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Honda has had it very unusual in their motorized past. But none as odd as the modded Mazda that they’ve found themselves within. An RX-K has been made out of a Mazda RX-8. That is to say, Aki and Trappy – part of Selfmade Autowerks and the Keep Gunnin’ movement, placed a Honda K20 inside of a Mazda RX-8. So to imagine how odd it would run may not be enough.

According to the two of them, the Keep Gunnin’ garage is a business that features all sorts of goodies that only the two would use as they fuse vehicles together. All of this work is documented upon a YouTube channel of their’s.

When there has been issues with the Honda and their I-4 2.0-liter, it has been mainly because it would sit way too close to the firewall of the Mazda. So keeping the components still enough for future maintenance was a whole different story not even worth dealing with. The engine bay side of the firewall had been cut to access, which is easy to unbolt as well, should it become necessary. Maybe to change spark plugs and other components of the sort? Most likely that was the case.

The RX-K, as they’re calling it, uses great pistons that can support the top end of the engine. This, along with other modded areas of the car, results in a very healthy 572 horsepower combined to fit the 409 lb-feet of torque around the wheels. Additionally, the engine appears to be of a powerhouse type, thanks to intercooler piping and a very cool-looking turbo intake.

There’s currently a contest to win the actual vehicle. But it won’t be for long.

The deadline to enter to win the Honda in a Mazda, as it turns out, is Friday, June 30th, at 6:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.

When you think of Volkswagen Buses, like the T2 Transporter and the one that experimented with different fossil fuels in Cars, you think of a suave minibus that takes people on a magical mystery tour unlike any other. However, the bus that was released by the folks at VW doesn’t look cute or really so updated at all. VW has been making a big deal out of the upcoming ID. Buzz. However, this electric-vehicle reincarnation of the Volkswagen Bus doesn’t really look that great.

Allow me to specify. It’s a white box with a feeble grille. But the grille itself doesn’t lend to practicality to use for the electric vehicle. There is a camouflage element to the hood ornament, so to speak, but it just doesn’t look very legit. Then again, it’s industry standard to hide the badges when a vehicle isn’t quite ready yet.

As for how the VW ID. Buzz performs? That’s left to be seen.

There is a video by CarSpyMedia that details how the van actually operates. However, it turns out to look rather slow. Of the 2022 VW ID. Buzz, you can tell in the video that it operates in a sluggish manner. How underwhelming can this bus be?

Cargo vans don’t usually get chosen for looks, if not moreso for their capability. And capability is totally fine and dandy, if you live off of candy, but when people buy a Volkswagen bus? Come on, man. You get it for the concept and design. Not the practicality. You have to have a drive with the vehicle you design that’ll make people want to care about the vehicle. This is all a necessary approach to make a modern van for the modern man. This is the stuff of what matters to the consumer. So don’t alienate that person.

The version of Nissan’s next big car is called the Nissan Z. It’s a 400 Z and it actually will debut on August 17th, 2021. It’s also going to be powered by a twin-turbo V-6 engine in which we all know performance specs from the reveal. It likely will reach about 400 horsepower and will arrive by the end of the year at about $40,000. In addition, Nissan has shown that the Z Proto is a production-intent prototype. The car is supposed to give an idea of what will be sold in the United States. Just as likely as the other iterations this one will be seen on the YouTube Channel. There will also be various pictures of the car that shows in dark gray and silver as well.

There’s chrome trim that is integrated into the grille along with large enough headlight, separate wheels and a rear decklid spoiler. The badge is a Z found on the C-pillar which will also enter production before long. The updated Z will end up using over 400 horsepower. You can find similar versions of the engine in the Infiniti Q50 and Q60. It’s a six-speed manual transmission and an optional auto gearbox as well.

Supposedly, it will The Z will be quite the competitor against the 382-horsepower Toyota Supra.

To be fair, the 2022 400Z isn’t going to be around until the end of the year. So whatever can happen as a result of this would be very surprising.

