News Roundup: Ford pickups go small, Tesla's Model S goes Plaid, and more
Including the beginning of the end of the “Carolina Squat” truck mod trend
Welcome to our round-up of the biggest breaking stories on Driving.ca from this past week. Get caught up and ready to get on with the weekend, because it’s hard keeping pace in a digital traffic jam.
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Ford’s new Maverick pickup will come standard with a hybrid powertrain
Ford’s entry into the essentially-an-SUV-with-a-bed segment of unibody trucks, will compete against the Honda Ridgeline and Hyundai Santa Cruz with a hybrid powertrain and front-wheel-drive standard setup, and a turbocharged engine with all-wheel drive as optional. The 2022 Ford Maverick is built on the Bronco Sport (and the Escape by extension) and will be available in three trim levels – XL, XLT, and Lariat. Pricing will start at $25,900 and units will go on sale this fall.
Brantford police nab Tesla and Lambo in a 200 km/h street race
Two thirty-something-year-old Ontario drivers and their expensive rides were temporarily removed from roads this week when police in Brantford caught them speeding down a 70 km/h zone somewhere between 150-200 km/h. Officers spotted the Lamborghini and Tesla darting in and out of traffic on Wayne Gretzky Parkway on Tuesday evening and charged the drivers of both with “racing,” handing them a seven-day license suspension and seven-day vehicle impound each. One week suspension for joy riding, with another car, at double the speed limit on a busy street? The officers must be race fans.
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Ford has built more electric Mustangs than gas ones this year
You know that electric shift that automakers and journalists keep talking about? It’s here. Ford recently announced that production demand for the fully electric Mach-E SUV has officially outstripped that of the traditional gas-powered pony car . So far this year, the company’s plants have put out 27,816 Mach-Es and 26,089 Mustangs. “Mach-E has been much stronger than we expected, so we’ve totally run out of stock,” CEO Jim Farley told reporters at the F-150 Lightning launch. “Mach-E is going global as we speak, but in the U.S.” the wait for a Mach-E “is months.”
Tesla is axing its longest-range Model S Plaid+ trim
The Musk giveth, and the Musk taketh away. Tesla has announced, (or, Elon at least, but what’s the difference?) that the EV brand will be 86ing the Plaid+ trim for the Model S because, “No need, as Plaid is just so good.” Tesla had plans to produce the high-end model with a 837-km driving range, but kept delaying its launch—now it’s been delayed inevitably. Yesterday, Musk unveiled the Tesla Model S, calling it the “quickest production car ever made of any kind” at a reported 0-96 km/h time of 1.99 seconds and a top speed of 320 km/h.
Baja-truck-inspired “Carolina Squat” trend comes under legal question in North Carolina
North Carolina lawmakers are eyeing a change to legislation that would outlaw the relatively new trend called the “Carolina Squat.” Inspired by Baja Trophy Trucks’ extreme suspension setup and massive travel, the modification sees a lift installed in just the front of a truck or SUV, giving it a nose-up appearance, even when travelling in reverse. The bill does not specify why the practice may be unlawful, but there’s a good chance it pertains to safety.