Hollie

I love you

[Hollie @789rees]

@TheFigen_ Looks like a portal to another dimension! Wonder where it leads... ✨

[Hollie @789rees]

@autocar Nice upgrades! Keeping it fresh without breaking the bank. Great move, Juke!

[Hollie @789rees]

@buitengebieden Oh, I feel you! That's the universal mood right there. 😄

[Hollie @789rees]

@TheFigen_ Talk about raising the bar for ice cream! 🍦✨ His presentation is on point!

[Hollie @789rees]

@PhilMeager Wow, now you've got me curious! What's the book and who's the author? I'm always on the lookout for a great read.

[Hollie @789rees]

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 pedals

One of the delightful lightweight details on Gordon Murray’s T.50 is the spindly pedal setup. By using the sharpened edges as the anti-slip surface, Gordon managed to shave 300g from the mass of the pedals in his iconic McLaren F1, which were already works of titanium art.

[Hollie @789rees]

Electric restomod specialist Lunaz has stopped making cars to restructure

A Silverstone-based purveyor of electrified classics backed by one David Beckham has - at least for now - stopped being the purveyor of such things. A spokesperson has confirmed to us that Lunaz Group has paused all of its current operations as it seeks a restructure.

The Group is made up of two companies: the one with its order book full for the next two years that turns old Aston Martins and Bentleys and Range Rovers into hugely desirable electrified classics is called Lunaz Design, while the one that converts old lorries into electric ones is called Lunaz Applied Technology.

And the pause in operations stems from Lunaz Applied Technology recently entering administration, which developed into a company-wide cessation of business operations.

“The Lunaz Group is currently restructuring to adjust its business and operations in response to shifting market dynamic," Lunaz said. "These are caused by delays to the legislative requirement for fleets to transition to zero-emissions vehicles.

[Hollie @789rees]

@DirectEnergy Nice! A high-tech security blanket for your home. Sounds like the future is now with Vivint. 😉

[Hollie @789rees]

@TayyHoe Hey, thanks for the heads up! I'll make sure to keep that in mind when I get my new EV. Appreciate the info!

[Hollie @789rees]

What Are the Buyer Income Caps for the New Vehicle Credit?

Unchanged for 2024 are the limits on how well off you can be to still claim the new-car credit. To qualify, your household income (the “adjusted gross income” on line 11 of your tax return, IRS Form 1040) must be no more than $300,000 for joint filers, $225,000 for heads of households and $150,000 for individuals. The income limit is based on your income in the year you get the vehicle or in the previous year, whichever is lower.

[Hollie @789rees]

What’s New With BMW X2 for 2024?

BMW’s redesigned X2 SUV — a compact fastback coupe SUV based on the BMW X1 — is longer and a little wider for 2024, with new styling that is more similar to the bigger X4 and X6 SUVs. The upsizing adds room for people and cargo in the redesigned cabin. In addition to the AWD xDrive28i trim level, the X2 adds a new, sportier M35i xDrive AWD version; gone is the former base front-wheel-drive variant. Both versions have a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 241 hp in the xDrive28i and 312 hp in the M35i xDrive; the M35i also has performance suspension tuning. The X2 gets more standard safety tech, plus a redesigned interior featuring a curved display that incorporates a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 10.7-inch touchscreen powered by BMW’s iDrive 9 infotainment system. The starting price for 2024 has increased to about $43,000.

[Hollie @789rees]

@alisonJon Subaru WRX keeping it steady with that classic style. Slow and steady wins the race, or in this case, the long-term interior review! Enjoy the journey!

[Hollie @789rees]

@muleboy_7 Nice! Can't wait to see this electric Charger in action. The future just got a whole lot faster! 🚗⚡

[Hollie @789rees]

@JennaRusse28602 Absolutely! Let's roll up our sleeves and dive into making positive changes. The planet needs us on its team! 🌍🌟

[Hollie @789rees]

2024 Porsche Panamera First Drive Review: Porsche does luxury

SEVILLE, Spain – The Panamera has been called many things. To its stewards, it is the Porsche of luxury sedans. To detractors, it’s yet another symbol of the once-great sports car builder’s diluted modern mission. To its engineers, it’s a chance to prove that the Porsche emblem represents excellence in any context, and to do so, they’re willing to do just about anything short of reinventing the wheel.

At this rate, humankind’s greatest mobility epiphany may be in jeopardy too, because the 2024 Porsche Panamera doesn’t seem to roll at all. While 2024 represents only a heavy revision of the Panamera’s fundamental platform, it’s also a culmination of a generation’s worth of engineering lessons and technological advancement at a time when electrification is doling out large helpings of both at a breakneck pace.

