Latest News - Page 978

The 2023 EarthRoamer SX is a beast designed to let people go camping or enjoy some rugged terrain, but with luxury included. Obviously won't be something most of us will have in our driveway, but customers that have some money to burn might be interested.

The SX is powered by a 6.6L Turbo Diesel Chevrolet 6500 4WD chassis, with the 6-speed transmission seizing 350 hp and 700 lb-ft. of torque. It also has a gross vehicle weight rating up to 23,500 lb.

The 43" military-grade Goodyear tires on Beadlock Rims are supported by an air ride suspension, custom road shocks, and anti-sway bars - all of which were specifically designed for EarthRoamer. Drivers can raise or lower each wheel and axle independently.

This particular 1967 Volkswagen Type 2 Bus has a unique story, as previous owners implemented engine swap from gas to electric. The new owner, however, decided to restore it with a gas-powered engine once again - and what a project it turned out to be.

Bring a Trailer received the bus in March 2021, acquired as a non-running electric vehicle project - and the current owner removed the electric drivetrain in favor of a 1,750cc flat-four engine with a four-speed manual transaxle. The engine has dual carburetors and a fuel system and engine bay sheet metal was added.

The dashboard instrumentation includes a speedometer with 80-mph max, fuel gauge, analog clock, and an odometer reading 63 miles - actual total mileage remains a mystery.

During the 2022 LA Auto Show, Vietnamese automaker VinFast unveiled the VF 6 and VF 7, two electric subcompact SUVs that will be available in the United States. These two new models will join the VF 8 and VF 9 midsize vehicles that VinFast announced last year - and is now shipping a small number to customers.

An Eco and Plus trim will be available for both the VF 6 and VF 7. The VF 6 Eco has 174 hp with 184 ft-lb. of torque, while the Plus trim has 201 hp with 228 ft-lb. of torque. Meanwhile, the VF 7 Eco has 201 hp with 228 ft-lb. of torque - the VF 7 Plus has a bit of extra power, with 349 hp and 368 ft-lb. of torque.

The VF 7 includes a front light bar with animated LED effects, a "muscular" rear stance with fender accents, and rear signature lights.

Starbreeze is going all out on Payday 3's development, but Payday 2 continues delivering surprisingly high playercounts.

Starbreeze recently announced some impressive Q3 financials and reiterated its progress on Payday 3. The developer says that Payday 3's development is going quite well and that expansion efforts at Overkill have kicked off to help finalize the game for its incoming 2023 release.

"The development of PAYDAY 3 is proceeding according to plan, and together with our co-publishing partner, Plaion (which has changed its name from Koch Media group), we are working hard to ensure a successful launch in 2023. Many people are waiting for more information about the exact release date and to see content from the game, and we will provide updates closer to the launch," said Starbreeze CEO Tobias Sjogren

In case there is a zombie takeover or some other apocalyptic nightmare, 27North wants to have you prepared with the Ascender 30A.

27North chose the 2023 Ford F-550 4x4 because of the ideal chassis to customize to their liking. The 30A is powered with the 6.7L Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel engine - providing the power required to tow - and support the massive 16,000 lb truck.

The camper design includes a dining room, a kitchen including a cooktop, fridge, bed, and shower. When it's time to tidy up, campers can find a built-in vacuum cleaning system. A full 1200-watt solar charging system - using six solar panels - offers engine-driven back up.

This customized 1981 Ferrari 308 GTBi with a Honda K24 engine took 16 months to complete, but it really is something else. The car was shown off during SEMA Show 2022 at the start of November. Mike Burroughs originally set off to become the first person to complete a K-swap engine in a Ferrari. Here is a full look at the work done by StanceWorks:

As Burroughs told Jalopnik: "The car was super clean inside and out and in decent mechanical shape. I felt a little bad at first about cutting it up, but at the end of the day, there's a reason these cars are still among the cheapest Ferraris out there. They're gorgeous, but they're just not that good in stock form."

The custom "Ferrari 244 GTK" got rid of the 3.0-liter 8-cylinder original 308 engine and used Honda's supercharged 2.4-liter 4-cylinder K-series engine. Removing the engine with just 38,000 miles and switching to a 4-cylinder helped make the car significantly lighter.

Korean automaker Hyundai has shown off its N Vision 74 concept car, a car powered using a hydrogen fuel cell hybrid architecture.

The new concept is a throwback homage to the Hyundai Pony Coupe concept that was shown off in 1974 - and features such as the surfaces, dynamic-proportioned profile, B-pillar design, and other features have transferred to the new hybrid concept. Even though it never made a production car, it was a valuable learning experience for the Korean company.

The fuel cell can output up to 95 kW, and is mounted in the front, while the battery lowers height and center of gravity while located in the bottom. The hydrogen tank is 9.3 lbs. with a stack of net 85 kW - max of 95 kW - with a refueling time of five minutes. The concept car has a maximum speed of 155+ mph, with a 373+ driving range, according to Hyundai.

