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    If a '90s-Era Toyota Land Cruiser Isn't Nostalgic Enough, Flex Will Take It Back to the '80s

    Established in 1967, Flex Automotive has a chain of 50 dealerships across Japan, taking modern Toyotas and giving them retro looks. Now the company is coming stateside.Launching in San Diego, Flex will offer 1990s and 2000s Toyota Land Cruisers backdated to look like the FJ60 of the 1980s. There will also be a new U.S.-only offering based on the Tacoma pickup.The creations are called “Renocas,” an appealing blend of up-to-date underpinnings and nostalgia.Nobody does nostalgia quite like the Japanese. At first, it was Nissan with its quirky little Pike Factory cars. Then it was Japanese dealerships keeping the original Rover Mini on sale until 2000. Oddball coachbuilder Mitsuoka currently has a full order list for its Buddy, a Toyota RAV4 gussied up like a 1980s K5 Blazer. Now, a bit of that blend of old and new is headed to this side of the Pacific. Flex AutomotiveFounded in the late 1960s, Flex Automotive now runs a large chain of dealerships in Japan, each one specializing in either the Toyota Land Cruiser or the Toyota Hiace (a minivan not sold here). These are boutique shops, where customers come in and spec their Toyota carefully, creating something that looks old but drives new.Flex AutomotiveYou can obliterate the day’s productivity with the company’s online car configurator. It’s endless fun, although, sadly, the likes of the friendly-looking Euro Box are not available in the U.S. But the Land Cruiser options will be.Flex is opening up its first U.S. dealership in San Diego this winter, where it will be perfectly situated to part tech workers from their cash. What could better suit a 20-year-old with a six-figure salary than a weekend adventure machine that looks like a 1980s Land Cruiser, but is essentially brand-new underneath?The conversions—called Renoca for “car renovation”—are high-quality affairs, using steel rather than fiberglass. Flex’s Wonder evokes the details of the 1980s Land Cruiser models based on a 1990s platform, while its 106 applies that same ethos to a 1999 to 2007 Land Cruiser. The centerpiece for both is the front fascia, with its simple grille and round headlights.Flex AutomotiveThe company has also announced an upcoming Tacoma-based offering, which will be its first U.S.-only vehicle. No details yet, but based on Flex’s established recipe, expect the elements of Marty McFly’s black Toyota pickup applied to a more modern truck.Cult FollowingToyota pulled the Land Cruiser from the U.S. market, with the last run being the 2021 model year. Prices for used ones are through the roof already, which makes Flex’s boutique offering well timed. Pricing has yet to be confirmed, but it should be in the range of $20,000 plus the cost of a donor car. It’s not quite the Singer of Land Cruisers, but it is a really cool way to get the brand-new golden-era Toyota truck of your dreams.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

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    Maine Is Finally Clamping Down on Obscene, Offensive License Plates

    Unlike most states, which have a department or committee that approves custom plates, Maine has no approval process. Drivers took advantage, printing out plates with any and all obscenities you could think of. That’s about to change, according to the Associated Press. Maine has begun to issue recall notices to people with obscene or offensive plates in an effort to clean up the streets, AP reports. The notices are going out to enforce a new set of rules established by the state’s DMV last year. Plate SpecialsThe rules ban derogatory references to age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, or disability. They also ban language that’s considered profane or obscene, and language that could incite violence. To give you an idea of just how obscene some of these plates can be, there is currently a license plate on a car in Maine that simply reads “F*** Y0U,” except on the plate, it’s spelled out in its entirety, according to Autoblog. A committee has been set up at the Maine DMV to review any custom plate requests going forward. The committee will also be responsible for handling complaints from the public on current plates. AP reports there are roughly 124,000 custom plates on the road in Maine right now, though only about 400 of those could be subject to recall by the state. So if you live in Maine and have an offensive license plate, don’t be surprised if you see a letter in the mail asking to give it up. 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

