Trim levels available with a manual: Sport, Sport S, Willys, Mojave, Rubicon, Mojave X, Rubicon X
Unlike its Wrangler stablemate, every Jeep Gladiator trim comes with the option to row your own gears. The six-speed manual gearbox pairs with the Gladiator’s lone engine option: the brand’s venerable 3.6-liter V-6.
Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian-born Formula 1 driver. He raced from 1984-1994–winning his first World Championship in 1988, and dying in a 1994 crash. He was just 34 years old.
When a racing driver or other notable figure dies young, many folks wonder aloud at “what could have been.” The James Deans and Jimi Hendrixes of the world may owe some portion of their status to the fact that we’ll never knew how great they could have become. Senna’s early death cast a similar shadow over F1. But it is far from the only reason he’s famous: he won three world championships and 41 races. Senna is one of the all-time greats.
Modern Formula 1 V6s make around 840 horsepower. The cars have advanced aerodynamics–such as full-length underbody diffusers–which create 1,700 pounds of downforce to increase grip. Modern Formula 1 drivers are incredible athletes who must posses the precision of fighter pilots. But when Lewis Hamilton took a lap in one of Ayrton Senna’s old F1 cars he said he “couldn’t imagine” driving it in a race.
Why? When Senna started racing, F1 cars were 1,200 horsepower monsters. Hamilton added, “I think the cars back then were a lot less aero-efficient and aerodynamic reliant. It was more like a go-cart back then. Because they literally had big, huge tires with mechanical grip.”
Driving that era of F1 car faster than the competition required spending an entire race at the limits of its grip. Senna’s mastery of that danger zone was never more evident than when he was racing in the rain. His wet weather performances at the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, 1985 Portuguese Grand Prix, and 1993 European Grand Prix still stand as some of the best of all time.
Senna’s death made a huge impact on Hamilton. And while driving Senna’s car he had a sobering realization. He said it felt like the car had a “cockpit you could almost punch through.” He added, “Driving around at those speeds, your wheel falls off, mechanic makes a mistake, you’re dead.” He admitted that without modern safety equipment, “The fine line between life and death was probably a lot narrower.”
Before Senna’s last race, he watched a rookie die during qualifying. One of the tragedies of Senna’s story is that he spent his final morning spearheading the formation of a Grand Prix Drivers’ Association to lobby for safer conditions. His efforts were too late to save his own life, but they inspired changes to make the sport safer for modern drivers.
Maintaining an electric vehicle (EV) is considerably simpler and more cost-effective than a traditional gas-powered car. While the upfront cost of EVs may be higher, they save owners money in the long run through lower maintenance costs and affordable home charging. Here’s a detailed guide on how to keep your electric car running smoothly.
EVs are designed with fewer mechanical components, which means less frequent servicing compared to gas-powered vehicles. Electric car owners avoid expenses associated with tune-ups, oil changes, cooling system flushes, transmission servicing, and replacement of parts like air filters, spark plugs, and drive belts. Studies suggest that maintaining an EV costs about half as much as maintaining a conventional vehicle.
Despite their simplicity, EVs still require some routine maintenance. Manufacturers recommend regular checks and services to keep warranties valid and ensure vehicle longevity. Failing to follow the suggested maintenance schedule could result in voided warranties and costly repairs.
Typical maintenance tasks include tire rotation, replacing the cabin air filter and wiper blades, and topping off the washer fluid. Manufacturers advise that these tasks, aside from basic ones like checking tire pressure and washer fluid levels, should be handled by trained technicians at authorized service centers.
Nissan provides two maintenance schedules based on driving conditions:
Typical tasks include rotating tires every 7,500 miles, changing the cabin air filter every 15,000 miles, replacing brake fluid every 30,000 miles, and changing coolant every 120,000 miles.
Tesla also notes that under normal circumstances, the battery coolant does not need replacement for the life of the vehicle, and brake fluid should not be topped up.
The battery pack is the most expensive component of an EV and will degrade over time, losing its ability to hold a full charge. This degradation is gradual and more noticeable in older EV models. Modern EVs typically maintain a sufficient range for years, but owners might eventually see a decline in range that necessitates battery replacement or upgrading to a new vehicle.
While EVs require less maintenance than gas-powered cars, they are not entirely maintenance-free. Regular upkeep of tires, brakes, suspension, and other components is still necessary. Always consult your owner’s manual for specific maintenance guidelines to ensure your electric car remains in peak condition.
Amid wider fears that Tesla is pivoting away from actually making cars to focus on artificial intelligence and autonomous driving, a new report indicates it may also be dropping a groundbreaking manufacturing technique that was once meant to create its next-generation electric vehicles.
According to a report from Reuters today, Tesla has canceled plans to use a new generation of “gigacasting” in its future products. The company was reportedly working on a plan to cast the entire underbody of its next-generation car out of a single piece.
