfortunately not a great one." "Despite its lack of the premium leathers, woods, and headliners of the rest of the field, the GLS' as-tested price was a group-high $108,135. " "Compared to the BMW, Cadillac, and Lincoln, the Mercedes had the least impressive interior of the lot. Ignoring the aging design—an issue the BMW suffers from, as well—materials on our supposedly luxurious GLS580 left us wanting for more."