OCTOBER 30, 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 

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Introducing a new segment to our AE readers - we're calling it The Farley Follies - in honor of CEO Jim "Electric Boy" Farley and his chronic mismanagement of Ford. The newest evidence of Farley's rumblin' bumblin' and stumblin' is Ford's latest financial report, which has the company's third-quarter net income falling 26 percent. Now, this was largely attributed to Ford delaying some of its EVs - (Cue Johny Carson: "Gee, I did not know that." -WG), but it resulted in the company also lowering its full-year adjusted EBIT to “around $10 billion” after previously saying it could earn as much as $12 billion. But wait! Farley Apologist-in-Chief - CFO John Lawler - said it was all good, because the company's total adjusted earnings - before interest and taxes - rose 16 percent to $2.6 billion, with a revenue increase of 5 percent to $46 billion. Huzzah! “It’s a good proof point of our product strategy and our overall Ford+ strategy,” Lawler said on a call with reporters Oct. 28, as reported by Automotive News. “We grew the top line, we grew the bottom line, our balance sheet’s in great shape, so it was a solid quarter.” Really, John? That's all you got? Lawler went on to say that Ford has cut $2 billion in costs this year, but those reductions are being offset by inflation and higher warranty expenses. (Italics mine.) “We’ve got a great strategy, but cost is holding us back,” Lawler said. “It’s an opportunity for us to really unlock the full potential of Ford, and that’s why we’re focused on improving costs not only this focus but every quarter.” Lawler, without specifying an exact dollar amount, according to AN, said Ford’s warranty costs were slightly lower than at the same point a year earlier. That follows an $800 million year-over-year increase in the second quarter. This is Farley speak writ large. Pay no attention to that ol' bugaboo behind the curtain! Ford's abject failure to deal with its crushing warranty costs, which Farley promised to get a handle on from Day One, has permanently scarred the company, and that's directly due to Jimbo's serial incompetence. The Bottom Line for Ford? The Farley Follies continue unabated, and it is wreaking havoc on any of the good will accrued by Bill Ford and his fabulous resurrection of the Michigan Central station. And an ugly reality is looming for Bill Ford, because he has no succession plan for After Farley, which should be much sooner rather than later. I would like to point out to our readers that Jimbo "has plenty of money" as he took it upon himself to tell me repeatedly. (Yeah, he's a card-carrying Unctuous Prick, in case you were wondering.) So, there's no reason to fret about his future After Ford. He will just retreat to California and spend money like water on his vintage racing habit. In closing, in thinking about the consistently underwhelming performance by Farley, I'm reminded of the exceptional - and memorable - quote by Joe Pesci in Casino when describing an underperforming wise guy: "He could fuck-up a cup of coffee." That's an apt and painfully accurate description of Farley. -PMD Editor's Note: As if right on cue, Ford announced on Thursday (10/31) that it would idle its F-150 Lightning EV plant in mid-November for the rest of the year. How's that EV thing working out, "Electric Boy"? - WG

(Porsche images)

Porsche has announced that the enthusiast-focused 911 Carrera T is back for the 2025 model year as a coupe, and for the first time it will also be available as a cabriolet model. The 911 Carrera T uses the same 3.0-liter twin-turbo boxer engine as the standard Carrera. It generates 388HP and 331 lb.-ft. of torque, and is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds as a coupe or 4.5 seconds in Cabriolet form. The top track speed of the Coupe and Cabriolet is 183 mph and 182 mph, respectively. Interesting Note: A standard six-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels and uses the first six ratios of the seven-speed manual used previously in the Type 992.1 Carrera models. Notably, the shift lever is topped with a walnut ball that helps distinguish this as a special model every time the driver changes gears. (Like the famous shift knob on the 917 -PMD). The car comes standard with an auto-blip feature that rev-matches the engine to the appropriate transmission speed. This feature can be manually disabled, and is part of the Sport Chrono package, which is standard equipment on the Carrera T, and offers the convenience of a dial integrated in the leather-wrapped GT Sport steering wheel for quick access to Normal, Sport, Sport Plus and Wet drive modes. This also includes the Track Precision app, and a tire temperature display in the instrument cluster display area. A Sport Exhaust system is also standard equipment, and in combination with reduced sound deadening material this creates an especially emotional driving experience. More? Porsche Active Suspension Management (PASM), which is also standard and lowered by 10 millimeters compared to the 911 Carrera, is tuned specifically for the Carrera T. As is the case with the standard 911 Carrera, the braking system improves for this generation by upgrading to 350 mm front and rear brake discs (+20 mm versus the prior generation) and six-piston fixed calipers on the front axle in replacement of the four-piston fixed calipers used in the predecessor. As a result of rear-axle steering becoming standard equipment, the steering ratio also quickens compared to the 911 Carrera. The front and rear anti-roll bars have also been revised to make the car more even agile and stable during enthusiastic driving. Porsche Torque Vectoring, which uses a mechanical rear differential lock and targeted brake interventions to direct power to the rear outside wheel while cornering is also standard equipment. Carrera T specific aerodynamic adjustments also contribute to the overall balance of the car. Carrera S alloy wheels in staggered 20-inch front and 21-inch rear diameter are also standard equipment, and come wrapped in 245/35 ZR20 tires in front and 305/30 ZR21 tires on the rear. Lightweight glass, reduced sound deadening material and a six-speed manual transmission all contribute to a lower curb weight than the standard 911 Carrera. Optional carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) bucket seats offer customers the option for an even sportier experience that can save further weight. And, as is the case with Porsche, there's much, much more. The 2025 Porsche 911 Carrera T and 911 Carrera T Cabriolet can be ordered right now and is expected to begin arriving in U.S. Porsche Centers next summer. How much? MSRP for the coupe and Cabriolet models will be $134,000 and $147,300, respectively, and before a delivery, processing and handling fee of $1,995. Editor-in-Chief's Note: What, you were expecting a deal? -PMD

