#Best suv in 2020

[mostlysignssomeportents]

$100 billion later, autonomous vehicles are still a car-wreck

Autonomous vehicles were always a shell-game. The last time I wrote about them was a year ago, when Uber declared massive losses. Uber’s profitability story was always, “Sure, we’re losing money now, but once we create self-driving cars, we can fire our drivers and make a bundle.”

https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/30/death-to-all-monopoly/#pogo-stick-problem

But Uber never came close to building an AV. After blowing $2.5b, the company invented a car whose mean-distance-to-fatal-crash was half a mile. Uber had to pay another company — $400 million! — to take the self-driving unit off its hands.

It’s tempting to say that Uber just deluded itself into thinking that AVs were a viable, near-term technology. But $2.5b was a bargain, because it allowed the company’s original investors (notably the Saudi royals) to offload their Uber shares on credulous suckers when the company IPOed.

Likewise Tesla, a company that has promised fully self-driving autonomous vehicles “within two years” for more than a decade. The story that Teslas will someday drive themselves is key to attracting retail investors to the company.

Tesla’s overvaluation isn’t solely a product of the cult of personality around Musk, nor is it just that its investors can’t read a balance-sheet and so miss the fact that the company is reliant upon selling the carbon-credits that allow gas-guzzling SUVs to fill America’s streets.

Key to Tesla’s claims to eventual profitability was that AVs would overcome geometry itself, and end the Red Queen’s Race whereby adding more cars to the road means you need more roads, which means everything gets farther apart, which means you need more cars — lather, rinse, repeat.

Geometry hates cars, but Elon Musk hates public transit (he says you might end up seated next to “a serial killer”). So Musk spun this story where tightly orchestrated AVs would best geometry and create big cities served speedy, individualized private vehicles. You could even make passive income from your Tesla, turning it over to drive strangers (including, presumably, serial killers?) around as a taxicab.

But Teslas are no closer to full self-driving than Ubers. In fact, no one has come close to making an AV. In a characteristically brilliant and scorching article for Bloomberg, Max Chafkin takes stock of the failed AV project:

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2022-10-06/even-after-100-billion-self-driving-cars-are-going-nowhere

Chafkin calculates that the global R&D budget for AVs has now exceeded $100 billion, and demonstrates that we have next to nothing to show for it, and that whatever you think you know about AV success is just spin, hype and bullshit.

Take the much-vaunted terribleness of human drivers, which the AV industry likes to tout. It’s true that the other dumdums on the road cutting you off and changing lanes without their turn-signals are pretty bad drivers, but actual, professional drivers are amazing. The average school-bus driver clocks up 500 million miles without a fatal crash (but of course, bus drivers are part of the public transit system).

Even dopes like you and me are better than you may think — while cars do kill the shit out of Americans, it’s because Americans drive so goddamned much. US traffic deaths are a mere one per 100 million miles driven, and most of those deaths are due to recklessness, not inability. Drunks, speeders, texters and sleepy drivers cause traffic fatalities — they may be skilled drivers, but they are also reckless.

But even the most reckless driver is safer than a driverless car, which “lasts a few seconds before crapping out.” The best robot drivers are Waymos, which mostly operate in the sunbelt, “because they still can’t handle weather patterns trickier than Partly Cloudy.”

Waymo claims to have driven 20m miles — that is, 4% of the distance we’d expect a human school-bus driver to go before having a fatal wreck. Tesla, meanwhile, has stopped even reporting how many miles its autopilot has mananged on public roads. The last time it disclosed, in 2019, the total was zero.

Using “deep learning” to solve the problems of self-driving cars is a dead-end. As NYU psych prof Gary Marcus told Chafkin, “deep learning is something similar to memorization…It only works if the situations are sufficiently akin.”

Which is why self-driving cars are so useless when they come up against something unexpected — human drivers weaving through traffic, cyclists, an eagle, a drone, a low-flying plane, a deer, even some pigeons on the road.

Self-driving car huxters call this “the pogo-stick problem” — as in “you never can tell when someone will try to cross the road on a pogo-stick.” They propose coming up with strict rules for humans to make life easier for robots.

https://www.theverge.com/2018/7/3/17530232/self-driving-ai-winter-full-autonomy-waymo-tesla-uber

But as stupid as this is, it’s even stupider than it appears at first blush. It’s not that AVs are confused by pogo sticks — they’re confused by shadowsand clouds and squirrels. They’re confused by left turns that are a little different than the last left turn they tried.

If you’ve been thinking that AVs were right around the corner, don’t feel too foolish. The AV companies have certainly acted like they believed their own bullshit. Chafkin reminds us of the high-stakes litigation when AV engineer Anthony Levandowski left Google for Uber and was sued for stealing trade secrets.

The result was millions in fines (Levandowski declared bankruptcy) and even a prison sentence for Levandowski (Trump pardoned him, seemingly at the behest of Peter Thiel and other Trumpist tech cronies). Why would companies go to all that trouble if they weren’t serious about their own claims?

It’s possible that they are, but that doesn’t mean we have to take those claims at face-value ourselves. Companies often get high on their own supplies. The litigation over Levandowski can be thought of as a species of criti-hype, Lee Vinsel’s extraordinarily useful term for criticism that serves to bolster the claims of its target:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/02/02/euthanize-rentiers/#dont-believe-the-hype

Another example of criti-hype: the claims about the risks of ubiquitous drone delivery — which, like AVs, is half-bullshit, half self-delusion:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/05/comprehensive-sex-ed/#droned

Today, Levandowski has scaled back his plans to build autonomous vehicles. Instead, he’s built autonomous dump-trucks that never leave a literal sandbox, and trundle back and forth on the same road all day, moving rocks from a pit to a crusher.

$100 billion later, that’s what the AV market has produced.

Image:

Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

Gartner (modified): https://www.gartner.com/en/research/methodologies/gartner-hype-cycle

[Image ID: A chart illustrating the Gartner hype-cycle; racing down the slope from the 'peak of inflated expectations' to the 'trough of disillusionment' is the staring eye of HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey, chased by speed-lines.]

[beardedmrbean]

Two Los Angeles mothers are at odds on opposite sides of California's embattled criminal justice system: one grieving the loss of her two sons and the other trying to get her conviction for killing them overturned.

Rebecca Grossman, a rich and powerful Los Angeles socialite, sped her Mercedes through a crosswalk and killed Mark Iskander, 11, and his 8-year-old brother, Jacob, as they were crossing the street with their mother and younger brother.

Nancy Iskander, a biotech executive, grabbed her son, Zachary, who was 5 at the time, and dove out of the way. But she and her youngest son witnessed the crash.

"We will continue to speak up until we see justice and see her pay for the murder of two little boys, because they could be anyone's kids," she told Fox News Digital. "They're not just my boys. They're just [an] innocent 11-year-old, an innocent 8-year-old in a crosswalk."

Grossman, 60, had prescription drugs and alcohol in her system at the time of the 2020 crash, prosecutors told Fox News Digital. Although she was married to a prominent Los Angeles surgeon, Dr. Peter Grossman, she was racing her boyfriend, former MLB pitcher Scott Erickson, home from a restaurant. Each of them were driving Mercedes-Benz SUVs above 70 mph.

