Sabtu, 25 Desember 2021

Around the tracks: Ford promotes electric cars with cringeworthy memes

Plus, the Ferrari Testa Rossa that’s undersized and electric.

When we’re not creating it ourselves, the Drive team spends a lot of time finding and consuming motoring content from all over the world.

Here’s a handful of the photos, articles, videos or social media posts that most caught our eye last week. Some of them are brand new, others have been online for a while.

Enjoy them – just not too much, okay?


Ford’s meme-based attempt to promote EVs

Ford Motor Company has attempted to promote electric vehicles on Twitter – but for some, it may not have gone about it the right way. In fact, the memes they’ve posted to social media are rather insulting.

Targeted at EV skeptics, Ford attacked those who buy conventional SUVs – though some have highlighted it as ironic, given the company advertises and sells thousands of combustion-engined cars across their line-up.

One tweet criticises America for not showing its appreciation for the electric Mustang Mach-E and continuously supporting the same old petrol-powered SUVs. Another shows a woman crying, claiming she has ‘range anxiety.’ The post reads “Only drives to school and work each day. Worried 250 miles of range isn’t enough.”

While alienating a part of its audience, it’s no doubt sparked plenty of attention!


Can’t afford the real thing? This Ferrari is undersized and under budget

Introducing the Ferrari Testa Rossa J – a three-quarter sized version of the iconic car that’s fully electric. Manufactured by engineering firm The Little Car Company, the vehicle got the stamp of approval from Ferrari, and even some assistance, with the car’s dynamics validated by Ferrari’s test drivers.

The quirky-looking creation sits on handmade 20-inch wire wheels, with the suspension employing Bilstein coilovers and Eibach springs. The bodywork is in line with the proportions of the original 250 Testa Rossa, while both the accelerator and brake pedals are carried over from the current F8 Tributo supercar.

The car is powered by a 12kW motor, is rear-wheel drive and weighs in at 258kg. It’s small in size but holds a much smaller price tag for a Prancing Horse – at around $AU147,000.


Lewis Hamilton bids farewell to his Pagani Zonda

After seven years together, Mercedes Formula One ace Lewis Hamilton has parted ways with his Pagani. The Zonda 760LH was just the second in the series ever built and at the time, rumoured to have cost the Formula One champion around $AU2 million.

The car is powered by a 7.3-litre naturally-aspirated AMG V12 engine, good for 559kW and 780Nm. It has a six-speed manual transmission sending power to the rear wheels.

While the new owner surely paid a premium, they’re at least getting a seven-year old hypercar with less than 1000km on the odometer!


The seller of this Avanti is surely dreaming with this listing price

Do you remember the American car brand Avanti? Originally produced by Studebaker back in the 1960s, later chassis produced by the company were based on Ford Mustang pony cars of the 1990s.

This particular vehicle is a 2005 model and has been listed for sale for around $AU82,000! The listing claims it’s one of “five built in 2005.” Finished in Sunburst Yellow, the exterior based on the proportions of the Mustang at the time, and looks rather bizarre.

The interior, however, is far more modest with the seats, door cards, steering wheel, and radio/climate controls all very similar to the original Mustang designs. The engine is perhaps one of its greatest assets – a 4.6-litre V8, capable of 194kW and 409Nm.


New York gets its first bunch of electric Mach-E taxis

New York City is known to be trendy, so it’s only fitting that its taxis look stylish. Gravity, a New York City taxi start-up, is promoting zero emissions and has just taken delivery of a Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV.

Finished in Rally Yellow, it comes equipped with dynamic passenger controls, including a 22-inch display screen. This gives the passenger a memorable ride, allowing them take selfies, listen to music and watch videos.

It’s the first Mach-E taxi in NYC, with the company slowly building a fleet of 50 electric vehicles. In Australia, you may have seen a few Teslas serving as taxis, while BYD E6 hatchbacks have also tested in Sydney.

The post Around the tracks: Ford promotes electric cars with cringeworthy memes appeared first on Drive.

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