2025 Lexus LC 500 Convertible

Posted on by

Something special with impressive mechanisms but limited space. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

There are some cars you get into. There are some cars you put on.

The Lexus LC 500 Convertible is one of the latter. You just don’t get into it, but you essentially wrap yourself in the driver’s seat—which, of course, is a sumptuous, buttery leather surface with heating and ventilation.

The vehicle is undoubtedly designed and engineered for those who like to take weekend road trips on roads that are not freeways but those with curves through forests or along beaches below.

After all, you want that top down so you can smell the pine or the sea breezes. Sitting in traffic going nowhere slowly is not what you want to be doing with the soft-top retracted.

Swish

One thing about the retraction that you might now intuitively know: Its movement is predicated on Japanese calligraphy with a brush: inked brush is applied to paper; the brush stroke is to the right; the ink brush stops. I am not making this up.

Something that is notable about that top, too, is that it can be opened in 15 seconds or closed in 16, and you can do that at speeds up to 31 mph. The quick closing is the more important of the two because who wants to be caught in a sudden cloudburst?

Materials Matter

Another thing notable about the top—something that could provide a bit of bragging rights of a somewhat technical—and therefore cool—nature is that components for it are made with magnesium and aluminum, not your run-of-the-mill ferrous materials. If that doesn’t impress whomever, perhaps the fact that the top consists of four layers—three fabric and one sound-insulating—may do the trick. And I won’t even get into the hydraulic actuation controlled by an electromagnetic valve. All of this is serious stuff.

Speaking of the top down and climatic conditions:  The HVAC system is engineered so that it keeps the cabin occupants comfortable. It has something called the “Lexus Climate Concierge with Upper Body Heating.” So the air conditioner, seat heaters, neck heaters (yes, neck), and steering wheel heater are activated as necessary.

Vroom

Of course, one of the real features that someone who is interested in a sport convertible is probably more interested in than a top-folding mechanism or a neck heater is what is under the hood.

And here the vehicle also has quite an impressive mechanism: an all-aluminum 471-hp V8 that’s mated to a 10-speed automatic. This 5.0-liter engine is naturally aspirated (i.e., no turbo).

According to Lexus, the car goes from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and the top speed—on a track, because you don’t want to do this where you’d get a massive moving violation—is an electronically limited 168 mph.

Now some people might look at that 4.6 seconds and think that an electric car like a Hyundai Ioniq 5—and I’m not talking the “N” version, but a standard AWD—and beat it.

But what no electric car can do is provide the audible sound of a V8 engine, which is part of the experience of driving a vehicle like the LC 500. Recognizing that, the Lexus engineers plumbed a pipe that takes the engine intake sounds that have been fed into a diaphragm, then, though the pipe, into the cabin. This is not artificial noise but the real rumble. And because they evidently figured that’s not enough, they include a computer-controlled vale that adjusts exhaust back-pressure, exhaust tone and volume at higher engine speed to, in effect, turn the sound of the engine up to 11.

Tighten Up

According to Lexus, the LC 500 Convertible seats four. Which is something of an exaggeration by two. Sure, there is a rear seat and the front seats fold forward to allow access to the rear. But it is hard to imagine anyone being comfortable in the front seats while there is anyone—even small children—in the back. (The front legroom is 42.6 inches and the rear 28 inches.)

Then there is the aforementioned weekend road trip.

The cargo space is 3.4 cubic feet. You’d need to pack with care as that space can handle two small carry-ons—and you might opt for luggage that isn’t hard-sided to assure that it is going to fit.

Exclusivity

And there is another number that needs to be considered: $115,705. That’s the MSRP for the LC 500 Convertible with the optional Bespoke Build Package, which includes the option to select from nine exterior colors, four interior color schemes, three 21-inch forged wheel styles, and chrome or dark chrome interior accents. There is also badging on the center console that proves you’ve got it.

Add the red soft top, the 10-spoke alloys, Mark Levinson audio, .premium paint, carbon fiber door scuff plates, and a carpeted trunk mat.

