Author: Tabitha
The latest off-the-chart performance car is the 2021 Czinger 21C, produced by the Los Angeles-based company founder Kevin Czinger. The car’s body is built using a 3D-printing process, then the parts are fused into a single piece and reinforced with carbon fiber. The uniquely styled cockpit has a 1+1 seating arrangement: The passenger is seated directly behind the driver. The powertrain consists of two electric motors in front (one for each wheel) plus a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-8 that delivers torque to the rear wheels. A third electric motor sandwiched between the engine and the seven-speed paddle-shift transmission also takes care…
If you want to know exactly how much air is in your tires at any time, then consider the FOBO Tire or Tire Plus. The systems’ four wireless tire sensors replace your current valve-stem caps. They attach with a special wrench that makes them theft-proof and they also use Bluetooth 4.0 to deliver tire pressure data to your Android or iOS phone. FOBO issues an alert if tire pressures drop below a preset level. If your phone is turned off or is not in the car with you, a wireless in-car monitor will also alert you to pressure issues. Purchase…
Keeping your vehicle’s interior clean is an ongoing process that can be made a whole lot easier with The Carrand AutoSpa Interior Car Detail Duster. This handy item’s chenille microfibers are claimed to work their way into tight spots such as cupholders and pockets, and they can tackle larger surfaces, too. The product is designed to grab dust instead of just pushing it and depositing it somewhere else. The Car Detail Duster is compact enough to store inside most glove boxes. Grab one for less than $9 from www.amazon.com.
The Sleuth continues to scratch his head regarding the number of start-up truck makers planning to introduce battery-electric workhorses. The latest to join the group — which includes Rivian, Bollinger, Tesla plus others — is Nicola, which produces Class Eight (semi) tractor models that combine electric motors with hydrogen fuel cells. That technology will also be installed in the much smaller four-door Badger pickup. Nicola claims the vehicle will offer up to 300 miles of electric-only range, plus 300 additional miles when hydrogen is used. Also claimed is an output of 906 horsepower and 980 pound-feet of torque, a 2.9-second…
The Sleuth reports that lovers of the Great Outdoors now have one more option when shopping for a pop-up-style camper van. Starting now, you can head to the nearest Mercedes-Benz truck dealer to order the Weekender, which is essentially is a converted Metris minivan with all the outdoorsy trimmings. Along with a hard shell (with screened canvas sides) roof, you get 180-degree swiveling front seats, folding table plus folding rear bench seat, auxiliary battery, and foam mattresses that accommodate up to four campers. You can also add a pullout rear kitchen, solar panels and an eight-foot awning. As with the…
Jaguar Land Rover is working on a seat that continually re-adjusts itself to reduce the health risks that come from sitting too much, including on long drives. A series of actuators embedded in the seat foam “simulate the rhythm of walking,” said the automaker in a press release. Now in trials, the “morphable” seat creates constant micro-adjustments “that makes your brain think you’re walking and could be individually tailored to each driver and passenger.” Sitting too long, combined with increasingly sedentary lifestyles overall, can shorten and tighten the leg, hip and gluteal muscles and cause back pain, said JLR Chief…
A unique industry-led initiative by automotive parts suppliers aims within two years to build a zero-emissions concept car comprised entirely of parts made in Canada. Project Arrow will highlight Canadian automotive design, engineering, ingenuity and manufacturing, reports industry publication Automotive News Canada. The project is a “beacon” designed to attract customers to Canada’s auto industry, said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association. Canada has been building cars and automotive parts for 110 years, he said, and the project will show Canada’s industry is “as leading-edge as the Germans and the Japanese, Americans and Koreans, and we think…
Cars on Vinyl is a book that both music and car fans will enjoy. Author Jacques Petit has assembled a collection of 500 album covers, all of which feature automobiles in one form or another, and all are depicted in LP-sized original scale. He has also included a brief summary of each cover, listing the artist(s), record label, catalogue number and of course the make and model of the featured vehicle. The book is filled with Rolls Royces, Jaguars, Cobras, Cadillacs and other models that were featured as visual enhancements. Also included are buses (i.e. The Who’s Magic Bus cover,…
For some people, a car is simply a Point-A-to-Point-B appliance devoid of sentimental value or excitement. Other people, however, are totally passionate about their wheels. If you fall into the latter group, Give A Masterpiece can create an eight-by-10-inch caricature of your car, truck, minivan, or what-have-you, drawn from your own photos. If you wish, the company will even include a personalized license plate as part of the rendering, at extra cost, and also handle framing and giftwrapping. Each “CarToon” is drawn on your choice of paper or on canvas. Prices begin at $70 plus shipping. Learn more about the…
The Sleuth has received news that the automaker will bring a new flagship model to market. The design of the next Outlander is based on the Engelberg Tourer concept that was shown at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland. In finished form, the Outlander will share the same basic platform as what’s planned for the next-generation Nissan Rogue, which will also break cover around the same time. Mitsubishi is partly owned by Nissan and is a member of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. The result is greater passenger space, which is critical to accommodate the third-row-seating option. The new Outlander will…