Although it has yet to deliver a single saleable vehicle for public consumption, Rivian appears ready to add two new products to its upcoming model line in the upcoming years: The R1V and R2X. The electric automaker recently applied for the names with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
If Rivian’s already revealed models, the R1S SUV and R1T truck, serve as precedents, then it’s possible the R1V name denotes an upcoming van the brand plans to sell to the public. While a company spokesperson noted “trademarks aren’t vehicle programs” and that Rivian files such applications “for all kinds of stuff,” Rivian may see value in selling a passenger-friendly variant of the Prime delivery vans it’s building for Amazon. Such a model may even share the full array of powertrain options that motivate the R1S and R1T, both of which off up to 750 horsepower from four electric motors (one for each wheel).
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This Malibu wagon’s goal was to create a tire-ripping, fun-time-having street car—a vehicle to fill with friends to rip burnouts around town and destroy cones on the autocross. After a year of trial and error, the LS1-swapped 1981 Malibu finally got on the chassis dyno; through 28 dyno pulls, the Malibu wagon was fine-tuned with Vortech’s standard, generic LS-swap kit and V1-Ti supercharger, picking up an additional 280 hp and 220 lb-ft.
Building the LS1…
A quick refresh on the project: It’s a gutted 1998 Trans Am Formula for its Gen-III LS1, then Pro Motor Engines in Mooresville, North Carolina, took a break from building wild NASCAR engines to help build the LS1-based 383ci stroker with a K1 crank, K1 rods, Wiseco dished pistons, and upgraded wrist pins.
The LS1 383 c.i. short-block is topped with Pro Motor Engine’s 243-casting heads, leftover from their Daytona Prototype program. They [...]
It’s a question that doesn’t bear asking if you really know your trucks, but for the masses, it’s one that comes up all the time: What’s the difference between the Ford F-150 and F-250 pickup? At the core the difference is simple, the F-150 is a light-duty, half-ton class truck while the Ford F-250 is a three-quarter ton, heavy-duty truck. More specifically, the F-250 has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) greater than 8,500 pounds, while the F-150 is under that government-specified threshold.
Digging deeper, the differences are many. The Ford F-150 is a light-duty truck built primarily to haul lighter loads and cruise effortlessly on the highway. Its engines are more efficient, and its cabin is designed to be quiet at speed. The F-250 by contrast is built for work. With a trio of V-8 engines, efficiency is not a primary concern for F-250 buyers. The F-250 tows and hauls more, and given its [...]
You’ll be forgiven for having forgotten about the Volkswagen Arteon. The sleek-looking sports sedan ended up being less dynamic and more expensive than we were expecting, and we were left unimpressed with said dynamics and pricing (given its humble VW roots). However, just over a year after it went on sale in the U.S., the Arteon is getting a makeover we’ll see fully unveiled on June 24.
Volkswagen teased us with artwork that previews some of the design changes to the Arteon yesterday, and we like what we’re seeing. The handsome sportback looks like it’s getting a brand-new front end with a LED light bar that stretches the full width of the front bumper. We assume there will also be changes to the rest of the exterior, as well, albeit limited to the usual mid-cycle update’s scope. Expect some finangling with the taillights, trim, and maybe the bumpers.
Don’t get me wrong: I love new cars. Over the years, I’ve been asked many times which is best car I’ve ever driven, and my answer has always been: “The next one.” The auto industry’s ability to recreate, reinvent, and reimagine the automobile, while working within the most exacting regulatory framework applied to any mainstream consumer product, has never failed to fascinate me.
But if you want to make a visceral connection with the art of driving, to truly experience the interface between human and machine, you need to get behind the wheel of an old car. An old car will teach you things you can never learn behind the wheel of a modern car. There are no electronic laminae between you and the hardware, tweaking and taming the laws of physics. An old car is elementally mechanical; Archimedes meets Isaac Newton.