Add the $1,350 for delivery, processing and handling, and you’ve reached $117,055.

But you’ve also got something special. Through the first half of 2025 there were 790 LCs sold in the U.S.

You will not see these vehicles—especially the Convertible—going and coming.

Ford Going Zero

Posted on by

Now’s the time to buy. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

“Many families have seen their savings go toward higher mortgage rates and summer travel costs. They want a new vehicle but also want options that allow them to forgo an upfront down payment,” said, Rob Kaffl is Ford director, U.S. sales and dealer relations.

So the company has decided it will not only continue with its employee pricing for everyone, but has initiated a summer sales event: “0-0-0.”

Which means zero down payment, zero percent interest for 48 months, and zero payments for 90 days.

Since starting its “From America, For America” campaign in April that provides the employee pricing approach, Ford second quarter sales grew well over the rate of the rest of the industry.

Kaffl: “Momentum matters, and in the past few months we have had plenty of it.”

They want to keep it going with this 0-0-0 program.

What’s more—and it is more—Ford is providing a two-year maintenance program that covers things like oil changes and tire rotations. Certainly a nice benefit.

While there is undoubtedly some small print involved in signing those papers at the dealership, there is some you should know about if you have your eye on a 2025 Bronco Sport, Bronco, Expedition, Maverick, Ranger, Transit, Super Duty, or Lincoln Navigator.

They are excluded from the program.

So that leaves Escape, Mustang Mach-E, Explorer, F-Series, E-Series, and Mustang for Ford brand and Corsair, Nautilus, and Aviator for Lincoln.

Clearly Ford wants to continue to move metal before more tariffs kick in and people are faced with more than high mortgage rates and travel costs.

2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 AWD Performance Calligraphy Design

Posted on by

Although it is big, some of the small details are most impressive

By Gary S. Vasilash

This is the bottom of the front cupholder on the Ioniq 9:

This is not the sort of thing that a review of a three-row electric vehicle that provides—depending on the powertrain setup selected—a range ranging from 311 miles to 335 miles typically opens with. In fact, it is unlikely that the bottom of a cupholder is even an issue.

After all, realize that this is quite a substantial vehicle, measuring 199.2 inches long, 78 inches wide, 70.5 inches high, with a 123.2-inch wheelbase. The top-of-the-line version tips the scales at 6,008 pounds. In the seven-passenger configuration (it can also be configured to seat six) it offers 163.4 cubic feet of passenger volume. With the third row folded it offers 46.7 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Leave it up and there’s 21.9 cubic feet.

But it is to make a point about the level of detail that the designers and engineers at Hyundai have taken in developing this vehicle.

Now the overall theme for the vehicle is one based on “pixelated design.” As in pixels, the individual square elements that make up images on digital screens. So as you can see from the bottom of that cupholder: pixels.

Hyundai designers use squares throughout the vehicle, both inside and out.

As in the front:

(Following images: Hyundai)

And back:

There is a remarkable consistency to this approach.

While it enhances the overall design, it also indicates that there is consistency and care in the creation of the SUV.

As legendary management consultant Tom Peters, the guy who co-wrote In Search of Excellence, put it:

“Small>>Big. Small Stuff Rules!”

Get the small stuff right and you’re likely to get the whole thing well executed.

And that is precisely the sense one gets from the Ioniq 9.

The AWD version driven here is a dual-motor arrangement that provides a total 422 hp, which means that as big as it is, the Ioniq 9 drives smartly. And while there is a RWD model on offer, which is the one that gets the 335-mile range, this model gets a respectable 311 miles.

And if you take it to a Supercharger, you can get from 10% state of charge to 80% in 40 minutes. If you are able to access a 350-kW DC fast charger, with the CCS adapter you can hit that 80% mark in 24 minutes.

