Automotive News Discussion

[Evan]

What are the thoughts on diesel work vans? I know they don't really make new ones anymore with real diesels, but you can still get a ~10 year old one with a proper truck engine for reasonable money.

[Goodspeed]

Lots of MKV Supra reviews pouring in over the last few days.  Jalopnik has a pretty concise review that offers an easy read to cover what pretty much everyone is saying:

https://jalopnik.com/the-2020-toyota-sup...1834624543

Cliff notes: notbad.jpg.  Lots of rabble-rousing about no manual, but otherwise appears to be quite an enticing sports coupe.  

Sidenote: For being based in Texas, Toyota USA chose....Summit Point's Shenandoah Circuit for the press track day?  How random is that?  I guess it must be a central-ish location for a lot of outlets these days or something.



Sidenote sidenote:  Peep Akio Toyoda's personal USDM 1993 anthracite hardtop TT 6 speed with 8k miles.  This used to sit in Toyota's US museum in Long Beach before Toyota HQ left SoCal.  This car on the open market would be worth approximately a million billion dollars.



What a weird foray into the world this car has had so far.  Even though I still can't really decide if I lukewarm like it or not, I'm still kind of heartened to hear that it's a good car.

[BLINGMW]

Well of course it's a decent car as long as this Toyota body kit didn't screw up the aero or something. I don't suppose they had a few regular Z4s there for comparison?

What are the thoughts on diesel work vans?  

Just curious, what for? Camping with the ability to pull pesky trees out of the way?

[Senor_Taylor]

I'm starting to come around on the Supra. On its own, it seems like a great car and it'll be a tuner's wet dream even compared to its sister, the Z4. I have faith a manual will come. If they do make a manual, I honestly could see myself picking one up in 5-10 years on the used market. BMW + Toyota, my two favorite makers.

[Goodspeed]

Well of course it's a decent car as long as this Toyota body kit didn't screw up the aero or something. I don't suppose they had a few regular Z4s there for comparison?

No question that the MKV was going to be a competent car at some level.  I'm more surprised that the journos have been giving the car a fair shake.  No other car has been more primed to be deemed a failure in recent memory, & I've never seen so many revewiers share how important the previous models were to their love of cars growing up.  

The MKV had almost impossibly-sized shoes to fill & I'm just surprised that its being praised as much as it is.

[.RJ]

---

The MKV had almost impossibly-sized shoes to fill & I'm just surprised that its being praised as much as it is.

Its also a F&F hype-fueled anachronism. Taken on its merits I'm sure the MKV blows away the MKIV.

I'm sure lots of us would buy the used one with the manual in 5 years, but that doesnt help them sell cars now, which is why it wont happen. I dont really care either way since I'm pretty happy only owning one car so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Goodspeed]

^ lol. More than a few reviews with people saying they did the phantom clutch maneuver.

I think Doug nailed it in his review -the MKV was never designed to be a supercar slaying Nurburgring champ like the GTR. Gotta go auto these days to play on that field. Toyota said its supposed to go to to toe with the Caymans and Mustangs of the world & in that sense no manual is a huge fail.

[.RJ]

Toyota said its supposed to go to to toe with the Caymans and Mustangs of the world & in that sense no manual is a huge fail for magazine reviews and internet champions that wont actually buy one.

FTFY.  

Now, if the price was in the high 30's for a stripped down model with 3-pedals to encroach on that mullet-market, then I can see the conversation shifting.

[G.Irish]

I just don't get it. If your target is the Mustang and Cayman market, you should have at least a DCT, if not a manual. I don't really think you can really take on the Mustang at the price point the Supra is coming in at since that gets you very close to a GT350. The Supra would be cheaper than a base Cayman, so maybe that's a favorable comparison, but again the Cayman can be had with either a manual or DCT.

I just don't know how many customers want a driver's car, but want a slushbox, and don't care as much about straight-line speed. Seems like an impossibly small slice of the market.

I guess we'll see how many people actually put down the green to buy them.

[JPolen01]

The Supra would be cheaper than a base Cayman, so maybe that's a favorable comparison, but again the Cayman can be had with either a manual or DCT.

I don't know who the people are that are cross shopping a Cayman with a Toyota/BMW love child.

[Apoc]

No mention of a power increase, though.

[.RJ]

i like

[Goodspeed]

C&D put a new Supra on a Dynojet to get some numbers, & bow howdy did they get some numbers.



Factory #'s: 335hp & 365tq at the crank

C&D: 339hp & 427tq at the wheels

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a27543...orsepower/

Now, there's all sorts of fibbing you can do with a dyno & its settings but that's some crazy underrating.  I laughed at everyone that freaked at the 335hp figure when the car was simultaneously doing sub 4 second 0-60 runs @ 3300 lbs...obviously something was up.

Still kind of like & don't like this car but I'll always appreciate a...sleeper...I guess?

[Sijray21]

that's a ridiculously low rating. 365 lb*ft to 427 lb*ft (at the wheels???) sounds like they rated it for laws or insurance stuff so it didn't get hit with something.

[rherold9]

And that's Dynojet SAE which reads lower. Most vendors for performance parts use STD which is usually 2-4% higher to show bigger gains. Impressive numbers

[ScottyB]

lol that's like at least 475tq at the crank assuming slushbox losses.

so is the falsely low advertised HP/TQ meant to cover up the fact that its actually heavier than it looks?

[Evan]

Don't discount the possibility of a tuned press car.
Wouldn't be the first time.

Ill believe those numbers when they come from showroom cars

[ScottyB]

reports are that the new C8 ECU will nope itself into lockdown mode if someone tries to tweak it.  bold move GM.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/06/01/2020...proof-ecu/

MCT alleges the anti-hacking encryption written into the electronic control module will block any attempt to "read, write, and/or replace the standard ECU of the C8." If the ECU detects such an effort, and that "programming event fails," the Corvette will enter a "recovery mode" that requires a reboot. The coupe can be reprogrammed, but only by an entity with the proper encryption keys - meaning a trip on a flatbed to the dealer.

[Kaan]

reports are that the new C8 ECU will nope itself into lockdown mode if someone tries to tweak it.  bold move GM.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/06/01/2020...proof-ecu/

MCT alleges the anti-hacking encryption written into the electronic control module will block any attempt to "read, write, and/or replace the standard ECU of the C8." If the ECU detects such an effort, and that "programming event fails," the Corvette will enter a "recovery mode" that requires a reboot. The coupe can be reprogrammed, but only by an entity with the proper encryption keys - meaning a trip on a flatbed to the dealer.

motec system exhaust dawg

[Evan]

Lotus Evija. 2000hp EV.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_VlJUHn8CWM







Absolutely gorgeous car, you can really see how, unlike a car like the Senna, they kept the art and beauty in the design.

Im a bit disappointed that they went with the limited production hypercar that will be socked away in rich car collector's garages, but on the other hand its nice to see Lotus competing with (and on paper, beating) the big players.

Hopefully it will spawn a new Elise and Exige