JANUARY 26, 2022

(Ford images)
Ford has unveiled the all-new 2022 Ford Bronco Raptor, designed and engineered by Ford Performance "to be the world’s first Ultra4 Racing-inspired SUV," according to Ford PR minions, and "is capable of highway-speed desert-dune conquering and Baja rock-crawling." Bronco Raptor features extreme "Built Wild" capability and durability, according to Ford, with an exclusive twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 targeted to deliver more than 400HP, a Raptor HOSS 4.0 race-ready suspension system, a fully boxed, high-strength steel frame, and standard 37-inch all-terrain tires. At 9.8 inches wider than a base Bronco four-door for more confident high-speed cornering, Bronco Raptor "epitomizes extreme Built Wild design with race-inspired features inside and out, accented by Raptor-family signature cues." The limited-production Bronco Raptor will be available next summer starting at $68,500, which is double the price of the base Bronco (which no one orders). Watch a video here. Editor-in-Chief's Note: I've been seeing Bronco Raptor prototypes around town for a while now. Saying the Raptor has a distinctive presence on the road is an understatement. It is unmistakable the instant you see one, and it is the most most aggressive off-road monster to date from a mainstream auto manufacturer. If it's the kind of vehicle that floats your boat, you're going to be extremely happy to get your hands on one. -PMD

(gm)
General Motors Co. announced on Tuesday (1/25) an investment of more than $7 billion in four Michigan manufacturing sites, creating 4,000 new jobs and retaining 1,000, which will significantly increase its battery cell and electric truck manufacturing capacity. Why is this significant? It marks the single largest investment announcement in GM history. The investment includes construction of a new Ultium Cells battery cell plant in Lansing and the conversion of GM’s assembly plant in Orion Township, Michigan, for production of the Chevrolet Silverado EV and the electric GMC Sierra, GM's second assembly plant scheduled to build full-size electric pickups. "Today we are taking the next step in our continuous work to establish GM’s EV leadership by making investments in our vertically integrated battery production in the U.S., and our North American EV production capacity,” said Mary Barra, GM Chair and CEO. “We are building on the positive consumer response and reservations for our recent EV launches and debuts, including GMC HUMMER EV, Cadillac LYRIQ, Chevrolet Equinox EV and Chevrolet Silverado EV. Our plan creates the broadest EV portfolio of any automaker and further solidifies our path toward U.S. EV leadership by mid-decade.” The Orion and Ultium Cells Lansing investments will support an increase in total full-size electric truck production capacity to 600,000 trucks when both Factory ZERO and Orion facilities are fully engaged. In addition, the company is investing in its two Lansing-area vehicle assembly plants for near-term product enhancements.

(Kia America)
Kia America has announced pricing for the 2022 EV6, the brand’s first dedicated all-electric model, which starts at $33,400 (after the $7,500 federal vehicle tax credit). The EV6 battery pack is available in two sizes: 58.0 kWh and 77.4 kWh. The EV6 with the 58.0 kWh battery pack has a starting price of $40,900, and a net price of $33,400, after the $7,500 federal electric vehicle tax credit. The EV6 with the 77.4 kWh battery pack starts at $47,000 but will cost $39,500 after the federal tax credit. In addition, the EV6 may also qualify for various state incentives, including single rider carpool lane access in California. These prices exclude destination charge. The all-new EV6 will be offered in three trim levels:  Light, Wind and GT-Line. The Light trim will be offered in rear-wheel drive, while Wind and sporty GT-Line variants will be available in rear-wheel drive and Dual Motor e-AWD configurations. The EV6 is expected to arrive in dealerships in the coming weeks.

(Cadillac images)
Cadillac has released images of its 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series, which will be the first SUV to don the high-performance V-Series badge. "With nearly two decades of racing-inspired prowess, the V-Series designation is reserved for vehicles that encompass the peak of Cadillac performance, bold, distinguished design, and innovative technology," according to Cadillac PR minions. More information about the 2023 Cadillac Escalade V-Series, including full vehicle specs, will be revealed in the spring of 2022. Watch a video here. 