But the thing is, when you have range of 300 miles+ the issue of range anxiety isn’t much of a thing—if it is a thing at all. Assuming you’re doing your pre-drive homework, you can take a road trip with several family members or friends in the Ioniq 9. If you’re just doing a daily drive, you probably won’t think much at all about charging.

Inside the vehicle there’s a lot more to it that nicely trimmed cupholders.

The driver and front passenger seats are both power 8-way adjustable, heated and ventilated. The driver gets 4-way power lumbar; the passenger 2-way. In the second row the captain’s chairs offer 4-way power adjustment and are heated and ventilated.

The seats are trimmed in the H-Tex material: a synthetic leather that looks and feels quite authentic.

In terms of technology, there is a 12.3-inch touchscreen. The gauge cluster is also a 12.3-inch screen.

And that is deserving of a word. There are some OEMs that, in vehicles that have a staring MSRP of $76,490 like this one does, figure that the more digital real estate they can throw on the IP, the better.

It isn’t.

While 12.3 inches times two certainly doesn’t go back to Peters’ “Small>>Big,” I would argue that the Hyundai approach to interface is a whole lot better than just adding screens.

It should be noted that the Ioniq 9 is counted among the 2025 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX (full disclosure: I am one of the judges).

How the Celestiq Can Help Address the Problem of Potholes

Posted on by

Smart sensors can lead to smoother roads. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

The Cadillac Celestiq—the hand-built electric vehicle that has a price in the $340,000 vicinity—is a lot of things, but one that’s surprising is, in effect, a test-bed for road maintenance personnel.

That is, the Celestiq is fitted with Smart Chassis Sensor technology developed by ZF.

Sensors—two in the front wishbones and two in the rear—are permanently mounted into the ball joints of the suspension system.

An important part you cant see are the algorithms. (Image: ZF)

These sensors and associated algorithms are used to do a variety of things, like control damping and provide headlight leveling.

Steffen Reichelt, Head of the Chassis Components Product Line at ZF, says, “With the help of evaluation algorithms, our sensor not only replaces conventional height sensors, it also significantly outperforms them in terms of the quantity and reliability of the data collected.”

It is that last bit—the data collected—that is germane to the beyond-Celestiq applications.

Reichelt: “The data collected by the sensor allows additional conclusions to be drawn about the vehicle, its surroundings and the road surface. These findings are particularly attractive for commercial vehicle users and fleet owners, but also for the maintenance of road infrastructure.”

So while most of us will never experience the smooth ride that is undoubtedly offered by the Celestiq, conceivably those who do could benefit the rest of us with the data that their vehicles can collect about the road surfaces.

2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport SEL Premium R-Line

Posted on by

Who knew this is being built in Tennessee?

By Gary S. Vasilash

“This vehicle will be a real American – large, attractive and with many high-tech features on board. Above all, the midsize SUV will be made by real Americans.

“From 2016, this vehicle will roll off production line at the Chattanooga plant – as second core model in addition to the Passat.

“This major decision was taken by the Board of Directors of Volkswagen Group of America last Friday.

“So: Our midsize SUV will be a car “made in Chattanooga”!

“A car ‘made in the US’!”

While that might sound like something you’d hear someone say nowadays as the tariff situation (there is a 25% tariff on imported vehicles that is based on Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962; Section 232 deals with national defense: who knew that things like a midsize SUV would have military implications?), that was actually from July 14, 2014, in a speech by Dr. Martin Winterkorn, who, at the time, was CEO of Volkswagen. (He resigned the following year as a result of the Dieselgate scandal.)

The vehicle he was talking about is the VW Atlas, a seven-seat SUV that went into production late 2016 as a model year 2018 vehicle.

Yes, it was, and is, built in Chattanooga. (The Passat, however, ended production there in 2021.)

The Atlas gave rise to the model year 2020 Atlas Cross Sport. It is a five-passenger vehicle.

And the plant has been cranking out Atlases of both configurations ever since. (In addition to the electric ID.4.)

