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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, Alfa Romeo reveals heritage racing liveries available on the Giulia GTA and GTAm, Lexus sends off the GS with Black Line special edition, Lincoln cancels their EV project with Rivian, GMC pushes back their Hummer EV reveal, and your automotive news for the week.
The GTA nameplate has been associated with numerous Alfa Romeo race cars over the years. Many of the liveries that those iconic race cars wore are now being resurrected as an option on the new Giulia GTA for those wanting a little more out of their super sedan. The liveries are designed by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo and are offered in [unspecified] limited quantities. Only 500 examples of the Giulia GTA and GTAm are being built, so these liveries will be even more exclusive.
Fans of the GTAs of old will have no trouble recognizing these liveries. Alfa took inspiration from their most prestigious victories, including the yellow nose that distinguished the 1971 European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) winning car, the asymmetrical nose from the 1965-1968 Sprint GTA, and the symmetrical nose of the GTA 1300 Junior. There is of course a livery with the tricolore stripe like a good Italian car. Buyers can order any of those liveries with a custom racing number, a matching Goodwool car cover, and a Bell helmet wearing the same livery.
No word on exactly how many of these liveries are being offered or what the extra cost is. But we’re already talking about a $194,000-$200,000 super sedan here, so it’s negligible I’m sure.
The automotive landscape is continuing to change, and as such we’ve had to say goodbye to a lot of models that were once taken for granted. The latest casualty of “I just like to sit higher in traffic” is the Lexus GS. After Lexus announced this special edition GS Black Line, they confirmed to Motor Authority that it would serve as the final hurrah for the executive car. Last year’s sales statistics claim the GS accounted for just 4% of sales for the brand with 3,378 units moved (a 48.8% drop over 2018). Cars with better numbers than that have been killed off for making the mistake of not being a crossover.
So if you want in on the final run of the GS, you can opt for one of 200 Black Line special editions. It’s built on the GS 350 F Sport with a 3.5-liter V6, F sport suspension, sporty aesthetics inside and out, and some bespoke styling touches. The Black Line is only available in Caviar and Ultra White exterior colors with gloss black trim and wheel paint. They also gave it a Black Line-exclusive rear spoiler painted gloss black.
The interior stands out with red contrast stitching and accents throughout the cabin. It also receives a healthy dose of Alcantara trim on the instrument panel, console, and armrests as well as carbon fiber ornamentation elsewhere. And there’s a matching luggage set from Zero Halliburton because of course there is.
Is an appearance package really the best way to send off the GS? Maybe not, but it’s a quiet, low key celebration of a car whose death can be characterized much in the same way. But the GS, particular the GS F, will be an underappreciated car worth remembering.
[Source: Lexus via Motor Authority]
It seems like it was just three months ago that Lincoln announced a potentially game-changing project with Rivian to produce a new Lincoln EV on the Rivian platform. That’s because it was just three months ago. That project, but not the partnership, was unceremoniously cancelled this week with a statement from Lincoln:
Given the current environment, Lincoln and Rivian have decided not to pursue the development of a fully electric vehicle based on Rivian’s skateboard platform. Ford Motor Company’s strategic commitment to Lincoln, Rivian and electrification remains unchanged and Lincoln’s future plans will include an all-electric vehicle consistent with its Quiet Flight DNA.
So the Lincoln model that was planned to use the Rivian platform is very likely still in the works, but Lincoln will be using their own tech for it instead. Ford just proved they have the means for it with that Mach-E electric crossover they call a Mustang and the upcoming electric F-150, which is believed to be a home-grown project as well.
[Source: Lincoln]
Another victim of our current… uh, everything is the Hummer comeback we’ve been waiting for. GMC released the following statement:
While we cannot wait to show the GMC HUMMER EV to the world, we will reschedule the May 20 reveal date. In the meantime, the team’s development work continues on track and undeterred. We invite all to stay tuned for more stories on this super truck’s incredible capability leading up to its official debut.
No word yet on when we can expect the new reveal date to be or whether the decreased productivity from the pandemic was truly to blame. But I assume it is. To help hold us over, they released a short clip of it driving through the woods from above which is where this shot comes from. We’ll follow this story as we can.
[Source: GMC]
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.
I'm the guy that spoiled the site with all the new car stuff. Hooniverse News Editor since 2011, amateur motorsport photographer, sim racer, and mountain road enthusiast.
Ross Ballot
I cut out the rusted drivers side floorpan on my Spirit. I’m confident enough in my metal working skills that I can do this, but I’ve never done a floorpan before. Cutting the floor out of a car I’ve had for 20 years and put countless hours into is a little nervewracking…
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/66884374d65f1c39e605d1346d5010031a5a95fd4c3d5bdb669e3a0a56650347.jpg
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6a7a3307e55f2f00fc2633b5a0a45aca64eab38871175e6e6372228de07f3ce1.jpg
No one makes an aftermarket patch panel for this, so I’m making it from scratch
Accidentally left off the pic of the patch panel. Just roughed in so far- got the bend correct, I need to add a bead roll and then trim to fit. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3d84dd15c85ccc9a741fc2cf765f61f9ba43631a0fb343e0d2d083f87ddbe081.jpg
I always wondered…where do you get the right quality metal from for this kind of work? Most guys I know to have done this, have cut off Swedish steel from a defunct Volvo, but yours looks new. Good luck!
Any old metal supply shop. It’s nothing fancy, just 18 gauge sheet metal. Maybe at the really high end resto places they might have a more specific alloy they look for? I don’t know.
Probably hard to go wrong sourcing your metal from the same brand car.
I always got nervous about visible body sheetmetal, but floorboards are pretty forgiving. The most difficult for me was the corner of a rear window. Cardboard templates are your friend!
