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Everyone thinks they know what they’re doing, but AAA once found that almost 20 percent of people had had their tree fall off or out of their vehicle while bringing it home. A roof rack and solid knots should be enough to get your tree home safely, but only if you know what you’re doing.The American Christmas Tree Association says prices are up, so if you want it to be there when you get home, follow our three tips.’Tis the season for strapping a pine tree to the roof of your car and then dashing through the snow, sometimes at highway speeds. There are safe and unsafe ways to do this, of course, and since the Internet loves to point out people who choose the latter option, it’s time for us to once again offer tips on how to carry a Christmas tree on your car’s roof without doing any damage to the car or your pride. The American Christmas Tree Association said it expects there to be enough of a supply of fake and natural trees in the U.S. this year, but—shocker—prices are likely to be higher than last year. The ACTA said prices for real trees are up due to extreme weather events throughout the U.S., while prices for artificial trees could be higher than previously expected because of shipping issues at the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland, “which will cause disruptions in getting Christmas trees to shelves and consumers,” the group said.Most of us don’t regularly throw a six-foot tree on top of our car, and it’s clear that not everyone understands the basics. According to a study conducted by AAA, nearly one in five people who bought a real Christmas tree had it fall off or out of their vehicle when trying to get it home. You don’t want to join that crowd, even if only to prevent your Christmas budget from spiraling. AAA said that fixing minor surface scratches from an improperly secured tree can cost $150 while repainting deeper blemishes on the roof can reach $1500. Here are a few tips to safely transport a Christmas tree to avoid these and other potential problems. First, bring rope or straps, gloves, and perhaps a large blanket or tarp when it’s time to pick up your tree. Second, feel free to send this article to your friend who’s not exactly a knot-tying expert. On to the tips:Roof is best. One of the easiest ways to transport a Christmas tree is to tie it to the roof rack, with the trunk (the cut part) of the tree facing the front of the vehicle. If you don’t have roof rails, you can make do with some protective surface (like an old blanket or large towel) to keep the needles and pine sap from the paint or the sunroof. Without roof rails, you can run the tie-down ropes or straps through your car door (not the windows). Alternatively, you can place the tree inside if your car is large enough and you don’t mind vacuuming up pine needles. O Christmas Tree. Whether the tree is on the roof or in the car in the back seats, it’s helpful to have it tied up tight. Some tree sellers will provide the tree to you bundled up in netting, which makes handling the tree easier and provides aerodynamic assistance when it’s on top of the car. If you’re using the roof, strap the tree to the car in three areas: front, middle, rear. The AAA recommends against using the nylon rope provided by many tree lots. If your car doesn’t have rails, you can open the doors and run the rope through the cabin and then up to the roof. When you close the doors, the tree should remain tightly tied town, but this method may damage door seals. . If you can, avoid the interstate and high speeds on the way home. Not all knots survive the stress of moving at 70 miles per hour.Tie it tightGo slowThis content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Ford Pro and DHL are bringing more electric delivery vehicles to more places, including a new order for 2000 all-electric Ford E-Transit vans.DHL plans to use mostly zero-emission vans by 2030 and has almost 27,000 electric vans in operation around the world.In the U.S., the commercial E-Transit starts at $55,585 and has a maximum Ford-estimated range of 126 miles.The ever-elusive “last mile” challenge is getting another competitor. Ford Pro, the automaker’s new, separate global vehicle services and distribution business, announced today that it has signed a memorandum of understanding with Deutsche Post DHL Group to provide the logistics company with more than 2000 all-electric delivery vans. Ford Pro is initially focused on North America and Europe, but the announcement says the electric vans are part of DHL’s zero-emission logistics efforts that will eventually reduce emissions from delivery vehicles “around the globe.”FordFord will deliver over 2000 electric delivery vans to DHL by the end of 2023. Some of DHL’s new electric delivery vehicles