VW Atlas Cross Sport: A sporty utility vehicle. (Image: VW)

A faster roofline and more generous cargo capacity (40.3 cubic feet in the present version with the rear seat ready to accommodate people; in the standard Atlas, with the rear seatback up the cargo is 20.6 cubic feet*, but it should be noted that the Atlas version of the Atlas has a third row, so that explains the delta in space for stuff) are key differences, as are an overall, well, sportier appearance. Like a diffuser on the rear hatch that isn’t found on the Atlas.

Under the Hood

The vehicle is powered by a turbocharged, direct-injected four-cylinder engine, the “Evo4” TSI EA888, mated to an eight-speed automatic. The engine produces 269 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, which is good for a vehicle that is 195.5 inches long, 78.3 inches wide, 67.8 inches high, has a wheelbase of 117.3 inches and a curb weight of 4,171 pounds. Merging onto a freeway and then driving on it are no problem with the vehicle.

There are sporty stainless-steel pedal caps—but one need not get too carried away thinking that this is a vehicle that will allow you to crush it on a gymkhana course.

The vehicle is EPA rated at 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. Helping that is a feature of the 4Moiton with Active Control all-wheel-drive system (not all Cross Sports have this; there is a front-drive version, too).

Inside

On the inside, as this is the top-of-the-line there is good leather seating surfaces. (Lower trims offer leatherette.) The overall execution provides a sense of substance, as one would hope to get from a German car, even if it is one built some 4,600 miles away from Wolfsburg.

There is a 12-inch infotainment display. The Atlas has VW’s App-Connect system, though which things like CarPlay and Android Auto are accessible.

And there is what VW calls the “Digital Cockpit Pro,” a 10.25-inch screen that stands in for the gauge cluster. One advantage of this is that it provides things that are actually useful, like navigation information so the driver can keep eyes forward.

From the points of view of styling, content and powertrain, this is midsize that can hold its own against others in the category.

While there is a bit of a sacrifice to get that style, unless your needs are all about utility (which would then shift a look to the Atlas version of the Atlas), it is worth it.

///

*It is interesting to note that while the seats-in-position cargo capacity of the Cross Sport is about twice that of the regular Atlas, through Q1 2025 the sales of the regular Atlas were about twice that of the Cross Sport: 16,902 to 8,689. Guess people either have more than five passengers on a regular basis or they anticipate that they will so they give up some sportier style for potential utility.

AV in the UK

Posted on by

This makes more sense than Tesla in Austin

By Gary S. Vasilash

While there is a lot of attention being paid to Tesla’s rollout of some 10 vehicles in Austin that are operating autonomously—with a safety driver on board and apparently people back in Tesla HQ monitoring the fleet, ready to kick in with teleoperation help if needed—there is virtually no attention being paid to what is happening in Cambridge, UK.

This week an autonomous Mellor Orion E electric midi bus—a low-floor transporter that can be configured to accommodate a maximum 16 passengers—equipped with a CAVStar Automated Drive System started rolling through the streets of the university town.

Bus is operating autonomously in the streets of Cambridge, England. (Image: Fusion Processing)

The CAVStar system is engineered by Fusion Processing. It comprises an AI processing unit, radar, LIDAR, optical cameras, and ultrasonic sensors.

The Cambridge vehicle is said to meet the requirements of SAE Level 4 autonomy.

The bus is running as part of the Connector project, which is led by the Greater Cambridge Partnership, which is supported by Innovate UK and the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Vehicles.

The bus initially ran though the areas in Cambridge where it is now operating without passengers to determine fitness for use.

Dan Clarke, head of Innovation and Technology at the Greater Cambridge Partnership:

“People may have already seen the bus going around Eddington and Cambridge West from Madingley Park & Ride recently, as, after the extensive on-track training with the drivers, we’ve been running the bus on the road without passengers to learn more about how other road-users people interact with the technology. We’re now moving gradually to the next stage of this trial by inviting passengers to use Connector.