(Chevrolet images)
2023 marks the 70th anniversary of Corvette, the longest running nameplate of any car on the road today. The 2023 model year Corvette Stingray and Corvette Z06 will celebrate this milestone with a special 70th Anniversary Edition package. 70th Anniversary Edition Corvettes will be available in one of two exterior colors unique to this package: an all-new White Pearl Metallic Tri-coat, or Carbon Flash Metallic. Optional stripes are available in complementing colors: Satin Gray with the White Pearl Metallic Tri-coat and Satin Black with the Carbon Flash Metallic. The 70th Anniversary Edition Corvettes also feature distinct wheels with commemorative wheel center caps. While Stingray and Z06 each have separate wheel designs, the wheels share a similar dark finish and Edge Red stripe. Inside the cockpit, there are two-tone Ceramic leather GT2 or Competition Sport seats, red stitching throughout, red seatbelts, and suede microfiber seat inserts and steering wheel. Additional content includes 70th Anniversary Edition exterior badging, including special Corvette crossflags; Edge Red brake calipers; 70th Anniversary Edition logo on seats, steering wheel and sill plates; Rear bumper protector and trunk cover and Custom luggage set with red stitching and 70th Anniversary Edition logo. 70th Anniversary Edition Stingray coupes will also include an Edge Red engine cover. The 70th Anniversary Edition package will be available when production starts later this year on 2023 Corvette Stingray 3LT and Z06 3LZ coupe and convertible models. The 2023 Corvette Z06 visualizer on Chevrolet.com, now includes the 70th Anniversary Edition package. The first-ever retail production mid-engine Corvette Z06 will be a 70th Anniversary Edition. VIN 001 of this special edition Corvette Z06 will cross the auction block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, with proceeds benefiting Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit focused on building strong, stable and secure military families who can thrive – not simply struggle to get by – in the communities they’ve worked hard to protect.

(Bugatti)
With all 500 Chirons sold, and production entering its final phase, Bugatti is patting itself on the back for designing, engineering and developing the supercar. Calling it "a watershed moment in automotive history," Bugatti PR minions went on to say that the Chiron is "the first road car to produce more than 1,500 PS and later even 1,600 PS... Bugatti also became the first manufacturer to break through the seemingly unbreakable 300mph barrier." The Chiron has been hand built in Molsheim, Alsace, since 2016. When developing the Bugatti Chiron, there was one central demand placed on the engineers and designers: make it even better than the Veyron in every respect. "In keeping with the company's long tradition, the Chiron represents the best, most extraordinary vehicle in the world. In every respect, it must excel – not just fast, but beautifully designed, constructed from the finest materials, usable in all conditions and at all times, and comfortable during long journeys. This is what makes the hyper sports car truly unique,” explains Christophe Piochon, Chief Operating Officer of Bugatti Rimac and President of Bugatti Automobiles. The Chiron name was inspired by the famous racing driver, Louis Chiron, who raced for Bugatti between 1926 and 1933, winning many races and securing even more podiums. He was the Monegasque driver to win a Grand Prix in his hometown, and was renowned as the best racing driver in the world in this time. At the heart of Chiron is an 8.0-liter W16 engine with four turbochargers – just as the Veyron had – but completely redesigned. Upon its release, the Chiron had 1,500 PS, 1,600 Nm of torque and pioneering technical innovations that had never been seen before in a production car. And neither had its performance. The Chiron accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.4 seconds, to 200 km/h in 6.1 seconds, and to 300 km/h in 13.1 seconds. Its top speed is electronically limited to 420 km/h. The Chiron Super Sport – evolved from the first Chiron of 2016 – is a further development of the machine re-engineered and with optimized drive components, bringing the power output to 1,600 PS – an increase of 100 PS. With a top speed of 440 km/h, the Chiron Super Sport is the fastest production sports car ever made. Engineering such performance into the Chiron was no easy task. Air cooling had to be improved over the Veyron to allow more than 60,000 liters of air per minute to be pumped through the engine, while a bespoke coolant system was developed to circulate 800 liters of water through the entire system. If the three coolers for engine oil, transmission oil and rear axle differential oil are included, together with the two water/air heat exchangers and the hydraulic oil cooler, the cooling system of the Chiron has a total of 10 radiators and is the most sophisticated and highest performance cooling system installed on a performance car. Even the catalytic converters are a masterpiece of engineering, about six times the size of those on a regular car, and with a surface area that would cover more than 30 soccer fields. 

