Welcome to the Hooniverse News! As always, this is a weekly recap of some of the biggest stories in the automotive industry without the fluff or bull. There’s also just a little opinion of mine because I can. This week:

• Toyota 860 Special Edition is an 86 with stripes

• Lucid Motor gets a price tag and promises it’ll be built

• Acura MDX Sport Hybrid gets NSX tech and a price tag

• Because it’s a slow news week, here’s a Bugatti boat

• What’s your automotive news?

Toyota 860 Special Edition

Toyota has unveiled the 86’s first special edition since the recent mid-cycle refresh where its design became infused with that of a catfish. The 860 Special Edition will inject a bit more style and technology into the enthusiast’s favorite little sports car when it goes on sale later this March in limited numbers. It doesn’t add any power, but it does add stripes and that’s basically the same thing.
The 860 Special Edition comes with a choice between two paint colors: an exclusive Supernova Orange and standard issue Halo White. 860 models of each color will be built and each will be accented by black body stripes, rear spoiler, and mirror caps. It also rides on unique 17″ alloy wheels and has the added functionality of LED fog lights and a new aerodynamic underbody panel.

It gets some more love inside with heated front seats in black leather with orange stitching. That same color scheme carries to the leather-wrapped steering wheel, shift boot, and Driftr King™ lever.
And while not necessarily unique to the special edition, it does come with Smart key which includes push-button start and touch-activated door unlock plus dual-zone climate control. It also comes with a 4.2″ multi-information screen which displays a G-force meter, stop watch, torque and power curves, engine coolant and oil temperatures, and MPG.

The 2017 860 Special Edition will be available with a six-speed manual standard or with an optional six-speed automatic with paddle shifters. Prices start at $29,155 for the manual and $29,875 for the automatic.
[Source: Toyota]

Lucid Air priced at $60,000

I’ll be honest and say that this Lucid Motors Air EV slipped under my radar completely. I don’t think I’ve covered this before because I seem to hear about a new EV startup company on a weekly basis, many of which reek of vaporware. So when a new company came out and promised a 1,000 HP EV that will finally beat Tesla, I rolled my eyes and chose to devote my attention to something that’ll actually be built instead.
And the only reason I’m mentioning them this week is because they announced pricing on the Air, the luxury EV which may become the first true Model S competitor. Prices will allegedly start at $60,000 but tax credits and incentives may bring that down to $52,500. Even without the incentives, that’s about $8,000 lower than the entry level Model S.

In base trim, the Air has a 240-mile driving range per charge, 400 horsepower at the rear wheels, and the necessary hardware to support autonomous driving. Other Airs that are potentially in the pipeline include a 1,000-horsepower twin-motor configuration and batteries that can extend the driving time into the 400-mile range. Prices weren’t announced for those yet.
Lucid Motors says they’ll have this car in production by 2019. Maybe by then any one of these new EV startups will have a factory built. By then, who knows where Tesla will be with their ever improving battery and motor tech. They may even be delivering Model 3s by then.
[Source: Lucid Motors via Autoweek]

Acura MDX Sport Hybrid priced at $51,960

The 2017 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid is just like an NSX but with more space, said the marketing team who says they know all about car. They draw that conclusion because it shares a good bit of performance hybrid tech with the actual hybrid supercar like its three-motor Sport Hybrid system and Super Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD).
Most of the grunt comes from the 3.0-liter, SOHC V6 with i-VTEC which produces 257 horsepower and 218 lb.-ft. of torque. Three additional electric motors, one built into the transmission and two at the back, provide instant torque and additional power. Total output is 321 horsepower and 289 lb.-ft. of torque – just like an NSX! Channeling power and managing revs is a seven-speed DCT.
What’s left of the EPA estimates 26 mpg city/27 mpg highway/27 mpg combined.
It’s their first ever hybrid SUV and it arrives in showrooms this April with an MSRP of $51,960 in standard form, or $58,000 flat with the Advance Package.
[Source: Acura]

Because nothing happened this week, here’s a boat

Are you a successful board member taking delivery of your Bugatti Chiron? Do all your friends at the yacht club laugh at you from their super exclusive car-matched boats? Does the size of that one guy’s gold flake carbon fiber mast make you feel inferior? Your friends at Bugatti and Palmer Johnson are here to help.

The world’s most exclusive car brand teamed up with the high end boat people to bring you a yacht to match your Bugatti Chiron, because every obscenely rich person needs a multi-million-dollar boat to match their multi-million-dollar car. From the classic horseshoes that flank the sides to the available two-tone exterior with optional exposed carbon fiber panels, it truly is like a Bugatti for the seas.
The 66-footer glides effortlessly over choppy seas and the powerful roar of the Man V8 can drown out the hopeless wails of the working class. 1,000 horsepower and a 44 knot top speed is standard equipment but a 1,200-horsepower version is also available for more important people with a top speed of 48 knots.

It has both an open deck and luxuriously appointed interior cabins which feature only the finest materials. You can specify your Bugatti boat to come with a hot tub, champagne bar, and fire pit – you’d be a loser not to.
Your friends at Bugatti and Palmer Johnson are here to help fix your matching yacht-less lifestyle, but only if you’re truly worthy. Pricing is only given to those with AMEX Black cards, probably.
[Source: Autoblog]

What’s your automotive news?

That’s all I’ve got for you this week, so now it’s your turn. If you saw anything, fixed something, broke everything, or otherwise did anything even remotely car related that you want to share with your fellow hoon, sound off in the comments.
Have a good weekend.
[Image © 2017 Hooniverse/Greg Kachadurian]