Hello, happy Wednesday, and welcome to another Cold Start morning news roundup. Since yesterday's recap, we've reported on a self-leveling Camp Mode feature coming to Rivian vehicles via an over-the-air update. We've also seen the Ford Bronco gain the option of a black roof and covered the possibility that the seventh-generation Mustang's rumors of a hybrid powertrain and AWD may have been false.
But in today's edition, we're looking at a new dealer-backed performance upgrade for the Ram 1500 TRX. We also have news on the reveal of the all-new BMW M2, a new lap record for the Tesla Model S Plaid, and the powertrain plans for the upcoming Polestar 6. Finally, police in a town in Arkansas have been banned from issuing speeding tickets.
The Ram TRX Tyrant Is A 787-HP Super Truck
If you've been keeping up with developments at the Blue Oval, you'll know that Ford recently revealed the F-150 Raptor R, a supercharged V8 super truck designed to decimate the Ram 1500 TRX. The Ford has a smidge less power than the TRX, but it's close, and it weighs less. If you take issue with that, a dealer in Iowa called Granger Motors has a solution. The dealer's new tuning package comes from Nth Moto, an expert on all things modified Mopar. After extensive development, the company has revealed that its package gives the supercharged HEMI a 3.17-inch pulley with a new belt. There's also a set of bigger injectors, colder spark plugs, and an upgraded thermostat. An ECU tune rounds out the mechanical upgrades, giving the truck a total of 787 horsepower. With a dealer-backed warranty, the cheapest version of the upgrade costs $7,995. There are some additional aesthetic upgrades available, too, so check out the full article for more details.
Click here to see the TRX Tyrant in detail
2023 BMW M2 Will Be Revealed On October 11
As the last non-hybrid M car, the G87 BMW M2 is a big deal. Thankfully, it appears that the magicians in Munich will be doing things properly, offering both rear-wheel-drive and a six-speed manual transmission. However, to appeal to a broader audience, the diminutive sports car will also be offered with an eight-speed automatic, and reports have indicated that M xDrive all-wheel-drive will also be available. Under the hood, the outstanding S58 3.0-liter twin-turbo straight-six engine will produce in the region of 450 hp. We'll be able to confirm this and more in a matter of weeks, as insiders report the reveal will take place on October 11.
Click here to read the full article
Tesla Model S Plaid Claims Another Lap Record
The Tesla Model S Plaid may have been decimated by the Porche Taycan Turbo S at the Nurburgring and had its record-breaking 0-60 time eclipsed by that of the Rimac Nevera, but the high-performance EV still has some fire in its belly. With Blake Fuller at the helm, the Plaid took to Sebring International Raceway to have a crack at the EV lap record. The result was a time of 2:19.999 - reportedly almost five seconds quicker than the previous record of 2:24.906. However, it's worth keeping in mind that this was far from a stock Model S Plaid and was, in fact, one of the cars that competed at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which means it was stripped down to the bare essentials for weight reduction.
Click here to watch the record-setting lap
Polestar 6 EV Takes Aim At Porsche
We recently got the wonderful news that the spectacular Polestar O2 concept will find its way to production as the Polestar 6. Yet another fancy electric car is coming to the market, but the brand's CEO Thomas Ingenlath wants the Polestar 6 to stand out, especially when it comes to handling. Yes, it will have as much as 872 hp in its most potent guise, but the roadster will also feature a bonded aluminum platform like other premium segment leaders. With this, Ingenlath told Top Gear that the new arrival is taking direct aim at "the Porsche 911 and that type of car." That's a tall order, but we'll reserve our comments until we've driven the production car. Less-powerful variants will also be available, but don't expect a smaller rival to the Miata to come along.
Click here to read the full article
Police In Small Arkansas Town Banned From Writing Speeding Tickets
We end on something rather surprising. When you receive too many speeding tickets, there's a good chance that your license will be suspended or even revoked, but what happens when you give out too many? Police in the town of Menifee, Arkansas, have found out the hard way. After breaking the state's rule that no more than 30% of a town's revenue can come from traffic citations, Menifee police are now banned from writing speeding tickets for a year. In a period spanning almost four years, not a single warning was given to motorists who trespassed - only fines. In the case of one officer, 771 citations were recorded in the period under which the town was audited. While it's great to see that police are being reprimanded for over imposing their authority, we can't help but wonder how road safety in Menifee could worsen.
Click here to read the full article
