July 17th Throttle 🏎️

What’s up Throttle Heads! Thankfully I can confirm this newsletter is not a one-hit-wonder 🫡 as we are back for our second newsletter ever. For those of you who are joining us again welcome back and for those of you who are new welcome! We certainly have some fun news today so let’s get into it.

Motortrend Crowns M2 The 2024 Performance Car Of The Year

Yep, that’s right, my favorite current performance car the G87 BMW M2 has just been crowned the performance car of the year by Motor Trend 😎. I do have to say Motortrend made the right choice as the current M2 is my favorite car right now.

The M2 won this title over other cars like the Mustang Dark Horse and Porsche 911 GT3 for several reasons. The M2 is a fan car to drive and drives like a beat both on and off the track. It is also pretty easy to get sideways as all true M cars should be able 😉. It also still comes with a manual transmission which can be optioned free of charge in 2024!!. manual transmissions have become a rarity sadly and if they are an option they can cost thousands of dollars to add. The fact it can be added free of charge to any M2 in 2024 is great to see.

Besides its great performance with a 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds, the car boasts some exceptional technology. It features BMWs iDrive 8 system which even has a Drift Analyzer. You can for sure count on the Germans to come up with a way to measure the perfect drift. The m2 also has some great practicality for a performance car and can truly function as a daily driver if need be.

Chinese Automakers Target Europe For Growth

Chinese Automakers had a large presence at this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed with luxury Chinese automakers Hongqi making a big splash. BYD’s $233k electric hypercar the U9 pictured above was truly a star of the show drawing attention from attendees, especially for its funky dance moves.

From Yangwang to Hongqi to BYD and more, Chinese automakers are targeting Europe and eventually possibly the US for growth. However, they have a significant trust barrier to overcome due to many in Europe and America viewing goods manufactured in China as “cheap”. They managed to make a good first impression as all of the cars presented at Goodwood were good-looking machines.

Building trust with Western consumers will certainly be a main goal of these brands not only due to stigmas but also concerns over how Chinese companies use data and if the Chinese government can access it. Time will tell if Chinese automakers can break these stigmas and gain the trust of Western consumers enough for them to buy a car they are unlikely to know how to pronounce.

M5 Touring Coming to America

Suck my Star-Spangled Ding-Dongs, the US is finally getting a BMW hot wagon‼️‼️BMW has confirmed it will bring its brand new G90 M5 to the US in the traditional sedan variant and the touring wagon. As a huge fan of the M3 touring, I was heartbroken to see it chained to the realms of Europe. I am for sure pumped to see a Touring variant of the M5 will be making its way over to the States.

The touring will feature the same 4.4 liter V8 as the sedan paired with the plug-in hybrid system. Hopefully, the touring will not have as two much extra weight as with the M5 sedan clocking in at an astonishing 5,390 pounds, it certainly does not need to become any more of a whale. Nonetheless, I am hyped to see BMW bringing its super wagons to the US in what would make the ultimate daily driver. Kindergarten pick-up circle beware!

Jaguar Cuts Nearly All Models As It Prepares to Electrify

Jaguar Land Rover has confirmed it is ditching an unprecedented five models from its current lineup which include the XE and XF sedans, the F-Type Sports Car, and the E-Pace and I-Pace SUVs. This means the only model which will remain in the lineup will be the F-Pace SUV. T

This move comes as Jaguar attempts to not only fully electrify but also become profitable. Currently, Jaguar’s only profitable model is the F-Pace and they lag behind their counterpart Land Rover which sells 6 times as many cars as them in a given year. Come to think of it, this makes a lot of sense as the only time I ever see a Jaguar in Los Angeles, the luxury car capital of the world, is Google’s Waymo driverless taxis.

Jaguar’s new vehicles will be built on the Jaguar Electrifted Architecture (JEA) platform. This appears to be a smart move for the company which has barely broken even over the past couple of years as they seek to reinvent themselves to attract more consumers. Only time will tell if their rebrand will be successful.

Ford Revives the Capri as an Electric Crossover

Now having made a habit of reviving pony cars as 4-door electric crossovers, Ford has recently revealed the new Capri. Starting life in 1968, the original Capri embodied the 1970s and served as a Pony car for Europe. Just like its twin the Mustang Mach-E, it is now a 4-door electric crossover SUV.

The new Capri will come in two trims, a base and a Premium with the Premium offering a second electric motor, bigger battery back, more range, faster acceleration, and other luxuries. At least for now, the Capri will only be available in Italy but there is a chance for it to make its way over to North America.

Ford has been catching some bombastic sideye from the CEO of Polestar as its style is highly reminiscent of the Polestar Two. Whether or not this is intentional who knows but this model will surely land well with European consumers. The Tech on this car is immense with Gen Z and Millenial buyers in mind as it features a 14.6 vertical touchscreen and a “Megaconsole” for all your storage needs.

Daily Meme