Jurors found her guilty in February, but she has not yet been sentenced. Not only has she never expressed remorse, her "games" in court and from behind bars have antagonized the grieving family for years, Iskander said.

"She had many opportunities to show mercy, and she did not show any mercy on my family," Iskander told Fox News Digital. "In fact, she only showed hate – all sorts of hate in many, many ways – as if we're her No. 1 enemy in the world."

The Iskander family has accused Grossman of toying with the justice system throughout the process, appealing her charges to the state Supreme Court before trial and then in March attempting to tamper with the jury.

Deputy District Attorneys Ryan Gould and Jamie Castro sent jailhouse phone call transcripts to the court in March that allegedly showed Grossman violating a gag order on the case and openly discussing attempts to interfere with witnesses and influence the judge, FOX 11 Los Angeles reported at the time.

"It feels so unfair not only to lose the kids but also to find yourself in the middle of a fight and with a person who wants to hurt you as much as possible in the middle of it," Iskander said.

Adding insult to injury, Grossman hired defense attorney James Spertus to handle her post-conviction matters – another "game" that the Iskanders say is an attempt to sway the scales of justice in Grossman's favor. Spertus is a friend of the judge's, they say, and he is also representing the disgraced former deputy district attorney, Diana Teran, who is under indictment on 11 unrelated felony charges. She happens to be the former supervisor of the unit that prosecuted Grossman.

Rather than seek Spertus' removal from the case, Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascon's office briefly removed the lead prosecutors instead, a move that caused widespread public backlash.

"It was heart-wrenching for us," Iskander told Fox News Digital. "It felt we were punished, or we were the victim of another one of her games."

Gascon's top deputy, Joseph Iniguez, backtracked on the move days later and said Gould and Castro would remain on the case, although the chain of command was transferred out of their division to one that hadn't been overseen by Teran.

Iskander said the family is very thankful for the move and believes the duo will do the best job in court.

"Them being not only familiar with the evidence but also the circumstances, and Mrs. Grossman's strategies into getting more delays or causing a conflict of interest, they are familiar with that," she told Fox News Digital. "And then they got to know Mark and Jacob through the years. It's been four years that we've been together. So, I feel like to hand it to someone who never worked on it before, at this point, it doesn't make any sense."

Grossman is due back in court Friday as part of a bid for a new trial. She faces up to 34 years in prison for her conviction on two counts of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run resulting in death.

While Spertus has alleged prosecutorial misconduct and is seeking a new trial, prosecutors are vying to have him removed from Grossman's defense due to his attorney-client relationship with Teran.

Spertus denied having any conflict of interest involving his representation of either party. He told Fox News Digital he expects the state attorney general's case against Teran to fail.

As for Iskander, she is hoping the case finally comes to a conclusion so she and her family can heal. As part of the process, she and her husband have become devoted to charity by founding an orphanage and a foster care nonprofit while raising money for scholarships for local children through the Mark and Jacob Iskander Foundation.

"A person killed two children. They didn't do anything wrong. She's a murderer," Iskander said. "It should be a straightforward process, right? And I mean, for society, it has to be a straightforward process."

[counting-hrt-in-posts]

How many hrt's are in this Wikipedia page?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plug-in_electric_vehicle

Thanks for the ask, but lovingly I aint doing.... all that...

This is an 8500 word article of very big words and I am a human being, not a machine. That being said, I'm not outright denying this ask, but I'm not going to do 8500 words of tedious, painstaking work. This is a fun blog and my commitment to the bit is not worth weeks of work. Thanks for understanding <3

The first section, or summary of the article, has 60 counts of HRT

Plug-in electric vehicle

A plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) is any road vehicle that can utilize an external source of electricity (such as a wall socket that connects to the power grid) to store electrical energy within its onboard rechargeable battery packs, to power an electric motor and help propelling the wheels. PEV is a subset of electric vehicles, and includes all-electric/battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs).[5][6][7] Sales of the first series production plug-in electric vehicles began in December 2008 with the introduction of the plug-in hybrid BYD F3DM, and then with the all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV in July 2009, but global retail sales only gained traction after the introduction of the mass production all-electric Nissan Leaf and the plug-in hybrid Chevrolet Volt in December 2010.

HRT 11

Plug-in electric cars have several benefits compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles. All-electric vehicles have lower operating and maintenance costs, and produce little or no air pollution when under all-electric mode, thus (depending on the electricity source) reducing societal dependence on fossil fuels and significantly decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, but recharging takes longer time than refueling and is heavily reliant on sufficient charging infrastructures to remain operationally practical. Plug-in hybrid vehicles are a good in-between option that provides most of electric cars' benefits when they are operating in electric mode, though typically having shorter all-electric ranges, but have the auxiliary option of driving as a conventional hybrid vehicle when the battery is low, using its internal combustion engine (usually a gasoline engine) to alleviate the range anxiety that accompanies current electric cars.

HRT 16

Cumulative global sales of highway-legal plug-in electric passenger cars and light utility vehicles achieved the 1 million unit mark in September 2015,[8] 5 million in December 2018.[9] and the 10 million unit milestone in 2020.[10] Despite the rapid growth experienced, however, the stock of plug-in electric cars represented just 1% of all passengers vehicles on the world's roads by the end of 2020, of which pure electrics constituted two thirds.[11]

HRT 7

As of December 2023, the Tesla Model Y ranked as the world's top selling highway-capable plug-in electric car in history.[1] The Tesla Model 3 was the first electric car to achieve global sales of more than 1,000,000 units.[12][13] The BYD Song DM SUV series is the world's all-time best selling plug-in hybrid, with global sales over 1,050,000 units through December 2023.[14][15][16][17][18][19]

HRT 11

As of December 2021, China had the world's largest stock of highway legal plug-in electric passenger cars with 7.84 million units, representing 46% of the world's stock of plug-in cars.[20] Europe ranked next with about 5.6 million light-duty plug-in cars and vans at the end of 2021, accounting for around 32% of the global stock.[21][22][23] The U.S. cumulative sales totaled about 2.32 million plug-in cars through December 2021.[24] As of July 2021, Germany is the leading European country with cumulative sales of 1 million plug-in vehicles on the road,[25] and also has led the continent plug-in sales since 2019.[22][26] Norway has the highest market penetration per capita in the world,[27] and also achieved in 2021 the world's largest annual plug-in market share ever registered, 86.2% of new car sales.[28]

HRT 15

[paskariu]

Toyota Yaris Ranking

Because I am definitely not having a Moment about the Yaris I have decided to create a personal ranking from best to worst yaris model. This is just my personal opinion based on my own biases.

For the sake of simplicity, I won't rate the facelifts separately and instead only rank the entire model generation.

1 Yaris P1 1999-2006

The OG. The cuddle bug that graced the world and said "I WILL get you from A to B no matter what you do to me". Change its oil and it's happy.

2 GR Yaris 2020-

The cool little brother. The GR set out to fulfil the question we all wanted to be answered, "What if Yaris but fast as fuck".

Makes the old TR and RS variants sweat, and even people who previously scuffed at the Yaris do a double take.

