Best of 2018

As 2018 is coming to an end, it is time that we reflect on what has happened in the car industry this year. Though many incredible achievements and break throughs have happened this year, many scandals and business factors such as restructuring efforts that have left thousands jobless have also tainted the industry. Here are three substantial highlights of 2018.

1. GM Layoffs

Lordstown, Ohio
Courtesy of USA Today

In November just after Thanksgiving, General Motors announced that it would layoff around 14,000 workers and idle five plants in North America, such as the factory in Lordstown, Ohio that produces the Chevy Cruze. GM cited the layoffs as a move towards restructuring the company. The company plans on shifting away from the declining market of sedans and towards the growing market of trucks, crossovers, SUVs, electric, and autonomous cars. Both GM executives and the president have faced severe backlash over the layoffs. Some blame the Trade War with China as the real reason why GM is laying off workers. Others blame corporate greed and cost cutting measures.

2. Tesla meets production numbers

Tesla Model 3 Production
Courtesy of Bloomberg

During the early months of the Tesla Model 3's life cycle,  Tesla struggled to meet production forecasts. The goal during the third quarter of 2017 was to produce 1,500 units and bump the numbers up to 5,000 per week during the fourth quarter of 2017. But only 260 vehicles were produced and delivered during the third quarter and 1,542 during the fourth quarter of 2017. Production numbers began to rise in 2018 as Tesla fixed its mistakes such as excessive automation. 8,152 Model 3s were produced and delivered during the first quarter of 2018. The number rose to 18,449 during the second quarter, and then to a record of 55,840 during the third quarter. The Tesla Model 3 is currently the #6 best selling sedan in the United States because of the high demand and Tesla's ability to produce more and more cars.

3. The Fall of Carlos Ghosn

Carlos Ghosn
Courtesy of The Independent

Carlos Ghosn was once known as the man who saved the two automotive giants, Nissan and Renault. When he took charge of Renault, a failing company deep in debt, he restructured the entire company and mended all of its financial woes. Shortly after, Renault and Nissan, a company that had been losing money for seven years, formed an alliance, and Ghosn saved Nissan from its financial woes. In 2005, he was named CEO of Nissan and Renault and became the first person to run two Fortune 500 companies at once. But on November 19 of this year, he was arrested on allegations of withholding millions of dollars in income from Nissan’s financial filings. His once proud name will forever be overshadowed by the allegations brought up against him.

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Undercover Police Cars are Ticket Machines

The police have an important role in society: to keep the peace. Law enforcement officers are known as peace officers for a reason. Their role isn't to spy on the citizens. Their role is to assist citizens with emergencies and keep order in society. Undercover police cars do not help perform the role of a peace officer.

Ford Utility Interceptor
By Ford

Marked police cars are easily spotted. With all the decals and light bars, people driving on the road instantly slow down and evaluate how they are driving to avoid a citation. A marked police car's presence helps keep roads safe. Not only that, if citizens are in dire need of help, they can easily flag a marked police car passing by. Police sometimes place dummy cars with no officer inside so that people think about how they are driving. This therefore creates safer roads.

NYPD Gay Pride
By Jalopnik

Unmarked police cars, on the other hand, are not easily spotted. An unmarked police car's presence is often unknown. This means that drivers do not slow down and evaluate how they are driving, which makes roads more dangerous. This lack of change in behavior allows the unmarked police car to pull over a driver committing a basic traffic violation, therefore collecting money for the department. Unmarked police cars do not make the road safer. They simply generate money for the police departments through citations. Traffic citations and laws are meant to keep roads safe, not to take money out of the average American's pocket, only to be wasted.

Dodge Charger Undercover
By Car Throttle

Undercover police cars spy on the average citizen. They watch the every move of a person and swoop in when a mistake is made. This creates a feeling of intimidation and a lack of trust between the people and the police. If police want to maintain a good relationship with the community, they need to be more open. Police must stop staying hidden from the community. To do so, they need to use less undercover police cars for patrol routes.

Ford Fusion Undercover
By Ford

Undercover police cars do have their potential uses. For example, if police want to make a drug bust without being seen, undercover police cars are very useful. However, the common current usage of an undercover police car as a patrol vehicle meant to generate money for the police department through citations defeats all the potential benefits of unmarked police cars and creates less trust between the people and the police.