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    TVS Sales Breakup Sep 2022 – Jupiter, Apache, XL, Ntorq, Raider

    Taking top spot in TVS sales breakup September 2022, we have Jupiter in domestic markets and Star City 125 in exportsTVS Apache 160 2VThe highest-selling product that TVS Motor makes is its Jupiter scooter. With 82,394 units sold in September 2022, Jupiter registered 46.25% YoY growth over 56,339 units sold a year before. Volume gain stood at 26,055 units and commanded a 29.02% share among TVS’ domestic sales. XL moped takes the next spot with 47,613 units sold.Due to 61,664 units sold last year, XL saw a drop of 22.79% YoY. Volume drop stood at 14,051 units and had a 16.77% share. Apache series has registered a 5.64% YoY growth by selling 42,954 units over 40,661 units last year with a volume gain of 2,293 units. NTORQ is TVS’ second highest-selling scooter and registered 6.94% YoY growth by pushing 31,497 units. Volume gained by NTORQ is 2,045 units.TVS Sales Breakup September 2022Raider recently got a 5” TFT display as its instrument console and saw a staggering 208.43% YoY growth with 21,766 units sold. Volume gain stood at 14,709 units YoY, which is quite respectable. Radeon is TVS’ highest-selling budget commuter. With 14,726 units sold, Radeon registers 10.76% YoY growth.Sport commuter sold 14,057 units. With that, Sport registered a drop of 4.05% YoY. Scooty Pep+ sold 9,518 units over 7,259 units and gained 2,259 units in volume YoY. Growth stood at 31.12% YoY. Another commuter by TVS, Star City, sold 7,947 units and saw a drop of 9.34% YoY. Zest scooter sold 5,913 units and registered 54.10% YoY growth over 3,837 units sold last year.TVS Sales Breakup September 2022 – DomesticiQube electric scooter sold 4,923 units over just 766 units last year. With that, iQube witnessed an astounding 542.69% YoY growth with 4,157 units gained in volume. TVS’ flagship Apache RR 310 managed to push out 570 units as opposed to 337 units and registered 69% (nice) YoY growth. TVS’ total domestic sales stood at 2,83,878 units over 2,44,084 units sold in September 2021. Volume gain stood at 39,794 units with 16.3% YoY growth. Exports place Star City 125 as its golden product with 29,157 units shipped. With 32,619 units shipped last year, Star City 125 saw a 10.61% YoY drop in sales. Star City 125 accounts for 38.07% of TVS’ total exports.Star City stands next with 12,671 units shipped and like its 125cc sibling, also falls in the red with 55.87% YoY drop in sales. TVS Sport lost sales domestically but gained 135.04% YoY with 9,491 units shipped over 4,038 units shipped last year. Volume gain stood at 5,453 units YoY. Raider impressed in exports just as it did in the domestic market.TVS Exports Sep 2022With 6,998 units shipped in September 2022, Raider saw a massive 2,399% YoY growth due to just 280 units shipped last year. Apache series doesn’t see much luck as it is down by 45.21% YoY. As compared to 12,224 units shipped last year, Apache sales almost halved at 6,697 units. Domestic highest-seller Jupiter only shipped 4,294 units in September 2022.TVS Sales Breakup September 2022 – ExportsWego managed to ship 2,933 units over just 230 units shipped last year. Wego saw a 1,175% YoY growth with 2,703 units gained in volume. NTORQ is not well received in global markets. It lost 53.54% in sales with 2,884 units shipped last month over 6,208 units shipped last year. Victor held its ground with 800 units which was the same last year as well. XL and Radeon fall in the red completely with just 438 units and 120 units shipped respectively. RR 310 doubled its exports with 104 units over 52 units last year. TVS’ total exports stood at 76,587 units and lost 11.27% in sales. Volume loss stood at 9,726 units over Sep 2021. More