General Motors hopes modifications to its battery and vehicle assembly facilities will produce at least 1 million electric vehicles each year. The US automaker wants to have 30 EVs available to consumers by 2025 while trying to catch up to Tesla - on the sales charts and ability to produce vehicles.

It's hard to convince automakers to jump fully on board with EVs, as many automakers are manufacturing and selling EVs at a financial loss. However, GM plans to sell entry-level EVs for around $30,000, in addition to its higher-end luxury SUVs and trucks.

Hopefully, individual EV sales will provide "low- to mid-single digit" profits in three years, with GM able to benefit from costs spread over multiple new EV models. The automaker also shows hope for when the clean energy tax credits shared through US federal Inflation Reduction Act kick in.

German automaker Audi is sharing more details about the electric Audi S1 Hoonitron, a racecar designed for rally driver Ken Block. Audi recently shared how the custom car was built for Block, as part of "The journey to Electrikhana." Take a closer look at the one-of-a-kind S1 Hoonitron:

Block worked with the Audi Sport division to design an EV able to meet his unique driving needs. Inspiration from the 1980s led designers to create an aerodynamic vehicle with modern technology. The carmaker needed to create a car that can use features from rally and circuit racing - and successfully combine them in an EV platform.

The Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron drivetrain is all-wheel drive and fully electric - with front and rear axles powered by a motorsport. The front and rear axle electric power distribution can be adjusted to the driver's intended driving - with the electric motors able to reach upwards of a whopping 28,000 rpm. That's up to 3,000 Nm of torque individually on each axle.

Elon Musk has taken to his personal Twitter account to ask his 116 million followers if former President Donald Trump's Twitter account should be reinstated.

The poll from the Tesla CEO comes after he announced that several banned Twitter accounts were coming back to the platform, including Kathie Griffin, Jordan Peterson, and the satire account Babylon Bee. While Musk didn't mention in his announcement tweet that it wasn't his choice to bring back these specific accounts, the SpaceX CEO has previously stated that all account reinstatements would be handled by the new Twitter Council, which he has said consists of a group of individuals with vast viewpoints.

If Musk's previous statements on establishing a Twitter Council remain true, then we can assume that the Twitter owner wasn't the sole decider in reinstating the aforementioned banned accounts. Additionally, Musk asked what "should Twitter do next?", which sparked a reply from one individual that said the company should reinstate Alex Jones' account. Musk swiftly replied with a solid "No."

While Sony just raised the base MSRP of the PlayStation 5 in all worldwide markets except for the United States, Microsoft has discounted its digital-only Xbox Series S by $50 for the holiday season.

Sony is currently prepping to ship 18 million PlayStation 5 consoles by March 2023 with a focus on profitability and big weight reductions that will lead to lower shipment costs. Microsoft, on the other hand, is actually discounting the price of its cheaper Xbox Series console in an effort to build out its console installed base and to engage more users into its online, digital-focused gaming market.

The Xbox Series S is currently on sale for $249 across multiple retailers including the Microsoft Store. This sale is actually quite meaningful for Microsoft's business; Xbox's Phil Spencer has said the company loses $100-200 on every console, and this indicates Microsoft is willing to take even more of a loss in exchange for the potential of selling more systems during an challenging economical period that happens to coincide with the holiday 2022 season.

Sonic co-creator Yuji Naka has been arrested by Japanese authorities on suspicion of insider trading.

Game developer Yuji Naka, who has worked on nearly 20 Sonic games and more recently Balan Wonderworld, has been apprehended by Tokyo police on allegations of insider trading. Naka was one of three individuals who were arrested for allegedly violating Japan's Financial Instruments and Exchange Act, the other two include Taisuke Sasaki and Fumiaki Suzuki.

According to reports, Naka, Sasaki, and Suzuki were arrested for insider trading in regards to the recent Dragon Quest Tact mobile game. All three individuals allegedly purchased stock in Aiming, the developer behind Dragon Quest Tact, before the mobile game was announced with the belief that Aiming's share value would increase following the game's announcement and subsequent release.

Microsoft reiterates that Call of Duty will not only remain on PlayStation, but continue to ship to the platform as a native gaming experience.

In a recent interview with The Verge's Decoder, Xbox gaming CEO Phil Spencer makes new comments about Microsoft's plans for the $31 billion Call of Duty franchise as worldwide regulators investigate the proposed Microsoft-Activision merger.

Spencer reiterates major points that Microsoft intends to treat Call of Duty like Minecraft and that there's no tricks--just the same mainline, premium Call of Duty that gamers are enjoying now.

Starbreeze is currently working on a new IP outside of Payday, but it could be a licensed series from another publisher.