Tesla has cut over 10% of its global workforce and its entire Supercharging team in the last few weeks. It has rolled back plans for an affordable conventional Tesla in favor of a possible “Cybercab” robotaxi, which Elon says is coming in August. He appears to be betting the farm on A.I., and the company’s core business seems to be suffering from his renewed focus on solving tomorrow’s problems rather than today’s.
That would be a heavy evolution of Tesla’s current gigacasting strategy, which is used in the Model Y and Cybertruck to assemble the entire underbody of the product out of three large casted pieces. Tesla’s current approach is already vastly simpler than traditional automotive manufacturing, which usually requires dozens of casted parts. Simplifying it further will have to wait, according to two sources familiar with the matter cited by Reuters.
InsideEVs has not independently verified these claims, though Reuters has an extremely good track record for reliability.
Moreover, Tesla’s earlier commitments to improving gigacasting had the entire auto industry racing to catch up. Last year, Toyota showed off its first attempt at the technique, all of which is designed to help achieve EV manufacturing cost parity with Tesla—as well as the new crop of Chinese automakers, all of whom are turning out EVs at a breakneck pace.
Tesla’s reported retreat from its ambitious gigacasting plans comes amid what’s seen as a large-scale strategy shift for the company. It slashed 10 percent of its workforce a month ago, and then axed its entire Supercharging team on Tuesday. CEO Elon Musk seems bored of the car industry and laser-focused on A.I. and robotics.
Investors have so far shown astounding confidence in the pivot. But as Musk executes the turn, he is forcing Tesla to abandon or scale back work on the core products. The Supercharger network no longer has enough employees to maintain and expand it, the existing automotive products are either getting old or, in the case of the Cybertruck, too expensive to be relevant at a large scale. The Model 2 appears to be dead. And now even the next-gen manufacturing process that Musk has promised seems to be in question.
CEO Elon Musk appears to be betting everything on solving autonomy with a vision-only system, and monetizing that into something beyond what existing robotaxi businesses have been able to manage. Who knows, that could pay off. If it doesn’t, though, Musk will have gutted the thriving, industry-leading parts of his business in favor of an A.I. dream he can’t achieve anytime soon.
According to Experian, the average car payment at the end of 2023 was more than $700 for new cars and more than $500 for used vehicles. What’s more, your prime or subprime credit score wouldn’t have really impacted your payment compared to everyone else. In other words, if you had a “good” credit score, you’d be paying about $10 more per month than someone with excellent credit. In any case, if you’re tired of your car loan, here’s how to get rid of your car payment.
Until you’re aware of your remaining loan balance, you won’t be able to strategize paying it off. Call your lender or log into your account portal to determine the full loan balance, otherwise known as the “payoff.”
Once you understand the remaining sum, you can begin to create a payoff plan that will free you from the car payment treadmill sooner than your loan term.
A lump sum payoff is a surefire way to quickly avoid paying interest to the bitter end of the loan’s terms. However, you’d need a relatively large sum to do so early in the loan term. Ensure that if you choose this option, it won’t leave you in a worse financial bind without that cash on hand. Additionally, confirm that your lender will allow an early payoff without penalty.
By submitting an amount that’s larger than your obligated payment, any additional funds can go toward your car loan principal. The principal is the core loan balance before interest. By paying down the loan balance, you can shorten the life of the loan, hence paying less interest overall.
Making biweekly car payments will ultimately shave off a whole month’s worth of the total loan every year. How? By making a half payment every two weeks, you’ll actually submit thirteen months of payment within a twelve-month period.
Before you move forward with any of these ways to get rid of a car payment, ensure that your lender accepts them and will submit additional funds or a lump sum to your balance without any punishment fees.
Car payments can feel suffocating and difficult to move away from. Overall, choosing a car with a retail price well within your financial comfort zone is best. Avoid entering a car loan if you can. If you must borrow from a lender, try to keep the payment as low as possible and do what you can to pay it off quickly without damaging your overall financial health.
In April 2024, Hyundai Motor America reported 68,603 vehicle sales, marking a 3.1% year-over-year decrease. Despite this dip, Hyundai’s electrified vehicle segment, including EVs, PHEVs, and HEVs, has shown significant growth. Notably, the sales volume of electrified cars increased by 26% year-over-year, with all-electric car sales rising by 31%.
Hyundai has started 2024 on a strong note with its EV sales in the U.S. experiencing rapid growth. In the first four months of the year, the company sold over 15,000 units of the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 models, a 68% increase from the previous year. In April alone, Hyundai sold 4,955 electric vehicles based on its E-GMP platform, representing a 54% increase year-over-year and accounting for 7.2% of Hyundai’s total sales volume, up from 4.5% a year ago.
The breakdown includes 3,702 units of the Ioniq 5 (a 59% increase year-over-year) and 1,253 units of the Ioniq 6 (a 41% increase). Additionally, although specific numbers for the Hyundai Kona Electric are not reported separately, Hyundai disclosed that overall all-electric vehicle sales, including the Kona, increased by 31% year-over-year.
