Chris Mpre-order?
Follow all of IGN's Gamescom coverage all week long at IGN.com/Gamescom. Note that if you click on one of these links to buy the product, IGN may get a share of the sale. For more, read our Terms of Use.
Update 8/22. It's as bad as we feared. Target, Walmart, and Gamestop (maybe?) had them in stock for less than 30 seconds.
Update 8/22. SNES IN STOCK AT TARGET
Update 8/22. Reports indicate more preorders coming soon. So soon that you'd do best to start refreshing your page any minute.
This compact flying machine can be controlled with simple hand gestures
Chris Mshe's gotten a little curvy in her older years.
Shelby American introduced its 2017 Shelby Super Snake wide-body concept at its corporate headquarters. The road racing-focused Mustang, which started out as a 50th Anniversary Shelby Super Snake, was designed and built at the company’s facility in Las Vegas.
Carroll Shelby’s grandson, Aaron, was on hand to show off the company’s latest study along with the also-new 2017 Shelby F-150 Super Snake street truck.
About 4 inches were added to the concept car’s rear track and another 2.5 inches were added to the front to maximize handling. The “Lightning Blue” concept also sports a Shelby spec track suspension, rear lower control arms, and a performance spindle and control arms, as well as new wheels and tires.
Power comes from the same supercharged 5.0-liter V-8 that packs 750 hp found in other Super Snakes. To reel those ponies in, the concept features a Brembo Shelby brake system with 16-inch rotors and four-piston calipers up front and 14-inch rotors with six-piston calipers in the rear.
“The fully adjustable coil over suspension and the enormous Brembo braking system, along with wider wheels and tires significantly change the car’s driving dynamics. This provides more grip for later braking and earlier acceleration out of corners,” said Vince LaViolette, Shelby American vice president of operations, in a statement.
“It will deliver more communication to the driver and better absorb track imperfections. The wide body Super Snake concept is every road racer’s dream.”
If you are in the Southern California area this weekend, the concept car will be shown at the 5th Annual Carroll Shelby Tribute and Car Show on Saturday, May 20 along with the Super Snake truck.
Source: Shelby American
The post Shelby Goes Wide With its 2017 Super Snake Concept appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris Mawful... give me the engine and transmission all day long, but what happened? it's like the really beautiful women that get plastic surgery, and then they aren't beautiful anymore.
The ZL1 1LE proves that there’s a Camaro for almost everyone. While the base model starts at just $26,900, the track-focused 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE will set you back $69,995.
Today, Chevrolet announced pricing for the model that offers a racing-based suspension with DSSV shocks, a carbon fiber rear wing, extra-wide Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3R summer tires, and other upgrades. It builds off the current ZL1 coupe, but is 3 seconds quicker around GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, the automaker says. Lighter wheels and dampers, a fixed-back rear seat, and thinner rear glass contribute to a 60-pound weight reduction. To receive these performance updates over the standard ZL1, buyers must check the box for the ZL1 1LE Extreme Track Performance Package, which itself costs $7,500.
The new model costs a few thousand dollars less than the closest thing it has to a predecessor, the last-gen Z/28. The 2015 version started at $75,000, but unlike the ZL1 1LE, it featured a naturally aspirated engine. Camaro chief engineer Al Oppenheiser said that the ZL1 1LE is “not your daily driver,” but is intended to be “a little more of a daily driver than the Z/28 was.” It’s unclear if an actual Z/28 is in the works, but if it is, expect it to be naturally aspirated as Chevy says the nameplate is reserved for N/A performance models.
Under the hood is a familiar 6.2-liter supercharged V-8 engine that produces 650 hp and 650 lb-ft of torque, the same output as the standard ZL1. The two models also share the same brakes and launch and line lock features. However, a six-speed manual will be the only available transmission on the ZL1 1LE model.
We expect to learn more about the 2018 Camaro lineup when the models go on sale this summer.
Source: Chevrolet
The post 2018 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE Starts at $69,995 appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris Mcan you get a snake bite sitting on the couch not thinking about mowing your grass? :/
Out of the 3,000 or so snake species in the world, less than 10% are venomous in a truly dangerous way. But that still leaves a few hundred varieties you need to keep an eye out for the next time you’re tromping through the wilderness. As always, the best way to treat a snakebite is to prevent it. Avoid hiking in areas where snakes are known to be a problem, wear heavy boots that cover your ankle, step carefully in areas of tall grass, and watch out when stepping or reaching under rocks where snakes typically rest up.
If you are bitten, remain calm above all else. One of the most dangerous aspects of a snake bite is that it causes people to panic. Panic is bad because it elevates heart rate and blood flow to increase venom absorption and it leads to poor decision making, all of which puts you at far greater risk of serious injury.
The post How to Treat a Venomous Snakebite appeared first on The Art of Manliness.