After an going flirt with disaster, Payday developer Starbreeze is back making new games again. The studio signed a big multi-year deal with Plaion (former Koch Media) to publish Payday 3. That's not the only project the company is working on, though; Starbreeze is also busy crafting its next game that won't be set within the Payday universe.

In a recent Q3 earnings presentation, Starbreeze confirms it is actively developing a new game in a fresh IP. Its next project is due out in or around 2025 and it could be set in either a licensed IP or one that the studio creates themselves.

The 2024 Chevrolet Trax is an affordable new SUV that features five trims, all of which start at less than $25,000 MSRP. Chevy hopes to win over customers that are looking for the versatility of an SUV but the practicality of a sedan - and believes the Trax is packed with enough technology and features. Here is a brief vehicle walkaround done by Autoblog:

The Trax has a 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine responsible for 137 horsepower and generating 162 lb-ft. of torque - so you might not take anyone off the line, but that really isn't the focus of a Trax anyway. It's the same engine platform currently used by the Trailblazer, along with an identical base engine.

The side profile was lowered four inches from previous models, while the wheelbase added six inches to reach 106 inches.

Drako Motors has unveiled the Drako Dragon SuperSUV, a super pricey $290,000 electric car that is insanely fast. The American luxury sports manufacturer wants to ramp up production but isn't in a big rush to push a car that isn't fully prepared.

The quad motor powertrain with Drako DriveOS NanoControl creates a massive 2,000 hp that leads to an extremely fast driving experience. The car accelerates 0-60 mph in just 1.9 seconds, with a quarter-mile time of 9 seconds, and a top speed of more than 200 mph. The full carbon fiber design structure of the Dragon allowed it to reduce overall body weight by 50% - but Drako promises twice the structural rigidity.

Drako was able to apply positive and negative torque to each individual wheel, a level of control that simply isn't achievable with a single-engine vehicle using regular mechanics. The front wing is designed for aerodynamics enhanced with reduced drag and proper downforce.

Automaker Sono Motors hopes for success with its $25,000 Sion, a solar-powered electric car for auto markets in Europe and the United States.

Sono developed its own polymer-based solar technology, which makes up the integrated solar half-cells collecting energy. There are around 450 cells spread across the doors, hood, roof, and pretty much everywhere they could be placed. Solar power leads to around 70 miles of driving range per week - which is why a lithium iron phosphate electric battery also is available. Each charge of the BYD battery is good for a 190-mile drive range.

Drivers have access to real-time data through an app running on the Sion's dashboard - control power sharing, solar power generation levels, and other information is available to the driver.

Amazon has joined the growing list of massive companies laying off thousands of workers, or at least that's what recent reports are claiming.

Officially, Amazon are preparing to "consolidate some teams and programs", according to the head of Amazon's hardware division. Dave Limp, who leads the company's Devices & Services organization, wrote to staff in a note that, "It pains me to have to deliver this news as we know we will lose talented Amazonians from the Devices & Services org as a result." Adding, "While I know this news is tough to digest, I do want to emphasize that the Devices & Services organization remains an important area of investment for Amazon, and we will continue to invent on behalf of our customers."

Limp wrote that individuals affected by the layoff would receive separation payments, transitional benefits as well as external job placement support. Notably, Limp didn't specify how many people would be laid off. However, The New York Times reported earlier that Amazon could be laying off as many as 10,000 workers.

NASA has taken to its blog and social channels to share yet another phenomenal image snapped by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

This time around, NASA's newest and most-powerful space telescope has honed its sensitive instruments on a protostar shrouded in a dark cloud - L1527. Webb's infrared instruments, capable of peering through the thick interstellar clouds, revealed new details to astronomers, giving insight into the early formation of stars and the strange shapes that they make during their formation. Above is a protostar shrouded within a dark cloud of material feeding the young star's growth.

The incredible colors seen above and below the star, which is at the "neck" of the hourglass, are a result of celestial "burps" from the star consuming the surrounding cloud material, and ejecting it out. The blue dust represents an area where the dust is the thinnest, while the red color represents an area where the dust is the thickest.

The most powerful rocket in the world has launched NASA's Orion spacecraft on a 25-day journey to the Moon and back to Earth as part of the space agency's Artemis program.

NASA has taken to its blog to outline and summarize what has long been the objective of the Artemis 1 mission. With the launch being the first hurdle NASA has now put behind it, the space agency has moved on to what's now up next for Orion. The small spacecraft is a critical mission for NASA's future Artemis mission as it will inform the agency on what changes/improvements it will need to make to reduce risk as well as yield better results.

The space agency recently announced on its blog that Orion performed a burn that successfully put it on its way to the Moon. When Orion was approximately 58,000 miles away from Earth, the small spacecraft used its cameras located on its solar panels and inside the cabin to snap some photographs. Those photographs can be found in the link below.