Kind of looks like it has this dentist push-your-lips-away device on. Angry hamster.

3 Yaris XP9 2005-2011

As a reviewer put it, the second gen is an example of "sophisticated blandness". It's a car. It drives you places. The interior features are good enough for people who just want to have a car.

It takes all of this with a friendly face. Its circular body refined with a few chosen body lines to break up the shape make for a car that got a participation trophy at a sports event.

It's just happy to be included.

Fun fact: I have that model

4 Yaris XP21 2020-

Final evolution (for the time being). Lost some of the no-thoughts-head-empty charm of the older Yari. Manta ray inspired front is somewhat unique in today's angry faced car world. Wants to look like the GR, but not that much.

5 Yaris Verso/FunCargo XP10 1999-2005

What SUVs could have been. Toyota themselves called this an MPV- Multi-Purpose-Vehicle. This micro-van can bring your kid to school and then work on a construction site on the same day.

Get yourself a Yaris that can do it all. Looks like a stretched P1. What it basically is.

6 Yaris Sedan/Vios/Belta XP90 2007-2013

Looks neat. A hatchback-limousine based on the original Yaris, and spiritual successor of the Toyota Echo.

Same charm as the XP9. Looks just happy to be of service. That's a lot of names for one car though. Like the Echo, it's not available in Europe :(

Other generations of the Yaris Belta drop the Yaris part, being sold as "just" Toyota Vios/Belta which is why they're not on this list.

7 Yaris XP13 2010-2020

The awkward middle evolution. The XP21 also has a wild design, but this is just... no. I don't like this. All I see is Steve Harvey's block of a moustache but car.

At least the back looks neat.

-100 Yaris Cross

Why the fuck make a small car an SUV. Kill it with fire. Throw it in a ditch. IDK just make it leave. This is an insult to the original Yaris. I want to buy a ticket to Japan and murder whoever is responsible for this piece of shit.

The Yaris Verso was right there. Why not modernise that and release it. Don't tell me the reason I know why they did this I don't like it though.

Honourable Mention: Daihatsu Charade 2011-2013

Hail Mary by Toyota's struggling daughter in the European market. They called this Charade because it's literally just the XP9F pretending that it's not.

[anonymusbosch]

have seen the "you really bought a tesla?" post a couple times now and it's another one of those things that I think people often have misconceptions about

1. the cheapest Tesla (model 3) was the world's bestselling electric car from 2018 to 2020, when it was ousted by the 2nd-cheapest Tesla (model Y). the model Y was the single best selling car in the world in the first quarter of 2023. they are very popular.

2. the cheapest Tesla is $40,240 new. with the $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles, a price tag of $32,740 puts it on par with the Honda Odyssey minivan's base price or with slightly nicer trims of SUVs like the Subaru Outback or Toyota RAV4, and only about $100 more than a new Prius Prime. People in California may also qualify for an additional $2000-$5000 rebate for buying one, bringing the price down to $27,740 - just $1000 more than a new Toyota Camry.

3. the concerns about safety are often weighted against an incorrect baseline - so far, current data show that electric vehicles aren't more likely to catch fire in an accident than gas vehicles and are actually less likely to do so (but this is difficult to get solid data on. there's a bunch of articles reporting on a study by an insurance company showing a massive reduction in fire risk but the underlying data are highly suspicious).

4. the big point of distrust that I think is grounded: recalls. some of the 22 (22!) model 3 recalls are ~trivial, like "the driver's side sun visor may be missing the airbag warning sticker", but some are more serious, like "the airbags might not be correctly connected to the car." it seems like a lot of the issues have been addressed on the current (2023-2027) line, but the recurring problems with things ranging from minor software issues to pretty serious function issues are good cause for concern. None of the ones I've read about seem as severe as Toyota's "oops the accelerator gets stuck and your car can't stop moving forward" recall or Ford's "oops the engine explodes" recalls [plural], and even the worst ones are on par with things we've seen before especially from US automakers (glaring at Ford, GM, and Ford again). Ford and GM are both guilty of continuing to use known bad parts for >5 years with (in one case) thousands of fires and (in another) over a hundred deaths. moreover, GM's Bolt EV is under a 100% recall for the 2017-2022 model years for high fire risk and Ford recalled over 100,000 hybrids for fire risk - so is Tesla worse than GM or Ford? I don't know if I'd say that, but I'd really want a car I buy to live up to a higher standard.

in short, the most popular teslas by a huge margin are the two most affordable ones, which are fairly accessible to consumers (especially in California). the risk of a tesla exploding or catching on fire is not, as far as I can tell, higher than other cars (and it appears to be less likely per million miles traveled than some other EVs on the market). teslas still have a bunch of quality issues, and they still have some stupid design choices - but you can easily buy a shittier car for a lot more money, particularly an American-made one.

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

Toyota Camry

2017: Toyota Camry – 387,081 units sold

Car sales continue their slow decline in the U.S. in 2017, although that same year the Camry is all new (and labeled a 2018 model). America's best-selling car ranks seventh in 2018 sales overall when trucks and SUVs are factored in. Other Camry sales-beaters include the Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Ford F-150. In 2020, sales took a 13 percent drop, thanks to the global pandemic that put the world in park. Camry sales in 2021 were a better showing. With a total of 313,795 units of the family sedan sold in the U.S., the Camry took the sixth spot in overall sales. Despite Camry sales falling below the 300,000-unit mark in 2022, the Toyota sedan actually moved up to the fifth spot in overall sales for the year, with trucks such as the Ford F-series, Chevrolet Silverado, and Ram line of full-size trucks taking the top three spots. Toyota's RAV4 SUV, meanwhile, claimed the fourth spot with a total of 399,941 units sold in 2022.

2018: Toyota Camry — 343,439

2019: Toyota Camry — 336,978

2020: Toyota Camry — 294,348

2021: Toyota Camry — 313,795

2022: Toyota Camry — 295,201

[ckret2]

YO it's been so long but I just want to say i still really adore your writing style. Sometimes I'll remember your KOTM fics exist and re-read every fic in the master list again in like a day. Idk, there something intriguing about how you write language and culture differences, between humans, titans, and the different extraterrestrials.

(Honestly sometimes these fics remind me of alter-human experiences, which might explain my attachment for ur fics lol.)

Anyway, I was wondering what your plan was for the series? (And if u were just waiting for prompts, I got ideas. just wanted to make sure first lol)

Anyway thanks for tolerating my rambling 😅

Oh, thanks so much!! I'm glad you still enjoy them! :) I think that's some of my best work to date on writing inhuman/alien cultures.

Okay so, here's how writing works for me: I pour brain gasoline into my writing engine and then the words go brrr.

A huge, long-term writing project is like an SUV. I have to pour a whole lot of gasoline into the engine, but then it can go very far.

I get brain gasoline from things that mentally energize me. These things include going out to restaurants, cafes, and libraries to write; going to movie theaters and concerts; doing other art projects (like leatherworking or sewing) that require going out to craft stores or classes; getting furniture & decor to improve my home; going to festivals, conventions, or other fun events; and even just getting to walk around malls and downtown areas.

