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EV startup Bollinger unveiled production-intent images of its electric pickup and SUV.
The largest design changes are the movement of the B-pillar, the switch from two radiators to a single radiator behind the bumper, and more headroom.
The B1 and B2 are slated to start production in late 2021.

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Years before the Cybertruck and Hummer EV appeared, Bollinger was showing off its own vision of electric pickup truck and SUV models. Since then, the automotive startup’s B1 SUV and B2 truck have been making the rounds at auto shows clad in black and generally looking like Lego versions of the electrified future.
Today Bollinger revealed renderings of the production-intent versions of the two EVs. The changes between these and the earlier prototypes are typical for show cars transitioning to production models. And of course, the vehicles in the renderings are white instead of the intimidating black we’ve come to expect from the company.
When asked about the design changes, CEO Robert Bollinger told C/D, “the largest difference is that the entire body has been re-engineered for production. It’s all truly body-on-frame now and optimized for manufacturing.”

The most noticeable changes are to the front fascia and headlights. On the initial prototype, the headlight area also served as an air intake for the dual radiators. Bollinger says due to improved thermal management, it has now placed a single radiator behind the bumper. The result is that the headlights look slightly smaller and less intimidating.
On the side, the B-pillar has been moved forward to make it easier for passengers to enter the vehicles. The vehicles are now two inches taller, resulting in more headroom, and the sliding glass windows have been replaced with regular windows operated with a manual crank. On the B2 truck, the bed is now independent of the cab, which Bollinger says will make commercial chassis cab applications, repairs, and replacement easier. Oh, and the three wipers on the windshield have been replaced with the less awesome but more traditional two-wiper setup.
Bollinger may have made some changes to the design of the vehicles, but the claimed specs remain the same. Both vehicles are targeting 200 miles of range and a powertrain capable of delivering 614 hp and 668 foot-pounds of torque. The starting price for the B1 and B2 is $125,000 and both are said to go into production near the end of 2021.
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Porsche’s performance SUV was initially quite controversial, but it’s now solidly established and in its third generation. We take a look back. More

Chevrolet won’t be able to sell the Camaro SS, 1LE, and ZL1 in California and Washington beginning next year due to the copper content of the brake pads.
California and Washington both enacted laws in 2010 saying that by 2021, brake pads had to have less than 5 percent copper content due to the toxicity of copper when it reaches waterways.
Those Camaros will return to the California and Washington markets in 2022, but it’s unclear why Chevy didn’t change the brakes prior to the 2021 model year.
Back in 2010, California and Washington enacted laws declaring that beginning in 2021, the brake pads sold in their respective states couldn’t have more than 5 percent copper by weight. By 2025, the brakes had to have less than 0.5 percent copper by weight. It’s because of this rule that starting on January 1, Chevrolet won’t be able to sell the 2021 Camaro SS, 1LE, and ZL1 in those states due to the copper content of the Brembo brakes, which exceeds 5 percent.

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Sales for those versions of the Camaro will resume in California and Washington for the 2022 model year once the brakes are replaced, a Chevrolet spokesperson told C/D. And, since the law goes into effect beginning on January 1 of next year, 2021 models that are currently in dealer inventory can still be sold in the new year.
The Chevy spokesperson wouldn’t clarify why the brakes weren’t replaced in advance for the 2021 model year, rather than the 2022 model year. The states gave automakers and other brake pad manufacturers ten years to find new technologies and replace the brake pads with high levels of copper content.
The copper from the brake pads, it was found, turns to dust and finds its way into waterways. Once it’s there, it becomes toxic to many water-dwelling creatures, including fish, plants, and amphibians. The copper is used in the brake pads because it’s able to quickly and effectively dissipate heat and allow for smooth braking.

