Latest news with #TheAutopian
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Tom's Guide
Ford reveals its 'Model T' EV moment with an affordable $30,000 electric pickup
Ford's 'Model T moment' for electric vehicles has finally arrived with the reveal of what it's billing as a more affordable EV platform. The car maker announced its universal EV platform today (August 11) with plans to build a family of affordable electric vehicles starting with a four-door midsize pickup truck. The truck won't arrive until 2027, but Ford is touting that its new EV will start at $30,000. Ford teased the platform in July, when CEO Jim Farley said that it was planning to build a 'breakthrough' EV that would be built in Kentucky. "This is a Model T moment for us at Ford, a chance to bring a new family of vehicles to the world that offer incredible technology, efficiency, space, and features,' Farley said at the time. Ford reportedly had a Skunkworks team in the Bay Area run by a former Tesla engineer to develop the platform in secret for more than a decade. Part of the project involved tearing up the assembly line concept with the new platform and 'radically simplifying vehicle assembly for safety, quality, and speed.' According to Farley, Ford has a difficult goal in trying to make a sustainable business that offers affordable vehicles. 'We took a radical approach to a very hard challenge: Create affordable vehicles that delight customers in every way that matters – design, innovation, flexibility, space, driving pleasure, and cost of ownership,' Farley said in a press release. In the world of electric vehicles, Ford has lagged behind, only really offering its F-150 Lightning and an electric version of the classic Mustang. Neither of those cars could be described as affordable. The idea of a new EV platform isn't unique. As The Autopian notes, companies like Volkswagen, GM, and Hyundai/Kia have ongoing platforms that underpin their electric vehicles like the Blazer EV or Kia EV6. Ford told The Autopian that its platform differentiates itself by being more modular than the approaches of other EV makers. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. This more modular design is supposed to make the vehicle more affordable because it creates vehicles with fewer parts than traditional gas cars. This harkens back to the Model T, which pioneered mass-produced, affordable cars. 'The platform reduces parts by 20% versus a typical vehicle, with 25% fewer fasteners, 40% fewer workstations dock-to-dock in the plant and 15% faster assembly time,' Ford said in its announcement. One estimate claims the new vehicle will reduce wiring by 4,000 feet and 10 fewer kilograms than the Mustang Mach-E. Additionally, the platform is scalable, meaning that eventually Ford will be able to offer a variety of vehicle types beyond trucks, including vans and SUVs. Outside of actually building the car, Ford says the new cars will be 'software-defined,' meaning the eVS will have operating systems that Ford can improve via over-the-air updates. With manufacturing becoming more streamlined and cheaper, Ford is also looking to save money with a new smaller battery. The company is planning on using lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry in future EVs. Reportedly, this battery will be somewhere between 49 kWh and 60.48 kWh, smaller than the 57 kWh battery in the original Chevy Bolt, which launched in 2016. This is quite tiny compared to the 300+ mile range of most modern battery packs. However, in comparison to most lithium-ion batteries, LFPs have improved lifecycles and, from what we understand, can be charged to 100% more often. According to Alan Clarke, head of the Skunkworks team, the company is planning on boosting range via improved aerodynamic designs and software optimization. Ford is massively investing in an EV future that finds itself at a fraught time in the United States, as President Donald Trump has been antagonistic toward electric vehicles. The recently passed "Big Beautiful Bill" nixes the $7,500 tax credit for EVs. And the administration is also considering zeroing out fines for vehicles that exceed fuel efficiency standards. Ford is also dealing with heavy-handed tariffs across the board from the Trump Administration, which the company has said could cut more than $2 billion off its earnings. Elsewhere, Chinese companies like BYD have grown exponentially popular in their home country as well as other countries thanks to more affordable options. The most affordable brand new EV you can find is the 2025 Nissan Leaf, which starts $28,140, but it's not a four-door pickup. If Ford can be the first while offering good tech and decent range, it could be the breakthrough Ford is seeking. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why are car makers displaying ads on the touchscreen?