I ain't done shit since early 2020! Any writing energy I had toward the start of quarantine has gradually depleted. I know most of the planet has gone back to treating covid like it's no big deal because it's not as fatal anymore, but long covid is still a thing and my household has health conditions that would make gallivanting around in public actively self-destructive, so I still ain't doing shit.

So it's not a matter of not having ideas. I actually have a list of—let me check—twelve fics on my to-write list for the Rodorah plotline, and that's just to finish the current plot arc before launching the next phase of the plot.

But I'm just not getting the kind of brain gasoline I need to run the SUV-sized engine of a project like No Kings Only Monsters. I'm getting enough gasoline to power a moped. Right now my moped is a writing/art roleplay blog in another fandom where I'm working on an ongoing plot. For me a roleplay blog takes a lot less sustained mental energy than writing whole fics, much less a running series of fics.

So, the technical term for what I'm doing right now is "biding my time." I kind of just have to wait until I reach a more energizing period of my life, and look for opportunities to make that happen.

Within a couple months I'm going to be finishing up the most writing-intensive part of my current RP blog plot, and (fingers crossed) I'm going to be moving into a house. (I bought a house.) The new house is over twice as big as my apartment, and I actually OWN it, which means I can do a LOT to make it my own. I'm hopeful that the process of moving will energize me enough to start working on the place (painting walls, getting furniture, etc), and then the ongoing progress of fixing up my place will further energize me enough to return to fic writing.

That doesn't mean I'll immediately hop back on No Kings Only Monsters. I first want to do some more recent fic ideas that have been percolating in the back of my head. But No Kings Only Monsters is on my "by god, I'm gonna finish this" writing to-do list, so after I've gotten back in the swing of writing things I may revisit a writing strategy that served me well in 2018-2019: "write X amount of words on this project and as a reward you can spend the rest of the day writing whatever you want."

I'm hopeful for the future! But for now, I just can't focus on something that big.

(Hold on to your ideas though; flinging them at me now when I don't have any brain gasoline wouldn't do much good, but I'm not opposed to someday taking reader requests again.)

[e-carlease]

One of the best things about electric cars in 2023 is that we are now seeing 1st generation models from the “early years” being improved, revised and facelifted. For the early-adopters in the UK’s EV market, we are grateful for those consumers and businesses for having the foresight and courage to invest into all-electric technology in 2018 / 2019 / 2020, when little was known on how good this form of transport would be (and when public charging infrastructure was still in its early inception). And VW’s electric Golf replacement, the ID.3, was first shown to the world in 2016 before being pushed into production in 2019 with deliveries taking place around 2020 around Europe (including the UK). As one would expect, the ID3 was fairly popular, amassing some 11,032 registrations in 2021 (it was the 3rd best-selling EV in the UK) followed by becoming the 4th best-selling UK EV with 9,178 registrations in 2022! (see SMMT for more details - https://media.smmt.co.uk/). Launching with a Pure battery (45 kWh), Pro battery (58 kWh) and Pro S configuration (77 kWh), VW’s all-electric hatchback filled a necessary hole in the UK’s automotive market, which was historically dominated by SUVs and luxury / prestige options. Winning awards, like the Which? Best Buy of 2023 (https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/new-and-used-cars/volkswagen-id-3-2020), does prove that this is very much the zero-emission Golf equivalent.   

 But the “future of driving” is not a completed model and the German group have now confirmed a series of external, integral and technological improvements to this popular EV (see VW - https://www.volkswagen.co.uk/en/electric-and-hybrid/electric-cars/the-new-id3.html). As the “evolution of electric mobility” continues, the brand have confirmed some truly existing updates including:

  Exterior - new colours such as Dark Olivine Green,     sharper profile at the front together with new tail light clusters and     dynamic turn signals plus IQ.Light LED matrix headlights set to be     offered. New alloy options including the 19” Wellington and 20” Sanya     alloys, a new Exterior Package will allow drivers to add LED matrix     headlights with automatic lighting control, LED tail lights, illuminated     strip between headlights and tinted rear windows. An Exterior Packages     PLUS includes a panoramic roof and sun blind;   

  Interior - increased options on the dash and door trim,     together with higher quality finish. Ability to upgrade to the optional     electric seats with massage function and high-quality fabric. New     panoramic glass roof with “heavenly views” and sunblind; and

   Technology and safety - 8-colour ambient lighting,     Travel Assist with adaptive lane guidance and predictive cruise control,     Emergency Assist, Area View with 4 cameras, Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane     Keeping Assist and Park Assist Plus can all be added to your new ID3.       

 Not unlike many other brands, the ID.3 will be utilising over-the-air updates for continual improvements coupled with the We Connect ID app for synergising your vehicle to your mobile device. Many EV customers enjoy the facility to start and stop charging, or warm their vehicle, from the comfort of the app.  

[mwplanet]

Win or His Loss?

Inside the controversies surrounding Drake and 21 Savage’s latest album, “Her Loss”

By Karissa Cruz

Cover of “Her Loss”

Photo via Spotify

Amidst the release of Drake and 21 Savage’s new album, several controversies have arisen between Drake, Vogue Magazine and other artists. Several artists are said to have been disrespected and thrown shade at throughout the chart-topping album, “Her Loss”. Artists like Megan Thee Stallion have fallen victim to the controversies surrounding the Torontonian artist's brand-new release. In addition to Drake receiving backlash for his shots at other artists, Vogue Magazine also filed a lawsuit against him and 21 Savage for their fake Vogue promotion poster. Despite the growing arguments with regards to the integrity of the album occurring on social media platforms, the album’s rapid success has evidently continued to overpower. 

November 4, 2022, marked the release of Drake and 21 Savage’s brand new collaboration, “Her Loss”. Streaming on all listening platforms, the love rap album features several themes - women, partying, misogyny, and money. Merely minutes following the release, multiple songs from the album blew up on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram. Over 70k creators from all around the world have recorded themselves lip-synching to songs like “Rich Flex”, comedically mimicking how they think Drake and 21 Savage must’ve looked whilst recording in the studio. However, the success of the album is not solely due to the catchiness of certain songs, in fact, its success is primarily the result of the gossip associated with its lyrics and covert references.

Within minutes of the release of “Her Loss”, Drake and 21 Savage set gossip sites and pop culture news aflame due to references ranging from Serena William’s husband, ​​Alexis Ohanian, to old quarrels within the rap industry, to an insult towards Megan Thee Stallion’s foot injury caused by Tory Lanez. 

Back in 2015 before Ohanian and Williams were together, Drake and Williams were exclusively dating. They broke up in 2015, and she later started seeing Ohanian in May of that same year. When she married Ohanian in 2017, Drake began to throw bitter shots at the couple. In “Her Loss”, specifically “Middle of the Ocean” at 3:35, Drake calls out the Reddit founder in the lyrics; "Sidebar, Serena, your husband a groupie; He claim we don't got a problem but; No, boo, it is like you comin' for sushi". Ohanian responds to the subtle diss in his tweet, saying, "The reason I stay winning is because I'm relentless about being the absolute best at whatever I do - including being the best groupie for my wife & daughter." This is not the first time that Drake has made subtly bitter comments towards Williams in his songs. He previously insulted the Olympian’s tennis career, claiming that he could beat her in a match in his 2013 track, “Worst Behavior”. 