This is all going to be quite the competition if it does indeed happen. The Z is one of the most amazing cars to come from Nissan. So why wouldn’t you want to get your hands on it? There’s certainly no other vehicle that can extend to such speeds with a ferocity like no other. This is something to really enjoy and sit in with glee as you may race through 2022.

In case you live under a rock, there is a new vehicle entirely inspired by a 1963 Harvey Aluminum Special Indy racer that is currently trying to win a championship. This vehicle has come straight out of a garage to join 9 other finalists in what is known as the Hot Wheels Legends tour. By the way, the vehicle is named Lulu and was handmade by a retired engineer. His whole idea is very unique. When the tour ends November, whoever happens to be the winner then will get their vehicle turned into a Hot Wheels toy. Can you imagine buying the new vehicle? When you see the 2021 Hot Wheels Legends Tour, you see that one of the finalists, Lulu, is a low and radiant vehicle that can have the opportunity of being shrunk down into 1:64 of a Hot Wheels die-cast toy.

The vehicle is loosely becoming an homage.

One of which is to that same 1963 classic which was able to set 35 national and eight intertional speeds in it’s time. The owner spent seven months building the beast. It took in general about 1,500 hours and beyond $35,000 US Dollars just to meet the comprehensive means of competing against the best of the best. There in the car has been variously exciting 275 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Increasingly so, the gang was able to up it towards 325 horsepower within the 1,530 lb. Lulu. Did I mention there’s a six-speed manual gearbox installed? Lulu cannot be visually avoided. This is in thanks to the aluminum exterior that maintains integrity with the very rules of the road. Be as cool as you know you are.

Apparently, that’s not all that’s up the engineer’s sleeve. A new one called the Lu2 is utilizing the BMW K1600B MC. And if that’s not crazy enough, wait until you hear that it only weighs about 850 pounds.

The Torsus Praetorian happens to be the latest creation of the heavy duty utility automaker. It’s an off-road bus capable of holding 35 people. Additionally, it can also handle a 33 degree incline and sift through seas of three feet in depth. This bus really is an impressive entry from Torsus. Being that the vehicle is most suitable for the end times. Answers are likely to lead to rugged trucks or surly SUVs. But in this case, the Torsus can handle a lot. This, for instance, is thanks to the heavy-duty MAN chassis. As well as the four-wheel drive. And who could forget about the six-cylinder engine? It’s engine-ous!

This Torsus vehicle is strong enough to haul folks through rough and tough environments. The Praetorian utilizes a 6.9 liter MAN D08 turbodiesel engine. With that type of strength in haul, there’s an ability to operate off of 286 horsepower and 849 pound-feet of torque. Combo that with a nine-speed ZF automatic transmission. Additionally, it’ll operate in rear-drive mode. Where the front-axle is capable enough to be engaged. Not to mention there are front differential locks. In which it restricts the front wheels’ steering angle. Torsus is claiming a 32 degree approach angle will work pretty well. With only 13.4 inches to be the minimum in ground clearance. Therefore, the maximum possible weight.

Torsus happens to be very happy with the Praetorian’s own A/C unit. It has even been testing well in environments such as the desert and the forest. It’s been on sale since 2018, and yet newer innovations in 2021 show off LED lighting. While also showing a power-operated door that incorporates pneumatic footsteps. The design of the Praetorian is seen as a vehicle destined for industrial and military usage. However you may feel about that, it’s looking like a pretty solid vehicle for the people to me.

When it comes to allowing the American people to pave their way across the USA, Ford knows how to do it best. And what happens to be the best way? In this case, Ford is doing the world right by allowing for a hands-free approach, literally, to be taken for autonomous driving. Let me explain. Ford has just announced BlueCruise. This is a hands-free highway navigational software that while bearing similarities to Tesla, could very well be better. The latest system in Ford’s EV take over is likely to be an optional, but suggestible over-the-air software update.