Jeep has had quite the few weeks. Initially things went rather well for it, because it convinced Harrison Ford to star in its Super Bowl half-time commercial, which not surprisingly was received very fondly. Ford teased himself about his name being Ford and teased Ford itself for copying the Wrangler with the Bronco. You can imagine the marketing teams sharing high fives. Until, that is, somebody reported their Jeep was serving them advertisements in a pop-up on its touchscreen that, try as they might, they couldn't get rid of. They would tell the pop-up to go away and it would, for a few minutes, before reappearing again the next time – and every time – they came to a stop, offering to connect them to an operator so that they could purchase an extended warranty. Someone else then reported their Jeep doing the same. It drove these owners mad, and I can understand why. Last week, my work phone kept reminding me via a pop-up, often mid-text or email, that I should update its operating software to the latest version – something I had been avoiding, because friends and colleagues and the wider internet had told me it would ruin the photo and email apps. As I dismissed each pop-up, I wanted to put the darned thing in the microwave, and it's not even my phone. If I'd have dropped fifty grand on a new car that insisted on trying to get me to phone an extended warranty department, the call I'd actually make would be to an insurer to explain that there has been a terrible accident and that my car was at the bottom of a ravine, on fire, so could I please have the money to replace it with something different? Thankfully – so very, very thankfully – Jeep says the message repetition was delivered in error. As it explained to American website The Autopian, the note was meant to appear once (this may still seem one too many times to you) and disappear and not return once dismissed. It said it had contacted the affected owners and already corrected this 'glitch'. This hasn't made everyone's concerns go away, though. News stories, features and social media posts – both hinged and, obviously, unhinged – point to Jeep owner Stellantis's aim to collect €20 billion from software initiatives by the end of the decade. It's reported that in 2023 Stellantis told a US customer 'ads are part of your contractual agreement with [radio broadcaster] Sirius XM' when those appeared on their car's screen. And, of course, plenty of these stories also reference controversial subscription services like those offered by BMW, which has rowed back on some but not all of them. Right now, it's still offering speed camera information for £25 a year and parking assistance or driving plus assistant for £19 and £35 respectively per month. This, remember, is to access hardware features that are already fitted to the car. In other words, people's concerns about ads appearing unwanted on their car's screens are stoked simply by how plausible it seems: 'It's just what they'd do.' You'd like to think they wouldn't, but see how instead of walking 10 metres into the departures lounge, air passengers must now walk a circuitous 200 metres through a shop. I would take whichever goon came up with that idea and sentence them to walk through a fug of perfume, tripping over wheelie bags that, by the way, clearly aren't hand luggage, for the total time that passengers have wasted trudging along these curvy corridors (that makes them sound rather more alluring than they are). Last time I was in this forced retail environment, I looked up how many air passengers there were per year, and the answer was 4.5 billion. So if one in five of those wastes a minute at an airport that has adopted this practice, that's 1711 years and two months. If you were in the meeting where this new reality was signed off, I'd cover your bedroom floor with upturned plugs that you'd have to tread on and crawl across every single night for the rest of your life. Preferably beyond. I digress. I'm pleased to find that the Jeep scare was just a one-off, not something that heralded a new policy. The reaction to it should serve as a cautionary tale for any car maker that's thinking of actually adopting it. Should – but will it? ]]>
Yahoo
23-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Nissan Z markups are officially over — is now the time to buy?
For enthusiasts who have been holding off on buying a Nissan Z due to outrageous dealer markups, the wait has finally paid off. After years of excessive pricing, dealerships across the U.S. are now offering the 400-horsepower coupe well below its sticker price. When the latest-generation Nissan Z debuted in 2022, even a twin-turbocharged V6 and manual transmission weren't enough to overcome some divisive styling choices and, more importantly, astronomical markups. Dealers eager to cash on the anticipation for Nissan's newest sports car soured the launch, with some markups exceeding $50,000—turning what was supposed to be an affordable performance car into an overpriced luxury item. Now, things have taken a dramatic turn. Autoblog analysis of some 650 Nissan Zs on found that only a small percentage of listings have any markup, a sharp reversal from what enthusiasts have grown accustomed to over recent years. In fact, the vast majority of listings — 82% — were marked down. Sales of Nissan's newest Z have been dampened since launch thanks to chronic markups, but the current wave of discounts could ignite renewed interest in one of the brand's most iconic drastic price reduction is due to a combination of factors. First, the overall market for sports cars remains niche, and the initial wave of Z hype has died down. Second, Nissan as a brand has been struggling with sales in recent years, leading dealers to push for volume rather than high-margin markups. The strategy appears to be paying off. After selling just under 1,800 Zs in 2023, price drops helped Nissan dealers increase that figure by some 80% the following year, selling 3,164 Zs in 2024. In a surprising feat, the Z even managed to outsell Toyota's GR Supra in like Nick Scherr, a Nissan salesman from Avondale, Arizona, led the resistance against inflated dealer markups. Known in the community as 'Nismo Nick,' Scherr took it upon himself to track down Z inventory across the country and sell the cars at sticker price or below. View the to see embedded media. 'I have purchased Zs from over 20 dealerships nationwide,' Scherr told The Autopian last May. 