Despite the disrespectful nature of the rapper’s lyrics, the jab at Ohanian and Williams’ relationship was not the main issue that occupies pop culture websites and gossip columns nowadays. Rather, Drake’s controversial covert remark towards Megan Thee Stallion, whose foot was allegedly shot by Tory Lanez back in 2020, has taken the spotlight. The rapper, Tory Lanez, is currently facing “one count of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and one count of carrying a loaded, concealed firearm in a vehicle”, according to a statement made by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. According to police reports, Tory was having an argument with a woman - identified as “Megan P” in a criminal complaint - in a SUV on July 12. As the woman exited the car, she was shot multiple times in the foot. Megan Thee Stallion, formally known as Megan Jovon Ruth Pete talked about the car incident during an Instagram Live on her verified account. She later posted a photo of her wound, which was deleted slightly after. In October 2020, legal authorities charged the rapper with felony assault, but he pleaded not guilty the following month. He is currently placed under house arrest as he waits for his trial after allegedly shooting Megan and assaulting the singer August Alsina in August 2022. If convicted, Lanez faces a maximum sentence of roughly 23 years. Amidst the allegations made against Tory Lanez and Megan’s public complaints, Drake threw his own shot at Megan through his lyrics in his new album, specifically in his song “Circo Loco”; “This b---h lie 'bout getting shots, but she still a stallion.” The singer responded to the underhanded insult on Twitter. She called Drake “lame”, and claimed that such conspiracy theories were weak and that they lacked proper facts or receipts. Artists like Sweetest Pie and other listeners shared their distaste for Drake’s biased lyrics against Megan. 

Like previous tracks, Drake’s songs have a history of calling out people who he feels have wronged him through his lyrics. Evidently, the success of his collaborative album with 21 Savage is not solely due to its acquired traction and fame on social media platforms like TikTok, but a large part of it is the controversies surrounding the lyrical references themselves. His album is no doubt a fan favourite, but the issues that it set aflame have definitely caused a divide amongst his supporters and supporters of those he covertly mentioned in his music. 

[cyarskj1899]

SUBSCRIBE

NEWS

Home › News

Kelsey Harris Said She Saw Tory Lanez Shooting At Meg Thee Stallion

Written By Robert Longfellow

Posted December 18, 2022

Loaded: 0%

0:07

Progress: 0%PauseUnmute

Duration Time1:20START CASTINGSETTINGSFullscreen

HipHopWired Featured Video

Source: Jason Armond / Getty

Kelsey Harris has some explaining to do. Although in recent court proceedings she essentially said her memory is fuzzy, in a deposition that was played in court, Megan Thee Stallion’s former friend says she saw Torey Lanez shooting at the Texas rapper. 

Reports TMZ:

As you know, Kelsey has been hesitant, to say the least, to give up many details while testifying this week, but on Friday prosecutors played audio of the entire interview she did with cops earlier this year … when she spilled every detail from that July 2020 night.

Related Stories

Megan Thee Stallion Wants Pint-Sized Rapper Tory Lanez Thrown “Under The Jail”

Kelsey says while they were in the SUV — after the party at Kylie Jenner’s house — she and Tory first got into an argument when he made fun of Megan. When Kelsey came to her friend’s defense, she claims Tory said, “My n****, I’m gonna shoot you.” Kelsey says Tory reached toward the center console, but didn’t do anything more than that.

And this is where the struggle truly pops off. And it’s all bad for Lanez.

However, the vehicle was pulled over at that point. Then she says Meg and Tory started insulting each other’s careers, and things got so heated, both Meg and Kelsey got out of the SUV.

Almost immediately Kelsey says she started hearing gunshots, and after the 2nd or 3rd shot she turned around and says she saw Tory in the front seat firing the gun forward, over the open right front door in Meg’s direction.

Kelley went on to say that to Lanez told her and Meg not to say anything once the police arrived to investigate. 

The ongoing trial is happening in Los Angeles.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT , MEGAN THEE STALLAION

FROM THE WEBPowered by ZergNet

Former 'Real Housewives' Star Apollo Nida Arrested In MiamiBET.com

Love Scenes That Took Things Too FarLooper.com

The Delicious Holiday Cocktail That Meghan Markle Swears ByKatiecouric.com

The Truth About Sasha Obama Is No Big Secret AnymoreTheList.com

Adina Howard Admits To The Love Triangle That Ended Her CareerBET.com

New Crucial Evidence Reveals Upsetting Truth About RobinsonBlavity.com

The Best Comedy Movies Of 2022, RankedSlashfilm.com

The Untold Truth Of Stephen 'tWitch' BossNickiSwift.com

LAMH Fans Are Critical Of Kimmi Scott After Interview Goes ViralUrbanbellemag.com

Shiloh Jolie-Pitt's Transformation Has Been Simply StunningNickiSwift.com

MORE FROM HIP-HOP WIRED

Bankroll Freddie Arrested In Arkansas On Alleged Drug Charges

“Rapper” Iggy Azalea Sells Masters & Publishing Catalog…

Ye aka Kanye West Blasts Minister Louis Farrakhan

Antonio Brown In Standoff With Tampa Police

Sign Up For The Hip-Hop Wired Newsletter SUBMIT

Your email will be shared with hiphopwired.com and subject to its Privacy Policy

Features

News

Politics

Tech

Baes & Baddies

Certified Fresh

Video

Newsletter

HOME

NEWSLETTER

ABOUT

ADVERTISING

PRIVACY POLICY

DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION

AD CHOICE

TERMS OF SERVICE

CONTACT

RSS FEED

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

Pinterest

An Urban One Brand

Copyright © 2022 Interactive One, LLC. All Rights Reserved.✕

HOME

NEWSLETTER

ABOUT

ADVERTISING

PRIVACY POLICY

DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION

AD CHOICE

TERMS OF SERVICE

CONTACT

RSS FEED

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Instagram

Pinterest

An Urban One Brand

Copyright © 2022 Interactive One, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by WordPress VIP

Close

Sent from my iPhone

[mitsubishifever]

Why Buy A Mitsubishi ASX Now Before It's Too Late

Mitsubishi Motors will unveil an all-new ASX sometime in the near future, but it will be nothing like the current Mitsubishi ASX for sale that has become one of the biggest success motoring stories over the past decade.

This is already casting some doubt as to whether the newcomer can replicate its predecessor’s sales performance, and even over the viability of importing it given the extent of change the model is undergoing.

As reported in late January during the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance’s announcement stating its intention to introduce 35 new electric vehicles to market by 2023, the long-awaited replacement for the 12-year-old small SUV will be derived from one of “Renault’s bestsellers”.

All bets point to that being the Renault Captur II that landed a few years ago, but the implications of this raise far more questions – and eyebrows – than answers for consumers.

As with the closely-related but British-built Nissan Juke II that launched in 2020 as well as the recently released Renault Arkana from South Korea, this means that the 2023 ASX is set to switch to the CMF-B (for Common Module Family – B-segment vehicles) modular platform by the French manufacturer rather than Mitsubishi.

This changes everything, beginning with packaging. Will it be big enough?