Ford is celebrating 100 years in the truck business. Its Model TT (Model T Truck?) began production on July 27, 1917. It was the company’s first mass-produced, dedicated 1-ton truck chassis (a lighter-duty Model T roadster pickup body had been available, and aftermarket entrepreneurs had been making heavier trucks out of Model Ts for years). Powered by the same 2.9-liter 20-hp four-banger/two-speed manual planetary transmission powertrain, it shouldered heavier loads by using far lower gearing that trimmed top speed to 18 mph. The company learned plenty during the 10 years spent building 1.3 million TTs. Those learnings informed its successors, the Model AA 1.5-ton truck (1927-1932), Model BB (’32-’34), and others leading up to World War II. By 1941 Ford had sold over 4 million trucks, but it was the post-war suburban expansion boom that really revved up Ford’s truck business and led to the introduction of the F-series, starting with 1948’s F-1. On the occasion of Ford Trucking’s centennial birthday, the company offered rides in a pristine 1950 F-1 that amply illustrated how incredibly far Ford F-Series trucks have come.
Today it is likely possible to build several million F-150 trucks, each featuring a unique combination of bed and cab lengths, trim levels, powertrains, and option loading. But in the F-1 days, a single bench-seat cab design served all Ford trucks, including the 3-ton-rated F-8 cab-over model. This first-gen F didn’t get a second, more deluxe trim level offering until 1951 when the standard Five Star Cab was joined by a Deluxe Five Star Extra Cab. The Extra didn’t add length, only sybaritic spiffs such as foam seat padding, extra sound-deadening material, bright metal trim around the windshield and vent windows, an argent-finished grille bar, locks and armrests on both doors, two-toned seat upholstery, a dome light, and twin horns. That gigantic steering wheel lowers steering effort but demands zillions of turns to negotiate a tight corner or U-turn.
Ford’s little red F-1 features a Yankee turn signal and an auxiliary cab heater that we believe Firestone manufactured. (The Ford and Firestone families were intermarried, so why not?).
For such a basic interior, the remarkably complete gauge cluster (speedometer, odometer, fuel, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and charging-system voltage meters) is beautifully designed, and it looks a bit like a small radio of the period.
Open the big hood (by pulling on the chrome bar in its left air intake hole) to reveal the 239-cubic-inch flat-head Ford V-8. That puny two-barrel carb and heady 6.4:1 compression were good for a hot 100 horses and 176 lb-ft of torque. They’re routed to the rear wheels via a three-on-the-floor transmission with a nonsynchronized first gear and a clutch that engages right at the top of its lengthy travel and with considerable chatter these days. But once engaged, the little V-8 pulls reasonably strongly with a low, quiet rumble. It’s no EcoBoost twin-turbo, but it feels up to the task of whisking your Larson boat up to the lake.
Should the battery die or the starter fail, the venerable flathead V-8 was apparently still capable of being crank started. Stare down the silver hole in the lowest bar of the grille, and you’ll notice it lines up with a similar hole in the radiator support and points right at a bolt in the center of the main fan pulley. Righty-tighty should start it—just don’t close your thumb over the crank in case it backfires.
That’s no over-restoration flourish, they came with wooden beds, and a glance under the truck confirms that it’s not just mounted inside a steel box. Be sure to keep up with the periodic varnishing maintenance (and termite treatments?).
We take opening a tailgate for granted these days, expecting single-latch releases and dampers to slow the gate’s descent and/or assist raising it. In the F-1 era, you removed a hook, slid the large chain link out of the way and reinserted the hook, and then repeated the same on the other side before lowering the gate. Don’t forget to rehook the chains, or the nicely painted tailgate will bang into the bumper and become dented and scratched.
Every pickup these days is either made of composite material or offers inner and outer sheetmetal panels so that dimples on the inside don’t look like pimples from the outside. But in the F-1 era, you got single-wall steel construction. Oh, and forget about cargo management systems. There were no tie-down hooks (unless you drilled and screwed them eyelets into the wood floor yourself). There were four stake holes, though, if you wanted to raise the sides of the bed a bit.
On the occasion of the 100th birthday of the first real Ford truck and the 69th anniversary of the venerable best-selling F-series, let’s load your arsenal of pub trivia on the topic.
The post 1950 Ford F-1 Truck Review: Rolling the OG F-Series appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris MThis and BAHA racing, I think would be a fun as hell. But this Rally stuff is scary as crap to watch.
Mazda has an all too brief history in the world of rally. In 1984, just a year before the pathologically insane era of Group B came to an end, Mazda’s Rally Team Europe, began work on a rotary powered Group B RX-7 homologation.
It featured an all-wheel drive system, a 13B twin-rotor Wankel screaming out 300 horsepower, and a modified Weber 51 IDA carburetor. But before it could ever turn a wheel in anger, the class was abolished, and the car moth-balled. Thankfully, there are still some who remember.
Built by Markus Van Klink, who’s won historic rally championships down under in a RX-7, for rally and hillclimb racing, this rally-fied Mazda RX-8 features a four-rotor 20b engine that sends a claimed 370 horsepower to the rear wheels and the rear wheels alone. The end result is a flame-spitting, gravel-chucking, devilishly delectable rally car that sends shockwaves of rotary noises through forests.
In the clip, you’re treated to the wonderfully manic noises from the 20b rotary engine. The high-revving engine doesn’t sound too different from its four-rotor cousin that powered the famed 787b Le Mans-winning racecars. Maybe the RX-8 sounds slightly tamer than the wild 787b, but not by much.