“As with all new things, our aim is to introduce this new technology in a phased way that balances the trialling of these new systems with safety and the passenger experience. This will ensure we can learn more about this technology and showcase the potential for self-driving vehicles to support sustainable, reliable public transport across Cambridge.”

Somehow this seems more substantial than the reports out of Austin about the performance of some of those Tesla vehicles.

In addition to which: if, as Musk has proclaimed in his various “Master Plans,” his goal is to reduce overall energy use (yes, targeting fossil fuels, but even renewable energy systems are far from being zero-emissions), then doesn’t a mass transit vehicle that can transport plenty of people make more sense than autonomous passenger cars?

2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro

Posted on by

Built to take it. . . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

Consider these elements:

  • Fox Racing QS3 internal-bypass shocks, front and rear, with rear piggyback-style remote reservoirs
  • Independent double-wishbone front suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar
  • Multi-link rear suspension with coil springs and stabilizer bar
  • 33-inch Toyo Open Country III tires
  • 18-in. matte-black alloy wheels with 33-in. Toyo all-terrain tires
  • Stabilizer Disconnect Mechanism (SDM)
  • Multi-Terrain Select (MTS) and Crawl Control (CRAWL)
  • Electronic locking rear differential
  • TRD Pro aluminum front skid plate with underbody transfer case and fuel tank protection
  • Part-time 4-Wheel Drive (4WD)
  • Electronically controlled 2-speed transfer case (high/low range) and Active Traction Control (A-TRAC)
  • Rigid Industries LED fog lights

If those things make you shrug, as in “I don’t exactly know why these things are of particular importance,” then the 4Runner TRD Pro is not for you.

Which is not exactly the sort of thing you ordinarily see this early in a description of a given vehicle.

2025 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro: Who needs pavement? (Image: Toyota)

But the point is, the 2025 4Runner TRD Pro, a mid-size SUV, is engineered to drive on terrain and in ways that if you aren’t an enthusiast of the great outdoors you are likely never to appreciate.

Here’s another thing to know about this model—as well as the other 4Runner variants: It has body-on-frame construction.

Again, if you shrug, then maybe there should be the consideration of something like a Grand Highlander.

The TNGA-F platform the 4Runner is built on is also used for things like the Toyota Tundra and Tacoma—both pickup trucks. (It is also found on the Toyota Land Cruiser.)

This is a fully boxed ladder frame that is constructed to provide high levels of torsional rigidity. Another thing Toyota has done is use tailor welded blanks, which means there is additional strength in areas that need it so the structure is ready to handle the hard stuff, like when crawling over rocks.

The vehicle is powered by an i-FORCE MAX 2.4-liter, turbocharged (twin-scroll turbocharger) 4 cylinder hybrid engine.

Yes, that’s right: this is a hybrid, a parallel hybrid system with a permanent magnet synchronous motor/generator. The system—as in the combustion engine and the electric motor—produces 326 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 465 lb-ft of torque @ 1,700 rpm.

There is an eight-speed automatic.

And if you’re curious: it is rated at 23 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, 23 mpg combined.

The TRD Pro offers seating for five on SofTex-covered seats: this is material that resembles leather, but which is formulated to be able to handle serious wear and tear. It also cleans up nicely, because if you’re going to have a vehicle that you may take literally off-the-grid on weekends (which goes back to the point of the TRD Pro), odds are you’re going to want to get rid of the mud and muck that may be brought unintentionally back into the cabin. (Leather is used for the heated steering wheel and on the shift knob.)

The 4Runner offers beefy knobs, dials and buttons that make making adjustments far easier than is the case of vehicles that have switched to digital interfaces for changing things. But this is not to say that the vehicle is in any way behind when it comes to tech, as there are a 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and a 14-inch infotainment screen. There is a 14-speaker JBL audio system. The 4Runner has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The interior is so good that it is a winner in the 2025 Wards 10 Best Interiors & UX competition.

But let’s go back to the list that started this and the claim that if you aren’t impressed, the 4Runner TRD Pro is probably not the one for you.

