JUNE 5, 2024

The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo. 

The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG 

(Ted7/Alex Sims)

Worth a closer look, just because: This is the 1938 Talbot-Lago T150 C Lago Spéciale Teardrop Coupé by Figoni et Falaschi. The stunning masterwork of Art Deco-inspired design was ordered new by gentleman race driver and banker Antoine Schumann to replace his Bugatti Type 50. Sold to Schumann by Luigi Chinetti for the sum of 165,000 francs, this is the only Figoni et Falaschi Teardrop Coupé built on the T150 C Lago Spéciale chassis. A special-order body with unique features specified by Schumann, and a class winner at the 1948 Belgian Grand Prix, the 24 Hours of Spa, chassis 90034 certainly has known provenance with ownership by prominent French collectors. It will be auctioned off by Broad Arrow Auctions (aka Hagerty) at Monterey on August 14th, with an estimated price of $6,500,000 - $8,500,000. 

(Ted7/Alex Sims)

(Ted7/Alex Sims)

(Robin Adams)

(Porsche images)

Porsche has significantly updated the latest generation of its iconic 911. The new 911 Carrera GTS (images shown) is the first road-legal 911 model to feature a lightweight, performance-focused hybrid powertrain, at the core of which is a newly developed engine displacing 3.6 liters. The new 911 Carrera GTS Coupe accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds – 0.3 seconds quicker than before – and on to a top track speed of 194 mph. The 911 Carrera has also been enhanced and will be available at launch powered by an updated version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo boxer engine that is more powerful than before. In addition to their more powerful engines, the new 911 models feature new design, further improved aerodynamics, new colors, a fresh interior, enhanced standard equipment and more extensive connectivity. “We developed and tested various ideas and approaches to decide on a hybrid system that optimally suits the 911. The result is a unique powertrain that is well-integrated into the overall concept and enhances the performance significantly,” said Frank Moser, Vice-President of the 911 and 718 model lines.

A new, strengthened eight-speed dual-clutch transmission (PDK) with an integrated, permanently excited synchronous motor is part of the powertrain on the 911 Carrera GTS. It supplements the power of the boxer engine at idle with up to 110 lb.-ft. of torque and develops up to 40 kW. The 911 GTS also uses a newly developed, electrically driven turbocharger. An integrated electric motor, placed between the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel, speeds up the turbocharger very quickly to develop boost. This electric motor in the turbocharger also functions as a generator and can develop up to 11 kW using the exhaust gas stream. The electric turbocharger is not equipped with a wastegate and allows for the use of a single turbocharger compared to the two that were used previously while simultaneously improving throttle response and performance.

Both the electrically driven turbocharger as well as the electric motor housed in the transmission are paired with a light and compact high-voltage battery. Its size and weight are comparable to a conventional 12-volt AGM starter battery, but it can retain up to 1.9 kWh of energy (gross) and operates at 400 volts and is located under the front hood where the previous 12-volt battery was located. To optimize weight distribution, the 12-volt battery is a lightweight lithium-ion battery located behind the parcel shelf in the rear.

The heart of the T-Hybrid powertrain is a newly developed 3.6-liter boxer engine. Thanks to the high-voltage system, the compressor for the air conditioning system can be powered electrically, so there is no need for a belt drive, making the engine more compact. This provides for the room above the flat engine to house the pulse inverter and DC-DC converter. A bore increase to 97 millimeters and a stroke enlarged to 81 millimeters raise the displacement compared to previous 911 Carrera GTS models by 0.6 liters. The new engine features the camshaft adjustment system - VarioCam - and a valve control using roller rocker arms. It can retain the ideal combination of fuel and air (Lambda = 1) over the full range of engine speed.

By itself, the new boxer engine develops 357 kW (478HP) and 420 lb.-ft. of torque. The total system power is 398 kW (532HP) and 449 lb.-ft. The power increase compared to the previous 911 Carrera GTS models is 45 kW (59HP). When accelerating, the new 911 Carrera GTS outperforms its predecessor in particular when starting off from a standstill. The efficient, performance-focused hybrid achieves a heightened level of performance without the level of weight increase typically associated with conventional hybrid systems. The U.S. curb weight increase of the new 911 Carrera GTS Coupe compared to the predecessor is a moderate 103 lbs.