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Why the Dodge Demon Isn't Worth the Hype

The Dodge Challenger Demon is one of the most hyped vehicles to come out this year among the car community.  It is a Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody on steroids. With a 0-60 time of 2.3 seconds, ability to do wheelies, and 840 horsepower, it is no wonder why the Dodge Demon is a car that has been raved about in the car community. However, though it is a beast that starts at $80, 500 (not counting in insane dealer markups), this car just isn't worth the hype.

Dodge Challenger Demon
By Car and Driver

The idea of the Demon is that it is a drag car that is covered under a warranty. However, this idea simply doesn't work. No matter how powerful a car comes out of a factory, the kind of person who would buy a Demon will always want more power. Sooner or later, the warranty of a Demon will be voided because of the owner's desires for more horsepower and faster times. The concept of a factory drag car simply fails.

Dodge Challenger Demon
By Car and Driver

The only real advantage a Dodge Demon has above a modified Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody is that it has a warranty. However, as I explained in the previous paragraph, the warranty is likely to be voided anyway because owners always want to go faster. If the warranty is going to be voided anyway, why not just buy a  Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody from the factory and tune it to make 840 horsepower or even more.

Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody
By Autoweek

With an additional two to three thousand dollars in upgrades, you can run nine second quarter miles in a Challenger Hellcat. Not only that, a stock Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody costs around seventy grand so you are better off if you modify a Widebody Hellcat rather than buying a Demon. The warranty on the modified Hellcat may be gone, but if you owned the Demon, it would probably be gone within a few months anyway.

Dodge Challenger manual transmission
By cars.com

The other problem is that the Demon isn't sold with a manual transmission. Though the automatic may make the Demon faster, enthusiasts want a manual transmission. The manual transmission provides more connection with the car. This car is built for car enthusiasts, and car enthusiasts love manual transmissions. Dodge will sell the Demon with a $1 crate with all kinds of tools and the racing ECU because it wants their owners to go onto the drag strip and have fun, but it won't sell the Demon with a manual transmission.

Dodge Demon with Demon Crate
By Dodge

The final issue with the Demon is that it is banned by the NHRA from racing. Dodge may be proud of it, but it does pose a potential safety risk. Sub ten second cars require rolls cages, something that the Demon doesn't have. The Dodge Challenger Demon isn't "too damn fast". It is too unsafe to be allowed on the strip. Had it gone ten miles per hour more, it would require a parachute, something that it also doesn't have.

Dodge Challenger Demon
By Dodge

The Dodge Demon is undoubtedly a cool car. It can run some insane lap times, do some wheelies, and for the amount of horsepower that comes with the car doesn't cost that much. However, because there are cheaper alternatives such as a modified Dodge Challenger Hellcat Widebody, no manual transmission, and lack of enough structural safety, it isn't worth the hype.

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Ways To Spot An Undercover Police Car In America

On the road, police officers patrol to make sure everyone is following the law. When there is a police officer around, everyone slows down and takes extra precautions to avoid a ticket. However, some police officers roll around in undercover vehicles. Some people who tend to speed invest in radar detectors, but some who don't speed a lot don't. Here are 5 ways to spot an undercover police car in America so you can avoid a nasty ticket for something petty.

Ford Police Interceptor
By Mr.choppers

The most of the police force in America only use American cars. They tend to be bigger cars such as Dodge Chargers and Chevrolet Tahoes because these are strong, reliable, and easy to fix. Most undercover police cars are modestly equipped, so they don't shine. They don't have all the bells and whistles. Most undercover vehicles have less conspicuous colors such as gray and silver. They don't boast any aftermarket parts apart from the few modifications such as lights and tinted windows. Most of them are newer models, clean, and don't have major cosmetic damage such as big dents.

Ford Police Interceptor
By Mr.choppers

When looking for an undercover police car, there are some obvious things that may stand out. The steel wheels are part of most police cars because they are easily replaceable, and they handle shock much better than alloys. Undercover police cars also sport tinted windows, but don't sport ordinary license plates. They are still government vehicles so they have government plates. One of the biggest giveaway for an undercover police car are spotlights to search for criminals, bars in the rear windows, partitions between the front seats and rear seats, multiple antennas, and bull bars. However, not all undercover police cars sport these features.