The current ASX is based on the GS platform that first saw the light of day in 2005, underpinning scores of C- and D-segment models from various manufacturers, with the most pertinently for Australians being Mitsubishi’s now-defunct Lancer small car, two generations of the Outlander mid-sized SUV (until the latest model arrived in late 2021) and today’s Eclipse Cross.

So what, you say? Well, the MY22 ASX’s length/ width/ height/ wheelbase measurements are 4365/ 1810/ 1640/ 2670mm, while the latest Captur II’s equivalents come in at 4227/ 1797/ 1567/ 2639mm. Or, in other words, the future ASX could be substantially smaller in every dimension and thus will shrink a segment size down, from the C SUV to the B SUV class.

The consequence of this is that, while we can’t say for sure as yet, the next-gen version may end up being significantly less spacious inside. Think going from a Mazda CX-30 to a CX-3… or Holden VF Commodore to ZB Commodore. This would have major ramifications for people seeking a family-friendly SUV. The fact that Australians buy the ASX because it offers one of the bigger interiors for the money cannot be underestimated. This has been a key unique selling proposition against key opponents for years, and one that the next ASX is on track to lose.

Then there’s the question of pricing and exchange rate issues. Will it still represent compelling value for money?

The ASX will most likely have to be imported from Europe (probably Spain, since the Captur II is sourced from Renault’s Valladolid facility) rather than from Japan like today’s version, so it’s best to forget about the rock-bottom pricing that has been the lynchpin of the existing ASX’s success in recent years. 

Why is the Mitsubishi currently so comparatively inexpensive? Considering it was globally unveiled in Japan as the third-generation RVR in December 2009, the current ASX has had years to amortise its initial investment, making it now very cheap to produce and market.

Of course, the next ASX’s relationship with the also-CMF-B-based Renault Arkana could lead to less-expensive South Korean sourcing – courtesy of Renault Samsung Motors, which also supplies us with the established Nissan X-Trail-derived Renault Koleos – to serve non-European markets like Australia and North America (where the ASX is sold as the Outlander Sport). But this is pure speculation, with no confirmation from the Alliance.

However, regardless of where it’s imported from, part of the anticipated extra expense is down to the ASX stepping up in technology and sophistication, adopting more modern safety and updated, advanced petrol powertrains. Mitsubishi isn’t saying, but the Alliance’s circa-84kW/180Nm 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo or 118kW/270Nm 1.3-litre four-pot turbo engine (shared with Mercedes-Benz) are very strong possibilities, along with various electrification options further down the track.

Along with requiring better-quality and higher-octane fuel, these turbo powertrains use efficient, if complicated, dual-clutch transmissions, making them a far cry from simple and proven 110kW/197 2.0-litre and optional 123kW/222Nm 2.4-litre naturally-aspirated units offered today, sending torque to the front wheels via either a five-speed manual or continuously variable transmission (CVT). Besides driving and feeling very differently compared to today’s ASX, rising servicing and upkeep costs may also impact buyers’ wallets.

Ultimately, for all the advancements that come with it, embodying a much-more modern Renault (or Nissan) ultimately undermines the Mitsubishi-ness of the ASX.

Besides connecting with brand pillars like the Lancer, the current model adheres to a decades-long company policy of persisting with reliable, reputable and durable vehicles that proved their mettle over time, even if they ended up being outdated as a consequence. It happened with the Australian-made Sigma and Colt in the 1980s and Lancer and Magna in the 2000s. That’s how cash-strapped organisations survive, garnering legions of loyal Australian consumers along the way.

Maybe the best thing that Mitsubishi South Africa could do is change the name to manage consumer expectations. With the benefit of hindsight, perhaps Holden would have been wiser to do the same when it stuck on the wholly-unsuitable ‘Commodore’ badge on the imported 2018 Opel Insignia that replaced the locally-made icon.

Of course, the next ASX is still at least two years away from any local launch activity that might be being planned, and in that time, maybe Australians might tire of its age-related deficiencies against far-newer alternatives.

Finally, there’s the Eclipse Cross factor.

Mitsubishi may choose to concentrate on this last vestige of pre-Alliance engineering, with sharper pricing and minor updates to help boost this 2017-vintage small SUV crossover’s appeal to South Africans.

And why not? After all, using the same GS platform down to an identical 2670mm wheelbase, the Eclipse Cross was originally created as the ASX’s replacement back in the middle of last decade, before the latter’s unexpected popularity surge worldwide coupled with mounting company financial woes led to the decision to run old and new concurrently.

While managing fewer than half of the 14,764 sales accumulated by the far-older ASX last year, the Eclipse Cross’ 6132 registration tally represents a 36 per cent rise over 2020, aided by that year’s much-needed facelift.

Whatever Mitsubishi decides, and despite falling far behind the best in its segment, the ASX is now regarded as a pioneer, being one of the first small SUVs on the market when it arrived in mid-2010 to be pitched as an alternative to regular small car hatchbacks like the Toyota Corolla. Back then, the larger Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester were classed as ‘compact SUVs’, with only oddball models like the Suzuki SX4 offering something truly urban-sized.

Of course, since then, copycats ranging from the Honda HR-V and Mazda CX-3 to the Hyundai Kona and MG ZS have proliferated, but with regular improvements and updates, the ASX rose from a sales outlier to segment champion heading into the 2020s.

Is there even hope that the Renault Captur-based replacement can achieve the same degree of success?

.

.

.

.

Originally posted by https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/

[influencermagazineuk]

Elon Musk Postpones Launch of Self-Driving Taxis

Tesla shares have dropped after delaying the launch of its self-driving taxis. The electric car maker’s shares fell 1.8% in premarket trading following an 8.4% plunge on Thursday, its largest decline since January. According to Bloomberg News, Tesla has postponed the unveiling of its Robotaxis from August to October. In recent months, CEO Elon Musk has been positioning Tesla as a leader in self-driving technology, beyond just an electric vehicle manufacturer. As a paid-for software upgrade, self-driving capabilities have the potential to significantly boost Tesla’s profits, compared to the traditionally tight margins in the automotive industry. Additionally, renting cars out as autonomous taxis could introduce a new business model similar to Uber, but without the need to pay a driver. History Of Tesla Tesla, Inc. is an American multinational automotive and clean energy company headquartered in Austin, Texas. The company designs, manufactures, and sells battery electric vehicles (BEVs), stationary battery energy storage devices for home to grid-scale, solar panels, solar shingles, and related products and services. Tesla is also developing artificial intelligence and robotics products. Founded in July 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning as Tesla Motors, the company was named in honor of inventor and electrical engineer Nikola Tesla. Elon Musk joined Tesla in February 2004 as its largest shareholder and became CEO in 2008. Tesla's first car model, the Roadster sports car, began production in 2008. Subsequent models include the Model S sedan (2012), Model X SUV (2015), Model 3 sedan (2017), Model Y crossover (2020), Tesla Semi truck (2022), and Cybertruck pickup truck (2023). The Model 3 is the all-time best-selling plug-in electric car worldwide, and in June 2021, it became the first electric car to sell 1 million units globally. In 2023, the Model Y was the best-selling vehicle globally. Tesla is among the world's most valuable companies by market capitalization. In October 2021, it temporarily became a trillion-dollar company, the seventh U.S. company to achieve this milestone. In 2023, Tesla led the battery electric vehicle market with a 19.9% share and was ranked 69th in the Forbes Global 2000. As of March 2024, it is the world's most valuable automaker. Tesla has faced lawsuits, government scrutiny, and journalistic criticism due to allegations of whistleblower retaliation, worker rights violations, safety issues, product defects, fraud, and CEO Elon Musk's controversial statements. Read the full article

[akash113]

Design: The Nissan Magnite stands out in the urban compact SUV segment with its bold and modern design. The front fascia features a distinctive honeycomb grille flanked by sleek LED headlights and L-shaped DRLs, giving the vehicle a dynamic and assertive look. The muscular wheel arches, sculpted lines, and chrome accents add to its sophisticated yet sporty appearance. The rear end is equally impressive with stylish LED tail lamps, a roof spoiler, and a faux skid plate, which together create a well-balanced and contemporary design that turns heads on city streets.