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    2023 Nissan Ariya Surfwagon Concept Is One Weird-Lookin' Woody

    The 2023 Nissan Ariya EV has been transformed into a woody-style concept called the Surfwagon that’ll debut at this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas.To our eyes, the Surfwagon’s wood-panel vinyl wrap and huge brightly colored spokeless rims with whitewall tires don’t mesh well. Nissan wants the Surfwagon to encourage electric-vehicle customization, which is great, but we think this concept is a weird one.Some things just don’t go together well. Oil and water, dumb people and scientific facts, and chunky electric SUVs with fake wood side panels. The latter example is the only one that’s relevant here, and it describes the 2023 Nissan Ariya Surfwagon concept that’s set to debut at this year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association show (now known as just SEMA).NissanWe’re gonna be blunt here. The woody-inspired Surfwagon concept that Nissan commissioned South Carolina-based Tommy Pike Customs to build looks weird. After all, the electric Ariya’s tall and bulbous shape isn’t exactly an attractive canvas to work with. Perhaps that’s why its wood-panel vinyl wrap looks so out of place to our eyes. It’s mostly the unnatural way the simulated wood trim pieces bend and break around the SUV’s body.NissanUsually, a set of whitewall tires mounted on brightly painted spokeless rims is a pairing that catches our attention. The Surfwagon’s wheel-and-tire combo definitely makes our jaw drop, just not in a good way. The 20-inch wheels have too much dish and the tires have too little whitewall, creating a strange aesthetic. We think it’d look better with smaller-diameter rims and fatter rubber with thicker whitewalls.Ariyas That Are Easier to Look AtObviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nissan intends for the Ariya Surfwagon to encourage people to customize electric vehicles. Hey, we’re all for creativity and individuality, but that doesn’t mean we have to think this concept is pretty. We do think the roof rake for surfboards and the lowered suspension are nice touches, so there’s that.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

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    1987 Nissan Sunny Pickup Gets Heart Transplant from a Leaf EV

    For the 2022 SEMA show, Nissan is presenting a 1987 Sunny pickup with an EV conversion done by Tommy Pike Customs.The Sunny now utilizes the 40-kWh battery and 147-hp electric motor from a Nissan Leaf.Completing the Leaf-powered Sunny’s look are 17-inch Rotiform wheels, a widebody kit, and a livery inspired by 1970s Datsun race cars.At last year’s Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show, Ford revealed the F-100 Eluminator concept, a 1978 pickup retrofitted with two electric motors from the Mustang Mach-E GT that married old-school looks with 480 horsepower and 634 pound-feet of torque. For the 2022 edition of SEMA, Nissan follows a similar path, electrifying a classic truck design, albeit with much less power, by shoving a Nissan Leaf powertrain into a 1987 Sunny. NissanThe truck, modified by South Carolina–based Tommy Pike Customs, uses a 40-kWh lithium-ion battery from a base Leaf S, paired with the single motor that’s good for 147 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. That may not sound like a lot, but the Sunny is a small vehicle, and it has approximately twice as much power and three times as much torque as the car’s original gas engine produced. Nissan doesn’t say where the electric motor is mounted on the Sunny, but we hope it powers the rear wheels. The electrified pickup apparently retains the original manual transmission too, although Nissan doesn’t explain exactly how that works. It also receives the front suspension from a first-generation Nissan 240SX, along with heavy-duty rear leaf springs.More Electrified ClassicsThe Sunny looks fantastic thanks to a wide-body kit that accentuates its squared-off design, as well as a red, white, and blue livery that pays homage to Datsuns raced by Brock Racing Enterprises in the 1970s. LED headlights give the ’80s classic a modern look, while the 17-inch Rotiform wheels take inspiration from vintage motorsports. For now, the Leaf-powered Sunny remains a one-off, but maybe Nissan will start offering electric crate motors similar to what Ford does with its Eluminator powertrain.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 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