The purpose-built machine also features a massive rear wing, that looks as if it was lifted from the last generation Rally America Subaru WRX STI competition car, gravel spec tires, a set of Method Racing wheels, a sequential gearbox, and hydraulic handbrake. It also has a driver that apparently doesn’t have a lick of self-preservation as he slides the RX-8 at ludicrous speeds through a particularly heavily tree-lined section of gravel road.
While this video makes us want seat time in this particular RX-8, it also makes us yearn for the days that Mazda still built rotary-powered sports cars. And while there are rumors the company may bring the rotary and RX-moniker back from the dead, we’ve seen little to support these rumors, aside from the nowhere-near-production-ready RX-Vision concept we saw at the Tokyo Motor Show not too long ago. Let’s just cross our fingers that one day we see these interesting machines once again on the road.
The post Rally Mazda RX-8 with a Screaming, Flame-Spitting 3-Rotor 20b in Action appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris Mgot it. its pretty bad ass
So I haven’t had a lot of shop time lately as I’ve been hammered getting ready for the H.A.M.B. Drags, but I did get a package from SK Tools the other day and inside was their new 90-tooth Low Profile Ratchet. Essentially, this is a 3/8″ drive ratchet that was designed to reach tight spaces (it’s only a 1/2″ thick at the head) and turn fasteners with the slightest of swings (4-degrees to be exact).
I haven’t really used the thing yet, but I’ve fondled it quite a bit and… well, it’s damned nice and tactile. It feels like a tool should and the 90-tooth mechanism is full on gorgeous. I’d say that if I paid for it too… You can get yours for a little over $90 here. Once I get a chance to use the ratchet, I’ll do a video review but as it stands I’d say it’s well worth the asking price.
Chris MI like the idea of wearing that watch.
With a minimal wallet and a new keychain, I made my EDC lightweight and minimal.
It’s been a few months since we’ve heard anything about Chevrolet’s mid-engine Corvette, but these spy shots show the automaker is still hard at work developing the new car. A prototype was recently spotted conducting track testing in full camouflage.
The engineers driving the car must have noticed the shooter, as they came to a stop on the track and quickly covered the car – which was already well camouflaged. The camo is different from the test mules we spotted earlier this year, and it may be hiding production bodywork. As covered up as this prototype may be, there’s no hiding its mid-engine proportions. The short dash-to-axle leaves little room for an engine up front, but there appears to be just enough space between the cabin and rear axle to fit a longitudinal V-8.
The model’s exact powertrain remains a mystery, but leaked documents suggest GM is preparing a dual-overhead-cam 6.2-liter V-8 for a Corvette model in 2018. A performance hybrid drivetrain remains another possibility. We know the mid-engine version isn’t the only Corvette in the works, as a front-engine C7 ZR1 is also expected. The mid-engine Corvette will be built alongside the C7 at GM’s Bowling Green plant in Kentucky. Production is said to begin by January 2019.
Here’s hoping we see the mid-engine ‘Vette start dropping cover soon.
Photo source: Chris Doane Automotive
The post Spied! Mid-Engine Chevrolet Corvette Caught Track Testing appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris MI like it..
I have made a terrible mistake. To understand what, we have to back up a couple of months, before my now 4-month-old son, Richard, was born. Executive editor Mark Rechtin was trying to assign me a new long-term vehicle. In an email subjected “Durango Dad” Mark wrote: “Figured you might need something a bit more kid-friendly than the long-term Hellcat you’re getting out of. Arriving this week is the new Durango. Seems like that might make a good fit for your situation, yes?” Mark was thinking very logically, but of course I’ve made a career out of being an obstinate weirdo. So no thank you, I’m not going to be a Durango Dad. I elected instead to wait until our 2017 Truck of the Year long-termer showed up, a two-tone Ford F-250 King Ranch 4×4. Call me Super Duty Dad!
I like having slightly left-of-center long-term vehicles. Helps me think of interesting things to do with them. My first was a Cadillac CTS-V Wagon with a six-speed manual. I drove that dreamboat across 11 States, plus Germany and Holland. After that I had a Jaguar F-Type R—the 2015 model, the only year that the 550-horsepower monster was rear-wheel drive—and I can still show you where some tire marks are. The Charger Hellcat, well, a 707-hp family sedan speaks for itself, doesn’t it? I also had a Volvo S60 T5, but all I can remember about that car are the seats. They were exceptional. The point is, I figured that a 4-ton (8,020 pounds on our scales), 21-foot behemoth with 925 lb-ft of torque would make the perfect late-night diaper runner. You know what? I was right. For about three weeks.
When Richard was not quite 2 months old, we moved into our new home. At our old house I could have easily parked a fleet of Super Duties, no problem. That old dump was parking Nirvana, so to speak. The new pad? Well, the listing read: “At the end of a cul-de-sac on a private street.” It turns out that’s relator speak for: “At the narrow dead end of a street not maintained by the city of Los Angeles.” Although the whole family loves the new digs, I am slightly less in love with the big Ford. About 100 of its 250 inches sticks out onto said “private street” when the F-250 is in our tiny driveway. Did I mention that this is the short wheelbase Super Duty Crew Cab? The long wheelbase version is 16 inches longer! True, I can park it in front of the house, but then I have to back it all the way down a kinked, narrow hill and then roll out half-blind and backwards onto a busy, four-lane street. What I’ve been doing is parking it at the bottom of the hill and walking up. Did I mention that today was a record high temperature for downtown L.A.?