will be the two-ton E-Transit model. These commercial vans will come with Ford Pro’s connected E-Telematics software and charging solutions, designed to make it easier for fleet operators to coordinate charging and other changes required by shifting to zero-emission EVs. Ford said it might also use information gained from the new EVs to co-develop future products with Deutsche Post DHL Group for the delivery company’s specific operations. As a related example, Ford recently designed and delivered vans with customized boxes for DHL vans delivering goods in German cities.Charlie Magee/FordDHL has tested other electric delivery vehicles in its global fleet. In 2017, DHL ordered 2500 electric Ford Transit vans and purchased almost 100 others converted by Lightning eMotors in early 2021. DHL currently operates nearly 27,000 electric vans around the world, including Bulgaria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands and the UK. DHL said it targets 60 percent of its pick-up and delivery vehicles to be carbon neutral by 2030. Other automakers are sending electric delivery vans into service as well. FedEx, for example, was the first customer to test out BrightDrop’s EV600 electric van, and Amazon is using over 1000 Rivian electric delivery vans in the U.S. Ford has previously announced climate targets for its European activities, including “zero emissions for all vehicle sales and carbon neutrality across its European footprint of facilities, logistics and suppliers by 2035, and carbon neutrality globally no later than 2050.”The new Ford E-Transit starts at $55,585 and, with the low cargo roof, has a Ford-estimated range of 126 miles.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

This special Bentley Flying Spur is a collaboration between luxury automaker Bentley and custom shoemaker Dominic Ciambrone (a.k.a. “The Surgeon”), and comes directly after the pair released 10 sneakers, each based on a Bentley livery.The Flying Spur Hybrid Surgeon car is one of three Bentley Artwork vehicles being shown at the Art Basel in Miami over the weekend, with a Continental GT Speed Convertible and Continental GT V8 Convertible also being displayed. Bentley was tightlipped on price, though it is likely this version will top the standard Flying Spur Hybrid’s $217,525 starting price in a private sale. If you ask us, buying a Bentley is all about flexing the depth of your wallet and the bounds of your creativity. For those with that kind of coin who prefer to rely on the taste of others, Bentley has a solution in the form of this one-off Flying Spur Hybrid. The car is a collaboration effort between the automaker and custom shoemaker Dominic Ciambrone, more commonly referred to as “The Surgeon.” Car and DriverBentleyFrom the exterior, the special Flying Spur could be mistaken for any other NBA-star-carrying luxury machine. It wears dual-tone Anthracite over Anthracite Satin black paints, which are accented by Satin Bronze pinstriping and piping. The result shows off a glittering finish from the combination of matte and metallic paints. It’s an attractive but muted look for a car that otherwise carries so much presence on the road. BentleyBentleyThe interior of the bespoke vehicle is where the Surgeon really made his mark. Quite literally. His personal Jolly Roger–esque logo along with branding of the word “Surgeon” are visible throughout the cabin. The interior seems perfect if you are a fan of pirate logos, or perhaps made a fortune performing medical procedures and need constant reminders of your career. Car and DriverBentley remained silent on the price of this bespoke Flying Spur, but we would expect it to range somewhere north of the standard Flying Spur Hybrid’s $217,525 starting price in a private sale. On the upside, the owner of the car will also receive a pair of limited-edition Bentley/Surgeon Adidas Forum Low sneakers along with the car. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer military vehicles are a product of Austria and designed to be able to topple off-road obstacles deep or tall. This 1974 710K uses an 89-hp air-cooled 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a five-speed manual transmission. Locking front and rear differentials and portal axles made the Pinz an incredible tool for armies across the world during and after the Cold War. Currently located in Portland, Oregon, this Pinzie is up for auction on Bring a Trailer until December 8. I’ve never been good at conflict. Argue with my mother-in-law? No, thank you. Plot a revolution? Ugh, way too much work. No, the closest I came to enacting a new order was getting enough people in our office to agree to a recycling bin for the kitchen. It turns out clicking “reply all” is an incredible tool for modern democracy, and today’s Bring a Trailer pick is, too, in