مجله خودرو ام وی ام

The launch of the Fisker Ocean has been plagued with problems, and those problems are now compounding in ways that make everything worse for owners. See, problems mean repairs, but parts shortages mean those fixes could take eons to actually complete — unless you have a “graveyard” of preproduction parts to slap onto customer cars.

Business Insider spoke with multiple workers at (or formerly at) Fisker, who said that they’d pulled parts from a “graveyard” of vehicles to get customers back on the road. That graveyard contains not just nonfunctional production cars, but preproduction models never intended for sale. From Business Insider:

In response to a backlog of customer-service requests and a shortage of available parts, Fisker technicians have stripped parts off what some have called “donor cars,” which include Fisker Ocean preproduction and production vehicles that are sitting in the company’s facility in La Palma, California, three current and five former Fisker employees said. The workers spoke to BI on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about company affairs. Business Insider also viewed several photos of Fisker Ocean cars with missing parts that sources say were used for customer vehicles.

…

One current Fisker employee with knowledge of the issue said technicians have resorted to taking parts off other cars to address customer-service requests in about 10% to 15% of fixes over the past few months, particularly for customers near the company’s La Palma site.

…

Typically, the parts are pulled from a back area at the La Palma site, where there is a lineup of preproduction vehicles that some have dubbed the “graveyard,” five of the sources told BI. Preproduction cars are made after prototypes and are essentially beta versions of the vehicle not intended for customer use — just testing and demos; production vehicles are the final product that customers are delivered. Some of the vehicles at the site are Fisker Oceans that had been returned by customers, two current employees and one former worker said.

Having driven plenty of preproduction vehicles in this line of work, I’ve yet to see one with parts that I wouldn’t trust on a production vehicle. That said, I haven’t driven a preproduction Fisker – it’s possible things operate differently at a company where even the production vehicles don’t quite come out fully baked.

This brings up a much more important question, though: What should this process be called? The cars aren’t really zombies, but the parts arguably are — having returned from the dead to fix the living. It could be a Frankenstein situation, a conglomeration of dead parts forming something that’s alive, or even something straight Christian. If you take integration of parts as a form of consumption, this process could fall under “so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”

The 12-cylinder engine is alive and well with two debuts this week, a trailer dropped for the upcoming Ayrton Senna mini-series, and a software update completed the Tesla Cybertruck months after deliveries began. It’s the Week in Reverse, right here at Motor Authority.

The V-12 engine received a new lease on life as it was announced for two new vehicles this week. Aston Martin announced a twin-turbo V-12 will sit under the hood of a new car likely to be called the Vanquish. The Ferrari 12 Cilindri debuted in both coupe and convertible form with 819 naturally aspirated horsepower and stunning good looks.

We reviewed the 2024 Mercedes-Benz AMG CLE 53 4Matic+ and found it brings fun to the big coupe segment. The AMG-badged iteration of the CLE feels a little more special inside compared to standard-line models thanks to a pair of sport seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and AMG-specific display software.

The first trailer for Netflix’s Ayrton Senna mini-series debuted. The trailer hints at the serious tone the six-episode series, entitled “Senna,” will take when it debuts later this year. This week marked the 30th anniversary of Senna’s death.

The Bentley Bentayga Apex Edition debuted with 22-inch carbon-fiber wheels in a quest to reduce weight on the heavy SUV. Carbon-ceramic brake rotors combine with the wheels to reduce unsprung mass by 97 pounds. The result is increased steering agility, according to Bentley.

A software update for the Tesla Cybertruck enabled the pickup’s locking differentials. The over-the-air update also revised the truck’s Off-Road mode and added Baja Mode, both of which will alter vehicle characteristics for different terrain.

DETROIT — The U.S. government has loosened some rules governing electric vehicle tax credits a bit, potentially making more EVs eligible for credits of up to $7,500.

The Treasury Department announced final regulations for the credits under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act on Friday, giving automakers more time to comply with some provisions about where battery minerals can come from.

The credits range from $3,750 to $7,500 for new EVs. There’s also a $4,000 credit for used ones.