Comfort and Interior: Inside, the Nissan Magnite offers a surprisingly spacious and well-appointed cabin for a compact SUV. The use of premium materials and thoughtful design elements create an inviting and comfortable environment. Ergonomically designed seats provide excellent support, ensuring a pleasant driving experience even during long commutes. The rear seats offer ample legroom and headroom, making it a great choice for families or groups. Additional comfort features such as automatic climate control, rear AC vents, and a height-adjustable driver seat enhance the overall comfort and convenience.

Technology: The Magnite is equipped with an array of advanced technology features that cater to modern urban lifestyles. The centerpiece of the dashboard is an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration, ensuring seamless connectivity and access to your favorite apps on the go. A 7-inch digital instrument cluster provides clear and customizable information at a glance. The Magnite also boasts a 360-degree camera, which makes parking in tight city spaces a breeze, and keyless entry with push-button start for added convenience. The premium sound system ensures an enjoyable in-car entertainment experience.

Performance and Efficiency: Under the hood, the Nissan Magnite is powered by an efficient and peppy 1.0-liter turbocharged engine that delivers excellent performance for urban driving. Its nimble handling and compact dimensions make maneuvering through city traffic effortless. The Magnite's impressive fuel economy ensures that you spend less time at the pump and more time enjoying the drive. The availability of both manual and CVT transmission options allows you to choose the driving experience that best suits your needs.

Safety: Safety is a top priority in the Nissan Magnite, which comes equipped with a host of advanced safety features. The SUV includes ABS with EBD, dual airbags, rear parking sensors, and a rearview camera as standard. Higher trims offer additional safety technologies such as Vehicle Dynamic Control, Hill Start Assist, Traction Control System, and ISOFIX child seat anchors. These features provide peace of mind and ensure that you and your passengers are well-protected on every journey.

Smart Connectivity: The Nissan Magnite offers smart connectivity features that enhance the driving experience. With Nissan Connect, you can remotely access and control various car functions via a smartphone app, including geofencing, car location, and service booking. This ensures that you stay connected with your vehicle at all times and enjoy a seamless and integrated driving experience.

Conclusion: With its combination of stylish design, spacious and comfortable interior, advanced technology, efficient performance, and comprehensive safety features, the Nissan Magnite is the perfect urban compact SUV. Whether you're navigating busy city streets, going on a weekend getaway, or simply running errands, the Magnite delivers a versatile and enjoyable driving experience that caters to the needs of modern urban dwellers.

[keneestorytimelibrary]

Rockey Chapter 9

“So, what is your name?” I asked as the black 2020 Cadillac Escalade turned the corner. Matteo’s sister sat right across from me with bright wide eyes, and her lovely smile. Since we got in the car, twenty minutes ago, she has not stopped staring at me. Matteo, who sat behind us with Gio, tried to ask her to stop, but she insisted on making me feel slightly uncomfortable. Gio decided to join her. 

“My name is Bianca.” She finally said. I noticed the kids didn’t have the same strong accent as their two older brothers. And they all seemed incredibly smart...minus Raffaele. I guess that is what money brought them: an expensive education.

“Why hello Bianca! You may call me Rockey.” I said, extending my hand to her.

She took it almost immediately, shaking with all her might. Her eyes never left mine. “I am sorry for staring, but you are just as pretty as my brother said you were.” 

The thought of Nicolò complimenting me had my face turning to the shade of a ripe tomato. Despite the fact that I was currently in the car, I began to fantasize about a wedding…

“We have arrived at the first school.” Arthur said a little louder, snapping me out of my trance. Apparently I had been day dreaming for a few minutes.

“Who goes first?” I asked, trying to get everyone to stop staring at me.

“I do…” Bianca said reluctantly. The excited energy she had before had quickly vanished from her. She gave me the same look of panic Matteo had when he was confronted by his bullies. 

I grabbed both of her hands, and gave her the best smile I could muster. “Your day is going to be great. Keep that sweet smile you have. I promise I will be here to pick you up after school, ok?” 

She still seemed unsure about leaving, so I gently took her hand, and guided us out of the car. Once outside, I knelt right beside her, and began to encourage her.

“Whatever challenges you go through today, remember you are a strong young lady, and have strength to overcome it with grace and class. Don’t you ever forget it, ok?” 

“I’ll try to remember that…” She said quietly. She gave me a quick hug before running down the lush green walkway. There were kids everywhere, running to the entrance with their expensive bookbags, cell phones, and lunch boxes.

Bianca walked past a group of girls who looked slightly older than her. They were murmuring something under their breath and laughing. I could tell she was feeling down; her posture began to drop.

“Bianca!” I yelled as loud as I could. Apparently it was too loud, because everyone turned to face me. But my focus remained on her. As she turned around, I mouthed, “You got this! Chin up!” 

She smiled back, and fixed her posture. She held her chin up and walked past the group of girls with a small degree of confidence. I hope that it lasts the full day.

“That’s my girl.” I said, unaware I had company. 

“Are you the nanny, or are you her sister?” A male voice asked from behind me. I turned to see a handsome (not Nicoló handsome, but none-the-less handsome) man behind me. He looked to be Hispanic, dark gorgeous skin, and a wonderful smile. But I could tell what type of man he was: a fuck boy. Some of the mothers and female nannies around us were ogling him. 

“Well, that is for me to know, and for you to never find out.” I said politely. I began walking past him, but he stopped me before I had a chance to get to the car.

“Forgive me. Let me start from the beginning. My name is Christopher Rivera. I am the teacher for Miss Bianca.” He said professionally. 

“Hello Mr. Rivera, nice to meet you.” I said curtly.

“What is your name?” He asked. I don’t know why, but the entire conversation put me off. Definitely reminded me of how Danny and I met.

Before I could think of something slick to say, Matteo jumped out of the SUV. “Come on Rockey, we need to go!” If looks could kill, Mr. Rivera would be DEAD. It was obvious Matteo did not like this man.

The next two stops were fairly smooth. Matteo refused to let me see him off. When questioned, he said, “I don’t want you falling for my teacher.”

Gio, however, insisted upon giving me a silent, tiny tour of the outside grounds. All he did was point to certain landmarks. I had to fill in the rest with, “That looks cool!”, “Is that your hang out spot?”, and “That’s amazing!” Thankfully, he didn’t need a pep talk before going inside.

