Automotive News

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Scepter can help when leaves clean-up relies on fuel

SPONSORED CONTENT Falling leaves and dying shrubbery signal the change of seasons. For homeowners that means it’s time to get your property ready for winter. Before the weather turns really cold, prime your tools and small equipment for handling fall clean up tasks around the home. Having plenty of fuel on hand is a key element to powering through yard work and chores. No one wants to get halfway through a project to discover they’re out of fuel. Worse is the idea of spilling valuable fuel when refilling chain saws, leaf blowers and other small equipment. Scepter can help. Controlled Fuel Flow “With some containers, it can be messy and bulky to refill fuel tanks,” says Daniel Marshall, vice president

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Camper from the past: VW Super Bugger for sale, nearly 40K

The Super Bugger was a strange little machine, a hybrid camper conversion for the 1970 VW Beetle introduced 45 years ago by an entrepreneurial company in Southern California. It cost $6,000. The rage for the strange little machine conversion didn’t last long, and not many of the campers in decent shape remain. Beyond car shows and parades, Super Bugger choices show up for sale on vintage automotive, including this option on eBay. The asking price is $39,900, just shy of five times what it costs new. Super Bugger: Minimalism defined. The vehicle includes: A 1.6-liter four-cylinder rear-mounted engine with a four-speed manual transmission and 60 horsepower. There’s seating for four, a small sink, a two-burner stove and a dinette table.

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Michael Schumacher vegetative, recovery unlikely

Michael Schumacher, the legendary Formula 1 driver who has been in a coma since a 2013 skiing accident, is in a “vegetative state” and has a minimal possibility of returning. The report came from renowned neurosurgeon Erich Riederer during a documentary on French television station TMC. Riederer said Schumacher, 51, is awake but is not responding. The seven-time World Champion is breathing and his heart is beating, but the physician believes the legendary driver’s condition is “the maximum for him.” Schumacher was in a medically induced coma for six months after the head injury suffered in the Swiss Alps. He returned home 254 days later and he primarily remained there since. Michael Schumacher: Another surgery set? Schumacher’s condition has remained

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New Hummer EV cruises tough terrain in ‘Crab Mode’

Could the revitalized Hummer EV get more unique than the original? Yes. How about a feature called “Crab Mode?” The soon-to-debut, all-electric Hummer EV truck will include a feature allowing the vehicle to move terrain diagonally like a sand-dwelling crustacean. Crab Mode will be enabled by the electric pickup truck’s four-wheel steering capability. Its functionality is “tailor-made for off-roading customers,” the manufacturer said. Planned for a May debut, the anticipated return of the Hummer was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hummer EV has a military heritage The odd-looking, testosterone-loaded Hummer was first marketed when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. The brand endured different owners and hiatus production time frames. GM announced earlier this

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Splurging? How about a motorhome for a $1 million

If you’re in the motorhome market and have at least a million dollars to spend, consider the Perfect 1200 Platinum. Variomobil’s newest monster motorhome features a massive living space with three electro-hydraulic slide-outs. It has a symphony hall-grade audio system. It has intelligent lighting, top-line appliances. It has zero towing capacity because it can “swallow” a vehicle as large a Mercedes-AMG GT. The Perfect 1200 Platinum is manufactured by a family-owned business in Osnabrück, Germany specializing in opulent motorhomes. The new model is 39 feet long and weighs 52,000 pounds. Available furnishings and equipment include a touchscreen-controlled induction cooktop, 190-L refrigerator, dishwasher, full bathroom with mineral stone sink, LED TV with satellite, Bose audio system, washer/dryer, leather upholstery, real wood

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Ford announces next F-150 plus first EV truck

With several pickup trucks, including the much-touted all-electric options, competition is increasing. The Ford F-150 still rules, but the manufacturer isn’t resting on its success. As such, the production of the next generation of the popular F-150 pickup trucks series has started. The trucks will be made in the company’s Dearborn, Michigan, plant. They’re expected to go on sale in November. The launch of the country’s top-selling vehicle is “on time and on track,” said new company CEO Jim Farley. Ford will debut electric truck in 2022 The manufacturer also simultaneously announced it will join the highly competitive electric truck market in mid-2022. It’s when a battery-electric version is expected to debut. According to the manufacturer, the battery-electric version of

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Go take a hike driving a new Winnebago

Winnebago has a new camper trailer with an unusual but appropriate name — The Hike. It’s designed for a more active consumer with an emphasis on accommodating lots of varied gear. The manufacturer is promoting The Hike as ideal for attaching to a 4×4 and with hauling kayak and bikes and heading off-road. It’s available in 20.6-foot single-axle models and 25-foot double-axle versions. An integrated rack system for bikes, paddleboards, kayaks and other recreational gear is a keen exterior feature. Gear is attached directly to the rack with ratchet straps and bungee cords. Winnebago Hike has five floor plans The slide-out kitchen is another innovation. Included on several trailer floor plans, the dual-burner stove and sink pull out of a

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Most studly truck? 15-year-old Dodge Ram SRT10