They’re aimed at juicing demand for EVs in an effort to reach a Biden administration goal that half of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030. This year the credits are available at the time a vehicle is purchased from an authorized dealer rather than waiting for an income tax refund.

But qualifying for the credits depends on a person’s income, the price of the vehicles and requirements related to battery makeup and minerals that get tougher each year. To get the credits, EVs must be assembled in North America. Some plug-in hybrids also can qualify.

Starting this year, complex rules are being phased in to promote development of a domestic electric vehicle supply chain. The rules would limit EV buyers from claiming the full tax credit if they purchase cars containing battery materials from China and other countries that are considered hostile to the United States.

The new rules largely target battery components from nations “of concern” — mostly China, but also Russia, North Korea and Iran.

This year half of the critical minerals in an EV’s battery have to be mined or processed in the U.S., or a country with which it has a free trade agreement. Sixty percent of the battery parts have to be made or assembled in North America.

Starting in 2025, batteries with any critical minerals from nations of concern would not be eligible for any tax credits. But after getting comment from the auto industry and others, treasury officials decided to loosen that restriction.

Small amounts of graphite and other minerals would be exempt from the restriction until 2027, because their country or origin is nearly impossible to trace. Without the exemption, some vehicles that met nearly all of the requirements could get knocked out of tax credit eligibility due to tiny amounts that couldn’t be traced, officials said.

The change is likely to make more EVs eligible for credits in 2025 and 2026, but the auto industry says that’s difficult to tell until automakers finish tracing the origin of all the minerals.

“The EV transition requires nothing short of a complete transformation of the U.S. industrial base,” John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a large industry trade group, said in a statement. “That’s a monumental task that won’t – and can’t – happen overnight.”

The rule change, he said, “makes good sense for investment, job creation and consumer EV adoption.”

At present, China dominates crucial parts of EV battery supply and production, even as automakers race to establish key mineral and components efforts elsewhere.

Of 114 EV models currently sold in the U.S., only 13 qualify for the full $7,500 credit, the alliance said.

Despite the tax credits, sales of electric vehicles grew only 3.3% to nearly 270,000 from January through March of this year, far below the 47% growth that fueled record sales and a 7.6% market share last year. The slowdown, led by Tesla, confirms automakers’ fears that they moved too quickly to pursue EV buyers. The EV share of total U.S. sales fell to 7.15% in the first quarter, according to Motorintelligence.com.

“The Inflation Reduction Act’s clean vehicle credits save consumers up to $7,500 on a new vehicle, and hundreds of dollars per year on gas, while creating good paying jobs and strengthening our energy security,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellin said in a statement.

New video released by police in New Haven, Connecticut shows a speeding ATV rider crash into a cop car that purposely blocked its path, severely injuring the rider and damaging the cruiser. This is one of those rare instances where both parties are wrong. The ATV rider should absolutely not have been speeding down a road with pedestrians illegally, and the cop should not have purposely injured a person for committing a crime.

Police told WFSB Eyewitness News that they were addressing complaints of people illegally riding dirt bikes and ATVs in the city, and the road when the crash occurred – Farnum Drive – has been open to just pedestrian traffic since 2020. When the crash happened at around 3:40 p.m. on April 28, there were a large number of people – including families with children – in the area.

Here’s what went down, according to WSFA 12:

“Officers responded to the area of East Rock Park on the reports of a group congregating there and used Farnam Drive to access the park,” New Haven police said.

Officers noticed an ATV rider going down the road at a high rate of speed toward the pedestrians, police said.

“The officers slowed the cruiser and angled it to protect the families and pedestrians they had just passed while providing a point of egress to the side of them for the oncoming ATV to pass the cruiser,” police described.

Authorities said the ATV rider lost control and hit the front passenger side of the cruiser’s windshield.

The ATV rider was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, and there is no update on his current condition.