The car ride back to the Estate was uncomfortably quiet. Arthur remained focused on driving, while I sat playing with my fingers. It was an odd habit I picked up whenever I was nervous.

After a few minutes of silence, I gave in. I had so many questions that needed answers. “Ok Arthur! I need you to spill everything!” I demanded. He looked at me as if I spoke another language.

“What do you mean Miss Rockey?” He asked; but I knew he understood my request. He had to have known some dirty secrets, or at the very least, tell me something juicy.

“Oh, come on Arthur! You must know everything about the family!” I pleaded.

He started laughing. “Miss Rockey, there are things that I don’t even know.”

“Well, tell me what you do know.” I demanded.

“Well...where do I start?” He began.

[entrepalabrasmx]

Ford Bronco Sport sigue sumando éxitos: reconocida gracias a su nivel de seguridad

Ford Bronco Sport 2021 se hizo acreedor al reconocimiento TOP SAFETY PICK+ otorgado por Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), la máxima calificación emitida por este grupo independiente sin fines de lucro.

Ford Bronco Sport obtuvo la máxima calificación en las seis pruebas de resistencia ante choques realizada por IIHS. Dichas pruebas de resistencia incluyen; superposición frontal menor del lado del conductor y del pasajero, superposición moderada frontal, lateral, resistencia del techo y cabeceras.

“Ford Bronco Sport es el miembro de la familia Ford Bronco que participa en el segmento de SUVs pequeñas, y fue diseñada para acompañar a nuestros clientes en cada viaje y aventura, tanto dentro como fuera de la carretera, de forma segura”, dijo Hau Thai-Tang, director de operaciones y plataforma de productos de Ford. "Esta calificación de IIHS Top Safety Pick+ valida este compromiso".

Para calificar para TOP SAFETY PICK+, los vehículos deben contar con un sistema de prevención de choque frontal que obtenga calificaciones avanzadas o superiores en las pruebas de “vehículo a vehículo” y de “vehículo a peatón”. Las calificaciones “bueno” o “aceptable” en el caso de los faros delanteros deben ser estándar en todos los modelos, independientemente del nivel de equipamiento.

El premio IIHS es el más reciente de los muchos reconocimientos obtenidos por la nueva Ford Bronco Sport, que incluyen Best of What's New 2020 de Popular Science y Best Compact / Midsize SU de la revista Esquire.

[contentid]

Mobil MG Dari Mana? Menelusuri Jejak Brand Mobil Asal Inggris yang Mendunia

Content ID - Mobil MG, dengan desain yang stylish dan harga yang kompetitif, semakin populer di Indonesia. Merek yang identik dengan mobil sport ini kini menyapa pasar dengan beragam model, mulai dari SUV hingga sedan. Tapi, mobil MG dari mana sih? Asal Usul MG: Legenda Mobil Sport Asal Inggris Mobil MG, atau Morris Garages, adalah merek mobil yang berasal dari Inggris. Sejarahnya dimulai pada tahun 1924, ketika Cecil Kimber, seorang manajer di Morris Motors, memutuskan untuk membangun mobil sport yang menggunakan mesin Morris. Nama "MG" sendiri merupakan singkatan dari "Morris Garages," tempat di mana Cecil Kimber membangun dan mengembangkan mobil-mobil sport pertamanya. Dengan desain yang sporty dan performa yang mumpuni, mobil MG dengan cepat meraih popularitas di Inggris. Mobil MG Dari Mana: Perjalanan Menakjubkan Seiring berjalannya waktu, mobil MG semakin berkembang dan dikenal sebagai merek mobil sport yang prestisius. Mereka menghasilkan berbagai model ikonik, seperti MG MGA, MG B, dan MG TF. Mobil MG juga banyak digunakan dalam ajang balap, menorehkan prestasi gemilang di berbagai sirkuit di dunia. Perjalanan Mobil MG: Masa-Masa Sulit dan Kebangkitan Sayangnya, di tahun 1980-an, MG mengalami masa-masa sulit dan akhirnya diambil alih oleh perusahaan Tiongkok, SAIC Motor. SAIC Motor memutuskan untuk menghidupkan kembali brand MG, dan mulai memproduksi mobil-mobil baru dengan desain modern dan teknologi terkini. Dengan strategi pemasaran yang tepat dan produk yang inovatif, mobil MG kembali berjaya di pasar global. Mereka kembali dikenal sebagai merek mobil yang stylish, sporty, dan terjangkau. Mobil MG Dari Mana: Masuk ke Pasar Indonesia Mobil MG resmi masuk ke pasar Indonesia pada tahun 2020, dan dengan cepat mendapatkan popularitas. Mereka menawarkan beragam model, mulai dari SUV hingga sedan, yang dirancang untuk memenuhi kebutuhan dan keinginan konsumen Indonesia. Keunikan dan Daya Tarik Mobil MG: - Desain yang Stylish: Mobil MG dikenal dengan desainnya yang modern dan sporty, yang menggabungkan elemen klasik dengan teknologi terkini. - Harga yang Kompetitif: Mobil MG ditawarkan dengan harga yang kompetitif, menjadikannya pilihan yang menarik bagi konsumen yang mencari mobil berkualitas dengan harga yang terjangkau. - Fitur Lengkap: Mobil MG dilengkapi dengan berbagai fitur canggih, seperti sistem hiburan yang lengkap, fitur keselamatan yang canggih, dan teknologi bantuan berkendara yang modern. - Jaminan Kualitas: Mobil MG diproduksi dengan standar kualitas tinggi, dan dilengkapi dengan garansi resmi yang memberikan rasa aman kepada konsumen. Mobil MG Dari Mana: Tantangan dan Peluang Walau begitu, MG juga menghadapi beberapa tantangan di pasar Indonesia: - Persaingan yang Ketat: Pasar otomotif di Indonesia sangat kompetitif, dengan berbagai merek mobil lokal dan internasional yang saling bersaing. - Merek yang Masih Baru: MG masih tergolong merek baru di Indonesia, sehingga masih perlu membangun kepercayaan dan reputasi di pasar. - Strategi Marketing: MG perlu terus meningkatkan strategi pemasarannya untuk menjangkau target konsumen yang lebih luas dan membangun brand awareness yang lebih kuat. Quote Expert: “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” – Peter Drucker Mobil MG Dari Mana: Kesimpulan Mobil MG adalah brand mobil asal Inggris yang telah sukses bangkit dan menyapa kembali dunia otomotif. Dengan strategi pemasaran yang tepat dan produk yang inovatif, MG kini kembali mendapatkan popularitas, dan mereka memiliki potensi yang besar di pasar global, termasuk Indonesia. Pilihan Lebih Lanjut: - Tips Memilih Laptop: Memilih mobil baru memang menyenangkan, tapi jangan lupa untuk memastikan juga bahwa Anda memiliki perangkat elektronik yang memadai! - 10 Teknologi Masa Depan: Teknologi otomotif terus berkembang, dan mungkin saja di masa depan kita akan melihat mobil MG dengan teknologi yang lebih canggih! Read the full article