Articles
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What Was Your Automotive News for the Week?
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We’re coming up on Memorial Day weekend here in the states and the only real industry news was a cheesy James Bond edition Aston Martin. So rather than report on a few boring stories that are sure to put you to sleep, it’s open mic night at Hooniverse again. If you saw anything, fixed something, broke everything,…
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BMW wishes Dieter Zetsche a happy retirement
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Dieter Zetsche, also known as Dr. Z, is retiring from Mercedes-Benz after more than 40 years to the company. He’s had many ups and downs – there was the Smart cars and the merger with Chrysler. But his biggest accomplishment will probably be turning the brand around so that it no longer appeals only to…
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Hooniverse Asks: Which existing vehicle should be turned into an EV?
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Audi has killed off the TT. In an effort to create space for more electric options, the TT has gone away. I can’t help thinking that the TT could’ve perhaps survived had it morphed into an EV. A sporting EV variant to round out a potential lineup filled with electrified vehicles for everyone. Make a TT…
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![Podcast: Episode 293 – The Late Late Show [solo episode]](https://i0.wp.com/media-cloud-hooniverse.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/04144217/Podcast-Lede-New-Logo-293-300x169.jpg?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1)
Podcast: Episode 293 – The Late Late Show [solo episode]
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I’ve been a bad podcast producer. This episode is almost two weeks late. I have many excuses but none are worth hearing. This is episode 293, and in it I’m sitting alone in my garage. More specifically, I’m sitting in my still-unsold Mercedes-Benz. I talk about that a little bit, some Bring A Trailer news,…
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Last Call: Mad Max Fury Road minus the CGI is still bonkers
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Mad Max Fury Road is one hell of a film. It’s a blood-soaked, fuel-dripping thrill ride from start to finish and it’s also rather gorgeously shot. There’s a bit of CGI employed, of course. But maybe not as much as you think. https://twitter.com/coenesqued/status/1105021582433382400 Twitter user @coenesqued (AKA Reconsidering Cinema) posted a clip showing tons of…
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Shows You Should Watch: Proving Grounds Indy 500 Special
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Automotive programming is absolutely thriving right now. Be it on YouTube or traditional, good-‘ol-fashioned television, the variety and quantity of shows is astounding. That’s especially so coming up to Memorial Day Weekend, when the world-famous Indianapolis 500 race takes place. The crew at Proving Grounds have jumped on this. Once showcasing what can be done with…
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First Drive: 2019 Audi E-Tron
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Audi has entered the electric vehicle fray. Say hello to the 2019 Audi E-tron. This is the German automaker’s first fully electric machine and it’s a surprisingly good starting point for four-ringed electrification. It does make you ask a question though; do you prefer maximum range or fast charging speeds? Check out the video above…
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Project Update: 5th gen 4Runner TRD Off Road
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Recently we established that this is no longer Hooniverse but rather 4Runnerverse. Now it’s time to check in on one of my very own Toyota 4x4s. Nine months ago I picked up a 5th gen 4Runner to serve as an all-purpose vehicle. Needing something that could do everything from daily duty to beach trips and everything…
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Hooniverse Asks: Who is your favorite racing driver of all time?
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The conversations waft forward like smoke that seems to linger forever in the air around us. Debates about motorsport have lasted for over a century. They’ll continue on for a long time from now. People have their favorite drivers. My own personal, and possibly cliche answer for such a question, is Ayrton Senna. Maybe he’s…
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Niki Lauda (1949 – 2019)
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The term “legend” gets thrown around a lot, but there’s really no other way to describe Andreas Nikolaus “Niki” Lauda who passed away today at the age of 70. Lauda was a three-time Formula 1 world champion in his driving career and stuck around the paddock as a huge part of many other teams, including the…
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In Pictures: New Canaan Caffeine & Carburetors
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Sunday morning car shows come in a wide variety. Here in the Northeast though they tend to fall into one of two categories. On one end is the traditional Cars & Coffee. You know the kind; any random parking lot serves as the backdrop for a few hours spent conversing about and looking over fellow…
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The 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a full-size four-banger
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The big news from Chevy for 2019 is not the mid-engine Corvette. It’s the Silverado. Like other pickup trucks, the Silverado comes in a large variety of cab, bed, driveline, and trim configurations. But the one thing that stands out in the new line-up is the availability of a four-cylinder turbocharged engine. When Ford introduced…
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Too much information?
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I found myself behind the wheel of a big, expensive German SUV the other day, and very nice it was, too. Especially once I had shrugged aside my notion of it assaulting me with information from every direction. The instrument cluster, as well as feeding me with vital statistics pertaining to speed, engine revs and…
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The News for May 17th, 2019
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Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or bull. This week, McLaren reveals the GT, Porsche shows off heritage liveries for the new 935, Ford makes us jealous with the Focus ST Wagon, BMW M5 Edition 35 Years, and another big…
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Desert Valley Auto Parts is home to beautiful junk
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Just North of Phoenix, there sits a petrified forest of classic American cars. Some readers might be familiar with this place thanks to the show Desert Car Kings. These money making, car flipping shows aren’t really my jam though, so when my friend Brad suggested we check out Desert Valley Auto Parts I had know…
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Hooniverse Asks: Is this the “dyno sheet” of tomorrow’s electric vehicles?
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I recently drove the Audi E-Tron. During the press presentation, Audi presented an interesting chart. The story it tells is one of electric vehicle bragging rights. On one axis you have charging power. The other axis displays battery state of charge. Five vehicles are then compared, each one sharing a different charging profile. This display…