The standard 911 Carrera continues to be powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbo boxer engine, which has been significantly updated. It is now equipped with the intercooler used in the 911 Turbo models, which is placed above the engine directly beneath the rear decklid grille. The turbochargers of the new 911 Carrera were adopted from the previous 911 Carrera GTS models. With these modifications, the new 911 Carrera now makes 290 kW (388HP) – 9HP up on the model it replaces – and up to 331 lb.-ft. of torque. The 911 Carrera Coupe can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds (3.7 seconds with optional Sport Chrono Package) and reach at top track speed of 183 mph.

The suspension of the 911 Carrera GTS was extensively updated as well. For the first time, rear axle steering is included as standard equipment. It optimizes the stability of the vehicle at higher speeds while simultaneously reducing the turning circle. The optional roll-stabilization system Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control (PDCC) is integrated into the high-voltage system of the performance hybrid. This allows for the use of an electro-hydraulic control system, making the system even more flexible and precise. A standard sport suspension with adaptive dampers (PASM) and a ride height reduction of 10 millimeters compared to the standard 911 Carrera offer a driving experience characteristic of GTS models.

Porsche has enhanced the exterior design of the new 911, especially on the GTS model. A large part of these updates focuses on optimizing the aerodynamics and the performance of the sports car, including the new, model-specific front fascia. Furthermore, Porsche has integrated all of the light functions into the standard LED Matrix design headlights of the 911 with its characteristic four-point design. This allows for larger air intakes in the front fascia as the lights previously mounted in this area are now integrated into the headlights.

On the 911 Carrera GTS models, the front fascia incorporates five visible, vertically aligned active air flaps as well as a further flap which closes off the bypass on each side and is not visible from the exterior. They are complemented by adaptive front diffusors in the underbody, which are being used for the first time and work together with the cooling air flaps. These elements direct the air flow as needed: when little power is needed, closed air flaps optimize the aerodynamics of the car. When extracting high levels of power from the engine, for example on track, they funnel a high amount of air to the radiators. The sensors of the assistance systems are integrated into a high-gloss area below the front license plate mount.

The newly designed rear light band with “PORSCHE”-lettering enhances the impression of width and low stance of the car. A new rear decklid grille with five strakes per side forms a visible unit with the rear window and flows seamlessly into the automatically extending, variable rear spoiler. The rear license plate is mounted higher than before, and the rear fascia is simplified. Model-specific exhaust systems integrate elegantly into the pronounced diffusor fins. A sport exhaust system is optionally available for the 911 Carrera models, while the 911 Carrera GTS models are equipped with a GTS-specific sport exhaust system as standard.

For the first time, the 911 features a fully digital instrument cluster. The 12.6-inch curved display integrates into the new operating and display concept and can be extensively customized depending on the driver’s preference. It offers up to seven different display views, including an exclusive classic display based on the historic five tube design with a centrally positioned tachometer which has been a hallmark of the 911 from the start. (Editor's Note: There's much more, but we'll stop here. -WG)

The new 2025 911 Carrera is available to order now as a Coupe or Cabriolet with rear-wheel drive. Additionally, the 2025 911 Carrera GTS is also available as a rear and all-wheel drive model (911 Carrera GTS and 911 Carrera 4 GTS) in Coupe or Cabriolet form, and as a Targa variant (exclusively available with all-wheel drive). Both powertrains are fitted with PDK as standard. Deliveries of the new 2025 911 Carrera models to U.S. Porsche Centers are expected to start in the fall, and at the end of 2024 for the 911 Carrera GTS models. The current 911 Turbo, Turbo S and GT3 RS models will continue to be offered for the 2025 model year, with pricing unchanged for these variants. The full list of MSRPs for the 2025 Porsche 911 model range is listed below. MSRP does not include tax, title, registration, dealer charges or a $1,995 delivery, processing and handling fee. Editor-in-Chief's Note: Read 'em and weep. -PMD

• 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera: $120,100
• 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet: $133,400
• 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS: $164,900
• 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Cabriolet: $178,200
• 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS: $172,700
• 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet: $186,000
• 2025 Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS: $186,000
• 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo: $197,200
• 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo Cabriolet: $210,000
• 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo S: $230,400
• 2025 Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet: $243,200
• 2025 Porsche 911 GT3 RS: $241,300

(Cadillac images)

Cadillac is calling the 2025 Cadillac OPTIQ "the electrifying new luxury entry point for the next generation of EV buyers," according to Cadillac PR minions, and "a reimagination of what entry to Cadillac luxury can be." It features: a Cadillac-estimated 300 miles of range; Standard dual motor all-wheel drive; Standard Super Cruise (3-year connected service); A 33-inch diagonal advanced LED display with 9k resolution; segment-best in cargo capacity and second-row spaciousness. OPTIQ will offer two distinctive trims — Luxury and Sport — and pricing starts at an estimated $54,000, including destination charges but excluding tax, title, license and dealer fees. (Dealer sets final price.) Production of OPTIQ will begin late this fall.