its own way. No stranger to war, this 1975 Steyr-Puch Pinzgauer 710K has served its time but is currently parked somewhere in Portland, Oregon. After this auction ends, its next deployment could be anywhere.BRING A TRAILERPinzgauer military utes were built in Austria, named after the region’s indigenous Norico-Pinzgauer draft horse and used by armies across the world from the U.K. to Saudi Arabia (following #pinzgauer on Instagram returns an interesting mix of horses, cattle, and mud). Many of the Pinzies for sale today were once enlisted by the Swiss Army. The early editions of this off-road eponym come in two different drivelines. The 710 has four-wheel drive, while the 712 is six-wheel drive. A four-wheel-drive 716 and six-wheel-drive 718 followed in the 1980s. Under the 710K Pinz’s center armrest sits an 89-hp air-cooled 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The K denotation signifies that it’s a hardtop wagon and has a five-passenger capacity. Other versions such as the 712AMB-Y (three-door ambulance) and 712FW (fire truck) have more specific duties. BRING A TRAILERTo ride in a Pinzgauer is to experience off-roading without the fear of getting stuck. Its ground clearance is measured in feet. This 710K has a two-speed transfer case, front and rear locking differentials, and portal axles that allow the axles to sit higher than the wheel centers for the sake of ground clearance. The biggest obstacle facing a Pinz is the highway. Due to their extreme levels of capability, the 710 can only reach as much as 68 mph. That’s more than the 6×6’s 62-mph limit, but these military utility trucks were built to dominate intensive operations, not paved ovals. Its engine and electrical systems were designed to be well protected and waterpoof. They use two oil pumps to prevent starvation because that’s just how tilted this mini Unimog can get. With more than 27 inches of fording depth, a river or ditch won’t stop a Pinzgauer. They’re also capable of out-towing a new Jeep Gladiator, though its ratings change depending on whether you’re pulling through mud or on pavement. The current owner has outfitted this 710K with some meaningful updates. The black steel 16-inch wheels are from a Ford Transit, and they’re wrapped in BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires. Rancho shocks and Mastercraft limiting straps have also been installed. To make it more livable, the seller is including heated front seats and a backup rearview-mirror camera. BRING A TRAILERLooking back at previous auctions, the value of these rad little Pinzies spans wider than its front track. A supremely refurbished 1986 718 sold for $100,000 in May 2022. A noticeably cleaner softtop 1974 710 sold for $12,200 in 2018. Bidding for this example is at $700 as of this writing with five days left at auction. As strongly as we wish for world peace, we’re hoping this one goes to a good home that will treat it to some mud play. This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Chicago put its winter parking ban into effect on December 1—and towed nearly 250 cars for breaking the rules on the first night alone. The ban takes effect on 107 miles of road throughout the city, regardless of snow, with a further 500 miles of road parking available to be banned in the event of two or more inches of snowfall. (The photo here depicts a typical Chicago winter scene from last February.)Any unlucky violators are forced to pay a minimum $235 for their mistake, a figure that includes a $25-per-day storage fee. If you are one of 242 unfortunate Chicago residents, you may have gotten up on Thursday morning, brewed your morning coffee, and walked outside to find that your car was no longer where you had left it the night before. Fortunately, the missing cars weren’t actually missing: they had been towed by the city due to the return of Chicago’s winter parking ban, which went into effect on December 1, blocking 107 miles of roads from parking between 3:00 and 7:00 a.m. Every year between December 1 and April 1, Chicago puts an overnight parking ban on more than 100 miles of roads, regardless of weather. A ban of a further 500 miles of Chicago roadways can be put in place anytime throughout the year when more than two inches of snow have fallen—although, according to the city government’s website, the larger ban is rarely invoked. Winter ReadsPrime Parking Will Cost YouMaking the mistake of not moving your vehicle to a legal parking spot is costlier than a trip to the impound lot. Violators are on the hook for a $150 towing fee, $60 ticket, and $25 per day in storage fees. Assuming you are in town and available to recover it immediately after your vehicle gets towed, that adds up to $235 in fines. Local laws have a lot of variation, so we can’t give a clear picture of what your local laws will look like, though Chicago is not the only city with parking laws that change in the winter. If you live somewhere that regularly sees snowfall in the winter, it is more than likely there are local laws in place to accomodate plows. Some cities only change parking laws when a snow emergency is put into effect—including Ann Arbor, Michigan, home of Car and Driver’s editorial office. Others, much like Chicago, put laws in place on a standing annual basis. If you regularly park on the street, it’s important to check out your municipality’s website and know the local guidelines. This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