Residents in the area tell WSFA 12 that these dirt bikes and ATVs are a fairly common sight on Farnum Drive – a place they most certainly should not be. One local said it was “obvious that they’re going too fast and they shouldn’t be on pedestrian roads in the first place.”
New Haven Police Chief Karl Jacobson released a statement following the incident and some online backlash to local news outlets:

“This is an unfortunate and stark reminder of the extreme dangers of illegal ATV and dirt bike riding on city streets, both for pedestrians and the operators of the vehicles themselves. Our police officers engaged in a potentially life-saving maneuver on behalf of this family that was in harm’s way. While we’re glad the family was protected from harm, what happened to the driver is tragic, and we hope for his complete and speedy recovery and we urge the public not to engage in this type of activity,” Jacobson stated.

The video has received backlash on social media, but Jacobson said the cruiser’s lights were on and the officers handled the situation the right way.

“They hear an ATV coming in their direction, they move over to the left side as a way to shield the people behind them,” Jacobson added. “The officer wasn’t traveling at any speed when the incident happened and then the officer also gave an area of egress, meaning they could’ve gotten around the police car.”

(…)

“We need to make sure the people, who are a large amount of people who walk and bike in that area, are safe, so you will see more patrols going forward,” Jacobson said.

Jacobson also apparently said that while there haven’t been many patrols in the area in the past, that’ll most likely change moving forward. Additionally, he said the ATV rider will be charged for the incident, but he does hope he makes a full recovery.

It’s just a shitty situation all around.

یک درخواست ثبت اختراع فورد برای مونتاژ عبور وسط دروازه وانت پیکاپ منتشر شده است که نشان می دهد فورد ممکن است از رقیب جنرال موتورز در افزودن این ویژگی به کامیون های خود پیروی کند.

همانطور که در این درخواست توضیح داده شد، که توسط اداره ثبت اختراع و علائم تجاری ایالات متحده (USPTO) در 2 می منتشر شد و در ابتدا توسط فورد در 31 اکتبر 2022 ثبت شد، دروازه میانی امکان ذخیره اقلام طولانی‌تر را در تخت‌های وانت فراهم می‌کرد. دیواره بین عقب کابین و تخت به سمت پایین جمع می شود و به طور موثر فضای بار را به داخل کابین گسترش می دهد.

شورلت بهمن 2013

جنرال موتورز این ایده را در اوایل دهه 2000 در پیکاپ های شورولت آوالانچ و کادیلاک اسکالید EXT آغاز کرد. این امر به جنرال موتورز اجازه داد تا کابین‌هایی را در ابعادی مشابه به SUV‌های فول سایز آن زمان ارائه دهد و بدون نیاز به طولانی‌تر کردن وسایل نقلیه، یک تخت بار را در خود جای دهد. با این حال، برخی معاوضه ها وجود داشت.

استفاده از Midgate به معنای تا کردن صندلی‌های عقب بود، بنابراین رانندگان می‌توانستند تعداد زیادی مسافر یا بار حمل کنند، اما نه هر دو. همچنین به این معنی است که کابین نمی تواند به طور کامل ایمن شود، زیرا گذرگاه در هنگام استفاده فضای باز باقی می گذارد. وقتی از Midgate استفاده نمی شد، Avalanche و Escalade EXT تخت های نسبتاً کوچکی داشتند.

GMC Sierra EV Denali Edition 1 2024

Midgate تا همین اواخر کنار گذاشته شده بود، زمانی که جنرال موتورز آن را برای پیکاپ های الکتریکی Chevy Silverado EV و GMC Sierra EV به بازار آورد. هر دو خودروهای یکپارچه هستند که بر اساس مجموعه اجزای Ultium EV جنرال موتورز ساخته شده اند.

مشخص نیست که آیا فورد واقعاً دنبال می‌کند و کامیونی با گیت میانی می‌سازد یا خیر، اما در درخواست ثبت اختراع، فورد اشاره می‌کند که این ویژگی می‌تواند به ویژه در پیکاپ‌های تک بدنه مفید باشد. فورد در حال برنامه‌ریزی یک پیکاپ الکتریکی جدید (که البته اخیراً به تعویق افتاد) بر اساس معماری خاص خودروهای الکتریکی است که می‌تواند با طراحی بدنه روی قاب مورد استفاده در F-150 لایتنینگ فعلی متفاوت باشد. پیکاپ فورد ماوریک با موتور گازی نیز طراحی یکپارچه دارد. تنها آینده مشخص خواهد کرد که آیا فورد از یک گیت میانی استفاده خواهد کرد و در چه مدل یا مدل هایی ممکن است وارد بازار شود.