In recent findings, the Ford Mustang Mach-E had already come with the Ford Co-Pilot360. But with this hands-free update, the automaker is taking autonomy to the next level. They have made comparisons to Tesla Autopilot, “but with the advantage of offering a true hands-free driving experience while in Hands-Free Mode.” This is to say that BlueCruise is an SAE Level 2 driver-assist technology that won’t require the driver’s hands to stay in contact. Lest, the vehicle alerts the driver to do so. Besides other approaches, one other competitor being General Motors and their Super Cruise, BlueCruise allows the driver to be communicated with in a myriad of manners. For instance, there is text and blue lighting cues. The latter, being highly effective with those cursed with color blindness.

Ford has BlueCruise doing a copy-cat of Tesla Autopilot. In specific, with lane centering as well as adaptive cruise control. Ford does give off a hands-free driving experience “on prequalified sections of divided highways called Hands-Free Blue Zones.” BlueCruise allows there to be a driver-facing camera in order to monitor attention upon the roads ahead, in order to keep driving hands-free.

You can expect to see this hands-free software be a part of Mustang Mach-E and Ford F150 models later on through the year and over-the-air updates. So long as it is not electric, the fight still is not over.

Consumer electronics company Xiaomi Communications Co. appears to be the latest manufacturer entering the electric mobility race. The Beijing-based company is reportedly making plans to create Xiaomi brand EVs. The company will utilize a Chinese manufacturing facility owned by Great Wall Motors.

As it currently sits, Xiaomi is an electronics company based on an Internet of Things (IoT) platform. The manufacturer currently makes smartphones, mobile apps, laptops, home appliances, and even scooters. In recent years, however, the company has lost its leaderboard status for smartphone sales in China. Looking forward, it seeks new outlets to maintain its status as an international manufacturer.

In a report from Reuters, three people with direct knowledge of the matter have confirmed Xiaomi’s plans to make EVs. The Xiaomi branded EVs will be aimed at the mass market. This is a similar approach to the positioning of its current electronics products.

Furthermore, one person told Reuters that Great Wall Motors will offer consulting for the engineering process to speed up the project. That is in addition to offering manufacturing services to Xiaomi, a reported first for Great Wall.

Xiaomi EVs, brought to you by Great Wall Motors

Great Wall Motors is an established Chinese automaker and the largest provider of SUVs and pickup trucks in the country. While the manufacturer has over thirty years of auto making experience, it has just recently ventured into EVs.

In 2018, it unveiled the ORA R1, calling it one of the most affordable electric vehicles available. Then in 2019, Great Wall announced a partnership with BMW to produce electric Minis. Not much further electrification has taken place at Great Wall Motors since then, so a partnership with Xiaomi and its resources could make sense.

This move comes at a time when the line between tech conglomerates and auto manufacturers grows thinner, especially as EVs become connected IoT devices and rely more and more on software and electronics to properly function. Companies like Sony have already unveiled a concept EV, and a vehicle from Apple has long been rumored.

So far, neither Xiaomi nor Great Wall has confirmed any plans to make EVs together, although, one person close to the matter told Reuters that both companies could make official announcements as early as next week.

Canoo is an electric vehicle startup that certainly is getting creative with their pickup trucks. The vehicle itself has a cab-forward design placing the driver over the front wheels entirely. The Canoo has a flat front like a van does. There’s also way more room for cargo bed space without making the truck any larger. The Canoo truck is also 184 inches. Which is only a little bit longer than any Toyota Corolla. Not to mention it happens to be way shorter than the Tesla Cybertruck. The bed itself is about six inches shorter. The Canoo also has a cargo bed that can just slide out, with two feet in length to boot. The Canoo also has a snub-nosed body shape that is similar to trucks from the 1950s and 1960s.

When other similar models come to mind, we’re likely to think of the General Motors’ Corvair pickup, the Volkswagen Type 2 pickup or the Jeep Forward Control truck. Without the engine taking up so much space, there happens to be more space inside the truck, without the cargo bed. There’s also additional storage for the front undeneath the cab. The door happens to be able to fold down from the front with a capability as a work table. Similar to how people would usually use pickup tailgates.