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    Royal Enfield Electric Motorcycle Testing Starts – 2025 Launch Plan

    OEMs with cult following such as Royal Enfield face the big question regarding their acceptability in electric formatRoyal Enfield Conti GT 865 – Image for illustration purpose.Disruptive technologies have always been a challenge for established brands and something similar is happening in automotive space. EV tech is decades old, but it’s only now that it is gaining momentum and going mainstream.Most profound changes can be seen in two-wheeler segment that has witnessed multiple new EV brands launched over the last few years. Bestsellers in this space are startups and tech companies, which presents significant challenges for established OEMs like Royal Enfield.Royal Enfield electric bikeIn view of the inevitable shift to an EV ecosystem and related challenges, Royal Enfield has started testing its EV prototypes. These tests are being conducted at various locations across the globe. Investments have been made for creating dedicated infrastructure, as needed for testing electric two-wheelers. Royal Enfield has also been hiring relevant people for its technology centres located in India and UK.While it has stepped-up focus on developing its electric bikes, the first Royal Enfield electric motorcycle won’t be launched before 2025. That’s because the company wants to come up with a differentiated product offering. The brand is all about the joy of motorcycling and it has consistently delivered with a wide range of options in 350cc to 650cc segment. Royal Enfield naturally wants to achieve similar results when it comes to its EV range.Royal Enfield Electric Motorcycle. File photo.Working with partners and suppliers, Royal Enfield has the wherewithal to quickly launch an electric bike. However, that’s not the primary goal for the company. Royal Enfield is working to first understand what exactly are the requirements of buyers in EV space. It will allow the company to develop well-rounded products, just like its current range of petrol-powered motorcycles. Royal Enfield will develop multiple EV platforms to ensure a diversified portfolio of electric bikes.Although there’s limited info, expect the first of Royal Enfield electric bikes to have capabilities similar to that of a 250-300cc ICE bike. It will be suitable for city commutes. Electric cruisers and ADVs could be launched at a later date. However, if there’s any major breakthrough in battery technology in next two years, a longer-range product can also be considered.2k crore investmentWhile not much may be visible on the surface, the fact is that Royal Enfield is working proactively to develop its EV range. Evidence to that can be seen in PLI scheme application, wherein both Royal Enfield and its parent company Eicher Motors have indicated investments worth Rs 2,000 crore. These investments will be spread over a period of five years. Preference for PLI scheme shows that Royal Enfield is getting ready to play the numbers game in electric two-wheeler segment.While it is getting ready for EV space, Royal Enfield will continue to focus on ICE-based motorcycles. Some of the most awaited Royal Enfield bikes include Himalayan 450 and Super Meteor 650. A 650cc scrambler is also under development. More

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    2023 Auto Expo Participants And Not – Maruti, Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra, Kia