Obviously, none of the above is the truck’s fault. After all, part of the reason we unanimously voted it our 2017 Truck of the Year was because of its mighty capabilities, such as being able to carry 7,630 pounds in its bed. That’s more than many trucks and SUVs can tow! Those big ole capabilities are strongly correlated to the Super Duty’s bulk, its mass, and its sheer supertruck scale. There’s nothing wrong with the F250. The problem is all me. Well, it’s all my house, but you get what I’m trying to say.
Parking woes aside, I dig everything else about “my” new ride. At $78,355 I’m riding around in the ludicrously decadent King Ranch version sitting up high above it all. That’s $19,405 in options! Yes, everything’s wrapped in leather. Really nice leather, I should add. Can I get enough of the giant, panorama sunroof? Hell no! What’s that? Your truck doesn’t have heated, cooled, and massaging seats? Are you sure it’s really a truck? As for what I’m going to be doing with my big, difficult but not-too-difficult-to-park, yearlong rolling brute squad, stay tuned. But I’m thinking a road trip is definitely in order.
| 2017 Ford F-250 4×4 King Ranch | |
| BASE PRICE | $58,950 |
| PRICE AS TESTED | $78,355 |
| VEHICLE LAYOUT | Front-engine, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door truck |
| ENGINE | 6.7L/440-hp/925-lb-ft turbodiesel OHV 32-valve V-8 |
| TRANSMISSION | 6-speed automatic |
| CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) | 8,020 lb (59/41%) |
| WHEELBASE | 159.8 in |
| LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT | 250.0 X 80.0 X 81.5 in |
| 0-60 MPH | 7.1 sec |
| QUARTER MILE | 15.5 sec @ 89.0 mph |
| BRAKING, 60-0 MPH | 160 ft |
| LATERAL ACCELERATION | 0.70 g (avg) |
| MT FIGURE EIGHT | 28.8 sec @ 0.57 g (avg) |
The post 2017 Ford F-250 Super Duty King Ranch Arrival appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris Mit's really not a bad looking car.
Last quarter, Tesla promised that, despite its long history of delays, production of the Model 3 sedan would start on time in July. Surprisingly, the Model 3 actually did go into production without a major delay. We were even able to get an exclusive extended test drive of the most affordable Tesla yet.
According to Tesla’s second quarter report, the smooth launch of the Model 3 has resulted in an average of 1,800 new reservations per day. With Tesla claiming to have already had more than 450,000 reservations before the launch, it’s safe to say the electric automaker will have its hands full for quite a while. Tesla’s current goal is to ramp up production from 1,500 units a month in September to 20,000 units by December.
Tesla also claims that orders for both the Model S and X have been up, as well. In July, orders were reportedly 15 percent higher than normal for Q2. To meet demand, Tesla plans to increase deliveries of the S and the X while also scaling up production of the Model 3.
Assuming Tesla actually can pull off production increases for all three models, something Tesla CEO Elon Musk has called “production hell,” the biggest challenge will be making sure quality remains high. Few things would be worse for Tesla than the Model 3 getting a reputation as a reliability nightmare.
Tesla also claims that revenue increased significantly last quarter. Compared to Q2 2016, revenue was up a whopping 93 percent, mostly thanks to a 53-percent increase in deliveries. Unfortunately for Tesla, revenue was flat compared to the previous quarter, and it still burned through nearly $1.2 billion in cash. Tesla reports having more than $3 billion cash on hand at the end of the quarter.
Leading up to the launch of the Model 3, it was highly unlikely that Tesla would post a profit. But at the same time, despite claiming to still have $3 billion in cash reserves, Musk’s company will eventually have to start making money. A successful launch of the Model 3 shows it’s headed in that direction, but as this latest report confirms, Tesla definitely isn’t there just yet.
Source: Tesla
The post Tesla Averaging 1,800 New Model 3 Reservations Per Day appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris Mhide yo kids, hide yo wife, cause Mustangs are runnin' over everybody now a days. But for real, I like the look of the new mustang.
It seems like the 2018 Ford Mustang GT wants to raise a little hell on the track. Ford claims the new Mustang GT can hit 60 mph in less than 4 seconds in Drag Strip mode.
Ford claims the revised GT will now beat a Porsche 911 Carrera, which packs a twin-turbocharged boxer six-cylinder that offers 370 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. In our tests, a 2017 Carrera hit 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. An all-wheel-drive, 420-hp Carrera 4S will get you there in 3.3 seconds.
The increased acceleration comes as a result of the 2018 Mustang GT’s redesigned 5.0-liter V-8, which Ford has revealed makes 460 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque — an increase of 25 hp and 20 lb-ft over last year’s model. The extra power and torque join the quicker, smoother-shifting 10-speed SelectShift automatic and a set of custom-designed Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S tires to complete the 911-beating package.