Dodge Challenger
Image from Complex

On an undercover police, the lights are a great giveaway. The lights tend to be hidden in the grill, in the rear windshield, or near the front visors. When the lights are off, the just look like gray panels. Normal cars don't have a giant bar with different gray panels in the rear windshield or a bunch of gray panels in the grill. Any vehicle on the road with lights hidden is probably a police officer.

When trying to spot an undercover police car in America, you must put ALL these clues together. You cannot just rely on one. Modest American cars can just be ordinary citizens rather than undercover police cars. Spotlights on Ford Crown Victorias could be a civilian who finds it funny to buy a retired police car and scare everyone around them. If you don't want to invest in a proper radar detector but still want to avoid tickets, be smart and use these clues to help you.

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Tesla is Doomed

Tesla is the most successful fully electric car brand to date. Their cars are extremely popular among rich people who want high tech toys as daily drivers. There are great reasons why their cars are so popular. They are extremely innovative. The Tesla Model X has falcon doors in the back, which adds convenience if they work properly. All Teslas have two trunks, one in the front, one in the back, which adds more practicality. Their cars have giant touch screens found nowhere else and the most advanced autopilot system available to consumers. Their cars hold records for 0-60 times thanks to instant torque from the electric motors. It is no wonder why people want Teslas.

Tesla Model X
By Vauxford

But soon, Tesla is going to fail. Other manufactures such as BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes Benz are catching up. Porsche's impressive Mission E is going into production in 2020. BMW has promised twelve electric cars by the year 2025. Mercedes is planning an S class sized sedan to take on the Tesla Model S. Soon, Tesla will not be a class of its own. It will be in a boxing ring with multiple fit competitors.

Porsche Mission E Concept
By youkeys

Right now, Elon Musk is playing with rockets when he should be trying to stay ahead of his competition. The Tesla Model 3, its affordable mass produced vehicle, is being hurt by production delays. When the Tesla Model 3 is being produced, it is delivered to customers will many irritating flaws. The Tesla Model S and Model X are also plagued with quality issues and reliability issues, despite being in production for years. The kinds of quality issues that you find include poor body panel alignment, dysfunctional touch screen that controls everything, and battery issues.

Tesla Model S
By Mariordo

Tesla is a new company, especially compared to BMW, Mercedes Benz, and Porsche. The automakers that are a primary threat to Tesla have a reputation for good quality vehicles. Their cars come off the lot with very few flaws, partly because they have experience. They have refined their manufacturing processes through learning, which is why they can mass produce vehicles with ease and meet quality standards.

Tesla Model 3
By Carlquinn

Other issues with Tesla include the two fatal accident cases under investigation by the NTSB involving their autopilot system. Their autopilot system is immature and was released only to put a short term lead in front of the competition. Problems also persist of ballooning debt and dire financials. Tesla's debt has tripled in the last three years. The Tesla Model 3 has proven to be a financial burden. Tesla is burning money trying to put it into production. The Model 3 is what can save Tesla and fund future projects. If Tesla cannot get the Model 3 into customer hands and make money, then it cannot survive.

The bottom line is that Elon Musk needs to stop playing with rockets and flame throwers and start focusing on Tesla.

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5 Questions to Ask Yourself When Buying a new Car

Buying a new car is more than just a purchase. It is a commitment and an investment, which is why you need to make the right choice. Here are five basic questions you should ask yourself when buying a new car.

1. Can you live with the car on a day to day basis?

Alfa Romeo 4C
Definitely not a car you could live with every day
By Alfa Romeo

Livability in a car is very important. You must drive it every day. Unless you live in urban areas where public transport is your main form of transport, being able to live with the car and its character is very important. If a car is too powerful for you ability or too flashy for your taste, don't buy it. After all, buying a car is an investment and pulling out of it is a very unwise and costly decision. Most of us cannot recover from such a mistake because of how expensive cars are, which is why being able to live with it on a day to day basis is important.