One thing pickup truck owners universally like is power. The power to tow an RV, haul stuff, advance uphill and downhill, trek off-road. It’s what a 2006 Dodge Ram SRT10 does best. But what are the top choices for the most powerful trucks? The website hotcars.com has compiled a list and provides facts, figures and reasoning. The No. 1 vehicle on the list is the 2004-2006 Dodge Ram SRT10. It’s equipped with an 8.3-liter V10 with 500 horsepower. It accelerates from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 4.9 seconds. The regular cab version of the SRT10 has a top speed on 106 mph. The SRT10 can tow 7,500 pounds. Dodge Ram SRT10 reigns Here in reverse order and in

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Supercar designer Gordon Murray: McLaren F1 to GMA T.50

Gordon Murray isn’t employed as a mathematician or bariatrician. But no one in the automotive industry knows more about numbers and weight and how to make more less and less more. If less weight means more car, Murray will re-design the aluminum brake and clutch pedals and titanium gas pedal in his newest vehicle, the 2021 GMA T.50, with lattice artwork. It reduces the weight of a solid pedal design by 10.5 ounces. The T.50 name reflects more is less on several levels. The recently revealed supercar is the 50th road or racing vehicle Murray has designed. It celebrates the legendary South African-born British craftsman’s 50th year as a car designer. Nearly 30 years ago, Murray develop the lightweight and

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Deals aplenty available on new 2019 trucks

Consumers considering buying a pickup should consider new 2019 trucks nearly two nearly years old. The reason: The COVID-19 pandemic stalled production of 2020 models for manufacturers and resulted in the temporary closing of “brick-and-mortar” dealerships. Sales suffered and deals are prevalent. Within two months of the economic downturn, inventory for 2019 trucks and cars increased nearly exponentially. RELATED CONTENT Pickup trucks not perfect but 5 make safety priority Pickup trucks, SUVs rule global market New Ram 1500 pickup truck fastest ever According to iSeeCars.com, the online automotive search engine and research website based in Woburn, Mass., there’s a 10.8 percent industry average of new 2019 vehicles still in inventory. The 2019 Nissan Titan, 2019 Ford Ranger and 2019 Ram

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Covid-19 postpones LA Auto Show until May 2021

The LA Auto Show is annually held in November, but it’s the first major national showcase for new models of cars, trucks and sometimes campers and motorhomes. The show must go on, but it won’t be as planned because of Covid-19. Like of auctions, motorsports events and various regional auto shows, L.A. Auto organizers have rescheduled the event until next May. The show’s original dates were Nov. 20-29. And like other events, the event was rescheduled event because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Memorial Day weekend is a fantastic time for enhanced outdoor activations and product debuts. The LA weather creates exciting new opportunities for a spring show,” said Lisa Kaz, LA Auto Show CEO. LA Auto Show part of tight

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Covid-19 oddity: dirtier, older trucks, cars, RVs

The automotive industry has been affected in many ways by Covid-19, including an increase in the average age of vehicles on the road. If the prediction holds, the average age of cars, trucks and RVs still on road will soon surpass 12 years — the highest level among American drivers in nearly two decades — according to industry analysts. The current rate is 11.9 years, a slight increase from 2018 reports IHS Market Ltd., the England-based global data company. Covid-19 could help some auto businesses While vehicle longevity was increasing before the Covid-19 pandemic, the health crisis has resulted in further economic decision-making. As a result of keeping vehicles longer, emissions and safety issues increases, but part manufacturers and repair

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Land Rover Defender, Ford Bronco as mini-RVs

GehoCab has taken its current expertise in off-load motorhome conversion in the Volkswagen Amarok into a far larger market for RVs. The German-based company has announced it’s reconfiguring its carbon-shelled, chassis-mount campers for installation in the Land Rover Defender, Ford Bronco and other popular off-road SUVs. The company’s goal is to create the lightest available off-road 4×4 campers. Gehocab makes carbon fiber modules for RVs Unlike typical bed-top and chassis-mount truck campers, GehoCab’s original Kora camper has a sleek, glossy carbon fiber construction. It has wide-stretched windows, flush integration with the base truck and color-matched paint. Now, GehoCab is designing two 4×4 motorhome modules, the compact Fiete and the larger Findus. The Fiete is compatible with the Land Rover and

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#148, Tow truck driver talks COVID-19, airbags

Ray Elliott, a tow truck driver in the south San Francisco Bay Area, has viewed the mistakes motorists make so often he started a website several years ago called Idiots on the Interstate (idiotsontheinterstate.com). The site is void of advanced graphics and is perhaps best described as primitive. But it’s chock-full of information, videos and Elliott’s opinions about the pathetic, often tragic and often preventable accidents and incidents he’s witnessed throughout his long career. Elliott has arrived on the scene of every kind of accident imaginable, sometimes before law enforcement personnel or first responders. He has seen fender benders and death, and he has saved lives and comforted many in need. Part of Elliott’s introduction on his website, lets the

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Solar power-generating pickup truck covers? Who knew?

Worksport, the manufacturer of Tonneau covers and accessories for trucks, has debuted TerraVis, a platform for versatile and cost-effective pickup truck solar power. The system combines the tonneau covers with a solar generation and energy storage system. Solar panels built into the cover will collect the sun’s rays and store energy in multiple battery banks. The stored energy can be used to provide power to an electric motor or removed and used remotely. “Worksport is excited to launch the website with this preliminary information, as this is a system that not only has the power to revolutionize truck use now, but also to carry over into future developments,” said WKSP CEO, Steven Rossi. New Solar Power Pickup Truck Source “Everyone

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