Tag Archives: down

News

Here’s Why Elon Musk Is Slashing The Price Of The Tesla Model 3

Tesla is once again reducing its prices. This is the sixth time the automaker has cut the prices of its models in 2023. Earlier this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk surprised many by implementing price cuts of up to 20 percent in the U.S. and up to 17 percent in the European markets. As a result, the Tesla Model 3 became eligible for electric vehicle tax credits, solidifying its position as one of the most affordable EVs in the U.S. However, these price cuts have impacted Tesla’s profit margins, which have seen a sharp drop in the last quarter. Despite this, Musk believes that reducing prices is a calculated move to ensure long-term success for Tesla.

Sacrificing Today’s Profits For Tomorrow’s Rewards

Musk is willing to sacrifice short-term profits in order to set Tesla up for long-term success. The goal is to attract more customers and gain a competitive advantage over traditional automakers. Although the price cuts are eating into profits now, Musk believes it will pay off in the future. This strategy has sparked an EV price war, with other companies facing a dilemma on whether to follow Tesla’s lead. Only time will tell if this strategy will work in Tesla’s favor.

Tesla Is Striving To Capture A Larger Market Share

Tesla aims to capture a larger share of the automotive market currently dominated by traditional car manufacturers. Musk is pursuing a higher volume and larger fleet approach to achieve this. By slashing prices, Tesla has forced other automakers to adjust their EV prices in response. This move is aimed at enticing potential customers away from traditional automakers and towards Tesla. While competitors are hesitant to lower prices due to the impact on profit margins, Musk is confident that Tesla’s strategy will result in increased market share.

Musk Is Adapting To The Increasing Competition In The Market

Tesla is facing competition from both traditional automakers and new EV market entrants. Musk recognizes the need to adapt to this increasing competition, especially in key markets like China. The company is countering this competition by not only reducing prices but also by developing new models and employing innovative manufacturing techniques to lower production costs.

It’s The Best Way To Boost Sales

Musk believes that selling a large number of EVs at a lower margin is a more effective strategy. By reducing prices, Tesla aims to make EVs more affordable and accessible to a wider range of customers. This approach is intended to increase demand and penetrate the market further. Price cuts have already been implemented in various countries, resulting in increased demand and eligibility for electric vehicle tax credits.

Featured

Mercedes-AMG SL 55 Makes A Comeback In India


The iconic SL nameplate is back for some top-down motoring in style, that too in a performance-spec AMG avatar

The Mercedes-AMG SL 55 Roadster has been launched in India at a price of Rs 2.35 crore (ex-showroom, pan India). The SL nameplate was last available in India in 2012, and now the sixth-generation model is making a comeback. The company has also started taking orders for the two-door SL cabriolet in India after a gap of almost 11 years.

Mercedes’ Only Two-Door Cabriolet

The AMG SL 55 Roadster is only the second convertible from Affalterbach to be available in India, following the E-Class cabriolet. The latest SL 55 features smooth and curvaceous lines, in line with Mercedes’ current design language. It has a distinctive slatted AMG-exclusive grille with sharp LED taillights, giving it a focused and performance-oriented appearance.

The roadster is equipped with 21-inch AMG-spec alloy wheels and high-performance tires. It comes with a soft-top that can be electronically stored away in just 15 seconds at speeds of up to 60kmph. The front of the car has an elongated profile, while the rear is stubby, contributing to its aggressive look with sleek tail lamp design and quad exhausts.

A Luxurious Cabin

Similar to other Mercedes-AMG models, the SL 55 combines luxury with a sporty touch. It features a chunky three-spoke AMG steering wheel with heating function, sporty aluminum pedals, turbine-inspired AC vents, carbon fiber inserts on the center console, and optional Nappa leather seat upholstery. The SL sports a 2+2 seating configuration, which is typical of luxury sports coupes.

Packed with Features

The SL 55 Roadster is equipped with a range of features including a 12.3-inch digital driver’s display, powered front seats with heating, ventilation, and massage functions, dual-zone climate control, and 64-color ambient lighting. The centerpiece is a portrait-styled 11.9-inch touchscreen MBUX-powered infotainment system with a 1220W 17-speaker Burmester sound system and wireless charging. Safety features include blind spot assist, surround view system, parking assist, eight airbags, ESP, and optional radar-based ADAS. The car also offers a usable boot with 240 liters of storage, enough for a couple of travel bags or even a golf bag.