فراری از جانشین 812 سوپرفست رونمایی کرد. این 12 Cilindri نام دارد و با یک پلت فرم جدید، یک موتور V-12 جدید و ظاهر خیره کننده به وضوح از 365 GTB/4 Daytona الهام گرفته شده است. هر دو نسخه کوپه و کانورتیبل در ابتدای فروش در اواخر سال جاری در دسترس خواهند بود.

کادیلاک در آستانه رونمایی از یک به روز رسانی برای Escalade با موتور گازی خود است و یک نمونه اولیه بدون تجهیزات استتاری مشاهده شده است. این نشان می‌دهد که شاسی‌بلند فول سایز کادیلاک در شرف استفاده از استایل و فناوری مشابه آنچه در Escalade IQ الکتریکی است.

لوتوس سال آینده از یک خودروی اسپرت برقی رونمایی خواهد کرد. این یک جانشین Elise نخواهد بود، بلکه چیزی بیشتر در امتداد خطوط Emira است. قرار است فروش آن در سال 2027 آغاز شود و قیمت شروع هدف لوتوس 95000 دلار است.

این داستان‌ها و موارد دیگر را در اخبار خودرو امروز، در اینجا در Motor Authority خواهید دید.

فراری 12 Cilindri با ظاهری خیره کننده، 819 اسب بخار عرضه می شود

کادیلاک Escalade-V مدل 2025 با طراحی الهام گرفته از IQ

خودروی اسپرت برقی لوتوس تایپ 135 با قیمت 95 هزار دلار پیش بینی شده است

قیمت Toyota Crown 2025 1090 دلار افزایش یافت، مدل Nightshade اضافه شد

کیا EV6 به روز شده تا ظاهری جدید و واضح به ارمغان بیاورد

طبق گزارش ها، فدرال رزرو قوانین نهادهای خارجی را برای اعتبار مالیاتی خودروهای برقی رسمی می کند

2024 رضوانی آرسنال به عنوان SUV ضد گلوله 7 صندلی معرفی شد

هیوندای سانته فه، سوناتا، یونیک 5 2024 بهترین انتخاب های ایمنی را کسب کردند

پیش نمایش جایزه بزرگ میامی F1 2024: اولین مسابقه از 3 مسابقه ایالات متحده

درایو آزمایشی اولیه: جاذبه شفاف ممکن است از بخش‌ها سرپیچی کند

BMW has orbited around the pickup segment several times over the past few years without landing in it. In 2016, right after Mercedes-Benz badge-engineered a Nissan Navara into the short-lived X-Class, one of the Munich-based company’s executives confirmed his team was “watching the (pickup) space closely.” In 2019, an X7-based pickup concept made its debut to haul motorcycles. The final call is no, however.

“I think a pickup truck is beyond the brand,” explained Bernd Körber, the senior vice president of BMW brand and product management, in an interview with enthusiast publication BMW Blog. “In principle, I would say for a brand like BMW to differentiate, to make cars that are dream cars that really bring out the essence of BMW, we need niche models,” he added. In his opinion, a truck simply wouldn’t fit the bill.

Mercedes-Benz came to a similar conclusion: It axed the X-Class (which wasn’t imported to the United States) three years after unveiling the model. Over at Audi, we haven’t seen a production-bound truck, but the Activesphere concept shown in 2023 featured a truck-like cargo box.

That doesn’t mean BMW buyers will need to look elsewhere if they want a vehicle capable of serious off-roading. Körber told BMW Blog that his team has noticed rugged off-roaders, such as the Land Rover Defender and the Toyota Land Cruiser, have become increasingly popular in recent years. BMW doesn’t have Land Rover’s off-roading heritage, though it briefly owned the British brand and supplies some of its engines, but it’s open to the idea of giving buyers a more outdoorsy alternative to the popular SUVs in its range, like the X3 and the X5.