Man, what a leap of faith. Once you start there’s no going back – I don’t know if I could’ve put my fears aside and just do it. Awesome!
Eh, worst case I take it to a pro and have them fix my mistakes. But I’ve been slowly building my metal working skills over the last few years, and I think I can handle this. Plus- it’s a floor pan. It will be covered by rubberized undercoating on the bottom and carpet on the top. It’s a pretty forgiving spot to work. I don’t think I’d be trying this on a fender.
You’re probably far enough away that it won’t matter, but you should take care to protect any glass in the car from spatter. Same goes for grinding and cutting detritus.
Looks like a very achievable repair!
Last summer I revived the a/c in a freebie car acquired in 2018. Yesterday I drove the car for the first time since January and I was pleased to discover the air still blows cold.
I am almost ashamed to report that today is a beautiful day inTexas. It is 84 degrees right now sunny, and breezy. Texas started to reopen businesses today. I am sitting outside on the patio of a Tex – Mex restaurant drinking a beer, waiting for my takeout order, including margaritas. The restaurant is open for 25% seating, apparently loosely enforced. Wore a mask inside the restaurant to place my order but they were out of straws so I took it off to drink my beer. Today? I hit a delicate balance between doing nothing and doing something ( I flew a kite but discus won’t post the picture).
Actually on a road trip this weekend, and a fairly legitimate one at that. Bf has been working from my place in AZ since mid march. He’s starting a new job next week back home in the bay area, so we’re driving him up there. Got a rental from the airport (1600 mi in 3 days), and am currently riding shotgun on i40. The rental? Well, things are cheap, and the upgrade from a sedan to an escalade was $50 for the rental period. We’re doing our part for big oil this weekend. https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/0380c8bd497655091f2f8ee33eb4c93f387838fbdc5401cd48a9f9c66323315e.jpg
Excellent time to see the Bay Area, we just went from SF to Richmond in a half hour, never dropped below 50 mph. Since the slaughterhouses atre closed down, you won’t even get the smell from the stockyards on I-5.
(Don’t take I-5. Take 101. Or 1 if you’re really taking it slow.)
So, is cheap pandemic gas in California the same price as pre-pandemic gas was in AZ?
Take 1. Always the right answer. Unless you have some sort of timeline to meet. But it’s an infinitely better drive.
Update. Taking the 1. 👍🏽
Gas in flag is about the same as the reasonable places in Cali, 2.30 or so. We are overnighting in SLO. Took 58 straight across. Third time I’ve gotten to drive that stretch, once in an e24, once in my x3, and now this behemoth, lol. Unsure how we’re going to tomorrow. Was thinking 1 until I drove the tank on the curvies, we’ll see. I do want to drive the bridges in the bay area, with the reduced traffic. Other than that, no agenda.
Sunday I drive all the way back solo, so I’ll get my fill of 5. Need to be back for work engagements, unfortunately.
I miss that area. Haven’t lived there in 10 years (I was a little south in Lompoc), but I always looked forward to driving up that way. Spent a lot of nights camped off of the 1 between SLO and Monterey.
One of the things I truly love about California. When you’re not in the cities, it’s like another world. My personal favorite area is pretty much anything east of the Sierras. Bishop, Lone Pine, etc.
I do not love the cities, but I did take advantage of the situation to drive across the Golden gate. Always a cool bridge.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6108b02c8ed471de86b6e2a87fcd857932a4eb166f62ae2610b564db42aac0a7.jpg
No car news this week, but my furlough was extended a week (yay) so I plan to replace the glitchy passenger window regulator in the BMW and dig into the non-operating sunroof. My wife’s car needs an oil change and a transmission fluid change, which is odd since the Accord Hybrid has no traditional transmission. Maybe the weather will improve and I’ll get the Thunderbird out.
Oh, this week I did sent the key I bought last year back to the dealer for a warranty replacement since the BMW logo fell off. Exciting week.
In a time when we are worried, anxious, stressed, and they expect us to be efficient at working/schooling/living at home at the same time – you actually managed to do something.
Not much, no thrill you say? Well, more than on my side, where my car-related achievements encompass commenting on Hooniverse and mounting the roof rack.
I’ve done nothing on the cars, and they all need something, though nothing big. I have cleaned out a room, multiple closets, and am working on the garage though… Motivation can be hard to find some days.
I’ve read that GM is slashing work on development of new models, no doubt in response to sales going through the floor, but it seems such a short-term response. They did similar in the GFC and afterwards were years behind in new products.
I am almost ashamed to report that today is a beautiful day inTexas. It is 84 degrees right now sunny, and breezy. Texas started to reopen businesses today. I am sitting outside on the patio of a Tex – Mex restaurant drinking a beer, waiting for my takeout order, including margaritas. The restaurant is open for 25% seating, apparently loosely enforced. Wore a mask inside the restaurant to place my order but they were out of straws so I took it off to drink my beer. Today? I hit a delicate balance between doing nothing and doing something ( I flew a kite but discus won’t post the picture).
Clearly you needed: https://olive-drab.com/images/canteen_gasmask_375.jpg or https://hips.hearstapps.com/wdy.h-cdn.co/assets/17/06/1280×640/landscape-1486676904-wine-face-mask-glass.png?resize=1200:*
I almost had to suppress a gag reflex when I read “Quiet Flight DNA” in Lincoln’s statement. Who comes up with this garbage?
I’m not sure that alluding to “airborne DNA” is going to help their sales right now…
I’m still pondering what a “back line special” might be. Sounds like a seldom used football play.
This winter has seen a fair bit of snow. Some mountain passes are opening now with up to 9m high snow walls on either side of the road. Might need to take a trip up there, for science:
https://www.nrk.no/vestland/fryktar-at-broytekantar-kan-kollapse-1.15002872