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Although the rule was put in place in only two states, California and Washington, trade groups representing the auto industry and automakers signed an agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2015 to phase out the use of copper in brake pads. The groups signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU)—and a non-binding agreement—saying that the auto industry would implement the “Copper-Free Brake Initiative.” At the time of the signing, General Motors was a member of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, a trade group which has since merged with others but signed the MOU.
A spokesperson for Brembo, the supplier of the brakes on the affected 2021 Camaros, told C/D in an email that although Brembo has copper-free brake pads, it does still make pads with copper and it’s up to the automakers to comply with regulations. “Brembo has accordingly been developing copper-free materials for its brake systems supplied to our customers worldwide who have been preparing for enactment of this legislation,” the spokesperson said.
General Motors doesn’t have any other vehicles that are affected by the legislation going into place, according to the Chevrolet spokesperson, and it’s unclear whether there are vehicles from manufacturers besides GM which can’t be sold beginning next year due to their brakes.
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Cadillac has shown the manual shift knob for the upcoming V-series Blackwing models.
The 2022 CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing will be higher-performance versions of these sports sedans.
Cadillac says these models will be on sale in the summer of 2021.
Cadillac confirmed months ago that the upcoming CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing would offer a six-speed manual transmission, and now we have the visual proof. A photo of the shift knob shows the new 3D-printed medallion on top with a shift pattern and checkered design. The manual transmission will come standard on both the CT4-V and CT5-V Blackwing models, with a ten-speed automatic available as an option.

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The CT4-V Blackwing is expected to be powered by a turbocharged V-6 engine, either the twin-turbo 3.6-liter unit from the previous ATS-V or the twin-turbo 3.0-liter engine currently in the standard CT5-V. The CT5-V Blackwing will be a different beast altogether, as we’re pretty sure it has a supercharged 6.2-liter V-8 with around 650 horsepower. Combined with the standard stick-shift, it promises to be a riot. The only other high-performance luxury sedan to offer a manual in the U.S. is the 2021 BMW M3.
While we’ve been enticed by teasers like this and of the steering wheel and magnesium wheels, we look forward to hearing all the details about the 2022 Cadillac V-series Blackwing models soon. These performance models should debut in the spring of 2021 before going on sale in the summer.
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It’ll be Ken Block vs. Michigander Rob Dahm on December 14, battling for dominance with a pair of 1400-hp custom cars.
Block’s is the famous Hoonicorn, based on a 1965 Ford Mustang.
Dahm is bringing a quad-rotor Mazda RX-7 to this race, which will take place on social media next week.
If you haven’t been paying attention recently, the guys at Hoonigan have been running a series called Hoonicorn vs. the World where—you guessed it—they find potential high-power cars for Ken Block to race against that have a chance of bringing down his infamous 1400-hp Hoonicorn. So far only one competitor—an 1100-hp Audi RS3—has given a good fight.
Since the first 845-hp Hoonicorn debuted in Gymkhana 7, the custom-built all-wheel-drive 1965 Ford Mustang has become a household name in the automotive community. And how could it not be, what with its red, white, and blue funnels on the turbocharger compressor inlets proudly popping through the hood for the world to see?

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The current Hoonicorn V2—made specifically for climbkhana—is powered by a Roush Yates 6.7-liter V-8 that is fed air by two massive Garrett turbos and fueled by methanol. The resulting combination is 1400 horsepower and 1250 pound-feet of torque, plenty sufficient when fed through its six-speed sequential gearbox to simultaneously light up all four tires at will. However, in a race where your opponent is nearly identical to you on paper, it’s hard to say how things will turn out. Best of luck, Mr. Block.
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Less known than Block and the Hoonicorn, but still wildly popular in the enthusiast community, is Rob Dahm. Dahm is a Michigan native who has amassed an impressive social media following behind all of his car escapades. Though it’s not his sole claim to fame, Dahm’s greatest project has probably brought him the most followers. In his quest to build the most powerful rotary engine in the world, Dahm has brought hundreds of thousands of viewers along for the experience, showing all facets of the process—including building his own parts—and lending an air of transparency that can be hard to find when it comes to high-end builds like these.
Dahm’s Mazda RX-7 is named Ahura, which is short for Ahura Mazda, a Persian mythological god who was said to have no equals. That’s a pretty fair name considering that the only thing remaining from the original car is the body. Everything underneath is all custom—just like the Hoonicorn: a tube-frame chassis, billet four-rotor engine, sequential gearbox, all-wheel drive, and a massive Garrett turbo.
Having a one-off car can be a pain at times though, If you regularly watch Dahm’s channel, you know all too well that building something like this is trial and error, and there are as many catastrophic failures as there are exciting successes. We just hope that Ahura holds together for a couple of solid shots at the champ.
If you want to find out who wins the race, we will be updating with video on December 14, when the post goes live on the Hoonigan and Rob Dahm pages. We aren’t sure who the winner will be, but one thing’s for certain: one car will emerge victorious, social media arguments will be had, and feelings will be hurt.
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