"As some of you know, I'm currently mired in the search for a new car to replace my ancient Range Rover daily driver, which I've had for the last five years or so. One of the cars on my short list of Range Rover replacements is the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG Wagon -- and while I can't afford a newer 2014-2016 model, I've been eyeing them anyway, because they're perfect for me: cool, high tech, all-wheel-drive (good for winter!) and exciting to drive.
So I found a nice E63 Wagon for sale on Autotrader, and I sent it to my friend Peri, and he replied: "You know that one has carbon ceramic brakes, right?" Apparently, the gold-colored calipers give it away."
"Carbon ceramic brakes? In a luxury station wagon?"
"I looked it up, and Peri was right. Beginning in 2014, Mercedes-Benz started offering carbon ceramic brakes as an option on the E63 AMG and the E63 AMG Wagon -- and not just any option, but an option with a sticker price of just under $13,000. Mind you, the base price of a 2014 E63 AMG Wagon was only $103,400. This single option was nearly 13 percent of the car's entire price. Imagine, if you will, a $2,500 single option on a Toyota Camry."
"My video introducing this hideous 1983 Chrysler Lebaron marks a new era for my YouTube channel. I have invested thousands in new recording equipment in hopes my videos quit resembling amateur YouTube posts from 10 years ago. So what do I create with all of this new tech? I "Rick Roll" everybody -- which, coincidentally, quit being funny on YouTube about 10 years ago."
"Cummins has announced it will have a fully electrified powertrain system on the road by 2019, a move that indicates electrified powertrains are here to stay. In addition to the powertrain, Cummins will debut a range-extended electric vehicle a year later. The company did confirm that despite increasing its investment into electrification, it will maintain its investment in diesel, believing the fuel will endure in several markets for years to come."
"Republicans and Democrats in Congress sparred on Tuesday over U.S. states setting rules for testing and deployment of self-driving cars and a proposal to allow automakers and technology companies to bypass existing regulations in introducing autonomous cars."
"Democrats on a U.S. House Energy and Commerce subcommittee said that the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) must play a more aggressive role in mandating self-driving car safety."
"A Republican draft package of 14 bills would allow NHTSA to exempt up to 100,000 vehicles per year from federal motor vehicle safety rules, which currently prevent the sale of self-driving vehicles without human controls. It would also bar states from setting self-driving rules and prevent NHTSA from preapproving self-driving car technologies."
"Unfortunately, your car's thermistor is also not very helpful in the winter. Because it isn't accurate to always distinguish between above and below freezing, it can't help you figure out if the road may be coated with black ice. With all these limitations, car thermometers are a fun toy, but not very useful if you actually are looking to find out the temperature. You're better off checking the weather on your phone. As long as you're not currently driving, anyway."
"Ford Motor Company may soon press dealership service centers to prioritize maintenance and repairs for ride-sharing fleets and their employees. This comes after the company’s decision to expand its in-house shuttling firm, known as Chariot, and as its long-term plan to bring an autonomous ride-sharing solution to market by 2021 takes shape. But Ford also knows rival companies can be a strong source of revenue. Omnicraft, anyone?
Even moderately sized cities have several thousand Uber and Lyft drivers, and Ford’s CEO of Smart Mobility Raj Rao thinks they represent an untapped resource. He believes service centers should go the extra mile for them, even if it means some dealerships have to stay open 24 hours to provide swift turnarounds. "