It is worth knowing there are eight other 4Runner trims. And while there is something of a bias toward the rough and ready (e.g., TRD Off-Road Premium; Trailhunter), there are configurations that are better for those who are unlikely to beat the stuffings out of their vehicle on a somewhat regular basis.

AC Cars Expands Footprint to U.S.

Posted on by

Opening a new operation—in West Palm Beach

If you’re interested in reserving an AC GT Roadster, know that the starting MSRP of the V8-powered, carbon fiber-skinned two-seater is $276,792.

You will not, however, have the problem of seeing a whole lot of other people driving around in “your” car. The company, founded in 1901 (heritage matters, right?), which has operations in both the UK (where it is headquartered) and Germany, will build 250 of the vehicles annually—for the global market.

Classic design for a car with a specialized price. (Image: AC Cars)

It is worth noting, however, that for customers in the U.S. things have gotten a bit easier as AC Cars has announced the launch of AC Cars America.

David Conza, CEO of AC Cars England:

“AC Cars America is poised to play a critical role in the next chapter of our global journey. The US is AC Cars biggest single market, and establishing a dedicated company ensures that clients will receive the best possible care while we continue to reach a greater audience for our exclusive models.”

The American outpost is headquartered in West Palm Beach, Floridia. Of course it is.

Arguably it is a good thing that the whole tariff regime between the U.S. and the UK—the “Economic Prosperity Deal”—has been worked out.

It includes a provision that has it that the first 100,000 cars manufactured in the UK will face merely a 10% tariff.

On that AC GT Roadster would be a mere $27,679.20—which is a whole lot better than the $69,198 that the original “Liberation Day” 25% tariff on cars imported from the U.K.

Even the denizens of West Palm Beach would notice that.

2025 Acura ADX A-Spec AWD Advance

Posted on by

By Gary S. Vasilash

Acura, the premium division of Honda, had its start in 1986 in the U.S.

That was before Toyota launched Lexus and Nissan Infiniti.

Both of those arrived in 1989.

When Acura started, there were two vehicles on the showroom floor:

  • The Legend. This sedan, with a rather ostentatious name (c’mon: somebodies else decide whether something is a legend or not), was actually developed by Honda and the now-non-existent Austin Rover Group.
  • The Integra. This was something of a polar opposite of the Legend. It was a sporty three- or five-door. A more affordable vehicle.

The Legend went into the history books after the 1995 model year. In 2001 the Integra was replaced by the RSX. The RSX had a short run: until model year 2006. There was a bit of a hiatus in this car space: the ILX replaced the RSX in 2012. It had a run until model year 2022, when it was replaced by the current-generation Integra.

The point of this is that Acura has consistently maintained what can be considered an affordable, entry-way vehicle in its lineup. Of late it has been the Integra. That car has a starting price of $33,000.

And Now This

But the interest in cars has cooled*, and Acura has stocked the showroom floor with an array of SUVs. Until lately, the least-expensive Acura SUV was the RDX, with a starting price of $44,700. (In case you’re wondering; the starting price of the most-expensive is the ZDX, an electric vehicle, that begins at $64,500.)

So in order to, in part, get people into an affordable SUV Acura, the company has launched the ADX.

Acura’s new entry: the ADX. (Image: Acura)

It has an entry price of $35,000.

The top-of-the-line ADX A-Spec Advance AWD takes the MSRP to $44,000.

But the ADX has a bit of a problem. The problem is a good one for American Honda (the overall company). But not a good one if your job is moving Acuras.

Too Good for Its Own Good

The problem is the Honda CR-V.

The 2026 CR-V LX FWD starts at $30,920. The top-of-the-line CR-V AWD Sport Touring Hybrid starts at $42,250.

Yes, there is a difference between a “Honda” and an “Acura” badge.

But there are some similarities between the two models.

Like in the ADX there is a 1.5-liter, turbocharged four that produces 190 hp. In that CR-V LX there is a 1.5-liter, turbocharged four that produces 190 hp.