    Auto Expo 2023 could be a lot smaller considering manufacturer participation looks alarmingly reducedShah Rukh Khan with the new 2020 Hyundai Creta at Delhi Auto Expo.Auto Expo, a biennial event is one that has for years been indulgent, filled with chutzpah, and indulgent of big names. Where automobiles dare, it’s the biggest showcase in the country. However, things are starting to look different. Scheduled for January 2023, the next Auto Expo already looks like its missing participants.  After the initial media days, Auto Expo is filled with activities, games, engagements, and showstoppers on two-wheels, and four. This to cater to the footfalls expected during the week. And as such, having a larger-than-life manufacturer presence is crucial to drawing in crowds.Auto Expo 2023 DatesFebruary 2022 was a miss owing to Covid-19 pandemic. The buildup to today’s problem isn’t one that cropped up overnight. Initially, Auto Expo was held at Pragati Maidan, in Delhi. This meant more footfalls. However, early in the last decade, the venue was shifted to India Expo Mart, Greater Noida.A newer structure that decidedly offers more parking space for visitors. Efforts have been made to run special bus services through the duration of the expo, as well as promo events to encourage Delhiites to use the Metro and visit.2023 Auto Expo Participants List – Not finalThe event was shifted to February at about the same time to reduce the chances of an event hidden within a fog, and to avoid the nail-biting chills. Increased traffic snarls owing to visitors was also listed as a reason. Well, this year, the event has again been preponed to January. Dates are 13-18 Jan 2023. Last time the Auto Expo was held in January, it was 2012.Two wheelers at Auto Expo 2023For those familiar with Auto Expo, there’s always the allure of a large two-wheeler display. Well, it now seems like not anymore. As strange as it sounds, Hero MotoCorp, Honda, Bajaj, TVS, and Royal Enfield are set to give the great auto extravaganza a miss. And since Hero won’t show up, neither will Harley Davidson. As a visitor, this already sounds like a big disappointment that will dampen enthusiasm.There is always a possibility that many newer electric two-wheeler companies attend but chances are slim. Paying for a stall at the Auto Expo is an expensive affair for manufacturers. In addition is the cost of logistics. And no, this isn’t part of a budget allowance that smaller electric 2W companies have. One can however still expect a large showing of independent e2W sellers with 1-2 scooter/bikes on display in the open stall halls.Cars at Auto Expo 2023As it stands, car manufacturers will show up in greater strength. But no, not all names we’re familiar with will participate. The big 3 in luxury, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Audi will skip. And so will Skoda, Volkswagen, Renault, Nissan, and Mahindra. Yes, Mahindra will not be present at the 2023 Auto Expo.Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia, Tata Motors and Toyota will show up. So will Lexus. There’s MG too. And folks will get a glimpse into BYD. CV manufacturers expected at the show are Ashok Leyland, Eicher, JBM, and Isuzu. SIAM and CII could be working with manufacturers over the next few weeks in attempting to coax them into participating at Auto Expo 2023.  More

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    Volkswagen's High-Performance R Brand Cars Will All Be Electric by 2030

    Volkswagen says its performance R sub-brand will be an EV-only lineup by decade’s end, according to a report in the U.K.’s Autocar.The transition is planned to occur gradually, and on a new EV platform, with several unnamed electric R models in planning already, VW reportedly said.Volkswagen as a whole is targeting 2035 to be a fully electric brand.Volkswagen, like so many other manufacturers, bound by regulations, and driven by an arms race of sorts, promised future electrification across the brand. For Volkswagen, that date is 2035, the year that sales of new gasoline- and diesel-powered vehices will become outlawed throughout the EU. Unfortunately, that also includes Volkswagen’s R performance sub-brand. The company confirmed in a recent interview with Autocar that the R performance brand will make that switch a full five years before the rest of the brand—in 2030.R Themed CarsThe only R brand model currently on sale in the United States is the Golf R, although vehicles including the Tiguan R and Arteon R are sold in Europe. Volkswagen confirmed to U.K. publication Autocar that the company is currently in the planning stages for multiple electric R models. “One thing is certain: the future of R is electric,” a company spokesperson is quoted as saying. VW also said future electric R models will receive trickle-down technology much like their internal-combustion counterparts. We hope that means seeing performance figures anywhere in the same universe as the prototype I.D. R, which set a Nürburgring EV record in 2019.Volkswagen”In order to become a fully electric brand by the end of the decade, we’re already taking the necessary steps today for the forthcoming transformation,” VW’s Reinhold Ivenz told Autocar. According to this story, future R models will be built on a version of the Volkswagen Group’s Scalable Systems Platform (SSP), which is the company’s EV platform set to succeed the current MEB platform in 2026. What does that mean for the current Golf R? It indicates that it’s unlikely the Golf R as we know and love it will make a direct transition to an electric vehicle, and the same goes for R versions of any vehicles that are going to be sold as ICE in the shorter term. However, VW does say it has “several” of the new R models in the works, so we can likely expect to start seeing those before too long.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 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