The BMW iX5 hydrogen fuel-cell SUV is now entering low-volume production and will begin testing in select regions next spring.Based on the regular BMW X5, the iX5 is retrofitted with a fuel-cell stack, an electric motor and battery, and a new floor to fit its hydrogen tanks. BMW believes both electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles are necessary to combat climate change, with the iX5 a potential precursor to future models.Along with a growing number of automakers, BMW says it’s committed to combatting global climate change and aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. Unlike many automakers, however, the German brand believes hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles will play a big role in reaching that goal, alongside battery-electric vehicles, of course. Leading the charge is the hydrogen-powered BMW iX5 SUV that has just begun low-volume production. It was first previewed a few years ago by the i Hydrogen Next concept that appeared at the 2019 Frankfurt auto show. Starting sometime next spring (2023), the small batch of iX5s that BMW is now building will hit the streets in select regions around the world for testing purposes.BMWBased on the regular BMW X5, which is built in the company’s factory in Spartansburg, South Carolina, the iX5 is assembled at BMW’s Research and Innovation Center in Munich, Germany. The transformation from X5 to iX5 includes swapping in an entirely new floor to fit the fuel-cell system’s two hydrogen tanks that are located under the mid-size SUV’s central tunnel and rear seats. The tanks have a total capacity of about 16 pounds and feed an underhood fuel-cell stack paired with a rear-mounted electric motor and battery.BMWBMW says the iX5’s entire fuel-cell-electric system makes a combined 374 horsepower. The company also says its curb weight is comparable to the plug-in-hybrid X5, which weighed 5627 pounds on our scales. BMW claims the iX5 can accelerate from zero to 62 mph in under seven seconds and has a top speed of 118 mph. It also has an estimated driving range of around 310 miles, although that claim is based on the optimistic European WLTP cycle.BMWBMW believes that fuel-cell powertrains will provide a carbon-free alternative to customers with needs that can’t be met by EVs, such as those who need to refuel quickly and don’t have fast-charging access. The company also thinks hydrogen power will help offset the challenges that electrification faces, especially with medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Other issues the technology is said to address include regions with constraints on electrical-grid capacity and renewable resources. Plus, BMW says more than 40 countries worldwide currently have a strategy regarding hydrogen power and cites the continuous build-up of hydrogen refueling stations since 2020.More About Hydrogen PowerFor now, the BMW iX5 is being produced merely as a pilot program, but it could lay the groundwork for future BMW fuel-cell vehicles. In similar news, Honda recently announced plans to build a hydrogen-powered CR-V, which would make it just the third hydrogen model sold in the United States. Only time will tell if fuel-cell technology will be as viable as BMW hopes.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.This content is imported from poll. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

This content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.The United States, consistently rated one of the top three countries in North America, is a nation built around motor vehicles. We depend on cars and trucks to get us back and forth to work, to move our families between bonding activities, and to go where we eat many of our meals. What Americans need in their moving machines is reliability.But Americans need it on the cheap too. So, what’s a good, reliable, and American car for under $10,000? That’s the premise of this episode of Car and Driver’s hit sitcom, Window Shop. In this hijinks-filled misadventure of mish-mashed miscommunication, the goony editors and writers come up with vehicles ranging in age from about 20 to almost 95 years old. Is it