It’s been another week in the office. The grind has worn you thin, and you partied like a rock star on Friday night, and maybe even into the early hours of the morning. But now you’re awake. Your mouth tastes like shame and regret…and bad whiskey. At least the Scrapple has to taste better than that, right? A little hot sauce and a serving of the week’s barely passable news should pick you right up, champ.
1. Audi to TT fans: “NO STICK FOR YOU!”
The Audi TT is a sports car. Repeat that over and over again and it might come true. To me, it’s a jellybean trying to ride the coattails of Audi’s legit sports car, the Quattro. And now it’s legitimacy as a sports car has been launched out of the window: starting with the upcoming 2017 model, the TT will no longer be offered with a true manual transmission option. Instead you will get two plastic paddles behind the wheel that will remind younger buyers of playing Gran Turismo with a steering wheel adapter. Way to go, Audi. Bravo.
2. Lamborghini abandons Asterion hybrid for Urus SUV. Way to go, Lambo.
The Asterion hybrid would’ve competed with some of the most wicked pieces to come out of Europe’s well-heeled groups: McLaren 650S, Ferrari 488 GTB, etc. But no…instead Lamborgini will, for the second time, wade into the performance SUV realm. At least it doesn’t look as militaristic as the LM-002.
3. Honorable news: FIA retiring #17 in Formula 1 racing in honor of Jules Bianchi
(Photo: The Guardian) The FIA has announced that #17 in Formula 1 will officially be retired, in memory of Jules Bianchi. Bianchi passed on due to an diffuse axonal injury sustained in a crash at the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka Circuit.
Quoting the FIA’s official statement: “As F1 car numbers are now personally chosen by each driver, the FIA believes it to be an appropriate gesture to retire Jules Bianchi’s number 17. As a result, this number can no longer be used for a car competing in the FIA Formula One World Championship.”
4. “The ‘F’ stands for ‘fat wallet’ “: A $70,000 F-150?!
I can think of many things the letter “F” stands for when I hear about a $70,000 Ford F-150 being a reality. What is really going on is that Ford makes a killing on every truck they sell, and they sell every truck they make. So, on that theory, a “Limited” trim level is being introduced that will slot above Platinum, start at $60,000 before options, and could dive deep into blue-blood territory.
Presenting to you: the 2016 Ford “F*** Me Running, That’s Expensive!” Limited Edition.
5. Mazda won’t zoom-zoom, so Fiat will.
The next Fiat coming out will be the 124 Spider, which is going to be a rebadged Mazda MX-5 Miata. That’s not a bad way to go: the Miata has been an excellent roadster from the start, while my personal opinion of the 1970’s era 124 caused me to coin the term “Feeyotch”. Now, here’s where the fun begins: Mazda has officially said that they will not create a performance version of the new MX-5. Fiat, on the other hand, hasn’t said a thing. 124 Abarth, anybody?
Bad wniskey?
I thought you guys could at least afford some fine scotch or a single malt or two with all your sponsor’s money pouring in…..
Or does it all go on your rides….
Maybe if they’d play nice and start doing some investigative as well as original reporting I might consider sending the poor souls a bottle or two of Stranahan’s
If you don’t like Bangshift’s reporting, then why don’t you go to another website, or better yet with all this time on your hands since your wife seems to support you financially, why don’t you create your own automotive website?
Audi’s TT couldnt die fast enough in my opinion. It has always looked like a cartoonish joke of a car. Oh, and GS/ CK / whatever you call yourself this week, dont bother. Nobody gives a flying continental what you think.
I’d always thought that the TT looked like a 911 that had bulked up on a binge, like the designers at VAG had followed this train of logic: Take a Beetle, squash it to make a Porsche. Take a Porsche, inflate it a little bit and BAM! Audi TT.
Gee and everyones just waiting with baited breath to hear your non existent blatherings . Effing wingnut Idiot . And in case y’all haven’t notice its been CK for quite some time now so welcome to the party .
As to your ignorance when it come to the TT . Yeah … kind of fits .Booze addled white trash is as white trash does . Fact is numbnuts the TT in its RS form can kick the crap out of most the new so called American [ because two of the three are not ] muscle cars
No go suck on your cheap ***ed light beer and continue annoying your wife .. assuming anyone’s stupid enough to marry a sockpupper troll like you !
ColoradoKid / GuitarSlinger / TJ Martin, mooseface has something on this internet forum that you will never achieve, and that is respect from his peers.
As I have stated before to you, with the way you treat Bangshift staff and many fellow Bangshifters , karma will eventually catch up to you.
Thanks for that.
I’m still kind of confused as to whom he was poking at.
Either of us is a huge swing-and-a-miss: John is from Down Under, and I’m a confirmed Toyota, Jeep and Binder nerd.
1) Nor surprises here
2) A genuine travesty/tragedy
3) An over reaction on the part of the FI! to draw much needed media attention to themselves
4) Seriously ? $70k for a freaking over sized tin can P/U ?
5) Wanna bet this relationship ends in tears
And errr .. where’s the 1.5 million FCA recalls announced Friday
“At least it doesn’t look as militaristic as the LM-002.” I thought the excessive militarism was one of the best features of that one.