“Open to” isn’t synonymous with “developing,” and it sounds like nothing is set in stone; this is just an idea bouncing around Munich’s executive board meetings. One factor working in favor of a more rugged SUV is that it would have a global appeal. “Rugged is an interesting trend because it has moved from (being a) U.S., South Africa, and Australia phenomenon into a global phenomenon,” Körber pointed out.

If the model receives the proverbial green light for production, BMW Blog speculates that it will arrive as a more off-road-capable evolution of an existing model rather than as a standalone nameplate. Put another way, we’re more likely to see a jacked-up X5 with meaty tires than a boxy, G-Class-like SUV designed from the ground up to rip across the desert. There’s no word on when a decision will be made, however.

As the 1990s came to a close, there were two things that were unambiguously cool as hell: Pokémon and the Volkswagen New Beetle. Combining the two created a sensation that couldn’t be matched, and Nintendo was banking on that for the launch of what would become the highest grossing media franchise in history. A small run of ten “Pikabugs,” that is Bugs that were dressed up to look like star of stage and screen Pikachu, were built to travel around the U.S. and promote the games and shows from the late-1990s to the mid-2000s. As you can imagine, these don’t come up for sale very often, so if you absolutely have to have one, this is your chance.

If you weren’t between eight and 13 years old in 1998, you’ll probably never really understand what a sensation Pokémon was when it launched in the United States market. The video game, the trading card game, the cartoon television series, it was everywhere and everything. Kids got so into it, myself included, that my middle school banned anyone from bringing the cards or Nintendo Game Boys into the building (though that was not unusual for us, as my class also got yo-yos, pogs, and the playground game four square banned.)

A regular 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle with 170,000 miles on the odometer is worth about a nickel on the used market, but this is number nine of ten Pikabugs we’re talking about. Surely someone is willing to pony up the $125,000 asking price for this not-quite-complete example. It’s a piece of videogame and automotive history, after all!

This car has had the 2.0-liter four-cylinder replaced at some point, but if you wanted to get it back to numbers-matching, you could. The sale of the car comes with the “original engine crated.” When they were built, each Pikabug included a CRT television in the back hatch so that interested parties could play the games or watch episodes of the show at events. This one, sadly, has had that part of the build removed, though it could probably be replicated by a custom audio shop fairly easily. The side decals for this car are also missing.

The seller, based in Madison, Wisconsin, is sad to be getting rid of the car, saying “This is not an easy decision, but necessary.” At the asking price surely it’ll be gone in a matter of minutes. It’s a bargain at twice the price! There are only nine more of these out there in the world, just in case you gotta catch ‘em all!

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One of the most underrated joys of life is simply having a nice, comfortable place to sit down and take a load off. Plopping down and settling into a good book, a show, or even a drive can be a mental health essential. Sometimes, though, our choice of seating does us more harm than good. If your seat isn’t appropriately supported, it could exacerbate problems like run-of-the-mill back pain or even sciatica. Luckily, finding a good seat cushion to help relieve potential back pain doesn’t have to be difficult! One of our favorites, and the best-selling option on Amazon, is this ComfiLife gel seat cushion.

$33.99 at Amazon

The ComfiLife cushion is made with gel memory foam and features a non-slip bottom so you won’t be sliding around unintentionally, a handle to make it easily transportable, and a removable washable velour cover to make cleaning less of a hassle. The cover zips on and off and is machine-washer safe. The cushion is also made to specifically to support your tailbone and relieve pressure on your back. This can help with lower back pain and even sciatica relief, two things that no one should have to deal with in their day-to-day life, especially on long drives. 

One of the best parts about the ComfiLife cushion is just how portable it is. Thanks to its built-in handle you can easily bring the cushion with you on a drive, to the office, on a long flight, or anywhere you happen to be lounging around. On top of that, it’s 33% off right now thanks to a deal, and you can get an additional 15% off by using the code GETCOMFI15 at the Amazon checkout. One reviewer even called it “the butt cushion to end all butt cushions.” If you’re looking to improve your life by taking control of your back pain, check out the cushion below, available at this double discount for a limited time.

Key specs

• Gel memory foam construction
• Non-slip rubber bottom
• Removable, machine-washable velour cover
• Built-in handle

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