2. What do you need in a car?

Honda Odyssey minivan
By Honda

What you need in a car is very important. Your car is probably a tool that you use every day. I'll address the exception later. If you have a big family, you might want a minivan. If you drive an Uber, you might want a Prius. This question can also be used to choose features. If you have a minivan, what do you want it to have? Do you want a backup camera for safety and an in car entertainment system to keep the kids quiet? It all comes down to the purpose of the car and what you expect out of it. Let's move on to the exception on a car being a tool. This exception is for car people. Cars to car people are toys and they have fun with them. When car fanatics are choosing a car, they think about the potential of the car, how fun it is, and what direction they are taking their build in. 

3. What can you afford?

Ford F-150 Raptor
By Ford

What can you afford is probably the most important question. You don't want to buy a car that is too expensive for you. But this question is more than just that. What would you be willing to pay for a car and what kind of return would you get on it? Now if you told me to buy a 40 grand Toyota Camry, I would think you're out of your mind. I don't think Camry's are worth that much. But if you told me to buy a 40 grand Ford F-150 pick up truck, I wouldn't have a problem because of the amount of car I'm getting. It is the value that counts as well. not just price. This leads me on to my next point. What kind of return do you get from it? This primarily deals with businesses because they have trucks for work. Your truck is used to make money. Buying a Camry is stupid for construction but buying that F-150 allows you to get more work done and get more money. 

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5 Supercars You Can Daily

Supercars can be very fun to own, but very few people drive them on a daily basis. They can be uncomfortable, hard to drive, and provide little practicality. However, there is a small group of supercars than can be driven daily. Here are five of them.

1. Chevrolet Corvette Z06

Chevrolet Corvette Z06
By Chevrolet

The Chevrolet Corvette Z06 is an American icon that can be driven every day. The Z06 has a big V8 up front that has 650 horsepower, which is a lot. All this power is put through either an eight speed manual for people who want to have more fun or through an eight speed automatic for people who don't want leg day when they are stuck in morning traffic.
Inside, the Corvette has plenty of storage places. It has a glove box, center console storage, and usable cupholders. It also has a roomy trunk that can be used for groceries, or whatever you need to carry around on a daily basis.

2. McLaren 570GT

McLaren 570GT
Found on Edmunds

The McLaren 570GT is a more practical version of the brilliant McLaren 570S. The original 570S was already fairly practical with a relatively large front trunk and a shelf behind the front seats. Deleting the S and adding a GT makes the car more comfortable. Carbon ceramic brakes that are available on the 570S aren't available for the 570GT. There is an added door in the back to access the shelf, which becomes leather trimmed. There is now a panoramic roof on the 570GT for added light inside the car. McLaren has taken their quick and precise 570S and turned it into a gentleman's cruiser.

3. Audi R8 V10 Plus

Audi R8
Found on Autoblog

The Audi R8 V10 Plus is the more mellow version of the Lamborghini Huracan. It has the same engine and offers similar performance, but different design. The R8 is more thought out. The interior is user friendly. The climate control is where it's supposed to be and easy to understand. The gear lever, unlike most supercar gear levers, is taken straight from an Audi A4, so it is also easy to understand and use. Audi also included a glove box and cupholders, which are nice to have for a daily supercar. Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of trunk space, but Audi did include some nets so your objects don't go flying around.

4. Nissan GT-R

Nissan GT-R
By Nissan

The Nissan GT-R is an impressive performance car for the money. Though it has aged since debuting in 2009, it still has the ability to compete with more modern high performance cars such as the Audi R8. It may not be as fast as some of its competitors but it is definitely cheaper starting at barely below $100,000. The Nissan GT-R can also be considered very luxurious and practical.The 2017 facelift gave the interior better materials and a better look.  However, it still remains practical. It has a glove box, which seems to be a rarity in supercars nowadays. It also has a decent size trunk to fit groceries.

5. Mercedes Benz AMG GT S

Mercedes Benz AMG GT S
By Mercedes Benz

Mercedes Benz had to make a replacement for the SLS. They came up with the AMG GT S, and it's a very different car from the SLS. Mercedes started with the doors. They decided, like the rest of the world, that gull wing doors are impractical and silly, so they replaced them with normal doors. The AMG GT S can either be a GT car that is very comfortable and quiet or a supercar that is loud and fast. The AMG GT S is a more livable car than the SLS. The interior is also designed around comfort. Everything inside feels solid and high quality. There is also plenty of trunk space for whatever you need to put in the car. This Mercedes sports car is definitely an excellent option for a daily supercar.

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