(GM Images)
GM has announced new commercial applications of its HYDROTEC fuel cell technology. HYDROTEC projects, which are currently in development, from heavy-duty trucks to aerospace and locomotives, are being planned for use beyond vehicles for power generation. GM is planning multiple HYDROTEC-based power generators, all powered by GM’s Generation 2 HYDROTEC fuel cell power cubes, including:

• A Mobile Power Generator (MPG) to provide fast-charge capability for EVs without installing permanent charge points
• The EMPOWER rapid charger to help retail fuel stations add affordable DC fast charging without expanding the grid
• A palletized MPG to quietly and efficiently power military camps and installations

These fuel cell generators could ultimately replace gas- and diesel-burning generators with fewer emissions at worksites, buildings, movie sets, data centers, outdoor concerts and festivals. They could also back up or temporarily replace grid-sourced electricity for residential and small commercial enterprises at times of power disruption. Each of these HYDROTEC-based power generators features zero-emissions electric power generation output ranging from 60 kilowatts to 600 kilowatts, along with low noise and heat signatures.




The AE Song of the Week:

Every time I look into your lovely eyes,
I see a love that money just cant buy.
One look from you, I drift away.
I pray that you are here to stay.

Anything you want, you got it.
Anything you need, you got it.
Anything at all, you got it.
Baby!

Every time I hold you I begin to understand,
Everything about you tells me Im your man.
I live my life to be with you.
No one can do the things you do.
Anything you want, you got it.
Anything you need, you got it.
Anything at all, you got it.
Baby!
Anything you want
Anything you need
Anything at all

Im glad to give my love to you.
I know you feel the way I do.
Anything you want, you got it.
Anything you need, you got it.
Anything at all, you got it.
Baby!
Anything you want, you got it
Anything you need, you got it
Anything at all, you got it
Baby
Anything at all
Baby
You got it

"You Got It" by Roy Orbison from the album "Mystery Girl" (1988)*. Written by Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne (of The Traveling Wilburys). Watch the Official Live Music Video here.

*You Got It was the lead single off of Roy Orbison's posthumous album Mystery Girl. Written and performed with Traveling Wilburys members Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne (Orbison was a hero of Lynne's), the song hit No. 9 in the U.S. and No. 3 in the UK. Orbison's only live performance of "You Got It" was at the Diamond Awards Festival in Antwerp, Belgium, on November 19, 1988. Footage of that performance appears in the music video for the song. Orbison died three weeks later. The Traveling Wilburys (sometimes shortened to The Wilburys) consisted of Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. The idea for the group stemmed from an idea discussed by Harrison and Lynne during the sessions for Harrison's 1987 album Cloud Nine. The group formed in April 1988 after the five members united to record a bonus track for Harrison's next European single. When this collaboration - "Handle With Care" - was deemed too good for such a limited release, the group agreed to record a full album, titled Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1. Following Orbison's death in December 1988, the Wilburys released a second album, which they titled Traveling Wilburys Vol. 3, in 1990. The band members adopted tongue-in-cheek pseudonyms as half-brothers from the fictional Wilbury family of traveling musicians. Vol. 1 was a critical and commercial success, helping to revitalize Dylan's and Petty's respective careers. In 1990, the album won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group. Although Harrison imagined a series of Wilburys albums and a film about the band, produced through his company HandMade, the group's final release was in February 1991. After several years of unavailability, the two Wilburys albums were reissued by the Harrison estate in the 2007 box set: The Traveling WIlburys Collection. The box set included a DVD containing their music videos and a documentary on the band's formation. The term "Wilbury" originated during the Cloud Nine sessions. Referring to recording errors created by faulty equipment, Harrison jokingly remarked to Lynne, "We'll bury 'em in the mix." Thereafter, they used the term for any small error in performance. Harrison first suggested the "Trembling Wilburys" as the group's name; but at Lynne's suggestion, they amended it to "Traveling Wilburys". (Thank you to various sources for the knowledge.)