(Audi images)

Audi is calling it "the most powerful production combustion Audi Sport model ever," and unfortunately, it's not a new sports car but an SUV. The new 2025 RS Q8 performance has a 4.0L biturbo V8 engine producing 631HP and 627 lb-ft of torque, and it propels the 5-passenger SUV from 0 to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, on its way to an (electronically limited) top track speed of 190 mph. The RS Q8 has a newly developed, lighter exhaust system that not only increases the output of the biturbo 4.0L V8, but creates a sportier, more evocative sound. Optionally, the exhaust system can be replaced with the RS sport exhaust system, which further intensifies the sound experience. What else do you get? Massive carbon ceramic brakes (17.3/14.6” F/R), a retuned adaptive sport air suspension, and a quattro® all-wheel-drive system with an optimized self-locking center differential. The new RS Q8 performance also features several new exterior design elements, including new matte carbon exterior design packages and interior RS design packages. According to Audi PR minions, Audi Sport has "intensified its focus on the driving dynamics of its highest performing SUV." Other stuff? A new front apron with distinctive air intakes, honeycomb structure and matte gray blade clearly identifies the RS Q8 performance as the top model in the series. The large Singleframe grille features a reinterpreted structure where each individual honeycomb cell is now three-dimensional (Wow! -WG). The treatment at the rear includes two oval tailpipes with a diffuser between them, divided by a wedge-like reflector. And, of course, there's a bunch of other stuff too. How much? The new 2025 Audi RS Q8 performance has a starting MSRP of $136,200, and you can order it now at your local Audi retailer. First deliveries are expected before the end of the year.

The AE Song of the Week:

Tonight, you're mine, completely
You give your love so sweetly
Tonight, the light of love is in your eyes
But will you love me tomorrow?

Is this a lasting treasure
Or just a moment's pleasure?
Can I believe the magic of your sighs
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Tonight, with words unspoken
You said that I'm the only one
But will my heart be broken
When the night (when the night)
Meets the morning sun?

I'd like to know that your love
Is a love I can be sure of
So tell me now and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?

So tell me now and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me

"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" by The Shirelles, from the album "Tonight's The Night" (1960)*. Written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin. Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Watch/Listen here. 

*"Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was written by the husband-and-wife songwriting team of Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It's a benignly sexual song with the singer wondering what will happen the day after an encounter with her man. It met with some resistance from radio stations, but not enough to stop it from becoming a huge hit, selling over a million copies. This was the first hit written by Goffin and King, who became one of the top song writing teams in music history. They were signed to Don Kirshner's Aldon music, which along with the Brill building, was the center of the songwriting universe in the early '60s. Kirshner assigned them to write a song for the Shirelles as a follow-up to "Tonight's The Night," which reached #39 in October 1960, the biggest hit for the group to that point.

King came up with the music, and Goffin, excited about writing for The Shirelles, quickly came up with the lyrics. Kirshner loved the song, and recognizing that he had something new and different, decided to use it to get in the door at Columbia Records, so he offered it to Columbia for Johnny Mathis, but their label head Mitch Miller politely declined, which Kirshner later said was "the best thing he ever did for me." Back at Aldon Music, Tony Orlando wanted to record the song, but Kirshner, taking a cue from what he learned when he offered it to Mathis, explained that it was a girl's lyric, and that no teenage boy would say these words. So finally, the song went to The Shirelles, where it was intended all along. It went to #1 in January 1961.

Don't let anyone tell you that this was the first US #1 hit by an all-female group - The McGuire Sisters hit the top spot three times in the '50s. "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" was, however, the first #1 by a black female group, and the first #1 on theBillboard Hot 100 chart, which debuted in 1958. From 1955-1958, Billboard had a chart called the Top 100 with different criteria. Shirelles lead singer Shirley Alston initially disliked the song, dismissing it as "too Country and Western" for the four-girl group from Passaic, New Jersey. Their producer Luther Dixon convinced her they could do it in their style, and asked King and Goffin if they could add strings and turned it into an up-tempo song, which they did. Carole King played timpani on the Shirelles recording.

Carole King included this on her 1971 album Tapestry. Lou Adler, who produced the album and owned King's record company, explained: "The only thing we reached back for, which was calculated in a way, which of the old Goffin and King songs that was hit should we put on this album? And, that's how we came up with 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow.' I thought that song fit what the other songs were saying in Tapestry. A very personal lyric." (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com)

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