April 2021

What's that blinking on my instrument panel?

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DRIVER'S SIDE DIATRIBE
By Al Vinikour 

By now, regular readers of my diatribes know the two things I hate the most in this world…that creepy Burger King guy in their commercials…and people who don’t use turn signals. I have now added a third…people who don’t realize their turn signals are on.

Lexus accelerates its electrified future with LF-Z Electrified concept debut



(April 2, 2021) TOYOTA CITY, Japan — Lexus has announced initiatives for the transformation of the Lexus brand through its “Lexus Concept Reveal Show.” Since the launch of the RX 400h — the world’s first luxury electrified model — in 2005, Lexus customers have purchased nearly two million electrified vehicles, as of the end of 2020 and currently, offers nine models of hybrid electric vehicles(HEVs) and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in approximately 90 countries and regions around the world. Lexus has always pursued both performance and environmental friendliness.

Petersen Automotive Museum adds new vehicles to the vault



(April 1, 2021) LOS ANGELES — The Petersen Automotive Museum has added eight new vehicles to The Vault presented by Hagerty, offering guests an updated tour experience. New Vault cars include a 1959 Deutsch-Bonnet HBR5 Coupé, 2015 Chevrolet Camaro art car, 1964 Chevrolet Impala “Gypsy Rose,” 1960 Plymouth XNR Replica, 1982 Knight Industries Two Thousand “K.I.T.T.” car, 1948 Bentley Mk VI “New Look” Saloon, 1939 Packard Twelve Landaulet, and 1974 Dale Mock-Up.

An Edsel in Utah



Edsel was a failed experiment by Ford Motor Company in the late 1950s. The full-sized sedan was designed to fit into its lineup between Mercury and Lincoln to give Ford a fourth brand to go up against such nameplates as Buick, Oldsmobile, Dodge and DeSoto. But it never caught on with the public, lasting just three years, 1958-1960. This 1959 model was found in retirement in Utah.
(Photo by Jim Prueter)

Hyundai releases teaser sketch of segment-shattering Santa Cruz 




(April 1, 2021) FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. — Hyundai has released the first teaser sketch of its highly anticipated Santa Cruz Sport Adventure Vehicle. The 2022 Santa Cruz will break new ground within the SUV, truck and crossover segments by offering a new category of vehicle unlike anything else in the U.S. market.

Mercedes-AMG defines the future of electrified driving performance



(April 1, 2021) With future drivetrain electrification, Mercedes-AMG combines superior performance and impressive driving dynamics with maximum efficiency. The development of future drive concepts will continue to benefit from the valuable experience gained from close cooperation with the Formula 1 experts at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) and the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team. The cooperation between the three performance specialists will intensify even further in 2021, reflected, among other things, in the bundling of motorsport activities.