A CELEBRATION OF 25 YEARS

Take a few deep breaths now and quiet your mind, as we travel back in time to that Wednesday morning in June of 1999 and the way it all began...

Detroit, June 1st.

The Bare-Knuckled, Unvarnished, High-Octane Truth.

You've come here for a reason. You're either curious, bored, or in some internet-fueled haze that's taken over your body and turned you into a quivering jellyfish that has lost all concept of time and space. Well, for whatever the reason, welcome. I'm not going to sit here and make promises about what autoextremist.com will or won't do for you. I will say, however, that you will not read anything like it when it comes to the weird world of automobiles, because the people here are the most committed automotive enthusiasts in the world. So much so, that we operate in a dimension that other so-called "car people" find bewildering and even frightening. The Truth will do that to people. Especially in Detroit, which is one of the strangest places on earth. This place is dominated by the automobile companies. Ford in Dearborn. DaimlerChrysler in Auburn Hills. And of course General Motors, who appropriately enough, has taken over the monolithic Renaissance Center on the Detroit river. And we mean dominated. People outside of this city can't comprehend how dominant and pervasive the automobile business is in this town. It is stifling. Oppressive. Demented. And flat-out crazy. Executive changes merit front page space in the daily newspapers and lead stories on the local TV news. It is beyond being a "company town." It is a company philosophy. A company social structure. Company clubs. Company communities. Company morality. And of course, company cars. And it isn't just the car companies themselves. It's the multi-billion-dollar juggernaut suppliers like the Lear Corporation, all the way down to the guy who knew how to work a lathe pretty well, who is now knocking down a million a year out of some skanky building in Madison Heights. Yup, it's crazy alright. Which brings me to our lead story for autoextremist.com No. 1.... 

"Welcome to autoextremist.com. It's gonna be one helluva ride."

And so our first Rant came to a close on June 1, 1999. Seems like only yesterday...Hold it right there! That is a lie. It actually seems like a lifetime ago, and in many ways, it was. So much unbelievable shit has gone down over the last 25 years that if I hadn't lived every minute of it, I would think I must be trapped in some crazy dream (nightmare?). Why me, why then, why now - yes, indeed, why still now? I'm still here because I still love cars (from my '68 Camaro to my '57 Jag to my '76 2002, and everything in between - and yes, I wish I had kept more than just a few of them). Although I must admit, it has become more and more difficult to finds those moments of pure automotive joy, and to say you love cars is now viewed by some as sheer lunacy or worse, just plain E-V-I-L. So there's that. These are particularly frustrating times, to be sure. But onward we go at Autoextremist. I still believe in the power of words, and their ability to make us think and feel and sometimes even change things. I am bittersweet as this June 1st approaches (the inexorable march of time and all that), but like Peter, I remain undaunted. Basically, we HAD to do Autoextremist.com. Peter HAD to get out there and say what no one else wants to say - and more important, say what very, very few people want to hear. From Day One, AE has been about a whole new idea in cars and car advertising and car executives and car design. It's called the Truth (what a concept!). The past 25 years have made me more than a bit partial to The High-Octane Truth. So with a special shout-out to my five fans, thanks for sticking with us, thanks for reading, and most important, thanks for sharing your passion and enthusiasm for the automobile. -WG

