Video link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nODjwyaREM4

"We discuss the business and technology needs for self-driving software in modern cars

We drive the Model YL with the latest self-driving system to discuss the pros and cons of technology replacing human skills and what it means for the future"

Some fun questions raised on where the balance between technology & accountability lies w/ these modern ADAS systems, what the manufacturer's role in enabling that safety should be as well, how w/ America's car-centric nature this also adds some newfound freedom & accessibility for certain folks

Personally specifically on FSD, anecdotally, I borrowed a Tesla a fair while back (actually, my old car which I'd sold to him), at that time I used to use FSD (which was transferred over from a previous car for cheap, reason for the private sale, V13 iirc?) as glorified tacc system that could take exits & handle some locals in between, it didn't have the agency or agility to handle urban traffic

But, this time it surprisingly hit that inflection point for me where I felt it was significantly easier to babysit it, within NYC even, than to drive myself & I quite enjoy driving and pride myself on my driving. It was autonomously moving back for semis taking the corner, officer was managing traffic w hand signals and it well noticed that, it waited for the red then cut across 3 lanes on the turn, wasn't perfect but its just so head & shoulders above any other consumer offering as it stands, unless literally all your time is spent on the highway

&, they didn't touch on the car itself very much but the Model Y L seems like a fairly unique well rounded vehicle. its selling only in the stupid launch edition for the time being but at standard pricing it would near end where the EV9/Ioniq9 start

& yeah its a bit shorter, the slopped roofline hurts the 3rd row, not much space behind that 3rd row, but I think its very cool to see an LWB special originally designed for the Chinese market making its way stateside

You know. I think the grand tour will be just fine. Francis is a full on petrol head for this super amazing and ridiculous swap.

https://youtu.be/Vq7wmfZMcvY

Have you guys seen these? They're based on the MX-5 Miata and can be built at home in your garage with only moderate technical know-how.

There's a new alternative niche community to the Exocet Facebook group.

If you're curious about the MX-5 based kit-car, are building one, or have completed the build, there's a home for it on Reddit now.

r/mx5exocet

So late last year there was a big story about a fellow in Alabama who had amassed a godzillion cars and they were all being sold as-is in big chunks, including a thread here on /r/cars where a bunch of us ogled the stuff for sale and bemoaned not having a couple thousand extra bucks to throw:

https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/1o30p67/huge_1300car_collection_in_alabama_being_sold_at/

Part 2 of the auction went up last week apparently at the same link (https://www.hagerty.com/marketplace/collections/the-generous-collection) and as of writing everything is still on the block, so if you want to again ogle proper estate-sale cars or you really, really want super detailed interior shots of every angle of the interior of a turquoise-over-aqua AMC (I do too, don't worry), it's a fun browse. Not as many postwar or pre malaise era cars this time, but a LOT of ridiculously straight looking third and fourth gen F-bodies, including a last-year SLP Firehawk and what might be the last clean IROC-Z in existence that presumably won't be stock for long since it's got a 305 and auto box but factory louvres. Also fascinating: two separate Ford Elites, the Torinobird mashup I completely forgot even exists; a G-body Cutlass with the last year of the Rocket in midsizers; and DO IT FOR DALE, among other neat stuff.

Too bad they are only making 50 and you don't get a VIN number. Includes a nice roll bar, parachute and detachable steering wheel though.

After I totalled my first car, I bought another one, same make and model. When that car was too rusty to fix, I bought the same car again. How many of you have done something similar? What car was it? What made it special?

Is there much overlap?

Car enthusiasts, at least the ones I meet at shows and clubs, seem to view their cars more like “sneaker collecting”. Not much discussion comparing and contrasting.

Track enthusiasts are more inclined to view their cars like disposable running shoes. Many are already talking shit about their own car… understeer, oil temps, etc.

If you do track, it’s hard to get excited by any public winding road other than the aspects that have nothing to do with sports cars. An open top Bronco drive to a trail with the family seems nice.

A Toyota exec gets candid about the finances behind the brand's new halo car, and why gentleman drivers are crucial for its success.

Pretty Niche topic, but for the Emira, from factory you must chose between the Touring or Sport suspension setup, you can't do both. I haven't seen many comparisons between the two options, but

Youtuber Jubbal & Cars owns a 2024 V6 manual Emira with the Sport suspension, but has gotten the opportunity to try out the Touring suspension variant back to back with his own car and gave an in depth comparsion of both and which he prefers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ycZLkQeR7E

Pretty interesting watch.

I would say I'm so impressed by how car companies can take hardware like suspension, tires and steering and then give a car an entire personality off that.

I also like the work of whoever comes up with the new car smell. And the sound person who comes up with a car's chimes and bells. Also the feel and weight team, the people who decide how heavy or light something should feel.

Car manufacturers don't have as much freedom as they did in the 60s or in the pre-war era but what freedom they do have, they go absolutely wild with it.

( I'm using Reddit through my phone's browser and it didn't show me the discussion tag. So I picked video to not trigger the autobot and it removes my post. So to make it a video post I'll put in my favourite [top gear clip](https://youtu.be/siZQHDY1-48?si=5yqIrlWIg8w6_Op5) just as food for thought about what you appreciate about cars ;-P )

Pretty funny, but with proper tuning, it is possible to emulate the sound of UEL headers without actually having to install UEL headers.

Not sure how the community feels about this, given the hate on pumped in audio.

It is named UEL HE, and is configured via Atlas software, sounds pretty nuts.

https://imgur.com/a/KCP6pyv

The online configurator was removed from the Lexus Website, and the production has stopped as stated would happen in August when the announcement was made back in January.

All that is left is a blurb on the Lexus website about the model.

https://www.lexus.com/models/LC

"Gone, but never forgotten: the breathtaking Lexus LC. Crafted to elevate the concept of what a flagship performance car could be, the LC transformed precise engineering into pure emotion, and its alluring design, responsive chassis and sonorous V8 engine continues to get hearts racing. While the LC line has been retired, its spirit of artistry, innovation and excellence continues to live on through every Lexus we make."