Canoo and their pickup also are able to fold down the sides of the cargo bed for even simpler access.

The doors themselves can be usable as workbenches. Canoo is thinking the truck will make for upwards of 600 horsepower, while also giving off 550 pound feet of torque from two electric motors, which tends to be way more than a V8 Ford F-150. Canoo still plans to develop a joint effort for a new engineering platform alongside Hyundai Motor Company. Canoo has just recently gone through an SPAC merging. Which is rather fortunate for them.

This time of year, it’s long been something of a clarion call among truckers to their fellow drivers to work together to help prevent the kinds of pileups. While truckers can’t control the behavior of the four-wheelers around them, plenty drivers note, better hive-mind situational awareness could play a big part in reducing the severity of wrecks. That awareness is often based on timely info sharing obtained via one particularly hyper-local communication tool most have on board the truck.

““I was yelling on the radio … just before it took place telling you all to spread out because you have a broken-down semi on the shoulder and traffic is coming to a stop,” LeVan wrote in something of a message to his fellow drivers at the time. His CB warning got nary a response in the moment as he passed by. “Get with the program, drivers. There is no excuse for you not to have a CB.”

Among the “once in a while” respondents were a significant percentage of respondents (8 percent overall) who reported sharing road information but rarely hearing a response or reports from other drivers, perhaps more evidence of decline in CB use.

Reader Kenneth Williams has noted he believes “the biggest difference from the old days and now with a CB is in the 1970s there were fewer trucks on the road. And no way to just call for help if you needed help. Even pay phones were only in towns. As a trucker you were on your own, except for other truck drivers. So you made a lot of friends on the road.”

It’s been and remains in some respects an integral part of the the culture of the highway, from the days of impromptu meet-ups at truck stops (“CB coffee breaks,” by some accounts) and other parking lot gatherings to real friendships forged over the airwaves. This tool contributed mightily to quality of life for many.   

Along the way, Crawford tells the story of how he got his CB handle. (According to Crawford, like a good nickname, a CB handle meant to last is rarely something you give yourself.) It involves a wild horse named “Norman” from his days on a Colorado ranch decades ago. 

As for the present, too many seem to think that the CB is little more than a “prop from a silly movie from the 1970s,” Williams added. For the sake of safety, for camaraderie among drivers, among other things, he said, “truckers need to take back your lives and get rid of the negative talk on the CB. And when you stop at the truck stop, go meet your fellow drivers and make friends. I will see you out there.”

General Motors did the impossible! The unthinkable! The inconceivable! The absolutely best thing you can do as an automaker! Generate parts ahead of time with 3D Print software! By artificially recreating the parts necessary to showoff a prototype, GM essentially has come up with a genius replica of their Corvette C8!

3D Print technology is nothing new. Every day, it’s becoming more and more popular, with it’s relevance becoming more and more common. With that said, it’s a high likelihood that they’ll be the norm before long. The parts for the car in question have undergone a 3D Print process that in turn is also training robots ahead of time while working the assembly line. It’s quite genius actually!

But what’s the 3D Print story here with GM?

Beforehand, GM had been using 3D Print technology to develop new vehicles like the Corvette. But when the pandemic started getting bad, face shields were the only things in the way of a staff destined to get it done. That’s the spirit! Kevin Quinn, the Director of Additive Design and Manufacturing, believes that the only way people at work will work is if they’re comfortably safe enough to work with face shields. 3D Print technology is really the forefront of the future.

With that said, the mid-engine Corvette C8 had been built to be seen. It was nonoperational but still pretty cool considering that 75% of the parts have been made with this tech.

Sensors for these vehicles with driver assistance features are aiming towards the right mindset.

The team at work not only uses the parts to fit them in a road-ready vehicle, but they also do all they can to make the production line ready to build that vehicle.

GM has two facilities that they continue developing this technology at.