early-onset dementia? Or is it too late for early-onset anything?In a daring strategic decision, editor in chief Tony Quiroga has expanded the panel to six members. They are, in addition to Quiroga himself, executive editor K.C. Colwell, senior editors Elana Scherr and Joey Capparella, free-floating decimal point Jonathon Ramsey, and some guy named John Pearley Huffman who would never be hired by C/D.No, Toyotas, Hondas and other foreign brands assembled in America were not eligible for this challenge. Only vehicles built by manufacturers native to the continent were allowed. That meant no Camrys and no Accords. And a tempting invitation to find a clean late-model Buick from an estate sale. But things took a turn for the goofball this time.So, sit back or don’t sit back. What do we care? Just take the time to watch this masterpiece of Zoom art on YouTube. Then like it, and subscribe to the channel. Please.More Window ShoppingThis content is imported from youTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More

Indulge your Supernatural fantasies with this big Chevy hardtop, done up as a clone of the hero car from the TV series, which is now up for auction on the Bring a Trailer website.With bench seating, a two-speed Powerglide transmission, and a burbling 283-cubic-inch engine, this is an ideal weekend cruiser that makes all the right sounds.Repainted black and fitted with chrome 15-inch five-spoke wheels, this Impala will be instantly familiar to a demographic far younger than your usual muscle-car enthusiast. Running over 15 seasons since it debuted in 2005, Supernatural was one of the longest-running, most successful fantasy TV series ever. Focusing on fictional twin brothers Sam and Dean Winchester as they roved around the country fighting demons and ghosts, it was sort of a cross between a traditional Western and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And in a Western, you need a faithful horse.Impala Lore from the C/D ArchiveDean Winchester had Baby, his beloved Impala. Originally, the show was supposed to feature the more obvious choice of a mid-1960s Ford Mustang, but the decision was made to go for something a little rougher around the edges. A black pillarless-hardtop Impala offered the necessary air of menace: low and rumbling and with the implication that there was plenty of space in the trunk for a body or two. Up for auction on the website Bring a Trailer—which, like Car and Driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is a clone with all the charm of the Supernatural hero car. With the auction set to end on Tuesday, December 6, bidding sits at just $5200.Bring a TrailerThe cultural impact of this show was probably a bit bewildering for dads of a certain age, asking their teenage daughters what kind of car they might like and receiving the prompt answer, “A black 1967 Chevy Impala four-door hardtop.” For a generation, Baby was more famous than the Dukes of Hazzard’s General Lee. Which is as it should be, since the former was inspired by the latter.Perhaps though, the Supernatural Impala is a bit more like the Back to the Future DeLorean, in that the show has ended up inadvertently saving a bunch of old four-door Impalas. Without its celebrity status, a classic Chevy sedan wouldn’t be as popular as a coupe. Happily, this car, which started out white, with some previous body damage noted, has been brought back to life with a refurbished interior and 15-inch wheels with fresh BFGoodrich Radial T/A rubber.Bring a TrailerMechanically, this Impala is nothing special, with a 283-cubic-inch V-8 and a two-speed Powerglide slushbox. It’s fine if you just want to cruise around all summer, but the oil pan gasket needs resealing next oil change.Bring a TrailerHaving had a chance to get up close with the actual Impala used as the hero car in Supernatural, anyone interested in this car might want to start putting together a shopping list. In person, Baby is no princess. She’s a demon-shredding rottweiler. Under the hood of the real Supernatural Impala is a built-up 500-cubic-inch big block Chevy V-8, which lopes at idle like a bowling ball in an industrial dryer. The suspension is comprehensively upgraded with components from Hotchkiss, and the brakes are upgraded as well. Now in the possession of actor Jensen Ackles, who played Dean Winchester, the hero Impala is kept at his home in Texas. He put air conditioning in it but kept all the onscreen patina the same. So, two options here. One, an easy-riding weekend cruiser that looks like the one on your favorite show. Two, haul it into the garage and build out a truly badass sedan, worthy of any Winchester. Just don’t turn your back and walk away. Sam and Dean would never.This content is imported from OpenWeb. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More