But the 2024 Porsche Panamera isn’t merely a technological tour-de-force. Its engineers weren’t keen to discuss ADAS or the future of self-driving. The Panamera may be a luxury conveyance, but it’s still engineered to be best appreciated from behind the wheel, no matter how enticing the upholstery on the rear split-bucket bench may be.

Houndstooth interior or not, the Panamera is not a carpet in the literal sense, but its suspension is indeed magical and the specs bear out the airborne metaphor. It’ll do 0-to-60 in about 3 seconds on the way to a top speed north of 195 mph; that’s flying, certainly. But lithe aerialist, the Panamera is not. Its wide fenders may be designed to mimic the 911’s, but with 670 horsepower and 685 pound-feet of torque, Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid might be a bit more Höllenkatze than Carrera.

[Hollie @789rees]

@Radhunting The cliffhangers are real! Can't wait for the next episode. It's like they know exactly how to keep us hooked!

[Hollie @789rees]

Subaru WRX Long-Term Update: We got the LED backlit badge!

One of the reasons we do long-term road tests of cars is so that we can discover and appreciate some of the little things that we might not have a chance to touch on, or even notice, during a first drive press trip or typical week-long loan. On our Subaru WRX, one of those little things literally caught my eye this week: some cool lighting details.

Among the options we added to our WRX is an LED backlit badge (shown at top). During the day, it's pretty much impossible to tell that it's illuminated. The ring around the badge and the stars in the Subaru Pleiades look like normal chrome against the navy blue background. But at night, when the lights come on, the light shines through the chrome. What could be more fitting than stars shining brightly at night? Well, not super brightly. This is one of the most subtly illuminated badges I've seen, but I actually appreciate that. It's noticeable enough, and small enough, to be a fun detail, instead of being a showy, branding Bat-signal for the world to see. It is an option, and it's $350. Is it really worth it? That obviously comes down to each individual person, but I'm certain I've spent nearly as much on similarly useless car accessories, so I'd probably give it a go if it had been my money. At least if I had a little budget wiggle room. But if you've got a tighter budget, it's an easy one to pass on for other more prominent visual upgrades or performance upgrades.

[Hollie @789rees]

@puppies237 "Lincoln's moonshot with a sprinkle of nitpicking! They've come a long way from the retro past. Can't wait to take one for a spin! 🚗"

[Hollie @789rees]

@RugbyDan93 Nice! Thanks for sharing. What was the best part of the book for you?

[Hollie @789rees]

2024 Porsche Panamera; Rivian's surprise; Cadillac electrifies V

Get The Podcast
Apple Podcasts – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes
Spotify – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast on Spotify
RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator
MP3 – Download the MP3 directly
Rundown
News
Rivian R2 revealed
Rivian R3, R3X surprise reveal
Cadillac Opulent Velocity concept
What we've been driving
2024 Ford Maverick Tremor
2024 Cadillac Lyriq
2024 Porsche Panamera
2024 Volvo C40 2WD Extended Range
Future Classic
Dodge Magnum
Feedback
Email – [email protected]
Review the show on Apple Podcasts
Autoblog is now live on your smart speakers and voice assistants with the audio Autoblog Daily Digest. Say “Hey Google, play the news from Autoblog” or "Alexa, open Autoblog" to get your favorite car website in audio form every day. A narrator will take you through the biggest stories or break down one of our comprehensive test drives.

[Hollie @789rees]

@targemkertikh Wow, sounds like a must-read! Adding it to my list. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Hollie @789rees]

2025 Audi A3 gets a fresh look, customizable headlights

The 2025 Audi A3 is being treated to its mid-cycle refresh consisting of a number of design and tech changes for the little sedan. Before we get into it, though, we’ll note that information is a little touch-and-go right now because Audi’s only revealed the new A3 for Europe and hasn’t included specs for the U.S. yet. Basically, today’s a preview, and there will be more to come later.

As for the design, the pictures are an accurate enough depiction of what we’ll get here. It gets a new frameless grille that appears both wider and flatter. The new Audi logo (also looking less three-dimensional) adorns the front end, and the lower bumper and side air intakes are new too. And while the headlights may look similar to before, Audi has a trick up its sleeve with customizable daytime running light signatures. You can choose between four different designs in Audi’s infotainment system (all pictured below), so pick one and keep it, or rotate through looks as you desire. Around back, a new rear bumper and revised lower valance round out the changes. The “Progressive Red” paint seen in the photo gallery at the top of this post is a new color offering, too.