So far in 2024, Hyundai has sold more than 15,400 units of the Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 in the U.S., reflecting a 68% year-over-year increase and making up 6.1% of the brand’s total volume. For context, Hyundai sold 46,917 units of these models throughout 2023, representing 5.9% of the total sales volume.
Hyundai’s performance in the first half of 2024 appears promising, but maintaining this growth in the second half will be challenging due to a higher base of comparison. The official statistics do not include sales figures for other plug-in models like the Santa Fe PHEV and Tucson PHEV, as these are reported alongside conventional or non-rechargeable hybrids.
The hydrogen fuel cell model, Hyundai Nexo, sold 13 units in April, a 19% decrease year-over-year, with a total of 64 units sold in 2024, down 21% from the previous year. Despite these challenges, Hyundai’s strong performance in the EV sector indicates a positive trend towards electrification.
Hyundai’s continued focus on expanding its EV lineup and improving sales strategies is crucial for sustaining growth. The increasing popularity of the Ioniq models showcases Hyundai’s commitment to providing competitive and appealing electric vehicles in the U.S. market. As the year progresses, Hyundai’s ability to innovate and meet consumer demand will be key to its success in the evolving automotive landscape.
This cute clip of a dog getting a “spot-spree” scratch has over 17 million views on X.
This week, a heartwarming video of a smart Fido is circulating. In it, the kindly pup patiently awaits a large car wash brush to swirl down low enough to reach. The video is embedded below. In less than 48 hours, the X post has been viewed more than 17 million times.
As the car wash brush works around the back of a white vehicle in the bay, the pup takes full advantage of the soft spinning bristles. The dog spends nearly 60 seconds hitting every itchy zone.
What’s hilarious is how comfortable the dog is in fully immersing itself in the bristles. It also seems to understand that the machine stops and then starts back up again. Clearly, the pup has done this before! It almost makes you want to try it…
I never figured that automatic car wash brushes could ever be safe enough for close contact like this, but I suppose it makes sense in some iterations. One local car wash near me uses flat, foam-paneled “brushes,” if you could even call them that. They certainly wouldn’t do much more than slap you silly. Of course, for years now, touchless or brushless washes have become more common in the U.S.
The smiling, good-humored hound looks to be a collarless shepherd. The video doesn’t appear to be taken in the U.S., as shown by the license plates of the cars inside the wash bays.
While heartwarming, the dog seems to be battling a skin issue that could use some care. It might be a stray, but regardless, let’s hope someone’s taken responsibility for this goodest pupper and is getting its needs addressed.
A motorist died Wednesday in Arden Arcade after their vehicle collided with a car and a pole, authorities said.
The California Highway Patrol was alerted just before 8:40 a.m. of a collision between a silver SUV and a white Toyota Prius on Watt and El Camino avenues, according to its dispatch log.
The SUV struck a light pole after making “contact” with the Prius, said Battalion Chief Parker Wilbourn, a spokesman for the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District.
The victim, a passenger in the SUV, was pronounced dead at the scene; the driver of the Prius suffered minor injuries and was released, he said. The driver of the SUV was not injured.
The CHP is investigating the incident. Officer Justin Fetterly, a spokesman for the North Sacramento CHP office, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Have you ever noticed your turn signal blinking faster than usual while turning? This rapid blinking is a signal from your car that maintenance is needed, often indicating a problem with the turn signal bulb. Let’s explore the reasons behind this and how you can address it.
Your turn signal may blink faster for various reasons, commonly due to a faulty bulb. When you activate the turn signal, electricity flows through the fuse box to the turn signal circuit, then to the bulb. If the bulb is damaged, the signal might blink faster or erratically, signaling a need for replacement.
To determine if the bulb is the issue, inspect each blinker to see if one is blinking differently. A bulb that appears dark, cloudy, or has a broken filament likely needs to be replaced. Besides, damaged electrical connections can also cause the turn signal to blink faster, as they prevent adequate power from reaching the bulb.
To fix a fast-blinking turn signal, start by checking all wiring and connections around the turn signal area. Clean the components and ensure the fuses are functional. If the bulb is faulty, replacing it usually involves opening the hood, removing the headlight housing, and disconnecting the electrical connector.
Carefully install the new bulb, avoiding direct contact with the glass to prevent premature failure. Reconnect the electrical connection and place the housing back in position. Finally, test the new bulb to confirm it works properly.
Poor electrical connections or a faulty switch can also lead to inconsistent blinking rates. These issues are often caused by corrosion, burns, or worn insulation in the switch or relays. Checking and cleaning these components, and replacing worn-out parts, can resolve the problem.
Understanding why your turn signal blinks faster can help you maintain your vehicle’s safety and functionality. Regular checks and prompt replacements of faulty bulbs and connections ensure your turn signals work correctly, keeping you safe on the road. If you encounter persistent issues, consider consulting a professional mechanic for further assistance.