Whether it is the entry ADX or the top model, there’s the same engine.

In the top-of-the-line CR-V AWD Sport Touring the powertrain produces 204 hp.  And not only is it more powerful than the ADX powertrain, it gets better fuel efficiency (40 mpg city/34 mpg highway/37 mpg combined vs. 25 mpg city/30 mpg highway/27 mpg combined).

But one might point out that when it comes to that powertrain, there’s less mass to move: the AWD ADX has a mass of 3,611 pounds and the AWD hybrid CR-V is at 3,926 pounds. But there is that additional horsepower in the CR-V, so at the very least it is a wash.

Sized Right

It should also be pointed out that dimensionally the two vehicles are fairly similar, with the ADX being 185.8 inches long and the CR-V at 184.8 inches; the ADX 72.5 inches wide and the CR-V at 73.5 inches wide. The big difference is in the height, with the ADX at 63.8 inches and the CR-V at 66.5 inches, which I suppose goes to the point of the ADX being a sport utility vehicle and the CR-V a sport utility vehicle. (And on the subject of utility, the ADX A-Spec Advance offers 23.2 cubic feet behind the second row and 53.9 cubic feet with the second row folded; the CR-V Sport Touring has 34.7 cubic feet behind the second row and 76.5 cubic feet with it folded.)

Of course, comparisons are not typically made of vehicles from the same company so perhaps the above is inappropriate (though not if you’re in the market for a new vehicle).

So just to look at the ADX A-Spec Advance driven here, it provides:

  • A 10.2-inch digital gauge cluster
  • 9-inch touchscreen
  • A 15-W wireless charger
  • 15-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system
  • Built-in Google and Alexa
  • Adaptive cruise control
  • Ventilated front seats (i.e., cooled as well as heated)
  • Leather for seating surfaces and wrapping the steering wheel
  • Sport pedals (i.e., metal)
  • Powered liftgate
  • 19-inch alloy wheels
  • Panoramic moonroof
  • And more

And it has that stylized “A” on the Diamond Pentagon grille.

But still, even if there wasn’t economic uncertainty in the world at large at the moment due to everything from tariffs to roiling in the Middle East, anyone who is looking to get the most for their money would be hard pressed not to consider the Honda rather than the Acura.

The company that encompasses Acura and Honda simply makes great products.

==

*In addition to the Integra, Acura still offers the TLX. It seems as though that model may not be long for this world.

The Trials of Remodeling

Posted on by

If you had an NVIDIA-powered system you could pull off that basement remodel without a hitch. . .

By Gary S. Vasilash

If you are, say, redoing your basement, you might think you’ve got everything planned out to the final light fixture but discover along the way that there happens to be something that isn’t going to allow it to happen as anticipated, such as a support pole being in the “wrong” place. (It, of course, is in the right place. Your plans are off.)

You might think that this is something that couldn’t happen during professional projects.

Like when modifying an existing factory to accommodate a new vehicle or to add capacity.

Turns out, factories can be just like basements.

While half of those robots are where they need to be, the question is whether the other half will be able to do what needs to be done. So simulation lets BMW engineers know. (Image: BMW)

Only the consequences can be greater when it turns out the support beam is the way.

BMW plans to launch more than 40 new or updated vehicles between now and 2027.

It has more than 30 production sites to prepare.

To do this with as minimal a hitch as possible it is using its “Virtual Factory.”

That’s a simulation system that’s based on the NVIDIA Omniverse.

Inputs to the simulation include everything from building data to vehicle metrics, equipment information to manual work operations.

Simulations are run in real time.

Potential collisions (e.g., banging into a column) are automatically determined.

What’s surprising is that pre- this digital twin approach it was sometimes necessary to manually move a vehicle through the plant to make sure everything fit.

And in some cases it was necessary to drain the dip tanks in the paint shop, which is not only time-consuming, but expensive.

And speaking of costs: BMW says the Virtual Factory approach will save as much as 30% in production planning.