“Typically, when you shift gears, you give up time,” said Carl Widmann, Mustang chief engineer in a release. “In Drag Strip mode, the engine torque doesn’t drop when you’re shifting. You get peak engine torque and horsepower straight through thanks to our new Ford-built 10-speed transmission.”
Ford’s upgraded 5.0-liter V-8 features a dual-fuel system composed of high-pressure direct injection and low-pressure port fuel injection schemes for increased power and efficiency. Ford also claims the new GT delivers more low-end torque, high-rpm power, and improved fuel efficiency.
Drag Strip mode has been designed to provide maximum acceleration and performance for straight-line driving and is one of five driver-selectable modes available for 2018. Normal, sport, track, and snow/wet are the other modes on tap.
“Gearing matters, and in Drag Strip mode, this car launches better than ever off the line,” Widmann boasts.
Even the EcoBoost-equipped Mustang gets a bump in torque for 2018. A retuned EcoBoost four-cylinder now offers 310 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, a 30-lb-ft gain over the 2017 model. Ford claims the 2018 version equipped with the Performance Package and the 10-speed automatic can reach 60 mph in less than 5 seconds in Drag Strip mode.
The 2018 Mustang will be available at dealers in the fall and you can build and price one here starting on July 25.
Source: Ford
The post 2018 Ford Mustang GT Drag Strip Mode Promises Sub-4-Second 0-60 appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris Mgross..
Mustang versus Camaro is a classic Ford versus Chevy matchup, but the two automakers once battled one another in the U.S. in the compact/midsize truck segment, too. Once the 2019 Ranger arrives, the award-winning Chevrolet Colorado, popular Toyota Tacoma, and others will have fresh competition from Ford, which already builds the best-selling truck in the U.S. Will they have anything to worry about? Keep reading for our best guesses on what to expect for the 2019 Ranger truck (recent European-spec Rangers are shown in this article).
Ford has already confirmed the 2019 Ranger will be a traditional body-on-frame truck based on the pickup’s global platform because the nameplate lived on around the world after it was discontinued in the U.S. following the 2011 model year. Years ago, an F-100 model was rumored to be a possible entry-level replacement, but the Ranger name has survived (in the U.S. and abroad) to see another generation.
Although Ford is preparing a diesel for the 2018 F-150 and Chevrolet offers a diesel-powered Colorado, the 2019 Ranger’s volume engines will likely include at least one EcoBoost gas-powered variant. A more powerful version of Ford’s 2.5-liter naturally aspirated I-4 could serve as the base engine (in the Fusion, it makes 175 hp and 175 lb-ft of torque).
Most will skip that engine option, instead choosing what might be a version of the automaker’s new 3.3-liter naturally aspirated V-6. In the 2018 F-150, the engine will produce 280 hp and 253 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, the 2017 Colorado’s 3.6-liter V-6 is good for 308 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. A third engine option could include a 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbo-four (good for 310 hp and 320 lb-ft with 93-octane fuel in the Mustang), the automaker’s 2.7-liter EcoBoost turbo-six, or a diesel.
None of the 2019 Ford Ranger’s competitors currently offer a regular-cab body style, and we expect the Ranger’s lineup in the U.S. to start with the SuperCab two-door body style in the low $20,000 range, with a four-door SuperCrew model available for a few thousand more.
We’ve enjoyed watching the specs rivalries among the Detroit Three automakers’ heavy-duty trucks, and Ford will definitely want to be in the mix with the 2019 Ranger. The 2017 Colorado with a V-6 can tow as much as 7,000 pounds, and the Colorado diesel ups that rating to 7,700 pounds. The 2017 Tacoma with its V-6 is rated to tow up to 6,800 pounds. Considering the gas-powered Colorado’s ratings, count on the 2019 Ranger to tow at least 7,100 pounds in the right configuration.
Higher trim levels will likely be offered with an 8.0-inch touchscreen that’s compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A rearview camera will be standard, and the highest trim could offer heated/ventilated seats, trailer sway control, LED headlights, and LED lighting in the truck bed. Ford has found success with higher trim levels on other vehicles including the F-150 and Fusion, and we expect one on the Ranger, too.
Capability has always been more of a focus than safety when it comes to trucks, but Ford has an opportunity here. The European-spec Ranger already offers a full suite of active safety tech, which includes emergency braking assist and lane keeping assist systems. The 2017 Tacoma and 2017 Colorado are currently rated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration at four stars out of a possible five stars.
Ford’s popular F-150 Raptor has served as a great halo car for the automaker, and we wonder whether it will allow the Colorado ZR2 or even the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon go unchallenged. Should we expect a lifted Ranger with beefy tires and upgraded off-road equipment to match that of the Colorado ZR2? If not in the first model year, it’s a possibility after the Ranger relaunches in the U.S., along with the Bronco SUV about a year later.
The post 2019 Ford Ranger: What to Expect From the New Small Truck appeared first on Motor Trend.
The folks at JL Wrangler Forums have received some new details about the next-gen Jeep Wrangler, including likely confirmation of a diesel variant. The details reportedly come from an FCA dealer meeting, and the spy shots, which appear to show a diesel-powered test mule’s Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) tank, come from a forum user.