AE Words & Phrases. We've become known for words & phrases over the years (for better or worse) and we thought we'd remind you of a few of them... 
"The Tubes" 
"The Answer to the Question that Absolutely No One is Asking" 
"Shiny, happy, flatulence-powered balsa wood smiley cars" 
"The Green Horde" 
"Heaping, steaming bowl of Not Good" 
"The Rick" 
"Maximum Bob" 
"Dead car company walking" 
"Minimum Bob" 
"The Ghosnster" 
"The Jimbotron" 
"Klinkian nightmare" 
"The Trifecta of Not Good" 
"Halle-frickin-luja" 
"Starbucks Nation of Zombie Consumers" 
"Finger-snap Environmentalists" 
"Anti-car, anti-Detroit intelligentsia" 
"Queen LaGreena" 
"It's all over but the hand-wringing" 
"The Product is, was, and always will be King" 
"Bush League Bullshit" 
"Unmitigated Bullshit" 
"Racertainment" 
"Chrome-plated pitchforks" 
"Mo-faux" 
"Go Big or Go Home" 
"The more you know the more you just never know" (Dr. Bud). 
"Fu-King Motors" 
"Captain Queeg"
"Prosciutto-encrusted T-bone"
"Espresso-swilling minions"
"Accidental tourist of a CEO"
"Swinging dickism"
"The Soy-Based Chlorophyll-Specked Self-Driving Module"
"Keyboard-stained wretches"
"From the 'Sergeant Schultz 'I Know Nothing' File'" 
"Olivier 'I'm a genius, just ask me' Francois." 
"Unctuous Prick University"
And of course, "notgonnahappen.com"

 

We have had a few fearless advertisers over the past 25 years, and we always made sure everyone knew what they were getting into by aligning with The High-Octane Truth...    

No free hunting trips to Wales. No bought-and-paid-for content "acceptable" to the auto manufacturers. No PR puff pieces lauding a convicted hack and his mediocre automotive career. No wishy-washy reviews. Just the bare-knuckled, unvarnished, high-octane truth about anything and everything to do with the car business. From the cars themselves, to the companies and the people who design, build and market them, Autoextremist.com is everything you wanted to read about the business of cars. We say the things that the others don't have the balls to say, and we do it with a relentless ferocity and an uncanny accuracy that resonate throughout the industry.

The AE Song of the Week:

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing

Watch you smile while you are sleeping
While you're far away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment forever
Where a moment spent with you is a moment I treasure

Don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you (even when I dream)
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Lying close to you, feeling your heart beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're seeing
Then I kiss your eyes
And thank God we're together
And I just wanna stay with you in this moment forever
Forever and ever

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you (even when I dream)
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna miss one smile
And I don't wanna miss one kiss
And I just wanna be with you
Right here with you, just like this
And I just wanna hold you close
I feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment
For all the rest of time
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Don't wanna close my eyes
Don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you (even when I dream)
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing

I don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep
'Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing
'Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream would never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't wanna miss a thing

Don't wanna close my eyes
I don't wanna fall asleep, yeah
And I don't wanna miss a thing

"I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" by Aerosmith, from the "Armageddon Soundtrack" (1998).* Written by Diane Warren. Publisher: Realsongs. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch the Official HD Music Video here. 

*This song was featured in the movie Armageddon, which starred Steven Tyler's daughter, Liv Tyler. U2 was originally asked to perform this song for the movie, but the idea for Aerosmith performing it only came after Liv was cast. A grand production featuring a 52-piece orchestra, this was by far Aerosmith's biggest hit on the US Hot 100, and their only chart-topper. It was #1 US for four weeks in September 1998, becoming one of the most popular songs of the year. The song got a huge bump from its placing in Armageddon, which was the top-grossing film of 1998 worldwide. Diane Warren wrote this song, which is about treasuring every moment spent with another person. Some other hit songs Warren wrote include "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" by Starship; "If I Could Turn Back Time" by Cher; "When I See You Smile" by Bad English and "I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)" by Meat Loaf. Diane Warren found inspiration for this song after hearing about an interview where James Brolin said that when his wife Barbra Streisand was away, he missed her even when he was sleeping. When she set out to write a song for Armageddon, she thought this was a good sentiment to express, since the film deals with the impending destruction of all on Earth. This song extended Aerosmith's reign as the hottest rock band of the '90s. Their 1993 album Get a Grip contained four hit singles, which also did very well on MTV. With a new generation of fans discovering the group's back catalogue, they were as popular as ever, selling out shows worldwide. Their follow-up album, Nine Lives, was a struggle to make and wasn't released until 1997. It was far less popular, with none of its singles cracking the Top 25. Aerosmith could still fill stadiums, but had to come off the road in April 1998 when Steven Tyler tore his ACL in a microphone stand mishap during a show in Anchorage. The band was on the wane and facing the possibility of empty seats when they resumed their tour at the end of the summer, but this song revived their fortunes. The tour resumed on September 9, when "I Don't Want To Miss A Thing" was the #1 song in America. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG