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Honda Performance Development (HPD) and JAS Motorsport announced a TCR variant of the new Civic Type R.It will of course be called the Civic Type R TCR, and has been designed for competition in the TCR Touring Car classification. Based on the new FL5 generation Type R, the TCR features new bodywork, an updated chassis, upgraded braking and transmission, and a race-prepped version of the 2.0-liter turbo-four from the road car. The newest generation of Honda Civic Type R may have dialed back the crazy in the looks department, but the brand new Civic Type R TCR race car defiantly turns it back the other way. HPD and JAS Motorsport announced a competition focused version of the car based on the new FL5 platform, complete with a big wing and aggressive-looking bodywork. Civic RacersHonda didn’t get too detailed in revealing the specific changes it made, presumably due to the competitive nature of motorsport—you don’t hear Christian Horner talking about too many of the specifics behind the Red Bull Formula 1 cars, after all. We do know from both pictures and press materials that the new TCR gets new bodywork and a gargantuan wing mounted to the rear. Both front and rear fenders have been widened, and a rather large splitter is found at the front. The TCR features a race-prepped version of the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the road car, which likely means it makes more power than the street car’s 315 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. JAS Motorsport reworked the chassis for better handling mid-corner, and the brakes and transmission have both been upgraded for the rigors of track use. This content is imported from twitter. 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 interior has been redesigned in line with the FIA global safety standards. According to Honda, the cockpit is capable of providing more relevant information than before thanks to a redesigned display. The new Civic Type R TCR will compete in the TCR Touring Car class of competition, where it has found success in the past. A separate “endurance version” will be available for those who plan to compete in endurance racing events. Honda plans for the cars to make their debut on track as part of the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge. No pricing figures have been announced, though the Type R TCR will certainly go for much more than the roadgoing variant. The factory racing version of the Civic Si, for instance, goes for $55,000. North American orders are all handled directly through HPD, and open February 1, 2023. This content is imported from twitter. 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 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Haute Voiture is a special edition that’s inspired by high fashion. Along with exclusive two-tone paint, the Haute Voiture has a uniquely appointed interior with bouclé fabric and other intricate details. The 2023 S680 Haute Voiture will be limited to 150 examples when it goes on sale early next year. For rich folks who fancy themselves fashionistas, the 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 Haute Voiture is a fashion-show-inspired variant of the already ultra-classy Maybach S-class.After teasing the Haute Voiture concept earlier this year, Mercedes today announced plans to put the “drivable art piece” into production. The new limited edition was revealed in its full glory following a fashion show in Dubai.Even More Fashionable than Before To ensure the Haute Voiture isn’t confused with any other Maybach S680, it wears an exclusive two-tone paint job that features metallic nautical blue on top and rose gold below. Its large monoblock wheels are painted to match the blue hue of the body. While this author finds the color combination quite fetching, it’s the type of look that’ll likely divide people. You know, like fashion.Obviously, the S680 special edition is adorned with chrome exterior trim and a prominent Mercedes-Benz hood ornament same as the regular Maybach-branded S-class. However, the Haute Voiture also comes with extra baggage—literally. That’s because along with the car Maybach is releasing a bag collection that’ll be made of the same materials used on the interior. The bags will also be sold in limited numbers. MercedesMercedesA Bougie Bouclé-Trimmed CabinInside, the Haute Voiture has the same layout as the Maybach S680, meaning a massive MBUX infotainment screen up front and two-passenger lounge seating in the back. For the occasion, Mercedes upgrades the MBUX system with Haute Voiture-specific visuals, such as rose gold accents and “sparkling glitter clouds” (yes, really). Users can also choose from 12 different avatars wearing fashion accessories and fancy clothes.Bouclé is a type of fabric that’s woven from yarn. It has a very distinctive look, and it’s featured throughout the Haute Voiture’s cabin, with the material seen on the door panels and the seats. The pattern uses a mix of blue, beige, rose gold, and other gold shades. The headliner also features a neat pattern that wouldn’t look out of place on a high-dollar handbag. The car’s cabin comes with a set of floor mats made of linen and mohair, which is yarn made from goat hair, and there’s a set of rose gold-colored champagne flutes.High Fashion, High Power, High PriceAs with regular Maybach S680 models, the Haute Voiture features all-wheel drive and a 621-hp twin-turbo 6.0-liter V-12. Considering the 496-hp V-8-powered Mercedes-Maybach S580 we tested sped to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds, the even mightier V-12 version should easily hit the same mark in under 4 ticks. Acceleration times aside, true fashion isn’t concerned with how quickly models reach the end of the catwalk, it’s about how they look doing it.More on the Maybach S-ClassLike most things that qualify as high fashion (a.k.a. haute couture), the S680 Haute Voiture that will go on sale in early 2023 will have a limited production run of just 150 copies. While Mercedes hasn’t divulged how much this special Maybach will cost, we expect a sizable premium to be attached to the standard S680’s price tag, which starts at $230,050.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

Last year, GM announced plans to install up to 40,000 Level 2 charging stations for any and all EVs in underserved communities across the U.S. and Canada. This week, the automaker said the first stations had been installed in Wisconsin and Michigan and that many more are on the way.While GM dealers (Chevy only until 2023) are involved with this program, it is not meant to only install units at dealerships. Instead, the plan calls for EV chargers to be installed at commonly used public locations.GM also said it would partner with FLO, which will supply future units and build them in Auburn Hills, Michigan.Electric vehicles need places to charge, and it doesn’t hurt if the company that makes the EVs also provides charging options. Just ask anyone who’s used a Tesla Supercharger. Last year, GM announced it would install a new network of up to 40,000 Level 2 stations as part of a “community charging program” in the U.S. and Canada. This week, GM said that around 1000 GM dealers have enrolled in the program and that local dealerships in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and Owosso, Michigan, helped determine where the first of these stations were installed in their local communities.Currently, only Chevrolet dealerships have been invited to join the program, but other GM brands—Buick, GMC and Cadillac—can sign up starting in January 2023. Dealers in the Dealer Community Charging Program can get up to 10 19.2-kilowatt charging stations, and then GM will direct dealers to installation providers to get these stations up and working at “key community locations.” These Level 2 stations are open to any EV driver and are meant as a next-step solution in so-called “charging deserts,” where public EV charging infrastructure is rare or just doesn’t exist there yet. Level 2 isn’t the game changer that DC fast-chargers would be in these places, but they will be welcomed in the “underserved rural and urban areas” that GM is targeting with the program.GM also announced it had selected EV charging company FLO to be its charging station provider in this project. FLO will build future charging stations for GM at its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan.Charging at HomeWhen GM announced the Dealer Community Charging Program in 2021, it said that the project would bring EV stations to places like “workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues, and college and universities, among others.” GM said that the next batch of states to get stations installed will be Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, and Washington State.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

We get it. You think if you scrape a porthole in the mass of snow on your car’s windshield, you think you’ll be able to reach your destination safely. Maybe you will, maybe you won’t. But people can be killed if you decide to take that chance.There are laws on the books in some states requiring drivers to keep the snow off their car windows and roof, but even in places without such rules, police can still issue unsafe driving tickets or something similar.There are at least two states with laws named after someone who was killed in a crash caused by falling ice. Don’t be the driver who sets another such chain of events in motion.We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, don’t drive with too much snow covering your car. Perhaps you remember the New Hampshire driver who got the Internet’s attention two years ago when they were charged with vehicular assault, reckless conduct, and negligent driving for the unusual situation where snow and ice flew off the roof of the box truck they were driving that injured the driver of the following car when it broke their windshield.This content is imported from twitter. 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.#KitsapCounty: A trooper stopped this driver on SR 16 after the vehicle was observed to be completely covered in snow. The driver received a $553 ticket for negligent driving in the 2nd degree.Please take the time to remove all snow from your vehicle before you leave the house. pic.twitter.com/pRHAbdxc8p— Trooper Katherine Weatherwax (@wspd8pio) December 4, 2022 Seattle Timesget a $553 ticket from the Washington State PatrolThis past week, another driver was ticketed for unsafe winter driving in Washington State. No one was injured this time, according to the, but a driver did because their windshield was almost completely covered in snow. The picture posted by a State Patrol trooper (above) shows the driver didn’t seem to try very hard to clear more than a periscope view through the snow. The person apparently drove more than five miles with this limited view, which got the police involved. As you can see, driving in the winter without cleaning any snow from your vehicle can have negative effects, either on your wallet or on nearby people. While only a handful of states have actual laws against driving without clearing off ice and snow, you can still be stopped in other states if law enforcement believes that the white stuff preventing you from seeing where you’re going falls into.Winter Is ComingSome States Have Cracked DownOne of the strictest state snow removal laws is in effect in New Hampshire. Known as Jessica’s Law after the woman (Jessica Smith) who was killed when falling ice caused a multi-vehicle crash, this 2001 law charges first-time offenders with a minimum fine of at least $250. The second offense comes with a potential $1000 fine, and after that—for whatever kind of driver needs a third strike here—a driver may face points on their license or a short-term loss of license. A Pennsylvania law, known as Christine’s Law, for a similar unfortunate case of yet another innocent road user who was killed by ice falling from another vehicle, took effect earlier this year. This new law requires drivers to clean snow and ice off their vehicles at least 24 hours after heavy snowfall. Fines start at $50 (but can reach $1500).LWA/Dann Tardif|Getty ImagesGiven the repeated deaths from people not scraping their cars clean in the winter, it’s obvious people need help keeping themselves and others safe. Even if you don’t consider a monetary fine a good enough reason to scrape your car, listen to Linda Smith, who spoke with media in 2015 after the death of her daughter, Jessica.”It takes not even five minutes to clean off your car,” she told WMUR at the time. “It can take three seconds to kill somebody.”This content is imported from twitter. 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 twitter. 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