An anonymous source leaked details from the meeting to the forum. According to this source, Jeep CEO Mike Manley said the next Wrangler will debut at the 2017 L.A. auto show press days in late November, with production models arriving at dealerships as early as mid-December. The leaker also revealed the JL-generation Wrangler’s drivetrain choices, which will include an updated 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 that will come standard with a manual transmission and offer an automatic as an option, a turbocharged 2.0-liter DOHC I-4 with only an automatic, and finally, a diesel engine (likely the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6) available late in the 2019 model year pending EPA certification. The report doesn’t give any details on how many gears the transmissions will have, but count on a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic.
The diesel option has been rumored for some time, and now JL Wrangler Forums has caught a prototype equipped with what appears to be a DEF tank on the passenger side of the driveshaft. We also get a good look at the SUV’s suspension, differentials, and transfer case, which all look suitably robust for a Wrangler.
Other details revealed include the removal of the two-door Sahara trim and the addition of a power sliding hard top coming late in the 2018 model year. In addition, the JL Wrangler Unlimited has a longer wheelbase, push-button start will be offered, the Rubicon will get 33-inch tires, and most current JK Wrangler aftermarket parts will fit the new JL.
There’s still plenty more we don’t know about the next-gen Wrangler, so stay tuned.
Source: JL Wrangler Forums
The post The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Diesel is Probably Happening appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris MI hope so... The new Z28 is 75K. I'll buy a Vette or a hellcat before I get a Z28, and they look better than the Z's do too.
The Chevrolet Camaro may be one of the most popular sports cars, but sales are trailing behind the Ford Mustang so far this year. To bolster sales and make the Camaro more competitive against rivals, General Motors is reconsidering build options and price points for the sports car.
According to product boss Mark Reuss, GM could rework prices at the lower and higher ends of the Camaro range. He says the Mustang and some of the Camaro’s other rivals “will have a lower base price and that’s an opportunity for us probably.”
“I think we’ve got opportunities at the very low end of the Camaro range and some remix of some of the V-8 options on it so we don’t force people to buy all the options with a V-8, just to get a V-8,” Reuss said at the press unveiling of the Camaro ZL1 NASCAR Cup racer, reports Automotive News.
Prices for the base 2017 and 2018 Camaro coupe start at $26,900, and these models come with a 2.0-liter turbo-four engine making 275 hp. Comparatively, the 2017 Mustang starts at $26,085 and features a 3.6-liter V-6 good for 300 ponies. The revamped 2018 Mustang, coming out this fall, gets a base 2.3-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder that makes 310 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque, and will start at $26,485. A base 2017 Dodge Challenger, however, is more expensive than the Camaro. It runs $28,090 with a 3.6-liter V-6 making 305 hp.
When equipped with the V-8, the 2018 Camaro starts at $37,995. That price is way ahead of the Mustang GT, which starts at $34,095, or $35,995 for the 2018 model year. It’s also more expensive than the Challenger R/T, priced from $34,090.
The Mustang leads the way in terms of sales. Ford moved 50,814 Mustangs from dealer lots through July, ahead of 41,280 sales for the Camaro. The Dodge Challenger is coming up on the Camaro’s tail with sales of 41,243 during the first seven months.
If you look at it another way, the Camaro is actually doing pretty well. Camaro sales dropped just 2.5 percent through July, while Mustang sales were down a whopping 30 percent. Challenger sales have increased about 3 percent.
Reuss declined to comment when we can expect some of these possible pricing changes for the Camaro.
Source: Automotive News (Subscription required)
The post Chevrolet Considers More Competitive Price Points for Camaro appeared first on Motor Trend.
Chris MI really wish they would make this game for XBOX. It seems like it would be a fun game to play.
Hello Games has released full details and a new trailer for the Atlas Rises update, which appears to be being prepped for release today.
After being teased earlier this week, a huge changelist and a new trailer have now been released:
You can find full details of the update on the No Man's Sky website, but here's an abridged list of the major hits:
Chris MFOR AARON
It's that time of the year again. Along with the rush to stock up on school supplies and some new duds, there are many newly licensed teenagers who are responsible for driving themselves to school for the first time.
If you're among that number of new drivers, following these back to school driving tips will make it easier for you to have a safe, successful school year.
You've got your license. Congratulations! You no longer have to get up at the crack of dawn to get on the bus or go on a cold morning walk or bike ride to get to school. You're a new driver and although you might save some time, you shouldn't wait until the last minute to head off to school.
By leaving early, you'll avoid the stressful last-minute rush and decrease the amount of traffic you have to deal with. Also, an unexpected accident or traffic on the road won't make you late for school. You might have to spare a few minutes of sleep, but avoiding a stressful morning rush to school will be a much better start to your day.
If you're worried or nervous about navigating the parking lot, don't go dashing off to your car as soon as the bell rings. Most people think that's the quickest way to leave school and the best way to avoid the after school traffic, but in reality, it's not. With everyone trying to leave right as school ends, it can cause a lot of traffic and can be quite hectic.
