17 minutes ago, iantt said:

It's an id4 underneath I'm told. VW are getting quite involved with ford now.

Yes, Capri is supposedly a "coupe SUV" based on the Explorer which itself sits on the VW platform. Explorer even has the same wheelbase as an ID4 I believe.

3 hours ago, Jimpster said:

Spotted on my newsfeed today Ford and Volkswagen are making an EV called the Capri. allegedly Ford lovers are up in arms.

It will probably land with a similar thud as the Mach E Mustang. It’s quite evident that they are grasping at any straw that might capture the buyers imagination or heartstrings.

I wrote Ford a letter saying that they should hedge their bets and offer a S&M package for the Mach E that included leather seat upholstery seatbelts with dog collar like silver spikes made from silicone plastic and a PowerPoint adapter that allows cords with alligator clips to be attached to passengers who like a nice poke without warning.

At least it might have gained a foothold in the niche market for people who enjoy pain and humiliation.

On 12/13/2023 at 4:52 PM, StephenFord said:

Why don't people actually want to drive anymore? Any 'auto' system is abhorrent to me.

There will come a time for you, as it will soon for me, when you are unable to drive - legally at least. An autonomous vehicle would then continue to give you some mobility and independence.

My da needs one asap ! 

4 hours ago, mjt said:

There will come a time for you, as it will soon for me, when you are unable to drive - legally at least. An autonomous vehicle would then continue to give you some mobility and independence.

Would using an autonomous vehicle allow all passengers to be above the legal alcohol level as technically they won't be in charge of the vehicle? 

 

Asking for a friend! 🍻

It opens up a whole legal minefield

21 hours ago, Jimpster said:

It opens up a whole legal minefield

Not really. If the vehicle was not built with an HMI interface, iE steering wheel and brake pedal and throttle control, then there should be no issue around if the autonomous vehicle passengers are stone cold sober or ***** drunk.

It will be interesting to see how the government’s react when the traffic and speed law infraction revenue streams fade into a pittance! 
just like the tobacco taxes and drunk driving fines have shrunk to the point that they are now concerned about trying to find new sources of social malaise and disfunction to punish and tax.

I believe that the next frontier of socially unacceptable behavior will be the desire to live alone and be left alone! What unmitigated gall! What right does anyone have to just be left alone to their own business! 
I predict that the first example of that thinking will be a added tax upon people who dine alone in restaurants. Then another tax if red meat is ordered! Would you like a glass of wine, sir? Ohh! Alcohol! Tack on another Tax. It will just go on until the collapse.

1 hour ago, Scottman said:

to find new sources of social malaise and disfunction to punish and tax.

We already have a "special" sugar tax on Coca Cola 🙁

On 12/17/2023 at 4:05 PM, unofix said:

We already have a "special" sugar tax on Coca Cola 🙁

I have a photo I took for that LOL (The tax is a con...)

18 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

(The tax is a con...)

Have you you seen the amount of sugar that must go in to natural water 🤣

26 minutes ago, unofix said:

Have you you seen the amount of sugar that must go in to natural water 🤣

I admire that, charging £41 for something I turn my tap on and get for 100% free 🤣 Capitalism at work, designed obviously for over wealthy morons!

Someone has just realised it's illegal in Belfast (Northern Ireland) to run a cable over a pavement to charge your EV...

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/ev-owners-without-a-driveway-breaking-the-law-if-they-run-cable-over-pavement/a2038295474.html?

Belfast EV issue with pavements.pdf

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

Someone has just realised it's illegal in Belfast (Northern Ireland) to run a cable over a pavement to charge your EV...

Same here in England. I did see something in a local paper last year of a guy who has the charging cable out his upstairs bedroom window across to a kind of flag pole idea that is held up by the car and the cable goes over the footpath about 15feet of the ground.

Thinking again about the imminent ZEV mandate and apparent lack.of EV interest from "average" private motorists. 

I've been struck recently by the number of older cars around in decent condition. The other day I stopped to admire a superb looking Focus Mk 1 ST170, and I note that a couple of members have joined the forum recently with 20 year old Focuses.

Apparently the average age of the UK car fleet is 8.4 years (the highest since records began) with 10 million pre-2008. 

Wonder how long it will be before they achieve 100% EV unless at some point they make owning an ICE car as serious an offence as using the wrong personal pronoun?

 

The newest car I ever bought was a Jade coloured Sierra Sapphire hatchback, It was only 5 years old and I was paranoid about getting it damaged. So much so I only drive older cars easier to repair and if written off no big loss, and in these financial times am sure that's where most people are with car ownership. If you stay around a certain price tag and shop wisely you can buy run and sell on after a few years for around a grand. The ST's etc are a niche market and will always be collectable and hold price.

That’s where I am now, Jimpster!

I simply cannot justify the cost of new over a solid vehicle that is far simpler and less expensive to repair, maintain and insure. 
The fact that when I drive past a Ford dealership I don’t see a single vehicle that I have even a tiny bit of desire to look at more closely, they offer nothing!

 I had to take a break from building my lotus 7 knockoff. But that work will resume as soon as I Finnish my Escort GT project in mid summer.

The cost of even a low end EV is still too expensive for most people. A friend of mine who still works at a dealership shared that one of his customers who has a mid size SUV was offered a new Chevy Bolt for $10 grand usd in trade for the 2017 SUV!

 I am no longer interested in or making any effort to set aside some money for a new vehicle purchase. I can just build or restore a different car for far less cost than any of the high tech crap on offer today.

1 hour ago, Jimpster said:

...If you stay around a certain price tag and shop wisely you can buy run and sell on after a few years for around a grand....

Yep, that's my buying budget, and I ended up with my lovely current Focus...

Can I use these batteries in my torch and say it's net zero ? 🤣

 

On 12/18/2023 at 5:17 PM, StephenFord said:

I have a photo I took for that LOL (The tax is a con...)

 

 

Of course this could be Coke applying the tax rise to both products and just making a bigger profit on the diet tax-free version.

48 minutes ago, Mark-UK said:

 

 

Of course this could be Coke applying the tax rise to both products and just making a bigger profit on the diet tax-free version.

Sadly, the tax was introduced to make the 'fat' version more expensive so that folk would be drawn to the cheaper sugar free variant. Next time you're in a supermarket, just compare the price of both, using any brand, the variation lasted about a week after introduction 5 years ago. It's just yet one more government con...

In this mornings post I got a letter from the PM inviting me to share my views and enclosing a questionnaire.

I mention it here as a lot of the content relates to "green" issues.

Anyway, I was very happy to share my views. Rishi may not be quite as happy if he reads them.........😀

5 minutes ago, Eric Bloodaxe said:

In this mornings post I got a letter from the PM inviting me to share my views and enclosing a questionnaire.

I would love to have that opportunity! Though a few days ago I did take part in a 'consultation' at the potential introduction of 'water charging' in Northern Ireland. Like you, I don't thing the government (if we had one) would be supportive of my views LOL

23 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I would love to have that opportunity! Though a few days ago I did take part in a 'consultation' at the potential introduction of 'water charging' in Northern Ireland. Like you, I don't thing the government (if we had one) would be supportive of my views LOL

You get free water ???????

 

3 minutes ago, Jimpster said:

You get free water ???????

 

Yeah, and I believe two passports as well!😀