A Handcrafted V8 Under The Hood!

The Mercedes-AMG SL 55 is powered by the brand’s signature hand-built 4-liter twin-turbo V8 engine. With an output of 476PS and 700Nm of torque, the engine propels the car from 0 to 100kmph in just 3.9 seconds. The transmission duties are handled by a 9-speed MCT automatic unit.

The car comes with Mercedes’ 4MATIC+ (AWD) drivetrain with rear-wheel steering and rear limited-slip differential as standard, ensuring excellent grip and stability during high-speed cornering. It also features an active suspension system with dynamic abilities, offering a choice of driving experiences from comfort to dynamic. Additionally, it can raise the car’s clearance by 30mm to tackle uneven terrains.

Rivalry

With its price, the AMG SL 55 directly competes with the lower variants of the Porsche 911 Cabriolet, which are similarly priced. Although open-top motoring is still not widely practiced in India, cars like the SL are likely to encourage more demand for cabriolets in the country.

BMW

Peter Hickman impresses with three wins and new lap records on the new BMW M 1000 RR at Isle of Man TT

Peter Hickman and the Monster Energy by FHO Racing BMW Team had a fantastic week, winning three races and setting new lap records at the Isle of Man TT. This year, Hickman won both Superstock TT races and the prestigious Senior TT, setting a new outright TT lap record and new lap records in the Senior TT and the Superbike TT. The new BMW M 1000 RR bike also made its debut at the Isle of Man TT and won both Superstock races. Hickman now has a total of 13 Isle of Man TT wins, with ten victories in the 1,000 cc class on BMW bikes.

Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad, congratulated Hickman and the FHO Racing team for their successful performance. He praised Hickman’s ability to continue BMW’s success story at the Isle of Man TT with the new M 1000 RR bike and acknowledged the hard work put in by Hickman and the FHO Racing Team.

The race week began with the Superbike TT, where Hickman faced technical difficulties but managed to set a new Superbike lap record and finish second. He then switched to the Superstock TT version of the M 1000 RR and won both Superstock TT races, setting a sensational new official outright lap record at the Isle of Man TT with an average speed of 136.358 mph. The week concluded with the six-lap Senior TT, which Hickman won comfortably, setting a new Senior TT lap record and finishing almost 20 seconds ahead of second-place Dean Harrison.

Hickman praised the competition at the Isle of Man TT, especially Michael Dunlop, and thanked everyone for their support. His teammate Josh Brookes returned to Isle of Man TT after five years and finished with a personal best of 132.529 mph.

BMW had 16 road racers competing at this year’s Isle of Man TT, with Hickman’s BMW M 1000 XR prototype providing a preview of the third M model at BMW Motorrad.

Motorsport

Reasons behind Reddit r/Cars and Other Communities Going Dark

Reddit has implemented changes that have led to several communities shutting down their operations in protest. The automotive industry also participated in the shutdown starting on June 12, which is aimed to last for 48 hours, or even indefinitely in some subreddits.

As of writing this article, a Twitch live stream monitoring the situation shows that almost 8,000 communities have gone dark. This includes the largest subreddit for cars, r/Cars, which has 4.9 million members. Other major auto-related subreddits that are currently private are r/Autos, r/Spotted, r/IdiotsInCars, r/AskCarSales, and dozens of manufacturer and vehicle-specific groups. This move has essentially removed them from the public’s view.

However, not all of Reddit’s world has shut down. As we publish this article on the afternoon of June 12, r/CarTalk and its 650,000-plus members are still active, as is r/Mechanic Advice with 1.1 million members. Though with subreddits closing down on a seemingly minute-by-minute basis, it’s highly possible that these sites could turn private by the time you read this.

Changes made by Reddit regarding third-party apps are the reasons behind these protests. Reddit is imposing API costs on third-party developers that force them to shut down. API stands for application programming interface, which is the software that enables different applications to communicate. These apps are commonly used among Reddit users, and they supposedly help subreddits moderators keep their communities running smoothly. As per NBC News, one developer must shut down their application at the end of June, as the API charges would cost over $20 million per year.

It’s unclear whether r/Cars will return on June 14 or remain private. Motor1.com has reached out to r/Cars’ moderators to get some insights into this situation, but we haven’t received a response yet. We’ll update this article if more information becomes available.