Within a few minutes, the parking lot will clear out considerably, and you won't have to fight nearly as much traffic to get out. Simply take your time to get to your car, and you’ll get home quickly without any headaches.
This goes for even the most experienced drivers. Don’t put on makeup, check your phone, or flip open a book to check on a homework assignment when you're driving — especially first thing in the morning when you're still sleepy. While eating in the car or sending a quick text may seem easy to do while driving, you only need to be distracted for a moment for something to go wrong. Remember, you share the road, so keep it a safe place.
Sure, it sounds cool to be able to give your friends a ride or from school. But being a nervous driver is never a fun thing and your friend could end up being a distraction to you. Save it for when you have some practice under your belt.
It's also smart to know your state's law is on having passengers under the age of 25 with you, as many states give you a waiting period until you can officially drive anyone. If you're lacking driving confidence or aren't past your given waiting period, pass on picking up the crew.
When possible, fill up after school, not before — and don't wait until your tank hits empty. In the moment, it can seem like a pain to go get gas after school when all you want to do is go home and relax, but it goes a long way toward helping you be prepared for the next day. The last thing you want is to end up stranded when you're already running late.
Before the first day of school, take the time to look over the school parking lot, check out traffic patterns, and plan how you'll get in and out of school each day. Maybe even take a few trips there and back to get comfortable with your route. It's best to not have any unwanted surprises when you're first driving to school. Reviewing the route will help make the transition smoother.
Remember that many of your peers are also new drivers, and some aren't as informed as you. When you're in the school parking lot, allow plenty of room for other drivers. Some people might have some trouble parking or with a certain driving maneuver, so give them time and space to figure it out.
You may want to just rush and get where you're going already, but that's never a good idea. Take the drive at a pace that is safe and that you're comfortable with. Speeding is a component in most accidents, so it's a lot safer to drive the speed limit and arrive a minute or two later. This is where leaving early can come in handy.
The last thing you want going to school is to have a warning light pop up on your dash or maybe a flat tire. Be safe and give your car a quick check a day or two before your first day of school — better safe than sorry.
Driving your car to school for the first time is a huge milestone, and you should feel great for getting such an awesome opportunity. By following these back-to-school driving tips, you'll find that you're able to enjoy it more and keep yourself safer — and that makes both us and mom and dad happy!
Chris MNot a bad price. AND, you know it's safe.
I have grilled with “seconds” grade cedar planks for about 8 years. You soak the planks for a few hours and lay the fish skin down onto the planks. A large piece of fish may require two planks. The moisture in the soaked plank steam-cooks the fish during the first phase of cooking and then as the plank dries out it begins to char and smoke. This combination of cooking methods gives grilled fish a nice tender steamed texture and also a great smokey flavor.
I now grill fish more often and get many compliments on the flavor. “Seconds” grade cedar planks have small chips or knots so they are quite a bit less expensive than regular planks. I have never had these cosmetic defects affect the performance of the plank or the taste of my food. The planks I use are available on Amazon but you can also order bulk planks from other sellers online.
-- Rob Ray
Pacific Northwest Blend Medium Cedar-Alder Grilling Planks (2nds) 30 Pack ($32)
Available from Amazon
Editor's Note: In light of the recent announcement of Diablo IV, we've updated our Diablo retrospective. Get stuck into the past, present, and future of Diablo while you wait.
“Growing up I remember playing Diablo and it being this incredible, amazing experience. One that I played with my brothers. We had so much fun together. And when Diablo II came out, it was mind-blowing. Playing through it felt like a discovery, and I lost an entire summer where I was constantly playing.” That’s Rob Foote, Lead Game Producer on the Diablo III team. He’s been at Blizzard for the past 17 years, and the main reason he applied to for a job there, was Diablo.
Chris Mso... I got about 1:30 in to the video, and I honestly don't know what's going on. aaron, did you play this mode in the Beta?
A finite number of lives, permanent death, and coordinated team tactics are the three core elements that make up Destiny 2's Survival mode. On the surface, adding a limit to the amount of lives that a team can use may seem like a simple tweak to the PVP formula, but it reinforces the competitive philosophy that's already been established with the addition of Countdown in the Crucible. This is the second of what will hopefully be a plethora of modes that require teams of players to be built before heading into a particular mode. It's exactly what we hope to see more of in Destiny 2's PVP offerings.
Survival turned out to be one of our favorite experiences during the trip to Bungie. While not as competitive as a Destiny 1 event like Trials of Osiris, Survival keeps the importance of staying alive while not making the player feel like they haven't contributed should they get killed once or twice by the opponent. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and we couldn't help but pull off one ear of our headsets so we could communicate effective strategies. It is, in our brief experience so far, a fantastic addition to the existing pool of PVP options that players already love.
Despite an accidental preorder retail listing last month, Nintendo has announced that the Super NES Classic Edition will officially be available for preorder later in August.
In a Facebook post, Nintendo said the company "can confirm that it will be made available for pre-order by various retailers late this month." While declining to mention a specific number, Nintendo said "A significant amount of additional systems will be shipped to stores for launch day, and throughout the balance of the calendar year." Nintendo told IGN it intends to produce "significantly more" SNES Classic than NES Classics, which Nintendo had shipped 2.3 million units of worldwide before its cancellation this year.