'I then sell them to Z enthusiasts for MSRP or lower with no dealer adds and no dealer accessories.' Scherr's approach has paid off. By buying up unsold inventory from dealers struggling to move Zs, he has become the country's highest-volume seller of the car. His customers range from young first-time sports car buyers to longtime Z fans looking to add the latest model to their collection. Now, Scherr's approach has become the norm across Nissan dealerships, with Zs commonly listed below understand what the current landscape looks like for Nissan Z, we collected data for 652 Zs listed across the country on containing the list price and MSRP. View the to see embedded media. From that data, we found that just six cars—less than 1%—were marked up. Of those six, the average markup was about $7,000. A 2024 Nissan Z Nismo listed for $84,325 in Louisville, Kentucky, had the biggest markup of any Z in our dataset, exactly $15,000 over MSRP. About 17% of the listings, 111 cars in total, were listed at MSRP with an average price of $57,856. The majority of listings, 535 in total, were listed below the MSRP, with an average markdown of $6,100. A 2024 Nissan Z Nismo listed for $52,369 in Skokie, Illinois, had one of the biggest markdowns in our data set, $14,521 below MSRP. If you're looking for a real steal, there are two 2024 Nissan Z Sports listed for $34,900 in St. Peters. Missouri, each $10,000 below MSRP. For those interested in the Nissan Z, this might be the perfect time to make a move. With discounts being the norm rather than the exception, potential buyers can finally get the car at a reasonable price. And unlike the early days when only automatic models were widely available, both the 6-speed manual and 9-speed automatic variants can be found at these reduced prices. We found a 2024 Nissan Z Sport specced with the manual transmission for $37,777 in Cookeville, Tennessee, $7,123 below MSRP. That said, Nissan's strategy of pushing volume over profit raises questions about the car's long-term viability. The Z is still a low-production sports car in a market that increasingly favors SUVs and EVs. If Nissan continues selling it at a loss, the company may have to make tough decisions about its days of eye-watering Nissan Z markups are officially behind us, making now one of the best times to buy the iconic sports car. With most dealerships offering below-MSRP pricing, enthusiasts can finally get their hands on a twin-turbo, rear-wheel-drive coupe without breaking the bank. However, the sharp discounts also highlight the challenges Nissan faces in keeping the Z relevant in a changing market. Whether this pricing shift reinvigorates interest in the model or signals a last push before an uncertain future remains to be seen. For now, though, buyers can celebrate the fact that patience has finally paid off. Love reading Autoblog? Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get exclusive articles, insider insights, and the latest updates delivered right to your inbox. Click here to sign up now!
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
The Yugo Could Make a Comeback, Although Probably Not to America
The Yugo is coming back! Maybe. Eventually. Probably not to America, though. Progress so far includes trademark rights and sketches of what a modern Yugo hatchback might look like. Keeping the price low will again be the goal, and underpinnings are likely to be sourced from another manufacturer. Did the Yugo stick around long enough to go from being the butt of jokes to laughing together with its detractors? At least a few did, judging from the way low-mileage examples of these little underpowered cars fetch far more at auction than they cost new off the showroom floor. The Yugo was unapologetically inexpensive, a double-edged sword, and while it actually sold pretty well, by 1992 it was gone from the U.S. market. But get your punchlines ready, because the Yugo could be coming back. Properly, the original car's full name was the Zastava Yugo GV, Zastava being an automaker with a long history in the former Yugoslavia. GV was meant to stand for Good Value, and at $3990 to start with a $389 destination charge, the Yugo was at least the least expensive car you could buy. Looking around at the average price of new cars these days, perhaps a little of that cheap and cheerful spirit wouldn't go amiss. University Professor Doctor Aleksandar Bjelić certainly seems to think so, as he is the driving force behind the potential resurrection of Yugo. As first reported by The Autopian, he has acquired the rights and trademarks to the Yugo brand. Bjelić lives in Germany but has Serbian roots, and he recently hired Darko Marčeta, a Serbian designer, to sketch out what a new Yugo might look like. Details are slim, as development is still very much in the concept phase. However, the plan is to reveal a running prototype at the Belgrade Expo in 2027, and a model of the car at the end of this year. The original Yugo was based heavily on the Fiat 127, and Bjelić has indicated that this new car will have underpinnings sourced from another, as-yet-unnamed manufacturer. The obvious choice would be Fiat again, as the former Yugo factory did in fact build the late Fiat 500L. Low price will again be the goal here, so a new Yugo is likely to get a small combustion engine rather than an EV skateboard platform. As to whether thrifty U.S. buyers will be able to once again park something unintentionally hilarious in their driveways, that's unlikely. The Yugo's reputation was badly damaged by quality issues when it was new, and while there's certainly a cult following for them, there's probably not a business case to sell them to the general public. In Eastern Europe, however, the Yugo (called the Koral there) was really quite popular, closing out its production run with a respectable 800,000 cars built. A Serbian-built rival to something such as the Dacia Sandero could be quite successful, especially to those who remember the Zastava nameplate more fondly. To burnish this image, one of Yugo's first PR stunts is going to be driving several classic Zastava models from Kragujevac in Serbia all the way to Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. The 6300-mile route is basically the same followed by a group of five Zastava 101s that performed the trek in 1975, as a showcase for durability. If the modern expedition can pull it off, it'll be a shot in the arm for brand credibility. Meanwhile, the Nissan Versa is currently the least expensive new car sold in the United States. It comes standard with a five-speed manual transmission for just $18,330. Adjusted for inflation, the original Yugo's price tag is only slightly more than half that price. Then again, nobody jokes about why the Versa has a rear window heater (for the Yugo, it was to keep your hands warm while you push). You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