Chris MThat first house looks awesome.
Don’t build a tiny home, build a small home. Fashionable tiny homes can be more aspirational than realistic. Ditto for large homes. A small home (400-1200 sqft) is the better size for most folks. In this book, shelter maven Lloyd Kahn collects home ideas for small homes that are built by the owners, or at least designed by the owners. The small size of the homes featured here encourage hand-made details that you could not complete in large home. Hand made everything is only one benefit of a small home; others include affordability, low ecological footprint, low maintenance, etc. The overall message in this gallery of hundreds of hand-built small homes is that small homes can be incredibly beautiful, adequately spacious, potentially affordable, and in most ways preferable to a large home. And that you — you the reader — should be able to build one yourself, with help. While you could build a tiny house, a small house offers many more advantages over tiny and few added downsides. The many hundreds of clear shots in these 220 color pages supply very practical solutions on how other small home makers have squeezed high quality living into a small space. Small is smart; small is beautiful.
-- KK
Small Homes: The Right Size, by Llyod Kahn, 2017, 220 pages, $20
International Amazon link
Available from Amazon
Sample Excerpts:
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Floor area: 345 square feet. “We designed the house together, no drawings, just the odd sketch on the back of an envelope.”
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“This structure is built of a combination of earthen building techniques, all of which utilize different combinations of clay soil and sand harvested from the land, and straw. The building is made of cob, earth bag, light clay straw, and adobe. The floors are made of earth, sealed with linseed oil and beeswax. The house is heated with a rocket stove that is also build out of cob. The roof is a sealed lime.” Floor area: 500 square feet.
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Chris MI wonder if this would be legal in an office environment?
Bought this wrecking bar several years ago for drywall removal. A very aggressive tool indeed! I used it to punch a hole in the drywall, grip the drywall and pry it off in big chunks. I even knocked down and removed 2 x 4s in the wall with it. Weighing nearly 4 pounds, it is much heavier than the hammer I would have used, and that weight adds to its destructive power. Not a bad choice to leave near my earthquake buckets. And an awesome zombie-stopper when the apocalypse comes!
-- Kent Barnes
[Dead-On also sells a 14-inch version, which is less massive.]
Dead On Annihilator Utility and Wrecking Bar
Available from Amazon
This is a Cool Tools Favorite from 2017
In its latest announcement, Bungie has announced that some of Destiny's live competitive events will soon no longer be available.
Both the Iron Banner and Trials of Osiris PvP events are appearing for the final time on August 1 and 11 respectively, before being reworked for Destiny 2. While Bungie doesn't reveal what forms they will take in the upcoming sequel, it does promise that they will definitely reappear in "unexpected ways".
While these changes won't affect other weekly activities, the update does include a list of tasks that players may want to accomplish before August 1 in order to unlock emblems in Destiny 2.
Chris MAll you have to do is find something that takes a 3.5" floppy
You can purchase Doom 2 creator John Romero's original copy of the seminal first-person shooter.
Romero announced via Twitter that he's currently auctioning off his original five Doom 2 floppy disks on eBay and will sign them if the winner requests so. The starting bid was $10 USD but this has since increased to a whopping $406 USD.
John Romero's Doom 2 floppy disks.
Chris MYIKES....
The European Commission says Google "abused its market dominance as a search engine by promoting its own comparison shopping service in its search results, and demoting those of competitors."
(Image credit: Darko Vojinovic/AP)
Chris M...
Cliff Bleszinski has been making video games since he was a teenager and is known largely for his work on first- and third-person shooters like Gears of War and the upcoming LawBreakers. But Bleszinski has ideas for very different games, including one about a lost dog.
"We have two dogs and I just love dogs. The studio is dog-friendly. Any day when we have multiple dogs at work, I can just feel like the tension is so much far less because dogs are awesome," Bleszinski said during an interview with IGN at E3 2017.
If he got around to making it, Bleszinski said he'd call the game Dog Gone. It would feature a dog trying to make it back to his irresponsible family.
"It’d basically be a family that takes the SUV or whatever to the Grand Canyon, and they get distracted by something and they wind up driving back home to Jersey," Bleszinski said. "They somehow manage to forget their dog — terrible people, mind you, much like the family from Home Alone. Then the dog has to go through all these different sections of dogs he meets the Chihuahuas, the Rottweilers, the Pitbulls, the Pomeranians, and everything at these various, different locations."
Chris Mthey will never learn...
I’m probably not the only old-school Nintendo fan with conflicting emotions today. On the one hand, the long-rumored/expected Super NES Classic was announced, and it sounds awesome! Two controllers, 21 games including several bona-fide all-time classics, and even the unreleased Star Fox 2. Yes!! On the other hand, Nintendo flat-out bungled the launch of the NES Classic, which was a gimme putt as far as system launches go. What should’ve been a uniting moment of universally celebrated nostalgia was instead a months-long slog of frustration, unceremoniously capped off by the quiet discontinuation of the NES Classic in April, assuring that many fans would never get their hands on the tiny trip down video game memory lane.